[00:00:02]
GOOD EVENING EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THE JANUARY 23RD, 2024 NEW NEWBORN BOARD OF ALDERMAN MEETING.AND THE PRAYER TONIGHT IS GONNA BE GIVEN BY ALDERMAN ROYAL.
FATHER, IN JESUS' NAME, WE THANK YOU FOR ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO GATHER TOGETHER.
WE THANK YOU, GOD, THAT AS WE BELIEVE THAT OUR NEGOTIATIONS AND OUR DELIBERATIONS WILL BE CONDUCTED IN FAIRNESS AND JUSTICE AND EQUITY, WE PRAY TONIGHT FOR YOUR WISDOM, YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF WHO YOU ARE, AND THAT IT WILL GUIDE OUR DECISIONS.
WE PRAY FOR OUR CITIZENS, GOD, HOW YOU KEEP US SAFE IN THE MIDST OF ALL OF THE COLD, THOSE THAT ARE HOMELESS, THOSE THAT ARE DIS DISENFRANCHISED.
WE PRAY FOR PEACE WITHIN OUR CITY AND ABOVE ALL, WE THANK YOU, GOD, FOR ALL THAT YOU DO AND ALL THAT YOU KEEP.
WE ASK THIS PRAYER IN JESUS' NAME.
IF YOU ABLE TO STAND, PLEASE DO SO AS WE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF OUR COUNTRY.
I PLEDGE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.
FOR MADAM CLERK, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ALDERMAN CRE.
[3. Approve Agenda.]
OKAY.BOARD ITEM NUMBER THREE IS TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.
ARE THERE ANY CHANGES ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE? YES.
WE ARE GONNA DISCUSS THAT DURING OUR RETREAT IN FEBRUARY.
SO WE WANT TO TABLE ITEM NUMBER 13 UNTIL THE RETREAT.
AND WHAT DATE IS THAT AGAIN? FEBRUARY.
UH, IS THAT YOUR MOTION, SIR? YES, SIR, IT IS.
I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO TABLE.
ITEM NUMBER 13 TO FEBRUARY THE SIXTH.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
AS FAR AS THE REST OF THE AGENDA, WOULD I ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED.
HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ANY OPPOSED? AGENDA IS APPROVED.
[Consent Agenda]
IS THE CONSENT AGENDA.I'D LIKE TO, UH, MAKE A MOTION TO TAKE ITEM SIX OUT OF THE CONSENT AGENDA AND MOVE IT TO THE ACTION ITEMS. OKAY.
SO WE CAN DISCUSS AND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS AMENDED.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN PRILL.
[6. Consider Adopting a Resolution in Opposition of the NC Rate Bureau' s Request for Homeowners' Insurance Rate Increase.]
WILL LOOK AT ITEM NUMBER SIX, AND THAT IS TO CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION IN OPPOSITION OF THE NORTH CAROLINA RATE BUREAU'S REQUEST FOR HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE RATE INCREASE.JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT FOR OUR CITIZENS WHAT THIS WAS, UH, ALL ABOUT.
OUR, UH, NORTH CAROLINA RATE BUREAU, WHICH REPRESENTS THE INSURANCE COMPANIES AND INSURANCE POLICIES IN THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, HAS PUT A LIST OF PROPOSED INCREASES INTO THE, UH, STATE INSURANCE COMMISSIONER AND FOR THE COASTAL AREAS OF BEAUFORT, CAMDEN CHOAN, CRAVEN JONES, PASQUA TANK, PERQUIMANS, TERRELL, AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES.
THEY'RE PROPOSING 25.6% INCREASE IN HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE.
UH, AND IT GOES UP FROM THERE.
UH, DUPLIN AND THE NOR COUNTIES, IT'S 71.3%, UH, COASTAL AREAS IN, UH, CARTER ETTE AND ONSLOW IS 71%.
AND THEN EVEN, UM, BEACH AREAS IN ONSLOW AND CARTER ARE 99.4%.
UH, SO THE COMMISSIONER OF INSURANCE IS ASKING FOR INPUT.
AND SO NOW THERE ARE, UH, CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES THAT ARE PUTTING IN, UH, LIKE WE ARE CONSIDERING TONIGHT, A RESOLUTION OPPOSING THOSE, UH, CITIZENS THAT WANT TO, UH, PUT THEIR OWN COMMENTS IN.
CAN SEND IT TO 2 0 2 4, WHICH IS 2024 HOMEOWNERS@NCDOI.GOV
[00:05:03]
NO LATER THAN FEBRUARY 2ND.AND, UH, THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MR. MAYOR.
SO, UM, LOOK TO HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION, MR. MAYOR, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION, UM, IN OPPOSITION OF THE NORTH CAROLINA RATE BUREAU'S REQUEST FOR HOMEOWNER'S INSURANCE RATE INCREASE.
I HAVE A MOTION AND A LOT OF SECONDS,
UM, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ROYAL.
[8. Presentation of 2023 Crime Report by Police Department.]
ON TO ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, IS A PRESENTATION OF 2023.CRIME REPORT BY CHIEF GALLAGHER.
UM, BEFORE I GO ANY FURTHER, I DO WANT TO MAKE ONE QUICK STATEMENT.
UM, I'VE BEEN HERE THREE YEARS, AND FINALLY SOMEBODY RECOGNIZED THE BEAUTY OF THE SKYLINE THAT'S RIGHT OUT HERE.
AND NEW BERN WAS, UM, UH, VOTED THE NUMBER ONE, UH, PICTURESQUE SKYLINE SMALL CITY IN ALL OF AMERICA.
SO I JUST THINK THAT'S A PHENOMENAL, UH, FEATHER IN OUR CAP, AND I JUST FIGURED I'D SHARE THAT WITH YOU.
UM, BEFORE I GO ANY FURTHER, ALSO, I DO WANT TO, UM, THANK THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE NEW BERN POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE CRIME STATS THAT I WILL SPEAK ABOUT, OUR DIRECT RELATIONSHIP TO THE HARD WORK THAT EACH OF THEM HAVE APPLIED IN ACHIEVING OUR MISSION.
ALSO, WANT TO THANK THE, UH, WONDERFUL PEOPLE OF NEW BERN WHO HAVE PARTNERED WITH US, UM, IN A SHARED, UM, UH, MISSION TO REDUCE CRIME AND THE FEAR OF CRIME.
SO, UM, ON THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE, UM, I HAVE AGGREGATE DATA FOR 20 21, 22, 23, AND AN AVERAGE.
THE FOLLOWING SLIDES, I WILL ONLY COMPARE 22 WITH 23, BUT THERE'S ALSO A COLUMN IN WHICH WE COMPARE THE AVERAGE OVER THREE YEARS.
WHAT YOU SAW ON THAT SLIDE, UM, IS FOR THE MOST PART, GREAT NEWS.
UM, WE AS A POLICE DEPARTMENT REPORT, LIKE ALMOST EVERY OTHER POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THE UNITED STATES CRIME STATS TO THE FBI SPECIFIC TO TWO CATEGOR WELL, TO PART ONE CRIMES THAT ARE EITHER VIOLENT CRIME OR PROPERTY CRIME.
THIS IS SO THAT THE COMMUNITY AND CITIZENS CAN HAVE A APPLE TO APPLE COMPARISON ABOUT CRIMES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
SO THE DATA THAT I SHARE WITH YOU WILL BE PARSED OUT BETWEEN EITHER VIOLENT CRIME OR PROPERTY CRIME.
AND WHAT WE'VE NOTICED, UM, OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, SPECIFICALLY IN 2023, WE SAW A HUGE REDUCTION IN VIOLENT CRIME THAT NOTHING, UH, CREATES MORE FEAR OR CRIME THAN THE CRIMES OF VIOLENCE.
AND THE NEEDLE IS, UH, CLEARLY TURNING IN OUR FAVOR.
UM, WE BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A DIRECTION WE HOPE TO REPLICATE MOVING FORWARD.
IF YOU TAKE THE THREE YEAR COMPARISON, UM, IT, THE DECREASE IS ALSO VERY SIGNIFICANT, UM, AT ALMOST 28%.
UH, PROPERTY CRIME, HOWEVER, UH, DID INCREASE BY 1%, UH, COMPARED TO THAT OF THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
UM, BUT WAS DOWN IF YOU COMPARE IT OVER THE COURSE OF THREE YEARS.
SO TO GIVE YOU ANOTHER COMPARISON, PROPERTY CRIMES ACROSS THE STATE AND ACROSS THE NATION HAS INCREASED.
THIS IS, UH, NOT NEW FOR THE CITY OF NEW BERN, UH, OR OUR REGION.
HOWEVER, I WILL SAY IT IS, UH, VERY POSITIVE THAT THE INCREASE WAS ONLY 1%.
IN MANY OTHER LOCALITIES, THAT PERCENTAGE IS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER.
WHAT I ALSO HAVE ON THIS, UH, SLIDE IS THE NUMBER OF CALLS FOR SERVICE THAT WERE DISPATCHED TO OUR PATROL OFFICERS IN 2023, WHICH WAS JUST SLIGHTLY, UH, OVER 37,000 TIMES, UH, A POLICE OFFICER IS DISPATCHED TO A CRIME.
AND I WANT YOU TO, TO CONSIDER THAT AS I MOVE THROUGH THE NEXT SERIES OF SLIDES, BECAUSE WHAT I WANTED TO DO WAS TO PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT
[00:10:01]
INTO, UM, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? DEPENDING ON WHERE DO YOU LIVE IN THE CITY OF NEWBURN? UM, IN THE CASE OF THE BATTLEGROUND COMMUNITY POLICING DISTRICT, UM, YOU CAN SEE THAT SIGNIFICANTLY FEWER CALLS FOR SERVICE, UH, OCCURRED IN, UM, IN THAT REGION.UM, 4.8% OF ALL OF OUR CALLS, WHICH REPRESENTED TO SLIGHTLY MORE THAN 18 THOU, UH, 1800 CALLS FOR SERVICE.
SO, THE CRIME DATA THAT YOU SEE, I'VE ONLY, AGAIN, WE'RE ONLY COMPARING 22 TO 23.
UM, AND IN ALMOST ALL CASES, UM, THE CRIME DATA HAS DECREASED.
UH, WHAT I WILL SAY ABOUT THE, UM, BATTLEGROUND COMMUNITY DISTRICT IS THE POOL OF NUMBERS IS SO SMALL THAT WHEN YOU HAVE ZERO, AND THEN THE NEXT YEAR YOU HAVE ONE THAT REPRESENTS A HUNDRED PERCENT INCREASE.
UM, SO I, I I WANT TO CONTEXTUALIZE THAT.
THE, UM, IN FACT, I WAS AT THE TO BURNA, UH, HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION MEETING BEFORE THIS MEETING, UM, AND MY MESSAGE TO THEM WAS, UH, THAT YOU LIVE IN A VERY SAFE AREA OF THE CITY.
AND MY MESSAGE TO THE ENTIRE CITY OF NEW BERN, YOU LIVE IN A VERY SAFE, UH, COMMUNITY, AND WE WILL STRIVE TO MAKE IT EVEN BETTER.
SO, CAN I INTERRUPT CHIEF RIGHT FOR A MOMENT? YES.
WHEN YOU MAKE MENTION OF THE, UM, POLICING DISTRICT, WOULD YOU MIND LETTING US KNOW WHAT COMMUNITIES COMPRISE EACH DISTRICT, IF YOU WOULD? WELL, I, I, I'VE TRIED TO OVERLAY THAT WITH THE, WITH THE MAP THAT'S ON THE POWERPOINT.
UM, SO WITH RESPECT, IF THIS MOVE, YES.
SO IF YOU, IF YOU NOTICE THAT THE, UM, UH, SOMEWHAT, UH, VIOLET COLOR, ALL OF THAT REPRESENTS THE AREA OF THE BATTLEGROUND, WHICH IS TO BURNA AND CAROLINA COLORS FOR THE MOST PART.
UM, COUNTRY CLUB, WHICH REPRESENTS ALMOST 20% OF ALL OF OUR CALLS FOR SERVICE.
UM, WE HAD, UH, 2,700 CALLS FOR SERVICE THERE.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, EVEN IN THAT AREA, UM, WHICH, UH, AL ALDERMAN ROYAL, I BELIEVE THAT PEMBROKE WOULD BE IN THE COUNTRY CLUB, UH, DISTRICT, WE HAVE ALMOST IN EVERY CATEGORY OF REDUCTION IN PART ONE VIOLENT AND PROPERTY CRIMES IN THE, UH, GREENLEAF DISTRICT, WHICH IS, UH, THE, UH, YELLOW AREA, UM, DISPLAYED THE VIOLENT CRIME IS DOWN.
NOW, IF YOU SEE AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, WHEN YOU GO FROM FOUR TO FIVE, IT IS A 25% INCREASE.
HOWEVER, IF, IF YOU LOOK AT A FIVE YEAR AVERAGE, WE'RE, WE'RE RIGHT AT ZERO.
NOW, ONE OF YOUR QUESTIONS MIGHT BE, WELL, WHY IS PROPERTY CRIME INCREASING IN THIS AREA? WELL, UM, ANECDOTALLY, I CAN TELL YOU THAT IF YOU LOOK AT THIS DISTRICT, YOU HAVE A LOT OF BUSINESS, UM, ALONG THE MLK CORRIDOR, WHICH DRIVES A LOT OF THE PROPERTY CRIMES THAT WE SEE.
UM, BASED ON THE, UH, REPORTS THAT WERE TAKEN, UM, IN THE GATEWAY COMMUNITY POLICING DISTRICT, AGAIN, ABOUT 20%, UH, ALMOST 21% OF ALL OF OUR, UH, CALLS FOR SERVICE WERE, UH, WERE DISPATCHED TO THIS AREA.
AGAIN, THE, UH, VIOLENT CRIME DOWN PROPERTY CRIME UP SLIGHTLY.
IF YOU LOOK AT ARSON, YOU SEE, AGAIN, YOU SEE SUCH A HIGH NUMBER, BUT THE POOL IS JUST SO, SO SMALL.
UH, THE COMPARISON BECOMES A LITTLE BIT MISLEADING.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WILL POINT OUT, AND I POINT OUT ALL THE TIME, AND I, I, I WISH IT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT I HAVE TO SAY, BUT IT WAS IN THIS DISTRICT WHERE A 19 MONTH OLD WAS, WAS MURDERED, UH, BASED ON A, UM, A SHOOTING INCIDENT.
AND, UH, I, I CONTINUALLY ASK OUR COMMUNITY TO ASSIST US IN THAT INVESTIGATION.
UM, WE, WE ARE DESPERATE TO CLEAR THIS CASE AND BRING JUSTICE TO NEALON SHEP TALK, UM, IN THE NEWS RIVER COMMUNITY POLICING DISTRICT, UM, AGAIN, ROUGHLY ABOUT THE SAME 18%, UM, OF OUR CALLS FOR SERVICE GENERATED OUT OF THERE ALL CATEGORIES OF VIOLENT CRIME IS DOWN, UM, DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY.
BUT, UH, AGAIN, WHEN YOU LOOK AT, FOR INSTANCE, HOMICIDE, WHEN YOU HAVE ONE AND THEN YOU HAVE ZERO AGAIN, IT, IT'S, UH, UM, TO BE DOWN 100% IS A WONDERFUL THING, BUT YOU GO FROM ONE TO ZERO.
SO I JUST WANT TO CONTEXTUALIZE THAT.
UH, PROBABLY THE MOST CALLS FOR SERVICE,
[00:15:01]
UH, ALDER INVESTOR IN THE, UH, WASHINGTON FORKS AREA.UM, BUT AGAIN, WE SEE VIOLENT CRIME IS DOWN THE CALL VOLUME MAY BE, UH, HIGHER.
UM, BUT I, I THINK THE STATS WOULD REFLECT A COMMENT THAT I MADE THAT WE BELIEVE THAT THE CITIZENS OF NEW BERN DO LIVE IN A SAFE COMMUNITY.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANT TO, UH, PROVIDE SPECIFICALLY TO THIS BODY AND ANYBODY THAT'S LISTENING IS THAT WE, WHEN WE COMPARE OURSELVES AGAINST OUR COMPARISON OTHER, IT HELPS US CONTEXTUALIZE WELL, WHAT DOES IT MEAN, CHIEF, WHEN YOU SAY YOU LIVE IN A SAFE COMMUNITY? UM, WELL, WHAT WE STRIVE TO DO IS TO LOOK AT COMMUNITIES THAT ARE SIMILAR TO OURS.
AND WE FOUND 17, WELL, WE ADDED HAVELOCK.
HAVELOCK IS A BIT OF AN OUTLIER, BUT WE FOUND 16 COMMUNITIES THAT HAD A SIMILAR SIZE TO NEWBURN PLUS OR MINUS, UH, 5,000.
AND WE COMPARED THE CRIME DATA, THE SAME DATA THAT WE REPORTED OUT ON, IT'S THE SAME DATA THAT THOSE MUNICIPALITIES ARE REPORTING OUT ON, AND WE COMPARED IT TO THE LATEST CRIME DATA AVAILABLE.
NOW, WE ARE THE CITY OF NEW BERN.
WE HAVE ALL OF OUR DATA FOR 2023.
DATA WILL NOT BE PUBLISHED BY THE FBI PROBABLY UNTIL THE SUMMER OF THIS OF 2024.
BUT WE DO HAVE COMPLETE DATA FOR 2022.
AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT ALL THE CITIES IN THE GREAT STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA THAT FIT THAT CRITERIA, AND AGAIN, WE ADDED HAVELOCK BECAUSE THEY'RE SO CLOSE TO US, WE FIND THAT THESE ARE THE CITIES THAT, UH, FIT THAT CRITERIA.
WHEN YOU OVERLAY THEIR CRIME RATE WITH THE CITY OF NEW BURN'S CRIME RATE, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE FALL BELOW THE AVERAGE IN TERMS OF TOTAL PART ONE CRIMES.
UM, ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT HAS COME UP, AND IT'S A LITTLE BIT DISCONCERTING FOR ME, IS WHEN I SEE OPEN SOURCE DATA, UH, WEBSITES THAT PROFESS TO PROVIDE CRIME DATA ABOUT THE CITY OF NEW BERN.
AND I LOOK AT THIS DATA AND I SAY, IT IS SIMPLY NOT CORRECT.
AND SO WHAT WE'VE LEARNED WAS IT'S WHERE IS, WHERE ARE THESE OPEN SOURCE DATA GATHER SITES GATHERING THEIR DATA FROM? AND WE RECOMMEND THAT ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO DO THEIR OWN DATA MINING, THAT THERE ARE THREE SOURCES THAT WE RECOMMENDED YOU GO TO.
THE FIRST ONE IS OUR LEXUS NEXUS CRIME MAP, WHICH ANY CITIZEN HAS THE RIGHT TO GO ON IT AND PULL CRIME DATA THAT IS REPORTED IN THE CITY OF, OF NEW BERN.
OBVIOUSLY THE FBI IS THE, THE, THE CORE SOURCE WHERE, UH, THAT DATA CAN BE PULLED FROM.
AND ALSO THE, UH, NORTH CAROLINA STATE BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION SUMMARIES STATISTIC REVIEW DATA.
NOW, WHAT ENDS UP HAPPENING IS, AND, AND I SHOWED THIS AND I WANT TO THANK ALICE FOR HELPING ME, UM, WITH GIS IS THE DATA THAT IS PULLED FROM A LOT OF THESE SOURCES ARE PULLED FROM ADDRESSES.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF PLACES, AND IF YOU NOTICE ON THIS, UH, OVERLAY MAP, ALL OF THAT BLUE AREA THAT IS CRAVEN COUNTY IS CAPTURED IN THE OPEN SOURCE CRIME DATA THAT IS SPECIFIC TO THE CITY OF NEWBURN.
IF YOU LIVE IN JAMES CITY, YOU HAVE A NEWBURN ADDRESS.
YOU WRITE ON YOUR, UH, ENVELOPE NEWBURN, NORTH CAROLINA.
IF YOU LIVE IN TRENT WOODS, YOU WRITE NEWBURN, NORTH CAROLINA.
YOU DO NOT LIVE IN THE CITY OF NEW BERN.
BUT ALL OF THAT CRIME DATA THAT THESE OPEN SOURCE, UM, WEBSITES ARE PULLING FROM, IS PULLING FROM THIS ENTIRE REGION.
SO IT IS, UH, NOT CORRECT DATA WHEN THEY COMPARE THE CITY OF NEW BERN IN TERMS OF ALL OF THE CRIME DATA THAT THEY'RE GATHERING, UM, IS IT NEEDS TO BE BETTER CONTEXTUALIZED.
UM, WELL, I I, I, I'VE, I'VE PASSED MY SLIDE PRESENTATION.
BEFORE I GO ANY FURTHER, I DO WANT TO PROVIDE A COUPLE OTHER PIECES OF INFORMATION THAT I THINK IS RELEVANT AND, UM, HOPEFULLY IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, UH, MAYBE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I'M GOING TO MENTION RIGHT HERE, UM, MIGHT BE ADDRESSED.
THE FIRST THING I WANT TO, UM, SPEAK ABOUT IS SOME OF THE STRATEGIES THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY OF NEW BERN ABOUT THE DEPLOYMENT OF OUR STAFF AND HOW BEST TO ADDRESS NOT ONLY CRIME, BUT BUT TRAFFIC SAFETY
[00:20:02]
IS, WE USE TRAFFIC STOPS FOR A VARIETY OF PURPOSES, ONE OF WHICH IS TO EDUCATE DRIVERS SPECIFIC TO, UH, THEIR DRIVING BEHAVIOR, WHETHER OR NOT THEY'VE COMMITTED A TRAFFICKING VIOLATION OR NOT.BY THE WAY, OUR TRAFFIC DATA, UH, A TRAFFIC STOP DATA REFLECTS THAT 56% OF ALL VEHICLES THAT HAVE STOPPED DRIVE AWAY WITH A WARNING.
NOT EVERYBODY DESERVES A SUMMONS OR A TICKET, BUT THERE ARE OTHER REASONS WHY WE STOP VEHICLES.
UM, AND PART OF THAT IS, UM, OBVIOUSLY TRAFFIC, BUT ALSO THERE'S A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF CRIMINALITY THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH DRIVING BEHAVIOR.
AND, UH, THAT NEXUS IS ONE THAT IS REPLICATED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
CRIMINALS USE CARS WHEN THEY COMMIT CRIMES, AND OFTENTIMES CITIZENS WILL SEE A CAR PULLED OVER AND THEY'LL SEE NOT ONE PATROL CAR, MAYBE NOT TWO PATROL CARS, MAYBE THEY SEE THREE PATROL CARS ASSOCIATED WITH A TRAFFIC STOP, AND THEY QUESTION AND WONDER, WHY DO YOU HAVE SO MANY POLICE OFFICERS AT SOMETHING AS JAM, UH, AS MINIMAL AS A TRAFFIC STOP? IT DEPENDS.
IT, IT IS SITUATIONAL, AND IT DEPENDS ON WHAT, WHY THAT VEHICLE WAS STOPPED.
ONE OF THE RULES OF THUMBS HAS ALWAYS BEEN IN POLICING, WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE POLICING IN NORTH CAROLINA OR ANY PLACE IN THE UNITED STATES, IS YOU ALWAYS WANT TO HAVE ONE ADDITIONAL POLICE OFFICER MORE THAN THE PERSONS IN THE CAR.
IF YOU HAVE TWO PEOPLE IN THE CAR, YOU WANT THREE POLICE OFFICERS.
THAT'S AN OFFICER SAFETY ISSUE.
SO, UM, I, I WANT TO PROVIDE THAT CONTEXT.
ANOTHER THING THAT HAPPENS DURING TRAFFIC STOPS IS WE FIND OUT THAT THE PERSON IN THE CAR IS EITHER HAS A LICENSE PROBLEM OR IS WANTED, UM, AND WE MAKE QUITE A NUMBER OF ARRESTS BASED SOLELY ON RUNNING SOMETHING AS GERMANE AS THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSE.
AND THAT IS, THAT ALSO COMES WITH AN NCIC CHECK TO DETERMINE IF THEY'RE WANTED FOR OTHER, UH, CRIMINAL ACTS.
THE OTHER THING I WANNA TALK ABOUT AS PARTNERSHIPS, NOT JUST OUR COMMUNITY POLICE AND PARTNERSHIPS, WHICH I'LL TALK ABOUT IN JUST ONE SECOND, BUT THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE HAVE WITH OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT OR, OR CRIMINAL JUSTICE ENTITIES.
AND ONE OF THE BEST PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE HAVE IS THAT WITH THE CRAVEN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, BUT ALSO WITH OUR DA.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I, I, I CANNOT PRAISE, UH, OUR US ATTORNEY AND THE US ATTORNEY'S OFFICE MORE IS THEY HAVE TAKEN A REAL INTEREST IN THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE HAVE MADE AND THE EFFORTS THAT WE HAVE MADE IN CURVING VIOLENT CRIMES, SPECIFICALLY, UH, DRUG DEALERS, GANG MEMBERS, AND THOSE INVOLVED IN GUN VIOLENCE.
I'VE OFTEN SAID, I HAVE A LOT OF SYMPATHY FOR PERSONS THAT ARE ADDICTED TO DRUGS.
I HAVE ZERO TOLERANCE AND ZERO PATIENTS FOR ANYONE THAT SELLS DRUGS IN THE CITY OF NEW BERN.
ANYBODY INVOLVED IN GANG ACTIVITY, OR THOSE PEOPLE THAT USE FIREARMS IN A WAY THAT WILL RESULT IN SOMETHING LIKE I SPOKE ABOUT WITH, UH, NIANI SHEP TALK.
I HAD A PRESS CONFERENCE WHERE I MADE IT VERY, VERY CLEAR THAT, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, MY NUMBER ONE MISSION IS TO REDUCE CRIME AND THE FEAR CRIME.
AND ONE OF THOSE IS TO REDUCE GUN VIOLENCE IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE ARE BRINGING ON SHOT SPOTTER.
THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY DESERVE A PLACE THAT IS SAFE FOR THEM AND THEIR FAMILY.
AND AS LONG AS I'M THE CHIEF OF POLICE HERE, WE WILL FOCUS OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS SPECIFICALLY ON THOSE THREE ISSUES.
I AM VERY AWARE, AND I'LL SPEAK ABOUT THE COMMUNITY POLICING ASPECT IN JUST A SECOND, BUT THERE, THERE ARE AREAS WHERE WE SHOULD HAVE ZERO TOLERANCE, AND THERE ARE AREAS THAT WE CAN WORK TOWARDS BUILDING, UH, STRONGER COMMUNITY OUTREACH EFFORTS FOR PERSONS THAT ARE HOMELESS, PERSONS THAT ARE ADDICTED, OR PERSONS THAT SUFFER FROM MENTAL ILLNESS.
THE OTHER THING IS, AND, AND THOSE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS INVOLVE THE FAITH-BASED, UM, ELEMENTS AND COMMUNITY CIVIC LEAGUES.
THESE ARE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE FAITH-BASED COMMUNITY IS THE HEART AND SOUL OF NEW BERN AND THE CIVIC LEAGUES SPEAK TO THE REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT OF A NEIGHBORHOOD SPECIFICALLY JUST COMING BACK FROM ONE IN, UH, TO BURNA.
CRIME ANALYSIS IS ANOTHER HUGE ELEMENT OF WHAT WE DO.
WE WANNA BE EVIDENCE-BASED AND, AND, UH, UM, UH, INTELLIGENCE LED AND WHAT WE DO.
ALL OF OUR PATROL OFFICERS, WHEN THEY'RE ON THE STREET, THEY OUGHT TO HAVE THE CORRECT CRIME
[00:25:01]
DATA AND ANALYSIS WORK SO THAT THEY KNOW WHERE TO BE WHEN TO BE TO, UH, DETER CRIME OR ENFORCE CRIME.VISIBILITY IS ANOTHER CRITICAL ISSUE WITH THE NEW BERN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
OUR OFFICERS NEED TO BE SEEN, THEY NEED TO BE SEEN IN THE COMMUNITIES AND THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
OUR STRATEGY AND OUR EXPECTATIONS THAT OUR OFFICERS DON'T JUST DRIVE UP AND DOWN MLK AND AND, AND THE, THE MAJOR THOROUGHFARES, THEY NEED TO GET INTO THE COMMUNITY SO THAT, SO THAT THE RESIDENTS SEE THAT THERE IS A PATROL CAR PATROLLING THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, PLANNING AND TRAINING IS ALWAYS CRITICAL.
NOT ONLY DOES THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SUPPORT THE CITY'S EMERGENCY OPERATION PLAN, BUT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ALSO HAS ITS OWN EMERGENCY OPERATION PLAN SPECIFIC TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
NOT ONLY DOES THE CITY OF NEW BERN HAVE A STRATEGIC PLAN, SO DOES THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WE PLAN, UH, FOR, UH, ACHIEVING OUR MISSION.
WE HAVE A YOUNG POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND IT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO PROVIDE ALL OF OUR OFFICERS THAT DO VERY SPECIFIC JOBS TO HAVE THE CORE ABILITY TO ACHIEVE THEIR MISSION.
AND THE LAST ONE I WANNA TALK ABOUT, AND THEN I'LL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS, IS THE NEW BERN POLICE DEPARTMENT IS OUR, OUR, UM, INTENTION IS TO ENGAGE IN BEST PRACTICE OPERATIONS.
AND ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO DO THAT IS THROUGH ACCREDITATION THROUGH KALIA, WHICH IS THE, UH, INTERNATIONAL POLICING BODY THAT, UM, UH, DETERMINES BEST PRACTICES.
THE CITY OF NEW BERN MEETS OR EXCEEDS ALL OF THOSE STANDARDS, AND I'M PROUD TO STAND HERE BEFORE YOU TO TELL YOU THAT WE WILL ACHIEVE OUR SEVENTH RE-ACCREDITATION THROUGH NATIONAL STANDARDS.
UM, I WILL BE IN ALABAMA IN MARCH TO RECEIVE, UH, OUR SEVENTH ACCREDITATION.
SO WITH THAT, I, I AM AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.
I, MCKENZIE CHIEF, HOW MANY MURDERS DID WE HAVE LAST YEAR? FOUR.
HOW MANY WAS SOLVED? I AM, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE'VE CLEARED ANY OF THE FOUR THAT WE HAVE.
SO WHAT HAVE BEEN YOUR, WHAT'S, WHAT IS YOUR STRATEGY THIS YEAR TO LOOK BACK ON WHAT WASN'T ACHIEVED LAST YEAR? WELL, THERE'S, THERE'S TWO WAYS TO LOOK AT THAT.
IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A CRIME, A MURDER THAT OCCURRED WITHIN THE PAST 24 MONTHS, THAT'S AN ACTIVE CASE.
WE CONTINUE TO WORK THAT CASE AS AN ACTIVE HOMICIDE CASE UNTIL ALL THE LEADS HAVE BEEN EXHAUSTED.
I, I WANNA MAKE SOMETHING PRETTY CLEAR.
UM, OUR DETECTIVES ARE VERY GOOD AT WHAT THEY DO.
AND WHEN I TELL YOU WE KNOW WELL, THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN KNOWING SOMETHING AND PROVING BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT.
NO, I'M SORRY, I, I I MISSPOKE PROVING SOMETHING AT THE LEVEL OF A CONVICTION, AND THAT'S WHAT THE PROSECUTOR'S GOING TO WANT.
AND, UH, KNOWING THAT BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT IS A VERY HIGH STANDARD.
AND WHEN WE SEEK TO OBTAIN COOPERATION AMONGST THE WITNESSES OF OUR COMMUNITY TO HELP US PROSECUTE THESE CASES, THAT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
SO, UH, THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN KNOWING WHO KILLED ONE OF OUR CITIZENS AND PROVING IT IS A HIGH BAR.
AND ONE OF THE STRATEGIES TO, TO YOUR POINT, UM, ALDERMAN KENZIE, IS WE MAKE IT VERY EASY TO PROVIDE THE NEWBURN POLICE DEPARTMENT WITH INFORMATION ANONYMOUSLY.
THEY ARE FREE TO PROVIDE US WITH INFORMATION THAT'S ACTIONABLE.
WE ALSO RELY ON THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT HAVE SAID, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
AND I'M NOT GONNA LET ANOTHER 19 MONTH OLD CHILD PERISH IN THIS COMMUNITY WITHOUT SAYING SOMETHING AND DOING SOMETHING.
WE NEED PEOPLE WILLING TO TESTIFY, AND THAT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
UM, THE OTHER PART, AND AND I GAVE YOU THAT 24 MONTH PERIOD, THAT'S GENERALLY WHEN A CASE BECOMES COLD.
AND WE ARE AMONGST A VERY FEW SMALLER DEPARTMENTS.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT A RALEIGH, WE'RE NOT A CHARLOTTE, UH, BUT WE'RE A SMALL DEPARTMENT AND WE HAVE
[00:30:01]
A VERSION OF, OF A COLD CASE REVIEW TEAM.WHAT I WILL BE REQUESTING IN THE UPCOMING BUDGET IS A COLD CASE INVESTIGATOR.
COLD CASE INVESTIGATIONS IS A VERY UNIQUE SET OF SKILL SETS.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT THE AVERAGE INVESTIGATOR IS GOING TO BE GOOD AT.
COLD CASE INVESTIGATIONS REQUIRES SOMEBODY WHO IS ABLE TO PICK UP A CASE FROM 30 YEARS AGO AND RECREATE BEST POSSIBLE THE, UH, UH, NEW EVIDENCE BASED ON NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND NEW, UH, UH, METHODS OF, OF EVIDENCE BUILDING TO MAKE A CASE.
THIS HAPPENS IN THE UNITED STATES ALL THE TIME.
UM, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE IN NEW BERN WANT TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE TO OUR COMMUNITY, THAT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO SOLVE A CASE THAT OCCURRED 30 YEARS AGO.
THEY DO BECOME MORE DIFFICULT.
THAT'S WHY THERE'S A TV SHOW CALLED THE FIRST 48 HOURS.
THERE'S A REASON WHY 48 HOURS IS THE, IS THE WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY TO CLEAR MURDER CASES AFTER 48 HOURS, NOT WITHSTANDING 48 MONTHS, IT BECOMES INCREASINGLY MORE DIFFICULT TO SOLVE THESE CASES.
TELL ME THIS CHIEF, UM, WHAT DIFFERENCE IN MANPOWER IN SURVEILLANCE THAT YOU'RE DOING DIFFERENTLY NOW IN THOSE AREAS THAT CRIME HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED? WHAT ARE YOU DOING DIFFERENTLY? UH, I, I MISUNDERSTOOD YOUR QUESTION.
ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT SURVEILLANCE? YES, SIR.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING DIFFERENT? IS ANYTHING DIFFERENT THAT YOU HAVE, YOU SAY PARTNERS, YOU SAY, UM, WE ARE GONNA DO THIS AND DO THAT.
UM, HAVE YOU, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE DIFFERENT? SO I CAN TELL YOU THAT, UH, OVER THE PAST SIX MONTHS, WE HAVE MET WITH, UH, MEMBERS OF A VIOLENT CRIME, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, UH, TASK FORCE IN WHICH WE MEET WITH ALL OF OUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ENTITIES, UM, UH, PROBATION AND PAROLE, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, AND THE, AND THE, UH, US ATTORNEY'S OFFICE THAT COME IN HERE INTO NEW BERN.
AND WE CASE MANAGE EVERY PERSON WHOM, WHICH WE BELIEVE WE CAN LINK CRIME TO, AND HOPEFULLY LEVERAGE THE, THE POWERS OF THE FEDERAL COURT SYSTEM, UM, TO REDUCE VIOLENT CRIME.
WHEN WE FOCUS NOW, WE'RE NOT FOCUSING ON BURGLARS IN THIS CONTEXT, WE'RE FOCUSING ON PEOPLE THAT ARE KNOWN GANG MEMBERS AND PERSONS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN DRUG DEALING AND THE DRUG DEALING NETWORK, UH, NETWORK THAT, UH, THAT FINDS ITS WAY IN THE CITY OF NEW BERN.
AND ALSO THOSE WITH, WITH GUN CHARGES TO USE THE FEDERAL SYSTEM TO HELP US.
WE HAVE INDICTED SEVERAL SINCE WE BEGAN THIS, THIS OPERATION.
WE ARE PULLING A LOT OF VERY VIOLENT PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS.
WE, UH, NUMEROUS ARRESTS HAVE OCCURRED.
NOW, I CAN TELL YOU THE CONDITIONS THAT CREATE CRIMINALITY IS FAR BEYOND THAT WHICH LAW ENFORCEMENT CAN IMPACT.
THIS IS NOT A SYSTEM IN WHICH LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS THE SOLUTION THAT THIS, THIS IS A MUCH, MUCH BIGGER PROBLEM.
THE AMOUNT OF FENTANYL THAT COMES INTO THIS COUNTRY.
THE, THE ABILITY TO CUT FENTANYL AND CREATE A SIMILAR PRODUCT.
FENTANYL IS AN OPIOID BASED, UH, PRODUCT.
HEROIN IS AN OXYCODONE IN SOME OF THESE OTHER PRODUCTS.
THE THINGS THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS ADDICTED TO, THE MARKET IS OUT THERE, AND THE SUPPLY SIDE IS INCREDIBLY PROFITABLE.
UM, AND TO IMPACT THAT IS GONNA TAKE A LOT MORE THAN JUST LAW ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS.
AND, AND I'M HERE TO TELL YOU, WE PUT A LOT OF EFFORT INTO THAT.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE THE FULL SOLUTION.
I CAN TELL YOU IF I HAD THE SOLUTION TO THIS.
UM, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY HAS THE ABSOLUTE SOLUTION TO THIS.
WELL, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I FEEL THAT I'M, I FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT I CAN SPEAK FOR THE BOARD.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE FEEL THAT ENOUGH IS ENOUGH AND THE SAFETY OF THE PEOPLE AS WELL AS YOU, THAT WE NEED TO REALLY CRUNCH DOWN AND CRUNCH HARD.
BECAUSE ONCE, UM, A NEST IS BUILT, THAT'S WHERE THEY LIVE IN THE NEST, AND THEY HAVE TO BE TAKEN OUT OF THE NEST.
[00:35:01]
LIKE TO SEE YOU BECOME A LITTLE HARDER THAN WHAT YOU ARE.A LITTLE TOUGHER THAN WHAT YOU ARE.
I'M NOT SPEAKING FOR THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS.
UM, WHEN YOU LOSE A KID, A BABY, AND THEN THE OTHER GUYS COME ALONG, I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL.
PROBABLY ABOUT THE SAME THING THAT I'M SAYING.
DO YOU HAVE MEETINGS IN THE COMMUNITIES? I DON'T KNOW.
UH, DO YOU HAVE MEETINGS IN THOSE SAME COMMUNITIES THAT, UH, THIS THING TAKING PLACE? DO YOU GO IN THERE AND MEET WITH THE PEOPLE? UM, THE GUYS USED TO WALK THROUGH MY NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN NOBODY IN A LONG TIME.
UM, IT'S, IT'S DIFFERENT APPROACHES THAT YOU HAVE TO TAKE WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH BAD PEOPLE.
A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE GET AFRAID.
UM, THEY JUST, THEY'RE QUIET AS YOU KNOW, THAT THAT'S THE REASON WHY YOU PROBABLY HAVEN'T SOLVED ANYTHING.
'CAUSE DON'T NOBODY TELL ON NOBODY.
YOU GOT TO STAND UP FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN.
SOMETIME YOU MIGHT LOSE YOUR LIFE, BUT YOU GOT TO STAND UP FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN.
WELL, I, I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE.
I'VE BEEN DOING THIS SINCE THE 1980S.
I'VE BEEN A POLICE OFFICER A VERY LONG TIME.
OKAY? I KNOW THAT THE OBSTACLES ASSOCIATED WITH WHY SOME OF THESE CASES ARE VERY DIFFICULT.
BUT HERE'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT I ALSO KNOW.
WE'RE NOT GONNA DISENFRANCHISE ANYONE SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY HAPPEN TO LIVE IN A PLACE THAT IS WROUGHT WITH VIOLENCE.
WE HAVE TO BE SPECIFIC AS TO WHO WE ADDRESS OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS.
THERE'S A THING CALLED PRESENCE OF JUSTICE IN NEW YORK CITY.
THEY REDUCED CRIME BY SOMETHING THAT WAS CALLED STOP AND FRISK.
EVERYONE GOT STOPPED AND EVERYONE GOT FRISKED.
THE WRONG PEOPLE GET STOPPED AND THE WRONG PEOPLE GET FRISKED.
WHEN I TELL YOU I UNDERSTAND THAT, I UNDERSTAND THAT.
AND WHEN I GO INTO THE COMMUNITIES AND I DO SPEAK IN FACT, THE ONE, UH, UH, COMMUNITY GROUP THAT I ALL THE CHIEF OF POLICE GOES TO IS THE GREATER DUFFY FIELD RESIDENCE COUNCIL.
I GO TO EVERY ONE OF THOSE AND I HAVE MY CRIME STATS WITH ME, AND I STAND BEFORE THAT COMMUNITY AND I LISTEN TO THEIR CONCERNS AND I ADDRESS THOSE.
AND I WILL NOT BE A CHIEF OF POLICE IN A COMMUNITY THAT, BECAUSE YOU HAPPEN TO LIVE IN, IN ONE THAT IS A VIOLENT PLACE, THAT SOMEHOW YOU BECOME DISENFRANCHISED AND STOPPED BY THE POLICE FOR DOING NOTHING.
BUT WALKING DOWN THE STREET, I TALKED ABOUT EVIDENCE-BASED AND INTELLIGENCE SLED CRIME ANALYSIS.
I, WE, WHEN WE MEET WITH THE US ATTORNEYS, THESE ARE THE FEDERAL ATTORNEYS.
I'VE BEEN DOING THIS A LONG TIME.
I'VE NEVER SEEN A, A US ATTORNEY COME IN AND SAY, WE WANT TO HELP YOU PROSECUTE CRIMES.
THEY SOLICITED US TO COME HERE BECAUSE OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OUR TEAM AND THE CRAVEN COUNTY SHERIFF'S TEAM.
AND WE HAVE THE NAMES OF EVERY GANG MEMBER IN NEWBURN.
AND WE CROSS-REFERENCE THOSE WITH WHAT CAN WE CHARGE THEM WITH? BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO DISENFRANCHISE SOMEBODY WHO'S DOING NOTHING MORE THAN WANTING TO GO TO THEIR JOB AND COME BACK OR DO SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS WALK THROUGH THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.
WELL, I'VE SEEN THOSE PEOPLE COME HERE BEFORE, BEFORE I BECAME A ALDERMAN.
THEY CAME IN IN CRAVEN TERRACE, AND THEY SPOKE AND THEY SPOKE REAL LOUD AND REAL HARD.
THAT'S WHEN THEY HAD A SUBSTATION OVER THERE IN THE PROJECTS.
SO, UH, I SEEN THAT, AND I'M PRETTY SURE, UM, YOU CAN DO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO OR DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO.
BUT, UM, FEAR KEEPS PEOPLE SEPARATED.
IT KEEP PEOPLE DIVIDED, YOU KNOW, UH, ANGER POWER.
SOMEONE WILL COME IN AND DIVIDE JUST JEFF AND I UP BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT WE GONNA GET IN THE WAY.
SO THEY'RE TRYING TO DIVIDE US UP AND WE GOTTA OVERCOME THOSE KIND OF OBSTACLES.
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TALKING ABOUT.A LOT OF PEOPLE MAY NOT UNDERSTAND AND KNOW A LOT OF 'EM MAY NEVER BEEN IN CRIME.
I KNOW WHAT CRIME IS ALL ABOUT.
BUT, UM, YOU HAVE TO STEP HARD AND BE WILLING TO DO WHAT YOU GOT TO DO.
UM, ALDERMAN KINSEY, UM, ONE ANSWER TO YOUR INQUIRY OF THE CHIEF AS TO WHAT IS BEING DONE AS A RESULT OF SPECIFICALLY SAY THE FOUR, UH, MURDERS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE IS THAT THE CHIEF OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS MOVING FORWARD WITH THE SHOT SPOTTER PROGRAM AND CHIEF, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THAT'S AT, BUT I ASSUME THAT IT'S COMING ONLINE SOON IF IT ISN'T ALREADY ONLINE.
SO I WOULD SUSPECT THAT A YEAR FROM NOW WHEN THE CHIEF IS BEFORE US, UM, DOING THE SAME ANNUAL REVIEW, BUT INCLUDING THIS YEAR IN THAT REVIEW, UM, I, I WOULD EXPECT THAT THAT SHOT SPOTTER PROGRAM IS PROBABLY GOING TO, UH, PLAY A BIG ROLE IN ANY CRIME THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE, UH, WITHIN THE DISTRICT THAT IT COVERS.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
I ASKED HIM ABOUT THE MURDERS.
THAT WAS, THAT HAS NOT BEEN SOLVED.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT HAVING A SYSTEM SET UP.
THIS IS AFTER THE FACT, WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
I MAY BE UNDERSTANDING WHAT, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, YOU WHAT IS BEING DONE AS A RESULT OF THOSE MURDERS.
THE SHOT SPOTTER PROGRAM IS A PROGRAM THAT IS BEING IMPLEMENTED IN PART BECAUSE OF THOSE MURDERS.
I THINK YOU NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT.
I DON'T THINK YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING.
UM, I JUST ASKED HIM, HAVE IT BEEN RESOLVED? AND HE SAID, NO.
AND THEN YOU'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT SOME SYSTEM THAT THEY'RE GONNA PUT IN PLACE THAT'S GOOD THAT THEY PUT THE THING IN PLACE, BUT THE CASES HAVE NOT BEEN RESOLVED.
OKAY, CHIEF, CHIEF, IF I COULD, UM, IF I COULD, UM, YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT KNOWING WHO COMMITTED THE CRIME OR MURDER VERSUS BEING ABLE TO BRING THEM TO JUSTICE.
UM, THE MISSING PIECE, I BELIEVE, IS INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY.
AND THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE BEGGED AND PLEADED WITH THE COMMUNITY TO STEP UP.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN THERE'S A, A MURDER THAT TAKES PLACE IN BROAD DAYLIGHT IN TRENT COURT, UH, IN THE AFTERNOON, AND THE FOLKS THERE KNOW WHERE THE CAMERAS ARE AND THEY KNOW TO PUT SOMETHING AND MASK THEIR FACE SO THEY WON'T BE RECOGNIZED.
HOWEVER, THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY KNOW WHO THAT INDIVIDUAL IS.
AND IF THEY WOULD SIMPLY STEP UP ANONYMOUSLY MM-HMM,
SO WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO HELP IMPLORE THE COMMUNITY TO STEP FORWARD, WE, WE DESPERATELY NEED THAT.
I THINK, UM, I SHOULD PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT MORE CONTEXT IN, UM, ALDER MCKENZIE'S QUESTION ABOUT WHAT IS DIFFERENT.
WHAT IS DIFFERENT IS THERE'S BEEN A PARADE OF DEFENDANTS THAT ARE FACING FEDERAL CHARGES RIGHT NOW.
THAT DID NOT HAPPEN A YEAR AGO.
THAT IS A HUGE IMPACT ON THE CRIMINAL ELEMENT.
SO THE REDUCTION OF VIOLENT CRIME IN OUR COMMUNITY, I BELIEVE HAS A DIRECT RELATIONSHIP WITH WHAT WE ARE DOING, WHAT WE HAVE DONE, AND WHAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO.
THE PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING, SO TO SPEAK.
AND I STARTED THIS BY THANKING THE MEN AND WOMEN THAT ACTUALLY DO THIS JOB.
AND THEN I THANK THE COMMUNITY FOR THEIR SUPPORT, BUT I ALSO IMPLORE THE COMMUNITY TO CONTINUE TO ASSIST US SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANOTHER SITUATION.
BECAUSE THE PREDATOR THAT IS ALLOWED TO CONTINUE TO VICTIMIZE OUR COMMUNITY IS THE SAME ONE THAT IS PROTECTED BY THE COMMUNITY THAT'S BEING VICTIMIZED.
I I, I'VE SAID THIS NUMEROUS TIMES, THE CONSTITUTION PROVIDES THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS THE OBLIGATION AND DUTY TO PROVE A PERSON'S GUILT BECAUSE THEY ARE PRESUMED INNOCENT UNTIL EVIDENCE THAT THE PROSECUTOR CAN ACCEPT AND CAN WIN IN COURT.
THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF LIVING IN THIS COUNTRY.
[00:45:01]
WE HAVE FREEDOMS, WE HAVE PRESUMPTION OF INNOCENCE.MY JOB IS TREMENDOUSLY MORE DIFFICULT WITHOUT THE ASSISTANCE OF OUR COMMUNITY.
I'M NOT JUST SPEAKING OF PAT GALLAGHER, I'M SPEAKING ABOUT EVERY CHIEF THAT HAS TO DEAL WITH THESE SAME ISSUES.
CHIEF, LEMME GET ALL INVEST FIRST, ALL BEST, UM, CHIEF, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AND YOUR STAFF FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU'RE CONTINUED WILL CONTINUE TO DO TO KEEP OUR, UM, CITY AND OUR CITIZENS SAFE.
BUT, UM, I DO HAVE TO COMMENT ON THE FACT THAT, AND, AND, AND I DO UNDERSTAND, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO THE CITIZENS AND CITIZENS COMING FORTH AND, AND THAT WOULD AGE YOU IN YOUR INVESTIGATIONS AND COULD POSSIBLY SOLVE SOME OF THE, THESE CRIMES, BUT, AND, AND, AND HOMICIDES.
BUT, YOU KNOW, SPEAKING FROM A PERSPECTIVE OF YOU, YOU GOTTA UNDERSTAND WHERE A LOT OF THE CRIMES ARE TAKING PLACE.
THE CITIZENS THAT ARE INVOLVED, THEY ARE AFRAID TO COME FORTH.
THEY HAVE TO LIVE IN THAT COMMUNITY, AND THEY HAVE TO LIVE WITH THOSE DRUG DEALERS AND, AND THOSE VIOLENT INDIVIDUALS THAT CREATE THE CRIMES AND STUFF.
SO I, I UNDERSTAND FROM A PERSPECTIVE THAT YOU DO NEED THAT SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY, BUT IT'S KIND OF HARD WHEN YOU LIVE IN A COMMUNITY AND YOU ARE AFRAID.
BUT I JUST CONTINUE TO DO THE WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR STAFF IS DOING, AND HOPEFULLY WITH THE AID OF THE SHERIFF DEPARTMENT AND FBI AND ANY OTHER SOURCES THAT WE CAN REALLY GET AHEAD OF THE GAME HERE IN OUR CITY AND, AND MOVE FORWARD WITH IT AND PROTECT OUR CITIZENS.
I THANK Y'ALL HAVE INVESTED, AND WHEN I SPOKE OF THE CONDITIONS THAT CREATE CRIMINALITY, THAT'S ONE OF THEM.
UM, HAVE WE REACHED OUT TO THE FBI OR THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE OR WHOEVER, EVEN TO THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA TO SEE IF WE CAN GET REWARD MONEY TO HELP RESOLVE SOME OF THESE MURDERS? I KNOW SOME, AND THERE'S A LOT OF, SOMETIMES YOU SEE WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF REWARD MONEY POSTED FOR INFORMATION, AND I'M JUST WONDERING IF WE COULD GET SOME ASSISTANCE FROM THE STATE OR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WITH SOME REWARD MONEY.
WELL, UM, TO, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, WE, WE DID SEEK, UH, ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR, UM, A REWARD FOR THE ALANA SHEP TALK CASE.
UM, DESPITE THE FACT THAT, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO RAISE SOME MONIES, AND I WAS, I WAS, TO BE CANDID WITH YOU, DISAPPOINTED IN THE AMOUNTS OF MONIES THAT WE WERE ABLE TO, TO OBTAIN.
AND, AND, AND MUCH OF THAT CAME FROM THE CRAVEN COUNTY CRIME STOPPERS, UM, THAT STILL DID NOT, UH, PRODUCE THE, UH, TYPE OF INFORMATION THAT WE WANTED.
BUT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A THOUSAND DOLLARS, RIGHT? IT, IT, IT WAS MUCH MORE THAN THAT.
I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT THE TOTAL WAS, BUT IT WAS FAR MORE THAN A THOUSAND DOLLARS.
I WAS WONDERING IF WE COULD REACH OUT TO THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND TRY TO GET SOME STATE FUNDS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO OFFER A FIVE OR $10,000 REWARD.
MONEY WILL MAKE PEOPLE TALK, YOU KNOW? UM, I MEAN, IT'S WORTH A TRY, MAYBE, I DON'T KNOW.
BUT I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU AND YOUR STAFF FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.
I KNOW YOU WORK HARD, UH, AND I, YOU, YOU KEEP 'EM SAFE AND THAT'S THE BIG THING, BUT YOU ALSO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY AND I APPRECIATE IT.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, CHIEF.
[9. Conduct a Public Hearing and Consider Adopting a Resolution Approving a Lease with New Bern Baseball LLC for Kafer Park at 603 George Street.]
OKAY.ITEM NUMBER NINE IS TO CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION APPROVING LEASES WITH VERN BASEBALL, LLC FOR CFER PARK AT 6 0 3 GEORGE STREET, MR. HUGHES MAYOR IN JULY OF THIS PAST YEAR, THE OLD NORTH STATE LEAGUE, UH, AND ALEC
UM, AFTER THAT MEETING, UH, THE CITY DID A SURVEY, UH, REGARDING, UH, CHECKING OUR CITIZENS TO SEE IF THERE WAS INTEREST IN THIS.
AND THERE WAS VERY GOOD SUPPORT FOR THAT.
MR ALL ALSO SPOKE AT THE OMEGA CENTER AT A PUBLIC MEETING THAT WAS WELL ATTENDED AND GOT GOOD FEEDBACK FROM THAT AS WELL.
SUBSEQUENT, SUBSEQUENTLY, THE BOARD GAVE, UH, MYSELF AND THE ATTORNEY AUTHORIZATION TO ENTER INTO NEGOTIATIONS FOR, UH, UH, UH, TO NEGOTIATE CONTRACT TO LEASE CAER PARK.
AND THIS EVENING WE'RE ASKING YOU TO, UH, HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING
[00:50:01]
CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION APPROVING THESE LEASES.THERE ARE TWO LEASES, UH, THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
ONE IS FOR THE PARK ITSELF AND THE OTHER IS A SEPARATE LEASE FOR THE CONCESSION STAND.
TOTAL ANNUAL PAYMENTS OVER A NINE YEAR PERIOD WOULD BE 20,000, UH, $22,222 AND 22 CENTS.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
AND MR. ALRICH IS ALSO HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE AS WELL BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS BEFORE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
WOULD YOU REPEAT THAT STATEMENT YOU JUST MADE OVER A PERIOD OF TIME? YOU SAID HOW MUCH? NINE, NINE YEARS.
THE ANNUAL PAYMENT IS $22,222 AND 22 CENTS.
OF COURSE, UM, MR. ALRE, UH, IN HIS PROPOSAL WANTED TO DO SOME UPFITS TO THE PARK.
AND SO THOSE UPFITS ARE IN LIEU OF PAYMENT AS HE CONTINUES TO, TO IMPROVE THAT PARK.
SO THE 20,000 PER YEAR, YOU MENTIONED 22,000 FOR NINE, THE TOTAL, THERE ARE TWO SEPARATE LEASES.
SO YOU'RE SPEAKING IN TERMS OF THE CONCESSION STAND FOR THE 22.
SO FOR THE PARK ITSELF, $20,000 FOR THE CONCESSION STAND, $2,222 AND 22 CENTS.
DO WE HAVE A SCHEDULE WORKED OUT WHERE THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE CALLED FOR ARE LAID OUT ON IN A TIMELINE? UH, IF YOU WOULD LIKE, WE CAN HAVE MR. ALRICH COME UP AND HE CAN AND DISCUSS HIS, HIS SCHEDULE.
WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING.
AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP A PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER NINE, WHICH IS THE LEASES FOR KAFER PARK AND THE CONCESSION STAND.
MAYOR, CITY MANAGER COUNCIL, APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY AGAIN TO SPEAK.
UH, ABSOLUTELY WILL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UH, ANYONE HAS, UH, DO YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT THE PROPOSED TIMELINE IF THE, IF THE AGREEMENT IS APPROVED? YEAH, SO WE, WHAT WE'LL DO IS, UH, OUR GOAL IS TO GO AHEAD AND DO ALL IMPROVEMENTS YEAR ONE.
UM, BUT THE BIGGER PROJECTS LIKE THE GRANDSTAND, STUFF LIKE THAT, THOSE WILL TAKE TIME.
WE HAVE, OUR SEASON STARTS AT THE END OF MAY, SO AS SOON AS THIS HOPEFULLY IS APPROVED, WE'LL BEGIN WORK AND GET AS MUCH WORK DONE INITIALLY AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
UM, THE, THE DOLLAR AMOUNT FOR THE LEASE, YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING A MINUTE AGO THAT, THAT IS IN LIEU OF THE IMPROVEMENTS.
SO IF THEY DO IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE WORTH $20,000 FOR YEAR ONE, THEN THEY WOULDN'T PAY THE $20,000, THE IMPROVEMENTS WOULD TAKE THAT PLACE.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
SO I THINK ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT I HAD HEARD FROM SOME FOLKS IS IF YOU TIE UP THE BALLPARK FOR NINE YEARS AND THEY COME IN AND MAKE ALL THE PROMISES THAT THEY'RE GONNA DO SOMETHING AND THEY DON'T DO IT, NOW YOU'VE TIED IT UP.
THIS PROVIDES A CITY A REVENUE STREAM FOR THOSE NINE YEARS IF THEY DON'T DO THE IMPROVEMENTS.
AND AGAIN, I THINK THE QUESTION WAS TO HAVE THE IMPROVEMENTS, WHAT WE'RE HEARING IS VAGUE, UM, TENTATIVELY IS THERE A LIST OF IMPROVEMENTS THAT YOU ARE PROPOSING TO MAKE? AND IF SO, THEN WHERE IS THAT LIST? YES, MA'AM.
I, I DON'T MIND JUMPING IN HERE.
WE, WE HAVE A GENERAL LIST, BUT I WANT YOU TO HAVE A VERY SPECIFIC PRECISE LIST THAT YOU WILL APPROVE OR DEFER TO THE CITY MANAGER TO APPROVE AS THEY ARE PROVIDED.
FOR EXAMPLE, IMPROVING THE FIELD AND IMPROVING DRAINAGE, IMPROVING DUGOUTS, IMPROVING FENCING.
BUT WE NEED TO KNOW PRECISELY WHAT DO WE MEAN WHEN WE SAY IMPROVE THE FIELDS AND IMPROVE THE DUGOUTS.
AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON.
SO WHEN THEY PROVIDE THOSE SPECIFICATIONS AND ENGINEER DRAWINGS AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION TO THE CITY MANAGER, HE CAN BRING IT TO YOU AND IT CAN BE BLESSED SO THAT THEY CAN THEN MOVE FORWARD WITH, WITH THOSE ISSUES.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET IT CLEAR SO THAT WE ALL UNDERSTAND WHAT IS HAPPENING AND THAT NO ONE IS SURPRISED WHEN THERE'S AN IMPROVEMENT MADE AND YOU MIGHT NOT BE AWARE OF IT.
SO THEN WE ARE, UM, SEEKING TO ACCEPT THE CONTRACT, THE LEASE WE ARE SEEKING FOR A RESOLUTION TO APPROVE THE LEASE AND WE'RE DOING IT BLINDLY.
THEY, THEY ARE GONNA PAY THE CITY $20,000, BUT THEY HAVE THE OPTION TO COME TO THE CITY MANAGER AND THE BOARD AND PROPOSE TO BUILD A NEW STADIUM THAT COSTS $20,000.
[00:55:01]
AND IF YOU'RE SATISFIED WITH THAT STADIUM AND THE DOLLAR VALUE ATTRIBUTED TO IT, YOU CAN APPROVE, APPROVE THAT.SO THAT IS THEIR OPTION, BUT IF THEY DO NOTHING, THEY WILL CUT THE CITY A CHECK.
IF I MAY, I GUESS THAT WAS MY QUESTION.
UM, IN PARAGRAPH 11, UM, WHERE YOU ARE ADDRESSING IT SAYS, UH, LISA CAN ONLY MAKE CHANGES, ALTERATION IMPROVEMENTS ON THE PREMISES WITH THE PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE LESSER.
AND SO THAT WAS KIND OF, YOU ALLUDED TO IT.
WHEN THEY DO SUBMIT, UH, REQUESTS IN WRITING, WHO ARE, WHO'S GONNA BE THE APPROVAL AUTHORITY, I GUESS WHAT'S THE PROCESS AND WHO'S GONNA BE THE APPROVAL AUTHORITY? THAT WAS MY SIR.
IN RIGHT IN LINE, WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW, THE ONLY THING THAT IN THAT IS IN THIS LEASE IS THE CAMERAS CORRECT AND, UH, EXHIBIT B.
SO ANY OTHER IMPROVEMENTS, THEY WILL HAVE TO COME BACK IN WRITING EXACTLY SAYING THIS IS WHAT THEY'RE GONNA DO.
UM, AND I'M KIND OF LOOKING AT THE BOARD AND LOOKING AT THE CITY MANAGER AND SAYING, HOW, WHAT DOES THAT PROCESS LOOK LIKE? AND WHO'S THE ULTIMATE APPROVAL AUTHORITY? IT, THE ULTIMATE APPROVAL AUTHORITY IS THIS BOARD.
AND BETWEEN THIS BOARD AND THE CITY MANAGER, YOU CAN WORK OUT WHATEVER, WHATEVER DIRECTION YOU'RE COMFORTABLE GIVING THE CITY MANAGER.
BUT IF, IF THERE IS NO AUTHORITY DELEGATED TO THE CITY MANAGER, THOSE PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS WILL HAVE TO COME BEFORE YOU.
I'M, I'M NOT READY TO DELEGATE THAT YET.
DIDN'T YOU, I, I SAID I'M NOT READY TO DELEGATE THAT YET.
IT'LL, IT'LL COME TO THE BOARD.
UM, THE OTHER QUESTION THAT I HAD WAS, UM, PARAGRAPH 17 WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT ASSIGNMENT AND SUBLETTING, UH, THAT THE LEASEE MAY SUBLET, UH, WITH REGARDS TO A PERMITTED USE NOT TO EXCEED 14 DAYS.
JUST, UH, WHAT, UH, OR WHO DO YOU FORESEE SUBLETTING, OR IS THIS JUST A GENERAL PARAGRAPH THAT WE DON'T HAVE, UH, AN IDEA OF HOW YOU'RE GONNA USE IT YET? AND I UNDERSTAND THE PERMITTED USES, YOU CAN ONLY USE IT FOR CERTAIN THINGS.
SO YES, SUBLETTING WOULD BE IF WE BROUGHT A, A COLLEGE BASEBALL PROGRAM DOWN FROM THE NORTHEAST TO RUN A BASEBALL TOURNAMENT, TRY TO GET HEADS AND BEDS IN THE HOTELS IN THE AREA.
SO IT, THAT WOULD BE THAT, THAT CLEARANCE FOR US TO DO STUFF LIKE THAT IF SAID TOURNAMENT, UM, WANTED TO RUN, RUN AN EVENT IN OUR FIELD RIGHT AT THE FIELD.
THAT, THAT'S ALL MY QUESTIONS.
SO WHEN THE COMMUNITY WANT TO ACCESS AND UTILIZE KAFER PARK, THEY ARE TO COORDINATE IT WITH HOME? THEY WOULD, THEY WOULD REACH OUT TO THE OLD NORTH STATE LEAGUE OR, OR WHOEVER THE LOCAL PERSON IS.
JUST WANNA BE CLEAR TOO, WE'RE IN A PUBLIC HEARING, SO IF ANYBODY IN THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THIS ITEM, YOU CAN.
WHEN, WHEN IS YOUR PROGRAM SCHEDULED TO START OUT THE FIELD? UM, AROUND MAY 25TH, LAST WEEK OF MAY.
AND THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT COMPLETING IN YEAR ONE, YOU'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT IMPROVEMENTS THAT NEED TO BE COMPLETED OVER THE NEXT THREE TO FOUR MONTHS AND NOT EVEN FOUR MONTHS PROBABLY AT THIS POINT.
SO WHAT LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE CAN YOU GIVE US THAT ALL THESE IMPROVEMENTS ARE GONNA HAPPEN OVER THE NEXT THREE MONTHS? UM, I, WE'VE DONE IT BEFORE WE DID IT IN PINEHURST, WE BUILT A STADIUM FROM THE GROUND UP IN A MONTH AND A HALF, ABOUT A THOUSAND CAPACITY STADIUM IN THE MONTH AND A HALF.
'CAUSE WE GOT DELAYED BY BUILDING, UH, UH, BUILDING INSPECTORS AND WHATNOT.
TYPICAL, TYPICAL THINGS WITH DUGOUTS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
UM, WE'VE GOT A LONGER WINDOW HERE THAN WE HAVE IN THE PAST.
SO I FEEL VERY, VERY, VERY CONFIDENT IN THAT.
BUT I THINK THE LEASE IS STRUCTURED SO THAT IF ONE OF THE BIGGER PROJECTS, LIKE THE GRANDSTAND ISN'T COMPLETED BY YEAR ONE, THEN THERE'S, THERE'S AN OUT THERE IN TERMS OF WE HAVE TO OBLIGATE OUR, OUR PART OF THAT LEASE IF WE CAN'T GET THAT, THAT PORTION DONE.
I WANT TO, IF I'M SORRY, JUST YEAH, JUST A FOLLOW UP COMMENT IF I CAN, UM, IT IT, I MEAN AT THIS POINT, I GUESS I'M A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE AND THAT MAY NOT BE THE RIGHT WORD OF, OF HAVING SORT OF EVERY APPROVAL FOR IMPROVEMENTS COME BACK TO THIS BOARD BECAUSE ARE WE GONNA BE CREATING DELAYS FOR WORK GETTING DONE?
[01:00:02]
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES YOU'RE GONNA BE COMING BACK TO THE CITY WITH PROPOSALS FOR IMPROVEMENTS.IT'D BE NICE TO HAVE 'EM ALL LAID OUT RIGHT UP FRONT THAT THE BOARD COULD REVIEW AND APPROVE THEM.
BUT IF IT'S GONNA BE PIECEMEAL, UM, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO WORK AROUND OUR MEETING SCHEDULE AND I'D HATE TO SEE THAT CAUSE DELAYS.
YEAH, I MEAN WE, WE'LL DO IT ON OUR SIDE.
WE'LL DO IT HOWEVER WE NEED TO.
IF WE NEED TO GET, UH, UH, AN ADDITIONAL LIST.
WE, IF WE, UM, IF I'VE SENT A LIST TO THE CITY MANAGER, IF WE NEED TO COME WITH A WHOLE LIST OF EVERYTHING DOWN TO SPEAKERS, UM, STOVES, LIKE WE WILL DO IT ALL.
IF WE NEED TO DO IT UPFRONT AT ONE TIME, IF WE NEED TO DO IT OVER PERIOD OF TIME, WE CAN DO IT THAT WAY.
UM, WE'LL, WE'LL DO WHAT OUR, WE'LL DO OUR PART EITHER WAY.
I I I, I DON'T UNDERSTAND UNLESS I'M, I I'VE GOT THE, GOT IT WRONG.
BUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT HE'S GONNA PAY US $20,000 AND THEN IF HE OR HE'S, HE'S OBLIGATED FOR $20,000, BUT THEN IF HE WANTS TO BUILD A STADIUM FOR $5,000, THAT $5,000 COMES OFF OF THAT 20,000 THAT HE, SO IT IS, I MEAN, WE CAN'T, IT REALLY, IT'D BE HARD FOR US TO, TO LOSE, RIGHT? THAT'S THE PLAN.
I THINK, I THINK WHAT'S MORE LIKELY TO HAPPEN IS THAT THEY'LL SPEND 50, 60, 80, A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS AND BANK THE NEXT FIVE YEARS OF PAYMENTS BASED ON THEIR INVESTMENT.
I SUSPECT THAT'S HOW IT'S GONNA PLAY OUT.
AND TO OTTMAN PEARL'S POINT, I THINK WHAT WOULD BE HELPFUL, I I GIVEN MY EXPERIENCE WITH YOU, I, I SUSPECT YOU'RE GONNA WANT SOME ILLUSTRATIONS AND SOME IDEAS ABOUT WHAT, WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING, A LIST OF EQUIPMENT AND THINGS I, I DON'T THINK IS GOING TO HELP YOU AND MOVE THE NEEDLE AND IMPROVE YOUR COMFORT LEVEL.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, FOR A DUGOUT, I SAID ENGINEER DRAWINGS, I, I DON'T LITERALLY MEAN ENGINEER DRAWINGS FOR A DUGOUT, BUT AN ILLUSTRATION, PAINT COLORS, WHAT IS IT THAT YOU ARE SAYING YES TO SO THAT WHEN YOUR CONSTITUENTS ASK, YOU CAN SHOW THEM A PICTURE? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE THINKING? NO, BROADLY, I I I'M JUST LOOKING AT THE, UH, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT A YEAR TO GET THIS DONE.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A FEW MONTHS AT MOST BEFORE YOUR SEASON, UM, IS SCHEDULED TO START.
SO I, I JUST WOULD LIKE A HIGHER COMFORT LEVEL THAT THE WORK THAT YOU INTEND TO GET DONE IS GONNA GET DONE IN, IN A VERY, A RELATIVELY SHORT TIMEFRAME.
SO THAT'S MY PRIMARY CONCERN AND I JUST DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU HAVING TO COME BACK BEFORE THIS BOARD TO GET, YOU KNOW, PIECEMEAL APPROVALS BEFORE YOU CAN START MOVING FORWARD WITH THOSE IMPROVEMENTS.
SO TO THE EXTENT THAT ALL OF THAT CAN BE COMBINED INTO A, A SINGLE ONE OR TWO VISITS BEFORE US, I THINK IT'S BETTER OFF FOR YOU.
SCOTT, WOULD IT COME BEFORE THE BOARD OR WOULD IT COME TO THE MANAGER FOR APPROVAL? WELL, THAT'S THE ISSUE I RAISED.
UM, ABSENT A DELEGATION TO THE CITY MANAGER, IT HAS TO COME BEFORE YOU.
UM, AND I GET OFF FROM BRI'S POINT TOO.
PART OF THIS IS WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE ALL MEAN, YOU KNOW, UM, A, A MINOR IMPROVEMENT OF $5,000 OR LESS, IT MAY SOUND COMMONSENSICAL UNLESS IT'S PAINTING THE DUGOUT AND YOU DON'T LIKE THE ORANGE COLOR.
AND THEN WE'RE ALL MAD THAT THE CITY MANAGER APPROVED THE ORANGE DUGOUTS.
SO, SO WE'RE TRYING TO FIND A WAY FORWARD THAT IS EFFICIENT TO OTTMAN PEARL'S POINT AND, AND MAYBE BUNDLING AS MANY OF THESE THINGS AS WE CAN WITH ENOUGH DETAIL THAT MAKES YOU COMFORTABLE TO APPROVE IT IS GONNA BE WHERE WE END UP.
I I WANT TO GO BACK TO COMMUNITY ACCESS.
IS THAT SPELLED OUT IN THIS LEASE AGREEMENT? IN THIS CONTRACT? IF WE TALKED ABOUT SUBLET THAT'S RIGHT.
WOULD THE COMMUNITY, WOULD THAT BE THE COMMUNITY SUBLETTING? YES, MA'AM.
IF, IF THEY WANT THEY, THIS WILL BE THEIR PROPERTY FOR THE NEXT NINE YEARS.
BUT THAT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING INITIALLY WHEN THE PRESENTATION WAS MADE THAT THE COMMUNITY COULD STILL HAVE ACCESS TO THE PROPERTY.
BUT I UNDERSTAND THE CONTRACT HERE.
I JUST WANT TO ENSURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY CAN STILL HAVE SOME LEVEL OF
[01:05:01]
USE OF THE PROPERTY, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH SUBLETTING OR WHATEVER THE MEANS ARE SAR MR. EVARO.YES, I'D BE HAPPY TO SPEAK ON THAT.
SO, UM, I FIRST, I'M, I'M COMING TO YOU FIRST AS JUST A CITIZEN, UM, AND A PARENT OF FOUR KIDS THAT ARE LOOKING FOR THINGS TO DO IN THIS TOWN.
I THINK WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW IS WE'RE GETTING BOGGED DOWN IN THE WEEDS AND WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT THE FACT THAT THIS IS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR ADULTS AND CHILDREN TO SPEND TIME TOGETHER DURING THE SUMMER.
THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE ANOTHER FAMILY EVENT IN A PART OF TOWN THAT REALLY COULD BENEFIT FROM HAVING MORE ACCESS, MORE PEOPLE COMING THROUGH.
I WAS ABLE TO SEE ONLINE THAT, THAT ALEC WAS DOING THIS AND I REACHED OUT TO HIM, I CAME TO THE OMEGA CENTER, TO THE MEETING THAT WAS THERE AND THERE WAS GREAT SUPPORT AT THE OMEGA CENTER FOR THIS FROM ALL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
A LOT WAS BROUGHT UP ABOUT THE AREA THAT IT'S IN AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO DO THAT.
SO ALEC AND I TALKED A LOT AND HE HAS OFFERED ME THE POSITION OF GENERAL MANAGER OF THIS TEAM.
WITH THAT IN MIND, I THINK THAT'S WHERE I'M GONNA BE ABLE TO STEP IN AND ALLOW ACCESS.
I'VE BEEN A YOUTH COACH IN THIS AREA FOR OVER 20 YEARS.
I'M INVOLVED IN BASEBALL, BASKETBALL, FOOTBALL, ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN THINK OF AND MANY CHILDREN HAVE COME THROUGH HERE.
UM, YOUNG ADULTS NOW THAT I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH HELPING TO COACH, THIS IS ANOTHER WAY TO BRING THOSE YOUTH INTO THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON.
SO WE WILL HAVE EVENTS LIKE, UM, YOU KNOW, BASEBALL CLINICS, WE'LL, WE CAN DO FOOTBALL CLINICS OUT THERE, WE CAN HAVE CONCERTS, WE CAN HAVE PARTIES FOR, FOR KIDS AND, YOU KNOW, FRIDAY NIGHT EVENTS, WE CAN DO ALL THAT STUFF.
AND THAT WOULD BE THROUGH THAT LEASING PART IS WE CAN ALLOW DIFFERENT AREAS AND IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT WE'RE GONNA CHARGE THEM TO DO THAT.
IT'S GONNA DEPEND ON WHAT TYPE OF EVENT IT IS.
A NON-PROFIT EVENT, MORE THAN LIKELY WE WILL NOT BE DOING THAT.
WE'LL BE HELPING THEM RAISE FUNDS FOR THE NON-PROFIT IF IT'S A BUSINESS THAT COMES IN, THEN THAT IS PROBABLY AN EVENT THAT WE'RE GONNA CHARGE FOR AND WE'LL, WE'LL BE ABLE TO SUPPLY.
SO WE ARE GONNA RUN THAT FIELD.
SO IT'S BEING USED YEAR ROUND IS THE PLAN, NOT JUST THE TWO AND A HALF MONTHS OF THIS BASEBALL TEAM.
AND WITH THAT SAID, SOME OF YOU THAT HAVE BEEN HERE FROM THE OLD NEW BERN RIVER RAT, WE HAVE BEEN MISSING SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AN EVENT THAT PEOPLE CAN COME TOGETHER.
AND I THINK THE LOCATION OF THIS FIELD IS PERFECT FOR WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
AND THE LOCATION OF THE RIVER RATS WAS NOT IDEAL FOR WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO DO.
'CAUSE I WAS PART OF THAT AS WELL.
SO I HOPE THAT KIND OF ANSWERS A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT WE'VE GOTTA LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE.
THIS IS AN EVENT FOR FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT WILL TAKE PLACE FOR TWO AND A HALF MONTHS GUARANTEED.
AND WE CAN DO OTHER THINGS AROUND THAT.
UM, AND WE'LL BE WORKING WITH THE WOOD BAT LEAGUE, UH, THE, THE, UH, ADULT MEN'S BASEBALL LEAGUE THAT'S ALREADY THERE.
WE ACTUALLY MET WITH THEM TODAY AT THE FIELD AND WENT OVER SOME OF THAT AS WELL.
SO WE'RE NOT TRYING TO KICK THEM OUT EITHER.
WE'RE TRYING TO INCORPORATE THAT INTO WHAT WE'RE DOING.
ARE YOU LOCAL, SIR? YES, I HAVE.
UH, I HAVE LIVED HERE FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS.
MY FAMILY IS FROM HERE ORIGINALLY, SO, UH, I HAVE BEEN VISITING HERE SINCE I WAS BORN IN THE EARLY SEVENTIES.
AND YOU ARE A RECENT NEWBURN 1 0 1 GRADUATE, CORRECT? YES.
I JUST GRADUATED FROM NEWBURN 1 0 1, UH, THE LAST SESSION.
SO HOW SOON CAN YOU HAVE, UH, THE INFORMATION TO US? UH, SO WHAT WE'VE HONESTLY BEEN WAITING FOR IS THE, THE APPROVAL SO WE CAN START LINING UP CONTRACTORS.
WE MET WITH A FENCING PERSON TODAY.
WE MET WITH A, UH, GENERAL CONTRACT.
UH, WELL ACTUALLY WE, WE WERE SUPPOSED TO MEET WITH A GENERAL CONTRACTOR.
HE DID NOT SHOW UP, BUT I'VE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH HIM.
WE'VE ALSO MET WITH A HANDYMAN THAT CAN HELP US WITH LIKE BUILDING A TICKET BOOTH AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WE'VE ALREADY GOT SOME THINGS IN LINE.
AND I'M ALSO A LOCAL REALTOR, SO I HAVE A LOT OF CONNECTIONS THROUGH THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE'RE ALREADY BEHIND THE SCENES 'CAUSE WE DIDN'T WANNA MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT WORKING ON GETTING PEOPLE IN PLACE.
SO AS SOON AS WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE ACCESS, WE WILL BE ABLE TO GET THE ITEMS LINED UP.
ALEC IS THE EXPERT ON THAT PART OF IT.
I AM MORE OF THE PUBLIC RELATIONS PORTION OF, OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
ALEC HAS DONE THIS FOR 16 TEAMS NOW.
IS THAT WHAT THE LEAGUE IS AT 20 TEAMS? THE LEAGUE IS AT 20.
SO THIS IS NOT JUST A FLY BY NIGHT ITEM.
WE ARE AT 20 TEAMS AND, UH, THE LEAGUE IS EVEN LOOKING TO EXPAND INTO OTHER STATES IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
SO I DON'T HAVE AN EXACT TIMELINE, BUT I DO KNOW THAT IT'S HARD FOR US TO GET A TIMELINE UNTIL WE KNOW WHAT WE CAN COMMIT TO.
SO WHERE ARE WE AT, MR. HEY, MAY SAY ONE MORE THING.
I TRULY BELIEVE THAT THE EASE OF THE TRANSACTION WOULD BE FOR US TO GO THROUGH MR. FOSTER HUGHES.
UM, INSTEAD OF HAVING TO COME BACK UP HERE FOR THE, FOR THE MEETINGS AND, AND, AND TAKE UP YOUR TIME AS WELL, BECAUSE HE HAS BEEN THE RECREATION PERSON AND NOW A CITY MANAGER.
I THINK IT'S A REALLY EASY THING FOR HIM TO TRANSITION INTO KNOWING THE USE OF THAT FIELD IN THE PAST AND HOW IT'S, HOW, HOW, YOU KNOW, HOW IT'S BASICALLY LAID VACANT FOR SO LONG, ESSENTIALLY.
HE'S THE MANAGER, BUT THINGS COME BEFORE THE BOARD.
SO IT WOULD BE UP TO YOU GUYS TO DECIDE IF THAT IS OKAY TO, TO DELEGATE THAT.
I'M JUST GIVING MY OPINION ON THE PROCESS.
[01:10:01]
THANK YOU.IT SHOULD GO THROUGH THE CITY MANAGER AND THE CITY MANAGER CAN REACH OUT TO THE BOARD MEMBERS AND IT'S A WHOLE LOT FASTER THAN HAVING TO WAIT FOR A BOARD MEETING.
UH, I I THINK THE MANAGER'S QUITE CAPABLE OF MAKING THE DECISIONS AND KNOWS, YOU KNOW, WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND WHAT CAN BE DONE.
SO WE'RE STILL IN PUBLIC HEARING.
IF THERE'S ANYONE ELSE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK FROM THE PUBLIC, MAKE A MOTION TO WE CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ANY OPPOSED? SO THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
SO AT THIS POINT IT IS UP TO US TO CONSIDER ADOPTING THE TWO LEASES, UM, AS IS BEFORE US.
AND I THINK FROM WHAT I'VE SURMISED FROM THE CONVERSATION, UM, THERE ARE SOME OF THE OPINION THAT EVERYTHING NEEDS TO COME BACK BEFORE THE BOARD, BEFORE WE APPROVE ANY IMPROVEMENTS.
AND I THINK THERE'S SOME THAT SAY THE CITY MANAGER HAS A EXPERTISE IN TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE TO APPROVE THAT.
UH, THE ONLY QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS, UH, ASSUMING THAT THE MANAGER'S GONNA LOOK OUT FOR THE INTEREST OF THE CITY CLEARLY, UM, IF THE PROPOSAL COMES BACK AND THEY SAY THEY'RE GONNA PUT IN BLEACHERS THAT'S GONNA COST A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS AND WE KNOW THAT THEY COST 50, OBVIOUSLY THE MANAGER, I WOULD HOPE YOU PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE THE MANAGER LONG IF YOU APPROVE THAT, UM, WOULD NOT APPROVE THAT.
AND THAT WAY WE WOULD MAKE SURE THAT THE FINANCES MATCH UP WITH WHAT THE EXPENDITURES ARE.
BUT I DO THINK IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD BEHOOVE ALL OF US IF WE WERE TO SEE SOMETHING.
I KNOW WE SAW THE PROPOSALS BEFORE WHEN YOU CAME, CAME UP EARLIER, WHICH, WHICH WOULD LOOK GREAT.
BUT SOMETHING MORE CONCRETE TO SAY, HEY, LOOK, OUR OUR LEAGUE STARTS THE END OF MAY.
REALISTICALLY, THIS IS WHAT WE EXPECT TO GET DONE BETWEEN NOW AND MAY.
AND THAT IS EXPECTED TO BE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS OR $20,000, WHATEVER.
YOU CAN FIND PEOPLE TO DO THAT WORK AND THEN WE CAN FIGURE OUT FROM THAT POINT.
BUT I THINK TONIGHT IS JUST APPROVING THE LEASE SO THEY HAVE THE CONFIDENCE IN MOVING FORWARD.
'CAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO EXPEND MONEY AND MORE TIME AND ENERGY IF THEY CAN'T GET THE LEASE APPROVED.
IS THAT A FAIR STATEMENT? YES, SIR.
AND, UM, IN TERMS OF THE VALUE, NEITHER THE BOARD OR THE CITY MANAGER WILL BE ASSESSING VALUE.
IT'S, IT'S BASED ON THIRD PARTY INVOICES.
SO, AND ANOTHER CONCEPT IS A MASTER PLAN COULD BE PRESENTED, UM, SO THAT YOU, YOU ARE GENERALLY ON THE SAME PAGE AS TO WHAT THE VISION IS WITH A DELEGATION TO THE CITY MANAGER WHO WILL CLEARLY REACH OUT TO YOU.
IF HE'S THE LEAST BIT CONCERNED ABOUT IT, HE'LL REACH OUT TO YOU AND IF HE'S STILL CONCERNED, HE'LL BRING IT BACK TO YOU.
SO THAT MIGHT BE A WAY TO MAKE IT A LITTLE MORE EFFICIENT SO THAT YOU CAN AT LEAST SEE THE BIG PICTURE.
SO ARE YOU OKAY WITH US TAKING ACTION ON BOTH OF THESE LEASES AS ONE ITEM OR DO WE NEED TO DO 'EM SEPARATELY? UH, AS LONG AS IT'S UNANIMOUS, BOTH ARE FINE.
WELL, I DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING CONCRETE.
MAYOR, MAY I CALL MASTER? MAY.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE COULD ADOPT A RESOLUTION APPROVING A LEASE WITH THE NEWBURN BASEBALL LLC FOR K FOR PARK AT 6 0 3 GEORGE STREET.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE LEASES.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? AND WE'RE TALKING LEASES PLURAL, NOT LEASE, CORRECT? IT SAYS LEASE HERE.
I'M NOT SURE WHERE IS THE SECOND LEASE? IS IT, IS IT ALL THE GROUPED TOGETHER? THEY'RE BOTH UNDER THIS, YEAH.
YOU GOOD WITH BOTH OF THOSE, ALDER? I AM.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ASTOR.
THIS IS, UH, ONE OF THOSE, ONE OF THOSE ISSUES THAT HAVE COME BEFORE THE CITY.
AND, UM, THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT IT, BUT IT WAS OVERWHELMINGLY POSITIVE.
UH, I THINK ONCE THIS THING GETS DONE, EVERYBODY'S GONNA ENJOY IT.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AND WATCHING SOME BASEBALL.
YOUR, YOUR ARMS RUNNING YOUR FIRST PITCHES, GUYS.
[10. Consider Adopting a Resolution Approving a General Warranty Deed between Habitat for Humanity of Craven County, Marc S. Thomas, and the City of New Bern for 1701 Aycock Avenue.]
TO ITEM NUMBER, UH, 10.CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION APPROVING A GENERAL WARRANTY DEED BETWEEN HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF CRAVEN COUNTY.
MARK S. THOMAS IN THE CITY OF NEW BERN FOR 1701 C**K AVENUE, MR. HUGHES.
IN SEPTEMBER OF 2019, THE CITY APPROVED THE CONVEYANCE OF THIS PROPERTY TO THE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY.
FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEVELOPING AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR LOW AND MODERATE INCOME, FAMILY, FAMILIES, HABITAT HAS SUBSEQUENTLY CONSTRUCTED A HOMEOWNER THE PROPERTY AND INTENDS TO TRANSFER THE HOME TO THE BUYER BY EXECUTING A DEEDED TO TRANSFER OWNERSHIP TO THIS BUYER, THE CITY WILL RELEASE ANY RIGHTS RETAINED UNDER A TRANSFER AND REVERSION AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND HABITAT BOARD.
HAVE QUESTIONS ON ITEM NUMBER 10? IF THERE'S NO DISCUSSION,
[01:15:01]
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE EXECUTION OF A GENERAL WARRANTY DEED BETWEEN HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF CRAVEN COUNTY, MARK THOMAS, AND THE CITY OF NEW BERN FOR 1701 A CO AVENUE.ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN BEST, ALDERMAN BEST, YES.
[11. Consider Adopting a Resolution Approving an Amendment to the Contract with T.A. Loving for the Stanley White Recreation Center Project.]
NUMBER 11, CONSIDER DR.RESOLUTION APPROVING AN AMENDMENT TO THE CONTRACT WITH TA LOVING FOR THE STANLEY WHITE RECREATION CENTER PROJECT.
MR. HUGHES, AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO ASK, UH, CHRIS VOLCANO, OUR ARCHITECT WITH CPL AND ES, WITH TA LOVING THE CONTRACTOR TO COME UP AND, AND TALK THROUGH THE CHANGE ORDERS.
UM, AS THE CITY MANAGER SAID, MY NAME'S CHRIS VOLCANO.
UH, I'M AN ARCHITECT WITH, UH, CPL ARCHITECTS AND ENGINEERS.
UH, ALONG WITH, WITH TA LOVING, UH, CPL IS HERE TO PRESENT A SUMMARY, UH, OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE, THE COST OF CONSTRUCTION FOR, FOR YOUR REVIEW AND, AND HOPEFULLY FOR YOUR APPROVAL.
UM, SO I CAN KIND OF KICK US OFF BY JUST GIVING AN OVERVIEW, UM, OF THE SUMMARY OF CHANGES, A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON, ON HOW WE GOT HERE.
UM, AND, AND THEN HOPEFULLY ENOUGH INFORMATION TO, TO KIND OF, UH, ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
UM, IN TERMS OF, UH, OUR FIRST ITEM, UH, ON THE SUMMARY, UH, SO THERE'S THE, THE STEEL AND JOIST CHANGES.
UM, THIS IS, THIS IS REALLY A, A FUNCTION IN, IN THE NATURE OF DELEGATED DESIGN.
UM, SO DUE TO THE FACT THAT, THAT THIS WAS A, A HARD BID, UH, DESIGN BID BUILD PROJECT, UM, A MAJORITY OF THE SUBCONTRACTORS IN THE SHOP DRAWINGS ARE COORDINATED ONCE WE HAVE A GENERAL CONTRACTOR ON BOARD.
UH, SO WITH OUR CURRENT PROJECT DELIVERY SYSTEM, YOU KNOW, HOW DOES THIS PLAY INTO THE STEEL? UH, SO THE, THE PRECAST CONCRETE, UM, THAT, THAT MAKES UP THE BUILDING ENVELOPE, UH, THAT IS CONSIDERED A DELEGATED DESIGN.
SO THERE'S A SPECIALTY ENGINEER THAT THAT DESIGNS THOSE PANELS.
UM, AND SO THE, THE ENGINEERING CALCULATIONS FOR THE PRECAST PANELS CAN'T BE COMPLETED UNTIL A, A CONTRACT IS AWARDED TO A GENERAL, UH, CONTRACTOR IN THIS CASE.
AND THEN THOSE, THOSE CALCULATIONS CAN BE FINALIZED AND THE, AND THE STEEL CAN BE, UH, MATCHED UP TO MAKE SURE THAT THE, THE LOADING, UM, AS WELL AS ANY OF THE CONNECTIONS ARE, ARE ADEQUATE FOR, FOR WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
UM, SO THE, THE CHANGE ORDER THAT YOU'RE SEEING FOR THIS PORTION OF THE PROJECT, UM, IS THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL, UM, CHANGES THAT NEEDED TO BE MADE TO THE PRECAST CONCRETE BY THOSE ENGINEERS.
UM, AND THAT THE CONNECTIONS WERE THEN UPDATED IN THE, AND THE LOADING WAS UPDATED WITH IT.
UM, IN TERMS OF THE UNSUITABLE SOILS, UM, THE, THE CITY'S THIRD PARTY TESTING AGENCY IDENTIFIED JUST OVER 2000, UH, CUBIC YARDS OF UNSUITABLE SOILS ON SITE.
UM, THOSE SOILS WERE REMOVED AND REPLACED, UH, PER THE PROOF ROLLING OBSERVATION REPORT, UH, PROVIDED BY TERRACON.
UM, AND THEY WERE PRICED ACCORDING TO THE UNIT PRICES THAT WERE SET FORTH IN THE, UH, THE OWNER CONTRACTOR AGREEMENT.
UH, THAT WAS BASED ON THE, UM, THE BID PACKAGE SU SUPPLIED BY TA LOVING.
UH, SO THE, THE ADDITIONAL SOILS THAT WERE NEEDED, UH, WERE NEEDED FOR THE STRUCTURAL FILL AROUND THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE BUILDING.
UH, THE UNSUITABLE SOILS WEREN'T GONNA BE, UH, BE ABLE TO, TO DO THE JOB.
SO WE HAD, UH, ADDITIONAL SOILS THAT WERE NEEDED TO, TO BE BROUGHT IN.
UM, FINALLY, THE, THE STEP FOOTING CHANGES ARE, ARE THE, ARE THE LAST KIND OF BIG PIECE IN THE SUMMARY.
UM, THIS WAS AN EFFORT IN, IN ONSITE CON UH, CONSTRUCTION AND COORDINATION, UM, WITH THE BUILDING SYSTEMS, UH, AND THE STRUCTURAL FOOTINGS.
SO WITH THE LOCATIONS OF THE, THE, THE SITE UTILITIES, UM, AND WHERE THOSE CONNECTIONS ARE MADE TO THE, THE FIRST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING, UM, ALL OF THE UTILITIES COMING OUT OF THE BUILDING NEEDED A CLEAR PATH TO GET TO WHERE THE, THOSE SITE UTILITIES WERE EXISTING.
SO ADDITIONAL EXCAVATION AND CONCRETE NEEDED TO BE DONE IN A FEW DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AROUND THE BUILDING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE, UM, THE, THE FOOTER ACTUALLY DROPPED BELOW THOSE UTILITIES SO THAT THEY COULD PASS THROUGH, UH, THE CONCRETE WALL.
UM, SO DUE TO SOME OF THESE KIND OF UNFORESEEN CONDITIONS AND SOME OF THE, THESE COORDINATION ITEMS, UH, WE'RE REQUESTING THAT THE PROPOSED CHANGES AND UPDATES BE BE APPROVED IN, IN CHANGE ORDER ONE.
UM, WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE, BUT, BUT THIS IS JUST KIND OF A, A SUMMARY OF THOSE CHANGES.
OH, MCKENZIE, SO THE SOIL THAT WAS THERE, SO IT COULD NOT HOLD THE WEIGHT OF THE BUILDING IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, SO
[01:20:01]
YOU HAD TO REMOVE THAT AND BRING SOME SOIL IN? YEAH, MORE OR LESS, ROSS, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO TO WEIGH IN ON THIS, BUT YEAH.UH, ESSENTIALLY THE, THE SOIL THAT NEEDED TO BE USED TO BACKFILL AROUND THE FOUNDATIONS AND AND TO BE USED TO SUPPORT THE BUILDING NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A CERTAIN SOIL BEARING CAPACITY.
IS THAT AROUND THE WHOLE ENTIRE BUILDING? SO THE, THE UNSUITABLE SOILS, UM, THAT THEY FOUND WERE ACTUALLY, THERE'S A, THERE'S A STORM WATER CONTROL, UM, VAULT THAT'S IN, THAT'S IN THE PARKING LOT THAT HELPS TO MANAGE THE, UH, THE STORM WATER.
UM, SO IT'S A, IT'S A CONCRETE VAULT STRUCTURE AND, UM, THROUGH EXCAVATING THAT, THAT'S WHERE THEY, THEY COULDN'T UH, PLACE, UH, THE, THE ACTUAL FOUNDATIONS FOR THAT STORM WATER CONTROL VAULT, UH, AS WELL AS THE AREA THAT'S IN FRONT OF THE JOB TRAILER RIGHT NOW, UH, FOR THE, FOR THE MAIN ENTRY DRIVE.
SO THOSE COULDN'T SUPPORT THE LOADS THAT, THAT WERE REQUIRED.
SO THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE WEIGHTBEARING OF THE COLUMN THAT, THAT I GUESS THE WALL THAT SETS UP NORMALLY THOSE TYPE OF WALLS THAT BE A WAREHOUSES WITH, IS THAT CORRECT? THE TYPE OF WALL THAT YOU'RE BUILDING OUT THERE? THEY NORMALLY DO WAREHOUSES WITH THAT.
UH, SO THEY DO A LOT OF, LIKE IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT LIKE TILT UP CONSTRUCTION, SO WHERE THEY, THEY KIND OF POUR THE WALL, UM, ON THE GROUND IN FRONT OF THE FACILITY AND THEN THEY JUST TILT THAT WALL UP.
THIS IS, THIS IS SIMILAR, BUT THESE, THESE PANELS ARE ACTUALLY CAST IN A FACTORY IN A, A CLIMATE CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT, AND THEN THEY'RE BROUGHT OUT TO THE SITE VIA TRUCK.
SO HOW STRONG IS THAT WALL VERSUS THAT WALL? BECAUSE NORMALLY YOU SEE 'EM ON, UH, IN BIG CITIES WHEN THEY BUILD THESE BIG WAREHOUSES, THEY JUST, YOU KNOW, THEY PUT 'EM UP.
IT'S A CHEAP WAY OF DOING THAT.
SEE, I, I WAS WONDERING WHAT IS THE, THE, THE, THE WEIGHT STRUCTURE OF THAT THERE? I KNOW IT'S IT PAST CALL, BUT, UH, I DIDN'T KNOW HOW WE COME UP WITH A DESIGN DESIGN LIKE THAT.
YEAH, SO IT'S, IT'S KIND OF A BALANCE.
YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WERE BROUGHT ON TO DO THIS PROJECT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WANTED TO FIND A SYSTEM THAT WAS NOT ONLY, YOU KNOW, DURABLE AND COULD WITHSTAND THE TEST OF TIME, BUT ALSO WAS COST EFFICIENT AND A LITTLE BIT EASIER IN TERMS OF A, A STREAMLINED CONSTRUCTION METHOD.
SO IT WAS, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH IN TRYING TO BALANCE TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE FACILITY IS DURABLE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WITH THE CONCRETE, UH, THOSE WALLS ARE 12 INCHES THICK.
UH, PART OF THAT IS INSULATION THAT WE NEED FOR ENERGY CODE.
BUT THE OTHER, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER PART OF IT IS, IS LOAD BEARING CONCRETE.
SO, UM, I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS IN FRONT OF ME, BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE VERY STURDY.
SO THE, UH, THE CHANGE ORDER, THE 1 72 THAT WOULD COME OUT OF FUND BALANCE, IS THAT HOW THAT WORKS? 'CAUSE THE REST OF IT'S FINDING, SO WE DO HAVE A PROJECT, UH, OVER ACCOUNT FOR THIS.
SO IT'LL COME OUT OF THAT PROJECT.
IT WOULD NOT COME OUT THE OVERAGE.
UH, ANY, ANY CHANGE ORDERS OUTSIDE OF, UH, OF THE INITIAL CONTRACT PRICE? DO HAVE TO COME BACK, BUT WE DO HAVE FUNDS TO COVER THIS.
SO YOU THINK IT'LL BE ANY MORE HIDDEN COSTS COMING OUT? YES.
HOW MUCH MORE DO YOU THINK? I'M YOU THE EXPERT? I'M JUST ASKING QUESTIONS.
WELL, AS YOUR CONTRACTOR, UH, UNDER CONTRACT WE SEE AN UBER.
WE'RE DOING OUR BEST NOW, UH, LOOKING AT EVERY, COMING AT EVERYTHING OVER, MAKING SURE WE IDENTIFY THOSE, HOW WE CAN IDENTIFY ANY PENDING
BUT I, I MEAN, THEY'RE IN THE COURSE OF CONSTRUCTION THINGS DO CHANGE CONNECTION DETAILS TO THE FIELD OR DIFFERENT, WHAT THEY MAY BE ON, ON ACTUAL PLAN.
UM, BUT WE'RE GONNA DO OUR, UH, OUR BEST TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T HAVE TO COME BACK IN FRONT OF YOU, SIR.
SO ARE WE STILL ON SCHEDULE TO OPEN UP NEXT QUESTION ON SCHEDULE, UH, SO FAR? YES, SIR.
AND, AND AS YOU MAY REMEMBER WHEN WE WERE GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS, UM, WE HAD TO FOLLOW FEMA FEDERAL GUIDELINES AND THEY WOULD NOT ALLOW US TO DO CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK FOR DESIGN BUILD PROCESS.
SO WE DID HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE DESIGN BID BUILD PROCESS, WHICH UNFORTUNATELY BRINGS CHANGE ORDERS LIKE THIS.
AND, AND JUST TO NOTE THERE, THERE ARE SOME, UM, CREDITS THAT'S COME THROUGH WITH THIS CHANGE OF ORDER.
IT'S NOT ALL OVERCHARGES, SO SOMEBODY IS DOING A GOOD JOB TRYING TO FIND SOMETHING.
MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADOPT A RESOLUTION APPROVING AN AMENDMENT TO THE CONTRACT WITH TA LOVING FOR THE STANLEY WHITE RECREATION CENTER PROJECT.
SECOND, HAVE A MOTION A SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, LET HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN BRISSON.
[01:25:01]
THANK YOU.[12. Discussion of BP Building Change in Scope of Work.]
ITEM NUMBER 12 IS DISCUSSION OF BP BUILDING CHANGE IN SCOPE OF WORK, MR. HUGHES.SO AS YOU REMEMBER, BACK IN NOVEMBER OF 2023, WE TALKED ABOUT FEMA ALLOCATING $955,812 AND 7 CENTS TOWARD THE REBUILDING OF THE BP BUILDING, UH, ON OAKS ROAD.
JUST AS A SIDEBAR, THAT BUILDING WAS TAKEN DOWN LAST WEEK.
UM, AND SO WE TALKED ABOUT A POSSIBLE CHANGE IN SCOPE OF WORK.
SO WE CAME UP WITH A VARIETY OF OPTIONS FOR THE BOARD TO CONSIDER.
AND SOME OF THOSE OPTIONS INCLUDED, INCLUDED PUTTING SOME FUNDS TOWARD AN AMPHITHEATER, POSSIBLY A FIRE STATION, FIRE TRUCK, A GROUNDS MAINTENANCE FACILITY FOR PARKS AND RECREATION OR PUBLIC WORKS FACILITY, OR A SKID STEER.
AND SO AS WE TALK THROUGH EACH OF THOSE THINGS, THE MAJORITY OF THOSE THINGS WERE GONNA COST MORE THAN A MILLION DOLLARS.
AND SO, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO AN AMPHITHEATER, WE WERE REALLY LOOKING AT A COUPLE OF MILLION FOR THAT PROJECT.
NOW THEN WE TALKED ABOUT THE FIRE STATION.
WE'RE NOT QUITE THERE YET FOR A FIRE STATION.
WE KNOW THAT'S GONNA BE COMING TO WEST NEWBURN.
UM, BUT WE'RE STILL WORKING ON OUR DUE DILIGENCE.
THEN WE TALKED ABOUT A FIRETRUCK.
CURRENTLY THERE IS A FIRETRUCK IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
WE ALSO TALKED DURING OUR BUDGET DISCUSSIONS EARLIER IN 2023 ABOUT THE POTENTIAL OF BUYING TWO FIRETRUCK, BUT WE WOULD'VE TO COME BACK TO THE BOARD FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
THEN WE TALKED ABOUT A GROUNDS MAINTENANCE FACILITY FOR PARKS AND RECREATION.
UM, AND OF COURSE THAT'S GONNA BE COMING UP AT SOME POINT, UH, WITH THEM.
AND THEN POSSIBLY TALKING ABOUT A PUBLIC WORKS FACILITY.
MOVING PUBLIC WORKS OUT TO POSSIBLY WHERE WATER RESOURCES IS AND BUILDING THE STRUCTURE.
BUT, UH, THE, THE PRICES WE LOOKED AT FOR THAT WERE ABOUT $3 MILLION.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, UM, THE EQUIPMENT THAT, UH, WAS BROUGHT UP WAS, UH, REALLY ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
UH, ADDITIONAL PROJECT FOR CONSIDERATION WAS STREET PAVING, ADDITIONAL PARKING AT PLEASANT HILL COMMUNITY CENTER AND IN GENERAL USING REMAINING FUNDS TO PAY.
SO WE'RE AT THE POINT NOW WHERE, UM, YOU NEED TO HEAR THE BOARD'S COMMENTS ON WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE FOR US TO, UM, MAKE THE REQUEST TO FEMA FOR.
UH, AND THERE IS A PROCESS FOR THIS.
UH, ONCE THE BOARD DOES DECIDE ON WHAT, WHAT PROJECT THEY WOULD LIKE TO DO OR PROJECTS, WE WOULD WRITE THIS UP, WE WOULD SEND IT TO FEMA.
UM, IT COULD TAKE THREE TO SIX MONTHS BEFORE WE, WE WOULD HEAR BACK FROM THEM.
SO JUST, JUST SO YOU KNOW THAT, MAYOR, MAY I SPEAK? SURE.
UM, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, WHATEVER WE DO WITH THIS FUNDING, I CERTAINLY RECOMMEND THAT IT WOULD MAKE LIFE EASIER FOR US AND WORKING WITH THE STATE AS WELL AS FEMA.
IF WE UTILIZE ALL OF THIS MONEY ON ONE PROJECT, IT WOULD BE ONLY ONE SCOPE OF CHANGE, A CHANGE OF SCOPE OF WORK.
UM, WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO BREAK IT UP IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT PROJECTS AND HAVE SEVERAL DIFFERENT CHANGES IN SCOPE OF WORK, WHICH EACH ONE OF 'EM COULD TAKE.
UH, WHO KNOWS HOW LONG TO GET APPROVED.
UM, IT WOULD BE LESS MONEY FOR OUR CONSULTANT TO WRITE UP THE CHANGE OF SCOPE OF WORK.
AND WE ALSO ARE KIND OF LIMITED AS TO WHAT WE CAN AND CANNOT USE THESE FUNDS FOR.
UH, PERSONALLY AND I, I'VE LOOKED AT THIS STUFF UP ONE END DOWN THE OTHER, WE HAVE MONEY BUDGETED FOR A FIRETRUCK.
IF WE UTILIZE THESE FUNDS, WHICH COULD BE EASILY PASSED THROUGH FEMA, UM, TO PURCHASE THIS FIRETRUCK WITH, WE COULD THEN TAKE THE MONEY THAT WE HAD BUDGETED TO PURCHASE THE FIRETRUCK AND TAKE CARE OF SOME OF THESE OTHER SMALLER PROJECTS AND SMALLER IDEAS THAT THE BOARD MEMBERS HAD.
UM, THE FIRETRUCK IS IMPORTANT AT THIS POINT IN TIME BECAUSE THERE'S A PRICE INCREASE OF I THINK TWO AND A HALF PERCENT FEBRUARY 1ST.
SO WE NEED TO MAKE A DECISION ON THE FIRE TRUCK ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
ARE WE GOING TO HAVE A, A, A MAJOR PRICE INCREASE ON IT? UM, TALKING TO CORY AND TALKING TO OUR, UM, COUNTERPARTS, THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, THEY THINK THE FIRETRUCK WOULD PROBABLY BE VERY EASY TO PASS THROUGH FEMA.
AGAIN, THE BIG THING IS, IS DON'T BREAK THIS MONEY UP INTO TWO OR THREE DIFFERENT PROJECTS THAT WOULD BE VERY COMPLICATED TO TRY TO GET, UM, PASSED.
UH, AND IT WOULD BE SEPARATE SCOPES OF WORK DONE FOR EACH ONE, FOR EACH PROJECT.
[01:30:01]
SO I WOULD LOVE TO SEE US JUST GO AHEAD AND UTILIZE THE MONEY THAT WE THAT TO PURCHASE THE FIRETRUCK WITH AND THEN UTILIZE THE FUNDS THAT WE BUDGETED FOR THE FIRETRUCK TO DO SOME OF THESE OTHER PROJECTS THAT SOME OF THE BOARD MEMBERS HAD FOSTER.WHAT WAS THE TOTAL COST OF DEMOLITION OF THE, OF THE BUILDING? DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE TOTAL COST WAS? I KNOW IT WAS PREVIOUSLY STATED $20,000.
DO YOU HAVE THE FULL PRICE YET? GEORGE? UM, UH, RECALL I THINK IT WAS RIGHT AROUND 17,000 THAT INCLUDED THE
WAS THAT FORCED LABOR? THAT'S YES.
UM, ESTHER, UH, YOU MADE A GOOD POINT THERE ABOUT, UM, USING ALL THIS MONEY FOR ONE PROJECT.
ONLY PROBLEM I HAVE WITH THAT IS THAT, UM, YOU CAN SEE IT WAS STATED HERE, UM, THAT WHAT I FELT LIKE SOME OF THE FUNDS SHOULD BE, UM, GEARED TOWARDS, AND IT WAS FOR PAVING OF STREETS.
AND I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT USING ALL THAT MONEY FOR ONE PROJECT, AS LONG AS I KNOW THAT THESE STREETS ARE GONNA GET PAID.
AND AND YOU'RE SAYING TAKING THIS MONEY THAT WE ALLOCATED FOR, I MEAN THAT WE, FOR THE FIRETRUCK TO GET SOME OF THESE PROJECTS DONE.
NOW WHO CAN AUTHORIZE THAT? WHO CAN SAY THAT THAT IS WELL, WHERE ARE THESE STREETS, GEORGE? WHERE ARE THESE STREETS ON THE LIST? I MEAN, HOW, HOW FAR DOWN THE LIST ARE THEY AND WHEN WOULD THEY BE ABLE TO GET PAID? UH, BY LOOKING AT THE SURVEY OF THE STREET SURVEY? YES.
BUT I'M, WHEN I LOOKED AT IT, I, I CALCULATED ABOUT $60,000 TO GET THOSE FOUR STREETS PAID.
AND, AND, UH, I WILL PUT A CAVEAT TO THAT.
THAT WAS BASED ON THE CONSTRUCTION ESTIMATES FROM LABEL WHO DID THAT, THE PAVEMENT CONDITION SURVEY FIVE YEARS AGO.
UM, AND SO ONE, YOU WOULD EXPECT THE PRICES TO, TO GO UP AND TWO, THERE MAY BE NOW ADDITIONAL, UM, DEFICIENCIES IN THAT ROADWAY THAT THEY MENTIONED.
AND I WILL LET YOU KNOW THAT LABELLA ACTUALLY HAS THEIR SERER SURVEY VEHICLES IN TOWN RIGHT NOW.
THEY SHOULD BE HERE FOR THE NEXT 10 DAYS AND WE EXPECT A REPORT BACK AT THE END OF FEBRUARY AND WE'LL HAVE, UH, THEIR ENGINEER COME DO A PRESENTATION ON THEIR FINDINGS.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, A A MILLION DOLLARS OF, OF PAVING IS, IS CERTAINLY POSSIBLE THROUGHOUT ALL THE WARDS VERY EASILY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE KNOWN DEFICIENCIES.
SO GEORGE, DOES THAT MEAN ALL STREETS? WILL ALL THE STREETS BE CERTIFIED TO LET US KNOW WHICH IS THE WORST ONES THAT REALLY NEED TO BE DONE? YES.
THEY GO THROUGH ALL 177 MILES A ROAD.
WE'LL HAVE A RATING FOR EVERY STREET BY BLOCK.
IT'S AN UPDATED AND UPDATED REPORT BECAUSE SINCE 2018 THAT FIRST SURVEY WAS DONE.
WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DAMAGE, WATER DAMAGE AND EVERYTHING HURRICANES COMING THROUGH HERE.
THAT'S REALLY, YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT.
AND I, I THINK WE HAD THAT SURVEY DONE AND THEN WE HAD FLORENCE, AND I THINK WE MIGHT HAVE SEEN SOME DELAYED STRUCTURE ISSUES WITH IT THAT FROM BEING INUNDATED AND FLOODED FOR, FOR IN CERTAIN AREAS THAT WE'RE NOW SEEING A YEAR, 2, 3, 4, 5 YEARS LATER AFTER THE STORM.
UM, THE SUBGRADE HAD SOME SERIOUS ISSUES.
HOW MUCH MONEY WAS ALLOCATED FOR THE ROADS IN, IN THE BUDGET? RESURFACING? RESURFACING? NO.
HOW MUCH MONEY IN THE PREVIOUS BUDGET? I BELIEVE WE HAD ANOTHER HAVE 400,000.
BUT DIDN'T WE ADD TO THAT BECAUSE OF SIDEWALKS? DIDN'T WE REMOVE SOME SIDEWALK MONEY AND ADD THE PAYMENT? WE DID.
I I BELIEVE WE BACKED THE SIDEWALK DOWN.
'CAUSE I THINK IT WAS LIKE AN ADDITIONAL 200,000 THAT WE YEP.
WE'VE GOT, WE'VE GOT A, A BALANCE RIGHT NOW RIGHT OVER 600 FROM WHAT WE OKAY.
FROM OUR ROLLOVER FROM THE DUFFY FIELD, UM, WHICH WON'T DO A WHOLE LOT OF STREETS, BUT IT'S MORE THAN WHAT WE ORIGINALLY HAD.
AND, AND THE CITY MANAGER HAD ASKED ME ABOUT THAT THIS EVENING.
AND THIS IS, UH, UH, JUST AN EXAMPLE OF ONE STREET.
YOU TAKE A 22 FOOT WIDE ROAD, WHICH HAS GOT CURB AND GUTTER, UM, TO MILL THAT ROAD AN INCH AND A HALF AND PUT BACK AN INCH AND A HALF PAVEMENT IS ABOUT $120 LINEAR FOOT.
UM, SO WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS, WE CAN DO JUST OVER A MILE AND A HALF OF THAT TYPE STREET.
WE GET INTO DUFFY FIELD WHERE WE HAD TO REMOVE THE ENTIRE STREET REGRADE IT IMPROVE THE SUBGRADE COSTS ARE DIFFERENT.
SO EACH ROAD BRINGS ITS OWN OWN ISSUE.
AND YOU SAID THIS REPORT WILL BE READY WHEN, UH, WE'RE ANTICIPATING IT'D BE READY AT THE END OF FEBRUARY WHERE WE WILL RECEIVE IT AND WE WILL HAVE THEIR ENGINEER COME DOWN AND GIVE A PRESENTATION TO THE BOARD ONCE THEY'RE COMPLETE.
YOU, I, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ALL AND ASHER'S
[01:35:01]
RECOMMENDATION.AND WE ADDRESS THE, UH, PAVING AFTER FEBRUARY AND WE, UH, HAVE THE NEW REPORT.
YEAH, IF I CAN, UM, MY, MY THOUGHT PROCESS I THINK PROBABLY REFLECTS, UM, MORE ON THE, THE EXPERIENCE THAT I'VE HAD IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS, UM, WHERE WE NEED TO BE LOOKING IN-HOUSE, UM, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OR, YOU KNOW, MILLIONS OF DOLLARS INVESTMENT MADE IN EQUIPMENT IN VEHICLES, AND WHETHER OR NOT WE ARE TAKING RESPONSIBLE AND PROPER ACTIONS TO MAINTAIN THE INTEGRITY OF THAT EQUIPMENT, THAT, THAT ROLLING STOCK.
AND WHAT I'M REALLY GETTING AT IS WE, WE'VE TALKED ON A FEW OCCASIONS NOW ABOUT THE NEED THAT EXISTS FOR PARKS AND MAINTENANCE OR, OR GROUNDS MAINTENANCE.
AND I REACHED OUT TO, TO FOSTER EARLIER TODAY JUST TO GET AN IDEA AS TO THE, THE EQUIPMENT THAT IS USED IN THAT PARTICULAR OPERATION.
HOW MUCH OF THAT IS HOUSED IN A, A, AT LEAST A GARAGE STRUCTURE VERSUS JUST BEING LEFT OUT IN THE WEATHER YEAR ROUND.
AND FOSTER'S REPLY WAS THAT MOWERS ARE KEPT INDOORS TO PROTECT THEM, BUT, UM, THE OTHER EQUIPMENT, THE LARGER PIECES OF EQUIPMENT AND AND VEHICLES, UH, ARE KEPT OUTDOORS.
AND I DON'T KNOW, BUT I SUSPECT THAT, YOU KNOW, IF WE TALK TO PUBLIC WORKS AND ELECTRIC UTILITY AND WATER AND SEW UTILITIES, WE'RE PROBABLY LOOKING AT THE SAME SITUATION WHERE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH GARAGE FACILITIES TO HOUSE THIS VERY EXPENSIVE, UM, STOCK THAT WE HAVE OF EQUIPMENT AND VEHICLES, WHICH IN TURN IS CAUSING THE CITY TO HAVE TO INVEST MORE MONEY TO REPAIR AND REPLACE THESE VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT THAN IF THEY WERE HOUSED IN AT LEAST A ROOFED STRUCTURE, IF NOT A FULLY ENCLOSED STRUCTURE.
WE KNOW WE HAVE A NEED FOR PARKS AND GROUNDS MAINTENANCE.
UM, WE JUST ADOPTED A RECREATION MASTER PLAN WHICH HIGHLIGHTED THE NEED FOR A NEW FACILITY TO HOUSE PARKS AND, AND GROUNDS MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT.
I WOULD PREFER TO SEE THIS FEMA MONEY GO TOWARDS THAT PROJECT.
IT, AGAIN, IT'S A DOWN PAYMENT BECAUSE OF THE COST OF BUILDING OR ACQUIRING A FACILITY.
IT'S NOT GONNA BE COVERED BY, UM, THE FEMA REIMBURSEMENT, BUT IT WOULD BE A LARGE STEP FORWARD TO MAKING THAT HAPPEN.
WHAT I, I DON'T HAVE, UM, I GUESS THE ANSWER TO, AND FOSTER, MAYBE YOU COULD, YOU KNOW, UM, TALK ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT BEFORE PARKS AND GROUNDS MAINTENANCE COULD MOVE INTO THE PUBLIC WORKS FACILITY.
PUBLIC EARTH FACILITY NEEDS TO VACATE IT AND MOVE SOMEWHERE ELSE.
IT'S ONE HAS TO HAPPEN BEFORE THE OTHER CAN HAPPEN.
UM, SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A MAJOR UNDERTAKING TO, UM, MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
BUT IF WE DON'T START MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT NOW, UM, THE COST IS JUST GOING TO CONTINUE TO INCREASE UNTIL A, A DECISION IS MADE AND A DECISION DOES NEED TO BE MADE ON THAT.
THE SAME WAY WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE NEED FOR A NEW FIRE STATION, UM, KIND OF IN THE WEST NEWBURG AREA.
UM, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT, BUT WE REALLY HAVEN'T GOTTEN INTO A SERIOUS DISCUSSION ABOUT IT UP TO THIS POINT.
UM, AND WE NEED TO, AND THE COST IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO GO UP
[01:40:02]
UNTIL A FINAL DECISION IS MADE.SO WE NEED TO START INVESTING IN, WE NEED TO START TALKING ABOUT, AND I THINK REINVESTING IN THE CITY'S NEEDS, UM, INTERNALLY, UM, NOT JUST LOOKING EXTERNALLY AS TO, UM, OTHER PROJECTS THAT CAN MAYBE BE DONE.
SO WHERE I'M COMING OUT ON THIS IS, IS TRYING TO FOCUS ON NOT ONLY THE NEAR TERM, BUT ALSO JUST THE LONG TERM NEEDS, UM, OF THE CITY IN TERMS OF OUR OWN FACILITIES.
ANYONE ELSE? UM, FOSTER, IS THERE ANY CONCEPTUAL PLANS FOR A NEW FIRE STATION THAT I, I KNOW I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY OR WHERE ANYS BEEN? IS THERE ANY IN WORKS OR WHEN IS THAT? THE, THE FORMER FIRE CHIEF DID, DID WORK WITH, UH, A LOCAL ARCHITECT ON SOME PLANS AND IT WAS A COMBINED POLICE FIRE.
AND SO WE, WE CAN DEFINITELY SHARE THAT WITH THE BOARD.
WE MAY DO THAT DURING THE, UM, DURING THE WORKSHOP THAT WE'LL TALK ABOUT SHORTLY AS WELL.
JUST A QUESTION FOR CITY MANAGER ON THE CONCERN THAT ALTMAN PRI BROUGHT UP.
HAS THERE EVER BEEN, HAS STAFF EVER EXPRESSED A CONCERN OR DESIRE TO HAVE SOME SORT OF COVERAGE STRUCTURE FOR VEHICLES? UM, FOR, FOR EQUIPMENT? YES.
UM, THAT, THAT HAS BEEN THE ONGOING THING WITH PARKS AND RECREATION, SO, MM-HMM.
UM, PARKS AND RECREATION, THEIR AREA IS AT GLEN BURNIE PARK.
YOU CAN DRIVE BY THERE AND, AND, AND IT'S A ROUGH LOOKING AREA.
ALL THE, ALL, EVERYTHING IS OUT IN THE ELEMENTS FOR THAT.
UM, THE BIGGEST THING WITH PARKS AND RECREATION GROUNDS MAINTENANCE IS THEY, THEY NEED MORE SPACE.
IT, IT'S COMING SOONER THAN LATER WITH THAT.
UH, BUT THE OTHER ISSUE IS THE LOCATION.
WHERE IS IT GOING TO GO? UM, AND EVEN WITH FEMA FUNDING, WE COULDN'T E IF THE BOARD WANTED TO GO WITH WHAT DERMAN PRI WAS TALKING ABOUT, WE'VE GOTTA FIND PROPERTY THAT IS NOT IN THE FLOOD ZONE AND
SO A LOT OF THINGS TO LOOK AT.
I MEANT MY THOUGHTS OR SUGGESTION WOULD BE IF YOU'RE GOING TO RELOCATE PARKS AND GROUND, IT SHOULD BE PROBABLY BE LOCATED SOMEWHERE ON MAR MARTIN MARIETTA PROPERTY, UM, WHICH IS THE LARGEST PARK THAT WE HAVE AND THERE'S AMPLE SPACE THERE.
UM, BUT I I WAS JUST CURIOUS 'CAUSE I DON'T EVER RECALL A CAPITAL REQUEST OR DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS HEARING ANYTHING ABOUT COVERED SHELTER.
I MEAN, I'VE HEARD ABOUT MORE SPACE RIGHT, FOR THAT DEPARTMENT, BUT NOT THAT SPECIFICALLY.
WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT SPACE, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ACTUALLY A BUILDING, A FACILITY THAT WILL HOUSE THE PARKS AND RECS DEPARTMENT AS WELL, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
WHICH IS GROUNDS MAINTENANCE FACILITY, WHICH IS WHAT'S LISTED HERE, BUT THERE'S NO, WE DON'T HAVE ANY ESTIMATES ON COSTS.
IS THAT CORRECT? OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, NO.
I THINK I HAD SOMETHING IN THIS.
SO PUBLIC WORKS FACILITY, YOU HAD THREE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS? THAT'S CORRECT.
BUT NOTHING FOR GROUNDS MAINTENANCE? NOTHING FOR GROUNDS MAINTENANCE? THAT'S CORRECT.
I THOUGHT THAT AT ONE TIME, WELL MAYBE I'M, THAT WAS DISCUSSED ABOUT PUTTING IT OUT AT THE 43 WATER RESOURCE AT 43.
WE HAD DISCUSSED A LONG TIME AGO.
AND SO WE DID LOOK AT SOME NUMBERS, UH, WITHIN THE LAST THREE OR FOUR MONTHS ON WHAT IT WOULD COST TO BUILD A SIMILAR, UH, SET UP TO WHAT PUBLIC WORKS HAS NOW.
AND THAT THAT ENDED UP BEING ABOUT APPROXIMATELY $3 MILLION FOR THAT, WHICH WAS 1.5 ABOUT FIVE OR SIX YEARS AGO.
UH, I WOULD, I WOULD JUST SAY WHAT ORMAN, AS SAID, I THINK WE'VE TABLED THIS ITEM MULTIPLE TIMES.
UM, I'M GLAD TO SEE THE BP BP BUILDING IS FINALLY DOWN.
UH, IT WAS AN EYESORE FOR SURE.
UM, IT DOES CERTAINLY SEEM LIKE THE EASIEST PATH OF LEASE RESISTANCE FOR THIS FUNDING, WHICH IS RESTRICTED, WOULD BE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE FIRETRUCK AND THEN THE MONEY THAT WE WERE GONNA SPEND ON THE FIRETRUCK, WHETHER IT'S DEBT SERVICE OR YOU KNOW, OUTLAY OF CASH COULD BE USED ON SOMETHING THAT'S UNRESTRICTED.
SO WE GET OUR, YOU KNOW, IF WE, IF WE WERE PLANNING ON FINANCING THIS FIRE TRUCK AND IT WAS A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN DEBT SERVICE A YEAR FOR 10 YEARS, THEN WE COULD SAY ESSENTIALLY WE WANNA TAKE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS AND ADD IT TO STREETS AND GROUND MAINTENANCE IF WE WANTED TO, BECAUSE THEN IT WOULD BE FLEXIBLE TO
[01:45:01]
DO SO.BECAUSE MY THING HERE IS YOU GOT, WE GOT THE 600 SOME THOUSAND DOLLARS ALREADY ALLOCATED FOR PAVING OF STREETS FOR PHYSICAL YEAR 24.
WE'RE KICKING THE, OUR STREETS DOWN THE, OUR PAVEMENT OF OUR CITIZEN STREETS DOWN THE ROAD.
AGAIN, I, YOU KNOW, I, WE SIT HERE AND WE TALK ABOUT, AND I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH USING THIS MONEY FOR A FIRE STATION.
I DON'T, I MEAN FOR A FIRETRUCK, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT AS LONG AS I KNOW THAT THESE, WE'VE HAD THIS STUDY DONE IN 2018, NOW WE'RE ALREADY HAVE AN UPDATED ONE AND THEN IT COMES TO WHERE I LOOK AT THE STREETS WITHIN WARD FIVE.
'CAUSE I TRAVEL DOWN TO SOME OF THOSE STREETS AND I SEE THE DARN NEED FOR PAVING AND THEN IT DON'T GET DONE FOR ANOTHER YEAR OR TWO.
AND THEN GEORGE, GEORGE, DO YOU REMEMBER THE, THE LAST SURVEY WE HAD, DID THEY GIVE US AN ESTIMATE ON WHAT IT WOULD COST TO BRING ALL THE STREETS UP TO, I THOUGHT THERE WAS A NUMBER ON THERE, WASN'T IT? WAS IT 10 OR $12 MILLION? IS THAT IT WAS, IT WAS A STEEP AMOUNT.
I KNOW I'M PUTTING YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT
AND THEN THERE WAS ALSO SOME, SOME PROJECTED COSTS THAT WE SHOULD BE SPENDING A YEAR TO KEEP UP WITH THE MILEAGE OF ROADS THAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY.
UM, AND I I, I WOULD WAIT UNTIL WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE FOUR OR FIVE WEEKS OUT FROM HAVING THOSE NEW NUMBERS.
UM, I WOULD, I WOULD, YOU KNOW, HATE TO RELY ON A 5-YEAR-OLD NUMBER TO SAY THAT, BUT WE'VE GOT 177 MILES ROAD.
UM, THE DOLLAR DOES NOT GO AS FAR AS IT USED TO AND RESURFACING THESE ROADS.
I I CAN PAY AS MUCH AS Y'ALL, Y'ALL WILL GIVE ME.
HOW'S THAT
LITTLE OVER $1 MILLION RIGHT NOW.
AND WHAT DO WE DO WITH THAT? UM, THE MAJORITY OF IT DOES GO TO PAVING.
SOME SIDEWALKS, UM, STAFFING, CORRECT.
IF GOT, IT'S ALL GOT, IT'S ALL POWELL BILL ELIGIBLE WORK, UH, RIGHT OF WAY MOWING, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS THAT ARE ALL INCLUDED IN POWELL BILL COVERAGE.
WELL WHAT DO YOU NEED THEN? DO YOU NEED A MOTION ON WHAT TO DO WITH THIS MONEY? IT'LL BE HELPFUL, I BELIEVE.
AND MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE UTILIZE THE BP FEMA FUNDS TO PURCHASE THE FIRETRUCK AND TRY TO GET THE PURCHASE DONE BEFORE FEBRUARY 1ST.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? UM, HEARING NONE, LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN FRILL.
CAN I ADD HERE SOMETHING? SURE.
BEFORE WE DO THAT, WE'RE SAYING THE MOTION TO PURCHASE THE FIRE TRUCK WITH THE FEMA MONEY.
AND SO DO WE NEED TO ADD THAT? AND THE MONEY THAT WE HAVE UTILIZED IT FOR CHANGE IN SCOPE OF WORK, UM, FOR A FIRETRUCK IS WHAT WE NEED.
DO YOU WANT ME TO REPHRASE IT? YES.
MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE CHANGE THE SCOPE OF WORK TO PURCHASE A NEW FIRE ENGINE, UM, FOR THE NEWBURN FIRE DEPARTMENT.
IS THAT ALL YOU NEED? THAT'S ALL WE NEED.
AND WE CAN COME BACK, IF THE BOARD APPROVES THIS, WE CAN COME BACK LATER REGARDING THE, THE FUNDING ON THE OTHER PART TO DETERMINE HOW ARE WE GONNA HAVE ANOTHER MEETING BEFORE THIS PRICE INCREASE.
WE ARE NOT GONNA HAVE ANOTHER MEETING.
UM, SO, SO THINKING THROUGH THIS, CURRENTLY WE HAVE THE FUNDS IN THE BUDGET TO PURCHASE THE FIRE TRUCK.
AND THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS WE KIND OF TALKED THROUGH WITH OUR CONSULT.
WE WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO GO AHEAD AND, AND TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT, OF THAT AMOUNT.
UH, WELL, I I'M TALKING ABOUT TO APPROVE THE PURCHASE OF THE FIRETRUCK.
THE FIRETRUCK PURCHASE IS ALREADY IN THE BUDGET.
THEY'RE ALREADY FUND, SO THE, THAT WOULD NOT HAVE TO COME BACK TO THE BOARD.
ALDERMAN BRISSON, ARE YOU GOOD WITH THE RESTATED MOTION? YES.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN PRILL.
NOW I, I WANNA GO BACK TO MY QUESTION.
DO WE NEED ANY, ANY MOTION OR ANY, UH, VOICE VOTE
[01:50:01]
OR WHATEVER TO SAVE THE MONEY THAT HAS BEEN BUDGETED FOR THE FIRE TRUCK WILL BE USED FOR THE ROAD OR WE DON'T, WE'RE NOT THERE YET.I WOULD RECOMMEND WE COME BACK AT A FUTURE MEETING ON THAT.
PROBABLY THE WORKSHOP I BUDGET SESSION.
WE, WE CAN DURING THE BUDGET WORKSHOP MOST LIKELY.
[13. Discussion of Governing Board Rules of Procedure.]
UH, WE DECIDED TO TABLE ITEM NUMBER 13.I I DID HAVE, THINK ABOUT A CONCERN HERE.
UH, ATTORNEY IS TYPICALLY NOT PRESENT IN A BUDGET WORKSHOP AND, UH, THE MOTION WAS MADE TO TABLE ITEM NUMBER 13 TO THE BUDGET WORKSHOP THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE.
UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW DEEP I MEANT.
I, I'VE LOOKED AT THE RULES AND PROCEDURES AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE VERY GENERIC TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
I DON'T KNOW HOW DEEP WE PLAN ON GETTING INTO A DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT, BUT WE MAY JUST WANT TO CONSIDER THAT WE WILL NOT HAVE COUNSEL THERE.
IF THERE GETS TO BE ANY LEGAL QUESTIONS REGARDING THAT DISCUSSION, WE COULD ALWAYS JUST DISCUSS IT.
AND IF WE DECIDE TO HAVE CHANGES, IT COULD COME BACK BEFORE.
BUT I JUST THINK WE NEED TO BE AWARE IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CHANGING RULES AND PROCEDURES, WHICH IS SOMETHING VERY LEGALISTIC, UM, WE, WE WON'T HAVE AN ATTORNEY PRESENT.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE THAT NOTE.
IF, SINCE YOU SAID THE ATTORNEY'S NOT PRESENT, IF WE COME TO, UH, THAT PART OF A DISAGREEMENT OR HOWEVER WE ARE MAKING THIS DISCUSSION, CAN WE CONTACT YOU ATTORNEY DAVIS? YES, MA'AM.
[14. Appointment(s).]
OKAY.UM, ITEM NUMBER 14 IS APPOINTMENTS.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE THE ONLY ONE THAT I SEE IS THE EX-OFFICIO, UH, FOR THIS GOVERNING BOARD TO APPOINT FOR THE MSD.
IS ANYONE PREPARED TO MAKE THAT APPOINTMENT TONIGHT? I THINK DOES SOMEBODY, I THINK WE WANT TO VOLUNTEER.
I MEAN, DO WE HAVE ONE PERSON OR MORE THAN ONE ON THE BOARD THAT WOULD LIKE TO SERVE IN THAT CAPACITY? THE QUESTION WAS, YOU KNOW, HOW OFTEN ARE THEY MEETING? AND UM, I GUESS IS THAT, HAS THAT BEEN ESTABLISHED? I DON'T RECALL.
SO THE FIRST MEETING WILL BE NEXT MONDAY AT THAT TIME? WE'LL SET THE MEETING SCHEDULE FOR THE YEAR.
UNLESS THERE'S SOME SPECIFIC PROJECTS THAT THE, THE GROUP WANTS TO DISCUSS ON A MORE FREQUENT BASIS.
MY, MY THOUGHT PROCESS, UH, YOU KNOW, INSTEAD OF, UH, APPOINTING AN ALDERMAN, I, I THINK IT SHOULD BE FILLED BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM.
THAT WAY THAT POSITION GETS ROTATED, UH, YEARLY AS WE ROTATE THE MAYOR PRO TEM AS WELL.
JUST AS A SUGGESTION, I DUNNO, I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND WHY WE WOULD SINGLE OUT ONE MEMBER OF THE, THE BOARD IF, IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER MEMBERS THAT MIGHT HAVE AN INTEREST.
I DON'T HAVE AN INTEREST, SO I'LL CLEAR MY NAME FROM THE LEAGUE I WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
I HAVE, I HAVE AN INTEREST, BUT I JUST DON'T, UH, LIKE THE FACT THAT I HAVE NO VOTING POWER
WELL, LET'S, I CAN SIT THERE ALL DAY TO DISCUSS, DISCUSS, DISCUSS.
LET'S, LET'S BE VERY CLEAR HERE.
THIS IS THE MSD ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
I KNOW THIS BOARD IS ULTIMATELY GONNA MAKE EVERY DECISION THAT COMES TO US.
SO THIS IS GOING AROUND IN CIRCLES AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED.
YOU KNOW, IF, IF YOU GOT A COMMITTEE HEARING AND YOU CAN'T, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T VOTE ON THIS ANY PARTICULAR ITEMS AND THEN IT'S GOTTA COME BACK TO THIS BOARD.
BUT ATTORNEY DAVIS, WHAT IF NO ONE ON THIS BOARD DESIRES TO FILL THAT SLOT? WELL, IT WOULD, IT WOULD JUST REMAIN UNFILLED.
AND UM, AND THEN I GUESS THE QUESTION FOR YOU IS THE RESOLUTION THAT CREATES THE MSD PROVIDES FOR THAT FIFTH EX-OFFICIO SEAT.
UM, AND IT MIGHT BE NICE TO CLEAN THAT UP IF YOU, I THINK WE GOT SOME.
OH, AND FOR THE REFLECTION BESIDE YOU DON'T WANT IT ON ROY, YOU SAID QUARTERLY ARE THE MEETINGS? QUARTERLY COULD BE MORE, BUT NO LESS THAN QUARTERLY UNTIL THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETS AND DECIDE HOW OFTEN THEY WANT TO MEET.
IF IT'S QUARTERLY, I'LL DO IT.
IF IT'S NOT QUARTERLY, WE'LL GO BACK TO T AND BEST AND WE DEFER THIS UNTIL AFTER THE M MSS D MEETS AND THEN WE'LL KNOW.
DO YOU WANT A MOTION? WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU COME BACK OVER? BEST YOU NEED AS A MOTION AS NO, NO.
JUST KICKS THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD WITH A BA WITH A VACANCY.
MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPOINT ORMAN ROYAL.
SHE SEEMS TO HAVE AN INTEREST.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE A MOTION A SECOND.
I THOUGHT, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, WASN'T THIS THE POSITION THAT WE CREATED BECAUSE THERE WAS SOME CONCERN ABOUT HAVING SOME DIVERSITY? YEAH.
THAT WAS A, THAT CONCERN YOU RAISED.
IS THAT, IS THIS THE SAME POSITION? YES SIR.
[01:55:01]
THE SAME BECAUSE I HAD COMPLETELY FORGOT ABOUT IT.'CAUSE WHEN I SAW IT ON THE AGENDA, I, I WAS LIKE, DIDN'T WE APPOINT EVERYBODY FOR THIS MSD THING ALREADY? SO I, I FORGOT ABOUT IT.
ALRIGHT, WELL WE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND.
UM, YOU CAN ALWAYS VOTE NO ON ROYAL IF YOU DON'T WANT TO DO IT.
ANY OPPOSED? OPPOSED? YOU OPPOSED IT? MM-HMM.
I, I FEEL LIKE Y'ALL PRESSURING HER INTO THIS
I PROMISE YOU NO ONE CAN PRESSURE MADAM CLERK.
DID YOU GET THAT? UH, WE HAVE ONE IN OPPOSITION ONE DAY,
UH, ANY OTHER APPOINTMENTS THAT I DIDN'T SEE? OKAY.
[16. City Manager' s Report.]
TONIGHT.JUST ONE ITEM, JUST A REMINDER THAT ON FEBRUARY 6TH WE'LL HAVE OUR BUDGET RETREAT AT, UH, AT 9:00 AM HERE IN THE COURTROOM.
AT THAT MEETING, THE DEPARTMENT HEADS WILL BE PRESENTING, UH, PERSONNEL AND CAPITAL, UH, REQUEST TO A POWERPOINT.
UH, AND SO AT THAT YOU'LL BE BASICALLY KIND OF KEEPING UP ON THE INFORMATION THAT, UM, THE FINANCE DIRECTOR GIVES YOU ON THOSE THINGS, ON WHAT YOU'RE GONNA SUPPORT AND HAVE A FLAVOR FOR SUPPORTING A NOD AS WE CONTINUE THROUGH OUR BUDGET PROCESS.
I SEE YOU SAID FEBRUARY 6TH, NINE TO WHAT? NINE UNTIL OKAY.
SO I BETTER TAKE OFF THAT DAY, RIGHT? OR BRING YOUR PAJAMAS,
[17. New Business.]
ALRIGHT.ALDERMAN PRI UH, I HAVE NOTHING MA'AM.
I'D JUST LIKE TO THANK, UM, GEORGE AND HIS TEAM FOR THE HARDWORKING OFF TEL DRIVE WHERE WE HAD SOME ISSUES WITH FLOODING OVER THERE AS A RESULT OF A, UM, CABLE COMPANY OF SOME SORT.
WENT THROUGH ONE OF OUR PIPES AND CREATED A SNAG.
THEY, I FELT BAD THEY WERE OUT THERE AND KNEE DEEP WATER AND TRYING TO REPAIR A PIPE AND REPLACE PIPE.
AND IT JUST, IT JUST MAKES ME THINK ABOUT THE REASON WHY WE PAY OUR GUYS AND WHY WE SHOULD KEEP 'EM HAPPY BECAUSE OF SERVICES LIKE THAT.
'CAUSE I CERTAINLY WOULDN'T BE DOWN THERE DOING IT.
AND OTHER THAN THAT, UM, I HAVE NOTHING ELSE.
UH, ALDERMAN BESS, UM, I TOO WANT TO THANK YOU, GEORGE, YOUR AND YOUR STAFF, UM, IN REFERENCE TO, UM, A LITTLE ISSUE THAT JUST COME UP THIS WEEK AND YOU WAS VERY AMENABLE TO ME AND THE CITIZENS.
UH, THE ONLY THING I HAVE IS, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, I'VE TALKED ABOUT REESE ACROSS AMERICA A COUPLE MONTHS NOW.
UH, THE REESE ACROSS AMERICA MOBILE EXHIBIT IS COMING TO NEW BERN ON FEBRUARY 3RD AND FOURTH, BASICALLY, UH, EXPLAINING THE, THE PURPOSE OF GREECE CROSS AMERICA, UH, YOU KNOW, LIVE WITH.
AND THEIR THEME THIS YEAR IS LIVE WITH A PURPOSE.
AND SO THERE IS AN OPENING CEREMONY AND WE'RE ALSO CALLING IT A WELCOME HOME CEREMONY TO HONOR VIETNAM VETERANS.
THAT WILL BE AT 9:00 AM FEBRUARY 3RD AT LAWSON CREEK PARK.
AND THEN THE, UH, MOBILE WILL BE OPEN, UH, BASICALLY FROM NINE UNTIL THREE ON, UM, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.
BUT AGAIN, OPENING CEREMONY AT NINE, UH, FEBRUARY 3RD AT LAWSON CREEK PARK IF YOU WANT, COME AND PARTICIPATE.
UH, I HAVE NO NEW BUSINESS TONIGHT.
[18. Closed Session.]
DO WE NEED A CLOSED SESSION? UH, YES SIR, WE DO.UM, BRIEFLY, UM, TO 1 43 13 11 85 TO DISCUSS THE POTENTIAL ACQUISITION OF REAL PROPERTY.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION? SO MOVED.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? WE'RE ENCLO SESSION.
IS THERE ANY MORE BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE CITY OF NEW VERN, BOARD OF ALDERMAN THIS EVENING? NO, SIR.
IF NOT, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
A MOTION TO ADJOURN IN A SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.