[1. Meeting opened by Mayor Odham. Prayer Coordinated by Alderman Best. Pledge of Allegiance.]
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GOOD EVENING EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THE OCTOBER 28TH, 2025 NEW NEWBORN BOARD OF ALDERMAN MEETING.TONIGHT'S PRAYER WILL BE GIVEN BY ALDERMAN ROYAL.
FATHER, I ASK YOU TONIGHT THAT YOU WOULD BLESS THIS MEETING, AND MAY WE BE GUIDED IN OUR DECISIONS BY YOUR SPIRIT, THAT WHATEVER'S DONE IN WORD OR DEED IS DONE FOR YOUR GLORY.
IT IS MY PRAYER THAT YOU WILL HEAL OUR DIFFERENCES AND THAT YOU WILL UNITE US, THAT WE WILL HAVE A COMMON PURPOSE, DEDICATION, AND COMMITMENT TO ACHIEVE EQUITY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO ARE MOST VULNERABLE, THE POOR, THE DISENFRANCHISED, THE ELDERLY, AND OUR CHILDREN.
IT IS MY PRAYER THAT TONIGHT WE WILL UNDERSTAND WITH CLARITY WHAT YOU REQUIRE FROM US, AND THAT IS TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT, TO LOVE MERCY, AND TO WALK HUMBLY BEFORE YOU.
IF YOU'RE ABLE TO STAND, PLEASE DO SO.
AS WE PLEDGE INTEREST TO THE FLAG OF OUR COUNTRY, I PLEDGE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INVIS WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
MADAM CLERK, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ALDERMAN PRI.
[3. Approve Agenda.]
ITEM NUMBER THREE IS APPROVE THE AGENDA.ARE THERE ANY CHANGES? SO MOVED.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT AND A SECOND TO ACCEPT THE AGENDA AS IS.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ANY OPPOSED? AGENDAS APPROVED.
[Consent Agenda]
THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, MAKE A MOTION.WE APPROVE THIS CONSENT AGENDA.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION, A SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN PRILL.
[7. Conduct a Public Hearing and Consider Adopting an Ordinance to Annex 3406 Old Airport Road.]
CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDER ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE TO ANNEX 34 6 OLD AIRPORT ROAD, MR. HUGHES, AS REQUIRED BY A WATER AND SEWER USE AGREEMENT, MICHAEL MILLER JR.IS REQUESTED TO ANNEX 34 0 6 OLD AIRPORT ROAD CONSISTING OF APPROXIMATELY ONE ACRE.
THE PROPERTY IS CONTIGUOUS TO OTHER PARCELS WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS.
AFTER CONDUCTING A PUBLIC HEARING, THE BOARD IS ASKED TO CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE OF ANNEXING THIS PROPERTY.
DOES THE BOARD HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, WHICH IS CONSIDERING OPTIN ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE TO ANNEX 34 0 6 OLD AIRPORT ROAD.
IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO COME FORWARD, PLEASE DO SO.
AT THIS TIME, I HAVE MY MOTION FOR CLOSE VOTE HEARING.
AND SECOND TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ANY OPPOSED? WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? ON ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, MAY I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE CONSIDER DOCKING ORDINANCE ANNEX IN THE PROPERTY AT 34 0 6 OLD AIRPORT ROAD? SECOND.
IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ALL THOSE ACTUALLY HAVE SOME ROLL CALL.
THE NEXT STEP IS ITEM NUMBER EIGHT.
[8. Consider Approving the 2026 Board of Aldermen Meeting Roster.]
CONSIDER APPROVING THE 2026 BOARD OF ALDERMAN MEETING ROSTER, MR. HUGHES.SO IT'S TIME FORWARD TO, TO APPROVE THE MEETING ROSTER.
WE, WE ALSO KNOW THAT WE HAVE A NEW BOARD THAT'S COMING ON DECEMBER 9TH, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THIS BOARD TO GO AHEAD AND APPROVE THIS.
IF THE NEW BOARD, UH, DOES NOT AGREE WITH THAT, THEN THEY CAN MAKE ADJUSTMENTS WHEN, WHEN, WHEN THEY'RE SEATED.
SO THE CURRENT YEAR, WE HAVE ADOPTED THE SECOND OPTION, WHICH IS A ROSTER THAT OBSERVES ONE MEETING DURING THE MONTH OF MAY THROUGH AUGUST.
AN ADDITIONAL OPTION HAS BEEN PROVIDED FOR YOU OF, OF ONE MEETING MONTHLY, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF TWO IN APRIL FOR, FOR BUDGET PURPOSES.
AND THE FIRST ONE, WHICH WE HAVE HISTORICALLY GONE WITH IS, UM, A MEETING ON THE SECOND AND FOURTH, UH, TUESDAY OF EACH MONTH WITH THE EXCEPTION OF DECEMBER.
SO WE'RE HAPPY TO HEAR WHAT THE
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BOARD DECIDES THEY WANNA DO.ANY COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? MAYOR, HEARING NO COMMENTS? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MEETING ROSTER FOR 2026.
IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? MAY I'M SORRY.
WHICH, WHICH, WHICH OPTION? WHICH, WHICH OPTION WOULD YOU LIKE TO SECOND OPTION WITH THE ONE MEETING DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS? IS THAT OH YEAH.
JUST THE, THE ONE MEETING A MONTH.
ONE MEETING A MONTH WITH THE, WITH THE TWO IN APRIL, CORRECT.
IS THAT WHAT YOU UNDERSTOOD? YES.
EVERYBODY'S GOOD WITH THAT? UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[9. Consider Adopting a Resolution Authorizing the Execution of a Memorandum of Understanding with the US Marshal's Service.]
ITEM NUMBER NINE.CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE US MARSHAL SERVICE CHIEF GALLAGHER.
SEVEN AND A HALF YEARS AGO, THE NEW BERN POLICE DEPARTMENT, UM, FORMED A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE US MARSHAL SERVICE, UM, AND ENGAGED IN A TASK FORCE OFFICER PROGRAM, UH, WITH THEIR AGENCY.
SINCE THEN, UM, WE HAVE GREATLY BENEFITED FROM THAT RELATIONSHIP, AND I'VE PROVIDED SOME STATS FOR YOU.
FOR INSTANCE, SEVEN OF OUR NEW BERN HOMICIDES, TWO KIDNAPPINGS AND SEVEN SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES WERE ADOPTED BY THE US US MARSHAL SERVICE IN BRINGING RESOLUTIONS TO THOSE CASES TO INCLUDE 127, UM, ACTIVE WARRANTS OUT OF NEWBURGH.
UM, SINCE THE SEVEN AND A HALF YEARS THAT HAVE GONE BY, UM, THE US MARSHAL SERVICES ASKED THAT WE, UM, REESTABLISH A NEW MOU AND ESSENTIALLY THERE ARE THREE NEW ITEMS THAT WERE NOT IN THE ORIGINAL 2018 MOU.
UM, ONE COVERS BODY-WORN CAMERA USAGE, WHICH IS VERY CONSISTENT WITH THE NEW BERN POLICE DEPARTMENT'S POLICY.
THE OTHER ONE IS HANDLING CONFIDENTIAL INFORMANTS.
WE HANDLE CONFIDENTIAL INFORMANTS IN A VERY SIMILAR FASHION.
AND THE LAST ITEM THAT IS, UH, NEW TO THE MOU IS THE REQUIREMENT FOR NO-KNOCK SEARCH WARRANTS, WHICH THE NEW BERN POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS A NO-KNOCK SEARCH WARRANT POLICY.
SO THEY ARE CONSISTENT WITH, UM, OUR POLICIES AND PRACTICE.
AND I ASK THAT, UM, YOU ALLOW, UH, THE MAYOR AND MYSELF, UM, AND THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A NEW MOU WITH THE US MARSHAL SERVICE.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
CHIEF, WOULD YOU MIND DELIBERATING JUST A MOMENT ON THE NO-KNOCK WARRANT POLICY? SO, A NO-KNOCK SEARCH WARRANT ESSENTIALLY MEANS THAT THE, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT ENTITY AS THEY HAVE THE WARRANT IN HAND, UM, CAN FORCE ENTRY INTO A, UM, RESIDENCE OR A, UM, DWELLING WITHOUT MAKING NOTICE.
IT'S A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION.
IT'S ONE THAT IS, UM, A RARITY IN OUR PROFESSION, BUT OFTENTIMES THAT RESULT IN VERY BAD OUTCOMES.
SO MANY, UH, MOST POLICY, MOST AGENCIES HAVE POLICIES RESTRICTING A NO-KNOCK, UH, SERVICE OF A, OF A WARRANT.
MEANING YOU HAVE TO, UH, ANNOUNCE ONESELF BEFORE ENTERING INTO A RESIDENCE OR FORCE ENTRY INTO A RESIDENCE ON A SEARCH WARRANT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WELL, IT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE WAR.
ON ITEM NUMBER NINE, MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE US MARSHAL SERVICE.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ASTOR.
[10. Appointment(s).]
NEXT UP IS APPOINTMENTS.ARE THERE ANY APPOINTMENTS TONIGHT? MAYOR, THE DANGEROUS DOG BOARD? THERE'S THREE MEMBERS ON THAT BOARD THAT HAVE AGREED TO, UH, CONTINUE SERVING, KNOWING THAT BOARD AND ARE QUALIFIED TO BE, UM, ELIGIBLE OR, OR ELIGIBLE TO SERVE ANOTHER TERM.
IS THAT CORRECT, BRENDA? THAT'S CORRECT.
I, SO I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO REAPPOINT DONNA BAKER, DR.
IS THAT CORRECT? KOTERBA, UH, TO SERVE, TO BE REAPPOINTED FOR THAT DANGEROUS DOG BOARD.
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OKAY.SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION, A SECOND TO REAPPOINT THE SAME THREE MEMBERS OF THE DANGEROUS DOG BOARD.
IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ANY OTHER APPOINTMENTS? OKAY, UH,
[11. Attorney's Report.]
ATTORNEY'S REPORT? NOTHING TONIGHT, SIR.[12. City Manager's Report.]
REPORT.UH, JUST ONE THING, JUST A REMINDER THAT, UM, EARLY VOTING CONTINUES THROUGH SATURDAY.
SO MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY HOURS ARE EIGHT TO FIVE.
ON SATURDAY, IT'S EIGHT TO THREE ON ELECTION DAY, ALL THE PRECINCTS WILL BE OPEN, UH, FROM 6:30 AM TO 7:30 PM THAT'S ALL WE HAVE TONIGHT, SIR.
[13. New Business.]
NEW BUSINESS ALDERMAN PER, UH, ONE ITEM, MAYOR.UM, I WANTED TO ANNOUNCE, UH, TO THE BOARD, UH, STAFF AND THE PUBLIC THAT TONIGHT WILL BE MY LAST OFFICIAL MEETING.
UH, THE REASON FOR THIS IS THAT SOME TIME AGO, MY WIFE AND I HAD PUT A PLAN INTO MOTION TO RELOCATE OUT OF NEW BERN WHEN MY TERM WAS OVER.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY AS TIMING WOULD HAVE IT, AN OPPORTUNITY CAME ALONG THAT WE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF.
AND AS OF NOVEMBER ONE, I WILL NO LONGER BE A LEGAL RESIDENT IN WARD ONE.
AND AS THE CITY ATTORNEY HAS ADVISED US ON A FEW OCCASIONS, IF AN INDIVIDUAL NO LONGER LEGALLY RESIDES IN THE WARD THEY REPRESENT, THEN THEY CANNOT CONTINUE REPRESENTING THE WARD.
UM, SO IN THAT CASE, UM, I WILL NOT BE A LEGAL RESIDENT OF WARD ONE, UM, AS OF NOVEMBER ONE.
SO I NEED TO STEP ASIDE AND, UM, LET THE BOARD DECIDE, UH, WHO THEY WOULD LIKE TO FILL THE VACANCY UNTIL THE DECEMBER MEETING, UH, WHERE THE, UM, OFFICIAL, UM, ELECTED CANDIDATE WILL TAKE OFFICE.
SO IT HAS BEEN MY PLEASURE AND HONOR TO REPRESENT WARD ONE AND THE CITY AS A WHOLE, AND I CERTAINLY WISH THE NEW BOARD, UM, ALL THE BEST AS YOU MOVE FORWARD, UH, WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE, THE BOND ORDINANCE.
UM, THE CITY IN NEW BERN IS GOING TO BE VERY BUSY OVER THE NEXT FIVE TO 10 YEARS.
SO THAT WILL KEEP, UM, THE, THE, THE NEXT ONE OR TWO BOARD OF ALDERMAN, UM, VERY BUSY I THINK WITH, UH, ALL THE PROJECTS THAT WILL BE UNDERWAY.
UM, I, I GUESS MY FIRST QUESTION, WELL, FIRST OF ALL, UM, BEST WISHES ON YOUR FUTURE ENDEAVORS, UM, SINCE WE HAVE TWO MEETINGS BEFORE THE OFFICIAL MEETING, UM, TWO AND A HALF MEETINGS BEFORE THE NEW BOARD SWORN IN, UM, ALDERMAN ELECT FERGUSON, WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED IN FILLING THE SEAT EARLY OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO WAIT UNTIL THE DECEMBER 9TH? IF THE BOARD WERE HAPPY TO FILL IT EARLY, I'M HAPPY TO TO IT.
UH, THE BOARD HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I'D LIKE TO MAKE THAT MOTION.
UH, WE DON'T HAVE A VACANCY YET.
SO I GUESS PROCEDURALLY, UH, ALDERMAN PRILL, WILL YOU SUBMIT A FORMAL LETTER OF RESIGNATION? UH, I WILL MOVE THAT, YEP.
AND THEN WOULD IT BE APPROPRIATE TO PUT ON OUR NEXT AGENDA AT THE BEGINNING OF THAT, THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE WAR ALDERMAN VACANCY? IF A MAJORITY OF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT, THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.
WOULD THE BOARD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO PUT THAT ON OUR NEXT AGENDA SO WE WOULD HAVE IT SET? MOVED SECOND.
ALRIGHT, WE HAVE A MOTION, ALDER MCKENZIE AND A SECOND FROM ALDERMAN ASTOR ON OUR NEXT AGENDA AT THE TOP OF THE AGENDA TO PUT THE FILLING OF THE VACANCY OF WARD ONE.
UH, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
THANK YOU ALDERMAN PRI ALDERMAN ROYAL.
WELL, ON THAT NOTE,
I BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE SERVED WARD ONE WELL, AND I'M SURE THAT THE, YOUR CONSTITUENTS WOULD AGREE WITH THAT.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITY OF NEW BERN, TO THE RESIDENTS OF WARD ONE, AND YOU WILL BE MISSED.
ALDERMAN A NOTHING TONIGHT, SIR.
ALDERMAN MCKENZIE? NOTHING SIR.
UH, I'D LIKE TO, UM, SO CONGRATULATE ON ALDERMAN.
RICK, YOU'VE DONE A GOOD JOB THIS LAST COUPLE YEARS AND WISH YOU WELL ON YOUR FUTURE ENDEAVORS.
UM, THE ONLY THING I WANTED TO BRING UP TO THE BOARD, UM, JUST FOR SOME DISCUSSION IF YOU'D LIKE TO, UH, THERE'S BEEN A LOT
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OF DISCUSSION THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND THROUGHOUT THE REGION ABOUT, UH, THE POTENTIAL SNAP BENEFITS, UH, BEING ON HOLD, UH, EFFECTIVE NOVEMBER ONE.I SPOKE TO A COUPLE OF MY COLLEAGUES.
UM, SOME CITIES ARE DOING THINGS, SOME CITIES AREN'T DOING ANYTHING.
UM, I DIDN'T KNOW IF THIS BOARD HAD ANY APPETITE OR DESIRE TO PARTICIPATE IN ANY FORM OR FASHION.
UM, THERE ARE, THERE ARE SOME DIFFERENT GROUPS, UM, THAT HAVE STEPPED UP TO HELP.
OBVIOUSLY I THINK RCS COMES TO MIND, BUT IF THERE'S ANYBODY THAT WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS HOW THIS BOARD MIGHT COULD HELP, UM, I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT UP 'CAUSE IT WAS BROUGHT UP TO ME.
UM, ARE SOME OTHER CITIES HAVE, UH, THERE'S A COUPLE OF 'EM THAT I KNOW HOW THEY FUNDED, BUT YEAH, SOME ARE DOING FOOD DRIVES.
UM, SOME ARE JUST PARTNERING WITH NON-PROFITS WHO ARE ALREADY IN THE BUSINESS TO DO IT.
UM, SO I JUST, I TOLD THIS INDIVIDUAL THAT REACH OUT TO ME THAT I WOULD BRING IT UP TO SEE IF THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO DO ANYTHING.
AND IF YOU WANNA THINK ABOUT IT, UM, WE CAN DO SOMETHING AT A LATER DATE, BUT I JUST WANTED TO PUT IT ON OUR RADAR.
I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF WE, UH, IN SOME MANNER FORM A LIST OF RESOURCES FOR OUR CITIZENS AND THAT WE WOULD HAVE THAT AVAILABLE TO THEM.
IT COULD BE ON THE CITY WEBSITE, IT COULD BE, UH, ON SOCIAL MEDIA THAT OUR CITIZENS COULD KNOW WHERE THEY COULD GO AND RECEIVE SOME ASSISTANCE.
THE, I KNOW LOCALLY AS FAR AS, UM, MY CHURCH IS CONCERNED, WE PROVIDE THE, UH, THE SNAP PRODUCTS AND SO FORTH.
SO YEAH, THERE'S STILL SOME ORGANIZATIONS, SOME NONPROFITS THAT ARE STILL PROVIDING, UM, THOSE, UH, ENTITIES.
SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD THING IF WE COULD JUST, UH, COMPILE A LIST OF RESOURCES AND POINT THE PEOPLE IN THAT DIRECTION.
MR. HUGHES, ANY ISSUES WITH THAT? NO, SIR.
UH, DO WE NEED A CLOSED SESSION? NOT TONIGHT, SIR.
IF NOT, I ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ANY OPPOSED? WE ARE ADJOURNED.