[00:00:03]
GOOD AFTERNOON, AND WELCOME TO THE FEBRUARY 11TH, 2025 BOARD OF ALDERMAN BOND REFERENDUM WORKSHOP.IF YOU WOULD PLEASE BOW YOUR HEAD FOR A QUICK WORD OF PRAYER.
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TODAY TO GATHER TOGETHER TO DO YOUR WORK CITY.
WE ASK YOU TO LEAD, GUIDE, AND DIRECT INTERACTIONS TONIGHT.
ASK THESE THINGS IN YOUR NAME WE PRAY, AMEN.
YOU ABLE TO STAND AND PLEASE DO SO AS WE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF OUR COUNTRY.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.
OKAY, MR. CITY MANAGER, I'LL TURN IT OVER.
[1. Discussion of Bond Referendum.]
MAYOR AND ALDERMAN.SO THIS IS A FOLLOW UP DISCUSSION FROM NOVEMBER 11TH WHEN WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT A POTENTIAL BOND REFERENDUM.
SO, UH, STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS TO COME UP, HONE IN ON THE PROJECTS WE PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED AND COME UP WITH SOME PRICING FOR THAT.
SO, UH, SO WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU A REFRESHER, UM, OF THE OVERALL PROCESS, AND THEN STAFF WILL MAKE THEIR PRESENTATIONS, AND THEN THE FINANCE DIRECTOR WILL FOLLOW UP WITH SOME OF THE FINANCE RELATED ON THIS.
SO YOU SHOULD ALSO HAVE A HARD COPY OF THE POWERPOINT PRESENTATION IN FRONT OF YOU.
BUT, UH, JUST AN OVERALL OF THIS, WE'VE GOT, UH, SEVERAL DIFFERENT PROJECTS, AND THEY'RE CATEGORIZED UNDER PARKS AND RECREATION, PUBLIC SAFETY AND PUBLIC WORKS.
JUST AN OVERVIEW, A GENERAL OBLIGATION OR GEO BOND, UH, REFERENDUM.
THIS IS THE MOST RESPONSIBLE AND EFFICIENT WAY TO FUND CAPITAL PROJECTS AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS RECEIVE THE LOWEST POSSIBLE INTEREST RATE FOR FINANCING.
THE GEO BOND IS SECURED BY THE CITY'S CREDIT WORTHINESS AND ADMIRAL LOAN TAXES ON ITS RESIDENCE.
IT CAN ONLY BE USED FOR THE APPROVED PURPOSE.
UH, SO REGULAR OPERATING COSTS SUCH AS SALARIES AND BENEFITS AND THINGS LIKE THAT DO NOT APPLY.
THE GEO BOND BALLOT QUESTION MUST STATE THE PURPOSE FOR THE BONDS AND THE MAXIMUM PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF THE BONDS AND THE COST OF THE TAXPAYER.
THE BALLOT AMOUNTS NEED TO CONSIDER INFLATIONARY COSTS AS THE ISSUANCE MAY BE OVER SEVERAL YEARS.
THE BALLOT QUESTION CAN REFER TO A BROAD CATEGORY OF PROJECTS OR WITHIN A SPECIFIC PURPOSE OR STATE OF A SPECIFIC PROJECT.
THE BALLOT QUESTIONS CANNOT COMBINE AUTHORIZATIONS FOR MULTIPLE PURPOSES.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE, THE BEST THING ABOUT THIS IS THE VOTERS, THE CITIZENS WHO ARE REGISTERED TO VOTE, HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE FOR OR AGAINST EACH OF THE QUESTIONS.
SO HERE YOU'RE GONNA SEE AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT A QUESTION WOULD LOOK LIKE ON THE BALLOT.
IF THE BOARD CHOOSES TO, TO GO THROUGH WITH BOND REFERENDUM.
UH, THERE COULD BE UP TO FOUR QUESTIONS RELATED TO PARKS AND RECREATION, PUBLIC SAFETY STREETS, PROJECTS, AND STORMWATER PROJECTS.
SO, AS A REFRESHER ON THE, ON THE CALENDAR FOR THIS, TODAY, WE'RE DOING A REFERENDUM FOLLOW UP.
AND THE GOAL FOR THIS, THIS MEETING AFTERWARDS IS TO, UH, RECEIVE DIRECTION ON, ON, UH, HOW YOU WOULD LIKE TO PROCEED.
FIRST, WE WOULD FINALIZE THE REFERENDUM AMOUNTS AND QUESTIONS, DO COMMUNITY OUTREACH ENGAGEMENT TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC.
THAT WOULD START AT THE MAY 13TH MEETING.
THE BOARD WOULD ADOPT THE PRELIMINARY FINDINGS RESOLUTION TO GET THE BALL STARTED BY MAY 17TH.
THE PUBLICATION OF NOTICE OF INTENT TO FILE THE APPLICATION WITH THE LGC WOULD BE SUBMITTED, AND BY JUNE 6TH, WE WOULD FILE THAT APPLICATION TO THE LGC.
AT THE JUNE 10TH REGULAR BOARD MEETING, WE'D INTRODUCED THE BOND ORDER FILE, THE SWORN STATEMENT OF DEBT AND STATEMENT OF DISCLOSURES WITH THE CITY CLERK THAT THE JULY 8TH REGULAR MEETING THE BOARD WOULD CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING TO ADOPT THE BOND ORDERS AND A RESOLUTION CALLING FOR THE BOND REFERENDUM.
BY JULY 11TH, WE WOULD DELIVER THE CERTIFIED RESOLUTION CALL FOR THE, UH, FOR THE REFERENDUM TO THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS, AND WE WOULD ALSO ABIDE JULY 12TH, PUBLISH THE, UH, FINAL BOND ORDER AND FIRST NOTICE OF THE REFERENDUM JULY 19TH.
WE WOULD PUBLISH THE SECOND NOTICE FOR THE REFERENDUM ON SEPTEMBER 5TH.
ABSENTEE BALLOTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE IN SEPTEMBER 12TH.
THE LAST DAY WILL APPLY FOR REGISTRATION FOR VOTING THE REFERENDUM ON OCTOBER 7TH.
THAT'S WHEN THE REFERENDUM WOULD TAKE PLACE.
AS PART OF OUR VOTING ON OCTOBER 17TH, THE CANVASSING OF THE RETURNS WOULD BE CONDUCTED ON NOVEMBER 12TH.
AT OUR REGULAR MEETING, THERE WOULD BE A DECLARATION OF RESULTS OF THE REFERENDUM.
ON NOVEMBER 15TH, THE PUBLICATION OF STATEMENT OF RESULTS WOULD BE POSTED, AND THE INITIAL GO BOND AUTHORIZATION WOULD EXPIRE WITHIN SEVEN YEARS.
SO WE WOULD ALSO HAVE UP TO A THREE YEAR EXTENSION IF WE REQUESTED THAT TO, TO DO THE BONDS.
SO AT THIS TIME, I'M GONNA ASK CARRIE WARREN TO COME UP AND TALK ABOUT HER PARKS AND RECREATION PROJECTS.
[00:05:04]
GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.SO WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT SOME FUN STUFF TO START WITH.
UM, AS I PRESENTED PREVIOUSLY, UM, THE PROJECTS THAT PARKS AND RECREATION ARE PROPOSING FOR THIS BOND REFERENDUM WOULD BE AQUATIC CENTER EXPANSION, MARK MARIETTA PARK PHASE IMPLEMENTATION, AND THEN SOUTHWEST PARROT PARK REDEVELOPMENT.
STARTING OFF WITH THE AQUATIC CENTER EXPANSION.
UH, THE SPECIFICS FOR THE PROJECT WOULD BE THE ADDITION OF A 300 FOOT FOOT, UM, LAZY RIVER, AS WELL AS A VARIETY OF PLAY FEATURES, QUARTER PLAY FEATURES, AND THEN ADDITIONAL PARKING TO ACCOMMODATE THE ADDITION OF, UM, THE CAPACITY FOR THAT FACILITY.
YOU CAN SEE AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT THAT MAY LOOK LIKE.
UM, WE HAVE, OH, DOES IT DO A CORNER OR NOT? IT DOES THIS ONE POINT THE SCREEN THROUGH THE SCREEN.
SO, UM, THAT WOULD BE YOUR LAZY RIVER.
AND THEN, UH, THE WATER PLAY FEATURES WOULD BE, UM, ZERO TO ONE FOOT DEPTH ENTRY, WHATEVER WE CHOSE FOR THAT TO BE.
UM, AND WE COULD HAVE A SLIDE, UM, DIFFERENT, UM, PLAY FEATURES WOULD WATER BUCKETS, RAIN, UH, DROPS, KIND OF LIKE WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE AT THE AQUATIC CENTER.
UM, BUT IT WOULD JUST BE MORE DETAILED AND A VARIETY AND MORE FEATURES THAN WHAT WE HAVE.
AND IF WE, UM, PROCEEDED WITH THAT PROJECT, ESTIMATED COST IS, UM, 2 MILLION.
AND SO THIS WOULD BE WHAT THE LAYOUT WOULD LOOK AT, LOOK LIKE.
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUR FACILITY OVER AT THE AQUATIC CENTER.
UM, THE LAZY RIVER WOULD BE HERE.
THAT'S NOT A EXACT DEPICTION, BUT OF WHAT WE ANTICIPATE THE LOCATION BEING.
AND THEN THE SQUARE AREA WOULD BE THE WATER FEATURES, UM, POSSIBLE SLIDE THING SUCH AS THAT.
AND THEN THE ADDITIONAL PARKING WOULD COME DOWN AND AROUND, UM, THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE FACILITY.
WHY DO WE WANT TO DO THIS EXPANSION? AND WHAT'S THE JUSTIFICATION? UM, THE FACILITY FOR THE PAST SIX TO SEVEN YEARS IS OFTEN AT CAPACITY DURING THE OPERATE AND SEASON.
UH, PEOPLE HAVE TO WAIT TO GET IN, SO WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR PEOPLE TO LEAVE BEFORE WE CAN LET OTHERS IN.
AND WE'VE SEEN THAT NUMEROUS DAYS THROUGHOUT THE SUMMERS.
UM, IT'S PROVEN TO BE A REVENUE GENERATOR.
IT'S FREQUENTLY USED BY NON-CITY GROUPS COMING FROM OTHER CITIES AND COUNTIES SUCH AS GREENVILLE, EMERALD DO.
CARTER COUNTY, OSLOW COUNTY, UM, IS DESIRED BY THE COMMUNITY, AND IT'S A FAMILY FRIENDLY AMENITY THAT IS IN OUR SYSTEM, AS YOU CAN SEE BELOW.
UM, WHEN WE DID PUBLIC INPUT FOR OUR COMPREHENSIVE MASTER PLAN, WE, UM, HAD TOP THE TOP FIVE MOST DESIRED NEW RECREATION AMENITIES THAT WERE CHOSEN BY PEOPLE WHO PARTICIPATED IN PUBLIC INPUT.
NUMBER TWO WAS ADDITION OF A NEW SPLASH PAD, PLA SLASH PLAYGROUND AREA, WHICH THIS FALLS WITHIN THAT CATEGORY.
AND YOU CAN SEE OTHER AMENITIES ON THERE AS WELL, UM, THAT THE COMMUNITY WOULD LIKE TO SEE AS FAR AS OUTDOOR PERFORMANCE AREAS AND TRAILS, WHICH I'LL TALK ABOUT MORE.
ALL RIGHT, MARK MARIETTA PARK PLAN IMPLEMENTATION.
SO THIS WOULD CONTINUE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MASTER PLAN THAT WE PREVIOUSLY DEVELOPED FOR MARK MARIETTA.
PROJECT SPECIFICS FOR THIS PARTICULAR BOND REFERENDUM WOULD BE PAVING ROADS, PAVING PARKING LOTS, THE CONSTRUCTION OF A AMPHITHEATER, ADDITION OF ROPES COURSE, ZIP LINE, A BIKE PUMP COURSE, AND THEN A BOAT HOUSE SLASH MEETING SPACE FOR, UM, OUT AT MARTIN MARIETTA BY THE LARGE LAKE.
UM, BELOW I HAVE SOME EXAMPLES OF WHAT A HIGH ADVENTURE ROPES COURSE COULD LOOK LIKE, AND THEN A BIKE PUMP COURSE.
THESE ARE JUST EXAMPLES, UM, OF WHAT SOME OF THESE AMENITIES LOOK LIKE.
AND THEN IF YOU LOOK AT THE GRAPH I HAVE HERE, THIS IS A QUESTION THAT WE ASKED WHEN WE WERE GATHERING INPUT FOR THE MASTER PLAN, UM, OF MARK MARIETTA.
[00:10:01]
WHAT, IF ANY SOURCES OF FUNDING ARE YOU WILLING TO SUPPORT IN ORDER TO DEVELOP THE PROPOSED MARK MARIETTA PARK? AND SO 40% OF PEOPLE IN THE BLUE AND THE GREEN CHOSE TAXES OR A PROJECT, UM, SPECIFIC BOND REFERENDUM, JUST FOR Y'ALL'S KNOWLEDGE THERE ON THAT PROJECT.TOTAL FOR THIS PROJECT WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY 3 MILLION.
AND THE FINAL PROJECT WE'RE PROPOSING IS SOUTHWEST PAR PARK REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT.
SPECIFICS FOR THIS WOULD BE BALL FIELD RENOVATION PROJECT, UM, NEW PICKLEBALL COURTS, AND THE ADDITION OF PICKLEBALL COURTS SLASH TENNIS COURTS, UM, NEW BASKETBALL COURT PAVED PARKING LOTS, AND THEN THE ADDITION OF SKATE PARK.
ONCE AGAIN, WE HAVE INFORMATION WHICH TIES IT BACK TO OUR, UM, COMPREHENSIVE MASTER PLAN HERE, WHERE, UM, THESE WERE COMMENTS MADE BY RESIDENTS AND PEOPLE WHO PARTICIPATED IN PUBLIC INPUT.
I'VE HIGHLIGHTED THE ONES THAT ARE KIND OF SPECIFIC TO THIS PROJECT AS WELL AS THE OTHER PROJECTS WE'RE PROPOSING.
BUT, UM, THESE ITEMS WOULD BE, FACILITIES IN THE PARK SYSTEM ARE ESSENTIALLY LOVED REINVEST VESTING IN THE EXISTING PARKS AND INCREASE IN MAINTENANCE IS IMPORTANT.
THE ADDITION OF A SKATE PAD OR SKATE PARK WAS STRONGLY REQUESTED AND CONVERTING OLDER AND UNDERUTILIZED COURTS INTO PICKLEBALL COURTS WAS NOTED.
TOTAL PROJECT CALLS FOR SOUTHWEST PAR PARK REDEVELOPMENT WOULD BE 3 MILLION.
SO THIS IS CURRENTLY WHAT, UM, SOUTHWEST PAR PARK LOOKS LIKE.
WE HAVE A TOTAL OF, UM, FOUR BASEBALL FIELDS.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THEY'RE SPREAD OUT.
WE HAVE TWO SMALLER ONES, TWO LARGER ONES.
WE HAVE OUR PICKLEBALL AND TENNIS COURTS HERE WITH THE BASKETBALL COURTS RIGHT BESIDE IT.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE A FEW PARKING AREAS NON PAVED AND PAVED.
AND THEN OF COURSE, THE, UM, WEST NEWBURN RECREATION FACILITY AND THE KIDS FIELD PLAYGROUND WITH PARKING.
WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING WOULD LOOK LIKE THIS, IT WOULD BE A COMPLETE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE CONFIGURATION FOR BASEBALL FIELDS, AND IT WOULD BE TAKING IT TO A WAGON WHEEL STYLE, UH, CONFIGURATION WITH THE BALL FIELDS IN A CIRCULAR FIGURE WITH CONCESSION SLASH BATHROOMS IN THE MIDDLE TO ACCOMMODATE ALL FIELDS.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE WOULD HAVE, UM, EXISTING PARKING, WHICH IS ALREADY THERE.
WE'VE GOT, UM, NEW PICKLEBALL COURTS PROPOSED.
THAT WOULD BE IN ADDITION TO WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE, AS WELL AS THE TENNIS COURTS.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE SIX PICKLEBALL COURTS, I BELIEVE, AND TWO TENNIS COURTS.
AND WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT NINE PICKLEBALL AND TWO TENNIS.
UM, NUMBER FOUR WOULD BE THE ADDITION OF A WALK AND TRAIL, WHICH WE CURRENTLY DO NOT HAVE AT SOUTHWEST PARROT PARK.
AND THEN RIGHT HERE, NUMBER SEVEN, YOU SEE THE, UM, BASKETBALL COURT WOULD BE RECONFIGURED TO BE SWITCHED AROUND A LITTLE BIT.
AND THEN THE PROPOSED SKATE PARK OVER HERE, NUMBER EIGHT TO THE SIDE, THAT WOULD BE ALONG PINE TREE.
SO THOSE ARE ALL THE ELEMENTS WE'RE PROPOSING IN THE NEW PROJECT FOR THE REDEVELOPMENT SOUTHWEST PARA PARK.
ANY QUESTIONS? SO, JUSTIFICATION FOR SOUTHWEST PARROT PARK.
IT WAS ESSENTIALLY BUILT IN 1976.
ALL CURRENT BALL FIELD FACILITIES, RESTROOMS AND ACCESS DO NOT MEET ANY A DA STANDARDS.
THE LIGHT INFRASTRUCTURE IS ALMOST 50 YEARS OLD.
IT'S OUTDATED AND ALL OVERHEAD LINES NEED TO BE MOVED UNDERGROUND.
THE FOLLOWING ORGANIZATIONS CURRENTLY, CURRENTLY USE THIS FACILITY, VER SEA FIELD MIDDLE SCHOOL, NEWBURN, SUNDAY SCHOOL LEAGUE, BERTH BASEBALL, AND EAST CAROLINA ADULT BASEBALL LEAGUE.
SKATE PARK IS HIGHLY DESIRED AMENITY BY THE COMMUNITY AS WE HAVE DOCUMENTED IN OUR COMPREHENSIVE PARKS AND RECREATION MASTER PLAN.
AND THEN PICKLEBALL COURTS SEE A HIGH AMOUNT OF USAGE.
WE CURRENTLY ONLY HAVE SIX COURTS, AND THE CURRENT INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THOSE IS FAILING.
SO A TOTAL OF ALL THREE OF OUR PROJECTS WITH AQUATIC CENTER EXPANSION,
[00:15:01]
MARTIN MARIETTA PARK PHASE IMPLEMENTATION, AND THE SOUTHWEST PARROT PARK REDEVELOPMENT, WE'RE LOOKING AT A TOTAL OF $8 MILLION QUESTIONS.UM, IF YOU GO BACK TO YOUR, UM, CHART, THERE'S NO PAGES, UM, WHERE IT SAYS, UM, PHASE IMPLEMENTATION FOR MARTIN MARIETTA.
UM, I KNOW YOU, UM, MENTIONED THAT, UM, 40%, UM, WAS, UM, TAXES AND PROJECTS, UH, SPECIFIED BY THE BOND REFERENDUM, BUT BY LOOKING AT THIS CHART, I SEE WE HAVE OTHER, HAVE OTHER WANTS BY THE CITIZENS THAT'S, UM, SUPPORTING GRANTS AND PARTNERSHIPS AND FEES IN LIEU OF MM-HMM
UM, AND THAT THAT IS ONE OF, FROM THE BEGINNING WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT THE DIFFERENT PHASES OF MARTIN MARIETTA PARK.
YOU KNOW, I MENTIONED THAT I, I FELT LIKE I, I, I WANT THIS PART TO COME TO THE ISSUE FOR ALL THE DIFFERENT PHASES OF IT, BUT I, I JUST, ME PERSONALLY, I FEEL THAT THIS PART, THIS DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PART SHOULD BE DONE THROUGH, AS YOU GOT HERE ON YOUR CHARTS, THE DIFFERENT SOURCES OF INCOME HERE, REVENUE TO SUPPORT THIS PART.
UM, I JUST DON'T SEE HAVING TO SPEND, YOU KNOW, $8 MILLION OF TAXPAYERS MONEY TO DEVELOP THIS PART.
YOU DID AN EXCELLENT JOB ON GETTING THE INFORMATION PROVIDED FOR US, AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
BUT THAT'S THE JUST WAY I FEEL ABOUT IT.
'CAUSE I THINK WE CAN GO ANOTHER ROUTE HERE TO GET THESE PHASES OF THIS PARK IMPLEMENTED.
SO MARTIN MARIETTA PARK PHASE WOULD ONLY BE 3 MILLION FOR THAT ONE, SO THAT'S WHY WE'VE GONE SEPARATED OUT INTO DIFFERENT PROJECTS.
WE DO INTEND TO CONTINUE APPLYING FOR GRANT FUNDS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF MARTIN MARIETTA AS WE HAVE FOR ALL OUR DIFFERENT FACILITIES.
UM, BECAUSE LET'S BE HONEST, WE CAN'T DEVELOP WITHOUT GETTING GRANT FUNDS FOR ALL OF OUR FACILITIES.
SO, UM, WE WILL DEFINITELY BE CONTINUING AS WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING TO DO GRANTS.
THERE WAS ONE OTHER QUESTION I HAD FOR YOU.
ANYBODY ELSE, UH, FOSTER THIS PROBABLY MORE APPROPRIATE QUESTION FOR YOU.
UM, JUST LOOKING AT THE VARIOUS, UM, RECREATION PROJECTS, WHAT, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY WOULD BE SORT OF THE AVERAGE USEFUL LIFE OF ALL OF THESE IMPROVEMENTS? AND I KNOW IT'S A TOUGH QUESTION, RIGHT? 'CAUSE IT'S GONNA VARY BASED ON THE SPECIFIC IMPROVEMENT BEING MADE, BUT JUST A BALLPARK.
AND, AND, AND I THINK WHEN WE TALK ABOUT LIFE OF IMPROVEMENTS, LET'S TALK ABOUT SOUTHWEST PARROT PARK.
THAT PARK WAS BUILT IN THE REALLY EARLY TO MID SEVENTIES.
UM, AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE, THE FACILITY, UM, YOU'VE GOT THREE RESTROOMS NOW THAT ARE NOT HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE, THAT ARE SPREAD OUT.
WE KNOW THAT THERE'S AN ISSUE WITH THOSE RESTROOMS WITH THE CONCESSION AREA AS WELL.
CONSTANT ISSUES THAT WE HAVE WITH THE MAINTENANCE AND UPKEEP.
AND, AND SOONER OR LATER WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO, TO DO SOME WORK ON ALL OF THOSE.
WHEN IT COMES TO BALL FIELD LIGHTS, FOUR SETS OF BALL FIELD LIGHTS, THE AVERAGE PRICE NOW FOR LIGHTS ON A BALL FIELD WITH LED TECHNOLOGY IS ABOUT 200,000 PER THE LIGHTS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN PLACE.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE METAL HAY LIGHTS.
SO THAT TECHNOLOGY IS NO LONGER BEING SOLD.
THE MAJORITY OF THOSE, UH, POLES ARE WOODEN.
SO WE'VE ALREADY HAD TO REPLACE SEVERAL OF THOSE POLES BECAUSE THEY'VE ROTTED OUT OVER THE YEARS, UH, WITH A WOODEN POLE.
THEY HAVE A CA CERTAIN AMOUNT OF LIFE AND 50 YEARS CERTAINLY, UH, JUST ABOUT EXCEEDS THAT.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE TENNIS COURTS THAT WE CONVERTED ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO TO NOW PICKLEBALL.
THOSE, THOSE TENNIS COURTS WERE PUT IN IN THE 1980S AS TENNIS.
UM, IT WAS GRAVEL WITH, WITH PAVEMENT.
AND SO JUST THINK ABOUT THE ROAD SURFACE AS WELL.
THAT STUFF WEARS OUT OVER TIME.
AND WE'RE GETTING CONSTANT COMPLAINTS RIGHT NOW ABOUT THE SURFACING OF THE PICKLEBALL COURTS.
EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE TAKEN THE, THE, THE MATERIALS TO, TO, TO DO AN EXTRA SURFACE COAT ON THOSE,
[00:20:01]
THE CRACKS WILL ALWAYS BE THERE UNTIL WE DO SOMETHING.SO UNFORTUNATELY, THIS IS SOMETHING WITH PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITIES WHERE YOU'VE GOT TO FRESHEN THOSE AMENITIES UP FROM TIME TO TIME.
50 YEARS IS ACTUALLY PRETTY GOOD WHEN IT COMES TO THE AQUATIC FACILITY.
THE CURRENT, UH, THE SHELL OF THE FACILITY, UH, EVERYTHING WAS BUILT AROUND 2010.
SO THE, WELL, THE CURRENT AMENITIES ARE IN REALLY GOOD SHAPE.
SO LOOKING AT THE THINGS THAT WILL BE ADDED, YOU COULD PROBABLY EXPECT ABOUT A 30 YEAR LIFE ON THOSE.
IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH MARK AND MARIETTA PARK, WELL, THE MAIN THINGS WE'VE DONE OUT THERE ARE, ARE TRAILS, UH, WHICH ARE VERY LOW MAINTENANCE.
WE'VE PUT TWO SHELTERS IN, WE PUT PUT RESTROOMS IN, WHICH PROBABLY HAVE 75 YEAR LIFESPANS ON THOSE BASED HOW WE BUILT THOSE.
NOW NONE OF THE ROADWAYS HAVE BEEN PAVED AND, AND THEY NEED TO, THEY NEED TO BE UPGRADED JUST LIKE THE PARKING DOES.
AND OF COURSE, THOSE THINGS WILL LAST PROBABLY 15 TO 20 YEARS, UH, WITHOUT HAVING TO PAVE IT AGAIN BASED, BASED ON THE USE FOR THAT.
WHEN IT COMES TO THINGS LIKE A ZIP LINE AND ADVENTURE ROPES COURSE, THOSE USES ARE PROBABLY GONNA GET AROUND 15 YEARS EACH.
WE'VE GOT SOME DOCKS OUT THERE.
WE NORMALLY SEE ABOUT 20 YEARS OUT OF DOCKS, BUT WITH, WITH ALL AMENITIES, EVEN LIKE WITH STANLEY WHITE RECREATION CENTER, THERE IS A FINITE LIFE ON THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
AND AGAIN, I AND THAT'S UNDERSTANDABLE.
UM, IT'S THE SAME, SAME ISSUE, SAME QUESTION.
YOU KNOW, THAT DEALING WITH ROAD IMPROVEMENTS, UM, FACILITIES LIKE A NEW FIRE STATION, THE, THE, THE, I GUESS JUST THE, THE POINT BEING THAT WHEREVER, UM, THE FINAL DECISIONS ARE MADE WITH, WITH A BOND ORDINANCE, UM, VOTERS WILL TELL US WHAT THEY'RE WILLING TO SUPPORT, WHAT THEY'RE NOT WILLING TO SUPPORT.
AND BY THAT MEANING THEY'RE, THEY'RE SAYING YES, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WILLING TO SEE AN INCREASE IN TAXES TO, TO PAY FOR, UM, SPECIFIC IMPROVEMENTS.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND THAT USEFUL LIFE BECAUSE IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE GONNA REVISIT TWO OR THREE YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.
YOU'RE LOOKING AT A 20 TO 30 TO 40 YEAR TIME SPAN THAT TODAY'S IMPROVEMENTS WILL BE HERE FOR A LONG TIME BEFORE A FUTURE BOARD'S GOTTA, GOTTA WRESTLE WITH WHAT THEY'RE GONNA DO AT THAT POINT.
SO IT'S, IT'S JUST PART OF THE CONSIDERATION THAT WE NEED TO KIND OF KEEP IN MIND WITH ALL OF THIS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? FOSTER, CAN YOU, UM, MAYBE KEN, UM, WHEN YOU SPEAK OF, UM, BECAUSE UM, I HAD THIS QUESTION ASKED TO ME, WHEN YOU SPEAK OF THE SEVEN YEAR AND WE CAN APPLY FOR AN ADDITIONAL THREE YEAR, CAN YOU BREAK THAT DOWN SO THAT THE CITIZENS CAN KNOW WHAT YOU ARE SPEAKING OF? SURE.
I ACTUALLY, UM, SO IT EXPIRES SEVEN YEARS AFTER, UM, IT WOULD BE SEVEN YEARS AFTER OCTOBER 7TH.
SO OCTOBER OR OCTOBER 7TH, 2032 IS WHEN THE BOND WOULD EXPIRE.
HOWEVER, WE JUST SUBMIT A REQUEST TO THE LGC FOR AN EXTENSION, THEY APPROVE THE EXTENSION, WHICH, UM, OUR CONSULTANTS SAID THEY'VE NEVER NOT SEEN THEM APPROVE IT, AND THEY APPROVE THE EXTENSION FOR AN ADDITIONAL THREE YEARS.
SO YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL THREE YEARS TO, UM, UTILIZE THOSE FUNDS.
SO IF, IF THE BOARD APPROVES THIS AND WE TAKE THIS OUT TO THE CITIZENS AND THIS IS APPROVED, IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT ALL THESE PROJECTS WE GO OUT FOR THE BOND RIGHT AFTER THAT IN 2026.
IT COULD BE THAT, IT MAY BE A FEW YEARS FOR, FOR EACH ONE OF THOSE.
NOT EVERYTHING WOULD BE DONE AT THE SAME TIME.
THEY COULD, BUT THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO GUARANTEE THAT WOULD HAPPEN.
SO WE'VE GOT THAT UP TO 10 YEAR PERIOD TO, TO DO ALL THESE PROJECTS.
THANKS FOR, FOR EXPLAINING THAT.
BUT NOW WITH, WITH PAYBACK OF THIS LOAN, THIS BOND, IT'S A 20 YEAR DEBT.
SO THAT'S GOING TO AFFECT OUR TAXPAYER CITIZENS.
YES, I KNOW THEY VOTE ON THAT, BUT I'M JUST SAYING, I'M WANTING THE TAXPAYERS TO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GETTING INTO AND THAT'S GONNA COME UP IN JUST A FEW MINUTES.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON PARKS AND RECREATION? ALRIGHT, THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO ASK CHIEF LOCKLEAR
[00:25:01]
TO COME UP ON THE PUBLIC SAFETY ASPECT.SO LEMME START OFF BY SAYING THAT, UH, I APPRECIATE HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BEFORE YOU AND PRESENT ON THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT FOR THE DEPARTMENT.
UH, PRIOR TO MY ARRIVAL, I TOOK THE TIME TO REVIEW BOTH THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND THE STANDARD COVER, JUST SO I HAVE A, A BETTER UNDERSTANDING.
AND THEN HAVING THAT OPPORTUNITY OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR TO SEE THAT IN REAL TIME AND HOW THAT REALLY PLAYS OUT, UH, HAS BEEN VERY BENEFICIAL TOO.
SO KNOWING THAT THE PLAN GOES BACK TO 2017, AS FAR AS THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND STANDARD OF BACK TO 2019, UH, I'M SURE THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN ON THE BOARD HAVE BEEN PRESENTED AT DIFFERENT TIMES FOR, UM, CONSIDERATION FOR A STATION.
UM, WHAT YOU HAVE HERE IS JUST TAKING A LOOK AT, UM, WHAT YOU'VE SEEN BEFORE, WHICH IS THE THREE DISTRICTS, AND I'LL FOCUS IN ON THIS DISTRICT HERE BEING DISTRICT THREE.
AND THAT ONE SPECIFICALLY BEING CURRENT ELIZABETH STATION, THE PROPOSED LOCATION FOR, UM, THE STATION.
I WANT TO KIND OF POINT OUT IF I CAN TWO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, ONE BEING HERE AND THEN I'LL TALK ABOUT HERE.
SO DISTRICT THREE RIGHT NOW IS TWICE THE SIZE OF THE OTHER DISTRICTS BEING AT 14.3 SQUARE MILES.
SO THAT'S QUITE A BIT OF AREA AS FAR AS COVERAGE AND GOING BACK AND LOOKING AT THE CALL VOLUME.
AND I'LL TAKE IT BACK TO THE 2017, UH, ELIZABETH'S STATION HAS BEEN, UM, INCREASING EACH EACH YEAR.
SO 2017 YOU HAD 635 CALLS, 20 21, 8 42.
AND THEN IN 2024 THAT'S INCREASED TO 1,015.
SO WE SEE, YOU KNOW, THE PERCENTAGES THERE, UM, OVER THE COURSE OF THAT PERIOD OF TIME.
SO THE PROPOSED STATION IN ITSELF, WHEN I TALK ABOUT, UM, AGAIN, NOTHING SAYING THAT THIS IS, IS IT, BUT I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.
SOUTH OF 70 AND THEN NORTH OF 70, UM, OUR STAFF HAS BEEN ABLE TO WORK ALONG WITH GIS AND LOOK AT SOME OF THE TRAVEL TIME.
SO IT WAS LOOKING AT HOW COULD WE IMPROVE OUR SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE AREA SERVE AND FOCUSING FROM THE LAKE TYLER AREA DOWN TO THE CRAVER AREA, WHICH DEFINITELY INCREASES OR REDUCES THE RESPONSE TIME TO BETTER PROVIDE SERVICE.
ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT ABOUT SPECIFICALLY, UH, SOMEWHERE HERE JUST SOUTH OF OR NORTH OF, UH, THAT WOULD BE AROUND THE NORTH LOCATION WOULD BE NEAR THE DMV SECTION.
AND THEN THE OTHER ONE WOULD BE WHERE THE CONNECTION IS BASICALLY COME TO A STOP.
AND THE REASON WHY THOSE AREAS WERE LOOKED AT SPECIFICALLY WAS BECAUSE OF INTERSECTIONS OR ACCESS ACCESSIBILITY TO AN INTERSECTION, WHICH WOULD GIVE YOU EQUAL REPRESENTATION AS FAR AS RESPONSE IN EITHER DIRECTION, NORTH OR SOUTH.
THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE IS REALLY TRYING TO FOCUS IN TO GIVE YOU A VISUAL.
UM, AND THIS IS NOT TO SAY THIS IS WHERE THE STATION WOULD HAVE TO GO OR, OR EVEN, BUT IT IS JUST POINTING OUT A PROPOSED LOCATION HERE AND ALL THE CALLS THAT YOU SEE, UH, IN AND AROUND THIS AREA IS SPECIFIC TO JUST ELIZABETH CURRENTLY FOR THIS PAST YEAR OF 2015 THAT WE JUST, UH, MENTIONED.
SO QUITE A BIT OF CALLS FOR THE AREA AND YOU SEE THE INCREASE.
UH, THE PURPOSE OF THIS STATION WOULD BE NOT JUST TO ABSORB, UM, SOME OF ELIZABETH'S AREA OF COVERAGE, BUT IT ALSO BENEFITS THE CITY AS A WHOLE.
AN EXAMPLE THAT I WOULD GIVE YOU THERE FOR A MULTI-COMPANY, UH, RESPONSE IS IF, UM, YOU HAD A, A STRUCTURE FIRE TOWARD THE DOWNTOWN AREA, THEN THIS STATION OR THIS RESPONSE COULD BE POTENTIALLY CLOSER THAN THE ADDITIONAL UNIT THAT WOULD BE COMING FROM THURMOND TO SUPPORT YOUR TOTAL UH, RESPONSE FORCE.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER CONSIDERATION.
ANOTHER THING TO CONSIDER IS THE CALLS THAT WE SEE HERE DO SOMETIMES OVERLAPS WITH ADDITIONAL CALLS.
SO YOU COULD HAVE TWO CALLS GOING ON AT ONE TIME.
SO BASICALLY IF YOU HAD A CALL THAT WAS GOING ON IN ELIZABETH, EVEN THOUGH WE LOOK AT THE STATION BEING SPECIFIC TO THIS ONE DISTRICT, IT WOULD BE PROVIDING SERVICE INTO ELIZABETH'S DISTRICT IF IT'S THE CLOSER UNIT RESPONSE, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
SO AGAIN, THIS JUST KIND OF GIVES YOU A VISUAL OF A PROPOSED LOCATION.
UM, AND THIS ONE WAS FOCUSED IN ON THE SOUTH SIDE VERSUS IF WE WERE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT WAS ABOVE 70 ON THE NORTH
[00:30:01]
SIDE.SO SOME OF THE SPECIFICS, UM, SOME OF THE ORIGINAL PLANS THAT I SAW, UM, WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE WAS, UH, A SECTION THAT ENCOMPASSED MORE THAN JUST THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND IT WAS OVER 20,000 SQUARE FEET.
WHAT I WANTED TO DO WAS REACH OUT TO SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORING MUNICIPAL DEPARTMENTS AND SOME THAT HAVE BUILT STATIONS IN RECENT, UM, TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION A THREE BIG CONCEPT FOR WHICH ALLOWS FOR GROWTH.
UM, NOT SAYING THAT THAT'S MULTI-COMPANY THAT'S NEEDED RIGHT NOW, MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE A SINGLE COMPANY FOR A NEW STATION, BUT THIS IS A REDUCTION AS FAR AS SQUARE FOOTAGE DOWN TO 13 UH, THOUSAND, WHICH THIS EXAMPLE BEING A, AGAIN, A NEIGHBORING DEPARTMENT, UM, THIS WOULD ACCOMMODATE UP TO TWO COMPANIES.
UM, IF YOU LOOK AT GROWTH OVER TIME, AND THEN ALSO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE COST ASSOCIATED WOULD'VE BEEN $8 MILLION.
THIS PARTICULAR STATION OR THE EXAMPLE YOU SEE WAS ROUGHLY $535 A SQUARE FOOT IS WHAT IT WAS GOING FOR.
AND THEN I ALSO WANTED TO AT LEAST INCLUDE, UM, 'CAUSE IT HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP IN THE PAST ABOUT THE CONSIDERATION FOR ESC.
SO LOOKING AT PREVIOUS PLANS, IF THAT WAS THE CASE AND YOU, YOU WANTED TO CONSIDER THAT WITH THIS PARTICULAR PLAN YOU'RE LOOKING AT APPROXIMATELY 2000 ADDITIONAL SQUARE FEET THAT WOULD BE NEEDED.
CHIEF, CHIEF, REAL QUICK QUESTION.
UH, AND, AND I'M SORRY, MAYBE MAYBE YOU DID ALREADY MENTION THIS.
UM, GIVEN THE, THE GEOGRAPHIC FIVES OF, OF DISTRICT THREE, IF OR WHEN A NEW FIRE STATION WERE TO BE BUILT IN THE PROPOSED AREA, DOES THAT CREATE SORT OF A NEW DISTRICT, A DISTRICT FOUR THAT'LL TAKE SOME AREA OUT OF THREE TO MAKE IT A LITTLE MORE COMPACT? SO WHAT WOULD BE YEAH, GREAT QUESTION.
WHAT WOULD WE BE LOOKING AT AT THAT TIME? OBVIOUSLY YOU'D WANT A PRIMARY RESPONSE DISTRICT, SO THAT PRIMARY UNIT, BUT WE ALSO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION CLOSEST UNIT RESPONSE.
SO THIS POTENTIALLY WOULD BE, UH, DISTRICT FOUR, YES.
BUT THEN ALSO FROM AN OPERATIONAL STANDPOINT, WE'LL BE DEALING WITH COMMUNICATIONS AND UH, AS FAR AS OUR DISPATCH DETERMINANTS BASED ON THE ENGINE COMPANY AND YOUR CLOSEST LADDER COMPANY.
SO YOU WOULD HAVE A DEFINED DISTRICT.
UM, AND THAT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE IN THE EVENT THAT CAD GOES DOWN.
'CAUSE IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE TO YOU FOR THAT CLOSEST UNIT RESPONSE, THEN YOU GO BACK TO WHAT WE FIRST STARTED WITH, WHICH IS THE RUN CALLS AND THE DISTRICT LINES.
BUT YES, TO ANSWER THE QUESTION, YOU, YOU WOULD WANT TO DEFINE WHAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED THAT PARTICULAR DISTRICT AS THE PRIMARY RESPONSE.
ALRIGHT, CHIEF, I GOT A QUESTION FOR YOU.
UM, THE ELIZABETH AVENUE FIRE STATION.
NOW CURRENTLY, HOW MANY MILES DOES IT, IS IT TRAVELED TO HIS FATHER'S POINT? DO YOU KNOW? I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY MILES TO HIS FURTHEST POINT, BUT GOING BACK TO HERE, UM, SORRY, STILL GETTING USED TO THE POINTER, BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHAT IT'S RESPONDING TO WITH THE LAKE TYLER AND THEN ALSO HERE, THE CRAVER, UH, BOTH OF WHICH ARE NORMALLY OUT OF THE RECOMMENDED RESPONSE TIME.
SO WE'RE AT MUCH HIGHER RESPONSE TIMES FOR THOSE PARTICULAR AREAS.
AND WHAT IS THE RECOMMENDED RESPONSE TIME WE WANT TO SHOOT FOR THE FIVE MINUTE RESPONSE TIME FOR YOUR PRIMARY RESPONSE.
AND IT'S EVEN GREATER DISTANCE FOR, UH, THE HEADQUARTERS FIRE STATION.
IF IT HAD TO RESPOND OUT TO SOME OF THE FURTHER AREAS IN YELLOW THERE.
I MEAN, YOU'RE, YOU'RE DOUBLING THE DISTANCE FOR THE SECOND DUTY AS WELL, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
AND HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU CURRENTLY HAVE STATIONED AT, UH, ELIZABETH AVENUE? ELIZABETH AVENUE STATION MAINTAINS? UH, A MINIMUM OF FOUR.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ONE, ONE SECOND.
CHIEF, DID YOU, DID YOU MENTION THAT THERE WERE TWO PROPOSED LOCATIONS? UH, YES.
UM, AND I'LL POINT 'EM OUT AGAIN HERE.
UH, WE WERE TRYING TO LOOK AT ALL THE TRAVEL TIMES, MAKE SURE IT'S HARD TO SEE HERE WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ON THE SOUTH SIDE, WE'RE TRYING TO LOOK AT
[00:35:01]
THE RESPONSE TIMES THERE.AND THEN JUST SO YOU HAVE A VISUAL, UM, ON THE NORTH SIDE JUST NEXT TO WHERE DMV IS.
AND THE REASON WHY WE WERE USING THOSE AS EXAMPLES SPECIFICALLY IS BECAUSE IT HAS AN INTERSECTION THAT YOU COULD COME OUT, UM, ONTO 70 AND HAVE A, A RESPONSE IN EITHER DIRECTION.
UH, IF THE LOCATION WOULD PUT YOU AWAY FROM A, A INTERSECTION, JUST, YOU KNOW, CONSIDERATION OF WE HAVE TO GO A MILE IN ONE DIRECTION TO, TO TURN AROUND AND COME BACK AND RESPOND.
IT'S TAKEN AWAY FROM YOUR RESPONSE TIME.
SO WE WERE SPECIFICALLY LOOKING AT, UH, LOCATIONS ON 43 THAT HAD ACCESS TO INTERSECTION.
IF WE, IF WE LOOK AT THE 43 CONNECTOR, THE SECTION THAT HASN'T BEEN BUILT YET, DO WE HAVE CONFIRMATION THAT WE WILL HAVE ACCESS DIRECTLY TO THE HIGHWAY WITH A CROSSOVER AND POSSIBLY TRAFFIC LIGHTS OR ARE WE GONNA HAVE TO UTILIZE A SERVICE LANE TO MAKE A U-TURN AND THAT KIND OF STUFF.
TO MY KNOWLEDGE, UH, ONE OF THE LOCATIONS BEING ON THE SOUTH SIDE WOULD'VE ACCESS AT THE INTERSECTION BASED ON CURRENT DOT.
BUT I, I COULD GO BACK AND JUST VERIFY, JUST TO MAKE SURE, WHEN YOU SAY THE SOUTH SIDE, WHERE, WHAT ARE, WHICH AREA ARE YOU SPEAKING OF?
SO WHAT I'M USING IS THE EXAMPLE.
LIKE IF YOU COME THE DMV, IT WOULD BE THE NORTH SIDE IS WHAT I'M REFERRING TO.
AND THEN ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF 70 WOULD BE WHAT I'M REFERRING TO IS THE SOUTH SIDE? IS THE SOUTH SIDE, YEAH.
WHICH YOU DO HAVE BOTH BEING ON 43, JUST TWO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS FOR UM, FOR US TO BE ABLE TO BASE RESPONSE TIMES OFF, WHICH IS ALREADY THERE.
IS PROPERTY AVAILABLE THERE? HMM? IS THERE PROPERTY AVAILABLE THERE? I, I CAN'T ANSWER THAT, UM, FULLY WITH, BECAUSE I, I KNOW THAT THERE WAS CONVERSATIONS WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER.
I THINK BEING WAREHOUSER AT ONE TIME, I'M NOT FOR SURE IF IT'S AVAILABLE CURRENTLY TODAY PROBABLY.
DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHEN THE 43 WORKS GONNA START? DEANNA CAN PROBABLY ANSWER THAT.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE LATE MAY OF THIS YEAR.
SO 18 MONTH COMPLETION I BELIEVE YEAR AND A HALF.
WE HAVEN'T VERIFIED THE CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE.
I WOULD ANTICIPATE THAT IT WOULD BE AWARDED PROBABLY, OH, THEY'RE LETTING MAY OF 2025 AND I WOULD ANTICIPATE THE CONTRACT BE AWARDED BY THE BOARD OF TRANSPORTATION PROBABLY JANUARY, FEBRUARY OF 2026.
AND AT THAT POINT, DOT'S CONTRACTOR WOULD GIVE US AN ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE.
CURRENTLY DOT'S TELLING US IT'S A THREE YEAR SCHEDULE, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S GONNA TAKE THAT LONG.
CHIEF OF THE TWO LOCATIONS THAT YOU POINTED OUT, WELL ACTUALLY THREE.
ONE ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE 71 ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF 70.
AND THEN YOU ARE AWARE OF THE ONE THAT WHEN THEY EXTEND 43 WE WERE LOOKING AT THERE.
I DON'T HAVE THE FULL DETAILS ON THE THIRD ONE THAT YOU, YOU MENTIONED.
WELL THERE'S A LITTLE SECTION OF 43 THAT'S, THAT'S NOT COMPLETE AND THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME DISCUSSION THAT WE PURCHASED PROPERTY OR GET PROPERTY THERE AS WELL.
UM, I MEAN YOU CAN ONLY ASSUME IT'S GONNA BE PROBABLY HALFWAY BETWEEN WHERE THE TWO POINTS ARE NOW.
UH, AND I WAS JUST WONDERING AT, AT SOME POINT IN TIME, WE DON'T HAVE TO DO IT TODAY, BUT AT SOME POINT IN TIME YOU NEED TO LOOK AT THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY AS WELL AND SEE OF THE THREE SPOTS, WHICH WOULD BE YOUR BETTER, WHICH WOULD BE BETTER LOCATION, WHICH WOULD SERVE CITIZENS BETTER.
WE CAN GO BACK AND, AND WORK WITH THE IS ON THAT TO, BECAUSE AT SOME POINT IN TIME WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO BUY SOME PROPERTY AND WE JUST NEED TO KNOW WHICH ONE TO BUY.
I THOUGHT IT WAS MENTIONED BEFORE, PREVIOUSLY THAT WE MENTIONED IT BEFORE WITH THAT IT WAS A PIECE FROM WAREHOUSING THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT.
IT WAS SO I MEAN, NOTHING'S CHANGED WITH THAT.
HADN'T IT? THE DONATION PIECE HAS CHANGED.
SO CARLOS, WE'RE GONNA, WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE TO PURCHASE PROPERTY.
OKAY, SO WHEN DID THAT CHANGE? I WASN'T AWARE OF THAT.
WE, WE BROUGHT THAT UP WHEN WE WERE HAVING ISSUES WITH, UH, THE TRANSFORMER SHORTAGE AND WE HAD TO UPDATE OUR, OUR, UM, CUSTOMER SERVICE POLICY TO CHARGE DEVELOPERS BASED ON HOW THAT FORMULA WORKED.
AND SO WE HAD TO PASS COST ON TO THE DEVELOPERS FOR THE ELECTRICAL
[00:40:01]
INFRASTRUCTURE.AND SO THAT'S WHEN THAT DISCUSSION CAME CALLED PAYBACK? YES.
IT WAS DISCUSSED BY THE, I I DON'T REMEMBER MENTIONING ANYTHING ABOUT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE NEW FOR THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY FOR FIRE DEPARTMENT.
WELL, ONLY THING I CAN SAY IS, UM, CHIEF LOCKNER, UM,
UM, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M ALL FOR A A, A FIRE STATION.
UM, 'CAUSE WHEN IT COMES TO BETTER PROVIDING BETTER SERVICE TO OUR CITIZENS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT PEOPLE'S LIVES IN THEIR HOMES.
SO, UM, I THINK WE NEED TO DO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO FOR IN REFERENCE TO THIS FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION.
YOU KNOW, I, I'LL SAY THIS, WE, AND I'M GONNA FOLLOW RICK'S LEAD FROM A FEW MEETINGS AGO.
I MEAN THE FIRE STATION, WE'VE GOTTA HAVE IT.
YEAH, IT'S GOT TO HAPPEN AND WE JUST NEED TO BITE THE BULLET AND DO IT.
UM, I WOULD BE SCARED THAT IF WE PUT IT ON THE REFERENDUM THAT AND IT WAS FLOATED OUT AND THEN WE BUILD IT ANYWAY, THAT WOULD MAKE US LOOK TERRIBLE.
SO WE'VE GOTTA BUILD A FIRE STATION.
SO WE WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT SOME OF THOSE OPTIONS IN JUST A FEW MINUTES AS WELL.
ALRIGHT, AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO ASK GEORGE GILES TO COME UP ON THE PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR BOARD EVENING.
SO THE PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS THAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING, UM, FOR INCLUSION ON CONSIDERATION ARE 11 STORMWATER PROJECTS AND THEN STREET PROJECTS, WHICH WILL CONSIST OF OUR ROAD RESURFACING AND REPAIRS.
WE'VE IDENTIFIED 11 SEPARATE PROJECTS AND THEN DOING THIS, OUR STORMWATER SUPERINTENDENT AVERY SMITH AND OUR ASSISTANT PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR WORKED WITH ME TO, UM, PICK PROJECTS THAT WE HAD A GOOD ASSESSMENT ON.
WE HAD GOOD DATA ON AND COULD BE.
THERE WERE NOT VERY MANY UNKNOWNS.
SO WHEN, WHEN WE SELECT THESE, YOU, YOU MAY RECOGNIZE SOME OF THESE HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP BEFORE AS HAVING DRAINAGE DEFICIENCIES IN THE AREA.
SO THE FIRST ONE IS P*****K AND LIBERTY STREET.
THIS IS IN FRONT OF THE HABITAT RESALE CENTER.
UM, WE'VE HAD ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THE ROADWAY INUNDATED WITH WATER.
WE HAD THIS INCLUDED AS A SITE SPECIFIC AREA IN THE ASSET INVENTORY ASSESSMENT.
SO WE HAVE CAMERAED THOSE LINES, WE HAVE REAL DATA ON IT.
AND WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS TO UPSIZE SOME OF THE DOWNSTREAM PIPES AND TO FIX SOME GRADING ALONG THAT STREET WHERE YOU HAVE A DIP IN THE ROAD TO ACCOMMODATE THAT, TO TAKE A WATER TO THE ULTIMATE OUTFALL OF THAT DRAINAGE SYSTEM.
SECOND PROJECT, VERY SIMILAR IN HOW IT WAS IDENTIFIED.
WE HAD HISTORIC, UM, KNOWLEDGE OF SOME LOCALIZED FLOODING IN THE AREA.
AND THIS WAS DUE TO UNDERSIZED PIPES.
SCATTER ARE EXISTING AND SOME BLOCKAGES.
WE'VE HAD THOSE LINES CAMERA DURING THE A I A AND WE HAVE DATA ON THAT AND WE'RE PROPOSING TO DO SOME UPGRADES TO THE PIPES AND UPSIZING AND REPLACEMENT OF SOME GRANITE CURBING ALONG THAT SECTION TO CHANGE THE GRADE.
NEXT PROJECT IS A GREEN PARK TERRACE.
THIS IS A CULVERT DETERIORATION AND YOU'LL SEE SEVERAL OF THESE IN HERE THAT HAVE EXISTING, UH, CMP STANDS FOR CORRUGATED METAL PIPE.
UM, DOT HAD LONG SPECIFIED THIS AND MANY MUNICIPALITIES HAD USED IT.
UM, WHILE AGO WE ALL DECIDED THAT IT WAS NOT THE BEST MATERIAL AS IT DETERIORATED WITH ACIDITY IN OUR SOIL TYPES AND THE WATER CONDITIONS.
AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE CULVERTS.
WE ALSO HAVE AN EXISTING WATER LINE THAT IS, UM, NOT HELPING WITH THE FLOW THROUGH THIS AREA.
DOES THIS TO BE A REPLACEMENT OF THAT PIPE HEAD WALL AND RELOCATION OF THE EXISTING WATER LINE CHRISTOPHER AVENUE CULVERT? UM, VERY SIMILAR.
WE'VE GOT A CORRUGATED METAL PIPE AND WE'VE GOT A RESTRICTION WITH THE EXISTING WATER MAIN RUNNING THROUGH THAT STRUCTURE.
WE HAVE CAMERAD IT AND WE'RE PROPOSING TO REPLACE IT WITH AN UPSIZED ARCH CULVERT HEAD WALLS AND RELOCATION OF THE WATER MAIN.
[00:45:03]
NOW TO BURN A CART PATH, THIS IS A CULMINATION OF SOME PLANNED INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT BY A-C-D-O-T.WE'VE HAD ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THE SECTION OF OLD AIRPORT ROAD COMING INTO TO BURN A, UH, FLOOD AND THE WATER CROSSES THE ROAD.
WE HAD, THIS IS A SECTION OF DOT ROAD WHERE THE CULVERT IS IS ON OLD AIRPORT.
SO THEY DID A, A HYDROLOGY STUDY ON THAT PIPE AND DETERMINE THAT THE CURRENT PIPE IS UNDERSIZED AND THEY'RE GONNA BE UPGRADING THAT PIPE ON OLD AIRPORT TO A 42 INCH CULVER, WHICH WILL NECESSITATE THE NEXT DOWNSTREAM CULVERT, WHICH IS ACTUALLY ON THE GOLF COURTS.
BUT IT HAS LOTS OF OUR COMMUNITY WITHIN RNA DRAINING THROUGH IT.
AND IF WE DO NOT UPSIZE THAT EXISTING GOLF COURTS CART PATH AT CULVERT TO ACCOMMODATE THE NEW DOT CULVERT, THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE ADDITIONAL BLOCKAGE.
AND WE REALLY HADN'T RESOLVED THE ISSUE.
WE WOULD, UM, RECOMMEND AND REQUIRE AN EASEMENT FOR THE CITY TO, UH, DO THIS WORK AND HAVE THAT EASEMENT IN STANDING FOR CONTINUED MAINTENANCE ON THIS SECTION.
BRUNSWICK AVENUE CULVERT REPLACEMENT BRUNSWICK AVENUE, UH, THIS IS WHERE IT GOES INTO FOX CHASE VILLAGE, RIGHT SIDE OF R'S.
UM, THIS, THIS DRAINAGE WAY THAT ACCEPTS WATER INTO THIS CULVERT RUNS DOWN BEHIND THE BUSINESSES ON GLEN BURNIE UP TO THE ROANOKE INTERSECTION.
AND WHEN THIS BACKS UP, WE'VE HAD TROUBLE WITH IT ON GLEN BURNIE ACTUALLY COVERING THE ROAD.
WE'VE HAD DOT WORK ON THEIR SECTIONS, BUT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THAT THIS SECTION OF PIKE NEEDS TO BE UPGRADED AND ENLARGED TO A 24 INCH RCP AND SOME ADDITIONAL DROP INLETS PLACED THE HAZEL AVENUE CULVERT.
UM, THERE AGAIN, IT'S GOT A CORRUGATED METAL PIPE AND HEAD WALLS AND WE'VE GOT AN EXISTING WATER LINE TO BOARD THROUGH THAT SECTION AND WE WOULD BE REPLACING THOSE WITH NEW HEAD WALLS AND A DIFFERENT STYLE.
UM, ARCH CULVERT OR CONCRETE BOX.
EXCUSE ME, GEORGE? YES, MA'AM.
IS THAT LOCATED? IS THAT RIGHT THERE BY THE CANAL? YES MA'AM.
IT'S THAT ONE RIGHT THERE, UM, WHERE THEY HAD ELEVATED THE HOUSES.
NEXT PROJECT'S, OAKS ROAD DRAINAGE, UH, IMPROVEMENTS.
THERE'S LARGE SECTIONS OF OAKS ROAD AND THIS, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE SECTIONS THAT HAS NO ROADSIDE DRAINAGE.
WE END UP WITH WATER STANDING IN THE INTERSECTIONS OF ADJACENT ROADS THAT TIE IN AND IT, THE STANDING WATER IS A HAZARD TO TRAVEL AND IT DETERIORATES OUR ROADWAY.
WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING HERE IS TO, UM, DO SOME SWALE GRADING ON THE ROADSIDES AND INSTALL DROP INLETS AND CROSS PIPES AT THE INTERSECTIONS AND ALSO ENHANCE ANY DRIVEWAYS UP TO THE EDGE OF THE RIGHT OF WAY LINE SO WE'RE NOT HAVING STANDING WATER FROM THE RIGHT OF WAY.
UM, FORWARD TO THE EDGE OF PAVEMENT.
THIS AREA, IS THAT THE AREA WHERE, UM, 'CAUSE IT'S DRAWING, I'M NOT REALLY PINPOINTING THE AREA HERE ON THIS DRAWING.
IS THAT THE AREA WHERE BOTH SIDES OF THE ROAD IS REALLY LOW AND THERE'S TWO SIGNS ON EACH SIDE? YES, SIR.
WELL, IT'S, IT IS A ONE SECTION AND, AND WE ARE JUST FINISHING UP, UH, ANOTHER PROJECT THAT WAS DONE, UM, AT POPLAR WHERE WE HAD SIMILAR SITUATION WITH ROAD WATER WITH COLLECTING RIGHT AT THE INTERSECTION OF POPLAR AND OAKS ROAD.
SO AS WE DO THIS AND WORK OUR WAY DOWN, WE'RE DEALING WITH VERY, UM, VERY FLAT GRADES.
SO IT'S DIFFICULT TO ACCOMMODATE THE DRAINAGE, BUT AS WE DO THIS, WE'RE GONNA TRY TO DO IT WITH THE, UH, PLAN OF LEAVING ENOUGH RIGHT OF WAY WHEN WE DO THESE DRAINAGE ENHANCEMENTS FOR EITHER AN EXPANDED SHOULDER OR A SIDEWALK GOING DOWN THAT ROAD.
SO THAT AREA WOULD BE BUILT UP RIGHT THERE.
'CAUSE THIS RIGHT, IT, THAT STREET IS LEVEL RIGHT WITH IT SEEMS LIKE THE RIVER THERE.
WELL, THAT THE PROBLEM WITH THE PROBLEM WITH ELEVATING THE ROAD IS NOW WE'RE STANDING THE WATER ON PEOPLE'S PRIVATE PROPERTY.
SO THERE, THERE'S A BALANCE TO IT, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA WORK THROUGH AND, AND PART OF THIS PROJECT GOING DOWN THAT ROAD.
WE'RE PROPOSING ALSO, UH, CULVERT AT THE HEAD OF OAKS ROAD AT THE INTERSECTION OF GLEN BURNIE ROAD.
THIS IS TO ACCOMMODATE WATER THAT IS CURRENTLY STANDING IN THE INTERSECTION.
AND AS YOU PROCEED, UH, BACKUP OAKS ROAD, I THINK WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD ONE OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS, MR. SAWYER IN HERE ABOUT WATER STANDING ON HIS PROPERTY.
THIS WILL, BY INSTALLING THIS PIPE AND ALLOW FOR IT TO GO TO AN EXISTING OUTFALL DOWNSTREAM AND TAKE SOME OF THE PRESSURE OFF OF THAT INTERSECTION IN EXISTING DRAINAGE COLLEGE PARK DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, WE'VE IDENTIFIED SEVERAL AREAS WITHIN COLLEGE PARK THAT ARE IN NEED OF, UH, EITHER PIPE RELOCATION OR PIPE ENLARGEMENT.
[00:50:01]
IDENTIFIED A SECTION OF EXISTING PIPE WHERE THE CATCH BASINS ARE NOT SET TO GRADE, SO THEY'RE GOING UPHILL IN SEVERAL SECTIONS THAT WOULD NEED TO BE RESET AND THAT WOULD ENCOMPASS REGRADING DITCHES, REMOVING OR RESIZING EXISTING CULVERTS AND OR REPLACING THE RED ROBIN AND CULVERT.I'M SURE MANY OF YOU HAVE SEEN THIS.
THIS IS BEHIND THE, UM, OLD FOOD LINE SECTION RIGHT UP AGAINST RED ROBIN.
AND THIS WOULD BE A REPLACEMENT.
WE'VE GOT AN EXISTING, UH, 36 ARCH, UH, 36 INCH REINFORC CONCRETE PIPE.
WE'D BE REPLACING IT WITH ACTUALLY A LARGER ONE OR TWO.
SO WHEN WE SEE THIS AS REPLACED, THAT ONE, WE WOULD ALSO UPSIZE IN SOME FASHION WHETHER WE, DEPENDING ON THE COVER THAT WE'RE ABLE TO ACHIEVE ON THAT ROAD AND TO TOTAL FROM THE ESTIMATES THAT WE'VE WORKED UP WITH OUR CONSULTANTS AND THE DATA THAT WE HAVE ON THESE SITES, UH, THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS BE APPROXIMATELY $6 MILLION.
NEXT SECTION IS OUR STREETS, UH, PROJECTS.
AND THIS IS FOLLOWING IN LINE WITH OUR PAVEMENT CONDITION RATING THAT WAS JUST RECENTLY COMPLETED IN 2024.
AND IT WOULD CONSTITUTE, UM, RESURFACING FOR A MAJORITY OF THE MONEY.
UH, AND THEN SOME MEDIUM PRIORITY ITEMS, UH, THAT WOULD NEED TO BE DONE.
AND THEN CRACK SEAL AND SOME SMALL PATCHING ON THE OTHER.
BUT THIS WOULD TOUCH MANY OF THE ROADS WITHIN THE CITY.
AND THIS WAS SHOWN AND IDENTIFIED IN THE STUDY AS NECESSARY IMMEDIATE ITEMS. AND I KNOW ON, UH, I DIDN'T WANNA BRING THESE TWO UP.
SO DURING THE NOVEMBER 11TH, WE TALKED ABOUT TWO PEDESTRIAN PROJECTS THAT THAT HAD BEEN MENTIONED.
SO ONE WAS TRIM BOULEVARD AND ONE WAS OAK ROAD.
THE ESTIMATES THAT WE HAVE ON THESE TWO WERE FROM N-C-D-O-T, VERY HIGH LEVEL SOFTWARE TO, THAT TAKES A, A COST PER MILE BASED ON PRIOR PROJECTS WITHIN THE STATE TO GIVE US A COST.
SO THESE ARE NOT SITE SPECIFIC RIGHT NOW.
I WOULD NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THESE ESTIMATES OR USING THIS VEHICLE TO FUND THESE TWO PROJECTS WHILE THEY'RE BOTH GOOD PROJECTS AND WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS GETTING TO THIS POINT OF INSTALLING SOMETHING ON THAT ROAD.
THE THE PROJECTS ARE SO COMPLEX THAT I, I WOULDN'T BE COMFORTABLE WITH THESE ESTIMATES U UTILIZING THE N-C-D-O-T SOFTWARE.
AND, UH, ANY OF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON ME? YOU DECIDED NOT TO PUT ANYTHING TO HELP THE PROBLEM ON, UH, TEL, OR HAVE YOU GOT, YOU GUYS GOT IT FIGURED OUT IN HOUSE THE, SOME OF THIS NOW, THE, THE, THE BOTTOM END OF THE TEL WILL BE ASSISTED BY THE ONE AT OLD AIRPORT.
SO WHEN WE RELIEVE THAT PRESSURE, UM, WE WERE TRYING TO, TO DO ONES THAT WE KNEW WOULD HAVE AN IMMEDIATE IMPACT THAT WE HAD A DATA ON.
THAT DOES NOT MEAN WE DON'T HAVE PLACES THAT HAVE HAD DRAINAGE DEFICIENCIES THROUGHOUT THE CITY THAT WERE NOT INCLUDED ON THIS LIST.
YES, THERE ARE A MULTITUDE OF OTHER PLACES.
THESE WERE ONES THAT WE HAVE READY DATA, WE'VE ALREADY HAD CONSULTANTS LOOK AT FROM PRIOR WORK, EITHER FROM FEMA OR A DRAINAGE STUDY OR A I A WORK THAT WE COULD QUICKLY ADVANCED TO A POINT OF CONTRACTING SHOULD THE BOND BOND BE APPROVED FOR THESE ITEMS. I HAVE A QUESTION.
YOU STATED THAT YOU WERE GOING TO REPLACE THE, THE, UH, HAZEL WIPES.
MY QUESTION IS, IS THAT CONNECTED TO ALREADY THE RED ROBIN LANE PROJECT? WELL, THAT'S ANOTHER LOCATION.
BUT, BUT THE ADVANTAGE OF DOING THE, THE WORK THAT WE DID IN THE MONEY THAT YOU SUPPLIED FROM FOR, FOR YOUR WARD DRAINAGE DOWN AT THE INTERSECTION OF TRENT AND RED ROBIN, WHEN WE DID THAT WORK, WE WERE ABLE TO LOWER ONE OF THE DRIVEWAY CULVERTS, WHICH IS A RATHER LARGE CULVERT AND ENLARGE IT.
THAT PIPE WAS SET ONE FOOT IN REVERSE GRADE.
SO NOW WE'VE GAINED ACTUALLY ANOTHER FOOT OF GRADE TO DRAIN THE WATER SO WE CAN ASSIST THE WATER GOING OUT FASTER.
SO NOW WE HAVE A BETTER, A BETTER LOCATION TO DISCHARGE THE WATER AND
[00:55:01]
THIS WOULD ASSIST WITH THAT.THE AREA UPSTREAM NOW THAT WE'VE RESOLVED ONE OF THE DOWNSTREAM ISSUES, AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE DRAINAGE DITCHES AND SWALES THAT TAKE THIS WATER BEFORE IT GETS TO THAT PIPE, WERE ALL PART OF THE FEMA CAT A WORK AND CAT D THAT WENT THROUGH THOSE BACK DRAINAGE AREAS TO REMOVE ANY DEBRIS OR SEDIMENT IN UP.
SO WE'VE GOT A BETTER AVENUE TO SEND THE WATER AND NOW WE'RE WORKING OUR WAY UPSTREAM TO GET TO
SO YOU GOTTA WORK FROM DOWNSTREAM, UPSTREAM.
AND SO THIS WOULD BE THE NEXT ONE ON THAT ROAD.
IS THIS LOCATED, THIS IS RIGHT AT THE REAR.
DO YOU KNOW WHERE THE LOADING DOCKS ARE ON THE OLD FOOD LINE? THAT WAS, UM, BEF RIGHT ACROSS FROM THE NORTH CAROLINA FOOD BANK.
WOULD THIS HELP IN ANY WAY WITH THE ISSUES ON TRENT ROAD WITH FLIGHTS? NO, MA'AM.
THAT'S TOO FAR, TOO FAR IN A DIFFERENT DISCHARGE POINT? YES, MA'AM.
I JUST REMEMBER YOU SAYING A LOT OF IT WAS CONNECTED.
FORTUNATELY, BOTH HAVE LARGE AMOUNTS OF WATER, BUT THESE TWO ARE NOT CONNECTED TO EACH OTHER.
GEORGE, A COUPLE OF THESE, UM, PROPOSED, UM, DRAINAGE PIPE UPGRADES.
YOU, YOU MENTIONED THAT CURRENTLY YOU HAVE WATER LINES BISECTING THE DRAINAGE PIPES.
WOULD, ARE YOU GONNA BE ABLE TO ELIMINATE THAT WITH THE UPGRADES? WELL, WE, WE'VE INCLUDED WITHIN THESE NUMBERS ACTUALLY BORNE THE WATER LINES.
SO WE WOULD DROP THE WATER LINE UNDERNEATH, UNDERNEATH THE CULVERTS.
WE TRIED TO STAY AWAY FROM ANYTHING THAT HAD GRAVITY, SEWER, OR FORCED SEWER THAT THEN WOULD ENCOMPASS ADDITIONAL ISSUES.
SO THE, THESE WERE MAINLY WATERLINE CROSSINGS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
IN, UM, A DEBT AFFORDABILITY ANALYSIS WAS COMPLETED BY OUR CONSULTANTS AND PRESENTED IN JUNE, 2024.
AND MATERIALS WERE ALSO PRESENTED NOVEMBER 11TH, 2024, THE BOARD WORK SESSION.
SO ON THIS SLIDE, DAVENPORT PROVIDED AN OVERVIEW OF FOUR SCENARIOS.
THE ANA ANALYSIS INCLUDED IN CASE ONE, NO ADDITIONAL DEDICATED TAX RATE REVENUE.
CASE TWO, THERE WAS A 1 CENT CASE, THREE SHOWS 3 CENTS, AND CASE FOUR SHOWS 5 CENTS WITH TAX RATES DEDICATED IN FISCAL YEAR 2027.
TO THE RIGHT THERE, THE ASSUMPTION THE FINANCING ASSUMPTIONS WERE A TERM OF 20 YEARS LEVEL PRINCIPLE CALCULATING 5.344% ADHERE TO THE LGC SAFE HARBOR INTEREST RATE GUIDELINES IN THE FIRST PRINCIPLE AND INTEREST PAYMENTS DUE THE FOLLOWING FISCAL YEAR.
BASED ON THAT CRITERIA, THE ANALYSIS SHOWED ALL FOUR CASES FIT WITHIN THE DEBT POLICIES AND AFFORDABILITY AND MEET THE DEBT RATIO COMPLIANCE IN THE TOP SECTION.
IN EVERY ONE OF THESE CASES, THE DEBT IS ISSUED QUICKLY.
HOWEVER, IF WE DON'T NEED IT AS MUCH IN THE FIRST YEAR, THEN WE DON'T NECESSARILY LOSE IT.
IT'S AVAILABLE IN SUBSEQUENT SUBSEQUENT YEARS.
THIS CHART ALSO TAKES INTO CONSIDERATION OUR EXISTING DEBT AS IT IS COMING OFF.
LET'S REVIEW THE CASES FOR DEBT CAPACITY AND THE TAX RATE IN IMPACT.
SO IN CASE ONE, THERE'S NO ADDITIONAL TAX RATE DEDICATED, AND OUR DEBT CAPACITY SHOWS 7.7 MILLION.
WE HAVE A DECLINING DEBT SCHEDULE.
SO THIS IS THE NATURAL CAPACITY.
HOWEVER, KEEP IN MIND THAT WE HAVE FUTURE BORROWING NEEDS, UM, FOR VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT.
IN CASE TWO, A 1 CENT ADDITIONAL TAX RATE INCREASES DEBT CAPACITY BY 5.6 MILLION, WHICH TAKING THE 7.7 PLUS THE 5.6 WE'RE AT 13.3 MILLION.
AND CASE THREE, A 3 CENT ADDITIONAL TAX RATE INCREASE INCREASES DEBT CAPACITY AT 16.8 MILLION OR BY 16.8 MILLION, TOTALING 24.5 MILLION.
AND THEN ON CASE FOUR, THE 5 CENT ADDITIONAL TAX RATE INCREASE INCREASES DEBT CAPACITY BY 28 MILLION, TOTALING $35,750,000.
AS YOU CAN SEE, UH, TWO, UH, THAT,
[01:00:01]
UM, 2 CENTS EQUALS ROUGHLY 10 TO $11 MILLION.UM, THE CHART, THIS CHART SHOWS THE DEDICATED TAX RATE NEEDED TO FUND EACH PROJECT.
PROJECTS WILL EACH BE VOTED ON SEPARATELY.
IF THESE WERE APPROVED BY THE BOARD TO MOVE FORWARD, THEN EACH OF THESE FOUR PROJECTS WILL HAVE A SEPARATE QUESTION ON THE BALLOT TO VOTE ON.
BASED ON WHAT WAS PRESENTED TO YOU TODAY, PARKS AND RECREATION PROPOSED A TOTAL OF $8 MILLION, WHICH EQUATES TO APPROXIMATELY 1.60 CENTS.
PUBLIC SAFETY PROPOSED $8 MILLION FOR THE FIRE STATION, WHICH EQUATES TO APPROXIMATELY 1.60 CENTS.
THE STORM WATER PROJECTS TOTALED 6 MILLION, WHICH EQUATES TO APPROXIMATELY 1.20 CENTS AND STREET PROJECTS TOTALED 10 MILLION, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 2 CENTS.
TO FUND ALL PROPOSED PROJECTS.
AS THEY ARE, YOU WOULD NEED AN ADDITIONAL 6.40 CENTS DEDICATED IN TAX RATE.
I JUST WANNA POINT OUT THAT, UM, PER THIS, THIS, THIS NOTE IN HERE IN RED, PER THE LGCA FAILED BOND REFERENDUM, MAY HI HINDER FUTURE PROJECT FUNDING WITH OTHER FINANCING OPTIONS.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS TO YOU IS IF WE, UM, LET'S SAY THE VOTERS DIDN'T APPROVE THE, THEY OPPOSED THE FIRE STATION THAT DIDN'T PASS.
SO THEN WE WANT TO, UM, FIND OTHER MEANS OF FINANCING AND THEN THE LGC MAY NOT APPROVE THAT IF THE VOTERS HAVE JUST RECENTLY VOTED IT DOWN.
NOW, THAT DOESN'T STAY TRUE THE WHOLE TIME, IF YOU'RE TALKING SEVERAL YEARS DOWN THE ROAD AND YOU'RE PRESENTING THAT TO THEM.
SO THEY'LL LOOK AT IT DIFFERENTLY, BUT WE CAN'T JUST TURN RIGHT AROUND AND HONESTLY SAY THAT THEY'RE GOING TO APPROVE THAT AND GO AGAINST THE VOTERS.
AND, AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO REMOVE THE PUBLIC SAFETY FROM THE BOND.
AND IF THE BOARD WANTS TO GIVE DIRECTION AT SOME POINT TO PROCEED TO PURCHASE PROPERTY AND TO BUILD A FIRE STATION AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME, WE DO THAT THROUGH THE NORMAL PROCESS, PROJECT PROCESS.
AND SO WITH THE THREE PROJECTS WE'RE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT $24 MILLION FOR A PROPOSED BOND REFERENDUM, WHICH WOULD END UP BEING ABOUT 5 CENTS.
I JUST WANNA COMMENT TOO ON THAT.
UM, IF YOU LATER WANTED TO PROPOSE, UM, TO BUILD THE FIRE STATION TO GO OUT FOR OTHER MEANS OF FINANCING, WE STILL HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE TAX RATE.
SO THAT DOESN'T CHANGE THAT FOR US.
WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD THAT DEBT SO THAT WE'LL HAVE A TAX RATE INCREASE.
ALSO, WHEN IT COMES TO A FIRE STATION, WHEN, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ADDING THE NUMBER OF STAFF TO WORK IN THE FIRE STATION, WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT 2.20 CENTS ON THE TAX RATE FOR THAT.
SO WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE, UM, TO YOU AS A TAXPAYER ALONG THE TOP OF THIS CHART? UM, YOU'LL SEE THE PROPERTY VALUES OF A HUNDRED THOUSAND, 200,000, 300,000, 400,000.
THE FOLLOWING LINE SHOWS THE ANNUAL, UM, PROPERTY TAX RATE, THE COST OF THE ANNUAL PROPERTY TAX BASED ON OUR TAX RATE AT 39 CENTS.
SO FOR A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, IT'S $390 ANNUALLY, $780 FOR A $200,000 HOME, $1,170 FOR A $300,000 HOME AND $1,560 FOR A $400,000 HOME.
THAT'S FOR THE CITY OF NEW BERN TAX RATE 39 CENTS, WHICH IS WHAT IT CURRENTLY IS, THE ANNUAL COST FOR ADDITIONAL TAX RATES.
IN THIS NEXT SECTION, SHOWING THE ESTIMATED COST OF ADDITIONAL PENNY UP TO 6 CENTS FOR EACH PROPERTY VALUE.
SO FOR EVERY A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS PROP, UM, PROPERTY VALUE OF PENNY IS AN ADDITIONAL $10.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU WERE TO APPROVE MOVING FORWARD WITH A TOTAL OF $30 MILLION TO FUND, UM, THESE PROJECTS, WE WOULD NEED AN ADDITIONAL 6 CENT TAX RATE, WHICH WOULD COST AN ADDITIONAL $60 ALONG THE BOTTOM LINE THERE.
$60 FOR A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS HOME, $120 FOR A $200,000 HOME, $180 FOR A $300,000 HOME, AND $240 FOR A $400,000 HOME.
SO IN SUMMARY, WE HAVE, UM, DISCUSSED THE DEBT CAPACITY AND AFFORDABILITY.
WE ESTIMATED, UM, THE TAX ADDITIONAL DEDICATED TAX LEVY, UM, FOR PROPOSED PROJECT PROJECTS AND THE IMPACT OF OUR TAX ON OUR TAX PAYERS, TAXPAYERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR ME? SO THE, THE ANNUAL COST SHEET HERE THAT THIS BOND WOULD, IF WE GO WITH, UM,
[01:05:03]
ALL FOUR PROJECTS, IF I HAVE A $200,000 HOME, I'M GONNA PAY AN ADDITIONAL $120.NOW WITH THAT BEING SAID, HOW, IF, HOW WOULD THIS BE AFFECTED? AND I ASKED YOU THIS QUESTION BEFORE, HOW WOULD THIS THE, THE TAXPAYERS BE AFFECTED BY THE PROPERTY VALUES WHEN WE HAVE AN, UH, REBOUND AND THE TAX, THEIR PROPERTY VALUES GO UP? SO THE TAX AMOUNT WOULD GO UP, CORRECT? RIGHT.
THEY WOULD, THE ADDITIONAL TAX AMOUNT FOR THIS BOND WOULD GO UP.
IT'S NOT LOCKED IN IT, THIS IS NOT A FIXED RATE.
UM, WE CAN ADJUST DOWN, BUT WE CANNOT GO UP.
YOU CANNOT GO UP, BUT YOU CAN GO DOWN YES.
FOR AS THE FOR IS WHEN IT COMES.
DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING, KIM? I THINK OKAY.
WELL, WE HAVE VALS WHEN WE HAVE REVALS MM-HMM
AND I THINK THEY'RE DONE EVERY, UM, I THINK IT'S EVERY SIX YEARS.
SO THEN I HAVE A 200,000 HOUSE.
MY HOUSE MAY GO UP TO 300,000.
SO I'M GONNA HAVE ADDITIONAL, UM, MY TAXES IS GONNA GO UP TO 1170 AND THEN I'M GONNA HAVE AN ADDITIONAL $180 TO PAY.
SO THAT'S WHAT I WAS LOOKING AT.
THIS IS NOT, ONCE WE, WE, UM, GO WITH THIS BOND, IT'S NOT A FIXED RATE.
WE CAN'T, UM, NOTHING IS GONNA CHANGE IF THE TAX RATES CHANGE, IF YOUR VALUE CHANGES, IF THE VALUE CHANGE VALUE OF YOUR HOME.
BUT THE TAX, IF WE SET A 6 CENT TAX RATE, WE'RE SET AT A 6 CENT TAX RATE, NOW WE CAN GO DOWN.
SO, SO KIM LEMME ASK YOU THIS.
SO THE AMOUNT OF THE BOND IS GONNA BE, THE AMOUNT OF THE BOND, LET'S JUST SAY IT'S $30 MILLION.
WE HAVE TO PAY $30 MILLION BACK.
IF THE REEVALUATION GOES UP OR DOWN, WE STILL OWE $30 MILLION.
SO THE BURDEN ON THE TAXPAYER IS GONNA BE $30 MILLION SPREAD OUT AMONGST ALL OF OUR TAXPAYERS, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THAT RATE IS.
I THINK YOU'RE JUST PROVIDING SOME EXAMPLES OF WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR THEM PERSONALLY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UH, JUST FOSTER A QUICK QUESTION.
UM, AGAIN, ASSUMING WE GET, WE GET A BOND ORDINANCE ON THE BALLOT AND THE VOTERS SAY YES TO WHATEVER THEY SAY YES TO, UM, THAT DOES NOT PRECLUDE, UM, A FUTURE BOARD OF ALDERMEN DECIDING NOT TO MOVE FORWARD ON SPECIFIC PROJECTS THAT THE VOTERS HAVE PREVIOUSLY APPROVED.
IS THAT ACCURATE? SO, SO ONCE THIS IS NOTED ON, ONCE IT GOES TO THE LGC, THOSE PROJECTS WOULD TAKE PLACE BASED ON THAT BOND, WHAT'S TIED TO THAT BOND? THOSE PROJECTS WOULD TAKE PLACE.
SO IF FUTURE BOARDS THEN DON'T HAVE THE OPTION TO DECIDE NOT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A PARTICULAR PROJECT AT ANY POINT IN THE FUTURE, I BELIEVE THAT'S ACCURATE.
UNLESS THE BOND HAS NOT BEEN, WE HAVE NOT GONE OUT FOR THAT BOND YET.
SO THE BOND IS, IS REALLY A MANDATE AS OPPOSED TO THAT'S CORRECT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? AND, AND AS MASTER INDICATED THAT THEIR OPPOSITE THEN IS, SAY IF THE A, AN EDGE, JUST USE A PROPOSED FIRE STATION AS THE EXAMPLE IS THAT IF IT WERE INCLUDED IN THE BOND AND THE VOTERS VOTED NO FOR IT, A FUTURE BOARD COULD TURN AROUND AND SAY YES.
BUT THEN AGAIN, WE GET INTO THE SITUATION THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENT, UH, MIGHT PRECLUDE US FROM EXACTLY DOING THAT OR PRECLUDE OF A FUTURE BOARD FROM DOING THAT, GIVEN THE, THE VOTE OF, OF THE PUBLIC ON THAT FOR AT LEAST A TIME.
UNLESS WE HAD THE, THE AMOUNT AND FUND BALANCE TO ACTUALLY JUST PAY PAY IN CASH.
OR YOU SIMPLY FINANCE ANOTHER PROJECT THAT YOU WERE GONNA PAY CASH FOR AND GET AROUND TO CC'S APPROVAL.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS? ANYTHING FROM STAFF? SO WE'D LIKE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS.
[01:10:01]
YOU WOULD SUPPORT, UH, WITH WHAT TYPE OF DIRECTION WOULD YOU LIKE TO GIVE STAFF ALL THIS? UM, WE TALKED ABOUT THE TIMEFRAME FOR DOING THIS REALLY, THAT, THAT, THAT MAY MEETING IS, IS WHEN THINGS HAVE TO START.SO I'D LIKE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS ON WHETHER OR NOT YOU'D LIKE TO PROCEED.
SO, OFFICER, WHEN WILL WE BE HAVING PUBLIC ENGAGEMENTS WITH OUR CITIZENS? SO THAT WOULD BE STARTED IN MAY AND THAT THAT'S AN EDUCATIONAL PIECE.
UM, AND I THINK WHAT YOU SEE MO MOSTLY WHEN YOU SEE BOND REFERENDUMS, YOU, YOU SEE CITIZENS CHAMPION CERTAIN THINGS AND, AND THEY WORK TO PROMOTE IT, BUT THE CITY CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH WITH THE EDUCATIONAL PIECE PER STATE STATUTE.
AND OF COURSE WE'LL PROVIDE ALL INFORMATION, ALL THE FACTS ABOUT IT, HOW IT'S GONNA AFFECT YOUR TAX RATE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UH, BUT WE CAN'T GO OUT AND PUT, PUT SIGNS AND BANNERS UP SAYING, YOU KNOW, CITY OF NEW AND EXPECTS YOU TO WANT YOU TO VOTE FOR THIS.
SO WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY WHEN YOU SAY PUBLIC COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT? I MEAN, OUTREACH.
I THINK WHAT YOU SEE WITH A LOT OF BOND REFERENDUMS IS, IS FOLKS THAT MAY HAVE AN INTEREST IN THE FIRE STATION OR, UH, UH, AN UPGRADE OF MARTIN MARIETTA PARK, TAKING THEM AMONGST THEMSELVES TO, TO, TO GATHER, GATHER SUPPORT OR FOR CERTAIN PROJECTS LIKE THAT.
YOU SEE, YOU SEE GROUPS, WHETHER IT BE AN OUTING CLUB OR A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT TAKES THE VOCAL LEAD AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO FOSTER, WE HAVE LESS THAN THREE MONTHS TO GET THIS TOGETHER.
SO NOW WE NEED TO DECIDE, UH, PRETTY MUCH THE DIRECTION WE ARE GOING TO TAKE NOW.
AND THEN SHORTLY AFTER THAT, UH, I GUESS WE WOULD'VE A, UM, PUBLIC HEARING.
SO IF, IF, IF YOU, IF YOU TELL US PROCEED, WE'LL FINALIZE THESE, THESE, THESE AMOUNTS WE'LL GET READY FOR, TO PRESENT PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN FOLLOW THAT SCHEDULE OF WHAT WAS ESTABLISHED AND THEN MOVE FORWARD.
I'M IN FAVOR OF THAT BECAUSE I FEEL THAT THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO HAVE SOME SKIN IN THE GAME IN ORDER TO UPDATE THE FACILITIES OUT THROUGH THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE CITY.
AND, UH, WITH THAT BEING SAID, UH, I'M READY TO, UH, BE A PART OF THAT BECAUSE EVERY 50 YEARS OR EVERY 20 YEARS COSTS CHANGE.
AND SO WHY ARE WE AT THE POINT OF MAKING A GREAT DECISION? I THINK IT'S TIME TO MOVE FORWARD.
WE JUST CAN'T FORGET THE FACT THAT WE MIGHT, IF WE, IF THE PUBLIC VOTES TO DO THIS, WE MIGHT BE ADDING 5 CENTS ON OUR TAX RATE.
AND THAT DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE UPCOMING BUDGETS AND THE NEXT YEAR'S BUDGETS ON HOW MUCH, YOU KNOW, FOSTER'S BEEN BEGGING US OR TELLING US THAT WE NEED TO INCREASE OUR BUDGET, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE ENDS MEET HERE.
SO YOU, YOU KNOW, THEORETICALLY YOU COULD BE LOOKING AT, IF THIS GOES THROUGH, YOU COULD BE LOOKING AT EIGHT, 9 CENTS, 10 CENTS RATE INCREASE ON THE TAXES.
YOU, YOU COULD SEE THAT JUST LIKE THIS PAST YEAR, WE ASKED FOR A PENNY INCREASE.
AND, AND, AND WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT BUDGET.
WE'RE IN THE BUDGET SEASON NOW.
AND, AND, UM, AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT THIS EVENING, BUT WE'RE NOT ANTICIPATING ASKING FOR AN INCREASE, UH, AT THIS TIME.
OH, REALLY? THAT, THAT THAT'S OUR GOAL.
WELL, I, UM, YOU KNOW, I, WITH THESE FOUR PROJECTS, UM, I SEE A, A NEED, A DIRE NEED FOR, FOR TWO OF 'EM.
UM, THAT'S JUST THE WAY I FELT ABOUT IT.
AND I, I JUST, I JUST LOOK AT IT FROM A, A, A CITIZEN'S POINT, UM, WITH THIS BOND REFERENDUM, UM, RIGHT NOW, I, I JUST DON'T FEEL LIKE THIS IS THE BEST TIME FOR THIS BOARD TO IMPOSE, UM, ADDITIONAL TAX RATE ON OUR CITIZENS.
I MEAN,
[01:15:01]
CITIZENS THAT STILL SUFFERING FROM HURRICANE FLORENCE.I MEAN, THERE ARE CITIZENS THAT CAN'T EVEN DO A LOT OF MAJOR REPAIRS TO THEIR HOUSES.
AND I KNOW WE'VE ALL BEEN LISTENING TO THE NEWS AND YOU HEAR ABOUT REBUILD NORTH CAROLINA AND A LOT OF CITIZENS WAS DEPENDENT ON REBUILD NORTH CAROLINA.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE GOT ALL THE RATES THAT WE'VE JUST, UH, IMPOSED ON OUR CITIZENS FOR ELECTORATE.
AND IT IS, THIS IS JUST TO ME, UH, THIS IS A BAD TIME.
AND YOU ALL, WE ALL ARE AWARE, I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN LISTENING TO THE NEWS AND ALL THE THINGS THAT'S GOING ON UP AT, AT THE CAPITOL, ALL OF THESE WITH ALL THE TARIFFS AND, AND THE FOOD PRICE IS SOARING AND, YOU KNOW, THESE TARIFFS IS GONNA HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE WHOLE ECONOMY.
AND I, I JUST FEEL THAT THIS IS NOT A TIME RIGHT NOW TO IMPOSE A $32 MILLION OR $24 MILLION, UM, ON OUR TAX PAYING CITIZENS, EVEN THOUGH I KNOW THE TAX PAYING CITIZEN WILL BE THE ONE WHEN THEY GO OUT TO CAST THEIR BALLOT TO VOTE ON IF THEY WANT THESE PROJECTS.
BUT FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, YOU KNOW, I'M LOOKING AT IT FROM A PERSPECTIVE OF THE WAY THE ECONOMY IS AND, AND WHO KNOWS, UM,
AND I JUST FEEL AS A, AS A ALDERMAN SITTING IN THIS SEAT RIGHT NOW, AND I'VE LISTENED TO MY CONSTITUENTS AND I'VE HEARD THEM AND I HAVE GONE OUT, I'VE SEEN, SEEN HOW THEY'RE LIVING.
SOME OF 'EM JUST BARELY MAKING JUST THE BASIC NEEDS TO GET BY.
I, I JUST, I DON'T FEEL GOOD WITH VOTING ON, ON THIS, ON THIS BOND REFERENDUM AND, UH,
THIS IS A LOT OF DEBT THAT OUR TAXPAYERS GONNA BE PAYING FOSTER.
I MEAN, IN TERMS OF DIRECTION.
UM, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH, UM, THE RECOMMENDATION, UM, OF STAFF TO SEPARATE OUT THE FIRE STATION FROM THIS BOND ORDINANCE.
UM, AGAIN, IT'S KIND OF THE SAME ARGUMENT THAT I MADE A FEW MEETINGS AGO THAT THE, THE PROPOSED FIRE STATION IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED BY PREVIOUS BOARDS FOR PROBABLY THE LAST DECADE.
UM, AND IN MY MIND, IT, IT FALLS MORE INTO THE NEED CATEGORY AS OPPOSED TO WANT OR DESIRE.
UM, AND THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT STORM WATER IMPROVEMENTS, YOU KNOW, OR NOT ANY MORE IMPORTANT OR LESS IMPORTANT.
UM, I FEEL I'M COMFORTABLE WITH SEPARATING THE FIRE STATION OUT AND THEN JUST TO CONTINUE LOOKING AT THESE OTHER PROJECTS TO, UM, DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT SOME OR ALL OF 'EM, YOU KNOW, CAN POTENTIALLY MOVE FORWARD.
AND THE OTHER SIDE OF IT IS WITH A REFERENDUM, WE'RE ASKING THE VOTERS OF NEWBURN TO TELL US THAT EITHER YES, THEY ARE IN FAVOR OF PAYING MORE TAXES TO SEE THESE IMPROVEMENTS, UH, ACCOMPLISHED OR THAT THEY'RE NOT.
AND I, YOU CAN'T GET REALLY A, A A MORE DEMOCRATIC WAY OF, OF HAVING A DECISION MADE BY, BY ASKING THE VOTERS WHAT THEY WANT AND WHAT THEY'RE WILLING TO TOLERATE.
UM, SO I KNOW THE NUMBERS ARE, ARE HIGH.
UM, NEWBURN IS NOT REALLY ACCUSTOMED TO DEALING WITH THOSE KIND OF NUMBERS DEALING WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH DEBT SERVICE.
UM, HOWEVER, UM, THESE IMPROVEMENTS ARE GOING TO BE HERE FOR DECADES TO COME.
AND IF, IF WE DON'T ADDRESS SOME OR ALL OF 'EM NOW, UM, THE COSTS ARE UNDER GONNA GET HIGHER AND HIGHER EVERY YEAR.
UM, AND AT SOME POINT THE SYSTEM FALLS APART AND UNLESS IT'S ADDRESSED.
[01:20:04]
AGAIN, I'M, I'M GENERALLY COMFORTABLE MOVING FORWARD ASKING THE VOTERS HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT THESE THINGS.ALDERMAN, ASRA AND ROYAL, I FAVOR, UM, WHAT ALDERMAN CREEL SAID, AS WELL AS ALDERMAN BEST, UM, ALMOST CAUGHT BETWEEN THE TWO.
I KNOW THAT, UM, WE HAVE DISCUSSED FAMILY FRIENDLY ENTERTAINMENT FOR THE LONGEST, AND I REMEMBER ALDERMAN ASKED US TALKING ABOUT NOTHING TO DO AND NOWHERE TO GO AND NOTHING FOR OUR CHILDREN.
AND THAT IS CERTAINLY, UH, A VITAL NEED OF OUR CITY.
UM, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT AND TALKED ABOUT IT.
UM, I FEEL THAT IN THE MIDST OF ALL OF THIS, AGAIN, THE VOTERS, IF THIS PASSES TONIGHT, WILL BE THE ONE TO MAKE THAT DECISION AS TO, UH, WHETHER THEY WANT THEIR TAXES INCREASED.
BUT ME PERSONALLY, LOOKING AT WHAT OUR CITIZENS ARE FACING, THE CHALLENGING, THE CHALLENGES, THE STRESSFUL TIMES THAT WE ARE LIVING IN, UM, IT IS ECONOMICALLY VERY CHALLENGING FOR MOST PEOPLE.
AND, UM, BECAUSE OF THAT, I WOULD NOT FAVOR, UH, ALL OF THE PROJECTS.
BUT AGAIN, I, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS HOW DO YOU EXTRACT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT? THAT DEFINITELY IS A NEED THAT WILL TAKE PLACE SOONER OR LATER.
AND AGAIN, WITH, WE TALKED ABOUT THE INCREASE IN PRICES OF EVERYTHING.
SO WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE TO JUST EXTRACT THAT? AND THAT WOULD NOT BE A PART OF THE REFERENDUM, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? YES, MA'AM.
IT WOULD LOOK LIKE A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THE STANLEY WHITE RECREATION CENTER PROJECT.
WHEN, WHEN WE HAD TO GO OUT FOR, FOR A LOAN TO COVER THE BALANCE OF WHAT FEMA AND THE STATE WOULD AND INSURANCE WOULD NOT COVER.
SO WE WOULD CREATE A PROJECT FUND FOR THAT AND GO FROM THERE.
WELL, THAT WOULD BE WHAT I WOULD VOTE TOWARDS TO, AGAIN, I WOULD NOT, UM, LIKE TO SEE OUR CITIZENS TAX, BUT I KNOW THE FIRE STATION IS AN ABSOLUTE NEED.
I KNOW THE GROWTH THERE IN WEST NEW BERN IS, UH, UH, INCREASING AT A, AT A HIGH RATE.
AND I KNOW EVENTUALLY, AND I BELIEVE AL THE
THE FAMILY FRIENDLY, UM, ENTERTAINMENT, ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
UH, AGAIN, I WOULD JUST SIMPLY PREFER NOT TO, UH, SUPPORT THE BOND REFERENDUM, BUT CERTAINLY EXTRACTING THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT, OUR MASTER.
WELL, I AGREE THAT THE FIRE STATION NEEDS TO COME OUT.
WE NEED TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON THAT.
UM, AND, AND THE REST OF IT, I, I WOULD LIKE TO KIND OF TAKE SOME TIME TO GO THROUGH IT.
I'M, I'M, I'M PRETTY MUCH IN FAVOR OF MOST OF IT.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT TRIMMED DOWN A LITTLE BIT SO IT WOULDN'T BE SUCH A BURDEN ON OUR TAXPAYERS.
UM, BUT OVERALL, I'M, I'M PRETTY MUCH IN FAVOR OF, OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE HAVE, WHAT'S PROPOSED.
I, I THINK THERE'S SOME, SOME THINGS THAT WE CAN TRIM ALONG THE CATEGORIES, BUT I AM AS WELL, YOU NEED ANY ADDITIONAL DIRECTION.
UH, I THINK I'VE GOT THE DIRECTION.
SO WHAT WE MAY END UP DOING IS HAVING SOME SMALL GROUP MEETINGS WITH, WITH, WITH THE BOARD TO TALK ABOUT SPECIFIC PROJECTS AND GET YOUR FEEDBACK FROM THAT AS WE MOVE TOWARD, TOWARD MAY TIMELINE.
I THINK I'VE GOT WHAT WE NEED.
UM, IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE, I ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN THIS MEETING.
SECOND, I GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.