* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:01] SEPTEMBER. YOU READY? YES, SIR. [1. Meeting opened by Mayor Odham. Prayer Coordinated by Mayor Odham. Pledge of Allegiance.] GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THE MAY 13TH, 2025 NEWIN BOARD OF ALDERMAN MEETING. IF YOU WOULD PLEASE BOW WITH ME FOR A QUICK WORD OF PRAYER. HEAVEN. FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TODAY. WE THANK YOU FOR THE RAIN THAT WAS MUCH NEEDED. WE THANK YOU FOR THE ABILITY TO COME TOGETHER AND DO THE BUSINESS OF YOUR CITY. WE ASK YOU LEAD GOD AND DIRECT OUR WORDS AND OUR ACTIONS TONIGHT. IN YOUR NAME WE PRAY, AMEN. AMEN. YOU PLEASE STAND WITH ME AS A PLEDGE OF EGI TO THE PLEDGE OF OUR COUNTRY PLEDGE PGI FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. MADAM CLERK, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ALDERMAN FRILL. HERE, ALDERMAN ROYAL. HERE. ALDERMAN ASER. HERE. MAYOR ODOM. HERE. ALDER MCKENZIE. HERE. ALDERMAN. BE PRESENT. [3. Approve Agenda.] OKAY. BOARD ITEM NUMBER THREE IS TO APPROVE THE AGENDA. ANY CHANGES YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE, MAYOR, MAKE A MOTION THE, TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED. SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. A. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? OKAY. AGENDA IS [4. Request and Petition of Citizens.] APPROVED. NEXT IS REQUEST AND PETITION OF CITIZENS. MADAM CLERK. THANK YOU. FIRST OFF IS KIM RUM. HELLO, MY NAME IS KIM RUM AND I'M IN BOBBY ASTERS, WARD THREE. I'VE READ THROUGH THE POTENTIAL BOND ISSUE PROPOSALS, AND I FEEL STRONGLY THAT THE ALDERMAN SHOULD APPROVE ALL THREE FOR INCLUSION IN THE OCTOBER BALLOT. BY THE TIME THE CITY MANAGER AND BUDGET OFFICIALS REQUEST A BOND ISSUE, THEY HAVE FEW, IF ANY, OTHER OPTIONS FOR PAYMENT OF ESSENTIAL LONG-TERM IMPROVEMENTS IN THIS CASE. TWO FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND ONE FOR LARGE IMPROVEMENTS FOR OUR PARTS AND REC PROGRAM. IN THE CASE OF INFRASTRUCTURE, YOU DON'T HAVE TO LIVE IN NEW BERN VERY LONG TO NOTICE THE STANDING WATER THAT OCCURS ON SO MANY ROADS AND EVEN THE MOST GENTLE RAINFALL. MUCH LIKE THOSE WE HAD THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS, LET ALONE THE ES WE GET IN THE SUMMERTIME OR HAVE ADE ANOTHER HURRICANE IMPROVE SIDEWALKS AND WALKING PATHS WOULD PROVIDE A MUCH NEEDED UPGRADE IN BOTH SAFETY AND APPEARANCE FOR CITIZENS AND THE VISITORS WE HAVE TO OUR CITY. AS FOR PARKS AND REC, ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT HAS BEEN NOTED RECENTLY IS THE GANG VIOLENCE THAT SEEMS TO BE OCCURRING IN NEW BERN. TO ME, KEEPING OUR YOUNGEST AND MOST VULNERABLE CITIZENS ACTIVE AND ENGAGED IN POSITIVE ACTIVITIES IS VITAL TO THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY AND TO OUR COMMUNITIES. ADDING UPGRADED BALL FIELDS, SWIMMING FACILITIES AND SIMILAR SERVICES SHOULD BE A PRIORITY FOR ALL. WE CANNOT KEEP DEFERRING MAINTENANCE ON EVERY FRONT, INCLUDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. I URGE YOU TO VOTE YES ON INCLUDING ALL THREE BOND ISSUES FOR INCLUSION IN THE OCTOBER BALLOT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT IS JESSE MARS. UH, MY NAME IS JESSE BARNES. I'M THE PRESIDENT OF JUNETEENTH OF NEW BERN. UH, WE JUST COMING TO YOU GUYS TO GIVE YOU, UH, A SYNOPSIS OF WHAT OUR PLANS OFFER THIS YEAR. SPECIMEN, UH, AS YOU MOST OF YOU'LL KNOW, THIS IS OUR THIRD YEAR AS A OFFICIAL CITY SPONSORED EVENT. UH, SO WE JUST WANNA SAY WE ARE GRATEFUL TO YOU GUYS. THANK YOU FOR, FOR PARTNERING WITH JUNETEENTH OF NEWBURN. UM, JUST TO GO OVER A FEW OF OUR EVENTS AND SCHEDULE FOR THIS YEAR, UH, CAN, CAN WE GET A, A HOORAY FOR JUNETEENTH OF WE, WE HAVE AN EXCITING FESTIVAL OR EXCITING, UH, 17 DAYS OF, OF EVENTS FULL THIS YEAR. UM, A FEW OF THOSE EVENTS WILL BE OUR PROMO WEEK, WHICH WILL BE JUNE 9TH THROUGH JUNE 12TH, UH, WHICH WOULD CONSIST OF VARIOUS MEDIA PLATFORMS THAT WE'LL BE USING TO PROMOTE GENE TIN. WHAT WE WEARING, UH, THOSE, THOSE PROMOTIONS WILL BE DONE BY RADIO, TELEVISION AND ALSO PODCASTS. UM, THEN WE HAVE ALSO OUR, UH, BAHAMIAN JOHN CANOE WORKSHOP. UH, WE'LL HAVE DIGNITARIES WHO WILL BE COMING FROM THE BAHAMAS AND DON, UH, WHO WILL BE PARTNERING WITH JUNETEENTH. WE THIS YEAR, UH, DOING A A FEW DIFFERENT TYPES OF EVENTS SUCH AS, UH, FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW JOHN CANOE AS A, A CULTURAL EVENT THAT STEMS FROM AFRICA, BUT ALSO THE VERY FEW PLACES THAT CELEBRATED IN AMERICA WILL BE BAHAMAS, JAMAICA, AND ACTUALLY NORTH CAROLINA. UH, SO THOSE ARE THE THREE MAIN PLACES IN IN THE WORLD, WHICH JOHN CANOE IS STILL CELEBRATED. UM, SO THE, THE DIGNITARY GROUP FROM THE BAHAMAS, THEY'LL [00:05:01] BE COMING, THEY'LL BE DOING A WORKSHOP. THEY'LL BE SHOWING THE IMPORTANCE OF JOHN CANOE. UM, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE OUR JUNETEENTH ART WALK, UH, WHICH WILL BE AT THE CRAVEN ARTS COUNCIL. UH, WE'LL HAVE OUR PARADE FESTIVAL, WHICH WILL BE LOCATED AT ON BROAD STREET AT THE FIVE POINTS INTERSECTION. AND, UH, WE'LL HAVE OUR FIREWORKS SHOW THAT NIGHT. OUR BIG FIREWORK SHOW. OUR BIG FIREWORK SHOW, LIKE WE ALWAYS BE WHAT KEY, OH, ON, I'M SORRY, ON THE 14TH. UM, AND, UH, A FEW DIFFERENT OTHER EVENTS THAT WE'LL HAVE, UH, THAT'LL BE LOCATED, THAT'LL BE WITHIN THOSE 17 DAYS, WE'LL HAVE OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH DAY. UH, WE'LL HAVE A-H-B-C-U-D NINE YOUTH SERVICE DAY. UH, WE'LL HAVE OUR STANLEY WHITE TRIBUTE. UM, ALL OF THESE DAYS FALL CONSECUTIVELY TO EACH OTHER, AND THOSE DAYS ARE STEMMING FROM JUNE 7TH ALL THE WAY TO JUNE 23RD. UH, SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, ISN'T DONE, UH, THROUGH ANY O OTHER ORGANIZATION IN NEW BERN. UH, ONE OF THE LONGEST CELEBRATED ORGANIZA, UH, LONGEST CELEBRATED, UH, FESTIVALS IN NEW BERN. UH, WE THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR SUPPORT. UM, WE HAVE OUR BOXING TOURNAMENT THIS YEAR THAT'LL TAKE PLACE AT WARS BOXING GYM. UM, WE'LL HAVE, UH, A JUNETEENTH OF NEW BERN BONFIRE, WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE ON THE 21ST. UM, ALSO WE HAVE A, A, A SKATE NIGHT THAT'LL HAPPEN AT ROLLER LAND WHERE WE'LL HAVE UP TO 120 KIDS THAT'LL BE ABLE TO COME AND SKATE FOR FREE. UH, SO, UH, IT'S A A BIG CELEBRATION. WE'LL DO SOME AWESOME THINGS. AND ONCE AGAIN, WE THANK YOU GUYS FOR, FOR PARTNERING WITH US, THE MARINES OH, AND, AND THE, THE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT FOR THE MONTFORD POINT MARINES. THAT, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE'LL BE DOING THIS YEAR AS WELL. SO, UH, IT'S, IT'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT'LL TAKE PLACE OVER THESE 17 DAYS. IT'S FREE AND IT'S FREE. , EV EVERYTHING WEBSITE. UH, WE ARE STILL BUILDING EVERYTHING. UH, WE'RE STILL TRYING TO GET A LOT OF OUR FUNDING IN PLACE. UH, WE WE'RE THREE QUARTERS OF THE WAY, UH, TOWARDS OUR FUNDING. UH, OUR WEBSITE IS JUNETEENTH, WELL, IT'S J-O-N-B-N C.ORG. UH, SO IF ANYBODY WANTS TO CONTINUE TO DONATE TOWARDS JUNETEENTH OF NEWBURN, UH, AND, AND SEE THE VALUE OF WHAT WE'RE DOING AS FAR AS CELEBRATING OUR COMMUNITY, UH, JUNE, JUNE 19TH, 1865 IS A, IS A BIG PART OF AMERICAN HISTORY, SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'LL CELEBRATE ALTOGETHER. UH, SO ANYTHING ELSE? GOOD JOB, JESSE AND CREW. ALRIGHT, NEXT IS, UH, CYNTHIA BLAKE. GOOD AFTERNOON. UM, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND SEVERAL OF THE OTTOMAN'S MEETINGS. MY CONCERN IS WITH YOUR SOUND SYSTEM. IT'S VERY HARD TO HEAR AND IT'S KIND OF HARD TO UNDERSTAND WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING. BELIEVE IT OR NOT, TODAY, IT IS NOT TOO BAD SO FAR, BUT I WISH YOU GUYS WOULD WORK WITH, UH, DO SOMETHING TO UPGRADE IT TO MAKE IT SOUND BETTER SO WE CAN HEAR BETTER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT IS COREY HUNTER. WELL, I DON'T NEED TO INTRODUCE MYSELF, BUT I'M CORY HUNTER. I LIVE IN WARD ONE, AND I AM GRATEFUL THAT WE HAVE AN ALDERMAN AND RICK PRILL IS IN THAT POSITION. I KNOW FIRSTHAND. HE WORKS FOR THE GOOD OF THE CITY AND FOR THE GOOD OF THE WARD. I'VE HAD THAT EXPERIENCE WITH HIM AS AN ALDERMAN. HE DEALS WITH MUNICIPAL POLICIES, CITY ORDINANCES, AND HE DEALS WITH CONCERNS FROM CITIZENS IN HIS WARD. HE AND ALL ALDERMAN DEAL WITH LEGISLATIVE FUNCTIONS, BUDGET OVERSIGHT, AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT. THE BOARD'S ALDERMAN IS THE PLACE FOR CITIZENS TO VOICE CONCERNS AND TO GIVE ENCOURAGEMENT. IT SEEMS THAT WARD SIX HAS NOT HAD AN ALDERMAN FOR NEARLY THE PAST 10 MONTHS. IF THAT WARD HAS TO WAIT FOR THE NEXT ELECTION, THEN IT WILL BE NEARLY A YEAR BEFORE A NEW ALDERMAN IS IN PLACE READY TO SERVE. I BELIEVE THAT THIS SITUATION IS NOT ACCEPTABLE, AND AS I SAID, I'M GRATEFUL THAT MY WARD HAS AN ALDERMAN, SPECIFICALLY RICK, SINCE THE ALDERMAN IS THE LENGTH FROM THE PEOPLE OF AWARD TO THE CITY GOVERNMENT, IT IS IMPERATIVE TO HAVE THAT POSITION FILLED, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE IS SOMEBODY WILLING TO SERVE UNTIL THE NEXT ALDERMAN IS ELECTED. [00:10:01] AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. NEXT IS ALDERWOMAN ISHA HARRIS. GOOD AFTERNOON BOARD MAYOR. UM, I'M GONNA SPEAK ON THE BUDGET, BUT I'LL WAIT FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING. THE REASON WHY I'M SPEAKING UNDER PETITION TO CITIZEN IS FOR THE WARD SIX SITUATION. UM, BEING A FOR FORMER ALDERWOMAN AND SITTING ON THE BOARD AND UNDERSTANDING THAT IF THIS SEAT IS AVAILABLE, TECHNICALLY YOU WOULD HAVE A SPECIAL COURT ELECTION AND ONLY WARD SIX INDIVIDUALS WILL VOTE. WHO WOULD SIT IN THAT SEAT? I THINK IT'S, UM, UNACCEPTABLE THAT IT IS, LIKE SHE SAID, 10 MONTHS AND WE DO NOT HAVE ANYONE SITTING IN THAT SEAT. THAT IS A REPRESENTATION OF EVERYBODY ON THIS BOARD. AND THAT'S A PROBLEM FOR THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. WE DON'T HAVE FULL ACCESS TO OPINIONS BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE SOMEONE SITTING IN THAT SEAT. REGARDLESS OF HOW ANYBODY LEANS, WE NEED TO KNOW THAT WHEN WE SAT IN THEM SEATS, WARD ONE, WARD TWO, WARD THREE, THE MAYOR IN WARD FOUR OR FIVE COULD NOT SPEAK FOR WARD SIX. WHEN IT COMES TO BEING ELECTED, WHEN YOU VOTE IN OCTOBER 7TH, ONLY WARD SIX INDIVIDUALS CAN VOTE FOR WARD SIX. EVERYBODY GETS TO VOTE FOR THE MAYOR. WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT AS A COMMUNITY, AS A CITY, THAT WHAT IS HAPPENING TOWARDS SIX IS NOT RIGHT AND IT NEEDS TO BE RECTIFIED. WAY BEFORE WE GET TO OCTOBER 7TH ELECTION, THERE IS THINGS GOING ON. HURRICANE SEASONS, THE BUDGET BEING PASSED, WE NEED SEVEN VOICES TO SPEAK FOR THE ENTIRE CITY. THANK YOU. NEXT IS CAROL KARSKI. VERY GOOD. I'M GETTING BETTER AT IT. I THINK GETTING BETTER. IT'S A TWO A CAR AND A SKI. RIGHT. MY NAME IS CAROL KARSKI. I LIVE ON PINE VALLEY DRIVE. I AM HERE TO ASK THAT DARLENE BROWN BE PUT IN TEMPORARILY SO THAT WE CAN HAVE ALDERMAN REPRESENTATION ON THIS BOARD. SHE IS A, SHE IS A VERY QUALIFIED INDIVIDUAL. SHE'S WAS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF PARTNERS IN EDUCATION FOR 12 AND A HALF YEARS FOR THE CRAVEN COUNTY SCHOOLS COORDINATING BETWEEN, UM, Z SMITH REYNOLDS FOUNDATION, BSH, THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, THE BATE FOUNDATION. SHE'S VERY WELL QUALIFIED. SHE WAS THE DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AT OUR LOCAL CHAMBER FOR FIVE YEARS. SHE HAS BEEN INVOLVED JUST RECENTLY WITH THE DUKE CENTER INSTITUTE FOR CANCER IN THEIR FUNDRAISING. SHE HAS BEEN ON MANY BOARDS THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY AND IS VERY QUALIFIED TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING. I WORKED WITH HER ON OUR FIRST CHRISTMAS VENTURE. I WAS THE, I AM THE RETIRED EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ARTS COUNCIL, AND WE STARTED THE DOWNTOWN CHRISTMAS WITH THE DICKENS OF A CHRISTMAS. AND JANET FRANK AND MYSELF PAINTED 30 SOME PANELS TO SHOW IN ALL THE STORES DOWNTOWN SO PEOPLE COULD START A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS SHOPPING DOWNTOWN. AND THAT WAS PARTLY BECAUSE OF DARLENE ORGANIZING IT THROUGH THE CHAMBER. SHE'S A VERY ACTIVE AND CARING PERSON IN OUR COMMUNITY. SHE WAS ON PUBLIC RADIO EAST AS A VICE CHAIR. SHE SERVED ON THE SWISS BEAR AND COASTAL WOMEN'S FORUM. SHE IS QUALIFIED TO BE WARD SIX ALDERMAN. WE NEED HER. AND I ALSO AGREE WE NEED AN ALDERMAN DURING THE HURRICANE SEASON THAT WE CAN MAKE CONTACT WITH. I REQUEST A MOTION TO BE MADE TO APPOINT DARLENE BROWN TO THE VACANT SEAT OF WARD SIX. THANK YOU. NEXT IS MARK PENNETT. HI, MY NAME IS MARK PINETTE AND I'M A RESIDENT OF WARD SIX. I LIVE IN THE GREENBRIAR NEIGHBORHOOD. THERE'S A BIT OF A THEME GOING ON HERE. UM, MY COMPANION AND I HAVE LIVED HERE ALMOST THREE YEARS, AND FOR A THIRD OF THAT TIME, WE'VE NOT HAD AN ALDERMAN REPRESENTING US. SO [00:15:01] AS PUBLIC SERVANTS, YOU ALL GIVE OF YOUR TIME AND ENERGY IN ORDER FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO BE EFFECTIVE. AND ME AND EVERYBODY APPRECIATE THAT. UM, AND BECAUSE YOU SERVE, I MUST ASSUME YOU'RE ALL BELIEVERS IN GOOD GOVERNMENT. SO GOOD GOVERNMENT TO ME AND TO MANY OF MY NEIGHBORS MEANS HAVING PROPER REPRESENTATION AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. NOT HAVING WARD SIX ALDERMAN THEREFORE DEPRIVES US OF THE SAME REPRESENTATION AS THE RESIDENTS OF THE OTHER FIVE WARDS. AND TO ME, IT'S NOT AN EXAMPLE OF GOOD GOVERNMENT. SO LET'S FIX IT TONIGHT. WE'VE SPOKEN WITH MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORS IN WARD SIX AND HAVE GATHERED 175 SIGNATURES ON THIS PETITION REQUESTING THE BOARD APPOINT DARLENE BROWN AS THE WARD SIX ALDERMAN TO FINISH OUT THE CURRENT TERM. SO AGAIN, AS BELIEVERS IN GOOD GOVERNMENT, I ASK ON BEHALF OF MY NEIGHBORS AND 175 PEOPLE WHO HAVE SIGNED THIS PETITION, THAT A MOTION BE MADE AND SECONDED TONIGHT TO APPOINT DARLENE BROWN AS WARD SIX ALDERMAN. AND TO ME THERE'S A NOT A REASON NOT TO DO THIS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT UP IS THOMAS PRIEST JR. UM, GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS THOMAS H PRIEST JR. I'M A RESIDENT OF NEW BERN WARD SIX. I LIVE ON PINE VALLEY DRIVE. I COME HERE BEFORE YOU TO VOICE MY OPPOSITION AND DISPLEASURE AND DISAPPOINTMENT THAT IT IS FAR AS IN THIS DIVERSE, UH, COMMUNITY. I COME HERE AND I FIND THAT I ENCOUNTER AT THE FIRST LEVEL OF A GOVERNING BODY INJUSTICE. MY ANCESTORS HAS FOUGHT AND DIED AND BLED FOR JUSTICE FOR THE RIGHT TO VOTE, TO FIGHT THE RIGHT TO BE REPRESENTED FAIRLY AND EQUALLY. AND WHEN I HAVE HEARD OF THIS UNATTENDED AND VACANCY, I AM MORE THAN APPALLED BY THIS. REVEREND DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING SAID TO US, AND MANY OF YOU HAVE ATTENDED AN ANNUAL MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR CELEBRATION, AMEN. AND IN THAT YOU ATTENDED, I, UM, ASSUME THAT YOU SUPPORT HIM AND AGREE WITH HIM AND PARTICIPATE IN HIS. WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? AT THE LAST, UM, CELEBRATION WE HAD, UM, I MENTIONED ABOUT A REPORT CARD THAT WE'RE GOING TO START ACKNOWLEDGING KING DIDN'T WANT US TO COME HERE AND TO JUST CELEBRATE HIS BIRTHDAY AND SAID HE WAS A GREAT PERSON. KING WANTED US TO CONTINUE THE WORK. HE PASSED THE BATON TO US TO CONTINUE THE WORK, AND WE HAVE YET TO HAVE A REPORT CARD. I MUST SHARE WITH YOU THAT THIS NEXT CELEBRATION OF KING, THIS VACANCY OF UNFAIR REPRESENTATION AND NO REPRESENTATION FOR CITIZENS OF A DIVERSE COMMUNITY IS UNACCEPTABLE. I PLAN TO SHARE THAT AS PART OF THE REPORT CARD ON THINGS WE NEED TO DO TO CONTINUE THE WORK OF KING, THAT ONE DAY WE MAY LIVE IN THE BELOVED COMMUNITY. AMEN. NEXT IS ETHAN GASKINS. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. UH, MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, UH, MY NAME'S ETHAN GASKINS. I LIVE IN WARD SIX, UH, IN CYPRESS SHORES. JUST DOWN THE STREET FROM YOU, MR. MAYOR. UH, YOU GUYS HAVE HEARD, UM, FROM OTHERS ALREADY ABOUT WHY DARLENE BROWN IS THE RIGHT PERSON TO FILL THE VACANT WARD SIX SEAT. I'M NOT GONNA REPEAT WHAT THEY'VE, UH, WHAT THEY'VE ALREADY SAID. I'LL JUST SAY THIS. WE'RE WAY TOO FAR INTO A VACANCY. UH, THAT'S LEFT THOUSANDS OF US IN WARD SIX WITHOUT A DIRECT VOICE. UH, THAT'S NOT JUST A PROCEDURAL ISSUE. UH, THAT'S LITERALLY WE'RE PAYING TAXES. THAT'S TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION. FOR WARD SIX. UH, AS A YOUNGER RESIDENT, I WANT BUILD MY LIFE HERE IN NEW BERN. UH, SPECIFICALLY IN WARD SIX. UH, I WANT IT TO BE A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE MY AGE CAN AFFORD A HOME, START A BUSINESS, UH, FEEL LIKE WE BELONG IN A CIVIC CONVERSATION. UH, BUT IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE IN A, UH, IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE IN A SYSTEM THAT LETS, UH, SEAT SIT EMPTY FOR AS LONG AS THIS ONE HAS. WHEN YOUNG PEOPLE SEE THAT KIND OF DISENGAGEMENT, UH, AT THE TOP, [00:20:01] IT PUSHES US AWAY FROM PUBLIC SERVICE, FROM LOCAL INVESTMENT, AND FROM PUTTING DOWN ROOTS, UH, WE START TO LOOK ELSEWHERE AT CITIES THAT ARE LISTENING, ACTING, AND INCLUDING US IN THE PROCESS THAT HURTS NEWBURN NOT JUST TODAY, BUT IN THE LONG RUN. WE CAN'T AFFORD TO LOSE ANOTHER GENERATION OF ENGAGED CITIZENS JUST BECAUSE WE'RE FAILING TO ACT ON ISSUES LIKE THIS AT THE LOCAL GRASSROOTS LEVEL. WE NEED A GOVERNMENT THAT WORKS AND THAT INCLUDES EVERY WARD HAVING A SEAT AT THE TABLE. SO TONIGHT, I RESPECTFULLY ASK THE BOARD TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT, MAKE THE MOTION, FILL THE SEAT, UH, RESTORE WARD SIX'S VOICE. SHOW US THAT THE CITY BELIEVES AN EQUAL REPRESENTATION FOR EVERY RESIDENT ON EVERY STREET. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK NEXT IS SUSAN NEITZ. HELLO MAYOR AND BOARD OF ALDERMAN. I'M NOT IN WARD SIX, I'M ACTUALLY IN WARD ONE. I'M HERE ON A TOTALLY DIFFERENT MISSION, AND THAT IS TO SHARE WITH YOU THAT MY ROLE AT CRAVEN COMMUNITY COLLEGE IS TO INSTRUCT FOLKS TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR LIVES. AND I'VE BEEN DOING THAT FOR SIX YEARS AS A JOB READINESS BOOTCAMP INSTRUCTOR OVER THERE AT THE RCS BUILDING. AND WE INSTRUCT PEOPLE HOW TO FIND JOBS AND BECOME SUCCESSFUL WITH CREATING RESUMES AND BUILDING, UM, OR MOCK INTERVIEWS AND THINGS OF THAT SORT. WHAT I FOUND AT THE END OF THE TWO WEEKS AFTER ALL THESE YEARS AS THERE'S SOME FOLKS THAT GO OUT AND THEY DO FIND A JOB, BUT THEY MAY BECOME DISENGAGED IN THAT JOB AT THAT TIME, OVER A FEW WEEKS OR A FEW MONTHS OF GETTING A PAYCHECK. IT'S LIKE, ALRIGHT, SO WHY, WHY AM I IN THIS POSITION? AND THEN MAYBE THEY JUST DON'T GO ANYMORE. SO THEY HAVE DIFFERENT THOUGHTS ABOUT REALLY WHAT TO DO ON A JOB ONCE THEY ARE HIRED. SO I WENT AND RESEARCHED THIS AND BECAME A GOLD CERTIFIED. IT WAS CALLED THE ICE HOUSE ENTREPRENEUR MINDSET PROGRAM. AND I INSTRUCT THAT ON AT THE VAULT CENTER MONDAY AND THURSDAY EVENINGS. AND AT THIS TIME, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU, WE TEACH FOLKS HOW TO MAKE GOOD CHOICES, TO LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO TAKE ACTION AND GAIN KNOWLEDGE IN HOW TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR LIVES. NOT JUST THROUGH A JOB, BUT THROUGH HOPEFULLY A CAREER, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH THE BOLT CENTER OR SOME COMMUNITY COLLEGE, UH, CLASSES THAT THEY WANT TO TAKE OR A DEGREE, BUT TO FIND OUT THAT THERE'S JUST NOT ONE PATH, AND THAT IS FIND A JOB AND GET A PAYCHECK. BUT TO BECOME A FULLY, FULLY ENGAGED IN WHAT THEY ARE DOING AND WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR IN THESE OPPORTUNITIES THAT MAY COME UP. BECAUSE AS WE KNOW, THE WORLD IS CHANGING REALLY RAPIDLY. JOBS ARE GOING TO GO AWAY, NEW JOBS ARE GONNA POP UP. PEOPLE NEED TO JUST BE PREPARED TO LOOK FOR THESE OPPORTUNITIES. WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW IS THE COURSE IS GOING ON, BUT LESS AND LESS PEOPLE ARE ATTENDING. AND I'M FEARFUL THAT IT'S JUST NOT GOING TO KEEP ON BEING HELD. SO I ASK FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE AND MAYBE GETTING THE WORD OUT. IT'S CALLED TAKING CHARGE OF YOUR LIFE. AND THE COURSE AGAIN, THIS AT THE VAULT CENTER CALLED TAKING CHARGE OF YOUR LIFE. AND ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO REACH OUT TO THE VAULT CENTER, IT'S CALLED TAKING CHARGE OF YOUR LIFE. AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME TODAY AND THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. NEXT IS HELEN ROBINSON. GOOD EVENING BOARD. GOOD EVENING. I'M HELEN ROBINSON AND I LIVE AT 1906 CAYENNE COURT, AND THAT IS IN WARD SIX. SO I'M HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE WE'VE GONE MORE THAN NINE MONTHS, AS YOU ALREADY KNOW, WITHOUT REPRESENTATION, THE EMPTY SEAT UP THERE. UM, AND UNLESS YOU TAKE ACTION NOW, IT'S VERY LIKELY THAT THAT SEAT WILL REMAIN EMPTY FOR ANOTHER EIGHT MONTHS. Y'ALL, IT'S REALLY WAY PAST TIME TO DEAL WITH THIS. IT'S WAY PAST TIME YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD A, A GOOD RESUME OF DARLENE BROWN. AND, AND THAT'S WHO I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF. SHE'S EXPERIENCED, SHE'S SKILLED, SHE'S PRINCIPAL, AND SHE'S READY TO WORK TONIGHT. YOU'VE HEARD A LOT OF PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT THIS AND YOU JUST HEARD, I THINK BRENDA JUST RECEIVED THE DOCUMENTS WITH 175 SIGNATURES. A LOT OF US HAVE BEEN BUSY TALKING TO OUR NEIGHBORS OVER THE PAST 10 DAYS. YOU MIGHT ALSO NOTICE THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE WEARING HATS THAT SAY, NUMBER SIX, [00:25:01] THESE ARE OUR FRIENDS THAT ARE HERE TONIGHT. HOPE YOU DON'T MISS THAT. SO WE URGE YOU TONIGHT TO COME TOGETHER AS A BOARD. COME ON, LET'S PASS A MOTION TO APPOINT DARLENE BROWN TO FILL THE EMPTY SEAT TOWARDS WARD SIX. I'M GONNA URGE YOU TO VOTE UNANIMOUSLY TONIGHT AS A BOARD FOR THIS MOTION UNANIMOUSLY TONIGHT. YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO SHOW THESE CITIZENS HERE AND ALL THE ONES THAT ARE GONNA WATCH THIS VIDEO, THAT YOU LISTEN TO PEOPLE AND THAT YOU HAVE THE DESIRE AND THE SKILL TO SOLVE HARD PROBLEMS TONIGHT. YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO SHINE. SO LET'S GET THIS SOLVED TONIGHT. THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES COMING BEFORE THE CITY. LET'S SOLVE THIS ONE AND MOVE ON. THANK YOU. NEXT UP IS LANEY WHITE MAYOR, UM, BOARD OF ALDERMAN. GOOD EVENING. UM, I AM HERE IN SUPPORT OF WARD SIX, EVEN THOUGH I AM IN WARD FOUR. I REALLY APPRECIATE HAVING REPRESENTATION AND, UM, ALL THE COMMUNITY COMING TOGETHER TONIGHT. I HOPE YOU GUYS ARE PROUD OF US, UM, BECAUSE WE, WE'VE WORKED REALLY HARD AND WE REALLY HOPE THAT WARD SIX CAN HAVE REPRESENTATION JUST LIKE THE REST OF US DO. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. NEXT IS CHRISTOPHER WHITE. UH, GOOD AFTERNOON BOARD. UH, MY CONCERN IS A FEW WEEKS AGO, UH, GREG MURPHY OR A LOT OF CONCERNED CITIZENS SPOKE ABOUT THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT THE VISIT, UH, WITH UH, GREG MURPHY. AND I WAS WANTING TO KNOW IF THE BOARD HAS MADE ANY EFFORTS TO REACH OUT TO GREG MURPHY TO HAVE HIM REVISIT NEW VERN AND SPEAK TO CONCERNED CITIZENS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY, BOARD, [Consent Agenda] UH, NEXT UP IS THE CONSENT AGENDA. WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD ON ITEMS FIVE THROUGH 12? I HAVE A QUESTION. I DUNNO IF YOU NEED THE MOTION FIRST OR YOU WANT ME TO DISCUSS? UH, WE CAN DISCUSS FIRST, SIR. OKAY. I'M LOOKING AT ITEM NUMBER NINE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, ADOPTING A RESOLUTION, CALLING FOR A PUBLIC HEARING. I WAS LOOKING AT THE AGENDA PACKET AND IT READS THAT THE AMENDED AMENDMENT WAS REQUESTED BY A CITIZEN AND IS SUPPORTED BY THE STAFF. I'D LIKE TO ASK HOW DID THAT CITIZEN ARRIVE AT ASKING, UM, FOR THIS AMENDMENT, MR. MANAGER? UH, I'D LIKE TO ASK ROBERT GOFF OR JESSICA ROO WITH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES TO COME UP AND THEY CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION. THOSE ITEM NUMBER NUMBER NINE? YES, SIR. OKAY. THANK YOU. EVENING MAYOR AND THE BOARD. SO THIS PARTICULAR TEXT ITEM CAME ABOUT BECAUSE, UH, SOMEONE FROM THE PUBLIC WANTED TO TAKE A PIECE OF LAND THAT HAD, UM, PLANS FOR SIX HOMES ON A LOT. UH, AND CURRENTLY WITH OUR PROCESSES THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED TO GO THROUGH A MAJOR SUBDIVISION PROCESS. UM, BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF LOTS THAT HE NEEDS, WHICH IS SIX, WE COULD NOT PUT IT THROUGH THE MINOR SUBDIVISION PROCESS, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT MORE ABBREVIATED, BUT STILL CONSIDERS ALL OF THE THINGS IN REVIEW FROM ALL THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS. SO WHEN THEY PRESENTED US WITH THIS ISSUE AND THEY CAME UP WITH THE IDEA OF AMENDING IT TO CHANGE THE LOTS FROM FOUR LOTS TO SIX LOTS, UM, WE TOOK IT TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD AND THEY SUPPORTED IT. THE CAVEAT TO THAT WAS THEY WANTED TO HAVE A LIMIT ON THE SIZE OF LAND THAT COULD BE SUBDIVIDED. CURRENTLY IT'S FIVE ACRES. THE PROPOSAL WOULD BE SIX. AND I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED INFORMATION AS TO HOW THE CITIZEN ARRIVED AT MEETING THE AMENDMENT. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. MM-HMM . ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? MAYOR, HEARING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS. I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. SECOND, HAVE A MOTION A SECOND. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN RILL. [00:30:01] ALDERMAN FRILL. YES. ALDERMAN ROYAL. YES. ALDERMAN ESTHER? YES. ALDERMAN KENZIE. YES. ALDERMAN BEST? YES. MAYOR ODOM. YES. MOTION CARRIES. NEXT IS [13. Recognition of New Bern 101 Graduates.] ITEM NUMBER 13, RECOGNITION OF NEWBURN 1 0 1 GRADUATES. MR. HUGHES. MAYOR ALDERMAN. SINCE 2021, WE HAVE BEEN OFFERING THE NEW BERN 1 0 1 PROGRAM. AND IN THAT TIME WE'VE HAD OVER 120 GRADUATES. AND THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS CITIZENS OF THE CITY OF NEW BERN TO LEARN MORE ABOUT LOCAL GOVERNMENT. SO IT'S, UM, ALMOST A NINE OR 10 WEEK PROGRAM WHERE CITIZENS COME IN, THEY LEARN ABOUT ADMINISTRATION, ALL OF THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS, THEY'RE ABLE TO, UH, HAVE HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES. THEY'RE ABLE TO MEET WITH SOME OF THE GOVERNING BOARD AS WELL DURING THAT PERIOD. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING WHAT SOME OF THE GRADUATES TONIGHT HAVE TO SAY. BUT, BUT WE THINK IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR ANYONE THAT WANTS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO GET INVOLVED. UH, OUR NEXT SESSION OF THIS WILL BE OFFERED NEXT SPRING. WE WON'T DO ONE THIS FALL. SO, UM, COLLEEN, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU. GOOD EVENING MAYOR. BOARD OF ALDERMAN WEEK NINE OF THIS PROGRAM CONCLUDES TONIGHT IN WHICH THE PARTICIPANTS GET A LOOK AT LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN ACTION AND THE PASSION OF FOLKS WHO COME BEFORE YOU UNDER REQUEST AND PETITION OF CITIZENS, UH, AND OTHER ISSUES. I'M DELIGHTED TO INTRODUCE YOU TO THE 16 PEOPLE WHO ARE GRADUATING THE PROGRAM TONIGHT. SOME WHO HAVE MADE UP CLASSES FROM PREVIOUS SEASONS AND SOME WHO HAVE BEEN WITH US THE LAST NINE WEEKS. I TOLD THEM LAST WEEK ON THE BUS AS WE WENT TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THEY WERE ONE OF THE MOST INQUISITIVE GROUPS WE'D EVER HAD. SO I'D LOVE IT IF YOU WOULD COME DOWN OFF THE DAIS AND SHAKE THEIR HANDS AS WE CALL THEM UP ONE BY ONE AND GRADUATES. AS A REMINDER, WE'LL CALL YOU UP AGAIN AT THE END AS A GROUP TO TAKE A BIG GROUP PHOTO. ONCE WE CALL YOU UP. WE'LL HAVE YOU START AT THE RIGHT WITH THE CITY MANAGER, MR. DEANS. ALL RIGHT. BROOKLYN BECTON. YOU, RUSS BUR DIANA BRADY. THANK YOU. CARRIE KAVA. HOPE GARZA. ROBIN HAGLER. OKAY. CHIP AND KATHY HARTZEL. THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. WE RECENTLY MOVED INTO [00:35:01] THE, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING, YES. WILLIAM IMES. BEN LINDEMAN. CONGRATULATIONS. KEVIN AND DIANE PHILLIPS. CONGRATULATIONS. CONGRATULATIONS. MARY ROBINSON, BRUCE AND JEAN WRIGHT. YES. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, CARRIE ZALO. I AM USED TO IT. ALL RIGHT. DON'T SIT DOWN, CARRIE. ALL THE GRADUATES COME. STAND AMONGST THE BOARD AND WE'LL TAKE A PHOTO. YOU EVERYBODY'S CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN. DON'T THE, I WAS GONNA TAKE [00:40:01] THE NO HE DIDN'T. OKAY. NOW WHAT, UH, YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING [14. Conduct Public Hearing on the Proposed Budget for FY 2025- 2026.] FOR. ITEM NUMBER 14, CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FY 25 26. MS. OSRAM, YOU WANNA KICK US OFF? SURE. THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR, CAN YOU GO NOW? HERE WE GO. THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2020 5 26 WAS PRESENTED TO THE GOVERNING BOARD ON EIGHTH 2025. AND THE BUDGET WORKSHOP WAS HELD ON APRIL 28TH, 2025. THE BOARD ADOPTED A RESOLUTION CALLING FOR A PUBLIC HEARING TO RECEIVE COMMENTS ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET. AND A NOTICE OF THIS HEARING WAS ADVERTISED AS REQUIRED BY STATUTE BOARD. HAVE QUESTIONS FOR STAFF BEFORE WE OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING? CAN WE WAIT FOR OUR QUESTIONS AFTERWARDS? SURE. YEAH, IF YOU LIKE. YES. THAT'S MY PREFERENCE. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE PUBLIC BOARD ORDERS. SURE. OKAY. UH, AT THIS TIME WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS REGARDING THE PROPOSED BUDGET, PLEASE COME UP TO THE MICROPHONE. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND BOARD. UH, MY NAME IS CAROLYN PARAGO. I LIVE AT 1 0 6 TINO ROAD INWARD THREE, AND WHICH IS REPRESENTED BY, UH, MR. ASHER, WHO I'M PLEASED. I'M VERY GLAD I HAVE REPRESENTATION. BY THE WAY, I DON'T HAVE A NUMBER SIX HAT ON, BUT I'M WITH THEM IN SPIRIT . SO IN MY, I'M RETIRED NOW AND I'M KIND OF NEW TO NEITHER. UM, AND IN MY CAREER I WAS A ASSET MANAGEMENT FINANCIAL ASSET MANAGEMENT FOR COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE. SO INVESTMENT REAL ESTATE. AND EVERY SINGLE DAY I WORKED WITH MY ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT OR THEIR, MY CLIENT'S ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENTS. WE WERE AUDITED CONSTANTLY BECAUSE OUR CLIENTS WERE, UH, COMPANIES LIKE TEACHERS' INSURANCE, AON, MASS MITCHELL, ANYONE WHO HAS COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE AS PART OF THEIR, YOU KNOW, ASSET STRATEGY. UM, I HAVE READ THE BUDGET. I ACTUALLY PRINTED OUT ALL 347 PAGES. I LIKE IT. I LIKE THAT. IT'S KIND OF A NERDY THING, BUT UH, IT SPEAKS TO ME. SO I ENJOY IT. I ALSO CAME TO, UH, YOUR BUDGET WORKSHOP STARTED AT NINE O'CLOCK. WE LEFT AT THREE. I LEARNED A LOT AND I APPRECIATED EVERYONE'S COMMENTS. AND THEN I HAD THE GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH MR. HUGHES YESTERDAY AND ASK ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THAT I MIGHT HAVE. AND I HAVE SOME AND HE ANSWERED EVERY SINGLE ONE. THE THING THAT IS JUST KIND OF NICKLING AT ME RIGHT NOW IS I DIDN'T, WHEN WE HAVE A DIRECTOR OF FINANCE IN OUR CITY WHO HAS LIKE PILOTED OUR CITY TO THREE AWARDS NOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YEARS WENT, BUT AN AWARD WINNING FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T KNOW THE CITY CAN COME AND BE FOR WORK. AND SHE COMMUNICATES WELL HER THE BUDGET, WHICH IS AMAZINGLY COMPLEX. AND, YOU KNOW, [00:45:01] THEY PAY ENTERPRISE FUNDS, GENERAL FUNDS, ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS. IT'S AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF WORK. AND AT THE BUDGET MEETING, SHE SAID SHE WAS WORKING MANY MORE HOURS THAN SHE SHOULD HAVE BEEN. I COULD GO LATE 'CAUSE IN MY CAREER THERE YEARS I HAD TO DO THE SAME THING. SHE'S ASKING FOR AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF FINANCE. AND IT IS SO, SUCH AN IMPORTANT POSITION FOR SEVERAL REASONS. BUT ONE, UM, SHE NEEDS TO BACK UP TO RELATED REDUNDANCY. THE OLD HIT BUD BUS THEORY THEORY. REALLY MORE THAN ONE PERSON TO UNDERSTAND THE MAGNITUDE AND ALL THE INS AND OUTS OF THE BIG PICTURE OF A BUDGET. NOT JUST EACH DEPARTMENT, BUT BEING ABLE TO PUT ALL OF THAT TOGETHER ALONG WHAT THE SOURCES OF BUILT WITH THE WHOLE THING AND MAKE IT ALL TRY OUT AND MAKE IT PAUSE. SO I'M HERE TO SAY, PLEASE, PLEASE CONSIDER SUPPORTING HER AND APPEARING THAT POSITION FOR AN ASSISTANT FINANCIAL DIRECTOR. THANK YOU GUYS. THANKS FOR ALL YOU IT IS UNLIMITED TIME UNDER THE PUBLIC HEARING, AIN'T IT? MM. OKAY. SO I JUST WANNA SAY SHE LAID. DON'T TRY ISHA HARRIS. SHE LAID THE FOUNDATION OF WHAT NEEDS TO BE SET AGAIN FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO. BEING SOMEONE ON THE OUTSIDE AND ON THE INSIDE DEALING WITH THE BUDGET. IT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT JOB THAT YOU DO HERE. AND IT'S MY LEAST FAVORITE BECAUSE THEY'RE BOTH THE PEOPLE COME UP, THEY TELL YOU WHAT YOU NEED AND WE HAVE TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS. WHICH BRINGS ME BACK TO SAYING THAT YOU NEED A SECOND PERSON BECAUSE OF HOW MUCH OUR BUDGET IS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE IN WARD SIX, RIGHT? WE PAY TAXES. WE UNDERSTAND HOW THE BUDGET IS. I HOPE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS. AND I'M SPEAKING TO THE FAMILY 'CAUSE I NEED Y'ALL TO HEAR ME UNDERSTAND THIS AS A COMMUNITY. WE COME UP HERE AND WE SPEAK FROM EMOTIONS SOMETIMES. AND I HAD TO LEARN THAT SITTING ON THIS BOARD THAT I CAN'T BE EMOTIONAL. I HAVE TO SPEAK WITH LOGIC. AND THE FACT THAT WE KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH FLORENCE AND WE HAVE A HARD TIME GETTING FEMA MONEY, AND WE TALK ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE QUALIFIED PEOPLE THAT DO THIS WORK. YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THIS SEAT. THE FACT THAT THERE IS A GAP BEFORE WE HAVE AN ELECTION. I WON'T STOP ANYBODY FROM RUNNING. I FEEL EVERY SEAT NEEDS TO BE CONTESTED. I BELIEVE IN VOTING AND I BELIEVE THAT THAT'S WHAT YOU SHOULD DO. BUT PLEASE UNDERSTAND ME WHEN I SAY RIGHT OR LEFT. YOU NEED SOMEONE IN THAT SEAT NOW THAT UNDERSTANDS THE INNER WORKINGS OF THE GOVERNMENT AT THE CURRENT STATE THAT WE OFFER THE CITY OF NEW BERN. WE ARE THE LAST GOVERNING BODY IN THIS, IN THE CITY OF NEW BERN. THAT IS NOT PARTIES. IT'S NONPARTISAN. AND WE HAVE TO KEEP IT THAT WAY. SO WHEN YOU COME UP HERE AND SPEAK, I, I SPEAK NO DISRESPECT, BUT YOU NEED SOMEONE THAT IS CURRENTLY QUALIFIED WHEN IT COMES TO JULY. WHEN YOU PUT YOUR NAME IN FILE AND YOU RUN, GO AHEAD AND RUN. EVERYBODY RUN. BUT YOU NEED SOMEBODY SITTING IN THIS SEAT THAT ALREADY UNDERSTANDS THIS BUDGET PERIOD. AND WHETHER YOU AGREE ON WHO THAT PERSON IS OR NOT. IF WE ALL CLOSE OUR EYES, WE GO TO WORK AND CLOCK IN AND FICA AND ALL THE TAXES THAT COME OUT. YOU WANT ALL OF THE MONEY THAT YOU WORK FOR TO BE ALLOCATED DOWN TO ZERO AND JUSTLY IN THIS CITY. AND TO DO THAT, YOU NEED SEVEN VOICES. SO WE HAVE TO COME TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY AND, AND CHECK IT. VOTE TO MAKE WHO NEEDS TO BE IN THERE, BUT BE LOGICAL AND NOT EMOTIONAL ABOUT THE DECISION. YOU NEED SOMEONE THAT IS EXPERIENCED, SOMEONE THAT CAN COME HERE AND SAY, I AGREE AND VOTE FOR, TO HAVE AN ASSISTANT. I I RUN HARRIS, YOU, YOU CAN CONTINUE. I'M JUST GONNA TELL YOU TO MAKE SURE YOU TIE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING INTO THE BUDGET. 'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE PUBLIC HEARING ABOUT THE, THE BOND REFERENDUM. WE TALK ABOUT VIOLENCE. WE NEED THAT TO BE PASSED BECAUSE MONEY WILL BE ALLOCATED TO PARKS AND RECS. WE HAVE MARTIN MARIETTA. WE NEED AN AMPHITHEATER. THAT MONEY WILL BRING IN MONEY TO THE COMMUNITY, AFFORDABLE HOUSING. SO PLEASE VOTE IN SUPPORT OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND VOTE FOR THE BAR REFERENDUM. MY NAME'S ANIS FIAL. I WORK WITH, UH, EASTERSEALS FORT HEALTH AND IN PARTNERSHIP OF TRILLIUM HEALTH RESOURCES AND ONE COMMUNITY. WHILE THESE ORGANIZATIONS ARE NOT PART OF NEW BERN, UH, PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, UH, THEY DO COLLABORATE WITH LOCAL AGENCIES TO PROVIDE INCLUSIVE, RECREATIONAL AND [00:50:01] WELLNESS PROGRAMS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES. IN MY ROLE, I WORK DIRECTLY WITH FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS IN NEW BERN AND CRAVEN COUNTY WHO ARE NAVIGATING CHALLENGES LIKE MENTAL HEALTH, DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES, AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE. UH, I SEE EVERY DAY HOW ACCESS TO YOUTHS PROGRAMS, INCLUSIVE SERVICES AND COMMUNITY-BASED SUPPORT CHANGES LIVES AND PREVENTS CRISIS. AS YOU CONSIDER HOW OUR CITY ALLOCATES ITS BUDGET, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO INVEST MORE UPSTREAM SOLUTIONS LIKE PARKINSON RECREATION, YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, AND NOT JUST REACTIVE APPROACHES LIKE INCREASED POLICING. THESE PROGRAMS HELP PREVENT CRIME, STRENGTHEN NEIGHBORHOODS, AND SUPPORT OUR MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS. AND I DO HAVE SOME, UH, QUESTIONS THAT MIGHT HAVE COME UP FOR ME. UH, WHAT ARE EXACTLY ARE YOU ASKING THE CITY TO DO? I'M ASKING THE CITY TO SHIFT SOME FUNDING, ESPECIALLY FROM OVERFUNDED AREAS LIKE POLICE OVERTIME OR EQUIPMENT TOWARD UPSTREAM SERVICES LIKE YOUTH PROGRAMS, RECREATION AND MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT. THESE INVESTMENTS PREVENT FUTURE CRISIS AND REDUCE DEMAND ON EMERGENCY SYSTEMS. UM, AND ARE YOU SAYING WE SHOULD TAKE MONEY AWAY FROM POLICE? I'M SAYING WE SHOULD REBALANCE THE BUDGET. AND PUBLIC SAFETY INCLUDES MORE THAN POLICING. IT INCLUDES MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, RECREATION AND YOUTH MENTORSHIP. WHEN WE INVEST IN THOSE AREAS, WE REDUCE THE NEED FOR POLICE AND INTERVENTION IN THE FIRST PLACE. AND, UH, HOW WOULD WE MEASURE SUCCESS? WE CAN TRACK OUTCOMES LIKE REDUCED 9 1 9 1 1 CALLS, FEWER JUVENILE JUSTICE REFERRALS, SCHOOL ATTENDANCE, AND COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION. THESE ARE ALREADY USED BY TRILLIUM AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROVIDERS TO SHOW IMPACT ACT. DO YOU HAVE DATA AND OUTCOMES? YES, WE DO. PORT HEALTH AND TRILLIUM REGULARLY TRACK OUTCOMES LIKE REDUCED ER VISITS AND FEWER JUVENILE JUSTICE RECORDS. AND I'LL BE GLADLY TO SHOW THOSE RECORDS. AND LET'S PRIORITIZE, UH, FUNDING THAT BUILDS A SAFER, MORE INCLUSIVE NEW BERN FOR EVERYONE. THANK YOU. HELLO, MY NAME IS BAILEY EVANS AND, UM, SIMILAR TO ANNA, I'M ALSO HERE TO SAY I'M A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED THAT THE MOST, THE LARGEST PROPORTION OF OUR BUDGET IS DEDICATED TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. WHEN CHIEF GALLAGHER HAS TOLD THIS BOARD AND SAID IN INTERVIEWS THE SOCIAL AND MATERIAL CONDITIONS THAT ARE GIVING RISE TO THE GREATER GANG VIOLENCE IN OUR CITY ARE NOT ADDRESSED BY POLICE ALONE. THAT'S THE LAST STOP. THAT'S THE SYMPTOM, NOT THE PROBLEM. SO WHEN THE POLICE HAVE $20 MILLION MORE THAN THE PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT AND THE PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT IS UP HERE SAYING WE CAN'T PROVIDE AS MUCH FOR THE CITY'S KIDS 'CAUSE WE HAVE TROUBLE FINDING WORKERS. THEY NEED MORE MONEY. I WORK IN CHILDCARE. I'M A PRESCHOOL TEACHER, AND THE WAY TO HAVE QUALITY IS TO PAY THEM MORE THAN MINIMUM WAGE. UM, AND THE WHERE WE'RE SPENDING OUR MONEY, WE'RE JUST ARE SHOWING OUR PRIORITIES ARE MORE IN BEING REACTIVE INSTEAD OF PROACTIVE. WE NEED TO DO BETTER FOR THE YOUTH. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THINGS LIKE THE BOLT CENTER AND ALL OF THAT ARE STILL STAYING STRONG. UM, AND ALSO THERE'S A PROJECTED RAISE IN THE ELECTRIC EXPENSES. AND THAT IS TERRIBLE. 'CAUSE THAT HAS CONTINUALLY BEEN ONE OF THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THAT THEY ARE STRUGGLING WITH IS RIDICULOUSLY HIGH UTILITY BILLS. SO SOCIAL AND MATERIAL CONDITIONS, PEOPLE NEED THEIR MONEY AND PEOPLE NEED TO, KIDS NEED TO BE SAFE, THEY NEED THINGS TO DO, SO THEN THE POLICE WILL HAVE LESS TO DO. SO I AM ALSO HERE TO SAY THAT I WISH THAT WE COULD DIRECT MORE MONEY TOWARDS THE PROBLEMS AND NOT THE SYMPTOMS. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND [00:55:01] BOARD OF ALDERMAN. UM, THANKS FOR LETTING ME SPEAK TONIGHT. I, LOOKING AT THE BUDGET, THE ELECTRIC FUND EXPENDITURE SUMMARY HAS A NON-DEPARTMENTAL EXPENDITURE OF $2 MILLION, TWO THREE, SORRY, $2,000,645 AND 300 OR 375, SORRY, 2.6 MILLION. AND WHERE, UM, WHAT IS THAT, HOW IS THAT CALCULATED AND WHAT IS IT FOR? SO, UM, WE HAVE TO HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET. THAT IS THE REVENUES OVER EXPENSES. SO THAT'S ADDITIONAL REVENUE THAT IS THEN APPROPRIATED BACK TO THEIR FUND BALANCE. BASICALLY THEIR SAVINGS, ULTIMATELY, HOPEFULLY INCREASING THEIR CASH ON HAND. UM, GOOD. OKAY. THANK YOU. I I EMAILED THE CITY YESTERDAY, SO I'M JUST TRYING TO COVER ALL MY BASES HERE. HOW ARE THE, THE SHARED SERVICES CALCULATED? THERE'S $1.1 MILLION IN SHARED SERVICES SO THAT THE ELECTRIC TO THE GENERAL FUND. OKAY. SO THAT IS CALCULATED BASED ON, UM, OUR COST ALLOCATION PLAN. IT DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT. SO IF THEY'RE PAYING FOR, LET'S SAY, HUMAN RESOURCES AND THEY'RE RE REIMBURSING THEIR FAIR SHARE, IT'S BASED ON EMPLOYEES. SO IT JUST DEPENDS ON WHAT CATEGORY WE'RE LOOKING AT. AND IT'S SHARED THAT IS, UM, ALLOCATED WITH ALL UTILITY FUNDS. SO EVERYBODY PAYS, PAYS THEIR FAIR SHARE BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND FOR THOSE SERVICES. OKAY. THANK YOU. UM, AND IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S $3.3 MILLION AND IT'S MORE THAN IT WAS LAST YEAR. AND INTER FUND TRANSFERS, UM, FROM THE ELECTRIC FUND TO THE GENERAL FUND, IS IT, IS THAT DUE TO THE 12% INCREASE IN RATES FROM LAST YEAR? OR WHAT, WHAT, HOW, HOW IS THAT FUND, HOW IS THAT NUMBER CALCULATED? OKAY, SO THAT CONSISTS OF TWO THINGS. ONE IS THE PILOT, WHICH IS PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAXES. AND THAT ACTUALLY, I HAVE THAT NUMBER THAT CONSISTS OF $369,481 FOR, UM, ELECTRIC SHARE. AND THAT'S A, UM, PERCENTAGE ON THEIR CAPITAL ASSETS. THE, I'M SORRY, THAT'S CALCULATED BY THE VALOREM TAX RATE, MULTIPLIED BY THEIR CAPITAL ASSETS. THEN THERE'S A RATE OF RETURN ON INVESTMENT THAT'S 5% OF THEIR GROSS ANNUAL REVENUES. THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING ALL THAT. WITH THAT BEING SAID, IF THE, IF THE, THE, THE DEPART, THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC UTILITIES HAS COME BEFORE THIS BOARD AT LEAST SINCE 2019. WELL, HE CAME ON BOARD 2018, RIGHT. CAME ON BOARD. AND HE'S BEEN SAYING THAT THE, THE WIRES ARE BEING STRETCHED WITH ALL THE DEVELOPMENT AND THE SYSTEM. THERE'S THE, THE DEVELOPMENT IS JUST HAPPENING LIKE, UM, AS HAS BEEN SAID IN THE PAST AS A ZIGZAG PATTERN. UM, AND IT'S REALLY EXTENDING THE WIRES AND IT'S GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE THERE'S, THERE'S A REAL HEAVY LOAD ON THE SYSTEM. THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S BEEN SAID SINCE 2019. WHAT IS YOUR PLAN? UM, I DON'T UNDER, I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THIS HAS BE, IT APPEARS THAT THIS HAS BECOME A POLITICAL SITUATION VERSUS LISTENING TO THE DEPARTMENT HEAD, UM, SAYING OVER AND OVER AND OVER. I, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE BOARD IS NOT ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE. UM, UH, THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES THAT RELY ON THIS SYSTEM. I'M NOT A CITY OF NEW BERN ELECTRIC CUSTOMER, RIGHT? SO I'M NOT PERSONALLY AFFECTED, BUT THIS AFFECTS EVERYONE. WHETHER, I DON'T KNOW IF THE HOSPITAL'S UNDER, YOU KNOW, GETTING ELECTRICITY FROM FROM CITY OR DUKE OR IF THEY'RE GETTING IT FROM THE CITY, . I MEAN, EVERYONE IS RELYING ON THE HOSPITAL. SO I JUST WOULD LIKE CLARIFICATION ON, UM, ON THAT. AND ALSO, I UNDERSTAND THE FEMA FUNDS HAVE NOT, THEY'VE BEEN, THEY'VE BEEN HELD UP AT LEAST LAST TIME I ASKED LAST TIME I WAS HERE. I THINK, UM, HOW IS THE CITY GONNA COVER THOSE FUNDS IF WE DON'T GET REIMBURSED FROM FEMA? I KNOW THEY HAVEN'T BEEN PAID BY FOR THE STANDING WHITE BUILDING. UM, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN FUNDED IS THIS GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND. I UNDERSTAND MONEY'S COMING, UH, GOING TO PARKS, STREETS AND STORMWATER. I THINK ALL THOSE, ALL THOSE DEPARTMENTS ARE TIED TO THE FEMA MONEY. SO IS THIS MONEY FOR THE GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND? IS IT GONNA BE FOR MARTIN MARIETTA, [01:00:01] AS HAS BEEN SAID? OR CAN IT ALSO BE USED TO COVER THE, THE ITEMS IF WE DON'T GET REIMBURSED BY FEE? LIKE IF THAT NEVER COMES BECAUSE THIS IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE DOING AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, THEY MAY NOT BE DISPERSING FEMA FUNDS AND WE'LL BE STUCK WITH THOSE DOLLARS AND THAT'S ALL. YEAH. SO I DO, I I WILL SAY THIS. IF YOU GET A MOMENT AND GO TO OUR WEBSITE AND LOOK AT THE, UM, MONTHLY REPORT, COLLABORATIVE, COLLABORATIVE REPORT, WHICH I THINK IS WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO, IT GIVES YOU THE BREAKDOWN OF THE FEMA EXPENSES VERSUS WHAT WE RECEIVED, UM, BACK IN REIMBURSEMENTS. RIGHT? AND AS OF THE LAST REPORT, LAST MONTH'S REPORT, THE CITY PAID $32 MILLION OUT OF THESE, RIGHT? MM-HMM . FEMA REIMBURSED 25.6 MILLION. WE ARE STILL WAITING ON 6.3. THEY ARE IN PROCESS. THOSE REIMBURSEMENTS HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED AND THEY WILL GET PROCESSED OVER A PERIOD OF TIME. WE CANNOT GET SOME OF THAT UNTIL THESE PROJECTS ARE CLOSED OUT. WE HAVE SUBMITTED FOR CLOSEOUTS, I THINK WE HAVE FOUR THAT WENT RECENTLY. SO THAT WILL HAPPEN. THESE PROJECTS ARE COMING TO AN END, BUT WE HAVE COME A LONG, LONG WAYS AND WE ARE NOT IN THE POSITION THAT WE WERE WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT FIVE YEARS AGO. AND I, I THANK YOU. I I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL YOUR HARD WORK. I GUESS WHAT I'M ASKING IS, THE MAYOR HAS BEEN MEETING WITH CONGRESSMAN MURPHY THAT WAS REPORTED, UM, AND THE CITY MANAGER'S WEEKLY OR MONTHLY REPORT SINCE ALDERMAN ASKED HER ASKED IF THE CONGRESSMAN COULD COME HERE. HAS THAT BEEN PART OF THE DISCUSSION AS FAR AS HAS THAT FEMA FUNDS BEEN DISCUSSED THAT IT WILL BE REIMBURSED? LIKE IS THERE ANY, 'CAUSE I KNOW AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL THEY'RE SAYING WE'RE GONNA DO AWAY WITH BMA AND LET THEM DEAL WITH IT LOCALLY. AND I UNDERSTAND THE CITY HAS WORKED REALLY HARD TO GET REIMBURSED, LIKE MM-HMM . SUBMIT THE PAPERWORK. BUT IF THAT MONEY DOESN'T COME, I GUESS THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT OF, OF WHAT I'M ASKING THE BOARD, ARE YOU ALL CONSIDERING THIS? IF YOU ARE, IF YOU JUST PLEASE. OKAY. SO, AND FOR, FOR A LITTLE CLARIFICATION AS WELL. WELL, TO DATE, THE ONLY FEMA FUNDS THAT HAVE BEEN FROZEN ARE FOR THE BRICK GRANT. THAT GRANT AMOUNT WAS 200, 200,000 CHANGED THAT SO FAR. THAT IS THE ONLY THING THAT WE'VE RECEIVED NOTIFICATION ON FROM, FROM THE GOVERNMENT. AND THAT THAT IS A FEMA BRICK GRANT. THE OTHER GRANTS THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED, UM, TO, TO DO STORMWATER PROJECTS, STANLEY WHITE, OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT, WE HAVE RECEIVED NO GUIDANCE FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ON THAT. SO WE ARE PROCEEDING ACCORDINGLY. UM, THE MAJORITY OF THE, THE GRANT FUNDS THAT WE RECEIVE FROM FEMA FROM DISASTER HAVE BEEN OBLIGATED. AND SO WHAT WE'VE SEEN ACROSS THE BOARD IS WHEN SOMETHING IS OBLIGATED, FEMA CONTINUES. AND SO WE HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF GRANT FUNDS AS WELL. AND, UM, WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THAT. UM, SO, SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE, THE, THE, THE GEO BOND, THE COMMENTS YOU MADE ON THE GEO BOND, THOSE ARE FOR THOSE PROJECTS SPECIFICALLY. AND IF THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN GIVE THE PERMISSION TO GO AHEAD WITH THAT, THAT'S WHAT THOSE FUNDS WOULD BE SPENT ON WITH THE ELECTRIC UTILITY. UH, WHAT I CAN SAY IS THE ELECTRIC UTILITY DIRECTOR HASN'T MADE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS ON, ON RATE INCREASES UNTIL LAST YEAR. AND AT THAT TIME, HE, HE ORIGINALLY MADE A RECOMMENDATION OF A 5% INCREASE OVER A THREE YEAR PERIOD, UH, PLUS A PCA WITH THAT LAST YEAR, UH, AFFECTED JULY 1ST. THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN APPROVED A 6% RATE INCREASE. THEY CAME BACK IN DECEMBER, APPROVED ANOTHER SIX, A 6% INCREASE WITH A PARTIAL PCA, UH, TO MAKE THAT A 12% INCREASE. AND WHAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THAT TIME, AND IT WAS DISCUSSED DURING THE BUDGET WORKSHOP, WAS WE'RE NOT AWARE OF THE, THE CONSULTANTS' FAULT WE WOULD BE FINANCIALLY WITH THAT. SO IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR US TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THE, AT THE FINANCIAL VIABILITY OF THE ELECTRIC UTILITY AND SAY, HEY, WE NEED TO SPEND $20 MILLION RIGHT NOW. WE'RE NOT AT THE PLACE WE NEED TO BE, HENCE IN THIS BUDGET. WHEN WHEN, WHEN YOU ASKED THE QUESTION ABOUT THE $2.6 MILLION ALLOCATION THAT'S GOING BACK IN THE FUND BALANCE, WE, OR DAYS OF CASH ON HAND, AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE DOING THAT UNTIL WE SEE THAT DAYS OF CASH ON HAND BEING A POSITIVE SITUATION. SO WE CAN GO TO THE LGC TO LOOK AT EITHER A REVENUE BOND OR, OR FINANCING FOR FUTURE INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES. OKAY. I, I GUESS MY , IF YOU LOOK AT THE PAST BUDGETS, THERE'S NEVER BEEN A LOT, WELL, IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, I HAVEN'T SEEN A LINE ITEM THAT SAYS NON-DEPARTMENTAL. SO IS THAT GOING LIKE IN AN INVESTMENT ACCOUNT? UM, I JUST SAID I HAVEN'T SEEN THAT BEFORE. AND IS IT JUST THE NEW ACCOUNTING METHOD OR, SO IN THE PAST, I'D HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK, [01:05:01] BUT HE'S EITHER PULLING FROM HIS FUND BALANCE TO BALANCE THE BUDGET OR BETWEEN REVENUES, EXPENSES, IT WAS BALANCE. HE HAS MORE REVENUES THAN EXPENSES IN ELECTRIC FUND THAT WE'VE BUDGETED FOR. SO YES, WE'RE INTENTIONALLY TRYING TO PUT MONEY BACK INTO WHAT I WOULD CALL THE SAVINGS TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND, LIKE A MONEY MARK OR SOMETHING. NO, I MEAN, OUR INVESTMENTS ARE ALL INVESTED AND THEN ALLOCATED APPROPRIATELY. BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS THIS IS GOING BACK, IT'S NOT BEING BUDGETED FOR, IT'S NOT BUDGETED TO BE EXPENSED. IT'S GOING BACK INTO THEIR FUND BALANCE, INCREASING THEIR CASH ON HAND SO THAT WHEN WE GET TO A POINT TO LOOK AT THE REVENUE BOND, WE CAN AFFORD IT. RIGHT NOW, OUR CASH ON HAND IS LIKE 39 DAYS. RIGHT. AND . SO WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO INCREASE THAT. AND THAT'S THE GOAL. BUT THE, I HOW HAS THE BOARD LET THIS DROP? THE, THE DAYS ON HAND, YOUR POLICY THAT WAS SET YEARS AGO IS 90 DAYS CASH ON HAND IF SOMETHING HAPPENS OR IF WE'RE IN HURRICANE SEASON. LAST THE, THE HURRICANE FLORENCE CHARLIE WAS AT THE ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT FOR 60 DAYS, RIGHT? SO YOUR CASH ON HAND RIGHT NOW AT I 39 34, WHATEVER THE DAYS IS, THIS IS, THIS JUST PLUMMETED AND IT, IT, I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON BEHIND THE SCENES. AND THAT'S GOVERNMENT. I UNDERSTAND IT. I WAS WITH THE GOVERNMENT FOR 20 YEARS, RIGHT. BUT I'VE JUST, THAT WAS FEDERAL. THIS IS LOCAL AND I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THIS WHOLE PICTURE. SO THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE ALL YOU MR. MAYOR, BOARD OF ALDERMAN, I'M JOHN ROBINSON. I LIVE ON CAYENNE COURT. I'M PROBABLY NOT GONNA BE VERY POPULAR WITH SOME OF MY FRIENDS BECAUSE, UM, WHATEVER THE PROBLEM IS WITH OUR DEFICITS IN, IN ELECTRICITY, WHATEVER OUR PROBLEMS ARE, LET'S GET IT FIXED. I'VE DONE DISASTER WORK FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS. THE LAST THING YOU WANT TO DEAL WITH IN A DISASTER IS THE FAILURE OF AN ELECTRIC SYSTEM. YOU'RE GONNA HAVE, WE WILL HAVE ENOUGH PROBLEMS WITH WIND AND WATER. WE DON'T NEED TO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH AN ANTIQUATED SYSTEM. IT SCARES ME TO HEAR THAT OUR EQUIPMENT IS OUTDATED AND IT'S VULNERABLE IN A STORM. WE DON'T NEED THAT. AT THE SAME TIME, I WANT TO SAY, OKAY, I'LL PAY MORE TAX TO FINISH MARTIN MARIETTA PARK. THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT. I DON'T KNOW WHO CAME UP WITH THAT OR WHO, WHO DID THE FUNDING TO GET THAT PIECE OF LAND AND TO START THAT PROJECT. BUT WE ENJOY THAT ALMOST EVERY WEEK. AND IT'S A GORGEOUS PIECE OF WORK, BUT IT'S NOT EVEN HALF DONE YET. AND IT NEEDS TO BE FINISHED. IT NEEDS TO BE FINISHED. AND IF YOU GO OUT THERE, YOU SEE IF YOU GO OUT THERE AND ENJOY THE PARK, YOU SEE THE DIVERSITY OF PEOPLE WHO USE THAT PARK AND, AND THE ENJOYMENT THAT THEY GET OUT OF IT. AND THAT IS A HEALTHY COMMUNITY. WHEN WE MOVED DOWN HERE FROM, FROM VIRGINIA, UM, MARTIN MARIETTA WASN'T THERE. IT, WE HEARD RUMORS FROM TIME TO TIME ABOUT IT, UH, ABOUT HOW IT MIGHT BE A PARK. I HAD NO IDEA THAT THAT'S WHAT YOU WERE GONNA DO WITH IT. THAT WAS BRILLIANT. SOMEBODY NEEDS AN AWARD AND I'M WILLING TO PAY SOME EXTRA TAX TO SEE THAT IT GETS FINISHED. I'M WILLING TO SEE SOME TAX. I'M WILLING TO PAY A HIGHER ELECTRICAL RATE IN ORDER TO SEE THAT OUR EQUIPMENT GETS REPAIRED AND GETS REPLACED. THIS IS SOME OF THE CHEAPEST ELECTRICITY IN THE COUNTRY. OUR ELECTRIC BILL DROPPED 80% WHEN WE MOVE HERE FROM WINCHESTER, VIRGINIA. OKAY. IT'S SILLY IF WE'RE ARGUING OVER A FEW MORE PENNIES A MONTH ON OUR ELECTRIC BILL. THAT'S JUST SILLY. SO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU'RE DOING. THANK YOU FOR THE BOND ISSUE. I'LL BE GLAD TO HELP YOU SUPPORT. HI THERE. UM, MY NAME IS SARA BLISS. I'M FROM WARD ONE. I WAS NOT PLANNING ON SPEAKING TONIGHT, BUT BUDGET CAME UP SO I COULDN'T HELP MYSELF. I'M NOT REALLY POLISHED, SO FORGIVE THAT. BUT WHAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT IS HPC REFORM, HISTORIC PRESERVATION REFORM. UM, THIS IS GENERALLY CONSIDERED A WARD ONE ISSUE, BUT IT DOES AFFECT WARDS ONE [01:10:01] THROUGH SIX AND IT HITS US IN THE POCKETBOOK BECAUSE THAT FUND IT, IT'S FUNDED THROUGH THE GENERAL FUND. SO EVERYONE PAYS TAXES INTO IT. UM, AND THEN WE HAVE TO PAY FOR THE SERVICES THAT WE GET WITH IT, WHICH ARE PROBABLY WELL WORTH IT TO CREATE A GREAT TOURIST DESTINATION. BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO PAY FOR THE BURDEN OF COMPLYING WITH HPC UM, RULES, WHICH IS REALLY, REALLY EXPENSIVE. UM, WINDOWS ARE TWO OR THREE TIMES AS EXPENSIVE AS A NON HPC COMPLIANT WINDOW. YOU CAN'T DO THINGS LIKE CLEAR CODE A BUILDING, WHICH MIGHT BE CHEAPER THAN, UM, FIXING THE MORTAR. SO WHAT I REALLY LIKE THE ALDERMAN TO CONSIDER, AND I'VE TALKED TO A LOT OF YOU UP AT THE FRONT OF THE TABLE, IS TAKE A DEEP LOOK AT REFORMING THE HPC. THERE'S SOME REALLY SMART THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO STILL HAVE A HISTORIC DISTRICT. WE'RE FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED. WE'RE NOT GONNA LOSE THAT. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT NEW BERN DOES HAVE, IT'S A CERTIFIED LOCAL GOVERNMENT. THAT TITLE IS THE TITLE THAT MAKES US HAVE TO BE COMPLIANT WITH THE, UM, DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR AND SHIP OUT. AND THOSE RULES, THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR RULES AND SHIPPO'S RULES ARE THE ONES THAT PUT THE LION'S SHARE OF BURDEN ON COMPLIANCE. IF WE WERE TO EXPLORE THINGS SUCH AS BEING ABLE TO GIVE UP OUR CERTIFIED LOCAL DISTRICT, UM, LABEL, WE MIGHT LOSE PRIORITY ACCESS TO SHIPPO AND WE MIGHT LOSE SOME GRANTS, BUT WE WOULD ALSO BE ABLE TO LIFT THE BURDEN OF A LOT OF THE REALLY, REALLY EXPENSIVE REPAIRS. I PUT A REQUEST INTO THE CITY TO GET, UM, AN ESTIMATE FOR HOW MUCH WE'VE SPENT, BUT I THINK A FAIR ESTIMATE PER YEAR ON STAFFING, HPC AS WELL AS COMPLYING WITH REPAIRS COULD BE 400 TO $800,000. SO IF WE WERE ABLE TO LIFT SOME OF THOSE RESTRICTIONS, DO WORK THAT STILL PROTECTS OUR BUILDINGS, BUT IN A WAY THAT SAVES MONEY, THEN WE COULD FIND MONEY TO PUT TOWARD OTHER THINGS. AND IT'S NOT GONNA BE A TON OF MONEY AND IT'S NOT GONNA SOLVE EVERY PROBLEM. BUT THEY SAY WHEN YOU WATCH THE PENNIES, THE DOLLARS TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES. SO I WOULD REALLY ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU, I'VE CALLED, I REACHED OUT, I'VE TALKED TO A LOT OF PEOPLE. HPC REFORM CAN BE A WIN AND WE CAN STILL PROTECT OUR DISTRICTS. THANK YOU. MM-HMM . ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THE BUDGET? NOT BUDGET. I WANT TO SAY ONCE YOU START LOWERING THOSE RULES, YOU LOSE THE, SO, SO YOU NEED TO TIE IT TO THE BUDGET. SO SHE DID A VERY GOOD JOB AT PLAYING WITHIN THE RULES, BUT YOU NEED, YOUR COMMENTS NEED TO TIE TO THE BUDGET IN SOME FASHION. SO, YEAH. THANK YOU FOR TRYING. ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THE BUDGET? MAYOR, I MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. SECOND, HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION HEARING NOT ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED. WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD AS FAR AS COMMENTS? CAUSE WE'VE GOT ACTION TO TAKE UNDER A LATER ITEM, BUT IF YOU WANT TO HAVE SOME COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS NOW OR LATER, IT'S UP TO YOU LATER. [15. Conduct a Public Hearing and Consider Adopting an Ordinance to Annex Tax Parcel IDs 8- 209- 29002, 8- 209- OOA, and 8- 209- 00C.] LATER. OKAY. WAIT TILL LATER. OKAY. UH, MOVING RIGHT ALONG TO ITEM NUMBER 15, CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDER ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE TO ANNEX TAX. PARCEL IDS 8 2 0 9 2 9 0 0 2 8 2 0 9 0 0 A AND 8 2 0 9 0 0 C. MR. HUGHES WEER HAS REQUESTED ANNEX THE, THE PARCELS IN QUESTION, WHICH ARE LOCATED WEST OF DOWNEY DRIVE AND NORTH OF HIGH NC HIGHWAY 43 BYPASS IN THE AREA OF CRAVEN 30. THE PROPERTY TOTAL IS 9.46 ACRES, PLUS OR MINUS. AFTER CONDUCTING A PUBLIC HEARING, THE BACK BOARD IS ASKED TO CONSIDER THIS REQUEST BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS? OKAY. IF THERE'S NO QUESTIONS, I AT THIS TIME. OKAY. ALL MCKENZIE, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE PASSED TODAY? UH, JUST, JUST A, A PUBLIC HEARING FOR RIGHT NOW. IT'S BOTH PUBLIC HEARING AND ANNEX. ARE THERE CONCERNS THAT YOU HAVE THAT YOU WOULD NOT WANT TO TAKE ACTION TONIGHT? NO. NO, NO, NO. I WAS JUST MAKING SURE. OH, OKAY. 'CAUSE WE'VE CALLED FOR A PUBLIC HEARING. IT'S BEEN NOTICED AND ALL THAT OUTSIDE. RIGHT. ALL THAT'S BEEN TAKEN CARE OF. I, I'M JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE BECAUSE I'M JUST GONNA GO AHEAD AND MAKE A-A-A-A-A, UM, ADOPTION THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, UH, OKAY. WELL, WE'LL DO THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN, UH, WE'LL, [01:15:01] WE'LL GET TO THAT NEXT. GOTCHA. OKAY. SO AT THIS TIME, IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK REGARDING THE ITEM NUMBER 15, ANNEXING SEVERAL PARCELS. PLEASE COME FORWARD. AT THIS TIME, I DON'T SEE ANYONE, SO I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. SO MOVED. HAVE A MOTION BY ALDERMAN ASTOR AND A SECOND BY ALDERMAN. YES. CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. ANY SESSION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. A AYE. ANY OPPOSED? PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED. NOW. AL MCKENZIE, IF YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ANNEX THE TAX PARTIAL ID EIGHT DASH 2 0 9 DASH 2 9 2 8 2 9 0 0 A AND 8 2 0 9 0 C. SECOND SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION, HONOR MCKENZIE AND A SECOND BY ALDERMAN ASTOR. WE'LL BEAT YOU TO IT. UM, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION REGARDING ITEM NUMBER 15? HEARING NONE, LETS HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ROYAL. ALDERMAN ROYAL? YES. ALDERMAN ASTOR. YES. ALDERMAN KENZIE. YES. ALDERMAN BEST? YES. ALDERMAN RELL. YES. MAYOR ODOM. YES. MOTION CARRIES. NEXT [16. Conduct a Public Hearing on an Amendment to a Development Agreement with Weyerhaeuser NR Company for West New Bern.] UP IS ITEM NUMBER 16. I'M SORRY. YEAH. ITEM NUMBER 16, CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING ON AN AMENDMENT TO A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH WEYERHAEUSER IN OUR COMPANY FOR WEST NEWBURN. SO, SO MAYOR WEYERHAEUSER HAS REQUESTED AN AMENDMENT TO THE 2018 AGREEMENT IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND, AND DO THE PUBLIC HEARING, THE ATTORNEY WILL FOLLOW UP WITH, WITH SOME PARTICULARS ON THE, ON THE AGREEMENT. UH, MAYOR MEMBERS THE BOARD. UM, I THINK TO MAKE THIS MORE EFFICIENT, UM, AS SENIOR MAJOR SAID, THIS IS AN EXISTING AGREEMENT THAT, UH, REQUIRES SOME MINOR AMENDMENTS. UM, THAT AGREEMENT WAS NOT QUITE FINALIZED BEFORE THE AGENDA DEADLINE, SO IT'S NOT BEFORE YOU. UM, SO MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CONTINUE THAT PUBLIC HEARING TO THE JUNE MEETING, AT WHICH TIME WE'LL HAVE THE FINAL DRAFT OF THE AMENDMENT FOR YOU AND CAN CONDUCT THAT PUBLIC HEARING IN A MORE LOGICAL FASHION. OKAY. SO I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM NUMBER 16. IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO COME SPEAK ON IT, YOU'RE FREE TO. UH, BUT THERE WILL ALSO BE AN OPPORTUNITY, MOST LIKELY IN JUNE. I SEE. I DON'T SEE ANYONE SO WELL. I DO HAVE SOMEBODY THANK YOU, MAYOR AND BOARD OF ALDERMAN. I LIVE IN GREENBRIER, WHICH WAS THE FIRST DEVELOPMENT THAT WIRE HOUSER MADE, I THINK, HERE IN THE AREA. AND IT'S FULL OF LARGE MATURE TREES. AND WHEN THE TERRIBLE STORMS COME THROUGH, THE TREES SHELTER US AND ABSORB THE WATER, AND IT'S A LOVELY PLACE TO LIVE. , AFTER WE BOUGHT HERE, I LOOKED AT THE PICTURES ONLINE OF THE WEST NEWBURN DEVELOPMENT, AND I WAS ABSOLUTELY SHOCKED AT WHAT I SAW OF CLEAR CUTTING FORESTS AND PUTTING A ZILLION LITTLE, TEENY TINY CRACKER BOX PALACES ON A WHOLE BUNCH OF PAVEMENT. AND THEN AFTER I LIVED HERE, 'CAUSE I HAVEN'T BEEN HERE THAT LONG AFTER I LIVED HERE FOR A LITTLE BIT, AND I SAW THE TRIBUTARY THAT RUNS BEHIND MY HOUSE ON BASIL DRIVE THAT ALSO RUNS BEHIND ALL OF PINE VALLEY IN GREENBRIAR RISE ALL THE WAY UP TO THE BULWARK JUST BEHIND MY HOUSE. I ASKED A NEIGHBOR AND WAS, UH, SERVED BY THE CITY, UH, VERY PROMPTLY WITH THE STORMWATER GUYS WHO CAME OUT AND SAID, WELCOME TO NORTH CAROLINA, THERE'S A LOT OF WATER. AND THEY INFORMED ME HOW MANY ACRES DRAINED DOWN THAT TRIBUTARY AS IT IS NOW. THE WHOLE WEST NEWBURN PROJECT IS GOING TO DRAIN DOWN THAT SAME TRIBUTARY WITH NO TREES AND LOTS OF CONCRETE. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE AMENDMENT IS OR WHATEVER WITH THE AGREEMENT, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE CITY OF NEWBORN PLANNING DEPARTMENT BECAUSE PLANNING DEPARTMENTS CAN ACTUALLY PLAN TO SAVE AND MAKE A MORE RESILIENT NEIGHBORHOOD AND KEEP OUR TREES. THEY DON'T HAVE TO CUT EVERY SINGLE ONE DOWN. THEY CAN ACTUALLY WORK AROUND THEM AS THEY DID IN GREENBRIAR. THEY MIGHT NOT MAKE QUITE AS MUCH MONEY, BUT THEIR COMMUNITIES WILL SURVIVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HI EVERYBODY AGAIN. UM, I, YOU MIGHT HAVE TO DIRECT ME. I'M ASKING FOR HELP RIGHT NOW. UM, ONE DAY I WAS, UM, NOODLING AROUND ON THE, THE GIS AND I SAW HOW MUCH IN LAND TAXES THAT WAREHOUSER IS PAYING, AND THEY PAY LESS FOR ALL OF THE ACREAGE THAT THEY HAVE BEHIND MY HOUSE, UM, THAN I DO FOR MY [01:20:01] LITTLE TEENY TINY HOUSE. SO I, I FEEL SOMETHING ABOUT THAT . I HAVE STRONG FEELINGS ABOUT THAT. UM, SO IS THERE A WAY THAT, THAT I CAN LOOK? WHERE DO I LOOK TO MAKE THAT MAKE SENSE? Y YES MA'AM. YOU CAN. IF YOU GO TO GIS YOU CAN CLICK ON THAT PARCEL. STEP ONE IS TO DETERMINE WHETHER IT'S IN THE CITY OR NOT. IT'S NOT IN THE CITY. THEN THERE'S NO CITY TAX. YOU'RE JUST LOOKING AT THE COUNTY TAX, WHICH IS GONNA BE A LOT LESS OKAY. THAN YOUR COMBINED TAX. UM, AND THEN THERE'S THE NATURE OF THE LAND ITSELF IN THE ON, ON THE, UH, GIS YOU'LL GO TO THE TAX PARCEL DESCRIPTION AND YOU'LL SEE, UM, UM, NOTES THERE ABOUT WHETHER IT'S WETLANDS, WHETHER IT'S DEVELOPABLE, WHAT THE ZONE, IF IT IS IN THE CITY, WHAT THE ZONE IS, MAYBE AGRICULTURAL, WHICH LOWERS THE VALUE. SO THOSE ARE THE TELLS THAT MIGHT HELP YOU. OKAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH. ANYONE ELSE? OKAY. BOARD. SO I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO TABLE THIS PUBLIC HEARING. CONTINUE THIS PUBLIC HEARING UNTIL OUR JUNE MEETING SOME OKAY. HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? OKAY. THAT MEETING IS CONTINUED UNTIL OUR JUNE MEETING. [17. Consider Adopting a Resolution Approving the Sale of 919 Elm Street.] NEXT UP IS ITEM NUMBER 17. CONSIDER ADOPTING RESOLUTION APPROVING THE SALE OF 8 1 9 ELM STREET. MR. HUGHES. AN INITIAL BID OF $2,700 WAS RECEIVED IN OCTOBER OF 2024 FOR THE PURCHASE OF, UH, THIS PROPERTY, WHICH IS A VACANT 0.056 AC RESIDENTIAL TRACK WITH A TAX VALUE OF $5,400. THE BID WAS ADVERTISED AND FIVE UPSET BIDS WERE RECEIVED. THE FINAL BID CAME IN AT $5,000 AND WAS SUBMITTED BY THE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNER. IF THE PROPERTY IS SOLD FOR THIS AMOUNT, THE CITY WILL RECEIVE $2,623 87 CENTS, AND THE COUNTY WILL RECEIVE $2,376 AND 13 CENTS FROM THE PROCEEDS. THE PROPERTY WAS JOINTLY ACQUIRED BY THE CITY AND COUNTY IN JUNE OF 2016 THROUGH TAX FORECLOSURE. DOES BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS? I HAVE ONE FOR THE CLERK. UM, DO YOU KNOW OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD IF THE INITIAL BID WAS MADE BY THE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNER THAT ENDED UP BEING THE HIGH BID? IT WAS NOT. SO SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD AND STAFF PROBABLY NEEDS TO CONSIDER, UM, ALDERMAN PR BROUGHT UP AT THEIR LAST MEETING ABOUT NOTIFICATIONS OF THINGS TAKING PLACE AROUND YOU. UM, I, I'VE TALKED TO A FEW PROPERTY OWNERS THAT WERE UNAWARE THAT THE CITY OWNED A PARCEL NEXT TO 'EM THAT WE ENDED UP SELLING, AND THEY SAID, I WISH I WOULD'VE KNOWN 'CAUSE I WOULD'VE BOUGHT IT. AND IT'S PROBABLY AN OPPORTUNITY. WE'VE TALKED OFTENTIMES ABOUT THESE STAGNANT PIECES OF PARCELS OF LAND THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T BRING A LOT OF MONEY. I THINK IF WE WERE TO MAYBE INVESTIGATE SOMETHING LIKE THAT, MAYBE STAFF COULD LOOK INTO WHAT THE OPTIONS WOULD BE, WE MIGHT COULD INCREASE SOME ACTIVITY AND INTEREST IN THOSE PARCELS. I I WILL SAY THAT THIS ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNER LEARNED, UM, WHEN WE TOOK THE INITIAL BID, THE PROPERTY, THE PARCEL HAD A LOT OF ITEMS AND CARS AND THINGS THAT WERE STORED ON IT WHEN THEY WERE ASKED TO MOVE IT. THAT'S HOW THEY BECAME AWARE IT WAS AVAILABLE WHEN THEY STARTED BIDDING. YEAH, MAYBE EVEN A SALE PENDING SIGN, POSSIBLY ON THE LOT TO LET PEOPLE KNOW. THEN THEY COULD ASK, HAVE A NUMBER ON THERE. THEY COULD CALL AND ASK WHY. YES, SIR. OKAY. BOARD, UM, MR. PLEASURE ON ITEM NUMBER 17, MAYOR, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE SALE OF 9 1 9 ELM STREET. SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON ITEM NUMBER 17? HEARING NONE. LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ASTOR. ALDERMAN ASTOR. YES. ALDERMAN KENZIE. YES. ALDERMAN BEST? YES. ALDERMAN CRE. YES. ALDERMAN ROYAL. YES. MAYOR ODOM? YES. MOTION [18. Consider Adopting a Resolution Approving an Audit Contract for Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2025.] CARRIES. NEXT UP IS ITEM NUMBER 18TH. CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION APPROVING AN AUDIT CONTRACT FOR FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30TH, 2025. MS. OSTROM. SO LAST YEAR, REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR AUDIT SERVICES WAS EMAILED TO 59 FIRMS AND ADVERTISED ON THE CITY IN THE STATE'S WEBSITES. AFTER REVIEWING THE THREE PROPOSALS, RECEIVED A RECOMMENDATION FOR THOMPSON PRICE. SCOTT ADAMS WAS SUBMITTED TO THE BOARD AND APPROVED ON APRIL 9TH, 2024. GENERAL STATUTES REQUIRES THE BOARD TO APPROVE THE AUDIT CONTRACT ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. THIS IS THE SECOND YEAR OF THAT CONTRACT. THE COST TO COMPLETE THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 AUDIT IS 52,500, WHICH INCLUDES ALL MAJOR PROGRAMS REQUIRED. IT'S REQUESTED THAT THE BOARD ADAPT A RESOLUTION NAMING TEMPS AND PRICE SCOTT ADAMS AND COMPANY AS THE RE AUDIT FIRM FOR THE CITY OF NEW BERN FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30TH, 2025, AND AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT FOR THE SAME BOARD. HAVE QUESTIONS, NOT ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON ITEM NUMBER 18. MAY I MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION APPROVING AN AUDIT CONTRACT FOR FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30TH, 2025? SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION A SECOND. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? [01:25:02] HEARING NONE? LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN KENZIE. ALDERMAN KENZIE. YES. ALDERMAN BEST? YES. ALDERMAN FRILL. YES. ALDERMAN ROYAL. YES. ALDERMAN ASER. YES. MAYOR O? YES. MOTION CARRIES. [19. Consider Adopting a Resolution Authorizing the Submission of an Application with the Local Government Commission for the Issuance of General Obligation Bonds.] ITEM NUMBER 19, CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE SUBMISSION OF AN APPLICATION WITH THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMISSION FOR THE ISSUANCE OF GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS. MS. OSRAM, THE ISSUANCE OF $10 MILLION IN GENERAL OBLIGATION BEHIND US WERE PROPOSED FOR STREETS AND SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS. 8 MILLION FOR PARKS AND REC AND 6 MILLION FOR STORM WATER IMPROVEMENTS. VOTER APPROVAL FOR THESE PROJECTS WILL BE SOUGHT AT THE OCTOBER BALLOT TO MOVE FORWARD. THE BOARD IS ASKED TO ADOPT A PRELIMINARY FINDINGS RESOLUTION, WHICH AUTHORIZES THE PUBLICATION OF A NOTICE OF INTENT TO FILE AN APPLICATION WITH THE LG LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMISSION. AND IT AUTHORIZES THE SUBMISSION OF THE APPLICATION TO THE LGC. TED COLE WITH DAVENPORT IS PRESENT TONIGHT TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. FOUR. HAVE QUESTIONS? YES, I I HAVE A QUESTION. WHY ARE WE, UM, ASKING FOR, UM, THIS TO BE, UM, UM, ADVERTISED WHEN WE AS A BOARD HAVE NOT EVEN APPROVED THE GENERAL BOND REFERENDUM? I KNOW YOU HAVE A TIMELINE. YES. YEAH. SO THIS IS THE NEXT STEP IN IT. WE HAVE TO, UM, COME BACK TO YOU ON JUNE. IT, IT'S A JUNE MEETING FOR THE NEXT PHASE, WHICH IS WHEN, LEMME PULL THAT UP. THE CALENDAR. DO YOU KNOW, DO YOU HAVE A CALENDAR ON YOUR YEAH. OKAY. GABE EVENING. I'M SORRY. I WAS JUST PULLING THE CALENDAR UP. UM, AND THIS IS A CALENDAR THAT THE BOND ATTORNEYS PUT TOGETHER. UM, SO THE, THE PLAN AT THIS POINT, THE NEXT MEETING ON JUNE 10TH, UM, IS TO INTRODUCE THE BOND ORDERS, UH, BY THE BOARD FILE A SWORN STATEMENT OF DEBT, UM, AND CALL FOR A PUBLIC HEARING. UH, PUBLIC HEARING I BELIEVE IS EXPECTED TO BE HELD ON, UM, JULY 8TH. SO IT'S JUST THE, THE STEPS IN THE PROCESS. YOU REPEAT YOUR QUESTION IF YOU WOULD, I BELIEVE SHE ASKED WHY ARE WE AUTHORIZING THE POSTING OR REQUEST TO THE LGC WHEN THE BOARD HASN'T ACTUALLY VOTED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE BONDS. IS THAT CORRECT? AL INVEST? THAT IS CORRECT. UM, I'M NOT SURE IT'S A GREAT ANSWER, BUT THAT'S WHAT THE BOND ATTORNEYS HAVE TOLD US THAT IT IS NECESSARY AT THIS STAGE. WELL, WELL, I WOULD ASSUME SO. I HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WITH THAT. BUT I WOULD ASSUME THAT WITH THE POSTING DEADLINES, ALL THE PUBLIC INPUT AND ALL THAT, IF YOU WORK TO ADVERTISE OR RE MAKE THIS REQUEST NOW AND WAIT UNTIL WHATEVER THAT TRIGGER IS WHERE THE BOARD SAYS YES, LET'S MOVE FORWARD. WE MAY BE PAST THE TIME TO KEEP ALL THOSE EVIDENCE. YEAH, THAT, THAT'S VERY POSSIBLE. VERY RIGID SCHEDULE WITH TIMING BETWEEN ACTIONS AND CERTAIN ACTIONS THAT HAVE TO BE DONE, UM, IN A CERTAIN ORDER. UM, I JUST, WE HAVE VERY LITTLE WIGGLE ROOM AT THIS POINT IN THE CALENDAR. AND I THINK THERE TO BE CLEAR, THIS IS, THIS IS NOT AN OBLIGATION TO SEE THIS THROUGH. IT'S A PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENT TO CONTINUE TO CONSIDER IT AS AN OPTION. DOES THAT HELP OUR INVEST? THANK YOU ATTORNEY DAVIS. YES. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON ITEM NUMBER 19? IF NOT, I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION. MAY I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADOPT A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THIS MISSION OF AN APPLICATION WITH THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMISSION FOR THE ISSUANCE OF GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS? SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION A SECOND. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN BEST? ALDERMAN BEST, YES. ALDERMAN FRILL. YES. ALDERMAN ROYAL. YES. ALDERMAN ASER. YES. ALDERMAN KENZIE. YES. MAYOR ODOM? YES. OH YES. AGAIN, THIS IS NOT AN OBLIGATION, IT'S TO MOVE THE PROCESS FORWARD, WHICH IS PROGRESS. SO THANK YOU. [20. Consider Adopting a Resolution Approving the Classification Pay Plan for Fiscal Year 2025- 2026.] ITEM NUMBER 20, CONSIDER DOUBTING A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE CLASSIFICATION PAY PLAN FOR PHYSICAL YEAR 25, 26. MS. HAYES, SHE'S ASLEEP. SOMEBODY NUDGER, SHE'S JUST LITTLE. HAVEN'T SEEN YOU IN A WHILE. WELCOME. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. SO I STAND BEFORE YOU TONIGHT JUST REQUESTING THAT YOU, UM, CONSIDER APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE RESOLUTION FOR THE CLASSIFICATION PAY [01:30:01] PLAN FOR FISCAL YEAR 25 26. I HAVE PROVIDED YOU WITH A MEMO WHICH ENUMERATES THE CHANGES THAT, UM, WOULD OCCUR VERSUS THE CURRENT PLAN. SO WE'RE LOOKING TO ADD A PERMITTING TECHNICIAN, AN ACCOUNTING AND AUDIT COORDINATOR, SPECIAL PROJECTS COORDINATOR, AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF FINANCE, AND TO ELIMINATE ONE POSITION CLASSIFICATION IN THE WAY OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SUPERVISOR. ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE, I'D BE HAPPY TO TRY TO ANSWER THEM. BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS? I DO. UM, THE ASSISTANT FINANCE DIRECTOR, UH, I OBJECT TO THAT. WHAT DOES A SENIOR ACCOUNTANT DOES? WHAT IS THEIR POSITION? I'M GONNA DEFER TO THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE ON THE SPECIFICS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT POSITION. THERE'S A FEW OTHER THAT HAVE DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS, SO I'LL DEFER TO KIM THAT. SURE. SO THE SENIOR ACCOUNTANT THAT OVERSEES THE GENERAL LEDGER SUPERVISES THE ACCOUNTS PAYABLE PERSON AND THE PAYROLL PERSON MONITORS THE TRANSACTIONS THAT ARE COMING IN THROUGH THE BANK AND OUT DOES BANK RECONCILIATIONS, UM, OVERSEES. AND THEN WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE THAT OVERSEES THE, UM, THE BUDGET PROCESS. UM, THAT ACTUALLY WAS, UM, MOVED TO A BUDGET ADMINISTRATOR POSITION LAST YEAR. SAME CLASSIFICATION, BUT, UM, WE, WE SWITCHED THAT BECAUSE IT'S PRETTY MUCH COVERED THE BUDGET, BUT SHE DID AT THE TIME. UM, PARTS OF THE BUDGET AS WELL AS REVENUES AND TAX RECONCILIATIONS. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER SENIOR ACCOUNTANT THAT OVERSEES THE GRANTS AND THE FIXED ASSETS. SO THEY'RE IN THE, UM, DETAILS OF THE, THE DAILY WORK IN RECONCILING, PREPARING FOR AUDIT, UM, HANDLING THE FEMA REIMBURSEMENTS, ALL OF THE, UH, MONITORING AND MANAGING THE FEDERAL AND STATE, UH, GRANTS, UH, REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. I MEAN, I COULD, I COULD KEEP GOING ON, BUT OKAY. GENERALLY THAT'S WHAT THEY COME IN. AND WHAT ABOUT THE BUDGET ANALYST? WHAT DOES SEEM LIKE SHE'S AT ALL MEETINGS? I NEVER SEEN THE SENIOR ACCOUNTANT HERE, UH, ANSWERING ANY QUESTIONS HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE BUDGET ANALYST HERE DOING ALL THE WORK. SO I WAS, I JUST SORT OF LOST. SO I'M TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT IS THE JOB DESCRIPTION FOR THIS NEW PERSON COMING IN? AND THIS SENIOR, UH, ACCOUNTANT IS SECOND TO YOU. SO WHERE WOULD THIS PERSON POSITION BE TO YOU? SO THAT HAS BEEN REQUESTED. SO SECOND TO ME RIGHT NOW WOULD BE THE ACCOUNTING MANAGER WHO OVERSEES ALL OF THAT AND THE GENERAL LEDGER AND HANDLES THE DETAILED TRANSACTIONS OF THE AUDIT AS WELL. MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S RECONCILIATION'S ACCURATE. THEY HAVE TO TURN THEIR WORK INTO HER FOR THAT. SHE MANAGES THE AUDIT FOR ABOUT SIX MONTHS OF THE YEAR. WELL, MAYBE UP TO NINE MONTHS, HONESTLY, AS WE PREPARE AND WE GO THROUGH THAT COME THROUGH. SO THAT POSITIONS GONNA CHANGE? NO, THAT'S THE ACCOUNTING MANAGER. WE NEED THAT POSITION. UM, THE ASSISTANT FINANCE DIRECTOR, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR, WOULD HELP OVERSEE SOME OF THE OTHER HIGHER LEVEL WORK IN THE SENSE OF PREPARING SUPPORT OR PROVIDING SUPPORT IN A TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO THE MANAGEMENT STAFF. WE HAVE TWO MANAGERS. ONE'S THE PURCHASING AND WAREHOUSE MANAGER. THE OTHER ONE IS THE ACCOUNTING MANAGER. UM, THE PURCHASING WAREHOUSE MANAGER DOES, YOU KNOW, DOES NOT HAVE THE SUPPORT THAT SHE NEEDS AS WELL. UM, AND JUST SPREAD TOO THIN TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE ALL OF THAT. AND THEN TO BE ABLE TO, TO, UM, SUCCESSFULLY, UM, KEEP US WORKING IN A HIGH PERFORMING LEVEL AND NOT BURNOUT. AND I MEAN, IT'S JUST, IT IS WHAT IT IS. SO, UM, WE NEED THAT SUPPORT. AND THEN WE'VE GOT THE BUDGET, UM, ADMINISTRATOR THAT'S HERE RIGHT NOW IS TYPICALLY WE DO COVER A LOT OF BUDGET RELATED THINGS AND SHE'S THE ONE THAT'S ANSWERING TO THOSE OFTEN AND HELPING US GET THROUGH THAT BUDGET PROCESS. YES. BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT INVOLVED WITH THAT EVERY DAY. SO ALL THESE PEOPLE HAVE, I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD FOR ABOUT 19 YEARS AND THIS IS SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO ME. UH, I TRY TO KEEP UP WITH AND FOLLOW WHERE WE ARE AND WHAT WE ARE DOING AND HOW THINGS ARE DONE. AND, UH, IT IS JUST SOMETHING UNUSUAL TO ME. UM, AND THEN THE SECOND THING IS THAT, UM, UM, THE BONUS, I'D RATHER DO A BONUS, UH, THAN GIVE A PAY RAISE TO THE DEPARTMENT HEADS BECAUSE WE ARE TRYING TO CATCH UP WITH THE PAYROLL, THE PAY [01:35:01] TO THE EMPLOYEES FOR THE CITY. THIS IS WHERE I STAND BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THE SALARIES HERE, IT'S SIX FIGURES, MAN, YOU KNOW, AND THE GUYS THAT'S MAKING THIS'S, THAT GUY MAKING $40,000 A YEAR, OKAY. VERSUS A PERSON THAT'S MAKING $150,000. YOU DO THE MATH, WE WOULD NEVER CATCH UP WITH THEM. THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT, UH, I'M AGAINST. UM, THAT'S JUST WHERE I STAND AT. I LIKE TO BE MYSELF WITH THE WORK THAT I PUT IN. I DON'T, CAN'T SPEAK FOR NO ONE ELSE BECAUSE I'M ONLY ONE SIX OF THE BOARD. I LIKE TO HAVE THE PACE STATUS FOR THE BOARD IS THE SAME AS WHAT THE COUNTY GETS, YOU KNOW? UM, I JUST WANT TO LOOK AT EVERYTHING ACROSS THE BOARD, THE WAY THAT EVERYONE WILL SEE IT THEMSELVES OR WHAT THEY'RE WORTH OR WHAT THEIR ABILITIES ARE TO BRING TO THE BOARD. SO JUST AS A REMINDER, THIS, THIS ITEM HERE IS FOR THE CLASSIFICATION PLAN. IT DOES NOT, WHILE THERE, THE, THE POSITIONS THAT MS. HAYES MENTIONED WOULD BE INCLUDED ON THE PLAN. THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT WHEN YOU GET TO THE BUDGET ITEM SHORTLY, THAT, THAT THOSE POSITIONS WOULD NOT BE FUNDED. SO IF A ASSISTANT FINANCE DIRECTOR POSITION IS INCLUDED IN THE CLASSIFICATION PLAN, AND WHEN YOU GET TO THE BUDGET PROCESS, YOU CHOOSE TO DO SOMETHING ELSE WITH THAT OR THE OTHER POSITIONS THAT HAS NO BEARING. SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS, SO WE APPROVED THIS TONIGHT, THAT WOULDN'T BE A PART OF THAT. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? THE CLASSIFICATION PLAN IS JUST THE CLASSIFICATION OF THAT TITLE. THE BUDGET. WHEN YOU GET THE BUDGET, THAT'S WHAT DETERMINES WHETHER OR NOT THE POSITION IS FUNDED. SO OUR MCKENZIE, THE, THE PAY PLAN IS WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING NOW. I UNDERSTAND THAT. AND WHAT I THINK THE MANAGER IS SAYING IS THIS IS JUST TO PUT THE POSITION AS AN OPTION. WHEN WE APPROVE THE BUDGET OR DON'T APPROVE THE BUDGET ON NUMBER 22, THAT'S WHEN YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I WAS SAYING. YOU KNOW, IT'S IN THERE TO BE APPROVED. RIGHT. AND, AND ONE THING, MAYOR I MIGHT ADD, IT'S ALSO THE PAY PLAN DOES INCORPORATE THE 3% INCREASE THAT HAS BEEN PROPOSED. SO THAT OF COURSE CAN BE ADJUSTED IF THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT'S DONE. BUT THE PAY PLAN ITSELF HAS BEEN INCREASED BY 3%. SO TO ARM MCKENZIE'S POINT ABOUT A BONUS IN LIEU OF RAISES, THIS WOULD BE THE ITEM TO TAKE THAT UP AT. CORRECT? CORRECT. OKAY. SO LIKE I SAY, I HAVE THREE THINGS I LIKE TO HAVE REMOVED. I'M ONLY ONE SIX OF THE BOARD, AND I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE ONE DAY THESE GUYS WOULD GET UP TO THE SIX FIGURES TOO. YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER WE HAD A STORM, WE HAD THREE WORKERS THAT WAS, UM, DEVASTATED AND NO ONE KNEW UNTIL MAYBE A MONTH LATER ABOUT THAT. SO I FEEL THAT THEY, THE WORKERS WORK HARD ENOUGH TO BE COMPENSATED. YOU OFTEN HEAR NOISE, OH MAN, YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB. YOU'RE DOING REAL GOOD. WE LOVE YOU. YOU KNOW, YOU GOT TO SHOW IT IN A MONO WAY. GIVE THEM THE MONEY, YOU KNOW, IF THEY WORK HARD FOR IT. I MEAN, THAT'S HOW I FEEL ABOUT IT. I'M JUST LIKE, I SAY I'M ONE SIX. SO, UM, LET'S, LET'S, LET'S RETHINK THAT. LET'S, LET'S GIVE HIM A BONUS, NOT A RAISE. BECAUSE IF YOU GONNA GET $57,000 AND HE GETS 3%, DO THE MATH. IF THE GUY GONNA GET $40,000 DUE TO MATH, YOU KNOW, SO YOU, WHO, WHO'S, WHO'S RISING TO THE TOP QUICK? WELL, THE BONUS WOULD BE 3% OF THAT $40,000. THAT'S A BONUS. A ONE TIME, A ONE TIME THING. THE 3% OF HIS SALARY WOULD BE REOCCURRING EACH YEAR. SO HE'S GONNA GET, MAKE A LOT MORE MONEY AND GETTING A 3% INCREASE IN SALARY THAN HE IS WITH A BONUS. I'M SAYING THE DEPARTMENT HERE. OKAY. LISTEN TO WHAT I'M SAYING, PLEASE. WELL, DEPARTMENT GONNA MAKE $40,000. HAVE YOU SEEN THIS LIST RIGHT HERE? YEAH. OKAY. THAT'S WHAT I'M SPEAKING IN TERMS OF. OKAY. SO I'LL, I'LL STEAL THE PHRASE FROM OUR ASSISTANT, UM, ATTORNEY IN THE SPIRIT OF TRYING TO BE HELPFUL. OKAY. UM, I THINK YOU SAID YOU HAD THREE ITEMS. SO THE, THE PAY PLAN IS DEFINITELY RELEVANT TO THE PARTICULAR ITEM WE'RE ON NOW. SO MAYBE IF YOU WANTED TO MAKE A MOTION TO GIVE THE DEPARTMENT HEAD A BONUS IN LIEU OF A RAISE MM-HMM . THEN WE COULD SEE WHERE THAT GOES. OKAY, LET'S DO THAT. IT'S JUST A SUGGESTION. OKAY. LET'S DO THAT. THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. IS THAT YOUR MOTION? YES, SIR, IT IS. YOU GOOD WITH THAT, MR. ATTORNEY? YES, SIR. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? WE DID THIS IN THE . WE DID, I BELIEVE MR. HUGHE, JORDAN HU JORDAN HUGHES CAME UP AND, AND SAID THAT HE WOULD PREFER THE RAISE VERSUS THE BONUS. OKAY. SO HEARING THE SECOND THAT MOTION LIE DIES FOR [01:40:01] A LACK OF A SECOND HONOR MCKENZIE. NOW DO YOU WANT TO TACKLE YOUR SECOND ISSUE? YES. UH, THE 3%, UM, I'D RATHER FOR THE, THE, THE, THE, THE EMPLOYEES TO HAVE A 4% AND THAT THE BOARD MEMBERS OF BOARD OF ALDERMAN RECEIVE THE SAME PAY THAT THE COUNTY IS RECEIVING. OKAY. IS THAT YOUR MOTION? YES, SIR. OKAY. SO WE HAVE A MOTION FOR THE COLA TO GO FROM 3% TO 4% AND FOR THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN'S SALARY TO MATCH THE CRAVEN COUNTY COMMISSIONER. CORRECT. OKAY. A QUESTION, PLEASE. OH, YOU MAY, UH, LET'S SEE IF WE GET A SECOND AND WE CAN HAVE SOME DISCUSSION. SECOND. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. NOW WE CAN HAVE SOME DISCUSSION. I'LL ASK, UM, LET ME JUST ASK YOU A QUESTION. HOW, HOW MUCH, MR. HUGHES, HOW MUCH, DO YOU HAVE A CLUE HOW MUCH THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MAKE? WE WOULD'VE TO GET AN UPDATE. YOU GOT A CLUE ABOUT HOW MUCH IT IS? NO, SIR. I DO NOT. I COULDN'T, I COULDN'T GIVE YOU ANYWHERE NEAR AN ACCURATE NUMBER. WE DIDN'T, WE DIDN'T LOOK AT THAT THIS YEAR. I MEAN, I, I WAS KIND OF UNDER, UNDER IMPRESSION OF LIKE $18,000 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. DOES THAT SOUND ANYWHERE NEAR YOUR CLOSE? I, I DON'T EVEN WANNA MAKE A COMMENT. I COULD NOT HONESTLY TELL YOU WHAT THERE ARE YOU LOOKING IT UP, KIM? YEAH, BUT IT'S GONNA TAKE ME A MINUTE. I DON'T, I DON'T THINK IT'S, IF IT'S POSTED VERY EASY TO FIND. WE HAVE FOUND IT IN THE PAST BECAUSE I KNOW THE CLERK, SHE DID SOME POLLING. DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH IT IS? NOT CURRENTLY. WHAT WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CHECKED IT? I, I'D HAVE TO LOOK IT UP TO, TO SEE WHAT WE LAST REPORTED, AND I DON'T REMEMBER IF THAT WAS LAST YEAR OR THE YEAR BEFORE WE LOOKED AT IT. I BELIEVE IT WAS LAST YEAR. I DON'T, IT'S IT'S A LOT MORE THAN WHAT THIS YOU HAVE A, AN AN ABOUT? NO, BECAUSE THE CAMERAS ARE ROLLING. IT, THERE'LL BE AN ARTICLE TOMORROW THAT I MISQUOTED INFORMATION, SO I'M JUST NOT GONNA SAY ANYTHING SMART. SO WE DO HAVE A MOTION, A SECOND ON THE TABLE. UM, ARE THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS? I'M SORRY WE DIDN'T GET AN ANSWER FOR YOU. I ANSWER. UM, KENZIE, UM, DO YOU WANT RESEND YOUR PORTION OF ABOUT THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S SALARY AND JUST GO ALONG WITH THE 4%? I'M GOING TO STICK WITH WHAT I'VE REQUESTED. OKAY. WE DON'T HAVE, WE DON'T HAVE A, WELL, THEY GONNA LOOK INTO THAT AND REPORT BACK. COMMISSIONER, WE, WE NEED TO KNOW BEFORE WE GO. WE JUST TABLE THAT UNTIL WE COME BACK TO IT. OKAY. SO IF, IF WE'RE GOING TO TABLE PART OF THAT MOTION, THE BEST ACTIVITY WOULD BE TO RESEND AND ATE. CORRECT? EITHER WELL, OR CALL THE QUESTION, SEE WHERE IT GOES, AND THEN MAKE ANOTHER MOTION. DO YOU WANNA SEE WHERE THIS, THIS GOES? ALDERMAN MCKINNEY. WHY NOT? OKAY, LET'S HAVE 'EM, UH, LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ROYAL. MAY I ADD? SURE. IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO MAKE A DECISION WITHOUT INFORMATION. I AGREE. AND I WISH THAT WE COULD GET THOSE NUMBERS SO THAT WE WOULD BE INFORMED AND COULD BEST SERVE OUR CITIZENS WITH THAT INFORMATION. SO I'LL TELL YOU WHAT. CAN I MAKE A SUGGESTION? UM, LET'S, IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE BOTH WILLING TO RESCIND YOUR MOTIONS, LET'S TABLE THIS ITEM TILL THE END OF OUR AGENDA AND LET'S SEE IF STAFF IS ABLE TO SECURE THAT INFORMATION. IF THEY ARE, WE CAN REVISIT IT. IF THEY HAVEN'T, THEN WE CAN STILL TAKE IT UP. UM, WE'LL DO THAT BEFORE. I GUESS WE NEED TO DO THAT BEFORE WE ADOPT THE BUDGET THOUGH. SO WE DON'T HAVE BUT ONE ITEM THAT WE CAN GO TO MM-HMM . SO, UM, LET'S, WE KIND OF TACKLE ONE ISSUE OF THE TWO AND SEE WHERE THAT GOES. UNDERSTAND. OKAY. LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL. VOTE ON THIS ONE FIRST, AND LET'S MAKE THIS CLEAN AND THEN WE CAN MOVE ON. SO LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL. AND I MISSPOKE. I SAID ALDERMAN ROYAL, I MEANT ALDERMAN PRI. SO ROLL CALL'S. ALDERMAN PRI. ALDERMAN PRI NO, ALDERMAN ROYAL, YOU SAID WE ARE VOTING ON ONE. WE'RE VOTING ON THE WHOLE MOTION THAT ALDERMAN MCKINSEY MADE TO INCREASE THE GOVERNING BOARD'S SALARY TO THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S SALARY AND ALSO GIVE A 4% COLA TO ALL OF THE STAFF VERSUS A 3%. THAT'S THE MOTION IN LIGHT OF THAT, BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE INFORMATION, THEN I VOTE NO. OKAY. ALDERMAN ASKED HER NO. ALDERMAN KENZIE? YES. ALDERMAN BEST. EXCUSE ME. WHAT WAS ALDERMAN? I DIDN'T HEAR ALDERMAN ROYAL'S. SHE SAID SHE DIDN'T HAVE THE INFORMATION, SO SHE COULDN'T MAKE AN INFORMED VOTE. BUT ISN'T THAT CONSIDERED A YES? NO, SHE VOTED NO. OH, THAT'S WHAT I DIDN'T HEAR. SORRY. YES, SHE VOTED NO. . UM, YES. MAYOR ODOM? NO. SO THE MOTION FAILS. FOUR TWO. FOUR TWO. OKAY. NOW, OR MCKENZIE, DO YOU WANT TO DO JUST [01:45:01] THE COLA FOR THE EMPLOYEES AND TRY THAT? YEAH. ALRIGHT. YOU, YOU, YOU WANNA MAKE, MAKE THE MOTION TO INCREASE THE COER FROM THREE I I'D LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION TO INCREASE THE COER FOR THE STAFF. 4%. OKAY. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. OKAY, WE HAVE A SECOND. NOW I'LL ASK THE QUESTION. WHAT IS THE FINANCIAL IMPACT OF THAT? BY DEPARTMENT? A, A, A 1% INCREASE CITYWIDE WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL $420,000 ADDED TO THE BUDGET, WHICH AT THIS TIME, IF THAT IS APPROVED, WOULD COME FROM FUND BALANCE, WHICH IS CLOSE TO 1 CENT. THAT IS JUST ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS SHY OF ONE PENNY. OKAY. PENNY IS 532,500. OKAY. YES, MA'AM. QUESTION? THIS IS ACROSS THE BOARD, ALL EMPLOYEES. THAT'S THE MOTION. THAT'S THE MOTION. OKAY. DO WE HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? QUESTION FOR MS. HAYES OR, UM, FOSTER, I DON'T REMEMBER IF IT WAS LAST YEAR OR MAYBE TWO YEARS AGO, YOU BEFORE US, UM, WITH A PROPOSAL THAT WE SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE THE, THE CLASSIFICATION TO ALLOW NEW BERN TO PLAY CATCH UP WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES, UH, COMPARABLE TO NEW BERN, UM, WHICH THE BOARD DID DO IN, IN SINCE THAT TIME, DO YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION THAT WOULD INDICATE WHERE WE STAND, UM, ESSENTIALLY IN COMPETITION WITH OTHER JURISDICTIONS, WHETHER, YOU KNOW, WHETHER OR NOT ARE WE STARTING TO SLIP AGAIN OR ARE WE MAINTAINING, UH, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE? OKAY, SO, SO I WILL SAY, AS A DISCLAIMER, I'VE NOT DONE ANY TYPE OF FULL ANALYSIS. AND YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE MARKET ANALYSIS, THE RESULTS OF THAT, THAT WE RECOMMENDED AND YOU IMPLEMENTED. BUT WHAT I WILL SAY IS, EVEN AS WE PUT THAT IN PLACE, THERE WERE OTHER ENTITIES AROUND US THAT WERE STILL MOVING. THEY STILL WERE MOVING THEIR SALARY. SO WE MAY STILL BE SOMEWHAT BEHIND, BUT THAT IS WHY IT'S IMPORTANT AS WE SEE IT, TO INCREASE THE PAY PLAN BY AT LEAST THE AMOUNT OF ECOLA IF WE CAN. THEREFORE, WE'RE NOT SO FAR BEHIND, BUT I HAVE NOT DONE ANY ANALYTICAL STUDIES, SO I REALLY DON'T WANT TO SAY TO YOU HOW FAR BEHIND WE MAY OR MAY NOT BE. THANK YOU. DO YOU HAVE A CLUE WHAT SOME OF THE OTHER CITIES ARE OFFERING AS A COLA? UM, I THINK IT'S AROUND 3.1%, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN. FOSTER. SO THE LEAGUE OF MUNICIPALITIES DID A SURVEY ON THE EASTERN PART OF THE STATE THAT AVERAGE ACROSS ALL MUNICIPALITIES WAS 3.1%, SOME HIGHER, SOME LOWER, BUT THAT WAS THE AVERAGE. UH, THE, THE, THE ONLY COMMENTARY I'LL ADD IS I'VE ALWAYS SAID WHEN YOU ADD RECURRING COST TO THE BUDGET THAT GETS PULLED FROM FUND BALANCE, YOU'RE ESSENTIALLY OBLIGATING FUTURE BOARDS TO COVER THAT. UM, I DON'T DISAGREE THAT I WISH THAT WE COULD PAY OUR EMPLOYEES 8% AND DOUBLE IT. UM, BUT WE HAVE MADE ADJUSTMENTS TO SIGNIFICANT ADJUSTMENT AS AUBURN PER BROUGHT UP, UM, JUST A COUPLE YEARS AGO. AND WE'VE HAD COLA INCREASES EVERY YEAR SINCE THEN, RIGHT? CORRECT. YES. OKAY. NO, WE, WE HAVE HAD COLA INCREASES EVERY YEAR SINCE THEN, BUT WHAT WE HAVEN'T HAD EVERY YEAR SINCE THEN IS THE COLA AS WELL AS A MERIT INCREASE, UH, YOU KNOW, RECOGNIZING THE EMPLOYEES THAT GO ABOVE AND BEYOND. AND AS A RESULT OF NOT HAVING A MERIT INCREASE, I'M GONNA VOTE YES. FOUR, 4%. OKAY. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. NOW LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ROYAL. ALDERMAN ROYAL, YES. ALDERMAN ASTER. YES. ALDERMAN KINZIE, OF COURSE. ALDERMAN BES. HE, YES. ALDERMAN CRELL? NO. MAYOR ODOM? NO. MOTION CARRIES. FOUR TWO. MAYOR, I HAVE THE INFORMATION FROM THE COUNTY THAT WE PULLED IN 2022. OKAY. AT THAT TIME, THE CITY HAD THE [01:50:01] CITY'S MAYOR'S INFORMATION WAS $16,143 AND 10 CENTS. MAYOR PRO TEM WAS 11,000 975 88, AND AN ALDERMAN WAS $11,098 AND 88 CENTS. THERE HAS BEEN, I BELIEVE SINCE THEN A 3% ADJUSTMENT THAT WAS APPLIED TO THE ALDERMAN. AT THAT TIME, THE COUNTY THE CHAIRMAN WAS $15,202 AND 72 CENTS, WHICH WAS LESS THAN THE MAYOR'S SEAT. COMMISSIONERS WERE $13,718 AND 38 CENTS, WHICH WAS SLIGHTLY ABOVE THE ALDERMAN. OKAY. GO TO GET THAT INFORMATION. HONOR MCKENZIE, DO YOU WANT TO TRY A MOTION ON THAT? YES, LET'S VOTE ON IT. OKAY. WHAT'S YOUR MOTION? UM, MY MOTION IS TO CON UH, TO VOTE TO, TO, TO SALARY CHANGE TO THE SAME AS THE COMMISSIONERS. DOES THAT MEAN THE MAYOR GETS THE CUT AND PAY? WELL, AND I, I WILL SAY THEY EACH ALSO RECEIVED AT THAT TIME A $550 A MONTH'S TRAVEL STIPEND, $550 DOLLARS A MONTH. A MONTH MAYBE. I'M ON THE WRONG SIDE OF BROAD STREET A MONTH. . OKAY. UM, SO FIVE 50 A MONTH. MISS FINANCE DIRECTOR, I DON'T HAVE MY CALCULATOR UP. FIVE 50 A MONTH, 12 MONTHS, LIKE 6 6 5 66 66. SO $6,600 IN ADDITION TO THEIR $15,000 SALARY. OKAY, SERGEANT MCKENZIE, WHERE ARE YOU ON THIS? ? WE ARE GONNA VOTE ON IT YOUNG MAN. ALRIGHT, SO YOU WANNA MAKE A MOTION? DO YOU WANT TO COVER THEIR TRAVEL EXPENSES OR JUST THEIR SALARY? UM, I'M GONNA HAVE TO START TRAVELING. OKAY. I'M JUST KIDDING. UH, WE ARE GONNA VOTE ON THE, UH, THE SALARY. OKAY. SO, ALDER MCKENZIE HAS MADE A MOTION FOR THE CITY OF NEWMAN, BOARD OF ALDERMAN TO MATCH THE CRAVEN COUNTY COMMISSIONER SALLY, AS OF 2022 OR WHATEVER NUMBER WE DON'T KNOW CURRENTLY THE NUMBER WE DON'T KNOW RIGHT NOW, . OKAY. SO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? HEARING NONE. THE MOTION DIES FOR LACK OF A SECOND. YEAH. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADOPT A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE CLASSIFICATION PAY PLAN FOR PHYSICAL YEAR 25 26, WHICH WILL INCLUDE FOUR 4% SECOND PVA FOR THE EMPLOYEES. OKAY. SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM NUMBER 20. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? YES, SIR. YES, MA'AM. GRADE 12 PER PERMITTING TECHNICIAN THAT I, THAT'S NOT THE ONE I WAS LOOKING FOR. WHAT IS THE, DOES THIS INCLUDE THE CUSTODIAN FOR THE, THE CUSTODIAN? THE CUSTODIAN POSITION IS, IS IN THE CLASSIFICATION PLAN. YOU MAY WANNA WAIT UNTIL, TILL WE GET TO THE BUDGET ITSELF ON THAT. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY. HEARING NONE, LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ASTOR. ALDERMAN ASTOR? YES. ALDERMAN KENZIE? YES. ALDERMAN BEST? YES. ALDERMAN PRI. YES. ALDERMAN ROYAL? YES. MAYOR ODOM NONE. MOTION CARRIES FIVE ONE. [21 . Consider Adopting an Ordinance Amending the Schedule of Fees and Charges.] NEXT UP IS ITEM NUMBER 21. CONSIDER ADOPTING OF ORDINANCE AMENDING THE SCHEDULE OF FEES AND CHANGES MS. OSTROM AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS, THE BOARD ANNUALLY ADOPTS AN AN AMENDED SCHEDULE OF FEES AND CHARGES TO IMPART IDENTIFY IN ONE PLACE ALL THE FEES CHARGED BY THE CITY. THIS FEES IDENTIFIED IN THE SCHEDULE ARE INCLUDED IN THE REVENUE PROJECTIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2020 5 26, AND WILL BE EFFECTIVE JULY 1ST, 2025. THERE IS ALSO A RED LINE VERSION OF THE SCHEDULE INCLUDED THIS BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS? ONLY ONE I HAVE IS I SCANNED THROUGH AND I BELIEVE WE'VE GOT 'EM ALL CORRECTED. WHERE IN CITY AND OUTTA CITY ARE IN CITY FEES? BASICALLY HALF OF WHAT OUTTA CITY FEE IS CORRECT ON EVERYTHING THAT'S CORRECT. IT'S A PLEASURE REPORT ON ITEM NUMBER 21. MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE SCHEDULE OF FEES AND CHARGES. SECOND, HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. LETS HAVE A ROLL CROSS, STARTING WITH DERMAN ASTER. DERMAN, I'M SORRY. ALDER MCKENZIE. ALDERMAN. KENZIE. YES. ALDERMAN BEST? YES. ALDERMAN KRILL. YES. ALDERMAN ROYAL? YES. ALDERMAN [01:55:01] ASER. YES. MAYOR ODA? YES. MOTION CARRIES. NEXT [22. Consider Adopting the Budget Ordinance for Fiscal Year 2025- 2026.] UP IS ITEM NUMBER 22. CONSIDER ADOPTING A BUDGET ORDINANCE FOR FY 25 26. MS. OSTROM, AS NOTED EARLIER, THE CITY MANAGER PRESENTED THE PROPOSED BUDGET ON APRIL 8TH, AND THE BUDGET WORKSHOP WAS HELD ON APRIL 28TH. THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS ADVERTISED FOR THE MEETING FOR THIS MEETING DATE. AFTER TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION DISCUSSIONS HELD AT THE WORKSHOP AND COMMENTS RECEIVED EARLIER DURING THE HEARING, THE BOARD IS ASKED TO GIVE ITS FINAL CONSIDERATION FOR THE PROPOSED BUDGET. IT DOES THE BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON ITEM NUMBER 22? YES. AGAIN, IF YOU WOULD WALK ME THROUGH THE EMPLOYEE THAT WILL PROVIDE SERVICE PARTIALLY PAID BY THE MSD AND BY THE CITY. SO AS, AS WE DISCUSSED DURING THE WORK SESSION, I, I GAVE A FOLLOW UP AND AN EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE TO THE BOARD. CURRENTLY, THERE IS A PART-TIME CUSTODIAN POSITION THAT IS BASED OUT OF CITY HALL. AND THAT POSITION IS PAID FOR OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND. THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO TURN THAT POSITION INTO A FULL-TIME POSITION WITH A PORTION OF THAT BEING PAID, STILL PAID BEING PAID BY THE GENERAL FUND AND THE REST BEING PAID BY THE MSD FUND. SO IF THE BOARD, UH, APPROVES OF THAT, THEN THAT CUSTODIAN WOULD ALSO HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES WITHIN THE DOWNTOWN AREA, WITHIN THE MSD AREA. AND SO THE ITEMS THAT I POINTED OUT WOULD BE TO, OF COURSE, CLEAN, CLEAN THE, UH, THE CUB HOUSE BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR GOING DOWN TO THE, THE NEW PIER CLEANING THAT PROPOSED NEW RESTROOM DOWN THERE, CHECKING THE RESTROOMS AT AT UNION POINT PARK, ALSO CLEANING THE FOUNTAIN IN JAMES REED LANE, WALKING AROUND ALL THE SIDEWALKS IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA, UH, AT THE APPROPRIATE TIMES. UH, SPRAYING WEED KILLER, PICKING UP TRASH AND THINGS LIKE THAT. NOTIFYING THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT IF THERE ARE ANY, ANY ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY. SO REALLY A A EYES ON PERSON THAT IS DEDICATED TO THE DOWNTOWN. ANOTHER QUESTION I HAVE IN CASE, LET'S SAY HURRICANE, UH, IN CASE OF SOME OTHER ISSUES OUTSIDE THE FOOTPRINT OF THE MMSD, WOULD THAT CUSTODIAN BE ONLY OBLIGATED THROUGH DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE MSD FOOTPRINT? OR COULD IN A CASE OF NEEDING HIM SOMEWHERE ELSE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY THAT THAT FLEXIBILITY WILL BE BUILT IN? THERE IS FLEXIBILITY BECAUSE 100% OF, OF THAT, UM, SALARY WOULD NOT BE PAID BY THE MSD. IT'S, IT'S KIM, WHAT WAS THE PERCENTAGE THAT WE LOOKED AT? ALMOST 50% WOULD COME FROM MSD, ALMOST 50% WOULD COME FROM, FROM THE GENERAL FUND. SO THERE WOULD BE FLEXIBILITY IN THAT. AND SO IN THE JOB AND DESCRIPTION, I DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE THAT LANGUAGE INCLUDED, THAT FLEXIBILITY PART TO MAKE SURE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT RESPONSIBILITIES, THAT THAT PERSON, WHOEVER IT IS THAT WOULD BE HIRED, WOULD UNDERSTAND THE FLEXIBILITY PART OF IT. I I, I KNOW IN OUR BUDGET SESSION WE ALSO DISCUSSED ABOUT WHETHER LIKE, UM, OUTSOURCING THIS POSITION. SO I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT, WHAT, SO WE DID ASK TELEWORKS TO, TO, UH, GET SOME QUOTES ON OUTSOURCING THAT, UH, CONTRACTOR THAT THEY'RE USING FOR OTHER LOCATIONS. THEY DID RECEIVE A PRICE FOR FIVE DAYS A WEEK. FIVE HOURS PER DAY WAS 39,000 PER YEAR. CURRENTLY FOR OUR PART-TIME EMPLOYEE THAT'S WORKING 20 HOURS A WEEK, I BELIEVE WE'RE PAYING APPROXIMATELY 17,000 A YEAR. SO IT WOULD BE ALMOST DOUBLE WHAT WE WOULD BE PAYING IF WE CONTRACTED THAT OUT. I AM GOING TO, I'M GONNA FURTHER COMPLICATE THE DISCUSSION. SO WHO, WHO IS THIS INDIVIDUAL GONNA REPORT TO? THAT THAT INDIVIDUAL DOES REPORT TO PUBLIC WORKS. OKAY. SO THE BUILDING THE BUILDING AND MAINTENANCE SUPERINTENDENT. SO WHO'S GONNA MANAGE THE TIME TO ENSURE THAT THE MSD THAT'S PAYING 50%, THAT 50% OF THE INDIVIDUAL'S TIME IS SPENT INSIDE THE MSD AND NOT INSIDE A CITY BUILDING? THE PUBLIC WORK SUPERVISOR WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT. HMM. COULD YOU PLEASE SILENCE YOUR CELL PHONES? THANK YOU. OKAY. IT SOUND, IT SOUNDED LIKE TO ME EVERYTHING THAT YOU LISTED OFF, IT'S PROBABLY ABOUT 90% OUTSIDE OF THIS BUILDING AND CUB HOUSE, BUT THAT'S JUST ME. WE'RE STILL ON ITEM NUMBER 22 DISCUSSING THE PROPOSED BUDGET. ALDERMAN AND ROYAL, DID YOU GET YOUR ANSWER TO [02:00:01] YOUR QUESTION? I DID. I JUST WANT TO, AGAIN, REITERATE, I WOULD DEFINITELY LIKE THAT LANGUAGE INCLUDED IN WHATEVER THE JOB DESCRIPTION MAY ENTAIL. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. OKAY. BEFORE WE APPROVE, UM, APPROVE THIS, I HAD A QUESTION BECAUSE I KNOW IN OUR BUDGET SESSION WE DID NOT COVER WHETHER OR NOT WE WERE GOING, WE DIDN'T VOTE ON WHETHER OR NOT WE FELT THAT, UM, MS. OSTROM NEEDED THAT ASSISTANT FINANCE DIRECTOR. SO, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOME INPUT FROM THE BOARD OF HOW YOU FEEL THAT IF SHE NEEDS THIS POSITION. I KNOW WE DID TALK ABOUT HIRING ONE FULL-TIME PERSON, AND THEN WE TALKED ABOUT, UM, ACTUALLY, UH, TWO PART-TIME PEOPLE FOR THAT POSITION FOR, WELL NOT THAT POSITION, BUT TO FILL, UM, THE GAP IN FOR HER IN, IN THE, UH, FINANCE DEPARTMENT. SO I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BEFORE WE APPROVE THIS, THIS BUDGET. MS. OSTROM SAT HERE TONIGHT AND ANSWERED EVERY QUESTION THAT WAS ASKED OF HER FROM THE PUBLIC AS WELL AS FROM THE THIS ALDERMAN. UM, SHE'S ALSO ADVISED THIS BOARD THAT SHE NEEDS ASSISTANCE. THE CITY MANAGER HAS ALSO ADVISED THIS BOARD THAT SHE NEEDS AN ASSISTANCE, UH, BASED ON THAT INFORMATION. AND AGAIN, I'M NOT GOING TO GET INTO THE FEMA STUFF TOO MUCH, BUT I'VE WATCHED THEM AT WORK AND ANYTIME THAT YOU HAVE A DISASTER AND FEMA IS INVOLVED, YOU'RE TALKING HUNDREDS OF HOURS OF EXTRA WORK. NOT STANDARD WORK, BUT EXTRA WORK. AND SOME OF THESE FEMA OBLIGATIONS GO FOR. ARE WE STILL JUST ON FRANCINE NOW? I MEAN, UH, FLORENCE. FLORENCE IS FLORENCE EXCUSE. THANK YOU. WE STILL ON JUST ON FLORENCE OR HAVE WE CLOSED OUT THE OTHER ONES AS WELL? SOME OF THE OTHERS? NO. THAT, UM, WE'VE CLOSED OUT MOST OF THE OTHER ONES, BUT FLORENCE RIGHT NOW IS OUR MAIN ONE THAT WE'RE WORKING ON. OKAY. BUT WHEN DID WE, WHAT WAS THE, WHEN WE JUST CLOSED ONE OUT NOT TOO LONG AGO. THAT'S BEEN, THAT YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON DORIAN. DORIAN DO DORIAN. YEAH. SO I MEAN, DORIAN HAS JUST BEEN CLOSED OUT WITHIN THE PAST YEAR, THOUGH. YOU'RE TALKING A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK ABOVE AND BEYOND HER NORMAL DUTIES. SO TAKING THAT INTO CONSIDERATION, I'M GONNA TAKE THE CITY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDATION. HE'S OUR, HE'S OUR, UM, CEO AND I'M GONNA TAKE OUR DEPARTMENT HEAD'S RECOMMENDATION AND, AND I'M GOING TO RECOMMEND THAT WE GIVE THE LADY SOME HELP IN THAT DEPARTMENT. ANYONE ELSE HAVE COMMENTS? I THINK THAT WE AS A BOARD, UM, SHOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY EACH BOARD MEMBER TO VOTE ON IF THAT'S A POSITION THAT THEY WANT TO HAVE ADDED. SO YOU COULD, YOU COULD MAKE A MOTION TO REMOVE THE ASSISTANT FINANCE DIRECTOR FROM THE PROPOSED BUDGET. NO, I, I'M NOT SAYING I WANT TO REMOVE THAT POSITION. I'M JUST WE DID NOT, WE COVERED THIS IN OUR RETREAT. I AGREE WITH YOU. WE DID NOT VOTE ON WHETHER OR NOT WE AS A BOARD WANTED THIS POSITION. MS. KIM HAS SAID SHE NEEDS TO HELP. I'M NOT DENYING THAT THEY WORKED REALLY HARD, BUT WE AS A BOARD DID NOT CONCLUDE WHETHER OR NOT WE ALL AGREE WITH THAT AND VOTE ON IT. MAY I, MAY I MAKE A MOTION, PLEASE? SURE. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT IN THE FISCAL YEAR 25, 26 BUDGET THAT WE INCLUDE AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF FINANCE FOR OUR DIRECTOR OF FINANCE. OKAY. SO WE HAVE A MOTION. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO INCLUDE NOW MY QUESTION, MR. ATTORNEY. UM, IT'S IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET. MM-HMM . UM, ALDERMAN ASTOR IS MAKING A MOTION TO CONFIRM WHAT'S THERE. UM, AND I'M GONNA SPECULATE AND JUST ASK YOU IF IT'S A THREE THREE, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN? WELL, I THINK THAT'S CONFUSING. MAYBE IT WOULD STILL STAY IN THERE. CORRECT? IT, IT, I I WOULD JUST RECOMMEND IF IT'S IN THE BUDGET, NOT IN THE BUDGET, THEN VOTE ON THE BUDGET AS IT IS. I WITHDRAW MY MOTION. YEAH, I'LL APPROVE YOU. WITHDRAW YOUR SECOND, WITHDRAW SECOND. AND THEN I'LL TAKE, CHANGE IT BY MAKING A MOTION THAT WE ADOPT THE BUDGET ORDINANCE FOR PHYSICAL YEAR 25 26. SECOND. OKAY, SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ADOPT THE PROPOSED BUDGET ORDINANCE FOR FY 25, 26. WAIT, HOLD YOU. THEY'RE ALL ONE MAY HAVE OTHER ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS IN REFERENCE TO THIS BUDGET. IT'S, IT IS OPEN FOR DISCUSSION RIGHT NOW. OKAY. WE HAVE A SECOND BEFORE WE, YOU KNOW, MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS. UM, NO, THAT WAS JUST MY STATEMENT. . UM, ALSO WE, OKAY. AND ALSO WE DISCUSSED HOW OUR CDBG [02:05:01] MONEY WAS. WE DID NOT FINALIZE HOW THAT CDBG MONEY WAS GOING TO BE, UM, UTILIZED AS A BOARD. WE DID NOT MAKE THAT DECISION IF THAT WAS GONNA GO TO THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION OR IF THAT WAS GONNA GO, UM, STAY. IT'S, IT'S IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET AS BEING PART OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES. THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN CORRECT. PLEASE, THE ALLOCATION IS, IS A SEPARATE THING. WE WON'T GET AN ALLOCATION UNTIL, UNTIL LATER FOR THAT. AND SO WE, AS THAT COMES UP AT A FUTURE MEETING, WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION ON THAT. BUT, BUT AS A REMINDER, CDBG ALLOCATIONS COME TO THE, TO THE CITY AND I DON'T THINK WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO SAY, WELL, WE'RE GONNA TURN THAT, THAT PROGRAM OVER TO ANOTHER ENTITY. WE HAVE TO MANAGE AND MAINTAIN THAT. NOW THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION OR ANY OF THE NON-PROFIT CAN APPLY THROUGH THE PROGRAM. YEAH. FOR, FOR FUNDS AS LONG AS THEY QUALIFY FOR THE CRITERIA THE CDBG ESTABLISHES. SO ESSENTIALLY THE, THIS BUDGET MAKES NO CHANGE TO THE CDBG PROGRAM. IT DOES NOT. OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THIS IS ABOUT THE WHOLE BUDGET, SO IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING REGARDING THE BUDGET. OKAY. I HEAR NO FURTHER DISCUSSION. SO LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN BEST? ALDERMAN BEST, YES. ALDERMAN KRILL. YES. DERMAN ROYAL? YES. DERMAN ASHER? YES. DERMAN. KENZIE? YES. MAYOR ODOM. I WAS GOING TO VOTE YES UNTIL THE PERCENT OF COLA CHANGE TO FOUR AND I'M, I'M VOTING NO BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S THE RIGHT DECISION. SO I'M GONNA, THE PASSAGE REGARDLESS. IS FIVE ONE BUDGET'S BEEN ADOPTED. THANK YOU FOR THE STAFF FOR THEIR HARD WORK THIS YEAR, PUTTING THAT TOGETHER. MOVING ON TO ITEM [23. Consider Adopting a Resolution Approving a Declaration of Intent to Reimburse FY2025- 26 Vehicles and Equipment.] NUMBER 23. CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION OF APPROVING A DECLARATION OF INTENT TO REIMBURSE THE Y 25 26 VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT. MS. OSTROM. THE FY 25 26 BUDGET INCLUDES THE PURCHASE OF CAPITAL ITEMS FOR VE VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT TOTALING $1,989,217 IRS REGULATIONS REQUIRES THE BOARD TO ADOPT A DECLARATION OF OFFICIAL ATTEMPT TO REIMBURSE, ALLOWING THE CITY TO PAY ITSELF BACK FOR ITEMS THAT WILL POTENTIALLY BE PAID FOR PRIOR TO OBTAINING THE RESPECTIVE FINANCING. THIS BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS. IF THERE IS NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING A DECLARATION OF INTENT TO REIMBURSE FISCAL YEAR 25 26 VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT. SECOND. SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ERMAN RELL. ALDERMAN RELL. YES. ALDERMAN ROYAL. YES. ALDERMAN AS? YES. ALDERMAN KENZIE. ALDERMAN BEST? YES. MAYOR ODOM. YES. MOTION CARRIES. NEXT [24. Consider Adopting an Ordinance to Amend Sections 15- 76, 15- 79, 15- 80, 15- 82, 15- 84, and 15- 85 of the Land Use Ordinance.] IS ITEM NUMBER 24. CONSIDER ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND SECTIONS 15 76, 15 79, 15 80 15 82, 15 84 AND 1585 OF LAND USE ORDINANCE. MR. GO EVENING MAYOR AND THE BOARD AGAIN, UH, WE'RE ACTUALLY BEFORE YOU AGAIN TODAY WITH A REVISED VERSION OF THIS, UH, STAFF HAS WORKED WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO CREATE THE REVISION TO ADD IN NOTICING ADJACENT OWNERS BY MAIL. UH, AND IF THERE ARE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THAT. BUT NOTHING ELSE HAS REALLY CHANGED ON THAT. UM, AND SOME SPECIFICS MAY BE BEST ANSWERED BY SCOTT, SO I WOULD PREFER TO HIM ON SOME THINGS. THIS BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS ON ITEM NUMBER 24. AS A REMINDER, THIS IS THE ONE WE TALKED ABOUT AT THE LAST MEETING. WE BOARD GAVE SOME DIRECTION TO CHANGE THE NOTIFICATION AND THAT'S BEEN DONE SO IN THIS NEW UPDATE? YES, SIR. YOUR HONOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADOPT THE ORDINANCE TO AMEND SECTION 15 76, 15 79, 15 80 15 82, 15 84, AND 1585 OF THE LAND USE ORDINANCE. SECOND. HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON ITEM NUMBER 24? HEARING NONE. LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ROYAL. ALDERMAN ROYAL? YES. ALDERMAN ASER. YES. ALDERMAN KENZIE. ALDERMAN BEST? YES. ALDERMAN CREEL. YES. MAYOR ODOM. YES. MOTION CARRIES. NEXT IS [25. Consider Adopting an Ordinance to Amend Chapter 86 — Waterways, Sec. 86- 1 Fishing and Crabbing Prohibited at Certain Locations."] ITEM NUMBER 25. CONSIDER ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 86 WATERWAYS, SECTION 86 1. FISHING AND CRABBING PROHIBITED AT CERTAIN LOCATIONS. MR. HUGHES. SO IN ANTICIPATION OF THE NEW RIVER WALK FISHING [02:10:01] PIER BEING OPENED, WE ARE REQUESTING THE BOARD CONSIDER THE AMENDMENT TO THIS ORDINANCE TO EXCLUDE THE FISHING PIER ITSELF. BUT THIS ORDINANCE MAKES IT UNLAWFUL TO FISH OR CLARA IN THE NORTHERNMOST SECTION OF COUNCIL BLUFF GREEN AT THE RIVER WALL ALL THE WAY DOWN TO UNION POINT PARK GOING WHERE THE RIVERS MEET BACK TOWARD, UH, THE HOTELS ALL THE WAY TO THE, UM, TO THE WESTERN PORTION OF THE NORTH CAROLINA RAILROAD TO BAN FISHING OR CRABBING IN THAT AREA. ON PUBLIC PROPERTY. ON PUBLIC PROPERTY. AND IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, WHERE IT PICKS UP AT THE TRAIN TRESTLE BEHIND THE HISTORY CENTER IS ALREADY PROHIBITED BY THE STATE. THERE'S SIGNS UP THERE THAT SAY NO FISHING. I'M NOT GONNA SAY I DON'T KNOW SOME PEOPLE WHOSE FISH THERE BEFORE, BUT I KNOW THERE'S SIGNS THAT SAVE THE FISHING. SO THIS WOULD ESSENTIALLY CARRY THAT ALL THE WAY AROUND OUR RIVER WALL? THAT'S CORRECT. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF PALACE POINT COMMONS? THAT'S CORRECT. CORRECT. OKAY. BECAUSE PALACE POINT COMMONS IS A HOTSPOT FOR FISHING. IT IS. OKAY. DOES THE BOARD UNDERSTAND, DID YOU SAY WITH THE EXCEPTION OF PALACE COMMONS? YES, MA'AM. OKAY. THAT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RESOLUTION. IS THERE A PROJECTED TIME FOR THE FISHING PIER TO BE COMPLETED? WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THAT AT THE MANAGER'S, UH, REPORT IN JUST A MOMENT. OKAY. FOSTER. UM, OBVIOUSLY, UM, WITH THIS CHANGE, UM, A FAIR AMOUNT OF ENFORCEMENT OR EDUCATION IS GOING TO BE REQUIRED. UM, AND I'M SPECIFICALLY THINKING OF COUNCIL BLUFF GREEN BECAUSE THAT IS A SOMEWHAT POPULAR PLACE FOR FISHERMEN AND PEOPLE THROWING LINES OUT THE CRAP. UM, HOW, HOW, HOW ARE YOU ENVISIONING THAT THE EDUCATION, UH, AND OR ENFORCEMENT IS GOING TO BE DONE AND BY WHO? SO, SIGNAGE WILL BE GOING UP IF THIS BOARD APPROVES THAT. AND, AND THERE'LL BE SMALL SIGNS ABOUT EIGHT BY EIGHT THAT WILL GO UP AT CERTAIN AREAS ALONG THE RIVERWALK ITSELF. SO THE PUBLIC WILL KNOW, POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL BE MONITORING THAT. NORTH CAROLINA WILDLIFE RESOURCES COMMISSION IS ALSO SUBJECT TO MONITOR THAT AS WELL. OF COURSE, WE WILL REMIND FOLKS THAT THAT'S WHAT OUR FISHING GEAR IS FOR. AND I THINK THAT BASED ON THE, THE FEEDBACK WE'VE GOTTEN FROM THE FISHING PEER, I THINK IT'S GONNA BE QUITE POPULAR. OKAY. IF, IF I COULD MAKE ONE SUGGESTION YOU ON THE SIGN GUY. UM, I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY IMPORTANT WHEN YOU PUT NO FISHING MILL OUT HERE IS TO LIST THE CITY ORDINANCE ON THERE, SIR, BECAUSE THAT REALLY PROVIDES SOME TEETH WHEN PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT A SIGN THAT JUST SAYS, NO FISHING, EH, I'LL TAKE A CHANCE. BUT IF IT LISTS THE CITY ORDINANCE THERE, IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT. SO BEING THAT THIS RESOLUTION WOULD BECOME EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY WHEN WE APPROVE IT, IS THAT CORRECT? YES, MA'AM. THAT'S CORRECT. AND BEING THAT I AM NOT AWARE OF THE TIMELINE WITH THE EFFICIENT PEER, THAT WOULD HELP SHAPE MY DECISION. THANKS . VERY SOON. VERY, VERY SOON. OKAY. I'LL GO AHEAD AND GIVE YOU THE, THE, THE INFORMATION. THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU. SO, SO YOU'RE, YOU'RE TAKING ONE OF MY ITEMS AWAY. THAT'S OKAY. IT'S OUR, SO WE ARE PLANNING ON HAVING A GR A RIBBON CUTTING GRAND OPENING FOR THE NEW PIER ON FRIDAY, MAY 23RD, RIGHT BEFORE MEMORIAL WEEKEND AT 10:00 AM SO REALLY THE SIGNS WON'T GO UP UNTIL THE PIER OPENS. 'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA LET, WE'RE GONNA GIVE PEOPLE THAT TWO WEEK GRACE PERIOD TO LET THEM KNOW, HEY, ONCE THIS PIER OPENS, NO FISHING ALONG THE RIVER WALK. THAT MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD. . NOW I KNOW HOW TO VOTE. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON ITEM NUMBER 25? MAYOR, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 86 WATERWAYS SECTION 86 DASH ONE, FISHING AND GRABBING PROHIBITED AT CERTAIN LOCATIONS. SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION, ALDERMAN CREEL AND A SECOND BY ALDERMAN ROYAL. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE? LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL DURING WITH ALDERMAN ASTOR. ALDERMAN ASTOR. YES. ALDERMAN KINZIE DERMAN BEST? YES. OTTERMAN FRILL. YES. OTTERMAN ROYAL? YES. MAYOR ADAM? YES. THAT MOTION CARRIES. [26. Appointment( s).] NEXT UP IS, UH, APPOINTMENTS. DOES THE BOARD HAVE ANY APPOINTMENTS TONIGHT? OKAY. UH, MAYOR, BEFORE WE JUMP ON ON THE NEXT ITEM, UM, WE, WE HAD, UM, A NUMBER OF PEOPLE ADDRESS THIS BOARD EARLIER THIS EVENING WITH REGARDS TO, UM, FILLING THE VACANCY, UM, [02:15:01] FOR WARD SIX ALDERMAN. UM, I DON'T ANTICIPATE THAT WE ARE IN A POSITION, UM, THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE'VE BEEN IN, UH, UP TO THIS POINT IN TIME, BUT, UH, YOU NEVER KNOW. SO I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE, UM, A MOTION TO APPOINT MS. DARLENE BROWN AS THE WARD SIX. UM, ALDERMAN SECOND. OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN. BEST ALDERMAN. BEST EXCUSE ME, SIR, DO YOU THINK WE SHOULD MAKE ALDERMAN, I WANT TO DO THIS THE RIGHT WAY. HAVE ALDERMAN PRI PRESENT? I MEAN, ALDERMAN KENZIE PRESENT AGAIN, THAT'S, THAT'S UP TO THE BOARD. CITY ATTORNEY. DO YOU HAVE I THINK YOU SHOULD. I WOULD WANT THE SAME CONSIDERATION, YOUR HONOR. OKAY. UM, MR. SERGEANT IN ARMS, WOULD YOU MIND FINDING, UH, ALDER MCKENZIE MAYOR IN THE SPIRIT OF EFFICIENCY? I'VE GOT ONE ITEM TO REPORT. WHY DON'T I KNOCK THAT OUT REAL QUICK WHILE WE WAIT. WE HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND, ARE YOU, LET'S SEE, LET'S SEE HOW THIS TAKES. I I'LL, I CAN, I'M, I CAN FILL SOME TIME. I, WHILE WE'LL WAIT FOR, YEAH. GREAT. DERMAN MCKENZIE. UM, I APPRECIATE THE FOLKS COMING OUT TONIGHT. UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE ONES IN WARD SIX THAT CAME OUT TONIGHT. UM, WE ARE IN THE MONTH OF MAY AND WE HAVE JUNE, JULY, AUGUST, SEPTEMBER. WE HAVE FOUR MEETINGS, I BELIEVE, UNTIL THE ELECTION. UM, THAT DOESN'T DISCOUNT THE FACT THAT THE WARD SIX SEAT IS VACANT. UH, I'LL PUSH VERY FERVENTLY AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS TO FILL THIS POSITION WITH SOMEONE WHO WAS QUALIFIED, UH, EXPERIENCED AND CAPABLE. UM, WE ARE AT A POINT NOW WHERE YOU'RE, YOU'RE PUTTING YOUR HANDS ON THE SCALE OF THE ELECTION AND I REALIZE THAT, UH, MS. BROWN SENT US ALL AN EMAIL AND SAID SHE WASN'T GOING TO RUN FOR OFFICE. UH, THAT SHE WOULD LIKE TO SERVE OUT THE TERM VERY RESPECTFUL EMAIL OF, OF HER. AND I APPRECIATE THAT. BUT AT THIS POINT IN TIME, I WOULD NOT VOTE. I'M NOT VOTING FOR ANYONE TO FILL THIS POSITION. THE CITIZENS IN WARD SIX WILL CHOOSE THAT ON OCTOBER 7TH. OKAY. YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO DO THAT. BUT THIS IS OUR MEETING AND IF YOU CONTINUE TO DO THAT, I'LL ASK YOU TO LEAVE. OKAY. SO WE'D LIKE TO HAVE A ROLL CALL VOTE STARTING WITH, WITH JOHNNY. THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS TO APPOINT DARLENE BROWN TO THE WARD SIX C. SO WE HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND AND WE WILL START THE ROLL CALL WITH ALDERMAN KINZIE BECAUSE YOU'RE BACK NOW. ALDERMAN KENZIE, WELL, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT. SURE. BASED ON QUALIFICATIONS, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE HEARD TONIGHT ABOUT HOW QUALIFIED A PERSON IS. SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE DEFINITION. WOULD YOU THINK A EX MAYOR, UH, OR ALDERMAN, WOULD YOU THINK HE QUALIFIED TO FILL THAT SEAT? THAT'S YOUR OPINION. YOU USE YOUR OWN OPINION. I RESPECT YOUR OPINION. RESPECT MINE. OKAY. THAT'S ALL I ASK YOU TO DO. OKAY. IF YOU CAN'T DO THAT, HEY, THAT'S ON YOU. MY OPINION IS A QUALIFIED PERSON IS DANA OUTLAW. R MCKENZIE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO VOTE YES OR NO, PLEASE? YES. FOR DANA OUTLAW? NO, THIS IS THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS FOR DARLENE BROWN. OH, NO SIR. OKAY, SO WE HAVE A NOTE FOR ALDER MCKENZIE. ALDERMAN BEST? YES. ALDERMAN PRI. YES. ALDERMAN ROYAL. YES. ALDERMAN ASER. NO. MAYOR ODOM? NO. AND I JUST WANT TO PUBLICLY SAY THANK YOU TO ALDERMAN VEST, UM, FOR TAKING THAT APPROACH AND ALLOWING AL MCKENZIE TO COME BACK IF SOMEBODY THINKS THAT I'M LYING. IF YOU WANNA MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE DANA OUTLAW, I'LL VOTE ACCORDINGLY AS WELL. WAS YOUR NO A VOTE MAYOR? MINE WAS A, MINE WAS A NO. YES MA'AM. IT WAS THREE THREE. IT WAS THREE THREE. SO THERE'S NO ACTION TAKEN. I THOUGHT YOU SAID YOU WEREN'T GONNA VOTE. I'M NOT VOTING FOR ANYONE. OKAY. SO, OKAY, IF YOU CONTINUE OUTBURSTS, I'LL ASK YOU TO LEAVE. NEXT [27. Attorney' s Report.] UP IS THE ATTORNEY'S REPORT, UH, MAYOR MEMBERS BOARD. ONE QUICK MATTER, I WANTED TO DIP BACK INTO, I'M GONNA ALLOW YOU A FEW MINUTES TO LEAVE. [02:20:21] OKAY. MR. ATTORNEY? YES, MA'AM. MA'AM. MEMBER BOARD. UM, I WANTED TO DIP BACK INTO OTTOMAN ROYAL'S EARLIER QUESTION IN THE MEETING REGARDING THE ORDINANCE AMENDMENT, THE LANDS ORDINANCE. I'M SORRY, I CAN'T HEAR YOU. ALRIGHT, LET'S GIVE IT A MINUTE FOR THE HOUSE TO CLEAR OUT. MR. SERGEANT AT ARMS, WOULD YOU PLEASE SHUT THE DOOR WHEN THEY EXIT? IF IT'S NOT, OR ACTUALLY OUR POLICE CHIEF'S GONNA HANDLE THAT. THANK YOU SIR. ALTMAN ROYAL, UM, ASKED A QUESTION EARLIER IN THE MEETING ABOUT, UM, HOW A CITIZEN INITIATED THE ORDINANCE AMENDMENT THAT WAS ON THE AGENDA. AND MY SENSE WAS YOUR QUESTION WAS MORE PRECISE, UM, THAN THE RESPONSE YOU GOT. I THINK YOU, MY SENSE WAS YOU WERE CONFUSED ABOUT HOW A CITIZEN HAD A RIGHT TO INITIATE A LAND USE AMENDMENT. AND, UM, I WANT TO CLARIFY THAT THERE ARE ONLY THREE BODIES THAT CAN DO THAT. THAT WOULD BE A DEPARTMENT HEAD PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD. AND THIS BOARD, TECHNICALLY THOSE ARE THE THREE ENTITIES THAT HAVE A RIGHT TO INITIATE AN ORDINANCE AMENDMENT, IN THIS CASE, A BIT OF SEMANTICS. A CITIZEN APPROACHED THE DEPARTMENT HEAD WITH AN IDEA TO AMEND THE ORDINANCE. SO TECHNICALLY THIS WAS INITIATED BY THE DEPARTMENT HEAD, ALTHOUGH THE IDEA ORIGINATED WITH A CITIZEN. SO TWO BIG POINTS. CITIZENS DON'T HAVE A RIGHT TO INITIATE THE ORDINANCE, BUT THEY HAVE AN ABSOLUTE RIGHT TO DO THREE THINGS. THEY CAN APPROACH DEPARTMENT HEADS WITH THEIR GOOD IDEAS. IF IT'S A LAND USE ISSUE, THEY CAN APPROACH THE PLANNING AND ZONING A BOARD WITH THEIR GOOD IDEAS, AND THEY CAN ALWAYS APPROACH YOU WITH THEIR GOOD IDEAS. WHETHER THE PROCESS GETS TRIGGERED IS UP TO THE DEPARTMENT HEAD PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD, OR YOU, DOES THAT HELP? IT DOES, BUT THAT'S NOT HOW IT READ. I EXACTLY. AND, AND I KNEW THAT WAS GONNA CONFUSE YOU WHEN I SAW IT. YES, MA'AM. THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO CLARIFY THIS. I DIDN'T WANT CITIZENS TO HAVE THE IDEA THAT THEY COULD JUST START SUBMITTING ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS AND YOU WOULD BE FORCED TO ADDRESS THEM WHETHER YOU LIKE THEM OR NOT. MM-HMM . AND THAT'S HOW IT DID APPEAR. YES, MA'AM. YES, SIR. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ANYTHING ELSE? NO, SIR. CITY MANAGER'S [28. City Manager' s Report.] REPORT. SO AGAIN, THE RIVER WALK, UH, FISHING PIER GRAND OPENING IN RIBBON COUNTY WILL BE ON FRIDAY, MAY 23RD AT 10:00 AM I'M REMINDED TO FOOT LOOSE ON THE NOOSE RETURNS ON FRIDAY, MAY 23RD AS WELL WITH THE JOURNEY TRIBUTE BAND TRIAL BY FIRE NEW TIMES FOR THE CONCERT SERIES AT 7:30 PM ALSO, PARKS AND RECREATION WILL BE OFFERING PLAY DAY AT THE PARK ON SATURDAY, MAY 24TH AT UNION POINT PARK. THE AQUATIC CENTER ALSO OPENS FOR, FOR THE SUMMER ON MAY 24TH. AND AS A REMINDER FOR MEMORIAL DAY CITY OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED ON MAY 26TH. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TONIGHT. OKAY. NEW BUSINESS STARTING WITH FRILL QUESTION? YES, MA'AM. WHEN DID YOU SAVE THE, UH, RIBBON CUTTING OR GROUND? THAT WILL BE FRIDAY, MAY 23RD AT 10:00 AM WE'LL PUT IT ON YOUR CALENDAR. THANK YOU, SIR. IT'S ALREADY ON THERE. THANK YOU. [29. New Business.] UH, NEW BUSINESS ALDERMAN PRI UH, NOTHING THIS EVENING, MAYOR. OKAY. ALDERMAN ROYAL? YES. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WANT TO ANNOUNCE THAT I, ALDERMAN AND MYSELF WILL BE HOSTING A CITYWIDE TOWN HALL MEETING ON THIS THURSDAY, MAY 15TH AT THE STANLEY WHITE REC CENTER AT 6:30 PM I WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES TO BE PRESENT. I HOPE THAT YOU WILL BE THERE. UM, THERE'S, UM, THE SAME ISSUES THAT WE ARE DISCUSSING TONIGHT. UM, OUR STAFF WILL BE AVAILABLE THERE AND, UH, TO ENGAGE OUR CITIZENS. UH, FOLKS HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS. THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERNS. THERE'S RUMORS OUT, I THINK THAT THE CITIZENS DESERVE THE CORRECT ANSWERS AND THAT WE MAKE OURSELVES AVAILABLE TO ENGAGE THEM AND PROVIDE THE INFORMATION THAT THEY SEEK. SO, AGAIN, THAT'S, UH, MAY 15TH, THIS COMING THURSDAY, 6:30 PM AT THE STANLEY WHITE REC CENTER. AND I CERTAINLY HOPE THAT ALL OF US WILL SHOW UP. THANK YOU. AND ALDERMAN ROYAL. LET, LET ME, LET ME PROPOSE THAT WAS A GREAT SEGUE TO, UH, A MOTION TO, UM, CALL A SPECIAL MEETING FOR THAT SAME DATE, TIME AND PLACE IN THE EVENT YOU GET A QUORUM AT THAT MEETING. UM, IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE BETTER TO HAVE THAT PROPER NOTICE JUST IN CASE, UH, TO COMPLY WITH THE OPEN MEETINGS LAW WE'RE DISCUSSING THERE A DOG TO ENGAGE OUR CITIZENS OF FOLKS. HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS. YOU, THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERNS. [02:25:01] THERE'S . GOTTA LOVE TECHNOLOGY. UH, THAT WAS MY QUESTION I WAS GONNA ASK. SO YES. MY GOODNESS. THANK, DO WE HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO ADVERTISE IT? YOU DON'T NEED TO. IF WE JUST CALL A SPECIAL MEETING TONIGHT DURING THIS REGULAR MEETING, THEN IT COUNTS FOR PUBLIC NOTICE, UM, AS THE WORLD IS WATCHING. AND THEN YOU CAN CALL THAT MEETING, UM, FOR THURSDAY EVENING. UM, IN THE EVENT A QUORUM SHOWS UP. I GOT SO DISTRACTED BY MY WATCH. SAY IT AGAIN. YES, MA'AM. UM, IN THE EVENT, UM, A QUORUM OF THIS BOARD SHOWS UP, IT WOULD REQUIRE, THAT WOULD MAKE IT AN OFFICIAL BOARD MEETING. MM-HMM . AND IN THAT EVENT, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT YOU OR ANYONE MAKE A MOTION TO HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING FOR THIS THURSDAY AT THE DATE, TIME AND PLACE YOU SUGGESTED FOR A SPECIAL MEETING TO DISCUSS CITY MATTERS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. SO MOVED. YES, MA'AM. BUT SO CAN I ASK YOU WHAT HAPPENS? HOLD, HOLD ON. WE'VE GOT A MOTION. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? YES. OKAY. WE HAVE A SECOND NOW. OR GONNA ASK THINGS. WHAT HAPPENS IF WE THEY, WE DON'T SHOW UP AND THERE'S NO QUORUM? THAT'S FINE. IT STILL TAKE PLACE. SURE. OKAY. YEAH. YEAH. IT'S NEVER WRONG. UM, IF THERE'S NOT A QUORUM, IT'S ALWAYS WRONG IF THERE'S A QUORUM WITHOUT NOTICE. GOTCHA. SO THIS IS JUST PROTECTIVE, JUST IN CASE. THANK YOU. SO, SO MY QUESTION WOULD BE, IS WHAT IS THE AGENDA GOING TO BE FOR THAT MEETING? IT, WELL, IT WILL BE TO DISCUSS, I, I THINK ANY, ANY GENERAL CITY ISSUE, BUT YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO TAKE ANY ACTION. OKAY. THAT'S THE CLARITY THAT I WANTED. YES, EXACTLY. OKAY. YEAH. NO ACTION CAN BE TAKEN WITHOUT, AND JUST WHAT THE POINT THE MAYOR'S MAKING IS THE NOTICE WOULD REQUIRE SOMETHING MORE PRECISE. SO THIS WILL JUST BE MORE OF AN INFORMATION SHARING AND DISCUSSION. OKAY. ABSOLUTELY. YOU GOOD WITH THAT? YES SIR. I'LL INVEST. YOU GOOD WITH THAT? YOU SECONDED IT, CORRECT? YES. WE HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND FOR SPECIAL CALL MEETING AT STANLEY WHITE RECREATION CENTER, THURSDAY AT SIX 30. YES. YOU HAVE THAT MS. CLERK. MAY 15TH, MAY 15, 6 30. YES, SIR. OKAY. UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. A AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? OKAY. WE GOOD THERE? YES, SIR. THANK. OKAY. BE RECORDING. UM, I'M NOT RECORDING. THE CITY WILL NOT BE RECORDING IT. SIX, BUT IT'S AN OPEN MEETING, SO YES. ANYBODY CAN RECORD IT. OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE? ALDERMAN ROYAL? NO, SIR. OKAY. ALDERMAN STER. THE ONLY THING I'D LIKE TO SAY IS I'D LIKE TO, I'D LIKE TO THANK UH, EXCUSE ME. EXCUSE ME A SECOND BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD. UM, WILL THE CITY CLERK NEED TO BE PRESENT IF WE HAVE A QUORUM? I WOULD THINK SHE WOULD NEED TO BE. SOMEONE NEEDS TO TAKE MINUTES. DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THE CLERK. WELL, LET'S ASK THIS. OKAY. OBVIOUSLY YOU TWO ARE GONNA BE THERE 'CAUSE YOU'RE HOSTING IT, I ASSUME. UM, I PLAN TO BE THERE. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO'S PLANNING TO BE THERE? I MAY, YEAH, I I JUST PUT IT ON BY CALENDAR. OKAY. SO WE'RE COVERED. AND WE PROBABLY SHOULD COORDINATE OUT OF COURTESY WITH THE CLERK TO LET HER KNOW IF CAN, CAN WE DO THIS? IS EVERYBODY GOOD LETTING THE CLERK KNOW BY FIVE O'CLOCK, UH, ON THURSDAY IF YOU'RE GOING TO ATTEND THE TOWN HALL OR NOT? IS EVERYBODY GOOD WITH THAT? YES. OKAY. , ARE YOU GOOD WITH THAT ALTMAN VEST? OKAY, WE'RE COVERED NOW. NOW I LOST MY TRACK. ALTMAN ASKED HER NEW BUSINESS QUESTION. YES, MA'AM. CAN I LET HER KNOW RIGHT NOW? UH, SURE. INSTEAD OF LETTING KNOW THURSDAY BY FIVE. WELL, I MEAN, I ASSUME YOU TWO WERE GONNA BE THERE SINCE YOU HOSTED I WAS KIND OF REALLY TALKING TO THE OTHER ONES, BUT IF, IF EVERYBODY WANTS TO SAY YES, YOU'RE GONNA BE THERE. OKAY. OKAY. ARM AND AS I WAS GETTING READY TO SAY SOMETHING, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT IT IS NOW MYSELF. UM, OH, I KNOW WHAT IT IS. WITH ALL THIS RAIN THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST COUPLE DAYS, I, I JUST WANTED TO THANK GEORGE AND HIS STAFF FOR THE HARD WORK. I'VE HAD 'EM OUT. WE'VE BEEN IN THE BACKYARDS WALKING IN AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF THERE'S SOME BLOCKAGES IN SOMEWHERE. IT'S THE WORST WORK IN THE WORLD YOU CAN EVER DO WHEN YOU'RE WALKING AROUND A SNAKE INFESTED FLOOD WATERS. AND I, YOU KNOW, I JUST, THEY DESERVE, UH, KUDOS AND I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT THEY DO. YES, SIR. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE. MR. MAYOR PAUL MCKENZIE, NEW BUSINESS, NOT TONIGHT, ALL INVEST NEW BUSINESS. YES. UM, I DO. UM, I WOULD LIKE TO, TO HAVE PUT, UM, OUR NEXT, UH, BOARD OF ALMONDS MEETING UNDER THE CONSENT AGENDA. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE, UM, CALL FOR, UM, A RESOLUTION CALLING FOR A PUBLIC HEARING TO, UH, ADJUST ELECTRIC RATES. I THINK THAT MORE, UH, INFORMATION NEEDS TO BE, UH, PROVIDED TO OUR CITIZENS ABOUT THESE ELECTRIC RATES. I KNOW AT OUR RETREAT, UM, THAT IT WAS, UM, THE CITY MANAGER STATED THAT THIS WAS GONNA BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE COME COVERED LATER ON IN THE SUMMER, UH, JULY, JUNE, JULY, AUGUST. AND I JUST THINK THAT WE ARE, WE'RE JUST CONTINUOUSLY PUTTING THIS OFF, PUTTING THIS OFF, AND MR. BUR [02:30:01] HAS ALREADY COME BEFORE THIS BOARD NUMEROUS TIMES AND LETTING US KNOW THAT, THAT THE ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT IS IN TROUBLE. AND I JUST THINK THAT WE NEED TO GO AHEAD AND CONSIDERING WE ARE NOT MEETING, BUT ONCE A MONTH HERE, UM, FOR MAY, JUNE, JULY, AND AUGUST, I THINK WE NEED TO GO AHEAD AND PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA AND, UM, SO WE CAN HAVE MORE DISCUSSION. YOU, YOU SAID, SO YOU WANTED TO CALL FOR A PUBLIC HEARING TO BE ON OUR NEXT CONSENT AGENDA? THAT IS CORRECT. MEANING WE WOULD CALL FOR A PUBLIC HEARING IN JUNE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING IN JULY. WELL, IF IT GOES UNDER CONSENT AGENDA, CAN'T WE HAVE DISCUSSION AT THAT POINT, MR. CITY ATTORNEY? SO, SO ONE THING I WOULD RECOMMEND IS IF, IF THE BOARD CALLS FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING AT THIS, THAT WE HAVE A WORKSHOP THE AFTERNOON OF THE JUNE MEETING, THAT WAY THE, UH, ELECTRIC UTILITY DIRECTOR CAN PROVIDE HIS RECOMMENDATION THAT THE BOARD CAN HAVE DISCUSSION ON THAT AT THAT TIME. SO IF THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN THIS POSSIBLY THREE O'CLOCK ON, IS IT JUNE 8TH ON THREE O'CLOCK ON JUNE 10TH OR A, A WORKSHOP TO DISCUSS THE ELECTRIC UTILITY RATES AND THEN AT EVENING IT COULD BE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR THE NEXT MEETING. AND I DID MS. SHORT COME FORTH TO US AT OUR BUDGET RETREAT AND GAVE US THAT INFORMATION, WHAT HE WAS REQUESTING. SO WHY WOULD HAVE WHAT HE TALKED ABOUT, WHAT HE TALKED ABOUT WAS 3% OR FOUR POINT A HALF PERCENT. BUT WHAT, RIGHT. BUT WHAT HE HASN'T COME UP WITH WAS HOW THE EXACT RATES WERE GONNA BE REFLECTED. WHICH, BUT THAT'S WHY I CALLED FOR A RATE ADJUSTMENT FOR DISCUSSION ON RATE ADJUSTMENT. AND SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT WE NEED TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF LITTLE WORKSHOP BEFORE WE GET TO THAT POINT? THAT'S CORRECT. SO YOU CAN SEE, SEE THAT INFORMATION AND IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS AT THAT TIME, YOU'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS. I DON'T MEAN TO PICK ON YOU, MR. CHAR, MR. ARD, BUT ARE YOU GOOD WITH THAT JUST TO BRING THAT IN FOR A LAND? OKAY. THE NOTION IS THAT THERE WILL BE A PRE-MEETING, BUT, BUT OTTMAN BESS IDEA OF HAVING CALL FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE JUNE AGENDA FOR THE JULY PUBLIC HEARING THAT IS CORRECT, IS IN PLAY. THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING. YES. IF, IF, AND I'M QUITE SURE MR. BACHAR, THAT WOULD GIVE HIM TIME ENOUGH TO GET ANY INFORMATION THAT HE NEEDS TOGETHER, WHICH YOU PROBABLY ALREADY HAVE TOGETHER, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW IS THAT GOING TO AFFECT YOU A POINT OF ORDER? CAN YOU CLARIFY? DID WE GET A SECOND ON HER MOTION? NOT YET. OKAY. I DON'T THINK WE KNOW WHAT IT IS. THAT, THAT'S WHERE I WAS GOING IS WHERE YEAH. TO UNDERSTAND WHAT I, SHE MADE A MOTION, I THOUGHT, TO HAVE THE CONSENT AGENDA IN OUR NEXT MEETING HAVE CLUB CALL PORTFOLIO HEARING AND WE DIDN'T GET A SECOND WE WERE DISCUSSING. SO FORGIVE ME. YES, YES SIR. YES, SIR. UM, DO WE HAVE A SECOND TO ALDERMAN VEST'S MOTION AND THEN WE CAN CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION? YES. OKAY. THANK YOU. NOW, MR. BOUCHARD, I APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT AND THE DISCUSSION ON THE MATTER. UM, LITTLE CONFUSED ON, IS THE INTENT TO TAKE THE VOTE AT THE NEXT MEETING OR THAT'S WHERE, THAT'S THE CLARIFICATION. THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE CLARIFICATION I NEED IN ORDER TO PREPARE AND ADVERTISE ACCORDING TO NORTH CAROLINA, WE, WE CAN, WE COULDN'T, WE COULDN'T TAKE THAT ACTION. SO THE, YEAH, THE PLAN IS, THERE WILL BE A PRE-MEETING IN JUNE WHERE IT'S GONNA BE THE CHARLIE SHOW. OKAY. TO DISCUSS THE RATES WITH THE BOARD ON THAT JUNE AGENDA. THE MOTION THAT'S BEEN SECONDED IS TO CALL FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING AT THE JULY MEETING WHERE THE BOARD WILL GO, THUMBS UP, THUMBS DOWN ON THE NEW RATES. AND DURING, IN BETWEEN JUNE AND JULY WE WOULD ADVERTISE. YES, SIR. SO YOU'RE GOOD WITH THAT? YES, MA'AM. OKAY. ABSOLUTELY. I, I, THAT'S OKAY. OKAY. EVERYBODY GOOD WITH THAT? UM, LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL ON THIS ONE. STARTING WITH I, MY PAGES LOOK TERRIBLE. WHO, WHO DID WE START THE LAST ROLL CALL WITH MR. CLERK? I BELIEVE IT ALDERMAN. IT WAS ALDERMAN ASKED HER. SO TO BE ALDER MCKENZIE. I THOUGHT IT WAS MACKENZIE, BUT IT DON'T MAKE, IT WAS, IT WAS ALDER MCKENZIE ON THE MOTION TO APPOINT SOMEONE. SO IT'S ALDERMAN BEST. AND WHAT IS THE VOTE AGAIN TO CALL FOR A PUBLIC HEARING? THAT WILL BE ON OUR CONSENT AGENDA IN JUNE THAT WILL HAVE THE, THE PUBLIC HEARING IN JULY. IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. TO ADJUST, UH, ELECTORATE READS. SO IT'S A MOTION TO PUT THE ITEM ON THE AGENDA TO CALL FOR A PUBLIC HEARING. THANK YOU. CORRECT AGENDA. SO WE ARE AT ALDERMAN BEST STARTING THE ROLL CALL, PLEASE. ALDERMAN BEST? YES. ALDERMAN PRI? YES. ALDERMAN ROYAL? YES. ALDERMAN ASER? YES. ALDERMAN KENZIE? YES. MAYOR ODOM? NO. OKAY. WE'LL BE ON THE NEXT AGENDA. [02:35:02] ANYTHING ELSE? LET'S GO BACK TO THE PRE-MEETING. WHAT, WHAT WAS IT? THAT, THAT'S VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. WE WOULD NEED TO CALL FOR A SPECIAL MEETING. WHAT TIME? 3:00 PM 3:00 PM JUNE 10TH AT CITY HALL. AND THAT MEETING IS FOR WHAT, AGAIN? FOR CHARLIE TO MAKE HIS PRESENTATION ON WHAT HE WANTS THE ELECTRIC RATES TO GO UP TO. SO I'M GONNA ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR A SPECIAL CALL MEETING JUNE 10TH AT CITY HALL AT 3:00 PM YES. UM, I CALLED FOR A SPECIAL MEETING TO DEC AT CITY HALL JUNE 10TH AT 3:00 PM I SECOND. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION. AND SECOND, UM, MAYOR PROTE PRILL. ARE YOU GONNA BE HERE ON JUNE THE 10TH AT THREE O'CLOCK? YES. OKAY. YOU'LL HAVE TO RUN THE MEETING 'CAUSE I WILL NOT. DO WE HAVE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ONE QUESTION. I'M SORRY. CAN WE DROP THAT TIME BACK TO FOUR, JUST UP TO THE BOARD. DOES IT TAKE THREE HOURS? WILL IT TAKE THREE HOURS, MR. HAW? NO MA'AM. HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE YOU THINK? OBVIOUSLY IT'LL LARGELY DEPEND ON HOW MANY QUESTIONS I'VE RECEIVED, BUT I, I PRESENTED THE INFORMATION A MONTH AGO, SO IT WOULD PROBABLY BE JUST A, A REVIEW OF THAT AND, UM, ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSING YOUR IDEAS. SO I WOULD, I WOULD SAY LESS THAN AN HOUR. LESS THAN AN HOUR THAT I NEED. IF I JUST RUN THROUGH IT FOUR 30, THAT GIVES THE BOARD SOME TIME BETWEEN THE SIX O'CLOCK MEETING, A LITTLE CUSHION IF YOU WANNA DO THAT. OKAY. SO I HAD ALDERMAN BEST AND ALDERMAN PR THAT MADE A MOTION. AND A SECOND. ARE YOU TOO GOOD WITH ADJUSTING THAT TO FOUR 30? YES. MR. ATTORNEY, YOU CLEAR WITH THAT? YES, SIR. OKAY. UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THAT WOULD BE ME. I'M A NO. UM, I'LL TRY MY BEST TO MOVE SOME THINGS AROUND. ANYTHING ELSE? ALMAN BES. UM, THAT IS IT. OKAY. UH, ONLY NEW BUSINESS I HAVE. UH, MR. ATTORNEY, I APOLOGIZE I DIDN'T GIVE YOU HEADS UP, BUT I KNOW YOU'VE WORKING ON THIS. CAN YOU PLEASE INFORM EVERYONE, WATCHING EVERYONE HERE HOW THE BILLBOARD GOT INSTALLED ALONG MLK, NEXT TO THE MALL? Y YES, SIR. UM, LIKE YOU, I'VE, I'VE, UH, RUN INTO A NUMBER OF, UH, UNHAPPY CITIZENS ABOUT THIS. UM, TO BE CLEAR, OUR STATE STATUTES GIVE THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OVER BILLBOARDS WITHIN OUR PRIMARY HIGHWAY CORRIDORS TO A DISTANCE OF 660 FEET. EXCUSE ME. OUR PRIMARY HIGHWAY CORRIDORS ARE HIGHWAY 70 THAT RUNS THROUGH THE CITY, EAST TO WEST AND HIGHWAY 17 SOUTH FROM HIGHWAY 70 SOUTH. THOSE ARE THE TWO PRIMARY CORRIDORS. DOT HAS SOLE AUTHORITY TO ISSUE PERMITS WITHIN THOSE CORRIDORS. IN THIS CASE, THE MATTER WAS EVEN OUT OF DOT'S HANDS. AND THAT WE HAVE A STATE STATUTE THAT PROVIDES WHEN A STATE CONDEMNS A OUTDOOR ADVERTISING FOR HIGHWAY PROJECTS, THE OWNER OF THAT BILLBOARD THAT'S BEEN CONDEMNED CAN RELOCATE IT WITHIN THOSE PRIMARY CORRIDORS. IN THIS CASE, WE JUST LEARNED LATE THIS AFTERNOON THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL BILLBOARDS CONDEMNED OUT AT THE HIGHWAY 43 CONNECTOR. SO THE BILLBOARD THAT IS GOING IN ON MLK, UM, NEAR THE AT AND T STORE IS, IS ONE OF THOSE RELOCATED BILLBOARDS. SO UNFORTUNATELY THE MATTER IS, IS BEYOND OUR CONTROL. UM, AND EVEN BEYOND DOT'S CONTROL, THEY CERTAINLY ISSUED THE PERMIT, BUT WHEN THEY ISSUE IT, THEIR JOB IS TO VERIFY THE FACTS. AND ONCE THOSE FACTS ARE VERIFIED AND THE OWNER HAS A LEASE, THEN THAT OWNER HAS A RIGHT TO LOCATE THE BILLBOARD IN THAT LOCATION. THANK YOU, SIR. YES, SIR. SO ARE WE EXPECTING MORE? I DO NOT KNOW. I JUST NOTICED TODAY THAT THERE WERE THREE. UM, SO I, I DON'T KNOW A LITTLE, I I'VE NOT HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT THIS. I'VE HEARD SOME GOSSIP FOR THE LAST THREE OR FOUR MONTHS ABOUT THIS ONE AND NO OTHERS. SO I'M HOPING THIS IS THE ONLY ONE. SO, SO SCOTT, MAYBE YOU CAN CLARIFY. THIS ONE IS BEING RELOCATED. THAT'S AROUND BEN QUINN SCHOOL. IT'S FOR THE NEW INTERCHANGE WHERE THE 43 CONNECTOR COMES IN BASED OFF OF THE MAP THAT [02:40:01] THAT ATTORNEY SENT US. YES, SIR. SO THAT'S IN THE CITY LIMITS. SO IF THERE IS A CONDEMNED BILLBOARD IN JAMES CITY THAT'S, THAT'S OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS, THEY CAN'T LOCATE THAT IN THE CITY. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. YEAH. THE STATE STATUTE THAT AUTHORIZES THE RELOCATION IS JURISDICTION SPECIFIC. MEANING IF YOU'RE OUTSIDE THE CITY, YOU CAN'T MOVE A SIGN IN THE CITY. IF YOU'RE IN KINSTON, YOU CAN'T MOVE A KINSTON BILLBOARD TO NEW BERN. YOU STAY WITHIN THE JURISDICTION. THAT'S WHY THIS IS AS DONE. WHAT'S WHAT'S CALLED AS A MATTER OF, RIGHT. SO, UM, UNFORTUNATE FOR FOLKS, BUT THAT'S WHERE WE ARE. UM, HOPEFULLY OTHERS IN THAT CORRIDOR WILL NOT ENTER INTO LEASES, UH, FOR BILLBOARDS IN THAT CORRIDOR. CAN WE, CAN WE RESTRICT BILLBOARDS INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS WITH SIZE? WE DO. WE, WE CAN AND WE DO, WITH THIS EXCEPTION, THE STATE STATUTE TRUMPS OUR ORDINANCES IN THAT, THAT STATUTE, IT GIVES THIS CONTROL TO DOT WITHIN 660 FEET OF THOSE CORRIDORS. SO WITHIN THAT AREA, WE DON'T HAVE ANY JURISDICTION. SO NOW THAT, THAT HAS BEEN CONFIRMED. RIGHT. UH, FOR ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO CALL AND COMPLAIN AND REGISTER SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE BILLBOARD ON MLK, PLEASE REACH OUT TO YOUR STATE HOUSE REPRESENTATIVE STEVE TYSON OR YOUR STATE SENATOR FORMER ALDERMAN. NOW SENATOR BOB BRISSON. BECAUSE THEY CONTROL THAT. YES SIR. I THINK WE SHOULD REACH OUT TO 'EM. I THINK WE SHOULD DO, UH, KNOW WE SHOULD BE OPPOSED TO THAT AND WE SHOULD TELL THEM THAT WE'RE NOT REAL HAPPY WITH THEM PUTTING BILLBOARDS IN OUR CITY. HOW DOES, HOW DOES THE BOARD FEEL ABOUT THAT? I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM REACHING OUT TO US TO EXPRESS. SO I, I COULD MAKE A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE HAVE A RESOLUTION PREPARED. SURE. THAT THE BOARD CAN TAKE FORMAL ACTION TO SEND AND MAKE OUR VOICE HEARD. I ALSO ENCOURAGE THE MANY, MANY CITIZENS I'VE HEARD FROM SINCE LAST WEEK TO DO SO. WELL, I THINK YOU OUGHT CALL SENATOR BRISSON AND GIVE HIM HEADS UP THAT IT'S COMING TOO. AND THIS TELL HOW SURE. AND JUST TO SET EXPECTATIONS. THAT IS A PERFECTLY APPROPRIATE APPROACH. BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A STATUTORY AMENDMENT. YEAH. THAT WILL HAPPEN IN A LEGISLATIVE SESSION THAT IS EFFECTIVELY OVER FOR THIS YEAR OR THIS, THIS CURRENT SESSION. SO THAT SIGN'S AREN'T GONNA BE MOVED. THAT SIGN IS THERE. IT IT WILL, THAT THAT IS CORRECT, BUT THE LONG GAME IS TO AMEND THE STATUTE TO THE EXTENT YOU'RE DISPLEASED. OKAY. UM, [30. Closed Session.] DOES THE BOARD, WE HAD PLANNED TO DO THE CITY MANAGER'S, UM, ANNUAL EVALUATION. DOES THE BOARD STILL WANT TO DO THAT TONIGHT? DID WE RECEIVE, DID ALL NUMBERS DO AN EVALUATION? I RECEIVED FIVE. SO WE'RE MISSING ONE. IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS, AND IT'S ANONYMOUS. SO I DUNNO WHO, IT'S OKAY IF WE DO NOT DO IT TONIGHT THEN WHAT? WELL MY THOUGHT WOULD BE IS THAT WE, WE DO SOMETHING AND LET THE, THE ONE ALDERMAN THAT DID NOT SUBMIT AN EVALUATION TIE TIME TO SUBMIT EVALUATION AND WE DO IT MAYBE AT THE NEXT MEETING OR SOMETHING. I DUNNO. IT'S UP. Y'ALL. WE'LL DO ONE. I I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT. IT TO DOING IT TONIGHT. I DON'T EITHER, EITHER. IS THAT A MOTION TO GO? NO, I'M JUST SAYING I, I I I GUESS WE GOT THE FEEL OF BOARD MEMBERS OUT. CAN WE, CAN WE GET A MOTION SO WE CAN GET SOME DETERMINATION THAT WOULD BE PURSUANT TO, UH, UH, 1 43 13, 11 A SIX. UM, UM, UH, FOR PERSONNEL MATTERS. SO MOVED. MR. MAYOR, I HAVE A MOTION. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. I HAVE A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? WE'RE OPPOSED SESSION. OKAY. JUST TOO FAST. I WAS GONNA ASK FOR A BREAK. OH, WE, WE GOT WE GOING ROOM. ALRIGHT. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.