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GOOD EVENING EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THE MARCH 26TH, 2024 NEWBURN BOARD OF ALDERMAN MEETING.PRAYER TONIGHT WILL BE GIVEN BY ALDERMAN BESS.
CAN, CAN WE, UM, UH, CAN Y'ALL JOIN ME FOR A MOMENT IN PRAYER? HEAVENLY FATHER, I COME TO YOU TONIGHT AS HUMBLE AS I KNOW HOW THANKING YOU FOR LIFE.
AND AGAIN, ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL DAY YOU'VE GIVEN UNTO ALL OF US.
I ASK THAT YOU TOUCHED THIS BOARD, EACH MEMBER OF THIS BOARD TONIGHT.
AS WE CONDUCT THE BUSINESS OF THIS CITY, LET US BE REMINDED THAT WE ARE HERE SERVING YOUR PEOPLE OF THIS GREAT CITY, AND THAT OUR ALL THE DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE WILL HAVE THE CITIZENS BEST INTERESTS AT HEART.
IF YOU WOULD PLEASE STAND WITH ME AS A PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF OUR COUNTRY.
I PLEDGE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TWO REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.
MADAM CLERK, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ALDERMAN CRELL.
[3. Approve Agenda.]
IS TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.ARE THERE ANY CHANGES TO BE MADE? MAKE A MOTION.
I HAVE A MOTION, A SECOND TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? AGENDAS APPROVED.
[Consent Agenda]
CONSENT AGENDA.WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD ON ITEMS FOUR THROUGH NINE? MAY I, MAYOR, IF THERE'S NO DISCUSSION, UM, ABOUT ANY OF THE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT THE CONSENT AGENDA BE APPROVED.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN PRI.
[10. Presentation of Paving Study.]
IS ITEM NUMBER 10, PRESENTATION ON PAVING STUDY.UM, MAYOR, LAST FALL, WE HAD LABEL ASSOCIATES PERFORM A PAVEMENT CONDITION SURVEY ON THE CITY.
THEY FINISHED THAT UP IN JANUARY, AND AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO ASK JOHN NER WITH THE LABEL AND ASSOCIATES TO MAKE THAT PRESENTATION.
YOU SURE? UM, JUST TO GIVE Y'ALL A LITTLE BACKGROUND, UM, WE HAVE HAD LABEL BELLA DO THE PRIOR TO PAVEMENT CONDITION SURVEY.
SO WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT EVERY FIVE YEARS.
AND SO THIS WILL BE THE THIRD ONE IN THAT 15 YEAR PERIOD TO JUST UPDATE OUR PAVEMENT CONDITION SURVEY.
AND, UH, MR. FRESNO IS THE ENGINEER WITH LABEL, WHO WAS THE PRINCIPAL OVERSEEING THIS PROJECT, AND HE'LL GIVE A OVERVIEW OF THE, THE FINDINGS AND HOW IT WAS CONDUCTED.
AND, UH, GOOD EVENING, UH, MR. MAYOR AND, AND BOARD MEMBERS, UM, UH, AT THE OUTSET, UH, I'D LIKE TO AGAIN, EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION, UH, FOR BEING, UH, HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO NOT ONLY, AS GEORGE HAS INDICATED, UH, TO ASSIST THE CITY OF NEWBURN, UH, WITH ONE PAYMENT CONDITION SURVEY, BUT THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE THIS SERVICE.
SO, UH, VERY THANKFUL, UH, FOR HAVING THAT LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIP.
UM, WHAT I'LL DO IS, UH, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'VE GOT A CROWD HERE, AND I DON'T WANT TO KEEP THEM WAITING, SO I'LL, I'LL KIND OF MOVE PRETTY QUICKLY THROUGH THIS.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE ALL HERE FOR THIS ISSUE.
ARE THEY ALL, NOTHING
UM, WHAT YOU'LL SEE HERE, UH, IS JUST KIND OF AN, AN OVERVIEW.
UM, RIGHT NOW ABOUT 185 MILES, UH, IS WHAT CONSISTS OF THE ROAD SYSTEM, UH, IN NEW BERN.
UM, AS INDICATED, WE FINISHED THE SURVEY PHYSICALLY OF DOING THE FIELD WORK BACK IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR.
UH, THAT PRIMARILY CONSISTS OF EIGHT COMMON PAVEMENT DISTRESSES.
WE'LL LOOK AT THAT A LITTLE BIT HERE IN JUST A SECOND.
UH, WE ALSO COLLECTED SOME ADDITIONAL ATTRIBUTES, AND I'LL ALSO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT FURTHER DETAIL
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ON THAT.ONCE WE COMPLETE THE FIELD WORK, WE POST PROCESS THAT DATA, UH, AND WE COME UP WITH A PCR.
ALL OF A SUDDEN, WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT THIS SLIDE EARLIER THIS EVENING, I REALIZED, WELL, I KNOW WHAT A PCR, BUT YOU FOLKS DON'T KNOW WHAT A PCR IS, BUT A PCR IS ACTUALLY AN ACRONYM FOR A PAVEMENT CONDITION RATING.
UM, AND AS WE POST PROCESS THAT DATA, WE RATE EACH AND EVERY STREET SEGMENT, UH, AS TO HOW GOOD OR BAD THAT STREET SEGMENT IS.
UH, AND THEN LAST OF ALL, AS PART OF THAT POST-PROCESSING, WE THEN LOOK AT THOSE DISTRESS, THE CONDITIONS OF THE STREETS, UH, AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS AS FAR AS ANY TYPES OF ACTIVITIES THAT THE CITY WOULD NEED TO UNDERTAKE TO IMPROVE THOSE STREETS.
JUST REAL QUICKLY, AND THIS IS SOMEWHAT OF A BUSY SLIDE, BUT, UM, IT WAS A STUDY THAT WAS DONE MANY YEARS AGO AND KIND OF REALLY LOOKING AT, UH, PRIMARILY THE VALUE, UH, OF THE STREET SYSTEMS. UM, AND AS YOU KIND OF LOOK THROUGH IT, I'LL JUST KIND OF ASK YOU TO KIND OF GO, UH, YOUR EYE, KIND OF GO TO THE BOTTOM, UH, OF THE SLIDE.
UM, AND BASED ON ROUGHLY A $40 PER SQUARE FOOT VALUE FOR A PAVEMENT STREETS, UH, TODAY, UM, WITH, YOU CAN SEE, UH, A LITTLE OVER 2.6 MILLION SQUARE YARDS, UH, THAT TRANSLATES INTO AN ASSET THAT'S ALMOST $108 MILLION.
UM, I'M NOT SURE, BUT THAT'S PROBABLY, IF NOT THE LARGEST, ONE OF THE LARGEST ASSETS THAT THE CITY CURRENTLY OWNS.
AND SO, UH, AGAIN, I KIND OF, PART OF MY MESSAGE TO IS, AGAIN, TO REEMPHASIZE THAT AND TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU CONTINUE TO INVEST, UH, IN THAT ASSET.
AS PROMISED, THESE ARE JUST FOUR OF THOSE EIGHT PAYMENT DISTRESS.
UH, I WON'T GET IN TOO MANY OF THE DETAILS.
THE ONE ON THE TOP LEFT, UH, IS ALLIGATOR CRACKING.
UM, THIS BASICALLY, UH, IS PRIMARILY ONE OF THE, WELL, NOT PRIMARILY, BUT IT IS THE WORST PAVEMENT TO STRESS.
WHAT THIS INDICATES IS A SUBSURFACE, AN UNDERLYING, UH, PROBLEM BELOW THE PAVEMENT.
IT KIND OF MOVES UP THROUGH THAT.
UM, SO AGAIN, IF YOU HAVE ALLIGATOR CRACKING, YOU REALLY ARE LOOKING AT SOME TYPE OF, UH, WHAT WE CALL FULL DEPTH PATCHING, WHERE YOU REMOVE NOT ONLY THE PAVEMENT, BUT SOME OF THE BASE MATERIAL AND REESTABLISH THE ENTIRE STRUCTURE THAT SUPPORTS THE PAVEMENT.
BLOCK CRACKING IS MORE OF A PAVEMENT, UH, DISTRESS ITSELF.
KIND OF HAS TO DO WITH THE TEMPERATURE CHANGES.
PAVE ASPHALT'S GONNA KIND OF CRACK, AND THIS IS WHAT YOU SEE IS THAT BLOCK CRACKING.
REFLECTIVE CRACKING IS PRIMARILY GONNA TAKE PLACE, UM, WHEN YOU HAVE RESURFACED WITH ASPHALT OVER A PREVIOUSLY CONCRETE STREET, AND NOW YOU SEE THOSE JOINTS AND THOSE CONCRETE PAVEMENTS KIND OF REFLECT UP THROUGH THERE.
UH, DON'T REALLY THINK YOU HAVE TOO MUCH OF A REFLECTIVE CRACKING PROBLEM HERE IN NEW BERN.
RATTLING IS, AGAIN, WHEN YOU GET A LOT OF WEAR AND TEAR, UH, ON THE STREET ITSELF, THAT ASPHALT, UH, KIND OF BASICALLY DISSIPATES OVER A PERIOD OF TIME AND IT BECOMES, UH, VERY GRAVELLY AND BECOMES A VERY ROUGH ROAD.
THE OTHER FOUR, UH, IS BASICALLY, UH, RUDD, UH, THIS IS ROUTINELY, YOU'LL SEE THIS AT, UH, PRIMARILY SOME MAJOR INTERSECTIONS WHERE YOU HAVE A LOT OF TRUCK AND OR A BUS TRAFFIC.
UH, AND WHAT YOU END UP HAVING IS A DEPRESSED AREA IN THE WHEEL PATHS, UH, OF THOSE VEHICLES.
UM, UH, OBVIOUSLY, UH, WE WISH AS YOU, AS A, UH, AS A CITY THAT NOBODY WOULD CUT OUR STREETS.
UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
UM, AND SO PATCHING, OBVIOUSLY AS YOU GO IN AND A STREET GETS PATCHED, IT NEVER REALLY HAS THE SAME QUITE OF INTEGRITY AS THE ORIGINAL PAVEMENT.
AGAIN, I DON'T REALLY SEE THAT PROBLEM.
THIS IS REALLY SOMETHING THAT, UH, UH, WITH THE BETTER ASPHALTS OF THIS DAY AND AGE, YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE A LOT OF IT, BUT THAT'S KIND OF SOMEWHAT OF THE LIQUID ASPHALT MAKING ITS WAY TO THE TOP.
UH, THE LAST OF THOSE EIGHT PAVEMENT DISTRESSES IS RIDE QUALITY.
AND THIS IS JUST KIND OF AN ASSESSMENT OF HOW ROUGH OR SMOOTH THE ROAD ACTUALLY IS.
RIDING, AGAIN, NOT REALLY INTENDING THAT YOU CAN, UH, PAY A WHOLE LOT OF ATTENTION, BUT THIS IS JUST A SUMMARY, UH, OF THE PAVEMENT DISTRESS THAT WE FOUND IN NEW BERN.
UH, WHAT YOU'LL SEE HERE IS ALL OF THOSE EIGHT DISTRESS THAT WE LOOKED AT.
UH, WE KIND OF BREAK IT DOWN INTO WHAT WE CALL LOW VOLUME STREETS, WHICH ARE PRIMARILY GONNA BE MORE OF YOUR SUBDIVISIONS, UH, AND LESS TRAFFICKED, UH, STREETS, UH, VERSUS YOUR HIGHER VOLUME.
UH, AND OBVIOUSLY THOSE ARE GONNA BE MORE OF YOUR MAJOR ARTERIALS WHERE YOU HAVE MORE TRAFFIC.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, UM, THERE IS SOME, UH, SEVERE ALLIGATOR CRACKING.
UH, AND THIS IS AGAIN, INTENDED TO KIND OF HIGHLIGHT AND POINT OUT THOSE, UH, BLOCK CRACKING AS WELL.
UH, AGAIN, AS I INDICATED, NO REFLECTING, CRACKING, UH,
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REFLECTIVE CRACKING WAS NOTED.UH, SOME RU UH, AGAIN, NOT MUCH TRAVELLING AND OBVIOUSLY NO BLEEDING.
UH, SOME ROUGH RIDE, WALK, RIDE QUALITY.
AND AGAIN, THERE ARE SOME INDICATIONS OF PATCHING THAT GO FROM, UH, SOME LIGHT TO MODERATE TO ACTUALLY SEVERE PATCHING.
AGAIN, KIND OF TALKED ABOUT THE ADDITIONAL ATTRIBUTES.
WE ACTUALLY WILL COLLECT THE NUMBER OF LANES, THE BLOCK NUMBER, UH, BASICALLY STREET ADDRESS, UH, THE LENGTH OF EACH SEGMENT, UH, AS WELL AS THE WIDTH.
UH, AND WE ALSO INDICATE ANY OF THOSE LOCATIONS WHERE YOU HAVE EXISTING SIDEWALK ON EITHER OF BOTH SIDES OF A STREET AS WELL AS THE CURB AND GUTTER, UH, EITHER IN MOST CASES YOU'LL HAVE CURB AND GUTTER ON BOTH SIDES, BUT AGAIN, WE'RE INDICATING THE PRESENCE OR ABSENCE OF CURB AND GUTTER.
THE LAST ONE WE DO IS AN ASPHALT ABOVE THE GUTTER.
UH, THAT'S PRIMARILY WHEN A STREET GETS OVERLAID AND YOU'RE JUST KIND OF BUILDING UP THE ASPHALT AND AT THE GUTTER IT KIND OF PRODUCES A, A, UH, A FALL OFF, WHICH CAN BE, UM, YOU KNOW, DANGEROUS FOR YOUR WALKING PUBLIC IN PARTICULAR.
SO WE KIND OF DENOTE WHERE YOU HAVE THAT.
THESE ARE, AGAIN, KIND OF LOOKING BACK AT THOSE EIGHT DISTRESSES.
UM, AS WE LOOK AT THIS, UM, IT'S BASICALLY A DEDUCT TYPE SITUATION.
UH, AS WE LOOK AT THESE STREETS, EACH STREET ALWAYS STARTS OUT AS A HUNDRED.
UH, AS WE LOOK AT THE DISTRESS AS ALLIGATOR CRACKING, BLOCK CRACKING, WHAT WE DO IS WE BEGIN SUBTRACTING, UH, VALUES FROM THAT 100 TO THEN GET THE TOTAL, WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT ORIGINALLY, THAT PCR PAVEMENT CONDITION RATING.
UH, SO THIS IS JUST KIND OF SHOWING YOU KIND OF SOME HOW THAT MATH WORKS TO BASICALLY GET DOWN AND DOING THE DEDUCTS.
UM, I WILL GO AHEAD AND ANSWER THE OBVIOUS QUESTION.
UH, DO YOU GO BELOW ZERO IN THE NEGATIVE NUMBERS? NO, WE DO NOT.
SO, UM, AND, UH, AND AGAIN, YOU DON'T HOPEFULLY GET DOWN TO LOOK NUMBERS THAT LOW, BUT WE DON'T GO BELOW ZERO AS BEING KIND OF WHERE WE STOP KIND OF THE FINDINGS.
JUST TO KIND OF SUMMARIZE THAT PAVEMENT CONDITION RATING, UH, 85.8, UM, WHICH OVERALL, WHEN YOU'RE COMPARING THAT TO OTHER MUNICIPALITIES THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT, THEIR AVERAGE RATINGS IS 78.
UH, SO WHAT THAT DOES IS PUT YOUR SYSTEM IN WHAT WE CALL A GOOD CONDITION, UH, AND OBVIOUSLY ALSO ABOVE AVERAGE FROM THE OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA.
SECOND PIECE OF INFORMATION THERE, ABOUT 40% OF YOUR STREETS THAT WE LOOKED AT NEED SOME TYPE OF MAINTENANCE, SOME NEED ALMOST REBUILT, SOME JUST NEED SOME CRACK REPAIR, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
AGAIN, AS YOU LOOK AT THAT AVERAGE, UH, IN OTHER MUNICIPALITIES, IT'S ABOUT 48%.
SO IN BOTH THOSE CON, UH, CATEGORIES, UH, CONDITION AS WELL AS THE AMOUNT OF STREETS NEEDING REPAIR, YOU ARE BOTH ABOVE AVERAGE IN BOTH OF THOSE CATEGORIES.
LAST OF ALL, AGAIN, WE LOOKED AT THE MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES.
UH, WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS A BIG NUMBER.
UM, BUT WHAT THAT NUMBER REPRESENTS, UH, IS, IS BASICALLY MAKING ALL OF THE REPAIRS THAT WE RECOMMEND MAKING OBVI.
OBVIOUSLY THAT'S NOT FINANCIALLY POSSIBLE, UM, BUT AGAIN, WE JUST KIND OF PROVIDE THAT AS BEING A, A KIND OF A BENCHMARK.
UM, AND WHAT WE DO IS WE BREAK IT DOWN.
SOME OF THOSE ARE ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES, THE PATCHINGS, THE CEILINGS, THINGS THAT NEED TO TAKE PLACE THERE.
AND THEN SECONDLY, WE LOOK AT THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE YOU DO NEED A RESURFACING, UH, WHERE THE PAVEMENT HAS KIND OF REACHED ITS USEFUL LIFE AND IT'S TIME TO GO IN AND RESURFACE.
UM, AND AS PART OF THAT, UH, THERE ARE SOME ADDITIONAL COSTS, UH, OBVIOUSLY USED TO GET INTO MILLING CASES, UH, THE RAISING AND LOWERING OF STRUCTURES AND STUFF LIKE THAT, SO THAT, THAT DOLLAR FIGURE IS KIND OF A STARTING POINT AND THERE WOULD BE SOME ADDITIONAL COSTS TO IT, UH, AS YOU BEGIN GETTING INTO ADMINISTRATIVE AND OTHER COSTS WITH RESURFACING CONTRACT.
JUST REAL QUICK, AND AS GEORGE HAS INDICATED, AND AGAIN, UH, PRIVILEGE THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THIS THREE DIFFERENT TIMES.
YOU CAN SEE HERE THIS IS JUST A CHART LOOKING AT THE 2013 18, UH, AND 24, UH, PAYMENT CONDITION SURVEYS.
UH, AND WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE GROUPED YOUR STREETS INTO VERY GOOD, GOOD, FAIR, POOR, AND VERY POOR.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, STARTING BACK IN 2013, NEW BERN STREETS WERE IN NOT THAT GOOD A SHAPE, UH, UH, BASICALLY AS YOU ONLY HAD ABOUT 40% OF YOUR STREETS THAT WERE IN THAT VERY GOOD CATEGORY OVER THAT FIVE YEAR.
AND AGAIN, NOW UP UNTIL NOW, YOU'VE GOT OVER 60, ALMOST 62% OF YOUR STREETS THAT WE WOULD CONSIDER TO BE IN VERY GOOD, UH, CONDITION.
LIKEWISE, AS YOU LOOK AT THROUGH SOME OF THOSE OTHER CATEGORIES, THE COROLLARY THERE IS THAT YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO MANAGE AND REMOVE A LOT OF STREETS FROM THAT POOR
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AND IN PARTICULAR, VERY POOR CONDITION, AND MOVE THOSE INTO ONE OF THOSE OTHER CATEGORIES.SO OBVIOUSLY, UH, MY HAT IS OFF TO YOU, YOU WERE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE THAT IN, IN THAT FASHION.
THIS IS JUST A, UM, UH, WHAT DID I DO? WELL, HOPEFULLY THAT OKAY, THANK YOU.
UM, THIS IS, AGAIN, JUST KIND OF LOOKING AT THE THREE PAYMENT CONDITION SURVEYS THAT WE'VE DONE.
UH, THAT OVERALL PCR STARTED BACK IN 13 AT A LITTLE OVER 81.
UH, AND AGAIN, YOU'VE MOVED UP TO THAT 85, AND NOW IT'S EVEN UP THAT 85.8.
SO AGAIN, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO COMMEND YOU FOR KIND OF MOVING IN THAT RIGHT DIRECTION.
UM, I KNOW, AND I'VE TOLD, UH, GEORGE AND DAVE, WHO I'VE WORKED WITH QUITE EXTENSIVELY HERE, UM, UH, I'M FROM GREENSBORO, AND I CAN TELL YOU WHEN WE MOVED THERE 30 YEARS AGO, THE STREETS WERE IN GREAT CONDITION.
UH, THE CITY DECIDED THAT MONIES COULD BE USED ELSEWHERE.
AND IF YOU GO TO GREENSBORO NOW, SADLY TO SAY OUR STREETS ARE IN PRETTY POOR SHAPE.
SO, UH, I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE TO INVEST IN THIS ASSET, UM, AS AGAIN, YOU'RE KIND OF MOVING IN THAT RIGHT DIRECTION.
THE SECOND GRAPH ON THE BOTTOM IS, AGAIN, JUST LOOKING AT THOSE NUMBERS STREETS, UH, THAT REQUIRE NO MAINTENANCE.
UH, AND AGAIN, YOU'VE KIND OF MOVED THAT UP.
ONLY ABOUT HALF THE STREETS DID NOT NEED MAINTENANCE, WHERE NOW AGAIN, YOU'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT 60% OF YOUR STREETS ARE IN GOOD SHAPE THAT DON'T NEED ANY TYPE OF MAINTENANCE.
THIS IS JUST KIND OF A TYPICAL, UH, UH, PAVEMENT WILL DETERIORATE.
THIS IS JUST KIND OF A TYPICAL CURVE.
UH, AGAIN, ON THAT LEFT HAND SIDE, WE GO FROM, AS I TALKED, ABOUT 100 AS BEING THE STARTING SCORE DOWN TO ZERO, AND THEN THERE'S A TIME BAR OF YEARS ON THE BOTTOM, UH, AXIS.
AND WHAT THIS IS, UH, JUST ILLUSTRATING IS THAT, UH, TRY AND BASICALLY MAINTAIN YOUR PAVEMENT WHILE IT'S STILL IN FAIRLY DECENT SHAPE.
UH, SEAL IT, MAKE THOSE CRACK SEAL, MAKE THOSE PATCHES, DO THOSE TYPES OF THINGS AT THAT POINT SO THAT THAT PAVEMENT DOES NOT CONTINUE TO DETERIORATE.
ONCE YOU GET DOWN INTO THAT LATTER YEARS WHERE YOUR PCRS ARE IN THE 40, YOU'RE ALMOST NOW HAVING TO REBUILD THE STREET IN ITSELF.
AND AS IT KIND OF SHOWS HERE, IF YOU'LL SPEND $1 IN THOSE EARLY YEARS ON THOSE PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE PRACTICES, THAT TRANSLATES ANYWHERE BETWEEN SIX TO $15 LATER AND HAVING TO ALMOST REBUILD THOSE STREETS.
THIS IS JUST KIND OF A GREAT ILLUSTRATION OF TRYING TO MAINTAIN THE STREET.
FOR SOME REASON, THE JURISDICTION LINE WAS THE CENTER LINE OF THE STREET.
UH, THE JURISDICTION ON THE UPPER, UH, ACTUALLY DID WHAT WE CALL CRACK SEAL AND SEAL THAT CRACK.
UH, THE JURISDICTION ON THE NEAR SIDE DID NOT DO SO, AND YOU CAN SEE HERE PRETTY VIVIDLY IS THAT AS YOU MAINTAIN THOSE STREETS AND THE PREVENTATIVE TYPE MEASURE, YOU BASICALLY KIND OF WILL REDUCE YOUR COSTS AS YOU MOVE FORWARD.
UH, THE STREET, AS YOU CAN SEE NOW, THAT'S WHAT WE CALL ALLIGATOR CRACKING.
YOU'RE NOW HAVE TO GONNA GO IN WATER HAS GOTTEN INTO THAT SUBSTRUCTURE, AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO BASICALLY GET INTO A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR.
LAST OF ALL, UH, WE LOOKED AT THOSE MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES FOR EACH ONE OF THE STRESSES.
UM, THIS IS KIND OF, WE'VE WORKED WITH YOUR STAFF, GEORGE AND, UH, DAVE IN PARTICULAR, UH, COMING UP WITH THE VARIOUS DIFFERENT MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES, BOTH AGAIN, FOR THE LOW AND THE HIGH VOLUME STREETS.
UM, THEY WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE US WITH BASICALLY UNIT COSTS THAT WE COULD UTILIZE TO BASICALLY GET IN TO CALCULATE THE OVERALL MAINTENANCE COST.
THIS JUST KIND OF SHOWS OF THOSE ACTIVITIES, THE UNIT COST FOR EACH ONE OF THOSE.
AND AGAIN, THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION HERE.
UM, WHAT IT DOES IS KIND OF TAKE ALL THAT INFORMATION, THE RATINGS, UH, THE LOW, THE HIGH VOLUME, AND BASICALLY CALCULATES, UH, ALL THE MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES AND KIND OF GIVES YOU, UH, THE ACTIVITIES AND ALSO BASICALLY FOR THE LOW VOLUME AS WELL AS THE HIGH VOLUME STREETS.
UH, AND AGAIN, AS WE LOOKED AT BEFORE, IF YOU KIND OF MOVE DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF IT, UM, YOU'LL SEE WHERE IN MAKING ALL THOSE IMPROVEMENTS, YOU'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT A, YOU KNOW, A $7.6 MILLION INVESTMENT.
JUST REAL QUICK, UM, AGAIN, KIND OF LOOKING BACK JUST FROM THE LAST TWO SURVEYS, THIS IS JUST KIND OF SHOWING YOU THE BREAKDOWN BETWEEN WHAT WE COULD LOOK AT AS A ROUTINE MAINTENANCE RESURFACING, UH, AND KIND OF THE TOTAL.
UH, AND ONE OF THE BIG ISSUES WITH RESURFACING, UH, IN THAT TIME SPAN HAS BEEN, AGAIN, THE COST OF ASPHALT.
IT'S PRETTY MUCH GONE UP FAIRLY DRAMATICALLY, UM, BETWEEN 18 AND 24.
AGAIN, JUST KIND OF TO ILLUSTRATE, UH, AS WE TALKED ABOUT, YOU'VE GOT ABOUT 60%, UH, OF YOUR STREETS THAT DO NOT REQUIRE ANY REPAIR, UH, THAT
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OTHER 40%, UH, AS WE'VE LOOKED AT KIND OF THE FULL DEATH PATCHING OVERLAYS, UH, AND THE VARIOUS OTHER, THE RESURFACING THAT WOULD NEED TO TAKE PLACE.AGAIN, THIS JUST KIND OF LOOKS AT EACH ONE OF THOSE, UH, MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES.
UM, THE RESURFACING, UH, SHORT OVERLAY, FULL DEPTH PATCH, JUST TO KIND OF SEE, SO YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE BULK OF THE EXPENDITURES WE TAKING PLACE, UM, CRACKED CEILING AND, AND SHORT OVERLAY, NOT THAT MUCH.
OBVIOUSLY, RESURFACING WITH THE ASPHALT GETS TO BE AN EXPENSIVE PROPOSITION.
LAST OF ALL, WE APPARENTLY COULDN'T JUST LOOK AT IT AND WE, UH, AGAIN, WE TALK ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO SPEND SEVEN AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN ANY REAL GIVEN PERIOD OF TIME.
SO WE LOOK AT AND PRIORITIZE HIGH, MEDIUM, AND LOW PRIORITIES.
UH, AND AGAIN, THIS IS BASED AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE VARIOUS DIFFERENT DISTRESS THAT ARE PART OF THAT, AND IT KIND OF BREAKS DOWN, UH, THOSE ROUGHLY 75 MILES THAT NEED REPAIR AND KIND OF LOOKS AT IT FROM THAT TOTAL COST AND A, UH, A COST PER MILE.
UH, AS YOU LOOK AT MAKING THOSE REPAIRS KIND OF WRAPPING UP, UH, AGAIN, UH, I WOULD ENCOURAGE NEWBURN TO CONTINUE ITS INVESTMENT, UH, ITS INVESTMENT IN THAT ASSET, UH, PARTICULARLY LOOKING AT THOSE PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES BEFORE THOSE ROADS TO DETERIORATE WHERE YOU HAVE TO MAKE MAJOR RECONSTRUCTION, UH, ACTIVITIES.
UM, IN THE INDUSTRY, WE KINDA LOOK AT A 15 YEAR LIFE, AND THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT WE'D ANTICIPATE BEING THE LIFE OF A NEWLY PAVED STREET.
UM, WITH THAT KIND OF BEING, AGAIN, KIND OF A, AN AVERAGE, UH, AND THE STREET SYSTEM THAT YOU HAVE, YOU'RE LOOKING AT RESURFACING ROUGHLY A LITTLE ABOUT 12 AND A HALF MILES OF STREET A YEAR.
UH, AND AT TODAY'S PRICES, THAT TRANSLATES TO ABOUT 5.6 MILLION.
UH, AGAIN, A LOT OF MONEY, UH, BUT WOULD AGAIN, UM, WOULD LIKE TO JUST EMPHASIZE THE VALUE OF THAT ASSET AND CONTINUING TO INVEST IN IT, PARTICULARLY FROM A PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE STANDPOINT.
LAST OF ALL, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT.
ASPHALT, UNFORTUNATELY DETERIORATES, UH, IT GETS BEAT UP BY TRAFFIC.
IT GETS BEAT UP BY WEATHER, IT GETS BEAT UP BY A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND SO OVER THAT PERIOD OF TIME IT DOES DETERIORATE.
UH, BEING AWARE OF THAT IS KIND OF THE KEY.
UH, AND AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT PAVEMENT PRESERVATION.
UM, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DID MENTION, UH, TO GEORGE TODAY IS THAT WHEN I, UH, I WILL NORMALLY GO IN AND MAKE A STAFF PRESENTATION, WHICH I DID BACK IN FEBRUARY.
UH, THAT STAFF PRESENTATION WILL NORMALLY CONSIST OF SOMEBODY LIKE GEORGE AND MAYBE HIS ASSISTANT.
UM, UH, WHEN I WAS THERE IN FEBRUARY, UH, MARVIN WAS THERE, UH, MOST OF THE STREET CREW, UH, WERE IN AND EVERYTHING ELSE, AND MY HAT WAS OFF TO GEORGE FOR BASICALLY BRINGING HIS FOLKS IN SO THAT WE COULD TALK COLLECTIVELY ABOUT THIS.
AND SO I THOUGHT IT KIND OF WAS A GREAT INDICATION OF THE LEADERSHIP HERE IN NEW BERN THAT HE WAS WILLING TO KIND OF HAVE THEM ON AND ALL BUY INTO THE WHOLE PROGRAM.
LAST OF ALL, I'LL FINISH WITH IT, IS AGAIN, IT'S ONE OF THE CITY'S LARGEST ASSET AND WE JUST, UH, AGAIN, IMPLORE YOU TO KIND OF INVEST IN THAT ASSET.
AND WITH THAT, UH, THESE FOLKS WANT TO TALK TO YOU.
DOES THE BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS? I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY, ANY AND ALL QUESTIONS ON MY BEST.
UM, MR. JOHN, I DON'T WANT TO MISPRONOUNCE YOUR LAST NAME.
YOU HAVE EIGHT CATEGORIES OF HOW THE STREET PAYMENT DISTRESSES WAS CATEGORIZED.
DID YOU PROVIDE AN INDIVIDUAL, UM, BREAKDOWN OF EACH STREET, UH, THE CONDITIONS OF EACH STREET? YES, MA'AM.
BASICALLY, UH, WHAT WE DO IS WE EVEN DO IT FURTHER THAN THAT.
UH, WE LOOK AT EACH, BASICALLY FROM AN INTERSECTION TO AN INTERSECTION.
UH, THAT'S WHAT WE CALL JUST ALMOST ONE BLOCK.
SO YES, WE EVALUATE EACH AND EVERY SEGMENT STREET SEGMENT AND DETERMINE THE CONDITION, UH, AND BASICALLY ASSIGN THAT STREET SEGMENT A PCR VALUE.
SO YES, WE, WE LOOK AT EACH VERY, EACH STREET SEGMENT AND EVALUATE IT INDIVIDUALLY.
SO YOU WILL PROVIDE A LIST TO US.
SO I, MY THING IS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT LIST SO I CAN LOOK AT THAT LIST AND SEE WHAT STREETS WITHIN MY WARD AND HOW IT'S CATEGORIZED.
WHETHER IT NEEDS IMPROVEMENTS OR NOT.
'CAUSE IT WASN'T HERE IN THIS PRESENTATION.
AND, AND, AND AGAIN, I I, I'VE BASICALLY INDICATED THAT THIS WAS KIND OF, UH, AN OVERVIEW AND I GUESS I CAN LET YES, ALDERMAN BEST.
WE DO HAVE THE FULL MANUAL, WHICH IS SEVERAL HUNDRED PAGES BECAUSE AS JOHN INDICATED, IT IS BY BLOCK.
SO WE CAN SEE EXACTLY FROM INTERSECTION TO INTERSECTION, WHERE THE DETERIORATION HAS OCCURRED AND WHAT TYPE OF DETERIORATION.
AND WE HAVE THAT WE HAVE AN ELECTRONICALLY.
UM, THERE'S A COPY IN CITY HALL WITH A FULL MAP ALSO SHOWING EVERY STREET IN THE CITY AND
[00:25:01]
HOW IT IS COLOR CODED PER THE RATING.WILL YOU PROVIDE THAT TO THE COURT? YES, MA'AM.
THAT'S, THAT'S, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A COPY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? JUST HAVE ONE FOR YOU.
UM, APPRECIATE ALL THE, THE FIGURES AND OBVIOUSLY THOSE THINGS WILL CHANGE DEPENDING ON INFLATION AND DEFLATION.
I, IS THERE A RECOMMENDED NUMBER THAT YOU COULD GIVE US? AND I'M NOT PUTTING YOU ON THE SPOT YOU GIVE IT TO US NOW, BUT IF YOU COULD TAKE, TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND SAY, EVERY YEAR YOU NEED TO BE STRIVING TO SPEND THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY BASED ALL THE CURRENT CONDITIONS.
OBVIOUSLY IF WE WERE TO DO SOMETHING INITIALLY TO TRY TO MAKE A BIG, BIG PUSH TOWARD BRINGING THE, THE QUALITIES UP, UH, THAT WOULD BE ONE THING.
BUT AS IT SITS TODAY, WHAT WOULD YOUR FIRM RECOMMEND THAT WE SPEND EVERY YEAR TO SORT OF GET INTO A ROUTINE MAINTENANCE CYCLE? I, I THINK REALLY, UM, UH, THAT WE KIND OF GO BACK TO THAT SLIDE THAT TALKED ABOUT THE 15 YEAR CYCLE OF THOSE STREETS, UH, AND LOOKING AT TRYING TO PAVE ABOUT 12 MILES A YEAR.
UH, AND THAT TRANSLATES INTO ROUGHLY ABOUT FIVE AND A HALF MILLION.
UH, SO IN AND, AND ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION, I MEAN THAT'S, YEAH, THAT'S REALLY KIND OF THAT STARTING POINT.
UH, BECAUSE YEAH, BECAUSE ONCE, UM, AGAIN, I CAN TALK ABOUT GREENSBORO, I'M FROM GREENSBORO.
UH, WHEN WE BASICALLY CALCULATED THE PAVING CYCLE IN GREENSBORO WITH NOT SPENDING THE MONEY, WE WERE ON A HUNDRED YEAR PAVING CYCLE.
UM, I DON'T WANT YOU TO GET THERE 'CAUSE YOUR STREETS
SO, BUT THAT'S, I MEAN, JUST KIND OF TO GIVE YOU SOMETHING THAT'S PROBABLY, UH, AND I KNOW THAT'S A BIG NUMBER, BUT JUST TO KIND OF, THAT'S PROBABLY SOMETHING TO KIND OF BASICALLY MOVE THE PROGRAM FORWARD.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU SIR.
[11. Conduct a Public Hearing and Consider Adopting an Ordinance to Apply Initial Zoning to 684 W. Thurman Road.]
IS ITEM NUMBER 11.CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDER ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE TO APPLY INITIAL ZONING TO 6 8 4 WEST THURMAN ROAD, MR. EVENING MAYOR AND BOARD OF ALDERMAN, I'M HERE TO PRESENT OUR NEXT CASE, WHICH IS THE INITIAL ZONING OF 6 84 WEST THURMAN ROAD.
THE APPLICANT IS REAL DOCTORS LLC, AND THE PROPERTY IS FURTHER IDENTIFIED AS PARCEL ID SEVEN DASH 1 0 9 0 1 7.
UH, THE PROPOSED ZONING THAT, UH, THIS PROPERTY IS APPLIED FOR IS COMMERCIAL THREE OR C3, AND IT'S APPROXIMATELY 6.1 ACRES.
THE C3 ZONING DISTRICT WAS ESTABLISHED FOR OFFICES, PERSONAL SERVICES, AND GENERAL RETAIL AND CONVENIENCE GOODS.
THIS SUMMARY IS TAKEN DIRECTLY FROM OUR ORDINANCE.
IT GOES A LITTLE FURTHER INTO DETAIL, BUT IN GENERAL, IT'S MEANT FOR COMMERCIAL USES.
THE VICINITY MAP SHOWS ITS LOCATION, UH, IT IS JUST EAST OF ITS INTERSECTION WITH GABLES ROAD, UH, AS WELL AS WEST THURMAN ROAD CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE INITIAL ZONING TONIGHT, UH, THE APPLICANTS REQUESTED THIS TO BE ANNEXED INTO THE CITY'S MUNICIPAL BOUNDARY.
UH, AT THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN'S MEETING ON JANUARY 9TH, THE ANNEXATION WAS APPROVED AND THE MEETING HELD ON FEBRUARY 15TH, THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD RECOMMENDED APPROVAL OF THE PROPOSED INITIAL ZONING.
THAT VOTE WAS SIX TO ONE, AND THE PROPERTY IS ADJACENT TO EXISTING C3 ZONE PROPERTIES.
IT IS ALSO ADJACENT TO, UH, NON-RESIDENTIAL USES.
AND IN THE 2022 LAND USE PLAN UPDATE, IT IS IDENTIFIED AS AN OPPORTUNITY ZONE.
THIS MAP SHOWS THE ADJACENT ZONING, UH, TO THE RIGHT AS WELL AS TO THE BOTTOM OF THAT MAP AND THE YELLOW AND TAN.
THOSE ARE RESIDENTIAL, UH, ZONING DISTRICTS.
TO THE LEFT, YOU'LL SEE RED, THAT IS C3 AND TO THE NORTH WE HAVE VARIOUS, UH, AGRICULTURAL ZONING DISTRICTS, A FIVE AS WELL AS A FIVE F.
THIS MAP COMES DIRECTLY FROM OUR 2022 LAND USE PLAN UPDATE.
UH, IT IS A GENERALIZED, UH, IDENTIFICATION THAT THIS AREA IS A OPPORTUNITY ZONE.
THIS VICINITY MAP GOES A LITTLE BIT FURTHER INTO DETAIL ABOUT WHAT USES SURROUND THE PROPERTY.
TO THE LEFT, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT A PROPERTY THAT WAS ZONED COMMERCIAL DOES SHOW THAT IT HAS A RESIDENTIAL ONE FAMILY UNIT.
THIS INFORMATION WAS TAKEN FROM CRAVEN COUNTY'S TAX RECORDS AND I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF THE BOARD HAS ANY, THE BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS.
CAN JUST FOR EVERYBODY'S EDIFICATION, CAN YOU BRIEFLY EXPLAIN WHAT THE OPPORTUNITY ZONE MEANS? SO THE OPPORTUNITY ZONE, UH, WAS IDENTIFIED AS A POTENTIAL AREA FOR GROWTH.
UH, THE CORE OF THAT OPPORTUNITY ZONE, UH, WOULD INCLUDE THE MOST DEVELOPMENT AND IT WOULD SPRAWL OUT FROM THERE.
UM, THE ACCURACY OF WHAT EXISTS ON THE GROUND TODAY MAY NOT GENERALLY REFLECT GROWTH TRENDS THAT THE LAND
[00:30:01]
USE PLAN MAY HAVE IDENTIFIED.AND HOW WOULD DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DESCRIBE THURMAN ROAD IN TERMS OF ITS CAPACITY? THURMAN ROAD WOULD NOT NECESSARILY BE A MAJOR ARTERIAL, ARTERIAL ROAD.
UH, IT IS ADJACENT TO A MAJOR ARTERIAL.
IT COULD BE LOGICAL GROWTH BASED OFF OF THAT, BUT CURRENT CONDITIONS OF THAT ROAD AS WELL AS GROWTH AROUND IT MAY NOT WARRANT SOMETHING AS DENSE.
IS THAT ALL? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY.
AT THIS POINT, I WILL OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING FOR ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THIS TOPIC.
PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
UH, STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND, UM, COME ON UP, SIR.
I GET TO FOLLOW PAVEMENT STUDY.
ALL RIGHT, MAYOR ALDERMAN, CITY OFFICIALS, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HELP SO FAR IN THIS, UH, PROCESS.
I LIVE AT 6 2 4 WEST THURMAN, WHICH IS ADJACENT TO THIS PROPERTY.
I ALSO, UH, MY WIFE AND I OWN THE BARN ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PROPERTY, WHICH IS A FIVE.
FIRST, AS A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, I WOULD LIKE TO SHOW NOTHING BUT THE MOST RESPECT AND ADMIRATION FOR THE, FOR THE GREEN LAWS.
UH, IT'S A TON OF WORK TO DO WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
AND IN GENERAL, I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO ISSUE WITH A VETERINARY CLINIC, WHICH LEADS ME TO WHY I'M HERE TODAY, WHICH IS THE ZONING OF C3.
AS, AS, UH, BEEN STATED IN THE CITY ORDINANCES ALREADY.
THERE IS NO SUBSET FOR C3 VET CLINIC.
IT'S C3 AND THE ENTIRE TABLE OF USES HAS TO BE CONSIDERED IN THAT REGARD.
VET CLINIC CAN BE REPLACED WITH BAR HOTEL OR AS WE ALL KNOW, IS LUING IN THE WOMBS AT DOLLAR GENERAL.
UH, SO THE CHARACTER OF THURMAN ROAD AS YOU DRIVE DOWN IT IS NOTHING BUT RESIDENTIAL.
I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE'S C3 ZONING ON THE, ON THE, UH, ROAD THERE.
MR. JONES IS, UH, AND PRESENT IS PRESENT HERE TODAY.
AND THE RESIDENTIAL UNIT IS THERE.
NONE OF US THAT ALL PRECEDED OUR, UH, EXISTENCE ON, ON THURMAN ROAD IN TERMS OF THAT WAS ZONED C3 20 YEARS AGO.
NOT SURE WHAT THE VISION WAS FOR THAT AT THE TIME, BUT IT NO LONGER FITS WITH WHAT IS THE NATURE OF THURMAN ROAD AS YOU GO DOWN IT.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO SAY THAT I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO SEES THIS.
IF I'D ASK TO RAISE A HAND, IF ANYBODY HERE WHO'S IN OPPOSITION TO C3 ZONING, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
I KNOW THERE'S OTHERS IN THE BACK THERE.
ADDITIONALLY, AS YOU, UH, GO DOWN INTO PAGES ONE 20 AND 1 21 ON THE PDDF SIDE OF, UH, WHAT WAS THE PACKET FOR TODAY, YOU CAN SEE PICTURES OF THURMAN ROAD, BOTH IN DAYTIME, UH, AND AT NIGHTTIME.
THE NIGHTTIME SHOTS ARE, UM, ARE OF A THREE SECOND TIME LAPSE, SO THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT LIGHTER.
UH, ONE SECOND TIME LAPSE SHOWED ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
SO, UH, AGAIN, IN CONSIDERATION WITH COMMERCIAL ZONING, I SAW IN THE, UH, THE APPLICATION FOR THIS, THAT THERE WAS, THERE WAS CONSIDERATIONS FOR, UH, LIGHTING AND OTHER THINGS, AND WE APPRECIATE THAT, BUT IT DOESN'T APPLY TO THE FULL NATURE OF THE TABLE OF APPLICABLE USES.
ADDITIONALLY, THURMAN ROAD, UH, AS WAS DISCUSSED, UH, THE, THERE'S, UH, THE 2022, AS WAS STATED ON THE APPLICATION, HAD 1200 VEHICLE TRAFFICS PER DAY, UH, PER THE ORDINANCES THAT WOULD PUT IT AT A COLLECTOR, WHICH IS, UH, STATED TO BE 35 FEET WIDE AS A, UH, PER THE CITY ORDINANCES.
THE STATE ROAD OR STATE MAINTENANCE ENDS SIGN IS AT THE PROPERTY LINE.
AND, UH, IT WOULD INDICATE THAT THE CITY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ZONE.
THURMOND ROAD IS CURRENTLY AT ABOUT 20 FEET WIDE, SO ALMOST A FULL LANE AND A HALF SHORT OF WHAT IS OUR IN EXISTENCE.
AND ALSO, UH, I, AS I SAID BEFORE, THE UH, THE PLANS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT FORTH HAVE LOOKED TO BE A, A NICE BUILDING AND SOMETHING THAT WOULD NOT BE A DETRACTOR FROM THE COMMUNITY.
HOWEVER, IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN AND AS PLANS CHANGE, THIS PROPERTY HAS CHANGED OWNERSHIP FOUR TIMES IN THE LAST EIGHT YEARS, EACH WITH A DIFFERENT PLAN.
SO, UH, IN, IN TERMS OF FUTURE PROOFING WITH DEFERENCE TO, UH, PROPERTY VALUE IN THAT, THE NATURE OF C3 EXPOSES RISKS OF, UH, UH, SURROUNDING PROPERTY OWNERS IN TERMS OF AN ALTERNATE USE BEING PUT FORTH, I THINK THERE'S A WAY FORWARD.
A FIVE IS A, UH, AUTHORIZED USE FOR A VET CLINIC.
IT ALSO PROTECTS THE NEIGHBORING COMMUNITY AND THE, AND THE EXISTING ECOSYSTEM THERE FROM FURTHER COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT THAT WOULD BE NOT IN LINE WITH THE COMMUNITY AND THE, UH, THE CURRENT USES OF THURMOND ROAD.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
UH, GOOD EVENING, ALDERMAN MAYOR.
UH, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE TONIGHT AND GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
UH, MY NAME IS MICHELLE CHRISTENSEN, MY HUSBAND DR.
GREENLAW, AND I OWN THE PROPERTY AT 6 84 WEST THURMAN ROAD.
[00:35:01]
WE AS PRESENTED, HAVE REQUESTED C3 ZONING TO BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH ADJACENT ZONING DESIGNATIONS, UM, ADJACENT NON-RESIDENTIAL LAND USE, AND ALSO INCONSISTENCY WITH THE CITY'S LAND USE PLAN FOR THIS AREA.UM, I THINK THE STAFF PRETTY WELL DEMONSTRATED HOW AN ADDITIONAL C3 PARCEL FITS INTO THIS CORRIDOR AND INTO THE CITY'S OVERALL LAND USE PLAN.
SO I DON'T WANT TO BELABOR ANY REPETITION OF ADDITIONAL, UH, POINTS THAT WERE ALREADY PROVIDED IN THEIR RECOMMENDATION.
UH, HOWEVER, IN RESPONSE TO MR. NELSON, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO ALSO ADDRESS WHAT IS NOT REALLY SHOWN ON, UH, THAT MAP, UH, FOR HOW TIGHTLY IT'S ZOOMED IN.
AND THAT IS THE VAC C3 PARCEL THAT ALSO ALREADY EXISTS ON THIS ROAD FRONTAGE.
UM, IT, UH, WAS HIS OPINION THAT COMMERCIAL ZONING IS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR THIS CORRIDOR.
UH, HOWEVER IT DOES ALREADY EXIST.
THIS WOULD NOT BE THE FIRST OR THE ONLY COMMERCIALLY ZONED PROPERTY ON THIS SECTION OF THURMAN ROAD.
UM, BACK WHEN GABLE'S RUN NEIGHBORHOOD WAS, EXCUSE ME, FIRST BEING DEVELOPED AROUND 2003, UH, FROM WHAT I CAN FIND IN THE MINUTES FROM BACK THEN, THE ORIGINAL DEVELOPERS HAD THE FORESIGHT TO ZONE TWO, UH, COMMERCIAL OUT PARCELS AT THE ENTRANCE TO THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, AS WE'VE SEEN AND HAS BEEN DISCUSSED HERE TONIGHT, UM, A PRIVATE RESIDENCE WAS LATER BUILT ON ONE OF THOSE PARCELS.
AS WE ALSO KNOW, THAT CAN CHANGE AT ANY POINT BY RIGHT.
UM, AT THE OTHER OF THESE TWO COMMERCIAL PARCELS IS STILL A VACANCY THREE LOT, UH, NEARLY EIGHT ACRES FREELY AVAILABLE FOR COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT ALREADY ON THIS ROAD TODAY.
SO FOR MORE THAN TWO DECADES, COMMERCIAL PARCELS HAVE ALREADY EXISTED ON THIS ROAD WITHOUT APPARENT DETRIMENT TO THE VALUE OF THE HOMES THAT WERE, UH, SUBSEQUENTLY, UM, BUILT HERE AND IN MANY CASES HAVE SINCE BEEN RESOLD.
UM, WE WOULD NOT EXPECT THAT TO SUDDENLY CHANGE BY ADDING COMMERCIAL ZONING TO A PARCEL THAT, UH, HAS CURRENTLY HAD ABSOLUTELY NO ZONING PROTECTIONS TIED TO IT AT ALL TO DATE.
UM, SO THIS REQUEST IS NOT OUT OF CHARACTER FOR THE LOCATION OR MATERIALLY DIFFERENT FROM WHAT IS ALREADY PRESENT AND POSSIBLE ON THIS ROAD TODAY.
UM, THERE ARE ALSO 50 ACRES OF, UM, MUCH HIGHER DENSITY R EIGHT PROPERTY REMAINING ON THIS ROAD.
SO WHILE MUCH OF THE CORRIDOR IS VACANT LAND TODAY, IT IS WELL PRIMED TO BE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE ECONOMIC AND DEVELOPMENT GOALS THAT ARE OUTLINED FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY ZONE IN THE LAND USE PLAN AS THE AREA CONTINUES TO GROW.
O THE AGRICULTURAL PROPERTIES MENTIONED, UM, THAT MR. NELSON, UH, LEANS ON TO JUSTIFY THIS AS A BETTER FIT FOR OUR PARCEL.
UM, DO NOT HAVE FRONTAGE ON THURMAN ROAD.
THEIR PRIMARY DRIVEWAY ACCESS IS VIA GABLES ROAD, UM, WHICH IS A NEIGHBORHOOD ROAD INSIDE THE GABLES RUN SUBDIVISION, UH, THURMAN ROAD ITSELF WHERE OUR PARCEL HAS ACCESS IS NOT A RESIDENTIAL STREET, IT IS NOW A MAIN THOROUGHFARE, UH, CONNECTING A NUMBER OF SUBURBAN HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS TO THE HIGHWAY.
AND THE EXISTING COMMERCIAL CENTER IN HARRIS TEETER, HE REFERENCED TO THE, THE TRAFFIC COUNTS THAT N-C-D-O-T HAS FOR THESE, THE 12 OR 2100 CARS PER DAY.
UM, I INCLUDED THE DATA IN YOUR PACKETS, SO I WASN'T JUST SPEWING NUMBERS AT YOU HERE TONIGHT, BUT OUR PROJECT IS EXPECTED TO ONLY ADD, UM, AN ADDITIONAL 10 TO 15 CARS PER HOUR AT PEAK CAPACITY, UM, TO THIS, UH, EXISTING TRAFFIC ON THIS ROAD.
UM, WHILE WE FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT NEW BERN DOES NOT HAVE CONDITIONAL ZONING, UM, I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, UH, TO ADDRESS AND ABLE, UH, IN ORDER FOR US TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS THAT SOME OF THE NEARBY RESIDENTS, UM, HAVE RAISED.
UH, SO AS, AS HE MENTIONED, WE ARE PLANNING TO BUILD A VET CLINIC, UM, ON THIS SITE.
THERE IS A DIRE SHORTAGE OF VETERINARY MEDICAL SERVICES IN OUR AREA.
UM, AGAIN, IN THE INTERESTS OF RESPECTING TIME HERE TONIGHT, I SENT THE DATA REGARDING THE SHORTAGE IN YOUR PACKETS AHEAD OF TIME.
BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT TO APPROPRIATELY SERVE THE LOCAL PET POPULATION, WE ARE SHORT AS LITTLE AS THREE AND UP TO AS MANY AS NINE VETERINARIANS IN OUR AREA.
THIS IS WHY IT TAKES IN EXCESS OF TWO TO FOUR WEEKS TO GET AN APPOINTMENT FOR ROUTINE CARE.
IF YOU CAN EVEN GET IN AT ALL.
MANY AREA HOSPITALS ARE NOT EVEN ACCEPTING NEW CLIENTS.
UM, CITIZENS ARE PAYING EMERGENCY FEES JUST TO BE ABLE TO GET IN FOR MINOR URGENT CARE OR SICK PATIENT VISITS.
UM, OR THEY'RE JUST TURNING STRAIGHT TO THE EMERGENCY HOSPITALS, WHICH THEMSELVES ARE OVERCROWDED WITH A LOT OF NON-EMERGENCY CONDITIONS.
UM, EMERGENCY HOSPITALS ALL ALONG THE
[00:40:01]
COAST ARE ROUTINELY EXPERIENCING WAIT TIMES IN EXCESS OF FOUR HOURS OR SIMPLY CLOSING INTAKE ALTOGETHER, UM, WHILE ALSO NOT REQUIRED.UH, FOR DISCUSSION OF OUR ZONING TONIGHT, UH, WE DID GO AHEAD AND SUBMIT ARCHITECTURAL RENDERINGS FOR THE PROJECT IN YOUR PACKETS AS WELL.
UM, BUT WE ALSO HAVE OUR GENERAL CONTRACTOR HERE TONIGHT, UH, JUST IN CASE THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS THAT HE MIGHT BE BETTER EQUIPPED TO ANSWER, UM, IN THAT REGARD.
BUT AS WE'VE SHOWN, UM, WE'VE DESIGNED A STRUCTURE THAT RELIES HEAVILY ON RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS, FIBER, CEMENT SIDING, STONE VENEER, WE HAVE PERGOLAS.
UM, WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT A STEEL WAREHOUSE THAT WOULD SEEM OUT OF PLACE WITH THE EXISTING ARCHITECTURE IN THIS LOCATION.
UM, WE WILL ALSO ONLY BE USING 17% OF THE SITE, LEAVING MORE THAN FIVE ACRES REMAINING FOR BUFFERS IN NATURAL SPACE.
THIS ACREAGE WILL BE LOCATED AT THE BACK OF THE PROPERTY TO THE NORTH, UM, ADJACENT TO BOTH OF THE EXISTING AGRICULTURAL ZONING DESIGNATIONS.
UM, SO KEEPING THAT SECTION OF PROPERTY RURAL, UM, AS WE UNDERSTAND IS THE NEIGHBOR'S DESIRE.
UM, THIS WILL ALSO BE A ENTIRELY MEDICALLY CENTRIC PRACTICE.
THERE WILL BE NO, UM, OUTDOOR KENNELS OR RUNS NO BOARDING AT ALL BY, UM, EXCUSE ME, BY APPLYING COMMERCIAL ZONING TONIGHT.
UM, YOU ALSO, WE WILL BE REQUIRED TO GO THROUGH SITE PLAN REVIEW AND THAT WILL FORCE US TO, UH, REMAIN IN COMPLIANCE WITH CITY ORDINANCES SUCH AS THE PLANTING ORDINANCES THAT, UH, REQUIRE VEGETATED BUFFERS AND SCREENING ALONG PROPERTY LINES.
AND THOSE ARE SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO ALLOW LESS INTENSIVE FORMS OF COMMERCIAL, UH, BUSINESS SUCH AS OURS, UH, TO ADJOIN RESIDENTIAL LAND USES.
UM, LAST TIME IN YOUR PACKETS, I INCLUDED SPECIFIC REFERENCE TO EACH OF THE NUMBERED POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, FROM THE LAND USE PLAN THAT COMMERCIAL ZONING THIS PROPERTY WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO, UM, JUST SO WE DIDN'T HAVE TO SIT HERE AND RUN THROUGH ALL OF THEM TONIGHT.
BUT JUST TO SUMMARIZE, UH, COMMERCIAL ZONING FOR THIS PROPERTY WOULD ENHANCE AND SUPPORT THE NEEDS OF THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY, WHILE ALSO REMAIN IN KEEPING WITH THE EXISTING CHARACTER OF THE AREA AND POSITION IT FOR GROWTH.
IT WOULD LINK NEARBY RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES WITH CLOSER ACCESS TO SERVICES AND JOBS.
IT WOULD ALLOW FOR BALANCED GROWTH WITH SUBSTANTIAL PRESERVATION OF OPEN SPACE, AND IT WOULD CREATE JOBS AND ENCOURAGE SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC GROWTH THAT IS DESPERATELY NEEDED TO SERVE THE EXPANDING LOCAL POPULATION.
THEREFORE, WE RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT THE BOARD APPROVE OUR REQUEST FOR C3 ZONING TONIGHT AS PROPOSED AND AS RECOMMENDED BY PLANNING AND ZONING.
UM, AND WITH THAT, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT, UH, THE BOARD MAY HAVE EITHER FOR MYSELF OR FOR OUR CONTRACTOR.
UM, WHAT WE WOULD TYPICALLY DO IS, IS LET EVERYONE SPEAK THAT WANTS TO SPEAK, OKAY? AND THEN THE BOARD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY IF WE WANNA CALL YOU BACK UP AND ASK SOME QUESTIONS.
GOOD EVENING BOARD, UM, JAMIA HARRIS, TUTU, MONTEREY CIRCLE.
I TECHNICALLY DON'T HAVE A DOG IN THE FIGHT, BUT I WILL SAY, UM, THAT I DO UNDERSTAND AND KIND OF SUPPORT THAT YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO KEEP THE COMMUNITY A CERTAIN WAY, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU MOVE AND MOVE INTO THESE LOCATIONS.
UM, IN THE ZONING, I KNOW ON THE PREVIOUS BOARD ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, ALDERMAN BENGAL WAS ABOUT IS MAYBE REEVALUATING THE ZONINGS THAT WE DO HAVE SO THAT THEY KIND OF CAN BE CONSISTENT.
UM, BECAUSE I, I THINK THE MAIN ISSUE IS NOT SUPPORT OF IT HAPPEN, OF, OF IT BEING THERE.
I THINK IT'S MORE OF IF IT DOESN'T COME TO FRUITION, THAT BEING A C3 CAN BE SOLD AND THEN ANYONE CAN COME IN AND DO WHAT THEY WANT AND THEN IT KIND OF MESSES UP WHAT THE COMMUNITY HAS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT THERE.
I'D FIRST LIKE TO STATE, UM, MY NAME IS RAYMOND KORSKI.
I UNDERSTAND THERE HAVE BEEN SOME OTHER RESIDENTS CLAIMING THAT ENTIRE GABLES RUN IS AGAINST THIS.
WE ARE NOT, I'M A RESIDENT, BEEN THERE FOR 10 YEARS.
SEVERAL OF MY NEIGHBORS ARE IN FAVOR OF THIS.
WHEN I BOUGHT MY LOT, I KNEW EXACTLY WHAT WAS AROUND ME.
I, AND I'M SURE YOU CAN TELL I'M NOT AN ORIGINAL RESIDENT OF NEW, I RESEARCHED, I WAS ABLE TO KNOW WHAT COULD BE BUILT NEXT TO ME, WHAT COULD BE BUILT BEHIND ME, AND WHAT COULD BE BUILT ALONG THE MAIN ROADS COMING IN.
I UNDERSTAND THE NELSON'S CONCERN, HOWEVER, THE LOT NEXT TO THEM IS, UH, THE HOUSE ON THE CORNER RATHER, UH, NEXT TO NOT 6 84 IS ON COMMERCIAL.
THE ONE ACROSS FROM GABLES ROAD NEXT TO THAT IS COMMERCIAL.
GOING DOWN NEXT TO THE FIREHOUSE IS COMMERCIAL ALL ALONG.
WHY WOULD WE WANT TO CHASE BUSINESSES OUT OF OUR
[00:45:01]
COMMUNITY THAT CAN DO US BENEFIT? WE NEED BUSINESSES AND PEOPLE LIKE THIS WHO IS A VALUED MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY THAT LIVES HERE.HE'S NOT SOMEBODY COMING IN FROM ANOTHER COMMUNITY.
HE WANTS TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY BETTER.
WHEREAS I CAN TELL YOU FROM EXPERIENCE OVER MY LIFE, TRYING TO GET A VET APPOINTMENT CAN TAKE UPWARDS THREE TO FOUR MONTHS.
AND IF WE GO AND NOT APPROVE A COMMERCIAL ZONING FOR THIS BUSINESS, WHAT'S TO SAY? YOU'RE GONNA DO THAT FOR ANOTHER ONE.
IF I OWNED A, A BIG SHOPPING MALL AND I WANTED TO COME IN AND YOU'RE GONNA SAY, WELL, I'M GONNA TAKE MY ZONING AWAY.
WHY WOULD I WANNA INVEST IN THE COMMUNITY? YOU'RE GONNA HURT ALL OF US RESIDENTS HERE.
ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT SAY THAT HE CAN CHANGE HIS MIND AND BUILD SOMETHING ELSE.
GREENLAW, WHO I'VE COME TO KNOW OVER THE YEARS, IS A MAN OF CHARACTER.
HE DOES WHAT HE SAYS HE'S GOING TO DO, AND HE'S A GOOD PERSON.
HE'S HERE TO BETTER OUR COMMUNITY.
HE'S NOT HERE TO HURT US IN ANY WAY.
HE WANTS TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY GROW AND HELP EVERYONE.
SO AS TO THESE NAYSAYERS THAT SAY, WELL, IT COULD TURN INTO A BAR.
WELL, SO COULD THE ONE ON THE, THE THE RESIDENT, UM, THE ONE ON OLD AIRPORT ROAD, THAT'S THE CHILD DEVELOPMENT SPEECH PLACE, IT'S IT'S OWN COMMERCIAL.
WHY COULDN'T THAT BE TURNED INTO A BY BAR? WHY COULDN'T THE GENTLEMAN'S HOUSE ON THE CORNER BE TURNED INTO A BAR IT'S OWN COMMERCIAL? SO I DON'T FIND THAT A VALID ARGUMENT IF SOMEBODY DIDN'T DO THEIR RESEARCH AND NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT COULD HAPPEN HERE.
I, I FEEL BAD FOR THEM, BUT, UH, IF IT WAS ME, I'D BE LIKE, OH, WELL THAT WAS MY FAULT.
SO I DON'T SEE A REASON WE CAN'T EXTEND THIS COMMERCIAL ZONING.
AND THEN I UNDERSTAND THERE WAS TALK OF ANOTHER TYPE OF A ZONING, WHICH WOULDN'T BENEFIT HIM IN THE BUSINESS DUE TO THE FACT THAT HE COULD LOSE CERTAIN, UM, THINGS TO DO WITH THE VET BUSINESS.
YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT AS SIMPLE AS, WELL, I COULD JUST BUILD THIS BUILDING, BUT IF I DON'T HAVE THE CORRECT ZONING, MAYBE HE DOESN'T HAVE THE SAME INVESTORS THAT WANT TO INVEST IN THE PROPERTY.
AND WE NEED THIS DESPERATELY IN OUR COMMUNITY.
NOW, I DID SEND EVERYONE A LETTER AND I THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO READ THAT, UM, WHERE I DID SPELL OUT SOME MORE SPECIFIC THINGS.
UH, I JUST APPRECIATE YOU LETTING ME SPEAK TONIGHT AND LISTENING.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND ALDERMAN.
MY NAME IS ROB PAYNE, I LIVE IN WARD THREE.
I DON'T WANT TO, UH, REPEAT MICHELLE'S EXCELLENT POINTS AND, AND SOME OF THE OTHER FOLKS THAT HAVE GOTTEN UP HERE.
IN FAIRNESS, THOUGH, HOW MANY PEOPLE HERE ARE IN SUPPORT OF THIS CLINIC BEING BUILT?
I JUST WANT TO, UH, I I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THE, THE ISSUE OF THE TRAFFIC AND THE TURNING INTO A BAR AND EVERYTHING.
I, I I, IF I DIDN'T KNOW DR. GREEN LOT AS WELL AS I DO, I WOULD HAVE THAT CONCERN TOO, POSSIBLY.
BUT THE FACT IS I'VE KNOWN HIM, WORKED WITH HIM, UH, OUR 16-YEAR-OLD DOG
AND HE HAS SHOWN NOTHING BUT CHARACTER AND ETHICS, UH, WHERE A LOT OF VETS WILL PUSH TESTS YOU DON'T NEED AND PROCEDURES THAT HURT THE DOG AND SO ON AND SO ON.
HE TRULY CARES AND DOESN'T GO, UH, TO THAT POINT.
AND I'VE KNOWN SOME FOLKS WHO HAVE LOST THEIR DOGS AND IN THAT MOST CRITICAL MOMENT WHEN LIFE DECISIONS HAVE TO BE MADE, HE'LL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES.
SO I'D ALSO JUST, AGAIN, I DON'T WANNA REPEAT WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN SAID.
THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY GOOD POINTS HERE.
AGAIN, I I JUST DON'T SEE HIM.
UH, THIS IS HIS LIFE'S WORK AND, AND THEY HAVE GIVEN SO MUCH TO PLAN FOR THIS FACILITY, AND I, I, I WOULD BE SHOCKED BEYOND COMPREHENSION, UH, IF THE, LIKE THE SUN DOESN'T COME UP TOMORROW, IF, IF HE DID THIS.
AND FINALLY, AS FAR AS THE NEED FOR VETERINARIANS, UM, I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW I'M IN, IN, UH, MOREHEAD CITY, THAT THAT'S WHERE I GO TO GET THE VET.
AND I, I, I'M NOT CRAZY ABOUT SENDING MY TAX DOLLARS.
I, I LOVE MOREHEAD CITY, IT'S A WONDERFUL PLACE, BUT I'D RATHER HAVE MY TAX DOLLARS HERE.
I'D RATHER HAVE SOMEONE WHO'S IN THE COMMUNITY, NOT ONE OF THESE CHAIN PLACES THAT OWNS, YOU KNOW, VETS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
GLEAM LAW IN THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION, I THINK WE'RE GONNA GET A GREAT CHOICE.
YOU KNOW, UM, OUR CONGRESSMAN RECENTLY HAS BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT THE LACK OF MEDICAL CARE IN RURAL AREAS, ESPECIALLY IN EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA, WHICH HE KNOWS BETTER THAN MOST BECAUSE HE WAS A SURGEON OR IS A SURGEON.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IF WE DON'T START OPENING UP
[00:50:01]
OUR DOORS TO FOLKS LIKE DR.GREENLAW AND THE TYPE OF PRACTICE THAT HE WANTS TO RUN, UH, I THINK IT'S GONNA BE IN ANOTHER FEW YEARS WE'RE GONNA BE BEGGING VETS TO COME HERE.
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, LIKE MICHELLE SAID, IT CAN TAKE WEEKS TO GET AN APPOINTMENT IF YOU CAN EVEN DO THAT.
AND, AND, AND THAT AND THAT AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THE MORE WE EXPAND THIS COMMUNITY AND THAT'S WONDERFUL.
WE NEED THINGS TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY AND THAT INCLUDES OUR, OUR, OUR, OUR OUR VALUED ANIMALS.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND YOUR TIME.
HEY THERE, MY NAME IS LYNDON DUFFY AND I JUST WANTED TO ADD, I HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN ABLE TO WORK WITH DR.
GREENLAW MYSELF PROFESSIONALLY AND I KNOW HIM PERSONALLY AS WELL.
GREENLAW WORKS DAY IN AND DAY OUT FOR HIS PATIENTS AND HIS CLIENTS.
UM, I MYSELF DO WORK IN VET CARE AND IT IS VERY, VERY TIRING, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE THE AMOUNT OF PROFESSIONALS THAT YOU DO NEED HERE IN NEW BERN AND OH, OVERALL IN NORTH CAROLINA, UM, DR.
GREENLAW DOES BRING A LOT TO THE TABLE FOR ALL OF HIS PATIENTS AND HIS CLIENTS.
FOR AN EXAMPLE, HE HAS WORKED AMAZING WITH MY PARENTS' ANIMALS AND MY, MY ANIMALS AS WELL.
UM, HE ACTUALLY DOES WORK WITH RESCUE AS WELL, WHICH IS VERY, VERY HELPFUL IN NEW BERN.
UM, AND JUST HE MAKES SURE THAT ALL OF THE PATIENTS ARE NEEDED WITH THE CARE THAT THEY DO NEED.
AND, UM, I DO THINK THIS WILL BE A HUGE BENEFIT HERE FOR NEW BERN OVERALL JUST BECAUSE AS MENTIONED, THERE HAS BEEN TIMES WHERE PEOPLE ARE UNABLE TO GET CARE FOR THEIR ANIMALS AND DO HAVE TO PAY FOR EMERGENCY FEES AND TRY TO GO OUT OF NEW BERN.
SO THERE'S A LOSS OF BUSINESS THERE TO GET VET CARE AND HE DOES BRING THAT HERE WITH THE AMOUNT OF EXTRAORDINARY WORK THAT HE DOES PROVIDE.
WHAT MAYOR ALMOND NAME IS BRIAN SCOTT.
I LIVE AT 3,700 CLEARVIEW DRIVE.
I'M RIGHT OFF OF THURMAN ROAD.
UM, I WANNA SAY THIS AND THE PEOPLE HERE, THERE'S NO NAYSAYERS IN THIS.
THERE'S JUST PEOPLE HAVING DIFFERENT OPINIONS.
I'M NOT FOR IT OR AGAINST IT, BUT I CAN TELL YOU, I CAN REMEMBER THURMOND ROAD WHERE YOU COULD WALK DOWN THERE, YOU HAD THE LIGHT SHOW, EVERYTHING WAS GOOD ON THURMOND ROAD.
UH, BUT I CAN REMEMBER WHERE WHEN PEOPLE MOVED THERE, THEY MOVED FROM OUT OF THE CITY SO THEY COULD HAVE A LITTLE BIT ROOM.
AND I THINK WHERE WE ARE GETTING THERE IS WE THINK THERE'S GONNA BE CONGESTION COMING IN TO OUR AREAS OUT THERE.
UH, LIKE I SAID, I'VE BEEN IN MY HOUSE CLOSE TO PROBABLY ABOUT 30 YEARS NOW, UH, NOW, AND I USED TO LIVE RIGHT ON THURMAN ROAD AND THE TRAFFIC NOW IS JUST TOO MUCH FOR THAT LITTLE ROAD THURMAN ROAD.
YOU SAY, OH, IT'S ONLY 15 OR MORE CARS, BUT THAT ROAD JUST CAN'T HOLD A LOT OF TRAFFIC UNLESS WE CAN DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
YOU DEFINITELY CAN'T WALK ON THAT ROAD.
YOU CAN WALK ON THE GRASS, BUT YOU NEED TO BE CAREFUL.
SO I DON'T THINK IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, THE CENTER COMING IN, I'M NOT FOR AGAINST IT.
UH, COULD BE BE A GOOD THING, COULD BE A BAD THING.
I THINK PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT HOW MUCH TRAFFIC THAT'S GONNA BE COMING INTO THAT AREA.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR ODOM AND ALDERMAN.
I'M HERE WITH MY WIFE CHRISTIAN TO SUPPORT DR.
GREENLAW BECAUSE HE'S OUR VET.
WE'VE HAD MANY VETS IN 49 YEARS OF MARRIAGE AND DOGS AND HE IS TOP NOTCH, BUT I UNDERSTAND YOU MAY WANT TO CONSIDER OTHER THINGS BESIDES HIS PROFESSIONAL CAPABILITIES.
FIRST OF ALL, WHEN HE BOUGHT THIS PROPERTY, IT WAS IN THE COUNTY.
IT HAD NO ZONING, IT HAD NO RESTRICTIONS WHATSOEVER.
IT ABUTTED C3 PROPERTY ON THE LEFT WHEN HE CAME TO SEEK ZONING.
THIS WAS NOT REZONING, BUT THE INITIAL ZONING.
AND HE ASKED FOR C3, THE PROFESSIONAL STAFF AND THE ZONING, THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD REVIEWED WHAT HE PROPOSED AND AGREED THAT THAT WAS APPROPRIATE.
PARTIALLY BECAUSE HE ALREADY ABUTS C3 PROPERTY ALL THE WAY DOWN THURMAN ROAD.
UH, I'M FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA BECAUSE, UH,
[00:55:01]
I, I CUT THROUGH SOMETIMES THURMAN ROAD.FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NOT DOWN THERE MUCH IS THE MAIN WAY YOU WOULD GO FROM HIGHWAY 70 TO OLD AIRPORT ROAD.
UH, IF YOU'RE IN TO BURNA AND YOU WANT TO GO TO THE GROCERY STORE, THE BEST WAY TO GO IS TO GO DOWN AIRPORT ROAD AND DOWN THURMAN ROAD.
WHETHER THIS IS APPROVED OR NOT.
THE REALITY OF THE SITUATION IS THURMAN ROAD IS GOING TO BECOME MORE AND MORE CONGESTED.
THERE'S PLENTY OF LAND ON OLD OLD AIRPORT ROAD YET TO BE DEVELOPED, BUT ANYBODY WHO LIVES OUT THERE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF OLD AIRPORT ROAD WILL NEED TO USE THURMAN ROAD TO GET TO THE HIGHWAY RATHER THAN DRIVE ALL THE WAY THROUGH, UH, CAROLINA COLORS.
IN SHORT, UH, IT MAKES GOOD SENSE TO GO AHEAD AND APPROVE WHAT HE'S REQUESTED AND WHAT THE STAFF HAS RECOMMENDED AND THE BOARD HAS RECOMMENDED, HE'S PROPOSED AN EXCELLENT BUILDING THAT WILL FIT WELL WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND WILL BE A, A BOON AND NOT A BURDEN TO THE AREA.
SO I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT YOU APPROVE HIS REQUEST.
HEY, GOOD EVENING MAYOR BOARD.
UM, MY NAME IS, UH, ERIC QUEEN.
I LIVE AT 3,200 CATERINA LANE, WHICH IS IN THE LONGLEAF PINES SUBDIVISION.
SO I LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT IS DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM, UH, GABLE'S RUN AND PRETTY MUCH DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM WHERE THIS IS BEING PROPOSED.
UM, I CERTAINLY WOULD NEVER GET UP AND TALK TO YOU GUYS AND SUPPORT SOMETHING THAT I THOUGHT WOULD ADVERSELY IMPACT MY NEIGHBORHOOD THAT I ABSOLUTELY ADORE.
UM, WHICH IS, I SAY THAT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I ABSOLUTELY 110% SUPPORT PLANNING AND ZONING'S DECISION ON THIS.
I TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY THIS MORNING TO LOOK AT THE PACKETS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU THAT TALKED TO THAT HAD A GREAT PRESENTATION BOTH FOR AND AGAINST IT.
AND I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND EVERYBODY'S CONCERN THAT SAID THAT AGAINST IT, BUT I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT, AND IT'S KIND OF BEEN BROUGHT UP A COUPLE OF TIMES THAT UM, THERE IS ALREADY COMMERCIALLY ZONED PROPERTY THERE, UM, THAT ISN'T DEVELOPED YET.
UM, ESPECIALLY IF YOU START TALKING ABOUT OLD AIRPORT ROAD AND THEN EVEN ON, UH, WEST THURMOND, THAT IS CERTAINLY GOING TO COME.
IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN ESPECIALLY AFTER THAT BYPASS IS BUILT AND THAT BECOMES A MORE DESIRABLE AREA FOR DEVELOPMENT, ESPECIALLY ON OLD AIRPORT ROAD.
ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT I THINK SHOULD BE ADDRESSED, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT WHETHER THIS IS A BOARD OF ALDERMAN ISSUE OR WHO ACTUALLY OWNS THAT ROAD, IS THERE DEFINITELY GONNA NEED SOME IMPROVEMENTS ON THAT ROAD WHEN THAT DEVELOPMENT ACTUALLY STARTS TO HAPPEN AND IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
UM, A LOT HAS BEEN SAID TODAY ABOUT, UM, WHAT'S ACTUALLY GONNA BE THERE.
I THINK IT'S A GREAT THING THAT'S GOING TO BE THERE.
UM, BUT I ACTUALLY THINK IT'S IRRELEVANT.
IT'S EITHER C3 OR C3 REGARDLESS OF WHAT THEY DECIDE TO PUT THERE.
I SAY THAT BECAUSE THERE'S ALREADY C3 PROPERTY THERE THAT DOESN'T NEED YOUR APPROVAL TO PUT SOME OF THE VERY THINGS THAT PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT RIGHT NOW.
AND THAT COULD POTENTIALLY HAPPEN ONCE THAT BYPASS IS DONE.
UM, AGAIN, SO I THINK GOING AHEAD AND AGREEING WITH THE PLANNING AND ZONING, UM, IS IT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE CITY, THE CITY'S OVERALL PLAN, I SEE ABSOLUTELY ZERO ADVERSE IMPACT ON MY COMMUNITY, ON MY HOME.
WELL, IN FACT, IF I WAS GONNA BE HONEST, YOU'RE PROBABLY GONNA INCREASE MY HOME VALUE BECAUSE HOME VALUES ARE DETERMINED, VALUE ACCESS TO SERVICES AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT SO THAT THE MORE DEVELOPMENT THAT GET IN THERE, BUT IT'S NOT GONNA ADVERSELY IMPACT, UM, MY NEIGHBORHOOD AT ALL.
I CERTAINLY DON'T SPEAK FOR EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT LIVES IN LONGLEAF PINE, BUT I HAVE SPOKEN TO A COUPLE OF MY ADJACENT NEIGHBORS AND JUST ASKED THEM IF THEY CARED.
AND OVERWHELMINGLY THEY WERE ALL MAJORITY OF THEM WERE LIKE, NOPE, NOT AT ALL.
SO AGAIN, I THINK IT IS CONSISTENT.
UM, I DON'T HAVE ANY, ANY CONCERNS WITH IT HAVING ANY ADVERSE IMPACT WHATSOEVER.
AND I CERTAINLY DON'T WANT THIS BOARD TO SET A PRECEDENCE THAT WHEN PEOPLE TRY TO INVEST IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT, THAT WE'LL USE Z UH, THIS ZONING AS A WAY TO STOP THEM FROM DOING WHAT, WHAT THEY ARE DOING.
JUST KEEP IN MIND THAT I ALSO WOULD LIKE IF, IF POSSIBLE, AT THE END OF THIS PUBLIC HEARING TO KIND OF EXPLAIN TO THE COMMUNITY SOMETHING ELSE.
AND THAT'S, I THINK THERE MIGHT BE A MISCONCEPTION THAT SOMETHING'S GONNA HAPPEN FROM THIS BOARD THAT'S GONNA STOP THIS VET CLINIC FROM BEING BUILT.
IF YOU, THE ONLY THING THAT YOU GUYS CAN DO TODAY IS SAY NO TO THIS REQUEST AND THEN IT REMAINS UN ZONED AND THEY CAN GO TOMORROW AND PULL A PERMIT AND BUILT IT.
THEY NEVER NEEDED TO BE ANNEXED BY THE CITY.
THEY COULD HAVE BUILT THIS VET CLINIC.
THEY HAVE GONE OUT OF THEIR WAY, AND BY DOING
[01:00:01]
THAT, THEY'RE ACTUALLY PUTTING MORE RESTRICTIONS ON THEMSELVES THAT ARE GOING TO HELP PROTECT THE ADJACENT NEIGHBORS AS FAR AS STANDOFF OPPORTUNITIES AND EVERYTHING.BUT IF YOU VOTE NO TODAY, IT'S STILL BEING BUILT.
SO AT LEAST PUT IT UNDER THE ZONING THAT HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD SO THAT THERE'S THOSE STANDOFF AND ALL THE OTHER CITY ORDINANCES THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO COMPLY WITH.
'CAUSE IF IT REMAINS UN ZONE, THEY CAN STILL PULL A PERMIT.
THEY CAN STILL BUILD THE CLINIC, AND THERE'S STILL OTHER C3 PROPERTY IN THERE THAT IS STILL GOING TO BE DEVELOPED THAT WILL NEVER COME IN FRONT OF THIS BOARD BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY C3.
AND AGAIN, I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS', UH, TAKING THE OPPORTUNITY TO LISTEN, NOT JUST TO THOSE OF US THAT ARE IN SUPPORT OF THIS, BUT ALSO THOSE THAT ARE AGAINST IT AND ADDRESSING EVERYBODY'S CONCERN.
UM, MY NAME IS AMY ULIS AND, UM, I THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME COME HERE TODAY.
I'VE COME TO YOU TODAY AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE HUMANE SOCIETY HERE IN NEWBURN.
UM, OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, DR.
GREENLAW HAS BEEN A, UM, HUGE SUPPORTER OF OURS AT THE HUMANE SOCIETY, VOLUNTEERING MANY HOURS AND A LOT OF KNOWLEDGE, UM, TO HELP WITH THE ANIMALS THAT WE TAKE CARE OF.
UM, HE HAS A TRUE PASSION FOR WHAT HE DOES, AND, UM, HE IS ALL, HE NEVER TURNS ME AWAY AND NEVER SAYS, NEVER SAYS NO, AND NEVER IGNORES MY MESSAGE.
UM, AS AN ADOPTION COORDINATOR AT THE HUMANE SOCIETY, I HEAR SO OFTEN FROM ADOPTERS THAT THEY ARE CALLING AROUND TO GET AN APPOINTMENT FOR THEIR NEW PUPPY OR THEIR NEW DOG.
WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT VET RESOURCES HERE IN NEW BERN.
THEY'RE JUST NOT ENOUGH OF THEM.
UM, BY BRINGING IN, SOMETIMES THEY'RE HAVING TO WAIT FOUR TO SIX WEEKS.
I KNOW YOU'VE HEARD THAT BEFORE.
AND GOING OUT OF, UM, GOING TO PRACTICE OUT OF THE CITY, UM, BECAUSE THEY JUST DON'T, CAN'T GET THE CARE THAT THEY NEED.
UM, THE CRAVEN COUNTY IS GROWING SO QUICKLY WITH SO MANY RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES, AND THE STUDIES SHOW THAT 66% OF FAMILIES HAVE PETS, NOT JUST ONE.
AND ALL OF THOSE PETS THAT ALL THOSE FAMILIES THAT YOU'RE BRINGING HERE INTO THE COMMUNITY, WHICH IS GREAT, HAVE PETS AND THEY NEED CARE.
AND SO AS WE GROW, WHICH IS GOOD, WE NEED MORE VETERINARY CARE.
UM, I BELIEVE DR. GREEN LAW'S NEW VETERINARY PRACTICE WILL BE, BE A HUGE ASSET TO THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE, AND ALLOW PEOPLE TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR ANIMALS IN A TIMELY MANNER.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, UM, I'M BASICALLY SAYING THE SAME THING THAT EVERYONE ELSE THAT'S IN FAVOR OF SAYING, UM, I'VE GOT PERSONAL STORIES ABOUT GREENLAW AND HOW HE SAVED CLIENTS' DOGS, LEGS FROM SNAKE BITES, AND HE SAVED MY AUNT, BUT MY AUNT'S DOG.
UM, I'VE BEEN IN A BIND WHERE I'VE HAD TO DRIVE TO KINSTON FOR, UM, VET CARE WHEN I WISH SOMEBODY HERE COULD HAVE SEEN MY DOG, AND MAYBE THINGS WOULD'VE BEEN A LITTLE DIFFERENT FOR HIM.
UM, YOU CANNOT GET IN A VET HERE.
YOU CAN'T GET IN HERE, UH, IN A MONTH.
YOU KNOW, IF, IF YOU'VE GOT A 15-YEAR-OLD SENIOR DOG AND HE NEEDS AN X-RAY DONE, OR HE'S FALLEN AND HURT HIMSELF, YOU'VE GOTTA DRIVE TO KINSTON AND YOU DON'T HAVE A PERSONAL VET, YOU KNOW, FOR A WALK-IN, NOBODY HERE DOES WALK-INS THE VET IN KINSTON STOPPED DOING WALK-INS.
SO IF YOU NEED ROUTINE CARE, YOU'VE GOTTA GO TO ONE OF THOSE CLINICS, YOU KNOW, IN THE PARKING LOT SOMEWHERE.
OR YOU HOPE THAT YOU CAN GET IN THE WALK-IN VET THAT NO LONGER TAKES WALK-INS IN KINSTON.
SO, WITH EVERYONE SAYING, YOU KNOW, THE NEED FOR VETS HERE, UH, ANOTHER VETERAN CLINIC HERE IS, IS WAY BEYOND NEEDED.
IT'S BEEN NEEDED FOR LIKE THE LAST 10.
I I USED TO TAKE MR. PETE TO KINSTON, SO IT'S BEEN NEEDED FOR YEARS.
UM, I JUST, I, I THINK THAT BESIDES PERSONAL REASONS WITH EVERYBODY ELSE SAYING THE PROPERTY AROUND IT, YOU KNOW, C3 ZONING, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY ANYONE WOULD, YOU KNOW, BE AGAINST IT.
ZONING C3, THE PROFESSIONALS HAVE ALREADY LABELED IT OUT FOR YOU.
AND, UM, I JUST WANNA SAY I'M IN SUPPORT OF THE C3 ZONING FOR THAT PARCEL.
ANYONE ELSE? IF THERE'S NO MORE, UM, NO ONE ELSE WANTS TO, UM, COME FORTH AND MAYOR, I CLOSE, UH, MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ANY OPPOSED? PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED, SO IT'S UP TO THE BOARD TO DELIBERATE ON ITEM NUMBER 11.
AND I'M SURE STAFF IS WILLING TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
CAN WE ASK STAFF TO PUT THE MAP BACK UP WITH YOU? UM, SURE.
STAFF, COULD YOU PUT THE, UH, ZONING MAP BACK UP, PLEASE?
[01:05:07]
IS THAT WHAT YOU WANTED?SO I WOULD LIKE TO ASK, UM, THE YOUNG LADY THIS, THAT OWNS A BUSINESS TO SPEAK, IS IT CHRISTINE? CHRISTINA, MICHELLE, I'M SORRY.
CAN I ASK HER TO COME UP FOR A COUPLE QUESTIONS? IS ANYBODY OPPOSED? NOPE.
I APOLOGIZE, FORS MESSING WITH YOUR NAME.
UM, I'VE HEARD, I'VE HEARD ALL KINDS OF STORIES, AND I WANT TO JUST ASK YOU DIRECTLY, I THINK YOU ADDRESSED MOST OF THEM A FEW MINUTES AGO.
THIS IS NOT GONNA BE A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN BOARD YOUR ANIMALS, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
THERE IS, UH, NO BOARDING AT ALL.
UM, THERE'S, YOU CAN KIND OF SEE ON THE, THE ARCHITECTURAL RENDERINGS THAT WE MADE.
THERE'S A, UH, SMALL FENCED IN SPACE OUT BACK, AND THAT IS FOR HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS, UM, WHICH ARE SICK PATIENTS, UH, TO BE LEASH WALKED.
UM, THEY'RE ONLY LEASH WALKED OUTSIDE.
THIS IS NOT A DOG PARK OR, UM, YOU KNOW, A PLAY DATE OR DAY PLAY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
UM, IT IS COMPLETELY, UH, MEDICALLY CENTRIC AND THERE WILL BE NO BOARDING.
AND, UM, ARE YOUR HOURS OF OPERATION GOING TO EXTEND BEYOND 5, 5 36 O'CLOCK OR, I MEAN, ARE THEY GOING UP TOWARDS NINE AND 10 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT? SO, ANSWERING THAT QUESTION TODAY, IN THIS MOMENT, UM, I, UH, THERE
GREENLAW HAS SPENT HIS ENTIRE CAREER OFFERING EMERGENCY SERVICES IN ADDITION TO HIS REGULAR DAY PRACTICE SERVICES.
WE DO NEED INCREASED OR EMERGENCY CARE IN NEW BERN.
THE CLOSEST PLACE TO GO IS HAVELOCK OR SWANSBORO OR JACKSONVILLE.
AND WHEN THEY CLOSE INTAKE, THERE'S NOBODY IN NEW THAT CAN DO, UH, EMERGENCY CARE, UM, AFTER HOURS.
SO IDEALLY, YES, WE WOULD LIKE TO OFFER SOME, UH, AFTER HOURS AND EMERGENCY CARE.
WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE TODAY, I DON'T KNOW.
BUT WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT, UH, DR.
GREENLAND CAN'T WORK AROUND THE CLOCK BY HIMSELF,
UH, SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE KNOW IN THIS MOMENT.
COULD I, COULD I ASK YOU TO STAY AT THE MIC? THANK YOU, MAYOR.
UM, UH, ONE OF THE POTENTIAL OPTIONS FOR THE ZONING BESIDES, UH, C3 WAS THE A FIVE ZONING, WHICH I BELIEVE IS THE GREEN BEHIND THE PROPERTY.
UM, I'VE HEARD, BUT I'D RATHER HEAR IT DIRECTLY FROM YOU.
UM, WITH REGARDS TO FINANCING OF THIS PROJECT, UM, IS THE A FIVE ZONE, I KNOW WHAT, I KNOW, WHAT WOULD ALLOW FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE SAME FACILITY? UM, IS THE A FIVE ZONE A POSSIBILITY? SO ON PAPER, UH, A FIVE DOES ALLOW FOR THE, THE FACILITY THAT WE'RE PROPOSING.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY, OUR LENDER HAS TOLD US THAT THIS IS NOT A FAVORABLE ZONING DESIGNATION IN THEIR EYES.
UM, SO ESSENTIALLY WHAT THE BANK IS LOOKING AT IS THEIR EXPOSURE TO RISK.
AND IF, YOU KNOW, WE WERE TO DEFAULT ON OUR LOAN, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY WOULD BE IN A POSITION WHERE THEY HAD TO SELL THIS PROPERTY AND TRY AND RECOUP THEIR INVESTMENT.
UM, NOT SO THAT SOMEBODY COULD, YOU KNOW, TEAR IT DOWN AND BUILD A STRIP MALL, BUT SO THAT THEY COULD, UH, GET SOMEBODY INTO THAT SPACE AS, UH, QUICKLY AND INEXPENSIVELY AS POSSIBLE.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, VETERINARY AND DENTAL ARE VERY CLOSELY ALIGNED.
UM, ANOTHER INTERIOR, UH, COMMERCIAL BUSINESS THAT REQUIRES A VERY SIMILAR LAYOUT AND FLOOR PLAN.
SO JUST IF FOR EXAMPLE, A DENTIST WANTED TO COME IN AND TAKE OVER THE SPACE, THEY COULD NOT, BECAUSE A DENTIST IS NOT ALLOWED TO OPERATE BY RIGHT OR UNDER SPECIAL USE ON AGRICULTURAL ZONING.
UM, SO THAT REALLY HANDCUFFS THE LENDER INTO WHAT THEY'RE ABLE TO DO WITH THE PROPERTY IN A WORST CASE SCENARIO.
AND, UH, THAT IS, THAT IS WHY THEY'RE, UH, THEY HAVE AN AVERSION TO IT.
SO THEY, THEY HAVEN'T CAME, COME OUT AND, AND ABSOLUTELY SAID NO TO IT.
THEY JUST, IT'S A RISK DECISION, RIGHT? IT'S A, IT'S A RISK.
SO THE, UH, APPRAISERS ARE ALWAYS A THIRD PARTY APPRAISER THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT INVOLVED IN, WE DON'T
[01:10:01]
KNOW HOW THEY THINK OR WHAT THEY DO.SO, UH, WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO FIND THAT OUT UNTIL AFTER THE FACT.
UM, WHETHER OR NOT THAT WOULD BE DETRIMENTAL TO, UH, THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY FOR THEM.
MM-HMM,
UM, IS THERE ANY POSSIBILITY THAT YOU, AS THE APPLICANT MIGHT CONSIDER, UM, GOING BACK TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD, TO SUBDIVIDE THE LOT WHERE THE FRONT PORTION COULD BE SUBDIVIDED OFF AS C3 ZONING, BUT THE REAR PORTION, UM, COULD BE ZONED A FIVE? UH, THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE HAD, YOU KNOW, DISCUSSED WITH THE STAFF OR EVEN REALLY KNOWN ANYTHING ABOUT.
SO I, I CAN'T, UH, I GUESS COMMENT ON THAT WITH MORE INFORMATION, BUT, UM, I, I, I, I'M NOT SURE, CAN STAFF COMMENT ON THAT? STAFF STAFF COMMENT SOME LIGHT ON THAT, PLEASE.
A, A SUBDIVISION IS POSSIBLE IN THE SENSE THAT EITHER BEFORE OR AFTER THE FACT INITIAL ZONING IS APPLIED, UH, YOU COULD DO THAT.
SOME ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR A ZONING IN THIS SENSE WOULD BE THE NEED FOR A PAVED PUBLIC OR PRIVATE ROAD TO BE BUILT TO, UH, PUBLIC WORK STANDARDS AS WELL AS AN ADDITIONAL DRIVEWAY PERMIT TO BE HAD OFF OF WEST THURMAN ROAD.
SO THIS WOULD BE SOMEWHAT OF A COST ISSUE, UH, BOTH FOR THE SUBDIVISION ITSELF, BUT ALSO FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE RUN SUCH AS ELECTRIC AND WATER.
ROBERT, WHILE YOU'RE UP THERE, UM, ONE OF THE PREVIOUS SPEAKERS, UH, HAD MADE A STATEMENT THAT EVEN IF THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN OPTED NOT TO APPROVE THE C3 ZONING, UH, AS REQUESTED THAT THE APPLICANT COULD COME TO THE CITY, UM, AND SEEK PERMITS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION, UM, OF THE PROPERTY OF THE FACILITY, UH, REGARDLESS OF, OF WHAT THE ZONING IS.
UH, IS THAT, WAS THAT AN ACCURATE STATEMENT? YES, SIR.
UH, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE DECISION IS TONIGHT, THEY DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO SUBMIT FOR, UH, SITE PLAN REVIEW AND OR BUILDING PERMITS.
UM, THE, THE OPTION IS TO THE APPLICANT AT THIS POINT.
SO THE PROPERTY COULD REMAIN UN ZONE NON ZONED, UM, WITH PERMITS BEING ISSUED FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE FACILITY.
ONE OF THE RISKS THAT EXIST WHEN, UH, HAVING PROPERTIES UN ZONED, UH, IS THAT THAT ALSO MEANS EVERY USE THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED IN OUR TABLE OF USES CAN BE BUILT THERE BY RIGHT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS WHILE YOU'RE THERE? UH, WOULD YOU EXPLORE OR CONTRAST THE A FIVE AND THE A FIVE F IN CONTRAST TO THE C3, PLEASE? AS, AS FAR AS, UH, THE USES ARE CONCERNED? YES.
UH, THE INTENT BEHIND THE A FIVE AND THE A FIVE F THE F BEING THE DESIGNATOR, I BELIEVE IS, IS THE FORESTRY ASPECT OF IT.
THEY'RE BOTH AGRICULTURAL NATURE.
NOW, I WILL ALSO, UM, SPEAK AS TO THE REST OF THE TABLE OF USES.
UH, THE NAMING CONVENTION OF THESE ZONING DISTRICTS DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT WHAT THE INTENT WAS BEHIND THE NAME.
UH, AS YOU CAN TELL FROM THE PROPERTIES THAT ARE ZONED C3 CURRENTLY, SUCH AS THE ONE TO THE LEFT, UH, IT'S COMMERCIAL THREE, AND THERE IS CLEARLY A RESIDENTIAL USE ON THAT PROPERTY.
OUR TABLE OF USES ALLOWS RESIDENTIAL USES IN COMMERCIAL ZONE PROPERTIES BY RIGHT IN EVERY ZONING DISTRICT.
MOST OF THIS, A FIVE THAT WE'RE SEEING IS BEHIND THE PROPERTY NOW'S HORSE PASTURE.
THE USE THAT WAS IDENTIFIED ON THE TAX RECORD WAS AN EQUESTRIAN USE.
UM, SOME OF THE AERIAL IMAGERY YOU CAN NOTICE, I BELIEVE, A, A RUN, LET'S SEE HERE.
THIS, THIS MAY NOT BE AS, AS VISIBLE AS ON MY COMPUTER, BUT YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE STRUCTURES THAT EXIST THERE AS WELL AS AN OUTDOOR AREA FOR HORSES.
AND THIS IS THE A FIVE ART? THIS WOULD BE THE A FIVE, CORRECT.
WHILE THE BOARD IS, IS CONTEMPLATING,
[01:15:01]
I JUST WANT TO REMIND YOU ALL, UH, PROCEDURALLY AND ATTORNEY STEP IN AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.UM, WE HAVE TO CONSIDER EVERYTHING THAT IS PERMISSIBLE UNDER THE C3 ZONING.
UM, IT'S GREAT THAT THE APPLICANT HAS SHARED WITH US THEIR VISION ON WHAT THEY'RE GONNA DO.
THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED TO DO THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, SO KUDOS TO THEM FOR BEING TRANSPARENT ABOUT IT.
UH, BUT AS THE, WE MAKE THIS DECISION TONIGHT, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONSIDER ALL OF THOSE USES.
I ALSO THINK THAT YOU HAVE TO POINT OUT THE FACT THAT IT IS ADJACENT TO COMMERCIAL REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE CURRENT USE IS.
NOW, UH, SOMEONE CHOSE TO BUILD A RESIDENTIAL HOME THERE, BUT THEY COULD ESSENTIALLY DO WHAT SOME OF THE, UM, OPPONENTS, I WILL SAY OF THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE COULD DO TOMORROW.
THEY COULD TURN THAT INTO A COMMERCIAL STRUCTURE ASSUMING THAT IT MEETS, YOU KNOW, OTHER CODE ISSUES.
UM, SO I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE THAT IN CONSIDERATION.
UM, PROCEDURALLY I REMEMBER, UM, A WHILE BACK, WE HAD ANNEXED IN SEVERAL PROPERTIES THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF NEW BERN OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS THAT DID NOT GET AN INITIAL ZONING.
SO WE WENT THROUGH THIS PROCESS TO INITIALLY ZONE ALL OF THOSE PARCELS.
WAS THAT A STAFF INITIATED TASK? UH, I BELIEVE WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO, MAYOR, IS THE 21 PROPERTIES THAT WERE INITIALLY ZONED.
I BELIEVE THAT WAS STAFF INITIATED.
SO IF THIS PARCEL WERE TO GO UN ZONE AT SOME POINT IN TIME, WE HAVE A POLICY OR PROCEDURE THAT'S GOING TO TRIGGER STAFF TO SAY WE HAVE AN UN ZONE PARCEL WITHIN OUR CITY LIMITS THAT NEEDS TO BE ZONED.
IS THAT A FAIR STATEMENT? UH, COMMON PRACTICE IS FOR ANY MUNICIPALITY WHEN THEY DO ANNEX A PROPERTY, IS TO APPLY INITIAL ZONING.
UH, IT WOULD NOT NECESSARILY BE PROPER TO LEAVE IT UN ZONED.
IT'S A PLEASURE OF THE BOARD ON ITEM NUMBER 11.
ONE OTHER, UH, MAYOR, IF I COULD.
UM, WAS IT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION TO PLANNING AND ZONING, UM, ZONING TO GO WITH THE C3 STAFF WOULD NOT RECOMMEND ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, WHICH ZONING DISTRICT WOULD BE BEST? UH, THAT DECISION IS LEFT UP TO THE APPLICANT.
WE MERELY FACILITATE THIS PROCESS.
UH, THEY CAN OBVIOUSLY TELL US WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO DO AND WE COULD TELL THEM WHAT ZONING DISTRICTS CAN ACCOMPLISH, WHAT THEIR GOAL IS.
UH, WE WOULD ALSO PROVIDE AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT MAY OR MAY NOT MAKE SENSE DUE TO THINGS SUCH AS ADJACENT ZONING OR DEVELOPMENT TRENDS ON THE GROUND.
MAYOR, UM, I JUST WANT TO LET THE BOARD MEMBERS KNOW THAT, AND I'M SURE SOME OF YOU, BECAUSE I SAW THEY WERE COPIED, YOU'VE REC PROBABLY HAVE RECEIVED A LOT OF EMAILS IN FAVOR OF THIS ZONING TO C3.
I HAVE RECEIVED 31 EMAILS IN FAVOR OF C3 ZONING.
MANY OF THOSE CAME FROM THE, UH, GABLE RUNS AREA.
UH, I HAVE C RECEIVED FOUR, UH, IN OPPOSITION AND HAD REQUESTED, UH, THE A THE AGRICULTURE ZONING A FIVE ZONING.
UH, TONIGHT WE HAD APPROXIMATELY 10, UH, 12 PEOPLE SPEAK IN FAVOR.
AND I THINK ONE SPOKE AGAINST, ALTHOUGH THERE WAS ABOUT 12 THAT RAISED THEIR HANDS SAYING THEY WERE HERE AS WELL TO BE IN OPPOSITION.
I'VE HAD SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS WITH THE APPLICANT.
SHE'S VERY CONCERNED THAT IF WE CHANGE THIS TO ANYTHING OTHER THAN A C3 ZONING, SHE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GET FINANCING.
UM, AND I THINK IT'S JUST APPROPRIATE THAT WE, SINCE IT BORDER C3, THAT WE, UM, CHANGE OR CONSIDERED A C3 ZONING.
SO THEREFORE, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE CONSIDER ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE TO APPLY THE INITIAL ZONING OF C3 TO 6 84 WEST THURMAN ROAD.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE ZONING REQUEST.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CAUSE VOTE STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ROYAL.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING.
[01:20:01]
I SUSPECT THAT, UM, A LOT OF YOU WILL BE LEAVING.SO WE'LL JUST GIVE IT, UH, A MINUTE FOR THE CROWD TO DISSIPATE AND WE'LL GET STARTED.
UM, BOARD, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, TAKE A 10 MINUTE BREAK PLEASE.
SECOND, HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO TAKE A 10 MINUTE RECESS.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL ALDERMAN KRILL SAID FIVE MINUTES, BUT OKAY.
LET JUST GET BACK AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.
[12. Conduct a Public Hearing and Consider Adopting an Ordinance Amending Section 15- 343 of Article XXVIII for Flexibility in Administration of Parking.]
TO GET BACK STARTED.AND WE ARE CURRENTLY ON ITEM NUMBER 12, AND THAT IS TO CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDER ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 15 3 43 OF ARTICLE, UH, 28 FOR FLEXIBILITY AND ADMINISTRATION OF PARKING.
I HAVE A VERY BRIEF PRESENTATION FOR YOU TONIGHT, BUT I WILL SUMMARIZE IN A REPORT BASED ON YOUR DIRECTION.
GIVEN AT THE LAST BOARD OF ALDERMAN MEETING, THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD EVALUATED A POTENTIAL MODIFICATION TO SECTION 15 3 4 3.
PREVIOUSLY OR CURRENTLY TODAY.
THIS IS OUR, UH, RETAIL DOWNTOWN RETAIL CENTRAL RETAIL COURT.
UM, THEY WERE ASKED TO CONSIDER EXPANDING SLIGHTLY THE BOUNDARY OF THE CENTRAL RETAIL CORPS, AND THEY ULTIMATELY DID UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU MODIFY THE TEXT OF THE ORDINANCE TO DESCRIBE WHAT IS ON THE MAP IN FRONT OF YOU, WHICH INCORPORATES ONE 19 MIDDLE STREET INTO THAT COURT.
IS, IS THE APPLICANT OR THE PROPERTY, NOT THE PROPERTY OWNER, BUT THE PROSPECTIVE PURCHASER IN THE AUDIENCE? THAT'S UNFORTUNATE.
AND THIS IS JUST TO DO A PUBLIC HEARING.
IF THERE'S ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR STAFF, THEN UH, WE'LL DO WHAT WE DID LAST TIME AND OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING.
AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, AND THIS IS AGAIN TO CONSIDER ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 15 3 43 OF ARTICLE 28 FOR FLEXIBILITY AND ADMINISTRATION OF PARKING.
IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO COME FORWARD AND SPEAK, EITHER FOR OR AGAINST, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE.
MAY I MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.
WE NEED TO MAKE A MOTION ON THE ORDINANCE.
IF THERE'S ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION AMONGST THE BOARD, MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION.
WE CONSIDER ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE AMENDED SECTION 15 DASH 3 43 OF ARTICLE OH 28.
FOR FLEXIBILITY AND ADMINISTRATION OF PARKING.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I HAVE A QUESTION THOUGH.
SINCE WE WERE GIVEN PROPOSALS, DO WE NEED TO SPECIFY WHICH ONE OR JUST THE ONE PRESENTED STAFF GOOD WITH THE MAP THAT'S INCLUDED WITH THE AGENDA WITH THE MOTION? YES.
HEARING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ASTOR.
[13. Conduct a Public Hearing on the Substantial Amendments to the FY2019 and FY2022 Annual Action Plans of the Community Development Block Grant Program.]
CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENTS TO THE FY 2019 AND FY 2022 ANNUAL ACTION PLANS OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM.GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND BOARD OF ALDERMAN.
TONIGHT I WILL BE PRESENTING THE 2019 AND 2022 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT, ANNUAL ACTION PLAN.
[01:25:03]
EXCUSE ME.BEGINNING WITH THE DEFINITION AND PURPOSE.
THE ANNUAL ACTION PLAN IS A SUMMARY OF THE ACTIONS WE INTEND TO TAKE EACH YEAR WITH OUR ANNUAL CDBG.
ALLOCATION OF SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENT IS TRIGGERED BY A CHANGE IN THE PURPOSE, SCOPE, LOCATION, OR BENEFICIARIES OF AN ACTIVITY.
THE REASON FOR TONIGHT'S AMENDMENT, WE CURRENTLY HAVE REMAINING BUS SHELTER FUNDS IN OUR 2019 AND 2022 YEAR HUB PERMITS US TO REALLOCATE THIS FUNDING AND MONEY WAS SAVED ON THE BUS SHELTER PROJECT BY HAVING OUR SHELTERS INSTALLED BY PUBLIC WORKS BIDS WERE RECENTLY RECEIVED FOR PIERCE PARK COMING IN AT APPROXIMATELY $57,000.
WE NEED ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO COMPLETE THAT PROJECT WITH THE BUS SHELTER PROJECT.
UM, INITIALLY WE INTENDED TO INSTALL SIX SHELTERS BACK IN 2019.
WE WERE ONLY ABLE TO INSTALL THREE DUE TO CONSTRUCTION COSTS.
IT DID PROVIDE A LOW TO MODERATE AREA BENEFIT.
WE INSTALLED THE SHELTERS IN ALL LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES.
WE ARE PROPOSING TONIGHT TO GO INTO THE IDIS SYSTEM, WHICH IS THE SYSTEM WHERE WE ENTER OUR PLANS FOR HUD TO REVIEW AND REDUCE THE 2019 PROJECT OF APPROXIMATELY, I'M SORRY, 2019 BUS SHELTER PROJECT BY APPROXIMATELY $42,000 AND MOVE IT TO THE SUNNYSIDE AREA HALF BASKETBALL COURT PROJECT.
WE PROPOSED DURING THE SAME, UNDER THE 2022 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN, UM, WE WOULD MOVE FUNDS OF ABOUT 4,000, $4,000 TO BE REALLOCATED FOR THE SUNNYSIDE AREA HALF BASKETBALL COURT INSTALLATION.
LOOKING BACK AT OUR BUS SHELTER ACCOMPLISHMENT DATA, WE SUCCESSFULLY INSTALLED THREE SHELTERS.
THERE'S A PICTURE THERE OF ONE AT FIVE 20 ROUNDTREE STREET.
WE ALSO INSTALLED OVER AT THE VOLT CENTER AND THE NEW VERN UTILITIES OFFICE.
I RIDE THROUGH THE AREA ALL THE TIME.
I ALWAYS SEE PEOPLE AT THE SHELTER.
SO THANK YOU ALL BECAUSE IT WAS A SUCCESSFUL PROJECT WITH PIERCE PARK THAT'S LOCATED IN THE SUNNYSIDE COMMUNITY, WHICH IS CONSIDERED A LOW INCOME COMMUNITY, BUT WE ONLY ALLOCATED ABOUT $36,000 FOR THAT PROJECT IN 2023.
WITH THE BID COMING IN AT ABOUT 57,000, WE NEED THE ADDITIONAL MONEY AND THAT BID ONLY COVERED CONCRETE AND FENCING.
SO THERE'S COURT STRIPING GOALS THAT NEED TO BE PURCHASED FOR THE COURT.
SO WE NEED THE ADDITIONAL FUNDS.
IN SUMMARY, WE'RE NOT CHANGING ANY OTHER PARTS OF THE PLAN.
WE'RE JUST SIMPLY MOVING OLD MONEY IN COMBINATION WITH THE NEW FUNDING THAT WE HAVE.
UM, I'LL PAUSE FOR A MINUTE FOR YOU TO SEE THE BUDGET.
THE NEW BUDGET AGAIN, ABOUT $42,000 FROM 2019, ABOUT 4,000 FROM 2022 AND THE 2023 ALLOCATION THAT WOULD GIVE US WHAT WE NEED TO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THE PROJECT.
NEXT STEPS, UM, THE 30 DAY DISPLAY PERIOD ENDS ON APRIL THE EIGHTH.
A RESOLUTION WILL COME BEFORE YOU ALL ON APRIL THE NINTH TO APPROVE THE AMENDMENTS AND WE PRESENT AND APPROVE THEM IN SEPARATE MEETINGS TO SATISFY THE 30 DAY DISPLAY PERIOD.
AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN THE FLOOR FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS? ALL MY BEST.
SO MS. FULMAR, WITH MOVING THIS MONEY TO THE, UM, BASEBALL COURT.
BA BASKETBALL, BASKETBALL COURT.
SO WE WON'T BE IN VIOLATION WITH HUD.
I I THINK WE STILL HAVE SOME 20, 20, 22 'CAUSE WE STILL HAVE OTHER PROJECTS.
BUT WHAT IT DOES, IT GETS RID OF THAT OLD MONEY THAT'S JUST SITTING THERE.
UM, SO WE CAN MOVE IT INTO THIS NEW PROJECT, DRAW IT DOWN DOWN FASTER, AND IT JUST LOOKS GOOD IN THE SIGHT OF HUD.
THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO, TO KNOW.
AND THAT WILL, WITH THIS, UM, $82,000 HERE.
THAT WILL BE ENOUGH TO COMPLETE THIS PROJECT.
THAT SHOULD DEFINITELY BE ENOUGH TO COMPLETE THIS PROJECT.
I WOULD LIKE TO ASK ALSO, MS.
UM, THERE MAY BE OTHER THINGS ADDED.
WE'RE IN COLLABORATION WITH THE PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT, SO IT VERY WELL MAY BE.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS? IF NOT, I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
[01:30:01]
AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING TO DISCUSS THE SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENTS TO THE FY 2019 AND FY 2022 ANNUAL ACTION PLANS FOR THE CDBG GRANT PROGRAM.ANYONE LIKE TO SPEAK FOR AGAINST? PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
UM, ANTOINETTE BOSKY, 47 66 CARINA DRIVE.
DIDN'T REALLY COME TO TALK ON THIS TODAY.
CAME FOR SOMETHING TOTALLY DIFFERENT.
BUT LET ME SAY, I'M VERY PLEASED TO SEE THAT THE MONEY IS BEING SHIFTED TO SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO SPEAK TO OUR YOUTH, UM, AND BE AN INVESTMENT INTO COMMUNITY BUILDING AND CREATING SPACES WHERE WE COME TOGETHER.
SEEING NO FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENT, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION, A SECOND TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ANY OPPOSED? PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.
WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? MAYOR, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE SUBSTANTIAL MEMO.
THIS WILL COME BACK TO THE BOARD.
IT SAYS ROLL CALL ON ORDINANCE, BUT WE'RE NOT DOING THAT, I GUESS.
SO EVERYBODY'S GOOD WITH NUMBER 13.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 14.
[14. Consider Adopting a Resolution Approving the Transfer of 727 Third Avenue to the Redevelopment Commission, the Redevelopment Commission' s Transfer of 727 Third Avenue to CarolinaEast Health System, and the Reallocation and Transfer of Funds to CarolinaEast Health Systems for the Development of a Healthcare Clinic.]
CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE TRANSFER OF 7 2 7 THIRD AVENUE TO THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION'S TRANSFER OF 7 2 7 THIRD AVENUE TO CAROLINA EAST HEALTH SYSTEM, AND THE REALLOCATION AND TRANSFER OF FUNDS TO CAROLINA EAST HEALTH SYSTEM FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A HEALTHCARE CLINIC.
THERE'S A LOT OF PUBLIC HEARINGS TONIGHT, SO I'LL TRY TO BE BRIEF.
THE 19TH CENTURY QUAKER ONCE WROTE, I EXPECT TO PASS THROUGH THIS WORLD, BUT ONCE, IF THEREFORE THERE IS, THERE CAN BE ANY KINDNESS I CAN SHOW OR ANY GOOD THING I CAN DO, MY FELLOW BEING, LET ME DO IT NOW.
LET ME NOT DEFER OR NEGLECT IT FOR I SHALL NOT PASS THIS WAY AGAIN.
IN A WAY, THIS QUOTE SIMPLY DENOTES THAT A TIME TO DO A GOOD THING IN THIS WORLD IS ALWAYS NOW.
TWO WEEKS AGO, MY COLLEAGUES AND I STOOD BEFORE YOU AND WE PRESENTED AN IDEA, AN IDEA THAT WAS NOT MINE AND DID NOT ORIGINATE WITH THE REDEVELOPMENT COM UH, COMMISSION.
IT IS AN IDEA THAT IS PERCOLATED IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR DECADES.
IT IS A FIRST STEP IN ADDRESSING THE DISPARITIES OF ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE.
IT IS A DOORWAY THROUGH WHICH WE CAN GROW AND MAKE SURE THAT A WHOLE COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO LEARN TO LIVE AND TO HEAL.
WELL, WE CALL IT A CONVENIENT CARE CLINIC.
AND THE MESSAGE THAT I'VE HAD, THE HONOR OF HEARING RESOUND FROM OUR COMMUNITY IS SIMPLY NOW IS THE TIME.
OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS SINCE THE RDC MADE ITS PRESENTATION, I HAVE SPOKEN WITH CITIZENS ON THE PHONE ABOUT THE CLINIC.
I'VE SPOKEN AT THE GAS STATION OVER COFFEE AT CHURCH, AND IN MY FRONT YARD ABOUT THIS CLINIC.
I HAVE BEEN INTERVIEWED, I HAVE BEEN QUESTIONED, AND I HAVE BEEN LECTURED ABOUT THIS CLINIC.
I HAVE HEARD FOLKS SAY, FULL STEAM AHEAD, PRESS THE GAS PEDAL TO THE FLOOR.
LITERALLY, THAT'S A DIRECT QUOTE.
I'VE HEARD PEOPLE SAY, I'VE GOT QUESTIONS.
DEEP CONVERSATIONS HAVE BEEN HAD WITH OTHERS WHO ARE CAUTIOUS ABOUT WHAT EXACTLY THIS THING WILL LOOK LIKE AND WHAT WILL HAPPEN THERE.
I KNOW THAT OUR PARTNERS AT THE HOSPITALS HAVE FIELDED QUESTIONS AND CONTINUOUSLY SEEK TO BE ENGAGED WITH PEOPLE AS CONVERSATIONS ARISE.
WHAT THIS SAYS TO ME IS THAT THERE IS A WHOLE COMMUNITY THAT IS READY TO ENGAGE IN THIS CONVERSATION AND TO HELP THIS CLINIC TAKE SHAPE SO THAT IT IS NOT ONLY OF USE TO US, BUT TO ALL FUTURE GENERATIONS.
DID YOU HEAR WHAT I SAID? THE COMMUNITY IS ENGAGED.
AND WHAT THAT SAYS TO ME IS PERHAPS THE TIME IS NOW AS SHARED IN
[01:35:01]
THE PRESENTATION ON MARCH 12TH.THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION HAS A TREMENDOUS PARTNER IN THIS, IN, IN THIS ENDEAVOR, CAROLINA EAST HEALTH SYSTEM.
THEY HAVE DEMONSTRATED TO ME THAT THEY HAVE A COMPASSIONATE EAR TO HEAR THE COMMUNITY THEY SERVE, AND A WILLINGNESS TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON THEIR PROMISES.
FURTHER, THEY'VE SHOWN THE INTEGRITY TO NOT PROMISE MORE THAN THEY CAN PROVIDE.
CAROLINA EAST HEALTH SYSTEM HAS EXPERTISE IN HEALTHCARE.
THEIR EXPERTISE IN THE COMMUNITY'S LIVED EXPERIENCE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BRING BARRIERS TO HEALTH AND WELLNESS CRASHING DOWN FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE REDEVELOPMENT ZONE.
THAT POTENTIAL MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE SUGGESTS TO ME THAT INDEED NOW IS THE TIME.
SO THIS EVENING, ON BEHALF OF THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, I'M REQUESTING THAT THE CITY OF NEW BERN CONVEY 7 27 THIRD AVENUE PARCEL ID EIGHT DASH 0 1 2 DASH TO THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION OF NEW BERN, SO THAT THE COMMISSION CAN SUBSEQUENTLY RECONVEY THE PROPERTY TO THE C CAROLINA EAST HEALTH SYSTEM, SUBJECT TO THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS REQUIRING CAROLINA EAST HEALTH SYSTEM TO CONSTRUCT, DEVELOP, AND OPERATE A CONVENIENT CARE CLINIC FOR NO LESS THAN FIVE YEARS.
ADDITIONALLY, THE COMMISSION REQUESTS THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN APPROVE THE ABOVE DESCRIBED CONVEYANCE TO CAROLINA EAST HEALTH SYSTEMS AND APPROVE THE TRANSFER TO TRANSFER THE REMAINING $313,018 AND 88 CENTS THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY ALLOCATED TO THE COMMISSION FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER.
THE HOSPITAL WILL TAKE THE CITY'S INVESTMENT AND ADD THEIR CORPORATE INVESTMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BUILDING, THE DEVELOPMENT, AND THE OPERATION OF A CONVENIENT CARE CLINIC IS THERE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AS I SAID LAST TIME, THIS WILL REPRESENT THE LARGEST PRIVATE INVESTMENT THAT OUR REDEVELOPMENT, UH, AREA HAS SEEN SINCE ITS INCEPTION.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE BOARD, I THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THIS REQUEST THIS EVENING, AND I WOULD NOW ASK IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, UH, BEFORE WE DO THAT.
UM, ATTORNEY, UM, I WOULD LIKE SOME CLARIFICATION.
SO I AM A PROUD MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR CAROLINA EAST HEALTH SYSTEMS, UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS REQUEST IS BEING MADE FROM THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, WHICH WOULD ULTIMATELY END UP WITH CAROLINA EAST.
UM, WHEN CAROLINA EAST BOARD TOOK THIS ITEM UP, I WAS RECUSED FROM THAT VOTE BECAUSE OF MY INVOLVEMENT WITH THE CITY.
SO I'M LOOKING FOR YOU FOR DIRECTION ON HOW YOU WOULD LIKE FOR ME TO HANDLE THAT THIS EVENING.
MR. MAYOR, UH, BECAUSE OF YOUR POSITION, UM, WITH THE HOSPITAL, IT'S ENTIRELY APPROPRIATE JUST TO AVOID EVEN THE APPEARANCE OF ANY CONFLICT OF INTEREST FOR, UH, THIS BOARD TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO EXCUSE YOU FROM VOTING.
SO BEFORE WE MOVE FURTHER, UH, WOULD THE BOARD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO, EXCUSE ME, RECUSE ME FROM VOTING ON THIS TOPIC? SO SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I GUESS I'LL VOTE ON THIS ONE.
RIGHT? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? OKAY, WE WILL MOVE FORWARD.
BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS? I HAVE A FEW, UM, A FEW QUESTIONS.
THE, I GUESS WHEN IN YOUR PRESENTATION, UH, TWO WEEKS AGO IT TALKED ABOUT CAROLINA EAST PROVIDING CONVENIENT CARE AND WELLNESS SERVICES.
UM, CAN YOU, I GUESS, DESCRIBE, YOU KNOW, WHAT THOSE ENTAIL AND THEN, UH, WHAT WAS THE CONSIDERATION OF NOT INCLUDING THOSE IN THE MOU THAT WE HAVE?
UH, I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S PROPER PROTOCOL HERE.
I HAVE MS. JUDY PIERCE HERE FROM CAROLINA EAST, AND SHE CAN PROBABLY SPEAK TO SERVICES MUCH BETTER THAN I CAN, SEEING AS I'M A REDEVELOPMENT PROFESSIONAL AND SHE'S A HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL.
UH, SO I, I CAN SPEAK TO WHY WE MADE THE LANGUAGE, UH, IN, IN THE AGREEMENT BROAD.
UH, BUT IT'S, UH, SPECIFICALLY TO THE KINDS OF, UH, CARE AND SERVICES THAT CAROLINA EAST WILL, WILL, UH, GIVE.
SHE MAY BE ABLE TO BETTER SPEAK TO THAT.
ANYONE OPPOSED TO A REPRESENTATIVE SPEAKING? NO.
UH, ONCE AGAIN, WE ARE BIRTHING A NEW OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY, SPECIFICALLY THE GREATER D FIELD AREA.
UH, WITH THE HEALTHCARE CENTER PROVIDING A CONVENIENT CARE, WE WERE LOOKING AT OPPORTUNITIES THAT MAY PRESENT NON-EMERGENT.
HOWEVER, IF THEY ARE EMERGENT IE CHEST PAIN, UH, RESPIRATORY, UH, DISCOMFORT, THEY WOULD
[01:40:01]
THEN BE TRANSFERRED TO OUR EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT, ALL OTHER SUCH THINGS THAT MAY OCCUR.WE WOULD THEN BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SERVICE TO STABILIZE AND PROVIDE WHAT MIGHT BE NEEDED THAT THEY WOULD THEN RETURN HOME OR BE TRANSFERRED TO CAROLINA EAST.
UM, THE SERVICES WE ARE LOOKING AT WOULD BE SIMILAR TO, UH, UH, PRIMARY CARE, BUT ONCE AGAIN, THE PERSON RECEIVING THE CARE IS AN EMERGENT SITUATION FOR THEM.
THERE'S BEEN A CHANGE IN REGARD TO THEIR PRESENT STATE OF FEELING OR BEING.
SO SOMEONE WOULD BE THERE TO PROVIDE THAT ASSESSMENT AND THEN INITIATE WHAT COURSE OF ACTION MIGHT BE NEEDED.
AND AT A PRIMARY LEVEL THAT WOULD BE PROVIDED, UH, STABILIZING AND THEN TRANSFERRING OR REFERRING THAT PERSON TO CR COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UM, GOSHEN, OR ANY OTHER SERVICE THEY MAY BE RECEIVING.
UH, INITIALLY WE DO NOT KNOW, AGAIN, THE HOURS OF OPERATION.
WE ARE IN THE BIRTHING PHASE OF THAT, AND WE WANT TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY AND MEET THE NEEDS.
WE ARE LOOKING AT PROVIDING SERVICES BEYOND THE NORMAL RANGE OF HOURS THAT MIGHT BE PROVIDED FOR A HEALTHCARE CLINIC, BUT AGAIN, PROVIDING THE SERVICE THAT THAT WOULD BE NEEDED.
AND BECAUSE IT'S THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY OF THIS NATURE, WE ARE MEETING IT WITH OPEN ARMS TO BE THE NET THAT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO PROVIDE THE CARE AND THEN REFORM IT, IF YOU WILL, AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO BEST MEET THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY AND ALLOW THE COMMUNITY TO SEE, AGAIN, THE NEEDS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO MEET AS OPPOSED TO AN EMERGENCY ROOM SETTING WHERE THERE WOULD BE ONCE AGAIN, LONG HOURS BECAUSE OF MORE URGENT TYPE OF SITUATIONS THAT MAY BE PRESENTING.
SO YEAH, SO I MEAN, THAT, THAT'S HELPFUL.
UM, SO HOW WILL THIS CLINIC BE DIFFERENT FROM THE SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT? THEY WILL BE SIMILAR IN THAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, I BELIEVE, CLOSES AT FIVE, UH, IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA, WHICH WE ARE LOOKING TO SERVE PRIMARILY, UH, EASIER ACCESS FOR ONE THING, AND THEN TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE ONGOING IF THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO POSSIBLY GET A RIDE TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT OR GOSHEN OR SOME OTHER, OR EVEN ONE OF OUR CLINICS.
ONCE AGAIN, SUPPORTING THE ENTITIES THAT ARE ALREADY PRESENT, BUT ONCE AGAIN, THE CONVENIENCE, THUS CONVENIENT CARE THAT WOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA.
SO YOU'RE SAYING A LITTLE MORE FOCUS ON AFTER HOURS MAYBE? MAYBE? YES.
THAT AND, AND LOCAL ACCESS, EASY ACCESS, IF YOU WILL, FOR IT, WHAT APPEARS TO BE AN EMERGENCY FOR THE INDIVIDUAL.
AND THEN, UM, I, I GUESS THE OTHER TWO QUESTIONS WOULD BE FOR, UM, MR. HUFF.
UM, SO LOOKING AT THE EITHER CONTRACT OR MRU, WHATEVER WE WANT TO CALL IT, ALL I SEE THAT WE ARE DOING WITH CAROLINA EAST IS REQUIRING THEM TO START BUILDING IN SIX MONTHS, FINISH BUILDING IN ONE YEAR, AND PROVIDE SERVICES FOR FIVE YEARS.
UM, NORMALLY IN MOUS WE ALSO INCLUDE, UH, THE SERVICES THAT THEY WOULD PROVIDE.
UM, WHY HAVEN'T WE INCLUDED THOSE IN THIS AGREEMENT? THE, THE ADAPTIVE NATURE OF THIS HEALTH AND WELLNESS C CLINIC RELY ON COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY INPUT PAIRED WITH HEALTHCARE EXPERTISE.
AND SO BECAUSE THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE FORMING THAT THIS IS, AS JUDY ELOQUENTLY PUT, THIS IS BIRTHING SOMETHING BRAND NEW, UH, THERE WAS NO WAY FOR US AND IS NO WAY FOR US TO FORECAST AND, AND HOLD THE HOSPITAL TO SERVICES THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE, WHAT, WHAT THE NEED IS.
UM, BECAUSE THO THAT ADVISORY BOARD AND THAT WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY IN THE HOSPITAL HASN'T HA HASN'T HAPPENED YET.
WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT EVERYONE I'VE SPOKEN WITH IN THE COMMUNITY IS HAPPY TO BE ENGAGED AND EVERYONE I'VE SPOKEN WITH, UH, AT CAROLINA EAST IS HAPPY TO, TO HAVE THE COMMUNITY ENGAGED.
AND SO THAT WAS A HUGE PIECE OF, OF WHAT WENT INTO THIS, UH, WHAT WENT INTO THIS PLAN AND WHAT WE, WHAT WE FORESEE IN THE FUTURE, UM, WHAT WE REQUIRED, WHAT WHAT WE REQUIRED AS FAR AS THE, AS FAR AS THE AGREEMENT GOES, IS PRETTY CONDUCIVE TO WHAT WE, WHAT THE REDEVELOPMENT, UH, COMMISSION WOULD NORMALLY, UH, REQUIRE AS FAR AS CONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
AND ALDERMAN BRUNSON, IN THE SPIRIT OF BEING HELPFUL, THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT THAT'S BEFORE YOU IN YOUR PACKET ALSO INCORPORATES AN EXHIBIT B, WHICH IS A SPECIAL WARRANTY DEED THAT INCLUDES CERTAIN RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS THAT WOULD BE, UM, BINDING UPON THE HOSPITAL IF THIS TRANSACTION IS APPROVED.
[01:45:01]
BUT I GUESS I, I ONLY PRINTED OUT A, BUT YOU KNOW, FOR BI WOULD ASSUME IT ONLY SAYS PROVIDE SERVICES AND NOT NECESSARILY SPECIFIC TO WHAT SERVICES THEY WOULD PROVIDE.THE, THE, UM, THE WARRANTY D DOES PROVIDE FOR THE ELASTICITY THAT MR. HUFF HAS BEEN DESCRIBING.
UM, SECOND NATURE TO THE SECOND QUESTION IS WHAT INVOLVEMENT HAS THE COUNTY, UH, BEEN WITH THIS AGREEMENT, I GUESS, AND THE CONCERN THAT, UH, THEY, THE, THIS WELLNESS CENTER MAY END UP PULLING CLIENTS FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN THAT THEY'RE NO LONGER ELIGIBLE FOR THE, UH, FEDERAL FUNDING THAT THEY RECEIVE.
UH, THE F-A-H-Q-F-Q-H-C UH, FUNDS HAS, HAS THE COUNTY HAD ANY INPUT, ANY, UM, HELPFULNESS, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING TO THAT REGARD? MAY SURE.
JUST, UM, FROM REGARDS TO CONVERSATION WITH OUR, WITH OUR CEO IN REGARD TO THAT, HE HAS SPOKEN WITH, UH, THE LEADERSHIP AT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND THERE, FROM MY POINT OF UNDERSTANDING AND HEARING THAT THERE IS AN AGREEMENT AND UNDERSTANDING THERE, THAT ONCE AGAIN, WE ARE NOT IN THE PURPOSE OF DRAWING OR PULLING, BUT HELPING TO SUPPORT.
WE BECOME THEN A MEDIUM, A BRIDGE, IF YOU WILL, WITHIN THE COMMUNITY WHEN INDIVIDUALS COME TO PROVIDE SERVICES THAT THEY NEED THEN TO PROVIDE THE EDUCATION, THE SUPPORT, AGAIN, REFERRING TO RETURNING TO WHEREVER THE CONNECTION HAS BEEN MADE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, WHETHER THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AGAIN, GOSHEN, CCHC, CAROLINA EAST, BUILDING THAT BRIDGE AND INFORMING, HELPING THEM TO UNDERSTAND INDIVIDUALS TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF OWN THE HEALTH CARE AND BUILDING THAT BRIDGE.
WE ARE, WE ARE HERE TO PROVIDE THE BRIDGE AND SUPPORT WHOMEVER THE ENTITY MAY BE APART FROM US, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY AT THE END OF THE DAY, 24 7, WE ARE THE NET AS FAR AS YEAH.
I MEAN, YEAH, PLEASE DON'T, YEAH, I, YEAH, I FEEL IT.
I THINK MY QUESTIONS ARE IMPLYING THAT I, YOU KNOW, AM AM AGAINST ANY OF THIS, BUT MY CONCERN IS, UM, THE SERVICES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, AREN'T NECESSARILY MINIMALLY DELINEATED, UH, IN AN AGREEMENT.
AND WE AS A BOARD CERTAINLY HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING FROM THE, UH, COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT AS FAR AS HOW THESE ARE GONNA BE NESTED.
UH, AND SO THAT, THOSE ARE THE NATURE OF MY CONCERNS.
I, I WOULD ALSO ADD, AND THANK YOU AGAIN, MS. PIERCE.
UM, AGAIN, SHE'S BEEN INVALUABLE, UH, TO ME IN THIS, IN THIS PROCESS, BUT I WOULD ALSO ADD THAT CONVERSATIONS HAVE BEEN HAPPENING SINCE AS EARLY AS 2020 WITH PROGRAM COALITIONS.
UM, THAT ABSOLUTELY INCLUDES SCOTT, UH, AT, AT THE, UH, AT THE HEALTH, UH, DEPARTMENT, AND WAYS THAT THEY'LL BE INCLUDED IN, IN A POTENTIAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS CLINIC.
SO THE, WHILE, WHILE YOU ALL HAVEN'T HAD THOSE CONVERSATIONS, UH, THOSE CONVERSATIONS HAVE BEEN HAD FOR A, A VERY LONG TIME.
AND I, I, I WOULD, UH, JUST NOTE THAT ONE OF THE REASONS YOU, THAT YOU ALL HAVEN'T HAD THOSE CONVERSATIONS IS BECAUSE THIS WILL ULTIMATELY, UH, THIS WILL ULTIMATELY BELONG TO CAROLINA EAST, NOT THE CITY, NOT THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.
IT WILL BE THE NEIGHBOR, THE COMMUNITY IN WHICH WHERE IT IS ESTABLISHED, IT WILL BELONG TO THEM, AND IT WILL BELONG TO CAROLINA EAST TO OPERATE.
AND SO, UM, OUR, OUR JOB IS, IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, UH, BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS AND ADDRESSING PREDETERMINES TO, UH, TO, UM, TO, UH, BLIGHT AND DISTRESS AND DISTRESS COMMUNITIES.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS HAS LONG BEEN A NOTED BARRIER.
AND TONIGHT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO BREAK THROUGH ONE OF THOSE BARRIERS.
UM, MAYOR, I SEE THAT, UH, THE BOARD GIVE HIM PERMISSION TO COME UP AND SPEAK, AND WE HAVE A DOCTOR HERE FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
HE WAS RAISING HIS HAND TO ADD SOME LIGHT TO WHAT MS, UH, JUDY PIERCE WAS SPEAKING ON.
UM, IS THE BOARD OPPOSED TO HAVING SOMEONE FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT SPEAK? NO.
I'M THE MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
I'VE BEEN A PHYSICIAN AT CAROLINA
[01:50:01]
EAST MEDICAL CENTER FOR 25 YEARS.UM, I'VE SERVED IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT, AND I WAS AN INPATIENT PHYSICIAN FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS AFTER THAT.
AND I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOR ABOUT 12.
SIDNEY BARNWELL, A GREAT MAN, UM, UM, WHO'S ILL.
UM, AS PART OF MY OWN JOURNEY, I, I DID A FELLOWSHIP AND INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE, WHICH LOOKS AT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DIET, LIFESTYLE, HOW WE LIVE OUR LIVES, AND HOW THAT IMPACTS OUR HEALTH, HOW STRESS IMPACTS OUR HEALTH.
AND ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE, UM, STUDIED WERE THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH.
AND THAT'S THE IMPACT OF WHERE WE LIVE.
UM, CULTURE, POVERTY, HOW THESE THINGS IMPACT OUR HEALTH.
ONE OF MY CURRENT POSITIONS, WHICH I PRACTICE WITH GREAT PRIVILEGES IN THE CANCER CENTER AT CAROLINA EAST, AND I'M A PALLIATIVE MEDICINE DOCTOR, SO WE HELP PEOPLE THAT ARE EXPERIENCING CANCER, UM, LIVE THEIR BEST POSSIBLE LIVES.
AND EVERY DAY I SEE FOLKS AND, UM, I SEE HOW THEIR LIVES ARE IMPACTED BY THEIR SOCIAL CIRCUMSTANCES, THEIR CHILDHOOD, THEIR TRAUMA.
SO WE ARE, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE, THE CONCEPT OF CONVENIENT CARE AS, AS A LABEL, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN ONGOING CONVERSATIONS WITH NC CENTRAL UNIVERSITY, DUKE UNIVERSITY, AND ECU, WITH SPECIALISTS IN THESE AREAS ADDRESSING HEALTH DISPARITIES, ADDRESSING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH.
THERE'S, THERE'S PROGRAMMING THAT WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF FLESHING OUT THAT WE WANT TO PUT INTO THIS CENTER, UM, TO ADDRESS A LOT OF THE CAUSES OF SUFFERING THAT, THAT OUR CITIZENS ARE GOING TO.
UM, SO I SEE THIS AS A WIN FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
WE TRY TO BE THE MEDICAL HOME FOR FOLKS THAT ARE UNCERTAIN, UNDERSERVED, AND WE HAVE DIFFICULTY GETTING FOLKS OUT THERE.
UM, WE MAKE OUTREACH EFFORTS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S CHALLENGING TO HAVE, AND I HAD HAD A CONVERSATION WITH SCOTT HARRELSON LAST WEEK ABOUT THIS.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S THE POSSIBILITY THAT WE MAY, ALONG WITH CAROLINE EAST PLACE, PROVIDERS IN THIS CENTER, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR THOSE PEOPLE THAT, THAT REALLY CAN'T GET OUT TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UM, THERE'S THE POTENTIAL FOR, UH, TRANSPORTATION DOWN THE LINE THAT COULD BE LOOKED AT AS, AS A MEANS OF EASING ACCESS.
UM, I SEE THIS AS A WIN FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
I SEE THIS AS A WIN FOR CAROLINA EAST.
UM, I'VE WORKED THERE OVER A LONG TIME.
I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORT THEY'VE HAD FOR THIS PROJECT.
UM, I SEE TOO MANY PEOPLE PRESENTING WITH LATER IN LATER STAGES OF DISEASE.
AND I FEEL THAT THAT'S A FAILURE.
EVERY TIME SOMEBODY COMES IN WITH A STAGE FOUR DIAGNOSIS, IT'S A FAILURE OF SCREENING AND PREVENTATIVE CARE.
AND THOSE ARE LAYERS THAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS.
SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT QUESTIONS I CAN ANSWER.
UH, I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT.
UM, I WOULDN'T BE HERE, BUT FOR THE EFFORTS OF REGGIE JONES WHO HAD THE INITIAL VISION FOR THIS AND HAS WORKED TIRELESSLY, TALKING TO PEOPLE, BRINGING THIS IDEA OUT THERE, AND, UM, I WISH HE WAS HERE TONIGHT.
I WISH HE COULD SEE HOW GRATEFUL I AM, HOW GRATEFUL I THINK EVERYONE HERE IS FOR HIS EFFORTS.
UM, HE'S A GREAT GUY AND HE'S BEEN ILL.
HE LOST HIS WIFE NOT LONG AGO, HIS DAUGHTER, NOT LONG AGO.
UM, SO PART OF MY BEING HERE IS, IS TO CARRY ON THE WORK THAT HE'S BEEN CARRYING ON AS WELL.
SO, YOU KNOW, WITH THAT, A LOT OF WORDS, LET ME LET YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE WENT DR. FISHER.
DR. FISHER, BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE PODIUM, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU BECAUSE I KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN FROM DAY ONE, AND I'M SO GLAD THAT YOU MENTIONED MR. REGGIE JONES AND DR.
BARNWELL, BECAUSE THEY ARE, I KNOW REGGIE JONES, THIS WAS A PASSION OF HIS, THIS IS, HE WORKED REALLY HARD AND HE'S NOT IN GREATEST OF HEALTH, BUT, AND SO IS DR.
[01:55:01]
YOU FOR MENTIONING THOSE TWO, BECAUSE THOSE ARE TWO PILLARS OF OUR COMMUNITY.AND, UM, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN.
'CAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN, I'VE BEEN TO SEVERAL MEETINGS WHERE YOU'VE BEEN THERE AND YOU HAVE ALWAYS EXPRESSED YOUR PASSION FOR HEALTHCARE WITHIN OUR, WITHIN OUR CITY AND OUR COMMUNITIES.
THANK, THANK YOU DOC ALDER MCKENZIE.
MS. PIERCE, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR EXPLAINING, TAKING THE CHALLENGE AND EXPLAINING THE TEAM EFFORT THAT IT TAKES FOR EVERYONE TO COME TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
DR. FISHER, I THANK YOU AS WELL FOR YOUR TIME AND EXPLAINING TO THE PEOPLE THAT IT'S NOT JUST THE BOARD TO KNOW THE ENDS AND THE OUTS AND WHO'S GOING TO BE SERVED AND HOW LONG.
THE THING IT IS THAT FOR US TO DO IS RELEASE THE PROPERTY THAT YOU CAN GO FORWARD AND MAKE THINGS HAPPEN AS A TEAM, AS A UNIT.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'M HERE TO SEE HAPPEN TONIGHT, IS THAT THE PROPERTY GO WHERE THE WORK CAN BE DONE.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS JAZZ AND WE ALL HAVE AN INSTRUMENT TO PLAY.
IF NOBODY HAS NO OTHER MEMBERS HERE.
DO, DO WE OVERSTEP YOU, WERE YOU FINISHED AT TIME,
I GUESS JUST TO MAKE A COMMENT OUT LOUD, UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S ANY ANSWER TO IT, BUT, UM, MY CONCERN IS A, AGAIN, GOING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AND I, I REALIZE THAT IF WE APPROVE THIS TONIGHT, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S FOR THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.
IT'S JUST A PROPERTY TRANSACTION, AND IT, THAT'S WHAT IT IS ON PAPER.
I UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS MUCH MORE FOR THE COMMUNITY AND FOR THE DEVELOPMENT, REDEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMUNITY, BUT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT REVISITING THE IDEA LATER OF OUR COORDINATION, OUR NESTING WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND THIS WELLNESS CLINIC, AND REVISITING THAT AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME.
THAT'S WHAT I'M, THAT'S WHAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT.
I, UH, I CAN APPRECIATE YOUR CONCERN.
I DO WANNA, I, I DO WANT TO JUST ITERATE, UH, FOR THE RECORD THAT FOR THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, IT'S NOT JUST A TRANSFER OF PROPERTY.
YOU, YOU SAID IT CORRECTLY ON PAPER, THAT'S WHAT IT IS.
BUT THIS IS A PART OF A STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WAS LABORED OVER AND LABORED OVER, APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN.
IT'S IN THE REDEVELOPMENT, UH, UH, PLAN.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE COMMISSION STOOD BEFORE YOU ALL, UH, NOT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO.
AND WE VOWED THAT WE WOULD, WE WOULD PUSH THINGS FORWARD AND MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.
AND THAT IS, THAT IS WHAT WE ARE DOING.
WE ARE IMPLEMENTING AND EXECUTING THE PLAN THAT YOU ALL, YOU ALL ESTABLISHED, UH, THE COMMISSION TO DO.
IT IS BY NO MEANS, UM, JUST A TRANSFER OF, OF LAND.
AND SO IF, IF I DID, IF I SAID ANYTHING, UH, TO CONVEY THAT I APOLOGIZE FOR THE, UH, INCOM, UH, MISCOMMUNICATION.
I, I GUESS WHAT WOULD MAKE ME MORE COMFORTABLE WITH WITH THIS IS, UH, LIKE I STATED, YOU KNOW, CODIFYING IN AN AGREEMENT WHAT THE SERVICES, MINIMAL SERVICES WILL BE, RATHER THAN JUST A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION THAT WE HAD.
UH, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW ON PAPER, NONE OF THAT IS THERE, UH, ONLY THAT SERVICES WOULD BE PROVIDED.
AND SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE I'M CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT THE COMMUNITY WOULD BE GETTING.
I'VE HEARD, YOU KNOW, THE PUBLIC RECORD OF, OF WHAT WE, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
I'VE HEARD, YOU KNOW, THAT IT'S NESTED WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S A REASSURANCE OF WORDS.
IT'S NOT A DOCUMENT TO BE SIGNED.
THAT'S KIND OF WHERE I'M COMING FROM.
[02:00:01]
I THINK I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.IT'S LIKE GOING TO GET A-M-R-I-I AND, UM, I'M GOING TO ASK ONE OF MY BOARD MEMBERS, UH, WHAT WAS HIS LIKE THE LAST TIME HE WENT THERE? HE'S NOT A DOCTOR.
THAT'S THE REASON WHY I FEEL THAT WE LEAVE IT UP TO THE PROFESSIONALS TO HANDLE THE JOB.
WE ARE TO GIVE OVER THE PROPERTY.
THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO BE CONCERNED WITH.
UM, I'M GLAD THAT YOU FEEL THE WAY THAT YOU FEEL, BUT YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND SOME THINGS YOU HAVE TO RELEASE AND GIVE OVER TO THE PROPER PERSON THAT CAN HANDLE IT AND HANDLE IT VERY WELL.
AND THEY'VE ARTICULATED IT SO VERY WELL JUST NOW THAT WHEN MS. PIERCE AND DR. FISHER AND, UH, ZZ SAID THAT WE ALL COLLABORATED COMING TOGETHER.
SO WHAT IS IT THAT I'M MISSING HERE? THAT, THAT'S NOT FOR ME TO DECIDE.
IT'S FOR THE PROFESSIONALS TO DECIDE, JUST LET THEM HANDLE THIS YEAR.
AND I FEEL WITH THE DECISION OF THE BOARD, THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF CONFIDENCE IN THE PROFESSIONAL.
EVEN THIS YEAR BEFORE TONIGHT, EVERYBODY HAD A DREAM AND A VISION.
IT, IT HAS COME, IT HAS BLOOMED, LET IT GO.
AND, UH, I RESPECT YOURS AND I LIKE FOR YOU TO RESPECT MY OPINION.
AL ALDERMAN, BRISSON AND ATTORNEY TELL ME IF I OVERSTEP.
UM, I'M NOT GOING TO OFFER AN OPINION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER ON THIS, ALTHOUGH I COULD, TRUST ME.
UM, I'VE BEEN IN A LOT OF MEETINGS, A LOT OF DISCUSSION.
UM, I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THERE WERE AT LEAST TWO MEETINGS WHERE REPRESENTATIVES WERE, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WERE PRESENT, AND ONE WAS DOWNSTAIRS AT CITY HALL.
I BELIEVE THE CITY MANAGER, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER WAS THERE ALONG WITH SOME IN THE, IN THE AUDIENCE.
AND ANOTHER ONE WAS AT CAROLINA EAST FOUNDATION.
THEIR BOARDROOM, UH, BOTH SCOTT HARRELSON AND AMBER TABI FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WERE THERE.
UM, THEY WERE PART OF THIS DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT COULD BE WHEN THIS ORIGINALLY STARTED AS A METAL BUILDING THAT MAY LOOK LIKE THE PLEASANT HILL CENTER THAT WE BUILT.
AND THE QUESTION THAT EVERYONE ASKED THAT WAS IN THAT MEETING EVERY SINGLE TIME WE HAD A MEETING IS WHO'S GONNA OPERATE IT? ECU HEALTH, DUKE HEALTH, UM, NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL.
THEY ALL SAID, THIS IS A GREAT PLAN, A GREAT IDEA.
WE WANT TO BE PARTNERS, BUT WHO'S GOING TO RUN IT? WHEN THAT CAME BACK BEFORE THIS BOARD, I REMEMBER SPECIFICALLY SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD SAYING, WE SUPPORT THIS, BUT WE DON'T WANNA RUN IT.
WE DON'T WANT THE CITY TO BE INVOLVED WITH THIS.
SO NOW'S AN OPPORTUNITY NOW TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE VISION THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED AND LET THE CITY DO THEIR PART AND LET IT MOVE ON.
MAY I'D LIKE TO WEIGH IN ALSO, PLEASE.
FOR THE LAST 40 YEARS, I HAVE BEEN IN THE TRENCHES.
I HAVE WORKED TIRELESSLY IN THE GREATER DUFFY FIELD COMMUNITY.
I HAVE SEEN THE NEED AND I'M WELL AWARE OF THE NEED.
I'VE HAD MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES TO SIT IN ON MEETINGS.
I'VE SPENT THE LAST 25 YEARS OF MY LIFE, A QUARTER OF A CENTURY WITH A NONPROFIT COMMUNITY WORKING TOWARDS HEALTH CARE, ADDRESSING HEALTH CARE, UH, DISPARITIES, WORKING WITH ORGANIZATIONS, BOOTS ON THE GROUND.
I HAVE NOT YET TALKED WITH A PERSON WHO OPPOSED THIS CONVENIENT CARE CLINIC, BUT I HAVE TALKED TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE OPPOSED THE LOCATION.
I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE RIDICULOUS TO SAY THAT THIS FACILITY IS NOT NECESSARY.
WE HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED AS A PEOPLE WITH HEALTHCARE DISPARITIES ALL OF OUR LIVES.
AND NOW THERE IS A CHANCE FOR THE DAYBREAK.
AND SO I DON'T BELIEVE ANYONE ON THIS BOARD THAT IS MY, UM, PERSPECTIVE,
[02:05:02]
IS OPPOSED TO THE CONVENIENT CARE CLINIC.I HEAR WHAT ALDERMAN BRISSON IS SAYING EQUALLY.
SO AS I HEAR WHAT ALDERMAN KINSEY IS EXPRESSING, AND CORRECT ME IF, IF I'M WRONG, I BELIEVE ALDERMAN BRISSON IS JUST SIMPLY STATING, LET US SEE ON PAPER WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT, UH, MS. PIERCE SAID.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT MR. HUFF SAID.
I'VE BEEN IN MEETINGS WITH MR. HUFF.
UH, I, I, DR. FISHER, I'VE BEEN WITH HIM, UH, ALMOST FROM THE INCEPTION TALKING ABOUT THE CIRCLE OF HOPE.
I'VE BEEN WITH MR. REGGIE JONES.
I'VE BEEN WITH THE GREATER DUFFY FIELD RESIDENCE IN COUNTLESS MEETINGS AT THEIR MAKER CENTER.
I WAS THE ONE THAT WAS PRESENT THERE WHEN THE CITIZENS WAS ASKED, WHAT SERVICES WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE IN YOUR HEALTHCARE FACILITY? I WAS THE RECORDER, DR. FISHER WAS AT THAT MEETING.
I UNDERSTAND THAT I SUPPORT THE CONVENIENT CARE CLINIC.
WHAT I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO SEE, AS ALDERMAN BRINSON SAID, TO SEE SOMETHING DOCUMENTED, SOMETHING ON PAPER, SOME PRESENTATION, THAT WOULD BE AN AWESOME OPPORTUNITY, NOT JUST FOR THE BOARD, BUT FOR THE CITIZENS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
I HAVE BEEN ASKED AT DIFFERENT TIMES, COUNTLESS QUESTIONS, WHAT SERVICES WILL BE PROVIDED.
I'VE BEEN AS AN EX-OFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION BY VIRTUE OF BEING WARD TWO.
I'VE BEEN IN THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION MEETINGS.
I'VE BEEN IN THE CLOSED SESSION MEETINGS.
SO I'VE BEEN PRIVY TO MANY, UH, OF THE, UM, MEETINGS AND HEARING THE CONVERSATIONS THERE.
SO I MIGHT HAVE SOME INSIDE INFORMATION MAYBE THAT THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS MAY NOT HAVE THAT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN PRIVY TO BECAUSE IT WAS SPOKEN IN CLOSED SESSION.
MOST OF THE PLANNING UNTIL JUST RECENTLY WAS DONE IN CLOSED SESSION.
SO I DO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE QUESTIONS THAT HE'S ASKING.
I DO UNDERSTAND THE REQUEST THAT HE'S MAKING, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT HE NOT BEING PRIVY MIGHT JUST HAVE SOME QUESTIONS AND WOULD LIKE A MORE DETAILED PRESENTATION.
AM I RIGHT ASKING FOR A MORE DETAILED PRESENTA, EXCUSE ME, PRESENTATION THAT SOMETHING THAT WE COULD BE MORE HANDS ON WITH? WELL, I'LL, I MEAN, WHAT WE'RE ASKING, WHAT WE'RE BEING ASKED TO DO TONIGHT, MM-HMM.
AND ON PAPER, AGAIN, IT SHOWS THAT WE'RE GONNA BUILD A WELLNESS CLINIC, WE'RE GONNA BUILD A BUILDING OR THE CAROLINA EAST IS GONNA BUILD A BUILDING, UM, BUT OUTSIDE, BUT THERE'S NOTHING INSIDE OF THAT AGREEMENT STATING WHAT SERVICES THEY'RE GOING TO PROVIDE.
SO IT'S, I'M, I'M LOOKING, SO I'M, UH, SO THE QUESTION BECOMES, YOU KNOW, I'VE HEARD WELLNESS CLINIC, I'VE HEARD THE PRESENTATION FROM ALL OF YOU, BUT SAY THREE YEARS FROM NOW, IF WE'RE NOT GETTING THE SERVICES WE WERE EXPECTING, WHAT'S THE RECOURSE THAT WOULD BE COVERED IN THE REVERSION CLAUSE? IN THE, IN THE AGREEMENT, IN, IN INCLUSIVE, IN, IN ALL REDEVELOPMENT, AND JAMIE, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, INCLUSIVE IN ALL RE REDEVELOPMENT, UH, D AND WARRANTIES, THAT RESOLUTIONS THAT WE DO, UM, IS, IS A REVERSION CLAUSE THAT, WELL, MIKE, THAT IF, AND IT FALLS AND IT FALLS TO THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION TO MAKE SURE THAT WE STAY INVOLVED IN EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DREAM COMES TO FRUITION SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY CARRY OUT, UH, CARRY OUT THE RESOLUTION DEED, UH, DEED COVENANTS THAT WE'VE SET, THAT, THAT WE'VE SET IN THERE.
I MEAN, THAT IS BY STATUTE, WHAT THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION DOES.
MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE REVERSION CLAUSE IS THAT THEY WOULD BE PROVIDING NO SERVICES, NOT NECESSARILY THE SERVICES WE WANT.
THAT'S KIND OF, I, I WOULD CONTEND, AND, AND I APOLOGIZE IF I'M OUTTA LINE, YOU CAN TELL ME, BUT I, I WOULD CONTEND THAT WE DON'T GET TO SET THOSE GUIDELINES, THE PROFESSIONAL HEALTHCARE, THE HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS COMBINED WITH THE COMMUNITY NEED, WHICH WILL BE ADAPTIVE.
[02:10:01]
I MEAN, THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE BUSINESS MODEL OF, OF A COMMUNITY HEALTH, UH, OF A HEALTH CENTER, IS ADAPTIVE CARE THAT ACTUALLY ADAPTS TO THE NEED AS IT'S SEEN IN THE COMMUNITY.SO US SITTING HERE TONIGHT AROUND A BOARD TABLE SAYING, WELL, THEY'RE GONNA DO SURGERY AND X-RAYS, AND THEY'RE GONNA CLEAN TEETH FOR TWO, TWO, UH, FOR GIVE EVERYONE TWO, TWO TEETH CLEANINGS.
THAT'S POINTLESS IF THAT, THERE'S NO COMMUNITY NEED THERE.
AND SO US TRYING TO DICTATE FROM, FROM THIS LEVEL, WHAT KIND OF CARE OR WHAT KIND OF PARTNERSHIPS OR ANY OF THAT STUFF BEFORE THERE ARE ACTUAL PROGRAMS IMPLEMENTED THAT ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY, THAT ARE DYNAMIC AND HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE CREATIVE.
WITHOUT THAT, WITHOUT THAT, THIS WHOLE, THIS WHOLE MODEL FALLS APART.
SO THIS ISN'T A BUSINESS, THIS ISN'T A BUSINESS AGREEMENT.
THIS IS A COMMUNITY COVENANT, A SACRED COMMUNITY COVENANT THAT SAYS TO THE, THE RICH HERITAGE AND EXPERIENCE OF LIVED EXPERIENCE OF A COMMUNITY THAT HAS, TO YOUR POINT, ALDERMAN ROYAL LIVED FAR TOO LONG WITH THIS HEALTHCARE DISPARITY, IS GOING TO PARTNER WITH A HEALTHCARE PROVIDER THAT IS EXPERT IN DOING THIS WORK, AND THEY'RE GOING TO CREATE TOGETHER SOMETHING THAT IS SO UNIQUE AND SO DIFFERENT THAT YOU AND I CAN'T SIT HERE AND FATHOM WHAT IT WILL BE.
I'M, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK THAT GOES BEHIND THIS.
WE HAVE LEFT NO STONE UNTURNED, RESPECTFULLY UNDERSTAND ALL MASTER.
FIRST THING I WANT TO DO IS I'M GONNA SAY I'M A HUNDRED PERCENT FOR THIS, AND I WILL VOTE FOR IT.
OKAY? THE SECOND, THE SECOND THING I WANT TO SAY IS I HEARD THE, THE LADY SPEAK ABOUT IF SOMEONE WALKED INTO THIS CLINIC WITH CHEST PAINS, THEY WERE GOING TO TREAT AND CALL FOR TRANSPORT.
IF THEY'RE GOING TO DO THAT TYPE OF CARE, I'M SURE ALL THE OTHER STUFF IS GOING TO BE A PIECE OF CAKE FOR, SO, UH, I, I'M A HUNDRED PERCENT IN FAVOR OF IT, AND IN FACT, I WANT TO COMPLIMENT THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.
I'M FINALLY, WE WE'RE FINALLY SEEING SOME, SOME, YOU KNOW, GOOD THINGS COMING OUTTA THIS REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.
I WANT TO THANK YOU AS THEIR LEADER.
I WANT TO THANK ALL THE COMMISSIONERS.
I ESPECIALLY WANT TO THANK THE, THE HOSPITAL.
AND I'LL SAY THIS, IF THE HOSPITAL DOESN'T DO IT, WHO WILL, I MEAN, WHO'S GOING TO DO IT? IT'S THE PERFECT SOLUTION TO OUR PROBLEM AS WHO'S GOING TO RUN IT.
AND I'M READY TO CALL FOR THE QUESTION.
EVERYONE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY, A QUESTION, HUH? EVERYONE HAD YOU HAVE, HAVE MOTION TO CALL A QUESTION? ANYBODY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK ALDERMAN PRI? UM, I, I THINK MY QUESTION IS PROBABLY DIRECTED TO THE, UH, CITY ATTORNEY.
UM, WOULD IT BE APPROPRIATE IN THE, UM, DOCUMENT THAT OUTLINES THE COVENANTS AND RESTRICTIONS TO ADD A PROVISION IN THERE THAT WITHIN A SPECIFIED TIME PERIOD, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT TIME PERIOD IS, THAT WE ARE TO BE PROVIDED WITH A MORE DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES THAT WILL BE PROVIDED AT THE CLINIC IF IT GETS APPROVED, AND THAT FOLLOW UP REPORTS ON A PERIODIC BASIS.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER WE'RE TALKING EVERY SIX MONTHS OR EVERY 12 MONTHS, THAT WE WILL, THE CITY WILL RECEIVE, UM, REPORTS THAT OUTLINE THE SERVICES THAT HAVE BEEN PROVIDED AND MAYBE ANY ADDITIONAL SERVICES THAT MIGHT BE ENGAGED BY THE CLINIC.
SO, AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THAT ADDRESSES THE, THE CONCERNS EXPRESSED BY ALDERMAN BRENT, IT WOULD ROYAL AND, AND WHETHER IT'D EVEN BE APPROPRIATE WITHIN THAT DOCUMENT.
ALDERMAN PRI I WILL SAY THAT, UM, YOU COULD CERTAINLY MAKE THE REQUEST.
I THINK THE CHALLENGE THAT'S BEEN ARTICULATED HERE TONIGHT IS THAT THIS IS AN ADAPTIVE AND EVOLVING CONCEPT.
I THINK, UM, CAROLINA EAST REPRESENTATIVES HAVE STATED TONIGHT THAT PRIMARY CARE SERVICES ARE AT THE TOP OF THE LIST, BUT THAT MAY CHANGE AND ADAPT OVER TIME AS THE CLINIC IS RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY.
SO I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT AT THIS STAGE TO PIN THEM DOWN TO A SPECIFIC MENU OF SERVICES BECAUSE IN SIX MONTHS OR WHATEVER TIME PERIOD, THAT MENU COULD CHANGE AS FAR AS ONGOING REPORTS, UM, OF CLINIC OPERATIONS
[02:15:01]
AND, UH, SUCCESSES BY WHATEVER METRIC YOU MEASURE IT, I'M SURE THAT THAT IS A REQUEST THAT THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION COULD MAKE OF CAROLINA EAST.UM, CERTAINLY THERE ARE A BEVY OF HEALTHCARE LAWS THAT WILL APPLY TO THIS CLINIC.
SO I'M NOT, BECAUSE I'M NOT A HEALTHCARE LAWYER, I'M NOT SURE TO WHAT EXTENT CAROLINA EAST WOULD BE, UM, AVAILABLE OR, OR LEGALLY PERMITTED TO SHARE CERTAIN INFORMATION, UM, AND COMPLY WITH ANY, UH, RELATED OR RELEVANT HEALTHCARE LAWS.
WELL, LEMME HOLD, HOLD ON, HOLD ON.
WE'VE GOT THREE PEOPLE TALKING TO ME.
AL MCKENZIE RAISED HIS HAND FIRST.
WE WANNA KNOW EVERYTHING THAT THEY'RE DOING.
THAT'S WHAT I'M GETTING LOST IN THE, IN THE WEEDS HERE NOW, OKAY, WE ARE GIVING THEM A PIECE OF PROPERTY, LET THEM DO THEIR JOB.
WE DON'T NEED TO KNOW ANYTHING, WHAT THEY'RE DOING, WHY THEY'RE DOING, AND HOW LONG THEY'RE DOING IT.
YOU HAVE LAWS IN PLACE TO GOVERN THAT.
PLEASE GIVE THEM THE COURTESY.
I'M NOT INTERESTED IN THAT INFORMATION.
THEY WON'T EVEN BE ON THE BOARD WAITING TO SEE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
LEMME GET ALDERMAN ROYAL, THEN I GET ALDERMAN.
I WANT TO ADD JUST ONE FINAL NOTE TO THIS.
I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO THE RESIDENTS, OF COURSE, AT INDIGO AND TO OTHER RESIDENTS ON THIRD AVENUE.
AND OF COURSE, THEIR POSITION IS PROBABLY WHAT MINE WOULD BE IF THAT FACILITY WAS GONNA BE BUILT IN MY YARD.
I PROBABLY, YOU PROBABLY EVERYBODY PROBABLY IN HERE MIGHT WOULD RESPOND WITH THE SAME RESPONSE.
AND I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH THEM.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HEARD, UH, SEVERAL TIMES IN THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION MEETINGS WAS THAT THERE WOULD BE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.
AND I KNOW THAT THOSE OPPORTUNITIES HAVE BEEN PRESENTED THROUGH THE DUFFY FIELD RESIDENCE COUNCIL.
UM, IN TALKING WITH MY CONSTITUENTS ON THIRD AVENUE, THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF THE DUFFY FIELD RESIDENCE COUNCIL.
WHOEVER, I'M NOT BLAMING ANYONE.
I'M JUST SIMPLY RESTATING WHAT THEY SAID TO ME, THAT THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF IT.
AND THAT THEY, ONCE I TALKED WITH THEM ABOUT IT AND TOLD THEM THE DIRECTION OF THE ORGANIZATION AND WHAT THE GOALS WERE, BECAUSE AGAIN, I'VE BEEN A PART OF THE DOUBLE FIELD RESIDENT COUNCIL MEETINGS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.
THEY ALL WERE INTERESTED AND THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD BEGIN ATTENDING THE MEETINGS.
UH, A WISE PERSON SAID TO ME RECENTLY THAT WE CAN ALWAYS AIR FOR A LACK OF INFORMATION, BUT WE CAN NEVER ERR ON THE SIDE OF HAVING MORE INFORMATION.
AND I BELIEVE PROBABLY THAT'S BEEN WHAT HAS PRECIPITATED THE OPPOSITION THAT SOME RESIDENTS HAVE, THE MISGIVINGS THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE, JUST SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY DID NOT HAVE INFORMATION.
AND IN LIGHT OF THAT, I WOULD CERTAINLY LOVE TO, UH, HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO HAVE ACCESS TO INFORMATION.
FIRST OF ALL, THE NEED TO BEGIN ATTENDING THE VILLE RESIDENTS COUNCIL MEETINGS, AND TO HEAR THE AGENDA AND SEE WHAT THE PROPOSED PLANS ARE AND SEE WHERE THE COMMUNITY IS MOVING TOWARDS AND HOW NOT ONLY JUST TO HEAR IT, BUT THAT THEY PARTICIPATE IN IT.
BECAUSE AGAIN, THEY ARE STAKEHOLDERS.
THEY ARE RESIDENTS THERE, AND THEY SHOULD BE INVOLVED IN WHAT IS HAPPENING WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
BUT I'D LIKE TO ALSO SEE AS THE, AS THE, UH, REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION HAD SPOKEN IN VARIOUS MEETINGS, MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY INPUT OR FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, OR TO HAVE LET THE CITIZENS BE INFORMED.
I DIDN'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT YOU.
WE CAN INFORM DECISIONS WHEN WE HAVE INFORMATION, AND THAT WILL CERTAINLY DISPEL SOME OF THE MAYBE FEARS THAT THE RESIDENTS HAVE JUST BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW.
AND AGAIN, I'VE HOSTED TOWN HALL MEETINGS TO INFORM THEM, TO ENLIGHTEN THEM.
I'VE TAUGHT WITH THEM THAT RECEIVE CALLS.
[02:20:01]
AND SO, AGAIN, THEY NEED TO BE IN THE SPACE AND THEY NEED TO BE AT THE TABLE.AND NOT ONLY THAT, BUT THAT THEY CAN PARTICIPATE ALSO WITH WHAT'S GOING ON IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
SO IN LIGHT OF THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO SEE HOW WE CAN PROVIDE MORE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
EVEN I, I, I, UM, THE ATTORNEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP ME WITH THAT, EVEN IF WE COULD HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING TO ALLOW THE COMMUNITY TO HEAR, TO GLEAN FROM YOU, TO UNDERSTAND, TO GET MORE CLARITY, TO RELY THEIR FEARS SO THAT THEY CAN BE MORE ENGAGED AND BE A PART OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
NOT JUST STAND ON THE OUTSIDE, BUT THEY WILL BE ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS IN WHAT IS GOING ON IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
I'M ADDRESSING THAT TO THE ATTORNEY.
IS YOUR QUESTION, ALDERMAN ROYAL, IF THE BOARD CAN CALL FOR A PUBLIC HEARING, IS THAT YOUR QUESTION? YES.
THE BOARD COULD CALL FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ISSUE, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT STATUTORILY REQUIRED.
UM, IT, IT'S ALSO, UM, AT, AT THE LAST MEETING, AT THE PRESENTATION, UM, THE BOARD COULD CALL, COULD'VE CALLED FOR A PUBLIC HEARING.
IT'S ENTIRELY UP TO A MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS.
I I WAS JUST GOING TO ADDRESS WHAT OUR CITY ATTORNEY HAD SAID ON, UH, BASED ON ALDERMAN PEARL'S QUESTION.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE AGREEMENT RIGHT NOW AS IT STANDS, SAYS THAT THEY'LL BEGIN IN SIX MONTHS TO BUILD AND A YEAR BE COMPLETED.
YOU KNOW, I, I THINK IT'S WITHIN REASON TO HAVE THEM COME BACK SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR TO THIS BOARD AND OFFER, HERE'S THE SERVICES WE'RE GONNA PROVIDE.
HERE'S WHAT WE'RE THINKING, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T BUILD A BUILDING WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT YOU'RE GONNA USE IT FOR, UH, THE DESIGN AND WHATNOT.
SO I I, I WAS WANTING TO ADDRESS WHAT THE ATTORNEY SAID THAT, UH, WE, I WASN'T ASKING FOR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, TWO WEEKS FROM NOW.
UH, IF WE WERE TO INCLUDE IT, IT OBVIOUSLY WOULD TAKE TIME.
UM, SO IT APPEARED TO BEING HELPFUL, YOU KNOW, UH, AND WITH THE CONSENSUS OF THE BOARD, I'D LIKE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, WELLNESS COMMITTEE AND THE CAROLINA EAST TO COME BACK IN ABOUT SIX MONTHS AND TELL US WHAT SERVICES THEY'RE GONNA PROVIDE COME BACK AT, AT SIX MONTHS OR AT SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR.
I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S REASONABLE WHEN THEY START BUILDING, HEY, HERE'S THE, HERE'S THE SERVICES WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE THERE.
AND, AND LIKE I SAID, I, I AM NOT, IT'S A HEALTH CLINIC.
IT IS, BUT HERE'S, LIKE I SAID AT THE VERY BEGINNING, I AM NOT OPPOSED TO HAVING THIS CLINIC.
I I AM FOR THIS CLINIC AS LONG AS IT DOES NOT PROVIDE THE SAME SERVICES AS THE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
AND, UH, HURTS WHAT THEY ARE TRYING TO DO.
UH, THE LAST THING I'LL SAY IS ONE OF THOSE, ONE OF THOSE MEETINGS WE HAD WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WAS IF THE CITY WERE TO OFFER YOU THIS BUILDING AND THE MONEY, WOULD YOU TAKE IT AND RUN IT? AND THEIR ANSWER WAS NO.
WELL, I GOT MY, MY CONCERN IS, IS WE KEEP MAKING THE HOSPITAL JUMP THROUGH ALL THESE HOOPS AND STUFF.
THEY'RE GOING TO SAY, SORRY, WE'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS, AND THEY'RE GONNA MOVE ON.
AND THEN WE'RE GONNA BE BACK TO SQUARE ONE.
TRYING TO FIND OUT WHO'S GOING TO RUN AND OPERATE THIS THING.
ROYAL, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY? A FINAL, FINAL COMMENT, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE.
I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF CHATTER AND THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERN.
AND BY RIGHT, THAT IS TOTALLY A GOOD RESPONSE.
AND I WANT TO REITERATE THIRD AVENUE, THE RESIDENTS THERE, THE RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY THAT IT IS, I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE THOSE RESIDENTS OR ANY OTHER PERSON WHO PERHAPS NEED CLARITY OR MORE UNDERSTANDING, OR A SPACE, I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH IN.
I'VE SAID THAT REPEATEDLY, AND I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT HAPPEN.
YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT HAPPEN.
[02:25:01]
WAS YOU, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT HAPPEN IF IT WAS ME.AND SO IN LIGHT OF THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION, UH, QUESTION, COMMENTS BEFORE YOU MAKE THAT MOTION.
BUT I, BEFORE WE MAKE THAT MOTION, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO CALL FOR A PUBLIC HEARING TO COME BACK AT OUR NEXT MEETING IN TWO WEEKS, TO GIVE EVERY CITIZEN WHO HAS A RIGHT, AS A TAXPAYER, AS A CITIZEN, AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR WHAT WE HEARD IN HERE TONIGHT.
WHAT WE HAVE DISCUSSED IN OUR MEETINGS, WHAT WE HAVE SPOKEN IN THE GREATER D FIELD RESIDENCE, UH, MEETINGS THAT THEY WOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR ONCE THEY RECEIVE THAT INFORMATION, ONCE THEY ARE INFORMED, AS YOU SAID, PUT THE PEDAL TO IT.
UM, BUT I DO HEAR WHAT ALDERMAN BRISSON IS SAYING AND WHAT ALDERMAN, UM, ROYAL IS SAYING.
AND I SAY THIS TO Y'ALL AS A, AS A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY, WOULD YOU NOT WANT TO BE INFORMED OF WHAT'S, WAIT A MINUTE OF WHAT'S, WHAT, NOT WHAT THE CLINIC IS GONNA, NOT WHAT THE CLINIC IS GOING TO PROVIDE TO YOU, BUT WOULD YOU NOT WANT TO BE A PART OF A MEETING SO YOU CAN EXPRESS, EXPRESS YOUR CONCERNS IF YOU LIVE WITHIN THAT COMMUNITY? ALDERMAN INVEST.
MAY I, MAY I SAY SOMETHING? I, I, I, ALRIGHT, SO WE, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND AND WE'RE IN DISCUSSION.
SO THE BOARD NEEDS TO MAKE A DECISION.
DO YOU WANT TO CONTINUE WITH DISCUSSION AND ENGAGING FOLKS IN THE AUDIENCE, OR DO YOU WANT TO VOTE ON THE MOTION THAT'S ON THE TABLE? I WANT TO ENGAGE WITH FOLKS IN OUR, OKAY.
SO I NEED YOU TO RESCIND YOUR SECOND OF THE MOTION.
I RESCIND ALDERMAN ROYAL, DO YOU RESCIND YOUR MOTION? NO, SIR.
WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'M SORRY.
ALDERMAN BRINSON MADE THE SECOND.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU NEED TO RESEND IT, BUT, UM, BECAUSE WE'RE, WE'RE MOVING FORWARD FROM TAKING A VOTE THAT'S ON THE TABLE TO ENTERTAINING THE AUDIENCE AGAIN.
NOW WE'RE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MAKING A VOTE.
SO THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO ASK THE QUESTIONS BEFORE SHE MADE HER MOTION.
WHEN YOU HAVE A DISCUSSION ON A MOTION, IT'S THE BOARD THAT'S DELIBERATING NOT THE AUDIENCE.
SO, ARMON ROYAL, DO YOU STILL WANT KEEP YOUR MOTION ON THE TABLE? THAT'S IT.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND TO HER MOTION? OKAY.
NOW WE'RE AT THE POINT FOR A DISCUSSION.
IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO ENTERTAIN FOLKS IN THE AUDIENCE, YES.
A COMM COMMISSIONER FROM THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.
IS ANYBODY OPPOSED TO HAVING THE COMMISSIONER SPEAK? NO.
UH, JULIUS PARHAM, I'M A MEMBER OF THE BOARD, UH, REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.
I JUST HAVE ONE, ONE QUICK STATEMENT AND THEN, AND THEN I'LL GET OUTTA HERE.
I KNOW YOU WANT SOME INPUT FROM YOUR CITIZENS.
I KNOW YOUR, YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT IN THE PAST MONTH, TWO MONTHS, YOU HAVE HAIL MEETINGS WITH YOUR RESIDENTS.
BUT AT ONE, SOMETIMES THE BOARD OF THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION HAS NOT BEEN INVITED TO THE MEETING.
SO THERE WERE OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO SHARE, BUT WE WEREN'T INVITED.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE WERE TRYING TO HIDE SOMETHING.
IT'S JUST THAT SOME INFORMATION THAT WAS OUT THERE MIGHT NOT BEEN ALL THE INFORMATION, BUT NOW WE AT A POINT WHERE WE CAN GET SOMEWHERE.
BUT THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO SHARE, PRIOR TO THIS POINT, WE HAD IT, BUT WE WEREN'T INVITED TO THE MEETINGS.
THERE WAS ONE MEETING HELD AND I THINK, UH, MS. PIERCE WAS, WAS INVITED.
SO WE CAME TO THE MEETING, BUT WE WEREN'T INVITED.
SO THERE ARE TIMES THAT INFORMATION COULD HAVE BEEN PRESENTED, BUT WE JUST WASN'T INVITED.
NOW WHAT MEETING WAS THAT, SIR? THERE WAS A MEETING PIERCE CAME TO, THERE WAS, THERE WAS A MEETING AT CEDAR STREET GYM, UM, ZEV, I THINK Z WAS CALLED TO COME BY.
MS. PIERCE, SHE WAS INVITED TO ME, BUT WE WEREN'T INVITED TO THE MEETING.
[02:30:01]
YEAH, SO IT IS, SO THERE WAS NO, BUT I'M SAYING, BUT THAT WAS INFORMATION TIME.THERE WAS NO INVITATION SENT OUT TO ANYONE.
IT WAS JUST PUT ON MS. PIERCE WAS GIVEN AN INVITATION.
WELL, I BUT, BUT IN THE DISCUSSION CAME UP ABOUT THE WELLNESS CENTER, BUT WE WROTE THERE NO, IT DID NOT.
THE WHOLE MEETING WAS ABOUT TO DO CENTER.
WE, WE ALLOWED ONE PERSON TO SPEAK.
IF WE'RE GONNA ALLOW THE AUDIENCE TO SPEAK, THEN WE NEED TO MAKE A MOTION TO DO SO.
MAYOR, MAY I SAY SOMETHING? YES, MA'AM.
I JUST WANTED TO GET THE CONSENSUS OF YOU ALL THAT'S HERE TONIGHT ABOUT WOULDN'T YOU WANT TO BE A PART OF THE MEETINGS TO KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON? NOW, MR. PARHAM HAS JUST INFORMED ME THAT THERE HAVE BEEN MEETINGS.
SO I HAVE NOTHING ELSE TO SAY ABOUT A PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT FOR THE CITIZENS TO COME TOGETHER AND VOICE THEIR CONCERNS AND OPINIONS ABOUT THIS HEALTHCARE CENTER.
SO I'M READY TO JUST MOVE FORWARD WITH IT.
WE CAN MAKE A MOTION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH SOMETHING OR WE CAN ALLOW MAMA SAMPSON TO SPEAK.
AND IT'S GONNA BE AWFULLY HARD FOR SOMEBODY TO SAY NO TO HER.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO LET HER SPEAK
SO, ALRIGHT, LET'S, LET'S, WE'VE HAD FOLKS THAT HAVE HAD STANDING, THEY'VE BEEN ON COMMISSIONS, THEY'VE BEEN A PART OF THIS PARTNERSHIP.
MS. SAMPSON IS SOMEONE FROM THE COMMUNITY, A VERY WELL RESPECTED PERSON.
I THINK WE NEED TO OPEN THIS UP TO ALLOW HER TO SPEAK IF THAT'S WHAT THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO DO.
HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND MOTION OF ALDER MCKENZIE, SECOND ALDERMAN.
ANY OPPOSED? MS. SAMPSON? GO RIGHT AHEAD.
MY NAME IS ET SAMPSON TEMPORARY.
I'M RESIDING AT 1614 HAER AVENUE BECAUSE OF CITY SAW FIT TO ALLOW FEMA TO BUILD ME A NEW HOUSE, A NEW HOME.
AND SO I THANK Y'ALL FOR THAT.
BUT WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY, I'M OLDER THAN EVERYBODY IN HERE AND I'VE BEEN COMING TO THE BOARD OF OTTAWA MEETINGS, THEN THEY USED TO CALL IT THE COUNCIL.
AND WHEN I DIDN'T COME TO THE MEETING, I HEARD IT ON, ON, ON TELEVISION.
AND THAT'S, AND NEXT MONTH, IF I LIVE, IT'LL BE 70 YEARS AND I COULD BET ANYBODY I HAVE MISSED IN ALL THESE 70 YEARS, I HAVE NOT MISSED HEARING OR ATTENDING 30 MEETINGS IN ALL THESE 70 YEARS.
AND I KNOW HOW EVERYTHING GOES ON IN NEW BERN WITH THE BOYS.
I WANNA TAKE YOU ALL TO SCHOOL.
AND BARBARA LEE WAS A LITTLE GIRL.
WE HAD SOMETHING CALLED THE CONCERNED CITIZENS AND, AND BARBARA LEE AND POPEYE AND WHITE AND ALL OF THOSE.
A FEW OF US MARRY AND EVERYBODY.
BUT LET ME TELL YOU, WE JUST, WE DID, WE DID OUR HOMEWORK.
AND WHEN WE, WHEN ME AND WE, I HAD A BULL, BULL HO STILL GOT A NEW ONE.
YOU GO AROUND YOU THAT THESE PEOPLE KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING.
THEY, THEY DON'T WANT TO COME CALL.
YOU HAD A LOT OF MEETINGS, SO I'D BE TWO OR THREE PEOPLE.
BUT LET ME TELL YOU THIS, IF IT WASN'T FOR A PAST, IT WOULDN'T BE NO PRESENT.
IT WASN'T FOR A PRESENT, IT WOULDN'T BE A FUTURE.
AND WE DIDN'T DO NOT NEED TO LOOK A GIFT HORSE IN THE MOUTH BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU SAID YOU ACCUSE YOURSELF.
BUT YOU SAID SOME REAL GOOD THINGS TONIGHT.
BOY, YOU A MAN IN MY OWN HEART.
YOU KNOW, WHEN A PERSON LOOK, THIS IS NOT A BLACK ISSUE, WHITE, YELLOW, OR RED.
AND WE, AND WE GOT STOP BEING CONCERNED ABOUT, WE CONSIDER ABOUT WHAT'S GOOD FOR THE PEOPLE.
I KNOW 'CAUSE I'VE BEEN IN THE WORLD A LONG TIME.
AND WHAT, WHAT GOD WILL PEOPLE SAY, MOST OF 'EM, THEY, THEY ALWAYS SAY THEY GONNA DO WHAT? WHAT THEY DO ANYWAY, WE TRY TO STOP IT.
BUT IT DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME LIKE THIS.
I REMEMBER IN THIRD AVENUE, FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD AVENUE WAS SOMETHING THAT MOST FLU PLACES IN NEW BERN.
AND I KNOW FOR A FACT BECAUSE I WOULD LIVE DURING THE TIME, DUFFY FIELD WAS ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL PLACES.
IT WAS, WE HAD BARBERSHOPS, WE HAD LAWYERS.
WE HAD A WHOLE LOT OF TEACHERS.
AND WE HAD REAL ESTATE RIGHT THERE ON MAIN STREET.
AND I MEAN, WE HAD SOME EVERYTHING STORES AND, AND CAFES SOME, AND EVERYTHING WAS GOING GOOD.
I TELL YOU ONE THING, WE HAD A LOT OF PICCOLOS.
BUT, BUT EVERYBODY WAS NICE TO, TO TEACH EACH OTHER.
AND WE GOT SOMETHING GOING THAT'S GOOD.
AND LET ME TELL YOU, I HAD A LOT OF DEALERS HAD HOSPITAL AND WHOLE LOT OF THE THINGS I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN.
AND THE HOSPITAL ALWAYS HELPED US OUT IN VILLE.
[02:35:01]
EVEN, I MEAN ALL THE TIME.I KNOW FOR A FACT BECAUSE I WAS A RECIPIENT.
BUT LET ME TELL YOU, DURING THE DESEGREGATED PHASE, I WAS ON THE BOARD OF WHITE PEOPLE THAT THEY DIDN'T, I MEAN, FOR PEOPLE CONCERN ME WITH PEOPLE AND I'VE BEEN ON A WHOLE LOT OF BOYS.
I'M STILL ON THE COURTHOUSE BOARD AND THE JAIL BOARD STILL ON IT.
AND IN THE HOSPITAL, I MEAN, VISIT, VISIT PEOPLE AND HAD THAT ONE WHITE REST HOME UP THERE WHERE THE HOSPITAL IS NOW, MAMA AND I USED TO GO TO SEE THE WHITE PEOPLE AND THEY WERE GLAD TO SEE THE BLACK PEOPLE BECAUSE NOBODY ELSE CAME TO SEE 'EM.
BUT I TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S GOOD TO HELP THE PEOPLE, WHY WOULD WE DO THE DEPARTMENT GONNA STOP THIS.
WHY, WHY WE NOT GOING TO BE GLAD WHEN I HEAR THESE PEOPLE SPEAK ABOUT GOOD THINGS, ABOUT WHAT NEED TO BE DONE, DON'T LOOK AT GIFT HORSE IN THE MOUTH AND GOD BLESS Y'ALL.
MS. MR. DILL HUNT IS STANDING THERE? YES? YES.
ANYONE OPPOSED? COME, COME RIGHT TO THE MICROPHONE, MR. DILLA HUNT SO EVERYBODY CAN HOME THAT'S WATCHING.
UH, MAYOR ALDERMAN POLICE, AND I KNOW THIS IS A PROTOCOL AND UH, I'M NOT HERE TO DISAGREE.
THE CLINIC IS NEEDED DESPERATELY DESPERATE, DESPERATELY NEEDED.
SO I DON'T WANT NOBODY TO THINK THAT I'M AGAINST HAVING A CLINIC.
MY PROBLEM IS THE FOLKS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
NOW, WHAT DO YOU THINK THIRD AVENUE WOULD BE WITH THE STANLEY WHITE AND THE CLINIC? IMAGINE LIVING ON THIRD AVENUE, COMING TO YOUR HOME EVERY DAY.
IF EITHER ONE OF YOU, ANY OF YOU CAN IMAGINE LIVING THERE WITH A CLINIC, A RECREATION CENTER, JUST THINK IN YOUR MIND, WHAT WOULD IT BE LIKE? I AM FOR THE CLINIC DEFINITELY, BUT MAYBE ANOTHER LOCATION OR GIVE THE RESIDENTS VOICE TO SPEAK ON THAT.
ON THIRD AVENUE, I'VE BEEN TRAVELING THIRD AVENUE ALL MY LIFE WITH STEVE FOWLER.
HAD ABOUT 75 HOUSES DOWN THIRD AVENUE.
EVERY ONE OF 'EM IS TORN DOWN NOW, MAYBE THIRD AVENUE.
WE NEED TO BE NAMED STEVE FOWLER AVENUE, OR PHILLIP THIRD AVENUE.
IF Y'ALL CAN REMEMBER THE HOUSES THAT USED TO BE ON THIRD AVENUE.
AND WE CAN TURN IT INTO A COMMERCIAL DISTRICT WITH A WELLNESS CENTER THAT EVERYBODY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, EVERYBODY IN THE STATE CAN COME DOWN.
THIRD AVENUE, ANYBODY CAN COME TO THE CENTER.
IT'S NOT GONNA BE, UH, DEDICATED TO THE PEOPLE IN THE
IT'S GONNA BE A CENTER FOR EVERYBODY TO COME TO.
ONCE AGAIN, WE NEED THE CENTER DESPERATELY, BUT MAYBE IN ANOTHER LOCATION OR LET THE RESIDENTS KNOW.
I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND UH, GO BE WITH YOU.
UH, MS. MS. ALDERMAN, BARBARA LEE.
UM, SHE'S NOT A MEMBER OF REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, SO I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND TO ALLOW TO SPEAK.
I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND I ONE OF THE ORDER THOSE.
ANY OPPOSED? THE FLOOR IS YOURS, MA'AM.
I DON'T HAVE VERY MUCH TO SAY.
I JUST RECALL THAT THAT, UH, A REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION WAS GIVEN THE RESPONSIBILITY OF MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
I THINK THE IDEA OF A CLINIC, I REMEMBER WHEN WE WERE TRYING TO PUT THE STANLEY WHITE RECREATION CENTER, WHERE IT IS NOW, IT LOOKS GOOD, RIGHT GUYS, EVERYBODY WHO HAD SO MUCH TO SAY ABOUT WHERE IT SHOULD BE AND WHY IT SHOULD NOT BE.
YOU GOT THAT CENTER AND IT IS COMING UP.
THANK GOD I HAVE WORKED IN DUFFY FIELD AND ALL OF THE COMMUNITIES IN THE CITY OF NEW BERN FOR A WHOLE LOT OF TIME.
AND I KNOW PEOPLE EVERYWHERE AND I KNOW THEIR NEED.
I KNOW, I'M NOT THINK GUESSING.
I KNOW THE NEED IS THERE, AND I'M GLAD TO KNOW THAT YOU GUYS ARE WILLING TO DO THAT.
ALL WE WANT FROM YOU IN THE CITY IS A BUILDING AND SOME LAND AND SOME MONEY.
SO, SO YOU USE THAT FOR EVERYTHING.
IF NOW YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF EVERYTHING, YOU FOUND OUT, SOME THINGS, ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW, WE COULD GET THE INFORMATION
[02:40:01]
TO YOU.BUT RIGHT NOW WE'D LIKE TO HAVE THAT BUILDING AND WE'D LIKE TO HAVE THAT MONEY SO WE CAN GET STARTED AND STOP DRAGGING OUR FEET LIKE WE TRY TO DO WITH STANLEY WHITE.
COMMISSIONER IS A MEMBER OF THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION FOR THE RECORD, SO YOU'RE FREE TO SPEAK, SIR.
THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR ALDERMAN AND ALL OTHER EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY.
MY NAME IS LEANNE DE MORGAN JR.
AND I AM A MEMBER OF THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION AND HAVE BEEN SINCE ITS INCEPTION, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME GREAT PEOPLE AND SOME GOOD PEOPLE WHO ARE VOLUNTEERS THAT WORK ON THE COMMISSION, THAT ARE THE COMMISSIONERS.
WE HAVE PUT FORTH A GREAT DEAL OF EFFORT AND A GREAT DEAL OF WORK AND TIME AND FORETHOUGHT INTO WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE REDEVELOPMENT AREA.
THAT AREA HAS BEEN FAMOUS BECAUSE IT'S BLIGHTED.
IT HAS BECOME POPULAR BECAUSE IT'S BLIGHTED.
AND WE DID NOT START GETTING THE ATTENTION THAT WE DESERVED UNTIL WE HAD TO ASSUME THE STIGMA OF BEING BLIGHTED, WHERE WE'RE NOW COMING OUT OF BEING BLIGHTED.
AND WE'RE JUST TRYING TO MAKE IT A BUDDING SYSTEM.
WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE IT A BUDDING COMMUNITY.
ONCE AGAIN, WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE IT FLOURISH.
AND YOU HAVE CHARGED US, YOU HAVE GIVEN US A CHARGE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE NOT ONLY FOLLOW HEALTH WELLNESS, BUT HOUSING.
AND THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES THAT WE HAVE BEEN STAGNANT, BUT NOW WE ARE MAKING GREAT STRIDES AND WE DON'T NEED TO BE STOPPED NOW.
YOU ALL HAVE SEEN A DIFFERENCE.
WE'RE JUST ASKING YOU TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT OUR EFFORTS AND KNOW THAT WE ARE THERE BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE THERE.
NOT BECAUSE WE'RE BEING PAID, NOT BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO GET OUR NAMES IN THE PAPER.
WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
AND WE WANT TO SEE SOMETHING NORTH OF BROAD STREET TO BE VIABLE ONCE AGAIN IN HEALTH, WITH WELLNESS, WITH EMOTIONAL HEALTH, PHYSICAL HEALTH BECAUSE COVID AND THINGS HIT DIFFERENT NORTH OF BROAD STREET, THEN THEY HIT ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE CITY AND THE LANDSCAPE OF THE REDEVELOPMENT AREA AND DUFFY FIELD CHANGES ALONG WITH THE CLIMATE.
WE NEED TO TAKE BACK POSSESSION OF WHAT WE HAVE POSSESSION OVER AND WE CAN MAKE DUFFY FIELD GREAT AGAIN AND MAKE THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION FLOURISHED.
WE HAVE TO HAVE THIS AND I DO ADMONISH TO THIS BOARD TO PLEASE VOTE.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE OPEN.
WE, WE ONLY OPENED IT FOR MAMA SAMPSON.
WELL, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE GIVE THE LAND OVER TO THE, UH, REVE, THE DEVELOP THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION TO GIVE OVER TO THE HOSPITAL HONOR AUTER MCKENZIE, JUST POINT OF CLARIFICATION, I THINK WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IS TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION THAT'S IN FRONT OF US, WHICH IS A TRANSFER OF THE PROPERTY AND THE FUNDING.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT, SIR.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I'LL JUST MAKE ONE LAST STATEMENT AND I'LL BE QUIET.
MY BIGGEST CONCERN AGAIN IS DUPLICATING SERVICES FROM THE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
I'VE GOTTEN REASSURANCES FROM THE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND FROM CAROLINA EAST THAT IT DOES NOT.
AND SO THAT'S WHY I WILL VOTE THE WAY I VOTE.
UM, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? OKAY, LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDER MCKENZIE.
UM, I'M SURE WE'RE GONNA HAVE ANOTHER EXIT, BUT WE'RE ALL READY TO GO, SO WE'RE GONNA KEEP MOVING ON WITH BUSINESS IF THAT'S GOOD WITH EVERYONE.
[15. Consider Adopting a Budget Ordinance Amendment for Fiscal Year 2023-24.]
UP.UM, ITEM NUMBER 15, CONSIDER ADOPTING A BUDGET ORDINANCE AMENDMENT FOR FY 2324.
MS. OSRAM AT THE MEETING ON MARCH AT THE MARCH 12TH MEETING, BOARD OF ALDERMAN MEETING, A RESOLUTION WAS ADOPTED, UM, FOR THE EXTENSION OF THE OMEGA CENTER LICENSE AGREEMENT, ANY AMOUNT OF $25,971 FOR AN 11 MONTH TERM EXPIRING JANUARY 31ST, 2000.
EXCUSE ME, EXCUSE KIM, IF YOU WOULD JUST
[02:45:01]
HOLD ON A SECOND.YEAH, WE'RE GONNA LET EVERYBODY EXIT SO WE CAN HEAR WHAT'S GOING ON.
AT THE MARCH 12TH, 2024 BOARD OF ALDERMAN MEETING, A RESOLUTION WAS ADOPTED, APPROV ADOPTED APPROVING THE EXTENSION OF THE OMEGA CENTER LICENSE AGREEMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $25,971 FOR AN 11TH 11 MONTH TERM EXPIRING JANUARY 31ST, 2025.
THE GENERAL FUND IS, UM, AMENDED TO APPROPRIATE THE FUND BALANCE OF $25,971 FOR THE LICENSE AGREEMENT EXTENSION.
ON ITEM NUMBER 15, THERE'S NO DISCUSSION.
I'LL, UH, MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT A BUDGET ORDINANCE AMENDMENT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2324.
SECOND, HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN BEST? ALDERMAN BEST? YES.
UH, NEXT ITEM IS APPOINTMENTS.
UM, AND JUST FOR POINT FOR CLARIFICATION FOR THE BOARD, I KNOW I MENTIONED IN OUR LAST MEETING THAT A LOT OF THESE TERMS WOULD BE EXPIRING ON JUNE 30, THE WAY THEY'RE STRUCTURED.
UH, I HAD A QUESTION FROM SOMEONE WHO IS SITTING ON A BOARD CURRENTLY THAT IS ELIGIBLE FOR REAPPOINTMENT.
THEY ASKED DID THEY NEED TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION OR RESUME? I SPOKE TO CITY ATTORNEY TODAY AND HE SAID HE DIDN'T THINK THAT WAS NECESSARY.
UNLESS THE BOARD HAS ANY DIFFERING OPINIONS.
IF SOMEONE IS ALREADY SITTING IN A POSITION ELIGIBLE FOR REAPPOINTMENT, THERE'S NO REASON FOR THEM TO RESUBMIT THEIR APPLICATION RESUME.
IS EVERYBODY GOOD WITH THAT? I AGREE WITH THAT.
AND MA'AM, AS A POINT OF CLARITY, UM, THERE WAS A MOTION TO EXCUSE YOU FROM VOTING.
I THINK THAT MOTION WAS LIMITED TO ITEM NUMBER 14.
IS THAT THE UNDERSTANDING OF ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS? YES.
BECAUSE YOU JUST VOTED ON 15, SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THE RECORD IS CLEAR.
[16. Appointment( s).]
OKAY.UH, NO APPOINTMENTS, UH, ATTORNEY'S REPORT?
[17. Attorney' s Report.]
YES, SIR.UM, MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, VERY QUICKLY, UM, AT YOUR LAST MEETING, MR. DAVIS, UM, GAVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF SOME PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE RULES AND PROCEDURES FOR THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN.
THE ONLY ISSUE THAT'S OUTSTANDING THAT WE NEED DIRECTION FROM YOU ALL IS ABOUT WHETHER YOU ALL WANT TO PERMIT YOUR MEMBERS TO PARTICIPATE TELEPHONICALLY OR ELECTRONICALLY.
UM, IN MEETINGS YOU WOULD NOT COUNT TOWARDS A QUORUM.
YOU WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO VOTE ON ANY ITEMS. UM, BUT IF IT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD TO ALLOW YOUR MEMBERS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DIALOGUE OR ASK QUESTIONS, UM, IF YOU ARE IN A REMOTE LOCATION, WE NEED SOME DIRECTION ABOUT WHETHER TO INCLUDE THAT PROVISION OR TO REMOVE IT.
SO, UH, FOR ALDERMAN PRE'S BENEFIT, YOU WERE NOT AT THE MEETING WHEN WE DISCUSSED THIS.
UM, AS, AS THE ATTORNEY JUST SAID, THIS WOULD BE A PROVISION THAT WOULD ALLOW SOMEONE ABSENT.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, YOU WERE OUT OF TOWN LAST MEETING, YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO CALL IN AND PARTICIPATE IN THE DISCUSSION, BUT YOU WOULD NOT COUNT TOWARD A QUORUM AND YOU COULD NOT VOTE.
IT WOULD JUST BE FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES.
SO THAT'S THE OUTSTANDING ISSUE THAT THE ATTORNEY'S LOOKING FOR DIRECTION ON.
AGAIN, I I DON'T REALLY HAVE AN OPINION ONE OR THE OTHER.
IF YOU CAN'T VOTE, I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT THE IMPORTANCE IS OF PARTICIPATING IN THE CONVERSATION.
SO, AND, AND MEMBERS WOULD OTHERWISE BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE TO VIEW THE MEETING.
THE MEETINGS ARE LIVE STREAM, SO I'M NOT SURE IF YOU WANT TO HAVE AN ADDITIONAL LEVEL OF ACCESS OR, OR NOT.
MY VOTE WOULD BE NOT TO ALLOW THAT.
DOES ANYBODY FEEL DIFFERENTLY? I AGREE.
BECAUSE I'M JUST GONNA SAY, UM, WE HAVE A MEETING, BUT AN EMERGENCY COMES UP WITH ME AND I CAN'T ATTEND THAT MEETING.
AND I DO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME IN BY PHONE.
THAT'S MY ONLY RESERVATION THAT I HAVE WITH IT.
BUT NORMALLY IF YOU ARE, IT, IT JUST WHERE SOMETHING YOU ARE OUT OF TOWN OR YOU ARE ON VACATION OR WHATEVER AND YOU CAN'T MAKE A MEETING, THEN THAT'S, I JUST HAVE A, A, A, A PROBLEM WITH AN EMERGENCY COMING UP WITH, I JUST SAY MYSELF, COME UP WITH ME AND I CAN'T ATTEND A MEETING.
ANY THOUGHTS ON THIS SIDE? I I HAVE A QUESTION AGAIN.
IS THERE A STATURE ORDINANCE POLICY THAT PRECLUDES THE ALDERMAN FROM VOTING? THERE? THERE WERE SOME, THERE WAS SOME AUTHORITY STATUTORILY TO ALLOW REMOTE PARTICIPATION DURING STATE STATES OF EMERGENCY.
UM, NOW THAT MANY OF THOSE, UM, PROTOCOLS HAVE BEEN CURTAILED, UM, THERE, THERE'S NOT VERY CLEAR GUIDANCE AT THIS POINT ABOUT WHETHER YOU WOULD COUNT AS A CORPSMAN, WHETHER YOUR VOTE WOULD ATTACH.
[02:50:01]
REASON WHY OUR OFFICE IS PROPOSING, UM, PARTICIPATION BUT NOT VOTING IS BECAUSE THERE HASN'T BEEN VERY MUCH, UM, INTERPRETATION FROM OUR COURT SYSTEM ABOUT THE NUANCES OF APPLYING THOSE PROTOCOLS OUTSIDE OF THE STATE OF EMERGENCY.SO YOU ARE SAYING THERE IS NO POLICY STATUTE AND NONE OF THAT THAT SAYS AN ALDERMAN CANNOT VOTE? I I'M TRYING TO RECALL, DID ATTORNEY DAVIS SAY THAT IT HAS BECOME OBSOLETE SOMEWHAT WITH SOME OF THE BOARDS OR IT'S NOT PRACTICE? BUT AGAIN, MY QUESTION IS SPECIFICALLY THERE IS NOT A POLICY STANDARD STATUTE THAT SAYS AN ALDERMAN CANNOT VOTE.
MY RESPONSE TO THAT QUESTION IS THERE'S NOT A LOT OF CASE LAW THAT TELLS US HOW TO APPLY THE RULES IN THIS AREA.
THAT'S THE BEST ANSWER I HAVE RIGHT NOW.
SO THERE'S NOT, SO THEN THAT WOULD BE LEFT UP TO THE BOARD.
I'M JUST TRYING TO, I I WAS GONNA SAY, HAVING SAT THROUGH A LOT OF COUNTY MEETINGS, THEY ALLOW THE PERSON CALLING IN REMOTELY TO VOTE.
IT JUST, THEY JUST REQUIRE EVERY VOTE TO BE A ROLL CALL VOTE.
IS THAT AFTER THE STATE OF EMERGENCY HAS EXPIRED? YEAH, THEY, THEY DID IT LAST WEEK.
AND HAVE WE DONE THAT PREVIOUSLY? WE COULD VOTE UNDER A STATE OF EMERGENCY.
UNDER THE STATE OF EMERGENCY? YES.
I, I PERSONALLY, IF IT WERE, IF WE WERE GONNA BROADEN IT AND SAY DO WE WANT THIS TO BE AN OPTION, THEN I WOULD SAY NO PERSONALLY.
BUT, UM, IF WE WANT TO HAVE SOME MORE DISCUSSION BETWEEN NOW AND OUR NEXT MEETING WITH THE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, WE CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT.
AND ALMOND ROYAL, I'M HAPPY TO, TO SCOUR THE EARTH AND GET YOU THE BEST GUIDANCE THAT WE CAN ON THAT QUESTION.
ANYONE ELSE? I I WILL JUST MAKE A COMMENT JUST BECAUSE IT WAS BEFORE, UM, MS. BULLOCK'S TIME WITH THE CITY, BUT PRIOR TO THE STATE OF EMERGENCY, PRIOR TO COVID, THE RULE, THIS BOARD'S RULES OF PROCEDURE DID ALLOW FOR YOU TO VOTE ELECTRONICALLY, BUT THAT WAS BECAUSE THERE WAS NO STATUTE THAT ADDRESSED IT.
SO WE ALLOWED IT AT THAT POINT UNTIL THE COVID STATUTE KICKED IN.
AND THEN WHEN THEY REMOVED THE COVID STATUTE THAT ALLOWED REMOTE PARTICIPATION, THAT'S WHEN OUR HOURS STOPPED.
SO WOULD, WOULD THAT HAVE NOT BEEN IN OUR ORIGINAL RULES AND PROCEDURES OR DID WE JUST DO IT AND DIDN'T ASK IT? DID THE ORIGINAL RULES OF PROCEDURES, AS I UNDERSTAND IT DID INCLUDE REMOTE ELECTRONIC PARTICIPATION.
BUT AGAIN, THAT IS BEFORE THE COVID STATUTES WERE ADOPTED, THAT LIMITED REMOTE PARTICIPATION TO STATES OF EMERGENCY.
PROBABLY THE BEST THING TO DO IS LET ATTORNEY DAVIS DO A LITTLE ADDITIONAL RESEARCH AND COME BACK WITH US WITH A CLEAR OPTION.
WHAT I WOULD ACTUALLY RECOMMEND IS, BECAUSE WE KEEP PROLONGING THIS
EVERYBODY GOOD WITH THAT? YES.
[18. City Manager's Report.]
REPORT.A FEW THINGS TO UPDATE YOU ON IN THE, IN THE WEEKLY REPORT WE SENT OUT LAST WEEK, WE, WE GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION ABOUT A PROPOSED BROAD STREET PIER, AND I'M GONNA ASK COLLEEN TO PUT THAT UP ON THE SCREEN.
WE'VE, UH, WE'VE BEEN ACTUALLY WORKING WITH ALDERMAN ASHER.
HE'S HAD AN INTEREST IN THIS FOR THE, FOR THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS.
UM, AND THIS IS AT THE BROAD STREET TERMINUS WHERE YOU'LL SEE.
AND SO, UM, STAFF HAS BEEN, UH, HAS BEEN WORKING INTERNALLY AND THEY'VE ALSO BEEN TALKING TO CAMERA, WHICH IS COASTAL AREA MANAGEMENT ACT.
UM, THEY, THEY OVERSEE ALL THINGS ALONG THE, ALONG THE WATERWAYS ON EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA.
WE'VE ALSO TALKED WITH WILDLIFE RESOURCES AND, AND COME UP WITH SOME PRETTY GOOD DESIGNS.
I RECENTLY MET WITH THE COUNTY MANAGER, UM, TO, TO SEE IF THEY WOULD SUPPORT THIS PROJECT OR NOT.
AND I'M ACTUALLY GONNA BE GOING TO THEIR MEETING ON APRIL 15TH TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ON THIS.
UM, ALDERMAN ASTOR I KNOW HAS BEEN TALKING TO CCA ABOUT FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THIS.
AND ALDERMAN ASTOR, IF YOU'D LIKE TO CHIME IN ON ABOUT ANY OF YOUR CONVERSATIONS ON THAT.
UM, THIS HAPPENED BASICALLY BY OVERHEARING A CONVERSATION A WHILE BACK WHEN CCA WAS TALKING ABOUT THEY WOULD LIKE TO TRY TO FIND SOME FUNDING OR EITHER SUPPORT SOME FUND WITH SOME FUNDING TO BUILD A PUBLIC FISHING PEER.
AND, UH, I CHIMED RIGHT IN 'CAUSE I KNEW THAT THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE HAD BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR YEARS AROUND HERE.
SO IT KIND OF STARTED OUT WITH, UM, HAVING DISCUSSIONS WITH THE
[02:55:01]
CCA PRESIDENT.UH, IT WENT TO, UH, HAVING DISCUSSIONS OF WILDLIFE.
WILDLIFE ACTUALLY SENT, UH, SOMEONE, UH, DOWN FROM THE GREENSBORO AREA, I THINK, TO MEET WITH US.
UH, THEY HAVE AGREED TO PROVIDE ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR THIS, UM, PROPERTY.
THEY'VE ALSO, UM, SAID THEY WOULD MIGHT BE ABLE TO COME UP WITH A LITTLE FUNDING.
BUT THE BIG FUNDING, UM, IS HOPEFULLY GOING TO, WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO CONFIRM THIS WEEK.
UH, THERE'S GROUPS, THERE'S A GROUP, UH, WITH THE CCA, THIS MEETING WITH, UM, ANOTHER GROUP THAT HAS, UM, UH, POSSIBILITY HAS, UH, FOR SOME FUNDING.
UH, THAT MEETING IS TAKING PLACE IN COSTA RICA.
UH, IT'S ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO BE TOMORROW, AND I'M HOPING THURSDAY OR FRIDAY WE WILL HEAR WHETHER OR NOT THAT THIS GROUP WILL BE ABLE TO FUND THIS PROJECT TO THE TUNE OF ABOUT $230,000.
UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, I HAVE $117,000 OF MY A RP MONEY THAT WAS, UH, LEFT OVER FROM THE, UH, TINY OR THE SMALL HOMES THAT WE BUILT ON, UM, WALT BELLAMY THAT I WOULD LIKE FOR THIS BOARD TO APPROVE THAT MONEY TO GO INTO A CAPITAL FUND.
FUN, UH, TOWARDS THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS, UH, FISHING PIER.
NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT HIS FISHING PIER BEING 225 FEET LONG WITH SOME TEES ON THE END OF IT.
STEP OUT, PROBABLY CLOSE TO 50 FEET OR SO.
UH, THERE'S BEEN A HUNDRED DIFFERENT DESIGNS ON THE, THE DRAWING BOARD ON, UH, AND I THINK THE ONE THAT YOU'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT NOW IS PROBABLY THE BEST DESIGN.
UH, IF WE CAN GET THE VARIANCE FROM THE COUNTY, UH, WE, AND WE SHOULD KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT THAT REAL SOON.
UH, SO, UH, REALLY THAT'S, THAT'S THE REPORT I'M OPEN FOR ANY QUESTIONS IF ANYBODY HAS ANY? WE HAVE LOOKED FOR FUNDING IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT PLACES.
EVERYBODY'S KIND OF, YOU KNOW, ON HOLD RIGHT NOW WITH IT.
I MEAN, WE'VE ACTUALLY TALKED TO, IF ANY OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE, WITH, UM, FISHING EQUIPMENT, YOU KNOW, ST.
CROIX RODS D WITH SHIMANO, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THESE PEOPLE ABOUT HELPING TO CONTRIBUTE.
BUT IF THIS, IF THE CCA GROUP COMES THROUGH, UH, TOMORROW, WE WON'T NEED ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE PIER.
IT WILL BE WILL, WE WILL HAVE ENOUGH TO, TO BUILD IT AND PAY FOR IT IN FULL.
THE, THE PIER WILL BE HOG SLAT.
UM, THE ENGINEER GAVE US, UH, EXCUSE ME, CAMERA GAVE US THE, UH, THE DIMENSIONS OF THE PIER, HOW FAR OUT WE COULD GO.
THINGS THAT CARRY HAS JUST DONE WONDERS IN GETTING INFORMATION TOGETHER.
UM, I THINK IT'S, UH, IT'S WONDERFUL THAT, UH, NORTH CAROLINA WILDLIFE IS, UH, ACTUALLY, UH, SAID THEY WOULD APPLY FOR OUR HELP, APPLY FOR OUR CAMERA PERMITS AND WILL ALSO SUPPORT THE ENGINEERING SERVICES THAT I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THAT $117,000 THAT WAS WITH THE SMALL HOMES PROJECT AND PUT IT INTO A CAPITAL FUND PROJECT TO CONTINUE.
UH, SO WE CAN CONTINUE WITH THIS PEER.
IS THAT A MOTION? DO I NEED A MOTION OR JUST A SUGGESTION? YEAH, PROBABLY SO.
YEAH, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THEN.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? UH, WELL I'M GONNA ASK YOU JUST, JUST A POINT OF CLARIFICATION.
THE, UM, A A RP FUNDING MM-HMM,
UM, BUT IF SUFFICIENT FUNDING IS AVAILABLE TO COVER THAT COST, WOULD YOU ALLOW YOUR MONEY TO GO TOWARDS THE, UM, RECON OR DECONSTRUCTION OF PARKING? AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT I WAS CERTAINLY, I'M GOING TO COMMIT $117,000 I THINK IT IS, THAT WAS LEFT OVER.
OR YOU CAN JUST ROUND IT UP MAYBE TO 120,000.
BUT I'M GONNA COMMIT THAT FUNDING FOR THE PROJECT AND IT IS, I, YOU KNOW, IT'S TOWARDS THE PIER.
'CAUSE I DON'T, I I REALLY, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GOING TO END UP WITH ENOUGH MONEY TO DO IT WITHOUT THAT A HUNDRED THOUSAND BUCKS.
IS THAT, BUT YEAH, IF, IF SOMEONE WANTS TO STEP UP AND DONATE MORE
[03:00:01]
MONEY, THAT MONEY'S THERE TO USE FOR WHATEVER, FOR WHATEVER.AND SO I, I DO WANNA SAY THAT THIS, IF THIS IS, UH, APPROVED, THIS WOULD BE A PHASE PROJECT WHERE THE PEER WOULD BE THE TOP PRIORITY.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT PUBLIC WORKS IS CURRENTLY WORKING WITH, WITH A CONSULTANT ON, ON DESIGNING THE PARKING AREA ITSELF.
SO WE DO NOT HAVE ANY FIRM COST ON THAT INITIAL COST THAT WE WERE GIVING OVER APPROXIMATELY 400,000 THAT WAS CONTRACTING ALL OF THAT OUT.
BUT DO WE NEED, IN-HOUSE, I THINK WE CAN CUT THAT PRICE DOWN, BUT THAT WOULD BE ADDITIONAL COSTS THAT WE'D HAVE TO DEAL WITH AT A LATER TIME.
AND, AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, SO EVERYBODY KNOWS, UM, FOR THOSE THAT WEREN'T AROUND, THIS IS WHERE THE OLD BRIDGETON BRIDGE USED TO GO ACROSS AND IT WENT ACROSS DIAGONALLY.
UM, WHENEVER THAT WAS, THAT THAT BRIDGE WAS REMOVED, THERE WAS NEGOTIATIONS THAT WERE MADE BETWEEN THE CITY AND DOT TO PROVIDE THE CITY WITH THIS EASEMENT.
SO WHAT YOU SEE ON THE MAP IN FRONT OF YOU, THAT IS A DEDICATED ROAD RIGHT AWAY.
AND IT, IT CAN ONLY BE A ROAD.
IF THE CITY DECIDES THAT WE WANTED TO DO ANYTHING WITH THAT OTHER THAN A ROAD, WE WOULD NO LONGER HAVE THE OWNERSHIP OF THAT.
IS THAT FAIRLY CORRECT? AND, AND SO THE OTHER THING I WILL SAY, AND I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY EARLIER, AND IF, IF YOU APPROVE THIS, THEN WE'D ALSO ASK FOR ANOTHER MOTION TO DIRECT THE ATTORNEY TO RESOLVE THE TI ANY TITLE ISSUES WITH THE STATE AND TO WORK WITH THE COUNTY TO ACQUIRE ANY RIGHT PERIAN RIGHTS FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE P.
TOOK THE WORDS RIGHT OUT MY MOUTH.
SO WE STILL HAVE A MOTION TO, WE HAVE DO THE MONEY.
UH, SO LET'S, UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ALDERMAN ASTER, UH, ALLOCATION OF A RP FUNDING FOR THE PEER PROJECT.
NOW ALDERMAN BRISSON, MOVE THE MOTION WITH ALL THE VERBIAGE THAT THE CITY MANAGER JUST QUOTED REGARDING, UH, ALL THAT JARGON.
ARE YOU GOOD WITH THAT? ARE YOU OKAY WITH THAT CLERK? I THINK THE MOTION IS TO DIRECT THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO, UM, INVESTIGATE ANY TITLE ISSUES AND NEGOTIATE WITH THE COUNTY TO ACQUIRE ANY REPAIRING RIGHTS.
THAT MEANS A QUICK CLAIM D OR WHATEVER IT'S CALLED WILL HAVE TO BE ACQUIRED.
YEAH, WHATEVER THAT LEGAL PROCESS IS, WE'LL DO SOME FIGURE.
ALDERMAN MCKENZIE SECONDED IT.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
AND I'LL KEEP YOU POSTED ON THE ANNUAL, HOPEFULLY THE FUNDING.
A FEW OTHER THINGS I WANNA REMIND YOU, THE ANNUAL TWILIGHT EAST DIRECT HUNT IS THIS THURSDAY, MARCH 28TH AT MARK MARIETTA PARK.
SO IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE, BRING YOUR FLASHLIGHTS.
CITY OFFICES WILL ALSO BE CLOSED ON FRIDAY, MARCH 29TH.
AN OBSERVATION OF GOOD FRIDAY.
THE CITY DID RECEIVE THE TREE CITY USO UH, UUSA AWARD FOR THE 28TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR.
AN EVENT WAS HELD THIS PAST FRIDAY AT MARTIN MARIETTA PARK.
THERE WAS A GOOD CROWD IN ATTENDANCE FOR THAT.
ALSO, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT RECEIVED THEIR CALEA ACCREDITATION, UH, THIS PAST WEEKEND IN ALABAMA.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ON THAT.
UM, ON SUNDAY, MARCH 31ST, THERE WILL BE A CANDLELIGHT VIGIL HONORING THE MEMORY OF OFFICER THALMAN, WHO WAS SHOT ON MARCH 28TH, 2014, AND HE LATER SUCCUMBED TO HIS INJURIES ON MARCH 31ST, 2014.
UH, THAT VIGIL WILL BE HELD ON THE FRONT STEPS OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ON SUNDAY, MARCH, MARCH 31ST AT 8:00 PM NO.
[19. New Business.]
NEW BUSINESS.THERE ARE TIMES THAT IN OUR COMMUNICATION WITH ONE ANOTHER, SOMETIMES WE MISUNDERSTAND ONE ANOTHER OR WE PERCEIVE THINGS IN A LIGHT THAT THEY'RE NOT.
AND IN LIGHT OF THAT, I DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE TO GO ON RECORD AND HOPEFULLY FOLKS ARE STILL LISTENING TO OUR MEETING TO SAY THAT THERE WERE NOT ANY INVITATION SENT OUT FOR THE TOWN HALL MEETING ON LAST SATURDAY AT THE OMEGA CENTER.
AND TO ADD ALSO TO THAT, THE HEALTHCARE CLINIC WAS NEVER DISCUSSED.
OKAY? AND I DO UNDERSTAND WHEN THERE'S CHATTER, PEOPLE DO MISCOMMUNICATE, BUT I WANTED TO GO ON RECORD TO SAY THOSE THINGS WERE NOT TRUE.
YESTERDAY WAS MY BIRTHDAY AND I DON'T SEE NO PRESENCE UP HERE FOR ME FROM Y'ALL.
I, I TRIED TO GIVE YOU A QUICK MEETING TONIGHT.
WAS A QUICK MEETING, BUT YOU DIDN'T, DIDN'T ANTICIPATE.
[03:05:01]
WAS IT.IS THAT 47? IS THAT RIGHT? 47? YEAH.
[20. Closed Session.]
YES, SIR.PURSU, PURSUANT TO NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL STATUTE 1 4 3 3 18, 11 A THREE TO INSTRUCT THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AS TO A SETTLEMENT IN THE MATTER OF GUZMAN.
MARTINEZ, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION? MOVE, MOVE.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? WE'RE IN CLOSED SESSION.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN THIS EVENING? MOTION TO ADJOURN.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? HE, SECOND.