Aug 13, 2024 Board of Aldermen

NEXT UP IS TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.

HAS THE BOARD HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE AGENDA? ARE THERE ANY CHANGES? IF NOT AN ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MAY.

YES, MA'AM.

THE ITEM NUMBER FIVE ON THE CONSENT.

OH, THAT'S NUMBER THREE.

WHERE YOU ARE? YES, MA'AM.

I'LL WAIT TILL YOU GET TO IT.

UM, WE HAVE A MOTION BY ALDER MCKENZIE TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.

HAVE A SECOND.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

THE AGENDA IS

[4. Request and Petition of Citizens.]

APPROVED.

NEXT IS REQUEST AND PETITION OF CITIZENS.

THANK YOU, MA'AM.

FIRST UP IS HE DIDN'T PUT HIS TITLE, BUT, UH, I'LL REFER TO HIM AS SENATOR BOB BRISSON OF 5,012 LAKE SHORE DRIVE.

FAMILIAR FAITH.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR AND, UH, BOARD, UH, FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK.

I DIDN'T GET THE, UH, OPPORTUNITY TO OFFICIALLY SAY GOODBYE.

THERE WAS A LOT OF LOT GOING ON.

UM, AS YOU KNOW, ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO, I WAS NOMINATED BY THE REPUBLICAN SECOND SENATORIAL DISTRICT, AND THEN A WEEK AFTER THAT, I WAS APPOINTED BY, UH, GOVERNOR ROY COOPER TO FILL THE UNEXPIRED TERM OF OUR SENATOR, JIM PERRY, WHO RESIGNED.

AND SO, UH, SINCE I COULD NOT HOLD TWO OFFICES, SI SIMULTANEOUSLY, UH, I HAD TO RESIGN MY POSITION AS ALDERMAN IN ORDER TO BECOME A SENATOR.

SO, WHILE I REGRET LEAVING YOU WITH A, UH, OPENING ON YOUR BOARD, UH, I'VE BEEN CALLED TO SERVE EVEN MORE, UH, CITIZENS NOW.

AND SO THAT'S WHY I DID THAT.

SO, FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO THANK, UH, GOD FOR THE OPPORTUNITY, UH, THAT HE'S GIVEN ME TO DO THIS.

I WANT TO THANK MY WIFE FOR ALLOWING ME TO DO IT AS WELL.

AND, UM, I ALSO WANT TO THANK THIS BOARD FOR THE ENCOURAGEMENT AND THE DIALOGUE AND THE PRAYERS BOTH BEFORE, WELL BEFORE THIS CAMPAIGN AND, AND DURING IT.

UH, I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU AND THE DESIRE TO SERVE, AND OUR DIVERSE OPINIONS AND OUR WILLINGNESS TO WORK TOGETHER FOR THE BENEFIT OF NEW BERN.

AND I INTEND TO TAKE THIS MENTALITY TO RALEIGH AND BE A NEIGHBOR SERVING NEIGHBORS.

AND SO, WHILE I MAY NO LONGER BE ON THIS BOARD, IT DOES NOT DIMINISH MY WILLINGNESS TO WORK WITH YOU TO KEEP NEW BERN A GREAT PLACE TO WORK IN PLAY.

UH, ALTHOUGH I WON'T BE ON THIS BOARD, I'M STILL A CITIZEN OF NEW BERN.

UH, I HOPE THAT MY DEPARTURE DOES NOT DIMINISH THE MOMENTUM THAT WE WERE STARTING TO BUILD ON PROJECTS AND, UH, THE THINGS THAT WE WERE, UH, BEGINNING TO ACCOMPLISH, EITHER THROUGH THE BIKE AND PADE BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN, UH, PLAN COMMITTEE AND PROGRESS THAT THEY WERE MAKING THE STANLEY WHITE REC CENTER, UH, THE EMPLOYEE PAY PARITY THAT WE WERE WORKING THROUGH.

AND I WAS CERTAINLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THE, UM, FUTURE DISCUSSIONS ON THE REVENUE BONDS SO THAT WE COULD DO EVEN MORE.

AND SO I HOPE THAT, UM, MY VACANCY AND, AND I HOPE THAT THE PERSON THAT YOU APPOINT, UH, TO REPLACE ME WILL CONTINUE, UH, THAT LEGACY, UH, TO MAKE NEW BERN A GREAT PLACE.

AND THEN THANK YOU TO THE CITY MANAGER AND TO THE STAFF.

UH, SO MUCH FOR YOUR HONESTY, YOUR PROFESSIONALISM, YOUR DETERMINATION AND SUPPORT TO THIS BOARD AND TO OUR CITIZENS.

YOU ARE TRULY OUR BEST ASSET.

AND I, I DON'T SAY THOSE WORDS

[00:05:01]

LIGHTLY.

AND SO MAYOR, BOARD, STAFF AND CONSTITUENTS, I KNOW ALL OF YOU STILL HAVE MY PHONE NUMBER, SO PLEASE LET ME KNOW HOW I CAN HELP IN MY NEW ROLE.

AND, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

CONGRATULATIONS.

NEXT UP IS MR. MACKLE OF 52 0 2 TRENT WOODS DRIVE.

LANE, YOU LOOK AT MINE, TOTALLY.

ALL RIGHT.

MY NAME IS MACLE FLIGHT BIKE COP.

UM, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE BOARD FOR ALLOWING ME TO AIR MY PROBLEM CONCERNS.

UH, IN THE PAST I'VE NOTICED AND I COMMEND NEW EMPLOYEES FOR THE COMRADERY AND TEAMWORK TO HAVE KEEPING INFORMED ON THIS ISSUE.

I'VE ALWAYS HEARD NICE GUYS FINISH LAST AND I SORT OF BELIEVE THAT.

SO A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, I FIGURED I WOULD COME HERE AND PLAY IT A LITTLE HARDER, BUT AS TIME WENT ON, I REALIZED THAT WAS NOT IN MY CHARACTER.

SO I TONED IT DOWN, TONED MY WHOLE PRESENTATION DOWN.

BELIEVE ME, I TONED IT DOWN A LOT.

SO I'LL BE AS BRIEF AS POSSIBLE.

FIRST, I'D LIKE TO REMIND YOU WHERE I COME FROM.

ALMOST 50 YEARS AGO, I OPENED A BIKE SHOP IN 1977.

THE FIRST WEEK IN BUSINESS, SOMEONE BROKE IN, WIPED ME OUT, MOST PEOPLE WOULD'VE QUIT.

THEN.

SINCE THEN, I'VE HAD OVER REPORTED TWO BREAKINS.

I DIDN'T, DIDN'T GIVE UP 'CAUSE I HAD TO PROTECT MY INVESTMENT.

I PERSEVERED THEN AND I'D LIKE TO CONTINUE NOW.

I'M HERE TONIGHT TRYING TO PROTECT MY INVESTMENT, AS I WOULD GUESS EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU DO THE SAME.

A COUPLE YEARS AGO, I CAME BEFORE THE BOARD AND REPORTED THE STORM DRAINAGE DITCH NEXT TO MY BUILDING.

FLIGHT BIKE SHOP WAS COLLAPSING DUE TO EXCESSIVE RUNOFF.

THIS DITCH HANDLES WATER RUNOFF ALL THE WAY BACK TO HJ MCDONALD HIGH SCHOOL, HJ MCDONALD SCHOOL, INCLUDING THE SEVERAL RESIDENTIAL AREAS AND HAS ROAD INSIDE OF MY BUILDING.

THE, THE BANK OF MY SIDE OF MY BUILDING, IN FACT, AT THE BACK CORNER WAS EXPOSED, IT EXPOSED MY FOUNDATION, WHICH I PAID CAROLINA FOUNDATION TO PICK ONE SIDE NOTE.

THERE USED TO BE ABOUT EIGHT FEET BETWEEN MY BUILDING AND THE DITCH THAT I KEPT MOWED.

OF COURSE, THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE.

NOW, PICTURE ONE A SHOWS WATER LEVEL DURING THE HEAVY RAIN.

AGAIN, THIS IS DUE TO ALL THE NEW CONSTRUCTION UPSTREAM.

AFTER A YEAR OR SO, THEY ATTEMPTED TO FIX IT.

NOW THE SITUATION IS WORSE THAN BEFORE.

AFTER TAKING ALL THE VEGETATION OUT, FROM WHAT I SAW, AND I WATCHED 80% OF THE WORK BEING DONE, I DID NOT SEE THEM REPACK THE SOIL AS THEY DID ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DITCH.

THEY ALSO INSTALLED ROCK ON THE OTHER SIDE ALL THE WAY UP TO THE TOP AND OVER THE EDGE ON MY SIDE.

THEY ONLY RAN IT UP HALFWAY, NOT ADDRESSING THE MAIN PART THAT WAS ERODED.

SINCE THAT TIME, MY SIDE HAS COLLAPSED EVEN MORE.

IN FACT, IT HAS DROPPED TWO FEET.

ALSO, GRASS AND BUSHES ARE PROTRUDING THROUGH THE ROCK AND I HAVE NO WAY OF CUTTING IT AND I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO CUT IT.

I THOUGHT THE GROUND COVER THEY PUT DOWN BEFORE PUTTING THE ROCK IN WOULD ELIMINATE THE GROWTH.

SO NOW I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU THE JOB THEY DID FROM MY STORMWATER DITCH VERSUS THE JOB THEY DID AT THE SAME TIME.

ON RED ROBIN LANE.

PICTURE ONE SHOWS THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DITCH RIGHT HERE.

PICTURE ONE SHOWS THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DITCH.

NOTICE IT GOES OVER THE TOP EDGE.

IT LOOKS PRETTY GOOD.

PICTURE TWO SHOWS MY SIDE, VERY UNEVEN.

PICTURE THREE AND FOUR, SHOW THE RAIN GUTTER HERE AND HERE.

PIPES LAYING ON THE ROCKS TO EXTEND THE GUTTERS OUT TO THE DITCH.

PICTURE FIVE AFTER A COUPLE MONTHS SHOWS THE SAME PIPE BROKEN OFF BECAUSE THE BANK COLLAPSED.

NOW ONE OF THE GUTTERS OR NONE OF THE GUTTERS WAS SUPPORTED ANYMORE.

THEY'RE JUST HANGING THERE.

PICTURE SIX SHOWS THE GRASS GROWING THROUGH THE ROCKS.

IS IT BECAUSE OF NO GROUND COVER? I DON'T KNOW.

THEY, THAT'S WHERE THAT'S GONNA BE ANSWERED.

WHOOPS.

I'VE DROPPED THE MAIN PART OF THEN MR. FLE, AS, AS ALWAYS, UM, HAPPY TO MEET WITH YOU, UM, STAFF.

AT ANY POINT IN TIME WE CAN MEET ON SITE AND TAKE A LOOK AT IT.

WE WILL FIGURE OUT WHICH ALDERMAN COVERS THIS AREA AS WELL.

AND, UH, WE CAN LOOK AT IT ON SITE AND FINISH THE CONVERSATION IF YOU'D LIKE.

ALRIGHT.

IF YOU GO BACK AND LOOK AT RED ROBIN

[00:10:01]

TWO DIFFERENT JOBS, TOTALLY TWO DIFFERENT JOBS.

I MEAN, I'D LOVE TO SHOW THOSE PICTURES, BUT YES SIR.

IT'S TOTALLY DIFFERENT JOB.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

IT CAN'T BE THIS WAY.

UH, MR. FLIGHT, I CONCUR WITH YOU.

FROM WHAT YOU'RE SHOWING US HERE AND FROM LOOKING AT RED ROBIN, THEY ARE TWO TOTALLY DIFFERENT JOBS.

YES, I, I AGREE WITH YOU ON THAT.

OKAY, NEXT UP IS THE CONSENT AGENDA.

[Consent Agenda (Part 1 of 2)]

IT'S THE BOARD'S PLEASURE.

ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

UM, MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO, UM, MAKE A, IF THE BOARD SO ALLOW, MAKE A CHANGE BECAUSE I SEE WE ARE SAYING HERE, WE'RE GOING TO, UM, CLOSE THE STREETS FOR THE CHRISTMAS PARADE.

AND I REALLY THOUGHT WANTED MORE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE CHRISTMAS PARADE.

I DIDN'T KNOW IF ANY OTHER ALDERMAN WANT TO DISCUSS THE CHRISTMAS PARADE AS THE CITY ACTUALLY SPONSORING IT OF THIS YEAR.

SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO, YOU CAN MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AND PULL ITEM NUMBER FIVE.

AND WE CAN DISCUSS THAT SEPARATELY IF YOU'D LIKE TO DO THAT.

UM, WELL, I, I DON'T WANT TO DO THAT.

IF, CAN I JUST GET THE CONSENSUS OF THE BOARD RIGHT NOW? IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN YES OR NO HAVING THE CITY HAVING A PARADE OR NOT, THEN WE CAN MOVE ON.

I DON'T HAVE TO PULL IT AND DISCUSS IT.

I HAVE NO ISSUE WITH THE CITY DOING THE PARADE.

I HAVE NO ISSUE WITH IT EITHER.

AND I THINK WE SHOULD DO IT.

I HAVE NO ISSUE.

BUT IF IT NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSED, I BELIEVE THIS WAS RAISED IN THE LAST MEETING REGARDING DISCUSSION, DISCUSSING IT.

SO, UH, I'D LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION TO PULL IT FROM THE AGENDA.

I HAVE A MOTION TO PULL ITEM NUMBER FIVE FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? I HAVE A MOTION A SECOND.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

UH, LET'S DISCUSS ITEM NUMBER FIVE AND THEN WE'LL GO BACK TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.

[5. Consider Adopting a Resolution to Close Specific Streets for the 2024 Christmas Parade. (Part 1 of 2)]

MY, MY ONLY, UM, IT, IT'S NOT AN ISSUE BECAUSE I WANT US TO HAVE A CHRISTMAS PARADE.

UM, I THINK IT'S, IT'S, UH, IT'S REALLY A PLUS FOR OUR CITIZENS, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT MR. HUGHES OR OR MS. UH, WARREN DID I, I KNOW YOU DISCUSSED BEFORE THAT, UM, NO ONE CAME FORTH, NO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS OR NONPROFITS OR ANYTHING CAME FORTH TO TAKE ON THIS TASK.

SO MY THING IS, DID YOU RE WHO DID YOU REACH OUT TO? DID Y'ALL REACH OUT TO ANY ORGANIZATIONS OR, SO I'M, I'M GONNA ASK PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR TO COME UP.

SHE HAS BEEN THE ONE THAT'S BEEN WORKING ON THE PARADE PROJECT.

SO GOOD AFTERNOON.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

SO, UM, WE DID NOT REACH OUT TO ANY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS ABOUT DOING IT.

WE TYPICALLY DO NOT RECRUIT ORGANIZATIONS TO CARRY OUT CITY SPONSORED EVENTS.

UM, IF IN THE FUTURE Y'ALL WANT US TO REACH OUT TO PEOPLE, I'D BE MORE THAN GLAD TO DO THAT.

BUT THAT'S NOT SOMETHING WE HAVE TRADITIONALLY DONE.

WELL, NOW I KNOW IT WAS DISCUSSED BEFORE THAT YOU, YOU WERE GONNA REACH OUT TO SOME NONPROFITS AND SEE IF THEY WANT TO COME IN AND HELP JOIN IT TO PUT ON THIS PARADE.

BUT LAST YEAR WE TALKED ABOUT IT WITH A FEW PEOPLE WHO WERE PART OF THE JCS PREVIOUSLY, BUT WE DID NOT REACH OUT TO ANYBODY SPECIFICALLY.

NOT THIS YEAR.

SO, AND IT WASN'T ADVERTISED OR ANYTHING, SO I MEAN, WAS THERE ANY ADVERTISEMENT PUT OUT? NO.

I MEAN, LIKE I SAID, HISTORICALLY THAT'S NOT SOMETHING WE HAVE DONE TO ADVERTISE CITY SPONSORED EVENTS TO HAVE PEOPLE COME IN AND PUT 'EM ON.

SO IF THAT'S DIRECTION GOING FORWARD THAT WE WANT TO RECRUIT PEOPLE TO PUT ON CITY SPONSORED EVENTS, THEN I'LL BE MORE THAN GLAD TO DO THAT.

'CAUSE I WAS JUST THINKING WHY WASN'T IT INCLUDED WITH, UH, MARY BERRY THEY HAD NO INTEREST IN.

BUT THERE AGAIN, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING THERE AGAIN, NO, YOU DIDN'T REACH OUT TO ANYONE, SO, SO HOW DO YOU KNOW IF SOMEONE MIGHT, WOULD HAVE COME FORTH AND WANTED TO PARTICIPATE AND TAKE ON SOME OF THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PARADE? AND DON'T GET ME WRONG, I WANT THE PARADE, BUT I JUST THINK THAT IT SHOULD, WELL CAN I, THIS COME IN AND IT SHOULD, EXCUSE ME, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADVERTISED.

IT SHOULD HAVE GONE IN THE PAPER OR SOMETHING.

UH, CITY, UH, WEBSITE, SOMETHING, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADVERTISED AND JUST TO SEE WHO WOULD HAVE COME FORTH.

JUST LIKE THE JCS TOOK, WAS TAKE SPONSORED AT ALL THOSE YEARS.

THERE MAY BEEN SOME OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, CAN I MAKE THIS COMMENT THAT EVEN IF ANOTHER ORGANIZATION CAME FORWARD AND DID IT, WE WOULD STILL BE DOING THE SAME AMOUNT OF WORK MINUS COORDINATING THE PARTICIPATION.

FROM SPONSORING THIS PARADE 'CAUSE IT'S ON A WEEKEND, YOU HAVE PARTICIPATION, YOU HAVE, UM, PUBLIC WORK.

WELL THEN, NOW SINCE YOU SAID THAT I WANT TO MAKE THIS STATEMENT.

SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT YOU HAVE ENOUGH STAFF THAT STAFF WILL NOT BE OVERWORKED

[00:15:01]

SO I'M ASSUMING IT'S GONNA BE HELPING YOU WITH THIS AND FIRING POLICE.

CORRECT.

IT'S LIKE THEY DO OTHER, UM, CITY SPONSORED EVENTS.

CORRECT.

MY MAIN THING IS THE STAFF, YOUR STAFF THAT YOU HAVE ENOUGH STAFF TO, YOU CAN SUFFICIENTLY PUT ON THIS CHRISTMAS PARADE AND NOBODY IS FEELING LIKE THEY'RE OVERWORKED.

THE SAME NUMBER OF STAFF FOR THIS IS WHAT WE SUPPORT BLACK HISTORY MONTH PARADE WITH AS WELL AS SHRINERS PARADE.

SO IF WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE STAFF WORK TO DO A CHRISTMAS PARADE, THEN WE DON'T NEED TO SUPPORT OTHER PARADES.

NOW, I AIN'T SAYING NOT HAVE 'EM WORK.

I MEAN, YOU HAVE ENOUGH STAFF TO WORK SO THAT NO ONE FEELS LIKE THEY'RE BEING OVERWORKED.

SO FROM PARKS AND RECREATION, LAST YEAR WE USED SIX STAFF FROM PUBLIX WORKS.

WE USED THREE.

AND THEN FROM POLICE WE USED EIGHT AND THEY WORKED FOR FIVE HOURS EACH.

EVEN, EVEN IF WHEN YOU, THE JCS WERE SPONSORING THIS, DID YOU STILL HAVE TO HAVE STAFF INVOLVED? ABSOLUTELY, THEY DID.

THEY COORDINATED IT, BUT WE STILL HAD TO HAVE STAFF ON SITE TO PUT OUT BARRICADES.

WE HAD TO HAVE PD TO LEAD THE PARADE, BLOCK THE INTERSECTIONS, AND THEN PUBLIC WORKS WOULD COME BEHIND AND PICK UP THE BARRICADES AS THE PARADE WENT ON.

CARRIE, REGARDING PARKS AND RECREATION STAFF, HOW DO YOU GET THOSE EMPLOYEES TO, TO, TO, HOW DO YOU SCHEDULE THEM? UM, FOR OUR PARKS AND GROUND STAFF, AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH YEAR, WE PUT OUT THE EVENT SCHEDULE FROM JANUARY TO DECEMBER AND THEY VOLUNTEER FOR THE ONES THEY WANT TO WORK.

SO YOU, YOU MENTIONED THEY VOLUNTEER BUT THEY'RE PAID, CORRECT? YEAH, THEY GET TIME AND A HALF IF THEY GO INTO OVERTIME.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? NO, AS I SAID, I CERTAINLY SUPPORT IT.

I ENJOY THE PARADE.

I THINK IT'S WONDERFUL.

UM, JUST BECAUSE WE BROUGHT IT UP IN THE LAST MEETING, I FELT THAT WE NEEDED DISCUSSION ON IT.

I THINK IT WAS ONE OF THE BEST PARADES THAT WE'VE HAD IN YEARS, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.

LAST YEAR, I THINK CARRIE AND HER STAFF DID A WONDERFUL JOB PUTTING IT ON.

SO, UM, JUST POINT OF ORDER SINCE WE PULLED ITEM NUMBER FIVE.

I WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO EITHER APPROVE OR DENY ITEM NUMBER FIVE AND THEN WE WOULD MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.

MAY I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE CONSIDER A RESOLUTION CLOSING SPECIFIC STREETS FOR THE 2024 CHRISTMAS PARADE AND THANKSGIVING? THANKSGIVING? WE HAVE A SECOND.

SECOND.

ALRIGHT.

UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

NOW WE'RE BACK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

MOTION CARRIES.

[Consent Agenda (Part 2 of 2)]

JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, YOU MENTIONED THANKSGIVING, THAT'S ITEM SIX, THAT'S STILL PART OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.

OH, OKAY.

SO IT WOULD BE SEPARATE.

SO I'LL JUST CUT IT OFF AT THE CHRISTMAS PARADE.

IS THAT CORRECT? YES.

ITEM NUMBER FIVE IS WHAT WE WERE DISCUSSING, SO, AH, OKAY.

SO NOW WE'RE BACK.

UH, CONSENT AGENDA, WHICH IS ITEM SIX THROUGH EIGHT.

WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? MAKE A MOTION, WE APPROVE THE AGENDA.

SECOND, HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN PRILL.

[5. Consider Adopting a Resolution to Close Specific Streets for the 2024 Christmas Parade. (Part 2 of 2)]

AND I WANNA GO BACK, UH, SINCE ITEM NUMBER FIVE IS A RESOLUTION.

WE PROBABLY NEED A, WE DO, UH, ROLL CALL.

VOTE.

SO ARE WE GOOD WITH SIX THROUGH EIGHT? WE ARE.

AND, UH, TOTAL ATTENDANCE FOR THOSE NIGHTS WAS OVER 3,500 PEOPLE.

AND THEN WE'LL GO BACK TO ITEM NUMBER FIVE.

SO ITEM NUMBER FIVE, INSTEAD OF A VOICE VOTE, WE'RE GONNA DO A ROLL CALL VOTE, STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ROYAL, PLEASE.

[9. Update on the Inaugural Season of the New Bern South Paws.]

CARRIES.

NOW WE'RE MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER NINE, UPDATE ON THE INAUGURAL SEASON OF THE NEWBURN SOUTH PAULS.

MR. HUGHES, WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE DAVE RO, UH, TO REPRESENT SOUTH PAULS AND TELL US HOW THE INAUGURAL SEASON WINS TODAY.

PLEASE COME ON.

I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING US OUT HERE.

UM, I'M DAVE AVARO AND THIS IS COACH HUNTER HACKNEY.

HE WAS OUR HEAD COACH FOR THE INAUGURAL SEASON AND WE'LL BE MOVING FORWARD AS WELL.

UM, IT WAS SEVEN MONTHS AGO, I STOOD UP HERE AND WE WERE DISCUSSING WHETHER OR NOT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE LEASE ON CAFA PARK AND WHETHER OR NOT THE SOUTH P WERE GONNA EXIST.

AND SINCE THAT, A LOT HAS HAPPENED AND I'M SUPER THANKFUL TO ALL OF YOU.

UH, FOSTER AND I HAVE HAD MANY COMMUNICATIONS THROUGHOUT MAYOR ODOM, YOU'VE BEEN OUT THERE, A BUNCH OF THE GAMES AND WE'VE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION THROUGHOUT.

BUT WE WANT TO GIVE YOU ALL AN UPDATE OF WHAT HAPPENED THIS SEASON.

UM, IT STARTED OFF WITH, UM, THE END OF MAY, MAY 25TH.

WE HAD OUR OPENING WEEKEND.

WE PLAYED A COUPLE OF GAMES AGAINST SOME AREA HIGH SCHOOL KIDS.

[00:20:01]

UH, BETWEEN THE TWO NIGHTS, UH, PROBABLY CLOSER TO ABOUT 4,000 IF WE ACTUALLY HAD AN EXACT COUNT, UH, THE WAY WE OPERATE AS KIDS UNDER 10 OR IN FREE TO ALL OF OUR GAMES.

AND WE LET THE NEIGHBORHOOD KIDS COME IN, UH, AND HANG OUT WITH OUR BALL PLAYERS AND THE COACHING STAFF THROUGHOUT AS WELL.

SO WE DON'T EVEN COUNT THOSE IN THOSE NUMBERS.

UM, ON MAY 31ST, UH, THAT WAS OUR FIRST OFFICIAL GAME.

MAYOR CAME OUT TO TRY TO THROW A FIRST PITCH, UM, .

LUCKILY THERE'S NO VIDEO OF IT, BUT THERE'S A PICTURE OF HIM STANDING UP THERE.

UH, AND, UH, THAT GOT OUR SEASON STARTED AGAINST LEAGUE PLAY.

SO THAT WAS REALLY EXCITING FOR US.

WE PLAYED AGAINST, UM, THE JACKSONVILLE OSPREY, WHICH IS ANOTHER NEW TEAM IN THE LEAGUE THIS YEAR.

UH, AND WE PLAYED AS OUR ALTERNATE EGO.

UM, WE PLAY, WE PLAY AS THE SOUTH PAWS, UH, LEFT-HANDED BEAR PITCHER.

IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT A SOUTH PAW IS, IT'S A LEFT-HANDED PITCHER.

UM, BUT THOUGH ON FRIDAY NIGHTS, WE ALSO PLAYED AS THE NEW BERN NIGHTCAPS IN HONOR OF THE PIRATE TRADITIONS HERE IN NEW BERN.

AND WE DIDN'T WANT TO DIRECTLY DRAW FROM ECU.

SO WE, WE ARE THE NIGHTCAPS ON EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT HOME GAME.

UM, DURING THE FIRST COUPLE OF WEEKS, WE HAD OUR PLAYERS THAT WERE NEW TO THE AREA COMING FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, AND COACH HACKNEY CAN TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.

UH, WE GOT THEM OUTTA THE COMMUNITY RIGHT AWAY.

UH, BEFORE OUR FIRST GAME, THEY WERE OUT HELPING OUT WITH SPECIAL NEEDS BASEBALL ON OUR VERY FIRST NIGHT.

WE ACTUALLY HONORED THE SPECIAL NEEDS BASEBALL PROGRAM AND THEY WERE A HUGE PART OF WHAT WE DID THROUGHOUT THE SEASON.

WE EVEN DID AN AUTISM AWARENESS NIGHT, WHICH IS WHAT THIS HAT IS ALL ABOUT.

RAISED A THOUSAND DOLLARS TO HELP WITH SPECIAL NEEDS BASEBALL IN OUR COMMUNITY.

UH, WE HAD, THEY, THEY HELPED US OUT WITH POST-GAME MEALS, UM, AND WE HAD A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM THROUGHOUT.

WE HAD OUR PLAYERS OUT AT KIRKMAN'S FARM, MET GETTING TO KNOW THE PEOPLE OF COVE CITY AS WELL.

UH, ON THE SECOND WEEKEND THEY WERE OUT HERE.

THEY WERE WORKING A FARM EVENT, UH, FRIENDS AND FAMILY FARM EVENT OVER THERE.

UM, AND THEN WHEN I WAS UP HERE TALKING WITH YOU GUYS LAST TIME I WAS HERE, I TALKED ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.

THAT WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART.

AND THE COMMUNITY SHOWED UP FOR US, WHETHER IT WAS THE POST-GAME MEALS, HAVING DIFFERENT BUSINESSES, THE FOOD TRUCKS, LOCAL FOOD TRUCKS, TRUCKS, UH, HELPING US OUT.

BROAD STREET TAKEOUT WAS A HUGE HELP WITH US FIGURING OUT HOW TO RUN FOOD TRUCKS AT THE, THE PARK.

UM, THEY WERE A GREAT PART OF WHAT WE WERE DOING.

UM, AND, UH, ON JUNE 20TH, ONE OF OUR PLAYERS FROM CHICAGO DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE FIELD FOR US AND FOUND OUT THAT JUNE 20TH WAS THE DATE IN 1971 THAT STANLEY WHITE ACTUALLY PASSED AWAY ON THAT FIELD AT CAER PARK, GETTING IT READY FOR A GAME THAT EVENING.

SO WE DID A JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION ON JUNE 20TH THIS YEAR, AND IT WAS ONE OF OUR MOST ATTENDED GAMES OF THE SEASON, UH, AS WELL.

SO WE'VE DECIDED THAT'S GONNA BE A BIG PART OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.

WE'RE WORKING WITH BILLY MOORE, UM, UH, AND IN GETTING THAT GOING EVERY SINGLE YEAR AS PART OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.

UM, BUT AGAIN, ALL OF THIS WAS POSSIBLE BECAUSE THE CITY MANAGER AND I STAYED IN CLOSE COMMUNICATION THROUGHOUT, UH, MAYOR ODEN.

I TALKED, UH, QUITE A BIT.

A FEW OF YOU GUYS WERE ABLE TO COME OUT, YOU KNOW, TO SOME OF THE GAMES THROUGHOUT AS WELL.

WE WORKED WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, UM, TEAM STARTED OFF SLOWLY ON THE FIELD.

WE STILL HAD FANS COMING IN, BUT THE TEAM WAS NOT OFF TO A GOOD START.

FIRST HALF DIDN'T GO WELL FOR US, UH, TURNED THINGS AROUND AND WE ACTUALLY NOT ONLY WON THE SECOND HALF, BUT WE FINISHED THE SEASON WITH THE BEST RECORD IN OUR DIVISION IN OUR FIRST YEAR IN EXISTENCE.

WE GOT A LATE START IN RECRUITING.

WE DID NOT HAVE AS MUCH TIME AS THE OTHER TEAMS HAD TO RECRUIT.

USUALLY YOU GET ABOUT A YEAR.

WE ACTUALLY JUST GOT OUR FIRST PLAYER FOR NEXT YEAR ALREADY.

AND SO WE GOT A VERY LATE START.

BUT THESE GUYS BOUGHT INTO THE COMMUNITY OF NEW BERN.

UM, WE HAVE ONE PLAYER WHOSE FAMILY IS ACTUALLY GONNA BE MOVING TO NEW BERN AS PART OF THIS EXPERIENCE AS WELL.

WE'RE STARTING TO LOOK FOR HOMES FULL OF THEM, UM, IN THE NEW BERN AREA, SO THAT'S NICE TO BE A REALTOR AS WELL.

SO I'M ABLE TO HELP OUT WITH THAT.

UM, OVERALL ATTENDANCE.

WE WERE SHOOTING FOR 20,000.

WE GOT 10,000 ON THE FIRST HALF OF THE SEASON, SO I WAS HOPING TO GRAB ANOTHER 10,000.

RAIN STARTED HITTING US IN JULY, WHICH, AND IT HASN'T STOPPED SINCE THEN.

SO WE PROBABLY FINISHED WITH ABOUT 15 TO 17,000 PEOPLE AND WE LOST ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE HOME GAMES IN THE PROCESS.

SO I THINK WE WOULD'VE BEEN ABLE TO HIT THAT 20,000 MARK, UM, AS A WAY, AND IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW, TODAY IS ACTUALLY NATIONAL SOUTH PAW DAY.

SO APPRECIATE YOU GUYS HAVING US OUT HERE FOR THIS BECAUSE IT IS A DAY TO RECOGNIZE LEFT-HANDERS ACROSS THE WORLD.

AND SO, UH, WE'RE REALLY, REALLY HAPPY TO BE PART OF THIS.

AND COACH HACKNEY, IF YOU WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PLAYERS OR JUST WHERE THEY CAME FROM.

WE, UH, WE RECRUITED PLAYERS FROM ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

UM, AND THEY, THEY, THEY ENJOYED BEING, BEING IN NEWBURGH.

THEY ENJOYED THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT THAT WE HAD.

I REMEMBER SECOND HALF OF THE SECOND HALF OF THE SEASON, IT WAS A TUESDAY NIGHT AND WE HAD TO PUSH A GAME START BACK TO SIX 30.

AND, UH, WE HAD ABOUT, I'D SAY FOUR OR 500 PEOPLE THERE JUST WATCHING US WARM UP.

AND WE ENDED UP WITH A THOUSAND PEOPLE TOTAL THAT NIGHT.

AND, UM, THE KIDS JUST THOROUGHLY ENJOYED IT.

I THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE PROBABLY AT LEAST 50% OF THOSE KIDS COME BACK AND PLAY JUST BECAUSE THEY ENJOYED BEING IN NEWBURN AND ENJOYED THE FAN SUPPORT.

THEY ENJOYED ALL THE KIDS AFTER GAMES, UM, BEFORE GAMES.

THEY ENJOYED THE, THE CAMPS THAT WE RAN IN, IN THE COMMUNITY.

AND THEY, UH, THEY JUST ALL AROUND HAD A GREAT TIME.

AND I TELL EVERYBODY IT WAS THE BE PROBABLY THE BEST

[00:25:01]

SUMMER OF MY LIFE.

SO I, I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS APPROVING IT AND I APPRECIATE DAVE WORKING THROUGH EVERYTHING AND MAKING MY PART, JUST HANDLING THE PLAYERS IN THE FIELD.

AND THE PLAYERS HAD THEIR FAMILIES COME AS WELL.

SO THEY STAYED IN THE LOCAL, UH, HOTELS.

THEY ATE AT THE LOCAL RESTAURANTS.

IT WAS NOT JUST THESE COLLEGE KIDS BEING PART OF THE COMMUNITY.

THEIR FAMILIES CAME AND WOULD SPEND WEEK, TWO WEEKS, SOMETIMES SOME, UH, SOME OF 'EM SPENT THE WHOLE SUMMER HERE.

UM, SO WE HAD PLAYERS THAT WERE LOCAL, PLAYED AT NEW BERN HIGH HIGH SCHOOL, WEST CRAVEN HIGH SCHOOL, BUT WE ALSO, AND HE COACHES OVER AT WEST CRAVEN HIGH SCHOOL AT WEST CRAVEN PRODUCT.

UM, BUT WE HAD PLAYERS, LIKE YOU SAID, FROM TEXAS, CALIFORNIA.

WE HAD INTERNS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AS WELL, FROM D ONE SCHOOLS ALL THE WAY DOWN TO SMALL COMMUNITY COLLEGES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, ASK A QUESTION AGAIN.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU BRING TO OUR CITY.

I KNOW THAT INITIALLY WHEN WE BEGIN THIS DISCUSSION WITH YOU REGARDING, UH, THE CAER PARK, WE TALKED ABOUT CITIZENS AND THEIR CONCERNS WITH BALLS FLYING OVER.

WE TALKED ABOUT THE PARKING.

DID YOU, UH, ENCOUNTER ANY OF THOSE SITUATIONS DURING THAT TIME? WE HAD LOTS OF SUGGESTIONS FROM FANS.

THE ONLY COMPLAINT WE HAD WAS THAT WE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH MERCHANDISE TO SELL TO THE FANS.

, NO ONE COMPLAINED.

WE HAD A COUPLE OF CARS HIT BY FOUL BALLS.

NO ONE COMPLAINED ABOUT THAT.

WE HAD NO ISSUES WITH PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT PARKING.

THEY REALLY LIKED THE PARKING SITUATION.

IF YOU WANT TO PARK CLOSE, IT WAS AT YOUR RISK.

IF YOU WANTED TO PARK FAR AWAY, THERE WAS ENOUGH DISTANCE, UH, IT WAS CLOSE ENOUGH THAT YOU COULD STILL WALK TO THE PARK.

UM, DIDN'T HAVE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF HANDICAPPED PARKING AS WELL.

UH, IT, THERE WERE LITERALLY NO COMPLAINTS AT ALL OTHER THAN THE MERCHANDISE ISSUE.

WE SOLD OUT THE SECOND WEEKEND, WE EXISTED AND IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO GET STUFF FAST ENOUGH TO GET BACK OUT THERE.

THE SEASON'S ONLY ABOUT TWO MONTHS LONG.

PLAYERS PLAY ABOUT 50, 55 GAMES IN ABOUT 60 DAYS.

SO IT WAS JUST, IT WAS A REALLY QUICK TURNAROUND FOR US.

BUT NOW THE, THE LOGISTICS OF HOW THAT ALL WORKED, NO COMPLAINTS AT ALL.

WE HAD STUFF TO LEARN FROM IT.

UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE NOTICED KIDS WERE, WE'VE GOTTA DO A BETTER JOB SECURING OUR PERIMETER BECAUSE KIDS WERE RUNNING IN THE STREET TO GET SOME FOUL BALLS.

SO WE FOUND WAYS TO POLICE THAT AND CONTROL THAT.

UM, AND WE JUST ADAPTED AS WE WENT ALONG.

BUT AGAIN, NO COMPLAINTS AT ALL.

YOU BROUGHT UP A VERY GOOD, UM, SUGGESTION.

YOU SAID PARK, IF YOU PARK CLOSE, YOU PARK AT YOUR OWN RISK, THAT TYPE THING.

DO YOU HAVE THAT DISCLAIMER POSTED? UM, NO, WE DON'T, BUT THAT'S A GOOD IDEA FOR US TO DO THAT.

BUT IT IS A, UM, INDUSTRY STANDARD.

UH, IT IS A, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE LEGAL TERM WOULD BE FOR IT, BUT IT, IT'S AN ASSUMED RISK THAT, THAT YOU TAKE PARKING NEAR A BALL FIELD AT ALL TIMES, WHETHER IT'S REC FIELDS OR, OR PROFESSIONAL FIELDS.

UM, IT'S THE SAME THING.

WE DON'T HAVE SIGNS LIKE THAT OUT AT CREEKSIDE OR OUT AT, UM, WEST NEWBURN REC CENTER.

SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT COME TO MIND, BUT IT WOULDN'T TAKE MUCH FOR US TO GET ASSIGNED MADE AND PUT THAT UP.

ABSOLUTELY.

WELL, AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU BROUGHT TO OUR CITY.

THANK YOU ALL.

UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY GAMES I ATTENDED.

I ATTENDED QUITE A FEW.

AND, UM, THAT FIRST, THAT FIRST ONE THAT I ATTEMPTED TO THROW THE PITCH OUT.

SO THANKS FOR REMINDING EVERYBODY THAT ONE JUST ATTEMPTED AS THE RIGHT WORD.

I, I MADE SOME COMMENTS AND I JUST ASKED THE COMMUNITY TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THIS AND DON'T LET IT BE A, YOU KNOW, A A ONE HIT WONDER.

'CAUSE THAT FIRST WEEKEND WAS GREAT.

ALL THE HIGH SCHOOL FAMILIES WERE THERE TO WATCH THEIR PLAYERS.

BUT, YOU KNOW, HUNTER MENTIONED, UM, THAT TUESDAY NIGHT, IT WAS ACTUALLY A NIGHT THAT WE HAD A BOARD MEETING AND WE GOT THROUGH FAIRLY EARLY, MAYBE EARLIER THAN WHAT WE GOT THROUGH TONIGHT.

UH, BUT WHEN I LEFT HERE, I RODE BY THERE AND I, I CALLED YOU THE NEXT DAY.

I SAID, WHAT IN THE WORLD WAS GOING ON? BECAUSE IT WAS JUST PACKED FOR TUESDAY NIGHT.

THAT WAS MY CONCERN IS DURING THE WEEKNIGHT, HOW WAS THE ATTENDANCE GONNA BE? BUT, YOU KNOW, NEWBURN DID WHAT NEWBURN DOES.

YEAH, I THINK OUR AVERAGE, UH, BASED ON THE NUMBERS THAT FOSTER HAD GIVEN US WAS SOMEWHERE AROUND SEVEN TO 800 PEOPLE A NIGHT.

THAT NIGHT.

YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, WE WERE WELL OVER A THOUSAND, UH, WE GOT CORPORATIONS INVOLVED.

SO THAT NIGHT IN PARTICULAR WAS KELLER WILLIAMS CORPORATE NIGHT.

THEY, THEY HONORED THEIR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS TO COME OUT.

UM, WE HAD, UH, CRAVEN COMMUNITY COLLEGE, UM, IN INTERNATIONAL PAPER.

DIFFERENT CORPORATIONS WOULD COME OUT AND, UH, FARM BUREAU WAS ANOTHER ONE AND DO SPECIFIC EVENTS AT THE PARK.

AND SO WE TIED THOSE INTO THE WEEKNIGHTS TO MAKE WEEKNIGHTS JUST AS POPULAR AS THE WEEKENDS.

UH, THERE REALLY WASN'T MUCH A HUGE, MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE.

AND HE WILL TELL YOU OUR ATTENDANCE NUMBERS VERSUS WHEN WE WOULD GO ON THE ROAD.

UH, IT IT, IT WAS A BIG, BIG DIFFERENCE.

AND THE PLAYERS FED OFF OF THAT.

ONE.

ONE LAST THING, IF YOU COULD JUST MAYBE SHARE WITH EVERYBODY WHAT SOME OF THE THINGS YOU'RE WORKING ON FOR THE OFF SEASON AND SOME OF THE OTHER LOCAL PLACES IT'S GONNA BE UTILIZING THE FIELD.

YEAH, SURE.

ABSOLUTELY.

UH, SO THE FIELD IS GONNA BE IN USE NEARLY YEAR ROUND.

SO RIGHT NOW THE MEN'S LEAGUE, THE EAST CAROLINA, UM, ADULT BASEBALL LEAGUE IS PLAYING OUT THERE OR THEY'RE TRYING TO, BUT EVERY DAY THEY TRY TO PLAN THEIR MORE RAIN COMES.

SO THEY'RE USING THE FIELD FOR FREE.

UM, WE'RE SUPPLYING THEM THE, THE FIELD.

UM, AND YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY'RE, THEY'RE DOING THAT.

AND THEN IN THE SPRING, EPIPHANY BASEBALL WILL BE USING THE FIELD FOR FREE AS WELL.

THEY GAVE US BUSES

[00:30:01]

FOR TRANSPORTATION.

SO WE ARE GIVING THEM THE FIELD USE, UH, DURING THE SPRING.

SO THAT'S GONNA BE A REAL GOOD FEEDER INTO OUR SEASON.

AND THEN THERE'S TALK ABOUT PAMLICO HIGH SCHOOL, POSSIBLY HAVING TO USE IT BECAUSE THEY'RE BUILDING THEIR NEW SCHOOL SO THEY DON'T HAVE A FIELD OUT IN PAMLICO.

SO WE MIGHT BE WORKING WITH THAT.

MY SON PLAYS OUT THERE, SO THAT'S A POSSIBILITY.

PLAYING IT AROUND THE EPIPHANY SET SCHEDULE AS WELL.

UM, AND THEN IN THE FUTURE, UH, I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE LEAGUE OWNERSHIP.

THEY ARE TRYING TO BE MORE HANDS OFF AND GIVE MORE TO US TO HANDLE LOCALLY.

'CAUSE EVERY COMMUNITY IS DIFFERENT AND NEW BERN IS DIFFERENT THAN MOST, UH, THE WAY WE OPERATE AND THE WAY, UH, OUR, YOU KNOW, CITIZENS EXIST.

YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY FROM OUT OF TOWN AND EVERYTHING.

SO THEY'RE ALLOWING US A LOT MORE OWNERSHIP IN WHAT'S GOING ON.

AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, WE'RE GONNA TRY AND DO OTHER THINGS LIKE OTHER TOURNAMENTS, BASEBALL WISE, BUT MAYBE DOING CONCERTS OR MOVIES IN THE PARK OR THINGS LIKE THAT, UH, AS WELL.

SO WE'VE GOT A LOT OF, A LOT OF IDEAS, BUT IT'S JUST GONNA BE A QUESTION OF GETTING, WE HAD TO GET THROUGH THIS FIRST SEASON AND NOW WE'LL PUT INTO PLAY WHAT ELSE WE'LL DO IN THE OFF SEASONS, BUT WE'LL KEEP IT IN USE YEAR ROUND.

ANYTHING ELSE? ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.

NEXT UP IS ITEM NUMBER 10.

[10. Conduct a Public Hearing and Consider Adopting an Ordinance to Rezone 201 South Glenburnie Road from C- 4 Neighborhood Business District to I- 1 Industrial.]

CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDER DIVING AN ORDINANCE TO REZONE 2 0 1 SOUTH GLEN BURNIE ROAD FROM THREE FOUR NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS DISTRICT TO IOWA INDUSTRIAL.

MR. GOFF EVENING MAYOR, BOARD OF ALDERMAN.

HOW ARE Y'ALL DOING TONIGHT? GOOD.

VERY GOOD.

GOOD.

SO OUR FIRST ITEM IS, UH, THE REZONING FOR 2 0 1 SOUTH GLEN BURNIE ROAD.

THE APPLICANT IS SEAN CORCORAN AND THE OWNER IS CORCORAN LC AND AGAIN, ITS LOCATION IS OFF OF SOUTH GLEN BURNIE ROAD.

IT'S CURRENTLY ZONED C FOUR, WHICH IS COMMERCIAL.

AND THE PROPOSED ZONING IS I ONE, WHICH IS INDUSTRIAL, AND THE PROPERTY IS ABOUT 0.85 ACRES.

SO THIS VICINITY MAP SHOWS ITS LOCATION, IT'S RIGHT ADJACENT TO THE INTERSECTION OF SOUTH GLEN BURNIE AND WENDY HILLS COURT.

UH, THIS PHOTO JUST NOTES THAT WE DID POST A SIGN PER LEGAL REQUIREMENTS AND IT WAS POSTED ON JULY 9TH AND THE MAILED NOTICE WAS SENT TO EVERY, UH, PROPERTY OWNER WITHIN A HUNDRED FEET OF THAT PROPERTY.

AND AS A SUMMARY FOR THE COMMERCIAL ZONING DISTRICT C FOUR, IT'S BEEN ESTABLISHED FOR THE PRINCIPAL USES TO PROVIDE RETAILING OF GOODS AND SERVICES, MOSTLY TO NEIGHBORHOOD AREAS.

AND THE SUMMARY FOR THE I ONE ZONING DISTRICT, IT'S, IT'S MOSTLY MEANT FOR INDUSTRIAL USES SUCH AS MANUFACTURING, UH, AS WELL AS WHOLESALING ACTIVITIES.

BUT THERE ARE CERTAIN USES THAT DON'T FALL INTO THAT CATEGORY THAT ARE ALLOWED.

THIS USE COMPARISON TABLE SHOWS ALL USES IN BOTH DISTRICTS THAT ARE PERMITTED BY RIGHT AS WELL AS SOME THAT ARE PERMITTED BY SPECIAL USE.

IF IT'S NOT ON THIS TABLE, IT'S LIKELY NOT PERMITTED.

SOME UNIQUE DIFFERENCES, UH, BETWEEN THE I ONE AND THE C FOUR ZONING DISTRICT WOULD BE USES SUCH AS STORAGE YARDS FOR EQUIPMENT, EITHER RENTING OR JUST PLAIN STORAGE.

AND THIS ZONING MAP SHOWS THE ZONING AROUND THE PROPERTY.

EVERYTHING IN GRAY TO THE EAST, SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST ARE ALL ALREADY ZONED I ONE.

AND ACROSS THE STREET YOU'LL SEE SOME TRACES OF C FOUR AND THEN THE R 10 ZONING DISTRICT AS WELL AS THE R SIX ZONING DISTRICT, WHICH BOTH OF THOSE ARE RESIDENTIAL.

AND THIS FUTURE LAND USE MAP SHOWS THAT THIS PROPERTY IS IDENTIFIED AS DEVELOPED.

AND THAT CATEGORY, UH, MOSTLY PERTAINS TO HOW DENSE THIS AREA ALREADY IS AND HOW, UH, HOW IT'S GOING TO BE DEVELOPED IN THE FUTURE.

WE PROJECT THAT THIS WILL BE A MORE DENSE AREA, UH, FOR COMMERCIAL USES AS WELL AS HIGHER DENSITY RESIDENTIAL.

AND THIS AREA IMAGERY SHOWS THE CONDITIONS ON SITE.

IT IS A VACANT PROPERTY AND ACROSS THE STREET YOU CAN SEE SOME MULTI-FAMILY DEVELOPMENT.

UH, TO THE NORTHEAST YOU'LL SEE A CONVENIENCE STORE AS WELL AS SOME OTHER BUSINESSES OFF TO THE EAST AND SOUTHWEST.

AND AGAIN, THESE PHOTOS JUST SHOW THOSE EXISTING CONDITIONS ON SITE.

SOME CONSIDERATIONS FOR THIS PROPOSAL IS THAT THE, UH, AT THE JUNE 20TH PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD MEETING, THEY RECOMMENDED APPROVAL OF THIS UNANIMOUSLY.

UH, THEY BASE THIS RECOMMENDATION, UH, ON THE CONSISTENCY WITH THE CITY'S LAND USE PLAN AND THE 2022 LAND USE PLAN UPDATE.

UH, AND AGAIN, THE PROPERTY IS ADJACENT TO SEVERAL PROPERTIES THAT ARE ZONED TO I ONE, IT IS ALSO ADJACENT TO PROPERTY ZONE RESIDENTIAL AND C3.

AND IF THE BOARD HAS ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.

ANY QUESTIONS BOARD, WHEN THE APPLICATION WAS UM, PRESENTED OR THE REQUEST WAS PRESENTED TO PLANNING AND ZONING, DID THE APPLICANT, UM, MAKE MENTION OF WHAT, UM, THEY INTEND TO, UM, BUILD ON THE PROPERTY? A AS FAR AS INTENTS, HE UH, MENTIONED STORAGE.

HE INTENDS TO EXPAND UPON HIS CURRENT EXISTING BUSINESS, WHICH STORES EQUIPMENT.

[00:35:04]

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY, AT THIS TIME I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM NUMBER 10.

IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THE PROJECT, PLEASE COME FORWARD.

UH, GOOD EVENING.

EVENING.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

UM, MY NAME'S CHERYL SAWYER.

I OWN THE PROPERTY AT 34 15 OAKS ROAD.

UH, I'M NOT AGAINST REZONING IT.

THE ONLY CONCERN I'VE GOT IS THE AMOUNT OF WATER THAT'S COMING ON MY PROPERTY SINCE IT WAS, THEY WERE HAULED IN SO MANY LOADS OF DIRT TO RAISE THAT PROPERTY.

AND IT SEEMS LIKE THE WATER'S BEEN GOING ON MY BACK PART OF MY PROPERTY.

I CALLED 'EM A COUPLE YEARS AGO, ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, AND THEY SAID THEY'RE GOING PUT A RETENTION PUMP, BUT, UH, SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE.

EITHER A DITCH OR RETENTION POND NEEDS TO BE, UH, ADDED TO THIS PROPERTY.

I GOT A PICTURE HERE.

UH, I TOOK IT LAST THURSDAY AND WE'VE HAD A LOT MORE RAIN SINCE LAST THURSDAY.

UM, ANYWAY, YOU CAN SEE IT.

UM, UM, COLLEEN WOULD HAVE TO CUT THE MACHINE ON, BUT I WILL TELL YOU, AND AND STAFF CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT IF THERE'S ANY DEVELOPMENT THAT'S DONE ON THAT, THEY WILL HAVE TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO HANDLE THE STORMWATER RUNOFF.

SO IT'S ALL CURRENTLY PERVIOUS SURFACE NOW, SO IF THEY ADD ANY IMPERVIOUS SURFACE, THAT'S GONNA HAVE TO BE ACCOUNTED FOR IN THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.

OKAY, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE.

YES, SIR.

UM, LIKE I SAY, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING AGAINST, UH, REZONING IT.

ANYONE ELSE? THERE'S NO ONE ELSE.

I MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

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

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.

SO THE BOARD, WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? ON ITEM NUMBER 10, MAY I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADOPT AN ORDINANCE TO REZONE 2 0 1 SOUTHLAND BURN ROAD FROM C FOUR NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS DISTRICT TO I ONE INDUSTRIAL SECOND? I HAVE A MOTION A SECOND.

CHIEF GALLAGHER, WELCOME BACK.

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

[11. Consider Adopting a Memorandum of Understanding with the Jacksonville Police Department for Use of the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network.]

ON.

ITEM NUMBER 11, CONSIDER DOCUMENT A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE JACKSONVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR USE OF THE NATIONAL INTEGRATED BALLISTIC INFORMATION NETWORK.

WE WENT OUT, SPOKE WITH THE CHIEF IN JACKSONVILLE AND SOME OF THEIR LEADERSHIP, UH, THEY UNDERSTOOD OUR PROBLEMS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE SEEKING THE SAME SOLUTIONS AND WE CAME UP WITH A SOLUTION.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

GOOD FEEDBACK.

I WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED WHEN I GOT BACK.

IT WAS RAINING .

UM, I'M VERY EXCITED TO BE HERE TODAY TO, UH, PRESENT AN OPPORTUNITY THAT THE NEW BERN POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS SOUGHT FOR THE PAST THREE AND A HALF YEARS TO HAVE ACCESS TO A FULLY FUNCTIONAL IVAN SYSTEM.

AND THEN THE MEMORANDUM I PROVIDED FOR YOU HAS, UH, SOME INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT IVAN ACTUALLY IS AT A CRIME SCENE.

WE ARE ABLE TO COLLECT FINGERPRINTS AND USE THAT FINGERPRINT INFORMATION, RUN IT THROUGH A NATIONAL DATABASE CALLED APHIS, AND ARE ABLE TO IDENTIFY WHO OWNS THAT FINGERPRINT.

IF IT'S IN THE SYSTEM, IF WE'RE ABLE TO COLLECT DNA, WE'RE ALLOWED, WE ARE CAPABLE OF RUNNING THAT THROUGH A NATIONAL DATABASE SYSTEM, UM, CALLED CODIS.

AND IF SOMEBODY IS IN THAT DATABASE, WE CAN IDENTIFY WHO THEY ARE RELATIVELY QUICKLY.

WHAT WE WERE NOT ABLE TO DO IS UTILIZE THE NATIONAL DATABASE, UH, THROUGH , UM, IN AN EFFICIENT MANNER.

WE WOULD COLLECT A BALLISTIC EVIDENCE AND WE WOULD HAVE TO SEND THAT OFF TO THE STATE LAB.

AND WE ARE SUBJECT TO THEIR PROCEDURES AND THEIR BACKLOG.

AND BY THE TIME WE RETRIEVED THE INFORMATION NECESSARY TO MAKE OUR CASES, UM, THAT, THAT EVIDENTIARY INFORMATION OFTENTIMES DOES NOT PROVIDE US WITH, WITH THE, THE LEVERAGE TO SOLVE SOME OF THESE CASES.

AND BALLISTIC TERMINOLOGY, IF I COULD USE AN ANALOGY, IT'S LIKE MILK.

THE SHELF LIFE OF THAT GOES BAD PRETTY QUICKLY.

UM, SO PART OF THE SOLUTION TO TRYING TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF, OF THE TAXPAYER DOLLARS IS WE SOUGHT OUT GRANTS TO GIVE US THIS OPPORTUNITY.

AND THE SAME GRANT THAT JACKSONVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS AWARDED WAS THE SAME ONE THAT THE NEW BERN POLICE DEPARTMENT SOUGHT OUT.

SO ALTHOUGH IF WE WERE VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THE FACT THAT WE DID NOT GET THAT GRANT, I WAS ABLE TO, UM, TAKE SOME OF MY STAFF.

[00:40:01]

UH, JACKSONVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL GIVE US UNFETTERED ACCESS TO THEIR EQUIPMENT JUST AS IF IT WAS OUR EQUIPMENT ON A WEEKLY SCHEDULE BASIS.

OUR STAFF WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MAINTAINING OF ALL THE BALLISTIC EVIDENCE, RUNNING IT THROUGH THE PROCESS AND UPLOADING INTO THEIR SYSTEM JUST AS IF THAT EVIDENCE OR JUST AS IF THAT, UH, NIGHT SYSTEM WAS IN OUR OWN FACILITY.

WE ALSO HAVE, UH, OPPORTUNITIES FOR, UH, ACCESS UNDER, UM, EXIGENT CIRCUMSTANCES.

UM, THIS IS A WIN-WIN FOR US.

UM, WE ARE GOING TO FOLLOW THE NECESSARY PROCEDURES OUTLINED BY THE A TF.

WE WILL SEND TWO OF OUR STAFF TO THE NATIONAL TRAINING FACILITY IN, UM, HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA, GET THEM CERTIFIED, AND WE WILL HAVE, UM, ACCESS TO THIS VERY IMPORTANT, UH, UH, UH, EQUIPMENT AND WE BELIEVE WILL BE FAR MORE, UH, EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE IN SOLVING SOME OF OUR GUN RELATED VIOLENCE.

AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE, BUT WE HAVE QUESTIONS.

IF THERE'S NO DISCUSSION, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE JACKSONVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR THE USE OF THE NATIONAL INTEGRATED BALLISTIC INFORMATION NETWORK.

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

LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDER MCKENZIE.

[Items 12 & 13]

THANK THE NEXT TWO ITEMS. YEAH, YOU DO.

AND I'VE GOT A NOTE THAT WE CAN COMBINE 12 AND 13 IF WE WOULD LIKE.

SO I'LL READ 'EM BOTH.

UH, NUMBER 12 IS CONSIDERED ADOPTING A RESOLUTION APPRO, A GRANT FROM NORTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR'S HIGHWAY SAFETY PROGRAM FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT LIAISON.

AND ITEM NUMBER 13 IS CONSIDERED ADOPTING A RESOLUTION APPROVING A GRANT FROM THE NORTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR'S HIGHWAY SAFETY PROGRAM FOR OVERTIME.

CHIEF, ONCE AGAIN, WE HAVE ACCESS TO $55,000, UH, OF GRANT FUNDING TO ASSIST US IN OUR EFFORTS TO COMBAT, UM, RECKLESS DRIVING AND OTHER DRIVING, UH, UH, VIOLATIONS.

UH, THIS IS THE SAME GRANT THAT, UH, WE HAVE SOUGHT AND RECEIVED FOR, FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.

UH, WE'VE BEEN VERY GOOD STEWARDS OF THE UTILIZATION OF THOSE GRANT FUNDINGS AND I ASK THAT YOU APPROVE, UH, ONCE AGAIN, UH, BOTH GRANTS TO ALLOW US TO, UH, MEET OUR MISSION, UM, AND TO SAVE THE TAXPAYER, UH, THAT 55,000 BUCKS.

PLEASURE OF THE BOARD.

ON ITEM NUMBER 12 AND 13, MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE, UM, TWO ITEMS. FIRST BEING APPROVING A GRANT FROM THE NORTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR'S HIGHWAY SAFETY PROGRAM FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT LIAISON AND SECOND APPROVING A GRANT FROM THE NORTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR'S HIGHWAY SAFETY PROGRAM FOR OVERTIME.

SECOND, HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

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

ALDERMAN KENZIE? YES.

MAYOR ODOM.

ITEM NUMBER 14, ACCEPTANCE OF THE TAX COLLECTOR'S ANNUAL STATEMENT SETTLEMENT FOR TAX YEAR 2023.

THOSE MOTIONS CARRIED.

THANK YOU CHIEF.

CHIEF.

CHIEF BEFORE YOU LEAVE, CAN I, QUICK QUESTION.

UM, THIS MORNING, UM, AROUND 6 36 45, DID THE DEPARTMENT RECEIVE, UM, NOTICE OF A SHOT POSSIBLE SHOT BEING FIRED IN THE RIVERSIDE AREA? UH, YES WE DID.

UH, THAT SHOT WAS FIRED BY ONE OF OUR POLICE OFFICERS TO EUTHANIZE A DEER.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

OKAY,

[14. Acceptance of Tax Collector' s Annual Settlement for Tax Year 2023.]

MS. OSTROM, THE NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL STATUTES REQUIRES THE TAX COLLECTOR TO ANNUALLY SUBMIT THE TAX SETTLEMENT REPORT TO THE GOVERNING BOARD.

THE REPORT INCLUDES THE TOTAL LEVY RELEASES, WRITE-OFFS AND DELINQUENCIES.

THE CRAVEN COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR HAS PROVIDED THE 2023 TAX SETTLEMENT AS OF JUNE 30TH, 2024, REPORTING A 99.39% COLLECTION RATE TOTALING $17,041,715 AND 20 CENTS COLLECTED, AND $106,473 AND 32 CENTS AND DELINQUENT.

AND THE MUNICIPAL SERVICE DISTRICT COLLECTION RATE OF 99.91% TOTALING $215,213 AND 25 CENTS COLLECTED AND $215 AND 55 CENTS

[00:45:01]

DELINQUENT IS REQUESTED THAT THE BOARD MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE SETTLEMENT REPORTS, WHICH WILL BE ENTERED INTO THE MINUTES.

DOES BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? UH, YES I DO.

UM, MS. OSTRO? MM-HMM.

, I I SEE YOU HAVE THE DELINQUENT TAXES HERE.

UM, IS UM, AT THIS POINT, AND, AND THAT'S NOT THE QUESTION I WANT TO ASK YOU.

THE MOTOR V HELPFUL? MM-HMM.

UHHUH.

I KNOW CRAVEN COUNTY DOESN'T COLLECT MOTOR VEHICLES ANYMORE.

SO YOU GET THAT INFORMATION FROM THE STATE, CORRECT.

FROM NC DEPARTMENT? CORRECT.

SO I, I THOUGHT MAYBE THAT WOULD'VE BE INCLUDED HERE.

DOES, CAN YOU PROVIDE TO ME, OR YOU KNOW, THIS BOARD WHAT AMOUNT OF MOTOR VEHICLE TAXES HAVE BEEN COLLECTED? SURE.

WE'LL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT WHEN WE GET OUR FINAL SETTLEMENT, WHICH IS USUALLY, UM, I'M TALKING ABOUT FOR THE END OF JUNE.

WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED ALL OF THAT YET.

YOU HAVEN'T RECEIVED THAT YET FROM, OKAY.

ALRIGHT.

SO THAT YOU WILL PROVIDE THAT TO US.

I JUST WANTED TO KNOW WHAT, WHAT AMOUNT OF, UM, TAXES, MOTOR VEHICLE TAXES WERE COLLECTED.

AND ANOTHER QUESTION.

UM, THE DELINQUENCY.

, UM, I KNOW FOR 2020 THROUGH 2022 DELINQUENT TAXES, UM, AND NOW WE HAVE 2023 DELINQUENT TAXES WILL BE ADDED ON TO THAT.

UM, HAVE YOU OR YOUR STAFF OR ANYONE WHOM, WHOMEVER BALANCES YOUR TAXES WITHIN YOUR DEPARTMENT, DO YOU HAVE A, UH, SPREADSHEET OR THAT DATA WHERE YOU CAN PROVIDE TO, TO ME THE BOARD OF HOW MUCH OF THOSE DELINQUENT TAXES HAVE BEEN COLLECTED? YEAH, WE CAN PROVIDE THAT TO YOU.

IS THAT, IS THAT, UM, INFORMATION IS SUPPLIED TO YOU MONTHLY THROUGH THE COUNTY OR HOW IS IT THE DELINQUENT TAX TAXES COLLECTED? SO, UM, I DON'T THINK THAT WE HAVE THAT BROKEN OUT BY YEAR, BUT WE CAN GET THAT.

SO WE KNOW HOW MUCH WE COLLECTED IN DELINQUENT, DELINQUENT TAXES, BUT I'M NOT QUITE SURE THAT IT INDICATES THAT WE TRACK WHICH YEAR IT IS NECESSARILY.

THAT'S DONE BY THE COUNTY.

SO I, BUT I CAN JUST PULL THAT INFORMATION AND GET THAT TO YOU.

AND, AND THE REASON WHY I'M QUESTIONING THIS IS, UM, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WITH 2023 TAXES ON, UH, ADDED TO THAT, WE, YOU'RE LOOKING AT LIKE $459,000 OF UNCOLLECTED TAXES.

SO I JUST WANTED TO KNOW WHAT AMOUNT OF THOSE YEARS FROM 2020 TO SURE.

UP TO 23, 23 HAVE BEEN COLLECTED.

AND REASON WHY, BECAUSE THAT IS TAX REVENUE THAT IS OWED TO THIS CITY AND AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME THOSE TAXES WILL BE WRITTEN OFF.

SO THAT'S REVENUE THAT WE WILL HAVE WRITTEN OFF.

AND THAT WAS MY QUESTION.

THAT WAS, I, I WANTED TO KNOW.

HAVE YOU AND THE, HAVE YOU OR YOUR STAFF OR ANYBODY EVEN DISCUSSED DELINQUENCY TAXES WITH THE COUNTY AND HOW THEY PLAN ON WHAT REMEDIES THEY HAVE FOR COLLECTION OR IT'S, I CAN REACH OUT TO THE NEW TAX COLLECTOR AND HAVE THAT DISCUSSION? NO, I'VE NOT RECENTLY HAD A DISCUSSION WITH THEM, BUT WE'LL DO THAT.

I'M, UH, I'M CERTAINLY NOT THE EXPERT HERE, BUT WHEN, WHEN DOES THE LIEN PROCESS KICK IN? IF SOMEONE DOESN'T PAY TAXES LIEN, THE LIENS ARE VALID TO THE END OF THE WORLD BY STATUTE AFTER 10 YEARS.

, UM, THE TAXPAYER HAS A DEFENSE NOT TO PAY IT.

UM, IT'S BEEN MY EXPERIENCE THOUGH THAT, UM, THOSE THAT THAT END UP PAST 10 YEARS ARE, ARE, ARE PROPERTIES THAT MIGHT BE GENERATING 10, $15 A YEAR IN TAXES AND THE COST OF ENFORCEMENT GREATLY EXCEEDS THE MONEY TO COLLECT EVEN, EVEN IF YOU FORECLOSED AND GOT THE PROPERTY BACK.

SO THE, SO THE 400 AND SOME THOUSAND DOLLARS THAT, THAT ARM AND BEST MENTIONED THERE WOULD BE LIENS ATTACHED TO THOSE PROPERTIES? CORRECT.

THE TAX DIDN'T EXIST UNTIL THE END OF THE WORLD.

ANY OTHER, AND, AND, AND I I HAVE TO MAKE A CORRECTION, UM, ATTORNEY DAVIS, SOME OF THOSE TAXES ARE MORE THAN $15.

OH, YES MA'AM.

, THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT YEAH, I I WAS SUGGESTING THAT A PORTION OF THAT GIANT NUMBER ARE VERY SMALL AMOUNTS THAT ARE NOT COST EFFECTIVE.

IF THEY'RE COST EFFECTIVE, THEY ARE PURSUED THROUGH TAX FORECLOSURE, MEANING THAT YOU WILL LOSE YOUR PROPERTY IF YOU DON'T PAY YOUR TAX.

I JUST, I JUST FEEL THAT CRAVEN COUNTY, THERE'S A LOT OF REMEDIES THERE THAT THEY CAN UTILIZE FOR COLLECTION OF TAXES.

A LOT OF MONEY, UM, FOR FOUR YEARS.

ABSOLUTELY.

AND I JUST THINK THAT'S

[00:50:01]

THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY.

AND I JUST THINK, UH, , DERMAN, BES, I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP BECAUSE I THINK THE BOARD SHOULD BE MADE AWARE THAT THE UH, COUNTY THAT HAS BEEN DOING OUR TAX COLLECTION, UM, I GUESS SINCE SHE RETIRED, UH, HAS BEEN DOING THAT UNDER AGREEMENT FOR A 1% FEE.

UH, WE GOT NOTICE RECENTLY THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE INCREASING THAT FEE TO 1.5% AND TWO, THEY'VE GIVEN US A TWO YEAR NOTICE.

SO WE INCLUDED THAT IN THE WEEKLY REPORT, UM, THAT FIRST WEEK IN JULY FOR THE BOARD.

SO IT, IT MAY BE SOMETHING, THE REASON I THINK THE TWO YEARS IS IN THERE IS BECAUSE THAT GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY IF WE WANTED TO LOOK AT AN, AN ALTERNATIVE METHOD OF COLLECTING TAXES.

NOW KEEP IN MIND THAT 1% IS BASED OFF OF THE TAX REVENUE THAT IS BILLED AND THAT PROCESS AND OBVIOUSLY THERE WAS A, A REEVALUATION THAT WAS DONE.

SO THINGS HAVE GROWN.

UH, THEY'RE TAKING IN MORE MONEY.

I THINK WHEN WE FIRST STARTED THAT AGREEMENT, IT WAS A LOT LESS, IT WAS STILL 1%, BUT IT WAS A LOT LESS THAN WHAT IT'S COSTING US NOW.

UM, I BELIEVE THAT NOTICE HAS GONE OUT TO ALL OF THE TOWNS AND MUNICIPALITIES WITHIN THE COUNTY.

AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THIS STATEMENT.

UM, 'CAUSE IT'S A, IT'S A FACTUAL STATEMENT THAT THE COUNTY, WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE SENDING OUT JOINT BILLS FOR MUNICIPALITIES AND TOWNSHIPS WHEN THEY SEND THE COUNTY BILL OUT, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY DO IT FOR US OR WE DO IT SEPARATELY.

SO I, I DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND THE LOGIC IN INCREASING THAT FEE.

UM, BUT AT LEAST WE HAVE TWO YEARS THAT WE CAN LOOK AT SOME ALTERNATIVES IF STAFF, YOU KNOW, DECIDES THAT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD DO.

ATTORNEY DAVIS, I'VE BEEN OUT OF THE TAX FOR A PERIOD OF TIME AND I KNOW THERE'S CHANGES THAT ALL ALWAYS OCCUR, BUT UM, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, UM, WITH THE TAX, WITH THE COUNTY AND UH, THE COLLECTION OF TA OF TAXES FOR THE CITY, UM, IS REQUIRED BY LAW THAT A BILL WILL BE SENT TO CUSTOMERS.

STILL THE TAXPAYERS STILL THE RULE.

I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YES MA'AM.

LEGISLATURE CHANGE ALL THE TIME AND I KNOW WHAT KIND OF CHANGES HAVE COME INTO EFFECT.

UM, AND CURRENTLY WHAT AMOUNT, KIM, ARE WE PAYING THESE, THE COUNTY RIGHT NOW, ISN'T IT 200 AND SOME THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR TAX COLLECTION? YEAH, SO WE BUDGETED 190,000 AND WE PAID 175,000.

THIS, UM, 23 TAX COSTS FOR 20.

YEP.

175,300.

AND THEN IF YOU, IF WE WERE TO DO THE 1.5% AS IT CALCULATED AS IT IS THIS YEAR, THEN IT WOULD BE $87,650 MORE.

SO THERE'D BE 200 AND YEAH, TWO SOME THOUSAND DOLLARS.

YEP.

AND IF WE GO BASED ON BUDGETED, THEN WE'RE LOOKING AT, 'CAUSE THE VALUES WILL CHANGE, RIGHT? SO IF YOU JUST DO, BASED ON BUDGETED, YOU'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT 285,002 WHAT 285,000 WOULD BE THE RIGHT.

I THINK IT'S STARTING TO GET TO THAT POINT WHERE I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH BENEFIT THERE IS TO DOING THIS AGREEMENT, BUT WE'VE GOT TIME TO TALK ABOUT THAT LATER.

THERE IS STUFF IN LEGISLATION RIGHT NOW THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR GOING OUT AND PUTTING NOTICES ON THE PROPERTY WHEN, UM, FOR THE LIEN.

SO I MEAN THERE'S ADDED COST THERE TOO.

WHAT DO YOU, WHAT DO YOU MEAN? WHAT ARE YOU SAYING? PUTTING NOTICES ON? SO APPARENTLY IT WOULD BE OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO PUT THE NOTICE POST THE NOTICE ON THE PROPERTY FOR FORECLOSURES.

FOR FORECLOSURES? YEAH.

LEMME JUST ADD TO THAT.

MS. KIM, WHEN YOU SEND OUT THAT INFORMATION TO THE BOARD, WOULD YOU INCLUDE THOSE NUMBERS THAT YOU JUST QUOTED? THE 1% AND THE ONE AND A HALF PERCENT PLEASE.

ANYTHING ELSE ON ITEM NUMBER 14? IF NOT, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE ANNUAL STATEMENT.

SO MOVE SECOND.

HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

[Items 15 & 16]

ON TO ITEM NUMBER 15.

LOOKS LIKE, UH, WE CAN ALSO COMBINE 15 AND 16.

SO NUMBER 15 IS TO CONSIDER ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT FUND.

AND NUMBER 16 IS CONSIDERED ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE RESILIENCY AND HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN PROJECT FUND MS. OSMAN.

THIS FUNDING PROVIDES $200,000 FOR THE DUFFY FIELD CANAL PLANNING AND PROJECT SCOPING AND 17,500 FOR GRANT MANAGEMENT COSTS.

SO NUMBER 15, THAT ORDINANCE AMENDS THAT PROJECT FUND TO RECOGNIZE A $250,000 GOLDEN LEAF GRANT FOR ELIZABETH AVENUE DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS AND $150,000, UM, FOR A NORTH CAROLINA LAND AND WATER GRANT FOR THE DUFFY FIELD STORMWATER ENHANCEMENT PROJECT.

THERE ARE NO MATCHING FUNDS THAT ARE REQUIRED FOR EITHER OF THOSE GRANTS.

UM, FOR NUMBER 16, THE ORDINANCE AMENDS THE RESILIENCY AND HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN GRANT PROJECT FUND TO RECOGNIZE A BUILDING RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE AND COMMUNITIES ALSO KNOWN AS BRICK GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF 217,500.

[00:55:01]

A MATCH OF $150,000 WAS PROVIDED AND ALREADY AWARDED BY THE NORTH CAROLINA ATTORNEY GENERAL.

UM, FOR THE SMITHFIELD ENVIRONMENTAL ENHANCEMENT GRANT, IT'S REQUESTED THAT THE BOARD ADOPT THESE BUDGET AMENDMENTS AS PRESENTED BEFORE YOU BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS? YES.

UM, GEORGE, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW AT WHAT AREAS THIS, UM, DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT, IF YOU DON'T MIND COMING UP.

PLEASE, SIR.

NOT AT ALL.

THE $250,000 GRANT FOR THE ELIZABETH AVENUE DRAINAGE, IS THAT THE ONE THAT'S ACTUALLY FOR WHERE I KNOW ALDERMAN KENZIE, CORRECT.

AREA IN MY AREA OR THERE TOGETHER? IS THAT THAT PARTICULAR AREA? UH, NO MA'AM.

IT'S NOT THE RAILROAD TRACK.

IT'S ACTUALLY ONE THAT'S, UM, GOING INTO DIRT INTO THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.

UM, ON THE OTHER SIDE OF RACE TRACK, IT WAS IDENTIFIED IN A PRIOR DRAINAGE STUDY OF ELIZABETH AVENUE OKAY.

NEEDING TO BE UPSIZED.

WELL, SINCE YOU MENTIONED IT, HAS THERE ANY BEEN ANY OTHER TALKS ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR AREA FOR AS THE RAILROAD IS CONCERN WHERE HIS, HIS , WE ACTUALLY, WE ACTUALLY PUT IN THE REQUEST TO GOLDEN LEAF AT THAT GRANT APPLICATION THAT CULVERT, UM, WE DID NOT RECEIVE RED FUNDING THIS CYCLE FOR THAT.

WE DID RECEIVE ELIZABETH AVENUE THOUGH.

SO I'M ASSUMING YOU WILL APPLY.

WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE.

THE BOARD ON ITEM 15 AND 16, MAY I MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT FUND AND MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE RESILIENCY AND HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN GRANT PROJECT FUND.

SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION.

HEARING NUN MUST HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN BEST? ALDERMAN BEST, YES.

ALDERMAN KENZIE? YES.

MAYOR O? YES.

MOTION CARRIES.

ITEM

[17. Consider Adopting a Budget Ordinance Amendment for FY2025.]

NUMBER 17.

CONSIDER ADOPTING A BUDGET ORDINANCE AMENDMENT FOR FY 2025.

MS. O, THIS AMENDMENT APPROPRIATES $70,000 FROM THE GENERAL FUND'S FUND BALANCE TO COVER THE COST OF INCREASED PROPERTY EQUIPMENT LIABILITY AND VEHICLE INSURANCE PREMIUMS. THE ELECTRIC FUND IS AMENDED BY $600,000 IN MAKE READY BROADBAND ANTICIPATE EXPENSES AND REVENUES.

THE GRANTS FUND IS AMENDED TO RECOGNIZE THREE POLICE GRANT AWARDS TOTALING 62,500, THE NORTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR'S HIGHWAY SAFETY PROGRAM, UM, PRESENTED IN AGENDA ITEMS 12 AND 13 FOR THE LAW ENFORCEMENT LIAISON GRANT AND THE AMOUNT OF $30,000 IN 25,000 FOR THE OVERTIME GRANT AND FROM THE US POLICE CANINE ASSOCIATION FOR THE A KC REUNITE 2020 4K NINE GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF 7,500.

AND IT IS ALSO AMENDED TO REDUCE VARIOUS PARKS AND RECREATION AND POLICE GRANT BUDGETS BY 35,541, ADJUSTING THE BUDGETS TO ACTUAL BASED ON REIMBURSED EXPENSES.

IT IS REQUESTED THAT THE BOARD ADOPT THIS BUDGET AMENDMENT AS PRESENTED BEFORE YOU, THE BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS? I DO.

UM, KIM? YES.

WHY? WHY DID WE, WHY IS OUR INSURANCE GONE $70,000? I MEAN THAT, OTHER THAN THE OBVIOUS, BUT I WOULD'VE THOUGHT THAT WE'D HAVE HAD, IS THAT NOT LIKE A UNDER A CONTRACT FOR A YEAR OR SOMETHING? WE DIDN'T HAVE THE FINAL, UM, QUOTE IN ON TIME.

SO BASED ON WHAT WE BUDGETED AND THE DISCUSSION WITH THE, UM, WITH THE AGENT, WE WERE JUST SHORT BY THE $70,000 FROM WHAT THEY ACTUALLY CAME IN.

WE DO NOT GET THE ACTUAL PREMIUM NUMBER UNTIL THE LAST 30 DAYS BEFORE RENEWAL.

WE DID OUR BEST GUESS DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS.

JU JUST HAD KIND OF A FOLLOW UP QUESTION TO THAT.

UM, IS, IS THE REASON THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE THE QUOTE, UM, DURING THE, OUR BUDGET DELIBERATION IS THAT THE POLICY YEAR DOES NOT COINCIDE WITH OUR BUDGET PROCESS.

UM, GEORGE, COULD YOU TELL US WHEN THE POLICY EXPIRES? WE, WHEN WE DEAL WITH THE UNDERWRITERS, UM, WE LET THEM KNOW WHEN OUR BUDGET TIME PERIOD IS, AND THEY ALWAYS TRY TO GIVE US THE BEST GUESSTIMATE.

BUT LIKE KIM SAID, UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN THEY FINISHED LOOKING AND DOING THEIR EVALUATIONS THIS YEAR, UH, AT THE PROPERTIES, ESPECIALLY STANLEY WHITE, THE NEW PROPERTIES WE ADDED THAT, THAT ESTIMATE CAME IN HIGHER THAN EXPECTED.

BUT GEORGE, WHAT IS OUR, OUR PERIOD? THAT, THAT'S CORRECT.

AND, AND WE RUN THE, OUR INSURANCE RUNS WITH OUR FISCAL YEAR.

SO IT, IT TERMINATES WHEN OUR YEAR TRANSITIONS, UNFORTUNATELY,

[01:00:01]

SO THEY GIVE US THEIR BEST ESTIMATE.

THEN UNDERWRITERS PROVIDE US WITH THE ACTUAL PREMIUM THAT, THAT THEY'RE GONNA APPLY.

SO ARE YOU SAYING THAT WHEN WE ADDED THE NEW BUILDING STANDING WHITE ON, THAT'S WHEN THE INSURANCE WENT UP? UH, STANLEY WHITE'S GOT A LITTLE BIT TO DO WITH IT.

IT'S JUST THEY GAVE US A BROAD RANGE OF EXPECTATION WITH PROPERTY INSURANCE THIS YEAR BEING SUCH A BIG ISSUE.

YOU KNOW, THE BEST WE CAN DO IS ON OUR SIDE IS ESTIMATE THE, UM, AGENT ESTIMATES WHAT THEY THINK THE UNDERWRITER'S GONNA COME BACK WITH.

AND WE USE THOSE TO PROJECT A BUDGETED NUMBER.

AND THEN WITHIN THE LAST 30 DAYS, AFTER WE PRESENTED BUDGETS TO YOU, WE GET THE ACTUAL PREMIUM.

THAT'S GONNA BE THE, THE INVOICE.

SO THERE'LL BE, THERE'LL BE A DISCREPANCY OF, OF WHAT WE'RE ESTIMATING, WHAT AGENTS PROVIDED, AND THEN WHAT IS ACTUALLY PREMIUM.

I'D LIKE TO SAY WE CAN GET IT RIGHT WHEN I BRING YOU THE BUDGET IN DECEMBER, BUT A LOT CHANGES IN FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS WHEN WE START DOING WHAT YOU TALKING.

I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT DURING THIS PAST BUDGET PROCESS, WE DID REACH OUT TO THE NORTH CAROLINA LEAGUE OF MUNICIPALITIES FOR THEIR INSURANCE POOL TO GIVE US A QUOTE.

UM, AFTER THEY LOOKED AT ALL OF OUR ASSETS, THEY WOULD NOT GIVE US A QUOTE BASED ON OUR PRICE THAT WE CURRENTLY PAY FOR OUR INSURANCE.

ANY MORE QUESTIONS? IT'S THE PLEASURES BOARD ON ITEM NUMBER 17, HONOR, I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE HAD DOCK A BUDGET ORDINANCE AMENDMENT FOR FY 2025.

SECOND.

HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND.

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

ALDERMAN PRILL.

ALDERMAN MEMORIAL? YES.

ALDERMAN ASER.

ALDERMAN KENZIE? YES.

ALDERMAN BEST? YES.

MAYOR ODOM? YES.

MOTION CARRIES.

[18. Appointment(s).]

NEXT UP IS APPOINTMENTS.

UH, ALDER MCKENZIE, I'M SURE YOU HAVE ONE FOR THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS.

I DO.

DO YOU HAVE SOMEONE FOR THAT? YES.

BRENDA.

I DON'T WANT MISS THIS GUY'S NAME UP, HIS LAST NAME UP.

UM, ACTUALLY THE ONE THAT YOU WERE GONNA MAKE IS NOT FOR THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT.

IT WAS FOR H-P-C-H-P-C-H-P-C.

MARK WANER REPOINT HIM.

MARK WALNER.

DID I SAY THAT CORRECTLY? CLOSE ENOUGH.

OKAY, SO WE HAVE A MOTION FOR MR. MARK WANER FOR THE HPC.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.

HAVE A SECOND.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

HE IS HEREBY APPOINTED.

UH, DO YOU HAVE ONE FOR BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT? HONOR MCKENZIE? NO, SIR.

UM, BOARD, IT LOOKS LIKE, UH, CLERK DON'T WE HAVE STILL ONE FOR THE POLICE CIVIL SERVICE BOARD? I THINK I REMEMBER SEEING THAT WE MADE AN APPOINTMENT, BUT THAT GENTLEMAN WAS INELIGIBLE.

THAT'S CORRECT.

DO WE HAVE ANY APPLICANTS FOR THAT? WE DO NOT.

UM, DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY OTHER APPOINTMENTS? IS THAT APPOINTED BY ANY BOARD MEMBER? YES.

THE CIVIL SERVICE COMPANY? YES.

IT'S, AND IT'S, I THINK THE ONLY RESTRICTION IS THEY LIVE WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS AND JUST, IT'S NOT WARD SPECIFIC, SO.

ANY OTHER APPOINTMENTS FROM ANYONE? NO.

MOVE ON TO ATTORNEY'S REPORT.

[19. Attorney's Report]

NOTHING IMPORTANT TONIGHT.

[20. City Manager's Report.]

MAYOR, CITY MANAGER'S REPORT A FEW THINGS TO UPDATE YOU ON.

SO, UM, TROUBLE STORM DEBBIE, UH, THROUGH SATURDAY, UH, AT SOME PARTS OF THE CITY RECEIVED ANYWHERE FROM SEVEN TO 12 INCHES OF RAIN.

UH, THE TRADITIONAL AREAS OF, OF, OF LOW LINE PROPERTY IN TERMS OF ROADS FLOODED AS WE EXPECTED, BUT WE WERE FORTUNATE THAT MAJORITY OF THOSE ROADS CLEARED WITHIN AN HOUR.

WE HAD A FEW OUTLIERS FROM THAT.

ON SUNDAY, THERE WAS A THREE INCH RAIN IN TO BURNA THAT, THAT THREE INCHES CAME WITHIN AN HOUR.

ALSO, ON MONDAY, THEY RECEIVED ANOTHER INCH AND A HALF OF RAIN WITHIN AN HOUR.

AND SO WE SAW SOME FLOOD ON OLD AIRPORT ROAD AND, UH, ON A COUPLE OF STREETS IN TO BURNHAM.

UH, IN MOST INSTANCES THERE, THE STREETS, UH, DRAINED OFF WITHIN AN HOUR AS WELL.

I WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS AND STAFF FOR THE STORM PREP AND ALSO THANKS TO PUBLIC WORKS WHO WAS OUT THERE SUNDAY EVENING AND MONDAY AFTERNOON AND INTO THE EVENING TO, TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES IN TO BURNA.

UM, I'VE TALKED TO ALDERMAN, UH, BEST AND ALDERMAN ROYAL ABOUT SOME OTHER CONCERNS, UH, THAT THEY HAVE, UH, BEEN MADE AWARE OF IN, IN THEIR AREAS.

AND IF YOU ARE AWARE OF ANY OTHER FLOODING ISSUES THAT, THAT WE HAVEN'T ADDRESSED, PLEASE LET US KNOW.

UH, THE NEXT THING WE'VE GOT FOR YOU IS TOMORROW NIGHT, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14TH, UH, THE LAND USE ORDINANCE, UH, PUBLIC FORUM WILL BE HELD AT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES STARTING AT 6:30 PM CODE WRIGHT WILL BE MAKING A PRESENTATION FOLLOWING THE PRESENTATION.

THERE WILL BE A OPPORTUNITY

[01:05:01]

FOR Q AND A SESSION AND TO PROVIDE ANY INPUT THAT THE CITIZENS MAY LIKE, UH, TO PROVIDE.

UH, THERE WILL ALSO BE A, A, UH, A MEETING FOR DEVELOPERS COMING UP IN, IN NOVEMBER.

AND SO THAT WE'LL BE REACHING OUT TO DEVELOPERS TO GET THEIR COMMENTS ON, ON THIS PROCESS AS WELL.

THIS IS REALLY JUST THE START OF THIS.

IT'S GONNA TAKE A YEAR TO A YEAR AND A HALF TO FULLY IMPLEMENT THIS.

UM, SO IT WILL BE A TIMELY PROCESS.

UM, THE CLERK HAD REACHED OUT ABOUT A POTENTIAL WORK SESSION FOR WEDNESDAY, FOR, FOR TUESDAY, AUGUST 27TH.

THAT, UH, I DON'T THINK WE RECEIVED A CONSENSUS ON THIS.

SO WE STILL HAVE THAT OUT THERE AND, AND WE REALLY NEED TO HAVE A WORK SESSION TO DISCUSS, UH, PROJECTS FOR PROPOSED BOND REFERENDUM AND ALSO DISCUSS AN UPCOMING ELECTRICITY RIDER.

SO WE'VE GOT THAT, BUT AN ANOTHER WORK SESSION, UH, THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT.

UH, AND WE'RE RECOMMENDING TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10TH, THAT'S THE DAY OF OUR FIRST MEETING IN SEPTEMBER AT 2:00 PM FOR OUR WORK SESSION TO BRING CODE RIGHT IN TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON WHERE THINGS STAND WITH THE LAND USE ORDINANCE.

AND THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE DO THIS AND, AND, AND, AND WE'RE STRONGLY ENCOURAGING THAT YOU ADOPT IT FOR THIS DAY.

UM, THEY'RE GONNA BE IN TOWN THIS DAY.

THEY'RE GONNA DO BE DOING PUBLIC INPUT SESSIONS AS WELL.

BUT THE BOARD REALLY NEEDS TO, UM, PROVIDE THEIR INPUT FOR THIS.

AND IT'S GONNA BE VERY DETAILED.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THE THREE HOUR SESSION.

SO WE REALLY NEED TO CONSIDER THE SEPTEMBER 10TH DATE FOR THE WORK SESSION IF THE AUGUST 27TH IS NOT GONNA WORK FOR THE BOARD, BUT WE'D LIKE TO LOOK AT AT LEAST, UM, THE SECOND MEETING OR SOME, SOME OTHER TIME IN SEPTEMBER FOR THAT FOLLOW UP MEETING.

THE BOARD'S THOUGHTS ON THOSE TWO QUESTIONS? I I HAVE A QUESTION.

FOSTER, WHY ARE WE WAITING SO LONG TO INVOLVE THE DEVELOPERS? UM, I MEAN, THE ONES, WHAT THEY'RE READING AND, AND ONE THAT HAS CONTACTED ME THINKS THAT WE'RE WELL IN, IN, INTO IT AND INTO THE, THE CODE REWRITE.

AND THEY, THEY HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL NOVEMBER TO, TO BE INVOLVED.

I, I KNOW THAT THEY HAVE A TIMELINE FOR, FOR CODE WRIGHT DOES, FOR HOW THEY'RE GONNA IMPLEMENT THIS.

AND, UM, WHEN I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH THE DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES EARLIER THIS WEEK TO, TO INQUIRE ABOUT SOME TIMELINES FOR THIS, THAT THEY SAID THAT THAT IS JUST WHEN IT REGULARLY FALL, UH, WAS TO FALL.

AND AGAIN, THIS PROCESS IS GONNA BE UP TO A YEAR AND A HALF TO IMPLEMENT THIS.

SO THERE REALLY ARE AT THE START OF THIS, UM, I'M LOOKING FORWARD, I'M GOING TO THE MEETING TOMORROW NIGHT TO FIND OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT THEY'VE BEEN DISCUSSING.

UM, SO I, I DON'T THINK THEY'RE BEING LEFT OUT OF IT, BUT THEY ARE BEING INCLUDED IN THE PROCESS AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME.

AND OF COURSE, DEVELOPERS ARE WELCOME TO COME TO HEAR WHAT, WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY AT THESE MEETINGS ALSO.

SO ARE THEY GOING TO ANNOUNCE SOME OF THE RECOMMENDED CODE CHANGES AT THIS MEETING? YES, THEY ARE.

BIG, BIG PICTURE.

YEAH, WE'RE, WE'RE 30,000 FEET AND OVER A YEAR AND A HALF WE NARROW IT DOWN TO THE PRECISE SENTENCES.

BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE JUST IMAGINING AND STRUCTURING HOW IT'S GONNA LOOK AND THIS SO THAT THERE ARE NOW ISSUES THAT ONE CAN EITHER SUPPORT OR NOT SUPPORT AS OPPOSED TO, AND YOU DON'T THINK THE DEVELOPERS WOULD NEED TO BE INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS? UM, YES.

UM, BUT BUT AGAIN, WE'RE TRYING TO ESTABLISH SOMETHING FOR THEM TO EVEN TALK ABOUT AS OPPOSED TO SAYING, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE? OKAY.

WHAT, WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS SAYING, HERE ARE THE CURRENT BEST PRACTICES ACROSS THE STATE.

GIVE US YOUR FEEDBACK, HOW WE CAN, DO YOU LIKE IT, NOT LIKE IT.

WHAT CAN WE DO WITH THIS? OKAY, THAT'S AN EASIER DISCUSSION.

I THINK IT'S A MORE EFFICIENT DISCUSSION, BUT I THINK AS CITY MANAGER SAID, WE ARE, WE'RE A YEAR AND A HALF FROM THIS.

SO THE, THE CAKE IS JUST STARTING TO BE BAKED.

UM, AND UM, AND THEN TOMORROW NIGHT WILL BE A GOOD INTRODUCTION AT 30,000 FEET, HERE'S YOUR ENTIRE CODE AND HERE ARE SOME CONCEPTS TO START GETTING OUR MINDS AROUND BIG PICTURE CHANGES.

SO MR. HUGHES, YOU'RE SUGGESTING A WORK SESSION AT TWO O'CLOCK ON SEPTEMBER THE 10TH? YES, SIR.

HOW DOES THE BOARD FEEL ABOUT THAT? UH, THAT'S THE SAME, THAT'S THE CLOCK.

THAT'S THE SAME DAYS ON OUR FIRST MEETING IN SEPTEMBER? YES.

SEPTEMBER.

UM, APPROXIMATELY HOW MUCH TIME, THREE HOURS IS WHAT IS, WHAT CODE WRIGHT IS ASKING FOR.

AND SO WE'D LIKE TO DO FROM TWO TO FIVE.

AND SO IF WE HAVE TO GO OVER A LITTLE BIT, WE'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF A CUSHION BEFORE OUR MEETING.

I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT.

I'M AVAILABLE.

I'M TOO, JUST KEEP THE AGENDA LOCKED THAT DAY.

, YOU SAID HE WON'T BE HERE.

MEETING ON SEPTEMBER THE 10TH AT 2:00 PM AT CITY HALL TO DISCUSS THE LAND USE ORDINANCE UPDATE? SO MOVED SECOND.

SO, UH, COULD I GET A MOTION TO CALL FOR A SPECIAL

[01:10:01]

HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AND YOU BUT I, I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD.

I DO AGREE WITH ALDERMAN.

ASKED HER ABOUT THAT SIX O'CLOCK MEETING NOW.

CAN YOU MAKE A MOTION THAT WE'RE DEFINITELY ? WE WILL CERTAINLY LOOK AND SEE WHAT COMES UP AT THAT AND UH, YES, WE CAN LOOK AT THAT.

THANK YOU SIR.

AND WE WILL AND REVISIT THE OTHER WORKSHOP.

WE'LL HAVE THE CLERK REACH BACK OUT ON SOME OTHER POTENTIAL DATES, UM, IN, IN SEPTEMBER, UH, FOR THE FOLLOW UP MEETING FOR THE, UM, BOND REFERENDUM AND ELECTRICITY'S RIDER.

AND THE FINAL THING I HAVE IS, UH, AT THE SPECIAL MEETING THAT THE BOARD HAD, UH, UH, FRIDAY A WEEK AGO, EIGHT DAYS AGO OR UH, 10 DAYS AGO REGARDING THE, UH, VACANCY WITH, UM, WARD SIX, UM, NEWS MEDIA STARTED PICKING UP ON THAT STORY ON ACTUALLY AUGUST 2ND.

UM, CITY SENT PRESS RELEASES OUT AND UPDATED SOCIAL MEDIA AND WEBSITES ON THAT MONDAY THE FIFTH TO DATE, WE HAVE RECEIVED TWO LETTERS OF INTEREST.

THE CLERK SENT THOSE LETTERS OUT TO YOU TODAY AND THAT'S CURRENTLY WHERE WE STAND WITH, WITH INFORMATION ON THAT.

SPEAKING OF THAT, I THINK IT'S PROBABLY, WE'VE DISCUSSED THE PROCESS OF SENDING IN A LETTER AND A RESUME, BUT WE DIDN'T SET A DEADLINE DATE.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO SET A DEADLINE DATE FOR AUGUST THE 23RD, WHICH WOULD GIVE THE CLERK TIME TO SEND US AN EMAIL AND WE CAN REVIEW 'EM BEFORE AT OUR MEETING THAT FOLLOWING TUESDAY.

ANY FEEDBACK ON THAT? I THOUGHT SO.

I FEEL THAT WE NEED MORE TIME.

I THOUGHT I SAW, UM, RECEIVED SOME INFORMATION FROM CITY CLERK.

IT WAS AUGUST THE 27TH.

IT WAS, UH, THAT SHE NEEDED ALL THE INFORMATION BACK BY AUGUST 27TH BEFORE AUGUST 27TH.

THAT WAS A PROPOSAL WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT SENDING OUT A MASS MEAL AND WE DIDN'T DO THAT.

WELL, IF WE DO IT ON AUGUST THE 23RD, THAT'S GONNA BE, I MEAN THAT'S GIVEN OVER FOUR WEEKS FOR ANYBODY THAT WOULD BE INTERESTED.

THAT, I MEAN, 'CAUSE WE STILL HAVE WE TWO WEEKS OR 10 DAYS OR SO BEFORE THE DEADLINE DATE AND THEN WE CAN DISCUSS IT AT THE 27TH MEETING.

ANY CONSENSUS? ALDERMAN ROYAL SAID MORE TIME THOUGHTS.

OH, WE GOT A LOT OF STUFF COMING UP TOO.

SO WE NEED TO REALLY MOVE ON WITH THIS THING.

I MEAN, THIS LAND USE ORDINANCE, WE, WE DEFINITELY NEED TO GET WARD SIX ALLMAN IN PLACE.

I I WOULD, IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE A THREE HOUR WORKSHOP ON A SOMETHING ON SEPTEMBER THE 10TH, IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE SOMEBODY IN PLACE BY THEN.

AND PLUS, JUST SO EVERYONE KNOWS, UM, BEING THE FORMER ALDERMAN FOR WARD SIX, ALL THOSE PHONE CALLS THAT WERE GOING TO ALDERMAN BRENTON ARE COMING TO MEET NOW.

SO , SO WHAT YOU THINK, SO DO YOU NEED A MOTION FOR THAT OR JUST THE CONSENSUS? SO, UM, YOU ARE SAYING THE CUTOFF WILL BE AUGUST 23RD AND THEN WE CAN DISCUSS IT AT OUR, UM, AUGUST 27TH MEETING.

AND THAT WILL GIVE US OVER THE WEEKEND AND, UH, TO DO, UH, REVIEW THE RESUMES AND APPLICATION OR RESUMES AND LETTERS.

WELL, I WOULD LIKE ME PERSONALLY, UM, MY PREFERENCE IS WHEN CITY CLERK RECEIVES 'EM, SHE GO AHEAD AND SHOOT 'EM TO ME SO I CAN HAVE CHANCE TO THAT'S A GOOD IDEA TOO.

TO, TO VIEW 'EM.

AND IF I NEED TO CONTACT THAT PERSON TO TALK WITH THAT INDIVIDUAL, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THAT TIME AND OPPORTUNITY.

SO IF SHE, IF THE BOARD DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM, WELL I DON'T SEE THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH HER, SO NO, THAT'S GOOD.

EVERY EVERYBODY GOOD WITH THE CLERK? SEND 'EM TO US AS SOON AS SHE RECEIVES THEM.

MM-HMM, .

AND THEN WE CAN REVIEW THEM AND MOVE FROM THERE.

UM, ME PERSONALLY, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE 23RD AND SO WE CAN DISCUSS IT AT OUR 27TH MEETING.

BUT , IF WE HAVE SOME MORE INDIVIDUALS SUBMITTING THEIR LETTER OR RESUME, RIGHT NOW WE ONLY HAVE TWO.

I THINK WE, IF IF BY THAT TIMEFRAME, IF BY THE 23RD WE ALL, WE HAVE NO MORE THAN TWO, THEN I THINK THAT'S A, ANOTHER DISCUSSION WHETHER WE MOVE, MOVE FORWARD OR GO AHEAD AND DO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO WITH THOSE TWO.

SO I, I, I JUST,

[01:15:01]

BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, AND I HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MORE INDIVIDUALS TO SUBMIT IN THEIR INFORMATION FOR THAT WARD SIX.

BUT, UH, I WOULD ALSO KEEP IN MIND THAT I RAN UNOPPOSED THE SECOND TIME I RAN FOR THAT SEAT.

AND I THINK THE LAST ELECTION WE HAD WAS THERE THREE, THREE UNOPPOSED.

YOU DIDN'T HAVE THEM.

YOU THREE DIDN'T HAVE, SO THERE WAS THREE SEATS THAT DIDN'T HAVE, BUT ONE PERSON THAT EXPRESSED INTEREST AND THAT'S TO FILL THE ENTIRE TERM.

SO, UM, WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

UM, ALDERMAN BRISSON, DO YOU WANNA MAKE A MOTION? ARE YOU OKAY WITH A MOTION FOR THE 23RD SETTING THE DEADLINE? NO, I'M SORRY.

ALDERMAN ASKED HER.

SORRY.

OH, ALDERMAN, BRISSON WAS ON MY MIND.

'CAUSE THAT'S THE REASON WE'RE SITTING HERE GOING THROUGH THIS.

YEAH, I, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE SET THE DEADLINE FOR FIVE O'CLOCK ON AUGUST THE 23RD FOR RESUMES AND LETTERS OF INTEREST TO, UH, FOR THE SIXTH WARD SEAT, ALDERMAN SEAT.

UM, I WOULD LIKE TO PUT IN THERE WE'VE ONLY HAD TWO, UM, INDIVIDUALS APPLY.

I I KNOW OF SOMEONE THAT'S CALLED ME TODAY THAT LIVES IN THE GREENBRIAR AREA THAT'S INTERESTED AND I ASKED, HE ASKED ME TO PROCESS AND I TOLD HIM WHAT HE NEEDED TO DO.

WELL, AND SO DO I KNOW OF, UH, TWO INDIVIDUALS, SO, BUT GOTTA SUBMIT THEIR INFORMATION.

SO WE HAVE A MOTION TO SET THE DEADLINE FOR AUGUST 23RD AT 5:00 PM DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.

A SECOND.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? UM, HEARING NONE, LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL VOTE STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ROYAL.

FOUR TWO, I BELIEVE THAT'S CORRECT.

IS THAT ALL YOU HAD UNDER CITY MANAGER'S REPORT? YES, SIR.

[21. New Business.]

EVERYTHING WAS DONE EFFICIENTLY.

NEW BUSINESS REPORT, ALDERMAN PRILL.

UM, JUST ONE ITEM REAL QUICKLY.

UM, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, I THINK ALL OF THE, THE NEW DOORS THAT THE FARMER'S MARKET, UH, HAVE BEEN INSTALLED.

THAT'S CORRECT.

YES, SIR.

UM, THE FARMER'S, UH, MARKET BOARD IS VERY PLEASED TO HAVE NEW DOORS.

UM, AND IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, I MEAN, STAFF WILL BE, UM, PUTTING IN A COUPLE OF NEW, UM, FANS ON THE INTERIOR, BIGGER FANS AND WHAT THEY'RE NOW, UH, DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SCHEDULED YET OR, UM, WHEN, JUST WHEN THAT'LL BE DONE.

BUT, UH, UM, AGAIN, THE, THE FARMER'S MARKET BOARD, UH, THEY'RE VERY PLEASED WITH THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE.

SO, AND YES, UH, WE'RE WAITING ON, ON THE, THE ARRIVAL OF THE FANS AND ONCE THAT OCCURS, STAFF WILL PUT THOSE UP.

UH, AND THEN I THINK PROBABLY OVER THE WINTERTIME THEY'LL DO SOME RESTROOM RENOVATIONS OVER THERE AS WELL.

HONOR, MAYOR ROY? YES.

I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMEND THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.

AND MR. CHOWS, YOUR STAFF DID AN EXCELLENT JOB DOING THE STORM.

WE HAD A POWER OUTAGE AND I JUST WAS SO ELATED THAT IT WAS ONLY SHORT-LIVED.

AND I APPRECIATE ALL OF THE STAFF THAT WORKED SO DILIGENTLY DURING THAT TIME AND, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE SAFE.

AND I DON'T BELIEVE WE CAN OVERSTATE OR OVERSTATE THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR THE WONDERFUL STAFF THAT WE HAVE FOR OUR CITY AND THE HARD WORK THAT THEY DO, LEAVING THEIR OWN FAMILIES, THEIR OWN COMFORT TO GO FORTH AND MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE CITIZENS ARE SAFE.

SO AGAIN, I SAY THANK YOU AND I HOPE THAT YOU WILL CONVEY THAT, PLEASE TO THE STAFF.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

NOTHING FURTHER, MAYOR.

ALDERMAN STER.

I TOO WOULD LIKE TO COMMEND GEORGE AND HIS STAFF.

WE HAD A MESS IN TO BURN.

UH, I'M NOT SURE WHAT WAS CAUSING ALL OF IT.

WE'VE HAD, WE HAD SOME BLOCKAGES, MOST LIKELY FROM THE HIGH WATER AND THE RUNOFF, YOU KNOW, CREATING BLOCKAGES IN THE PIPES AND STUFF.

I WAS OUT QUITE A BIT, UM,

[01:20:02]

WITH SOME OF THE CREWS.

AND LEMME TELL YOU, THOSE GUYS WALKING AROUND IN WASTE DEEP WATER IN THE WOODS WITH ALL THE SNAKES AND THE MUCK AND EVERYTHING ELSE, YOU JUST, YOU, YOU GOT TO COMMEND THEM FOR DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB.

AND, AND IT'S, IT'S DANGEROUS WORK TOO BECAUSE ONCE THESE GUYS FIND THE BLOCKAGE AND THEY PULL THE STUFF LOOSE, THAT WATER IS LIKE RAPIDS THAT COMES THROUGH THERE.

IT CAN CERTAINLY TAKE ONE OF THE GUYS AWAY IN A MINUTE.

AND IF HE GETS CAUGHT IN A CULVERT, IT IS BAD NEWS.

SO GEORGE, AND WE GOT RAIN GAUGES AND WE CHECKED AND WE LOOK LIKE IT IS, IT IS BETWEEN 12 AND 16 INCHES IS WHAT WE RECEIVED IN TO BURNA.

SO, UH, IT, IT WAS GEORGE, GEORGE, YOUR GUYS JUST DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB.

I'D, I'D PICK UP TELEPHONE AND CALL GEORGE AND THEY WERE OUT THERE IN JUST A FEW MINUTES.

I ALSO WANT TO TALK ABOUT, AND I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH JESSICA ABOUT THIS, ABOUT A CHANGE IT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MADE IN OUR ORDINANCES.

UM, WE HAVE LOTS AND UNFORTUNATELY IT SEEMS THAT IT'S JUST MAYBE ONE DEVELOPER JUST HAVING THE MAJORITY OF THE PROBLEMS. BUT WE HAVE LOTS, I SHOULD SAY BUILD OR NOT DEVELOPER, BUT WE HAVE LOTS IN SOME SUBDIVISIONS THAT HAVE NO POSITIVE DRAINAGE.

THEY, YOU KNOW, THE WATER, THE WATER RUNS AWAY FROM THE HOUSE TO THE MIDDLE OF THE YARD, AND THEN THE BACK OF THE YARD IS FOUR FOOT HIGHER THAN THE, THE, THE, THE HOUSE IS.

AND IT JUST SITS THERE.

UH, THE WATER WAS UP AGAINST THE SIDE OF THE HOUSES AND THE FOUNDATIONS.

AND THIS WASN'T JUST ONE OR TWO HOMES, THIS WAS NUMEROUS HOMES.

SO I'VE ASKED JESSICA TO PLEASE INCLUDE IN THE ORDINANCES SO WE CAN ALL CERTAINLY HAVE TO APPROVE IT.

BUT, UM, A PO THE, THE BUILDER MUST SUBMIT BEFORE HE, OR WHEN HE GETS HIS BUILDING PERMIT, A WATER FLOW PLAN FOR THAT BUILDING LOCKED, WHICH MEANS WHICH WAY IS THE WATER GOING TO DRAIN, WHICH WAY ARE THEY GOING TO SLOPE THE LOT, AND WHAT OUTLET WILL IT DRAIN TOO TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING.

IT'S, IT'S JUST A SHAME.

I WALKED IN A LADY'S BACKYARD THE OTHER DAY THAT IT WAS OVER MY KNEES AND, AND YOU KNOW, THERE'S JUST NOTHING, NO NOWHERE FOR IT TO GO.

UH, SO I'VE ASKED JESSICA TO PLEASE INCLUDE THAT INTO THE ORDINANCE, RIGHT? AND SHE SAID THAT WAS AN ORDINANCE THAT WAS FAIRLY COMMON DOWN ON THE, IN THE BEACH AREA AND, AND, UH, SHE WAS GLAD TO TO PUT IT IN FOR CONSIDERATION LATER.

AND THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT.

HONOR MCKENZIE ? NO, SIR.

ALDERMAN BEST IS, I, I TOO WOULD LIKE TO THANK, UM, OUR CITY STAFF, UM, PUBLIC WORKS, ELECTRIC WATER, SEWER, POLICE, AND FIRE.

UM, AND YOUR STAFF, Y'ALL DID SUCH A GREAT JOB MAKING SURE THAT OUR CITIZENS WERE LITTLE OR NO OUT EACH, YOU KNOW, AT THE TIME OR, OR WHATEVER THE PROBLEM MAY BE.

UM, I JUST WANT TO THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH.

WE CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU.

YOU'RE OUR GREATEST ASSET.

AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK MR. HUGHES, MR. UM, CITY MANAGER FOR HIM ALWAYS KEEPING US UPDATED.

UM, YOU UPDATE, UH, ME AND I APPRECIATE AND THE BOARD, I APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE IT GIVES ME AN ADVANTAGE SO WHEN MY CITIZENS CALL ME, I CAN BE ABLE TO GIVE THEM SOME INFORMED INFORMATION.

UM, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

UM, THERE WAS ONE OTHER THING.

OH, I WANTED TO KNOW, UM, I GUESS GEORGE OR, UM, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, MR. WILLIAMS, WHEN WILL THE LIGHTS BE PUT IN ON THE WALKWAY OVER ON, UM, GARDEN STREET? BECAUSE I'VE SEEN CITIZENS UTILIZING THAT BRIDGE ALREADY.

UM, AND I JUST WANNA KNOW WHEN, WHEN IS THE LIGHTS FORTHCOMING? THAT IS THE LAST PIECE.

SO THE HANDRAILS THAT ARE PUT IN, WERE CONSTRUCTED IN A WAY THAT'LL BE RECESSED UP IN IT.

SO WE HAVE THAT SCHEDULED IN THE COMING WEEKS, UM, ONCE WE CAN FREE ACCRUE FROM OTHER ISSUES THAT WERE GOING ON IN THE PAST, PAST WEEK OR SO.

BUT WE'RE SCHEDULED TO DO THAT.

SO YOU SHOULD SEE THAT IN THE COMING WEEKS THAT, THAT THE LIGHTS WILL BE ON.

GREAT.

BECAUSE I, LIKE I SAID, I HAVE SEEN SOME CITIZENS UTILIZING THAT BRIDGE.

AND ARE YOU GONNA GO IN AND CUT AWAY A LOT OF THAT DEBRIS AT THE FOOT OF THAT BRIDGE? YES, MA'AM.

IT'S TRUING NOW INTO THE BRIDGE, LIKE AT THE END AND THE, AND THE SUTTON END.

WE'RE GONNA ACTUALLY, UH, POUR CONCRETE ON THAT END.

SO,

[01:25:01]

WE, WE HAD THOUGHT ABOUT, UH, BARRICADING IT OFF, BUT IT IS USABLE DURING THE DAY, IT, YOU KNOW, FOR PEOPLE TO FOLLOW THAT WAY AND THAT'S MUCH SAFER THAN TRYING TO GO DOWN THE STREET WHERE THERE'S NO SHOULDER.

SO WE DECIDED TO LEAVE IT OPEN EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T HAVE A LIGHT IN THE EVENING.

OH, RIGHT.

THANK YOU SIR.

AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

UM, JUST TWO QUICK THINGS.

UM, ONE I WANNA MAKE THE BOARD AWARE.

UM, THE, THE BOARD ADOPTED AN ORDINANCE SEVERAL YEARS AGO ABOUT CEMETERIES AND, UM, HOW THE FLOWERS ARE PICKED UP.

UM, I RECEIVED TWO EMAILS, UM, RIGHT AFTER THE STORM.

THE STAFF WENT THROUGH AND PICKED UP SILK FLOWERS OFF OF GRAVES AND THEY WERE DISPOSED OF.

UM, SO STAFF FOLLOWED THE ORDINANCE THAT'S IN PLACE, BUT OUR ORDINANCE SAYS THAT THEY WILL BE PICKED UP AFTER ONE WEEK.

DON'T THINK THAT'S REALLY REASONABLE.

UM, SOMETIMES I GET QUESTIONED ABOUT WHY WE DON'T JUST DO WHAT STAFF RECOMMENDS ALL THE TIME.

AND THIS IS STAFF, THIS IS DIFFERENT STAFF, BUT AT THE TIME THAT'S WHAT STAFF RECOMMENDED WAS A ONE WEEK PICKUP.

AND NOW I REALIZE THAT'S PROBABLY NOT A GOOD THING.

SO I, I WANTED TO SEE IF THE BOARD HAD ANY CONCERNS IF THE MANAGER WERE TO LOOK AT THAT WITH THE ATTORNEY AT POSSIBLY UPDATING THAT ORDINANCE.

SO WE'RE NOT TAKING PEOPLE'S FLOWERS OFF THEIR GRAVE WHEN THEY'RE IN GOOD CONDITION JUST BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN THERE A WEEK.

SO IT WOULD REQUIRE AN ORDINANCE CHANGE SO STAFF WOULD'VE TO BRING THAT TO US AT SOME POINT.

ANY ISSUES WITH THAT? UH, NO.

NO? NO.

UM, THE SECOND ONE, UH, THIS JUST HAPPENED TO BE A CONVERSATION THAT CLERK AND I WERE HAVING.

UM, SHE WAS TALKING TO SOME OF HER FELLOW CLERKS AND THEY ASKED HER WHY WERE WE NOT IN RECESS OVER THE SUMMER? AND, UM, SHE SAYS, WELL, WE'VE NEVER BEEN IN RECESS.

SO DID A LITTLE RESEARCH.

THERE ARE QUITE A FEW CITIES IN NORTH CAROLINA THAT I, I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY DO THIS MR. ATTORNEY BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO HAVE A PETITION OF CITIZENS ONCE A MONTH BASED OFF STATUTE, BUT SOME OF 'EM DON'T HAVE A MEETING DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS.

BUT A LOT OF THEM CUT THEIR MEETINGS DOWN TO ONE DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS.

SO I KNOW STAFF'S GONNA BE WORKING ON PREPARING THE CALENDAR, A MEETING CALENDAR FOR 2025.

I THINK THAT USUALLY COMES TO US IN OCTOBER, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY.

SO JUST WANTED TO THROW IT OUT THERE IF THE BOARD HAD ANY DESIRE.

'CAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT SOME OF OUR MEETINGS IN THE SUMMERTIME, THEY ARE FAIRLY LIGHT.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD TWO OR THREE ITEMS AT ONE TIME AND YOU COME HERE AND 45 MINUTES TO AN HOUR WE'RE DONE THINGS THAT COULD BE PUSHED TO THE NEXT MEETING.

SO I JUST FIGURED I WOULD OFFER THAT UP TO YOU AND LET YOU KNOW THAT'S AN OPTION IF THE BOARD HAD ANY DESIRE TO LOOK AT POSSIBLY GOING TO LIKE ONE MEETING DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS.

STAFF HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THAT? I WOULD ALSO GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADD IN SOME WORK SESSIONS, UH, THROUGHOUT THAT SCHEDULE AS WELL.

JUST WANNA MAKE YOU AWARE OF IT.

UM, BUT NOW WE ALWAYS, UH, JUST HAVE ONE MEETING IN DECEMBER AS WELL.

THAT'S CORRECT.

WELL, THE, THE, JUST THE, MY INITIAL THOUGHT IS THAT IF WE GO FROM TWO TO ONE, THE ONE MEETING WE HAVE IS GONNA BE A LONGER AGENDA.

SO EVERYBODY NEEDS TO BE AWARE OF THAT.

UM, AND IT WOULD OBVIOUSLY HAVE THE PETITION OF CITIZENS IN THAT ONE MEETING THAT WE HAVE THAT MORNING.

YEP.

SO JUST A THOUGHT BECAUSE IT STAYS LIGHTER LONGER AS YOU CAN SEE.

SO IT'S, UH, I WANNA THROW IT OUT THERE.

UH, I DON'T BELIEVE WE NEED A CLOSED SESSION, DO WE? NO SIR.

MAY I? YES MA'AM.

WHEN YOU FINISH SURE, GO AHEAD.

UH, I DID HAVE ONE OTHER THING FOR NEW BUSINESS.

UM, I WANTED TO KNOW, I MEAN, WITH THIS WATER, THE RAIN WE JUST HAD AND, UM, I MEAN IT, IT, UH, REALLY PUT SOME WATER IN A LOT OF AREAS HAVE, UM, I DON'T KNOW MR. CHILDS OR YOU CITY MANAGER, HAVE ANYONE HAS STAFF OR, UH, PUBLIC WORKS OR STORM WATER.

HAVE Y'ALL GONE OUT AND CHECK THESE DRAINS IN THESE AREAS THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WE HAD THESE DEVELOPERS COME, I MEAN THESE, UM, CONTRACTORS COME IN AND CLEAN OUT THESE CANALS AND DITCHES AND SPENT, THEY SPENT A LOT OF MONEY INVESTING A LOT OF MONEY.

UM, HAVE THAT BEEN ADDRESSED? I MEAN, PUBLIC WORKS CREWS, MYSELF, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, WE, WE'VE ALL BEEN OUT DURING THESE STORMS AND I'LL LET, I'LL LET GEORGE COME UP AND TALK ABOUT THAT.

'CAUSE CLEANING OUT ALL THOSE, ALL THOSE AREAS HAS SIGNIFICANTLY HELPED OUR SITUATION GREATLY.

AND, AND GEORGE YOU CAN ADDRESS THAT IN MORE DETAIL.

OR A SMALLER FINGER TO THAT SYSTEM THAT BECOMES BLOCKED AND FLOODS A CERTAIN AREA, A SMALLER PLACE.

IT AS, AS PART OF OUR NORMAL MAINTENANCE DURING EVERY WEEK, UM, THAT IS PART OF IT IS TO CHECK THE MAIN OUTLET NOW FALLS OF OUR DRAINAGE SYSTEM AND AS THE CITY MANAGER MENTIONED, WE'VE HAD A GREAT REDUCTION IN PHONE CALLS BECAUSE OF FLOODING OR DRAINAGE ISSUES SINCE THE CAT A AND WORK HAS BEEN DONE.

NOW, WITH THAT SAID, WHERE WE SAW FLOODING FROM THIS PAST WEEK, WERE HISTORIC PLACES THAT ARE LOW THAT WE DON'T HAVE ADEQUATE INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH WE'RE LOOKING AT THOSE AREAS.

OR IT COULD BE A SMALLER PART OF THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM

[01:30:01]

UM, THERE WAS ALSO, IN ADDITION TO THAT, LOTS OF SYSTEMS WERE JUST OVERWHELMED WHEN WE GET 25% OF OUR ANNUAL RAINFALL IN 10 DAYS, OUR SYSTEM'S OVERWHELMED.

SO A LOT OF IT WAS JUST, IT WAS JUST A, A LARGE VOLUME OF WATER BASICALLY IN A FOUR DAY WINDOW.

SO, UM, IF THERE ARE AREAS THAT CURRENT CURRENTLY HAVE BACKUP WATER, THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT NEED TO BE CALLED IN.

THEY ARE NOT AN ISSUE OF THE WATER'S GO, YOU KNOW, RECEDING BECAUSE OF HEAVY BODY.

IT IS BECAUSE THERE'S SOMETHING BLOCKED UP.

SO THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT NEED TO BE CALLED IN.

THANK YOU SIR FOR EXPLAINING THAT.

I GOT A FOLLOW UP WITH THAT IF YOU DON'T MIND, GEORGE, THAT, UM, DANG DITCH THAT WE WERE IN OFF TEL RUNS ALL THE WAY OVER TO, UM, TO AIRPORT ROAD.

WAS THAT INCLUDED IN THE CAT A WORK? I WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK AND VERIFY FOR SURE.

UM, BUT I CAN FIND THAT BECAUSE BEST OF MY REPRIMAND, IT WAS NOT, I I DON'T BELIEVE IT WAS.

AS IT RUNS THROUGH PRIVATE PROPERTY, WE HAVE GOTTEN, UM, COMMUNICATION WITH PRIOR PROPERTY OWNERS IN THAT AREA TO GO THROUGH THERE AND CLEAN IT OUT.

AND THAT'S LIKELY WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO THAT AGAIN BECAUSE A LOT OF THE, AS AS THE WATER COMES UP IN THAT DRAINAGE BASIN, IT TAKES ALL THE DEBRIS ON THE FOREST FLOOR AND PUTS IT INTO THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM AND THEN CLOGS THE PIPE.

AND IT WAS A REPETITIVE PROBLEM.

UM, AS WE HAD THE SHORT BURST OF HIGH INTENSITY RATE.

WELL IT DOESN'T HELP EITHER WHEN THEY GO INTO THAT BRANCH AND THEY DID THE CUT AND DRAG AND THEY JUST DRAG IT UP AND THEN WE GET HIGH WATER, WHICH MAKES IT ALL FLOAT BACK DOWN.

UNFORTUNATELY, UNFORTUNATELY CERTAIN ENVIRONMENTAL AREAS OUTWARDS IS ALL WE WERE ABLE TO DO.

OH, I REALIZE THAT.

BY REGULATION ARMY JUDGE.

YES, SIR.

UM, QUICK QUESTION ON THE FLIGHT BICYCLE, UH, BUILDING THERE.

HOW MUCH IS HE ON HIS PROPERTY FROM THE DITCH LINE? HIS BUILDING IS NOT ENTIRELY ON HIS PROPERTY.

REPEAT, HIS BUILDING IS ENTIRELY ON HIS PROPERTY.

SO THE CORROSION FROM THE DITCH IS NOT HIS PROPERTY.

UH, IS IT HIS PROPERTY? WELL, WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF CITY DRAINAGE THAT COMES THROUGH THAT OUTFALL, THAT BEING ONE OF OUR LARGEST OUTFALLS IN THE CITY.

SO WE DO OSO OBLIGATION TO CONTROLLING THAT EMBANKMENT, ESPECIALLY WITH THE ANGLE IT COMES THROUGH UNDER THE CULVERTS UNDER TRENT ROAD.

AND THAT WAS CREATING SOME OF THE ISSUE THAT WE WANTED TO ARMOR THAT DITCH.

GEORGE, WHILE YOU'RE UP THERE, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE IN DESIGN FROM, UH, FROM RED ROBIN AND THAT AND THAT, THAT DITCH PROJECT? YES.

AND A LOT OF THAT HAD TO DO THERE, THERE WERE TOTALLY TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROJECTS.

UM, THE RED ROBIN, WE HAD A, WE'VE GOT A LIFT, A SEW OR LIFT STATION RIGHT THERE.

, WE'VE GOT PART OF THAT LIFT STATION PIPING IN THE BOTTOM OF THE DITCH.

THE DOWNSPOUTS WEREN'T CONNECTED.

SO THERE WAS ADDITIONAL ARMOR MEANT THAT NEEDED TO GO INTO THAT AREA TO PROTECT THE UTILITY ASSET.

ALSO, NOT JUST THE EMBANKMENT ASSET.

ADDITIONALLY, WE HAD ACCESS TO BOTH SIDES OF THE PROPERTY.

WE COULD NOT GET IN RIGHT AGAINST THE BUILDING WITH EQUIPMENT.

WE WERE APPREHENSIVE TO STACK LARGE AMOUNTS OF MATERIAL ADJACENT TO HIS BUILDING.

SO WE WERE LIMITED IN SCOPE.

THE CONTRACTOR DID EXACTLY WHAT WE ASKED THEM TO DO IN SCOPE.

WE MET MULTIPLE TIMES WITH MR. FLE ON SITE.

IN FACT, AT ONE POINT HE HAD REQUESTED ADDITIONAL STONE.

WE HAD SOME QUANTITY LEFT ON SITE THAT HAD NOT BEEN UTILIZED AND IN, AND WE DID PUT IT IN PLACE IT HIGHER THAN THE CONTRACT HAD ORIGINALLY, UM, OBLIGATED US TO DO.

SO.

WHAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE GONE THROUGH THE STEPS.

WE'VE INSPECTED SINCE 2021 MULTIPLE TIMES.

I'VE GOT, UM, REPORTS FROM THE ENGINEERS REGARDING PRIOR CONCERNS.

HE HAD CONCERNS AFTER THE CAT A I'VE GOT A REPORT RIGHT UP ON THAT.

WE'VE MONITORED IT MONTHLY AND I CAN PROVIDE ALL THAT AT A TIME OF INSPECTION WITH WHEN WE MEET WITH HIM.

AND, AND JUST ONE MORE THING, A AFTER THE STORM, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE INTEGRITY OF, OF THAT WORK IN THAT AREA? YES.

WE SAW NO STRUCTURAL FAILURE IN THAT WE MIGHT HAVE HAD ONE OR TWO STONES ROLL, BUT IT HAS GOT A GROUND BASE TO IT.

WELL, IS HIS PROPERTY ACTUALLY ERODING ABOVE THE ROCK? HE HAD SOME EROSION UNDER THE FOUNDATION OF HIS BUILDING PRIOR TO OUR WORK.

AND THAT WAS DOCUMENTED IN A PRIOR REPORT THAT WE FOUND THE ROOF DRAINS WEREN'T, WEREN'T MAINTAINED.

THERE WAS ACTUAL VEGETATION GROWING IN THE GUTTERS.

I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THAT HAD

[01:35:01]

BEEN GOING ON PRIOR TO US DOING WORK ON THAT, ON THAT, UH, DRAINAGE FEATURE.

WELL, IN REGARDS TO THAT, IF, IF YOU WOULD, I WOULD, UM, LIKE TO TALK WITH YOU ABOUT IT.

UH, THAT IS MY WARD AND YES.

THEN I WOULD LIKE FOR US, UH, YOU AND THE CITY MANAGER AND I, UH, I KNOW, UH, MAYOR ODOM SAID HE'D BE GLAD TO MEET, BUT, UH, IF, IF YOU'D LIKE TO MEET, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

BUT I'D LIKE FOR AT LEAST THE THREE OF US TO MEET WITH MR. FLIGHT AND, UH, JUST ADDRESS HIS CONCERNS AND ALL OF THAT DOCUMENTATION.

I COULD, I KNOW HE'S FULLY AWARE OF THAT, BUT IF YOU WOULD BRING THAT WITH YOU.

BUT I'LL, I'LL DISCUSS IT WITH YOU BEFORE WE GO.

WE'LL SET THAT UP AS SOON AS WE CAN.

THANK YOU SIR.

BARBARA.

BEST, THERE'S ONE OTHER QUESTION THAT I HAD.

UM, I NOTICED THAT WE ALSO HAVE A MEETING, UM, AUGUST THE 29TH.

UM, AND I SEE IT'S ONLY UM, THREE BOARD MEMBERS.

SO IS THIS NOT A MANDATORY MEETING FOR US? UM, IT'S, UH, NCL NORTH CAROLINA LEAGUE OF MUNICIPALITIES BOARD RULES OF PROCEDURE.

THAT IS, IT'S 29TH AT ONE TO THREE.

I DON'T EVEN HAVE THAT.

THAT IS NOT A CALLED MEETING OF THE BOARD.

THAT'S A TRAINING SESSION.

THAT THREE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE SIGNED UP FOR.

ANYTHING ELSE? IF, IF NEVERMIND THANK YOU.

IF MORE SIGN UP.

DO WE HAVE TO CALL FOR A MEETING? WAS THAT GONNA BE THE QUESTION SIR? I DON'T THINK SO.

'CAUSE WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY DISCUSSING ANY BUSINESS.

IT'S JUST A TRAINING.

ANYTHING ELSE? MAKE A MOTION WE ADJOURN.

SO MOVED.

HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.