Feb 06, 2024 Board of Aldermen Retreat

FROM, UH, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ON MORE OF A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE AS TO WHAT BENEFITS THE CITY HAS RECEIVED OVER THE YEARS AS A RESULT OF BEING A MEMBER OF THAT ORGANIZATION, RATHER THAN TO JUST ARBITRARILY SAY, WELL, WE DON'T FEEL THAT WE'RE GETTING ANYTHING OUT OF IT RIGHT NOW, SO LET'S JUST CUT THAT, UH, APPROPRIATION FROM THE BUDGET.

SO OUR FIRST ONE WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO IS GENERAL GOVERNMENT.

GENERAL GOVERNMENT HAS SEVERAL DIVISIONS THAT INCLUDES GENERAL ADMINISTRATION, LEGAL ELECTIONS, SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS, PUBLIC EDUCATION, AND GOVERNMENT.

AND THERE ARE A TOTAL OF FIVE EMPLOYEES IN THIS DEPARTMENT.

THE DEPARTMENT OF COMPRISE, CITY MANAGER, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, CITY CLERK, PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER, AND ONE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT KEY OPERATIONS, UH, AND FUNCTIONS.

THE MANAGER REPORTS DIRECTLY TO THE GOVERNING BOARD, AND IT'S MY RESPONSIBILITY TO CARRY OUT THE DAY-TO-DAY DUTIES OF THE CITY.

THE ASSISTANT MANAGER PROVIDES BACKUP TO THE MANAGER AND WORKS ON SPECIAL PROJECTS AND GUIDES, UH, THE EFFORTS OF THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT, PUBLIC WORKS POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT.

THE CLERK IS STATUTORILY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ACQUISITION AND CATALOGING OF HISTORICAL RECORDS, AND MUST ATTEND ALL MEETINGS OF THE GOVERNING BOARD.

THE CLERK PREPARES THE BOARD'S AGENDAS, COMMUNICATES BOARD ACTION INTERNALLY AND TO THE PUBLIC, AND OVERSEES THE SALES SURPLUS.

REAL PROPERTY MONITORS CHANGES IN STATUTES AS THEY PERTAIN TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND SERVES THE SECRETARY OF POLICE CIVIL SERVICE BOARD.

THE PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER SHARES, SHARES INFORMATION WITH THE PUBLIC VIA SOCIAL MEDIA OUTLETS AND NEWS RELEASES, AND COORDINATES THE CITIZENS ACADEMY AND OPERATES THE PEG CHANNEL.

LEGAL SERVICES ARE RENDERED BY THE CITY ATTORNEY AND ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY, WHO ARE NOT EMPLOYEES, BUT ARE FROM AN OUTSIDE FIRM.

AND THEN THERE ARE ALSO SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS.

AND SO WE PROVIDE FUNDING TO THE NEWBURN CRAVEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY, AN AMOUNT OF 75,000 ANNUALLY, CRAVEN 100 ALLIANCE, APPROXIMATELY 16,000 ANNUALLY, AND INCLUDES DISCRETIONARY FUNDING OF A THOUSAND DOLLARS EACH FOR THE MAYOR AND EACH ALDERMAN TO USE ON QUALIFYING EXPENDITURES THAT SUPPORT A PUBLIC PURPOSE.

ADDITIONAL FUNDING MAY BE ALLOCATED FOR SPECIAL PROJECTS THAT ARISE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

ONE OF THE THINGS I DO WANNA MENTION IS THAT, UH, THIS YEAR WE DID NOT FUND THE HIGHWAY 1764 ASSOCIATION.

THEY HAVE REACHED OUT TO US, UH, TO, UM, TO INQUIRE WHETHER OR NOT THE BOARD WOULD HAVE AN INTEREST IN HEARING TO MAKE A PRESENTATION AT A FUTURE MEETING.

PREVIOUSLY, WE, UH, ALLOCATED $12,500 TO THIS ASSOCIATION.

AND IF THE BOARD WOULD LIKE FOR US TO HAVE THEM COME TO MAKE A PRESENTATION, WE'RE CERTAINLY HAPPY TO SET THAT UP.

WHAT WAS THAT ENTITY'S NAME AGAIN? HIGHWAY 1764 ASSOCIATION, MR. HUGHES, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, UM, THAT IS SORT OF A, A LOBBYIST THAT WAS HELPING TO GET SOME INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS DONE ALONG THAT CORRIDOR.

AND THE BOARD HAD DECIDED, SINCE WE NOW HAVE THE MPO AND THAT PROCESS IS DIFFERENT, IT'S DONE ON A GRADING SCALE THAT WE DID NOT SEE THE IMPORTANCE ANY LONGER OF, OF THAT GROUP.

IS THAT WHAT YOU RECALL? THAT? THAT'S CORRECT.

AND, UH, IT LAST, DURING LAST YEAR'S BUDGET PROCESS, YOU'D ASKED IF THE COUNTY WAS STILL PARTICIPATING.

THE COUNTY PULLED OUT A FEW YEARS AGO AS WELL.

UH, AND SO THAT'S WHERE, WHERE THINGS ARE ON HIGHWAY 1764.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, SEE A PRESENTATION MADE BY THAT, UH, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THAT ORGANIZATION.

DOES ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SEE THAT? I'M NOT REAL SUPPORTIVE OF, UH, THE ORGANIZATION FOR THE SAME REASONS THE MAYOR ALREADY OUTLINED.

UH, THE MONEY THAT WE HAD GIVEN INTENDED TO, UH, THE PROJECTS THAT WERE FUNDED ENDED UP GOING TO OTHER COUNTIES, AND SO WE HAVEN'T REALLY SEEN MUCH FROM IT.

AND THAT'S WHY THE COUNTY ALSO PULLED OUT.

SO, YOU KNOW, WILLING TO LISTEN.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M, UH, EXTREMELY SKEPTICAL OF GIVING HIM ANY MONEY.

WELL, I THINK IT'D BE GOOD TO HEAR

[00:10:01]

THAT'S A VERY SHORTSIGHTED, IT'S ALREADY CUT THE BUDGET, AND I THINK THERE'S, UM, SOME GREATER BENEFIT THAT THE ORGANIZATION CAN BRING AND DOES BRING TO THE CITY.

SO I'D LIKE TO HEAR, UH, A PRESENTATION MADE TO ENLIGHTEN, I THINK THE, THE, THE BOARD AS TO JUST WHAT THAT ORGANIZATION DOES AND HOW IT DOES BENEFIT THE CITY.

AND SO THIS IS LOOKING FOR THE FY 25 BUDGET, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CONSIDER THIS OR NOT.

AND SO, AGAIN, IF THE BOARD WOULD LIKE FOR US TO, UH, SET UP A PRESENTATION, WE'RE HAPPY TO DO SO.

SO WE HAVE ONE THAT DOES, WHO ELSE WANTS TO SEE A PRESENTATION? I, I DON'T THINK IT WILL HURT TWO.

UH, YEAH.

I DON'T THINK IT WILL HURT FOR US TO SEE WHAT, WHAT THEY HAVE TO, TO PRESENT TO US.

AND I'M, I'M FINE IF THEY WANT TO COME PRESENT, BUT I MEAN, WE, WE DIDN'T FUND 'EM THIS YEAR, SO IT WOULD BE A INCREASE IF WE DECIDED TO DO SOMETHING.

BUT YEAH, I MEAN, IF THEY WANNA COME TALK TO US, THAT'S FINE.

I AGREE TO THE PRESENTATION, BUT NOT THE FUNDING.

YOU GOT YOUR DIRECTION, SIR? I SURE DO.

WE, WE'LL SET SOMETHING UP AT, AT A FUTURE MEETING.

DEPARTMENT GOALS AND INITIATIVES ADMINISTRATION.

KIM.

ADMINISTRATION STRIVES TO MAINTAIN A FISCALLY SOUND OPERATION WHILE CONTINUING TO PROVIDE OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO THE CITIZENS OF NEWBURN.

THE DEPARTMENT SEEKS TO ENGAGE AND INFORM THE PUBLIC NOT ONLY ABOUT EVENTS, BUT OPPORTUNITIES TO PROVIDE PUBLIC INPUT ON DECISIONS BEING CONSIDERED BY THE GOVERNING BOARD, THE MISSION OF THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO PROVIDE LEGAL ADVICE AND PROTECT THE LEGAL INTEREST OF THE CITY OF NEWBURN AND SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS, PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR SPECIAL PROJECTS THAT ENHANCE THE CITY.

SO CURRENTLY ON PUBLIC BUILDINGS RESTRICTED, WE ARE LOOKING AT, AT SEVERAL ITEMS FOR CITY HALL FOR RENOVATIONS.

OUR GOAL IS GOING TO BE TO, TO MAXIMIZE THE SPACE THAT IS NOT BEING USED IN CITY HALL.

SO WE WILL BE COMING BACK DURING THIS BUDGET PROCESS, UH, FOR SOME REQUESTS FOR THE BOARD.

AT THIS TIME, I'M GONNA ASK COLLEEN TO, TO MAKE A, UH, PRESENT ON THE PEG CHANNEL CAPITAL REQUESTS.

GOOD MORNING MAYOR.

BOARD OF ALDERMAN, UH, FOR THE PEG CHANNEL THIS YEAR.

UH, IN THE BUDGET SO FAR, THERE IS A CAPITAL PROJECT TO UPGRADE SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT WE HAVE, UM, BACK IN THE BROADCAST BOOTH.

THE RACK OF EQUIPMENT FOR THE PEG CHANNEL HAS ABOUT NINE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT IN IT, TWO OF WHICH ARE ORIGINAL TO THE PEG CHANNEL.

SO THAT IS REACHING BACK TO, UH, FY 2011.

THE REMAINDER OF THE EQUIPMENT DATES BACK TO FY 2016, SO WE ARE PROJECTING TO, UM, UPGRADE THE CHANNEL FROM ANALOG TO DIGITAL.

WE'VE ALSO HAD SOME REQUESTS FROM CITIZENS TO INCORPORATE CLOSED CAPTIONING THAT WILL COME WITH AN EQUIPMENT PURCHASE AND ALSO AN ONGOING SERVICE COST FOR LIVE AUTOMATED CLOSED CAPTIONING.

PROBABLY ONE OF OUR MOST POPULAR PLATFORMS FOR PEOPLE TO TUNE INTO MEETINGS.

ANY QUESTIONS, COLLEEN? MAYBE FOR ALL OF OUR BENEFIT, UM, WE RECEIVED SOME FUNDING FROM SOMEBODY TO HAVE THIS STATION, UH, BUT I DON'T THINK IT COVERS ALL OF OUR COSTS.

IS THAT CORRECT? YOU'RE CORRECT, MAYOR.

WE RECEIVED SOME FUNDING FROM THE STATE TO BE USED, UH, ON THE PEG CHANNEL, AND THAT EQUATES TO, LAST TIME I CHECKED WITH KIM WAS ABOUT $22,000 A YEAR.

AND IS THERE A WAY TO MEASURE OUR VIEWERSHIP ON THE PEG CHANNEL? WE'VE TRIED MULTIPLE TIMES IN THE PAST.

IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO GET, UM, VIEWERSHIP NUMBERS FROM A NON-REVENUE GENERATING CHANNEL, UH, FROM OPTIMUM SUDDENLINK, THAT SORT OF THING.

WE ARE WORKING ON ROKU ANALYTICS, WHICH WE SHOULD START GETTING QUARTERLY.

UM, WE HAD A, A DECENT AMOUNT OF DOWNLOADS LAST YEAR, WHICH IS WHEN WE LAUNCHED OUR ROKU CHANNEL.

UM, AND OUR VIEWERSHIP CONTINUES TO GROW.

ROKU IS ABOUT A YEAR OLD THIS MONTH, SO WE STILL HAVE FOLKS WHO ARE DISCOVERING IT.

WE HAVE A COUPLE OF KINKS TO WORK OUT IN THE LIBRARY ON ROKU.

YOU CAN WATCH LIVE MEETINGS WITHOUT DIFFICULTY.

UM, WE'RE WORKING TO GET THE LIBRARY CAUGHT UP TO THE MOST RECENT MEETING THAT HAS BEEN CONDUCTED LIVE.

SO WE HAVE A COUPLE THINGS TO STRAIGHTEN OUT THERE.

UM, BUT I CONTINUE TO HEAR GOOD THINGS ABOUT FOLKS WHO ARE WATCHING ON ROKU.

FACEBOOK IS A LITTLE EASIER TO WATCH WITH OUR VIEWERSHIP.

UM, AS SOON AS YOU LOG IN, YOU CAN KIND OF SEE, UH, DURING A MEETING AND EVEN AFTER HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE WATCHED.

THAT CONTINUES TO BE

[00:15:01]

UM, I'LL JUST MAKE ONE COMMENT.

MY, I KNOW MY PREDECESSOR WAS A HUGE SUPPORTER OF THE PEG CHANNEL.

UM, PERSONALLY I THINK IT'S PROBABLY TAILING OFF AS FAR AS VIEWERSHIP.

IF WE ASK EVERYBODY HERE TO RAISE THEIR HAND, IF YOU HAVE CABLE TV, RUN IT TO YOUR HOUSE THAT YOU GET THIS CHANNEL, IT'S PROBABLY FEW AND FAR BETWEEN.

UM, I'M NOT SAYING I'M OPPOSED TO IT, I JUST THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE PROBABLY REALLY NEED TO START THINKING ABOUT.

WHAT'S THE FUTURE OF THIS AND HOW LONG IS IT GONNA BE AROUND FORD? THE 22,000 YOU MENTIONED, IS THAT GRANT FUNDED OR THAT IS IT CONTRACTED? THAT IS THE, UM, CABLE TAX THAT YOU PAY ON YOUR BILL.

THAT TAX IS COLLECTED AND DIVIDED AMONGST ALL THE PEG CHANNELS IN THE STATE.

SO WHEN WE LAUNCHED OUR CHANNEL IN 2011, THERE WERE NOT VERY MANY PEG CHANNELS ACROSS THE STATE.

SO WE USED TO GET $26,000, MAYBE MORE THAN THAT EACH YEAR FROM THE STATE TO FUND, UH, PEG CHANNEL PROGRAMMING AND EQUIPMENT.

AS MORE MUNICIPALITIES HAVE LAUNCHED THEIR OWN PEG CHANNELS.

THAT NUMBER HAS DECREASED.

IT HAS ALSO DECREASED WITH THE AMOUNT OF CORD CUTTERS, PEOPLE WHO ARE NO LONGER SUBSCRIBING TO CABLE AND MOVING TOWARDS STREAMING SERVICES.

SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT LOWER NOW, BUT I BELIEVE IT BECOMES, IT COMES FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE.

SO IN ESSENCE IS GUARANTEED, SO TO SPEAK, AS LONG AS THE TAXES ARE THERE.

WE HAVE TO MEET CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS IN AN ANNUAL AUDIT THAT WE HAVE REMAINED ON THE AIR WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT LAPSES IN BROADCASTING.

BUT YES, PROVIDED WE PASS THAT AUDIT EACH YEAR, WE ARE GUARANTEED THAT FUNDING.

THANK YOU, COLLEEN.

GIVEN THE AGE OF THE, THE HARDWARE, AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THAT INCLUDES SOFTWARE WITHIN THAT, UM, DO WE CONTRACT WITH ANY OUTSIDE ENTITY FOR REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE OF THAT EQUIPMENT? WE DO NOT.

WE'VE HAD, UH, A LOT OF SUCCESS REACHING OUT TO ONE OF THE MAJOR MANUFACTURERS THAT WE PRODUCE EQUIPMENT FROM.

ALSO OUR THIRD PARTY BROADCASTER SWAG, WHICH HAS RECENTLY BEEN BOUGHT OUT BY GRANICUS.

UM, THEY HAVE BEEN GREAT DOING TROUBLESHOOTING FOR US AS WELL.

THEY CAN REMOTE INTO THE SYSTEM, DO A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF DIAGNOSIS, AND LET US KNOW WHAT MAY NEED TO BE REPAIRED OR REPLACED.

UM, WE'VE HAD SIGNIFICANT CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM AS WELL ABOUT MOVING TOWARDS THIS UPGRADE, UM, AND HOW NECESSARY IT IS FOR THE CHANNEL.

INCIDENTALLY, THE CLOSED CAPTIONING EQUIPMENT AND SERVICE IF APPROVED IN THE BUDGET, WILL COME THROUGH SWAG IT SERVICES.

AND ONE OF THE COMMENTS THEY MADE ABOUT IMPLEMENTING THAT TECHNOLOGY WAS THEY WOULDN'T GUARANTEE IT UNLESS WE COULD UPGRADE THE CHANNEL TO DIGITAL FROM ANALOG.

THERE ARE JUST TOO MANY CONVERSIONS WE WOULD NEED TO MAKE IN OUR SYSTEM, UH, TO GET IT TO WORK WITH ANALOG TV.

SO THAT WAS THE IMPETUS FOR THE UPGRADE IN OUR EQUIPMENT AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF CLOSED CAPTIONING.

HAVE YOU RECEIVED, UM, ANY COMMENTS FROM THESE OUTSIDE ENTITIES THAT ARE WILLING TO WORK WITH US, UH, WHEN WE, YOU KNOW, HAVE SOME ISSUES THAT WE ARE AT OR CLOSE TO OR PAST A A POINT WHERE THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO ASSIST US GIVEN THE AGE? WE DO HAVE, WE HAVE, MOST OF THE EQUIPMENT IN THE RACK IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY.

IT IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT TO SERVICE AND TO FIND PARTS FOR YES, SIR.

MAYOR, I UNDERSTAND, UM, YOUR COMMENT AND, AND TO BE QUITE HONEST, I DON'T KNOW HOW ACCURATE, UM, YOUR, YOUR THOUGHTS ARE.

UM, THEY MAY BE VERY ACCURATE, UH, IN THIS DAY AND AGE, BUT WE ALL, WE ALL KNOW ONE OF THE, THE MAJOR CRITICISMS, UM, THAT ANY GOVERNING BODY RECEIVES, THERE'S A LACK OF TRANSPARENCY.

UM, AND FOR US TO STEP AWAY FROM PROVIDING AS MUCH INFORMATION IN AS MANY WAYS AS POSSIBLE OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, WE ARE JUST OPENING OURSELVES UP TO FURTHER CRITICISM ABOUT A LACK OF WILLINGNESS TO BE TRANSPARENT IN EVERYTHING THAT WE DO.

SO WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S A, A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE COMMUNITY OR A VERY SMALL PORTION OF THE COMMUNITY THAT TAKES ADVANTAGE OF IT, UM, I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE POINT THAT WE NEED TO BE

[00:20:01]

FOCUSING ON.

OUR JOB IS TO PROVIDE AS MUCH INFORMATION TO THE COMMUNITY AS WE CAN.

UM, AND WHETHER THEY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT, UM, THAT'S UP TO THEM.

IT'S NOT UP FOR US TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT IT'S JUSTIFIABLE.

UM, I DON'T LIKE TO WASTE MONEY, BUT I, I THINK PROVIDING THE SERVICE IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO DO, UM, AS PART OF OUR OVERALL RESPONSIBILITY TO, UM, PROVIDE AS MUCH INFORMATION OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AS WE CAN AND LET THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT THEY WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.

SO I'M GENERALLY SUPPORTIVE OF UPGRADING, UM, JUST TO STAY IN LINE WITH THAT THOUGHT.

AND COLLEEN, UM, I STRONGLY SUPPORT THE, THE PEG SYSTEM UPGRADE.

UM, I LOOK AT IT FROM A PERSPECTIVE OF, WE HAVE A LOT OF OLDER CITIZENS THAT WHEN IT COMES TO COMPUTERS AND LAPTOPS AND PHONES AND WHATEVER, THEY CAN'T UTILIZE THOSE, THOSE DEVICES.

SO HAVING THIS INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON A TV SCREEN FOR THOSE THAT, UM, DO STILL HAVE CABLE, AND I THINK IT, UM, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A PLUS FOR US AS A GOVERNING BODY TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO OUR CITIZENS.

SO I STRONGLY SUPPORT THAT UPGRADE.

ONE FINAL QUESTION.

YOU MENTIONED THE CLOSED CAPTIONING WAS REQUESTED BY CITIZENS.

WAS IT A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF CITIZENS, OR, I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT NUMBER.

I KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN A COUPLE OF MEETINGS, UH, WITH GOVERNING BOARD MEMBERS AND A COUPLE PEOPLE WHO HAVE REACHED OUT TO ME THAT WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT, UM, IN ENGLISH AND IN SPANISH, WHICH WOULD BE PART OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF CLOSED CAPTIONING.

SO I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT, UM, RATHER THAN JUST A, A COMPARISON WITH JURISDICTIONS FOSTER, WHAT IS, UM, THE, THE CITY ATTORNEY'S, UM, SALARY RATE? WELL, THE TOTAL ALLOCATION FOR THIS YEAR IS $306,822.

SO WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT OTHER TECH TECHNOLOGY UPGRADES AS WELL.

I THINK THIS IS THE YEAR WHERE WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT DOING A REFRESH OF OUR WEBSITE TO MAKE MORE USER FRIENDLY.

WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT OTHER TECHNOLOGY THAT IS OUT THERE TO ENGAGE OUR PUBLIC THROUGH SURVEYS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO THAT WILL BE COMING AT FUTURE MEETINGS.

THANK YOU, COLLEEN.

ADDITIONAL HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE THE CITY ATTORNEYS REQUESTING $337,566 FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.

THAT'S A 10.02% INCREASE BASED ON THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FOR OUR REGION.

UH, THE CITY ATTORNEY NORMALLY, UM, HAS AN INCREASE EVERY TWO YEARS BASED ON WHAT THAT CPI IS, YOU'LL SEE A CHART, UH, FOR COMPARABLE CITIES ON WHAT ATTORNEY FEES ARE THROUGHOUT THE STATE VERSUS WHAT OUR, OUR ATTORNEY IS CHARGING US.

DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? I JUST LIKE TO OFFER ONE THOUGHT.

I I MEAN, I, I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WE'RE, WE'RE SEEING, UM, OR A COMPARISON OF WHAT OTHER COMMUNITIES, UM, BUDGET FOR LEGAL SERVICES.

BUT WITHOUT KNOWING THE BACKGROUND DETAILS OF THAT, JUST HAVING THESE TOTAL BUDGET FIGURES DOESN'T SAY A HECK OF A LOT.

I'D RATHER SEE FROM OUR ATTORNEY A BREAKDOWN OF, UM, THE SERVICES THAT ARE BEING PROVIDED TO THE CITY AND WHAT THOSE SERVICES ARE COSTING.

UM, FOR, UM, EACH OF THE ITEMS THAT THAT END UP BEING LISTED, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT MORE MEANINGFUL THAN BEING PROVIDED WITH A COMPARISON OF OTHER JURISDICTIONS WITHOUT ANY BACKUP INFORMATION TO KIND OF QUANTIFY OR QUALIFY THAT.

UM, WE DON'T.

UM, AND, AND I'M NOT SURE WHY THIS BOARD DOES NOT SEEM TO, UM, HAVE A PROCEDURE IN PLACE TO REVIEW AND DISCUSS, UM, THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, UM, THAT WE RECEIVE.

AND I THINK WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT HAVING SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN PLACE.

SO ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, WE CAN SEE AND JUST USING THE, THE LEGAL BUDGET, UM, FOR EXAMPLE, I'D LIKE TO KNOW ON, ON AN ANNUAL BASIS WHERE OUR MONIES ARE BEING SPENT.

I MEAN, WHAT IS IT THAT THE, THE MUNICIPAL ATTORNEY IS, UM, SPENDING THE MOST TIME ON? AND I REALIZE THAT CHANGES FROM YEAR TO YEAR AND THAT'S FINE.

UM, I THINK THE BOARD NEEDS TO BE AWARE OF THAT.

[00:25:01]

NOW THAT, OBVIOUSLY THAT INCLUDES THE, THE SALARY FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY AND THE CI ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY, AS WELL AS, UH, ANY OTHER WORK THEY PERFORM FOR US.

AND TO DERMAN PRIS POINT, WE CAN CERTAINLY PROVIDE A BREAKDOWN, UH, OF, OF ALL THE SERVICES THAT THE ATTORNEY PROVIDES AND THOSE COSTS.

AND, AND, AND I'D BE INTERESTED IN, UH, YOU KNOW, THE LAST COUPLE YEARS WHAT OUR INCREASES HAVE BEEN.

YOU KNOW, JUST KIND OF PUT IT IN CONTEXT WITH THE, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO COMPARE IT TO LIKE THE SALARY STUDY THAT WE HAD.

YOU KNOW, WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME WE INCREASED THE CITY ATTORNEY'S BUDGET, YOU KNOW, HAVE WE, AND YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH HAVE WE IN THE LAST FEW YEARS? I THINK IT'S TYPICALLY EVERY OTHER YEAR.

EVERY OTHER YEAR.

THAT'S CORRECT.

AND WE CAN PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION AS A FOLLOW UP.

AND I AGREE WITH THAT.

I CERTAINLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE PAPER TRAIL ON THE PREVIOUS YEARS.

IN ADDITION TO WHAT ALDERMAN PRI UH, SPOKE TOWARDS HAVING A SYSTEM IN PLACE TO REVIEW AND TO DISCUSS THE MUNICIPAL ATTORNEY, I'D LIKE TO SEE US COME UP WITH SOME TYPE OF OVERVIEW.

NEXT TIME I JUST BRIEFLY WANNA MENTION IS DISCUSSION OF MOVING THE ELECTION FROM ODD, ODD YEAR TO EVEN YEAR ON THE ELECTIONS.

AND SO, AS YOU KNOW, 2025 IS, IS THE CURRENT ELECTION YEAR FOR THE BOARD.

UH, IN CRAVEN COUNTY, THERE ARE 10 ELECTIONS THAT ARE HELD WITHIN IN THE COUNTY.

SO WITH JUST ONE ELECTION IN THE ODD YEAR, UH, THAT WILL BE A LITTLE BIT MORE EXPENSIVE THAN IF COMBINING, UH, WITH, WITH THE OTHER, UH, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.

SO IF THE LAST TIME WE HAD AN ELECTION IN RUNOFF WAS IN 2023, OUR, OUR COST FOR THE ELECTION RUNOFF WERE APPROXIMATELY $28,000.

NOW WE DON'T HAVE INFORMATION FROM THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS ON WHAT THE ESTIMATE WOULD BE FOR, FOR NEXT YEAR OR IF WE DID, UH, DECIDE TO MOVE FORWARD AND, AND CHANGE THE DATE OF THE ELECTION.

SO WE'LL GET THAT INFORMATION.

BUT IF THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO CONSIDER EXTENDING THE TERM THAT YOU'RE CURRENTLY SERVING RIGHT NOW AND MOVE THE ELECTION TO 2026, REALLY NOW IS THE TIME TO RESPOND.

APRIL 15TH IS THE DEADLINE TO SEND SOMETHING TO, UH, THE, THE LEGISLATURE FOR THEM TO CONSIDER DURING THE SHORT SESSION.

UH, SO OBVIOUSLY IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING SINCE I BELIEVE NOVEMBER WHEN IT WAS FIRST BROUGHT UP, UH, IF YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE SOME DISCUSSION ON THAT NOW, OR WE COULD DEFINITELY PUT IT ON A, UM, AGENDA ITEM FOR A FUTURE MEETING.

WE'RE HAPPY TO DO SO FOR YOU TO CONSIDER.

I, I'LL KIND OF ADDRESS THAT SINCE I'M THE ONE THAT BROUGHT IT UP, UH, THIS MOST RECENT TIME.

UM, I RECALL, UH, TWO YEARS AGO THE BOARD OF, UH, ELECTIONS DIRECTOR ESTIMATING THAT IT WOULD COST THE CITY ABOUT $80,000 FOR A STANDALONE ELECTION.

I KNOW THAT'S, YOU KNOW, OUTDATED NOW.

BUT, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT ON A FUTURE, UH, AGENDA 'CAUSE WE KIND OF ASKED FOR, OR AT LEAST I DID, AND WE GOT CONSENSUS FOR OPTIONS OF HOW TO RUN THAT ELECTION.

'CAUSE I KNOW WE WOULD LIKE TO PRESERVE A BIT OF A RUN OFF SORT OF SCENARIO.

AND SO, UM, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT WAYS YOU CAN DO THAT, UM, EACH HAVING ITS OWN COST, IF YOU WILL.

AND SO, UH, LIKE I SAID, I'D LIKE TO SEE SOME OPTIONS AND HAVE IT ON A, ON A DIFFERENT AGENDA OR ON A, UH, FUTURE MEETING WITH THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH IT, WITH THE, UH, OPTIONS.

I AGREE.

UM, I, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE BOARD TO UNDERSTAND, UM, JUST WHAT OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE AND BECAUSE AS BEST THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY, UM, WHAT THE, THE ANTICIPATED COST OF THOSE OPTIONS ARE.

SO WHAT, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, UM, FOSTERS THAT WE WILL BE, UM, AND WHAT YOU'RE, WHAT YOU'RE WANTING IS THAT WE'LL BE ADDING AN ADDITIONAL YEAR TO OUR ALREADY TERM SHORTENED TERM, UM, CARRYING US OVER TO 2026.

THAT'S CORRECT.

IF, IF THE BOARD WANTED TO BE IN LINE WITH WHAT THE OTHER ELECTIONS WERE.

I I, I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.

UM,

[00:30:03]

I MEAN, UM, THAT WOULD CARRY US OVER INTO, WHAT, NINE YEARS? I MEAN, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SIX, SEVEN EIGHTS.

WE, WE'LL BE IN OUR NINTH YEAR 'CAUSE WE ADDED ON A YEAR FOR OUR, UM, TOTAL TWO TERMS. NO, IT WOULD BE THIS ONE, THIS CURRENT BOARD.

I'M, I'M SORRY, I'M SPEAKING FOR MYSELF.

FOR THIS ONE TERM, IT WOULD BE ACTUALLY FIVE YEARS INSTEAD OF FOUR.

NO, NO THREE BECAUSE WE HAD, WE WENT OVER THREE YEARS INSTEAD OF FOUR FOUR, IF WE, IF WE EXTENDED A YEAR, IT WOULD PUT THIS CURRENT BOARD SEATED FOR ABOUT FOUR YEARS, WHICH IS STANDARD FOR THE TERM.

IT'S THE PREVIOUS BOARD THAT GOT EXTENDED BECAUSE OF COVID.

SO THAT CAUSED THIS TERM TO BE SHORTENED.

SO BY MAKING THE CHANGE AND MOVING IT TO 26, THIS BOARD WOULD ACTUALLY SERVE ESSENTIALLY A FULL FOUR YEAR TERM.

SO MY LOGIC WAS, IF YOU'RE GONNA DO IT NOW IS THE BEST OPPORTUNITY.

WELL, I I GUESS WE'LL ALL ADDRESS THAT WHEN WE HAVE THE DISCUSSION, BUT I'M NOT FOR EXTENDING IT A YEAR.

YEAH, THERE'S, IT'S LIKE EVERYTHING, THERE'S ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES.

THE OPPORTUNITY COLLEEN, THE MICROPHONE.

I, I'M NOT, I DO, I DO AGREE.

ALDERMAN BRISSON, IF YOU, IF WE EVER ARE GONNA MAKE A CHANGE, NOW WOULD BE THE MOST LOGICAL TIME TO DO IT BECAUSE NOBODY'S REALLY GONNA BE GETTING ANYTHING EXTRA.

UM, THE PREVIOUS BOARD'S THE ONE THAT GOT THE EXTRA.

SO I THINK YOU'VE GOT DIRECTION TO HAVE I SURE DO.

PRESENTATION.

YES, SIR.

AND SO OVERALL ON THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS APPROXIMATELY $66,500 IN CAPITAL REQUESTS.

UH, AND SO THIS IS OBVIOUSLY GONNA CHANGE AS WE CONTINUE THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS.

ANY QUESTIONS ON ADMINISTRATION AT THIS TIME? WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO THE GOVERNING BOARD FOR THE TOTAL OF SEVEN POSITIONS.

THAT'S THE MAYOR AND THE ALDERMAN WITH THIS.

AND OF COURSE, YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ESTABLISHING POLICIES ORDINANCES ON BEHALF OF THE CITY DEPARTMENT GOALS AND INITIATIVES TO BRING FORTH ECONOMIC GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES THAT FOSTER AN ENVIRONMENT FOR GROWTH, JOB GROWTH, AND EXPAND UPON RECREATIONAL AND SOCIAL ATTRACTIONS TO PROVIDE ACTIVITIES FOR CITIZENS OF ALL AGES.

SO AT THIS TIME, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD, UH, REQUEST THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.

SOME OF YOU MAY REMEMBER SEVERAL MONTHS AGO WE WENT THROUGH, UH, SOME TRAINING HERE IN THE COURTROOM AND IT WAS DISCUSSED HOW THE DUS IS CURRENTLY DESIGNED, UH, AND, AND SOME OF THE SAFETY FEATURES HERE.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT OBVIOUSLY EXPANDING THAT TO NOT ONLY WHERE THE BOARD SIT, BUT WHERE THE MANAGER OR THE ATTORNEYS, THE, UH, CLERK AND THE ASSISTANT, UH, MANAGER SIT AND JUST WANT TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY SUPPORT FOR THAT BEFORE WE START LOOKING AT, UH, POTENTIAL COSTS.

I, I'D LIKE TO SEE THE DESIGN, UH, SO THAT WE COULD TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND AS WE EXPLORE THE COST FOR IT.

ANYBODY OPPOSED TO, I MEAN, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK WE INTERESTED IN SPENDING A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, BUT I MEAN, IF IT'S SOMETHING REASONABLE THEN I MEAN, I, I GUESS I'D AGREE WE'D NEED MORE DATA.

WE'LL PROVIDE YOU WITH, WITH, WITH A RENDERING AS SOME COST.

IS THAT IN THE FUTURE? ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT, THAT THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO CONSIDER? OKAY, IF NOT, AT THIS TIME WE'RE GONNA ASK JESSICA RU TO COME UP WITH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES TO MAKE HER PRESENTATION.

NEED REMOTE? YES.

SEAT COME, COME RIGHT UP HERE.

YOU CAN HAVE A SEAT HERE, JESSICA.

LET'S ADJUST THE MIC PLEASE, SIR.

OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, PRESENT SOME OF OUR REQUESTS THIS MORNING AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.

UM, SO WHAT WE DO IN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, WE OVERSEE PLANNING INSPECTIONS.

OUR GIS DIVISION, OUR METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION, WHICH OVERSEES OUR TRANSPORTATION AS WELL AS, UH,

[00:35:01]

BEING CLOSE PARTNERS WITH THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.

AND ZEV WILL BE PRESENTING SOME OF HIS OWN INFORMATION A LITTLE BIT LATER, BUT WE CONSIDER HIM A CLOSE PARTNER AND WE DO HOUSE HIM IN OUR OFFICE AND ENJOY HAVING HIM THERE.

WE HAVE A TOTAL, IF YOU INCLUDE ZE AND ME 21 EMPLOYEES IN THIS DEPARTMENT.

AND WE DO A VARIETY OF THINGS, AND I'M GONNA WALK YOU THROUGH SOME OF THOSE.

WE PROVIDE INSPECTIONS.

UH, PROVIDING INSPECTIONS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT'S OPTIONAL.

STATE LAW REQUIRES THAT WE, UH, PROVIDE THAT SERVICE.

WE MAINTAIN CITY PLANS.

WE ARE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN A LAND USE PLAN.

THE REASON WE'RE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN A LAND USE PLAN IS BECAUSE WE HAVE ZONING AND STATE LOSSES.

YOU MUST MAINTAIN THOSE LAND USE PLANS IF YOU WISH TO ENFORCE ZONING.

WE ENFORCE FEMA REGULATIONS.

SO WE BECAME A-C-R-S-A COMMUNITY RANKING SYSTEM COMMUNITY THROUGH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

WE GET A DISCOUNT ON INSURANCE PREMIUMS. SO WE ARE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN CERTIFIED FLOOD PLAN MANAGERS IN OUR OFFICE.

WE OVERSEE OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAMS THROUGH OUR OFFICE.

WE PROVIDE NUISANCE ABATEMENT, WHICH IS NOT SOMETHING REQUIRED BY STATE LAW, BUT SOMETHING BY CITY ORDINANCE.

WE ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE.

WE PROVIDE MAPPING SERVICES.

AGAIN, THAT'S NOT SOMETHING WE ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE, ALTHOUGH IT IS A BENEFIT TO OUR CITIZENS.

UM, WE COULD USE THE COUNTY GIS SYSTEM, HOWEVER, WE DO MAINTAIN THAT IN-HOUSE.

WE PROVIDE ZONING SERVICES, WHICH IS A HUGE BULK OF WHAT GOES ON IN OUR OFFICE AND THE DIFFERENT PROCESSES AND PERMITS RELATED TO THAT.

WE PROVIDE HISTORICAL PRESERVATION.

WE DO HAVE MULTIPLE HISTORIC DISTRICTS IN THE CITY OF NEW BERN.

IT IS PART OF OUR CULTURE HERE.

SO THAT IS IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN.

WE PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION SERVICES.

TWO OF THOSE POSITIONS IN OUR OFFICE ARE ABOUT HALF FUNDED BY THE STATE.

THAT WOULD BE FELICIA AND DEANNA WHO RUN OUR MPO.

WE PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ALSO OVERSEE REDEVELOPMENT EFFORTS.

SO FOR THIS YEAR, MOVING FORWARD, WHEN WE'VE ALREADY FUNDED THIS THROUGH THE LAST YEAR'S BUDGET, UH, THESE ARE OUR BIG GOALS IN THE DEPARTMENT THIS YEAR TO INITIATE THAT FIRST REWRITE OF OUR COMPREHENSIVE LAND USE ORDINANCES.

AND I'M EXCITED TO TELL YOU WE'RE FINALLY AT A POINT WHERE OUR CONSULTANT WILL BE COMING AND PRESENTING TO YOU ON FEBRUARY 27TH.

IN OVERVIEW OF THAT PROCESS AND WHERE WE'RE GOING.

JUST YESTERDAY, WE SCHEDULED HIS FIRST THREE DAYS IN TOWN, WHICH WILL BE FULL OF MEETINGS AND STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS TO WORK ON GETTING THAT ORDINANCE COHESIVE AND MODERNIZED AND MUCH MORE USER FRIENDLY, REMOVING IT OUT OF MUNI CODE, LETTING IT STAND ON ITS OWN, AND JUST OFFER THAT REALLY EASY TO UPDATE AND NAVIGATE SERVICE.

IN ADDITION, WE WERE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE AS PART OF HIS CONTRACT, HE IS OFFERING TO TRAIN THE ELECTED BODY, THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT AND THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD IN HOW TO ACTUALLY USE THE ORDINANCE, WHICH IS GOING TO BE A REALLY COOL THING WHEN WE GET TO, WHEN IT'S ALL FINISHED AND WE GET TO THAT PART.

SO IN ADDITION TO THAT, IN OUR BUDGET, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A PRETTY HIGH NUMBER ON, UM, TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME.

UM, WE HAVE REALLY GOOD PEOPLE ON OUR STAFF.

MANY OF THEM HAVE NEVER BEEN AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET SUPERVISING OR COMMUNICATION TRAINING.

AND I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY HIGHLY IMPORTANT TO PROVIDING BETTER SERVICES TO OUR CITIZENS.

SO NOT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING TODAY, BUT A NUMBER THAT YOU WILL SEE WHEN THAT WHOLE BUDGET BOOK COMES OUT.

IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT WE CONTINUE TO CERTIFY OUR BUILDING INSPECTORS.

IT'S PRETTY IMPRESSIVE HERE.

WE HAVE A STAFF OF SIX BUILDING INSPECTORS.

THEY ALL ARE CERTIFIED OVER LEVEL ONE.

THERE IS A MASSIVE, UH, BUILDING INSPECTIONS SHORTAGE THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

LIKE 30% OF BUILDING INSPECTORS ARE RETIRING EVERY YEAR.

SO IT'S IMPRESSIVE TO ME AND SHOULD BE IMPRESSIVE TO ALL OF US THAT WE HAVE THAT CERTIFIED STAFF.

AND WE'VE GOT TWO THAT ARE TICKING OFF THEIR LEVEL THREES, WHICH IS REALLY IMPRESSIVE.

AND THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE A LOT OF COMMUNITIES HAVE TO ACTUALLY CONTRACT WHEN THEY'RE BUILDING HOTELS, APARTMENTS, CONDO BUILDINGS, THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND WE CAN PROVIDE THAT SERVICE RIGHT HERE IN HOUSE BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH A HIGH VOLUME OF UPPER LEVEL CERTIFIED INSPECTORS.

AND THEN ALSO THIS YEAR GOING ON, IN ADDITION TO THE LAND USE ORDINANCE BEING UPDATED, UH, ALICE AND HER TEAM ARE UPDATING THE MASTER GIS PLAN ON HOW TO, TO GROW OUR MAPPING OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.

THE MPO IS DOING THEIR LONG RANGE PLAN UPDATE RIGHT NOW, AND OUR CDBG UH, FIVE YEAR

[00:40:01]

PLAN IS BEING DEVELOPED RIGHT NOW IN ADDITION TO THAT ANNUAL ACTION PLAN.

SO IT IS A REALLY BIG YEAR FOR LARGER THAN NORMAL PROJECTS IN OUR DEPARTMENT.

I, I AM NOT A FAN OF EXPANDING STAFF, BUT I'M HERE, UH, TO EXPLAIN A PERSONNEL REQUEST THAT WE ARE ASKING FOR THIS YEAR.

UM, I PREFER TO, TO REORGANIZE WHAT I HAVE.

WE STARTED BY DOING THAT LAST YEAR.

WE SIGNIFICANTLY CHANGED TWO POSITIONS THAT WE HAD, AND IT'S WORKING OUT REALLY WONDERFULLY, BUT WE ARE ASKING FOR A, WHAT WE'RE CALLING A PLANNER ONE, BUT WE WOULD PRIMARILY USE AS AN ENFORCEMENT EMPLOYEE.

UM, THE REASON THAT WE ARE ASKING FOR THIS POSITION IS, UH, WELL, I'M GONNA WALK THROUGH OUR JUSTIFICATION.

WE WERE HAVING A REALLY LOW NUMBER OF BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT CASES PREVIOUSLY, UM, WITH THE LAST TWO INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE SERVING AS THE LAND AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATOR.

AND WHEN WE REORGANIZED THE DEPARTMENT AND BROUGHT IN NEW STAFF, UM, WE ARE SEEING THE WAY WE'RE CURRENTLY APPLYING THE ORDINANCE A NEED FOR A HIGHER VOLUME OF CASES TO GO THROUGH OUR BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT.

SO WHAT GOES THROUGH OUR BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT IS VARIANCES.

IF SOMEBODY DOESN'T LIKE THE ORDINANCE AND THEY WANT TO COME AND, AND NOT MEET IT, THEY GO TO THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT, SPECIAL USE PERMITS.

THE WAY OUR ORDINANCE IS CURRENTLY SET UP, A LOT OF COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS AND ALL SCHOOLS HAVE TO GO THROUGH AND GET A BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT APPROVAL AND THEN ALL OF OUR APARTMENT BUILDINGS IN ALL ZONING DISTRICTS, BUT ONE.

AND SO SINCE WE'RE SEEING MORE REQUESTS FOR THINGS LIKE THIS, IT'S, IT'S CAUSING AN INCREASE IN THAT WORKLOAD.

AND THAT IS A LOT OF PAPERWORK, UM, FROM THE APPLICATION TO GOING THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE AND THEN BRINGING THAT ALL THE WAY TO A BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT MEETING ON TOP OF THAT.

UH, LAST YEAR, IF YOU RECALL, WHEN WE CHANGED THE FEE SCHEDULE, I ASKED FOR A ZONING PERMIT TO BE ADDED.

UM, WHEN I GOT HERE, I WAS TASKED WITH FIGURING OUT WHY SO MANY ERRORS WERE BEING MADE AND THINGS WERE BEING BUILT IN THE WRONG PLACE, OR MAYBE PEOPLE WERE CONFUSED ABOUT USES FOR THINGS.

AND IT CAME TO MY ATTENTION PRETTY EARLY ON IN MY TIME HERE IS THAT THE CITY OF NEW BERN WAS NEVER CHECKING ZONING COMPLIANCE ON A SEPARATE PERMIT.

SO WE AFFIXED THAT, WE IMPLEMENTED THAT PERMIT, AND UH, WE ARE NOW HAVING THE ASSURANCE THAT EVERYTHING THAT IS BEING BUILT HAS BEEN CHECKED.

IT MEETS OUR ORDINANCES IN ALL THE DIFFERENT PLACES.

UM, AND THAT USE IS GOOD TO GO OR IT'S GOING TO THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT FOR THE APPROPRIATE PERMIT.

AND SO WE HAVE GENERATED, AS OF A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, ABOUT $20,000, UM, BY ISSUING THOSE PERMITS, WHICH WOULD PAY FOR, I I THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, A THIRD OR A HALF OF THE, JUST THE BASE SALARY OF THIS PERSON.

BUT RIGHT NOW THERE IS NO PERSON TO DO THAT.

IT'S BEING INCORPORATED BY THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR IN THE LAND AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATOR, WHICH IS KIND OF CUTTING INTO THE TIME, UM, TO DO SOME OF THOSE LARGER PROJECTS AND SUBDIVISION REVIEWS AND PROCESSING THE MANY CASES THAT GO THROUGH THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD AND THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT.

SO THAT IS ANOTHER REASON FOR THIS REQUEST.

UM, WE ARE SEEING AN INCREASE.

UH, ANOTHER THING THAT I WAS TASKED WITH DOING WAS MAKING SURE THAT WE HAD FOLLOW THROUGH WHEN PEOPLE CALLED IN AND HAD CONCERNS OR VIOLATIONS WERE ISSUED AND BEFORE THE VIOLATIONS WERE GETTING ISSUED.

AND THERE WASN'T ALWAYS THE MOST EFFICIENT FOLLOW THROUGH ON THAT.

AND WE HAVE BUILT AN IN-HOUSE TRACKING SYSTEM TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN SOMEBODY CALLS US AND HAS A CONCERN THAT IT IS BEING SEEN THROUGH AND THAT THERE IS FOLLOW UP.

AND UM, THAT FOLLOW UP PART IS THE VERY TIME CONSUMING PART BECAUSE IT INVOLVES A LOT OF COORDINATION WITH OUR LEGAL STAFF AND FOLLOWING UP WITH THE PERSON WHO ISSUED THE CONCERN AND THEN ATTEMPTING TO GET COMPLIANCE OUT OF THE PROPERTY OWNER OR THE VIOLATOR.

AND CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW THE LAND AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATOR, IF YOU TAKE, UH, HIS NORMAL WEEK OF WORK, WE HAD STAFF TRACK THIS OVER THE COURSE OF ABOUT FOUR MONTHS.

ONE PERSON HAS ABOUT 70 HOURS OF WORK TO DO DO, AND WE JUST DON'T FEEL THAT IS SUSTAINABLE.

UM, BECAUSE WHAT'S HAPPENING IS, WELL, ONE, THERE'S OVERTIME, AND TWO, THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT ARE JUST NOT GETTING DONE THE WAY THAT THEY DESERVE TO BE DONE.

AND THAT IS, THOSE ARE THE REASONS BEHIND THIS PERSONNEL REQUEST THAT YOU'RE SEEING.

JESSIE, JUST A QUESTION.

UM, I KNOW YOUR NEXT SLIDE, YOU'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT SOME TITLE CHANGES.

POSITION? WELL, I, I AM OPTIMISTIC THAT THIS IS A PERSON THAT CAN ONLY DO THE ZONING COMPLIANCE PERMITS AND THE ENFORCEMENT, BUT WE'LL BE ABLE TO ALSO DO SOME, UM, ASSISTANCE WITH SOME OF THE AGENDA PREPARATIONS AND PROCESSING OF THANKS FOR THE BOARD.

IF, IF THIS POSITION IS REALLY SOMEONE THAT'S GONNA BE ENFORCING THINGS, IS THERE ANY REASON WHY WE'RE CALLING IT A PLANNING OR PLANNER

[00:45:01]

WE CERTAINLY COULD CALL IT AN ENFORCEMENT PERSON AND JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT.

I'M HOPING THAT A PLANNER ONE WILL ATTRACT A MORE QUALITY CANDIDATE THAT WE CAN GROW.

I WAS, UH, KIND OF JUST SEEKING SOME FEEDBACK ON IF WE MAINTAIN A HIGHER VOLUME OF WORK RELATING TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HERE, WHAT TYPE OF WORK YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE.

I HAVE, I'M SORRY, I'M JUMPING AHEAD HERE.

ALRIGHT, SO IN CONTINUING WITH OUR MODERNIZATION THAT WE STARTED LAST YEAR, IF YOU RECALL, WE CREATED A SUPERVISOR OVER NUISANCE ABATEMENT AND MINIMUM HOUSING THAT HAD NEVER EXISTED.

AND WE CREATED, UM, FROM A PLANNER THREE THAT HAD BEEN VACANT FOR 14 MONTHS, AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR POSITION.

UM, THIS YEAR WE ARE ALSO DOING A LITTLE MORE REORGANIZING.

I WOULD LIKE TO ASK TO CHANGE OUR LAND AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATOR SIMPLY TO A ZONING ADMINISTRATOR.

THERE'D BE NO CHANGES TO THE POSITION, TO THE JOB DESCRIPTION, TO THE GRADE SALARY, ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

THIS IS THE POSITION THAT IS CURRENTLY HELD BY KENDRICK STANTON.

UM, AT, AT THE END OF THE DAY IT'S JUST MODERN NAMING TO CALL IT A ZONING ADMINISTRATOR.

SO WE'RE MAKING THAT REQUEST.

ADDITIONALLY, UM, WE HAVE A POSITION CALLED THE CITY PLANNER.

HOWEVER, OVER TIME THIS POSITION HAS EVOLVED PRETTY MUCH TO SIMPLY BE A HISTORIC PRESERVATION ADMINISTRATOR, UM, WHICH IS A REALLY HIGH VOLUME OF WORK THAT COMES THROUGH OUR OFFICE.

SO WE HAVE SLIGHTLY MODIFIED THAT POSITION BECAUSE SOME OF THE, UH, RESPONSIBILITIES OF THAT POSITION ARE NOW BEING HANDLED BY THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR POSITION THAT WE CHANGED LAST YEAR AND MOVING ALL THINGS HPC AND ALL THINGS IN HISTORIC DISTRICT TO BE HANDLED BY THIS ONE PERSON AND NAME IT APPROPRIATELY.

AND THEN ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE A OPEN POSITION RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS THE COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MANAGER.

THAT WAS THE POSITION THAT WAS HELD PREVIOUSLY BY CHRIS SEABERG AND, UM, AMANDA BEFORE CHRIS.

AND WE HAVE ADMINISTRATIVELY DOWNGRADED THAT THE REASON BEHIND DOWNGRADING THAT POSITION WAS IT WAS GRADED AT THE SAME LEVEL AS THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR AND ALL ASSISTANT DIRECTORS IN THE CITY.

AND WE FELT THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT TOO HIGH.

WE'VE ALSO REWRITTEN THE POSITION, SO IT IS NO LONGER SUPERVISING AN EMPLOYEE.

SO DEIA, OUR CDBG COORDINATOR IS, UM, SHE'S REALLY THRIVING RIGHT NOW WORKING DIRECTLY FOR ROBERT.

AND SO THIS POSITION AS IT HAS BEEN REWRITTEN AND IS ADVERTISED NOW, DOES NOT SUPERVISE AN EMPLOYEE.

SO THAT IS THE REASON BEHIND THE DOWNGRADE.

NOW, WE WOULD LIKE, UM, DUE TO THE HIGH VOLUME OF PLANNING WORK GOING THROUGH THE OFFICE TO HAVE THIS POSITION DO SOME MORE, UM, PLANNING AND ZONING TYPE WORK AND ASSIST MORE WITH THAT TEAM BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE I SEE THE BULK OF OUR NEEDS RIGHT NOW.

UM, SO I'M CERTAINLY OPEN TO TALKING ABOUT THIS.

A LOT OF WHAT CHRIS WAS DOING IN HIS ROLE WAS GRANTS MANAGEMENT AND A LITTLE BIT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

AS WE ALL KNOW, WE DON'T REALLY BUDGET FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES.

SO HAVING THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THAT TITLE IS, IS A LITTLE BIT CONFUSING.

SOMETIMES PEOPLE WILL OFTEN CALL OUR OFFICE AND, AND ASK, WELL, WHAT DO YOU DO FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT? AND I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TOOLS TO SHARE ABOUT THAT.

SO THE WAY THE POSITION IS ADVERTISED RIGHT NOW STILL INCORPORATES OVERSIGHT AND BEING THE LIAISON TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, BUT IT'S A LITTLE LESS E ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HEAVY AND A LITTLE PLANNING HEAVIER THAN IT HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY.

AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT IF WE'D LIKE TO PAUSE RIGHT NOW.

MORE OTHER QUESTIONS.

SO THIS POSITION, IS THIS BASICALLY WHERE THIS MANAGER WILL BE IN CHARGE OF THE CDBG PROGRAM? UM, NO.

NO, NO.

NOPE.

THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN RIGHT NOW, IT IS NOT.

ROBERT HAS THE, THE WHO IS THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR HAS THE OVERSIGHT OF DEIA.

UM, OKAY.

AND WITHOUT ACTUALLY THE EXTRA LAYERS OF MANAGEMENT, DEIA IS DOING REALLY WELL.

AND SO I DID NOT WANT TO CHANGE THAT.

I WANT TO JUST LET HER KIND OF THRIVE WORKING DIRECTLY FOR THE ASSISTANT RIGHT NOW.

OH, OKAY.

SO THIS PERSON, UH, AS THIS JOB IS WRITTEN RIGHT NOW, IT STILL MAINTAINS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

IT STILL MAINTAINS THE, THE OVERSIGHT OF GRANTS.

UM, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S OPEN RIGHT NOW, SO, SO WE HAVE ROOM TO, TO PLAY WITH WHAT THE RESPONSIBILITIES ARE.

[00:50:01]

UM, 'CAUSE ALTHOUGH IT'S IN THE TITLE, THERE WASN'T A WHOLE LOT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WORK GOING ON WITH THE PREVIOUS STAFF PERSON IN THAT POSITION.

AND I, I THINK FOR THOSE THAT WERE AROUND, UM, THERE'S PROBABLY NOT TOO MANY OF US, BUT IT STARTED OUT WITH CLARENCE HOLT, I BELIEVE WAS THE FIRST ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MANAGER WE HAD.

AND THEN IT WAS CINDY BLOTT.

AND THEN WHEN AMANDA GOT IN THE POSITION, THAT'S WHEN IT REALLY STARTED TO SHIFT AWAY FROM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MORE TO THIS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

AND, YOU KNOW, MY, MY CONCERN IS, UM, AS THE ECONOMY CONTINUES IN THE STATE THAT IT'S IN, IT'S GONNA BECOME EVEN MORE COMPETITIVE TO TRY TO ATTRACT BUSINESSES.

HERE WE HAVE C ONE A, BUT C ONE A REALLY FOCUSES ON INDUSTRIAL AND MORE OF THE MANUFACTURING TYPE.

THIS PERSON HAD ALWAYS BEEN FOCUSED ON HOSPITALITY, RETAIL, THINGS LIKE THAT.

UM, MY CONCERN IS THAT WE, WE KIND OF TOOK A FOCUS OFF OF THAT AND I THINK CO UM, THE HURRICANE HAD A LOT TO DO WITH THAT.

'CAUSE THAT'S WHEN IT REALLY STARTED WITH THE GRANTS AND ALL THIS OTHER STUFF THAT CAME INTO PLAY.

BUT, UM, I'M NOT SAYING I'M OPPOSED TO YOUR PROPOSAL, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE SOME DISCUSSION AROUND WHAT DOES THE CITY REALLY FEEL LIKE OUR ROLE IS IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

UM, I PERSONALLY THINK SOMEBODY SHOULD BE TRAVELING AROUND GOING TO TRADE SHOWS AND MEETING WITH BUSINESSES AND, AND GETTING THEM HERE.

UM, THAT'S WHAT I THINK THAT PERSON SHOULD DO, BUT THAT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU HAVE PROPOSED.

BUT I THINK IT'S A DISCUSSION THAT THE BOARD PROBABLY NEEDS TO HAVE.

YEAH, I I, I AGREE WITH THE MAYOR.

I WAS THE ONE THAT, UM, PUT IN THERE INCREASED BUDGET FOR TRAVEL FOR THIS POSITION TO TRAVEL WITH C ONE A, TO TRAVEL WITH THE AIRPORT, TO TRAVEL WITH TDA IN ORDER TO TRY TO ATTRACT EXACTLY WHAT THE MAYOR'S TALKING ABOUT.

I, IT WAS, MY, MY VISION WAS A MORE EXPANDED ROLE OF SOMEBODY IN THE CITY WAKING UP EVERY MORNING TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO ATTRACT BUSINESSES TO THE CITY.

SO I, YOU KNOW, NOT OPPOSED TO THIS, BUT UH, LIKE THE MAYOR SAID, I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE SOME MORE DISCUSSIONS.

ABSOLUTELY.

AND, AND IF WE TAKE THE POSITION IN THAT DIRECTION, IT, I MEAN, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY IT MAKES MORE SENSE TO HAVE IT IN ADMIN AND NOT IN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.

I, I WAS GETTING READY TO SAY THE SAME THING PROBABLY SHOULD REPORT TO THE MANAGER.

JESSICA, BEFORE YOU MOVE ON, UM, THE, THE SECOND PROPOSED CHANGE, UM, CITY PLANNER TO, UM, HPC ADMINISTRATOR, UM, IF THAT CHANGE WERE TO TAKE PLACE, IS IT UNUSUAL FOR A CITY THE SIZE OF NEWBURGH AND JUST LOOKING AT OTHER COMMUNITIES IN, IN NORTH CAROLINA FOR US TO NOT ACTUALLY HAVE SOMEBODY DESIGNATED AS A CITY PLANNER? YEAH, MOST PLACES THE SIZE HAVE, OH, NO.

UM, WELL, WE HAVE A ZONING ZONING ADMINISTRATOR AND THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WHO DO PLANNING WORK AS WELL.

MOST JURISDICTIONS WITH THIS LEVEL OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION ACTUALLY HAVE TWO HPC EMPLOYEES, AND WE ONLY HAVE ONE CITY PLANNERS SORT OF BECOMING AN ANTIQUATED TERM FOR, FOR TASKS THAT ARE PERFORMED BY USUALLY ZONING EMPLOYEES.

THAT, THAT SOUNDS ODD TO ME FROM MY BACKGROUND IN MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT, UH, I, I ENVISION A CITY PLANNER AS AN INDIVIDUAL THAT IS LOOKING AT THE CITY, UM, MORE FROM A GLOBAL STANDPOINT.

, WE HAVE THAT PERSON, IT'S ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FUTURE TO IDENTIFY, YOU KNOW, WHERE MAYBE THE CITY NEEDS TO BE MOVING, WHAT DIRECTION IT NEEDS TO BE MOVING IN, UM, TO TRY TO CAPTURE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES, UM, THAT, THAT ARE MAYBE IN THE MARKETPLACE.

I, I, I THINK, AND I'VE I'VE MENTIONED THIS, UM, PREVIOUSLY THAT I, I'M A BIT UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE ROLE THAT THE CITY TAKES IN BEING REACTIONARY INSTEAD OF PROACTIVE.

AND I'M CURIOUS IF THE PROPOSED POSITION CHANGES THAT YOU ARE MAKING IS, IS THAT JUST FALLING IN LINE WITH BEING REACTIONARY? UM, AS OPPOSED TO BEING PROACTIVE? I CAN BE AS PROACTIVE AS YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO BE, BUT I NEED ABOUT

[00:55:01]

FIVE MORE PEOPLE.

, I THINK, UM, WELL, UH, AGAIN, I I I, I'M NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THE COMMENT OF YOU CAN BE AS PROACTIVE AS WE WANT YOU TO BE.

AND I UNDERSTAND, UH, THE POSITION, I UNDERSTAND THE STATEMENT.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE STAFF COMING BACK TO US IN A PROACTIVE WAY, PRESENTING THIS BOARD AND FUTURE BOARDS WITH IDEAS, WITH SUGGESTIONS, WITH RECOMMENDATIONS, AND NOT JUST SIT BACK AND SAY, WHATEVER YOU WANT ME TO DO, JUST TELL ME AND I'LL DO IT.

THAT'S REACTIONARY.

THAT'S NOT BEING PROACTIVE.

I'D LIKE TO SEE YOU BEING MUCH MORE PROACTIVE.

ALL RIGHT.

I'M, WELL, AND, AND I'M NOT SAYING YOU PERSONALLY, I'M SAYING THAT TO EVERY DEPARTMENT HEAD THAT'S SITTING IN HERE.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, AND I'VE HAD CON THIS CONVERSATION WITH FOSTER.

I FEEL LIKE I'VE BEEN WORKING TIRELESSLY TO MODERNIZE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN UNTOUCHED BY MY PREDECESSORS FOR A LONG TIME.

AND IN THAT, THAT IS DEMONSTRATING PROACTIVENESS.

WE'RE UPDATING AN ENTIRE ORDINANCE THAT DATES BACK PARTS OF IT TO THE FIFTIES.

I HAVE UPDATED ALL OF THE PROCESSES, IMPLEMENTED TRACKING SYSTEMS, REORGANIZED, THE STAFF MODERNIZED AS MUCH AS I POSSIBLY COULD HAVE GOTTEN DONE IN 13 MONTHS.

UM, BUT I'M ALWAYS, ALWAYS OPEN TO A CONVERSATION ON WHAT, WHAT I CAN DO BETTER.

UM, WELL, AS I HAD MENTIONED TO YOU BEFORE, UH, COMMENTED TO YOU KEEP DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING BECAUSE I AM VERY SUPPORTIVE OF IT, UM, INTO I'D LIKE TO SEE YOU CONTINUE AND, AND DOING MORE.

AND I'M JUST REACTING TO THE ELIMINATION OF THE TITLE.

AND, AND, AND IF IT'S NOTHING MORE THAN JUST TITLE A COUPLE OF WORDS ON A PAPER OF CITY PLANNER, IT'S AN INDIVIDUAL THAT ISN'T DOING PLANNING WORK AS I ENVISION PLANNING WORK, THEN I DON'T CERTAINLY DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH, UH, WITH THAT CHANGE IN RECOMMENDING.

I JUST AM QUESTIONING WHETHER OR NOT OTHER THAN YOURSELF, AND I'M ASSUMING THAT YOU ARE TRYING TO DO AS MUCH PLANNING WORK ON BEHALF OF THE CITY AS YOU CAN.

I MAY BE WRONG ON THAT AND CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG.

UM, BUT TO BE MOVING AWAY FROM HAVING SOMEBODY IN THE ORGANIZATION THAT IS LOOKING FORWARD AND THAT IS DEVELOPING IDEAS AND PROPOSALS AND PRESENTING THOSE TO US, I THINK IS A MISTAKE.

AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO GET US ON A TRACK THAT I WOULD BE MORE COMFORTABLE WITH.

SO AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, I RECLASSIFIED LAST YEAR A PLANNER THREE WHO DOES THAT TYPE OF WORK POSITION INTO AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.

AND HE VERY MUCH DOES THE TYPE OF WORK OF CITY PLANNER.

HE LOOKS AT THE BIG PICTURE, HE OVERSEES OUR LAND USE STAFF, HE OVERSEES THOSE EMPLOYEES WHO IS CURRENTLY TITLED THE CITY PLANNER IS MATTHEW SHELLEY.

AND MATTHEW SHELLEY IS VERY MUCH AN HPC ADMINISTRATOR.

WHEN PEOPLE CALL, THEY ASK TO TALK TO THE HPC ADMINISTRATOR, AND THIS IS PUTTING A MORE APPROPRIATE TITLE ON THE TYPE OF WORK HE IS DOING.

I'D LOVE TO HAVE AN EXTRA CITY PLANNER THAT COULD COME BACK NEXT YEAR AND ASK FOR THAT.

ON TOP OF THAT, I DON'T THINK THAT'S NECESSARY.

I THINK THAT'S BEING FULFILLED BY OUR, FULFILLED BY OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR RIGHT NOW.

WHAT YOU'RE ENVISIONING AS A, A CITY PLANNER PERSON OVER LAND USE AND PLANS AND THINKING, HOW DO WE GROW? SO HOPEFULLY THAT ANSWERED THE QUESTION.

UM, THERE REALLY ARE NO CHANGES BEING MADE TO, TO THOSE FIRST TWO BULLETS UP THERE.

THE, THE QUESTION I HAVE IS HOW MUCH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DO WE WANT IN THAT LAST BULLET? AND IT SOUNDS LIKE MAYBE WE NEED TO HAVE A MORE COMPREHENSIVE GLOBAL CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT.

THAT PROBABLY WOULD GO OVER MY TIME LIMIT TODAY, .

IN LINE WITH INTERNAL EQUITY, IT SHOULDN'T BE TITLED A MANAGER, I CAN'T CHANGE THE JOB TITLE.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

GOING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, MAYBE YOUR LAST STATEMENT CLARIFIED MY QUESTION.

UM, IN LOOKING AT MODIFYING THE JOB DESCRIPTION TO DO MORE TRAVEL AND THE OTHER ITEMS THAT WAS MENTIONED, UH, WILL THERE BE A CONVERSATION, OF COURSE, WITH THE CITY MANAGER TO LOOK AT MODIFYING THAT JOB DESCRIPTION? SURE.

SO TO BE CLEAR, THIS POSITION IS OPEN AND BEING RECRUITED RIGHT NOW WITH, WITHOUT MORE TRAVEL, WITHOUT IT IS, UM, MANAGER WAS DROPPED, NEEDS TO BE DROPPED FROM THE NAME BECAUSE AS I EXPLAINED, IT'S NOT SUPERVISING A PERSON ANYMORE.

AND SO JUST

[01:00:01]

UM, NOT THROUGHOUT THE BUDGET PROCESS, WHICH IS WHY THIS IS UP HERE.

NOW.

WE DID ADMINISTRATIVELY FOSTER AND SONYA AND I HAVE A CONVERSATION A ABOUT THIS POSITION, UM, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT SUPERVISING.

THAT'S WHY IT WAS DROPPED DOWN.

AGREED.

UM, IT'S JUST THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT QUESTION AGAIN.

DO WE WANT THIS PERSON TO BE A GRANTS MANAGER, AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PERSON TO ASSIST WITH PLANNING? WHAT DO WE WANT, WANT THEM TO DO? IT IS OPEN RIGHT NOW.

I IN THE SENSE OF THE, OF THE TRADITIONAL TERM, THIS JOB HAS NOT ACTUALLY BEEN RECENTLY, UM, AS THE MAYOR POINTED OUT, AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MANAGER.

UH, JESSICA, THIS IS UNDER YOUR PURVIEW.

SO WHAT DO YOU, YOU'RE THE, THE EXPERT HERE IN THIS AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED.

WHAT DO YOU FEEL THAT THIS POSITION SHOULD, SHOULD TAKE TAKEOUT MANAGER AND, AND WHAT DO YOU FEEL THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE WITH THAT POSITION? BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE LOOK TO YOU FOR.

IDEAS CHANGES.

THE WAY IT IS WRITTEN RIGHT NOW AND BEING ADVERTISED IS WHAT I THINK, UH, IS APPROPRIATE BECAUSE IT DOES ADD IN A PERSON THAT WILL DO SOME PLANNING WORK.

WE ARE GROWING, WE HAVE ALL THESE THINGS GOING TO BOARDS.

THE PHONE IN OUR OFFICE RINGS OFF THE HOOK WHEN KENDRICK ANSWERS THE PHONE.

IT'S NOT, WHAT'S THE ZONING ON THIS PROPERTY? IT'S, WELL, WHAT'S THE PROCESS AND THE TIMELINE FOR THIS? WHAT ARE, WHAT THEY GET IN REALLY DEEP, LONG CONVERSATIONS? HOW DO I RENOVATE THIS PROPERTY? WHEN YOU START GETTING INTO THAT, UM, HE SPENDS A LOT OF TIME HELPING CITIZENS AND DEVELOPERS AND REAL ESTATE AGENTS ON THE PHONE.

I NEED SOMEBODY ELSE TO HELP ALLEVIATE THAT FROM HIM BECAUSE IN MY MIND HIS TALENTS ARE BEST SERVED WORKING WITH THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT AND OUR PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD.

AND HE HAS A VERY TIED UP IN DAY-TO-DAY THINGS THAT, UM, LIKE I SAID ARE ABOUT 70 HOURS A WEEK AND, AND HE'S JUST ONE MAN WORKING WHO SHOULD BE WORKING 40 .

THIS WRITTEN IN THIS WAY? HOW HAS THIS BEEN ENFORCED BEFORE? IT'S NOT CLEAR.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

ANY MORE QUESTIONS? JUST JESSICA, ONE QUICK FOLLOW UP ON, ON THE LAND USE, UM, UH, REWRITE FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERMINOLOGY, DO YOU HAVE A TIMEFRAME AS TO HOW LONG YOU THINK THAT PROCESS IS GOING TO TAKE? WE DO, AND WHEN YOU SEE THE PRESENTATION ON FEBRUARY 27TH, IT IS OUTLINED TO TAKE ABOUT 24 MONTHS AND HE WILL WALK YOU THROUGH ALL THOSE, ALL THOSE STEPS AND HOW WE'RE GONNA GET THERE AND HOW WE PLAN TO DO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN THE WEBSITE BEING SET UP FOR TRANSPARENCY, UM, ALL THOSE THINGS.

SO, AND, AND DO YOU ENVISION AS, AS PART OF THAT PROCESS THAT AS RECOMMENDATIONS ARE BEING DEVELOPED AND MADE, THAT YOU ARE GONNA BE COMING BACK TO US ON A PERIODIC BASIS TO MAKE CHANGES? YES, ABSOLUTELY.

IN THE INTERIM, AS OPPOSED TO AT THE END OF 24 MONTHS OR THERE ABOUT, HERE YOU GO ABOARD, THERE'S A 300 400 PAGE DOCUMENT, WE WANT YOU TO APPROVE IT.

NOPE.

THERE'S STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS THAT ARE BEING SET UP RIGHT NOW TO, UM, GAUGE THE DIRECTION TO GO IN.

THERE'S ALSO GONNA BE A LOT OF, UH, QUESTIONS THAT WE'RE GONNA NEED TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS ON TO GET INPUT FROM YOU ALL ON, UM, HOW INTENSIVE WE WANT OUR LAND USE REGULATIONS TO BE AND HOW EFFICIENT WE WANT OUR ORDINANCE TO BE.

THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY RIGHT NOW, FOR INSTANCE, SUBDIVISIONS.

MOST JURISDICTIONS DON'T MAKE THEIR SUBDIVISIONS GO TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD FOR APPROVAL.

WE DO.

THAT'S A LOT OF PAPERWORK.

UM, ON AN EMPLOYEE IN A, A, A, YOU KNOW, FOUR OR FIVE DAYS TO GET READY FOR A MEETING ON A LARGE SUBDIVISION, LET'S SAY, TO WORK TOWARDS THAT AND ALL THE LETTERS AND THE MAILINGS AND THINGS.

WHEN THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD IS REALLY IN A POSITION WHERE IF IT MEETS ALL THE CRITERIA AND HAS BEEN THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT REVIEW IN ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS AND ALL OF OUR AGENCY PARTNERS SAY, THIS SUBDIVISION IS GOOD.

IT HAS ENOUGH INGRESS, IT HAS ENOUGH EGRESS.

FIRE DEPARTMENT IS HAPPY WITH HOW LARGE THE CUL-DE-SACS ARE.

ALL THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.

WHY ARE WE MOVING IT TO PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD? WHY NOT JUST ISSUE APPROVAL? UM, SO THERE'S WAYS TO BUILD EFFICIENCIES INTO OUR ORDINANCE LIKE THAT.

YOU'RE ALSO GONNA SEE A LOT OF EFFICIENCY ADDED BECAUSE THIS IS GONNA BE A MUCH CLEARER ORDINANCE, UM, WITH LESS INTERPRETATION AND LESS HAVING TO CALL JAMIE OR SCOTT AND SAY, WHY IS

[01:05:01]

THE OTHER WONDERFUL THING IS WHEN THE STATE DID ONE 60 D, THEY MADE LOTS OF RECOMMENDED, UM, DEFINITIONS.

THE DEFINITION SECTION IN OUR ORDINANCE HAS LIKE NEVER BEEN UPDATED.

IT'S REALLY ANTIQUATED.

UM, JUST HAVING STANDARDIZED DEFINITIONS FOR USES ALONE AND HAVING ALL THE USES THAT ARE OUT THERE IN 2024 IN THAT ORDINANCE IS GONNA BE A HUGE TIME SAVER AS WELL, BECAUSE PEOPLE AREN'T COMING IN AND SAYING LIKE, WELL, I WANNA DO THIS TINY HOUSE COMMUNITY, AND WELL, WE HAVE TO TAKE DIFFERENT REGULATIONS AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO APPLY THEM TO THAT BECAUSE WE DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE A SECTION ON THAT BECAUSE NOBODY EVER ADDED ONE IN.

SO I AM OPTIMISTIC THAT EVERYTHING IS GONNA BE MORE EFFICIENT ONCE THIS IS DONE.

WE HAVE THE RIGHT BALANCE OF REGULATION FOR WHAT YOU ALL WANNA SEE.

THERE'S OP AND SIGNS.

WHEW, OUR SIGN ORDINANCE.

I KNOW THIS IS NOT THE FORUM TO GET INTO THIS.

UM, THAT'S THE NUMBER ONE THING ON HIS, HIS LIST OF LET'S GET THIS UPDATED AFTER SOME OF THE SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN STATE LAW.

ALSO, OUR STANDARDIZED PROCESSES.

YOU KNOW, I GET, I HEAR ALL THE TIME, WELL, PEOPLE AREN'T BEING TREATED CONSISTENTLY.

PART OF THAT IS IT DEPENDS ON WHO'S INTERPRETING THE ORDINANCE TO YOU.

RIGHT NOW, IF WE HAVE A PROCESS THAT WE USE FOR ONE PERSON, IT SHOULD BE USED FOR ALL AND IT SHOULD BE INCORPORATED INTO THIS LAND USE ORDINANCE.

AND THAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN BECAUSE THAT'S HOW I DO BUSINESS.

AND THAT'S THE BEST WAY I THINK, TO DO BUSINESS.

AND SO WE'RE GONNA SEE THINGS LIKE THAT THAT ARE GONNA REDUCE SOME OF, SOME OF THE PROBLEM, LARGER PROBLEMS THAT WE SEE COMING OUT OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AND ADD THAT EFFICIENCY IN.

NOW IT TAKES A YEAR OR TWO.

ONCE YOU HAVE A NEW ORDINANCE LIKE THIS ADOPTED, IS IT GONNA BE PERFECT? IT'S NOT GONNA BE PERFECT.

WE'LL BORROW THE BEST OF OTHERS.

YOU LIKE THAT VERSION OF THIS? WE'LL PUT IT IN THERE.

BUT WHEN YOU GO TO APPLY IT, YOU'RE ALWAYS GONNA SEE, AH, WELL MAYBE THIS DIDN'T QUITE WORK.

WE DIDN'T THINK ABOUT DOUBLING THE SETBACK HERE MADE SENSE EVERYWHERE.

AND SO PROBABLY FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, EVERY FOUR TO SIX MONTHS, I'LL, I'LL KEEP SOME RUNNING UPDATES AND WE'LL BE DOING SOME TEXT AMENDMENTS AND THINGS, BUT IT'S GONNA GET WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE.

IT'S GOING TO BE EASY TO UPDATE.

UM, AND MOVING FORWARD, THIS IS JUST GONNA BE A REALLY AWESOME THING FOR DEVELOPMENT IN NEW BERN.

AND GOOD ORDINANCES ATTRACT DEVELOPMENT WHEN YOU HAVE A STANDARDIZED, EASY TO UNDERSTAND PROCESS THAT INCLUDES THAT TIMELINE AND IT'S ORDAINED AND EVERYBODY FOLLOWS THE SAME THING.

PEOPLE LIKE WORKING UNDER THOSE CONDITIONS.

UM, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE BUILDING, LIKE DOWN THE ROAD IN ANSLOW COUNTY.

THERE'S 57 DIFFERENT SUBDIVISIONS GOING ON RIGHT NOW.

THE ORDINANCE IS SO EASY TO UNDERSTAND AND APPLY, AND THE PROCESS IS EFFICIENT.

WHY MAKE THIS TAKE SIX MONTHS WHEN YOU CAN GET IT DONE IN FORT? ANYTHING ELSE ON THAT ? WE'LL HAVE PLENTY OF TIME OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS TO TALK ABOUT LAND USE ISSUES.

I PROMISE.

WE DO HAVE SOME REQUESTS, UH, FOR BUILDING UPGRADES.

UH, AND THIS MAY OR MAY NOT BE NECESSARY.

THE CITY MANAGER MENTIONED HE'S THINKING OF MOVING SOME THINGS AROUND, BUT WE DID START PAINTING THE FRONT OF OUR OFFICE THIS YEAR OF OUR OFFICE BUILDING.

IT'S ABOUT HALF DONE, UM, TIME CONSTRAINTS FROM PUBLIC WORKS.

KIND OF PUT THAT ON HOLD, BUT WE, WE GOT READ OF THE DIRTY BEIGE AND EVERYTHING'S KIND OF MODERNIZED GRAY RIGHT NOW.

WE WOULD LIKE THE REST OF THE DEPARTMENT FINISHED PAINTING IN THAT BUILDING.

WE'VE ASKED FOR SOME SOUNDPROOFING, UM, BETWEEN WHERE I SIT AND WHERE MY ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT SITS AND THE MPO SUITES.

UM, THREE OF THE FOUR OF US ARE ON A LOT OF ZOOM CALLS.

AND THOSE ARE VERY THIN WALLS.

SO YOU ARE JUST HEARING CONSTANT MEETING CONVERSATIONS GOING ON.

SO WE'VE ASKED FOR A LITTLE BIT OF RELIEF THERE.

UM, I REARRANGED THE OFFICE TO BE MORE ERGONOMIC.

ALL THE PLANNING EMPLOYEES ARE TOGETHER.

ALL OF THE MPO EMPLOYEES ARE TOGETHER, ADMINS TOGETHER, BUILDING INSPECTORS ARE TOGETHER WHERE IT USED TO BE KIND OF ALL OVER THE PLACE.

UM, SOME OF THAT PROPINQUITY IS REALLY BENEFITING.

UM, JUST HAVING LIKE EMPLOYEES GROUPED TOGETHER BECAUSE THEY'RE THERE AND IT'S EASIER.

AND OF COURSE, UM, WITH Z IN THERE NOW TOO.

JUST THE CONVERSATIONS HAPPENING BETWEEN PLANNING AND DEIA AND THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION WHERE EVERYBODY SITS NOW JUST MAKES MORE SENSE.

BUT I'VE GOT A TON OF PEOPLE GOING THROUGH A DOOR

[01:10:01]

ON THE LEFT.

UM, THEY CAN COME OUT THE DOOR, BUT THEY CAN'T GO IN THE DOOR.

SO WE'VE ASKED FOR AN ACCESS BUTTON SO THEY'RE NOT TRACKING ALL THE WAY THROUGH INSPECTIONS TO GET BACK TO THE PLANNING SUITE AREA OF THE OFFICE.

AND THEN WE ARE IN A NEED IF THAT POSITION IS FUNDED.

WE WERE DISCUSSING, UM, WE'RE OUT OF OFFICE SPACE.

WE MADE ZB AN OFFICE IN A CLOSET , WHICH HE SITS IN, IN HAPPILY, BUT HE IS LITERALLY WORKING IN A CLOSET.

AND I'VE GOT ONE MORE LITTLE NOOK I CAN STICK ANOTHER PERSON IN.

AND I THINK WE'RE ABOUT OUT OF SPACE.

SO, UM, WE HAVE ASKED FOR THAT.

THAT WOULD BE KIND OF CUT OFF IN THE INSPECTIONS OFFICE BETWEEN WHERE YOU GO UP THE STAIRS AND THE BACK TO WHERE THE STAGE WAS AND WHERE THERE'S A PLANNING TABLE IN INSPECTIONS RIGHT NOW.

HOW MANY, HOW MANY OFFICES, UM, DOES HR HAVE IN THAT BUILDING? UM, ACTUAL OFFICE SPACE.

THERE'S FOUR, THERE'S NINE ASSISTANCE OPEN AREA.

SO YOU COULD UTILIZE THAT SPACE IF IT WAS OPEN FOR YOU.

I ASSUME I WOULD LOVE TO UTILIZE THAT SPACE IF IT WAS OPEN FOR ME.

AND I'LL TAKE THAT A STEP FURTHER.

UH, THIS, UH, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE REAL BIG CAPITAL PLANNING TODAY.

OUR REAL CHALLENGE RIGHT NOW IS OFFICE SPACE BECAUSE WE'VE GOT THE MPO, THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, UM, CONSTANTLY HAVING PUBLIC HEARINGS ON, UH, MINIMUM HOUSING AND THINGS.

AND THERE'S REALLY ONLY ONE SPACE TO UTILIZE FOR THAT.

AND IT'S OUR CONFERENCE ROOM.

AND SO THAT IS A VERY TIGHTLY SCHEDULED SPACE RIGHT NOW.

AND WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE SOME SMALLER BREAKOUT AREAS TO HOST MEETINGS.

AND THE OTHER SIDE OF IT IS, UH, WE'RE OFTEN DEALING WITH, MANY OF OUR CUSTOMERS ARE NOT CUSTOMERS BY CHOICE.

THEY COME IN, THEY MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE PLEASED WITH SOME OF THE SERVICES THAT WE HAVE BEEN PROVIDING THEM OR THE VIOLATION LETTER THEY'VE RECEIVED.

AND I WOULD BE MORE COMFORTABLE IF SOME OF THOSE MEETINGS WERE TAKING PLACE IN A MORE OPEN BUT PRIVATE SPACE THAN IN, UM, EMPLOYEE'S OFFICES.

AND RIGHT NOW, MANY TIMES THAT'S WHERE THAT'S HAPPENING.

I KNOW I'VE HAD SOME T MEETINGS IN MY OFFICE SPACE, WHICH I WOULD'VE PREFERRED TO HAVE IF I HAD MORE OF A BREAKOUT AREA TO WORK IN.

AND VEHICLES.

THESE ARE OUR TWO BIG REQUESTS FOR CAPITAL THIS YEAR.

WE'VE GOT A 2008 VEHICLE THAT IS, UH, BEYOND ITS USEFUL LIFE.

WE ARE ASKING TO REPLACE THAT.

AND THEN GIVEN THE POSITION WE HAVE ASKED FOR, WOULD BE AN ENFORCEMENT TYPE EMPLOYEE AT ABOUT THREE QUARTERS OF THE TIME, THAT PERSON WOULD REQUIRE A VEHICLE.

I'VE ASKED FOR A TRUCK.

UM, A LOT OF THAT IS SIGNED PICKUP AND THROWING STUFF IN THE BACK.

SO A A REGULAR CAR WOULDN'T WORK FOR THAT.

SO YOU WILL SEE HERE THE TWO VEHICLE REQUESTS.

I HAVE NOT ASKED TO UPDATE OUR FEE SCHEDULE THIS YEAR.

WE DID QUITE A BIT OF UPDATING IN SURGERY ON THAT LAST YEAR.

I THINK IT'S STILL SUFFICIENT, UM, MOVING FORWARD.

AND SO THIS IS OUR SUMMARY OF ADDITIONAL REQUESTS HERE.

AND I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU, MR. TIME I WOULD LIKE TO ASK, IS THAT HUB TO COME UP FOR REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION? GOOD MORNING.

MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN, MR. MAYOR, IT'S, UH, MY PRIVILEGED, UH, TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT A, THE BUDGET REQUEST FOR THE REDEVELOPMENT, UH, COMMISSION FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2025.

IT'S BEEN DESIGNATED BLIGHTED, UH, FOR A LOT LONGER THAN THAT.

UH, WE HAVE ONE EMPLOYEE IN THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION THAT IS YOURS TRULY.

UM, BUT, UH, IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT I DO ALL THE WORK BY MYSELF.

I ACTUALLY HAVE NINE COMMISSIONERS, UH, WHO, WHO WORK WITH ME.

AND I'D BE REMISS IN MY DUTIES THIS MORNING IF I DIDN'T MENTION THE FACT THAT WE ARE SUPPORTED IN EVERYTHING THAT WE DO, UH, BY ALL THE PEOPLE, UH, SITTING HERE IN, IN THIS ROOM, THERE IS NOT A SINGLE PROJECT THAT WE WORK ON, UH, IN A SILO.

AND SO WE OWE A LOT OF THANKS, UH, TO THE, UH, SUPPORTIVE DEPARTMENTS OF THE CITY, UH, FOR THE WORK THAT WE GET TO DO.

SO, UM, THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION BOUNDARY ENCOMPASSES A TOTAL OF A OF 1,899 PARCELS OVER A TOTAL OF 474 ACRES OF LAND.

THE LAND INSIDE THIS REDEVELOPMENT AREA BOUNDARY HAS BEEN DESIGNATED BLIGHTED BY THE 2000 BY, UH, IN THE, IT WAS DESIGNATED BLIGHTED IN THE YEAR 2018.

UH, BUT TO BE CANDID,

[01:15:01]

UM, THAT RESULTED IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.

IT'S WORTH NOTING THAT THE LEGAL DEFINITION OF BLIGHT, OR A MORE MODERN TERM, WOULD BE A DISTRESSED, UH, ZONE.

IT'S NOT SIMPLY ABOUT THE SOCIOECONOMIC, UH, DEMOGRAPHICS OF AN AREA.

RATHER, UM, A DISTRESS ZONE IS DEFINED AS LAND SO DAMAGED OR NEGLECTED, THAT IT IS INCAPABLE OF BEING BENEFICIAL TO A COMMUNITY WITHOUT OUTSIDE INTERVENTION.

IN SHORT BLIGHT HINDERS THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE CITIZENS WHO ARE, WHO LIVE IN PROXIMITY TO IT.

IT HINDERS THE MUNICIPALITY'S RESOURCES AND IT HINDERS THE COMMUNITY'S PROGRESS.

WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT WHEN A HOLISTIC COMMUNITY APPROACH IS, IS TAKEN, TRANSFORMATION IS POSSIBLE WITHOUT HARMING HOMEOWNERS WHO RESIDE IN THESE DISTRESSED COMMUNITIES.

SO THE MISSION OF THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION IS TO LEAD THE WAY FOR COMMUNITY TRANSFORMATION AND IMPROVEMENT BY DIRECTLY ADDRESSING COMMUNITY NEEDS.

IN THE VITAL AREAS OF PUBLIC HEALTH, INFRASTRUCTURE, HOUSING, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THE COMMISSION IS COMMITTED TO AN ACCOUNTABLE TO ACCOUNT, AN ACCOUNTABLE, TRANSPARENT AND PUBLICLY DRIVEN PROCESS.

SO WHAT DO WE DO? OUR NUMBER ONE GOAL IS TO IMPROVE THE OVERALL APPEARANCE OF THE REDEVELOPMENT AREA.

NUMBER TWO IS TO IMPROVE THE APPEARANCE, UH, IN QUALITY OF HOUSING STOCK IN THE REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT BOUNDARY BOUNDARY AREA.

GOAL NUMBER THREE IS TO EXPLORE FLOOD MITIGATION ALTERNATIVES WITHIN THE REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT BOUNDARY AREA.

GOAL NUMBER FOUR IS THE ACQUISITION OF BLIGHTED PARCELS TO ASSEMBLE LAND FOR SUITABLE DEVELOPMENT, UH, DEVELOPMENT SITES.

AND, UH, TO MY BUDGET REQUESTS TODAY THAT, UH, THAT WILL SPEAK DIRECTLY TO GOAL NUMBER FOUR.

GOAL NUMBER FIVE IS TO ENCOURAGE COMMUNITY HEALTH AND WELLNESS.

SO WE ASK HOW ARE WE DOING IN 2023? THE RDC WORKED TO COMPLETE THE NINE 11 U EUBANKS PROPERTY.

THIS PROPERTY IS AN ONGOING INITIATIVE WHERE THE RDC HAS PARTNERED WITH CDBG IN A, IN BEING A CATALYST FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

CURRENTLY, THE RDC IS LOOKING FOR A STRATEGIC PARTNER THAT CAN CLUSTER DEVELOP AROUND THIS PROPERTY TO RAISE THE STANDARD OF HOUSING IN THIS SPECIFIC NEIGHBORHOOD.

WE ALSO REALIZED, UH, WORK TO REALIZE A HEALTH AND WELLNESS CLINIC, AN EFFORT THAT HAS GONE ON FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.

ORIGINALLY CONCEPTUALIZE THAT THE BLOOMFIELD PARCEL, THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS WORKING GROUP, UH, WAS ABLE TO ENTER INTO DISCUSSION WITH A POTENTIALLY LARGER, UH, PARTNER THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO MOVE THE CLINIC TO A LARGER PARCEL AND ENGAGE, UH, BETTER OPERATIONS FOR THE, UH, FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT WOULD BENEFIT.

THE COMMISSION IS CURRENTLY WORKING TO FINALIZE THOSE PLANS TO COMPLETION, AND WE CAN'T WAIT TO SHARE THAT WITH THE PUBLIC.

FINALLY, THE RDC DEVELOPED THREE AFFORDABLE HOMES IN WALT BELLAMY.

AND THANKS TO THE GENEROSITY OF THE CITY OF NEW BERN AND ALDERMAN ASTROS ARPA APPROPRIATION, THE RDC ENGAGED IMEC BUILDERS AND OUR NEARING COMPLETION OF CONSTRUCTION.

THESE HOMES WILL BE USED TO HOUSE LOW AND MODERATE INCOME FAMILIES IN NEED OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING SOLUTIONS.

WE'RE CURRENTLY ENGAGED WITH SEVERAL INTERESTED PARTIES FOR THE PURCHASE OF THESE HOMES, AND I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THIS MORNING THAT I JUST RECEIVED, UH, THE APPRAISAL, UH, FOR ALL THREE PARCELS.

THE RDC ALSO CLOSED, CLOSED ON TWO PARCELS, UH, PREVIOUSLY OWNED BY THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION IN 23.

UH, THIS WAS, UH, A BIG ACHIEVEMENT BECAUSE UP UNTIL THIS PAST YEAR, THE DISPOSITION OF RRC, UH, RDC PARCELS HAD NOT HAPPENED.

SO LOOKING FORWARD, THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION HAS PLANS.

WE WANT TO FINISH WHAT WE STARTED IN 2024.

THE COMMISSION IS COMMITTED TO COMPLETING ALL PROJECTS CURRENTLY ONGOING.

THIS WILL INCLUDE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BLOOMFIELD PROPERTY THAT IS IN THE PLANNING STAGES AS WE SPEAK.

WE ALSO HAVE OUR EYE ON THE WEST, A STREET DEVELOPMENT.

UH, THE FUNDING FOR THAT WILL BE REVENUE GAINED FROM THE WALT BELLAMY DEVELOPMENT AND THE RDC FUND BALANCE.

UH, WE'LL WORK TO DEMO WORK WITH PUBLIC SERVICES TO DEMOLISH WEST A STREET.

THE EXISTING HOMES ON THOSE, THAT'S ALREADY BEEN AN APPROVED, UH, PROJECT.

WE'RE JUST WAITING, UM, UNTIL WE'RE READY TO DO THE WORK THERE TO START THAT.

WE'LL ALSO SUBDIVIDE THE WEST, UH, THE WEST A STREET TRACT, UH, SO THAT THERE'LL BE MORE, UH, RESIDENTIAL TRACTS, UH, THERE TO PROVIDE A LARGER STOCK FOR HOUSING.

AND WE'LL WORK WITH A DEVELOPER, UH, TO DEVELOP UP TO SEVEN NEW AFFORDABLE HOMES.

UH, WE ALSO HAVE A NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVE THAT WILL

[01:20:01]

CONTINUE.

UM, AND IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVE, WE PLAN TO SURVEY AND VISIT NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS AND RESIDENTS TO INFORM, ENGAGE, AND LEARN.

AGAIN, OUR GOAL IS TO ALWAYS HAVE A TRANSPARENT, OPEN AND OPEN DIALOGUE WITH THE PUBLIC SO THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING A PROCESS AND WE GET THE FUN JOB OF, UH, HANGING OUT WITH OUR CITIZENS, UH, VOLUNTARILY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY NEED AND WHAT THEY WANT AND WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO THEM IN THE PLACES WHERE THEY LIVE.

UM, THE OTHER THING IS IF WE'RE GONNA SUSTAIN THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, WE HAVE TO WORK ON INNOVATIVE FUNDING, FUNDING STRATEGIES THAT ALLOW US TO SUSTAIN THIS WORK.

THIS CAN'T BE DONE SIMPLY BY UTILIZING OUR $300,000 FUND BALANCE.

THIS HAS TO BE DONE BY SEARCHING OUT AND RESEARCHING STRATEGIC PARTNERS, UM, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE, UH, THE BEST IN CLASS PRACTICES AS WE TEND TO DO THIS PIONEERING WORK OF REDEVELOPMENT.

UH, IT WILL MEAN GOING OUT OF, UH, GOING OUT OF THE REDEVELOPMENT ZONE TO FIND NEW PARTNERS AND TO ENGAGE THEM IN THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING.

AND, UH, I'M PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT THAT AS ARE THE COMMISSIONERS.

SO, AS FAR AS MY CAPITAL REQUESTS THIS MORNING, UH, THE RDC ESTIMATES THAT WE WOULD ONLY REQUIRE ABOUT $10,000 DRAW FROM OUR EXISTING FUND BALANCE FOR LAND ACQUISITIONS.

THAT WOULD HELP, UH, TO, UM, MAKE SOME OF THE PAR PARCEL TRACKS THAT ARE EXISTING THAT WE OWN ALREADY MORE ATTRACTIVE TO DEVELOPERS.

UH, AND THOSE PLANS ARE ONGOING.

SO I FORGOT TO PRESS THE BUTTON FOR YOU ALL 'CAUSE I TALKED TOO MUCH, BUT THAT IS WHAT I HAVE.

I ALSO INCLUDED, UH, SOME PICTURES OF THE WALT BELLAMY, UH, PROJECT FOR YOU.

SO THAT'S MY PRESENTATION.

UM, DO DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? SO JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, THE 10,000 WOULD COME OUT OF THEIR FUNDS THEY ALREADY HAVE, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.

AND WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS THE, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WOULD MAKE THE PRESENTATION TO THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.

THEY WOULD THEN TURN AROUND AND MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO DISCOVERY BOARD TO INCLUDE THIS IN THIS UPCOMING BUDGET.

AND IS ALONG WITH ANY OTHER EXPENDITURES THEY ANTICIPATE.

AND ZB, DO YOU THINK THAT THAT NUMBER SEEMS FAIRLY LOW? MM-HMM, .

IS THAT BECAUSE YOU'RE EXPECTING TO GET REVENUE BACK, LIKE WHEN YOU SELL THE HOUSES AND THINGS LIKE THAT? ABSOLUTELY.

I JUST WANNA ASK YOU ONE QUESTION.

HOW, HOW IS THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS CLINIC COMING ALONG? IS AT WHAT POINT ARE YOU AT WITH FINALIZING THAT OR? I FEEL FAIRLY COMFORTABLE IN SAYING THAT THE DISCUSSIONS HAVE ALL BEEN POSITIVE, UH, BOTH WITH THE COMMUNITY AND WITH, UH, AND WITH POTENTIAL PARTNERS AND MORALE IS HIGH.

SO I I, I REALLY DO HOPE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS TO, UH, BE ABLE TO PRESENT, UH, THAT AND TO MAKE REQUE, UH, AN ADDITIONAL REQUEST OF ALL OF YOU, ALL THE PLAN LAND ACQUISITION.

WHERE IS THAT LAND LOCATED? UH, THE PARCELS, UH, THERE ARE ACTUALLY TWO SPECIFIC PARCELS, UM, THAT, THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.

ONE IS ATTACHED TO THE WEST, A STREET, UH, TRACK, AND ONE IS ATTACHED TO THE FIRST AVENUE TRACK THAT THE RDC ALREADY OWNS.

AGAIN, THE, THE HOPE WITH THOSE IS TO COMBINE THEM WITH THE TRACKS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE SO THAT THEY'LL BE MORE SUITABLE FOR DEVELOPMENT AND THUS MORE ATTRACTIVE FOR DEVELOP DEVELOPERS.

AND ANOTHER QUESTION, YOU SAID THAT THE, THE, UM, PROJECTS ON WALT BELLAMY HAVE BEEN APPRAISED.

WHAT IS THE APPRAISED VALUE? THE APPRAISED VALUE? UM, YOU FORGIVE ME, I ONLY TOOK A BRIEF PERUSE OF IT, UH, THIS MORNING.

THE APPRA, UH, APPRAISED VALUES ARE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN ONE 50 AND 1 65 PER UNIT.

UH, THEY'RE ALL DIFFERENT SIZES, AND SO THEY ALL, UH, THEY ALL RANGE IN, IN, IN VALUE, BUT, UH, I'M VERY HAPPY WITH, UM, THE, UH, THE APPRAISAL VERSUS WHAT WE PUT INTO THEM.

AND MY FINAL QUESTION IS THIS.

I'VE BEEN A PART OF REDEVELOPING THE COMMUNITY.

UM, I'M LOOKING AT THIS MAP OF THE BOUNDARIES.

FOR THIS BOUNDARY DATES BACK TO 2008, 2006, UH, WHEN THEY WERE DOING, AND I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THE NAME OF THE GROUP WAS BACK THEN.

AND I'VE SEEN THROUGHOUT THE YEARS HOW IT HAS EXPANDED.

I'VE BEEN AT THE TABLE FOR ALMOST 40 YEARS WORKING WITH REDEVELOPING THE COMMUNITY.

HOW DID IT GET TO THIS CURRENT BOUNDARY? I BELIEVE THE CURRENT BOUNDARY WAS, WAS OFFICIALLY ESTABLISHED AFTER THE CNI, UH, INITIATIVE WAS DONE IN 2018.

UH, BUT THE FOOTPRINT

[01:25:01]

GATEWAY, RENAISSANCE PLAN, YES.

GATEWAY, RENAISSANCE.

AND BEYOND THAT, IT, IT, IT HAS, HAS SO, SO MANY NAMES AND BEING REINVENTED.

BUT, UM, AGAIN, UM, I'M JUST LOOKING AT THE FOOTPRINT, AS YOU SAID, AND IT SEEMS TO KEEP ENLARGING AND ENLARGING.

AND THAT IS ONE OF THE, THE ONE THING THAT YOU WILL HEAR FROM THE RESIDENTS IS THAT QUESTION THAT I ASKED WHEN WE RECALL THE GREATER DUFFY FIELD COMMUNITY, IT ENCOMPASSED THE GREATER DUFFY FIELD COMMUNITY.

AND NOW THE FOOTPRINT IS, IT IS MUCH, MUCH LARGER.

AND SO I ASKED THAT QUESTION BECAUSE IT COMES FROM A, A LOT OF THE RESIDENTS.

I GUESS I WOULD, I I WOULD ONLY SAY THAT THE, THE BOUNDARY HAS TO, HAS TO RESPOND TO BLIGHT AS IT'S TECHNICALLY, AS IT'S TECHNICALLY DEFINED.

AND SO WHERE BLIGHT EXISTS, THE BOUNDARY HAS TO EXTEND TO, UH, TO ENCOMPASS THAT.

AND SO AS WE ADDRESS THESE AREAS OF, OF BLIGHT AND WE ACTUALLY SEE A DECREASE HAPPEN, UH, IN, IN THE COMMUNITY, I ANTICIPATE THE BOUNDARY WILL DECREASE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

OF COURSE.

ZAB, IF I COULD ASK YOU A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, HOW DIFFICULT WOULD IT BE TO, UM, TAKE ONE OF THESE MAPS THAT WE'VE BEEN PROVIDED WITH? AND I'M LOOKING AT THE THIRD ONE, WHICH CHOICE NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVE? YEP.

UM, AND WITHIN THAT, UM, THERE ARE IDENTIFIED AS 910 RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES WITHIN THE DISTRICT.

, UM, THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION SERVICES, UM, ARE NOT APPLICABLE TO RENTAL UNITS.

YOU ONLY ARE GOING TO BE DEALING WITH OWNER-OCCUPIED PROPERTIES.

UM, HELP ME UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION.

UH, IS, IS YOUR QUESTION, WE WILL ONLY BUILD OWNER-OCCUPIED HOMES OR WELL, ANY SERVICES THAT THE COMMISSION, UM, MAY BE INVOLVED IN WHATEVER THEY, WHATEVER THEY ARE.

ARE NOT APPLICABLE TO RENTAL UNITS.

WE WILL NEVER BE A LANDLORD.

THE COMMISSION IS NOT, IT, IT DOES NOT HAVE THAT ABILITY, THAT STATE THAT STATED WELL ON THAT.

BUT THAT STATED, WE DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO WORK WITH, UH, TO WORK WITH PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY, SUCH AS THE HOUSING AUTHORITY WHERE RENTAL, UH, WHERE RENTAL STOCK WILL BE INCREASED.

WELL, BY THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IF SOMEBODY ACQUIRES A VACANT LOT, PUTS A NEW HOME ON IT AND CHOOSES TO RENT IT OUT AS NOT NECESSARILY.

I MEAN, THE, UH, I MEAN, HYPOTHETICALLY SPEAKING, IF WE WERE TO, UH, BUILD A, AN APARTMENT COMPLEX ON K STREET, JUST 'CAUSE K'S MY FAVORITE, UH, LETTER TODAY.

UM, AND WE WERE TO DEVELOP THAT PROPERTY USING, UH, TAX CREDIT AND, AND, AND FUNDING THAT MUNICIPALITIES, UH, ARE ELIGIBLE FOR, UH, AND PART AND CO-DEVELOP THAT WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.

THE HOUSING AUTHORITY COULD USE THAT AS RENTAL, UH, AS RENTAL STOCK.

AND WE CO-DEVELOPED THAT, UH, CO-DEVELOP THAT WITHIN OUR, OUR, OUR LEGAL LIMITATIONS.

NO, I, OKAY.

NO, I UNDERSTAND THAT.

UH, LET ME, LEMME TRY IT A DIFFERENT WAY.

IF, UM, IF YOU WERE SUCCESSFUL IN, SAY, APPLYING FOR SOME GRANT FUNDING MM-HMM.

, UM, WHETHER IT BE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FUNDING OR FUNDING AVAILABLE THROUGH THE STATE FOR SAY HOUSING REHAB WORK.

, NONE OF THAT MONEY WOULD GO TO EXISTING RENTAL HOUSING.

IT WOULD ONLY BE APPLICABLE TO OWNER OCCUPIED PROPERTIES, CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.

AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE GIST OF WHAT I'M, UH, ASKING.

IF YOU WERE TO TAKE, YOU KNOW, A MAP LIKE THIS MM-HMM.

, UM, I'D LIKE TO SEE A MAP SHOWING OF THE 910 RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES THAT ARE IDENTIFIED ON THIS, UM, HOW MANY OF THOSE ARE RENTAL UNITS AS OPPOSED TO OWNER OCCUPIED? BECAUSE YOU'RE ONLY GOING TO BE DEALING WITH OWNER OCCUPIED PROPERTIES THROUGHOUT THE REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT, NOT RENTAL HOUSING OTHER THAN NEW DEVELOPMENT.

YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT RENTAL.

TO SEE EFFORTS MADE TO BRING THOSE PROPERTIES UP TO A HIGHER LEVEL, UM, HOWEVER THAT HAPPENS.

, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THAT.

I'M TALKING ABOUT EXISTING HOUSING STOCK, WHICH TO A LARGE EXTENT I THINK COULD BE CLASSIFIED AS BEING SUBSTANDARD.

MANY OF THEM.

UM, WE WOULD LIKE

[01:30:01]

BUT AGAIN, THE DISTINCTION BEING THAT WE'RE ONLY TALKING ABOUT OWNER OCCUPIED PROPERTY.

SO THE 910 HOUSING UNITS THAT ARE IN THE, IN THE DISTRICT.

, HOW MANY OF THOSE ARE OWNER OCCUPIED VERSUS RENTAL RENTER? I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT WORKING WITH A 910 RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY AS WELL AS ANY NUMBER OF VACANT.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A MUCH SMALLER, UM, PERCENTAGE OF PROPERTIES.

AND I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT SHOWN GRAPHICALLY IS REALLY WHAT I'M GETTING AT.

ABSOLUTELY.

ALLISON, GIS IS A WIZARD, AND I'M SURE SHE CAN WAVE HER WAND AND GET YOU THAT INFORMATION.

I WOULD HOLD ON, HOLD ON THOUGH.

BE, BE, I WOULD BE VERY CAREFUL 'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW WE WOULD KNOW THAT WITHOUT DOING A SURVEY OF THE COMMUNITY TO FIND OUT WHICH HOUSES ARE OWNER OCCUPIED VERSUS RENTAL.

I MEAN THAT, UNLESS SOMEBODY KNOWS A WAY THAT I DON'T, HOW WOULD YOU KNOW IF SOMEBODY OWNS A HOUSE AND LIVES IN IT OR THEY OWN A HOUSE AND RENT IT, IT WOULD ABOUT HAVE TO BE A DOOR-TO-DOOR CAMPAIGN FOR THAT.

AND THE RE THE REASON I, I MENTIONED THAT IS BECAUSE WHEN THE, THE CNI GRANT WAS GIVEN BACK IN 2014, THERE WERE SOME ESTIMATES THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAD, AND I THINK IT WAS BASED OFF OF SOME HUD FUNDING.

THAT WAS ABOUT THE ONLY WAY I THINK THAT THEY COULD DETERMINE THAT.

BECAUSE IF SOMEONE LIVES AND THEY'RE RENTING A HOUSE AND IT'S SUBSIDIZED BY HUD, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A, A RECORD OF THAT.

SO THAT WE COULD PROBABLY FIND OUT FAIRLY EASILY.

BUT I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS THAT LIVE THERE THAT RENT A HOUSE THAT PROBABLY DON'T GET HUD ASSISTANCE.

THAT WOULD BE A, A CRAPSHOOT ESSENTIALLY TO FIGURE THAT OUT.

THAT'S MY POINT.

UM, WHAT WE CAN FIND OUT FROM GIS IS ONLY CENSUS INFORMATION.

SO THE BEST THAT WE'LL DO IS ESTIMATES, UH, ACCORDING TO LATEST ESTIMATES, UH, AROUND 78% OF THE HOUSES IN IN THE REDEVELOPMENT ZONE ARE RENTAL OCCUPIED HOUSES.

78%.

THAT'S CORRECT.

SOMEWHERE AROUND THERE.

WELL, AND, AND THAT'S ESTIMATE, THAT'S REALLY THE POINT I'M TRYING TO MAKE, IS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT A SIZABLE AREA OF THE COMMUNITY MM-HMM.

THAT YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY FOR.

BUT IN REALITY, WITHIN THAT DISTRICT, THERE'S A MUCH SMALLER NUMBER OF PROPERTIES THAT WE'RE REALLY FOCUSED ON BECAUSE WE ARE NOT GONNA BE PROVIDING ANY KIND OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM TO RENTAL HOUSING.

I THINK THAT THAT'S WHY NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVES AND WORK WITH, AND WORK WITH NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS IS SO IMPORTANT.

HOUSING AND, AND DEVELOPMENT IS NOT ALL THAT WE DO FOR THAT SPECIFIC REASON.

WE GET INTO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SPECIFICALLY FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHERE WE HAVE NO LEGAL AUTHORITY TO DO ANYTHING, UH, WITH RENTAL PROPERTIES.

AND SO WE WANNA WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BRINGING ASSETS AND, AND COMMODITIES TO THESE COMMUNITIES SO THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY HELPING THOSE FOLKS, UM, AS, AS WELL BECAUSE THEY DO REPRESENT 78% OF THE PEOPLE THAT I, I HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO SERVE.

DIFFERENT QUESTION ON THE, THE, THE THREE PROPERTIES, UH, THREE NEW HOMES THAT WOULD BE IN DEVELOPED IN, IN THE WALTON BELLAMY AREA.

UM, UM, HAVE, HAVE THOSE PROPERTIES ALREADY BEEN MARKETED AND DO YOU HAVE A, A WAITING LIST OF APPLICANTS FOR THAT? OR IF NOT, HOW ARE YOU GOING ABOUT DOING THAT? UH, REALLY BEFORE WE COULD TAKE IT TO MARKET, THE APPRAISAL WAS THE, THE LINCHPIN.

AND AS I STATED, UH, IT JUST CAME IN THIS MORNING, SO I HAVEN'T EVEN SHARED IT WITH THE CITY MANAGER.

IT'S COMING IN EMAIL, UH, VERY SHORTLY.

UM, AND SO, UH, NOW THAT WE HAVE AN APPRAISAL, UH, I'M SURE THE COMMISSION WILL SET ABOUT, UH, PUTTING IT, UH, PUTTING IT, PUTTING THEM ALL ON THE MARKET, UH, SO THAT WE CAN, UH, CONTINUE TO WORK WITH INTERESTED PARTIES.

THAT SAID, UH, WE'VE HAD NO SHORTAGE OF, OF FOLKS CALL AND WONDER WHAT'S HAPPENING ON WALT BELLAMY.

UH, AND SO WE HAVE A LIST OF PEOPLE THAT WE'RE ALREADY WORKING WITH AND ALREADY, UH, TALKING FINANCIAL PRODUCTS AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THOSE HOUSES ARE PUT TO THE HIGHEST AND BEST USE.

WELL, THE NUMBER OF VACANT LOTS THAT HAVE BEEN, UM, SOLD AND WHERE THEY ARE AT IN TERMS OF BEING DEVELOPED, YOU KNOW, WHETHER, WHETHER THEY'RE BEING DEVELOPED AS, YOU KNOW, RENTAL PROPERTIES OR FOR SALE PROPERTIES OWNER OCCUPIED.

UM, LAST QUESTION, AND I THINK THIS IS, FOSTER'S REALLY DIRECTED, I THINK MAYBE MORE TOWARDS YOU, BUT, BUT ZAB COULD PROBABLY WORK WITH YOU ON IT.

UM, MY IMPRESSION IS OVER THE LAST YEAR WE'VE BEEN, THE CITY HAS BEEN MORE ACTIVE IN SELLING VACANT LOTS, SURPLUS LOTS THAN MAYBE IN PREVIOUS YEARS.

UM, WOULD THERE BE ANY WAY, UM, TO IDENTIFY,

[01:35:01]

WOULD IT BE DIFFICULT TO JUST IDENTIFY THAT WE WE CAN DO THAT.

IT'LL TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME ON, ON RECENTLY, UH, SOLD PROPERTIES TO SEE WHAT THE DEVELOPERS ARE PLANNING ON THAT, BUT YES SIR, WE CAN GET THAT INFORMATION.

YEAH, AND I JUST THINK IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO, TO SEE THAT BECAUSE, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THERE JUST SEEMS TO BE MORE INTEREST, MORE ACTIVITY IN THE PAST YEAR THAN IN PREVIOUS YEARS.

UH, AND IT, AND THIS IS KIND OF GOING TOWARDS WHAT EVERYBODY'S LOOKING FOR, AND THAT IS TO SEE NEW HOUSING STOCK, UM, BEING CREATED, WHETHER IT'S RENTAL OR, OR FOR SALE.

UM, IT JUST, JUST MORE INFORMATION THAN ANYTHING ELSE.

YOU ARE CORRECT.

AND WE HAVE SEEN A, A, A HUGE INCREASE IN, IN, IN SALES OF, OF SURPLUS PROPERTY.

AND, AND JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, THERE ARE TWO PARCELS THAT WERE SOLD ON MLKA FEW YEARS AGO AS I WAS DRIVING THROUGH MLK THE OTHER DAY, BRAND NEW HOUSES ON BOTH OF THOSE.

SO THAT'S GREAT TO SEE THAT.

BUT YES, WE CAN PROVIDE THAT.

AND ALSO AT THE NEXT MEETING, I BELIEVE WE'VE ALREADY GOT SEVERAL, SEVERAL THAT ARE IN LINE FOR THE, UM, FOR THE PROCESS TO SELL AS WELL.

SO IT'S A GOOD PROBLEM.

WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE FOLKS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN THOSE PROPERTIES.

YOU MENTIONED THE NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVES.

ANY MORE QUESTIONS? ONE FINAL QUESTION.

UM, WHAT IS THE COMMISSION CURRENTLY DOING NOW TO ENGAGE THE CITIZENS AND DO YOU HAVE ANY, ANY INFORMATION REGARDING WHAT THE CITIZENS' NEEDS ARE OR WHAT THE CITIZENS WANT? UH, SURE.

SO, UH, THE NINE COMMISSIONERS ON, ON THE COMMISSION THEMSELVES ARE ALL RESIDENTS, UH, OF THE COMMUNITY.

AND SO ALL AMBASSADORS OF THE WORK OF THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.

PART OF THEIR JOB AS A COMMISSIONER, UH, IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE IN TOUCH WITH THE PEOPLE IN THEIR OWN SPHERES OF INFLUENCE.

AND THEY'RE CONSTANTLY BEING, UH, UH, TASKED WITH TAKING QUESTIONS OUT STRATEGICALLY AND BRINGING INFORMATION BACK.

WE ALSO, UM, WE ALSO ARE INVOLVED, UM, CERTAINLY, UH, WITH THE RESIDENTS COUNCILS AND THE DIFFERENT COMMUNITY GROUPS AS THEY MEET.

UM, AS MANY OF THOSE MEETINGS AS I CAN POSSIBLY MAKE, I, I'VE MADE A CONCERTED EFFORT TO BE THERE IN, IN PERSON, BUT I KNOW THAT COMMISSIONERS, UH, UH, OTHER COMMISSIONERS SUCH AS, UH, COMMISSIONER WALLACE AND COMMISSIONER UH, MORGAN, UH, BOTH, UH, ARE MEMBERS OF, OF SUCH ORGANIZATIONS.

AND SO WHENEVER WE GET THAT INFORMATION, IT ALWAYS COMES BACK, UH, IN COMMISSIONER MORGAN'S REPORT.

SO YOU ACTUALLY HAVE DATA COMPILED TO SAY WHAT THE CITIZENS WANT AND WHAT THE CITIZENS NEED.

THERE IS NO SUCH DATABASE, UH, CURRENTLY EXISTING.

ONE OF THE INITIATIVES THAT WE'RE, UH, THAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT ON JANUARY 27TH AT OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING, UH, SESSION WAS, UM, ESTABLISHING SUCH A DATABASE, UH, AS IS WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

OF COURSE.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION? THANK YOU, SIR.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

BEFORE WE, WE, WE START OUR NEXT PRESENTATION.

IF THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A, UH, A SHORT BREAK, UH, WE CAN DO THAT.

THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A BREAK.

MAKE A MOTION FOR A FIVE MINUTE RECESS.

I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

A AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? ALRIGHT, WE'RE IN RECESS.

WE ARE BACK IN SESSION AT THIS POINT, I BELIEVE WE ARE AT THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.

MR. USES.

WITHIN THE ANNUAL AND MULTI-YEAR FUNDS GENERAL FUND CONSISTING OF 57.3 MILLION ENTERPRISE FUNDS CONSISTING OF 93 MILLION CAPITAL PROJECT FUNDS CONSISTING OF 30 38,268,000 SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS OF 11,255,000.

THIS TIME KIM MOTION WILL MAKE THIRD DEPARTMENT PRESENTATION.

GOOD MORNING.

UM, BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.

WE HAVE TWO DIVISIONS, THE ACCOUNTING DIVISION, THE PURCHASING WAREHOUSE DIVISION.

THERE'S 14 TOTAL EMPLOYEES.

UM, OUR DEPARTMENT'S OPERATIONS AND FUNCTIONS CONSIST OF MANAGEMENT OF BUDGETS, PROCESSING ACCOUNTS PAYABLE RECEIVABLES, PAYROLL PROCUREMENT FUNCTIONS, AND MANAGED DEBT AND CASH AND INVEST CASH INVESTMENTS, GRANT MANAGEMENT AND COMPLIANCE MONITORING, AND RESPONSIBLE FOR FINANCIAL REPORTING AND AUDIT.

WE PROVIDE SUPPORT TO 15 DEPARTMENTS, 500 EMPLOYEES, AND 2,450 ACTIVE VENDORS.

THE UM, UM, HERE YOU'LL SEE THAT WE OVERSEE APPROXIMATELY $207,766,280

[01:40:03]

AND THEN THE INTERNAL SERVICE FUNDS IS 7,881,000.

UM, THIS UPCOMING YEAR, OUR DEPARTMENT GOALS AND INITIATIVES ARE TO, UM, ENHANCE THE BUDGETING PROCESS TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCIES AND MAINTAIN COMPLIANCE WITH BUDGETARY GUIDELINES AND REGULATIONS, INCREASE TRANSPARENCY AND FINANCIAL REPORTING AND BUDGETING BY IMPLEMENTING MULTI-YEAR BUDGET, INCLUDING ALL INCLUSIVE FIVE YEAR CAPITAL PLAN, AND TO PROMOTE LONG-TERM PLANNING STRATEGIES THAT SUPPORT AND ALIGN WITH THE CITY'S STRATEGIC PLANS.

UM, CONTINUE TO COLLABORATE COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS TO INCREASE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE BOARD DEPARTMENT STAFF AND THE COMMUNITY TO GATHER FEEDBACK AND PROVIDE SUPPORT TO MEET VARIOUS CHALLENGES AND PROMOTE CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT EFFORTS.

THESE, UM, SUPPORT OUR, MY GOAL SUPPORT THE PERSONNEL REQUEST FOR THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.

AND THAT PERSONNEL REQUEST WOULD BE FOR IT.

IT'S A, A NEW POSITION TO THE CLASSIFICATION PLAN.

IT'S A RECLASSIFICATION.

UM, THERE IS NO BUDGETARY IMPACT ON THIS.

IT'S JUST TO TRULY, UM, REALIGN WITH OUR GOALS AND, UM, REDISTRIBUTE SOME OF, WE'RE REDISTRIBUTING SOME OF THE RE RESPONSIBILITIES WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.

UM, IT'S VITAL TO MEET THAT GOAL FOR THE THREE TO FIVE YEAR, UM, BUDGET PLAN AND TO FACILITATE AN ALL INCLUSIVE FIVE YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN TO IMPROVE BUDGET REPORTING AND FORECASTING, IMPLEMENTING VARIOUS COMPONENTS OF OUR BUDGET MODULE TO WORK TOGETHER WITH OTHER ASPECTS OF OUR FINANCIAL SOFTWARE SYSTEM, WHICH WILL IMPROVE EFFICIENCY AND REPORTING.

UM, EXPAND SUPPORT SERVICES TO DEPARTMENTS WITH BUDGETARY NEEDS AND USING THE BUDGET AS A PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT TOOL AND WORKING THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS IN ITS FULL LIFE, FULL CYCLE, UM, OF DEVELOPMENT THROUGH FOLLOW UP WITH THE YEAR END OUTCOMES.

AND AS I MENTIONED, THERE ARE NO COSTS, UM, ASSOCIATED WITH, WITH THE RECLASSIFICATION AND BOARD.

HAVE QUESTIONS.

KIM OR FOSTER? UM, YOU, YOU HAVE REFERENCE IN HERE TO THE MULTI-YEAR, YOU KNOW, THREE TO FIVE YEAR BUDGET PLAN AND, AND I'VE SEEN THAT REFERENCE PREVIOUSLY AND OTHER, UM, INFORMATION PROVIDED TO THE BOARD.

WHAT'S THE DISTINCTION THAT'S BEING MADE BETWEEN OUR ANNUAL BUDGET AND OUR, THE THREE TO FIVE YEAR OR MULTI-YEAR BUDGET PLAN? BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THE BOARD HAS EVER RECEIVED A PLAN DOCUMENT.

I, YOU KNOW, A MULTI-YEAR PLAN DOCUMENT FOR THE BUDGET.

SO I'M JUST WONDERING MM-HMM, WHAT THAT DISTINCTION, UM, MEANS.

SO RIGHT NOW WE WORK, UM, THE BUDGET, UM, YEAR TO YEAR.

AND WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND ALIGNING OUR, UM, BUDGET WITH THAT AND OUR GOALS, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THE GOALS FOR THE CITY, WE CAN FORECAST AND SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE THREE YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, FIVE YEARS DOWN THE ROAD IS IDEALLY WHERE I'D LIKE TO BE, BUT DEFINITELY WE HAVE TO START THAT PROCESS.

WE'RE, WE'RE JUST LOOKING YEAR TO YEAR.

WHEN I REFER TO MULTI-YEAR, UM, BUDGETS, THE MULTI-YEAR BUDGETS ARE, UM, YOUR CAPITAL, UH, IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, GRANTS, UM, SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS, THOSE ARE, UM, ONES THAT ARE CONTINUING FROM YEAR TO YEAR.

SO THOSE, YOU DON'T NECESSARILY, WE DON'T FOCUS IN ON THOSE BECAUSE THOSE COVER MULTIPLE YEARS.

YOU'VE GOT THE FUNDING, WE DON'T HAVE TO ADOPT THAT EVERY SINGLE OR WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF, UH, MOVEMENT, I GUESS I WANT TO SAY WITHIN THAT.

UM, SO THAT'S WHY YOU'RE NOT SEEING THOSE ON A REGULAR BASIS AS MUCH AS YOU ARE SEEING THE BUDGET TO ACTUAL FOR YOUR, UM, GENERAL FUND AND ENTERPRISE FUNDS.

BUT YES, I'D TAKE, I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE US GET TO A POINT WHERE WE HAVE, WE'RE LOOKING AT MULTIPLE YEARS LOOKING AHEAD, LOOKING DOWN THE ROAD TO SEE WHAT WE CAN AFFORD AND SAVING FOR THAT.

[01:45:02]

AND WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT AT THIS TIME IF CHIEF LALE WILL COME UP FOR HIS PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. MAYOR.

BOARD MANAGER, UH, FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OPERATING DIVISIONS, UH, SEVERAL SUPPRESSION, TRAINING, PREVENTION, SUPPORT, SERVICE AND ADMINISTRATION.

AND THE TOTAL EMPLOYEES FOR THE DEPARTMENT IS 75.

CURRENTLY SOME OF THE KEY OPERATIONS AND FUNCTIONS THAT THE DEPARTMENT TAKES CARE OF WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE SUPPRESSION AND PREVENTION.

BUT DIVING MORE INTO THAT, UH, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE SERVICE PROVIDED, WHEN YOU HAVE, UH, CHILD PASS PASSENGER SAFETY SEAT PROGRAM, THE SMOKE DETECTOR PROGRAM, ALONG WITH THE CLOWNS AND THE PUPPETEERS GOING OUT INTO THE SCHOOLS, EDUCATING OUR, OUR YOUNG MINDS, THE COLOR GUARD, UM, EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES AND TECHNICAL RESCUE TEAM.

SO WHAT ARE SOME OF THE GOALS AND INITIATIVES? UM, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PROVIDING QUALITY SERVICES TO THE CITIZENS AND MOVING BY MEETING AND EXCEEDING INDUSTRY STANDARDS, OBVIOUSLY WE WANNA LOOK AT SEVERAL THINGS, THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE DEPARTMENT'S, APPARATUS, PERSONNEL, EQUIPMENT STATION LOCATIONS.

AND I KNOW THAT THERE HAS BEEN SEVERAL TALKS ABOUT, UH, STATION AND SPECIFIC TO SOMETHING THAT MAY BE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD, BUT EVERYTHING ELSE WE ALSO WANNA LOOK AT FROM OUR APPARATUS WHERE THEY'RE AT, THE RESOURCES WE HAVE AND THE PERSONNEL IN PLACE.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'LL BE SPEAKING ON HERE IN A LITTLE BIT IS A, A CONCEPT THAT WE'LL SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE.

SO HOW DO WE ENHANCE THAT WITH THE COMMUNITY? UH, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I WANTED TO DO WAS MEET WITH EACH ONE OF THE DIVISIONS AND GO AROUND TO ALL THE COMPANIES AND SPEAK TO EVERYBODY TO THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND LEVEL.

WHAT IS THE VISION OF THE DEPARTMENT? HOW CAN WE IMPROVE IT AT EVERY STEP? SO ONE OF THESE SPECIFICALLY IS THE PREVENTION SIDE AND MEETING WITH THE PREVENTION CHIEF.

UH, THAT'S THE FIRE MARSHAL IN THAT DIVISION.

THESE PROGRAMS ARE ALREADY IN PLACE AND HOW CAN WE MAKE THOSE BETTER AS WE MOVE FORWARD, UH, TO INCREASE THE LEVEL OF SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY? AND ONE OF THE CONCERNS WAS HOW CAN WE BE MORE PROACTIVE INSTEAD OF BEING REACTIVE? AND WHAT, WHAT HE WAS REFERRING TO WAS SOMETIMES THESE SERVICES ARE BY REQUEST AND NOT BY US ACTUALLY BEING ABLE TO GO OUT AND APPLY THOSE.

SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE REVISITING, LOOKING AT THAT WITHIN THAT DIVISION SPECIFICALLY.

UM, AND THEN ALSO IF THERE'S SOME NEW INITIATIVES GOING TO THIS YEAR TO ADD TO THE PROGRAMS. SO THIS NEXT ONE, UH, PROVIDE QUALITY MEDICAL SERVICES TO THE CITIZENS OF THE COMMUNITY.

I'LL BE SPEAKING ABOUT THAT HERE IN JUST A MINUTE, AGAIN ON THIS PARTICULAR CONCEPT, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO LOOK AT.

UM, UH, IT'S NOT NEW TO THE FIRE SERVICE ACROSS THE BOARD.

WHEN YOU TALK NATIONWIDE, WE'RE SEEING INCREASES FOR ALL TYPES OF, UH, SPECIALTIES THAT ARE REQUIRED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

BUT EMS BEING ONE OF THOSE, LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS IN COMPARISON TO THIS PAST YEAR, THERE WAS 753 CALLS THAT WERE JUST EMS SPECIFIC.

WHEN WE LOOK AT THAT FROM AN INCIDENT REPORTING STANDPOINT, WHICH IS A 30.6% INCREASE FROM WHAT WE'RE SEEING, UH, WELL 30.6% OF THE CALLS TOTAL CALL VOLUME WAS EMS BASED.

SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING THE BEST SERVICE, UH, FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

UM, HOW DO WE CONTRIBUTE SAFE WORKING ENVIRONMENT FOR EMPLOYEES? THIS IS ONE THAT WE'RE SEEING MORE AND MORE FOCUS ON THE MENTAL HEALTH ASPECT.

OBVIOUSLY WE KNOW THAT WE WANT TO MAINTAIN A, UH, A PHYSICAL PART OF THAT TO BE ABLE TO DO THE JOB OF A FIREFIGHTER, BUT THE MENTAL HEALTH IS JUST AS IMPORTANT, UH, ACROSS THE BOARD.

UH, PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, YOU'RE SEEING INCREASES WITH, UM, UH, P-T-S-D-I GUESS YOU WOULD SAY.

AND THOSE WHO ARE, ARE GOING IN A DIRECTION THAT FROM A MENTAL HEALTH STANDPOINT, WE WANT TO FIND WHAT WE CAN DO FROM A PEER ASSESSMENT.

SO ALONG WITH THAT, THE CANCER REDUCTION, UM, I WAS ACTUALLY A PART OF THE INITIATIVES FOR, UM, A RETREAT THAT WAS IN TAMPA, FLORIDA, WHICH WAS THE SECOND PHASE OF THIS.

AND WE SEE THIS IN THE FIRE SERVICE, WHICH IS CANCER REDUCTION.

AND WHAT CAN WE DO TO, UH, PREVENT THAT MOVING FORWARD, WHETHER THAT'S TURN TURNOUT GEAR OR SOME BEST PRACTICES.

WE ACTUALLY JUST HOSTED, UH, THE CHIEF'S ASSOCIATION MEETING AT HEADQUARTERS.

AND IN DOING SO, ONE OF THE CON UH, CONVERSATIONS AND ONE OF THE TOPICS AS FAR AS THE INFORMATION GIVEN WAS ABOUT CANCER REDUCTION.

SO COMMUNICATION THAT EMBODIES CONSISTENT, TRANSPARENT AND HONEST PARTNERSHIPS WITH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS.

UH, I'M VERY BIG ON BEING VERY TRANSPARENT AND I MEAN THAT FROM, UM, INFORMATION FROM THE TOP DOWN AND FROM THE BOTTOM UP.

UH, THERE ARE ALREADY SCHEDULED MEETINGS, I THINK FROM THE STRATEGIC, UH, PLAN, UH, INFORMATION THAT WAS PROVIDED THROUGH ACCREDITATION OF HOW WE SHOULD DO THAT ON A REGULAR BASIS.

WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT OFFICER MEETINGS, UM, SHIFT LEVEL MEETINGS, BUT I RANDOMLY JUST LIKE STOPPING IN AT THE FIRE STATION.

I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST GENUINE CONVERSATIONS YOU CAN HAVE WITH BOOTS ON THE GROUND IS BY SITTING AROUND THE KITCHEN, KITCHEN TABLE AROUND THAT DINNER TIME AND HEARING THAT TRUE PULSE OF YOUR DEPARTMENT.

SO I MANAGED TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT IN THE COURSE OF A LITTLE LESS THAN A MONTH, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF FOUR INDIVIDUALS THAT I WASN'T ABLE TO GET TO JUST BECAUSE THEY WERE OFF AT THE TIME.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE GONNA

[01:50:01]

CONTINUE TO IMPROVE ON, BUT THAT IS BOTH WAYS.

AGAIN, UH, INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL CUSTOMERS, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FEES AND SCHEDULES, THIS YEAR HAS ONLY BEEN ADDED.

UM, I THINK THE MAJORITY OF THE FEES AND SCHEDULE WERE UPDATED IN THE PAST FISCAL YEAR AND THIS ONE WAS JUST TO BE IN LINE WITH THE CURRENT FEES, WHICH IS OPEN BURNING AND LAND CLEARING.

UM, JUST TO BRING IT UP TO WHERE THE OTHER FEES WERE, THIS IS ONE THAT I WOULD WANT TO SPEND JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME ON WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PERSONNEL REQUESTS.

I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE IT, YOU KNOW, UM, KNOWN TO THE BOARD THAT DURING THE TIME OF THE CHIEF'S ASSESSMENT THERE WAS A PRESENTATION THAT WAS REQUESTED BY THOSE CANDIDATES AND ONE OF THOSE BEING THAT OF A QRV OR A QUICK RESPONSE VEHICLE.

SO WITHIN A SMALL AMOUNT OF TIME I WANTED TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A PLAN TO THE BOARD, UH, FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IF IT'S SOMETHING YOU WOULD CHOOSE TO WANNA MOVE FORWARD WITH.

UH, I WOULD SAY THAT UM, IN MY CAREER I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH LARGE MUNICIPALITY OR SQUAD OR QRV CONCEPT WAS IN PLACE AND I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY TO A SMALLER MUNICIPALITY.

SO I DO HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH THIS.

UH, WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THERE ARE PROS AND CONS ASSOCIATED WITH QRV CONCEPT AND I'D LIKE TO KIND OF DISCUSS THAT A LITTLE BIT NOW.

BUT THESE POSITIONS IS, UH, LOOKING AT IT, UH, FROM WHAT WOULD BE NEEDED, IT'S THREE AND THAT WOULD BE ONE PERSON PER SHIFT ADDED.

AND I'LL COVER WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE HERE IN JUST A SECOND, BUT AT AN ENGINEER LEVEL Y ENGINEER, BECAUSE AT THAT POINT YOU HAVE SOMEBODY WHO'S HAD DRIVING EXPERIENCE AND YOU WANT HAVE SOMEBODY WHO'S A LITTLE MORE SEASONED ALONG WITH THAT OTHER PERSON.

'CAUSE THIS IS A TWO PERSON UNIT, SO ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL TO OPERATE.

UM, THE QRV, UH, THE FIRE ENGINEER POSITION IS CURRENTLY USED WITHIN THE PAY CLASSIFICATION.

UM, WOULDN'T REQUIRE A RECLASSIFICATION.

AND WHAT DOES THIS DO? UM, IT ALLOWS FOR AN ENGINE, A LARGER APPARATUS REDUCTION FOR EMERGENCY USE APPLIED TO EMS AND SERVICE CALLS.

SO WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING TO GET AS A PRO OUT OF THIS, UH, PARTICULAR CONCEPT IS THAT YOU'RE UTILIZING SOMETHING SIMILAR TO A ONE 50 OR TWO 50 STYLE VEHICLE.

UM, YOU CAN UPGRADE THAT A LITTLE BIT BIGGER IF YOU CHOOSE TO, THAT WOULD RESPOND TO CALLS.

AND JUST LIKE I STATED, WHERE YOU HAVE 30.6% OF THOSE CALLS THIS PAST YEAR BEING IN S RELATED, WHAT YOU WOULD TRY TO DO IS REDUCE SOME OF THOSE THAT YOU'RE SENDING TO LARGER APPARATUS THAT WE KNOW IS VERY COSTLY.

AND WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT ONE OF THOSE HERE IN A MINUTE.

UM, TO REDUCE THE WEAR AND TEAR, YOU'RE ALSO LOOKING AT HOW OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME YOU CAN REDUCE ON FUEL CONSUMPTION.

AND IF YOU NOTICE AT THE BOTTOM, UM, I STATED IN MAY IMPROVE PUBLIC PERCEPTION, THE SMALLER UNIT APPLICATION, THAT'S A TRUE STATEMENT.

UM, DEPENDING ON YOUR OPINION OF WHAT YOU SEE, YOU HAVE INDIVIDUALS WHO LOOK AT UM, UM, A UNIT THAT PRIOR TO COVID YOU MAY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PURCHASE FOR 450 TO COVERAGE OF $600,000.

AND NOW WE SEE THAT GETTING VERY CLOSE TO THAT MILLION DOLLAR MARK THAT HAS RESPONDED TO A GOOD PORTION OF YOUR CALLS.

AND SOME SEE THAT AS OVER UTILIZATION, BUT WE STILL WANT TO BE EQUITABLE AND PROVIDE THOSE EMERGENCY SERVICES TO OUR, OUR CITIZENS.

SO IN THIS SITUATION, YOU MAY HAVE SOMEONE WHO LOOKS AT IT AND SAYS, CAN WE SEND LES TO DO THAT TYPE OF, UM, EMERGENCY? UH, COINCIDENTALLY WE JUST RECEIVED A CONCERN, MYSELF AND CHIEF MCCONNELL FROM THE INDIVIDUAL, I DON'T WANT TO NECESSARILY GIVE HER NAME, BUT TO GIVE YOU WHAT THE CALL WAS, IT WAS EMS RESPONSE FOR HER MOM WHO HAD FELL AND SHE RECEIVED THE MEDIC UNIT AND THE ENGINE COMPANY.

AND HER CONCERN WAS THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT WAS IN HER HOME.

AND AGAIN, THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU RUN INTO ALL THE TIME, BUT THAT'S JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT THAT LOOKED LIKE.

SO WHAT YOU HAVE HERE IS, UM, WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT THIS WITHIN THE FIRST WEEK OR SO AND UH, UTILIZING, UM, THE THOUGHT PROCESS DURING THE CHIEF'S ASSESSMENT, THIS IS ACTUALLY THE CONCEPT OR THIS IS WHAT IS APPLIED CURRENTLY TO THE DEPARTMENT FOR YOUR STANDARD OF COVERAGE.

THE DIFFERENCE IS, IS THAT THE STANDARD OF COVERAGE HAS, UH, 22 TO 18, 22 PER SHIFT, 18 BEING THE MINIMUM.

SO TAKING THIS SAME APPLICATION AND APPLYING IT TO ONE PERSON ADDED PER SHIFT TO UTILIZE THE UH, QRV CONCEPT.

IF THE BOARD CHOOSES TO WANT TO GO IN THE DIRECTION OF, YOU WOULD NOW HAVE THAT UNIT IN SERVICE UPWARD TO, UM, ALL THE WAY UP TO A MINIMUM STAFFING LEVEL, WHICH IS YOUR LAST COLUMN BEING NUMBER FOUR.

AT THAT POINT, MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE THAT UNIT IS JUST TAKING OUTTA SERVICE DURING THAT TIME.

THAT MIGHT BE FOR JUST A SHIFT.

UH, MOST LIKELY IT WOULD BE 'CAUSE IT COULD BE JUST THAT SOMEBODY'S ON VACATION OR SICK LEAVE, BUT WHAT YOU'RE SHOOTING FOR IS WITHIN 365 DAYS OR SIX MONTHS, WHATEVER THAT EVALUATION PERIOD LOOKS LIKE IS THAT THAT UNIT WOULD BE IN SERVICE OF YOU'RE ONE IN TO SHOOT THAT GOLF OR AROUND THAT 75, 80% MARK.

BUT THAT JUST KIND OF BREAKS DOWN WHAT YOUR STAFFING WAS, UH, OR WOULD BE, UH, APPLYING ONE PERSON PER SHIFT FOR THAT COVERAGE.

I WANTED TO GIVE YOU A VISUAL EFFECT OF WHAT I MEAN.

SO, UH, I WENT TO GIS AND I WAS ASKING THEM TO KIND OF, I KIND OF GIVE THEM, UH, UM, JUST AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT I'M THINKING ABOUT.

AND THIS IS REALLY JUST A, A LARGER FOOTPRINT.

SO IF YOU LOOK PAST THE

[01:55:01]

SHADED PART, YOU SEE WHAT IS NORMALLY DEFINED AS YOUR FIRE DISTRICTS.

AND THIS IS NOT, UH, UNCOMMON FROM ONE MUNICIPALITY TO THE NEXT THAT YOU BREAK THAT DOWN FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS BASED ON THEIR, UH, TIME IN THEIR RESPONSE.

SO STARTING UP TOP BEING THE ELIZABETH STATION AND IN THE MIDDLE BEING HEADQUARTERS AND THEN DOWN BELOW BEING THURMAN.

UH, WHAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO FIND, AND I'M SURE THIS HAS BEEN PRODUCED, UM, OVER THE YEARS AS FAR AS DATA, IS THAT YOUR HIGHER, UH, CALL VOLUME NORMALLY IS, UH, TOWARD THE CENTRALIZED PART OF THE CITY.

AND IN THIS CASE WITH NEWBURN, UM, YOU HAVE A A AN INCREASED NUMBER.

WE'RE SEEING INCREASED NUMBERS FOR ELIZABETH, UH, AREA AS FAR AS THAT STATION.

AND THAT'S DEFINITELY THE CASE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT EMS AND THIS WOULD BE ONE OF THOSE UNITS THAT IS APPLIED MORE SO TO THAT.

SO TO GIVE YOU, UH, A BASIC VISUAL, WHAT I SEE IS HOW YOU WOULD, UM, INCORPORATE THE QRV CONCEPT IS YOU WANT TO INCREASE THAT FOOTPRINT OF WHAT THAT FIRST DUE RESPONSE WOULD BE.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE COORDINATED OVER TIME, NOT A LONG PERIOD OF TIME, BUT YOU HAVE TO WORK WITH YOUR DISPATCH AND YOUR COMMUNICATIONS TO LOOK AT THOSE RUN CARDS WHERE THAT UNIT WOULD BE RESPONDING AS A PRIMARY UNIT AND THEN, UH, APPLYING IT THAT WAY ALONG WITH SOME OF THE TRAINING AND THE DIFFERENCE NEEDED FOR OPERATION.

SO IF YOU INCREASE YOUR FOOTPRINT A LITTLE BIT, THEN YOU'RE ABLE TO HANDLE A GOOD PORTION OF THE EMS ASSIGNMENTS WHEN THAT UNIT IS AVAILABLE, UH, WHICH WOULD REDUCE OVERTIME WEAR AND TEAR ON YOUR LARGER APPARATUS AND PERNEL.

WHAT IT ALSO DOES FROM A PRO STANDPOINT IS THAT EVERY TIME YOU HAVE AN EMS ASSIGNMENT, IT COMES OUT CURRENTLY, UH, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE PROVIDING A SERVICE AND WE'RE GOING TO HELP SOMEONE THAT DOES LESSEN, UM, THE AMOUNT OF PERSONNEL THAT YOU WOULD HAVE FOR OUR OVERALL OPERATIONS AS FAR AS A FIRE SCENE.

SO YOU'RE INCREASING THE POTENTIAL THAT YOU HAVE LESS UNITS AVAILABLE FOR SUPPRESSION.

SO THAT'S JUST TO GIVE YOU KIND OF A VISUAL EFFECT.

UH, I CAN PAUSE RIGHT THERE IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS ON THE QRV CONCEPT.

I WAS ASKING, UM, TO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE CLARITY WITH THE, UM, WHAT WAS THE NAME OF IT AGAIN? QR, WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY? QRV? YES.

QUICK RESPONSE WITH THAT.

VEHICLE.

VEHICLE, YES.

RESPONSE VEHICLE.

ARE YOU SAYING THAT THAT WILL ELIMINATE, I GUESS IS THE BEST WORD, SOME OF THE USAGE OF THE FIRE TRUCKS THAT GO OUT FOR EMERGENCY AND THAT, UH, IT WILL REDUCE THE USE OF THE FIRE TRUCK IN LET'S SAY NON-FIRE EMERGENCIES? YES MA'AM.

I WOULD LIKE TO BE CLEAR THAT THAT WON'T, UH, ELIMINATE THE USE OF A FIRE TRUCK, BUT THAT WOULD REDUCE, UM, THE AMOUNT OF TIMES THAT A LARGER APPARATUS BEING NORMALLY YOUR ENGINE COMPANY THAT RESPONDS TO EMS ASSIGNMENTS.

UM, SO THE GOAL WOULD BE THAT DURING A TIME THAT YOU'RE TRYING THIS, BECAUSE WHAT I'M, WHAT I'M PRESENTING TO YOU AS A PLAN THAT'S MINIMAL.

UM, WHAT WOULD PROBABLY BE OPTIMAL WOULD BE TO HAVE TWO SQUADS, UM, THAT SPLITS THE DIFFERENCE FOR THE CITY.

BUT I WOULD SAY THAT, UM, I WOULD START MINIMAL WITH NOT LOOKING AT CAPITAL EXPENDITURE FOR A UNIT, UM, OR ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL OTHER THAN WHAT'S NEEDED TO TRY THE CONCEPT AS A PLAN TO SEE IF IT WORKS WELL FOR THE CITY OF NEWBURN.

UM, IT'S REALLY SOMETHING THAT OVER TIME WOULD BE EASILY EVALUATED AND YOU CAN RECEIVE THE DATA FROM, BUT TO ELIMINATE FULLY FROM, UM, FIRE RESPONSE, THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE CASE, BUT IT WOULD REDUCE, UM, A GOOD PORTION OF THOSE EMS ASSIGNMENTS THAT ENGINE COMPANIES ARE NOW HANDLING.

SO IS THIS VEHICLE, IS IT A VAN, IS IT A TRUCK? SO BASICALLY WHAT YOU WOULD, UM, LOOK AT AND QR QR VISA SQUAD CONCEPT COMES IN DIFFERENT SIZES, BUT MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE NOT TO LOOK TO PURCHASE ANYTHING, UH, DURING THE, IN THE INITIATION, I GUESS YOU WOULD SAY, OF OF APPLYING THIS CONCEPT AND TO LOOK TO THE SERVICE UNIT THAT'S CURRENTLY IN THE FLEET, UM, TO UTILIZE THAT TO, UM, TO VERIFY HOW SUCCESSFUL IT WOULD BE.

I WAS OUT LOOKING AT IT YESTERDAY AND I THINK IN THE PREVIOUS FISCAL THERE WAS MONIES THAT WERE APPROVED FOR AND THEY WERE CONSIDERING DOING LIKE, UH, THAT SECTIONS.

, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, UM, SOME OF THE, UM, PROJECTS THAT, THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT FOR THE DIFFERENT STATIONS, UH, STAFF WENT OUT WITH, UH, PUBLIC WORKS AND WAS DOING EVALUATION OF ALL THREE STATIONS.

SOME OF THESE ARE FROM PREVIOUS THAT WERE ALREADY IN PLACE FROM PREVIOUS FISCAL YEARS.

FOR INSTANCE, THE CONCRETE TO THE REAR STATION OF HEADQUARTERS, THAT STATION WAS BUILT IN 2000.

UM, SIGNIFICANT WEIGHT COMING THROUGH, UM, AS FAR AS THE UNITS BACK AND FORTH.

SO THERE IS SOME NEED FOR, UH, MAJOR REPAIR TO THAT.

UH, REAR APRON.

[02:00:01]

BUT I THINK THAT'S BEEN, UM, FURTHER DISCUSSION.

UH, ADDITIONAL IS A PROJECT THAT HAD STARTED, UH, PRIOR, WHICH IS THE STORAGE BUILDING OUT BACK, UM, SPEAKING WITH PUBLIC, UH, WORKS AS FAR AS BRINGING THE POWER OVER FROM HEADQUARTERS TO THAT PARTICULAR STORAGE BUILDING ALONG WITH THE GUTTER WORK.

YOU CAN SEE THERE, THE CONCRETE THAT IS LISTED JUST BELOW THAT FOR THE FRONT OF THE STORAGE BUILDING WOULD CONNECT THAT TO THE SURFACE AREA OF THE CURRENT ASPHALT.

YOU ALSO HAVE, UM, UH, SOME NEED FOR CARPET REPLACEMENT AT HEADQUARTERS.

VERY, VERY HIGH TRAFFIC, UH, LOCATION.

AS FAR AS THE STATION, SOME OF THE CARPET HAS BEEN REPLACED IN RECENT YEARS AND THIS WAS RECOMMENDATION BY STAFF AS FAR AS WHAT WAS NEEDED.

UM, AGAIN, YOU HAVE HEADQUARTERS HAVING THE MAJORITY OF, UH, EVENTS, UH, ADMIN STAFF, UH, SHIFT PERSONNEL TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES.

AND WE DO HOST, FOR INSTANCE, THERE IS A ICS 300, 400 CLASS GOING ON CURRENTLY.

UH, SOME SMALLER PROJECTS BEING THE BATHROOM FLOOR.

UH, IT IS IN NEED.

I, I WENT AND LOOKED AT IT MYSELF.

UM, SOME OF THE STATION INSIDE HAS ALREADY BEEN PAINTED, SO I THINK THIS WAS PART OF THE REMAINDER THAT WAS NEEDED ALONG WITH THE CATWALK, UH, WHICH IS OUT IN THE BAY AND THE REPLACEMENT OF THE FLOORING IN ONE OF THE LUNCH LAUNDRY ROOMS. THIS ONE HERE IS NOT NECESSARILY, UH, A NEED, BUT I THINK IS, UH, I WOULDN'T SAY NOT A NEED, BUT IT IS, IT IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO BOTH ELIZABETH AND THURMAN, UH, TO BE EQUAL TO THAT OF HEADQUARTERS, WHICH IS A SHELTERED AREA FOR COOKING.

UH, EXTERIOR COOKING, WHETHER IT BE ON THE GRILL, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE.

CURRENTLY THEY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING IN PLACE FOR COVERAGE FOR PERSONNEL THAT'S OUT THERE.

SO I KNOW THAT THEY WOULD BE VERY THANKFUL AND APPRECIATIVE OF HAVING THAT.

SO YOU WOULD SEE THIS ON BOTH ELIZABETH AND ALSO ON THURMAN AS A CONSIDERATION TO THEM.

CONCRETE WORK THAT WAS APPROVED LAST YEAR AT 40,000 AND I THINK IT WAS REDUCED TO, UH, 5,000 FOR THE DRIVEWAY.

SO I THINK THE PATCHWORK WAS DONE THIS PAST YEAR AT $5,000 AND IT'S STILL HAVING SOME ISSUES.

SO AGAIN, A REPEAT OF WHAT YOU SAW FOR ELIZABETH BEING A REQUEST.

AND I WANNA SAY THAT THE SHELTER, MOST LIKELY THAT ESTIMATE MIGHT BE GENEROUS, UH, A LITTLE GENEROUS, BUT AGAIN, IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE APPRECIATED HIGHLY BY STAFF.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE PARKING AREA, THURMAN, UH, GOING OUT AND EVALUATING IT FOR MYSELF, THERE IS LIMITED, UM, PARKING SPACES THERE AND INSTEAD OF, UM, LOOKING TO ADD TO THAT, MAYBE JUST GRAVEL FOR ADDITIONAL PARKING SPACE, ONE OF THE, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS BY STAFF WAS ACTUALLY TO CONSIDER, UM, EXPANDING THAT AREA OUT THERE TO UM, REPOSITION SOME OF THE RESOURCES WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT LIKE THE USAR TRAILER AND OTHER ITEMS LIKE THAT, THAT CAN EVENLY BE DONE THROUGH, UM, PERSONNEL AS FAR AS CHECKOFFS.

AND UH, THAT'S JUST A CONSIDERATION.

BUT AGAIN, WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT IT AND TRYING TO ADD A LITTLE BIT MORE SPACE FOR PARKING.

UH, FOR THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE I WAS GONNA CALL CHIEF MCCONNELL UP.

HE IS, UM, THE DIVISION CHIEF AS FAR AS FOR TRAINING AND HE CAN SPEAK TO THIS WHEN UM, HE GETS UP TO THE PODIUM.

THANK YOU MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

WHAT WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT IS OUR TRAINING FACILITY RIGHT NOW.

ONCE AGAIN, THAT BAD WORD, HURRICANE FLORENCE NAMED OUR TRAINING FACILITY BACK IN 2018.

UH, WE REHABBED IT, WE RAISED THE BUILDING AND WE REFURBISHED IT AND GOT IT UP TO PAR.

LAST YEAR WE DISCOVERED A WATER LEAK UNDERNEATH, SO WE MITIGATED THAT AND WE STILL HAD WATER, SO WE WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON UNDER OUR BUILDING.

WE WORKED WITH PUBLIC WORKS, THEY CAME OUT AND DUG OUT OUR DITCHES, THEY DIVERTED THE WATER.

BUT TO COME TO FIND OUT, WE HAD EXPERTS COME IN AND LOOK UNDERNEATH THERE, THE WATER TABLE OUT THERE IS FAIRLY HIGH.

SO TO PROPERLY MITIGATE THIS BUILDING BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY 20 YEARS OLD AND GET LONGEVITY OUT OF IT, TO KEEP IT LASTING, WOULD TO DO WORK UNDERNEATH MAYBE A FRENCH DRAIN PUMPS TO GET RID OF THE WATER THAT'S ACCUMULATING UNDER THERE AND ROTTEN THE FLOORS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO THIS IS JUST THE WAY THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, AT REHABBING THAT BUILDING, AGAIN, MAKING IT LAST ANOTHER 20 YEARS TO GET GOOD TRAINING OUT THERE AT OUR FACILITY FOR OUR OURSELVES AND OUR PARTNERSHIP THAT COME OUT THERE.

UH, THE ADDITIONAL $2,500 IS JUST FOR GRAVEL.

IT'S FOR ADDITIONAL TRAINING AREA OFF TO THE SIDE.

WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR CONCRETE OR ASPHALT, IT'S JUST TO GIVE US A PLACE TO SET UP ADDITIONAL TRAIN PROPS AND SITES LIKE LP GAS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

SO ONCE AGAIN, IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE CONCRETE AND HIGH END OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, ASPHALT, BUT THE LITTLE GRAVEL WILL HELP US.

ANY QUESTIONS? YES, SIR.

JIM, DO YOU KNOW WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP OR OFFERING THAT IS GONNA BE WITH THIS NEW, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY TRAINING CENTER THAT THE COLLEGE IS BUILDING AT THE INDUSTRIAL PARK? SIR, I THINK IT'S GONNA BE A GREAT PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN US AND THAT FACILITY.

UM, I THINK THE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE

[02:05:01]

WITH CRAVEN COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR THE FIRE ACADEMY FOR THAT FACILITY, AND THE COLLEGE IS JUST GONNA TAKE THAT ONE STEP FURTHER.

UH, THE NICE THING ABOUT THIS, UH, THE GROWTH OF THE CITY IS MOVING WEST, THAT FACILITY BE ON THE WEST END.

SO OUR UNITS THAT ARE STATIONED OUT IN THAT AREA DON'T HAVE TO TRAVEL ALL THE WAY BACK INTO THE CENTRAL PART OF THE CITY TO GET TRUE RECOGNIZED TRAINING IN A FACILITY.

SO IT'S GONNA BE A DUAL PARTNERSHIP, IT'S GONNA BE CONTINUOUS, AND I THINK IT'S GONNA BE A GREAT THING, NOT ONLY FOR THE CITY, BUT THE COUNTY ALTOGETHER, SIR.

YES, SIR.

THIS NEXT SLIDE, UM, IN SPEAKING WITH THE STAFF OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS, UM, SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION WAS THE PROPOSAL, UH, AS FAR AS THE NEW STATION AND DIDN'T NECESSARILY KNOW WHAT TO CALL IT.

SO I JUST CALL IT STATION FOUR, BUT OFF OF HIGHWAY 43, I THINK THAT'S BEEN SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN, UM, OF INTEREST TO THE BOARD.

BUT BASICALLY THIS WAS JUST AN ESTIMATE IN THE EVENT THAT YOU CHOOSE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT PROJECT AS FAR AS THE, UH, IF THERE'S LAND COST OR ACQUISITION FOR LAND AND INFRASTRUCTURE.

SO JUST SO YOU'RE AWARE, THAT WAS JUST THE ESTIMATE ON PART OF THE STAFF.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FIRE, UM, APPARATUS, LARGER APPARATUS, UNFORTUNATELY, UH, I KNOW THIS IS NOT ONE THAT IS A FAN'S FAVORITE AND SEEING THE INCREASES THAT WE'VE, UH, EXPERIENCED IN THE FIRE SERVICE, IT'S MAKING IT DIFFICULT NOT ONLY FOR MUNICIPALITIES BUT FROM VOLUNTEER DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY ON BEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT JUST TO START THAT WE ARE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE BOARD'S, UM, MOVING FORWARD AND APPROVING THIS LAST ENGINE.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

I DIDN'T HAVE, UH, UM, A SPECIFIC, UM, DOCUMENT IN FRONT OF ME THAT SAYS, HEY, THIS IS THE JUSTIFICATION THAT'S BEING UTILIZED IN PREVIOUS YEARS FOR JUSTIFICATION MOVING FORWARD APPARATUS.

I TRIED MY BEST TO DO SOME RESEARCH.

I FOUND DIFFERENT JUSTIFICATIONS OVER TIME.

SO WHAT I WANTED TO DO WAS KIND OF START ON A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD WHEN I WALKED IN, UH, BASED ON WHAT I WAS ABLE TO RESEARCH MYSELF.

SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THAT.

THIS IS JUST, UM, KIND OF COMING BACK TO THAT SECOND UNIT.

I THINK IN PREVIOUS YEAR THERE WAS CONVERSATIONS AND APPROVAL FOR REFURB, REFURB FOR ADDITIONAL UNIT TO HAVE THAT SECOND UNIT IN PLACE.

AND THEN THIS IS JUST THE, UH, RECOMMENDATION AFTER I WAS ABLE TO GO THROUGH, ONE OF THE THINGS I REQUESTED WAS A REPORT FROM FLEET TO LOOK AT THE WHOLE FLEET AS A WHOLE, WHERE DOES IT STAND? AND THE REPLACEMENT FOR ENGINE FIVE BEING THE OLDEST IN THE FLEET OF 93.

IT WAS INTERESTING WHEN I RE REQUESTED THIS REPORT BECAUSE IT INITIALLY COME BACK WITH THE NUMBERS THAT YOU SEE, THE PURCHASE COST IN 92 AND THEN PURCHASE 4 93 WAS $189,996.

AND THEN I REQUESTED WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE FROM YEAR TO DATE? UH, UP THROUGH THE YEARS AS FAR AS REPAIR, THE NUMBER YOU SEE THERE IS ACCURATE FOR YEAR TO DATE REPAIR, WHICH IS $75,686 83 CENTS.

WHAT YOU DON'T SEE IS THAT GOING FURTHER INTO IT AND REQUESTING FROM FINANCE.

THE ARCHIVE RECORDS DID SHOW THAT THERE WAS A REFERABLE ON THIS PARTICULAR UNIT IN 2006 THAT WAS ALSO AN ADDITIONAL 75,000.

SO LOOKING AT THE COST COMPARISON BETWEEN WHAT THE INITIAL WAS VERSUS HOW MUCH HAS BEEN SPENT ON THE UNIT, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S AT LEAST BROUGHT TO YOU AND CONSIDERATION AS YOU MOVE FORWARD WITH A PLAN FOR FLEET IN THE FUTURE.

FOSTER, WE, SEVERAL YEARS AGO, WE GOT A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF ALL THE VEHICLES WITHIN THE CITY.

IT SHOWED, YOU KNOW, WHAT UNIT THEY WERE, WHAT DEPARTMENT THEY WERE ASSIGNED TO, THE MILEAGE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

YOU THINK IT'S POSSIBLE IF YOU GET AN UPDATED LIST OF THAT? YES SIR.

THIS WOULD BE THE SUMMARY, UH, BASED ON, UM, EVERYTHING THAT WAS PRESENTED TODAY.

THE OTHER, UM, UH, REQUEST FOR A VEHICLE WAS ONE OF THAT WOULD BE ASSIGNED TO PREVENTION.

AGAIN, IT'S, UH, LOOKING AT THE COST COMPARISON BETWEEN THE INITIAL COST OF THE UNIT AND, AND THE YEAR TO DATE REPAIRS.

AND THIS WAS FOR, UH, REPLACING A 2006 F TWO 50.

AND THE ESTIMATED COST THAT YOU SEE IS BASED OFF OF, UM, THE, THE STATE COST ASSOCIATED ON CONTRACT FOR THE VEHICLE, BUT ALSO THE UPFIT FOR, UM, EMERGENCY LIGHTING.

THIS NEXT ONE IS, UM, UH, SELF-CONTAINED BREATHING APPARATUS THAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION AND GOING BACK AND LOOK AT IT, THE DEPARTMENT DID RECEIVE A GRANT FOR SCBA, WHICH IS THE G ONE PACS, AND THAT'S MSA.

UM, THESE, UH, THAT WERE REQUESTING HERE IS MORE TO BE PLACED ON THE RESCUE UNIT.

AND BASICALLY THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE THAT IT WOULDN'T HAVE QUALIFIED UNDER THE GRANT IS BECAUSE THEY'RE FOR THE THOUSAND.

UM, UH, THE ONE HOUR BOTTLES IN COMPARISON TO THE 30, THE GRANT WAS SPECIFIC TO LIKE YOUR FIRE SUPPRESSION.

UM, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, I DON'T WANNA BE MISQUOTED ON THAT, BUT THESE HERE WOULD BE SPECIFICALLY FOR MORE OF THE CONFINED SPACE OR THE RESCUE UNIT, WHICH WOULD, UH, FINISH OFF WHAT WAS NEEDED FOR THE DEPARTMENT ON SBAS.

THAT IS CORRECT.

THAT'S CORRECT, SIR.

I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I SAID THAT RIGHT BECAUSE I, IT'S QUITE A BIT OF STUFF TO RESEARCH IN, IN A FEW WEEKS.

UM, AND

[02:10:01]

BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS.

FOSTER, WHEN, WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR FOLLOW-UP MEETINGS WITH EACH OF THE DEPARTMENTS WITH REGARDS TO THEIR REQUESTS, DO YOU REQUIRE THEM TO COME BACK TO YOU WITH A, I'M NOT SURE HOW TO TERM IT, A RATING, UH, OR A SCALE SOMEHOW OF, YOU KNOW, ABSOLUTELY MUST HAVE.

WOULD LIKE TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, UM, SOME, SOME SOMETHING THAT IDENTIFIES A PRIORITY, ESPECIALLY, AND I'M NOT PICKING ON THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, BUT FIRE DEPARTMENT PUBLIC WORKS ELECTRIC UTILITY, WHERE YOU'RE TEND TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE CAPITAL INTENSIVE IN TERMS OF VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT.

UM, THE REALITY, IT'S OBVIOUSLY THE BOARD IS NOT GONNA APPROVE EVERY REQUEST THAT'S BEING MADE.

SO SOMEHOW EACH DEPARTMENT HAS TO PRIORITIZE THOSE REQUESTS, WHICH WE'RE NOT SEEING IN THIS DOCUMENT.

BUT I ASSUME THAT YOU REQUIRE THEM TO GENERATE THAT.

WE DO.

AND WE ALSO ACTUALLY, UM, DO, GET SERVICE RECORDS ON VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT AS WELL AS INSPECT, UH, IF THEY'RE WANTING TO DO SOME CAPITAL BUILDING PROJECTS AS WELL.

SO WHEN WE DO GIVE YOU THE, THE BUDGET INFORMATION IN A FEW MONTHS, YOU'LL ACTUALLY SEE THE PRIORITY THAT WE ASK THE DEPARTMENTS TO PLACE THOSE CAPITAL REQUESTS IN.

AND THEN YOU'LL SEE WHEN IT COMES TO MY RECOMMENDATION TO YOU, WHAT WE HAVE, WHAT WE HAVE RED LINED OUT, AND WHAT WE HAVE RECOMMENDED AS WELL.

THESE, UM, JUST TO ADD TO THAT, THESE REQUESTS AS THEY ARE PRESENTED TO YOU, ARE IN THE ORDER OF PRIORITY THAT THEY HAVE GIVEN IT.

ANY MORE QUESTIONS, CHIEF? MUST BE BECAUSE YOU'RE NEW.

'CAUSE USUALLY WHEN FIRE DEPARTMENT COMES UP, YOU'RE STANDING THERE FOR AN HOUR.

SO CONGRATULATIONS, , YOU GETTING A BREAK TODAY? EVIDENTLY.

APPRECIATE IT.

PROVIDE 'EM TO THE MANAGER.

OKAY, MAYOR, AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO ASK SONYA HAYES TO COME UP AND DISCUSS HUMAN RESOURCES.

GOOD MORNING.

IT IS ALRIGHT.

I WON'T BE BEFORE YOU, BUT JUST A MINUTE.

SO, AS FAR AS HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT IS CONCERNED, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES WE HAVE CURRENTLY IS SIX.

THANK YOU TO THE BOARD FOR, UM, AGREEING TO BUDGET AND FUND THE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT POSITION.

I WAS ABLE TO HIRE THAT POSITION AND IT HAS BEEN TREMENDOUSLY BENEFICIAL.

SO WE'RE AT SIX AND WE'RE GONNA HOLD IT.

SIX KEY OPERATIONS AND FUNCTIONS OF THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT ARE LISTED HERE.

AND YOU CAN SEE WE DO QUITE A BIT, BUT THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE, UM, HIGHLIGHT.

RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION, BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION, SAFETY AND HEALTH TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT, WELLNESS PROGRAM, PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT, RECORD KEEPING, ONBOARDING AND OFFBOARDING, WORKERS' COMPENSATION, CLASSIFICATION AND COMPENSATION.

JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT.

UM, REALLY NOT ASKING, UM, FOR ANY FUNDS, UM, FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR TO, UM, PROCEED WITH ANY OF THE GOALS AND THE INITIATIVES THAT WE HAVE.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, WE ARE CURRENTLY DOING AND WE HAVE BEEN DOING FOR A LONG TIME ARE EXIT INTERVIEWS.

AND SO ANYTIME AN EMPLOYEE SEPARATES, BE IT VOLUNTARY, UM, RESIGNATIONS, RETIREMENTS OR MAYBE EVEN INVOLUNTARY, WE DO REQUEST THAT THAT EMPLOYEE COMPLETE AN EXIT INTERVIEW SO THAT WE'LL KNOW AND GET SOME FEEDBACK AS TO WHAT THE EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE WAS LIKE.

BUT WHAT WE DON'T HAVE IS A WAY TO CAPTURE THAT INFORMATION ALL IN ONE PLACE AND ANALYZE IT.

SO WHAT WE'LL DO IS ONCE WE GET THE FORMS BACK, WE SEND THEM TO THE CITY MANAGER, WE SEND THEM TO THE DEPARTMENT HEAD.

BUT MY GOAL THIS YEAR IS TO DEVELOP AN INSTRUMENT AND USE A, A TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM, WHICH IT WON'T COST US ANY ADDITIONAL MONEY, BUT WE'LL USE THE, UH, CREATE AN EXIT INTERVIEW INSTRUMENT TO REPLACE THAT EXISTING PAPER INSTRUMENT.

AND AGAIN, WE SEND THAT EVEN OUT ELECTRONICALLY.

SO THIS NEW INSTRUMENT REALLY WOULD ALLOW US TO OBTAIN CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK FROM EMPLOYEES ON THE OVERALL EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE AND THE REASONS FOR THEIR DEPARTURE.

AND WE WOULD BE ABLE TO EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY GATHER THAT DATA.

WE COULD QUICKLY RUN SOME ANALYTICS.

WE COULD BETTER UNDERSTAND THE ROOT CAUSES OF TURNOVER AND EXIT TRENDS THROUGHOUT EACH DEPARTMENT AND CITYWIDE.

SO RIGHT NOW, WE WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK AND MANUALLY PRODUCE THAT, UM, IF NECESSARY, BUT USING A TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM, THEN WE CAN PRODUCE THOSE ANALYTICS AND

[02:15:01]

AND WE CAN MAYBE TOGETHER DEPARTMENT HEADS AND THE MANAGER AND MYSELF COULD FIGURE OUT WHAT EXACTLY IS GOING ON.

ARE THERE SOME TRENDS? ARE THERE, UM, SOME, UM, UM, COMMON THEMES AMONG ROOT CAUSES OF DEPARTURE.

UH, SO THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GONNA DO IN THIS COMING YEAR.

AND AGAIN, THIS WOULD ALLOW US TO IDENTIFY AND EXECUTE THOSE RETENTION STRATEGIES AND ACTION PLANS.

AGAIN, NO COST.

ONE OTHER THING, UH, THAT WE WOULD WANT TO DO THAT WOULD BE IN KEEPING WITH THAT LAST, UM, GOAL, AM I GOING THE WRONG WAY? UH, HANG ON, LET'S GO BACK.

WHERE AM I? OKAY, I THINK I HAVE, WHERE AM I IN IT? YEAH, I GO BACK.

SORRY, GOING BACKWARDS.

AM WE GOING BACKWARDS OR, I DON'T YET.

JUST KEEP RIGHT ON.

WE'LL GET DONE HERE.

IS THIS IT? YEP.

YOU'RE YOU'RE GOING THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

I DON'T KNOW HOW I GOT THAT FAR.

I GOT .

HERE WE GO.

UM, SO ONE OF THE THINGS, THE EXCELLENCE IN GOVERNMENT AND THIS GOAL, THE NEXT GOAL, THAT FIRST GOAL I JUST DISCUSSED ON THE, UM, EXIT INTERVIEWS PERTAINS TO EXCELLENCE IN GOVERNMENT.

AND THE SECOND GOAL DOES AS WELL.

SO WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS WE WANT TO PRODUCE A COMPREHENSIVE EMPLOYEE BENEFIT GUIDE.

WE DO HAVE A SUMMARY OF BENEFITS, AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING TO, UM, PRODUCE LIKE A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE THAT WILL CONTAIN AN OVERVIEW OF ALL THE BENEFITS, UM, THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO CITY EMPLOYEES.

AND IT'LL BE A PROFESSIONAL DOCUMENT.

WE DON'T WANNA PRODUCE TOO MANY PAPER FORMS IF NECESSARY.

SO THIS WOULD BE A LINK THAT WE WOULD SEND TO ALL EMPLOYEES, BUT IT WOULD BE A COLORFUL DOCUMENT.

IT WOULD HAVE PHOTOS AND PICTURES.

SO IT WILL CONTAIN ALL THE BENEFITS RELATED INFORMATION, UH, THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD ASSIST EMPLOYEES AS THEY TRY TO MAKE BENEFIT ELECTIONS.

SO WE'VE SEEN THEM DONE, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE ENDEAVORED TO DO, BUT THIS YEAR WE'RE, WE'RE, OUR GOAL IS TO GET IT DONE.

SO THIS BENEFIT GUIDE IS GONNA SERVE AS A REFERENCE TO EMPLOYEES WHEN BENEFITS RELATED QUESTIONS ARISE.

STILL WELCOME TO CALL US, BUT THEY'LL HAVE EVERYTHING AT THEIR FINGERTIP.

ALSO, IT'S GOING TO ASSIST EMPLOYEES IN MAKING DECISIONS DURING THE 2024 OPEN ENROLLMENT PERIOD FOR BENEFITS THAT ARE EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1ST, 2025.

AND WE ALSO WANT TO USE THIS DOCUMENT TO SERVE AS A RECRUITMENT TOOL AND AID US IN ATTRACTING CANDIDATES FOR EMPLOYMENT.

SOMETIMES WE CAN'T PAY A LOT, BUT THE BENEFITS ARE GREAT AND WE FEEL LIKE USE CAR SALESMEN WHEN WE ARE TRYING TO, UM, COMMUNICATE THOSE BENEFITS TO, UH, UH, CANDIDATES TO LET THEM KNOW WHAT WE OFFER.

BUT THIS IS GONNA BE A TOOL AS WELL TO ASSIST US AND AGAIN, WON'T COST US ANYTHING.

WE'LL CREATE IT.

UM, AND THEN WE WILL SEND THE LINK OUT TO OR DISSEMINATE THE LINK TO ALL EMPLOYEES.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE, 0, 0, 0, NO NO SALARIES, BENEFITS, ADDITIONS, BUILDING MAINTENANCE REQUEST OR CAPITAL.

SO TOTAL REQUEST OF ADDITIONS IS ZERO, AND I'M HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

QUESTIONS, SONYA? YES.

WHEN, UH, UH, EMPLOYEE EXIT FROM THE SYSTEM, UM, IF IT'S DEVASTATING, UM, WHAT IS THE NEXT STEP TO DO FOR THE MANAGER TO SHARE INFORMATION WITH US BASED ON HOW MANY PEOPLE WAS EXIT FROM THE, THAT LEFT THE SYSTEM? UH, LET'S SAY FOR INSTANCE, WE HAD, UH, 10 PEOPLE TO RESIGN.

AND, UM, I GUESS IT'S A FOSTER, UH, ANSWER.

UH, DO YOU SHARE THAT WITH US? UH, UH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS NOT SHARED WITH THE BOARD.

THAT INFORMATION IS COVERED IN THE MONTHLY REPORT WHERE WE HAVE THE NUMBER OF NEW HIRES, THE NUMBER OF RES RESIGNATIONS, THE NUMBER OF RETIREMENTS ALSO COVERED IN THE WEEKLY REPORT AS WELL.

EXIT INTERVIEWS FROM HR, I DO GO BACK AND LOOK FOR EACH DEPARTMENT ON WHAT ISSUES ARE AND WHAT COULD BE COMMON THEMES AMONG THOSE THINGS.

THAT'S SOMETHING I DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO.

UM, HAS IT BEEN DEVASTATING ENOUGH THAT, UH, YOU HAVE SHOWN A IS CONCERNED, UM, UH, IS ANYTHING THAT, UH, WE NOT DOING THAT WE NEED TO DO TO SLOW THAT DOWN? I MEAN, I, I, I GUESS YOU NEVER CAN TELL WHO'S GOING TO RESIGN OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT, UH, IF, UH, A LARGE NUMBER OF, UH, INDIVIDUAL LEAVING A CERTAIN DEPARTMENT, I GUESS THAT'S AN ALARM THAT GOES OFF THERE.

SO WE DO ANALYZE THAT.

WHEN, WHEN I GET THESE, UH,

[02:20:01]

AND WE HAVE NOT SEEN COMMON THREADS WHERE IF THERE WAS DISAGREEMENT WITH DEPARTMENT MANAGEMENT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, UH, OVER THE YEARS, THE BIGGEST ISSUE WE'VE SEEN, ESPECIALLY WHEN COVID CAME ABOUT, WAS BASICALLY THE NUMBER OF FOLKS THAT COULD GET A JOB THAT WAS MAKING MORE MONEY WHERE THEY COULD WORK FROM HOME.

AND WE DID SEE A LOT OF EMPLOYEES LEAVE BECAUSE OF THAT.

WE'VE SEEN SOME OF THAT, UH, SIMILAR TRENDS IN, IN POLICE AS WELL, WHERE FOLKS DID NOT WANT TO CONTINUE THAT LINE OF WORK AND WENT ON TO DO OTHER THINGS.

BUT OVERALL, WE HAD NOT SEEN ANY, ANY MAJOR ISSUES WITH THE EMPLOYMENT PART THAT ANYONE HAS WRITTEN IN THEIR EXIT INTERVIEW.

AND OF COURSE, I WILL ALSO SAY THIS, THERE HAVE BEEN MANY TIMES WHERE, WHERE AN EMPLOYEE MAY HAVE WRITTEN SOMETHING AND, AND I REACH OUT TO THEM AND ASK IF I COULD SPEAK TO THEM IN PERSON.

AND SO THEY'LL COME AND TALK AND SHARE, SHARE WHATEVER ISSUES THEY HAVE, AND WE, WE ADDRESS THOSE AS NEEDED.

HMM.

BUT I WILL SAY, MR. KINZIE, WE, WE'VE NOT SEEN ANY ALARMING TRENDS AS FAR AS TURNOVER.

WE REALLY DO.

UM, WELL, COMPARATIVELY SPEAKING, UM, AND TO THE MANAGER'S POINT, I WOULD SAY IN FISCAL YEAR 21, 22, THE TURNOVER RATE WAS ABOUT 18.3%.

AND A LOT OF PLACES WERE EXPERIENCING HIGHER TURNOVER THAN THAT.

BUT THIS LAST, UM, JUNE, WE WERE AT 14.0%, AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT 6.39% CUMULATIVELY.

SO ACCORDING TO THE, UM, NORTH TO THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS FOR THE NORTH CAROLINA, THE SOUTHEAST REGION, IT'S ABOUT HOVERING AROUND 4% PER MONTH TURNOVER IN THE SOUTHEAST REGION.

AND WE RANGE FROM 0.19 TO 1.79.

SO THERE'S REALLY NO ALARMING TRENDS IN THE NUMBERS THAT WE'RE SEEING.

WE JUST WANNA BE ABLE TO CAPTURE THE DATA, MAKE IT EASIER FOR THE MANAGER AND THE DEPARTMENT HEAD TO LOOK BACK AT TRENDS AND COMMON THEMES INSTEAD OF HAVING TO GO THROUGH EACH OF THOSE EXIT INTERVIEWS, RUNNING REPORTS, AND THEN BETTER HELPING US COMPARE EVEN DEPARTMENT TO DEPARTMENT CITYWIDE.

AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO ASK ERNEST SIMONS WITH OUR TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT COME UP TO MAKE HIS PRESENTATION.

GOOD MORNING.

UH, HERE FOR IT.

FIRST STARTED OUT WITH, UH, OUR NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING MYSELF.

WE HAVE EIGHT PEOPLE, UH, HAVE OUR, UH, OPERATIONS AND FUNCTIONS.

I DIDN'T WANNA SPEND A LOT OF TIME GOING THROUGH THIS PART.

I WANTED TO TALK REALLY, UH, MORE ABOUT WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO GOING FORWARD.

I DID HAVE SOME INFORMATION HERE IN TERMS OF THE EQUIPMENT, THE ASSETS THAT THE CITY HAS ALREADY INVESTED IN.

AND I, I, I THINK THE, THE MAJOR POINT BEHIND TRYING TO PUT SOMETHING IN HERE ABOUT THE ASSETS IS TO GET AN APPRECIATION FOR HOW MUCH THE CITY HAS ALREADY INVESTED IN TECHNOLOGY AND THE KIND OF DEPENDENCY THAT WE ALREADY HAVE ON THE TECHNOLOGY THAT WE'VE ALREADY INVESTED IN.

WHAT I WANTED TO DO IS TO SPEND MOST OF THE TIME TALKING ABOUT FOUR MAJOR THINGS.

I, IF I WERE TO SUMMARIZE ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE IN THIS PROPOSAL, UH, FIRST WAS TO LOOK WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING AS EFFICIENT AND AS EFFECTIVE AS WE CAN AS WE ARE TRYING TO SUPPORT THE CITY OPERATION.

ALSO, TO ALSO LOOK WITHIN OUR CURRENT TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GETTING THE BEST USE OUT OF THE TECHNOLOGY THAT WE'VE ALREADY INVESTED IN.

UH, THIRD IS TO ADDRESS OUR RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION CHALLENGES WITH, UM, STAFFING.

AND THEN LAST IS TO ADDRESS, UM, CYBERSECURITY CHALLENGES THAT JUST ABOUT EVERYBODY IS FACING IN TODAY'S WORLD.

SO WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR DEPARTMENTAL GOALS, UM, MOST OF WHAT YOU'LL FIND IN WHAT WE'LL BE REQUESTING IN OUR CAPITAL IS REFRESHMENT OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.

UH, WITH EVERYTHING MOVING TO THE CLOUD, WE, THE DAYS ARE GONE WHERE WE HAVE THESE BIG DATA CENTERS AND WE'RE INVESTING IN A WHOLE LOT OF COMPUTERS HERE LOCALLY.

SO WHAT YOU'LL SEE IN OUR PROPOSAL IS THINGS THAT ARE RELATED TO MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE KEEPING OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, REFRESHED SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE MIGRATION TO THE CLOUD THAT YOU'RE SEEING ACROSS THE BOARD.

SO IN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE REFRESH, WHAT YOU SEE THERE IS REALLY JUST KEEPING UP WITH THE EQUIPMENT THAT WE ALREADY HAVE AND MAKING SURE OUR INFRASTRUCTURE STAYS THE WAY IT

[02:25:01]

SHOULD BE.

THE SECOND THING IS WHAT I'M CALLING, UH, DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION.

UM, UH, MORE OF THIS WHOLE THING OF TRYING TO BE EFFICIENT, ELIMINATING PAPER, UM, TRYING TO DO THINGS, UM, ELECTRONICALLY, TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT IN OUR TECHNOLOGY USAGE THAT WE ARE DOING THE BEST WE CAN TO COMMUNICATE.

AND THE GOAL BEING THAT WE WOULD DO, UM, USE THE EXISTING TECHNOLOGY THAT WE HAVE AND TO USE IT MORE EFFICIENTLY IN TERMS OF TRYING TO BE EFFICIENT IN HOW WE PROCESS THINGS WITHIN OUR ORGANIZATION THAN IN CYBERSECURITY.

IT IS TO ACTUALLY ADDRESS, AND AGAIN, THE THREAT IS REAL.

UH, I DON'T KNOW IF, UH, IF YOU'VE SEEN IT.

UM, THE FBI ACTUALLY TESTIFIED THAT THERE IS A REAL AND, AND, AND, AND PRESENT THREAT TO ALL OF OUR LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES OF PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO ATTACK AND TRYING TO DISRUPT OUR LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES.

SO AS PART OF THIS, WE'VE ACTUALLY APPLIED FOR, UH, BASICALLY AROUND $194,000 IN A GRANT TO HELP US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR CYBERSECURITY INITIATIVES.

AND THEN THE UPGRADE, UM, AS WE HAVE, UH, I THINK IN ONE OF THE PREVIOUS CONVERSATIONS, TALKED ABOUT UPGRADING OUR WEBSITE, UPGRADING OUR INTERNAL INTRANET SITE IS ALONG THOSE SAME LINES.

SO WE CAN ACTUALLY DEVELOP AN INTRANET SITE THAT IS MORE USER FRIENDLY, ACTUALLY HELPS OUR EMPLOYEES FIND THE INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED.

AND AGAIN, THIS IS AGAIN ABOUT USING EXISTING TECHNOLOGY, BUT ALSO BEING ABLE TO UPGRADE THAT TECHNOLOGY SO IT'LL MAKE IT EASIER FOR OUR EMPLOYEES TO USE.

SO AS FAR AS PERSONNEL REQUESTS, UH, PERSONNEL REQUESTS, THE FIRST ONE WE HAVE IS FOR AN ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT.

AND THAT'S BASICALLY TO HELP US BE ABLE TO, UM, ADDRESS ALL THE ADMINISTRATIVE TASKS THAT GO ALONG WITH RUNNING A DEPARTMENT.

SO THAT IS THE FIRST, UM, REQUEST THAT WE HAVE FOR A PERSONNEL AS TO ADD AN ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT.

THE SECOND IS TO CREATE A POSITION FOR THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY.

AND REALLY THE GOAL BEHIND THIS IS SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO FREE MYSELF UP SO THAT WE CAN, I CAN ADDRESS MORE OF THE STRATEGIC GOALS AND WE WOULD HAVE SOMEBODY IN PLACE WHO CAN ACTUALLY HELP WITH MORE OF THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD AND THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO FOR THE FUTURE.

UH, OTHER PERSONNEL REQUESTS, THIS IS ALONG THE LINES OF THE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION, UH, SO THAT THE TECHNICIANS, THE, THE FOLKS THAT WE ACTUALLY EMPLOY ACTUALLY HAVE A CAREER PATH SO THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY SEE WHERE THEY CAN BE IN THE FUTURE.

UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS A REAL ISSUE FOR ME IN HIGHER ED AND, AND WHERE I CAME FROM WAS BEING ABLE TO RE, UH, ATTRACT AND RETAIN TECHNOLOGY FOLKS.

WE HAD THIS CONTINUAL CYCLE THAT AS SOON AS YOU GOT A YOUNG PERSON IN AND THEY GOT JUST A LITTLE BIT OF EXPERIENCE AND A LITTLE BIT OF KNOWLEDGE, THAT WE WEREN'T ACTUALLY ABLE TO RETAIN THEM.

SO HOPEFULLY WITH THIS TIERED SYSTEM, THE TIER ACTUALLY REQUIRES BOTH A LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE AND A LEVEL, LEVEL OF EXPERIENCE BEFORE THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO MOVE FROM ONE TIER TO THE NEXT.

SO AGAIN, WHAT I WAS HOPING THAT YOU GUYS WOULD APPROVE, THESE ARE POSITIONS THAT WE WOULD HAVE ON THE BOOKS, BUT WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY PLANNING TO PUT ANYBODY IN THESE POSITIONS BECAUSE THIS YEAR WE JUST NOW WERE ABLE TO STAFF OUR IT TECHS AND OUR SYSTEMS ADMIN.

UH, WE WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO PROMOTE SOMEBODY INTO THE SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION POSITION.

SO I CURRENTLY DON'T HAVE ANYBODY THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT ACTUALLY PUTTING INTO THESE POSITIONS, BUT IT IS TO ESTABLISH THE POSITIONS SO THAT THESE FOLKS WILL HAVE A CAREER PROGRESSION, THEY CAN SEE WHERE THEY COULD BE, UM, TWO YEARS, FIVE YEARS, AND SEVEN YEARS FROM NOW, AND HOPEFULLY RECOGNIZE WHAT THEY'RE DOING IN TERMS OF ADDING ON MORE RESPONSIBILITY AND IN MORE KNOWLEDGE.

HELLO.

SO AS FAR AS CAPITAL, AGAIN, THIS IS TO ADDRESS OUR INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS, UM, BASICALLY JUST TO APPLIANCES, THIS IS TO REPLACE EXISTING EQUIPMENT.

UH, FOR BUILDING REQUESTS, THE ONLY THING THAT WE HAD ASKED FOR WAS REPLACING THE CARPET.

AND AGAIN, UH, BASED UPON WHAT WE DO GOING FORWARD, UM, THIS IS, WAS OUR ONLY BUILDING REQUEST.

[02:30:03]

AND HERE IS OUR SUMMARY AND I WILL PAUSE AND TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.

OFFICER, I HAVE ONE FOR YOU.

IT MAY FALL UNDER THE CITY HALL UPGRADES THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT AT THE VERY BEGINNING, BUT, UM, I THINK PROBABLY MOST OF US HERE AT SOME POINT HAVE BEEN IN THE CONFERENCE ROOM AND WE'VE HAD A MEETING WITH SOMEONE, UH, PARTICIPATING REMOTELY AND IT'S NOT THE GREATEST SETUP.

UM, I MEAN, WE HAVE A LITTLE CAMERA THAT SITS ON THE MIDDLE OF THE DESK AND WE'VE GOT A COMPUTER IN THE BACK THAT WORKS HALF THE TIME.

UM, HAVE YOU GIVEN ANY THOUGHT TO SOMETHING LIKE THAT WITH THE UPGRADES? YES, WE HAVE.

THAT'S, THAT'S INCLUDED IN THAT ALSO.

FOSTER? YES, SIR.

THIS IS A VERY OLD BUILDING.

AND HOW MUCH UPGRADE ARE WE LOOKING TO PUT INTO THIS BUILDING? WE JUST PUT 5 MILLION ON JUST ONE SIDE, NOT THE HEART OF THE BUILDING.

AND I, I THINK MY, THIS IS JUST MY THINKING, UH, UH, UH, WE NEED TO LOOK AT OTHER AVENUES AS WELL.

YOU KNOW, THIS IS A VERY OLD, OLD BUILDING, SO IT'S SINKING MONEY IN IT LIKE THAT.

UM, YOU KNOW, UH, THIS IS, UH, ALMOST LIKE A, A PINE TREE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU PUT A MATCH TO IT, IT GO WHOOP, IT'S GONE.

SO IT IS JUST SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

SO IN, SO IN TERMS OF A LONG RANGE PLANNING, UH, THE GOAL OF MORE DECENTRALIZED OVERALL KEY DEPARTMENTS, THAT, THAT WOULD BE DESIRABLE.

UM, THAT COMES WITH A, A HUGE EXPENSE TO DO THAT.

UH, AND THE INTERIM, UM, WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT A LOT OF FUNDS.

I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY AS LONG AS WE HAVE CITY HALL, WE'RE GONNA BE PUTTING MAINTENANCE DOLLARS INTO THIS BUILDING, THE ROOF WILL BE COMING UP AT SOME POINT.

WE'VE JUST, UH, REGLAZED THE WINDOWS FIXTURES, LIKE WHAT YOU SEE BEHIND YOU WITH, WITH SHADES, EVERYTHING COMES WITH A COST OF MAINTAINING AN OLD BUILDING.

UH, AND SO THERE WILL CONTINUE TO BE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.

ONE THING I CAN TELL YOU IS, UM, WE, WE HAVE BEEN ANALYZING THE OLD WATER RESOURCES BUILDING OUT AT, UH, UH, ON NEWS BOULEVARD, AND WE ARE GOING TO BE CHANGING SOME DEPARTMENTS AROUND CURRENTLY ANALYZING WHICH DEPARTMENT WILL BE BEST SUITED TO BE IN THAT LOCATION OR DEPARTMENTS TO BE IN THAT LOCATION.

UH, AND WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT THE AVAILABLE SPACE WE HAVE HERE IN CITY HALL WHILE ALSO LOOKING AT THE AVAILABLE PARKING AND HOW IT WOULD AFFECT THE PUBLIC AND, AND OUR CITY STAFF.

SO THERE IS GONNA BE SOME MOVING TO SHAKING AROUND FROM, FROM A FEW DEPARTMENTS, UM, IN THE INTERIM, UH, IN TERMS OF LOOKING AT CENTRALIZING SOMETHING THAT, THAT'S REALLY STUFF THAT'S GONNA BE A, A MORE OF A LONG RANGE PLAN TWO TO THREE YEARS AWAY, JUST 'CAUSE OF THE COST AND THE PLANNING THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.

BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT THAT AND WE WILL PRESENT SOMETHING TO THE BOARD IN DUE TIME FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.

WHAT IS YOUR DEFINITION IN DUE TIME? UM, AFTER WE HAVE EVALUATED THE SPACING NEEDS AND REQUIREMENTS FROM ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS CURRENTLY, UH, TO LOOK AT THE, UH, TOTAL SQUARE FOOTAGE THAT WE WOULD NEED TO HAVE IN A CONSOLIDATED ENVIRONMENT, HOW MUCH YOU THINK WOULD COST TO DO A ROOF ON THIS BUILDING HERE, APPROXIMATELY $300,000 AND ALONG WITH THE OTHER THINGS THAT YOU ADDED ON AND ADD THAT TO THAT, WHAT WOULD THAT BE? GEORGE, YOU YOU DOING MATH SO QUICKLY, I HAD TO CATCH UP WITH YOU.

I'M JUST LOOKING AT COST DOWN THE ROAD, YOU KNOW HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO COST AND WHERE WE HEADED AT WITH THIS HERE.

CONTINUE TO WORK ON THE OLD, CONTINUE TO FIX UP A OLD HOUSE.

CONTINUE TO SINK MONEY INTO AN OLD BUILDING THAT IS JUST, THAT'S JUST MY OPINION, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO KNOW, IS THAT AN INTEREST? WELL, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR CONCERN WITH THE EXISTING ASPHALT ROOF, UM, THE PITCH OF THAT ROOF IS, IS AT A STEEPNESS THAT IT IS KIND OF OUTSIDE THE PARAMETERS THAT WOULD BE SUITED FOR THAT TYPE OF SHINGLE.

AND IN REGARDS TO CITY HALL, WHEN WE HAD THE ANNEX BEING CONSTRUCTED, THE ROOFING CONTRACTOR THAT PROVIDED THE WORK AND THE MATERIAL TO PUT THE, UH, SYNTHETIC SLATE ON THE ANNEX, WE HAD THEM PRICE DOING THE REST OF THE, THE EXISTING STRUCTURE AND THAT WAS APPROXIMATELY $300,000 TO, TO PUT THE SYNTHETIC SLATE ON THERE.

IT'S LIKE I SAY, MY THING IS, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD WILL BE, CONTINUE TO

[02:35:01]

WE WOULD GET A LONG TERM SOLUTION TO OUR ROOF HERE WITH, UH, THE SYNTHETIC, SYNTHETIC SLATE.

UM, WE'VE DONE ALL THIS NICE WORK INSIDE, WE NEED TO HAVE SOMETHING IN ON TOP OF TO KEEP THE WEATHER OUT.

AND, AND ALDERMAN WITH 120 6-YEAR-OLD BUILDING, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO HAVE ISSUES WITH, IT'S A, IT'S A HISTORIC STRUCTURE AND AS LONG AS THE CITY OWNS THIS PROPERTY, I ANTICIPATE US MAINTAINING IT TO THE SUITABLE LEVEL.

AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO CONSIDER, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE COST WOULD BE EVERY YEAR BASED ON BUILDING A NEW BUILDING AND PAYING IT OFF IN 20 YEARS OR 50 YEARS.

YOU KNOW, IT DEPENDS UPON THE SIZE OF THE BUILDING.

YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE WHEN WE WAS TALKING WITH THE GUY THE OTHER DAY, THEY CAME HERE THAT'S DOING THE, UH, STANLEY WHITE, I WAS ASKING HIM ABOUT THE STRUCTURE OF THAT BUILDING, THAT THAT'S WHERE THEY BUILD CHEAP WAREHOUSES USING THAT TYPE OF MATERIAL.

AND, UH, HE KNEW, I KNEW WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT.

HE AGREED, YOU KNOW, SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ANOTHER WAY THAT YOU COULD LOOK AT, UH, BUILDING SOMETHING THAT WOULDN'T COST AS MUCH AS TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF OUR OLD BUILDING YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR.

YOU KNOW, WHEN I FIRST CAME IN OFFICE, ALL THIS STUFF WAS COMING APART BECAUSE, UH, WE HAD LINCOLN BRICK, YOU KNOW, AND THEN ON THE WAY IT GOT FIXED WAS WHEN WE ADDED THE ELEVATOR ON.

BUT, UH, IT'S JUST SOMETHING TO CONSIDER.

, UH, YEAH, JUST A COMMENT QUESTION FOR YOURSELF OR FOSTER AND JUST JUMPING BACK TO THE ISSUE OF CYBERSECURITY.

, UM, IT SEEMS LIKE ALMOST EVERY DAY YOU SEE ON THE NEWS WHERE THERE'S BEEN THIS BREACH OR THAT BREACH, UM, UM, THAT AFFECT MILLIONS OF PEOPLE AND IT'S BIG BUSINESS THESE DAYS FOR INDIVIDUALS, WHEREVER THEY ARE IN THE WORLD, TO GET ACCESS TO A NETWORK AND BASICALLY HOLD THAT ENTITY HOSTAGE UNTIL THEY PAY SOME AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT IN, YOU KNOW, IS NEGOTIATED.

AND I THINK MOST TIMES THEY, THEY RELEASE THE NETWORK.

UM, I THINK I KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION, BUT DO WE HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE TO ADDRESS THAT EVENTUALITY? WE DO HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE IN EARNEST IF YOU'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THAT, BUT IF, IF, IF SOMEONE WERE TO HOLD US FOR RANSOM, WE CANNOT PAY.

A COUPLE THINGS.

UM, WE'VE ACTUALLY SUBMITTED SOME POLICY STATEMENTS TO, UH, FOSTER SO THAT WE BE, CAN BEGIN TO HAVE SOME THINGS IN PLACE TO ADDRESS CYBER SECURITY ISSUES.

AND AS IS ALLUDED TO, THE GOVERNOR ACTUALLY PASSED A LAW THAT ACTUALLY SAYS THAT AS THE STATE ENTITY, WE CAN'T NEGOTIATE WITH THESE PEOPLE AND WE CAN'T USE, I KNOW SPECIFICALLY WE CAN'T USE STATE FUNDS TO PAY A RANSOM, UM, TO GET TO SPECIFICALLY WHAT THEY'RE DOING NOW IS THAT IT USED TO BE WHAT THEY WERE DOING IS THAT THEY WERE TRYING TO STEAL INFORMATION, BUT AS YOU RIGHTLY, UH, SPOKE TO NOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DISRUPT YOUR ACCESS TO YOUR OWN RESOURCES.

SO IF THEY CAN CUT YOU OFF AND HOLD YOUR STUFF, UH, AT RANSOM, THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE GOING AFTER NOW.

SO THE SHIFT HAS BEEN AWAY FROM STEALING INFORMATION TO KEEPING YOU FROM BEING ABLE TO GET TO YOUR OWN RESOURCE.

AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE REALLY SEE THE REAL, UH, UH, THRUST RIGHT NOW.

AND THANKFULLY WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE IN PLACE RIGHT NOW AS A CITY IS THAT WE WORK WITH A THIRD PARTY THAT HAS A WHOLE PANEL OF SECURITY EXPERTS.

SO WE HAD A RECENT EVENT WHERE WE HAD TO KIND OF GO THROUGH SOME OF THIS WHERE WE THOUGHT, UM, WE HAD, UH, UH, SOMETHING TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT.

SO WE HAVE PEOPLE ALREADY THAT WE CAN TURN TO, TO ASSIST US HERE LOCALLY TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY NEED TO BE WORRIED ABOUT OR WHETHER WE HAVE SOMETHING ELSE WITHIN OUR SYSTEM.

SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WITH THIS GRANT AND, AND AND, AND THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING GOING FORWARD IS TO HARDEN

[02:40:01]

WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS I WILL TELL YOU IS THAT WE WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO ELIMINATE RISK.

I JUST, I CAN'T TELL YOU THAT WE'LL EVER GET TO A POINT WHERE WE HAVE NO RISK.

WHAT WE DO IS WE DO WHAT'S THE INDUSTRY CALLS RISK MANAGEMENT.

SO AT SOME POINT YOU HAVE TO ACCEPT THE FACT THAT TO, IN ORDER TO STAY IN BUSINESS, THAT THERE IS SOME LEVEL OF RISK THAT YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO ACCEPT, UH, USE THE BANKS AS A GOOD EXAMPLE.

WE KNOW THAT THERE'S A RISK ASSOCIATED ASSOCIATED WITH HAVING THE BRANCHES OPEN, BUT THEY ACCEPT THAT AS PART OF THEIR, UM, BEING IN BUSINESS.

SO WHAT WE DO IS WE REALLY TRY TO MINIMIZE AS MUCH RISK AS WE CAN AND TO TRY TO ACTUALLY LOOK AT THOSE RISK AND THE BUSINESS MODEL AND SEE WHAT LEVEL OF RISK WE CAN REALISTICALLY ACCEPT.

WELL, I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT.

UM, BUT LET ME, LET ME JUST KIND OF FOLLOW UP IN, IN MORE OF A SIMPLISTIC, UH, I GUESS QUESTION.

MM-HMM IS THAT IF SOMEONE GOT ACCESS TO OUR NETWORK AND BASICALLY LOCKED IT UP WHERE WE COULD NOT ACCESS OUR OWN INFORMATION AND RESOURCES, DO WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO GO TO PLAN B AND HAVE THAT INFORMATION READILY AVAILABLE, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH THE CLOUD OR WHEREVER, YOU KNOW, IT IS TO BE ABLE TO IGNORE THE, THE, UM, THE BAD ACTOR OUT THERE THAT IS TRYING TO HOLD US HOSTAGE AND STILL GET ACCESS TO OUR INFORMATION? DO WE HAVE THAT ABILITY? SURE.

2, 2, 2 QUICK THINGS.

FIRST OF ALL, WE HAVE ACCESS TO THE NORTH CAROLINA NATIONAL GUARD.

THEY'VE GOT A STRIKE FORCE.

SO IF WE HAD AN INCIDENT, WE WOULD ACTUALLY REACH OUT TO THEM AND THEY WOULD BRING AN ENTIRE STAFF OF PEOPLE HERE TO HELP US TO RECOVER.

SECOND THING IS, IS THAT JUST ABOUT ALL OF THE DATA SOURCES THAT WE HAVE, HAVE BEEN, ARE CONTINUALLY BACKED UP SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY GET TO IT.

IF SOMEBODY WERE TO UH, UM, GET BETWEEN US IN OUR DATA, I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST CONCERNS FOR LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES HAS TO BE WITH, UM, UM, SOME OF THE ACTUAL, UH, PHYSICAL STUFF, WATER TREATMENT PLANTS, THE ELECTRICAL SIDE.

IF SOMEONE WERE ABLE TO GET IN THERE AND ACTUALLY TAKE CONTROL OF THOSE KINDS OF SYSTEMS, IT'S DIFFERENT THAN ACTUALLY GETTING ACCESS TO DATA.

SO WE DO HAVE RESOURCES THAT CAN COME IN TO HELP US, BUT IT WOULD BE A LEVEL OF DISRUPTION.

RIGHT, BECAUSE WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, IT'S, IT'S REACTIVE.

YOU KNOW, SOMETHING IS ALREADY HAPPENED AND THEN WE'RE REACHING OUT YEAH.

TO GET RESOURCES TO HELP US RECOVER AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

UM, BUT WE'RE NOT IN A POSITION TO BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY AN EVENT AS IT'S HAPPENING.

UH, AND, AND, AND STOP IT SOMEHOW.

NO PROBLEM IS THAT IT CHANGES ALL THE TIME.

THEY'RE ALWAYS COMING OUT WITH SOMETHING DIFFERENT, SOMETHING NEW.

ANY IDEAS HOW AS TO HOW DISRUPTIVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT COULD BE TO THE CITY? SURE.

HOW LONG IT COULD TAKE TO AT LEAST RECOVER TO, YOU KNOW, AN OPERATIONAL LEVEL.

A GOOD CASE STUDY IS THE CITY OF AUGUSTA, CITY OF AUGUSTA WENT THROUGH THIS.

THEY ACTUALLY WERE HELL RANSOME AND THEY ACTUALLY GOT TO A POINT WHERE THEY HAD TO SHUT DOWN JUST ABOUT ALL CITY OPERATIONS.

THEY COULDN'T TAKE ANY PAYMENTS, THEY HAD TO SHUT DOWN THE SHELTERS.

UH, NOBODY COULD COME IN AND ADOPT A PET.

SO THE LEVEL OF DISRUPTION, DISRUPTION CAN BE EVENTS.

UH, AND IT REALLY HAS TO DO WITH HOW DEEP WITHIN THE SYSTEM A BAD ACTOR IS ABLE TO GET BEFORE WE'RE ABLE TO CUT THEM OFF.

CONSTANT THREAT WE SEE, UM, AND OVER THE YEARS, JUST THAT BUDGET IS INCREASED AND IT'S GONNA CONTINUE.

WHAT WE MONITOR EVERY DAY, WE LOOK, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR UNUSABLE ACTIVITY.

WELL, I GUESS THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT, UM, IN, IN, IN THE REAL WORLD, WE'RE A VERY SMALL POTATO COMPARED TO A LOT OF OTHER ENTITIES.

SO HOPEFULLY WE FLY UNDER THE RADAR.

YEAH, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT WON'T HAPPEN.

BUT THE SAD THING IS THAT ALL THEY'RE LOOKING FOR IS AN EXAMPLE TO MAKE SOMEBODY THAT EXAMPLE, TO BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE TO OTHER MUNICIPALITIES THAT THEY CAN DO IT.

YEP.

AND SO OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, THE BUDGET FOR TECHNOLOGY HAS CONTINUED TO INCREASE, UM, FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS.

ONE, WE HAVE, WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN THE TECHNOLOGY, UH, UH, 'CAUSE IT'S CONSTANTLY EVOLVING AND THAT

[02:45:01]

IT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE PERCENTAGE WISE, ONE OF THE FASTEST RISING DEPARTMENTS BECAUSE OF HOW THINGS CONSTANTLY CHANGE.

ANY MORE QUESTIONS? THANK YOU MR. SIMON.

THANK YOU MR. HUGHES.

MAYOR, IF EVERYONE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A SHORT BREAK.

I SEE THAT LUNCH ARRIVED A FEW MINUTES AGO.

IF WE'D LIKE TO GRAB A, A QUICK BITE AND THEN COME BACK, UH, TO FINISH UP.

WHAT TIME? HOW MUCH TIME ARE YOU THINKING? 20 MINUTES.

20 MINUTES.

YOU'RE GONNA BE LATE ANYWAY.

I'LL REMEMBER THIS.

I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU'RE LOOKING AT ME THAT WAY.

SOMEBODY MAKE A MOTION PLEASE.

SO MOVED.

SECOND.

I HAVE A MOTION.

AND SECOND TO RECESS FOR 30 MINUTES.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

A AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? WE'RE IN RECESS.

OKAY, WE ARE BACK IN SESSION.

MR. HUGHES, WHERE ARE WE? OUR NEXT PRESENTATION WILL BE PARKS AND RECREATION.

I'D LIKE TO ASK CARRIE WARREN TO COME UP AND MAKE THAT PRESENTATION HERE.

ALL RIGHT.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

I'M GONNA BREAK THE CYCLE AND SEE IT HERE INSTEAD OF STAN.

ALL RIGHT.

SO, UM, PARKS AND RECREATION OPERATES WITH THREE DIFFERENT DIVISIONS.

WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 30 EMPLOYEES AT THIS TIME.

UM, KEY OPERATION AND FUNCTIONS UNDER ADMINISTRATION.

WE PROVIDE GENERAL INFORMATION ON FACILITIES, PARKS, PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, UM, FACILITATE PARK RESERVATIONS AND RENTALS, UM, FINANCE AND BUDGET PREP.

UM, PLAN, HOST AND MANAGE SPECIAL EVENTS, PROVIDE CEMETERY SERVICES, MANAGE THE CITY'S URBAN TREE PROGRAM, VOLUNTEER PROGRAM COORDINATION AND FACILITATE ATHLETICS FOR PARKS AND GROUNDS MAINTENANCE.

WE MAY PROVIDE MAINTENANCE OF FACILITIES, PARKS, GREEN SPACES, RIGHT OF WAYS, ATHLETIC FIELDS AND TURF, MOWING AND LANDSCAPING, THE CITY PUBLIC TREES AND EQUIPMENT, AS WELL AS CONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT.

AND THEN EVENTS SET UP AND TEAR DOWN FOR VARIOUS EVENTS, WHETHER IT'S CITY SPONSORED OR OTHERWISE.

UH, UNDER FACILITIES WE PROVIDE INCLUSIVE RECREATION PROGRAMS AND SERVICES AT RECREATION CENTERS, COMMUNITY CENTER, AND OUR SPECIAL USE FACILITIES SUCH AS AQUATIC CENTER.

UM, WE PROVIDE RENTAL OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCES FOR NONPROFIT GROUPS, CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS, SCHOOLS AND CITIZENS.

AND WE PROMOTE CULTURAL ARTS, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, AND WELLNESS FOR ALL.

UM, I IDENTIFIED FOUR DIFFERENT GOALS FOR OUR DEPARTMENT.

THE FIRST ONE BEING, UH, PROVIDE EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL CITIZENS TO PARTICIPATE IN SPECIAL EVENTS, PROGRAMS AND ATHLETICS.

AND SOME OF THE ACTION ITEMS TO HELP US, UM, MEET THAT GOAL WOULD BE OF COURSE THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW STANLEY, A WHITE RECREATION CENTER.

UM, UPDATING OUR FACILITIES TO BE A DA ACCESSIBLE, UM, TARGETING LOCAL DEMOGRAPHICS WOULD PLAN PROGRAMS, INCREASING THE NUMBER AND VARIETY OF PROGRAMS WE'RE OFFERING TO THE COMMUNITY.

UM, TO MAINTAIN OUR CAPRA ACCREDITATION, WHICH IS THROUGH THE COMMISSION FOR ACCREDITATION OF PARKS AND RECREATION AGENCIES.

UM, WE WILL BE UP FOR RE-ACCREDITATION IN 2025.

AND THEN TO SEEK MINORITY PARTNERSHIPS.

UM, TO HELP MEET THIS GOAL, I WILL BE REQUESTING SOME NEW POSITIONS.

THREE, WHICH WILL BE FULL-TIME AND FOUR PART-TIME.

UH, SEVERAL, UH, YEARS OF CAPITAL REQUESTS FOR FACILITY AND PART UPGRADES, AND THEN OPERATIONAL COSTS FOR INFLATION.

AND THEN ALSO TAKING INTO ACCOUNT, UM, HAVING STANLEY WHITE RECREATION CENTER COME BACK ONLINE AFTER BEING OFFLINE FOR ABOUT SIX YEARS BY THE TIME THAT OPENS.

UM, NEXT UH, GOAL WOULD BE TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE QUALITY SPECIAL EVENTS THAT ATTRACT CITIZENS AND VISITORS.

UH, WE'VE DONE WELL WITH OUR SPECIAL EVENTS, BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE 'EM CONTINUE TO GROW, UM, DEVELOP FURTHER, MAYBE REVAMP SOME OF THE ONES WE CURRENTLY DO.

AND TO DO THAT, I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN ADDITIONAL TRAINING FOR STAFF.

UM, LIKE I SAID, REVAMPING SOME OF OUR EVENTS LIKE WE DID THIS PAST YEAR WITH THE FEST 5K, UM, AND JUST INCREASING

[02:50:01]

OUR LEVEL OF MARKETING THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, WEBSITE, AND THEN OUR MASS NOTIFICATION SYSTEMS. AND OF COURSE THERE'D BE SOME BUDGET IMPACTS AS FAR AS OPERATIONAL COSTS FOR ADDITIONAL SIGNAGE, BANNERS AND OTHER INFLATION ASSOCIATED WITH US PUTTING ON SPECIAL EVENTS.

VACATED, UH, OVER THAT TIME AND WE JUST DID NOT FILL THOSE POSITIONS.

UM, THE NEXT GOAL IS TO PROVIDE CLEAN AND SAFE PARKS AND GREEN SPACES THAT ALLOW CITIZENS TO ACCESS ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES IN NATURE.

UM, ACTION ITEMS FOR THIS WOULD BE APPLYING FOR GRANTS THAT, UM, HELP US PROVIDE ACCESS TO ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES HERE IN NEW BERN.

UM, CONTINUE TO INSTALL SECURITY CAMERAS IN OUR PARKS, PROVIDE ADEQUATE TRASH RECEPTACLES AMONG, AMONG ALL OF OUR FACILITIES.

IMPLEMENT A LITTER CAMPAIGN, UM, PROVIDE PARK MAINTENANCE AND UPGRADES, AND THEN A NEW PARTS AND GROUNDS MAINTENANCE FACILITY.

UH, BUDGET IMPACTS WOULD BE MATCHING FUNDS FOR GRANTS, UM, CAPITAL REQUESTS FOR, UM, MULT MULTIPLE YEARS FOR SECURITY CAMERAS AND THEN UPGRADES TO PARK AND RESTROOMS, UM, AND THEN ANY NEW CONSTRUCTION THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.

AND THEN GENERAL OPERATIONAL COST INCREASE DUE TO INFLATION AND MAINTENANCE.

AND THEN OUR LAST GOAL WOULD BE TO PROVIDE EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WELL-TRAINED PROFESSIONAL STAFF.

UH, WE WOULD DO SO THROUGH YEARLY TRAININGS, CONTINUING EDUCATION, MAKING SURE WE FILL VACANCIES WITH THE MOST QUALIFIED CANDIDATES.

AND THEN FOLLOWING KRA BEST PRACTICES.

UM, KRA, THERE'S 154 STANDARDS.

WE ARE REQUIRED TO MEET, UM, MANDATORY 36 OF 'EM AND THEN TOTAL WE HAVE TO MEET AROUND 136, I BELIEVE.

UM, SO THOSE STANDARDS HELP US IMPLEMENT THIS GOAL.

WELL, FEE AND RATE CHANGES THAT I'M REQUESTING IS TO PROPOSE TO RAISE ALL OPENING AND CLOSING FEES IN CEMETERIES BY $200 DUE TO INCREASED COST OF THE CONTRACTOR.

UM, AND THEN AQUATIC CENTER FEES, UM, RAISING GENERAL ADMISSION FEES BY 50 CENTS AND THEN RAISING POOL PARTY FEES FROM ONE 50 TO 200 FOR RESIDENT AND NON-RESIDENT, 200 TO TWO 50 PERSONNEL REQUEST.

UM, AS PART OF STANLEY WHITE RECREATION CENTER BECOMING AN OPEN HOPE FLUID IN THE NEXT NEXT YEAR, WE WILL UM, BE NEEDING SOME ADDITIONAL STAFF FOR THAT FACILITY.

THE FIRST POSITION WOULD BE A CENTER SUPERVISOR.

UM, WE CURRENTLY DO NOT HAVE A CENTER SUPERVISOR POSITION ALLOCATED FOR STANLEY WHITE RECREATION CENTER.

UM, AND THIS CENTER WILL BE OPERATING AT A MINIMUM OF 81 HOURS A WEEK, WHICH WILL BE MORE THAN WHAT WE TRADITIONALLY HAVE DONE.

UM, AND SO TO ENCUMBER AND MEET THOSE OPENING HOURS, WE'RE GOING TO NEED AT LEAST TWO FULL-TIME STAFF POSITIONS TO HELP FACILITATE THAT.

UM, ANOTHER POSITION I'M GONNA BE REQUESTING IS FITNESS COORDINATOR.

UM, THE NEW STANLEY WHITE RECREATION CENTER WILL HAVE A STATE-OF-THE-ART FITNESS CENTER, AS WELL AS AEROBIC ROOMS, ELEVATED WALKING TRACK.

UM, AND IT'S DESIRABLE TO HAVE A SPECIALIZED PERSON TO HELP, UM, OPERATE, MANAGE THOSE AREAS.

UM, THEY'LL NEED SPECIALIZED TRAINING AND CERTIFICATIONS.

UM, SO WE ARE GONNA BE REQUESTING A FITNESS COORDINATOR FOR THAT.

UM, ANOTHER FULL-TIME POSITION REQUESTING IT'S A RECREATION ASSISTANT TO HELP WITH, UH, FACILITY OPERATION, CUSTOMER SERVICE, FRONT DOOR SERVICE, UM, AS PEOPLE COME INTO THE RECREATION CENTER AS WELL AS PROVIDING ASSISTANCE TO CENTER SUPERVISOR AND FULL-TIME STAFF ON FAC FACILITATE ANY ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES.

UM, SAME THING HERE.

YOU KNOW, THE POSITION WOULD ASSIST WITH OPERATION FOR THE NUMBER OF HOURS THE FACILITY WOULD BE OPEN EACH WEEK.

UM, AND THEN I HAVE REQUESTED FOUR PART-TIME FACILITY ATTENDANCE TO HELP WITH, UM, REQUESTING OR OPERATING AND OVERSEEING THE FITNESS AREA, MAKING SURE EQUIPMENT'S CLEAN, THINGS LIKE THAT, ASSISTING WITH AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM AND OTHER SPORTING EVENTS THAT MAY GO ON.

FOSTER.

I HAVE A QUESTION.

UM, CARRIE WASN'T HERE, OBVIOUSLY.

UM, WHAT DID WE DO WITH THE HEAD COUNT FROM STANLEY WHITE WHENEVER IT CLOSED BECAUSE OF THE STORM? SO CERTAIN POSITIONS WERE

[02:55:01]

I THINK WE HAD, UM, RIGHT NOW I THINK THERE'S JUST ONE PROGRAM COORDINATOR THAT WAS OVER AT THE OLD STANLEY WHITE THAT WENT OVER TO WEST RIVER RECREATION CENTER.

OUTSIDE OF THAT, ALL THAT THAT STAFF IS.

SO WE STOPPED BUDGETING FOR WE, WE DID.

SO, UM, CARRIE, WHILE WE'RE AT THIS PERSONNEL, UM, REQUEST, SO YEAH, DO YOU CURRENTLY HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT CAN, UH, THAT WILL BE INTERESTED IN ANY OF THESE POSITIONS? UM, POSSIBLY CENTER FOR THE STANLEY WHITE REC CENTER, POSSIBLY CENTER SUPERVISOR.

UM, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANYBODY CURRENTLY ON STAFF THAT WOULD QUALIFY AS A FITNESS COORDINATOR WITHOUT SOME ADDITIONAL TRAINING.

UH, UM, AND THEN THE OTHER POSITIONS I THINK WOULD BE ENTRY LEVEL ENOUGH THAT MY OTHER STAFF WOULDN'T BE INTERESTED IN THOSE.

IT'S, IT'S MOST VI YOU KNOW, VITAL THAT WE, IF WE HAVE STAFF EMPLOYEES TO PUT THEM IN, IN, IN POSITIONS LIKE THAT THEY QUALIFY FOR OR LIKE TO SEE THAT DONE IN HOUSE BEFORE, YOU KNOW, WE SEEK OUTSIDE.

YES MA'AM.

IF THEY APPLIED OR DEFINITELY KEEP GIVING CONSIDERATION.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

ALSO, BEFORE CARRIE CONTINUES, I ALSO WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WE, WE ARE GONNA BE ADDING A BRAND NEW STATE OF THE WHITE STATE OF THE ART RECREATION CENTER WITH STANLEY WHITE FACILITY, APPROXIMATELY 35,000 SQUARE FEET.

THE HOURS OF OPERATIONS ARE GOING TO INCREASE.

THERE ARE GONNA BE MORE OFFERINGS THERE.

AND SO, UM, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE CURRENT WEST NEWMAN RECREATION CENTER IS GOING TO OPERATE AS IT CURRENTLY HAS AS WELL BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THE FOCUS ON A LOT OF THINGS, WE'RE GONNA SWITCH OVER TO THE NEW NEW CENTER.

WHILE WE WILL STILL OPERATE WEST NEWMAN, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO EVALUATE THOSE OPERATIONS AS WELL AS PART OF THIS.

UM, THE NEXT SLIDE, I JUST INCLUDED THIS GRAPH FROM, UM, MUNICIPAL AND COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION SERVICES STUDY IN NORTH CAROLINA.

THIS WAS PUBLISHED IN 2022 AND IT JUST GIVES YOU A RANGE OF DIFFERENT SPECIALIZED SALARIES, UM, THAT SOME OF THESE POSITIONS COULD FALL UNDER.

LIKE THE FITNESS COORDINATOR MOST LIKELY, UM, WOULD FALL UNDER LIKE A THERAPEUTIC RECREATION SPECIALIST.

UM, AND THEN ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALIST FOR THE, UM, RECREATION ASSISTANT.

SO THAT JUST GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF RANGING SALARIES ACROSS NORTH CAROLINA FOR THOSE POSITIONS.

UM, MY CAPITAL REQUEST ITEMS, AND I DO HAVE THESE IN ORDER BASED ON GREATEST NEED.

SO MY FIRST ONE WOULD BE PARK RESTROOM UPGRADES.

UM, MOST OF OUR RESTROOMS ARE 20, 25, 30 YEARS OLD.

UM, MOST OF THEM LOOK LIKE THIS AS FAR AS FLOORING.

UM, WE NEED TO UPDATE OUR, UM, FLOOR IN HERE, DO SOME SANDING REPAINTING OF THE ENTIRE, UM, INSIDE ADD NEW PARTITIONS TO MAKE IT MORE ACCESSIBLE AND THEN ANY, UM, FIXTURES THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED.

AND SO THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF, UM, ONE OF THE RESTROOMS. I BELIEVE THIS IS ONE AT FORT TOTTEN.

UM, THE NEXT I HAVE, UM, PARKING AND MINI UPGRADES PIERS.

UM, THIS WOULD BE DUE TO SAFETY HAZARD.

CURRENTLY WE HAVE SOME PEERS THAT ARE CLOSED DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS.

UM, AND MOST OF THE DECKING BOARDS AND HANDRAILS ARE ROTTEN ON THE PLATFORMS THEMSELVES.

UM, WE HAVE A TOTAL OF FIVE PEERS ALONG LEANDER MORGAN.

ONE, WHICH WAS INHERITED FROM NEWBURN TOWERS.

CURRENTLY THREE OF THOSE FIVE ARE CLOSED.

UM, THE NEWBURN TOWERS, AS FAR AS I COULD LOOK BACK WAS CONSTRUCTED SOMEWHERE AROUND OR BEFORE 1993.

TWO OTHER PI WERE CONSTRUCTED IN 2008 WITH A CAMMA GRANT.

AND THEN IT LOOKS LIKE THE LAST TWO WERE SOMEWHERE AROUND 2014 15.

UM, SO THAT YOU SAID WE INHERITED ONE FROM WHEN WE EXTENDED THE RIVER WALK BEHIND THE TOWERS.

THAT WAS PART OF THE TRADE OFF THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT THAT.

AND THAT WAS, I BELIEVE THAT WAS AROUND 2019 WHEN THAT OCCURRED.

I MEAN THE, THE COST ESTIMATE IS, IS BASED ON WHAT, USING WHAT PRODUCT.

CARRIE, WHAT, WHAT MATERIAL WOULD BE PROPOSED TO BE USED TO REBUILD OR RECONSTRUCT THESE WALKWAYS AND PLATFORMS? WELL, PREFERABLE WOULD BE HOG SLAT, BUT IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE.

UM, THE CHEAPEST, WHICH IS WHAT I'M SHOWING HERE, JUST TO GET 'EM OPERATIONAL AGAIN WOULD BE, UH, PRETREATED DECKING BOARDS AND, UM, TREATED RAILINGS.

BUT HOG FLAT WOULD BE OPTIMAL.

[03:00:02]

THE 35,000 HERE WOULD BE FOR STAFF TO JUST GO IN AND REPAIR ALL OF IT WITH THE LUMBER AND USING STAFF LABOR.

UM, CURRENTLY THE PILINGS FOR MOST OF THEM ARE, YOU KNOW, FINE, THEY DON'T NEED TO BE REPLACED, BUT THE DECK AND BOARDS DO NEED COMPLETE REPLACEMENT.

UM, MY THIRD ONE I HAVE IS AQUATIC CENTER PATIO FURNITURE.

UM, WE'RE GOING ON FIXING TO BE OPENING FOR I THINK 14TH SEASON OF THAT AQUATIC CENTER.

THE PATIO FURNITURE THAT IS THERE IS THEIR ORIGINAL PATIO FURNITURE THAT WAS PURCHASED WHENEVER THE AQUATIC CENTER OPENED.

UM, THOSE SETS WITH TABLES AND CHAIRS ARE AROUND $2,000 FOR ONE SET.

UM, AND WE CURRENTLY HAVE FOUR AND THEY'RE THE PROTECTIVE COATINGS COMING OFF OF 'EM AND THEY'RE RUSTED STARTING TO RUST THROUGH.

UM, SO THAT'S MY REQUEST FOR PATIO FURNITURE FOR THE AQUATIC CENTER.

UM, SAFETY CONCERNS AND JUST UPGRADING IT TO NEWER MORE AESTHETIC FURNITURE.

UM, MY FOURTH CAPITAL ITEM IS A TOP DRESSER TO BE USED ON ATHLETIC FIELDS AND OUR OTHER TURF.

UM, WE CURRENTLY AT THALMAN FIELD, THALMAN FIELD, THAT FIELD HAS BEEN GETTING A LOT OF USE BETWEEN SOCCER, LACROSSE AND THEN THIS YEAR FOOTBALL.

IN ADDITION TO THE SPECIAL EVENTS THAT ARE HELD OUT THERE SUCH AS 4TH OF JULY AND MUM FEST CONCERT.

UM, THAT TURF HAS TAKEN QUITE A BEATING AND IN ORDER FOR US TO MAINTAIN IT AT ITS PEAK QUALITY, WE NEED TO HAVE EQUIPMENT TO TOP DRESS AND, UM, HELP KEEP THE SURFACE SMOOTH AND GROWING LIKE IT SHOULD BE BY ADDING, UM, ORGANIC MATERIAL AND SUCH TO HELP IT GROW.

CARRIE, THAT, THAT'S A NEW PIECE OF EQUIPMENT, IT'S NOT REPLACING AN EXISTING NO SIR, WE CURRENTLY DON'T HAVE ONE.

UM, NEXT WOULD BE PARKS AND GROUNDS MAINTENANCE FACILITY.

AS YOU ALL HAVE HEARD, WE ARE IN DIRE NEED OF THAT FACILITY.

UM, OVERALL HAVING THAT NEW FACILITY WOULD HELP US TO UH, INCREASE OUR EFFICIENCY, COMBINE SOME OF OUR POSITIONS IN ONE LOCATION, UM, EXTEND EQUIPMENT LIFE FOR ALL OF OUR EQUIPMENT THAT IS STORED OUTSIDE AND THEN OF COURSE SAFETY CONCERNS OF THE ACTUAL WORKSPACE.

UM, AND THEN I HAVE SOME PICTURES OF WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE THAT'S THE INSIDE OF THE MAINTENANCE SHOP WHERE WE STORE THE MOWERS AND THEN THE OUTSIDE YARD AS YOU CAN SEE WHERE OUR STAGE AND SOME OTHER EQUIPMENT IS STORED, UM, OUTSIDE IN THE MAINTENANCE YARD.

KIM WHAT? UM, A MILLION AND A HALF FINANCE FOR 15 OR 20 YEARS, WHAT WOULD THE ANNUAL DEBT SERVICE BE ON THAT APPROXIMATELY? I CAN LOOK THAT UP, BUT IT IS, UM, WE'RE RUNNING ABOUT A 5% INTEREST RATE.

SO ACTUALLY YEAH, IN FIVE YEARS, DEBT SERVICE WAS ABOUT 315,000, SEVEN YEARS, 230,000, 10 YEARS, 175,000 WHEN SHE HAD CHECKED ON ANOTHER PROJECT WE WERE LOOKING AT.

UH, NUMBER NINE I HAVE CEMETERY UPGRADES.

UM, NUMBER SIX, CAPITAL ITEM.

I HAVE REPLACEMENT MOWERS.

UM, WE HAVE FOUR MOWERS THAT ARE AROUND 2000 HOURS AND THEY'RE REACHING THE END OF THEIR USEFUL LIFE.

UM, WE MOW QUITE A BIT OF GRASS SO THEY DON'T LAST US TOO LONG.

MY SEVENTH ITEM WOULD BE REPLACEMENT OF A DUMP BODY TRUCK.

WE CURRENTLY HAVE, IT'S 23 YEARS OLD.

UM, AND IT IS A MANUAL THAT IS NOT EASY FOR ALL THE EMPLOYEES TO DRIVE, SO WE ONLY HAVE A FEW EMPLOYEES THAT ARE ABLE TO DRIVE IT.

UM, IT IS STILL OPERATIONAL BUT IT WOULD BE DESIRABLE TO HAVE A NEW ONE.

UM, NUMBER EIGHT WOULD BE TO CONTINUE INSTALLING SECURITY CAMERAS IN THE PARKS.

UM, WE CURRENTLY HAVE SECURITY CAMERAS IN SEV.

SEVERAL OF OUR AREAS WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON GETTING 'EM INSTALLED IN LAWSON CREEK PARK.

UM, BUT ADDITIONAL AREAS WOULD INCLUDE, UM, PLEASANT HILL PARK, HENDERSON PARK AND UH, GLEN BURNIE PARK.

[03:05:01]

UM, WE CURRENTLY HAVE MORE SPACE TO DEVELOP IN NEWBURY MEMORIAL CEMETERY, BUT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO REMOVE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 40 AND 50 PINE TREES TO DO SO.

UM, WE NEED TO DO PLOT EXPANSION AND INCLUDE THAT INTO OUR SIMS PROGRAM.

WE CURRENTLY HAVE SOLD ALL CREMATION SPACES THAT ARE AVAILABLE AT NEW MEMORIAL.

UM, WE NEED TO EVENTUALLY PAVE THE ROAD THAT GOES AROUND THE D SECTION OF NEWBURY MEMORIAL AND THEN THERE'S DESIRES TO PUT COLUMBARIUM IN NOT ONLY NEWBURY MEMORIAL BUT SOME OF THE OTHER CEMETERIES AS WELL, SUCH AS EVERGREEN AND GREENWOOD.

IS THIS A GOOD PLACE TO ASK, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE ALLOCATED SOME A RP ENABLED FUNDS FOR A COVER COVERED AREA FOR THE, AT LEAST FOR MEMORIAL? FOR NO MEMORIAL? YES SIR.

AND THAT SHELTER HAS NOT BEEN DELIVERED YET? IT HAS BEEN ORDERED, BUT ONCE IT GETS DELIVERED WE'LL BE WORKING ON INSTALLATION OF THAT QUESTION.

HAVE WE, HAVE YOU CONSIDERED OUTSOURCING ANY OF THE UH, LAWN CUTTING, CUTTING GRASS AT ANY OF THE CEMETERIES? WE HAVE NOT IN THE CEMETERIES.

THIS PAST YEAR WE DID CONTRACT OUT SOME OF THE MOWING OF RIGHT OF WAYS IN CITY BUILDINGS, BUT WE HAVE NOT DONE SO WITH CEMETERIES.

DO YOU THINK THAT THAT WOULD FREE UP A LOT OF THE MOWERS IF WE OUTSOURCE? UH, A LOT OF THE, THE, THE LAWN SERVICES, WELL IN THE CEMETERIES WE DON'T REALLY USE MUCH MOWERS.

MOST OF THEM, ESPECIALLY CEDAR GROVE AND UH, THE EXTENSION HAVE TO BE DONE WITH WEED EATERS.

THERE'S NO WAY TO GET MOWERS IN THERE.

IT TAKES THE GUYS ABOUT FOUR DAYS TO MOW CEDAR GROVE, UM, WITH WEED EATERS AND THEN THE FEW AREAS THEY CAN USE MOWERS, BUT ALSO WITH THE HISTORICAL HEADSTONES IN THERE, WE DON'T WANT TO JEOPARDIZE USING MOWERS AND DAMAGING THOSE HEADSTONES.

BUT DO YOU STILL THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO OUT SOLICIT IT? NO, NOT NECESSARILY WITH THE CEMETERIES, ESPECIALLY THE HISTORIC ONES BECAUSE IF ITEMS GET DAMAGED, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH WE HA HAVE THOSE CONTRACTORS CARRY COIS, WE'RE STILL LIABLE FOR GETTING THAT STUFF REPAIRED AND IT'S NOT EASY TO GET THOSE REPAIRED.

I WOULD PREFER NOT TO.

I HAVING CLEANED UP A, A COUPLE OF OUR CEMETERIES, YOU CAN NOTICE A LOT OF THE WEEDING OR DAMAGE ON SOME OF THOSE HEADSTONES AND SO I, I'D RATHER HAVE SOMEBODY THAT'S EXPERIENCED DOING IT, UM, THAN TO HAVE TO TEACH SOMEBODY ELSE.

UM, ITEM NUMBER 10 WOULD BE MARTIN MARIETTA PARK.

UM, OBVIOUSLY TO START PROCEEDING WITH ADDITIONAL CONSTRUCTION WE FINISH PHASE ONE.

WE WOULD REALLY LOVE TO GET STARTED ON PHASE TWO.

UM, THERE ARE, UH, SEVERAL GRANTS COMING ONLINE BEGINNING IN MARCH THAT WILL QUALIFY FOR MARTIN MARIETTA PARK FOR TRAIL DEVELOPMENT, PART OF THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO I'M HIGHLY INTERESTED IN APPLYING TO THOSE.

UM, DEFINITELY PART OF, AND THEN EITHER RECREATION TRAILS PROGRAM GRANT OR THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILS GRANT THAT'S GONNA BE COMING OUT.

UM, SO THAT'S MY INTEREST THERE TO START DEVELOPING TRAILS.

LOOKING AT POSSIBILITIES OF GETTING, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE GOING FOR AMPHITHEATER, UM, AND CONTINUING TO PURSUE A SWIM BEACH.

WHAT SIDE OF THE PARK WOULD YOU PUT TO SWIM BEACH ON? THERE'S AN AREA THAT'S ALREADY BEEN IDENTIFIED BY THE LAKE SHELTER THAT'S ALREADY FAIRLY CLEARED OUT.

UM, AND THAT'S WHERE IT WOULD MOST LIKELY GO.

IT'S ON THE LEFT SIDE WHEN YOU GO IN BY THE SHELTER, IT'S UM, BY THE PLAYGROUND.

UM, NUMBER 11, CAPITAL REQUESTS WOULD BE SKATE PARK DEVELOPMENT.

UM, WE ARE CURRENTLY HAD CON UH, CONVERSATION WITH THE COUNTY ON PARTNER WITH THIS.

UM, IT'S A HIGHLY DESIRED AMENITY THAT MANY PEOPLE IN NEWIN ARE INTERESTED IN US, UM, FOLLOWING THROUGH WITH AND SO WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE THIS COME TO FRUITION.

SO, SO CARRIE ON THAT, WITH A COUNTY PARTNERSHIP, WOULD THAT REDUCE THE ESTIMATED COST YOU HAVE HERE ESSENTIALLY IN HALF OR IS THAT YEAH, IT WOULD BE.

SO IF THE COUNTY PARTNERED WITH US, IT WOULD BE ONE 50 FROM US AND ONE 50 FROM THE COUNTY.

HAVE YOU IDENTIFIED A LOCATION CURRENTLY?

[03:10:01]

WE THINK THE BEST LOCATION WOULD BE OVER BY WEST NEWBURY RECREATION CENTER.

UH, IT'S CENTRALLY LOCATED AND MOST PEOPLE WHO SKATE ARE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO DRIVE THERE.

THEY'RE GONNA NEED TO WALK OR SKATE THERE AND SO IT NEEDS TO BE PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY.

UM, INITIALLY WE HAD TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IN THE MASTER PLAN HAVING THAT MARTIN MARIETTA, BUT THAT'S NOT IDEAL CONSIDERING THE PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC TO GET INDIVIDUALS TO THAT LOCATION.

UM, CAPITAL REQUEST NUMBER 12 IS A TRACTOR MOUNT BLOWER TO HELP WITH STORM CLEANUP AND THEN LEAF REMOVAL IN THE PARKING LOTS, UM, THROUGHOUT THE FALL AND WINTER SEASON.

UM, AND THEN AS Y'ALL KNOW, WHEN WE GET FLOODING UP IN UNION POINT AND LAWSON CREEK PARK, UH, WE GET QUITE A BIT OF DEBRIS OUT THERE AND SOME, UM, PIECE OF EQUIPMENT LIKE THIS WOULD BE HELPFUL IN REMOVING THAT AND WE TAKE LESS STAFF HOURS TO DO SO.

UM, CAPITAL REQUEST NUMBER 13 IS A F TWO 50 TRUCK TO REPLACE, UM, F 36, WHICH IS 2003 MODEL, I BELIEVE, UM, THAT THE RECREATION FACILITY USES.

UM, CURRENTLY IT IS OUTTA OPERATION WITH THE GARAGE, GIVEN AN ESTIMATED COST OF $6,000 TO REPLACE TWO MODULES THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED, AND IT WOULD HAVE TO GO TO A FORD DEALERSHIP TO DO SO.

UM, WE ALSO WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A TRUCK THAT IS BETTER TO PULL OUR MOBILE RECREATION UNIT SO WE CAN HAVE THAT IN SERVICE MORE.

AND SO THIS IS MY PRELIMINARY, UM, THE CAPITAL, IT'S NOT TOTAL OF EVERYTHING THAT WAS ASKED, BUT WITH THE RECREATION PARTS AND GROUND MAINTENANCE FACILITY, UM, THAT'S A VER CAN BE A RANGE OF MONEY REQUESTED BASED ON IF WE NEED TO ACQUIRE LAND OR IF WE CAN JUST START BUILDING.

SO OUR CAPITAL TOTAL HERE IS VARIES.

ANY QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, CARRIE.

AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO ASK CHIEF GALLAGHER TO COME UP WITH A POLICE PRESENTATION.

ALSO, ONE OF THE BIGGEST, UH, UH, UH, CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE IS NOT LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR PROBLEM SOLVING.

THANK YOU, CARRIE.

THANK YOU, MAYOR BOARD.

UM, FIRST THING I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, SAY IS I WANT TO THANK, UH, FINANCE, UH, ESPECIALLY TANYA AND MY STAFF FOR HELPING IN PRODUCING THIS PRESENTATION.

WE, WE STARTED WITH, UH, A PRODUCT THAT WAS ROUGHLY 30 SLIDES, AND CLEARLY THAT IS FAR TOO MUCH.

UM, UH, FOR THIS PRESENTATION, WE WERE ABLE TO REDUCE IT DOWN TO SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT MORE MANAGEABLE.

SO, UM, THE FULL BREADTH OF WHAT WE'VE TRIED TO ACCOMPLISH IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN TERMS OF, OF, UM, OUR BUDGET PRESENTATION IS FAR MORE IN DEPTH THAN WHAT, WHAT YOU'LL SEE HERE.

BUT, UH, HOPEFULLY I'LL BE ABLE TO TOUCH UPON MUCH OF WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.

WE CURRENTLY HAVE, UM, 120 AND A HALF FTES.

OF THAT 118 AND A HALF, UM, ARE SITUATED WITHIN THREE OF OUR DIVISIONS, OUR OPERATING INVESTIGATIVE SERVICES DIVISION.

WE ALSO HAVE ONE FULL-TIME POSITION AND OUR 9 1 1 SUPPORT.

AND AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THREE PART-TIME EMPLOYEES THAT, UM, OPERATIONALIZE OUR, UH, PARKING ENFORCEMENT, UM, STAFF, UM, HERE DOWNTOWN.

I WILL SAY, WHEN I TOOK OVER AS THE CHIEF OF POLICE, WE WERE 13% DOWN IN OUR SWORN STAFF.

UM, THE, THE, THE BUSINESS OF AMERICAN LAW ENFORCEMENT WAS HEMORRHAGING OFFICERS, UH, FOLLOWING, UH, 2020.

UM, I CAN TELL YOU TODAY WE'RE AT 3%, UH, DOWN STAFF.

SO THAT IS A GREAT POSITION TO BE IN.

UM, AS THE CHIEF OF POLICE AND OUR, UH, NON-SWORN CIVILIAN STAFF, I'M ONLY DOWN, UH, FOUR POSITIONS.

SO, UM, WE IN A GREAT PLACE RIGHT NOW, UM, OUR KEY OPERATING, UM, FUNCTION.

UM, IT SHOULD BE A NO BRAINER FOR A POLICE CHIEF TO PRESENT BEFORE THE ELECTED BODY.

AND THAT IS OUR, OUR KEY FUNCTION IS TO REDUCE CRIME AND THE FEAR OF CRIME, UM, UH, RESPOND TO THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY.

[03:15:01]

AND WE DO THIS, UH, 85% OF ALL CALLS FOR SERVICE HAS SOMETHING TO DO, UH, OTHER THAN THE POWERS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND IT IS, UH, PROBLEM SOLVING.

AND LASTLY, I WILL SAY, UH, OUR MISSION IS TO STAND BY OUR OATH OF OFFICE, UM, AND TO PRESENT A PRESENCE OF JUSTICE.

UM, I WILL PRESENT TO YOU THREE OF OUR GOALS AND INITIATIVES, AND THE FIRST ONE IS TO CREATE A SAFE AND WELCOMING PLACE FOR THOSE WHO LIVE, WORK, AND VISIT OUR WONDERFUL CITY.

WE CONTINUE TO DO THIS BY ENHANCING, UM, AND INTEGRATING AN INTELLIGENCE LED POLICING MODEL WITH THE GOAL OF ADDRESSING EMERGENCY CRIME TRENDS, CORRECTION, EMERGING CRIME TRENDS, AND PROACTIVE, UM, CRIME REDUCTION RESPONSES.

UH, SOME OF THE AREAS THAT, UH, OR SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO PURCHASE.

UM, IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET INCLUDES, UH, SPECIAL RESPONSE, THAT'S SRT, BALLISTIC HELMETS AND VESTS, UPGRADED HANDGUNS, PATROL RIFLES, AND SHOT SPOTTERS.

AND I CAN, UH, DESCRIBE WHY THESE ARE IN OUR BUDGET.

UM, AT THE END, WE ARE ALSO LOOKING TO ADVANCE OUR ABILITY TO MANAGE AND CONTINUE TO INVESTIGATE WHAT WE CALL COLD CASE HOMICIDE INVESTIGATIONS.

A COLD CASE HOMICIDE IS A HOMICIDE CASE THAT IS OVER 24 MONTHS OLD WITH, WITH NO, UM, UH, CLEARANCE, MEANING WE, UH, WE HAVE YET TO MAKE AN ARREST.

CURRENTLY, UH, WE HAVE 22 COLD CASE HOMICIDES, AND THEY WILL GROW EVERY YEAR IF THE CASE REMAINS UNSOLVED.

AND I'LL SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT, UH, LATER ON IN MY PRESENTATION.

THE OTHER GOAL THAT WE HAVE IN INITIATIVE IS NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART AND MY PREDECESSOR, AND THAT'S COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

UM, WE ALLOCATE FUNDS SPECIFIC TO THE OUTREACH THAT WE HAVE, UH, WITHIN THE PD WEATHER THAT INVOLVES OUR YOUTH PROGRAMS, UH, OUR NATIONAL NIGHT OUT EVENTS, SUMMER, UM, SUMMER CAMP PROGRAMS, OUR PATROL BASKETBALL FOOTBALL PROGRAM, OUR CPA, WHICH IS OUR CITIZENS POLICE ACADEMY, NEW BERN 1 0 1.

THESE ARE JUST A FEW.

WE HAVE MANY MORE.

UM, WE ALSO ASSIGN STAFF SPECIFIC TO INDIVIDUAL NEIGHBORHOODS AND CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS, UM, TO LIAISON WITH THEM TO MEET THEIR NEEDS, UH, BASED ON, UH, THE PARTICULARITIES OF WHERE THEY LIVE.

AND THE THIRD, UH, GOAL IS FALLS UNDER THE CATEGORY OF EXCELLENCE IN GOVERNMENT.

THE EMPHASIS WILL BE TO STRENGTHEN OUR RESPONSE, UH, CAPABILITY, ENSURING THAT WE IMPROVE OUR COMMUNICATION FLOW INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY WITH, UH, OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS, UM, AND OTHERS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY TO MEET THE NEEDS OF ADDRESSING, UH, DISASTER AND EMERGENCY PREPARATION.

UM, WHETHER THAT'S AN ACTIVE SHOOTER OR A NATURAL DISASTER LIKE A HURRICANE.

UM, OUR AGENCY WILL ASSIST BASED ON FUNDING AVAILABILITY, THE ABILITY TO ACQUIRE STATE OF THE ART EQUIPMENT, TECHNOLOGIES AND VEHICLES TO INCREASE OUR EFFICIENCY TO RESPOND TO THE MANY NEEDS, UH, OF THIS COMMUNITY.

AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR, UH, CIP, UM, ITEMS IN JUST A SECOND.

I SPOKE ABOUT THE COLD CASE INVESTIGATOR.

UM, COLD CASE INVESTIGATION IS A VERY UNIQUE, UH, POSITION WITHIN LAW ENFORCEMENT.

IT REQUIRES A VERY SPECIFIC SET OF SKILL SETS.

THE REALITY IS JUST SIMPLY THIS.

UM, WHEN A CASE BECOMES CALLED THE INVESTIGATOR WHO IS ASSIGNED, THAT CASE DOES NOT STOP RECEIVING ADDITIONAL CASELOAD.

AT SOME POINT, THESE INVESTIGATORS HAVE TO DEDICATE THEIR, UH, INVESTIGATIVE TIME AND EFFORTS INTO THE NEW CASES THAT THEY HAVE, AND THE ABILITY TO GO BACK AND MANAGE THESE, THESE 22 COLD CASES BECOMES, UM, PROBLEMATIC.

AND IF YOU LOOK AT MOST MUNICIPALITIES, THEY DO NOT HAVE A COLD CASE UNIT.

THEY DO NOT HAVE A COLD CASE INVESTIGATOR.

UM, UH, JACKSONVILLE AND GREENVILLE, TWO DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE LARGER THAN OURS THAT ARE NEIGHBORS.

THEY DO NOT HAVE A COLD CASE INVESTIGATION.

IT'S, IT'S ONLY UNTIL YOU GET TO MUCH, MUCH LARGER AGENCIES WHERE YOU WILL EVEN SEE ANY VERSION OF A COLD CASE, UH, UNIT.

LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE 22 OF THESE CASES, AND

[03:20:01]

BY NEXT YEAR, WE WILL ADD PROBABLY TWO MORE TO THOSE.

AND IF WE CANNOT BRING RESOLUTION TO OUR CURRENT HOMICIDE INVESTIGATIONS, THEY WILL THEN FALL WITHIN THE COLD CASE, UH, CATEGORY TO HAVE SOMEBODY THAT IS SPECIFICALLY TRAINED, UM, IN HOW TO UTILIZE CURRENT TECHNOLOGY OUT THERE.

AND THERE, THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF THAT.

WE ARE ASKING FOR A COLD CASE INVESTIGATOR.

WE WANT THAT INVESTIGATOR TO BE A SWORN OFFICER, NOT A CIVILIAN.

THERE IS A LOT OF, UH, REQUIREMENTS EMBEDDED IN COLD CASE INVESTIGATIONS THAT WOULD REQUIRE SOMEBODY WHO CAN OBTAIN A SEARCH WARRANT, WHO CAN OBTAIN ARREST WARRANT, WHO CAN DO, UM, AND HAVE THE CAPACITY TO, UM, PERFORM AS A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENT.

UM, IN MANAGING THESE CASES, WE ALSO HAVE VOLUNTEERS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY THAT ASSIST US IN, UH, MANAGING OUR COLD CASE INVESTIGATIONS.

AND SOME OF THAT IS, UM, TAKING, UM, OLD CASE FILES THAT ARE WRITTEN DOCUMENTS AND UPLOADING THEM IN AN ELECTRONIC MANNER.

UM, AND IF ALL WE CAN DO IS THAT, AND OF COURSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT VOLUNTEERS THAT WOULD COME IN AND DO THIS, THAT IS LIMPING US ALONG.

THE ABILITY TO HAVE A, UM, A COLD CASE INVESTIGATOR WILL, WILL GREATLY ADVANCE OUR ABILITY TO, UH, TO MANAGE THIS.

AND I WILL POINT OUT YESTERDAY, IF, IF YOU SAW CHANNEL TWELVE'S COVERAGE, UM, WE HIGHLIGHTED A 2015 HOMICIDE CASE OF TERRANCE LITTLE WHO WAS MURDERED ON MAIN STREET.

UM, THAT IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO TO KEEP SOME OF THESE CASES ALIVE AND TRYING TO ENCOURAGE OUR, OUR COMMUNITY AND CITIZENS TO COME FORWARD TO ASSIST US IN, UH, PROSECUTING THOSE CASES.

CHIEF QUESTION FOR YOU, SIR.

UM, I KNOW YOU MAY MENTION THAT LARGER AGENCIES TYPICALLY DO NOT HAVE SOMEBODY LIKE THIS.

IS THAT BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE A BACKLOG LIKE WE DO? I MEAN, IT'S 22, IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S HIGH TO ME.

IS THAT A HIGH NUMBER FOR THE SIZE OF A CITY LIKE NEW BERN? EVERY MUNICIPALITY HAS COLD CASES, AND, UH, WE HAVE MORE THAN 20, BY THE WAY.

WE HAVE FAR MORE THAN 22 UNSOLVED HOMICIDE CASES.

WE JUST WENT BACK TO 1990 AT SOME POINT WHEN WE'RE, WE'RE NOT GONNA INVESTIGATE A A A A HOMICIDE FROM THE 1960S.

I MEAN, AT SOME POINT WE GOTTA, WE HAVE TO DRAW A LINE IN THE SAND.

OR ANY OTHER ANIMAL IN BACK OF A, UM, ANIMAL CONTROL VEHICLE WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS WELL OVER A HUNDRED DEGREES.

UM, THE TWO MUNICIPALITIES THAT I JUST MENTIONED WOULD, WOULD LIKELY HAVE, IF NOT THE SAME NUMBER OF HOMICIDES, MORE HOMICIDES.

GREENVILLE WAS GONNA HAVE FAR MORE HOMICIDES THAN, THAN NEW BERN WOULD HAVE.

I DON'T KNOW THEIR STATS.

I CERTAINLY CAN FIND THAT OUT THOUGH.

UM, BUILDING, UH, UH, RESTRICTED FUNDS, WE HAVE ONE PROJECT WHEN I BECAME THE CHIEF OF POLICE.

THIS WAS PRESENTED TO ME AS A, UM, AS A FUNDED PROJECT.

AND THAT WAS TO REPLACE THE SINKS AND THE THREE BATHROOMS AT, UH, POLICE HEADQUARTERS, UM, 'CAUSE OF COVID.

THEY, UM, THAT PROJECT WAS PUT ON HOLD, IT WAS FUNDED, BUT IT WAS NEVER COMPLETED.

WE STILL, TO THE, WE HAVE THE SINKS.

THEY'VE BEEN SITTING IN OUR, UH, GARAGE EVER SINCE I WAS THE CHIEF HERE.

WE JUST NEED TO FUND THE, THE PURCHASE AND THE INSULATION OF THE, UH, UH, CABINETRY THAT HOLDS THOSE SINKS.

IT'S ROUGHLY $15,000.

UM, WE HAVE, UH, QUOTES FROM ZETO, UH, CABINETS, UH, TO ACCOMPLISH THAT, THAT TASK.

UM, AND WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT, UH, WE CAN FINALLY GET THE, UH, OUR, OUR SINKS, UH, REPLACED IN POLICE HEADQUARTERS.

UH, SO LET, LET'S TALK, UH, VERY BRIEFLY AND I, AND I'LL ANSWER ANY ONE OF THESE QUESTIONS, UM, ABOUT OUR, UH, CIP PROJECTS.

THE FIRST ONE IS, AS ALWAYS, I COME BEFORE YOU EVERY YEAR, AND I COME BEFORE THE CITY MANAGER AND I SAY, I NEED MORE CARS.

I NEED MORE CARS.

UM, QUITE CANDIDLY, WE CAN'T DO OUR JOB WITHOUT PATROL CARS.

AND THEY ARE, UM, WE PUT A LOT OF MILES ON THESE CARS, AND A LOT OF THEM, UM, ARE CLASSIFIED AS, UM, AND THESE ARE NOT OUR CLASSIFICATIONS, BY THE WAY.

THIS IS A CITY GARAGE CLASSIFICATION.

IT'S VERY CLOSE TO END OF LIFE.

AND WE'RE ASKING FOR 14 CRUISERS AND ONE ANIMAL CONTROL VEHICLE.

THE ANIMAL CONTROL VEHICLE, UH, WE WANT TO REPLACE BECAUSE IT CANNOT PROVIDE, UM, AIR CONDITIONING FOR THE ANIMALS THAT WE PUT IN THE BACK.

WE ALL KNOW WHAT THE TEMPERATURES ARE HERE IN EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA ABOUT 80% OF THE TIME.

AND WE CANNOT IN GOOD CONSCIENCE PUT A DOG

[03:25:01]

WE'RE ASKING TO REPLACE ONE OF OUR CANINES.

WE HAVE FIVE CANINES.

LAST YEAR, WE, WE REPLACED TWO.

ONE WAS RETIRED SIMPLY BECAUSE OF AGE, AND THE OTHER ONE DIED OF NATURAL CAUSES.

UM, OUR ROTATION IS THAT, UM, OUR, OUR CANINE FLEET WILL LAST ROUGHLY BETWEEN SIX TO EIGHT YEARS.

UM, AND THE ROTATION CURRENTLY IS WE HAVE ONE DOG THAT, UH, NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.

UM, AND THAT COST WOULD BE ROUGHLY, UH, $20,500.

AND THAT INCLUDES ALL THE TRAINING NECESSARY TO GET THAT DOG READY FOR SERVICE.

UH, NUMBER THREE IS OUR MOBILE SHELVING UNIT.

THAT'S A BIG COST OF $200,000.

THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER AND I HAVE DISCUSSED THIS IN LENGTH, AND WE BELIEVE WE HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE PRICING STRATEGY WHERE WE CAN DO THIS IN A LAYER LAYERED APPROACH.

BUT CURRENTLY, OUR, UM, STORAGE FACILITY IS ROUGHLY HALF THE SIZE OF THE COURTROOM HERE.

IT'S THE, UH, UH, BUILDING THAT'S IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO POLICE HEADQUARTERS.

AND IT IS ALMOST FULL.

AND WHEN I TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THOSE 22 COLD CASES, AND EVEN SOME OF THE CASES THAT ARE OLDER THAN THAT, EVERY PIECE OF EVIDENCE THAT WE'VE COLLECTED ON A HOMICIDE THAT WE HAVE NOT SOLVED IS IN THAT FACILITY.

AND I'LL GO SO FAR AS TO SAY THIS, EVERY HOMICIDE THAT WE'VE SOLVED AND PROSECUTED, THAT EVIDENCE REMAINS IN THAT FACILITY.

AND THAT JUST ACCOUNTS FOR HOMICIDE INVESTIGATIONS.

WE KEEP ALL OF OUR EVIDENCE.

ONE OF THE STRATEGIES IN UTILIZING THIS, UH, MOBILE SHELVING IS THAT WE CAN COMPACT THE SPACE WITHIN THERE TO GIVE US THE ABILITY FOR LONG-TERM, UH, ABILITY TO MEET OUR NEEDS.

WE ARE WITHIN A YEAR OR TWO, UM, WHERE YOU, YOU'LL START SEEING, UM, CONEX BOXES OUTSIDE BECAUSE WE'VE RUN OUT OF SPACE.

UM, SO WE DO HAVE A, A, A STRATEGY IF, IF WE CAN'T FULFILL THE, UM, UH, THE FULL $200,000 AND, AND THAT WOULD BE FROM START TO FINISH, WE CAN COMPLETE THE WHOLE PROJECT IN $200,000.

BUT WE CAN ALSO, UH, DO IT IN A LAYERED APPROACH.

UM, THE LAST TWO THAT WE HAVE, UM, IS AN SRT HYDRAULIC RAM.

UM, SRV, I'M SORRY, STANDS FOR SPECIAL RESPONSE VEHICLE.

WE HAVE A BALLISTIC VEHICLE.

IN THE EVENT THAT WE HAVE A A A A, AN EMERGENCY SITUATION IN WHICH WE HAVE AN ACTIVE SHOOTER OR A HOSTAGE SITUATION, OR A BARRICADED SUBJECT, WE HAVE BALLISTIC CA CAPABILITY OF PROTECTING OUR STAFF.

WHERE WE FIND OURSELVES, UH, LACKING IS IF WE NEED A BREACH, A DOOR, WE NOW HAVE TO EXPOSE STAFF TO ACTUALLY LEAVE COVERING CONCEALMENT, UM, TO GO UP TO A DOOR, WHICH IS WHAT IN OUR BUSINESS IS CALLED THE FATAL FUNNEL.

IF A BULLET'S COMING THROUGH, IT'S COMING THROUGH THAT DOORWAY, AND WE EXPOSE OUR OFFICERS TO THAT TYPE OF DANGER WITH THIS TYPE OF RAM, WE COULD SIMPLY BREACH THE DOOR AND REMAIN SAFE.

WE CAN INTRODUCE, UH, TEAR GAS TO FORCE THE PERSON INSIDE OUT WITHOUT ANY FURTHER, UM, DANGER TO THE PERSONS INSIDE OR TO THE OFFICERS.

I'LL POINT OUT THAT THE LAST DEPUTY IN CRAVEN COUNTY THAT WAS SHOT WAS SHOT BECAUSE OF BREACHING A DOOR, WHICH WAS JUST SOUTH OF JAMES CITY, UH, TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO.

AND THE LAST ONE IS THE ALL TRAFFIC DATA BOARDS.

THOSE ARE THOSE, UH, DEVICES THAT YOU SEE.

THE SHERIFF HAS SEVERAL THAT HE PUTS MESSAGES UP WHEN YOU DRIVE DOWN, UH, UH, 70.

WE ALSO HAVE THEM FOR OUR MESSAGE BOARDS.

UM, WE ALSO UTILIZE THOSE FOR, UH, TRAFFIC DATA SURVEYS.

WE CAN PUT THEM OUT AND TRACK HOW MANY VEHICLES, WHAT THE SPEEDS ARE, AND HAVE, UM, GOOD DATA.

THE TWO THAT WE'RE ASKING TO PURCHASE ARE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE HAVE.

WE HAVE FOUR NOW.

WE'LL PLACE TWO OF THOSE WITH THE MODERN TECHNOLOGY THAT'S OUT THERE.

UH, FORTUNATELY WE ONLY HAVE FIVE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT REQUESTS.

THAT IS NOT AS MANY AS WE WANTED, BUT, BUT, BUT WE UNDERSTOOD.

WE WANTED TO PRIORITIZE.

UM, WHAT WE HAVE.

UH, TWO OTHER THINGS I I WANNA POINT OUT BECAUSE I WANNA BE TRANSPARENT.

, OH, I'M SORRY.

CHIEF, BEFORE YOU JUST MOVE OFF OF THE CAPITAL SIDE OF IT, UM, I'M ASSUMING THAT YOU HAVE, UM, A VEHICLE REPLACEMENT SCHEDULE THAT YOU WORK WITH SO THAT ANY GIVEN YEAR, YOU'VE GOT A PRETTY GOOD IDEA OF HOW MANY VEHICLES YOU'RE GONNA BE LOOKING TO REPLACE.

[03:30:01]

WE DO NOT HAVE SCHEDULE.

WE DO NOT SAY EVERY YEAR WE WILL HAVE X NUMBER.

WE HAVE A TRADITIONAL NUMBER THAT IS GIVEN TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND THAT'S ROUGHLY 10 VEHICLES A YEAR.

I, I LOOK AT WHAT THE FLEET IS, I LOOK AT WHAT THE, UM, THE STATUS, THE MILES OF EACH OF THE VEHICLES BASED ON THE CRITERIA GIVEN TO US BY THE CITY GARAGE.

AND I MAKE MY RECOMMENDATION.

BUT IN TERMS OF WHAT IS TYPICAL FOR AT LEAST POLICE CARERS, IT'S ROUGHLY 10 A YEAR THAT THAT ENDS UP BEING FUNDED.

WELL, MY MY QUESTION IS, UH, YOU, YOU'VE IDENTIFIED, UH, OR HAVE REQUESTED A REPLACEMENT OF 14 PATROL VEHICLES.

HOW DOES THAT CORRELATE TO PREVIOUS YEARS IN TERMS OF TOTAL NUMBER THAT YOU'RE REQUESTING? LAST YEAR WE RECEIVED 12 VEHICLES, 10 OF WHICH WERE CRUISERS AND TWO WERE, UM, UNMARKED VEHICLES.

SO A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN JUST LAST YEAR, BUT YES, SIR.

AND, AND JUST A FOLLOW UP QUESTION, I MEAN, IN YOUR OPINION, ARE WE STAYING CURRENT WITH THE NEED OF REPLACING PATROL VEHICLES? OR ARE WE, ARE WE SLIPPING, WE FALLING BEHIND? I WOULDN'T ASK FOR 14 IF I DIDN'T BELIEVE I NEEDED 14.

IF I THOUGHT I NEEDED 32, IT WOULD BE 32.

UM, IF I GET 10, UM, WE WILL MAKE DUE.

WE WILL ALWAYS MAKE DUE.

SO I WANNA BE VERY TRANSPARENT, AT LEAST ON THE TRAINING PIECE.

I DO WANT TO, UH, I, I ADDED THE ACCREDITATION PIECE BECAUSE IT WENT UP $5,000, BUT THIS IS A SHAMELESS PLUG ON THE CHIEF'S PART.

UH, WE, UH, JUST RECEIVED OUR SEVENTH ACCREDITATION THROUGH, UH, KALIA, WHICH WE'RE VERY PROUD OF.

AND WE'LL, WE WILL OBTAIN THAT REACCREDITATION IN MARCH IN ALABAMA.

UM, BUT THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS WITH, UH, KALIA HAS JUMPED UP, UH, TO A LITTLE OVER $5,300.

UM, THE OTHER PART, WHICH I WANNA BE COMPLETELY TRANSPARENT WITH YOU, IS I'M ASKING FOR ROUGHLY $10,000 MORE IN THE TRAINING BUDGET THAN I ASKED FOR LAST YEAR.

AND OF THAT MONIES, UH, I CAN TELL YOU 52% OF ALL OF MY TRAVEL AND TRAINING FUNDS GOES DIRECTLY, UH, TO CORE COMPETENCY TRAINING.

MEANING EACH ONE OF OUR OFFICERS, UH, PERFORM A VERY SPECIFIC TASK.

WHETHER YOU'RE AN INVESTIGATOR OR, OR A A A TRAFFIC OFFICER, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE, THAT STAFF WITH THE CORE COMPETENCIES THEY NEED TO DO THEIR JOB.

SECOND BELOW THAT IS LEADERSHIP TRAINING.

AND I, I HEARD ONE OF THE OTHER DIRECTORS TALK ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT, UH, LEADERSHIP TRAINING IS.

WE HAVE A LOT OF YOUNG LEADERS, ESPECIALLY FIRST LINE SUPERVISORS AND MID-LEVEL SUPERVISORS THAT, UH, I BELIEVE IN ORDER FOR US AS A PARAMILITARY ORGANIZATION TO MEET THOSE BEST STANDARDS OF, OF, OF OVERSIGHT AND MANAGEMENT, THAT THAT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY IN OUR SUCCESSION PLANNING.

BECAUSE WHEN WE ONBOARD A YOUNG OFFICER, WE WANT THEM TO UNDERSTAND THAT EVENTUALLY THEY COULD OCCUPY THE CHIEF'S JOB.

BUT IN ORDER TO GET THERE, WE NEED TO PROVIDE THEM WITH THE NECESSARY TRAINING.

AND, UH, I'M PREPARED TO RESPOND TO THE CITY MANAGER AND HIS STAFF EVERY, EVERY NICKEL THAT I ASK FOR IN TERMS OF, UM, TRAVEL AND TRAINING, UM, THE, THIS IS A VERY LARGE NUMBER I KNOW COMPARED TO, UH, SOME OF MY OTHER PEERS.

UM, UH, 1.2 MILLION PLUS DOLLARS IS A LOT OF MONEY.

UM, BUT AGAIN, I'M PREPARED TO RESPOND TO ANY OR ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING, UM, THE, THE PRECIOUS RESOURCES THAT WE DO HAVE.

AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE.

AND I DO WANT TO ADDRESS OTTOMAN GRILL'S, UH, QUESTION.

WE DO HAVE A VEHICLE POLICY THAT ADDRESSES REPLACEMENT.

NOW, WHILE WE DO NOT HAVE A SCHEDULE IN THERE THAT ADDRESSES X, Y, Z VEHICLE MUST BE REPLACED AT FIVE YEARS OF SERVICE, OR, OR 80,000 MILES, WE LOOK AT A VARIETY OF FACTORS.

ONE, HOW LONG WE'VE OWNED THE VEHICLE, THE MILEAGE THAT IS PLACED ON THAT ANNUALLY.

UH, THE AMOUNT OF SERVICE THAT, THAT, UH, AND WEAR AND TEAR, THAT HAS TO BE PAID FOR ANNUALLY AS WELL.

AND SO WE EVALUATE THAT WITH EVERY VEHICLE.

AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO ASK GEORGE CHARLES, UH, IF YOU WANT TO MAKE HIS PRESENTATION ON PUBLIC WORKS.

GOOD AFTERNOON BOARD MAYOR.

I GET COURT HERE.

WE'LL FOLLOW UP ON, ON THAT AFTER PUBLIC WORKS.

AS AN OVERVIEW OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND THIS, UM, THIS REVIEW WILL BE NOT INCLUDING SOLID WASTE.

[03:35:01]

WE CURRENTLY OPERATE, UH, SIX DIFFERENT DIVISIONS, WHICH IS ADMINISTRATION INSURANCE, OUR GARAGE PUBLIC BUILDINGS, STREETS, AND STORM WATER.

WE CURRENTLY HAVE A TOTAL OF 43 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES.

UM, AND THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE EIGHT.

IT'S SOLID WASTE KEY FUNCTIONS.

UH, WE PROVIDE MAINTENANCE FOR THE ROADWAYS, TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES, OUR PUBLIC BUILDINGS, OUR DRAINAGE FACILITIES, AND OUR CITY VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

WE OVERSEE THE MAINTENANCE OF A LOT OF INTEGRAL, UH, MECHANICAL SYSTEMS OF THESE FACILITIES.

AND WE ALSO BY STATE AND FEDERAL MANDATE, WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN THE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PLAN, WHICH IS THE OVERSIGHT OF DEVELOPMENT AND THEIR STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE AS WE LOOK FOR, UM, TO BE A PART OF THE PLANNING AND INFRASTRUCTURE FOR BALANCED GROWTH.

UM, ONE PART THAT WE ALWAYS TRY TO INCLUDE IS, IS OUR INTERDEPARTMENT WORKINGS.

AND WE WILL BE WORKING WITH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES ON, ON WHAT THEIR DIRECTOR SPOKE OF IN THEIR UPDATES AND REVISIONS TO LAND USE ORDINANCE, WHICH I THINK WILL PROVIDE SOME BENEFITS TO THE CITY.

UM, NOT ONLY ON THEIR PART, BUT ON OUR PART.

FROM CONSTRUCTION SIDE, WE ARE CURRENTLY, UM, LOOKING TO EXPAND SOME OF THE CITY'S SIDEWALKS, MAINLY IN TIE-INS.

I KNOW LONG TERM OAKS ROAD IS A GOAL OF OURS TO DO.

WE HAVE SOME OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE IDEAS THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS TO GET US THERE.

BUT TO JUST GIVE YOU AN IDEA, WE HAVE OVER 200 MILES OF SIDEWALK CURRENTLY THAT IS EQUAL TO 109 ACRES OF SIDEWALK.

SO THAT'S, THAT'S A, THAT'S A LOT OF SIDEWALK MAINTAINED, AS I SAID BEFORE.

GEORGE.

GEORGE, COULD YOU ADVANCE HIS LIVES? OH YES, I'M SORRY.

SO AS WE, AS WE MOVE FORWARD TRYING TO BE MORE EFFICIENT WITH THE CITY'S CAPITAL AND OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, ONE WAY WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT IS BEING MORE COORDINATED WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS, ESPECIALLY WATER RESOURCES AND OUR PAVING PROJECTS.

AND THIS COULD BE REFLECTED IN LAST YEAR'S DUFFY FIELD WORK WHERE, UM, WATER RESOURCES WENT IN AND UPGRADED THE UTILITIES UNDERNEATH THE ROAD.

AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE THAT MODEL GOING FORWARD ON IF WE CAN COORDINATE BOTH THE PAVING AND THE UNDERGROUND INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK WE'LL GET A BETTER LONG-TERM PROJECT WITHOUT FUTURE PATCHES.

RIGHT AFTER WE'VE PAVED, WE GET THE ECONOMIC PROSPERITY IN OUR SUPPORT FROM OUR DEPARTMENT.

THE WAY WE SEE THIS AS A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH TRAFFIC FLOW AND PEDESTRIAN ACCESS.

SO WE'VE WORKED, UH, WORKED VERY DILIGENTLY WITH DOT TO TRY TO COME UP WITH SOME IDEAS.

UM, THE MPOS BEEN A GREAT PARTNER IN THIS, TRYING TO PROMOTE SOME BETTER TRAFFIC SIGNAL AND INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS.

AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO DO THAT.

WE'D LIKE TO IMPLEMENT SOME START PHASING IN SOME MORE TRAFFIC CIRCLES SO WE CAN DO AWAY WITH SOME OF OUR TRAFFIC SIGNAL NEEDS.

UM, ONE OF THE BENEFIT OF NO TRAFFIC SIGNALS AT A CIRCLE IS SHOULD WE HAVE A TROPICAL EVENT OR A NATURAL DISASTER.

IT'S NOT SUBJECT TO THE POWER SUPPLY ISSUES THAT OUR CURRENT TRAFFIC SIGNALS SUFFER.

AND GEORGE, THAT WOULD JUST BE FOR CITY MAINTAIN SIGNALS, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.

HOW MANY ROUGHLY DO WE HAVE? WE HAVE 17 CURRENTLY.

UM, WHEN WE ADD THE BROAD AND MIDDLE, WE'LL HAVE 18.

SOLID WASTE EMPLOYEES COMBINED.

AND THOSE ARE ON THE CITY SYSTEM AS WE LOOK FORWARD FOR, FOR OUR GOALS AND INITIATIVES.

UM, EMPLOYEE RETENTION HAS BEEN A BIG, BIG TOPIC OF OURS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.

WE WENT THROUGH A PERIOD OF HIGH TURNOVER RATE.

UM, THIS WAS COVID, THIS WAS, UM, HIGH DEMAND FOR, FOR EMPLOYEES ON BY OUTSIDE PART, UM, ENTERPRISES.

BUT ONCE WE HAVE CRESTED THAT HILL, I THINK OUR RETENTION HAS GOTTEN BETTER.

AND A LOT OF THAT CAN BE CREDITED TO THE CITY'S LEADERSHIP WITH THE, UH, SALARY STUDY.

I THINK THAT HAD A LOT TO DO WITH OUR RETENTION ABILITIES WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT.

AND CURRENTLY WE ARE, WE HAVE EVERY POSITION FIELD EXCEPT ONE FULL-TIME FOR A METRONET INSPECTOR, WHICH I THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO, NOW THAT WE HAVE GOT OPTIMUM AND RIGHT SPEED HAVE DECIDED TO COME IN AND INSTALL THEIR FIBER AT THE SAME TIME.

MAKE SURE ALL THE SAME SLIDE HERE.

SO IS WHAT WE LOOK FOR PERSONNEL REQUEST.

SO WE HAVE, UM, THE CITY POPULATION GRAFT HERE OVER THE PAST 20 YEARS, ALONG WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS AND

[03:40:01]

SO THIS WOULD BE OUR ENTIRE, OUR ENTIRE GROUP WHERE WE LOOK AT THESE NUMBERS.

AND YOU CAN SEE THE FALL OFF FROM THE 2012 PERIOD WHERE THERE WAS SOME REDUCTION IN STAFFING LEVELS, UM, WITHIN THE CITY AT THAT TIME.

BUT AS YOU SEE THE, UM, POPULATION INCREASE AND OUR ROAD MILEAGE INCREASE ON THESE THINGS HAVE GONE UP JUST ABOUT ON A STRAIGHT LINE BETWEEN 30 AND 40%.

AND THEN IF YOU ALSO FOLLOW US ON THE, THE, THE SAME GUIDELINE FOR OUR BUDGET OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS.

SO OUR, AS OUR BUDGET HAS INCREASED, WE'RE STILL RUNNING.

IF YOU COMBINE THE PERCENTAGE GROWTH OF OUR STREET ADDITIONS AND OUR POPULATION ADDITIONS, AND IF YOU TAKE OUR BUDGET INCREASE FOR THOSE 20 YEARS, YOU ALL FALL INTO A SIMILAR NUMBER ON THE EMPLOYEE, THE PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEE SIDE OF THE SCALE.

SO THAT'D BE ON YOUR RIGHT HAND SIDE VERSUS THE ORANGE OR OR BROWNER LINE, WHICH IS OUR CURRENT EMPLOYEE, FULL-TIME POSITIONS.

GEORGE, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION THOUGH, THIS, THIS IS THE NUMBER OF BUDGETED POSITIONS, THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY EMPLOYEES.

THAT IS OUR NUMBER, OUR NUMBER OF BUDGETED POSITIONS.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN YOU SEE A DECLINE FROM 14 TO 15, UM, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT EMPLOYEES WERE LAID OFF OR ANYBODY WAS FIRED.

NO, THAT COULD HAVE BEEN THAT A POSITION WAS BUDGETED FOR MULTIPLE YEARS THAT HAD NEVER BEEN FILLED, THAT WAS IDENTIFIED AS NOT EVIDENTLY NOT BEING NEEDED.

AND THAT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT, WHAT OCCURRED DURING THAT TIME PERIOD.

IF THERE WERE UNFILLED POSITIONS, THEN THOSE POSITIONS WERE ELIMINATED.

IT WAS NOT A REDUCTION OF FORCE BY, BY LAYOFFS OR, OR FIRINGS.

AS OF TODAY, WE HAVE OVER $13 MILLION OF CONTRACTED GRANTS, FEMA, UM, CONTRACTED GRANTS OR THINGS THAT ARE BEING BID DESIGNED THAT ARE GONNA BE OUT THIS YEAR THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE DOLLAR AMOUNTS FOR THE UPCOMING COMPLETION OF THE FEMA CAT D THAT'LL BE BID OUT IN THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS.

SO AS WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO TRY TO KEEP PACE WITH OUR INCREASED POPULATION, OUR INCREASED ROAD MILEAGE, UM, WE'RE GONNA NEED MORE PEOPLE TO CONTINUE THE SAME LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT WE HAVE DONE IN THE PAST.

AND WE'RE STARTING TO SEE MORE OF THAT.

AS I'M SURE YOU KNOW, WE SEE A LOT OF OUR DEVELOPMENT NOW IN THE EAST AND THE WEST SIDE OF TOWN.

SO WE'RE GETTING, NOT ONLY ARE WE GETTING MORE ROADS AND MORE PEOPLE, BUT THEY'RE GETTING FURTHER AWAY FROM THE CENTER OF TOWN.

LEMME GET BACK TO THAT ONE.

SO OUR FIRST REQUEST WOULD IS GOING TO BE FOR A, THIS IS A THREE MAN CREW IN OUR STREETS DIVISION.

UM, WE HAVE A REAL NEED FOR SIDEWALK MAINTENANCE.

AND WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO INCLUDE IN THAT ASK IS THE, THEY WOULD ALSO BE COVERING BASICALLY EVERYTHING WITHIN THE RIGHT OF WAY.

SO THEY WOULD ASSIST IN CLEANING THE TOPS, CATCH BASINS, CLEANING, UM, A CULVERT HEAD THAT'S STILL WITHIN THE RIGHT OF WAY.

THEY WOULD NOT GO OUT INTO THE MAIN DRAIN DITCHES AS THE STORMWATER CREWS DO, BUT AS THEY'RE THERE PASSING THROUGH, IT WOULD FACILITATE THAT NEED.

AND WE'RE CURRENTLY DEDICATING, UM, SOME PART-TIME OR SEASONAL HELP FOR OUR ASPHALT CREW THAT DURING THE FOUR MONTHS LOOSE LEAVE, WE HAVE TO SUPPLEMENT THAT WITH TEMPORARY HELP.

THIS CREW.

IF A, IF, IF FUNDED COULD THEN SUPPLEMENT OUR ASPHALT CREW, WE WOULD NOT NEED TO HAVE THE NEED TO GET TEMPORARY STAFFING IN DURING THOSE FOUR MONTHS OF, UH, LOOSE LEAVE.

AND THAT, THAT CREW WOULD BE MADE UP OF ONE EQUIPMENT OPERATOR AND TWO CONSTRUCTION MAINTENANCE WORKERS.

AS WITH, UM, THE INCREASE IN, IN LINEAR FOOTAGE OF STREETS AND OUR POPULATION, EVERY, EVERY MILE OF ROAD WE ADD, OR EVERY LINEAR FOOT OF ROAD WE ADD THERE IS ALSO IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE STORM DRAINAGE THAT GOES ALONG WITH IT.

SO WHETHER IT'S ROADSIDE DITCHES OR PIPING, UM, THEY'RE MORE CATCH BASINS, CURB INLETS THAT HAVE TO BE MAINTAINED.

AND TO KEEP PACE WITH THAT, WE'RE GONNA NEED ADDITIONAL STAFF TO, TO FACILITATE THOSE KIND OF MAINTENANCE NEEDS.

IT WOULD ALSO ALLOW FOR OUR CURRENT STORMWATER STAFF TO OPERATE SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT FOR SOME OF THE MORE HEAVY CLEARING THAT WE HAVE GOING ON RIGHT NOW.

THE NEXT PERSONNEL REQUEST IS FOR A, AN ACCOUNT.

NOW WE WERE FORTUNATELY AFFORDED THE ASSISTANCE FROM THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT LAST YEAR, UM, A POSITION OR A FUNDED POSITION THROUGH THEIR DEPARTMENT FOR A PART-TIME ACCOUNTANT TO COME IN AND HELP US DUE TO THE NUMBER OF GRANTS, CONTRACTS AND OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE NEEDS WE HAD, WE CURRENTLY, JUST CURRENTLY,

[03:45:01]

SO AS WE'VE GOT AN ADDITIONAL, UH, BURDEN OF GRANT FUNDING AND REPORTING OPTIONS, UM, WE NEEDED THE ADDITIONAL ADMINISTRATION TO FACILITATE THAT.

THAT POSITION IS CURRENTLY BEING PAID WITH SOME OF OUR TEMPORARY HELP MONEY FROM ALL OF THE OTHER, UH, DIVISIONS WITHIN PUBLIC WORKS.

WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO IS MAKE THAT A PART-TIME POSITION AND THUS WE WOULD NOT NEED THE TEMPORARY HELP, UH, FUNDS FROM THE OTHER DIVISIONS TO FACILITATE THAT.

BUT IT'S BEEN, IT'S BEEN A, A HUGE NEED AND, AND IT HAS BEEN FACILITATED.

THE, UM, THE CURRENT FUNDING, WE'D JUST LIKE TO CHANGE HOW WE'RE FUNDING IT.

SO, GEORGE, A COUPLE QUESTIONS.

SO YOU'RE ALREADY SPENDING MONEY FOR THIS POSITION NOW.

DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH THAT AMOUNT IS? I CAN GET YOU THE EXACT NUMBER.

THE BIG, ONE OF THE BIG REASONS WE, WE, WE PAY THROUGH A TEMPORARY SERVICE.

SO A GREAT PORTION OF WHAT WE'RE PAYING THIS EMPLOYEE IS GETTING TAKEN AWAY FROM A TEMPORARY HELP SERVICE.

UM, IT WOULD NOT BE MADE INTO A FULL-TIME POSITION.

IT WOULD STILL BE PART-TIME.

SO I GUESS, SO OUR NUMBERS WOULD BE AWASH JUST ABOUT.

WE'RE, WHAT I WAS LOOKING AT WAS THERE, ANNETTE.

AND THEN MY, MY SECOND QUESTION IS, WOULD THIS PERSON REPORT TO YOUR DEPARTMENT OR FINANCE RIGHT NOW? SHE'S, RIGHT NOW SHE'S WORKING AS A LIAISON BETWEEN BOTH.

SO, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO THE, THE RESPONSIBILITIES, UM, REGARDING THE ACCOUNTING POSITION, SHE REPORTS TO US IN THAT SENSE.

BUT SHE'S DIRECTLY WORKING WITH PUBLIC WORKS AND ASSISTING THEM.

SO WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT, IF THIS GOT APPROVED, WE'RE NOT SAYING THAT WE'VE GOT A SENIOR ACCOUNTANT THAT'S GONNA BE WORKING IN PUBLIC WORKS.

NO, NO, NO.

IT, IT, IT WOULD BE A, A POSITION OF SIMILAR DESCRIPTION WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT.

AS WE MOVE AHEAD, THE, UH, THE PUBLIC BUILDING'S RESTRICTED I ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN REQUESTED.

OUR GARAGE CURRENTLY HAS MOBILE LIFTS FOR HEAVY EQUIPMENT.

WE UTILIZE THIS PICKED FIRE TRUCKS UP THE HEAVIER PIECE, THE HEAVIER TRUCKS, UM, SOME OF THE HEAVIER EQUIPMENT.

RIGHT NOW WE'RE LIMITED WITH LIFTING THOSE THINGS INSIDE TO THE HEIGHT OF THE BUILDING.

WE'D LIKE TO CONSTRUCT A LEVEL PAD OUTSIDE TO FACILITATE MOVING THOSE MOBILE LIFTS OUTSIDE WHEN NEEDED.

SO YOU CAN HAVE A WALKING DISTANCE, UM, SO YOU CAN WORK UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE A LITTLE BETTER.

THE PICTURE PROVIDED THE REASON WE HAD AN EMPLOYEE STAND IN FRONT OF IT, SO YOU CAN ACTUALLY JUDGE FOR THE WORKING HEIGHT FROM THE, THE CURRENT CONCRETE SLAB UP TO THE BOTTOM OF THE, UH, VEHICLE THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON.

WE CONTINUE TO HAVE A NEED FOR UPGRADING OUR CURRENT TRAFFIC SIGNAL CABINETS AND THE MODULAR SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE THAT'S INSIDE OF THOSE CABINETS.

AND WE WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE DOING THAT THROUGH, UH, A PHASE SYSTEM OF TWO AT A TIME.

WE ALSO HAVE THE SYSTEMATIC REPLACEMENT OF HVAC UNITS.

AND THIS IS KIND OF A NEW ITEM THAT WOULD, THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE PROBABLY REOCCURRING EVERY YEAR.

UM, THE EPA HAS GOT NEW STANDARDS ON REFRIGERANT, WHICH IS REQUIRING US TO CHANGE UNITS MORE OFTEN.

WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO REPAIR AS MANY OF OUR EXISTING UNITS, AND WE CURRENTLY HAVE 275 THROUGHOUT THE CITY THAT WE SERVICE.

THIS, THIS REQUEST IS FOR 13 UNITS THAT ARE ALL AT KALE ROAD.

IT JUST HAPPENS THAT THEY'RE ALL AT THIS BUILDING.

THE BUILDING WAS CONSTRUCTED APPROXIMATELY 20 YEARS AGO.

ALL THE UNITS ARE THE SAME AGE.

WE WOULD GET A COST SAVINGS IF WE CONTRACTED THIS WORK AND HAD 'EM DONE ALL AT ONE TIME IN THIS BUILDING.

UM, GOING FORWARD, LONG TERM THE DOLLAR AMOUNT MAY CHANGE.

NOT EVERY UNIT COSTS THE SAME.

UM, SOME UNITS A LITTLE BIT BIGGER, SOME WILL BE SMALLER.

BUT IN THIS CASE, THIS IS OUR FIRST BIG ITEM THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO ADDRESS AS THE CURRENT REFRIGERATION IS PHASED OUT.

HOW, HOW WOULD THAT ALLOCATION WORK WITH THE FACT THAT IT'S THE ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT? WOULD GENERAL FUND PAY THIS AND THEN IT WOULD COME OUT OF THE ELECTRIC FUND FOR THIS? IT WOULD JUST BE ALLOCATED TOWARD PUBLIC WORKS RESTRICTED OKAY.

FOR THEM TO MANAGE THAT PROJECT.

UPCOMING YEARS AS THE NEW REFRIGERANT SYSTEMS ARE NOT GOING TO WORK WITH OUR EXISTING SYSTEMS. AND THEN WE'RE GONNA START RUNNING INTO A SITUATION WHERE THE EQUIPMENT MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE TO REPAIR OUR OLDER UNITS.

AND THIS WAS NOT A NEED THAT THEY ASKED FOR.

THIS IS SOMETHING WE KNEW WAS COMING THAT, THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO.

AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT THROUGHOUT THE CITY IN THE

[03:50:01]

AND THEN SERGEANT, STEP BACK TO THE, THE TRAFFIC CONTROL CABINETS.

UM, SO 17 OF THOSE ARE THE TRAFFIC SIGNALS THAT THE CITY OWNS AND OPERATES.

AND IT'S ROUGHLY WHAT, FOUR OR $5,000 FOR EACH ONE OF 'EM? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT A ROUGH ESTIMATE? I KNOW IT WOULD VARY DEPENDING ON LOCATION, WHAT IT WOULD BE TO CONVERT THAT TO A ROUNDABOUT.

WELL, I, I WAS SURPRISED.

I WAS IN AN MPO MEETING, UM, JUST SEVERAL WEEKS AGO.

WE'RE DISCUSSING THE P*****K AND FIRST STREET OR THE TRENTON P*****K, UM, INTERSECTION RIGHT THERE.

FIRST STREET.

THE OLD NUMBER WAS I BELIEVE JUST OVER A MILLION DOLLARS.

DOT CAME BACK SEVERAL WEEKS AGO AND SAID 6.2 YEAH.

TO CONVERT THAT INTERSECTION TO A ROUNDABOUTS.

YES, YES.

THEY'RE NUTS.

I MEAN, I, THERE'S NO WAY IT'S $6 MILLION.

THAT IS CRAZY.

AND NOT EVERY INTERSECTION WOULD BE AFFECTED.

THAT ONE, THAT WAS MORE, I MEANT 6 MILLION.

I MEANT REALLY, I I'M ONLY REPEATING THE, THE NUMBERS THAT WE GOT, WE WERE A LITTLE ASTONISHED TO BY THE NUMBER WE, WE SAID NO THANKS OBVIOUSLY, BUT YEAH, THAT'S ASININE .

THAT IS RIDICULOUS.

WE'LL LEAVE THAT INTERSECTION OF THE DT IT WAS, I MEAN, IT, I MEAN THAT INCLUDED THE UTILITY RELOCATIONS FOR THE, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE IT WAS MAKING IT WIDER.

UM, YOU KNOW, I I'M NOT JUSTIFYING THE 6.8, BUT IT WAS MORE THAN JUST CONCRETE NASAL.

WELL MAYBE IF THEY'RE BUILDING THEM LIKE THEY ARE FOR THE, UM, JAMES CITY BYPASS WHERE THEY'VE GOT BRICK PAVERS AROUND, YOU KNOW, THAT 50 FOOT ROUNDABOUT, THAT MIGHT BE THAT EXPENSIVE, BUT I JUST CAN'T IMAGINE IT WOULD COST THAT MUCH.

WE, WE WERE A LITTLE TAKEN BACK BY THE NUMBER TWO.

HAVE WE DONE ANY LOOKING AT THAT OURSELF VERSUS THROUGH THE MPO AND DOT? WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT ALTERNATE LOCATIONS FOR SOME THAT, THAT THE ONES WE'RE TRYING TO LOOK AT ARE ONES WHERE THERE IS LITTLE LAND ACQUISITION NEEDED FOR ADDITIONAL RIGHT OF AWAY.

SO THERE'D BE MANY ROUNDABOUTS AS WHERE, WHERE WE WOULD LOOK MAY, WE TALKED ABOUT SIMMONS AND TRENT ROAD AT EPIPHANY.

MM-HMM .

BUT THAT DIDN'T QUALIFY FOR DOT 'CAUSE MOST OF THE IMPROVEMENTS WOULD'VE BEEN, WOULD'VE BEEN ON TRENT ROAD FOR US.

JUST, JUST CLEANED UP AND, AND SOME INTERIOR TO DEFROSTER THE HEATER, THE AIR CONDITIONER, THOSE ITEMS FIXED ON THIS TRUCK RATHER THAN REPLACING THE TRUCK.

SO, BUT THERE ARE OTHER, THERE ARE OTHER, UM, HIGH TRAFFIC THREE-WAY INTERSECTIONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY USED WITH STOPS OR, OR TRAFFIC SIGNALS WE WOULD LOOK AT TO, TO IMPLEMENT A, A ROUNDABOUT NUMBER THREE ON OUR CAPITAL REQUEST IS A CLASS FIVE SERVICE VEHICLE.

LAST YEAR THE BOARD FUNDED AN ADDITIONAL HEAVY EQUIPMENT MECHANIC AND OUR FLEET MAINTENANCE FACILITY.

UM, WE CURRENTLY HAVE ONE CLASS FIVE SERVICE VEHICLE.

60 TO 70% OF THEIR SERVICE CALLS RELATE TO HAVING TO GO OUT IN THE FIELD.

UM, WE CAN ONLY CURRENTLY SEND ONE, ONE MECHANIC OUT AT A TIME.

UM, TO FACILITATE THAT, THESE ARE THE TRUCKS THAT HAVE THE WELDERS, THE BIG BOOM CRANES.

UM, THEY FACILITATE A LOT OF ON SITE REPAIRS WELDING.

UM, A LOT OF THESE REPAIRS ARE DONE QUICKLY, BUT WE NEED A, A SERVICE VEHICLE THAT HAS THAT EQUIPMENT AND THAT CAPACITY TO GO SERVICE THESE THINGS, UH, OFFSITE AWAY FROM FLEET MAINTENANCE, WE HAVE THREE, THREE VEHICLES OR THREE TRUCKS THAT, UM, ARE END OF SERVICE AND IN A ROTATION.

ONE FOR PUBLIC BUILDINGS, ONE FOR STREETS AND ONE FOR STORMWATER.

THESE ARE ALL CLOSE TO 20 YEARS OLD AND ARE STARTING TO SEE EXCESSIVE REPAIR COST WITH, WITH RETAINING THEM IN OUR FLEET.

WE REQUESTED A ANO A REPLACEMENT FOR E 28, WHICH IS A JOHN DEERE 40 44 TRACTOR.

UM, CURRENTLY WE'RE NOT EVEN USING THIS ONE DUE TO SOME OIL LEAKS AND INJECTOR PUMP ISSUES.

WE'VE BEEN UTILIZING A LARGER TRACTOR, WHICH IS NOT ALWAYS THE BEST ASSET TO USE ON SOME SMALLER SITES.

THIS IS OUR SMALLEST, SMALLEST, UH, TRACTOR.

NUMBER SEVEN IS REFURBISH E ELEVENS.

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'RE GONNA TRY TO DO THIS.

WE HAVE GOT AN OLDER SINGLE AXLE DUMP TRUCK THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO REFURBISH RATHER THAN LOOK AT REPLACING THE TRUCK FRAME AND BED IS IN GOOD CONDITION.

UM, WE NEED SOME INTERNAL ELECTRICAL, UH, ITEMS WORKED ON THE, WE'D LIKE TO PAINT THE FRONT OF THE HOOD JUST BECAUSE IT'S FIBERGLASS CLEAR CODE COMES OFF THAT IT MAKES THE HINGES BRITTLE AT THE CONNECTION POINTS.

BUT WE WOULD BE SATISFIED WITH THIS TRUCK

[03:55:02]

AND IF THIS DOES WORK, WE'RE GONNA LOOK FORWARD IN THE FUTURE DOING SOME REFERMENT RATHER THAN REPLACING SOME OF OUR HEAVIER TRUCKS.

UH, NUMBER NINE'S A SKIDSTEER PICKUP ROOM WITH AN GUTTER ATTACHMENT.

THIS WOULD BE A NEW PIECE OF EQUIPMENT.

UM, THE ONE NICE THING ABOUT THIS IS IT ACTUALLY HAS A BUCKET ON IT.

IT COLLECTS IT AT THE SAME TIME AND IT COMES WITH A WIRED GUTTER BROOM THAT CAN SPIN AND PUSH MATERIAL TO THE BROOM.

IT WOULD, UH, CERTAINLY FACILITATE US CLEANING UP SOME OF THE GUTTER LINES THAT HAS HEAVY SEDIMENT OR HEAVY DEBRIS THAT STREET SWEEPER CAN'T CURRENTLY GET.

REQUESTING A, UH, SKID STEER MULCHER COMBINATION, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL MOWER HEAD ON FOR CLEARING OF EXISTING STORMWATER DRAINAGE AREAS.

WE WERE FORTUNATE THAT THERE WERE A LOT OF ACCESS PASS CUT DURING THE FEM WORK TO GET TO A LOT OF THESE DRAINAGE AREAS.

THIS PIECE OF EQUIPMENT WOULD CERTAINLY FACILITATE US MAINTAINING THOSE ACCESSES.

IT WOULD ALSO ALLOW FOR CREATING ACCESS TO SOME LONGER DRAINAGE WAYS THAT WE CANNOT GET TO CURRENTLY AND RESTRICTED TO HAND CLEARING OR HAND DEBRIS REMOVAL NUMBER 11 IS A PROGRESSIVE THUMB FOR OUR VOLVO EXCAVATOR.

UM, WE'VE BEEN HAVING TO DO SOME DEMOS ON SOME TIGHT LOCATIONS.

UM, UH, MOVABLE THUMB ON THE MACHINE WILL CERTAINLY FACILITATE PROBABLY SAFER WAY.

OUR LAST BUILDING WAS SO CLOSE WE HAD TO HOLD THE OTHER, HOLD THE HOUSE WITH ONE MACHINE WHILE WE PULLED IT TOWARDS THE STREET WITH THE OTHER TO KEEP IT FROM FALLING ON.

ADJACENT PROPERTY NUMBER TWELVES, UH, SHOP FLOOR SCRUBBER, THIS WOULD BE A REPLACEMENT FOR THEIR EXISTING ONE.

THAT'S WHAT OUR FLEET MAINTENANCE USES TO KEEP THE HORN GREASE OFF THE FLOORS IN THE GARAGE.

BASE NUMBER 13 IS AN ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT TRAILER.

UM, THE HAUL OF SKID STEER MULCHER THAT WAS REQUESTED.

AND THE SECONDARY EXCAVATOR.

WHILE WE LOOK AT EFFICIENCY ITEMS, UM, THIS, UH, ALAMO SIDE MOUNT MOWER ATTACHMENT, WHAT WHAT THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR IS A SINGLE PASS DOWN.

SOME OF OUR LARGER RIGHT OF WAYS WHERE WE WOULD HAVE THE DIRECT TOW BEHIND BUSH HOG DECK AND THEN THE, THE SIDE MOWER.

WE COULD DO IT IN ONE PASS RATHER THAN TWO.

SO IT WOULD DOUBLE OUR EFFICIENCY ON THOSE PASSES.

ON THE LONGER RIGHT OF WAYS, WE DO HAVE REPLACEMENT OF 1 19 98 INTERNATIONAL, UM, SINGLE AXLE TRUCK.

AND THIS IS JUST AN END OF LIFE REPLACEMENT.

I HATE TO SAY END OF LIFE ON THESE OLD TRUCKS, BUT SOMETIMES IT IS AND IT IS THE CASE ON THIS ONE.

SO OTHER BUDGET IMPACTS TO CONSIDER THAT WE'RE GONNA BE FACED WITH THIS YEAR.

AS I'M ALL SURE, I'M SURE YOU ARE AWARE OF THE INSURANCE INCREASES FROM OUR INITIAL CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR INSURANCE CARRIERS, WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT SOMEWHERE ABOUT A 4% INCREASE IN OUR PREMIUM COST FOR, FOR EVERYTHING EXCEPT OUR PROPERTY.

AND THEN WE COULD SEE SOMEWHERE IN ANTICIPATED PREMIUM INCREASE BETWEEN 15 AND 30% UTILIZING THOSE NUMBERS WITH THE HIGHEST RATES THAT THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE FORECASTED THAT COULD BE POSSIBLE.

UM, WE WOULD EXPECT A $368,000 INCREASE TO OUR TOTAL INSURANCE COST.

THAT INCLUDES HALF A YEAR OF ADDING THE STANLEY WHITE RECREATIONAL FACILITY ONTO OUR POLICY.

WE ALSO HAVE STREET RESURFACING.

UM, WE CURRENTLY HAVE THE NEW PCR RATINGS COMING OUT AND WE WILL FACILITATE HAVING THE, UM, THE ENGINEER COME DO A PRESENTATION TO THE BOARD, WHICH I THINK WILL PROVIDE SOME GOOD NUMBERS.

I KNOW, UM, RESURFACING AND PAVING WAS ONE OF THE TOP THREE ITEMS THAT, THAT WERE ADDRESSED IN YOUR SURVEY.

I THINK THEY CAN, CAN PROVIDE SOME, SOME REALLY GOOD INFORMATION ON WHAT WE SHOULD BE SPENDING ANNUALLY TO MAINTAIN OUR STREETS SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS, AS I SPOKE EARLIER, LONG TERM WE'RE LOOKING DOWN OAKS ROAD, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME TIE-INS.

UM, WE ARE GONNA BE LOOKING AT THE K FOR BALLPARK AREA, SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE COMPLIANT A DA ACCESS AND SOME TIE-INS AND DO ANY REPAIRS IN THAT GENERAL RADIUS AROUND THE PARK.

WE ALSO HA UH,

[04:00:01]

HAD THE NEW, UH, BOULEVARD CORRIDOR STUDY, WHICH N-C-D-O-T JUST PERFORMED.

WE HAVE NOT GOTTEN THE FINDINGS BACK, BUT THEY WILL, THAT STUDY WILL IDENTIFY ANY DEFICIENCIES WE MAY HAVE IN OUR EXISTING SIDEWALK SYSTEM FROM GLEN BURNIE TO DOWNTOWN.

AND THOSE ITEMS ARE, ARE GONNA BE IMPACTFUL, UM, FINANCIALLY.

SO ANY SUMMARY? I HAVE A QUESTION.

YES MA'AM.

REAL QUICK ABOUT THE SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS THAT CAME APART BEING THAT THE LEAGUE SAID THAT THEY WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR SOME IMPROVEMENTS AND MAYBE I NEED TO ASK MR. HUGHES, DOES THE SIDEWALK INCLUDE PART OF THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES FOR IMPROVEMENTS? SO, NO.

AND I THINK WHAT MR. CHARLES IS REFERRING TO IS AROUND THE GENERAL AREA OF CAPE PARK.

SUCH AS ON BURN STREET, CEDAR STREET, GEORGE STREET, UH, FOR ACCESS TO THE GENERAL AREA.

WE'RE GONNA JUST TRY TO CONNECT THE RESIDENTS TO THE BALL FIELD A LITTLE BETTER, MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE APPROPRIATE PEDESTRIAN ACCESSES FOR 'EM TO GET TO THE BALL FIELD NOW THAT WE'VE GOT MORE OF A VENUE SITE THAT'S GONNA BE THERE THIS SUMMER.

SO OUR TOTAL REQUESTED ADDITIONS, UM, JUST OVER $2 MILLION.

I KNOW IT'S A, A BIG NUMBER, BUT WE TRY TO PRIORITIZE WHAT WHAT WE, WE THINK IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY AND THE RESIDENTS.

UM, AND THEY'RE ALL NEEDS, BUT AS THE POLICE CHIEF SAID, WE'LL ALWAYS MAKE DO WITH WHAT WE HAVE.

ANY QUESTIONS ON PUBLIC WORKS? UM, QUESTION IF FOSTER, I MAYBE YOU COULD ANSWER THIS OR GEORGE YOU MIGHT, UM, WANNA JUMP IN ON THE INSURANCE THAT WE MAINTAIN.

DO WE OPERATE UNDER A SELF-INSURANCE REINSURANCE PROGRAM WHERE THE CITY IS SELF-INSURING UP TO A CERTAIN DOLLAR LIMIT AND THEN WE GO INTO THE MARKETPLACE TO BUY REINSURANCE OR UMBRELLA COVERAGE? WE SELF-INSURE TO POINT THROUGHOUT THROUGH OUR DEDUCTIBLES AND, AND THAT'S HOW, THAT'S HOW WE WOULD SELF-INSURE THE PROPERTY SIDE OF IT.

YEAH, IT'S JUST A, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A SCARY NUMBER.

INSURANCE IN GENERAL IS VERY FRUSTRATING WITH THE, THE AMOUNT OF INCREASES THAT, UM, GET PASSED ON TO THE CLIENTELE AND EVEN, EVEN WHEN WE'RE IN A SELF-INSURANCE, UM, MODE, THE INCREASES ARE STILL RIDICULOUS.

AND, AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING THE BEST WE CAN TO GET LOW, THE LOWEST RATE POSSIBLE.

SO THEY WILL GO BACK INTO THE MARKETPLACE TO FIND THE BEST ONE AVAILABLE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL, WE'RE STILL SUFFERING THE SAME UNCERTAINTY AS HOMEOWNERS ARE RIGHT NOW.

SO GEORGE, THE NEW, UM, PAVEMENT CONDITIONS OR SURVEY, WHEN WOULD THAT INFORMATION BE AVAILABLE TO US? WE ACTUALLY SENT CORRESPONDENCE TO THE ENGINEER WITH THE LABEL THIS WEEK AND SENT THEM THE, THE BOARD SCHEDULE SO HE CAN PICK A DATE IN THE UPCOMING MEETING SO HE CAN COME DOWN AND DO AN ACTUAL PRESENTATION TO THE BOARD, UM, REGARDING THE FINDINGS OF THAT, OF THAT RATING.

SO IT'S ALREADY BEEN COMPLETED? YES MA'AM.

ALL THE FIELD WORK'S BEEN BEEN DONE AND THEY'RE WORKING ON GETTING ALL THE BOOK TOGETHER AND THEN WE'LL WE WILL PICK A TIME THAT FITS IN.

SO INCOME, 'CAUSE I'D LIKE, I'D LIKE HIM TO PRESENT TO Y'ALL IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS DIRECTLY RELATED TO IT.

AND WE'RE, AND THEY'RE CAPPED AT 5%, BUT THE CPI WAS 3.7, SO THE 3.7% INCREASE IN THEIR CHARGE TO US JUST FOR THE SERVICE.

YES MA'AM.

ALRIGHT, GEORGE, IF YOU'D LIKE TO CONTINUE ON SOLID WASTE YEAH, WE'LL JUMP RIGHT INTO SOLID WASTE.

UM, SOLID WASTE.

WE CURRENTLY HAVE EIGHT POSITIONS IN SOLID WASTE.

UM, WE PROVIDE, UH, SOLID WASTE COLLECTION, DISPOSAL SERVICES AND MANAGEMENT OF REFUGE SERVICES FOR THE RESIDENTS AND COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES.

SOLID WASTE, UM, IS SUPPORTIVE OF THE LITTER CAMPAIGNS THAT ADOPT STREET.

I WOULD LIKE TO SAY WE CURRENTLY HAVE 17 ADOPT STREET PROGRAMS GOING ON RIGHT NOW, UM, IN THE COMMUNITY.

AND WE ALSO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY CLEANUPS FEES AND RATE CHANGES.

SO CONTRACTUALLY WITH GFL, WHO'S OUR CURRENT REFUSE CONTRACTOR, THEY'RE ALLOWED TO INCREASE THEIR RATE BASED ON THE, THE CPI SOUTH RATING, WHICH WAS 3.7.

SO FOR OUR CART SERVICE, THEY'RE CAPPED AT 3%.

SO REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE CPI IS, SO THEY WERE CAPPED AT 3%, WHICH IS GONNA BE EQUIVALENT TO 19 CENTS PER MONTH PER RESIDENCE.

THE DUMPSTER RATE IS, WAS DONE BY YARD

[04:05:01]

AND SO THERE'LL BE 11 CENTS PER CUBIC YARD INCREASE ON THE DUMPSTERS AND I'D RECOMMEND THOSE, THOSE RATE CHANGES BE APPROVED.

I BELIEVE LAST YEAR WE GOT CAUGHT IN, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAD BEEN ABSORBING RATE CHANGES AND WE HAD THE LANDFILL CHANGES, BUT THIS WAY SMALL INCREMENTS I THINK ARE BETTER FOR THE RESIDENTS AND, AND THE CITY FINANCIALLY AND, AND THIS ENTERPRISE FUND.

GEORGE, I HAVE A QUESTION.

IT SORT OF PERTAINS TO THIS.

UM, I'VE HAD QUITE A FEW REQUESTS LATELY OR QUESTIONS FROM BUSINESS OWNERS THAT HAVE DUMPSTERS EVIDENTLY THAT THEY GET BILLED MONTHLY FROM THE CITY ON THEIR UTILITY BILLS FOR PICKUP SERVICE.

IS THAT CORRECT? THAT THAT WOULD BE CORRECT, YES.

AND THEN THEY ALSO GET A BILL FROM GFL.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT COULD BE FOR? IF YOU WOULD HAVE THEM CALL OUR OFFICE AND KIND OF GIVE US THE DETAILS OF WHAT THEY'RE SEEING, WE CAN CERTAINLY WORK THAT OUT.

I I I'M NOT FAMILIAR EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE SEEING.

AND, AND WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS, IF A, A NEW BUSINESS POPS UP, ARE THEY REQUIRED TO HAVE THEIR DUMPSTER SERVICED BY GFL? IF IT IS A FRONT LOAD, YES.

BY CONTRACT.

WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS, CORRECT.

JUST WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS, ROLL OFFS ARE DIFFERENT.

ROLL OFFS CAN BE ANYBODY A CUSTOMER CHOOSES.

SO AS WE'RE LOOKING AT A PERSONNEL REQUEST FOR SOLID WASTE, UM, RIGHT NOW CONTRACTUALLY THE CITY IS OBLIGATED TO HANDLE ALL OF THE PHONE CALLS RELATED TO REFUGE.

THIS INCLUDES GFL PHONE CALLS.

THIS IS CURRENTLY BEING HANDLED BY THE PUBLIC WORKS ADMINISTRATION SIDE.

AND TO, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT, ON A, ON A WEEKLY BASIS WE SEE, AND THIS IS IN REFERENCE TO ALL TYPES OF REFUGE, WHETHER IT BE LOOSE LEAF, VEGETATIVE LEAF, BROWN GOODS, WHITE GOODS, EVEN THE COUNTY RECYCLING PROGRAM.

WE CURRENTLY HAVE APPROXIMATELY 14,000 OR SO, UH, RESIDENTS.

BUT IF, IF WE'RE ONLY GETTING 5% OF THE CALLS FROM, FROM THE PEOPLE WE SERVICE, IT'S ABOUT 750 CALLS A WEEK.

AND IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN IN OUR OFFICE OR CALLED ABOUT REFUGE, YOU GET PAM OR CHERRY AND THEY DO A GREAT JOB.

BUT WE NEED TO HAVE A DEDICATED PERSON FROM SOLID WASTE HANDLING THAT AS SHERRY AND PAM IN ADDITION, HAVE SIX OTHER DIVISIONS, WHICH THEY ASSIST.

AND SO AS WE EXPAND WITH SOLID WASTE AND THE PHONE CALLS COME, WE WANT TO PROVIDE THE SAME, SAME TYPE OF CUSTOMER SERVICE.

AND I BELIEVE ONE REASON WE GET SO MANY CALLS, WE HAVE A PERSON THAT ACTUALLY ANSWERS THE TELEPHONE.

AND SO OUR, OUR PERSONNEL REQUEST WOULD BE TO ADD AN OFFICE ADMIN ASSISTANT THREE UNDER THE SOLID WASTE UNDER THE ENTERPRISE FUND AND THE ANY SHARED SERVICE CALLS THAT THAT PUBLIC WORKS WAS PICKING UP WITH.

THEN WE GO BACK TO SOLID WASTE.

HOW, HOW DO THOSE CALLS INTERACT WITH GENERAL CALLS THAT WE RECEIVE AT THE CITY? 'CAUSE I KNOW EVERY TIME WE'VE TALKED ABOUT 9 1 1 IN THE PAST, IT'S ALWAYS SAID THAT THE VOLUME OF CALLS FOR THE ENTIRE CITY GOES THROUGH ONE PARTICULAR CALL SERVICE.

OR IS THIS, IS THIS SEPARATE? SO IS NINE ONE ONE CALLS A CALL FOR SERVICE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM THESE CALLS? YES.

IT, THE, THE CALLS WE RECEIVE COME DIRECTLY INTO THE, THE PUBLIC WORKS PHONE LINE CHARGE CHARGE 7,500 LINE.

SO MAYOR WITH OUR PHONE SYSTEM, EACH DEPARTMENT HAS THE OPPORTUNITY AND WE, WE UPGRADED THE PHONE SYSTEM YEAR, YEAR AND A HALF AGO.

AND SO EACH DEPARTMENT DOES HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE A PHONE TREE.

SEVERAL OF THEM HAVE DONE THAT, THAT, THAT HAVE A SERIES OF QUESTIONS THAT, THAT ROUTES INTO THE APPROPRIATE THING.

REQUESTING ONE EQUIPMENT TRUCK.

THERE'S ONE PUBLIC BUILDINGS REQUESTED.

UM, FIRST IS, UH, A CONCRETE PAD FOR OUR 40 YARD CONTAINERS AT THE SOLID WASTE FACILITY.

UM, DUE TO THE SOIL TYPES OVER THERE AT THE SOLID WASTE FACILITY, SOMETIMES WE HAVE DIFFICULT TIME SERVICING THOSE 40 YARD ROLL OFFS, UM, WHEN THEY'RE PICKED UP.

AND THIS WOULD JUST BE A CONCRETE PAD TO SET THOSE, SET THOSE UNITS ON.

WE ALSO HAVE AN EQUIPMENT TOOL BUILDING, UM, THAT WE HAVE HAD LOTS OF PREVIOUS WORK DONE TO, TO TRY TO MAKE IT SUSTAIN THE STORMS, BUT IT IS JUST A B CRIMP ROOF WITH NO SUBSTRATE AND WE WOULD LIKE TO IMPROVE THAT.

SO WE DON'T CONTINUOUSLY HAVE ISSUES WITH, WITH WATER INTRUSION ON OUR, ON OUR EQUIPMENT

[04:10:04]

AND THIS WOULD BE FOR OUR LITTER CREW.

WE'RE CURRENTLY, UM, OPERATING EE FIVE, WHICH WAS, UM, WE'VE PICKED UP AS A TURN IN FROM THE FLEET MAINTENANCE AND WE'D BE REPLACING EE 10, WHICH HAS HAD $18,000 REPAIRS OVER HIS LAST LIFECYCLE.

AND WATER SEWER ACTUALLY HAD TURNED THAT TRUCK IN IN JANUARY, 2021 FOR, UH, DISPOSAL.

SO IT STILL SUITED OUR PURPOSE AND WE UTILIZED IT, BUT I THINK WE'VE UTILIZED IT WHERE WE CAN'T UTILIZE IT ANYMORE.

LAST THING I WILL MENTION, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE REFUGE SERVICES AND THE INCREASES IN THE RATES, UM, RETENTION OF CDL DRIVERS.

UM, I THINK WE'VE DONE, DONE FAIRLY WELL LAST COUPLE YEARS TO RE RETAIN OUR CDL DRIVERS, BUT THEY ARE, IT SEEMS TO BE, THEY ARE THE ONES THAT ARE THE MOST SUSCEPTIBLE TO BE ENTICED BY PRIVATE SIDE, UM, CONTRACTORS AS MORE CONSTRUCTION OCCURS AROUND HERE, UM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE THE MOST DIFFICULT TO KEEP.

WE'VE DONE A GOOD JOB RECYCLING, UM, THE GUYS WE HAVE IN GETTING THEM TRAINED AND AND PERMITTED, BUT THEY'RE GONNA BE THE ONES THAT, THAT WE HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME RETAINING OUT OF ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES CURRENTLY.

SO OUR TOTAL REQUEST IS $167,220 FOR THE SOLID WASTE, UH, DIVISION.

AND IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU GEORGE.

I THINK AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO ASK JORDAN HUGHES TO COME UP TO MAKE HIS PRESENTATION ON WATER RESOURCES.

MR. HUGHES, WHAT WAS YOUR TIMELINE FOR TODAY? WE WERE HOPING WE WOULD BE COMPLETED WITH THIS BY THREE O'CLOCK.

AND WITH BASICALLY TWO DEPARTMENTS LEFT, I THINK WE CAN, I THINK WE CAN ADDRESS THAT.

LINE WE HAVE, DETERMINE WHAT KIND OF MATERIAL UP TO THE METER AND WHAT KIND OF MATERIAL LEAVES THE METER AND GOES TO THE HOUSE.

I'LL DO MY BEST.

ALRIGHT, MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, I CAN JUST GIVE YOU A QUICK OVERVIEW OF BASICALLY A REVIEW OF THE WATER RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

WE ARE A FULL SERVICE WATER RESOURCES DEPARTMENT, WHICH MEANS WE HANDLE ALL ASPECTS OF THE CITY'S WATER RESOURCES FROM SOURCE WATER PROCUREMENT THROUGH WATER TREATMENT, WATER DISTRIBUTION, SEWER COLLECTION, SEWER, SEWER TREATMENT.

SO EVERY PART OF THAT PROCESS WE HANDLE IN-HOUSE.

THERE IS NO OUTSOURCING.

SO IT DOES TAKE A, A PRETTY ROBUST STAFF AND A PRETTY LARGE BUDGET TO ACCOMPLISH THAT FOR ALL THE CITIZENS OF NEW BERN, AS WELL AS SOME OTHERS IN THE SURROUNDING AREAS.

AND TRENT WOODS AND JAMES C THEY'VE ALSO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES TOO.

SO JUST A FEW THINGS THERE TO KIND OF HIGHLIGHT WHAT WE DO.

WHAT I LIKE TO POINT OUT IS THE 788 MILES OF PIPELINE.

TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE, IF YOU STRETCH THAT END TO END AND GO SOUTH, IT GETS YOU TO MIAMI, YOU STRETCH IT END TO END AND GO NORTH.

YOU GET WELL INTO CANADA.

SO WE HAVE A LOT OF PIPELINE, A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE.

WE DO MAINTAIN SOME OF THE KEY FUNCTIONS OF THE WATER RESOURCE DIVISIONS.

WE'VE KIND OF SEPARATED INTO THREE MAIN CATEGORIES.

OUR WATER SYSTEM AS YOU CAN SEE THERE, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING THAT'S INVOLVED WITH WATER PROCUREMENT, WATER TREATMENT INTO DISTRIBUTION, AND THE VARIOUS PROGRAMS THAT ARE REQUIRED BY STATE PERMIT SEWER SYSTEM.

AND THEN OUR ADMINISTRATION DIVISION, WHICH HANDLES ALL OF OUR, UH, OVERALL DEPARTMENT MANAGEMENT AS WELL AS ENGINEERING AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR THE WATER AND SEWER SYSTEMS. SO SOME OF OUR DEPARTMENT GOALS AND INCENTIVES.

THESE ARE PRETTY, UH, PRETTY SIMILAR YEAR AFTER YEAR.

WE'LL HIGHLIGHT A FEW THINGS THAT MAY CHANGE OR LOOK A LITTLE DIFFERENT FOR THIS YEAR.

UM, ONE OF OUR MOST BASIC FUNCTIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT GOLD DEPARTMENT IS TO PROVIDE A ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF DOMESTIC WATER TO ALL OF OUR CUSTOMERS, AS WELL AS HANDLE ALL OF OUR WASTEWATER IN A MANNER THAT'S IN FULL COMPLIANCE WITH ALL OF OUR STATE AND FEDERAL PERMITS THAT WE, THAT ARE, THAT ARE USED TO GOVERN THE WATER AND SEWER OPERATIONS.

UM, MOST OF THE STUFF THAT'S IN THOSE PERMITS IS, IT DOESN'T CHANGE MUCH FROM YEAR TO YEAR.

SO OUR OPERATIONS ARE PRETTY STANDARD FROM YEAR TO YEAR.

HOWEVER, THERE'S A FEW THINGS I WANNA HIGHLIGHT THERE.

YOU'LL PROBABLY SEE MENTION THESE IN SOME, SOME MEETINGS IN THE UPCOMING MONTHS.

IN THE UPCOMING YEARS, UH, AS REGULATIONS GO, THEY ARE EVER CHANGING AND IT'S BECAUSE WE'RE GOVERNED BY PERMITS, WE HAVE TO KIND OF EVOLVE AND CHANGE WITH THOSE REGULATIONS.

SO SOMETHING YOU'LL HEAR ME TALK ABOUT LATER ON THIS YEAR ARE NEW LEAD AND COPPER RULES THAT HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED BY THE EPA.

UH, THE, THE FIRST MAIN TASK IN THAT IS TO COMPLETE A, A SERVICE LINE INVENTORY WHERE WE HAVE TO GO OUT AND ASSESS EVERY WATER SERVICE

[04:15:01]

WE'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE THAT COMPLETE AND SUBMITTED TO THE EPA IN OCTOBER.

WE'VE GOT A GOOD PLAN IN PLACE WHERE WE'RE ON THE WAY OF GETTING THAT DONE.

SO WE DON'T SEE ANY PROBLEM THAT TASK.

I DOUBT WE'LL SEE MUCH IN THE WAY OF BUDGET IMPLICATIONS FROM THIS THIS YEAR.

BUT, UM, WHAT THE EPA IS GONNA REQUIRE UPCOMING YEARS IS A REPLACEMENT PLAN FOR ANYTHING THAT'S, THAT'S EITHER LED OR COULD BE CONSIDERED EXPOSED TO LEAD AT SOME POINT IN THE PAST.

SO AS TO GET SOME MORE DETAILS ON THAT, WE'LL CERTAINLY BRING YOU UP TO SPEED ON THAT.

BUT THERE COULD BE SOME, SOME PRETTY HEFTY BUDGET IMPLICATIONS IF WE HAVE TO GO OUT THERE AND REPLACE ALL THE SERVICES THAT COULD HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO LEAD AT SOME POINT IN THE PAST.

WE DON'T HAVE VERY MANY LEAD SERVICES THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY IN NEWIN.

THE ONES WE HAVE IDENTIFIED OVER THE YEARS, WE'VE COMPLETELY REMOVED THEM.

WE THINK OUR NUMBERS ARE VERY LOW IN WHAT'S OUT THERE.

HOWEVER, WE DO HAVE A LOT OF GALVANIZED PIPING AND DEPENDING ON HOW, UH, HOW THAT'S INSTALLED, WHEN IT WAS INSTALLED IN THE CONFIGURATION, EPA COULD CONSIDER THAT HAS AS EXPOSED TO LEAD MATERIALS AT SOME POINT, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE REPLACEMENT.

SO AS WE FINISH THE INVENTORY THIS FALL, WE'LL HAVE A GOOD IDEA OF WHAT WE HAVE LEFT OUT THERE THAT MAY FALL IN THOSE CATEGORIES, AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO PUT TOGETHER A PRETTY GOOD REPLACEMENT PLAN.

AND THEN WE'LL SEE WHAT KIND OF INFORMATION COMES OUT FROM EPA ON HOW BIG A, HOW LONG A ROLLOUT PERIOD WE HAVE TO HAVE ALL THAT REPLACEMENT, BUT ALL THAT COST IS COMING BACK ONTO THE WATER SYSTEM.

SO IF IT COMES OUT THAT WE HAVE FIVE YEARS TO REPLACE ALL THE SERVICE LINES, THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO BUDGET FOR IN YEARS TO COME.

UH, THE OTHER THING IS NUTRIENT OPTIMIZATION AT OUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.

AS OUR WASTEWATER NEEDS CONTINUE TO GROW IN THE CITY, AND THE DEMAND ON OUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT INCREASES, UH, THE EFFICIENCY OF NUTRIENT REMOVAL AT THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT ULTIMATELY IS GONNA BE A LIMITING FACTOR IN GROWTH BEFORE WE HAVE TO, UH, MOVE TO A EXPANSION OF THE TREATMENT PLANT.

SO WE'RE DOING SOME THINGS THIS YEAR.

WE'RE GONNA DO SOME THINGS NEXT YEAR TO INCREASE OUR OPTIMIZATION OF NUTRIENT REMOVAL MOVEMENT ON THE PLANT.

OUR PLANT WAS BRAND SPAN NEW, UH, CUTTING EDGE TECHNOLOGY WHEN IT WAS LAST UPDATED, WHICH WAS IN 2002.

UH, STILL A VERY, UH, UP-TO-DATE PLANT.

HOWEVER, IT'S 20 YEARS OLD IN SOME OF THE TECHNOLOGY OUT THERE.

AND LIKE ANYTHING ELSE IN THE TECHNOLOGY IN IT WORLD, AS, AS ERNEST WOULD TELL YOU, 20 YEARS IS A, IS A LONG TIME TO GO WITH SOME OF YOUR, YOUR IT TYPE TECHNOLOGY.

SO THIS YEAR WE'RE UPDATING SOME COMPUTER PROCESSES AND PLCS, WE'RE DOING THE SAME THING NEXT YEAR.

WHAT THAT'LL BE, WHAT'LL BE UTILIZED TO DO IS, LIKE I SAID, INCREASE THE EFFICIENCY OF NUTRIENT REMOVAL AND HOPEFULLY DELAY THAT NEED FOR, UH, ANY TYPE OF MAJOR PLANT EXPANSION INTO, WELL, WELL IN THE NEXT DECADE.

AND LASTLY, IN THE, UH, IN THE REGULATORY, ON THE RE REGULATORY FRONT, UH, WE HAVE EMERGENCE REGULATION AND, UH, PFOS REGULATIONS IN BOTH THE WATER AND WASTEWATER SIDE OF THE HOUSE.

UH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN HIGHLIGHTED NATIONALLY AND VERY MUCH LOCALLY IN NORTH CAROLINA AND LAST COUPLE YEARS.

UH, YOU SAY PFOS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOREVER, EVERETT CHEMICALS, OR, UH, IF YOU GO DOWN TO WILMINGTON, GEN X WAS A BIG STORYLINE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.

UH, SO AS THE EMERGENCE OF THOSE COMPOUNDS HAS BEEN FOUND IN WATER SOURCES AND WASTEWATER STREAMS, UH, THAT THEY'RE STARTING TO COME OUT WITH REGULATIONS ON HOW MUCH OF THAT CAN BE IN THE, THE WATER, HOW MUCH CAN BE IN THE WASTEWATER, STILL NO REAL FIRM REGULATION ON WHAT THAT MEANS, AND NOTHING WRITTEN IN ANY OF OUR PERMITS YET, BUT THAT WILL BE UPCOMING.

AND, YOU KNOW, AND PROBABLY IN THE NEXT PERMIT CYCLE FOR BOTH WATER AND WASTEWATER, WE DO ANTICIPATE SOME PFAS TYPE REGULATIONS.

IT'S EXPENSIVE TO TEST FOR.

THAT'S THE BAD NEWS.

THE GOOD NEWS IS WE HAVE BEEN DOING SOME VOLUNTARY TESTING WITH A COUPLE OF GROUPS OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, UH, WITH OUR, OUR WATER SUPPLY WELLS, JUST TO SEE WHAT POTENTIAL IMPACT WE MAY HAVE FROM FUTURE PFOS REGULATIONS.

AND LUCKILY, WE HAVE REALLY NOTHING IN, WE HAVE NO, NONE OF THE POS COMPOUNDS THAT, THAT POP UP THERE.

SO WHAT WE'VE GOT THERE IS JUST A QUICK SHOT I'LL SHOW YOU ON THE TOP IS A CHART FROM A, A WATER, A SURFACE WATER SYSTEM IN NOR COUNTY.

KINDA GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF WHEN THEY TAKE A WATER SAMPLE, THE TYPE OF HITS THAT COME BACK ON THE PFAS SPECTRUM BELOW IS THE CHART FROM ONE OF OUR NEWBURN WELLS.

YOU SEE, IT'S JUST A BLANK CHART.

THERE'S NOTHING THERE, AND THAT, THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO SEE.

SO HOPEFULLY THE PFOS REGULATIONS WON'T CAUSE ANY MAJOR, UH, FINANCIAL IMPLICATION FOR REMOVAL.

HOWEVER, IT'S STILL GONNA HAVE SOME, SOME BUDGETARY ISSUES WITH DEALING WITH TESTING FOR COMPLIANCE.

UH, NEXT IN OUR DEPARTMENT GOALS INITIATIVES, WE HAVE OUR, THIS IS ONE WE TRY TO HIGHLIGHT EVERY YEAR, JUST OUR CONTINUED INVESTMENT IN REHABILITATION REPLACEMENT OF WATER AND SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE.

WE ARE A VERY OLD CITY.

WE'VE GOT SOME OF THE OLDEST WATER AND SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE STATE.

SO WE WORK HARD EVERY YEAR TRYING TO UPDATE REHAB AND REPLACE AS MUCH OF THAT AS POSSIBLE.

HIGHLIGHT A FEW PROJECTS HERE THAT WILL BE, UH, TALKED ABOUT OR, OR IN PROCESS NEXT FISCAL YEAR.

FIRST IS THE SIMMONS STREET WATER AND SEWER REHABILITATION.

THIS WILL BE A REPLACEMENT

[04:20:01]

OF WATER AND SEWER PIPING FROM TRENT ROAD TO NOOSE BOULEVARD AHEAD OF, UH, SCHEDULED DOT RESURFACING.

SO OUR PLAN IS TO GET THAT UNDER CONSTRUCTION LATER THIS SUMMER, UH, WORK PROBABLY SIX TO NINE MONTHS TO GET EVERYTHING DONE.

AND THEN DOT IS SCHEDULED TO RESURFACE THAT WHOLE CORRIDOR IN THE SPRING OF 25.

UH, SECONDLY, WE'VE GOT THE HIGHWAY 17 SEWER REHABILITATION.

WE'VE GOT A LOT OF AGED GRAVITY SEWER PIPE ALONG THAT COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR.

AND HIGHWAY 17, SO IN FRONT OF THE MALL AND THE ACADEMY SHOPPING CENTER.

UM, WE'RE PUTTING SOME MONEY TOWARDS THAT THIS YEAR.

AND WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA BUDGET ABOUT A QUARTER MILLION NEXT YEAR TO LOOK AT, UH, CURED IN PLACE LINING OF THE, THE DEEP SEWER, DEEP SEWER LINES THERE ALONG THE CORRIDOR.

AND NEXT, WE'VE GOT AN AUXILIARY INFLUE PUMP AT OUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.

AND LASTLY, SOME S SCADA IMPROVEMENTS AND INSTRUMENTATION UPGRADES AT OUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.

THAT GOES BACK TO TRYING TO INCREASE THE OPTIMIZATION OF THE, THE PLANT.

AND LAST IN THE GOALS AND, AND OBJECTIVES, WE'VE GOT OUR, WE'VE GOT OUR GOAL TO PROVIDE THE NEEDED WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM CAPACITY TO SUPPORT OUR LOCAL AND REGIONAL GO GROWTH.

SO WITH, WITH A LOT OF THINGS YOU'VE HEARD FROM OTHER DEPARTMENT HEADS IN THE, THE PREVIOUS COUPLE HOURS THAT TALK ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT YOUR DEVELOPER WILL COME LOOKING FOR WHEN THEY PICK NEW BERN AS A SITE, WE REALLY WANT TO HAVE A NEW COMMERCIAL PROJECT OR A NEW RESIDENTIAL PROJECT.

ONE OF THE VERY FIRST THINGS WE START TALKING ABOUT IS INFRASTRUCTURE CAPACITY, BECAUSE IF, IF YOU CAN'T GET THE NEEDED INFRASTRUCTURE TO 'EM, THE PROJECT'S DEAD ON ARRIVAL.

SO WE TRY TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE SURE WE'VE GOT ENOUGH TREATMENT CAPACITY TO ACCOMMODATE THAT GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT, AS WELL AS THE CAPACITY OUT IN THE, THE DISTRIBUTION AND COLLECTION NETWORK TO MAKE YOU GET WATER TO THE DEVELOPMENT AND GET SEWER FROM THE DEVELOPMENT TO THE TREATMENT PLANT.

SO A FEW PROJECTS THERE TO HIGHLIGHT THOSE ROLE, THOSE, UH, THOSE EFFORTS GOING INTO NEXT FISCAL YEAR.

A CONTINUED WORK ON THE N-C-D-O-T PROJECT IN JAMES CITY.

WE SHOULD WRAP UP CONSTRUCTION IN PHASE ONE AT SOME POINT IN FY 25.

AND THE PACE OF EVERYTHING'S GOING NOW WITH DESIGN AND ENGINEERING, I, I FEEL LIKE WE'LL ROLL RIGHT INTO THE SECOND PHASE OF THAT AS THEY CONTINUE TO PROGRESS TOWARDS HAVELOCK.

WE'VE GOT THE HIGHWAY 43 CONNECTOR UTILITY RELOCATIONS, UH, FINGERS CROSSED THAT THAT IS ON SCHEDULE TO DO SOME UTILITY RELOCATION.

FY 25.

UH, ALL FINGERS CROSSED.

JUST AS A SIDE NOTE, WE HAD THAT ON, UH, WE HAD THAT ON THE SCHEDULE FOR FY OH SEVEN AS WELL, SO JUST THINGS CAN GET KICKED DOWN THE ROAD IN THE DOT WORLD.

AND LASTLY, WE HAVE THE WEST NEWBURN WATER SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT.

THIS IS A LARGE SCALE WATER SYSTEM TRANSMISSION IMPROVEMENT PROJECT FOR THE WESTERN SIDE OF TOWN THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

UH, WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH THE FINAL PHASES OF PERMITTING AND EASEMENT ACQUISITION THAT IS SCHEDULED TO BE IN CONSTRUCTION THIS SUMMER AND PROBABLY WILL BE IN CONSTRUCTION FOR ALL OF FY 25.

SO ONTO OUR CAPITAL REQUEST FOR THIS YEAR.

AND MOST OF THIS IS FAIRLY SIMILAR TO, UH, YEARS PAST.

NOTHING THAT'S REALLY GONNA JUMP OUT AND LOOK MUCH DIFFERENT THAN NORMAL.

WE HAVE ABOUT $700,000 YOU'LL SEE IN THE BUDGET THIS YEAR FOR SEWER SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS.

UH, THIS IS MAINLY GOES TO PUMP STATION REHABILITATION AND ALSO REMOVAL, REPLACEMENT, AND LINING OF SOME OF OUR AGING SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE.

PICTURE THERE ON THE TOP IS ONE OF THE, BOTH THESE PICTURES ARE FROM NEWBURN.

UH, THE PICTURE ON THE TOP RIGHT THERE IS JUST A, A CLOSED CIRCUIT TV PICTURE OF SOME OF THE SEWER MAINS IN NEWBURGH.

THIS ONE'S IN PRETTY BAD SHAPE BEFORE WE LINED IT.

AND THEN THE BOTTOM RIGHT THERE IS JUST A PROGRESS PICTURE OF, UH, THE NEW PUMP STATION 10 BEHIND TRYING BALANCE.

UH, NEXT WOULD BE OUR WATER SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS.

SAME THING THERE.

WE BUDGET ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY EVERY YEAR TO REPLACE AGING WATER SYSTEM INFRASTRUCTURE.

MOSTLY.

THIS IS GONNA BE SMALL DIAMETER GALVANIZED PIPING.

A LOT OF PLACES WE STILL HAVE, UH, THE ENTIRE MAIN IS INCH AND A HALF OR TWO INCH GALVANIZED PIPE.

CREATES A LOT OF PROBLEMS FOR US.

LEAKS, WE HAVE TO FIX, CREATE HOLES IN THE ROAD.

THOSE ARE POTHOLE THAT GEORGE NEEDS TO FIX.

AND THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, ALSO HAVE ISSUES WITH DEGRADATION TO THE, THE SUBGRADE.

SO WE TRY TO, WE TRY TO REPLACE AS MANY OF THOSE AS WE CAN EACH YEAR.

AND THEN SCHEDULED FLEET REPLACEMENT.

WE'VE GOT SIX VEHICLES THAT ARE SCHEDULED FOR FLEET REPLACEMENT THIS YEAR FOR A TOTAL COST OF JUST UNDER $300,000.

UH, WE'VE GOT A PRETTY GOOD PROGRAM ESTABLISHED.

WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO CARRY FORWARD FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.

WE TRY TO GET 12 YEARS OR 200,000 MILES OUT OF OUR UTILITY TRUCKS.

AND THESE TRUCKS ARE, ARE THE ONES USED BY OUR UTILITY STAFF.

SO YOU, YOU'VE GOT MANHOLE FRAMING COVERS, FIRE HYDRANT, BIG CHUNKS OF PIPE, AND, UH, DUCTAL IRON FITTINGS GOING IN AND OUT.

UH, THEY, THEY GET USED PRETTY HARD.

SO ONCE WE GET 200,000 MILES OR ONE OR 12 YEARS, WE'VE GOT PRETTY MUCH OUR USEFUL LIFE OUT OF THEM.

UH, NEXT WE'VE GOT SOME UPGRADES, SOME SCHEDULED UPGRADES TO LOCATING EQUIPMENT.

UM, THIS IS OUR UTILITY LOCATING THAT WE DO FOR OUR REQUIRED 8 1 1 PROGRAM.

UM, THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN, UH, ELEVATED QUITE

[04:25:01]

A BIT IN THE LAST FEW YEARS WITH THE ADDITION OF METRO NET AND THE OTHER, YOU KNOW, TELECOMMUNICATION COMPANIES IN TOWN AS WELL AS ALL THE OTHER HIGHWAY AND, AND RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT IN TOWN.

TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE, WE USED TO DO ABOUT 250 OR 300 LOCATES A MONTH.

NOW IT'S NOT UNCOMMON TO HAVE 300 TO 500 A WEEK, SO WE'RE DOING MORE THAN FOUR TIMES WHAT WE WERE DOING THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO.

WE, WE'VE STAFFED UP FOR THAT.

WE'VE EQUIPPED UP FOR THAT.

THE PROGRAM'S GOING WELL, WE'RE STAYING UP, WE'RE STAYING CURRENT AND LOCATES, BUT IT IS, IT'S A, IT'S A HEFTY PROGRAM RIGHT NOW.

UH, NEXT IS AN AUXILIARY INFLUENCE PUMP AT OUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.

UM, OVER THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS, WE'VE STEADILY SEEN AN INCREASE OF RAGS AND, AND, AND CLOTH MATERIAL COMING INTO OUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.

A LOT OF THIS HAS TO DO WITH LIKE DISPOSABLE WIPES, CLEANING WIPES, THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT ARE UNFORTUNATELY CONTINUE TO MAKE THEIR WAY INTO THE SEWER SYSTEM AND INTO THE TREATMENT PLANT.

THEY ALL END UP AT OUR I INFLUENT PUMP STATION AT THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.

AND IT'S CREATED THREE OR FOUR REAL BAD PROBLEMS FOR US IN AS MANY YEARS.

WE'VE EVALUATED WHAT TO DO THERE.

AND THE CONSENSUS FROM ALL THE, UH, THE STAFF OF THE PLAN AS, AS WELL AS THE IN INDUSTRY EXPERTS WE TALK WITH, IS THE NEED FOR A NEW INFLUENCE SCREEN DEVICE AT THE TREATMENT PLAN.

UNFORTUNATELY, THAT THE CONSTRUCTION OF THAT'S PROBABLY A FOUR OR $5 MILLION IMPLEMENTATION AND WOULD BE A MUCH BETTER FIT WHEN WE LOOK AT PACKAGING THAT WITH OTHER IMPROVEMENTS THAT WOULD BE NEEDED WITH THE NEXT PLANT EXPANSION.

SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO IS BUY A LITTLE TIME WITH A, A, A DIFFERENT OPTION, WHICH IS THE ADDITION TO AUXILIARY PUMP, WHICH WILL GIVE US THE ABILITY TO TAKE THE MAIN PUMP STATION OFFLINE A COUPLE TIMES A YEAR IS NEEDED.

GO INTO THE INFLUENCE STRUCTURE, CLEAN IT OUT, AND GET THE RAGS AND EVERYTHING OUT ON A, ON A PRETTY REGULAR SCHEDULE, THEN PUT THAT STATION BACK ONLINE.

WE CAN DO THAT NOW.

THAT'S WHAT WE'VE HAD TO DO THE LAST THREE OR FOUR TIMES WE'VE DONE IT.

UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN YOU, WHEN IT, WHEN YOU BRING IN A BYPASS PUMP AND YOU'RE RENTING IT AND YOU'RE BRINGING IN THE BYPASS PIPING, IT'S A VERY EXPENSIVE OPERATION.

SO, JUST TO PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE, THIS PAST YEAR WE SPENT ABOUT $125,000 JUST TO GO DOWN AND CLEAN THAT ONE TIME WITH ALL THE RENTAL EQUIPMENT.

SO THE VERY FIRST TIME WE GO DOWN AND DO IT, THIS WILL ESSENTIALLY PAY FOR ITSELF.

AND LAST IN THE CAPITAL REQUEST, WE HAVE AN ADDITION TO THE RACETRACK ROAD STORAGE FACILITY.

UM, THIS IS A PRETTY BIG LOT WE HAVE, UH, WHERE THE RACETRACK ROAD TANK SITS ON THE NORTHERN END RACETRACK ROAD.

WE'VE GOT THE WATER TANK THERE IN A VERY SMALL METAL BUILDING THERE.

WE'VE GOT SOME MONEY BUDGETED THIS YEAR.

FIRST SOME STORAGE IMPROVEMENTS WE WERE LOOKING AT FOR SOME OF OUR SEWER EQUIPMENT.

AND THE MORE WE GOT LOOKING AT THE LAYOUT AND WHAT TO DO, WE REALIZED IT'D BE A GOOD IDEA TO GO AHEAD AND, AND ADD ONTO THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE AND HAVE SOME, SOME SAME TYPE OF STORAGE FOR OUR WATER COMPONENT.

SO THIS IS JUST BASICALLY STORAGE SHELTER.

IT'S NOT CONDITION, BUT WE DO HAVE A, A LARGE VOLUME OF PUMPS, SPARE VOLUTES, SPARE PARTS, MOTORS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

JUST NEED COVERAGE STORAGE.

DON'T LET THIS OUT IN THE SUN.

AND THIS IS A PRETTY GOOD SPOT THAT'S OUTTA THE WAY TO DO THAT.

JORDAN, WOULD, WOULD YOU PICK THERE OR WHERE YOUR MAIN OFFICE IS, YOUR MAIN CAMPUS, IF THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH MONEY, UM, THIS SEEMS TO WORK PRETTY WELL.

IT, IT, WE, WHAT WE'VE GOT WITH THE BUILDING WE'VE GOT THERE NOW, THAT'S WHAT IT'S HISTORICALLY BEEN UTILIZED FOR.

IT'S JUST KIND OF JAM PACKED NOW.

WE'VE GOT STUFF IN EVERY, EVERY, EVERY CORNER OF IT.

IT'S EASY TO GET TO.

IT IS A LITTLE MORE CENTRALLY LOCATED THAN OUR, YOU KNOW, OUR MAIN CAMPUS.

UM, AND JUST GIVEN THE KIND OF SPACE CONSTRAINTS, IT'S A LITTLE EASIER AND CHEAPER TO BUILD HERE THAN IT WOULD BE AT THE MAIN CAMPUS.

GOOD QUESTION.

SO I THINK IN ONE OF OUR AUDIT PRESENTATIONS EARLY IN THE YEAR, THERE WAS SOME COMMENTS OR NOTES ABOUT SOME OF THE LOW FUND BALANCES.

A FEW HAVE ADDITIONAL HIGHLIGHTS ON POINT OUT, JUST AS WE WRAP EVERYTHING UP.

A COUPLE CHARTS THERE.

THE, THE ONE ON TOP JUST LOOKS AT OUR GROWTH IN CUSTOMER AS A PERCENTAGE OVER THE LAST THREE OR FOUR YEARS IN BOTH THE WATER AND SEWER.

SO GREEN REPRESENTS SEWER, BLUE REPRESENTS WATER.

AS YOU SEE, OUR, OUR CUSTOMER GROWS TO NEW CUSTOMERS PER YEAR.

KIND OF PEAKED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AT ABOUT 3% A YEAR.

THAT'S TAPERED OFF TO ABOUT A PERCENT AND A HALF, WHICH WAS WHERE WE'VE HISTORICALLY BEEN.

SO THE GOOD NEWS IS, YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE PEAKED WITH THAT GROWTH, BUT WE'RE STILL GROWING AT A PRETTY DECENT RATE.

UM, THAT REALLY DOES HELP KIND OF KEEP UP WITH THE EVER GROWING COST OF DOING BUSINESS.

AND THE GRAPH BELOW SHOWS THAT THAT REVENUE STREAM COMING IN.

SO WHAT WE'VE GOT THERE IN THE GREEN, AGAIN, SEWER BLUE IS, IS WATER IS JUST THE, THE TREND IN OUR REVENUE FOR THE LAST THREE OR FOUR YEARS.

WHAT, SEEING WHAT WE WANNA SEE THERE, WHICH IS STEADY GROWTH, WHICH IS KEEPING UP WITH THE STEADY GROWTH IN THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS.

UM, COUPLE OF THE THINGS JUST TO WRAP IT UP AT THE, THE, THE NEW DEBT THAT WE TOOK ON, UH, THIS YEAR, UM, FOR, YOU'LL SEE, YOU'LL SEE THAT ACTUALLY SHOW UP IN FY 25.

[04:30:01]

AND I THINK, UH, I THINK KIM DID A GOOD JOB OF KIND OF EXPLAINING THAT.

THAT'S BASICALLY JUST A TIMING ISSUE WHERE WE TOOK SOME MONEY OUT OF THE FUND BALANCE TO FUND SOME OF THESE LARGE CAPITAL PROJECTS.

THE FI, WE'VE GOT THE FINANCING.

NOW THAT FINANCING IS BASICALLY REPLENISH THE FUND BALANCE.

SO AS YOU LOOK AT THAT, UM, SOME OF YOUR MONTHLY REPORTS OR SOME OF THE AUDIT STUFF, YOU SHOULD NOTICE THAT FOR FY 25, YOU'LL SEE THE, THIS FUND BALANCE NUMBERS COME BACK UP.

HOWEVER, IT'S SOMETHING WE STILL GONNA MONITOR AND KEEP AN EYE ON.

IT'S, IT'S NOT IN THE, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE DON'T HAVE A HUGE EXCESS IN ANY OF THOSE, AND WE'RE STILL GONNA WORK TO MAKE SURE WE'RE AT THOSE MINIMUM LEVELS AS HARD AS WE CAN.

SO THERE'S A SUMMARY OF EVERYTHING THERE.

THERE ARE NO NEW POSITION OR PERSONNEL REQUESTS, THERE'S NO CHANGES IN ANY RATES OR FEES.

THE CAPITAL, WHILE IT IS A BIG NUMBER, IS RIGHT IN LINE WITH WHAT WE DO PRETTY MUCH YEAR IN AND YEAR OUT WITH OUR RE REPLACEMENT, UH, AND REHAB OF INFRASTRUCTURE AS WELL AS SCHEDULE REPLACEMENT FOR EQUIPMENT AND VEHICLES.

I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS YOU'VE GOT.

ANY QUESTIONS? I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION FOR YOU.

UH, YOU HIGHLIGHTED THAT THE CUSTOMER GROWTH HAS SLOWED.

WHY DOES IT NOT EQUAL TO WHAT WE CONTINUE TO SEE AS GROWTH IN THE CITY? WELL, WE'RE STILL GROWING, UM, ON MONROE, JUST NOT QUITE AT THE SAME PACE.

I THINK WE HIT KIND OF A PEAK OR A HIGH POINT IN 21.

THAT WAS PROBABLY THE FASTEST RATE OF GROWTH I'VE SEEN SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE.

UM, AND WE, WE'VE LEVELED BACK OFF TO A, A, I THINK A MORE AVERAGE LEVEL WHEN WE, WE LOOK AT BUDGETING STUFF.

I TYPICALLY BUDGET FOR ABOUT A PERCENT AND A QUARTER OR PERCENT AND A HALF IN GROWTH.

AND THAT'S RIGHT WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.

SO WE, WE, WE'VE FALLEN OFF THE PEAK OF 20 TO 21.

BUT I I, THIS, I I, I WOULD BE SAFE IN SAYING THAT I THINK WE'RE RIGHT ON AVERAGE AND WHERE WE'VE HISTORICALLY BEEN OVER THE LAST DECADE OR SO.

I'D LIKE TO CALL CHARLIE BIARD TO PRESENT THE ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT'S REQUEST.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR ODOM FOR ALDERMAN FOSTER, WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO TRY TO CLARIFY? I THINK WE'RE GONNA BE WITHOUT A FORM, DO WE? MAYOR, DO YOU WANNA JUST CALL FOR A SHORT? YEAH, YEAH.

CAN WE GET A MOTION FOR A SHORT FIVE MINUTE RECESS? FIVE MINUTE RECESS.

MOTION.

SECOND.

HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE.

DEPARTMENT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.

RECESS.

OKAY, WE ARE BACK IN SESSION AND WE ARE ON THE ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT.

MR. BOUCHARD, GOOD AFTERNOON ONCE AGAIN.

AND I WAS ABOUT TO ASK, WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO TRY TO CLARIFY YOUR, UH, AN ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION ABOUT, UH, SOLID WASTE AND CALLS? UM, THE MAJORITY OF THOSE CALLS COME INTO CUSTOMER SERVICE AND MAJORITY OF THOSE CALLS ARE SETTING SERVICE.

HOW MUCH IS MY BILL? VERY SIMPLE THINGS THAT THEY'RE EQUIPPED TO ANSWER.

OFTENTIMES CUSTOMERS SAY, I DIDN'T GET PICKED UP.

I HAVE SOMETHING UNUSUAL.

UM, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE CONTRACT.

THOSE CA CALLS GET, WE ROUTE THOSE CALLS TO PUBLIC WORKS AND FROM THERE THEY DISPATCH THOSE.

SO I THINK THAT'S WHERE THEY NEED TO HELP, IS SOMEBODY TO TAKE THOSE CALLS THAT CAN DISPATCH 'EM, THEY KNOW PART THAT PART OF THE OPERATION AND CAN HANDLE 'EM BEYOND THE GENERAL CUSTOMER SERVICE LEVEL.

OKAY, THANK YOU .

UM, JUST AS I GET STARTED, JUST AS A A REMINDER, I'VE MENTIONED IT BEFORE IN THE PAST THAT SOME OF THE INFORMATION I'M ABOUT TO TALK TO, UM, DOES NOT NECESSARILY FOLLOW OUR, OUR BUDGETING CYCLE, PARTICULARLY OUR POWER SUPPLY.

UM, WE MAY NEED TO CONSIDER THINGS OUTSIDE OF OUR BUDGET CYCLE.

SO PLEASE JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND AS WE GO FORWARD.

UH, ELECTRIC UTILITY HAS SIX, UH, OPERATING DIVISIONS, UM, ADMINISTRATION, DISTRIBUTION, POWER PRODUCTION, COMMUNICATIONS AND CONTROL, UTILITY, BUSINESS OPERATIONS, CUSTOMER SERVICE AND PAYMENTS OPERATIONS.

AND BURIED IN THAT, UM, IS OUR FIBER SYSTEM AS WELL.

THEY DON'T STAND OUT AS A DIVISION, BUT THEY NEED TO BE RECOGNIZED.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT, UH, UM, THAT WE PROVIDE TOTAL, TOTAL NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES FOR ALL THAT IS ABOUT 87 EMPLOYEES THAT ARE FUNDED.

AND WE DELIVER SAFE, RELIABLE, AND AFFORDABLE ELECTRIC TO THE RESIDENTS, UM, OF OUR COMMUNITY, BOTH RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, AND INDUSTRIAL CUSTOMERS.

WE OPERATE WITHIN THE CITY OF NEW BERN, CRAVEN COUNTY, JONES COUNTY, AND THE VILLAGE OF TRENTWOOD.

SO OUR FOOTPRINT IS QUITE LARGE.

UM, OF COURSE, SAFETY IS FIRST.

[04:35:01]

SO WE WANT TO PROVIDE SAFE AND RELIABLE ELECTRIC SERVICE FOR RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE TO THE CITY OF NEW VERN IN OUR SURROUNDING AREAS.

WE NEED TO MODERNIZE THE ELECTRIC SYSTEM TO MEET THE SYSTEM POWER REQUIREMENTS AND PREVENT DISRUPTIONS AND HAVE THE ABILITY TO REROUTE POWER TO DISTRESSED AND DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES.

UM, WE NEED TO CONSTRUCT, UM, NEW SUBSTATION, AS I'VE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, MANY TIMES IN THE PAST, AND THE DISTRIBUTION INTERCONNECTIONS TO THAT SUBSTATION.

WE NEED TO PROVIDE UNDERGROUNDING OF POWER LINES AND RIGHT SIZING OF UNDERGROUNDING UNDERGROUND CONDUCTORS AT CRITICAL LOCATIONS.

WE ALSO NEED TO PROVIDE ADVANCED AUTOMATION AND CONTROL SYSTEMS TO RAPIDLY DETECT FAULTED POWER LINES AND REROUTE POWER TO DISTRESSED AND DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES.

ALL OF THAT SCOPE OF WORK I HAVE INCLUDED IN THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY GRIP GRANT APPLICATION THAT I'M WORKING ON, TOTAL $30 MILLION, UH, ASK IN THAT APPLICATION.

AND 20 MILLION ROUGHLY, UH, WOULD BE THE DOE'S CONTRIBUTION, SHOULD WE BE AWARDED THAT IN A ROUGHLY A 10% MATCH FOR THE CITY OF NEW BERN.

UM, I WOULD ESTIMATE RIGHT NOW, BEFORE I GET INTO TOO MUCH OF THE ENGINEERING DETAILS, SOON, PROBABLY 30% OF THAT MATCH I CAN PROBABLY JUSTIFY IN LABOR.

UM, AND I'LL TRY TO, YOU KNOW, JUSTIFY ALL OF THAT WITH IN-HOUSE SERVICES AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

BUT, UH, THERE WILL BE SOME OBLIGATION THERE FOR US TO, UM, TO PLAN FOR.

ADDITIONALLY, UH, WE NEED TO OPTIMIZE OUR WHOLESALE POWER SUPPLY COSTS, AND WE CAN DO THAT BY AVOIDING, UM, COSTS BUILT INTO OUR POWER SUPPLY.

AND WE DO THAT THROUGH GENERATION AND BY RUNNING GENERATION AND THROUGH OUR CONTRACT, UH, WITH MPA.

IN 2015, WHEN THIS CONTRACT WAS ORIGINALLY SET UP, WE WERE ALLOCATED ALMOST 16 MEGAWATTS OF GENERATION THAT WERE ALLOWED TO RUN CONTRACTUALLY 2024.

MOST RECENTLY.

UM, THEY'VE INCREASED OUR ALLOCATION TO 18.2 MEGAWATTS.

TODAY WE HAVE REGISTERED 12.2 MEGAWATTS, AND THE AVERAGE AGE OF THAT FLEET IS ABOUT 25 YEARS.

UM, WELL BEYOND ITS, ITS SERVICEABLE LIFE.

UM, IN 2023, WE AVERAGED ABOUT SEVEN AND A HALF MEGAWATTS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO RUN ON A MONTH MONTHLY BASIS.

OF THE 12.2 THAT WE HAVE ALLOCATED OR REGISTERED, UM, IN 2023, TOTAL COST AVOIDANCE PER MEGAWATT WAS $21,170.

SO ESSENTIALLY EVERY MEGAWATT OF GENERATION THAT WE RUN AT THE PEAK TIME, WE CAN AVOID $21,170.

THAT WILL CHANGE AS OUR POWER SUPPLY COSTS CHANGE, BUT IT'S, IT'S A BIG NUMBER.

IT'S SOMETHING WE REALLY NEED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF GIVEN THE NEW FORECAST, UH, THE NEW ALLOCATION AMOUNT OF 18.2 MEGAWATTS, UM, OUR TOTAL, UM, POTENTIAL COST AVOIDANCE IS 0.4, 0.6 MEGAWATTS OR $4.6 MILLION ANNUALLY THAT WE CAN SAVE IF WE RUN 18.2 MEGAWATTS A GENERATION EVERY SINGLE MONTH.

SO WE NEED TO OPTIMIZE, UM, THAT OPPORTUNITY TO SAVE THEM MONEY AND DO SO BY REPLACING OUR GENERATION.

IT'S AT IT'S END OF OF LIFE, I WOULD EXPECT THAT TOTAL, UH, REPLACEMENT COST TO BE ABOUT $22 MILLION.

SOMETHING THAT'S NOT GONNA APPEAR IN THE BUDGET, BUT SOMETHING THAT IS A FIRMNESS UP PROBABLY NEED TO TALK ABOUT FOR, UM, DEBT SERVICE AND FIGURE A WAY TO FUND THAT AND GET THAT STARTED.

POWER SUPPLY COSTS, UM, YOU HEARD ME MENTION OVER THE LAST YEAR ANTICIPATING INCREASES.

THEY, THEY MOST MPA MOST RECENTLY VOTED TO INCREASE OUR COST.

THEY'RE DOING THAT THROUGH A RIDER.

UM, EFFECTIVELY WE CAN, WE CAN EXPECT ABOUT A SIX, ALMOST 7%, UM, COST INCREASE, $2.3 MILLION FOR THE RATE YEAR 2024.

AND THE RATE YEAR 2024 STARTS APRIL 1ST OF THIS YEAR THROUGH MARCH OF NEXT YEAR.

SO IT'S OUT OF CYCLE WITH OUR BUDGET PLANNING.

SO WE'RE OUT OF CYCLE WITH WHAT WE HAVE BUDGETED THIS YEAR.

SO HOW, HOW QUICKLY CAN WE ADD A RIDER ON OUR BILLS? I'M WORKING ON IT RIGHT NOW.

WE'RE DOING A FINANCIAL PROJECTION, AND I WOULD SAY AS FAST AS AS I CAN MOVE AND AS FAST AS I CAN MEET WITH THE BOARD TO, TO DISCUSS IT AND PUT SOMETHING MEANINGFUL IN FRONT OF YOU.

BUT I WOULD THINK WE COULD HAVE SOMETHING IN PLACE RIGHT AROUND APRIL 1ST OR SHORTLY THEREAFTER.

UM, I DON'T THINK THERE'S, THERE'S ANY OBLIGATION TO, ONCE IT WAS APPROVED TO WAIT A PERIOD OF TIME, I THINK IT CAN GO INTO EFFECT IMMEDIATELY AS FAST AS STAFF CAN UP.

[04:40:01]

AND CAN WE CHECK WITH THE ATTORNEY TO SEE IF WE CAN CALL IT AN ELECTRIC CITY'S ROUTE THAT GOES ON OUR CUSTOMER UTILITY BILLS? USE THAT TERMINOLOGY.

SINCE IT'S JUST A PASS THROUGH CHARGE.

WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL WORK ON THAT.

GET THAT INFORMATION.

I'M REQUESTING AN ADDITIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE.

UH, FEES AND RATES, CHANGE REQUESTS.

UM, I'M JUST PROPOSING IN SECTION 11, IT CONCLUDES UTILITY FEES, JUST THE BASIC 12 TO 15% INCREASED, UH, ACCOUNT FOR INFLATIONARY ADJUSTMENTS THAT WE'VE ALL BEEN EXPERIENCING.

THAT'S THINGS LIKE OUR LATE FEES, OUR RECONNECT FEES, METER TESTING.

UM, AND THEN AS FAR AS OUR ELECTRIC RATE GOES, UM, IT'S PENDING THE CONVERSATION WE HAVE REGARDING, UM, THE RIDER THAT WE DISCUSSED IN OUR FINANCIAL RATE PROJECTION.

SO I'LL BE BACK LATER TO TALK ABOUT, UH, THE IMPACT ON OUR, OUR RETAIL RATES, PERSONNEL REQUESTS.

UM, JUST FINE TUNING THIS POSITION, UH, CHANGING THE TITLE FROM KEY ACCOUNTS ANALYST TO UTILITY ANALYST.

IT, IT BETTER, UH, SUITS THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE POSITION.

UM, WE'VE MIGRATED SOME OF THE, ALL OF THE KEY ACCOUNT ACTIVITIES OUTTA THAT POSITION, AND THEY'RE CENTRALLY LOCATED DOWN TO OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE DIVISION, WHERE, WHERE THOSE TYPE OF ACTIVITIES REALLY BELONG.

SO JUST A TITLE CHANGE OUR, UH, CUSTOMERS IN PAYMENT SERVICE DIVISION.

UM, TWO 2022, WE, UH, WE REORGANIZED AND WE SHIFTED THAT OPERATION OF CUSTOMER SERVICE AND PAYMENTS FROM FINANCE AND UTILITIES AND OPERATIONS, UM, HAS PERFORMED VERY WELL AND STAFF HAS PERFORMED VERY WELL.

IT'S BEEN VERY SEAMLESS AND IT'S BEEN EFFICIENT FOR THE OPERATION.

BUT DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME, I'VE EVALUATED, UM, OUR NEEDS.

AND ALSO DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME, WE'VE CONTINUED TO OPERATE WITH THREE, UM, TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES.

SO THIS REQUEST TO ADD ANOTHER FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE WILL, UM, REDUCE THE, THE NEED TO AUGMENT OUR STAFF WITH, UH, LONG-TERM TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES THAT WE CONSISTENTLY TRAIN, GET 'EM UP TO SPEED, AND THEN THEY DEPART FOR, FOR BETTER THINGS.

AND THEN WE REPEAT THE WHOLE CYCLE OF INEFFICIENCIES AGAIN AND THAT SAME REQUEST.

UM, AND OUR PAYMENTS, UM, AND OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE AND PAYMENTS DIVISION FOR PAYMENT SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE, SAME THING THERE THAT, UH, WE'RE AUGMENTED BY THREE TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES THAT ARE LONG-TERM TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES.

AND, UH, WE'RE LOOKING TO, UM, MIGRATE AWAY FROM THOSE, UH, UH, TEMPORARY EMPLOYEE NEEDS TO FULL-TIME POSITIONS HERE.

I'VE GOT FOUR PAY SCALES THAT, UH, NEED TO BE ADJUSTED TO BALANCE, UH, UM, MARKET VALUES AND INEQUITIES.

THESE POSITIONS, WHEN THEY'RE RECLASSIFIED DURING THE MARKET STUDY, THEY WERE, UM, EITHER AT THE TOP OF THE PAY SCALE OR ABOVE THE TOP OF THE PAY SCALE.

AND AS A RESULT, IT'S CAUSED SOME COMPRESSION.

SO I'M JUST PROPOSING TO ADJUST THESE PAY SCALES UPWARDS SO THAT THESE FOLKS HAVE ROOM TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE PAY INCREASES.

AND THOSE ADJUSTMENTS PUT ADDITIONAL COMPRESSION ON, UH, FOUR OTHER POSITIONS IN THE ORGANIZATION, KIND OF MAKES THEM FALL OUT OF LINE WHERE THE, WHERE THEY NEED TO BE IN THE MARKET VALUE AND WITH OUR PAY SCALES.

SO PROPOSING TO ADJUST THOSE SCALES FOR THOSE FOUR POSITIONS, CAPITAL REQUESTS.

GLEN BURNIE, UH, SUBSTATION TRANSFORMER, WE'VE GOT THREE OF 'EM AT GLEN BURNIE.

THEY'RE ALL, THREE OF 'EM ARE 40 TO 50 YEARS OLD.

ONE HAS BEEN FORCED OUTTA SERVICE DURING A WINTER STORM FIN.

WE'RE WORKING ON REPAIRS FOR THAT, BUT IT'S A POINT IN TIME WHERE WE NEED TO START BUDGETING TO REPLACE ONE OF THOSE AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR.

UH, SO ABOUT $2 MILLION A YEAR TO GET THOSE REPLACED.

SO I'M PUTTING A COST OF ONE OF THOSE TRANSFORMERS IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.

ALSO THE 70 EAST FEEDER, THE AERIAL OVER THE TRENT RIVER CROSSING.

UM, I'VE BEEN TRYING TO UNDERGROUND THAT.

I'VE BEEN PUTTING THAT IN THE BUDGET FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

UH, I'M JUST KIND OF MAKING A LITTLE BIT OF PROGRESS.

I THINK THIS YEAR IF WE'RE SUCCESSFUL WITH THE GRIP GRANT, I'M GONNA HAVE IT IN THE GRIP GRANT PROGRAM, SO I WON'T NECESSARILY NEED THE MONEY IN THE BUDGET, BUT THE TIMING OF THAT IS I'M GONNA LEAVE IT IN THE BUDGET AND JUST NOT USE IT IF WE DON'T NEED IT.

GREENBRIER, MORE SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS.

I'VE BEEN PUTTING, UH, ABOUT A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS, UH, INTO THE SYSTEM OR IN THE BUDGET EVERY YEAR TO, TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS IN THAT AREA.

UM, AND THIS IS JUST A CONTINUATION OF, OF TRYING TO MAKE THOSE SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE NEEDED FOR THAT PART OF THE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM.

UM, SCHEDULED VEHICLE REPLACEMENTS.

I'VE GOT A

[04:45:01]

TOTAL OF, UH, FIVE VEHICLES THAT HAVE RECEIVED, UH, REACHED THEIR END OF LIFE AND, AND ONE BUDGET AND ONE LINE TRUCK, UM, THAT I NEED TO REPLACE TOTAL ESTIMATED COST FOR, FOR ALL THOSE VEHICLES.

ABOUT $675,000.

LINE TRUCK, SERVICE TRUCK WITH A A BOOM, UM, THREE PICKUP TRUCKS AND SUV TYPES FOR A METERING ENGINEERING AND COMMUNICATIONS AND CONTROL DIVISIONS.

UH, WE NEED TO ADD A PORTABLE LIGHT TOWER AND A TRAFFIC CONTROL BOARD TO STAY IN COMPLIANCE WITH OUR SAFETY OBLIGATIONS AND, AND TO KEEP OUR WORKERS SAFE WHILE WORKING ON THE ROADWAYS.

ANDM PROPOSING, WE, UH, NEED TO REPLACE, UH, THE SECURITY SYSTEM AT OUR TRENT ROAD, UH, SUBSTATION, WHICH IS AT ITS END OF LIFE.

AND OUR METER TEST SET IS ALSO AT THE END OF LIFE.

UM, SO WE NEED TO REPLACE THAT BEFORE IT COMPLETELY FAILS.

OTHER BUDGET IMPACTS, YOU KNOW, UP EVERYBODY SAID UPWARD INFLATIONARY PRO, UH, PRESSURES ON GOODS AND SERVICES.

I'VE SEEN IT VERY WIDELY BETWEEN 15 TO 900% INCREASES.

TRANSFORMERS BEING ONE OF 'EM.

UM, ALSO ITEMS THAT IMPACT OUR BUDGET IS, IS HOW WE RESPOND TO SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS.

ARE WE PUTTING A LOT OF MONEY INTO OUR SYSTEM? ARE WE PUTTING LESS MONEY INTO OUR SYSTEM? RESPONSE TO OUR AGING INFRASTRUCTURE.

UM, RESPONSE TO OUTAGES, WEATHER, VEGETATION, WILDLIFE, THOSE ALL DICTATE, UH, HOW MUCH MONEY WE PUT IN, HOW MUCH LABOR, UH, WE SPEND, WHAT OUR OVERTIME IS.

OUR SALES ARE DRIVEN LARGELY BY WEATHER AND ECONOMIC FACTORS, AND OUR POWER SUPPLY COSTS ARE LARGELY DRIVEN BY FUEL PRICES.

SO A LOT OF VARIABLES INSIDE OUR BUDGET.

AND IN SUMMARY, I'M REQUESTING TWO POSITIONS, UH, TOTALING 96, ESTIMATED $96,000 NOT HAVING, DON'T HAVE ANY REQUESTS FOR BUILDING MAINTENANCE, UM, IN THE RESTRICTED FUNDS.

AND CAPITAL IS, UH, $3.4 MILLION REQUEST FOR A TOTAL OF $3.58 MILLION.

WITH THAT, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

I KNOW I RUSHED THROUGH IT, BUT I THINK WE'RE ON A TIME DEADLINE, SO I TRIED TO HURRY.

FOUR OTHER QUESTIONS.

OKAY, THANK YOU CHARLIE.

AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO ASK KIM RUM TO, UH, REVIEW THE SUMMARY OF PRESENTED REQUESTS.

UM, THE FOLLOWING SLIDES PROVIDE SUMMARY OF THE REQUESTS THAT WERE PRESENTED TO YOU TODAY.

UM, THIS ONE, UM, IS THE SUMMARY POSITION REQUEST BY DEPARTMENT WITH A TOTAL ESTIMATE OF $1,000,086,459.

THE NEXT ONE HERE IS A, UM, TOTAL OF THE PUBLIC BUILDING RESTRICTED REQUEST, WHICH CONSIST OF THE BUILDING RENOVATIONS, UPDATES, IMPROVEMENTS, UM, BY DEPARTMENT WITH A TOTAL OF $547,300.

AND THEN THE SUMMARY OF THE CAPITAL REQUEST BY DEPARTMENT WAS A TOTAL OF 11 MILLION, $12,119, WHICH, UM, DOES NOT INCLUDE THE FULL 1.5 MILLION FOR PARKS AND ROCK MAINTENANCE FACILITY.

IT ONLY, THAT ONLY INCLUDED ABOUT 300,000 FOR THE LAND.

UM, AND JUST TO NOTE, THE UM, FY 23 TOTAL CAPITAL WAS SEVEN AND HALF MILLION.

THIS IS A SUMMARY BASED ON THE CATEGORY, WHICH TOTALS $12,645,878.

KIM GENERAL FUND, UH, DEBT SERVICE THAT EXPIRES THIS PHYSICAL YEAR.

DO YOU HAVE THAT AMOUNT? UM, I CAN GET THAT.

IF YOU GIMME A FEW MINUTES, I CAN GRAB THAT.

YOUR REVIEW ON MAY 14TH AT THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN MEETING, WE'LL CALL FOR A PUBLIC HEARING AND I WILL PRESENT THE BUDGET AT THAT TIME.

WELL KIM LOOKS FOR THAT.

I'LL GO AHEAD AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GO TO THE NEXT ITEM, JUST THE UPCOMING SCHEDULE.

SO WE TALKED ABOUT THIS, UH, PREVIOUSLY, I JUST WANNA REMIND YOU FEBRUARY 21ST, UM, FINAL BUDGET REQUEST FEE SCHEDULE CHANGES, AND THEN THE BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS ARE DUE FROM THE DEPARTMENT HEADS ON MARCH 4TH THROUGH THE EIGHTH.

WE'LL BE DOING OUR BUDGET MEETING MEETINGS WITH THE DEPARTMENT HEADS TO GO OVER THEIR BUDGETS ON MAY 3RD, THE CLERK WILL, UH, SEND OUT THE BUDGET BOOKS TO THE ALDERMAN FOR

[04:50:01]

ON MAY 21ST, THE 22ND, WE WILL HAVE OUR BUDGET WORKSHOPS ON MAY 28TH AT THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN MEETING WILL CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING.

AND ON JUNE 11TH, WE'RE GONNA REQUEST THE BOARD ADOPT A BUDGET NEW FEE SCHEDULE.

KIM, DO YOU HAVE THAT INFORMATION YET? SO, UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANYTHING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SO FAR? SO ONE THING I DO WANT TO MENTION IS WE, WE'VE GIVEN YOU THIS TO, TO FOLLOW ALONG.

I KNOW WE WENT THROUGH A LOT TODAY, SO STAFF HAS ALREADY EMAILED YOU THIS INFORMATION.

IF YOU WOULD LOOK THROUGH THIS, THIS WILL HELP, UH, US AS WE START LOOKING THROUGH THE BUDGET AND SEE WHAT WHAT THINGS MAY OR MAY NOT BE SUPPORTED BY THE BOARD, UH, FOR US TO INCLUDE KIM.

SO WE DID, UM, TAKE A LOOK AT, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONVERSATION ON THE LISTSERV ABOUT, UM, SALES AND USE TAX REVENUE.

SO WE WERE LOOKING AT THE CURRENT BUDGETED REVENUES AND HOW WE ARE TRENDING IN PARTICULAR, UM, WITH THE SALES AND TAX SALES AND USE TAX REVENUE PROJECTIONS.

UM, WE ARE STARTING TO SEE, UM, KIND OF LIKE IT'S A, IT'S INCONSISTENT.

SO, UM, WE'RE TRYING TO, TO PROJECT TO SEE WHERE WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA END UP.

IT'S A MOVING TARGET.

IT'S EARLY, WE ONLY HAVE FIVE MONTHS, BUT, UM, JULY THROUGH OCTOBER COLLECTIONS AVERAGED ABOUT 3%.

AND THEN, UM, FOR THE FIRST COUPLE OF MONTHS WE WERE SHOWING A POSITIVE, AND THEN THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS IT WAS A NEGATIVE.

AND THEN WE CAME IN IN NOVEMBER WITH 11, 11% INCREASE.

IF DECEMBER STILL, UM, AS STRONG AS NOVEMBER THEN, UM, WHICH WE WON'T KNOW THAT UNTIL ABOUT, UH, MID-MARCH.

THEN IT'S OF COURSE GOOD NEWS, BUT IT'S REALLY HARD WITH THAT KIND OF INCONSISTENCY TO DO ANY KIND OF PROJECTIONS.

WHAT, UM, THE LIST SERVICE HAS BEEN BLOWING UP AND BUZZING ABOUT IS THAT, UM, DEPENDING ON WHAT YOU PROJECTED AND PROJECTED AND HOW CONSERVATIVE YOU WERE, YOU MAY NEED TO START TAKING A LOOK AT, UM, A, A REDUCTION, YOU KNOW, UM, ANTICIPATING LESS IN YOUR COLLECTIONS.

SO WE'VE SEEN ANYWHERES BETWEEN FIVE AND 10% OF WHAT, UH, MUNICIPALITIES HAVE CHOSEN TO DO.

UM, WE BUDGETED 7% AND WE ARE LOOKING AT PROBABLY, UM, 3% AND THE 3% SHORTFALL WOULD LOOK WOULD BE ABOUT $360,000.

SO THAT'S NOT GOOD NEWS, BUT THAT'S, YOU KNOW, ALL I HAVE FOR YOU AT THIS POINT.

UM, WE DO, SORRY.

SO THEY, UM, YEAH, THEY BASICALLY, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE YET.

WE DID A COMPARISON WITH OTHER MUNICIPALITIES, SEE WHAT THEY DID.

WE'RE STARTING TO SEE, LIKE I MENTIONED, ANYWHERES BETWEEN, UM, FIVE AND 10%.

SOME ARE ACTUALLY INCLUDING OR BUDGETING AT A HUNDRED PERCENT OR 103% AND SITTING, UM, STAYING WITH THAT.

SO I'M, UNTIL WE GET FURTHER DOWN INTO, UM, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THE NEXT QUARTER, I'M NOT SURE THAT I, I REALLY HAVE A REALLY GOOD ANSWER, BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I BROUGHT THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION.

THE OTHER THING IS WE DID, UM, JUST KIND OF LOOKED AT FUND BALANCE, UM, AS WELL.

I ALWAYS GET THAT QUESTION ABOUT, UM, HOW IT AFFECTS OUR, UM, HOW THESE AFFECT OUR FUND BALANCE.

AND WHEN WE TAKE A LOOK AT WHERE WE LANDED, UH, WITH $15.5 MILLION AVAILABLE IN FUND BALANCE AFTER THE RESTRICTED ASSIGNED AND COMMITTED FUNDS WERE SET ASIDE, UM, THAT LEFT US WITH A 40% FUND BALANCE AVAILABLE AS OF THE F THE FISCAL YEAR 23 EXPENDITURES.

UM, WHEN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT HOW MUCH, UM, WE HAVE PULLED FOR FUND BALANCE FOR FY 24 IS, AND THEN THE ESTIMATED SHORTFALL OF $360,000, ASSUMING EVERYTHING STAYS THE SAME, THEN YOU'RE DROPPING YOUR FUND BALANCE TO ABOUT 13.7 MILLION.

SO IT'S NOT, UM, PROBABLY THE NEWS THAT YOU REALLY WANT TO HEAR RIGHT THIS MINUTE, BUT, UM, WE DO HAVE OUR WORK CUT OUT FOR US.

DID YOU MEAN 14 SEVEN, YOU SAID THAT WE WERE AT 15.5 AND THEN YOU SAID YEP.

AND WE PULLED 1.4 FROM FUND BALANCE WITH THE $360,000 ESTIMATED SHORTFALL,

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ASSUMING ALL OF OUR REVENUES AND EXPENSES THAT WE BUDGETED FOR ARE, YOU KNOW, GOING TO COME IN AND GO OUT AS WE EXPECT AS WE BUDGETED.

BUT, UM, SO PROJECTED WOULD BE 14.7, UM, PROJECTED AVAILABLE WOULD BE 13.7.

AND IF YOU ESTIMATE THAT BASED ON THE BUDGETED ESTIMATED EXPENDITURES, IT'S 28% AND THAT'S LIKE SHOOTING AN ARROW IN THE DARK WHILE THE TARGET'S MOVING.

AND UM, GOOD NEWS THOUGH.

WE DID RECEIVE, UM, PRELIMINARY TEXT VALUATION NUMBERS FROM THE COUNTY AND WE WERE SHOWING THAT IN FY FISCAL YEAR 2025, THE VALUATION INCREASE OF, UM, AT VALOR TAXES FOR THE GENERAL FUND WAS, UM, WHERE AM I AT? 522 MILLION, UM, $460,000, WHICH WOULD BE ABOUT 12%.

AND THAT WOULD GIVE US ABOUT 1.1 MILLION $985,000.

AND ALTHOUGH THAT'S GOOD NEWS, IT'S FAR CRY FROM REACHING OUR $12 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL ASKS.

AND SO WE'LL MAKE SURE WE SEND THIS INFORMATION OUT TO KIM AND JUST SHARE SO YOU CAN HAVE THAT IN FRONT OF YOU TO LOOK AT.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON ANYTHING WE'VE GONE OVER SO FAR TODAY? I DON'T THINK SO.

UH, SO THE LAST ITEM THAT WE HAD ON THE AGENDA WAS THE DISCUSSION OF THE BOARD'S RULES AND PROCEDURES.

UH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT ALDER MCKENZIE BROUGHT UP.

UM, HE'S NOT FEELING WELL.

UM, SO JUST THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD.

WE'VE GOT ABOUT 10 MINUTES LEFT OF WHERE WE HAD PROJECTED TO FINISH.

UM, I BELIEVE THIS COULD BE PUT ON THE NEXT AGENDA IF WE WANTED TO.

THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO DO SO.

WAS THERE, WAS THERE, THERE WAS JUST ONE SPECIFIC TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THERE WAS JUST ONE SPECIFIC REQUEST THAT HE WANTED TO MY KNOWLEDGE.

AND WHAT HE HAD MENTIONED IS NOT EVEN IN THE RULES AND PROCEDURES EXACTLY.

'CAUSE IT'S NOT REALLY PART OF THAT.

SO, BUT THERE ARE SOME OTHER THINGS IN HERE THAT I'M SURE IF YOU'VE HAD SOME TIME TO LOOK THROUGH, YOU MAY HAVE SOME QUESTIONS OR SOME CONCERNS, SOME SUGGESTIONS, UM, THAT WE COULD DISCUSS AT THE NEXT MEETING IF THAT'S WHAT THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO DO.

I, I'D LIKE TO, FOR US TO PUT IT ON OUR NEXT AGENDA.

I HAD MENTIONED TO MR. UH, HUGHES THAT ALL THE REFERENCES THAT WERE CONTAINED IN THIS DOCUMENT AS FAR AS GENERAL STATUTES AND ORDINANCES, I'D LIKE TO SEE, UM, INFORMATION REGARDING THAT.

AND HE SAID THAT HE WOULD CREATE A, A LINK THAT WE COULD GO TO THAT WOULD, UH, ANSWER SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE.

SO IS THE BOARD OKAY WITH, UH, THIS LAST ITEM BEING PUT ON THE NEXT AGENDA? OKAY.

BUT JUST PUT ON THE AGENDA FOR UPCOMING DISCUSSION.

SO WE ARE LOOKING AT A MONTH OUT.

UM, I'M IN OUR NEXT AGENDA AS FAR AS NEXT WEEK.

IS THAT OKAY WITH EVERYONE? THAT'S FINE WITH ME.