[1. Meeting opened by Mayor Odham. Prayer Coordinated by Mayor Odham. Pledge of Allegiance.]
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GOOD EVENING EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THE NOVEMBER 12TH, 2024 NEWMAN BOARD OF ALDERMAN MEETING.PRAYER TONIGHT IS GONNA BE GIVEN BY REVEREND DAMON, KING OF NEW BEGINNING CELEBRATION CHURCH.
YOU COME RIGHT TO THE MICROPHONE, RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE.
YOU ALL WILL BOW YOUR HEADS WITH ME, GRACIOUS AND ALL WISE.
FATHER, WE HUMBLY COME TO YOU TONIGHT BOLDLY COMING TO YOUR THRONE OF GRACE, THAT WE MAY OBTAIN MERCY, FIND GRACE TO HELP IN A TIME OF NEED.
YOU ARE AWESOME AND AMAZING AND BLESSED IS YOUR HOLY NAME TONIGHT.
FATHER, WE ARE GATHERING HERE TO TAKE CARE OF CITY BUSINESS WITH OUR CITY COUNCIL.
THANK YOU FOR OUR HUMAN GOVERNMENT THAT YOU HAVE INSTALLED, THAT YOU ORDAINED ACCORDING TO ROMANS CHAPTER 13 THAT WE SAW EVEN TAKE PLACE IN GENESIS CHAPTER NINE, VERSE SIX TONIGHT.
FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR OUR STAFF HERE THAT'S GONNA TAKE CARE OF THE BUSINESS AND ALL THE PATRONS THAT ARE IN THE BUILDING TONIGHT.
WE ASK THAT YOUR PEACE WILL RULE AND THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO COME TO A CONSENSUS ON THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO BE DISCUSSED TONIGHT.
WE WANT YOU TO BE IN CONTROL THIS EVENING, FATHER, AND LET YOUR WISDOM ABOUND AND AGAIN, YOUR PEACE ABOUND MUCH MORE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR GRACE THAT IS SUFFICIENT FOR ALL THINGS THAT WE NEED.
AND MAY WE YIELD TO YOU, TO YOUR WORD, TO FIND THE ANSWERS TO LIFE THAT WILL MAKE LIFE LIVABLE AND MORE PROSPEROUS FOR ALL.
WE LOVE YOU AND WE THANK YOU FOR LOVING US EVEN MORE.
IF YOU'RE ABLE TO DO SO, PLEASE STAND AS THE PGI FLAG OF OUR COUNTRY.
I PGI TO THE FINITE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHO WISHES.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
MADAM CLERK, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ALDERMAN RELL.
[3. Approve Agenda.]
UH, ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA UNLESS THERE'S ANY CHANGES YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE.I HAVE A MOTION, A SECOND TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
[4. Request and Petition of Citizens.]
IS REQUEST AND PETITION OF CITIZENS.FIRST UP IS MS. BARBARA SIMPSON IN PLEASANT HILL.
UH, FIRST I'M GOING TO GIVE HONOR TO GOD AND MY MOTHER AND MY FATHER WHO'S DECEASED, BUT HE WAS THE FORMER COMMON COMMISSION.
AND I KNOW THAT IT'S HARD FOR PEOPLE TO SAY I'M WRONG, I WAS WRONG.
I FORGIVE YOU, I'M SORRY, BUT THAT'S THE WAY LIFE IS.
BUT ALL I WANT YOU ALL TO DO IS TO GET ON ONE ACCORD.
'CAUSE YOU ARE MAKING DECISIONS FOR THE CITY.
AND ANYTHING THAT YOU HAVE THAT HAPPENED IN THE PAST OR THAT WAS SAID IN THE PAST, YOU HAVE TO JUST RIDE, WAVE AND LET IT GO.
AND THEN I KNOW THAT WE HAVE THE NEW STANDARD WHITE ON THIRD AVENUE THAT'S COMING.
I JUST WANT EVERY, I WANT ALL EVERYBODY THAT THAT GOING TO BE TELLING PEOPLE WHO WANT TO, WHAT POSITION THEY'RE GOING TO BE IN.
I KNOW IT'S A CERTAIN CRITERIA YOU HAVE TO MEET, BUT PLEASE, I DON'T WANT TO SAY THE WORD DIVERSITY 'CAUSE IT SAID IT SEEMS LIKE THAT WORD SCARE EVERYBODY.
PUT PEOPLE IN THAT WE KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK OUT FOR NOT OUR COLOR, BUT EVERYBODY.
AND MAKE SURE THAT THE GRANTS THAT YOU HAVE, PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU TRY THE AVENUE OF ALL OF THEM BECAUSE WE ALL GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE THAT'S FINANCIALLY CHALLENGED AND THEY DO WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES.
AND I DO WANT TO PUT THE PLUG IN FOR ME.
IF, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO FILL OUT AN APPLICATION BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO BE ON THAT STAND WHITE BOARD.
AND THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU AND HAVE A BLESSED NIGHT.
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RAINMAKER DRIVE.GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD OF ALDERMAN AND MAYOR ODOM.
UH, I'D LIKE TO BEGIN BY SAYING THAT I DID NOT PUT MY ADDRESS ON THE SIGNUP SHEET BECAUSE I'M NOT REQUIRED PER YOUR RULES OF PROCEDURE.
SO I'M UNDER, I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHY YOU'RE READING PEOPLE'S ADDRESSES OUT LOUD BEFORE THEY GET TO THE PODIUM AND WHY MY ADDRESS IS BEING PROVIDED TO THE PUBLIC WITHOUT, WOULD YOU ME ASKING, WOULD YOU LIKE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TONIGHT? YOU SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK? I DID NOT PROVIDE MY ADDRESS, SO I JUST WANNA MAKE THAT POINT AND I HAVE THE RIGHT TO SPEAK.
YOU HAVE THREE AND A HALF MINUTES RIGHT NOW.
I'D LIKE TO, UM, CONTINUE BY SAYING IN 2011, THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN VOTED ON ALL MATTERS.
THE MAYOR WAS ONLY ALLOWED TO VOTE TO BREAK A TIE THAT YEAR THREE OF THE ALDERMEN, WHEN ALL ONE OF THE ALDERMEN WAS NOT THERE TO PASS THE VOTE, VOTED FOR THE MAYOR TO HAVE TO VOTE ON ALL MATTERS.
SO THAT MEANT THE MAYOR, THE ALDERMAN, THE THE WARD WHERE THE MAYOR LIVED, GOT TWO VOTES ON ALL MATTERS VERSE VERSUS D FOUR.
SO I, I'M JUST WONDERING, DO YOU FEEL THAT IS FAIR FOR, I THINK THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED WITH THIS WHOLE, UM, POWER SHIFT WHERE THE MAYOR NOW IS BASICALLY, IT, IT APPEARS THAT HE'S RUNNING THE SHOW AND THE ALDERMEN ARE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF JUGGLING.
AND I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT, HOW DID THE BALANCE AND HOW DID THIS GET OFF KILTER? 'CAUSE WE DID, YOU KNOW, THE CITY HAS A COUNCIL MANAGER FORM OF GOVERNMENT WHERE THE COUNCIL WORKS AS A GROUP TO DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER.
PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF I'M WRONG.
I I'LL BE THE FIRST TO ADMIT IF, IF I MAKE A MISTAKE.
UH, I, THERE WAS RECENTLY AN AUDIT DONE AT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AND MAYOR I, UNDER, I'VE TRIED TO REACH OUT TO YOU A CALL I'VE EMAILED FOR INTERVIEW.
YOU HAVEN'T RESPONDED ANY REQUEST, BUT, UM, I'D LIKE TO KNOW IF ANYONE'S OVERSEEING THE FRAUDULENT ACTIVITY REPORTED ON THAT AUDIT.
UH, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN GIVE AS A STATUS TO THE PUBLIC? THANK YOU.
I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO THAT, PLEASE.
WHEN IT COMES TO THE BALANCE OF POWER, IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THIS BOARD TO ENSURE THAT WHATEVER STATUTORY REGULATIONS, WHATEVER POLICIES ARE IN PLACE, THAT WE ADHERE TO IT.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THE MORE WE BECOME AWARE OF WHAT THOSE POLICIES AND REGULATIONS ARE, THE MORE WE NEED TO EXERCISE JURISDICTION AND MAKING SURE THAT ALL THINGS ARE FAIR AND EQUAL.
AND, UH, I APPRECIATE YOU, UH, SPEAKING TO THAT.
UM, IN REFERENCE TO MS. WENDY CARD, WHEN SHE SAID HER ADDRESS WAS GIVEN, UM, I THOUGHT THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE AS A BOARD DECIDED IT WAS NOT GONNA BE, UM, DISCLOSED TO THE PUBLIC WHEN THE PARTIC WHEN A CITIZEN COMES UP, THEY JUST GIVE THEIR NAME AND STATE THAT THEY LIVE WITHIN THE CITY AND NOT DISCLOSE OF THEIR ADDRESS.
SO IF WE CAN APPEAR TO THAT, THAT WOULD BE GREAT BECAUSE I KNOW A LOT OF CITIZENS HAVE REACHED OUT TO ME AND SAID THEY DON'T WANT IT, THEY DON'T WANT THEIR ADDRESS BEING GIVEN.
IF THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT THE ADDRESSES ARE NO LONGER REQUIRED TO BE SUBMITTED OR STATED, THEN THE BOARD CAN DO THAT.
NO, NOT SUBMIT THAT THEY SHOULD BE SUBMITTED BUT NOT GIVEN OUT TO THE PUBLIC.
I THOUGHT WE COVERED THAT WHEN WE WAS GOING THROUGH OUR RULES OF SEIZURE.
IF SOMEBODY SUBMITS THIS FORM AND THEY DO NOT INCLUDE THEIR ADDRESS, DO THEY GET TO SPEAK THAT NIGHT? THEY, WE DISCUSSED IT AND SAID THAT THAT CITIZEN, THAT CITIZEN CAN SAY THAT THEY LIVE WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS.
I'M ASKING IF YOU'RE SAYING UHHUH, THAT THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE TO SUBMIT THIS.
IF SOMEBODY SUBMITS THIS REQUEST AND THEY DON'T PUT THEIR ADDRESS ON THERE, DO THEY GET TO SPEAK THAT EVENING? YES.
SO THE BOARD NEEDS TO GIVE SOME DIRECTION THERE.
MR. ATTORNEY, AM I OUTTA LINE? UH, THAT'S CORRECT, SIR.
SO, SO IF A CITIZEN COMES FORTH AND FILLS OUT THIS FORM, THEN THAT CITIZEN HAS A RIGHT TO
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SPEAK AND THAT CITIZEN DOES NOT HAVE TO PUT THEIR ADDRESS ON THAT FORM OR THEY CAN, BUT YOU AS THE MAYOR OR WHOEVER MAYOR PRO TEM AT THE TIME SHOULD NOT DISCLOSE OF THAT PERSON'S ADDRESS.BUT JUST TO BE CLEAR, THIS IS A PUBLIC RECORD, CORRECT? MR. ATTORNEY, RIGHT? YES.
NEXT UP IS BOB BRISSON, 50 12 LAKE SHORE DRIVE.
EXCUSE ME, MR. MAYOR, WERE YOU ASKING FOR A MOTION IF SOMEBODY WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION? SURE.
WAS THAT WHAT YOU WERE SEEKING? THAT'S STILL HAVE A NEW BUSINESS? ONLY IF YOU WANNA WAIT TILL A NEW BUSINESS OR YOU WANNA DO IT NOW, MR. ATTORNEY, IS THERE A PROBLEM IF SOMEBODY MAKES A MOTION NOW? NO, SIR.
WELL, I MAKE A MOTION THAT IF A CITIZEN COMES FORTH THROUGH PETITION OF CITIZENS, THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE TO DISCLOSE OF THEIR ADDRESS.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALL MAY I DO IS SURE.
CAN WE, CAN WE REQUEST THAT THEY PUT THAT THEY LIVE IN THE CITY OR OUT OF THE CITY? WELL, THAT'S WHAT I SAID.
THEY CAN SAY THEY LIVE IN THE CITY.
THE FORM, THE NEEDS TO BE CHANGED IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
JUST IN CITY RESIDENCE OUTTA CITY RESIDENCE.
HOWEVER, WE CHANGE WHATEVER NEEDS TO BE DONE IN THAT FORM.
THE CITIZEN DOES NOT HAVE, DO NOT HAVE TO DISCLOSE OF THEIR ADDRESS.
BUT DO YOU WANT TO KNOW IF THEY'RE CITY RESIDENCE OR NOT? YES.
DO YOU NEED TO AMEND IT TO REFLECT THAT? DO YOU NEED TO AMEND THE MOTION TO REFLECT THAT IF THE CITIZEN COMES FORTH TO SPEAK FOR PETITION OF CITIZEN, THAT CITIZEN FILLS OUT THAT FORM.
THAT CITIZEN PUTS THEIR ADDRESS ON THAT FORM IF THEY CHOOSE TO DO SO, OR THEY PUT THAT THEY LIVE IN THE CITY.
NOW, WE DISCUSSED IT AS A BOARD THAT THE MAYOR, WHEN HE OR MAYOR PRO TEM WHOMEVER'S IN CHARGE WOULD NOT STATE THAT PERSON'S ADDRESS.
THAT THEIR ADDRESS NOT MISSTATED.
IS THAT THAT DISCUSSION MUST HAVE BEEN MADE PRIOR TO MEETING? NO, I DON'T REMEMBER THAT.
THE DISCUSSION WAS NOT TO REQUIRE THE CITIZEN TO STATE THEIR ADDRESS.
AND THE QUESTION OF RESIDENCY IS ALREADY ON THE FORM.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION.
JUST CAN WE CLARIFY WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON BEFORE WE VOTE? SO THE ALDERMAN WHO MADE THE MOTION CAN CLARIFY HER MOTION THAT THE CITIZEN FILLS OUT THE FORM TO SPEAK FOR PETITION OF CITIZENS.
THEY CAN PUT THEIR ADDRESS ON THE FORM, BUT THE FORM, BUT THE ADDRESS CANNOT BE DISCLOSED OF BY THE MAYOR GIVEN OUT THAT CITIZEN'S ADDRESS.
SO PART OF THE MOTION IS TO, UM, NOT ALLOW THE PRESIDING OFFICER, WHETHER THAT BE THE MAYOR OR THE MAYOR OF PROTEL, UM, FROM DISCLOSING THE ADDRESS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE WRITTEN ON THE FORM.
THAT'S PART OF THE, THE MOTION? YES.
DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT? SECOND? YES, SIR.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN PRILL.
NEXT UP IS BOB BRISSON, SENATOR BOB BRISSON.
UH, MR. MAYOR AND BOARD OF ALDERMAN, THANK YOU, UH, FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK, UH, AS PART OF PETITION OF CITIZENS.
UH, REALLY CAME FOR THREE REASONS TONIGHT.
ONE IS, UH, SINCE I RESIGNED THIS BOARD ABOUT FOUR MONTHS AGO, I'VE HAD A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM CITIZENS BOTH IN CRAVEN COUNTY, LENOIR COUNTY, BELFORT COUNTY, EVEN JONES CARTER AT AND PAMLICO ABOUT THE LACK OF DECISION OF FILLING MY VACANCY.
AND SO I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT IN MY PERCEPTION, UH, THE REPUTATION OF THE CITY OF NEW BERN IS SUFFERING FROM THE LACK OF DECISION.
UH, AND I WANTED TO EXPRESS THAT TONIGHT.
THE SECOND THING I WANTED TO EXPRESS WAS THE DISSATISFACTION OF YOU NOT MAKING A DECISION.
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IN FILLING THE VACANCY, BOTH AS A WARD SIX, CONSTITUENT MYSELF, UH, AND WANTING TO WORK WITH SOMEONE, UH, TO PASS ON SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT I WAS WORKING ON.UH, FOR THE WARD, ALSO FOR THE VIKING PEDESTRIAN COMMITTEE, UH, I HAVE BEEN HOLDING BACK AND PASSING THOSE ON TO ANYONE BECAUSE, UH, YOU HAVE YET TO SELECT ANYONE.
AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, GO ON RECORD AS BEING DISSATISFIED THAT YOU HAVE NOT MADE A DECISION.
AND THEN THE LAST THING, UH, IS I AM HERE TO ENDORSE DANA OUTLAW AS MY REPLACEMENT.
UH, HE IS EXPERIENCED, HE IS KNOWLEDGEABLE.
STARTING ON DAY ONE, THERE ARE A LOT OF DECISIONS THAT THIS BOARD IS MAKING THAT WOULD CAUSE A NEW PERSON TO HAVE TO SPEND AN INORDINATE AMOUNT OF TIME TO GET UP TO SPEED ON.
AND THE LAST REASON IS THIS IS ONLY FOR ONE YEAR.
AT THIS POINT, IT'S ONLY FOR ONE YEAR.
UH, BECAUSE IN SPITE OF MY BEST EFFORTS TO MOVE THE ELECTION, AND YOU KNOW, GOD ALWAYS HAS A PLAN.
AND SO INSTEAD OF A TWO YEAR VACANCY, IT'S A ONE YEAR VACANCY.
SO I URGE THIS BOARD TO MAKE A DECISION FOR THE CITIZENS AND THE CONSTITUENTS OF WARD SIX SO THAT THEY ARE REPRESENTED.
YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO, AND AT LEAST FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, DO WHAT'S BEST FOR THE CITY.
AND SO WARD SIX, RIGHT NOW BEING VACANT IS NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITIZENS OF WARD SIX, NOR IS IS IT, IS IT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY? SO THANK YOU.
AT THE SEPTEMBER 24TH MEETING, ALDERMAN BEST SAID SHE NEVER THOUGHT SHE WOULD SIT ON THIS BOARD AND WITNESS SOME OF THE THINGS BEING SAID AND DONE.
SHE THOUGHT SOME OF THE ACTIONS OF THE BOARD MEMBERS WERE DEPLORABLE.
ON OCTOBER 8TH, ALTMAN PRI SENT AN EMAIL TO ALTMAN BEST AND IT READS, GOOD MORNING.
I'M ASSUMING THAT ALDERMAN ROYAL HAS BEEN IN CONTACT WITH YOU, LETTING YOU KNOW THAT SHE REALIZED RECENTLY THAT SHE WILL ALSO MISS THE OCTOBER 8TH MEETING DUE TO A FAMILY WEDDING.
I DON'T BELIEVE HAZEL HAS LET ANYONE ELSE KNOW THIS OTHER THAN YOU AND I.
BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THIS WILL GIVE THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE APPOINTMENT OF DANA OUTLAW TO THE WARD SIX VACANCY.
THERE IS ONE OPTION AVAILABLE TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING.
HOWEVER, IT WOULD REQUIRE YOU TO NOT ATTEND THE OCTOBER 8TH MEETING.
THEY WOULD NEED YOU TO, THEY WOULD NEED YOU TO ATTEND IN ORDER TO HAVE A QUORUM SO THAT THE MEETING COULD BE HELD WITHOUT YOU ATTENDING.
THERE IS NO QUORUM AND THEREFORE NO MEETING AND NO VOTE.
NO ONE CAN ASK YOU TO TAKE THIS ACTION.
IT IS SOMETHING YOU WOULD HAVE TO DECIDE ON YOUR OWN.
ALDERMAN BEST ONLY MINUTES BEFORE THE OCTOBER MEETING, OCTOBER 8TH MEETING CALLED AND STATED SHE WOULD NOT BE IN ATTENDANCE.
I FIND THE APPEARANCE DELUSION BETWEEN ALDERMAN PRI AND ALDER OF AND BEST DEPLORABLE.
THE BOARD IS BOUND BY A CODE OF ETHICS, INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING.
BOARD MEMBERS MUST BE ABLE TO ACT IN A MANNER THAT MAINTAINS THEIR INTEGRITY AND INDEPENDENCE.
BOARD MEMBERS MUST BE AWARE OF THEIR OBLIGATION TO CONFORM THEIR BEHAVIOR TO STANDARDS OF ETHICAL CONDUCT THAT WARRANT THE TRUST OF THE CONSTITUENTS.
BOARD MEMBERS MUST REMAIN INCORRUPTIBLE, SELF-GOVERNING, AND UNAFFECTED BY IMPROPER INFLUENCE.
BOARD MEMBERS SHOULD FAITHFULLY ATTEND AND PREPARE FOR MEETINGS.
BOARD MEMBERS SHOULD CONDUCT THE AFFAIRS OF THE BOARD IN AN OPEN AND PUBLIC MANNER.
ALDERMAN PRI SENDING THIS EMAIL AND ALDERMAN BEST NOT ATTENDING THE OCTOBER 8TH MEETING HAS OPENED THEM UP TO QUESTIONS ON THEIR ETHICS TOWARDS THIS BOARD.
DANA OUTLAW HAS LIVED IN WARD SIX FOR DECADES AND BRINGS THE NECESSARY EXPERIENCE TO FILL THIS VACANT SEAT.
MANY PEOPLE HAVE COME UP AND ASKED AND TOLD YOU THAT THEY WANT DANA AS THEIR REPRESENTATIVE.
I KNOW DARLENE BROWN, WE'VE BEEN FRIENDS FOR A LONG TIME.
SHE'S A WONDERFUL WOMAN, BUT SHE IS ONLY LIVED IN WARD SIX AND THE CITY OF NEWBURN FOR LESS THAN ONE YEAR.
I ASK THAT YOU PUT ASIDE YOUR PERSONAL BIAS AND VOTE TO APPOINT DANA OUTLAW AS WARD SIX ALDERMAN.
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GOOD EVENING.UM, THERE IS A PETITION THAT WAS SENT OUT AND I THINK EVERYBODY RECEIVED A COPY IN FAVOR OF APPOINTING, UM, MS. DARLENE BROWN.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY LATELY, THERE HAS BEEN SO MUCH PUBLIC CRITICISM, DEFAMING, DISCREDITING, HARASSING MEMBERS OF THIS GOVERNMENT BOARD.
AND THEY APPEAR TO BE MOTIVATED PURELY BY THE APPOINTMENT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THE REPEATED DISSEMINATION OF FALSE STATEMENTS.
SUBJECTIVE, FACEBOOK POSTS, MISLEADING TELEVISION INTERVIEWS AND UNFOUNDED PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE UNACCEPTABLE AND UNPROFESSIONAL AS ELECTED OFFICIALS.
IT IS OUR JOB TO UNIFY THE GOVERNING BOARD AND EXHIBIT THE DIPLOMACY EXPECTED FROM THE APPOINTED LEADER.
AND THE LACK OF THAT RAISES SERIOUS QUESTIONS ABOUT LEADERSHIP.
THE DIVISIVE CONDUCT CHARACTERIZED BY THE SPREAD OF MISLEADING AND DAMAGING STATEMENTS AIMED AT SWAYING PUBLIC OPINION IS NOT ONLY IRRESPONSIBLE, IT'S DEEPLY CONCERNING.
THE RESIDENTS OF NEW BERN DESERVE LEADERSHIP, WHO EXEMPLIFY RESPECT THE INTEGRITY, RATHER ONE THAT CHOOSE TO GOVERN THROUGH INTIMIDATION.
A LOT OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING AND A LOT OF THE MISINFORMATION THAT'S GOING AROUND IS DIVIDING THIS BOARD.
IT'S DIVIDING THE CITY, AND WE REALLY NEED TO TAKE OUR TIME AND COME BACK TOGETHER AND MAKE THIS APPOINTMENT AND MOVE FORWARD REGARDLESS OF ALL OF THE ACCUSATIONS UNFOUNDED.
UM, AND SO I'M ASKING THAT EVERYONE WHO SITS ON THIS BOARD DEEPLY CONSIDERS WHAT THEIR ACTIONS ARE DOING TO THE RESIDENTS.
AND JUST A REMINDER, 2025 IS AN ELECTION YEAR.
FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK GOD FOR HIS CONTINUED GRACE AND MERCY, MR. MAYOR ABOARD TO MY FATHER, WHO NOT ONLY HANGS ON THE WALL, BUT SITS IN THESE RAFTERS.
I CAME HERE PREPARED TODAY TO ASK MY FELLOW NEW BURNS TO STAY ENGAGED, TO STAY ENGAGED BECAUSE LAST WEEK, WHETHER YOUR CANDIDATE WON OR WHETHER YOUR CANDIDATE DIDN'T WIN, WE HAVE TO STAY ENGAGED.
WE HAVE TO STAY ENGAGED LOCALLY ON THE STATE LEVEL AND ON THE NATIONAL LEVEL.
THERE ARE SOME GREAT PEOPLE WHO SIT ON THIS BOARD, SOME GREAT INDIVIDUALS.
BUT BEFORE I CAN ASK MY BURNINGS TO STAY ENGAGED, WE HAVE TO SEE SOME TEAMWORK.
BUT YOU HAVE TO STAY ENGAGED AS A TEAM.
THEY HAVE TO BE ABLE TO KNOW THAT THEY CAN LEAN ON YOU.
WHETHER THEY CAN'T LEAN ON THEIR OWN ALDERMAN, THEY CAN CERTAINLY FIND SOMEONE WITH SOME KIND OF LIKE CHARACTERISTIC THAT THEY ADMIRE, THAT THEY CAN COME AND LEAN ON.
THEY CAN LEAN ON FOSTER, THEY CAN LEAN ON THE ALDERMAN, THEY CAN LEAN ON CHIEF GALLAGHER.
THEY CAN LEAN ON ON BOB BRISON, ON JAMIA HARRIS.
WE HAVE TO STAY ENGAGED AS A TEAM AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND AND THAT WE KNOW THAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARD THE SAME GOAL.
A COMMON GOAL, WHICH IS THE BETTERMENT OF NEWBURGH.
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER YOU ARE A DEMOCRAT, A REPUBLICAN, WE ARE HERE WORKING TOWARD THE SAME GOAL.
WE'RE GOING TO BELIEVE IN FAITH OVER FEAR.
AND THERE ARE CERTAIN SAFEGUARDS PUT IN PLACE, CERTAIN SAFEGUARDS SUCH AS THE SENATE, THE HOUSE AND CONGRESS TO WHERE THIS COUNTRY IS GOING TO BE, OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO SURVIVE.
THIS STATE IS GOING TO BE OKAY.
BUT WE NEED TO DO THIS AS A TEAM.
I WOULD LIKE FOR MY NEW BURNS, MY FELLOW NEW BURNS, AND I LOVE MY CITY.
BUT THEY NEED TO KNOW THAT THEY CAN LEAN ON EACH ONE OF YOU BOTH INDIVIDUALLY AND COLLECTIVELY.
BUT BEFORE THEY CAN FEEL THAT THEY HAVE TO SEE SOME TEAMWORK, THEY HAVE TO SEE SOME CONTINUITY.
THEY HAVE TO SEE SOME CONSISTENCY.
I'VE SEEN IT BECAUSE I KNOW EACH ONE OF YOU INDIVIDUALLY, I KNOW THIS WAS A GREAT BOARD.
I KNOW EVERY BOARD THAT HAS COME
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SINCE THE LATE SIXTIES.AND WHETHER I HAVE BEEN A PART OF IT OR WHETHER I'VE JUST WITNESSED IT AS A CHILD, WE'VE GOT A GREAT BOARD HERE.
WE'VE GOT SOME GREAT LEADERSHIP HERE.
WE HAVE SOME GREAT INDIVIDUAL LEADERS HERE, BUT WE ALSO HAVE A GREAT TEAM HERE.
PLEASE WORK TOGETHER AS A TEAM AND LET MY NEW BURNS, MY FELLOW NEW BURNS WHO LOVE NEWBURN JUST AS MUCH AS I DO.
LET THEM INVITE THEM, LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY CAN LEAN AND DEPEND ON YOU.
THAT'S ABOUT ALL THAT I HAVE TO SAY, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND YOU OF TWO THINGS.
THE TUBE IS STILL EMPTY AND THERE'S STILL ROOM ON THE CROSS.
NEXT IS STEVE WHITE, MAYOR ODOM.
UH, MY NAME IS STEVE WHITE, TOGETHER WITH MY WIFE LUCY, WHO'S BACK HERE BACKING ME UP.
WE MOVED HERE THREE YEARS AGO AT OUR SECOND VISIT TO NEW BERN.
WE CAME THROUGH HERE AND FELL IN LOVE WITH THE TOWN.
UH, WE'RE FROM GEORGIA, BUT WE HAD, UH, CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN THAT LIVE IN RALEIGH, RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, AND NEW YORK CITY.
SO THIS IS A BETTER LOCATION FOR US.
I I HOPE ALL OF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH IT.
AT THE END OF FRONT STREET AND UH, QUEEN STREET, WE, WE LOVED THE CONCEPT.
WE WORKED WITH THE BUILDER, THE DEVELOPER.
IT USED HIS BUILDER AND CAME UP WITH A DESIGN THAT HE HAD BUILT, A HOUSE THERE THAT WE LOVE.
SUPPOSEDLY IT'S OUR GREEN ROOM.
THE PROBLEM WE HAVE IS WE PARKED ON THE STREET, VISITORS PARKED ON OUR STREET.
WE WERE NEVER TOLD THAT IT WAS ANY POSSIBILITY THAT IT WOULD EVER HAPPEN THAT WE COULDN'T DO.
SO, UH, AS IT TURNS OUT, AND WE JUST FOUND OUT THIS YEAR THAT THE PROPERTY OWNERS OWN THAT STREET AND WOULD LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO THE CITY.
THE PROBLEM WE HAVE HERE IS BY TURNING IT OVER TO THE CITY, IT GOES INTO A FIRE CODE.
AND THE STREET IS 30 FEET WIDE AND IT REALLY NEEDS ABOUT 32 FEET TO HAVE PARKING ON BOTH ON ONE SIDE.
UH, IT'S CONSIDERED A FIRE LANE.
IT USES A CODE THAT WAS MODIFIED AND, UH, DEVELOPED FROM A, UH, NATIONAL CODE FOR NORTH CAROLINA.
UH, BASICALLY YOU WANNA BE ABLE TO GET A BIG FIRE TRUCK DOWN THROUGH THAT STREET.
UH, OUR HOUSES ARE APPROACHING 50 FEET HIGH.
SO YOU NEED, UH, A, A PUMP, UH, FIRE TRUCK OR SOMETHING WITH, UH, THAT YOU GET UP HIGH AND WORK ON IT.
UH, I TALKED TO, UH, FIRE MARSHAL GASKINS AND HE EXPLAINED ALL THIS.
AND HE ALSO SAYS HE HE COULD FIGHT A FIRE.
ONE PROBLEM, THEY CAN'T BACK OUT.
THEY HAVE TO GET HELP TO BACK OUT OF THERE.
BUT IT WOULDN'T BE A REAL PROBLEM TO TO FIGHT A FIRE THERE IF WE HAD PARKING ON ONE SIDE.
BUT PARKING ON NO SIDES LEAVES US A REAL PROBLEM.
THERE'S NOT ONE SPOT FOR ANY VISITOR, ANYBODY WORKING ON THE HOUSE, UH, HELPING ANYBODY TO PARK ON THAT STREET.
WE'VE BEEN TOLD, WELL, YOU GO DOWN THE NEXT STREET ACROSS THAT INTERSECTION.
UH, FREQUENTLY, I HATE TO TELL YOU FLOODS, UH, UH, QUEEN AND, UH, FRONT STREET AND I THINK UNSAFE FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME IN THE EIGHTIES AND ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT.
UH, I'VE ALSO FOUND THAT IT IS POSSIBLE TO MODIFY IT.
SEVERAL PLACES HAVE DONE IT IN THE US UH, IT'S HARD TO FIND ALL OF 'EM.
I I COULD COME UP WITH A LOT OF INFORMATION IF YOU WANTED ME TO, BUT IF WE MODIFIED IT SO THAT ONE SIDE COULD BE PARKING, IT WOULD BE TO GREAT ADVANTAGE OF THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE.
I HAVE CANVASED EVERYONE ON THE STREET, BUT ONE PERSON.
WE HAVE NINE OWNERS THAT ARE NOT ASSOCIATED WITH THE BUILDER AND EIGHT OF 'EM WOULD LIKE THIS.
UH, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO CONSIDER THAT IF YOU'D LIKE TO WORK WITH ME,
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I WOULD, UH, UH, WORK WITH YOU, BUT WE JUST, UH, NEED IT FOR SAFETY'S SAKE.I APPRECIATE YOU LISTENING TO ME.
I APOLOGIZE FOR TAKING MY TIME GETTING UP HERE.
I WAS AT MY GRANDDAUGHTER'S BIRTHDAY PARTY TWO WEEKS AGO AND I KICKED THE FOOTBALL INTO A SIMULATION SCREEN AND BROKE TO TORE MY KNEE UP.
BUT ANYWAY, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, FOR LETTING ME BE HERE.
I MOVED TO GREENBRIAR ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO.
I SPENT MOST OF MY CAREER IN WASHINGTON DC I THOUGHT I WAS GETTING AWAY FROM POLITICS, BUT AFTER WATCHING THE VIDEO OF THE LAST MEETING AND HEARING A COUPLE OF THE PEOPLE ALREADY TALKED TONIGHT, I REALIZED THAT I MAY HAVE JUMPED RIGHT OUT OF THERON PAN INTO A FIRE.
SO LEMME TELL YOU WHAT I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT.
I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT THE NEED FOR SOMEONE TO REPRESENT WARD SIX AND NEW BERN AT LARGE.
THAT PERSON I THINK IS DARLENE BROWN.
SHE SEEMS TO BE WELL AWARE OF THE WARD SIX ISSUES THAT I'VE BECOME AWARE OF, ROSE UTILITIES, TRAFFIC.
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHEN I TALK TO HER, SHE TALKS ABOUT THE GREATER PROBLEMS OF NEWBURN.
SHE TALKS ABOUT GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY AND THE INCREASED NEED FOR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.
SHE TALKS ABOUT THE LAND USE PLAN FOR THE COMMUNITY, UH, INCREASED BUSINESS AND RETAIL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
SHE TALKS ABOUT THE HOUSING SHORTAGE.
SHE'S WELL AWARE OF ALL THESE THINGS.
NOW IF YOU LOOK AT HER RESUME AND HER APPLICATION, AND I'VE SEEN WHAT, WHAT WAS SUBMITTED TO YOU FOLKS.
SHE WAS THE DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS FOR THE NEW VERN AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOR FOUR YEARS.
THAT'S A LOT OF IN-DEPTH KNOWLEDGE OF THE BUSINESS NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY.
SHE WAS ALSO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CRAVEN COUNTY PARTNERS IN EDUCATION.
HUGE IMPACT ON KIDS, HUGE IMPACT ON TEACHERS FINANCIALLY, HUGE IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
NOW, A WRITTEN APPLICATION DOESN'T ALWAYS ADDRESS THE HUMAN CHARACTERISTICS OF A PERSON.
THINGS THAT I'VE COME TO HAVE A DIRECT KNOWLEDGE OF.
IN TALKING TO HER, SHE'S DEDICATED.
SHE HAS A DEEP INTEREST IN WARD SIX AND ITS SPECIFIC NEEDS.
I KNOW SHE LISTENS AND I KNOW SHE RESPECTS OTHERS.
SHE SEEMS TO BE A TEAM PLAYER.
SHE HAD TO BE A TEAM PLAYER TO BE THE, TO HAVE THOSE, THOSE JOBS.
AND SHE REALLY SEEMS TO HAVE A WILLINGNESS TO PUT THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY AHEAD OF POLITICS, WHICH I THINK IS SOMETHING NEEDED IN THIS COMMUNITY AT THIS POINT.
IN SUMMARY, WARD SIX AND NEWBORN AND NEWBURN NEEDS, THE BOARD NEEDS THIS BOARD TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE SELECTION.
DARLENE BROWN SEEMS TO BE AN EXCELLENT CANDIDATE.
I DON'T KNOW DANA OUTLAW, I'M NOT HERE TO PUT ANYBODY DOWN, BUT I DO KNOW DANA.
UH, I DO KNOW DARLENE, AND SHE SEEMS TO HAVE THE CHARACTERISTICS AND QUALIFICATIONS TO MEET WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I LOOK FORWARD TO YOU MAKING A GOOD DECISION.
I GUESS THIS IS THE RIGHT LEVEL.
WAYNE LITTON, UH, CI CITIZEN OF WARD A UH, SIX.
UH, I WANTED TO TALK TO ABOUT THE, UH, ABSENCE OF A ALDERMAN FOR OUR AWARD.
WE'VE HAD ELECTIONS FOR PRESIDENT CONGRESS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, STATE AND LOCAL OFFICIALS.
AND ONCE AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS TO THOSE THAT WON AND SORRY ABOUT THAT, FOR THOSE THAT LOST.
BUT ANYWAY, WILLIAM WARD SIX HAVE BEEN DEPRIVED OF OUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE TO OUR LOCAL ELECTED BOARD FOR VARIOUS REASONS.
I'M NOT GOING TO GO INTO THOSE.
THOSE HAVE BEEN COVERED ON THE PAPER IN VARIOUS, UH, MEDIA OUTLETS.
BUT I'M HERE TO SAY THAT 18 YEARS AGO I ARRIVED HERE AND I WAS WALKING THROUGH MY NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, KING'S ROAD.
MY WIFE AND I, UH, ARE REP, RUN THE, UH, IN CHARGE OF THE KINGS ROAD COMMUNITY.
WATCH HER MORE SO THAN I, SHE TAKES CARE OF EVERYTHING.
BUT ANYWAY, THERE WAS A MAN THAT CAME UP AND I WAS WALKING
[00:35:01]
AND A MAN CAME UP AND INTRODUCED HIMSELF AND HE SAID, MY NAME'S DANA OUTLAW.I SAID, WELL, OKAY, MY NAME, WHERE I'M FROM.
AND HE SAID, UH, BY THE WAY, I'M YOUR, UH, ALDERMAN.
I LOOKED AT HIM, I SAID, WHAT'S AN ALDERMAN? SO HE EXPLAINED TO ME, BEING FROM NORTHERN VIRGINIA, WE NEVER, EVER HARDLY TO TALK TO ANYBODY.
IT'S THE FIRST TIME I EVER MET THE DIRECTOR REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE CITY.
AND I HAVE WORKED WITH DANA FOR 18 YEARS OF VARIOUS, WHEN HE WAS ON THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN WHEN HE WAS IN THE MAYOR, UH, HE ENCOURAGED ME TO BE A NEW BERN CITIZEN POLICE VOLUNTEER AND TO ALSO SERVE THE GOVERNMENT, UH, OF NEW BERN.
THAT WAS VOLUNTEER PHOTOGRAPHER, WHICH I HAVE NOT BRAGGING ON MYSELF, BUT I SAY THE CITY OF NEWBURN, THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS THAT THE TAXPAYERS WOULD HAVE TO PAY BECAUSE OF MY SERVICES.
AND I WANT TO DIRECT MY COMMENTS TO THOSE WHO'VE BEEN ENGAGED IN, UH, MANEUVERS TO RESTRICT AND STOP THIS APPOINTMENT FROM DANA AS THE ALDERMAN.
THIS IS A ONE YEAR APPOINTMENT.
YOU'RE NOT APPOINTING ANYBODY TO BE A LIFETIME MEMBER OF THE SUPREME COURT.
AND I KNOW, AND I THINK IT'S DISINGENUOUS AND DISRESPECTFUL TO THE CITIZENS OF WARD SIX, WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON SINCE JULY.
WE HAVE NOT HAVE REPRESENTED TO BE ABLE TO TALK TO AND GET HELP LIKE WE HAVE IN THE PAST WITH ALDERMAN OUTLAW, ALDERMAN ODOM AND, UH, ALDERMAN BRINSON.
SO I'M GOING TO SAY THIS, AND I KNOW THAT THE STATUTES, WE, WE, THE CITIZENS OF ALL AWARD SIX CANNOT MAKE A VOTE ON THIS.
AND I WANT, I KNOW THAT THE STATUTES SAYS THAT YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO DO WHAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING, BUT BECAUSE YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO DO WHAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING DOES NOT MAKE WHAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING.
I ALSO LIVE IN WARD SIX FOR 18 YEARS AND WE'VE BEEN SERVED WELL BY THREE ALDERMAN WHOSE NAMES HAVE BEEN MENTIONED.
MY QUESTION IS, WHY IS THE GAME BEING PLAYED THAT WAS ALLUDED TO EARLIER IN THIS MEETING, PEOPLE TELLING OTHER PEOPLE TO DO SOMETHING POSTURING.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO PLEASE, ON BEHALF OF ALL OF THE RESIDENTS OF WARD SIX AND ALL OF THE REST OF THE CITY, TO NOT HAVE AGENDA NUMBER, WHATEVER IT IS ON THE AGENDA.
ROLL OVER FOR ANOTHER MEETING.
I WAS HERE TWO WEEKS AGO OR AT YOUR LAST MEETING, OUR LAST MEETING AND HEARD PEOPLE SPEAK.
THIS ISN'T A POPULARITY CONTEST, AT LEAST I DON'T PERCEIVE IT AS SUCH.
A POPULARITY CONTEST WILL BE NEXT OCTOBER WHEN WE HAVE AN ELECTION.
AND ANYONE WHO WANTS TO SERVE AS THE ALDERMAN FOR WARD SIX CAN THROW THEIR HAT IN THE RING.
CAN CAMPAIGN, CAN TELL THE VOTERS WHY THEY ARE THE BEST CHOICE AND THEN LIVE WITH THE RESULTS.
I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS IS BECOMING AN ISSUE OF DIVISION.
I'VE WATCHED MY GREAT COUNTRY BE DIVIDED BY POLITICIANS WHO INTENTIONALLY TRY TO HAVE ONE FACTION AND ANOTHER FACTION TO BREAK US UP.
DANA OUTLAW, WHOM I SUPPORT, HAS GREATER KNOWLEDGE OF THE CITY AND THE PROCEDURES THAN I BELIEVE ANYONE PRESENTLY SITTING BEFORE ME.
I URGE YOU TO APPOINT HIM AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HIS KNOWLEDGE FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
[00:40:02]
IT'S ALSO MY UNDERSTANDING BEING ADY IN THE WOOL PARTISAN POLITICIAN, THAT THIS IS A NONPARTISAN BOARD.I SUGGEST TO YOU THAT YOU HAVE NO OTHER CANDIDATE UNDER CONSIDERATION WHO HAS BOTH BEEN A DEMOCRAT AND A REPUBLICAN.
THAT WAS TIME FOR SOMEONE TO CHUCKLE OR LAUGH.
BUT NONETHELESS, WE HAVE ONE CANDIDATE, I THINK BEST TO SERVE THE CITY WITH THE CITY'S KNOWLEDGE AND I URGE YOU TO MOVE FORWARD.
LIKE SO MANY OF THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE HERE TONIGHT FROM WARD SIX AND VARIOUS WARDS, I TOO CAME TO THIS MEETING TONIGHT WITH EXPECTATION THAT THIS BOARD WOULD MOVE FORWARD AND CONDUCT THE BUSINESS OF THE CITY.
AND THAT WE WOULD SOMEHOW REACH A CONSENSUS TO APPOINT AN ALDERMAN FOR WARD SIX.
HOWEVER, I HEAR CERTAIN TERMS BEING USED THAT WE ARE PLAYING GAMES, CERTAIN BEHAVIORS ARE DEPLORABLE.
AND SO HERE WE ARE REGURGITATING THE SAME OLD DIALOGUE, THE SAME OLD DIALOGUE REGARDING THE CONTENT, CONTENT OF CONVERSATIONS THAT WAS EXPRESSED IN CERTAIN EMAILS.
IT IS VERY OBVIOUS THE EMAILS WERE NOT PUBLICIZED OUT OF CONCERN FOR OUR CITIZENS, BUT RATHER FOR MALICIOUS INTENT.
MALICIOUS INTENT REFERS TO A DELIBERATE AND INTENTIONAL DESIRE TO CAUSE HARM AND DAMAGE TO SOMEONE.
AND THAT SOMEONE INCLUDES ME ON OCTOBER THE EIGHTH.
THE MISINFORMATION THAT WAS GIVEN OUT BY OUR MAYOR LED TO THE, LED THE PUBLIC TO BELIEVE THAT MY ABSENCE WAS A POLITICAL PLOY.
DURING THE BOARD MEETING ON OCTOBER 22ND, I STATED MY REASON FOR BEING ABSENT.
I BELIEVE THAT WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS A LOT OF DEFLECTING.
ATTACK OR BLAME IS NOT THE ANSWER.
AND IT IS NOT HOW WE MOVE FORWARD.
THAT'S NOT HOW WE MOVE FORWARD.
PUTTING BLAME ON OTHER PEOPLE AND FALSELY ACCUSING ME IS DEMEANING TO MY CHARACTER.
NOW, I WANT YOU TO READ MY LIPS AND I WANT YOU TO LISTEN CAREFULLY.
I WAS ABSENT ON OCTOBER THE EIGHTH BECAUSE MY SON WAS GETTING MARRIED.
I CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHY YOU WILL NOT ACCEPT THAT, THAT YOU KEEP SAYING WE ARE PLAYING GAMES.
I CAN'T SPEAK FOR ANYONE BUT MYSELF.
SOME PEOPLE LABELED IT AS COLLUSION.
I LABEL IT AS COLLABORATION BECAUSE IF IT'S COLLUSION, WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT FOR TWO YEARS SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD, THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A MEETING THAT THIS BOARD HAS NOT IN SOME FORM OR FASHION TAUGHT TOGETHER ABOUT ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
IF I'M WRONG, NO ONE WHO HAD EXPERTISE OR EXPERIENCE STOPPED ME FROM DOING IT BECAUSE I DID IT.
I TALKED WITH ALDO AND BRISSON, HE'S HERE TONIGHT.
WE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
IN FACT, WHEN WE FIRST CAME ON BOARD, ALDERMAN BRINSON, ALDERMAN PRI AND MYSELF WANTED TO MEET MORE OFTEN TO DISCUSS ITEMS. SINCE WE WERE THE NEWBIES, THOUGH, ALDER RIEL HAS A LIFETIME OF EXPERIENCE, BUT WE DID NOT GET COOPERATION FROM OTHER BOARD MEMBERS WHO ALREADY HAD THE EXPERIENCE.
SO WE MADE A PACT TOGETHER THAT THE THREE OF US, THE NEWBIES WOULD TALK WITH EACH OTHER, GLEAN FROM EACH OTHER, SHARE WITH EACH OTHER.
AND WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT FOR TWO YEARS.
AND NOW WE GET TO THIS IMPASSE AND SUDDENLY
[00:45:01]
IT'S CALLED COLLUSION.IF IT'S WRONG NOW, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN WRONG TWO YEARS AGO BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING.
AND NO ONE HAS CORRECTED, NO ONE TOLD ME I WAS PLAYING A GAME.
NO ONE TOLD ME IT WAS DEPLORABLE.
NO ONE USED ANY OF THOSE WORDS.
AND I HAVE BEEN DOING IT FOR TWO YEARS.
IT NOW IS BEING CALLED DIFFERENT WORDS.
AND SO AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO BETTER TELL YOU, MY SON GOT MARRIED.
NOW MAYBE, MAYBE I'M A DIFFERENT KIND OF PARENT.
SO LET ME POLL YOU NOW, IF YOU WOULD CHOOSE TO ATTEND A BOARD OF ALDERMAN MEETING OVER GOING TO YOUR CHILD'S WEDDING, WOULD YOU PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND? AND I HOPE THAT TV CAMERAS ARE GETTING BACK.
AND MAYOR ODOM, YOU HAVE A SON.
AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT YOU WOULD CHOOSE TO ATTEND A BOARD MEETING AND NOT GO TO YOUR BABY'S WEDDING.
AND SO THE WEDDING WAS SCHEDULED ON THE SAME DAY THAT A SPECIAL MEETING WAS CALLED I WAS THE PREACHER.
THAT'S A SIMPLE PROCESS OF DEDUCTION.
AND SO I DID WHAT I DID AS A PARENT.
AND I BELIEVE NO ONE IN HERE RAISED YOUR HAND AND SAID YOU WOULD'VE DONE SOMETHING DIFFERENTLY.
AND SO IT IS NOT PLAYING A GAME.
THEN HERE WE GO AGAIN, AND I'M GONNA TAKE MY TIME SAYING THIS.
AND THE CITIZENS WERE TOLD BY MAYOR ODOM, I'VE ALREADY BROUGHT THIS UP IN A PREVIOUS MEETING, THAT OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS ALDERMAN IS TO SERVE OUR NEIGHBORS.
AND THAT HE WAS DISAPPOINTED THAT THREE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD LET DOWN THE NEIGHBORS.
I WOULD CHOOSE MY SON'S WEDDING OVER ANYTHING ELSE.
AND YOU JUST TOLD ME YOU WOULD DO THE SAME THING.
THEN IN OUR LAST MEETING, MAYOR ODOM SAID THAT HE SPOKE THOSE THINGS BECAUSE HE WAS FRUSTRATED.
ON NOVEMBER THE EIGHTH, I GET AN EMAIL FROM WITN CHANNEL SEVEN, THE NEWS REPORTER SAYING THAT HE WAS CONTACTED BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT SOME MORE EMAILS THEY WANT TO SHOW.
AND I'M DOING MY BEST TO MOVE FORWARD.
MY SON IS MARRIED, THANK YOU JESUS.
BUT HOW, WHEN WE KEEP COMING UP WITH THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT THE EMAILS RIGHT? AND IT JUST KEEPS GOING ON AND ON AND OUR CITIZENS ARE SAYING, PUT SOMEBODY IN THAT SEAT.
BUT EVERY TIME WE TAKE A STEP BACKWARDS, THERE'S 10 STEPS A STEP FORWARD.
NOW, IF IT'S COLLUSION, I'M GONNA SAY THIS, ON AUGUST 27TH, OUR BOARD OF ALDERMEN HELD A MEETING AND WE TOOK A RECESS AT 8:01 PM AND DURING THAT RECESS, I WAS APPROACHED BY ALDERMAN ASTOR TWO TIMES AND HE ASKED ME TO VOTE FOR OUTLAW.
AND HE ASKED ME WAS NOT OUTLAW MY CLASSMATE? AND I SAID, YES SIR, HE IS.
[00:50:01]
HIM A FRIEND.ALDERMAN ASTOR SAID TO ME, IF YOU VOTE FOR HIM GOING FORWARD, I WILL SUPPORT YOUR AGENDA.
AND I HATE TO, I WAS GONNA SAY THIS TO YOU ANYWAY, LET ME FINISH.
I HAVE, I'M ACTUALLY GONNA COMPLIMENT YOU MY TIME.
ALRO ALTMAN ROYAL HAS THE FLOOR.
YOU HAVE NEVER KNOWN ME TO TELL SOMETHING WRONG AND I'M JUST TOO OLD TO START NOW.
AND IN TECHNICALITY, THAT'S CALLED A BRIBE.
A BRIBE IS TO INFLUENCE THE JUDGMENT OR CONDUCT OF SOMEONE BY OFFERING FAVORS.
DID I CALL CHANNEL 12 AND SAY, HEY LOOK, I WAS JUST OFFERED THIS.
NO, BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS THE WHOLE TIME WE TALKED TO EACH OTHER.
I DIDN'T FIND ANY FAULT WITH IT.
BUT OTHER FOLKS FEEL EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS CALLED THE TV STATIONS.
ALDERMAN ASTER BUILT THREE WONDERFUL HOMES ON WALT BELLAMY DRIVE.
THE INITIAL PLAN WAS FOR VETERANS.
IT WAS NEVER CONSIDERED COLLUSION.
THERE WAS, WAS NEVER CONSIDERED DEPLORABLE.
AND WE'VE DONE IT FOR TWO YEARS AND THERE'S NEVER BEEN AN ISSUE UNTIL IT CAME TO VOTING OR POINTING SOMEONE TOWARDS SIX, THEN ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE.
SO NOBODY TOLD ME IT WAS DEPLORABLE TWO YEARS AGO, NO ONE TOLD ME I WAS PLAYING A GAME.
I OFFERED MY SUPPORT TO ALDERMAN ASTOR.
I TOLD HIM THAT I WOULD HELP HIM FURNISH ONE OF THOSE HOMES.
AND SO EVEN DURING THE BREAK ON AUGUST 27TH, I WAS APPROACHED BY MAYOR ODOM.
AND MAYOR ODOM JUST SIMPLY MADE A STATEMENT.
AND HE SAID, HOW CAN YOU VOTE FOR TREVOR DARNELL WHEN HIS DAD IS THE BIGGEST TRUMPSTER IN NEW BERN? THAT THAT IS ABSOLUTELY A LIE.
IT ABSOLUTELY IS NOT YOU, YOU, YOU HAVE LIED NOW.
WHO ELSE WAS STANDING THERE? WHO ELSE WAS STANDING THERE WHEN WE HAD THAT CONVERSATION? I HAVE NO CORROBORATION WITH THIS.
AND I WENT TO TREVOR DARNELL AND I SAID, SIR, IT HAS BEEN TOLD ME THAT YOUR FATHER IS THE BIGGEST TRUMPSTER IN NEW BERN.
HE'S, HE SAYS, BUT THAT'S NOT ME.
LET'S GET THAT BIBLE UP HERE AND LET'S TAKE OATH.
NO, SIR, I HAVE NOT YELLED AT THE FLOOR.
I AM RESPONDING TO OUR CITIZENS.
AND I HOPE WE DO NOT CONTINUE TO WASTE OUR CITIZENS' TIME ADDRESSING WHY I WAS ABSENT ON OCTOBER THE EIGHTH, AND ON OCTOBER THE 11TH.
NORMALLY PROTOCOL, JUST LIKE WE HAD A SPECIAL MEETING TONIGHT, A BOND REFERENDUM MEETING.
NORMALLY WE ARE POLLED TO SEE IF WE ARE AVAILABLE TO ATTEND MEETINGS NORMALLY, BUT WE WEREN'T POLLED ON OCTOBER THE 11TH.
AND I DID NOTIFY THE CITY CLERK.
BUT AGAIN, AS GOD IS MY WITNESS, I AM TELLING THE TRUTH AND THESE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE BEING SAID, THAT WE ARE PLAYING GAMES, THAT OUR BEHAVIOR IS DEPLORABLE.
[00:55:01]
ONLY SURFACED BECAUSE OF THAT SEAT BEING VACANT.AND SO CITIZENS OF WARD SIX, I JOIN IN WITH YOU.
I WOULD HOPE THAT TONIGHT WE CAN PUT THIS TO REST.
I WOULD HOPE THAT OUR TEAM, AS MR. MORGAN STATED, WOULD COME TO A CONCLUSION AND THAT WE WOULD COME TOGETHER AND THAT WE WILL FILL THE NEEDS OF THE WARD SIX VACANCY.
MAYOR, MAY I SAY SOMETHING, HARMOND ROYAL, I DON'T BLAME YOU FOR MISSING THE MEETING TO GO TO YOUR SON'S WEDDING.
I WOULD BE THERE IF MY SON WAS GETTING MARRIED.
I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH YOU MISSING A MEETING TO GO TO YOUR SON'S WEDDING.
IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO WITHOUT A DOUBT.
WHAT I HAVE A PROBLEM IS, IS WHEN ONE ALDERMAN SENDS AN EMAIL TO ANOTHER ALDERMAN AND SAYS, HEY, DON'T GO TO THE MEETING TONIGHT.
SO THEY WON'T HAVE A QUORUM AND THEY CAN'T TAKE A VOTE.
THAT'S THE THING I'VE GOT A PROBLEM WITH.
I DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH YOU WHATSOEVER MISSING THE MEETING.
WELL, AND YOU, YOU CAN'T SAY THAT I DO.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? WELL THEN, WELL THEN WHY ARE ALL THESE LIES BEING TOLD? BECAUSE IT SAYS HERE, TV SEVEN CONTACTED ME AND ASKED ME TO MAKE A STATEMENT REGARDING THE EMAILS.
I IF, IF WE COULD PUT IT UP ON THE SCREEN, I'D PUT IT UP THERE.
EMAIL FROM WHO? A EMAIL FROM MR. GLOVER WITH T 12 WHO SAID, AND I'M QUOTING HIM, ARE YOU HERE, SIR? TV 12? NO, MR. I'M QUOT HIM.
AND I'M QUOTING HIM FROM THE EMAIL THAT HE SENT.
HE SAID HE WAS CONTACTED BY MAYOR ODOM.
YOU DON'T HAVE ANY EMAILS FROM ME SAYING ANYTHING ABOUT, SIR, YOU DID WRONG.
BUT I'M JUST SAYING, YOU SAID YOU DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ME GOING TO THE WEDDING.
BUT THERE'S SOMEBODY WHO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ME BEING.
I SAID I DIDN'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT.
I DIDN'T SAY THE BOARD DIDN'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT.
I SAID I DIDN'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT.
WELL, THAT'S WHY WE KEEP ADDRESSING THIS REPEATEDLY BECAUSE ALL THESE LINES ARE BEING TOLD ABOUT ME.
AND AGAIN, THE EMAIL SUGGESTS THAT I DID NOT SHOW UP AND THAT THE EMAIL SUGGESTS THIS IS FROM TV SEVEN.
ALL OF THESE THINGS TOOK PLACE AND SO FORTH.
AND ALL OF THESE ARE BASED ON LIES WHEN IT COMES TO HAZEL ROYAL.
I'M NOT SPEAKING FOR ANYONE ELSE.
I WILL REPRESENT THE CITIZENS OF NEW BERN.
I WAS ELECTED TO REPRESENT THE CITIZENS OF NEW BERN.
I WANT EQUITY, I WANT FAIRNESS, I WANT JUSTICE.
BUT THIS THING OF GOING OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN IS SEXLESS.
AND I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY WE HAVE TO KEEP ADDRESSING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER.
I REMEMBER WHERE I LOOK FORWARD TO MOVING ON, BUT I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS FOR YOU, IF YOU DON'T MIND ME ASKING.
WHAT DAY DID YOUR SON GET MARRIED? OCTOBER 11TH.
WE HAD A MEETING ON OCTOBER THE EIGHTH.
THERE WAS AN EMAIL PRIOR TO THAT THAT ALDERMAN PRI SHARED WITH ALDERMAN BEST THAT SAID HE HAD BEEN NOTIFIED BY YOU THAT YOU WOULD NOT BE AT THE ALDERMAN AT THE OCTOBER 8TH ALDERMAN MEETING.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
I, I DIDN'T SEE HIM AND TELL HIM.
CAN YOU JUST SHARE WITH THE PUBLIC WHEN YOU CALLED TO TELL THE CLERK THAT YOU WOULD NOT BE AT THE OCTOBER 8TH MEETING? I CALLED THE NIGHT OF THE MEETING 18 MINUTES BEFORE THE MEETING.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT TIME IT WAS.
BUT MY DILEMMA WAS THIS, IF YOU WOULD LET ME ADDRESS THAT.
I WAS NOT SURE WHETHER I WOULD BE ABLE TO COME OR WHETHER I COULD NOT COME.
MY HUSBAND, MY SON'S WIFE LIVES IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
WE HAD BRIDAL SHOWERS, WE HAD, UH, CONSULTATION.
AND I WAS NOT SURE WHETHER I WOULD BE HERE OR NOT.
I UNDERSTOOD I COULD NOT BE HERE.
AND I CALLED AS I ALWAYS DO FOR EVERY MEETING.
NOW, WHETHER IT WAS, AS I SAID IN THE LAST MEETING, IF IT WAS THE 11TH HOUR, THE 12TH HOUR, THE 11TH HOUR AND 59TH MINUTE, IT DID NOT MATTER TO ME.
MY INTEGRITY IS CALLING THE CITY CLERK, ALERTING HER THAT I WILL NOT SHOW UP WHEN I WAS SICK IN SEPTEMBER.
DON'T KNOW IF I HAD COVID OR THE FLU.
[01:00:01]
AT THE LAST MINUTE.AGAIN, I KNOW YOU WOULDN'T WANT ME SITTING UP HERE WITH YOU WITH A VIRUS, BUT SOMETIMES I'M SAYING, CAN I MAKE IT, CAN I NOT MAKE IT? SO THAT IS THE ANSWER I'M OFFERING YOU.
IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT WAS, I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO COUNT LIKE THAT.
IF IT WAS ONE SECOND BEFORE SIX O'CLOCK, AS LONG AS I CALL, THAT'S ALL THAT MATTERS TO ME.
MY MY POINT IS, IS THAT YOU TOLD ALDERMAN PRILL MANY, MANY DAYS IN ADVANCE THAT YOU WERE NOT GONNA BE THERE YET.
YOU WAITED TILL LAST MINUTE TO CALL.
THAT'S MY, AND I TOLD ALDERMAN PRI THAT I WAS NOT EVEN AWARE.
UH, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON BACK ON THE AGENDA AND NEXT STEP FOR, EXCUSE ME, SIR.
UM, MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO, I'LL RUN BEST MAKE COMMENT.
UM, I HAVE TO STAND BEHIND ALDERMAN.
UM, ROYAL, WHEN SHE MENTIONED ABOUT HOW MANY TIMES HAVE THIS BOARD COME TOGETHER AND DISCUSS AGENDA ITEMS AND ASK OTHER BOARD MEMBERS FOR THEIR SUPPORT FOR THEIR VOTE.
NOT THE PRIOR BOARD I SERVED ON, WHICH I'VE BEEN SERVING NOW FOR SEVEN YEARS.
BOARD MEMBERS GET TOGETHER IN THREES AND DISCUSS CITY BUSINESS.
AND THEY ASK FOR EACH OTHER'S SUPPORT, AND THEY ASK FOR EACH OTHER'S VOTE.
NOW, IF THE FOUR MEMBER, THE THREE MEMBERS THAT SITTING HERE THAT I SERVED WITH BEFORE, SAY THAT'S AN UNTRUTH, THEN THEY ARE TELLING A LIE BECAUSE WE DO IT ALL THE TIME.
OKAY? SO WHEN YOU, WE GOT CITIZENS OUT HERE, YOU, YOU'RE TAKING INFORMATION, YOU'RE LISTENING AT OTHER ALDERMEN AND YOU'RE TAKING THAT INFORMATION AND YOU'RE SAYING THAT WE HAVE BEEN COLLUDING.
NO, WE HAVEN'T BEEN COLLUDING.
WE HAVE BEEN GETTING TOGETHER TALKING CITY BUSINESS AND TRYING TO COME UP WITH THE BEST OPTION FOR OUR CITIZENS MOVING FORTH ON CITY BUSINESS.
NOW, FOR, FOR CITIZENS THAT COME OUT AND SAY THAT FORMER, UH, A FORMER ALDER WOMAN COMES OUT AND MAKES A STATEMENT THAT WE HAD SOME BACKDOOR CONVERSATIONS, SHE'S SURE OF THAT.
HOW MANY TIMES HAVE SHE COME TO ME AND ASKED FOR MY SUPPORT? AND WE HAD BACKDOOR MEETINGS.
SO IF YOU GONNA PUT THE, THE TRUTH OUT THAT PUT ALL THE TRUTH OUT THERE, JUST DON'T LIE ABOUT SOME THINGS TO MAKE US THREE ALDERMAN LOOK BAD MOVING FORWARD.
I SIT HERE AND I ASKED, LET ME, LET ME BACK UP.
WITN CONTACTED ME AS WELL THROUGH EMAIL.
NOW, ANY BOARD MEMBER KNOWS THAT IF YOU GO OUT HERE AND YOU DO A EMAIL ON CITY RESOURCES, THAT IT BECOMES A PUBLIC RECORD.
AND ANY CITIZEN CAN REQUEST THAT PUBLIC RECORD.
SO WE WERE NOT TRYING TO HIDE ANYTHING WITH THOSE EMAILS.
IF WE WERE TRYING TO HIDE SOMETHING WITH THOSE EMAILS, WE WOULD'VE PICKED UP THIS, THIS CELL PHONE AND TALK.
SO WE WERE DOING THE BUSINESS OF THE CITY.
WE WEREN'T FORMING A CONSPIRACY, DO WE? DO YOU KNOW THE DEFINITION OF CONSPIRACY? THAT IS A VERY HARSH, DEMEANING WORD CONSPIRACY.
UH, IF THAT'S THE CASE, THERE'S BEEN OTHER BOARD MEMBERS FORMING A CONSPIRACY.
I'M JUST, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M AT A POINT TO WHERE, YOU KNOW, I, I ASKED FOR AN APOLOGY FROM THE MAYOR.
HE DID NOT GIVE IT TO ME ON THE, AT THE OCTOBER 22ND BOARD MEETING, NOR DID HE GIVE IT TO THE OTHER TWO ALDERMAN THAT HE WAS.
BUT YET HE CAN GO TO WITN AND MAKE ANOTHER STATEMENT SAYING THAT WE ABOARD SHOULD APOLOGIZE TO CITY STAFF AND SHOULD APOLOGIZE TO THE CITIZENS AWARD.
AND HE HASN'T EVEN APOLOGIZED TO US FOR HIS UNFOUNDED STATEMENTS HE MADE ABOUT US FROM THIS POINT RIGHT HERE MOVING FORWARD, PLEASE, NO MEDIA, NO TV, NO SOURCE OF MEDIA CONTACT ME 'CAUSE I WILL NOT BE COMMENTING ON THIS ISSUE.
AGAIN, IT IS TIME FOR US TO PUT THIS BEHIND US.
WE GOT A LOT OF BIDS, CITY BUSINESS HERE THAT'S GONNA AFFECT OUR CITIZENS AND IT'S GONNA AFFECT OUR CITIZENS POCKETBOOKS.
AND WE NEED TO BE FOCUSED ON THAT.
[01:05:02]
I'M DONE WITH IT.I'M NOT SAYING MAKING ANY MORE COMMENTS.
UM, I'M NOT GONNA DISCUSS IT AGAIN.
AND I HOPE THAT THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS CAN SEE THAT WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD ON THIS AND CONDUCT THE BUSINESS OF THIS CITY.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT IT.
OKAY, NEXT UP IS MS. SEAL WASSERMAN PETITION OF CITIZENS.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF NEW BERN FOR 25 YEARS.
MY HUSBAND AND I RETIRED HERE, COULD HAVE PICKED ANY NUMBER OF TOWNS, CITY, STATES, BUT WE FELL IN LOVE WITH NEW BERN.
I HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT OF WARD SIX FOR THOSE 25 YEARS.
AND OVER THE 25 YEARS, I'VE HAD EXCELLENT REPRESENTATION FROM JASON JONES TO DANA AWA, TO MAYOR ODOM, TO BOB BRISSON.
BUT FOR THE LAST FOUR MONTHS, WE'VE HAD NO ONE.
YOU HAVE A CANDIDATE WHO IS EXPERIENCED WHO CAN START TOMORROW MORNING AT EIGHT O'CLOCK, AND BY NOON TIME, HE WILL BE UP TO SPEED.
IF HIS OPPONENT WANTS THE JOB.
THE POSITION WILL BE OPEN, COME NEXT FALL WHEN WE HAVE ELECTIONS, GIVING PLENTY OF TIME TO FORM A COMMITTEE, GET THEMSELVES EDUCATED TO THE JOB AND STARTED.
DANA OUTLAW IS YOUR CANDIDATE.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND BOARD.
EVENING, I, I WROTE THIS BEFORE I CAME AND I'M JUST GONNA BELIEVE IT.
I WANT TO THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR BEING ON AN ELECTED SEAT.
I KNOW IT MUST BE SOMETHING THAT IS EXTREMELY TAXING, BUT ALSO A REWARDING HONOR.
THE REASON I'VE CHOSEN TO SPEAK TONIGHT IS BECAUSE I LOVE OUR TOWN.
I'VE ASKED SEVERAL QUESTIONS IN REGARDS TO HOW THE HANDLING OF THE SEAT SIX, UH, APPOINTMENT HAS BEEN HANDLED.
FROM WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD, AND I'LL QUOTE THIS PROCESS LIES WITH THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN, NOT WITH WARD SIX RESIDENTS, WARD SIX RESIDENTS WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE OR WHO THEY WOULD LIKE TO REPRESENT THEM IN WARD SIX NEXT YEAR BASED ON WHO DECIDES TO RUN FOR THIS, THIS POSITION.
AND THAT TERM OF OFFICE WILL RUN FOR FOUR YEARS FROM JANUARY 1ST, 2026 THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST, 2029.
ALTHOUGH I UNDERSTAND THAT OUR CHARTER OF OUR GREAT CITY DOES PUT AN EMPTY SEAT BACK ON THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN.
I ALSO LOVE A QUOTE THAT SOMEBODY SAYS, VERY OFTEN, EVERY VOICE MATTERS.
AND I FEEL LIKE WARD SIX VOICE SHOULD MATTER AS WELL.
UM, GOING A LITTLE OFF SCRIPT, UH, SCRIPT HERE, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.
BUT I WANTED TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT I AM NOT A WARD SIX RESIDENT.
I'M A WARD ONE RESIDENT, AND I SPENT ALL DAY SUNDAY PASSING OUT A VERY GENERIC INFORMATION.
EVERYBODY'S EMAIL, EVERYBODY'S PHONE NUMBER TO WARD SIX AND ASK THEM TO HAVE THEIR VOICE HEARD.
I LET EVERY ONE OF THE NOMINEES LISTED ON THERE BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE AN OPINION ON WHO SHOULD SIT IN THAT SEAT BECAUSE I AM A
[01:10:01]
RESIDENT OF WARD ONE.AND WE CAN GO BACK AND FORTH AND I APOLOGIZE.
I TOO WOULD BE AT MY SON'S WEDDING.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE MAKE DEALS AND TALK BEHIND THE SCENES 'CAUSE THAT'S NECESSARY TO MAKE THINGS GO FORWARD.
UNFORTUNATELY, SOMETIMES THE THING THAT UPSET ME THE MOST ABOUT IT WAS THAT THE MEETING DIDN'T HOLD.
AND THERE WERE OTHER THINGS BESIDES WARD SIX ALDERMAN SEAT BEING FILLED THAT WAS ON THE AGENDA THAT DID NOT GET TAKEN CARE OF WARRANTING THE EMERGENCY MEETING, WHICH ALSO DIDN'T HAPPEN.
SO I'M JUST HERE TO RESPECTFULLY ASK TO STOP CAT FIGHTING.
STOP MAKING IT ABOUT YOU, MAKE IT ABOUT WARD SIX AND OUR WONDERFUL TOWN.
GOOD LUCK TO EVERYBODY TONIGHT.
HONOR MAYOR ALDERMAN, AND HONOR CITY OF ISSUES AFTER MY SISTERS AND BROTHERS IN CHRIST.
RIGHT NOW I'M LIVING TEMPORARILY MY GRANDSON AND GRANDDAUGHTER ON HA AVENUE FOR PRAYING.
I CAME TO MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT.
SHE WILL TELL, I WILL LET Y'ALL KNOW THAT.
ONE OF MY DEAR FRIENDS OVER 80 YEARS, MARY SMITH HAS, IS BILL BEE, 100 YEARS OLD.
A STARCH CITIZEN OF CAVER COUNTY AND NEW BERN.
SHE AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER AT LEAST 80 YEARS BECAUSE WHEN I WAS 10, WE CARRIED FLAGS TOO.
WE, WE CALLED THAT SOLDIER CEMETERY, BUT WE FOUND OUT IT WAS A NATIONAL CEMETERY.
AND THEN WE ALSO WENT DOWN THERE TO GREENWOOD CEMETERY FOR THE VETERANS.
WE WENT IN PERSON, WE GOT WE AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
AFTER FIVE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, WE PUT FLAGS ON EVERY GRAVE.
WE WENT AND PUT OUR WHITE DRESSES ON.
THE BOYS HAD BLUE PANTS OR BLACK PANTS.
THE GIRLS HAD WHITE DRESSES AND BLUE RIVERS AROUND THEM.
WE HAD, WE HAD DOWN, DOWN THE STREET, WE HAD FOOD AND EVERYTHING WAS ON SALE.
AND THEN TO THE, TO THE CEMETERY, WE HAD THE, UM, WE, WE, WE HAD SPEECHES AND THINGS.
'CAUSE THAT, DURING THAT TIME WHEN I WAS 10, I WAS WITH NORTH CAROLINA.
I FORGOT WHO MARY WAS, BUT ALL OF US, WE HAD SPEECHES AND EVERYTHING.
AND, AND RIGHT NOW WE STILL GO TO THE RESTROOMS AND, AND WE GO TO SEE THE SICK PEOPLE AND WE CAN GET A RIDE.
AND, AND SHE IS A, SHE'S
AND SHE, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, SHE ALWAYS THE OFFICE OF DEON.
AND, AND SHE, SHE'S THE ONE THAT HAD TO SAY, SO WHEN YOU TALKING ABOUT THE LORD, NOT AS MUCH Y'ALL TO KNOW.
IF SHE LIVE DECEMBER 6TH, SHE WILL BE 100 YEARS OLD.
AND I WANT THE SISTER BURN BECAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S SPECIAL.
SOMEBODY THAT OLD STILL DOING THINGS AND STILL DOING GOD'S WORK.
AND I WANT Y'ALL TO THINK ABOUT THIS, THIS YOUNG LADY, BECAUSE ONE OF IT IS A LONG TIME BECAUSE I'M NINE ONE AND THAT'S A LONG TIME TO ME.
BUT HER, BUT SHE EVEN OLDER THAN I AM.
AND I WANT TO THINK ABOUT HER.
SHE LIVED 10 0 2 NATIONAL AVENUE AND DON'T JOHN, FORGET MARY.
AND HER TELEPHONE NUMBER IS TWO EIGHT EIGHT FOUR THREE ONE SIX.
I WANT Y'ALL TO REMEMBER HER BECAUSE SHE A OLD SOLDIER BEHIND HER.
BUT, BUT SOMETHING EVERY NOW AND THEN, PRETTY MUCH SHE CHOOSE TO COME DOWN HERE.
[01:15:01]
SHE TOOK COME ALL THE TIME JUST LIKE I DID BECAUSE I BEEN UP AND ON FOR 70 YEARS.THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
MONTEREY CIRCLE DUBBO, NORTH CAROLINA.
I LIVE WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS.
UM, I HAD EVERYTHING TYPED OUT, BUT, UM, WHO'S JUST GONNA GO AHEAD AND WING IT WITH THESE FOUR MINUTES FOR PEOPLE WATCHING AND LISTENING.
THE CITY OF NEWBURN DOES NOT HAVE A CHARTER THAT ALLOWS YOU TO HAVE A SPECIAL ELECTION.
IF WE HAD THE ELECTION IN 2025, EACH INDIVIDUAL PERSON HAS THE ABILITY TO VOTE FOR WHO THEY WANT REPRESENTING IN THE WARD THAT THEY REPRESENT AND LIVE IN.
SO THAT MEANS IF WE ARE ON THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN AND WE HAVE SIX VOTES, AND THE PEOPLE FROM WARD SIX ARE ASKING YOU TO PUT IN THE CANDIDATE, THAT IS THE MAJORITY THAT IS COMING HERE AND SPEAKING OUT, YOU DO HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO RESPECT THE VOICES OF WARD SIX.
BECAUSE IF IT WAS A SPECIAL ELECTION, ONLY THOSE INDIVIDUALS IN WARD SIX WOULD COME OUT AND ELECT WHO THEY WANT IN THAT SEAT.
SO THE BACK AND FORTH, REGARDLESS, I MEAN THE CITIZENS ARE COMING OUT AND TELLING YOU.
AND BASED ON TONIGHT IN A FEW MEETINGS, DANA SEEMS TO BE THE LEAD IN, IN THE, IN THAT SEAT.
SECOND OF ALL, WE TALK ABOUT INTEGRITY AND TRANSPARENCY.
THERE IS A DIFFERENCE FROM WHEN WE HAVE THINGS ON THIS AGENDA ITEM WHERE WE'RE COMING AND LOOKING FOR VOTES, THEN SAYING, DON'T COME TO A MEETING BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT A VOTE TO PLAY OUT.
ME AND YOU, NOR ANYBODY ON THIS BOARD, EVER HAD A CONVERSATION LIKE THAT BECAUSE WE MOVED IN INTEGRITY ON THE PREVIOUS BOARD.
'CAUSE IF WE GOING TO SPEAK ON ME, SPEAK ON ME FACTS.
LASTLY, IF WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT, AGAIN, INTEGRITY AND TRANSPARENCY, I, I ENCOURAGE OUR COMMUNITY TO PLEASE DO YOUR DUE DILIGENCE AND RESEARCH.
A FOIA REQUEST IS A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW, ASK, BECAUSE YOU CAN COME HERE AND I DON'T WANT ANY MORE WORK ON BRENDA, BUT YOU COME HERE AND YOU ASK FOR A FOIA REQUEST FOR ANYTHING YOU HAVE A QUESTION ON.
GO BACK TO SEPTEMBER 13TH, 2022, WHEN THERE ARE BOARD MEMBERS THAT VOTED AGAINST AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMING INTO OUR COMMUNITY WHERE WE STILL HAVE PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM FLORENCE.
BUT WE TALK ABOUT INTEGRITY, WE TALK ABOUT TRANSPARENCY.
LET'S TALK ABOUT WHEN WE HAD FLORENCE AND WE GOT THE ARPA MONEY.
WE HAVE ARPA MONEY THAT'S BEEN SITTING HERE.
HOW LONG I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD AGAIN, TWO AND A HALF YEARS.
THAT WAS DEDICATED TO PRIM BROOK THAT I FOUGHT FOR THAT'S BEEN SITTING THERE.
AND THERE'S NO ALLOCATION TO THAT WORK IF IT'S NOT GONNA BE DEALT WITH AND THAT MONEY IS NOT GONNA BE MOVED, PUT IT WITH THE RITA GOVERNMENT BECAUSE WE ARE DOING THE BUSINESS OF THE CITY AND FOR THE COMMUNITY.
LET'S NOT TALK ABOUT INTEGRITY AND TRANSPARENCY WHEN WE HAVE BOARD MEMBERS, BOARD MEMBERS VOTING AGAINST THE WELLNESS CENTER, THAT WILL HELP THE BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITY.
SO I GET FRUSTRATED WHEN I HAVE TO KEEP COMING DOWN HERE TO THESE MEETINGS BECAUSE WE LACK YOUNG VOICES IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT HAVE THE FACTS.
I KNOW I DON'T COME UP HERE UNLESS I'M SPEAKING FACTS.
AND AGAIN, NO ONE'S QUESTIONING WHY YOU WEREN'T HERE ON OCTOBER 8TH.
I'M QUESTIONING THE FACT THAT Y'ALL MADE MOTIONS TO HAVE THE MEETING ON THE EIGHTH WHEN YOU KNEW YOU WEREN'T GOING TO BE HERE AND YOU WERE OUT OF TOWN.
SO WHEN THE EMAIL THAT YOU SENT HER COMES OUT, IT DOES LOOK VERY SUSPECT.
CONSPIRACY OF YOU NOT BEING HERE, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU CALLED AT 5 56, 4 MINUTES, Y'ALL HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY AND DO THE WORK OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, 2025, EVERY SINGLE SEAT IS UP FOR GRABS.
EVEN THE MAYOR IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT.
BUT DON'T SIT AT HOME, DON'T COME HERE UNDER PETITION THE CITIZENS AND YOU DON'T DO NOTHING IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
I JUST WANTED TO ADDRESS ONE OF THE STATEMENT THAT, UH, FORMER ALDER WOMAN JAMIA JUST STATED.
UM, IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW, I'M GONNA LET YOU KNOW NOW I DON'T HAVE TO SHOW UP TO NOT ONE MEETING.
AND IT'S NOT AGAINST MY ETHICAL OATH IF I DON'T SHOW UP TO A MEETING.
AM I CORRECT? ATTORNEY DAVIS? YES, MA'AM.
THAT'S ALL I GOTTA SAY ABOUT THAT.
[01:20:01]
ON.I'D LIKE TO, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK, UH, YOU ALL FOR BEARING WITH US FOR AN HOUR AND 20 MINUTES OF THAT, UH, FELT LIKE IT NEEDED TO GET OUT.
UH, HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY GOT EVERYTHING OFF THEIR CHEST THAT THEY WANTED TO, AND WE'VE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT EACH OTHER.
[Consent Agenda]
WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? MAKE THE MOTION.
WE APPROVED THE CONSENT AGENDA.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION.
HEARING NONE, LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ROYAL.
[9. Presentation by Wreaths Across America.]
ITEM NUMBER NINE, PRESENTATION BY REESE ACROSS AMERICA.GOOD EVENING MAYOR ALDERMAN WO.
UH, MANY OF YOU KNOW ME, I KNOW MANY OF YOU, UH, HOWEVER, I WANT TO COME TONIGHT AND PERMIT PRESENT, UH, RE CROSS AMERICA, UH, AGAIN FOR THIS UPCOMING YEAR.
UM, AS MANY OF YOU ARE AWARE AT THE NATIONAL CEMETERY, THERE ARE, UM, WILL BE RE CROSS AMERICA HAPPENING.
UH, THIS YEAR THERE'LL BE 3,500 CEMETERIES THAT'LL BE PARTICIPATING NATIONWIDE, UH, IN REESE CROSS AMERICA.
THIS IS THE 15TH YEAR THAT THE NATIONAL CEMETERY WILL PARTICIPATE.
IT'LL BE THE THIRD YEAR FOR GREENWOOD, THE FIRST YEAR FOR, UH, GREENLEAF AND THE FIRST YEAR FOR CEDAR GROVE AS WELL.
SO THE PROGRAM CONTINUES TO GROW.
HOWEVER, I'M THE COORDINATOR FOR THE NATIONAL CEMETERY, SO THAT'S WHAT I WILL SPEAK TO.
WE HAVE 6,775 HEADSTONES IN THE NEWBURG NATIONAL CEMETERY.
IT WAS BUILT 1867 RIGHT AFTER THE CIVIL WAR.
UH, MANY OF THE INITIAL INTERNMENTS, THERE WERE TRANSFERS FROM ALL OVER EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA AS THE CEMETERY, UH, WAS CREATED.
WE HAVE OVER A THOUSAND UNKNOWNS AND SEVERAL MASS GRAVES WITHIN THE NATIONAL CEMETERY.
EVERY WREATH THAT'S PLACED OUT IN THE NATIONAL CEMETERY AND AT CEDAR GROVE AND IN GREENLEAF AND, UM, GREENWOOD THIS YEAR, UH, EVERY WREATH HAS TO BE SPONSORED.
IT'S A LIVE BALAM WREATH THAT COMES ALL THE WAY FROM MAINE.
UH, SOME OF THE CHALLENGES IS THE AGE OF THE CEMETERIES.
UH, THERE'S ALWAYS NOT A DIRECT CONNECTION BETWEEN TODAY'S, UH, RESIDENTS AND THE INTERNMENTS THERE.
UH, MANY MILITARY FAMILIES DO NOT STAY AFTER THEIR SERVICE.
UH, IN LOCAL MILITARY, UH, BASES HERE, UH, MANY OF THE TRANSPLANTS THAT COME, UH, NEW CITIZENS THAT COME TO THE AREA BECAUSE OF NEW BERN IS AMAZING.
UM, DO NOT HAVE A DIRECT CONNECTION TO THE INTERNS THERE.
AND THEN OBVIOUSLY, OUR THOUSAND UNKNOWNS, THERE'S NOT A FAMILY MEMBER TO ENSURE THAT THEIR LOVED ONE RECEIVES A WREATH.
UH, I HAVE A FEW PHOTOS HERE JUST TO SHOW FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT BEEN THERE TO ATTEND OUR CEREMONY, UH, GET AN IDEA OF, UH, WHAT THERE IS TO EXPECT.
UM, I OFTEN GET ASKED, YOU KNOW, WHY, REESE, WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? THERE'S SO MUCH MORE TO REESE.
WE HAVE REALLY BUILT OUR PROGRAM TO TRY AND INCORPORATE SO MUCH MORE OF WHAT IT'S ABOUT AND INCLUDE FOLKS THAT WANT TO PARTICIPATE.
UH, IN 2018, WE STARTED A WREATH ESCORT WHERE, UM, MANY MOTORCYCLE RIDERS ARE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS WENT OUT AND MET THE TRUCKS THAT WERE COMING FROM MAINE, AND WE ALWAYS ESCORTED THEM INTO NEW BERN INTO THE NATIONAL CEMETERY.
EACH YEAR IT CONTINUES TO GROW, UH, WITH MORE AND MORE, UH, PARTICIPANTS THAT WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ESCORT ITSELF.
AND THEN OFTEN WE GET CME, UH, CITIZENS THAT LINE BROAD STREET AS THE TRUCK IS COMING DOWN THE ROAD AS WELL.
UH, HERE'S THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, OBVIOUSLY, AND ON BROAD STREET, AS THE, UH, ESCORT COMES DOWN, UH, WITH THE TRUCKS CARRYING ALL OF THE WREATHS.
UH, THIS PAST YEAR, E AND J ADDED A, A REALLY NICE TRIBUTE WITH, UH, HANGING A FLAG OUT OVER THE 43 70 BYPASS.
AND THEN ALSO, MANY OF YOU MAY BE AWARE THAT, UH, THE REESE CROSS AMERICA MOBILE EXHIBIT CAME TO NEW BERN THIS PAST FEBRUARY.
AND, UM, AS THE TRUCK WAS BEING ESCORTED INTO TOWN, WE, UH, GAVE IT A PROPER SALUTE FROM THE NEW BERN MALL.
UH, THE DRIVERS USUALLY ARE VETERANS AND THEY ARE VOLUNTEERING THEIR TIME.
THE TRUCKS ARE USUALLY VOLUNTEERED BY THE CORPORATIONS THAT OWN THEM TO BRING THE RE ALL THE WAY FROM MAINE TO NEW BERN.
AND THEN WHEN THEY DO ARRIVE, OUR, UH, VOLUNTEERS THAT, UH, ESCORT THE TRUCKS ARE OFTEN THE ONES THAT UNLOAD IT AND PREPARE THEM FOR THE CEREMONY.
SO THIS IS A PHOTO THAT WAS TAKEN LAST YEAR, UH, JUST TO KIND OF SHOW A VISUAL REPUTATION OF WHAT THE PARTICIPATION LOOKS LIKE.
MANY PEOPLE BRING THEIR ENTIRE FAMILIES.
WE GET YOUTH GROUPS, SCOUTS, UH, CHURCH GROUPS.
IT'S A VERY, UM, VERY MOVING AND EMOTIONAL TIME FOR MANY PEOPLE TO COME OUT THERE AND PLACE A WREATH, ESPECIALLY FOR
[01:25:01]
THOSE THAT HAVE LOVED ONES THAT ARE INTERRED.AGAIN, MORE PHOTOS OF REPRESENTATION, OF REPRESENTATION OF WHAT IT IS AND KIND OF WHAT TO EXPECT.
WE GET, UH, A VERY BROAD GROUP ACROSS ALL DEMOGRAPHICS, AGE BACKGROUNDS, MILITARY, NON-MILITARY, FAMILY MEMBERS, NEW FOLKS THAT EVERY NEW WREATH CROSS AMERICA KNEW THAT IT EXISTED, WILL COME OUT AND PARTICIPATE.
SO AFTER A BRIEF CEREMONY, UH, WE TURN, UH, THE TIME OVER AND ALLOW INDIVIDUALS TO SELECT WREATH AND TAKE 'EM OUT, AND THEY'LL PLACE THEM ON THE HEADSTONES.
WE ASK THAT THEY READ THE, THE SERVICE MEMBER'S NAME OUT LOUD.
WE HAVE A, A SAYING THAT WE SAY YOU, UH, DIED TWICE THE FIRST TIME SPIRITUALLY AND OR PHYSICALLY.
AND THEN THE SECOND TIME IS THE LAST TIME THAT YOUR, YOUR NAME IS SPOKEN OUT LOUD.
SO WE ASK THEM AS THEY PLACE THE REESE TO SAY THEIR NAME OUT LOUD.
OVER THE YEARS, UM, SOME MORE PHOTOS AS THE CEMETERY JUST BECOMES BLANKETED IN REESE.
IT REALLY IS A, UH, AMAZING SITE.
ONCE IT TAKE, ONCE IT'S DONE, THE AMAZING THING IS ALL 6,775 HEADSTONES WILL BE COVERED IN ABOUT 20 MINUTES.
UM, IT GOES VERY, VERY QUICKLY.
UTMOST RESPECT IS IS PAID TO THOSE THAT ARE, UH, INTERRED AT THE NATIONAL CEMETERY AND WILL BE THIS YEAR AT CEDAR GROVE AND AT GREENLEAF.
AND, UH, THEN WE RETIRE THE WREATH IN JANUARY.
WE WILL AGAIN ASK VOLUNTEERS TO COME OUT AND WE, UH, REMOVE THE WREATH.
WE CLEAN UP THE CEMETERY, WE RESET IT, AND, UH, START ALL OVER FOR NEXT YEAR FUNDRAISING TO, UM, UH, MAKE SURE THAT EVERY VETERAN RECEIVES A WREATH.
UM, LAST YEAR, MAYOR ODOM HAD APPROACHED US AND, AND SAID HE WANTED EVERY VETERAN IN THE CITY OF NEW BERN TO RECEIVE A WREATH.
AND SO YOU'RE BEGINNING TO SEE THAT.
AS I MENTIONED, WE HAVE FOUR CEMETERIES THIS YEAR THAT WILL BE PARTICIPATING, AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL CONTINUE TO GROW THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
THE RETIREMENT OF THE REESE ATTRACTS JUST AS MANY VOLUNTEERS.
WE HAVE HUNDREDS OF, UH, VOLUNTEERS THAT COME OUT.
WE, UM, LIKE I SAID, WE'LL PICK UP THE REESE, UM, TAKES ABOUT AN HOUR TO PICK UP ALL THE WRE AND, UH, CLEAN UP THE CEMETERY, MAKE IT LOOK AS GOOD AS NEW AGAIN.
WHEN WE LEAVE AGAIN, WE HAVE A LOT OF YOUTH SCOUTS, YOUTH GROUPS, CHURCH GROUPS, ALL KINDS OF FOLKS THAT COME OUT AND PARTICIPATE.
SO WHY AM I HERE AND WHY AM I TALKING
EVERYONE LOCALLY IS A VOLUNTEER, AND SO, UH, WE NEED HELP FROM THE CITY OF NEW BERN TO, UH, MAKE THIS A SUCCESS.
SO, UH, WE'RE ASKING THAT, UH, WITH THE SUPPORT OF CHIEF LOLER AND CHIEF, UH, GALLAGHER, THAT THE CITY AND, UH, POLICE DEPARTMENT AND FIRE RESCUE WOULD BE ABLE TO HELP US WITH THE ESCORT ON DECEMBER 12TH, HELP BRING AWARENESS TO THE PROGRAM AS WE, UH, BRING THE RESET TO TOWN.
UH, WE ALSO ASKED FOR BUSES, UM, ONTO THE DAY OF THE EVENT, DECEMBER 14TH, BECAUSE WHEN THE CEMETERY WAS BUILT IN 1867, WE HAD NO IDEA THAT A THOUSAND PEOPLE WOULD WANNA DRIVE THEIR CARS AND PARK AT THE NEWBURG NATIONAL CEMETERY.
SO, UM, GRACIOUSLY, UH, ROO CHAPEL ALLOWS US TO USE THEIR VACANT PARKING LOT.
AND IF WE CAN GET BUSES TO, UH, HELP TRANSPORT FOLKS DOWN TO THE CEMETERY, THAT'D BE AMAZING.
AND THEN IN JANUARY, AGAIN, WHEN WE RETIRE THE REESE, IF THE CITY, UH, GRACIOUS ENOUGH TO HELP US WITH A COUPLE DUMPSTERS SO THAT WE COULD, UM, GET THEM OFF OF THE, THE CEMETERY AND GET IT ALL CLEANED UP WITH THAT.
SO AGAIN, THE EVENT WILL BE ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14TH AT 12 O'CLOCK NOON.
I INVITE EVERYBODY TO COME OUT AND PARTICIPATE.
UM, WE HAVE MANY, UM, KEY FOLKS THAT ARE BURIED THERE.
I CHOSE THIS PHOTO HERE FOR THIS ONE.
MANY PEOPLE ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH GROVER SEA FIELDS AS THE SCHOOL, BUT, UH, HE IS ALSO IN INTERRED WITH HIS, UH, WIFE THERE AT THE, UH, NATIONAL CEMETERY.
AND SO, UM, WE HAVE FOLKS THAT COME OUT AND WE'LL, UH, MAKE SURE TO VISIT GROVER SEA, UM, WHEN THEY PLACE THE REESE.
SO THAT'S WHY I CHOSE THIS, THIS PARTICULAR PHOTO HERE.
BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE TIME.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY AND, UM, I, I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR SUPPORT OF OUR, UH, OUR PROGRAM.
ANY, ANY QUESTIONS FOR KEVIN? MR. HUGHES, DO YOU NEED SOME DIRECTION FROM THE BOARD? YES.
IT'S A PLEASURE OF THE BOARD ON THE REQUEST THAT WAS MADE.
I THINK WE SHOULD DO IT AGAIN THIS YEAR.
WOULD IT NOT BE THE SAME, SAME REQUEST AS LAST YEAR? SAME REQUEST IF YOU SAY REQUEST.
[01:30:01]
YOU GOT YOUR DIRECTION.CONSIDER ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE TO ANNEX A PORTION OF TAX PARCEL ID.
MR. HUGHES MAYOR WEER SUBMITTED A PETITION TO ANNEX A PORTION OF THIS, UH, PROPERTY, APPROXIMATELY 4.17 ACRES ARE IN QUESTION.
THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED ON CLOCK ROAD OFF THE NC 43 CONNECTOR IN THE WEST NEWBURG DEVELOPMENT.
AFTER CONDUCTING A PUBLIC HEARING, THE BOARD IS ASKED TO CONSIDER THE REQUEST FOR ANNEXATION BEFORE.
HAVE ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE I OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY.
[10. Conduct a Public Hearing and Consider Adopting an Ordinance to Annex a Portion of Tax Parcel ID 8- 209- 25001.]
AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM NUMBER 10 AS THE POTENTIAL ANNEXATION OF A PORTION OF TAX PARCEL ID 8 2 0 9 2 5 0 0 1.IF YOU WANNA LIKE TO SPEAK FOR AGAINST THE PROJECT, PLEASE COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME.
A GOOD EVENING BOARD AND, UH, MAYOR, UM, I JUST, IS THIS THE, THE PARCEL THAT IS ALREADY, UM, THE SITE PLAN HAS ALREADY BEEN SUBMITTED TO PLANNING AND ZONING.
IS IT ALREADY ZONED WITH THE CITY OF NEW BERN? I'M JUST ASKING FOR CLARIFICATION FOR AN ARTICLE.
THIS PROPERTY HAS NOT BEEN ZONED.
CLIFF PARSON FROM WARDEN SMITH.
HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ON BEHALF OF AUER.
UM, THE PROPERTY IS PART OF THE ETJ, SO IT IS ZONED C3, BUT IT'S NOT YET ANNEXED INTO THE CITY TO ANSWER THE QUESTION.
SO HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
ANYONE ELSE? THIS ONE, IF THERE'S NO ONE ELSE, UM, I'D LIKE TO, TO MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SECOND, HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ANY OPPOSED? PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.
WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? ON ITEM NUMBER 10, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE CONSIDER ADOPTING THE, UM, ANNEX PROPERTY OF ID.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
WE HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ASTOR.
[11. Conduct a Public Hearing and Consider Adopting an Ordinance to Rezone 597 Washington Post Road.]
CARRIES.ITEM NUMBER 11, CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING.
CONSIDER DOCUMENT ORDINANCE TO REZONE.
5 9 7 WASHINGTON POST ROAD, MR. GOFF, EVENING MAYOR AND THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN EVENING.
UH, TONIGHT'S FIRST ITEM IS THE REZONING REQUEST FOR 5 97 WASHINGTON POST ROAD.
THE APPLICANT IS PRESTON LUCAS, UH, AND THE OWNERS ARE LUCAS LAND COMPANY.
UH, THE LOCATION IS 5 97 WASHINGTON POST ROAD AND THE OTHER INFORMATION FOR PARCEL ID IS EIGHT DASH 2 22 DASH 0 4 6.
IT'S CURRENTLY ZONED TO AGRICULTURE FIVE AND THE PROPOSED ZONING IS RESIDENTIAL SIX AND IT'S APPROXIMATELY JUST UNDER SEVEN ACRES IN SIZE.
THIS VICINITY MAP SHOWS ITS LOCATION, IT IS ADJACENT TO THE PLANTERS RIDGE SUBDIVISION.
YOU'LL SEE WASHINGTON POST ROAD AND TO THE SOUTH YOU'LL SEE WEST PLEASANT HILL DRIVE.
THIS SIGN WAS POSTED, UH, ON THE PROPERTY FULFILLING OUR PUBLICATION REQUIREMENTS BY GENERAL STATUTE.
IT WAS PLACED ON OCTOBER 31ST, UH, AND MAILED NOTICE WAS SENT TO OWNERS WITHIN A HUNDRED FEET.
UH, THIS BUFFER MAP SHOWS IN BLUE ALL THE PROPERTIES WITHIN A HUNDRED FEET OF THAT PARCEL.
A SUMMARY OF THE AGRICULTURE FIVE ZONING DISTRICT.
IT IS, UH, INTENDED FOR AGRICULTURAL USES AND, UH, LOW DENSITY, UH, USES SUCH AS RESIDENTIAL.
A SUMMARY OF THE R SIX ZONING DISTRICT.
UH, IT IS ALSO RESIDENTIAL IN NATURE.
IT IS MORE MEDIUM DENSITY LOTS GENERALLY ARE AT A MINIMUM 6,000 SQUARE FEET.
UH, THIS IS ALSO ONE OF THE ZONING DISTRICTS THAT PERMITS MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL.
I USE COMPARISON CHART SHOWS SEVERAL DIFFERENT USES.
AGAIN, A LOT OF THE USES IN THE AGRICULTURE FIVE ZONING DISTRICT ARE EITHER AGRICULTURE OR RELATED TO AGRICULTURE.
AND FOR THE R SIX, IT IS GENERALLY RESIDENTIAL.
IN THE EXISTING ZONING MAP TO THE WEST, YOU'LL SEE EXISTING AGRICULTURE FIVE ZONING.
AND TO THE EAST PLANTERS RIDGE SUBDIVISION PROMINENTLY THAT IS R SIX.
UH, TO THE SOUTH YOU'LL SEE SOME, UH, RESIDENTIAL 20 THAT'S MORE LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL.
[01:35:01]
THE FUTURE LAND USE CATEGORY OF THIS PROPERTY IS PLACED WITHIN THE DEVELOPED CATEGORY.AND A SUMMARY OF THIS, UH, SHOWS THAT RESIDENTIAL DENSITIES IN THIS AREA, UH, ARE A MAXIMUM OF ONE TO FIVE BILLING UNITS PER ACRE AND HIGHER DENSITIES UP TO A MAXIMUM OF 12.
WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MULTIFAMILY, THIS IS ALSO WITHIN THE NC 43 FOCUS AREA.
UH, A SUMMARY OF THIS FROM THE FUTURE LAND USE PLAN UPDATE, UH, IS THAT THEY'VE ANTICIPATED THIS TO BE ONE OF THE AREAS THAT WOULD EXPERIENCE GROWTH.
ONE OF THE, UH, ITEMS THAT IT DID IDENTIFY IN THE UPDATE IS THAT THERE IS A, UH, LESS PRESENCE OF INDUSTRIAL USES AND RESIDENTIAL USES HAVEN'T KEPT UP WITH THAT GROWTH.
AERIAL IMAGERY OF THE SITE SHOW, THIS IS BASICALLY UNTOUCHED, IT IS VACANT, UH, AND TO THE EAST, AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE THE RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION PLANTER'S RIDGE.
AND THIS ALSO SHOWS SOME EXISTING CONDITIONS.
UH, STAFF COULD NOT GET ONTO THE PROPERTY TO PLACE A SIGN THAT WOULD BE VISIBLE FROM THE RIGHT OF WAY.
SO THIS IS PER, UH, PLACED APPROXIMATELY IN THE RIGHT OF WAY TO THE SOUTH OF THAT PROPERTY.
SOME OTHER, SOME ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS.
THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD MET AUGUST 15TH AND IT RECOMMENDED, UH, APPROVAL SIX TO TWO OF THE PROPOSED REZONING.
AND THIS WAS BASED ON ITS CONSISTENCY WITH THE LAND USE PLAN AND ITS UPDATE.
UH, AND THE PROPERTY, AGAIN, IS ADJACENT TO EXISTING R SIX ZONE PROPERTIES, BUT IT IS ALSO ADJACENT TO EXISTING AGRICULTURE FIVE AND R 20.
AND IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER IT FOR THE BOARD.
HAVE QUESTIONS? UH, ROBERT, A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
UM, WITH THE CURRENT LAND USE PLAN UPDATE THAT IS UNDERWAY, UM, IS THERE ANY EXPECTATION THAT THE REQUESTED ZONE, UM, OF WELL GOING FROM AGRICULTURE TO R SIX, THAT THAT R SIX MIGHT END UP CHANGING TO SOMETHING ELSE? WITH THE UPDATE PROGRAM THAT SUM AWAY, THERE HASN'T BEEN MUCH GUIDANCE AS TO ANYTHING THAT WOULD BE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT IS CURRENTLY ON THE GROUND OR EXISTING WITH THE NEW LAND USE ORDINANCE, WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO TRANSITION THEM INTO THE BEST FIT OF WHAT IT CURRENTLY IS OR WHAT'S ON THE GROUND TO LIMIT NONCONFORMITIES.
UH, SO WITH, IF, IF NOTHING BEING DONE, UH, TODAY, IT WOULD LIKELY FALL WITHIN AN AGRICULTURAL CATEGORY.
SO POTENTIALLY, IF I'M UNDERSTANDING WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, UM, IF, IF THIS WERE TO BE APPROVED, IT'D BE GOING FROM AGRICULTURAL TO R SIX AND THEN POTENTIALLY BACK TO TO AGRICULTURAL.
IF, IF IT'S REZONED TODAY, UH, AS R SIX, IT WOULD GO TO SOMETHING THAT MATCHES R SIX MORE OF A MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL JUST TO KEEP IT ON ON THE SAME TRACK.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS, I MEAN THE, THE PROPERTY ITSELF LOOKS TO BE LANDLOCKED.
UM, BUT THERE IS AN EASEMENT, I BELIEVE IT'S A 30 FOOT EASEMENT, BUT NO, IF THAT'S, I DIDN'T SEE THAT ANYWHERE ON ANY OF THE GRAPHICS CORRECT THAT DOCUMENTATION WAS SUBMITTED.
IT IS KIND OF HARD TO, TO SEE, UH, IF THE BOARD WOULD LIKE, I CAN CERTAINLY SEND THAT TO YOU GUYS AS A, AS A PDF, UH, BUT IT ALSO DOESN'T EXACTLY SHOW WHERE IT MEETS WASHINGTON POST ROAD THROUGH DEED RESEARCH.
UH, THAT IS JUST WHAT IT SAYS THAT IT DOES.
AND, AND IF YOU CAN ANSWER THIS, AND I I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN, I MEAN, UM, GIVEN THE, THE ANTICIPATED USE OF THE PROPERTY, IF IT GOT, UM, IF THIS WERE TO BE APPROVED, UM, IS A 30 FOOT EASEMENT ADEQUATE TO ACCESS A PROPERTY THAT'S GONNA BE DEVELOPED FOR RESIDENTIAL PURPOSES? I MEAN, 30 FEET SEEMS TO BE NARROW FOR, FOR ANY KIND OF A ROADWAY GOING INTO AND OUT OF A DEVELOPMENT.
30 FOOT COULD BE, UH, POTENTIALLY TOO NARROW.
I WOULD DEFER IF THIS WERE PROPOSING DEVELOPMENT TO PUBLIC WORKS AS TO WHAT TYPE OF ROAD WOULD BE REQUIRED AND THE APPROPRIATE RIGHT OF WAY THAT WOULD BE NECESSARY.
UH, IF THEY COULD NOT PROVIDE THAT, THAT IS SOMETHING THEY WOULD HAVE TO WORK OUT BEFORE THEY COULD BE APPROVED.
SO THAT WOULD JUST BE PART OF THE, UM, DEVELOPMENT PROCESS? CORRECT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES, I DO.
UM, LOOKING AT THE MAP AND I KNOW THE AREA, UM, COMING IN FROM THE WEST PLEASANT HILL DRIVE.
YEAH, THAT'S MA'AM COMING IN FROM THE WEST PLEASANT HILL DRIVE AREA, THERE IS A DIRT
[01:40:01]
ROAD THAT GOES BACK TO THAT PROPERTY.SO IS THAT WHERE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE NO, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THIS MAP.
THE, UH, EASEMENT AS IT WAS SHOWN ON THAT OLDER MAP RUNS ALONG THE EAST SIDE OF THAT PROPERTY.
AND THEN IT CUTS OUT RIGHT AT THAT ADJACENT PROPERTY, BUT IT SAYS THAT THAT'S WHERE IT PRODUCES ACCESS TO WASHINGTON POST RED.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY, AT THIS TIME I WILL OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING.
I'LL ITEM NUMBER 11, WHICH IS THE REZONING OF 5 9 7 WASHINGTON POST ROAD.
UM, I'M TRYING TO GET CONFIRMATION FOR AN ARTICLE THAT I'M WORKING ON FOR NEW VERNAL.
AND DURING THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD MEETING, THEY REVIEWED THE ARTICLE, THE APPLICATION TO REZONE, BUT DID NOT HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, I UNDERSTAND IT'S NOT LEGALLY REQUIRED, BUT THERE WAS A SIGN THAT WAS PUT AT THE ENTRANCE TO PLANNER'S RICH DEVELOPMENT AND THAT WAS TO, TO NOTIFY.
IT SAID NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING AND THAT WAS PUT IN FRONT OF THE DEVELOPMENT AROUND THE 8TH OF AUGUST.
THERE WAS NO PUBLIC HEARING, THERE WAS NO PUBLIC COMMENT ALLOWED.
UH, YOU KNOW HOW NORMALLY YOU ALL VOTED THAT THE PUBLIC SHOULD BE ABLE TO COMMENT.
THE COMMENT WAS NOT RECEIVED UNTIL AFTER THE BOARD HAD ALREADY VOTED.
SO JUST NOT SURE IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENT REGARDING THAT.
BUT THEN ON HALLOWEEN, ANOTHER PUBLIC COM, A PUBLIC NOTIFICATION SIGN, PUBLIC HEARING WAS, WAS PUT ON THE OTHER SIDE.
ON WHAT? ON HIGHWAY 55 AND THE AUGUST 15TH SIGN FOR THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD.
IT'S, IT WAS STILL STANDING IN FRONT OF THE PLANNER'S RIDGE DEVELOPMENT TODAY.
SO, UM, I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE SIGNS, UM, BECAUSE THE PEOPLE THAT WERE, THAT LIVE IN THAT AREA FROM LAKE TYLER, GRACIE FARMS, THAT WHOLE AREA, THAT'S REALLY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT HAPPENING.
THEY ARE UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THE HEARING ALREADY HAPPENED ON AUGUST 15TH AND THE SIGN IS STILL STANDING THERE.
UM, ALSO THE BOARD FOUND IT CONSISTENT WITH THE LAND USE PLAN, BUT LOOKING AT THE LAND USE PLAN, THERE APPEARS TO BE CONFLICTING DATA BETWEEN THE CURRENT ZONING MAP AND THE LAND USE PLAN.
THE LAND USE PLAN UPDATE THAT WAS DONE IN 2022 SHOWS FIGURE 14, THE NEWBURN CURRENT LAND USE BY PROPERTY PARCEL.
PAGE 34 SAYS THE SUBJECT PROPERTY IS VACANT RESIDENTIAL, BUT IT'S ZONED AGRICULTURAL.
SO I'M WONDERING WHY THE PLAN SAYS ONE THING AND THE ACTUAL ZONING MAP SAYS A DIFFERENT THING.
UM, ALSO FIGURE 16, THE NORTH CAROLINA FOCUS AREA LAND USED BY PROPERTY PARCEL ON PAGE 36 SAYS THE SUBJECT PROPERTY IS RESIDENTIAL, BUT IT'S ZONE AGRICULTURAL.
NOW, PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF I'M, IF I'M INCORRECT.
UM, ALSO FIGURE 13 ON PAGE 19 OF THE MAP SAYS UNDEVELOPED AND UNRESTRICTED LAND.
THE ACTUAL, THE PARCEL WAS NOT IDENTIFIED AS MEETING SUITABILITY ATTRIBUTES.
LIKE YOU, UH, MR. GO SHOWED YOU A MAP THAT SAID, UM, THE LAND USE PLAN FOR 2010.
THIS IS THE 2022 UPDATE AND IT'S NOT IDENTIFIED ON THIS ONE.
UM, ALSO DURING THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD MEETING THE ELECTRIC SUBSTATION, THAT'S LIKE RIGHT NEXT TO THAT PARCEL, THERE WAS NO DISCUSSION.
IT WAS, THEY WERE SAYING, YEAH, IT'S, UH, AGRICULTURAL AND, UM, R SIX.
AND THEY, I, THE PACKET SAID THERE WAS THIS BUSINESS AND THIS BUSINESS NEARBY, BUT THERE WAS NO MENTION OF A SUBDIVISION THERE OR, UH, SORRY, SORRY, ELECTRICAL SUBSTATION.
SO, UM, I'M JUST WONDERING IF THAT'S TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT WHEN, UM,
[01:45:01]
ESTABLISHING ANY KIND OF HOUSING.YOU KNOW, I, I'M NOT SU I'M NOT SAYING THERE'S SAFETY ISSUES, BUT IT WASN'T EVEN BROUGHT UP AND I JUST DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL ARE AWARE OF THAT BEFORE VOTING.
UM, MS CARD, COULD YOU JUST SAY, UM, MAYOR? YES MA'AM.
MR. POOL, IS THERE ANY WAY THAT YOU CAN GET WITH MS. CARD AND EXPLAIN AND HELP HER TO, OKAY,
I BELIEVE MY STAFF HAS ANSWERED ALL OF THESE QUESTIONS PREVIOUSLY MULTIPLE TIMES, MS CARD.
HOWEVER, I WOULD LIKE TO EXPLAIN TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
UH, THE CITY OF NEW BERN ELECTS TO GIVE EXTRA NOTIFICATION TO THE PUBLIC.
AND SO WE DO ELECT TO PUT SIGNS UP NOTIFYING WHEN A PROJECT IS GOING TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD AND THEN AGAIN AS WELL WHEN IT COMES TO THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN.
SO THAT IS THE REASON WHY YOU SEE TWO SIGNS GO UP.
THE CITY OF NEW BERN DOES NOT HAVE TO DO THAT.
HOWEVER, WE ELECT TO DO THAT 'CAUSE WE WOULD LIKE MORE NOTIFICATION TO THE PUBLIC.
SO THEY HAVE THIS NOTIFICATION EARLIER.
THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD REVIEWS THESE APPLICATIONS PER THEIR RULES AND PROCEDURE, WHICH HAVE RECENTLY BEEN UPDATED.
AND SOMETIMES THERE IS PUBLIC COMMENT AND SOMETIMES THERE IS NOT.
THEY ARE REQUIRED WITH A CONSISTENCY STATEMENT TO EVALUATE WHAT THE LAND USE PLAN SAYS.
THE LAND USE PLAN IS A GUIDING DOCUMENT ON HOW THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE CITY OF NEW BERN GROW.
AND SO WE SEE WHAT AT THE TIME, WHICH IN THIS CASE 2022 IS THE MOST RECENT UPDATE.
YOU SAID THIS IS AN AREA YOU BELIEVE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE GROWTH IN.
AND SO IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING AGRICULTURAL, WHICH IS WHAT IT IS ZONED RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS PART OF THE LAND USE ORDINANCE, NOT THE LAND USE PLAN.
THE LAND USE PLAN IS A GUIDING DOCUMENT.
AGAIN, THE LAND USE ORDINANCE IS LAW.
THE ZONING MAP IS PART OF THE LAND USE ORDINANCE.
SO YOU CAN REZONE SOMETHING HOWEVER YOU WOULD LIKE TO REZONE IT, BUT WE HAVE TO POINT OUT WHETHER OR NOT IT MATCHES THE LAND USE PLAN.
IN THIS CASE, IT DOES MATCH THE LAND USE PLAN BECAUSE YOU HAVE SAID AS PART OF THIS 43 AREA, WE BELIEVE THIS IS AN AREA PRIMED FOR GROWTH.
NO OTHER QUESTIONS THAT HAVE BROUGHT UP, BEEN BROUGHT UP TONIGHT OR SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO CONSIDER WHEN LOOKING AT A REZONING THAT COMES IN THE DEVELOPMENT REVIEW PROCESS.
AND I HOPE THAT ADDRESSED ANY CONFUSION.
I LIVED DIRECTLY CROSSING PLANTERS IN PLANTERS RIDGE.
UM, AND I'M THANKFUL THAT THE CITY OF NEW BERN ELECTS TO PUT THE SIGNS UP.
JUST A LITTLE CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM.
I ACTUALLY DIDN'T SEE THE SIGN UNTIL AFTER THE MEETING, BUT THEN LEARNED THERE WASN'T A PUBLIC COMMENT ANYWAY, SO I'M GLAD I DIDN'T WASTE MY TIME TO GO, BUT I EVEN GOT OUT OF MY CAR TO READ IT AND I STILL WASN'T CLEAR ON WHAT IT WAS FOR.
JUST IF YOU COULD PLEASE GIVE US MORE CLARITY ON WHAT IT'S FOR.
AS FAR AS THE LETTERS, I DIDN'T GET A LETTER, BUT I GUESS MAYBE IT'S 'CAUSE I STAY IN THE CUL-DE-SAC, WHICH MAYBE MIGHT PUT ME MORE THAN A HUNDRED FEET AWAY FROM THE DESTINATION.
BUT I AM A LAND, I I DO OWN A HOME THERE.
MY CONCERN IS MAINLY I KNOW THAT, UM, I'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE ABOUT DEVELOPMENT IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA.
UM, I'M MAINLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE TRAFFIC AND I'M GONNA KEEP SAYING I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE TRAFFIC.
UM, IF YOU DON'T LIVE THERE, YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND IT.
I WILL SAY I UNDERSTAND IT BETTER AFTER BEING T-BONED ON OCTOBER 28TH ON WASHINGTON POST ROAD AFTER PULLING OUT OF PLANT IS RIDGE.
SO MY ONLY REQUEST IS THAT Y'ALL PLEASE JUST EVALUATE THE TRAFFIC AND THE FLOW AND HOW IT'S GONNA END ON WASHINGTON POST ROAD.
'CAUSE THAT LITTLE THREE LANE CAN'T REALLY STAND A LOT MORE TRAFFIC.
THE LADY SAID SHE JUST DIDN'T SEE ME AND I KNOW I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET, BUT Y'ALL, IT'S JUST, JUST PLEASE EVALUATE THE TRAFFIC FLOW.
I'M NOT SAYING DON'T APPROVE IT, APPROVE IT.
BUT WHAT I DO KNOW IS IF YOU'RE PLANNING ON DOING AN R SIX, YOU'RE PLANNING ON PUTTING SOME MORE HOUSING AND I THINK WE'VE JUST GOTTA THINK ABOUT OUR FLOW OF TRAFFIC AND OUR STREETS ON THAT AREA AND WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T TAKE.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH MORE TRAFFIC CAN WE TAKE ON THAT ROOF.
MS. BOSQUE? YES MA'AM, YOU ARE CORRECT.
AND THAT'S BEEN A, A, A CONCERN OF THIS BOARD BECAUSE WE KNOW OF ALL THE DEVELOPMENT OUT THERE ON 43.
YOU GOT LATE TYLER, AND THEN YOU GOT, LIKE YOU SAID, PLANETS RIDGE AND THEN NOW THIS, THIS PARCEL HERE MAY BE COMING WITH NUMEROUS RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES.
SO THAT IS, WE DO HAVE THE UNDER ADVISEMENT FOR IS THE TRAFFIC IN THAT AREA BECAUSE WE HAVE TO GET
[01:50:01]
SOME TRAFFIC LIGHTS IN THAT AREA BECAUSE IT'S A DIRE NEED FOR IT ALREADY.ANYONE ELSE? MAYOR, HEARING NO FURTHER COMMENTS, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SECOND, HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ANY OPPOSED? PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.
WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? ON ITEM NUMBER 11, MAYOR, MAKE A MOTION TO CON ADOPT AN ORDINANCE TO REZONE 5 97 WASHINGTON POST ROAD.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN KENZIE.
[12. Conduct a Public Hearing and Consider Adopting an Ordinance to Rezone Parcel ID 8- 216- 005.]
NUMBER 12.CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDER ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE TO REZONE PARCEL ID.
8 2 1 6 0 0 5 MR. GOFF EVENING, AGAIN, MAYOR AND UH, THE BOARD.
SO THE NEXT HEARING IS THE WITHOUT LIMITS CHRISTIAN CENTER INCORPORATED REZONING REQUEST.
THE APPLICANT, UH, IS AGAIN WITHOUT LIMITS, CHRISTIAN CENTER INCORPORATED.
UH, JAMES VER UH, AND THE OWNER IS THE SAME.
THE LOCATION IS OFF OF NO BOULEVARD IN KENSINGTON PARK DRIVE.
IT IS ADJACENT TO THAT INTERSECTION AND IT'S PARCEL ID IS EIGHT DASH TWO 16 DASH 0 0 5.
IT'S CURRENTLY ZONED RESIDENTIAL EIGHT, AND THE PROPOSAL IS TO TAKE IT TO COMMERCIAL THREE.
AND AGAIN, IT IS ALSO JUST UNDER SEVEN ACRES IN SIZE.
THIS VICINITY MAP SHOWS THAT IT'S NORTH OF THAT INTERSECTION OF NEWSO BOULEVARD AND KENSINGTON DRIVE, KENSINGTON PARK DRIVE.
UH, AND THIS SIGN WAS POSTED OCTOBER 31ST.
UH, TO SATISFY THE ADVERTISING REQUIREMENTS, THIS BUFFER SHOWS ALL PROPERTIES THAT ARE WITHIN A HUNDRED FEET.
UH, PROPERTIES THAT ARE WITHIN THAT A HUNDRED FEET WERE MAILED NOTICE OF THIS PROPOSED REZONING AND A SUMMARY OF THE R EIGHT ZONING DISTRICT.
IT IS PRIMARILY RESIDENTIAL MINIMUM.
LOT SIZES ARE GENERALLY AT LEAST 8,000 SQUARE FEET.
UH, AND THE MAXIMUM DENSITY IS APPROXIMATELY 10.6 ACRES BASED ON A FIVE ACRE TRACT.
AND AGAIN, MOST USES IN RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS ARE TYPICALLY RESIDENTIAL IN NATURE.
THE COMMERCIAL THREE ZONING DISTRICT IS A LITTLE MORE BROAD.
IT DOES, UH, FOCUS ON COMMERCIAL USES, UH, USES SUCH AS OFFICES, PERSONAL SERVICES AND, AND RETAIL, UH, ARE COMMON IN THIS, IN THIS DISTRICT.
UH, THEY'RE GENERALLY LOCATED ON CITY'S MAJOR, UH, RADIAL ROADS.
UH, I WOULD ARGUE THAT NOOSE BOULEVARD IS ONE OF THOSE.
A USE COMPARISON CHART SHOWS THE USES THAT ARE ALLOWED EITHER BY RIGHT OR BY SPECIAL USE IN BOTH ZONING DISTRICTS.
A GENERAL OVERVIEW, AGAIN, R EIGHT IS GENERALLY RESIDENTIAL.
THERE ARE SOME USES, UH, THAT ARE NOT MORE PROMINENTLY.
UH, EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS, UH, AND THE COMMERCIAL THREE ZONING DISTRICT.
THOSE USES, WHILE THEY DO ALLOW RESIDENTIAL USES PRIMARILY FOCUS ON THINGS SUCH AS RETAIL AND SERVICES.
THE EXISTING ZONING MAP SHOWS THAT THIS PROPERTY IS ZONED.
THERE'S A FEW DIFFERENT USES GOING ON HERE TO THE NORTH.
WE'VE GOT SOME C3, UH, FURTHER THAN THAT, WE'VE GOT SOME, SOME R 10 AND AND MORE R SIX.
UH, AND OFF TO THE WEST WE'VE GOT SOME C FOUR.
UH, THERE'S A LOT GOING ON ON THIS PARTICULAR CORNER.
THE FUTURE LAND USE CATEGORY THAT, UH, THE FUTURE LAND USE PLAN HAS IDENTIFIED THIS AS ALSO BEING DEVELOPED.
UH, AND AGAIN, THIS, UH, THIS JUST SHOWS THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL, UH, POINTS OF DEVELOPMENT FOR RESIDENTIAL USES.
THERE ARE HIGHER DENSITIES, UH, AND FOR GENERAL COMMERCIAL, UH, THIS IS WHERE ALL OF THOSE COMMERCIAL AREAS ARE, ARE FOCUSED.
THE NC FOCUS AREA, UH, REITERATES THIS BY SAYING THAT, UH, THIS IS ONE OF THE AREAS THAT GROWTH HAS TAKEN PLACE.
UH, IT IS SLOW TO GROW WITH HOUSING, UH, AND THERE IS, UH, A PRESENCE OF INDUSTRIAL IN THIS AREA.
THE AERIAL IMAGERY SHOWS THE EXISTING CONDITIONS OF THE SITE.
IT IS CURRENTLY CLEARED, UH, AND TO THE NORTH, YOU CAN SEE A CHURCH, UH, FURTHER NORTH.
YOU CAN SEE SOME RESIDENTIAL USES.
THERE ARE SEVERAL NON-RESIDENTIAL USES IN THIS AREA.
AND THIS, UH, THIS PICTURE SHOWS THE EXISTING CONDITIONS ON SITE.
THE CHURCH IS IN THE BACKGROUND.
OFF TO THE LEFT, SOME CONSIDERATIONS FOR THIS.
UH, ON SEPTEMBER 19TH, THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD MET, UH, MET AND THEY, UH, RECOMMENDED APPROVAL, UH, UNANIMOUSLY SIX TO ZERO.
[01:55:01]
UH, AND THEY BASE THIS ON ITS CONSISTENCY WITH THE FUTURE LAND USE PLAN, AS WELL AS THE 2022 UPDATE.UM, LAST CONSIDERATION IS THAT IT IS EXISTING.
UH, IT IS ADJACENT TO EXISTING C3 ZONE PROPERTIES, BUT THERE ARE ALSO, UH, A RESIDENTIAL SIX C FOUR AND I ONE, UH, AND I ONE BEING THE INDUSTRIAL USES.
AND IF THE BOARD HAS ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.
DOES BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM NUMBER 12, CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING ON REZONE PARCEL ID 8 2 1 6 0 0 5.
MAYOR, THERE'S NO ONE, UM, TO COME FORTH TO SPEAK ON BEHALF.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO, UM, ME TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SECOND, HAVE A MOTION A SECOND.
AND CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING ALL THOSE IN.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ANY OPPOSED? PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.
WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? ON ITEM NUMBER 12, THERE'S NO QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BOARD.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE TO REZONE PARCEL ID.
I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN BEST, ALDERMAN BEST, YES.
[13. Conduct a Public Hearing and Consider Adopting an Ordinance to Establish Rates for Consumption of Electricity Effective December 01 , 2024.]
NEXT UP IS ITEM NUMBER 13.CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDER ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE TO ESTABLISH RATES FOR CONSUMPTION OF ELECTRICITY EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 1ST, 2024.
MR. BOUCHARD, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR O.
I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MINUTE, UM, AND REVIEW OF OUR SUPPLY COSTS AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING OVER THE, THE PAST SIX MONTHS AND, UH, TAKING A LOOK BACK ON, ON SOME OF THE INFORMATION WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED AND REVIEWING OUR PURCHASE POWER SUPPLY COSTS IN JANUARY OF 2024.
THE KEMPER MEMBERSHIP APPROVED RIDER 20, RIDER 1 20 22 TO COLLECT APPROXIMATELY $53 MILLION IN UNCOLLECTED BY OUR SUPPLY COSTS THAT OCCURRED IN YEAR 2022.
THE IMPACT ON NEW BERN IS ABOUT $3.1 MILLION COST INCREASE, EFFECTIVE APRIL, 2024, WHICH IS ABOUT $131 A MONTH FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
UH, THE BOARD REACTED TO THAT, UM, POWER COST INCREASE BACK IN JUNE AND JULY AND THEY REACTED WITH A 6% RETAIL RATE INCREASE AND THEY'RE EXPECTING TO COLLECT ABOUT $3.1 MILLION FROM THAT RATE INCREASE THEN IN SEPTEMBER OF 2024.
AND THE KEMP OF MEMBERS ONCE AGAIN APPROVED ANOTHER RIDER, RIDER NUMBER 1 20 23 TO COLLECT ANOTHER $40 MILLION UNDER COLLECTED BY SUPPLY COSTS THAT OCCURRED IN THE YEAR 2023.
UH, THE IMPACT ON NEW BERN IS ABOUT $2.6 MILLION COST INCREASE, THAT'S EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1ST, 2024.
IT'S ABOUT $109,000 OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
SO, UM, IN SEPTEMBER OF 2024 AND MPA MEMBERS GOT TOGETHER AND, UM, ELECTRICITY STAFF PROVIDED A FIVE YEAR, UM, UPDATE ON THEIR RATE PLAN FROM MPA.
AND GOOD NEWS RIGHT OUT THE GATE, AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, EFFECTIVE JULY, 2025, THAT SERVICE IS ROLLING OFF, OR POWER SUPPLY BILL IS ABOUT $3.4 MILLION ANNUALLY, ABOUT 280 80 $2,000 PER MONTH.
AND THAT'S DEBT SERVICE THAT, THAT WE TOOK ON, UM, WHEN WE WENT ENTERED INTO THIS CONTRACT IN 2012.
UM, THEN ALSO IN SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR IN THE KEA FORECASTED ANOTHER RIDER, RIDER 2024, SIMILAR IN SIZE TO RIDER 1 20 22 AND 2023.
AND THEY'RE EXPECTING THAT TO BE AROUND 2.6 TO THREE TO $3 MILLION, UM, EFFECTIVE OCTOBER, 2025.
UM, SO WE'RE STARTING TO SEE A REAL TREND HERE IN THESE LARGE ANNUAL POWER SUPPLY COST ADJUSTMENTS,
[02:00:02]
UM, TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR.UM, GOING FORWARD, THOSE ARE RIDERS NOW TALKING ABOUT RATES.
AND THESE ARE, UM, BASE CAPACITY AND ENERGY RATES.
I DO SEE A TYPO ON THE LAST ONE IN 2029 THAT WHERE RIDERS SHOULD NOT BE THERE.
THESE ARE JUST RATE INCREASES FOR BASE CAPACITY AND ENERGY CHARGES.
THEY'RE NOT FORECASTING ANYTHING IN 2025.
THEY'RE FORECASTING A 6% RATE INCREASE, 2027 9%, 8.5% IN 2028, AND 2% IN 2029.
UM, HOWEVER, I EXPECT SOME DISCUSSION TO OCCUR WITH NAMPA MEMBERS, UH, IN JANUARY.
AND THEY MAY BE CONSIDERING, UM, RAISING THE RATES IN APRIL, 2025 EQUIVALENT TO WHAT THAT DEBT SERVICE IS THAT WILL BE FALLING OFF ON JULY.
AND THE IDEA, I THINK THERE IS TO, TO BUILD MORE CAPITAL, UM, SO THAT THE MEMBERSHIP COULD OFFSET FUTURE RATE INCREASES IN UPCOMING YEARS.
THERE MAY, MAY MAY ALSO BE SOME DISCUSSION TOWARDS PUSHING ROUTER 2024 OFF UNTIL APRIL OF 2026 WHEN THE OTHER RIDERS START TO FALL OFF.
AND WE MIGHT HAVE A LITTLE MORE BREATHING ROOM THERE.
SO GIVEN THAT FORECAST AND WHAT WE LEARNED IN OUR ELECTRIC FINANCIAL STUDY, THESE ARE THE OPTIONS THAT WE DISCUSSED, UM, IN OCTOBER.
AND I BELIEVE THERE WAS SUPPORT AT THE TIME, UH, FOR A 6% RATE INCREASE PLUS PCA.
BUT JUST GOING OVER, UM, WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT, WHAT SOME OPTIONS WE CONSIDERED NO RATE ADJUSTMENT, DOING NOTHING.
NOW, UM, I WOULD FORECAST BY THE END OF THE YEAR, WELL, IT MEANS NO IMPACT ON THE CUSTOMERS, NO COST INCREASE.
BY THE END OF THE YEAR, I EXPECT WE WOULD COLLECT $3 MILLION AND THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE JULY 6% RATE INCREASE.
OUR OPERATING, UM, INCOME, I WOULD EXPECT TO BE A $3.6 MILLION LOSS CASH BALANCE TO BE $11.4 MILLION.
OUR TARGETED CASH BALANCE IS $18.5 MILLION.
SO THERE'S A $7 MILLION SHORTFALL, BASICALLY 55 DAYS CASH ON HAND AND A DEBT COVERAGE RATIO 0.0405, WHICH IS FAR, FAR BELOW LENDING REQUIREMENTS.
THE OTHER IDEA WE COULD, WE TALKED ABOUT WAS JUST PASSING THROUGH RIDER 2023, TAKE THAT $2.6 MILLION, WORK IT INTO A RATE, JUST PASS IT THROUGH.
THE IMPACT ON THE CUSTOMER WOULD BE ABOUT $2 AND 83 CENTS PER MONTH.
I'D EXPECT BY THE END OF THE YEAR WE'D COLLECT ABOUT $800,000.
OUR ADJUSTED OPERATING INCOME GETS A LITTLE BETTER.
$2.8 MILLION LOSS, CASH BALANCE, $12.2 MILLION.
OUR DAYS, OUR CASH ARE IMPROVED A LITTLE BIT.
59, OUR DEBT COVERAGE RATIO IS 0.71.
UM, THE ONE ISSUE TO CONSIDER WITH IF WE JUST PASS THAT THROUGH IS THAT AFTER WE COLLECT THAT $2.6 MILLION, THAT RIDER'S JUST GONNA STOP.
SO THAT REVENUE STREAM IS GONNA STOP.
WE'LL HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT, UH, TWO YEARS FROM NOW, UM, OR AS LONG AS IT TAKES US TO RECOVER THAT COST.
THE OTHER OPTION WE TALKED ABOUT IS IF WE ONLY HAD A PCA POWER COST ADJUSTMENT CHARGE AND, UH, I WOULD FORECAST THAT POWER COST ADJUSTMENT CHARGE TO COST THE CUSTOMER ABOUT $4 AND 40 CENTS A MONTH.
UM, BY THE END OF THE YEAR, I WOULD EXPECT THAT WE RECOVER $1.2 MILLION, STILL OPERATING A $2.4 MILLION LOSS, CASH BALANCE, $12.7 MILLION MINIMUM CASH ON HAND, STILL A $5.8 MILLION SHORTFALL DAYS OF CASH ON HAND, PROVE A LITTLE BIT TO 61 DAYS.
OUR DEBT COVERAGE RATIO, UM, STARTING TO GET A LITTLE BIT RESPECTABLE UP TO 1.08.
WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT PUTTING A CAP ON THAT.
UM, THERE WAS SOME CONCERN ABOUT A POWER COST ADJUSTMENT AND IT BEING TOO VARIABLE AND UNPREDICTABLE AND, UM, UNCERTAIN.
UM, SO I WAS SUGGESTING A, UM, 1.50 CENT, UM, PER KILOWATT HOUR CAP ON THAT.
THE OTHER OPTION WE DISCUSSED WAS A 6% RATE INCREASE SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU DID IN JULY.
THE IMPACT ON THE CUSTOMER WOULD BE ABOUT $7 AND 24 CENTS A MONTH.
THE AVERAGE RETAIL CUSTOMER OR ACTUALLY AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER, UM, WE COLLECT ABOUT $3.1 MILLION BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.
OR OPERATING ADJUSTED INCOME, I EXPECT TO BE ABOUT $1.7 MILLION LOSS.
SO WE CUT OUR LOSSES IN ABOUT HALF.
UM, OUR CASH BALANCE, I EXPECT TO BE ABOUT $13 MILLION.
AND OUR SHORTFALL OF MINIMUM CASH ON HAND IS ABOUT $5.2 MILLION IN DAYS OF CASH ARE 64.
AND OUR DEBT COVERAGE RATIO IS NOW 1.6.
[02:05:01]
TO BE FAVORABLE AMONGST THE BOARD, UM, CERTAINLY HAS MY RECOMMENDATION IS THE 6% RATE INCREASE, PLUS THE POWER COST ADJUSTMENT CHART THAT WOULD BE EQUIVALENT TO $11 64 CENTS AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE, UH, PER MONTH.UM, OUR REVENUE RECOVERY WE'D BE OPERATING, UM, IN THE POSITIVE, UM, ABOUT $483,000.
UM, OUR SHORTFALL ON CASH ON HANDS, ABOUT $3 MILLION.
TODAY'S CASH ON HAND IS UP TO 75, UH, DAYS, AND OUR OPERATING INCOME IS NOW A POSITIVE, UM, OPERATING INCOME.
GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS RATES WITH YOU TONIGHT, UH, I WANTED TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION, UM, AND RECOMMEND RETIRING FIVE, UH, UNDERPERFORMING AND UNDERUTILIZED RATES.
UM, FOUR OUT OF FIVE OF THESE RATES ARE DISCOUNTED RATES.
UM, SO WE MAY ASK OURSELVES WHY ARE WE DISCOUNTING RATES WHEN OUR OPERATING COMES ARE AT A LOSS? AND TO GO THROUGH THEM, UM, IN A LITTLE MORE DETAIL, OUR EO SEVEN RATE IS AVAILABLE TO RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS AND IT'S OUR ENERGY CONSERVATION, UM, DISCOUNT.
IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR THAT, UM, YOU NEED TO PROVIDE A BUILDING CERTIFICATE AND STAFF NEEDS INSPECTED, VERIFY THAT CERTIFICATE MAINLY EVOLVES AROUND THERMAL STANDARDS AND THERMAL QUALIFICATIONS.
SO INSULATION, WINDOWS, DOORS, UM, APPLIANCES.
THE HOME ALSO NEEDS TO BE ALL ELECTRIC.
UM, WE HAVE ABOUT 1800 CUSTOMERS ON THIS RATE AND UH, IF WE WERE TO ELIMINATE IT, WE'D RECOVER ABOUT $155,000 ANNUALLY.
THAT IMPACTS EACH CUSTOMER ABOUT $7 PER MONTH.
SO I'M RECOMMENDING TO RETIRE THIS RATE AND, UH, MOVE THOSE CUSTOMERS TO OUR TYPICAL OR STANDARD EO ONE RESIDENTIAL RATE.
UM, OUR E 40 RATE IS, UH, WHAT THEY, WE CALL A HUNDRED PERCENT AC CONTROL.
AND IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR THAT, YOU HAVE TO ALLOW US TO PUT YOUR AIR CONDITIONER AND LOAD MANAGEMENT FOR A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE TIME.
ALL OTHER LOAD MANAGEMENT DEVICES ARE TYPICALLY ABOUT 25% OF THE TIME, AND WE DISCOUNT OUR EO RATE BY 5%, UH, IN EXCESS OF 800 KILOWATT HOURS.
WE HAVE ONE CUSTOMER UTILIZING THAT.
UM, AND THE ANNUAL COST RECOVERY FOR THAT DISCOUNT IS $31 A YEAR, AND THAT CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE IS $7 AND 70 CENTS THE COST TO INCREASE.
SO COMMEND WE RETIRE THAT, THAT RATE AND MOVE THAT CUSTOMER TO OUR RESIDENTIAL EO ONE E 50.
UM, THIS REQUIRES YOU TO QUALIFY FOR BOTH THE E OH SEVEN RATE AND THE E 40 RATE, AND WE GIVE YOU THE DISCOUNTS OF BOTH.
UH, WE HAVE SEVEN CUSTOMERS ON THAT, THAT RATE.
UM, ANNUAL REVENUE RECOVERIES $172, AND THE CUSTOMER IMPACTS ABOUT $6 AND 16 CENTS PER MONTH.
AND I'M ALSO RECOMMENDING WE RETIRE THAT AND MOVE THOSE CUSTOMERS TO OUR RESIDENTIAL E OH ONE.
OUR E OH NINE RATE IS A COMMERCIAL RATE.
IT'S CALLED A SMALL WHOLESALE RATE.
UM, AND IT DISCOUNTS OUR MEDIUM COMMERCIAL RATE, UM, BY ABOUT 20% OF THE DEMAND CHARGES.
WE HAVE ONE CUSTOMER UTILIZING THAT.
WHY THAT WAS CREATED, I DON'T KNOW, I CAN'T THINK OF ONE WHOLESALE CUSTOMER THAT WE HAVE.
UM, I CAN'T THINK OF A REASON TO OFFER, UM, A DISCOUNTED WHOLESALE RATE, UH, TO ANY OF OUR CUSTOMERS TO QUALIFY FOR A WHOLESALE RATE.
IN MY MIND, I GUESS WE WOULD JUST SELL YOU THE ENERGY, BUT WE WOULDN'T PROVIDE YOU ANY OF THE DISTRIBUTION, SO WE'D HAVE NO DISTRIBUTION COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE ENERGY CHARGES.
SO I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PURPOSE OF THIS IS.
UM, AND I'M SUGGESTING THAT WE RETIRE THIS, THIS RATE AS WELL AND MOVE THIS CUSTOMER.
UM, BACK TO OUR, UM, MEDIUM GENERAL SERVICE.
THE OTHER THING THAT SHOULD, SHOULD BE AWARE OF IS WITH THIS PARTICULAR RATE, THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN, UM, ANYBODY QUALIFYING FOR MEDIAN GENERAL SERVICE CAN QUALIFY FOR THIS RATE.
SO, UM, ANYBODY, IF IF WE HAVE THIS RATE ACTIVE, ANYBODY CAN BE 20% DISCOUNTED.
UM, SO WE'RE, WE'RE KIND OF VULNERABLE THERE.
OR E 11 RATE IS A TIME OF USE RATE.
UH, WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY USING IT.
AND RIGHTFULLY SO, IT REALLY UNDERPERFORMS OUR CP RATES, OUR OUR, UM, COINCIDENT PEAK POWER RATES.
SO IT TRIES TO BLEND OUR COINCIDENT PEAK RATES IN A TIME OF USE.
[02:10:01]
IT, IT JUST, IT DOESN'T, AND AS A, AS A RESULT, IT'S, IT'S HIGHER COST THAN THE REST OF OUR RATES.SO I, I SUGGEST WE RETIRE THAT, THAT RATE AS WELL.
SO OVERALL, I'M RECOMMENDING THAT YOU APPROVE THE 6% INCREASE TO ALL RATES, A MONTHLY POWER COST ADJUSTMENT CHARGE TO ALL METERED RATES, NOT TO EXCEED, UH, ONE AND A HALF CENTS PER KILOWATT HOUR.
ELIMINATE RESIDENTIAL RATES, EO SEVEN, E 40, E 50, AND ELIMINATE COMMERCIAL RATE EO NINE AND 11.
I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
CHARLIE, THE, UM, THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT YOU WERE SPEAKING OF ON THE E 40 AND 50, ARE THOSE NEW HOMES OR OLDER HOMES? THE THEY'RE OLDER.
THESE RATES FROM BEST I COULD TELL WERE, WERE DESIGNED AND CAME INTO FRUITION IN THE NINETIES.
UM, AND THEY WERE QUALIFYING ON ENERGY STANDARDS TODAY.
DO THEY HAVE NEW WINDOWS AND DOORS? YOU, YOU MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT NEW WINDOWS AND DOORS.
THEY HAVE TO, BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA GO WITH THAT THOUGH.
YOU'RE GONNA PUT NEW EFFICIENT WINDOWS IN YOUR HOME CORRECT.
BECAUSE THEY, IF THEY COST A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY CORRECT.
THAT'S WHERE YOU GET YOUR DISCOUNT AT.
SEE, I, WE HAD $20,000 TO GET THAT BIG RATE.
HARDLY, HARDLY WORTH THE COST.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, CHARLIE? JUST A KIND OF GENERAL QUESTION.
UM, THE, THE KIND OF COST INCREASES, UM, IN RECOVERY COSTS THAT THIS ORGANIZATION, WHICH WE ARE A MEMBER OF, THAT, THAT WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS, IS IT IS JUST UNIQUE TO THIS ORGANIZATION OR IS THIS JUST REFLECTIVE OF INDUSTRY WORLDWIDE OR, OR WITHIN THE US ANYWAY? WELL, I CAN ONLY SPEAK TO THIS SIX YEARS I'VE BEEN HERE.
AND THE CHALLENGE THAT WE FACE ARE NOT UNIQUE TO ANY OTHER UTILITY, ANY OTHER CITY AROUND.
WE HAVE PRESSURES, UM, ON OUR COST OF ENERGY.
WE HAVE PRESSURES ON OUR COST OF DISTRIBUTION.
WE HAVE PRESSURES ON STAFF, WE HAVE, UM, LEGISLATION THAT GETS PASSED DOWN THAT WE HAVE TO RESPOND TO.
SO IT'S, IT'S A PRETTY DYNAMIC, UM, INDUSTRY.
IT'S A PRETTY DYNAMIC BUSINESS TO BE INVOLVED WITH.
UM, I WOULD HOPE THAT, UM, BASED ON THIS INFORMATION, I COME BACK OFTEN AND I GIVE YOU, GIVE THE THE BOARD UPDATES ON A REGULAR BASIS OF WHAT THE FORECAST IS TODAY AS WE KNOW IT.
AND YOU'VE HEARD ME MENTION IT BEFORE, THAT THE ODDNESS ABOUT THIS DOES NOT FOLLOW OUR BUDGETING CYCLE.
SO WHEN I, WHEN, WHEN I HAVE INFORMATION ON THIS, IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY ALWAYS LINE UP WITH WHERE WE'RE AT BUDGETING, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION, UM, OFTEN AND WE NEED TO KEEP OUR EYES ON, ON WHAT IT COSTS TO OPERATE THIS BUSINESS AND, AND WHAT THE FORECAST IS TO, UH, TO OPERATE SUCCESSFULLY.
I'LL OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE ORDINANCE TO ESTABLISH RATES FOR ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION EFFECTI OF DECEMBER 1ST, 2024.
UH, GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
UM, I APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE IF YOU CAN'T UNDERSTAND ME.
UM, WAS BORN AND RAISED UP NORTH.
I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE I GOT OUTTA THE MARINE CORPS IN CAMP JUNE, UH, FOR THE PAST SEVEN YEARS.
UH, AFTER GETTING OUTTA THE MARINE CORPS, I HAVE BEEN A ENERGY CONSULTANT HELPING THOUSANDS OF HOMEOWNERS, UH, ALL THE WAY FROM ELIZABETH CITY DOWN TO CALABA, WILMINGTON, NEW BERN, JACKSONVILLE, UM, AND OTHER STATES ALL THE WAY UP TO WHERE I'M FROM AND DOWN TO FLORIDA AND OUT WEST AS WELL.
UM, HAD A LOT OF EXPERIENCE WITH ENERGY PROVIDERS, UH, ESPECIALLY DUKE, UH, ESPECIALLY, UH, COOPERATIVES LIKE NEW BERN ELECTRIC OR NEW BRUNSWICK, UH, ELECTRIC CORPORATION, UH, JONES OSLOW AS WELL.
UM, THE BIGGEST COMMON DENOMINATOR THAT WE SEE WITH STUFF LIKE THIS WHEN IT COMES TO BRUNSWICK ELECTRIC IS THAT THERE'S AN OLD SCHOOL KIND OF BUSINESS CONDUCT WHEN IT COMES TO THE ELECTRIC CORPORATION.
IT'S KIND OF BUY AT THE LOWEST RATE FROM DUKE AND THEN
[02:15:01]
SELL IT ENOUGH THAT, THAT THEY CAN MAKE A PROFIT OFF THE CONSUMER.BUT WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING TO ACTUALLY SUSTAIN THE ENERGY ITSELF.
WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, ENTICING HOMEOWNERS IN THE COMMUNITY TO HELP SUSTAIN THAT GRID.
THERE'S INCENTIVES FOR HOMEOWNERS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF FEDERAL AND LOCAL, UH, GRANTS AND CREDITS TO BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN THE GRID HOME, SOLAR, COMMERCIAL, SOLAR TOWN AND CITY SOLAR PROJECTS AS WELL, GET HUGE GRANTS.
UM, NOTHING'S BEING DONE FOR HOMEOWNERS TO BE ABLE TO TAKE PART IN SUSTAINING THE GRID.
AND PRETTY MUCH HOW IT STANDS IS KIND OF DOG EAT DOG, YOU KNOW, WE'RE BUYING AN, AN INFLATED RATE OF POWER FROM DUKE, BUT THEN WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING TO KIND OF KEEP AWAY FROM, YOU KNOW, THE DUKE STUFF.
LIKE WE BUY X AMOUNT AND WE SELL X AMOUNT, BUT THERE'S NO OTHER Y AMOUNT OR W AMOUNT.
UM, THERE IS NO SOLAR FARMS GETTING PUT UP THAT I SEE.
I'VE BEEN OUT HERE FOR A WHILE.
UM, BIG LACK OF BATTERIES IN THE CITY THAT COMES DOWN TO BUILDING AND ZONING.
UM, SIR, WHICH IS, SIR, I, I DON'T WANT TO INTERRUPT YOU, BUT I AM GOING INTERRUPT YOU.
I MIGHT SUGGEST YOU TALK TO OUR DIRECTOR OF ELECTRIC UTILITIES BECAUSE WE'RE UNDER CONTRACT WITH ELECTRIC CITIES AND BATTERIES, SOLAR FORMS, ALL THOSE THINGS YOU MENTIONED ARE PROHIBITED.
IS THAT CORRECT, CHARLIE? SO THAT'S WHY YOU DON'T SEE SOME OF THOSE ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS COMING FORTH, RIGHT? YES, MR. MAYOR AND THAT, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF HOMEOWNERS ARE BEING BARRED FROM TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THINGS THAT ARE GONNA HELP THE GRID AND HELP YOU SAVE MONEY FROM BUYING SO MUCH POWER FROM DUKE.
UM, THAT'S HOW BIG CITIES THAT HAVE, YOU KNOW, PROBLEMS AND DEBT WITH ELECTRIC, THAT'S HOW THEY'RE ABLE TO OVERCOME THOSE PROBLEMS IS BY HAVING MORE RENEWABLE AND SUSTAINABLE THINGS PUT INTO PLACE.
UM, A COUPLE QUESTIONS I HAVE PARTICULARLY IS IF WE'RE GONNA RAISE THE, THE CONSUMER RATE, UM, ARE WE ALSO GONNA RAISE THE AVOIDED COST RATE FOR HOMEOWNERS THAT DO HAVE SOLAR IN THE CITY? UM, AND THEN ALSO, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO A LOT OF THE HOMEOWNERS THAT I PERSONALLY SAT DOWN WITH AND PERSONALLY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HELP WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OF NEW BERN, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN ARE WE GONNA, YOU KNOW, THINK ABOUT OUR HONOR NET METERING, UH, BECAUSE BRUNSWICK ELECTRIC CORPORATION HAS THE SAME KIND OF STANDARD AS NEW BERN, BUT THEY DO IT AND THEY'RE SUCCESSFUL AT IT, UM, AND THEY SELL AT A MUCH LOWER RATE AND THEY GET THE POWER FROM THE SAME POT.
UH, SO THAT'S JUST ANOTHER QUESTION I HAVE.
UM, AND, UH, FROM WHAT I'M SEEING, AND I'M SURE WE ALL SEE IT ON THE NEWS, IT'S RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF US.
YOU KNOW, IT LOOKS LIKE POWER'S GONNA BE COMING DOWN A LITTLE BIT ON A NATIONAL LEVEL.
UM, I DON'T THINK THAT IT'S ANYTHING WE SHOULD PANIC ABOUT YET TO THE TERMS OF RAISING RATES.
UM, 'CAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S THE HOMEOWNERS THAT ARE JUST TRYING TO LIVE THAT ARE GONNA PAY THAT COST.
UM, I'M A HOMEOWNER THAT PAYS THOSE SAME BILLS AND PAYS THOSE SAME TAXES.
UM, I DON'T THINK IT'S THE RIGHT WAY OF HANDLING THE BUSINESS.
CHARLIE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANNA COME FORWARD, BUT I THINK EVERYTHING THAT HE MENTIONED AS FAR AS ALTERNATIVES TO AVOID THIS, ARE PROHIBITED IN OUR CONTRACT WITH ELECTRIC CITIES.
LET WE THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS EVERY SINGLE DAY.
WE'RE TRYING TO, UM, FIND BETTER WAYS AND TO LOWER OUR COSTS.
IT NEVER STOPS, MR. AND THERE, THERE ARE OFF RAMPS.
OUR CONTRACT IS, IS WHEN WE HAVE TO GIVE NOTICE IN 2031 IF WE WANT OUT IN 2035.
SO AS A FOUR YEAR NOTICE, 2031 IS THE FIRST TIME WE COULD ACTUALLY DO ANYTHING.
AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE SOURCE OF POWER TO PROVIDE ALL OF OUR CITIZENS.
ANYONE ELSE? THERE'S NO ONE ELSE.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND CITY CLERK.
DID YOU GET WHO THAT WAS? I DID.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING PUBLIC HEARING, SAY AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.
WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? ON ITEM NUMBER 13, MAYOR, I'LL MAKE A MOTION, UM, TO CONSIDER ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE TO ESTABLISH RATES TO, FOR CONSUMPTION OF ELECTRICITY EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 1ST, 2024.
[02:20:01]
A SECOND.UH, JUST SO WE'RE CLEAR, THAT IS ON THE RECOMMENDATION THAT STAFF MADE.
REFERRING TO? THAT'S THE 6% INCREASE WITH THE PCA WITH A LIMIT OF ONE AND A HALF TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CLEAR.
AND I, I BELIEVE THAT WOULD ALSO INCLUDE THE DIRECTOR'S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE FIVE ELIMINATION OF CATEGORIES TO ELIMINATION.
EO SEVEN, E 40, E 50, E OH NINE AND E 11.
IS THAT THE SPIRIT OF YOUR MOTION? YES.
UH, CHARLIE, ONLY THING I'LL SAY IS, UM, I'LL JUST REPEAT WHAT I'VE SAID IN THE PAST WHEN WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS.
WE'VE DONE, IS IT FOUR ELECTRIC RATE REDUCTIONS IN THE PAST 10 YEARS? YES, SIR.
AND, UM, WHEN WE DID THAT, I SAID IT EVERY TIME THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO KEEP PACE WITH OUR WHOLESALE COST.
SO NOW THAT'S WHY WE'RE BEING FACED WITH WHAT WE'RE BEING FACED WITH.
NOW THIS INCREASE IS GOING TO SIMPLY RECOVER THE COST AND THE LOSS THAT WE WOULD EXPERIENCE IF WE WERE TO CONTINUE AT THEIR CURRENT RATES.
AND, UH, MY LAST COMMENT IS, UM, THESE RATES CAN BE ADJUSTED AT ANY POINT IN TIME.
SO IF ELECTRIC CITIES COMES BACK AND SAYS, EH, WE PROJECTED WRONG, WHICH THEY'VE DONE A LOT OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS, UM, THEY COULD COME BACK AND SAY, WE'RE ACTUALLY NOT GONNA BE GOING UP.
WE COULD ACTUALLY DO A RATE REDUCTION POTENTIALLY, DEPENDING ON WHAT THOSE RATES COME IN AT.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE? LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN PRI.
[14. Consider Adopting a Resolution Approving the Addition of a Streetlight on Beech Street.]
14.CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE ADDITION OF A STREET LIGHT ON BEACH STREET.
THIS KIND OF A MATTER OF, UH, NORMAL BUSINESS.
UH, THERE'S REQUEST FOR A STREETLIGHT ON BEACH STREET.
IT DOESN'T MEET OUR ROADWAY STANDARDS.
UM, SO IT GOES TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THEY REVIEW IT AND BASED ON SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE SUGGESTING THAT WE INSTALL A STREET LIGHT.
UM, BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS ON ITEM NUMBER 14.
THERE'S NO QUESTIONS BY THE BOARD.
MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING THE ADDITION OF THE STREETLIGHT ON BEACH STREET.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ROYAL.
[15. Consider Adopting a Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Execute a Contract for the Simmons Street Water Improvements Project.]
UP IS ITEM NUMBER 15.CONSIDERED ADOPT RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED IN THE CITY MANAGER, EXECUTE A CONTRACT FOR THE SIMMONS STREET WATER IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.
THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM IS A, A RECOMMENDATION TO AWARD THE SIMMONS STREET WATER IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT.
UH, THE JANE DALE CATON UTILITIES, EXCUSE ME, RECENTLY OPENED BIDS FOR THE PROJECT.
WE ACTUALLY HAD TO, UH, DO TWO BID ADVERTISEMENTS AND TRY TO GET THE BIDS TWICE.
UH, THE FIRST TIME, UH, FOR THE FIRST POST IN BID OPENING, WE DID NOT HAVE THE REQUIRED NUMBER OF, OF, UH, PARTICIPANTS.
UH, AND EVEN WITH THE SECOND REQUEST AND SOME ADVERTISING, WE ONLY GOT TWO BIDDERS THAT SHOWED UP FOR THE PROJECT.
SO A A LOT OF DEMAND OUT THERE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION RESOURCES TODAY.
UM, AND AS A RESULT, WE'RE SEEING OUR CONSTRUCTION PRICES KIND OF GETTING HIGHER AND HIGHER.
UM, SO WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU IS THE, THE AWARD FOR THAT, A LITTLE OVER $1.8 MILLION.
AND THIS IS FOR REPLACEMENT OF APPROXIMATELY 5,000 FEET OF AGING WATER MAIN ALONG SIMMONS STREET.
UM, THE PROJECT WILL EXTEND FROM MLK UP TO NO BOULEVARD.
UM, WILL BE A LARGE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT FOR US.
UH, LOOKING ONCE WE GET STARTED, IF EVERYTHING STAYS ON TRACK, HOPEFULLY WE GET STARTED EARLY DECEMBER.
PROJECT WILL EXTEND THROUGH THE WINTER AND HOPEFULLY WRAP UP IN, IN EARLY SPRING.
UH, THIS WILL BE JUST IN ADVANCE OF DOT RESURFACING, ALL OF SIMMONS STREET.
THE HAVE OF THE BID BOARD HAVE QUESTION.
WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? ON ITEM NUMBER 15, MAY I MAKE A MOTION TO, UM, ADOPT A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT FOR THE SIMMONS STREET WATER IMPROVEMENT PROJECT? SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ASTOR.
[02:25:03]
ALDERMAN DESK.[16. Consider Approving the 2025 Holiday Calendar.]
ITEM NUMBER 16 IS CONSIDERED ADOPTING THE 2025 CALENDAR.MEMBERS OF THE BOARD ON OCTOBER 22ND, I CAME BEFORE YOU WITH A PROPOSED HOLIDAY CALENDAR FOR 2025, AT WHICH TIME YOU DIRECTED US TO POLL OUR EMPLOYEES TO SEE WHAT THEIR PREFERENCE WOULD BE.
WOULD IT BE TO TAKE JUNETEENTH OFF OR TO CONTINUE TO, UM, OBSERVE, UH, BASED ON A PERSONAL OBSERVANCE DAY? SO THE MANAGER SENT OUT, UM, A LINK TO A SURVEY TO ALL EMPLOYEES ON OCTOBER 24TH, AND THAT CLOSED ON THE 30TH OF OCTOBER.
AND THE RESULTS, UM, CAME BACK.
WE HAD ABOUT 306 EMPLOYEES WHO PARTICIPATED IN THAT SURVEY, 25 PREFERRED JUNETEENTH AND 281 EMPLOYEES PREFER THE PERSONAL OBSERVANCE DAY.
SO I'M BACK BEFORE YOU TONIGHT WITH THE HOLIDAY CALENDAR, WHICH INCLUDES THE PERSONAL OBSERVANCE DAY, UM, TO REQUEST YOUR CONSIDERATION IN APPROVING THAT CALENDAR.
ON ITEM NUMBER 16, MAKE A MOTION.
WE APPROVE THE 2025 HOLIDAY CALENDAR.
SECOND, HAVE A MOTION A SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ANY OPPOSED? CALENDAR IS APPROVED.
[17. Consider Adopting a Resolution Approving the GIS Strategic Plan.]
IS ITEM NUMBER 17.CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE GIS STRATEGIC PLAN.
ALICE WILSON, MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
UM, IN MARCH OF 2015, I WAS BEFORE THE SAME BOARD TO ASK FOR OUR FIRST ADOPTION OF OUR GIS PLAN, STRATEGIC PLAN.
SO THIS IS AN UPDATE OF THAT PLAN.
WE WORKED WITH, UH, GEOGRAPHIC TECHNOLOGIES GROUP WHO DID THE ORIGINAL PLAN TO DO AN UPDATE.
WE MET WITH ALL THE DEPARTMENT HEADS, OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS AND GIS STAFF TO LOOK AT RECOMMENDATIONS AND HAVE DISCUSSIONS AND STUFF.
AND I WON'T KEEP US HERE LONG TONIGHT.
UM, BUT I WILL SAY, WHAT IS GIS AS ANOTHER ALICE WOULD TELL YOU, WHEN SHE ASKED THE
AND HE SAID, WELL, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT PATH HE WANTS TO TAKE.
A GIS WILL HELP US DETERMINE WHERE WE WANT TO GO AND HOW TO GET THERE.
SO, THE HISTORY OF NEW BERN, GIS I'LL GO AGAIN.
IN LATE 1990S, WE RELIED ON MOST OF THE COUNTIES, GIS, FOR ROADS PARCELS ADDRESSING.
IN 1998, A NEEDS ASSESSMENT WAS DONE IN 2000, UM, PLANNING INSPECTIONS AS IT WAS KNOWN THEN THAT WITH ALL DEPARTMENTS TO IMPLEMENT A GIS STRATEGY.
UM, STAFF WAS HIRED, DATA WAS COLLECTED, CONVERTED, AND CREATED IN 2014.
AGAIN, WE ADOPTED IN MARCH OF 2015, THE FIRST PLAN.
AND TODAY, EVERY DEPARTMENT LEVERAGES GIS DATA IS INTEGRATED IN OTHER SOFTWARE TO ENHANCE WORKFLOWS, DATA ANALYSIS, STREAMLINE DATA REQUESTS.
WE HAVE ONLINE MAPS AND APPLICATIONS, SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS ON OPERATIONS.
SO SOME OF OUR RECENT SU UH, SUCCESSES, UH, WE UPDATED OR CREATED A GIS DATA HUB AND MOVED ALL OUR INFORMATIONAL MAPS TO THAT SITE.
IT'S BROKEN OUT BY DEPARTMENTS.
UM, WE JUST COMPLETED A LEAD SERVICE LINE INVENTORY FOR, UM, UTILIZED GIS SIGNIFICANTLY DURING HURRICANE EVENTS.
UM, WE CREATED A SURPLUS PROPERTY SITES, WHICH WE HAD WON NATIONAL AWARDS FOR.
WE CONVERTED MULTIPLE PAPER PLANS TO STORY MAPS AND ONLINE APPLICATIONS.
WE WERE ABLE TO DO, UM, IN-HOUSE REDISTRICTING.
WE'RE WORKING WITH THE CENSUS DATA.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE HAVE CURRENTLY, UH, SUBMITTED, UH, CHALLENGES TO, UH, THE RECENT SUBMITTALS OF OUR POPULATION.
ESTIMATES FOR 20, 21, 22, AND 23.
WE'RE WAITING TO HEAR BACK ON THAT.
THEY SIGNIFICANTLY UNDERCOUNTED US.
UM, WE ALSO MAINTAINED GIS FOR ACCREDITATIONS, FOR POLICE, FIRE PARKS AND RECS AND CRS.
SO WE, AGAIN, OUT OF THE PLAN, I'LL JUST KIND OF BRIEFLY GO OVER THIS, UM, LOOKED AT, UH, WE MET WITH ALL THE DEPARTMENTS, LOOKED AT GOVERNANCE.
UH, MAYBE AT SOME POINT WE HAVE A TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT WHERE WE COMBINE IGIS AND IT, YOU KNOW, DOWN THE ROAD.
WE ALSO NEED TO, UH, IMPLEMENT FORMAL POLICIES AND STANDARDS.
UM, DATA WISE, THERE'S DATA THAT WE NEED TO COMPLETE, UM, SUCH AS THE STORMWATER INVENTORY THAT'S PARTIALLY HAD THAT COMPLETED, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE COMPLETED.
[02:30:01]
MAPPING OUT, UM, CEMETERY PLOTS.UM, I KNOW THAT'S A BIG SUBJECT FOR THE CITY.
UM, AND THERE'S OTHER PROJECTS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
WE'RE REJOINED THE INVENTORY, BUT THOSE SITES WE ALSO WANNA WORK ON OR RECOMMENDED THAT WE, UH, LOOK AT DOCUMENTATION.
SO WHEN WE COMPLETE PROCESSES, WE NEED TO BE BETTER AT DOCUMENTING THAT SO THAT YOU KNOW, SOMEONE DOWN THE ROAD PEOPLE CAN IMPLEMENT WHAT WE DO.
UM, WE'RE ALSO UPDATING THE SOFTWARE THIS COMING DECEMBER 4TH.
OUR SYSTEM WILL BE DOWN FOR THE DAY WHILE WE UPGRADE OUR ENTERPRISE SYSTEM TO MAKE IT WORK BETTER.
AND, AND AGAIN, CONTINUE TO BE UTILIZED THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND WITH OTHER SOFTWARE.
UM, WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH IT INFRASTRUCTURE TO CREATE LIKE A TEST SITE SO THAT WE, WHEN THEY UPDATE SOFTWARE, THAT IT DOESN'T AFFECT THE GIS AND THE TECHNOLOGY IS EVER EVOLVING.
SO IT WAS ALSO RECOMMENDED THAT WE CONTINUE TO LOOK AT TRAINING AND EDUCATION.
I WILL SAY THAT WE HAVE SOME PRETTY AMAZING STAFF.
UM, WE HAVE KEVIN GASKINS WHO WORKS IN THE WATER RESOURCES.
HE'S BEEN THERE FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
HE DOES AN AMAZING JOB OF MAPPING ALL THE WATER AND SEWER.
AS WE KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF PROJECTS GOING ON IN TRANSPORTATION.
HE GOES OUT THERE AND MAPS THEM FOR US.
UM, CONNOR NICHOLSON, WHO'S IN THE ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT, MAINTAINS ALL THE ELECTRIC GIS DATA SETS.
UM, AND THEN I HAVE BETH ROBINSON, WHO'S WORKS WITH ME IN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
SHE'S THE ONE THAT DID THE LEAD SERVICE LINE.
SHE STARTED ONE ONE DAY AND THE NEXT DAY STARTED IMPLEMENTING THAT WITHIN A MATTER
UM, SO WE'VE GOT SOME AMAZING STAFF AS WELL AS RONNIE, UM, COMPTON THAT WORKS IN THE 9 1 1 CENTER WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SO WE, THE CITY IS VERY BLESSED TO HAVE SOME REALLY GOOD STAFF.
WE COULD USE SOME MORE STAFF TO MAINTAIN SOME OF THIS DATA THAT WE DO AND MAKE SOME MAPS AND UTILIZE SOME OF THESE APPLICATIONS.
BUT, UM, WE'LL, WE'LL DEAL WITH THAT WHEN WE GET TO IT.
UM, WE DID IMPLEMENT A VISION STATEMENT THAT CAME OUT OF THE PLAN.
UM, IT BASICALLY, WE WORK WITH GTG AND WE PUT INPUT FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
AND OUR VISION STATEMENT IS TO BUILD AND MAINTAIN AN ENTERPRISE, SCALABLE, SUSTAINABLE, AND SECURE GIS THAT PROMOTES EFFECTIVE AND INNOVATIVE USE OF LOCATION INTELLIGENCE THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF NEW BERN.
EMPOWERING DATA-DRIVEN DECISION MAKING, EFFICIENT CITY OPERATIONS AND IMPROVED PUBLIC SERVICES WHILE FOSTERING A CONNECTED AND POOR COMMUNITY THROUGH GOOD GIS GOVERNANCE, COORDINATION, ACCURATE AND RELIABLE DATA STANDARDS AND ONGOING TRAINING EDUCATION.
SO AGAIN, THE PLAN IN THE CONCLUSION, THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH AND IMPROVEMENT.
WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT AND WE'RE ALREADY STARTING TO IMPLEMENT SOME OF THOSE.
AGAIN, SOME OF THE KEY NEEDS THAT WERE BROUGHT OUT WAS GOVERNANCE, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE PROCEDURES AND, AND STANDARDS AND STUFF AND WORKFLOWS THAT ARE DOCUMENTED AND SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS THAT WE CAN START IMPLEMENTING AS WELL AS TRAINING.
AND THEN ALSO PROMOTE GREATER INTEGRATION OF OF THE GIS THROUGHOUT OTHER DEPARTMENTS OR OTHER PROCESSES THROUGHOUT THE DEPARTMENTS.
THERE IS, UH, EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW, A FLIP BOOK IF YOU WANT TO.
THERE'S A QR CODE, BUT WE'LL ALSO PUT IT ON OUR CITY WEBSITE.
SO, UM, AS WELL AS THE, UH, COMPLETE UPDATED PLAN THAT WILL BE UP THERE AVAILABLE.
SO IT IS MY RECOMMENDATION THAT I ASK THAT YOU ADOPT THE GIS STRATEGIC PLAN, CITY OF NEWBURGH, NORTH CAROLINA 2024 UPDATE.
AND I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.
THANK UM, ONE, ONE DEPARTMENT WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IN THE CITY IS THE GIS.
AND ALSO, WILL I ADD THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO COME BACK ANNUALLY AT THIS TIMEFRAME AND KIND OF GIVE YOU AN UPDATE OF WHAT PROJECTS WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON.
ON ITEM NUMBER 17, MAY I MAKE A MOTION, UM, TO CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE GIS STRATEGIC PLAN? SECOND, HAVE A MOTION A SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN KENZIE.
[18. Consider Adopting an Ordinance to Amend Section 70- 234 " Horsedrawn Carriage Load Zone" of Article VI. " Stopping, Standing and Parking" of Chapter 70 " Traffic and Vehicles."]
NUMBER 18.CONSIDER ADOPTING ORDINANCE TO AMEND SECTION 20 DASH 2 34 HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGE LOAD ZONE OF ARTICLE SIX, STOPPING STANDING AND PARKING OF CHAPTER 70.
MAYOR ALDERMAN, FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGE RIDES HAVE BEEN OFFERED DURING OFFERED DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON.
THIS HAS BEEN VERY POPULAR, UM, ALONG THE CURRENT ROUTE THAT THEY'VE BEEN TAKING.
THERE IS CURRENTLY NO DESIGNATED LOCATION FOR TEMPORARY
[02:35:01]
LOADING AND UNLOADING THE PASSENGERS.THIS AMENDMENT WOULD DESIGNATE A PORTION OF PARKING SPACES ALONG CRAVEN STREET.
FOR THIS PURPOSE OF THE PROCESS THAT A VENDOR WOULD TAKE WOULD BE TO APPLY THROUGH THE SPECIAL EVENT PROCESS AND THE CITY MANAGER WOULD HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO TEMPORARILY CLOSE THOSE PARKING SPACES, UM, FOR A VENDOR UP TO 12 TIMES A YEAR.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
IF NOT, I'M GONNA ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
MAYOR WILL MAKE A MOTION TO CONSIDER ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND SECTION SEVEN ZERO DASH 2 3 4 HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGE LOAD ZONE OF ARTICLE SIX, STOPPING STANDING AND PARKING OF CHAPTER 70, TRAFFIC AND VEHICLES.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN BEST, ALDERMAN BEST? YES.
[19. Consider Adopting an Ordinance to Amend the Multi- Year Grants Fund.]
CONSIDER ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE MULTI-YEAR GRANTS FUND.THIS ORDINANCE AMENDS THE MULTI-YEAR GRANTS FUND TO ACKNOWLEDGE FUNDING OF THE 12, SORRY TO ACKNOWLEDGE FUNDING OF $12,247 AND 49 CENTS FROM THE BUREAU.
A JUSTICE ASSISTANCE BULLETPROOF VEST PARTNERSHIP GRANT, THE MATCH REQUIREMENT OF $12,247 AND 49 CENTS IS BUDGETED IN THE PD UNIFORM BUDGET.
UM, TOTAL GRANT AMOUNT IS $24,494 AND 98 CENTS.
BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS? THERE'S NO QUESTIONS.
I MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND A MULTI-YEAR GRANTS FUND.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN PRI.
[20. Consider Adopting an Ordinance to Amend the NCDOT Water & Sewer Improvements Project Fund.]
CONSIDER ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE N-C-D-O-T WATER AND SEWER IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT FUND.THIS ORDINANCE AMENDS THE N-C-D-O-T WATER AND SEWER IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT FUND FOR THE SIMMONS STREET WATER SYSTEMS IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT, WHICH WAS APPROVED IN AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 15.
A TRANSFER OF $1,866,273 WILL BE MADE FROM THE WATER FUND TO THE PROJECT FUND.
ANY QUESTIONS? NOT I ENTERTAIN A MOTION MAYOR.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO CONSIDER ADOPTING ORDINANCE TO AMEND NC DOT WATER AND SEWER IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT FUND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ROYAL ALDERMAN MEMORIAL.
[21. Consider Adopting a Budget Ordinance Amendment for Fiscal Year 2025.]
ITEM NUMBER 21.CONSIDER ADOPTING A BUDGET ORDINANCE AMENDMENT FOR FY 25.
THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 ANNUAL BUDGET WILL BE AMENDED TO APPROPRIATE $26,000 FROM MSD FUND BALANCED FOR A, UH, TOPOGRAPHIC AND BOUNDARY SURVEY TO BE PERFORMED IN THE INTERCORP OF BEAR PLAZA.
THE WATER FUND WILL ALSO BE AMENDED TO APPROPRIATE $1,866,273 FROM FUND BALANCE FOR THE WATER SYSTEM.
IMPROVEMENTS ON SIMMONS STREET IS DESCRIBED IN ITEMS 15 AND 24.
HAVE QUESTIONS? THERE'S NO QUESTIONS.
MAY I MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE BUDGET ORDINANCE AMENDMENT FOR PHYSICAL YEAR 2025? SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ASTOR.
[22. Appointment of Ward 6 Alderman.]
22.ALDERMAN, WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? I'D LIKE TO MAKE THE APPOINTMENT FOR DANA OUTLAW FOR WARD SIX.
AND SECOND TO APPOINT DANA OUTLAW TO THE WARD SIX VACANCY.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN KENZIE.
[02:40:01]
NO.ANY DISCUSSION? NOT I'LL MOVE ON
[23. Appointment( s).]
TO ITEM NUMBER 23 APPOINTMENTS.DOES THE BOARD HAVE ANY APPOINTMENTS THAT, THAT YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE TONIGHT? UM, I AM GOING TO ASK YOU, UM, IF YOU WOULD CONSIDER APPOINTING ME.
I WAS REACHED OUT TO BY MEMBER OF THE MPO BOARD.
UM, THOSE THAT MAY KNOW, UM, THE MAYOR OF RIVER BEND, UH, JOHN KIRKLAND.
UH, HE WAS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE MPO.
UM, SO THEY ARE IN DIRE NEED OF SOMEONE TO FILL THAT ROLE.
UH, I WAS REACHED OUT TO, BECAUSE I USED TO SIT ON THE MPO, UM, I EXPRESSED MY CONCERN ABOUT THE MEETING DATE AND TIME AND THEY ARE WILLING TO CHANGE THAT.
SO IF NO ONE ELSE IS WILLING TO SERVE, AND I'M ASSUMING YOU'RE NOT, 'CAUSE THIS HAS BEEN VACANT SINCE BOB RESIGNED.
UM, I WILL BE WILLING TO SERVE IN THAT POSITION IF THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO APPOINT ME.
I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ANY OTHER APPOINTMENTS THAT THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO MAKE TONIGHT? HEARING NONE ATTORNEY'S REPORT.
UM, I, I RECALL SEEING SOMETHING IN THE PACKET.
ALDER MCKENZIE, YOU WERE STEPPING DOWN AS THE, UM, ALTERNATE MEMBER.
UM, SO WE NEED TO NAME SOMEONE AS A, A NEW ALTERNATE.
UH, I'D BE HAPPY TO STEP INTO THAT.
IF, UH, IF THE BOARD IS INTERESTED IN REPORTING ME TO, AS AN ALTERNATE TO THE MPO.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND, SECOND, SECOND.
SECOND, UH, TO APPOINT ALDERMAN PRILL AS THE ALTERNATE TO THE MPO TAC C.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[25. City Manager' s Report.]
REPORT.COUPLE THINGS TO UPDATE YOU ON, UM, THE NEW STOPLIGHT AT BROAD MIDDLE STREET.
WHILE WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR QUITE A WHILE, UH, THE PROJECT WAS SUPPOSED TO ORIGINALLY BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF OCTOBER.
AFTER SPEAKING WITH PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, I'VE BEEN INFORMED THAT NEXT WEEK, NOVEMBER 18TH, THEY WILL COMPLETE PUTTING THE, THE POST IN PLACE AND THE, BY THE END OF THE WEEK, THE SIGNAL SHOULD BE IN OPERATION.
SO HOPEFULLY THAT WILL BE THE CASE.
OFFICER, WHILE YOU'RE ON THAT TOPIC, COULD YOU, NOT NOW, 'CAUSE I KNOW YOU DON'T HAVE IT, BUT COULD YOU PLEASE GIVE ME AN UPDATE ON THE WARD SIX ARPA FUNDS THAT WERE APPROVED A WHILE AGO ABOUT THE FILLING IN THE SIDEWALKS IN WARD SIX? THAT, YEAH.
UH, NEXT THING IS DEADLINE FOR PARENTS TO REGISTER FOR TOYS FOR TOTS, FOR NEWBURN, PARKS AND RECREATION IS TOMORROW.
SO IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN HAVING, UH, PARTICIPATING IN THAT PROGRAM, THE DEADLINE IS 5:00 PM TOMORROW AT WEST NEWBURN RECREATION CENTER.
ALSO, NEW TOYS MAY BE DROPPED OFF AT WEST NEWBURN RECREATION CENTER OR AT CITY HALL THROUGH DECEMBER 13TH.
FOR THOSE THAT ARE INTERESTED, UH, REGISTRATION FOR THE CHRISTMAS PARADE IS ONGOING.
THE PARADE WILL BE HELD ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7TH AT 10:00 AM UH, I'M GONNA ASK THE CLERK TO REACH OUT TO EACH OF THE BOARD MEMBERS HERE TO SEE IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN BEING IN THE PARADE.
UH, SO WE'LL GET HER TO REACH OUT THE NEXT DAY OR SO.
ALSO, UM, I WANT TO SAY THAT THE ELECTRIC UTILITY RECENTLY RECEIVED A SMART ENERGY PROVIDER DESIGNATION FROM THE AMERICAN PUBLIC POWER ASSOCIATION FOR SMART ENERGY PROGRAM STRUCTURE, ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND DISTRIBUTED ENERGY RESOURCE PROGRAMS, ENVIRONMENTAL AND SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES, AND CUSTOMER SERVICE.
NEWBURN BECOMES ONE OF, UH, 100 PUBLIC POWER PROVIDERS IN THE NATION TO RECEIVE THIS DESIGNATION.
SO WE'RE PROUD OF THE ELECTRIC UTILITY FOR THAT.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO TONIGHT, SIR.
[26. New Business.]
NEW BUSINESS ALDERMAN BEST.I JUST WANT TO THANK, UM, CITY STAFF, UM, MR. MR. MARTIN WILLIAMS AND GEORGE CHILDS AND THEIR STAFF FOR, UM, THE BEAUTIFUL JOB THAT THEY HAVE DONE OVER ON, UM, MAIN AND SUTTON STREET WITH THE WALWAY.
THE LIGHTS ARE REALLY BEAUTIFUL AND I, UM, SEE A LOT OF CITIZENS WALKING THROUGH THERE.
AND THEY'VE ALSO FIXED THE, UM, I'M GONNA SAY MANHOLE THAT WAS IN THE STREET, THAT WAS A HAZARD.
AND, UM, IT IS NOW NO LONGER A SAFETY ISSUE FOR OUR CITIZENS TO PASS THROUGH.
[02:45:01]
RIGHT THERE IN THAT CURVE.I JUST WANT TO THANK, UM, THANK Y'ALL FOR THAT.
UM, BUT THE ONLY PROBLEM I HAVE WITH IT NOW, UH, MR. WILLIAMS, IS I THINK MORE OF THAT DEBRIS NEEDS TO BE CUT BACK.
UM, I, I KNOW YOU SAID YOU WAS GONNA GET IN CONTACT WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN GET RID OF SOME OF THAT DEBRIS.
UM, THAT'S A BEAUTIFUL PROJECT.
I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UM, AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK MR. UM, BOUCHARD FOR HI.
HIS STAFF, UM, AND PUB THAT WORKS AS WELL FOR THE CLEANUP JOB AND THE LIGHTS, UM, THAT THEY, UM, PUT WITHIN THE WEST PLEASANT HILL DRIVE AREA.
UM, IT WAS REALLY, UM, AN EYESORE.
SO THAT PROJECT, UM, THEY TOOK, I CALLED THEM.
I DIDN'T CALL 'EM, I EMAILED THEM AND THEY JUMPED RIGHT ON IT.
PUBLIC WORKS AND MR. RASHARD, THEIR STAFF.
AND I JUST WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THAT AND THE CITIZENS.
ALDER MCKENZIE? NOT TONIGHT, SIR.
ALDERMAN ROYAL, NOTHING TONIGHT.
ALDERMAN, PER, UH, NOTHING THIS EVENING.
DO WE NEED A CLOSED SESSION? NO, SIR.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.