Jan 09, 2024 Board of Aldermen

MADAM CLERK, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ALDERMAN REAL HERE.

ALDERMAN BRINSON HERE.

[3. Approve Agenda.]

UH, BOARD NUMBER THREE IS TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.

AND I DID RECEIVE A MESSAGE FROM, UM, ALDERMAN BESS.

SHE'S NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT TONIGHT, AND SHE REQUESTED THAT WE TABLE ITEM NUMBER 24.

THAT'S THE DISCUSSION OF THE BP BUILDING, UH, TO THE NEXT MEETING.

SO IF THAT IS THE BOARD'S DESIRE, IF YOU WOULD CONSIDER THAT IN YOUR MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA, I'D APPRECIATE IT.

HAVE A MOTION FOR MCKENZIE AND SECOND ALDERMAN.

ASTOR.

IS THAT OKAY THAT WE INCLUDE THAT WE'RE GONNA TABLE ITEM NUMBER? YES.

UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

LOOK AT THE CONSENT AGENDA.

AGENDA IS APPROVED.

DO WE HAVE ANY PETITION OF CITIZENS? NO, SIR.

NONE.

TONIGHT WE'LL

[Consent Agenda]

WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? ON ITEMS NUMBER FIVE THROUGH 11? MAKE A MOTION.

WE APPROVE THE SENATE AGENDA.

SECOND, HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND.

LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL, STARTING WITH ALDERMAN PRILL.

[12. Introduction of New Fire Chief.]

CARRIES.

ITEM NUMBER 12 IS INTRODUCTION OF THE NEW FIRE CHIEF, MR. HUGHES.

MAYOR, I'M HAPPY TO INTRODUCE DAM LOCKLEAR AS OUR NEW FIRE CHIEF.

DANIEL, PLEASE COME UP.

HE RECENTLY COMES, UH, TO US FROM KITCHEN WHERE HE SERVED AS THE FIRE CHIEF FOR MANY YEARS.

SO, DAN, WHY DON'T YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF.

HELLO, EVERYONE.

UH, MR. MAYOR ALDERMAN.

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE.

I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE CITY IN GENERAL, JUST FOR THE SUPPORT THAT ME AND MY FAMILY HAVE, UH, WITNESSED EVEN PRIOR TO OUR ARRIVAL.

UM, WE'VE BEEN WELCOMED WITH OPEN ARMS. UM, THE STAFF THAT YOU SEE BEHIND ME, UH, JUST VERY WELCOMING, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MYSELF, UM, RAISED, UH, A LITTLE TOWN CALLED PEMBROKE, NORTH CAROLINA.

FROM THERE, UM, GETTING INTO THE FIRE SERVICE, I STARTED AS A VOLUNTEER, LIKE MANY DO.

UM, A LITTLE COMMUNITY BASED.

AND THEN FROM THERE, WENT ON TO FAYETTEVILLE AND, UH, SPENT THE LAST FIVE YEARS, UH, WITH THE CITY OF KINSTON AS STATED BODY MANAGER, AS THE FIRE CHIEF.

AND THEN LOOKED VERY, VERY MUCH, UH, EXCITED ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE, UM, FOR THE CITY OF NEWBURN.

UM, MY FAMILY, I WANTED THEM TO HAVE HERE WITH ME AS WELL, BUT DUE TO THE CONDITIONS, I, I THOUGHT IT'D BE SAFE FOR THEM TO STAY IN PLACE RIGHT NOW.

BUT, UH, AGAIN, JUST VERY EXCITED TO BE HERE.

VERY THANKFUL TO BE HERE.

UM, AND I GIVE ALL THE PRAISE TO, YOU KNOW, THE LORD ABOVE FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.

AND I HOPE THAT IT IS ONE THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER AS A TEAM TO LEAD THE DEPARTMENT TO PROVIDE THE BEST SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY, UM, FOR YEARS TO COME.

SO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WE'RE CERTAINLY GLAD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.

ITEM NUMBER 13 IS A PRE, HOLD ON.

13 IS THE PRESENTATION AND CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION ADOPTING A COMPREHENSIVE PARKS AND RECREATION MASTER PLAN.

I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, I'M GONNA EXCUSE OURSELVES SO WE CAN GET BACK TO MONITORING IN THE STORM.

[13. Presentation and Consideration of Resolution Adopting a Comprehensive Parks and Recreation Master Plan.]

MR. HUGHES, MAYOR ALDERMAN, AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE MIKE NORRIS WITH MCGILL ASSOCIATES.

[00:05:01]

UH, THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING ON OUR COMPREHENSIVE MASTER PLAN FOR PARKS AND RECREATION FOR MORE THAN A YEAR NOW, AND SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THEIR PRESENTATION.

UH, GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR AND BOARD OF ALDERMAN.

UH, WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WITH YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THIS SYSTEMWIDE PLAN.

I'M MIKE NORRIS WITH MCGILL.

WE'RE, UH, CONSULTING ENGINEERS AND PLANNERS.

AS, UH, MR. HUGHES MENTIONED, WE'VE WORKED, UH, A LITTLE OVER A YEAR ON THIS PLAN, AND THIS IS A, UH, A SYSTEM-WIDE MASTER PLAN IS A LONG RANGE PLANNING DOCUMENT.

IT'S A GUIDE, IT'S A COMPASS TO HELP OFFER DIRECTION, UM, AS, AS YOU MOVE FORWARD WITH RECREATION IMPROVEMENTS.

UM, YOU KNOW, UH, THIS, THIS PLAN ALSO HAS THE ABILITY TO BE FLEXIBLE, WHICH I IMPORTANT IN RECREATION AS TRENDS CHANGE AND POPULATION DEMOGRAPHICS, UM, ARE, ARE ADAPTED TO, TO GROWTH IN DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES.

UH, THIS PLAN WILL HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO, TO RESPOND TO THIS.

UM, I ALSO HAVE NATE HALUKA HERE.

HE'S GONNA GIVE THE OVERVIEW OF THE PRESENTATION, SO I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO NATE.

AND WHAT WE DID, UH, TO GO A LITTLE MORE IN DEPTH WITH THAT WAS USE A MULTIMODAL PROCESS.

THANK YOU ALDERMAN.

AND, UH, MAYOR.

UH, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US OUT TONIGHT.

UM, NATE HALUKA, I'M PART OF THE TEAM THAT HAD A CHANCE TO, TO WORK THROUGH THIS COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

AND, UM, THANK YOU FOR WELCOMING US TO THE CITY.

SO WHAT I WANT TO DO IS, UH, I WANNA GO THROUGH THIS.

UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT EACH OF YOU HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO, TO REVIEW THE COPY OR BEEN PROVIDED BY THE COPY OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

THERE HAVE BEEN A, A FEW NOTES OF, UH, SOME MINOR EDITORIAL CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN NOTED THAT NEED TO BE, UH, EXAMINED.

CERTAINLY, WE'RE GONNA TAKE THAT BACK TO THE TEAM AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO MAKE THOSE SMALL, UH, MINOR ADJUSTMENTS.

WHAT I DO WANT TO HIT ON HERE OVER THE NEXT FEW MINUTES ARE SOME OF THE HIGH POINTS OF THE PLAN.

I'M CERTAINLY ABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

YOU MIGHT ME TO TURN IT ON, ON THE SIDE.

SO, A BIT OF BACKGROUND.

I'VE BEEN WITH GIL MCGILL JUST A LITTLE OVER A YEAR PRIOR TO THAT, I, UH, WORKED WITH THE STATE.

I RAN THE STATE'S PARKS AND RECREATION TRUST FUND AND LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND.

UM, WHAT I WANT YOU TO SEE IS, UH, ONE OF THE KEY THINGS THAT I WANT YOU TO SEE FROM THIS PLAN SUMMARY IS THAT THE, THESE SECTIONS ACTUALLY LINE UP, UH, NOT ONLY TO UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY, WHAT YOUR OFFERINGS, UH, ARE WITHIN NEW BERN, BUT IT ALSO SETS YOU UP FOR THOSE KEY FUNDING LEVERAGES, UH, AS THE CITY CONTINUES TO LOOK FORWARD INTO THE FUTURE.

I'M NOT GONNA GO INTO EACH ONE OF THESE IN DETAIL, ALTHOUGH I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THOSE FUNDS RELATED, UH, FUNDING RELATED QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.

IT DOESN'T LIKE ME.

THERE WE GO.

ALL RIGHT.

SO WHAT I WANT TO DO IS, IS TALK ABOUT NEW BERN.

THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT REALLY ENJOY NOT ONLY LIVING IN NEW BERN, BUT VISITING IN NEW BERN.

AND WHAT I WANNA OFFER IS THAT WE FOUND DURING THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS THAT YOU HAVE A WEALTH OF PARKS THAT ARE NOT ONLY SERVING YOUR RESIDENTS, BUT THEY'RE SERVING YOUR VISITORS.

UM, I HAD A CHANCE WHENEVER I WAS WORKING WITH THE STATE TO DO A STATEWIDE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT LOOKED AT THE ENTIRE STATE.

AND WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, NOT UNLIKE NEW BERN, THERE'S A LOT OF COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE A WEALTH OF PARKS LIKE YOU DO.

AND SOME OF THEM ARE SYSTEMS THAT, UM, ARE MOVING TOWARDS, UH, CONTINUALLY MOVING TOWARDS IMPROVEMENT.

AND THAT'S SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT IS WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE AS FROM A MAINTENANCE ASPECT AND IMPROVEMENT ASPECT AS YOU'RE STARTING TO MOVE FORWARD.

BUT THE KEY THING THAT I WANT YOU TO SEE HERE IS THAT LARGE CLUSTER IS SHOWING HOW MUCH YOU'RE SERVING YOUR RESIDENTS, WHICH IS REALLY HEALTHY.

AND IT'S ALSO NOT ONLY SERVING YOUR RESIDENTS, IT'S ALSO SERVING THOSE VISITORS.

ALL 27 OF THOSE PARTS ARE PLAYING A PART IN THAT.

THE, THE NEXT THING THAT I WANT YOU TO SEE IS WE'RE GONNA GO INTO THE PUBLIC INPUT ASPECT THAT WENT INTO YOUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, WE NOT ONLY LOOKED AT THE RESIDENTS, BUT WE ALSO LOOKED AT NATIONAL STANDARDS AND NATIONAL RECOGNITIONS.

WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD BENCHMARKS AND LOOKED AT DATA AND WHERE YOU FELL ALONG THAT DATA.

AND THAT HELPED INFORM THOSE KIND OF GUARDRAILS AS WE WERE STARTING TO MAKE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS UP HERE, WE JUST HAVE KIND OF A, AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT THOSE, UH, GUARDRAILS KIND OF LOOK LIKE.

SO WHAT I WANNA START TO MO LOOK INTO IS BEFORE WE GET INTO THE RECOMMENDATIONS, I REALLY WANT TO IMPRESS UPON YOU THE WEALTH OF DATA THAT WE GOT FROM YOUR, UH, LOCAL CITIZENS AS WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS.

UM, IN PARTICULARLY UPFRONT, WE, UH, WE DID OUR DUE DILIGENCE IN GETTING YOUR MARKETING INFORMATION OUT THERE SO THAT WE CAN INFORM THE COMMUNITY BEFORE WE GOT THAT PUBLIC INPUT.

WHAT YOU'RE KIND OF SEEING IN THE BACKGROUND HERE IS HOW ONE OF THE MESSAGE THAT WE USED TO REACH OUT TO THOSE 1600 PLUS INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE ABLE TO GIVE INPUT ON THIS PLAN, AND THESE WEREN'T JUST INDIVIDUALS OF, OF WORKING AGE, WE DEVELOPED PROCESSES THAT WERE ABLE TO COLLECT EVERYTHING FROM A 3-YEAR-OLD UP TO, UH, YOU KNOW, AGING INDIVIDUALS IN THEIR NINETIES COULD USE SOME OF THE PROCESSES THAT WE HAD TO COLLECT PUBLIC INPUT.

IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU DON'T CAPTURE INFORMATION FROM JUST ONE SEGMENT OF YOUR POPULATION, BUT ARE REACHING OUT TO EVERYBODY.

[00:10:01]

UH, CERTAINLY WE HAD A SURVEY THAT'S PART OF THAT.

WE HAD FOCUS GROUP MEETINGS.

WE ALSO HAVE PUBLIC MEETINGS.

THE, THE KEY THING HERE IS DON'T JUST PUT OUT ONE METHOD TO GAIN PUBLIC INPUT.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE HAVING MULTIPLE DIFFERENT METHODS OF DOING THAT, SO THAT IF SOMEBODY WASN'T COMFORTABLE WITH ONE METHOD, THERE MIGHT BE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO GIVE INPUT.

ALL OF THESE THINGS BLEND TOGETHER TO GIVE YOU A STRONG FABRIC OF UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT YOUR PUBLIC WANTS.

UM, WHAT I DO WANT TO GO TO IS, UH, I WANNA SPEND A COUPLE MINUTES, I KNOW WE'RE SHORT ON TIME, BUT I WANT TO TALK THROUGH, UM, SOME MAJOR POINTS HERE WITH REGARD TO RECOMMENDATIONS.

IN PARTICULAR, LIKE WE SAID, YOU HAVE 27 PARKS, YOU HAVE A WEALTH OF PARKS.

IT'S GONNA BE IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO LOOK AT THOSE PARKS AND SEE HOW THEY CAN BE IMPROVED IN TIME.

AND LIKE I SAID, THAT'S A STATEWIDE TREND OF MAKING SURE THAT YOU'RE TAKING, BEING GOOD STEWARDS OF THE PROPERTIES THAT YOU HAVE.

UH, WHAT WE DID SEE IS THAT THERE'S A FEW PARKS, UM, THAT, UH, THERE'S OFTENTIMES THAT, UH, DEMAND CHANGES AND SHIFT CHANGES, UH, AND NEEDS CHANGES OVER TIME.

UM, SO WE DID WITHIN THE PLAN, RECOMMEND THAT THERE WAS A COUPLE PARKS THAT YOU MAY WANT TO START TO LOOK AT, UH, AND, AND SEE AND EVALUATE IF THOSE STILL NEED TO BE PART OF THE SYSTEM OR IF THOSE NEEDS ARE BEING MET BY OTHER PARKS IN THE AREA.

NOW, I WILL SAY THAT THE COMP PLAN IS JUST A START OF THAT.

IDEALLY A BEST PRACTICE IS FOR YOU TO CONTINUALLY MONITOR THOSE PARKS TO SEE IF THEY'RE BEING USED.

ONE KEY WAY IN WHICH THAT'S BEING DONE ACROSS, UH, THE SOUTHEAST AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY IS TYPICALLY YOU USE CELL PHONE DATA TO SEE IF THOSE PARKS ARE BEING PATRONIZED REGULARLY.

UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT MY UNDERSTANDING THAT CITIES ALREADY EXPLORING AND MAY ALREADY HAVE UP.

THE IMPORTANT THING IS THAT BEFORE YOU GO MAKE THOSE FINAL DECISIONS, WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE GONNA REPURPOSE A PARK, DO YOUR DUE DILIGENCE, UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY, AND IT'S NOT A CASE TO WHERE, WHETHER OR NOT A PARK MAY NOT BE NEEDED ANYMORE.

IT MAY BE A CASE TO WHERE THERE'S ANOTHER NEARBY PARK THAT IS ALREADY SERVING THAT SIMILAR TYPE DEMAND.

THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE SEEING IS THAT THE PARKS THAT YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE A WEALTH OF THEM.

YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE SOME MINOR THINGS LIKE, UM, BEING ABLE TO, TO, UH, INFORM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT HOW TO GET TO THOSE PARKS AND WHAT THOSE OFFERINGS ARE.

I WANNA PAUSE HERE FOR JUST A SECOND.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT IN PARTICULAR? OKAY.

GO AHEAD.

BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT YOU RECEIVED, WHAT IS YOUR EVALUATION BASED ON FROM WHAT YOU ALREADY SEEING? WHAT WE HAVE AND WHERE WE ARE GOING? I, I, SO MY BROAD PERSPECTIVE IS THAT YOU HAVE, LIKE I SAID, YOU HAVE A LOT OF PARKS, YOU HAVE A WEALTH OF PARKS.

UM, AND, AND OFTENTIMES WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT WHENEVER YOU'RE LOOKING AT YOUR PARK SYSTEM IS QUALITY AS WELL AS QUANTITY.

AND YOU ARE ALSO LOOKING AT THE SERVICE RADIUS.

DO YOU HAVE A PARK IN ONE PARTICULAR AREA THAT A PARK WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE IS ALSO SERVING THAT SAME NEED? AND IF YOU DO, WHICH PARK IS BEING PATRONIZED MORE? AND THEN USING THAT EVALUATION THAT YOU GET TO SEE, YOU KNOW, IS IT REALLY HEALTHY FOR THE, THE PARK, FOR THE, THE CITY TO USE RESOURCES TOWARDS ONE PARK OR ANOTHER, OR HAVE BOTH OF THEM? THE KEY THING IS TO USE THAT DATA OF PATRONIZATION TO SEE IF THOSE MAINTENANCE DOLLARS, IF THAT MAIN, IF THAT PARK IS SERVING THE COMMUNITY, OR ARE THOSE NEEDS ALREADY BEING MET ELSEWHERE.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YEAH.

BUT I, I LIKE TO KNOW WHAT IS YOUR EVALUATION BASED ON THE DATA THAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED? WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT WE SHOULD DO? YOU ARE THE EXPERT, SO I'M JUST TRYING TO GET SOME BETTER INFORMATION YEAH.

THAT I CAN GO WITH MYSELF.

YEP.

SO BASED ON THE EXPERT.

UH, MY EVALUATION IS YOU HAVE ABOUT TWO TO THREE PARKS THAT ARE CURRENTLY UNDERUTILIZED.

THAT THERE ARE NEARBY PARKS, UH, WITHIN, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THE SERVICE RADIUS HERE, IT'S STILL NOT LIKING ME.

YOU HAVE PARKS THAT ARE, AND, UM, IT MOVED ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

YOU HAVE PARKS THAT HAVE OVERLAPPING SERVICE BOUNDARIES.

SO IN THOSE CASES, UM, YOUR RESIDENTS ARE GOING TO HAVE MULTIPLE DIFFERENT DECISIONS ABOUT PARKS THAT THEY WANT TO GO TO.

IT WILL PROBABLY BE BEST TO LOOK AT POTENTIALLY, UM, LOOK AT THE DATA, LOOK TO SEE IF IT MAKES SENSE TO REMOVE TWO OR THREE PARKS.

BECAUSE IF YOU REMOVE THAT, YOU CAN REALLOCATE THOSE MAINTENANCE EFFORTS TOWARDS OTHER, UM, PARKS WITHIN THE SYSTEM AND, AND, AND MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ARE MAINTAINED WELL.

THAT WOULD BE MY RECOLLECTION IS THAT YOU HAVE A LOT OF PARKS AND REMOVING A FEW WOULD NOT ULTIMATELY IMPACT YOUR SERVICE, UH, IMPACT AT YOUR, YOUR SERVICE LEVELS.

SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS MAYBE REMOVE MAYBE TWO OR THREE OF THEM.

REMOVE, REMOVE THEM FOR SERVICE OR CHANGE THEIR USE.

UH, AND THAT'S WHERE I'D SAY THIS IS THE STARTING POINT.

THERE ARE DATA METHODS THAT I BELIEVE ARE UNDERWAY THAT SHOULD ALSO BE CONSIDERED AS YOU MAKE THOSE FINAL DECISIONS.

SCREEN ARE THREE BLUE DOTS, TWO LARGER BLUE DOTS, AND ONE SMALL BLUE DOTS.

UM, SO WHAT I WANNA SEE, AND THIS WILL BE THE LAST SLIDE THAT I'LL BRING UP HERE FOR ADDRESSING ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.

WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT HOW YOU HAVE A LOT OF PARKS, YOU'RE SERVING YOUR COMMUNITY WITH THESE PARKS.

YOU ALSO HAVE GROWTH THAT'S HAPPENING IN NEW BERN.

SO WHAT YOU SEE UP ON THE

[00:15:01]

THOSE ARE AREAS WHERE WE DO SEE SOME NEED FOR ADDITIONAL PARKING UNITS IN THE FUTURE.

UH, TYPICALLY YOU'RE, YOU'RE LOOKING IN YOUR SERVICE AREA, UH, TO THE WEST OF THE CITY AND TO THE SOUTH OF THE CITY.

UM, AND THOSE ARE AREAS WHERE THERE'S NOT CURRENTLY A WHOLE LOT OF ACCESS TO PARKS.

UM, YOU ALSO HAVE ONE AREA THAT'S JUST DIRECTLY SOUTH OF THE CITY THAT IS IN AN AREA THAT DOESN'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF SERVICE OVERLAY THAT SHOULD ALSO BE CONSIDERED.

NOW WE DID NOT GO SO FAR AS TO SAY WHAT SHOULD BE GOING INTO THESE PARKS.

TYPICALLY, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WOULD BE ADDRESSED IN A SITE SPECIFIC MASTER PLAN THAT LOOKS A LITTLE BIT DEEPER INTO THE PARTICULAR PARKS.

UM, BUT MR. MAYOR AND ALDERMAN, UH, THIS IS, UH, THIS KIND OF REST MY OVERVIEW OF OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

I'D CERTAINLY BE ABLE TO, UH, OR WILLING TO ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.

YOU MENTIONED GROWTH, UM, WHICH ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU THINK THAT WE COULD ADD TO OUR PARKS? 'CAUSE WE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION, UH, LAST MONTH ABOUT ACTIVITIES, WHAT TYPE OF ACTIVITIES THAT WE SHOULD HAVE YEAH.

UH, TO GIVE THE YOUNG FOLKS A LITTLE BIT MORE THINGS TO DO.

UH, HAVE YOU THOUGHT OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE COULD BRING TO OUR PARKS? RIGHT.

IS IS THAT A PART OF THE PLAY? YEAH.

SO WE LOOK AT OVERVIEW TRENDS WITHIN THE CITY.

AND SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE FOUND IS THAT THE, UH, SPECIAL EVENTS AND, AND, UH, LIKE MOVIE TYPE PROGRAMS THAT ARE BRINGING ALL SEGMENTS OF THE POPULATION, ALL AGE GROUPS OF THE POPULATION TOGETHER ARE THINGS THAT ARE LOVED.

THE OTHER THING THAT WE'RE SEEING ARE PASSIVE RECREATION ELEMENTS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT TO YOUR COMMUNITY.

HAVING OPEN SPACE, HAVING GREEN SPACE, HAVING WALKABLE PLACES ARE BEING IMPORTANT.

SO AS YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE, THESE NEW LOCATIONS, THAT'S WHAT I WOULD, UH, ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK AT.

YOU KNOW, UPDATE THE FACILITIES THAT YOU HAVE RIGHT NOW, BUT THEN LOOK TOWARDS MORE PASSIVE AND WALKABILITY, UH, INTO THE FUTURE.

ALL RIGHT, ALDERMAN, AND, UH, THANK YOU.

UM, SORRY, GO AHEAD.

UM, I DID HAVE A CHANCE TO, TO READ THROUGH THE PLANS OVER THE WEEKEND AND, UM, MADE NOTE OF A NUMBER OF GRAMMATICAL RECOMMENDATIONS.

AND I THINK FOSTER IS .

WE, WE HAVE NOTED THOSE AND WE WILL MAKE THOSE CORRECTIONS, SIR.

UM, BUT THERE WAS ONE AREA THAT I WAS A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT I THINK GOT MISSED.

AND THAT'S DEALING WITH COUNCIL BLUFF GREEN PARK, WHICH IS A LINEAR PARK OUT RIGHT ON THE RIVER.

UM, JUST NORTH OF THE, UH, THE TRAFFIC CIRCLE.

YOU ADDRESSED IT.

BUT REALLY ONLY IN TERMS OF MAYBE SOME MINOR ADDITIONS TO THE PARK ITSELF, MY CONCERN HAS TO DO WITH THE WALKWAY, THE CONCRETE WALKWAY.

AND THE WALL THAT, THAT ABUTS WITH THE RIVER IS THAT, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, I THINK THAT GOES BACK TO THE FIFTIES WHEN IT WAS BUILT.

SO YOU'RE DEALING WITH CONCRETE THAT'S 70 YEARS OLD.

UM, THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT CRACKS ON THE WALL SIDE OF IT.

UM, PIECES OF CONCRETE HAVE FALLEN AWAY.

UM, ABOUT A YEAR AGO, THE CITY ADDRESSED AN UNDERMINING ISSUE AND WE'VE GOT POTENTIALLY ANOTHER ONE DOWN THERE RIGHT NOW.

SO I THINK YOU NEED TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT THE LONGER TERM NEEDS OF THAT CONCRETE WALKWAY AND WALL BECAUSE IT, IT IS GOING TO NEED TO BE REPAIRED SIGNIFICANTLY REPAIRED AT SOME POINT AND, AND POTENTIALLY REPLACED AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE.

BUT THAT WAS NOT ADDRESSED IN THIS PLAN.

AND, AND I'D LIKE TO SEE AT LEAST SOME MENTION MADE OF THAT.

I, I, I THINK YOUR POINT'S WELL MADE.

I, I THINK WE DO TALK AT LENGTH, UH, ABOUT THE, THE IMPORTANCE OF MA MAINTEN MAINTENANCE IN THE SYSTEM AND THE IMPORTANCE THAT, UH, COUNCIL BLUFF PLAYS IN THE, THE OVERALL RIVER WALK.

UM, I THINK YOUR POINT IS ALSO WELL MADE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME DIRECT ATTENTION WITHIN THAT PARTICULAR PARK.

I THINK THAT'S DUE.

SO I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.

IT, I BELIEVE, UM, IN YOUR PRESENTATION, THE INFORMATION, YOU'VE GOT SOME RECOMMENDATIONS ON WHICH PARKS THAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER CONTRACTING.

IS THAT CORRECT? UH, SO THE, UM, LOOKING AT WHICH ONES TO EITHER REPURPOSE YEAH.

OR REMOVE.

CONSIDERATION MANY OTHER PARKS.

THERE ARE SOME, UM, EXPLICIT, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS.

UM, AND LIKE I SAID, THOSE ARE FOR INITIAL CONSIDERATION, ULTIMATELY SOME ADDITIONAL DUE DILIGENCE.

UH, WHETHER OR NOT TO REMOVE THOSE FROM THE SYSTEM SHOULD BE DONE.

BUT YES, SIR, THERE ARE, UH, I BELIEVE THERE'S TWO PARKS THAT WERE NOTED FOR, UH, FURTHER CONSIDERATION.

AND I ALSO, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, I THINK I READ THAT YOU DID NOT TAKE IN

[00:20:01]

SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE BLUE DOT THAT'S ON THE SCREEN IN THE MIDDLE, UM, TRENT WOODS IS ADJACENT TO THAT AND THEY'RE, THEY HAVE A COUPLE OF PARKS.

THOSE WERE NOT FACTORED INTO YOUR CONSIDERATION.

SO WE DID LOOK AT, UH, NEIGHBORING SYSTEMS. UM, BUT WHENEVER YOU LOOK AT, UH, THE NEIGHBORING SYSTEMS, SYSTEMS THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF YOUR JURISDICTION, YOU DO NOT TYPICALLY DO AS DEEP A DIVE AS YOU WOULD WITHIN THE CITY ITSELF.

AND THEN OF COURSE, DOWN THE ONE DOWN SOUTH, UM, CREEKSIDE IS A VERY LARGE PARK, AND I I SAW YOU MENTION THAT.

AND THEY ALSO HAVE A NEW NATURE PARK THAT THE COUNTY'S WORKING ON AS WELL.

THAT'S, YEAH.

SO, AND TO YOUR POINT, THAT'S WHY YOU SEE THE BLUE DOT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER SOUTH BECAUSE IF YOU, UH, ESSENTIALLY BETWEEN THAT BLUE DOT AND THE CITY CENTER ITSELF, YOU DO HAVE A COUNTY PARK THAT'S UNDER CONSIDERATION.

WE ALSO TOOK ENOUGH COMP, UM, CONSIDERATION THAT THE IMPORTANCE THAT THE CROTON NATIONAL FOREST PLAYS IN RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES TO THE CITY.

AND MY LAST QUESTION, UM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK ON THE LIST HERE, PART NUMBER 27 IS THE UNITED WAY PARK.

I BELIEVE IT'S BECAUSE THEY MADE SOME CONTRIBUTION AT SOME FORM OR FASHION TO, TO CREATE THAT PARK AS IT IS TODAY.

UM, IN, IN YOUR, YOUR WORLD, DO YOU SEE WHERE MUNICIPALITIES OR COUNTIES HAVE ACTUALLY DONATED PARKS TO NONPROFITS FOR THEM TO TAKE ON THE MAINTENANCE AND PERPETUAL USE? SO I HAVE FROM TIME TO TIME, TYPICALLY WHAT YOU'RE SPEAKING TO IS KIND OF A FRIENDS OF THE PARK MODEL.

UM, THE FRIENDS OF THE PARK MODEL COULD BE AS SIMPLE AS, UH, YOU KNOW, A KIND OF A FUNDRAISING ARM THAT HELPS, UH, BRING IN FUNDS THAT HELP MAINTAIN A PARTICULAR PARK.

OR WHAT YOU'RE KIND OF ALLUDING TOWARDS IS, IS NEARING MORE OF A LEASE TYPE STRUCTURE, UH, TO WHERE A A, UM, A FRIENDS GROUP OR A STAKEHOLDER GROUP IS TAKING MORE OF AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THE MANAGEMENT OF IT.

I THINK THERE ARE BOTH OF THOSE SPECTRUMS THAT ARE BEING USED, UH, ACROSS THE PROFESSION RIGHT NOW.

I THINK THAT'S A DETERMINATION THAT WOULD BE MADE, UM, WITHIN THE CITY AS TO WHAT THE BEST FIT WOULD BE.

BOARD, HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? I DO.

UM, SURE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

IN READING THE MASTER PLAN, IT CONSISTS OF NUMEROUS RECOMMENDATIONS.

UH, AND AS FAR AS THE BOARD IS CONCERNED, WE ARE ASKED TO ADOPT THIS COMPREHENSIVE MASTER PLAN.

MY QUESTION IS, AT WHAT POINT AS A BOARD DO WE DIVE INTO THIS PLAN TO TAKE AN INTENSE LOOK AT IT TO SEE IF THIS IS THE PLAN THAT WE WANT FOR OUR PARKS AND RECREATION? UH, I KNOW THAT WE CAN'T DO THAT TONIGHT TO DIVE INTO IT, SO AT WHAT POINT, BECAUSE HOW CAN WE ADOPT IT? AND WE HAVE NOT REALLY DISSECTED IT.

OR MAYBE THERE MIGHT BE SOME OF US HERE WHO HAVE NOT READ IT FROM THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN, BUT IT IS VERY INTENSE AND, UM, I LIKE TO SEE THE BOARD, FIRST OF ALL, TAKE A LOOK AT IT BEFORE WE ADOPT IT.

MR. HUGHES, YOU WANNA PROVIDE SOME COMMENTARY ON THE, THE OVERALL PLAN? IT CERTAINLY, WHEN WE WERE TO ADOPT THIS, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING IN THIS, IT'S MORE OF A GUIDING DIRECTION FOR STAFF.

IS THAT CORRECT? THAT THAT'S CORRECT.

UH, THE WHOLE POINT OF THE COMPREHENSIVE MASTER PLAN IS IT, IT GIVES US A LITTLE DIRECTION OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS ON, ON WHERE THE SYSTEM'S GONNA GO.

AND IN THIS PLAN ITSELF, IT DOES ADDRESS, UH, NATIONAL TRENDS AND THINGS WE SHOULD LOOK AT TO INCLUDE INTO OUR PARK SYSTEM DER MCKENZIE.

UM, I BELIEVE SKATE PARK WAS MENTIONED IN THERE, AS WELL AS FAMILY FRIENDLY AMENITIES THAT WE NEED TO WORK FOR TOWARDS IN THE FUTURE.

IT ALSO ADDRESSES A, A WIDE VARIETY OF MAINTENANCE NEEDS, UH, THAT, THAT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS IN ALL OF OUR PARTS, AS WELL AS THE LOOKING AT THE POTENTIAL TO, UH, REMOVE SOME OF THE PARTS FROM THE SYSTEM.

SO IT IS A, IT IS A VERY GOOD GUIDE.

THIS IS THE THIRD COMPREHENSIVE PLAN I BELIEVE THAT THE CITY HAS UNDERTAKEN FOR PARK RECREATION.

THIRD, I'M PRETTY SURE IT'S THE THIRD ONE.

IT'S BEEN DONE.

AND, UM, THE STAFF HAS BEEN THIS VERY CLOSELY.

UM, IT'S A VERY GOOD PLAN.

I'M VERY PLEASED WITH, WITH THIS.

I'M PLEASED WITH THE INPUT.

UM, IF YOU, IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE INPUT WE'VE RECEIVED FROM OTHER PLANS, UH, THAT HAVE BEEN COMPLETED LATELY, THIS HAS RECEIVED MORE INPUT THAN MOST OF THE OTHER PLANS.

SO THERE WAS A LOT OF FEEDBACK AND INPUT FROM OUR CITIZENS.

UH, FOR THIS PLAN.

IT'S A GOOD GUIDE FOR US TO MOVE TOWARD FORWARD WITH.

AND MAYOR ODOM, IF I MAY.

SO WHENEVER I MANAGE THE, UH, SOME OF THE STATE'S TRUST FUNDS THAT HELP BUILD PARKS, UM, COMPREHENSIVE PLANS HELP DIRECT, UH, UM, DEVELOPMENT.

IT DOESN'T PRESCRIBE IT IN THE SENSE OF EVERYTHING THAT IS WITHIN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN MUST BE DONE.

BUT I WILL SAY FROM THE FUNDING SIDE OF THINGS, UM, YOU DO TYPICALLY LOOK TO SEE IF THAT PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT IS LISTED WITHIN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

SO IN A WAY IT IS ADVANTAGE, IT'S AN ADVANTAGE FOR THE CITY TO HAVE A WEALTH OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR YOU TO PICK AND CHOOSE WHICH ONES ARE MOST APPROPRIATE

[00:25:01]

AS YOU MOVE FORWARD.

DOES THAT HELP? SO GOING FORWARD, WE WOULD, AS THE BOARD SIT DOWN AND TAKE A LOOK AT IT.

YEAH.

I, I THINK PROBABLY WHAT I'M, I'M GATHERING IS THE BOARD'S LOOKING FOR, OR THE STAFF'S LOOKING FOR ADOPTION OF THIS OVERALL PLAN.

AND THEN WHEN THEY GET TO THE POINT TO SAY IT'S TIME TO IMPLEMENT, YOU KNOW, SECTION ONE, THEN THAT WOULD COME BEFORE THE BOARD, WE WOULD HAVE DISCUSSION.

'CAUSE OBVIOUSLY NONE OF THIS IS BUDGETED, SO IT WOULD HAVE TO BE BUDGETED OR EITHER FUNDED SOMEHOW, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE BOARD INPUT.

SO I DON'T THINK IF, IF THERE'S A CONCERN THAT IF WE IMPLEMENT THIS COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT TOMORROW'S STAFF'S GONNA START DOING EVERYTHING IN HERE, I DON'T THINK THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.

YOU'RE, YOU'RE CORRECT.

MAYOR.

AND WHEN YOU'RE GONNA SEE A REFERENCE TO THE MASTER PLAN IS TRADITIONALLY DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS AS WE TALK ABOUT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT AND REFERRING BACK TO THE PLAN, THAT IS SUPPORT FOR THAT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

YOU'RE VERY WELCOME.

AND THE, UH, THE ACTION IS BEING REQUESTED IS TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE MASTER PLAN.

IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.

IT'S A PLEASURE OF THE BOARD.

ON ITEM NUMBER 13, MAYOR, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION ADOPTING A COMPREHENSIVE PARKS AND RECREATION MASTER PLAN.

SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

UM, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I WOULD JUST SAY, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMENTS THAT ALDERMAN PRILL MADE ABOUT THE, WHATEVER, THE GRAMMATIC GRAMMATICAL ISSUES AND THEN ALSO THE RETAINING WALL, I, I DO THINK THAT'S WORTH MAKING NOTE OF IN THE FINAL PLAN.

SO, YEP.

UM, ALRIGHT.

IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ROYAL.

AND WE'LL CERTAINLY MAKE THOSE NOTED ADDITIONS.

VERY GOOD.

UH, BOARD NEXT ITEM IS NUMBER 14.

[14. Conduct a Public Hearing and Consider Adopting an Ordinance to Annex 1955 Old Airport Road.]

TO CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDER ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE TO ANNEX 1955 OLD AIRPORT ROAD.

MR. HUGHES, THE STATE OF ELIZABETH.

THIS ATTENTION TO ANNEX, THIS PARTIAL, UH, TWO PARCELS IDENTIFIED AS TAX ID 7 3 8 8 9 AND 7 3 8 5.

TOTAL APPROXIMATELY 53.8 ACRES.

THIS PROPERTY IS IN WARD THREE AND IS A SITE OF A PROPOSED CHARGE SCHOOL.

THE REQUEST FOR ATION FOLLOWED THE BOARD'S APPROVAL OF THE WATER AND SEWER USE AGREEMENT IN SEPTEMBER.

AFTER CONDUCTING A PUBLIC HEARING, WE'LL HAVE TO CONSIDER THIS ANNEXATION REQUEST BOARD.

HAVE ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY.

AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING, AND THIS IS TO CONSIDER THE ANNEXATION OF 1955 OLD AIRPORT ROAD.

IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AT THIS TIME.

IS MR. ATKINS HERE? DO YOU WANT TO COME UP AND TELL THE BOARD EVERYTHING YOU AND I HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS ON? YES.

UM, SO MY NAME'S, UH, WILLIAM AKIN.

I AM THE LICENSED ENGINEER FOR THIS PROJECT.

UM, ORIGINALLY CAME INTO THE PROJECT WANTING TO BE ANNEXED TO THE CITY.

UM, BUT DUE TO TIME CONSTRAINTS AND BEING PERMITTED BY RIFLE COUNTY, WE WOULD PREFER TO STAY IN THE COUNTY PETITION FOR ANNEXATION, BUT THEN BE ABLE TO HAVE IT DENIED SO THAT WE CAN HAVE ORDER AND SEWER FROM THE CITY.

UM, BASICALLY JUST SO THAT WE CAN STAY ON SCHEDULE FOR THE SCHOOL OPENING.

UM, I KNOW THERE ARE SOME CONCERNS WITH THE BUFFERS AND THE SETBACKS ON THE PROPERTY.

UM, THE SCHOOL WANTS TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR, SO WE CURRENTLY SHOW A 25 FOOT SETBACK, BUT THE BUILDING IS 84 FOOT BACK FROM THE CLOSEST PROPERTY LINE AT ITS CLOSEST POINT, THE MAJORITY OF IT IS A HUNDRED FEET AWAY.

WE'RE ALSO PROPOSING A LANDSCAPE BUFFER BETWEEN THE CHARTER SCHOOL AND THE RESIDENTIAL USE.

UM, BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, JUST ALONG THAT SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE SITE WHERE IT BACKS UP TO THE HOUSES.

UM, SO I'M ALSO HERE TO ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.

AND WE ALSO HAVE A BOARD MEMBER FOR THE, UH, CHARTER SCHOOL WITH US AS WELL, IF THERE'S QUESTIONS FOR HIM AS WELL.

I THINK, UM, BOARD MEMBERS, I THINK THAT THE CONCERNS THAT I HAD WITH THIS WAS, UM, THE NEIGHBORS AT CREEKSIDE PARK ARE AT, IS IT CREEKSIDE? THE HORN, CELL HORN, EXCUSE ME.

WI STILL IN PUBLIC HEARING, RIGHT? YEP.

CAN I NOT SPEAK AGAIN? SURE.

IF YOU WANT TO.

[00:30:02]

WAS THAT THE, UM, I MEAN HE WAS GONNA BE ABLE TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS WAS THE SETBACK, THE, THE NEIGHBORS WERE CONCERNED THAT THIS BUILDING WOULD BE RIGHT ON THEIR BACK PROPERTY LINE.

AND I THINK, AND I CALLED YOU MR. AKIN BEFORE, DIDN'T I? IT'S, YEAH.

ATKINS AKIN THAT, THAT'S RIGHT.

UM, HAS, UH, ASSURED ME THAT THE BUILDING IS GOING TO BE, UH, AT LEAST 80 FEET FROM THE PROPERTY LINES.

THERE WILL BE A DRIVEWAY BETWEEN IT AND THE, UH, PROPERTY LINE, BUT THAT WOULD, UM, BE A BUS LOOP, CORRECT? CORRECT.

SO I GUESS JUST TO ALSO ADD ON TO THAT, THE PARKING LOT WOULD BE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BUILDING.

SO LIGHT WOULD BE SHIELDED PARKING LIGHT WISE.

SO, UM, THAT WOULD ALSO BE A BENEFIT.

SO IS THAT IN RIGHT OR JUST, JUST A CONVERSATION? WELL, IT'S IN YOUR PLANS, CORRECT? CORRECT.

UM, AND I GUESS MY INITIAL EMAIL TO YOU AS WELL, CORRECT, I GUESS WOULD BE IN WRITING.

SO YEAH.

SO YES, IT'S IN WRITING TO AN EMAIL TO ME.

AND BECAUSE SHE WAS SAYING THAT THE, THE, THE, THE, THE, UH, THEY HAVE A CONCERN THAT THE BUILDING WILL ALMOST BE ON THE PROPERTY LIVE.

THAT'S WHAT THEY DIDN'T WANT IT TO BE.

THEY DIDN'T WANT.

THEY DID NOT WANT THAT.

SO THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN.

UH, NOT ACCORDING TO THE PLANS THAT THEY HAVE AND NOT ACCORDING TO THE EMAIL THAT HE SUBMIT SUBMITTED TO ME.

AND TO, I GUESS ADD ON TO THAT, IT'S BEEN REVIEWED BY THE MSTA, WHICH IS THE NC DOT'S BODY THAT REVIEWS SCHOOL.

SO IT'S WHERE IT IS ON THE PROPERTY NOW AT 85 FEET AWAY.

SO TO MOVE IT CLOSER, WE WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK THROUGH THE N-C-D-O-T, WHICH IS, WE WOULDN'T DO, IT'S, IT'S APPROVED AS IT IS NOW.

SO, UM, IT, IT'S NOT MOVING.

IT'S 85 FEET AT ITS MINIMUM DISTANCE FROM THE PROPERTY.

ANYONE ELSE FROM THE PUBLIC LIKE TO SPEAK MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? SECOND.

HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

A AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.

IS THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD ON ITEM NUMBER 14? I, I, I HAVE A QUESTION.

UM, MORE FOR, I GUESS THE CITY ATTORNEY, UM, THIS CHARTER SCHOOL WOULD BE CONSIDERED NON-PROFIT AND THEN NOT PAY, UM, PROPERTY TAXES.

IS THAT CORRECT? CHARTER SCHOOLS IN NORTH CAROLINA ARE PART OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM, SO THEY WOULD BE EXEMPT FROM THOSE TAXES.

MAYOR, IF THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE DO NOT CONSIDER THE ORDINANCE FOR ANNEXATION OF 1 9 5 5 OLD AIRPORT ROAD.

IS THAT CORRECT? YOU CERTAINLY CAN DO IT THAT WAY.

WELL, , DID I SAY TO DO SOMETHING, DIANA, YOU DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

IF YOU DO NOT WANNA MOVE FORWARD WITH THE RESOLUTION, UM, OR THE ORDINANCE, YOU CAN JUST, IT CAN DIE FOR LACK OF A MOTION OR YOU CAN ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO NOT APPROVE IT.

I THINK I WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN THE MO THE MOTION NOT TO APPROVE THE ORDINANCE FOR ANNEX ACTION.

I'LL SECOND SO WE HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND FURTHER DISCUSSION.

YES.

IF YOU DON'T MIND.

ALDERMAN ASKED HER, COULD YOU ADDRESS THAT? WHY NOT? OR YOU DON'T WANT TO? WELL, NUMBER ONE, THEY DON'T WANT TO BE ANNEXED.

THEY'RE REQUIRED TO REQUEST ANNEXATION BECAUSE THEY WANT WATER AND SEWER.

AND THE OTHER THING IS, IS THAT, I MEAN, THEY, THEY WOULD REQUIRE, IF THEY WERE IN THE CITY, THEY WOULD REQUIRE CITY SERVICES SUCH AS BUILDING INSPECTIONS, FIRE INSPECTIONS, AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.

UM, AND, AND THEY'RE A NON-PROFIT, SO THERE'D BE NO TAXABLE INCOME TO THE CITY, AND WE WOULD'VE TO PROVIDE THEM ALL THOSE SERVICES.

AND, AND MY PERSPECTIVE AS WELL IS THIS IS NOT UNPRECEDENTED THAT WE HAVE BROUGHT ON OTHER CHURCHES, NON-PROFIT NONPROFITS ONTO THE CITY OF WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM, AND THEN NOT ANNEX THEM FOR THE SAME REASON THAT, THAT'S CORRECT.

I, I WOULD JUST, I WOULD JUST SAY THAT THE, THE ONE THAT I RECALL I THINK IS BRYCE'S CREEK.

IT WOULD BE A LITTLE HARD TO MAKE THE CASE THAT WE DIDN'T ANNEX THIS, BUT WE WANT TO ANNEX THE NEXT ONE.

IT'S ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF HIGHWAY 70.

AND IT'S DOWN FURTHER.

THE, THE ONE CONCERN THAT I HAVE HERE, UM, WITH THIS IS THAT IT'S ADJACENT TO CITY PROPERTY.

SO IF WE WERE TO LOOK AT THE NEXT PARCEL NORTH OF THAT, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT IS OTHER THAN CREEKSIDE PARK.

UM,

[00:35:01]

UM, AND THEN CHANGE OF USE, YOU KNOW, IF, IF THIS CHARTER SCHOOL FOR SOME REASON IN A FEW YEARS, I HOPE IT'S HUGELY SUCCESSFUL, UM, WE HAVE MY FULL SUPPORT, BUT IF FOR SOME REASON THAT IT DIDN'T, IF THE FUNDING MECHANISM CHANGE POLITICS IN RALEIGH CHANGES AND THEY DECIDE THAT CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE NO LONGER PART OF THAT AND THAT GETS PURCHASED BY SOMEBODY ELSE FOR A DIFFERENT USE, THEN IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS.

BECAUSE IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING WE DON'T DO FORCIBLE ANNEXATION.

SO THEY WOULD HAVE THE NEXT PERSON, THE NEXT OWNER WOULD HAVE TO ASK TO BE ANNEXED.

AND I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY WOULD DO THAT, BUT THAT'S THE ONLY CONCERN THAT I HAVE.

I I REALLY HAVE NO ISSUE OTHER THAN THAT.

SO I, I, I HAD KIND OF THE SAME CONSIDERATION AND, BUT I DIDN'T LOOK AT THE PARCEL THAT'S TO THE EAST.

I LOOKED AT IT AS IT IS NEXT TO CREEKSIDE PARK, WHICH WE WILL NEVER ANNEX BECAUSE THAT'S A COUNTY PARK.

SO, YEAH.

YEAH.

UM, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? IF NOT, WE HAVE A MOTION, A SECOND ON THE FLOOR.

ITEM NUMBER 15 IS TO CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDER DOCUMENT AN ORDINANCE TO ANNEX 6 84 WEST THURMAN ROAD.

I WILL HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ASTOR, PLEASE.

ALDER ALDERMAN ASTOR.

[15. Conduct a Public Hearing and Consider Adopting an Ordinance to Annex 684 West Airport Road.]

MR. HUGHES REAL DOCTORS, LLC UH, UH, HAS REQUESTED THE ANNEX OF PROPERTY ID NUMBER SEVEN DASH NINE DASH SEVEN.

THIS IS ALSO THREE.

THIS PROPERTY IS VACANT, SIX POINT 10 ACRE TRACT AND THE OWNER POSTED THE BILL OF VETERINARIAN AGREEMENT.

IT'S DECEMBER 12TH OF MEETING.

THE BOARD APPROVED THE SEWERY AGREEMENT FOR THE PROPERTY.

AFTER CONDUCTING A PUBLIC HEARING, THE BOARD IS ASKED TO CONSIDER THE ANNEXATION REQUEST.

DOES BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS BEFORE I OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY.

AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER ADOPTING THE ORDINANCE TO ANNEX 6 84 WEST THURMAN ROAD.

IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO COME SPEAK, PLEASE COME FORWARD.

MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING.

SECOND, HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

ANY OPPOSED? PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.

I'D LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION.

DO, CAN I ASK A QUESTION? SURE.

FOR STAFF, UH, AND I KNOW THIS IS PUT IN THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE, BUT, UM, IN THE PROPOSED ZONING THAT THIS WOULD HAVE, IS THIS GONNA BE ALLOWABLE? I GUESS TO, AND I REALIZE WE'RE NOT THERE YET, BUT I WOULDN'T WANT TO ANNEX SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO USE.

IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, MY RECOLLECTION AND MADAM DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES IS HERE.

THAT THERE ARE SOME, UH, I THINK IT'S C3 ZONE PROPERTIES IN THAT CORRIDOR.

AND IF THERE'S A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE PLANNING ZONING BOARD TO ADOPT THAT SIMILAR COMMERCIAL CLASSIFICATION, VETERINARY CLINICS WOULD BE ALLOWED.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

AND WE DO HAVE SOME, UH, RESIDENTS OUT THERE THAT ARE PLANNING ON ATTENDING THE PUBLIC MEETING, UM, THAT, THAT IS NOT IN FAVOR OF THE, UM, PARTICULAR BUILDING THAT'S GOING THERE.

AND THEY WILL BE RECEIVING INFORMATION AS TO WHERE THEY CAN SPEAK ON THAT.

SO, UM, I LOST MY TRACK HERE.

SO TAKEN OUT IN CONSIDERATION, MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADOPT A RESOLUTION OR ADOPT THE ORDINANCE ANNEX IN 6 84 WEST THURMOND ROAD.

I HAVE A MOTION A SECOND.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ONE FURTHER QUESTION.

THE PEOPLE THAT ARE OPPOSED TO THE ANNEXATION, WERE THEY AWARE OF THE PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT YET? THEY'RE AWARE OF THE PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT AND THEY'RE ALSO AWARE OF THE, UH, WILL BE MADE AWARE BY MAIL, THE PUBLIC HEARING AT PLANNING AND ZONING AND THEY WILL, UH, BEGIN STILL BE ABLE TO COME BACK ONE MORE TIME HERE BEFORE THIS BOARD FOR, UM, OF PUBLIC HEARING OR FOR COMMENTS AS WELL.

AND, AND I, I THINK I MIGHT KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING FOR, FOR STAFF'S PERSPECTIVE.

AND, AND MS. ATTORNEY, THIS IS IN THE COUNTY NOW, IT'S NOT IN THE CITY LIMITS.

PROTECTION AT ALL THAT THE NEIGHBORS AROUND HERE COULD HAVE WOULD BE FIRST FOR US TO ANNEX IT, NUMBER ONE.

SO LET'S JUST SAY THAT THE COURTROOM FILLED UP WITH PEOPLE TONIGHT OPPOSING THIS ANNEXATION AND THE BOARD SAID WE'RE NOT GONNA ANNEX IT.

THEY CAN STILL PUT THE BUILDING THERE BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT BE PART OF THE CITY.

AND THERE WOULD BE NO, NO ZONING.

IS THAT CORRECT? NO ZONING.

THE CITY WOULD NOT HAVE ANY ENFORCEMENT MECHANISMS AS OF RIGHT NOW.

SO THE ONLY

[00:40:01]

THEN THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THEIR VOICE HEARD ESSENTIALLY ON THE REZONING ASPECT OF IT.

ALRIGHT, SO I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ITEM NUMBER 16 IS TO CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDER ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE TO INITIALLY ZONE 32 77 OLD AIRPORT ROAD.

LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN KENZIE.

ALDERMAN KENZIE? YES.

[16. Conduct a Public Hearing and Consider Adopting an Ordinance to Initially Zone 3277 Old Airport Road.]

MR. HUGHES.

DONE.

I'D LIKE TO ASK MR. THIS PRESENTATION.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND BOARD OF ALDERMAN.

THE CASE BROUGHT BEFORE YOU TODAY IS THE INITIAL ZONING OF A PROPERTY WITH THE ADDRESS OF 32 77 OLD AIRPORT ROAD.

THE APPLICANT IN THIS CASE IS THE CITY OF NEW BERN.

WE ARE REQUESTING TO IMPLEMENT THE INITIAL ZONING ON THIS PROPERTY AS IT WAS ANNEXED AT A PREVIOUS MEETING BY THE BOARD.

THE OWNERS OF THE PROPERTY ARE MICHAEL AND ROSE MILLER AND IT'S FURTHER IDENTIFIED AS PARCEL ID SEVEN DASH 1 0 5 DASH 1000.

AND AGAIN, ITS LOCATION IS AT 32 77 OLD AIRPORT ROAD.

THE PROPOSED INITIAL ZONING FOR THIS PROPERTY IS GONNA BE RESIDENTIAL EIGHT, AND THE APPROXIMATE SIZE OF THIS IS 0.89 ACRES.

THE NEXT SLIDE IS A OVERVIEW OF WHAT THE R EIGHT RESIDENTIAL ZONING DISTRICT IS.

UH, IN SUMMARY, THIS IS A RESIDENTIAL ZONING DISTRICT AND THE EIGHT IN THAT DESIGNATION INDICATES A MINIMUM LOT SIZE OF 8,000 SQUARE FOOT.

IF A NEW SUBDIVISION WERE TO SUBDIVIDE AND HAVE R EIGHT ZONING, THE MINIMUM LOT SIZE IS 8,000 SQUARE FOOT.

THE POINTS BELOW THAT INDICATE SOME, UH, FEATURES OF THE R EIGHT ZONING DISTRICT.

ITS INTENT IS THAT IT'S ZONED FOR RESIDENTIAL PURPOSES AS WELL AS TO PROHIBIT COMMERCIAL AND NON-RESIDENTIAL USES, SUCH AS INDUSTRIAL TYPES FROM UH, BEING DEVELOPED IN THAT AREA.

THE NEXT SLIDE INDICATES A VICINITY MAP OF THE SITE.

UH, IT'S LOCATED ADJACENT TO CREEKSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ACROSS FROM OLD AIRPORT ROAD.

UH, THAT IS ALSO WHERE THE CITY'S JURISDICTION ENDS.

UH, THE PROPERTIES TO THE NORTH, SOUTH AND WEST ARE NOT IN THE CITY'S JURISDICTION.

CONSIDERATION TONIGHT AGAIN, IS, UH, FROM MICHAEL AND THE OWNER IS MICHAEL.

AND ROSE MILLER REQUESTED TO BE ANNEXED INTO THE CITY'S MUNICIPAL BOUNDARY.

THE MEETING HELD ON OCTOBER 10TH WITH THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN APPROVED THIS REQUEST AND, UH, ANNEXED THE PROPERTY WITHIN THE CITY.

AT ITS MEETING HELD ON NOVEMBER 7TH, THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD RECOMMENDED APPROVAL OF THE PROPOSED INITIAL ZONING OF RESIDENTIAL EIGHT.

AND HERE IS A MAP INDICATING THE ADJACENT ZONING OF CREEKSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WHICH IS ALSO ZONED R EIGHT.

THE AERIAL MAP SHOWS THAT THIS SITE IS CLEARED AS WELL AS VACANT.

AND THE SURROUNDING PROPERTIES ARE LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL WITH CREEKSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BEING ACROSS THE STREET OF OLD AIRPORT ROAD.

SO TONIGHT, UH, THE REQUEST IS, UH, THAT WE ADOPT A CONSISTENCY STATEMENT AS WELL AS WHETHER OR NOT TO APPROVE OR DENY THE ORDINANCE, UH, WITH THE INITIAL ZONING OF THIS PROPERTY.

AND I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY HAVE.

DOES BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS? I JUST HAVE ONE FOR YOU.

DID YOU SAY CREEKSIDE SCHOOL IS IN THE CITY LIMITS? THAT IS WHAT IT APPEARS.

INTERESTING.

BOARD, HAVE QUESTIONS BEFORE I OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING.

AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING AS WE CONSIDER THE INITIAL ZONING FOR 32 77 OLD AIRPORT ROAD.

IF ANYBODY FROM THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, PLEASE COME FORWARD TO THE MICROPHONE.

MAYOR, SEEING NOBODY COMING FORWARD, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

SECOND, HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND TO CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING.

ANY FURTHER COMMENTS, DISCUSSION, HEARING NONE.

ANY OPPOSED? PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.

NOW I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE CONSIDER ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE TO INITIALLY ZONE 32 77 OLD AIRPORT ROAD.

I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ARE WE GOOD WITH THIS OR WITH THAT STATEMENT OF CONSISTENCY, WHERE DOES THAT COME INTO PLAY? MAYOR, THE CONSISTENCY STATEMENT IS, IS IN THE ORDINANCE THAT YOU'RE ADOPTING.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING

VERY GOOD.

SO I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

[00:45:01]

NONE.

LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN BRISSON.

ALDERMAN KENZIE? YES.

MAYOR ODOM.

YES.

MOTION CARRIES, UH, BOARD

[Items 17 & 18]

FOR NUMBER 17 AND 18.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE.

THESE CAN BE COMBINED FOR CONSIDERATION.

UM, I SEE MR. BOUCHARD LEFT.

SO MR. HUGHES, YOU'RE GONNA PINCH HIT ON THIS ONE.

YES, MA'AM.

WE HAVE RECEIVED TWO REQUESTS FROM AL MCKENZIE TO, TO, UH, LOOK AT, UH, AREAS THAT MAY BE IN NEED OF STREET LIGHTING.

THE FIRST ONE IS, UM, THE AREA OF CENTER AVENUE NEAR FRANK COMMERCIAL.

THE SECOND ONE IS AN INTERSECTION OF COLONY DRIVE AND NEW BOULEVARD.

AFTER CONDUCTING A REVIEW OF BOTH OF THOSE AREAS, UH, STAFF HAS DETERMINED THAT THERE IS A NEED FOR, UH, A STREETLIGHT IN THOSE AREAS.

SO THE STAFF IS PROPOSED 70 WATT LED FIXTURES.

THE COST FOR THE POLE AT EACH LOCATION IS, UH, $1,108 21 CENTS.

THE MONTHLY UTILITY COST, WHICH WOULD BE PAID BY PUBLIC WORKS, WOULD BE $8 AND 44 CENTS PER LOCATION.

BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS.

IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION PROVEN AND ADDITIONAL STREETLIGHT ON CENTER AVENUE AND A STREETLIGHT ON COLONY DRIVE.

I HAVE A MOTION A SECOND.

ALSO IF YOU WOULD LIKE, UH, ITEM NUMBER 19, 20, 21, 22 AND 23.

LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN PRILL.

[Items 19 - 23]

ALL CAN BE COMBINED IF YOU SO CHOOSE TO DO SO.

UH, MR. HUGHES ON THOSE ITEMS. OKAY.

SO THE FIRST ONE WE HAVE IS TO CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING SALE.

EIGHT 17 MURRAY STREET.

YOU RECEIVED AN OFFER OF $3,900 FROM JUSTIN BECK FOR PURCHASE OF THIS PROPERTY.

UH, THE BOARD ADOPTED A RESOLUTION ON SEPTEMBER 26TH TO INITIATE THE UPSET BID PROCESS.

THIS BID WAS ADVERTISED, NO UPSET BIDS WERE RECEIVED.

THE PROPERTY IS A VACANT 0.224 ACRE RESIDENTIAL LOT WITH A TAX VALUE OF $7,800.

THE PROPERTY WAS REQUIRED JOINTLY BY THE CITY AND COUNTY IN 2017 THROUGH TAX FORECLOSURE.

IF THE PROPERTY IS SOLD FOR THIS BID, IT'S ESTIMATED THE CITY WILL RECEIVE $775 77 CENTS AND THE COST OF ADVERTISING THE LEGAL AD AND THE COUNTY'S ESTIMATED TO RECEIVE $3,124 23 CENTS FROM THE PROCEEDS.

ON THE NEXT PARTIAL WAS HIS 6 0 7 BURN STREET.

PHILLIP HENDRICKS SUBMITTED A BID IN THE AMOUNT OF 4,375, UH, THE, FOR THIS VACANT 0.068 ACRE RESIDENTIAL LOT THAT WAS ACQUIRED BY THE CITY AND COUNTY IN 2014 THROUGH TAX FOR FORECLOSURE.

AND ALL THE AFTER THE BOARD ADOPTED THE RESOLUTION ON NOVEMBER 14TH TO INITIATE THE UPSET BID PROCESS.

THE OFFER WAS ADVERTISED AND THE UPSET BIDS WERE RECEIVED AT THE TIME OF FORECLOSURE OF THE PROPERTY INCLUDED A HOME THAT WAS IN DISREPAIR AND THE CITY SUBSEQUENTLY DEMOLISHED THAT STRUCTURE.

IN MAY OF 2015, THE COUNTY TRANSFERRED ITS INTEREST TO THE CITY SINCE THE CITY BOARD FULL COST OF THE DEMOLITION.

ON THE THIRD ONE IS A SALE OF 10 20 2K STREET, FOLLOWING RECEIPT OF AN OFFER OF $2,700 FROM LAY TEAM AND REMODELERS LLC FOR THE PURCHASE OF THIS PROPERTY.

THE BOARD ADOPTED THE RESOLUTION IN OCTOBER OF ISSUE OF THIS PAST YEAR TO INITIATE THE UPSET BID PROCESS.

THE BID WAS ADVERTISED BUT NO UPSET BIDS WERE RECEIVED.

THE PROPERTY IS A VACANT 0.086 ACRE RESIDENTIAL LOT THAT WAS ACQUIRED BY THE CITY AND COUNTY IN 2022 THROUGH TAX FORECLOSURE.

IT HAS A TAX VALUE OF $5,400.

THE NEXT PROPERTY IS 1127 EIGHTH STREET.

UH, ID NUMBER 8 0 6 DASH ZERO SIX LAY TEAM AND REMODEL OF LLC ALSO SUBMITTED THIS OFFER OF $3,900, UH, TO PURCHASE THIS PROPERTY, UH, FOR ADOPTED A RESOLUTION IN OCTOBER THIS PAST YEAR TO INITIATE THE EXIT BID PROCESS.

THIS IS A VACATE 0.24 ACRE RESIDENTIAL LIFE THAT SITS ON A ROAD FRONT OF H STREET.

IT WAS ACQUIRED BY THE CITY AND COUNTY IN 2019 THROUGH TAX FOR CLOSURE AND HAS A TAX VALUE OF $7,800.

AND THE FINAL PROPERTY IS 1127 EIGHTH STREET.

LAY TEAM AND REMODELERS, LLC SUBMITTED THIS OFFER OF $3,900 FOR THE PURCHASE OF THE PROPERTY.

THIS PROPERTY IS LANDLOCKED AND SITS IMMEDIATELY BEHIND THE PARTIAL IDENTIFIED.

PREVIOUSLY, THE BID WAS ADVERTISED AFTER THE BOARD OF ADOPTED THE RESOLUTION TO INITIATE THE UPSET BID PROCESS.

THAT ADDITIONAL BID HAVE BEEN RECEIVED.

THIS IS A VACANT 0.242 ACRE

[00:50:01]

RESIDENTIAL LOT THAT WAS ACQUIRED BY THE CITY AND COUNTY IN 2018 THROUGH TAX.

FORECLOSURE PROPERTY HAS A TAX VALUE OF $7,800.

DOES BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS? IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS, I CAN MAKE A MOTION FOR ALL THAT.

I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE SALE OF EIGHT 17 MURRAY STREET, 6 0 7 BURN STREET, 10 20 2K STREET, 1127 EIGHTH STREET, PID EIGHT DASH ZERO SIX DASH ZERO SIX AND PID EIGHT DASH 0 0 6 DASH 5,000.

I HAVE A MOTION A SECOND.

SO ITEM NUMBER 25 IS APPOINTMENTS.

LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ROYAL.

AND THEN WE DECIDED TO TABLE ITEM NUMBER 24 AS A REMINDER.

[25. Appointment( s).]

UH, ALDER MCKENZIE, I THINK YOU HAVE ONE FOR PLAINTIFF AND ZONING.

I DO.

I HAVE, HIS NAME IS THOMAS .

I'M APPOINTING THEM TO THE P AND Z BOARD.

I HAVE A MOTION.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? MR. BRANE IS APPOINTED.

THANK.

DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY APPOINTMENTS? ALRIGHT, UH, ATTORNEY'S REPORT, NOTHING TO NIGHTMARE CITY

[27. City Manager's Report.]

MANAGER'S REPORT.

I HAVE TWO THINGS TO UPDATE YOU ON AND AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO ASK COLLEEN TO GO AHEAD AND, UH, TAKE PICTURES UP, UH, GIVE YOU A STANLEY WHITE RECREATION CENTER UPDATE.

SO ORIGINALLY WE WERE ANTICIPATING BASED ON THE CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE THAT THE CONTRACTORS WOULD START INSTALLING THE PRECAST CONCRETE PANELS.

UM, THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ON DECEMBER 18TH.

THEY HAD SOME ISSUES WITH THEIR, WITH THEIR CRANE.

SO THAT WORK DID NOT START UNTIL, UM, LAST TUESDAY.

SO THERE ARE GONNA BE 118 PRECAST PANELS THAT MAKE UP THIS STRUCTURE.

THOSE PANELS WEIGH APPROXIMATELY 40,000 POUNDS EACH.

THEY'RE 12 INCHES THICK, UM, 40 FEET TALL.

MOST OF 'EM ARE 40 FEET TALL.

UM, THE SIDE, THE, THE WIDTHS DIFFER, BUT ALL THESE WILL BE PUT TOGETHER TO FORM THIS BUILDING.

SO IT'S GONNA BE REALLY STRUCTURALLY SOUND.

UH, IT WAS FOUND HEAVY, HEAVY WINDS IN HURRICANES IN THE FUTURE.

WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS.

118 PANELS.

THEY'VE, THEY'VE INSTALLED ABOUT 20 PANELS SO FAR.

UH, WE ANTICIPATE THEM CONTINUING THIS, THIS FOR THE NEXT THREE WEEKS.

ONCE THAT'S DONE, THEY'RE GONNA START PUTTING THE, THE, THE STEEL UP FOR THE TRACK.

THEN THEY'RE GONNA PUT, START WITH THE ROOF STRUCTURE.

UM, THEY ARE STILL ON SCHEDULE FOR DECEMBER, UH, FOR US TO OPEN THAT CENTER.

SO JUST WANTED TO SHOW YOU SOME PICTURES OF THAT.

AND I KNOW WE WENT SEVERAL MONTHS WITHOUT MUCH OF ANYTHING.

IT APPEARED TO BE MUCH OF ANYTHING GOING ON.

BUT DURING THAT TIME, THEY WERE INSTALLING SIGNIFICANT FOOTERS TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THIS, THIS HEAVY STRUCTURE WORKING ON, UH, WATER SEWER, STORM WATER INFRASTRUCTURE AND, AND PARKING AND GRADING.

SO NOW WE'RE ACTUALLY SEEING SOME THINGS ON THIS BUILDING.

SO IT'S, IT'S GONNA BE EXCITING MOVING FORWARD TO SEE HOW THE BUILDING CONTINUES TO PROGRESS.

ANY QUESTIONS ON THE RECREATION CENTER? IT'D BE A NICE CHRISTMAS PRESENT IF IT COMES THROUGH IN DECEMBER.

AWESOME.

ABSOLUTELY.

AND THE LAST THING I HAVE FOR YOU IS OF THE, UM, THE LOCAL COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENT REACHED OUT TO US, UH, ABOUT A MONTH AGO AND SAID THEY HAD RECEIVED A GRANT FROM THE INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, CONSULTING PROJECTS.

AND SO, UM, THEY, THEY ASKED IF WE HAD ANY PROJECTS WE WOULD LIKE TO CONSIDER.

SO, SO I ASKED THEM, I SAID, WELL, WE'D LIKE, LIKE TO KIND OF GET SOME HELP ON TWO PROPERTIES, THE OLD DAYS PROPERTY AND THE PROPERTY HERE AT THE CORNER OF HANCOCK AND SOUTH REGISTRY.

UH, AND, AND WE SAID WE'D LIKE TO GET SOME THIRD PARTY TO COME IN AND TELL US WHAT WOULD BE THE HIGHEST AND BEST USE FOR THESE PROPERTIES AND HOW WE COULD BEST UTILIZE THEM.

AND SO THE, I RECEIVED AN EMAIL TODAY, THE IEDC HAS, HAS APPROVED OUR REQUEST.

AND SO I JUST WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT THEY'RE GONNA COME IN AND THEY'RE GONNA ASSESS THIS PROPERTY AND GIVE US THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.

WE'LL COME BACK TO THE BOARD AND GIVE THAT INFORMATION AND THEN WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH HOPEFULLY SUBSIDING PROJECTS ON THOSE TWO PARTIALS.

NO COST, RIGHT? BECAUSE IT'S NO COST.

IT'S INCLUDE THE, WITH THE GRANT.

IS THAT ALL? THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

UH, NEW BUSINESS STARTING WITH ALDERMAN PRILL.

THANK YOU SIR.

[28. New Business.]

UH, I HAVE NOTHING THIS EVENING, MARTIN.

ALDERMAN ROYAL.

JUST WISHING EVERYONE A VERY, VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR.

I PRAY THAT IT'S PROSPEROUS AND THAT ALL YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE IN 2024.

[00:55:02]

VERY GOOD.

UM, THE ONLY THING I HAVE IS A QUESTION.

WE, FOR, UM, PROPERTY THAT WE HAVE THAT WE GO OUT OR WE GET TAKE OFFICE ON, THEY REQUIRE TO PUT AT LEAST A 25 OR BID AT LEAST 25% OF THE TAX VALUE ON THAT PROPERTY.

IS THAT CORRECT? 50%.

AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE HONOR MCKENZIE? YES, SIR.

UM, KIM, UH, HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN YOUR POSITION? ? ABOUT TWO YEARS.

UM, AS THE DIRECTOR? YES.

WE HAVE NOT DID YOUR EVALUATION YET.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UH, I THOUGHT FOSTER DID THAT I THINK HISTORICALLY WHAT HAS HAPPENED, I BELIEVE IT'S BEEN, I'M GETTING OLDER, SO HELP ME RE REMIND ME IF I'M WRONG.

I THINK THE MANAGER WOULD DO IT ON THE DAY-TO-DAY BASIS.

AND THEN THAT WOULD BE REVIEWED WITH THE BOARD AND THEN THE BOARD WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION WITH THE DIRECTOR.

I THOUGHT IT WAS DONE ONLY WITH THE CLERK.

THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT.

I DON'T KNOW.

I DON'T THINK WE DO THE CLERK AT ALL NOW BECAUSE THAT POSITION WAS REMOVED FROM OUR PURVIEW AND WENT DIRECTLY TO THE MANAGER.

BUT THE FINANCE DIRECTOR HAS A DOTTED LINE TO THE MANAGER FOR DAY-TO-DAY MANAGEMENT.

AND THEN THE BOARD APPOINTS THAT POSITION.

SO I THINK PROBABLY WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN IS THEN THE LAST PERFORMANCE VALUATION.

DO YOU DO THOSE ANNUALLY? ANNUALLY? THAT'S CORRECT.

AND WHEN WAS THE LAST ONE DONE? THE LAST ONE WAS DONE IN JANUARY OF 23.

SO PROBABLY THIS, THE ONE COMING UP.

ONCE YOU HAVE YOUR PERFORMANCE VALUATION WITH KIM, THEN IT WOULD COME BEFORE THE BOARD UNDER A CLOSED SESSION TO PROVIDE US THE OPPORTUNITY YOU WOULD PROVIDE US THE INPUT YOU GAVE AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE THE INPUT TO PROVIDE BACK.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? I THINK WE MISSED IT.

I THINK WE MISSED IT LAST YEAR.

WHAT WE'VE, WE MISSED, WE MISSED IT.

WHAT WE'VE DETERMINED AND SO I WAS JUST TRYING TO, UH, DO DUE DILIGENCE SURE.

TO KEEP UP THAT WE CAN LEARN.

UM, YEAH, WE HAVE, WE SAID WE WAS GONNA HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT, UM, DUTIES AND THINGS, UH, WITH THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN.

UM, WHEN WE ARE GONNA TAKE, WHEN THAT, WHEN WILL THAT TAKE PLACE? YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT REVISIT THE RULES AND PROCEDURES, RIGHT? WE CAN PUT IT ON THE NEXT AGENDA IF THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND TO MOVE FORWARD WITH DOING SO, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT.

YEAH, I'D LIKE TO DO THAT TO, YOU KNOW, THAT EVERYONE WOULD BE PRETTY MUCH IN SPEED OF KNOWING THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS AND KNOWING WHAT'S, WHAT'S GOING ON AND WHEN TIME FOR THIS TO HAPPEN IN TIME FOR THAT TO HAPPEN, THOSE SORT OF THINGS THERE.

SO, UH, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT, UH, IT WOULD BE PUT ON THE NEXT AGENDA.

SO I MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN CONFUSED.

'CAUSE I THOUGHT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT RULES AND PROCEDURES, BUT THEN YOU JUST SAID, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? YEAH.

RULES AND PROCEDURES.

SO WE HAVE A MOTION TO PUT A DISCUSSION ON THE NEXT AGENDA ABOUT THE RULES AND PROCEDURES FOR THE GOVERNING BOARD.

MM-HMM, .

DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.

HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

WE HAD A, UH, VERY SUCCESSFUL REESE ACROSS AMERICA, UH, LAYING IN THE REESE IN OUR NATIONAL CEMETERY BACK IN DECEMBER.

AND SO NOW IT IS TIME FOR OUR RE RETIREMENT, UH, THIS SATURDAY, JANUARY 13TH AT 9:00 AM UH, THOSE THAT ARE INTERESTED IN COMING OUT, UH, BRING YOUR BROOMSTICKS AND WHEELBARROWS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE TO HELP YOU CARRY REESE.

BUT THE, UH, CITY IS PROVIDING A A DUMPSTER FOR, FOR THAT.

AND SO WE JUST NEED A VOLUNTEER FORCE TO GO AND, UH, PUT THE NATIONAL CEMETERY BACK IN PROPER ORDER AND WE'LL RETIRE THOSE REESE THIS WEEKEND.

THE PAID LOT THAT IT IS FOR QUITE A WHILE.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

THAT'S ALL.

UH, I JUST HAVE ONE, UM, ITEM THAT I'D LIKE TO, WELL, ACTUALLY TWO FIRST OFF, UH, CHIEF, UM, THANK YOU.

IT'S LAW ENFORCEMENT APPRECIATION DAY.

I'M NOT SURE THAT SINCE I'VE BEEN IN OFFICE, IT'S EVER LANDED ON A DAY WE HAVE A MEETING, SO THANK YOU AND YOUR STAFF FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.

AND THEN THE, UH, THE SECOND ITEM, UH, I JUST WANT TO BRIEFLY ADDRESS, AND I WON'T GET INTO TOO MUCH DETAIL BECAUSE THE MANAGER AND I HAVE A MEETING NEXT WEEK WITH THE, UH, COUNTY MANAGER AND THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS.

UH, BUT THERE WAS A, A LITTLE BIT OF DISCUSSION AND CHATTER RECENTLY ABOUT THE PARKING LOT ACROSS THE STREET FROM CITY HALL THAT THE TAX OFFICE IS LOCATED AT.

UM, I JUST WANNA CLARIFY THAT THE CITY HAD TALKED ABOUT TURNING THAT LOT INTO

[01:00:01]

UH, I BELIEVE THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSIONS THAT TOOK PLACE WITH THE COUNTY.

UM, THEY ASKED A LITTLE BIT OF LEEWAY TO PROVIDE SOME EXTENSION IN THAT, AND WE ACTUALLY DID THAT FOR A WHILE BECAUSE WE DIDN'T IMPLEMENT PAID PARKING WHILE THE CITY HALL ELEVATOR PROJECT AND THE REPOINTING PROJECT WAS UNDER CONSTRUCTION, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.

WHEN WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT THIS PROCESS, I HAD A MEETING WITH THE COUNTY MANAGER TO LET, LET THEM KNOW WHAT WE WERE GONNA BE DOING ONCE THE BOARD APPROVED THAT WE LET THEM KNOW AGAIN.

UH, AND SUBSEQUENT MEETINGS, THE COUNTY MANAGER ASKED FOR AN EXTENSION, UH, AND WE KNEW WE WERE NOT GONNA BE IMPLEMENTING THIS RIGHT JULY 1ST.

UM, AND SO WE GRANTED THEM A THREE MONTH EXTENSION AND THEN THEY HAD A FEW MORE MONTHS AFTER THAT SO THEY WERE AWARE ABOUT THE PARKING SITUATION.

AND ARMAND, CHRIS, WELL, I WAS JUST GOING TO, IF, IF YOU'D ALLOW ME SURE.

I WAS AT THE MEETING WHERE THEY TALKED ABOUT IT.

YEAH, GO AHEAD.

IT WASN'T AS MUCH A CONCERN FROM THE COUNTY TAX OFFICE.

IT WAS THE COMPLAINTS FROM PEOPLE THAT WERE SHOWING UP TO PAY THEIR TAXES.

UH, AND SO IT WAS JUST A SURE TWO TO THREE WEEK WINDOW, UH, THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE SHOWING UP TRYING TO PAY THEIR TAXES AND NOT BEING ABLE TO FIND THREE PARKING.

I MEAN, THAT WAS THE, AND SO, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS SOME THOUGHT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THIS, THE COUNTY WOULD ACTUALLY LEASE SOME SPOTS JUST DURING THAT THREE WEEKS OR, YOU KNOW, THAT'S YOUR DISCUSSION, BUT YEAH.

BUT THAT WAS WHAT IT WAS ABOUT.

YEAH.

WE'LL, AND WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE SOME CONVERSATION, BUT YOU KNOW, ALSO IF YOU, IF YOU TAKE A RIDE THROUGH THE COUNTY PARKING LOT, UM, YOU'LL SEE THERE'S BETWEEN 30 AND 40 SPACES THAT ARE MARKED FOR EMPLOYEES ONLY.

I DON'T KNOW THE COUNTY BUSINESS, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE WORK, BUT I CAN'T IMAGINE THERE'S THAT MANY PEOPLE THAT WORK AT THAT PARTICULAR BUILDING.

UM, SO I BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS SOME ACCOMMODATIONS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN MADE.

I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S CLEAR THAT THE CITY DID EXACTLY WHAT WE SAID WE WERE GONNA DO.

AND, UM, I'M, I'M ASSUMING AT SOME POINT IN TIME YOU'LL PROVIDE US AN UPDATE ON HOW THE PAID PARKING LOT IS GOING ACROSS THE STREET.

UH, YES, WE WILL, AND YOU'LL RECEIVE THAT IN THE NEXT MONTH REPORT, BUT THE, OUR GOAL WAS TO GENERATE AT LEAST $7,000 IN REVENUE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.

THAT IS WHAT WE WERE ACTUALLY MAKING OFF OF THE, UM, PAY TO PARK ON THE LEASE LOT ITSELF.

AND SO DECEMBER PROVED TO BE THE, THE, OUR MOST SUCCESSFUL MONTH.

I DON'T WANT TO GIVE YOU THE NUMBERS OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT WE STARTED THIS IN OCTOBER.

OCTOBER WAS A GOOD MONTH.

NOVEMBER WAS EVEN BETTER.

DECEMBER WAS MUCH BETTER.

SO WE ARE DEFINITELY ON TRACK TO EXCEED THE $7,000 MARK FOR THE YEAR, BUT YOU'LL, YOU'LL GET THAT IN YOUR, IN YOUR MONTHLY REPORT.

AND I DO ALSO WANNA MENTION AN ADAM MEETING WITH THE COUNTY MANAGER YESTERDAY.

WE TALKED ABOUT THE PARKING AND, AND, AND I, I DID TELL HIM TO DO NEXT YEAR.

IF THIS COMES UP, WE'RE HAPPY TO WORK WITH THEM, UH, ON RESOLUTION, UH, FOR THIS MOVING FORWARD.

DO WE NEED A CLOSED SESSION? YES, SIR.

[29. Closed Session.]

PURSUANT TO NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL STATUTE 1 43 3 18 11 A THREE TO PRESERVE YOUR ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE, AND A FIVE TO DISCUSS THE POTENTIAL ACQUISITION OF REAL PROPERTY.

SO MOVED, HAVE A MOTION TO HAVE AND A SECOND.

ANY OPPOSED? WE'RE ENCLO SESSION.

WE ARE NOW BACK IN OPEN SESSION.

WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADJOURN.

SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND TO ADJOURN ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.