[1. Meeting opened by Mayor Odham. Prayer Coordinated by Alderman Royal. Pledge of Allegiance]
[00:00:06]
GOOD EVENING EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THE JULY 8TH, 2025 NEW BOARD OF ALDERMAN MEETING.PRAYER TONIGHT WILL BE GIVEN BY ALDERMAN ROYAL.
HEAVEN AND FATHER, WE ASK FOR YOUR WISDOM AS WE BEGIN THIS MEETING.
WE ACKNOWLEDGE THIS EVENING THAT WE HAVE NEED OF YOUR WISDOM, AND WE WELCOME YOUR PRESENCE AMONG US.
GUIDE US IN OUR DELIBERATIONS AND DECISIONS.
HELP US TO SEEK WHAT IS BEST FOR ALL INVOLVED AND THAT YOU DIRECT OUR MEETING ACCORDING TO YOUR WILL.
I PRAY THAT YOU WILL NOT ONLY GIVE US WISDOM, BUT THAT YOU WILL ALSO GIVE US GRACE TO RESPECT THOSE WHOSE VIEWS ARE DIFFERENT, THAT WE WILL MINIMIZE OUR DIFFERENCES AND RALLY AROUND OUR COMMONALITIES IN ORDER TO ADVANCE WHAT IS BEST FOR OUR CITIZENS.
LET THIS BOARD BE MINDFUL THAT EVERY VOICE HAS VALUE, AND EVERY CITIZEN HAS A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT TO BE HEARD, AND THAT THIS WILL BE OUR BELIEF AND SERVE AS A GUIDING PRINCIPLE.
IT IS MY PRAYER THAT WE DO OUR WORK IN A SPIRIT OF KINDNESS AND JUSTICE.
HELP US TO USE OUR AUTHORITY TO SERVE FAITHFULLY AND PROMOTE THE GENERAL WELFARE OF ALL OF OUR CITIZENS, WHETHER THEY ARE POOR, WEALTHY, OR HOMELESS.
I PRAY THAT EACH MEMBER OF THIS BOARD AND EVERY PERSON ON STAFF BE MINDFUL THAT WE ARE CALLED TO SERVE OUR CITIZENS WITH FAIRNESS, COMPASSION, AND HUMILITY.
AND NOW, HEAVENLY FATHER, WE PAUSE TO PRAY FOR THE FAMILIES IN TEXAS WHO HAVE SUFFERED THE DEVASTATING LOSS OF OVER 100 PEOPLE.
IT IS MY PRAYER THAT THEY BE COMPETENT BY YOUR PEACE AND YOUR PRESENCE.
IF YOU'RE ABLE TO STAND, PLEASE DO SO.
AND PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF OUR COUNTRY.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL WITH LIBERTY IN JUSTICE FOR ALL.
MADAM CLERK, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ALDERMAN KRI.
[3. Approve Agenda]
NUMBER THREE.ARE THERE ANY CHANGES THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO MAKE TO THE AGENDA? YES, MS. MAYER? UM, MY AGENDA WON'T COME UP.
WHAT NUMBER IS THE ITEM CONCERNING THE RAISING ELECTRIC BASE? UM, 16.
MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A, A MOTION THAT WE, UM, FULL ITEM NUMBER 16 FOR CONSIDERATION AT A LATER DATE.
THERE'S SOME UNLIMITED PCA IN THERE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT BEFORE WE PUT THIS BURDEN ON OUR CUSTOMERS.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? UH, WELL, I'LL MAKE A SECOND FOR DISCUSSION PURPOSES.
I HAVE A MOTION A SECOND TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.
IS THERE A FURTHER DISCUSSION QUESTION? YES, MA'AM.
IS THAT PART OF THE CONSENT AGENDA? NO, NO, IT IS NOT JUST APPROVING THE AGENDA.
NUMBER THREE, IT'S THE ELECTRIC RATE SCHEDULE.
FOSTER BY HOLMAN OFF UNTIL, PRESUMABLY THE AUGUST MEETING.
DOES THAT PRESENT ANY ISSUES FOR THE CITY? NO, SIR.
THAT'LL STILL GIVE US PLENTY OF TIME AND OPPORTUNITY.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I, I'M, I'M, I'M CONFUSED.
WHAT, WHAT, WHAT'S MISSING? ALDERMAN, UM, ASTER THAT, WELL, IT'S THAT MR. BOUCHARD HASN'T ALREADY ADDRESSED US WITH IT.
IT, IT'S AN UNLIMITED PCA AND I, I MEAN, I'M JUST CONCERNED AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW SOME MORE INFORMATION ABOUT IT.
I MEAN, I DON'T, I DON'T WANT AN UNLIMITED PCA AND THEN OUR, SOME OF THE ELECTRIC BILLS, THAT'S WHAT HE IS ASKING FOR, AND SOME OF THE ELECTRIC BILLS GO SKYROCKET.
[00:05:02]
UM, WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO, SINCE WE'RE DISCUSSING THIS, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MR. BACHAR COME UP AND TELL ME HIS OPINION OF WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.UH, MR. DAVIS, COULD YOU JUST CLARIFY, WE'RE IN, WE'VE GOT A MOTION, A SECOND TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.
UM, WE PROBABLY NEED TO TAKE ACTION ON THAT, CORRECT? YES, SIR.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE IN THE DISCUSSION, BUT AT SOME POINT SOMEONE CAN CALL THE QUESTION ON THE VOTE.
SO WE'RE STILL IN QUESTIONING DISCUSSION.
SO, MR. SHAR CAN COME FORWARD, EXCUSE ME.
YOU CAN MAKE THAT MOTION TO INVITE DEPARTMENT HEAD UP AND WE CAN PROCEED THAT WAY.
DO WE HAVE TO, UH, GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE FIRST MOTION ON THE FLOOR? NO, MA'AM.
DURING THE DISCUSSION, IF THE BOARD WANTS MORE INFORMATION FROM ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE, THE BOARD CAN MAKE THAT MOTION.
UM, AND IF APPROVED, TAKE THAT INFORMATION.
WELL, I MAKE THAT MOTION TO, FOR MR. BIHAR TO COME FORWARD TO GIVE, UH, WORK INFORMATION ON THE PCA.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
MR. BOUCHARD, DID YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC QUESTION IN MIND? UH, GOOD EVENING, SIR.
AND I, I HATE TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT LIKE THIS, BUT YOU HAVE COME BEFORE US YEARS TOO MANY TIMES FOR US TO AND EXPRESS TO US ABOUT THE PCA, AND NOW WE'RE WANTING TO HOLD TO TABLE THIS UNTIL WE CAN GET MORE INFORMATION.
AND I JUST WANT TO KNOW, IS THERE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT YOU HAVE THAT YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY SHARED WITH US? NO, MA'AM.
IT, IT'S PRETTY MUCH THE SAME INFORMATION THAT I SHARED DURING THE WORKSHOPS THAT WE HAD.
THERE IS AN OPTION THAT I AM PRESENTING THAT KEEPS OUR PCA THE WAY IT IS, BUT IT REQUIRES A HIGHER, UH, RATE INCREASE.
SO I'M PRESENTING BASICALLY THREE DIFFERENT OPTIONS TONIGHT.
MY RECOMMENDATION IS THE 3% RATE INCREASE WITH A BALANCING FACTOR ON THE PCA.
WHAT WAS THE AMOUNT OF THE RATE INCREASE? 3%.
3% WITH A, WITH A BALANCED PCA 4.5%.
IF WE LEAVE A PCA AS IT IS, THAT'S YOUR RECOMMENDATION.
MY RECOMMENDATION IS FOR THE 3% RATE INCREASE WITH THE BALANCING FACTOR ON THE PCA.
THERE'S ALSO ANOTHER ITEM IN THE AGENDA TO, UM, ADJUST THE CREDIT FOR OUR SCHEDULE 60, UM, RENEWABLE ENERGY CREDIT THAT WE PROVIDE, UH, CUSTOMERS THAT, UH, PRODUCE SOLAR POWER AND WE CREDIT THEM FOR THE SOLAR THAT, FOR THE ENERGY THAT WE RECEIVE FROM THEM.
SO THAT, THAT'S ALSO IN THE PRESENTATION TONIGHT AND IN THE AMENDMENT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. BOUCHARD? THANK YOU, SIR.
UH, I'LL GO BACK TO THE MOTION THAT IS ON THE TABLE TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.
IF THERE'S NO OTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT, WE'LL HAVE A ROLL CALL VOTE STARTING WITH ALDERMAN PRILL.
WHAT DO WE, YEAH, WHAT'S YESTERDAY? CLARIFY WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON IS TO APPROVE THE AGENDA LESS TABLED.
LET ME ASK, WAS YOUR QUESTION RESOLVED? MINE? NO, I DON'T.
I I MEAN, I JUST THINK I'D LIKE TO HAVE SOME MORE TIME I TO, TO REVIEW IT.
I'M JUST CONCERNED ABOUT THE RATES.
BUT YOU DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO.
IT'S YOUR MOTION THAT YOU MADE TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.
SO NOW WE NEED TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO DO SO? SO MOVED.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
[00:10:01]
AYE.ANY OPPOSED? AGENDA IS APPROVED AS IS.
[4. Request and Petition of Citizens.]
AND PETITION OF CITIZENS.MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN, MAYOR ODOM, AND CITY OFFICIALS.
I'M KAREN SULLIVAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SWISS FAIR, AND I AM HERE TONIGHT TO LET YOU KNOW WHAT SWISS FAIR HAS BEEN WORKING ON FOR THE LAST FEW MONTHS.
SWISS FAIR'S INTEREST AS THE NORTH CAROLINA MAIN STREET ORGANIZATION FOR THE CITY OF NEW BERN IS TO PROMOTE DEVELOPMENT OF A VITAL DOWNTOWN DISTRICT THAT CONTINUES TO THRIVE.
WE BELIEVE THAT WHEN OUR DOWNTOWN IS SUCCESSFUL AT OFFERING EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, ATTRACTIONS, AND INVESTMENT, ALL AWARDS CAN BENEFIT.
IN FEBRUARY, WE HIRED MARY HANNAH PARKER, OUR NEW EVENT SPECIALIST.
MARY HANNAH COMES TO US WITH EVENT PLANNING EXPERIENCE AND A STRONG NETWORK OF CONNECTIONS IN NEW BERN.
IN MARCH, MARY HANNAH AND I, ALONG WITH SEVERAL OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS, ATTENDED THE NORTH CAROLINA MAIN STREET CONFERENCE IN MORRISVILLE.
AT THE CONFERENCE, LYNN AU WAS RECOGNIZED AS A MAIN STREET CHAMPION FOR HER YEARS OF SERVICE, UH, TO SWISS BEAR AND TO THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT OF NEW BERN.
WE ALSO TOOK THAT OPPORTUNITY TO ANNOUNCE THAT NEW BERN AND SWISS BEAR WILL BE HOSTING THE 2026 NORTH CAROLINA MAIN STREET CONFERENCE, MARCH 10TH THROUGH 12TH AT THE RIVERFRONT CONVENTION CENTER.
THIS CONFERENCE WILL WELCOME BETWEEN 800 AND 900 ATTENDEES TO OUR CITY.
WE CONSIDER THIS NOT ONLY AN HONOR, BUT A GREAT REVENUE DRIVER FOR NEW BERN.
WE'VE ALREADY STARTED PLANNING FOR THIS CONFERENCE, AND WE'LL BEGIN MEETING MONTHLY TO WORK ON BREAKOUT SESSIONS, TOURS AND LOGISTICS.
WE ARE PLEASED TO SHARE THAT WE'VE HAD SEVERAL NEW BUSINESSES OPEN IN DOWNTOWN IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS, AND WE HOPE YOU'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WELCOME THOSE BUSINESS OWNERS AND FREQUENT THOSE SHOPS AND RESTAURANTS.
PLANNING FOR MONTH FEST 2025 IS WELL UNDERWAY.
THE DATES ARE OCTOBER 11TH AND 12TH.
WE'LL BE MAKING SOME CHANGES THIS YEAR, LIKE MOVING THE MAIN MUSIC STAGE TO THE COUNTY LOT AT THE END OF BROAD STREET.
THIS YEAR, THE MONTH FEST CONCERT WILL BE COMBINED WITH THE FESTIVAL OFFERING A FREE MUSIC EXPERIENCE FOR OUR COMMUNITY ON SATURDAY AT THE WATERFRONT.
WE ALSO WILL HAVE A KID ZONE THIS YEAR OFFERING FREE ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN WHO MAY BE TOO SMALL TO RIDE AMUSEMENT RIDES AND FUN FOR KIDS OF ALL AGES.
LAST YEAR, WE HAD OVER 70,000, 75,000 PEOPLE ATTEND MUM FEST, AND WE HOPE THAT THAT NUMBER JUST CONTINUES TO GROW.
IN JUNE, SWISS BEAR RECEIVED NOTIFICATION THAT WE HAD ONCE AGAIN BEEN ACCREDITED BY MAIN STREET AMERICA AS A MAIN STREET COMMUNITY.
NEWBURN HAS BEEN PART OF THE MAIN STREET PROGRAM SINCE 1980 AND REMAINS ONE OF ITS LONGEST STANDING COMMUNITIES.
SINCE 1980, OUR DOWNTOWN HAS SEEN 259 BUILDING REHABS AND OVER $360 MILLION IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INVESTMENT.
DOWNTOWN NEWBURN IS A PROVEN EXAMPLE OF LONG-TERM REVITALIZATION SUCCESS.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT CHAPTER OF SWISS BAY AND DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION WITH YOUR SUPPORT AND HELP.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, VISION AND COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY AND THE FUTURE OF YOU.
MY NAME IS SORAYA BLISS FROM WARD ONE.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, ARE YOU OKAY WITH RAISING TAXES WHILE SPENDING MONEY ON OUTDATED HPC GUIDELINES? SHOULD NEWBURN PAY FOR UNNECESSARY CONSULTANTS ARE THE ALDERMAN COMFORTABLE WITH AN HPC WHO HAS OPERATED OUT OF LEGAL COMPLIANCE SINCE 2021? WITHHOLDS INFORMATION FROM THE PUBLIC AND DON'T SEEM TO KNOW THE RULES THAT THEY ARE APPOINTED TO UPHOLD.
HAVE ALL OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS RECEIVED THEIR END CORE FUNDING? YOU HAVE EXTENSIVE DOCUMENTATION HIGHLIGHTING SERIOUS DEFICITS IN THE NEW BERN HPC, ALONG WITH THE DRAFT PLAN FOR CORRECTION.
YOU HAVE THE POWER, AND I RESPECTFULLY SAY THE RESPONSIBILITY TO ACT.
WHILE CITY DEPARTMENTS SUPPORT THE HPC, ONLY THE ALDERMAN CAN MANDATE CHANGE.
THESE THREE IMMEDIATE CHANGES TO THE HPC RULES OF PROCEDURE ARE NEEDED TO ENSURE LEGAL COMPLIANCE AND PROMOTE TRANSPARENCY, WHICH YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE TONIGHT.
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AMEND RULES WITH ZERO OVERSIGHT.THE ABILITY TO MAKE CHANGES IN THE DARK OF NIGHT IS A BAD IDEA.
ALDERMAN APPROVAL SHOULD BE REQUIRED FOR ALL FUTURE HPC CHANGES.
THE HPC RULES OF PROCEDURES STATE, THEY SUPERSEDE THOSE IN THE GUIDELINES.
THIS INVITES INCONSISTENCY AND UNCHECKED POWER, WHICH IS DANGEROUS.
THE ENABLING STATUTES ARE FOUR YEARS OUT OF COMPLIANCE.
YOU HAVE A RED LINE DOCUMENT THAT ANNOTATES THE ABOVE REQUESTS, AND I OFFER ANY SUPPORT NEEDED FOR IMPLEMENTATION.
YOU SIMPLY NEED TO DECIDE TO MAKE THE CHANGE.
I'LL ALSO REITERATE MY REQUEST FOR THE ALDERMAN TO INITIATE A PUBLIC LED PROCESS TO REVISE THE HPC GUIDELINES AS THE OVERSIGHT BOARD FOR THE HPC.
ACCORDING TO STATUTE, THIS IS FULLY WITHIN YOUR POWER.
YOU HAVE HEARD OR WILL HEAR EXCUSES FOR DELAYING NONE ARE VALID.
THE ALDERMAN CAN INITIATE THE PROCESS TO CREATE A PUBLIC WORK GROUP.
AND EXISTING MEETINGS CAN BE LEVERAGED.
YOU CAN DRIVE THIS ACTION WITH OR WITHOUT.
THE HPC TWO WORK IS PLANNED FOR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET MAYBE, BUT THAT HASN'T BEEN APPROVED YET.
GIVEN THE STATE OF AND GIVEN THE STATE OF THE A PC, IT IS UNFAIR TO EXPECT THE PUBLIC TO WAIT.
REVISING THE GUIDELINES TOOK YEARS LAST TIME.
TRUE, BUT IT ABSOLUTELY DOES NOT HAVE TO.
A PHASED PLAN CAN DELIVER MEANINGFUL CHANGES BY YEARS END AND SET UP A BETTER PROCESS FOR THE FUTURE.
EXCUSE FOUR HPC WORK GROUPS ARE ON HOLD, SO THEY CAN'T DO ANY WORK.
PARTIALLY TRUE, BUT GROSSLY MISLEADING.
THE HPC HAD BEEN HOLDING ILLEGAL MEETINGS, AND WHEN CALLED OUT, RATHER THAN MAKE THE MEETINGS PUBLIC AND PRODUCING REQUIRED MINUTES, THEY DECIDED TO CANCEL THE MEETINGS.
NOW THEY'RE USING THIS AS AN EXCUSE FOR NOT DOING THE WORK THEY SIGNED UP TO DO.
AS A REMINDER, THE HPC HAS MADE ZERO GUIDELINE CHANGES FOR MORE THAN FOUR YEARS.
NOW, THEY SAY THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT, BUT WHEN ASKED TO PROVIDE LEGALLY REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION OF THE GUIDELINE WORK, THEY SHOW NOTHING MORE RECENT THAN 2021.
THIS DOESN'T SEEM TO PASS THE SNIFF TEST.
I ALWAYS KEEP TWO THINGS IN MIND.
IT'S NOT A PLAN IF IT'S NOT ON PAPER, AND DO NOT CONFUSE EFFORT WITH RESULTS.
YOU APPOINT THE HPC, YOU PROVIDE ITS PRIMARY OVERSIGHT, AND YOU CAN COURSE CORRECT YOUR ACTION, CAN SAVE MONEY, PROTECT THE PUBLIC, AND REBUILD TRUST.
IS THERE A PATH FORWARD TO ADDRESS THIS? THERE HE IS.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES STAFF.
THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH HPC ON UPDATING THE RULES AND PROCEDURES, WHICH I BELIEVE IS GONNA BE, UM, UM, UH, BROUGHT UP AT THE NEXT HPC MEETING.
UH, AND WE ARE ALSO WORKING WITH STAFF ON HOW THE HPC GUIDELINES WILL BE UPDATED.
JUST A REMINDER TO THE BOARD, UH, WE TYPICALLY DON'T ENGAGE.
UH, I'VE BEEN FAIRLY LENIENT ON THAT OVER THE PAST COUPLE YEARS.
UH, BUT AS FAR AS RULES AND PROCEDURES, UM, WE CAN ADDRESS ALL OF THESE ISSUES IF SOMEONE BRINGS IT UP IN A NEW BUSINESS.
SO, NEXT UP IS MINISTER TYRONE BROWN.
MY NAME IS TYRON BROWN, AND I CURRENTLY LIVE AT 1414 HARRISON STREET, NEW BERN, NORTH CAROLINA, 2 8 5 6 0.
TODAY, I STAND BEFORE YOU, NOT WITH JUST WORDS, BUT WITH THE WEIGHT OF TOO MANY NAMES, TOO MANY CANDLES AND TOO MANY DREAMS. CUT.
SHORT GUN VIOLENCE IS TEARING THROUGH OUR COMMUNITIES, OUR STREETS, OUR SCHOOLS, AND OUR HOMES.
AND IN MANY AFRICAN AMERICAN NEIGHBORHOODS, IT'S BECOME A DAILY REALITY.
BUT LET ME BE CLEAR, THIS IS NOT NORMAL.
IT IS UNACCEPTABLE, AND IT MUST END.
BEHIND EVERY STATISTIC IS A LIFE, A CHILD WHO WON'T GRADUATE, A MOTHER WHO WON'T STOP GRIEVING.
A COMMUNITY THAT KEEPS ASKING WHY WE CANNOT AFFORD TO GROW, NUMB TO THE SOUND OF GUNSHOTS OR THE SITE OF YET ANOTHER MEMORIAL.
THIS CRISIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT GUNS.
IT'S ABOUT POVERTY, LACK OF OPPORTUNITY, BROKEN TRUST, AND GENERATIONS OF PAIN.
BUT WE ARE MORE THAN OUR STRUGGLES.
WE ARE RESILIENT, POWERFUL, AND UNITED.
WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO LIVE WITHOUT FEAR.
OUR CHILDREN DESERVE TO GO TO SCHOOL AND NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT, AM I GONNA GET SHOT? TODAY? OUR ELDERS DESERVE
[00:20:01]
TO SIT ON THEIR PORCHES IN PEACE.CHANGE STARTS WITH US DEMANDING BETTER, STANDING TOGETHER AND REFUSING TO STAY SILENT.
SO TO EVERY LIFE LOST, WE REMEMBER YOU.
AND TO EVERY LIFE STILL, HERE, WE FIGHT FOR YOU.
IT'S TIME TO HEAL, TO REBUILD, AND TO RISE.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF JUNETEENTH OF NEW BERN.
WE'RE JUST COMING TO GIVE YOU GUYS A BIG THANKS FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT, UH, DURING OUR FESTIVITIES.
UH, FIRST WE WANT TO THANK, UH, THE MAYOR AND ALL OF HIS SUPPORT.
UH, WE WANT TO THANK PARKS AND REC AND MS. CAREY.
THEY, THEY DID A WONDERFUL JOB HELPING US WITH EVERYTHING THAT WE NEEDED HELP WITH.
UM, ALSO THE FACILITY AND MAINTENANCE TEAM, WE, WE WANT TO GIVE A, A BIG SHOUT OUT TO THEM AS WELL.
UH, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, UH, MR. JOHNNY GASKINS, HE HELPED US TREMENDOUSLY WHEN IT CAME TO OUR, OUR FIREWORKS SHOW.
UH, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THEY HELPED US A LOT AS WELL.
AND, UH, THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WITH MISS MELISSA AND HER TEAM, UM, WE, WE THANK THEM.
UH, AND JUST, JUST WANTED TO SHOW OUR, OUR APPRECIATION FOR ALL THAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE FOR US.
UM, THE ONLY OTHER THING THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE MOVING FORWARD, UM, IS THE, THE ATTENDANCE OF THE BOARD FOR OUR EVENTS.
UM, THERE WERE A LOT OF FACES THAT WEREN'T SEEN THROUGHOUT THE TWO WEEKS.
UM, SO, AND I THINK IT WOULD, IT WOULD MEAN A LOT TO US AND ALSO TO THE COMMUNITY AS WELL, TO, TO SEE THE FACES THAT, THAT REPRESENT US.
UM, DID I MISS ANYONE? UM, THE, THE, THE EVENT HAS, ALL OF OUR EVENTS HAVE GROWN TREMENDOUSLY.
UM, FROM, FROM YEAR TO YEAR, WE'VE SEEN HOW WE'VE INCREASED AND BEEN ABLE TO BETTER SERVE OUR COMMUNITIES.
UH, SO IT'S, IT IS, THANKS TO YOU GUYS.
UM, SO, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT.
AND, UH, FOR THE, THE VOTING FOR THE UHHON, UH, CITY, SISTER CITY, UH, JUST WANTED TO, TO SPEAK WITH YOU GUYS TO SEE IF, IF YOU CAN, VOTE IN ON BEHALF OF THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN MAKE HAPPEN FOR OUR CITY.
UH, THANK YOU MUCH AND WE APPRECIATE YOU.
NEXT IS PATRICIA TO HI, UM, PATRICIA TOTH.
I LIVE HERE IN NEW BERN, AND A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO I WENT TO A, UM, CAROLINA NATURE COALITION MEETING.
UH, THEY HAVE ONE EVERY MONTH.
IT'S A FREE PRESENTATION, AND THEY HAD AN UNUSUAL ONE.
IT WAS ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, WHICH I KNEW VERY LITTLE ABOUT, BUT I WAS STRUCK.
AND SO WERE THE OTHER PARTICIPANTS IN THE ROOM.
WE SAW A FILM ON AI, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, AND WHAT IT IS GOING TO DO TO OUR ENVIRONMENT, WHAT IT ACTUALLY IS STARTING TO DO WITH OUR ENVIRONMENT AND BEING THE LEADERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
I WANTED TO JUST BRING THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION.
IT WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU, AND I HOPE THAT YOU WILL LOOK AT IT AND MAYBE EVEN WATCH ONE OF THE VIDEOS BECAUSE IT'S FRIGHTENING.
BUT THE MAIN IMPACT I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW ABOUT WAS THE CONSUMPTION OF POWER AND THE CONSUMPTION OF WATER TO COOL THESE MASSIVE MACHINES.
BUT I WANTED YOU TO KNOW, TO BE PROACTIVE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, BECAUSE OUR ENVIRONMENT IS WHERE WE LIVE, AND THAT'S A HUGE, HUGE THING TO CONSIDER.
SO, I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE BIT OUT OF YOUR REALM, MAYBE, I'M NOT SURE, BUT I DID WANT YOU TO BE AWARE OF IT, AND I PUT TOGETHER SOME GOOD INFORMATION FOR YOU, UM, JUST AS A LAY PERSON.
BUT THERE'S SOME REALLY GOOD SITES THAT YOU CAN GO TO, TO LEARN MORE, AND I HOPE YOU WILL.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK.
UH, I HEARD THAT THERE'S A TRAP DOOR IF I OVEREXTEND MY TIME AND GO DOWN TO BASIC AND
[00:25:01]
FILL THE ALLIGATORS.SO, UH, I'LL MAKE A BRIEF OR AS BRIEF AS I CAN.
UH, THURSDAY NIGHT IS THE FIFTH.
IT'S A CANDLELIGHT VIGIL FOR THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF JOHN LEWIS'S DEATH, A LEADER AND A HERO.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS HE SAYS IS, MAKE GOOD TROUBLE.
SO TONIGHT I'M GONNA TRY TO MAKE SOME GOOD TROUBLE.
I'VE ALREADY HANDED OUT MY WRITEUP.
IT'S CALLED NEWBURN, AND IT'S BLACK ROOTS.
IT BASICALLY, WHEN I CAME HERE, I JUST HAD THIS FEELING THAT SLAVERY IN NEW BERN WAS VERY LOW KEY EXISTED, BUT NOBODY REALLY TALKED MUCH ABOUT IT.
AND WHAT YOU FIND OUT THAT SLAVERY WAS VERY IMPORTANT IN NEW BERN.
NOT ONLY WAS IT THE FOUNDATION FOR NEW BERN AND THE ECONOMIC DRIVE FOR NEW BERN, BUT NEW BERN WAS ONE OF THE MAJOR PORTS FOR THE IMPORTATION OF SLAVES FROM AFRICA.
THEY CAME INTO PLACES LIKE UNION POINT.
THEY WERE SOLD, UM, AT PLACES LIKE, UH, UH, EDWARD, UH, UH, BACHELOR'S, UH, FRONT.
THEY WERE SOLD AT THE COURTHOUSE.
THEY WERE SOLD ON THE STREETS LIKE YOU WOULD SELL.
I DON'T KNOW, TACO BELLS, WHO KNOWS? BUT WHAT YOU FIND OUT IS ALSO THAT THIS TOWN DOES NOT HAVE ANY REAL MEMORIALS TO THE SLAVES OR WHAT THEY CONTRIBUTED TO THIS TOWN.
WE HAVE A GOOD, GOOD, WONDERFUL MEMORIAL TO THE CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS THAT I APPRECIATE AND I SUPPORT BECAUSE ROBERT E. LEE WAS SOMEONE I APPRECIATED.
UH, BUT WHERE IS, WHERE IS THE MONUMENT TO THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO DIED BECAUSE OF THE SOUTHERN CAUSE? WE HAVE THE, UH, FORT TOTTEN, WHICH IS A FORT THAT WE SHOW A LITTLE MARKER THERE.
BUT WHERE'S THE MARKER THERE FOR THE THOUSANDS OF SLAVES THAT TOOK REFUGE THERE DURING THE CIVIL WAR AND ESCAPED FROM THEIR, THEIR MASTERS.
WE HAVE TYRA, UH, TRYON PALACE, UM, WHERE ACROSS THE STREET WE HAVE SOME KIND OF A PLAQUE TO A LADY WHO WAS A SPY FOR THE CONFEDERATES.
WHERE'S THE PLAQUE FOR THE PEOPLE, THE SLAVES THAT BUILT TRIUM PALACE? WE HAVE THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE ON THE STEPS, AND THAT IS SOMETHING THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, WHERE PEOPLE WHO BUILT THE PALACE AND WHO WERE, UH, SERVANTS AT THE PALACE WERE SLAVES.
WE HAVE THE, UM, JUNK KADU, UH, UM, CELEBRATION AT CHRISTMAS.
WHAT IS THAT? IT'S NOT A CELEBRATION OF SLAVES.
IT'S A CELEBRATION OF SLAVERY.
IT WAS A ONE DAY OF THE YEAR THAT A SLAVE WAS ALLOWED TO CELEBRATE.
NOT THEIR WEDDINGS, NOT A BIRTH.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE DESECRATION OF THE CEMETERIES, AND YOU COULD GO ON AND ON.
I THINK THIS TOWN NEEDS TO START THINKING ABOUT MAYBE PUTTING UP A MEMORIAL WHERE THE SLAVES WERE LANDED, BECAUSE WE KNOW WHERE THEY LANDED.
THERE SHOULD BE A MEMORIAL THERE OF SOME SORT.
THERE SHOULD BE A MEMORIALS EQUIVALENT TO THE ONE FOR THE CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS WHO DIED FOR THEIR CAUSE TO THE PEOPLE WHO DIED BECAUSE OF THEIR CAUSE.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I HOPE THIS TOWN STARTS TAKING IT SERIOUSLY AND DIG THROUGH AND COME TO THE SURFACE ON ITS HISTORY OF SLAVERY.
SLAVERY WAS NOT A PASSIVE THING IN NEW BERN.
IT WAS A BUSINESS, AND IT WAS AN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS THAT WE WERE PART OF.
SO MANY OF US IN WARD SIX ARE STILL BEWILDERED BY THE CAVALIER RESPONSE OF THIS BOARD TOWARD RESOLVING OUR LACK OF REPRESENTATION IN A WAY THAT PEOPLE WANT.
I KEEP TRYING TO MAKE SENSE OF THE UNWILLINGNESS OF THE LEADERSHIP TO WORK FOR A TIMELY SOLUTION ABOUT REPRESENTATION.
IMMEDIATELY AFTER ALDERMAN BRINSON RESIGNED LAST JULY, THE MAYOR SAID, WE NEED A NEW ALDERMAN TO GO TO WORK ON DAY ONE.
THE IMPLICATION WAS THAT THIS WAS IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO RESOLVE QUICKLY AND EFFECTIVELY FELLOW CITIZENS.
TODAY IS DAY THREE HUNDRED AND FORTY TWO, THREE HUNDRED AND FORTY TWO.
CIVIL IN WARD SIX WILL HAVE BEEN WITHOUT REPRESENTATION IN GOVERNMENT FOR 365 DAYS, ONE WHOLE YEAR.
THIS SHOWS A FUNDAMENTAL DISREGARD FOR OUR FORM OF GOVERNMENT THROUGH REPEATED EFFORTS ON THE PART OF CITIZENS IN WARD SIX.
[00:30:01]
A COMMON RESPONSE FROM SOME LEADERS HAS BEEN, WE NEED SOMEONE WHO'S QUALIFIED.AT FIRST, THIS WAS REALLY A CONVINCING ARGUMENT TO ME.
DANA OUTLAW, THE PREFERRED CANDIDATE OF THREE MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD, CERTAINLY HAS EXPERIENCE, BUT YOU KNOW, HE'S NOT REALLY THE ONLY PERSON IN NEWBURG QUALIFIED TO DO THIS JOB.
IN MAY, OUR BOARD PRESENTED TO THE BOARD A PETITION WITH NEARLY 200 SIGNATURES FROM VOTERS IN WARD SIX ASKING THAT DARLENE BROWN BE APPOINTED MANY PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
THINK DARLENE BROWN'S RESUME SHOWS A BREADTH AND DEPTH OF LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE THAT WOULD EQUAL THAT OF ANYONE ELSE SITTING ON THIS BOARD.
THE ARGUMENT ABOUT ONLY WANTING SOMEONE QUALIFIED JUST DOESN'T HOLD WATER.
SO WHAT IS GOING ON? IT SEEMS THAT THERE MAY BE PERSONAL MOTIVES FOR ONLY WANTING DANA OUTLAW IN THIS JOB.
IT'S WORRISOME WHEN PERSONAL AGENDAS DRIVE THE DECISION MAKING IN GOVERNMENT.
ANOTHER CONFUSING PIECE OF THE PUZZLE WAS THE STATEMENT MADE IN MAY THAT WARD SIX ONLY HAS TO GO FOUR MORE MEETINGS WITHOUT AN ALDERMAN.
SINCE THE NEW BOARD DOESN'T TAKE OFFICE UNTIL DECEMBER, THAT WOULD'VE MEANT SIX MORE REGULAR MEETINGS.
WHAT WASN'T MENTIONED WERE CALLED MEETINGS, WORK SESSIONS, AND OTHER TIMES WHEN AN ALDERMAN NEEDS TO SHOW UP, THE FAILURE OF THE BOARD TO FILL THIS VACANCY TRIVIALIZES THE RIGHT OF CITIZENS TO BE FULLY REPRESENTED BEFORE THE VOTE ON APPOINTING DARLING GROUND TO THE SEAT IN MAY, THE MAYOR EXPRESSED HIS STRONG OPINION THAT HE WANTED TO LET THE PROCESS UNFOLD AFTER THE OCTOBER ELECTION, AND THAT HE WAS NOT GOING TO VOTE TO APPOINT ANYONE.
WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR TONIGHT THAT THE BOARD, THAT EVERYBODY ON THIS BOARD AT THIS POINT IS COMMITTED TO THAT PLAN SINCE WE WAITED TO HEAR, WE'RE READY TO WAIT UNTIL DECEMBER NOW, AND WE WILL NOT BE PLEASED IF YOU USE OUR DISCONTENT WITH YOUR PERFORMANCE AS AN EXCUSE TO GIVE DANA OUTLAW TWO EXTRA MONTHS ON THE BOARD SHOULD HE BE ELECTED.
I SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN MY LIFE STUDYING AND OBSERVING HEALTHY ORGANIZATIONS AND HEALTHY LEADERSHIP STYLES.
YOU KNOW, GOOD LEADERS ARE THOSE PEOPLE WHO WORK TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER TO FIND APPROPRIATE AND ACCEPTABLE SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS. GOOD LEADERS, GOOD LEADERS DON'T ALWAYS HAVE TO GET THEIR OWN WAY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONFERENCE.
MAYBE IT'S TIME FOR SOME FRESH LEADERSHIP IN THE CITY.
UM, JUST WANT TO BRING ATTENTION TO THE, UH, BOARD, UM, AN ISSUE REGARDING HPC.
AT LAST MONTH'S MEETING, OUR HPC BECAME, IT BECAME APPARENT THE HPC AND THE BOARD MEMBERS AND THE STAFF ARE NOT WELL VERSED ON PRESERVATION BEST PRACTICES AS DEFINED BY THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE PRESERVATION COMMISSIONS COMMISSION IS A NONPARTISAN, UM, NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION WHOSE GOAL IS TO PROMOTE ARCHITECTURAL PRESERVATION THROUGH EDUCATION AND MENTORING OF HPC MEMBERS.
UM, AND, UH, OUR HPC BOARD IS ACTUALLY MEMBERS OF THIS ORGANIZATION, OF THIS ALLIANCE.
UM, AND EVEN THOUGH THE BOARD DOES HAVE MEMBERSHIP, UM, AS STATED BY THE HPC STAFF ADMINISTRATOR AT LAST MONTH'S MEETING, THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE EXTENSIVE TRAINING THE ALLIANCE OFFERS DUE TO A LACK OF FUNDING BY THE CITY AND OR PLANNING BY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
SO MY REQUEST TO YOU IS, IS TO DIRECT THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES TO INVESTIGATE IMPROVING THE TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE HPC BOARD, ITS MEMBERS AND THE STAFF.
OUR CITY WILL BENEFIT FROM THE HPC BOARD THAT KNOWLEDGEABLE AND PRESERVATIONS BEST PRACTICES AND FOSTERS A CULTURE FOUND ON HELPING PROPERTY OWNERS INSTEAD OF ENTERING THEM.
HELLO, MY NAME IS AMY BRIGHAM.
AS A CITIZEN OF DOWNTOWN NEW BERN, I'M HONORED TO BE HERE AND SPEAK MY PEACE.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
[00:35:02]
AT THE MAY BOA MEETING, THE MAYOR STATED THAT HE DID NOT PLAN TO VOTE FOR OR APPOINT TO APPOINT ANYONE TO THE EMPTY WARD SIX MEETING, AND THEN HE WENT AND VOTED AGAINST DARLENE BROWN.I'M CONFUSED ABOUT HOW THIS IS SUPPOSED TO WORK.
I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND THE ROLE OF THE MAYOR BETTER.
WHEN THE MAYOR GETS INVOLVED IN TAKING A SIDE ON AN ISSUE, ISN'T HE SUPPOSED TO TURN OVER THE GAVEL TO SOMEONE ELSE? CAN SOMEONE ON THE BOARD CLARIFY THIS FOR ME? I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THAT.
NOW, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IN THERE, IF WE'RE, IF WE'RE GONNA DO THAT, THE BOARD NEEDS TO MAKE A MOTION TO SUSPEND OUR RULES AND THEN THE BOARD CAN HAVE DISCUSSION AND DELIBERATION.
IS THAT CORRECT, MR. ATTORNEY? YES, SIR.
SO WE WOULD NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND, A VOTE TO SUSPEND OUR RULES TO HAVE CONVERSATION.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? IS THAT GOOD? SECOND, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED? NO AYES HAVE IT GO RIGHT.
I, I DON'T KNOW IF I NEED TO DIRECT THIS TO OUR ATTORNEY.
YOU HAVE, UM, YOU'RE THE EXPERT IN THE ROOM PERHAPS ON THIS ISSUE, BUT I WAS ASKED THE SAME QUESTION, UH, A NUMBER OF TIMES.
AND SO I NEED CLARITY, UH, AS OUR CITIZEN, JUST AS FOR CLARITY AS TO PROTOCOL OR ORDINANCE OR RULES OR REGULATIONS REGARDING THIS QUESTION THAT SHE POSED TO THE BOARD.
WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS A NUMBER OF TIMES.
THERE IS NOT A BRIGHT LINE TEST AS TO HOW FAR A CHAIR CAN GO IN, UM, PARTICIPATING IN A DEBATE, I'VE USED THE WORD ROBUST DISCUSSION.
UM, BUT THE, THE POLICY FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND AS BOARD MEMBERS IS THE MAYOR WHO SERVES AS YOUR CHAIR, IS THE REFEREE OF THE MEETING.
THE MAYOR CANNOT USE THAT POWER TO DOMINATE A DEBATE BECAUSE HE OR SHE HAS A GAVEL.
SO THE PRINCIPLE IS THE REFEREE CAN'T RUN THE GAME TO THEIR FAVOR.
IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THEY CAN'T PARTICIPATE IN A DISCUSSION OTHERWISE, THE GAVEL WOULD JUST ROLL AROUND THE BOARD FOR HOURS, AS EVERYONE SAID SOMETHING.
SO THIS IS A SELF-GOVERNING PROCESS WHERE YOU AS BOARD MEMBERS, YOU CALL THE BALLS AND STRIKES.
IF ANY BOARD MEMBER BELIEVES THAT THE CHAIR, IN THIS CASE, THE MAYOR IS MISUSING THE POWER OF THE GAVEL TO DOMINATE A DEBATE, THEN YOU CAN SPEAK UP, MAKE A MOTION THAT THE GAVEL BE PASSED TO THE MAYOR PRO TEM, AND THE SAME TEST WOULD APPLY TO THE MAYOR PRO TEM.
IF THAT PERSON IS ENGAGING TO ROBUSTLY AND MISUSING THAT POWER, THEN IT WOULD PASS TO SOMEONE ELSE.
I WILL TELL YOU, AND HAVING DONE THIS FOR 30 YEARS, NOT ONLY IN NEWBURN, BUT IN MANY OTHER JURISDICTIONS, I HAVE NEVER SEEN A CHAIR OR A MAYOR HAVE TO PASS THE GAVEL BECAUSE THEY WERE MISUSING THAT POWER IN DIRECTING A DISCUSSION.
SO IT IS NOT SIMPLY THAT A MAYOR OR A CHAIR CANNOT SPEAK OR MAKE A POINT WITHOUT PASSING THE GAVEL.
THE QUESTION IS, IS THE CHAIR BEING AN UNFAIR REFEREE AND NOT ALLOWING OTHERS TO PARTICIPATE BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE GAVEL? DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? IT'S PRETTY COMMONSENSICAL.
IT DOES, AND I APPRECIATE THAT SO MUCH.
AND LET ME FURTHER, UH, ASK A QUESTION THEN WITH, UH, RESPECT TO MAYOR ODOM'S DECISION WHEN HE SAID HE WOULD NOT VOTE, HOWEVER, THE CITY CLERK COUNTED HIS RESPONSE AS A VOTE AND IT WAS SAID THREE TO THREE.
LET ME, IF I CAN, UM, MY COMMENTS, I BELIEVE SAID I WOULD NOT VOTE TO SUPPORT ANYONE GETTING THE POSITION I'M LEGALLY OBLIGATED TO VOTE.
IS THAT CORRECT, MR. TURNER? YES, SIR.
I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE THIN LINE.
SO, SO WHAT THE MAYOR'S POINTING OUT EVERY BOARD MEMBER HAS.
YEAH, WE, HOLD ON JUST A MINUTE.
I, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE EVER HAD THIS SINCE I'VE BEEN MAYOR, BUT I LOVE CHILDREN, BUT IT'S BECOMING A DISTRACTION.
SO THE, THE CHILD NEEDS TO QUIET DOWN OR NEEDS TO EXIT THE COURTROOM, PLEASE.
[00:40:01]
OF YOU HAVE A DUTY TO VOTE ON EVERY ISSUE BEFORE THE BOARD, UNLESS YOU HAVE A LEGAL CONFLICT.SO YOU HAVE TO VOTE WHAT THE MAYOR WAS SAYING.
AND WHAT I RECALL IS THAT HE WAS NOT GOING TO SUPPORT ANY CANDIDATE SINCE YOU WERE SO CLOSE TO THE ELECTION.
SO THAT THAT'S, I I I DON'T SEE THAT AS AN ABUSE OF THE GAVEL, IF THAT'S NO, I DIDN'T CONSIDER THAT ABUSE.
I WAS JUST TRYING TO GET CLARITY.
AND AS OUR CITIZEN SO WELL POINTED OUT, I HAVE BEEN ASKED A QUESTION.
SO THIS IS A PROPER TIME FOR OUR PUBLIC.
IF ANY OTHER CITIZEN HAS A QUESTION THAT WE CAN GET SOME ANSWERS TONIGHT, AND, UM, I, I APPRECIATE THAT MAYOR ODOM.
UM, AGAIN, THE CLARITY AND WE CAN MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS WHEN WE RECEIVE PROPER INFORMATION.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. ATTORNEY.
LEY, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY? IT HAS BECAME, UM, A CITY, A CITY ORDINANCE THAT THE MAYOR CAN VOTE ALONG WITH THE BOARD THAT HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR 19 YEARS.
AND I HAVE BROUGHT IT UP SEVERAL TIMES TO ASK, IS THAT SOMETHING WE WANT TO CHANGE? AND NO ONE WANTED TO VOTE ON THAT.
SO IT HAS REMAINED WHAT IT IS TO TODAY.
UM, UH, ATTORNEY DAVIS? YES, MA'AM.
I NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE CLARITY TOO, BECAUSE, UM, WHEN IT SAYS BY THE MAYOR BECOMING ENGAGED IN DEBATES, AND I'M LOOKING AT OUR RULES OF PROCEDURE HERE, AND I'M NOT FOLLOWING THE CONDUCT OF DEBATE PRESIDING OFFICER, IT SAYS, IF THE PRESIDING OFFICER BECOMES ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN DEBATE ON A PARTICULAR MATTER, HE OR SHE MAY DESIGNATE ANOTHER BOARD MEMBER TO PRESIDE OVER THE DEBATE.
SO WHAT AM I MISSING HERE?
WHEN IT BECOMES A, A PROBLEM AND THE MAYOR STEPS OUT OF LINE, AND THEN THAT'S WHEN THE BOARD CAN I GOT YES, MA'AM.
IF YOU READ THAT, THAT'S THE WORD THAT I WAS LOOKING FOR.
IF YOU READ THAT ANY OTHER WAY, IT MEANS THE MAYOR, EACH TIME HAS TO PASS THE GAVEL TO SAY ANYTHING DURING A DISCUSSION, WHICH I THINK WOULD BE A, A WASTE OF TIME.
EVERYBODY SATISFIED? OKAY, WE WILL MOVE ON.
THE NEXT PETITION OF CITIZEN IS NAT CROSBY.
I'M NAT MCKELLAR CROSBY, A RESIDENT IN WARD SIX.
I APPRECIATE THE TIME TO SPEAK TO YOU THIS EVENING.
I FIRST WANNA LEND MY SUPPORT TO THE EFFORT TO CREATE A SISTER CITY AGREEMENT WITH HANTA G.
DURING THE PAST JUNETEENTH UH, EVENTS, WE HAD THE HONOR OF HOSTING THE JUNK NEW COMMANDOS AND QUEEN MOTHER ANGELIQUE ANGELIQUE MCKAY, WHO HAS DONE MUCH OF THE INITIAL WORK TO ESTABLISH A SISTER CITY AGREEMENT BETWEEN US HERE IN UBA AND AHAN, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE HISTORY AS THE FIRST SI, UH, SISTER CITY TO HANTA AND ESTABLISH A BRIDGE BETWEEN OUR SHARED LEGACIES.
THIS OPPORTUNITY ALSO COMES WITH FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPAND OUR CULTURAL AND TOURISM PROGRAM.
THIS INITIATIVE HONORS THE HISTORY OF NEW BURNING TO PROVIDES FUNDING TO CONTINUE TO TELL THIS IMPORTANT STORY.
IN MY HUMBLE OPINION, THIS IS A WIN FOR ALL PARTIES AND I SUPPORT THIS ENDEAVOR.
NEXT, I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, LIKE TO SPEAK WITH YOU ALL ABOUT THE PUBLIC BANK OF NEW BERN INITIATIVE.
I HAVE EMAILED THE CITY CLERK, UH, WITH THE PRELIMINARY FEASIBILITY STUDY, UH, OUTLINING THE DETAILS OF HOW WE CAN GET THIS DONE.
NOW, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT INITIATIVE FOR NEW BERN BECAUSE IT WILL BE A TRUE ECONOMIC DRIVER IN THIS CITY, HELPING WORKING PEOPLE IMPROVE THEIR WAGES.
RETIREES HAVE A SAFE AND RELIABLE PLACE TO DEPOSIT THEIR SAVINGS AT A MUCH BETTER RATE THAN WHAT THEY'RE RECEIVING NOW, AND LENDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS TO SCALE AND GROW.
NOT TO MENTION, UH, MR. MAYOR, THE LOW COST FUNDING FOR THIS INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS OF THIS CITY.
[00:45:02]
OUR ECONOMY'S GROWTH IS JUST 0.4% IN TERMS OF THE JOB RATE AND OUR POVERTY RATE IS ABOVE 14% IN COMPARISON TO THE STATE AND TO NATIONAL STANDARDS, WE AREN'T WHERE WE COULD BE.WITH THIS IN MIND, WE MUST CONSIDER RESILIENCY MEASURES LIKE A PUBLIC BANK TO ENSURE OUR FUTURE AND UPLIFT THE CITIZENS OF NEW BERN.
SINCE I DO NOT HAVE REPRESENTATION AT THIS TIME, I LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING WITH EACH OF YOU TO DISCUSS THIS FURTHER.
I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.
I COME HERE TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I BELIEVE IN TRANSPARENCY IN GOVERNMENT, AND PART OF THAT IS OPEN AND VERY CLEAR COMMUNICATION BOTH WAYS BETWEEN CITIZENS AND ELECTED OFFICIALS BECAUSE OF THAT BELIEF.
AT THE LAST MEETING YOU HELD ON JUNE 10TH, I ASKED A QUESTION OF THE BOARD.
I WAS NOT AWARE THAT YOU DO NOT ANSWER DURING THOSE TIMES.
AND SO WHAT I DID THE NEXT MORNING ON THE 11TH, I SENT AN EMAIL, UH, I OFFERED HER UP TO THE COURT TONIGHT.
UH, SHE EXPLAINED VERY PATIENTLY TO ME THAT IT WOULD'VE HAD TO HAVE BEEN SENT IN IN ADVANCE FOR ME TO SHOW IT ON THE SCREEN.
UH, BUT THEN SHE ALSO MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU WOULD DO SO.
SHE THEN GENEROUSLY OFFERED TO TAKE A COPY OF THAT EMAIL AND GIVE IT TO ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE IT NOW OR YOU'LL RECEIVE IT AFTER THE MEETING.
SO BECAUSE, UH, THAT CANNOT COME UP ON THE SCREEN AND BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE IN TRANSPARENCY, I AM NOW GONNA READ THAT EMAIL.
AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK, UH, ALDERMAN ROYAL DURING HER PRAYER.
ONE OF THE THINGS SHE SAID WAS, EVERY CITIZEN HAS A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT TO BE HEARD.
SO I'M CLAIMING THAT RIGHT NOW.
THE EMAIL WAS ADDRESSED TO TWO PEOPLE, WHICH WILL BE CLEAR WHEN I START READING IT.
GENTLEMEN, I AM THE GENTLEMAN WHO AT LAST NIGHT'S BOARD MEETING, WHICH WAS JUNE, JUNE 10TH, WHO ASKED THE QUESTION QUOTE.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT'S SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, COUNCILMAN ALDERMAN AND THE MAYOR AGREED TO HOLD A CITYWIDE TOWN HALL MEETING.
CAN SOMEONE TELL US WHEN HE BEEN SCHEDULE FOUR? I UNDERSTAND.
I CONTINUED, I UNDERSTAND THAT PORTION OF THE MEETING IS ONLY TO TELL THE BOARD SOMETHING YOU DO NOT TAKE OR GIVE ANSWERS.
THAT BEING SO EXACTLY WHEN CAN THE PUBLIC ASK QUESTIONS AND RECEIVE ANSWERS? CONTINUING IN MY EMAIL BACK TO MY QUESTION, PLEASE ADVISE IF IT'S BEEN SCHEDULED AND IF IT HAS NOT, WHY NOT? SO I'M JUST GONNA WAIT FOR THE BALANCE OF MY TIME BECAUSE I KNOW YOU'RE NOT GOING TO ANSWER ME, BUT I'M CLAIMING MY TIME.
DO WE NEED TO DO THAT
I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND TO SUSPEND THE RULES AND ENGAGE IN DISCUSSION.
IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
AFTER THE DISCUSSION, I'M CLAIMING MY LAST 48 SECONDS.
WHAT WAS YOUR QUESTION AGAIN, MR. SMITH? THE QUESTION WAS, UH, FIRST OF ALL, I WAS TOLD THAT AT A PUBLIC MEETING THAT, UH, COUNCILMAN ALDERMAN AND THE MAYOR AGREED TO HOLD A CITYWIDE WIDE TOWN HALL MEETING.
NOW, IT COULD BE THAT I WAS GIVEN THAT INFORMATION INCORRECTLY.
IF I WAS GIVEN IT INCORRECTLY, THEN I EXPECT THEM TO TELL ME.
WHEN WILL WE HAVE A CITYWIDE TOWN HALL MEETING? THAT'S IT.
UM, I'M NOT SURE IF I RECALL DOING ANYTHING ABOUT A TOWN HALL, CITYWIDE TOWN HALL MEETING.
[00:50:01]
ONE OF OUR BOARD MEETINGS IF HE WOULD CONTACT CONGRESSMAN MURPHY AND ASK THE CONGRESSMAN TO HAVE A TOWN HALL MEETING WITH THE CITIZENS OF DUBER.AND I KNOW SINCE THEN THAT THE MAYOR, 'CAUSE I HAVE FOLLOWED UP WITH IT, HAS SENT THAT REQUEST IN TO CONGRESSMAN MURPHY'S OFFICE.
NOW, I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE THINKING OF OR REFERRING TO OR NOT, BUT I DON'T, I NEVER, AND AND UNLESS SOMEBODY'S, UNLESS I'M WRONG.
HAVE WE DISCUSSED HAVING A CITY BOARD TOWN HALL MEETING? WHY ARE YOU EVEN ASKING PERMISSION OF CONGRESSMAN MURPHY TO HAVE A TOWN HALL MEETING THAT IS NOT HIS BUSINESS'S THE POINT THAT'S GOING TO BE HOLDING THE MEETING? WE'VE ASKED CONGRESSMAN MURPHY TO COME HERE AND HAVE A MEETING THROUGH HIS OFFICE.
WE HAD A MEETING AND THERE WAS A MEETING HERE WITH CONGRESSMAN MURPHY.
THERE WAS SOME CONVERSATIONS ABOUT NOT EVERYBODY KNEW ABOUT IT.
NOT EVERYBODY WAS INVITED TO IT.
SO AT THAT TIME, I ASKED THE MAYOR TO INVITE CONGRESSMAN MURPHY HERE FOR HIM TO HAVE A MEETING, A CITYWIDE MEETING TO DISCUSS THE, UM, THE ISSUES ON HIS LEVEL.
THAT'S THE ONLY MEETING THAT I RECALL OR EVER REQUESTING FOR.
DOES ANYBODY RECALL ANYTHING ANY DIFFERENTLY? MR. MR. STEVE, ARE YOU REFERRING TO A TOWN HALL FOR THE UPCOMING ELECTION? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? NO, MA'AM.
I AM A, I'M REFERRING TO A CLASSIC TOWN HALL WHERE ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY CAN ASK WHATEVER THEY WANT TO ASK AND THEY RECEIVE SOME TYPE OF ANSWER OR GUIDANCE.
IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH CONGRESSMAN MURPHY.
WELL, I'M, I'M NOT SURE IF THAT REQUEST WAS EVER MADE IN THIS MEETING.
I KNOW THE, THE REQUEST WAS MADE TO HAVE A, A TOWN HALL MEETING WITH CONGRESSMAN MURPHY.
'CAUSE I WAS THE ONE THAT MADE THE REQUEST.
SO MY QUESTION NOW IS, WILL THIS BOARD HOLD AT SOME TIME IN THE NEAR FUTURE A CITYWIDE TOWN HALL MEETING, WHICH WILL OBVIOUSLY HAVE TO BE A BIGGER VENUE THAN HERE? THAT'S MY REQUEST.
ANYTHING ELSE FROM THE BOARD? SO AM I.
I THINK IT'S ZONING THAT THE TWO WOMEN ON THE BOARD HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH IT.
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN WOKEN UP IN A PANIC AT 2:00 AM IN THE MORNING WHEN THE POLICE ARE BANGING ON YOUR DOOR? I HAVE TWICE, BOTH WITHIN SIX MONTHS OF EACH OTHER, BOTH TIMES TO ALERT ME AND MY EX-HUSBAND ARE THAT OUR CAR PARKED CORRECTLY ON THE STREET HAD BEEN HIT.
I LIVE ON THE 3,500 BLOCK OF ELIZABETH AVENUE.
I HAVE LIVED HERE FOR 16 YEARS AND I HAVE WATCHED THE TRAFFIC ON THIS STREET GET MORE AND MORE RECKLESS.
VERY FEW PEOPLE ARE ABIDING BY THE 25 MILE PER HOUR SPEED LIMIT.
SOMETIMES I NEED TO LOAD THEM IN THE CAR PARKED ON THE STREET.
AND TO BE HONEST, IT'S TERRIFYING.
PEOPLE DON'T EVEN BOTHER TO SLOW DOWN WHEN YOU'RE GETTING IN OR OUT OF THE CAR ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.
I HAVE LEARNED THAT VARIOUS HOAS HAVE REQUESTED THAT A STOP SIGN BE INSTALLED OR SPEED BUMPS BE INSTALLED AND HAVE BEEN DENIED.
MAYBE A STOP SIGN ISN'T THE ANSWER, BUT WHAT OTHER TRAFFIC CONTROL OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE? COULD SPEED PUMPS OR HUMPS WORK? I INFORMALLY REQUESTING THAT THERE IS SOME TRAFFIC CONTROL DONE ON ELIZABETH AVENUE TO HELP REDUCE THE SPEED OF THE DRIVERS.
WITH EVERY NEW HOUSING SECTION ADDED, THE ISSUE HAS COMPOUNDED.
AS A REMINDER, THERE ARE KIDS WHO LIVE ON ELIZABETH AVENUE AND THE STREETS THAT BRANCH OFF OF, OFF THAT WALK TO SCHOOL AT H DAY MCDONALD.
I KNOW I'M NOT THE ONLY PERSON WHO IS CONCERNED OR WHO HAS ASKED FOR SPEED BUMPS OR STOP SIGNS OR ANY OTHER CONTROL MEASURE THAT WOULD HELP SLOW TRAFFIC DOWN.
HOW MANY TICKETS NEED TO BE ISSUED? HOW MUCH PROPERTY DAMAGE NEEDS TO BE INCURED? HOW MANY PETS NEED TO BE INJURED? HOW MANY KIDS NEED TO BE HIT? OR DOES SOMEONE NEED TO DIE BEFORE A REQUESTS ARE FINALLY HEARD? I'LL END BY ASKING QUESTIONS
[00:55:01]
THAT ARE NOT RHETORIC, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO BE PLACED ON A RECORD.WHAT METRIC IS GOING TO BE THE TRIGGER FOR ADDING TRAFFIC CONTROL MEASURES? WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR SOMETHING TO BE DONE? I BROUGHT PHOTOS OF BULK OUR, THAT WERE TOTALED OUTSIDE OUR HOUSE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.
THIS CAR, THIS WAS THE FIRST ONE THAT WAS TOTALED.
THIS WAS PARKED ON THE VERY FRONT OF THIS PHOTO AND IT GOT HIT SO HARD THAT IT LANDED IN OUR NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR'S DRIVEWAY.
WHAT HAPPENS IF IT HIT MY HOUSE? MY DAUGHTER SLEEPS IN THE FRONT BEDROOM OF OUR HOUSE.
WHAT IF THAT HAD HIT OUR HOUSE AND KILLED MY DAUGHTER? I'M ASKING THAT SOMETHING BE DONE TO CONTROL THE SPEED ON ELIZABETH AVENUE.
AND OUR LAST PETITION OF CITIZENS THIS EVENING IS ANASTASIA FEAL GATES.
I GO BY SOCIALLY, UH, ANNA FAGEL AND I LIVE IN WARD SIX.
I WORK WITH EASTERSEALS PORT HEALTH, WHICH IS PARTNERED WITH TRILLIUM AND ONE COMMUNITY TO SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES AND MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS.
I'M ALSO A SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENT AT EAST CAROLINA UNIVERSITY FOCUSING ON ADAPTED CURRICULUM AS A CITIZEN OF WARD SIX.
I AM SPEAKING OUT BECAUSE I DO NOT HAVE AN ALDERMAN TO REPRESENT ME.
UH, REPRESENTATION MATTERS, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE OF US WHO SUPPORT AND SERVE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS EVERY DAY.
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
A BEAUTIFUL DAY FOR A NEIGHBOR.
COULD YOU BE MY, WOULD YOU BE MINE? PLEASE? WON'T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR.
THESE WORDS AREN'T JUST A SONG, THEY ARE A REMINDER OF THE KIND OF COMMUNITY WE SHOULD STRIVE TO BE CONNECTED, COMPASSIONATE, AND HELD ACCOUNTABLE TO ONE ANOTHER.
[Consent Agenda]
BOARD.NEXT UP IS THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS FIVE THROUGH 13.
WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? MAYOR, I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS IS SECOND.
IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? MAYOR, I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS, UM, WITH REGARDS TO ITEM SIX, SEVEN, AND EIGHT.
UM, IF THE BOARD IS WILLING, I'M HAPPY TO ASK THOSE QUESTIONS BEFORE WE VOTE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
OR I WOULD ASK THAT THOSE THREE ITEMS BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA, UM, AT WHICH TIME I COULD ASK THE QUESTIONS AND THEN EVOKE COULD BE TAKEN ON THEM.
MR. DAVIS, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE FLOOR TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA THROUGHOUT THE DISCUSSION.
UH, QUESTION HAS BEEN RAISED ON THREE ITEMS. YES, SIR.
YOU, YOU NEED TO ENTERTAIN THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
IF THAT FAILS, THEN WE CAN REVERT TO ALDERMAN PRILLS, UM, REQUEST.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS IS.
WE'LL HAVE A ROLL CALL VOTE STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ROYAL.
ALDERMAN ROYAL IN RESPECT TO ALDER MCCRELL.
NOW IF HE WANTS TO PULL HIM, WE'LL PULL UP ALDER MCKENZIE, WE CAN PULL HIM.
ITS BACK OPEN ALDERMAN PER, UH, MAYOR, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO, UM, PULL ITEMS SIX, SEVEN, AND EIGHT FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA SECOND, AND OTHERWISE APPROVE IT AND OTHERWISE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO PULL ITEM NUMBER SIX, SEVEN, AND EIGHT FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA AND PROVE WHAT IS OR PROVE WHAT IS REMAINING SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
UM, LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ASTOR.
[01:00:01]
ASTOR.[Items 6 - 7]
YES.ON ITEM SIX, JUST A A QUICK QUESTION, UM, UH, QUESTION FOR STAFF.
UM, I'M CURIOUS AS TO, UM, WHERE THIS REQUEST, UM, ORIGINATED.
IS THIS, UM, SIMPLY A PART OF THE LAND USE ORDINANCE UPDATE THAT WE ARE WORKING THROUGH? UM, OR WAS THIS A REQUEST FROM SOME OTHER ENTITY? NO, I ASKED FOR THIS REQUEST WHEN REVIEWING A VERY LARGE PROJECT.
IT WAS ASKED OF US, WHAT IS THE DENSITY IN THAT ZONING DISTRICT IN C FOUR.
EVERY OTHER ZONING DISTRICT WE HAVE, HAS IT CALLED OUT? THIS ONE DOES NOT.
THAT'S POOR PLANNING PRACTICE AND I WANTED IT FIXED IMMEDIATELY.
I MIGHT HAVE MISSED THE FIRST PART OF THAT.
SO WAS THIS A REQUEST FROM, UH, AN ENTITY OUTSIDE OF STAFF OR NO, SIR.
THIS IS STAFF ME RECOMMENDING THAT WE PUT BETTER PLANNING PRACTICE IN AND DEFINE WHAT THE DENSITY IS 'CAUSE IT'S MISSING.
AND WITHOUT THAT, UH, THERE IS POTENTIAL TO ARGUE YOU CAN DO WHAT YOU WANT WITH DENSITY AND THAT'S NOT A GOOD PLACE TO BE IN.
WELL, ON ITEM SEVEN, UH, FIRST QUESTION, UH, SAME, SAME QUESTION, UM, AS TO WHERE THIS RECOMMENDATION ORIGINATED.
OUR ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY WAS REVIEWING A PROJECT WITH US AND HOW TO INTERPRET IT.
AND IN GOING THROUGH THAT, WE REALIZE TWO THINGS.
THERE'S A VERY ANTIQUATED WAY OF MEASURING HEIGHT IN AN OVERLAY DISTRICT.
IT DOESN'T DEFINE WHAT A STORY IS.
TYPICALLY ORDINANCES REQUIRE YOU TO MEASURE THINGS IN FEET.
SO WE'RE REQUESTING TO MAKE THAT CHANGE.
ADDITIONALLY, THERE IS SOME ANTIQUATED LANGUAGE THAT REQUIRES DESIGN STANDARDS IN SEVERAL OF OUR OVERLAY DISTRICTS THAT ARE INCONSISTENT WITH CURRENT STATE LAW AND HAVE BEEN SINCE 2020.
AND SO WE ARE REMOVING THOSE IN THAT SAME SECTION OF THE ORDINANCE AT HER RECOMMENDATION.
UM, UM, GIVEN, GIVEN THE FACT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, CHANGING THE DETERMINATION OF CHANGING STORIES TO FEET, WHY IS THIS CHANGE ONLY BEING DIRECTED, UM, AT SPECIFIC OVERLAY ZONES VERSUS CITY BLOCK? IT'S THE ONLY PLACE IT, IT SAYS YOU MEASURE IN STORIES EVERYWHERE ELSE.
IT USES FEET, LIKE IS THE PREFERRED PRACTICE.
SO THIS WOULD BRING THE OVERLAY ZONES INTO, INTO CONSISTENCY WITH HOW WE MEASURE EVERYTHING ELSE.
UM, THERE'S REFERENCE TO THE BROAD SLASH QUEEN STREET CORRIDOR SINGLED OUT FOR A 60 FOOT LIMIT.
WHY, WHY IS THAT ONE CORRIDOR SPECIFICALLY BEING MENTIONED FOR A 60 FOOT LIMIT AS OPPOSED TO THE 60 FOOT LIMIT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE ZONING THERE? IT'S INCONSISTENT.
IT WOULD BE CONSISTENT IN CHANGING THE STORIES TO FEED.
AND SO THERE YOU'LL SEE 60 FEET AND 30 FEET RESPECTIVELY IN THE AMENDMENT, WHICH I'M HAPPY TO EXPLAIN DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I'M NOT SURE I FULLY FOLLOW YOU ON THAT ONE.
UM, SO ANYWHERE OUTSIDE OF THIS PARTICULAR COURT OR WHAT, WHAT IS THE HEIGHT LIMIT? IT'S DIFFERENT FOR EVERY ZONING DISTRICT.
BUT HERE THEY'RE SAYING STORIES RIGHT NOW AND WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO MEASURE WHEN APPLYING THE STANDARDS TO A PROJECT.
SO THE 60 FOOT IS JUST A RECOMMENDED HEIGHT LIMIT? IT'S PRETTY STANDARD.
THAT'S BASED ON THE RECOMMENDED CHANGE THAT'S BEING MADE.
UH, LAST QUESTION ON THIS ONE.
UM, UH, JUST REAL QUICK, WHAT ARE THE BOUNDARIES OF THAT BROAD QUEEN STREET CORRIDOR? THAT'S THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION AREA.
OH, I JUST WONDERING WHERE OH, I, I, WE CAN SHOW A MAP.
UM, SCOTT, CAN YOU VERBALLY ON THE FLY, DESCRIBE THAT BOUNDARY FOR ME? I WANNA SAY OTTOMAN PRILL THAT, UM, IT RUNS ROUGHLY FROM THE INTERSECTION
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OF BROAD AND FIRST TOWARD DOWNTOWN.AND I THINK IT EXTENDS OVER TO THE REAR PROPERTY LINES OF ALL OF THE, ALL OF THE PROPERTIES ON BROAD STREET.
IT'S THE, THAT CORRIDOR DOES NOT ACTUALLY GO DOWN QUEEN STREET.
IT IS REALLY A BROAD STREET CORRIDOR OR DOES, IT DOES.
I DON'T RECALL HOW FAR DOWN BROAD IT GOES IF IT GOES VERY FAR.
WELL, I WOULD, I WOULD JUST ASK AS PART OF NEXT MONTH'S PRESENTATION IF THAT COULD JUST BE IDENTIFIED, UM, JUST MORE FOR CLARIFICATION.
UH, SO THAT'S IT WITH ITEM SEVEN.
UM, AND IT, THIS MAY JUST BE MY OWN CONFUSION.
UM, IN, IN THE MEMO THAT THE BOARD HAS RECEIVED, UM, FROM ROBERT, UM, IT, THERE'S A STATEMENT THAT SAYS THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT SEEKS TO EXPAND THE SETBACK ALLOWANCES TO APPLY MORE BROADLY TO ALL SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DUPLEX AND MULTI-FAMILY CONSTRUCTION WITHIN THE OVERLAY DISTRICT.
I, I'M JUST A LITTLE CONFUSED AS TO WHAT THAT ACTUALLY MEANS.
I'LL PUT IT IN, IN SOME, UH, SIMPLE ENGLISH RIGHT NOW IN THE RDC, WE HAVE RELAXED STANDARDS BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY NON-CONFORMING LOTS THAT WE WANT TO HAVE REUSED.
AND THE WAY THIS ORDINANCE WAS WRITTEN ALLOWED VERY SPECIFICALLY RESIDENTIAL SETBACKS, LOT SIZES, THINGS OF THAT NATURE TO BE RELAXED AND APPLIED ONLY IN OUR SIX ZONING.
AND THERE WAS A QUESTION, WELL, WHAT IF YOU BUILD RESIDENTIAL USES IN THE RDC BOUNDARY THAT ARE NOT ZONED R SIX BECAUSE WE ALLOW BY RIGHT FOR PEOPLE TO BUILD RESIDENTIAL USES IN OTHER AREAS, BUT THEY'RE NOT AFFORDED THE MORE LENIENT, SMALLER LOT SIZES AND SETBACKS.
THIS IS A REQUEST FROM THE RDC THAT WAS DISCUSSED ALSO AND ALSO RECOMMENDED BY THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD TO ALLOW THOSE SAME STANDARDS IF YOU'RE BUILDING RESIDENCES, RESIDENTIAL USES TO BE IN ANY, ANY ZONING DISTRICT WITHIN THAT BOUNDARY.
AND THAT'S WHAT THAT CHANGES AND THAT IS ALL THIS CHANGES.
AND I GUESS THE, UM, THE, THE, THE ISSUE THAT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, WE'RE ADDRESSING CLEARLY, UM, IF THIS GETS APPROVED, UH, IT JUST CAME ACROSS TO ME AND I MAY, IT JUST MAY BE THE WAY I'M READING IT, THAT WE'RE NOT BEING REAL SPECIFIC IN TERMS OF WHAT STANDARDS WOULD BE APPLIED.
THAT IT, IT WOULD BE LEFT IN SOME WAY AS AN INTERPRETATION AND I'M CONCERNED IF THAT'S THE CASE.
UH, ABSOLUTE CLARITY AND COMFORT MOVING FORWARD.
THE MINIMUM LOT SIZE WOULD BE 1500 SQUARE FEET MINIMUM LOT WITH 25 FEET SETBACKS, 15 FROM THE FRONT, 10 FEET FROM THE REAR, AND FIVE ON THE SIDES.
AND THAT WOULD BE CONSISTENT FOR RESIDENTIAL USES IN ALL OF THOSE ZONING DISTRICTS.
SO, SO WE'RE DEALING WITH SOME VERY SPECIFIC, AND THAT IS, UH, HOW IT IS RIGHT NOW FOR RESIDENCES IN THE R SIX DISTRICT.
BUT IT DOESN'T ALLOW THAT IN THE OTHER DISTRICTS.
I THINK THERE HAS BEEN MORE INTEREST IN BUILDING RESIDENCES IN ZONING DISTRICTS WITHIN THAT BOUNDARY OUTSIDE OF R SIX.
AND THAT WAS KIND OF THE IMPETUS TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION AND PUBLIC HEARING.
DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE QUESTIONS ON SIX, SEVEN OR EIGHT? SIR? IF NOT, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEMS SIX, SEVEN, AND EIGHT.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? UH, HEARING NONE, LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN KINZIE.
[14. Conduct a Public Hearing and Consider Adopting a Resolution Approving an Amendment to the Development Agreement with Weyerhaeuser for West New Bern.]
14.CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION APPROVING AN AMENDMENT TO THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH WAREHOUSER FOR WEST NEWBURN.
IN OCTOBER OF 2018, THE CITY ENTERED INTO A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH WAREHOUSER FOR WEST NEWBURN.
WAREHOUSER RECENTLY APPROACHED THE CITY ABOUT AMENDING THE ORIGINAL AGREEMENT.
THAT INFORMATION IS, IS IN YOUR PACKET.
YOU ARE ASKED TO CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN CONSIDER THE THE PROPOSED CHANGES.
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HAVE QUESTIONS BEFORE WE OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING? HEARING NONE AT THIS TIME, WE WILL CONSIDER THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK REGARDING ITEM NUMBER 14.PLEASE COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME.
BOARD CLIFF PARSON ON BEHALF OF WAREHOUSER.
UH, WHEN WE AGREED TO THIS DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT IN 2018, WE KNEW IT WAS A LIVING, BREATHING DOCUMENT AND THAT IT WOULD NEED TO BE ADDRESSED AND POTENTIALLY AMENDED FROM TIME TO TIME, UH, BASED ON CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES AND MARKET CONDITIONS.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE DOING HOPEFULLY TONIGHT.
UM, THE AMENDMENT DOES A FEW THINGS THAT, UH, I BELIEVE MR. HUGHES PUT IN THE AGENDA.
WE'RE MAKING A SPEED LIMIT, COMMUNITYWIDE 25 MILES AN HOUR.
UH, WE'RE ADDRESSING THE CONNECTIVITY OF THE DEVELOPMENT TO 43 AS IT CONNECTS TO ELIZABETH AVENUE.
ONCE THAT'S EXTENDED, UM, WE'RE AGREEING TO COMPLY WITH THE ELECTRIC LINE POLICY.
WE'RE REMOVING A 25 ACRE LIMITATION ON MULTI-FAMILY USES WITHIN THE DEVELOPMENT THAT WAS SELF-IMPOSED BY THE DEVELOPER BACK WHEN THEIR VISION FOR THIS WAS A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
UM, AND THEN WE'RE REVISING STREET STANDARDS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT JUST TO GIVE THE DEVELOPER A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBILITY WHEN IT COMES TO THE INTERNAL ROADS IN THE DEVELOPMENT.
BOARD, HAVE QUESTIONS FOR MR. PARSONS? WILL I STAND IN THERE? YES, I DO.
UM, WHEN YOU SAY, UH, CONNECT THE COMMUNITY TO HIGHWAY 43 AT WHAT ROUTE ARE YOU GOING? YOU ARE EXTENDING, COMING DOWN ELIZABETH AVENUE, OR IS THIS ON THE 43 CORRIDOR AREA? IT'S GONNA BE A CONNECT, IT'S GONNA BE A CONNECTION, UH, TO THE 43 CONNECTOR, UM, THROUGH OUR DEVELOPMENT TO WHERE ELIZABETH WILL ULTIMATELY, ONCE THAT DEVELOPER DEVELOPS ITS SUB SUBDIVISION, UH, IT'LL CONNECT TO ELIZABETH AS EXTENDED THERE.
UM, I'M NOT SURE IF ANY OF THE, THE MASTER DEVELOPMENT PLAN CAN BE PUT UP, BUT I CAN KIND OF GUIDE YOU THROUGH THAT.
UM, THE ATTACHMENT C TO THE AMENDMENT SHOWS, UH, THE CONNECTION POINTS, AND THERE'S ACTUALLY, WE'VE REMOVED TWO CONNECTION POINTS FROM HIGHWAY FROM THE 43 CONNECTOR.
UM, AND THE CONNECTION THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, UM, WHICH IS GONNA EXTEND, UH, FROM CHARLES AVENUE TO WHAT WE CALL BRADHAM BOULEVARD TO 43, ONCE THE NEW ELIZABETH IS CONNECTED TO US.
SO THAT NEW ELIZABETH DEBT CONNECTION WILL BE WHERE THE WAREHOUSE OF DEVELOPMENT IS RIGHT NOW WITH THE COMMUNITY OF HOMES? IS THAT WHERE THE ELIZABETH GONNA TIE INTO THE 43? YEP.
WHERE ELIZABETH DEAD ENDS NOW, IT'S GONNA OKAY.
SORT OF JOG, I BELIEVE, SORT OF WESTERLY, MOSTLY WESTERLY SOUTHWESTERLY TO THE DEVELOPMENT WHERE, UH, CURRENTLY THE DR. HORTON HAS BUILT MANY HOUSES.
ARE YOU SAYING THAT CURRENTLY THE ELIZABETH AVENUE IS UNDEVELOPED? IT, IT DEAD ENDS? UH, CURRENTLY, I'M NOT SURE WHICH DEVELOPMENT.
THE PROPERTY OWNED BY WAREHOUSER THAT ENDS INTO OUR, INTO ADJACENT PROPERTY.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT DEVELOPER HAS PLANS ONCE THAT PROPERTY GETS DEVELOPED TO EXTEND ELIZABETH AVENUE THROUGH TO WEST NEWBURN.
ON THE, THE SELF-IMPOSED, UM, DENSITY LIMIT THAT YOU MENTIONED, UM, CAN, CAN YOU JUST EXPAND ON THAT A LITTLE BIT AS TO, UM, WHAT'S CHANGED IN THE MARKET AND WHAT THAT MEANS FOR THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT THAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE? YEAH, YOU, YOU'LL RECALL THAT WHEN, WHEN THIS DEVELOPMENT WAS FIRST, UM, CONTEMPLATED, UH, THERE WERE BIG BOX DEVELOPERS, UM, THAT WERE BEING SOUGHT OUT.
UM, THERE WAS A TALK OF A MOVIE STUDIO BEING THERE.
UM, ALL THOSE HAVE SORT OF COME TO PASS.
AND, UH, WE ARE SEEING MORE INTEREST IN RESIDENTIAL.
UH, I BELIEVE THIS BOARD OR THE, THE PLANNING BOARD JUST APPROVED A TOWN HOME UNIT, UM, BEHIND THE CURRENT APARTMENTS THERE.
IT'S GONNA BE BETWEEN THAT AND THE FUTURE SCHOOL THAT'S GONNA BE THERE.
UM, AND SO MARKET CONDITIONS IS TELLING US THAT WE DO NOT NEED TO LIMIT OURSELVES TO JUST 25 ACRES.
UM, AT THE TIME, OUR POTENTIAL BUYERS WERE INTERESTED IN THAT, AND NOW OUR POTENTIAL BUYERS AND DEVELOPERS ARE JUST THE OPPOSITE.
THEY, THEY, THEY ARE HOPING FOR MORE LAND TO BE DEVELOPED AS MULTIFAMILY AND,
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AND IT'S ALL ALLOWED IN C3.SO THIS IS NOT DOING ANYTHING THAT'S NOT ALLOWED IN C3.
IT'S BASICALLY BRINGING THE DEVELOPMENT CONSISTENT WITH THE, THE C3 ZONING DESIGNATION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. PARSONS? OKAY.
AND, UM, I'M WONDERING A COUPLE OF THINGS BECAUSE I'VE BEEN HERE FOR A WHILE AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT ELIMINATING THE PUBLIC HEARING PORTION, UM, AND BEING A PERSON THAT DOESN'T HAVE TECHNICAL EXPERTISE ABOUT DEVELOPING, IS THIS ONE OF THOSE MOMENTS WHERE WHATEVER I SAY IS NOT REALLY GONNA AFFECT EVERY ANYTHING 'CAUSE IT'S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED? YES, MA'AM.
BECAUSE THIS IS THAT SITUATION.
WELL, THIS IS AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND A DEVELOPER THAT SIMPLY LOCKS IN THE CURRENT RULES SO THE DEVELOPER CAN MAKE LARGE INVESTMENTS AND NO, GOING FORWARD THAT THE CITY WON'T CHANGE THE RULES ON THEM.
SO IT'S A TOOL TO LOCK IN THE RULES THAT EXIST TODAY.
IT DOESN'T GIVE THEM ANY SPECIAL RIGHTS OTHER THAN LOCKING IN THE CURRENT RULES.
UM, THE, THE MAJOR CONCERN THAT I HAVE IS THAT ON ELIZABETH AVENUE WHERE, UM, AMANDA WAS TALKING EARLIER, UM, OUR ROADS ARE VERY NARROW AND PEOPLE PARK ON BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET AND ESSENTIALLY ONLY ONE PERSON CAN DRIVE THROUGH AT A TIME IF BOTH SIDES OF THE STREETS ARE BEING USED FOR PARKING.
UM, SO IT'S CONCERNING TO ME THAT THE PLAN IS TO CONNECT, UM, THE, TO BE DEVELOPED LAND TO ELIZABETH AVENUE AND IT BECOMING A CUT THROUGH AND CAUSING EVEN MORE CONGESTION, EVEN MORE DANGER, UM, FOR THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE ON ELIZABETH AVENUE AND THE PEOPLE DRIVING ON THE STREET AS WELL.
SO, UM, THAT REALLY NEEDS TO BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.
UM, I'VE, I'VE SPOKEN TO MANY PEOPLE IN MY WARD, AND IT'S BEING ABLE TO WALK SAFELY ON SIDEWALKS, BEING ABLE TO NOT BE, UM, TERRORIZED BY DRUNK DRIVERS BY SPEEDERS.
I JUST, I CAN'T EMPHASIZE ENOUGH HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS TO OUR COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY ON A LIST AVENUE.
UM, AND THEN THERE WAS ALSO ONE OTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO SAY THAT, UM, I'M THRILLED THAT THE CITY IS USING MIXED USE.
UM, AND WHAT I UNDERSTAND ABOUT MIXED USE LAND IS THAT IT GOES HAND IN HAND WITH WALKABILITY.
AND IN THIS DRIVE HOME, THE POINT AGAIN WHERE THE, THE CARS ON THE STREET, THE PEDESTRIANS, IT'S NOT GONNA WORK WELL IF THE PLANNERS AND THE DEVELOPERS ARE NOT TAKING THIS INTO CONSIDERATION.
UM, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE, I DON'T KNOW IF THE PLANNING FOR WHEN MY PART, I LIVE IN DERBY PARK, THE STREETS ARE TOO NARROW.
IS THIS GONNA BE A CONSIDERATION FOR THIS UPCOMING DEVELOPMENT? UM, AND THAT'S, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION.
GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD OF ALDERMAN MAY NAME.
AND I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS FOR THE BOARD.
SO THE TRAFFIC WILL BE COMING FROM MAYBE RACETRACK OR ELIZABETH, HAS THIS PLAN BEEN DISCUSSED WITH THE MPO OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? UM, HAVE YOU TALKED ABOUT THIS PLAN BEFORE? AND IF THIS PLAN IS NOT APPROVED, CAN THIS CHANGE HAPPENED? THE SENSE OF LOCKING IN THE RULES, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? UM, I'D LIKE TO ASK JESSICA RU TO COME UP.
WHAT, WHAT I CAN'T ANSWER IS WHETHER OR NOT THE, THE DEVELOPER OF THE PROPOSED PROPERTY THAT WOULD CONNECT TO ELIZABETH AVENUE HAS, HAS HE'S EVEN COME TO, TO STAFF TO EVEN PRESENT THAT PLAN YET.
DEANNA HAS BEEN AT THE TABLE WITH ME AND GEORGE AND LOOKING AT ALL OF THESE STREET CONNECTIONS AND WITH TALKING WITH TIM
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ER'S REPRESENTATIVE WITH US.WHAT DID YOU SAY AGAIN? DEANNA TROUBLE IS OUR MPO ADMINISTRATOR AND SHE HAS BEEN AT THE TABLE ALONG WITH GEORGE CHILES LOOKING AT ALL OF THESE STREET CONNECTIONS.
AND PART TWO, I UNDERSTAND STREETS SIDEWALKS ARE GONNA BE CONSIDERED IN THIS BOND, UM, REFERENDUM PROPOSAL.
IS THERE A POSSIBILITY THAT THE MONEY THAT COULD BE FOR THE STREETS AND SIDEWALKS IS COULD BE USED FOR THIS DEVELOPMENT SINCE I THINK THERE'S A PAYMENT IN LIEU OF, UM, SIDEWALKS? AM I MAKING ANY SENSE? I'M, I'M JUST, I'M JUST TRYING TO ABSORB THIS INFORMATION.
I THINK IT'S SAFE TO SAY THE CITY DOESN'T BUILD ROADS OR SIDEWALKS.
UM, DEVELOPERS DO THAT AND THEN THE CITY ACCEPTS THOSE.
UH, AND THE RARE OCCASION WHERE THE CITY HAS ACCEPTED THE DEVELOPMENT, WHERE THERE ARE NO SIDEWALKS, THE CITY WILL SOMETIMES GO IN AND ADD SIDEWALKS, BUT WE WOULD NOT USE BOND MONEY OR TAXPAYER MONIES TO BUILD ROADS OR SIDEWALKS IN NEW DEVELOPMENTS.
THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
AS A REMINDER, THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM NUMBER 14.
IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO COME FORWARD AND SAY ANYTHING YOU LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ANY OPPOSED? PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.
UH, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR, UH, MR. PARSONS OR ANY REPRESENTATIVE FOR SER.
THIS ORIGINAL AGREEMENT WAS SIGNED WHAT YEAR? DECEMBER OF 2018.
UM, I DON'T BELIEVE IT WAS PART OF THAT AGREEMENT THAT THERE WOULD BE LAND PROVIDED OR COMPENSATED TO THE CITY FOR A FIRE STATION, BUT I KNOW THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION AROUND THAT.
ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH ANY OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS? THERE IS, BUT IT'S NOT ON THIS PARCEL.
SO, MR. HUGHES, ANY RECENT CONVERSATIONS, UH, WITH AUER ABOUT THIS? YES, SIR.
WE HAVE BEEN HAVING DISCUSSIONS WITH WAREHOUSER AND WE'RE WORKING ON, ON SOMETHING WITH THAT.
DOES BOARD HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS ON ITEM NUMBER 14? WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD ON ITEM NUMBER 14, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH WAREHOUSER OF WEST NEW BERN.
IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN VEST.
[15. Conduct a Public Hearing on the Community Development Block Grant (" CDBG") FY2025 Annual Action Plan.]
IS ITEM NUMBER 15.CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT THAT ARE KNOWN AS C-D-V-G-F-Y 2025 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN.
MS. RU, UM, IT'S A PLEASURE TO PRESENT TO YOU OUR 2025 PROPOSAL FOR HOW WE'RE GOING TO SPEND OUR CDBG FUNDS THIS YEAR.
AS WE DO EVERY YEAR, WE ARE REQUIRED TO GO THROUGH AND DEVELOP AN ANNUAL ACTION PLAN.
THAT ANNUAL ACTION PLAN HAS TO CONNECT TO OUR BROADER, LONGER RANGE FIVE YEAR CONSOLIDATION PLAN.
SO THIS WILL BE THE SECOND ANNUAL ACTION PLAN OF THAT CONSOLIDATED LARGER PLAN YOU ALL APPROVED THE LAST YEAR.
WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS EVENING IS GO THROUGH A A QUICK SUMMARY OF WHY WE'RE HERE DOING THIS.
GO THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS, SHOW YOU THE HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE PLAN, WALK THROUGH THE BUDGET, AND THEN WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT.
OUR ANNUAL ACTION PLAN, REALLY, I WANT YOU TO THINK OF THIS AS A BUDGET.
WE SET VERY BROAD PRIORITIES THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO FULFILL THROUGHOUT FIVE YEARS IN THE LONGER RANGE CONSOLIDATED PLAN.
AND THE ANNUAL PLAN IS AN ACTUAL PROJECT LIST WITH A BUDGET CONNECTED TO IT OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO FILL THOSE PRIORITIES.
AND SO IN ORDER TO DO THIS CYCLICAL EVERY YEAR, WE GO THROUGH VERY SIMILAR PROCESS.
WE HAVE TWO BIG PUBLIC INPUT STEPS.
WE'RE IN ONE RIGHT NOW, BUT THIS PROJECT ACTUALLY STARTED BACK WHEN WE ADVERTISED OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS HEARING AND DISCUSSION THAT TOOK PLACE IN FEBRUARY, WHICH WE ARE REQUIRED TO ADVERTISE IN JANUARY.
AND WE HAD VERY ROBUST ATTENDANCE AT THAT MEETING THIS YEAR.
AND IF THERE'S SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ON THAT, WE HAVE OUR SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT TO ANSWER THOSE FOR YOU.
BUT THERE WAS A DISCUSSION ON HOW, UH, TO
[01:25:01]
FIT GOALS FOR OUR, UM, NEEDS AREAS IN AND FULFILL NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY WHILE MEETING THE, THE PARAMETERS SET IN THE FIVE YEAR CONSOLIDATED PLAN.AND ONCE THAT TAKES PLACE, WE ALSO GO THROUGH AND ARE REQUIRED TO ADVERTISE IF NON-PROFITS WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE AND BE A PART OF THE PLAN.
WHEN WE GET THOSE NON-PROFIT APPLICATIONS IN, THEY ARE LOOKED AT, THEY ARE PUT THROUGH A SCORING METHOD THROUGH HUD AND THAT'S HOW WE DETERMINE WHO IS THE BEST FIT TO DO THOSE PROJECTS.
AND WE DO HAVE TWO COMMUNITY GROUPS THAT, THAT ARE LISTED IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, WHICH I'LL WALK THROUGH MOMENTARILY.
AND SO IN OUR CONSOLIDATED PLAN, WE HAVE OUR VARIOUS STRATEGIES.
AND THE STRATEGIES THAT ARE BEING ADDRESSED THIS YEAR IN THE ANNUAL ACTION PLAN ARE THE HOMELESS STRATEGY, THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, AND OF COURSE THE ADMINISTRATION.
I'M GONNA WALK THROUGH THE SIX SEPARATE PROJECTS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THE ANNUAL ACTION PLAN.
AS YOU SEE IN EVERY ANNUAL ACTION PLAN, THERE IS AN ADMINISTRATION PROJECT.
WHAT THAT IS, IS THE BUDGET FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, THESE PLANS DON'T RUN THEMSELVES.
WE HAVE A STAFF MEMBER WHO IS PARTIALLY PAID FROM THE ADMINISTRATION BUDGET, AS WELL AS PAYING A CONSULTANT WHO HELPS DESIGN THESE PLANS AND FACILITATE THAT.
WE ARE MEETING ALL OF THE HUD REQUIREMENTS.
THERE ARE MANY OF 'EM AS WELL AS TO PAY FOR THE ADVERTISING AND OUR PUBLIC MEETINGS THAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE.
OUR SECOND PROPOSAL IN THIS YEAR FOR $107,723 IS FOR STREETS AND SIDEWALKS AND CDBG ELIGIBLE AREAS.
WE ALSO HAVE THIS IN LAST YEAR'S PLAN.
WE ARE ALLOWED TO USE A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE, I BELIEVE UP TO 30% FOR DEMOLITION OF SUBSTANDARD STRUCTURES.
SO FREQUENTLY WHEN PATRICK OR I ARE UP HERE ASKING YOU TO APPROVE DEMOLITION ORDERS, AND WE HAVE EXHAUSTED ALL EFFORTS TO GET A HOMEOWNER OR A PROPERTY OWNER TO BRING SOMETHING INTO COMPLIANCE AND IT REMAINS DILAPIDATED AND IS BRINGING NEGATIVE IMPACTS TO THE AREA WITHIN OUR CDBG BOUNDARY, WE CAN USE THIS FUNDING TO REMOVE THOSE HOMES AND NOT NEED TO USE FUNDING FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO DO SO AT LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY, BOTH AT THE MEETING AND AT THAT MEETING.
AT AT THESE MEETINGS, WE HAVE HEARD A LOT OF INTEREST IN SETTING UP SCHOLARSHIPS TO BE ABLE TO USE OUR RECREATION FACILITIES AND CAMPS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
THIS DOES INCLUDE $10,000 OF FUNDING FOR UP TO A HUNDRED SCHOLARSHIPS TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN PROGRAMS IN THIS AREA.
MY SISTER'S HOUSE IS, IS IN THIS BUDGET YEAR FOR $14,000, WHICH WOULD FUND TWO AIDES TO WORK WITH THEM.
AND THEN CATHOLIC CHARITIES IS ALSO IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET FOR $15,000 TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE LOW INCOME FOOD ASSISTANCE.
AND THAT WRAPS UP PRETTY MUCH THE ENTIRE BUDGET, VERY SIMPLY OF WHAT IS PROPOSED TO TAKE PLACE IN THIS YEAR'S ANNUAL ACTION PLAN.
AND SO OUR WHOLE BUDGET ALLOCATED TO US FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THIS YEAR FOR THIS IS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SCREEN OF ABOUT $261,000.
THAT CAME OUT A LITTLE BIT LATER THAN IT NORMALLY DOES JUST DUE TO HOLDUPS IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THIS YEAR.
TYPICALLY, YOU'RE SEEING THIS PRESENTATION A FEW MONTHS AGO, LIKE IN MAY, APRIL OR MAY THIS YEAR.
YOU'LL NOTICE IT'S A LITTLE BIT LATE.
THAT'S NOT ON STAFF, THAT IS ON THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DELAY ON ISSUING WHAT OUR FUNDING WOULD BE.
AND SO THEY WOULD WITHHOLD THIS FUNDING FROM US UNTIL WE HAVE AN APPROVED ANNUAL ACTION PLAN.
I WILL PAUSE HERE JUST FOR A MOMENT BECAUSE ONE THING THAT WE TALK ABOUT QUITE A BIT IS, UM, ASSISTANCE FOR HOME REPAIRS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
AND YOU WILL NOT SEE THAT IN THIS BUDGET.
THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THAT MONEY IS NOT STILL AVAILABLE.
WE HAVE FOUND THAT IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO SPEND THAT MONEY DOWN IN A TIMELY FASHION, AND WE ARE AUDITED ON HOW FAST WE SPEND THIS MONEY.
WE STILL HAVE IN OUR 2022 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN BUDGET, $87,400, A FEW EXTRA DOLLARS.
I'M PRETTY CLOSE, I THINK, BUT WE DID JUST CHECK THAT NUMBER TO BE USED FOR PROGRAMS FROM THAT YEAR.
HOWEVER, DUE TO THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN OWNER OCCUPIED RESIDENCY, YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH FOR VERIFICATION INCOME AND OTHER BACKGROUND CHECKS TO RECEIVE THIS MONEY.
AND THAT TAKES ABOUT THREE MONTHS TO TAKE PLACE.
THERE'S A $10,000 LIMIT ON THE PROJECT.
AND IN ORDER TO FULFILL THOSE PROJECTS,
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YOU HAVE TO HAVE BIDS FROM THREE SEPARATE CONTRACTORS THAT MEET FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GUIDELINES.IT HAS BEEN VERY DIFFICULT TO SPEND THAT MONEY DOWN ON PROJECTS THAT FULFILL ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
AND SO IN THE PREVIOUS ANNUAL ACTION PLAN, YOU'LL RECALL STAFF STOOD BEFORE YOU AND WE MOVED SOME MONEY AROUND BECAUSE WE WERE CONCERNED WITH THE TIMELINESS AND WE HAD SEVERAL PROJECTS THAT WERE COSTING A LITTLE EXTRA AND YOU ALL MADE THE AMENDMENT AND BE ABLE TO DRAW THAT MONEY DOWN.
BUT TO BE VERY CLEAR, THIS PROGRAM STILL EXISTS.
IT IS STILL SPENDABLE IF YOU CAN FULFILL THOSE CRITERIA I JUST EXPLAINED.
BUT I WANT TO, TO EVERYONE WATCHING AT HOME AND HERE TO UNDERSTAND, WE STILL SUPPORT THAT PROGRAM.
IT IS STILL FUNDED FOR THIS PARTICULAR BUDGET.
WE DID HAVE A PARTICULAR GOAL SET TO HAVE PROJECTS THAT WE WERE VERY CONFIDENT WE COULD GET FULFILLED BY JUNE 30TH, EVEN WITH THE DELAY THAT WE'RE IN.
AND SO TO START SUMMARIZING, OUR ANNUAL ACTION PLAN IS A BUDGET.
IT CONNECTS TO THE LARGER FIVE YEAR PLAN THIS PARTICULAR YEAR.
AND MOVING FORWARD, WE ARE MAKING AN EFFORT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE VERY REALISTIC PROJECTS AND ARE WORKING WITH PARTNERS THAT ARE ABLE TO MEET OUR DEADLINES AND FULFILL ALL OF THE MANY REQUIREMENTS THAT HUD SETS OUT TO BE ELIGIBLE TO USE THIS PROGRAM.
AND SO WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT, JUST AS A REMINDER, THE PLAN THAT HAS BEEN INCLUDED IN THE AGENDA, I HOPE YOU'VE LOOKED AT, WILL BE ON DISPLAY UNTIL AUGUST 11TH, THAT FULFILLS A HUD UM, REQUIREMENT.
AND THEN A RESOLUTION WILL BE BROUGHT BEFORE YOU ON AUGUST 12TH, BE TO FULFILL VOTING ON OUR RESOLUTION TO ADOPT THE PLAN.
THIS IS JUST ONE OF THOSE STRANGE NUANCE THINGS IN A HUD PUBLIC HEARING.
WE DON'T VOTE ON THE PLAN THE SAME NIGHT WE HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
WE WILL DO THAT AT THE NEXT MEETING AND WITH THAT, UH, STAFF, OR I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
MS. BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS? YES.
UM, MS. RU, I HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR YOU.
THE HOME OWNERSHIP THAT YOU'RE SAYING THAT THE PROGRAMS, THE MONEY'S STILL THERE, $10,000 PER HOME, IS THAT WHERE A CITIZEN WILL GO TO YOUR OFFICE TO START THE PROCESS? ABSOLUTELY.
OR DO YOU HAVE A DEVELOPER JUST HANDLING THAT? NOPE.
THE CITIZEN WOULD INITIATE THE REQUEST TO BE A PART OF THE PROGRAM AND THEN WE WOULD SIT DOWN AND HAVE AN APPLICATION MEETING WITH THEM AND EXPLAIN ALL OF THESE, UH, REQUIREMENTS TO THEM.
AND SOMETIMES THEY ARE VERY OVERWHELMING JUST EXPLAINING THEM TO YOU ALL.
THE LIST GOT KIND OF LONG AND FELT OVERWHELMING.
UM, LIKE I SAID, IT IS SOMETIMES DIFFICULT NOT NECESSARILY TO FIND PEOPLE IN NEED THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE OUT THERE.
IT'S THE DIFFICULT PART IS WORKING WITH THE LIMITED BUDGETS AND THEN FINDING PEOPLE THAT CAN DO THE WORK LOCALLY THAT ARE INTERESTED IN DOING THE WORK AND BID ON THE WORK AND THEN DO THE WORK.
AND SO WE'VE GOT THE THREE MONTH APPLICATION PROCESS FOR THE BACKGROUND TO BE LOOKED AT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CROSSING ALL OUR T'S AND DOTTING OUR I'S.
AND THEN WE ADD ON THAT, HAVING TO FIND THOSE THREE CONTRACTORS, UM, AND GET THOSE BIDS IN.
AND YOU HAVE, YOU'RE AT PROBABLY SIX OR SEVEN MONTHS THEN, AND THEN YOU HAVE TO GET THAT WORK DONE.
AND IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO DRAW THAT MONEY DOWN IN A TIMELY FASHION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS IN REGARDS TO WHAT YOU SAID EARLIER ABOUT THE PAPERWORK AND THE BUREAUCRACY, THE RED TAPE, ALL OF THE ABOVE.
UH, WHEN OUR CITIZENS MAKE APPLICATION FOR HOME, WE REHAB, DO WE HAVE IN PLACE ANY TYPE OF, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF WE WANT TO SAY COUNSELING OR ASSISTANCE TO HELP OUR CITIZENS MEET ALL OF THOSE REQUIREMENTS? DO WE HAVE, SO IF THEY COME IN AND MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE HOME OWNERSHIP AND A PROJECT THAT IS OUTLINED IN THE PROGRAM FOR A HOME REPAIR, DEA WILL START WORKING WITH THEM ON A PROGRAM.
THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR GOING OUT AND FINDING THE PEOPLE TO DO THE WORK.
WE WALK THEM THROUGH THAT AND FACILITATE IT AND MAKE THAT HAPPEN WHEN, WHEN POSSIBLE.
ALSO, THIS IS JUST NOTABLE, IF THIS PROGRAM CAN'T HELP THEM, WE DO TRY TO WORK WITH THEM AND FIND OUT WHAT THEIR ISSUE IS AND WHAT THEY NEED ASSISTANCE WITH AND CONNECT THEM WITH SOMETIMES RELIGIOUS GROUPS OR COMMUNITY GROUPS THAT WORK AND CAN DO THESE PROJECTS WITH FAR LESS RED TAPE THAN WE CAN NECESSARILY SPEND THIS MONEY BY DOING.
SO I THINK THAT'S A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR WHOEVER THE APPLICANTS ARE BECAUSE AGAIN, WE'RE, WE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A TREMENDOUS UNDERSTANDING OF WHATEVER THE RULES AND REGULATIONS ARE AND IS IT, UM, READER FRIENDLY.
[01:35:01]
IF, UM, THERE'S SOMEONE ON STAFF SUCH AS MS.UM, ARE THOSE SIDEWALKS AND STREETS ALREADY DESIGNATED OR WILL THAT BE FORTHCOMING? NO, MA'AM.
THEY WILL HAVE TO BE WITHIN THE CDBG FOUNDRY, HOWEVER, THEY HAVE NOT BEEN DETERMINED YET.
AND THE ABSOLUTE, UH, KIND OF WORKINGS OF HOW OUR SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM ALSO HAS NOT BEEN COMPLETELY WORKED THROUGH YET.
IN, IN FULL DISCLOSURE, THE AREA BUDGETED, IT'S BEING DEVELOPED, BUT WE DON'T HAVE A STREET SIDEWALK PLAN.
WE DO NOT HAVE DIRECT NUMBER OF, OF STRUCTURES IDENTIFIED TO USE THIS MONEY TO DEMOLISH, NOR DO WE HAVE THE, UH, HOW THE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM WILL WORK BECAUSE THIS IS EDBG MONEY.
THERE WILL BE A SIMILAR BACKGROUND, UH, REQUIREMENTS OF INCOME AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE TO QUALIFY FOR IT.
FINAL QUESTION IS, I SEE MY SISTER'S HOUSE, $14,000 FOR STAFF SALARIES ALONG WITH CATHOLIC CHARITIES, $15,000.
DID YOU RECEIVE APPLICATIONS FROM ANY OTHER NONPROFITS? WE DID.
I BELIEVE MS.
SO, UM, MS. RU, LET ME, UM, ASK ONE QUESTION, UM, TO CLEAR UP MY MIND ABOUT THE STREETS AND SIDEWALKS FOR THE CDBG MONIES.
SO THAT $107,000, UM, WE'LL GO BACK INTO THE LOW AND MODERATE INCOME AREAS.
WE ARE NOTHING THAT WAS NOT WITHIN THE BOUNDARY IN THE MAPS, WHICH ARE INCLUDED IN THE ACTUAL PLAN, EVERYONE CAN LOOK AT AND SEE.
IT HAS TO BE SPENT WITHIN THAT AREA.
AND SO TYPICALLY IF WE HAVE A SHOVEL READY PROJECT READY TO GO ON ONE OF THOSE AREAS, WE'D LOOK TO THAT FIRST BECAUSE WE COULD GET SOMETHING DONE VERY QUICKLY.
AND SO, UM, IF THIS PLAN GETS ADOPTED, WE WILL COORDINATE AND FIGURE OUT, UM, WHERE THE HIGHEST NEED IS WITH A PROJECT THAT WE CAN EXECUTE MOST EFFICIENTLY AND QUICKLY IN THAT AREA.
JUMPING BACK TO THE, JUST THE HOUSING REHAB, UM, ISSUE THAT YOU OUTLINED, UH, IS, IS THE, THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FINDING QUALIFIED APPLICANTS OR FINDING QUALIFIED CONTRACTORS? QUALIFIED CONTRACTORS? THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT.
UM, WILLING TO DO THOSE SMALL PROJECTS AT $10,000 OR LESS RIGHT.
WITH THE FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS.
NO, I UNDERSTAND THAT HUD HAS A LOT OF REQUIREMENTS AND REGULATIONS THAT A CONTRACTOR HAS TO MEET AND FOR A SMALL PROJECT, IT'S NOT WORTHWHILE TO THEM.
UM, SO NO, I FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT.
UM, DOES IS WHAT, WHAT HAPPENS TO THE MONEY IF, IF WE ARE UNSUCCESSFUL IN SPENDING IT THE WAY WE WANT TO SPEND IT? TYPICALLY WE'LL COME TO YOU AND ASK FOR AMENDMENT AND ASK FOR YOU TO, TO REALLOCATE IT TO SOMETHING ELSE.
SO THERE WILL COME A TIME WHEN THAT 2022 POT OF MONEY NEEDS TO BE SPENT.
AND I WILL PROBABLY BE STANDING BEFORE THIS BOARD ASKING YOU SO WE DON'T GET PUNISHED BY HUD FOR A TIMELY THIS ISSUE.
WE'RE NOT BEING EFFICIENT IN SPENDING OUR MONEY DOWN ON A PROJECT.
WE WANTED TO PUT THAT MONEY TOWARDS SOMETHING ELSE.
IF THAT, IF THAT COMES, WOULD HAVE FIVE YEARS, I'M NOT SURE WHEN THE 2020 WE'RE NOT AT THAT POINT YET, BUT IT'LL BE IN A YEAR OR TWO WHERE WE'VE GOT TO HAVE THAT MONEY SPENT OR MOVE IT SOMEWHERE ELSE WHERE WE CAN SPEND IT EFFICIENTLY.
SO A A FUTURE BOARD WILL ADDRESS THAT, THAT ISSUE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MS. RUTH? NO, SIR.
AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT, C-D-B-G-F-Y 2025 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO ASK A QUESTION OR MAKE A COMMENT, PLEASE COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME.
HEY, Y'ALL, I WAS, UH, I WAS JUST LOOKING AT THIS AND I, IT SEEMS LIKE THIS WOULD BE A GOOD
[01:40:01]
OPPORTUNITY FOR INVESTMENT.I WAS LOOKING AT THE PAST SEVERAL, UH, BUDGETS THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED OVER THE YEARS, AND THERE IS NO MONEY, UH, ALLOCATED TOWARDS JUST THE GENERAL, UH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BUDGET OR THE GRANTS BUDGET.
AND THERE HASN'T BEEN FOR AT LEAST FIVE OR SIX YEARS.
AND SO I KNOW THAT THESE MONIES ARE SPECIFIC TO A A CERTAIN REGION, UM, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S NOT REALLY FILLING THE GAPS THE WAY THAT IT COULD.
AND I THINK THAT THOSE GAPS COULD BE FILLED IF WE STARTED TO PUT A LITTLE BIT MORE ATTENTION, EXCUSE ME, INTO OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BUDGET IN OUR GRANTS BUDGET TO HELP FILL THOSE GAPS.
NOW, IN PARTICULAR TO THIS NOT HAVING THE CONTRACTORS, UH, AVAILABLE FOR OUR, OUR CITIZENS WHO NEED THIS WORK, IS IT POSSIBLE TO USE SOME OF THESE FUNDS TO, UM, HELP CONTRACTORS MEET THOSE REQUIREMENTS? LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE STUDENTS HERE AT THE VOTE CENTER, UH, IN THE TRADES.
MAYBE SOME OF THEM MAY COME FROM THESE DESIGNATED AREAS.
IS IT, IS IT POSSIBLE TO PASS THROUGH THESE FUNDS TO HELP THOSE, UH, UH, STUDENTS OR THOSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO, TO BE ABLE TO GET QUALIFIED, TO BE ABLE TO BE APPROVED BY HUD, UH, FOR, TO MAKE THOSE PROJECTS, YOU KNOW, FOLKS IN THESE AREAS, YOU KNOW, $10,000 MIGHT NOT BE, YOU KNOW, GOOD ENOUGH FOR SOME, BUT I BET YOU IT'D BE PLENTY GOOD FOR FOR OTHERS.
AND SO IS THERE A WAY FOR US TO, TO REALLOCATE THESE FUNDS TO BE A BETTER BENEFIT TOWARDS THE COMMUNITY? MS. FILLMORE, COULD YOU ANSWER THAT QUESTION ON WHETHER THE FUNDS COULD BE USED FOR TRAINING CONTRACTORS TO BECOME ELIGIBLE? GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.
UM, YOU HAVE TO ALREADY BE LICENSED AND BONDED.
UM, ACCORDING TO HUD, IT IS NOT, UM, THAT FUNDING COULD NOT BE USED TO DO TRAINING TO ASSIST CONTRACTORS, UNFORTUNATELY.
THOSE FUNDS HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE SINCE 2022, CORRECT? MM-HMM
AND, AND I, I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THOSE FUNDS WILL BE AVAILABLE.
I KNOW SHE MENTIONED THAT THERE, THAT IT WILL COME A TIME, BUT IF, IF WE HAVE THE TIME, IS IT POSSIBLE TO, IF WE HAD MONEY IN OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BUDGET, THEN WE CAN TAKE IT UPON OURSELVES TO FUND THESE, UH, LOWER INCOME OR ME, UH, MEDIUM INCOME FOLKS TO DO THIS JOB AND GET THEM TO A PLACE WHERE THEY COULD BE CERTIFIED AND THEN JOIN IN WITH THE TIME THAT WE'VE HAD ALREADY AND MAYBE THE TIME COMING UP TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THEM APPROVED, UH, FOR THESE PROJECTS.
IT'D BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR, UH, THE CITY TO PARTNER, UH, WITH ITS CITIZENS TO KIND OF FILL THESE GAPS AND GET THIS JOB DONE.
IF WE HAVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO NEED THIS WORK, EXCUSE ME, AND WE HAVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO CAN DO THIS WORK, OR AT LEAST BE TRAINED TO DO THIS WORK, THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THAT BRIDGE, UH, SO THAT WE CAN FULFILL THESE NEEDS AND, AND FULFILL THESE, UH, UH, HUD REQUIREMENTS.
ARE, ARE YOU, ARE YOU ADVOCATING THAT THE FUNDING COME FROM CDBG OR THE GENERAL FUND TO PAY FOR THAT? I AM, UH, FOR THE INITIAL PART, I'M, I'M ADVOCATING FOR OUR, UH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BUDGET THAT'S WITHIN OUR, UH, BUDGET NOW TO HAVE FUNDS ALLOCATED TO IT.
AT THE CURRENT TIME, THERE ARE $0 ALLOCATED TO THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, UH, BUDGET.
AND SO I THINK IF WE, IF YOU WERE TO ALLOCATE FUNDS TO THAT BUDGET, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO FILL GAPS BETTER.
SO THE PIECE THAT YOU'RE SPEAKING ON IS, UM, CERTIFICATION.
AND THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE SOMETHING MORE SO WITH THE VAULT CENTER TO HELP, UM, GET SOME FUNDS OVER THERE TO MAYBE ASSIST, BUT IT COMES DOWN TO A CONTRACTOR SITTING DOWN FOR THEIR, FOR THEIR LICENSE, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE CAN'T AID THEM IN.
UM, BUT IF, IF THEY ARE LICENSED AND THEY ARE BONDED, THEY CAN BID ON OUR PROJECTS, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF THEM SITTING FOR THE TEST, WHICH IS MORE SO ON THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SIDE OF THINGS.
SO WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO PAY FOR IT WITH THE CDBG FUNDS OR MAYBE EVEN THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FUND BECAUSE THAT HAS TO GO INTO THE COMMUNITY.
BUT MAYBE WE COULD START A CONVERSATION WITH THE VOTE CENTER AND TALK ABOUT SOME OPPORTUNITIES THERE TO ASSIST THESE CONTRACTORS WITH SITTING FOR THEIR EXAMS. UM, NO, I THINK THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
AGAIN, UH, COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS IS, UH, SOMETHING I THINK WE COULD FOCUS ON.
SO A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE VOTE CENTER, UH, THAT, THAT COULD HELP US TRAIN THESE STUDENTS AND, AND TRAIN COMMUNITY, UH, MEMBERS TO DO THIS WORK AND THEN ESCALATING THAT PARTNERSHIP TO JOIN IN WITH, UH, THE, UH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK BRAND.
YOU KNOW, TO ME IT JUST SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD WAY TO GET THE JOB DONE.
[01:45:01]
THE NECESSARY STEPS AND THE TIME TO DO IT AND TO CREATE THOSE PARTNERSHIPS, UH, WITH THE BOWL CENTER, THESE ARE RESOURCES THAT WE ALREADY HAVE, RIGHT? SO WHY NOT DO THE BEST TO USE THEM? THANK YOU.HELLO? UH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I'M VERY GRATEFUL THAT WE'VE CHOSEN TO DO THE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS FOR PARKS AND REC AS PART OF THIS YEAR'S COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT.
UM, I'VE BEEN HERE SUPPORTING PEOPLE THAT HAVE TALKED ABOUT THE EXPENSE OF PROGRAMS, AND I'VE BEEN HERE MYSELF BEING CRITICAL OF THE PARKS AND REC BUDGET.
SO I WANTED TO COME HERE AND SAY SOMETHING NICE INSTEAD AND SAY, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THAT.
UM, I APPRECIATE THE TRANSPARENCY ABOUT THE PROCESS NOT BEING WORKED OUT YET.
UM, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING MORE ABOUT IT.
AND NOW HEARING THAT THERE'S MONEY FROM SO LONG AGO THAT HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO BE SPENT, I'M ALSO LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING HOW THIS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM SHAKES OUT IN A YEAR AND HERE IF THE MONEY WAS ABLE TO BE SPENT AND IF IT ALL WORKED OUT, OR IF NEED TO GO A DIFFERENT ROAD.
DOES ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER 15? IF NO ONE WANTS TO SPEAK, UM, MAY I MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? SECOND, UH, MOTION TO SECOND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ANY OPPOSED? PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.
THERE'S NO ACT FURTHER ACTION NEEDED ON THIS ITEM.
SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 16,
[16. Conduct a Public Hearing and Consider Adopting an Ordinance to Amend the Electric Rate Schedules.]
CONDUCT THE PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDER ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE ELECTRIC RATE SCHEDULES.MR. BOUCHARD, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR O I'M BOARD OF ALDERMAN.
I'D LIKE TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO DISCUSS, UH, THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE ELECTRIC GRADE ORDINANCE.
I'M JUST GETTING MY RECOMMENDATIONS UP FRONT AND WE'LL TRY TO, I'LL TRY TO DRIVE INTO A FEW MORE DETAILS.
I'M RECOMMENDING A 3% RATE INCREASE FOR ALL METERED AND UNMETERED ELECTRIC RATES, UH, MODIFYING OUR CURRENT PCA TO RECOVER UNCOLLECTED POWER SUPPLY COSTS BY ADDING A BALANCING FACTOR TO THE PCA AND REMOVING THE ONE AND A HALF CENT PER KILOWATT HOUR CAP FROM THE PCA.
ALSO INCLUDED IN THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT IS, UM, OUR SCHEDULE 60, WHICH IS OUR RENEWABLE RESOURCE FACILITY CREDIT, ADJUSTING THAT ENERGY CREDIT ON A MONTHLY BASIS AS OPPOSED TO A FIXED CREDIT THAT'S ONLY ADJUSTED AT THE TIME OF RATE SETTING.
AS YOU RECALL, WE HAD TWO WORKSHOPS, UM, EARLIER THIS YEAR IN APRIL AND JUNE.
WE DISCUSSED, UH, OPERATIONAL UPDATES THAT I HAD AT THE TIME.
OUR OPERATING BUDGET FROM FISCAL YEAR 26, FISCAL YEAR ENDING 26, OUR CAPITAL BY CAPITAL FIVE YEAR PLAN, OUR WHOLESALE POWER SUPPLY, UH, RATE PLAN, WHICH IS A FIVE YEAR FORECAST.
WE REVIEWED ELECTRICAL FINANCIAL STUDY WITH PRESENTATIONS BY UTILITY FINANCIAL SYSTEMS, AS WELL AS MYSELF IDENTIFIED UNDER RECOVERY OF POWER SUPPLY COSTS.
SINCE THE TIME OF THE PCA WAS APPROVED DECEMBER 1ST, 2025 UNTIL NOW, IT'S ABOUT $2 MILLION THAT WE'VE UNDER RECOVERED IN OUR POWER SUPPLY COSTS OVER THE LAST 12 MONTHS.
IT'S ABOUT $2.5 MILLION, AND IF YOU GO BACK FURTHER 24 MONTHS, IT'S ABOUT $4 MILLION IN UNDER RECOVERY POWER SUPPLY COSTS.
ALSO RECOMMENDED RATE ADJUSTMENTS DURING THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND RECOMMENDED MODERNIZING OUR OUR CURRENT RATE DESIGNS AND MOVING AWAY FROM VOLUMETRIC RATES AND UNBUNDLING OUR VARIABLE AND FIXED COSTS OUT OF OUR WHOLESALE POWER SUPPLY COSTS AND OUT OF OUR, UM, OUR RETAIL RATES, AND TRYING TO GET IN A POSITION WHERE WE COULD PASS FORWARD WHOLESALE COSTS DIRECTLY TO OUR CUSTOMERS CONSIDERING RATE MODERNIZATION.
SCHEDULE 60 IS A CREDIT THAT WE GIVE TO OUR CUSTOMERS THAT PROVIDE SOLAR ENERGY TO OUR PART OF THE SYSTEM.
AND THAT CREDIT IS A FIXED AMOUNT THAT, UM, IS ADJUSTED AT THE TIME OF RATE SETTING.
THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO ALLOW THAT ENERGY CREDIT TO BE A VARIABLE, UM, AND FOR IT TO BE ADJUSTED MONTHLY.
UM, AND THAT CREDIT WOULD EQUAL UTILITIES MONTHLY AVOIDED COST FOR ENERGY USING A 12 MONTH ROLLING AND TWO MONTH LAGGING CYCLE, VERY SIMILAR TO HOW WE'RE DOING THE PCA.
[01:50:01]
SAYING IF OUR POWER SUPPLY COSTS CHANGE ON A MONTHLY BASIS, THEN I SHOULD RECOGNIZE THAT AS WELL ON THE CREDIT THAT I'M BUYING SOLAR ENERGY FOR, UM, AND TO MAINTAIN THAT.SO IT TRACKS THE EQUIVALENT COST OF ENERGY THAT WE'RE NOT BUYING FROM THE CHEMICAL AND OUR POWER SUPPLY COSTS AND OUR POWER SUPPLY CONTRACT, I SHOULD SAY, CONSIDERING THE ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT'S FINANCIAL HEALTH AND LOOKING OUT OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, YOU'VE SEEN THIS SLIDE BEFORE.
UM, HERE IS, UH, AN OPTION, UM, THAT INCLUDES A 0%, UH, RATE ADJUSTMENTS.
IT INCLUDES THE CAPITAL PLANS THAT I HAVE RECOMMENDED.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THE DEBT COVERAGE RATIO IS UNFAVORABLE.
SYSTEM DEPRECIATION IS IN THE 40 TO 50% RANGE DUE TO THE CAPITAL INVESTMENTS.
UM, ADJUSTED OPERATING INCOME IS UNFAVORABLE AND GOES NEGATIVE NEXT YEAR.
CASH BALANCE CONTINUES TO DECLINE AND GO NEGATIVE IN THE DAYS OF WORKING CAPITAL CASH ON THE HAND WITH LOW MINIMUM POLICY AND IS EXPECTED TO GO NEGATIVE IN THREE YEARS.
SO OVERALL, I DON'T THINK THIS IS A VERY FAVORABLE PLAN.
IF WE LOOK AT AN OPTION TO GO 0% RATE INCREASE, TAKE OUT THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, NOT DO THOSE, UM, YOUR DEBT COVERAGE RATIO TEMPORARILY INFLATES, BUT BEFORE DECLINING AND GOING NEGATIVE.
UM, YOUR SYSTEM DEPRECIATION APPROACHES 75% AND THAT'S DUE TO THE LACK OF A CAPITAL INVESTMENT.
AND YOUR SYSTEM, YOUR ADJUSTED OPERATING IN INCOME, UH, LOOKS GOOD FOR A YEAR.
UH, 'CAUSE SPENDING HAS BEEN ARTIFICIALLY CUT, BUT THEN RAPIDLY STARTS TO DECLINE, UM, AT LARGE LOSSES.
AND YOUR PROJECTED CASH BALANCES LOOK GOOD, BUT IT'S ARTIFICIAL AS YOU NEED TO.
YOU EVENTUALLY NEED TO START DRYING IT DOWN TO MAINTAIN THE SYSTEM.
UM, ANNUAL DATES OF WORKING CAPITAL ARE NEAR POLICY REQUIREMENTS, BUT AGAIN, THOSE WILL START TO DECREASE AS SOON SPENDING OCCURS.
SO OVERALL, I DON'T THINK THIS IS A FAVORABLE PLAN.
THIS SLIDE IS AN OPTION FOR A FOUR AND A HALF PERCENT RATE INCREASE.
THERE'S NO CHANGES TO THE PCA AND INCLUDES THE RECOMMENDED FIVE YEAR, UH, CAPITAL INVESTMENT.
UM, YOUR DEBT COVERAGE RATIO IS FAVORABLE AND STAYS WELL ABOVE ONE.
YOUR SYSTEM DEPRECIATION IS IN THE 40 TO 50% RANGE, AND THAT'S DUE TO YOUR CAPITAL INVESTMENTS.
ADJUSTED OPERATING INCOME CAN SUPPORT YOUR OPERATIONAL COSTS.
PROJECTED CASH BALANCE KEEPS PACE WITH TARGETED CASH REQUIREMENTS.
YOUR DAYS OF WORKING CAPITAL STAY ABOVE THE MINIMUM POLICY REQUIREMENTS.
UM, AND IT ALSO APPROACHES, UH, INDUSTRY RECOMMENDATIONS.
OVERALL, I THINK THIS IS A VERY FAVORABLE PLAN.
LOOKING AT ANOTHER OPTION, WHICH IS THE ONE I RECOMMEND, I I LIKE THIS ONE A LITTLE BETTER.
UM, THIS IS A 3% RATE INCREASE.
UH, HOWEVER WE'RE ADDING A BALANCING, UH, FACTOR TO OUR POWER COST ADJUSTMENT CHARGE.
IT ALSO INCLUDES THE FIVE YEAR CAPITAL PLAN.
AND OVERALL, THIS ACHIEVES THE VERY SIMILAR RESULTS AS THE FOUR POINT HALF PERCENT OPTION.
BUT THE METHOD OF COLLECTING THAT IS DIFFERENT.
UM, SOME THROUGH MORE THROUGH RATES, AND IN THIS CASE MORE THROUGH THE PCA.
UM, YOUR DEBT COVERAGE RATIO IS FAVORABLE AND WELL ABOVE ONE.
YOUR SYSTEM DEPRECIATION IS 40 TO 50%.
ADJUSTED OPERATING INCOME SUPPORTS YOUR OPERATING EXPENSES, PROJECTED CASH BALANCE MAINTAINS TARGETED OPERATING LEVELS AND YOUR DAYS OF CASH ON HAND MEETS MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS AND TRENDS TOWARDS IN INDUSTRY RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, I'D LIKE THIS PLAN, UM, PARTICULARLY BECAUSE, UM, YOU'RE, YOU'RE ADDING 1.5% LESS TO YOUR BASE RATES, UH, COMPARED TO THE FOUR POINT HALF PERCENT METHODOLOGY AND THEN GOING DOWN THE ROAD, FUTURE RATE CHANGES WILL COMPOUND BY THAT AMOUNT, UM, ON TOP OF THAT.
SO I THINK THIS IS BETTER ALL OVERALL FOR THE UTILITY AND FOR THE CUSTOMER.
UM, DIVING INTO THE BALANCING FACTOR A LITTLE MORE, UM, THIS IS INCLUDED IN THE 3% OPTION AND WOULD BE ADDED TO THE, UH, POWER CUSTOM ADJUSTMENT CHARGE.
UH, PRESENTLY THE POWER CUSTOMER CUSTOMER CHARGE HAS, OUR COST ADJUSTMENT CHARGE HAS BEEN UNDER COLLECTING SINCE THE TIME IT WAS APPROVED DECEMBER 1ST, 2024.
WE'VE UNDER COLLECTED ABOUT TWO POINT OR $2 MILLION OVER THE PAST, UH, 12 MONTHS, $2.5 MILLION.
AND IF WE WOULD'VE HAD A PCA, UM, IT WOULD'VE BEEN ABOUT 4 MILLION UNDER COLLECTED.
[01:55:01]
SO ADDING A BALANCING FACTOR TO THE PCA, UM, TO RECOVER THOSE UNDERCOVER UNDERCOVERED POWER SUPPLY EXPENSES, UH, THE BALANCING FACTOR WOULD BE RECALCULATED EACH FISCAL YEAR.THE AMOUNT WOULD BE FIXED FOR THE ENTIRE FISCAL YEAR, UM, AND THEN RECALCULATED AT THE START OF EACH NEW FISCAL YEAR TO MAINTAIN RECOVERY OF LAST YEAR'S UNDER RECOVERED POWER SUPPLY EXPENSES.
THIS IS A COMPARISON OF THE RATE TRACK OPTIONS THAT I DISCUSSED.
UM, THE, THE I, THE ONE THAT'S HIGHLIGHTED IS THE 3% OPTION, UM, WITH, UH, THE BALANCING FACTOR ON THE PCA, IT ATTEMPTS TO COLLECT THE $2 MILLION OF UNDER RECOVERY SINCE DECEMBER.
UM, I THINK IF YOU COMPARE THOSE ACROSS, UM, YOU'LL SEE OVER A THREE YEAR RATE PLAN USING THIS OPTION.
YOU'LL UNDER, YOU'LL, YOU'LL COST THE CUSTOMER LESS PER MONTH OVER THE COURSE OF THREE YEARS AS COMPARED TO THE FOUR AND A HALF PERCENT RATE INCREASE WITH THE PCA AS IT IS.
AND THEN THAT MIDDLE OPTION I THREW IN THERE FOR YOU JUST TO SEE IF YOU WANTED TO GO BACK AND TRY TO COLLECT ALL 24 MONTHS OF UNDER RECOVERY, WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR YOU.
SO IN CONCLUSION, I'M RECOMMENDING THAT YOU ADOPT THE, UH, AMENDMENTS TO ELECTRIC COORDINATES, WHICH INCLUDES THE 3% RATE INCREASE, ALL METERED AND UNMETERED RATE FOR ALL METER AND UNMETERED GRADES.
UH, THE CHANGES TO, UH, RIDER NUMBER ONE, OUR POWER COST ADJUSTMENT CHARGE, IT ADDS A BALANCING FACTOR AND REMOVES TO 1.5%, ONE POINT HALF PERCENT PER KILOWATT HOUR CAP AND CHANGES TO THE SCHEDULE 60 OR RENEWABLE RESOURCE FACILITIES CREDIT BY ADJUSTING THAT CREDIT ON A MONTHLY BASIS.
I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
HOW MANY UTILITY CU UH, CUSTOMERS ARE WITHIN THE CITY? PARDON ME? HOW MANY UTILITY CUSTOMERS ARE WITHIN THE CITY? TOTAL ELECTRIC ACROSS ALL, ALL RIGHT.
CLASSES, ABOUT 24,000 METERS RIGHT NOW.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES, I DO.
UM, I'M GONNA DIRECT THIS TO, UM, I, I HEARD YOUR PRESENTATION, YOU'VE GIVEN US THE FACTS HERE.
WE AS ALMOND, OUR CITIZENS NEEDS TO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE FACING AND YOU HAVE DELIVERED THAT INFORMATION TO US.
NOW, MOVING DOWN THE LINE, UM, AS THE CITY MANAGER HAS SAID BEFORE IN THE PAST, HE RECOMMENDS, UM, THIS RATE INCREASE.
AM I CORRECT MR. USE? BECAUSE OF THE AGENT INFRASTRUCTURE WE HAVE, UM, WE KNOW THAT IT'S GOING TO AFFECT OUR CUSTOMERS.
WHEN WE HAVE THESE JUST REGULAR STORMS COME THROUGH HERE, CITIZENS ARE OUT OF POWER.
UM, AND I JUST FEEL THAT MAYBE I'M MISSING SOMETHING HERE.
WHY ARE WE CONTINUOUSLY, UM, DEBATING THIS AND YOU COMING HERE BEFORE US AND DISCUSSING THIS WHEN WE KNOW THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO DO.
WE NEED TO, TO DO THIS RATE ADJUSTMENT.
AND I DON'T WANT TO IMPOSE A RATE ADJUSTMENT ON ANY CUSTOMER, BUT I WOULD PREFER MY CUSTOMER TO HAVE SOME ELECTRICITY WHEN NEEDED.
AND YOU'RE, YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE GOT THREE TRANSFER FORMERS THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE IS MISSING HERE.
AM I MISSING A, A PIECE HERE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, I DID HEAR A RUMOR THAT, UH, SEVERAL RUMORS THAT THE CITY WAS THINKING ABOUT, UH, SELLING THE ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT.
NOW I DON'T KNOW HOW TRUE THAT IS, BUT IT'S, LIKE I SAID, THAT'S RUMOR MILL, BUT IS THAT THE REASON WHY WE'RE WE ALL HERE, YOU KNOW, THIS BOARD AND WE'RE NOT WANTING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS? WHAT, WHAT IS GOING ON? I MEAN, MR. BOUCHARD HAS COME THROUGH US SO MANY TIMES AND LETTING US KNOW OUR CITIZENS NEED
THEY DON'T WANT THIS RATE INCREASE.
I WOULDN'T WANT A RATE INCREASE, BUT IF IT'S NEEDED, IF IT'S A DIRE NEED SO THAT WE NEED POWER, OUR CITIZENS NEED POWER, AND I'M ALL FOR APPROVING THIS 3% RATE INCREASE IN WHAT HE HAS RECOMMENDED TO US.
[02:00:01]
AND I FEEL LIKE I'VE BEEN KICKING A DEAD HORSE.I JUST WANT THE CITIZENS TO KNOW THAT I AGREE WITH MR. RASHARD AND ASK HIM FOR THIS RATE INCREASE.
TELL ME ONE, ONE MORE TIME, WHAT IS THE, THE MAX OR IS THERE A CAP ON THE, IS IT TCA CURRENTLY A CAP OF ONE AND A HALF CENT PER KILOWATT HOUR.
AND WITH THE BALANCING FACTOR IN DOING THE MODELING THAT I HAVE, WE'LL GET CLOSE TO IT AGAIN GOING A COUPLE MONTHS IN THE FUTURE.
IT'S ALL, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALL FORECASTED, BUT I DON'T EXPECT THIS TO BE MUCH OVER THE CAP.
NOW IT NEEDS TO BE REMOVED IN CASE WE DO TOUCH OVER THAT, UM, IN A MONTH OR TWO ON THE AVERAGE BILL, WHAT IS THAT? THAT'S, THAT WOULD BE $15, $15 JUST FOR THE PCA IF IT REACHED A CAP.
I JUST DON'T SEE IT REACHING THAT.
BUT ISN'T IT WITHIN A THREE YEAR PERIOD, THE $15? NO MA'AM.
IF, IF THE CAP WAS, THE CAP IS 1.50 CENTS PER KILOWATT HOUR, AND I'M SPEAKING, THE AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER USES A THOUSAND KILOWATT HOURS, SO THEY COULDN'T SEE A $15 PCA CHARGE.
BECAUSE THE REASON WHY I ASKED THAT, BECAUSE I SAID YOU HAD IT BROKEN OUT HERE FOR 2026 IS $6 AND 61 CENTS.
SO AM I AND THEN THE 2027 IS THAT THAT'S WHAT, YES.
LEMME SEE IF I CAN FIND MY WAY BACK.
THE, THE RATE AND THE PCA TO LOOK LIKE IN 2026.
OKAY, AT $6 AND 61 CENTS, I THINK THAT WOULD BE EQUIVALENT, UM, INCREASE TO THE CUSTOMER'S BILL.
YOU'LL NOTICE IN 2027 THAT DROPS OFF.
THAT'S BECAUSE WE RECOVERED THAT MONEY THAT WAS UNDER RECOVERED SINCE DECEMBER OF THIS YEAR.
AND THEN IT STARTS TO STABLE OUT.
AND AS LONG AS WE KEEP CONSISTENT WITH THAT UNDER RECOVERY, I THINK IT FLATTENS OFF.
I LIKE THAT BETTER THAN, THAN A FIXED FOUR AND A HALF PERCENT RATE INCREASE.
THAT JUST WILL COMPOUND, UM, TIME AND TIME AGAIN.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR MR. BOUCHARD? NOT NECESSARILY A QUESTION FOR MR. BOUCHARD, BUT CHARLIE, FEEL FREE TO JUMP IN AND ANSWER IT IF YOU CAN, BUT, UM, ALDERMAN ASTOR HAD PREVIOUSLY EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT THE KIND OF THE OPEN-ENDED POWER, UH, COST ADJUSTMENT.
UM, WHAT, UM, NOT SURE HOW BEST TO ANSWER THIS OR ASK THE QUESTION, WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO ENSURE THAT THIS ISSUE GETS REVISITED IN A YEAR'S TIME? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THIS BOARD WITH THE UPCOMING ELECTIONS, THERE MAY BE MORE THAN ONE NEW FACE ON THIS BOARD.
UM, AND THEY NEED TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WRESTLE WITH THIS ISSUE, UM, I THINK SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.
SO ONE, I GUESS ONE QUESTION FOR CITY MANAGER OR CITY ATTORNEY, IS THERE ANY WAY OF PUTTING A SUNSET PROVISION IN THE ORDINANCE ADDRESSING, YOU KNOW, THE PCA CHARGE TO ENSURE THAT THIS ISSUE WILL BE REVISITED, UM, IN A SPECIFIC TIME PERIOD? WELL, ONE THING WE STARTED DOING THIS IS, THIS IS THIS BUDGET PROCESS.
THIS WAS THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW AS PART OF THE BUDGET.
WE HAD THE UTILITY DIRECTOR MAKE THIS PRESENTATION ON WHY HE FELT THERE WAS A NEED FOR A RATE INCREASE.
AND SO THE GOAL IS TO CONTINUE DOING THAT.
UM, IF, IF THE BOARD VOTES ON THIS INCREASE, IT'S GONNA BE INTERESTING TO SEE ONE YEAR FROM NOW IF THAT INCREASE MEANT, MEANT WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS WERE BASED ON THE DIRECTOR'S, UM, PRESENTATION AND ALSO THE CONSULTANTS.
UH, IT KIND OF FELL FLAT THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
BUT I WILL SAY WE DO NEED TO INCREASE THE RATES.
AND THE MAIN REASON WHY IS BECAUSE WE DO HAVE AN INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN WITH OUR ELECTRIC UTILITY.
AND I SAID THIS DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS, HOWEVER, I CANNOT RECOMMEND ALLOCATING ANY FUNDS TOWARD THOSE CAPITAL ITEMS UNTIL WE CAN MEET OUR POLICY
[02:05:01]
OF MEETING THE MINIMUM DAYS OF CASH ON HAND TO BE ABLE TO GO TO THE LGC FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING.CAN I ADD TO YOUR COMMENT? SURE.
I I WOULD SAY THAT IN THE ELECTRIC RATE ORDINANCE, ALL OF THE RATES EXCLUDING THE PCA AND THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO SCHEDULE 60 HAVE NO REQUIREMENT TO ADJUST THEM.
IT ADJUSTED WHENEVER, UM, THE BOARD ELECTS TO ADJUST THEM IN THE LANGUAGE FOR THE PCA WITH THE BALANCING FACTOR.
AND IN THE LANGUAGE FOR THE SCHEDULE 60 ADJUST THE MONTHLY CREDIT, IT'S TO BE REVIEWED ANNUALLY AND ADJUSTED ON AN ANNUAL BASIS AT THE TIME OF, UM, THE START OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
AND THAT WOULD COINCIDE WITH ALL OF OUR WHOLESALE POWER SUPPLY FORECASTS AND, AND THAT PROCESS.
SO WE DO OUR BEST TO ENGAGE THAT IN THE CITY'S BUDGETING PROCESS.
BUT AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, WHOLESALE POWER SUPPLY, UM, FORECASTS AND ADJUSTMENT PERIOD IS NOT IN CYCLE WITH OUR PROCESS IN CYCLE.
AM I ANSWERING THE QUESTION? WELL, I, I THINK SO.
I DON'T KNOW WHETHER, UH, ALDERMAN, ASTOR, YOU KNOW, FEELS ANY MORE COMFORTABLE, UM, WITH THAT OR NOT.
UM, AND, AND AGAIN, WE HAVE BEEN, OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS WE HAVE BEEN, UH, FACED WITH, UM, DIGGING OURSELVES OUT OF A DIFFICULT FINANCIAL HOLE WITH THE ELECTRIC UTILITY.
UH, AND THIS IS THE LATEST, UM, ITERATION OF THAT, THAT ONGOING EFFORT.
UM, BUT IF ALDERMAN MASTERS CONCERN IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WE'RE BUILDING IN OR YOU KNOW, IF THIS GETS APPROVED, UM, SORT OF AN UNLIMITED POWER ADJUSTMENT CHARGE AND, AND THAT MAY NOT BE THE RIGHT WAY OF OF WORDING IT.
UM, I JUST WANT TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT THIS ISSUE WILL BE REVISITED IN A YEAR'S TIME? AND ALDERMAN PRILL, TO ANSWER YOUR INITIAL QUESTION, YES, THERE COULD BE A SUNSET PUT IN WITH THIS ON PCA IF THAT'S WHAT THE BOARD, SO CHOOSE CHOSE.
AND THE OTHER PART OF THAT, AS I'M MONITORING THE PCA MONTHLY, UM, PAYING VERY, VERY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THAT.
AND IF IT STARTS TO TREND UP AND I'M FORECASTING, I HAVE MODELING TOOLS, I'M LOOKING YEARS AHEAD.
IF I SEE IT GETTING OUTTA WHACK, I'M SURE I SURE YOU, I'LL BE BACK BEFORE YOU TALKING ABOUT SHOULD WE DO A BASE RATE CHANGE AND LOWER THE PCA AND MAKE THAT A MORE STABLE COST FOR OUR CUSTOMERS.
AND I APPRECIATE THAT, UM,
AND I'M SURE YOU AND YOUR PREDECESSORS, AND I MAY BE WRONG ON THIS, UM, BROUGHT THE ISSUES TO THE BOARDS AT THAT TIME, BUT THE DECISIONS WERE MADE NOT TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES.
AND UNFORTUNATELY IT LED US TO WHERE WE WERE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO OF A VERY DIFFICULT FINANCIAL SITUATION.
I'M JUST TRYING TO ADDRESS THAT ISSUE AND, AND ADDRESS ALDERMAN ASTOR'S CONCERN.
UH, DON'T KNOW WHETHER OR NOT A SUNSET PROVISION DOES ANYTHING FOR ALDERMAN ASTOR, BUT IT'S JUST A SUGGESTION.
CHARLIE, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU.
UM, HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN THE UTILITY DIRECTOR IN NEWBURN? SEVEN YEARS.
HOW MANY RATE INCREASES HAVE YOU REQUESTED FROM THE BOARD DURING YOUR SEVEN YEAR TENURE? NONE.
WELL, UH, AS OF AN EXCEPTION TO LAST JANUARY AND LAST JULY, NONE.
MY RECOMMENDATION IS GO TO THE CITY MANAGER AND I'M UP HERE AT THE REQUEST OF THE CITY MANAGER.
SO IF THE CITY MANAGER TELLS YOU NO, WE'RE NOT TAKING, UH, A RECOMMENDED RATE INCREASE TO THE BOARD, THEN IT DOESN'T GET TO THIS BOARD.
I'M ONLY HERE BY THE INVITATION OF THE CITY MANAGER.
RIGHT? SO ALL DUE RESPECT TO WHAT THE, I THINK WHAT THE MAYOR WAS
[02:10:01]
SUGGESTING BY THAT QUESTION.IF, IF THE ISSUE IS PUT TO BED BEFORE IT GETS TO THIS BOARD, THEN NO ACTION IS GONNA HAPPEN BECAUSE THIS BOARD IS NOT BEING ADVISED THAT THERE IS A POTENTIAL PROBLEM RULING ITSELF.
I DON'T KNOW THAT BIAS BY INCORPORATING A SUNSET PROVISION, IT SORT OF FORCES THE ISSUE TO THIS BOARD OR THE FUTURE BOARD.
AND THAT'S ALL I'M SUGGESTING.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR MR. BOUCHARD? YES.
SO IF WE DO NOTHING, WE'RE STILL CURRENTLY UNDER COLLECTING, UH, $2 MILLION YOU SAID A YEAR, CORRECT? YES.
SO WE'RE UNDER COLLECTING THAT.
SO THE WAY THAT IT, IT STANDS RIGHT NOW, UM, THE CITY IS NOT FINANCIALLY SOLVENT TO, AT THIS POINT WITH THE ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT IN THE, IN THE CONDITION THAT IS IN WHERE YOU CAN, EVEN IF YOU WANTED TO REQUEST WHATEVER TO GO OUT AND TRY TO GET A GEO BOND, I BELIEVE I'D HAVE TO REFER TO OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
BUT LOOKING AT THE SLIDES THAT I LOOKED AT, I DON'T THINK, I THINK PEOPLE WOULD LAUGH AT US
YOU THINK WE, WE ASKED THEM FOR LENDING RIGHT NOW, GIVEN IF WE DO NOTHING TO YOUR, YOUR ORIGINAL COMMENT.
THAT'S WHY I JUST, WHY I JUST MADE THAT STATEMENT.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT MS. KIM TOLD US THE, AT THE LAST WORK ELECTORAL WORKSHOP WE HAD.
THIS TIME I WILL OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER ADOPTING THE ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE ELECTRIC RATE SCHEDULES.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME FORWARD, PLEASE DO SO AT THIS TIME.
UM, AND CITY MANAGER, I, I LEFT YOU OUT 'CAUSE YOU'RE PART OF THIS COUNCIL MANAGER FORM OF GOVERNMENT.
IF, IF THINGS ARE ACCORDING TO CHARTER, THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN IS THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN AND YOU VOTE AS ONE AND THE MAYOR PRESIDES ON THE MEETING AND DIRECTS PEOPLE.
AND THEN THE CITY MANAGER USED TO SIT NEXT TO THE MAYOR, BUT HE WAS LOWERED SOMETIME AFTER 2009.
BUT IT NEEDS TO BE RELEVANT TO THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ELECTRIC RATES.
WELL, I'M, I'M GOING BACK IN THE HISTORY IN, IN NINE IN THE 1970S, IT WAS, IT WAS INITIATED BY THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN TO SEEK, UH, FUNDING FOR CAROLINA POWER AND LIGHT AND POWER CPL TO GET A BOND.
AND THAT WAS A REVENUE BOND AT THE TIME.
I MEAN, WHO KNOWS HOW MUCH THE CITY PAID.
'CAUSE I JUST CAN'T, THE DETAILS ARE SKETCHY, BUT, BUT THE, THE UTILITY HAS BEEN PAYING FOR THAT AND THE PAYMENT ENDS THIS YEAR.
SO GOING BACK TO 2015 ISH, THE MAYOR WAS ON THE BOARD AND ALDERMAN KINSEY WAS ON THE BOARD WHEN THERE WAS A DEAL WHEN DUKE AND PROGRESS MERGED AND A DEAL WAS MADE, SOMETHING TO DEAL WITH THE RATES, I DON'T KNOW, IT WAS CLOSED SESSION AND I HAVEN'T SOUGHT THROUGH THE CITY CLERK 'CAUSE THERE'S JUST TOO MUCH INFORMATION.
SO I'M JUST ASKING YOU SIMPLY IN MAY OF 2024, THIS FLOOR DERMAN FOUR OF YOU VOTED FOR TO SUPPORT MR. BOUCHARD'S ELECTRIC RATE AND A PCA, THEN THAT WAS DURING THE BUDGET TALKS, THEN IT CAME TO THE BOARD MAKING A FINAL DECISION ON RATES.
AND CHARLIE HAD PRESENTED ALL THE INFORMATION.
I SO I'M NOT LIKE IMAGINING THIS, RIGHT? HE PRESENTED THE BOARD ALL THIS INFORMATION AND THE RATES AND THEY WERE SET AND IT WAS A PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN THE MAYOR SAID, I WANNA MATCH DUKE'S RATES.
[02:15:01]
WAS AROUND THEN.SO THEN THE MAYOR'S LIKE, NO, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU WHATEVER PERCENT, 3%, WHATEVER THE AMOUNT WAS.
SO THAT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, GOING WITH WHATEVER THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC UTILITIES DIRECTOR'S TELLING HIM.
LIKE HE'S BEEN IN AN ENGINEER FOR I, I HAVE NO IDEA.
THAT'S INSTEAD HE KEEPS REVISING TO TRY TO CATCH UP WITH DUKE'S RATES.
SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, I KNOW I GOT A LOT OF THEM.
THE BOARD HAS THE LEGAL AUTHORITY TO TAKE 5% OF THE GROSS REVENUES FROM THE ELECTRIC FUND.
Y'ALL HAVE THAT POWER THROUGH STATE STATUTE.
SO AS, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S WHAT MR. BACHAR WAS REFERRING TO, BUT IT APPEARS TO ME THAT THESE RATES ARE BEING RAISED.
IT WAS A 6% RATE AND THEN THE 6% RATE, BUT IT WASN'T A PCA, UM, WAS NOT ADDED OR IT WAS RESTRICTED.
SO THIS AUTHORITY TO TAKE 5% OF THE GROSS REVENUE, THE MONEY IS JUST GOING UP.
THAT'S BEING TAKEN OUT OF THE ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT AND IT'S BEING PUT INTO GENERAL FUND.
AND I'M NOT SAYING ANYTHING SHADY GOING ON 'CAUSE THAT'S A LEGAL ISSUE, BUT YOU'RE NOT ADDRESSING THE ACTUAL PROBLEM THAT THE CONSULTANT SAID DURING THE FINANCIAL STUDY THAT THERE WAS AN AGING SYSTEM.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S AN N ONE CONTINGENCY OR NOT, BUT THERE'S A SITUATION GOING ON WITH THE SYSTEM AND BY KEEP FUNDING IT WITH FUNDING THE UTILITY WITHOUT OR, UH, KEEP TAKING MONEY OUT, TRANSFERRING IT TO THE GENERAL FUND.
WHAT IS THIS ABOUT THE, THE, THE DUKE ENERGY OR THE CAROLINA LIGHT POWER BOUGHT THE ASSETS THAT THE CITY OWNS, THE WHOLE ELECTRIC SYSTEM OR I'M SORRY, I APOLOGIZE.
THE PLANT, THE GENERATING PLANT THAT THEY PAID THIS REVENUE BOND FOR.
AND I KNOW I'M, I'M, I'M REALLY CONFUSED.
SOUNDS CONFUSING, BUT I'M BRINGING THIS HOME RIGHT NOW.
SO BY TAKING THE MONEY OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND, KEEP RAISING THE RATES WITHOUT ADJUSTING THE POWER COST, YOU'RE NOT COLLECTING NATURAL COST OF THE POWER.
SO IS THERE SOMETHING IN THAT CLOSED SESSION WHICH MAY BE, UM, AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC? NOW THAT WAS SAID THAT WHEN THE CONTRACT ENDS, THEN WE CAN, THAT THE 5% WILL BE LIFTED OR SOMETHING.
WAS THERE A DEAL MADE THAT NOBODY IS AWARE OF EXCEPT FOR THE MAYOR? 'CAUSE HE WAS THERE AND, AND POSSIBLY, UH, MCKENZIE, MR. MR. DAVIS.
UM, I I TYPICALLY DON'T WANT TO GO DOWN RABBIT HOLES, BUT LET LET'S BE CLEAR, ANYTHING THAT TOOK PLACE FROM NEGOTIATIONS IN CLOSED SESSIONS DURING THE EMPA AND DUKE BUYOUT WAS MADE PUBLIC BECAUSE THIS BOARD OR PREVIOUS BOARD, BOARD OF OTTMAN VOTED TO ACCEPT THAT AGREEMENT, WHICH BECAME PUBLIC, CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
THE CITY WAS NOT A DIRECT PARTY TO THAT SETTLEMENT BETWEEN DUKE AND IN KEMBA.
AND ANY RATES OR ANY DEALS WOULD BE EVIDENCED BY A DOCUMENT THAT THE BOARD WOULD APPROVE.
AND AND EVERY TIME THE CITY CHANGES OUR RATES, THERE'S A PUBLIC HEARING YES SIR.
AND IT'S VOTED ON BY THE FULL BOARD AND THE MAJORITY OF THE BOARD DETERMINES THE RATES.
ARE IS THE CITY OF NEW BERN, NOT A MEMBER OF, OF ONE OF THE 32 MEMBERS ARE PART OF MPA AND THE CITY OF NEW BERN HAS ACTUALLY, I THINK AL MY MASTERS PART OF THE CURRENT BOARD FOR MPA.
SO HOW IS THE CITY NOT INVOLVED WITH THE BIO? WE WERE NOT A DIRECT PARTY TO THAT BIO IN KEMBA.
I THINK THE CITY'S ONE OF 32 OR 36 MEMBERS.
SO THE CITY'S ONE 32ND OF THAT ENTITY.
SO IN THAT SENSE, THE CITY HAS A VOTE WITHIN KEMBA, BUT THE CITY'S NOT IN CHARGE OF THE NEGOTIATIONS OR THAT GLOBAL RESOLUTION BETWEEN THOSE TWO ENTITIES.
SO ISSUE, BUT I'LL TRY TO ADD SOME CLARITY.
[02:20:01]
A POWER SUPPLY AGENCY THAT WE'RE A MEMBER OF, HAS A CONTRACT WITH DUKE TO BUY WHOLESALE POWER.THAT'S BETWEEN THE KEMBA AND DUKE NEW BERN HAS A SEPARATE CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF NEW BERN AND THE KEMBA.
DOES THAT HELP THE TWO DIFFERENT MATTERS? I MEAN, THEN THE RATES KIND OF FOLLOW EACH OTHER.
THEY'RE PRETTY MUCH SIMILARLY ALIGNED, BUT THEY'RE, YEAH.
THE, THE, THE ISSUE THAT'S BEING RAISED IS, IS THERE ARE SOME UNKNOWN DEAL BETWEEN THE CITY AND IN KEMP OR THE CITY AND DUKE THAT HAS NOT BEEN DISCLOSED.
AND THE LEGAL ISSUE WE'RE MAKING IS THAT ALL THOSE DOCUMENTS, RECORDS, AGREEMENTS ARE IN WRITING AND WERE APPROVED IN PUBLIC.
SO THERE COULD NOT POSSIBLY BE A SECRET DEAL BETWEEN NEW VERN AND DUKE OR ANYONE ELSE.
AND I HAVEN'T LOOKED AT ALL OF THOSE PUBLIC, THE CLOSED SESSION MEETINGS, 'CAUSE BASICALLY A CLOSED SESSION MEETING JUST SAID THIS HAPPENED.
NO ONE CAN, THERE WAS NO TRANSCRIPT OF CLOSED SESSIONS.
SO I'M JUST TRYING TO GET TO THE BOTTOM UP.
HOW DID THIS BOARD BE FULLY, TOTALLY ON BOARD? AND THEN MAYOR SAYS, NO, WE'RE GONNA MATCH DUKE'S RATES.
AND NOW, AND, AND MAYOR, YOU'RE SHAKING YOUR HEAD, BUT YOU SAID THAT RIGHT? I'M SHAKING MY HEAD BECAUSE YOU'RE INFERRING THAT I OVERRULED THE BOARD AND MADE A SUGGESTION.
AND THE, THE STAFF FOLLOWED THAT DIRECTION, WHICH DID NOT HAPPEN.
I SIMPLY MADE A SUGGESTION THAT INSTEAD OF COMING BACK EVERY SIX MONTHS OR EVERY YEAR, ASKING FOR MORE MONEY TO CLOSE THE GAP BETWEEN WHERE WE ARE AND WHERE DUKE IS, IF THE CITY WOULD MIRROR DUKE'S RATES, WE WOULDN'T BE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION TONIGHT.
THE BOARD DIDN'T GO ALONG WITH THAT, UNLESS I'M COMPLETELY LOSING MY MIND.
THE BOARD DIDN'T GO ALONG WITH THAT.
THREE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, WHICH IS THE MAJORITY OF THE BOARD, TWO, NO, FOUR, FOUR MEMBERS IS A MAJORITY OF THE BOARD.
YOU HAVE FOUR MEMBERS ON THE BOARD.
SO THE MAJORITY OF FOUR IS YOU HAVE TWO ALDERMEN, ALDERMAN KINZIE, AND ASKED HER.
AND THEN YOU HAVE THREE PEOPLE THAT AMAN, THAT VOTED TO RAISE A RAISE.
SO THEN AT THE VERY END ON OUR MAYOR, YOU VOTED AND YOU, YOU BLOCKED THAT.
UM, CHARLIE, COULD YOU CLARIFY THE LAST TIME? YOU, YOU WELL, I, NO, NO, NO.
IT'S, EXCUSE THE LA THE LAST TIME YOU ASKED FOR A RATE INCREASE, IT WAS VOTED ON, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, IT WAS FOUR TO TWO.
AND I SUPPORTED YOUR REQUEST TO RAISE THE RATES ALONG WITH ALDERMAN PR, ALDERMAN, ROYAL, AND ALDERMAN BEST.
IS THAT WHAT YOU RECALL? I WAS SAYING I WAS APOLOGIZING FOR MISSPEAKING.
SO, AND I GUESS THE BOTTOM LINE IS ALL OF THE ALDERMAN WERE ON BOARD WITH THE POWER RATE INCREASE AND A PCA AND THEN THAT MEETING WHEN IT WAS ALL BROUGHT IN FRONT OF THE BOARD AT THE FOR SIGN OFF, THE MAYOR SAID, NO, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE NEED TO DO THIS.
AND THEN ALDERMAN ASKED HER, AND ALMAN KINZIE SAID, YES, LET'S RAISE THE, OR ADJUST TO DUKE'S LIKE A PENNY UNDERNEATH DUKE'S RACE.
IS THAT ADDRESSING THE ISSUE WITH THE CITY ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT, OR IS THAT A POLITICAL MOVE? NUMBER ONE.
AND THERE WAS DISCUSSIONS MADE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.
SO I GUESS THE BOTTOM LINE IS, I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT, WHAT IS GOING ON HERE.
LET, LET ME ADDRESS THE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS TO HELP EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND GOVERNING BODIES IN NORTH CAROLINA CANNOT TAKE ANY LEGAL ACTION IN A CLOSED SESSION.
THAT THAT'S LEGAL RULE ONE, THEY CAN'T TAKE SECRET ACTIONS.
THEY CAN APPROVE A SETTLEMENT, A LEGAL SETTLEMENT IN A CLOSED SESSION, PROVIDED THAT THE SETTLEMENT IS RELEASED THEREAFTER.
SO TO THE EXTENT THERE WAS A DISCUSSION IN 2015 ABOUT THE DUKE AND KEA SETTLEMENT, THERE WOULD'VE BEEN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THAT SETTLEMENT.
THERE MAY WELL HAVE BEEN A RECOMMENDATION, BUT THEREAFTER, IN A PUBLIC MEETING ON THE AGENDA, THOSE DOCUMENTS WOULD'VE BEEN APPROVED IN BROAD DAYLIGHT BY THE BOARD.
SO THERE IS NEVER ANY SECRET ACTION THAT CAN LEGALLY BE TAKEN, EVER.
SO GETTING BACK TO 2015 OR WHENEVER THAT HAPPENED, IT WAS A DEAL MADE WITH DUKE SAYING THAT IT, ONCE THE CONTRACT'S OVER, THEN SOMETHING'S GONNA HAPPEN.
OR, I MEAN, DO YOU, CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED IN A PUBLIC MEETING THAT YOU, YOU WERE
[02:25:01]
A PART OF? I, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO START, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.I MEAN, YOU, YOU'RE ASKING ABOUT SOMETHING FROM 10, 11 YEARS AGO.
I CAN TELL YOU THIS, THAT WHEN WE SIGNED THE AGREEMENT AND THE CITY HAD TO SIGN ON WITH THE 31 OTHER AGENCIES TO ACCEPT THE BUYOUT FROM DUKE TO NAMPA, WE ALWAYS SAID IN 2025 OR 2026, THE REMAINING DEBT THAT HAD ESSENTIALLY BEEN REFINANCED BY DUKE THROUGH THIS WHOLESALE POWER SALE WOULD COME OFF OF OUR BOOK.
SO ESSENTIALLY WE WOULDN'T OWE IT ANYMORE.
THEREFORE, WHATEVER WE WERE PAYING, CHARLIE, I BELIEVE IT WAS $3 MILLION A YEAR ROUGHLY, WOULD NO LONGER BE OBLIGATED BY ALL OF THE 32 CITIES A PART OF THAT.
THAT IS THE ONLY THING THAT I CAN TRY TO MAKE A CONNECTION WITH WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO INFER TONIGHT.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT OR NOT.
SO WHY ARE YOU ASKING TO MATCH DUKE'S RATES WHEN DUKE IS PROVIDING THE POWER? AND THERE'S ALL THESE COSTS FOR CHARLIE TO BE AT THE MEETING AND FOR NEW BERN 1 0 1 AND ALL THESE THINGS, THEY COST MONEY.
BUT IF YOU'RE, YOU WANT TO
SO MEETING WHOLESALE ISSUES CONFUSED WITH CHARLIE, CAN YOU PLEASE COME TO THE MIC? THANK YOU.
ARE, ARE WE GETTING DO WHOLESALE ISSUES CONFUSED WITH DUKE RETAIL ISSUES? MM-HMM
AND I THINK THE MAYOR SIMPLY REQUESTED IT THE TIME IT, I, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG THERE, THAT INSTEAD OF KEEP COMING BACK TO THIS BOARD ASKING FOR 3% OR 6% OR 3%, HE JUST MADE A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE MATCH OUR EITHER DUE, IT SEEMS LIKE A PENNY AACHI KILOWATT HOUR CHEAPER THAN DUKE'S RATE, RETAIL RATE.
NOT, WE WOULD STILL BE EITHER AT THE SAME RATE AS DUKE, OR WE WOULD BE ONE PENNY A KILOWATT HOUR CHEAPER THAN DUKE.
I RECOMMENDED, I RECOMMENDED WE MATCH DUKE'S RATE, AND I BELIEVE YOU SAID, WELL, CAN WE COME IN A LITTLE BIT CHEAPER SO WE CAN SAY WE'RE BELOW IT? IF I RECALL THAT CORRECTLY.
AND, AND JUST MAYOR, FOR, FOR A BIT OF HISTORY, FOR DECADES, DUKE'S RATES WERE LOWER THAN THE CITY RATES.
AND THE CITIZENS WERE VERY UPSET ABOUT THE CITY'S LACK OF COMPETITIVENESS WITH ITS ELECTRIC RATES BECAUSE IT WAS SADDLED WITH VERY LARGE DEBTS.
AND ONCE THAT BUYOUT TOOK PLACE, THE TIDE TURNED AND NEW BERN'S RATES OVER TIME BECAME LOWER AND THEY WERE NEVER RAISED.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WE ARE NOW UNDER RECOVERING, WHICH PUTS THE MAYOR'S COMMENTS IN CONTEXT.
WE'VE, WE'VE BEAT DUKE NOW FOR A DECADE AND WE'VE PAID A PRICE FOR THAT.
WOULDN'T IT BE EASIER TO MATCH THEIR RATE SO THAT WE STAY ON THE SAME TIDE? AND, AND I HEARD THAT AND ALTHOUGH I DIDN'T PUT ANYTHING FORMALLY TOGETHER BECAUSE I DIDN'T SENSE THE BOARD WAS ASKING ME TO DO THAT.
STAFF AND MYSELF, WE DID, WE DID LOOK AT DUKE'S RETAIL RATES AND I CAN'T, I CAN'T MATCH THEM.
I DON'T HAVE THE TOOLS TO MATCH ALL THEIR RATE DESIGNS.
I CAN TRY TO MATCH THEIR COSTS.
AND JUST SPEAKING OF THE RE AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER, I'D HAVE TO INCREASE OUR RATES 14%, INCLUDING THE UNRESTRICTED PCA.
IF WE DON'T, IF WE KEEP THE PCA RESTRICTED, IT WOULD BE ABOUT A 16% RATE INCREASE TO GET RID OF KIDS TODAY.
SO GETTING BACK TO ALL THIS, YOU LOST $2 MILLION LA OR IT'S, IT'S GONNA BE AT THE END OF THE YEAR, IT'S GONNA BE $2 MILLION HAVE NOT BEEN RECOVERED BECAUSE THE RATES WEREN'T, THE, THE 3% PLUS THE PCA WAS NOT ADDED IN MAY OF 2024.
SO HERE, HERE WE ARE, AND THEN THAT $2 MILLION IS BEING TRANSFERRED TO THE GENERAL FUND.
HOW DO YOU EVER CATCH UP? AND THAT'S IT.
I THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR BEING SO PATIENT.
I'M JUST TRYING TO FILL IN THE DOTS BECAUSE THE MAYOR HAS NOT RESPONDED TO ANY OF MY REQUESTS FOR COMMENT INFORMATION, BUT HE, HE GOES ON, ON THE MEDIA AND TALKS ABOUT THIS SITUATION.
WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO COME FORWARD AND MAKE COMMENTS ON ITEM NUMBER 16? HEY, I AIN'T GONNA TAKE UP TOO MUCH OF YOUR TIME.
UH, BUT I DID HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS I SAW ON THE CHART.
[02:30:01]
INCLUDED, UH, ONE YEAR WAS ABOUT 28 MILLION.THE NEXT OF 27 IS THAT, IS THAT MONEY THAT WE ARE PAYING OUT OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS SLIDE? IT WAS A SLIDE THAT HAD THAT, THAT'S, IS THAT MONEY COMING IN OR THAT THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING FOR.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE COLUMN ON THE LEFT OF THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, THOSE DOLLARS SHOULD MATCH WHAT I'M ASKING IN BONDING REQUEST.
IN THIS, ESSENTIALLY ALONE, IN THIS GROUP, PERCENT WE'LL BE GETTING THERE.
THAT MATCH WELL IS THAT I BELIEVE WE BE FINANCIALLY QUALIFIED, BUT WE STILL HAVE TO GO TO THE MARKET.
AND THAT FALLS MORE ALIGNED WITH OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
CAN YOU'RE ASK ASKING, USE THE MICROPHONE.
YOU'RE ASKING TO ISSUE THOSE BONDS OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
I'M NOT ASKING TO ISSUE BONDS AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
ALL I'M TRYING TO DO IS GET THE MONEY SO THAT WE'RE IN A POSITION THAT WE GET ASKED FOR LENDING THE MOST LIKELY IN THE FORM OF A REVENUE BOND IN THOSE AMOUNTS.
I THINK MAYBE TO HELP ANSWER YOUR QUESTION AT THE PRESENT TIME WITH THE ELECTRIC UTILITY IS NOT IN A POSITION TO BE ABLE TO ISSUE REVENUE BONDS.
THE STATE WILL NOT ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN BECAUSE OF OUR FINANCIAL CONDITION IN, IN THE ELECTRIC UTILITY.
SO WHAT MR. BOUCHARD HAS BEEN, UH, RECOMMENDING TO THE BOARD IS THAT WE HAVE TO INCREASE THE RATES TO GENERATE MORE REVENUE, TO PUT THE UTILITY INTO A POSITION THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO REQUEST THE STATE'S APPROVAL TO ISSUE REVENUE BONDS.
I I, I APPRECIATE THAT CLARITY.
I JUST WANNA TAKE A FEW MORE MOMENTS TO SAY THAT, UH, THE, THE PUBLIC BANKING INITIATIVE COULD ALSO BE, UH, ANOTHER RECOURSE FOR THIS ISSUE.
Y'ALL HAVE, UH, JUST SITTING HERE AND LISTENING TO YOU THIS CONVERSATION.
AND I WAS ALSO AT THE BUDGET MEETING, UM, AT THE REC CENTER, WHAT, TWO MONTHS AGO PROBABLY.
AND SO, AND I'VE BEEN PAYING ATTENTION TO THE ELECTRIC THING.
IT CONCERNS ME, IF WE'RE GOING TO RUN A UTILITY BUSINESS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CHARGE FOR THAT.
IT'S HARD TO RAISE TAXES, BUT YOU GUYS GOTTA HAVE THE COURAGE TO DO IT.
'CAUSE WE CAN'T JUST BE WITHOUT ELECTRICITY.
ANYONE ELSE? MAYOR, MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ANY OPPOSED? PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.
WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? ON ITEM NUMBER 16, I MAYOR, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO, UM, ADOPT AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE ELECTRIC RATE SCHEDULES, UM, AND, UM, TO INCLUDE A SUNSET PROVISION, UH, IN THAT ORDINANCE.
UM, SO THAT THIS ISSUE IS REVISITED, UM, A YEAR FROM THIS, UM, TONIGHT.
IF WE COULD UNPACK THAT A LITTLE BIT.
ALTMAN PRI UM, ARE, ARE YOU THINKING OF THE RATE ITSELF OR THE PCA RIDER? WELL, YES, AND AND THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
THE, THE SUNSET PROVISION WOULD BE WITH REGARDS TO THE PCA AND, AND THAT WOULD, UH, EXPIRE SIX 30, UH, 26 NEXT, THE END OF NEXT FISCAL YEAR AT THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.
CHARLIE, IS THAT THE CYCLE YOU WERE THINKING? I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND MR. S HEAD.
WE WOULD THIS SUNSET, THE PCA RIDER, THE REMOVING THE CAP WITH THE NEW LANGUAGE, THAT NEW RIDER, THAT NEW AMENDED RIDER WOULD TERMINATE, WOULD SELF TERMINATE.
SO ALL OF THE PCA WOULD GO AWAY.
[02:35:02]
IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT, UH, TO REVISIT IT? I, I AM LOOKING FOR THIS, THAT PCA ISSUE TO BE REVISITED APPROXIMATELY A YEAR FROM TONIGHT BY THE, THE BOARD THAT'S SITTING HERE AT THAT TIME.AND IF, IF, IF THE INTENT IS TO TAKE ACTION ON IT AND STOP IT AND CYCLE WITH OUR BUDGETING PROCESS, THEN WE PROBABLY NEED TO DO THAT IN ADVANCE OF JULY 1ST, UM, RATED, UM, RATES BEING EFFECTIVE OR DE EFFECTIVE? SO PROBABLY SOMETIME IN THIS HAS A TWO MONTH LAG.
UH, IF I, IF I MAY, I, I, AM I GETTING CLOSE? CLOSE, UH, FOR SIMPLICITY, IF IT EXPIRES ON SIX 30 AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR, YOU WILL HAVE HAD YOUR WHOLE BUDGET SEASON TO TALK ABOUT IT.
THINK ABOUT IT SO THAT AS PART OF THE BUDGET THAT RIDER IS ADDRESSED.
I THINK THAT WILL MAKE IT EASIER TO KEEP UP WITH.
IF THAT, IF THAT WAS YOUR CLARIFICATION.
THE OTHER ISSUE WAS THE RATE INCREASE.
ARE I WAS PRESUMING THAT YOU WERE SUGGESTING TO TAKE THE DIRECTOR'S RECOMMENDATION? YES.
IS, IS IS THE BOARD, IS EVERYONE CLEAR THE 3% RATE INCREASE WITH THE UNRESTRICTED PCA? YES, MA'AM.
THAT EXPIRED WITH THE, WITH THE RIDER TO, TO EXPIRE.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE? LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN PRILL.
MOTION PASSES THE STOP TO ONE.
ANYTHING ELSE ON ITEM NUMBER 16?
[17. Conduct a Public Hearing on the Proposed General Obligation Bonds and Consider Adopting a Resolution Calling for a Bond Referendum.]
OKAY.CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS AND CONSIDER DOCUMENT A RESOLUTION CALLING FOR A BOND REFERENDUM.
MS. OSTROM THERE, WHY? SHE'S GETTING HER SIDE UP.
UH, CAN I MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT PLEASE? SURE.
SOMEONE LOST SOME TICKETS OUT IN THE AREA BY THE LADY'S BATHROOM.
I HAVE 'EM IF THEY'RE STILL HERE.
BUT SOMEONE LOST SOME TICKETS.
PARKING TICKET OR NO, THESE ARE, I CAN'T SAY WHAT TICKETS THEY ARE BECAUSE ANYBODY CAN SAY WHAT THESE ARE.
I CAN SAY THOSE ARE MY TICKETS.
AN EVENT TICKET TICKETS FOR AN EVENT? YES.
AFTER DISCUSSION OVER THE PAST YEAR OR SO, THE BOARD IS PURSUING GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS FOR STREETS AND SIDEWALKS, PARKS AND RECREATION AND STORMWATER PROJECTS, TOTALING 24 MILLION WITH AN ESTIMATED TAX RATE IMPACT OF 2.75 CENTS PER OVER 20 YEARS.
THE ESTIMATED ANNUAL COST IS $27 AND 50 CENTS, WHICH IS $2 AND 29 CENTS PER MONTH FOR EVERY A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS OF ASSESSED PROPERTY VALUE.
SO AN ASSESSED VALUE OF $200,000 WOULD COST ABOUT $55 ANNUALLY, WHICH IS $4 AND 58 CENTS PER MONTH.
$300,000 OF ASSESSED VALUE WOULD COST $82 AND 50 CENTS ANNUALLY, WHICH IS $6 AND 88 CENTS PER MONTH.
AND 400,000 OF ASSESSED PROPERTY VALUE WOULD COST $110 ANNUALLY, WHICH IS $9 AND 17 CENTS PER MONTH IN ADDITIONAL ANNUAL TAXES.
AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING, THE BOARD APPROVED THE FIRST READING AND CALLED FOR A PUBLIC HEARING.
AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT, YOU'LL BE ASKED TO APPROVE THE SECOND READING OF THE THREE BOND ORDERS AND ADOPT RESOLUTION CALLING FOR BOND REFERENDUM, WHICH IS NEEDED TO PRESENT THE REFERENDUM TO THE VOTERS TO, TO DECIDE ON IN OCTOBER.
DOES BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS FOR STAFF ON ITEM NUMBER 17, BEFORE WE OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING? HEARING NONE AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS AND CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION FOR CALLING A BOND REFERENDUM.
SO THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN.
IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
UM, IN, IN REGARDS TO THESE, UH, BONDS, IT WAS MENTIONED IN, IT WAS MENTIONED IN THE WORKSHOP THAT A BANK COULD POSSIBLY, UH,
[02:40:01]
TAKE THE ISSUE OF THESE BONDS WITHOUT YOU HAVING TO GO THROUGH THE STEPS OF, UM, GETTING YOUR BOND RATED THAT YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO, UM, UH, ISSUE THESE WITHOUT, WITHOUT THOSE ADDITIONAL STEPS THAT INCUR ADDITIONAL FEES.UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST, AS I HAVE A FEW TIMES THIS EVENING, UH, THAT A PUBLIC BANK COULD BE A BANK THAT, UH, TAKES ON THOSE BONDS AT A FAVORABLE RATE TO THE CITY.
UH, THAT WAY WE CAN GET THESE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS TAKEN CARE OF PROPERLY.
HEARING NO FURTHER COMMENTS, MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION, A SECOND TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ANY OPPOSED? PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.
WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? ON ITEM NUMBER 17, MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE THREE BOND ORDERS ON SECOND READING AND ADOPT THE RESOLUTION CALLING FOR A BOND REFERENDUM ON THE THREE ORDERS.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I SECOND MOTION A SECOND.
IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ROYAL.
I JUST WANT THE CITIZENS TO KNOW BEFORE I CAST MY VOTE, THAT BY NO MEANS AM I NOT FOR THIS BOND REFERENDUM, BUT I DO NOT APPROVE OF SOME OF THE WANTS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THIS BOND REFERENDUM.
I, UM, THINK I COULD APPROVE FOR THE STORM WATER, BUT PARKS AND RECS, THOSE ARE AMENITIES AND UPGRADES.
WE HAVE FUNDING WITHIN OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT FOR STREETS AND SIDEWALKS AND OTHER RESIDENT SOURCES FROM THE CITY.
SO I CANNOT SUPPORT THIS BOND REFERENDUM AT THIS TIME.
[18. Update from the New Bern Housing Authority on CNI Status and Consider Adopting a Resolution to Certify a Choice Neighborhoods Partnership with the Housing Authority of the City of New Bern]
NUMBER 18, UPDATE FROM NEW BERN HOUSING AUTHORITY ON CNI STATUS AND CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION TO CERTIFY A CHOICE NEIGHBORHOOD'S PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF NEW BERN.MAYOR, AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO ASK MR. RIGIE BARNER WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY TO GIVE US A BRIEF UPDATE ON THE STATUS OF, OF THE CNI PROCESS, AND THEN HE'S GONNA GO INTO A DISCUSSION ON HIS REQUEST FOR THE MOU WITH THE CITY.
UH, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND ALDER.
THANK YOU ALL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY FOR MYSELF, BOARD, CHAIR, AND STAFF TO BE ABLE TO BE PRESENT, UH, THIS EVENING TO KIND OF GIVE YOU AN UPDATE.
UH, WE'VE GIVEN AN UPDATE ON SEVERAL OTHER OCCASIONS AND THIS EVENING, UH, WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE'RE ALMOST COMPLETE, UH, WITH THE, UH, MASTER PLAN, UH, PROCESS THAT WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH FOR OVER THE LAST YEAR.
UH, WE WILL CULMINATE THAT AND WE'RE INVITING YOU, UH, AS WE'VE DONE BEFORE.
WE'RE INVITING EACH OF YOU, UH, TO COME TO A, UH, CULMINATION PRESENTATION, UH, ON SEPTEMBER 16TH AT THE STANLEY WHITE CENTER AT 5:30 PM UH, WE WILL, OUR CONSULTANTS WILL BE IN TOWN TO PRESENT THE FINAL, UH, PRESENTATION.
SOME OF YOU ALL, ALDERMAN PRI UH, THE MAYOR AND OTHERS HAVE ATTENDED, UH, SOME OF THOSE WORK SESSIONS THAT WE'VE HAD, UH, OVER THE LAST, UH, YEAR.
AND WE WILL, UH, PRESENT THE FINAL PRESENTATION AT THAT TIME.
THE FLYER THAT'S, UH, PRESENTED UP, UH, ON THE BOARD, UH, FOCUSES ON THAT.
AND, AND, AND AGAIN, WE, WE INVITE YOU ALL, UH, TO DO THAT.
UH, BEFORE I GET INTO THE, UH, UH, CNI, UH, PARTNERSHIP, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS THUS FAR ON ANYTHING THAT WE'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THAT WE'VE KIND OF TRIED TO KEEP YOU ALL ABREAST OF? UH, BUT WE DO LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ON SEPTEMBER 16TH.
SO SINCE YOUR MEETING IN APRIL THAT YOU CAME BEFORE US, NOTHING HAS CHANGED WITH THE ACTUAL PLANNING OF, OR ANYTHING HAS CHANGED WITH WITHIN THE CNI GRANT.
NOTHING HAS CHANGED AS OF RIGHT NOW.
UH, THE BIGGEST THING THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON, UH, ULTIMATE BEST IS FOCUSED ON WORKING WITH THE CITY AND STAFF ON ZONING CHANGES, MAKING SURE THAT WE IN COMPLIANCE AND MAKING SURE THAT THE PROPOSED UNIT MIX THAT WE'RE PROPOSING ON EACH OF THE SITES.
IF YOU, AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE THREE MAIN SITES THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON AT THIS TIME IS ONE, THE TRENT COURT LOCATION NATURALLY, TWO, THE DAYS IN SITE, AND THREE, UH, F
[02:45:01]
THE WEST STREET SCHOOL SITE.SO THOSE ARE OUR THREE MAIN, UH, TARGETS RIGHT NOW.
LET ME BE CLEAR AGAIN TONIGHT.
WE'RE IN CONSULTATION AND COMMUNICATION, UH, WITH THE STATE DISTRICT.
WE'RE WORKING TO GET THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS.
WE'RE IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, BUT JUST LIKE TODAY'S IN SITE THAT YOU ALL OWN, WE DO NOT OWN THAT SITE.
SO I DON'T WANT TO MISLEAD ANYBODY WHEN I MENTION THAT LOCATION.
IT IS ONLY FOR PLANNING PURPOSES AND IT, IT IS OUR DESIRE IF THINGS WORK OUT TO MOVE FORWARD, BUT CURRENTLY WE DO NOT OWN THAT SITE BEING NO OTHER, UH, QUESTIONS RELATED TO, UH, TO THE CNI PROCESS THAT WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH.
AS YOU ALL HAVE BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING, UH, THE PARTNERSHIP, UH, AGREEMENT BETWEEN, UH, THE CITY, UH, AND NEW BERN HOUSING AUTHORITY, AND LET ME KIND OF GO BACK IN HISTORY YOU ALL, BEFORE MY, MY TIME IN THE CITY, UH, PARTNERED WITH THIS, WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY TO RECEIVE A PLANNING GRANT BACK IN 20 14, 20 15.
SO THAT WAS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE HOUSE OF AUTHORITY AT THAT TIME.
IT IS A GENERALLY A TWO PHASE PROCESS.
FIRST YOU GET A PLANNING GRANT, SO YOU RECEIVED A PLANNING GRANT OF A LITTLE OVER $400,000 THAT YOU DO COMMUNITY CHARETTES AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, AND THEN GET THE INPUT OF THE COMMUNITY TO CREATE THIS TRANSFORMATION PLAN.
UH, SINCE, UH, SINCE MYSELF BEING HERE AND WORKING WITH FEMA, UH, WE'RE REQUIRED IN ORDER TO DEVELOP A, TO RECEIVE THE FEMA FUNDS, FEMA HAS ALLOCATED AND SET ASIDE ABOUT $40 MILLION FOR US.
THEY RELEASED 8.9 MILLION FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO DO A MASTER PLAN, UH, PROCESS.
AND THAT'S THE FUNDS THAT WE'RE USING TO DO THE CNI PROCESS AND WE USE TO DO THE GRANT APPLICATION.
AND SO WHEN WE GOT INVOLVED IN THAT, THE CONSULTANTS THAT WE SELECTED THAT HAVE EXPERIENCE THAT WE'VE SHARED WITH YOU ALL BEFORE, UH, THEY HAVE BEEN, UH, THEY HAVE EVERY APPLICATION THAT THEY'VE APPLIED FOR WITH CNI, THEY'VE RECEIVED AN AWARD FOR.
SO THEY'VE NEVER LOST AN APPLICATION ON CNI BEFORE.
SO WE DID A GOOD JOB OF SELECTING, UH, ONE OF THE BEST FIRMS IN THE COUNTRY TO HELP US WITH THIS APPLICATION.
BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID, UH, WE HAD TO UPDATE.
AND THAT WHOLE YEAR PROCESS THAT WE'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN, WE'VE BEEN UPDATING THAT PREVIOUS TRANSFORMATION PLAN TO MAKE SURE IT'S IN LINE WITH WHAT WE NEED TO GO FORWARD WITH THAT, WITH THE APPLICATION.
BUT IN ORDER TO DO THE APPLICATION, JUST LIKE YOU ALL DID WHEN YOU DID THE PLANNING GRANT, IT HAS TO BE A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE HOUSE OF AUTHORITY.
AND SO THEN THE QUESTION IS, WHY WOULD THE CITY BE THE LEAD VERSUS THE HOUSE OF AUTHORITY? AS LEAD, WE WANT TO BE COMPETITIVE.
AND SO KEEP IN MIND THAT NEWBURN IS COMPETING AGAINST CITIES LIKE DALLAS, SAN ANTONIO, LOS ANGELES, SEATTLE.
SO GENERALLY SPEAKING, IT IS A VERY, VERY, VERY COMPETITIVE APPLICATION.
WE'RE APPLYING FOR ALMOST $50 MILLION.
AND SO WHEN YOU HAVE A SMALL COMMUNITY LIKE NEWBURN, OUR CHANCES ARE ALREADY SLIM.
AND SO WE'VE ASSEMBLED THE BEST OF THE BEST ON OUR TEAM.
AND LET ME BE CLEAR, YOU ALL, AS A COMMUNITY, HAVE BEEN GREAT TO WORK WITH.
THE COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY PARTNERS HAVE BEEN ENGAGED.
UH, MARVIN, UH, FOSTER AND OTHERS HAVE SEEN THAT IN THE, IN, IN LIVE, UH, ULTIMATE PRI HAS BEEN THERE AND SEEN OTHER WHERE THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS HAVE COME OUT AND SUPPORTED THIS.
SO WE FEEL LIKE THAT WE GOT AN EXCELLENT CHANCE WHENEVER THAT NOFA COMES OUT.
WE DON'T WANNA SPEND ALL OF THIS MONEY AND LOSE.
AND SO IN ORDER TO WIN, WE GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT WE PUT FORTH THE BEST APPLICATION THAT WE CAN DO.
AND IN ORDER TO DO THAT, WE WANT THE CITY BECAUSE OF INFRASTRUCTURE, BECAUSE OF THE MANAGEMENT, BECAUSE OF RECREATION AND, AND ELECTRICITY AND ROADS AND BRIDGES AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE HOLISTIC NATURE OF HOW THE CITY OPERATE OPERATES VERSUS THE SMALLNESS OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, WHEN WE PRESENT THAT TO HUD AND SAY, WE WANT TO SPEND $50 MILLION, THEY'RE GONNA LOOK AND LOOK BEYOND.
WHILE I BRING 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE TO NEW BERN AND TO THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, THEY'RE STILL GONNA LOOK AT THE CAPACITY OF A SMALL AGENCY LIKE THAT.
AND SO HAVING THE CITY SERVICE AT LEAD, WE GET TO PROVE TO HUD AND THE REVIEWERS THAT WE, THROUGH THIS APPLICATION HAVE THE CAPACITY TO MANAGE A $50 MILLION GRANT.
YOU ALL ARE SERVING AS THAT YOU WOULD BE THAT RESPONSIBLE PARTY KNOW, EVEN
[02:50:01]
THOUGH HUD HAS THE ABILITY, ONCE THAT AWARD IS GIVEN TO COME BACK AND SAY, HEY, YOU'RE DEFAULT OF NOT MANAGING THAT IN THE RIGHT MANNER.UH, THEY'VE NOT TAKEN ONE BACK.
SO TO DATE, THEY'VE NOT TAKEN A GRANT BACK FROM A CITY THAT MAY HAVE FALLEN IN DEFAULT.
THEY GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO HAVE A CURE PERIOD TO GET YOURSELF BACK TOGETHER AND MOVE FORWARD.
BUT WE FEEL LIKE BY HAVING THE CITY SERVE AS THE LEAD PARTNER IN THAT APPLICATION PROCESS, IT IT, IT POSITIONS US BETTER TO BE ABLE TO RECEIVE THE AWARD.
AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE ASKING, UH, YOU ALL TO DO THAT.
AND SO WHEN WE ALSO LOOK AT A PART OF THAT $50 MILLION, YOU SAY, OKAY, WELL, REGGIE, IF WE TAKE ON THAT RESPONSIBILITY, THERE'S A COST ASSOCIATED, WE GOT STAFF TIME, WE GOT OTHER EXPENSES ASSOCIATED FROM A STAFF STANDPOINT, PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT 5% OF THE AWARD CAN BE UTILIZED INTERNALLY FOR THAT COST.
SO IF WE GOT $50 MILLION GRANT, 5% OF THAT, SO $2.5 MILLION OF THAT CAN BE UTILIZED BY THE CITY TO HELP ADMINISTER AND HANDLE THE RESPONSIBILITIES THAT COME ALONG WITH IT.
SO IT'S NOT A, IT'S NOT A FREEBIE FROM THAT STANDPOINT.
YOU'RE NOT DOING THIS AND NOT GETTING REIMBURSED FOR STAFF TIME AND COST.
THERE ISN'T ALLOWED COST THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
SO I'D LIKE TO OPEN IT UP FOR ANY, ANY QUESTIONS.
I THINK THE RESOLUTION THAT'S BEEN PRESENTED, UH, OUR ATTORNEY, UH, SCOTT, UH, BOTH WORKED ON IT.
AND SO THE RESOLUTION THAT'S BEING PRESENTED, UH, PUTS US, UH, IN POSITION.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WE'RE HOPING THAT THE NOTICE OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY COMES OUT, UH, THIS FALL.
AND SO OUR WHOLE PLAN RIGHT NOW IS TO COMPLETE THE MASTER PLAN.
UH, BY THE END OF, UH, JULY, I WILL TAKE IT, MY GOAL IS TO TAKE IT TO MY BOARD, UH, BY THE END OF, UH, AUGUST.
AND THEN WHEN WE HAVE THE PRESENTATION ON SEPTEMBER 16TH, UH, WE WILL BE PRESENTING A FULLY BAKED AND BOARD APPROVED FINAL PLAN.
AND SO THEN THEREFORE, WHENEVER THE NOFA COMES OUT, THAT IS WHY WE HAVE TO BE READY WHEN THE NOFA COMES OUT.
HUD ONLY GIVES YOU 90 DAYS TO SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION.
AND SO THAT IS WHY WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THESE PIECES ARE IN PLACE.
ANY QUESTIONS OR HAVE QUESTIONS? REGINALD? UM, I KNOW FROM THE PREVIOUS, UM, PUBLIC PRESENTATION YOU HAD INDICATED THAT THE CONSULTANTS, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVE BEEN MEETING WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF HUD, UM, WITH REGARDS TO THE APPLICATION THAT'S BEING PUT TOGETHER.
HAS HUD GIVEN ANYBODY ANY INDICATION AS TO WHETHER THIS PROGRAM IS EVEN GOING TO BE FUNDED? SO I MAY ANSWER IT TWO WAYS.
ONE, UH, THE PREVIOUS TWO BUDGETS CYCLES OF FUNDING, UH, WAS, UH, IN BOTH OF THOSE BUDGETS, THOSE FUNDS ARE STILL THERE.
UH, BECAUSE IT WENT FROM 140 MILLION TO 75 MILLION, A DECISION WAS MADE NOT TO ISSUE A NOFA BECAUSE PREVIOUSLY THEY ISSUED NOFA AT ABOUT 140 MILLION.
UH, THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS MONEY IN ITS BUDGET, UH, FOR THIS PROGRAM.
SO HOPEFULLY THE ANSWER IS YES, THERE'S PREVIOUS MONEY FROM THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION, AND THERE'S MONEY IN THE ADMINISTRATION CURRENTLY THAT IS GOING TOWARDS THIS PROGRAM.
AND THAT'S WHY WE THINK THAT WE'LL BE ON TRACK SOMETIME IN THE FALL FOR HOPEFULLY A NOTE FOR THE COME.
UM, YOU, YOU JUST MENTIONED, UM, THAT THE, UH, RESOLUTION THAT, UH, WE HAVE A COPY OF, UM, HAS BEEN A, A JOINT EFFORT BETWEEN, UM, THE HOUSING AUTHOR'S ATTORNEY AND THE CITY'S ATTORNEY.
UM, IN READING THAT RESOLUTION, I WAS A LITTLE SURPRISED TO SEE A REFERENCE TO ESTABLISHING AN IMPLEMENTATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
UM, THAT I, I, THAT'S, IT IS SORT OF ADDING ANOTHER LAYER AND I'M KIND OF QUESTIONING AS TO WHY DO WE NEED AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE WHEN THE CITY WOULD BE THE LEAD APPLICANT.
THE HOUSING AUTHORITY IS A CO-APPLICANT.
WHY DO WE NEED AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE? IT'S JUST AN ADVISORY AS YOU INDICATED.
UH, IT GIVES YOU ALL THE AUTHORITY AND US AUTHORITY, UH, TO BE ABLE TO, UH, PLACE PEOPLE, UH, FROM REPRESENTING BOTH AGENCIES.
LET'S JUST SAY OUR BOARD CHAIR AND SOMEONE FROM HERE, YOU
[02:55:01]
MAY HAVE SOMEONE FROM STAT THAT'S ATTENDING, IS SITTING ON THAT ADVISORY COMMITTEE.FOR US, THIS IS A TEMPLATE, UH, ALDERMAN PRILL THAT WE'RE USING FROM OTHER CITIES.
SO THE INFORMATION, WHILE THEY LOOKED AT IT, WE STILL WITH OUR CONSULTANTS ARE UTILIZING A TEMPLATE AND SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS THAT HUD REQUIRES THAT WE'VE BUILT INTO THIS RESOLUTION.
UH, SO THAT THAT IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEE IS BUILT UPON WHAT HAS BEEN DONE IN OTHER CITIES.
BUT ALSO, UH, AS AN EXAMPLE, UH, YOU ALL CHANGE, YOU MAKE A DECISION NOT TO RUN FOR ELECTION.
AND SO WHEN WE PUT PEOPLE ON THIS IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEE, WHETHER YOU ALL ARE HERE TODAY OR NEXT YEAR, WE GOTTA BE ABLE TO BE CONSISTENT WITH WHO IS REPRESENTING THAT $50 MILLION IN FUNDING.
AND SO WHEN HUD DOES THAT, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GOT A COLLECTIVE GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS, WHETHER I'M AT THE HOUSE OF AUTHORITY, YOU ALL ARE SITTING HERE ON AS ALDERMAN, WE'VE NOW PUT TOGETHER A CORE GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS THAT WILL HELP MAKE SURE THAT THE SHIP IS STEERED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, KEPT ON TRACK, REGARDLESS OF INTERNAL ISSUES AT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OR POLITICAL ISSUES HERE.
ONCE THOSE FUNDS ARE GRANTED, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP THINGS ON TRACK.
MOND PRILL, IN ADDITION TO THAT.
ANOTHER MORE PRACTICAL ANSWER IS THAT IN SCORING THESE APPLICATIONS, THERE WILL BE A BOX ABOUT COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, COMMUNITY INPUT, ET CETERA.
AND THIS COMMITTEE CAN HELP CHECK THAT BOX ASIDE FROM THE, THE SOLID, YOU KNOW, PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS OF IT.
UM, SO THIS IS, UM, AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS NOT A REQUIREMENT OF HUD, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A REQUIREMENT.
IT MAY BE A REQUIREMENT WITHIN THE NOFA.
AND WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO, ALDERMAN KRI, IT IS PUT THOSE THINGS IN PLACE THAT ARE BEST PRACTICES OF THOSE CITIES THAT HAVE WON AWARDS.
AND SO THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS AS WELL, JUST LIKE LET, THERE IS NOT AN OPTION.
IF YOU ALL SAY, AS A CITY, WE DON'T WANT TO BE A PART OF IT, THERE IS NO AWARD THAT CAN BE GIVEN TO ANY COMMUNITY.
IF THE CITY IS NOT AN INTEGRAL PART OF IT OR THE HOUSING AUTHORITIES ARE NOT A PART OF IT, IT IS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO.
NOW, WHO SERVES AS THE LEAD CAN BE UP IN DISCUSSION, BUT THOSE TWO ENTITIES HAVE TO BE A PART OF THE, UH, APPLICATION PROCESS.
UM, BUT AGAIN, I, I, I THINK IF I, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, UM, IT'S NOT A REQUIREMENT OF HOW TO HAVE AN ADVISORY ME COMMITTEE, BUT AS YOU'VE INDICATED, AS THE CITY ATTORNEY HAS INDICATED, UM, HAVING AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE WILL ADD ANOTHER CHECK ABSOLUTELY.
AND AS I SAID, YOU ALL ARE, I HATE TO SAY IT, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO BE DISRESPECTFUL.
YOU'RE VOTING IN, IN AND OUT, DEPENDING UPON IF YOU DECIDE TO RUN FOR ELECTION, NOT RUN FOR ELECTION.
THIS PUTS US IN A POSITION TO HAVE A, AN ADVISORY BOARD THAT'S FOCUSED ON THIS PROGRAM THAT ENABLES US TO KEEP TRACK REGARDLESS OF THE POLITICAL WHIMS OF ANY PARTY, GROUP OR INTEREST.
THIS KEEPS US, GREG, ON TRACK.
AND THAT IS ONE OF THE KEY COMPONENTS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO FOCUS.
UM, AND, AND I DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH THAT.
UM, WHERE, WHERE I'M A LITTLE BIT UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THIS, UM, IS THAT THIS IS, THIS IS A NEW ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN PRESENTED.
I DON'T RECALL EVER HEARING OR SEEING ANYTHING ABOUT AN IMP YOU KNOW, AN IMPLEMENTATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE WOULD BE A PART OF THIS WHOLE PROCESS.
UM, BUT WHERE, WHERE I'M UNCOMFORTABLE IS IT'S NOT FLESHED OUT VERY WELL IN THIS RESOLUTION.
SO WE'RE BEING ASKED TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION THAT INCLUDES, UM, ESTABLISHING, UH, AN IMPLEMENTATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
AND ALL IT REALLY SAYS IS THAT A CHAIRPERSON WILL BE APPOINTED, UM, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AND THE NEW BERN REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION WILL HAVE MEMBERSHIP ON, ON THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
AND THEN THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE WOULD DECIDE WHO ELSE TO INVITE
[03:00:02]
TO BE, UH, PARTICIPANTS ON THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.I'M UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THAT BECAUSE THAT DOESN'T REALLY TELL ME A LOT.
AND THE WORD INVITE IN THERE RAISES A RED FLAG IN MY MIND.
UM, THE PURPOSE OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS NOT OUTLINED IN, IN THIS RESOLUTION.
SO AGAIN, WE'RE BEING ASKED TO APPROVE SOMETHING BLIND, AND I DON'T LIKE THAT.
I WOULD RATHER SEE A A, A MORE FLESHED OUT PROPOSAL OF WHAT THE, IN THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, UM, WHO WOULD BE ON IT SPECIFICALLY MORE THAN JUST THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AND REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.
WHAT OTHER ENTITIES MIGHT BE PARTICIPANTS? I WOULD THINK IT WOULD BE TO OUR BENEFIT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT.
SO HUD SEES IT AND SEES THAT THE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT PIECE OF IT IS THERE, BUT THAT'S NOT DONE HERE.
UM, WHAT THE, THE ROLE OF THIS ADVISORY COMMITTEE WOULD BE IS NOT IDENTIFIED, IF I'M GONNA VOTE ON IT, I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND THAT.
UM, THE LAST ITEM, UM, IT INDICATES THAT THE MAYOR WOULD APPOINT THE CHAIRPERSON.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN, INCLUDING THE MAYOR, WOULD MAKE THAT DECISION, NOT JUST THE MAYOR.
SO THIS MAY BE THE WAY THAT OTHER CITIES HAVE DEVELOPED A TEMPLATE.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS EXPANDED FURTHER.
IN ALL DUE RESPECT, YOU CAN MAKE A MOTION, I'M SURE THAT YOU CAN MODIFY THIS RESOLUTION AS YOU, AS YOU DEEM NECESSARY.
UH, I, I THINK THAT WHAT'S BEEN PRESENTED TO YOU ALL HAS BEEN WELL THOUGHT OUT.
UH, THE MODIFICATION THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT, WHETHER IT'S THE ALDERMAN MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO WHO SERVES ON THIS COMMITTEE VERSUS THE MAYOR, THAT'S ULTIMATELY UP TO, TO YOU ALL AS ALDERMAN TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
AND I'M COMFORTABLE WITH WHATEVER YOU ALL WANT TO RECOMMEND AS IT RELATES TO THAT.
BUT I THINK OTHERWISE, I THINK WHAT HAS BEEN PRESENTED IN THE MOUI THINK HAS BEEN WELL THOUGHT OUT.
AND I, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, NEEDS THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE AUTHORITY.
AND, AND YOU'RE THE ONE STANDING AT THE PODIUM, SO I'M ADDRESSING THIS TO YOU, BUT I'M, I'M REALLY ADDRESSING IT TO THE CITY MANAGER AND CITY ATTORNEY.
UM, BECAUSE, UM, AT LEAST THE CITY ATTORNEY HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THE DRAFTING OF THIS, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THE CITY MANAGER HAS.
UM, SO I'M EXPRESSING CONCERN SURE.
UM, ABOUT US, THE BOARD BEING ASKED TO APPROVE THIS RESOLUTION THAT INCLUDES THIS IMPLEMENTATION, YOU KNOW, ADVISORY COMMITTEE WHERE THAT ENTITY HAS NOT BEEN REALLY FULLY DESCRIBED THE WAY I THINK IT SHOULD BE, SO THAT THE BOARD UNDERSTANDS WHAT THE ROLE OF THAT ADVISORY COMMITTEE WOULD BE.
UM, AND, AND WHAT IS PURPOSE IS, IS REALLY FOR, SO, AND AGAIN, I'M, I'M JUST FOCUSING MY COMMENTS TO YOU BECAUSE YOU'RE STANDING AT THE PODIUM.
I'M REALLY FOCUSED TO, UH, STAFF.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER OR NOT ANYBODY ELSE ON THE BOARD HAS THAT SAME CONCERN, BUT I JUST WANTED TO EXPRESS THAT.
AND I, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER I AM PREPARED TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF THIS RESOLUTION BECAUSE OF THAT UNCOMFORTABLE IS, AND I, AND, AND I, I FULLY SUPPORT THIS EFFORT.
AND IT'D BE UNFORTUNATE IF I FEEL IT WOULD BE UNFORTUNATE, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT I NEED TO VOTE NO.
BECAUSE OF HOW THIS IS CURRENTLY FRAMED, UH, ATTORNEY DAVIS.
IF, IF THE LANGUAGE WITHIN THIS DOCUMENT HAS CHANGED, SO HIGHLIGHT ME IS WHEN WE'RE SAYING WHERE THE CITY, OR ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THE CITY AS A WHOLE, OR HOW ARE WE USING THAT WORK CITY? IS THAT INCLUDING THE BOARD OF TN OR IS HOW IS THAT YES, MA'AM.
IT WOULD REFER TO THE BOARD OF ALTMAN BROADLY.
[03:05:01]
UM, SO IN TRYING TO FIND A SOLUTION, UM, REGGIE REFRESH ME IS, DO WE HAVE A HARD DEADLINE ON THIS? WE, WE, WE DON'T, I MEAN, WE, WE GOT SOME TIME.UM, 'CAUSE I, I'M VERY HAPPY DERMAN PRILL TO, TO TAKE YOUR NOTES AND, UM, AND, AND REVISE THAT LANGUAGE TO OVERCOME ANY OBJECTIONS.
I'M VERY HAPPY TO DO THAT AS LONG AS WE DON'T HAVE ANY TIME CONSTRAINTS.
AND IF THAT'S THE ONLY ISSUE THAT'S CAUSING US PAUSE, THEN WE CAN ADDRESS THAT FOR SURE.
THE ONLY, ONLY THING THAT'S OUR GOAL.
WHEN, WHEN DO YOU HAVE NEXT, NEXT MONTH.
OUR GOAL IS TO TRY TO COMPLETE OUR FINAL BY THE END OF THIS MONTH.
THEIR, THEIR GOAL IS TO GIVE ME A FINAL DRAFT, UH, ON THE 21ST OF THIS MONTH.
AND THAT'S, SO WHEN WE TALK, SO GOING BACK TO YOUR QUESTION FROM THE TIMING STANDPOINT, OUR GOAL IS TO TRY TO HAVE THE FINAL DRAFT, UH, COMPLETED BY THE END OF THIS MONTH.
UM, ANOTHER OPTION WOULD BE TO, UM, APPROVE THE PROPOSED DRAFT, UM, SUBJECT TO MY FINAL REVISIONS, SUBJECT TO THE CITY ATTORNEY'S FINAL REVISIONS, WHICH OF COURSE I WOULD RUN BY THE BOARD, UM, TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY IS HAPPY WITH THAT, THAT WAY WE COULD ADOPT IT TONIGHT.
SUBJECT TO MY APPROVAL WITH OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT I WILL TAKE ALDERMAN PRILLS NOTES, MODIFY THAT PARAGRAPH, CIRCULATE THAT, UM, FOR COMMENT BACK TO ME DIRECTLY, NOT AMONG YOURSELVES, UM, AS A WAY TO GET ON FIRMER GROUND.
LET ME ADD, I DO AGREE WITH ALDERMAN CREEL.
UM, I'D LIKE TO SEE AS HE SO WELL POINTED OUT, UM, THIS LANGUAGE MORE DEFINED AND I KNOW THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE RECOMMENDING.
I'D LIKE TO SEE A BETTER CROSS SECTION OF OUR COMMUNITY REPRESENTED IN THIS IMPLEMENTATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
UM, I SEE THAT AGAIN, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AND THE NEW BERN REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION WILL BE PART OF THE STAKEHOLDERS.
I'D LIKE TO SEE HOW BROAD THAT WILL END UP LOOKING HOW YOU WOULD CHANGE THE LANGUAGE TO BE INCLUSIVE OF THE CITY.
UH, I'D LIKE TO SEE ALSO, UH, AGAIN, I KNOW OUR MAYOR APPOINTS THE COMMISSIONS, UH, TO THE, UM, HOUSING AUTHORITY.
I KNOW THAT YOU SAID THAT WAS A TEMPLATE THAT YOU WERE FOLLOWING FROM OTHER CITIES.
I'D LIKE TO SEE IF THAT IS NOT A RULE FROM HUD THOSE APPOINTMENTS, WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE TO APPOINT THE CHAIR AS OUR ALDERMAN PRI APPOINTED OUT THAT IT COULD BE DONE BY THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN.
THAT IS MY RECOMMENDATION AND THAT'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE.
MR. DAVIS, HOW LONG WOULD IT TAKE YOU TO DRAFT A RESOLUTION WITH THESE UPDATES THIS WEEK? SO I COULD CALL FOR A SPECIAL HEARING OR A SPECIAL MEETING, UM, ON JULY THE 22ND AT SIX O'CLOCK AT CITY HALL TO DISCUSS THIS ONE TOPIC.
WOULD YOU LIKE THE BOARD TO VOTE ON THAT TONIGHT? OR DO YOU WANT ME TO SEND THE CLERK? THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
UM, IN FACT, YOU COULD DO THAT NOW OR UNDER NEW BUSINESS, BUT, UM, IT'D BE A MOTION TO CALL A, UH, A SPECIAL MEETING FOR TUESDAY THE 22ND AT SIX O'CLOCK HERE.
WE WOULD, WE WOULD TAKE UP THAT ISSUE.
ALRIGHT, SO LET ME ASK YOU THIS.
WHAT DAY DOES EVERYONE HAVE BETWEEN NOW AND THE END OF THE MONTH THAT WE CAN HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING NEXT, NEXT TUESDAY CAN WORK IF, AS WAS POINTED OUT, THAT THERE ARE NOT ANY TIME CONSTRAINTS BY HUD, IT'S A TIME CONSTRAINT BY THE APPLICATION.
I'M SORRY, RIGHT TO INTERRUPT YOU.
WE WE'RE TRYING TO COMPLETE THE MASTER PLAN.
WE HAVE TO SUBMIT IN ORDER TO GET FEMA TO RELEASE THE 40 MILLION THAT THEY HAVE, WE HAVE TO SUBMIT THE MASTER PLAN TO THEM.
AND SO I, I DID REVISE ALDERMAN ROY, I DID REVISE MY INITIAL STATEMENT.
THERE IS A TIMEFRAME BECAUSE THEY'RE TRYING TO GET THE, THE CONSULTANTS ARE TRYING TO COMPLETE THE COMPLETE MASTER PLAN BY THE END OF THIS MONTH.
I I TO AVOID HAVING TO CALL A SPECIAL MEETING JUST ON THIS ITEM, UH, I MEAN I WILL,
[03:10:01]
YOU KNOW, GO ALONG WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S SUGGESTION THAT WE TAKE ACTION TONIGHT TO APPROVE IT SUBJECT TO HIS REVISIONS.JUST DEALING WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
UM, MAY NOT BE EVERYTHING THAT, THAT I'M LOOKING FOR, BUT I TRUST THAT HE WILL DO HIS BEST TO INCORPORATE, UM, THE COMMENTS THAT, THAT THAT'S GREAT AND I APPRECIATE IT.
BUT WOULDN'T WE HAVE TO HAVE A PRINTED RESOLUTION TO ACTUALLY VOTE? THIS WOULD WORK, MAYOR, BUT I, I, I'M, I'M LIKE YOU, I'D PREFER, I'D PREFER THAT, THAT THE BOARD TOUCH IT.
I'D PREFER THAT IF WE, IF WE CAN ACCOMMODATE THAT, UM, BECAUSE IF NOT, WE'RE JUST GONNA BOUNCE IT AROUND.
I FEEL LIKE WE CAN DRAFT THAT.
UM, ARE WE PRECLUDED THAT IF THE BOARD TOOK ACTION TONIGHT, SUBJECT TO RIGHT.
ARE WE PRECLUDED FROM RE READOPTING THE RESOLUTION IN AUGUST? IF THERE WAS SOMETHING IN THERE THAT NEEDED TO BE TWEAKED FURTHER? I, THE QUESTION IS FOR THE CONSULTANTS.
I I, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THEY WOULD LIKE A FINAL, A FINAL DRAFT SIGNED BY THE MAYOR AND, AND DONE.
YEAH, BUT LET ME ANSWER IT THIS WAY.
I'M WITH THAT APPROVAL, LET'S SAY YES.
LET'S SAY YES BECAUSE THE FINAL IS GOING TO MY BOARD AT THE AUGUST BOARD MEETING WITH THE FULL PACKET TO BE ADOPTED, ADOPTED AT MY AUGUST BOARD MEETING, WHICH IS THE THIRD MONDAY IN AUGUST.
SO WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS, IS IDEALISTIC TO HAVE THIS DOCUMENT, THIS RESOLUTION, UH, APPROVED, THAT'S IDEALISTIC.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE SOME ISSUES WITH THE LANGUAGE.
AND SO THERE YOU HAVE TIME CONSTRAINTS.
BUT YOU SAID THAT YOUR BOARD FULL APPROVAL IS AUGUST, WHAT? THE THIRD? MONDAY IN AUGUST.
THAT GIVES US A SMALL WINDOW THAT WE CAN STILL, UH, RECEIVE, UH, ATTORNEY'S, UM, DAVID'S RECOMMENDATIONS.
YES, MA I'M THINKING THAT WE CAN, WE CAN ACCOMPLISH BOTH THINGS.
LET ME REDRAFT THIS WITH THOSE NOTES.
I WILL CIRCULATE IT TO REGGIE AND THE CONSULTANTS, GET THEIR COMFORT LEVEL WITH IT.
AND, UM, AND THEN I'LL AND THEN OF COURSE YOU TWO, UM, AND THE BOARD.
AND, AND THEN ONCE I HAVE A SENSE THAT WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE, THE CONSULTANTS CAN PUT THAT UNSIGNED COPY IN THEIR PACKAGE.
THIS BOARD CAN APPROVE IT AT YOUR MEETING ON AUGUST 12TH BEFORE THEIR MONDAY SOUNDS GOOD.
CAN WE TAKE A, UH, RECESS PLEASE?
DO YOU MR. HUGHES? DO WE GOT, THEY, THEY SHOULD NOT TAKE VERY LONG.
I THINK WE COULD GRIND IT OUT IN 10 MINUTES TO KEEP FROM TAKING A 15 MINUTE BREAK, BUT THAT'S UP.
DO OH, YOU TALKING TO FINISH AND CONCLUDE IN 10 MINUTES WELL GET, GET TO, GET TO WHERE WE GO TO CLOSED SESSION IS WHAT I WAS THINKING.
SO IS THE BOARD OKAY WITH PUSHING THROUGH OR DO YOU WANT, UNLESS SHE HAS SOME URGENCY, IF THAT'S WHAT Y'ALL WANT TO DO, FINE.
AND OBVIOUSLY YOU CAN GET UP IF YOU NEED TO, UM, AND LEAVE.
[19. Consider Adopting a Resolution Approving a Water and Sewer Use Agreement with St. Bartholomew' s Anglican Catholic Church for 2960 Old Airport Road.]
19, CONSIDER DOCK RESOLUTION APPROVING A WATER AND SEWER USE AGREEMENT WITH ST.BARTHOLOMEW AND ANGLICAN CATHOLIC CHURCH FOR 29 60 OLD AIRPORT ROAD.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, UH, THE OWNERS OF 29 60 OLD AIRPORT ROAD HAVE RECENTLY REACHED OUT TO THE SEA OF NEWMAN REQUESTING CONNECTION TO THE CITY'S WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CHURCH FACILITY ON THE SUBJECT PROPERTY.
AS IS PARCEL IS CURRENTLY OUTSIDE OF NEWBURY MUNICIPAL, UH, LIMITS, THEY'RE REQUIRED TO ENTER INTO A WATER AND SEWER AGREEMENT TO ESTABLISH A, BEFORE ESTABLISHING SERVICE TO THE SITE, A COPY OF THE AGREEMENT INCLUDED IN THE AGENDA PACK ALONG WITH A,
[03:15:01]
A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING, ALONG WITH A MAP OF THE, THE PROPERTY.IS THAT A FOUR AC PARCEL? IT'S DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM THE ENTRANCE OF BRYCE'S CROSSING ON OLD AIRPORT ROAD NEAR THE AREA.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THE, THE PROJECT OR US OR YOU AGREEMENT.
DOES THE BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS? DO YOU HAVE ANY INKLING THAT THEY ARE MOVING TO A NEW SITE OR, OR YOU DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION? THE, THE BEST I UNDERSTAND IN TALKING WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE CHURCH, THIS IS ACTUALLY A PROPERTY THAT HAS BEEN CONSUMED BY, OR THEIR CURRENT CHURCH PROPERTY HAS BEEN CONSUMED BY SOME OF THE HIGHWAY 70 CONSTRUCTION AND THEY HAVE ACQUIRED THIS SITE AS A PLACE TO RELOCATE THEIR CHURCH TO.
IT'S PLEASURE OF THE BOARD ON ITEM NUMBER 19.
IS THIS BUILDING ALREADY UNDER CONSTRUCTION? IT, IT IS NOT ALREADY.
ACTUALLY, THIS IS STILL A VACANCY.
I SAW ONE BEING BUILT BACK OFF THE ROAD A LITTLE BIT.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A RES, MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION APPROVING A WATER AND SEWER USE AGREEMENT WITH ST.
BAR BARTHOLOMEW AND ANGLICAN CATHOLIC CHURCH FOR 29 60 OLD AIRPORT ROOM.
IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE UNLESS HAVE A ROLL CALL.
[20. Consider Adopting a Resolution Approving a Memorandum of Understanding for the Croatan Area Fireshed Partnership.]
NEXT IS ITEM NUMBER 20.APPRO OF MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING FOR THE CROATAN AREA FIRE SHE PARTNERSHIP CHIEF LOCKLEAR.
I'M JUST GONNA GIVE YOU THE QUICK HIGHLIGHTS.
UM, CROTON AREA FIRE SHIFT PARTNERSHIP IS BASICALLY FOLLOWED UP FROM THE APRIL 19TH, 2023 FIRES THAT TOOK PLACE IN CROATAN.
AS FAR AS THE LAKE, THE, UM, THE FIRE THAT TOOK PLACE THEN, UH, ACTUALLY YOU HAD 32, I THINK IT WAS APPROXIMATELY 30,000 ACRES THAT WERE BURNED AND ENDANGERED.
SOME OF THE AREAS LOCAL TO
SO OVER TIME, THAT'S BEEN JUST, UH, SOMETHING THAT'S COME ABOUT AS FAR AS THE DIFFERENT AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS WE MEET ON A QUARTERLY, AND THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT PUT IN MORE FORMAL, UM, IT IS NOT ANY FUNDING OR REQUIREMENTS BY THE CITY, BUT IT IS VERY BENEFICIAL WHEN WE TALK ABOUT EDUCATING, UM, OUR COMMUNITY, OUR CITIZENS.
UM, AS FAR AS WILDLIFE, UM, WITH THE LOCAL, UH, I WOULD SAY IN RECENT, UH, WE'VE HAD PRETTY GOOD CONDITIONS AS FAR AS FIRES IN THE AREA, BUT AT, AT ANY GIVEN TIME, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT DRY LOW HUMIDITY, UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COULD ENDANGER PROPERTY.
SO BASICALLY, UH, OVER THE LAST YEAR SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, MEETING WITH THEM ON THE QUARTERLY, A COUPLE THINGS THAT WE HIGHLIGHT IS THE COMMUNITY AND THE REPORTING AND THE PUBLIC RELATIONS AND THE OUTREACH.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE WORKING ON WAS SURVEYING SOME OF THE AREAS, UH, THAT ARE CLOSE TO THAT, UH, PARTICULAR AREA THAT THAT WAS
SO AGAIN, JUST FROM A HIGHLIGHT STANDPOINT, IT'S A GOOD PARTNERSHIP.
THERE'S GRANT FUNDING THAT WILL MOST LIKELY COME DOWN THE PIPE AS FAR AS ASSISTING US WITH THAT AND WORKING ALONG WITH THE OTHER AGENCIES.
AND I'D BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, START FOR KIND OF RUSHING THROUGH THAT.
BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I JUST WANTED TO BE RESPECTFUL OF THE TIME.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE CHIEF? IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION PROVEN AN MOU WITH THE CROATAN AREA.
IS THAT FIRE? SHE FIRE? FIRE? SHE, THAT'S CORRECT.
PARTNERSHIP FOR THE FIRE MITIGATION AND RESILIENCE.
IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION ON ITEM NUMBER 20? HEARING NONE.
LET'S HAVE ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN KENZIE.
[21. Consider Adopting a Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Execute an Amendment to the Service Agreement with Hansen Banner, LLC.]
UP IS ITEM NUMBER 21.CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AMENDMENT TO THE SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH HANSEN.
I'M HERE REQUESTING THAT YOU AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER THE AUTHORITY TO EXECUTE AN AMENDMENT TO OUR EXISTING CUSTOMER INFORMATION AND BILLING SERVICE AGREEMENT.
THE AMENDMENT ADDS NECESSARY METER DATA MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONALITY TO OUR COMPLEX BILLING AND METERING PROCESS.
[03:20:01]
ALSO ENHANCES OUR DATA ANALYTICS AND AIDS IN THE PREVENTION OF LOST REVENUE.THE COST OF THE AMENDMENTS $399,500.
THERE ARE SERVICE AND SUPPORT FEES OF 30 CENTS PER METER.
HOWEVER, THAT WILL BE ACCOUNTED FOR IN FUTURE BUDGETS AND WOULD NOT BE NECESSARY AT THIS TIME.
EXPENSE OF THE MDM WAS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED IN THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING 2024, UH, BUDGET PERIOD.
HOWEVER, THE PURCHASING PROCESS EXTENDED BEYOND THAT FISCAL YEAR.
AND THIS WAS LARGELY DUE TO EXCESSIVE, I SHOULD SAY, EXTENSIVE EVALUATION AND SCOPING FUNCTIONALITY OF, UM, THE DELIVERABLES.
UM, THE MDM INTEGRATES IN BETWEEN OUR A MI SYSTEM AND OUR CUSTOMER INFORMATION SYSTEM, THE MI BEING OUR ADVANCED METERING INFRASTRUCTURE AND OUR CUSTOMER INFORMATION SYSTEM.
AND IT'S THE SYSTEM OF RECORD FOR ALL RAW METER DATA, METER READS, METER VALIDATION ESTIMATES, AS WELL AS BILLING DETERMINANTS.
SO WE HAVE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF METER READS THAT WE TAKE ON A DAILY BASIS.
UM, IT EFFECTIVELY, EFFECTIVELY ACTS AS A CENTRAL HUB FOR ALL OF THAT METER DATA, AND THIS ENABLES THE UTILITY TO PROVIDE METERING AND BILLING EFFICIENCY.
UM, ACCURACY, UH, GIVES US THE ABILITY TO, TO USE THAT DATA TO DO ANALYTICS AND ALSO AID IN THE, IN THE PREVENTION OF LOST REVENUES.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, UH, WITHOUT THE MDM, THE UTILITY HAS VERY LIMITED CAPACITY TO EVOLVE ANY OF OUR RATES, UM, TO MODERNIZED STANDARDS.
UM, AND I'D BE HAPPY TO DISCUSS ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
UM, IT, IT'S REALLY, I GUESS A, A QUESTION FOR EITHER FOSTER OR KIM.
UM, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, UH, IN THE, IN THE BACKUP INFORMATION THAT WE RECEIVED, UH, IT INDICATED THAT, UM, THIS SYSTEM MIGHT ALSO BE USED FOR THE WATER UTILITY.
BUT THE, UH, THE MONEY THAT IS BEING, UH, APPROPRIATED IS ALL COMING OUT OF THE ELECTRIC UTILITY.
I'M JUST CURIOUS AS TO IF, IF IT'S GONNA BE POTENTIALLY USED FOR BY A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT UTILITIES, WHY WOULDN'T BOTH OF THEM PARTICIPATE IN THE COST OR THEY WILL? UM, WATER AND WASTEWATER WILL ALSO BENEFIT FROM THIS AND THROUGH OUR ACCOUNTING PROCESS, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, UM, THE, THERE'S CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THOSE OTHER ENTERPRISE SERVICE FUNDS TO ACCOUNT FOR THOSE BUDGETARY EXPENSES.
SO IT'S TYPICALLY DONE AT THE END OF THE EVENING, WHICH SCREWED UP THAT WAY.
I'M NOT SURE THAT I FOLLOWED THAT PART.
BUT METER WE CAN METERING, UH, WATER AND WASTEWATER PAY A PORTION OF CUSTOMER SERVICE.
SO THAT CAN GET RECOUPED BACK.
BUT AS FOR THE METER CHARGES MOVING FORWARD, UM, INTO NEXT YEAR, THAT'LL BE ALLOCATED BASED ON WATER AND ELECTRIC, CORRECT? MM-HMM
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YEP.
CHARLIE, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE IMPLEMENTATION TIMEFRAME? UM, IF WE GET THIS, UH, GOING RIGHT NOW, UH, THEY'LL GIVE US A SLOT TO KICK IT OFF THE FIRST OF, UH, UM, AUGUST.
TAKE ABOUT A YEAR TO GET IT UP AND RUNNING TESTED.
WE WANT TO, UM, RUN IT IN PARALLEL WITH OUR BILLING SYSTEM TO MAKE SURE YOU KNOW, IT'S ALL WORKING GOOD.
STAFF NEEDS TO GET FAMILIAR WITH IT.
UM, CONCURRENTLY WE'LL BE WORKING ON, UM, MODERNIZING RATE DESIGNS FOR US TO CONSIDER SO THAT WHEN THE SYSTEM'S IMPLEMENTED, WE'RE READY TO GO AND BE MORE ADVANCED, UM, DOWN THE ROAD.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? OKAY.
WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF BOARD ON ITEM NUMBER 21? MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN AMENDMENT TO THE SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH HANSON BANNER, LLC.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
LET'S HAVE ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN BEST? ALDERMAN BEST, YES.
[22. Consider Adopting an Ordinance to Amend Sections 70- 78 " One- Way Streets Established" and 70- 98 " Through Streets Enumerated" to Adjust Kilmarnock Street.]
I THINK CHARLIE.CONSIDER ADOPTING, ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND SECTION 70 78.
ONE WAY STREETS ESTABLISHED IN 70 98 THROUGH STREETS ENUMERATED TO ADJUST KILMARNOCK STREET, MR. CHOPS EVENING BOARD.
UM, WE WERE CONTACTED BY A BUSINESS OWNER THROUGH
[03:25:01]
CITY HALL THAT, UH, THEY'RE REQUESTING US LOOK AT KILMARNOCK STREET TO TRANSITION IT TO A TWO-WAY.WE DID, UH, DID HAVE AN INSPECTION OF THAT, THE DIMENSIONAL FEATURES OF THAT ROADWAY AND FOUND NO ISSUES WITH VEHICULAR PEDESTRIAN CONFLICT WITH A REQUEST TO TRANSITION TO A TWO-WAY FOR THAT 200 FEET OF KILMER OAK STREET FROM BROAD STREET NORTH TO THE INTERSECTION OF KRAVER DRIVE.
WE'RE, UM, RECOMMENDING TO THE BOARD ADOPT AN ORDINANCE WHICH WOULD AMEND THE TRAFFIC CHAPTER 70 OF THE TRAFFIC VEHICLE SECTION 70 DASH 7 8 1 WAY STREETS ESTABLISHED, WHICH WOULD REMOVE KILMAN FROM THAT CURRENT LISTING AND ALSO AMEND 70 DASH 98 THROUGH STREETS ENUMERATED TO INCLUDE KILMAN KNOT STREET AS A STOP STREET AT THE BROAD STREET INTERSECTION.
SO THAT WOULD BE TO ADD A STOP SIGN WITHIN THE ORDINANCE AT BROAD.
DOES THE BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS? SO THIS, THIS CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED JUST BASICALLY WITH SOME SIGNAGE.
WE CAN HAVE IT DONE BEFORE LUNCH TOMORROW MORNING.
ON ITEM NUMBER 22, MAY I MAKE A MOTION TO CONSIDER ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND SECTION 70 THROUGH 78? ONE WAY STREETS ESTABLISHED IN 70 THROUGH 98 THROUGH, THROUGH STREETS ENUMERATED TO ADJUST CUMAN KNOT STREET.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND.
IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE UNLESS HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN PRILL.
BOARD, UH, ITEMS 2324 AND 25 CAN ALL BE DONE TOGETHER.
UH, IF IT'S, UH, UNANIMOUS, I'LL READ, UH, EACH ONE OF THOSE NOW.
[Item 23 - 25]
NUMBER 23 IS CONSIDER ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE TO CLOSE THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUND.ITEM NUMBER 24 IS TO CONSIDER ADOPTING A BUDGET ORDINANCE AMENDMENT FOR FY 26 ELECTRIC FUND AND ITEM NUMBER 25 IS CONSIDERED ADOPTING A BUDGET ORDINANCE AMENDMENT FOR PHYSICAL YEAR 2026 MS. STROM.
THE CITY WAS ELIGIBLE FOR STANDARD ALLOWANCE CATEGORY FOR THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDS, WHICH ALLOWED THE CITY TO OFFSET GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES FOR PUBLIC SAFETY SALARIES AND BENEFITS IN THE AMOUNT OF $6,704,351.
THE AWARD WAS EXHAUSTED AND IS REQUESTED THAT THE BOARD APPROVE CLOSURE OF THE FUND AT THIS TIME.
UM, NUMBER 24 EARLIER UNDER THE AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 21, MR. BACHAR DISCUSSED THE SOFTWARE AGREEMENT FOR THE METER DATA MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
THIS BUDGET AMENDMENT TRANSFERS $399,500 FROM FUND BALANCE FOR THE PURCHASE OF THAT SOFTWARE SYSTEM, WHICH COVERS THE IMPLEMENTATION COSTS ONLY.
AND NUMBER 25 LAST MONTH, THE BOARD APPROVED VARIOUS DOWNTOWN PROJECTS WITHIN THE MSD, THE MUNICIPAL SERVICE DISTRICT.
THE BUDGET AMENDMENT APPROPRIATES 1,155,000 FROM MSD FUND BALANCE FOR THOSE PROJECTS, THE EMPLOYEE'S BENEFIT INSURANCE FUND IS AMENDED TO APPROPRIATE $17,628 FROM FUND BALANCE TO COVER THE INCREASE OF MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT PREMIUM RATES FOR RETIREES IN THE EMERGENCY TELEPHONE SYSTEM FUND IS AMENDED TO RECOGNIZE THE NORTH CAROLINA 9 1 1 BOARD PUBLIC SAFETY ANSWERING POINT, ALSO KNOWN AS PSAP DISTRIBUTION FOR $60,900.
DOES BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THOSE ITEMS? IF NOT, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEMS 23, 24 AND 25.
MAY I MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE TO CLOSE THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUND? ALSO ADOPT A BUDGET ORDINANCE AMENDMENT OF PHYSICAL YEAR 2026 ELECTRIC FUND AND ALSO ADOPT A BUDGET ORDINANCE AMENDMENT FOR PHYSICAL YEAR 2026.
IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE UNLESS HAVE A ROLL CALL DURING WITH ALDERMAN ROYAL.
DOES THE BOARD HAVE ANY APPOINTMENTS TO MAKE TONIGHT HEARING NONE.
NUMBER 27 ATTORNEY'S REPORT NOTHING.
[28. City Manager' s Report]
TONIGHT, MAYOR 28.CITY MANAGER'S REPORT A FEW UPDATES FOR YOU ON THIS.
THIS PAST FRIDAY, WE, WE, UM, CELEBRATED THE 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION, UH, THAT OCCURRED AT LAWSON CREEK PARK.
6,100 WERE IN ATTENDANCE AT THE PARK.
1400 WERE ATTENDED IN ATTENDANCE AT UNION POINT PARK FOR THE FIREWORKS DISPLAY.
[03:30:01]
I WANT TO THANK PARKS AND RECREATION FOR COORDINATING THE EVENT POLICE, FIRE, RESCUE AND PUBLIC WORKS FOR THEIR PART AS HELP.IT WAS A GREAT EVENT THAT EVENING.
ALSO, GENERAL UPDATE ON THE PEG CHANNEL.
WE ANTICIPATE THE PEG CHANNEL IF ALL GOES WELL, BEING LIVE AGAIN AT OUR NEXT MEETING.
ALSO, WE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM CRAVEN COUNTY AND FORMING US THAT AS PART OF THEIR BUDGET PROCESS, THEY DID ALLOCATE $5,000 TOWARD, UH, UPGRADES AT, UH, SAMSON PARK.
SO WE'RE WORKING WITH PARKS AND RECREATION STAFF ON WHAT THAT UPGRADE WILL BE.
UH, AND FINALLY, UH, WE APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT ON THE GEO BOND THAT WE WILL BE HAVING DROP-IN STYLE MEETINGS, UH, IN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE CITY TO, IN INFORM THE PUBLIC OF, OF, OF THE BONDS ITSELF.
UH, AND WE'LL ALSO BE UPDATING THE WEBSITE, UH, TO PRO, UH, TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AS WELL AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS THIS SUMMER.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
COURT HAVE QUESTIONS FOR THE MANAGER.
[29. New Business.]
ALDERMAN FRILL, NOTHING AHEAD, YOUR HONOR.I'D LIKE FOR THE CHIEF TO COME UP TO TALK ABOUT THIS PROGRAM BEEN WE HAVE IN THE COMMUNITY IN CONTACT ON THE CITIZENS, THE ELDERLY CITIZENS TO ASSURE THEIR FAMILIES THAT THEY ARE LOOKED AFTER.
AND IT'S CALLED CARE THE PROGRAM? YES, THE ACRONYM IS CARE, CARE, WHICH STANDS FOR CALL, ANSWER, RESPOND, AND EMPOWER.
THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY AND UH, I THINK IT'S AN UNDERUSED, UM, ASSET TO OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, THOSE RESIDENTS THAT LIVE IN THE CITY OF NEW BERN, UH, SPECIFICALLY THE ELDERLY OR THOSE THAT HAVE SOME KIND OF, UH, DISABILITY, HAVE THE OPTION TO, UH, PARTICIPATE IN A PROGRAM IN WHICH WE HAVE AN AUTOMATED SYSTEM THAT WOULD CALL THEM EVERY DAY IF THEY PICK UP THE PHONE.
UM, THAT IS A POSITIVE RESPONSE THAT THEY ARE.
UM, IF THEY DO NOT PICK UP THE PHONE, A SECOND CALL WILL BE SENT TO THE SAME NUMBER.
IF NOBODY ANSWERS THAT PHONE, THEN THAT WOULD DISPATCH A POLICE OFFICER TO GO AND CHECK ON THAT INDIVIDUAL TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE OKAY.
IS IT A NUMBER THAT WE, THEY CAN CALL TO FIND OUT HOW THEY CAN BECOME INVOLVED WITH THIS, WITH THAT, UH, PROGRAM? YES.
THE EASIEST WAY WOULD BE JUST TO GO ON THE NEW BERN POLICE DEPARTMENT WEBSITE AND WE HAVE SPECIFIC INFORMATION ABOUT CARE, BUT ANY CALL TO THE NEW BERN POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE'LL GET, UH, ANY CITIZEN HOOKED UP WITH THAT PROGRAM.
ANYTHING ELSE ON MCKENZIE? THAT IS IT, SIR.
UM, YES, I DO HAVE, UH, ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, TAKE.
I KNOW I'VE ALREADY, UM,
FIVE WITHIN THE, UM,
UM, I'VE ALREADY TALKED WITH, UM, MR. HUGHES, MR. CHILDS, AND THAT'S WHERE I GOT THAT, UM, DOLLAR AMOUNT, UM, OF $273,304.
SO YOU, YOU MADE A MOTION TO REALLOCATE A RP FUNDS FROM WARD FIVE FROM STORMWATER PROJECTS TO PAVING PROJECTS AND THE DOLLAR AMOUNT OF $273,304.
AND SO LET ME, LEMME SEE WHAT THAT WAS A MOTION.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND DISCUSSION.
AND SO THAT WOULD COME FROM THE NORTH HILLS PROJECT.
HAS THAT PROJECT BEEN COMPLETED AND, AND FUNDING LEFT OVER OR NO? IT'S REALLY BEEN TIED UP IN, IN TRYING TO GET APPROVALS FROM, UH, DOT AND THE NORTH CAROLINA RAILROAD COURSE.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ARE WE OKAY WITH YOUR VOICE VOTE ON THIS, KIM? YES.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ANYTHING ELSE? UM, NO, THAT'S IT.
[30. Closed Session.]
I BELIEVE WE DO NEED A CLOSED SESSION, MR. ATTORNEY? YES, SIR.BRIEFLY, UH, PURSUANT TO 1 43 13 11 A THREE.
TO MAINTAIN OUR ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE, SHOULDN'T TAKE LONG.
[03:35:02]
I I NEED A MOTION.ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.