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SORRY, I DON'T HAVE A, UM, IT IS 12 O'CLOCK AND I WOULD LIKE TO CALL, UM, THIS, UH, WORK SESSION OF THE UNI MUNICIPAL SERVICE DISTRICT ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO ORDER, UM, SHEET.
UM, AND EVERYBODY, THERE ARE SOME CHICK-FIL-A SANDWICHES THERE.
IF ANYBODY WANTS LUNCH, WE'LL HAVE A WORKING LUNCH.
SO THAT WILL, UM, WORK FOR US REALLY WELL.
UM, UH, OUR, ON OUR AGENDA, WE HAVE REVIEWED POTENTIAL PROJECTS IN THE FOLLOWING CATEGORY.
SAFETY, UNIFICATION, MAINTENANCE INFRASTRUCTURE, AND, UM, WHAT, I JUST WANNA REVIEW SOME OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO.
SO, BECAUSE SO MANY OF YOU ARE NEW TO MSD AND UNDERSTANDING THE WHOLE PROCESS, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WITH THESE WORKSHOPS IS, IS REALLY TO GIVE YOU MORE INFORMATION.
SO WE'VE MADE OUR LIST OF POTENTIAL PROJECTS, WE'VE LOOKED AT THEM, AND NOW WE'RE TRYING TO BITE OFF SMALLER PIECES AND UNDERSTANDING, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE RESOURCES THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT WE CAN USE.
AND THEN AT SOME POINT, I PROMISE YOU, WE'RE GONNA MOVE FORWARD TO PICKING OUT AN EVALUATION CRITERIA, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
WE'LL HAVE ALL THIS INFORMATION, AND THEN HOW DO WE EVALUATE WHAT WE'VE HEARD? HOW DO WE DECIDE WHAT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR MSD TAXES BEING SPENT AND THEN MOVING FORWARD ON THAT? AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT PROCESS IS, AND THAT WE LOOK AT EACH OF THESE SO WE'LL, THAT'S HOW OUR WORKSHOPS WORK WILL BE GOING.
'CAUSE WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT READY TO MAKE DECISIONS BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO MAKE ANY, WHEN I SAY DECISIONS, TO MAKE ANY ADVICE TO THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN AT THIS POINT.
UM, WITH, WITH THAT BEING SAID, I DO WANT TO ADDRESS, UM, UH, A LETTER THAT WE ALL RECEIVED.
THANK YOU FOSTER, FOR PASSING THAT ALONG TO US FROM MRS. CHO.
I APPRECIATE YOU SENDING THIS BECAUSE, UM, IT HAD A LOT OF GREAT INFORMATION ON IT.
SO I DID A LOT OF RESEARCH, UM, WHICH I'VE KNOWN ABOUT THE WILMINGTON MSD FOR A WHILE NOW.
WILMINGTON HAS AN MSD, UM, AND IT WAS FORMED IN, I THINK IT WAS APPROVED IN 2016.
THEY HAD THE FIRST MEETING IN 2017.
AND, UM, I JUST WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT.
I'M NOT SURE IT'S APPLES TO APPLES.
SOME OF THE IDEAS ARE REALLY GOOD, AND I THINK COULD, COULD BE REALLY GOOD FOR NEWBURG, BUT I SEE IT AS TWO SEPARATELY DISTINCT DIFFERENT THINGS.
SOME OF WHICH, UM, SOMEBODY POINTED OUT TO ME IS THAT IN WILMINGTON, ALL PARKING IS PAID.
THERE'S NO FREE PARKING IN WILMINGTON.
SO THEY GET, THEY GET A LOT OF THEIR FUNDS FROM PARKING IN THEIR MSD.
THEIR MSD INCLUDES, IT'S A 70 BLOCK DISTRICT, SO THAT'S HOW LARGE IT'S, IT'S 70 BLOCKS.
THEIR TAX RATE IS A LITTLE OVER 6 CENTS PER A HUNDRED DOLLARS OF VALUE VERSUS OUR 11 CENTS PER A HUNDRED DOLLARS VALUE.
THEY COLLECT TWICE AS MUCH MSD TAX AS WE COLLECT.
UM, AND, UM, IN FISCAL YEAR 24, THEIR APPROVED BUDGET WAS ALMOST $900,000 IN REVENUE.
UM, AND THEN THEY OPERATE AS AN INDEPENDENT DEPARTMENT, ALMOST OF THE CITY.
SO THEY HAVE TWO PAID STAFF MEMBERS THAT COST ABOUT 140,000 A YEAR, PAID OUTTA THE MSD TAX.
UH, ANOTHER 52,000 IN BENEFITS.
AND THEN THEY HAVE $602,000 IN OPERATING EXPENSES.
SO WE SAY, OKAY, OPERATING, WHAT ARE THEY DOING? WHAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY DOING IS THEY CONTRACT THROUGH AN ORGANIZATION CALLED WILMINGTON DOWNTOWN INCORPORATED.
I WOULD SAY THEY'RE OUR VERSION OF SWISS BAY, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT A MAIN STREET ORGANIZATION, IT IS THEIR NON-PROFIT THAT IS IN WILMINGTON.
UH, BECAUSE THEIR POPULATION IS, THAT'S THE ONE THING I DON'T KNOW.
THEIR POPULATION IS PROBABLY WHAT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE FOR, FOR A CITY VERSUS OUR 30,000 OR 33,000 THAT THEY'RE IN POPULATION.
SO THEY CONTRACT WITH THE WILMINGTON DOWNTOWN
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INCORPORATED, WHO THEN CONTRACTS WITH BLOCK BUDDIES, I THINK IT'S CALLED, UM, BLOCK TO BLOCK.AND THEY, UM, THEY CONTRACT THROUGH THAT.
SO THE DESCRIPTION OF DOWNTOWN WILMINGTON, UM, INCORPORATED, IT'S THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL HUB FOR THE REGION.
UH, DOWNTOWN INVESTMENT HAS GROWN SINCE 2014 AND MORE THAN 650 MILLION HAS BEEN INVESTED IN WILMINGTON IN THE, IN THE PAST SIX YEARS IN APARTMENTS, CONDOS, HOTELS, EVERYBODY WOULD HAVE 5,000 20,000.
UM, 350 ADDITIONAL UNITS ARE UNDER, UH, UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
DOWNTOWN IS HOME, IS HOME TO ABOUT 880 BUSINESSES.
7,969 HOUSING UNITS AND MORE THAN 13,500 RESIDENTS.
SO YOU CAN SEE THIS IS NOT AN APPLES, APPLES KIND OF SITUATION.
STILL GOOD IDEAS AS A HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM CENTER.
WILMINGTON ALSO BOASTS AN AMAZING RIVER WALK AS WE HAVE.
AND, UM, THEIR MISSION IS TO PROMOTE THE ECONOMIC GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF DOWNTOWN WILMINGTON.
THEY'RE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS.
AND AGAIN, THEIR CENTERPIECE, THEY TALK ABOUT IT ON THEIR WEBSITE, THEIR CENTERPIECE IS THIS MSD AMBASSADORS PROGRAM.
WHEN I THOUGHT ABOUT AMBASSADORS PROGRAM, ISN'T THAT NICE? I ALWAYS WANTED THAT FOR NEWBURN, BUT I THOUGHT OF IT AS VOLUNTEERS.
AND I DID GO TO BLOCK TO BLOCK, AND YOU CAN GO ON THERE AND LOOK AT THAT.
IT'S GOT A LOT OF INTERESTING INFORMATION, YOU KNOW, FOR CITIES, FOR PARKS.
I MEAN, THE CITY MIGHT WANT TO LOOK AT IT, BUT IT HAS A COST TO IT.
AND THE COST IS, THE $600,000 THAT YOU SEE IN THIS BUDGET IS CONTRACTED THE MAJORITY OF IT TO THE WILMINGTON DOWNTOWN INCORPORATED TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES.
AND SO THE BLOCK BY BLOCK, THEY GO AND THEY CLEAN THE SIDEWALKS AND THEY HAVE THEIR PEOPLE IN UNIFORMS AND PEOPLE CAN SPEAK TO THEM AND THEY GIVE INFORMATION AND IT'S REALLY VERY, VERY WELL PUT TOGETHER.
BUT THEY HAVE THIS BLOCK TO BLOCK IS A NATIONAL PROGRAM.
IT'S IN LOUISVILLE, IT'S IN SANTA MONICA, IT'S IN OTHER CITIES ACROSS OUR COUNTRY THAT ARE MUCH LARGER THAN WE ARE.
AND IT'S IN WILMINGTON, CORRECT? CORRECT.
BUT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, LARGE, MUCH LARGER POPULATION, MUCH MORE LAND SPACE.
SO AS WE ARE GOING THROUGH AND WE'RE LISTENING TO ALL THIS, THE POINT OF WHAT I'M MAKING IS I APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION.
I THINK IT HAS A LOT OF BENEFIT TO US.
UM, I THINK IT WILL REALLY HELP US TO DEFINE SOME THINGS AND MAYBE WORKING WITH SWISS BEAR.
BUT FOR MANY YEARS, FOR THE LAST 40 YEARS, MSD HAS REALLY FOCUSED ON THEIR FUNDS BEING INFRASTRUCTURE AND NOTHING ELSE.
BECAUSE THE CITY ALWAYS HAD SAID, WE CANNOT AFFORD TO, TO DO THIS INFRASTRUCTURE SUCH AS UTILITIES UNDERGROUND AND SOME OF THE OTHER PROJECTS, PURCHASING PROPERTY, WHATEVER.
SO AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WE NEED TO DECIDE, ARE WE STILL IN THE BUSINESS OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND SPENDING OUR DOLLARS THERE? DO WE WANT TO CONTRACT WITH A SWISS BEAR, WHICH IS ALLOWED BY LAW FOR US TO DO, TO, TO DO OTHER SERVICES? DO WE WANNA HIRE SOMEBODY? WE'RE GONNA TALK TO THE POLICE CHIEF TODAY TO TALK ABOUT INCREASED SECURITY AND TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, POLICING DOWNTOWN.
DO WE JUST LIKE, WE HIRED PARKING PEOPLE, WE WANNA HIRE EXTRA POLICEMEN.
DO WE WANNA HIRE SOMEBODY WHO DOES NOTHING BUT CLEAN OUR SIDEWALKS AND STREET? YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW, A BLOCK TO BLOCK MIGHT BE PROHIBITIVE TO US, YOU KNOW, DOLLAR WISE, BUT MAYBE WE CAN TAKE A FORMULATION OF THAT AND HIRE OUR OWN PEOPLE.
I'M JUST SAYING ALL THIS TO GIVE YOU SOME CONTEXT OF WHERE WE'RE AT AND WHERE WE NEED TO GO.
AND, AND IT'S GONNA BE THE DECISION OF THIS GROUP IS HOW WE SPEND THOSE DOLLARS.
WE CONTINUE, YOU KNOW, FOR ALL THESE YEARS WE HAD SO LITTLE MONEY THAT WE WANTED TO POOL IT, TO PAY OFF A LOAN, TO GO TO INFRASTRUCTURE AND NOTHING ELSE.
THERE WAS REALLY NO OTHER MONIES LEFT TO DO THAT.
WE BUILT A LITTLE BIT OF A NEST EGG THAT'S THAT'S AGREED UPON.
BUT NOW HOW DO WE WISELY, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU TAKE ON AN EMPLOYEE, WHEN YOU TAKE ON A SERVICE, IT'S NOT A ONE SHOT DEAL.
SO YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO FIND THAT.
SO WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT AS WELL.
SO THAT'S, ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT INFORMATION? I DID WANNA ADDRESS THAT SINCE WE ALL GOT THE INFORMATION.
I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY KNEW.
BUT YOU KNOW, PLEASE GO TO, UM, THE CITY OF WILMINGTON WEBSITE.
UM, IT'S WDI DOWNTOWN, UH, WILMINGTON, DOWNTOWN INCORPORATED.
IT'LL TELL YOU THE BLOCK TO BLOCK.
YOU CAN CLICK ON THAT AND GO TO THE BLOCK TO BLOCK, UH, WEBSITE.
IT'S GOT A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION.
BUT IT COST
SPEAKING OF MONEY, IS THERE A MINIMUM BALANCE THAT WE, THAT WE NEED TO MAINTAIN IN THE ACCOUNT? NO.
WE HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, BASED ON THE NEW LEGISLATION, WHICH WE ARE GRANDFATHERED UNDER THE OLD LEGISLATION, BUT UNDER THE NEW LEGISLATION, YOU CAN'T KEEP A LOT OF MONEY IN YOUR BANK ACCOUNT.
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THERE'S A, THERE'S A MAXIMUM.YEAH, THERE'S A MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF MONEY YOU CAN KEEP.
AND YOU CAN'T JUST POOL MONEY AND JUST CONTINUE TO KEEP IT THERE WITHOUT SPENDING IT AND DOING SOMETHING WITH IT.
WE ARE GRANDFATHERED, UM, UNDER THE OLD RULES.
BUT STILL THE IDEA IS NOT TO POOL THE MONEY, IT'S TO SPEND THE MONEY, BUT SPEND IT WISELY.
YOU KNOW, IT MAY BE THAT INSTEAD OF ONE PROJECT THAT WE PAY TOTAL CASH FOR, WE COULD DO THREE OR FOUR PROJECTS AND BORROW THE MONEY AND MAKE PAYMENTS.
AND, AND TO ME, THIS IS MY PERSONAL OPINION, OPINION OF THIS BOARD, THAT WE WANT MORE BANG FOR OUR BUCK.
IF WE CAN DO FOUR PROJECTS, I'D RATHER DO FOUR PROJECTS THAN ONE PROJECT.
EVEN THOUGH, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD SPEND DOWN OUR FUNDS AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO PUT MONEY IN THERE.
THERE'LL ALWAYS BE A PROJECT FOR US TO COME DOWN, YOU KNOW, AND, AND OF COURSE WHEN SOMEBODY SEES THAT YOU HAVE A POT OF MONEY, THEY'RE ALWAYS ASKING
AND SABRINA, POTENTIALLY IT COULD BE A COMBINATION OF BOTH, RIGHT? CORRECT.
WHERE YOU CAN CHOOSE LIKE THREE OR FOUR LARGER PROJECTS AND HAVE THAT AS DEBT SERVICE AND THEN TAKE SOME OF THE SMALLER PROJECTS AND PAY CASH.
OR WE COULD, YOU KNOW, CONTRACT OUT SERVICES AND LET SOMEBODY ELSE RUN WITH US.
AND THAT CERTAINLY IS OUR OPTION TO DO THAT AS WELL.
OR WE COULD EXPLORE THAT AND MAKE THAT, UM, ADVICE TO THE BOARD OF ALL.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE I ASK OUR POLICE CHIEF SPEAK? OKAY, CHIEF, GOOD TO SEE YOU.
SEE YOU, SABRINA, HOW ARE YOU? I'M WONDERFUL.
UM, THIS IS OUR WONDERFUL POLICE CHIEF.
DOES EVERYBODY KNOW OUR CHIEF GOT HERE? YES.
UM, SO HE'S COME TODAY TO TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT DOWNTOWN SAFETY, YOU KNOW, ISSUES.
I REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS THE ALDERMAN, PEOPLE WOULD SAY, WELL, THERE'S ALL THESE PROBLEMS GOING ON DOWNTOWN.
AND SO I CALLED THE CHIEF AND HE SAID, LIN, I HAVEN'T GOTTEN ONE CALL.
SO IT'S HARD FOR THE POLICE TO DO THEIR JOB IF NOTHING'S BEING REPORTED TO THEM BECAUSE THEY CAN'T ACT ON HEARSAY OR WHAT SOMEBODY SAYS, YOU KNOW, IF THEY GET A REPORT, THEY GO AND CHECK IT OUT, AND THEY DO THAT.
SO I THINK HE'S GONNA TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF DOING THAT AS WELL AS WHAT HAS BEEN REPORTED AND WHAT WE MAY WANT TO DO AS GROUP TO INCREASE.
'CAUSE WE TALKED ABOUT THAT WE WANT OUR DOWNTOWN TO BE SAFE, AND WE WANT PEOPLE TO FEEL SAFE IN OUR DOWNTOWN AT ALL TIMES.
SO CHIEF, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO YOU AND LET YOU HAVE SOME DISCUSSION WITH US TODAY.
NOT UNLIKE ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE CITY, UH, OUR FOCUS OBVIOUSLY IS TO HAVE ENOUGH STAFF ON SITE OR, OR ON PATROL THAT IS CAPABLE OF RESPONDING TO ANY EMERGENCY THAT MAY COME UP.
FOR INSTANCE, YESTERDAY OUT OF THE BLUE, UM, WE RECEIVED A ACTIVE SHOOTER COMPLAINT AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.
NOW THERE'S NOBODY AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.
UH, IT'S SPRING BREAK, BUT WE HAVE TO TAKE THOSE SERIOUSLY.
SO YOU CAN IMAGINE, AND SOMEBODY CALLS IN AND SAYS THERE'S AN ACTIVE SHOOTER IN THE HIGH SCHOOL THAT'S GONNA CAUSE A RESPONSE.
SO WE HAVE DEVELOPED A REQUIREMENT THAT WE HAVE WHAT WE CALL OUR MINIMUM STAFFING, UH, UH, PROTOCOL.
AND THAT IS WE HAVE TO HAVE SIX PATROL OFFICERS AND ONE SUPERVISOR REQUIRED.
NOW, LET'S JUST SAY SOMEBODY CALLS IN SICK AND SOMEBODY'S OUT OF TOWN ON TRAINING, AND WE'RE DOWN FIVE PATROL OFFICERS AND A SUPERVISOR.
WELL, NOW WE'VE GOTTA CALL SOMEBODY BECAUSE ALTHOUGH TECHNICALLY COULD WE CROSS OUR FINGERS AND HOPE THAT ALL WILL BE OKAY, OBVIOUSLY YES.
BUT THAT'S NOT, UM, THAT'S NOT A SUITABLE SOLUTION FOR PLANNING FOR THE UNKNOWN.
SO THAT NOW REQUIRES US TO CALL SOMEBODY IN, OR IF WE HAVE TRAFFIC OFFICERS THAT ARE WORKING, THEY HAVE TO BE REASSIGNED FROM TRAFFIC RELATED RESPONSIBILITIES FOR PATROL RESPONSIBILITIES.
SO YOU CAN IMAGINE, UH, THE STRESS THAT PUTS ON OUR STAFF, OUR UNIFORM PATROL STAFF IN TERMS OF COVERING 30 SQUARE MILES.
AND IT'S NOT A CONTIGUOUS 30 SQUARE MILES.
WE ALL KNOW THAT THE PERSON THAT LIVES IN BLUE WATER RISE DESERVES TO HAVE PATROL PRESENCE.
UM, AND IT IS NOT AS CONVENIENT FOR THAT PATROL OFFICER THAT'S PATROLLING THAT SOUTHERN AREA OF THE CITY TO EASILY MIGRATE, UM, UP INTO THE MAIN CITY AREA.
SO WITH RESPECT TO THE DOWNTOWN, AND I KNOW THAT I, UH, ALL OF THAT IS PREFACING THIS.
WE HAVE AT LEAST ONE OFFICER ASSIGNED TO THIS DISTRICT ON BOTH SHIFTS DAY SHIFT AND NIGHT SHIFT.
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COMMITTED TO A CALL FOR SERVICE, THEY ARE REQUIRED TO BE IN THIS DISTRICT AND REQUIRED TO BE SEEN.AND ONE OF THE ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS IS THAT THEY ARE TO BE ACTIVE PATROLLING, ESPECIALLY IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, BUT OFTENTIMES WHAT WE SEE, BECAUSE THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT AND THE HISTORICAL AREA HAS SUCH FEW CALLS FOR SERVICE, THERE ARE OFTENTIMES PULLED FROM THERE TO GO TO OTHER AREAS OF THE CITY THAT IS REQUIRING ADDITIONAL POLICE RESOURCES.
UM, AND SO WHEN YOU MIGHT SAY TO YOURSELF, WELL, I HAVEN'T SEEN A PATROL OFFICER, THEY'RE HERE ALL DAY.
IT'S NOT THAT THEY'RE NOT WORKING.
CHANCES ARE THEY MAY BE AT THE HOSPITAL, THEY MAY BE AT THE MAGISTRATE'S OFFICE, THEY MAY BE BACKING UP ANOTHER OFFICER.
SO THAT DOES, UH, UM, CREATE A LITTLE BIT OF A CHALLENGE FOR US, UH, TO MAINTAIN, UH, A PRESENCE DURING THE DAYTIME.
AFTER ABOUT TWO O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, OUR PATROL OFFICERS ARE REQUIRED TO DO DIRECTED PATROLS.
AND THROUGHOUT THE YEAR WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF DIRECTED PATROLS.
SO, ALTHOUGH YOU MAY NOT KNOW THIS, BUT IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA, OUR PATROL OFFICERS ARE DRIVING BEHIND FRANKLIN'S OR THEY'RE, THEY'RE DRIVING THROUGH THE AREA AND THEY ARE REQUIRED TO DO THAT.
THEY'RE REQUIRED TO BE PRESENT, THEY'RE REQUIRED TO ENSURE THAT THERE ARE NO BROKEN WINDOWS AND THAT THERE'S NO DOORS THAT ARE LEFT UNLOCKED.
AND THESE, THESE GO ON IN ALL SEVEN OR ALL SIX OF OUR PATROL DISTRICTS.
THE CRIME RATE COMPARED TO ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE CITY IS RELATIVELY LOW.
AND WE HAVE HAD SITUATIONS, I'VE SPOKEN IN THIS PARTICULAR ROOM ABOUT A SITUATION ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF, TWO YEARS AGO, INVOLVING AN INCIDENT IN 500 BLOCK OF MIDDLE STREET.
UM, I HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN ABOUT THAT.
IT WAS A VERY TERRIBLE SITUATION.
UM, AND WE TOOK PROACTIVE STEPS TO TRY TO, UM, PROVIDE AS MUCH SECURITY FOR THOSE THAT LIVE, UH, ON MIDDLE STREET AND THOSE SURROUNDING AREAS.
WE HAD AN INCIDENT INVOLVING A PERSON THAT BELIEVED THAT THEY WERE TARGETED BY A STALKER, AND WE TOOK THAT VERY SERIOUSLY.
BUT OTHER THAN THE SHOOTING THAT OCCURRED RIGHT OUTSIDE OF CITY HALMAN CORRECTION OUTSIDE OF THE COURTHOUSE, WHICH WAS AN ANOMALY, THIS WAS AN, A DWELL FROM SBO WHO WAS A GANG MEMBER THAT WAS AT COURT THAT DECIDED THIS WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, SEEK VENGEANCE AND SHOT, KILLED AT LEAST ONE PERSON.
OTHER THAN THAT, THIS IS A VERY SAFE PLACE TO LIVE.
AND AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, I LIVED FOR A YEAR AND A HALF RIGHT OVER HERE AT
AND I WOULD SPEND MANY, MANY NIGHTS WALKING, UH, THIS AREA.
AND I HOPE THAT MOST RESIDENTS, UH, MOST PEOPLE THAT WORK HERE, MOST PEOPLE THAT WILL, WILL VISIT HERE WILL FEEL THE SAME WAY.
NOW, ARE THERE QUALITY OF LIFE CONCERNS? YES.
NOISE, COMPLAINTS, ALCOHOL, THE, UH, UH, ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH THAT URINATING IN PUBLIC, UH, SMOKING MARIJUANA.
UM, THESE ARE THE TYPES OF ACTIVITIES THAT GENERALLY OCCUR WHEN YOU HAVE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT COME HERE AND THEY'RE HERE FOR THE BAR SCENES.
WE HAVE TAKEN SOME, UH, PROACTIVE APPROACHES TO ENSURE THAT OUR SIDEWALK CAFE PERMITS ARE IN, IN ORDER.
EVERY MONDAY I RECEIVE A REPORT.
WE PATROL EVERY SINGLE NIGHT TO ENSURE THAT ALL THE BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN THAT HAVE A SIDEWALK CAFE PERMIT ARE IN COMPLIANCE.
AND IF THEY'RE NOT, UM, WE HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR CITY ATTORNEYS, THE PROBLEMS WITH NOISE.
AND, UH, I DO WANT TO SPEND A LITTLE BIT OF TIME 'CAUSE UH, I CAN FORESEE MAYBE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT.
THE NOISE ORDINANCE, UNLIKE A LOT OF PLACES, UH, THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, UM, IS A CIVIL OFFENSE.
PLAYING YOUR MUSIC TOO LOUD IS NOT A CRIMINAL ACT.
IT IS A VIOLATION OF A CIVIL ORDINANCE.
IN ORDER TO CITE SOMEBODY FOR A NOISE ORDINANCE, WE HAVE TO TAKE THREE NOISE READINGS WITH THE EQUIPMENT THAT WE APPROACHED.
EVEN IF A PERSON IS IN VIOLATION, THEY RECEIVE A CIVIL FILE.
ONE OF THE, UH, HOW BEST WAY I CAN PUT THIS, UM, FRUSTRATIONS FOR THE CHIEF OF POLICE IS WHEN I KNOW THAT THERE IS A BUSINESS
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THAT SIMPLY UNDERSTANDS THAT BY WAY OF, OF ATTRACTING MORE CUSTOMERS THAT CAN CRANK THEIR MUSIC UP AND THEY JUST ACCEPT THEIR FINES.IT'S A, IT'S A COST OF DOING BUSINESS, SO TO SPEAK.
WE SEE THAT NOT JUST HERE DOWNTOWN, BUT WE HAVE OTHER PLACES IN THE CITY.
30 SOMETHING IS A IS ONE THAT WE ARE, ARE CHALLENGED WITH.
SOME OF THE OTHER ISSUES ARE VETTED IN THE LANGUAGE OF THE CODE.
UM, THE CODE DOES NOT, UH, PERTAIN TO THE PERCUSSION SOUNDS OF BASE.
BASE IS NOT PART OF OUR ORDINANCE.
IT IS THE HIGHER, UH, DECIMAL LEVELS, UH, ASSOCIATED WITH THE NOISE.
SO YOU COULD BE UNDER THE 60 MEGAHERTZ, UH, THRESHOLD, BUT YOUR WINDOW IS SHAKING BECAUSE THE BASE IS JUST, UM, IT IS JUST INCREDIBLY, UH, ANNOYING.
BUT THE, THE PHRASE THAT I'VE HEARD MANY IN THIS BUSINESS SAY, UM, IT MAY BE AWFUL, BUT IT IS LAWFUL.
AND AS THE CHIEF OF POLICE, I CANNOT TELL MY STAFF TO ENGAGE IN UNLAWFUL ENFORCEMENT.
UM, I I HEARD THAT THERE WAS THE POTENTIAL FOR HIRING ADDITIONAL STAFF.
I THINK THAT IS ONE WAY OF ADDRESSING SOME CONCERNS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE IN TERMS OF PRESENCE.
UM, IT WASN'T, LAST YEAR WAS THE YEAR BEFORE LAST.
WE PARKED, UM, OURS MACHINES AT SKY SALE FOR ADDED VISIBILITY.
UM, BUT ONE OF THE STRAT, ONE OF THE CHALLENGES FOR THAT WAS, UM, I HAD TO COME TO MY BOSS AND SAY, I'M RUNNING OUT OF OVERTIME MONEY.
AND IN OCTOBER OF 2023, I PROJECTED THAT WE WOULD BE NOT JUST OVER OUR OVERTIME BUDGET, BUT WE WOULD BE WOEFULLY OVER OUR OVERTIME BUDGET IN THE TUNE OF ABOUT $70,000.
AND IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH THE REQUIREMENTS THAT I'VE JUST STATED ABOUT HAVING MINIMUM STAFFING AND ADDRESSING ALL THE OTHER ISSUES THAT COME UP, SPECIFICALLY WITH RESPECT TO VIOLENT CRIME AND VIOLENT CRIME INVESTIGATIONS, UM, IT TAKES A TOLL ON OUR STAFF BECAUSE ALTHOUGH IN SOME PROFESSIONS YOU WOULD JUST SIMPLY CLOCK OUT AT FIVE O'CLOCK AND WHATEVER YOU HAVE LEFT OVER, YOU PICK UP THE VERY NEXT DAY IN THIS BUSINESS.
MUCH LIKE, UM, MY FRIENDS AT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, FIVE O'CLOCK MAY COME, UH, YOU'RE STILL WORKING BECAUSE THE BUILDING'S STILL ON FIRE, OR YOU STILL HAVE AN ARREST AND YOU HAVE TO OBTAIN A SEARCH WARRANT, OR YOU HAVE TO IN FURTHERANCE OF A LAW ENFORCEMENT NEED.
SO, UH, WE HAVE EXTRA DUTY, UH, OPTIONS.
AND THESE HAVE BEEN, UM, THE GUIDELINES FOR OFF OFF DUTY, UH, UH, EXTRA DUTY ASSIGNMENTS HAS BEEN, UH, REGULATED BY THE BOARD OF ALWIN.
UM, THAT IS $45 AN HOUR FOR A PATROL OFFICER, A MINIMUM OF THREE HOURS.
UM, AND I HAVE ALL THE PARTICULARS IF YOU WISH.
WE, THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME.
WE HAVE VENDORS THAT COME TO US, THE, THE CARNIVAL, WHICH IS BY THE WAY, A GREAT OPTION FOR, FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, BUT THEY HIRE TWO OF OUR OFFICERS EVERY DAY SO THAT WE CAN ENSURE THAT THERE, THERE IS A PRESENCE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AT THE CARNIVAL.
AND THE, THE FEE IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I'VE COME UP WITH.
THIS IS A FEE THAT HAS BEEN, UH, DETERMINED BY THE BOARD OF ALL LIMITED FEES, UH, APPROPRIATE.
ONE OF OF THE THINGS I WILL SAY IS ALTHOUGH THEY WEAR TWO HATS AND THEY TECHNICALLY HAVE TWO EMPLOYERS, THERE'S THE CITY OF NEW BERN WHO IS THEIR EMPLOYER THAT HOLDS THEIR CERTIFICATION.
BUT THEN THERE'S THIS OTHER EMPLOYER THAT HAS NOW SAID, I'M PAYING YOU TO DO THIS JOB.
HOWEVER, UNTIL THAT OFFICER HAS TO TAKE A LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTION, THE MOMENT THAT OFFICER HAS TO TAKE A LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTION, LET'S JUST SAY THEY, THEY OBSERVE TWO PEOPLE FIGHTING.
UM, AND THEY HAVE TO ARREST ONE OF 'EM, AT THAT POINT, THEY NOW HAVE TO SAY, OKAY, I WAS WORKING FOR YOU.
NOW I AM WORKING UNDER THE COLOR OF LAW.
I AM NOW A NEWBURN POLICE OFFICER.
NOW I OR THE CITY OF NEWBURN, WE NOW HAVE TO PAY THEM.
SO THEY COME OFF OF YOUR PAYROLL.
THEY HAVE COME ONTO OUR PAYROLL AND ALL THE WORKMAN COMP AND ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH AN OFFICER THAT WORKS UNDER THE COLOR OF LAW, UH, HAS TO DO.
AND THEY LIKELY WOULD HAVE TO TRANSPORT THAT PERSON.
AND THEY NO LONGER ARE GONNA BE PRESENT FOR YOU.
IT DOESN'T HAPPEN THAT OFTEN DOWNTOWN.
UM, BUT, UH, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT ALTHOUGH THEY MAY BE WORKING FOR YOU, THEY ARE
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ALWAYS A POLICE OFFICER.AND AT TIMES WE'LL HAVE TO TAKE THAT ACTION YELLING ALSO.
UH, CHIEF ALSO IF FOR, FOR, UM, FOR THOSE, UM, OFF DUTY EXTRA DUTY OFFICERS, UM, THAT'S VOLUNTARY ON PART OF YOUR OFFICER TO SIGN UP FOR.
SO IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A GUARANTEE THAT SOMEBODY WILL SIGN UP FOR THAT, FOR THAT PARTICULAR OPPORTUNITY.
IT'S JUST AN OPPORTUNITY, OPPORTUNITY MADE AVAILABLE TO OFFICERS WHO AREN'T WORKING THAT PARTICULAR SHIFT? THAT IS CORRECT.
THAT, THAT WE HAVE A SYSTEM CALLED OFF-DUTY GLUE THAT THE OFFICERS CAN GO INTO AND SEE THE SCHEDULE OF, OF, UH, EXTRA DUTY ASSIGNMENTS THAT ARE OUT THERE AS FIRST COME FIRST SERVE, UH, MANY OF THE YOUNG OFFICERS.
LET'S THINK ABOUT THIS FOR A SECOND.
UM, IF, IF YOU HAPPEN TO NOT BE A, A POLICE OFFICER, UM, LET'S SAY YOU WORK IN THE LIBRARY, YOU'RE A SCHOOL TEACHER AND YOU NEED TO MAKE EXTRA MONEY.
WHAT IS, WHAT'S THE MINIMUM WAGE? I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS, BUT LET'S JUST SAY IT'S $12 AN HOUR.
UH, HOW MANY HOURS DO YOU HAVE TO WORK TO MAKE $45? I MEAN, THIS, IT, IT IS, UH, THERE'S A HECK OF A CARROT THERE FOR OFFICERS TO SAY, I CAN MAKE A LOT OF MONEY TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
SO, UM, YOU, YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
UM, AND THAT WE'VE HAD HAD TIMES WHERE, UM, IT MAY BE A SATURDAY AND IT'S MORE DIFFICULT TO PULL IN THE OFFICERS THAT MAY HAVE OTHER THINGS THAT THEY WANT TO DO FOR, IS THERE A POSSIBILITY OF A, OF US, JUST LIKE WE HIRED THE PARKING ATTENDANTS, RIGHT? M MSS D DID THAT AND THERE SO MANY PART-TIME.
IS THERE A POSSIBILITY OF US HIRING A GROUP OF, YOU KNOW, OFFICERS OR DOING SOMETHING LIKE THAT SO THAT WE DON'T FALL IN? I MEAN, IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO DO AND WE FEEL THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO COVER THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY OUR, OUR DAYS WHEN THERE'S TROUBLE OR WE FEEL LIKE WE NEED PRESENCE FROM 12 TO SIX EVERY DAY, WHATEVER THIS GROUP TALKS ABOUT, BESIDES, IS THAT A POSSIBILITY TO DO THAT JUST LIKE WE DID WITH DEPARTMENT OF EVIDENCE? SO, SO THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF THIS BOARD TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE GOVERNOR BOARD THAT WE ALLOCATE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF FUNDS TOWARD LAW ENFORCEMENT ON THAT.
UH, THEN WHAT IT WOULD BE UP TO THE CHIEF TO DO IS TO ANALYZE WHETHER OR NOT AN ADDITIONAL POSITION WOULD BE NEEDED TO ACTUALLY COVER THAT.
SO YES, BUT THAT IS A POSSIBILITY.
THAT COULD BE A POSSIBILITY TO TALK ABOUT.
'CAUSE I'M JUST CONCERNED WITH THE VOLUNTEER STUFF WHEN WE NEED IT.
WE WOULDN'T HAVE IT
WE FEEL THAT WE NEED ENFORCEMENT OR STREETS CLOSED OR SOMETHING THAT YOU MAY NOT HAVE STAFF.
IT WOULD BE A BENEFIT WHEN THE, WHEN THE OFFICERS GET HIRED, DOES THAT GO TO THE OFFICER OR TO THE CITY AND THEN TO THE OFFICER? UH, SO IT IS THAT MONEY, IT'S EXTRA DUTY, I BELIEVE.
LET ME JUST QUALIFY THIS WITH THE, UH, CAVEAT THAT I MAY HAVE TO CORRECT MYSELF.
UM, SO IT, IT, IT'S OBVIOUSLY DONE THROUGH YOUR DEPARTMENT.
UM, WHEN I, WHEN I DO IT, I WRITE OUT THE CHECK TO THE OFFICER'S NAME, BUT THEN WE, WE GIVE IT TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO, TO PASS THAT CHECK OUT TO THE OFFICERS WHO, YES.
WHAT I WAS GONNA SAY IS I DON'T BELIEVE WE MAKE ANY MONEY OFF OF THIS.
UM, GOES DIRECTLY TO THE OFFICER.
ANOTHER QUESTION I HAVE TOO IS ON THE FIVE THAT THE DECIMAL FIVE, WHO GETS THAT MONEY? IS THAT TO THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND OR IS THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT? OR HOW DOES THAT WORK? IT IT DOES GO INTO THE GENERAL FUND.
UH, IT DEPENDS ON, NORMALLY IT DEPENDS ON WHERE IT IS.
UM, I DON'T THINK ANY NOISE ORDINANCE VIOLATIONS GO INTO THE MSD FUND.
CAN I ASK THIS DIFFERENT QUESTION TOO? IS WHAT IF WE, WE HAVE THE CARS THAT PATROL FOR PARKING.
AND WHEN I SAY THIS, I KNOW YOU'RE PROBABLY GONNA CRINGE CHIEF, BUT OKAY, WHAT IF WE HAD A SECURITY GUARD AND HIS RULE WAS NOT TO LEAVE THE VEHICLE.
SO IF THE OTHER OFFICER HAD TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL, WE HAVE A SECURITY GUARD THAT JUST PATROLS, ALL HE DOES IS CALL IN, OKAY, CHRIS HELEN'S PEE ON THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING.
HE DOES NOT GET OUTTA THE CAR, BUT IS IN EYES, YOU KNOW, SO HE DRIVES TO THE COMMUNITY AND DO WHATEVER.
IS THAT A PEACEFUL THING? BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE HALF THE COST OF WHAT A POLICE OFFICER WOULD BE, RIGHT? THAT'S A THOUGHT.
MOST CERTAINLY WOULD BE A LOT MORE ECONOMIC FOR YOU.
ANYBODY CAN HIRE A PRIVATE SECURITY.
[00:30:02]
IN ORDER TO TAKE A LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTION, THE ARRESTING OFFICER, WHETHER IT'S A DEPUTY SHERIFF, WHETHER IT'S AN A LE OFFICER OR AGRO POLICE OFFICER, STATE TROOPER, WHATEVER, THEY HAVE TO SEE THE VIOLATION.SO PEEING ON THE SIDE OF A BUILDING AND THEN, HEY, I SEE THIS GUY, RIGHT? AND THEN THE OFFICER COMES UP AND HE GOES, YEAH, I SAW HIM BEING, WELL, I'M THE OFFICER.
I CAN SEE HIM BEING, THIS IS A MISDEMEANOR THAT DID NOT OCCUR IN MY PRESENCE.
A FELONY IS, IS A DIFFERENT BREED.
A FELONY OF AN OFFICER CAN ARREST WITHOUT SEEING IT JUST ESTABLISHING PROBABLE CAUSE.
THE OTHER PART I WOULD SUGGEST YOU CONSIDER, I'M NOT TRYING TO, TO DRUM UP BUSINESS WITH THE OFFICERS.
ONE OF THE DETERRENT FACTORS IS A LOT OF OF THOSE THAT WOULD ENGAGE IN THESE TYPES OF BEHAVIORS WILL LOOK AND GO, OH, THAT'S JUST A SECURITY GUN.
MM-HMM,
WELL, AND, AND YOU KNOW, WHAT COMES TO YOU? WE'VE SEEN ALL KINDS OF STUFF WHERE YOU HAVE A SECURITY GUARD THAT ALSO THINKS THAT HE'S A POLICEMAN THAT CAUSES MORE DAMAGE THAN WHAT MY THINKING WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, EYES ON THE ROAD THAT ALL THEY'RE DOING IS TO PAY ATTENTION THAT, AND THOSE TWO DUDES DON'T LOOK LIKE THEY SHOULD GO IN THE BACK DOOR OVER THERE.
THEY CALL IN AND HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE.
I WOULDN'T WANT A SECURITY GUARD TO GET OUTTA THE CAR BECAUSE I KNOW THE LIABILITY FOR THIS CITY.
MOST LIKELY HE'S GONNA CREATE MORE HEADACHE THAN, YOU KNOW, SECURITY GUARDS WHERE THEY'RE HEADS OR BIG.
SO THAT TO ME, I WOULD, IT WOULD BE JUST, UM, WHEN YOU SAY THE SECURITY, ARE YOU TALKING A POLICE OFFICER ACTING IN THAT, IN THAT, WELL, I MEAN OBVIOUSLY THE HAVE AN OFF DUTY POLICE OFFICER, BUT I WOULD SAY, OKAY, SO LIKE MARK, YOU KNOW, WE HAD TO PROTECT THE CITY FROM BEING INVADED.
WOULD WE ALL GO TO SLEEP? GOT SOME HIT SPOTS AROUND THIS TO KEEP AN EYE ON IT SO YOU CAN CALL THE CHIEF TO BRING IN THE SQUAD.
BUT I WOULDN'T WANT TO, I WOULDN'T WANT THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CITY TO HAVE SOMEONE THAT COULD, WOULD CARRY A GUN OR A BILLY CLUB OR A LASER GUN OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT, AND GET OUTTA THE CAR AND GET TO SAY TO JOHNNY, HEY MAN, I SAW YOU DO THIS.
AND THE NEXT THING THERE'S A SKIRMISH.
THAT'S A LAWSUIT WAITING TO HAPPEN.
ALL I'M SAYING IS WHEN THOSE OFFICERS ARE BUSY AND THEY GO OUT OF TOWN AND WE STILL KNOW THAT THERE'S ONE OR TWO DUDES WALKING, DRIVING AROUND THE STREET LOOKING TO SEE WHAT GOES ON, THEY CAN CALL IN BECAUSE THE REST OF US ARE ASLEEP.
AND I'M SORRY, I KNOW THAT'S PROBABLY A LITTLE SILLY, BUT TO ME I WOULD THINK THAT WOULD BE HALF THE COST OF WHAT, SORRY, CHIEF, UH, UM, CHIEF POLICE OFFICER, IF THERE WAS VIDEO OF THE PERSON URINATING ON THE BUILDING, WOULD THAT THEN LEAD THE OFFICER DEN SHOWS UP LATER TO BE ABLE TO MAKE AN ARREST OR NO, WHAT? THAT WOULD BE PHYSICAL AND SEE PHYSICALLY NOW THAT, THAT WOULD BE EVIDENCE IN COURT.
THE OFFICER COULD GO TO A MAGISTRATE AND SAY, LOOK AT THIS VIDEO.
HE WAS PEEING ON THE THING AND AND THIS HAPPENED TODAY AT THIS LOCATION.
GET A WARRANT, GO BACK AND ARREST HIM.
BUT I WOULD SUGGEST TO YOU THAT THAT'S NOT THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION FOR, YOU KNOW, SUCH A LOW LEVEL AGREED.
THAT YOU WOULDN'T, YOU KNOW, NOW IF SOMEBODY THREW A, A ROCK THROUGH A WINDOW AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY, CLEARLY WE WANT TO, UH, INTERVENE ON THAT PERSON.
JUST BECAUSE THE OFFICER DIDN'T SEE IT DOESN'T MEAN AN INVESTIGATION CAN OCCUR PROBABLE CAUSE ESTABLISHED GO BEFORE A MAGISTRATE.
RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND, I SWEAR TO TELL THE TRUTH.
HERE'S ALL MY PROBABLE CAUSE MAGISTRATE GIVES YOU A WARNING.
GO BACK AND ARREST SOME OTHER QUESTIONS OVER HERE.
I'VE GOT A COUPLE, I HAVE A, I HAVE A COMMENT THAT IS SORT OF UNRELATED TO THIS, BUT ON A NOISE ORDINANCE, IF THAT'S JUST PERCEIVED AS COST OF DOING BUSINESS, CAN THE ALDERMAN AT LEAST EXPLORE HAVING AN ESCALATING FINE? THERE IS APPARENTLY, MAYBE THEY NEED TO LOOK AT ESCALATING IT HIGHER.
I SAID, THERE'S NO THREE STRIKES.
YOU'RE OUT KIND OF THING ON THE NORTHWARD, AT SOME POINT IT ESCALATES TO WHERE IT HURTS AND THAT'S WHEN THE MUSIC WILL STOP.
AND WHEN YOU SAY THREE READINGS OVER WHAT, WHAT PERIOD IS, OH, IT CAN BE ONE RIGHT AFTER ANOTHER, BUT WE HAVE TO OBTAIN THREE READINGS.
AND THERE ARE SOME REASONS BEHIND THAT.
YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE DUE PROCESS, UH, UH, LENS THAT EACH ONE OF THOSE READINGS AND YOU TAKE.
MEANING, YOU KNOW, ALL, ALL BY A SUDDEN YOU, YOU TOOK THE ONE READING.
[00:35:01]
BECAUSE SOME CAR CAME BY WITH A FLARING RADIO.UM, SO OUR, OUR OUR PROCEDURES ARE, ARE PRETTY SOUND CAN SAY VERY OBJECTIVELY THAT OUR READINGS ARE ARE, ARE AS OBJECTIVE AS POSSIBLE.
AND IF IF YOU WANT TO, YOU KNOW, UH, DISPUTE THIS, THEN WE CLEARLY HAVE ENOUGH OBJECTIVE EVIDENCE TO SAY, NO, YOU ARE ILLEGAL CHIEF, HOW MANY CITATIONS HAVE YOU ISSUED DOWNTOWN FOR NOISE? I'D HAVE TO GO BACK AND, AND, AND LOOK AT THAT.
NOW I WILL SAY, I WILL SAY THIS, WE HAVE RESPONDED TO MANY, NOT MANY.
THAT'S VERY OBJECTIVE WAY OF PUTTING IT.
UM, BUT OF THE RESPONDING OFFICERS THAT COME OUT TO SAY YES, THAT'S ALLOWED, WE, WE, WE, WE TAKE THE THREE READINGS, VAST MAJORITY DO NOT REACH THE THRESHOLD FOR LEGAL ACTION.
I CAN GIVE YOU A VERY QUICK EXAMPLE OF WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
THERE WAS A PROM OVER AT THE PALACE AND WHEN THE OFFICERS TOOK THE READING, THE NOISE WAS BELOW THE RECOMMENDED LEVEL AND LITERALLY SHOWED IT TO THE RESIDENT.
I HEAR WHAT, WHAT WAS UNKNOWN AT THAT TIME OR MAYBE NOT RECOGNIZED AT THAT TIME, WAS THE REASONING THAT WAS BELOW THE LIMIT IS THERE'S A 10 OR 12 FOOT BRICK WALL.
AND SO THE SOUND ABOVE, SO IF YOU'RE ON THE SECOND FLOOR, IT WOULD'VE BEEN MUCH, MUCH HIGHER.
BUT POLICE OFFICERS AREN'T GOING INTO YOUR LIVING ROOM TO TAKE THE READING.
IT IS RIGHT THERE ON THE GROUND.
UM, SO THAT'S, ARE THEY ALLOWED TO, IF THE RESIDENT SAID, COME ON IN MY HOUSE.
SO THE SOUND READING IS TAKING WHERE THE COMPLAINT IS MADE.
NOT LIKE RIGHT UP AGAINST THEY ARE WHERE THE SOUND IS COMING FROM.
I I I MEAN, AND THERE'S A REASON, BUT 'CAUSE YOU DON'T WANNA WALK RIGHT UP TO THE SPEAKER AND GO YEAH, EXACTLY.
YOU SAID EARLIER THERE'S ONE OFFICER ASSIGNED TO THIS DISTRICT.
WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF THE DISTRICT? IS JUST THE MUNICIPAL SERVICE DISTRICT OR IS IT OUT, IS IT WIRE SWAT IN THAT OR YES, IT, IT, IT VERY MUCH IT AND I WISH I WOULD'VE BROUGHT A MAP AND I, I APOLOGIZE.
UH, BUT IF YOU JUST GO ON, UH, THE NEW BERN POLICE DEPARTMENT WEBSITE, WE HAVE THE DISTRICTS LISTED.
SO DOES IT INCLUDE NORTH OF BROAD STREET INTO THE HISTORIC DISTRICT? OH, YES.
IN FACT, ALMOST, WELL, ALMOST THE ENTIRE, UH, HISTORIC DISTRICT NOW, I DON'T KNOW IF THE HISTORIC DISTRICT GOES UP, UP, UH, NATIONAL DOES AGAIN.
SO UP IN THAT AREA THAT, THAT IS A DIFFERENT DISTRICT CHIEF.
I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION RELATED TO THIS, UM, BLOCK BY BLOCK OR WHATEVER THE PROGRAM THAT WAS BEING DISCUSSED EARLIER, THEY, THAT THE INFORMATION I SAW ON THE WEBSITE WAS THAT THAT BUSINESS THAT, UH, ORGANIZATION OFFERS TWO THINGS.
ONE IS SECURITY AND ONE IS LIKE CLEANLINESS ON THE SECURITY FROM WHAT YOU SAID, I'M ASSUMING THAT THOSE WOULD BE LIKE THE MALL COPS, THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE OFFICERS FOR THE CITY OF NEW BERN.
THEY WOULD BE HIRED BY SWISS BAY OR THE MSD OR SOMETHING BY THAT COMPANY GONNA BY BLOCK.
SO THEY'RE GONNA BE IN A CATEGORY OF, UM, NOT BEING ABLE TO MAKE ARRESTS AND NOT NECESS NOT BEING ABLE TO WRITE A TICKET FOR PEEING ON THE BUILDING BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT AUTHORIZED.
AND AND I'M GONNA TELL YOU RIGHT NOW IN NEWBERG, THERE ARE MULTIPLE AREAS OF, UM, THAT HAVE PRIVATE SECURITY THAT DRIVE AROUND AND ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE A PRESENCE.
WHETHER IT IS A, UH, AN APARTMENT COMPLEX, HIRES THEM OUT, THEY COME OUT AND HOSPITAL HAS THEIR OWN SECURITY.
WELL, HOSPITAL HAS THEIR OWN POLICE.
THEY WHAT ABOUT LIKE THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE? I KNOW THEY HAVE A SECURITY.
I'VE SEEN THEM, THEY HAVE SECURITY.
THEY, THEY'RE NOT SWORN OFFICERS, BUT THEY'RE NOT REGULATED BY TRAINING AND STANDARD CHIEF.
A COUPLE OTHER ISSUES THAT ARE, HAVE PLAGUED DOWNTOWN, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO ADDRESS 'EM A LITTLE BIT IS PANHANDLER AND, AND HOW THAT'S HANDLED.
'CAUSE FROM TIME TO TIME, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES IT'S REALLY BAD AND IT'S LIKE THEY TELL ALL THEIR FRIENDS AND WE HAVE A DOZEN OF THEM.
AND THEN I HAVEN'T REALLY SEEN VERY MANY LATELY THANK, THANKFULLY I GOT ONE YESTERDAY.
I ACTUALLY, I'VE SEEN SEVERAL.
AND THEN THE HOME AND THEN THE HOMELESS SITUATION PEOPLE SLEEP ON BECAUSE WE TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.
'CAUSE I THINK THAT'S ALL PART OF SECURITY AND FEELING SAFE AND WELCOMING IN OUR DOWNTOWN.
[00:40:01]
WITHIN THE LINES OF THAT, UH, AWFUL.BUT LAWFUL CONVERSATION HANDLING IS COMPLETELY LEGAL.
BUSING IS COMPLETELY LEGAL AS LONG AS YOU DON'T HAVE, UM, UH, SOUND ORDINANCE.
WELL, WELL, YOU CAN BUST, BUT YOU CAN'T HAVE, UH, ELECTRIFIED, AMPLIFIED MUSIC.
UM, NOW IN PANHANDLING, AND WE'VE TRAINED OUR STAFF MULTIPLE TIMES AS TO WHERE YOU CAN PANHANDLE AND WHEN AND WHERE YOU CAN.
FOR INSTANCE, YOU CANNOT PANHANDLE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF A BUSINESS.
YOU CANNOT PANHANDLE IN THE ROADWAY.
YOU CANNOT PANHANDLE, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, UH, AT A BUS STATION.
SO THE, THE, THE, THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA HAS, HAS PROVIDED A LOT OF GUIDELINES.
BUT IF YOU'RE JUST THERE WITH YOUR CUP AND SAY, HEY, CAN I HAVE SOME MONEY? CAN I HAVE SOME MONEY? CAN I HAVE SOME MONEY? WE SEE IT ALL THE TIME.
YOU SEE, YOU KNOW, A LADY AND HER KIDS JUST SITTING THERE WITH, WITH, YOU KNOW, WITH A BUCKET OR, UH, OFF, OFF OF THE, UH, OFFICE 70.
YOU SEE PEOPLE STANDING THERE.
AND UNFORTUNATELY IT IS NOT ILLEGAL.
IT'S THE SAME THING BEING HOMELESS.
WE PUT A LOT OF EFFORT INTO WE BEING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ENGAGE IN, UM, THE FAITH-BASED COMMUNITY WITH RCS, WITH MULTIPLE OTHER ENTITIES TO SAY, WHAT CAN WE DO TO TRY TO PROVIDE AS MANY SERVICES AS WE CAN? UNFORTUNATELY, THERE ARE A FAIR NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT SIMPLY DO NOT WANT OUR SERVICES.
I KNOW SEVERAL THAT I SEE ALL THE TIME, AND I, AND I KNOW, I KNOW WHO THEY ARE, UH, MORE TIMES THAN ABOUT THEY STATED THEMSELVES.
THERE WAS A WOMAN I HAVEN'T SEEN HER IN, IN PROBABLY A YEAR AND A HALF.
UM, AND I REMEMBER SPEAKING TO HER, SHE ABSOLUTELY WOULD NOT GO TO THE SHELTER AND SHE WOULD JUST SLEEP ON THE BENCH OR, OR SHE WOULD FIND A PLACE AND JUST LAY DOWN AND SLEEP.
UM, IS IT UNSIGHTLY OF, OF COURSE IT'S, BUT THE REALITY IS WE'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE A GOVERNMENTAL ACTION AGAINST A PERSON THAT'S NOT COMMITTING A CRIME.
THAT PUTS YOU IN FEDERAL COURT VERY, VERY QUICKLY.
AND YOU KNOW, THE ARGUMENT THAT, WELL, YOU KNOW, IT JUST DOESN'T LOOK GOOD.
OR THE NOTION THAT CAN'T YOU JUST RUN 'EM OFF? WELL, ONE, YES, BUT TWO I SEE IN FEDERAL COURT, AND I DON'T WANNA BE IN FEDERAL.
NOW, CHIEF, THERE ARE CITY ORDINANCES, RIGHT? ABOUT SOLICITATION AND BEGGING.
I KNOW LAST YEAR, I THINK YOU CAME TO THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS COUNCIL, GIVE US A LITTLE HANDOUT OF SOME CITY ORDINANCE.
BUT THOSE WOULD STILL ONLY BE CIVIL OFFENSES.
SO PANHANDLING AND BUSTING IT.
THERE'S NO CITY ORDINANCE THAT SAYS YOU CAN'T DO THIS.
WHAT IT SAYS IS YOU CAN'T DO THESE UNDER THESE CONDITIONS.
RIGHT? AND AS LONG AS THEY, AS LONG AS IT'LL VIOLATE THE PROHIBITION OF THOSE CONDITIONS.
LIKE, UH, THREATENING SOMEONE DOING THIS IN THE ROADWAY, RIGHT? UH, IN FRONT OF A BUS STOP.
I JUST USE THAT ONE BECAUSE I JUST THINK THAT'S AN INTERESTING WAY OF, OF, OF ADDING THAT.
UM, WELL, AS YOU DON'T DO THOSE THINGS, GO BACK AND SAY, YOU SAID IN FRONT OF A BUSINESS.
SO IF SOMEBODY IS STANDING IN FRONT OF THAT BUSINESS, AND AS CUSTOMERS IN FRONT THE DOOR, IF I SEE THAT THE CHELSEA, THAT PERSON WOULD STAND RIGHT THERE, THE DOOR AND YOU'RE TRYING TO GET IN AND THEY'RE SHOPPING, NO, THEY CANNOT BE IN FRONT OF THE DOOR.
SO IF THERE'S THREE OF 'EM, YOU CAN'T BLOCK THE, THE EBB AND FLOW OF PEDESTRIAN.
BUT IF YOU'RE JUST STANDING THE SIDEWALK WITH THE CUP AND CAN WALK PAST YOU.
BUT IF YOU GO UP TO SOMEBODY, IF YOU WALK UP TO THEM AND SAY, YOU KNOW, HEY, UH, WE I NEED MONEY TO EAT, OR, UM, I CAN'T PAY MY LIFE, BILL AND I NEED SOME MONEY, THEY CAN DO THAT.
YES, THEY CAN WALK UP TO SOMEBODY.
THEY JUST CAN'T STAND IN FRONT OF THE DOOR OF A BUSINESS.
NOW, SOME OF IT MAY BE A BIT, UH, SUBJECTIVE, BUT IF THEY COME UP AND SAY, GIMME MONEY, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S DONE IN A THREATENING MANNER, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S THAT'S DIFFERENT.
BUT THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE WITNESSED BY THE ENFORCING OFFICER.
SO A CITIZEN SAYS THIS, HEY, I, THIS IS WHAT I'VE HAD.
NOW WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST WOULD BE, OKAY, WHO THIS PERSON IS, ARE YOU WILLING TO COME TO COURT? IF THE ANSWER IS YES, WE CAN FURTHER THE INVESTIGATION, WE CAN TAKE AN ENFORCEMENT ACTION AND WE
[00:45:01]
NOW GOTTA GO GET A WARRANT, IS WHAT I'M SAYING.NOW IF THIS PERSON SAYS, YOU KNOW, I'M FROM GREENVILLE AND I JUST CAME DOWN HERE TO EAT AT, AT, UM, POPPY'S OR SOME OTHER PLACE, UM, I'M NOT, I'M NOT COMING BACK HERE TO GO TO COURT.
NOW, THE OFFICER MIGHT THEN EXCRETE HIMSELF OR HERSELF, LET THE PANHANDLE BELIEVED THAT THE, THAT THE POLICE HAVE LEFT.
AND THEN MONICA, THAT'S WHAT I WOULD DO IF I WAS THE PATROL OFFICER AND GO.
NOW WHAT I WOULD ALSO DO IS WALK UP AND HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH THE PANHANDLE.
DID YOU DO THESE THINGS? NOW, IF HE CONFESSES TO DOING THOSE THINGS, I DON'T THINK I'M, I'M GETTING TO COURT ON THAT ONE WITHOUT A WITNESS, BUT AT LEAST THEY KNOW THEY'RE BEING WATCHED.
COULD THE ALDERMAN BROADEN THE DEFINITION THAT MIGHT BE MORE OF A, ON AN ATTORNEY QUESTION, COULD THE ALDERMAN, UH, BROADEN THAT ORDINANCE TO PROHIBIT THAT? UH, YEAH, THAT WOULD BE A LEGAL QUESTION.
AND OF COURSE, THE ALDERMEN HAVE THE ABILITY TO PASS OR, OR TO AMEND ANY ORDINANCE.
THEY, THEY HAVE THAT RIGHT TO DO SO.
BUT I ALWAYS SUGGEST THAT BEFORE YOU TAKE A STEP THAT WAY, YOU NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT ARE THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE CONSEQUENCES OF THAT ACTION BY BE, I THINK WE, WE PASS THAT.
'CAUSE THIS WAS PUT IN WHILE I WAS IN OFFICE AND UM, I THINK WE WENT AS FAR AS WE COULD GO BASED ON WHAT SCOTT ADVISED US.
AND USUALLY, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T JUST COME UP WITH THE ALL ORDINANCES.
SCOTT WILL REVIEW 'EM AND SAY, LOOK, YOU CAN DO THIS.
AND THEN THAT'S A FREEDOM OF SPEECH ISSUE.
WELL, I THINK OUR BIGGEST PROBLEM IS, AND I'VE BEEN A DONATOR TO RCS AND A SUPPORTER FOREVER, BUT OVER MY YEARS AT CHELSEA, I BELIEVE WHEN RCS IN RALEIGH IS FULL, DON'T THEY DO SOME BRINGING DOWN THE PEOPLE? I I'VE NOT HEARD THAT.
I'M NOT SAYING IT'S NOT TRUE, BUT I'VE NOT HEARD THAT.
WE DO GET, ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU'LL GO THROUGH A CYCLE, EVERYTHING'S COOL, BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU NOTICE NEW PEOPLE AND WHERE'S DOWNTOWN? RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE SEE MOST OF PANHANDLER IS ACTUALLY THAT COULD BE RESEARCHED THOUGH.
BECAUSE YOU CAN'T GET A BED AT RCS WITHOUT GETTING A SECURE OR A BACKGROUND CHECK FROM THE POLICE OFFICER.
SO IF THEY HAD A, IF THERE WAS A BUS FULL, IF THEY HAD SIX PEOPLE WALK IN, I NEED TO, THAT'D BE ON THEIR RADAR.
WELL, I WOULD WOULDN'T WANT DO THAT, BUT, YOU KNOW, AND THEN IF THEY GET DRUNK, THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO GO BACK IN AT THAT NIGHT.
SO, BUT I, OVER THE YEARS, YOU KNOW, AND THEY WALK IN AND EVERYTHING'S COOL AND THEY GET ONE BEER AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY HAD POPPED A PILL OR WHATEVER THEY DONE AND THEY FLIP OUT TO THIS MONSTER PERSON.
SO THE THE SAD REALITY IS THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF KINDHEARTED PEOPLE THAT EITHER LIVE HERE OR WILL COME HERE AND THEY WILL GIVE A LOT OF MONEY.
AND SO THAT ENCOURAGES OR PROMOTES THE IDEA THAT, HEY, IF YOU'RE GONNA PANHANDLE, YOU GO WHERE PEOPLE HAVE THE MONEY.
AND UH, THAT'S, THAT'S AN UNFORTUNATE REALITY INTO RCS AS WELL.
WE DO HAVE SOME HALFWAY HOUSES RIGHT UP ON BROAD STREET WHERE IT'S ROOMS BY THE DAY OR WHATEVER THE WEEK.
WELL, AND SOMETIMES THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY MS D ISSUE, IT'S A DOWNTOWN BUSINESS ISSUE, BUT IS, UM, YOU KNOW, NOTIFYING STAFF.
BECAUSE THERE WAS A WHILE THAT WE HAD THAT GENTLEMAN THAT HE WOULD TELL PEOPLE THAT HIS WIFE JUST GOT SICK AND THEY HAD TO TAKE HER TO THE HOSPITAL.
HE DOESN'T HAVE A CAR, HE DOESN'T HAVE TRANSPORTATION.
SO HE, AND AND WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO IS THEN WE'RE TRYING TO PASS IT BUSINESS TO BUSINESS TO SAY, HEY, TELL YOUR CUSTOMERS, I ALMOST WANT TO PUT A SIGN IN THE WINDOW AT THE PEPSI STORE THAT SAYS, HEY, IF SOMEBODY SAYS THIS, IT IS NOT TRUE.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU GET PEOPLE FROM OUT OF TOWN WHO DON'T KNOW ANY BETTER AND THEY FEEL, OH, THIS POOR GUY WIFE'S SICK AND YOU KNOW, HE NEEDS MONEY.
HE MAKES MORE MONEY THAN ANY OF MY EMPLOYEES.
YOU KNOW, BAD HANDLE WENT THAT WAY.
BUT THAT IS, THAT PERSON WAS HERE
SO WE HAD A GUY COME IN AND HE WAS BROKEN DOWN ON THE BRIDGE.
HIS WIFE WAS IN THE CAR AND YEAH.
AND JOHN SAID, I GOT A, I GOT AN EMPTY TANK IN MY CAR, LET'S GO.
AND HE WAS LIKE, OH NO, THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S USUALLY THE SIZE.
'CAUSE JOHN HAD HELP YOU IMMEDIATELY.
BUT THAT WAS NOT WHAT HE WAS LOOKING FOR.
UM, OTHER THING, ONE OTHER ISSUE I WANT TO BRING UP BECAUSE I'VE HEARD IT AGAIN, DOWNTOWN, BUSINESS, WHATEVER.
AND THAT IS SOME OF THE EVENTS THAT WE HAVE DOWNTOWN, ESPECIALLY THE BAR CALLS.
SO HOW THAT'S FORMULATED WHO THEY TALKED TO, YOU KNOW, SHOULD THERE BE ADDED SECURITY PEOPLE ARE DRINKING.
I KNOW MICHAEL LEE HAD BROUGHT IT UP, MAYBE IT WAS A TDA OR I, WE TALKED ABOUT, OR MAYBE IT WAS A DOWNTOWN BUSINESS, I THINK STATE, IT WAS A PUB CRAWL THAT NO ONE
[00:50:01]
KNEW ABOUT BECAUSE I GUESS IT WAS ADVERTISED JUST THROUGH THE PUBS AND NO, WE, I THOUGHT IT WAS AN EVENT THAT WAS SANCTIONED BY SOMEBODY BECAUSE IT WAS JUST, THERE WERE JUST SO MANY PEOPLE AND THEY WERE ALL OVER THE STREETS AND ALL OVER THE SIDEWALK.I MEAN, I HAD, YOU KNOW, I HAD LITTLE KIDS TO COME INTO MY PLACE AND, YOU KNOW, AND NO, I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT CALLING THE POLICE.
I WAS BUSY WITH MY PEOPLE AND I, IT WAS JUST LIKE HAPPENING.
AND UM, YEAH, I, IT WAS, IT WAS.
AND, AND IT WASN'T YOUNG PEOPLE, IT WAS RETIREES.
AND THEY'RE, AND THEY'RE TIPSY OUT THERE.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE RUNNING AROUND ALL OVER THE PLACE AND THEY'RE JUST ALL TIPSY AND YOU KNOW, I'M GLAD THEY WERE HAVING TO GET STARTED AT ONE IN THE AFTERNOON.
AND IT GOES UNTIL 11:00 PM AND WHAT DID THE POSTER SAY? PLANNED ON SPENDING 15 TO 20 MINUTES PER, UH, PER ESTABLISHMENT.
AND THERE WERE I THINK 18 ESTABLISHMENTS.
I'M SURE THEY'RE STILL DID GREAT.
THAT'S PROBABLY AN EXAMPLE OF THE AWFUL BUT LAWFUL, RIGHT.
WELL I SAW THAT SAME POSTER THAT YOU DESCRIBED ON MONDAY MORNING AND I ASKED MY STAFF, DID ANYBODY KNOW ABOUT THIS? I SAID, FIRST I'M SEEING IT.
UM, I TRIED TO RESERVE MUCH OF MY COMMENTS 'CAUSE I KNOW I AM THE POLICE CHIEF, BUT I THINK IT WAS DISINGENUOUS FOR THOSE BAR OWNERS TO HAVE DONE THAT WITHOUT SOME KIND OF STRATEGY OR ORGANIZATION TO KEEP EVERYBODY SAFE.
WELL, I'M GONNA SPEAK ON THAT AS SAY ONLY PUP GIRLS ARE GOING THROUGH PRIVATE PEOPLE WHO WE DON'T EVEN KNOW.
THEY COME TO US AND SAY, HEY, WE'RE DOING A PUP CRAWL.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT GONNA SAY, DON'T EVER COME TO OUR PLACE.
SO WE'RE OPEN FOR BUSINESS EVERY DAY.
THEY COME IN AND THEY COME IN.
UH, BUT IT'S THE BARS AND WE DO NOT COORDINATE THAT.
EVERY, AND, AND, BUT I'VE BEEN AT THE BAR AT CHELSEA FOR 32 YEARS AND I'VE NEVER HAD EVER A PENALTY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
NOW, THE FUN FOX, WHEN IT SAYS PUP CRAWL FROM ONE O'CLOCK TO 11 O'CLOCK OR ONE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.
THERE COULD BE A FEW DARE LIKE I SAID, MIGHT MAKE IT, BUT MOST OF THOSE OLDER FOLKS ARE DOING IT EARLY SO THAT THEY CAN GO HOME EARLY FOUR O'CLOCK THEY'RE DONE.
WE USED TO DO A PARADE EVERY YEAR AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE THREE BAND IN CHELSEA AND I'D DO 500 PEOPLE COLUMBIA CABBAGE, AND IT WAS NOT OUT OF CONTROL.
AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, ONE THING SHE ABOUT, YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET A CALL FOR ME.
I'M NOT PUTTING THAT ON YOUR CRAP.
BUT YES, STUFF HAPPENS WHEN PEOPLE DRINK.
SO, YOU KNOW, IF, IF ANYTHING HAPPENS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WAS PART OF SOMETHING I DID, I WOULD'VE TO PAY ABOUT IT.
SO, BUT JUST SO IN THE FUTURE, WE KNOW ST.
PATTY'S IS EVERY YEAR ON MARCH 17TH, IT'S ALWAYS USUALLY THE FIRST SATURDAY BEFORE ST.
SO WE SHOULD RUN INTO, AND THIS TOPIC IS COMING UP BECAUSE HOW DO WE AS AN ORGANIZATION, YOU KNOW, DO WE WANT THAT EXTRA PLATEAU? DO WE WANT TO HAVE AN EXTRA PERSON? SO WHEN MARCH 17TH AND THE FIRST SATURDAY BEFORE MARCH 17TH COMES, COMES ALONG, WE HAVE SOMEBODY DOING THAT.
WE HAVE SOMEBODY OUT THERE FOR ALL THE VARIED EVENTS BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE, WHEN THEY DO STUFF, THEY WANT TO COME DOWNTOWN.
THEY WANT TO CLOSE OUR STREETS, OR THEY WANT TO DO AN EVENT IN DOWNTOWN BECAUSE IT IS SO CHARMING AND WELCOMING.
BUT HOW DO WE CONTROL ALL THAT? HOW DO WE PROTECT OUR PROPERTY? BECAUSE AS PROPERTY OWNERS, WE WANT TO PROTECT OUR PROPERTY.
WE WANT TO PROTECT OUR CUSTOMERS IF WE HAVE BUSINESSES AND OUR RESIDENCE.
SO, AND MAYBE AS BAR OWNERS, ME AND THE REST OF THE CREW, MAYBE WE SHOULD HIRE ONE OR TWO OFFICERS THAT ARE OFF DUTY AND BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT.
SO, AND I WOULD BE COOL WITH THAT.
ONLY ON THE OUTSIDE, WE DO NOT ALLOW OUR OFFICERS TO HAVE EXTRA DUTY ASSIGNMENTS INSIDE OF AN AGENCY STAFF.
NO, I MEAN, SO THEY'RE NOT, WE DON'T HAVE PEOPLE FALLING BACK.
SIDEWALK BEGS THE QUESTION, WHAT IS MSDS RESPONSIBILITY VERSUS WHAT IS THE CITY'S RESPONSIBILITY? I MEAN, IF, YOU KNOW, I GUARANTEE THAT THERE ARE HEAVIER POLICE PRESENCE IN CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS BECAUSE THEY'RE KNOWN TO HAVE HIGHER CRIME INCIDENCES THAN THERE ARE IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT MANY OF US LIVE IN.
THOSE NEIGHBOR, THE, THE HIGH CRIME NEIGHBORHOODS AREN'T PAYING FOR THAT.
THE CITY IS DOING THEIR JOB AND THE POLICE CHIEF IS DOING HIS JOB AND RECOGNIZING THESE ARE WHERE PROBLEMS HAPPEN.
MEANING THAT'S WHERE WE NEED TO BE.
SO I WOULD ARGUE THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT NEEDS TO SAY
[00:55:01]
AND, AND BE AWARE THAT WOW, THERE ARE GONNA BE A LOT OF PEOPLE AT THE ST.PATTY'S PUB CRAWL AND WE NEED TO HAVE AN EXTRA POLICEMAN OR TWO DOWN THERE.
I DON'T THINK THAT SHOULD BE MSD, I'M SORRY.
WELL THAT'S, AGAIN, I'M NOT, WE'RE NOT SAYING RIGHT OR WRONG, BUT I THAT'S WE'RE HERE FOR DISCUSSION.
AND TO DECIDE HOW WE'RE GONNA GET IT, IT'S NOT LIKE THE MOTION'S BEEN MADE, RIGHT? NO, NO.
THIS IS ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED THOUGH, IS MSD HAS CERTAIN FUNCTIONS AND IT SHOULDN'T BE TO COVER THE COST THAT THE CITY SHOULD HAVE UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES.
SO WE NEED TO DECIDE WHAT IS, YOU KNOW, EXTRA AND ABOVE.
SO I THINK THAT THAT'S THE ISSUE THAT WE'RE REALLY HERE.
WHAT IS EXTRA AND ABOVE THAT WE THINK IS NECESSARY FOR THE DOWNTOWN, BECAUSE THE WHOLE REASON MSB STARTED, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CITY TO LIGHT OUR STREETS AND DO THIS.
BUT IT WASN'T TO THE LEVEL THAT THE PROPERTY OWNERS DOWNTOWN WANTED IT.
THEREFORE, WE WERE WILLING TO PAY THE TAX SO THAT WE COULD HAVE UNDERGROUND, BECAUSE THAT WASN'T NORMAL THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE CITY.
SO THAT'S THE ONLY DISCUSSION HERE IS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE POLICE SERVICE.
HE JUST, YOU KNOW, HE EXPLAINED TO US THAT HE'S AN OFFICER FOR SHIFT.
THERE'S TWO OFFICERS DAY AND NIGHT, THEY'RE GOING AROUND, THEY'RE CHECKING DOORS, THEY'RE DOING THINGS.
WHAT DO WE FEEL IS NECESSARY ABOVE AND BEYOND THAT FOR OUR, OUR MSD DISTRICT AND WOULD BE ON PAY FOR.
AND JUST JUST TO TO, TO THE POINT THAT, THAT JOHN MADE, EVEN IF YOU DO ACCOUNT FOR THAT, IF THERE'S A CALL THAT'S MADE ELSEWHERE THERE, THOSE OFFICERS ARE ON PATROL, THEY COULD BE PULLED OFF OF PATROL TO GO TO ANOTHER LOCATION.
SO THEN MAYBE IT'S, MAYBE IT'S NOT, MAYBE IT IS AN MT THING.
MAYBE IT'S NOT AN M MSST THING.
MAYBE IT'S THE RESPONSIBILITY OF BARS.
IF YOU KNOW THAT SOMEBODY IS ORGANIZING THIS CLUB CRAWL AND YOU'RE EXPECTING TO HAVE MORE BUSINESS, MAYBE SOME OF THE BARS GO TO GET TOGETHER AND, AND, AND PAY FOR OFF DUTY TO BE PRESIDENT IN THE DOWNTOWN.
I MEAN, PEOPLE ORGANIZE PUFF CRAWLS ON FACEBOOK ALL THE TIME.
SOMETIMES FIVE PEOPLE SHOW UP.
SOMETIMES SOMEBODY, THE RIGHT PERSON POSTED ON MEDIA, LET'S SAY, LET'S SAY PATRICK'S DAY, YOU COULD BE PRETTY SURE.
WHAT ABOUT SAM? WHAT ABOUT SANTA? SANTA SANTA THAT TURN PEOPLE AWAY FOR THE PAJAMA AND, AND SANITIZERS WE'RE FULL.
WE CAN TAKE MORE THAN WHAT WE CAN TAKE.
DO WE HAVE EXTRA POLICE ON DOWNTOWN? WE HAVE TWO STAR NEWS PEOPLE.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS A TERRIBLY DIFFICULT THING FOR YOU TO ADMINISTER BECAUSE I'M, THERE'S A PART OF ME ALSO THAT'S THINKING ON A, ON SOME LEVEL, THIS IS A SOLUTION IN SEARCH OF A PROBLEM.
BECAUSE DOWNTOWN IS NOT A HIGH CRIME AREA COMPARED TO OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY.
IT IS ARGUABLY A HIGH AWFUL PART OF THE CITY, BUT THE POLICE CAN'T ADDRESS AWFUL UNLESS THEY ACTUALLY SEE IT.
WHICH MEANS THAT THE MALL COP'S NOT VERY HELPFUL, WHICH IT MAKES IT REALLY HARD FOR THE POLICE TO DO THEIR JOB OR TO DO WHAT WE WANT THEM TO DO.
IT'S NOT THEIR JOB TO DO AWFUL.
THEY DON'T HAVE THAT AUTHORITY.
BUT WE WOULD LOVE FOR THEM TO DO AWFUL.
AND IF IT, IT'S A, IT'S A QUANDARY AND SOMETHING LIKE SANTACON OR A PUB CALL THAT'S NOT GONNA RISE TO THE LEVEL OF A SPECIAL EVENT PERMIT, UH, THAT THE CITY PROCESSES, UNLESS A SIDEWALK IS GONNA BE USED FOR AN ACTIVITY OR A STREET IS GONNA BE CLOSED.
THAT'S WHAT CREATES A SITUATION WHERE THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS GET TOGETHER TO DISCUSS WHATEVER THE EVENT IS, BREAK PD AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY PUBLIC SAFETY, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO IN ALL THESE INSTANCES, HE WASN'T EVEN AWARE OF THAT.
AND, AND WE'RE NOT GONNA GET INVOLVED WITH THAT UNLESS WE HEAR THAT THERE, THERE'S AN ISSUE.
I JUST THINK THAT WHEN THERE'S ALCOHOL INVOLVED, YOU GUYS SHOULD HAVE HAD A HEADS UP.
WELL, I MEAN, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I WOULD SAY.
IT'S, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE MECHANISM TO CATCH THAT MEAN TDA WASN'T AWARE OF IT.
SO, I MEAN, THERE'S, NOBODY WAS AWARE, THERE'S NO MECHANISM IN PLACE TO CATCH IT FOR NOTIFICATION, YOU KNOW? AND IT WAS LIKE, YES, IT WAS A SATURDAY.
AND I'M LIKE, WHAT IS GOING ON? IT'S NOT EVEN ST.
PATTY'S DAY, THAT'S NOT TILL TOMORROW.
AND IT WAS HAP BECAUSE IT WAS HAPPENING THE DAY, BUT I, MY BRAIN JUST DIDN'T CLICK BECAUSE I CELEBRATE ST.
I DON'T CELEBRATE IT THE DAY BEFORE.
SO ANYWAY, IT TOOK ME A LITTLE WHILE TO SORT OF FIGURE THAT OUT.
SO I BELIEVE VERY STRONGLY THAT A VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE THAT WOULD BE INVOLVED IN WHAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING ARE REASONABLE PEOPLE.
THEY HAVE A DESIGNATED DRIVER, THEY UNDERSTAND WHERE THEIR LIMITS ARE.
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE TWO SHOTS AT EACH ONE OF THESE, FOLLOWED BY, YOU KNOW, A 12 OUNCE MICO.
THE REALITY THOUGH IS THERE ARE SOME OUTLIERS IN THERE THAT ARE THE ONES THAT ARE GOING TO CREATE
[01:00:01]
PROBLEMS. AND PART OF THE RESPONSIBILITY OF A BARTENDER IS NOT TO SERVE AN OVERLY INTOXICATED PERSON.AND FOR THE MOST PART IT'S, WE, WE KNOW WHERE THIS COULD GO IF IT GOES BAD.
UM, SO I, I, I BELIEVE THAT IF THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A STRAT, AN EVENT, WHETHER IT'S SPONSORED BY THE BAR OWNERSHIP OR SOCIAL MEDIA, JUST SPRUNG IT UP, THAT, UM, BE BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THOSE THAT ARE, HAVE EXCEEDED THE LIMIT.
AND WE KNOW THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE JUST GOING TO DRINK AS MUCH AS THEY WANT TO GET IN A CAR DRIVE AWAY.
THAT'S, I DON'T ASK CURIOSITY BECAUSE, BECAUSE, UM, ONE THING THAT, BUT THERE'S A DIFFERENCE THOUGH.
THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GOING TO ONE BAR AND GOING TO 18, BECAUSE NOW I HAVE A CHALLENGE.
OH, IF THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THE CRAWL, IS TO HOW MANY OF THESE I CAN GO TO.
I, I'VE SEEN THESE IN OTHER PLACES WHERE YOU WOULD GET A CHIP AND THE WOMEN WITH THE MOST CHIPS GET SOME KIND OF A, I'VE SEEN THIS.
I, JOHNNY, I GONNA, JOHNNY LET JOHNNY I'M JUST CURIOUS TOO TO THAT, TO THAT POINT, YOU'RE STARTING TO MAKE, UM, DUI ARREST SLASH CONVICTIONS.
HAVE YOU NOTICED ANY KIND OF A DROP IN THOSE SINCE THE ADVENT OF LIKE UBER AND LYFT AND SOME OF THAT STUFF? BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S A LOT EASIER TO GET A RIDE IN NEWBURG NOWADAYS VERSUS BACK IN THE DAYS OF SUB SUBWAY OR I, I, I HAVE NO, SOMEBODY WHO GETS ARRESTED FOR DUI BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY OPTIONS OUT THERE TO GET YOU HOME.
BUT WE GENERALLY HAVE THE SAME NUMBER OF DUIS EVERY YEAR AND OUR FOR POPULATION, THAT'S NOT BAD.
OUR POPULATION IS, THAT'S THE INSANE OUR PENALTIES ARE FOR SERVING SOMEONE.
OUR FIRST PENALTY IS $2,500 FROM THE A, B, C LAW ENFORCEMENT.
SO IT'S BUDGET, GREATER SERVER, GET THE SERVER.
WELL, YEAH, SO I MEAN, UH, WELL, IT DEPENDS ON THE FINE.
SO SOMETIMES IT'S JUST THE BAR OWNER AND THEN NOW IF THEY CERTAIN UNDERAGE THEY CAN RECEIVE.
ACTUALLY, I THINK THAT'S CHANGED.
SO THE, IF THEY CHECK AN ID, NOW WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING INTO STUFF WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO TALK ABOUT, BUT NO, THIS IS ING THANK YOU DISH.
YOU KNOW, WHENEVER EMPOWER THEM TO DO IT.
SO THEY DON'T ALWAYS CALL MANAGER.
HE AND I PROBABLY THE BEST TWO PEOPLE THAT BOUGHT SO.
WELL, I THINK A LE REQUIRES THAT THE SERVERS HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO CUT.
BONNIE AND CHRISTIE DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH PEOPLE BRINGING LIKE YETIS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
WE, UH, TURN 'EM AWAY OR SOMETHING.
THEY CAN'T TAKE IT OR WE, BECAUSE THAT'S LEAVE OR SOMETHING.
BUT THERE'S, AND THERE'S THE ONLINE A LE TRAINING FOR SURVEYING.
WE, YES, WE HAVE SOME OF THAT AS WELL.
AND YOU CAN GET A SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT NOW TO COME IN AND DO A TRAINING.
WELL, THEY TOOK OVER THE A LE, SO THAT'S, THAT'S RIGHT.
WELL, ACTUALLY, IF YOU WANTED TO PUT THE KIBOSH ON SOMETHING LIKE THE BUG CRAWL, THE PEOPLE THAT NOTIFY OUR A LE YES.
WELL, I MEAN, ARE THERE LIKE CITY CODE? WELL, THAT MEANS IT WOULDN'T BE, 'CAUSE YOU SAID IT'S UNDER THE PURVIEW OF A PERMANENT OUTSIDE OF THAT, BUT IS THERE SOMEONE IN THE POLICE STATION WHO MONITORS SOCIAL MEDIA FOR THESE TYPES OF EVENTS? I MEAN, WHEN THERE WAS A, WHEN WE DID THE STREET CLOSURES AND THERE WAS GONNA BE A PROTEST, A WALK DOWN THE STREET, THE POLICE AT THAT TIME KNEW AHEAD OF TIME THAT THAT WAS GONNA HAPPEN.
AND SO THEY DIVERTED IT IN A WAY TO MAKE IT SAFER THAN WHAT OTHER CITIES WERE EXPERIENCING AT THAT TIME DURING 2020.
SO IS THERE SOMEONE WHO MONITORS SOCIAL MEDIA? WE DO HAVE A CRIME ANALYST THAT HAS, UH, PART OF THEIR ANCILLARY RESPONSIBILITY IS TO MONITOR SOCIAL MEDIA, BUT THE, THE, IT'S, IT'S LIKE A LITTLE NET IN A BIG OCEAN.
AND A LOT OF TIMES WE'LL HAVE STAFF COME TO US AND SAY, I SAW THIS ON MY SOCIAL MEDIA FEED.
THAT'S SOMETIMES HOW WE WE OBTAIN THAT.
UM, SO ONE OF THE STRATEGIES THAT WE, UH, CREATED HERE IN NEWBURGH WAS, UM, WE HAVE A TFO WITH A LE.
SO WE NOT ONLY DOES THE DEBT, THE CRAVEN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAVE THE ABILITY TO REGULATE AND ENFORCE A LE TYPE OF VIOLATIONS, WE ALSO HAVE ONE OF OUR DETECTIVES THAT HAS THE SAME AUTHORITY.
AND SO WHAT I WOULD'VE RECOMMENDED, AND IF WE'VE BEEN AWARE OF THE PUFF CRAWL, IS THAT, THAT PERSON, AND WE WOULD'VE NOTIFIED A LE JUST SO THAT WE CAN ENSURE THAT IF THERE WASN'T GOING TO BE SOME VIOLATIONS AND SOME, UM, UH, UH, UH, INAPPROPRIATE SERVING THAT WE COULD HAVE INTERVENED ON THAT.
I DON'T WANT TO LOOK, I I THINK ALL THE BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN DO A GREAT JOB AS FAR AS I CAN SEE.
[01:05:01]
HERE AND THERE, BUT IT'S NOT ACROSS THE BOARD.UM, AND I DON'T WANT TO SLOW BUSINESS DOWN HERE.
I RECOGNIZE THAT THE, THE ABILITY OF, OF NEW BERN TO GROW, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE THREE THINGS THAT MAKE A CITY VIABLE.
IT'S, DO YOU HAVE GOOD SCHOOLS? DO YOU FEEL SAFE? AND WHAT DOES YOUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LOOK LIKE FOR THE FUTURE? AND I DON'T WANT TO SLOW ANY OF THAT DOWN.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING IT IN A RESPONSIBLE MANNER.
I BELIEVE I HEARD YOU EARLIER, UH, CHIEF CALLER SAY THAT DOWNTOWN HAS A LOWER THAN NORMAL CROWD RATE.
THE, THE NUMBERS ARE VERY LOW.
UM, IS THAT COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE CITY OR IS THAT JUST COMPARED TO OTHER DOWNTOWNS? WELL, I THINK IT'S PER CAPITA.
I MEAN, IT'S NOT JUST HOW MANY PEOPLE LIVE DOWN IN THIS AREA.
I FREQUENT, I MEAN, LOOK, I, I WAS HERE OVER THE WEEKEND.
MY, MY SON CAME FROM OUT OF TOWN.
I HAD A GREAT, UH, WE HAD A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW HIM AROUND.
AND UM, AGAIN, I DIDN'T SEE ONE INSTANCE OF ANYTHING THAT WOULD DRAW MY ATTENTION TO MAKE A PHONE CALL TO SAY, WE NEED A PATROL OFFICER DOWN HERE.
UM, BY THE WAY, I DID SEE A PATROL OFFICER.
UM, BUT I MEAN, THERE IS A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT COME DOWN HERE AND MOST OF THEM THAT COME DOWN HERE, UH, HAVE A CREDIT CARD AND BILLS IN THEIR POCKET AND THEY WANT TO SPEND IT, WHICH IS WONDERFUL.
NOW WE DO HAVE, AGAIN, WE DO HAVE SOME QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES AND I'M, I'M, I'M NOT GONNA PUT LIPSTICK ON THAT.
IT, IT, IT, IT'S A PROBLEM, BUT IT'S THAT AWFUL BUT LAWFUL TYPE OF SITUATION, CHIEF, UM, FOR, FOR CITIES IS OUR SIZE, UM, ACROSS THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA OR WITH THAT FACT ELSEWHERE, OTHER STATES IS, IS IT, IS THAT STANDARD OPERATIONALLY, THE WAY THAT IT WORKS FOR PATROLS THAT THEY ARE, THEY'RE JUST, THEY'RE PULLED FROM THEIR DIFFERENT PATROL AREAS AS NEEDED? IS THAT, THAT THAT'S, THAT'S POLICE DEPLOYMENT 1 0 1.
YOU CERTAINLY WOULDN'T HAVE A STRATEGY TO TELL YOUR OFFICERS YOU GO HELP.
YOU HAVE TO PREDEPLOYMENT THEM IN PLACES.
'CAUSE OTHERWISE YOU'LL HAVE FIVE OFFICERS IN THIS CORNER AND NO, NOBODY OVER HERE.
UM, BUT I WILL SAY WE HAVE COMPARED THE CITY OF NEW BERN, UM, TO EVERY OTHER CITY, PLUS OR MINUS 5,000 IN THE ENTIRE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA.
WERE RIGHT THERE IN THE MIDDLE.
NOT ANY HIGHER, NOT ANY LOWER.
THE PROBLEMS THAT I HAVE IS WHEN I GO ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WHEN I DO SOME OPEN SOURCE, NOT SOCIAL MEDIA, OPEN SOURCE DATA, AND I LOOK AT WHAT IS THE CRIME RATE OF NEWBURGH? AND THEY SAID, WE'RE ABOVE AVERAGE.
AND I SAID, THAT'S, THAT'S NOT TRUE.
SO WHEN I DRILL DOWN, I FIND THAT ANY PLACE THAT HAS A ZIP CODE THAT HAS NEWBURG, WHETHER YOU'RE IN JAMES CITY, TRENT WOODS, ALL THE WAY DOWN THE HAVELOCK, WE, WE, WE INCORPORATE ALL THOSE CRIME STATS IN OUR 30 SQUARE MILES.
AND IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT PEOPLE GO, WELL, YOU KNOW, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S UNSAFE IN ENVIRONMENT.
MICHAEL, DO YOU HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION OR NO, I JUST, I THINK WE SPENT ENOUGH TIME ON THIS.
AND, AND THERE'S NO WAY TO FIX THE QUALITY OF LIFE COMPLAINTS.
I, I THINK I WANNA BE SAFE LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE IN DOWNTOWN PROPERTY AND PEOPLE AND EVERYTHING.
BUT NOW ONLY PROBABLY CAN'T FIX IT.
APPARENTLY, IF WE'RE LOAD, UM, CRIME, UH, OFFICER OR PATROL PERSON IS TYPICALLY PULLED OUT OF THIS AREA TO SERVE OTHER AREAS, I DON'T THINK WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO FIX THIS IN ANOTHER HOUR.
WELL, WE'RE NOT TRYING TO FIX TODAY.
WE'RE JUST TRYING TO GET ALL THE INFORMATION OUT AND THEN DECIDE HOW WE LOOK AT, I JUST HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION.
UM, WITH THE, WITH THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THE PARKING PATROL, IF THEY SEE SOMEONE WHO IS SOLICITING A VISITOR INTO THE DOWNTOWN OR AN EMPLOYEE, SOMEBODY WHO WORKS DOWNTOWN, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST ASKING THEM FOR SOMEBODY, ARE THEY TRAINED IN ANY WAY TO TRY TO DISCOURAGE THAT BEHAVIOR, YOU KNOW, TO ADDRESS THAT PERSON WHAT THEY'RE ASKED TO DO? AND THEY, THEY'RE ON THE SAME RADIO FREQUENCY AS ALL OF OUR PATROL OFFICERS AND THEY'RE TRAINED TO CONTACT A PATROL OFFICER TO COME OUT TO INTERVENE TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THAT ACTION IS THE BEHAVIOR I SHOULD SAY.
AND YOU SEE, SOMETIMES OUR DOWNTOWN ENFORCERS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN SOME ISSUES WHERE MAYBE SOMEBODY DIDN'T LIKE THAT THEY GOT A TICKET OR WHATEVER, AND THEY BECOME AGGRESSIVE AND THEN THEY HAVE TO CALL PD TO
[01:10:01]
COME IN AND, YOU KNOW, TAKE CARE OF IT.'CAUSE I'VE SEEN A COUPLE PEOPLE GO OFF ON THEM AND, UH, 'CAUSE THEY'RE UP THE LINE OR WHATEVER.
THAT'S ANOTHER DISCUSSION FOR ANOTHER DAY.
IS THAT TRUE NEED TO FIX THAT
THEY, THEY ARE THE EYES IN YEARS OF THE NEW BERN POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THEY HAVE CONTACTED US NUMEROUS TIMES, UH, TO PROVIDE, UH, IMPORTANT INFORMATION.
JUST LIKE ANY OTHER CITIZEN WOULD SAY, HEY, YOU NEED TO COME OVER HERE AND DEAL WITH THIS.
SO WE, WE'VE ALREADY GOT THE MAYOR, YOU KNOW, FRIDAY.
PROBABLY MORE ALERT THAT YEAH.
THE AVERAGE PERSON WALKING THAT WAY.
IF, IF I COULD SAY THIS, I NOTE THAT I'M, YES, WELL OVER AN HOUR, BUT, UH, I'VE RECEIVED SO MANY COMPLIMENTS WITH RESPECT TO OUR PARKING ENFORCEMENT OCCASIONALLY, YES, I GET THE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS TERRIBLE, I'LL NEVER COME BACK HERE AGAIN.
I CAN'T BELIEVE I GOT A TICKET TYPE OF THING.
AND THEN I GO BACK AND I LOOK AND THEY GOT A WARNING TICKET.
IT'S NOT A PAID TICKET, IT'S A WARNING.
IF THEY'RE OVER THE LINE, WE GIVE YOU A WARNING.
WHY? BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW THAT BEFORE YOU PARK THE CAR IN FRONT, THE CAR IN BACK LEFT YOU NO ALTERNATIVE.
RIGHT? WE JUST GIVE YOU A WARNING TICKET TO SAY, BE AWARE OF THIS.
BUT IF YOU'RE THREE FEET OUT TO THE ROADWAY, I'M SORRY, ARE YOU RIGHT IN FRONT OF A FIRE? OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE.
BUT THE PARKING STAFF, AGAIN, THEY ARE TRUE AMBASSADORS FOR THE CITY.
THE INTERESTING THING IS THAT YOU GIVE OUT MORE TICKETS FOR PEOPLE WHO PARK IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.
PEOPLE WILL JUST, YOU KNOW, CUT ACROSS THE STREET AND PARK.
SO THERE'S MORE TICKETS FOR THAT THAN THERE IS ANYTHING ELSE.
AND, AND THOSE PEOPLE THAT COMPLAIN ABOUT THE WARNINGS, WE DON'T WANT 'EM BACK.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE CHIEF? I JUST WANTED TO STATE THIS BLOCK BY BLOCK.
I FOUND IT VERY IMPRESSIVE AS I WAS READING THROUGH IT.
AND IT, UM, HAVING AMBASSADORS ON THE STREETS WOULD ALSO, THEY WOULD BE AWARE OF THOSE, OF REPORTING, THOSE INCIDENCES.
THERE'S A WHOLE LIST OF THINGS THAT THEY WOULD BE LOOKING AT.
I THOUGHT THIS WAS JUST GREAT.
THEY'VE ALREADY SOLVED A LOT OF THOSE QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES JUST BY READING.
AND I JUST WAS VERY IMPRESSED.
WELL, I, I HOPE YOU UNDERSTOOD WHEN I SAID I THINK THESE ARE ALL GREAT IDEAS.
IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW OUR AMBASSADORS, I GUESS ARE OUR PARKING, UM, ENFORCERS AND, YOU KNOW, I REALLY WANTED THEM NAMED PARKING AMBASSADORS.
FOR SOME REASON THE PRIOR CHIEF DID NOT LIKE THAT.
I THINK THEY SHOULD HAVE AMBASSADORS AND LOOK MORE FRIENDLY RATHER THAN LOOK MORE INSTITUTIONAL.
BUT THEY, THEY ARE AMBASSADORS.
THEY SHOULD BE ABLE, AND THEY DO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
WHERE'S THIS BUILDING? WHERE'S THAT? HOW DO I GET HERE? HOW DO I GET THERE? WHAT TIME DOES THIS OPEN? WHAT TIME DOES THIS CLOSE? I THINK THAT'S GOOD FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
SO I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE AMBASSADORS ON THE STREET THAT WE'RE ALREADY PAYING FOR.
THEN THERE'S A COST TO EVERYTHING WE DO.
WE JUST NEED TO DE DETERMINE DO WE WANT TO PAY THAT COST? AND WE COULD HAVE WHATEVER WE WANT.
SABRINA, ARE WE ABLE TO CHANGE THAT WORD? NOW WE COULD MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN AND ASK THEM TO CHANGE.
I DON'T KNOW CHIEF HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT.
BUT THE PRIOR CHIEF DID NOT LIKE THAT.
SO COULDN'T CALL THE AMBASSADORS.
I I, I DON'T AROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME
THEY'RE HERE TO HELP YOU AND MAKE SURE YOU'RE PARKED CORRECTLY AND NOT, YOU KNOW, AND IF YOU'RE NOT, THEN YOU GET A TICKET.
THAT'S ALWAYS A MUCH FRIENDLIER, IT'S A FRIENDLIER BOARD.
I WOULD LIKELY NOT BE THE POLICE CHIEF HERE IF IT WASN'T FOR MY INTERACTIONS WITH A PARKING PERSON, AMBASSADOR.
AND, AND THOSE ONE CHUNK THAT, UH, MORGAN, THOSE TWO THINGS.
SO I, I CAN LIVE HERE IN NEWBURG.
WELL ARE ALL THE, HERE, HE'S LISTENED TO US HAVE THIS DISCUSSION ON OUR CITY MANAGER.
MAYBE THEY'LL TAKE THAT BACK AND MAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION THAT WE CHANGED THE NAME TO AMBASSADORS.
I THINK IT WOULD BE NICE AND GIVE A LITTLE, THEY SHOULD BE ARMED WITH OUR, UH, CITY GUIDES, YOU KNOW, THE VISITOR GUIDES SO THEY CAN JUST PULL IT OUT AND SAY, HERE, HERE'S A VISITOR GUIDE,
I THINK IT WOULD BE A GREAT, GREAT TOOL FOR THAT.
LET'S GO AHEAD IF WE DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
I THINK CHIEF, YOU WERE AMAZING.
THE INFORMATION IS REALLY VALID.
UM, I KNOW WE HAVE LIKE, BEAUTIFICATION MAINTENANCE INFRASTRUCTURE.
I WANT TO GET TO THE, THE MAINTENANCE ISSUE IN THE SECOND PAGE THAT YOU HAVE ON YOUR, UM, AGENDA BECAUSE THIS MAY BE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN MAYBE DECIDE TO EITHER MOVE FORWARD WITH OR HAVE MORE DISCUSSION.
SO I'M GONNA TURN THIS OVER TO FOSTER.
AND THIS IS ABOUT THE FARMER'S MARKET AND THE UPGRADES THAT THEY ARE REQUESTING.
[01:15:01]
THAT'S RIGHT.SO, UM, THE FARMER'S MARKET, UH, HAS, HAS, UM, SOME DEFERRED MAINTENANCE.
AND SO WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT DOING SOME THINGS.
THE GARAGE DOORS, THEY HAVE BEEN NURSING THOSE THINGS ALONG THE WAY FOR, FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
IT'S, IT'S TIME TO REPLACE THOSE GARAGE DOORS.
UH, THEY HAVE A RESIDENTIAL CEILING FANS IN THERE THAT REALLY NEED TO BE UPGRADED TO COMMERCIAL CEILING FANS.
UM, WE'VE GOTTEN MORE COMPLAINTS ON THE RESTROOMS IN THE FARMER'S MARKET.
UM, FARMER'S MARKET HAS SPENT MONEY UPGRADING SINKS AND TOILETS, BUT THEY STILL HAVE THE WOODEN PARTITIONS IN THERE.
AND SO LOOKING AT PUTTING COMMERCIAL PARTITIONS IN THERE WITH THE DOOR, UH, TO HELP WITH PRIVACY.
UM, ALSO WE'VE NOTICED A LOT OF ROT AND WOOD ON THE EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR OF THE ROOF STRUCTURE THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ADDRESS AND SOME, UH, ISSUES WITH THE DOWNSPOUTS AND UM, AND GUTTERS.
AND SO WE PRICE SEVERAL OF THESE THINGS OUT.
WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT $90,000 TO GET THIS, UH, UP TO SNUFF.
UH, THE MONTHLY RENT THAT IS PAID BY THE FARMER'S MARKET DOES GO INTO THE MSD FUND.
UH, AND THE CITY HAS NOT SPENT ANY FUNDS ON THIS BUILDING IN MANY, MANY, MANY YEARS.
UH, AND WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF IT.
RENT 500, HAVE WE GONE UP ON THAT RENT? IT JUST STARTED IN 20, I WANNA SAY 2015 WAS THE FIRST YEAR.
SO WE DON'T, PRIOR TO THAT THEY GAVE THE CITY A DOLLAR A YEAR.
THAT'S, AND, AND THEY, THEY HAVE BEEN HANDLING SOME OF THE MAINTENANCE ISSUES THE FARMER'S MARKET HAS BECAUSE OF COURSE THEY WEREN'T PAYING RENT.
THEY'RE ASKING THE CITY TO TAKE CARE OF SOME OF THE MAINTENANCE ISSUES THAT THEY, IS THERE A LEASE PLACE? THERE IS A LEASE IN PLACE.
LEASE ARE DICTATED UNDER THE LEASE TO BE OUR RESPONSIBILITY.
THERE, THERE IS NOTHING IN THERE OTHER ADDRESS THAT, HOWEVER, DON, YOU REMEMBER, THIS IS A CITY FACILITY.
THE FARMER'S MARKET ORGANIZATION DOES NOT HAVE A LOT OF MONEY TO DO THESE THINGS.
AND IT'S GONNA COME BACK ON THE CITY AT SOME POINT TO, TO ADDRESS THIS.
AND YOU SAID THAT THE $6,000 A YEAR THAT'S BEEN PAID IN RENT HAS GONE INTO SO CLOSE TO $50,000 HAS GONE INTO MSD FUNDS.
'CAUSE YOU SAID THE RENT STARTED IN 2000, I THINK 2015 OR 16, SOMEWHERE IN THERE.
SO, SO AROUND, SO CLOSE AROUND THAT $50,000 MARK.
SO IN ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, THREE, FOUR YEARS, THE BALANCE OF RENT HAS GONE INTO IT.
AND THIS WILL BE FULLY, THIS WOULD BE FULLY COVERED BY THE RENT.
I I THINK IT'S THE RESPONSIBILITY OF MSD SINCE WE GET THE REVENUES TO TAKE CARE OF IT.
I WOULD SUGGEST THAT MSD TRY AND EXERCISE A VOICE NEXT TIME THE LEASE IS UP FOR RENEWAL.
WHAT IS THAT FOR? THREE MORE YEARS LEFT.
WHAT ABOUT THE SPECIAL, UH, USE OF IT? LIKE YOU'LL SEE, YOU KNOW, UM, PEOPLE RENT IT OUT FOR A BIT STUFF.
FARMER'S MARKET GETS THAT INCOME AND I MEAN, AGAIN, I THINK THEIR RENTAL IS LIKE 3 50, 3 70, VERY REASONABLE.
YEAH, I REMEMBER, I REMEMBER IT BEING
THEY DO THAT, THEY KEEP THAT MONEY.
AND IT COULD BE THAT IN THE NEW LEASE WE SAY THAT ALL THOSE FUNDS COME BACK TO US.
I, I, I WOULD MOVE THAT MSD PAY FOR THESE REPAIRS, BUT I ALSO WOULD RECOMMEND THAT MSD LOOK AT ANY LEASE RENEWALS IN SEVERAL YEARS TIME AND PARTICIPATE IN THAT PROCESS TO THE EXTENT ALLOW.
CAN I HAVE YOU REVISE THAT MOTION? AND LET ME ASK YOU WHY I'D LIKE YOU TO REVISE THE MOTION THAT THE MOTION REALLY SHOULD STATE THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND TO THE BOARD OF ALDERON.
IF YOU WOULD JUST ADD THAT WORDING.
CAN WE HAVE SOME, UM, FURTHER DISCUSSION? YEAH.
WHAT ONCE WE, WE GET THE, WE GOTTA MAKE SURE IT'S A LIVE MOTION.
SO IS YOUR MOTION TO RECOMMEND THAT WE RECOMMEND TO THE ALDERMAN THAT THEY APPROVE THE 90,000 EXPENDITURE FROM MSD FUNDS TO BRING THE FARMER'S MARKET MAINTENANCE UP TO DATE? OKAY.
IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT? SECOND.
ALRIGHT, NOW DISCUSSION QUESTIONS.
UM, SO DID THESE RECOMMENDED REPAIRS COME FROM, UM, VENDORS OR WAS IT A WALKTHROUGH BY, UH, CITY STAFF? CITY STAFF DID THE WALKTHROUGH AS WE ALSO HAD, UH, PRICES FROM COMMERCIAL, UH, GARAGE DOOR INSTALLERS TO, TO ELSE WHAT THE DEAL WAS, WHETHER THEY COULD BE REPAIRED OR WHATNOT.
UM, I'M TALKING ABOUT VENDORS AT THE FARMER'S MARKET.
YOU SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT SELL THERE, NOT, NOT VENDORS WHO BE PUTTING IT IN, BUT THE VENDORS WHO USE THE MARKET,
[01:20:01]
THE USERS OF THE MARKET, DID THE TENANT MAKE REQUESTS, RIGHT? YES.THE LEASE HOLDER MADE THE REQUEST.
NOT THE INDIVIDUAL BOOTH RENT HOLDERS.
CAN I, CAN I, CAN I ADD SOMETHING TO THIS? UM, I, AND I PROBABLY SHOULD TAKE THIS CLEAR.
I, I AM NOW ON THE BOARD OF THE FARMER'S MARKET AS AS WELL.
I'VE ONLY BEEN TO ONE MEETING.
UM, BUT WHAT I, WHAT I HAVE BEEN, WHAT I WAS, WHAT I WAS TOLD IN THAT, IN THAT ONE MEETING WAS THAT A NUMBER OF THOSE GARAGE DOORS AND IT WAS, I MEAN I GO TO THE FARMER'S MARKET ALL THE TIME.
IT WAS NOTHING THAT I REALLY NOTICED OR PAID ATTENTION TO.
BUT NOT ALL THE GARAGE DOORS ARE NOW OPEN ALL THE TIME, UM, TO, ON, ON, ON A GIVEN SATURDAY JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE SO DIFFICULT TO OPEN.
AND IN SOME CASES, UM, I GUESS THE VENDORS ARE FEELING A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED FOR THEIR OWN, THEIR, THEIR OWN SAFETY TRYING TO GET THEM OVER THERE.
SO, SO, UM, SO I, I GUESS TO A CERTAIN DEGREE THE VENDORS HAVE NOTIFIED THE, UM, THE, THE PEOPLE WHO SIT ON THE BOARD THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM.
AND, AND I THINK IT'S VERY, AND THERE'S A STRUCTURE, THERE'S A FARMER'S MARKET BOARD.
AND I, I'M COMING AT FROM COMING AT IT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF MY WIFE WORKED FOR A VENDOR THERE.
SO I'VE SWEPT OUT THE MARKET AND I, UM, I GO THERE FREQUENTLY AND UM, UM, WHEN I WALKED THROUGH SATURDAY, UM, ONE OF THE VENDORS SAID, OH, I HEARD YOU GOT A NEW JOB.
I'M THINKING, WHAT SHE TALKING ABOUT
AND UH, AND UM, AND AS I WAS SPEAKING WITH HER, THE SUN WAS GOING IN MY EYES THROUGH THE, THE TRANSOM ABOVE THE GARAGE DOOR.
AND, AND, UH, AND SHE'S, AND WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT THAT AND SHE SAID, YOU KNOW, IT'D BE NICE TO HAVE AN AWNING OVER THAT BECAUSE WHEN THOSE VENDORS SET UP OUTSIDE, THOSE GUTTERS DON'T WORK AND IT WOULD BE JUST AN EXTRA COVER.
SO I'M COMING AT, AT IT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF, WELL, ARE THERE OTHER THINGS THAT MIGHT BE, AND THERE MAY BE DOWN THE ROAD AND MAYBE IN THE RENEWAL OF THE LEASE, AS WE TALKED ABOUT, IF WE'RE GONNA GET THE FUNDS FROM THE RENTAL OF IT, THAT WOULD GIVE US MORE FUNDS.
BUT AT THIS POINT, I THINK WHAT THEY'RE REQUESTING IS STUFF THAT JUST HAS GOT TO BE DONE.
YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU DON'T HAVE DOORS THAT WORK, YOU DON'T HAVE BATHROOMS, YOU KNOW, THAT ARE NECESSARILY WORKING THE GUTTER DOWNSPOUT THAT'S GONNA RUIN THE WOODWORK ROOF.
SO YOU NEED TO, THESE ARE THINGS I THINK THAT HAVE TO BE DONE WITH WHAT I APPLIED FOR, FOR THE
DOES THAT, WOULD THAT ANY OF THEIR GRANT MONEY, COULD WE GET THAT FOR THE FARMER'S MARKET AWNINGS AND ALL THAT? I MEAN YOU COULD GET UP TO $2,500 POTENTIALLY FOR AN AWNING.
I MEAN THAT'S THE MAXIMUM THAT, THAT THE APPLY FOR IT, RIGHT? WELL THE CITY WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE TO APPLY FOR IT BECAUSE THEY OWN THE BUILDING.
THE QUESTION
AND, UM, TALK ABOUT THE BATHROOM UPGRADES.
UH, THE BATHROOMS AADA A COMPLIANT, UH, THE BATHROOMS ARE A DA COMPLIANT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE CURRENT, UH, UM, PARTITIONS THAT ARE IN THERE.
ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT YOU HAVE IS THEY HAVE BOOTHS THAT ARE ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE RESTROOM.
THE USE OF A WHEELCHAIR C BE BEING ABLE TO GET IN THERE.
SO THEY HAVE TO WORK ON THOSE TYPES OF ISSUES WITH, WITH RELOCATING SOME VENDORS AND, AND MAKING MILES A LITTLE WIDER AS YOU GO INTO THE DISTRICT.
SO IS THAT PART OF THIS RECOMMENDATION? YES.
IT'S MIKE, THAT WAS MY QUESTION.
IS THE LEASE AVAILABLE SOMEWHERE ON A WEEKEND? YOU SURE IT'S PUBLIC RECORD.
WHERE WOULD, WHERE WOULD WE LOOK FOR THAT ON THE WEBSITE? WE CAN, WE CAN SEND IT OUT.
YEAH, IF YOU WOULD, I'LL JUST TAKE HERE.
I'M CURIOUS TOO, HAS THE UM, FARMER'S MARKET, HAVE THEY EVER LOOKED ANYTHING LIKE BAIT OR SOMEBODY LIKE THAT FOR FUNDS OR NON-PROFIT? I COULD NOT TELL YOU THAT.
I WOULD BE REALLY SHOCKED IF THERE'S ANY NON-PROFIT THAT'S GONNA MAKE A CONTRIBUTION TO THE CITY OF NEW BRU FOR MAINTENANCE OF THEIR PROPERTIES.
WE ORIGINALLY, THE COUNTY ORIGINALLY GOT THE GRANT FOR THE USDA AND THEY FUNDED THE BUILDING OF IT, WHICH THEN WAS TURNED OVER TO THE CITY OF NEW BERN.
AND UM, IT WAS A PARTNERSHIP AND THAT'S WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM TO BUILD IT.
I BELIEVE IN THE EARLY EIGHTIES THERE, THERE'S PROBABLY PLENTY OF GRANTS ON THERE.
STILL VERBATIM IS SOME WOULD LOOK AT,
[01:25:01]
BUT THIS IS, THIS DOESN'T SOUND LIKE IT'S GONNA HAVE TIME TO WAIT FOR APPLY FOR GRANTS AND WE COULD ALWAYS DO THAT TO MAKE ADDITIONAL UPGRADES.YOU KNOW, I THINK AT SOME POINT WE'VE, THEY'VE ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT EXPANDING IT AND YOU KNOW, OUT THE BACK AND MAYBE GOING OUT THAT WAY, WHICH WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, I THINK A GOOD THING TO PROVIDE FOR MORE VENDORS TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE IT.
THESE PROJECTS ALONE ARE GONNA, ARE GONNA GO A LONG WAY FOR THE FARMER'S MARKET WITHOUT A DOUBT.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION, WE HAVE A SECOND.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANYBODY? I HAVE A QUESTION.
WHO RAISE THE INSURANCE ON THIS? UH, LIABILITY WOULD BE THE CITY.
ARE THEY REQUIRED TO GIVE? THEY ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE GENERAL LIABILITY.
WE HAVE INSURANCE ON THE PROPERTY.
OKAY, SO MOTION AND THE SECOND.
FIRST RECOMMENDATION? FIRST RECOMMENDATION.
DO WE, I'VE GOT ONE BUSINESS ITEM THAT I WANT TO GET YOU REALLY QUICK.
UM, THE CITY MANAGER, OUR NEXT REGULAR MEETING DATE.
SO OUR QUARTERLY REGULAR, UH, MEETING OF THE MSD IS MAY THE 21ST, BUT THAT IS A CITY BUDGET WORKSHOP WEEK.
SO HE'S ASKING IF WE COULD CHANGE IT TO EITHER THE SEVENTH OR THE 14TH, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
DISCUSS THAT AND IF SO, MAKE A MOTION AND ADJUST THAT.
IT'S A TUESDAY, CORRECT? YEAH, THAT'S CORRECT.
IS THAT OKAY WITH YOU SIR? ALL RIGHT.
SO CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO UH, CHANGE THE MEETING DATE FROM MAY 21ST TO MAY 7TH, SECOND MAY.
UM, CAN I ADD SOMETHING THAT YES, PLEASE.
ON THE UM, IF ANYONE NEEDS TO PARK, UM, PARKING ON THE BOARD WITH A PARK IN A PARKING LOT, UM, RIGHT OUT HERE NEXT TO MITCHELL'S, UM, OFF THE CR STREET, YOU'RE WELCOME TO AND BOARD MEMBERS.
UM, YOU DON'T GET A PARKING TICKET.
IT'S USUALLY WE GET MULTIPLE PARKING THERE.
NORMAL, BUT THERE'S SPACE AVAILABLE.
UM, OKAY, LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT WE WANNA DO NEXT.
AGAIN, WHAT WE'VE DONE IS KIND OF LOOK, PULL APART SOME OF THESE PROJECTS AND LOOK AT THEM.
I THINK WE NEED TO CIRCLE AROUND BACK TO THE INNER CORE AGAIN.
UM, I'VE BEEN TALKING TO LYNN, UH, SINCE THAT WOULD BE PROBABLY OUR MOST MAJOR IMPORTANT PROJECT JUST TO AGAIN, GET MORE INFORMATION.
AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING A LITTLE BIT SINCE WE'VE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF IN DISCUSSION DECIDED THAT WE WOULD ONLY CONCENTRATE ON THE CITY PROPERTY.
WE FEEL LIKE THAT AT THIS POINT IS THE EASIEST THING TO DO.
JUST CONCENTRATE ON THE CITY PROPERTY WITH THE EXCEPTIONS OF TRYING TO RELOCATE TRASH TO POTENTIALLY TWO PRIVATE OWNERS AND SEE IF WE COULD WORK SOMETHING WITH THEM.
UM, WE TALKED LYNN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT UNDERGROUND TRASH, YOU KNOW, TO SEE IF THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE STILL TRYING TO WORK AND SEE WHAT INFORMATION WE CAN GET AND IF GFL WILL SUPPORT US.
YEAH, IF GFL WOULD HAVE THE EQUIPMENT TO SUPPORT THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE COST? WE'RE TRYING TO GET SOME MORE INFORMATION ON THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHERE, WHAT DO YOU, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE FOR OUR NEXT STEPS TO BE? WELL, THE PROBLEM I SEE IS WE'VE GOT ONE IN THE QUARTER ACROSS PARKING LOT.
AND I MEAN IF, UM, IT'S RESTAURANT, UM, I WOULD SAY PROBABLY AT LEAST HALF OF THE TRASH IN THERE AND YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO WAY TO FIX THE, THE MESS THAT'S INVOLVED.
BUT THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IS WHEN THE, THE TRUCKS COME AND DUMP IT IN THE MORNING IS LIKE MONDAY MORNING 'CAUSE THEY DON'T DUMP ON SUNDAYS.
AND WEEKENDS ARE OBVIOUSLY BIGGER.
UM, THERE'S TRASH A LOT OF TIMES IT MAY NOT EVEN BE MAYBE, YOU KNOW, MIDDLE OF THE WEEK TRASH FALLS OUT AND IT COULD BE CALLED MORE BOXES AND LENS CATCHING OR WHATEVER.
AND, AND THE DRIVER'S DRIVEWAY, UM, I THINK IF THERE WAS A FENCED IN AREA WOULD KEEP THE EXTRA TRASH FROM PEOPLE THAT AREN'T SUPPOSED TO BE DUMPING IN THERE.
UM, IT WOULD ALSO MEAN THAT, THAT PEOPLE DUMP IN THE TRASH.
IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT DINNERS WERE DOING, THEY WOULD'VE TO OPEN THE GATE, DUMP THE TRASH, THEY HAVE TO GET OUT CLOSE.
I THINK THAT WOULD ALSO HELP MAYBE GETTING THEM TO GET THAT AT BACK IN THE TRASH.
WELL LET US TELL YOU ABOUT OUR EXPERIENCE BEHIND THE CHELSEA.
WE HAVE THE FENCE AND THEY NEVER
[01:30:01]
CLOSE THE GATE.SO WE COME AND WE'RE TRYING TO PARK IN THAT AREA THERE.
WE HAVE TO GET OUT OF THE CAR, CLOSE THE GATE SO WE COULD GET AROUND ENGINES BEEN BROKEN ABOUT, CALL THE CITY TO GET THEM BACK OUT.
WELD THE HOPING, GET AN EASY SOLUTION.
WELL IT, IT IS THE BOSS AT THE GARBAGE P ELEMENT.
I THINK IT COULD BE AN EASY SOLUTION WITH A PROPER DESIGN.
'CAUSE I, I DEAL WITH DUMPSTERS ALL THE TIME, ALL THE TIME WITH SITE DESIGN.
AND IT'S ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE THINKS ABOUT AT THE LAST MOMENT AND IT DOESN'T GET THE ATTENTION THAT IT, THAT IT SHOULD.
AND WITH A-A-A-A-A SENSIBLE ATTRACTIVE, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, DUMPSTER ENCLOSURE DESIGN WITH SOME MORE THOUGHT TO IT TO TO THE, TO THE DOORS AND GATES.
THEN JUST I'LL LET THE CONTRACTOR DEAL WITH THAT.
I THINK WE CAN COME UP WITH A GOOD SOLUTION.
I WAS GONNA SAY WE'VE GOT A LOT OF PICTURES BUT WE, IT IS THE SAME THING WHERE WE ARE.
YOU SEE THE TRASH ON MONDAY MORNING FROM THEM.
WELL THEY PICK UP ON MONDAY AND EVERY DAY I DRIVE RIGHT BY STAFF.
ONE OF THE OTHER SOLUTIONS, LYNN AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS AS A COMPACTOR ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, WITH THAT WOULD, YOU KNOW, ALLOW FOR A LITTLE MORE TRASH AND NOT MAYBE MAKE IT OVERFLOW BUT THEY COME IN, I THINK ONE'S REALLY TALL AND ONE'S REALLY WIDE.
THE ONE THAT'S REALLY TALL, I TOLD LYNN THAT WON'T WORK 'CAUSE YOU HAVE OUR, OUR STAFF MEMBERS TRYING TO THROW A BAG, YOU'LL MISS IT EVERY TIME STEPS.
BUT STILL I COULD JUST SEE SOMEBODY TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, DO THIS, SWING IT AND THE BAG BREAKS AND GETS ALL OVER THE PLACE AND, BUT WE HAVE TO, BUT I THINK, I THINK WE HAVE TO HAVE A PERMANENT LOCATION IN MIND.
AT, AT THAT POINT IN TIME WE'RE GONNA GO POWER MOVING INTO THAT.
MOVING INTO THAT DIRECTION WITH, WITH A TRASH COMPACTOR WE HAVE, WE HAVE TO HAVE AN EXACT PLAN AS TO WHERE IT'S GONNA BE HOUSED ON.
MAYBE WHEN I OR A COUPLE OF US, WE COULD WALK BACK IN THERE.
MAYBE YOU CAN IDENTIFY WHERE YOU THINK IT WOULD LOOK GOOD OR WHERE YOU THINK WOULD BE APPROPRIATE PLACE.
KNOWING WHAT OUR BOUNDARIES ARE AND SEEING WHAT YOU THINK THAT IN CONJUNCTION WITH THIS.
I MEAN THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TIME AND ENERGY SPENT ON THIS AND THERE IS THAT ORIGINAL PLAN THAT WE SAW.
BUT I MEAN TO LOOK AT THAT BUT HIM THEN SAYING OKAY YOU CAN PUT THIS FENCE, YOU COULD PUT A GATE.
YOU COULD DO AND ALSO GFL, GETTING THEM INVOLVED IN IT 'CAUSE THEY HAVE VEHICLES AND THEY KNOW WHAT VEHICLES RADIANCES AND ALL THAT STUFF.
AND WE'VE HAD GFL COME OUT AND TAKE A LOOK AT SOME POTENTIAL LOCATIONS FOR UM, TRASH COMPACTORS BE TO BE LOCATED.
UM, SO WE CAN JUST KIND OF
I'M A GREAT BELIEVER IN KNOWLEDGE IS GOOD.
HAVING SAID THAT, I THINK AN UNDERGROUND THING IS A NON-STARTER.
BUT WE'RE JUST AT THIS POINT LOOKING AT THAT WOULD BE THE ONLY UNDERGROUND ONE IN THEIR ENTIRE SERVICE AREA.
SO THEY'D HAVE TO BUY A TRUCK FOR THAT ONE DUMPSTER.
I JUST, I MEAN WE CAN SPIN ON WHEELS, BUT I'M JUST SAYING, HEY, WE'RE JUST TRYING TO FIND SOLUTIONS.
THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS WHERE UNDERGROUND ARE THERE.
YEAH, THERE'S A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS YOU CAN GET.
THERE'S ONES WHERE IT ACTUALLY IS LIKE ON AN ELEVATOR THAT LIFTS IT UP AND YOU HAVE ROLLING BINS THAT COME OUT THAT COULD BE EASILY THEN BE PICKED UP BY A TRUCK.
NOW WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S AVAILABLE HERE, I KNOW THEY USE EM IN THE NETHERLANDS AND WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S ECONOMICALLY REALISTIC, RIGHT? IT DOES SOUND EXPENSIVE, BUT IT WOULD CERTAINLY BE ALLOWED.
WE STILL HAVE THE WATER TABLE ISSUE.
BUT YOU I HADN'T THOUGHT ABOUT THAT.
AND IT COULD BE PARTIAL ON THE GROUND TOO, SO AT LEAST IT'S NOT AS LARGE ENOUGH.
SO YOU PUT IT ON THE GROUND A COUPLE FEET SO IT GETS THE PROFILE DOWN.
BUT THAT, BUT WITH, WITH GFL SCHEDULED FOR PICKUP, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THEY DO SIX DAY A WEEK TRASH, THREE DAY A WEEK FOR RECYCLING.
UM, I KNOW IN THEIR OPINIONS AND SOME OF THE PRELIMINARY CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'VE HAD, TRASH COMPACTORS ARE GONNA GIVE US THE BEST VOLUME FOR IT.
ESPECIALLY AS UM, THERE'S HOPEFULLY THERE'S CONTINUED GROWTH IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA AND MORE BUSINESS EXPANSION AND MORE, MORE DEMANDS THAT WILL HAPPEN AS A RESULT OF IT.
THE TRASH COMPACT SEEM LIKE THE BEST SOLUTIONS FOR BEING ABLE TO MEET FUTURE NEEDS AS WELL AS CURRENT NEEDS.
AND THOSE ARE, I SAY MOBILE TRASH CONTRACTORS.
THEY, THEY FAILED TO AND THEY, THEY BILL DIFFERENTLY FOR THIS.
UM, BECAUSE DAVID HAS SO MUCH KNOWLEDGE ABOUT TRASH.
MAYBE PUT HIM ON THE AGENDA FOR THE NEXT
[01:35:01]
MEETING AND YOU CAN GIVE US A LITTLE PRESENTATION ON SOME OF THE OPTIONS.WE JUST GET VISUALS ON THOSE OPTIONS.
YEAH, I THINK MAYBE THAT'S WHAT I SAID.
GO BACK THERE AND LOOK, YOU TAKE THE DESIGN THAT CONCEPT C MAYBE AND LOOK AT THAT VERSUS AND GET WITH LYNN MAYBE BECAUSE SHE'S GOT THE INFORMATION ON THE COMPACTORS, THE SIZES OF THEM.
OR MAYBE YOU CAN CONNECT HIM WITH GFLI CAN.
BECAUSE THEY'VE DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, YOU KNOW, OUR NEXT REGULAR MEETING NOW WILL BE MAY THE SEVENTH.
DO WE JUST WANT TO GO TO OUR REGULAR MEETING OR DO WE WANT TO HAVE ANOTHER WORKSHOP? IS THE PRESENTATION BY DAVID GONNA BE AT THAT 21ST MEETING? NO, IT'S NOW THE MAY 7TH.
SO WE JUST PUT THAT ON THE AGENDA.
LET'S JUST GO TO MAY 7TH THEN.
SO WE WON'T HAVE ANOTHER WORKSHOP AND THAT'LL
'CAUSE IF WE CAN SOLVE THE TRASH ISSUE THEN WE CAN MOVE FORWARD ON TRYING TO REALLY GET SOME DESIGN WORK STUFF DONE FOR THAT WALKTHROUGH AND CONNECTOR.
'CAUSE THAT'S THE WHOLE ISSUE.
WE'RE NOT GONNA, WE'RE NOT GONNA BE OH, I KNOW.
SO BECAUSE THEY SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT SOLVE THAT TRASH ISSUE AND THEN WE CAN MOVE ON TO POTENTIALLY LOOKING AT DESIGN AND HOW WE CAN WORK THAT AND THE PARKING AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
OTHER NIGHTMARES THAT WILL COME ALONG WITH THAT
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING ELSE THEY WANNA BRING? WE FOSTER MADE THE AGENDA NICE AND BROAD SO THAT WE CAN THROW WHATEVER WE WANTED TO IN THERE.
WE'VE GOT ABOUT 20 MINUTES, BUT I, IF WE'RE DONE, I DON'T WANT TO DRAG PEOPLE OUT AND MAKE SURE IF YOU HAVE EATEN LUNCH, GRAB A SANDWICH.
UM, ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING FOR THE GOOD ALL THE ROOM GRILL? DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? NO.
UM, I REALLY THINK WE NEED TO CONSIDER A SURVEY OF THE INTER CORE.
I JUST FEEL THAT WE DO, THERE'S, WE'VE GOT ALL KINDS OF RIGHT OF WAYS AND WE'VE JUST GOT AREAS OF THAT ARE, WELL, WE WOULD JUST SURVEY THE CITIES PORTION, NOT THE PRIVATE PORTION.
FROM CRAVEN STREET ALL THE WAY TO BEAR PLAZA.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING THAT PIECE? CORRECT.
JUST BECAUSE ONCE WE GET INTO PRIVATE PROPERTY, WHOLE NOTHER ISSUE.
YOU'D LIKE TO RECOMMEND THAT THE NO FUNDS BE SPENT TO DO THAT, TO DO A SURVEY OF JUST THE CITY PROPERTY? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? YOU CAN PROBABLY FIND THE NAILS.
IT'LL WORK PRETTY WELL OUT THERE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT, THAT'S NOT MY BAIL.
AND SOMEBODY CAN JUST WALK IN AND SAY, THIS IS OUR, CAN WE SEE WHAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE BEFORE WE SPEND? I THINK I WOULDN'T INCLINED TO DO THAT.
THERE'S INFORMATION WE CAN GATHER FROM OTHER SOURCES.
YEAH, I I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, MICHAEL.
IF WE HAD, IF WE WERE LOOKING AT THE WHOLE AREA, YES WE WOULD HAVE TO SURVEY TO SEE WHOSE PROPERTY IS WHAT.
BUT AT THIS POINT I THINK WE PRETTY MUCH DECIDED WE DIDN'T WANT TO GO DOWN THAT PATH.
BUT LIKE WITH THIS NEXT DUMPSTER PROJECT, RIGHT, WHERE IS IT? IS IT GONNA BE ON CITY PROPERTY OR DO YOU WANT TO PUT IT ON PRIVATE PROPERTY? SO WE TALKED ABOUT, BASED ON THAT CONCEPT CA PORTION OF IT WOULD BE ANGLED ON JOHN ROBERTS PROPERTY, I GUESS THE LORD PROPERTY.
THAT WOULD BE THE PRIVATE PROPERTY THERE.
THAT'S ALSO THE PURPOSE FOR THEIR ON SITE VISIT.
AND THEN THE OTHER ONE WAS I THINK AT, UM, ANDY SCHIFF'S PROPERTY ON THE BACKSIDE THERE.
I WAS LAST WEEK, I CAN'T REMEMBER.
IT WAS LAST WEEK, THE WEEK BEFORE.
HE SAYS AS LONG AS EVERYBODY'S, YOU KNOW, PARTNERING IN IT, HE SEEMS WILLING TO COME TO THE TABLE.
SO WE HAVE TO STRIKE WHILE THE IRON IS TIED.
UM, ANYWAY, UM, LIKE BEHIND THE OLD HOTEL, IS THAT WHERE YOU'RE THIS PROPERTY OVER THERE? NO.
RIGHT BEHIND THE PARKING LOT BEHIND HERE.
THE CHAMBERS, THE PARKING LOT IS, THERE'S LIKE FIVE OR SIX SPACES.
RIGHT? THAT LITTLE AREA THERE.
UM, AND WHO WOULD BE USING THAT DUMPSTER? IT WOULD BE RAT'S AND MJS.
AND I DON'T THINK WE KNOW ALL THE ANSWERS.
WE DON WE HAVE, WE HAVE NO, YEAH.
DEPENDING ON THE CAPACITY OF IT.
DO THEY GET A COMPACT OR DO THEY NOT GET A COMPACT OR HOW MUCH DOES IT HOLD? OKAY.
YOU KNOW, ARE RESIDENTS USING IT VERSUS COMMERCIAL OR EVERYBODY TOGETHER? I THINK THAT'S THE ANSWERS WE HAVE TO GET.
SO IT'LL BE, AND IT'S PAYING FOR IT.
WELL MAYBE, YOU KNOW, TALK, BECAUSE THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT USE OUR DUMPSTER, WE GET OURS DUMPED EVERY DAY.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHO USES DUMPSTERS BACK HERE, BUT WHY THEY GET DUMPED EVERY DAY.
IS IT, IS IT THE RESIDENTS TOO OR IS IT JUST THE BUSINESS OWNERS? IT IT'S A COMBINATION, BUT IT DEPENDS ON WHERE, LIKE THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE OVER THE SHOPS WHERE, UM, WHERE YEAH, WHERE SNAPDRAGON IS.
THEY HAVE THEIR OWN BLOWOUT PARKS THAT ARE BEHIND THERE, BUT OTHER RESIDENTS ARE PARTICIPATING IN USING SOME OF THESE
SO THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE TWO CORRECT.
[01:40:01]
THE RAT'S PEOPLE WEREN'T GONNA WALK ALL THE WAY OVER TO MORGAN'S AND THE POPPIES AND THESE GUYS AREN'T GONNA WALK ALL THE WAY OVER TO THE OTHER PLACE.SO THEY WERE TRYING TO PUT TWO THE, EVEN THOUGH YOUR GUYS WALK A FAIR DISTANCE TO GET TO YOUR TRASH CAN, WE GOT WHEELS ON OUR TRASH CANS.
BUT I MEAN, IT GOES ALL THE WAY, UM, ALL THE WAY FROM, UM, AT LEAST IN JAY FARTHER, UM, DOWN MIDDLE STREET, DOWN CRAVEN AND THEN TWO, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THAT S UM, I'LL 'EM USE THAT ONE DOWN.
IT IS HARD TO TELL SOMETIMES WHEN ONE FEELS UP THERE.
AND, AND, AND PEOPLE JUST PEOPLE IN GENERAL KIND OF MOVE IT AROUND AS WELL AND THEN WHEN THE CARDBOARD RECYCLING GETS FILLED UP YEAH.
YEAH, WE, OUR OFFICE USES IT, UH, CHAMBER, UH, ROD MICHAEL ROGERS.
THERE'S A MIXTURE BETWEEN RESTAURANTS, OFFICES.
SAME GOES FOR US THAT SOMETIMES HAVE THAT POTENTIAL STUFF.
AND THEN THERE'S THE MISCELLANEOUS OTHER PEOPLE THAT I GOT A VACUUM, UH, VACUUM AND A, A GAS TANK.
THIS THE WORST IS, UH, THE WORST COUCH COUCHES THAT I REALLY LOVE.
IT'S JUST AMAZING WHAT PEOPLE, AND YOU KNOW, WE HAVE PICTURES OF PEOPLE COMING IN THE BACK HERE.
I SAW 'EM DURING MY TIME AS AN ORNAMENT.
PEOPLE COME, WE JUST OF COURSE CAN'T GET THEIR LICENSE PLATE BUT COME IN AND DUMP IN THEIR TRASH IN THEIR DRIVE AWAY.
THEY DON'T WANNA PAY THE STICKER.
IF WE'VE GOT FENCES, I LOCKER.
PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE DUMP TRASH.
WELL, THE CHIEF IS HERE IF WE DO FIND SOMEONE THAT'S ILLEGALLY DUMPING.
IS THAT A PENALTY? IS THAT A, I'D HAVE TO CHECK TRESPASSING ORDINANCE.
UH, AND THERE IS ILLEGAL DUMPING.
YOU CAN'T, SO I WOULD, I'LL GET BACK WITH YOU ON THAT.
YOU CAN'T JUST TAKE THE TRASH AND DUMP IT IN THE STREET.
BUT CAN YOU DUMP IT IN A TRASH CAN THAT DOESN'T BELONG TO YOU? I DON'T KNOW.
YOU MAY BE AFRAID OF WHAT YOU LEARNED
NO MORE DUMB STICKERS FROM ME.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER THAT YOU'D LIKE TO BRING FORWARD TO THE MSD TODAY? IF NOT, THEN I WILL HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN.