[00:00:01]
AND I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THIS, UH, MEETING TO ORDER FOR THE CITY OF NEW BERN MUNICIPAL SERVICE DISTRICT ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING.
AND TODAY IS NOVEMBER THE FOURTH.
WE'RE AT THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CONFERENCE ROOM.
SO, UH, CAN, WOULD YOU PLEASE TAKE THE ROLL CALL? SURE.
ALDERMAN NASTER FOSTER HUGHES.
UM, I DO WANNA START OUT THE MEETING BY, UH, WELCOMING OUR ALDERMAN ELECT, TREY FERGUSON.
I'M SO GLAD TO HAVE YOU HERE TODAY, AND I KNOW I SPEAK FOR ALL OF US IN SAYING WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.
UM, YOU'RE AN IMPORTANT CONDUIT FOR WHAT WE TALK ABOUT HERE TODAY TO, TO MAKE HAPPEN OR NOT MAKE HAPPEN, WHATEVER, UH, YOU AND YOUR FELLOW COLLEAGUES, DEAN.
BUT THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY, AND AGAIN, WE LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOMING YOU.
AS YOU KNOW, UM, ALDERMAN KRILL HAS TO DESIGN, SO, UM, ALDERMAN ELECT FERGUSON WILL BE SWORN IN AT THE NEXT MEETING, WHICH IS NOVEMBER 14TH.
HE'LL BE SWORN IN AND HE WILL OFFICIALLY BE THE ALDERMAN FOR THE FIRST AWARD AND PARTICIPATE IN THAT.
WE'RE JUST REALLY GLAD TO HAVE YOU HERE.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL.
[3. Approval of Minutes – 8.19.25 Meeting]
YOUR PACKET WAS A SET OF MINUTES FROM THE AUGUST 19TH MEETING.I KNOW THAT EVERYBODY HAS DILIGENTLY READ THEM
SO I HAVE FROM JOHN HAROLDSON AND A SECOND FROM JOHNNY.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? OKAY.
[4. Financial Report – Kim Ostrom, Finance Director]
KIM.WILL YOU GIVE US THE FINANCIAL REPORT? SO THIS FINANCIAL REPORT IS IN, UH, SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2025.
UM, LOOKING AT THE FIRST PAGE, I'LL JUST REMIND YOU THE RIGHT TWO COLUMNS, 2024 AND 2025 ARE PROVIDED AS COMPARISON FOR THE PRIOR YEARS.
THE, UM, 2025 WILL BE, UH, COMPLETED.
THOSE NUMBERS WILL BE FINALIZED ONCE WE GET OUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FROM THE AUDITOR, WHICH SHOULD BE PRETTY SOON.
UM, FOR 2026, WE HAVE, UM, THE TOTAL ASSETS BEING $2,460,187.
LIABILITIES ARE ABOUT 2 270 $3.
WE HAVE OUR ENCLOSING RESOURCES 101,180.
THIS LEAVES THE, UM, ASSIGNED, UH, AMOUNT TO THE COM OF THE COMMITTEE PROJECTS AT 1.1 MILLION.
THE UNASSIGNED, WHICH IS AVAILABLE OF $1,167,557 WITH OUR CURRENT DEPOSITION BEING $2,268,704.
THAT CARRIES OVER TO THE NEXT PAGE WHERE YOU'LL SEE THAT AT THE BOTTOM.
WHEN IT COMES OVER AS OF, UM, THE, AS OF SEPTEMBER 30TH, OUR NET POSITION, OUR REVENUES FOR THIS MONTH, OR FOR THE END OF SEPTEMBER WAS $45,606.
WE HAVE SOME OTHER FINANCING USES OF 42,000 THAT, UM, AGAIN, SHOWS WHERE WE'RE AT WITH OUR REVENUES TO EXPENSES OF TWO MILLION TWO HUNDRED SIXTY EIGHT THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED EIGHTY FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS.
AND THEN WE HAVE, UM, THE COMMITTEE PROJECTS, AGAIN OF 1.1 MILLION, AND THEN THEY ADJUST OUR BALANCE AVAILABLE TO INCORPORATE AT THIS TIME OF $1,166,814.
YOUR COMMITTEE PROJECTS ARE IN THE NEXT PAGE, UM, AS OF SEPTEMBER 30TH, THIS IS WHERE IT STOOD.
I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THAT THE ARM REST FOR DOWNTOWN BENCHES, UM, THOSE ARE IN PROCESS OF ORDERING.
SO NEXT ON REPORT, YOU'LL SEE THAT MOVE OVER TO PROBABLY SPENT AND THEN THE, UM, BENCHES, THE 16TH BENCHES BOTH HAVE BEEN RECEIVED AND THE DIGITAL KIOSKS.
SO DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CURRENT PROJECT THAT YOU HAVE ON HERE RIGHT NOW? WE'RE GONNA GET MORE INTO DEPTH.
WITH FOSTER'S GONNA GIVE US AN UPDATE.
THIS IS JUST THE FINANCIALS OF IT.
UM, AS FAR AS ANY QUESTIONS, ANYTHING ELSE ON THE FINANCIAL REPORT? YES, GEORGE.
WHAT DOES ENCUMBERED MEAN? UM, IT MEANS THAT IT'S BEEN ORDERED AND NOT RECEIVED.
[00:05:01]
WE HOLD THE MONEY TO THE SIDE SO WE CAN PAY FOR IT.OTHERWISE, YOU ORDER THINGS AND YOU DON'T HAVE THE MONEY.
IN GOVERNMENT, YOU'RE IN TROUBLE.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, I NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE FINANCIAL REPORTS I MOVE.
MICKEY, ARE YOU SECOND IT? I GOT FULL SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? OKAY, GREAT.
[5. IEDC Project Update]
WE'RE GONNA GO TO THE IEDC PROJECT UPDATE.UH, AT THE LAST MINUTE MEETING, WE TALKED ABOUT, UM, THE IECD GROUP THAT CAME IN AND WE WANTED TO KNOW WHAT CAME OF THAT.
AND OF COURSE, WE DIDN'T AT THAT POINT HAVE ANY INFORMATION.
YOU SAID IT WAS SIX WEEKS OUT.
SO IF YOU'LL GO AHEAD AND GIVE US AN UPDATE ON THAT, I WOULD APPRECIATE.
SO THE INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, IEDC, UM, BASICALLY HAD SOME FUNDS AVAILABLE.
UM, AND THE EASTERN CAROLINA CO HAD RECEIVED SOME OF THOSE FUNDS.
AND SO ONE OF THE PROJECTS WAS TO LOOK AT DOWNTOWN CENTERS.
AND SO CITY MEMBER APPLIED FOR, FOR SOME OF THAT, THAT FUNDING.
WE WERE ONE OF SIX, UH, IN THE EASTERN CAROLINA COGS REGION THAT, THAT RECEIVED FUNDING.
AND SO WE HAD TWO REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE IEDC COME INTO TOWN ON JUNE.
ACTUALLY, THEY WERE HERE JUNE 2ND, THIRD AND JUNE 4TH.
AND WE HAD NINE BREAKOUT SESSIONS WITH, UM, A VARIETY OF, SEVERAL OF YOU IN THIS ROOM WERE HERE.
WE HAD RESIDENTS, WE HAD BUSINESS OWNERS, WE HAD NONPROFITS, UH, UH, LOCAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, UH, REPRESENTATIVE ELECTED OFFICIALS AS WELL.
AND SO DURING THAT MEETING, IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CONSULTANTS TO ASK QUESTIONS AND FOR, UM, THOSE THAT WERE PARTICIPATING TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK IN, IN ANY UNSOLICITED COMMENTS THAT THEY WANTED TO.
SO THEY COMPILED ALL THAT INFORMATION, UH, AND THAT'S WHAT'S GONNA BE A PART OF THE SOAR ANALYSIS THAT WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT.
THE OTHER COMPONENT THAT THEY DID WAS A SURVEY.
AND SO THAT SURVEY RAN FOR ABOUT FIVE MONTHS.
SHOCKINGLY, THERE WERE ONLY 124 RESPONSES TO THAT SURVEY, SO WE HAD A HARD TIME PRINTING IT OUT.
YOU'RE GONNA GET A DIGITAL COPY OF THIS AFTER THIS MEETING, BUT I'M JUST GONNA GIVE YOU A, A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF BASICALLY WHAT THE SURVEY CAME BACK AS.
AND BASICALLY, RESPONDENTS DESCRIBED DOWNTOWN NEWBURG USING WORDS LIKE HISTORIC, QUAINT AND WELCOMING.
THE MOST FAVORED ASPECTS, UH, INCLUDE A VARIETY OF RESTAURANTS, WALKABILITY, AND THE VIBRANT ATMOSPHERE CONCERNS AND IMPROVEMENT.
SUGGESTIONS INCLUDED COMMON CONCERNS, INCLUDING THE LACK OF PARKING AND THE NEED FOR RENOVATIONS, PARTICULARLY OF THE ELK BUILDING SUGGESTIONS FOR, UH, IMPROVEMENT FOCUSED ON ENHANCING ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN, MAINTAINING THE SMALL TOWN FEEL, AND INCREASING DIVERSITY OF BUSINESSES.
AND UNDER ATTRACTIONS AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT.
KEY ATTRACTIONS INCLUDE LOCAL RESTAURANTS, SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESSES AND SOCIALIZING SPACES.
AND THEN TO ENCOURAGE NEW BUSINESSES.
RESPONDENTS EMPHASIZE THE NEED FOR BETTER PARKING, LOWER RENT, AND SOME TYPE OF TAX INCENTIVE.
SOME OF THE CHALLENGES AND PRIORITIES INCLUDED, UM, UH, CHALLENGES FOR STARTING A NEW BUSINESS, SUCH AS THE HIGH REAL ESTATE COSTS AND COMPETITION FROM EXISTING BUSINESSES.
AND THEN PRIORITIES FOR, FOR DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT, INCLUDING BEAUTIFICATION, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, AND IMPROVED PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND SO FOR FUTURE VISION IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, RESPONDENTS HOPE THAT DOWNTOWN WOULD REMAIN HISTORIC, INVITING AND FRIENDLY WITH A VIBRANT AND WALKABLE COMMUNITY ATMOSPHERE.
SO AGAIN, YOU'RE GONNA GET, UH, THE HARD STUFF WITH THIS IN THE EMAIL THAT'S GOOD FOR VIEW.
SO ON THE SOAR ANALYSIS THAT WAS DONE, LOOKED AT GENERAL OBSERVATIONS FROM THE VISIT, AND THEY INCLUDED THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND SO THEY SAID IT WAS A VERY WALKABLE COMMUNITY.
AND YOU'LL SEE THIS IN THE HANDOUT WE'VE GOT HERE.
CITY INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS ARE ABOUT BE PRIORITIZED IN PARTICULAR STORM WATER MANAGEMENT, SIDEWALK ACTIVITY.
UH, IT'S CRITICAL TO PLACE CREATION.
AND CITY SIDEWALK RESTRICTIONS ARE A HENDRICK TO THE BUSINESSES CREATING THAT BUSTLE.
AND SO DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO GET AN UPDATE FROM WHERE THEY CAME WITH THAT.
BUT IT'S SORT ALSO IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER SIDEWALKS ARE IN THE CITY RIGHT OF WAY.
SO THE CITY WILL CONTROL WHAT'S GOING ON IN THERE.
UH, I THINK WE'VE HAD MORE ISSUES OVER, OVER THE YEARS WITH WHEN WE'VE DONE THE SIDEWALK CAFES.
AND THERE, THERE'S USUALLY A CONSTANT FIGHT AT CERTAIN TIMES OF THE YEAR TO MAKE SURE THAT THE RESTAURANTS THAT HAVE THAT SIDEWALK CAFE PERMIT, THAT KEEP THE, THE TABLES AND CHAIRS AND THE CHAINS BACK IN THEIR APPROPRIATE LOCATION.
SO WE'VE GOT ACCESSIBILITY ON THE SIDEWALKS.
UH, HISTORICALLY WE DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE WITH FOLKS THAT WANT TO PUT PLANNERS OUT IN FRONT OF THEIR BUSINESSES AND THINGS, BUT WE HAVE SEEN AN ISSUE WITH SIGNS AND THAT'S GONNA BE ADDRESSED SHORTLY WITH FOSTER.
ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO THAT, I KNOW IT'S AN ISSUE FOR SOME BUSINESSES, BUT OF COURSE IT WAS THE PLACEMENT OF THE TREES BACK IN THE DAY AND THEY DIDN'T TAKE INTO EFFECT.
SIDEWALK CAFES BECAUSE, SO WHAT'S HAPPENED IS SOME PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIDE, YOU KNOW, THE TREE IS RIGHT THERE, SO IT, WHEN I TELL YOU, YOU'VE GOT THIS MUCH SPACE TO WALK BY MM-HMM
[00:10:01]
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A PROGRAM WHERE WE COULD MOVE TREES OR BETTER PLACEMENT OF THEM.UH, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN DYING ANYWAY IN NEED REPLACEMENT, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS REALLY HINDERED.
SO IT DIDN'T REALLY NECESSARILY TALK ABOUT TREES, BUT TREES ARE AN ISSUE DOWNTOWN.
AND EVERY YEAR WE'LL REPLACE TWO TO THREE THROUGHOUT THE FOOTPRINT.
BUT HE'S, HE'S BEEN HERE FOR QUITE A WHILE.
WOULD THAT INCLUDE LOCATION OF THEM? POSSIBLY.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A LOT OF IN INFRASTRUCTURE UNDERNEATH THESE SIDEWALKS NOW, SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ALWAYS HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION TO AS WELL.
IT NEEDS TO BE AN OBVIOUS EXTENSION OF DOWNTOWN.
UH, THE NEW EFFICIENT PIERS AN EXCELLENT STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, AND THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE WATERFRONT AND DOWNTOWN NEED TO BE EASY TO NAVIGATE.
OTHER OBSERVATIONS INCLUDE, UH, MAKE SURE THERE'S A VARIETY OF BUSINESSES, THERE'S A GENERAL LACK OF BUSINESS DIVERSITY.
UH, THERE'S WIDE CONCERN, PARTICULARLY AMONG DOWNTOWN RESIDENTS.
AND DOWNTOWN HAS TOO MANY ENTERTAINMENT ESTABLISHMENTS THAT DO NOT SERVE FOOD DURING THE LATE HOURS THAT THEY ARE OPENING, DEVELOPING DOWNTOWN WITH MORE OF AN ARTS AND CULTURE FOCUS COULD BE BENEFICIAL.
AND THEN THEY TALKED ABOUT ELIGIBILITY AND OPPORTUNITIES, AND OF COURSE, YET TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING TO TRANSPIRE WITH THE ELIGIBILITY.
BUT WE'RE GLAD IT'S, UH, BEEN PURCHASED.
UM, OTHER GENERAL OBSERVATIONS UNDER DEMOGRAPHICS AND POPULATIONS, MORE OFFERINGS FOR YOUNGER RESIDENTS, WHILE ALSO SHOWING MEMBERS OF THESE DEMOGRAPHICS HOW THEY CAN BE, UH, ENGAGED IN DOWNTOWN NEWBURN.
AND OF COURSE, ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS GONNA BE DISCUSSED AT OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING IS A POTENTIAL CHILDREN'S MUSEUM, UM, THAT COULD BE COMING TO DOWNTOWN.
SO WHAT WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT, SO IN DIVIDING THE SOAR ANALYSIS AND OF COURSE THAT STRENGTHS, OPPORTUNITIES, ASPIRATIONS, AND RESULTS, WHAT THEY LOOKED AT IN TERMS OF STRENGTHS FOR THE CITY OF NEWBURN IS A STRONG SENSE OF PLACE AND WALKABILITY, HISTORIC CHARM AND RIVERFRONT PRESENCE.
TOURISM IS THE LEADING ECONOMIC DRIVER WITH LOCAL BUSINESS ACTIVITIES, STRONGLY SUPPORTED BY VISITOR SPENDING, AND THEN VIBRANT AND ACTIVE DOWNTOWN THAT RESIDENTS RECOGNIZE AS UNIQUE AND VALUABLE ENGAGED LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS, UH, FROM BUSINESSES, NON-PROFITS, GOVERNMENTS, SWISS BAY UNDER CHAMBER ARE VERY ACTIVE.
DOWNTOWN POPULAR EVENTS SUCH AS FEST FOOTLOOSE ON THE NEWS AND AN EMERGING FOOD AND BEVERAGE ECONOMY ARE VERY POPULAR.
THE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS UNDERWAY, UM, AND THE TORT HAS SUPPORT FROM CITY AND COUNTY LEADERSHIP.
AND THEN UNDER OPPORTUNITIES, UNDERUTILIZED WATERFRONT AREAS THAT COULD EXPAND THE VISITOR AND LOCAL EXPERIENCE, THE PEPSI EXPERIENCE IS A POTENTIALLY TRANSFORMATIVE ANCHOR ATTRACTION.
OF COURSE, WE'RE AT THE PACE OF, OF THE BROWNS LEGACY AND HOW THINGS ARE GONNA DEAL WITH THAT.
AND PEPSICO, AND THEN ADDRESS THE DISCONNECT BETWEEN BUSINESS AND RESIDENTIAL PRIORITIES WITH THE BALANCE OF VIBRANCY AND THE ABILITY, UM, POTENTIALLY LOOK AT EXPANDING THE DOWNTOWN FOOTPRINT TO CONNECT THE ADJACENT COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS, WHETHER IT BE THE FIVE POINTS, THE OLD APPENDIX.
AND WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THAT SYNERGY GOING ON WITH THE, THE OLD APPENDIX AREA.
AND WE JUST SEE THAT CONTINUE TO EXPAND AND OVER THE YEARS TO ATTRACT MORE RESIDENTS AND DISTRICTS.
ALSO IMPROVING WALKABILITY AND SCIENCE TO HIGHLIGHT UNDER USED PARKING AND ENHANCED WAY FINDING INCREASED DIVERSITY IN THE BUSINESS, UH, MIX TO REDUCE BAR RESTAURANT CONCENTRATION AND BROADEN APPEAL WHILE UNDERSTANDING MARKET IS DRIVING THE CURRENT TYPES OF BUSINESSES IN THE AREA.
AND THEN STRENGTHEN TOURISM TO LOCAL CONNECTIONS THROUGH PLACE MAKING PROGRAMMING AND INCLUSIVE STRATEGIES.
SOME OF THE ASPIRATIONS DOWNTOWN IS A SHARED CIVIC SPACE WITH INCLUSIVE RETAIL, DINING, ARTS AND SERVICES.
A MORE BALANCED ECONOMY BEING LESS RELIANT ON BARS, RESTAURANTS, AND MORE RESILIENT TO DOWNTURNS ACTIVATED WATERFRONT WITH RETAIL PUBLIC ACCESS AND DESTINATION DRAWS LIKE PEPSI EXPERIENCE, COHESIVE DOWNTOWN, STRATEGIC PLAN OF COMMUNITY BUY IN THAT CONNECTS DISTRICTS AND FUTURE GROWTH AREAS.
AND SOME OF THE ACTIONS TO DRIVE RESULTS.
THEY REALLY CAME UP WITH TWO, UH, ONE OF THEM WAS PLAN, PREPARE FOR PEPSI MUSEUM IMPACTS, WHICH WOULD AFFECT A VARIETY OF THINGS.
AND THEN WATERFRONT REVITALIZATION.
SO, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANYTHING WITH THIS? IT WAS VERY, WHEN I GOT IT, I THOUGHT IT WAS, IT WAS, IT WAS PRETTY VAGUE AND BASIC.
THEY DIDN'T REALLY DIVE INTO A LOT OF THINGS.
UM, BUT IT'S, THAT'S USUALLY WHAT HAPPENED.
AND, AND OF COURSE, WHILE IT DIDN'T COST THE CITY ANYTHING, YOU KNOW, IT'S AT LEAST GOOD TO HAVE THIS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING AT, ESPECIALLY WANT TO HEAR WHAT, NOT ONLY OUR CITIZENS BUT OUR, OUR BUSINESSES AND AND OTHER BESTED INTERESTS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT DOWNTOWN AND OTHER AREAS OF THE CITY.
IT MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA, 'CAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY OF THESE PLANTS, I'VE LIVED THROUGH 30 YEARS OF PLANTS FOR THIS, THIS DOWNTOWN, BUT MAYBE, YOU KNOW, DRIVEN BY THE MSD, WE COULD HAVE A SMALL GROUP TO START MAYBE TAKING SOME OF THESE AND USING THEM AS WAYS TO ENACT SOME OF THIS OR TO MAKE SOME CHANGES OR DO SOMETHING.
[00:15:01]
I MEAN, THIS IS INFORMATION.WHILE IT MAY NOT BE SPECIFIC, WE MAY NEED TO BE THE ONES TO MAKE IT SPECIFIC.
IT'S A FRAMEWORK AND MAYBE WE COULD TAKE THIS FRAMEWORK AND THEN DEVELOP IT MORE BY MAYBE STARTING HERE AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WORKING HAVE SWISS BAY, HAVE A COUPLE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND YOU KNOW, OTHER PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE CAN HAVE AND, AND START FLUSHING THIS OUT.
SO MAYBE WE CAN GET A SPECIFIC TYPE PLAN.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS WANT TO ATTRACT NEW BUSINESSES.
WE WANT, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S THE, I DON'T KNOW, THE CHICKEN AND THE EGG WITH THE RESTAURANTS DRAW THE RETAIL BECAUSE THEN PEOPLE HAVE MORE THINGS TO DO.
OR IS IT THE RETAIL THAT DRAWS THE RESTAURANT? UM, HAD SOME COMPANY THIS WEEKEND, A HIGH SCHOOL FRIEND OF MINE, AND THEY LIVE IN UPSTATE NEW YORK ON THEIR WAY TO FLORIDA, AND THEY COULDN'T STOP TALKING ABOUT HOW WONDERFUL OUR TOWN WAS.
AND WE HAD THE BEST SIGNAGE, WE HAD THE BEST EVERYTHING.
I'M GOING, WOW, THAT'S, THAT'S WEIRD.
THEY COMPLAIN ABOUT THAT STUFF ALL THE TIME, BUT THEIR VIEW WAS TOTALLY DIFFERENT.
AND I WAS, UH, YOU KNOW, REALLY EXCITED TO HEAR THAT, THAT MY FRIEND'S HUSBAND IS A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER IN CHI MANGO, NEW YORK, WHEREVER THAT IS, UPSTATE NEW YORK.
AND, UM, HE WAS JUST AMAZED AND TOOK A LOT OF NOTES AND STUFF BECAUSE HE LIKED WHAT HE SAW HERE AND THOUGHT WE HAD SO MUCH OFFER STAYED AT THE TORONTO RIVERFRONT, WAS VERY IMPRESSED WITH YOUR HOTEL
BUT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THIS IS I THINK KIND OF ALMOST HOW OUR URBAN DESIGN PLAN STARTED BACK IN THE DAY.
I WAS PART OF URBAN DESIGN ONE AND TWO AND, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE VAGUE IN ESSENCE AND THEN BECAME MORE SPECIFIC AS WE, OF COURSE PAID, PAID TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION DONE.
MADAM CHAIRMAN, MAY I INTERRUPT FOR A SECOND? I'M NOTICING THAT SEVERAL OF THESE TABLE LEGS ARE NOT PROPERLY SET AND I PAY FOR A TABLE TO COLLAPSE.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY OTHER THOUGHTS? I HATE TO JUST TAKE THIS IN FILE SINCE I THINK IT IS A, A, A GENERIC FRAMEWORK, BUT AT LEAST IT'S A FRAMEWORK MAYBE ALONG WHAT YOU, I THINK YOU WERE GETTING AT WITH HAVING, UM, SOME FOLKS GET TOGETHER SIMILAR, SIMILAR, LIKE WE DID BEFORE, HAVE MAYBE A PLANNING AD HOC COMMITTEE, UM, WHICH I WOULD VOLUNTEER TO BE A PART OF THAT.
UM, SO I, I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF GREAT RESOURCES OUT THERE.
AND IF YOU GO TO THE, THE, UM, THE RE NEWBURN SITE, UM, ALL THOSE PLANS ARE, ARE POSTED ON THERE AND, UM, I KNOW SO OFTEN THESE PLANS, A LOT OF MONEY AND A LOT OF TIMES IS SPENT ON THEM AND THEN THEY GO ON A SHELF AND NO ONE LOOKS AT 'EM AGAIN.
SO IT PROBABLY IS, IT WOULD BE A GOOD EXERCISE TO REEXAMINE THOSE AND THEN SEE HOW THEY MIGHT APPLY TO US.
I I STARTED TO GATHER THEM AND OVERLAY THEM ON GOOGLE EARTH TO TRY TO SEE MAYBE HOW THEY OVERLAY AND WHAT, HOW WE COULD USE THEM.
BUT IT REALLY WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE, HAVE SOME HELP WITH THAT.
UM, AND, AND THEN WORK WITH THE PLANNING STAFF TO SEE MAYBE HOW WE CAN, UM, UTILIZE WHAT'S BEEN DONE.
BUT THEN I'LL MAYBE UPDATE AND, AND, AND REWORK IT INTO THE, THE RENEW BURN NETWORK.
ALSO, I THINK THIS WOULD BE A GOOD DRIVER FOR SWISS BAY TOO, BECAUSE REALLY MAIN, THE MAIN STREET PROGRAM IS THE DRIVER FOR BOTH INFRASTRUCTURE, RETAIL, ALL OF THE ABOVE.
UM, AND JUST AGAIN, I JUST HATE TO SEE SOMETHING SAY AND, AND JUST ALSO AS, AS ANOTHER ENDORSEMENT FOR, FOR NEWBURN, UM, I'M WORKING ON, ON SEVERAL PROJECTS IN CHESTER COUNTY, VIRGINIA.
AND, UM, I WAS LOOKING OVER A PLANNING DOCUMENT THERE AND IT ACTUALLY HAD A PICTURE OF JAMES RE LANE AS A GOOD EXAMPLE FOR HOW TO, UM, TO WORK IN URBAN ALLEY IN INTO YOUR COMMUNITY.
SO NEWBURN IS, IS OUT THERE AMONGST OTHER COMMUNITIES AS A, AS A GOOD EXAMPLE.
IF I COULD ADD TOO, WHO I LIKE THEIR ACTIONS FOCUSING ON THE PEPSI EXPERIENCE AND THEN THE WATERFRONT, BUT I WAS A LITTLE SURPRISED THROUGHOUT THIS WHOLE THING.
THEY DON'T TALK ABOUT SOME OF OUR, UM, OUR LIABILITIES, IF YOU WILL, WHICH IS THE FLOOD MANAGEMENT.
AND WORKING THAT WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT IS OBVIOUSLY A WONDERFUL ACTION ITEM, BUT WE HAVE TO DOVETAIL THAT WITH OUR, WITH OUR FLOOD MITIGATION, UM, PLANS AS WELL.
WELL, AND TO THAT POINT, NOT ONLY THE LIABILITY BUT THE RESTRICTIONS.
WELL, I WOULD LOVE FOR THIS GROUP TO MAYBE GET INVOLVED OR THE CITY TO GET INVOLVED WITH CONVERSATION WITH RALEIGH.
I THINK THAT WE ARE HEINOUSLY, UH, LIMITED BY SOME OF THE RALEIGH REGULATIONS THAT ARE KAMA AND NOOSE RIVER BUFFER AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND SO I TAKE A LOT OF THESE THINGS THAT IT'S GREAT TO HEAR WHAT PEOPLE THINK,
[00:20:01]
BUT I OFTEN TAKE IT WITH A POUND OF SALT BECAUSE LIKE WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT, FIRST OF ALL, THE REGS OUTTA RALEIGH GREATLY REGULATE WHAT YOU CAN DO.AND THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS PUBLIC ACCESS IS ESSENTIALLY A HUNDRED PERCENT OF OUR WATERFRONT.
UM, AND, AND, AND SO I OFTEN READ THESE THINGS AND SAY I'D LOVE TO ASK THEM WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM AND WHAT THEY'RE REALLY THINKING.
BUT IN TERMS OF WHAT I'M SAYING ABOUT RALEIGH, I HAVE SAID FOR DECADES THAT RALEIGH BUREAUCRATS HAVE TRIED TO IMPOSE A ONE SIZE FITS ALL SOLUTION ON THE NITROGEN PROBLEM IN THE NEWS RIVER.
I THINK THIS ALL GOES BACK TO THE FISH GILLS AND THE, UM, LIKE THE NINETIES EARLIER, MID NINETIES, I THINK THERE WAS A ECU PROFESSOR, PROFESSOR HOLDER WHO DID A LOT OF WORK.
AND I'M NOT CHALLENGING OR CRITICIZING THAT WORK, BUT MOST PROBLEMS HAVE MORE THAN ONE SOLUTION, AND THE SINGLE SOLUTION OF PUTTING A 75 FOOT VEGETATIVE BUFFER MAY BE EFFECTIVE.
BUT I DARE SAY THAT ENGINEERS, UM, COULD COME UP WITH OTHER SOLUTIONS THAT WOULDN'T BE AS LIMITING.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT BOSTON, NEW YORK, BALTIMORE, BEAUFORT, MOREHEAD, UH, WILMINGTON, THEY DEVELOPED RIGHT UP TO AND EVEN OVER THE WATERFRONT, AND THAT'S NOT AN OPTION IN, IN CRAVEN COUNTY OR IN THE NOOSE RIVER BUFFER ZONE.
SO YOU GET DOWN TO MOREHEAD AND BE, YOU CAN DO IT ON THE SOUND OR THE OCEAN, BUT YOU CAN'T DO IT ON THE NOOSE RIVER.
AGAIN, I IT'S GOT NOTHING TO DO WITH THE POLLUTION CHALLENGE, WHICH I THINK IS REAL AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED, BUT, UM, THAT NITROGEN IS MOSTLY COMMON COURTESY OF RALEIGH ANYHOW, NOT COURTESY OF OUR LOCAL DOWNSTREAM.
SO I, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW HOW IT, IT, IT SEEMS LIKE A DAUNTING TASK TO TRY AND GO TO RALEIGH AND SAY, GIVE ENGINEERS FLEXIBILITY TO TACKLE THIS PROBLEM IN OTHER WAYS.
AND SO HOW ABOUT YOU LIGHTEN UP AND SAY THERE MIGHT BE OTHER SOLUTIONS AND WE WILL ENTERTAIN THOSE.
UM, UH, I THINK THAT MIGHT BE PART, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT THE MS FOUR PERMIT MIGHT ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE, IS THAT RIGHT? WE, WE, IT DOES ADDRESS SOME OF THE NITROGEN REDUCTION AND IT, IT ACTUALLY PUTS ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE REQUIRED WITHIN MS FOUR ON APPLICANTS WITHIN THE CITY, REGARDLESS IF YOU'RE A COASTAL, YOU KNOW, ABUTTING THE RIVER FRONT OR IF YOU'RE ANNUALLY.
UM, BUT THESE ARE MANDATED DOWN TO US ALSO.
AND THEN WE ARE THERE FOR RESTRICT BY WHAT IS ACCEPTED IN RALEIGH AS TREATMENT METHODS.
SO, SO THERE'S A PARTICULAR LIST THAT WE HAVE TO STICK WITH THOSE OPTIONS, UM, WHEN PERMITTING AND THE DESIGNERS HAVE TO STICK WITH THOSE OPTIONS WHERE THEY DESIGN.
AND ALSO, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA FOR THE KIND OF THE EVOLUTION OF STORM WATER MANAGEMENT, I MEAN, 30 YEARS AGO, THE, THE, THE, UM, MINDSET WAS TO COLLECT THE STORM WATER AND GET IT TO A RECEIVING CHANNEL AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
UM, THINGS HAVE CHANGED WHERE NOW, UM, THE INDUSTRY IS TRYING TO, UM, RATHER THAN COLLECT IT AND GET IT SOMEPLACE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE IS TRYING TO REPLICATE THE NATURAL, UM, SYSTEMS AND GETTING IT INTO THE GROUND, UM, THROUGH DETENTION, INFILTRATION, THAT TYPE OF STUFF.
ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WE HAVE HERE THOUGH IS THE HIGH WATER TABLE AND THE, UM, THE ABILITY TO GET IT INTO THE GROUND SO THAT IT CAN, SO, UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND I GUESS HAVING THE, THE TOOLS AVAILABLE TO ADDRESS THOSE EFFECTIVELY IS KIND OF WHAT WE'RE FOR LIMITED WITH.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY COMMENTS ABOUT THIS? I THINK WE NEED TO COME BACK TO, IF I CAN QUICKLY ASK, IS THERE ANY UPDATE WE CAN HAVE FOR THE PEPSI EXPERIENCE? IT'S, IT'S MENTIONED IN HERE QUITE A BIT, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE STAND.
I'LL LET CHAIRMAN OF THE BRADS LEGACY ADDRESS THAT THEY'RE REALLY THE, RIGHT NOW THE FOCUS IS ON, UM, COMMUNICATING AND NEGOTIATING, NEGOTIATING REALLY NOT THE RIGHT WORD, UM, BUT COMMUNICATING WITH PEPSICO COORDINATION BECAUSE, YEAH, 'CAUSE UM, IN THE FEASIBILITY STUDY THAT WAS DONE ON, ON THIS, IT CAME BACK EXTREMELY POSITIVE, BUT, UM, THE MOST COMMON FEEDBACK FROM POTENTIAL DONORS WAS, WHAT'S PEPSICO GOING TO DO? SO EVERYONE WANTS TO KNOW WHAT THE, YOU KNOW, INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION'S STANCE ON THIS IS.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, FORTUNE 50 COMPANIES ARE BIGGER THAN AIRCRAFT CARRIERS AND THEY'RE VERY SLOW TO RESPOND AND, AND, UM,
[00:25:01]
ADJUST COURSE.WE'VE MADE TREMENDOUS PROGRESS IN WORKING UP THE CHAIN AND WE EXPECT TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CEO IN THE COMING MONTHS AND, AND HOPEFULLY WILL BE, UM, THEIR RESPONSE WILL LARGELY DIRECT ADAM'S LEGACY MOVING FORWARD.
THERE WILL BE A PEPSI EXPERIENCE HERE IN TOWN.
THE MAGNITUDE OF THAT IS GONNA BE SOMEWHAT DETERMINED BY THE PEPSI CO RESPONSE AND, AND WHAT THEIR LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT AND COMMITMENT IS.
I THINK WE SHOULD NOTE THOUGH, I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT PEPSICO IS INVOLVED IN THAT.
THEY DID GIVE US THE COLLECTIONS.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT THAT THEY'VE HAD ZERO, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, AND ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING TO DATE HAS BEEN VERY POSITIVE.
YES, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE INVOLVED WITH BRAD'S LEGACY FROM PEPSICO, UM, HAVE BEEN HUGELY HELPFUL IN GUIDING THIS, BUT, UM, IT'S A WORK YOUR WAY UP TO THE TOP.
YOU DON'T START AT THE TOP, YOU KNOW, YOU GOTTA GET BUY IN FROM THE DIFFERENT, UM, EXECUTIVE BOARDS AND THINGS, AND THAT'S BEEN GOING REALLY, REALLY WELL.
UM, AND IN FACT, THEY NOT ONLY HAS PEPSICO PUT FORWARD $750,000 AS KIND OF SEED MONEY FOR SOME OF THE SOFT COSTS ON THE FRONT END HELPING PAY FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, DESIGNERS AND CONSULTANTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE ESSENTIALLY DONATED SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF MAN HOURS FROM THEIR, UM, YOU KNOW, LIKE MARKETING AND DESIGN TEAM AND THINGS LIKE THAT TO PUT TOGETHER SOME, UM, BROCHURES AND THINGS THAT WE HOPE TO GO OUT WITH AS SOON AS WE UNDERSTAND PEPSICO'S POSITION.
SO WE'RE, THERE'S NO INTENTIONAL DELAY, IS JUST LETTING THAT MASSIVE ORGANIZATION DO WHAT IT DOES.
OKAY, EVERYBODY ELSE? GOOD, LET'S GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON SINCE WE'VE GOT SEVERAL THINGS TO TALK UP TO, BUT WE REALLY NEED TO, YOU KNOW, FOSTER OR KAREN TOO.
WE, WE DO NEED TO GET NEXT STEPS ON THIS REPORT.
I THINK IT'S COMPARATIVE THAT WE DO THAT MAYBE IN THE NEW YEAR THAT WE, WE'LL HAVE IT ON THE AGENDA MAYBE TO FLUSH IT OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE.
[6. Project Status Updates]
STATUS UPDATE.I ASKED FOSTER TO, YOU KNOW, WE ASKED FOR SO MANY THINGS AT THE LAST MEETING AND AS YOU CAN SEE WE FUNDED THEM, BUT WE WANT TO HAVE AN UPDATE ON WHERE EVERYTHING'S AT AND YEAH, I'LL, I'LL GIVE AN UPDATE ON ONE AND THEN GEORGE HAS THE REST OF THEM, RIGHT.
SO THE KIOSK THAT WE ORDERED DID COME IN.
UM, WE WERE GOING TO BE PUTTING ONE AT, AT THEIR PLAZA IN THE GENTLE, WHICH, BUT THE OTHER ONE RIGHT OVER HERE AT THE END OF FOUR PARK THAT'LL ACTUALLY END UP GOING AT UNI POINT PARK FOR A TEMPORARY BASIS.
BUT WE'RE GONNA PUT THEM IN AFTER THE HOLIDAY SEASON, UH, BECAUSE OF EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON IN BEAR PLAZA WOULD REALLY KIND OF TAKE AWAY FROM THAT.
SO, WE'LL, WE'LL ADDRESS THAT THE NEW YEAR, BUT THEY LOOK REALLY NICE AND WE'RE EXCITED TO UNVEIL THOSE.
GEORGE, WHAT DO YOU HAVE ON THERE? WHO'S GONNA PROGRAM THE INFORMATION? FOSTER, UH, SO WE ARE GOING TO BE PARTNERING WITH THAT WITH SWISS BEAR AND THE TDA ON THAT.
EVERYONE'S GONNA BE COMBINING THEIR RESOURCES ON THAT.
UM, ARE YOU LIKE, UM, WILL THERE BE AN ELECTRICAL SOURCE TO IT THAT WILL BE COMING FROM THE SIDE UNDERNEATH UNDERGROUND.
SO YOU'LL, THERE'LL BE SOME CONSTRUCTION AND DIGGING UP THE SIDEWALK TO, UH, HOW LONG DO YOU THINK THAT WILL TAKE? NOT LONG AT ALL.
A MONTH, PROBABLY A DAY JUST TO SAY.
UM, THE BEST THING FOR MERCHANTS WOULD BE TO HAVE THAT UP AND RUNNING FOR DECEMBER BECAUSE IT'S, SHE WOULD TAKE, YEAH, IT WOULD TAKE TOO MUCH AWAY FROM THE EXISTING, UH, ACTIVITY THAT'S GOING ON AT BEAR PLAZA.
SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE GONNA WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE HOLIDAY SEASON.
YOU'LL, YOU'LL, WHEN YOU SEE IT, YOU'LL UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHY I SAY THAT.
WELL, IF YOU'RE SAYING IT'S ONLY GONNA TAKE ONE DAY ONE DAY, YEAH.
IT, IT IS WHAT'S IN BEAR PLAZA, THAT'S WHY WE'RE NOT DOING THAT.
JUST, JUST PUTTING THAT OUT THERE.
ALRIGHT, I CAN GO, I CAN GO DOWN MY, UM, MY LIST HERE.
UM, THE BROAD STREET PARKING, UM, AT THE HERE THAT IS CURRENTLY UNDER THE DESIGN AND THEY HAD A LAST, THE LAST FEW THINGS TO, UH, CHECK ON FOR THE SPRING WATER, CHECKING SOME BOXES TODAY.
UM, AND WE SHOULD HAVE SOMETHING COMING UP NEXT MONTH.
SO FOR THE FIRST CONCEPT AND THE 90% PLAN, UM, TO GET THAT TO POINT, WE CAN PUT IT OUT TO CONTRACT, UM, THE BRICK CROSSWALK LOCATIONS.
UM, KIND OF AN UPDATE ON THAT.
SO WE HAVE CONTRACTED WITH KIMLEY HORN TO GIVE US SOME DETAILED CONSTRUCTION DETAILS.
[00:30:01]
THEY ARE ANTICIPATING HAVING THE 90% SET TO US, UH, NOVEMBER 21ST, UH, JUST SHORTLY HERE IN A FEW DAYS.UH, DECEMBER 5TH, WE'LL, UM, RETURN OUR COMMENTS, GET 'EM BACK, THEY'LL MAKE THE, MAKE THE REVISIONS AND WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE OUR FINAL SET DECEMBER 19TH, UM, FOR A COMPLETE SET OF PLANS, BUT THEN WE CAN START PUTTING OUT THE BID.
UM, AND I DO HAVE, IF YOU HAVE TIME TODAY, UM, WE HAVE GONE THROUGH SEVERAL SAMPLES FOR THE BRICK CROSSINGS.
THIS IS A SET AND I WOULD TIP 'EM OVER, BUT THEY'LL COME OUTTA THE BOX
IT'S A TUMBLED SET OF SOLID MODULAR PAPER THAT YOU CAN GET FROM A VENDOR IN KENSTON AND IT MATCHES AS CLOSE AS WE CAN FIND TO WHAT IS EXISTING ON THE BRICK CROSSWALK DOWNTOWN.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO REPLICATE KIND OF WHAT IS ALREADY IN PLACE WITH MORE OF A HISTORIC LOOK.
IT'S, UH, KIND OF A MULTI SHADED, UM, HISTORIC BRICK.
SO IT'LL COME, EACH MODULAR BRICK WILL BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT TONE, UM, IN THE SET OF FOUR OR FIVE.
BUT THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AIM INTO TO USE FOR THE CENTER WALKWAY AND WE'LL HAVE OBVIOUSLY CONCRETE EXPAND ON THOSE.
SO WE'RE HOPING TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SOMETHING NOW IN THE BID PROCESS IN JANUARY.
SO WE CAN START THIS, THIS BEGINNING OF THE FIRST PART OF THE YEAR TO START MOVING, DOING THE CONSTRUCTION.
WE'RE LOOKING AT THE FIRST INTERSECTION WOULD BE THE, UM, WOULD BE RIGHT IN FRONT OF CITY HALL.
SO CRAVEN PARK INTERSECTION WOULD BE LIKELY START, WE'LL SEE HOW LONG IT TAKES, HOW LONG CONTRACTORS TAKE IT'LL TAKE AND THE COST WHEN THEY DID THOSE TOO.
SEE HOW FAST WE CAN MOVE FROM DOWNTOWN WITH THE ONES THAT WERE PROPOSED.
GEORGE, THESE ARE GONNA BE FLUSH, UNLIKE THE ONES AT THE ENDS OF MIDDLE AND, OR I GUESS AT MIDDLE AND MIDDLE, HUH? YES.
THESE ARE FLUSH, THESE ARE NOT GONNA BE RAISED TABLETOPS.
THE PALACE, THAT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
THAT'S ACTUALLY GOT SOME OLD TROLLEY TRACKS IN IT TOO.
SO NO, OUR INTENT IS TO HAVE IT AS A, AS A BRICK SMOOTH WALKTHROUGH.
SO IT'S JUST LIKE THE ONE ON CRAIG RIGHT NOW.
SO THAT, THAT'S OUR INTENTION.
UM, KIM MENTIONED THIS IN OUR ARMREST, SO WE SHOULD, AS SOON AS WE HAVE A, A DATE THAT THEY ANTICIPATE US RECEIVING THOSE, WE'LL START, UH, WORKING ON SOME INSTALLATION.
UM, WE HAVE SCHEDULED TO START PUTTING IN SOME, SOME OF THE BENCHES HAVE BEEN RECEIVED ALREADY BY PARKS AND REC.
GOT THOSE, SO WE'VE GOTTA PUT CONCRETE PADS DOWN FOR THOSE.
UM, YOU HAVE SEEN SOME OF THE WORK ON THE, OUR GUYS PAINTING THE BALLS.
SO WE'RE WORKING OUR WAY DOWNTOWN AS FAST AS WE CAN TO GET AHEAD OF THE CHRISTMAS WRE THAT GO UP IN SEVERAL WEEKS.
SO THEY'RE ON SOUTH FRONT STREET RIGHT NOW? YEP.
SO WE, WE HAVE DONE RIGHT NOW, UM, THEY'VE DONE THE RIVER WALK ALL THE WAY FROM, FROM SOUTH FRONT INTERSECTION AT FARMER'S MARKET ALL THE WAY IN FRONT OF THE HOTELS AROUND THE CONVENTION CENTER UP TO THAT INTERSECTION.
WE'VE DONE EAST FRONT FROM SOUTH FRONT TO BROAD AND THEY'RE FINISHING A GAP.
WE HAD ABOUT A HALF BLOCK GAP ON SOUTH FRONT, UM, TODAY.
SO YOU'LL SEE THAT IN THE COMING DAYS.
JUST, JUST MORE AND MORE 'EM GET PAINTED.
THERE ARE A COUPLE THAT REQUIRE A SECOND COAT OF PAINT.
UM, THERE WERE TWO OR THREE RIGHT NEAR THE INTERSECTION SOUTH, FRONT OF EAST FRONT.
A LITTLE MORE WEATHERED AREA, A LITTLE BIT OLDER POLES THAT ARE GONNA NEED NO CODE.
SO, UM, DON'T, DON'T THINK WE'RE DONE JUST 'CAUSE YOU SEE ONE COAT ON SOME OF THESE, SOME OF THESE LIGHT BULBS AND THEN THE INTERCOURSE.
SO PROVIDED TO YOU
SO THE STREET IMPROVEMENT PLAN SIDEWALK? OH YES, YOU TALK ABOUT THAT.
SO, SO WE DID, UH, WE DID AN ESTIMATE, UM, BASED OFF OF, UH, RECENT CONTRACTED WORK AND THE LIMITED FOOTAGE OF THOSE SIDEWALKS.
SO IT'S APPROXIMATELY $50,000 ASIDE TO GO FROM CRAVEN TO EAST FRONT AND THAT, SO A HUNDRED THOUSAND TO DO THAT WHOLE BLOCK AND 200 BLOCK FOR THE FIVE FOOT SIDEWALK EXPOSED ACCIDENT.
UM, I WILL, I WILL SAY THAT SIDEWALK HAD BEEN DONE IN 2011, 2012 WITH THE TOOL CONCRETE.
SO THAT'S WHAT'S ON THE GROUND RIGHT NOW.
AND SO THAT WILL BE REMOVED AND THE EXPOSED AGGREGATE, WE PUT THIS PLACE IF Y'ALL DECIDE THAT'S THE PROJECT THAT YOU WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT.
SO LET'S HAVE SOME DISCUSSION.
SO WE CAN EITHER GIVE DIRECTION OR NOT.
OF COURSE THE ARGUMENT HAVE THE
[00:35:01]
FINAL SAY, BUT ANYBODY HAVE ANY COMMENTS ABOUT THIS? IT IS THE CURRENT SIDEWALK.IS THE CURRENT ONE FIVE FEET OR WOULD IT BE WIDENED? IT IT IS FIVE FEET RIGHT NOW.
WE REALLY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF ROOM TO WIDEN IT, UH, DUE TO EXISTING LANDSCAPE DRIVEWAYS.
UM, SOME OF THE DARK HOMES THAT FENCES OR BULKHEADS, THE PROPERTY LINE IS RIGHT ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE SIDEWALK AND LOT LOCATIONS THAT WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF ROOM TO, TO ADJUST THAT WITH.
WHAT IS EXPOSED TO AGGREGATE? THAT'S THE ONE WHERE YOU SEE THE STEIN.
IF YOU GO DOWN HANCOCK STREET, HANCOCK'S GOT SOME UP, SOME MY BRAIN SAID GRAVEL.
UM, THE ROOM GRAVEL TO SMOOTH, SMOOTH OFF.
IS THIS SINCE YOU'RE THE, SINCE YOU'RE THE RESIDENT ON THAT STREET, THIS MEET YOUR APPROVAL OR IS THIS YEAH, IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE WIDENED.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE THAT BLOCK BELONGS MORE TO THE DOWNTOWN, BUT THAT'S NOT INCLUDING THEN GOING ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE RIVER.
THE HUNDRED BLOCK, RIGHT? YEAH, THERE, THEY'RE CURRENT, WE WE'VE SEEN CURRENT PLANS FOR SOME CONSTRUCTION DOWN THERE ON THAT CORNER AND I WOULD HATE TO GO INSTALL SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE
I HAVE KIND OF A BASIC QUESTION.
HAVE THESE PROJECTS ALREADY BEEN APPROVED BY THE ALMAN? NO.
THAT'S, WE GIVE, UH, WE ARE BASICALLY, WE ARE DIRECTING THE RECOMMENDATION FOSTER IF WE APPROVE AND THEN HE WOULD CARRY IT TO THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN TO SAY MSD HAS APPROVED THIS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD? BUT THEY HAVEN'T BEEN APPROVED YET.
NO, BUT WE'RE STILL NO, NO, NO, NO.
THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW.
SO ALL OF THIS ON THIS HAS BEEN APPROVED? CORRECT.
PRETTY SURE PRETTY, WE WERE PRETTY SURE, BUT WE WEREN'T HUNDRED PERCENT YES.
WE DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY OR ABILITY TO, I KNOW.
DIDN'T WANNA GET THE CAR BEFORE THE HORSE.
THERE'S A, UH, DID DID ANY OF THE APPROVED BOND FUNDS, UM, APPLY TO, AH, BIG QUESTION.
YEAH, I DON'T THINK THEY WILL.
NO, NOT NOT FOR THESE SIDEWALKS.
THE SIDEWALKS ARE CURRENTLY IN, IN GOOD CONDITION.
AND SO THE INTENT OF THE STREETS AND SIDEWALKS IS TO ADDRESS WHERE WE HAVE NEEDS AND THAT'S, THAT'S NOT A NEED WITH THESE SIDEWALKS DOWN HERE ON POLL STREET.
SO WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THIS GROUP IN GIVING DIRECTION TO FOSTER? I, I LIKE IT.
I, I MAKE A MOTION TO PRESENT IT TO THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN.
GET AS TO EXTEND THE 200 BLOCK
ILL SECOND DAVE, I THINK SECOND.
SO IT'S UH, MOTIONS ON THE FLOOR FOR, UH, TO GIVE FOSTER DIRECTIONS TO TAKE THIS TO THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN FOR FUNDING.
UM, AND BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO INNER CORE, JUST AN UPDATE.
UM, WE BENCHES THE RAILINGS, I MEAN ALL OF THE OTHER STUFF THAT WE TALKED ABOUT AT THE LAST, UM, THE HANGING PLANTERS OF ALL THAT STUFF IS IN PROCESS.
JUST WANNA MAKE, WE ORDERED, WE ORDERED ONE AS A SAMPLE, SO THEY'RE GONNA BE PUTTING THAT IN.
IT'LL BE IN THE WINTER SEASON WHEN THAT WINTER TO PUT IN A SIGNIFICANT AREA.
AND THE REPLACEMENT BANNERS, IF THEY COME IN, YOU ORDERED REPLACEMENT BANNERS, SAID WE WILL HAVE THE REPLACEMENT BANNERS.
WE HAVE THEM IN THERE GETTING SCREENED, PRINTED.
SO WE'RE GONNA INSTALL THEM AFTER CHRISTMAS.
ONCE THE DOWN, WHAT WILL THE TRASH CANS BE INSTALLED? WE'VE GOT A, UM, PROBABLY AREA WE LOOKING DO GOOD SLABS.
UM, LIKELY A LOT OF THOSE WOULD BE SIMILAR LOCATIONS OR SOMEWHERE ADJACENT TO, SO.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE, UM, PROJECT STATUS UPDATES THAT WE'VE JUST BEEN TALKING ABOUT? I'M JUST CURIOUS HOW MANY ARMRESTS WERE ORDERED.
IT'S LIKE, WHY ARE THE ARMRESTS MORE EXPENSIVE THAN BENCHES? THESE ARE FROM VICTOR STANLEY, THE MANUFACTURER THAT MAKES THE ROAD IRON BENCHES AND THEY'VE ONLY PRODUCED THESE WHEN BY ONE.
IT, IT IS JUST REALLY A LOT FOR JUST OUR BENCHES.
BUT ANYWAY, HOW MANY IT GIVES YOU ABOUT 50 50 OF 'EM.
IT SAID, UM, ONE COMMENT A UM, ANOTHER RESIDENT, THIS GUY CELL SORT OF POINT THAT IF, UM, WHEN THEY'RE PLACED ALONG THE, THE RIVER WALK, IF SOME COULD BE PLACED IN THE SHADE AND SOME IN THE SUN, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT IS ANY CONSIDERATION WHEN YOU PLACE THEM.
[00:40:01]
IT.I MEAN, IT'S JUST LIKE THE PLACEMENT MOW OF THE TREES.
YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T THINK ABOUT THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WE, WE TAKE ALL THAT IN CONSIDERATION BEFORE WE, BEFORE WE, UH, TRY THIS FALLS ON YOUR LAP BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA GET THE PHONE CALL.
PUBLIC WORK WILL HAVE TO CLEAN THE BENCHES AFTER THE BIRDS
THAT POSITION THAT WAS FUNDED FOR CLEANUP.
[7. Inner core Update]
OKAY, LET'S MOVE ALONG TO THE INTER COURT UPDATE.UM, YOU GOT IT, UM, IN YOUR, UM, EMAIL SAYING, BUT, UM, FOSTER, YOU WANNA TURN IT OVER TO GEORGE? YES.
WE WE'RE KIND AT A POINT AS Y'ALL, Y'ALL WERE TALKING ABOUT ALL THESE OTHER, UM, DISNEY IDEAS OVER THE LAST 34 YEARS.
AND WE'RE STILL BACK TO A CONCEPT.
AND THIS IS JUST A CONCEPT, GENERALIZATION OF GENERAL LOCATION WHERE WE ANTICIPATE IMPROVEMENT.
IT IS ALL WITHIN CITY PROPERTY.
UM, SO, SO YOU'VE GOT A WALKWAY, A POTENTIAL AREA FOR AN ADDITIONAL GAZEBO WOULD MATCH UP WITH THE ONE IN IN BEAR PLAZA.
NOW, UM, SOME TYPE OF PLANNING STRUCTURE THAT WOULD FIT IN THERE.
SO WE HAVE TO ACCOMMODATE A DA REQUIREMENTS AND PARKING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, WE HAVE A LOADING ZONE TO ONE SIDE.
SINCE WE WIDENING THE WIDTH OF THAT EXISTING CONCRETE ISLAND, WE WOULD NEED TO UNCOVER SOME OF THE EXISTING PERPENDICULAR OR, UM, ANGLE PARKING, THE CROSSWALKS.
THESE ARE JUST TO SHOW YOU WHERE THEY'RE GOING.
THEY'RE JUST KIND OF A CONCEPT OF WHERE THEY'RE GOING.
MAYBE NOT ACTUALLY THE MATERIAL.
THEY MAY END UP BEING BRICK CROSSWALKS, UM, SIMILAR TO WHAT'S DOWNTOWN.
UM, AND, AND WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING, UM, IN THE REPORT.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE AT A POINT WHERE WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO ENGAGE A CIVIL FIRM TO START DESIGNING.
SO, SO AGAIN, THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR QUITE A WHILE AND WE NEED TO LOOK AT MAKING A RECOMMENDATION TO THE GOVERNING BOARD AND UM, WE'VE GOT IT BLOWN UP HERE AS WELL.
GEORGE, IF YOU WANT TO WALK OVER THERE AND AT LEAST WALK THROUGH THAT ON, ON SOME OF THE AMENITIES, THE WIDTH OF THE WALKWAY AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, SO WE'VE GOT, WE'RE WE'RE SHOWING, UM, ABOUT A NINE FOOT WIDE LOADING ZONE.
AND THEN WE HAVE INCREASED, YOU'RE FIVE AND A HALF FEET OF SIDEWALK ON EITHER SIDE, AT LEAST ON THIS PROPOSED DRAWING WITH SOME TYPE OF FIVE FOOT WIDE PLANE THAT MAY, MAY OR MAY NOT EXTEND THE WHOLE WAY.
IT MAY BE INDIVIDUAL PLANTERS.
UM, YOU KNOW, JUST AS, AS THAT GETS WORKED OUT, UM, THIS WOULD BE THE, A POTENTIAL LOCATION FOR A GAZEBO TO MATCH SIMILAR TO THE ONE IN BEAR PLAZA.
UM, HOW MANY LIGHTS, HOW MANY LIGHTS IN THAT? UM, WELL WE'VE GOT, WE'VE GOT SHOWN HERE SOME, SOME IMPROVED AREA LIGHTS AND THEN AREA LIGHTS THERE THEY'RE SHOWING ON HERE AND ON YOUR, THE ONES THAT YOU'VE GOT IN YOUR HAND OUT, JUST, UH, GENERAL LOCATIONS OF PUTTING SOME IMPROVED LIGHTING IN THERE.
AND WE HAVE JUST BOXED IN THIS AREA FOR IS ON CITY PROPERTY, WHETHER THAT IS UP BEING SOME TYPE OF COMPACTOR, MULTIPLE CANS.
IT JUST GIVES THE GENERAL IDEA OF THE GENERAL LOCATION.
THAT'S WHERE OUR INTENT IS IN SOME ORIENTATION.
SO THIS IS JUST TO GET US TO A STARTING POINT TO THEN REACH OUT, TO START GETTING SOME REAL PLANS TO PUT TOGETHER TO GET TO THAT END POINT OF BUSINESS.
WE GET CONSTRUCTED AND CONNECTING FROM THE, THE BRICK WALKWAY IN BETWEEN WHERE THE PARKING IS TO GO ALL THE WAY OVER TO BEAR PLAZA, THAT WOULD ALL BE BRICK, BRICK WALKWAY CONNECTING.
WOULD IT BE FLUSH OR IT BE A TABLE? UM, WITH THE PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC THAT I WOULD ANTICIPATE COMING THROUGH THERE.
IT MIGHT NOT BE A BAD IDEA TO DO TABLETOPS IN THERE.
THEY WOULD BE WIDER THAN, THEY'RE NOT SPEED BUMPS THERE DOWN THERE.
UM, EVEN WIDER THAN WHAT IS DOWN AT THE HOTEL.
THE MIDDLE IT, YOU PROBABLY HAVE A 10 FOOT DECK ON IT AND INSIDE SLOPE ALSO SUNDOWN OF THE TRACTOR.
ARE YOU LOOKING FOR FEEDBACK AT THIS POINT OR ARE YOU JUST LOOKING TO GO TO SOMEONE TO GET THEM TO BRING SOMETHING FORWARD? WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING FOR PROJECT FEEDBACK.
THE, THE GOAL IS IF, IF YOU LIKE THIS, WE'RE, WE'RE READY TO PRESENT TO THE GOVERNING BOARD SO THEN STAFF CAN CAN CONTRACT WITH, WITH AN ENGINEER TO GO AHEAD AND DO THAT.
IT'S NOT GONNA COME BACK TO THIS GROUP TO, TO NITPICK THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
WHAT THIS PROJECT ITSELF, NOW WE NEED NITPICK.
SO IF YOU WANT TO NITPICK, BUT AGAIN, I'M TELLING YOU, THIS HAS BEEN KICKED DOWN THE
[00:45:01]
CURVE FOR, FOR A LONG TIME.BUT I THINK THAT THERE SHOULD BE A, A FEW PLACES THAT CONNECT THE TWO SIDES, THE TWO FIVE FOOT WALKWAYS, PEOPLE WILL STEP THROUGH THAT AREA.
SO I WOULD NOT HAVE IT PLANTED A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE WAY.
SO THERE'S A KNIT, I WOULD THINK I WOULD CONNECT THE BRICKS AND, YOU KNOW, TWO TO FOUR LOCATIONS THAT WOULD BE PEDESTRIAN AND ACCESS BACK AND FORTH.
I ALSO THINK THERE SHOULD BE SOME SEATING AREAS, BENCHES SOMEWHERE HERE.
AND MY LAST QUESTION IS, I THINK THAT SIDEWALK TO NOWHERE COMING AS IT'S ORIENTED NOW COMING DOWN FROM THE CIRCULAR TREE.
YEAH, I, I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT WOULD BE A PURPOSE OF THAT.
IT DOESN'T GO ANYWHERE AND I THINK IT WOULD BE, IF ANYTHING, IT'D BE BETTER FOR TRAFFIC TO BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, COMPLETE THE CIRCLE AND EXIT BACK OUT.
IS THERE A COST ESTIMATE FOR THIS? IS IT WITHIN WHAT WE HAVE TO SPEND AND WHAT WOULD IT BE? OUR GENERAL THOUGHT WHEN WE FIRST STARTED TALKING ABOUT CONCEPT PLAN WAS PING SOMEONE AROUND SEVEN 50,000 FOR THE WHOLE THING.
NOW THAT WOULD INCLUDE RESURFACING AND STRIKING.
IT'S NOT JUST GONNA BE THIS, WE GOTTA WATER, WE GOTTA RUN WATER AND ELECTRIC AND ALL OF THAT TO HERE.
DRAINAGE, WE'RE GONNA, YOU KNOW, THERE'S POTENTIAL THAT WE HAVE TO REDO SOME OF THE DRAINAGE TO INCORPORATE NEW STRUCTURES.
I I THINK THAT THE PEDESTRIAN CROSSWAYS THERE SHOULD ABSOLUTELY BE DONE IN A BRICK LIKE MATERIAL THE WAY WE'RE DOING ON THE ROADWAYS.
SO THAT, I MEAN THAT'S LIKE A NO BRAINER TO ME.
I WOULD SAY, UM, YOU KNOW, NONE OF DOWNTOWN WOULD'VE GOTTEN DONE IF IT HADN'T HAVE BEEN FOR LEVERAGE.
YOU KNOW, WE BORROWED THE MONEY, WE DID IT, WE WERE ABLE TO PAY.
I'D RATHER DO THIS PROJECT AND DO IT RIGHT.
NOT SAYING, WELL WE ONLY HAVE A SEVEN 50 BUDGET, YOU KNOW, GET THE WATER RIGHT, GET THE ELECTRIC RIGHT.
MAKE SURE WE HAVE PLENTY OF LIGHTING.
WE'RE ABLE TO CLEAN DOWN THE AREAS WHERE THE TRASH ARE.
WE MIGHT NEED MORE THAN ONE WATER SPIGOT.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SOME KIND OF SOMETHING UNDERNEATH THAT FRONT GAZEBO ON, UH, CRAVEN STREET TO HOUSE THE, UM, GREG SMITH, UH, SCULPTURE THAT WAS PLANNED FOR THERE MANY, MANY YEARS AGO.
AND, UM, I SAY, LET'S DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO AND LET'S DO IT RIGHT.
THIS IS OUR ONE OPPORTUNITY TO DO IT RIGHT.
AND IF WE HAVE TO BORROW THE MONEY, WE'VE GOT THE MONEY THEN TO MAKE THE PAYMENTS.
WE'VE DONE THAT FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS AND THE, WE'VE REAPED THE BENEFIT OF BEING ABLE, WE WOULD'VE NEVER GOTTEN THE SIDEWALKS IF WE HAD TO WAIT TO HAVE SOME MONEY OR THEY SCALED BACK DOING.
AND, AND YOU KNOW, ANOTHER PROJECT WE'RE GONNA HAVE DOWN THE LINE WE NEED TO LOOK AT IS ALL THAT UNDERGROUND INFRASTRUCTURE IS OUTDATED.
WE CAN'T GET GOOD INTERNET SERVICE DOWN HERE BECAUSE OF IT.
AND WE'VE GOT ALL KINDS OF ISSUES.
SO THAT'S, THOSE ARE THE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS THAT SOMETIMES THE CITY ISN'T WILLING TO TAKE ON THAT MSD HAS TO TAKE ON.
MS. JESS, I THINK WE'RE GONNA, UH, CALL SOME ATTENTION TO THE LOADING ZONE.
IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE THINKING OF, OF A, ONE OF THE 14 WHEEL VEHICLES COMING BACK THERE, IT'S NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO NAVIGATE INTO THAT SPOT THAT'S DRAWN.
SO, SO THE LOADING ZONE IS, IS NOT GONNA BE USED BY THE TRUCKS THAT ACTUALLY USE, USE THAT SPACE.
SO I THINK, I THINK IF YOU'RE GOING TO PLAN THIS, YOU NEED TO PLAN WHERE THE TRUCKS GO.
AND IF YOU DON'T INCLUDE ON STREET LOADING AT THIS POINT TO INCORPORATE THAT INTO THIS WHOLE PLAN AND YOU'RE REALLY MISSING A, A OPPORTUNITY.
SO, SO BLOCKING, BLOCKING THE CRAVEN STREET, UM, PARKING LOT SIDE OR MAYBE TEMPORARY SIX O'CLOCK TO 10 O'CLOCK OR ON STREET LOADING AND PREVENT THOSE LARGE TRUCKS FROM GOING IN THE BACK.
UM, NOW SMALLER TRUCKS AND SERVICE VEHICLES THAT ARE, THAT ARE THERE TO DO HVAC AND THOSE KIND OF THINGS CAN PARK IN THE SPACE THAT'S DESIGNED.
BUT THE BIG LOADING TRUCKS THAT COME IN, THE BEARD TRUCKS AND THE FOOD TRUCKS THAT COME BACK THERE WON'T BE ABLE TO USE THAT SPACE.
SO THEY'LL STILL BE PARKING RANDOMLY, UM, BLOCKING THE NAVIGATION OF VEHICLES THROUGH THAT SPACE.
SO YOU HAVE TO ADDRESS THE ON STREET, UM, PARKING WHEN THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN SO THAT LOADING CAN OCCUR.
JUST 'CAUSE WE HAVE THIS LOADING ZONE RIGHT HERE DOES NOT MEAN THAT ANY OF THE ON STREET IS GONNA GO AWAY.
WE SEE HOW IT IS ON P*****K STREET, CRAVEN STREET, MIDDLE STREET.
AND SO YEAH, WE'LL BE ADDRESSING THAT.
I THINK YOU MAKE A GREAT POINT THAT DO IT FROM, I MEAN MIDNIGHT UNTIL 10:00 AM RIGHT.
AND, AND, AND, UM, THAT SHOULD WORK.
AND THEN THE RESTAURANTS CAN COORDINATE WITH THE DELIVERY COMPANIES THAT YOU WILL DELIVER, YOU KNOW, BEFORE 10:00 AM OR THERE'S NO PLACE TO PARK OR YOU WILL GET A TICKET.
[00:50:01]
MOST USUALLY, SOMETIMES THE ONLY PROBLEM IS, I I EXPERIENCE MORE LIKE THE BEER AND WINE.THE BEER AND WINE FOLKS, THEY TEND TO COME SOMETIMES RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF LUNCH.
BUT IF WE, IF THERE'S A CITY RESTRICTION, THEY TEND TO LEARN PRETTY QUICK THAT THEY WANT THE MONEY IN SALES AND THEY'RE GONNA ADAPT THEIR, THEIR LOGISTICS.
IS THAT POSSIBLE TO HAVE AN ORDINANCE? TREY, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO ANSWER THIS TOO.
AN ORDINANCE THAT RESTRICTS DELIVERIES ON STREET DELIVERIES BETWEEN A CERTAIN HOUR AND JUST, TO ME, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOTHING WORSE THAN TRYING TO COME DOWN THE STREET AND YOU GOT A FEDEX AND YOU KNOW, THEN YOU GOT UPS, THEN YOU GOT ANOTHER TRUCK DELIVERING.
PEOPLE CAN'T GET INTO PARKING SPACE.
WELL, I'M SURE A LOT OF US HAVE BEEN IN NEW NEW ORLEANS.
THEY DO ALL THEIR DELIVERIES IN THE MORNING AND THOSE STREETS ARE CLEAN AND SWEPT UP IN THE MORNING.
IF YOU, IF YOU'RE UP THAT EARLY AND WALK AROUND, THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD HELP US TO NAVIGATE SOME OF THAT.
I'VE SEEN PEOPLE STANDING ON THE CORNER DRINKING BEER WHEN THAT'S GOING
THE OTHER, THE OTHER, UH, CONCERN IS WHERE THE TRASH IS NOW DELINEATED.
IT'S GOT FOUR WALLS AROUND IT.
UM, HOW, UM, IS THERE GOING TO BE A GATE OR GAGE WITH THAT? ARE THOSE RAISED WALLS OR THAT'LL ALL BE DEVELOPED IN THIS PLAN? I MEAN THAT VISUAL IMPACT.
WE WANT IT TO BE TOTALLY ENCLOSED.
SO MY MY CONCERN IS WITH TOTAL ENCLOSURE, UM, IF THERE'S A GATE INVOLVED, IF THAT GATE HAS TO SWING WIDE ENOUGH TO LET A TRUCK, UM, GO IN AND REMOVE A DUMPSTER, THAT GATE'S GONNA HAVE TO BE CLOSED.
AND SO, SO RIGHT NOW THE DUMPSTER DOORS DON'T GET CLOSED.
A GATE ITSELF IS NOT GOING TO BE CLOSED EITHER BY THE, THE MEN AND WOMEN THAT BRING THE TRASH DURING THE DAY OR NIGHTTIME.
THEY'RE A LITTLE HESITANT OR REPRESENT TO CLOSE A GATE.
UM, UH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE UH, PROBABLY GOING TO LEAVE THAT GATE OPEN.
IF THE GATE IS LEFT OPEN AND IT'S LARGE ENOUGH TO LET A DUMPSTER BE BE REMOVED BY A TRUCK, THAT GATE IS GONNA BLOCK TRAFFIC.
SO IF THE GATE IS OPEN AND NOT CLOSED COMPLETELY TRAFFIC IS GONNA BE IMPEDED.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE EITHER A, A, A, A ROLLING GATE THAT ONLY LETS ONE DUMPSTER BE EXPOSED, OR YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A GATE THAT HAS, UH, CHRONICALLY LEFT AND IMPEDES TRAFFIC.
SO, SO IT'S A CONCERN IF IT'S GONNA OPEN INTO THE PARKING LOT.
JIM, I BELIEVE IN THE DESIGN, AND DAVE, YOU COULD TELL US, IT CAN HAVE LIKE A OPENING WHERE INSTEAD OF THE GATE YOU COULD PUT THE, THE, THAT THAT WAS WITH THE COMPACT.
THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD LOOK AT IS, IS THE COMPACT.
'CAUSE IT COULD HANDLE THAT MUCH MORE.
THIS IS LAUNCHING TO THE ALDERMAN SO IT LEAVES OUR HANDS.
BUT OUR RECOMMENDATION, I WOULD THINK WOULD BE THE COMPACTOR BECAUSE IT COULD HOLD THAT MUCH.
THERE WAS MORE, AND IT SLIDES OUT EASY.
YOU CAN LEAVE THAT LITTLE WINDOW SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO PULL THE GATE AND THEN IT SLIDES OUT THIS WAY.
SO I JUST DON'T SEE A COMPACTOR ON THERE.
AND IT, IT WOULD'VE TO BE CONFIGURED DIFFERENT.
AND, AND, AND THIS IS JUST GENERAL, JUST A SPACE DESIGN TO SHOW THAT THIS, OUR INTENT IS TO UTILIZE CITY PROPERTY SOMEWHERE UP IN THIS CORNER.
NOW WHETHER IT IS A COMPACTOR THAT REQUIRES HANDLING, IF THERE'S WALL DOORS FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE UTILIZING THE, THE CANISTERS, THEN THAT'LL ALL BE DEVELOPED IN THAT PLAN.
AND, AND I GUESS IT WOULD JUST, I THINK THE POINT THAT'S BEING MADE IS THAT THIS GROUP SPENT A LOT OF TIME, WE HAD A TRASH COMMITTEE AND A DUMPSTER COMMITTEE.
AND THE OUTCOME OF THAT, I THINK THERE WAS A STRONG BIAS TOWARD A COMPACTOR AND IF THAT REQUIRED ANGLING OR WHATEVER TO ACCOMMODATE IT.
AND I THINK IT HAD TO GO MORE LENGTHWISE AND WIDTHWISE, WHATEVER THIS GROUP'S POWERFUL RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO GO THAT DIRECTION, I THINK.
AM I SAYING THAT RIGHT? MM-HMM.
I I HAVE A QUESTION ALONG THOSE LINES, JOHN.
SO THE OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS WE'VE MADE HAVE BEEN FAIRLY SPECIFIC ABOUT TYPES OF BRICK AND WHERE THERE'LL BE AND ALL THESE THINGS.
IS THE CITY LOOKING FOR RECOMMENDATION NOW THAT'S LESS THAN THAT FOR THIS? IS IT JUST GO FORWARD AND DO IT? OR ARE YOU LOOKING, DO YOU WANT THIS COMMITTEE TO HAVE ONE MORE CHANCE AT GIVING THE DETAILS AND AGREEING ON THINGS SO THAT, WELL, AGAIN, MORE DIRECTION.
AGAIN, THIS COMMITTEE IS NOT A DESIRE.
THIS COMMITTEE, THE GOAL OF THIS COMMITTEE IS TO COME UP WITH RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE GOVERNING BOARD.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
AND IF ANY OTHER COMMENTS YOU WANNA MAKE, DEFINITELY AS WE'RE WORKING WITH, WITH THE ENGINEERS ON THIS, WE'LL WE'LL DEFINITELY CONSIDER THOSE THINGS.
BUT IT'S TIME TO BRING SOMETHING TO THE GOVERNING BOARD.
ARE YOU LOOKING TO BRING SOMETHING THAT HAS A LEVEL OF DETAIL SPECIFIC, HAVE THESE OTHER THINGS HAVE, OR ARE YOU JUST SAYING WE NEED SOMETHING NOW, WHATEVER.
IT'S, I'M SATISFIED WITH THE PLAN THAT WE HAVE ON THERE TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT THAT TO THE GOVERNING BOARD WITH AN ESTIMATED BUDGET.
AND AFTER THE SECTIONS GET DESIGNED, WE MAY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THOSE DETAILS.
WE JUST NEED TO GET IT TO THE DESIGNERS IS WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, RIGHT? SURE, SURE.
WE HAVE A YEAH, WE HAVE NO PROBLEM MADE.
[00:55:01]
WHAT I WANT TO TELL YOU, WHEN IT COMES TO THE TRASH ITSELF, THERE ARE A LOT OF OPINIONS ON THAT.ULTIMATELY WITH A TRASH COMPACTOR, THE INFO TRASH COMPACTOR IS PUT RIGHT THERE.
THE END USERS ARE GONNA BE PAYING FOR THAT.
THE CITY AND THE MSD WILL NOT BE.
AND SO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THAT, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO BE BROUGHT TO THE TABLE.
THAT'S WHEN PUBLIC WORKS WILL, WILL, WILL HAVE A MEETING WITH THOSE FOLKS TO SEE, HEY, ARE YOU GUYS WILLING TO PAY THE EXTRA, WHATEVER THAT COULD BE, UH, AS OPPOSED TO THE, THE DUMPSTER PICKUP NOW.
SO A LOT OF THINGS HAVE TO COME INTO PLAY ON THAT PART.
AND IT'S NOT FOR THIS COMMITTEE.
WE KNOW GOT GOT THE IDEA OF WHAT, WHAT YOU ARE WANTING TO DO, BUT WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD.
I THINK WE COULD SAY THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, IF WE PREFER A TRASH COMPACTOR THAT HAS A COAT ON IT, YOU KNOW SURE.
WE PREFER MORE HISTORIC LOOKING BRICK OR BRICK THAT WOULD BE MORE AMENABLE AND DRIVING.
WE, WE PREFER TO HAVE A GAZEBO ON BOTH SIDES.
WE PREFER TO HAVE, WE, WE DON'T LIKE ALL THAT CONCRETE NEXT TO THAT TREE.
MAYBE CUT THAT OFF AND MAKE IT, YOU KNOW, THINNER THERE.
I THINK THOSE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS WE SHOULD SEE.
IT'S NOT DETAILS, IT'S JUST SAYING THAT, IS THAT CORRECT? AGAIN, WE COULD SPEND, WE COULD SPEND A WHOLE OTHER YEAR DOING THIS.
WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD.
BUT, BECAUSE HERE'S WHAT I CAN TELL YOU, YOU'VE GOT A CITY MANAGER, YOU'VE GOT A PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, YOU'VE GOT AN DERMAN ELECT WHO, WHO'S BEEN TO EVERY ONE OF THESE MEETINGS THAT I CAN PROMISE YOU WE'VE TAKEN A LOT OF NOTES YES.
AND IF, AND IF YOU THINK WE'RE NOT GONNA PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU SAID, THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
'CAUSE EVERYTHING WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO THIS OKAY.
BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA HEAR ABOUT IT MORE IF YOU DON'T.
WAS THERE, WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THE, UM, ANOMALY WITH THE SURVEY BACK THERE WHERE THERE'S THAT LITTLE PIECE THAT IS ISOLATED THAT'S OWNED BY THE CITY? YEAH.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PARKING SPACES FOR THE CONDOS.
THE CITY'S GOING, I I FOSTER, CORRECT ME IF I'M, WE'RE GONNA USE EVERY BIT OF OUR OWN USING OWN PROPERTY, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO MOVE THEIR CARS BACK A LITTLE BIT FURTHER.
SO THAT THERE, THERE'S ACTUALLY MORE ROOM BACK THERE.
AND IT SHOWS IT ON THE, THE BACK OF THAT BOX THERE.
V DIDN'T YOU QUICKLY CLAIM THAT
DO YOU WANNA MAKE ANY COMMENTS? RE I HOW DO YOU FEEL I HAVE THIS DERMAN LUCKY READY TO MOVE THIS FORWARD.
I, I HEARD, I I HAVE COME TO THESE MEETINGS, UH, SINCE YOU STARTED THE, IN I THINK IT WAS FEBRUARY OR MARCH OF THIS YEAR.
SO I'VE COME TO ALL OF THIS YEAR'S MEETINGS.
UM, I HAVE TALKED TO A LOT OF YOU INDIVIDUALLY ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN DEBATED IN THIS COMMITTEE AND OUTSIDE THIS COMMITTEE, SINCE MY UNDERSTANDING IS 2007.
UM, I, I AM READY TO GET STARTED ON IT AS A PHASE ONE FOR SOME OF THE LARGER VISIONARY IDEAS THAT YOU ALL HAVE PROFFERED.
BUT WE'VE GOT TO GET IT TO THE BOARD, GET IT VOTED ON, GET IT MOVING SO THAT WE CAN EXPAND IT OUT IF THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO DO.
SO I'M, I'M READY FOR YOU ALL TO RECOMMEND IT SO THAT I CAN SAY IT WAS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDED BY THE MSD.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION? YEAH, WE WILL.
I HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION BEFORE YOU DO THAT, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
THERE WAS A WHOLE, I WANNA MAKE SURE THE MOTION WOULD, ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE MAKE TOO, DOES THAT NEED TO BE A PUBLIC STATEMENT OF THAT ABOUT THE PARKING? THAT IT WILL GO TO KIOSK PARKING AND THAT, BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA BE LOSING THE PARKING, YOU KNOW, ON THAT SIDE, YOU CAN MAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION.
THAT'S GONNA REALLY BE UP TO THE ALDER UNDERST AND OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH THE GOVERNING BOARD ON THAT.
BUT YOU, YOU ARE WELCOME TO MAKE THAT BECAUSE THAT'S THE BIG ISSUE.
YEAH, IT'S THE BIG ISSUE BACK THERE.
THAT'S WHY I
I'M JUST GONNA MAKE A MOTION THAT WE RECOMMEND THIS WITH THE KNITS THAT HAVE BEEN TOSSED OUT ON, YOU KNOW, CONNECTORS AND PAVERS FOR THE WALKWAYS AND ELIMINATING THAT LOWER SIDEWALK AND THOSE OTHER KNITS.
I THINK SOMEONE GOT NOTES ON 'EM.
UM, I RECOMMEND THAT WE MOVE THAT TO THE BOARD OF WALGREEN SECOND.
UM, AND SINCE YOU DIDN'T SPECIFICALLY SAY IT, CAN I MAKE AN AMENDMENT? BUT I CAN'T 'CAUSE I'M THE CHAIR, RIGHT? I CAN'T MAKE THE AMENDMENT ABOUT THE PARKING.
THERE'S A MOTION TO SECOND CALL THE VOTE.
NOBODY WANTS TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT.
SO I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
I'M GONNA FEEL SO BAD NOT CALLING IT TRASH CLOSET ANYMORE.
[01:00:02]
OKAY, LET'S MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM, WHICH IS[8. Approve Dates for 2026 MSD Advisory Board Meetings]
APPROVE THE DATES FOR THE 2026 MEETING.UM, FOSTER HAS COME UP WITH THESE, HAVE YOU VERIFIED THE AVAILABILITY OF THE SPACE? THESE DATES AS PRESENTED ARE AVAILABLE? YES.
SO YOU SEE FE FEBRUARY 17TH, MAY 19TH, AUGUST 18TH, AND OCTOBER 27TH.
SO I JUST NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS PLEASE.
NIKKI AND JOHNNY, ROB, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.
[9. MSD New Project Proposals]
MANAGER, DO WE HAVE ANY, UH, DO WE HAVE ANY NEW M MSS D PROJECT PROPOSALS? WE HAVE NONE THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED THROUGH, THROUGH THE, UH, PORTAL, BUT I THINK, UH, JUDGE ROBINSON HAS A COMMENT HE'D LIKE TO MAKE.YEAH, I HAVE, I HAVE A SMALL ONE.
UM, I GOING TO BRING UP, AND FOSTER AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT IT AND I'VE TALKED ABOUT IT WITH KAREN AS WELL.
UH, SO IN MARCH OF 2026, NEWBURN IS GOING TO HOST THE MAIN STREET CONFERENCE FOR THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA.
ANTICIPATE, WHAT'S THE DATE EXACTLY? MARCH 10TH THROUGH 12TH.
SO IT WAS LIKE A MONDAY THROUGH, IT'S TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY.
TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY, HALF OF THURSDAY.
SO THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK WE ARE GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE COMING TO DUB FROM ALL OVER THE STATE.
PROBABLY ABOUT ROUNDED UP TO A THOUSAND PEOPLE.
MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT MORE, WHO KNOWS, COMING ALL THROUGH DOWNTOWN.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, THAT UM, MAIN STREET DOES IS THEY ALLOCATE SWISS BEAR SLASH CITY OF NEWBURGH TO PUT THIS EVENT ON.
THERE'S A LOT OF COST TO GO ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
THE STATE DOESN'T PAY FOR IT AND, AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR FUNDS.
UM, AND SO I WOULD MAKE THEM, UM, I'M COMING TO THIS BOARD TO TALK ABOUT AND MAKE A MOTION THAT WE PROVIDE $5,000 TO PROVIDE FUNDS TO MARKET AND PROMOTE DOWNTOWN
I'VE GOT A QUESTION I'M LOOKING FOR.
I'M LOOKING FOR MY, UM, THE STATUTE.
SO YOU ASKING WHAT IS THE COST? AND, AND SO LAST TIME IN 2020 WHEN THE MAIN STREET S FUNDS WERE ALLOCATED TOWARD THAT IN THE FORMS OF BANNERS.
AND SO $2,500 AT THAT TIME WAS ALLOCATED FOR BANNERS.
WE BOUGHT NEW BANNERS, BUT WE DIDN'T ALLOCATE IT TOWARDS THE FUNCTION,
SO, AND ACTUALLY FROM THE BANNER COST THAT SWISS FAIR HAS GOTTEN, IT WOULD TAKE JUST ABOUT ALL THE $5,000 FOR THAT.
I WOULD FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE IN FUNDING SOMETHING LIKE THAT THAN MARKETING BECAUSE THEN HOW DOES ANY OTHER ORGANIZATION THEN COME AND ASK US TO DO SOMETHING WITHIN DOWNTOWN? I'D RATHER IT BE SPECIFIC TO A FUNCTIONALITY LIKE A BANNER.
I MEAN, THAT'S JUST MY COMMENT.
I'M NOT THAT, YOU KNOW, $5,000 TOWARDS BANNERS OR, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, LIGHTING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA MAKE THE POLLS LIGHT UP OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT VERSUS MARKETING AND PROMOTING THAT.
AND AGAIN, I WISH I HAD, UM, YEAH, SO SABRINA, CAN WE EVEN ALLOCATE MONEY FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? DOESN'T IT HAVE TO BE SOMETHING THAT BENEFITS IT QUALIFIES.
WE, WE CAN SPONSOR FESTIVALS AND MARKETS IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA PROMOTING BUSINESS INVESTMENTS IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA, HELPING TO COORDINATE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ACTIONS IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA AND DEVELOPING AND ISSUING PUBLICATIONS ON THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
I SO THE THE TOTAL COST WILL BE, YEAH.
HOW MUCH? YOU TALKING 30, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? FOR THE WHOLE, FOR OUR WHOLE SWISS BAY IS EXPECTED TO PUT ASIDE $30,000 TO PAY FOR THE MAIN STREET CON OR PART OF THE MAIN STREET CONFERENCE NEXT YEAR.
AND MUM FEST, NO MUM FEST AND NO MUM FEST
I, I THINK WE SHOULD GET MORE.
IS IT DIRECTLY BENEFITS OF DOWNTOWN? BECAUSE THERE WAS NO MUM FEST, THERE WAS A BIG HIT TO WHISPER IN ORDER CAN FUND THINGS LIKE THIS IS WHAT WE'RE SAYING.
I'M NOT AGAINST THAT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, YOU BASICALLY, IF THAT ALL GETS SLAUGHTERED, I I'M TRYING TO GIVE FOSTER SOMETHING HE CAN GIVE TO HIS BOARD AND MAKE IT IN A PRESENTABLE AND SOMETHING THAT WILL GET PASSED.
FRANKLY, I THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA.
THE LAST MAIN STREET CONFERENCE THAT WAS HERE, I BENEFITED GREATLY.
UM, MY ONLY COMPLAINT WAS I DIDN'T KNOW MORE ABOUT IT AT THE TIME.
THERE WASN'T ENOUGH INFORMATION AS TO, SO WHEN IT WAS HERE, I, IT WAS A MISSED OPPORTUNITY FOR ME BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION UP FRONT ON WHAT WAS ACTUALLY HAPPENING.
IT WAS HUGE BACK THEN AND I MISSED IT AND I WOULDN'T WANNA MISS IT THIS YEAR.
[01:05:01]
SHOWCASES DOWNTOWN NEW TWO PEOPLE WHO MATTER, YOU KNOW, TOURISM.WELL, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS ABOUT IT FRANKLY IS EASTERN NORTH, WHAT THEY TRY TO DO IS THEY TRY TO DO AN EAST WEST THING WHERE THEY ALTERNATE.
EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA, WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA.
THERE'S NOT MANY TOWNS IN EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA THAT CAN HOST THIS EVENT.
I MEAN, IT'S PRETTY MUCH US GOLDSBORO FOR THE MOST PART AS FAR AS FACILITIES AND HOTELS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND PEOPLE WANNA COME BACK HERE.
SO THE MORE WE INVEST IN THIS AND THE MORE WE PROMOTE IT, LIKE I SAY, MIKE, BELIEVE, RIGHT, THE BETTER, THE BETTER IT WAS.
IT WAS FACE WE PUT FORWARD AND MORE WE COME BACK.
ALL OF THE BUSINESSES NEED TO HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON EXACTLY WHAT THIS WILL DO BECAUSE NO ONE DID THE FIRST TIME AROUND.
SO, UM, YEAH, I THINK THAT, OH, UM, AND MY OTHER QUESTION IS, WILL WE HAVE THE KIOSK IN, WILL THERE BE BENCHES, WILL EVERY WITH TREES, WILL BENCHES WITH ARMRESTS, ARMREST, ALL OF THAT BY MARCH.
JOHNNY, I FOUND, I FOUND THE, I FOUND THE STATUTE, SO, AND I AGREE WITH YOU.
IT SAYS SPONSORING FESTIVALS AND MARKETS IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA, PROMOTING BUSINESS INVESTMENT IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA AREA, HELPING TO COORDINATE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ACTIONS IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA AND DEVELOPING AND ISSUING PUBLICATIONS ON THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
UM, SO I GUESS WE COULD BE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE A SPONSOR OF MUM FEST.
THIS ISN'T, THIS ISN'T A, THIS ISN'T A FESTIVAL OR A MARKET, IT'S NOT BUSINESS INVESTMENT.
I MEAN, COULD WE IN ESSENCE PAY 5,000, $10,000 TOWARDS IT? IT DOESN'T HELP.
I, AND MAYBE SOME OF OUR LOCAL PROPERTY OWNERS OR PEOPLE COULD ATTEND
I MEAN, SOMETHING LIKE THAT GIVES AN INVESTMENT IN HELPING PROPERTY OWNERS.
YOU ATTEND SOME OF THOSE SESSIONS, THEY'RE AMAZING.
AND I SAW WHO THE, THE LEAD SPEAKER IS GONNA BE AND HE HE WILL BE PHENOMENAL.
UM, YOU KNOW, I JUST THINK, SO IT'S THINGS LIKE THAT.
I'M JUST WONDERING EVEN IF WE COULD INVEST IN PAYMENT, IN SPONSORING ONE OF THE SPEAKERS, THAT TO ME GIVES A MORE INVESTMENT RATHER THAN JUST A BLANKET MARKETING PRO.
I'M TRYING TO FIT THIS ALL WITHIN TO THE BENEFIT OF WHAT WE'RE ALL DOING.
SO THAT, THAT THERE ARE, I'M SORRY.
SAY THAT, THAT ACCORDING TO FOSTER, UM, THIS QUALIFIES AND I THINK MSD GETS INCOME FROM THINGS OTHER THAN DIRECT TAX DOLLARS.
I WOULD ARGUE THAT THIS MAY NOT BE THE BEST INVESTMENT FOR THOSE PAYING THE TAXES.
BUT, BUT WHEN YOU COLLECT MONEY FROM PARKING AND THE, THE FARMER'S MARKET, THERE'S INCOME COMING IN AND I I JOHNNY I WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT MORE THAN FIVE.
I THINK WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD HAVE 10 OR, OR I THINK THAT AMOUNT'S OPEN DISCUSSION.
BUT THOSE FUNDS THAT, THAT WE'RE, WE'RE GENERATING THROUGH PARTICIPATION DOWNTOWN, I THINK MIGHT BE USED TO, TO FOSTER SOMETHING LIKE THIS, TO INCREASE THAT TOURISM AND VISITATION FOCUSING DOWNTOWN.
AND SO AS TO DISTINGUISH THIS FOR FUTURE REQUESTS, WHEN PEOPLE SAY, WELL, YOU SUPPORTED AT MAIN STREET CONFERENCE ISN'T JUST ABOUT TOURISM.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE BRINGING IN DEVELOP, YOU'RE BRINGING IN PRESERVATIONISTS, YOU'RE BRINGING IN THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA BECOME ATTRACTED TO DEVELOPING NEW BERN CONTRACTORS.
MAYBE, YOU KNOW, EVEN SPONSOR A SPEAKER OR SOMETHING THAT'S A LITTLE MORE WELL-ROUNDED THAN JUST MARKETING.
I, I JUST WOULD FEEL BETTER THAT IT'S REALLY, REGARDLESS OF HOW WE GET OUR FUNDS, I JUST THINK IT WOULD BE THE INVESTMENT.
TO ME THAT'S AN INVESTMENT IN DOWNTOWN.
'CAUSE IT HELPS PEOPLE UNDERSTAND A LOT OF OUR ISSUES HERE IS A LOT OF PROPERTY OWNERS DON'T UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE MSD AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE WITHIN
SO YOU HAVE AN ORGANIZATION THAT TOOK THIS ON NOT KNOWING THAT THEY WOULDN'T HAVE FEST.
I'M WONDERING IF WE SPONSORED A A SPEAKER, WE DID SPONSOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WOULD THAT REDUCE YOUR COST
SO THE SPEAKERS ARE ALL COVERED BY MAIN STREET, BUT I CAN LOOK AT WHAT WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR, THEY WOULD RESPONSIBLE FOR AND SEE, YOU KNOW, WOULD THEY DO SOME SORT OF SWAP OUT ON THAT OR WOULD THEY, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WHAT ARE THE MEALS WE SPONSORING BY MSD? AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT PUTS US OUT THERE AND WE DEFINITELY CAN ALWAYS PUT SIGNAGE UP AROUND, UM, THERE'S A RECEPTION ON THE TUESDAY NIGHT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE COULD SAY THAT, WE COULD SAY THAT THIS IS SPONSORED BY THAT.
UM, SO SPONSORSHIPS, THEY ENCOURAGED ME ON THE, THE CALLS TO GET SPONSORSHIPS.
AND SO IF WE DO IT THAT WAY, THEN THAT'S HOW WE CAN RECOGNIZE IT.
I THINK ALSO TO MICHAEL'S POINT, UM, THESE PEOPLE ARE HERE TO SEE DOWNTOWN.
THEY WILL BE WALKING DOWNTOWN AND POKING IN THE SHOPPING.
AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS ASSOCIATION OR WHOEVER EXPLAINS THAT.
I MEAN THEY, THEY WERE, THEY WERE CITY MANAGERS FROM EVERY COUNTY IN NORTH CAROLINA.
ALL THESE PEOPLE, UH, DEVELOPMENT.
[01:10:01]
IN ALL THOSE COUNTIES.AND I THINK KAREN MENTIONED, AND JOHNNY WAS THERE ALSO AT, AT, I WAS AT THIS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, BUT NOT THE MOST RECENT ONE.
AND THEY ENCOURAGED SOME OF THE DOWNTOWN RESTAURANTS THAT MAYBE AREN'T TYPICALLY OPEN FOR LUNCH.
YOU MIGHT WANT TO BE OPEN AND YOU MIGHT WANT TO HAVE A LIMITED MENU WHERE PEOPLE CAN GET IN AND OUT QUICKLY.
SAME WITH THE SHOPS, BUT YEAH.
AND, AND YEAH, THE SHOPS MAY DECIDE YOU MIGHT WANT TO INVEST IN A LITTLE EXTRA, YOU KNOW, LOW PRICE MEMORABILIA, KIND OF WHATEVER LITTLE YEAH.
UM, KAREN, YOU ALSO MENTIONED BARE BUCKS.
WOULD THIS BE A GOOD TIME TO LAUNCH? IT WOULD BE A GREAT TIME TO LAUNCH BARE BUCKS.
UM, I THINK THAT AGAIN, WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS A BUDGET ISSUE TO TALK ABOUT WITH THE FUNDING BEHIND SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT DISCUSS LATER.
I MEAN, I, I THINK IT'S NO BRAINER TO SUPPORT THIS.
AND, AND MY ONLY THING IS I DON'T WANT TO PIGEONHOLE THE FUNDS JUST SO MUCH AS TO WE WANNA LET KAREN DO HER JOB IN PUTTING THIS BILL AND I NOW, I THINK IT WOULD BE FAIR TO ASK KAREN, AFTER THE EVENTS EVER, HOW DID WE SPEND THAT MONEY? YOU KNOW, AND YOU COME BACK OVER THE REPORT.
I ALLOCATED THAT TO THIS, YOU KNOW, AND THIS MUCH MONEY WENT TO THIS AND THIS MUCH MONEY WENT TO THIS.
WELL, CONSIDERING THAT A NUMBER OF THIS MEMBERSHIP IS ALSO ON THE SWISS AIRPORT, I THINK WE'LL HAVE SOME OVERSIGHT OVER THAT.
SO, SO REALLY WE ASK OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS TO, TO SUPPORT THIS.
SO, SO I THINK WE JUST, WE NEED TO PROPOSE A NUMBER RIGHT.
THEY CAN DO WHAT THEY, THAT'S ALL WE NEED AND THEN WE'LL TAKE IT FROM THERE.
SO DO YOU HAVE A YEAH, I PROPOSE 10.
ALRIGHT, WELL MR. WE HAVE 10,000.
ALRIGHT, SO, SO LET ME REVIVE BY, I I I WOULD MAKE A MOTION THAT, UH, THIS COMMITTEE RECOMMEND TO THE, UH, TO THE BOARD DERMAN TO PROVIDE $10,000 IN FUNDS TO MARKET AND PROMOTE DOWNTOWN A ROOM FOR 2026 MAIN STREET CONFERENCE.
ANY I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION OTHER TO SAY, DO WE STILL ING THE MARKETING AND PROMOTION OR ARE WE GONNA LET KAREN DECIDE TO SUPPORT AS KAREN AND THE BOARD SUPPORT AS AS REVISION? YEAH.
SO WILL YOU REVISE YOUR MOTION? YES, I WILL.
UM, THIS ORGANIZATION, MSD, UM, I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE PROVIDE $10,000 TO, TO PROVIDE FUNDS TO SUPPORT MARKET AND PROMOTE DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD 2026 STREET CONFERENCE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? A ANY OPPOSED? OKAY.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE LAST MS MOMENT, THE LAST MAIN STREET CONFERENCE HE HERE IN BER WAS THE LAST OFFICIAL ACT OF THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA BEFORE SHUT DOWN.
WE CLOSED THE DOORS AT FIVE O'CLOCK AND THE STATE SHUT DOWN THE NEXT DAY.
SO WE WERE COVID AND WE WERE REALLY LUCKY THAT WE WERE REALLY LUCKY THAT WE GOT BACK HOME TO ACTUALLY STATE SHUTDOWN.
SABRINA, I WANNA PIGGYBACK ON THAT ONE LITTLE COMMENT AS WELL.
I JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT SPEAKING OF SHUTDOWNS, YOU KNOW, WHAT A TOUGH DECISION THAT WAS WITH THE MONTH DUST AND SHUT THAT DOWN.
I THINK IN HINDSIGHT WE MADE THE RIGHT DECISION.
I I DON'T HAVE ANY SECOND THOUGHTS ABOUT THAT, BUT I WANT, I WANT TO GO ON RECORD AS SAYING WHAT A GOOD JOB PARTICULARLY THE CITY WAS AS A PARTNER AS FAR AS FACILITATING THAT DECISION AND LEAD UP THAT LED INTO IT.
AND GEORGE AND FOSTER AND MARVIN AND EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE CITY WAS TOTALLY SUPPORTIVE AND WE COULDN'T ASK FOR MORE.
AND THEN THE BUSINESS IS STEPPING UP.
AND ACTUALLY I HEARD, AND MAYBE SOME OF YOU WHO HAVE BUSINESSES AND RESTAURANTS DOWNTOWN, I HEARD THAT IT REALLY SATURDAY WAS A VERY GOOD DAY IN SPITE OF THE RAIN FOR MERCHANTS.
IT WAS THE BEST I HAVE EVER HAD AS A BUSINESS.
MANY OTHER MERCHANTS DOWNTOWN.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT WHY THAT WAS SO, AND FIGURE THAT OUT.
WELL I KNOW A PARTIAL ANSWER TO THAT IS THAT, AND THIS IS ACTUALLY GOOD TO FEED INTO THE KNOWLEDGE BASE.
UM, HOTEL GUESTS CAN'T CANCEL WITHIN 24 HOURS.
SO IF THE NOTICE OF THE NOT HAVING IT COMES LESS THAN 24 HOURS, THEY'RE ON THE HOOK FOR THEIR HOTEL ROOM.
SO THE HOTELS HAD PEOPLE SAYING, WELL
[01:15:01]
I'M GONNA CANCEL SATURDAY NIGHT, BUT SINCE I'M PAYING FOR FRIDAY, I'M JUST GONNA COME AND ENJOY AND GO OUT TO DINNER AND STUFF.SO, SO THERE WERE YEAH, 19,000 PEOPLE DOWNTOWN THAT SATURDAY.
WE GOT CASE QUARTER OF THE RAIN, THEY WERE OKAY.
DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? I GUESS YOU, GRETCHEN PUBLIC AND PUBLIC.
I VOTED YES AM MY CIVIC DUTY TODAY.
DOES ANY, ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING ELSE FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER BEFORE I ASK FOR ADJOURNMENT? OKAY.
I GUESS WE'LL SEE Y ALL IN FEBRUARY.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SECOND.