[1. Meeting opened by Mayor Odham. Prayer Coordinated by Alderman Best. Pledge of Allegiance.]
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GOOD EVENING EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THE APRIL 8TH, 2025 NEW BOARD OF ALDERMAN MEETING.
THE PRAYER TONIGHT WILL BE COORDINATED BY ALDERMAN BEST.
UM,
HEAVENLY FATHER, I THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR GIVING ME LIFE, FOR GIVING ME THIS BEAUTIFUL DAY AND ALL THOSE UNDER THE SOUND OF MY VOICE, YOU HAVE GIVEN UPON THEM LIFE AS WELL.
LORD, I THANK YOU AND LORD, AS WE, AS WE GO FORTH AND DISCUSS AND HANDLE CITY BUSINESS, LORD, LET US BE MINDFUL THAT WE, YOU GAVE US THIS OPPORTUNITY AS A BOARD TO BE HERE, TO PROVIDE FOR OUR CITIZENS SO THAT YOU MAKE SURE LORD, SO WON'T BE NO UNDER MISUNDERSTANDING, THAT YOU CAN PROVIDE FOR US MORE THAN I CAN THINK ABOUT AND EVEN IMAGINE.
AND I KNOW, LORD, THAT YOU WILL PROVIDE FOR YOUR PEOPLE AND THAT WE AS A BOARD WILL, WILL CONDUCT THE BUSINESS AND WHEN WE MAKE OUR DECISIONS THAT WE WILL HAVE, THE UPPERMOST IMPORTANCE IS FOR OUR CITIZENS AND FOR THEIR WELLBEING.
IF YOU WOULD PLEASE STAND WITH ME AS WE FLAG COUNTRY, I PLEDGE TO FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
MADAM CLERK, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ALDERMAN CREEL.
[3. Approve Agenda.]
OKAY.BOARD ITEM NUMBER THREE IS TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.
ARE THERE ANY CHANGES YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE? SO MOVED.
I HAVE A MOTION, A SECOND TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS IS.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ANY OPPOSED? AGENDA IS APPROVED.
[4. Request and Petition of Citizens.]
IS REQUESTING PETITION OF CITIZENS MATTER.MY NAME IS KIM RUM AND I LIVE AT 1 1 9 EMON ROAD IN VERNA.
I'M ONE OF BOBBY ASHER'S CONSTITUENTS.
WHEN MY HUSBAND AND I MOVED PERMANENTLY TO NEW BERN IN 2013, WE LIVED IN AN OLD HOUSE ON EAST FRONT STREET.
WE HAD A NEIGHBOR WHO LIVED IN AN APARTMENT ACROSS THE STREET WHO WAS A WRITER NAMED EDDIE.
HE WROTE FOR THE SUN JOURNAL AND HE COVERED CITY GOVERNMENT.
HE ATTENDED EVERY ALDERMAN MEETING, EVERY BUDGET WORKSHOP, AND NUMEROUS OTHER MEETINGS.
HE WOULD REPORT WEEKLY IN THE NEWSPAPER ABOUT THE AGENDAS AND ISSUES BEING ADDRESSED.
READING THE PAPER WAS A GREAT WAY TO LEARN WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN OUR TOWN AND TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS.
FAST FORWARD A COUPLE YEARS, THE SUN JOURNAL SOLD.
EDDIE NO LONGER HAS A JOB AND MOVED ELSEWHERE.
THERE WERE ARTICLES ABOUT SANTA MUM FEST AND THE SHRINERS PARADE IN THE PAPER, BUT LITTLE TO NOTHING ABOUT CITY GOVERNMENT.
FAST FORWARD A FEW YEARS LATER, BOB BRISSON WAS ELECTED ALDERMAN.
HE WROTE AN OCCASIONAL COLUMN FOR THE PAPER, ARTICULATING HIS REASONS FOR VOTING A CERTAIN WAY ABOUT THE ISSUES OF THE DAY.
WHILE HIS COMMENTS WERE CLEARLY FROM HIS PERSONAL VIEWPOINT AT LEAST, AN ISSUE WAS PUT OUT IN THE OPEN AND IT WAS EXPLAINED TO THE PUBLIC.
HE HAS MOVED ON TO BIGGER PASTURES.
SO AGAIN, WE'RE LEFT IN A NEWS DESERT IN TERMS OF CITY GOVERNMENT.
NEWBURN NOW HAS TRIED HARD TO COVER CURRENT EVENTS IN OUR CITY, BUT THEY ARE LIMITED BY A LACK OF INPUT FROM CITY OFFICIALS.
SO THEIR COVERAGE THEN IS ALSO LIMITED INFORMATION FROM OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS IS WHAT BUILDS TRUST BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND CITIZENS.
WITHOUT INFORMATION, WE'RE LEFT TO FILL IN THE VOID WITH WHATEVER RUMOR IS CIRCULATING.
FOR EXAMPLE, RIGHT NOW THERE ARE QUESTIONS REGARDING VARIOUS TYPES OF FUNDS BEING CUT BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
THESE CUTS WILL MOST CERTAINLY IMPACT OUR STATE AND OUR CITY.
CUTS TO FEDERAL GRANTS EDUCATION, THE THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AND FEMA JUST TO NAME A FEW.
WHEN OUR CURRENT FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVE, GREG MURPHY COMES TO TOWN AND TALKS ABOUT THESE VERY THINGS AND ALL OF THE ELECTED LOCAL REPS AREN'T EVEN INCLUDED IN THE MEETING, IT LEADS TO DISTRUST WHAT'S BEING DISCUSSED THAT CAN BE MADE PUBLIC.
ARE THERE SECRET DEALS BEING MADE THAT SOMEONE DOESN'T WANT OUT IN THE OPEN? I'M NOT IMPLYING THESE THINGS ARE HAPPENING, BUT THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY BEGS THOSE QUESTIONS.
WOULDN'T THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITIZENS IN NEWBERN
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BE SERVED BY HAVING MORE SEATS AT THE TABLE AND OPENNESS ABOUT THE OUTCOME OF THESE DISCUSSIONS? I KNOW THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT CANNOT BE DISCUSSED IN PUBLIC AND THOSE ARE COVERED BY LAW.THE ISSUES I'VE MENTIONED ABOVE DON'T FIT THOSE EXCEPTIONS.
SO I ASK FOR TRANSPARENCY FROM THIS BOARD AND THIS MAYOR TO BUILD TRUST BETWEEN US AS CITIZENS AND ELECTED LEADERS.
THE CITY HAS MANY WAYS TO COMMUNICATE WITH ITS CITIZENS ALREADY.
I GET THE CLOCK TOWER NEWSLETTER, I GET EMAILS FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, I GET CITY ALERTS FOR WEATHER OR EMERGENCIES AND SIMILAR EMAILS ABOUT EMERGENCY ISSUES FROM MY ALDERMAN ASTER.
PERHAPS ADDING ANOTHER COMMUNICATION TOOL FROM THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN AND THE MAYOR DIRECTLY WOULD BE WORTH INVESTIGATING OR HAVE QUARTERLY TOWN HALLS TO ENGAGE WITH THE PUBLIC.
AGAIN, IN THE INTEREST OF BUILDING TRUST BETWEEN OUR CITY LEADERS AND THE CITIZENS THEY SERVE.
MY NAME IS DEBBIE SEYMOUR AND I'M A RESIDENT OF WARD II, RIGHT HERE IN NEW BERN.
I ROSE TO SPEAK BECAUSE OF AN ARTICLE PUBLISHED AND STORIES REPORTED IN LOCAL NEWS OUTLETS.
THE FOCUS WAS ON A PRIVATE MEETING PLANNED BY SOME CITY LEADERS AND HELD IN A PUBLIC FACILITY, WHICH DID NOT INCLUDE PRIVATE CITIZENS OR SEVERAL OF THEIR REPRESENTATIVES WHO ACTUALLY SIT ON THIS BOARD.
MY CONCERN IS THAT ALL CON CONSTITUENTS ARE MADE AWARE OF ISSUES THAT MAY POSSIBLY AFFECT OUR FUTURE AND OUR WELLBEING.
MY QUESTION IS THIS, FOR THOSE PRESENT WHO TOOK PART IN, IN THE PRIVATE MEETING FROM HERE ON OUT, CAN WE EXPECT TRANSPARENCY FROM YOU WHEN DEALING WITH ISSUES THAT AFFECT THE CITIZENS OF NEW BERN? THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO, I'D LIKE TO RESPOND.
UNFORTUNATELY, I WAS NOT INVITED EITHER.
UM, AND I WANTED TO MAKE THAT CLEAR TO OUR CITIZENS WHO ARE PRESENT TONIGHT.
I WAS, I WAS, I FOUND OUT, UH, LIKE SO MANY CITIZENS THROUGH READING THE SUN JOURNAL NEWSPAPER ABOUT THE MEETING AND I HAD OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS SOME QUESTIONS AND, UM, BECAUSE I HAD GOTTEN SO MUCH FEEDBACK FROM CITIZENS AND SO AGAIN, UM, I WAS LIKE YOU AND OTHERS, UH, NOT AWARE OF THE MEETING, HOPEFULLY GOING FORWARD THAT WE WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY IF WE CHOOSE TO, TO PARTICIPATE AND THAT THIS ISSUE CALLED TRANSPARENCY WOULD BE A PART OF WHAT OUR BOARD DOES.
AND I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS FROM ALL OF THE CITIZENS AND THE QUESTIONS THAT WILL FEEL, UH, FROM SO MANY RESIDENTS REGARDING THE MEETING.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COURT OF ALDERMAN.
IT'S, UM, I'M HERE AGAIN AND I'M, I FEEL LIKE I'M KIND OF REPEATING THE SAME THING 'CAUSE I'M TRYING TO GET ANSWERS AND I'VE REACHED OUT TO THE MAYOR COUNTLESS TIMES.
UM, BUT HE HAS NOT RESPONDED, BUT HE HAS GONE ON A CITY OFFICIALS PERSONAL TALK SHOW TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, BASICALLY.
SO I'M HERE TO ONCE AGAIN ASK FOR INFORMATION.
UM, IN AUGUST LAST YEAR, THE INTERIM DIRECTOR OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY TOLD THE AUTHORITIES BOARD THAT THEY HAD TO DO EVERYTHING IN THEIR POWER TO GET THE ALDERMAN AND MAYOR ON BOARD WITH THE CHOICE NEIGHBORHOODS IMPLEMENTATION GRANT.
IT WAS SAID THE, IT WOULD, IT WOULD COST APPROXIMATELY 30 MILLION IF NOT MORE, UM, IN, IN KIND DONATIONS VERSUS DIRECT MONEY FROM THE CITY TO THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.
UM, AN EMAIL, I I, I DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO ALL THAT PUBLIC INFORMATION THAT IS ALWAYS BEING SAID.
OH, IT'S PART OF THE PUBLIC RECORD.
BUT I DO KNOW THAT AN EMAIL WAS SENT FROM THE CITY, UM, CITY CLERK TO THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, A FEW DIFFERENT MEMBERS OF THE BOARD ABOUT A MEETING WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.
AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE MAYOR WAS THE ONLY ONE PRESENT.
PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, I DO NOT WANT TO SPREAD MIS MISINFORMATION.
UM, SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT MEETING EVER HAPPENED.
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BOARD MET WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY TO DISCUSS THE TRANS THE NEW TRANSFORMATION PLAN SINCE IT'S LIKE 10 YEARS OLD? UH, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE GREATER FIVE POINTS TRANSFORMATION PLAN WAS NEVER APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN AND OR APPROVED OR ADOPTED BY THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN.IT'S BEEN, IT'S BEEN KIND OF SPUN IN THE MEDIA.
IF THAT'S THE CASE, THAT THE, THE BOARD HAS SAID, YES, WE'RE READY TO GO FORWARD WITH A APPLYING FOR THE THE IMPLEMENTATION GRANT, IF YOU JUST PLEASE CLEAR, CLEAR THAT UP.
AND I'M JUST CURIOUS HOW A CITY OFFICIAL WHO HAS ACCESS TO, UM, CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION AND CITY INFORMATION CAN ALSO USE THAT INFORMATION ON A PERSONAL TALK SHOW.
IT'S JUST, AND USE ALSO CITY STAFF TO, AS THEY SAID, SPIN THE MESSAGE.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S, WELL, JUST MY OPINION, I DON'T THINK THAT'S A HEALTHY MEDIA SYSTEM.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS, THIS IS NEW BERN, WE ARE NONPARTISAN OR WE SHOULD BE.
THIS ISN'T ABOUT LIKE PARTISAN POLITICS.
THIS IS ABOUT OUR TOWN AND THE PEOPLE AND THEY, THEY DESERVE BETTER.
UM, SO YOU HAVE ASKED FOR CITY INFORMATION THAT YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED.
IS THAT WHAT YOU WERE SAYING? YOUR FIRST STATEMENT YOU MADE? YES.
WHO DID YOU DIRECT THAT INFORMATION? YOU ASKED FOR THAT INFORMATION? THERE'S NUMEROUS DIFFERENT, I I, I'VE SUBMITTED NUMEROUS REQUESTS AND I, I CAN UH, FORWARD THOSE REQUESTS TO YOU.
BUT MY UNDERSTANDING THERE'S A BACKLOG WITH THE CITY, WITH PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUESTS.
SO I'M NOT SAYING THAT IT'S NOT BEING PROVIDED 'CAUSE I'M ASKING THE CITY CLERK, SHE DOES THE BEST SHE CAN, BUT SHE HAS TO FIND THE INFORMATION OUT FROM OTHER CITIES AND THE PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER.
SO I, I KNOW THAT THERE'S A STEP IN BETWEEN, YOU KNOW.
SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT YOU HAVE REQUESTED FOR THIS INFORMATION HAVE NOT BEEN PROVIDED THIS INFORMATION AS OF TODAY, BUT YOU DON'T KNOW IF THIS INFORMATION IS FORTHCOMING TO YOU BECAUSE OF A BACKLOG? WELL, OKAY.
THE ONE, THE INFORMATION I JUST TALKED ABOUT, THE IMPLEMENTATION GRANT.
I'VE BEEN ASKING THE MAYOR FOR INTERVIEWS.
HE'S GIVING, EXCUSE ME, EXCUSE.
I'VE BEEN ASKING THE MAYOR FOR INTERVIEWS.
I'VE CALLED, I HAVE NOT RECEIVED INFORMATION.
SO I'M ASKING THE BOARD DIRECTLY IF THE BOARD, BECAUSE AS FAR AS I KNOW, THE MAYOR IS NOT IN CHARGE OF THIS BOARD.
HE, HE, YOU KNOW, RUNS THE AGENDA, BUT YOU ALL WERE ELECTED TO REPRESENT US.
SO, UM, AND HE'S THE CEREMONIAL HEAD OF THE CITY.
NEXT UP IS MS. BARBARA SAMPSON.
UH, FIRST LET ME GIVE HONOR TO GOD.
UH, I'LL BE RIDING AROUND LOOKING AT DIFFERENT THINGS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I'M PRETTY SURE YOU ALL CARE ABOUT ALL BALLS, NOT JUST THE FIRST, SECOND, THIRD, FOURTH, AND FIFTH.
I WAS RIDING DOWN K STREET AND SOON YOU GO DOWN K STREET COMING WITH THE F IT'S A POLE UP THERE THAT LOOK LIKE IT'S SPLITTING.
I SAID, I WANT TO CALL IT TO YOUR ATTENTION.
AND THEN I WENT OVER THERE TO NATIONAL AVENUE BY THE GRAVE, BY THE, UH, CEMETERY.
I WENT TO NATIONAL AREA, UH, AVENUE.
AND THEN YOU TURNED DOWN BY OAKS ROAD.
AND THE PLACE THAT USED TO BE JACK, I THINK AT JACK SMITH CREEK IS, UH, IS A KIND OF LIKE DANGEROUS AREA.
SEEMS LIKE YOU SHOULD HAVE SOME KIND OF REFLECTANCE OR SOMETHING THERE.
LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT IT'S A DROP OFF THERE.
YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE GOING DOWN NATIONAL AVENUE AND THEN YOU HIT, THEN YOU HIT OAKS ROAD, RIGHT IN CURVE.
THAT CREEK RIGHT THERE IS LIKE A DROP OFF.
AND I KNOW IT'S A HISTORIC AREA AND THERE'S NEW PEOPLE THAT'S COME IN THIS AREA AND THEY DON'T REALLY KNOW ABOUT IT.
BUT I WANT TO CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO IT AND MR. HUGHES AND MR. WILLIAMS, IF YOU ALL NEED A PICTURE OF IT, I GOT A PICTURE OF ON MY PHONE WHENEVER WE GET READY.
AND, UH, THEN I WANNA SAY SOMETHING ABOUT STANDING WHITE.
I KNOW WE HAVE THE BASKETBALL FREE AND UH, TRACK FREE UPSTAIRS AND DIFFERENT THINGS FREE, BUT I WOULD WANT YOU LIKE THE DAY CAMPS AND STUFF THAT THEY HAVE.
I WANT YOU TO SOME KIND OF WAY TO GET TO MAKE SOME GRANTS AND STUFF SO THAT YOU CAN LET THE AT RISK KIDS GO ON 'EM, BECAUSE THAT'LL BE SOME
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GOOD PROGRAMS FOR THEM, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S GETTING TO GET HOT, YOU KNOW? AND NOW THAT'S MY MAIN FOCUS ALL THE TIME, IS KIDS, THAT IT IS THE KIDS, THE YOUNG KIDS, THEY NEED SOMETHING TO DO.AND I KNOW WE HAVE A LITTLE MEAL PROGRAM, SUMMER PROGRAM, BUT THAT'S NOT GONNA CUT IT FOR THE AT RISK, UH, YOUTH.
SO PLEASE TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN YOU START HAVING RANS AND DIFFERENT PROGRAMS. PLEASE MAKE SOME OF 'EM, YOU KNOW, AVAILABLE TO THE PEOPLE AT STANDARD WHITE.
THANK YOU MS. S SAMSON, EXCUSE ME,
AND I HAVE SAID NUMEROUS TIMES, UM, THAT SOME TYPE OF GUARDRAIL OR SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE PUT UP THERE.
AND I'M SURPRISED PEOPLE HAVE NOT RUN OFF INTO THE, TO ACTUALLY INTO THE RIVER.
SO I THINK THAT I DO AGREE WITH YOU.
I THINK THAT SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED ALONG WITH THE OTHER, UM, FOUR ITEMS, ALL FOUR ITEMS THAT YOU HAVE SPOKE OF.
AND I'M QUITE SURE, UH, SOMEONE FROM THE CITY OF NEW VERN WILL BE GETTING WITH YOU REGARDING THESE ISSUES.
PRAISE
FIRST OF ALL, I DO WANT LET Y'ALL KNOW THAT WE ARE VERY, VERY PROUD OF STANLEY WHITE.
BUT I, YEARS AGO WHEN THE CONCERNING SYSTEM WORKING MARY SIMMONS, UPPER SAMSON, LUCY CLARK AND JOHNNY SAMSON WERE FIGUREHEAD AT, AT STANLEY WHITE, WE BEEN THERE AT AT LEAST THREE TIMES A WEEK, SOMETIME MORE.
BUT WHAT I, WHAT I WOULD SAY, WHAT BARBARA WAS TALKING ABOUT, I WAS WANTING TO SAVE SOME OF THE PEOPLE.
I'M OBSERVING THE PRICES BECAUSE EVERY, EVER SINCE WE OPENED, I'VE BEEN COMING THERE.
BUT SOME OF THE PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE MONEY TO COME AND PAY SOME OF THOSE, THE THINGS THAT YOU WANT TO PAY.
I, I HAVE THE RECORD OF ALL OF IT.
AND YOU'RE SUPPOSED SUPPOSED TO, UH, SOME PEOPLE CAN'T PAY IT.
BUT I WAS JUST THINKING MAYBE SOME KIND OTHER RICH PEOPLE LIKE JOHN RAY
WE HAD THE MEETING, THE MEETING FOR BOTH TOGETHER AT STANLEY WHITE.
AND HE WOULD ALWAYS COME TO OUR MEETINGS AND HE, HE TOLD US A LOT OF INFORMATION.
SO I WENT TO ALL JUST SPEAK ABOUT US.
OH, FOR LORD, HOW MUCH MONEY AND SOME KINDHEARTED PERSON DONATE SOME MONEY TO HELP US TO COULDN'T THAT FREE STUFF.
MS. SAMPSON? YES, YOU ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO COME TO MY CLUB AND I'LL TRAIN YOU PERSONALLY MYSELF.
I GUESS I'M KIND OF PIGGYBACKING ON WHAT THEY GOT GOING ON AS WELL.
UM, MY NAME IS SHAWNA BROWN AND I STAND BEFORE YOU.
ON BEHALF OF THE YOUTH AND OUR COMMUNITY, THEY HAVE CONCERNS THAT NEED TO BE CONSIDERED AN ADDRESS REGARDING THE NEW GYM STANLEY, A WHITE RECREATION CENTER.
THE CONCERNS ARE AS FOLLOWS, MEMBERSHIPS SLASH RENTAL PRICING ACTIVITIES AND THE RESERVOIR.
FIRST, REGARDING MEMBERSHIPS, MANY WOULD LIKE TO USE THE GYM'S AMENITIES, BUT FEEL THEY CANNOT AFFORD IT.
MOST ARE ON FIXED INCOMES OR LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK.
PAYING SO MUCH FOR A FITNESS MEMBERSHIP IN THIS COMMUNITY COMMUNITY IS BURDENSOME.
WHEN THE DIRECTOR OF THE GYM ADDRESSED SCHOLARSHIPS, WE WERE TOLD THEY WERE IN PROGRESS, BUT WOULD TAKE SOME TIME TO BECOME AVAILABLE.
THIS LEAVES THOSE WHO WANT TO USE THE FITNESS EQUIPMENT EXCLUDED INTO.
UNTIL THESE MEASURES ARE IMPLE IMPLEMENTED BY NOW, WE SHOULD HAVE HAD A RESOLUTION.
ADDITIONALLY, USING THE FACILITY FOR MEETINGS AND OTHER EVENTS IS ALSO EXPENSIVE.
IT SHOULD BE AFFORDABLE FOR THE COMMUNITY SINCE IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE A BUILDING FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
SECONDLY, ALL ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN COME WITH COST.
WHEN I GREW UP IN A COMMUNITY AND VISIT THE STANLEY, THE OLD STANLEY WHITE SITE, WE COULD PARTICIPATE IN MANY ACTIVITIES WITHOUT HAVING TO PAY FOR EVERYTHING OR THE PRICING WAS LOWER.
PERSONALLY, I WOULD LIKE MY DAUGHTER TO ATTEND SOME OF THESE ACTIVITIES, BUT IT'S JUST TOO PRICEY FOR ME.
LASTLY, THE RESERVOIR NEAR INDIGO RE'S APARTMENT NEEDS A FENCE AROUND
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IT.EVEN WITH A LITTLE BIT OF WATER, A CHILD OR AN ELDERLY PERSON CAN DROWN IN THAT WATER.
WE BELIEVE THIS IS A HAZARD FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
CONSIDER THE SCENARIO WHERE YOUR CHILD OR YOUR GRANDCHILD FALLS IN FALL, ALONG WITH NO ONE AROUND TO HELP, THEY COULD DROWN.
IF A PARENT WITH DEMENTIA WANDERS OFF SLIPS AND FALLS FACE DOWN IN THE RESERVOIR WITH NO WAY OF GETTING OUT, THEY COULD ALSO DROWN.
PLEASE TAKE THESE CONCERNS INTO ACCOUNT AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
NEXT IS A, CAN I RESPOND TO THAT? SURE.
MR. HUGHES OR MS. UH, WARREN, IS THERE SOME PLAN OR YOU'RE WORKING TOWARDS SCHOLARSHIPS OR CAN YOU ADDRESS THE CONCERNS OF THE PARENT HERE FOR OUR CHILDREN TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER IS PROVIDED IS AFFORDABLE.
THIS IS PARTS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR.
UM, SO WE ARE WORKING ON A SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.
I'VE BEEN TALKING WITH STAFF THIS WEEK, UM, ABOUT SETTING UP A PROGRAM, KIND OF LIKE WHAT WE DO FOR TOYS FOR TOTS, WHERE WE HAVE TO HAVE CERTAIN INFORMATION GATHERED TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE TO THE PEOPLE WHO NEED THIS SERVICE.
UM, ALSO CONTACTING DIFFERENT, UM, SUPPLEMENTAL HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS ABOUT MAKING THE STANLEY A WHITE RECREATION CENTER, UH, SITE ON THEIR, FOR LIKE SILVER SNEAKERS AND FIT ON SO THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE MEMBERS OF THAT, LIKE THROUGH BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OR MEDICARE CAN COME TO THE GYM AT NO COST TO THEM.
IT'S PAID FOR THROUGH THEIR SUPPLEMENTAL INSURANCE.
SO WE ARE WORKING ON THAT AS WELL.
UH, FREE PROGRAMS WE'RE LOOKING AT RECENTLY PUT OUT A FREE, UM, BASEBALL ACADEMY CAMP AND IT'S ALMOST FULL NOW, BUT IT'S FREED AND I'M PARTNERING WITH THE ADULT BASEBALL LEAGUE TO OFFER AND IT'S GONNA BE HELD IN HENDERSON PARK.
SO THAT'S ONE THING THAT WE'RE DOING.
UM, AND THERE'S GONNA BE MORE PROGRAMS LIKE THAT COMING THAT WE HAVE IN THE HOPPER GETTING READY TO PUT OUT FOR STANLEY WHITE, THAT'LL BE FREE OF CHARGE FOR YOUTH.
DID THAT HELP MS. MOORE ADDRESS IT? MM-HMM
HOW, HOW MANY, UH, SLOTS ARE THERE, THERE YOU HAVE PROVIDED FOR THE SUMMER CAMP? WE ARE NOT DOING, UH, ANY SUMMER CAMPS AT STANLEY WHITE EXCEPT FOR COOKING CAMP.
THE OTHER CAMPS ARE BEING HELD AT WEST RN.
THERE ARE 30 AVAILABLE SLOTS THOSE FILLED UP IN ABOUT 30 MINUTES.
SO THERE ARE FULL ALREADY 30 MM-HMM
SO IS THAT ALL THAT YOUR, YOUR STAFF CAN, CAN ACTUALLY HANDLE OR PROVIDE IS 30 SLOTS? I MEAN YEAH, CURRENTLY AND CONSIDERING THAT, WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY SUMMER CAMP COUNSELORS WILL GET.
RIGHT NOW I HAVE VERY FEW VIABLE CANDIDATES FOR THAT.
UM, AND OUR REGULAR FULL-TIME STAFF CAN ONLY ACCOMMODATE SO MUCH.
WE TRY TO DO A RATIO OF ONE TO SIX OR ONE TO EIGHT PER CHILD, I MEAN, FOR CHILDREN IN OUR SUMMER CAMP.
SO
UH, I MEAN, A TIMEFRAME IS WHEN YOU'RE GONNA ACTUALLY GET SOME SCHOLARSHIPS OR GET THE INSURANCE, UH, APPROVED AND ALL OF THAT.
DO YOU, I HAD A VIRTUAL MEETING WITH ONE OF THE INSURANCE COMPANIES TODAY AND I HAVE TO REVIEW THE AGREEMENT WITH THEM AND HE SAID ONCE WE HAVE EVERYTHING SIGNED BACK, IT SHOULD TAKE ABOUT A WEEK TO GET THINGS ROLLING.
SO THAT'S ONE EXAMPLE THAT I HAD TODAY.
SO IT'S GONNA BE DEPENDENT ON THE COMPANY.
T BEST I ALSO WANT TO ADD THAT WE STARTED WORKING, UH, ON THOSE SUPPLEMENTAL INSURANCE GROUPS SEVERAL MONTHS AGO BEFORE THE STANLEY WHITE RECREATION CENTER OPEN.
AND I KNOW CARRIE HAS BEEN DOING SOME FOLLOW UP, BUT IT IS, IT IS DIFFICULT TO GET RETURN CALLS FROM A LOT OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS, BUT SHE HAS BEEN WORKING TO TRY TO GET RETURN CALLS ON THAT.
ALSO, IN TERMS OF SCHOLARSHIPS, WE, WE'VE GOT TO HAVE EITHER A GRANTING ORGANIZATION THAT WILL OFFER THAT OR SOME SOURCE OF FUNDING.
CURRENTLY THE GENERAL FUND FOR PARKS AND RECREATION DOES NOT SUPPORT THAT, UH, FOR, FOR SCHOLARSHIP.
SO WE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
UH, AND IF CARRIE WOULD LIKE TO COME UP BACK UP, SHE COULD PROBABLY ANSWER THIS QUESTION.
UM, FEES AND CHARGES FOR PROGRAMS AT THE STANLEY WHITE RECREATION CENTER WHEN IT WAS LOCATED ON CHAPMAN STREET HAVE NOT CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY, UH, FROM THEN TO NOW.
UM, SHE MENTIONED ONE SUMMER CAMP PROGRAM.
CARRIE, YOU MIGHT WANT TO TALK ABOUT ALL THE OTHER SUMMER CAMPS THAT YOU'RE OFFERING THIS SUMMER.
SO WE ARE OFFERING OUR, UM, BEAR BUNCH CAMP OVER AT WEST NEWBURN.
WE ALSO ADDED IN A ONE WEEK CAMP BEFORE AND AFTER OUR TRADITIONAL
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ONES.UH, SINCE THE SCHOOL CALENDAR CHANGE, KIDS ARE ACTUALLY GETTING OUTTA SCHOOL, UM, BEFORE MEMORIAL DAY.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF TIME IN BETWEEN THERE.
AND WHAT WE TRADITIONALLY STARTED SUMMER CAMP, SO WE DID ADD A SUPPLEMENTAL CAMP IN THERE TO HELP WITH SOME OF THAT.
UM, AND OF COURSE THE COOKING CAMP, LIKE I TALKED ABOUT AT STANLEY WHITE.
UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE CURRENTLY NOW HAVE SOME SPORTS CAMPS GOING ON.
I KNOW THEY'RE NOT SUMMER, BUT WE DO HAVE SPORTS CAMP GOING ON.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES, MA'AM.
DO YOU HAVE A SCHEDULE OF FEES THAT PARENTS CAN ACCESS? SOMETIMES WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO NAVIGATE SOME OF THE, THE COSTS AND SO FORTH IF WE HAVE A SCHEDULE OF FEES AND WE SEE EXACTLY, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH WE NEED TO A LOT.
SO WE BASE OUR FEES OFF THE FEE SCHEDULE THAT'S, YOU KNOW, APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN AND FOR, UM, RECREATION CLASS FEES AND PROGRAMS, THERE'S A RANGE THAT WE GAUGE ON WHAT THE COST IS GOING TO BE FOR THAT PROGRAM FOR US TO OFFER IT.
AND SO WE, WE PROJECT THE FEES OFF OF THAT.
SO UNTIL WE GET READY FOR THE PROGRAM TO COME OUT, WE'RE NOT GOING TO EXACTLY KNOW WHAT THAT FEE WILL BE LIKE SEVERAL MONTHS IN ADVANCE.
UM, BUT WE DO HAVE RANGES AND WE TRY TO KEEP IT WITHIN A CERTAIN AMOUNT.
I'M, YOU READY TO MOVE FORWARD? MM-HMM
AS A CITIZEN OF DOWNTOWN NEW BERN, I'M HONORED TO BE HERE AND SPEAK MY OPINION.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
I WAS DISTRESSED TO HEAR THAT A MEETING WAS CALLED IN FEBRUARY 18TH TO A FEW CHOSEN LOCAL POLITICIANS, BUT NOT ALL THE TIME AND PLACE OF THIS MEETING WAS NOT CHAIR WITH ALL OF THE SIX ALDERMANS IN NEW BERN.
THE PUBLIC WAS ALSO NOT INVITED TO ATTEND.
THERE WAS NO ATTEMPT TO INFORM THE CITIZENS OF NEW BERN THAT CONGRESSMAN GREG MURPHY WOULD BE PRESENT AT THIS MEETING, EVEN THOUGH IT TOOK PLACE AT THE STANLEY WHITE RECREATION CENTER, WHICH IS A PUBLIC FACILITY.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING CONGRESSMAN MURPHY HAS SHOWN INTEREST IN HEARING FROM THE PEOPLE OF NEW BERN, BUT NOT ENOUGH TO INVITE US TO MEET WITH HIM WHEN HE COMES TO TOWN.
WE WELCOME THE CHANCE TO SPEAK WITH HIM AND SHARE OUR OPINIONS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY GOING FORWARD.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE PLANS FOR TRANSPARENCY ARE SO THAT THIS KIND OF MEETING WITH JUST A SELECT FEW, BUT NOT ALL POLITICIANS WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN.
WE HAVE A RIGHT TO CIVIL ENGAGEMENT.
WHAT ASSURANCES CAN YOU GIVE US THAT ANOTHER SUCH SECRET MEETING WILL NOT TAKE PLACE IN THE FUTURE? I HOPE THAT THE LEADERS OF THIS CITY INVOLVE THE PUBLIC WITH THEIR PLANS FOR NEW BERN AND PRACTICE FULL TRANSPARENCY.
UM, I JUST WANT TO INFORM YOU THAT IF I KNEW THAT THAT MEETING WAS SCHEDULED AND IT WAS GONNA BE AT THE STANDING WHITE REC CENTER, I WOULD HAVE BEEN THERE AND I WOULD HAVE INFORMED MY CONSTITUENTS.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE BEEN THERE TO REPRESENT MY CONSTITUENTS AS WELL, BUT I JUST WANNA LET YOU KNOW, I WAS NOT AWARE OF THAT MEETING AS SOME OTHER
AND YOU KNOW, YOU WOULD'VE DONE THE RIGHT THING 'CAUSE YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE TOO.
'CAUSE IT'S, IT IS ALL ABOUT TRANSPARENCY.
I'M AT 37 0 3 ELIZABETH AVENUE.
UH, I'M ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THE MEETING THAT TOOK PLACE IN, UH, FEBRUARY, UH, WITH CONGRESSMAN GREG, GREG MURPHY.
I'M CONCERNED THAT NOT ALL, UH, CITY LEADERS WERE, UH, INVITED ALONG WITH THE, UH, CITIZENS OF NEW VERNON.
I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN INFORMED SO WE COULD VOICE OUR CONCERNS TO OUR, UH, REPRESENTATIVES.
UH, I VALUE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT CITY LEADERS PLAN TO DO GOING FORWARD ABOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND TRANSPARENCY.
HI, I'M MARK SHERWOOD FROM VERNA.
UM, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DISCUSS HAS ALREADY BEEN BASICALLY SAID, BUT ABOUT THE MEETING ON FEBRUARY 18TH.
[00:30:01]
I WOULD HAVE LIKE TO ASK THREE QUESTIONS.COULD YOU TELL ME WHO ORGANIZED THE MEETING AND HOW THEY DETERMINED WHO COULD ATTEND THE MEETING? I'M WONDERING WHY THIS MEETING WAS NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND THE CONSTITUENTS OF NEWBURN.
AND DID THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN RECEIVE NOTIFICATION THAT GREG MURPHY WOULD BE ATTENDING THE MEETING IN NEW BE? THANK YOU.
I DID NOT RECEIVE NOTICE THAT HE WOULD BE ATTENDING THE MEETING, THAT HE WOULD BE IN NEW BERN.
AND I CANNOT SPEAK TO THE OTHER TWO QUESTIONS BECAUSE I WAS NOT INVOLVED AT ALL.
AND HOPEFULLY, UM, WE CAN GET SOME ANSWERS.
AND SIR, I AM THE THIRD PERSON WHO'S ASKED THIS QUESTION AND, UH, I THINK THIS ISSUE'S A GREAT CONCERN TO ALL THE PEOPLE HERE.
UM, NOR WAS I AWARE OF THIS MEETING UNTIL I READ IT IN THE CERTAIN JOURNAL NEWSPAPER.
'CAUSE IF I HAD BEEN AWARE, I WOULD HAVE REACHED OUT TO OUR CITIZENS SO THAT THEY COULD HAVE COME TO THAT MEETING AND VOICED THEIR CONCERNS TO REPRESENTATIVE MURPHY, WHICH I FELT WAS A DIRE NEED CONSIDERING EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON IN OUR COUNTRY RIGHT NOW.
I THINK WE NEED TO ADDRESS OUR POLITICIANS.
SO I'M SORRY THAT THE CITIZENS WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THIS MEETING AND HOPEFULLY MOVING FORWARD THAT WE CAN HAVE THE CITIZENS INVOLVED AND, AND BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE MEETINGS AND ASK THEIR QUESTIONS AND SPEAK THEIR CONCERNS.
OKAY, NEXT UP BOARD IS THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS FIVE THROUGH NINE.
MAY I SAY SOMETHING REAL QUICK? I'M SORRY.
IS THERE ANY WAY POSSIBLE, MAYOR, THAT YOU CAN REACH OUT TO CONGRESSMAN MURPHY AND SEE IF, IF HE COULD PUT ON HIS SCHEDULE A TOWN HALL MEETING FOR NEWBURN? AND I ALSO, I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT CONGRESS MURPHY'S OFFICE CONTACTED YOU AND GAVE YOU A LIST OF SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE INVITED TO THIS MEETING.
AND IT WAS, UH, WAS NOT DESIGNED TO BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
IT WAS DESIGNED TO BE OPEN TO SOME OF THE COMMUNITY LEADERS.
UH, BUT IT'S, I I THINK IT'S QUITE TIME NOW THAT WE MAYBE ASK HIM IF HE COULD, UH, COME TO A TOWN HALL AND JUST GIVE US AN UPDATE ON WHAT'S GOING ON IN HIS OFFICE AND THEN AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ASSISTANCE TO, UH, ASK QUESTIONS.
[Consent Agenda]
THE AGENDA.WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? MAKE A MOTION.
WE ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA AS IS SECOND.
I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION.
UH, MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO REQUEST THAT ITEM EIGHT BE PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA JUST FOR A BRIEF DISCUSSION WITH STAFF.
SO WE HAVE, I'LL AMEND MY MOTION IF THAT'S WHAT YOU NEED.
SO WE'RE GONNA PULL ITEM NUMBER EIGHT AND THE REST OF THE CONSENT AGENDA IS GONNA BE APPROVED ITEMS 5, 6, 7, AND NINE.
IS THAT SPIRIT OF YOUR MOTION? ARE YOU GOOD WITH THE SECOND ON THAT? INDEED.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE UNLESS HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN PRILL.
[8. Consider Adopting a Resolution Calling for a Public Hearing to Amend Sections 15- 76, 15- 79, 15- 80, 15- 82, 15- 84, and 15- 85 of the Land Use Ordinance.]
EIGHT.CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION CALLING FOR A PUBLIC HEARING TO AMEND SECTIONS 15 76, 15 79, 15 80 15 82, 15 84 AND 1585 OF THE LAND USE ORDINANCE.
MR. HUGHES, DO YOU WANNA TAKE THIS ONE? YES, SIR.
I'VE GOT JESSICA RU, OUR DIRECTOR OF DEVELOP SERVICES AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR ROBERT GOFF HERE, THERE, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE AND THEY CAN GIVE SOME CONTEXT, UH, ABOUT WHAT THIS IS AS WELL.
UH, WHAT THIS ACTUALLY IS, IS A AMENDMENT TO OUR LAND USE ORDINANCE THAT WILL EFFECTIVELY, IF APPROVED, TAKE THE APPROVING AUTHORITY ON MAJOR SUBDIVISIONS FROM THE PLANNING AND ZONING AND BOARD AND PUT IT AT A STAFF LEVEL.
UH, THIS WAS BROUGHT BEFORE THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD NINE MONTHS AGO.
THEY REVIEWED IT, IT THEY UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDED IT.
ONCE IT GOT THROUGH THAT PROCESS, OUR LEGAL TEAM FELT MORE COMFORTABLE IF WE ADDED IN A CONSTRUCTIVE NOTICE, UM, PROVISION IN THERE, WHICH MEANS THAT WE WOULD GIVE ADVERTISING THAT THE APPLICANT WOULD NEED TO POST A SIGN FOR TRANSPARENCY.
AND ALSO AT THE REQUEST OF ALDERMAN PRILL, HE DID NOT WANT A SUBDIVISION ADMINISTRATOR IN CHARGE OF THOSE APPROVALS.
HE FELT MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THE DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES OR THEIR DESIGNEE BEING WRITTEN IN
[00:35:01]
THERE.AND THE VERSION TO YOU THAT IS COMING, UH, REFLECTS THOSE CHANGES THAT WERE REQUESTED.
THIS WAS REQUESTED OR REVIEWED BY THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD AT THEIR MARCH MEETING.
IT'S COMING TO YOU ON A FIVE TO ONE VOTE.
AND THE REASON THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR THIS IS, WELL, THERE'S SEVERAL OF THEM.
ONE, WE HAVE BEEN TASKED TO HAVE MORE EFFICIENT REVIEW PROCESSES AND OUR, OUR ORDINANCE IS VERY ANTIQUATED AND IT IS OUR ORDINANCE THAT REQUIRES THAT THE APPROVAL OF A SUBDIVISION, A MAJOR SUBDIVISION, GOES TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD.
HOWEVER, STATE STATUTES SAY THIS IS AN ADMINISTRATIVE DECISION.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS IF YOU MEET ALL OF THE CRITERIA IN OUR ORDINANCE, IT HAS TO BE APPROVED.
THAT MEANS THAT THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD HAS NO ABILITY TO ADD CONDITIONS OR REQUEST CHANGES IF IT MEETS ALL OF OUR REQUIREMENTS.
AND SO WE ARE SENDING A LOT OF EXTRA PAPERWORK AND ADDING SOMETIMES BETWEEN TWO AND FOUR MONTHS ONTO A REVIEW PROCESS TO GET IT ON THEIR AGENDA.
AND SO WHAT WE ARE REQUESTING IS TO LET OUR DRC REVIEW THIS, ALL OF THE REVIEW AGENCIES THAT ARE, THAT GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND THEN ALLOW ME OR MY DESIGNEE OR FUTURE DIRECTOR OR THEIR DESIGNEE TO SIGN OFF AND ISSUE THAT APPROVAL.
AND THAT'S WHAT IS UP FOR A PUBLIC HEARING AND FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AT OUR NEXT MEETING ON APPROVAL.
UH, YEAH, THANK, UH, THANK YOU FOR, FOR THAT OUTLINE.
UM, WHILE I HAVE BROADER PHILOSOPHICAL CONCERNS ABOUT, UM, THE WAY, UM, LAND USE IS HANDLED IN IN NORTH CAROLINA, I REALIZE THAT I'M POWERLESS, UH, TO REALLY DO ANYTHING ABOUT THAT.
UM, SPECIFICALLY THE REASON I ASK THAT THIS BE, UH, JUST REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA JUST FOR A BRIEF DISCUSSION, HAS TO DO WITH THE, THE NOTIFICATION ISSUE.
SO IF A, UM, A DEVELOPER COMES TO THE CITY, SUBMITS AN APPLICATION FOR A SUBDIVISION, WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED HERE IS THAT THE ONLY REQUIREMENT OTHER THAN MEETING THE LAND USE PROVISIONS.
AND I REALIZE THAT IF, IF ALL THE BOXES ARE CHECKED OFF THAT THEY HAVE MET ALL THE REQUIREMENTS, UM, THEN THERE'S REALLY NO REASON FOR IT TO GO TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD.
UM, BECAUSE ALL THEY CAN DO IS JUST RUBBER STAMP IT, WHICH IS FRUSTRATING FOR THEM, UH, AS IT IS FOR ME.
UM, BUT THAT'S HOW NORTH CAROLINA, UH, HAS SET UP THE PROCESS.
BUT WHAT WE ARE ALSO PROPOSING HERE IS THAT A DEVELOPER OR AN APPLICANT DOES NOT NEED TO NOTIFY ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS OF WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED IN TERMS OF A DEVELOPMENT OTHER THAN POSTING OF A SIGN.
BUT IF YOU HAVE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS WHO DON'T RESIDE ON A PIECE OF PROPERTY ADJACENT TO TRACK THAT IS GOING TO BE DEVELOPED, UM, OR IF THEY DON'T LIVE IN THE AREA, THEY'RE NOT GONNA SEE A SIGN AND THEY'RE ONLY GONNA FIND OUT ABOUT IT AT A MUCH LATER DATE.
WHEREAS UN HAVING A REQUIREMENT THAT A DEVELOPER MUST PROVIDE PROACTIVE NOTIFICATION TO ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS, AT LEAST AT THAT POINT, ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS ARE BEING MADE AWARE OF WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED AND WHETHER THEY CHOOSE TO ACT ON IT.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THIS PROPOSAL ELIMINATING THAT NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENT, AND I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT PORTION OF IT REMAIN IN ADDITION TO A POSTING OF THE SIGN, BUT ALSO PUT, YOU KNOW, KEEP THE REQUIREMENT THAT NOTIFICATION HAS TO BE PROVIDED BEFORE A DECISION IS MADE.
THAT'S THE ISSUE THAT I HAVE AND THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO JUST DISCUSS THIS EVENING AND GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT.
MY THOUGHTS ARE, NORTH CAROLINA IS A VERY PROPERTY OWNER, PRO PROPERTY OWNER STATE, AND EVEN IF WE SEND OUT THOSE NOTIFICATIONS, THE FRUSTRATION FOR ALL OF US, ESPECIALLY OUR PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD, IS PEOPLE GET THE NOTIFICATION AND FEEL LIKE THEY CAN SHARE THEIR COMMENTS.
AND AGAIN, IF THEY'RE COM THEY CAN'T
[00:40:01]
PUT CONDITIONS ON IT, IF IT'S MEETING THE, THE REQUIREMENTS IN OUR ORDINANCE.UM, SCOTT, CAN YOU WEIGH IN A LITTLE BIT? Y YEAH.
THE, UM, I, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
UM, AND THERE'S, THERE'S NOTHING THAT WOULD PREVENT THE CITY FROM SENDING A NOTICE.
THAT'S, THAT SAYS NEXT THURSDAY BY NOON A DECISION WILL BE MADE AND THIS WILL BE APPROVED.
UM, UM, THERE'S NOTHING THAT PRECLUDES US FROM DOING THAT.
THE PROBLEM AS JESS HAS MENTIONED IS WHEN, WHEN THE AVERAGE PROPERTY OWNER GETS THAT NOTICE, THEY VERY LOGICALLY THINK THAT IT'S, IT'S SO THAT THEY CAN BE INVOLVED AND PARTICIPATE AND OFFER THOUGHTS AND IDEAS ABOUT HOW, HOW IT SHOULD GO.
AND THEN THEY ARE VERY UPSET WITH STAFF AND EVERYONE THAT WHEN THEY'RE TOLD THIS IS A TECHNICAL REVIEW, IT'S A CHECK THE BOX.
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO READ THE 450 PAGES OF THE LAND USE ORDINANCE, AND IF YOU CAN FIND A PROVISION THAT THIS DOESN'T COMPLY WITH, WE'RE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN IT.
FOLKS DON'T LIKE HEARING THAT.
UM, THE QUESTION IS TO WHAT EFFECT, AND IT'S BEEN STAFF'S EXPERIENCE THAT MORE FOLKS ARE VERY FRUSTRATED AND UNHAPPY WHEN THEY LEARN THAT THEY GOT A LETTER ASKING, ADVISING THEM OF, OF A DECISION, AND THEN THEY HAVE NO LEGAL MEANS TO PARTICIPATE.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT.
WELL, AND THAT JUST HIGHLIGHTS WHAT I, WHAT I STARTED OFF BY SAYING IS THAT IN MY OPINION, MY HUMBLE OPINION, NORTH CAROLINA HAS TAKEN SIGNIFICANTLY TAKEN AND IS PROCEEDING TO TAKE RIGHTS AWAY FROM ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS.
I MEAN, AS HAS STAFF JUST INDICATED THAT NORTH CAROLINA IS A PRO-DEVELOPMENT STATE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WHAT IS ALSO BEING UNSTATED IS THAT ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE NO RIGHTS.
AND, AND I, I, AGAIN, I JUST, UH, OPPOSE THAT PHILOSOPHICALLY, REALISTICALLY, I KNOW I CAN'T DO ANYTHING BUT PHILOSOPHICALLY, UM, I I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.
UM, YOU, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF RESIDENTS HERE THIS EVENING TALKING ABOUT TRANSPARENCY, TALKING ABOUT WANTING TO KNOW MORE ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING AND THIS FALLS EXACTLY INTO THAT SAME CATEGORY.
AND HERE'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF WHERE PROVIDING PROACTIVE NOTIFICATION IS BEING OR IS PROPOSED TO BE ELIMINATED.
SO IT'S, IT IS A SLIPPERY SLOPE GOING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THAT'S, UM, THAT'S WHERE THE STATE OR OR ESTEEMED LEGISLATORS AT THE STATE ARE TAKING THIS, THIS STATE.
UM, LET'S DO THIS
UM, AND, AND SO WE CAN OFFER SOME IDEAS AND SOME FURTHER THOUGHTS ON THIS JUST FOR THE BOARD'S BENEFIT, UM, AS YOU DELIBERATE ON WHAT TO DO AT THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SO WE ACTUALLY NEED TO TAKE ACTION ON ITEM NUMBER EIGHT.
SINCE IT WAS PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA, THE ACTION WOULD BE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CALL FOR THIS PUBLIC HEARING.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ROYAL.
[10. Presentation of Public Safety Update.]
10 IS PRESENTATION OF PUBLIC SAFETY UPDATE.I WOULD HOPE THAT, UH, THE BOARD AND THE MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE WILL INTERPRET MY COMMENTS AS AN ADDENDUM TO WHAT WAS COMMUNICATED LAST, UH, FRIDAY AT A PRESS CONFERENCE AT STAIN THE WHITE, UH, REC CENTER, UH, WE HAVE BEEN FACING A SURGE IN VIOLENCE STEMMING FROM GANG CONFLICTS BETWEEN RIVAL MEMBERS WITHIN THE CITY OF NEW BERN AND OTHER CITIES.
THE HOMICIDE THAT OCCURRED IN OCTOBER OF 2022, THE INTERSECTION OF THIRD AVENUE AND BAY STREET REMAINS THE PARTIAL MOTIVATION FOR SOME OF THE VIOLENCE THAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING TODAY.
OF THE FIVE INCIDENCES THAT I OUTLINED, UM, ON FRIDAY THAT BEGAN IN
[00:45:01]
MID-MARCH, UH, THREE OF THE FIVE HAVE BEEN SOLVED WITH THE ARREST OF FIVE SUSPECTS.OUR STRATEGY IS TO EMPLOY EVIDENCE-BASED APPROACHES TO INVESTIGATE AND MITIGATE VIOLENT CRIME LINKED TO GANG ACTIVITY.
WE SHARE INTELLIGENCE WITH OUR LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL PARTNERS THROUGH LINKED ANALYSIS AIMING TO BUILD CASES TO, FOR PROSECUTION AT EITHER THE STATE OR THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
AS, AS I STATED ON FRIDAY AT THE MORNING PRESS CONFERENCE, THE SOCIAL CONDITIONS THAT GIVE RISE TO GANG CULTURE FUELING CRIMINALITY AND VIOLENCE IS BEYOND THE ABILITY OF LAW ENFORCEMENT TO RESOLVE ALONE.
FROM JANUARY THROUGH MARCH 20, 25, YEAR TO DATE OF THIS YEAR, WE HAVE MADE MORE ADULT ARRESTS, MORE DRUG RELATED ARRESTS AS COMPARED TO THE SAME TIME LAST YEAR, AND WE HAVE CONDUCTED FAR MORE FIELD INTERVIEW CONTACTS THAN 2024 AND 2023 COMBINED THAT REPRESENTS A 60% INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR, AND 116% INCREASE FROM 2023.
I GIVE YOU THAT STAT TO TELL YOU THAT WE ARE IN INCREDIBLY, UM, ACTIVE IN TRYING TO MITIGATE VIOLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
TECHNO TECHNOLOGIES LIKE SHOT SPOTTER HAVE BEEN HELPFUL IN MANY RESPECTS, THOUGH THEY ARE NOT FOOLPROOF SINCE THE START OF 2025.
WE HAVE RECORDED 147 ROUNDS FIRED, UM, ACROSS 26 ACTIVATIONS WITH THE MAJORITY OF THESE OCCURRING IN THE MONTH OF MAY.
WITH RESPECT TO SHOT SPOTTER ACTIVATIONS, THE MOST PROMINENT DAY OF THE WEEK IS WEDNESDAY AND SATURDAY WITH EIGHT A PIECE, WITH THE MOST PROMINENT TIMES BEING MIDNIGHT TO ONE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING AND 9:00 PM TO 10:00 PM UM, INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, WE HAVEN'T HAD A SINGLE SHOT SPOTTER ACTIVATION ON A FRIDAY.
THE GREATEST CONCENTRATION OF VIOLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY WITH RESPECT TO SHOT SPOTTER ACTIVATIONS IS BETWEEN THIRD AVENUE AND SAMPSON STREET.
WE REMAIN COMMITTED TO ENGAGING OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH PROBLEM SOLVING SOLUTIONS WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY WORKING TO RESTORE CALM AND A SENSE OF PEACE THROUGH AGGRESSIVE POLICING AND AN INCREASED PRESENCE IN THE MOST AFFECTED AREAS OF OUR CITY.
COLLABORATION WITH OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS IS ROBUST AND ATTENTION TO THESE ISSUES REMAIN HIGH.
BEFORE I CAME HERE TONIGHT, I WAS WITH THE CRAVEN COUNTY SHERIFF, CRAVEN COUNTY SHERIFF'S, UH, UH, PERSONNEL, AND MY PERSONNEL SERVING TWO SEARCH WARRANTS, UM, OFF OF, OFF OF ELIZABETH AVENUE IN WHICH WE RECOVERED FELONY AMOUNTS OF DRUGS.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO PROMOTE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO ASSIST US.
ADDITIONALLY, WE WILL SEEK TO ENHANCE OUR EFFORTS, UM, WITH ADVANCED TOOLS, EQUIPMENT, AND TECHNOLOGY TO ENSURE THAT THE NEW BERN POLICE DEPARTMENT CAN ENSURE THAT EVERYONE THAT LIVES IN OUR CITY, REGARDLESS WHAT WARD THEY'RE IN, CAN LIVE IN A PLACE WHERE THEY FEEL SAFE, ARE SAFE, UM, AND CAN RAISE THEIR CHILDREN IN A MANNER IN WHICH THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT THEIR CHILDREN ARE ALSO SAFE.
I'M, I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
CHIEF, WHEN DOES OUR SHOT SPOT SUBSCRIPTION RUN OUT AND HAVE WE MADE ARRANGEMENTS TO RENEW IT? WE, WE WILL HAVE TO RENEW IT, UH, THIS FISCAL YEAR, AND I AM HOPEFUL THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO RENEW THAT, UH, THAT PROGRAM.
I CAN GET YOU THE DATE OF THE, UH, I I WAS JUST WONDERING IF WE WERE WORKING ON SOMEBODY THAT, THAT SOME OR SOME ORGANIZATIONS TO PARTNER WITH US WITH THE SUBSCRIPTION.
I HAVE REACHED OUT TO AT LEAST FOUR STAKEHOLDERS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, I HAVE BEEN VERY PERSISTENT, UH, BUT THERE WAS A COMMENT MADE EARLIER.
UH, SOMETIMES THE, THE MESSAGES GO UN UNANSWERED AND IT'S A LITTLE FRUSTRATING, BUT I CONTINUE TO SEEK, UH, THE ASSISTANCE FROM AT LEAST FOUR OF 'EM, AND I DO NOT WISH TO EMBARRASS ANY ONE OF THOSE.
UM, BUT I WAS GIVEN SOME ASSURANCES THAT, UM, THEY WOULD ASSIST US AND HOPEFULLY THEY'LL COME THROUGH FOR US.
THAT SUBSCRIPTION LIKE $49,000,
[00:50:01]
IS THAT RIGHT? 49,500 CHIEF IF HE CONSIDERED A PUBLIC FUNDING CAMPAIGN FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT MIGHT WANT TO CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS KEEPING THAT PROGRAM UP AND ACTIVE.UH, ALDERMAN PEARL, I'M OPEN TO ANY AND EVERYTHING THAT KEEPS SHOTSPOTTER ACTIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, JUST, UH, A QUESTION FOR YOU, CHIEF, IF, IF YOU ARE ABLE TO ANSWER THIS, THE, THE RECENT, UM, I GUESS IT'S GANG VIOLENCE, UM, THAT SEEMS TO BE THE PREDOMINANT CATALYST OF WHAT'S HAPPENED RECENTLY, IS THAT PRIMARILY LOCAL INDIVIDUALS OR OUTSIDE OUTSIDERS, PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF NEW BERN COMING INTO NEW BERN THAT ARE CREATING THAT ISSUE? BOTH.
WE HAVE RIVAL GANGS THAT ARE COMING TO NEW BERN FOR THE SPECIFIC INTENT TO CREATE VIOLENCE.
AS I STATED AT THE NEWS CONFERENCE, THESE WERE TARGETED EVENTS.
THOSE THAT WERE SHOT WERE INTENDED TO BE SHOT BY THE ASSAILANT WHO WANTED TO SHOOT THEM.
THESE WERE NOT RANDOM ACTS OF VIOLENCE, BUT I'M JUST CURIOUS, IS IT, IS IT STARTING IN NEW BERN AND THEN IT'S ATTRACTING OTHER MEMBERS FROM OUTSIDE THE COMMUNITY OR, UM, IS IT TERRITORIAL 1 1 1 GANG TRYING TO MAYBE TAKE OVER AN AREA THAT, WELL, THAT'S ACTUALLY TWO QUESTIONS.
THE FIRST PART IS THE CHICKEN AND AN EGG, UH, ANALOGY.
AND, AND I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER TO THAT ONE.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT, UM, THE HYBRID GANGS THAT WE HAVE HERE IS TERRITORIAL YES.
DEPENDING ON WHAT STREET YOU LIVE ON.
SO, SO CHIEF, YOU'RE SAYING THAT SOME OF THOSE GANGS ARE HERE, SO WHAT STEPS CAN BE TAKEN? I MEAN, WHAT STEPS ARE YOU TAKING TO TRY TO ELIMINATE THESE GANGS? BECAUSE I KNOW I'M GETTING A LOT OF FEEDBACK FROM CITIZENS THAT THEIR CHILDREN ARE AFRAID TO EVEN GO TO SCHOOL BECAUSE OF GANG RELATED ISSUES.
I'M AFRAID TO GO OUTSIDE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO, I MEAN, TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM, UH, ALDERMAN BEST, UH, WE CANNOT ARREST OURSELVES INTO A SOLUTION THAT WILL CREATE, UM, LONG-TERM EFFORTS.
IF WE WERE TO ARREST AND ERADICATE EVERY GANG MEMBER IN THE CITY OF NEW BERN TODAY, UH, THIS TIME NEXT YEAR, THE GANGS WILL BE BACK.
THIS IS A SOCIAL PROBLEM THAT WILL REQUIRE GROUND ROOTS, UH, EFFORTS BY OUR COMMUNITY TO HELP US SOLVE THIS PROBLEM.
UH, WELL, AND I CONCUR WITH YOU WITH, UH, ABOUT THAT.
AND, AND, AND I WILL SAY THIS, UM, WE AS PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS AND AUNTS AND UNCLES AND NEIGHBORS, WE ALL GOT TO COME TOGETHER TO TRY TO ELIMINATE THESE PROBLEMS THAT'S HAPPENING WITH SOME OF OUR CHILDREN.
UM, IT IS REALLY SAD TO KNOW WHEN YOU HAVE 13 AND 14 YEAR OLDS KILLING EACH OTHER.
BUT I, AS I HAD MENTIONED TO YOU BEFORE, CHIEF AND, AND I, AND I HAVE SEEN A LOT OF POLICE, SHERIFF AND EVEN THE HIGHWAY PATROL PRESENCE HERE LATELY, UM, MORE THAN, THAN THAN BEFORE.
I WOULD LIKE, I WANT THAT TYPE OF PRESENCE IN THESE HEAVY AREAS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE GANG ACTIVITIES IN THAT THE CRIME IS IN, THAT WE CAN HAVE MORE POLICE PATROLLING THOSE AREAS, THOSE WARDS.
AND, AND, AND IT SEEMS LIKE TO ME IT'S JUST THREE WARDS, ONE, TWO, AND FIVE.
AND I JUST FEEL LIKE THAT WE NEED MORE POLICE PRESENCE.
IF THE POLICE DON'T DO NOTHING BUT YOU SEE A CITIZEN ON THEIR PORCH, STOP AND SPEAK TO THAT CITIZEN.
GET TO KNOW THAT CITIZEN, TALK TO THOSE CITIZENS, THEN MAKE THE CITIZENS FEEL MORE LIKE THAT.
OKAY, WE GOT THIS COMMUNICATION GOING NOW, SO HOPEFULLY MEET THE POLICE AND, AND I AND NEIGHBORS CAN, CAN TALK TO EACH OTHER.
AND I THINK YOU, YOU FIND THAT YOU WILL HAVE MORE FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY REPORTING A LOT OF DIFFERENT INCIDENTS AND PROBLEMS AND GANGS AND CRIME GOING ON IF THERE WAS THAT PRESENCE WITH THE POLICE IN, IN THE COMMUNITIES.
IF THAT CAN CONTINUE, UM, I KNOW YOU CAN'T DO IT 24 7, 7 DAYS A WEEK, UH, AROUND THE CLOCK.
[00:55:01]
AND, AND I, AND I, AND THE REASON WHY I SAY THIS TO YOU IS BECAUSE I AM IN MY AREA A LOT AND THERE'S TIMES I'M THERE AND I DON'T SEE A POLICE FOR HOUR OR TWO.AND, AND, AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S OTHER AREAS OF THE CITY THAT PATROLLING HAS TO BE TAKING PLACE AS WELL, BUT I JUST THINK WE NEED MORE, MORE PATROLLING IN THE HEAVY POPULATED CRIME GANG AREAS.
AND I HOPE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN ACCOMMODATE THE CITIZENS THAT LIVE IN THOSE AREAS WITH ANYONE ELSE.
[11. City Manager' s Presentation of FY 2025- 2026 Budget.]
ITEM NUMBER 11, CITY MANAGER'S PRESENTATION ON PHYSICAL YEAR 25 26.GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND ALDERMAN POLICE TONIGHT TO PRESENT THE FY 26 PROPOSED BUDGET.
THIS PROCESS STARTED BACK IN NOVEMBER OF 2024, WHERE WE HAD A DEPARTMENT BUDGET MEETING TO KICK OFF THE BUDGET PROCESS IN DECEMBER OF 2024, WE SENT THE BOARD A SURVEY TO, TO GET INPUT ON A VARIETY OF TOPICS FOR YOU REGARDING POTENTIAL PROJECTS, UM, POTENTIAL COLAS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THE DEPARTMENT BUDGETS WERE DUE IN FEBRUARY AND MARCH OF EARLIER THIS YEAR.
WE STARTED REVIEWING THE DEPARTMENT BUDGETS, HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH THE DEPARTMENT HEAD, AND THEN WE STARTED LOOKING AT, AT, UH, POTENTIAL REVENUES, UH, THAT WOULD COME INTO PLAY FOR THIS YEAR.
ON MARCH 28TH, BUDGET BOOKS WERE AVAILABLE TO THE GOVERNING BOARD FOR REVIEWED, AND TONIGHT WE'LL HAVE OUR PRESENTATION.
SO WHEN DEVELOPING THIS BUDGET, WE CONSIDERED SEVERAL THINGS.
ONE, GOVERNING BOARD FEEDBACK, BOTH FROM THE SURVEYS AND CONVERSATIONS DURING PREVIOUS WORKSHOPS.
WE LOOKED AT DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATIONS AND WE LOOKED AT THE OVERARCHING GOALS THAT WE HAVE BEEN USING FOR BUDGET DEVELOPMENT SINCE FY 24.
AND THOSE INCLUDE EXCELLENCE IN GOVERNMENT, SAFE AND WELCOMING, COMMUNITY PLANNING AND INFRASTRUCTURE FOR BALANCED GROWTH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
EACH ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN A BUDGET THAT THE DEPARTMENT REQUESTED NEEDED TO MEET ONE OF THOSE GOALS FOR THE GENERAL FUND ESTIMATED REVENUES, UH, FOR FY 26 OR $52,630,306.
AND SO WE'VE GOT A BIG PIECE OF PIE, WHICH YOU'RE GONNA SEE HERE.
SO THE BIGGEST PIECE OF THAT PIE COMES FROM AVALOR AND MOTOR VEHICLE TAXES.
THAT'S 40%, WHICH EQUATES TO ABOUT $21 MILLION.
THE NEXT LARGEST PIECE IS SALES TAX, WHICH ACCOUNTS FOR 23% OF THAT, WHICH IS $12,095,000.
THEN IT'S BROKEN DOWN TO SMALLER AMOUNTS SUCH AS INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUES AT 8% OTHER TAXES AND FEES AT 1% INTEREST.
INTER FUND REIMBURSEMENTS AT 8%.
INTER FUND TRANSFERS AT 9% CHARGES FOR SERVICES, 3% PROCEEDS FROM DEBT AT 4% AND THEN FUND BALANCE APPROPRIATION OF 1%.
WHEN WE WERE LOOKING FOR THE GENERAL FUND EXPENSES FOR FY 26, WE HAVE TO BALANCE THIS BUDGET.
AND SO WITH A PIE, WE'VE ONLY GOT SO MUCH THAT WE CAN ALLOCATE TO, TO VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS.
SO PUBLIC SAFETY HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PRIORITY FOR THE CITY OF NEW BERN.
WHEN WE LOOK AT PUBLIC SAFETY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT POLICE AND FIRE.
THAT ACCOUNTS FOR 47% OF THIS BUDGET.
SO IN POLICE, THEY ARE ALLOCATED 30% OF THE BUDGET, WHICH IS $15,695,000.
FIRE RESCUE AT 17% AT $8.6 MILLION IN PARKS AND RECREATION AT 8% DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, 5% PUBLIC WORKS IS THE THIRD LARGEST AT 19% WITH OVER $10 MILLION.
OUR DEBT SERVICE AND INTER INTER FUND AND OTHER TRANSFERS, 7% GENERAL GOVERNMENT, 4% TECHNOLOGY, 4% FINANCE 4%, AND HUMAN RESOURCES AT 2%.
IN TERMS OF REVENUE HIGHLIGHTS, WHEN WE RECEIVED INFORMATION FROM THE CRAVEN COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR THIS YEAR, THE ESTIMATED ASSESSED PROPERTY TAX VALUES INCREASED BY $380 MILLION, WHICH IS GREAT NEWS TO MAKE THAT $5.3 BILLION AND ASSESS PROPERTY VALUES, THAT BRINGS AN ADDITIONAL $1.5 MILLION IN REVENUES TO THE CITY.
THE TOTAL ESTIMATED A FORM REVENUE IS $20,767,500.
SO ONE PENNY ON THE TAX RATE EQUATES TO $532,500 AND THAT'S UP $38,000 OVER AT FY 25.
THE SALES TAX IS ESTIMATED 3%.
IT'S, IT'S STILL RELATIVELY FLAT OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR, SO WE ANTICIPATED AN ADDITIONAL $345,000 IN SALES TAX REVENUES, TOTAL ESTIMATED SALES TAX WE'RE EXPECTING FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR'S, $12,095,000.
[01:00:01]
GENERAL FUND BUDGET IMPACTS INCLUDE THE MUNICIPAL ELECTION ESTIMATES $95,000 ENERGY COST AT 160,000 MAINLY TO TO STREETLIGHT COSTING INCREASES PROPERTY LIABILITY, VEHICLE INSURANCE INCREASES IN THE AMOUNT OF 12%.65 60 7% OF THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET CONSISTS OF SALARIES AND BENEFITS.
SO SALARIES, WE'RE LOOKING AT A 5% INCREASE AND THAT INCLUDES COLA LONGEVITY AND BENEFITS.
AND THAT'S A 12% INCREASE AND THAT INCLUDES THE MANDATORY NORTH CAROLINA RETIREMENT RATE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND NON-LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND RISING HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS.
THIS BUDGET INCLUDES A 3% COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT, AND THAT'S BASED ON THE SOUTH REACHING CONSUMER PRICE INDEX AS OF FEBRUARY, 2025, WHICH IS 2.3%.
THIS BUDGET ALSO PROPOSES EIGHT U GENERAL FUND FULL-TIME POSITIONS AND THEY ARE AN ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT IN TECHNOLOGY, AN ASSISTANT FINANCE DIRECTOR, A CUSTODIAN FROM PUBLIC WORKS, WHICH IS A RECLASSIFICATION FROM A SEASONAL POSITION, AN EQUIPMENT OPERATOR AND PUBLIC WORKS STREETS DIVISION TWO MAINTENANCE CONSTRUCTION WORKERS IN THE PUBLIC WORKS STREETS DIVISION, AND TWO MAINTENANCE CONSTRUCTION WORKERS IN THE PUBLIC WORKS STORMWATER DIVISION.
COMING BACK TO OUR OVERARCHING GOALS WITH SAFE AND WELCOMING COMMUNITY, WE HAVE INCLUDED BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING, NEWBURN, CRAVEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY FUNDING, PARK PAVING IMPROVEMENTS, EXTRICATION EQUIPMENT FOR FIRE RESCUE REPLACEMENT VEHICLES FOR POLICE, FIRE RESCUE, AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS SECURITY CAMERAS IN THE PARKS.
SHOT SPOTTER FUNDING IS INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET.
UH, WE WOULD'VE LIKED TO HAVE HAD PARTNERSHIPS AND WE WERE, WE ARE STILL HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN PARTNERSHIPS WITH WITH ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO PARTNER WITH US ON SHOT SPOTTER 'CAUSE WE THINK IT'S BEEN EXTREMELY VALUABLE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
SPECIAL EVENTS, TRAFFIC SIGNAL CONTROL, CABINET UPGRADES, TRASH TROUT FOR CLEAN WATERWAYS.
AND THE NEXT GOAL WITH EXCELLENCE IN GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT TO IMPROVE EMPLOYEE AND CITIZEN EXPECTATIONS.
ADDITIONAL STAFFING TO MAINTAIN FISCAL INTEGRITY AND OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY, PROVIDING EXCELLENT SERVICE TO TO THE COMMUNITY AND MEETING INCREASING DEMANDS.
THE GOAL OF PLANNING AND INFRASTRUCTURE FOR BALANCE GROWTH, CITY STREET SIDEWALK AND CURVE IMPROVEMENTS, ADDITIONAL POSITIONS TO SUPPORT STREETS AND STORMWATER AND UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE.
UPDATE WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GOAL THAT'S CONTINUED.
PARTNERSHIPS WITH CRAVEN 100 ALLIANCE WITH RETAIL STRATEGIES FOR RETAIL RECRUITMENT, THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND SWISS BAY, AND WITH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, COMMUNITY INPUT THROUGH FOCUS GROUPS AND PUBLIC MEETINGS.
NEW BERN 1 0 1 CITIZENS POLICE ACADEMY AND OUR KEEP NEWBURN CLEAN LITTER PROGRAM.
TO BALANCE THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET, WE'RE LOOKING AT ALLOCATING 500,000 FROM FUND BALANCE.
JUST FOR REFERENCE IN FY 25, WE ALLOCATED $882,000 FROM FUND BALANCE AND FY 24, WE ALLOCATED 1.4 MILLION FROM FUND BALANCE.
BALANCE IN THIS ALSO INCLUDES $2 MILLION IN LOAN PROCEEDS FROM CAPITAL, WHICH WE'LL TALK ABOUT IN A MOMENT.
AND THEOREM TAX RATE IS PROJECTED TO REMAIN THE SAME AT 39 CENTS PER A HUNDRED DOLLARS IN VALUATION.
THE PROPOSED GENERAL FUND BUDGET IS $52,630,306, AND THAT REFLECTS A 7% INCREASE OVER FY 25.
THAT INCREASE MAINLY IS REFLECTED BY SALARIES AND BENEFITS, CAPITAL INSURANCE COST, AND INCREASED ELECTRICAL COSTS FOR THE MUNICIPAL SERVICE DISTRICT.
THE MSD PROPERTY VALUATION REMAINS AT $200 MILLION.
THE MSD ADVISORY COMMITTEE WAS ESTABLISHED IN SEPTEMBER, 2023.
THAT COMMITTEE STARTED MEETING IN JANUARY OF 28 24, AND THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING ON SEVERAL PROJECT RECOMMENDATIONS AND WE HOPE THAT THAT COMMITTEE WILL BRING RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE BOARD WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO.
THIS MSD BUDGET DOES INCLUDE FUNDING FOR 50% OF A CUSTODIAN POSITION TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO DOWNTOWN, AND IT ALSO PROVIDES CONTINUING PARKING CONTROL PERSONNEL.
WE DID INCLUDE MAINTENANCE RELATED PROJECTS IN THE MSD FUND THIS YEAR.
THAT INCLUDES TREE MAINTENANCE, PRESSURE WASHING SIDEWALKS, RE STRIPING, CITY PARKING LOTS AND SIGN UPGRADES.
REPLACEMENT OF THE BANNERS WITHIN THE MSD AND ON THE P*****K STREET PARKING LOT, INSTALLING A CONCRETE GUTTER, UH, TO ADDRESS THE, THE DRAINAGE ISSUES WE'RE EXPERIENCING AND STARTING TO PHASE IN REPAINTING UTILITY POLES BASED ON PROJECTS THAT THE COMMITTEE IS WORKING ON.
WE ARE NOT RECOMMENDING A CHANGE TO THE MSD VALOREM TAX RATE OF 11 OF 11 CENTS AT THIS TIME FOR THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS.
THE ESTIMATED REVENUES FOR FY 26 ARE $101,500,686.
[01:05:01]
STARTING AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIE, THE THE BIGGEST PART IS THE ELECTRIC SERVICE FEES, WHICH ARE $64,660,000.THE NEXT IS SOLID WASTE WITH SERVICE FEES OF 4965005% OF THAT, THOSE REVENUES.
OTHER REVENUES, UH, FROM ALL ENTERPRISE FUNDS, WHICH ARE A VARIETY OF OF FUNDS ARE $5.6 MILLION.
WATER SERVICE FEES ARE $12,219,000 OR 12% OF THIS BUDGET.
AND SEWER SERVICE FEES EQUATE TO 14 MILLION, $17,000 OR 14% OF BUDGET FOR THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS.
THE ESTIMATED EXPENDITURES OF PER FY 26, UM, AGAIN, TOTAL ENTERPRISE EXPENSES ARE $101,500,686.
AND WE ANTICIPATE THE EXPENSES FOR THE ELECTRIC FUND TO BE $64,678,577 FOR THE SOLID WASTE FUND.
$4.7 MILLION FOR THE WATER FUND, $12.8 MILLION IN THE SEWER FUND, $13.4 MILLION.
ENTER FI PRICE FUND BUDGET IMPACTS INCLUDE SALARY BENEFITS, UH, WHICH EQUATE TO 18% OF THAT BUDGET.
WITH THE ELECTRIC UTILITY, WE DO ANTICIPATE AT LEAST ONE MORE ELECTRIC CITIES TRUE UP AND THIS IS WHERE THE COST IS PASSED ON TO THE CUSTOMER.
AND, UH, THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, I'M SORRY, THE PUBLIC UTILITIES DIRECTOR WILL BE PRESENTING AN UPDATED RATE STUDY AND THIS WILL BE HELD AT THE WORK SESSION THAT WE HAVE ON APRIL 28TH TO DISCUSS SOME ISSUES WITH THE ELECTRIC UTILITY.
UNDER SOLID WASTE, WE EXPECT A 1% INCREASE AND THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE GFL CONTRACT WHAT IS BUILT IN LANDFILL TIPPING FEE INCREASE.
SO A SOLID WASTE RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER CAN EXPECT A 20 CENT INCREASE PER MONTH ON THEIR BILL FOR A 65 GALLON.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE IN SOLID WASTE, UH, NEW OFFICE ASSISTANT POSITION.
SO REACHING THE OVERARCHING GOALS IN THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT FOR EXCELLENCE IN GOVERNMENT CONTROL SYSTEM, SERVER REPLACEMENTS, SOFTWARE UPDATES, AND ADDITIONAL POSITION TO SUPPORT SOLID WASTE FOR SELF AND FOR SAFE AND WELCOMING COMMUNITY SECURITY SYSTEM REPLACEMENTS, SERVICE VEHICLE AND EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENTS, AND FOR PLANNING AND INFRASTRUCTURE FOR BALANCE GROWTH, ELECTRIC INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, WATER SUPPLY AND WELL REHABILITATION PROJECTS, WATER SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS, SEWER SYSTEM AND PUMP STATION IMPROVEMENTS FOR OUR PROPOSED FY 26 CAPITAL.
AND THE GENERAL FUND, WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT POLICE VEHICLE AND OTHER GENERAL FUND VEHICLE REPLACEMENTS.
THE SYSTEMATIC REPLACEMENT OF OUR HVAC UNITS IN OUR BUILDINGS, AND THIS WILL BE PHASED OVER SEVERAL YEARS.
SIDEWALK AND CURB IMPROVEMENTS.
ROOF REPLACEMENT ON TWO ROOF VAULT CENTER BUILDINGS, PARK PAVING EXTRICATION EQUIPMENT FOR FIRE RESCUE, AND A TOP DRESSER WITH A SPINNER ATTACHMENT.
TOTAL GENERAL FUND CAPITAL IS, IS $2.3 MILLION FOR THE REDEVELOPMENT FUND.
THIS IS FOR LAND PURCHASE AND SITE PREPARATION AND DEMOLITION OF PROPERTIES WITHIN THE REDEVELOPMENT ZONE.
THAT'S $200,000 FOR THE WATER FUND, VARIOUS WATER SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS AND WELL REHABILITATION PRO UH, PROJECTS AS WELL AS VEHICLE REPLACEMENT.
VARIOUS SEWER SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS IN PUMP STATION REHABILITATION, WASTEWATER TREATMENT, PLANT CONTROL REPLACEMENTS, AND VEHICLE AND MOWER REPLACEMENTS AT $1.2 MILLION FOR THE ELECTRIC FUND.
INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES AT GREENBRIER AND OLD TOWN RIVER CROSSING CONTROL SYSTEM SERVER AND UPS BATTERY REPLACEMENT, SUBSTATION SECURITY SYSTEM AND BATTERY REPLACEMENT AND SOFTWARE AND EQUIPMENT UPDATES IN THE AMOUNT OF $955,250 FOR THE SOLID WASTE FUND.
BULK WASTE TRUCK REPLACEMENT OF $250,000 FOR A TOTAL PROPOSED CAPITAL, UH, CITYWIDE OF $5.5 MILLION FOR OUR PROPOSED FFY.
THE TOTAL CITY BUDGET IS PROJECTED AT $165,840,915.
THIS REFLECTS A 7.4% OVERALL INCREASE COMPARED TO THE FY 25 ADOPTED BUDGET.
AND THE GENERAL FUND, THAT IS $52,630,306 FOR OUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS.
THE WATER FUND IS THREE $13,490,000.
THE ELECTRIC FUND, $68,651,457.
THE SOLID WASTE FUND, $5,083,600 IN OTHER FUNDS, WHICH INCLUDES THE MSDE 9 1 11, THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, OUR NPO AND OUR EMPLOYEE INSURANCE PROGRAM.
[01:10:01]
AND MOVING FORWARD ON APRIL 22ND, WE'LL HAVE A PUBLIC MEETING FOR THE PUBLIC TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS THEY'D LIKE TO, ON THE BUDGET ON APRIL 28TH, WE WILL HAVE A BUDGET WORKSHOP AT THE STANLEY WHITE RECREATION CENTER, BEGINNING AT 9:00 AM ON MAY 13TH.THE GOAL IS TO ADOPT THE BUDGET AT THAT MEETING.
THE FFY 26 BUDGET WILL BE AVAILABLE TOMORROW MORNING FOR REVIEW IN THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, THE NEW CRAVEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY, AND ONLINE@NEWBURNNC.GOV UNDER THE FINANCE PAGE.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO DISCUSSING THE BUDGET IN MORE DETAIL WITH YOU AND ANSWERING ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE AT THE UPCOMING BUDGET WORKSHOP.
[12. Presentation of Financing Options for FY 2024- 2025 Vehicles and Equipment Purchases and Update on Proposed General Obligation Bonds.]
IS ITEM NUMBER 12, PRESENTATION ON FINANCING OPTIONS FOR FFY 24 25 VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT PURCHASES AND UPDATED UPDATE ON PROPOSED GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS.MS. OSTRO, GOOD EVENING BOARD, UM, TED COLE WITH DAVENPORT IS HERE TONIGHT TO DISCUSS THE FINANCING OPTIONS AND, UM, THE PROCESS FOR THE FY 25 VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT.
THE SUMMARY OF PROPOSALS IS LOCATED IN YOUR PACKET AND WAS ALSO HANDED OUT RIGHT BEFORE THE MEETING.
THE BOARD IS TO CONSIDER A MOTION TO ACCEPT, UM, BANK OF AMERICA PUBLIC CAPITAL COURT FOR FINANCING.
THE FINANCING AGREEMENT WILL BE PRESENTED FOR APPROVAL ON APRIL 22ND.
ADDITIONALLY, UM, MR. COLE WILL PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE PROPOSED JOURNAL OBLIGATION BONDS AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY HAVE AT THAT TIME, TED.
UM, THIS FIRST ITEM, THE VEHICLE FINANCING IS IN A MEMO STYLE, I THINK IT'S IN YOUR PACKET.
UM, AND AS FINANCE OFFICER SAID, UM, THIS WOULD BE A TWO STEP PROCESS THIS EVENING.
UH, LOOKING FOR DIRECTION TO APPROVE MOVING FORWARD WITH THE RECOMMENDED BANK.
IT'S BANK OF AMERICA PUBLIC CAPITAL COURT, BUT WE'LL TALK THROUGH THE PROPOSALS WE RECEIVED, UM, AND THEN WE'LL BE BACK, UM, IN, UH, AT YOUR NEXT MEETING WHERE YOU'LL ACTUALLY APPROVE THE FINANCING DOCUMENTS.
UM, WE, AND I'LL, I'LL JUST TALK OFF OF THIS MEMO GENERALLY, UH, WE PUT TOGETHER A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL.
WE SENT THAT OUT TO A NUMBER OF BANKS, LOCAL, REGIONAL, NATIONAL BANKS.
UM, AND WE ACTUALLY ASKED FOR TWO AMOUNTS.
UM, AND AROUND ROUGHLY TWO AND A HALF MILLION OR 4.7 MILLION, I THINK WE'VE LANDED ON THE TWO AND A HALF MILLION, WHICH REPRESENTS THE, UH, VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT NEEDED FOR FISCAL 25.
UM, SO WE ARE ANTICIPATING GOING WITH THAT LOWER AMOUNT, 2.45 MILLION PLUS OR MINUS.
WE'LL FINE TUNE THAT WHEN WE GET THE FINAL VEHICLE LIST TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING TIES OUT.
UM, AND WE TYPICALLY DO THIS OVER A A ABOUT A FIVE YEAR TERM, A REPAYMENT TERM.
UM, THROUGH THE RFP PROCESS, WE RECEIVED PROPOSALS FROM NINE DIFFERENT BANKS.
THEY'RE AT THE BOTTOM OF PAGE ONE.
THEY'RE ALL LISTED ALPHABETICALLY.
UH, AND IT JUST SO HAPPENS OUR RECOMMENDED PROPOSAL IS BANK OF AMERICA PUBLIC CAPITAL COURT.
BUT A NUMBER OF OTHER BANKS PRESENTED PROPOSALS.
IF YOU GO TO PAGE TWO, UM, YOU'LL SEE A LIST OF ALL OF THE BANKS, UM, VARIOUS INTEREST RATES ACROSS THE, UH, TOP THERE.
YOU CAN SEE THE LENDER, THE INTEREST RATES.
I'LL EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT OF THE DIFFERENCE THERE, WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAD ANY CLOSING COSTS THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED.
HOW IT WAS THAT WE WOULD GO ABOUT AND LOCK THE INTEREST RATE WITH THE LENDER.
THEY ALL HANDLE THAT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY.
AND THEN THE AVERAGE ANNUAL PAYMENT AND THE TOTAL DEBT SERVICE, AND AGAIN, OPTION A IS THAT LOWER AMOUNT, 2.4 MILLION.
OPTION B WAS THE LARGER AMOUNT WE'RE GOING WITH OPTION A.
ANYTHING IN RED WITH THE RATES THAT MEANT THE RATE WAS JUST AN INDICATION.
THEY WERE NOT IN A POSITION TO LOCK THE RATE WHEN THEY SUBMITTED THE PROPOSAL.
UM, AND THEY HAD DIFFERENT PARAMETERS BY WHICH THEY WOULD LOCK THE RATE, MEANING YOU HAD TO KNOW THE EXACT AMOUNT OF BORROWING THE EXACT CLOSING DATE, THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT CERTAIN BANKS REQUIRE IN ORDER FOR THEM TO LOCK THE RATE.
AND ON LINE TWO, BAB, C-B-A-P-C-C, BANK OF AMERICA, UM, THEY GAVE US AN INTEREST RATE OF 3.6606.
UM, AND THAT IS GOOD FOR EITHER AMOUNT OF THE BORROWING TWO AND A HALF OR 4.7 MILLION.
IT WAS GOOD FOR, UM, WHETHER OR NOT THIS LOAN WOULD BE DESIGNATED AS BANK QUALIFIED.
AND THAT IS SOME BANKS CAN GIVE YOU A BETTER INTEREST RATE IF THE LOAN CARRIES A BANK QUALIFIED DESIGNATION.
BANK OF AMERICA IS INDIFFERENT TO THAT, AND THAT'S A GOOD THING.
IT ESSENTIALLY GIVES YOU THE ABILITY AS A CITY TO DO ADDITIONAL BORROWINGS THIS CALENDAR YEAR IF YOU NEED TO, WITHOUT ANY LIMITATIONS.
AND SO I'M NOT SUGGESTING YOU WOULD, BUT YOU CERTAINLY WOULD BE ABLE TO WITHOUT RETROACTIVELY, UM, FOULING UP WHAT THIS LOAN DOES.
SO A FIXED RATE FOR THE ENTIRE TERM,
[01:15:01]
UM, THE RATE IS LOCKED.IT'S FOR LOCK, IT'S LOCKED THROUGH A CLOSING AT THE END OF APRIL.
SO OUR PLAN IS TO COME BACK TO YOU ALL ON APRIL 22ND, GET THE FINAL APPROVAL, AND WE WOULD BE ABLE TO CLOSE BY THE DEADLINE OF APRIL 30TH.
WHEN WE CLOSE, YOU GET THE FUNDING, UM, IN AN ACCOUNT OF YOUR CHOOSING.
IT'S INVESTED TO YOUR BENEFIT, AND YOU SPEND THE MONEY AS THE VEHICLES ARE READY TO BE PURCHASED.
UM, IF YOU HAVE PAID FOR ANY OF THE VEHICLES ALREADY, YOU CAN REIMBURSE YOURSELF, BUT THE MONEY JUST SITS THERE AND IS SPENT AS NEEDED.
UM, SO YOU CAN SEE AS YOU GO DOWN THE LINE, WE WERE GETTING RATES IN THE, IN THE LOW TO MID FOUR PERCENTS ON THE HIGH END, UM, AND BANK OF AMERICA, MAYBE NOT THE ABSOLUTE LOWEST RATE, BUT THE ONLY THE LOWEST RATE THAT WAS LOCKED.
THE OTHERS WERE GONNA FLOAT FOR SOME PERIOD OF TIME UNTIL WE COULD REACH THE POINT TO LOCK THE RATE.
UM, AND SO WE TOOK THAT INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN WE CAME UP WITH OUR RECOMMENDATION.
ANOTHER THING THAT WE CONSIDERED IS THE PREPAYMENT PROVISIONS.
IT'S A RELATIVELY SHORT LOAN, MAY NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY OR THE NEED, I SHOULDN'T SAY THE OPPORTUNITY, MAY NOT HAVE THE NEED TO RE REFINANCE IT OR PAY IT DOWN EARLY.
BUT WITH BANK OF AMERICA, UM, WE DO HAVE THAT OPTION.
AFTER HALF THE LOAN TERM EXPIRES, WE'RE ABLE TO PREPAY IT WITHOUT ANY PENALTY.
SO THERE IS THAT FLEXIBILITY IF WE NEED IT.
THEY HAD SOMETHING CALLED A MAKE WHOLE CALL, WHICH WOULD IMPOSE A PENALTY FOR ANY EARLY PAY DOWN.
SO NOT ONLY DID BANK OF AMERICA HAVE A VERY COMPETITIVE RATE AND IT WAS FIXED, WASN'T FLOATING FOR A CLOSING BY THE END OF APRIL, THEY HAD SLIGHTLY BETTER PREPAYMENT TERMS SHOULD THAT EVER BE NEEDED.
AND THAT'S WHAT BROUGHT US TO OUR RECOMMENDATION IS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH BANK OF AMERICA.
UM, WE HAVE CLOSED A NUMBER OF LOANS WITH THEM.
THEY ARE A, A FREQUENT BIDDER ON THESE TYPES OF, UM, RFPS.
UM, AND I THINK IT, IT ALL SHOULD GO VERY SMOOTHLY.
SO THAT'S OUR RECOMMENDATION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THEM.
AS I SAID, I THINK WE'RE MOVING TOWARDS THE LOWER END OF THE TWO AMOUNTS THAT WE, UM, THAT WE ASK THE BANKS TO PROPOSE.
AND THAT WILL ALL BE, UH, MEMORIALIZED IN THE RESOLUTION ON APRIL 22ND.
THAT WOULD BE YOUR FINAL CONSIDERATION OF THIS FINANCING.
UM, THE REST OF THIS MEMO GOES INTO MORE DETAIL ABOUT EACH PROPOSAL.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, BUT THEY WERE ALL RELATIVELY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
UH, WE SPENT A DECENT AMOUNT OF TIME GOING THROUGH THAT WITH KIM AND, UH, THE BOND ATTORNEY.
SO WE FEEL VERY GOOD ABOUT THE RECOMMENDATION.
I'M JUST CURIOUS THAT DEALING WITH THAT LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT, UM, SHARING WITH ANOTHER BANK, WHICH, UM, THEY'RE GIVING YOU A BETTER DEAL THAT THEY WILL WANT TO COMPETE WITH THE RATE.
UH, I, I SEE THAT YOU CHOSE BANK OF AMERICA, BUT I JUST THOUGHT MAYBE SHARING WITH THEM WHAT RATE YOU WERE GETTING THAT THEY WOULD WANT TO FLEX AND GO FOR THAT.
I JUST BOUGHT A CAR, AND SO THEY TOLD ME ONE RATE.
SO I SAID, WELL, WHY CAN'T YOU DO WHAT THIS GUY'S DOING? SO THEY SAID, WELL, LET ME LOOK AT IT AND CALL YOU BACK.
I, I DON'T KNOW HOW FAR YOU WENT INTO THIS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST ONE THAT YOU SELECTED THAT YOU FELT GOOD WITH.
BUT, YOU KNOW, HOW HARD DID YOU WORK FOR THIS TO DIG INTO THIS, TO SHARE WITH THEM WHAT YOU WANT? WELL, WE, THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING.
WE PUT A, WE PUT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL TOGETHER THAT LAID OUT ALL OF THE PARTICULARS OF WHAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR, AND THE PROPOSALS WERE DUE ON A DAY AND TIME CERTAIN, SO THEY HAD TO BE TURNED IN BY 11:00 AM ON A PARTICULAR DATE.
AND EVERYBODY SUBMITTED THEIR PROPOSALS BY THAT DEADLINE.
AND WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS THEIR REC, THEIR PROPOSED RATES.
SO IT WAS SORT OF THEIR, IT WAS A COMPETITIVE PROCESS WHERE THEY ALL SUBMITTED A PROPOSAL WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT OTHERS WERE PROPOSING.
AND THESE ARE THE RATES THAT WERE PROVIDED.
BUT YOU STILL THE ONE THAT MADE THE SELECTION, CORRECT.
WELL, OURSELVES IN CONSULTATION WITH FINANCE, LOOKED AT, LOOKED AT ALL OF THE PROPOSALS, LOOKED AT NOT ONLY THE INTEREST RATES, BUT THE OTHER TERMS AND CONDITIONS, CLOSING COSTS, THE ABILITY TO PREPAY THE LOAN, UM, WHAT SORT OF, UM, COLLATERAL REQUIREMENTS THEY WOULD HAVE, HOW DO THEY PERFECT THEIR INTEREST IN THE LOAN AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS TOGETHER, WE CONSIDERED, AND WE, WE COLLECTIVELY CAME UP WITH OUR RECOMMENDATION OF BANK OF AMERICA.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I DON'T THINK YOU, WERE YOU JUST ASKING FOR A MOTION OR A DISCUSSION? YEP.
[01:20:01]
A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE, THE RECOMMENDATION FOR CA UM, BANK OF AMERICA PUBLIC CAPITAL COURT.I HAVE A MOTION BY ALDERMAN PRI OBJECTION, SECOND ALDERMAN A.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ANYTHING ELSE ON ITEM NUMBER 12? NO.
SO WE'RE ALSO GONNA GO INTO THE, UM, GEO BOND DISCUSSION AS WELL, AND THAT, YEAH.
UM, NOT LOOKING FOR ANY ACTION ON THIS.
THIS IS AN UPDATE ON THE GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND REFERENDUM THAT'S BEING DISCUSSED AND PURSUED.
UM, I BELIEVE, UH, WHAT WE HAVE ON THE CALENDAR IS A, IS A SUMMARY LEVEL CALENDAR FOR THE GENERAL OBLIGATION REFERENDUM PROCESS.
THERE IS A MORE DETAILED CALENDAR IN THE BACK THAT WE CAN LOOK AT IF NEEDED, BUT YOURSELVES, US INCLUDED IN CERTAIN MEETINGS.
RIGHT? OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE GEO BONDS, THE PROCESS.
WHAT WOULD BE THE PURPOSE OF THOSE BONDS? PUBLIC SAFETY PARKS AND REC, STORM WATER STREETS, AND SIDEWALKS.
HOW MUCH DO WE WANT TO, UM, ASK THE VOTERS TO CONSIDER? SO WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT THROUGH THE WINTER AND THE SPRING, AND WE ARE GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE THE SCHEDULE, UM, IS COMING TOGETHER SUCH THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE REFERENDUM.
UM, THERE WILL BE A MEETING ON MAY 13TH, YOU ALL HAVE A MEETING.
UM, AND AT THAT POINT, WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, BE PREPARED TO PROVIDE THE DETAILS SURROUNDING THE BOND QUESTIONS AND THE AMOUNTS.
SO THE PURPOSE AND THE AMOUNTS OF THE GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS.
I'M GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.
UM, AND THEN FROM THERE, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF, OF STEPS REQUIRED, UH, TO PUBLISH NOTICES TO THE PUBLIC TO INTERACT WITH THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMISSION IN RALEIGH, UM, ULTIMATELY TO INTERACT WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF ELECTIONS AT CRAVEN COUNTY.
ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE DONE IN ORDER TO POSITION YOURSELVES TO BE READY TO, TO HAVE A REFERENDUM IN THE FALL.
UM, AND SO WE HAVE CERTAIN DEADLINES WE GOTTA HIT.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE COMING UP ON THE, THE FIRST DEADLINE, WHICH IS A MAY MEETING FOR YOU ALL ON THE AMOUNTS THAT YOU WANT ON THE BALLOT, HOW MUCH AND WHAT THE QUESTIONS ARE.
AND, AND GENERALLY, AS I SAID, WHAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IS PARKS AND REC, STORM WATER, AND STREETS AND SIDEWALKS.
REFERENDUM OCCURS IN THE FALL.
IF THE BONDS ARE APPROVED, WE GET OUR FINAL APPROVAL FROM THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMISSION.
THEY, THEY DON'T APPROVE THE REFERENDUM UNTIL AFTER THE VOTE, ASSUMING THAT THE VOTE IS PASSED BY THE, UH, BY THE VOTERS OF THE, OF THE CITY.
AND THEN YOU HAVE A SEVEN YEAR PERIOD OF TIME OVER WHICH TO ISSUE THE DEBT.
SO IF THE VOTERS APPROVE THE BONDS AND THERE'S, THERE'S LIKELY WHAT YOU'RE GONNA SEE, THERE'S LIKELY TO BE THREE QUESTIONS, THREE DIFFERENT QUESTIONS FOR THREE DIFFERENT AMOUNTS AND PURPOSES.
I'LL SHOW YOU THAT IN A MOMENT.
UM, THEY DON'T HAVE TO APPROVE ALL OF THEM.
THEY COULD APPROVE ONE AND NOT, NOT TWO OF 'EM.
EVERY QUESTION WILL STAND ON ITS OWN.
UM, BUT ASSUMING THEY'RE ALL APPROVED, YOU HAVE SEVEN YEARS TO ISSUE THAT DEBT.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO ISSUE IT ALL AT ONCE, FRANKLY, YOU DON'T HAVE TO ISSUE IT AT ALL.
BUT PRESUMABLY YOU WOULD MOVE FORWARD IF THE VOTERS APPROVED IT.
SO THERE'S A SEVEN YEAR DEADLINE, UM, INITIALLY, AND THEN YOU CAN GO TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMISSION AND ASK FOR A THREE YEAR EXTENSION.
SO TYPICALLY THEY WOULD GRANT THAT.
SO AFTER THE VOTE IN THE FALL, YOU HAVE A 10 YEAR WINDOW, INCLUDING THAT THREE YEAR EXTENSION TO ISSUE THE, THE BONDS TO DO THE PROJECTS.
OKAY? SO THAT'S A VERY HIGH LEVEL CALENDAR.
JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A, A VERY HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF YOUR EXISTING DEBT, RIGHT? 'CAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BUILDING ON TOP OF THAT WITH ADDITIONAL DEBT IN THE, IN THE FUTURE, IF THE BONDS ARE APPROVED.
AND YOU CAN SEE GRAPHICALLY ON THE UPPER LEFT, EVERY BAR IS A FISCAL YEAR.
UM, WE'VE GOT LONG TERM DEBT IN THE DARK, GREEN AND SHORTER TERM VEHICLE DEBT IN THE LIGHT GREEN.
UM, AND YOU CAN SEE, YOU KNOW, IT'S STEPPING DOWN IT'S LEVEL.
AND THERE ARE OTHER YEARS WHERE THE ANNUAL PAYMENTS STEP DOWN MORE SIGNIFICANTLY.
IN THE BOTTOM LEFT IS A LITTLE OVER $22 MILLION OF DEBT.
AND THEN ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, YOU CAN SEE THE ANNUAL PAYMENTS DUE UNDER THE LONG TERM DEBT, 2.3 MILLION, 2 MILLION 91, 2 0.3, 2.2, AND SO ON.
AND THE PAYMENTS DUE UNDER THE, UM, THE VEHICLE DEBT.
SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE DOING, AND WHAT WE, WHAT WE'VE BEEN
[01:25:01]
DOING WITH STAFF IS SAYING, THIS IS OUR EXISTING DEBT PROFILE.WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE WHEN WE BRING ON THESE NEW BONDS? IF THEY'RE APPROVED OVER A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME? AND WHAT SORT OF IMPACT IS THERE ON OUR BUDGET AND IN WHAT YEAR MIGHT THAT OCCUR, RIGHT? 'CAUSE WE HAVE TO FOLLOW CERTAIN PROTOCOLS THAT IS IN GEN ARE IN GENERAL STATUTES THAT SAY WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO BE PREPARED TO SHARE WITH THE VOTERS, UM, NOT ONLY THE QUESTION, THE AMOUNT AND THE PURPOSE, BUT WHAT IS THE IMPACT, UM, EXPECTED IMPACT ON THE TAX RATE OF THE CITY.
UH, WHAT IS THE TOTAL DEBT SERVICE PAID OVER THE LIFE OF THE BOND? SO THERE ARE RELATIVELY NEW RULES AND REQUIREMENTS TO PROVIDE ALL OF THAT INFORMATION, UM, TO VOTERS THAT THAT USED TO NOT BE, UM, NECESSARY.
AND I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT THAT AT A PRIOR MEETING.
SO WE'RE STARTING WITH THE EXISTING DATA.
JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU THAT PERSPECTIVE.
IMPORTANTLY ON PAGE FOUR, AND YOU PROBABLY PROBABLY NEED TO LOOK AT YOUR BOOK, UM, WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT THE IMPACT OF DOING THESE GO BONDS, THAT IS WHAT IS THE FINANCIAL IMPACT ON OUR BUDGET, RIGHT? WE'RE GONNA ADD DEBT SERVICE, WE HAVE TO BE PREPARED TO MAKE THE PAYMENTS ON THAT NEW DEBT SERVICE.
HOW MUCH IS IT? AND IN WHAT YEAR WILL IT IMPACT US? WE'RE GONNA START UNDER COLUMN B THERE WITH THE EXISTING LONG-TERM DEBT, RIGHT? THAT IS DEBT THAT'S BEEN ISSUED OVER THE YEARS FOR NON VEHICLE PURPOSES, RIGHT? GENERAL CITY IMPROVEMENTS.
AND ON THIS SLIDE, WE DON'T HAVE ANY NEW DEBT LAYERED IN YET.
IT'S, WE'RE, WE'RE SORT OF BASE CASE.
THE DEBT YOU'VE GOTTA PAY TODAY, FORGET ABOUT THE VEHICLE'S DEBT BECAUSE AS THOSE ROLL OFF, A NEW VEHICLE LOAN COMES ON, IT'S SORT OF A, A ROTATING PROGRAM.
SO UNDER YOUR CURRENT DEBT PROFILE COLUMN E, THAT IS THE PAYMENTS YOU HAVE TO MAKE EACH FISCAL YEAR GOING FORWARD FOR THE DEBT THAT'S ALREADY BEEN ISSUED.
COLUMN F IS THE AMOUNT OF MONEY YOU HAVE IN YOUR BUDGET THIS YEAR, WHICH IS PERFECTLY MATCHED TO THE PAYMENT, RIGHT? SO YOU OWE 2.37 MILLION AND YOU HAVE 2.37 MILLION OF CURRENT YEAR REVENUE IN YOUR FY 25 BUDGET TO PAY FOR THAT.
AND WE'VE ASSUMED THAT YOU CAN MAKE THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY AVAILABLE EVERY YEAR GOING FORWARD.
THAT'S HOW YOU BUDGET, RIGHT? IF YOU'RE APPROVING TWO, YOU'RE FUNDING 2.3 MILLION IN YOUR BUDGET, NOW YOU DO THAT NEXT YEAR THE FOLLOWING YEAR, AND AS A RESULT YOU END UP UNDER COLUMN H WITH SOME SURPLUSES, RIGHT? BECAUSE AS THAT DEBT STEPS DOWN, IF YOU'RE FLAT FUNDING THE, THE REVENUE INTO THE DEBT MODEL EVERY YEAR YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF EXTRA.
AND THAT LITTLE BIT OF EXTRA IS WHAT WE'RE USING TO BEGIN TO HELP PAY FOR THE NEW DEBT THAT WE'RE ABOUT TO DISCUSS.
SO I THINK A COUPLE OF KEY TAKEAWAYS.
YOUR EXISTING DEBT IS PAID FOR IN A SUSTAINABLE FASHION.
WE'RE ASSUMING THAT YOU CAN CONTINUE TO BUDGET THAT AMOUNT EVERY YEAR GOING FORWARD.
AND IF YOU DO THAT UNDER COLUMN H, THERE ARE SOME DOLLARS THAT WOULD BE FREED UP THAT COULD BE APPLIED TO THE NEW PAYMENTS FOR THE, FOR THE GEO BONDS THAT WE'RE GONNA ASK THE VOTERS TO APPROVE.
INTO THE QUESTION ABOUT IS THIS AFFORDABLE? WHAT FINANCIAL IMPACT MIGHT THERE BE IF THIS ALL MOVES FORWARD? ONE, ONE QUESTION.
SO IF FOR EXAMPLE, THIS UPCOMING BUDGET CYCLE, WE APPROVE THE CAPITAL REQUEST FOR POLICE CRUISERS, YOU'RE SHOWING ON THAT OTHER CHART, THAT NUMBER GOING DOWN, BUT ESSENTIALLY WE'RE ALWAYS PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE CLOSE TO THAT AMOUNT EVERY YEAR.
IS THAT BEING FACTORED INTO THIS? WE'RE WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE LETTING THE VEHICLES STAND ON THE ROAD AS, AS IT PAYS DOWN, YOU'RE BACK FILLING WITH A NEW VEHICLE.
UM, AND WE'VE GOT A NUMBER OF PROJECTS LISTED HERE.
THE VERY TOP PROJECT LINE ONE AND THE TABLE IS A FIRE STATION PROJECT ESTIMATED AT $8 MILLION IN FISCAL 26.
THAT IS ACTUALLY NOT PART OF THE REFERENDUM, RIGHT? THE EXPECTATION IS THAT WE'RE GONNA MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT THROUGH DEBT ISSUANCE OF AN INSTALLMENT FINANCING THAT IS A LOAN SECURED BY THE ASSET BY THE BUILDING.
WE, I THINK OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS WE'VE EVOLVED TO WHERE THAT FIRE STATION ISN'T EXPECTED TO BE PART OF THE REFERENDUM.
WE'RE, BUT WE'RE GONNA FUND IT WITH DEBT.
SO WE WANT TO BE MINDFUL OF IT.
THAT'S 8 MILLION EVERYTHING BELOW LINE ONE IS WHERE WE STAND TODAY WITH THE POTENTIAL BOND REFERENDUM, WITH THE FIRST QUESTION BEING PARKS AND REC MADE UP OF THREE PROJECTS ALL IN UNDER COLUMN B.
IT'S ABOUT 8 MILLION, NOT ABOUT, IT'S $8 MILLION THAT WOULD BE PUT FORWARD TO THE VOTERS FOR PARKS AND REC.
[01:30:01]
YOU'LL SEE IS YOU GO TO THE RIGHT, WE'RE PLANNING TO SPACE OUT THE ISSUANCE FOR THIS, RIGHT? IT'S NOT ALL GETTING ISSUED AT ONCE.ONE, BECAUSE YOU MAY NOT BE READY TO ISSUE AT ALL GUNS.
TWO, THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMISSION IN RALEIGH DOES NOT WANT YOU BORROWING MONEY UNTIL YOU HAVE A PROJECT DESIGNED AND BID.
SO YOU, YOU HAVE TO NATURALLY, OFTENTIMES SPACE IT OUT.
BUT THE 8 MILLION FOR PARKS AND REC WOULD BE ISSUED BETWEEN 26, 27 AND 29.
UM, STORM WATER, UH, ONE LINE ITEM, VARIOUS IMPROVEMENTS AND REPLACEMENTS FOR 6 MILLION SPREAD OUT BETWEEN FISCAL YEARS 27 AND 28.
THIS IS ALL THE TIMING AND AMOUNTS IN EACH YEAR IS INFORMED BY, I THINK PRIMARILY THROUGH STAFF, UM, DISCUSSION, PRIORITIZATION, ANALYSIS.
AND THEN LASTLY, STREETS AND SIDEWALKS.
TWO, UM, TWO PROJECTS, IF YOU WILL.
TRENT BOULEVARD OAKS ROAD COMBINED.
IT IS 10 MILLION EXPECTATION THAT THOSE BOTH COULD BE READY FOR FUNDING IN FISCAL 27.
SO APPROVE THE REFERENDUM IN THE FALL OF 25.
UM, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FUNDING THE FIRE STATION IN THE UPCOMING BUDGET, FISCAL 26, IF THE BONDS ARE APPROVED, THE AQUATIC CENTER COULD BE FUNDED IN FY 26.
AND THEN 27, 28 AND 29 IS THE EXPECTED TIMING FOR WHERE THE GEOS WOULD BE ISSUED.
SO YOU GET TO THE VERY BOTTOM, THIS ANALYSIS IS MEASURING THE IMPACT OF THE 8 MILLION OF THE FIRE STATION, NOT VOTED DEBT, INSTALLMENT DEBT, AND THEN WHAT IS CURRENTLY ESTIMATED AT 24 MILLION FOR GEO BONDS.
AND THAT'S 24 MILLION OF GEO BONDS ACROSS THREE QUESTIONS, PARKS AND REC, STORM, WATER, STREETS, AND SIDEWALKS.
JUST, UM, I JUST WANNA MAKE IT CLEAR THAT FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS, NOT THAT WE WERE SAYING WE WERE FUNDING THE FIRE STATION AT Y 26, BUT JUST PICKING A YEAR, BEING CONSERVATIVE AND SEEING WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AS WE ROLL IT OUT, UM, AS WELL AS THE, SO THAT WE CAN SEE THE IMPACT, AND YOU'LL SEE THAT IN THE NEXT SLIDE.
BUT, UM, AS WELL AS THE PLANS FOR, UM, THESE PROJECTS AND PUTTING THEM IN THESE, UH, OVER THE, THE, THE FOLLOWING FOUR YEARS, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT TIED TO THAT.
THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE WE'RE HELD TO.
IT'S JUST A FEE FOR PLANNING PURPOSES AND THINKING ABOUT WHAT THE WORK, WHAT WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE LEADING UP TO THAT AND WHAT FISCAL YEAR WOULD BE PROBABLY MOST APPROPRIATE FOR US TO DRAW DOWN THOSE FUNDS.
BUT AGAIN, WE'RE NOT TIED TO IT, IT'S JUST FOR PURPOSES OF PLANNING AND KIND OF GIVING YOU THE, UM, SHOWING YOU HOW IT'LL IMPACT THE TAX.
I ALSO, I WANNA MAKE A COMMENT ON THE STREETS AND SIDEWALKS.
UH, AS WE DISCUSSED DURING OUR, OUR WORKSHOPS, WE HAVEN'T PICKED SPECIFIC PROJECTS.
WE WERE BASING THAT ON THAT $10 MILLION ON THE, ON THE PAVEMENT CONDITION REPORT ON THE STUDY THAT WAS DONE BACK LAST YEAR.
AND, AND, AND ABSOLUTELY THE, THE EFFORT HERE IS THE BEST ESTIMATES WE HAVE FOR THE TIMING OF THE PROJECTS.
AS I SAID EARLIER, YOU DON'T EVER, EVEN IF THE VOTERS APPROVE IT, YOU DON'T HAVE TO ISSUE THE DEBT, IT WOULD JUST POTENTIALLY EXPIRE.
BUT THIS IS PUTTING A PLAN TOGETHER.
THE REAL TAKEAWAYS ON PAGE SIX, WHICH IS WHAT IS THE EXPECTED IMPACT? BECAUSE THIS IS INFORMATION WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMISSION AND ON THE BALLOT.
UM, AND AGAIN, THAT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT WAS REQUIRED THREE, FOUR YEARS AGO.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT PAGE SIX, LET'S START WITH COLUMN B, WHICH IS THE FIRE STATION.
AND WE WANTED TO ISOLATE EACH OF THESE BY THEMSELVES BECAUSE REMEMBER, IF YOU DO THE REFERENDUM AND THERE'S THREE QUESTIONS THAT ALL THREE OF 'EM DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO PASS TOGETHER, RIGHT? IT CAN BE THIS VERSUS THIS AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
SO WE NEEDED TO LOOK AT 'EM INDIVIDUALLY AND THEN IN THE AGGREGATE.
SO THE FIRE STATION, IF WE WERE TO ISSUE THAT DEBT FOR 8 MILLION, UM, AS I SAID IN FISCAL 26, IF IT SLIDES, IT ONLY HELPS US THE IMPACT.
UM, IN FY 27, AND I'M LOOKING AT LINE 12 OF THIS CHART.
THE FIRST BUDGET THAT YOU ALL WILL WORK ON FOLLOWING THE REFERENDUM WILL BE THE FY 27 BUDGET.
AND THAT WILL BE THE FIRST BUDGET WHERE YOU WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE FOR THIS NEW DEBT SERVICE IF THE REFERENDUM PASSES.
SO WE HAVE, WE HAVE SOLVED ON PAID LINE 12, WHAT IS THE EQUIVALENT TAX IMPACT TO FUND EACH OF THESE BUCKETS OF, OF PROJECTS IF WE DO, UH, UH, IF WE PROVIDE FOR THAT MONEY OR DO THE EQUIVALENT TAX IMPACT
[01:35:01]
IN FY 27.SO THE FIRE STATION IS THE EQUIVALENT OF A PENNY, RIGHT? AND, AND SOMEBODY SAID EARLIER, A PENNY GENERATES ABOUT $530,000 A YEAR.
SO TO TAKE ON THAT FIRE STATION IN A VACUUM BY ITSELF, UM, THE EQUIVALENT OF ONE PENNY OF ADDITIONAL REVENUE BROUGHT INTO OUR DEBT MODEL BEGINNING IN 27 WOULD PAY FOR IT.
BUT AS YOU GO DOWN BELOW, YOU CAN SEE YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO IT ALL AT ONCE.
YOU COULD DO A LITTLE BIT IN 27, A LITTLE BIT IN 28, AND IF YOU DO THAT SORT OF COUPLE YEAR STAGGERED APPROACH, IT WOULD BE THE EQUIVALENT OF ABOUT 1.2 PENS BECAUSE YOU'RE DOING IT OVER TIME AND A LITTLE BIT LATER.
SO LINE 12 IS SORT OF TAKING CARE OF IT ALL AT ONE TIME IN FY 27.
AND IN SOME CASES YOU'RE RAISING THE TAX A LITTLE EARLIER THAN YOU TECHNICALLY NEED IT.
BUT IN DOING SO, YOU'RE ABLE TO, UH, RAISE IT LESS IF YOU'RE RAISING TAXES TO GENERATE THIS REVENUE.
SO FIRE STATION IS A PENANT, PARKS AND REC UNDER COLUMN C.
REMEMBER, WE'RE STAGGERING THAT OVER THREE DIFFERENT POTENTIAL ISSUANCES.
LINE 12, THAT TAKES ABOUT THREE QUARTERS OF A PENNY, 0.75 PENNIES LESS THAN A PENNY FOR PARKS AND REC.
STORMWATER IS ABOUT A HALF A PENNY UNDER COLUMN D 0.49 AND STREETS IS ONE AND A HALF PENNIES.
OKAY? SO WE'VE LOOKED AT THOSE INDIVIDUALLY, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S EVOLVED AS WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS WITH STAFF.
THERE WAS A TIME EARLY ON WHERE WE WERE ASSUMING IF THE BONDS WERE APPROVED BY THE VOTERS, WE'RE GONNA ISSUE IT ALL AT ONCE.
RIGHT OFF THE BAT, THAT WAS LIKE THE MOST CONSERVATIVE WAY WE COULD HAVE DONE IT, RIGHT? YOU, YOU ISSUE ALL OF THAT DEBT IN YEAR ONE AND YOU GOTTA PAY THE DEBT SERVICE ON ALL OF THAT IN YEAR ONE.
WELL, THE REALITY IS, AS WE FINE TUNE THIS, YOU'RE NOT GONNA ISSUE ALL OF THAT DEBT IN YEAR ONE.
AND THAT IS PART OF THE REASON WHY THESE TAX IMPACTS ARE LOWER THAN WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN IN PREVIOUS PRESENTATIONS, RIGHT? OKAY.
SO YOU GO OVER TO THE FAR RIGHT, THE GRAND TOTAL.
THIS IS TAKING EVERYTHING INTO ACCOUNT, THE 8 MILLION FOR THE FIRE PLUS THE 24 MILLION OF GO BONDS FOR A TOTAL OF 32 MILLION OF CAPITAL INVESTMENT OVER, UM, FOUR YEARS, FOUR YEAR PERIOD, FIRE STATION, DEPENDING ON HOW YOU WANT TO LOOK AT IT.
LET'S LOOK AT LINE 12 IS A, A PENNY, THE GOS TOGETHER, 2.75 PENNIES AND ALL OF 'EM TOGETHER, 3.79.
SO JUST UNDER FOUR PENNIES TO DO ALL OF THAT.
IF YOU WERE TO, TO SORT OF COMMIT IF THE BONDS WERE APPROVED AND IF YOU WERE TO COMMIT TO FUNDING THAT NEW LEVEL OF DEBT BEGINNING IN FY 27, AS YOU GO A LITTLE BIT LOWER DOWN, YOU COULD STAGGER IT AND YOU GET TO THAT 4.68 PENNY.
IT JUST, YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO IT ALL AT ONCE.
YOU CAN STAGGER IT OVER A COUPLE OF YEARS, BUT IT'S GONNA TAKE, UH, ABOUT ANOTHER PENNY TO GET THERE.
SO YOU WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A DECISION ABOUT THAT IN THE 27 BUDGET.
AGAIN, NOT TILL AFTER THE REFERENDUM OCCURS THIS FALL.
DO WE WANT TO DO IT ALL AT ONCE? DO WE WANT TO STAGGER IT? UH, BUT THIS WAS INTENDED TO GIVE YOU SOME PERSPECTIVE ON THAT.
I THINK WHEN WE LAST PRESENTED THIS, WE MIGHT HAVE BEEN TALKING A LITTLE OVER SIX POINTS FOR ALL OF THIS, RIGHT? BUT THAT WAS WHERE IT WAS ALL BEING DONE AT ONE TIME UPFRONT.
AND THE STAGGERING OF THAT DEBT ACTUALLY HELPS REDUCE THE OVERALL BURDEN.
I KNOW THAT'S AN AWFUL LOT OF INFORMATION.
THAT'S THE LAST SLIDE I HAVE, BUT I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS IF THERE ARE ANY OR OTHER OBSERVATIONS THAT HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
[13. Presentation by the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee.]
13, PRESENTATION BY THE BIKE AND PED ADVISORY COMMITTEE, MS. REBEL.UM, SO ON, ON BEHALF OF THE NEW BERN BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE, I AM PLEASED TO PRESENT KIND OF A YEAREND REVIEW OF SOME OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT THE COMMITTEE HAS UNDERTAKEN AND ON ON BEHALF OF THE COMMITTEE, THEY WANTED ME TO SHARE THAT THEY HAVE ACTIVELY HELPED, UM, WRITE, DEVELOP, AND APPROVE OF THIS PRESENTATION.
SO, UM, IN 2022, THE CITY OF NEW BERN ADOPTED THE NEW BERN BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN PLAN.
AND AS A REMINDER, THIS PLAN CON CONSISTED OF FIVE SECTIONS.
THE SECTIONS INCLUDED LOOKING AT EXISTING CONDITIONS AND
[01:40:01]
AS WELL AS PREVIOUS PLANNING EFFORTS.WE LOOKED AT, UM, INFRASTRUCTURE RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, ALONG WITH PROGRAM RECOMMENDATIONS, POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS AND IMPLEMENTATION.
THE POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS ARE GOING TO BE LARGELY ADDRESSED WITH THE LAND USE, UM, AMENDMENT THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
AND IMPLEMENTATION IS REALLY FOCUSED ON HOW DO WE IMPLEMENT THIS PLAN SUCH AS IDENTIFYING STAKEHOLDERS, ENGAGEMENT, COORDINATION, EVALUATION, ET CETERA.
SO WHAT DOES EXISTING CONDITIONS MEAN? EXISTING CONDITIONS THAT WE LOOKED AT, WHERE WE BENCHMARKED OR WHERE EXISTING SIDEWALK TRAILS POINTS OF INTEREST AND WHERE ARE PEOPLE GOING? IT IDENTIFIED OPPORTUNITIES FOR NEW IMPROVEMENTS AS WELL AS FILLING IN THOSE SIDEWALK GAPS THAT WE LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT.
UM, AND IDENTIFY CHALLENGES SUCH AS NARROW WIDE OF WAYS, MAYBE OFFSET OR WIDE STREETS, URBAN SPRAWL, ET CETERA.
BUT THE COMMON THEME THAT THIS PLAN HELD IS THAT WALKING AND BIKE AND BICYCLING IS A VIABLE MODE OF TRANSPORTATION FOR THE CITY OF NEW BERN.
THE INFRASTRUCTURE RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, CONSISTED OF FIVE PLANS.
AND THE FIVE PLANS REALLY FOCUS.
THE FIRST ONE IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD GREENWAY AND SIDEWALK GAPS AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD GREENWAYS, AND WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT BOTH THOSE IN JUST A FEW MINUTES.
BUT THE COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR FEASIBILITY STUDY FOCUSED ON PROJECTS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED WITHIN THE LARGER N-C-D-O-T QUARTERS.
HOW DO WE INCORPORATE THESE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THOSE LARGER PROJECTS? WE ALSO LOOKED AT THE EAST COAST GREENWAY FEASIBILITY STUDY, AND THAT WAS IDENTIFYING A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE EAST COAST GREENWAY TO LOOK AT REALIGNING THE EAST COAST GREENWAY, WHICH IS CURRENTLY ON NEW BOULEVARD AND LOOKING AT AN ALTERNATIVE ROUTE.
AND THEN LASTLY, WE LOOKED AT INTERSECTIONS IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
HOW DO WE IMPROVE PEDESTRIAN ACCOMMODATIONS TO INCLUDE ADDING PEDESTRIAN PUSH BUTTONS, UM, CROSSWALKS OR CURB RAMPS? SO THESE TWO PROG THE NEIGHBORHOOD GREENWAYS AND THE SIDEWALK GAPS ALONG WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD GREEN THERE.
THOSE TWO PLANS ARE WHAT WE SPENT THE BETTER PART OF THE LAST YEAR WORKING ON UNDER PROGRAM RECOMMENDATIONS.
IT IDENTIFIED FORMING AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WHICH WE'VE DONE.
IT ALSO DESIGNATED, UH, ASKED US TO WORK TOWARDS DESIGNATING A WALK FRIENDLY COMMUNITY.
AND THAT IS WHERE YOU'RE LOOKING AT A COMMUNITY THAT HAS HIGH PEDESTRIAN, UM, UH, ACTIVITY WITH LOW PEDESTRIAN CRASHES.
UM, AND THAT INCORPORATES, YOU HEAR ABOUT THE FIVE CS WHEN IT COMES TO PEDESTRIAN SAFETY, AND THAT'S REALLY FOCUSED ON EDUCATION ENFORCEMENT, UM, ET CETERA.
UM, IT'S CONTINUED THE, OUR PARTICIPATION FOR THE CITY OF NEWBERG AND THE WATCH FOR ME NNC CAMPAIGN, AND THAT'S THE STATE'S SAFETY INITIATIVE, CONTINUE PARTNERING WITH THE SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL IN PARTS.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO HAVE COMMUNITY EVENTS TO CELEBRATE THOSE PARTNERSHIPS.
AND ALSO EXPLORED IMPLEMENTING NEIGHBORHOOD WAY FINDING AND TRAFFIC CALMING MEASURES WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE, THE COMMITTEE.
THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN ALSO GAVE US RESPONSIBILITIES FOR WHAT THE COMMITTEE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR, AND THAT INCLUDED EVALUATION OF THE PROGRESS OF THE PLAN.
SO WE HAVE SOME ACCOUNTABILITY TO OFFER INPUT TO THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN ASSIST IN EDUCATIONAL AND, UM, AND EVENTS ACTIVITIES.
LAST YEAR MEMBERS PARTICIPATED IN THE CITY OF NEW BERN'S, UM, BIKE RODEO, AND THEY'RE ALSO PARTICIPATING IN ONE THAT'S PLANNED THIS YEAR AND TO HELP CONTINUE BUILDING SUPPORT FOR PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE ISSUES.
AND THEN LASTLY, ADVOCATING FOR LOCAL PROJECT FUNDING.
SO THE, THE BETTER PART OF THE LAST YEAR WE LOOKED, UM, AND SPENT A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME ON THESE TWO PLANS.
SO THE NEIGHBORHOOD GREENWAY, WHAT IS THAT? SO IT'S, IT'S WHAT YOU WOULD THINK AS A NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO THIS IS AN AREA THAT'S TYPICALLY IN A NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT HAS LOWER TRAFFIC VOLUMES, LOWER SPEEDS, IT TYPICALLY, AND MOST OF THEM ALREADY HAVE SIDEWALKS, BUT NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW DO WE MAKE THIS MORE OF A GREENWAY AND THAT CONNECTIVITY.
SO THAT MIGHT LOOK AT PUTTING BIKE LANES ON AN EXISTING ROADWAY.
IT MIGHT BE PAVEMENT MARKINGS, UM, SIGNIFYING A SHARE ROW OR WE'RE SHARING THE ROAD.
IT MIGHT BE INSTALLING SIDEWALK ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD MIGHT INCLUDE WAY FINDING SIGNAGE.
SO THAT FIRST MAP IS LOOKING AT WHERE THE GAPS ARE.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO SUBDUE SOME INFILL.
AND THEN THE OTHER ONE IS LOOKING FOR JUST NEW LOCATIONS.
EACH OF THESE MAPS INCLUDED 16 LOCATIONS THAT WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME LOOKING AT THE LOCATION, UM, THE PRIORITY TO NEIGHBORHOODS AND TO IDENTIFY WHERE THE NEED FOR, WHERE THE KIND OF THE BIGGEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK IF WE WERE GONNA WORK ON PROJECTS.
SO THE WAY WE APPROACHED THIS, THE COMMITTEE LOOKED AND REVIEWED EACH OF THESE PLANS AND THEY IDENTIFIED THE TOP THREE PROJECTS FOR WITHIN EACH OF THESE PLANS.
AND THEN WE TOOK THOSE SIX PROJECTS AND IDENTIFIED THE TOP THREE PRIORITIES.
WHEN THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS REVIEWED AND IDENTIFIED THESE PROJECTS, THEY WERE ONLY LOOKING AT
[01:45:01]
WHAT THE PROJECT IS, IN ESSENCE, THE LINE ON A MAP THEY'RE LOOKING AT FOR THAT CONNECTIVITY.THEY WERE NOT LOOKING AT ANYTHING ELSE.
WE WEREN'T LOOKING AT COST OR ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS OR ISSUES WITH CONSTRUCTABILITY.
IT'S JUST WHERE'S THE GREATEST NEED? AND THOSE THREE PROJECTS THAT ROSE TO THE TOP, NUMBER ONE BEING THE TRENT ROAD SIDE PATH NUMBER TWO IS THE OAKS ROAD SIDEWALK OR SIDE PATH.
AND NUMBER THREE IS THE COUNTRY CLUB ROAD DIET.
THE SIDE PATH IS A, ANOTHER WORD FOR A MULTI-USE PATH.
IT'S TYPICALLY 10 FOOT IN WIDTH AND IT'S, IT'S CONSTRUCTED ON ONE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND ALLOWS FOR BOTH WALKING AND PEDESTRIANS.
THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT LIMITS ARE FROM SIMMONS ROAD TO LOWES BOULEVARD.
SO AS YOU CAN IMAGINE WHEN WE DRIVE OUT THERE, WE KNOW THAT THERE IS SIGNIFICANT ISSUES WITH THIS AREA BECAUSE WE KNOW WE HAVE, THERE'S GOING TO BE RIGHT OF WAY IMPACTS, UTILITY IMPACTS, UM, IN ORDER TO CONSTRUCT THE SIDE PATH WE'RE HAVING TO LOOK AT POTENTIALLY PIPING THE DITCHES.
AND THEN MOST IMPORTANTLY, LOOKING AT THIS AREA LONG TERM IS WE PROBABLY NEED TO LOOK AT ROAD IMPROVEMENTS.
AND SO IF WE'RE GONNA INVEST THIS KIND OF MONEY IN A SIDE PATH, WE NEED TO HOLISTICALLY LOOK AT THE PROJECT.
THE SECOND PRIORITY WAS THE OAKS ROAD SIDEWALK OR SIDE PATH.
AND THIS IS FROM BEACH STREET TO COURT STREET.
THIS WOULD ALLOW A CONNECTING INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, BUT AS WE ALL KNOW, THE RIGHT OF WAY IS LIMITED AND THERE'S SOME ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS.
WE ARE WORKING WITH PUBLIC WORKS WHO, UM, IS GOING TO BE DOING A PROJECT IN THIS AREA, AND THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW HOW WE'RE PARTNERING, LOOKING OR INCORPORATING PEDESTRIAN ACCOMMODATIONS.
SO AS THEY'RE DOING THIS PROJECT AND THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES OR THE NEED TO EXPAND THE RIGHT OF WAY, THEN WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE IT SUCH THAT WE CAN EXPAND IT ENOUGH THAT WE CAN MAYBE GET A SIDEWALK IN THERE.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE COORDINATING THOSE EFFORTS TO SEE IF WE CAN'T GET THIS PROJECT, UM, INCORPORATED WITH THAT LARGER, UM, PUBLIC WORKS PROJECT.
AND LASTLY, THE COUNTRY CLUB ROAD DIET.
THIS PROJECT, WE ALL KNOW WHAT THE ROAD DIET IS, WHERE WE GO FROM FOUR LANES TO TWO LANES WITH A CENTER TURN LANE.
THE LIMITS FOR THIS PROJECT TO, FROM REM STREET TO MCKINLEY AVENUE.
THIS WOULD INCORPORATE OR BUILD UPON SOME IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE ALREADY WITHIN THIS AREA.
I WOULD POINT OUT THOUGH THAT THIS IS AN NC DOT ROAD AND ADDITIONAL COORDINATION WOULD HAVE TO BE DISCUSSED WITH THEM ON THE VIABILITY OF THIS PROJECT.
SO TONIGHT, UM, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT, UM, A SUMMARY OF WHAT THE COMMITTEE HAS WORKED ON, BUT NOW THEY ARE READY TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP.
THEY HAVE EXPRESSED DESIRES TO EXPLORE FUNDRAISING OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK TOWARDS TRYING TO RAISE FUNDS TO WORK TOWARDS IMPLEMENTING SOME OF THESE PROJECTS.
THEY'RE ALSO LOOKING FOR GUIDANCE ON THE NEXT AREA OF FOCUS.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE THEM TO START WORKING ON? UM, AND LASTLY, THEY WOULD LIKE SOME BOARD REPRESENTATION ON THE COMMITTEE AND SO ON THAT, THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR WE DO HAVE MEMBERS FROM THE COMMITTEE THAT ARE HERE AS WELL.
MR. HU, UM, WE WOULD YOU LIKE TO TALK ABOUT AN ANTICIPATED COST FOR THE PROJECTS THAT THE, THE COMMITTEE IS RECOMMENDING? SURE.
UM, SO I KNOW, UM, MR. FOSTER ASKED FOR US TO LOOK AT THE COST ESTIMATE, THE THROUGH N-C-D-O-T, THEY HAVE A COST ESTIMATING TOOL.
UM, AND IN COORDINATION WORKING WITH THAT TOOL, IN DISCUSSIONS WITH, UM, GEORGE TRIALS, WE FELT THAT THE CO COST ESTIMATE WAS, IS NOT SPECIFIC ENOUGH FOR THESE AREAS.
IT'S A GENERAL TOOL TO USE TO GET A KIND OF A, AN IDEA OF HOW MUCH IT COSTS.
BUT GIVEN THE PARAMETERS AND CONSTRAINTS OF THESE PARTICULAR ITEMS, UM, WE DID NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE GIVING YOU A COST ESTIMATE AT THIS TIME.
I'D BE HAPPY TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION.
I'M JUST A LITTLE CAUTIOUS IN GIVING YOU A NUMBER THAT YOU THINK MIGHT BE ATTAINABLE.
I MEAN, I'LL JUST SPEAK AND SAY I THINK THE CHALLENGE IS GONNA BE WITHOUT HAVING SOME SORT OF IDEA.
I MEAN, IS IT A $5 MILLION PROJECT OR A $50 MILLION PROJECT? SO THAT'S THE CHALLENGE I MEANT BECAUSE IF IT'S, IF IT'S WITHIN REASON, UM, I MEANT THE BOARD THEORETICALLY COULD LOOK AT ADDING THIS TO THE GEO BOND THAT THE GENTLEMAN JUST SPOKE ABOUT.
SO, SO YOU MAY REMEMBER DURING THE WORKSHOP WE TALKED ABOUT THESE PROJECTS AND, AND PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR HAD ACTUALLY COME UP WITH SOME ROUGH ESTIMATES ON THE TRENT ROAD PROJECT.
AND GEORGE, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, I BELIEVE THAT THAT WAS NORTH OF $10 MILLION MM-HMM
AND THAT WAS A BALLPARK ESTIMATE WITHOUT ANY HARD FIGURES.
AND SO I THINK THAT, THAT THE OTHER PROJECTS WERE SIGNIFICANT AS WELL, UH, COMING, COMING ALSO WITH RIGHT OF WAY, UH, ACQUISITION ISSUES, ESPECIALLY ON THE OAKS ROAD.
UH, SO THAT, THAT IS ONE REASON WE DID NOT INCLUDE THAT IN THE, UM, THE BOND PROJECT.
THERE WERE JUST TOO MANY UNKNOWNS WITH THE, WITH THE TIMEFRAME THAT WE HAD TO WORK WITH THE BOND.
[01:50:01]
FORD.DOES DOT HAVE ANY POTENTIAL FUNDING PROGRAMS AVAILABLE THAT ANY OF THESE THREE AREAS MIGHT FIT INTO? UM, WE DO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY ON TRENT ROAD.
UM, IT, ALTHOUGH IT IS A, UM, CITY OF NEW BERN ROAD, IT IS ON THE FEDERAL AID ROUTE.
UM, AND SO WE COULDN'T, WE CAN SUBMIT THAT PROJECT THROUGH, UM, STI FUNDING AND WE HAD, THAT WAS OUR PLAN TO DO THAT.
UM, BUT I WOULD BE CAUTIOUS THAT NNC DOT DOES NOT HAVE A, THEY'RE NOT PROJECTING A SURPLUS OF REVENUE, SO I THINK WE'RE NOT GONNA BE VERY SUCCESSFUL IN THE NEXT ROUND OF PRIORITIZATION.
UM, BUT THE OTHER ROADS, UM, THE COUNTRY CLUB ROAD DIET, WE MIGHT BE ABLE, IF IT'S A VIABLE PROJECT.
I, I THINK THE BIGGEST HURDLE THAT WE HAVE KIND OF GOES BACK TO, WE DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THIS PROJECT'S COST.
UM, ONE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE COMMITTEE WAS PERHAPS CONSIDERATION IF WE COULD DO SOME TYPE OF AN ANALYSIS, UM, HIRING A FIRM TO KIND OF DO, UM, UM, A FEASIBILITY, AN ASSESSMENT THAT WOULD GIVE US AN IDEA OF WHAT IS THIS PROJECT FEASIBLE.
UM, EVEN THOUGH WE SAY THAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, FOR INSTANCE THE, UM, ON TRENT ROAD, A SIDE PATH, MAYBE IT'S NOT A SIDE PATH, MAYBE IT'S BIKE LANES.
AND THAT WOULD SIGNIFICANTLY CHANGE THE COST OF THE PROJECT.
UM, SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MAYBE THE, FOR US AS A NEXT STEP IS TO HIRE A FIRM IF, IF THE FUNDING WAS AVAILABLE.
UM, I ALSO ASKED DEANNA DURING OUR CONVERSATIONS IF, IF ANY OF THESE PROJECTS COULD BE PHASED.
DO YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT THAT? SURE.
UM, AND THAT KIND OF GOES BACK TO MY FIRST POINT.
I THINK ANY PROJECT CAN BE PHASED AS LONG AS YOU LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE.
SO FOR INSTANCE, IF WE WANTED TO LOOK AT TRENT ROAD, THAT'S, I WOULD LOOK AT THE LARGER LIMITS OF TRENT, UM, AND THEN FROM A DESIGN FEASIBILITY STUDY.
AND THEN ONCE WE HAVE THE DESIGN, THEN WE CAN, AS PART OF THAT ANALYSIS, LOOK AT THE PHASING OF THE PROJECTS.
IT, IT'S MUCH, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO GO FROM SMALL TO BIG, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT, UM, UTILITY REALIGNMENT, ROAD REALIGNMENT, YOUR DRAINAGE IMPACTS, ET CETERA.
SO, UM, ANY PROJECT CAN BE SCALED, BUT YOU, AS LONG AS YOU KNOW WHAT THE BIG PICTURE IS GOING IN FIRST.
WELL, I THINK EVERYBODY WILL RECALL THIS COMMITTEE WAS, UM, SOMETHING THAT, UH, FORMER ALDERMAN BRISSON WAS PRETTY PASSIONATE ABOUT.
UM, NOW HE IS A SENATOR REPRESENTING OUR AREA.
SO I WOULD MAYBE MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION MAYBE THROUGH DEANNA OR THROUGH THE COMMITTEE, SOMEONE REACH OUT TO HIM AND FIND OUT WHAT FUNDING AT THE STATE LEVEL AVAILABLE.
I KNOW OTTER MCKENZIE YEARS AGO WAS EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING SOME SIDEWALKS ON GLEN BURNIE ROAD.
AND NEW SCHOOL, NEW BOULEVARD AROUND THE SCHOOL.
UM, SO THERE'S SOME FUNDING AVAILABLE THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY THROUGH THE DOT AVENUE.
UM, THAT WOULD BE A RECOMMENDATION THAT I WOULD HAVE, UM, IS TO REACH OUT TO HIM, MAYBE INVITE HIM TO YOUR NEXT MEETING MAYBE, AND GIVE HIM THIS PRESENTATION, UM, AND ASK WHAT, UM, FUNDING RESOURCES HE MAY HAVE AVAILABLE.
UH, AS FAR AS THE, UM, THE NEXT AREA OF FOCUS, YOU KNOW, I WOULD, I WOULD THINK IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO START LOOKING FOR SOME LOW HANGING FRUIT.
THESE ARE SOME GREAT PROJECTS, BUT OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE VERY EXPENSIVE.
SO ARE THERE SOME THAT, UH, ARE LOWER IN COST? I KNOW THAT AT ONE POINT IN TIME WE TALKED ABOUT A GREENWAY AROUND WEST NEWMAN RECREATION CENTER TO CONNECT SOME OF THE COMMUNITIES.
THERE WAS A POWER LINE EASEMENT, IF MY MEMORY SERVES ME CORRECT, UH, THERE WAS SOME OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THAT MAYBE WE COULD LOOK AT TO, YOU KNOW, HELP ACCOMPLISH SOME OF THESE GOALS, BUT, YOU KNOW, DO IT WITH A REALISTIC POCKETBOOK THAT WE HAVE TO WORK WITH.
AND THEN THE LAST ONE ON THE BOARD REPRESENTATION, I'LL LEAD THAT UP TO THE BOARD IF ANYBODY'S INTERESTED IN SERVING ART MCKENZIE.
WE SPOKE ABOUT SIDEWALKS ON, UM, GLEN NEY ROAD FROM ELIZABETH AVENUE TO THE, TO THE BRIDGE.
AND WE WAS MENTIONING THAT THE BRIDGE WAS ONE FOOT SHORT AND THE DOT WAS THINKING ABOUT EXTENDING THAT, AND I THINK THAT WAS THE HOLD UP AND PUTTING SIDEWALKS DOWN TO GO ALL THE WAY TO THE COLLEGE.
SO, UM, CURRENTLY N-C-G-O-T IS DOING, UM, A FEASIBILITY STUDY, UM, LOOKING AT, UM, THE AMHERST SIDE OF GLEN BURNIE.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT THAT INTERSECTION IS, UH, ONE OF THE PROJECTS THROUGH THE NPO THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IMPROVING.
UM, SO WITH THAT, WE WOULD BE ADDING THE SIDEWALK CONNECTIVITY AND THAT'S, THAT WAS IDENTIFIED IN ONE OF THOSE PLANS WHERE WE COORDINATE EFFORTS WITHIN CDOT, BUT IT WOULDN'T BE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE.
SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE LEFT HAND SIDE WHERE AMHERST RUNS? NO, IT WOULD BE ON BOTH SIDES.
THAT, THAT, THAT IS WHAT THEY, THE MPO IS ADVOCATING FOR.
[01:55:03]
STILL TALKED ABOUT WITH THE BRIDGE? IT WAS A, IT WAS A CONVERSATION YEARS AGO.WHEN YOU SAY BRIDGE, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE INTERCHANGE? YES, THE INTERCHANGE, YES.
SO THE INTERCHANGE IS ONE OF THE PROJECTS.
SO THE INTERCHANGE ITSELF, UM, HEIGHT WISE, WHAT USED TO BE TALKED, SINCE WE'RE UPGRADING US 70 TO 42 I 42, RIGHT, RIGHT.
THERE WAS CONVERSATION OR THOUGHTS THAT WITH THE, THAT THE BRIDGE OR THE INTERCHANGE WOULD HAVE TO BE ELEVATED TO MEET THAT DISTANCE.
BUT WE, I HAVE CONFIRMED THAT THEY WERE CREATIVE AND THEY ACTUALLY, UM, MILLED DOWN A LITTLE BIT ON, ON UM, 70.
SO NOW THEY HAVE THE, THE HEIGHT DISTANCE THAT THEY NEED.
SO REALLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR NOW IS HOW DO WE IMPROVE THAT INTERCHANGE WITHOUT HAVING TO DESTROY AND REBUILD.
SO, AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE CURRENTLY DOING.
THAT ONE OF THE ANALYSIS THAT I MENTIONED.
SO THEY GOT IT OUT ACTUALLY BY KNEELING THE HIGHWAY? YES.
THEY, THEY WERE SHORT BY, I MEAN, I THINK IT WAS LESS THAN A HALF AN INCH.
SO THEY, THEY ENDED UP JUST MILLING IT DOWN JUST A LITTLE BIT.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT HAPPENED A SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
ANYONE ELSE? IS ANYONE INTERESTED IN SERVING ON THIS COMMITTEE? UH, WELL, I MEAN, FOR THE BALANCE OF THE YEAR, I'LL PARTICIPATE.
SO CAN I GET A MOTION TO APPOINT ALDERMAN PRILL TO THE VIKING PEDESTRIAN COMMITTEE? SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[Items 14 & 15]
NUMBER 14 AND 15.WE CAN CONSIDER THESE TOGETHER IF YOU WOULD LIKE.
UH, ITEM NUMBER 14 IS CONSIDERED ING RESOLUTION APPROVING THE SALE OF 1120 CHURCH STREET.
AND ITEM NUMBER 15 IS CONSIDERED ADOPTING A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE SALE OF 1125 A QUEEN STREET, MR. HUGHES.
ON THE FIRST ONE IN SEPTEMBER OF 2024, ERICA PLEASANT TENDERED AN OFFER IN THE AMOUNT OF $3,375 FOR THE PURCHASE OF THE PROPERTY IN QUESTION.
THE BID WAS ADVERTISED AND THREE ADDITIONAL BIDS WERE RECEIVED.
DTT CONSTRUCTION LLC SUBMITTED THE FINAL AND HIGHEST BID IN THE AMOUNT OF $4,071 AND 50 CENTS.
THE PROPERTY IS A VACANT 0.087 ACRE RESIDENTIAL LOT THAT WAS ACQUIRED BY THE CITY AND CRAVEN COUNTY IN DECEMBER OF 2014 THROUGH TAX FOR CLOSURE.
IF THE PROPERTY IS SOLD FOR THE HIGHEST BID, THE CITY WILL RECEIVE $1,992 9 CENTS AND THE COUNTY WILL RECEIVE 2070 $9 AND 41 CENTS FROM THE PROCEEDS ON THE SECOND PROPERTY.
ALSO, IN SEPTEMBER OF 2024, ERICA PLEASANT TENDERED AN OFFER IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,350 FOR THE PROPERTY IN QUESTION.
THE BID WAS ADVERTISED AND THREE ADDITIONAL BIDS WERE RECEIVED.
DDT CONSTRUCTION LLC ALSO SUBMITTED THE FINAL AND HIGHEST BID IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,736 25 CENTS.
THAT PROPERTY IS A VACANT, UH, 0.104 ACRE RESIDENTIAL LOT THAT WAS ACQUIRED BY THE CITY AND COUNTY IN DECEMBER OF 2014 THROUGH TAX FORECLOSURE.
IF THE PROPERTY IS SOLD FOR THE HIGHEST BID, THE CITY WILL RECEIVE $424 25 CENTS, AND THE COUNTY WILL RECEIVE $1,312 FROM THE PROCEEDS BOARD.
HAVE QUESTIONS, MAYOR, BUT I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE SALE OF 1120 CHURCH STREET AS WELL AS 1125 A QUEEN STREET.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
UH, ROLL CALL VOTE STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ASTOR.
[16. Appointment( s).]
APPOINTMENTS.WE'VE ALREADY TAKEN CARE OF THE BIKE AND PED.
UM, LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE THREE FOR THE FIREMAN MUSEUM.
ALDERMAN RILL, YOU HAVE ONE ON THE FIREMAN MUSEUM.
ALDERMAN ROYAL AND ALDERMAN ASHER, DOES ANYONE HAVE AN APPOINTMENT? ARE YOU READY TO MAKE TONIGHT? I AM.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE REAPPOINT DAVE FINN TO THE FRIENDS OF THE FIREMAN'S MUSEUM BOARD DIRECTORS.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
AND IS REAPPOINTED, UH, IF I, IF I COULD THE, I I, I MISSED THE PART WHERE ONE OF THOSE APPOINTMENTS WAS A WARD ONE, UH, APPOINTMENT.
UH, WAS THAT INDIVIDUAL ELIGIBLE TO BE REAPPOINTED? UH, YES.
IT'S UM, WHO WAS TO I'M WHO WAS THAT? I'M SORRY.
UH, WELL I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO
[02:00:01]
REAPPOINT MR. BOYD SINCE HE IS ELIGIBLE AND INTERESTED.ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
AND WHILE WE'RE AT IT, YES MA'AM.
MR. JOHN HAM, IF I'M PRONOUNCING HIS NAME RIGHT, IS ELIGIBLE FOR REAPPOINTMENT TO THE, UH, FARMER'S MUSEUM AND I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPOINT HIM SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
[17. Attorney' s Report.]
REPORT, UH, NOTHING'S TO REPORT TONIGHT.[18. City Manager' s Report.]
A FEW ITEMS TO UPDATE YOU ON.FIRST IS ABOUT THE CENSUS ESTIMATES.
SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, WE CHALLENGED THE POPULATION ESTIMATES OF THE US CENSUS FOR 21, 22 AND 23.
THE US CENSUS RECENTLY REVIEWED OUR EVIDENCE AND THEY AGREED WITH US.
THE POPULATION FOR MANEUVERING AS OF JULY 1ST, 2023, IS NOW RECOGNIZED AT 33,578, WHICH IS AN INCREASE OF 1,532 RESIDENTS.
SO WE WANT TO THANK ALICE WILSON FOR ALL HER HARD WORK DURING THAT CHALLENGE.
ALSO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON OPTIMUM.
THEY'RE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF UPGRADING THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE CITYWIDE.
THIS UPGRADE WILL NOT BE AS EXTENSIVE AS WHAT WE SAW WITH METRO NET, BUT THEY WILL BE IN ALL AREAS.
UM, AND SO STAFF HAS BEEN HAVING MEETINGS WITH THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, WHEN THEY COME INTO AN AREA, THE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
ALSO WANT TO CONGRATULATE THE ELECTRIC UTILITY.
THEY RECENTLY RECEIVED THE A PPA DIAMOND LEVEL RELIABLE PUBLIC POWER PROVIDER DESIGNATION THAT BEGINS MAY 1ST AND THAT DESIGNATION IS ACTIVE FOR A CERTAIN NUMBER OF YEARS.
WHEN WE GET THE AWARD, WE'LL OFFICIALLY PRESENT THAT TO THE BOARD AND ALSO THE ELECTRIC UTILITY ALSO RECEIVED THE A PPA SAFETY AWARD OF EXCELLENCE.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO THE ELECTRIC UTILITY ON THAT.
I DO WANT TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON OUR BRICK GRANT.
SO WE RECEIVED NOTIFICATION YESTERDAY THAT FEMA HAS ENDED AND CANCELED THE BUILDING RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE AND COMMUNITIES PROGRAM FOR FISCAL YEARS 20 THROUGH 23.
WE DID RECEIVE A GRANT IN 2022 THAT WAS A PLANNING GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $200,000 FOR THE DUFFY FIELD CANAL PROJECT.
WE'RE CURRENTLY WAITING FOR GUIDANCE FROM OUR CONSULTANT ON WHETHER OR NOT THESE FUNDS WILL, UH, BE AVAILABLE ANY, ANY LONGER.
SO I THINK WE'RE GONNA SEE SEVERAL MORE OF THESE THINGS AS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, UH, STARTS ANALYZING THEIR, THEIR PROGRAMS. UM, AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO ASK GEORGE TO COME UP TO GIVE US AN UPDATE ON THE DUFFY FIELD STORMWATER PROJECT.
GOOD EVENING BOARD MAYOR, UM, S MANAGER HAD REQUEST US PROVIDE Y'ALL AN UPDATE ON THE BEGINNING OF THE DUFFY FIELD, PHASE TWO AND THREE STORMWATER PROJECT.
THIS WILL BE A CULMINATION OF THE PHASE ONE, PHASE TWO, AND PHASE THREE WE ARE CURRENTLY COMPLETING.
PHASE ONE IS COMPLETED OTHER THAN A FEW PUNCH LIST ITEMS. SO WE WILL BE HAVING A RIBBON CUTTING FOR THAT.
THAT WAS THE CONSTRUCTION OF EXPANDING THE WETLAND AT MIDDLE STREET.
NEW WET WELL, WE'VE INSTALLED LARGER PUMPS, BACKUP GENERATORS, AND OVER 2300 LINEAR FEET OF STORMWATER PIPING TO RUN IT TO THE OUTFALL AT JACK SMITH CREEK.
NOW THAT WE HAVE THIS POND ABLE TO ACCEPT MORE WATER, PHASE TWO AND THREE IS GONNA BE BEGIN TO BE IMPLEMENTED.
UM, $2.8 MILLION CONTRACT FOR THIS WORK.
CONTRACTOR HAS GOTTEN A NOTICE TO PROCEED.
THEY'RE STARTING TO PUT IN EROSION SEDIMENTATION CONTROL WITHIN THE AREA AND IT WILL END UP PUTTING SOME CLOSURES ON SOME STREETS.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE, THE DIAGRAM UP THERE, WE'LL HAVE SOME CHANGES TO K STREET, WHICH WILL BE REROUTED AT ABOUT THREE QUARTERS OF THE WAY DOWN THAT BLOCK TO TO BLOOMFIELD.
UM, MIDDLE STREET WILL END UP WITH A DEAD END AND WE'LL PUT SOME KIND OF HAMMERHEAD THERE FOR EMERGENCY VEHICLES TO TURN AROUND.
BY DOING THIS, IT'S GONNA ALLOW US TO CONSTRUCT THREE AND A HALF ACRES OF STORMWATER WETLANDS WITH THE ABILITY TO HOLD A LITTLE MORE THAN 2 MILLION GALLONS OF WATER.
SO IT'LL BE A COLLECTION POINT FOR AN AREA THAT DOES NOT HAVE ANY DRAINAGE TO FACILITATE COLLECTION TO ONE POINT WITH THAT, IT WILL THEN DRAIN TO THE NEW ENLARGED MIDDLE STREETE POND WITH THE FORCE MAIN AND PUMPS TO TAKE IT TO JACK SMITH CREEK.
SO THE CALCULATIONS THAT THE CONSULTANTS HAVE PROVIDED WHEN THEY DESIGNED THIS A FIVE YEAR STORM EVENT IN OUR AREA IS A LITTLE OVER FOUR AND A HALF INCHES OF RAIN IN 24 HOURS THAT NORMALLY WOULD LEAVE WATER IN THOSE AREAS FOR AT LEAST 48 HOURS ON THE STREETS.
[02:05:01]
IN THIS STRANGE BASIN WITH THE PHASE TWO AND THREE IMPLEMENTED, WHAT THEY'VE CALCULATED AND SHOWN THAT IF WE HAD THAT SAME FIVE YEAR STORM, WE'LL BE ABLE TO DRAW THAT WATER TO THE COLLECTION POINT OF THE WETLANDS WITHIN ONE HOUR BECAUSE NOW WE HAVE A COLLECTION SPOT FOR IT.A 10 YEAR STORM, WHICH IS LITTLE 5.3 INCHES RAINING 24 HOURS, IT'LL ONLY TAKE A LITTLE MORE THAN THREE AND A HALF HOURS FOR THAT SYSTEM TO COLLECT THAT WATER.
SO WE'VE, WE'VE FINALLY BEEN ABLE TO CREATE A PLACE TO COLLECT THE WATER THAT HAD NO DRAINAGE FOR HAVING TO UTILIZE A LIFT STATION TO GET IT TO AN OUTLET AT JACK SMITH CREEK.
BUT BY DOING THIS, IT HAS CREATED A PLACE.
IT EVEN FOR IN THE FUTURE FURTHER UP TOWARDS CEDAR, THAT'LL PROVIDE SOME DRAINAGE OUTLET FOR SHOULD WE BE ABLE TO CONNECT SOME MORE DRAINAGE FEATURES IN THOSE AREAS.
SO BEGINNING THIS WEEK, UH, LIKE I SAID, THEY'RE STARTING TO PUT IN EROSION SEDIMENTATION CONTROL.
THEY WILL HAVE SOME SOFT CLOSURES.
WHEN I SAY SOFT, THEY'LL JUST HAVE TEMPORARY DETOURS IN SOME AREAS FOR THE COMING WEEKS, WHILE WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAND OUT, UM, FLYERS TO THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE GONNA BE IMPACTED AND ALSO TO ANY BUSINESSES IN THE AREA.
UM, AVERY SMITH IS WITH ME TONIGHT.
HE'S THE ONE THAT'S USUALLY ON SITE, UM, ON THE DAILY OCCURRENCE INSPECTING FOR ON BEHALF THE CITY AND HE'LL BE THE PERSON THAT THE PUBLIC WILL LIKELY, UM, ENCOUNTER IF THEY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT WHEN WE DO THESE STREET CLOSURES, NO PRIVATE PARCEL OF PROPERTY WILL BE CUT OFF OR DISCONNECTED FROM A PUBLICLY MAINTAIN STREET THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE UTILIZING AREAS THAT, THAT WERE FEMA LOTS OR PRIOR CBO LOTS TO CONSTRUCT THIS.
UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'VE, YOU KNOW, IF, IF THE PUBLIC HAS A QUESTION, THEY CAN CALL PUBLIC WORKS, UM, MYSELF OR AVERY WILL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AND WE'RE GONNA DO AS MUCH OUTREACH IN THE AREA ABOUT THE TRAFFIC CHANGES, UM, AS WE START IMPLEMENTING THOSE.
ONE QUESTION I HAVE HERE FOR YOU IS THAT YOU ARE SAYING THAT THERE'S GONNA BE PERMANENT CLOSURES OF SOME OF THE ROADS.
SO HOW MANY ROADS DO YOU KNOW? IS IT JUST K STREET? UH, K STREET'S GONNA HAVE A LITTLE PIECE WHERE IT USED TO CONNECT TO F SO YOU'LL, YOU'LL TURN RIGHT BACK ONTO BLOOMFIELD.
AND THEN, UM, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE, UH, A PORTION OF FOWLERS WHERE IT USED TO CONNECT TO THE DEAD END PORTION OF B STREET, THAT THAT WILL JUST STOP SHORT WHERE THE LAST PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNER HAS, SO THAT THOSE WILL BE THE BIG, THE BIG IMPACTS.
SO THAT'S, UM, OKAY, SO NOW I'M GOING, I THOUGHT YOU SAID SOME PORTION OF BLOOMFIELD IT WAS GONNA BE IMPACTED? WELL, IT'S, IT'S WHERE BLOOMFIELD TIED INTO K STREET AND THEN K STREET WENT FROM SOUTH TO NORTH.
SO IT'S REALLY JUST THAT INTERSECTION THERE WHERE IT WOULD TIED IN SO THAT INTERSECTIONAL ROMAINE, YOU JUST WON'T BE ABLE TO GO FURTHER NORTH ON K STREET.
SO AT THE END OF BLOOMFIELD STREET, RIGHT HERE AT THE POINT? YES, MA'AM.
THERE'LL BE A TURN RADIUS RIGHT THERE IN THE ROAD.
IT IS NOT GONNA DISCONNECT OR DEAD IN THERE.
SO
SO THIS IS FARTHER DOWN ON THE, ON THE, UM, EAST ROSE SECTION? YES, THIS IS, NO, NO MA'AM.
THIS IS CLOSER TO THE BIDDLE STREET POND.
THE BIDDLE STREET POND? YES MA'AM.
A LITTLE BIT, A LITTLE BIT FURTHER EAST DOWN THE ROAD, WHICH IS RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF, BUT THERE'S BIT EAST ROAD.
YEAH, THERE'S BIDDLE AND THEN YOU GO DOWN, UH, EAST ROAD STREET TO EAST TRO POND.
SO THE, RIGHT NOW I'M LOOKING AT, UM, THREE AREAS HERE AND THESE ARE PONDS.
SOME, SOME WILL HAVE PIPE CROSSINGS AND SOME WILL HAVE A CONSTRUCTED WETLAND.
BUT ALSO IN THE PROCESS OF THIS, IT'S GONNA FACILITATE SOME GREENWAY WALKWAYS THROUGH THE AREA AND THERE'S GONNA BE AN ABUNDANCE OF PLANNING THAT'S RELATED TO THE WETLAND AREAS THAT'LL THRIVE IN THOSE PLACES.
NOW THIS IS ONLY GONNA TAKE CARE OF LIKE THE, LIKE YOU SAID, FOUR INCHES OF HEAVY RAIN WATER, CORRECT? WELL, NO, IT, IT WILL ACCELERATE THAT.
UM, WHAT THAT WAS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF ONE STORM.
SO WHAT IT, THE, THE PUMPS ARE REALLY WHAT ARE GONNA HELP US WHEN WE HAVE A HEAVY, HEAVY RAIN THAT NUISANCE
[02:10:01]
FLOODING IN THE STREETS, IT SITS FOR DAYS AND DAYS, WE'LL BE ABLE TO COLLECT IT IN THAT DRAINAGE AREA.AND THEN PUMP IT DOWN THE FORCE MAIN TO THE OUTLET OF JACK SMITH CREEK.
SO THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO ASK YOU.
SO FROM LOOKING AT THIS DIAGRAM HERE AND UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE UM, BIDDLE STREET POND, RIGHT? YES MA'AM.
THAT WATER GOES DOWN TO THE CANAL, IT GOES IN A FORCE MAIN 2,400 FEET OF PIPE THAT'S UNDERGROUND, THAT GOES AND THEN CROSSES RIGHT UNDER BEFORE YOU GET TO THE CEMETERY AT THE EAST ROSE, UH, LIFT STATION.
AND GOES TOWARDS THE RAILROAD AND DISCHARGES.
I'M AT AND WHAT WAS BEING VIEWED.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? GEORGE? DDI GUESS IT'S THE VILL STREET POND.
A ABSOLUTELY NO PORTION OF THIS DRAINAGE AREA IS ON RAILROAD RIGHT OF WAY? CORRECT.
WE, WE'VE MADE SURE YOU DON'T WANT THE RAILROAD NO.
COMING BACK, KNOCKING ON OUR DOOR SAYING THAT WE OWE THEM MONEY BECAUSE WE'VE DISTURBED A LITTLE SOIL ON THEIR, UH, RIGHT OF WAY.
SO GEORGE, ONCE WE FINISH WITH PHASE TWO AND THREE, THEN YOU HAVE PHASE WHAT, FOUR, FIVE, PHASE FOUR IS WOULD BE THE NEXT PIECE.
AND IT'S NOT FUNDED UNDER THE GRANT THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE AND THAT'S IT.
UM, IMPLEMENTATION OF SOME PARK EQUIPMENT AND BENCHES AND THINGS LIKE THAT THROUGH THE CONSTRUCTED WETLAND.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY, THANK YOU.
UH, JUST A REMINDER, THE CITY OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED ON FRIDAY, APRIL 18TH AND OBSERVANCE OF GOOD FRIDAY FOR THE EASTER HOLIDAY.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE TONIGHT, SIR.
[19. New Business.]
BUSINESS STARTING WITH OUR INVEST.YEAH, I JUST, UM, ALSO WANTED TO THANK, UM, MR. BOUCHARD AND HIS STAFF FOR RECEIVING SUCH TWO SUCH OUTSTANDING, UH, AWARDS FOR THAT DEPARTMENT.
UM, THAT IS, I KNOW THAT ONE OF THE AWARDS WAS THE HIGHEST THAT CAN BE RECEIVED FROM THE AMERICAN PUBLIC POWER ASSOCIATION.
SO THAT IS REALLY OUTSTANDING.
UM, JUST WANT TO SAY THANKS AGAIN TO THEM.
I, I KNOW HE WASN'T HERE TONIGHT, BUT JUST THANK YOU.
UM, YES, IF YOU DON'T MIND, GEORGE, I SHOULD HAVE HAVE CAUGHT YOU BEFORE YOU WALKED AWAY.
CAN YOU GIVE AN UPDATE ON THE WORK ON OLD AIRPORT ROAD NEAR THE NEW SCHOOL, PLEASE? I KNOW YOU SENT ME AN UPDATE DAY BY EMAIL, BUT I WOULD LIKE FOR THE PUBLIC TO HEAR IT.
AND, AND THIS IS THE PORTION OF D UH, DOT ROAD FROM AIRPORT ROAD TO, TO BURN AWAY.
SO FROM FROM OUR CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE LOCAL DOT MAINTENANCE FACILITY, THEY ARE WORKING TO WIDEN THE SHOULDERS ON THAT ROAD PRIOR TO RESURFACING.
SO WHAT YOU SEE NOW IS TREE REMOVAL IF THEY NEED TO RELOCATE ANY DITCHES OR PUSH 'EM OUT JUST A LITTLE BIT FURTHER TO ACCOMMODATE THE WIDENED SHOULDER AND THEN THEY WILL BE RESURFACING THAT ROAD.
AND THERE'S ALSO A PORTION RIGHT BEFORE YOU GET IT TO BURN AWAY, THERE'S A CULVERT THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD PROBLEMS WITH, WITH FLOODING IN TO BURNA THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE UPGRADING THE SIZE OF THAT PIPE.
AND ALSO, UM, YOU MADE COMMENT TO ME EARLIER ABOUT THERE'S GONNA BE A A TIME WHEN THAT ROAD'S GONNA ACTUALLY BE CLOSED.
DO YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL DETAIL ON THAT OR HOW ARE WE GONNA LET THE, UH, RESIDENTS KNOW THAT AND WHEN THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN? I CAN CERTAINLY FIND OUT FROM DOT THAT WOULD BE FOR THE PIPE PIPE INSTALLATION.
SO THEY'LL HAVE TO REMOVE THE EXISTING PIPE AND DROP TWO TWO IN THERE.
SO I CAN FIND THAT INFORMATION OUT AND I CAN GET IT COLLEEN, TO HAVE PUSHED OUT TO EVERYBODY.
AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CLOSED, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT TEMPORARILY OPENING DURING THE DAYTIME OR NIGHTTIME.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT BEING CLOSED RIGHT THERE.
THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THAT THEY COULD HAVE IT, THEY COULD DO PORTIONS OF IT, UM, JUST DEPENDING ON THEIR, THEIR CONSTRUCTION METHOD.
I, I WOULD HOPE FOR A ONE DAY.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT IS, IT IS TRULY UP TO THEM AND THEIR SCHEDULE.
WOULD WE BE ABLE TO PUT THE, UH, SIGN BOARDS OUT IN ADVANCE LETTING THE PUBLIC KNOW THAT THAT ROAD'S GONNA BE CLOSED? CERTAINLY.
I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU DO.
AND, AND JUST TO FOLLOW THAT, THERE'S A SECTION OF CITY ROAD RIGHT AT THE ENTRANCE TO, TO BURN AWAY.
WE ARE ACTUALLY GONNA CONTRACT WITH THE DOT CONTRACTED PAVER AS THEY COME THROUGH WITH THE PAVING ON THEIR, ON THE DOT PORTION TO PAY THE ENTRANCE INTO, TO BURN AWAY.
THAT'S KIND OF DEGRADED BECAUSE OF THE FLOODING ISSUES THERE.
YOU GONNA LET DOT PAY FOR THAT? YEAH, THEY'RE UNFORTUNATELY NOT PAYING FOR THAT ONE.
WE, WE'VE GOTTA PAY FOR THAT ONE.
OR THEY JUST SAVED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF NOT REPLACING THE GLEN BURNIE
[02:15:01]
BRIDGE BECAUSE THE ELEVATION.SO THEY SHOULD HAVE SOME EXTRA MONEY, RIGHT? THAT ALL YOU HAVE, SIR? MM-HMM.
ALDERMAN ROYAL, NOTHING TONIGHT, MAYOR.
ALDERMAN PRILL NOTHING THIS EVENING AND ALDERMAN MCKENZIE DIDN'T MAKE IT BACK.
[20. Closed Session.]
A CLOSE SESSION? YES SIR.WE NEED YOU FOR, FOR, UH, FOR A MOMENT, UM, UH, PURSUANT TO 1 43 3 10 11 A THREE TO MAINTAIN OUR ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE AND PURSUANT TO 1 43 18 11 A FIVE TO DISCUSS THE POTENTIAL ACQUISITION OF REAL PROPERTY.
CAN I GET A MOTION? PLEASE MAKE A MOTION THAT WE, UH, GO INTO CLOSE SESSION.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ANY OPPOSED? WE'RE A CLOSED SESSION.
WILL YOU DO THAT PLEASE? OKAY.
IS THERE ANY MORE BUSINESS COMING BEFORE THE CITY OF NEWBURN TONIGHT? IF NOT, I ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
ALL MCKENZIE AND, UH, A MOTION BY ALDERMAN.
ASK FOR A SECOND BY ALDER MCKENZIE.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.