May 28, 2024 Board of Aldermen

YOU GOT THAT

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GOOD EVENING,

[1. Meeting opened by Mayor Odham. Prayer Coordinated by Mayor Odham. Pledge of Allegiance.]

IF YOU WOULD PLEASE BOW WITH ME FOR A QUICK WORD OF PRAYER.

HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU DEAR LORD FOR ANOTHER DAY.

WE THANK YOU FOR YESTERDAY MEMORIAL DAY, AS WE REMEMBER THOSE WHO HAVE GIVEN THAT ALL FOR US TO BE HERE TODAY TO BE ABLE TO CARRY OUT THE BUSINESS OF OUR CITY.

AND DEAR LORD, WE ALSO ASK FOR SPECIAL PRAYER AND HEALING FOR OUR CONGRESSMAN GREG MURPHY, WHO UNDERWENT SURGERY TODAY THAT, UH, APPEARED TO BE A SUCCESS.

WE PRAY FOR HIS CONTINUAL HEALING.

IN YOUR NAME WE PRAY, AMEN.

IF YOU WOULD PLEASE STAND AND PLEDGE TO FLAG OUR COUNTRY.

I PLEDGE, PLEDGE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD AND AN INDIVIDUAL WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.

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

HERE, ALDERMAN ROYAL.

HERE.

ALDERMAN ASER.

HERE.

MAYOR ODOM.

HERE.

ALDERMAN KENZIE.

HERE.

ALDERMAN.

BEST PRESENT.

ALDERMAN BURNSON HERE.

OKAY.

EVERYONE'S HERE.

UH, ITEM NUMBER THREE IS TO

[3. Approve Agenda. ]

ARE THERE ANY CHANGES TO THE AGENDA? NO.

I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE IT.

SECOND, SAY WHO HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE.

AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? OKAY.

AGENDA IS APPROVED.

NEXT UP

[Consent Agenda]

WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS IS SECOND.

HAVE A MOTION A SECOND.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONETHELESS, HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN RILL.

ALDERMAN RILL.

YES.

ALDERMAN ROYAL.

YES.

ALDERMAN ASER? YES.

YES.

ALDER MCKENZIE? YES.

ALDERMAN BEST? YES.

ALDERMAN BRINSON.

YES.

MAYOR ODOM.

YES.

CONSENT AGENDA IS APPROVED.

NEXT UP

[9. Introduction of Swiss Bear’s New Executive Director. ]

WELCOME, SIR.

GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR ALDERMAN, IT'S MY PLEASURE TO BE HERE THIS EVENING IN MY ROLE AS CHAIRMAN OF SWISS BEAR.

TO INTRODUCE OUR NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, IT'S KAREN SULLIVAN.

KAREN IS, UH, ORIGINALLY FROM GOLDSBORO.

SHE HAS A LOT OF EXPERIENCE IN NONPROFITS AND IN PRIVATE SECTOR BUSINESS.

SHE'S BEEN WITH SOME INTERNATIONAL, UH, NONPROFITS, INCLUDING WINE TO WATER AND, UH, ENTITY CALLED RISE AGAINST HUNGER, AND ALSO WAS WITH THE WAYNE COUNTY BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, SHE RAN A PRIVATE BUSINESS AS AN ENTREPRENEUR, AND SO SHE KNOWS, HOPEFULLY HOW TO MAKE A PROFIT AND WORK WITH CUSTOMERS.

AND SO WE ARE EXTREMELY EXCITED TO HAVE KAREN JOINING US AND FILLING LYNN HAR COW'S SHOES AND CONTINUING THE WORKS OF SWISSAIR.

SO I GIVE YOU KAREN SULLIVAN.

THANK YOU.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING? HE GAVE YOU A GREAT INTRO, BUT, OKAY.

VERY GOOD.

WELCOME.

GLAD TO HAVE YOU.

OKAY.

NEXT UP IS ITEM

[10. Conduct a Public Hearing on the Proposed Budget for FY 2024-2025.]

CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FY 20 24, 20 25.

MS. OSTROM, THE CITY MANAGER'S PROPOSED BUDGET AND THE AMOUNT OF $155,421,181, WHICH CONSISTED OF THE GENERAL FUND IN THE AMOUNT OF $50,274,425, INCLUDING A RECOMMENDED 3 CENT AVALOR TAX RATE INCREASE A FUND BALANCE APPROPRIATION OF $580,000 AND A 2% COLA INCREASE.

THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS TOTAL $95,626,279, WHICH INCLUDES AN ESTIMATED RATE INCREASE IN POWER COST ADJUSTMENT FEE, AND THE OTHER FUNDS, UM, CONSISTING OF MUNICIPAL SERVICE DISTRICT METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION, REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION E NINE ONE, AND EMPLOYEE INSURANCE FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $9,521,177.

BUDGET WORK SESSIONS WERE HELD WITH THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN LAST WEEK ON MAY 21ST AND 22ND.

AND WITH THE BOARD'S RECOMMENDATION TO REDUCE THE TAX RATE INCREASE FROM 3 CENTS TO 1 CENT, THE CITY MANAGER'S BUDGET WAS AMENDED WITH A REDUCTION OF AVALOR TAX REVENUE TO A 1 CENT TAX RATE, INCREASE AN ADDITIONAL $50,000 IN REVENUES FOR INCREASED RATES WITHIN THE PARKS AND RECREATION FEE SCHEDULE AN INCREASE OF $302,675 OF FUND BALANCE APPROPRIATION WITH A TOTAL FUND BALANCE APPROPRIATION OF $882,675 AND BUDGET CUTS IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,076,153 CONSISTING OF CAPITAL VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT DUES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS, TRAVELS AND TRAINING COSTS, AND OTHER MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

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THE PROPOSED BUDGET HAS BEEN MADE AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION AT THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, THE NEW BERN CRAVEN COUNTY LIBRARY, AND ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE AT THE MAY 14TH BOARD MEETING, A RESOLUTION WAS ADOPTED, CALLING FOR A PUBLIC HEARING, WHICH WE WILL REQUEST AT THIS TIME.

OKAY.

DOES THE BOARD HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF BEFORE I OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY.

AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.

ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT REGARDING THE PROPOSED BUDGET, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.

IS THERE INFORMATION REGARDING THE BUDGET DONE? YES.

THE BUDGET'S, UH, POSTED ONLINE.

IT'S ALSO AVAILABLE HERE AT CITY HALL.

THAT, THAT YOU CAN, YOU CAN VIEW IT THERE.

MAY I MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? SECOND, HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND A SECOND.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE.

AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED, SO THERE'S NO FURTHER ACTION ON THIS.

UH, BUT AGAIN, UH, I THINK WE'VE SHARED ON SOCIAL MEDIA AS WELL AS OUR WEBSITE WHERE THE INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND.

FOR THOSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO VIEW IT.

UH, MR. MANAGER, IT IS, UH, THE SCHEDULE TO HAVE THIS ON OUR NEXT AGENDA TO ADOPT.

IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.

OKAY.

ANYTHING ELSE ON ITEM NUMBER 10? OKAY.

ITEM NUMBER 11 IS THE UPDATE

[11. Update on NC43 Connector Project and Consider Adopting a Resolution in Support of Naming the Highway 43 Connector for Marvin L. Raines, Jr.]

UH, MR. HUGHES.

SO AT THE LAST MEETING, UH, THE BOARD, UH, CONSIDERED TABLING OF THIS DISCUSSION UNTIL TONIGHT'S MEETING.

UH, BEFORE, UH, YOU HAVE THAT DISCUSSION, UH, I'M GONNA ASK DEANNA TROUBLE OUR MPO ADMINISTRATOR TO COME UP.

SHE'S GOING GOT A, A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION.

IT'S GONNA GIVE YOU MORE DETAIL ON THE PROPOSED HIGHWAY 43 CONNECTOR.

GOOD EVENING.

EVENING.

SO TONIGHT WE WANNA TALK ABOUT THE NC 43 CONNECTOR.

THIS, UM, PROJECT IS THE CONSTRUCTION OF ABOUT, UM, JUST OVER ONE MILE OF NEW ROADWAY AS SHOWN ON THE MAP THAT WOULD CONNECT NC 43 FROM US 70 TO TRENT CREEK ROAD, AND ULTIMATELY TO S 17.

THE PROJECT ITSELF IS ACTUALLY GOING RESURFACE EXISTING ROADWAY.

SO YOU'LL HAVE A NEW ROAD ALIGNMENT OR NEW, UM, PROFILE FROM THE ENTIRE ROADWAY FROM 70 TO 17 ITSELF.

SO THIS PROJECT IS ACTUALLY, IS A FOUR LANE DIVIDED HIGHWAY.

SO EACH LANE IS 12 FEET AND WIDTH.

IT HAS WIDE PAVED SHOULDERS ON THE OUTSIDE, AND A LARGE MEDIAN IN THE MIDDLE.

IT'S EITHER GONNA BE GRASS AND OR CONCRETE THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE PROJECT.

IT'S KNOWN AS CONTROLLED ACCESS.

CONTROLLED ACCESS MEANS THAT, UM, THROUGH THE DESIGN PROCESS, THEY'VE ALREADY ESTABLISHED WHERE THOSE FUTURE DRIVEWAY CONNECTIONS OR INTERSECTIONS WILL EXIST.

SO THROUGH THIS PROFILE, YOU'LL HAVE A BRAND NEW SIGNAL AT US 70 INTERSECTION.

THEN THERE'S FOUR PLANNED BREAKS, AND THEN THERE'S GOING TO BE A NEW TRAFFIC SIGNAL AT SEVO DRIVE AND SHADOW BROOK LANE.

SO, I KNOW THIS IS A LOT TO LOOK AT, BUT JUST FOCUS ON THE DARK ARROWS.

SO THE VERY FIRST INTERSECTION IS PLANNED AS A FUTURE SIGNALIZE INTERSECTION, UM, THAT'S GOING TO ALLOW FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT TO CONNECT TO THIS PLANNED BREAK.

SO RUNNING NORTH AND SOUTH, YOU'LL SEE THAT THE PROPOSED DESIGN IS A FIVE LANE STRUCTURE.

AND THEN RUNNING ON WHAT'S ON THE SCREEN WEST AND EAST IS NC 43, WHICH IS, UM, THE FOUR LANE DIVIDED HIGHWAY.

SO YOU'LL SEE THAT YOU HAVE DEDICATED LIFTS ON BOTH SIDES AND A DEDICATED RIGHT ON, UM, ON TOP.

THE SECOND CONNECTION IS CALLED, UM, A REDUCED CONFLICT INTERSECTION.

UM, AND YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN THESE BEFORE, BUT BASICALLY, UM, IT DOESN'T ALLOW CROSS CONNECTIVITY FROM THE, YOUR NORTH AND SOUTH CONNECTIONS.

SO ON NC 43, YOU STILL HAVE YOUR MAIN MOVEMENT, AND YOU CAN GO LEFT ONLY IF YOU WANTED TO TAKE A LEFT OUT OF YOUR NORTH AND SOUTH CONNECTIONS, YOU HAVE TO GO RIGHT TO MAKE A U-TURN TO GO LEFT.

THE THIRD CONNECTION, AGAIN, IS A PLANNED SIGNALIZE INTERSECTION.

THROUGH THE DESIGN OF THIS PROJECT, DOT WORKED WITH THE CURRENT LANDOWNERS ON FUTURE DEVELOPMENT PLANS.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE HERE FROM EAST TO WEST, YOU STILL HAVE THE NC 43 CONNECTOR, WHICH IS THAT FOUR LANE DIVIDED HIGHWAY.

AND THEN NORTH AND SOUTH, YOU CAN SEE THAT YOU'VE GOT, UM, A DEDICATED LEFT, A DEDICATED THROUGH, AND THEN A THROUGH SLASH RIGHT.

AND THEN THE, UM, THIS LAST CONNECTION, AGAIN, SAME CONCEPT

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THAT'S IT.

AND THEN THE NEW SIDEWALK OR THE NEW, UM, SIGNAL ON SAVOY DRIVE IN SHADOW BROOK.

I KNOW THAT IT'S A LOT TO LOOK AT.

JUST KNOW THAT IT'S A, THERE IS GOING TO BE A SIGNAL THERE.

UM, AND EACH OF THE SUBDIVISIONS ARE GONNA HAVE A DEDICATED LEFT OUT AND DEDICATED THROUGH.

RIGHT.

SO THIS PROJECT IS FULLY FUNDED.

UM, THE LET DATE, OR THE DATE THAT DOT PLANS ON ADVERTISING CONSTRUCTION OF THIS PROJECT IS JULY OF 2025.

THEY'RE TELLING US IT'S GONNA BE TWO TO THREE YEARS FOR CONSTRUCTION.

UM, BUT WE DON'T ANTICIPATE IT BEING THAT LONG.

ONCE THEY HAVE A CONTRACTOR IN PLACE, WE CAN REFINE THAT TIMELINE.

AND DOT IS WORKING ON A WEBSITE THAT WILL BE, THEY'LL GO LIVE SOON.

THAT WILL ALLOW OUR CITIZENS TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS, UM, OR FIELDS ANY COMMENTS THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE.

AND, UM, THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.

I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

THE BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS.

OKAY.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

UH, SO NEXT UP IS TO CONSIDER THE RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT NAMING THE HIGHWAY 43 CONNECTOR FOR MARVIN HILL RANGE JUNIOR.

MR. HUGHES, YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANNA ADD TO THAT? NOTHING ELSE TO ADD, SIR.

OKAY.

THERE'S A COPY OF, UH, THAT RESOLUTION IN OUR PACKAGE.

UH, LOOKS LIKE PAGE, MR. MAYOR, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF NAMING HIGHWAY 43 CONNECTOR FOR MARVIN L RAINS, JR.

SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.

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

ALDERMAN ROYAL, NO.

ALDERMAN ASTOR.

YES.

ALDERMAN KENZIE.

NO.

ALDERMAN BEST, NO.

ALDERMAN BRINSON? YES.

ALDERMAN CREEL.

YES.

MAYOR ODOM? YES.

MOTION FAILS THREE TO FOUR? THAT'S CORRECT.

OKAY.

NEXT UP IS ITEM NUMBER

[12. Consider Adopting a Resolution Authorizing the Execution of an Installment Financing Agreement, Deed of Trust, and Related Documents Related to Financing the Acquisition of 212 Kale Road.]

CONSIDER DR.

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF AN INSTALLMENT FINANCING AGREEMENT DEED OF TRUST, AND RELATED DOCUMENTS RELATED TO FINANCING THE ACQUISITION OF TWO 12 KELL ROAD.

MS. OSTROM.

ON FEBRUARY 13TH, 2024, THE BOARD APPROVED THE EXECUTION OF AN AGREEMENT FOR THE PURCHASE OF REAL PROPERTY LOCATED AT TWO 12 KELL ROAD.

THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL WAS ISSUED SOLICITING BIDS TO PAY FOR THE PROPERTY ACQUISITION THROUGH INSTALLMENT FINANCING OR REVENUE BOND, NOT TO EXCEED 2.2 MILLION.

AFTER RECEIVING AND REVIEWING SIX PROPOSALS, A RECOMMENDATION WAS MADE TO ACCEPT THE PROPOSAL FROM JB MORGAN.

TAKES A PUBLIC HEARING WAS HELD ON MAY 14TH, AT WHICH TIME THE TERMS OF THE PROPOSAL WERE SHARED WITH THE BOARD.

THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZES THE EXECUTION OF AN INSTALLMENT FINANCING AGREEMENT WITH JP MORGAN AND AN INTEREST RATE OF 4.21% WITH THE TERM OF 15 YEARS.

OKAY.

THIS BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS ON ITEM NUMBER 12.

THERE'S NO QUESTIONS, MAYOR.

I MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF AN INSTALLATION FINANCING AGREEMENT, DEED OF TRUST, AND RELATED DOCUMENTS RELATED TO FINANCING THE ACQUISITION OF TWO 12 HILL ROAD.

SECOND, HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.

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

ALDERMAN ASTOR.

YES.

ALDERMAN KENZIE.

YES.

ALDERMAN BE YES.

ALDERMAN BRUNSON.

YES.

ALDERMAN FRILL.

YES.

ALDERMAN MEMORIAL? YES.

MAYOR OTA? YES.

MOTION CARRIES.

ITEM NUMBER 13,

[13. Consider Adopting a Resolution Authorizing the Execution of All Agreement Documents Related to the NC Railroad and Norfolk Southern Railroad Supplemental Line Agreement for Installation of Stormwater Force Main and Drainage Structures for the Duffyfield Community Stormwater Enhancements Project Phase I.]

STORMWATER ENHANCEMENTS PROJECT PHASE ONE, MR. CHOPS.

GOOD EVENING BOARD MAYOR.

UM, AS A PART OF THE ONGOING DUFFY FIELD STORMWATER ENHANCEMENT PROJECTS, WE HAVE, WE HAVE TO HAVE A FORCE MAIN TO AN EXISTING OUTFALL.

WE CURRENTLY HAVE A PERPENDICULAR OUTFALL PIPE THAT'S SIZE TOO SMALL FOR WHAT WE'RE PLANNING IN PHASES TWO AND THREE.

SO WE, UH, OUR PLAN CALLED FOR APPROXIMATELY A 2300 FOOT LINEAR STORM MAIN THAT RUNS ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF EAST ROSE STREET.

WE TRIED TO PLAN TO HAVE THIS OFF OF THE RIGHT OF WAY, THE 200 FOOT RIGHT OF WAY OF NORTH CAROLINA

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UNFORTUNATELY, AS FAR AS WE ARE, WE WOULD'VE GONE INTO HAVING TO BORE UNDER HOUSES AND STRUCTURES.

SO WE'VE GOT IT AS FAR OFF THE PAVEMENT TO THE EDGE, UM, AS POSSIBLE.

AND IT IS A VITAL PART OF ALL THE STORMWATER DRAINAGE WITHIN THE AREA.

WE CURRENTLY HAVE A LEASE FOR OUR PERPENDICULAR CROSSING, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY, WE PAY APPROXIMATELY $5,500 A YEAR FOR AN ANNUAL FEE.

WE'VE GOT THE OPPORTUNITY AFTER A LOT OF THE NEGOTIATION WITH THE NORTH CAROLINA RAILROAD, UM, TO HAVE A LUMP SUM PAYMENT SYSTEM ON THIS, WHETHER, UH, AS A LOT ARE DONE AS ANNUAL PAYMENTS WITH A PERCENTAGE INCREASE FOR, FOR PERPETUITY OF THE USE OF THAT SECTION OF THEIR RIGHT OF WAY.

THE LUMP SUM FORTUNATELY, HAS ALLOWED US THE OPPORTUNITY ALSO TO USE $270,000 OF GRANT FUNDING, WHICH WAS LINE ITEM IN, IN THE ENGINEER'S ESTIMATE FOR WETLAND MITIGATION.

WITH RECENT CHANGES TO THE DETERMINATION OF ISOLATED WETLANDS, WE'RE NO LONGER GONNA HAVE TO USE THAT MONEY FOR WETLAND MITIGATION.

AND WE CAN USE THE GRANT FUNDING TO PAY DOWN THE LUMP SUM.

WE'LL STILL STILL HAVE A $5,000 ANNUAL FEE, WHICH IS CURRENTLY, AS OF THIS YEAR, WE'LL BE 500 LESS THAN WE'RE WE'RE PAYING FOR OUR CURRENT CROSSING.

SO, AS A VITAL PART OF THIS, I BELIEVE THE, THE RAILROAD HAS NEGOTIATED WITH US CONSIDERABLY TO GET TO THIS POINT.

UM, AND WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO USE GRANT FUNDING TO GET IT CONSIDERABLY DOWN WITH ALSO AT THE END OF PHASE TWO AND THREE, IF THERE'S ANY REMAINING GRANT FUNDING THAT IS UNUSED, WE CAN ALSO APPLY THAT TO WHAT'S REMAINING IN THE BALANCE OF THE LUMP SUM.

SO OUR RECOMMENDATION IS TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THESE DOCUMENTS.

DOES BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I DO.

GO RIGHT AHEAD.

SO, GEORGE, WE PAY, UH, NORTH CAROLINA RAILROAD $5,000 A YEAR.

THIS IS FOR, FOR ANY UTILITY, NOT JUST IN PUBLIC WORKS OR STORM WATER FOR ANY UTILITY THAT ENCUMBERS A PORTION OF THEIR RAILROAD.

UM, THE USER OF THAT SPACE IS, PAYS A FEE TO THE RAILROAD.

YES, MA'AM.

SO THIS IS, THIS HAS THIS, THAT $5,000 HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS CONTRACT.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE CITY HAS TO PAY THE RAILROAD.

NORMALLY THE CURRENT, THE CURRENT $5,000 THAT WE'RE PAYING 5,500 RIGHT NOW FOR A PERPENDICULAR CROSSING, MUCH SHORTER RUN OF PIPE.

OKAY.

BUT WE'RE GOING TO ABANDON THAT PIPE BECAUSE IT'S SMALLER.

IT DOESN'T GO CONNECT DIRECTLY TO THE OUTFALL.

WE NEED IT TO, TO NOT CREATE ADDITIONAL FLOODING ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE TRACKS.

SO, WE'LL, WE'RE GONNA BASICALLY SUPPLEMENT THAT 5 50, 500 WITH THIS NEW AGREEMENT AND WE'LL PAY, PAY DOWN AND THE OPPORTUNITIES TO PAY 5,000 A YEAR, WHICH WILL ACTUALLY BE LESS THAN WE'RE PAYING CURRENTLY FOR THE ENCUMBERMENT OF THAT RIGHT OF WAY.

OTHER QUESTION, ? YES, MA'AM.

THIS 435,000, JUST WOULD SAY $436,000.

THAT'S MONEY THAT THE CITY, AND I KNOW SOME OF IT IS THROUGH, UM, THE 270,000 IS, IS GONNA PAY, UH, IS THROUGH THE GRANT.

BUT THIS $435,000 IS THIS WORK THAT THE RAILROAD COMPANY IS GONNA DO FOR THIS PROJECT, OR THIS IS JUST A ? UNFORTUNATELY NOT.

IT, IT'S, IT'S FOR OUR RIGHT TO ENCUMBER A PORTION OF THEIR PROPERTY.

OKAY.

JUST, JUST AS IF WE'RE LEASING A PORTION OF THEIR PROPERTY FOR OUR USE.

AND THIS WAS A LITTLE BIT HIGHER VALUE PROPERTY TO THEM BECAUSE IT'S IN THE RAIL SIDING SECTION.

SO THE LINEAR FOOTAGE OR THE SQUARE FOOTAGE VALUE GOES UP WHEN YOU'RE, WHEN YOU'RE GETTING LICENSE AGREEMENTS TO ENCUMBER IT.

OKAY.

SO NOW THIS IS THE PORTION, UH, THAT WE'RE SPEAKING OF IS RIGHT THERE WHERE THE BRIDGE, LIKE THE BIG CULVERT PIPE IS LOCATED THIS AND THE BRIDGE UNDERNEATH IT IS THAT THE AREA YOU'RE SPEAKING OF THIS, THIS FORCE MAIN'S GONNA RUN FROM THE EXISTING BIDDLE STREET POND OKAY.

TO JUST ABOUT THE, UM, EAST ROADS LIFT STATION.

SO THE OUTFALL IS THE SAME AS THE EAST LIFT STATION.

OKAY.

SO , THE REASON WHY I'M ASKING THIS IS BECAUSE NOW WHEN YOU GET READY TO DO THE PROJECT THERE BY, UH, EVERGREEN CEMETERY, THAT'S GONNA CONSIST, THAT'S, I KNOW THAT BELONGS TO THE RAILROAD DE DEPENDING ON WHAT KIND IMPACTS ARE WE, EXCUSE ME.

YES, MA'AM.

DEPENDING ON WHAT TYPES OF IMPACTS WE HAVE.

OKAY.

SO THEN AT THAT POINT IN TIME, WE ARE GONNA HAVE TO COME UP WITH ANOTHER AGREEMENT WITH THEM AND PAY THEM ADDITIONAL MONIES FOR IT DEPENDS ON THE DESIGN OF WHAT WE END UP WITH ON THE OUTFALL THERE.

YES, MA'AM.

BUT ANYTIME,

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ALRIGHT.

YES, MA'AM.

THANK YOU, SIR.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I DO.

I HAVE A QUESTION.

THIS IS FOR PHASE ONE.

CORRECT? THIS, THIS PHASE ONE IS THE FORCE MAIN.

UM, PHASE TWO AND THREE ARE ADDITIONAL WETLAND AND CONTAINMENT AREAS.

WE CAN UTILIZE THE PHASE TWO AND THREE FUNDING ALSO THAT WAS SET ASIDE FOR THE WETLAND MITIGATION.

THAT'S NO LONGER GONNA BE NEEDED TO PAY DOWN THIS.

YES, MA'AM.

OKAY.

SO DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING OUTLINED, WHICH I'M SURE, SURE YOU DO BECAUSE YOU JUST SPOKE OF IT FOR PHASE TWO AND THREE THAT WE COULD TAKE A LOOK AT.

I CAN PROVIDE THOSE TO YOU.

THANK YOU.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

WE'RE ABOUT TO BID TO ADVERTISE THE BID FOR PHASE TWO AND TWO AND THREE.

THANK YOU.

YES, MA'AM.

UM, MAYOR, YEAH, IF I COULD, UM, IT JUST, IT, IT JUST COMES ACROSS AS BEING AN EXORBITANT AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR CAN YOU SPEAK INTO THE MIC PLEASE? WHAT? CAN YOU SPEAK INTO THE BODY? SURE.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

UM, IT JUST STRIKES ME AS BEING AN EXORBITANT AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE ARE BEING CHARGED, UM, BY THE RAILROAD, UM, TO VARY.

UM, FORCE MAIN, UH, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, GEORGE, UM, IT'S ALONG THE EDGE OR CLOSE TO THE EDGE OF THE RIGHT OF WAY.

YES, SIR.

UM, CHANCES ARE THOUGH THAT I, I DON'T KNOW THIS, UH, FOR A FACT, BUT CHANCES ARE THAT IF THE RAILROAD EVER DID ANY IMPROVEMENTS WITHIN THE RIGHT OF WAY, CHANCES ARE THEY WOULD NOT GO OUT TO THE, THE VERY OUTER EDGES OF THE RIGHT OF WAY WITH WHATEVER IMPROVEMENT THEY MIGHT DO.

UM, SO THERE WOULD REALLY BE NO IMPACT ON THE BURIED FORCE MAIN THAT WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING TO PUT IN.

UM, A A AGAIN, I, I GUESS IN THE LONG RUN, IT SAVES THE CITY'S MONEY.

IF YOU LOOK AT, AT THE VERY LONG TERM WHERE THE 5,000 OR $5,500, WHICH PROBABLY ESCALATES, UM, EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, UM, IS IN PERPETUITY VERSUS THIS BEING A LUMP SUM AMOUNT.

SO, UH, I GUESS THE CITY WILL SAVE MONEY IN THE, IN THE LONG RUN, BUT IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THEY, THEY COULD HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BIT MORE WILLING TO NEGOTIATE A DOLLAR FIGURE THAT DOESN'T COME ACROSS AS BEING SO MUCH.

WELL, UM, IT IS WHAT IT IS.

UH, I'M GONNA SUPPORT THIS, UM, JUST TO KEEP THIS PROJECT MOVING FORWARD.

BUT, UM, I THINK THE BOARD NEEDS TO KIND OF KEEP THIS IN THE BACK OF OUR MINDS, UM, WHEN WE HAVE FUTURE DEALINGS WITH THE RAILROAD, UM, WHATEVER THAT MIGHT BE.

SO JUST, THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS.

YES, MA'AM.

UM, GEORGE, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU, UM, FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK.

'CAUSE I'VE READ SOME OF YOUR CORRESPONDENCE BACK AND FORTH WITH, UH, UH, AND I, I'M, I, I SUPPORT THIS PROJECT, BUT I JUST THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS, UH, THAT WAS A LARGE AMOUNT, SUM OF MONEY.

BUT THEN AGAIN, TOO, THERE'S NOTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO NORTH CAROLINA RAILROAD, NORFOLK SOUTHERN RAILROAD.

I KNOW THAT, THAT MUCH.

BUT, UM, I, I JUST HAD TO ASK THOSE QUESTIONS 'CAUSE IT WAS JUST A LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY.

AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK.

I APPRECIATE YOU AND I, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT THIS WAS NOT THE FIRST NUMBER THAT WE RECEIVED.

THEY DID, THEY DID COME DOWN TO CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT AND OFFERED US A LUMP SUM PAYOUT, WHICH IS NOT THEIR NORMAL, THAT IS NOT A NORMAL OFFERING OKAY.

OF HOW THEY DO THIS.

IT'S USUALLY ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.

MR. CHILDS, YOU PROBABLY DEAL WITH THE RAILROAD MORE ON AN OPERATIONAL BASIS THAN I DO.

UH, SO YOU CAN GIVE THEM THAT CREDIT.

UM, I'M GONNA SAY HOW I REALLY FEEL AND, UH, I THINK IT'S PRETTY SORRY THAT NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF RAILROAD OR WHATEVER YOU WANNA CALL 'EM, UM, WHEN WE EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT THIS WAS A VITAL PROJECT TO HELP REMOVE FLOODING WATER FROM A DISTRESSED COMMUNITY, UM, DID THEY COME DOWN SOME? SURE.

BUT THEIR FIRST NUMBER WAS ASININE TO BEGIN WITH.

UH, TO ME, THIS IS CERTAINLY NOT A PARTNERSHIP BY ANY MEANS OR STRETCH OF IMAGINATION.

THIS IS NORTH CAROLINA RAILROAD TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE LAW AND THE LEGAL AUTHORITY THAT THEY HAVE TO SHAKE DOWN THE CITY OF NEWBURN FOR THIS PROJECT.

THAT'S THE WAY I SEE IT.

UM, I KNOW THAT THEY WANT TO PARTNER WITH US ON THE DEPOT AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THOSE NEGOTIATIONS.

[00:25:01]

UM, BUT I THINK THIS IS, THIS IS, SORRY.

THE FACT THAT AS ALDERMAN PRI NOTED, THIS IS ON THE FAR EDGE OF THEIR RIGHT OF WAY.

I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS TRIED TO WORK TO GET IT OUT OF THERE.

UH, BUT THE FACT THAT THIS IS UNDERGROUND AND WILL NOT AFFECT OR DISRUPT THEIR OPERATION WHATSOEVER, I THINK IS UTTERLY ABSURD.

BUT I'M GONNA HOLD MY NOSE AND VOTE FOR IT BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY NEEDS THAT DRAINAGE.

BUT THIS IS, THIS IS NOT A PARTNERSHIP.

AND I'LL HAVE SOME MORE COMMENTS ABOUT THE RAILROAD UNDER NEW BUSINESS.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? YES, PLEASE HOLD YOUR NOSE AND VOTE FOR IT.

? YES, MA'AM.

MAKE HANCOCK STREET A TOLL ROAD FOR HIM.

SERIOUSLY.

IF THERE'S NO MORE QUESTIONS BY THE BOARD, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION.

UH, MAYOR, I MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF ALL AGREEMENT DOCUMENTS RELATED TO THE NC RAILROAD AND NORFOLK SOUTHERN RAILROAD SUPPLEMENTAL LINE AGREEMENT FOR INSTALLATION OF STORMWATER FORCE MAIN AND DRAINAGE STRUCTURES FOR THE DUFFY FIELD COMMUNITY STORMWATER ENHANCEMENTS PROJECT PHASE ONE SECOND.

I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.

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

ALDERMAN KENZIE.

YES.

ALDERMAN BE YES.

ALDERMAN BRISSON.

YES.

DERMAN CRE.

YES.

ALDERMAN ROYAL.

YES.

ALDERMAN STER.

YES.

MAYOR ODOM.

YES.

MOTION CARRIES.

ITEM NUMBER.

THANK YOU, GEORGE.

ITEM NUMBER

[14. Consider Adopting a Budget Ordinance Amendment for FY24.]

MS. OSTROM, THE A-M-I-D-S-M, WHICH IS THE ADVANCED METERING INFRASTRUCTURE DEMAND SIDE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.

ENTERPRISE CAPITAL PROJECT FUND WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2011 AS A JOINT PROJECT FOR THE WATER AND ELECTRIC DEPARTMENTS.

DURING THE LIFETIME OF THIS PROJECT FUND, THE ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT OVERSPENT ON EQUIPMENT EQUIPMENT BY $245,237 AND 38 CENTS.

THIS OVER EXPENDITURE WAS OFFSET BY THE EQUIPMENT LINE FOR THE WATER DEPARTMENT.

THE ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT OWES THE WATER DEPARTMENT TO ACCOUNT FOR EQUIPMENT THE WATER DEPARTMENT WAS UNABLE TO PURCHASE THROUGH THE PROJECT FUNDS.

AS A RESULT OF THE OVERAGE, THE COST OF THE EQUIPMENT PURCHASED BY THE WATER DEPARTMENT'S OPERATING FUNDS FOR THE PROJECT TOTALS $227,000.

2 220 $7,220.

THIS AMENDMENT TRANSFERS THAT AMOUNT FROM THE ELECTRIC FUND TO THE WATER FUND.

IT'S REQUESTED THAT THE BOARD ADOPT THIS BUDGET AMENDMENT BOARD.

HAVE QUESTIONS ON ITEM NUMBER 14, MR. HUGHES? YES, SIR.

EARLY ON WE HAD SOME, UM, DIFFICULTIES WITH THE BATTERIES AND SOME OF THE READINGS.

HAVE THOSE THINGS BEEN CORRECTED? YES, SIR.

THEY HAVE.

OKAY.

ANY MORE DISCUSSION ON ITEM 14? MAKE A MOTION.

OH, GO AHEAD.

NO, GO AHEAD.

MAKE A MOTION.

WE ADOPT THE BUDGET ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS FOR FY 24.

SECOND.

HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING KNOWN? LET HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN VEST.

ALDERMAN VEST? YES.

ALDERMAN BRISSON.

YES.

ALDERMAN CRELL.

YES.

ALDERMAN ROYAL? YES.

ALDERMAN ASER.

YES.

ALDERMAN KENZIE.

SORRY.

MAYOR ODA? YES.

OKAY.

A MOTION CARRIES.

[15. Appointment(s). ]

ALDER MCKENZIE.

I'LL SHOW YOU.

HAVE ONE FOR THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS.

NOT, YES, SIR.

OKAY.

BUT SOMEONE HAS SOMEONE THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND.

UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK WITH THE INDIVIDUAL AND GO FROM THERE, SIR.

OKAY.

MS. CLERK, I KNOW WE HAVE SEVERAL THAT'S COMING UP.

YOU SENT US AN EMAIL RECENTLY.

UM, COULD YOU SEND US ANY APPLICATIONS FOR ALL OF THOSE POSITIONS THAT YOU HAVE AT SOME POINT IN TIME? YES.

WE'VE JUST RECENTLY, WITHIN THE LAST FEW DAYS, RECEIVED TWO.

SO I'LL PUSH THOSE OUT BEFORE JUNE 1ST.

VERY GOOD, THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER APPOINTMENTS? OKAY.

MOVE ON TO ATTORNEY'S REPORT.

NOTHING TO NIGHTMARE.

YOU'VE BEEN AWFULLY QUIET.

THIS WAS YOUR CHANCE TO SPEAK UP.

NOTHING TO SAY.

I KNOW.

ALL RIGHT.

CITY MANAGER'S

[17. City Manager’s Report. ]

THAT'S, UH, UH, THE SECOND MEETING OF JUNE, STARTING AT 4:00 PM HERE AT CITY HALL.

UH, SO I WANNA SEE IF THAT WAS SUITABLE FOR EVERYONE AT THAT MEETING.

WE TALKED ABOUT THE TIMELINE AND POTENTIAL PROJECTS AND GET THIS ALL STARTED.

WHAT WAS THE DATE THEN? JUNE ONE? THIS, THIS IS JUNE.

I'M SORRY, TUESDAY, JUNE 25TH.

THE SECOND, THE DATE OF THE SECOND BOARD MEETING STARTING AT 4:00 PM OH, JUST A SECOND, PLEASE.

SURE.

[00:30:02]

UH, I WANTED TO, UH, ASK CHIEF GALLAGHER TO COME UP TO GIVE A BRIEF CRIME UPDATE.

I THANK YOU, MR. MANAGER.

UH, MAYOR BOARD.

UH, WHAT I HAVE, UM, PROVIDED FOR EACH OF YOU IS, UM, A HIGH LEVEL, UH, UH, OVERVIEW OF REALLY, UM, THREE PARTS.

ONE IS A COMPARISON OF CRIME STATS THAT CONSISTS OF DATA THAT WE'VE COLLECTED IN 2024, AND WE COMPARE THAT OVER THE SAME TIMEFRAME IN 2023 AS A COMPARABLE OTHER.

THE OTHER IS, UH, THE CRIME STAT COMPARISON FOR VIOLENT CRIME AND PROPERTY CRIMES FOR ALL OF CALENDAR YEAR 2023.

AND THE COMPARISON OTHER FOR THAT DATA IS THE PREVIOUS YEAR, 2024.

UM, I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO BRIEFLY DISCUSS, UM, OUR SHOT SPOTTER PROGRAM, UM, AS IT EXISTS ROUGHLY 60 DAYS INTO THE PROGRAM.

AND I'LL END WITH, UM, THE PROACTIVE, UM, UH, CALLS FOR SERVICE THAT THE, UH, MEN AND WOMEN OF THE NEW BERN POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, CONDUCTED IN, UH, 2023.

SO THE DATA THAT YOU SEE HERE REFLECTS, UM, A FOUR MONTH TIMEFRAME.

AND OVER THAT FOUR MONTHS TIMEFRAME, WE SAW A REDUCTION OF JUST SLIGHTLY MORE THAN 15% ACROSS THE BOARD FOR PART ONE INDEX CRIMES.

UM, WE HAD ONE LESS HOMICIDE COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS YEARS.

FIRST FOUR MONTHS.

UM, THE GREATEST REDUCTION WAS ACTUALLY RESIDENTIAL BURGLARIES, WHERE WE HAD ALMOST 42% REDUCTION COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS YEAR.

UM, A 30% REDUCTION IN BOTH THE, UM, UH, BUSINESS BURGLARIES AND, UM, MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS.

I COMPARE THAT WITH TWO CATEGORIES.

IN VIOLENT CRIME, WE DID SEE AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF RAPE CASES COMPARED TO LAST YEAR, AND AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS COMPARED TO LAST YEAR.

AND YOU CAN SEE THE GRAPH, UH, THERE TO KIND OF HELP, UH, CONTEXTUALIZE, UH, THE DATA.

UM, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS I WANNA POINT OUT IS NOT ONLY DID CRIME, IS CRIME REDUCED THAT DID NOT HAVE A CORRESPONDING IMPACT ON THE PROACTIVE AND REACTIVE APPROACH OF THE OFFICERS THAT SERVE THIS COMMUNITY.

WHEN WE COMPARE THE SAME TIMEFRAME, UM, FROM 2024 TO 2023 WITH RESPECT TO OFFICER ACTIVITY, YOU CAN SEE THAT ALTHOUGH CRIME IS DOWN, OUR ACTIVITY IS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER.

WE MADE ALMOST 42% MORE ARRESTS.

UM, OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST FOUR MONTHS, WE HANDLED ALMOST 6% MORE, UH, CALLS FOR SERVICE.

UM, AND IN ALMOST EVERY CATEGORY, UM, WE HAD MORE PRODUCTIVITY FROM OUR OFFICERS.

SO, UM, PART OF WHAT I THINK DRIVES THE REDUCTION IN, UH, CRIMINAL ACTIVITY IS THE PROACTIVE AND REACTIVE APPROACH THAT THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE NEW BERN POLICE DEPARTMENT HAVE ENGAGED IN.

AND IT, AND IF YOU ALSO NOTICE, WE RESPONDED TO MORE CALLS FOR SERVICE.

A CALL FOR SERVICE IS SOMEBODY IN OUR COMMUNITY IS EITHER DIALING 9 1 1 OR A NON-EMERGENCY NUMBER AND IS ASKING THE NEW BERN POLICE DEPARTMENT TO COME AND HELP THEM IN SOME CAPACITY.

UM, AND YOU CAN CLEARLY SEE THAT WE HAVE RESPONDED TO MORE OF THOSE CALLS.

SO CLEARLY WE HAVE BEEN VERY BUSY OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST FOUR MONTHS.

THE, ON THE BOTTOM OF PAGE TWO, YOU SEE A, UH, COMPARISON BETWEEN VIOLENT CRIME AND PROPERTY CRIME.

NOTHING DRIVES UP THE FEAR OF CRIME AS VIOLENT CRIME DOES.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE, UM, NOT A LOT OF DETAIL.

I DIDN'T WANNA PUT A LOT OF THAT IN HERE.

AND YOU WILL SEE THAT WHEN WE PUBLISH OUR 2023 ANNUAL REPORT, A LOT MORE DETAIL IN THAT DOCUMENT.

BUT WE HAD ALMOST A 40% REDUCTION IN VIOLENT CRIME IN THE CITY OF NEW BERN COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS YEAR.

NOW, WE DID HAVE A SLIGHT INCREASE.

NOW THIS IS 3.3% INCREASE IN PROPERTY CRIMES.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? WE, ALTHOUGH, UH, THAT IS AN INCREASE, UH, COMPARED TO THE INCREASE ACROSS THE COUNTRY, VIOLENT CRIME IS BEING REDUCED ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

BUT PROPERTY CRIME IS RISING TREMENDOUSLY HIGHER THROUGHOUT

[00:35:01]

BUT WHAT WE SAW HERE IN NEW BERN WAS A SLIGHT INCREASE.

I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF OPTIMISM THERE.

IF YOU GO TO PAGE THREE, ROUGHLY THIR, UH, 60 DAYS HAS TRANSPIRED SINCE WE IMPLEMENTED SHOTSPOTTER.

AND IF YOU WERE TO ASK ME, ARE WE GETTING OUR MONEY'S WORTH? UH, I WOULD SAY, AS CHIEF OF POLICE, YES, WE ARE SEEING THE RESULTS OF THIS TECHNOLOGY.

WE HAVE HAD 14 ACTIVATIONS IN THE PAST 30 DAY, UH, CORRECTION, 60 DAYS THAT RESULTS IN 86 REGISTERED, UH, ROUNDS THAT WERE FIRED AND CAPTURED BY SHOT SPOTTER.

OF THOSE 14 INCIDENCES, WE HAVE MADE FIVE ARRESTS.

THE INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED ON SATURDAY MORNING, NO CITIZEN CONTACTED THE POLICE TO NOTIFY US THAT THERE WAS A SHOT FIRED, UM, IN THE SUNNYSIDE, UH, AREA OF OUR CITY.

IT IS, IT WAS BECAUSE OUR OFFICERS RESPONDED AND THE TRIANGULATION OF WHERE THAT SHOT WAS FIRED, THEY WENT TO THE BACKYARD OF THE HOUSE.

IN, IN, IN WHICH, UH, WE HAVE REASON TO BELIEVE THAT IS WHERE THE, UH, SHOT WAS FIRED.

THE OFFICERS WERE FIRED UPON BY PERSONS INSIDE THE HOUSE.

UM, AND I'M SURE EVERYBODY IS FAMILIAR WITH WHAT HAPPENED THEREAFTER.

UH, THANKFULLY, UH, UM, NO ONE WAS HURT, ESPECIALLY OUR OFFICERS.

BUT WE VALUE THE SANCTITY OF LIFE.

AND WE ARE VERY HAPPY THAT NO OTHER PERSON WAS HURT, BUT THREE PEOPLE WERE ARRESTED, UH, TWO OF WHICH WERE ADULTS AND ONE WAS A JUVENILE.

AND THE VERY LAST PAGE, UM, YOU WILL SEE THIS IN OUR 2023 ANNUAL REPORT, UM, WE RESPONDED TO JUST NORTH OF 42,000 CALLS FOR SERVICE.

I MENTIONED THAT BEFORE, UM, THE HIGHEST, UH, PROACTIVE, UH, UH, MEASURE IN THOSE 42,000, UH, CALLS FOR SERVICE WERE TRAFFIC STOPS.

UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, I, AS THE CHIEF OF POLICE WHEN I FIRST ARRIVED HERE WAS CHIEF PEOPLE ARE DRIVING TOO FAST.

CHIEF, WE HAVE TOO MANY IMPAIRED DRIVERS.

UM, SO THE IMPETUS BEHIND TRYING TO IMPACT, UH, DRIVER BEHAVIOR WAS ONE OF THE STRATEGIES THAT WE'VE IMPLEMENTED.

AND, AND CLEARLY YOU CAN SEE, UM, THAT THE EFFORTS MADE BY OUR OFFICERS CLEARLY DICTATED THERE.

BUT 37% OF ALL THE CALLS THAT WE HANDLE, UM, HAS TO DO WITH WHAT I CALL THE COMMUNITY CARETAKER ROLE.

UM, HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE POWERS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, BUT RATHER WE ARE TRYING TO ASSIST AND MEDIATE, MEDIATE, UH, PROBLEMS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.

THAT'S JUST A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF THE CRIME STATS.

AND I'M PREPARED TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, UH, THAT YOU MAY HAVE.

IF THERE ARE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, I MAY HAVE TO COME BACK WITH YOU WITH THOSE SPECIFIC, UM, DATA POINTS BOARD.

HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR THE CHIEF? I HAVE A QUESTION.

CHIEF.

UH, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT NEW BERN PD DOES.

IT, IS MY UNDERSTANDING, IF I'M CORRECT, THAT SHOT SPOTTER EXTENDED THE ONE MILE RADIUS ON ONE PARTICULAR OCCASION? UH, THAT IS CORRECT.

UM, SHOT SPOTTER TECHNOLOGY IS, UM, SOPHISTICATED ENOUGH THAT IT CAN EXTEND WELL BEYOND THAT ONE MILE RADIUS.

UH, THE THING SHOT SPOTTER WILL NOT GUARANTEE IS THE, UM, THE EXACT POSITION BEYOND THAT ONE MILE, UM, AS IT DOES ON THE INSIDE OF THAT ONE MILE.

SO IT DOES EXTEND APPROXIMATELY A MILE BEYOND THAT.

UM, WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO GO BACK AND TRACK THAT.

UM, BUT IT'S, IT'S, IT'S NOT A GUARANTEE IN SHOT SPOT OR IT'S SOUND THINKING REALLY IS THE PARENT COMPANY.

THEY DON'T GUARANTEE THAT.

THANK YOU.

LOOKS LIKE WE GOT OUR MONEY'S WORTH WITH IT.

THANKS TO A PARTICULAR ALDERMAN.

YES, SIR.

CHIEF, I JUST WANNA MAKE A COMMENT.

UM, KUDOS TO YOU FOR REINSTITUTING, THE VCU VIOLENT CRIMES UNIT, I THINK IT'S PRETTY EVIDENT THAT IT'S EFFECTIVE AND THEY'RE DOING A GREAT JOB.

AND, UM, TAKING THAT PROACTIVE APPROACH HAS PROVEN TO BE VERY WELL IN THAT REDUCTION.

SO, GOOD JOB.

THANK YOU.

CHIEF.

I HAD ASKED YOU A QUESTION ON WHILE BACK IN REFERENCE TO SHOP SPOTTER ABOUT THE FUNDING.

AND I KNOW THAT YOU WERE LOOKING HAVE, YOU'RE THE PARTNER LOOKED INTO ANY GRANTS, UH, FORTHCOMING GRANTS TO SUPPORT THIS, THIS, UH, PROGRAM.

WE,

[00:40:01]

UM, BUT WHAT WE ARE ALSO DOING IS CONNECTING WITH STAKEHOLDERS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.

WE HAVE HAD A COMMITMENT FROM AT LEAST ONE, UH, WE HAVE A MEETING WITH A SECOND.

WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO FOUR DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS TO ASSIST US IN THE FUNDING OF THIS PROGRAM.

NOT UNLIKE WHAT GREENVILLE HAS HAS SEEN IN, IN, IN TERMS OF THEIR BUSINESS MODEL AND HOW THEIR COMMUNITY, UM, ACTUALLY PUTS SOME SKIN IN THE GAME, SO TO SPEAK, AND TO, TO ASSIST IN THE, UH, MANAGEMENT AND THE PAYMENT OF, UH, OF THAT PROGRAM.

WELL THANK YOU TO YOU AND YOUR STAFF FOR ALL YOU DO TO KEEP OUR CITIZENS SAFE HERE IN THE CITY.

THANK YOU.

ANYTHING ELSE? THANK YOU, CHIEF.

THANK YOU.

OKAY.

BACK TO YOUR REQUEST FOR A WORK SESSION ON TUESDAY, JUNE 25TH AT 4:00 PM TUESDAY, JUNE 25TH AT 4:00 PM AT CITY HALL, IS WHAT THE MANAGER'S REQUESTING.

IF THAT WOULD WORK FOR THE MAJORITY, I WOULD NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ENTERTAIN THEM.

JUNE THE 25TH.

FIFTH.

IT'S THE SAME NIGHT.

WE HAVE A REGULAR SCHEDULED FOR MEETING AT FOUR O'CLOCK, RIGHT? YES, SIR.

FOUR.

YES SIR.

FOUR O'CLOCK.

THAT SHOULD WORK.

GOOD.

WE SHOULD BE GOOD.

WE GET A MOTION.

UH, MR. MAYOR, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO HAVE A, UM, CONDUCT A WORKSHOP HERE AT, UH, THE COURTROOM ON TUESDAY, JUNE 25TH, 4:00 PM TO TAKE UP INFORMATION REGARDING A BOND REFERENDUM.

SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? OKAY, WE'RE GOOD.

ANYTHING ELSE, MR. HUGHES? THAT'S IT FROM, SIR.

OKAY.

NEW

[18. New Business.]

UH, THANK YOU MARY.

I HAVE, UH, ONE ITEM LAST JUNE.

UM, THE BOARD APPROVED USE OF A LITTLE OVER $2,800 OF A RP FUNDING, UM, THAT WAS STILL AVAILABLE, UH, FOR WARD ONE.

UH, THAT APPROVAL WAS FOR THE QUEST ORGANIZATION TO SEND A MEMBER OF THAT GROUP TO TWO DIFFERENT TRAINING, UM, SESSIONS UP IN PENNSYLVANIA.

ONE DEALING WITH, UM, RESTORATION OF HEADSTONES, THE OTHER DEALING WITH REPAIRS.

UM, PRI PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON, UM, THE, THE, THE MORTAR THAT IT, THAT WAS USED A HUNDRED, 200 YEARS AGO ON, ON THE BRICK WORK.

THE, THAT REPRESENTATIVE COMPLETED THE FIRST TRAINING SESSION AND HAS BEEN BUSY AT WORK, UH, AT CEDAR GROVE CEMETERY, RESTORING HEADSTONES.

AND THE QUEST ORGANIZATION HAS COME BACK AND ASKED IF, UH, WE COULD REALLOCATE THE SECOND PORTION OF THAT FUNDING, UM, AND PUT IT TOWARDS THE HEADSTONE RESTORATION BECAUSE THERE'S JUST SO MUCH WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE ON THAT THEY HAVE DECIDED TO HAVE THAT INDIVIDUAL JUST FOCUS ON HEADSTONE RESTORATION AND NOT WORRY AT THIS POINT ABOUT THE KIND OF THE BRICK AND MORTAR SIDE OF THAT.

UM, SO I'M JUST GOING TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, UM, FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION THAT THE, THE BALANCE OF THE FUNDING, UH, THAT HAS NOT BEEN USED SO FAR, WHICH IS $1,672 AND 80 CENTS BE REALLOCATED, UH, TOWARDS THE HEADSTONE RESTORATION WORK.

UM, I'M GONNA LOOK TO THE ATTORNEY WHEN I GOT THAT EMAIL, UH, THAT YOU HAD FORWARDED ME LAST WEEK.

UM, I SPOKE WITH THE ATTORNEY JUST TO MAKE SURE WE WERE OKAY DOING THAT.

AND MR. DAVIS HAD A LITTLE BIT OF CONCERN WITH THE MONEY BEING SPENT ON THE ACTUAL HEADSTONES, CONSIDERING THAT THE CITY DOESN'T OWN THE HEADSTONES.

UM, I'M OKAY WITH IT IF THERE'S A WAY THAT WE CAN FIGURE THIS OUT.

'CAUSE THE QUESTERS ARE DOING THE WORK AND IT'S ALMOST LIKE A GRANT WE'RE GIVING THEM, BUT I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE GOOD FROM THAT STANDPOINT.

I, I DO WANNA MAKE A COMMENT.

UH, ABOUT A YEAR AGO WHEN WE GOT THE VANDALISM, UM, IN THE CEMETERY, WE DID ALLOCATE, UH, A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF FUNDS, UH, IT WENT TO A CONTRACTOR TO FIX THE STONES, BUT WE HAVE ALLOCATED FUNDS FOR THAT IN THE PAST.

OKAY.

UM, OKAY.

IF, IF IT'S GOOD WITH STAFF, THEN I'M, I'M GOOD WITH IT.

YOU WANNA MAKE A MOTION ON APPROVAL? UH, YEAH.

I'LL JUST MAKE A MOTION THAT THE, THE BALANCE OF THE UNUSED FUNDING FOR THE ORIGINALLY

[00:45:01]

SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION QUESTION? YES, SIR.

THE HEADSTONES, UH, REPE, IS THAT IN, IS THAT ALL OF THE CEMETERIES, CEDAR, I'M SORRY, IT WHICH CEMETERIES IT FOR CEDAR GROVE, IS THAT CORRECT? UH, CEDAR GROVE.

UH, IT SPECIFICALLY FOR ONE CEMETERY, UH, THEY, THEY COULD GO, I DON'T KNOW IF THE STERS, UH, DO ANY WORK IN, IN THE OTHER, UH, CEMETERIES THAT THE CITY HAS CONTROL OVER.

I, I'M, I'M JUST AWARE OF THE WORK THAT THEY, THEY HAVE DONE AND CONTINUE TO DO AT CEDAR GROVE CEMETERY.

OKAY.

BECAUSE THE PARKS ARE OWNED BY THE CITY, ALL OF THE CEMETERIES, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.

IS THAT CORRECT? YES, SIR.

SO THAT'S WHY I THOUGHT MAYBE THEY WOULD SPREAD THE LOVE .

YEAH, I, I I DON'T KNOW IF THE, IF THE QUEST ORGANIZATION VENTURES OUT OF CEDAR GROVE, UH, I, I SUSPECT THAT THEY PROBABLY JUST FOCUS ON CEDAR GROVE, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT FOR SURE.

OKAY.

JUST CURIOUS, BUT THANK YOU.

ANY MORE QUESTIONS? OKAY.

THE MOTION WAS TO REALLOCATE $1,672 AND 80 CENTS OF A RP FUNDS FROM WARD ONE, UH, TO MOVE FORWARD WITH REPAIRS ON HEADSTONES.

UH, YES, WE'VE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE.

AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? OKAY.

NOTHING FURTHER HONOR.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

ALDERMAN ROYAL.

NOT TONIGHT, SIR.

NO ALDERMAN.

A SIR.

NOTHING.

AYE SIR.

ALDERMAN MCKENZIE? NOTHING.

AYE, ALDERMAN BEST? NOTHING SIR.

ALDERMAN BRENTON, UH, I GUESS TO STAY ON, UH, CEMETERY THEME.

UM, I, UH, ATTENDED THE MORRO DAY CEREMONY ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF NEW BERN YESTERDAY.

THAT WAS, UH, A GREAT CEREMONY, A LITTLE HOT, BUT, UM, WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO, UH, AGAIN, ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, SERGEANT ROBERT, STAFF SERGEANT ROBERT FERRIS, THE, UH, MIA THAT CAME BACK AND WAS BURIED.

THE GUEST SPEAKER WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE, UH, LABORATORY TECHNICIANS THAT HELPED IDENTIFY HIM.

SO IT WAS VERY APPROPRIATE, UH, THAT HE WAS INTERRED THERE.

UH, RECENTLY, UM, A COUPLE OF COMMENTS ABOUT, UH, REESE ACROSS AMERICA.

UM, AS YOU KNOW, UH, KEVIN AND ADDIE YATES ARE OUR REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE NATIONAL CEMETERY.

UH, I WANT TO SEND, UH, UH, A REQUEST FOR PRAYERS OUT FOR ADDIE H SHE HAS RECENTLY BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER AND HAS GONE THROUGH SURGERY.

AND SO, UM, JUST REMEMBER HER IN IN YOUR PRAYERS.

SHE'S, UH, BOTH KEVIN AND ADDIE HAVE ADDRESSED US ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, UM, AND THEN TO THE MAYOR'S, UH, INITIATIVE TO HAVE GROUPS, UH, ADOPT EACH OF OUR CEMETERIES, UM, FOR REESE ACROSS AMERICA.

AS WE KNOW, THE AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE FOUNDATION HAS ADOPTED GREENWOOD CEMETERY.

UH, THERE IS NOW A, UM, VOLUNTEER, UM, MR. JOHN PICK.

AND MS. ADAM, UH, AMANDA, HIS WIFE, HAVE ADOPTED CEDAR GROVE.

AND SO NOW, UH, THEY ARE ASKING FOR VOLUNTEERS TO SHOW UP AT CEDAR GROVE ON JUNE 15TH FROM EIGHT TO 10.