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IT'S HOT, MAN.[1. Meeting opened by Mayor Odham. Prayer Coordinated by Alderman Best. Pledgeof Allegiance.]
EVENING EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THE OCTOBER 22ND, 2024 NEW BRUEN BOARD OF ALDERMAN MEETING.PRAYER TONIGHT WILL BE GIVEN BY ALDERMAN.
CAN Y'ALL PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT, UH, FOR PRAYER? HEAVENLY FATHER, MY LORD, MY SAVIOR, JESUS TO CHRIST.
I COME BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING AS HUMBLE AS I KNOW HOW.
LORD, I ASKED YOU FOR GUIDANCE TONIGHT.
AS WE THE BOARD CONDUCT THE BUSINESS OF THIS CITY, LET US BE MINDFUL THAT WE HAVE RESPECT ONE ANOTHER, AND LORD, TOUCH EACH ONE OF OUR MINDS AND HEARTS AS WE DO THE, THE BUSINESS OF THIS CITY.
OUR MOST IMPORTANT JOB HERE TONIGHT IS TO TAKE CARE OF OUR CITIZENS.
IF YOU'RE ABLE TO STAND, PLEASE DO SO.
THE PLEDGE, OFE AND FLAG OF OUR COUNTRY.
I PLEDGE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WORLD, WITH THE LIBERTY AND JUSTICE ALL.
MADAM CLERK, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE CALL A ROLL.
[3. Approve Agenda.]
DO WE HAVE ANY CHANGES OR AMENDMENTS TO THE AGENDA? NOT ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
[4. Request and Petition of Citizens.]
IS OUR REQUEST AND PETITION OF CITIZENS.UH, FIRST UP IS JERRY SHILL OF 1406 OXFORD LANE.
I LIVE IN KINGS ROW, WHICH IS PART OF THE SIXTH WARD.
UM, LAST TIME I WAS HERE, YOU DIDN'T HAVE A QUORUM.
UH, AFTER I WAS, I GOT A CAREGIVER FROM MY WIFE AND STILL WAS ABLE TO SPEAK, BUT NO ACTION WAS TAKEN.
UM, AND, UH, THIS IS DATE NIGHT, SO THANK YOU.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE'RE GONNA GO AFTER THIS, SO IF IT'S, IF IT'S GOOD ENOUGH, MAN, WE'LL JUST CONSIDER THIS OUR DATE.
UM, I SENT Y'ALL A NOTE AFTER THE LAST MEETING.
I THOUGHT IT WAS UNCONSCIONABLE IF, AND I SAY IF THOSE OF YOU THAT WERE NOT HERE, IF IT WAS BECAUSE OF THIS VACANCY AND PLAYING POLITICS OF THAT, I THINK IT WAS UNCONSCIONABLE.
AND I'LL JUST REPEAT THAT AND LEAVE IT AT THAT.
UM, THE, NORMALLY THIS ISSUE IS DECIDED ON THE BALLOT AND THE PEOPLE, THE SIXTH BOARD WOULD DECIDE, UM, WHO'S GOING TO REPRESENT US.
UM, EVEN THOUGH IT GIVES YOU THE RESPONSIBILITY AND THE DUTY TO REPLACE THE VACANCY CAUSED BY BOB BENSON'S RESIGNATION, I CERTAINLY BELIEVE YOU NEED TO GIVE DEFERENCE TO THOSE THE WISHES OF THE PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY LIVE IN THE SIXTH WARD.
IF YOU NEED SOME GUIDANCE, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS LOOK AT THE LAST FEW ELECTIONS OF WHO WE ELECTED IN THE SIXTH WARD.
YOU GET A PRETTY GOOD IDEA OF THE KIND OF PERSON THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO REPRESENT US.
AND I TRULY DO THINK THAT YOU NEED TO GIVE DEFERENCE TO THE PEOPLE OF THE SIXTH WARD.
I WISH I COULD SAY THAT I WAS ABLE TO LIGHT A FIRE UNDER CON THE CONSTITUENTS IN THE SIXTH WARD, AND I MEAN, THEY DO GREAT ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DO GREAT ON SOCIAL MEDIA, BUT THEY FALL FLAT WHEN IT COMES TO DOING WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, WHERE IT MATTERS.
AND THAT IS TO LET YOU ALL KNOW WE HAVE A REP.
WE DON'T HAVE DEMOCRACY, WE HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT.
THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE IN AMERICA.
WE ELECT YOU FOLKS TO REPRESENT US, UH, IN THE CITY, BUT IT'S INCUMBENT UPON US TO LET YOU KNOW WHAT WE THINK.
UM, BUT, UH, WE APPRECIATE WHAT Y'ALL DO AND IT'S TIME TO GET THAT, THAT SEAT FILLED.
AND AGAIN, USE, USE, GIVE DEFERENCE TO THOSE THAT ACTUALLY LIVE IN THE SIXTH WARD.
THAT'S WHAT WOULD HAPPEN ON ELECTION DAY IF EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL.
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I'D LIKE TO RESPOND.MR. SHIELD, SIR, I'D LIKE TO RESPOND, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
MAY I PUT TO REST THAT IF IT, MY ABSENCE WAS NOT DUE TO POLITICS, IT WAS DUE TO FAMILY BUSINESS, AND SO I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT TO REST.
IT WAS NOT THE CASE, BUT, OKAY.
NEXT UP IS GREGORY FAY OF 1307 BENFIELD AVENUE.
I'M HERE TO ASK ABOUT THE ONGOING EFFORTS FOR THE HURRICANE HELENE ASSISTANCE IN THE MOUNTAINS TO GET AN UPDATE AS TO WHAT THE CITY'S BEEN DOING.
AND THAT'S KIND OF WHERE I'M AT.
UM, MR. HUGHES, DO YOU WANNA SHARE, UM, THE ACTIVITY THAT THE SEA TOOK PLACE IN? SURE.
SO WE RECENTLY HAD A, UH, HURRICANE DISASTER RELIEF DRIVE.
WE HAD THAT OPEN FOR TWO WEEKS.
WE ENDED UP COLLECTING 32 PALLETS OF GOODS AND SUPPLIES, UH, THAT WAS RECENTLY SENT TO CLYDE, NORTH CAROLINA AND HAYWOOD COUNTY THIS PAST FRIDAY.
UH, WE, UH, PARTNERED WITH COASTAL ENVIRONMENTAL PARTNERSHIP AS WELL AS BSH FOR THE, FOR THE TRUCKS, THE TRAILERS, AND THE DRIVERS TO TAKE THAT UP THERE.
WE HAVE ALSO SENT, UH, APPROXIMATELY 15 EMPLOYEES, UH, UP THERE FOR FIRE RESCUE, THE ELECTRIC UTILITY AND BUILDING INSPECTIONS TO, TO DO THE WORK, UH, THROUGH MUTUAL AID.
UH, SO THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE DONE TODAY SO FAR.
AND OF COURSE, UH, WE STILL STAND READY TO ASSIST AS WE ARE ASKED TO THROUGH MUTUAL AID.
AND YOU SAY YOU'RE WORKING MAINLY THROUGH CLYDE NORTH? THAT, THAT IS WHERE, THAT WAS THE DISTRIBUTION CENTER THAT WE WERE ABLE TO WORK WITH.
UM, ONE OF THE TOUGHEST THINGS WE HAD WAS BEING ABLE TO FIND A LOCATION TO DROP THE SUPPLIES.
AND SO, UH, COLLEEN ROBERTS, WHO I HAD COORDINATE THIS EFFORT FORCE, SHE DID A GREAT JOB IN BEING ABLE TO FIND THAT LOCATION.
SO WE, WE WERE TURNED DOWN AT A FEW OTHER LOCATIONS, BUT WE WERE, WE WERE FORTUNATE THAT CLYDE ACCEPTED THEM.
NEXT UP IS, UH, ALDER WOMAN JAMIA HARRIS OF 2 22 MONTEREY CIRCLE.
UM, I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON TWO ISSUES.
UM, THE FIRST ISSUE, I WILL SPEAK FROM A PLACE OF EXPERIENCE.
UM, I DON'T EVEN CARE ABOUT THE BACK AND FORTH ON WHY THE POLITICS OR WHY SOMEONE WASN'T HERE.
I'M MORE CONCERNED THAT, UM, WE ELECT YOU INDIVIDUALS TO SHOW UP AND WE ELECT YOU TO DO THE JOB OF WHAT IS BEST FOR THE CITY.
WE HAVE A VACANT SEAT, UM, AND THE TWO CANDIDATES THAT WE KNOW OF, UM, WE NEED TO GET MOVEMENT.
IT'S UNFAIR TO THE CITY AS A WHOLE BECAUSE IF THERE'S AGENDA ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE LIST WHERE YOU ALL DON'T AGREE, AND THE THE VOTE IS SPLIT THREE, THREE PROGRESS IS PAUSED ON THOSE AGENDA ITEMS. AND THAT'S NOT FAIR TO THE INDIVIDUALS THAT COME SEEKING HELP AND ASSISTANCE FROM THE BOARD OR THEIR CITY.
UM, WHEN IT COMES TO WARD SIX OR A SEAT THAT IS OPEN, UM, IN A FEW MONTHS, IF I CAN REMEMBER, WE ARE GONNA START TALKING ABOUT BUDGET.
WHEN I LOOK AT THAT SEAT AND THE FACT THAT THERE'S ONLY A YEAR AND A HALF LEFT TO THAT SEAT, I WOULD PREFER THAT YOU ALL COME TOGETHER AND DECIDE TO APPOINT, WHETHER YOU LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY OF WARD SIX, WHO THEY ARE ULTIMATELY LETTING, LETTING YOU KNOW WHO THEY WANT TO SIT IN THAT SEAT.
I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO EXPLORE THE FACT THAT WE NEED SOMEONE IN THE SEAT THAT IS EXPERIENCED.
WE SAW WHAT HAPPENED TO A SISTER CITY IN ASHEVILLE.
WE ARE STILL IN HURRICANE SEASON AND WE NEED PEOPLE THAT ARE EDUCATED AND HAVE THE EXPERIENCE TO BE ABLE TO MAKE DECISIONS OR BE THE SUPPORT FOR THE CITY.
IF YOU PUT SOMEONE NEW IN THAT SEAT, THEY'RE GONNA NEED AT LEAST SIX MONTHS.
AGAIN, I'M SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE TO BE ABLE TO GET CAUGHT UP AND UNDERSTAND THE INNER WORKINGS OF GOVERNMENT.
I KNOW ON THE OUTSIDE, AS A CITIZEN, WE THINK THAT MAYBE THIS IS AN EASY JOB, BUT IT'S NOT.
THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE ENTAIL THAT ENTAIL TO, TO BE IN THIS POSITION.
I UNDERSTAND, BUT IT'S NOT FAIR TO THE COMMUNITY THAT WARD SIX OR THE CITY AS A WHOLE, THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE SITTING IN THAT SEAT.
AND WE DON'T HAVE WARD SIX PERSPECTIVE ON ANY OF THE AGENDA ITEMS WHEN WE HAVE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE VOTED ON.
THE SECOND MATTER IS, IS WHEN I SAT ON THAT BOARD, ALL
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OF YOU THAT ARE STILL HERE KNOW THAT WE WENT BACK AND FORTH FOR HOURS IN MEETINGS ABOUT THE HAR ARPA, HARPA ARPA BENEFITS, THE MONEY AFTER LONG DEBATES, WE FINALLY GOT SEVEN PEOPLE TO VOTE THAT THAT FUND WOULD BE BROKEN DOWN TO EACH WARD.IN THAT SAME MEETING, I AS THE WARD TWO ALDERMAN ASKED THAT IF THESE FUNDS WOULD BE ALLOCATED TO A PROJECT, AND IT WAS PEMBROOK, IT WAS THE STREETS, WE HAD THE DEPARTMENT HEAD GO OUT, LOOK AND PRESENT TO PEMBROOK.
AND THAT MONEY, $500,000 WAS ALLOCATED TO THAT PROJECT.
AND IT WAS, IT WAS ASKED THAT, KNOWING THAT I NO LONGER WILL SIT ON THIS BOARD, CAN MY FELLOW COLLEAGUES THAT ARE STILL HERE CONTINUE THAT PROJECT AND INFORM THE INCOMING PERSON THAT REPRESENTS WAR II ABOUT THAT PROJECT? IF THE IDEA OF HAVING THE STREETS THAT PEMBROOK WAS LOOKING FOR IS NO LONGER SOMETHING THE COMMUNITY WANTS, I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE THE FUNDS THAT I PERSONALLY FOUGHT FOR TO GET DIVVIED UP, SEVEN WAYS TO BE ALLOCATED TO WORK IN THE REDEVELOPMENT, WHICH ME AND SABRINA WERE ABLE TO DO WITH SOME EXTRA FUNDS THAT SHE HAD.
I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU GUYS CAN DISCUSS THIS AND ALLOCATE THAT MONEY NECESSARY.
NEXT UP IS CARL MISHKA OF 50 25 CLUBHOUSE DRIVE.
GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR AND ASSEMBLY ALDERMAN AND CITIZENS SITTING BEHIND ME.
I REPRESENT 14 HOMES IN GREENBRIER, THE EMERALD POINT TOWN HOMES, AND WE ARE PRESENTLY WORKING WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF AN ALDERMAN SITTING AT THIS TABLE.
I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT POSITION WAS NONPARTISAN AND THEREFORE I WOULD ASK THAT YOU GIVE EXTREME CAREFUL CONSIDERATION TO THE CANDIDACY OF ONE INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS BOTH BEEN A DEMOCRAT AND A REPUBLICAN.
AND I PLEDGE MY SUPPORT TO DANA OUTLAW, WHO WAS ALWAYS RESPONSIVE TO ME OVER 16 YEARS OF LIVING ON CLUBHOUSE DRIVE.
NEXT UP IS LORETTA ARMAND, 2 0 6 EIGHTH STREET.
I ACTUALLY DID NOT ASK TO GO TO COMPLAIN.
UH, NEXT IS SKIP KENNEDY OF 1 0 4 TO BEANO DRIVE.
GOOD EVENING, MR. SAM MAYOR, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE BOARD.
I'M SKIP KENNEDY AND I RESIDE IN WARD FOUR AND I'M HERE TONIGHT 'CAUSE I'D LIKE TO REQUEST AND ASK THE CITY TO CONSIDER REDUCING THE SPEED LIMIT ON QUEEN STREET IN THE BUSINESS AREA.
I'M TALKING FROM ROUNDTREE STREET DOWN TO GEORGE STREET.
I GREW UP HERE AND IT'S ALWAYS BEEN 25 FOR WHATEVER APPARENT REASON IT WENT TO 35.
'CAUSE WE USED TO HAVE RAILROAD TRACKS DOWN THAT STREET.
ALL MCKENZIE HAD A BUSINESS DOWN THAT STREET.
HE CAN ATTEST THAT THAT SPEED LIMIT WAS 25.
NOW WE HAVE SALON, UH, COFFEE SHOPS, COUPLE BARBER SHOPS ON THAT STREET, AND THERE'S 35, IT'S TWO FAST FOR PEDESTRIANS AND LITTLE KIDS.
EVERY STREET IN THIS AREA, DOWNTOWN IS 25.
GEORGE STREET IS A BIGGER STREET THAN QUEEN STREET.
IT'S 25, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE THE BUSINESSES ALONG THERE LIKE QUEEN STREET DOES.
WE HAVE OLDER GENTLEMEN, OLDER LADIES WITH KIDS CROSSING THE STREET, GOING TO THE COFFEE SHOP, THE BARBER SHOP, SOME OLD CANES LIKE ME AND SOME OLD CRUTCHES OR WHATEVER TRYING TO GET TO THE LAUNDROMAT OR TO THE CONVENIENCE STORE, TO UH, COUNTRY BISCUIT.
AND THE SPEED LIMIT IS TOO FAST.
YOU OPEN YOUR DOOR, YOU OPEN IT IN THE TRAFFIC, THEN YOU HAVE TO HURRY UP AND RUN BEHIND YOUR CAR, WAIT FOR THESE CARS TO FLY BY.
IF THEY'RE COMING FROM THE OPPOSITE END OF QUEEN STREET FROM OFF OF, UH, THAT FIRST STREET, UM, AND THEY'RE DOING 35, IF THAT LIGHT IS GREEN, THEY GONNA TRY TO MAKE THE LIGHT.
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AND THERE YOU GOT THE COFFEE SHOP, MOTHERS AND KIDS GOING INTO THE COFFEE SHOP.I LIKE TO ASK THAT YOU REDUCE THAT SPEED LIMIT BACK TO 25.
I'VE BEEN IN DISCUSSION WITH
I'LL ASK LIKE TO ASK YOU GUYS TO, UH, CONSIDER DECREASING THE SPEED LIMIT AT 25.
'CAUSE THERE ARE SOME BUSINESSES ALONG THAT AREA.
NEXT UP IS HOLLY RABY OF ONE 17 WALDEN PEACE, TWO YOU THE HONORABLE MAYOR ODOM, THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN.
I LIVE IN WARD THREE, GRAYSON.
PEACE TO YOU MR. ASHER TO THE, UH, CITY MANAGER, THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, UH, THE CITY CLERK AND AND OUR COUNCIL.
GOD BLESS YOU, GRACE AND PEACE TO YOU.
SO TODAY, UM, I COME WITH A CONCERN, UH, WITH THE ISSUE OF THIS EIGHT OCTOBER MEETING OF SPECIFICALLY THE NARRATIVE OF THE INTEGRITY, UH, OF THE MESSAGE THAT CAME, UH, FROM THE MAYOR THAT I VIEWED FROM SUN JOURNAL FOR LOCAL NEWS AND ALSO THE NEWBURN NOW, UM, OUTLET TODAY, I, I HUMBLY ASK FOR, UH, CLARIFICATION PERHAPS, UM, FROM THE MAYOR AND, AND EVEN THOSE, UM, WHO WERE ABSENT.
AND AGAIN, MY CONCERNS ARE THE INTEGRITY OF THE STATEMENTS MADE AND, AND WITH HOPES THAT THE PUBLIC AT LARGE CAN GET A BROADER PICTURE OF WHAT HAPPENS SO THAT WE CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED AND WHAT DID NOT HAPPEN, IF THAT'S OKAY.
DOES ANYONE WANNA MAKE A COMMENT? AGAIN, I REPEAT.
MY SON GOT MARRIED, THANK YOU.
AND I WAS A PART OF THE ACTIVITIES AND I DID NOT ATTEND THE MEETING BECAUSE OF THAT.
I DON'T KNOW ANY PARENT IN THIS COURTROOM TODAY THAT WOULD HAVE OPTED NOT TO ATTEND YOUR CHILD'S WEDDING IN ORDER TO ATTEND A BOARD OF ALDERMAN MEETING.
I DON'T KNOW ANYONE, BUT AGAIN, THAT WAS MY DECISION AND MY DECISION WAS TO BE A PART OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT TOOK PLACE THAT WEEK.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, ON THAT WEDNESDAY, MY SISTER SUFFERED TWO BRAIN ANEURYSMS THAT BLED AND WAS MEDEVACED TO ECU HEALTH.
I HAD FAMILY SITUATIONS THAT I NEEDED TO ADDRESS AND THAT'S WHAT I DID.
AND I BELIEVE THERE'S NOT A PERSON HERE, I HEARD MR. SHIELD TALK ABOUT BEING A CAREGIVER FOR HIS WIFE WHILE I AM A CAREGIVER ALSO.
SO WHEN IT COMES TO FAMILY, WE HAVE RESPONSIBILITY.
AND THAT WAS MY RESPONSIBILITY THAT WEEK.
I CAN ONLY SPEAK FOR ME, I CAN ONLY TELL YOU WHY I WAS ABSENT, ABSENT.
AND EVEN THOUGH WORDS WERE SPOKEN, THAT APPEARED THAT I, IT WAS A POLITICAL DECISION.
THERE'S NOTHING POLITICAL ABOUT YOUR CHILD GETTING MARRIED THAT I KNOW OF AT 40 YEARS OLD.
I'M THANKFUL TO GOD THAT MY SISTER IS NO LONGER ON LIFE SUPPORT.
THAT IS WHAT I CALLED THE CITY CLERK AND TOLD HER ABOUT THE ACTIVITIES.
SHE SAID SHE MADE THE MAYOR AWARE.
BUT AGAIN, THAT IS THE REASON FOR MY ABSENCE.
I CAN'T SPEAK FOR ANYBODY ELSE, BUT I KNOW WHY I WAS NOT HERE AND I HAVE NEVER MISSED A MEETING EXCEPT WHEN I WAS SICK.
AND I KNOW PEOPLE DON'T WANT ME AROUND WITH GERMS IF I'M SICK.
AND I DON'T WANT PEOPLE AROUND ME WITH GERMS EITHER IF THEY'RE SICK.
BUT AGAIN, I HAVE NEVER MISSED A MEETING WITHOUT IDENTIFYING WHETHER IT'S IN THE 11TH HOUR, THE 12TH HOUR,
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OR ONE MINUTE BEFORE SIX.IT DOESN'T MATTER AS LONG AS I IDENTIFY AND MAKE, GIVE NOTICE TO MY COLLEAGUES OF MY ABSENCE, THAT'S WHAT I DID.
ANYONE ELSE WANNA MAKE COMMENTS? YES.
UH, MAYOR, UM, AS IT WAS STATED THAT WE MISSED THE MEETING, UM, AS LONG AS I REPORT TO THE CITY CLERK THAT I'M GONNA BE ABSENT FROM A MEETING, THAT IS ALL THAT'S REQUIRED OF ME.
NOW, I'M A VERY PRIVATE PERSON AND I AM NOT ONE TO DISCLOSE TO THE PUBLIC WHAT'S GOING ON IN MY PRIVATE LIFE.
AS LONG AS I REPORT TO THE CITY CLERK AND MAKE HER AWARE THAT I'M NOT PRESENT, THEN THAT'S ALL THAT'S REQUIRED OF ME.
ANYONE ELSE? MAYOR, LET ME, UH, JUMP IN AS WELL.
MR. HUGHES, A FEW MONTHS AGO, YOU AND I HAD A CONVERSATION, UH, HOPEFULLY YOU'LL RECALL IT, WHERE I INFORMED YOU THAT I WOULD NOT BE IN TOWN FOR THE OCTOBER 8TH MEETING.
IS THAT ACCURATE? THAT IS, AND WE'RE TALKING, WE'RE NOT TALKING A FEW DAYS, WE'RE NOT TALKING A FEW WEEKS.
WE'RE TALKING A FEW MONTHS AGO THAT I ADVISED YOU OF THAT.
IN ANY TIME BETWEEN, AND I DON'T RECALL WHEN WE SPOKE, YOU MAY HAVE A DATE IN YOUR DIARY DATED DIARY.
BUT IN ANY POINT IN TIME BETWEEN WHEN WE SPOKE AND THE OCTOBER 8TH MEETING, DID YOU ADVISE ANY MEMBER OF THE BOARD THAT I WOULD BE AWAY FOR THAT MEETING? I DON'T KNOW IF I SAID ANYTHING TO THE BOARD.
I KNOW THAT I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH THE ASSISTANT MANAGER ABOUT THAT, THAT YOU WERE NOT GONNA BE THERE.
I THINK, I DON'T THINK THAT BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S INTERESTING THAT IF YOU GO BACK TO OUR FIRST MEETING IN SEPTEMBER, ALDERMAN ASTER, I MEAN, AFTER THE BOARD TOOK A FEW VOTES ON THE CANDIDATES, UM, THAT HAVE SHOWN AN INTEREST IN BEING CONSIDERED FOR THE WARD SIX ALDERMAN POSITION, ALDERMAN ASTOR MADE A MOTION TO DELAY ANY FURTHER CONVERSATION ABOUT THE WARD SIX APPOINTMENT TO THE OCTOBER 8TH MEETING.
NOW, AGAIN, THIS IS THE FIRST MEETING IN SEPTEMBER WHEN THIS MOTION WAS MADE.
AT THAT MEETING, I, I CLARIFIED WITH ALDERMAN ASTER AS TO WHETHER HE MEANT THAT WE WOULD CONTINUE THE WARD SIX, UM, DISCUSSION AT THE SECOND MEETING IN SEPTEMBER AS OPPOSED TO THE FIRST MEETING IN OCTOBER.
UH, AND HE CLARIFIED, NO, I I INTENDED IT, UM, TO BE TAKEN UP AGAIN AT THE OCTOBER 8TH MEETING.
AND THE BOARD VOTED, UH, TO GO ALONG WITH THAT.
AT THE SECOND MEETING IN SEPTEMBER, I MADE A MOTION TO ASK THE BOARD TO CONSIDER DELAYING THAT CONVERSATION TO THIS MEETING BECAUSE I KNEW THAT I WAS GOING TO BE AWAY AT THE OCTOBER 8TH MEETING.
AND I SUSPECT THAT OTHER MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD ALSO AWARE OF THAT, WHICH MAY BE WHY THE MOTION, THE PREVIOUS MOTION BY ALDERMAN ASTOR WAS VERY SPECIFIC TO THE OCTOBER 8TH MEETING.
SO YOU CAN MAKE MAKE OF THAT WHATEVER YOU, YOU YOU WANT TO, I'M JUST STATING SOME FACTS.
MY MOTION TO DELAY THAT CONVERSATION TO THIS MEETING WOULD FAIL EVEN THOUGH IT GOT A SECOND.
UH, IT DID NOT GET FOUR MEMBERS TO GO ALONG WITH IT.
SO YOU, YOU DECIDE HOW YOU WANT TO INTERPRET THOSE FACTS.
MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD, SOME MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD
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HAVE SHOWN A WILLINGNESS TO TALK TO EACH OF THE CANDIDATES.AND THERE ARE SIX CANDIDATES IN TOLL, ALTHOUGH AS OF TONIGHT WE'RE DOWN TO FIVE, OTHER MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD HAVE INDICATED PUBLICLY THAT THEY'RE NOT INTERESTED IN TALKING TO ANY OF THE OTHER CANDIDATES BECAUSE THEY'VE ALREADY MADE UP THEIR MIND AS TO WHO THEY WANT TO SEE APPOINTED.
SO AGAIN, YOU DECIDE WHAT THE MEANING OF THAT IS.
I HAVE PREVIOUSLY MADE A MOTION TO APPOINT A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT CANDIDATES AND THOSE MOTIONS HAVE FAILED.
I AM GOING TO CONTINUE TO MAKE MOTIONS TO TRY TO GET FOUR MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD TO CONSIDER CANDIDATES OTHER THAN THE ONE CANDIDATE THAT THREE MEMBERS ARE SUPPORTING.
AND AGAIN, I'M TRYING TO BE CAREFUL IN WHAT I'M SAYING.
I'M NOT LOOKING TO INCITE A LOT OF ANGER OR ANGST WITH ANYBODY.
BUT THESE ARE SIMPLY THE FACTS THAT WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH, ALDERMAN ROYAL INDICATED WHY SHE WAS NOT PRESENT AT THE MEETING.
AND, AND YOU ALL UNDERSTAND IF YOU HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER, A SON WHO IS GETTING MARRIED, THAT TAKES PRIORITY OVER A BOARD MEETING.
WHEN I ADVISED MR. HUGHES A FEW MONTHS AGO THAT I WAS NOT GOING TO BE IN THE COUNTRY FOR THE OCTOBER 8TH MEETING, THIS WAS PRIOR TO FORMER ALDERMAN BRINSON BEING OFFERED TO BE CONSIDERED AS A CANDIDATE FOR STATE SENATOR.
IT WAS BEFORE ANY OF THAT WHOLE DISCUSSION EVEN STARTED.
SO I HAD NO IDEA MR. HUGHES HAD NO IDEA WHAT THE AGENDA WAS GOING TO LOOK LIKE FOR THE OCTOBER 8TH MEETING, BUT I DID MY DUE DILIGENCE AND IT LET HIM KNOW THAT I WOULD NOT BE IN ATTENDANCE.
SO AGAIN, YOU DECIDE AS TO THE ACTIONS OF THE BOARD.
IS THAT ALL ALDERMAN PRO? I HAVE NOTHING FURTHER.
ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY COMMENTS? UM, I WILL TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, EXPLAIN WHY I MADE THE COMMENTS THAT I MADE.
UM, JUST TO CLARIFY THOUGH, AND I'LL ASK THE CLERK IF SHE CAN HELP MAKE SURE THAT I'M CORRECT.
I BELIEVE THE MEETING THAT ALMAN PRI REFERRED TO WHERE THE BOARD DECIDED TO VOTE TO DELAY THE APPOINTMENT OF WARD SIX WAS OUR LAST MEETING IN AUGUST, NOT THE FIRST MEETING IN SEPTEMBER BECAUSE ALDERMAN PRILL MADE A MOTION TO DELAY THIS DECISION TO THE FIRST MEETING IN SEPTEMBER, WHICH FAILED THREE TO THREE.
SUBSEQUENTLY, ALDERMAN ASKED HER, MADE A MOTION TO TAKE THIS ITEM UP.
THE FIRST MEETING IN OCTOBER, ALDERMAN PRILL QUESTIONED HIM AND SAID, DID YOU MEAN SEPTEMBER? AND ALDERMAN ASTER SAID, NO, I'M IN OCTOBER TO ALLOW PLENTY OF TIME FOR THIS TO SETTLE AND MAKE A DECISION.
THAT DECISION AND THAT VOTE WAS FIVE TO ONE.
SO IF ALDERMAN PEREL KNEW THAT HE WAS GONNA BE OUT OF TOWN, WHY DID HE VOTE TO HAVE THAT DECISION MADE THAT NIGHT? I STILL DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND THAT ONE.
AND JUST TO CLARIFY, IF THERE WAS SOME ILL INTENT AND SOMEBODY TRYING TO GET ONE OVER ON SOMEBODY, ALDERMAN ROYAL MISSED OUR LAST MEETING IN SEPTEMBER.
THAT'S THE MEETING THAT ALDERMAN PRILL REFERRED TO, THAT HE TRIED TO MOVE THIS DECISION THAT NIGHT.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE TWO CANDIDATES THAT HAD BEEN DISCUSSED, ALDERMAN KENZIE OR ALDERMAN ASTOR COULD HAVE MADE A MOTION THAT NIGHT TO APPOINT MAYOR OUTLAW AND A VOTE WOULD'VE BEEN HELD THAT NIGHT.
BUT THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN BECAUSE THE DECISION FOR THE BOARD WAS TO MOVE AND MAKE THIS DECISION IN OCTOBER THE EIGHTH.
SO MY COMMENTS, UM, I'M A MAN, I'LL STAND UP BEHIND MY COMMENTS.
UH, I, I SAID THEM OUT OF FRUSTRATION, UH, BECAUSE ALL DAY LONG STAFF AND CITIZENS HAD PLANNED TO COME OUT TO THIS MEETING AND THE CLERK GOT A PHONE CALL WITHIN MINUTES OF THE SIX O'CLOCK MEETING NOTIFYING HER THAT THE TWO ALDERMEN THAT
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WE THOUGHT WAS IN TOWN WAS NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO MAKE IT.I DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT THERE'S ATTORNEY CAN CLARIFY.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT THERE'S A LAW OR A RULE THAT SAYS YOU HAVE TO CALL AT ALL.
BUT THE POINT IS, IS STAFF WAS HERE, WE WERE READY TO CONDUCT THE BUSINESS OF THE CITY, AND TWO ALDERMEN DIDN'T SHOW UP.
THERE WERE ITEMS ON THAT AGENDA THAT HAD TIME SENSITIVITY AROUND THEM.
THAT'S WHY ON WEDNESDAY MORNING I CALLED FOR A SPECIAL CALL MEETING TO TRY TO GET THE NOTIFICATIONS PUT IN THE PAPER.
SO TONIGHT WE COULD TAKE ACTION ON AN ANNEXATION AND A REZONING, WHICH WE CAN'T NOW BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT MEETING.
SO THAT WAS THE REASON BEHIND MY COMMENTS.
MAY I FURTHER ADD MAYOR MA'AM.
MAYOR HAMM, THE SPECIAL CALL MEETING WAS THE DAY OF THE WEDDING.
I CERTAINLY WAS GONNA BE AT THE WEDDING.
THERE IS NO CALL MEETING NO BUSINESS OF THE CITY.
AGAIN, I STATE THAT I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S A PARENT IN THIS COURTROOM THAT WOULD HAVE SHOWED UP AT A BOARD MEETING ON THE DAY OF THE WEDDING.
IF THERE WAS NO PREACHER, THERE WOULD BE NO WEDDING.
AND SO I DID MY, MY DUTY FOR MY FAMILY.
AND AS I SAID AGAIN, THAT SAME WEEK PRIOR TO THE, THE, UH, CEREMONY, MY SISTER AND I DON'T KNOW A PERSON IN THIS COURTROOM TONIGHT, GOING BACK TO MR. SHIELD WHO SAYS HE TAKES CARE OF HIS WIFE, WOULD NOT BE THERE TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR SISTER.
WHEN I GOT THE CALL THAT SHE WAS ON LIFE SUPPORT, THAT SHE WAS MEDEVACED, I WAS OUT.
I'M GOING TO LOOK FOR MY LOOK OUT FOR MY FAMILY.
AND THAT'S WHERE I HAVE BEEN SINCE SHE HAS BEEN IN ICU TAKING CARE OF MY SISTER, LOOKING OUT FOR MY FAMILY.
AND I KNOW EVERY PERSON IN THIS ROOM WOULD DO THE EXACT SAME THING.
AND IF YOU WOULDN'T, THEN THAT WOULD NOT BE THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
AND SO I LISTENED TO CHANNEL 12 NEWS AND I HEARD YOU SAY OUT OF YOUR FRUSTRATION, YOU MADE STATEMENTS.
BUT YOUR STATEMENT THAT YOU MADE WAS THAT I FAILED THE NEIGHBORS AND THAT YOU WERE VERY DISAPPOINTED.
AND THAT I LET THE NEIGHBORS DOWN KNOW IF I DIDN'T SHOW UP, I WOULD'VE LET MY SISTER DOWN WHO WAS STANDING AT DEATH'S DOOR.
AND IF I DIDN'T SHOW UP, I WOULD'VE LET MY SON DOWN WHO WAS STANDING THERE WAITING FOR HIS MAMA TO SAY, TELL HIM TO SAY I DO.
SO I WENT WITH MY FAMILY AND I WOULD, IF I HAD TO DO IT AGAIN, I WOULD DO IT AGAIN.
AND I WOULD URGE EACH ONE OF YOU TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR FAMILY.
ALSO, LIFE IS SHORT IF WE LIVE TO BE 100.
AND MY SAM IS CLOSE TO IT, BUT IT'S STILL A SHORT SPAN OF TIME.
AND ALL WE HAVE IS EACH OTHER AND WE SHOULD DO THE BEST WE CAN TO PROTECT AND CARE FOR EACH OTHER.
AND SO THE STATEMENTS THAT I FAILED THE NEIGHBORS BECAUSE I DIDN'T ATTEND THE MEETING, I APOLOGIZE TO YOU.
IF YOU FEEL I FAILED YOU, I DON'T FEEL I FAILED YOU.
AS UH, THE CITY CLERK TOLD ME, SHE SAID, ALMOND ROYAL, YOU ARE WHERE YOU NEED TO BE.
AND THAT'S WHAT I FELT I WAS WHERE I NEEDED TO BE.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? YEAH, I DO.
I I HAVE TO, UM,
SIX THREE MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD VOTED NO.
LATER ON IN THAT SAME MEETING, SEPTEMBER 24TH, I MADE A MOTION TO DELAY THIS PROCESS UNTIL THE OCTOBER 8TH MEETING.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THIS AGENDA ITEM COULD HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED AT THE OCTOBER 22ND MEETING, WHICH IS TONIGHT WHEN ALTMAN PRILL WILL BE BACK IN THE COUNTRY.
SO THIS BOARD, CITY CLERK, CITY MANAGER, CITY
[00:35:01]
ASSISTANT, CITY MANAGER, THIS BOARD, EVERYBODY KNEW THAT ALTMAN PRI WAS GONNA BE OUT OF THE COUNTRY FOR THE OCTOBER 8TH MEETING.NOW, I'M GONNA SAY THIS MUCH 'CAUSE I'M A VERY FRANK INDIVIDUAL AND THOSE THAT OF YOU THAT KNOW ME, KNOW THAT I STAND FOR WHAT'S RIGHT.
IF I KNOW THAT SOMETHING IS PLANNED, I'M NOT GONNA BE A PART OF IT.
IF IT'S WRONG, IF WE STAND FOR ANYTHING, THEN WE ACCEPT ANYTHING THAT'S RIGHT.
AND I'M NOT, I'M NOT ONE OF THOSE THAT'S GONNA ACCEPT ANYTHING, ESPECIALLY WHEN I KNOW IT'S WRONG.
SO I STAND BEHIND MY TWO FELLOW COLLEAGUES, THEY BOTH HAD REASONS AND THE CITY KNEW OF THEIR REASONS WHY THEY WEREN'T PRESENT.
SHE KNEW THAT I WASN'T GONNA BE PRESENT.
AND FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, THE WE LIVE
WE ALL HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND ANY ONE OF US UP HERE OR AN ADULT AND WE SPEAK AND SAY WHAT WE WANT TO SAY.
BUT THE MAYOR SAID WHAT HE SAID OUT OF FRUSTRATION, BUT I YET TO HEAR HIM.
HE HASN'T CALLED ME, HE HASN'T APOLOGIZED TO ME FOR SOME OF THE UNFOUND STATEMENTS HE MADE TO CHANNEL 12.
SO THAT IS WHERE I STAND RIGHT NOW WITH THIS.
LIKE I SAID, WE ALL HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH, BUT THAT'S WHERE I STAND WITH IT.
AND FRANKLY SPEAKING, I THINK THE MAYOR SHOULD APOLOGIZE TO THIS TO US THREE BOARD MEMBERS.
BECAUSE IF I HAD MADE SOME UN UNFOUNDED STATEMENTS ABOUT MY COLLEAGUES, I WOULD, I I AM WOMAN ENOUGH TO APOLOGIZE.
NEXT UP IS ANTOINETTE BOSKY, 47 66.
NEXT UP IS ANTOINETTE BOSKY, 47 66 CORINA DRIVE.
UM, WELL DANG, I GOTTA COME BEHIND THAT, BUT I AM ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT THAT TOPIC.
UM, AND I'M GONNA USE MY FOUR MINUTES WISELY.
FIRST OF ALL, THAT IS MY ALDERMAN THAT'S SPOKEN.
UM, I KNOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME THINGS SAID ABOUT MY ALDERMAN.
I DON'T WANT MY ALDERMAN TO STEP DOWN OR RESIGN.
I WANT YOU TO SIT IN THAT SEAT AND TAKE UP SPACE.
OKAY? UM, HERE'S MY THING ABOUT THIS PROCESS.
I AGREE WITH THIS MAN RIGHT HERE THAT THERE SHOULD NOT BE ANY POLITICAL PLOYS IN WHAT HAPPENS HERE IN NEW BERN.
OUR MANTRA IS EVERYTHING COMES TOGETHER HERE.
BUT DOES IT REALLY, DOES IT REALLY, IF THE SAME PEOPLE CONTINUE TO BE IN THE SEATS OF POWER TO MAKE THE DECISIONS THAT IMPACT US ALL, DOES IT REALLY, DOES IT REALLY COME TOGETHER HERE WHEN YOU KNOW I'M SMART ENOUGH MYSELF TO BE ABLE TO READ THE FACTS? I CAN READ THE MINUTES.
I CAN IF SOME, IF I WOULD RATHER BE TOLD AS A CITIZEN, FACTUALLY, THIS PERSON ISN'T HERE AND THIS IS THE REASON THEY GAVE.
AND IF I NEED TO ASK THEM, I WILL ASK THEM.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO TELL ANYBODY WHAT YOUR PERSONAL BUSINESS IS.
YOU DON'T OWE US THAT YOU DO OWE US TO REPRESENT US, RIGHT? TO REPRESENT YOUR WAR, TO REPRESENT THE WHOLE CITY, TO DO WHAT'S BEST FOR THE GOOD OF ALL.
AND FRANKLY, NO, EVERYTHING DOESN'T COME TOGETHER HERE.
'CAUSE WE SAID IT WAS ALL SO GREAT WHEN SLAVES, THE FREE SLAVES COULD COME HERE.
BUT IT REALLY WASN'T THAT GREAT, WAS IT? THANK YOU DAVID ZAKI.
THERE ARE A LOT OF INSTANCES WHERE THERE HAS BEEN TRANSPARENCY CALLED FOR FROM THIS BOARD BY PEOPLE WHO AREN'T ON THIS BOARD ANYMORE.
AND GUESS WHAT? THOSE SAME PEOPLE GOT SOME ATTACKS TOO.
WHAT I SAY IS I'D LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
I LIKE TO SEE THE APPLE CLARK SHOOK UP FOR, FOR DEMOCRACY, FOR THERE TO BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A VOICE.
SO WHEN THERE WAS A DEADLOCK, NOW WITH THIS YOUNG MAN, AGAIN, IT'S NOT A PRESIDENT FOR IT.
THERE'S SOME SMART PEOPLE UP HERE.
BUT LET THERE BE SOME WAY THAT THESE SIX PEOPLE HAVE A WAY TO PRESENT THEMSELVES TOWARDS SIX.
TOWARDS SIX TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
'CAUSE GUESS WHAT? IF MY ALDERMAN STEPPED DOWN, I MEAN, I WANT THAT TOO.
THAT'S REALLY BEING ABLE TO HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT THAT IS AS DIPLOMATIC AND DEMOCRATIC AS POSSIBLE.
BUT LET'S DO IT IN, IN HUMILITY.
LET'S DO IT IN HONESTY, WE ALL GET EMOTIONAL.
WE ALL SAY THINGS, BUT LET'S NOT DISPARAGE EACH OTHER'S CHARACTER.
'CAUSE WHAT WE ARE SEEING AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL THAT JUST PLAYED OUT HERE.
[00:40:01]
2 0 7 FAIRMOUNT WAY.GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR ERMAN.
AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, I'M HERE TONIGHT AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN, NOT AS A MEMBER OF THE, UH, THE CLERGY.
BUT THAT BEING SAID, IN THE BIBLE OF THE GOSPEL, JOHN TELLS US THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE.
YEAH, I KNOW THAT'S HARD TO BELIEVE.
THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT WAS ALSO IN ITS INFANCY WHEN BROWN V, THE BOARD OF EDUCATION WAS PASSED THE FIRST NAIL IN JIM CROW'S COFFIN.
IT WAS A TIME WE DIDN'T LOCK OUR DOORS.
A TIME WHEN IF YOU WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE A COVERED TV, YOU STILL STAYED OUTSIDE AND PLAYED UNTIL STREET LIGHTS CAME ON.
IT WAS A TIME WHEN IF WE HAD A DISAGREEMENT WITH A NEIGHBOR, WE DIDN'T FILE THE POLICE REPORT OR THREATEN HIM WITH BODILY HARM.
WE JUST WENT OVER THERE AND KNOCKED ON THE DOOR AND HAD A CONVERSATION.
AND THERE WAS A TIME WHEN WE NEEDED INFORMATION OR THE TRUTH, WE WENT TO THE LIBRARY OR PICKED UP AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OR FOR SOME OF US PICKED UP THE BIBLE.
YES, GOOGLE WAS NOT EVEN A WORD BACK IN THOSE DAYS.
WELL, A LOT OF THE CHANGE IN THOSE PAST SIX OR SEVEN DECADES, A RELATIVE BLINK, BENIGN HISTORY OF OUR WORLD.
AND IT TRUTH SEEMED TO DISAPPEARED IN SOME IMAGINARY CLOUD SOMEWHERE.
ACCORDING TO RESEARCH, ONE IN FIVE AMERICANS RECEIVED THE DAILY NEWS FROM SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS. AND THAT SAME SURVEY, 64% OF ADULTS SAID FAKE NEWS CAUSED CONFUSION ON BASIC FACTS.
AND 23% SAY THE SHARE FAKE NEWS, EITHER KNOWINGLY OR UNKNOWINGLY.
THE WORD IGNORANT IS NOT ALWAYS A NEGATIVE WORD WHEN SOMEONE, SOMEONE JUST DOESN'T KNOW THE TRUTH.
THEIR IGNORANCE IS SIMPLY THE LACK OF KNOWLEDGE.
BUT WHEN SOMEONE DOES KNOW THE TRUTH, THE FACTS, AND THEN CHOOSE TO TELL A TALE CONTRARY TO THE TRUTH, THEN THAT IS WILLFUL IGNORANCE.
AND IT'S BEEN REPORTED THAT THE PERCENTAGE OF USERS WHO SEE UNTRUE CONTENT WHEN THEY SEARCH ONLINE CONTINUES TO RISE AT AN ALARMING RATE, TRUE SOCIAL BY 28%.
TWITTER, 32% TIKTOK, 35%, FACEBOOK, 42%.
AND YET PEOPLE JUST BELIEVE IT ANYWAY WITHOUT DOING THEIR OWN INDEPENDENT RESEARCH FOR THE TRUTH.
FAKE NEWS AND DISINFORMATION ARE DANGEROUS IN OUR DEMOCRATIC SYSTEMS AS IT HAS THE ABILITY TO AFFECT PUBLIC OPINION AND ELECTORAL DISCOURSE.
WE ALL HAD THE RESPONSIBILITY TO STOP AND SPREAD THE NEWS OF DISINFORMATION.
THE GREAT JAPANESE WORRY, THE 17TH CENTURY MIYAMOTO MASAKI ONCE SAID, TRUTH IS NOT WHAT YOU WANT IT TO BE.
AND YOU MUST BEND TO THE POWER OF IT OR LIVE A LIE.
EACH OF US, YOU IN THIS PANEL, EACH OF YOU KNOWS THE TRUTH AND IT'S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY, YOUR SWORN DUTY TO ABIDE BY THE TRUTH AND TO DO YOUR JOB IN THE LIGHT OF THAT TRUTH.
YOU HAVE AN IMPORTANT DECISION TO MAKE TONIGHT TO FILL THE VACANCY IN THE SIXTH WARD.
A SEAT THAT HAS BEEN VACANT FAR TOO LONG AND ALL THE OTHER HAVE BEEN SEVERAL VOTES TAKEN.
YOU ALREADY REMAINED, ALREADY REMAINED DEADLOCKED LAST MONTH.
YOU WERE NOT ABLE TO HAVE A VOTE DUE TO LACK OF QUORUM WHEN THREE OF YOU WERE NOT ABLE TO BE HERE YET.
ONLY ONE OF YOU WAS CALLED OUT AND SAID TO HAVE LET DOWN THE NEIGHBORS IN WARD SIX.
WELL, IF THE TRUTH HAD BEEN TOLD AND IF THAT HAD BEEN REPORTED THAT SHE HAD MISSED A MEETING AND DUE TO COMMITMENTS FOR HER SON'S WEDDING, I THINK THE NARRATIVE OF WARD SIX WOULD'VE UNDERSTOOD AND WOULD'VE NOT FELT LET DOWN.
AND I THINK IT WAS A PRETTY LEGITIMATE EXCUSE FOR NOT BEING PRESENT.
AGAIN, THE MAYOR SAID SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT THAT I DIDN'T HAVE THE DECENCY TO SHOW UP.
AND OF COURSE I ALREADY QUOTED HIM FROM CHANNEL 12 NEWS THAT I LET DOWN THE NEIGHBORS AND THAT IT DISAPPOINTED HIM.
BUT AGAIN, AS I SAID, I HAVE AN EMAIL THAT REFLECTS IT.
I TOLD THE CITY CLERK WHERE I WAS, WHAT I WAS DOING AND IT BEHOOVES US, AGAIN, THIS MISINFORMATION.
[00:45:02]
AS MS. ANTOINETTE POINTED OUT, WE DON'T WANT IT TO TRICKLE DOWN TO NEW BERN.WE SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH OUR NEIGHBORS IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINAS, THAT THEY ARE NOT EVEN ABLE TO GET THEIR NEEDS AND RESOURCES SIMPLY BECAUSE OF MISINFORMATION THAT FEMA CAN EVEN KNOCK ON DOOR TO DOOR ANYMORE.
AND, AND THAT NOW PEOPLE HAVE TO FIND WHERE FEMA IS AND APPROACH THEM.
THAT'S THE POWER OF MISINFORMATION.
IT CAUSES PEOPLE TO MAKE DECISIONS, NOT ON FACT FINDING BASIS, BUT IT MAKES PEOPLE MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON WHAT THEY'VE BEEN TOLD THROUGH THE MEDIA.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, ON NEW BERN LIVE ALSO, THEY APPEAR TO HAVE THE FACTS AND THEY MADE DECISIONS.
I DON'T SEE ANYTHING FUNNY ABOUT MY SISTER BEING ON LIFE SUPPORT.
I DON'T SEE ANYTHING FUNNY ABOUT THAT.
ANYONE COULD HAVE PICKED UP THEIR PHONE AND CALLED ME.
I WOULD'VE TOLD YOU WHERE I WAS.
ALDERMAN BEST SAYS SHE'S PRIVATE.
I WOULD LET THE PUBLIC KNOW WARD SIX RESIDENTS SHOULD HAVE KNOWN WHERE I WAS.
AND ALL IT TOOK WAS JUST SIMPLE TRUTH.
A STATEMENT BEING TOLD TO CHANNEL 12 NEWS TO THE NEW BERN SUN JOURNAL, TO NEW BERN LIFE, WHERE I WAS AND WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH MY FAMILY.
AND YES, WHEN YOU KNOW IT WILL MAKE YOU FREE AND IT WOULD'VE MADE THE RESIDENTS OF WARD SIX INSTEAD OF SAYING, IF IT'S POLITICAL, THEN YOU NEED TO RESIGN.
IT WASN'T POLITICAL, IT WAS FAMILY AND TRUTH.
WOULD'VE EMPOWERED THEM WITH THE KNOWLEDGE TO KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH ME.
AGAIN, I CANNOT SPEAK FOR ANYONE ELSE, BUT I CAN DEFINITELY SPEAK FOR HAZEL.
AND HAZEL IS ALWAYS GONNA TAKE CARE OF HER FAMILY.
NEXT UP IS MS. BARBARA SAMPSON OF 4 8 0 W NORTH CAROLINA HIGHWAY 55.
FIRST LET ME GIVE HONOR TO GOD AND GIVE HONOR TO MY LATE FATHER COUNTY COMMISSIONER JOHNNY AMP JR.
ETHER, BELL AMP, WHO IS SITTING HERE NINE ONE YEARS OLD, STILL KICKING ALL OF US.
WE STAND ON BUSINESS AND I, AND I THANK YOU ALL FOR GIVING ME PERMISSION TO COME UP HERE TO SPEAK TO YOU ALL.
FIRST, I WANT TO COMMEND YOU ALL FOR MAKING SURE THAT STAN WHITE WILL BE FINISHED WITHIN THE NEXT THREE MONTHS.
AND I KNOW YOU ALL ARE THE ONE THAT MADE THE FINAL DECISIONS OF ANYTHING THAT HAPPENED IN THE CITY.
WHETHER IT'S THE PLANNING ZONING BOARD, THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT, THE REDEVELOPMENT.
I KNOW AT THE END OF THE DAY YOU ALL HAVE THE FINAL DECISION, BUT WHEN YOU START SETTING PRICES AND STANDING WHITE, I WANT YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE OUT HERE WHO IS FINANCIALLY CHALLENGED.
THEY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF MONEY, BUT THEY DO WANNA PARTICIPATE IN SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES.
SO WHENEVER YOU CAN DO SOME SCHOLARSHIPS OR GRANTS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO DO SO.
AND I WENT TO TALK ABOUT THE SIXTH WARD.
I LOOK AT IT, UH, AND I LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED IN LIKE A, LIKE A CHESS GAME.
AND I NEVER THOUGHT THAT YOU WOULD REALLY HAVE A DRAW IN CHESS.
BUT THEN I STARTED, I STARTED LOOKING AT PEOPLE AND I SEE THAT YOU CAN HAVE A DRAW.
TECHNICALLY SOMEBODY MIGHT WIN, BUT IT TAKE BOTH OF THEM SAY TO SAY, OKAY, IT IS A DRAW.
'CAUSE IF YOU DON'T, YOU MIGHT MAKE A MISTAKE AND LOSE.
BUT I HAVE THREE THINGS, WAYS THAT YOU ALL CAN COME TO A DECISION.
YOU EITHER CAN DRAW OUT OF A HAT, YOU EITHER CAN FLIP A CORN OR THE TWO PEOPLE THAT YOU ALL CHOSE.
YOU CAN SAY, OKAY, WE ARE NOT, WE ARE GOING TO FORGET ABOUT THEM.
NOT SAYING THAT THEY'RE GOOD FOR THE JOB.
DON'T NEVER, NOBODY GOT AND SAID, I SAID THIS, BUT YOU COULD SAY THE THREE THAT'S LEFT FOR ONE TIME, IT WAS FOUR.
[00:50:01]
THOSE THREE PEOPLE AND DECIDE BETWEEN THOSE THREE THAT THE THREE TRUCKS YOU HAVE.AND I KNOW YOU ALL CAN MAKE THE RULE BECAUSE YOU ALL MAKE RULES THAT YOU GO ALONG ANYWAY.
AND I WANNA ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO GO OUT AND VOTE THOSE WHO REGISTER AND THOSE WHO HAVEN'T REGISTERED, GET REGISTERED AND GO OUT AND VOTE BECAUSE OUR FOREFATHERS AND OUR FOREMOTHERS FOUGHT TOO HARD FOR US NOT TO.
AND I WANT YOU TO MAKE A CONSCIOUS DECISION.
WHO DO YOU WANT TO LEAVE YOU IN THE NEXT FOUR YEARS? WHO HAVE EVERYBODY AT HEART OR WHO HAS AN AGENDA OF THEMSELVES? I'M NOT GONNA TELL YOU WHO TO VOTE FOR, BUT FOLLOW YOUR CONSCIOUS.
NEXT UP IS VERDE GRIMES 1601 JAMESTOWN COURT, HONOR.
NEXT IS JAMES WOODS OF 1903 COUNTRY CLUB.
GOOD, BUT I'M GLAD TO SEE ALL Y'ALL.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON.
I KIND OF DO AND KIND OF DON'T.
BUT UM, YOU KNOW, I HEARD MR. PRILL SAY THAT THERE WERE FIVE NAMES AND WE ONLY BEEN HEARING ABOUT TWO.
YOU KNOW, UM, BEING THAT THE MILITARY MAN THAT I AM, I HATE RETREADS.
ANYBODY KNOW ABOUT RETREADS? RETREADS DON'T LAST A LONG TIME.
DANA AND I HAVE HAD SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS.
HOWEVER, DANA HAS BEEN THE ALDERMAN FOR FOUR TERMS, THE MAYOR FOR TWO.
YOUNG PEOPLE AREN'T INVOLVED IN OUR CITY BECAUSE OF WHAT WE DO RIGHT HERE.
WHAT, WHAT'S JUST HAPPENING RIGHT HERE? YOUNG PEOPLE DON'T LIKE MESS.
OKAY? WARD SIX HAS NOT HAD A REPRESENTATIVE FOR AT LEAST FOUR MONTHS.
AND HERE WE ARE ARGUING ABOUT WHO'S GONNA SIT IN THAT CHAIR.
WE CAN'T CONDUCT A BUSINESS OF OUR CITY BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE PERSON SITTING THERE, BUT WE GOT MESS GROWN FOLK MESS.
YOU REPRESENT THE PEOPLE OF NEWBURN, NOT DUFFY FIELD.
AND IF IT'S MESS HERE, EVERYBODY IS SEEING IT AND THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT US THAT OUR MESS.
WE AIN'T GOT OUR STUFF TOGETHER.
AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE SEEN THIS IN THIS CITY AND I'VE BEEN HERE ON THIS BOARD AND LISTENED TO YOU GUYS AND SUPPORTED ALL OF Y'ALL.
Y'ALL NEED TO SQUARE THIS AWAY TONIGHT.
AND THAT YOUNG MAN WHO WANTS THAT JOB, ALL Y'ALL DOING IS DISCOURAGING HIM.
'CAUSE NOW HE'S NOT GONNA WANT TO WORK WITH YOU 'CAUSE YOU, HE FEELS THAT Y'ALL DON'T WANT HIM THERE.
WHY PUT A RETREAD THERE? HE'S ALREADY HAD HIS TIME.
YOUNG FOLKS AREN'T STAYING IN NEWBURN FOR A REASON.
MY 3-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER DO NOT WANT TO COME BACK HERE.
AND SHE GREW UP HERE, GREW UP IN NEW BERN, WENT THROUGH SCHOOLS IN NEW BERN, BUT DO NOT WANT TO COME BACK HERE.
'CAUSE SHE SAID, AIN'T NOTHING HERE.
WE NEED YOUNG FOLKS TO PUT IN IDEALS.
WHAT'S HAPPENING? ALL OF US GOT GRAY HAIR.
THAT MEANS WE'VE BEEN, WE DONE BEEN THROUGH SOMETHING.
IT'S NOT AN ELECTION IF HE DON'T WORK OUT, ELECT SOMEBODY WHEN HIS TURN FOR ELECTIONS.
I DON'T KNOW IF HE OWE Y'ALL SOMETHING OR NOT, BUT IN MY MIND, THAT'S WHAT IT SEEMS LIKE.
[00:55:01]
OF 1009 NORTH CRAVEN STREET MAYOR AND ESTEEMED ALDERMAN.39 YEARS AGO, WE ENDED UP IN NEW BERN.
MY HUSBAND SAID, GO TO NEW BERN, FIND A HOUSE.
HE WAS OVERSEAS WHEN WE FOUND IT.
HIS NAME MAGICALLY GOT ON THAT CONTRACT ANYWAY, AND WE BOUGHT IT.
I WASN'T BORN IN NEW BERN, BUT I GOT HERE AS QUICK AS I COULD.
THEY HAD JUST GOT DONE IMPLODING THE GREEN BINS ON NORTH CRAVEN STREET, WHICH ENDED UP BEING THE COMPLETE DEATH OF THE SEWER SYSTEM ON THE 1000 BLOCK.
NOW THAT SEWER SYSTEM HAD BEEN GOING BAD FOR 25 YEARS.
AND WE GOT ZERO COOPERATION FROM THE CITY UNTIL AN ELECTION YEAR.
AND WHEN I CALLED MY ALDERMAN AT THAT TIME, LEFT A MESSAGE THAT SAID, YOU KNOW, ME AND THE NEIGHBORS CAN'T EVEN FLUSH OUR TOILETS AND SOMEBODY'S GONNA FIX IT AND THEY'RE GONNA FIX IT TODAY.
HE SHOWED UP AND THEY FOUND WHERE IT HAD BEEN COLLAPSED AND TWO DAYS LATER THEY WERE STICKING UP THE STREET AND IT WAS A LONG-TERM PROJECT.
AND NOW I ENJOY THINGS LIKE FLUSH TOILETS THAT WORK WATER, PRESSURE, WATER THAT DRAINS AWAY WHEN IT STORMS. I CAN ASSURE YOU THERE ARE AT LEAST FOUR NEIGHBORHOODS IN NEW BERN THAT HAVE THOSE ORIGINAL TERRACOTTA STORM DRAINS THAT WAS INSTALLED NEARLY A HUNDRED YEARS AGO.
IT'S TIME TO STOP SPENDING A QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS ON FRESH FACED COLLEGE BOYS AS CONSULTANTS TO COME IN AND SAY, BUILD MORE RESTAURANTS, BUILD MORE GROCERY STORES, AND BUILD MORE GAS STATIONS AND LEAVE THE PEOPLE IN THESE FOUR NEIGHBORHOODS WITH CRUMBLING INFRASTRUCTURE.
NOW, WHOEVER SIT IN THAT SEAT BETTER UNDERSTAND THAT THESE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN PAYING THEIR BILL EVERY MONTH, MONTH AFTER MONTH AFTER MONTH, YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR.
AND I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT IF THEY DON'T START COMING TO THE TOP WITH THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE, THEN THERE'LL BE A LOT OF SEATS THAT WILL CHANGE THE NEXT ELECTION.
ALL OF THESE NEIGHBORHOODS WANT GOOD REPRESENTATION.
NOW, TWO YEARS AGO, TREVOR ELL, I WAS RUNNING IN A PRIMARY FOR SCHOOL BOARD AGAINST, UH, MICHAEL GIOVANNI AND TREVOR ELL.
HE PRINTED A LIE ABOUT THE BOTH OF US ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE SUN JOURNAL.
AND WHEN I CALLED THE SUN JOURNAL TO CONTACT HIM AND DEMAND THAT HE CORRECT THAT, AND HE APOLOGIZED TO US INSTEAD OF S FACING IT LIKE A MAN HE RAN.
AND FOR A YEAR AND A HALF, IT DIDN'T MATTER WHOSE NEIGHBOR I, WHICH NEIGHBOR AND FRIEND I HAD TO GO TO, TO SEND HIM AN EMAIL ON A NEW EMAIL ADDRESS TO TELL HIM I DEMANDED THAT HE CORRECT THAT AND APOLOGIZE PUBLICLY.
HE CONTINUED TO RUN AND HE CONTINUED TO EVADE THE SUBJECT.
QUITE FRANKLY, I WOULDN'T LET TREVOR DANELLE REPRESENT A STRAIGHT CAT IN THIS TOWN.
THAT SEAT NEEDS TO BE FILLED BY SOMEBODY THAT HAS REAL INTEGRITY AND THAT HAS THE COMMON SENSE TO KNOW THAT INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S BEING SUPPLIED BY THE CITY AND PAID BY THE RESIDENTS SHOULD BE UP AND WORKING.
I BET IF I ASK THIS QUESTION RIGHT NOW, AND I'M GONNA CLOSE WITH THIS QUESTION, HOW MANY MILES OF BRAND NEW SEWER HAS BEEN INSTALLED IN THE LAST 40 YEARS ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF NEW BERN, BUT NOT IN THE ORIGINAL NEIGHBORHOODS? THANK YOU.
[Consent Agenda]
OF CITIZENS.NEXT UP IS THE CONSENT AGENDA.
WHAT'S THE PRESSURE ON THE BOARD FOR ITEMS FIVE THROUGH 14? YOUR HONOR, IF THERE'S NO, OH, YOU OKAY, MAYOR, I HAVE, I HAVE A, A FEW QUESTIONS ABOUT THREE OR FOUR ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
I DON'T NECESSARILY FEEL THAT THEY NEED TO BE PULLED, BUT OKAY.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO TRY TO GET AND QUICK ANSWERS IF IT'S POSSIBLE.
SO, SO IF WE COULD HAVE QUIET PLEASE.
WE HAVE AN OTTMAN THIS SPEAKING, YOU WANTED TO DISCUSS A FEW ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA WITHOUT PULLING 'EM.
YEAH, I, IF ANYBODY HAS AN ANSWER, GREAT.
[01:00:01]
IT CAN STAY ON THE CONSENT.GO AHEAD WITH YOUR QUESTION, SIR.
THE FIRST ITEM, UM, IS ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.
UM, THIS IS A, A, UH, RESOLUTION, PROPOSED RESOLUTION TO INITIATE AN UPSET BID PROCESS FOR 3 23 LIBERTY STREET.
THE, THE APPLICANT, THE NAME OF THE APPLICANT IS A JS MOBILE BAR UNIT.
DOES ANYBODY KNOW, AND I'M ASKING THE BOARD MEMBERS OR MEMBERS OF THE STAFF, DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHAT A MOBILE BAR UNIT IS REFERRING TO? AND I, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER I'M OVERTHINKING IT, BUT I'M READING THAT AND WHAT'S COMING TO MY MIND.
I DON'T THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD WANT TO SEE IN THE RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
I, I GUESS MY RESPONSE TO THAT IS REGARDLESS OF WHO BUYS IT OR WHAT THEIR COMPANY NAME WOULD BE, THEY CAN ONLY UTILIZE THE PROPERTY FOR WHAT'S ALLOWED BY THE, THE CURRENT ZONING.
IS THAT CORRECT MR. ATTORNEY? BUT I CAN CERTAINLY SEE WHERE THE NAME RAISES A FLAG.
I DON'T, UH, IT'S A VERY SMALL LOT.
UH, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT, UH, ZONING, UM, THAT A STRUCTURE COULD BE PUT ON IT BASED ON, ON THE ZONING.
I, I MAY BE WRONG, BUT I'M JUST CONCERNED.
AND, AND, AND PART OF THE CONCERN IS IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR THE APPLICANT TO KNOW UPFRONT IF WHAT THEY ARE THINKING ABOUT IS EVEN GOING TO BE ALLOWED, EVEN IF THEY DID FLYER OF THE PROPERTY.
I I'LL ASK THE CITY CLERK, I BELIEVE SHE GIVES SOME INSTRUCTIONS OR SOME GUIDANCE TO ANYBODY THAT APPLIES FOR THIS.
BEFORE ACCEPTING A BID, THEY ARE TO REACH OUT TO DEVELOPMENT SERVICES TO SEE WHAT'S PERMISSIBLE AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR INTENDED USE, UM, IS A POSSIBILITY.
I WILL TELL YOU THIS, APPLICANT IS AN INDIVIDUAL AND I THINK SHE WANTS, UM, BASED ON THE INFORMATION SHE RELAYED AT THE TIME OF THE BID, SHE'S JUST BIDDING IN THE NAME OF HER COMPANY, WHICH IS ALMOST LIKE AON, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT SERVES, BUT IT WAS LIKE A FOOD TRUCK, A MOBILE FOOD TRUCK.
SHE SHOWED ME A PICTURE OF THAT.
I I DID JUST SOME REAL QUICK RESEARCH ONLINE, UH, UH, FOR MOBILE BAR UNITS AND AS THE CLERKS HAS INDICATED, THEY ARE SIMILAR TO A FOOD TRUCK OR GENERALLY SMALLER, BUT THEY SERVE DRINKS, COULD BE ALCOHOLIC DRINKS, COULD BE FRUIT JUICE DRINKS.
AGAIN, IT'S JUST THINKING ABOUT IS SOMEBODY GONNA BE PARKING A TRAILER ON THIS LOT AND SERVING, POTENTIALLY SERVING ALCOHOL IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD? AND IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE BY MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS? SO I MAY BE OVERTHINKING IT, BUT THAT WAS ONE CONCERN I HAD.
UM, ON ITEMS EIGHT AND NINE, UM, THE SAME APPLICANT, UM, HAS REQUESTED, UM, ACTION TO MOVE FORWARD, UM, WITH THE UPSET BID PROCESS FOR TWO DIFFERENT LOTS.
1 1 1 2 0 CHURCH STREET AND 1 1 2 5 A QUEEN STREET.
AGAIN, UM, DON'T KNOW WHAT THE, THE APPLICANT'S ULTIMATE THOUGHT PROCESS IS IF THEY WERE TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN ACQUIRING THESE TWO PROPERTIES, BUT GIVEN THAT IT'S IN THE MIDDLE OF A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, SOMEBODY COULD KIND OF SUPPOSE THAT THE INTENT WOULD BE TO LOCATE, UM, A RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE ON ONE OF THESE PROPERTIES.
THAT BEING THE LANDLOCK PIECE OF THE PROPERTY, THE QUESTION IS, IF THAT WERE TO COME TO PASS, IT WOULD BE SETTING UP A FLAG.
WAT IF YOU, UM, ARE FAMILIAR WITH, UM, THAT TERMINOLOGY IN, IN, IN ZONING AND LAND USE.
SO IF YOU PICTURE WHAT A FLAG LOOKS LIKE AT A FLAG POLE AND THEN YOU GOT THE FLAG ON TOP OF IT, BY COMBINING THESE TWO PIECES OF PROPERTY, ONE OF THE LOTS WOULD SERVE AS A DRIVEWAY TO THE LANDLOCK PIECE.
AND THE LANDLOCK PIECE WOULD THEN, UM, POTENTIALLY BE WHERE A, A RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE COULD BE PLACED.
AND, AND WHETHER OR NOT THE ZONING OR LAND USE OR ZONING PERMITS A FLAG LOT.
UH, IT'S A QUESTION THAT I'M JUST RAISING.
I DON'T KNOW WHETHER STAFF, UM, COULD ANSWER THAT OR WHETHER ANY MEMBERS OF THE BOARD MIGHT BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT.
MR. ATTORNEY, DO YOU HAVE ANY INSIGHT INTO THAT? I, I DON'T.
UM, AS, AS YOU SAID, MAYOR, UM, WE DO OUR BEST THROUGH THE CLERK AND THROUGH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES TO,
[01:05:01]
TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE BUYING AND WHAT THEY'RE BIDDING ON AND BEYOND SENDING THEM TO DEVELOPMENT SERVICES TO EXPLAIN THEIR INTENDED USE AND VERIFY THAT THEIR INTENDED USE IS ALLOWED, THEN THEY HAVE A DECISION TO PROCEED OR NOT.IT'S FIRE BEWARE, BUT WE DO ALL WE CAN TO LEAD 'EM TO WATER AND MAKE 'EM DRINK.
AND BEYOND THAT, IF THEY BUY IT THINKING THAT THEY ARE GOING TO PUT A BUSINESS THERE OR EVEN STORE A TRAILER THERE, THAT WILL NOT BE ALLOWED AND THEY'LL END UP WITH A ZONING VIOLATION AND BE REQUIRED TO MOVE IT.
IS THERE ANY SENSE, MADAM CLERK, THAT, THAT THE APPLICANT DID NOT GO DEVELOPMENT SERVICES? NO.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, SHE WANTED TO BID ON JUST THE PARCEL THAT'S LANDLOCKED.
SO THAT'S WHY SHE BID ON BOTH.
AND WE'VE, WE'VE TAKEN SEVERAL BIDS LIKE THAT IN THE PAST SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE PERSON HAVING ACCESS TO THE LOT THEY WANTED TO BUILD ON.
AGAIN, JUST RAISING A, A POSSIBLE CONCERN, UH, SOMETHING THAT MIGHT HAVE TO BE DEALT WITH, UH, IN THE FUTURE.
UM, UH, AGAIN, THIS IS JUST A RESOLUTION, UH, CALLING FOR A PUBLIC HEARING, UM, AS A RESULT OF REQUEST FROM WAREHOUSER TO ANNEX A, A PIECE OF PROPERTY IN THE CITY OR, UM, JUST OUTSIDE THE CITY.
UM, AGAIN, QUESTION REALLY IS DO WE KNOW WHAT W HAER HAS IN MIND FOR THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY? IT, IT'S NOT A REQUIRED, UM, WHAT, WHAT IS REQUIRED OF WEYERHAEUSER? WE HAVE A, A, AN ANNEXATION AGREEMENT WITH THEM, A SEWER USE AGREEMENT WHERE WHEN THE CITY A AGREES TO PROVIDE SEWER AND WATER, THEY HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO PETITION TO REQUEST ANNEXATION.
YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO DENY THAT REQUEST OR NOT, BUT THEY HAVE TO ASK, AND WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.
THIS IS PART OF THEIR COMMERCIAL TRACK OUT THERE IS WHAT I RECALL, BUT I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT USE THAT IS IMAGINED FOR THE PIECE.
AND, AND AGAIN, I THAT, THAT I, I UNDERST UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS JUST CALLING FOR A PUBLIC HEARING.
SO IT WOULD GIVE US ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO, TO HOPEFULLY SPEAK TO THE APPLICANT AND, AND BETTER UNDERSTAND, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE INTENDED USE FOR THE PROPERTY AND GIVEN THE FACT THAT, UM, THIS INVOLVES ANNEXING SOME PROPERTY BACK INTO THE CITY, THAT THAT KIND OF RAISES THE STAKES AND, AND, AND I'D JUST LIKE TO HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING.
UM, AND WE'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TRY TO GET THAT, UH, AT A PUBLIC HEARING.
SO, UH, THAT'S ALL I HAVE THERE.
UM, ALDER INVEST, I WANTED TO BRING UP, UH, UNDER NUMBER 13, THAT IS THE CITY HOLIDAY SCHEDULE.
UM, THE BOARD VOTED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE OF THAT, AND IT LOOKS LIKE THAT HAS CONTINUED ON THIS.
BUT IF I RECALL, I THOUGHT YOU HAD MADE SOME COMMENTS THAT YOU WERE NOT NECESSARILY SATISFIED WITH THOSE RESULTS, AND YOU WANTED TO ACTUALLY SEE JUNETEENTH LISTED AS THE HOLIDAY VERSUS A FLEX DAY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
SO I JUST WANTED TO REMIND YOU OF THAT IN CASE YOU WANTED TO DISCUSS THAT ITEM BEFORE WE APPROVE THE CALENDAR FOR NEXT YEAR.
THAT, THAT WAS MY STANCE AT THAT TIME.
I WOULD NOT WANT TO BE A FLEX DAY.
I WANTED IT TO BE PART OF THE HOLIDAY, UM, AND PUT ON AS A HOLIDAY, AS A SCHEDULED DAY OFF HOLIDAY, JUST LIKE THE OTHER HOLIDAYS WE OBSERVE HERE IN THE CITY.
SO IF YOU, UM, IF SINCE ALDERMAN PERLE DIDN'T WANNA PULL ANY OF THOSE ITEMS, WE'RE JUST GONNA MOVE FORWARD.
IF SOMEONE WANTS TO MAKE A MOTION, IF YOU WANTED TO CHANGE THAT, UH, YOU COULD DO SO, UH, IN THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THAT CHANGE, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT.
WELL, FIRST, BEFORE I MAKE A CHA EVEN ASK OR REQUEST FOR A CHANGE, I KNOW AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME THERE WAS OTHER BOARD MEMBERS THAT DIDN'T WANT THAT AS A HOLIDAY.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY STILL FEEL ABOUT THAT.
I, I'LL JUST SPEAK FOR MYSELF.
I VOTED AGAINST ADDING THE HOLIDAY BECAUSE IT DIDN'T RECOGNIZE JUNETEENTH.
IT JUST GAVE ANOTHER HOLIDAY TO THE EMPLOYEES.
BUT IF YOU WANTED TO RECOGNIZE JUNETEENTH AND PUT IT ON THE CALENDAR, I WOULD SUPPORT THAT.
HOW DOES THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS FEEL ABOUT IT? UM, MAD MAYOR, IF I MIGHT JUST SUGGEST, WHY DON'T WE PULL THIS AND GO THROUGH IT PROPERLY AND HAVE A HAVE A DISCUSSION.
WE'RE, WE'RE KIND OF DOING BOTH.
SO WE WOULD LOOK FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA WITHOUT ITEM NUMBER
[01:10:01]
13.IS THAT A MOTION? SO MOVE I SOMEBODY.
SO SECOND, HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN PRILL ALDERMAN CRE.
[15. Introduction of K-9 Zorro.]
IS ITEM NUMBER 15, INTRODUCTION OF NEW CAN NINE ZORO, CAPTAIN FULLER.MAYOR, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DISCUSS? DO YOU WANNA ADDRESS 13 NOW? OH, I, I THOUGHT WE WERE PULLING IT TO THE NEXT MEETING.
YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT IT NOW? OH, UH, WHATEVER YOU LIKE.
WE CAN, WE'LL COME BACK TO IT.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL COME BACK TO IT.
FIRST I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE OFFICER GREG SALEM AS A CANINE HANDLER.
HE'S BEEN WITH AGENCY FOR 15 YEARS AND A CANINE HANDLER, 13 OF THOSE 15 YEARS WITH MDS.
I HAS BEEN WITH THE AGENCY IN SERVICE FOR EIGHT YEARS AND HAS BEEN PARTICIPATED IN 862 DEPLOYMENTS.
THIS INCLUDED CAN NINE NS FOR NARCOTICS TRACKS, BUILDING SEARCHES, AND EVIDENCE RECOVERY TODAY IS CANINE ACTS LAST DAY OF SERVICE, SO HE'LL BE RETIRING AND LIVING WITH OFFICER LAN'S FAMILY MOVING FORWARD.
WE COULD UH, COULD YOU, COULD YOU ASK HIM TO COME IN AND SAY, I, WE CAN'T SEE HIM HERE.
YEAH, YOU CAN'T SEE HIM? ONLY THING I CAN SEE IS EARS.
OH, WILL HE BITE
WILL, WILL HE BITE? DO YOU HAVE, DO YOU HAVE A SLEEVE IN THE CAR THAT, THAT SHE COULD, YEAH, HE'S GOT A SLEEVE THAT YOU CAN PUT ON.
NO, I WANTED TO TAKE A PICTURE WITH HIM, BUT IF HE'S GONNA BITE.
I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A PICTURE WITH HIM.
WHAT ARE WE DOING? SO YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TWO DOGS NOW.
GONNA HAVE TWO DOGS IN YOUR HOUSE.
ALL RIGHT, GREG, IF YOU WANNA SWITCH THE DOGS OUT.
SO OFFICER LAN'S NOW BRINGING IN CANINE ZURO.
HE'S THE NEWEST MEMBER TO AGENCY.
HE'S A 2-YEAR-OLD BELGIUM MALAWA.
UH, ZURO COMPLETED, UH, EXTENSIVE TRAINING EARLIER THIS YEAR AND IS PROBABLY CERTIFIED IN NARCOTICS DETECTION, TRACKING, AND BUILDING AND EVIDENCE SEARCHES.
AND HIS FIRST DAY ON THE JOB IS WAS OCTOBER 10TH.
I, I WANT I I'LL MESS WITH NEWBIES.
KINE ZORO WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDS APPROPRIATED BY ALDERMAN, UH, BOBBY ASHER.
SO AGAIN, WE WELCOME CANINE ZORO TO THE AGENCY AND CITY AND WE APPRECIATE CAN, UH, CANINE HANDLER LAN'S, UH, PERFORMANCE IN WITH HIS PRIOR CANINES.
AND I APPRECIATE ALL THEIR HARD WORK.
[13. Consider Approving the 2025 Holiday Calendar]
MAYOR, JUST, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION.ON ITEM NUMBER 13, UH, WITH BOARD FINAL WITH US.
TABLE THAT TO, TO THE NEXT MEETING.
SO ON ITEM NUMBER 13, THE HOLIDAY CALENDAR, DO YOU WANNA DISCUSS THAT NOW OR DO YOU WANNA DISCUSS THAT AT THE NEXT MEETING? WE, YOU LOOKING AT
[01:15:01]
ME FOR A MAYOR? WE GOT HERE, I'M JUST ASKING, WE GOT FOUR OF, IF WE GET A MOTION, WE CAN GET A SECOND, THEN WE CAN TAKE THE VOTE.SO WE'RE GONNA DISCUSS ITEM NUMBER 13 IF THERE'S ANY CHANGES OR IF YOU WANT TO APPROVE IT AS IT IS.
DOES THE MOTION TO MAKE JUNETEENTH A HOLIDAY? IS THAT WHAT WE'RE SEEKING? I I, I THINK IN THE SPIRIT OF THE DISCUSSION, IT WAS TO TAKE THE PERSONAL OBSERVANCE DAY OFF OF THE CALENDAR AND PUT JUNETEENTH ON THE CALENDAR AS THE ACTUAL DAY OF OBSERVANCE SO MOVED.
WE HAVE A MOTION, BUT IT WOULD STILL BE A PERSONAL DAY.
EVERYBODY WILL HAVE THAT DAY OFF.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE IT IS RIGHT NOW CURRENTLY STANDING? CORRECT.
IF THE, I I HAVE, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.
SO I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ADOPT THE 2025 CITY OF NEW BERN HOLIDAY SCHEDULE WITH THE CHANGE OF REMOVING THE, THE TO BE DETERMINED EMPLOYEE PERSONAL OBSERVANCE DAY IN LIEU OF JUNETEENTH.
I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION.
UH, MR. HUGHES, WE, WE HAVE A YEAR OF EXPERIENCE WITH JUNETEENTH BEING A, A FLEXIBLE DAY.
HOW, HOW HAS THAT WORKED OUT FOR THE CITY AND THE STAFF? SO, ON THE PERSONAL OBSERVANCE DAYS, I THINK WE SAW THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE TAKING THAT HOLIDAY BETWEEN REALLY OCTOBER AND THE END OF THE YEAR.
THERE WERE SEVERAL EMPLOYEES THAT DID TAKE JUNETEENTH FOURTH PERSONAL RESERVE STAFF.
COULDN'T TELL YOU THE EXACT NUMBER NOW, BUT, BUT IT WAS, IT WAS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THAT THE EMPLOYEES TOOK THOSE DAYS.
IT, IT, IT, HAS IT PRESENTED ANY PROBLEMS FOR THE CITY IN ANY WAY? NO, SIR.
LEAVING IT THE WAY IT IS? NO, SIR.
UM, WOULD, WOULD YOU ENVISION THAT IF WE WERE TO CHANGE IT, TO HAVE JUNETEENTH AS JUST A DAY, UM, THAT'S OBSERVED BY EVERYBODY, SO DAY OFF, UM, ANY, ANY ISSUES THAT YOU WOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT? NO, SIR.
THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANY ISSUES.
TYPICALLY, TYPICALLY ON A HOLIDAY, LIKE, LIKE THAT, AND WE ALWAYS HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE WORKING.
THEY WOULD JUST BE TAKING ANOTHER DAY.
THEY'D STILL GET THEIR HOLIDAY POSSIBLY AT A DIFFERENT TIME.
ANY IDEA? UM, AND, AND AGAIN, THIS, THIS IS TOUGH FOR YOU TO ANSWER, BUT, BUT MAYBE, MAYBE YOU CAN, UM, THIS, DOES THE STAFF LIKE TO HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY THAT THEY HAVE NOW? I MEAN, DOES, DOES THAT WORK BETTER FOR STAFF AS FAR AS YOU KNOW? OR DO YOU KNOW? I'M GONNA ASK THE HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR COME UP.
I KNOW THAT SHE HAS TALKED WITH A LOT OF EMPLOYEES ABOUT THE PERSONAL SERVICE DAY AND SIGN IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME UP.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SAY? I DON'T, I'VE NOT SURVEYED ANYONE, SO I'M REALLY NOT SURE.
BUT LIKE THE MANAGER SAID, THE MAJORITY OF THE EMPLOYEES I THINK HAD TAKEN THE TIME OFF BETWEEN OCTOBER AND DECEMBER.
THERE WERE SOME THAT DID TAKE JUNETEENTH OFF, UM, NOT A LARGE NUMBER.
SO SEVERAL OF 'EM JUST TAKE IT OFF DURING THE COURSE OF THE YEAR.
SOME DIDN'T TAKE IT AT ALL, SO THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT DAY.
BUT I'VE NOT REALLY GOTTEN A GOOD GAUGE ON WHAT THE PREFERENCE IS.
THEY'VE JUST BEEN TAKING PERSONAL WORK THAT FAR.
SIMON, HOW HARD WOULD IT BE TO SURVEY THE EMPLOYEES AND ASK THEM WHICH THEY WOULD PREFER? WOULD THEY PREFER THE FLEX DAY OR THAT ONE PARTICULAR HOLIDAY? WE COULD, BECAUSE IT COMES RIGHT ALONG WITH WITHIN JUST A, A LITTLE BIT OF ANOTHER HOLIDAY.
RIGHT? IT, IT'S WITHIN TWO WEEKS OF THE 4TH OF JULY.
USUALLY WITHIN A WEEK TO TWO WEEKS WITHIN 4TH OF JULY.
YOU THINK YOU'D WANT TO DO THAT TO HAVE SURVEY THE EMPLOYEES AND LET THEM VOTE WHICH WAY THEY'D LIKE FOR TO HAVE, I I, I WOULD NOT HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT RATHER THAN JUST US MAKING A DECISION, UM, WITHOUT REALLY HAVING INPUT FROM STAFF.
YOU, YOU THINK WE CAN DO THAT AND HAVE IT ON THE COUNT ON THE, UH, AGENDA FOR NEXT MONTH? YES, SIR.
SO AS A REMINDER, WE'VE GOT A MOTION, A SECOND ON THE TABLE.
UM, WE WOULD EITHER NEED TO VOTE ON THAT OR IF THE TWO THAT PUT THE MOTION A SECOND WOULD REMOVE THAT, THEN WE, I WITHDRAW, I RESEND MY SECOND.
SO THE DIRECTION IS FOR STAFF TO POLL CITY EMPLOYEES AND DETERMINE WHICH ONE THEY WOULD RATHER HAVE.
SO NOW WE'RE DONE WITH ITEM NUMBER 13 FOR THE NIGHT.
[16. Presentation on ShotSpotter.]
UP IS ITEM NUMBER 16, PRESENTATION ON SPOT SHOTTER BY CAPTAIN FORD.SO WE'VE SURPASSED OUR SIX MONTH, UH, UTILIZATION
[01:20:01]
OF SHOP SPOTTER.UH, THE SIX MONTH MARK WAS SEPTEMBER 26TH.
DURING THAT FIRST SIX MONTHS USE OF THE SHOT SPOTTER, WE RECEIVED 39 ALERT OR ACTIVATIONS.
UH, OF THE 39 ALERT OR ACTIVATIONS, FIVE, UH, RECEIVED NINE ONLY CALLS TO OUR COMMUNICATION CENTER.
SO THAT ACCOUNTS FOR 78% OF THE SHOT SPOTTER ALERTS WERE NOT REPORTED TO 9 1 1 BY A CITIZEN.
UH, SO IT SHOWS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE, THE SYSTEM TO ALERT US TO CAUSE OUR SHOTS BEING FIRED THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ALERTED TO OTHERWISE.
UH, OF THE 39 ALERT OR ACTIVATIONS, THERE WERE FOUR INJURIES OR DEATHS, UM, THAT OCCURRED DURING THOSE, UH, SHOTS BEING FIRED.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO CONFIRM 27 OF THOSE INCIDENTS WERE, UH, ACTUAL WITNESSES OR EVIDENCE WAS LOCATED TO CONFIRM THAT SHOTS WERE FIRED OF THE 29.
I'M SORRY, OF THE 39, UH, ITEMS RECOVERED RESULTING FROM THE ACTIVATIONS.
UM, EVIDENCE RECOVERED DURING THAT TIME, WE RECOVERED 11 FIREARMS, UM, 117 SHELL CASINGS, AND DURING, UH, SUBSEQUENT SEARCHES, 256 5 BULLETS.
AS A RESULT, AS A RESULT OF THE, UH, ACTIVATIONS FROM SHOTS SPOTTER, UM, WE ALSO WERE ABLE TO MAKE 13 FIREARMS RELATED RELATED ARREST AND 15 NON FIREARMS RE RELATED ARRESTS AS A RESULT OF THOSE UH, ACTIVATIONS.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY LIVE BULLETS? I'M SORRY, WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY IF YOU GO BACK? YES, MA'AM.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN WHEN YOU SAY BULLETS? UM, FIVE BULLETS.
IS THAT FOUND ON THESE PEOPLE OR WITHIN HOMES OR WHAT? IT COULD BE A COMBINATION OF BULLETS FOUND ON THE SCENE SUCH AS IN THE STREET THAT WERE NOT DISCHARGED FOR WHATEVER REASON.
UH, SOME OF THE BULLETS WERE RECOVERED DURING SEARCH WARRANTS AS A RESULT OF THE, THE CRIMINAL ACT OF DISCHARGE AND FIREARM.
UM, SOMETIMES SEARCH WARRANTS ARE OBTAINED AND THIS WOULD'VE BEEN EVIDENCE COLLECTED DURING THOSE SEARCHES.
UH, THIS IS A OVERALL VIEW OF THE SHOT SPOTTER ACTIVATIONS AND ALERTS, UM, THROUGHOUT THE, THE AREA.
UH, EACH BUBBLE INDICATES THE NUMBER OF SHOTS THAT WERE FIRED DURING THAT INCIDENT, AND WE'VE NARROWED THAT DOWN TO SOME PARTICULAR, UH, NEIGHBORHOODS FOR REFERENCE.
WITH A COUPLE ACTIVATIONS EACH TIME A COUPLE SHOTS BEING FIRED, UH, CRAVEN TERRACE HAD SEVERAL SHOTS BEING FIRED AS WELL, AND THE DUFF FIELD AND SUNNYSIDE AREA, WE WERE ABLE TO CAPTURE IN, IN ONE MAP PER SE TO ILLUSTRATE THE SHOTS BEING FIRED IN THAT THOSE PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOODS.
WHAT'S THE PINK ONE REPRESENT, OR RED I RECOMMEND IT IS.
UH, SO SOMETIMES THE, THE COLORS COULD REPRESENT A CONFIRMED SHOT OR VERSUS A POSSIBLE SHOT.
UM, ULTIMATELY THE SHOT SPOTTER, UM, WILL GIVE IT A DIFFERENT COLOR INDICATION BASED ON THAT, AND THEN WE CAN CONFIRM IT THROUGH THE EVIDENCE OR WITNESS STATEMENTS.
IS ONCE WE GET ON SCENE AND WE DO, UH, INDICATE TWO SHOT SPOTTER, TRUTH VERIFICATION OR EVIDENCE FOUND ON THE SCENE TO VALIDATE WHETHER WE CONFIRMED IT BEING THE SHOTS FIRED OR IF WE WERE UNABLE TO CONFIRM IT.
THERE WAS 18 SHOTS FIRED AT ONE TIME ON, WAS IT SAMPSON STREET? UH, THAT IS ON THE CORNER OF SAMPSON STREET AND I BELIEVE BLOOMFIELD STREET? YES, SIR.
AND LAST, WE'D LIKE TO, UH, EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS PROGRAM.
UH, THE USE OF SHOT SPOTTER HAS ALLOWED US TO RESPOND TO VARIOUS CALLS BEING SHOTS, UH, IN A TIMELY MANNER, HOPEFULLY, UH, BEEN ABLE TO INTERVENE, WHETHER IT BE WITH A VICTIM THAT WE CAN PROVIDE MEDICAL CARE TO OR WHETHER IT BE APPREHENDING THE SUSPECTS, WHICH OUR, UH, STATISTICS HAVE INDICATED.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO APPREHEND SUSPECTS AS A RESULT OF THE SHOT SPOTTER.
UH, AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SHOTS FIRED CAUSE HOW DANGEROUS THEY ARE FOR THE CITIZENS THAT A BULLET DOESN'T KNOW A PARTICULAR PATH OR A PARTICULAR TARGET AND COULD INJURE ANYBODY THAT MAY BE UNINTENDED, UM, IN THIS WAY.
SO WE, UH, WE'RE ENJOYING THE PROGRAM IN TERMS OF, UM, ALLOWING US TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO THE CITIZENS' NEEDS AND TO HOPEFULLY, UH, SAVE LIVES THROUGH THE USE OF THIS PROGRAM.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS I CAN ANSWER FOR YOU, UH, BASED ON THE SIX MONTHS? ANY QUESTIONS? I JUST WANT TO ASK A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
THE SHOT SPOTTER PROGRAM HAS PROVEN TO BE EFFECTIVE AND
[01:25:01]
I APPRECIATE THE CHIEF GALLAGHER AND HIS STAFF FOR BRINGING THIS, UM, THIS PROGRAM TO THE CITY BECAUSE IT, I HAVE HAD REMARKS FROM CITIZENS THAT LIVE WITHIN THE CERTAIN AREAS THAT THE SHOT SPOTTER IS COVERING, THAT, UM, THEY HAVE NOT BEEN HEARING A LOT OF GUNSHOTS AS IT WAS BEFORE.NOW, I, I APPLAUD THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND STAFF, BUT I DO ALSO WANT TO SEE POLICE OFFICERS CONTINUING TO BE WITHIN THESE COMMUNITIES.
I DON'T KNOW AT WHAT POINT, THIS MAY NOT EVEN BE WITHIN YOUR PURVIEW OR WHATEVER, BUT I THOUGHT THE CHIEF WAS GONNA BE HERE TONIGHT.
UM, BUT I JUST FEEL THAT IF WE HAVE MORE POLICE PRESENCE WITHIN THIS AREA WHERE THE SHOT SPOTTER IS, UH, LOCATED, THAT POLICE OFFICERS CAN GET OUT SOMETIMES AND WALK THE STREETS, GET TO KNOW THE CITIZENS, GET TO TALK TO THE CITIZENS.
ARE Y'ALL DOING THAT? YES, MA'AM.
I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT WE SPEND A GOOD DEAL OF TIME IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE CAN ALWAYS IMPROVE AND WE CAN ALWAYS STRIVE TO DO BETTER AND WE'LL ENCOURAGE OUR OFFICERS TO SPEND MORE TIME AND TO GET OUT AND BE MORE PERSONABLE WITH THE CITIZENS.
OKAY? AND IF THE CITIZENS FEEL THAT, THAT THE POLICE OFFICER ARE ARE THERE AND TRYING TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEM, GET TO KNOW THEM, I THINK THAT A LOT WITH THAT, WITH THAT BEING SAID, GETTING TO KNOW SOMEONE, EVERYBODY WITHIN THOSE COMMUNITIES ARE NOT CRIMINALS.
EVERYBODY WITHIN THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT THERE ARE ELDERLY PEOPLE, CHILDREN, YOU KNOW.
SO I JUST THINK IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE BETTER IF THEY WOULD GET OUT AND, AND MINGLE WITH THE CITIZENS AND TALK TO THE CITIZENS AND NOT JUST WAIT TILL NATIONAL NIGHT OUT DAY BEFORE YOU COME TOGETHER AND TALK TO YOUR POLICE OFFICERS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT WE, HOW WE ENCOURAGE OUR OFFICERS TO, TO INTERACT WITH CITIZENS.
WE PARTAKE IN SOME COMMUNITY EVENTS IN THAT AREA THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AS WELL AS SOME, UH, OTHER LIKE FOOD GIVEAWAYS AND, AND OPEN HOUSES AND OTHER CRAVING TERRACE EVENTS.
AND SO WE UNDERSTAND THAT IMPORTANCE AS WELL.
[17. Presentation and Update on EPA Water Service Line Inventory.]
NEXT UP IS ITEM NUMBER 17, PRESENTATION AND UPDATE ON EPA WATER SERVICE LINE INVENTORY MR. JORDAN HUGHES.ALRIGHT, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
UH, THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM I HAVE FOR YOU IS A BRIEF PRESENTATION ON DPA'S NEW LEAD AND COPPER RULES IN REGARDS TO WATER SYSTEMS, THE MANDATED LEAD SERVICE LINE INVENTORY, AND WHAT THAT MEANS MOST IMPORTANTLY FOR OUR WATER CUSTOMERS HERE IN NEW BERN.
SO WE'LL START WITH JUST A REAL BRIEF HISTORY OF, OF LEAD AND COPPER RULES FROM THE EPA OF WHY THEY'RE IMPORTANT WATER SYSTEMS. AS YOU CAME OUT OF THE SEVENTIES INTO THE EIGHTIES, A LOT OF RESEARCH ON THE HEALTH EFFECTS OF LEAD AND LEAD BECOMING BANNED IN A LOT OF MATERIALS.
PAINT, UH, WATER SYSTEM COMPONENTS, UH, AS YOU KEEP IT COME TO MIND.
UH, SO THE EPA IS HAS BEEN IN THIS GAME FOR A LONG TIME, REGULATING LEAD IN WATER SYSTEMS. INITIAL RULES WENT IN PLACE IN 1991, AND EVER SINCE THEN, THE RULES HAVE EVOLVED MOSTLY IN THE MONITORING, UH, HOLISTICALLY THE WATER SYSTEM.
SO SINCE 1991, ALL WATER SYSTEM PROVIDERS, INCLUDING NEWIN, HAVE BEEN REQUIRED TO TAKE WATER SAMPLES TEST FOR LEAD.
THOSE PRACTICES HAVE CHANGED OVER THE YEARS.
UM, THE MOST, UH, RECENT RULE REVISIONS ARE VERY SPECIFIC.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO GO AND LOOK FOR THE, THE PLACES IN THE CITY AND THE PLACES IN THE WATER SYSTEM WHERE WE THINK WE HAVE THE HIGHEST PROBABILITY OF FINDING LEAD.
AND THOSE ARE WHERE WE TAKE OUR SAMPLES.
IT'S VERY TIME CONSUMING, IT'S VERY COSTLY.
THE GOOD NEWS FOR NEW BREN, AND IT'S NO SURPRISE BECAUSE WHERE WE ARE GEOGRAPHICALLY, WE'VE HAD VERY LITTLE ISSUE.
WE'VE HAD ZERO DETECTS ACTUALLY WE'VE HAD NON-DETECT AT ALL OF OUR LEAD SAMPLING.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, THE EPA IN THE STATE HAVE ACTUALLY ALLOWED US TO DO WHAT THEY CALL REDUCED MONITORING.
SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE, WE ACTUALLY DO MONITORING AT A, A GREATER FREQUENCY THAN IS NORMALLY REQUIRED.
'CAUSE OUR RESULTS HAVE BEEN SO LOW.
UM, MOVING INTO 2021, WE HAD THE LATEST ROUND OF, OF UPDATES TO THE RULE.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, UH, WHAT CAME OUT OF THAT IS THE NEED TO INVENTORY YOUR ENTIRE WATER SYSTEM AND FIND OUT WHAT YOUR SERVICE LINES ARE MADE OF AND HOW MANY OF THOSE ARE LEAD.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA HIT ON DI TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT PROGRAM AND HOW IT IMPACTS OUR WATER CUSTOMERS.
SO JUST A REAL BRIEF SUMMARY OF KIND OF THE EXPOSURE OF LEAD IN THE US.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE DARK BLUE HERE KIND OF REPRESENTS THE PREVALENCE OF LEAD SERVICE LINES IN THE COUNTRY AS YOU GET TO THE GREEN AND THE YELLOW, UM,
[01:30:01]
AS WE TALK ABOUT LEAD AND YOU HEAR LEAD IN THE NEWS AND WATER SYSTEMS, THE BIGGER ISSUES, THE FLINT MICHIGANS, THE PLACES LIKE THAT ARE, ARE, ARE PREDOMINANTLY IN THE UPPER MIDWEST AND THE GREAT LAKES REGION.THAT'S WHERE YOU SEE THE HIGHEST PREVALENCE OF LEAD AS YOU GET INTO THE SOUTHEAST AND THE WESTERN PART OF THE COUNTRY.
WE JUST DON'T SEE IT USED AS MUCH.
IT JUST WASN'T USED AS MUCH IN CONSTRUCTION EVEN WHEN IT WAS AVAILABLE AND IT WAS LEGAL TO USE.
I THINK THAT HAS TO DO WITH SUPPLY CHAINS WHERE MANUFACTURERS WERE.
WE JUST DON'T COME ACROSS A LOT OF, DOWN HERE IN THE SOUTH.
IT'S THE SECOND OLDEST WATER SYSTEM IN THE STATE.
UM, WE WERE CERTAINLY BUILDING WATER LINES AND PUTTING IN WATER SERVICES WHEN LEAD WAS HIGHLY USED IN THE COUNTRY.
JUST WASN'T USED A LOT DOWN HERE.
ON AVERAGE, WE SEE ABOUT EIGHT LEAD SERVICE LINES PER THOUSAND PEOPLE IN NORTH CAROLINA.
THAT, THAT WOULD EQUATE ABOUT 320 IN NEW BERN THAT WE WOULD EXPECT TO COME ACROSS.
AND THAT FEELS ABOUT RIGHT OUT OF OUR 17,000 CUSTOMERS.
SO A COUPLE HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE NEW LEAD AND COPPER RULES AND MOST IMPORTANTLY IS THE FIRST OF THE LEAD SERVICE LINE INVENTORY.
SO ALL WATER SYSTEMS ARE REQUIRED TO DO AN INITIAL INVENTORY OF THEIR SERVICE LINES.
SO WE HAVE TO BASICALLY ACCOUNT FOR EVERY SERVICE LINE WE HAVE, DETERMINE WHAT THAT MATERIAL IS FROM THE MAIN TO THE METER, WHAT WE CALL THE, THE THE OWNER PORTION, THE THE CITY OWNED PORTION OR SYSTEM OWNED PORTION.
AND FROM THE METER TO THE HOME, WHICH WHAT WE CALL THE CUSTOMER OWNED PORTION OF THE SERVICE LINE.
ALL THAT HAD TO BE SUBMITTED BY OCTOBER 16TH.
OUR INITIAL INVENTORY WAS COMPLETE, SUBMITTED AND APPROVED BY THE EPA AND THE STATE BY BY THAT DEADLINE.
UM, THE NEXT COMPONENT OF THAT IS A PUBLIC NOTIFICATION REQUIRED.
SO DEPENDING ON WHAT WE FOUND IN THAT INITIAL SURVEY, WE HAVE TO PROVIDE NOTIFICATION TO CERTAIN TYPES OF CUSTOMERS.
SO IF IT WAS A LEAD SERVICE LINE, A GALVANIZED REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OR AN UNKNOWN SERVICE LINE, WE'RE REQUIRED TO SEND A, A NOTIFICATION OF THOSE CUSTOMERS, OF THOSE MATERIALS WITH SOME INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT WE FOUND POTENTIAL EXPOSURE RISK AND STEPS MOVING FORWARD.
UM, THOSE NOTIFICATIONS WILL GO OUT TO THE IMPACTED CUSTOMERS IN THE, IN THE WEEKS TO COME AND WE'LL GET EVERYTHING OUT BY THAT NOVEMBER 16TH DEADLINE.
AND LASTLY, UH, LAST MAJOR REQUIREMENT HERE IS ALL THIS INFORMATION HAS TO BE MADE PUBLICLY.
THERE'S GOTTA BE A PUB PUBLIC EDUCATION COMPONENT.
WE'RE HOPING TO ACCOMPLISH A LITTLE BIT OF THAT TONIGHT.
AS WELL AS WE'VE GOT SOME TREMENDOUS IN-HOUSE STAFF, UH, THROUGH OUR WATER RESOURCE DEPARTMENT AND OUR GIS DIVISIONS THAT PUT TOGETHER A VERY NICE WEBSITE.
IT'S GOT ALL THE, UH, FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS.
WE'VE GOT INFORMATION ON HEALTH EFFECTS OF LEAD.
WE'VE GOT AN INTERACTIVE GIS MAP WHERE YOU CAN TYPE IN YOUR ADDRESS AND SUIT.
THE CURRENT, CURRENT STATUS OF OUR INVENTORY IS FOR YOUR HOME.
WE HAVE A QUICK LINK WHERE YOU CAN TAKE A SURVEY AND HELP US OUT A LITTLE BIT WITH SOME OF THE INVENTORY AS WELL.
SO, UM, IN THE INFORMATION THERE AT THE END OF THE SLIDE, WE'LL HAVE LINKS FOR THAT AND AS WELL, IT'S, I THINK IT'S ON THE VERY FRONT PAGE OF THESE WEBPAGE AND IT'LL STAY THERE FOR A WHILE AS WE ROLL OUT THIS INITIATIVE.
SO LEAD SIGN, LEAD SERVICE LINE INVENTORY, UH, THIS IS, UH, SOMETHING NEW FOR WATER SYSTEMS. WE PRETTY TRADITIONALLY HAD TO ACCOUNT FOR OUR OWN INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE KNOW THE MAINS WE HAVE, WE SHOULD KNOW THE SERVICE LINES FROM THE MAIN TO THE METER.
WHAT WE REALLY NEVER ACCOUNTED FOR BECAUSE IT'S NOT PART OF THE, THE SERVICE LINE THAT WE MAINTAIN OR RESPONSIBLE FOR.
THAT PIECE FROM THE WATER METER TO THE HOME IS A PORTION OF THE LINE WE DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT.
UM, FROM THE METER BACK TO THE WATER MAIN, WE'VE GOT THE, WE'VE GOT AS-BUILTS, WE'VE GOT RECORD DRAWINGS, WE'VE GOT OLD SERVICE WORK ORDERS.
WE HAVE A PRETTY GOOD IDEA OF WHAT THE WATER MAINS ARE AND WHAT'S COMING FROM THE WATER MAIN TO THE METER.
BEYOND THAT, IT'S A BIG QUESTION MARK FOR US.
UM, AND THAT'S GONNA BE THE, THE, THE HARD LEG WORK IN FIGURING OUT.
THE FINAL PIECE OF THE LEAD LINE SERVICE INVENTORY IS FIGURING OUT THAT PIECE IN THAT WE MUST IDENTIFY EVERY SERVICE LINE AS ONE OF FOUR DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT FOR THE TWO SECTIONS OF THE LINE FROM THE MAINS, THE METER, THE METER TO THE HOME.
UM, IT CAN EITHER BE CLASSIFIED AS LEAD GALVANIZED REQUIRE REPLACEMENT, WHICH IS A SPECIAL CLASSIFICATION OF GALVANIZED, UH, NON-LEAD OR UNKNOWN.
AND UNKNOWN IS ESSENTIALLY EXACTLY WHAT IT SAYS.
IT SAYS, WE JUST DON'T KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT THAT PORTION EITHER ON THE CITY SIDE OR THE CUSTOMER SIDE.
SO THE WHOLE THING GETS CLASSIFIED IS UNKNOWN.
HERE'S A BRIEF SNAPSHOT OF OUR DASHBOARD THAT OUR GIS STAFF HAS BUILT TO HELP US TRACK ALL THIS STUFF.
AND IN THIS, WE WE'RE COUNTING FOR EVERY SERVICE LINE WE'VE GOT THE LOCATION, A PLETHORA OF INFORMATION ABOUT THAT SERVICE LINE.
BUT YOU'LL NOTICE GOING LEFT TO RIGHT, WE CURRENT, THIS WAS AN ACTIVE SNAPSHOT OF, OF FROM THIS WEEK.
SO CURRENTLY WE'RE SHOWING ZERO KNOWN LED SERVICE LINES.
AND LET ME, LET ME EXPLAIN THAT FOR A MINUTE.
UM, FOR THE PAST COUPLE DECADES, ENS HAD A VERY PROACTIVE INTERNAL POLICY WITH LEAD SERVICE LINES OF BINDING REPLACE.
SO WE DON'T KEEP A RUNNING LIST OF WHERE WE THINK WE'VE GOT LEAD SERVICE LINES.
ANYTIME WE COME ACROSS A LEAD SERVICE LINE, MAKING A WATER REPAIR, A SEWER SERVICE REPAIR, IT IS SCHEDULED FOR REPLACEMENT IF POSSIBLE, WE DO IT THE SAME DAY.
[01:35:01]
IF, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE THE ABILITY, WE HAVE THE RESOURCES, WE CAN TAKE CARE OF IT THAT DAY, WE DO.IF NOT, IT GETS SCHEDULED FOR REPAIR AND THEN SUBSEQUENT WEEKS, THAT ONE'S OUTTA THE SYSTEM.
SO AS WE STAND TODAY, WE DON'T HAVE A LIST OF PLACES WHERE WE KNOW WE HAVE LEAD SERVICE LINES FROM THE
'CAUSE ALL THE ONES WE'VE FOUND IN THE LAST COUPLE DECADES, WE HAVE REPLACED, UH, GALVANIZED.
THIS ISN'T WHAT YOU WOULD THINK IN TRADITIONAL GALVANIZED.
THIS IS A SPECIAL CLASSIFICATION OF GALVANIZED, WHICH THE EPA CALLS GALVANIZED REQUIRE REPLACEMENT, WHICH SIMPLY MEANS THIS IS A GALVANIZED PIPE THAT IS IMMEDIATELY DOWNSTREAM OF A LEAD LINE.
SINCE WE DON'T KNOW OF ANY LEAD LINES, WE DON'T HAVE ANY GALVANIZED DOWN DIRECTLY DOWNSTREAM OF GALT LINES, THEN WE HAVE ABOUT 11,500 NON LEAD THAT WE'RE ABLE TO VERIFY THROUGH OUR OWN SERVICE RECORDS, UH, BUILDING RECORDS AND RECORD DRAWINGS TO SHOW THAT WE, WE KNOW WE HAVE A 11,500 THAT ARE, THAT ARE NON LEAD.
THESE ARE COMBINATION OF PVC TUBING OR, OR STRAIGHT GALVANIZED PIPE.
AND LASTLY, AND, AND THE REAL THING HERE THAT WILL IMPACT OUR CUSTOMERS, THE 6,100 UNKNOWNS.
NOW WHAT THIS MEANS FOR MOST OF THESE 6,100 IS WE GOT A REAL GOOD IDEA OF WHAT IT IS ON THE CITY SIDE OF THAT SERVICE.
WE, WE KNOW WHAT FROM THE MAIN TO THE METER, WHAT WE HAVEN'T DONE IS WE HAVEN'T GONE AND POTHOLED OR DUG A HOLE IN EVERYBODY'S YARD TO DETERMINE WHAT IT IS BETWEEN THE METER AND YOUR HOME.
SO THAT'S THE QUESTION MARK WE HAVE ON THOSE UNKNOWNS, IS THAT PIECE RUNNING THROUGH YOUR YARD TO YOUR HOUSE? AND BECAUSE THAT PIECE IS UNKNOWN, WE MUST CLASSIFY THE WHOLE THING AS UNKNOWN.
SO WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE UNKNOWN? SIMPLY IT JUST, IT'S, IT'S ONE OF THE CLASSIFICATIONS THAT WE HAVE.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, YOU'LL BE GETTING THE, THE, THOSE 6,100 CUSTOMERS WILL BE GETTING A NOTIFICATION LETTER EXPLAINING WHAT THE UNKNOWN STATUS MEANS.
QUICK SNAPSHOT OF WHAT OUR GIS AND OUR WATER, UH, RESOURCE STAFF'S WORKING WITH AS YOU GO THROUGH THE, UH, INVENTORY PROCESS.
THIS IS A PRETTY GOOD EXAMPLE OF OUR TYPICAL DEVELOPMENT, PROBABLY EAST OF RACETRACK ROAD, EAST OF GLEN BURNIE.
THIS IS DEAVER CIRCLE, UH, HENDERSON PARKS ON THE RIGHT HAND CORNER THERE.
UM, YOU SEE SOME YELLOW HOUSES, YOU SEE SOME BLUE HOUSES, YOU SEE SOME BLUE DOTS, GRAY DOTS, A COMBINATION OF BLUE AND GRAY DOTS.
SO THIS IS A PRETTY GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHY YOU MAY GET A LETTER AND YOUR NEIGHBOR DOESN'T, OR VICE VERSA.
A COUPLE PEOPLE ON ONE STREET MAY GET THE LETTERS AND TWO OR THREE MAY NOT.
UM, IT REALLY IS A FINE LINE LIKE THAT.
SO HERE ON THIS ONE EXAMPLE, THERE'S SEVERAL HOUSES WHERE EVERYTHING'S BLUE IN THAT INVENTORY.
WE KNOW OUR SIDE, WE KNOW THE CUSTOMER'S SIDE BASED ON BUILDING RECORDS THAT THEY'RE FINE AS WELL.
THEY'RE CLASSIFIED AS NON-LEAD.
THEY WOULD NOT RECEIVE A NOTICE.
THEIR NEIGHBORS WILL RECEIVE A NOTICE BECAUSE MAINLY BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S BETWEEN THE, THE MAIN AND THE, UH, THE HOUSE.
AND THIS IS PRETTY TYPICAL, I WOULD SAY FROM EVERYTHING FROM DOWNTOWN.
AS YOU WORK YOUR WAY WESTERN, AS YOU GET TO SIMMONS STREET, YOU GET TO, UM, GLEN BURNIE AND RACETRACK RACETRACK'S, KIND OF THE TRANSITION.
REALLY ANYTHING MO MOST DEVELOPMENT WEST OF RACETRACK, YOU DON'T HAVE, YOU DON'T HAVE THE SAME ISSUE WITH IT.
ALL THE HOMES ARE NEW ENOUGH, THE INFRASTRUCTURE NEW ENOUGH, THEY ALL QUALIFY TO BE CONSIDERED NON-LEAD BECAUSE OF THE AGE.
UH, AND THAT'S A TYPICAL SNAPSHOT OF WHAT A, A NEWER DEVELOPMENT LOOKS LIKE.
I THINK THAT'S LONG WING PINES OVER ON THE TOWNSHIP SEVEN AREA.
SO BASICALLY ALL THESE HOMES ARE CONSTRUCTED AFTER 1988.
MOST OF THE LINES ARE, ARE NON-LEAD.
UM, AND AS YOU LOOK AT THE DISTRIBUTION OF WHERE WE'RE GONNA SEND THESE LETTERS TO IT, IT REALLY, IT FOLLOWS THAT SAME TREND.
I'VE GOT A COPY, I THINK BRENDA'S GIVEN A COPY OF THE LETTER TO EVERYBODY AND WE'LL GIVE A COPY.
UM, THIS IS THE, THE FORM LETTER THAT WILL GO OUT WHEN WE SEND 'EM OUT TO THE CUSTOMERS.
TRY TO HIGHLIGHT THERE KIND OF HOW MANY ARE GOING OUT BY AWARD.
SO YOU MAY HAVE SOME IDEA OF HOW MANY OF THE, THE CUSTOMERS IN YOUR AWARD WOULD BE RECEIVING A LETTER.
AND THIS IS NOT A SURPRISE EITHER YOU, YOUR WE AWARDS ONE, TWO, AND FIVE, WHERE WE HAVE OUR OLDER HOMES, OUR OLDER CONSTRUCTION, WE HAVE OUR A HEAVIER NUMBER OF, UH, RECIPIENTS THERE.
AS YOU GET INTO AWARDS FOUR AND SIX, A LITTLE BIT NEWER CONSTRUCTION.
UM, WE, WE DON'T, I'M NOT GONNA SAY MANY OUT.
AND THEN, UH, FORTUNATELY FOR ALDER AND ASTOR, AS YOU CROSS THE SHRIMP RIVER, ALL THE INFRASTRUCTURE OVER THERE IS NEW ENOUGH.
SO WE HAVE, WE HAVE ZERO NOTIFICATIONS GOING OUT IN WARD THREE.
SO NEXT STEPS IN THE PROGRAM, WE'VE KIND OF GOT THROUGH THE FIRST COUPLE THERE.
WE'VE GATHERED ALL THE INITIAL INFORMATION.
WE BUILT INITIAL INVENTORY SUBMITTED EPA MOVING FORWARD.
WE'RE BASICALLY KIND OF GOING AROUND THAT LITTLE LOOP THERE.
WE'LL INVESTIGATE, WE'LL EVALUATE AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO UPDATE WITH THE GOAL OF BEING ABLE TO COME BACK A YEAR FROM NOW AND HAVE ZERO UNKNOWNS.
SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS WE, WE'VE ALREADY, UH, WORKED OUT A STATISTICAL ANALYSIS METHODOLOGY, SUBMITTED IT TO THE STATE FOR REVIEW.
ONCE APPROVED, WE WILL IMPLEMENT THAT AND THAT WILL REDUCE THE NUMBER OF PHYSICAL INSPECTIONS THAT WE HAVE TO DO GREATLY IN THOSE UNKNOWN AREAS.
[01:40:01]
PUT IT BACK IN THE, YOU KNOW, BACK IN THE INVENTORY AND HOPEFULLY BETTER COME BACK TO YOU IN A YEAR AND SAY, OUR UPDATE IS WE HAVE ZERO UNKNOWNS.WE KNOW THE STATUS OF EVERYTHING AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH CUSTOMERS.
UM, SO A LOT OF RESOURCE OUT THERE ON HEALTH EFFECTS OF LEAD, LEAD AND WATER.
WE'VE TRIED TO GATHER AS MUCH OF THAT AS POSSIBLE.
PUT IT ON OUR LEAD SAFE COMMUNITY PAGE.
LIKE I SAID, THERE'S A LINK TO THAT AT THE VERY FRONT OF THE WEBSITE.
UM, THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION AND THE LETTERS ARE GOING OUT TO EVERYBODY WITH AN UNKNOWN SERVICE LINE.
UH, THERE ARE THREE OR FOUR DIFFERENT PLACES YOU CAN GET A WEBSITE ON THERE TO GET MORE INFORMATION.
THERE'S A WAY TO GET RIGHT TO OUR, THE DIRECT ADDRESS TO THE LEAD SAFE COMMUNITY PAGE.
THERE'S A QR CODE ON THE VERY BACK OF IT THAT IF YOU WANNA SCAN THAT, YOU CAN ACTUALLY HELP US IN THE SURVEY A LITTLE BIT.
IF YOU KNOW WHAT THE MATERIAL IS AT YOUR HOME, YOU SAY, HEY, I KNOW WHAT IT IS.
I HAD IT REPLACED FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO.
NOW I'VE GOT BRAND NEW PVC PIPE FROM THE METER ALL THE WAY TO THE HOUSE.
THAT'S WONDERFUL INFORMATION FOR US TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE A QUICK WAY YOU CAN SUBMIT THAT TO US, UH, THROUGH THE QR CODE IN THE BACK OF THAT.
AND AS ALWAYS, IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, UH, THERE'S CONTACT INFORMATION.
THE LETTER THAT CUSTOMERS WILL RECEIVE, UH, ALL OF MY DIRECT CONTACT INFORMATION AND, AND INFORMATION FOR OUR, OUR WATER PLANT STAFF IS ON THESE SLIDES AS WELL, WHICH WILL BE ON THE WEBSITE.
SO IN, WHEN IN DOUBT, GIVE US A CALL, WE'LL TRY TO POINT EVERYBODY IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND GET EVERYBODY THE INFORMATION THEY NEED.
UM, THE BIG TAKEAWAY I WANT EVERYBODY TO GET FROM THIS, IF THERE WILL BE A LOT OF PEOPLE RECEIVING THIS LETTER IN THE WEEKS TO COME, UH, IT IT'S NOT A MAJOR PROBLEM.
IT DOESN'T MEAN WE HAVE FOUND LEAD IN YOUR HOME.
IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU'VE BEEN EXPOSED TO THAT.
IT SIMPLY MEANS THERE'S A PIECE OF THAT SERVICE LINE FROM THE METER TO YOUR HOUSE THAT WE'RE NOT SURE WHAT IT IS YET.
AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT THAT LETTER MEANS.
UM, IT DOESN'T SAY THAT EXACTLY.
THERE'S A LOT OF VERBIAGE THAT'S REQUIRED IN THAT BY THE EPA AND THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, THE FRONT AND BACK OF THAT, IT'S A LOT OF IT SAYS A LOT OF STUFF.
UM, AND IT'S A, MOST OF THAT'S FORM TEMPLATE THAT'S REQUIRED TO BE IN THE LETTER.
WISH WE COULD WORD IT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT TO BE A LITTLE BIT SOFTER TO THE CUSTOMERS.
BUT, UM, MY ADVICE IS, ANYBODY, ANY QUESTIONS, CONTACT US DIRECTLY, MYSELF AND MS. KENDRA AND MR. DO AND GASKIN, IF WE'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO TALK TO GROUPS IF NEEDED OR ANSWER INDIVIDUAL QUESTIONS, TRY TO GIVE EVERYBODY'S INFORMATION THEY NEED, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROGRAM OR, OR STEPS MOVING FORWARD.
ANY QUESTIONS? YES, JORDAN, I HAVE A QUESTION.
SO THE, THE WHITE CANDY CANE LOOKING PIPE, THAT'S IN SOME YARDS, THAT'S SEWER, RIGHT? YES MA'AM.
OKAY, SO NOW IF I'LL JUST USE MYSELF FOR INSTANCE SURE.
IF MY HOME, UM, FROM THE MAIN TO MY HOME IS THAT'S MY RESPONSIBILITY AS A HOMEOWNER TO GET THAT CHECKED OUT OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT THE CITY IS GOING TO DO? SO, SO MY BEST ADVICE WOULD BE ANYBODY, ANYBODY THAT GETS ONE OF THESE UNKNOWN SERVICE LINE LETTERS AND COMING UP, WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
IT DOESN'T STOP WITH INITIAL INVENTORY.
SO OUR NEXT STEP IN THAT WILL BE DOING FIELD VERIFICATION.
SO WE'RE GONNA FIGURE OUT EXACTLY WHICH ONES WE NEED TO FIELD VERIFY TO KIND OF DUMP THAT DATA INTO A STATISTICAL ANALYSIS MODEL.
AND THAT'LL GIVE US A, YOU KNOW, A HIGHER LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE OF WHAT THE SERVICE LINES ARE TO WHERE, AND THAT'LL CHECK THE BOX WE NEED IN MOST AREAS.
THERE'S VERY LITTLE TO WORRY ABOUT.
LIKE I SAID, EVEN THE PLACES, EVEN THE OLDER AREAS OF TOWN WHERE YOU HAD HOMES BEING CONSTRUCTED WHEN LEAD WAS HEAVILY USED IN THE COUNTRY, THERE JUST WASN'T MUCH OF IT USED IN THE SOUTHEAST AND REALLY WASN'T MUCH OF IT USED IN NEW WE, WE COME ACROSS VERY LITTLE OF IT FROM, YOU KNOW, IN WORKING EVEN IN THE OLDEST AREAS OF TOWN.
UM, EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE WE DO, WE WE COME ACROSS, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE, THREE OR FOUR HOUSES IN THE ROAD THAT HAVE GOT LEAD SERVICE LINES AND IT'S JUST A MATTER OF THE, THE PLUMBER THAT PUT IT IN AT THE TIME OR THE UTILITY CONTRACTOR THAT DID IT AT THE TIME, THEY HAD A GUY THAT WAS COMFORTABLE WORKING WITH IT AND THAT'S WHAT HE USED.
UM, WE JUST DON'T SEE A LOT OF IT.
IT'S ANYBODY'S EVER PUT YOUR HANDS ON A CHUNK OF LEAD SERVICE LINE.
IT'S EXTREMELY HEAVY, IT'S TOUGH TO WORK WITH.
SO AS SOON AS BETTER MATERIALS, LIGHTER MATERIALS BECAME AVAILABLE, EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE STILL LEGAL TO USE IN THE COUNTRY AND THEY WEREN'T BANNED, THERE WERE STILL, I MEAN EVERYBODY MADE THAT SWITCH.
NOBODY WANTED TO, NOBODY WANTED TO CONTINUE TO USE THAT WHEN YOU, YOU GOT A PIECE OF 20 FOOT PVC PIPE THAT WEIGHS A FRACTION OF WHAT ONE FOOT OF LEAD LINE WEIGHS.
SO, ALRIGHT, YOU ANSWER ANOTHER QUESTION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY, THANK YOU JORDAN.
[18. Discussion of Power Supply Cost Increase.]
UP IS ITEM NUMBER 18, DISCUSSION OF POWER SUPPLY COST INCREASE.GOOD EVENING, MAYOR ODOM, BOARD OF DERMAN.
I'D LIKE TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES OF YOUR TIME AND TALK ABOUT, UH, OUR PURCHASE POWER COSTS.
WE DISCUSSED, UH, UM, THE ELECTRIC UTILITY FINANCIAL STUDY THAT WE DID.
AND AS A RESULT, YOU APPROVED A 6%
[01:45:01]
RATE INCREASE IN JULY AND ASKED ME TO TAKE A COUPLE MONTHS AND LOOK AT THE IMPACT OF THAT AND COME BACK.SO I'VE COME BACK AFTER A FEW MONTHS, UM, WITH AN UPDATE.
SO JUST REVIEWING OUR PURCHASE POWER SUPPLY COSTS IN JANUARY OF 2024, THE KEMPER MEMBERSHIP APPROVED RIDER NUMBER 1 20 22, AND THAT'S TO COLLECT $53 MILLION AND UNDER COLLECTED POWER COSTS FROM THEIR MEMBERS THAT OCCURRED IN 2022.
UM, THE IMPACT OF THAT TO NEW BERN IS ABOUT $3.1 MILLION COST INCREASE THAT WAS AFFECTED LAST APRIL, UM, 2024, ABOUT $131,000 A MONTH, UH, FOR TWO YEARS.
AND I SAID IT'S EFFECTIVE BACK IN APRIL, 2024.
UH, WE REACTED TO THAT, UM, WITH A 6% RATE INCREASE IN JULY OF 2024.
AND WE WERE ANTICIPATING THAT THAT RATE INCREASE WOULD GET US ABOUT $3.1 MILLION.
I HAD BEEN, UH, FORECASTING AND TARGETING RIDER NUMBER 1 20 23 AND IN SEPTEMBER A COUPLE MONTHS AGO OF 2024 AND COMPANY MEMBERSHIP APPROVED ANOTHER RIDER 1 20 23 TO COLLECT $40 MILLION IN UNDER COLLECTED POWER SU SUPPLY COSTS WITH THEIR MEMBERSHIP.
UM, THE IMPACT ON NEW BERN FOR THAT IS ABOUT $2.6 MILLION.
THAT'S EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1ST OF THIS YEAR.
UM, AND IT'S ABOUT $109,000 PER MONTH OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS GOING FORWARD.
ALSO, IN SEPTEMBER OF 2024, THE KEMBER MEMBERS UPDATED THEIR FIVE YEAR RATE PLAN AND GOOD NEWS, UM, RIDER NUMBER EIGHT, WHICH IS, UH, DEBT SERVICE, UH, THAT SHOWS UP ON OUR POWER SUPPLY COSTS.
UM, THAT FALLS OFF OUR POWER SUPPLY BILL EFFECTIVE JULY, 2025.
AND THAT THAT SERVICE IS ABOUT $3.4 MILLION ANNUALLY, ABOUT $282 MONTHLY.
THEY GAVE US A FORECAST ON WHAT 2025 IS LOOKING LIKE AND WHAT 2024 THAT WE'RE IN IS LOOKING LIKE REGARDING OUR POWER SUPPLY.
AND THEY'RE ALSO FORECASTING ANOTHER RIDER.
THAT RIDER WILL BE 2024 WILL BE SIMILAR IN SIZE TO RIDER 2022 AND RIDER 2023.
SO RIGHT NOW I'M FORECASTING ANOTHER RIDER EFFECTIVE OCTOBER, 2025, SOMEWHERE IN THE RANGE OF 2.6 TO $3 MILLION.
UM, SO WE'RE STARTING TO SEE A TREND IN THESE POWER COST ADJUSTMENTS AND AS I'VE SPOKE TO YOU ABOUT IT BEFORE, THE POWER SUPPLY IS VERY VULNERABLE AND IT, IT FLUCTUATES AND IT, IT'S A RESULT OF A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND THIS METHODOLOGY THAT WE'RE USING IN OUR CONTRACTS SEEMS TO TRUE UP THOSE COSTS AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
UM, AND THEN, THEN THE BURDEN IS ON US.
UM, ALSO GOING IN 2020 GOING FORWARD.
GOOD NEWS, I GUESS SEPTEMBER, THEY WERE FORECASTING NO RATE INCREASES IN APRIL.
UH, THAT'S THE TIME THAT ME KEMBA DOES THEIR RATE INCREASES.
AND THESE WE CLARIFY THESE ARE, THESE WERE RATE INCREASES, THESE ARE THEIR BASE RATES, CAPACITY AND ENERGY COSTS.
THESE ARE NOT RIDERS, THIS IS IN ADDITION TO RIDER STUFF.
SO NO RATE INCREASE IN 2025 PENDING SOME DISCUSSION.
I'LL COME BACK TO THAT 6% IN 26, 9% IN 27, 8 AND A HALF PERCENT IN 28, ANOTHER 2% IN, UH, 2029.
AND THE REASON I WANNA COME BACK TO JANUARY DISCUSSION, UM, THERE'LL PROBABLY BE SOME DISCUSSIONS WITH THE MEMBERSHIP ABOUT RAISING RATES IN APRIL EQUIVALENT TO THE DEBT SERVICE THAT'S FALLING OFF.
AND I THINK THERE'S SOME, UM, SOME THOUGHT, SOME IDEA THAT MEMBERS WILL BE ABLE TO ABSORB AN ADDITIONAL RATE INCREASE SINCE THEIR DEBT SERVICES ROLLING OFF AND IN TURN BUILD CAPITAL SO THAT IN FUTURE YEARS IN 26 AND 27 MAYBE THAT PERCENTAGE CAN GO DOWN.
SO I THINK THAT'S THE THOUGHT PROCESS THERE, BUT I'LL KNOW MORE IN DECEMBER AND JANUARY.
SO GIVEN THE FINANCIAL, UH, FORECAST AND WHAT WE LEARNED IN THE ELECTRICAL FINANCIAL STUDY, UM, I PUT TOGETHER SOME OPTIONS THAT YOU MAY WANT TO CONSIDER.
I'LL TRY TO LEAD YOU THROUGH THOSE.
UM, THE SECOND COLUMN, NO RATE ADJUSTMENT, THAT'S IF YOU DO NO ACTION THIS YEAR AND THAT'S WHERE I BELIEVE WE WILL WIND UP FINANCIALLY.
THIS INCLUDES THE 6% THAT YOU ALREADY APPROVED.
[01:50:01]
SO IF YOU MAKE NO OTHER ACTION FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR, NO MORE ADDITIONAL COST TO THE CUSTOMER, WE'LL RECOVER AT $3.1 MILLION.OUR ADJUSTED OPERATING INCOME WILL CONTINUE TO BE ABOUT A $3.6 MILLION ANNUAL LOSS.
OUR CASH BALANCE WILL BE ABOUT $11.4 MILLION.
AND JUST TO REMIND US ALL OUR, OUR TARGETED CASH BALANCE OR POLICY IS 18 AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
SO OUR CASH SHORTFALLS ABOUT $7 MILLION.
THAT EQUATES TO ABOUT 55 DAYS OF CA CASH ON HAND AND A DEBT COVERAGE RATIO OF 0.05, WHICH IS FAR, FAR BELOW ANY LENDING REQUIREMENTS.
ANOTHER OPTION YOU MAY WANT TO CONSIDER IS TAKING THAT RIGHT OR 1 20 23, THE ONE THAT WAS JUST EFFECTIVE IN OCTOBER AND JUST PASSING IT THROUGH, JUST PASS IT STRAIGHT THROUGH.
UM, AND THAT RATE TURNS OUT TO BE, UM, ABOUT $2 AND 83 CENTS PER MONTH IMPACT ON THE CUSTOMER.
UM, BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR, I EXPECT WE RECOVER ABOUT $809,000.
OUR OPERATING INCOME, UH, WILL BE A LITTLE BETTER.
ONLY $2.8 MILLION OF LOSS CASH BALANCE PROVES A LITTLE BIT TO 12.2.
THE MINIMUM CASH BALANCE TARGET STAYS THE SAME AT 18 POINT HALF MILLION.
CASH ON HAND SHORTFALLS ABOUT 6.3 DAYS OF CASH ON HAND APPROVES A LITTLE BIT UP TO ABOUT 59 DAYS.
AND OUR DEBT COVERAGE RATIO GOES UP TO 0.71.
THE TRICK WITH THIS ONE, WHAT WE REALLY ALL NEED TO CONSIDER IS WHEN THAT, THAT RIDER WOULD BE DESIGNED TO COLLECT $2,639,000 AND 2 MILLION 639, 450 $3 AND THEN STOP.
AND IT WOULD TAKE ABOUT TWO YEARS TO COLLECT THAT.
UM, PENDING ON SALES, YOU KNOW, TEMPERATURE HOT OR PEOPLE BUYING ENERGY.
DO WE HAVE A ANOTHER PANDEMIC AND PEOPLE AREN'T BUYING ENERGY? IS THERE A HURRICANE AND PEOPLE AREN'T BUYING ENERGY? SO ROUGHLY TWO YEARS, MAYBE MORE AND WE'D BE ABLE TO RECOVER ALL THAT, THEN THAT STOPS AND THAT REVENUE STREAM STOPS.
AND SO WE'D HAVE TO ADDRESS THAT AT THAT TIME.
SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT.
I PUT POWER SUPPLY COSTS OR POWER COST ADJUSTMENT BACK ON HERE.
WE DISCUSSED THAT BACK IN MAY AND IN JUNE.
AND LISTENING TO WHAT, UM, SOME OR ALL OF YOU WERE SAYING THAT THERE WAS SOME UNCOMFORTABLENESS WITH THE PPCA THAT TOO MUCH OF A WILD CARD COULDN'T REALLY GUARANTEE IF IT WOULD BE A $5 A MONTH CHARGE OR A $50 A MONTH CHARGE AND TOO MUCH OF A SWING FOR OUR CUSTOMERS.
AND I, I TRIED TO LISTEN TO THAT.
SO I CAME UP WITH THE SAME PCA, BUT THE IDEA THAT WE COULD PUT A CAP ON IT AND THAT CAP JUST AS A AN EXAMPLE, UM, CAP IT AT ONE AND A HALF CENTS PER KILOWATT HOUR WHEN, WHEN THE PCA GETS UP TO THAT, UM, STOP IT, BRING YOUR ATTENTION TO IT, TALK ABOUT OUR RATES, SEE WHAT THE NEXT STEP IS.
AT A ONE AND A HALF CENT CAP, IT'S TOTAL COST EXPOSURE TO THE CUSTOMER.
AN AVERAGE CUSTOMER WOULD BE ABOUT $15 A MONTH.
SO RIGHT NOW, GIVEN TODAY'S POWER COSTS, UM, OR LAST POWER COST SUPPLY BILLS, THE IMPACT ON THE CUSTOMER WOULD BE ABOUT $4 AND 40 CENTS PER MONTH.
UM, WE RECOVER ABOUT $1.2 MILLION.
UM, BETWEEN NOW AND THE END OF THE YEAR, OUR JUST AN OPERATING, UH, INCOME WILL IMPROVE TO $2.4 MILLION OF A LOSS OR CASH BALANCE IS 12.7 MILLION.
OUR MINIMUM CASH ON HAND SHORT FILE IS STILL ABOUT $5.8 MILLION.
I PROVING UP TO ABOUT 61 DAYS OF CASH ON HAND.
AND OUR DEBT DEBT COVERAGE RATIO COMES UP TO, UH, 1.08.
IF YOU WANT TO DO ANOTHER 6% RATE INCREASE LIKE YOU DID IN JULY, THE IMPACT ON THE CUSTOMER WOULD BE ABOUT $7 AND 24 20 5 CENTS A MONTH.
AVERAGE CUSTOMER, AVERAGE RETAIL, AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER, UM, WE'D RECOVER ABOUT $3.1 MILLION FROM THIS, UH, BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.
OUR ADJUSTED OPERATING COST OR LOSSES GO DOWN TO $1.7 MILLION.
CASH BALANCE PROVES UP TO 13.3 MILLION.
OUR SHORTFALL OF CASH ON HAND IS ABOUT $5.2 MILLION.
DAYS OF CASH ON HANG ON ARE ABOUT 64 AND OUR DECK COVERAGE RATIO COMES UP TO ABOUT 1.6.
IF YOU WANNA GET REALLY AGGRESSIVE, UM, AND DO THE 6% PLUS THE PCA COST THE CUSTOMER, AVERAGE RETAIL CUSTOMER ABOUT 11 UH, DOLLARS AND 64 CENTS PER MONTH, WE'D RECOVER ABOUT $4.3 MILLION, UH, BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.
OUR BOOKS WOULD, WE'D BE OPERATING IN A POSITIVE $483,000, UM, IN THE GOOD, OUR CASH BALANCE WOULD BE UP TO $15.5 MILLION, $3 MILLION SHORTFALL ON IF DAYS' CASH ON HAND, JUST 7 MILLION.
UM, AND OUR DEBT COVERAGE RATIO
[01:55:01]
WOULD BE UP TO 3.3.SO THIS WOULD, THAT OPTION THERE WOULD GET YOU BACK TO A POSITIVE OPERATING INCOME.
AND I GUESS WITH THAT SAID, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM WE SET UP SO THAT IF YOU WANT TO TAKE ACTION ON THIS, YOU CAN, YOU'LL HAVE TO CALL FOR A PUBLIC HEARING AND WE'LL HAVE TO PUBLISH, UH, WHAT YOU WANT, UM, FOR TWO WEEKS BEFORE WE HAVE THAT HEARING.
SO IF YOU WANT TO MOVE FORWARD AND TAKE ACTION AND HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING, THAT'S THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM.
AND I WOULD PROBABLY NEED TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH IF YOU WANT TO MAKE ANY ADJUSTMENTS.
BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS? YES, CHARLIE? SO LET ME GET AN UNDERSTANDING HERE.
THE 6% RATE INCREASE THAT WE DID IN JULY THAT BROUGHT THE CUSTOMER UP TO $7 AND 24 CENTS, CORRECT? MORE ON THEIR BILL AVERAGE? YES.
SO WHAT
JULY WE INCREASED OUR RATE 6%.
SO NOW THE AVERAGE CUST AVERAGE RETAIL, AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER IS GONNA BE ABOUT 1 27.
AND THEN IF YOU, IF WE DO THE ADDITIONAL 6%, THAT WOULD ADD ON THE OTHER $11, WHICH WOULD BE 130 SOME DOLLARS, CORRECT? IF YOU DID BOTH OF THE PCA AND THE 6%, RIGHT? YES.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I'D LIKE, I'D LIKE TO, I LIKE THAT WHEN IT SAYS THE OPERATING INCOME IS POSITIVE AND I KNOW YOU DO AS WELL,
WHEN I PRESENTED THAT OPTION BEFORE, UM, I WAS ABLE TO IDENTIFY A SHORTFALL IN REVENUE COLLECTIONS UNDER BILLING, UH, TO MEET REV UH, REVENUE REQUIREMENTS SINCE I THINK 2020.
SO I TOTALED THAT UP AND I GAVE YOU FOLKS THE OPPORTUNITY IF YOU WANT TO COLLECT THAT, WE'LL BUNDLE THAT INTO THIS RATE IF YOU WANNA GO BACK AND GET IT.
KEEPING IN MIND ALL OF OUR, OUR COSTS, EVERYTHING WE BILL IS ALWAYS IN THE REAR.
AND OUR RE I SHOULD SAY OUR REIMBURSEMENTS ALWAYS LAG REAL TIME.
DOES THAT, AM I ANSWERING THE QUESTION? WELL, I, I THINK WHAT I'M KIND OF GETTING AT AND TRYING TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THIS IS THAT THERE, THERE SEEM, WE'RE KIND OF LOOKING AT TWO DIFFERENT ISSUES OR, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IN MY UNDERSTANDING, I'M LOOKING AT KIND OF LINE THREE, THE ADJUSTED OPERATING INCOME, WHERE IN EACH OF THESE, UM, OPTIONS YOU'RE IDENTIFYING, UM, AN ESTIMATE AS TO WHAT OUR OPERATING LOSS IS.
THAT'S CONCERNING TO ME BECAUSE YOU, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A UTILITY OPERATING AT A LOSS YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR, AND THAT'S NOT A WAY TO OPERATE.
UM, SO THAT'S ONE PIECE OF IT.
THE OTHER PIECE IS THE, THE MAKEUP COSTS THAT ARE BEING BASICALLY ALLOCATED TO ALL THE MEMBER, UM, MEMBER UTILITIES.
AND THAT'S A WHOLE NOTHER PIECE.
WE ONLY SEEM TO BE ADDRESSING THE SECOND PIECE OF THIS.
THOSE MAKEUP COSTS WE'RE NOT REALLY ADDRESSING OTHER THAN YOUR LAST CATEGORY.
WE'RE NOT REALLY TALKING ABOUT THE ONGOING ANNUAL OPERATING LOSS THAT WE'RE FACING.
AND WE NEED TO BE TALKING ABOUT BOTH OF THOSE.
AND THAT'S WHY MY ORIGINAL QUESTION IS, ARE THOSE THAT SECOND CATEGORY, THOSE KIND OF MAKE COSTS THAT ARE BEING BASICALLY ALLOCATED, UM, TO THE MEMBER UTILITIES? THAT'S SOMETHING, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE KNOW IS GONNA HAPPEN PRETTY MUCH EVERY YEAR IT'S TRENDING THAT WAY.
THOSE ARE THE RIDER 20, 22, 23, 24,
[02:00:03]
AND IT, AFTER THE YEAR CLOSES, UM, OUR CONTRACT, WHAT HAPPENS IN OUR POWER SUPPLY CONTRACT, THEY GO AND SEE WHAT THEY UNDER COLLECTED BASED ON VARIABLES TYPICALLY FUEL, ENERGY, UH, COAL HANDLING.UM, AND THOSE, THOSE COMMODITY PRICES GET ADJUSTED AND WE HAVE TO PAY THE DIFFERENCE AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
THEIR PCA, IT'S EFFECTIVELY A PCA FOR THEM, BUT THEY DO IT ONCE A YEAR AND IT'S A BIG, UM, IT'S A CHALLENGE AND YOU ONLY GET A COUPLE MONTHS TO REALLY REACT TO IT.
THE PCA THAT I'VE PROPOSED FOR A RETAIL CUSTOMER ADJUSTS ON A MONTHLY BASIS AND IT'S MUCH SMOOTHER AND IT IT ADAPTS TO ALL THOSE VOLATILITIES THAT ARE HAPPENING.
BUT YES, THERE OUR POWER COSTS LAG BY A YEAR.
THAT IF YOU WANT TO COLLECT THOSE, THAT THAT'S A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION, BUT I UNDERSTOOD THERE WASN'T MUCH INTEREST IN GOING BACK IN TIME AND GETTING THAT, SO I DIDN'T PUT THIS ON SO THAT, THAT THAT MONEY IS, UM, NOT BEING COLLECTED.
UM, AND WHAT I'M SHOWING YOU HERE AND THIS, THESE ARE JUST WHAT I THINK WHERE, WHERE WE'RE GONNA BE AT THE END OF 2025 BASED ON ANY OF THESE ACTIONS.
AM I ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? WELL, I THINK SO.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT PART OF THE DISCUSSION THAT WE HAD BACK IN, IN MAY DURING THE, THE BUDGET WORK SESSION WAS THAT THE, UM, DEBT SERVICE, UM, WILL BE FINISHED IN I THINK JULY YES, SIR.
SO THAT, THAT'S GONNA PROVIDE SOME FLEXIBILITY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE COSTS.
BUT ARE IS, IS THAT REALLY GOING TO ADDRESS THE OPERATING LOSS OR IS IT JUST GOING TO ADDRESS IT? IT'S GONNA BE WASHED OUT BY THE REST OF THESE POWER SUPPLY COST INCREASES.
AND AND I WOULD URGE US TO, TO THINK ABOUT MANAGING OUR, OUR BUSINESS AS POWER COSTS AND THERE'S 75 PER 70% OF OUR TOTAL BUSINESS MANAGING THOSE RATES, THE COST AND WHAT WE NEED TO BE REIMBURSED FOR, FOR THAT AND MANAGING OUR OPERATING EXPENSES AS A, WITH A DIFFERENT LENS AND A DIFFERENT, UM, THOUGHT PROCESS, THEY SHOULD BE KIND OF SEPARATE.
AND, AND, AND GIVEN THE FACT THAT THE, THE DEBT SERVICE WILL BE ENDING UM, IN JULY OF NEXT YEAR, YOU, YOU GOTTA CARRY THAT DISCUSSION FURTHER IN INTO THE FACT THAT WE HAVE AN AGING INFRASTRUCTURE THAT HAS TO BE ADDRESSED AND ULTIMATELY THE HARD DECISIONS ARE GONNA HAVE TO BE MADE ABOUT BORROWING MORE MONEY CORRECT.
TO UPGRADE THE MOST SERIOUS DEFICIENCIES IN, IN THE UTILITIES INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO IT IT'S GOOD THAT DEBT SERVICE IS ENDING, BUT DEBT SERVICE NEVER ENDS.
BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA HAVE NEW DEBT SERVICE THAT'S GONNA HAVE TO COME ON BOARD.
SO YOU MAY GET A SHORT TERM BENEFIT, BUT THE LONG RUN IS THERE'S GONNA BE MORE DEBT SERVICE COSTS, UH, THAT HAVE TO BE BUILT IN TO THE OPERATING BUDGET.
SO AGAIN, SAME ARGUMENT THAT I, THAT I MADE, UH, DURING THE BUDGET SESSION IS THAT WE, WE AS A BOARD, WE REALLY NEED TO BE LOOKING LONGER TERM IN TERMS OF THE FINANCIAL HEALTH OF THE UTILITY AND THE FACT THAT WE HAVE AN OPERATING LOSS THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH, IT'S NOT TENABLE.
WE NEED TO BE ADDRESSING BOTH THE, THE OPERATING LOSS PIECE OF IT TO TRY TO GET RID OF THAT AND, AND MANAGE THE OPERATING COSTS BETTER.
AND I, I CAN TELL AND ALSO THEN SET UP THE FRAMEWORK TO ADDRESS THE LAGGING, THE LAGGED COSTS THAT, THAT, LIKE YOU SAY, SEEMED TO BE TRENDING TO BEING SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS EVERY YEAR, IF NOT TWICE A YEAR.
I DID A, A QUICK LOOK RELATED TO THAT.
I DIDN'T PUT IT IN IN THIS INFORMATION, BUT IF YOU CHOSE TO DO THE 6% RATE INCREASE PLUS THE PCAI LOOKED AT THE NEXT FIVE YEARS AND I PLAGUED WITH SOME ADJUSTMENTS, UM, JUST MODELED THEM FOR, UM, INFLATIONARY COSTS OR SEVEN INFLATIONARY COSTS OF UM, 1.5% TO 2% AND ALL OUR CAP, ALL THE CAPITAL
[02:05:01]
REQUIREMENTS, ALL THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, UM, BUILT INTO THAT.AND WE STAY PRETTY HEALTHY IF WE DO ONE POINT A HALF TO 2% ADJUSTMENTS EVERY SINGLE YEAR, UM, IF WE WERE TO PASS THIS 6%.
BUT TO YOUR POINT, YES, WE NEED TO LOOK AT THIS ANNUALLY.
WE NEED TO LOOK AT IT OVER FIVE TO 10 YEARS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, CHARLIE? UM, JUST HAVE A COUPLE.
SO A FEW MONTHS AGO, WHENEVER THIS WAS BROUGHT BEFORE US, THIS WAS REGARDING ONE OF THE RIDERS THAT WE NEEDED TO ADDRESS.
THE REASON YOU'VE COME BACK IS BECAUSE THEY'VE ADDED ANOTHER RIDER SINCE THEN THAT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS, CORRECT? CORRECT.
AND THEN I HAD MADE A SUGGESTION RECOMMENDATION, UM, THAT WE START TO MIRROR DUKE'S RATES BECAUSE IN THE PAST, CITY OF NEW BERN WAS ALWAYS HIGHER THAN DUKE.
THAT'S WHAT WE ALWAYS HEARD WHEN WE WERE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY IS DUKE IS SO MUCH CHEAPER THAN NEW BERN.
WE MADE THOSE SEVERAL DECREASES OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS OR SO AND WE GOT ON PAR WITH DUKE.
DUKE STARTED RAISING THEIR RATES AND WE DID NOT FOLLOW.
SO THAT'S THE REASON WE'RE IN THIS SITUATION NOW, UM, AND I KNOW YOU DON'T HAVE ALL THIS INFORMATION AT YOUR FINGERTIPS, BUT ROUND NUMBERS, IF WE HAD DUKE'S RATE CHART IN EFFECT RIGHT NOW, WE WOULD BE OPERATING PROBABLY IN THE BLACK AND NOT HAVE TO PASS ALONG ANY ADDITIONAL INCREASES TO THE CUSTOMERS.
IS THAT A FAIR STATEMENT? THAT THAT THAT'S FAIR.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YOU'RE LOOKING FOR SOME DIRECTION ON WHICH OPTION TOO? CORRECT.
IF YOU WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM, I'LL NEED SOME DIRECTION THEN.
SO EVERY, SO NOW OCTOBER ONE, OUR BILL, OUR WHOLESALE COST HAS INCREASED.
SO THE NEXT BILL WE GET IS GONNA BE HIGHER AND WE'RE NOT BRINGING IN ANY ADDITIONAL REVENUE TO COVER THAT SECOND RIDER.
AND THIS SLIDE THAT I PUT HERE, THOSE, THE REVENUE RECOVERY IS ASSUMING THAT I GET IT EFFECTIVE THE 1ST OF DECEMBER BECAUSE IT'S GONNA TAKE US A LITTLE WHILE TO, TO DO THE HEARING AND THEN I'VE GOTTA BUILD IT INTO THE, THE BILLING SYSTEM.
SO IF WE DELAY, IT JUST CHANGES.
CHARLIE, I KNOW YOU GAVE US THIS, UM, CHART AND I COPIED IT AND PUT IT ON MY PHONE SOMEWHERE, BUT I CAN'T FIND IT.
WHAT IS IRATE COMPARED TO DUKE'S? NOW YOU HAVE IT.
I CAN TELL YOU 4 CENTS KILOWATT.
I THINK PRIOR TO JULY, PRIOR TO THE 6%, OUR AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER WAS BEING CHARGED ABOUT $120 A MONTH.
AT THAT TIME, DUKE'S AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER USING THE SAME NUMBER OF ENERGY HOURS, $154 A MONTH.
SO I JUST FOUND THE CHART, THE CHARTS YOU PRESENTED US BACK JUNE 25TH.
THEY'VE, THEY'VE ACTUALLY HAD THEIR RATES APPROVED THROUGH 2027 AND IT GROWS, GIMME A SECOND HERE.
THEY GET UP TO ABOUT 16 AND A HALF CENTS PER KILOWATT HOUR.
AND WE'RE AT, DIDN'T YOU TELL ME WE'RE RIGHT AROUND 12 RIGHT NOW.
DIDN'T YOU TELL ME OR AM I DREAMING THIS DID, AREN'T THEY GETTING READY TO HAVE A RATE INCREASE OR WAS IT THE MANAGER TOLD ME THIS.
ONE OF YOU TELL ME THAT DUKE DID.
DUKE GUY, THEY, THEY HAVE THE, THEY HAVE THEIR RATES APPROVED THROUGH 2029, I BELIEVE AND ARE, AREN'T THEY HAVING A RATE DECREASE IN JANUARY? THAT'S FOR WESTERN CAROLINA.
THAT'S DIFFERENT PART OF DUKE.
DOESN'T WE'RE WE'RE, UM, DUKE PROGRESS ENERGY.
SO A AGAIN, THE, THE REASON THAT I HAD MADE THAT SUGGESTION THAT DIDN'T GET ANY TRACTION WAS TO AVOID US HAVING TO CONTINUE TO ADDRESS THIS EVERY TIME A RIDER COMES UP.
UM, YES, IT'S A BIG NUMBER, BUT THE ARGUMENT IS TO A CUSTOMER, I'M ON DUTY.
I'VE BEEN TRANSPARENT ABOUT THAT EVER SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THIS BOARD.
I'M ON DUKE, MY NEIGHBOR ACROSS THE STREET'S ON CITY OF NEW, UM, FOSTER AND I SAT IN HIS OFFICE ONE DAY, HE TOOK HIS BILL, BILL OUT, HE'S ON CITY OF NEW AND I'M ON DUKE.
AND WE WENT THROUGH AND HIS BILL WAS A LOT LESS THAN MINE.
[02:10:01]
I DO HAVE A TEENAGER IN THE HOUSE.UM, HE DOESN'T, UM, BUT WHEN YOU ACTUALLY LOOK AT THE USAGE, THERE WASN'T THAT BIG OF A DIFFERENCE IN THE USAGE.
AND IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THE RATE.
AND ARGUABLY, I THINK MOST PEOPLE WILL TELL YOU CITY OF NEW BERN OFFERS A BETTER PRODUCT.
UH, WE'RE QUICKER TO RESPOND WHEN THERE'S AN OUTAGE.
OUR COMMUNICATION IS AS GOOD, UH, AS WHAT DUKE PROVIDES.
AND OUR EMPLOYEES ARE MOSTLY LOCAL, SO WE PROVIDE, ESSENTIALLY A BETTER PRODUCT AT A MUCH LOWER PRICE TODAY.
HAD WE KEPT UP WITH DUKE OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, WE WOULD NOT BE IN THIS SITUATION, BUT WE ARE NOW, AND IT'S GONNA BE A BIGGER BITE FOR CUSTOMERS TO BITE OFF AND CHEW.
UM, HAD WE NOT DONE INCREMENTAL IN THE PAST.
SO ANY DIRECTION THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO GIVE CHARLIE, WHILE THE BOARD IS REFLECTING, UM, WOULD IT NOT BE EASIER TO HAVE A, A FLAT RATE INCREASE RATHER THAN RIDERS WITH MOVING PARTS? IN OTHER WORDS, IS IT EASIER TO SAY SIX AND A HALF? SEVEN AND A HALF, 7.2 RATHER THAN SIX PLUS A VARIABLE, EVEN WITH A CAP? I, I LOVE THE FLAT, BUT I LOVE THE PCA, UH, BECAUSE THAT WE WON'T BE TALKING ABOUT IT ANYMORE.
IT'LL JUST RECOVER THOSE VARIABLES IN A PURCHASE.
IF WE WANT TO PUT, WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE IMPACT AND IT RUNNING AWAY, I CAN DESIGN IT, UM, SO THAT THERE'S A STOP, THERE'S A CAP ON IT.
WHEN IT GETS UP TO, UM, ONE AND A HALF CENTS PER KILOWATT HOUR, THAT WOULD IMPACT THE AVERAGE CUSTOMER $15 A MONTH.
WE COULD SAY, STOP IT AT THIS NUMBER, CHARLIE.
UM, BUT EVERY SINGLE MONTH, THESE RIDERS, THEY WOULD, WE WOULDN'T BE TALKING ABOUT 'EM.
THEY JUST PASS THROUGH AFTER TWO YEARS.
AND DEFINITELY AS LONG AS THE, THE PCA STAYED INTACT.
THE WRITER GETS WEIRD AND MESSY, AND I DON'T LIKE IT IN OUR CONTRACT COMING TO US AND BEING ADJUSTED ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
AND I, THAT'S ANOTHER MATTER THAT I'M TRYING TO WORK WITH ON OUR CONTRACT, BUT THAT'S THE REALITY OF IT.
UM, SO HOW DO WE REACT TO THAT ONCE A YEAR, TWICE A YEAR, HOWEVER OFTEN THEY WANNA PASS IT ON TO US.
WE HAVE THIS CONVERSATION WHERE WE DESIGN A PCA AND WE USE THAT ROLLING AVERAGE, AND WE, WE ADJUST THAT VARIABLE IN OUR POWER SUPPLY COST THAT'S NOT BEING COLLECTED IN OUR BASE RATES.
SO YOU'RE SAYING USED A CAP, LIKE THE ATTORNEYS SAY, USED IT WOULD CARRY US COMPLETELY OUT, BUT I, WE COULD CAP IT TO, TO SATISFY ANY CONCERNS ABOUT OVER COLLECTING OR, UM, UPSETTING OUR CUSTOMERS.
IT'D BE A STOP, YOU KNOW, AND THEN I SO THE CAP WOULD BE THE WAY TO GO? YES.
BASED ON WHAT I HEARD, THE, THE CONCERNS WERE BEFORE I HEARD THERE WAS CONCERNS THAT THIS THING COULD RUN AWAY WITH US, AND CUSTOMERS WILL NEVER KNOW HOW MUCH THEIR BILL'S GONNA BE.
SO WE COULD CAP IT, I COULD CAP IT SO THAT THE AVERAGE CUSTOMER DOESN'T EXPERIENCE MORE THAN A, A 15 1.50 CENT PER KILOWATT HOUR ADJUSTMENT, WHICH ON THE, FOR THE AVERAGE CUSTOMER, THAT'S ABOUT $15 A MONTH TO MAKE IT WHATEVER NUMBER YOU WANT.
RIGHT NOW, WE'RE AT $4 AND 40 CENTS A MONTH.
IF YOU WERE TO ADOPT THE PCA RIGHT NOW, I DON'T THINK IT'S GONNA GET, UH, $15 THIS YEAR OR NEXT YEAR.
SO, CHARLIE, THE, THE FAR RIGHT COLUMN THAT BASICALLY CUTS OUR NEGATIVE OPERATING LOSSES AND IT INCLUDES THE PCA, SO IF THERE'S WILD SPEED, UH, SPIKES IN U UTILITY USAGE, IT'S GONNA COVER THAT.
HOW WOULD YOU COMPARE THAT LAST COLUMN FOR CITY OF NEWBURN CUSTOMER WITH SOMEONE THAT IS A DUKE CUSTOMER? OR IS IT STILL GONNA BE LESS? YES.
AND ACTUALLY, AND IT'S DUKE'S GROWING TO OVER ONE 60, WITHIN THREE YEARS, THEY HAVE ALREADY APPROVED.
WHAT IS YOUR RECOMMENDATION? YOU'RE THE EXPERT.
THE 6% RATE INCREASE, PLUS THE PCAI, I CAN'T RECOMMEND ANYTHING BUT MAKING THIS FINANCIALLY WHOLE AS
UM, ROYAL JUST MENTIONED, AS I SAID BEFORE, IN NUMEROUS MEETINGS, WHEN WE GET IN MEETINGS, YOU ARE THE EXPERT HERE.
I WE RELY ON YOU TO GIVE US THIS INFORMATION.
SO WHATEVER YOU SUGGEST, THAT'S WHAT I,
[02:15:01]
I'M AGREEABLE WITH.UM, I KNOW THAT IT, THIS MAY IMPACT SOME, SOME CUSTOMERS, BUT IF THIS PROBLEM HAD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED YEARS AGO WHEN YOU COME BEFORE US AND ASKING, GIVING US THIS INFORMATION AND REQUIRING US TO DO THIS, THIS, AND THIS, WE WOULDN'T BE AT THIS POINT WITH OUR, WITH THE RATES AND, AND THE PCA AND OUR CUSTOMERS.
UM, SO I STAND, I STAND BEHIND WHAT YOU RECOMMEND.
AS ALL THE
I THINK I USED THAT TERMINOLOGY BEFORE THIS.
DOES ANYONE WANT TO MAKE A MOTION? UH, WELL, BEFORE THAT, BEFORE WE GET THERE, MAYOR, JUST A A A FOLLOW UP QUESTION ON, ON YOUR COMMENTS.
UM, IF WE WERE TO PURSUE ACTION TO GET OUR RATE, UM, CLOSER TO DUKE, ARE YOU COMFORTABLE DOING THAT ALL AT ONCE OR WOULD YOU WANT TO SEE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A GRADUAL? 'CAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE WHAT CHARLIE'S RECOMMENDING, WHICH IS THE LAST COLUMN, STILL LEAVES US LOWER THAN, THAN DUKE IS.
SO, AND I'M JUST CURIOUS, I MEAN, DO YOU SEE, OR YOUR THOUGHTS THAT WE WOULD, IF WE TOOK THE APPROACH THAT YOU'VE SUGGESTED, DO THAT ALL AT ONCE OR MAYBE A COUPLE OF STEPS? I, I, I THINK IT'S, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF VARIABLES THERE BECAUSE UNLESS IT'S CHANGED, OUR BILLING CYCLES ARE NOT EQUAL.
IT'S NOT A 30 DAY BILLING CYCLE EVERY MONTH.
ONE MONTH, ONE MONTH, IT COULD BE 28 DAYS.
THE NEXT MONTH IT COULD BE 34 DAYS.
THERE'S A LIMIT ON HOW FAR THAT COULD BE.
SO THE PERCEPTION FROM A CUSTOMER'S GONNA BE, THEY JUST HAD A BILL LAST MONTH BEFORE WE DO ANY INCREASES.
THEY OPEN IT UP AND IT'S $150.
THE NEXT MONTH AFTER WE'VE HAD AN INCREASE, THEY OPEN IT UP AND IT'S $220 AND THEY THINK, OH MY GOODNESS, MY BILL'S GONE FROM ONE 50 TO ONE 20.
WHAT THEY DON'T FACTOR IN IS THERE'S ANOTHER WEEK'S WORTH OF UTILIZATION IN THAT BILL.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WERE TO DO LIKE A STEP INCREASE, I, I JUST THINK IT'S JUST GONNA CAUSE MORE CONFUSION.
UH, I THINK IF YOU IMPLEMENTED A NEW RATE STRUCTURE THAT COVERED OUR LOSSES, COVERED OUR COST ALLOWED US TO IMPROVE OUR INFRASTRUCTURE FOR CAPITAL EXPENSES GOING FORWARD, AND THERE WAS AN EDUCATION PIECE THAT WENT ALONG WITH THAT, WHETHER THAT'S AN INSERT.
I ACTUALLY HAD MENTIONED HAVING AN EVENT HERE OR THE UTILITY BUSINESS OFFICE, BUT TELL PEOPLE TO BRING IN YOUR BILL AND SOMEBODY WOULD SIT DOWN WITH THEM AND EXPLAIN IT TO 'EM.
I'LL BE HAPPY TO DO IT WITH ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO DO THIS.
I'LL BRING MY DUKE BILL, I'LL PRINT IT OUT.
THEY BRING THEIR CITY OF NEWBURN BILL, PRINT IT OUT, AND WE'LL BREAK DOWN AND SHOW THEM THAT THEY ARE PAYING AS THE CITY OF NEWBURN, YOU'RE PAYING LESS THAN WHAT YOU'RE PAYING FOR DUKE.
AND I THINK IF WE SPEND THE TIME AND WE DO THIS RIGHT AND EDUCATE THE PUBLIC, I THINK THEY WILL UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU START GETTING INTO THE WEEDS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE AGE OF SOME OF OUR TRANSFORMERS, AND IT'S GETTING TIME TO REPLACE THOSE, WHEN YOU'RE OPERATING AT A LOSS, YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO GO MON, YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO PULL MONEY OUT AND PAY FOR IT.
YOU'RE ALSO NOT GONNA ABLE TO GO BORROW MONEY.
SO AGAIN, I THINK THAT, UH, AND IT, IT WOULD TAKE CHARLIE TIME TO COME UP WITH WHAT THAT RATE STRUCTURE WOULD LOOK LIKE.
UM, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH TIME THAT WOULD TAKE IF WE HAVE THAT TIME RIGHT NOW, BUT, UH, I JUST THINK THAT THAT TAKES AWAY THE POLITICS OF ELECTRIC RATES.
POLITICS OF ELECTRIC RATES HAS BEEN AROUND IN NEWBURN SINCE THE EARLY EIGHTIES, WHENEVER THIS WHOLE DEAL WAS DONE BACK THEN.
AND IT HAS BEEN A, A, A POLITICAL EVERY FOUR YEARS OR TWO YEARS BACK THEN WHEN THERE WAS AN ELECTION, THIS WAS THE TOPIC THAT CAME UP.
IF WE FIX THIS ONCE AND FOR ALL, AND IT MIRRORS WHAT DUKE'S RATES ARE, WHATEVER WE CAN DO LEGALLY, THEN HOPEFULLY IT TAKES THAT ARGUMENT AWAY.
SO WHAT YOU ARE ALLUDING TO IS THE COLUMN AT 6% INCREASE AND PLUS THE PCA.
WELL, IT WOULD PROBABLY MORE THAN THAT BECAUSE THAT WOULD STILL BE CHEAPER THAN WHAT DUKE IS RIGHT NOW.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THAT WILL GET US BY, IT WILL PUT US IN A SOMEWHAT HEALTHY POSITION, BUT CERTAINLY NOT A HEALTHY POSITION LIKE DUKE IS IN.
I THINK, I THINK I NEED TO COME BACK, UM, AT LEAST ANNUALLY AND HAVE THE SAME CONVERSATION AND SHOW YOU WHAT THE NEXT FIVE YEARS LOOK LIKE WITH RECOMMENDED INCREASES OVER THOSE YEARS.
BUT JUST KEEP IN MIND, IT DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T FOLLOW TYPICAL BUDGET CYCLES.
SO IT GETS A LITTLE WEIRD AND I'M A LITTLE OFF ON TRYING TO TRANSLATE IT TO BUDGET CYCLE.
THE POWER SUPPLY CONTRACT CYCLE, IT'S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT CALENDAR YEAR.
[02:20:01]
OUR ADJUSTMENTS, BOTTOM LINE, OUR ADJUSTMENTS ON POWER SUPPLY COSTS ARE EFFECTIVE IN APRIL.UM, AND SOMETIMES THEY COME OUT, UM, BEFORE WE PUBLISH OUR BUDGET, AND SOMETIMES THEY COME OUT AFTERWARDS.
WELL, THE QUESTION REMAINS, DO WE HAVE THE TIME TO RESTRUCTURE OR REGROUP OR WE DON'T HAVE THAT WINDOW.
I THINK WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT IF YOU APPROVE, UM, SOME ADJUSTMENT TONIGHT, I'M GONNA CONTINUE TO WORK ON THIS AND SHOW YOU WHERE YOU'RE AT.
I'LL, I'LL COME BACK, UM, PROBABLY AFTER, SOMETIME IN JANUARY, AFTER I GET MY DECEMBER AND JANUARY UPDATES FROM THE KEA AND WE SEE WHAT THOSE, WHAT APRIL'S GONNA LOOK LIKE, WHAT RIDER 2024 IS GONNA LOOK LIKE.
SO I THINK THIS CONVERSATION NEEDS TO GO ON AND ON AND ON.
BUT I DO THINK, UM, IF YOU HAVE AN INTEREST IN GETTING SOME OF THESE TARGETS CORRECTED OR ADJUSTED OPERATING INCOME OR MINIMUM CASH BALANCE AND OUR DEBT COVERAGE RATIO, WE COULD TAKE ACTION RIGHT NOW AND THEN MAKE MINOR ADJUSTMENTS DOWN THE ROAD, IF THAT MAKES ANY SENSE.
SO THAT WOULD BE THE 6% RATE INCREASE PLUS THE C PLUS THE P-C-A-P-C-P-A.
MR. HUGHES, I'M GONNA PUT YOU ON THE SPOT.
YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO PRESENT THE BUDGET TO, UH, TO THE BOARD.
I MEAN, ULTIMATELY IT'S, IT'S THE CITY'S BUDGET.
BUT, UM, I, I'D BE INTERESTED IN YOUR RECOMMENDATION REGARDING, UM, MOVING FORWARD WITH, UM, SOME SERIOUS ACTION TO ADDRESS THE, THE ISSUES THAT, THAT WE'RE FACING WITH THE UTILITY.
SO I, I AGREE WITH CHARLIE'S ASSESSMENT, I WOULD RECOMMEND THE 6% INCREASE WITH THE PCA, BUT I WOULD ALSO RECOMMEND COMING BACK DURING OUR BUDGET PROCESS.
AND WE WILL BE HAVING SEVERAL MEETINGS IN THE SPRING TO REEVALUATE THAT, TO SEE IF AN ADDITIONAL ADJUSTMENT NEEDS TO BE MADE AND REALLY HAVING IT DURING THAT TIME, WHETHER IT'S JANUARY, FEBRUARY, MARCH OF EACH YEAR, GIVE THE ELECTRIC UTILITY DIRECTOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO GIVE US AN UPDATE IF MORE ROUTERS ARE COMING OR WE'RE GONNA HAVE A, UM, WE KNOW WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME CAPITAL EXPENSES COMING UP, UH, IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE, JUST, JUST 'CAUSE OF SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT WE HAVE.
SO IT'LL BE A GOOD IDEA TO REFRESH THE BOARD EACH YEAR ON THAT.
AND IF WE HAVE TO MAKE ADDITIONAL ADJUSTMENTS, THAT WILL BE THE TIME TO DO IT.
BUT I DO RECOMMEND THE INCREASE IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION.
WELL, MAY I, I I HAVE A QUESTION.
I, I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE A QUESTION OR IF I HAVE A COMMENT, BUT IF WE DO THE 6% INCREASE PLUS THE PCA, I JUST HOPE THAT IN JUNE OR JULY OF NEXT YEAR, IS THAT WHEN THE DEBT SERVICES COME OFF? WAS IT YES, JULY.
JULY OF NEXT YEAR THAT WE CAN FIND A WAY TO GIVE SOME OF THAT BACK TO THE CUSTOMERS.
AND I, AND I THINK WHAT YOU MAY HAVE HEARD CHARLIE SAY IS THERE, THERE COULD BE A, A POTENTIAL FOR NAMPA TO PASS SOME ADDITIONAL COSTS TO US ON AT THAT TIME.
YOU KNOW, IT WOULD PRETTY MUCH EAT THAT AMOUNT.
WE'RE CURRENTLY THINK WE'RE GONNA SAVE, AND SO WE WON'T, WE REALLY WON'T KNOW UNTIL REALLY THE SPRING MEETINGS ON HOW THAT'S GONNA PLAY OUT.
BUT, BUT ALSO, WE WERE, THE THREE OF US WERE AT A NAMPA MEETING HERE IN NEWBURN, UM, I GUESS IT WAS THREE OR FOUR WEEKS AGO.
AND THE UNKNOWN OF WHAT THE NATIONAL POLICY'S GONNA BE ON DRILLING AND NATURAL GAS AND RESOURCES COULD ABSOLUTELY AFFECT THIS.
UM, SO I, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO GET TOO FAR DOWN THE ROAD.
I THINK WE NEED TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE WE'VE GOT RIGHT NOW, ASSUMING THAT THINGS ARE GONNA STAY THE WAY THEY'VE BEEN PROJECTED SHORT TERM.
BUT WHEN WE START LOOKING FIVE YEARS OUT, I JUST THINK THAT'S VERY DIFFICULT.
'CAUSE THE GENTLEMAN THAT STOOD IN YOUR SPOT, RIGHT WHEN WE DID THIS BACK IN 2015, UM, HE SAID, THERE'S NO WAY YOU CAN DO ANY REDUCTIONS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, POWER SUPPLY'S GONNA GO UP.
WELL, IT DIDN'T, IT NEVER WENT UP.
YOU KNOW, WE WERE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THAT.
AND YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GOT HERE.
BUT I JUST THINK WE NEED TO, AGAIN, AN ANNUAL LOOK AT THIS.
UM, BUT THE EDUCATION PIECE, WHATEVER WE DO, WE'VE GOTTA HAVE SOME EDUCATION PIECE BEHIND THIS.
UH, AN ADDITIONAL BENEFIT OF THE PCA.
UM, IF POWER COSTS TRULY FLUCTUATE AND THEY GO DOWN, OUR PCA WILL GO TO ZERO FOR THAT MONTH AND WE WON'T CHARGE A PCA.
SO, UM, AND, AND, AND TYPICALLY IN THIS COUNTRY, UM, ELECTRICITY PRICES FOLLOW NATIONAL NATURAL GAS PRICES.
SO AS THOSE COMMODITIES, UM, VARY THAT PCA WILL ADJUST, AND IF THE COST
[02:25:02]
OF FUEL GOES DOWN FAR ENOUGH, UH, WE'LL, THERE WILL BE NO CHARGE.UM, RIGHT NOW, IF I WERE TO DO THE PCA, UM, THE COST IN OUR MODEL IS 3.8 TENTHS OF A CENT.
WHAT I'M SHOWING IN THE CHART IS WHAT I'M MODELING TO BE FORECASTED ON AN AVERAGE OVER THE REST OF THE YEAR.
AND THAT'S 4.4 TENTHS OF A CENT, SORRY TO SAY'S A FRACTION OF A PENNY.
ALL I CAN TELL YOU IS HOW IT AFFECTS ME.
SO MY BILL FROM DUKE WAS $220 A MONTH ON AVERAGE A YEAR AND A HALF AGO.
I WAS THINKING ABOUT YOUR, YOUR BILL THE OTHER DAY, AND MAYBE WE COULD DO A SIDEBAR.
WE HAVE A TIME OF USE RATE THAT I'D LIKE TO, YOUR INTERESTED I'LL PLAY WITH.
WELL, IT'S PROBABLY NOT WHEN I'M WASHING MY HAIR.
'CAUSE I DON'T THINK THAT PROBABLY MUCH SO.
WELL, YOU KNOW, I HAVE A DUKE BILL AS WELL, AND I THINK IF WE APPROVE THE 6% PLUS THE PCA THAT STILL BRING OUR CITY CUSTOMERS UP TO A HUNDRED, JUST SAY $140 A MONTH, DUKE IS WHAT YOU SAID.
SO WE'RE STILL LOWER THAN DUKE.
AND THEN, SO WE, WE GOTTA DO SOMETHING.
ALDERMAN ROYAL, I THINK YOU WERE GONNA MAKE A MOTION.
IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, I'D LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION FOR THE 6% RATE INCREASE PLUS THE PCA.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO CAP THE PCA? NO, THAT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT BALL GAME.
IS THAT YOUR RECOMMENDATION? IF, IF YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE PCA GETTING AWAY FROM US AND, AND NOT HAVING CONTROL OF IT AND NOT BEING ABLE TO, TO, UM, UM, HAVING TOO BIG OF AN EXPOSURE ON OUR CUSTOMERS, WE COULD CAP IT SO THAT IT WOULD STOP AT THAT POINT.
AND I'D COME BACK AND I'D SAY WE'RE AT A CAP AND WE GOTTA DO SOMETHING.
MAYBE WE RAISE OUR BASE RATES.
MAYBE WE, WE, OUR, OUR CASH FLOW IS, IS ENOUGH THAT WE CAN ABSORB IT FOR A LITTLE WHILE, BUT IT WOULD BE A STOP POINT THAT WE COULD HAVE ANOTHER CONVERSATION.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION FOR THE 6% RATE INCREASE PLUS DECE THE PCA WITH A CAP O OF
WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND AS PROPOSED? I, I WOULD RECOMMEND 1.50 CENTS PER KILOWATT HOUR CAP, 1.56 PER KILOWATT HOURS.
AND THAT IS THE MOTION TO CALL FOR A PUBLIC HEARING TO POTENTIALLY APPROVE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? THAT'S THE NEXT ITEM.
THEY'RE JUST GIVING ME DIRECTION.
SO WE'RE DOING A MOTION FOR DIRECTION.
[19. Consider Adopting a Resolution Calling for a Public Hearing to Adopt an Ordinanceto Establish Rates for Consumption of Electricity Effective October 01, 2024 forRider 1 — 2023 NCEMPA Power Cost Adjustment.]
OKAY.SO ITEM NUMBER 19 IS TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION, CALLING FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING.
AND YOU NEED TO KNOW WHAT DIRECTION WE'RE GIVING RIGHT NOW.
SO ESSENTIALLY WE CAN SAY THAT THIS MOTION, UH, AND SECOND IS FOR ITEM NUMBER 19.
EVERYBODY GOOD WITH THAT? MM-HMM,
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ROYAL.
[20. Presentation of Neuse Boulevard Vulnerable User Corridor Study.]
NOW MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 20, PRESENTATION OF NOOSE BOULEVARD VULNERABLE USER CORRIDOR STUDY.UM, TONIGHT I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, BRIEF THE BOARD REGARDING SOME EFFORTS THAT DOT HAS SEEN, UM, ON THE NEW BOULEVARD CORRIDOR.
THEY'VE IDENTIFIED SOME SAFETY CONCERNS, RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW TO IMPROVE SAFETY AND SOME FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR, UM, POSSIBLE IMPLEMENTATION.
SO N-C-D-O-T, UM, OVER THE LAST YEAR OR SO, UM, HAS BEEN LOOKING AT NEWS BOULEVARD SPECIFICALLY BETWEEN RACETRACK ROAD AND QUEEN STREET.
UM, AND THEY HAVE IDENTIFIED THAT CORRIDOR AS A, WHAT THEY CALL A VULNERABLE USER CORRIDOR.
AND THAT JUST MEANS THAT THEY'VE IDENTIFIED THAT THERE'S BEEN A HIGH CRASH RATE.
AND SO THIS, THROUGH THIS STUDY, WHAT THEY'VE DONE IS THEY'VE ANALYZED THE HOW AND THE WHY A CRASHES OCCUR, AND ALONG WITH THE LOCATIONS, AND THEY ATTEMPT IS TO IDENTIFY COUNTERMEASURES THAT COULD BE IMPLEMENTED TO IMPROVE SAFETY.
SO THE MAP IN FRONT OF YOU IS CALLED THE HEAT MAP.
UM, THESE ARE THE CRASHES THAT
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OCCURRED OVER A FIVE YEAR PERIOD FROM 2018 TO 2023.THE LIGHTER THE COLOR REPRESENT THE HIGHER NUMBER OF CRASHES.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'VE GOT, UM, A MAJOR HOTSPOTS AT GLEN BURNIE AND SIMMONS.
AND THE MAJORITY OF CRASHES THAT WE'RE SEEING ALONG THIS CORRIDOR ARE THE MAJORITY ANGLE AND REAR END.
THEY DID THE SAME TYPE OF ANALYSIS ON THE PEDESTRIAN CRASHES.
NOW, THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OLDER DATA FROM 2012 TO 2021, AND ALL CRASHES ARE CATEGORIZED BY N-C-D-O-T WITH A CRASHED SEVERITY.
SO IF SOMEONE IS, UM, IS KILLED OR, OR THEN IT'S THE WORST CASE.
AND IF IT IS, UM, THE NEXT HIGHEST A SUSPECTED SERIOUS INJURY.
SO YOU CAN SEE FOR PEDESTRIAN OVER THIS NINE YEAR PERIOD, WE HAD ONE FATALITY, OR EXCUSE ME, TWO FATALITIES AND THREE SERIOUS INJURIES.
AND WE KNOW THAT THIS DATA IS OUTDATED AS WE'VE ALL SEEN IN, UM, THE MOST RECENT MONTHS.
ADDITIONALLY, THEY DID THE ANALYSIS WITH THE CRASH BIKE CRASH SUMMARY, AGAIN OVER THE SAME NINE YEAR PERIOD.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF SERIOUS INJURIES AND SOME NON-INJURY CRASHES.
NOW, THIS IS A STUDY THAT DOT HAS BEEN WORKING ON, BUT THEY'VE ALSO BEEN WORKING ON IDENTIFYING CORRIDORS OR INTERSECTIONS FOR PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS.
SO OUTSIDE OF THIS, THE STUDY, N-N-C-D-O-T ALREADY HAS FUNDING APPROVED TO IMPROVE FIVE INTERSECTIONS THAT WE WILL BE SEEING COME TO FRUITION IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
ONE OF 'EM IS AT GIRAFFE AND RE THEY'RE DOING P PE, EXCUSE ME, PUSH BUTTONS AND CROSSWALKS.
THEY'RE ALSO, UM, IMPROVING INTERSECTIONS AT SIMMONS GLEN BURNIE FOR TRODDEN.
AND FIRST ALL THOSE INTERSECTIONS WILL BE RECEIVING, UM, PEDESTRIAN PUSH BUTTONS, SIGNAL MODIFICATIONS, AND CROSSWALKS.
DE DEANNA QUESTION FOR YOU, UM, THE CITY PARTNERED WITH N-C-D-O-T CORRECT.
GIVES THEY FOURSOME FUNDING TO PUT THE SIDEWALK THAT IS ON NO BOULEVARD.
NOW, DO YOU HAVE ANY DATA THAT SHOWS WHEN THAT OCCURRED? I DO NOT, BUT I CAN GET THAT.
'CAUSE I'M, I'M THINKING THAT WAS IN THE 2000, WHAT THE, THE SIDEWALK? YEAH, IT WAS, IT WAS 2015 AND 2016 BECAUSE I WAS THE ONE THAT GOT THE, UH, THE, UM, EASEMENTS FOR IT.
SO I WAS JUST GOING TO BRING THAT UP BECAUSE THIS DATA THAT SHOWS THESE INCIDENTS, THERE WEREN'T SIDEWALKS PRIOR TO 2016.
SO WE JUST NEED TO TAKE THAT CONSIDERATION.
DID YOU MENTION THE HOSPITAL WILL HAVE CROSSWALKS JUST NOW IN THE CONVERSATION? UH, YOU WENT FURTHER THERE.
IF, IF YOU DON'T MIND, UM, I'M SORRY.
I'LL GET TO THAT IN JUST A MINUTE.
SO AGAIN, UM, THE STUDY AT THIS POINT IS PULLING ALL THE DATA TO FIGURE OUT WHAT POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO NOW THAT THEY'VE GOT ALL THE DATA, AND NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT COUNTERMEASURES OR IMPROVEMENTS COULD BE MADE.
AND THESE ARE THINGS SUCH AS NEW CROSSING LOCATIONS, UM, LIKE ALDERMAN KINSEY MENTIONED, UM, AND LPI, WHICH IS A LEAD PEDESTRIAN INTERVAL, OR PEDESTRIAN SIGNALS, WHICH ARE THE PUSH BUTTONS, MAYBE LOOKING AT SOME ALTERNATIVE INTERSECTION DESIGN MEDIANS AND ACCESS MANAGEMENT, A ROADWAY, RECONFIGURATION, AND EVEN LOOKING AT LIGHTING.
SO WITH THIS STUDY, AGAIN, THE CORRIDOR WAS FROM RACETRACK TO QUEEN.
WHAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU IS A LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS.
AND THESE LOOK AT EITHER ADDING A NEW SIGNAL OR ADDING SOME SIGNAL UPGRADES, SUCH AS ADDING THE PUSH BUTTONS, CROSSWALKS, ET CETERA.
AND ALSO LOOKING AT UNCONTROLLED CROSSING.
AND I WOULD MENTION ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS IS ADDING SOME TYPE OF A MID-BLOCK CROSSING NEAR THE HOSPITAL.
WHEN WE WENT OUT TO COLLECT DATA, WE SAW A, A LARGE NUMBER OF PEDESTRIANS CROSSING FROM THE HOSPITAL TO THE OTHER SIDE.
AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THEY HAVE SOME TYPE OF SAFE REFUGE.
ADDITIONALLY, THE, THE CORRIDOR STUDY RECOMMENDED SEGMENT RECOMMENDATIONS TO INCLUDE, UM, ADDING A MULTI-USE PATH OR SHARED USE PATH ON THE NORTH SIDE, WHICH IS SHOWN IN THE GREEN.
AND THEN ON THE SOUTH SIDE, CONTINUING THE ADDITION OF, OF SIDEWALK.
AND THEN ALSO POTENTIAL ROAD RECONFIGURATION BETWEEN ROUGHLY GLEN BURNIE TO FIRST STREET.
THAT ROADWAY RECONFIGURATION THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING IS A POSSIBLE ROAD DIET.
A ROAD DIET TAKES YOUR EXISTING FOUR LANE CROSS SECTION AND REDUCES IT TO A TWO LANE, ADDING A MEDIAN, WHICH AT THIS POINT WE'RE NOT SURE IF IT'S GOING TO BE A MARKED CENTER TURN LANE OR A RAISED MEDIAN, BUT IT ALSO ALLOWS YOU TO ADD CONSIDERATION SUCH AS BIKE LANES, SIDEWALK, AND A MULTI-USE PATH.
SO AGAIN, ALL OF THIS IS STILL BEING, UM, KIND OF FLUSHED OUT AS POSSIBLE.
THE RECOMMENDATIONS, 'CAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO STAY WITHIN THE
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EXISTING ROAD WIDTH.SO CURRENTLY WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON IS TRYING TO KIND OF DEFINE THE TERMINI OF A POTENTIAL PROJECT THAT WE COULD SUBMIT OR COMPETE FOR FEDERAL FUNDING.
SO THE STAKEHOLDER GROUP WITHIN CDOT, THE PROJECT TERM AND I WE'RE LOOKING AT IS GLEN BURNIE TO QUEEN STREET.
AND SO WE'RE RUNNING THE MODEL, UM, TRYING TO VALIDATE THAT THAT ROAD DIET WILL WORK AND WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE WITH TRAFFIC, ADDING THE LEAD PEDESTRIAN INTERVAL, PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS, THE PUSH BUTTONS, EXTENDING LEFT TURN LANES, ADDING NEW TRAFFIC SIGNALS, AND THEN ALSO ADDING ALL OF THE MULTI-USE PATH BIKE LANES, SIDEWALKS, ET CETERA.
SO THE, THE RAISE GRANT, WHICH IS REBUILDING AMERICA INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, SUSTAINABILITY WITH, EXCUSE ME, WITH SUSTAINABILITY AND, AND EQUITY, IT STRIVES TO IMPROVE SAFETY AND ENHANCE QUALITY OF LIFE.
SO ALL THE WORK N-C-D-O-T HAS DONE ON THIS VULNERABLE USER STUDY IS THE DATA PROVING WHY I IMPROVEMENTS NEED TO BE MADE.
AND IT MEETS THE GOALS OF THE FEDERAL GRANT, WHICH IS TO INCREASE MOBILITY AND CONNECTIVITY.
AND AS WE ALL KNOW, WHENEVER WE HAVE, UM, A LARGE CON LARGE TRANSPORTATION PROJECT, IT ALWAYS SPURS ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND COMPETITIVENESS.
SO THIS RAISE GRANT NORMALLY IS, UM, RELEASE, IT'S CALLED THE NOFO OR NOTICE OF FEDERAL OPPORTUNITY IS TYPICALLY RELEASED IN EARLY PART OF THE YEAR.
SO WE'RE EXPECTING IT AS IN THE YEARS PAST TO BE RELEASED IN FEBRUARY OF 2025.
DOT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SUBMITTING THE APPLICATION, OVERSEEING THE APPLICATION.
THEY'VE HIRED A CONSULTANT, THEY, UM, PART OF THE RAISE GRANT, YOU HAVE TO SEEK LETTERS OF SUPPORT.
AND IF WE ARE SUCCESSFUL IN RECEIVING THIS GRANT, WE WOULD BE NOTIFIED IN THE SUMMER OF 2025.
NOW, I WOULD POINT OUT THAT THIS RAISE GRANT HAS A MAXIMUM CAP OF A $25 MILLION INVESTMENT FOR THE CITY OF NEW BERN.
IF WE'RE SUCCESSFUL, THE GOAL AS THE STAKEHOLDERS HAVE IDENTIFIED, IS TO STAY WITHIN THE EXISTING ROAD WIDTH TO MAXIMIZE THE SAFETY BENEFITS THAT WE WOULD SEE ALONG THIS CORRIDOR.
SO RIGHT NOW, AS WE'RE TALKING WITH OUR TIMELINE WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS, THERE'S BEEN TALK THAT MAYBE BECAUSE OF THE ELECTIONS, THAT THE NOTICE OF FEDERAL OPPORTUNITY MIGHT BE MOVED UP TO DECEMBER, WHICH MEANS OUR TIMELINE HAS REALLY KIND OF CONDENSED.
SO EDOT WILL STILL CONTINUE SENDING THE APPLICATION, UM, AND WE WILL BE WORKING TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY FOR OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT.
WHEN WITH THAT, WE'D BE LOOKING FOR LETTERS OF SUPPORT.
SO RIGHT NOW, THE NEXT STEP IS CONTINUE THE COORDINATION MEETINGS.
SO AT THIS POINT, ALL WE HAVE IS A STUDY THAT GAVE US SOME IDEAS.
WE HAVE A ROUGH CONCEPT OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO WORK WITH, BUT NO SPECIFICS YET.
SO THAT PRELIMINARY DESIGN IS CONTINUING NOW THROUGH NOVEMBER.
WE'LL BEGIN THE PUBLIC OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT ALSO IN NUMBER NOVEMBER.
AND THEN I WOULD LIKE TO COME BACK SOMETIME IN NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER TO BRIEF THE BOARD ON WHAT THE ACTUAL RECOMMENDATIONS ARE, AND THEN AT THAT TIME ASK FOR A LETTER OF SUPPORT OR RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT, UM, UM, FOR DOT TO SUBMIT FOR THIS GRANT.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
DOES THE BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS? I WILL.
UM, I, I'LL, I'LL JUST MAKE A COMMENT THAT, UM, THE ROAD DIET, WHEN THAT WAS INITIALLY BROUGHT UP FOR FIRST AVENUE, UM, WE RECEIVED A TON OF NEGATIVE FEEDBACK, AGAIN, BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC, WHERE IT WAS GONNA GO.
UM, AND SINCE IT WAS IMPLEMENTED, UH, I THINK PEOPLE HAVE REALIZED HOW IT WORKS.
UM, IT'S REDUCED CRASH RATES, UH, IT'S REDUCED SPEEDING.
UH, THERE WAS SIDEWALKS THAT WERE ADDED ALONG WITH THAT, BUT THE KEY WITH THAT PROJECT WAS THAT HELPED EASE THE CONCERN OF THE CITIZENS WERE WE WERE NOT STRUCTURALLY CHANGING THE WIDTH AND THE MAKEUP OF THE ROAD.
IT WAS SIMPLY NEW PAVEMENT AND NEW LINES BEING STRIPED.
SO IF IT DIDN'T WORK, IT COULD ALWAYS GO BACK TO THE WAY IT WAS AND WE HAD THE ADDITIONAL SIDEWALKS.
UM, MY BIGGEST CONCERN WITH THIS ONE NEW BOULEVARD IS A VERY BUSY ROAD.
WHEN 43 CONNECTOR GETS DONE, THAT'S GONNA ALLEVIATE A LOT OF TRAFFIC ON THAT ROAD.
BUT IF THEY COME BACK AND THEY MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO PUT A MEDIAN IN THE MIDDLE OF NOS BOULEVARD LIKE WE HAVE ON BROAD STREET, I'M GONNA VENTURE TO SAY THAT'S NOT GONNA BE VERY WELL REE RECEIVED.
SO IF THAT'S SOME FEEDBACK THAT YOU WANNA SHARE WITH 'EM, WILL DO.
ONE QUESTION, IS THE ROUNDABOUT STILL IN THAT PLAN AS WELL? YES.
AT THE TACO OF, SO THAT'S GONNA BE A PART OF THAT PLAN AROUND, YES.
SO PART, PART OF THE, IN THE LARGER PICTURE, UM, IS WE HAVE A ROUNDABOUT THAT IS SCHEDULED AT NEW BOULEVARD AND MLK.
[02:40:01]
TO DO IS LEVERAGE THE FUNDING OF THAT APPROVED PROJECT TO LEVERAGE THE ANY MATCH THAT MIGHT BE REQUIRED FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO APPLY FOR THE GRANT.YOU NEED ANYTHING FROM US TONIGHT? NOT TONIGHT, SIR.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS? MAYOR, CAN WE TAKE A 10 MINUTE BREAK PLEASE? MOTION.
MOTION TO TAKE A 10 MINUTE BREAK.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ANY OPPOSED? WE'RE IN A 10 MINUTE RECESS.
[21. Consider Adopting a Resolution Approving the Sale of 503 West Street.]
ARE ON ITEM NUMBER 21, AND THAT IS TO CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE SALE OF 5 0 3 WEST STREET, MR. PEACH.SO MAYOR, AFTER RECEIVING A, AN OFFER IN THE AMOUNT OF $4,000 FOR THE PURCHASE OF THIS PROPERTY, THE BOARD ADOPTED A RESOLUTION ON MAY 14TH EARLIER THIS YEAR TO INITIATE THE UPSET BID PROCESS.
THE BID WAS ADVERTISED, ONE UPSET BID WAS RECEIVED IN THE AMOUNT OF $4,500 THAT THEY COULD TRACK, IS SUITABLE FOR COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND HAS A TAX VALUE OF $8,000.
IT WAS ACQUIRED JOINTLY BY THE CITY AND COUNTY IN MARCH OF 2024 THROUGH A TAX FORECLOSURE.
IF THE PROPERTY IS SOLD FOR THE FINAL BID OF $4,500, THE CITY WILL RECEIVE $1,431 AND 8 CENTS, AND THE COUNTY WILL RECEIVE 3060 $8 92 CENTS FROM THE PROCEEDS.
ON ITEM NUMBER 21, MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE RESOLUTION SALE OF 5 0 3 WEST STREET.
SECOND, HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ASTOR.
[22. Consider Adopting a Resolution Approving a Substance Abuse Policy.]
NUMBER 22, CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION APPROVING A SUBSTANCE ABUSE POLICY, MS. HAYES.OKAY, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I STAND BEFORE YOU TONIGHT REQUESTING THAT YOU, UM, APPROVE OUR REVISED SUBSTANCE ABUSE POLICY.
UH, WE'VE WORKED TO CLARIFY SOME OF THE EXISTING LANGUAGE.
WE MOVED A FEW THINGS AROUND TO MAKE IT MAKE A LITTLE MORE SENSE, NOT VERY MANY SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES.
UM, WE WORK WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND ALSO THE CITY MANAGER IN REVISING THIS POLICY.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, UH, THE CITY OF NEWBURG HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO ITS CITIZENS TO GUARANTEE PUBLIC SERVICES ARE PROVIDED AT THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE LEVEL.
AND TO MAKE CERTAIN OF THE PUBLIC'S TRUST AND CONFIDENCE, THE CITY WILL ENSURE THE RELIANCE OF ITS CITIZENS BY MAINTAINING A SAFE, HEALTHY WORK ENVIRONMENT AND A DRUG FREE WORKPLACE.
AND IN ADDITION, ALL EMPLOYEES HAVE THE RIGHT TO A DRUG FREE ENVIRONMENT WHILE CONDUCTING THE CITY'S BUSINESS.
SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS I'LL JUST, YOU HAVE THE POLICY BEFORE YOU, I'LL FLIP THROUGH IT QUICKLY AND JUST TALK TO YOU ABOUT SOME OF, OF THE CHANGES THAT WE'VE MADE AND ENTERTAINED ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
SO IN THE, UH, INTRODUCTION SECTION THAT SHOULD BE ON PAGE TWO.
THERE ARE NO SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES THERE.
WE DIDN'T MAKE ANY CHANGES FROM THE, UH, OLD POLICY, THE DEFINITIONS.
WE DID ADD A FEW DEFINITIONS JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, AND I CAN ENUMERATE THOSE IF YOU'D LIKE FOR ME TO.
UM, BUT AGAIN, NOTHING REAL SUBSTANTIVE.
IT WAS JUST TO, TO CLARIFY SOME THINGS AND TO BREAK SOME THINGS OUT.
ALRIGHT, IN SECTION ONE, ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE AS A PERSONAL PROBLEM, WE ADDED THE SECTION, I THINK IT'S THE THIRD PARAGRAPH FROM THE END.
WHAT HAPPENS, UM, IF AN EMPLOYEE RECEIVES TREATMENT THROUGH THE EAP, WE MOVED IT FROM ANOTHER SECTION INTO THIS SECTION BECAUSE IT MADE MORE SENSE.
ALRIGHT, WHEN WE LOOK AT SECTION TWO, THERE WAS SOME VERBIAGE IN THE OLD POLICY ABOUT, UM, THE EAP, UH, SCREENING BEING REQUIRED.
BUT WE REMOVED THAT BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IN THIS POLICY IS IF IN FACT AN EMPLOYEE COMES TO US PRIOR TO, LET'S JUST SAY REASONABLE SUSPICION OR BEING SELECTED FOR A RANDOM DRUG SCREEN, IF THEY COME TO US PRIOR TO AND THEY DISCLOSE TO US THAT THEY HAVE A PROBLEM, THEN WE'RE GONNA DO WHAT WE CAN TO HELP.
BUT IF IT IS AFTER THE FACT, THEN THERE'S NOT MUCH THAT WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO DO.
SO WE REMOVED IT FROM THAT SECTION AND WE, LIKE I SAID, MOVED THE EAP VERBIAGE INTO THE PREVIOUS SECTION.
SECTION THREE, WE ADDED THAT SECTION JUST FOR CLARITY FOR SUPERVISOR AND EMPLOYEE TRAINING.
UH, WHAT WILL TAKE PLACE, KIND OF WHAT IS GOING TO BE COVERED, UM, IN, IN THOSE, UH, TRAINING SESSIONS.
IF THIS POLICY IS APPROVED, WE WILL DO MANDATORY SUPERVISOR TRAINING.
WE'LL HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE
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DRUG SCREENING COMPANY THAT WE USE, THE COLLECTION COMPANY TO COME IN AND TRAIN SUPERVISORS ON REASONABLE SUSPICION WHAT TO LOOK FOR, ALL THOSE THINGS.AND WE'LL ALSO PROVIDE SOME TRAINING ON THE NEW POLICY AS WELL.
EMPLOYEES WILL BE TRAINED ON THE NEW PROP POLICY.
IF YOU APPROVE IT TONIGHT, WE'LL PUSH IT OUT THROUGH THE NEW PORTAL, UH, THROUGH THE SIA PORTAL, I'M SORRY, THROUGH THE RISK MANAGEMENT PORTAL.
AND THEY WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO VIEW A VIDEO THAT GOES ALONG WITH THIS POLICY.
SECTION FOUR RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE EMPLOYEE IN THIS SECTION.
PRETTY MUCH WHAT WE DID IN PARAGRAPH TWO, WE CLARIFIED THAT LANGUAGE ON THE EXPECTATION OF EMPLOYEES AS, AS FAR AS REPORTING PROCEDURES, WHAT WE'RE EXPECTING IF THEY'RE TAKING PRESCRIPTION MEDS OR OVER THE COUNTER MEDS.
SO WE'VE CLARIFIED THAT IN THAT SECOND PARAGRAPH.
AND DOWN TO TOWARD THE BOTTOM OF THAT SECTION, SECOND PARAGRAPH FROM THE BOTTOM, WE ADDED IN THAT SECTION, WHAT HAPPENS WITH AN EMPLOYEE'S DRIVER'S LICENSE? LET'S JUST SAY THEY RECEIVE A DUI.
WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO IN RELATION TO THAT? UM, IF THEY'VE RECEIVED PROVISION, A PROVISIONAL LICENSE OR LIMITED LICENSE PRIVILEGES, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? SO WE CLARIFIED THAT IN THAT PARTICULAR SECTION.
MOVING ON OVER TO SECTION FIVE, UM, THE OLD POLICY CONTAINED ALL THE REASONABLE SUSPICION VERBIAGE THERE.
WE MOVED THAT OUT AND WE MOVED IT TO A DIFFERENT SECTION TO MAKE MORE SENSE.
SECTION SIX, UNREASONABLE SUSPICION.
THAT IS WHERE WE MOVED THAT TO.
WE ADDED A COUPLE OF DEFINITIONS HERE.
UH, WHAT DOES CONTEMPORANEOUS MEAN? WHAT DOES ARTICULABLE MEAN? JUST TO MAKE IT VERY CLEAR THAT ALL THE SUPERVISORS ARE WORKING ON THE SAME PAGE OF MUSIC, THEY'RE NOT HAVING TO GUESS WHAT IT MEANS TO OBSERVE AN EMPLOYEE'S BEHAVIOR.
UM, IF THERE IS, UM, THE POSSIBILITY OF REASONABLE SUSPICION.
WE'VE MADE IT ABUNDANTLY CLEAR WHAT ALL THAT MEANS.
SECTION SEVEN TYPES OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE TESTINGS.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE ADDED HERE IN THE PRE-EMPLOYMENT SECTION, WE ADDED VERBIAGE PERTAINING TO THE CLEARING HOUSE.
SO BACK IN, I THINK IT WAS EARLY 2021 FEDERAL REGULATIONS, UM, MADE US OR MANDATED THAT WE PARTICIPATE IN THE CLEARINGHOUSE.
AND THAT IS REGULATED BY THE FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY ADMINISTRATION.
AND WHAT THE CLEARINGHOUSE IS, IT'S A DATABASE THAT CONTAINS INFORMATION ABOUT ALL CDO HOLDERS.
SO IF SOMEONE HAS APPLIED FOR A POSITION WITH THE CITY, WE'RE GONNA GET THEM TO SIGN A FORM.
IF THEY'RE A CDO HOLDER, WE'RE GONNA CHECK THEIR CDO LICENSE THROUGH THE CLEARING HOUSE.
IF SOMEONE TESTS POSITIVE FOR REASONABLE SUSPICION OR RANDOM DRUG SCREEN AND THEY'RE A CDO HOLDER HERE, THEN OUR, UH, DRUG SCREEN COMPANY BY LAW IS REQUIRED TO REPORT IT TO THE CLEARING HOUSE.
IF AN EXISTING CVL HOLDER GOES TO ANOTHER STATE, MAYBE THEY GET SOME TYPE OF MAYBE A DUI OR SOME OTHER INFRACTION, WE'RE GONNA GET A DING AND WE'RE GONNA CHECK THAT CLEARING HOUSE.
WE'RE GONNA DO A QUERY TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT OCCURRED.
SO WE ARE REQUIRED TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT CLEARING HOUSE.
SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD VERBIAGE IN HERE SO THAT THE EMPLOYEES WILL KNOW WHAT WILL TAKE PLACE.
UM, POST-ACCIDENT TESTING SECTION FOUR.
THE BIG THING THAT WE DID HERE IN THE NEW PROPOSED POLICY VERSUS THE OLD ONE, WE REMOVED DOLLAR AMOUNTS IN THE OLD, UH, POLICY.
WE HAD SPECIFIC DOLLAR AMOUNTS RELATING TO DAMAGE.
AND NOW WE ARE PROPOSING THAT WE RELY SOLELY ON THE DEFINITION THAT FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY ADMINISTRATION REGULATIONS LAY OUT.
SO THIS LANGUAGE MIRRORS WHAT THEY HAVE IN THAT REGULATION FOR CDL HOLDERS FOR POST ACCIDENT.
ALRIGHT, UM, WHEN YOU GO OVER TO SECTION EIGHT, NUMBER FOUR, POST ACCIDENT CDL VEHICLE COLLISION, WE ADDED THAT FLOW CHART.
THAT MAKES IT EASIER TO KIND OF FOLLOW WHAT HAPPENS IF A CDL HOLDER HAS AN ACCIDENT.
IF YES, THEN THIS IS WHAT YOU DO.
IF NO, THEN THIS IS WHAT YOU DO.
SO THAT FLOW CHART WAS A BIG PIECE TO THE CHANGE THERE, AND THOSE ARE THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE POLICY CHANGES.
ALSO, WITH THE MEMO THAT I SUBMITTED TO YOU, I INCLUDED TWO OTHER DOCUMENTS FOR ILLUSTRATIVE PURPOSES.
SO WE DIDN'T WANNA MAKE IT A PART OF THE POLICY.
ONE IS A LIST OF SAFETY SENSITIVE, UH, SLASH CATEGORIES, I GUESS I'LL CALL THEM.
AND, UM, IT LISTS I THINK ABOUT 19 POSITIONS SLASH CATEGORIES.
THOSE ARE SAFETY SENSITIVE POSITIONS THAT WE WORK WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE ON.
IDENTIFYING THOSE POSITIONS ARE NON CDO HOLDERS, OKAY? SO THEY'RE
[02:50:01]
NOT GOVERNED OR, OR MANDATED BY ANY FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY ADMINISTRATION REGULATIONS.BUT WE'VE IDENTIFIED THOSE POSITIONS SO THAT WE CAN START TO TEST THOSE EMPLOYEES RANDOMLY.
UM, AND THE WAY THAT WE CAME UP WITH THOSE PARTICULAR POSITIONS IS WE USE THE DEFINITION THAT SAYS A SAFETY SENSITIVE POSITION IS ONE IN WHICH A POSITION THAT, UH, WHERE THE DUTIES INVOLVE SUCH A GREAT RISK OF INJURY TO OTHERS, THAT EVEN A MOMENTARY LAPSE OF ATTENTION MIGHT CAUSE DISASTROUS CONSEQUENCES.
SO WE SPENT QUITE A BIT OF TIME GOING THROUGH EVERY SINGLE POSITION CLASSIFICATION THAT WE HAVE DEALT WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND MAKING SURE OF HOW WE WERE GONNA APPLY THAT DEFINITION.
THAT IS HOW WE CAME UP WITH THAT LIST.
BUT I INCLUDED IT FOR ILLUSTRATIVE POSITION OR, UH, UM, REASONS ONLY BECAUSE I DON'T REALLY WANT TO HAVE TO COME BACK BEFORE YOU EVERY TIME WE ADD A POSITION OR TAKE A POSITION OFF.
SO WHAT WE'RE ASKING IS THAT YOU ALLOW US TO DO THAT, BUT THE CITY MANAGER WOULD HAVE THE FINAL, UH, SAY INTO WHICH POSITIONS ARE ADDED, WHICH ONES ARE DELETED.
AND THE OTHER, UH, DOCUMENT THAT I INCLUDED, COURT ILLUSTRATIVE PURPOSES IS THE CHECKLIST.
SO WE THOUGHT, YOU KNOW WHAT, INSTEAD OF JUST ASKING THE SUPERVISORS TO GIVE US A WRITTEN DOCUMENT TO SEEK TO, TO LET US KNOW WHAT YOU OBSERVED, IF THERE'S REASONABLE SUSPICION, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A CHECKLIST.
SO NOW THEY WILL GO IN AND THEY WILL, UH, CHECK WHAT THEY'VE OBSERVED, UH, WHAT THEY SAW, IT, IT IS A VERY SPECIFIC CHECKLIST.
AND THAT WAY WE'RE ALL WORKING FROM THE SAME DOCUMENT AND WE'RE WORKING FROM THE SAME SET OF RULES AND REGULATIONS.
SO AGAIN, WITH THAT DOCUMENT, WE WANT THE CITY MANAGER TO BE ABLE TO APPROVE ANY MODIFICATIONS THAT WE MAKE TO THAT PARTICULAR DOC DOCUMENT.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, THOSE ARE OUR CHANGES AND I'D BE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU CAN HAVE.
IF NOT, UH, I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING THE NEW SUBSTANCE OF ABUSE POLICY.
MAYOR, HEARING NO FURTHER OR NO COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION APPROVING A SUBSTANCE ABUSE POLICY.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDER MCKENZIE.
[23. Consider Adopting a Resolution Approving the NBAMPO 5303 Grant Contract withthe NC Department of Transportation.]
ITEM NUMBER 23 IS CONSIDERED ING RESOLUTION APPROVING THE N-B-A-M-P-O 53 0 3 GRANT CONTRACT WITH THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.MISS DE REBEL, THE CITY OF NEW BERN.
ON BEHALF OF THE NEW BERN AREA METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION IS IDENTIFIED AS THE DIRECT RECIPIENT OF SECTION 53 0 3.
FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION.
URBAN PLANNING FUNDS, THE FUNDS ARE MANAGED BY N-C-D-O-T PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION DIVISION EVERY YEAR.
PTD REQUIRES THAT THE MPO LEAD PLANNING AGENCY, THE CITY OF NEW BERN ELECTED OFFICIALS APPROVE A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THEIR REPRESENTATIVE TO SIGN THE GRANT AGREEMENT WITH N-C-D-O-T TO RECEIVE SUCH FUNDS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025.
THE TOTAL 53 0 3 ALLOCATION IS $66,792 WITH A FEDERAL AND STATE SHARE OF 53,433 AND A LOCAL SHARE OF $6,680 TO BE PROVIDED BY EACH OF THE MPOS PARTICIPATING IN MEMBER AGENCIES.
THE CITY OF NEW BERN'S PER RATA SHARE IS $4,355 AND 62 CENTS, WHICH HAS BEEN BUDGETED BOARD.
HAVE QUESTIONS? IF NO QUESTIONS, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, CONSIDER ADOPTING THE RESOLUTION OF APPROVING THE N-B-A-M-P-O 5 3 0 5 GRANT CONTRACT WITH THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN BEST? ALDERMAN BEST? YES.
[24. Consider Approving the 2025 Board of Aldermen Meeting Roster.]
24, CONSIDER APPROVING THE 2025 BOARD OF ALDERMAN MEETING ROSTER, MR. HUGHES.SO WE HAVE THREE OPTIONS FOR THE BOARD TO CONSIDER AND THE THREE OPTIONS CAME ABOUT AFTER THERE WAS SOME GENERAL DISCUSSION, UH, ABOUT SOME, SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORING CITIES.
UH, WE LEARNED THAT THEY WERE TAKING, UH, IF THEY HAD TWO MEETINGS A MONTH, THEY WERE TAKING A BREAK DURING THE SUMMERTIME AND ONLY DOING ONE MEETING.
SO THE FIRST OPTION WE HAVE FOR YOU IS THE TRADITIONAL SCHEDULE WHERE WE MEET THE SECOND AND FOURTH TUESDAY OF EACH MONTH WITH THE EXCEPTION OF DECEMBER.
AND THEN THERE'S A WORKSHOP SCHEDULED
[02:55:01]
FOR, UM, MAY.THE SECOND OPTION IS, UM, FOR, UH, TO HAVE A BREAK WITH ONE MEETING A MONTH FOR MAY, JUNE, JULY, AUGUST AND DECEMBER.
AND THEN HAVE THE BUDGET WORKSHOP IN APRIL 3RD.
OPTION, UH, SIMILAR TO THE SAME THING IS THE ONLY, THE ONLY THING THAT'S CHANGING IS THAT BUDGET WORKSHOP GOES TO MAY INSTEAD OF APRIL.
SO THOSE ARE THREE OPTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER.
BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS? WELL, I THINK, UH, DURING ONE MEETING A MONTH DURING THE SUMMERTIME WOULD BE SUFFICIENT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THAT HEAVY OF A WORKLOAD.
SO THAT WOULD BE EITHER THE SECOND OR THE THIRD OPTION.
YOU WANNA DO IT IN APRIL OR YOU WANNA DO IT IN MAY.
AND, AND IF I MAY INTERJECT ON THIS.
WE ARE STARTING THE BUDGET PROCESS EARLIER THIS YEAR.
UM, WE'RE ACTUALLY GETTING READY TO HAVE SOME GENERAL CONVERSATIONS WITH THE, THE ALDERMAN INDIVIDUALLY.
UM, AND WE'RE ACTUALLY MEETING WITH, UH, DEPARTMENT HEADS NEXT MONTH.
UH, AND SO IF THERE'S A PREFERENCE FROM STAFF, IT WOULD, IF YOU GO WITH, WITH THE SUMMER BREAK OF ONE, WE PREFER, UH, WHERE THE WORKSHOP IS HELD IN, IN APRIL WITH THE GOAL OF APPROVING THE BUDGET THE FIRST MEETING IN, IN MAY.
ANY OTHER THOUGHTS? MR. HUGHES? DOES, UM, DOES IT REALLY PRESENT ANY DIFFICULTIES FOR YOU IN TERMS OF THE BUDGET PREPARATION, WHETHER IT IS THE BUDGET WORK SESSION IS AT THE END OF APRIL OR BEGINNING OF MAY? I MEAN, I LOOKING AT THE SCHEDULE, LIKE THERE'S MAYBE TWO OR THREE WEEKS BETWEEN THOSE TWO OPTIONS, RIGHT? RIGHT.
N NO, AND WE'VE HAD, WE'VE HAD LONG DISCUSSIONS, UH, UH, WITH, WITH STAFF ABOUT CAN WE PULL IT OFF? 'CAUSE THE BUDGET PROCESS IS, IS, IS ALWAYS A DIFFICULT AND A TIME CRUNCH.
AND, AND SO, UM, I I THINK WE FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH EITHER ONE OF THOSE.
I MEAN, DO YOU HAVE A PREFERENCE? UM, MY PREFERENCE WOULD BE APRIL.
ANYONE ELSE? SO WOULD THAT BE CHOICE NUMBER C? THAT WOULD BE TWO THAT IT WOULD READ, IT WOULD READ APRIL INSTEAD OF MAY.
I BELIEVE IT'S, THAT WOULD BE SECOND.
THAT WOULD BE THE SECOND OPTION.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION TO APPROVE THE 2025 BOARD OF ALDERMAN MEETING ROSTER WITH OPTION B.
AND WERE YOU REQUESTING AGAIN THE BUDGET WORK SESSION IN APRIL? THAT'S CORRECT.
WITH THE BUDGET WORK SESSION IN SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
UM, MS. CITY CLERK, UM, I KNOW YOU HAVE A LOT, BUT THE SOONER YOU CAN GET THOSE MEETINGS ON OUR CALENDARS, THE BETTER.
IT HELPS PREPARE AROUND THOSE.
[25. Consider Adopting a Resolution Approving a Declaration of Intent to ReimburseFY2024- 25 Vehicles and Equipment.]
ITEM NUMBER 25.CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION APPROVING A DECLARATION OF INTENT TO REIMBURSE FY 24 25 VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT.
MS. OSTROM, THE ADOPTED BUDGET FOR FY 24 25 INCLUDED THE PURCHASE OF VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT, UM, CAPITAL ITEMS TOTALING 2,239,009 $509.
UM, IT IS NECESSARY TO ADOPT A DECLARATION OF OFFICIAL INTENT TO REIMBURSE FOR EXPENSES.
UM, PRIOR TO THE, I'M SORRY FOR EXP EXPENSES FOR THE PURCHASES, WHICH, UM, SORRY.
OH, REIMBURSE EXPENSES FOR THE PURCHASES, WHICH ALLOWS THE CITY TO PAY ITSELF BACK FOR ITEMS PAID FOR, UM, PAID FOR PRIOR TO OBTAINING FINANCING.
FINANCING OPTIONS ARE, UM, GONNA BE FORTHCOMING HERE IN THE NEXT MONTH.
ANY QUESTIONS? HEARING NO COMMENTS? MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION APPROVING A DECLARATION OF INTENT TO REIMBURSE FISCAL YEAR 2024 DASH 25 VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT.
[03:00:01]
FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN PRILL.
[26. Consider Adopting an Ordinance to Amend the Entitlement Cities CDBG Fund.]
NEXT UP IS ITEM NUMBER 26.CONSIDER ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE ENTITLEMENT CITY CDBG FUND MS. OSTROM.
AS NOTED IN AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 23, BERN RECEIVED, UM, FUNDING FROM THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM THROUGH THE US DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT.
THE AWARD FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024 IS $291,714.
AND THIS AMENDMENT RECOGNIZES THAT FUNDING.
ANY QUESTIONS ON ITEM NUMBER 26? IF NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE AMENDMENT TO RECOGNIZE THE FY 2024 CDDG ENTITLEMENT GRANT AWARD.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ROYAL.
[27. Consider Adopting an Ordinance to Establish a Mult-Year Grants Fund.]
ITEM NUMBER 27.CONSIDER ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE TO ESTABLISH A MULTI-YEAR GRANTS FUND.
A PREVIOUSLY ESTABLISHED GRANTS FUND WAS INITIALLY SET UP AS AN ANNUAL FUND.
SINCE MOST GRANTS ARE MULTI-YEAR AND CARRY OVER INTO A SECOND YEAR, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT A MULTI-YEAR GRANTS FUND BE ESTABLISHED TO MORE APPROPRIATELY ACCOUNT FOR THE GRANTS.
ALL CURRENT GRANTS WILL BE CONVERTED TO THE MULTI-YEAR FUND.
ANY QUESTIONS ON ITEM NUMBER 27? SO BASICALLY WHAT YOU'RE ASKING IF THERE'S GRANT MONEY LEFT OVER FROM ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT, WE HAVE TO MOVE IT OVER TO THE NEXT YEAR.
WE'RE HAVING TO COME BACK AT THE END OF THE YEAR AND DO THAT CARRY OVER WHERE THIS WILL JUST ALLOW US TO HAVE IT AS A MULTI-YEAR.
IT'LL, WE WILL NOT HAVE TO KEEP COMING BACK, UM, UNTIL THAT'S COMPLETELY SPENT.
ONCE WE ADOPT THAT BUDGET AND CLOSE IT OUT, IT'S DONE.
IT HELPS WITH, UM, WHEN IT'S REPORTING AT AUDIT TIME TOO.
IT'S PLEASURE OF THE BOARD ON ITEM NUMBER 27.
IF THERE IS NO MORE QUESTIONS BY THE BOARD, WE MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE TO ESTABLISH A MULTI, MULTI-YEAR GRANTS FUND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ASTER.
[28. Consider Adopting a Budget Ordinance Amendment for Fiscal Year 2025.]
NEXT UP IS ITEM NUMBER 28.CONSIDER ADOPTING A BUDGET ORDINANCE AMENDMENT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025.
MS. OSTROM, THE FOLLOWING OPERATING BUDGETS FOR, UM, ARE AMENDED FOR THE AMOUNT OF APPROPRIATIONS NECESSARY TO REESTABLISH ENCUMBRANCES FOR VARIOUS OUTSTANDING PURCHASE ORDERS.
AND RECOGNIZE UNSPENT ARPA BALANCES AS OF JUNE 30TH, 2024, THE GENERAL FUND AND THE AMOUNT OF $1,657,604.
THE MUNICIPAL SERVICE DISTRICT FUND FOR 90,000 MPO PLANT GRANT FUND FOR 106,100 UM DOLLARS.
AND THEN WATER FUND FOR $239,813 SEWER FUND FOR $723,760 ELECTRIC FUND FOR $1,222,519.
THE SOLID WASTE FUND FOR $527.
AND THEN THE ARPA BALANCES AND THREE $3,622,784, WHICH TOTAL $7,663,107.
ADDITIONALLY, THE GENERAL FUND IS AMENDED TO APPROPRIATE FROM FUND BALANCE 1000 FOR THE COST OF ADDING AN ADDITIONAL PHONE FAX LINE FOR AT HUMAN RESOURCES.
AND THE ELECTRIC FUND IS ADDITIONALLY AMENDED TO APPROPRIATE THREE $31,372 FROM THE FUND BALANCE TOWARDS A COST OF A REPLACEMENT VEHICLE THAT WAS TOTALED.
THE GRANTS FUND IS ALSO AMENDED IN THE AMOUNT OF $88,869 TO REIMBURSE THE JOURNAL FUND FOR EXPENSES RELATED TO GRANT AWARDS.
IT IS REQUESTED THAT THE BOARD CONSIDER ADOPTING THIS BUDGET AMENDMENT.
THIS BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS, HEARING NO COMMENTS.
THE MAYOR WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO CONSIDER ADOPTING A BUDGET ORDINANCE AMENDMENT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN KENZIE.
[03:05:01]
ALDERMAN ASER.[29. Appointment of Ward 6 Alderman.]
UP IS ITEM NUMBER 29.ALDERMAN, WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? I'D LIKE TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT AND SELECT DANA OUTLAW.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPOINT DANA OUTLAW TO FILL THE WARD SIX VACANCY.
THE REASON WHY I AG I APPOINTED DANA OUTLAW BECAUSE OF HIS EXPERIENCE AND HIS SERVICE TO THE CITY.
AND I FEEL THAT WHAT WE ARE GETTING READY TO DO AND LEARN MORE ABOUT, HE HAS THE EXPERIENCE TO HELP US TO GO THROUGH, TO SUCC TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND TO ACHIEVE THE GOALS OF THE CITY.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN BEST, ALDERMAN BEST NO.
ANYONE ELSE WANNA MAKE A MOTION? MAYOR? UM, AS I HAD MENTIONED, UH, AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, UM, WE, WE HAVE A POOL OF SIX CANDIDATES, UH, WHO HAD EXPRESSED INTEREST IN BEING CONSIDERED, UM, FOR APPOINTMENT AS THE WARD SIX ALDERMAN.
UH, PRIOR, JUST PRIOR TO THIS EVENING'S MEETING, UH, WE DID RECEIVE A CONFIRMATION FROM THE CITY CLERK INDICATING THAT, UM, TREVOR DANELLE, UM, HAS WITHDRAWN AS A CANDIDATE FOR THE, UH, WARD SIX ALDERMAN POSITION.
UM, SO I WOULD LIKE TO JUST TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK, UM, MR. DANELL FOR HIS WILLINGNESS TO, UM, VOLUNTEER TO BE CONSIDERED AS A, A CANDIDATE AND CERTAINLY WISH HIM THE VERY BEST IN HIS FUTURE ENDEAVORS.
UH, AND WITH THAT, I MEAN WE'RE, WE'RE NOW, UH, DOWN TO FIVE POTENTIAL CANDIDATES.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION, UH, FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF MS. DARLENE BROWN AS THE WARD SIX ALDERMAN.
I HAVE A MOTION A SECOND FOR MS. DARLENE BROWN FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF THE WARD SIX ALDERMAN SEAT.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN PRILL.
NO, IT'S PLEASURE OF THE BOARD.
WELL, MAYOR, GIVEN THAT WE SEEM TO BE AT ANOTHER IMPASSE, UM, I'M NOT SURE IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE TO, TO CONSIDER THIS DISCUSSION THIS EVENING.
UM, SO MY RECOMMENDATION OR MOTION WOULD BE TO TAKE THIS MATTER UP AT OUR NEXT MEETING.
I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND TO MOVE THE ITEM NUMBER 29 TO THE NEXT BOARD MEETING.
EVERYONE UNDERSTAND THE MOTION? MM-HMM.
DID YOU GET THAT OR YOU WANT ME TO DO A ROLL CALL? WELL, YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE THAT I HEARD IN OPPOSITION.
[30. Appointment(s).]
UM, ITEM NUMBER 30, APPOINTMENTS.UM, THE YOUNG MAN'S NAME IS, UM, RYAN.
WHAT IS I CALLED YOU EARLIER WITH HIS NAME? RYAN.
YEAH, I THINK THAT IS, I CANNOT SAY THE LAST NAME.
THAT'S THE ONE YOU EMAILED US ABOUT THAT CORRECT? LER? I DID.
I THINK HE WORKS FOR TRADER CONSTRUCTION.
SO OLIVER MCKENZIE HAS A MOTION, UH, FOR HIS OPENING APPOINTMENT ON THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT FOR RYAN LANDY.
[03:10:01]
SECOND.RYAN LANDY IS APPOINTED, UM, FOR THE APPOINTMENT FOR THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT.
UH, ALTERNATE, UH, THAT'S OPEN TO, UH, THE MAYOR AND ALDERMAN.
SO WE ALSO RECEIVED A SECOND APPLICATION FROM MS. LESLIE ALLEN.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD, UH, AS A MOTION WITH HER NAME FOR THE VACANCY FROM MIKE DUFFY.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED AYES HAVE IT.
UH, SO I BELIEVE NOW THAT GIVES US TWO, UH, THAT WILL HOPEFULLY GIVE US A FORUM FOR THEIR MEETING ON THURSDAY NIGHT.
UH, WE STILL HAVE THE MPO TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE VACANCY THAT WAS HELD BY ALDERMAN BRISSON AND THE VI AND PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
ALSO, THAT POSITION WAS HELD BY ALDERMAN BRISSON.
AND THEN WE HAVE AN OPENING FOR THE MSD ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
UH, MS. CAROL STUBBS, AS I'M SURE EVERYONE KNOWS, HER HUSBAND BUZZY PASSED AWAY.
UM, SHE HAD SUBMITTED A RESIGNATION LETTER.
UH, SHE WAS FOR THE RESTAURANT CATEGORY.
AND IN THE RESTAURANT CATEGORY, THIS IS, SHE WAS ALREADY A REPLACEMENT FOR SOMEONE ELSE THAT HAD ALREADY BEEN IN THAT POSITION.
SO I BELIEVE THE LAST TWO NAMES OR THREE NAMES THAT WERE REMAINING WAS, HELP ME OUT.
IT WAS DEAN KAAR FROM THE DOUBLETREE, AND IT WAS STEVE BENGAL FROM BAKER'S KITCHEN.
STEVE BENGAL SAID HE DID NOT WANNA BE CONSIDERED.
UM, AND JUST SO EVERYBODY KNOWS, DEAN KAAR WORKS FOR THE DOUBLETREE, WHICH IS OWNED BY JOHN HARRELSON.
AND JOHN HARRELSON IS ALREADY ON THE BOARD.
SO I WOULD MAKE THE SUGGESTION THAT THE BOARD'S IN FAVOR OF, UH, MIKE LENTZ FROM MJS.
HE WAS THE ONLY OTHER ONE THAT WE HAD, UH, REPRESENTATION FOR WHO YOU WANT THAT IN APPOINTMENT TONIGHT? UH, IF, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO SO, IT'S LENT MIKE LENTZ.
MAY, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPOINT MIKE LENTZ TO FULFILL THE, UM, TERM OF MS. STUBBS.
HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? SHE'S HEREBY APPOINTED.
AND THEN THE LAST ONE I HAVE, UH, ORMAN ROYAL, YOU HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TO THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT? NOT TONIGHT.
DID I MISS ANY APPOINTMENTS? OKAY.
UH, ATTORNEY'S REPORT, UH, NOTHING IMPORTANT TONIGHT, MAYOR, CITY MANAGER'S
[32. City Manager's Report.]
REPORT A FEW ITEMS TO UPDATE YOU ON.UH, LAST WEEK WE RECEIVED THE GERTRUDE S CARAWAY AWARD OF MERIT FOR THE CITY HALL EDITION AND RESTORATION.
UH, THIS AWARD IS SANCTIONED BY THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION FOUNDATION OF NORTH CAROLINA.
SO THAT WILL HANG THAT AWARD DOWN DOWNSTAIRS IN CITY HALL.
ALSO, THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT RECEIVED THE 2024 DISTINGUISHED BUDGET AWARD FROM THE GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION.
AND THEN THERE ARE SEVERAL EVENTS THAT ARE COMING UP, UH, IN RECOGNITION OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON.
THE HALLOWEEN SEASON FIRST IS A HALLOWEEN PRESCHOOL PARADE THIS FRIDAY AT NINE 30.
THAT'S GONNA START RIGHT, UH, RIGHT THERE AT THE INTERSECTION OF MIDDLE AND, AND BROAD STREET.
THEN ON SATURDAY, BARRY, NOT SO SCARY.
WE'LL BE DOING TRICK OR TREATING, UH, DOWNTOWN FROM FOUR TO 6:00 PM AND AT UNION POINT PARK, BETWEEN FIVE AND 8:00 PM THEY WILL HAVE TRICK OR TREATING A WITCHES RIDE A COSTUME CONTEST, AND THEY'LL BE SHOWING THE MOVIE GOOSEBUMPS.
SO A LOT OF HALLOWEEN ACTIVITIES GOING ON.
AND THE FINAL THING I HAVE FOR YOU IS, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS A FEW TIMES AND HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO SECURE A DATE, BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND A WORK SESSION TO DISCUSS PROJECTS FOR THE POTENTIAL BOND REFERENDUM IN 2024.
AND THE RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12TH AT 4:00 PM THERE IS A BOARD MEETING THAT EVENING.
UH, SO I THINK REALISTICALLY WE, UH, WE COULD, UH, UH, DISCUSS SEVERAL THINGS IN ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF TIME PERIOD IF THE BOARD IS, UH, AGREEABLE TO THAT.
SO YOU'RE ASKING FOR A WORK SESSION TO BE CALLED FOR NOVEMBER THE 12TH AT 4:00 PM YES.
IS THE BOARD'S THOUGHTS ON THAT? WHAT WAS THE DATE AGAIN? THE 12TH OF NOVEMBER.
SORRY, I GOTTA LOOK AT MY CALENDAR.
SO IF, UM, EVERYBODY'S GOOD WITH IT, WE WOULD NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO CALL FOR A SPECIAL WORK SESSION, UM, ON NOVEMBER THE 12TH AT 4:00 PM HERE AT CITY HALL.
I HAVE A MOTION FROM ALDERMAN ROYAL SECOND AND A SECOND FROM ALDERMAN ASTOR.
[03:15:01]
IT FOR TONIGHT, SIR.[33. New Business.]
OKAY.UH, NEW BUSINESS ALDER AND BEST.
ALDER MCKINZIE? NOTHING TONIGHT, SIR.
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE CITY MANAGER.
UM, WITH THE FEDERAL DECLARATION IN THE WESTERN PART OF THE STATE THAT'S GONNA OPEN UP A CONSIDER AMOUNT OF FUNDS FOR MITIGATION 4 0 4.
IT MAY BE TO OUR ADVANTAGE TO, UM, GET CORY TO, TO LOOK IN THAT, OR SOMEBODY TO LOOK INTO IT.
UH, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING FOR YEARS ABOUT REDOING THESE WINDOWS IN THIS BUILDING BECAUSE OF THE MOISTURE THAT LEAKS THROUGH AND THE WIND DRIVEN RAIN.
UH, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT 4 0 4 MITIGATION IS, IS TO MAKE REPAIRS TO PREVENT FURTHER DAMAGE.
UM, I'M NOT SURE IF, UH, WHO, WHO WE MIGHT HAVE, I MEAN, I'D BE GLAD TO TO FOLLOW UP ON IT, BUT I'VE BEEN MAKING SOME CALLS TO THE, THE PEOPLE I KNOW IN THE STATE AND THEY'RE ALL GONE.
THEY'RE ALL IN THE WESTERN PART OF THE STATE AND THEY'RE NOT TAKING ANY CALLS.
I CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH OUR CONSULTANT.
UH, THIS IS GONNA BE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY BECAUSE I, IF IT, I THINK IT'S, IT'S, IT'S LIKE 20% OF THE COST OF THE DISASTER THAT GOES TOWARDS THESE GRANTS AND IT'S OPEN STATEWIDE.
SO YOU, YOU'RE TALKING A LOT OF MONEY MIGHT BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO APPLY.
I WOULD LIKE, I I WAS REPRESENTING THE BOARD ON THE MSD AND I HAVE A CONFLICT OF SCHEDULE AND I NEED TO RESIGN THAT POSITION.
UM, CLERK OR ATTORNEY? I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE LANGUAGE WAS IN THAT.
I KNOW IT WAS A, WAS IT AN EX OFFICIO POSITION? I, I DON'T RECALL.
I DON'T THINK THAT WAS ENTITLED TO IT.
WAS LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO BE A PART OF THAT ORGANIZATION.
SO IF YOU JUST WANT TO RESEARCH THAT AND MAYBE SEND SOMETHING OUT TO US AND PUT IT ON OUR NEXT AGENDA FOR AN APPOINTMENT.
UM, IS HER VERBAL RESIGNATION SUFFICIENT SINCE IT'S ON THE RECORD? YES, SIR.
ANYTHING ELSE? THAT'LL BE ALL.
ALDERMAN PRI JUST, UH, ONE ITEM.
UM, THE, THE BOARD RECENTLY RECEIVED, UH, AN EMAIL FROM, UM, ICMA ADVISING US THAT, UH, MR. HUGHES HAS ACHIEVED THE ICMA CREDENTIALED MANAGER CERTIFICATION.
SO I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT ACHIEVEMENT AND CERTIFICATION.
CONGRATULATIONS, KIM, FOR THE AWARD THAT THE MANAGER JUST SAID YOU RECEIVED.
CAN YOU JUST RECEIVED SOMETHING THE MANAGER SAID AND IN HIS REPORT, CONGRATULATIONS THAT BACK TO YOU, SIR.
SO THAT WAS, UH, THAT WAS ONE OF THE ITEMS I HAD, SO THANK YOU.
UM, JUST, JUST TWO COMMENTS TO SORT OF WRAP UP, UH, THE DISCUSSION THAT TOOK PLACE EARLIER THIS MORNING, OR IT SEEMED LIKE THIS MORNING, EARLIER TONIGHT.
UM, I, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE BOARD IF THEY WOULD CONSIDER ENTERTAINING UPDATING OUR RULES AND PROCEDURES TO NOTIFY THE BOARD WHEN YOU KNOW YOU'RE GONNA BE ABSENT WITH SOME SORT OF GUIDELINE.
UNDERSTANDING EMERGENCIES HAPPEN IF YOU'RE ON YOUR WAY TO A MEETING, YOU HAVE A FLAT TIRE.
UH, BUT IF THERE'S AN ITEM THAT IS GOING TO PROHIBIT YOU FROM BEING FROM A MEETING, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO PUT SOME GUIDELINES IN PLACE.
IF, IF IT'S SIX HOURS, IF IT'S 24 HOURS, WHAT WHATEVER THE BOARD WOULD THINK WOULD BE REASONABLE.
NOT ASKING FOR YOU TO, TO DO THAT TONIGHT, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO CONSIDER THAT.
UH, 'CAUSE THAT WOULD HAVE HELPED, UM, CURB SOME OF THE MISINFORMATION, UH, THAT WAS SHARED.
AND THEN THE, THE LAST COMMENT I'M GONNA MAKE IS, UH, REGARDING THE ALDERMAN VACANCY.
UM, I HAVE HEARD, AS I'M SURE SOME OF YOU HAVE HEARD FROM FOLKS ALL THROUGHOUT THE CITY, UH, I'VE ACTUALLY HEARD FROM SOME THAT DON'T EVEN LIVE IN THE CITY, UH, ABOUT WHO THIS VACANCY SHOULD BE TO FILL.
UM, JUST A, AS A REMINDER, WE HAVE A WARD SYSTEM.
UH, THE REQUIREMENT IS, IS THAT THE ALDERMAN LIVES IN THE WARD AND THAT ALDERMAN IS VOTED ON AND SELECTED BY JUST THE MEMBERS AND THE VOTERS IN THAT WARD.
SO THEREFORE, WHEN SOMEBODY FROM ANOTHER WARD CALLS AND SAYS, I WANT YOU TO APPOINT THIS PERSON,
[03:20:01]
AND THEY DON'T LIVE IN THAT WARD, UM, I APPRECIATE THEIR INTEREST, I APPRECIATE THEM FOLLOWING, BUT THEIR VOICE IN THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC DOESN'T MATTER.THE VOICES THAT MATTER IN THIS ONE ARE THE VOICES OF WARD SIX.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE HEARD FROM FOLKS IN WARD SIX.
UM, I WENT TO A COMMUNITY MEETING LAST WEEK AND THERE WAS PROBABLY 20, 25 PEOPLE THERE.
THEY EXPRESSED TO ME WHO THEY WANTED TO SEE FILL THIS SEAT.
AND THAT'S ALL THAT I HAVE TO GO ON, IS WHO I'M HEARING FROM.
AND I'M HEARING FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WANTED MAYOR AND DAN OUTLAW.
SO THAT'S THE REASON I CONTINUE TO SUPPORT HIM BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE THAT I'M HEARING FROM IN WARD SIX, THAT'S WHO THEIR CHOICE IS.
SO, ANY OTHER BUSINESS COME BEFORE THE CITY TONIGHT? NOT A, I'LL GO AHEAD AND CLARIFY FOR YOU THE MSD, UM, EX OFFICIO MEMBERS FROM THE BOARD OR WARD ONE AND A MEMBER AT LARGE.
SO, UM, SOMEBODY ELSE ON THE BOARD NEEDS TO BE GIVEN CONSIDERATION TO ATTENDING THE MSD MEETINGS AS AN EX OFFICIO.
AND WE CAN DO THAT IN HOW OFTEN DO THEY MEET? THEY'RE ON THE BOARD.
UNDERSTAND IT, IT, IT IS, THE MEETINGS ARE TRADITIONALLY QUARTERLY WITH OH.
AND THEY, THEY NORMALLY DO A WORK SESSION SOMETIME AT SOME POINT DURING THE QUARTER.
THE NEXT REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING IS IN FEBRUARY.
YOU WILL, IF, DID YOU HAVE ANY, DID YOU WANT TO DO IT, MARK? NO, I JUST WANTED TO SEE WHAT DISCUSSION.
OH, YOU'RE MORE THAN HAPPY TO TAKE IT IF YOU WANT IT.
YOU WANNA DO IT? I HAVE TOO MUCH PRESSING TO, UH, I, LET ME THINK ABOUT IT, BUT I CAN, YEAH.
WE'LL PUT IT ON OUR NEXT AGENDA TO BE CONSIDERED.
UH, IF NOT, I ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
IF THERE MOVE BUSINESS SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.