* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.
          [00:00:06]
          GOOD MORNING 
          [Board of Aldermen Retreat on January 7, 2026.]
EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THE 2026 NEW BOARD OF ALDERMAN ANNUAL RETREAT, UH, IF YOU WOULD SAY A PRAYER WITH ME. 
          HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TODAY. 
          WE ASK THAT YOU LEAD GOD AND DIRECT OUR VISION AS WE SET FORTH FOR THE PATH OF THIS BOARD FOR THE NEXT TERM. 
          WE ASK THIS IN YOUR NAME, AMEN. 
          AMEN. 
          GREG, STAND. 
          PLEASE DO SO. 
          PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG HEARING COURT PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC OR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE. 
          ALRIGHT, UH, MR. HUGHES, LOOKS LIKE, UH, YOU ARE UP, SIR. 
          GOOD MORNING. 
          UH, GOOD TO SEE EVERYONE. 
          HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU. 
          WE'VE GOT A LOT OF THINGS TO GO OVER TODAY. 
          LOOK FORWARD TO SOME ROBUST CONVERSATION ON A LOT OF TOPICS. 
          BEFORE WE GET STARTED, WE'D LIKE TO MAKE A REQUEST THAT THE, THE AGENDA BE CHANGED TO ADD AN AUDIT UPDATE TO THIS AGENDA, ANY ISSUES WITH THAT BOARD, OKAY? OKAY. 
          UM, SO WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND START WITH THAT. 
          UH, THEN, UH, WE'LL LET YOU KNOW THAT WE DO HAVE A PACKET IN FRONT OF YOU, WHICH CONTAINS THE MAJORITY OF INFORMATION THAT WE'RE GONNA BE COVERING TODAY. 
          UH, IF IT'S NOT, IF ANYTHING'S COVERED THAT'S NOT IN THE PACKET, WE'LL MAKE SURE WE DO GET YOU A COPY THROUGHOUT THE DAY. 
          I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND TURN IT OVER TO KIM OSTROM RIGHT NOW, AND SHE'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE AUDIT AND INTRODUCE OUR SPEAKER. 
          OKAY. 
          GOOD MORNING BOARD. 
          SO, UM, TODAY WE'RE GONNA HAVE HUNTER, UH, WISEMAN FROM CPA, THOMPSON PRICE, SCOTT AND ADAMS PRESENT. 
          UM, BUT BEFORE WE GET STARTED, JUST WANTED TO BRING UP TO SPEED. 
          SO, A FEW YEARS AGO, WE, ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO ACTUALLY, WE ESTABLISHED AN AUDIT COMMITTEE TO STRENGTHEN THE OVERSIGHT OF THE CITY'S ANNUAL AUDIT. 
          THE COMMITTEE TYPICALLY MEETS THREE TIMES, UM, AT THE BEGINNING OF THE AUDIT, MIDWAY THROUGH THE AUDIT, AND AT THE END OF THE AUDIT, THE AUDIT COMMITTEE WORK PLAN IS INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET. 
          WE DON'T HAVE TO PULL THAT OUT RIGHT NOW, BUT, UM, IT'S ABOUT HALFWAY DOWN ON THE LEFT. 
          AND, UM, IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS, WE'LL ASK FOR TWO BOARD MEMBERS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE AUDIT COMMITTEE. 
          UM, UH, JUST PLEASE TAKE TIME AND REVIEW THE WORK PLAN OVER THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS BECAUSE WE'LL PROBABLY REQUESTING SOMEBODY TO, OR TWO, AT LEAST TWO PEOPLE TO, UM, PARTICIPATE IN THE FIRST MEETING WILL BE HELD PROBABLY AROUND JUNE TODAY. 
          THIS SERVES AS OUR FINAL MEETING FOR THE AUDIT COMMITTEE. 
          OUR AUDITOR WILL PROVIDE A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF THE AUDIT PROCESS AND DISCUSS PARTS OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS TODAY. 
          WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS, BUT WE WILL TAKE NOTES AND FOLLOW UP LATER WITH YOU. 
          THE AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS WILL BE FORMALLY PRESENTED TO THE BOARD BY ALAN THOMPSON, THOMPSON PRICE, AND SCOTT AT THE JANUARY MEETING. 
          OKAY. 
          BOTH, UM, THE ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT AND THE CITIZENS FINANCIAL REPORT WERE EMAILED TO THE BOARD ON DECEMBER 22ND. 
          IN YOUR PACKET, WE HAVE, UM, EXTRACTED SECTIONS FROM THE FINANCIAL REPORT THAT THE AUDITOR WILL BE REVIEWING TODAY. 
          SO YOU'LL NEED TO PULL THAT OUT, A PRINTED VERSION OF THE CITIZEN'S FINANCIAL REPORT. 
          THIS IS AN EASIER TO READ SUMMARY OF THE CITY'S FINANCES AND COINCIDES WITH THE, UM, AUDIT STATEMENT AND THE RESPONSE LETTER TO THE FI, UM, FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE, UM, INDICATORS OF CONCERN REGARDING ELECTRIC UTILITIES CASH ON HAND. 
          AND JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, IT'S REQUIRED THAT THE BOARD SIGNED THIS LETTER AFTER THE AUDIT HAS BEEN SUBMITTED ON JANUARY 14TH. 
          UM, PLEASE REVIEW THE LETTER PRIOR TO THE BOARD MEETING 'CAUSE WE'LL BE ASKING YOU TO SIGN THAT THAT NIGHT. 
          UM, AT THIS TIME, PLEASE PULL UP THOSE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS RIGHT HERE AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO HUNTER PLACE. 
          SCOTT, THANK YOU KIM, FOR THAT INTRODUCTION AND, UH, GOOD MORNING TO THE BOARD. 
          UM, I'M HAPPY TO PRESENT TO THE AUDIT COMMITTEE THE FINANCIAL RESULTS FOR THE CITY OF NEW BERN'S FISCAL YEAR 2025 AUDIT. 
          LIKE KIM SAID, THIS IS GONNA BE A, A FAIRLY HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF THE HONOR REPORT AND IN FRONT OF YOU. 
          I UNDERSTAND YOU DON'T HAVE A FULL COPY OF THE HONOR REPORT, BUT THERE ARE A FEW SPECIFIC SECTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN PULLED OUT THAT WE THINK WILL BE MOST USEFUL FOR DISCUSSING. 
          UM, BUT I WANT TO START OFF BY DISCUSSING WHAT AN OPINION IS WHEN WE ISSUE AN AUDIT OPINION, AND PARTICULARLY WE'VE ISSUED AN UNMODIFIED AUDIT OPINION FOR THE CITY OF NEWBURGH. 
          NOW, THAT'S THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF ASSURANCE THAT WE AS THE AUDITORS CAN PROVIDE. 
          WE CAN NEVER PROVIDE 100% 
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ABSOLUTE ASSURANCE THAT THERE'S GONNA BE NO ISSUES, BUT WHEN WE ARE EVALUATING, WE'RE LOOKING FOR THINGS THAT ARE GONNA BE MATERIAL TO THE CITY. 
          SO WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A WAY OF CALCULATING WHAT IMPERIAL ISSUE WOULD BE FOR THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF THE CITY. 
          UM, SO I'M VERY PLEASED TO SAY THAT IT WAS AN UNMODIFIED OPINION. 
          UM, SO THAT IS WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE AS A GOVERNMENT AND AS ANY ENTITY THAT'S GETTING AUDITED, YOU WANT AN UNMODIFIED OPINION. 
          SECONDLY, I WANT TO NOTE OUR GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FINANCE STAFF. 
          AND THE TWO PEOPLE THAT COME TO MIND OF COURSE, ARE KIM AND HELEN, THOUGH I KNOW THAT THERE'S OTHERS AS WELL, UM, THAT CONTRIBUTE IN THE FINANCE STAFF TO GETTING US WHAT WE NEED IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO DO THE AUDIT AND THEY DO AN EXCELLENT JOB. 
          UM, PARTICULARLY I WOULD SAY THE FIELD WORK. 
          UH, THESE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, I THINK WE'VE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A CHANGE IN THE APPROACH THAT WE TOOK IN THE PAST. 
          WE DID A LOT OF STUFF MORE REMOTELY. 
          NOW WE'VE STARTED TO COME ON SITE AND I THINK THAT'S BEEN A REALLY GREAT IMPROVEMENT FOR BOTH OUR TESTING AND FOR THE FINANCE STAFF AS WELL. 
          I THINK THAT BOTH SIDES HAVE REALLY BENEFITED FROM US BEING ABLE TO BE THERE AND TO HAVE THAT DIALOGUE BACK AND FORTH. 
          UH, NOTING ON THE FINANCIAL POSITION OF THE CITY, I'D SAY THAT THINGS ARE FAIRLY STEADY. 
          UH, WE DID NOTE THAT THERE WAS A SLIGHT DECREASE IN THE UNSIGNED FUND BALANCE, AND THAT LED TO A SLIGHT DECREASE IN THE PERCENTAGE OF UNSIGNED AND THE PERCENTAGE OF AVAILABLE FUND BALANCE. 
          BUT I DON'T THINK THAT IT'S ANYTHING, UH, ALARMING FROM LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS, ESPECIALLY WHEN COMPARED OVER A FIVE YEAR RANGE. 
          SO, GETTING A LITTLE BIT MORE INTO WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE AUDIT. 
          WHEN I SAY THAT WE CAN ONLY PROVIDE ASSURANCE FOR MATERIAL MISTAKE, THAT THERE ARE NO MATERIALS MISSTATEMENTS, THAT MEANS THAT WE CAN NEVER PROVIDE AN ABSOLUTE ASSURANCE WHEN WE'RE DEVELOPING OUR TESTS. 
          WE'RE LOOKING FOR ITEMS THAT ARE GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, SIGNIFICANT TO A USER OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS THAT IT WOULD IMPACT THEIR DECISION MAKING IF THEY WERE READING THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF THE CITY AND TRYING TO DECIDE DO THEY WANT TO INVEST? DO THEY WANT TO, IF IT'S A BANK, DO WE WANT TO GIVE YOU A LOAN? DO WE WANT TO CONTINUE A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY? SO WE'RE NOT AWARE OF ANY MATERIAL ITEMS IN THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS THAT WOULD CAUSE ANYBODY TO MAKE A WRONG DECISION WHEN LOOKING AT THEM. 
          RELATING TO OUR INTERNAL CONTROLS, WE DO NOT EXPRESS AN OPINION ON INTERNAL CONTROLS, BUT WE DO HAVE TO DEVELOP AN UNDERSTANDING OF 'EM. 
          WE NEED TO KNOW HOW INTERNAL CONTROLS WORK SO THAT WAY WE CAN DETERMINE DOES MANAGEMENT HAVE APPROPRIATE INTERNAL CONTROLS TO MITIGATE THE RISK, ESPECIALLY FOR DIFFERENT SECTIONS OF THE AUDIT WHERE THERE'S INHERENTLY MORE RISK. 
          AND WE'LL TALK ON THAT A LITTLE BIT LATER. 
          UH, THE TYPES OF RISKS THAT EXIST IN ANY AUDIT, BUT WE DON'T EVALUATE THE INTERNAL CONTROLS FOR THE POINT OF ISSUING AN OPINION, BUT WE DO DEVELOP AN UNDERSTANDING RELATING TO COMPLIANCE. 
          WHEN WE TALK ABOUT COMPLIANCE, THAT'S MOSTLY FROM A PERSPECTIVE OF COMPLYING WITH GRANT AWARDS FROM THE FEDERAL OR STATE GOVERNMENTS. 
          AND WE'RE LOOKING AT THOSE GRANT AWARDS AND WE'RE TRYING TO DETERMINE HAVE YOU EXPENDED THOSE FUNDS IN A WAY THAT'S IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS THAT WERE LAID OUT BY THAT GRANT AGREEMENT. 
          UH, I'M PLEASED TO NOTE THAT THERE WERE NO COMPLIANCE FINDINGS. 
          SO THAT MEANS THAT FOR THE ONES THAT WE TESTED, WE DIDN'T KNOW ANY ISSUES WITH THOSE GRANT GRANT AWARD EXPENDITURES. 
          AND A LOT OF THAT IS COVERED IN THE COMPLIANCE SECTION, WHICH IS AT THE VERY END OF THE AUDIT REPORT. 
          YOU'LL FIND THE COMPLIANCE SECTION, YOU'LL FIND THE THREE LETTERS THERE. 
          YOU HAVE A GAS LETTER, YOU HAVE THE FEDERAL OPINION LETTER AND THE STATE OPINION LETTER, AND A SCHEDULE OF EXPENDITURES FOR FEDERAL AND STATE AWARDS. 
          THAT'S IN THE FULL PACKET THAT WAS EMAILED TO HER. 
          MOVING INTO OUR RESPONSIBILITIES AS THE AUDITOR AND THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF MANAGEMENT, WE HAVE TO REMAIN INDEPENDENT FROM MANAGEMENT. 
          THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THAT YOU CAN DO AN AUDIT BECAUSE IF YOU ARE NOT INDEPENDENT FROM MANAGEMENT, YOU CANNOT ISSUE AN OPINION ON THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. 
          WHAT DOES IT, WHAT DOES INDEPENDENCE MEAN? INDEPENDENCE MEANS THAT WE CANNOT BE MAKING DECISIONS FOR MANAGEMENT. 
          WE CANNOT BE SAYING, YOU NEED TO DO X, Y, AND Z. 
          YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS ENTRY. 
          WE DO NOT WANT TO BASICALLY TAKE OWNERSHIP OVER THE BOOKS FOR, FOR THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, WHAT WE CAN DO AND WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO IN OUR ROLE IS THE AUDITOR, IS WE CAN PROVIDE GUIDANCE, WE CAN BE A SOUNDING BOARD. 
          IF MANAGEMENT HAS A QUESTION ABOUT, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO GA, THE NEW GABY PRONOUNCEMENTS AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THOSE, WE CAN BE A RESOURCE THAT THEY CAN REACH OUT TO, TO ASK FOR OUR OPINION ON WHAT THEY THINK THEY SHOULD DO AND IF THIS IS AN APPROPRIATE STEP TO TAKE. 
          BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, ALL DECISIONS THEY RELY AND THEY FALL WITH MANAGEMENT. 
          AND AT THE END OF THE AUDIT, WE MAKE MANAGEMENT SIGN A MANAGEMENT REPRESENTATION LETTER, WHICH IN EFFECT STATES ALL OF 
          [00:10:01]
THOSE ITEMS THAT THEY ARE TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE STATEMENTS AND FOR EVERYTHING PRESENTED IN. 
          I MENTIONED A LITTLE BIT EARLIER, I WAS GONNA TOUCH ON THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF RISKS THAT EXIST WITH AN AUDIT. 
          SO WE HAVE THREE TYPES OF RISKS THAT WE IDENTIFY INHERENT RISKS, UH, WHICH IS THE SUSCEPTIBILITY OF MATERIAL MISSTATEMENT, JUST LIKE, LIKE IT SOUNDS IN THE NAME, IT'S INHERENT, IT'S GOING TO BE THERE NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO. 
          CONTROL RISK IS THE BASICALLY EVALUATING THOSE INTERNAL CONTROLS AND SAYING THIS MANAGEMENT DESIGNED INTERNAL CONTROLS, WHICH CAN HELP TO MITIGATE THE RISK WITH A CERTAIN AREA. 
          AND THEN DETECTION RISK, WHICH DETECTION RISK IS SAYING EVEN IF WE DO OUR TESTING, LIKE WE BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO DO, EVEN IF WE'RE DOING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT EXPENDITURES, WE'RE LOOKING AT REVENUES, WE'RE TYING OUT RECEIVABLES, WHAT'S STILL THE RISK THAT THERE WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE DO NOT DETECT BY OUR PROCEDURES. 
          SO WE HAVE TO CONSIDER ALL THREE OF THESE TYPES OF RISKS WHEN WE ARE DESIGNING OUR AUDIT APPROACH. 
          AND WHAT WE'RE DOING THERE IS ESSENTIALLY TRYING TO GET TO WHERE WE CAN SAY WE ARE COMFORTABLE THAT WE'VE ADDRESSED ALL OF THESE RISKS ENOUGH TO ISSUE AN OPINION ON THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS WHEN IT COMES TO REPORTED FINDINGS, SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCIES AND MATERIAL WEAKNESSES. 
          I'M PLEASED TO SAY THAT WE DID NOT HAVE ANY FINANCIAL STATEMENT FINDINGS OR COMPLIANCE FINDINGS FOR THE CITY OF NEW BERN. 
          WE DO EVALUATE AND WE'RE TRYING TO DETERMINE IF THERE'S GOING TO BE ANYTHING THAT WE NEED TO NOTE. 
          AND IF THERE WAS, BECAUSE NEW BERN'S A SINGLE AUDIT, THE EASIEST PLACE TO LOCATE THOSE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OR COMPLIANCE STATEMENT FINDINGS IS GOING TO BE IN THE COMPLIANCE REPORT SECTION. 
          THERE'S A PART WHERE WE LIST OUT ANY FINDINGS THAT THEY DID EXIST, AND THEN WE'D ALSO HAVE THAT FOLLOWED BY A CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN THAT WE WOULD ASK THE CITY TO CREATE. 
          THE LAST ONE THAT I WANT TO TOUCH ON IN THIS SECTION IS OTHER ITEMS THAT NEED TO BE COMMUNICATED TO THE BOARD. 
          AND I THINK THAT KENT HAS ALREADY NOTED THAT IN HER OPENING THAT THERE WAS A FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE INDICATOR OF CONCERN, WHICH RELATED TO THE ELECTRIC FUND AND CASH FLOWS BEING LESS THAN 16%, UH, WHICH 16% IS A METRIC THAT THE LGC HAS DEVELOPED TO ESSENTIALLY STATE THAT YOU WOULD HAVE ENOUGH CASH ON HAND TO TO MEET TWO MONTHS WORTH OF EXPENDITURES WITHOUT HAVING ANY CASH FLOW ISSUES. 
          UH, I DO WANT TO BE CLEAR, FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE INDICATORS OF CONCERN ARE NOT THE SAME THING AS FINDINGS. 
          THEY'RE NOT FINANCIAL STATEMENT OR COMPLIANCE FINDINGS. 
          THESE ARE SPECIFICALLY ITEMS THAT THE LGC ACTING AS A GOVERNING BODY FOR NORTH CAROLINA HAS SAID. 
          WE WANT UNITS TO BE AWARE OF THESE, TO EVALUATE THEM AND IF THERE ARE ISSUES TO DEVELOP A PLAN TO ADDRESS 'EM SO THAT WAY THEY'RE NOT RECURRING ITEM, BUT IT'S NOT THE SAME AS A FINANCIAL STATEMENT FILE. 
          SO TO RECAP, UH, WE DO HAVE AN UNMODIFIED AUDIT OPINION, WHICH IS THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF OPINION AND ASSURANCE THAT WE CAN PROVIDE. 
          UM, WE DO HAVE A ONE FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE INDICATOR OF CONCERN TO RESPOND TO, WHICH IS THE ELECTRIC FUND FUND. 
          AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO GET INTO THE, I WOULD SAY, KIND OF A UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE CITY HAS PERFORMED AGAINST PRIOR YEARS' PERFORMANCE. 
          SO THE INFORMATION THAT I'M GONNA BE LOOKING AT IS FOR, FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025. 
          IT'S GONNA BE CONTAINED IN YOUR PACKET. 
          IT'S GONNA COME FROM COMBINATION OF EXHIBITS THREE THROUGH, UM, I BELIEVE IT'S THREE THROUGH SEVEN, THREE THROUGH NINE, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY THE GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS AND THE PROPRIETARY FUNDS THAT WE'RE CONSIDERING HERE. 
          UH, I JUST HAVE IT SUMMARIZED IN A PRESENTATION SUMMARY, WHICH, UM, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU HAVE THAT IN FRONT OF YOU, BUT YOU WILL HAVE IT AT THE TIME THAT THE FULL PRESENTATION DID FORWARD NEXT WEEK. 
          THE TOTAL FUND BALANCE OF 37 MILLION, THAT'S A SLIGHT INCREASE IN FISCAL YEAR 24. 
          AS I MENTIONED, UNAVAILABLE FUND BALANCE AND RESTRICTED FUND BALANCE, BOTH INCREASE IN FISCAL YEAR 24, WHICH LEADS TO A DECREASE IN THE UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE TO ABOUT 17.9 MILLION. 
          THAT'S ROUGHLY 41.11% OF THE GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES, OR 43.53% WHEN WE EXCLUDE, UH, FEMA FLORENCE FUND BALANCE FROM THAT AMOUNT. 
          SO I DO KNOW THE CITY IN THE PAST HAS WANTED TO, UH, KIND OF NOTE THOSE TWO FIGURES SEPARATELY. 
          UH, FOR INTERNAL UNDERSTANDING FOR THE GENERAL FUND, EXCUSE ME, FOR THE GENERAL FUND, THERE WERE THE LOSS OF $3.8 MILLION IN THE ELECTRIC FUND REVENUES OF 4.9 MILLION. 
          THE WATER FUND ROUGHLY 1 MILLION, AND THE SEWER FUND ROUGHLY 1.7 MILLION. 
          FIXED ASSETS FOR THE LENDING FUND WERE 101 MILLION WITH ACCUMULATED DEPRECIATION OF 59 MILLION IN CASH ON HAND OF 9.9 MILLION. 
          TOTAL FIXED ASSETS FOR 
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THE WATER FUND WERE 75.9 MILLION WITH ACCUMULATED OF 30.1 MILLION IN CASH OF 14.7 MILLION AND TOTAL FIXED ASSETS FOR THE SUMER FUND FOR 114 MILLION. 
          WE ACCUMULATED THE 49 MILLION IN CASH OF 9 MILLION AND THEN CASH ON HAND, THE GENERAL FUND WAS 27.2 MILLION CASH ON HAND AND ALL OTHER GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS WAS 3.4 MILLION. 
          AND I SHOULD NOTE ALL OF THESE FIGURES JUST KEEP IN MIND THEY'RE AS OF JUNE 30TH. 
          SO NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SIX MONTHS, ROUGHLY SIX MONTHS PAST, UH, PERFORMANCE AND, AND WHERE THINGS WORK. 
          THE TOTAL DEPOSITION AT THE ELECTRIC FUND WAS 54.6 MILLION IN THE WATER FUND, 51.1 MILLION AND IN THE SEWER FUND, 69.2 MILLION IN ALL GOVERN ALL OTHER GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS. 
          IT WAS ROUGHLY 2.9 MILLION PROPERTY TAX OF 0.39 WITH A COLLECTION PERCENTAGE OF 99.43% AND EXCLUDING MOTOR VEHICLES 99.37%, WHICH IS BOTH CONSISTENT WITH THE PRIOR YEAR AND OVER A FIVE YEAR TIME SPAN, PROPERTY VALUATION OF 5.1 BILLION OF THE TOTAL LEVY OF 20.2 MILLION. 
          TOTAL DEBT FOR GOVERNMENTAL ACTIVITIES WAS 22.4 MILLION AND FOR BUSINESS TYPE ACTIVITIES, 19.8 MILLION. 
          THEN LASTLY, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE GENERAL FUND REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES, WHICH THIS INFORMATION COMES DIRECTLY FROM EXHIBIT FOUR OF YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. 
          UH, THE LARGEST SOURCES OF REVENUE WERE ABNORMAL TAXES AT 20.6 MILLION. 
          AND IN OUR GOVERNMENTAL REVENUES AT 17.1 MILLION IN TOTAL REVENUES OF 41.6 MILLION. 
          AND THE GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES, THE LARGEST SOURCE OF GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES WAS COMING FROM PUBLIC SAFETY AT 23.9 MILLION, FOLLOWED BY PUBLIC WORKS AT 8.1 MILLION IN TOTAL EXPENDITURES OF 45.5 MILLION. 
          AS A BRIEF FINANCIAL OVERVIEW OF THE PERFORMANCE OF THE CITY, AND AS I MENTIONED THE INFORMATION THAT I'VE JUST COVERED THERE, IT'S GOING TO BE COVERED AS WELL IN THE FULL PRESENTATION TO THE AUDIT OF THE AUDIT TO THE BOARD NEXT WEEK IN OUR PRESENTATION SUMMARY. 
          AND ALAN, WHEN HE PRESENTS THAT WE WILL, UH, GO OVER THAT INFORMATION AND ALSO A LITTLE BIT MORE IN DEPTH WITH THE CHARTS THAT WE DO. 
          BUT I ESSENTIALLY THE IMPORTANT THINGS TO NOTE AN UNMODIFIED OPINION, THAT'S THE BEST OPINION THAT CAN BE RECEIVED BY THE CITY. 
          NO FINANCIAL STATEMENT FINDINGS, NO COMPLIANCE FINDINGS. 
          THE ONE  THAT DOES NEED TO BE RESPONDED TO. 
          AND FROM MY REVIEW OF IT, I WOULD SAY CONSISTENT PERFORMANCE WITH PRIOR YEARS. 
          THERE'S REALLY NOTHING THAT'S UNEXPECTED AND I DON'T SEE THIS AS AN OUTLIER HERE IN ANY WAY. 
          UM, SO I DO WANT TO OPEN IT UP NOW TO QUESTIONS. 
          IF THERE ARE ANY, I'LL TRY TO ANSWER THAT AND IF NOT, I'LL MAKE NOTES SO THAT WAY ADAM AS WELL DURING FULL PRESENTATION CAN GET YOU A RESPONSE. 
          THE, UH, THE 16% YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HOW IN THE PAST NORMALLY IT'S JUST THE 8% FUND BALANCE. 
          UM, WHAT TYPICALLY IS LGC LOOKING AT AS FAR AS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE FUND BALANCE AND THE 16%? IN OTHER WORDS, THE IF FUND BALANCE IS 50%, THE THE 16% MINIMUM PROBABLY IS GONNA BE 40% OR SOMETHING. 
          IS THAT CORRECT? THE 16% ACTUALLY, IT'S NOT RELATING DIRECTLY TO THE FUND BALANCE. 
          WHAT THEY'RE DOING THERE IS THEY'RE TAKING THE CASH ON HAND AT 6 30, 20 25, WHICH I BELIEVE WAS 9 MILLION. 
          ROUGHLY 9 MILLION FOR THE ELECTRIC FUND. 
          UH, YES, 9.9 MILLION FOR THE ELECTRIC FUND. 
          THEY'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT THAT VERSUS TOTAL EXPENDITURES OF THE ELECTRIC FUND. 
          AND THEY'RE TAKING THAT BASICALLY TOTAL EXPENDITURES. 
          THEY DIVIDED IT BY 12 TO GET WHAT THE MONTH THE EXPENDITURE WOULD BE. 
          AND THEN THEY'RE SAYING, OKAY, TWO TWO WORTH TWO MONTHS WORTH OF EXPENDITURES. 
          THEY WANT TO SEE THAT THE CASH ON HAND IS EQUIVALENT TO AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, 16% OF THAT. 
          AND WHEN THEY'RE CONSIDERING THOSE EXPENDITURES, I DO GET THIS QUESTION SOMETIMES THIS IS, THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON PAY FOR, FOR FOLKS WHO HAVE ELECTRIC FUNDS, THEY ARE NOT CONSIDERING DEPRECIATION EXPENSE AS A PART OF THOSE EXPENDITURES, THEY BACK THAT OUT. 
          BUT WHAT THEY DO INCLUDE IS DEBT SERVICE PRINCIPLE PAYMENTS. 
          SO THEY'RE BACKING THAT DEPRECIATION EXPENSE, BUT THEY'RE PUTTING BACK IN DEBT SERVICE PRINCIPLE PAYMENTS. 
          'CAUSE WHAT THEY REALLY WANT TO REFLECT IS ACTUAL CASH FLOW. 
          IF YOU WANTED TO LOOK AT IT THAT WAY. 
          DEPRECIATION IS NOT AN ACTUAL CASH OUT ITEM, BUT PRINCIPLE IS AN, IT IS A CASH CASH OUT ITEM. 
          WELL, YOU, I MEAN LIKE IN , YOUR, YOUR DEBT SERVICE COULD INCREASE QUITE A BIT BY PUTTING IN SOME LOAD MANAGEMENT TOOLS. 
          UM, 
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AND SO IN ONE RESPECT, YOUR DEBT WOULD GO UP, BUT YOUR VARIABLE EXPENSES GO DOWN BY WAY OF LOAD MANAGEMENT. 
          UM, IN, YOU KNOW, THE PEAK DEMAND, THE EXPENSE WOULD GO DOWN. 
          SO, OR I MEAN, IS THAT ALL BEING CONSIDERED IN THAT 16TH PERCENT? SOMETIMES CARRYING ON DEBT MIGHT ACTUALLY INCREASE THE BOTTOM LINE BY, WAIT A MINUTE, INCREASING THE EFFICIENCY OF LOAD MANAGEMENT AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT, THAT IS BEING, IS BEING CONSIDERED IN THE SENSE THAT, UM, WHAT THE LGC IS DOING, AND THIS IS AN LGC CALCULATION WHEN WE COMPLETE THE DATA INPUT, WHICH IS AN ONLINE, UH, PORTAL THAT WE USE, BUT THE LGC IS ESSENTIALLY JUST, THEY'RE JUST TAKING TOTAL EXPENDITURES, UH, FROM THE EXHIBIT. 
          AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE SAYING, OKAY, WE WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA GET THIS DOWN TO ESSENTIALLY A RATIO OF TWO MONTHS WORTH OF EXPENDITURES AND THEN EVALUATE THAT AGAINST CASH. 
          BUT I DO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, DEBT FINANCING SOMETIMES THAT, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO FREEING UP CASH FLOWS, YOU DON'T HAVE AN IMMEDIATE OUTLAY OF CASH FOR SUCH A LARGE AMOUNT. 
          YOU'VE GOT CASH, UM, YOU'RE MAKING JUST, YOU KNOW, PRINCIPLE PAYMENTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AMORTIZATION SCHEDULE. 
          UH, TYPICALLY THAT'S, THAT'S A VERY PRUDENT WAY TO APPROACH IT, BUT THAT IS STILL BEING CONSIDERED IN THE SENSE THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT EXCLUDING THE DEBT SERVICE PRINCIPLE PAYMENTS. 
          SO WHEREAS THE DEBT SERVICE PRINCIPLE PAYMENTS TYPICALLY WOULD NOT BE SHOWN WHEN YOU'RE DOING AN INCOME STATEMENT ITEM, THEY'RE MOVING TO THE BALANCE SHEET. 
          THEY ARE INCLUDING THAT IN THIS EVALUATION. 
          THAT'S WHY I SAY THIS IS CLOSER TO, THIS IS MUCH CLOSER IN APPROXIMATION TO THE CASH FLOW STATEMENT THAN IT IS TO AN INCOME STATEMENT ITEM. 
          MM-HMM . 
          AND I BELIEVE THAT THE CASH FLOW STATEMENT FOR THE CITY OF NEW BERN IS ON EXHIBIT NINE, EXHIBIT NINE, WHICH IS PAGE 25 OF THE HONOR REPORT NOTE, IT IS NOT A ONE-TO-ONE. 
          UM, IT'S 'CAUSE THIS IS A, THIS IS AN LGC SPECIFIC POPULATION THAT THEY'RE DOING THE CASH FLOW STATEMENT AND THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS IS, HAS TO BE PRESENTED DIFFERENTLY. 
          BUT TO MY MIND IT'S MUCH MORE THAT THEY'RE DOING KIND OF A ROUGH CASH FLOW THAN THEY ARE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT JUST AN A, A STRAIGHT INCOME STATEMENT EVALUATION. 
          WELL, I, I THINK WHAT, WHAT I WAS TRYING TO SAY IS THAT LIKE IF YOU TAKE JANUARY, FEBRUARY AND JUNE AND JULY AND AUGUST, THOSE ARE PEAK MONTHS WHERE YOUR USAGE, YOUR CONSUMPTION IS GOING TO BE ATYPICALLY HIGH. 
          BUT OTHER THAN THE OTHER NORMAL MONTHS, IF YOU TAKE AND YOU RANDOMLY PICK TWO MONTHS THAT ARE IN NON-PEAK PERIODS, THAT DEBT IS GOING TO SHOW THAT 16 PER THAT, THAT 16% FACTOR IS GOING TO BE UNFAVORABLE ON THE MONTHS THAT YOU ARE NOT USING LOAD MANAGEMENT. 
          AND I THINK THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT LG C'S FORMULA CANNOT, UH, CANNOT ADEQUATELY COMPENSATE FOR. 
          OH, THEY'RE JUST, THEY'RE JUST GOING STRAIGHT FROM THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND THE COURSE OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS THEMSELVES DON'T MAKE ANY KIND OF ALLOWANCE FOR EVALUATING THIS MONTH TO MONTH. 
          THIS IS, YOU KNOW, COVERING FOR A FULLY YEAR'S PERIOD, JULY 1ST TO JUNE 30TH. 
          SO THEY DON'T REALLY HAVE A LEASE BY WHICH IN THEIR FORMULA TO ALLOW FOR THAT. 
          BUT I DO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT PEAK USAGE. 
          OBVIOUSLY PEOPLE RUNNING AC IN THE HOTTEST MONTHS OF THE YEAR AND THEN RUNNING THEIR, DURING THE COLDEST MONTHS OF THE YEAR, LIKE RIGHT NOW, UH, THAT'S GOING TO BE A HIGHER USAGE THAN SAY SEPTEMBER WHEN MOST OF US TURN IT OFF OR JUST, YOU KNOW, SET IT, SET IT BASICALLY WHAT IT IS OUTSIDE. 
          SO THIS IS WHERE WE LANDED AT THE END OF THE YEARS. 
          AT THE END OF THE YEAR, THIS IS WHERE OUR WAS, AND THEN IT'S FELL BELOW THE RECOMMENDED TO, OR THE RECOMMENDED 16% MINIMUM FROM THE LPC AND THAT'S WHY YOU GET THE, THE FP. 
          SO IT IS A, IT IS CONSIDERING A YEAR'S WORTH OF VARIANCES FROM MONTH TO MONTH AND SEASONALITY. 
          OKAY. 
          SO AS WELL, I DUNNO IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THAT, DOES THE BOARD HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR OFFICER? THE ONLY THING, UM, I'VE MENTIONED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHILE WE HAVE THE, THE ALTAR, UH, YOU KNOW, ROCKY MOUNT'S NOT THE ONLY PROBLEMATIC CITY IN NORTH CAROLINA. 
          AND IF THERE ARE ANY ADDITIONAL, UM, ADDITIONS TO THE SCOPE OF WORK THAT 
          [00:25:01]
WE ARE HAVING THAT YOU HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS ON, UH, I NOTICED, UH, THERE'S ANOTHER CITY HERE RECENTLY HAS SOME, GOT SOME ISSUES. 
          IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER TESTS, ET CETERA THAT WE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED IN AUDIT, I, I'D LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT IT. 
          I THINK, UM, AND I DID TOUCH ON THAT BRIEFLY. 
          WHEN WE, WHEN IT COMES TO EVALUATING RISKS, WE, WE HAVE TO EVALUATE OUR RISK RISK ASSESSMENT WORKSHEET, AND THEN THAT HELPS US TO DETERMINE WHAT TESTS WE NEED TO BE INCORPORATING IN ORDER TO BE COMFORTABLE WITH THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. 
          AND THAT BASICALLY TO GIVE US ASSURANCE THAT WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE MISSING ANY MATERIAL MISSTATEMENTS THAT WOULD BE MISLEADING TO THE USER. 
          BUT I WILL ALSO SAY THAT MEANS THAT WHEN WE'RE EVALUATING EACH YEAR, THERE MAY BE A NEW TEST, THERE MAY BE A NEW INTERNAL CONTROL WALKTHROUGH OR EVALUATION THAT WE DO. 
          SO WE DO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF RANDOMNESS. 
          IT'S NOT SO MUCH RANDOM ON OUR SIDE BECAUSE IT'S PURPOSEFUL, BUT IT CAN BE RANDOM IN THE SENSE OF THE CITY MAY NOT ANTICIPATE THAT THIS TEST IS GONNA BE COMING BECAUSE WE DIDN'T DO IT LAST YEAR. 
          BUT IF WE DO THE EVALUATION AND WE SAY, HEY, WE, WE THINK THAT WE NEED TO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE ASSURANCE, WE NEED TO BE A LITTLE MORE COMFORTABLE THAT WE'RE NOT MISSING ANYTHING IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA, WE'LL INCORPORATE A TEST TO EXPAND OUR PROCEDURE THERE. 
          WELL, WHAT I SAY, IF WE DON'T ASK YOU OR TELL YOU TO OFFER SOMETHING AND THEN SOMETHING COMES UP, LIKE HOW COULD YOU HAVE MISSED WHAT'S GOING ON WITH ROCKY, THE MOUNT, WHOEVER WAS DOING AUDITS, UM, JUST INTERVIEWS OF ELECTED OFFICIALS, ET CETERA, SOMETHING SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT A RED FLAG. 
          SO IF, UM, IF SOMETHING CAME UP AND WE HAVEN'T INSTRUCTED OUR AUDITOR TO PERFORM A CERTAIN TEST, THEN YOU'RE, YOU'RE SCOT FREE FROM ANY BLAME AS FAR AS THE, UM, WHATEVER SURFACES. 
          IF WE DON'T ASK, IF WE DON'T ASK YOU, I'M, I CAN'T REALLY SPEAK TO ROCKY MOUNT OR TO THE AUDITOR DOING THE ROCKY MOUNT AUDIT. 
          UM, BUT I DO WANT TO THEN MENTION THIS GOES BACK TO WHO HAS ULTIMATE RESPONSIBILITY OVER THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. 
          UH, MANAGEMENT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND THE BOARD IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OVERSIGHT OF MANAGEMENT. 
          SO I THINK YOU DO BRING UP A GOOD POINT, A BOARD BEING INVOLVED, PARTICULARLY WITH AN AUDIT COMMITTEE THAT'S SAYING, HEY, WE HAVE PARTICULAR CONCERNS OVER THESE AREAS, SHOULD ADDRESS THAT TO THE AUDITOR DURING THE AUDIT COMMITTEE PROCESS AND ESSENTIALLY SAY, WE HAVE THESE CONCERNS, CAN YOU PLEASE TRY TO INCORPORATE PROCEDURES THAT WILL ADDRESS THESE? UM, ALTERNATIVELY, IF, IF A, IF A BOARD OR IF AN AUDIT COMMITTEE DOES NOT RAISE ANY ISSUES TO THE AUDITOR, WHAT THE AUDITOR, JUST SPEAKING FROM MY EXPERIENCE WITH TPSA, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING IS, UH, AS I DISCUSSED, WE DEVELOP OUR RISK ASSESSMENT BASED ON OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE ENTITY. 
          WE DO HAVE TO HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE ENTITY. 
          UM, AND OF COURSE WE DO SEND OUT LETTERS. 
          WE, WE TALK WITH MANAGEMENT DURING OUR VISITS OR WE TALK WITH MANAGEMENT PERIODICALLY THROUGHOUT THE AUDIT. 
          UM, OUTSIDE OF THAT, I CAN'T REALLY SPEAK TO WHAT THE AUDITOR FOR ROCKY MOUNT MAY HAVE BEEN DOING. 
          I'M NOT, I'M NOT SURE ABOUT WHO THAT FIRM WAS. 
          UM, AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO JUST KIND OF POINT OUT, I, ER ITSELF, I THINK WE'RE PRETTY ROBUST IN THE, IN THE AMOUNT OF ACCOUNTING INFORMATION THAT WE PROVIDE TO THE GOVERNING BOARD ON A MONTHLY BASIS IN TERMS OF THE, OF THE REPORTS, UH, KIM AND I HAVE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS, ESPECIALLY WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT LATER, ABOUT, UH, SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WE RECEIVED DURING THE SURVEY, UH, OF SOME ADDITIONAL THINGS THAT WE COULD DO TO INFORM THE BOARD OF, OF THE FINANCES OF THE CITY. 
          BUT THAT'S THE MAIN GOAL, TO BE AS TRANSPARENT AS WE CAN TO PROVIDE YOU WITH, WITH FULL INFORMATION AND THE INFORMATION THAT THEY DO PROVIDE IS PROBABLY TRIPLE VERIFIED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE GETTING THE ACCURATE INFORMATION YOU NEED. 
          BECAUSE, NO, THE LAST THING THAT THE CITY OF NEW NEWPORT WANTS TO BE IS IN THE POSITION OF SOME OF THE OTHER CITIES AND COUNTIES THAT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN SEEING IN THE NEWS LATELY. 
          AND THERE HAVE BEEN QUITE A FEW THROUGHOUT THE STATE. 
          ADDITIONALLY, WE'VE BEEN REVIEWING ALL OF OUR POLICIES AND INTERNAL CONTROLS WE REVIEW ANNUALLY AND WE PUT PRACTICES IN TO IMPROVE THEM AS WE GO ALONG. 
          WE SEE ANY AREAS THAT, UM, MAYBE, YOU KNOW, A WEEK OR WE COULD DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT JUST TO MAKE SURE WE'RE FOLLOWING OUR PROCESSES, OUR POLICY, AND THAT, UM, THEY'RE ALIGNING WITH, WITH EVEN LIKE THE SYSTEM, UM, AND WHAT ITS, UM, AVAILABILITY AS WELL AS ITS LIMITATIONS. 
          WE DON'T HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS. 
          I THINK WE'RE ALL SET. 
          NO, HUNTER, THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          THANK YOU. 
          YES MA'AM. 
          [00:30:01]
THANK YOU ALL AND HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR. 
          I KNOW IT WAS A COUPLE DAYS LATE, BUT UH, HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A GOOD YEAR. 
          YOU AS WELL. 
          TAKE CARE. 
          OKAY, SO, UM, WE'RE GONNA BE MOVING ON TO SOME, SOME PROJECTS AND BEFORE WE GET INTO, UM, SOME OTHERS, WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT GENERAL PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING ON. 
          SO I'M GONNA ASK COLLEEN TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON OUR WEBSITE UPDATE, UH, WHICH SHOULD BE A ROBUST CHANGE FROM WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE. 
          COLLEEN, GOOD MORNING MAYOR BOARD OF ALDERMAN. 
          UH, WE KICKED OFF A WEBSITE REDESIGN PROJECT IN DECEMBER RIGHT BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS. 
          WE EXPECT THE PROJECT TO LAST ABOUT SIX MONTHS. 
          WE ARE IMPLEMENTING AS PART OF THIS PROJECT, TWO BRAND NEW PIECES OF TECHNOLOGY. 
          ONE, WHICH IS ALREADY IN PLACE. 
          YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED IT IS AN AI CHAT BOT THAT SHOWS UP ON EACH PAGE OF THE WEBSITE. 
          UH, IT LAUNCHED I THINK LITERALLY LAST FRIDAY, JANUARY 2ND. 
          UM, WE DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO CORRECT ANSWERS AS NEEDED THAT THE CHAT BOT GIVES. 
          FOR EXAMPLE, UM, AS THE CHAT BOT CRAWLS OUR SITE, IT MAY REFERENCE AN OLD DOCUMENT WITH A PREVIOUS STAFF MEMBER. 
          UM, SO I'VE HAD TO GO IN AND CORRECT THE APPROPRIATE NAMES FOR DEPARTMENT HEADS FOR EXAMPLE. 
          MOST OF THEM WERE CORRECT WHEN WE TESTED, BUT THERE WERE A COUPLE WE HAD FIXED. 
          SO VERY MINOR TWEAKS WE MAY NEED TO MAKE ALONG THE WAY WITH THE CHATBOT. 
          THE SECOND PIECE OF TECHNOLOGY, WHICH WILL COME AT THE END OF THE REDESIGN IS AN AI SEARCH. 
          THE SEARCH WE HAVE ON OUR WEBSITE RIGHT NOW, YOU HAVE TO MATCH THE KEYWORD, UM, IN ORDER FOR IT TO GIVE YOU RESULTS. 
          AND AI POWERED SEARCH IS MORE INTUITIVE THAT CAN KIND OF READ WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR AND GIVE YOU MORE APPROPRIATE RESULTS FOR YOUR REQUEST. 
          FOSTER AND I PARTICIPATED IN A KICKOFF CALL IN DECEMBER. 
          WE WERE ASKED TO GIVE UM, OR SHARE DIFFERENT FEATURES OF SITES THAT WE LIKED, DIFFERENT THEMES THAT WE LIKED. 
          WE MET OUR DESIGNER, UM, AND THERE WILL BE VARIOUS APPROVALS AND DRAFTS ALONG THE WAY THAT WE WILL LOOK AT, BUT WE HAVE ASKED FOR DELIVERY ON THIS PROJECT IN JUNE, SO WE'LL HAVE SOMETHING TO SHOW YOU AS WE GET A LITTLE BIT FURTHER INTO THE PROJECT. 
          AND SO I THINK THE GOAL OF THIS IS TO HAVE A MUCH MORE RESPONSIVE WEBSITE, NOT ONLY IF YOU HAVE A SMARTPHONE, BUT, BUT REALLY ONLY HAVING TO CLICK A COUPLE OF TIMES TO GET TO THE INFORMATION YOU NEED. 
          UH, MUCH MORE EASIER TO, TO MANEUVER AND, AND RIGHT NOW ON OUR CURRENT WEBSITE, THERE IS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF INFORMATION. 
          HE IS, CAN YOU FIND IT? CAN YOU GET TO IT? SO WE WANNA MAKE THAT MUCH EASIER FOR OUR CITIZENS. 
          ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE WEBSITE REDESIGN? OKAY. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          UH, AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO ASK GEORGE JOBS TO AND GIVE SOME, UH, SOME UPDATES ON SOME GENERAL PROJECTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY GOING ON PUBLIC WORKS AS WELL. 
          GOOD EVENING BOARD. 
          UM, JUST SOME CURRENT PRO ACTIVE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE. 
          UH, IF YOU SEE SOME CONSTRUCTION AROUND TOWN, WE CURRENTLY HAVE PAVING GOING ON IN AL WESTWARD. 
          UM, THIS WOULD BE, THEY FINISHED MILLING A PAVING BEAUFORT STREET YESTERDAY. 
          WE'RE TRYING TO GET BY THAT SECTION OF BEAUFORT WHERE JT BARBER IS TO, UM, BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS BACK ON THURSDAY. 
          SO WE THINK WE'LL HAVE THAT DONE. 
          THEN WE'LL BE MOVING, UM, TO THE CUL-DE-SAC ON LINCOLN. 
          WE THINK WE'LL HAVE THAT PAID TODAY. 
          AND THEN WE'LL THE REST OF LINCOLN DOWN TO WILLIAMS AND THEN THEY'LL MOVE TO SECTION OF MAIN AND THEY'RE WORKING ON CLARK AS WELL. 
          THAT PAVING'S ON BOARD RIGHT NOW. 
          WE JUST COMPLETED LAST WEEK RIGHT AFTER THE HOLIDAYS, THE TROLLEY RUN PAVING. 
          SO THAT WAS THE, BASICALLY THE ENTIRE SUBDIVISION OF TROLLEY RUN, WHICH WAS THE PAVEMENT WAS ORIGINALLY INSTALLED IN 1990. 
          SO, UH, IT HAD SOME AGE ON IT THAT THAT ONE'S COMPLETED. 
          NOW WE'VE GOT A SIDEWALK CONNECTION GOING ON BETWEEN TESSIE TRAIL AND WEATHER SPEED, WHICH IS IN THE BRYCE'S CROSSING SUBDIVISION WHERE YOU HAD TWO PHASES THAT JUST NEVER GOT CONNECTED. 
          SO THAT SHOULD BE THE END OF THIS WEEK. 
          SO THOSE ARE ONGOING IN THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS. 
          WE'VE GOT GEORGE STREET, THE LIGHT THERE, WE'VE DESIGNED SOME NEW LOOP SYSTEMS FOR THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL. 
          IT'LL CHANGE THE TIMING ON SOME OF THE LIGHTS ON BROAD TO MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT EASIER TO GET DOWN THROUGH TOWN. 
          WE'LL STILL BE THE LAST ONE ON THAT SYSTEM THAT WILL NEED TO UPGRADE. 
          IS LIKELY GONNA BE THE CRAVEN TRAFFIC SIGNAL, WHICH CURRENTLY DOESN'T HAVE PEDESTRIAN CONTROLS AND WE THINK THAT WOULD BE A UPCOMING PROJECT FOR . 
          [00:35:01]
SO THOSE ARE THE ONGOING PROJECTS RIGHT NOW. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU GEORGE. 
          I I HAVE A QUESTION. 
          YEAH, GEORGE, THE, UM, THE SIDEWALK PROJECT THAT YOU MENTIONED, WHY WOULDN'T THAT HAVE BEEN THE DEVELOPER'S RESPONSIBILITY? YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU END UP WITH PHASES THAT ARE FLATTED ONE PHASE TO ANOTHER, AND AT THE TIME, WHENEVER IT WAS CONSTRUCTED, IT WAS NOT PICKED UP BY THE ORIGINAL FIRST PHASE, SECOND PHASE GOT CONSTRUCTED AND YOU MAY HAVE A SECTION OF HOUSES WHERE IT DOESN'T CONNECT THE ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD TOGETHER. 
          AND THESE ARE JUST INFILL INFILL SECTIONS OF SIDEWALK AND STATE. 
          WHAT, WHAT'S THE UPDATE ON THE, THE ROAD GOING INTO IN THE PARKING LOT FOR THE FISHING GEAR? WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THAT IN JUST A MINUTE. 
          OKAY. 
          THANKS TODAY. 
          EXCELLENT. 
          SO THERE'S SOME ONGOING THINGS GOING ON RIGHT NOW. 
          UM, ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THOSE? NO, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT I JUST WANNA MAKE A STATEMENT. 
          I JUST WANT THE CITIZENS TO KNOW THAT THE PAYMENT THAT'S GOING ON OVER IN WARD FIVE, UH, ON BO STREET AND OTHER STREETS IS NOT A PART OF CITY FUNDS. 
          THEIR TAX DOLLARS IS NOT PAYING FOR THAT PAYMENT. 
          THAT'S A RP MONIES. 
          I JUST WANT THE CITIZENS TO KNOW THAT. 
          UM, BECAUSE WHEN WE GET INTO PAVING, ADDITIONAL PAVING PROJECTS LATER ON DOWN THE LINE, THAT WILL BE TAX DOLLARS WHEN WE GO IN WITH THE BOND PROGRAMUM, THAT WILL BE TAX DOLLARS THAT WE PAYING. 
          I JUST WANT THE CITIZENS TO KNOW A RP MONEY AND, AND THE FUNDING THAT  BACK THAT WAS ALREADY, UM, BUDGETED THROUGH OUR EXISTING BUDGET THIS YEAR FOR, UH, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PAYMENT, GEORGIA, ON LAKE TYLER. 
          YOU KNOW, KIND OF GETTING UP THE ABSORPTIONS, KIND OF FILLING UP. 
          WHERE ARE WE ON THE SECOND LAYER FROM, FROM OUR UNDERSTANDING AND COMMUNICATION WITH THE DEVELOPER AND THE CURRENT HOUSE BUILDER IN THERE. 
          THEY, THEY'VE BEEN HAVING DISCUSSIONS AND THEY'VE HAD SEVERAL PAID CONTRACTORS IN IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS TO GIVE THEM PRICING ON PUTTING THE FINAL LAYER OF BASKETBALL ALL THEIR STREETS. 
          ANY TIMETABLE ON WHEN THAT'S GONNA BE COMPLETED? I WOULD, I'LL CERTAINLY LET YOU KNOW WHEN WE SEE THE PAVING MACHINE START LOCALIZING. 
          THAT WOULD BE MY BEST ANSWER FOR ANY ACCURACY. 
          OKAY. 
          ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR GEORGE? ALRIGHT, I'D LIKE TO ASK CARRIE TO COME UP AND GIVE SOME UPDATES ON SOME PARTS RECREATION PROJECT. 
          GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. 
          MORNING. 
          SO, UM, CURRENTLY THE STAFF IS WORKING ON COMPLETING THE STORAGE BUILDING FOR THE CHRISTMAS DAY DECOR THAT WE HAVE OVER AT OUR PHOENIX LOT. 
          THEY SHOULD WRAP THAT UP TODAY. 
          UM, EXCEPT FOR THE ROLLUP DOOR, WE'RE WAITING TO RECEIVE THAT, BUT WE'RE TEMPORARILY GOING TO PUT A WOOD DOOR UP THERE UNTIL WE GET THAT. 
          SO WE GO AHEAD AND START STORING THE CHRISTMAS BEFORE THAT'S COMING DOWN THIS WEEK. 
          UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF PROJECTS WE'VE WORKED ON OVER THE PAST YEAR ON THE COMPLETION OF THE RIVER WALK FISHING HERE, ALONG WITH THE PIER LIGHTING THAT WAS COMPLETED. 
          UH, CEMETERIES, WE'VE DONE QUITE A BIT OF WORK IN NEW MEMORIAL AND EVERGREEN. 
          THERE WAS, UH, A NEW SHELTER INSTALLED AT NEW MEMORIAL AND EVERGREEN CEMETERY. 
          WE PUT, UH, NEW PINS ALONG ONE SIDE OF THE EVERGREEN CEMETERY AS WELL AS NEW LANDSCAPING WITH SOME, UM, SCREENING ALONG THAT FENCING. 
          UM, AT NEW MEMORIAL WE REMOVED 30 LARGE PINE TREES IN SECTION D THAT WAS DONE IN HOUSE BY STAFF. 
          UM, SO WE CAN EXPAND ALL PLOTS IN SECTION D. 
          SO THAT WAS COMPLETED. 
          UM, WE ALSO HAVE RENOVATED, UH, RESTROOMS AT LAWSON CREEK AND KIDS FIELD, UH, OLDER RESTROOMS THAT NEEDED RENOVATIONS ON THE INSIDE AND UPDATE FOR A DA, UM, OF COURSE HENDERSON PARK. 
          WE HAVE INSTALLED COURT LIGHTING ON THE BASKETBALL COURT. 
          WE HAVE INSTALLED A NEW SHELTER FITNESS COURSE AND PLAYGROUND STRUCTURE. 
          UM, CURRENTLY THE RESTROOM OUT THERE IS IN CONSTRUCTION. 
          UH, STAFF WILL BE SWITCHING OVER TO THAT ONCE THEY COMPLETE THE, UH, STORAGE BUILDING OVER AT PHOENIX LOT. 
          UM, AND ALSO AT HENDERSON PARK. 
          UM, WE'RE IN PROGRESS OF INSTALLING NEW LED LIGHTING FOR THE MULTIPURPOSE FIELD THAT WILL BE GOING ON THERE. 
          WE CONTRACTED WITH, MUST GO FOR THAT. 
          UM, PIERCE PARK. 
          WE INSTALLED BASKETBALL COURT OVER THERE AND I THINK THAT'S MOSTLY THE ONES OTHER THAN LAWS CREEK OR JACK ISLAND WHERE WE INSTALLED THE SHELTER AND COMPLETED THE MARSH 
          [00:40:01]
OAK OUT THERE. 
          IS THERE ANY ADDITIONAL OR ANY PLANS FOR ADDITIONAL CAMERAS AND ESPECIALLY THE LAWSON CREEK PARK? SO NOT AT, WELL LAWSON CREEK, WE HAVE QUITE A FEW ALREADY, UM, THAT ARE MONITORING MOST OF THE AREAS. 
          WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TO GET EVERY SINGLE SPOT THAT SOMEBODY COULD BE HIDING, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT WE COULD EVER ACCOMMODATE THAT. 
          UM, WE DO HAVE FUNDS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT GOING AHEAD, INSTALLING SOME AT MARTIN MARIETTA PARK AND SO THEY'RE IN THE PROCESS NOW SUBMITTING REQUESTS IN THE CURRENT BUDGET. 
          SO I'LL SEE THOSE FOR ANOTHER FEW WEEKS AND THEY COULD HAVE SOME STUFF IN THERE AS WELL. 
          ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR CARRIE? WHEN YOU, SPEAKING OF CAMERAS, I HOPE YOU INCLUDED SOME OF THE PLEASANT HILL PARK. 
          YES MA'AM. 
          AND WE'RE LOOKING AT WILLIAM BURN AS WELL. 
          WE'VE RECENTLY HAD SOME VANDALISM OUT THERE THAT'S BEEN REOCCURRING. 
          SO IF LOOKING OUT THERE AS WELL, THE, THE CAMERAS THAT WE HAD AT LAWSON CREEK PARK, UH, ARE THEY ABLE TO CAPTURE LICENSE PLATE NUMBERS OR AT LEAST CAR DESCRIPTIONS OF, I I THINK THEY CAN GET CAR VEHICLE DESCRIPTIONS. 
          UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY'VE GOT THE CAPABILITY TO ZOOM INTO A, TO A LICENSE PLATE, BE ABLE TO CAPTURE SOMETHING LIKE THAT. 
          IT'S A LITTLE FUZZY ONCE YOU START ZOOMING TOO CLOSE UNLESS IT'S, YOU KNOW, THE DISTANCE. 
          NO, THAT'S ALL. 
          ANYTHING ELSE? YOU DID A WONDERFUL JOB WITH CHRISTMAS DOWNTOWN WITH NEIGHBOR LOOKING, THAT WAS STAFF AND ANOTHER THING, WE BUILT A FEW NEW CHRISTMAS PIECES THIS YEAR, SO THANK YOU. 
          OKAY, SO WE'RE GONNA GIVE AN UPDATE ON SOME MUNICIPAL SERVICES, UM, PROJECTS AND THE MSD IS BASICALLY DOWNTOWN. 
          IT'S LOCATED FROM HANCOCK STREET TO THE NOOSE RIVER AND FROM BROAD STREET TO THE TRENT RIVER. 
          TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THAT, UM, THE MUNICIPAL SERVICE DISTRICT ALSO HAS A SPECIAL TAX FOR ALL PROPERTY OWNERS, WHICH IS ABOUT 11 CENTS. 
          AND SO THOSE FUNDS, UM, ARE PUT IN A PUT IN THE FUND AND WE HAVE A MUNICIPAL SERVICE DISTRICT ADVISORY COMMITTEE WHO MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS TO THIS GOVERNING BOARD. 
          AND SO, UM, THIS BOARD HAS ULTIMATE APPROVAL ON THESE PROJECTS. 
          SEVERAL OF THESE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT IN JUST A SECOND HAVE ALREADY BEEN, UH, APPROVED AND ARE, UH, ABOUT READY TO START. 
          AND SO I'M GONNA ASK GEORGE TO COME BACK UP AND TALK ABOUT SOME OF THESE MAJOR ONES AND YOU CAN CLICK THROUGH. 
          SO PROBABLY THE BIGGEST ONE, AND AND  OR MENTIONED IT IS THE, UM, BROAD STREET FISHING PEER PARKING LOT. 
          SO WE HAVE THE PRELIMINARY DESIGNS DONE, WE'VE GOT SOME FINALIZED PIECES THAT, UM, WE'VE GOTTA WORK THROUGH WITH THE DIVISION OF WATER QUALITY THAT THEY WANTED SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. 
          BUT WE ANTICIPATE THIS PROJECT IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS GOING OUT TO BID FOR CONTRACTORS. 
          SO THAT'S, AND THAT SHOULD COINCIDE WHEN WE RECEIVE THE STORMWATER PERMITS BACK FROM THE STATE. 
          SO, UM, WE'VE GOT TRAFFIC CIRCLE, WE'RE GONNA, IT WILL, WE ACCOMMODATED AS MANY PARKING SPACES AS POSSIBLE. 
          YOU'VE GOTTA REMEMBER THIS IS A VERY NARROW AREA AND STILL TO ALLOW FOR A RADIUS THAT WOULD ACCOMMODATE, UH, VEHICLE, UH, PASSING THROUGH, INCLUDING VEHICLES THE SIZE OF AN AMBULANCE. 
          SO REALLY KIND OF LIMITED HOW MUCH WE COULD ACCOMMODATE ON CLOSE REMAINING OF THAT RIGHT WAY. 
          GEORGE, WILL THERE BE LIGHTING IN THAT MEETING? WE'RE, WE'RE PLANNING ON, UM, OUR ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT HAS THE SITE PLAN AND THEY'RE GONNA DO LIGHTING EVALUATION. 
          WE ANTICIPATE AT LEAST TWO, UM, IN THAT CENTER ISLAND. 
          WELL, WHAT'S THE UPDATE ON THE RESTROOM FACILITIES? UM, SO JORDAN HUGHES IN THE FINAL DESIGN OF THE BUILDING ITSELF, THAT WILL THEN GO TO HPC FOR REVIEW. 
          THE, THE PORTABLE RESTROOMS HAVE BEEN ORDERED AND THEY SHOULD BE ON SITE THIS SPRING. 
          SO ALL OF THAT, THAT AS WELL AS THE PIER PARKING LOT, THAT SHOULD ALL BE COMING TOGETHER RIGHT ABOUT THE SAME TIME. 
          IT'S, IT'S HARD. 
          EXCUSE ME, IT'S HARD FOR ME TO SEE FROM HERE, BUT THIS THE AREA RIGHT AT THE END. 
          IS THAT WHERE THE RESTROOMS ARE GOING? THAT RECTANGLE AREA IS, YES. 
          OKAY. 
          WHERE THE RESTROOMS WOULD BE LOCATED. 
          SO GEORGE, HOW MANY PARKING SPACES ARE THERE? WE'VE GOTTEN 10. 
          AND THAT INCLUDES THE, UM, HANDICAP PARKING SPACE THAT'S NECESSARY FOR VAN ACCESS ALSO. 
          SO GEORGE, WHY DON'T YOU TALK ABOUT THE, THE DESIGNS YOU ALL ATTEMPTED. 
          I THINK THAT THIS DESIGN BASED ON THE CRITERIA THAT YOU HAD TO WORK WITH, WAS THE MAXIMUM NUMBER YOU COULD GET ON THAT SPACE. 
          YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAD SOME RESTRICTIONS. 
          ONE IS ACCOMMODATING THE PROPER RADIUSES TO COME OFF THE TRAFFIC CIRCLE. 
          UM, ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE PARKING IT WAS A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO PUT ANY MORE, UM, ANGLE PARKING AND STILL ACCOMMODATE VEHICLES EXITING OFF BACK ONTO THE TRAFFIC CIRCLE. 
          SO THOSE RADIUSES ARE RESTRICTED. 
          UM, OBVIOUSLY 
          [00:45:01]
THE TURNAROUND TAKES UP A HUGE AMOUNT OF SPACE, BUT WITHOUT IT, YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO EASILY COME IN AND OUT OF THE PARKING LOT OR ACCESS THE AREA. 
          SO THOSE TWO ITEMS, UM, KIND OF RESTRICTED WHAT WE COULD DO IN THAT AREA. 
          YOU'VE GOT A LARGE AMOUNT OF ELECTRIC UTILITY AND UM, FIBER CONNECTIONS RIGHT THERE AT THE CORNER AT THE, AT THE SOUTHERN, UH, CORNER OF IT, RIGHT AT THE TRAFFIC CIRCLE. 
          SO WE HAD TO WORK AROUND THOSE BOXES. 
          SO IT IT, WITH THOSE LIMITING FACTORS AND THE NARROWNESS OF THE RIGHT OF WAY ITSELF REALLY RESTRICTED WHAT WE COULD ACCOMMODATE. 
          WHAT IS THAT, WHAT'S THE RADIUS ON THAT CUL-DE-SAC? IS THAT 35 OR 50? UM, IT IS, UH, WITHOUT HAVING IT ON THE DIAGRAM I I WELL WRONG TELLING YOU ABOUT, BUT THEY RAN THE, THE, THE SOFTWARE TO SHOW THE RADIUS TERMS ON THE VEHICLES. 
          RIGHT. 
          AND THAT WAS AS NARROW AS WE COULD, WE COULD. 
          WELL THE REASON I WAS ASKING IF IT'S LESS THAN 50, YOU KNOW, YOU'LL HAVE A LOT OF TROUBLE WITH SOME, I MEAN THERE'LL BE A LOT OF BACKING UP AND WE ALREADY HAD THAT WITH THE CIRCLE. 
          RIGHT. 
          YOU KNOW, THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BIT MORE, BUT UM, IF THAT'S NOT AT LEAST 50, YOU, YOU THAT WOULD BE A LOT OF PROBLEMS. I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS. 
          THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING, I I CAN GET YOU THAT NUMBER, THE YEAH. 
          EXACT RADIUS ON IT. 
          UM, BUT, BUT THEY DID RUN THE SOFTWARE ON IT TO SHOW THE VEHICLE MOVEMENT IN THERE TO MAKE SURE WE COULD ACCOMMODATE NORMAL VEHICLES. 
          AND I I'M JUST ASKING ALL THAT FROM COST BENEFIT RATIO FOR WHATEVER THAT PROJECT IS. 
          I, I REALLY, FIVE YEARS AGO, UH, I WAS CERTAINLY HOPING 20 SPACES, I MEAN FOR WHATEVER THAT PROJECT COSTS IS TO GET 10 PARKING SPACES, YOU JUST KIND OF HAVE TO ASK YOURSELF A QUESTION. 
          IS THE RETURN THERE? I, I DON'T KNOW, BUT IT'S PRETTY DISAPPOINTING NOT BEING ABLE TO GET MORE 10, I UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE ISSUES. 
          SO WHAT IS THAT COST THAT PROJECT GONNA COST? WELL, I I'LL HAVE A GUARANTEE THOUGH THAT WHEN WE PUT IT OUT THE BID, UM, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW PRICING IS, WE HAVE NOT BEEN REAL ACCURATE IN OUR ESTIMATES JUST BECAUSE PRICES HAVE BEEN ALL OVER THE PLACE RECENTLY ON CONSTRUCTION. 
          I THINK TOO, THE, THE NORTHWEST CORNER WHERE THE SHRINERS BUILDING IS, ONCE THE COUNTY FINALLY DOES THEIR WORK THERE, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF SPACES THAT'S GONNA BE AVAILABLE AFTER BUSINESS HOURS. 
          SO, AND ONE THING TO ALSO, TO REMEMBER IT, IT DOES ALLOW EMERGENCY VEHICLES TO GET IN THERE, YOU KNOW, AMBULANCES, YOU GOT A PUBLIC PLACE FISHING HERE AND I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN WE, WHEN WE ALLOW SOME KIND OF  BATHROOM. 
          GEORGE, IS THERE NOT ROOM FOR ADDITIONAL PARKING LIKE IN FRONT OF THE RESTROOMS? I MEAN, COULD YOU COME OFF THE, YOU YOU, NOW WE'RE GETTING INTO THE 75 FOOT A DCI KNEW YOU HAD A REASON. 
          YEAH. 
          AND, AND DIVISIONAL WORK QUALITY IS RESTRICTING US TO 15% IN PURPOSE IN THIS AREA. 
          OKAY. 
          SO WE HAD USED UP LITERALLY EVERY SQUARE FOOT IF WE GO MUCH BIGGER RIGHT NOW IN, IN THIS AREA, WHAT YOU'LL DO IS LOSE PARKING SPACES FOR STORMWATER STRUCTURES. 
          SO THERE, THERE'S GOT, THERE'S A BALANCE BETWEEN IT WHERE YOU'RE HIT A THRESHOLD OF WE'RE NOT GAINING ANYTHING BY DOING MORE  SPACE. 
          ANY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE, ON THE PIER PARKING LOT? ALRIGHT, LET'S GO. 
          THE NEXT ONE'S CROSSWALK GEORGE CROSSWALKS. 
          SO WE HAVE THE, UM, WE HAVE THE CROSSWALK PROJECT THAT, THAT WE SELECTED THE INTERSECTIONS AND WE HAVE THE, THE DESIGNS READY FOR SENDING OUT THE BID IN THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS. 
          WE'LL PUT THOSE OUT. 
          OUR PLAN IS TRY TO ACCOMMODATE A FEW OF THESE. 
          UH, THE FIRST ONE WILL LIKELY BE THE INTERSECTION IN FRONT OF CITY HALL, SO THE P*****K AND CRAVEN INTERSECTION AND MAYBE SOME SINGLE CROSSWALK INTERSECTIONS. 
          WE'D LIKE TO GET SOME OF THIS CONSTRUCTION DONE AND SEE WHAT THE CONSTRUCTION PACE IS. 
          WE'RE GONNA PUT AN ALTERNATE ITEM IN THERE FOR A COUPLE MORE IN THIS FIRST CONTRACT JUST TO SEE HOW FAST WE GET 'EM DONE. 
          AND WE'RE GONNA TRY TO GET THESE DONE BEFORE EASTER. 
          YOU KNOW, THE ONES THAT WE SELECT BEFORE, WE GET A LOT MORE FOOT TRAFFIC DOWNTOWN. 
          SO WE'RE LIMITED IN OUR REALLY, WHERE WE'RE NOT HINDERING DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES, BUT WE STILL ACCOMMODATE CONSTRUCTION BECAUSE IT WILL TAKE ON A FOUR LEGGED INTERSECTION, YOU 
          [00:50:01]
WOULD HAVE TO DO THE NORTH AND SOUTH SIDE, CLOSE THAT STATION STREET AND THEN LIKELY FLIP IT OVER AND OPEN THAT BACK UP. 
          SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, GET IT ALL DONE AT ONE TIME. 
          IT'S GONNA LIKELY CLOSE THE INTERSECTION FOR A WEEK OR TWO. 
          ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT PROJECT? ALRIGHT. 
          AND THAT, JUST KEEP, KEEP ON GOING. 
          OKAY. 
          NOW WE'VE GOT OUR INTER POOL PARKING, GEORGIA, THE INTER POOL PARKING. 
          WE HAVE RECEIVED, UM, THE PROPOSALS FROM THE CONSULTANT. 
          WE'VE HAD SOME TENTATIVE JUST SCHEMATIC PLANS THEY'VE SUBMITTED FOR IMPROVEMENTS IN HERE. 
          AND THIS IS JUST TO GET US TO A POINT OF, TO GET PROPOSALS FOR THE DESIGN WORK THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR A BRICK CORRIDOR THROUGH FROM CRAVEN TO THE BACKSIDE OF BEAR PLAZA. 
          IT WOULD ALSO ACCOMMODATE SOME SORT OF ENCLOSURE FOR THE DUMPSTERS IN THERE RIGHT NOW. 
          UH, PLANTERS DOWN THE MIDDLE. 
          SO BASICALLY YOU WOULD HAVE AESTHETICALLY THE SAME LOOK RUNNING FROM CRAVEN ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE MIDDLE. 
          AND THAT WOULD ALSO INCLUDE RESURFACING THE EXISTING PARKING PARTS. 
          ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? AND THIS, THE MSD ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS LITERALLY WORKING ON THAT FOR QUITE A LONG TIME. 
          WE BROUGHT THIS TO THE GOVERNING BOARD A FEW MONTHS AGO, SO WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE THIS, THIS PROJECT GETTING READY TO UH, OCCUR. 
          OKAY. 
          ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER PROJECTS, UM, MS. D WISE YOU WANNA UPDATE ON GEORGE? UM, WE HAVE COMPLETED MOST OF THESE, SOME THAT ARE SMALLER THAN OUTSTANDING. 
          WE PAINTED MOST OF THE, UM, ARCHITECTURAL STREET LAMPS DOWNTOWN. 
          THE ONES WERE LACKING AROUND UNION POINT. 
          WE JUST RAN INTO HAVING TO STOP 'CAUSE WE HAD TO PUT CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS UP ON 'EM. 
          SO NOW THEY'RE DOWN. 
          WE'LL FINISH THOSE UP. 
          UM, WE HAVE BEEN INSTALLED AND WE'VE GOT ABOUT HALF OF THE, UM, ARMREST INSTALLED ON THE BENCHES DOWNTOWN. 
          UM, AND WE ARE WORKING ON SOME JUST GENERAL SCHEMATICS FOR A REQUESTED EXPOSED AGGREGATE FOR THE SIDEWALK GOING DOWN OCK TO EAST FRONT. 
          THE SECTION THAT IS CURRENTLY RUNNING IN FRONT OF THE TAXI, UM, REGISTERED DEAN'S OFFICE THAT WAS REQUESTED, UH, TWO MONTHS AGO. 
          THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE IN WARRANT RIGHT NOW. 
          BACK TO THIS ON THE TIMING, UM, WHAT DO YOU ANTICIPATE THE TIMING LOOKING LIKE AND HOW DOES THAT LINE UP WITH THE LEASE? THE LEASES THAT WE HAVE ON THOSE BASIS? SO THE LEASES ARE NOW MONTH TO MONTH. 
          WE, WE NOTIFIED ALL THE LEASE HOLDERS, I BELIEVE IT WAS IN NOVEMBER, 1ST OF DECEMBER, BUT THAT THEY'RE MONTH TO MONTH SO THEY'RE GONNA GET A NOTICE. 
          SO THEY'LL HAVE PLENTY OF TIME. 
          WE'VE ALSO PROVIDED ALTERNATIVE LOCATIONS WHERE, WHERE THE FOLKS CAN RENT VEHICLES, UH, UNTIL WE ARE COMPLETED WITH THIS PROJECT. 
          BUT GEORGE TIMELINE ON YOUR END, UM, YOU KNOW WHAT, A LOT OF THIS, THE CONSTRUCTION WISE PART OF IT'S GONNA BE DICTATED ON BEING ABLE TO GET INTO THAT AREA WHERE WE'RE NOT DISRUPTING, SAY, FEST OR CHRISTMAS. 
          SO, SO IT'LL PROBABLY BE STAGED WHERE A START DATE WOULD BE IN BETWEEN, LIKELY LIKELY THE, THE BE LIKE TO SAY THE END OF OF, UH, HOLIDAY SEASON TO START WOULD WOULD BE A GOOD TIME BECAUSE IT'LL TAKE US SOME TIME TO GET THROUGH ALL THE DETAILS AND GET THE BIDDING OUT AND MAKE SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR WHAT WE DECIDED ON. 
          UM, FINALIZATION OF THE DETAILS IS WHAT'S GONNA PROBABLY DRAG IT OUT. 
          SO AS SEEMS AS WE HAVE IT READY, WE'LL CERTAINLY PUT IT OUT. 
          BUT THE, THOSE PROCEED DATE WILL LIKELY BE A, A JANUARY START DATE ON IT, PROBABLY IN THE NEXT NEXT YEAR. 
          SO THIS IS GONNA TAKE US, UH, A YEAR TO GET THE FINALIZATION OF THE PLANS AND THEN WORKING AROUND THE HOLIDAYS. 
          YEAH, I THINK WORKING AROUND THE HOLIDAYS IS PROBABLY GONNA BE THE MOST DIFFICULT PART. 
          TRYING TO WORK. 
          YOU CAN STILL ACCOMMODATE ALL THE BUSINESSES. 
          WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO MAKE ALTERNATE LOCATIONS FOR TRASH PICKED UP FROM THOSE PLACES. 
          UM, ACCOMMODATIONS FOR INGRESS AND EGRESS THROUGH OF THEIR STORAGE. 
          SO THE CONSTRUCTION SEQUENCE, UH, WILL BE A BIG PART OF IT AND CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WE TURN AROUND REAL QUICK. 
          WE CAN START IT AT A SENIOR TIME, SO WE'LL HAVE ADDITIONAL DISCUSSIONS WITH STAFF ON, ON THAT. 
          THAT IS A PRIORITY PROJECT. 
          ALRIGHT, 
          [00:55:01]
ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON, ON THE INNER FOUR? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU GEORGE. 
          WE'RE GONNA, UH, GIVE AN UPDATE ON SOME A RP ENABLED PROJECT. 
          SO KIM, OKAY. 
          IN YOUR PACKET, UM, ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE, ABOUT THE FIFTH DOCUMENT DOWN, THERE'S THE ARTICLE REPORT. 
          SO THIS REPORT IS INCLUDED IN YOUR, UM, MONTHLY DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS. 
          UM, UPDATES ARE AVAILABLE EVERY MONTH TO YOU ON THE ARPA FUNDS OR THE ARP ENABLE FUNDS OR PROJECTS. 
          IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE REPORT, THE PROJECTS ARE LISTED TO THE LEFT. 
          IT IS BROKEN OUT, UM, OR SUB TOTALLED BY WARD GOING TO THE LEFT. 
          YOU'VE GOT THE PROJECT BUDGET, UM, YOU HAVE THE PROJECT BUDGET AND THAT IS THE LIFE OF THE PROJECT. 
          SO SOME OF THESE, UM, PROJECTS HAVE CROSSED FISCAL YEARS. 
          UH, THE, THE NEXT COLUMN IS THE AMOUNT SPENT. 
          AGAIN, IT'S FOR THE LIFE OF THE PROJECT AND THEN THE ENCUMBRANCES AND THEN YOU, AND THAT'S OPENING OBLIGATIONS BASICALLY. 
          AND THEN YOU HAVE THE REMAINING BALANCE. 
          IF YOU GO DOWN TO WARD ONE SUB TOTAL, FOR EXAMPLE, WE'RE NOT GONNA GO THROUGH ALL EVERY SINGLE WARD. 
          BUT, UM, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA HOW TO READ THE REPORT, UM, THE SUBTOTAL, YOU'VE GOT THE PROJECT BUDGET FOR WARD ONE. 
          THE TOTAL IS 1,117,391. 
          THE AMOUNT SPENT FOR THOSE PROJECTS THAT ARE LISTED ABOVE IS $588,261. 
          THE, YOU HAVE THE ENC CONFERENCES OF 15,000, WHICH IF YOU LOOK UP, THAT'S AT THE HANCOCK STREET HOLDER, UM, LINE AND IT'S FUNDS OBLIGATED AND COMMITTED TO A VENDOR, BUT NOT YET PAID. 
          THEN YOU HAVE THE REMAINING BALANCE. 
          YOU HAVE $5,000 SHOWING IN THE BATTLE OF  BLACK BASE. 
          AND THEN WE HAVE $474,375 IN THE HANCOCK STREET CULVER. 
          AND WE HAVE 34,755 NON ALLOCATED. 
          THE NON ALLOCATED MEANS THAT THE, THAT IS AVAILABLE TO BE ASSIGNED TO A PROJECT. 
          SO WHEN YOU FOLLOW THAT DOWN, YOU CAN SEE THAT FOR ALL OF THE WARDS, YOU CAN SEE THAT EACH WARD HAS GOT THE SAME AMOUNT, 1,117,382. 
          AND THEN IF YOU GO ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE BOTTOM, THERE'S THE GRAND TOTAL 6.7 MILLION FOR WAS THE TOTAL BUDGET FOR THESE FUNDS JUST UNDER 4.7 MILLION. 
          FOR THE AMOUNT SPENT, WE HAVE ABOUT 496,000 ENCUMBERED IN TOTAL. 
          AND THEN IT LEFT REMAINING BALANCE OF ABOUT 1.5 MILLION. 
          AND OF THIS AMOUNT, ONLY $152,259 IS NOT ASSIGNED AND AVAILABLE FOR FUTURE PROJECTS. 
          I JUST WANNA MAKE A NOTE THAT SOME OF THESE PROJECTS MAY INCLUDE, UM, BE INCLUDED IN BOND PROJECTS. 
          SO, UM, AS WE WORK THROUGH THAT, THEY WILL BE MOVED UP TO THE NON ALLOCATED FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO REASSIGN AT A LATER TIME. 
          I ALSO WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT THESE ARE NOT FEDERAL FUNDS. 
          UH, THE FEDERAL ARPA FUNDS REIMBURSED PUBLIC SAFETY AND, UH, SALARY AND BENEFITS, WHICH WERE ALREADY BUDGETED FOR AND PAID. 
          WHEN WE RECEIVED THAT MONEY, THE BOARD ELECTED TO SET ASIDE THE 6.7 MILLION FOR WISHLIST TYPE PROJECTS, WHICH IS WHAT YOU'VE SEEN FOR YOU. 
          UM, ESSENTIALLY ENABLING THE CITY TO FUND THESE PROJECTS. 
          THERE ARE NO FEDERAL DEADLINES FOR THESE FUNDS. 
          THE FEDERAL ARPA AWARD HAS MET, ALL REPORTING REQUIREMENTS HAS BEEN AUDITED AND IT'S COMPLETE. 
          SO TO BE REAL CLEAR AND TRANSPARENT WHEN WE'RE COMMUNICATING ABOUT THESE, THESE ARPA ENABLED PROJECTS, I JUST THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO USE ARP ENABLED IF WE CAN REMEMBER THAT. 
          UM, 'CAUSE THERE SEEMS TO BE A LITTLE BIT OF CONFUSION AS TO IF IT'S FEDERAL DOLLARS OR NOT. 
          UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THESE PROJECTS, UM, GEORGE IS HERE TO ANSWER THAT AS WELL AS IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FINANCIAL PIECE, FINANCIAL PIECE, I CAN ANSWER THAT . 
          AND SO WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON, ON SOME OF THE PROJECTS. 
          SO IN BOARD ONE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE BATTLE OF AND PLAQUE BASE, UM, THAT IS SCHEDULED TO GO IN ABOUT THE SAME TIME THAT THE RESTROOMS AT THE, AT THE FISHING CARE ARE GONNA BE, IT'S GONNA BE LOCATED IN BASICALLY THE SAME AREA. 
          SO THAT'S WHEN THAT IS GONNA OCCUR ON THE HANCOCK STREET CAR. 
          GEORGE, CAN YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE ON THAT? YES, WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH SOME DIFFICULTIES ON THIS SECTION. 
          UM, OBVIOUSLY WE'VE GOT RAILROAD INVOLVEMENT IN THAT AREA. 
          SO 
          [01:00:01]
WE HAVE ACTUALLY ARE EXPECTING THE PRICING BACK IMO THIS WEEK FROM THE CONTRACTOR AND THEIR SUBCONTRACTOR TO DO POINT REPAIRS AND THEN LINE THAT PIPE. 
          SO WE DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE TO TEAR THE SIDEWALK UP TO DO IT. 
          WE, THAT'S A FEASIBLE WAY TO REPAIR THE SECTION OF ROADWAY AND THE DRAINAGE AND WAR II. 
          THERE ARE SEVERAL PROJECTS THAT, THAT ARE, UM, EITHER IN PROGRESS OR ABOUT TO OCCUR. 
          AND, UM, THE EVERGREEN CEMETERY SHELTER PROJECT, I DON'T KNOW IF ALL THE INVOICES HAVE COME IN YET FOR THAT. 
          SO THAT'S WHY YOU SEE THAT BALANCE OF $6,500 EVERGREEN CEMETERY FENCE PROJECT. 
          SAME THING WITH THAT. 
          UM, IS THE TRENCH STREET PAVING PROJECT COMPLETED? YES. 
          THAT RIGHT SIR. 
          SO, SO THERE'S PROBABLY GONNA BE SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDS THAT WILL, UM, BE ADJUSTED TO NOT ALLOCATED POSSIBLY IN THE NEXT, UH, REPORT. 
          UH, THEN WE'VE GOT 11,000 BUCKS TRENT, UH, HENDERSON PARK RESTAURANT PROJECT. 
          SO THEY'RE, THEY'VE STILL GOT SEVERAL, SEVERAL THINGS THAT ARE GONNA BE COMING OUT OF THAT FOSTER ON THAT. 
          UM, CAN YOU REMIND ME HOW MUCH FEMA FUNDING WAS GONNA BE USED FOR THOSE RESTROOMS? I THOUGHT THAT WAS, SO IT WAS GOING TO COST THROUGH BY FEMA? IT WAS, IT WAS, IT WAS OVER $300,000 FOR THAT. 
          WE HAD A HARD TIME BEING ABLE TO JUSTIFY THE DESIGN THAT WE WERE GONNA HAVE TO DO WITH FEMA 'CAUSE WE WERE GONNA HAVE TO ELEVATE THE PROPERTY SO MUCH THAT THERE WAS GOING TO, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE RAMPS TO MAKE IT HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBLE. 
          WE COULD NOT WORK THINGS OUT WITH, WITH WHAT FEMA WAS WANTING US TO DO. 
          SO WE OPTED, UH, TO REQUEST A CHANGE IN SCOPE OF WORK, UH, FOR THAT PROJECT. 
          FEMA FINALLY APPROVED THAT. 
          SO THAT'S HOW WE, UH, GOT BALL FIELD LIGHTS, UH, THAT ARE GOING INTO HENDERSON PARK. 
          THAT'S HOW WE GOT A NEW PLAYGROUND EDITION OVER THERE. 
          THAT'S HOW WE GOT THE, BASICALLY IT'S, IT'S TWO FITNESS COURSES SIDE BY SIDE OVER THERE. 
          SO WE WERE ABLE TO REALLY CAPITALIZE AND GET MORE ASSETS. 
          THEN FOR THE RESTROOMS THEMSELVES, WE DID A LOT OF WORK WITH, UM, GEORGE HUGHES DID A LOT OF WORK ON THE DESIGN. 
          WE WORKED WITH THE, THE, THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT ON HOW WE COULD FLOOD PROOF THAT BUILDING AND NOT HAVE TO GO UP TO THE FULL HEIGHT THAT, THAT EVERYONE WAS TELLING US WE WERE GONNA NEED TO. 
          SO, SO THIS WILL BE, THESE NEW RESTROOMS WILL BE FLOOD THROUGH RESTROOMS. UH, AND SO WE SHOULD NOT HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH THOSE WHATSOEVER. 
          AND THE MAJORITY OF THAT WORK IS BEING DONE IN HOUSE. 
          ALL OF IT'S BEING DONE IN HOUSE WITH THE ACTUAL, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE BLOCK WORK ITSELF. 
          SO WE WERE ABLE TO SEE A SUBSTANTIAL SAVINGS ON THAT PROJECT. 
          PLUS COMING UP, UM, REALLY FEBRUARY, MARCH, UM, WE'RE GONNA BE INSTALLING IRRIGATION ON THE NEW MULTI-PURPOSE FIELD AT HENDERSON PARK, INSTALLING SOD, INSTALLING SCOREBOARDS ON THAT MORE MULTI-PURPOSE FIELD AND THE BASEBALL FIELD AT HENDERSON PARK. 
          AND I THINK WITH THE SYNERGY THAT WE HAVE GOT WITH STANLEY WHITE RECREATION CENTER, YOU'RE GONNA SEE A LOT MORE ACTIVITIES GOING ON AT HENDERSON PARK. 
          SO IT'S, UM, THAT PARK IS REALLY GONNA TAKE SHAPE AND WE HAVE SPENT A LOT OF FUNDS AT THAT PARK AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING HOW THE FUTURE OF THAT GOES. 
          IN WARD THREE, THERE'S CURRENTLY APPROXIMATELY JUST UNDER $100,000 THAT, THAT HAVE NOT BEEN ALLOCATED. 
          UM, AND YOU'LL SEE ABOUT $500 FOR ELIMINATED STOP SIGNS OF, OF GEORGIA. 
          HAVE, HAVE YOU GOTTEN EVERYTHING IN ON THAT? YES. 
          YES, THAT'S INSTALLED. 
          OKAY. 
          SO THAT, THAT'LL PROBABLY GO BACK TO NON ALLOCATED. 
          AND THEN THERE'S A $55,530 AND THAT'S FOR, UH, WHAT'S REMAINING FOR THE FISHING PIER RESTROOM PROJECT. 
          THEN WARD, UM, FOUR, I THINK THERE'S BASICALLY $128, UM, THAT IS ALLOCATED FOR THAT WARD. 
          FIVE, UM, SEVERAL PROJECTS. 
          GEORGE, CAN YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE ON THOSE THREE? THE EAST ROSE CULVERT PROJECT, UM, WHICH IS NEAR THE EAST ROSE LIFT STATION THAT IS CURRENTLY IN DESIGN. 
          SO THE SURVEY WORK'S BEEN DONE. 
          WE'RE EXPECTING BACK SOME INITIAL DESIGN WORK HERE IN THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS. 
          UM, THE NORTH HILLS IS ALSO IN THAT SAME PHASE FOR WHERE WE SHOULD BE GETTING SOME PLANS BACK ABOUT THE SAME TIME AS THERE, THERE'S RELATED IN DRAINAGE AND THE DUFFY FIELD STREAM IMPROVEMENTS AS I SPOKE EARLIER, THAT IS ALL ONE RIGHT NOW, UM, WHERE WE'RE PAY. 
          OKAY. 
          ANY QUESTIONS ON FIVE? SO WHAT, SO HOW IT STANDING RIGHT NOW WITH THE NORTH FIELDS FARM WORK? WAS THAT 'CAUSE THAT WAS BECAUSE OF THE, THE PROBLEMS WITH THE STATE? YES MA'AM. 
          THEY'RE STILL TRYING TO, TO WORK OUT SOMETHING THAT CULVERT NOW WHETHER, WHETHER WE GET THE STATE TO GO ALONG WITH WHAT WE DO. 
          OKAY. 
          BUT WE'LL HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE AND THAT CERTAINLY 
          [01:05:01]
ENABLES US IN THE FUTURE TO GRANT AVAILABLE TO, UM, ARGUE PROJECT SCORE BETTER. 
          ALRIGHT, THANK YOU GEORGE. 
          YES, MA'AM. 
          OKAY. 
          THEN IN WARD SIX, UM, CURRENTLY AT APPROXIMATELY 17,000 THAT HAVE BEEN UNALLOCATED, GEORGE, YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT THE SIDEWALK GAPS? THERE WAS 155,000 THAT WAS ALLOCATED FOR THAT PROJECT. 
          YOU KNOW, WE HAD INITIALLY WHEN WE DID THIS, UM, KIND OF PUT IT TOWARDS THE, THERE'S A SECTION OF TRENT ROAD, UM, KIND OF BEHIND THE NEW BURN MARKETPLACE WHERE THERE WAS A CONNECTION. 
          BUT WE FEEL WE CAN DO THAT WITHIN OUR NORMAL GENERAL FUND ALLOCATIONS FOR, UH, SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS. 
          THERE'S SOME DRAINAGE THAT NEEDS TO GO  TOO THAT WE NEED TO ACCOMMODATE AND SOME PAVING IN THAT WIDE SECTION. 
          SO WE'RE GONNA TRY TO DO THAT ALL IN NORMAL FISCAL YEAR FUNDING. 
          SO THE 1 55 WOULD GO BACK TO UNALLOCATED, CORRECT? CORRECT. 
          AND THEN THE COLLEGE PARK DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, THAT WAS ONE THAT THEY HAD SPOKEN OF EARLIER THAT WE ACTUALLY INCLUDED AS A BOND ITEM, UH, TO INCLUDE THAT IN THE ONE OF THE DRAINAGE. 
          SO THAT WOULD BE REFLECTED AS WELL IN THE NEXT REPORT OF UNALLOCATED. 
          UM, LET'S SEE HERE. 
          THE NEXT NEWER 15,000 OH SEVEN, UH, PINEHURST PUMP STATION, UH, THE PROJECT'S BEEN COMPLETED. 
          WE JUST GOT SOME CLOSE OUT RETAINAGE ON THAT ONE FOR THAT PROJECT WAS COMPLETED, UH, ABOUT A MONTH AGO. 
          ALRIGHT, OFFICER, YOU SAYING THAT YOU'RE GONNA STICK THAT TOWER PARK INTO THE BOND AND THAT'S GONNA BE UNALLOCATED ON THAT? THAT'S CORRECT. 
          THAT WAS ONE OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE LISTED FOR THE BOND. 
          SO THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO BE FULLY FUNDED. 
          IT  MOVING PARTS ON THAT COLLEGE PARK DEAL, UM, LIKE GET LIDDY ON IT AND MAKE SURE YOU THAT ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO, WE TOTALLY MODIFY SOME THINGS OVER THERE. 
          SO, LOT DISCUSSIONS, RANGE OF DIFFICULTIES IN SECOND AREAS. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          ANY QUESTIONS ON ARANA FUND PROJECT? WELL, I'M NOT TRYING TO BANKRUPT WARD THREE, BUT DIDN'T, DO WE UTILIZE THAT MONEY FOR THE BENCHES? NO. 
          ON THAT? UH, FOR THE BUS STOP OR WHAT? UH, NO, NO, THAT, THAT WAS CDBG FUNDS. 
          OKAY. 
          OKAY. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          SO WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON. 
          I'M SORRY. 
          I DIDN'T MEAN FOUR OR FIVE. 
          OKAY, THAT'S BET. 
          CAN CAN YOU GIVE AN UPDATE ON, UH, WELL ACTUALLY WHEN YOU MENTIONED, WELL IT WAS WARDS BEFORE, UM, UH, ALDER MCKENZIE HAD REQUESTED A BENCH, SO I THINK THERE WERE A FEW FUNDS LEFT OVER FROM, FROM THIS ALLOCATION AND A BENCH AND I THINK A SIDEWALK WAS PUT IN. 
          I'M NOT SURE WHICH STREET THAT WAS, BUT YES. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          KIM GRAHAM. 
          OKAY. 
          IN YOUR PACKET YOU ALSO HAVE A DETAILED LIST OF OUR ACTIVE GRANTS. 
          UM, SO THIS IS A LIST OF THE ACTIVE GRANTS FOR THE FIRST COUPLE PAGES AND ON THE BACK IS A LIST OF THE GRANTS THAT, UM, HAVE BEEN APPLIED FOR AND WE'RE WAITING ON AWARD DECISIONS. 
          UM, JUST TO SUMMARIZE IT, WE HAVE 12 ACTIVE GRANTS THAT ARE UNDER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES COVERING STORMWATER, BUFFY FIELD, BROWNSFIELD COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT, THE, UM, AND, AND THE MPO IN THE AMOUNT OF $7,168,209. 
          WE HAVE SIX ACTIVE GRANTS UNDER PUBLIC WORKS REGARDING THE STORMWATER STORMWATER DRAINAGE DUFFY FIELD IN THE DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION AREA OF 1.2. 
          WE HAVE SIX ACTIVE GRANTS FOR POLICE, UM, REVOLVING AROUND CRISIS INVENTION TEAM, THE NORTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR'S HIGHEST EMPLOYEE SAFETY PROGRAMS. THE BULLET APPROVED US AND NATIONAL NIGHT OUT WITH A TOTAL AMOUNT OF 8.8 MILLION. 
          WE HAVE FIVE GRANTS SU APPLIED FOR AND A WAITING ATION IN THE AMOUNT OF EIGHT 79,009. 
          ANY QUESTIONS ON OUR GRANTS? NO. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          AND THEN OUR FINAL UPDATE IS ON THE GEO BOND PROJECT. 
          SO, UM, I ASK GEORGE 
          [01:10:01]
TO COME BACK UP AND, UM, TALK ABOUT SOME OF THESE. 
          YOU GOT THE SIDEWALKS UP HERE FIRST. 
          GEORGE, WE'RE PREPARING AN RFP FOR, UM, CONSULTING TO NOT ONLY LEAD INTO THIS UTILIZING THE PCR TO SELECT THE STREETS BASED OFF OF THAT STUDY AND KIND OF GIVE US SOME DIRECTION ON, ON WHAT THEY FEEL IS THE MOST APPROPRIATE, UM, UTILIZATION OF THE FUNDS WHERE WE HAVE THE MOTION FOR OUR BLOOD. 
          WE'RE WORKING ON THAT, THAT ONE TO, UH, TO PUT OUT ONCE WE HAVE THE EXPENDITURE THAT OKAY. 
          STORM STORMWATER STORMWATER PROJECTS. 
          AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, WE HAD SELECTED SEVERAL AREAS. 
          SOME OF THESE WERE ACTUALLY IDENTIFIED THROUGH AN A I A GRANT THAT WAS AN ASSET INVENTORY GRANT THAT'S, THAT ACTUALLY DID, UM, LOCATIONS AND DRAINAGE STUDIES IN CERTAIN AREAS, ESPECIALLY PLACES THAT WE KNEW WE HAD PROBLEM AREAS. 
          AND SO THOSE WERE IDENTIFIED. 
          SOME WERE KNOWN, UH, AS BEING HISTORICAL DEFICIENCIES IN THE DRAINAGE. 
          SO THOSE HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE STORMWATER PROJECTS. 
          OKAY. 
          MY SECURITY COME UP AND GIVE THEM, UH, TALK ABOUT THESE PROJECTS. 
          WE'VE GOT MORGAN MARIETTA FIRST. 
          OKAY, YOU MARIETTA, OF COURSE. 
          WE ALREADY HAD OUR MASTER PLAN IN PLACE FOR THAT AND WE'LL JUST KIND OF FOLLOW ALONG WITH WHAT WAS HAS ALREADY BEEN OUTLINED. 
          UM, SOME OF THIS WORK WILL BE DONE IN HOUSE. 
          UH, SOME PORTIONS OF IT WILL BE LOOKING FOR DESIGN BUILD, UM, WITH DIFFERENT FIRMS TO GET WHEN WE COME OUT FOR BID. 
          SO PROJECT TOTAL 3 MILLION, UH, SOUTHWEST PARROT PARK. 
          UM, SAME THING. 
          A LOT WILL BE DONE IN HOUSE WITH EXCEPTION OF ITEMS LIKE THE SKATE PARK, WHICH WILL NEED TO SEND OUT FOR DESIGN BUILD. 
          UM, COULD SEE SOME OF THESE PROJECTS IN SOUTHWEST PAR PARK, UH, STARTING TO TAKE PLACE IN FALL OF THIS YEAR. 
          AND THEN OF COURSE, AQUATIC CENTER INSPECTION, DEFINITELY WE'LL HAVE TO DO DESIGN BUILD ON THIS WITH THE LAZY RIVER AND, UM, GETTING ALL THAT ORGANIZED WITH A NEW P FEATURE TO HELP, UM, ACCOMMODATE THE ADDITION OF THE AMOUNT OF WATER WE'LL BE HAVING TO GLORIFY. 
          SO, CARRIE, ON THE, UM, THE SKATE PARK, WAS THE COUNTY STILL GOING TO HELP SUPPORT THAT FINANCIALLY? COUNTY IS IS STILL ON BOARD FOR THAT. 
          IN MY LAST CONVERSATION WITH THE COUNTY MANAGER, THEY'RE PLANNING ON PUTTING SOME FUNDS IN THERE IN THE 27TH BUDGET FOR THAT. 
          UH, AND ALSO WE WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT NOT ONLY WITH WITH PARKS AND RECREATION, BUT EVEN WITH PUBLIC WORKS, IF WE SEE AN OPPORTUNITY AND WE DO, WE DO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES AND PARKS AND RECREATION TO APPLY FOR FEDERAL AND STATE GRANTS TO, TO HELP EXTEND, UH, THE, THE BOND MONEY THAT WE HAVE. 
          WE ARE GONNA BE APPLYING FOR THOSE THINGS AS WELL. 
          SO THAT'LL HELP OUT GREATLY, CARRIE, ON SOME OF THESE. 
          UM, GET BACK TO MARTIN MARIETTA, PLEASE. 
          YEAH, LIKE, LIKE THE ROPES COURSE, WHO'S GONNA BE SUPERVISING THAT? WELL, THAT'S SOMETHING WE'LL HAVE TO LOOK AT AS WE GET, UM, IT DEVELOPED, YOU KNOW, SOME OF IT'S GOING TO BE ON THE USER, BUT THEN WE'RE ALSO GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING IN PLACE TO COMPLETE WAIVERS AND MAKE SURE IT MAY BE THAT WE HAVE IT OPEN AT A CERTAIN TIME THAT WE CAN HAVE IT MANNED, KIND OF LIKE WE DO UP SOME OF OUR OTHER AREAS. 
          YEAH. 
          YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO JUST GO OUT TO, TO MARTIN MARIETTA PARK ON A SUNDAY MORNING AND GO ON THE ZIP LINE WITHOUT GOING THROUGH A PROCESS. 
          AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS WOULD BE, COULD THAT BE WORKED OUT AS A PRIVATE PUBLIC TYPE RELATIONSHIP THERE? IT, IT COULD. 
          IT SURE COULD. 
          YES. 
          BUT I CAN PROCEED. 
          I MEAN THE ROPE COURSE, THE ZIP LINE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT A BIKE PUMP COURSE IS, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA NEED TO BE SUPERVISED AS WELL, YOU KNOW, AND THEN THE SKATE PARK, WELL NOW THE SKATE PARK AND THE BIKE PUMP COURSE, THOSE ARE AREAS THAT CAN BE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE CAN USE AT THEIR OWN LEISURE. 
          UM, BECAUSE THE BIKE PUMP COURSE IS BASICALLY YOUR, AS YOU CAN SEE, DIRT HILLS, IT'S NOT GONNA BE MOTORBIKES, IT'S ALL GOING TO BE PEDAL BIKES. 
          UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE MAY HAVE SOME WAIVERS OTHER PLACE OBVIOUSLY RULES POSTED AT THOSE AREAS, BUT, UM, IT'S GONNA BE KIND OF LIKE ANY OTHER PARK AREA THAT ARE USING IT AT THEIR OWN. 
          OKAY. 
          ANY QUESTIONS ON THOSE PROJECTS? ALRIGHT, KIM, GIVE US OUR UPDATE ON WHERE WE STAND AND, AND, 
          [01:15:01]
UH, WHAT ELSE WE NEED TO COMPLETE ORDER UP BEFORE WE CAN START ON THESE THINGS. 
          MAY I GET BACK TO ONE MORE? ASK YOU ONE QUESTION. 
          WHAT ABOUT THE AMPHITHEATER? HOW, HOW IS THAT PLANNED TO BE, UM, WHO'S GONNA OPERATE THAT? SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE A TRACK RECORD OF, OF CONCERTS ON THAT BEFORE ANY ANY NATIONAL GROUP WOULD BE INTERESTED IN LOOKING AT, AT THAT TO, TO TAKE THAT ON. 
          WE, WE WENT THROUGH THIS SEVERAL YEARS AGO, ACTUALLY. 
          WE DID A LITTLE PRESENTATION TO THE BOARD, I THINK DURING A WORK SESSION. 
          UH, WE'D REACHED OUT TO SEVERAL, UM, MANAGEMENT COMPANIES ABOUT THAT AND THEY ALWAYS WANNA SEE WHAT'S YOUR, WHAT'S YOUR TRACK RECORD WITH THIS FACILITY BEFORE WE EVEN WANT TO LOOK AT IT EVEN BEFORE WE, UH, COULD GET ANYTHING WITH BOOKING. 
          SO YEAH, WE'D HAVE TO, WE'D HAVE TO DO IT IN HOUSE FIRST AND THEN THE GOAL IS TO ABSOLUTELY TURN THAT OVER TO A MANAGEMENT FIRM TO, TO HANDLE THOSE. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          OKAY. 
          SO THE LGC APPROVED, UM, THE ISSUANCE OF FUNDS IN DECEMBER, WHICH WAS TWO MONTHS EARLIER THAN WHAT WE ANTICIPATED. 
          UM, WE ARE WORKING INTERNALLY TO IDENTIFY TIMELINES FOR THE BOND PROJECTS AND ALIGN THEM WITH THE BORROWING PLAN. 
          AND THEN THE BOND RATING PROCESS STARTS, WHICH TAKES ABOUT 45 TO 60 DAYS AHEAD OF THE BOND SALE, UM, WHICH IS ANTICIPATED SOMETIME BETWEEN EARLY JUNE AND MIDSUMMER. 
          THE BOND ISSU ISSUANCE PROCESS TAKES ABOUT 90 TO 120 DAYS TO ISSUE BONDS. 
          UM, ONCE THE PROJECT BIDS ARE RECEIVED, WE COORDINATE THE SALE DATE WITH THE LGC AND THEN APPROXIMATELY THREE TO FIVE WEEKS PRIOR TO THE BOND SALE DATE, THE BOARD WILL NEED TO PROVE THE ISSUANCE RESOLUTION AND BID WILL BE, UM, WILL NEED TO GET TO SUBMITTED TO THE LGC. 
          THE BOND CLOSING WILL FILE APPROXIMATELY THREE WEEKS LATER. 
          SO DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? WE'RE JUST KIND OF WAITING RIGHT NOW AND JUST WORKING THROUGH THE PROJECTS AND THEN, UM, GETTING OUR BOND RATING IS KIND OF THE NEXT COUPLE STEPS. 
          OKAY. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          SO OUR NEXT PART IS THE BUDGET PROCESS. 
          OKAY. 
          OKAY. 
          GOOD MORNING. 
          I'LL BE GOING OVER THE BUDGET AND BUDGET PROCESS, UM, TANYA WITH THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT. 
          SO WE'LL JUST START WITH A QUICK RECAP OF THE CURRENT BUDGET YEAR, UM, OF THE TOTAL ADOPTED BUDGET FOR ALL THE ANNUAL FUNDS OF $166 MILLION. 
          BUT THE GENERAL FUND TOTALING ALMOST 53 MILLION. 
          SO THE FOLLOWING PARTS WE'LL LOOK AT WILL, UM, REVIEW THE ADOPTED REVENUES AND EXPENDITURE FOR THE MAJOR FUND, WHICH IS THE GENERAL FUND AND UTILITY FUNDS. 
          SO WE'LL LOOK AT THE GENERAL FUND REVENUES. 
          AS YOU CAN SEE, ABOUT 63% OF OUR REVENUES COME FROM THE PROPERTY OR AVALOR TAX AND OUR SALES AND USE TAX. 
          I'M LOOKING AT THE EXPENSES OF THE GENERAL FUND THAT WERE ADOPTED. 
          UH, ALMOST HALF OF THOSE EXPENSES, UM, ARE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, POLICE AND FIRE. 
          AND WITH THE REMAINING, UM, BEING DIVIDED UP BETWEEN THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND DEBT SERVICE. 
          IF WE LOOK AT THOSE SAME EXPENSES BY CATEGORY AND NOT BY DEPARTMENT, YOU CAN SEE FOR THE GENERAL FUND, 67% OF OUR EXPENSES ARE FOR SALARIES AND BENEFITS. 
          OKAY. 
          MOVING ON. 
          THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS, WHICH ARE WATER, SEWER, ELECTRIC, AND SOLID WASTE. 
          UM, YOU CAN SEE FOR THE REVENUES, UM, THEY'LL COINCIDE OF COURSE WITH THE EXPENSES, BUT THAT BALANCE BUDGETS HAVE TO BALANCE OF THE MAJORITY OF THEIR REVENUE COMES FROM THE SERVICE FEES OF EACH OF THOSE, UM, DEPARTMENTS. 
          ON THE EXPENSE SIDE BY FUND, YOU'LL SEE, YOU KNOW, ELECTRIC HAS $68.7 MILLION IN EXPENSES, BUT WE WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT. 
          THAT DOES INCLUDE ABOUT $40 MILLION IN PURCHASED POWER, ELECTRIC POWER. 
          AND IF WE LOOK AT THOSE FUNDS AGAIN BY, UM, BREAKING THEM DOWN BY A CATEGORY, ALMOST HALF OF THEIR EXPENSES ARE SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS. 
          BUT AGAIN, THAT DOES INCLUDE 
          [01:20:01]
THAT $40 MILLION IN PURCHASED ELECTRIC POWER AND AN ADDITIONAL 4 MILLION IN NON-CAPITAL EQUIPMENT. 
          AND THAT WOULD BE LIKE TRANSFORMERS, CONDUCTORS, ELECTRIC METERS, WATER METERS, AND OTHER DEVICES. 
          SO JUST TAKING A LOOK AT, UM, THE, AT THE WARM TABS, YOU CAN SEE OVER THE, THE HISTORY OF THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS. 
          UM, IT DOES CONTINUE TO INCREASE. 
          UM, YOU CAN SEE A SPIKE IN, UH, 2024 OF ABOUT A 10% INCREASE, UM, USING, LOOKING AT THE RED DIAGONAL LINE. 
          AND THAT WAS WHEN THE COUNTY DID THE, UM, REVALUATION OF THE PROPERTY. 
          SO THAT'S WHY YOU SEE THAT JUST THERE FOR SALES AND USE TAX. 
          UM, IT ALSO OF THE BLUE BAR, YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A CONTINUAL INCREASE. 
          UM, WE DID HAVE A SPIKE BACK IN 2021 AND THAT WAS DURING THE COVID PERIOD AND IT JUST, YOU KNOW, A HUGE SPIKE IN SPENDING. 
          SO THAT'S WHY THERE WAS A HUGE INCREASE IN THE SALES AND USE TAX THAT WE RECEIVED. 
          UM, YOU CAN SEE THAT ACTUAL INCREASES HAVE DECLINED SINCE THAT TIME PERIOD AND, UM, SLOWLY COMING BACK UP. 
          AND THIS IS A TREND STATEWIDE, UH, NEW BERN IS NOT, UM, UNUSUAL IN THIS ASPECT. 
          IT IS SOMETHING THAT, UM, WE HAVE ALL THE COUNTIES AND CITIES REVIEW AND THERE'S A STATEWIDE TREND. 
          SO THAT GETS US TO THE, UH, FUND BALANCE APPROPRIATIONS AMENDMENTS. 
          I DON'T KNOW IF TIM WANTED TO TOUCH ON THAT OR JUST BASICALLY, UM, THE FY 26 ADAPTED BUDGET, UM, INCLUDED $825,314 OF APPROPRIATED FUND BALANCE. 
          UM, THE BUDGET AMENDMENTS TYPICALLY ARE FUNDED WITH FUND BALANCE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. 
          AND SO UNLESS THERE IS ANY OTHER AVAILABLE REVENUE SOURCE, THEN WE'LL BE DRAWN FROM FUND BALANCE. 
          UM, SO THERE WAS AN AMENDMENT FOR AN INCREASE IN THE POLICE AND FIRE, UH, ANNUAL RADIO, UH, SYSTEM COSTS. 
          AND THAT WAS THE AMOUNT OF $49,000. 
          AND THEN IN JANUARY, THE BOARD, UM, WILL BE APPROVED, PRESENTED WITH A BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR THE ROLE, UH, PRIOR YEAR ROLLED PURCHASE ORDERS AND A ENABLED BALANCE FOR, UM, FFY 26. 
          NOW THAT THE AUDIT HAS BEEN CLOSED OR COMPLETED AND THE FOOT ARE CLOSED, KIM, COULD YOU GO BACK TO THAT? MM-HMM . 
          PREVIOUS SLIDE, THE, OH, SORRY. 
          YEAH. 
          UH, THE 8 25 FY 26 GENERAL FUND, UM, FUND BALANCE PREPARATION. 
          IS MOST OF THAT FROM THE ARPA NAVAL FUND? NO, THAT WAS, UM, WHAT IS, WHAT IS THAT? THAT WAS TO BALANCE THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET FOR FY 26. 
          OKAY. 
          SO YOU GOT THE REPORT FROM THE AUDITOR SAYING THAT WE HAD A FUND BALANCE OF $37 MILLION. 
          I JUST KIND OF WANNA BREAK THIS DOWN FOR YOU SO YOU GET A FULL PICTURE OF WHERE, AND THEY TALKED ABOUT RESTRICTED, UNRESTRICTED, ASSIGNED AND SUCH. 
          SO, UM, THE, WE START OFF WITH THE 37 MILLION AND THEN WE HAVE TOTAL RESTRICTED ASSIGNED AND NONS SPENDABLE, AND THAT IS CONSISTS OF A TOTAL OF 19.1 MILLION. 
          WHY DON'T YOU GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT A RESTRICTED ASSIGNED IN NONS SPENDABLE SO THEY CAN HAVE A BETTER IDEA OF THAT 19 MILLION? SURE. 
          SO FOR RESTRICTED PURPOSES, UH, OR FOR RESTRICTED, IT'S, UM, RESTRICTED PURPOSES BY STATE STATUTE. 
          UM, IT'S CALLED RESTRICTED BY STABILIZATION. 
          WE HAVE, UH, LIABILITIES, UM, PRIOR YEAR, ENROLLED PURCHASE ORDERS IS INCLUDED IN THAT AND MSD FUNDS AND ANY UNSPENT LOAN PROCEEDS. 
          AND THEN WHEN WE TALK ABOUT NON DEPENDABLES, THAT INCLUDES INVENTORIES AND PREPAID ITEMS AND LEASEES. 
          AND THEN ASSIGNED INCLUDES THE FUND BALANCE APPROPRIATED IN FY 26. 
          SO THAT, UM, 800,000 THAT YOU JUST ASKED ABOUT. 
          SO YOU TAKE THE 37 MILLION, SUBTRACT THE 19, AND WE HAVE UNASSIGNED, WHICH IS AVAILABLE OF 17.9 MILLION. 
          NOW, ADDITIONALLY, WE'RE GOING TO RESTRICT THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE BECAUSE WE HAVE THE BALANCE OF A ENABLED FUNDS, WHICH IS NOT INCLUDED THAT, AND THAT'S THE 2.7 MILLION THAT WE CONTINUE TO, YOU KNOW, ENROLL UNTIL IT'S DONE FROM YEAR TOGETHER. 
          AND THEN, UM, I JUST WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE 
          [01:25:01]
POLICY REQUIREMENT OF 25, UM, PERCENT MINIMUM FUND BALANCE. 
          WE PUT THAT IN COMMITTED. 
          IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT'S REALLY UNAVAILABLE. 
          WHAT IT MEANS IS WE WANNA HOLD A 25%. 
          SO IN ORDER TO DO THAT, THAT'S ABOUT 11.3 MILLION. 
          UM, WHICH THEN IF WE MAINTAIN THAT, THEN WE'RE SITTING AT A 3.7 AVAILABLE VALENCE, 3.7 MILLION AVAILABLE VALENCE. 
          UM, SO IT'S BASICALLY LIKE SETTING THAT ASIDE AND IT'S, IT'S CRUCIAL TO DO THAT, UM, TO MAINTAIN A HEALTHY FUND BALANCE. 
          UM, BECAUSE IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT 2019, WE, AFTER FLORENCE, THE CITY HAD A 10.6 MILLION TOTAL FUND BALANCE, WHERE WE HAVE NOW A 37 MILLION, IT DROPPED THEIR, UM, PERCENTAGE OF EXPENDITURES FUNDING, PERCENT OF EXPENDITURES DOWN TO 5%. 
          UM, SO THE BETTER, YOU KNOW, THE HIGHER THAT FUND BALANCE, THE, THE, THE MORE WE KEEP THAT RESERVE AND PRESERVE THAT RESERVE, I SHOULD SAY, THE HEALTHIER WE ARE. 
          SO RIGHT NOW, WHEN WE TAKE A LOOK AT, UM, THE, WE PLEAD THAT 11 MILLION INTO OUR, UM, AVAILABLE FUND BALANCE. 
          WE'RE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, 15 MILLION , BUT THAT'S INCLUDING THAT COMMITT DID. 
          DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT, KIM? THE, THE INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO, HOW DOES THAT COME INTO PLAY WITH THESE NUMBERS? SO WHAT WE HAVE INVESTED THAT WE'RE DRAWING THAT RETURN OFF OF, IS THAT PART OF THIS OR IS THAT A SEPARATE FUND? UM, THIS IS, UH, UM, BASICALLY WHERE WE'RE AT AT THE END OF THE YEAR. 
          I'M NOT QUITE SURE HOW TO WHAT YOU'RE REALLY ASKING, BUT IT'S SO, SO THE MONEY THAT USED TO CITIES COULDN'T PUT MONEY IN INVESTMENTS. 
          MM-HMM . 
          THAT CHANGED A COUPLE YEARS AGO MM-HMM . 
          NOW WE'RE DRAWING, WE'RE WE'RE GAINING IN THE MARKET. 
          RIGHT. 
          THAT MONEY. 
          SO WHERE IS THAT MONEY COMING FROM THAT'S INVESTED. 
          OKAY. 
          SO THAT'S NOT LONG-TERM INVESTMENTS NECESSARILY. 
          UM, OH WAIT, I GET WHAT YOU'RE SAYING NOW. 
          UM, SO IF WE HAVE $10 MILLION AS A ROUND NUMBER IN THIS INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO, IS THAT PART OF THIS FUND BALANCE? MM-HMM . 
          OKAY. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          YEP. 
          BECAUSE WE CAN ACCESS THIS REALLY, WE CAN ACCESS IT IMMEDIATELY IF WE NEEDED TO. 
          AND WE'RE MAXIMIZING THE AMOUNT THAT WE HAVE IN THAT THAT'S ALLOWABLE BY STATUTE. 
          UM, WE ARE MONITORING THAT ON A REGULAR BASIS AND WE DO TRANSFER BACK INTO INVESTMENTS TO GET THAT HIGHER INTEREST RATE WHENEVER WE CAN. 
          BUT WE DO KEEP A HEALTHY AMOUNT IN THE CHECKING ACCOUNT AS WELL. 
          UM, JUST BECAUSE WE DO HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE, WITH THE HEALTH INSURANCE AND OUR PAYMENTS, WE HAVE THAT CASH FLOW, BUT WE ARE MONITORING IT AND KEEPING THAT. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, A REASONABLE BALANCE. 
          DO YOU HAVE, AND IT MIGHT BE IN HERE AND I JUST DON'T SEE IT. 
          DO YOU HAVE A REPORT SHOWING THAT INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO AND THE AMOUNT THAT IS? YES. 
          SO WE'LL GO OVER THAT IN JUST A SECOND. 
          I MEAN, YOU, I'LL KIND OF TOUCH BASE ON IT, BUT IT IS IN THE, UH, MONTHLY REPORT, A QUARTER RECORDER. 
          SO IN YOUR PACKET YOU ALSO HAVE THE, ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE. 
          NOW THE MONTHLY REPORT, THIS IS PROVIDED IN THE DEPARTMENTAL, UM, COLLABORATIVE REPORT EVERY MONTH. 
          AND UM, THIS ONE THAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU IS FOR DECEMBER. 
          SO IT'S THE MOST RECENT. 
          IN IT YOU WILL SEE THE BUDGET TO ACTUAL REPORTS FOR THE GENERAL FUND ENTERPRISE FUNDS AND THE MSC, WE HAVE THE CASH ON HAND DASHBOARD FOR MAJOR FUNDS. 
          DO YOU SEE WHERE THE CASH ON HAND IS AND HOW IT'S FLUCTUATING FROM MONTH TO MONTH. 
          AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE THE HURRICANE FLORENCE FEMA DASHBOARD. 
          AND UM, BACK WHEN WE WERE REALLY STRUGGLING GETTING REIMBURSEMENT, THIS WAS, YOU KNOW, WE MONITORED THAT AND LOOKED AT THAT ON A REGULAR, MORE REGULAR BASIS. 
          NOW WE'RE AT A POINT WHERE WE REQUESTED EVERYTHING WE'RE WAITING AND WE'RE JUST KIND OF WAITING FOR, UM, AT LEAST THE ONES THAT WE'VE HAD EXPENDITURES WE'RE WAITING FOR FEMA TO REIMBURSE US. 
          IT'S DEFINITELY BETTER THAN WHAT IT HAD BEEN IN THE PAST. 
          BUT, UM, RIGHT NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT ALMOST 7.5 MILLION PENDING PER REIMBURSEMENTS. 
          AND THEN ON THE BACK YOU'LL SEE THAT KIND OF WHAT WE WENT OVER EARLIER WAS THE ARP ENABLED PROJECTS, FUNDS, UM, REPORT. 
          KIM, HAS THERE BEEN ANY CONVERSATION WITH SOMEONE LIKE CHARLES, WHICH IS SOMEONE WITH THE STATE ABOUT THIS REIMBURSEMENT? FEMALE REIMBURSEMENTS? UM, KIM 
          [01:30:01]
ROSE DOES TOUCH BASE WITH OUR REPRESENTATIVE. 
          I CAN FIND OUT WHEN THE LAST TIME SHE TALKED TO THEM. 
          BUT SOME OF IT, A LOT OF IT IS HELD UP IN THAT MANAGEMENT COST TOO BECAUSE, UM, UNTIL THEY'RE CLOSED OUT THEN WE WON'T, WE CANNOT GET REIMBURSED FOR THAT. 
          SO YOU CAN ONLY, I'M NOT QUITE SURE ABOUT, UM, THE OUTSTANDING PART OF STANLEY WHITE. 
          THAT MIGHT BE BECAUSE WE'RE WAITING TO CLOSE THAT OUT AND SO THEY HOLD ONTO THE 25% AND THEY WON'T REIMBURSE YOU THAT UNTIL THEY COME IN AND DO THE CLOSE ON. 
          IS IS THERE A REASON WHY WE HADN'T CLOSED OUTSTANDING? WHY? WE'RE PROBABLY WAITING ON THEM TO, TO FINALIZE THINGS, BUT I CAN DOUBLE CHECK. 
          I DON'T, DON'T QUOTE ME ON THAT. 
          I CAN DOUBLE CHECK ON THAT. 
          I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH CHARLES, GOSH, JUST BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS. 
          ALL DAYS. 
          EVERYTHING IS SLOW IN THE STATE RIGHT NOW MM-HMM . 
          UM, BUT WE CAN PUT PRESSURE ON CHARLES. 
          HE'S WORKS, HE'S BEEN REALLY GOOD WORKING WITH US. 
          OKAY. 
          WHY DON'T I, UM, GET AN UPDATE AND I'LL FOLLOW BACK UP WITH YOU. 
          GREAT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          EMAIL. 
          I'LL HAVE A LITTLE BOARD ON THAT. 
          OKAY. 
          SO THE, THE SEVEN FIVE THAT'S PENDING REIMBURSEMENTS. 
          MM-HMM . 
          WHERE IS THAT CAPTURED ON THE FUND BALANCE REPORTING? THERE'S JUST NOT GONNA BE A WINDFALL OF ADDITIONAL 7.5 MILLION WHEN IT COMES BACK, IS IT? RIGHT. 
          SO NOW, UM, WHEN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE, UM, FUND BALANCE, UM, IN THE, IN THE STATEMENTS YOU'LL SEE WHERE WE SEE WE HAVE A, UM, OKAY. 
          AND THAT'S A TWO PART QUESTION. 
          SOME OF THAT MANAGEMENT COSTS AND ALL OF IT'S ALREADY EXPENSED OUTTA THE GENERAL FUND. 
          MM-HMM . 
          RIGHT? THEN WE HAVE, UM, THEN WE HAVE THE, UM, THE FEMA FUND THAT A WHOLE, IT'S IN THE NEGATIVE AND YOU'LL SEE THAT IN THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AS WELL. 
          UM, THE CHANGE SCOPE OF WORK THAT WE DID FOR BP BUILDING 'CAUSE THAT'S ALL BEEN FINALIZED NOW, WE HAVE OFFICIALLY RECEIVED APPROVAL ON THAT. 
          WE'RE GONNA ACTUALLY BE TALKING ABOUT THAT. 
          OKAY. 
          TODAY. 
          YES, THANK YOU. 
          AND ADDITIONALLY, UM, IN YOUR MONTHLY REPORT, LIKE I WAS JUST MENTIONING EVERY QUARTER, SO, UM, WE SEND THE QUARTERLY REPORTS THAT CONSIST OF THE FUND BALANCE DASHBOARD, THE DEBT DASHBOARD, AND THE INVESTMENT REPORT. 
          UM, THOSE ARE PROVIDED IN OCTOBER FOR QUARTER ONE REPORTING JULY THROUGH SEPTEMBER. 
          IT'LL BE IN JANUARY FOR QUARTER TWO. 
          THAT'LL REPORT OCTOBER TO DECEMBER. 
          AND THEN IN APRIL FOR QUARTER THREE REPORTING JANUARY THROUGH MARCH AND JULY WITH QUARTER FOUR REPORTING APRIL TO JUNE. 
          UM, IN JANUARY THE REPORTS THEY'LL BE, UM, THEY'RE REVISED. 
          WE KIND OF DID SOME IMPROVEMENTS TO THEM AND HOPEFULLY PROVIDED MORE INFORMATIVE, UH, AND USEFUL REPORTS FOR YOU. 
          ANYTIME YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THESE, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO ME. 
          UM, BUT THESE ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE AS WELL. 
          UM, YOU EASY ACCESS TO THOSE. 
          DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I'LL JUST TAKE A REAL QUICK, I THINK THIS GOES TO THE MAYOR'S PREVIOUS QUESTION BECAUSE I SEE ON MONTH REPORT THE INVESTMENT EARNINGS BUDGETED YEAR TO DATE FOR THE GENERAL FUND. 
          AND THAT'S JUST FROM THE, ESSENTIALLY THE INTEREST ON THAT. 
          BUT HOW MUCH IS ACTUALLY ALLOCATED TO THAT INVESTMENT? AND IS THAT MAXED OUT TO THE POINT WE CAN DO THAT? YES. 
          SO THE INVESTMENT REPORT WILL BE PROVIDED IN JANUARY WHEN YOU GET, UM, ENDING DECEMBER 31ST. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THAT'LL BE THE QUARTERLY, YOU'LL GET IT JANUARY AND THEN AGAIN APRIL AND THEN JULY TO THE PREVIOUS QUARTER. 
          AND I CAN SEND IT TO YOU THE MOST RECENT AND THAT WOULD'VE BEEN IN OCTOBER. 
          OKAY, THANK YOU. 
          JUST I PUT THE DISCUSSION, DISCUSSION ON THE FISCAL YEAR 27. 
          WE HAVE STARTED THE BUDGET PROCESS. 
          UH, WE ARE EARLY STAGES TO TRY AND ESTIMATE REVENUES THOUGH FOR AVALOR TAXES, WE RECEIVED THE MAJORITY OF THEM NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, JANUARY. 
          SO IN FEBRUARY WE'LL HAVE A MUCH BETTER IDEA OF, UM, HOW WE'RE DOING 
          [01:35:01]
FOR THIS YEAR. 
          AND THEN FROM THE COUNTY WE ACTUALLY RECEIVE, UM, THE PRELIMINARY PROPERTY VALUATION ESTIMATE FROM THE TAX ADMINISTRATOR. 
          ONCE WE GET THAT FROM HER, WE'LL BE ABLE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, BUDGET FOR THOSE AVALOR TAXES FOR SALES AND USE TAXES. 
          UM, THAT LASTED BY ABOUT THREE MONTHS. 
          SO, UM, IF WE'RE, YOU KNOW, THE MONEY THAT WE JUST RECEIVED IN DECEMBER WOULD'VE BEEN, UH, FOR SALES BACK IN SEPTEMBER. 
          SO WE'RE LIKE THREE MONTHS BEHIND ON ACTUALLY RECEIVING THE FUNDS FROM THE SALES THEMSELVES. 
          SO AGAIN, WHEN WE GET TO FEBRUARY OR MARCH, WHEN WE HAVE ABOUT FIVE OR SIX MONTHS WORTH OF REVENUE, WE'LL HAVE A BETTER IDEA OF HOW, UM, THAT THE SALES TAX IS TRENDING. 
          BECAUSE AGAIN, IT'S BEEN, UM, AS WE'VE SEEN, IT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT SLOWER. 
          SO, UM, WE'RE NOT ANTICIPATING, YOU KNOW, MAYBE A SMALLER, UH, INCREASE, BUT, BUT CURRENTLY AN INCREASE. 
          SO ON THE EXPENSE SIDE, CRAVEN COUNTY, UM, DOES CHARGE US A TAX COLLECTION FEE. 
          RIGHT NOW IT'S, UH, 1% OF ALL THE TAXES ADD THE WARRANT TAXES THAT THEY COLLECT. 
          UM, THE COST IS ABOUT $190,000 A YEAR EFFECTIVE FISCAL YEAR 27, JULY 1ST, THAT WILL GO UP TO 1.5%, WHICH IS GONNA COST US LIKE AN ADDITIONAL $95,000. 
          SO A TOTAL OF $285,000. 
          SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, WHAT, WHAT ADDITIONAL RESOURCES ARE WE GETTING OUT OF THAT? OR ARE THEY GOING, ARE THEY OPENING UP LONGER HOURS TO COLLECT AT DIFFERENT TIMES AND MAKE IT MORE CONVENIENT FOR THE PUBLIC? OR IS THAT JUST A MONEY GRAB? THEY GAVE FREE PARKING. 
          RIGHT. 
          AND, AND SO ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE LOOKED AT WHEN, WHEN WE FIRST GOT THIS NOTICE WAS WHAT WOULD IT COST FOR US TO PULL THE TAX COLLECTION IN HOUSE? SO I'M GONNA LET KIM AND TANYA TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT AS WELL. 
          AND I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION. 
          OH, I JUST ASKED IT FOR MYSELF. 
          I THINK WHEN WE DID THIS A COUPLE YEARS AGO, GOT THE NOTICE, IT WAS ABOUT $300,000 TO, UM, TO, TO FUND STAFF THE AMOUNT OF STAFF THAT THEY HAD AT THAT TIME BASED ON WHAT WE DEFINED IN THE RECORDS, OUR CURRENT SALARIES AND BENEFITS AND COST THAT COULD YOU, THAT NUMBER, I THINK IT WAS ABOUT $300,000 TO TO PULL THAT IN-HOUSE. 
          TO PULL IT IN-HOUSE. 
          YES. 
          I'M SORRY. 
          AND IT'S GONNA COST US HOW MUCH TOTAL? ABOUT 285,000 AND THE MONGO AND THEIR, THEIR COLLECTION RATE. 
          NOW I'M IS AS THE AUDITOR SAID AT 99.43% ON INVEST, WHAT WAS IT WHEN WE HAD IT IN HOUSE? DO YOU REMEMBER IT? SOMETIMES IT YOU TALKING ABOUT RATE? YEAH, THE COLLECTION. 
          A COLLECTION. 
          UM, SOMETIMES IT WAS NINE, SEVEN, SOMETIMES NINE EIGHT, SOMETIMES NINE NINE. 
          BUT AS KIM HAD SAID, THERE'S A LOT OF FACTORS INVOLVED AND IN COLLECTION OF THESE TAXES, I MEAN YOU HAVE, YOU ARE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE SOFTWARE , UM, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE, THERE'S A LOT. 
          I MEAN, AND THE SOFTWARE ALONE IS GONNA BE A COST FACTOR, BUT SO ISN'T THERE, IT'S BEEN A LITTLE WHILE SO I MAY HAVE TO REMIND ME, BUT ISN'T THERE LIKE A CAP ON HOW MUCH THEY CAN CHARGE US AND THEY'RE GOING UP A HALF A PERCENT AND THEY COULD GO UP ANOTHER HALF A PERCENT? I IS THAT SOMETHING? NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF. 
          I DON'T KNOW. 
          WE NEGOTIATE ON THAT WHEN WE, MAYBE THAT'S WHAT I'M THINKING ABOUT. 
          MAYBE THAT AGREEMENT. 
          WE'D HAVE TO COME BACK AND LOOK AT THAT AGREEMENT. 
          UM, UH, YOU DID, DID WE DID LOOK AT THAT AGREEMENT WHEN WE GOT THAT NOTICE AND IT WAS, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, IT JUST BASICALLY SAID THEY HAD TO GIVE US TWO YEAR NOTICE AND WE DID THAT. 
          MM-HMM . 
          KIM, COULD YOU SEND ME THAT AGREEMENT AT YOUR CONVENIENCE? SURE. 
          WE'LL SEND IT TO EVERYONE. 
          SO YOU, YOU OFTEN SEE THAT, SO KIM, SO SINCE WE THE COUNTY'S BEEN GLUING THE TAXES FROM THE CITY, DO YOU PROBABLY DON'T, I SHOULDN'T EVEN ASK YOU THIS QUESTION, BUT YOU, HOW MANY TIMES HAVE THEY GONE UP? I MEAN, IS IT LIKE EVERY OTHER YEAR OR THIS FIRST TIME? OH, OKAY. 
          OKAY. 
          BUT THEIR COLLECTION ISN'T IT, ISN'T IT BASED OFF OF A PERCENT OF THE AMOUNT THAT THEY'RE COLLECTING FOR US? THAT IS SO IF IT IS THAT PERCENTAGE, 
          [01:40:01]
THAT ONE AND A HALF PERCENT IS OF WHAT THEY COLLECT FOR US. 
          RIGHT. 
          SO WHEN WE'VE HAD, WHEN YOU GO BACK TO YOUR CHART THAT SHOWS INCREMENTAL GROWTH IN AVALOR TAX VALUE, THEY'RE GETTING MORE AND MORE EVERY YEAR. 
          CORRECT. 
          THIS IS JUST A SIMPLE, WE'RE GONNA CHARGE THE CITY MORE CARBON CAMPBELL, THEY, THEY, THEY DO COLLECT, UM, ON BEHALF OF EVERYBODY IN THE COUNTY, ALL THE CITIES. 
          GUESS WHAT I SAID WAS, IT'S A MONEY GRAB OUTTA THE COUNTY. 
          IT'S NOTHING TO DO WITH, YOU GOTTA LOOK AT THE PERCENTAGE RATES OF COLLECTION. 
          IT'S, IT'S BEEN GOOD  EVERY YEAR WITH THE MS WITH THE MSD TAX AS WELL. 
          SO COLLECTION RATE, I THINK THAT 90. 
          WELL HOW WERE YOU DOING AS WELL? I MEAN YOU, YOUR COLLECTION RATE WAS HIGH ALWAYS, WASN'T IT? IT WAS, WELL LIKE I SAID, IT WAS 90, SOMETIMES IT WAS 97, 98, 99. 
          IT DEPENDS ON, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT IS  IT'S THE, THE DRIVER BEHIND COLLECTING THOSE TAXES THAT THE COUNTY HAS TO, TO IMPLEMENT. 
          I MEAN IT'S LIKE THEY HAVE TO GO AFTER SOME OF THESE COMPANIES TO, TO COLLECT THOSE TAXES AND YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT JUST THAT THESE PEOPLE THAT THEY'RE COMING IN AND PAYING THE TAXES, IT'S ALL THE LEGWORK THAT THEY HAVE TO DO TO COLLECT THOSE TAXES. 
          THEY HAVE TO DO GARNISHMENTS, THEY HAVE TO, IT IS A WHOLE PROCESS. 
          GARNISHMENTS AND BANK ACCOUNT. 
          I MEAN IT'S A LOT. 
          SO, AND WITH, THERE'S A LOT OF WORK INVOLVED, BELIEVE ME, WITH OUR GROWTH, I'M SURE. 
          YES. 
          THAT WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO YES. 
          UM, RUN THE TAX OFFICE WITH THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE. 
          NO, THE CITY HAD, YOU GOTTA AT LEAST NEED TO HIRE FOUR PEOPLE. 
          THREE TO FOUR PEOPLE. 
          BUT AS THE TAX BASE GROWS, AT SOME POINT, IF THEY'RE CHARGING 1.5% AND IF IT'S AN UNCAPPED NUMBER, THEY CONTINUE TO GO UP EVERY TWO YEARS. 
          MM-HMM . 
          AT SOME POINT THERE'S GONNA BE AN INFLECTION POINT WHERE IT MAKES MORE COST SENSE FOR US TO START COLLECTING AND PERHAPS OPERATING, OFFERING THAT SERVICE TO SURROUNDING MUNICIPALITIES AND COMPETE WITH THE COUNTY. 
          CORRECT? WHAT DO YOU MEAN OFFERING IT SERVICE? WELL WE HAVE A TECHNICAL GO BACK FOR OTHER MUNICIPALITIES. 
          IF, IF, I DON'T KNOW IF THE CITY'S ON ROUTE, IF WE HAVE THE STAFF AND ABILITY TO DO IT. 
          OKAY. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          SO IF WE DID, IF WE DID, OKAY. 
          YEAH, I KIND OF DID THAT ASSESSMENT AS WELL BACK WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT THAT. 
          MM-HMM . 
          AND WHAT WAS YOUR UM, THAT'S WHEN WE REACHED OUT TO SEE, YOU KNOW, IF THEY WERE GOT THE INCREASE AS WELL, THE NOTICE AND SORT OF TAKE A PULSE AND THEY WERE FINE WITH IT FOR THE MOST PART WHEN WE TALKED TO STAFF, ALL THE OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WERE FINE WITH NOTHING. 
          IT WASN'T THAT MUCH. 
          NOT NEARLY AS. 
          AND THEN WE ALSO CHECKED THE SURROUNDING AREA ON OTHER COUNTIES AND WHAT THEY WERE CHARGING. 
          AND WE HAVE THAT LIST TOO. 
          WE HAVE THAT COMPARISON. 
          DO YOU REMEMBER? I I DON'T, A LOT OF 'EM WERE ALREADY PAYING THAT IF NOT MORE. 
          I THINK THE UM, BEST SOLUTION WE GOT THIS RIGHT, RIGHT NOW IS FOR THE MUNICIPALITIES TO INCORPORATE MUNICIPALITIES MID COUNTY TO MEET WITH OUR CITY MANAGER AND DISCUSS THE CONCERNS AND FORTHRIGHT COLLECTIVELY WRITE ATTRACTED LETTER BACK TO THE COUNTY WITH OUR CONCERNS. 
          OTHER THAN THAT IT WOULD BE OR RESEARCH INTO COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS OF REESTABLISHMENT OF A TAX DEPARTMENT, WHICH I DOUBT WE'RE WANT TO DO, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I DON'T LIKE BEING HELD IN THIS POSITION BECAUSE THERE'S NO OVERSIGHT OF THE COUNTY DOING THIS TO US. 
          IN OTHER WORDS, UTILITIES COMMISSION COULD, COULD ALL DAY LONG. 
          WE COULD ARGUE RATES AND THINGS WITH SOMEBODY WITH OVERSIGHT, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THAT HERE. 
          IT'S JUST SIMPLY A UNILATERAL DECISION ON PARK COUNTY THAT WE'RE GOING TO CHARGE THIS FEE AND WE'RE EITHER GONNA PAY IT OR WE'RE GONNA COME UP WITH SOME ALTERNATIVE. 
          AND AGAIN, I THINK I WOULD COLLECTIVELY GET THE MUNICIPALITIES TOGETHER, DISCUSS THIS. 
          I JUST, I JUST FIND IT CURIOUS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HELP FUND THE SKATE PARK AND THEN TURN AROUND AND CHARGES AN ADDITIONAL $95,000. 
          I MEAN IT'S REALLY JUST, WELL, IT'S, WELL I LIKE ALDERMAN OUTLAW'S IDEA. 
          UNIONIZE ALL THE MUNICIPALITIES AGAINST THE COUNTY . 
          I, I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF 'EM ARE GONNA BE IN FAVOR OF IT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I'M JUST, YOU YOU TOOK THE WORDS OUT MY MOUTH BECAUSE IT'S BEEN DISCUSSED BEFORE AND THEY WANTED, THEY WANTED BOOK COLLECTIONS. 
          WHAT SOFTWARE? 
          [01:45:06]
YOUR DIRECTION WE'RE HAPPY TO DO IT IS, UM, MR. SIMMONS, RIGHT? YES MA'AM. 
          WOULD YOUR, WOULD YOUR DEPARTMENT, WOULD YOUR STAFF BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY HANDLE THE SOFTWARE FOR THE COLLECTION? HAVE YOU EVER ENCOUNTERED THAT IN ANY OTHER CITY THAT YOU MAY HAVE WORKED IN FOREST TAX COLLECTIONS? NO, ACTUALLY I WORKED FOR THE, UM, HIGHER ED, SO OKAY. 
          WE DIDN'T HAVE TAXES. 
          THEY JUST SPENT THAT STOP. 
          AND THEN YOU SAID THAT 300,000 WAS HOW MANY YEARS AGO IT'S BEEN, I'M GONNA LOOK AT IT AGAIN AND RUN THE NUMBERS AND OUR CURRENT DATA. 
          IT'S BEEN A COUPLE YEARS. 
          YEAH. 
          SO PRESUMABLY IT WOULD BE HIGHER. 
          OH YEAH. 
          NOW MM-HMM . 
          UM, AND THEN I'M WONDERING, IS THE SOFTWARE AND UPFRONT COST OR IS THAT ONGOING? OH, AND SOFTWARE. 
          YES. 
          NEVER ENDING. 
          NEVER ENDING. 
          SEE, EVEN WHEN WE HAD THE TAXES, THE CITY HAD THE TAXES. 
          WE HAD KEYSTONE AS OUR SOFTWARE. 
          YES. 
          YEAH. 
          AND IT WAS YEARLY. 
          I MEAN, IT WAS ALWAYS SOME CHARGES UP CHARGES. 
          YES. 
          ALWAYS MAINTENANCE. 
          YES, YES. 
          ALWAYS. 
          YOU HAVE THAT CONTRACT IN PLACE. 
          YOU GOTTA, YOU KNOW, PAY FOR THOSE CONTRACTS. 
          SO KIM, MAYBE IT'LL BE HELPFUL WHEN YOU SEND THAT CONTRACT OUT. 
          IF YOU COULD JUST HAVE A, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE FIVE YEAR THAT SHOWS HOW MUCH THE COUNTY ACTUALLY IS RECEIVING. 
          BECAUSE LIKE WE SAID, THEY'RE GETTING A PERCENT OF THE COLLECTION. 
          WHAT YOU MEAN ? SO WHEN WE, THEY CHARGE US A FEE, RIGHT. 
          BUT THERE'S ALSO A PERCENT BASED OFF OF THE TAX THEY PULL IN. 
          SO WHEN THEY HAVE A TAX REEVALUATION AND WE SET OUR REVENUE TAX NEUTRAL AND WE BRING IN $5 MILLION MORE THAN WHAT WE BROUGHT IN THE PRIOR YEAR, THEY'RE GETTING A PERCENT OF THAT ADDITIONAL 5 MILLION. 
          SO THAT'S PROBABLY WHY, BECAUSE EXHIBIT 27, THEY'VE ASKED FOR THAT INCREASE THERE ALREADY BECAUSE THEY SHOULD ALREADY HAVE SOME OF THEIR NUMBERS FOR IT AS, UH, TAX VALUES. 
          YES. 
          REAL AND PERSONAL. 
          BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS THEY'RE, THEY'RE ALREADY INCREMENTALLY GROWING EVERY YEAR BECAUSE THEY'RE BRINGING MORE MONEY IN. 
          THIS RIGHT HERE IS JUST A SIMPLE, BECAUSE THEY CAN, THEY'RE BRINGING MORE MONEY IN BECAUSE THE VALUES, THEY'RE MORE CONSTRUCTION HERE IN THE CITY, MORE CONSTRUCTION THAN THEIR VALUES. 
          THAT'S GONNA MAKE OUR TAX VALUE. 
          AND WHEN I SAY THEY'RE BRINGING MORE MONEY IN, THEY'RE THEY'RE GETTING A PIECE OF THAT PILE. 
          YEAH, THEY'RE DOING WORK. 
          I MEAN, THEY'RE GOING TO WORK FOR IT. 
          IF THEY WOULD'VE COME TO US AND SAID, HEY LOOK, WE'RE IMPLEMENTING A NEW SOFTWARE AND IT'S GONNA HELP US GO FROM A 99% COLLECTION RATE TO A 99.5, OR WE'RE MOVING OUR TAX OFFICE TO MAKE IT MORE ACCESSIBLE TO THE TAXPAYER. 
          IF, IF THERE WAS SOME SORT OF REASON TO SAY, THIS IS WHY WE'RE ASKING FOR THIS, IT'D BE A MUCH EASIER APPEAL TO SWALLOW IN MY OPINION. 
          VERSUS JUST, WE'RE GONNA GO UP AND WE HAVEN'T DONE IT BEFORE AND WE JUST FEEL LIKE WE DON'T. 
          THAT'S MY POINT. 
          OKAY. 
          I I, I CAN'T SEE THAT. 
          'CAUSE NUMBER ONE, WE HAVE, WE'VE HAD MORE GROWTH HERE, SO TAX VALUES ON REAL PROPERTY, IT'S GOING TO BE MORE SO THERE'S MORE TAX VALUE COMING AND NUMBER ONE, SO, SO WE'RE IN THE BILLIONS RIGHT NOW FOR IS TAX VALUE, KIM, WE'RE IN THE BUILDINGS. 
          SO THE COUNTIES, THOSE BUILDINGS OF DOLLARS IS GOING TO INCREASE OUR TAX RATE. 
          INCREASE OUR TAX RATE. 
          SO THERE'S MORE WORK IN, IN THE COUNTY BECAUSE THEY HAVE ALL OF THOSE RECORDS THAT HAS TO BE CONVERTED OVER, SENT TO THE CITY BY FILE TAX FILE. 
          SO IT'S A LOT OF WORK INVOLVED BEHIND THE SCENES THAT THE AVERAGE PERSON DON'T EVEN SEE WHEN YOU ARE WORKING THOSE TAXES AND ALL THAT INFORMATION COMES FROM THE COUNTY. 
          IT COMES FROM THE COUNTY IT WAS COMING. 
          SO JUST TO THE CITY FROM THE COUNTY. 
          AND WE HAD TO GO IN AND WORK THAT PROCESS THROUGH OUR IT DEPARTMENT,  TO CONVERT, TO CONVERT ALL THOSE NUMBERS OVER AND ALL OF THAT. 
          IT WAS A LOT INVOLVED. 
          IT'S A LOT OF WORK INVOLVED. 
          IT'S JUST NOT, I MAYBE $95,000 IS A LOT OF MONEY, BUT I GET BUT THAT'S AN, THAT'S AN ADDITION TO WHAT'S CORRECT. 
          I KNOW, I KNOW YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT $285,000 TOTAL, SO, YOU KNOW, SO KE THE, SO THE UH, CITY OF NEW BERN ON THIS RATE IS 5.5 BILLION, 325,000 
          [01:50:01]
TIMES TWO AND HALF PERCENT IS WHAT THE, IS WHAT THE CHARGE IS GONNA BE 27, IS THAT CORRECT? IT'S GONNA BE TWO POINT A HALF PERCENT. 
          NO, ONE AND A HALF. 
          IT'S CURRENTLY 1%. 
          IT'S GOING UP TO ONE POINT HALF. 
          JUST A HALF. 
          BUT DIDN'T YOU SAY ANOTHER HALF PERCENT OF, SO IT'S GONNA BE ONE AND HALF PERCENT, RIGHT? ONE AND HALF PERCENT. 
          SO THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE ABOUT $750,000, IS THAT RIGHT? YEAH, BECAUSE CURRENTLY LIKE FIVE LAST YEAR, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT FISCAL YEAR 25, UH, THE TOTAL FEES WERE $186,000. 
          UH, AND 24 WAS $175,000. 
          UM, SO YOU DO SEE THAT GROWTH, YOU KNOW, WE ARE GROWING, YES. 
          UM, YEAR TO DATE WE'RE AT THE 94,000. 
          SO WE'RE STILL ON TARGET FOR ABOUT THAT HUNDRED $90,000. 
          SO IT'LL BE THAT INCREASE, THAT EXTRA $95,000, YOU KNOW, HALF OF 1%. 
          SO I JUST, THAT WOULD BE 2 85. 
          THINK WHAT MY REQUEST WAS OF LIKE LAST FIVE YEARS WOULD SHOW THAT THE, THE GROWTH WE'VE HAD IN OUR TAX BASE, THE ACCOUNTING HAS GOTTEN MORE MONEY EVERY YEAR BECAUSE OF THAT GROWTH. 
          THIS IS GONNA BE AN INCREMENTAL $95,000 JUST ON TOP OF THAT. 
          AND I THINK IT WOULD BE EASIER IF WE COULD SEE WHAT THOSE NUMBERS ARE. 
          OKAY. 
          AND YEP. 
          SO IN 2021 IT WAS 150,000. 
          SO WE ARE LOOKING AT 35,000, 36,000 IN GROWTH FROM 21 THROUGH 25. 
          I, A GOOD QUESTION FOR THEM IS HAVE THEY HAD TO ADD ANY STAFF OR, YOU KNOW, HAVE THEY HAD ANY, ANY INCREASES IN EXPENSES, DIFFERENT SOFTWARE ADDED STAFF? IS THERE A REASON THAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR THAT EXTRA 5%? DID THEY GIVE YOU ANY INDICATION WHEN THEY SENT THE NOTICE? I DON'T RECALL. 
          OKAY. 
          I'M JUST REMIND THE BOARD WHENEVER THE MAJORITY IS READY TO TAKE A BREAK SO WE CAN TAKE A BREAK. 
          I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE TAKE A, AT WHEREVER THERE'S A CONVENIENT TIME TO STOP IF WE WANT TO GET THROUGH THIS. 
          I THINK WE'VE GOT A FEW MORE MINUTES. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          TAKE A BREAK. 
          OKAY, SO WANT ME TO GO THROUGH THE WHOLE TIMELINE? I'LL BE QUICK. 
          SO  UH, THE DEPARTMENTS HAVE ALREADY SUBMITTED THEIR, UH, CAPITAL REQUESTS. 
          AGAIN, THIS IS JUST, WE HAVE THEM JUST ASK, SUBMIT WHAT YOU WANT. 
          SO GENERAL FUNDS THAT ASK AS OF THIS TODAY IS FOUR AND A HALF MILLION OF ENTERPRISE FUNDS, UH, 5.3 MILLION. 
          AND THIS DOESN'T INCLUDE THE MAJOR MULTI-YEAR PROJECTS LIKE INFRASTRUCTURE BUILDINGS OR, YOU KNOW, FIRE ENGINES THAT WE KNOW TAKE TWO TO THREE YEARS TO ACTUALLY COMPLETE ONCE WE PURCHASE IT. 
          SO THOSE WOULD BE MORE SEPARATE AND PROJECT FUNDS. 
          UM, JUST A QUICK REVIEW ON, UH, WHAT A CAPITAL ASSET IS AND THE THRESHOLD FOR THE CITY OF NEW BERN. 
          I WON'T READ FOR ALL OF THOSE, UM, BUT THAT THIS IS INCLUDED IN, UM, BELIEVE IT'S IN THE BUDGET AS WELL. 
          BUT, UM, SO JUST AT EACH LEVEL THERE'S UM, DEFINED, UH, A CAPITAL ASSET. 
          UM, WE'RE LOOKING NOW AT OUR BUDGET PROCESS TIMELINE. 
          ON NOVEMBER, WE KICKED OFF THE PROCESS WITH A DEPARTMENT, UH, MEETING AND DECEMBER THEY'VE ALREADY HAD THEIR, SOME OF THEIR ITEMS DUE, WHICH WERE THE CAPITAL BUILDING MAINTENANCE AND PERSONNEL REQUESTS. 
          AND OF COURSE WE SENT OUT THE SURVEY TO THE BOARD AND GOT THOSE BACK RECENTLY. 
          UM, THIS MONTH, UM, THE DEPARTMENTS WILL HAVE TO SUBMIT THEIR FINAL REQUESTS AND CHANGES, UH, TO THE FEE SCHEDULE AND, UM, SUBMIT THEIR BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS, WHICH AND THEIR STRATEGIC GOAL ALIGNMENT. 
          SO THEY'RE ASKED TO, UM, ALIGN ALL OF THEIR PROJECTS AND REQUEST WITH THE CURRENT STRATEGIC GOALS OF THE BOARD. 
          IN FEBRUARY, THE BUDGET COMMITTEE, WHICH CONSISTS OF THE PEOPLE OVER HERE ON THE RIGHT WILL MEET WITH ALL DEPARTMENT HEADS TO REVIEW THEIR BUDGETS AND THE SCHEDULE OF FEE SCHEDULE CHANGES IN MARCH. 
          I, THAT'S WHEN THE BUDGET COMMITTEE JUST CONTINUES TO REVIEW RESEARCH AND COMPARE THE BUDGETS AND REVENUE ESTIMATES. 
          IN APRIL. 
          THE CITY MANAGER WILL, UH, SUBMIT THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET FOR THE BOARD AT FIRST MEETING. 
          AND UM, WE HAD TO HAVE THAT SECOND MEETING IN APRIL TO MEET THE TIMELINES, UM, REQUIRED FOR THE BUDGET SUBMISSION. 
          UM, AND SO WE HAVE THAT PUBLIC HEARING CONDUCTED AT THE SECOND MEETING IN APRIL, 
          [01:55:01]
MAY 5TH. 
          WE WILL HOLD A BUDGET WORKSHOP AND WE'LL BE ASKING THE BOARD TO ADOPT A BUDGET AND FEE SCHEDULE AT THE MAY 12TH MEETING SINCE YOU MEETING JUST ONCE A MONTH. 
          THAT DOES GIVE US THAT JUNE MEETING. 
          UM, JUST IN CASE THERE'S A REASON THAT DID NOT PASS BECAUSE IT DOES HAVE TO BE ADOPTED BY THE END OF JUNE. 
          AND SO WITH US GETTING INTO THE, UM, BUDGET SEASON, WE'VE GOT PIE, UH, RIGHT NOW, THIS CURRENT BUDGET, I BELIEVE 59 $60 MILLION FOR THE GENERAL FUND ALONE. 
          AND, AND I'M SURE THAT'S GOING TO INCREASE, I THINK YOU ALREADY SAW ON THE SLIDE WITH FY 27 CAPITAL REQUEST A GENERAL FUND FOUR, FOUR, $4 MILLION IN CHANGE. 
          AND SO AGAIN, WE HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF REVENUE THAT WE KNOW WE'RE GONNA HAVE COMING IN AND THERE ARE GONNA BE A LOT OF EXPENSES THAT ARE COMING IN AS WELL. 
          SO WE'VE GOTTA WEIGH ALL THOSE THINGS. 
          THERE ARE ALWAYS, THERE'S ALWAYS WANTS AND THERE'S NEEDS WE HAVE TO ADDRESS. 
          AND SO, UM, I NEVER LIKE BALANCING A BUDGET, UM, NOT A FUND BALANCE. 
          AND WHEN WE HAVE DONE THAT, WE'VE NORMALLY BEEN ABLE TO TIE IN A PULLING FROM FUND BALANCE FOR A CAPITAL RELATED ITEM. 
          UH, THE ONGOING EXPENSES, IF IT'S A, IF IT'S A A A PAY STUDY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, DO NOT LIKE COVERING ANYTHING LIKE THAT. 
          'CAUSE THAT'S AN ONGOING EXPENSE THAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO COVER JUST WITH THE, WITH THE AVALOR TAX RATE SALES TAXES THAT ARE COMING TO US ON A REGULAR BASIS. 
          SAME WITH THE GROWTH THAT WE'RE GONNA SEE. 
          SO WITH THAT IN MIND, WE'RE GONNA TAKE A BREAK HOWEVER LONG YOU WOULD LIKE TO BREAK AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK AND DISCUSS BOARD GOALS AND OBJECTIVES. 
          YOU NEED THE MOTION? YES SIR. 
          MAKE A MOTION THAT WE TAKE, UH, WHAT LIEUTENANT SO MAD SECOND IT HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND FURTHER DISCUSSION. 
          ALL THOSE AYE A OPPOSED BACK AT IT. 
          AND, UH, I WILL TURN BACK OVER TO MR. HUG. 
          ALL RIGHT, SO NOW, NOW WE'RE GETTING TO THE, TO COMING PART WHERE WE HEAR FROM YOU A LOT MORE STRATEGIC PLANS, UH, THE PLANNING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES. 
          SO CURRENTLY, AND THIS IS ALSO IN OUR FY 26 BUDGET, WE HAVE FIVE OVERARCHING GOALS AND, AND THEY ARE, UM, C*M THAT, NO. 
          OKAY, SO WE'VE GOT THE OVERARCHING GOALS AND, AND THEY INCLUDE SAFE AND WELCOMING COMMUNITY. 
          AND OBJECTIVES UNDER THAT INCLUDE PUBLIC SAFETY, FOCUSING ON EVENTS AND WELCOMING TO ALL CULTURES AND PEOPLE. 
          THE SECOND GOAL IS EXCELLENCE IN GOVERNMENT, WHICH INCLUDES BEING A GREAT PLACE TO WORK, PROMOTING AND INSPIRING ONGOING EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT AND RECOGNITION, ENHANCING A WORKPLACE CULTURE THAT VALUES EMPLOYEES WELLBEING, GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT WITH EXCELLENT SERVICE DELIVERY AND FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY. 
          THE THIRD GOAL IS PLANNING IN INFRASTRUCTURE FOR BALANCED GROWTH. 
          AND OBJECTIVES INCLUDE INVESTING INFRASTRUCTURE TO ENSURE LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY, ENHANCED WATERFRONT ACCESS AND USE CONNECTED NEIGHBORHOODS EXISTING AND NEW UPDATED LAND USE ALREADY. 
          GOAL FOR IS ECONOMIC PROSPERITY. 
          THAT INCLUDES AFFORDABLE HOUSING, EDUCAT OF PARTNERSHIPS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIPS. 
          AND GOAL FIVE IS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND THAT INCLUDES COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS, INFORMATION GATHERING AND DISSEMINATION STRATEGIES. 
          AND TANYA, UM, NOW WE'RE GONNA START TALKING ABOUT THE SURVEYS THAT, THAT WE ASKED YOU TO COMPLETE. 
          UM, SO TANYA, WHAT DO WE GET BACK FROM THE BOARD? ALRIGHT, SO THE FIRST QUESTION WE ASKED THE BOARD WAS, UM, WHAT GOALS OF WHICH OF THE CURRENT GOALS DO YOU, WOULD YOU STILL SUPPORT? SO 86% OF YOU, AND I THINK THAT'S FIVE OUT OR SIX OUT OF SEVEN, UM, DO STILL SUPPORT THE SAFE AND WELCOMING COMMUNITY. 
          UH, 71%, UH, STILL SUPPORT THE EXCELLENCE IN GOVERNMENT, 86% AGAIN FOR THE PLANNING AND INFRASTRUCTURE FOR BALANCE GROWTH AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY. 
          AND THAT DOES 71% FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. 
          SO, AND AGAIN, I DO WANNA, THE PURPOSE OF THIS SURVEY WAS TO, UM, INCLUDE THE BOARD, UM, ENGAGED IN THE PROCESS, THE BUDGET PROCESS, UM, AND HAVE THAT COMMUNICATION. 
          SO WE ARE SEEKING DIRECTION, UM, FROM THE BOARD AND WANTING YOUR FEEDBACK ON THE WHOLE BUDGET PROCESS AND WHAT YOU'LL SUPPORT. 
          SO OUR NEXT SLIDE. 
          AND SO WHEN WE ASK FOR FEEDBACK, THIS IS WHAT WE'VE GOT. 
          AND SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING, WHAT ELSE, WHAT ONE OF THE COMMENTS YOU HAVE. 
          SO, UH, ONE COMMENT WE'LL 
          [02:00:01]
RECEIVED WAS IN EITHER EXCELLENCE IN GOVERNMENT OR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, WE'D LIKE TO ADD EMPHASIS ON TRANSPARENCY AND ALSO ADD SOMETHING ABOUT CONSTITUENT SERVICES OR SERVICE DELIVERY, SUCH AS INCREASING THE EMPHASIS ON CUSTOMER SERVICE WITH CITIZEN FACING DEPARTMENTS. 
          AND WE ALSO RECEIVED A COMMENT ON CLOSER ELECTED BOARD COMMUNICATION WITH THE AUDIT FIRM, CLOSER WORKING PARTNERSHIP WITH FINANCE DEPARTMENT. 
          AND OF COURSE, UH, I I SAID SOMETHING ABOUT THAT, THAT ONE EARLIER TODAY. 
          UM, WE, OUR GOAL IS TO BE AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE WHEN IT COMES TO DEFINITELY THE FINANCES. 
          AND SO WE WANT YOU TO HAVE ANY INFORMATION FINANCE WISE THAT THAT, THAT YOU WANT. 
          AND SO IF THAT MEANS IF YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE MEETINGS WITH THE FINANCE STAFF, WE CAN LINE THAT UP. 
          IF YOU WOULD LIKE A MONTHLY REPORT, UH, DURING THE GOVERNING BOARD MEETINGS WITH AN UPDATE OF FINANCES, WE CAN DO THAT AS WELL. 
          IT'S WHAT DO YOU WANT? WE'RE HAPPY TO PROVIDE IT FOR YOU. 
          AND SO WITH THAT, YOU'VE SEEN SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT THE BOARD HAS MADE. 
          LET'S HEAR SOME OTHER COMMENTS ON WHAT, WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN TERMS OF GOALS AND OBJECTIVES. 
          I'D LIKE THE CITY ER IS VERY SIMILAR TO BANKS. 
          BANKS ARE TRYING TO GET EVERYBODY TO GO ELECTRONIC. 
          THEY DON'T WANT YOU IN IN A TOWER LINE ANYMORE. 
          I I, I'M GOING TO PROBABLY GO TO ELECTRONIC BANKING WITH THE CITY BECAUSE SNAIL MAIL AND, AND, AND, AND NOT GET A LAKE FEE. 
          OR ACTUALLY EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE I'M GETTING ONE THAT, UH, YOU'RE LATE. 
          UH, AND WE'LL PITCH SPIRAL WHEN I SNAIL MAILED IT, YOU KNOW, WITHIN WHAT I CONSIDER A REASONABLE PERIOD OF TIME FOR IT TO, I DON'T THINK, YOU KNOW, IF I DID A RETURN RECEIPT REQUEST WITH THE POST OFFICE AND THEN IF I, WHEN I GOT THAT RETURN RECEIPT, KNOWING WHEN THAT MAIL GOT TO CHARLOTTE, AND THEN IF I WENT AND CHECKED MY CHECKING ACCOUNT AS TO WHEN THAT CHECK CLEARED, AND THEN IF I CALLED THE CITY NEW BERN AND SAID, AM I GOOD? I, I THINK THERE'S A BIT OF A DELAY. 
          UM, AND, AND IT IS, YOU KNOW, NOT KINDA LIKE BEATING THE CITY UP OVER IN THE SAY, I THINK THE CITY LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE SAYS, MODELING ALL OF US TO GO ELECTRONIC AND THAT'S PROBABLY THE WAY I'M GONNA GO. 
          UM, BUT UH, I, I, I THINK THERE'S BETTER WAYS TO MAKE MONEY ON OUR CITIZENS THAN LATE FEES, YOU KNOW, AND BANKS CHARGE 'EM, CITIES CHARGING. 
          UH, I, I MEAN I DON'T, WE DON'T KNOW WHO MADE THE COMMENT, SO I MEAN, I THINK WHOEVER THAT WOULD BE WOULD BE THE ONE TO CHIME IN, RIGHT? SO I THINK, SO I, I'LL CHIME IN. 
          I MEAN, I'M THE FIRST COMMENT, UH, I THINK THAT WHEN WE LOOK AT THE FIVE GOALS THAT ARE OUTLINED HERE WITHIN, AND WE CAN WORK WITHIN THE CONSTRUCT CONSTRAINTS OF ONE OF THEM OR ADD SOMETHING, BUT I DO THINK THAT THERE, A LOT OF FEEDBACK I GET HAS BEEN ON A CUSTOMER SERVICE TYPE OF ATTITUDE. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT I WOULD LOOK AT AS A CONSTITUENT SERVICE AND, AND WORKING WITH FOLKS WHO ARE TRYING TO START BUSINESSES, DEVELOP PROPERTIES HERE AND HAVE THAT KIND OF POSITIVE EXPERIENCE. 
          UM, HELPFUL KIND OF TROUBLESHOOTING. 
          I THINK FROM, I MEAN THE FOLKS I'VE REACHED OUT TO THE CITY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN HELPFUL, UM, EVEN BEFORE, YOU KNOW, RUNNING FOR OFFICE. 
          BUT I'VE HEARD FROM A LOT OF DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES, I'VE HEARD FROM A LOT OF DEVELOPERS WHAT THEY FEEL IS A CITY IS A HINDRANCE TO SOME OF THOSE, UM, GOALS. 
          AND SO I WOULD LIKE, IF IT'S REINFORCED IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WE HAVE THESE CONSTITUENT FACING DEPARTMENTS ACTING WITH A CERTAIN LEVEL OF CUSTOMER SERVICE PROBLEM SOLVING, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TO GO STRAIGHT TO, NO, WE CAN WORK THROUGH HOW DO WE MAKE THIS FIT. 
          AND I THINK A PRIME EXAMPLE, AND I'M NOT, NOT TO PICK ON DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, BUT I THINK IS A PRIME EXAMPLE, THE REZONING REQUEST THAT WE GOT, WHAT, TWO MONTHS AGO? UM, AND I KNOW, YOU KNOW, I KNOW FROM ONE WAY OR THE OTHER THAT WAS, THAT CAME BEFORE OUR BOARD AND PROBABLY COULD HAVE BEEN APPROVED ADMINISTRATIVELY. 
          UM, BUT JUST SOMETHING THAT REITERATES OUR COMMITMENT AND DIRECTION TO DEPARTMENT HEADS THAT WE EXPECT A CERTAIN LEVEL OF COOPERATION AND CUSTOMER SERVICE WITHIN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND RESIDENT COMMUNITY FOR THESE DEPARTMENTS. 
          SO I, I JUST WANTED TO SEE, YOU KNOW, WHEN I LOOK AT THE GOALS THAT YOU ALL HAVE OUTLINED, WHICH I AGREE WITH, I'D LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING IN THERE THAT STRESSES THAT PIECE. 
          I AGREE. 
          IN FACT, I HAD THIS CONVERSATION 
          [02:05:01]
WITH THE CITY MANAGER NOT, NOT VERY LONG AGO. 
          AN EXAMPLE THAT I, THAT I'VE HAD A DEVELOPER TALK TO ME ABOUT IS IF HE MISSES THE DEADLINE BY ONE DAY BEFORE HIS, UM, BEFORE THE, THE CITY'S REVIEW ON A, ON A PROJECT, IT TAKES HIM TWO MONTHS FOR THE CITY TO EVEN LOOK AT IT. 
          AND, AND THEN HE HAS TO, THEY HAVE TO RESPOND TO HIM BACK OR THE DEVELOPER BACK AND IT'S JUST, HE SAID, YOU KNOW, IT TAKES THREE OR FOUR MONTHS TO EVEN GET A PROJECT ROLLING. 
          UH, UH, AND HE REFERRED TO IT AS NOT VERY CUSTOMER FRIENDLY. 
          UH, SO I, I AGREE THAT THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR SOMEONE THAT WANTS TO OPEN A BUSINESS IN OUR CITY. 
          I MEAN, THEY CAN ALWAYS GO IN THE COUNTY, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO INVITE THEM TO COME INTO THE CITY AND WE WANT TO MAKE THE PROCESS AS EASY AND AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE TO GET THEM TO OPEN THEIR BUSINESSES IN THE CITY. 
          UM, AND THAT WAS JUST ONE I I, I'VE TALKED TO THE MANAGER ABOUT A COUPLE OF OTHER ISSUES THAT, UM, THAT DEVELOPERS HAVE TALKED TO ME ABOUT AND SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT THEY HAVE. 
          IN FACT, ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT I HAD WAS TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM THEY NEED TO DO ALMOST LIKE JORDAN IS DOING WHEN HE HAS A GROUP OF DEVELOPERS TO MEET WITH HIM EVERY SO OFTEN TO DISCUSS SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT THEY'RE SEEING AND SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT'S TAKING PLACE AND HOW HE, YOU KNOW, MIGHT BE ABLE TO, WHAT HE CAN DO TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR A DEVELOPER. 
          BUT IT IS APPARENTLY IS A PROBLEM. 
          I'M NOT SURE WHAT IF THE DEADLINE DATES THE FIRST TUESDAY OF THE MONTH AND, BUT IF THEY COULD TAKE IT IN ON THE, THE FIRST WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH, NOW THEY HAVE TO WAIT ALMOST TWO MONTHS FOR IT TO, TO BE HEARD IN FRONT OF THE DEPARTMENT HEADS. 
          AND IT JUST SAID THE PROCESS TAKES TOO LONG, WAY TOO LONG. 
          AND, AND SO I, I DID SEND A RESPONSE. 
          UM, WE HAD A CITIZEN THAT, THAT COMPLAINED ABOUT THAT THEY WERE WANTING TO GO THROUGH A, A REZONING ON A, ON A PROPERTY AND, AND THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT HOW LONG IT TOOK. 
          AND LITERALLY THAT WAS GONNA BE A TWO STEP PROCESS FOR, FOR ONE OF THE THINGS. 
          ONE WAS GONNA BE REZONING, THEN THEY WERE GONNA HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT PROCESS BECAUSE THE REZONING WOULDN'T FULLY, UM, ACCOMMODATE THEIR, THEIR NEEDS FOR THAT PROPERTY. 
          AND SO THERE ARE SEVERAL CRITERIA THAT THE, THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS TO GO THROUGH TO MEET STATE STATUTES AS WELL. 
          UM, THEY ALSO HAVE TO HAVE CERTAIN, CERTAIN TIMEFRAMES, UH, IN MIND FOR WHEN THEY'RE DOING THEIR DEPARTMENT REVIEW, GETTING THAT FEEDBACK, UM, WORKING OUT THOSE INDIVIDUAL THINGS AND THE TIMES IT TAKES TO SEND THE MAILING NOTIFICATIONS OUT. 
          SO SOME OF IT CAN PROBABLY BE CLEANED UP A LITTLE BIT, BUT IT'S STILL A DIFFICULT PROCESS, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU WHEN IT'S SPELLED OUT. 
          AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO SEND THIS TO THE FULL BOARD SO YOU CAN GET AN IDEA. 
          UM, BUT WE DID PROVIDE SOME GOOD INFORMATION ON WHY IT TAKES A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THAT. 
          AND, AND THE BIG THING IS WE'RE CHANGING A LAW, UM, AND WE REALLY HAVE TO VET THAT CLEARLY, BECAUSE IF, IF YOU'RE, A LOT OF TIMES IT'S NOT JUST AS EASY AS SAYING, WELL, SOMEONE'S GONNA JUST, THEY'RE, THEY'RE WANTING TO BUILD A HOUSE ON A CERTAIN PIECE OF PROPERTY AND THEY WANT TOONE IT FROM R SIX TO R 10 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. 
          THIS CAN AFFECT BUSINESSES, THE TYPES OF USE OF BUSINESSES. 
          SO THERE'S A LOT OF THOUGHT THAT HAS TO GO INTO THAT ON STAFF, THE CITY ATTORNEY'S INVOLVED WITH THINGS LIKE THAT. 
          AND SO IT, IT, AND THEN OF COURSE, THE GOVERNING BOARD AND THEN CITIZENS CHIME IN AS WELL AND, AND, AND SAY WHAT THEY LIKE OR DON'T LIKE ABOUT IT. 
          SO, UH, UNFORTUNATELY WITH A LOT OF THINGS WITH THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT PERCEPTION IS THEY'RE IN THE BUSINESS TO SAY NO. 
          IN REALITY, THOUGH, THEY ARE IN THE BUSINESS TO ENFORCE THE CURRENT, UM, LAND USE ORDINANCES THAT WE HAVE. 
          UM, WE ARE WORKING THROUGH THAT PROCESS OF TRYING TO MAKE IT MORE USER FRIENDLY. 
          AND JESSICA KNOWS ABOUT THIS FULL WELL AS I DO. 
          'CAUSE EVERY MONDAY WHEN WE SIT DOWN, IT'S ALWAYS THE BAD STUFF FIRST. 
          AND THEN HOPEFULLY THERE'S A ONE OR TWO DECENT THINGS SPRINKLED IN THERE. 
          UM, SO THEY'RE FULLY AWARE OF, OF ESPECIALLY THE CUSTOMER SERVICE ISSUE. 
          UH, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK ON. 
          I'M NOT SURE IF IT, IF THE ORDINANCE HAS TO, NEEDS TO BE CHANGED, EVEN IF IT'S, IT MAY BE STATE LAW, SOMETHING WE CAN'T DEAL WITH. 
          BUT I HAD A GENTLEMAN TO CONTACT ME THAT OWNS PROPERTY ON OLD AIRPORT ROAD IN THE CITY, AND HE WANTED TO, TO PUT STORAGE ON THE BACKSIDE OF HIS PROPERTY, WHICH ACCORDING TO WHAT HE WAS TOLD BY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, HE CAN'T DO IT. 
          AND WELL, THE GUY, THE LOCK NEXT DOOR TO HIM, DIRECTLY NEXT DOOR, I MEAN, THEY SHARE HIS SAME PROPERTY LINE IS IN THE COUNTY, AND 
          [02:10:01]
HE WANTS TO, HE'S GONNA REQUEST TO COME IN THE CITY, BUT BEFORE HE REQUESTS TO COME IN THE CITY, HE'S GONNA BUILD A STORAGE YARD. 
          AND ONCE HE BUILDS HIS STORAGE YARD, THEN HE IS GONNA REQUEST TO COME IN THE CITY. 
          AND WE HAVE TO ALLOW HIM TO DO THAT. 
          YOU DON'T HAVE TO. 
          WELL, WE DON'T HAVE TO BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE TO TAKE IT IN THE CITY. 
          BUT IT, THERE'S JUST SOMETHING WRONG WITH THAT PICTURE, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN HE BE IN THE COUNTY AND SAY, IT JUST DOESN'T, HE'S GONNA START NOT, AND IT'S NOT IN AN ETJ AREA EITHER. 
          NO, IT'S NOT. 
          BUT HE'S GOING TO START A, HE'S GOING TO OPEN A STORAGE LOT AND THEN REQUEST ANNEXATION AND THEN PUT, YOU KNOW, WATER AND SEWER AND STUFF LIKE THAT ON HIS PROPERTY UP, YOU KNOW, GOT GOT, IS GOT MY, GOT THE GUY THAT'S IN THE CITY KIND OF UPSET ABOUT IT. 
          YOU KNOW, SKIES THERE, NOTHING CAN BE DONE ABOUT IT. 
          RIGHT. 
          THAT'S, THAT'S THE ISSUE FOR EVERY PARCEL THAT BORDERS THE COUNTY. 
          AND THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF THOSE PARCELS THAT'S ALWAYS GONNA HAPPEN TO US. 
          THE ONLY WAY TO DO WOULD EXPAND THAT ETJ. 
          YEAH. 
          WELL, WE CAN'T HAVE TJ OVER THERE. 
          YEAH. 
          CAN'T DO IT SOUTH, BUT YES, SIR. 
          THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT. 
          WHICH CREATES ITS OWN HEADACHES. 
          BUT YES, IT'S, IT'S, YOU GET TO AN UNUSUAL RESULT AT THE PERIMETER. 
          I THINK A LOT OF IT IN EVERYTHING USUALLY BOILS DOWN TO COMMUNICATION. 
          IT'S LIKE THE REZONING TIMING THAT WE GOT COPIED ON. 
          IF IT'S JUST EXPLAINED TO 'EM, WE'RE NOT PASSING THE BLAME. 
          WE'RE JUST SHARING THE FACTS. 
          THE FACTS ARE, THERE'S PUBLIC NOTICE NOTIFICATIONS THAT YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH AND THERE'S THE CITY'S WORKING AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN TO EXPEDITE THE REQUEST, BUT WE'RE BOUND BY THOSE STATE STATUTES AND THOSE LAWS. 
          AND I THINK IF IT'S EXPLAINED THAT WAY, IT'S EASY. 
          IT'S MORE PALATABLE. 
          WELL, A GREAT EXAMPLE, THREE TO FOUR TIMES A WEEK, I HAVE TO GO TO A RESIDENCE'S HOUSE OR A BUSINESS OWNER'S HOUSE AND HAVE A ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATION ABOUT WHATEVER THE ISSUE OF CONCERN IS. 
          AND IT, IT, IT, IT'S ACCEPTED MUCH EASIER WHEN IT'S A ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATION OR IF THERE'S A GROUP OF PEOPLE COMING, COMING ONTO YOUR SITE TO VISIT. 
          AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S A CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT WE LIKE TO TRY TO GO THROUGH THE ISSUE AT THE END. 
          THERE ARE A LOT OF TIMES WE CAN'T SAY YES, WE, WE HAVE TO SAY NO. 
          UM, BUT AT LEAST EMPATHIZE WITH WHAT THE SITUATION IS AND DOING OUR BEST TO WORK WITH THAT. 
          THAT'S REALLY A GOAL THAT WE HAVE. 
          WELL, AND IT'S A GOOD GOAL. 
          IT WORKS GREAT. 
          I HAVE, UM, THE, I HAD MORE COMPLAINTS ABOUT SPEEDING THAN ANYTHING ELSE IN MY WARD. 
          I'LL PICK UP THE TELEPHONE AND I'LL CALL THE POLICE CHIEF. 
          AND THAT AFTERNOON, THE CHIEF HIMSELF IS AT THAT PERSON'S HOUSE TALKING TO HIM. 
          AND THEN I GET AN EMAIL BACK, THANK YOU. 
          WE NOW UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PROBLEMS ARE. 
          YOU KNOW, ANYTHING FROM WANTING TO PUT A GATED COMMUNITY UP TO, YOU KNOW, IT'S, PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND IT'S A STATE OR A CITY HIGHWAY, YOU KNOW? WELL, AND I THINK THAT EVERY ONE OF YOU, IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY, YOU'RE GONNA EXPERIENCE THAT BECAUSE I, I LIKE TO THINK THAT OUR STAFF IS HIGHLY PROACTIVE. 
          NOT ONLY IF AN ALDERMAN REACHES OUT TO US OR THE MAYOR AS IF A, IF A CITIZEN REACHES OUT, UH, I WANNA MAKE SURE OUR STAFF IS DEALING WITH THEM AND WITH THE ISSUES AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. 
          'CAUSE BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WITH THE, WITH A POPULATION OF 35,000, WE GET VERY FEW COMPLAINTS WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE WHOLE BIG PICTURE. 
          NOW, WE DO GET CONSISTENT COMPLAINTS ON THINGS WITH LAND USE, PUBLIC SAFETY AND THINGS LIKE THAT, TRASH COLLECTION AND, UH, FROM TIME TO TIME. 
          BUT OVERALL, I THINK WE DO A VERY GOOD JOB AT, AT DEALING WITH OUR CITIZENS AND, AND, UH, TRYING TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT. 
          SO IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF CUSTOMERS HERE. 
          WE HAVE THE CUSTOMERS WHO ARE TRYING TO BUILD BUSINESSES, AND THEN WE HAVE CUSTOMERS WHO ARE UTILIZING ELECTRICITY AND WE CHARGE LATE FEES AND, UM, THINGS LIKE THAT. 
          SO I'M CURIOUS ABOUT HOW WE USE THE LATE FEES THAT WE CHARGE. 
          IS THAT SOMETHING THAT IS TRANSPARENT? UM, AND THEN ALSO JUST WHEN WE'RE DEALING WITH THE DEVELOPERS IN PARTICULAR WHO HAVE GOALS THAT ARE MAYBE, UM, NOT EXACTLY ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE REGULAR CUSTOMERS, UM, LIKE THAT JUST WITH DRAINAGE AND THINGS LIKE THAT, WHERE IT HAPPENS, WHERE THEY JUST KIND OF PASS THE BUCK AND THEN SOMEBODY ELSE HAS TO DEAL WITH DRAINAGE ISSUES BECAUSE, UM, NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE HAVEN'T LOOKED CLOSELY ENOUGH AT ALL OF THE RIPPLING EFFECTS OF THE DEVELOPMENT IN THIS EXAMPLE. 
          SO I'M JUST WONDERING IF WE HAVE A SPECIFIC WAY TO DEAL WITH 
          [02:15:01]
CUSTOMERS, LIKE THE WAY THAT DANA WAS TALKING ABOUT, AND THEN HOW ARE WE BALANCING THE NEEDS OF THE DEVELOPER AND THE BUSINESS OWNER WITH, WITH THE INTERESTS OF THE PUBLIC TYPE OF THING? GREAT, GREAT QUESTION. 
          SO, UM, CITY OF NEWBURY IS A, IS A, UH, CUSTOMER FACING ORGANIZATION WHERE WE, WE HAVE PARKS AND RECREATION THAT DEALS WITH FOLKS ON A REGULAR BASIS. 
          WE HAVE POLICE, FIRE, ALL THOSE ACCEPT FUNDS. 
          WE HAVE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES THAT ACCEPT FUNDS. 
          WE HAVE THE ELECTRIC, WELL, THE UTILITY, WHICH ACCEPTS FUNDS. 
          AND THAT'S WHERE WE GET A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ON. 
          SO HENCE YOU, THE COMMENT YOU MADE ABOUT, UM, THE, THE LATE FEES, ALL THOSE FEES, WHETHER IT'S FROM AN ENTERPRISE FUND OR IF IT'S A GENERAL FUND, UM, IT GOES BACK INTO THE BUDGET ITSELF. 
          IT'S JUST ABSORBED AS A, AS A REVENUE EXPENSE. 
          SO IT'S, UH, UNLESS YOU CORRECT ME ON THAT, UH, IT, IT IS JUST GOING BACK, IS IT DESIGNATED FOR ANY SPECIFIC THING OTHER THAN IT IS A REVENUE ITSELF? UM, AND EACH OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS HAS, HAS CUSTOMER SERVICE GUIDELINES NOW WITH THE, THE, UH, UTILITY. 
          UM, THEIR GUIDELINES REALLY MIRROR THAT UTILITY INDUSTRY IN, IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT SETTING. 
          UM, AND SO WE, WE HAVE COMPARED OUR POLICIES WITH OTHER ELECTRIC CITIES, UH, THROUGHOUT THE CAROLINAS TO COMPARE, ARE, ARE WE MATCHING UP WITH THINGS? ONE THING I CAN TELL YOU, AND THIS IS GONNA GO TO ALDERMAN OUTLAW, WHEN, WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, UH, THE TECHNOLOGY, I, I THINK THAT OUR UTILITIES ARE, ARE BEHIND, UH, IN CERTAIN THINGS, LIKE IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE, UM, INSTEAD OF HAVING THEM DRIVE THROUGH, MAYBE LOOK AT A KIOSK AT SOME POINT OR WITH, WITH OUR UPDATED BILLING THAT ACTUALLY STARTED, I BELIEVE IT WAS ON MONDAY, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE IN REAL TIME NOW, ONCE YOU MAKE A PAYMENT ONLINE, WHAT, WHAT THE ACTUAL, UH, NEW REFLECTION IS. 
          AND MAYOR AND I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH THIS THE OTHER DAY, UH, IN OUR OLD SYSTEM, YOU COULD MAKE A PAYMENT AND, AND IT DOESN'T REFLECT WHAT, WHAT THAT NEW BALANCE IS FOR A MONTH OR UNTIL THE NEW BILLING SYSTEM COMES IN. 
          SO WE'RE MAKING STRIDES FOR THAT. 
          IT, IT, I DON'T THINK THE TECHNOLOGY WITH ELECTRICITY'S ORGANIZATIONS IS, IS WHERE IT COMPLETELY NEEDS TO BE. 
          BUT WE'RE CERTAINLY TRYING TO GET, GET THERE. 
          AND OF COURSE, WHEN IT COMES TO THE, THE DEVELOPERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, UM, UNFORTUNATELY, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE OVERSIGHT WITH EVERY SINGLE THING FOR, FOR, UH, DEVELOPMENT. 
          AND WE HAD SOME ISSUES OUT IN WARD THREE A COUPLE YEARS AGO WITH THE DEVELOPMENT WHERE NEIGHBORS WERE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE DRAINAGE THAT WAS, UH, UH, SHEDDING OFF OF, UH, THEIR HOUSE. 
          WE DON'T REALLY CONTROL ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF WHAT THE STATE LAWS, UH, REQUIRE US TO DO ACCORDING TO THE BUILDING CODE. 
          THEN YOU'VE GOT LAND USE CODES AS WELL. 
          SO THAT'S REALLY WHEN IT'S UP TO THE DEVELOPER, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE WORKING WITH THEIR ENGINEERS TO MAKE SURE DRAINAGE IS, IS PROPERLY IMPLEMENTED. 
          WELL, UM, TO LANEY'S POINT, UM, WHEN YOU DESIGNED MARK MARIELLE, AUSTIN CREEK, WHATEVER, YOU DON'T DESIGN IT IN 1968 FOR 200 PEOPLE, YOU DESIGN IT HOPEFULLY FOR AN ECONOMIC LIFE OF 30, 60 YEARS, WHATEVER IT'S GOING TO BE, WATER PLANT. 
          IT WAS DESIGNED FOR THE NEXT 30 YEARS. 
          SEWER PLANTS, SIX HALF MILLION GALLONS USING ABOUT FOUR AND A HALF MILLION GALLONS. 
          NOW, I MEAN, THESE THINGS ARE DESIGNED FOR GROWTH. 
          AND, UH, I, I'LL NEVER BE CONVINCED UNTIL IT HAPPENS, UH, YOU KNOW, IN THIS CITY, IT, IT ME LOOKS LIKE DRAINAGE CULBERT ARE DESIGNED FOR HYDROLOGY PURPOSES FOR THE, THE TIME PERIOD THAT THE INSTALLATION HAS TAKEN PLACE. 
          IT'S NOT DESIGNED WITH A LIMB THAT BROKE OFF A TREE AND BUNCH OF PINE STRAW CAME DOWN. 
          AND  THIRD OUT, IT, IT IS NOT DESIGNED FOR HALF OF THE TIME IN THE CITY, NUMEROUS SILT INFILTRATION SITTING IN THE BOTTOM OF THESE COLDS. 
          AND WHAT LANEY IS GETTING TO, PARTICULARLY IN HER WARD, IS THE CASCADING EFFECT OF DOWNSTREAM DEVELOP OR UPSTREAM DEVELOPMENT THAT DOES NOT, THAT HAS MARGINAL DRAINAGE ARTERIES TO GET THAT WATER FROM THESE, THESE ADJOINING DEVELOPMENTS. 
          AND, YOU KNOW, WE SPENT, WHAT, JEFFREY, WHAT WAS IT, A HUNDRED THOUSAND OR SO ON THAT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT OVER THERE, LIST AVENUE, RACE, TRACK ROAD. 
          YOU, YOU, YOU, THAT'S RIGHT. 
          YOU KNOW, AND THAT WAS JUST A BANDAID FIX THERE FOR THE, I JUST WISH THE, THE STAFF AND THE ELECTED OFFICIALS WILL REALIZE THAT THEY SHOULD BE, WHEN THEY INSTALL CULVERT PLANNING FOR A REASONABLE EXPECTATION PERIOD OF THE FUNCTIONAL UTILITY OF THAT IMPROVEMENT. 
          AND I DON'T THINK, I DON'T THINK WE DO IT. 
          [02:20:01]
I THINK WE DO IT FOR THE DAY OF, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE REPLACING CULVERTS LATER ON, YOU KNOW, UM, REPLACE ONE, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS A FAILURE UP DOWN SHRIMP RODEO DAY. 
          AND I THINK IT WENT RIGHT BACK IN WHAT IT WAS. 
          SO I THINK, I THINK THAT'S THE CONCERN, PARTICULARLY IN LANES WARD, UM, TRYING TO GET THE WATER UNDERNEATH NEW BOULEVARD OUT TO THE TRENT RIVER OR NEW RIVER. 
          SO, SO THAT'S WITH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, THE CULVERT THAT'S ALREADY IN PLACE. 
          SO WE, SO IF THERE'S ANY PROJECTS NOW COMING FORTH, IS THAT WHERE THE, UH, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AND PUBLIC WORKS AND EVERYBODY STEPS IN TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE DEVELOPERS ARE, I DON'T THINK THEY'RE GETTING DIRECTIONS FROM WHAT THE ELECTED OFFICIALS WANT TO SEE, AND I DON'T NECESSARILY THINK, NO DISRESPECT, THAT THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT ARE IN LOCKSTEP WITH THE, WITH THE, UH, HYDROLOGY FLOWS OF THE FUTURE OF THE FUTURE NEEDS. 
          I'M TALKING ABOUT FOR NEW DEVELOPMENT COMING, THAT DEVELOPMENT THAT'S ALREADY STARTED HERE. 
          I MEAN, ISN'T THAT PUT IN PLACE? I THINK THAT THE, UH, TO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BARBARA, IS THAT IF, IF THAT ENGINEER DESIGNS A TWO FOOT CULVERT, AN ELECTRICAL THREE FOOT CULVERT, THE CITY SHOULD, SHOULD PAY THE DIFFERENCE THE CITY, BECAUSE LABOR'S NOT GONNA REALLY MATTER THAT MUCH. 
          BUT THE CITY SHOULD PAY THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT THE CITY SEES FOR FUTURE NEEDS AND INCREASE THAT CULVERT SIZE, UM, APPROPRIATELY FOR THE FUTURE, NEED FOR PURVIEW SURFACE, IMPERVIOUS SURFACE NEEDS IN THAT AREA. 
          AND, AND SO AND SO IN A LOT OF THESE DEVELOP, WELL, ALL OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS, UH, WE'RE GOING BY STATE STORM WATER STANDARDS. 
          WELL, AND, AND OF COURSE ANYTHING THAT EXCEEDS THAT, WELL, WE, WE DEFINITELY NEED TO HAVE, WHETHER IT BE A, A LOCAL ORDINANCE IN PLACE TO, TO CONTROL THAT AND WHETHER IT WAS A MATCH THAT THE, THAT THE CITY WOULD DO OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. 
          BUT THEN YOU, YOU COULD POSSIBLY HAVE PUSHBACK FROM THE DEVELOPERS ON WHY, WHY WE HAVE TO EXCEED STATE STANDARDS. 
          AND, AND THEY'RE PROBABLY, JESSICA, YOU CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THERE ARE PROBABLY CITIES IN THE STATE THAT DO HAVE MORE ROBUST STORMWATER STANDARDS. 
          WE, WE, WE DO FOLLOW THE STATE. 
          CORRECT. 
          WE DO FOLLOW THE STATE REQUIREMENTS. 
          YES. 
          SEE, THAT'S, THAT'S A GOOD ANSWER. 
          EXACTLY. 
          THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I'M TRAINED IS WHAT IT IS IN NEW, BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU JUST SAID, BECAUSE THE STAFF HAS A MAN CULPRIT FOR NOT GETTING THE FRICTION OF THAT WATER OUT TO THE RIVER. 
          YOU, YOU JUST, AND, AND IT ALL HAS TO DO WITH THE DESIGN REQUIREMENTS, SUB CLEAN WATER, WHICH IS A 10 YEAR, UH, RAIN EVENT OR A FOUR YEAR RAIN EVENT, DEPENDING ON WHAT THE DESIGN IS. 
          BUT WHEN YOU HAVE A 500 YEAR EVENT, A TWO OH OH YEAR EVENT, UH, THESE, THESE NON ENGINEERED, UM, DRAINAGE CANALS AROUND THE CITY THAT, YOU KNOW, NEED TO BE SERVICED EVERY SO OFTEN AND ANY REPLACEMENT OF NON ENGINEERED DRAINAGE IN , IT NEEDS TO, IT NEEDS A LARGER, I MEAN, JUST LIKE ON TRENT ROAD, THEY PUT AN ELLIPTICAL CULVERT REPLACEMENT IN, AND THOSE THINGS ARE ENGINEERED, GET MORE WATER OUT. 
          BUT I, I MEAN, YOUR ANSWER IS EXACTLY WHY CITY AND NEW DRAINAGE IS WHAT IT IS, BECAUSE THE STAFF REFERS BACK. 
          AND, AND I WOULD MITIGATE THAT WITH CLEAN WATER IN WASHINGTON DC I MEAN WASHINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA TO SEE MAXIMALLY, WHAT WE CAN DO OTHER THAN 10 YEAR, FOUR YEAR WATER EVENTS, RAIN EVENTS, IMPROVE THE DRAINAGE IN THE CITY. 
          OKAY. 
          IS THERE A FORMAL PROCESS TO, UM, GET NEWBURN TO HAVE A MORE ROBUST REQUIREMENT FOR DEVELOPERS? WELL, AND THE ANSWER TO THAT IS THAT WE EVER HAD A FORMAL MEETING WITH THOSE REPRESENTATIVES THAT CONTROL OUTSIDE OF THE CITY OF NEWBURN WITH A LEATHER CASE FROM SOMEWHERE OVER IN WASHINGTON OR SOMEWHERE FROM RALEIGH. 
          HAD THEY EVER COME DOWN HERE AND MET WITH US TO TRY TO, FOR THE CITY MOTHERS AND FATHERS TO GIVE THEM A DIRECTION? HAS THAT EVER HAPPENED? I DON'T THINK SO. 
          NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE. 
          WE CAN CERTAINLY, CERTAINLY DO THAT, AND WE CAN COME BACK WITH SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR THE BOARD. 
          I'LL GIVE YOU AN 
          [02:25:01]
EXAMPLE OUT THERE ON TRENT ROAD, UH, WHERE HE PUT THE LIFT WIND CONTINUAL PROBLEM, GEORGE, WITH, WITH THAT BACKUP OF SEAL INFILTRATION, FRICTION OF LIMBS, ET CETERA, WHATEVER THEY DO, Y'ALL, Y'ALL WENT IN THERE AND LINED WITH CONCRETE. 
          YOU REMEMBER HOW THEY, THEY, THEY LINED THAT ONE STRESS AREA AND THAT WAS DONE TO REDUCE THE FRICTION OF THAT WATER WHERE IT WOULD GET ON THROUGH THAT, THAT ANGLE AREA OF THE WAY THAT CANAL IS DESIGNED. 
          AND SOME THINGS LIKE THAT. 
          WE DON'T HAVE ANY CONTROL OVER IT OTHER THAN TO DO WHAT YOU DID, WHICH I THINK IS GREAT RIGHT THERE. 
          SO MAYOR, ALL , UM, ARE YOU SAYING THAT IF STATE STATUTE AND A DESIGN FOR THE NEXT PHASE OF BLUE WATER RISE, FOR EXAMPLE, IS CALLING FOR A 10 INCH DRAINAGE PIPE, YOU'RE SAYING THAT IF POSSIBLE THE CITY SHOULD HAVE A LOCAL ORDINANCE THAT REQUIRES THAT TO BE 20% LARGER, FOR EXAMPLE, AND WHATEVER THE COST DIFFERENCE IS, THE CITY WOULD PAY IT. 
          YEAH. 
          BUT, BUT NOW THERE WAS THIS THING ON THE STATE LEVEL CALLED HARON AMENDMENTS YEARS AGO. 
          YOU REMEMBER THAT SCOTT? MM-HMM . 
          AND, AND HAROLD, HAROLD SISONS, LENO COUNTY, GOT THIS LAW THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WHATEVER THEY IMPOSED ON THE STATE, THE STATE COULD NOT IMPOSE A HARSHER LAW THAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. 
          IT'S CALLED HARSH AMENDMENT. 
          AND WHAT I'M JUST SAYING HERE IS I AM NOT BLAMING, TRYING TO CIRCUMVENT OR IN ANY WAY INSTRUCT THE STORMER SILK, YOU KNOW, CLEANUP OF, OF, UH, PRIMARY SECONDARY RETENTION PONDS WITHIN A GIVEN 10 YEAR OR FOUR YEAR EVENT DEVELOPMENT. 
          I'M DOING, I'M TALKING ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THAT WATER LEAVES THAT DEVELOPMENT, AND A LOT OF TIMES IT HAS TO GO THROUGH ANOTHER DEVELOPMENT AND ANOTHER DEVELOPMENT. 
          AND GUESS WHAT IF, IF THAT IN BETWEEN DEVELOPMENT DIDN'T CLEAN OUT THEIR, THEIR SILT AND, AND, AND IT'S NOT WORKING PROPERLY, OR THE CITY, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A TREE DOWN, WE DON'T KNOW IT. 
          ALL BETS ARE OFF WHEN THE STORM COMES. 
          SO THIS IS ABOVE MY PAY GRADE. 
          BUT IF, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT WE JUST SAID, IF THE NEXT PHASE OF BLUE WATER RISE, WE HAVE A NEW ORDINANCE THAT REQUIRES THEM TO MAKE THE PIPING LARGER, WHICH MEANS THE WATER'S GONNA FLOW QUICKER OUT OF THIS NEWER PHASE OF BLUE WATER RISE, AND THEN IT'S GONNA GET TO THE EXISTING PHASE OF BLUE WATER RISE. 
          WHERE THEN AS SMALLER PIPES, IS THAT NOT GONNA CAUSE A BACKUP IN THE EXISTING PHASE OF BLUE WATER RISE, WHICH IS GONNA BE A PROBLEM. 
          IT'S ALMOST LIKE YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE WHOLE NETWORK AND UPGRADE ALL THE PIPING IN ORDER TO ACTUALLY GET IT TO WORK. 
          I, I THINK I EFFECT THE, WHAT HAPPENS, GEORGE, YOU CAN ELABORATE AND I'LL SHUT MY MOUTH, BUT ANYTIME A PERSON'S DOING A DEVELOPMENT, THEY DO DEVELOPMENTAL REVIEW, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, POLICE DEPARTMENT, PUBLIC WORKS DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, EVERYBODY GETS A GATHERING, SAYS, HEY, GREAT IDEA, BUT LISTEN, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T GET POWER OVER HERE. 
          THE CONTOUR OF THIS, WE CAN'T DO THIS OVER HERE. 
          UM, THE ONLY PROBLEM OVER HERE, AND Y'ALL WORKED THROUGH ALL THAT, BUT WHEN THERE'S A, A 200 YEAR CANAL IN NEW BERN, THAT, AND I CAN TELL YOU A COUPLE OF 'EM, I WON'T GO INTO DETAIL ABOUT THIS MINUTE, WHERE THERE ARE SOME, SOME ALTERNATIVE MEANS TO GET SOME OF THE LOAD OFF OF THAT CANAL. 
          I THOUGHT THAT WAS WHAT THE SIMMONS STREET, UM, PUMP STATION WAS ALL ABOUT. 
          BARBARA, YOU REMEMBER, WE PHYSICALLY WALKED ALL THAT AND, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE THINGS GET DONE AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THE PROBLEM IS NOT TOTALLY SOLVED BECAUSE, UM, WE'VE STILL GOT ISSUES WITH UNDERSIZED CULVERTS AROUND THIS CITY, OR WE'RE ELEVATING WATER TO A CERTAIN LEVEL, WHICH, WHICH IS HIGHER THAN WHAT THE, THE NATURAL WATER TABLE MIGHT BE FOR THAT AREA. 
          IT'S JUST, IT'S, THE FACT IS, IS THAT, IS THAT THE CITY MOTHERS AND FATHERS HAVE NEVER, UM, BEEN VERY ZEALOUS IN THEIR ATTEMPTS TO TRY TO RESOLVE ANYTHING OTHER THAN WHAT THEY COULD GET IN A FEMA GRANT, UM, OR, OR SOME OTHER GOLDLEAF GRANT TO, TO PUT A TEMPORARY FIX ON SOMETHING. 
          I'M, I'M LOOKING MORE TOWARD A, A LONG-TERM COMPREHENSIVE. 
          UM, AND SO THE DEVELOPER UNDER THAT DEVELOPMENT REVIEW, WHEN THEY SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, YOUR DEVELOPMENT IS FINE, BUT WE GOT A PROBLEM RIGHT HERE IS THE DUCTILE CANAL AND IT'S ALREADY MAXED, AND YOU, YOU'RE NOT BEING ABLE TO DEVELOP IT. 
          WHAT'S NOT THAT DEVELOPER'S FAULT OF THAT CANAL IS NOT ENGINEERED PROPERLY OR NOT PROPERLY MAINTAINED, ET CETERA, BUT IT STOPS THE, IT STOPS THE, THE DEVELOPMENT 
          [02:30:01]
OF THAT PROJECT BECAUSE OF THINGS OUTSIDE OF THEIR CONTROL. 
          AND THAT IN ITSELF STOPS THE GROWTH OF THE CITY S TOO, PARTICULARLY IN AREAS THAT NEED INFILL. 
          SO GEORGE IMAN, YOU KNOW, JUST TELL ME I'M CRAZY. 
          I CAN ADDRESS JUST A LITTLE BIT OF THIS. 
          I'M NOT GONNA TRY TO GET ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF IT, BUT, UM, THAT WE DO FOLLOW STATE STANDARDS THAT REQUIRE CERTAIN RETENTION AND CERTAIN, UM, STORM PROJECTIONS TO, TO ACCOMMODATE THAT. 
          AND THEN HOW THAT RUNOFF IS WHEN WE FOLLOW THE STATE, STATE REQUIREMENTS ON THAT, ON OUR, ON OUR SYSTEMS, WHEN WE DO THE REVIEW OF THE STORMWATER PLAN TO THE MAYOR'S, UH, POINT OF, YOU KNOW, IF YOU UPSIZE UPSTREAM MIDPOINT OF A DRAINAGE SYSTEM TO MAKE IT WORK PROPERLY, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO ALL THE WAY DOWNSTREAM TO THE ULTIMATE ALCOHOL. 
          AND THAT, AND THAT'S WHERE YOU, YOU GET INTO A POINT OF YOU COULD REQUEST A LARGER PIPE, BUT THAT IS JUST ON ONE DEVELOPED SITE. 
          YOU KNOW, WHERE, HOW MUCH FURTHER ARE YOU GONNA GO AND WHO IS FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT? AND THERE ARE, THERE ARE MUNICIPALITIES THAT HAVE MORE RESTRICTIVE OR REQUIRE ADDITIONAL ITEMS FOR THEIR DRAINAGE AND STORM WATER, BUT ALL OF THAT COMES AT A COST TO SOMEONE, THE DEVELOPER, THE HOME BUYER, THE MUNICIPALITY. 
          THERE'S A BALANCE BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, IDEAS AND GOALS FOR ATTENTION AND WHAT YOUR RETURN IS UNTIL, UNTIL YOU HAVE A BUTTHEAD BETWEEN BOTH OF THEM. 
          SO CASE IN POINT, LET'S, LET'S GO THROUGH IT REAL QUICK. 
          UM, NEW BOULEVARD RAILROAD FESTIVAL, CULBERT COUNTY DRIVE. 
          OKAY. 
          CAN'T GET WHERE I NEED UNDERNEATH NEW, RIGHT. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          AND YOU CAN LEGALLY, ACCORDING TO THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, DO ANYTHING TO CLEAN THAT DITCH OUT WITH WHAT, WHAT DEBRIS THERE? YOU CANNOT TAKE NEW SOIL OUT OF THERE. 
          IS THAT CORRECT? WE CAN DO A GENERAL MAINTENANCE ON IT. 
          WELL, YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU NEED TO GET A PERMIT FROM THE STATE IF YOU DO ANYTHING TO TAKE SOIL. 
          BUT IF YOU TAKE SOIL OUT OF THAT DITCH, BUT THERE ARE SOME RESTRICTED DEBT DEPENDING ON THE, THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM. 
          SO IF, IF, YOU KNOW, WE HAD ONE FOOT OF AN INTEGRATED DEPTH INCREASE AND WE FIXED THE CULVER AND WE CONTINUED THAT EXISTING CANAL ALL UP INTO ALL THESE DEVELOPMENTS THAT LANE'S GOT, DERBY PARK, AND ALL THE REST OF 'EM. 
          UM, THE CITY NEVER SPENT HOW MUCH IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS IN THAT AREA, FIXING STUFF THAT, THAT WE WAS HANDED OVER TO US BY DEVELOPERS THAT WE KNEW WAS, I'VE GOT A WORD FOR IT, BUT I'M NOT GONNA SAY IT IN THIS ROOM, BUT WE KNEW WAS PROBLEMATIC BEFORE HE EVER, EVER EVEN TOOK IT OVER. 
          IS THAT NOT FAIR? MOST OF WHAT'S BEEN DONE IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS THAT HAS BEEN RELATED TO STORM DAMAGE, UH, THE BIT, THE BIGGER FEMA OR, UM, YOU KNOW, RARELY IS THERE A CASE WHERE WE ACTUALLY GO WORK WITHIN A PRIVATE OR AN HOA OR DEVELOP OUR OWN STORMWATER PERMIT SYSTEM. 
          BUT WE, WE WENT AND SPENT A HUNDRED THOUSAND BUCKS ON SOME CAPITAL REPAIR IN THERE IN LAST FIVE YEARS. 
          OKAY. 
          WHICH PARTICULAR AREA DO YOU REMEMBER, JEFFREY? WHICH ONE? I, I DON'T YOU WERE MENTIONING THAT EARLIER. 
          YEAH, NOT OFF TOP ABOUT. 
          WELL ANYWAY, I, I THINK I'M ON A TANGENT. 
          I'M GOING BACK OFF. 
          UH, I'M DONE. 
          WELL, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THIS WOULD BE A GOOD THING TO BE IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN BEING THAT WE ARE GROWING AND THAT IT SHOULD BE ON THE HORIZON FOR SEVERAL GENERATIONS OUT AND NOT JUST FOR RIGHT NOW. 
          ABSOLUTELY. 
          AND AND OF COURSE, WHENEVER YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE, IT'S EXPENSIVE. 
          AND SO HOW ARE WE GONNA TACKLE THAT? SO WE'LL DEFINITELY BE LOOKING AT THAT AND WE'LL, OF COURSE OVER THIS, THESE NEXT FOUR YEARS, WE'LL DEFINITELY, UM, BE WORKING WITH THE BOARD ON, ON SOME POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS AND HOW WE CAN MAKE ADJUSTMENTS. 
          ANY OTHER, UM, GOALS OR OBJECTIVES THAT THIS BOARD WOULD LIKE. 
          AND OF COURSE, TODAY IS NOT THE DEADLINE FOR THIS 'CAUSE WE WILL BE INCORPORATING THIS IN THE FY 27 BUDGET. 
          BUT IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER COMMENTS YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE, WE'RE DEFINITELY GONNA MAKE IT. 
          I, I THINK FINANCIALLY, THE DAYS ON MARKET, EVIDENTLY, UH, LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMISSIONS GET A LITTLE MORE ATTENTIVE ON ON THAT STATEWIDE, I THINK, I THINK, I THINK THERE'S A COUPLE SITUATIONS HAPPEN IN STATE THAT THEY'RE A LITTLE MORE CLOSELY. 
          I MEAN, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT DAYS ON HAND, BUT NOT LIKE I THINK WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO BE IN THE FUTURE. 
          [02:35:02]
SO I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S FEEDBACK ON THAT, BUT I JUST KIND OF WANTED, I'M NOT SURE WHO SAID THAT, BUT GET SOME FEEDBACK. 
          WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO? DO YOU HAVE SOME SUGGESTIONS? 'CAUSE WE DO HAVE THE AUDIT COMMITTEE, UM, AND THEY BOTH, WE MEET WITH THE AUDITOR, THE AUDIT TEAM, UM, THREE TIMES. 
          AND THEN, UM, YOU'RE INVOLVED WITH THAT PROCESS. 
          IF YOU, UH, JOIN THAT COMMITTEE, WE'D LIKE TO HAVE THREE, BUT MINIMUM OF TWO BOARD MEMBERS. 
          AND THEN THIS WAS, THIS WAS AN ODD YEAR AS WELL, BY THE WAY. 
          'CAUSE WE HAD THE ELECTION, WE DID BRING IT UP AND I DON'T THINK WE HAD ANY TAKERS, UM, WITH, WITH HOW THE, THE ELECTION FELL. 
          BUT, UM, THE, WE'VE HAD THIS AUDIT, I THINK THIS IS THE, THE THIRD YEAR MM-HMM . 
          THAT, THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS. 
          AND I THINK IT, IT'S, UH, BEEN WELL RECEIVED BY THE ELECTIVES THAT HAVE PARTICIPATED. 
          UM, I ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, SAID THAT, AND IT IS NOT ANYTHING REFLECTIVE NEGATIVELY ABOUT THE CITY. 
          WHAT IT IS, IS THAT I PERSONALLY CANNOT READ IN ITS ENTIRETY THE BUDGET BECAUSE I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH SOME OF THE CODING IN THERE. 
          UM, I AM WITHIN THAT, MY CONCERN OF A CLOSER RELATIONSHIP WITH COMMUNICATION WITH IS, IS, IS I HAVE IN THE PAST MADE COMMENTS 15 YEARS AGO TO THE DAUGHTER AND I NEVER HAD A COURTESY OF A PHONE CALL, UH, YOU KNOW, OF MY CONCERN OR YOU KNOW, OF ANY SORT. 
          I, I, I THINK THAT PARTICULARLY IN TODAY'S ENVIRONMENT, STATEWIDE, THAT, YOU KNOW, IF, IF AUDITOR WOULD BE SO KIND AS MAYBE IF A, IF AN ELECTED OFFICIAL HAD A CONCERN, MAYBE PICKING UP A PHONE CALLING 'EM, YOU KNOW, WOULD BE NICE. 
          BUT, UM, I, I CAN'T QUITE IN ITS ENTIRETY READ YOU ALL THE, UH, BUDGET. 
          AND, UM, THE OTHER THING ABOUT THAT IS, IS THE NUMBER OF, UM, UH, BUDGETED POSITIONS, UM, UH, WHEN ANY DEPARTMENT HAS, UH, A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF BUDGET POSITIONS WHICH ARE NOT FILLED, UM, WHAT'S THE PIPE STREAM FOR IF THAT MONEY'S NOT SPENT, BESIDES GOING BACK AND FIND BALANCE, WHAT HAPPENS TO THAT MONEY? UH, IS THERE SOME TIME WITHIN THE YEAR, THE MONTH OF MAY THAT A, UH, FINANCIAL HARDSHIP COMES UPON THAT DEPARTMENT, THAT THEY CAN MAKE A BUDGET AMENDMENT AND BECAUSE THOSE POSITIONS ARE NOT BEING BILLED, THAT THERE'S MONEY THERE? SEE, THOSE ARE THE THINGS I, I DON'T DAY TO DAY WATCH THE FLOW OF THE FINANCES AND SITTING, I DON'T THINK I SHOULD, I DON'T THINK I SHOULD MICROMANAGE THAT. 
          I THINK I SHOULD ON A MACRO LEVEL, HAVE SOMEWHAT OF A, OF A GENERAL IDEA ABOUT THE FLOW AS TO WHERE WE DON'T GET THAT 16%, WHICH IS A NEWER ON ME, WHICH I SEE WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA BE SIGNING THAT LETTER OR WE GONNA BE SIGNING THAT LETTER. 
          YEAH. 
          AND I DIDN'T GET TO GO BACK AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE LETTER, BUT YOU'LL SEE THAT WE ARE IMPROVING OUR BASE CASH ON HAND. 
          YES. 
          WE EXPECT TO SEE, WELL, IT'S, UM, 70 DAYS CASH, 70 DAYS CASH ON HAND. 
          YES, SAME PERCENT. 
          WE'RE EXPECTING TO GET THERE BY THE END OF THE YEAR. 
          SO WE DO HAVE, UM, WE HAVE PUT THINGS IN PLACE TO, TO KIND OF GET US OUT OF THAT PICK, UM, FOR NEXT YEAR AS WELL. 
          AND JUST KEEP, I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS A TYPO, BUT THE, THE DATING OF THAT LETTER WHEN WE ALL SIGNED IT, IT WAS SOMETHING THE 19TH OF JANUARY 25 OR SOMETHING. 
          WAS THAT JUST A TYPO? I THOUGHT IT HAD THE DATE OF BOARD MEETING, BUT IT MAY BE A TYPO OFFICE THAT, YEAH, I, I, I MEAN I WAS JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THAT DATE CAME FROM. 
          SO WHAT I'M HEARING IS ALMAN OUTLAW IS VOLUNTEERING TO BE ON THE AUDIT COMMITTEE. 
          WELL, ONLY IF I AM QUALIFIED TO BE ON AND RIGHT NOW. 
          OH, I THINK  DO WE NEED A MOTION ON THAT? I, I, NO, I THINK, I MEAN, I THINK YOUR POINTS ARE, ARE WELL TAKEN. 
          AND I THINK THAT FROM WHAT YOU'RE ARTICULATING, THAT IS THE GREG, IF I'M WRONG, FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN HERE. 
          BUT THAT'S THE ROLE OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE TO A LARGE EXTENT, IS WORKING WITH THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT ON THOSE ISSUES. 
          TO YOUR POINT ON, YOU KNOW, LAPSED SALARIES, OPEN POSITIONS, I THINK, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT WE EMPOWER DEPARTMENT HEADS TO BE CREATIVE IN REPACKAGING THOSE POSITIONS IF THEY NEED THEM OR THOSE FUNDS. 
          AND I THINK WE SHOULD. 
          AND IF WE DON'T DO THAT, WE NEED TO ALLOW DEPARTMENT TO HAVE SOME CREATIVITY TO BE ABLE TO, UH, REPACKAGE THOSE. 
          IF IT'S IT NOW, YOU KNOW, IF THERE ARE, IF THOSE POSITIONS GO UNFILLED, I ALSO DON'T WANT TO GO THROUGH THE NEXT THREE MONTHS OF BUDGETING, ASKING FOR MORE POSITIONS, . 
          SO WE HAVE SOME THINGS IN PLACE FOR THAT. 
          IT'S NOT JUST AT THE, AT THE, AT THE WILL OF THE DEPARTMENT HEAD. 
          UH, WE, WE VET AND THINGS LIKE THAT DO COME UP. 
          WE, WE DO VET THAT. 
          AND OF COURSE WE DO LOOK AT IF POSITIONS HAVE BEEN OPEN FOR A WHILE, IF THEY'VE BEEN OPEN FOR A WHILE, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT 
          [02:40:01]
MAY COME INTO PLAY. 
          HAS IT BEEN HARD TO GET, GET QUALIFIED APPLICANTS FOR THAT POSITION OR IS IT JUST THAT THE DEPARTMENT IS NOT ADVERTISED FOR THAT? SO WE LOOK AT ALL OF THOSE THINGS AND THAT DETERMINES WHETHER OR NOT WE KEEP POSITIONS OR NOT. 
          SO GREAT QUESTIONS. 
          UH, JUST TO CLOSE THE LOOP ON MY FIRST, YOU KNOW, COMMENT. 
          THIS KIND OF GOES TO WHAT MAYOR SAID, UH, AND I THINK ALL MASTER BACK IT TOO. 
          THE IDEA OF COMMUNICATION IS KEY AND, AND COMMUNICATING WITH DEVELOPERS, BUSINESS OWNERS AND IN, IN RESIDENCE WHO TRY TO DO, ESPECIALLY IN THE, YOU KNOW, HPC, I MEAN THE COMMUNICATION FROM DEVELOPMENT SERVICES UPFRONT WITH WORKING WITH FOLKS TRYING TO GO THROUGH THAT PERMITTING PROCESS. 
          IF THERE WAS A, YOU KNOW, I, I COULD SEE A, YOU KNOW, IF THERE WAS A EASY GUIDE THAT WAS PRESENTED TO STARTING A BUSINESS OR THE PERMITTING PROCESS THAT WAS PUT UP. 
          AND I THINK TO A LARGE EXTENT, THE NEW WEBSITE UPDATES WILL HELP WITH THAT. 
          IT WILL. 
          AND, AND WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT, UM, COLLEEN AND I STARTED WITH A, A NEW BUSINESS GUIDE AND SHE HAS BEEN WORKING WITH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES ON IMPLEMENTING THAT. 
          SO, UH, I DEFINITELY NEED TO GET WITH STAFF ON WHERE, WHERE WE'RE CURRENTLY STAND IN THAT PROCESS. 
          BUT I AGREE WITH YOU A HUNDRED PERCENT. 
          AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF, I MEAN, EVERYTHING WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, I FEEL LIKE, FITS WITHIN THESE FIVE ALREADY. 
          I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR US TO AMEND OR TRY TO AMEND TO ADD COMMENTS. 
          I, I WAS JUST GONNA MAKE A COUPLE POINTS. 
          SO IF YOU LOOK AT GOAL NUMBER TWO, THE SECOND ONE, EXCELLENT SERVICE DELIVERY, MAYBE ADD SOME VERBIAGE THAT SAYS CUSTOMER AND CITIZEN SERVICE DELIVERY. 
          'CAUSE THAT REALLY OUTLINES WHO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. 
          IT CAPTURES THE DEVELOPERS BECAUSE THEY'RE CUSTOMERS. 
          IT CAPTURES CUSTOMERS THAT LIVE OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS THAT ARE ELECTRIC CUSTOMERS. 
          AND THEN YOU'VE GOT CITIZENS THAT ARE IN THERE AND THEN MAYBE FOR THE PHYSICAL RESPONSIBILITY ADD, UM, IN INCREASED COMMUNICATION OR ACCOUNTABILITY OF THE GOVERNING BOARD. 
          BECAUSE I THINK THAT CAPTURES WHAT ORMAN OUTLAW WAS MENTIONING WITH THE, THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN SITUATION WHERE IT SEEMED LIKE TO ME THAT FROM WHAT I'VE GATHERED, THAT GOVERNING BOARD WAS SORT OF ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN AND STAFF WAS SPENDING MONEY THEY DIDN'T HAVE. 
          CAN YOU JUST REPEAT THAT? FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY AT INCREASED COMMUNICATION, WHAT, UH, INCREASED COMMUNICATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY BY THE GOVERNING BODY. 
          I MEANT THAT'S JUST A SUGGESTION, YOU KNOW, FREE TO TWEAK CAN ALREADY WANT. 
          BUT I THINK THAT DOES CAPTURE THOSE TWO POINTS. 
          I'D ALSO LIKE TO ADD UNDER GOAL FIVE, THE SECOND BULLET, TRANSPARENT INFORMATION GATHERING DISSEMINATION STRATEGIES. 
          I'M GOOD. 
          I MEAN, I THINK WITH ALL THREE OF THOSE CHANGES, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO MOTION TO DO THAT, BUT I'M, I LIKE THAT VERBIAGE AND I THINK THAT THAT ARTICULATES THE POINTS THAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING. 
          I, I THINK DIRECTIONS WHAT WE NEED, UH, FROM YOU BECAUSE YOU'LL ACTUALLY BE MAKING A MOTION ON THE BUDGET ADOPTED. 
          SO ANYBODY HAVE ANY OTHER REGARDING THAT? JUST ONE PIECE. 
          'CAUSE YOU, WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT THE STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS, THESE FIVE GOALS TYING INTO THE BUDGET, WHICH I THINK IS GREAT AND I THINK THE WAY DEPARTMENTS PRESENT THEIR BUDGET WITH THE TIE TO THESE FIVE GOALS. 
          I JUST, THIS IS NOT JUST FOR BUDGETING, THIS IS FOR EVERYTHING THAT THEY DO AND MAKE IT ABUNDANTLY CLEAR THAT EVERYTHING THEY SHOULD BE DOING IN THEIR STRATEGIC PLANS AND THEIR ACTION PLANS, HOWEVER THEY PUT IT, ALIGNS WITH THE FIVE THAT WE'VE ARTICULATED THAT IT'S NOT JUST A BUDGETING PLAN. 
          CORRECT. 
          THAT'S CORRECT. 
          ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THIS? ALL RIGHT, SO WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND, AND MOVE TO THE NEXT ITEMS ON, ON THE SURVEY. 
          UH, ALRIGHT, SO JUST QUICKLY, WE DIDN'T GET A LOT OF COMMENTS ON THE CAPITOL. 
          UM, JUST ONE TO UPDATE AND HAVE A DISCUSSION ON THE REPLACEMENT PLAN FOR POLICE PATROL VEHICLES, UH, BUILDING ACQUISITION CONSTRUCTION RENOVATION FOR INCREASED OFFICE SPACE. 
          SO I, I DO WANNA MAKE A COMMENT, UH, ON THIS POLICE PATROL VEHICLES. 
          SO ON AVERAGE, THOSE VEHICLES, UH, ARE, ARE TAKEN OUT OF SERVICE AND NEW VEHICLES ARE BOUGHT APPROXIMATELY EVERY FIVE YEARS. 
          NOW. 
          THERE, THERE ARE SOME CAVEATS WITH THAT, BUT BASICALLY WE'RE LOOKING AT THE MILEAGE THAT THAT IS PUT ON THAT AND ALSO REPORTS FROM, FROM OUR, UM, UH, OUR SHOP THAT ACTUALLY DOES THE INSPECTIONS ON THINGS. 
          ALSO, ON AVERAGE WE'RE REPLACING, DEPENDING ON THE YEAR AND HOW THE FUNDING IS, WE'RE REPLACING ANYWHERE BETWEEN EIGHT AND 15 PATROL CARS A YEAR. 
          SO IT'S A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF, OF MONEY THAT WE DO, UH, INVEST IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR THOSE VEHICLES. 
          AND THAT'S SUFFICIENT. 
          UH, IF YOU ASK THE CHIEF IF THAT'S SUFFICIENT, HE'S NEVER GONNA TELL YOU THAT'S, BUT, BUT, BUT AGAIN, WE'VE GOT THIS BIG HIGH OF REVENUE AND SO WE'VE GOTTA SPLIT THAT OUT. 
          AND SO THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH THAT GOES AROUND TO EVERY DEPARTMENT AND GRANTED PUBLIC SAFETY, THEY HAVE A HUGE NEED JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER DEPARTMENT IS, AND THAT'S WHERE THE DIFFICULT DECISIONS 
          [02:45:01]
COME INTO PLAY WITH. 
          I WOULD, I WOULD JUST SAY FROM A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE AND, AND ALL, AND OUTLAW AND ALL MASTER PROBABLY KNOW THIS AS WELL, BUT WE HAD GOTTEN TO A POINT WHERE WE HAD LEASED SOME POLICE VEHICLES AND THEY WERE BREAKING DOWN WHEN THEY WERE IN PURSUIT AT TIMES BECAUSE THERE WAS JUST NEGLECT BEING DONE BY THE BOARD. 
          AND I THINK FOR THE PAST DECADE AT LEAST, WE'VE DONE A PRETTY CONSISTENT JOB AT REPLACING THEM. 
          SO I, I HAVEN'T HEARD OF ANY BREAKDOWNS WHILE WE'RE IN PURSUIT. 
          SO IT'S DEFINITELY BETTER THAN IT USED TO BE. 
          SO ONE OF THE OTHER AREAS THAT WE ASK FOR YOUR FEEDBACK ON, UM, IS REGARDING COLA AND MERIT INCREASES FOR THE STAFF AND ALSO THE GOVERN BOARD. 
          AND WE HAD ONE ALDERMAN ACTUALLY FOR THE COLA SELECT MORE THAN ONE OPTION SUPPORTIVE ONE, TWO, OR THREE. 
          AND THEN WE DID HAVE ONE ALDERMAN JUST NOT, UM, ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS. 
          SO, BUT FOR COLON INCREASE IT LOOKS LIKE, UM, MAJORITY ARE IN SUPPORT OF EITHER A TWO OR 3%. 
          AND FOR MERIT, AGAIN, SUPPORT EITHER A TWO OR 3%, MOSTLY 3% BEING ANSWERED. 
          AND THE GOVERNING BOARD, UH, RECEIVING THE CALL ST COLA AS EMPLOYEES KIND OF SPLIT DOWN THE MIDDLE, BUT MAJORITY SAYING NO. 
          ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? ANY COMMENTS ON ANY OF THOSE THAT YOU'D LIKE TO, TO MAKE FOR US? IS THERE A WAY TO AT LEAST DISCUSS, AND I MEAN JUST FOR DISCUSSION PURPOSES, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT COLA INCREASES, MAINLY COLA INCREASES WHEN WE LOOK ACROSS THE BOARD, YOU KNOW, A DIFFERENTIATION WITH RESPECT TO SALARY POINT, BECAUSE I'LL, YOU KNOW, I'LL PICK ON THE CITY MANAGER. 
          SURE. 
          A 3% COLA FOR THE CITY MANAGER IS PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL VERSUS, YOU KNOW, JANITORIAL TECH. 
          CORRECT. 
          AND SO IS THERE A WAY TO DIFFERENTIATE THAT? I THINK, I THINK THERE IS AND YEAH, DO IT ALL THROUGH MERIT. 
          THAT'S THE WAY TO DIFFERENTIATE THAT. 
          EXACTLY. 
          AND I THINK THERE IS, BUT, BUT I THINK THAT WE WOULD NEED TO GET SOME GUIDANCE FROM, UM, CONSULTANTS THAT DEAL WITH THAT WHO DEAL WITH MUNICIPALITIES ACROSS THE BOARD TO GIVE US THE FULL, THE FULL DETAIL. 
          AND WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK AT THAT IF I WOULD LIKE TO, BECAUSE IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR ME TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION. 
          LIKE, AND THEN THE MAYOR'S RESPONSE JUST HELPED ME UNDERSTAND EVEN MORE. 
          UM, SO WE, IF WE COULD HEAR FROM A CONSULTANT ABOUT THAT BEFORE MAKING DECISIONS, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING I'M IN FAVOR OF. 
          OKAY. 
          BUT, UH, THE ONLY PROBLEM WITH DOING AWAY WITH A COLA INCREASE IS, IS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET, EVENTUALLY GET WRAPPED BACK IN THE SAME SITUATION MM-HMM. 
          THAT WE WERE IN SEVERAL YEARS AGO. 
          SO, SO WE DID A A, A, NOT NECESSARILY WE DID, WE DID A SALARY. 
          THE SAME PERCENT. 
          IF YOU DO THE SAME, IF YOU FIGURE OUT, HEY, WE'RE OUR APPETITE IS A MILLION DOLLARS FOR INCREASED SALARY EXPENSES FOR THE NEXT BUDGET, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THAT MILLION DOLLARS COMES THROUGH MERIT OR COMES THROUGH COLA, MY ISSUE WITH COLA HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE PUBLIC WORKS GUY, I DON'T KNOW WHO IT IS THAT'S STANDING ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITH THE LADDER THAT'S LOOKING AT EVERYBODY DOING THE WORK. 
          IT'S GETTING THE SAME 3% THAT THE MAN IN THE HOLE IS DOING. 
          AND THAT'S THE ISSUE WITH COLE. 
          EVERYBODY GETS THE SAME THING. 
          AND LIKE WHAT TREY SAID, THAT PERCENT IS THE SAME, IT'S THE SAME PERCENT, IT'S OBVIOUSLY A DIFFERENT DOLLAR AMOUNT. 
          IF YOU GO WITH MERIT, THEN YOU'RE ABLE TO WEIGH THAT. 
          YOU'RE ABLE TO SAY, LOOK, THIS PERSON DOES AN EXCEPTIONALLY GOOD JOB. 
          THEY MAY DO THE LOWEST PAY PERSON IN MY GROUP, BUT THEY DESERVE THE MOST AMOUNT OF MONEY. 
          AND YOU'VE GOT THAT FLEXIBILITY VERSUS COLA WHERE EVERYBODY JUST GETS THE SAME PERCENT. 
          I I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH MERIT. 
          AND, AND I THINK THAT, I MEAN THERE'S A LOT OF MERIT UNINTENDED TO THAT ARGUMENT. 
          UM, THE ONLY CONCERN I HAVE, AND MAYBE IT'S JUST A PLACING TRUST BACK INTO HANDS OF DEPARTMENT CHAIRS, BUT YOU KNOW, I'VE SEEN IT WHERE YOU HAVE JUST MERIT INCREASES AND THEN SOME DEPARTMENT HEADS WHO I MIGHT NOT GET ALONG WITH THIS EMPLOYEE. 
          I'M IN CONTROL OF YOUR, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU'RE, UH, WHAT YOU'RE EARNING AND COST OF LIVING GOES UP. 
          BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, I'M NOT GONNA GIVE YOU YOUR 1% MERIT, YOUR 2% MERIT. 
          I, I JUST, I FEAR THAT TYPE OF, AND, AND IN, IN MY WORLD YOU HAVE A LEVELING EXERCISE WITH THE NEXT LEVEL UP MANAGER. 
          SO THE CITY MANAGER WOULD BE THE BACKSTOP TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NOT ANY REPERCUSSIONS BEING TAKEN OUT ON PARTICULAR EMPLOYEES, BUT MM-HMM . 
          YEAH. 
          THERE. 
          AND THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS TO LOOK AT IN THIS BECAUSE WE LOOK AT COMPARATIVE, UM, UH, RATES ON WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE ARE PAYING AS WELL. 
          UM, AND THAT'S WHERE THAT CO KIND COMES INTO PLAY. 
          UM, ON OUR LAST SALARY STUDY WE DID OVER A TWO YEAR PERIOD THAT COST US $3.6 MILLION, WHICH WAS A HEFTY, HEFTY LIFT. 
          I'M ALREADY GETTING SOME THINGS FROM, FROM AT LEAST ONE DEPARTMENT, UH, THAT'S TELLING US, AND WE HAVEN'T, HAVEN'T DONE OUR VERIFICATION PROCESS YET, BUT OTHER DEPARTMENTS, UH, IN THE REGION ARE PAYING STARTING 
          [02:50:01]
SALARIES MORE THAN THAT. 
          OF COURSE, WE HAVE TO BET THAT, AND IT TAKES TIME, BUT WE ALWAYS WANT TO BE COMPETITIVE IN, IN POSITION WAGES, NOT NECESSARILY INDIVIDUALS, WHAT THE INDIVIDUAL IS MAKING, BUT WHAT ARE THOSE PO IS, IS A, IS A, IS A CUSTODIAN MAKING, UH, UH, A COMPARABLE TO WHAT CUSTODIAN IS IN GREENVILLE OR WASHINGTON OR JACKSONVILLE OR, OR KENSTON. 
          THAT'S WHAT WE ALWAYS NEED TO LOOK AT. 
          AND SO WE DIDN'T DO THAT FOR A WHILE BECAUSE OF HOW THE BUDGETS WERE. 
          THAT'S WHAT GOT US IN THAT $3.6 MILLION ISSUE. 
          AND OF COURSE WE DEFINITELY WANT TO, DON'T WANT TO GET BACK IN THAT. 
          SO, UM, IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S ALWAYS ON OUR MINDS, UM, GOVERNING BOARD COLA WE SEE. 
          UM, FOR SAID NO, ANY, ANY COMMENTS ANYONE WANTS TO MAKE ON THAT, I CAN SAY SOMETHING, UM, THAT TIES IN ALSO TO THE CAPITAL. 
          UM, IS IT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN SORT OF, UM, ROTATE, LIKE THIS DEPARTMENT WILL BE THE FOCUS IN THIS YEAR? THIS DEPARTMENT WILL BE THE FOCUS BECAUSE INEVITABLY THINGS COME UP, DEPARTMENTS WILL NEED THINGS. 
          UM, AND I'M JUST WONDERING THE SAME FOR THE ALMAN. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, DO WE NEED IT EVERY YEAR ALONG WITH LIKE, CAN WE, CAN WE BE MORE STRATEGIC IN OUR BUCKET? WE KNOW THAT THERE'S GONNA BE LESS EXPENSES THAT WE'RE NOT ADDING TO BE EXPENSE UNNECESSARILY. 
          I'M DO, DID THAT MAKE SENSE? TO BE HONEST, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, IT'S, IT'S REALLY MORE OF A POLITICAL TYPE DECISION THAN IT IS FINANCIAL. 
          'CAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS, IF THE GOVERNING BOARD GOT A 3% COLA ROUGHLY ANY IDEA, I MEAN IT'S, I MEAN IT'S NOT A LOT OF MONEY AT THE END OF THE DAY. 
          IT'S REALLY JUST A, IT'S A PERCEPTION, A POLITICAL TYPE DECISION ON WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE GONNA GIVE YOURSELF A RAISE. 
          AT LEAST THAT'S MY PERSPECTIVE. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          AND MY NEXT ONE. 
          ALRIGHT, SO OUR NEXT QUESTIONS WERE, UM, HOW WOULD YOU, WHAT WOULD YOU BE SUPPORTIVE IN HELPING BALANCE THE BUDGET? SO, UM, THE FIRST QUESTION WAS, UH, WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED IN RAISING THE TAX RATE, WHICH IS CURRENTLY 39 CENTS? UM, OUR, AGAIN, WE DON'T HAVE THAT, THE NEW ESTIMATE FROM THE COUNTY, BUT THE CURRENT YEAR IS 532,000 WOULD BE LIKE THE COST OF ONE PENNY. 
          SO AGAIN, KIND OF SPLITS, UM, BUT NOT AT ALL OR SOMEWHAT. 
          AND NOBODY ANSWERED ABSOLUTELY ON THAT . 
          UM, THEN WE ASKED WOULD YOU, WOULD YOU TO ALLOCATE, ALLOCATE UP TO 500,000 OF THE, UM, FUND BALANCE TO BALANCE THE BUDGET? UM, THE MAJORITY DID SAY SOMEWHAT AND UP TO ALLOCATING UP TO A MILLION OF FUND BALANCE, UH, TO BALANCE THE BUDGET. 
          AGAIN, SPLIT PRETTY EVENLY BETWEEN NOT AT ALL AND SOMEWHAT. 
          SO THIS JUST HELPS US AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH THIS BUDGET PROCESS TO KIND OF KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING THEN THAT WAY I CAN DEFINITELY, WORST CASE SCENARIO, AVOID ANYTHING THAT I KNOW THAT I DON'T HAVE CONSENSUS ON. 
          SO ANY OTHER COMMENTS THAT YOU, THAT YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE ON THESE? JUST TO CLARIFY, UM, AS A NEWBIE, SO WHAT'S THE ALTERNATIVE? SO AGAIN, WE'VE GOT, WE'VE GOT A PIE, RIGHT? WE'VE ONLY GOT SO MUCH REVENUE THAT COMES IN. 
          SO IF IT COMES UP THAT WE SAY, WELL, DURHAM, WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO GET EVERYTHING ULTIMATELY FIRST THINGS THAT ARE CUT CAPITAL, THEN WE LOOK AT PROGRAMS, ACTIVITIES, THEN WE LOOK AT, AT, AT AT POSITIONS. 
          I MEAN THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE IT IS. 
          UH, UH, AND LEVELS OF SERVICE. 
          UM, THAT'S ALWAYS WHERE IT COMES INTO BE. 
          IS THERE LARGEST PART OF EXPENSE? YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT. 
          SALARIES. 
          I THINK ALSO I IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WITH THE PASSING OF THE BOND REFERENDUMS, THERE WILL BE TAX INCREASES. 
          THERE WILL BE A TAX INCREASE. 
          SO I WAS A NOT AT ALL THAT ONE BECAUSE THERE'S GONNA BE TAX INCREASES NOW, BUT PUBLIC VOTED FOR IT. 
          BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS WOULD BE IN ADDITION TO WHAT THE TAX INCREASE WOULD BE WITH THE BOND. 
          THAT'S RIGHT. 
          AND SO WITH THAT TAX INCREASE, WHAT YOU'RE GONNA BE SEEING OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS IS, IS TREMENDOUS INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR CITY, WHICH IS GREAT AND WE'RE GLAD THAT THE CITIZENS MANEUVER AND OVERWHELMINGLY AGREE WITH ON THAT. 
          OKAY. 
          NOW THE COMMENT COMMENTS. 
          ALRIGHT, UM, OTHER COMMENTS THAT WERE RECEIVED? UM, 
          [02:55:01]
WITH RESPECT TO THE CO I'D LIKE, LIKE TO DISCUSS THE TIERED SYSTEM. 
          SO WE DID , SO WE JUST TALKED ABOUT THAT AND NEED MORE CONVERSATION AROUND THESE TOPICS, WHICH DEFINITELY, UM, ADDITIONAL TOPICS THAT YOU WANTED ADDRESS, ADDRESS THAT THE RETREAT WAS ECONOMIC DEVELOPER. 
          I I'M GONNA STOP YOU RIGHT THERE. 
          WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA DISCUSS THESE A FEW OTHER TIMES DURING THE DAY. 
          WE'RE AT THE APPROPRIATE THING. 
          SO ANYTHING ELSE ON THAT? NO, THAT WAS, THAT WAS . 
          ALRIGHT. 
          ANY, ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THE SURVEY ITSELF? ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND TURN IT OVER TO SCOTT, THE LOCAL BILLS. 
          MORGAN ONE I DONE LONG DAY. 
          I'LL POWER THROUGH THIS AS QUICKLY AS I CAN. 
          UM, LET'S START WITH THE PICTURE. 
          UM, ABOUT LOCAL GOVERNMENT LAW. 
          YOU'VE HEARD THE TERM LOCAL ORDINANCES, THOSE ARE LOCAL LAWS. 
          IT'S A LAW JUST LIKE A STATE OR FEDERAL LAW, BUT IT'S A LAW THAT YOU AS THE BOARD CREATE, YOU CREATE THOSE LAWS THROUGH AUTHORITY THAT STATUTES GIVE YOU. 
          YOU DO NOT HAVE A STATE STATUTE THAT AUTHORIZES YOU TO CREATE THAT ORDINANCE. 
          YOU CAN'T CREATE THAT ORDINANCE. 
          OKAY? IF WE WANT UNIQUE, SPECIFIC AUTHORITY TO DO SOMETHING WHERE WE HAVE NO STATUTE TO AUTHORIZE US, OR IF WE HAVE A STATUTE THAT AUTHORIZES YOU TO DO SOMETHING, BUT WE WANNA DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT, THEN WE HAVE TO ASK THE LEGISLATURE FOR WHAT WE CALL A LOCAL BILL. 
          THAT'S OUR OWN UNIQUE SPECIAL LITTLE LAW FOR NEW BERN WHERE THE LEGISLATURE SAYS CITY OF NEWBURY, YOU IF YOU WANT, CAN NOW GO DO THIS WHERE YOU OTHERWISE COULD NOT DO THAT. 
          OKAY. 
          I'VE GOT THREE AND A HALF ISSUES TO TALK ABOUT FOR LOCAL IS, UH, LOCAL BILLS. 
          FIRST IS OUR CHARTER AMENDMENT. 
          THE CHARTER ITSELF IS A LOCAL BILL. 
          THE CHARTER IS OUR CONSTITUTION. 
          IT'S WHAT OUTLINES THE BASIC PROVISIONS OF OUR FORM OF GOVERNMENT. 
          THERE ARE TWO ISSUES THAT, UM, HAVE COME UP WITH RESPECT TO OUR CHARTER. 
          ONE IS HAVE TO DO WITH THE ELECTION CYCLE BY STATUTE. 
          UM, EVERY LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN NORTH CAROLINA HAS AN ELECTION ON ODD NUMBER OF YEARS. 
          THAT'S THE STATE LAW. 
          IF YOU WANT TO HAVE THAT ELECTION ON AN EVEN NUMBER OF YEAR, YOU NEED TO HAVE A LOCAL BILL THAT ALLOWS YOU TO CHANGE THAT CYCLE. 
          SO THE FIRST ISSUE FOR OUR DISCUSSION IS DO WE HAVE AN APPETITE TO THINK ABOUT CHANGING OUR ELECTION CYCLE? I WILL NOTE, UM, CORRECT ME FOSTER THAT. 
          I THINK NEW BERN IS THE ONLY LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN OUR AREA THAT IS UNIQUELY ON THE EVEN YEAR ODD YEAR CYCLE. 
          EXCUSE ME. 
          EVERYONE ELSE HAS MOVED TO THE EVEN YEARS IN THIS COUNTY. 
          YES, IN OUR COUNTY, THE CONSEQUENCE, UM, TO ISSUES, THERE'S MONEY AND POLITICS ON THE MONEY SIDE, THAT SIMPLY MEANS THAT WE HAVE NO OTHER PARTNERS TO SHARE THAT COST WITH. 
          WHERE 10 YEARS AGO, ALL OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WOULD DIVIDE THAT COST IN PROPORTION TO THEIR POPULATION. 
          NOW WE CARRY THAT FEE. 
          I DON'T THAT FEE IS, BUT IT'S NOT INCONSEQUENTIAL. 
          UM, AND THEN THERE'S SIMPLY THE POLITICS OF IT. 
          UM, THERE WAS A TIME EARLY IN MY CAREER, UM, WHERE BECAUSE YOU ARE ON A A, UM, AN ODD NUMBER OF ON ODD GEAR, YOU ARE NEVER FALLING ON A PARTISAN CYCLE. 
          SO THE THEORY WAS, AS YOU WELL KNOW, UM, NEWBURN IS A, IS A NON, HAS A NONPARTISAN ELECTION PROCESS. 
          AND SOME OF THE FOLKS WHO UM, TEND TO LEAN TOWARD THAT ODD YEAR, UM, WILL POINT OUT THAT THEY WANT TO TRY TO KEEP IT THAT WAY AS BEST AS POSSIBLE. 
          UM, WHERE WHEN YOU FALL TO AN, UH, AN EVEN YEAR, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE NONPARTISAN, IT CAN APPEAR THAT WE ARE MORE PARTISAN. 
          UM, AN OBSERVATION SIMPLY IS THAT OVER THE LAST FIVE AND 10 YEARS, IT SEEMS THAT THINGS, UM, STILL BECOME MORE PARTISAN THAN NOT EVEN WITH THE ODD YEAR. 
          BUT THAT IS SOMETHING FOR YOU TO DECIDE. 
          IF THAT'S, UM, IF WE WANT TO GO TO AN, UM, AN EVEN YOUR CYCLE THAT WOULD BE, UH, DONE A RESOLUTION THAT I WOULD PREPARE, IT WOULD APPEAR ON YOUR AGENDA THAT ALL THESE LOCAL BILLS WOULD APPEAR ON YOUR AGENDA AT AN UPCOMING MEETING SOONER RATHER THAN LATER FEBRUARY OR MARCH WOULD BE MY PREFERENCE. 
          UM, SO THAT, AND THEN YOU WOULD APPROVE THOSE IN AN OPEN MEETING, THOSE RESOLUTIONS ASKING FOR THE LOCAL BILL, WHICH I WILL THEN TAKE TO OUR LOCAL DELEGATION AND, AND HELP PUSH THAT THROUGH RALEIGH OVER THE NEXT SESSION, WHICH I BELIEVE STARTS IN, BEFORE I GO ON, ANYBODY WANNA KICK AROUND THE ISSUE OF MOVING THE ELECTION? THE OTHER, GO AHEAD. 
          IF, IF IT'S MOVED, IF WE WERE TO MOVE THE ELECTION TO AN EVEN YEAR, AN EVEN YEAR NONPARTISAN RACE 
          [03:00:02]
WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE EASIER, MORE EFFICIENT GIVEN THE FACT THAT YOU CAN HAVE A RUNOFF TO ESSENTIALLY HOLD THE ELECTION DURING THE PRIMARY OF THAT EVEN YEAR. 
          SO MARCH OF THE EVEN YEAR, SO THAT YOU COULD THEN HAVE A PRIMARY OR A PRIMARY A RUNOFF IF YOU NEEDED A AT THE FOLLOWING GENERAL ELECTION. 
          CORRECT. 
          'CAUSE IF YOU END UP DOING AN ELECTION ON ELECTION DAY OF AN EVEN YEAR AND YOU HAVE TO DO A RUNOFF, YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO SEAT THE NEXT BOARD IN THAT DECEMBER ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING. 
          SO I'M JUST, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS TIMELINE FOR WHEN THAT ELECTION OCCURS ON AN EVEN YEAR SUCH THAT YEAH, WE'RE WITH OTHER MUNICIPALITIES AND WE SHARE THE COST. 
          LET A GREAT POINT. 
          LET ONE STEP BIGGER THAN THAT AND BIGGER POINT TO BE MADE IN THAT YOU ARE GOING TO, IN EITHER CASE REDUCE YOUR TERM BY A YEAR OR INCREASE YOUR TERM BY A YEAR TO GET ON THAT EVEN YEAR. 
          AND THEN THE QUESTION BECOMES, OKAY, WHEN MIGHT YOU DO THAT GIVEN MAJOR ELECTION CYCLES? SO THERE'S UH, THERE'S AN ISSUE THERE TO DECIDE DO YOU SERVE ONE LESS TERM OR ONE MORE TERM IF YOU NEED TO SWITCH THAT. 
          BUT THAT'S A, BECAUSE THE ISSUE IS IF, IF, IF WE WERE TO SAY, WELL YEAH, WE WANT IT ON AN EVEN YEAR AND WE STILL GET PUT WITH AN OCTOBER ELECTION DATE MM-HMM . 
          SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A RUNOFF IN NOVEMBER. 
          CORRECT. 
          WE'RE STILL PAYING FOR AN ELECTION CYCLE BY OURSELVES BECAUSE NO ONE ELSE IS OCTOBER OF AN EVEN YEAR. 
          CORRECT. 
          SO IF IT'S A MONEY SAVING THING, IT NEEDS TO LINE UP WITH A PRIMARY AND THEN A GENERAL FOR A POTENTIAL RUNOFF. 
          YES. 
          YES. 
          I, I'LL GO AHEAD AND SAY IT. 
          I, I THINK I, I, I LIKE THE IDEA OF MOVING AN ELECTION. 
          UM, I DON'T LIKE THE MOVING IT WITH A PARTISAN. 
          I REALLY, I HATE THAT IDEA, BUT FROM A COST STANDPOINT, LOOKING AT HOW MUCH THE CITY PAID FOR THIS LAST YEAR'S ELECTION, UM, I THINK IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO NEED TO CONSIDER MOVING TO AN EVEN YEAR. 
          MY PREFERENCE WOULD BE TO MOVE IT TO, I MEAN I'LL SAY IT EXTEND A TERM TO MOVE IT TO 2030 TO AVOID BEING ON A PRESIDENTIAL YEAR BECAUSE I THINK THOSE ARE, TEND TO BE LESS PARTISAN. 
          BUT I DEFINITELY WANT TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ON THE DATE OF THE ELECTION SUCH THAT WE DON'T GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND THEN HAVE TO PAY FOR AN OCTOBER, EVEN NEAR ELECTION ANYWAY, ESSENTIALLY CAUSE A PROBLEM BY TRYING TO SOLVE A COST PROBLEM. 
          SO I I'M IN FAVOR OF IT WITH THOSE KIND OF CONSTRAINTS. 
          AND IT CAN STILL REMAIN NONPARTISAN. 
          YES, MA'AM. 
          WITH THE RUNOFF. 
          YES, MA'AM. 
          GREAT, GREAT QUESTION. 
          GREAT QUESTION. 
          THEY SUPPOSED TO REMAIN NONPARTISAN. 
          WELL, IT'S JUST NONPARTISAN. 
          WE WANT A RUNOFF AND NON PRIMARY, LIKE IT'S, IT'S PARTISAN. 
          IF YOU HAVE A PRIMARY WHAT IT WOULD NOT BE FOR NEIGHBOR. 
          WE, WE WOULDN'T BE, WELL, IT'S WHATEVER YOU WANT IT TO BE. 
          WELL, BUT, AND WELL WELL, THAT'S NOT TRUE, RIGHT? I MEAN, IT'S THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. 
          SO WE DO RUN THE RISK THAT WE ASK THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO MOVE OUR ELECTION AND THEN THEY DO WHAT THEY HAVE DONE ACROSS THE STATE AND TURN OURS INTO PARTISAN WITHOUT ARKANSAS. 
          THAT'S THE ONLY RISK I SEE THAT KIDSTON SUPREME COURT RULING DIDN'T, DIDN'T, WEREN'T THEY? THEY WERE TRYING TO GO NONPARTISAN. 
          THEY WERE PARTISAN AND THERE WAS A SUPREME COURT. 
          I DON'T REMEMBER RULE ON THAT. 
          DON'T REMEMBER. 
          YEAH. 
          YES. 
          SO TO TO TREY'S POINT, IF YOU HAD THE ELECTION DURING THE PRIMARY OF AN EVEN YEAR, IF A RUNOFF IS NECESSARY, IT WOULD BE HELD ON THE GENERAL ELECTION DAY, WHICH WOULD BE NOVEMBER. 
          THE OTHER OPTION, AND I'M NOT SAYING I'M IN FAVOR OF IT, THE OTHER OPTION IS YOU GO TO A PLURALITY METHOD AND YOU JUST HAVE YOUR ELECTION IN NOVEMBER IN THE HIGHEST VOTE WHERE GET OR WINS. 
          THAT'S ANOTHER OPTION IS THAT THAT CHAPEL, A NUMBER OF GOVERNMENTS HAVE THAT. 
          YEAH. 
          AND NOT TO KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD. 
          YOU'VE GOT TIME ON THIS ONE. 
          I, I'VE GOT WHAT I THINK WILL BE ONE OR TWO MORE LOCAL BILLS TO ASK FOR. 
          SO THERE'LL, THERE'LL BE A BATCH AND THIS CAN GO IN THAT BATCH, BUT OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE IN A FOUR YEAR TERM RIGHT NOW. 
          SO THIS IS NOT MISSION CRITICAL. 
          A COUPLE MORE ARE MORE MISSION CRITICAL TO ME THAN THIS ONE. 
          BUT, BUT IT'S GONNA BE DONE IN THE LONG SESSION. 
          IS THAT RIGHT? YES. 
          SO THAT'S ONLY TWO TIMES AND IT WON'T BE, THIS OUTCOME IS SHORT, THIS APRIL SHORTEN. 
          YEAH. 
          IF WE WANT TO GET IT THIS YEAR, IT WOULD NEED TO, I I'M, WE WOULD NEED TO TALK ABOUT IT, WHAT, JANUARY, FEBRUARY TO GET THE RESOLUTION SO THAT THEY WILL, AND THAT'S ASSUMING THEY DO IT. 
          'CAUSE YOU KNOW, THEY'RE STILL GONNA PASS A BUDGET. 
          , THE MAYOR'S SUGGESTION WOULD ELIMINATE A RUNOFF. 
          BUT THEN THE FLIP SIDE OF THAT IS YOU, YOU HAVE FOLKS ELECTED WITHOUT A MAJORITY. 
          SO 
          [03:05:01]
30% OF, DEPENDING ON THE NUMBER OF CANDIDATES, 30% OF THOSE WHO VOTED COULD ELECT YOUR NEXT ALDERMAN OR MAYOR. 
          THE RISK, THE RISK YOU RUN IS PEOPLE JUST STACKING, JUST GETTING PEOPLE TO RUN, FOR EXAMPLE, AND JUST DILUTING THE SURE. 
          MOTOR POOL. 
          AND THEN THERE WAS SOME, 'CAUSE WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THIS PAST COUPLE BOARDS, AND ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT HAD BEEN EXPRESSED IN THE PAST WAS IT WAS A LONG TIME BETWEEN THE, UM, PRIMARY, WHICH WOULD TAKE PLACE IN YES. 
          MARCH YES. 
          VERSUS A NOVEMBER RUNOFF. 
          HOWEVER, I'LL REMIND YOU, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE PARTISAN, THAT'S THE SAME THING THAT THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS DO. 
          THEY HAVE A PRIMARY, AND IF IT'S A QUOTE UNQUOTE REPUBLICAN OR A DEMOCRAT SEAT, THAT PERSON IS ESSENTIALLY GONNA WIN THAT SEAT AND THEY'RE GOING TO NOT BE SAT UNTIL THE END OF THE YEAR. 
          SO THE COUNTY DOES IT EVERY FOUR YEARS ALREADY. 
          I WILL, I WILL THROW THIS IN. 
          UM, IN MY EXPERIENCE, UM, I STRONGLY RECOMMEND A UNANIMOUS DECISION ON LOCAL BILLS OF ANY FLAVOR, WHATEVER THE ISSUE IS THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR. 
          UNANIMOUS CARRIES A WHOLE LOT MORE WEIGHT THAT THAT IS NOT A LAW. 
          YOU, YOU CAN HAVE A SPLIT SPLIT VOTE AND STILL ASK FOR IT. 
          BUT WHEN OUR REPS GO TO THE FULL HOUSE AND SENATE, THAT'S AN ISSUE THAT THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO EXPLAIN IS THAT THE CONSTITUENT DIDN'T HAVE A SUPER STRONG FEELING ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR WHEN THEY GIVE YOU THAT SPECIAL RULE. 
          I MEAN, THE LAST CHARTER CHANGE WE HAD WAS A SIX ONE AND SOME OF US HAD TO GO TO RALEIGH AND CONVINCE A COUPLE OF THE REPS WHY. 
          RIGHT. 
          THERE WAS A DIS DESCENDING VOTE. 
          RIGHT. 
          WHAT WAS THAT LAST CHANGE? IT WAS THE, THE CLERK. 
          THE CLERK REPORTING TO THE MANAGER. 
          TO THE MANAGER ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS STILL POINTS. 
          UM, THERE WAS ANOTHER CHANGE IN THAT. 
          WAS IT TO THE DEVICE SECTOR ALSO? MAYBE IT WASN'T, IT WASN'T A LOT OF SIGNIFICANT CHANGE. 
          IT WAS, WHAT DO Y'ALL THINK THIS ISSUE FOR A LONG TIME, LONG, LONG TIME. 
          WELL, BOBBY DOESN'T GET AWAY YET. 
          HE'S ALWAYS ON A POST . 
          I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH KEEPING THE ELECTION THE WAY HE'S, SORRY. 
          I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH KEEPING IT THE WAY IT'S, I, I REALLY PREFER THE ALITY METHOD, BUT I KNOW IN PAST A LOT OF ARGUMENTS, UM, LIKE THE, THE RUNOFF PROCESS. 
          QUIET HERE. 
          IF THERE AREN'T STRONG POINTS, I CAN MOVE ON AND, AND YOU CAN PERCOLATE ON THIS AND, AND WE CAN BRING IT UP IN THE FUTURE. 
          I THINK WHAT WOULD BE HELPFUL, SCOTT, IS MAYBE PROVIDING THE BOARD WITH ALL THE OPTIONS. 
          OKAY. 
          BECAUSE THERE'S SEVERAL DIFFERENT OPTIONS. 
          OKAY. 
          YOU CAN LEAVE IT THE WAY IT IS. 
          YEP. 
          YOU COULD LEAVE IT IN AN ODD YEAR, GO TO THE RALLY METHOD AND, AND GET RID OF THE RUNOFF, WHICH IS A MONEY SAVER. 
          UM, YOU COULD MOVE IT TO A YEAR EARLIER IN AN EVEN YEAR. 
          MM-HMM . 
          YOU COULD MOVE IT TO A YEAR LATER. 
          IN AN EVEN YEAR. 
          YOU COULD HAVE THE ELECTION DURING THE PRIMARY AND A RUNOFF POSS. 
          I MEAN, I JUST THINK ALL THOSE DIFFERENT OPTIONS SHOULD BE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD WITH A COST. 
          AND THEN, WELL, WE HAVE THAT DOCUMENT READY FROM LAST TIME THEN. 
          YES, SIR. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, I'M GONNA MOVE ON. 
          I WE WILL DO THAT. 
          WE WILL CIRCULATE A MENU OF THE, THE MATRIX OF OPTIONS FOR YOU TO REFLECT ON, UM, STAYING WITH THE CHARTER. 
          THERE'S THE ISSUE OF THE MAYOR VOTE. 
          UM, I WILL GIVE YOU, UM, A 50 YEAR HISTORY OF THAT IN 30 SECONDS. 
          UM, IT'S CHANGED MANY TIMES IN THE LAST 50 YEARS. 
          UM, ALDERMAN OUTLAW, I THINK, WAS SWORN IN THE FIRST TIME WHEN, UM, WE WENT FROM, UH, A MAYOR WHO DID NOT VOTE FOR A GREAT MANY TERMS PRIOR TO THAT. 
          THE MAYOR DID VOTE AND WENT THROUGH A SPELL WHERE THE MAYOR DIDN'T VOTE. 
          THEN THERE WAS A VERY STRONG, UM, BOARD REACTION TO THE, THE MAYOR NOT VOTING ON THE THEORY THAT A PRIOR MAYOR SERVED FOR FOUR CONSECUTIVE TERMS. AND, AND THE, THE POLITICAL THEORY WAS IT'S HARD TO BEAT AN INCUMBENT WITH NO RECORD BECAUSE THEY HAVE A PERFECT RECORD. 
          THEY NEVER VOTED. 
          UM, AND THE THEORY, UM, WITH THE MAYOR VOTING IS THE MAYOR NOW HAS TO PUT A FLAG IN THE GROUND AS TO WHERE THE MAYOR FALLS ON THEIR DECISION. 
          QUESTION ON THAT. 
          YEAH. 
          THE MAYOR DOES NOT HAVE A DUTY TO VOTE THOUGH, CORRECT? WELL, IF THE MAYOR ABSTAINS, IT'LL BE COUNTED AS A YES VOTE, DEPENDING ON THE MOTION IT'S MADE. 
          [03:10:01]
MM-HMM . 
          YEAH. 
          YOU, YOU CAN'T, IF YOU ABSENT A CONFLICT, YOU, YOU'RE, YOU'RE A YES VOTE. 
          IF THE BOARD DOESN'T ALLOW YOU TO EXCUSE YOURSELF FROM VOTING, THEN IT'S GONNA BE A YES VOTE IN THE AFFIRMATIVE OF THE MOTION MADE. 
          WELL, I LIKE THE IDEA OF THE MAYOR VOTING. 
          I MEAN, HE'S, THE MAYOR REPRESENTS THE ENTIRE CITY, AND AS YOU SAY, HE, THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECORD OF, YOU KNOW, HOW HE VOTES AND OR WHAT HE'S FOR AND WHAT HE STANDS FOR. 
          UH, SO I LIKE THE IDEA OF THE MAYOR VOTING. 
          I THINK THAT THE MAYOR SHOULD VOTE. 
          HE SHOULD. 
          SHOULD. 
          YEAH. 
          I, HE OR SHOULD. 
          IS THERE A WAY, IF WE WERE TO, I MEAN, THIS IS, I'M JUST THINKING THROUGH, IS THERE, BECAUSE THIS IS NEVER GONNA BE AN ISSUE UNLESS THERE'S A VACANCY. 
          UNLESS THERE'S A VACANCY. 
          IT'S THE ONLY THING, AND MY UNDERSTANDING FROM TALKING TO SOME OF OUR REPRESENTATIVE, OUR DELEGATION, THAT THEY'RE GONNA LOOK AT DOING A LOCAL BILL ANYWAY, THAT CREATES A FINANCIAL PENALTY. 
          MM-HMM . 
          THAT IF THERE'S A VACANCY, THE CITY OF NEW BERN HAS TO APPOINT BY A CERTAIN TIME OR ELSE HOLD A SPECIAL ELECTION. 
          CORRECT. 
          WHICH WE WOULD'VE TO PAY FOR. 
          YES. 
          UM, SO THAT MIGHT TAKE CARE OF, I MEAN, WE MIGHT NEVER HAVE THIS ISSUE. 
          I PITCHED THIS IDEA AS A SOLUTION. 
          IT'S HAPPENED TWICE IN THE SAME YEAR WITH TWO DIFFERENT LOCAL, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, NEW BERN AND ANOTHER IN HAMILTON COUNTY. 
          THE EXACT SAME ISSUE, BECAUSE IN THE COUNTY THERE'S A DEFINED SOLUTION THAT GOES TO THE CLERK. 
          RIGHT. 
          THE PROBLEM THERE IS COUNTIES ARE RUN ON A PARTISAN BASIS. 
          SO YOUR CLERK IS WEARING A CERTAIN COLOR AND THEY'RE GONNA PICK FROM THEIR TEAM. 
          AND THAT'S HOW IT GENERALLY GETS RESOLVED. 
          WE DON'T HAVE THAT OPTION. 
          CITY, WE, YOU WOULDN'T WANT TO GO TO A CLERK, NOTHING AGAINST THE CLERK, BUT THAT'S GONNA BE MORE OF A PARTISAN ISSUE. 
          OH, I TRUST BRENDA . 
          I LIKE THAT IDEA TOO. 
          UH, UH, MY QUESTION WAS, IS THERE A WAY THE CHART, IF, AND COULD THE CHARTER ACCOMMODATE WHAT A LOCAL BILL, RIGHT? I MEAN, COULD YOU DO IT WHERE, YEAH. 
          IF IN THE CHARTER THERE'S A VACANCY SUCH THAT, I MEAN, IF THERE'S A VACANCY SUCH THAT THE MAYOR WOULD CREATE A TIE THAT THE MAYOR CAN'T VOTE TO CREATE A TIE, THAT WOULD BE AN OPTION. 
          THE WAY I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING IS, I'M WONDERING IF IN THE CHARTER, WE COULDN'T PROVIDE THAT. 
          IF THERE IS A VACANCY, IT MUST, WE HAVE OUR OWN RULE AS TO FILL VACANCIES. 
          IT'S GOTTA BE FILLED WITHIN 60 DAYS, AND IF NOT, THEN AN ELECTION'S GONNA BE HELD OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, AND IT'S GONNA GET INTO YOUR POCKET AND COST YOU A HUNDRED GRAND. 
          I, I, YOU KNOW, TO CREATE SOME INCENTIVE WITH ONE OF THOSE TWO SOLUTIONS, I DON'T THINK THIS ISSUE'S EVER GONNA HAPPEN AGAIN. 
          INTERESTING IDEA. 
          THOSE, THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE A COUPLE GOOD IDEAS. 
          UM, WE CAN ASK FOR IN LIEU OF VOTE OR NOT VOTE IN THE EVENT OF A VACANCY, HERE'S THE, HERE'S THE OUTCOME. 
          WHY DON'T I PITCH YOU, WHEN I GIVE YOU THE MATRIX, WHY DON'T I PITCH YOU THE TWO ALTERNATIVES AND THE DOCUMENT SO THAT YOU CAN SEE WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE. 
          OKAY. 
          AND I'LL JUST, BECAUSE I'LL SAY THIS, I, I HAD NOT THOUGHT OF THE IDEA OF THE MAYOR HAVING TO VOTE TO HAVE A RECORD FOR VOTERS. 
          AND I THINK THAT'S, I MEAN, I DO THINK THAT'S A PRETTY SALIENT POINT THAT HE . 
          SURE. 
          THE REALITY IS, IS IF, IF I NEVER VOTE ON ANYTHING, ANYTHING THAT'S CONTROVERSIAL THAT YOU GUYS WERE TO PASS, I'M GONNA BE AGAINST IT BY DEFAULT. 
          AND THAT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE REASONS WHY IT WAS CHANGED YEARS AGO, IS BECAUSE YOU CAN JUST POLITICALLY PLAY WHICHEVER SIDE OF FENCE YOU, UNLESS THERE'S, UNLESS, UNLESS THERE'S A TIE. 
          UNLESS THERE'S A TIE. 
          THEN IF THERE'S A TIE, THEN IT'S A MOOT POINT ABOUT THE MAYOR VOTING YOU BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA VOTE. 
          MM-HMM . 
          I'LL PITCH YOU THE, THE TWO OPTIONS WE JUST BEEN DISCUSSING YOU TO REFLECT ON. 
          UM, NOT A FORM OF RESOLUTION, BUT JUST AS TWO OPTIONS THAT YOU CAN SEE IN, IN WRITING BEFORE YOU, UM, I'M GONNA MOVE ON TO AN A DIFFERENT LOCAL BILL. 
          UH, THIS HAS TO DO WITH OUR LAND ORDINANCE, CHAPTER ONE 60 D WE CALL IT THE DOWN ZONING ORDINANCE. 
          IF YOU WERE ON THE PRIOR BOARD, YOU, YOU'VE ALREADY DONE THIS ONCE AND I I'M ASKING TO COME BACK AND DO IT YET AGAIN. 
          UM, DESPITE, UM, A RIGHT SELF-SERVING, WE THINK IS, THAT WAS A VALIANT EFFORT TO, UM, EXEMPT OURSELF FROM A STATUTE EARLY LAST YEAR, YEAR BEFORE A NEW STATUTE WAS CREATED IN RALEIGH. 
          THAT EFFECTIVELY TAKES AWAY ALL LOCAL GOVERNMENT'S AUTHORITY TO CHANGE A ZONE, TO CHANGE, TO TAKE AWAY ANY RIGHT THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE TO YOUR PROPERTY, UM, AS, EVEN AS THEORETICAL AS YOU COULD THINK. 
          UM, AND I'LL GIVE YOU A A LIVE EXAMPLE. 
          UM, VAPE SHOPS ARE SOMETHING THAT WE REGULATED FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO. 
          VAPE SHOPS ARE A NEW THING, RIGHT? THEY JUST KIND OF CAME OUT THE SCENE. 
          AND SO WHEN YOU GO TO YOUR LAND USE CODE, YOU DON'T HAVE A GOOD BUCKET TO PUT THAT VAPE SHOP IN BECAUSE IT DIDN'T EXIST BEFORE. 
          SO WE KICKED IT AROUND AND WE LIMITED THOSE VAPE SHOPS TO OUR COMMERCIAL, OUR MOST INTENSE COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS TO GET 'EM OUT OF OUR SMALL AND NEIGHBORHOOD DISTRICTS, PREFERABLY AWAY FROM HOUSES, SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, ET CETERA. 
          UNDER THE, UNDER THE NEW AMENDMENTS. 
          IN THE STATUTE, WE WOULDN'T HAVE THAT AUTHORITY. 
          'CAUSE WHEN WE LIMITED TO ONE, WE'VE TAKEN IT 
          [03:15:01]
FROM OTHERS WHERE IT COULD LOGICALLY HAVE GONE. 
          AND WE HAVE IN THEORY, DOWN ZONED THE C FOUR, C FIVE, C ONE AND TWO DISTRICTS, BECAUSE WE ONLY ALLOW IT DOWN TO C3. 
          UM, IN MY EXPERIENCE OF A GREAT A DECADES, UM, I HAVE NEVER SEEN A, WHAT I WOULD CALL A HOSTILE DOWN ZONE WHERE ANY GOVERNING BOARD COMES IN AND SAYS, WE DON'T LIKE SOMETHING ABOUT THIS ZONE, AND WE ARE GOING TO TAKE AWAY A GIANT BUNDLE OF RIGHTS SO THAT YOU CAN'T BUILD HOUSES THERE OR YOU CAN'T PUT YOUR WALMART HERE. 
          I'VE JUST NEVER SEEN THAT. 
          I'VE ALWAYS SEEN ZONING USED AS A TOOL TO PLAN FOR YOUR CITY AND MEET THE NEEDS OF YOUR CITIZENS. 
          THE REASON THE VAPE SHOP ORDINANCE WAS CREATED WAS BECAUSE CITIZENS BECAME OUTRAGED ABOUT VACANT HOUSE, GOING EVERYWHERE, RIGHT NEXT TO NEIGHBORHOODS. 
          YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO REGULATE THAT. 
          AND THROUGH THE LAND USE ORDINANCE THIS BOARD DID MANY YEARS AGO, WE'VE NOW LOST THAT. 
          RIGHT. 
          UM, I CAN BORE YOU A THOUSAND DETAILS. 
          UM, BUT, UM, WITH HELP OF OF OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENT LAWYERS IN, IN EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA, WE PUT TOGETHER A COALITION OF SEVERAL DOZEN LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ALL ASKING FOR LOCAL BILLS TO EXEMPT OURSELF FROM THAT RULE. 
          UM, I WAS QUITE CONVINCED THAT, THAT WE WOULD GET THAT EXEMPTION. 
          I WAS MORE CONVINCED THAT THE, THE STATE WOULD, UPON REFLECTION, CHANGED THE STATUTE THEMSELVES, RECOGNIZING THAT THEY PROBABLY HAVE OVERREACHED FOR POLITICAL REASONS BEYOND MY PAY GRADE. 
          NONE OF THAT HAS HAPPENED. 
          UM, AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE THINGS STAND. 
          I KEEP UP WITH THIS REGULARLY. 
          THERE ARE A HALF DOZEN FLAVORS OF LOCAL BILLS, DIFFERENT STATUTES OUT THERE. 
          I HEAR GOSSIP EVERY OTHER WEEK THAT GOES IN ONE DIRECTION OR THE OTHER. 
          I DON'T KNOW WHERE THINGS STAND. 
          OUR LOCAL REPS, TYSON AND BRINSON, UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE VERY WELL. 
          I'VE MET WITH THEM. 
          I'D LIKE TO MAKE THEM AGAIN, IF WE CAN ADOPT ANOTHER RESOLUTION ASKING FOR THE LOCAL BILL. 
          AND THIS TIME I WANT TO LAY IT ON EVEN THICKER ABOUT ALL THE NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING BECAUSE OF THIS. 
          ONE OF OUR MOST PRESSING CONSEQUENCES IS AN ISSUE THAT'S GONNA BE COMING UP IS THE REWRITE OF OUR ORDINANCE. 
          AS A PRACTICAL MATTER, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO REWRITE THAT LAND USE ORDINANCE WITH THE CURRENT STATE OF THE LAW TO GET AROUND THAT LAW. 
          WE'VE GOT TO CREATE A YET MORE COMPLEX, MORE CHALLENGING, DIFFICULT LAND USE ORDINANCE AT GREAT EXPENSE TO THE CITY FOR AN ORDINANCE THAT WE WOULD NEVER, EVER WRITE, BUT FOR THAT STATE STATUTE. 
          AND WHAT CONCERNS ME IS PREPARING THAT NEW LAND USE ORDINANCE TO ACCOMMODATE THE STATE STATUTE, WHICH CREATES, IN MY MIND MANY MORE OTHER LEGAL CHALLENGES FOR US TO WORRY ABOUT. 
          IT WILL BE SUBOPTIMAL. 
          AND THEN IF IN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO WE CAN EITHER GET A LOCAL BILL OR THE STATUTE CHANGES, WE THEN GO BACK AND REDO OUR LAND USE ORDINANCE YET AGAIN TO, TO DO IT THE WAY THAT WE WOULD'VE DONE IT FOR THE FIRST TIME. 
          HAVE WE NOT HAD THE OBSTACLE? UM, WE ARE IN THE SAME BOAT AS MOREHEAD CITY. 
          I SPOKE TO THEIR, UM, CITY ATTORNEY YESTERDAY TO CONFIRM THEIR THINKING ON THIS. 
          THINKING IS, IS LIKE MINE. 
          THEY'VE TAKEN A LITTLE EXTRA STEP. 
          THEY ARE TAPPING THE BRAKES ON THEIR LAND USE ORDINANCE UPDATE WHILE THEY WORK ON FLOODS OF OTHER ISSUES AROUND LAND USE THAT DON'T HAVE THIS OBSTACLE. 
          SO THAT THEY'RE NOT WASTING TIME, BUT THEY'RE NOT PUTTING THEIR MONEY AND ENERGY ON THE LAND USE ORDINANCE, HOPING LIKE I AM, THAT THEY CAN GET THEMSELVES OUT OF THIS MESS WITH US. 
          AND THEY'RE ONE OF THE SEVERAL DOZEN AGREEMENTS THAT HAVE ALSO BEEN ASKING TO BE EXEMPTED. 
          AND THEY'RE GONNA FOLLOW OUR LEAD. 
          WHATEVER YOU DO TO ASK LOCAL BILL, THEY'RE GONNA PIGGYBACK. 
          I'M SURE MANY OF LOCAL S WILL DO THE EXACT SAME THING. 
          SO WE WILL SEND RALEIGH 24 MORE RESOLUTIONS ASKING FOR LOCAL BILLS, POINTING OUT THE PROBLEMS, UM, WITH SOME DIRECTION FROM YOU. 
          I WILL HAVE THAT DRAFTED AND IT WOULD APPEAR ON YOUR FEBRUARY AGENDAS. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          YOU REMEMBER WE WERE HAVING SOME ISSUES YOU AGO WITH GROUP HOMES? YES. 
          WE PUT A QUARTER MILE. 
          YES, SIR. 
          RESTRICTION ON IS ANYTHING LIKE THAT YOU HAVE? WELL, THAT'S A, THAT'S A GREAT EXAMPLE. 
          AND I DON'T WANNA GET TOO DEEP IN THE WEEDS. 
          THAT'S A GREAT EXAMPLE. 
          I INITIALS COME UP, UH, EVERY YEAR OR TWO INITIAL COMES UP ABOUT, UM, BARS AND RESTAURANTS AT DOWNTOWN DENVER AND CAN WE PUT SOME RESTRICTIONS ON THEM? UM, THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF WORDS BEING USED OF, UH, CAN WE LIMIT THEM OR LEAVE IT TO FIVE OR SIX OR THREE. 
          UM, A SEPARATION COULD BE A TOOL TO REFLECT ON WITH RESPECT TO BARS AND RESTAURANTS. 
          BUT THAT IS GONNA CREATE A NEW TO DO THAT YOU'RE GONNA POTENTIALLY CREATE A DOWN ZONE ISSUE. 
          UM, AND EVEN IF I FELT 90% GOOD ABOUT IT, I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND DOING IT BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO BE THE TEST CASE IN NORTH CAROLINA FOR WHERE ARE THE LIMITS OF LOCAL 
          [03:20:01]
GOVERNMENT AUTHORITY. 
          THOSE ARE VERY, VERY EXPENSIVE LESSONS TO LEARN. 
          AND IF WE LOSE IT IS CATASTROPHICALLY EXPENSIVE, SO WE'RE GONNA KEEP IT SUPER SAFE ON OUR END. 
          VERY CONSERVATIVE. 
          BUT THAT DANA POINTS OUT A GREAT ISSUE. 
          THAT WOULD BE AN EXAMPLE OF, HEY, IF WE'RE GONNA SEPARATE, UM, SHORT TERM RENTALS BY 400 YARDS OR ONE BLOCK OR, OR BAKE SHOPS HAVE TO BE SEPARATED BY WHATEVER, THAT WOULD CREATE A POTENTIAL ISSUE THAT WOULD MAKE US PAUSE. 
          I HEAR, WELL, MY HEAD STARTS SPINNING ON THIS ISSUE. 
          'CAUSE IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A REAL PROBLEM FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. 
          AND, AND, AND I GUESS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THOSE THAT WEREN'T ON THE PREVIOUS BOARD, JUST SO THEY KNOW, THIS WAS, THIS IS A VERY IMPACTFUL, SIGNIFICANT CHANGE THAT WAS MADE IN STATE LAW AND IT WAS THROWN ON THE BACK PAGE OF ANOTHER BILL, THE WESTERN, WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA RECOVERY BILL, WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA RECOVERY BILL. 
          THIS WAS THROWN IN THERE BECAUSE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT DURHAM WAS HAVING AN ISSUE RIGHT. 
          WITH ONE PARTICULAR THING. 
          AND THEIR LEGISLATION GOT IT THROWN ON HERE, AND NOW IT'S SCREWED UP THE WHOLE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA. 
          YES. 
          AND I, AND, AND ONE PROBLEM, AND I'M GONNA MOVE ON, BUT USUALLY WE HAVE A CHAMPION IN THIS STATE, AND USUALLY THAT CHAMPION IS ASHFIELD OR WILMINGTON WHO WAS WILLING TO GO FIGHT THE BIG FIGHT AND SPEND LIMITED MONEY TO FIGURE IT OUT. 
          AND ON THIS TIME AROUND, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE OUTTA GAS. 
          THE, THE MAIN PROBLEM IS THIS DOWN ZONING PROHIBITION HAS COMPLETELY FROZEN MEAN MUNICIPALITY'S ZONING LAW. 
          AND SO IF YOU'RE A SMALLER MUNICIPALITY THAT MIGHT NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO CHANGE YOUR ZONING ORDINANCE EVERY OTHER YEAR, UH, YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE STUCK LIKE WE ARE. 
          WHEREAS ASHEVILLE, WILMINGTON ROCK, I MEAN ALL THESE BIG CITIES THAT THEY'RE HAPPY WITH THEIR ZONING AND SO THEY DON'T REALLY CARE. 
          THIS IS, THIS ONLY IS REALLY AFFECTING SMALLER MUNICIPALITIES. 
          UH, I I, I MEAN, I COMPLETELY SUPPORT US PASSING A RESOLUTION, ASKING FOR A LOCAL BILL TO EXEMPT US, ASKING FOR REPEAL OF THE LAW, WHATEVER IT IS. 
          AND I THINK EVEN A STEP FURTHER HAVING, YOU KNOW, SCOTT DRAFT A LETTER OR WORK WITH THE MAYOR TO DRAFT A LETTER TO GIVE SOME OF THE EXAMPLES THAT WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT VAPE SHOPS WE CAN'T REGULATE AND GROUP HOME, I MEAN, SHORT TERM RENTAL, WE CAN'T DO ANY OF THAT RIGHT NOW. 
          UM, AND SO GIVING SOME CONCRETE EXAMPLES TO SEND TO OUR DELEGATION TO MAKE IT ABUNDANTLY CLEAR THAT YOU ARE HAMSTRINGING US AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, IT'S GONNA COME TO A HEAD ZERO END LATER. 
          UM, IT'S THE SECOND THAT POINT. 
          SMALLER JURISDICTIONS, THE BIG ONES CAN AFFORD TO UPDATE THEIR STUFF EVERY MONTH. 
          AND THEY DO. 
          SMALL JURISDICTIONS, EVEN SMALLER THAN US, MAY HAVE A FIVE PAGE LANDING ORDINANCE THAT DOESN'T REGULATE BILLBOARDS. 
          SO IF YOU'RE IN A SMALL TOWN NEAR US AND YOU LOOK UP ON AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTROL BILLBOARDS SO THAT WE WON'T HAVE A BILLBOARD EVERY BLOCK. 
          YOU CAN'T. 
          BUT THOSE, THOSE ISSUES DON'T COME UP ANNUALLY IN THESE SMALLER TOWNS. 
          SO WHAT'S HAPPENED IS, I THINK IN RALEIGH, THEY'RE NOT HEARING THE OUTCRY BECAUSE NO ONE'S HAD A CRISIS YET. 
          BUT THE CRISIS ARE COMING FOR SURE. 
          UM, AND, YOU KNOW, MAKE A MOTION. 
          WELL, JUST DIRECTIONS ALL I NEED. 
          IF I'M SEEING NODS, THEN I WILL DRAFT THAT, PUT ON THE AGENDA. 
          I'M SEEING NODS THAT RESOLUTION WILL GO IN YOUR AGENDA. 
          MY THIRD ISSUE, THIS IS A THINKY ONE. 
          I'LL MAKE IT QUICK. 
          UM, DECADES AGO, MINIMUM HOUSING CODE, RIGHT? UNFIT DWELLINGS, WHAT WE CALL, UM, WE HAVE A STATE STATUTE THAT AUTHORIZES US TO REGULATE, UM, THE CONDITIONS OF, OF, OF PRESIDENT GEORGE DWELLINGS. 
          UM, AND WE FOLLOW THAT STATUTE AND WE DO THAT. 
          THAT PROCESS HAS A STAFF PERSON. 
          IT'S, IT'S INCREDIBLY EXPENSIVE AS YOU'LL SEE ON YOUR, ON YOUR BUDGET. 
          NOT ONLY IS THE STAFF TIME EXPENSIVE, BUT LEGAL TIME EXPENSIVE. 
          AND THE DEMOLITIONS, WHICH IS TYPICALLY WHAT HAPPENS ON THE SUPER BAD HOUSES, COST US MONEY. 
          WE ADVANCE THAT MONEY TO TAKE DOWN, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, A 10, $15,000 EXPENSE TO REMOVE A HOUSE ON A LOT THAT'S WORTH $2,000. 
          ALL WE CAN DO AFTER THAT IS FORECLOSE, GET THAT LOT BACK. 
          SO WE NEVER SEE OUR MONEY BACK WHEN WE DEMOLISH THESE PROPERTIES TO HELP, TO HELP IN THIS PROCESS. 
          DECADES AGO, WE GOT A LOCAL BILL TO ALLOW US TO RECOVER OUR ATTORNEY'S FEES WHEN WE GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS ULTIMATELY AND GET THAT ULTIMATE ORDER. 
          UM, WE ALSO PIGGYBACK ON OUR GENERAL STATUTE, UM, CIVIL PENALTY AUTHORITY TO IMPOSE A PENALTY FOR NOT COMPLYING WITH THESE ORDERS. 
          BOTH YOUR, YOUR LESS BAD HOUSES AND YOUR MOST BAD HOUSES. 
          WHAT I WOULD LIKE IS A LOCAL BILL THAT SPECIFICALLY INCORPORATES THE LANGUAGE THAT I USE 
          [03:25:01]
IN ESTABLISHING THOSE PENALTIES. 
          WE HAVE A TIERED SYSTEM. 
          UM, IT'S, IT COMES TO ABOUT 30 BUCKS A DAY. 
          UM, BUT, AND IT CAPS AT 1500, MAYBE $2,000 A MONTH IS WHERE IT CAPS. 
          UM, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A LOCAL BILL IN A STATUTE THAT I CAN CUT AND PASTE AND PUT THAT RIGHT IN OUR MINIMUM HOUSING CODE. 
          THAT'S EASY TO REFERENCE, EASY TO SEE, EASY TO UNDERSTAND, TO CLARIFY FOR ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO SCREAM ABOUT IT, HERE'S WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IF YOU DON'T WORK WITH US. 
          THEY DON'T SEE THAT UNTIL WE GET TO THE VERY END OF THE PROBLEM. 
          AND THEN THEY GET AN ORDER THAT HAS ALL THAT IN THERE AND THEY DIDN'T FULLY APPRECIATE WHAT WAS HAPPENING UNTIL WE GOT TO THAT POINT. 
          BUT IF I HAD THAT IN OUR CODE, THEN STAFF, MYSELF AND OTHERS WHO ARE WORKING WITH THESE PROP OWNERS, COULD GO TO THAT SECTION FIRST AND SAY, HERE'S THE BAD RESULT THAT WE END UP WITH THAT WE ALL WANT TO AVOID. 
          WE ALL WANT HOUSES FIXED UP. 
          WE NEED MORE HOUSING. 
          THE LAST THING WE WANT IS, IS TO DEAL WITH YOU IN THIS HOUSE, OR WORST CASE, TEAR THIS HOUSE DOWN. 
          BUT IF WE DON'T GET COOPERATION, HERE'S WHERE WE END UP AND HERE'S WHERE YOU GET HURT. 
          I CAN ALSO PUT THAT IN RESOLUTION AND HAVE THAT ON YOUR FEBRUARY AGENDA ON SEEING NODS. 
          QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? GOOD. 
          OKAY. 
          MY HALF ISSUE, THIS IS NOT A LOCAL BILL ISSUE, BUT I WANT TO TAKE THREE MINUTES AND GET SOME DIRECTION. 
          EVERY FOUR YEARS I RAISE THE ISSUE OF OUR TAXI CAB ORDINANCE. 
          WE ACTUALLY HAVE A TAXI CAB ORDINANCE 15 YEARS AGO AT LEAST, WHERE BRENDA, UM, UH, THE BOARD STRUGGLED THROUGH OUR TAXI CAB ORDINANCE ENFORCEMENT THAT WAS AROUND THE ADOPTION OF UBER. 
          THERE WAS THE BIRTH OF UBER, AND THEN UBER CAME TO TOWN. 
          WHEN UBER CAME TO TOWN. 
          YOU'VE GOT UBER PEOPLE RUNNING AROUND, PICKING UP PEOPLE. 
          AND WE HAD THIS ODD RESULT OF A, A TAXI CAB ORDINANCE, WHICH IS A STANDARD OLD SCHOOL. 
          HERE'S HOW MANY YOU CAN HAVE. 
          HERE'S ALL THE, THE VEHICLE INSPECTIONS THAT WE DO, BACKGROUND CHECKS, WE DO ALL THESE REGULATIONS ABOUT HOW TO OPERATE A CAB. 
          AND THEN THE DAYS OF UBER, YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE APPRECIATED THIS, BUT THERE WERE NO REGULATIONS. 
          IT WAS PEOPLE IN CARS RIDING AROUND. 
          SO IT BECAME PECULIAR TO HAVE THIS ROBUST BURDEN PUT ON TAXI CABS AND NO BURDENS PUT ON THE UBER DRIVERS. 
          SO THE BOARD AT THAT TIME SAID, LET'S JUST TAP THE BRAKES ON ENFORCING THIS UNTIL WE SEE HOW THINGS GO. 
          THAT'S BEEN 15 YEARS. 
          UM, SEVERAL THINGS HAVE HAPPENED SINCE THEN. 
          ONE UBER NOW HAS A, A STATE OR RIDE SHARE PROGRAMS HAVE A STATE STATUTE THAT REQUIRES THEM TO GO THROUGH THE UTILITY COMMISSION WHERE THEY NOW HAVE REGULATIONS GOVERNED AT THE STATE LEVEL WHERE THEY DO SIMILAR THINGS. 
          YOU HAVE TO HAVE A BACKGROUND CHECK AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE A VEHICLE THAT HAS A STATE INSPECTION. 
          SO ONE VERSION OF US GOING FORWARD WITHOUT REMOVING OR ABOLISHING OUR TAXI CAB ORDINANCE IS TO DO A TAXI CAB LIGHT ORDINANCE AND KIND OF PIGGYBACK ON THE RIDESHARE STATUTE SO THAT TAXI CABS ARE EFFECTIVELY SUBJECT TO THE EXACT SAME RULES AS UBER DRIVERS. 
          SO THAT NO ONE IS, NO ONE IS HELPED OR HURT BY THAT REGULATION. 
          THE OTHER VERSION, TWO OTHER VERSIONS GO BACK TO REGULARLY THEM AND ENFORCING THEM, WHICH IS FINE. 
          OR DOING AWAY WITH THE WHOLE REGULATION OF TAXI CABS ALTOGETHER AND JUST HAVE THE WILD WEST. 
          YOU REMEMBER YEARS AGO, UH, CHIEF BLO DID AN EXHAUSTIVE YES. 
          STUDY. 
          YEP. 
          WE HAD 36 FRANCHISES, WE DID WHATEVER. 
          YES. 
          THERE'S A BIG ARGUMENT THAT ONLY WE REALLY EVEN INTEREST IN, IN THE TAXI CAB CODE WAS THE GUYS THAT OWNED THE FRANCHISES. 
          RIGHT. 
          UM, IF CITY KNEW WERE INDEMNIFIED FROM ANY LEGAL LAWSUIT IMPOSED CONCERNING TRANSPORTING PEOPLE AROUND TOWN AND THE PUBLIC POLICIES ALLOWED UBERS AND THE OTHERS, UM, MY THOUGHT WOULD BE IS JUST TO DO AWAY WITH THE WHOLE ORDINANCE, BUT MAYBE GO IN LIKE YOU DID WITH, UM, THE TOBACCO BUYOUT AND THINGS LIKE THAT AND JUST GIVE A NOMINAL, UM, ENUMERATED, UH, SETTLEMENT TO THE OWNERS OF THE FRANCHISES AND BE DONE WITH IT. 
          I MEAN, WHAT ALWAYS COMES UP AND KILLS THE DEAL IS, IS THE FOLKS THINK THEY'VE GOT A RIGHT. 
          A GOLD MINE WITH THOSE FRANCHISES. 
          RIGHT. 
          AND OUR ESTABLISHMENT FIRM VALUE IS PAY, PAY THOSE PEOPLE RIGHT. 
          FOR 'EM AND BE DONE WITH IT. 
          SURE. 
          AND WHAT WE CAN DO, AND I'M HAPPY TO DO THAT. 
          WE CAN SEND YOU A REPORT. 
          I'M NOT SURE HOW MANY CABS WE EVEN HAVE OPERATING ANYMORE. 
          I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW OF ANY. 
          I I I HAVE YOU EVER SEEN ANY I I GOOGLE KNOW 
          [03:30:01]
OF ANY IN THE AIRPORT? YEAH, BUT THEY'RE FROM HAVELOCK, I THINK. 
          YEAH. 
          SHERRY, I GOOGLED IT AND I GOT ONE HIT. 
          SAFEWAY. 
          YES. 
          DETECTIVE MARK. 
          MM-HMM . 
          UM, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY CAPS HE EVEN OPERATES ANYMORE. 
          AND THEN THERE WAS KIND OF A ROGUE PERSON WHO'S JUST KIND OF ADVERTISING RIDES LIKE A TAXI. 
          LET ME ADD THIS, WHICH MIGHT HELP OUR THINKING. 
          FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE SERVED BEFORE IN THE, EACH OF THE LAST THREE OR FOUR YEARS, A CITIZEN GROUP HAS COME UP A, A A PROPOSED BUSINESS OWNER WANTING TO TALK ABOUT PETTY CABS IN DOWNTOWN. 
          YOU KNOW, THESE LITTLE BICYCLE, UH, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE IN, PEOPLE IN THE BACK, RIGHT? PEOPLE AROUND GIVE, GIVE THEM ROCK LIFTS. 
          UM, THE BOARD HAS, HAS ALWAYS BEEN, UM, OPEN TO EXPLORING THAT THAT IS NOT REGULATED. 
          AND THOSE BUSINESSES HAVE NOT DUG IN AND COME BACK FOR ANY DIRECTION. 
          UM, WE'VE ALSO GOT THE HORSE CARRIAGES THAT OPERATE, AT LEAST DURING THE HOLIDAYS. 
          WE'VE ALSO GOT A POTENTIAL NEW BUSINESS, UM, THAT COULD, COULD, COULD OPERATE AND BE REGULATED ON THESE, UM, TROLLEYS WHERE IT'S A, IT'S LIKE THE 10, 12 PEOPLE ALL PEDALING TOGETHER ON THE TOURIST, THE TOURIST MACHINE THAT OPERATES AROUND THE STREETS. 
          UM, SO I WOULD PROPOSE ME SHOWING YOU A DRAFT ORDINANCE AS TO HOW YOU WOULD REGULATE THE HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGES, THE PEDICABS, A TROLLEY CAB TOUR BUS. 
          WE HAVE ONE TOUR BUS. 
          UM, A VERY SIMPLE LITTLE REGULATORY STRUCTURE TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE THAT ARE OPERATING AREN'T FELONS. 
          WE DON'T HAVE ANY BAD CRIMINAL BACKGROUNDS. 
          WE'RE FOLLOWING PROPER RULES. 
          WE KNOW WHERE THE STOPS ARE. 
          WE DO THIS RIGHT NOW IN A VERY HODGEPODGE WAY. 
          IT'S NOT USER FRIENDLY. 
          IT'S HARD TO DEDUCE WHAT THE RULES ARE. 
          WE DON'T SPECIFICALLY GIVE CLEAR DIRECTION OF WHERE YOUR TERRITORIES ARE. 
          IF YOU'RE GONNA DO THE PEDICAB, WHAT BLOCKS ARE INCLUDED? CAN THEY BE ANYWHERE? WHERE'S THE TOUR BUS GOING? HOW CAN IT BE USED WHERE, SO A VERSION IS, IF WE WANT TO LOOK AT THAT TO THINK ABOUT, WE COULD INCORPORATE INTO THAT A VEHICLE FOR HIRE, WHICH WOULD KIND OF BE LIKE A TAXI AND JUST BUNDLE ALL OF THESE SERVICES AS, AS A VEHICLE FOR HIRE. 
          AND THESE ARE THE SIMPLE RULES THAT YOU'RE GONNA FOLLOW TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR DRIVERS ARE SAFE. 
          YOU'VE GOT INSURANCE AND WE KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO DO YOUR THING. 
          HOW DOES THAT STRIKE EVERYONE? I'M SEEING NODS. 
          YES. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, ARE WE THINKING TO ADD THE TAXI CAB INTO THAT JUST TO SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE? YES. 
          OKAY. 
          OKAY. 
          I THINK IN THIS SITUATION, AND ALEX, I SPEAK TO MYSELF, LESS IS MORE. 
          YES. 
          THE IDEA IS WE DON'T NEED THE HODGEPODGE. 
          WE INCORPORATE THE TAX DE CAB WITHIN THIS OVERALL STRUCTURE OF IF YOU'RE OPERATING A BUSINESS ON A RUNNING BUSINESS ON OUR STREETS, THIS IS KIND OF THE, THE MINIMUM JUST TO PROTECT PUBLIC SAFETY. 
          EXACTLY. 
          THAT'S, I I WILL DO THAT AS FAIR. 
          THAT SAYS EASY AND DOES HARD. 
          WHAT WHAT, WHAT SIMPLE AND EASY IS DON'T LOOK LIKE IS ABOUT 10, 12 PAGES TO, TO GET DEFINITIONS. 
          AND SO THAT WE'RE ALL CLEAR ON WHAT IT MEANS. 
          BUT, BUT I WILL MAKE THAT AS SIMPLE AND USER FRIENDLY AS UN BUREAUCRATIC AS I POSSIBLY CAN. 
          MAYBE EVEN PUTTING THE CITY MANAGER AS THE SIGN OFF PERSON, GIVE THESE THINGS TO CITY MANAGER AND YOU'RE GOOD TO GO, BUT WE WANT TO AT LEAST GET THE FIELD COVERED SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE ROGUE OPERATORS. 
          OR THAT YOU DON'T WAKE UP ONE DAY AND SEE SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T LIKE AND THEN WE HAVE TO GO MAKE SOMEBODY UNHAPPY OR UN UNTANGLE SOMETHING. 
          AND THAT WOULD ELIMINATE THE CURRENT TAXI ORDINANCE. 
          IT WOULD, I WOULD SUPPLANT IT EFFECTIVELY. 
          I WOULD KEEP THAT CHAPTER AND I WOULD BASICALLY AMEND IT TO MAKE IT MORE ROBUST IN THE SENSE THAT IT'S GONNA COVER MORE TYPES OF VEHICLES, BUT PICK UP THE EXACT SAME CON, UH, CONCEPTS AND WE CAN REACH OUT TO JAMAR AND ANYBODY ELSE AND JUST SEE, TAKE THEIR TEMPERATURE. 
          I THINK BY NOW, WITH ALL THE OTHER ISSUES, I COULD SEE WHERE THEIR, THEIR ATTITUDES MAY HAVE CHANGED WITH RESPECT TO THINKING THAT THEY HAD VALUE YEARS AGO IN THE OLD SCHOOL TAXI CAB FRANCHISE, WHERE TODAY IT'S EVERYTHING FOR THEMSELVES. 
          WELL, THE RATE STRUCTURE AND EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW, BIG CITIES, THEY HAVE THESE, THE RATE STRUCTURES EXACTLY. 
          ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF. 
          AND NEW BERN, WE, WE DON'T HAVE THAT, BUT I CAN SEE POTENTIALLY WHERE UBER AND LYFT AND LIVED IN THOSE, UH, MAYBE HAVE SOME ON THE, ON THE NATIONAL STATE LEVEL, SOME LOBBYING, UH, EFFORTS THAT WE DON'T HAVE. 
          BUT HAVING SAID THAT IS, UH, IF WE TOTALLY WERE TO ELIMINATE IT, WE WOULD GET ARGUMENTS BY SOME THAT YOU NEED TO REGULATE IT, YOU KNOW? I AGREE. 
          THAT'S HOW I SEE THIS. 
          WELL, FOR, FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, I WASN'T AWARE OF THE TAX ACADEMY 
          [03:35:01]
ORDINANCE, SO I JUST KIND OF HAVE GLANCED THROUGH IT. 
          UM, AND I, I MEAN, I KNOW YOU'RE SAYING IT'S A PLAINTIFF, BUT I THINK A LOT OF IT CAN BE PAIRED BACK. 
          I MEAN EXACTLY. 
          THE CERTIFICATE OF CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY. 
          EXACTLY. 
          A PUBLIC HEARING. 
          I MEAN THOSE TYPES OF, I MEAN, I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT COULD BE AN ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL. 
          YES. 
          YOU, SHE, THE CITY MANAGER, YOU HAVE THE INSURANCE, THE VEHICLE'S GOT THE DECAL. 
          EXACTLY. 
          AND YOU SHOW THE BACKGROUND CHECK. 
          I MEAN, YEAH. 
          THOSE, I'M NOT IN THAT ENVISIONING WHERE STAFF GOES AND INSPECTS THE VEHICLE WITH A FLASHLIGHT. 
          THIS IS, THIS IS GONNA BE GET YOUR STATE INSPECTION, DO THIS, DO THIS, DO THIS. 
          GIVE US YOUR INSURANCE CERTIFICATE, CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK, HERE'S YOUR ROUTE. 
          WE'RE GOOD TO GO. 
          AND THEN WE'LL SEE HOW THAT WORKS IN REAL LIFE. 
          BUT, BUT YES, THAT'S WHAT I'M IMAGINING AS WELL. 
          OKAY. 
          I GOT THAT DIRECTION. 
          THOSE ARE MY THREE AND A HALF ISSUES. 
          UM, GOVERNING BOARD RULES AND PROCEDURES. 
          THAT IS OUR NEXT THING. 
          SO YOU'VE ACTUALLY GOT THIS IN YOUR, IN YOUR PACKET. 
          ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID GET BACK ON THE SURVEY, UM, REGARDING THAT CLIP ON THE NEXT SLIDE WAS REVISING PUBLIC COMMENT POLICY. 
          SO I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE THAT ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS ON THIS, BUT HAPPY TO TAKE YOUR COMMENTS. 
          I HAVE A COMMENT AND A QUESTION. 
          THE QUESTION, AND THIS IS JUST OUTTA CURIOSITY, WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE, THE ROLL CALL VOTE FOR DIFFERENTIATING CERTAIN MATTERS? THE ROLL CALL VOTES AND VOICE VOTES RESOLUTION? I'VE ALWAYS BEEN TOLD RESOLUTION REQUIRES ROLL CALL. 
          RESOLUTIONS OF ORDINANCE IS ROLL CALL UNDER THE, I THINK IT'S IN OUR CHARTER. 
          IN OUR CHARTER. 
          OKAY. 
          YEAH, I'LL LOOK THAT BACK. 
          I'M PRETTY SURE IT'S IN THE CHARTER. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, AND THEN THE AGENDA POLICY RIGHT NOW, SO WE'RE MOVING TO ONE MEETING A MONTH. 
          UM, AND RIGHT NOW WE GET THE FINAL AGENDA. 
          I BELIEVE IT'S THAT THURSDAY BEFORE THE MEETING RIGHT NOW, EITHER THURSDAY OR FRIDAY BEFORE ME. 
          SO YOU GET, NORMALLY YOU WILL GET THE, THE WEEK BEFORE THE MEETING AND NORMALLY GET THE, THE, THE PRE AGENDA EITHER THE MONDAY OR TUESDAY AT THE LATEST. 
          AND THEN THE FULL AGENDA WILL COME. 
          USUALLY IT'S, USUALLY IT'S THE FRIDAY BEFORE THE MEETING. 
          SO I, I MEAN, I LIKE THE IDEA OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE CURRENT MEETING SCHEDULED, THE ONE MEETING A MONTH. 
          BECAUSE UNDERSTANDING THAT TO PREPARE FOR A MEETING STAFF HAS TO GO THROUGH A WEEK OF PREPARATION. 
          SO HELPING WITH THAT, KNOWING THAT WE'RE GOING TO ONE MEETING A MONTH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE LARGER AGENDAS. 
          THE IDEA OF GETTING AN AGENDA PACKET THAT IS 500 PAGES ON THURSDAY OR FRIDAY TO REVIEW IT ON THE WEEKEND. 
          AND IF WE HAVE QUESTIONS, TAKE UP ALL OF YOUR MONDAY WITH US, IS THERE A WAY TO PUSH IT SO WE GET THE AGENDA PACKET FINALIZED THE WEEK BEFORE, SO THAT TUESDAY BEFORE THE MEETING, SO THAT YOU HAVE A FULL WEEK YOU CAN REVIEW IT, YOU ASK QUESTIONS RATHER THAN A THREE DAY TURNAROUND. 
          THAT WOULD BE MY, I MEAN, MY THOUGHT OF MEETING THE AGENDA, SO WE GET A FINAL AGENDA THE TUESDAY BEFORE NOW YOU DO GET THE PRE AGENDA, RIGHT. 
          SO YOU CAN GO THE PRE AGENDA TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY TOPICS UP THERE THAT YOU MAY HAVE QUESTIONS WITH. 
          RIGHT. 
          AND I, YEAH, I, I SEE THE PRE AGENDA, THE PRE AGENDA IS, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE PAGES OF JUST WHAT THE TOPICS ARE, RIGHT. 
          NOT THE ACTUAL DOCUMENTS, POLICIES, ORDINANCES. 
          SO THEN WHEN I GO AND REVIEW THOSE, IF I HAVE A QUESTION OR, YOU KNOW, A CHANGE RATHER THAN PULL IT FROM THE AGENDA ALTOGETHER AND WAIT A FULL MONTH, HAVE TIME TO WORK THROUGH. 
          SO IF YOU WERE ABLE TO GET THE FULL AGENDA THE MONDAY OR TUESDAY AT THE LATEST BEFORE, BASICALLY A WEEK BEFORE THE MEETING, YES. 
          I MEAN THAT WOULD BE, I MEAN, AND I DON'T, I'M LOOKING AT DEPARTMENT HEADS IF YOU THINK THAT THAT'S OUTRAGEOUS AND THAT'S GONNA ADD UNDUE BURDEN IN THAT, BUT I WOULD THINK THEY FEEL MIGHT BE WORD RIGHT NOW THE WAY IT IS. 
          YEAH. 
          UM, AND, AND I THINK WHAT WE'VE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS, ESPECIALLY WITH SOME, UM, IN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES WITH, UM, THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT AND WITH PLANNING ZONING, JUST THE TIMELINES FIT IN FOR CERTAIN THINGS LIKE THAT. 
          IF WE, WE'VE JUST GOTTA LOOK AT THE TIMELINES ON, ON IF THEY'VE GOT SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO GO ONTO THIS NEXT MEETING, UM, DO THEY MEET THE, THE, UH, PUBLIC ADVERTISING CRITERIA TO, SO WE CAN CERTAINLY MEET THAT. 
          WELL EVEN IF, EVEN IF WE'LL HAVE TO TALK WITH THE CLERK AS WELL TO MAKE SURE THAT SHE GETS EVERYTHING SHE NEEDS. 
          SO SHE, THE AGENDA, PUTTING ALL THE PACKET TOGETHER IS HER HEAVY LIFT. 
          AND SO SHE ALWAYS HAS A LOT OF THINGS TO DO WITH THAT. 
          SO BRENDA, IF YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS, PLEASE DO SO WELL TO PRODUCE IT BY THAT MONDAY OR TUESDAY, A WEEK BEFORE, IT WOULD CERTAINLY MEAN WE WOULD HAVE TO ADJUST THE INTERNAL DEADLINE. 
          MM-HMM . 
          FROM DEPARTMENTS. 
          IT, WELL, HEARING THE RUNGS FROM EVERY HERE, NEVERMIND , THIS MAY SOUND CRAZY, BUT IT IS TAKING ABOUT A WEEK, A FULL WEEK TO ACTUALLY PRODUCE THE AGENDA PACKAGE. 
          YES. 
          SO, I MEAN, IT CAN BE DONE, BUT IT JUST MEANS IT'S A REQUIREMENT THAT EVERYBODY'S GOING TO HAVE TO BUY IN ON MM-HMM . 
          AND, AND AS YOU'VE SEEN, WE'VE HAD SEVERAL, WELL, 
          [03:40:01]
FOR YEARS WE'LL HAVE SLIPPED IN ON THE PRE AGENDA AND WE'RE ALWAYS AT, AT A, AT A DROP DEAD TIME. 
          IF THE DEPARTMENTS DON'T HAVE ANYTHING, IT'S PULLED FROM THAT FINAL AGENDA BECAUSE WE JUST DON'T HAVE WHAT WE NEED AT TIME FOR, FOR WHATEVER REASON THAT MAY BE. 
          AND THAT, THAT WOULD BE THE SAME CASE FOR THIS. 
          AND OF COURSE, IN THAT INSTANCE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE ANOTHER MONTH BEFORE THAT. 
          AND ON THE FLIP SIDE, YOU'VE HAD SOME THINGS THAT WEREN'T ON THE AGENDA THAT WERE TIME SENSITIVE THAT GOT THROWN IN AND ADDED TO THE AGENDA ABSOLUTELY. 
          AT THE TIME OF THE MEETING. 
          YEP. 
          AND THAT WILL PROBABLY CONTINUE TO HAPPEN AS MM-HMM . 
          AS WE UNFOLD. 
          YEAH. 
          BUT IN THAT, IN THAT INSTANCE, THOSE THINGS AREN'T IN THE FINAL AGENDA PACKET ANYWAY. 
          CORRECT. 
          IT'S A MONDAY, MONDAY MORNING. 
          OH CRAP. 
          THE REASON I BRING IT UP IS BECAUSE I THINK IF WE DID PUT THAT REQUIREMENT ABOUT GETTING EARLY, YOU'RE GONNA SEE MORE OF THOSE ITEMS THAT GET THROWN ON THERE. 
          AND THEN IT GOES BACK TO THAT TRANSPARENCY QUESTION THAT PEOPLE WANNA PROVIDE. 
          MM-HMM . 
          UM, I WONDER THOUGH THAT IF THERE'S GONNA BE MORE CONTENT BECAUSE WE'RE DOING ONE MEETING A MONTH, THAT IT WILL TAKE LONGER THAN A WEEK TO DO NOW. 
          LIKE DO WE WANT TO SEE HOW IT GOES AND CONSIDER THAT THE TIMELINE MIGHT NEED TO BE MORE COMFORTABLE AS WE LEARN WHAT IT'S LIKE WE CAN, WE CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT. 
          I MEAN OUR NEXT, OUR NEXT MEETING, THAT AGENDA WAS ACTUALLY LIGHTER THAN I ANTICIPATED IT BEING. 
          UM, SO WE CAN, WE CAN, WE CAN DEFINITELY GIVE IT A COUPLE OF OF MONTHS TO SEE HOW IT GOES AND ROLL FROM THERE. 
          IF THE BOARD HAS NO ISSUES WITH THAT. 
          I WAS JUST GONNA EFFECTIVELY, BRENDA, I MEAN, DO YOU FEEL THAT SINCE WE'VE GONE TO ONE MEETING A MONTH, THAT UM, YOU CAN GET MORE WORK DONE  THAN OPPOSED TO HAVING TWO MEETINGS A MONTH? IT DOES PROVIDE MORE TIME FOR THE THINGS THAT STACK UP THAT YOU CAN'T DEAL WITH ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS. 
          I, I'M FINE WITH IT, SEEING HOW IT GOES FIRST. 
          OKAY. 
          I MEAN, WAIT TILL FEBRUARY WHEN WE GET A REALLY BULKY AGENDA AND THEN SEE, OKAY. 
          AND, AND, AND WE'LL GO BY WHEN WE GET FROM THE GOVERNING BOARD. 
          ANY OTHER, UM, ISSUES OR ITEMS YOU'D LIKE TO LOOK AT WITH THE, UH, RULES AND PROCEDURE? SO, EXCUSE ME FOR THE BULLET POINT YOU'VE GOT UP THERE. 
          IF YOU LOOK AT THE CURRENT RULES AND PROCEDURE, UM, IT BASICALLY SAYS THAT THE MAYOR HAS THE AUTHORITY TO MOVE THE PETITION OF CITIZENS TO A LATER TIME IN THE AGENDA. 
          UM, I, I WAS HOPING THAT THE BOARD WOULD THINK ABOUT AND CONSIDER THE WAY THE COUNTY HANDLES THEIR PETITION OF CITIZENS. 
          WHAT THEY DO IS IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO SPEAK ABOUT SOMETHING ON THE AGENDA THAT'S DONE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, WHICH IS KIND OF WHERE IT'S SLATED NOW, IF THEY WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA, THAT'S MOVED TO THE END OF THE MEETING BECAUSE AGAIN, WE'RE GONNA START GETTING TO SOME MORE ROBUST MEETINGS. 
          IT'S GONNA BE LONGER MORE INTENSE. 
          AND DO WE WANT TO ALLOW THE PUBLIC WHO SOMETIMES FEELS LIKE JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT UNDERSTANDING OF HOW IT OPERATES, BUT THEY FEEL LIKE THAT'S THEIR ONLY CHANCE TO TALK TO THE BOARD, IS TO COME AND GET FOUR MINUTES OF THE PODIUM ABOUT ANY TOPIC. 
          THAT WAY WE CAN POINT THEM AND DIRECT THEM THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO COME TO A BOARD MEETING, HAVE YOUR VOICE HEARD. 
          YOU KNOW, THAT TO ME HONESTLY IS KIND OF THE LAST RESORT YOU SHOULD BE GOING THROUGH YOUR OFFICE, YOUR MAYOR, YOUR CITY STAFF. 
          IF YOU DON'T GET THE ANSWERS YOU NEED, THEN YOU CAN COME TO THE PETITION OF CITIZENS AND GET ON THE CAMERA AND DO YOUR THING. 
          BUT TO COME AND DO THAT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, UM, FOR SOMETHING THAT WE'RE NOT EVEN GONNA BE DISCUSSING THAT NIGHT, IF WE MOVE THAT TO THE END OF THE AGENDA MEETING, IT SEEMS TO HAVE WORKED WELL FOR THE COUNTY. 
          UM, I HAVE MY OPINIONS OF THE COUNTY, UH, BUT THAT'S ONE THING THEY DO. 
          I THINK THAT WORKS WELL. 
          UM, BUT I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THE BOARD SHOULD CONSIDER VERSUS JUST GIVING THE MAYOR THE AUTHORITY. 
          'CAUSE I COULD DO IT RIGHT NOW ESSENTIALLY BASED OFF OF WHAT WE HAVE ADOPTED. 
          SO YOU THREATENING US, YOU'RE GONNA DO IT ANYWAY. 
          NO,  JUST NO, I LIKE THE, I MEAN I PERSONALLY LIKE THE IDEA OF TWO, I MEAN RIGHT. 
          YOU'RE, YOU'RE DOUBLING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. 
          YOU HAVE TWO OPPORTUNITIES, ONE PETITION OF CITIZENS AT THE BEGINNING WHERE IT'S GOTTA BE GERMANE TO THE AGENDA BECAUSE IT MIGHT INFLUENCE A VOTE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. 
          YEP. 
          AND THEN AT THE END, OPEN-ENDED, WHICH CAN BE SOMETHING THAT IS NOT ON THE AGENDA THAT I WANT YOU TO CONSIDER FOR THE NEXT AGENDA OR YOU TALKED ABOUT IT DURING THIS MEETING AND I WANT TO RESPOND. 
          SURE. 
          I MEAN, I, I THINK GIVING THEM ADDITIONAL ACCESS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT IS A GOOD THING. 
          ANY OTHER THOUGHTS? SOMETIMES PEOPLE COME UP AND MAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT ARE ABOUT A PUBLIC EVENT OR SOMETHING THAT'S HAPPENING. 
          AND IF WE HAD A TWO HOUR MEETING, I WOULD WAIT FOR SOMEBODY TO HAVE TO WAIT TWO HOURS TO GET UP AND MAKE A ONE MINUTE COMMENT ABOUT A GOLF TOURNAMENT FOR A BENEVOLENT FUNDRAISING NEED. 
          I, I, THAT'S THE ONLY CONCERN. 
          I MEAN, TO THAT POINT, 
          [03:45:02]
UM, THE NAME, THE JUNETEENTH COMMITTEE CAME AND SPOKE JUST DURING THE FOUR MINUTES AND I WAS, I WAS WONDERING WHY THEY COULDN'T HAVE HAD A SPOT ON THE AGENDA INSTEAD. 
          I DON'T BELIEVE THEY MADE A REQUEST. 
          NO. 
          OKAY. 
          YEAH. 
          UM, AND THAT OCCURS QUITE A BIT WITH FOLKS. 
          THEY HAD, THEY'VE GOT THAT FOUR MINUTES AND THEY MAY HAVE JUST DECIDED, HEY, WE WANT TO GET ON THE AGENDA OR WE WANT TO BE AT THE MEETING REAL QUICK. 
          SO AT THAT TIME, ANYONE CAN COME AND HAVE THEIR, THEIR FOUR MINUTES. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          I DON'T THINK IT'S BAD TO HAVE A DOUBLE, A DOUBLE DIPPING OPPORTUNITY. 
          WELL THE ONLY THING, AGAIN, LIKE, LIKE DANA SAID, YOU GOT PEOPLE THAT'S GOING TO SIT IN THERE FOR TWO HOURS OR EVER HOW LONG THE MEETING LASTS TO GET UP AND SAY ABOUT THEIR GOLF TOURNAMENT. 
          YOU KNOW, I, THAT'S THE DOWNSIDE OF IT. 
          BUT THE, I THINK COULD BE SEEN AS LIKE A, WE DON'T REALLY WANT TO HEAR YOU, SO YOU GOTTA WAIT TILL THE END. 
          I MEAN YOU CAN ALWAYS PETITION. 
          I MEAN YOU CAN ALWAYS REQUEST TO BE ON THE AGENDA, RIGHT. 
          TO DO A PRESENTATION. 
          SO IF YOU HAVE AN EVENT, YOU SUBMIT THE REQUEST TO BE ON THE AGENDA, IT'S A FIVE MINUTE SPOT THAT SAYS HERE'S THE EVENT. 
          OR IS THERE A WAY THAT WE COULD SAY THAT IN THE BEGINNING OF THE NEXT FEW MEETINGS TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT THEY CAN REQUEST TO BE ON THE AGENDA AND THEN JUST MAKE EVERYBODY AWARE OF THAT THIS IS HOW WE DO IT. 
          THAT THAT'S, THAT THAT'S WHAT'S COMING. 
          WE SHOULD HAVE A, A FORM THAT IF A NONPROFIT OR SOMEBODY THAT'S HOSTING A GOLF TOURNAMENT ALSO HAVE PUBLICITY, THEY COULD HAVE A FORM THAT COULD FILL OUT, IT COULD BE ANNOUNCED AT A MEETING. 
          COLLEEN COULD PUT IT ON CITY TV THREE. 
          WE JUST HAVE TO HAVE SOME CORRECT PARAMETERS AND GUIDELINES. 
          'CAUSE I KNOW THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS THAT YOU CAN'T, YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO ADVERTISE LIKE BUSINESSES ON PUBLIC TELEVISION TO THIS. 
          I MEAN, TO THIS POINT, IF WE'RE GONNA REVISE THE PUBLIC COMMENT POLICY, AND I DON'T KNOW IF, I MEAN WHAT YOU NEED FOR DIRECTION, IF WE'RE ALL IN FAVOR OF THE, OR MAYBE WE WANNA FLESH IT OUT MORE. 
          UM, BUT WHEN WE DO THAT, IF, IF WE COULD ADD IN UM, YOU KNOW, PROHIBITING SIGNS DEMONSTRATIVES, UM, THERE'S BEEN RECENT COURTS APPEALS CASES ON THAT POINT, UM, THAT I THINK WE COULD GET OUT AHEAD OF, I MEAN A LOT OF THIS, SCOTT, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, A LOT OF THIS IS, IF YOU READ THE VERBIAGE, IT'S A LOT LEFT UP TO THE MAYOR'S DISCRETION. 
          THAT'S RIGHT. 
          AND YOU KNOW, THERE'S TIMES I KNOW THAT MY PREDECESSOR WAS, HE STEPPED OUTTA THE ROOM, BUT HE WAS PRETTY LENIENT AS WELL. 
          I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S EVER BEEN A TOPIC SINCE I'VE BEEN ON BOARD SINCE 2013 WHERE WE'VE LIMITED A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SAME SUBJECT TO HAVING ONE SPEAKER. 
          IT'S IN HERE. 
          WE COULD DO IT, BUT I DON'T THINK WE'VE EVER DONE IT. 
          NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE. 
          SO YOU'RE SAYING JUST REMOVE THAT AND THERE MAY COME A TIME IN THE FUTURE JUST LIKE THE TAXI CAB SITUATION WHERE WE'RE GONNA WISH IT WAS IN THERE IF IT'S NOT MM-HMM . 
          BUT SO ON, ON THIS. 
          WHAT, WHAT'S THE FEELING OF THE BOARD? I THINK IT THAT IT'S A SOLID IDEA, BUT I THINK WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD VERBALIZE IT SEVERAL MONTHS IN A ROW. 
          OKAY. 
          SO, SO STARTING WITH UM, THE APRIL AGENDA, WE WILL ADD A PUBLIC COMMENT PETITION OF CITIZENS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING WHERE IT IS NOW THAT'S GERMANE TO THE AGENDA ITEMS. AND THEN THERE WILL BE ANOTHER ONE AT THE END OF THE BOARD WON'T SIT BEFORE OR AFTER NEW BUSINESS. 
          I WOULD RECOMMEND BEFORE NEW BUSINESS, IF SOMEBODY SAYS SOMETHING AND YOU WANT A REBUTTAL, TECHNICALLY WE DON'T GET TO GO BACK AND FORTH, BUT THAT WOULD GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY SOMETHING. 
          SO IS ANYBODY OPPOSED TO THAT? STARTING THAT IN APRIL? STARTING UNDER, WE JUST GONNA BE LOOKING AT THAT PROCESS THEN IT BE KNOWN TO THE CITIZENS. 
          WELL YOU'RE SAYING, YOU'RE SAYING START IT IN APRIL, BUT FROM JANUARY APRIL STARTED OUR MEETING, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GONNA START DOING. 
          CORRECT. 
          YEAH. 
          AND THEN ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO REACH OUT TO THEIR ALDERMAN INSTEAD OF DEPENDING ON THE PUBLIC COMMENT TO BRING UP ISSUES. 
          CORRECT. 
          THAT'S GONNA PUT THOSE CITIZENS AT THE END OF THAT MEETING CORRECT. 
          TO BRING UP THOSE TOPICS. 
          IF IT'S NOT, IF IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA. 
          IF IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA. 
          SO WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE IN HAVE LETTING THEM HAVE THE FOUR MINUTES AND BRING THAT FORTH 
          [03:50:01]
JUST LIKE WE CURRENTLY HAVE IT. 
          WHY, WHY WOULD WE WANT TO CHANGE THAT? I MEAN, YOU ARE, YOU'RE PUTTING THAT CITIZENS LIKE UH, UH, DANA SAID, YOU KNOW, YOU, WE SOMETIMES, AND ESPECIALLY NOW WITH THE ONE MEETING A MONTH, WE HAVE LONG AGENDAS. 
          YOU GOT CITIZENS THAT'S GONNA BE SITTING THERE FOR A LONG TIME TO BRING UP ITEMS THAT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA THAT THEY WANT TO DISCUSS. 
          SO IF THEY FILL OUT THE PETITION FORM, THEY GOT THEIR FOUR MINUTES, THEY CAN GET OUT. 
          IF THEY WANT TO LEAVE, THEY CAN LEAVE. 
          THAT'S JUST MY PREFERENCE. 
          OKAY. 
          ANYONE ELSE? ALRIGHT, SO I GUESS WE'LL WAIT ON IT AND SEE. 
          YEAH, I MEAN IT'S KIND OF LIKE A RISK IN THE PERCEPTION OF HOW PEOPLE WILL TAKE THAT. 
          SO ARE WE SAYING WE WISH WANNA KEEP IT THE SAME OR ARE WE SAYING GIVE DIRECTION TO DRAFT A, A NEW POLICY THAT SHOWS THIS, ANNOUNCE IT TO FOLKS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE IMPLEMENTING IN APRIL? I, I JUST, I I'LL SAY THIS, WHEN WHEN YOU HAVE, AGAIN ONE MEETING MONTH ROBUST AGENDAS WITH A LOT OF TOPICS AND YOU HAVE SOMEBODY THAT WANTS TO COME, THAT WANTS TO TALK ABOUT A ISSUE THAT THEY HAVE WITH THE TAX COLLECTION OFFICE THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CITY OF UBER. 
          SO NOW WE'RE GIVING THEM FOUR MINUTES TO TALK ABOUT THINGS THAT WE HAVE NO PURVIEW OR CONTROL OVER AND IT SETS THE TONE FOR THE REST OF THE MEETING WHEN THAT COULD BE DISCUSSED AT THE END OF THE MEETINGS FOR US TO TELL 'EM AT THE END THE MEETING, WE CAN'T CONTROL IT 'CAUSE THEY DON'T LISTEN TO US AT THE BEGIN THE MEETING. 
          WHAT'S, I MEAN, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE ON DOING IT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING OR DOING IT AT THE END OF THE MEETING OTHER THAN THE CUSTOMER HAS TO SIT THERE THE WHOLE MEETING. 
          I MEAN AND THAT'S HOW THE COUNTY'S DOING IT. 
          THEY'RE HAVING, IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING ON THE AGENDA, YOU TALK UNDER REQUEST AND OF THE CITIZENS AND IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING OTHER THAN THE AGENDA ITEM, IS THAT THE END OF THE MEETING OR ISN'T THE, I MEAN, ISN'T THE CONCERN YOU HAVE A CITIZEN THAT GETS UP, UM, AT THE BEGINNING OF A MEETING AND IS TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA AND THEN IT GETS DERAILED WHERE THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT AN ISSUE. 
          THE CITY MANAGER OR THE ATTORNEY'S GOT THE WEIGH IN OR DEPARTMENT HEAD WHO HAPPENS TO BE SITTING THERE ALSO HAS TO WEIGH IN AND IT PROLONGS US GETTING TO THE BUSINESS. 
          CORRECT. 
          WHEREAS IF THOSE ISSUES WERE PUT TOWARDS THE END AND THEY GET BROUGHT UP, WE, I MEAN IT GETS, IT GETS THE DEPARTMENT HEADS OUT QUICKER ONCE THEIR BUSINESS IS DONE AND THEN ALLOWS ADDITIONAL TIME AT THE END TO ENGAGE IF NEED BE RATHER THAN PROLONG THE MEETING, THE, THE, THE NECESSARY ELEMENTS OF THE MEETING UNNECESSARILY. 
          THAT'S WHAT WE'RE THERE FOR, TO REPRESENT OUR CITIZENS. 
          WHETHER IT TAKES TWO HOURS OR FIVE HOURS. 
          I THINK THE ISSUE IS WITH SOME PEOPLE WE'RE WE'RE IN THIS POSITION 24 7, 365 AND SOME OF OUR CITIZENS FEEL LIKE THE ONLY TIME THEY CAN ACCESS THIS AND MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE MAYBE THAT'S THE WAY THEY FEEL. 
          MAYBE THAT'S THE RESPONSE THEY'VE GOTTEN. 
          THEY TRY TO ACCESS THEIR REPRESENTATIVE AND THEY HAVEN'T GOT A RESPONSE. 
          SO THEREFORE THEY COME TO THE MEETING AND SPEND THAT FOUR MINUTES TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING. 
          I MEAN, HOW OFTEN TIMES HAS SOMEBODY STOOD UP AND SAID SOMETHING AND WE LOOK AT STAFF AND STAFF'S TAKING CARE OF THE NEXT DAY AND IT'S DONE OVER WITH. 
          I MEAN THERE ARE SOME ISSUES. 
          SURE THERE ARE SOME THAT, YOU KNOW, RECURRING ISSUES THAT HAPPEN MONTH AFTER MONTH THAT PEOPLE COME THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY PURVIEW OVER, THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO TO HELP 'EM. 
          UM, BUT AGAIN, THEY'RE, IT'S THEIR CHOICE TO SPEND THEIR TIME TO COME TALK ABOUT A SUBJECT WHEN WE TOLD 'EM THAT WE CAN'T HELP 'EM. 
          SO IT'S, IT'S UP TO THEM ON WHETHER THEY WANT TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS OR NOT. 
          BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I MEAN, I'M NOT LOSING SLEEP OVER ISSUE, BUT I, I THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD IMPROVEMENT OF THE FLOW OF THE MEETING. 
          BUT ARE YOU SAYING IT'S GONNA BE A GOOD IMPROVEMENT? WHAT'S THAT MS WAY? ARE YOU SAYING IT'S GONNA BE A GOOD IMPROVEMENT HAVING THE PETITION AND THEN ALSO AT THE END OF THE MEETING AS WELL? CORRECT. 
          BECAUSE YOU STATE THE BOARD STATES FOCUSED ON THE AGENDA AND THE TASK AT HAND VERSUS SOMEBODY COMING IN WITH SOME WILD CARD ISSUE THAT NOBODY KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT AND NOW EVERYBODY'S IN A FRENZY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT WHILE WE'RE TRYING TO WORK THROUGH THE 15 ENGINE ITEMS THAT CITIZEN RIGHT. 
          THEY HAVE THOSE FOUR MINUTES SO THEY CAN GET THROUGH IT WITHIN THAT FOUR MINUTES. 
          I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT. 
          DOING IT AT THE BUT KEEPING IT AT THE BEGINNING. 
          YEAH. 
          AS IT AS IT IS. 
          BUT TREY, WERE YOU SAYING THAT IF IT'S MORE AT THE END THAT WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE LEEWAY TO ENGAGE? I MEAN, I WOULD THINK SO. 
          'CAUSE I I JUST THINK FROM A, FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF WHEN YOU'RE, WHEN WE'RE SITTING UP THERE AND YOU HAVE SOME OF THE OFF THE WALL ISSUES THAT WE WANT TO HELP ON IT CAN I, I MEAN WE'VE SEEN IT, WE'VE SUSPENDED THE RULES, WE'VE ENGAGED IN BACK AND FORTH. 
          WE'VE GOT DEPARTMENT HEADS ANSWERING WITH, I MEAN, AND IF IT DERAILS, I MEAN YOU CAN HAVE A FOUR MINUTE PERIOD GO INTO 30, 40 MINUTES. 
          UM, IF 
          [03:55:01]
THAT ISSUE IS TOWARDS THE END, WE'RE ABLE TO, I I THINK ONCE WE'RE DONE WITH BUSINESS WE CAN SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE'RE GONNA CONNECT. 
          WE'RE GONNA CONNECT ON THIS ISSUE OR WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS IT OR HAVE IT IN TIME TO BE ABLE TO PUT ON THE AGENDA FOR THE NEXT MEETING. 
          I I JUST THINK THAT GET THE BUS, WHAT WE'RE THERE TO DO, THE AGENDA ITEMS, GET THAT STUFF OUT OF THE WAY AND THEN IF THESE NEW ISSUES COME UP AT THE END, IT, IT PUTS THE HEAT OFF OF US TO SAY, WELL I'M GONNA RUSH THROUGH THIS ISSUE. 
          IT GIVES US A LITTLE MORE TIME TO TRY TO ENGAGE WITH THEM AT THE END. 
          UM, IT'S JUST FROM MY EXPERIENCE, REGARDLESS OF THE PLACEMENT, I STILL WANT SOME, I WOULD LIKE SOMETHING IN THERE NO SIGNS OR DEMONSTRATIVES. 
          I PERSONALLY LIKE TO SEE IT AT THE END BECAUSE AGAIN, BEING A NEW PERSON UP THERE AND TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT JUST HAPPENED OR SOMEBODY IS TALKING, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE TALKING DURING THE SAME TIME. 
          SO, UM, IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM OR A ISSUE AT THE END OF THE, YOU PROBABLY HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME BECAUSE A LOT, A LOT OF TIME, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY LEFT. 
          SO THAT MIGHT BE A BETTER TIME TO HAVE IT. 
          BUT ONE MORE IF WE WENT, I MEAN, OR JUST A QUESTION. 
          IF WE WENT TO THE PROPOSAL AND THE SPEAKERS, UNLESS IT WAS A NON-SPECIFIC AGENDA, I HAD TO WAIT TWO HOURS PER END OF IT. 
          AND AS PEOPLE WILL DO, THEY WATER SEEKS THE SLOWEST LEVEL. 
          UM, A PERSON COMES UP THE NEXT MEETING, WANT TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE SAME THING. 
          AND, AND, AND ON THE AGENDA IS CLEAN MONUMENTS AT CEDAR GROVE AND, AND THE PERSON GETS UP AND SPEAKS FOR THIR FOR 10 SECONDS ABOUT CLEANING MONUMENTS AT CEDAR GROVE AND IMMEDIATELY GOES OFF INTO THEIR, THEIR PERSONAL AGENDA ITEM. 
          UH, IS THE ATTORNEY OR THE MAYOR OR THE SERGEANT IN ARMS TO POLICE WHO IS GOING TO CALL THIS PERSON DOWN AND TELL THEM THAT THEY HAVE A NON-SPECIFIC ITEM THAT THEY HAVE BROUGHT UP AND THEY WILL NEED TO SIT DOWN AND WAIT TILL THEY THE MEETING. 
          I MEAN, HOW IS, I'M JUST WONDERING ABOUT THE PROCESS HERE. 
          SURE. 
          I MEAN RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A ABSOLUTE FOUR MINUTE LIMIT AND THAT'S IT. 
          CUT AND DRY. 
          UM, SOMEBODY'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE THE ARBITER OF DECISION MAKING AS TO IF THE PERSON IS TALKING ABOUT AN AGENDA ITEMS OR NOT. 
          THAT'S WHAT, I GUESS THAT'S GONNA BE THE MAYOR'S CALL. 
          RIGHT. 
          AND THE MAYOR'S GONNA HAVE TO SOUND THE GAVEL AND TELL A PERSON TO SIT DOWN FROM, AND I CAN SEE SOMEBODY GETTING UP AND DOING THAT TALKING FOR 10 SECONDS ABOUT CLEANING MONUMENTS AND CEDAR GROVE AND THEN GOING OFF INTO THEIR DEAL SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO WAIT TWO HOURS. 
          WELL THEY TIME PUT ON THEM TOO. 
          WELL FOUR MINUTES FOR THEM AS WELL. 
          BUT UM, I DO THINK THAT FOR, IF YOU'VE DONE THIS BEFORE, THE CITY CLERK, THE CITY MANAGER AND THE MAYOR, THEY HAVE A YOUNGEST JOB OF GETTING THIS MEETING READY. 
          AND PARTICULARLY SHE HAS A TREMENDOUS JOB OF PULLING STUFF, PUTTING STUFF ON THEM. 
          THIS CAN'T BE DONE THIS WEEK. 
          THIS CAN, YOU GOTTA RESEARCH ALL THAT. 
          IF YOU CAN'T RESEARCH, YOU GOTTA GET THESE PEOPLE THEY CAN PULL BACK AND GIVE. 
          YOU GOT ALL THAT ON YOU AND THEN THE MAYOR GETS SUB MANAGER AND THEY GET IT ALL FIGURED OUT. 
          AND I PER, I JUST THINK FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS, WHEREVER THE WELL PLEASURE OF MAYOR IS KIND OF SHOULD BE THE WAY THESE TYPE ITEMS WERE HANDLED, I DIDN'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT AT THE FIRST PART OF MEETING. 
          IF, IF THE PRESENT MAYOR AND FUTURE MAYORS WANT TO DO IT AT END, I FULLY SUPPORT A MAYOR THAT'S IN OFFICE AS TO WHAT THEY WANT TO DO ABOUT I I DID NOT HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT BEING DONE AT FIRST ONE MEETING, BUT WHICH BEGS THE QUESTION, UH, BACK, I THINK DURING THE MAYOR BAY THERE, WE, WE DID NOT HAVE ANY TIME LIMIT AND THEN WE FINALLY PUT THE TIME LIMIT ON IT DURING MAYOR. 
          BUT, AND OF COURSE THAT I THINK THAT TENT WAS IN TANDEM WITH THE, WITH THE COUNTY AND OF COURSE EVERYBODY WAS UPSET THAT THEY WERE BEING LIMITED TO THAT TOWN PERIOD. 
          THAT'S THE KIND OF HISTORY OF IT. 
          OKAY. 
          LET'S JUST LEAVE IT THE WAY IT IS. 
          LET'S MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ISSUE. 
          WELL I THINK THAT THAT  WE SHOULD HAVE A SHOW OF HANDS WHO WANT TO CHANGE IT OR KEEP IT THE WAY IT IS THOUGH. 
          OKAY. 
          WELL I THINK THAT WE, WE ALL I'M GONNA DO, WE ALL DISCUSSING THIS. 
          YEAH, I'M GONNA QUALIFY MY SHOW OF HANDS. 
          IF WE HAVE ONE, I'M GONNA DO IT. 
          'CAUSE I THINK THE MAYOR WANTS TO DO IT. 
          IF, IF I WERE HERE 15 YEARS FROM NOW AND THAT THAT MAYOR WANTS SAID THE FIRST PART, I'D GO WITH THE MAYOR THEN. 
          BECAUSE I THINK IT'S THE MAYOR'S ONE HAS TO RUN THESE MEETINGS AND IT, 
          [04:00:01]
I THINK THEY SAID DECISION MAKING ABOUT THE ORDER OF THE BUSINESS. 
          I THINK, YEAH, I THINK ALL OF US ALL SAID US HAS, HAS THE RIGHT SAY WHAT WE WANT TO SAY AND TALK ABOUT WHAT WE NEED TO SAY. 
          IT'S JUST NOT THE MAYOR'S. 
          RIGHT. 
          SO WHAT AM I SITTING HERE FOR? IF I DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO DISCUSS SOMETHING OR IMPLEMENT SOMETHING, I FULLY RESPECT THAT POSITION. 
          I SERIOUSLY, I DO I RESPECT YOU ON THAT AND I RESPECT YOURS AS WELL. 
          SO I WOULD, I WOULD JUST, UH, GIVE, I MEAN I'M WITH THE MAYOR, SO WHO, WHO ELSE SHOW HANDS IS WHERE THE MAYOR ARE. 
          I, IF THE MAYOR WANTS IT ALL, I'LL CERTAINLY GO FOR IT. 
          WE'LL, WE'LL GIVE IT A TRY. 
          YOU'RE WITH HIM? I'M WITH HIM. 
          OKAY. 
          ANYBODY ELSE WITH THE MAYOR? NOT THAT I'M IN CHARGE HERE, BUT OLD HEAVEN DIE HARD. 
          RIGHT. 
          I I MEAN, AGAIN, I, I'VE ALREADY, I MEAN, SAID WHAT I THOUGHT. 
          I THINK GIVING TWICE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS, AND I KNOW THERE ARE THINGS, I MEAN I HAVE SAT OUT THERE IN THE AUDIENCE AND THINGS THAT COME UP ON THE AGENDA THAT PEOPLE WANT TO COMMENT ON. 
          AND SO HAVING A SECOND PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AT THE END SO THEY CAN GET UP AND COMMENT ON SOMETHING THAT JUST HAPPENED. 
          UM, AND I THINK IF, IF THAT WERE THE CASE, I THINK YOU COULD, WE, WE COULD SEE SOME CHANGES IF SOMETHING GETS IDENTIFIED IN A MEETING AND WE SAY, OKAY, WELL WAIT A SECOND, LET'S GO BACK AND ADDRESS THAT. 
          OR YOU KNOW, WHAT, WE'RE GONNA ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM THE NEXT AGENDA. 
          SO I I I THINK HAVING A PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AT THE BEGINNING, WHICH GERMANE TO THE AGENDA ITEMS AND THEN A SECOND PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR ANY AND ALL ISSUES AT THE END OF THE MEETING OR BEFORE NEW BUSINESS ALONG WITH A ADDRESSING SIGNS AND DEMONSTRATIVES. 
          I THINK THAT'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE AS A POLICY CHANGE. 
          YEAH. 
          AND I THINK IT'S JUST IMPORTANT TO LET PEOPLE KNOW AND GET THEM INTO THE HABIT OF REACHING OUT TO THEIR ALDERMAN INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR THE NO, I AGREE WITH THAT. 
          I THINK IF YOU ANNOUNCE THAT THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING STARTING IN APRIL AND ENCOURAGE FOLKS, CALL YOUR ALDERMAN, UM, FIRST, I MEAN THAT'S YOUR, AND REALLY YOU'RE GONNA GET BETTER SERVICE THAT WAY. 
          ABSOLUTELY. 
          RIGHT. 
          SO IS THAT SOMETHING THAT, I MEAN CITY MANAGER DRAFT SCOTT DRAFTS? WE'LL WORK WITH THE CITY MANAGER. 
          YEAH. 
          WE'LL BE DRAFTING ON THE AGENDA AND, AND AGAIN, YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR MIND BETWEEN NOW AND THEN THE DIRECTION. 
          SAY GET IT ON THE AGENDA WITH AN EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE APRIL MEETING AND THEN YOU CAN TAKE IT UP OR NOT IN FEBRUARY. 
          ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. 
          OKAY. 
          WITH THE SIGN, WITH THE SIGNED ISSUE RESTED AS WELL. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          ANYTHING ELSE? ALL RIGHT, MAYOR, IT'S LUNCHTIME NOW. 
          OKAY. 
          CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO BREAK FOR LUNCH? UH, THE SECOND MOTION, A SECOND FURTHER DISCUSSION. 
          ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. 
          AYE. 
          OPPOSED? WE ARE RECESS LUNCH. 
          OKAY. 
          IT IS ONE 20 AND WE ARE BACK IN SESSION. 
          UH, MR. HUGHES, WHERE ARE WE AT? OKAY, WE'RE GONNA START BACK UP AND WE'RE GONNA DISCUSS THE CHOICE NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVE GRANT UPDATE. 
          WE'VE GOT REGINALD BARNER, WHO IS GONNA BE, UH, ZOOMING IN IN JUST A SECOND TO GIVE US AN UPDATE ON WHAT THE STATUS IS. 
          WE'RE, WE'RE EXCITED THAT THE, UH, UH, NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY WAS RELEASED A FEW WEEKS AGO. 
          AND SO, UM, GIE IS GOING TO GIVE US A FULL UPDATE ON WHERE THINGS ARE AND HOW THE MEETINGS HAVE GONE TODAY. 
          HEY RIDGE, CAN YOU HEAR US? I CAN HEAR YOU. 
          CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          HELLO EVERYBODY. 
          UH, THANK YOU FOR GIVING US AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE YOU, GIVE YOU AN UPDATE. 
          UH, CURRENTLY WE'RE IN THE PROCESS, UH, OF HAVING, UM, COMMITTEE MEETINGS BETWEEN OUR DEVELOPMENT, UH, CONSULTANT, UH, RELATED TO THE APPLICATION PROCESS. 
          UH, JUST FOR YOUR INFORMATION, THE APPLICATION IS DUE, UH, MARCH 9TH. 
          OUR GOAL IS TO COMPLETE THE APPLICATION BY MARCH 5TH. 
          INTERNALLY, GIVE US A FEW DAYS TO REVIEW IT, AND THEN WE CAN SUBMIT, UH, BE READY TO SUBMIT THE APPLICATION BY THE NINTH. 
          THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF FUNDING THAT IS AVAILABLE NATIONWIDE IS 75 MILLION. 
          GENERALLY IN THE YEARS PAST, IT'S BEEN ABOUT 150 MILLION THAT'S AVAILABLE. 
          UH, GENERALLY APPLICANTS CAN APPLY UP TO GENERALLY BETWEEN 35 AND 50 MILLION IN THOSE APPLICATION POOLS BECAUSE THE, UH, APPLICATION POOL IS, IS MUCH SMALLER. 
          UH, SO 75 MILLION IS THE ONLY AMOUNT THAT IS AVAILABLE AT THAT TIME. 
          CUT EXPECTS TO MAKE FOUR AWARDS. 
          SO, UH, THE MAX THAT YOU CAN APPLY FOR IS 25 20 6 MILLION. 
          SO WE WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA BE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THAT 15 AND $25 MILLION APPLICATION, UH, NUMBER. 
          AND SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE STAND FROM THE APPLICATION STANDPOINT. 
          UH, AS PART 
          [04:05:01]
OF THAT PROCESS, UH, THE CITY AND NEW HOUSING AUTHORITY, UH, AS PREVIOUS, PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED WITH YOU ALL, UH, WE'LL BE SERVING AS CO-APPLICANT WITH THE CITY, SERVING AS THE LEAD APPLICANT. 
          UH, RIGHT NOW WE ARE WORKING IN JESSICA BREW, UH, IS, UH, SERVING AS THE MAIN POINT OF CONTACT FROM STAFF STANDPOINT, AND SHE'S BEEN ENGAGED IN OUR DISCUSSIONS THUS FAR. 
          AND SO THOSE ARE GOING, GOING PRETTY WELL. 
          UM, THERE ARE THREE COMPONENTS WITHIN THIS APPLICATION. 
          THERE'S A PEOPLE, UH, LEAD COMPONENT. 
          THERE'S A NEIGHBORHOOD OR LEAD COMPONENT, AND THEN THERE'S A HOUSING LEAD COMPONENT. 
          WE'RE CONTRACTING WITH TWO OUTSIDE FIRMS THAT SPECIALIZE, UH, IN, UM, CNI WORK, UH, AROUND THE COUNTRY. 
          USI, UH, WILL HELP US SERVICE THE PEOPLE LEAD THAT IS THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND WORKING WITH, UH, JOB TRAINING, EDUCATION, UM, ALL SOCIAL SERVICES TYPE PROGRAMS. UM, THEY'LL HELP LEAD THAT ASPECT FOR US. 
          UH, H HR IS THE GROUP THAT WE HAVE, UH, CONTRACTED WITH TO BE OUR DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT. 
          I MEAN, OUR DEVELOPMENT PARTNER AS WE REBUILD, UH, THE UNITS THAT, UH, WE'LL WE'LL FOCUS ON WHEN WE DO THE DEMOLITION OF TR COURT AND FOCUS IN THAT AREA. 
          AND SO, HRI OUT OF NEW ORLEANS, UH, THEY WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING TO REDEVELOP, UH, AFTER KATRINA. 
          AND SO WE WE'RE PARTNERING WITH THEM. 
          AND THEN THE NEWMAN HOUSE AND GARDEN WAS SERVICE AND NEIGHBORHOOD LEAD, UH, LOCALLY, UH, HELPING TO FACILITATE THE PLAN, UH, UNDER THE NEIGHBORHOOD LEAD, UM, AS PART OF OUR PROCESS, PART OF OUR PROCESS FOR REDEVELOPMENT AS PART OF OUR APPLICATION. 
          THE THREE HOUSES THAT WE PURCHASED FROM YOU ALL, UH, TWO OF THOSE ARE OCCUPIED. 
          WE HAVE ONE MORE THAT WE'LL FINISH. 
          SO AS PART OF OUR 218 UNITS, UH, OF UNITS LOST ULTIMATELY, UH, 108 WAS LOST DURING, DURING THE, UH, UH, HURRICANE FLORENCE. 
          AND THEN WE'LL DEMOLISH THE REMAINING 110 AS WE GO THROUGH THIS C AND I PROCESS ONCE THE AWARD, UH, HAS BEEN GIVEN, UH, BUT THREE OF THOSE UNITS WE USING AS PART OF THAT TWO 18, UH, THE THREE HOUSES THAT WE, WE PURCHASED FROM THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION. 
          SO THAT'LL TAKE THAT NUMBER DOWN, UH, BY THREE UNITS. 
          UH, WE'RE HAPPY TO REPORT AS PART OF OUR CNI PROCESS AND APPLICATION. 
          UH, WE WENT THROUGH THE LAST MONTH OF DECEMBER, HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD, UH, AND WE HAVE AGREED TO, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THEM A LETTER OF INTENT TO PURCHASE THE F OR DENNIS SCHOOL. 
          I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION, BUT WE SUBMITTED A FINAL, UH, OFFER. 
          WE MODIFIED OUR OFFER IN THE SCHOOL BOARD, ACCEPTED THAT OFFER AT THEIR LAST MEETING. 
          WE'VE ALSO SUBMITTED A LETTER OF INTENT, UH, AS PART OF THE DAY'S INSIGHT THAT YOU ALL OWN, THAT WILL BE A PART OF THE REDEVELOPMENT. 
          WE SUBMITTED A LETTER OF INTENT TO HABITAT, UH, AS WELL. 
          AND HABITAT BOARD HAS ACCEPTED OUR LETTER OF INTENT TO PURCHASE THEIR BUILDING AS PART OF CNI, UH, AS, AS WELL. 
          UH, AS PART OF WHAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON COLLECTIVELY OVER THE NEXT, UH, FEW WEEKS, UH, AND NEED THE CITY'S, UH, FULL SUPPORT AND BE ON BOARD IS WE'RE GONNA NEED TO BE WORKING WITH, UM, LOCAL AGENCIES IN THE COMMUNITY. 
          AS YOU ALL KNOW, UH, WE'RE GONNA BE UTILIZING, UH, THE, THE, UH, FUNDS THAT WE WILL OBTAIN FROM FEMA AS PART OF OUR LEVERAGE, BUT WE ALSO WILL NEED, UM, FROM A LOCAL COMMUNITY AS WELL AS THE CITY. 
          AND WE'LL BE PROVIDING THAT INFORMATION TO YOU ALL IN DETAIL OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. 
          UH, WE WILL NEED LEVERAGE LETTERS, UH, TO GO ALONG WITH THAT. 
          SO AS THE MAYOR, FOSTER KNOWS THAT IN ORDER FOR US TO BE COMPETITIVE, UH, WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO BRING AND LEVERAGE LOCAL RESOURCES, UH, AS WELL. 
          AND SO I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT CDBG FUNDS PREVIOUSLY, OR OTHER FUNDING THAT MAY COME AVAILABLE, UH, FROM THE CITY WILL USE THE VALUE OF THE LAND, UH, THAT IS AVAILABLE. 
          THAT'S COMING FROM, THAT YOU ALL WOULD BRING TO THE TABLE AS IT RELATES TO THE, UH, UM, DAYS INSIGHT. 
          SO, WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE A LOT OF, UH, LEVERAGING THAT WILL BE NEEDED IN ORDER TO FACILITATE THIS APPLICATION. 
          UH, AND SO WE'LL BE BRINGING THOSE LETTERS OF SUPPORT AND COMMITMENT, UH, TO YOU ALL OVER THE NEXT, NEXT FEW WEEKS. 
          SO, UH, FOSTER MAYOR, I'LL STOP THERE AND, UH, ENTERTAIN ANY, ANY QUESTION. 
          GOOD JOB. 
          THE ONLY QUESTION I HAVE IS OBVIOUSLY THE AMOUNT THAT'S AVAILABLE IS LESS THAN WE HAD HOPED FOR, UH, BUT IT'S MORE THAN WHAT WE THOUGHT 
          [04:10:01]
WE MIGHT BE GETTING. 
          SO IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT A, A, A TERRIBLE SITUATION. 
          BUT WHAT ARE YOUR SORT OF PLAN B OR YOUR BACKUP PLAN, UH, KNOWING THAT WE WOULD NOT BE GETTING THE FULL AMOUNT LIKE WE HAD HOPED TO GET FROM THE CNI ASPECT? DO YOU HAVE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO, TO REPLACE SOME HOUSING BEING AS FUNNY IS NOT GONNA BE WHAT YOU THOUGHT? YEAH, SO WHEN YOU REALLY LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, UH, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, AND THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. 
          I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM ALL UNDERSTAND THIS. 
          WHEN WE LOOK AT A MASTER PLAN FOR REDEVELOPMENT, WE'RE LOOKING PRIMARILY RIGHT NOW AT THREE TO MAYBE FOUR SITES. 
          AND WHEN I SAY FOUR, UH, WE, WE WANT TO LOOK AT, UM, SOME OF THE PROPERTY THAT'S OWNED BY THE REDEVELOPMENT CONDITION. 
          A COUPLE LOTS TO BUILD SOME LARGER BEDROOM SIZED UNITS, LIKE FOUR BEDROOM UNITS ON SOME OF THOSE INFIELD LOTS AS IT RELATES TO THE, UH, THE OTHER REDEVELOPMENT PLANS. 
          UH, WE'LL FOCUS ON TR COURT, UM, DEMOLITION AND REDEVELOPMENT, , THE DAYS IN, AND WE'LL FOCUS ON, UM, UH, THE WEST STREET SCHOOL SITE. 
          SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THOSE THREE DIFFERENT SITES, UH, THE FUNDING THAT WE WILL BE LEVERAGING THAT HASN'T REALLY BEEN TALKED ABOUT, THAT GOES INTO THESE REDEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IS APPLYING TO THE NORTH CAROLINA HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY TO GET LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT FUNDS TO GO TO THIS. 
          SO THE ONE THING THAT I THINK EVERYBODY NEEDS TO FOCUS ON IS THAT THESE ARE MIXED INCOME MIXED USE DEVELOPMENTS. 
          AND SO WHEN I SAY THAT WE ARE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT FOCUSING ON INDIVIDUALS AT 80% OF A MI UP BELOW, WHICH IS THE AREA MEDIA INCOME, WE'RE GONNA FOCUS ON PEOPLE AT 80% TO A HUNDRED PERCENT OF A MI AND THEN WE'LL BE FOCUSING ON MARKET RATE UNITS AS WELL. 
          SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THAT, UH, AND THE MAYOR TALKED ABOUT THE FUNDING, ALL OF THAT WILL BE LEVERAGED. 
          SO WHEN WE GO TO THE BANK, LET'S SAY ON MARKET RATE UNITS, WE'RE TALKING TO A BANK ABOUT, UH, BUILDING MARKET RATE UNITS. 
          WELL, THE LEVERAGE THAT WE HAVE WHEN YOU HAVE OTHER FUNDING THAT'S COMING, WHETHER IT'S TAX CREDITS, WHETHER IT'S  MONEY, WHETHER IT'S LOW INCOME HEALTH AND TAX CREDITS, ALL OF THAT HELP US TO LEVERAGE THE RESOURCES THAT'S NEEDED. 
          SO I, I STILL FEEL COMFORTABLE, UH, IN THAT 15 MILLION TO PLUS RANGE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THE DESIRES THAT WE WANT. 
          BECAUSE WHEN WE LOOK AT THE TOTAL NUMBER, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 397 TO 418 UNITS BEING BILLED BACK, UH, WHEN WE TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE LEVERAGING OF LOCAL RESOURCES, THE GRANT FUNDS THAT WE CAN GET, THE TAX CREDIT, UH, INVESTMENT FUNDS THAT WE CAN GET, AND OTHER POTENTIAL FUNDING THAT ARE, THAT ARE AVAILABLE THAT WE REALLY HAVEN'T EVEN TALKED ABOUT. 
          UH, THE NEW MARKET TAX CREDITS, UH, UH, ALLOCATION JUST CAME OUT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY A COUPLE WEEKS AGO. 
          AND, UH, THERE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT WERE RELEASED, UH, NATIONWIDE TO ORGANIZATIONS THAT CAN HELP REDEVELOPMENT. 
          SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE COMMERCIAL SPACE ON THE DAYS INSIGHT, WE'LL BE TALKING TO NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE A NEW MARKET TAX CREDIT ALLOCATION TO SEE WHAT TYPE OF, UH, UH, FUNDING THAT WE CAN GET FOR SOME TYPE OF MARKET. 
          AND WHEN I SAY MARKET, I KNOW PEOPLE TALK ABOUT A GROCERY STORE, BUT WE HAVE TO BE REALISTIC. 
          WE'RE PROBABLY LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE A, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, DOLLAR GENERAL MARKET TYPE OF, UH, OF ENVIRONMENT, NOT A FULL SERVICE, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. 
          SO, SO THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS, MAYOR, THAT WE'RE GONNA BE LEVERAGING. 
          AND THOSE ARE FUNDS THAT WE'VE NOT EVEN TALKED ABOUT. 
          FEDERAL HOME LOAN BANK OF ATLANTA, UH, YOU KNOW, HAS 10% OF ALL OF THE REVENUE THAT'S GENERATED BY FEDERAL HOME LOAN BANK HAS TO GO BACK TO GRANTS AND, AND PROGRAMS. AND SO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE'LL BE APPLYING AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS TO ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THEM, THROUGH OUR LOCAL BANK PARTNERS TO ACCESS THOSE FUNDS. 
          SO I, I FEEL PRETTY GOOD ABOUT WHERE WE ARE AND WHERE WE'LL GO. 
          THANK YOU, MR. VARNER. 
          WHAT, UH, WHAT IS THE REASON BEHIND, 'CAUSE I KNOW INITIALLY WE WERE TALKING ABOUT ANYWHERE FROM 35 TO $50 MILLION, SO WHAT CAUSED A DECREASE IN BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT? YEAH, THE FUNDING IS JUST THAT CONGRESS HAS NOT ALLOCATED, UH, THROUGH THE PRESIDENT'S BUDGET. 
          AND CONGRESS HAS, HAS NOT ALLOCATED ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDS, UH, EVEN CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW, YOU ALL KNOW WE'RE WORKING FEDERALLY UNDER A CONTINUED RESOLUTION. 
          SO THESE ARE FUNDS THAT WERE AVAILABLE FROM THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION. 
          UH, NO BUDGET HAS BEEN APPROVED UNDER, UH, THE NEW ADMINISTRATION, BUT EVEN RIGHT NOW UNDER THE NEW ADMINISTRATION'S BUDGET, UH, THERE'S A ZERO LINE ITEM FOR 
          [04:15:01]
CNI. 
          AND SO HUD DIDN'T WAIT ON A NEW BUDGET TO COME OUT. 
          THEY WENT ON AND USED THE FUNDS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO PUT ON THE STREET. 
          REGGIE, IS THE CNI GRANT A MATCHING GRANT? AND IF SO, WHAT IS THE EXPECTED MATCH THAT THE CITY IS GOING TO AGREE TO OR MAY NOT AGREE TO AS A CO-APPLICANT? YEAH, SO GENERALLY THE, THE LEVERAGING IS ABOUT 25% OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT. 
          UH, WE, WE ARE PLANNING, UH, ALDERMAN TO UTILIZE, UH, WE HAVE A UNIQUE SITUATION, UH, IN THE SENSE THAT, UH, THE FEMA FUNDS, UH, WHILE THEY GENERALLY SAY FEDERAL FUNDS CANNOT BE USED AS THE MATCH, THEY DON'T EXCLUDE, UH, THE FEMA FUNDS RIGHT NOW UNDER WHAT WE'VE READ IN THE  AS PART OF THAT. 
          SO BESIDES, UH, LOCAL FUNDS THAT THEY DO WANT TO SEE COMING FROM, UH, THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, UM, WE, WE PLAN TO UTILIZE THAT AS PART OF OUR JUSTIFICATION FOR MATCH. 
          BUT TO BE VERY CANDID, I'LL, I'LL HAVE MORE DETAILS OF A SPECIFIC REQUEST TO THE CITY, UH, AS IT RELATES TO THAT LETTER TO MATCH WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS. 
          THANK YOU. 
          SO AT THE, THE $26 MILLION GRANT APPLICATION WOULD EQUATE TO ABOUT A $6.5 MILLION CITY MAP, BUT THE GOAL WOULD BE TO USE THE FEMA FUNDS AS THE LOCAL MATCH FOR THAT? WELL, SO YES AND NO. 
          SO WHAT THE HUD WHEN THEY DO THEIR UNDERWRITING AND REVIEW, THEY'RE STILL GOING TO LOOK AT WHAT IS TRULY COMING FROM THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT. 
          SO THE FEMA FUNDS ARE COMING BECAUSE OF THE FLOOD, SO THEY STILL WILL COME BACK. 
          WE'RE GOING TO USE THAT AS OUR LEVERAGE. 
          BUT I DO WANT TO BE CLEAR, NOT MISSTATE TO ANYONE THAT UNDER HUD REVIEW IS STILL GONNA BE LOOKING FOR A LOCAL MATCH COMING FROM THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. 
          WHAT WE'LL DETERMINE WITH OUR CONSULTANT AND GRANT WRITER OVER THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS IS WHAT IS THAT LEVERAGE AMOUNT THAT WE ARE GONNA NEED TO COME BACK AND ASK FOR? AND CAN WE, AND REGGIE, I BELIEVE THAT THAT MATCH CAN INCLUDE INFRASTRUCTURE, LAND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT AS WELL. 
          CORRECT. 
          AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE, WE HAD LOOKED AT. 
          AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I ALLUDED TO WE, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE GET THE VALUE OF THE DAYS END PROPERTY, WE'RE GONNA USE THAT. 
          UH, FOSTER, YOU'RE CORRECT. 
          WHEN WE LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S A DETENTION POND OR ANYTHING THAT CAN SERVEE THIS PROJECT, ONCE AGAIN, TO YOUR POINT, WE'LL USE THAT AS THE MATCH AS WELL. 
          SO, UH, IT'S NOT JUST SPECIFIC TO, UH, VERTICAL CONSTRUCTION, IT'S THE HORIZONTAL INFRASTRUCTURE THAT CAN BE VALUED IN THAT MATCHES WELL AND IS, SO IF, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WITHIN THAT CNI AREA IMPROVEMENTS, COULD THAT'S, COULD THAT QUALIFY? THAT'S CORRECT. 
          YEAH, THAT'S CORRECT. 
          YES, SIR. 
          AND IT COULD INCLUDE, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING IN THE, YOU KNOW, PARTS AND RECS, ANY OF THOSE THINGS. 
          THE ONE THING I THINK, UM, TO KEEP YOU ALL TO, TO KEEP IN MIND IF THIS FUNDS THAT ARE ALREADY COMMITTED, THAT IS INVOLVED IN AN ACTIVE PROJECT RIGHT NOW, WE CANNOT INCLUDE AS THE MATCH. 
          SO IT HAS TO BE SOMETHING THAT'S PLANNED IN THE FUTURE, BUT NOT SOMETHING THAT'S CURRENTLY ONGOING. 
          ANY MORE QUESTIONS? OKAY, REGGIE, I'M NOT HERE ANYMORE. 
          QUESTIONS. 
          I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. 
          SAFE TRAVELS BACK. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU ALL. 
          WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ON THIS PROJECT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          OKAY, NOW WE'VE GOT RETAIL STRATEGIES. 
          HE'S GOT JOSHUA DAVIS, HE'S OUR REPRESENTATIVE, AND HE'S GONNA GIVE US AN UPDATE ON, ON THE ACTIVITIES THAT THEY HAVE BEEN, UH, DOING FOR THE CITY. 
          HI, JOSHUA. 
          CAN YOU HEAR US? I CAN. 
          CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN. 
          UH, CAN YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE ON HOW THINGS ARE GOING AND WHAT YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON? I, LETS SEE IF I CAN GO AHEAD AND SHARE THIS TEAM REAL QUICK. 
          LET'S SEE. 
          WE HAD YOU . 
          LET'S SEE, 
          [04:20:04]
ONE SECOND. 
          WHILE HE IS GETTING READY, I WILL LET YOU KNOW THAT, UM, IN 2025, WE, WE ACTUALLY SAW 27 NEW BUSINESSES OPEN IN NEW, AND THAT RANGE FROM RETAIL TO RESTAURANTS TO THE MOST RECENT HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS, UH, KOHL'S, UH, OPENED UP AS WELL. 
          UM, SO WE'RE, WE'RE PLEASED WITH, WITH WHAT WE'VE SEEN AND HOW THE ECONOMY HAS DEFINITELY BEEN OVER, OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO A, A BRIGHTER FUTURE AS WELL. 
          UM, CAN I, YOU GUYS SEE? YEP, WE CAN SEE IT. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          WELL, FIRST AND FOREMOST, THANK YOU GUYS FOR LETTING US JOIN TODAY. 
          UM, AS THE SPONSOR MENTIONED, I JOSHUA DAVIS. 
          I SERVED AS PORTFOLIO DIRECTOR FROM RETAIL STRATEGIES FOR THE CITY OF NEW BERN. 
          UM, AS HE ALSO MENTIONED, WE, WE STARTED OUR PARTNERSHIP, UH, WITH YOU GUYS BACK IN 2024. 
          WE'RE CURRENTLY, UM, IN YEAR TWO OF OUR PARTNERSHIP, UM, WE PRETTY MUCH SERVE AT THE EXTENSION OF, OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM, UM, THROUGH A RETAIL RECRUITMENT. 
          SO, UM, ANY, ANY VACANT LAND, UM, INLINE SPACE, ANY VACANCIES, UM, UNDERDEVELOPED, UM, KNOW LAND, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, UNDERPERFORMING PROPERTIES. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, WITH, WITH OUR CONNECTIONS WITH OUR RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE IN HOUSE, UM, THE CONNECTIONS THAT WE'VE CREATED OVER TIME. 
          WE, WE'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS NOW ON THE STRATEGY SIDE FOR ALMOST 15 YEARS. 
          UM, TRY TO 10 THOSE IMPROVEMENT EFFORTS IN DIFFERENT MUNICIPALITIES THAT WE WORK IN. 
          WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT, UM, ON THE CITY'S BEHALF NOW FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS, MORE THAN TWO YEARS OR TWO. 
          BUT TODAY WE'LL JUST BE, UM, AN OVERVIEW OF, OF OUR WORK, UM, JUST KIND OF WANT SPEAK HIGH LEVEL ABOUT NEW THINGS. 
          UM, AND WE WILL, WE'LL TALK ABOUT CERTAIN RETAILERS THAT WE HAVE, HAVE GOTTEN THE MOST TRACTION ON, UM, IN, IN THE FIRST TWO YEARS. 
          UM, SO DIFFERENT RETAILERS SEE ON THE SCREEN RIGHT NOW, AGAIN, WE, WE, WE HAVE AN EXTENSIVE RANGE OF DIFFERENT RETAILERS THAT WE, UM, SPEAK TO ON, ON A DAILY BASIS, MONTHLY BASIS, UM, QUARTERLY AT DIFFERENT TRADE SHOWS. 
          UM, A LOT OF THE GUYS THAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN RIGHT NOW, YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY HAVE IN IN CITY LANES. 
          UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, WITH, WITH OUR TECHNOLOGIES AND OUR, OUR CONNECTIONS, WE TRY TO SEE WHERE'S THE VOID, UM, THAT THAT'S IN THE MARKET, UM, AS IT STANDS TODAY. 
          UM, DIFFERENT RETAIL TYPES OF FULL SERVICE RESTAURANTS, UH, DIFFERENT GROCERY OPTIONS, UH, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE. 
          WE TRY TO SEE WHERE, WHERE CAN WE TAP INTO SOME OF THOSE, THOSE, UH, YOU KNOW, OPPORTUNITIES TO SEE IF WE CAN LAND SOME OF THOSE INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS. 
          UM, AGAIN, IT COULD BE A SITUATION TO WHERE A LOT OF THESE GUYS ARE, ARE PRIVY TO THE MARKET AND WE ALREADY KNOW ABOUT THE OR, UM, MADE A LEFT WITH A BAD TA JUST DEPENDING ON DIFFERENT PROPERTY OWNERS. 
          UM, BUT WE DO EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER IF IT'S A, A SITUATION WHERE IT'S A WIN-WIN TO BRING THOSE GUYS BACK TO THE TABLE. 
          UM, WE'LL TALK ABOUT A FEW OF THOSE, UM, HERE IN A SECOND. 
          BUT, UM, LEFT SIDE OF THE SCREEN IS THE, THE GUYS WE HAVE CONNECTIONS WITH ON, ON THE RETAIL SIDE, RIGHT SIDE OF SCREEN IS, IS DIFFERENT, UM, INDUSTRY INVOLVEMENTS. 
          WE HAVE, UM, I-C-S-E-B BEING OUR FLAGSHIP, UM, SHOW THAT WE GO TO ON LONG TRADE SHOW THAT WE GO TO ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. 
          UM, ICSE LAS VEGAS IS OUR, OUR FLAGSHIP SHOW THAT WE GO TO EVERY YEAR IN MAY. 
          UM, AND WE GO TO, UM, ICSE CAROLINES, WHICH IS PRETTY MUCH OUR BACKYARD, WHERE WE'RE TALKING TO DIFFERENT RETAILERS, UM, DEVELOPERS, DIFFERENT BROKERS TO SEE HOW CAN WE, UM, YOU KNOW, GET THEM TO DO RETAIL DEVELOPMENT INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS IN NEW BERN. 
          SO AGAIN, JUST JUST AN OVERVIEW OF, OF HOW, HOW IT GOES FROM YEAR TO YEAR. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH MUNICIPALITIES FOR OVER SOME, FOR OVER 15 YEARS. 
          UM, AGAIN, WE'RE IN YEAR TWO NOW, UM, WITH THE CITY OF NEWBURN. 
          BUT YEAR ONE, WE, WE TRY OUR BEST TO CREATE A TRUST-BASED RELATIONSHIP WITH DIFFERENT PROPERTY OWNERS, UM, YOU KNOW, ANALYZING DIFFERENT CORRIDORS, WHETHER IT'S MLK, GLEN BURN NEW BOULEVARD, UM, SEE WHERE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES EXIST. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR TEAM WILL FOSTERING THE TEAM HAS DONE A GREAT JOB OF PUTTING US IN CONTACT OR GIVING PROPERTY OWNERS, UM, THAT'S WILLING TO DO BUSINESS WITH US. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, MAINTAIN MARKET. 
          WE'VE GOT A CHANCE TO CONNECT WITH DIFFERENT GUYS WHO MAY, UM, AFFILIATED WITH UNDERPERFORMING, UM, RETAILERS IN THE, IN THE AREA. 
          UM, TRYING TO SEE HOW CAN WE BACK THROUGH SOME OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES. 
          SO WE CREATE ALL THAT, THAT ENERGY AND, UM, I, YOU KNOW, DEVELOP DIFFERENT PROSPECTS IN YEAR ONE. 
          YEAR TWO IS WHERE WE PUT, YOU KNOW, WE COUPLE THOSE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, EFFORTS THAT WE DONE YEAR ONE INTO YEAR TWO, UM, SEE HOW CAN WE  THAT NEXT YEAR, THREE WHERE WE GENERALLY SEE THE MOST SUCCESS IN DIFFERENT RETAIL STARTING TO OPEN ON OUR BEHALF. 
          SO AGAIN, WE, FROM, FROM THIS SLIDE, FROM THE NEXT PROBABLY FIVE SLIDES, UH, WE'LL TALK ABOUT KIND OF OUR, OUR PROCESS, UM, AND WE'LL KIND OF ANALYZE YOUR TRADE AREA FROM A, A, A WIDE RANGE POINT OF VIEW. 
          SO WHEN WE FIRST STARTED, WE LOOK AT, AS I MENTIONED, UH, DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT, UH, PROPERTIES THAT WE WANT TO BE AWARE OF AND WE WANT TO TAP INTO. 
          UM, YOU GUYS HAVE A LOT OF RETAILERS ALREADY IN THE MARKET, UH, BUT THERE'S STILL AREAS IN THE MARKET THAT COULD BE, UM, BETTER SERVED. 
          [04:25:01]
SO WHETHER IT'S VACANCIES, UM, YOU KNOW, REDEVELOP OPPORTUNITIES, WE, WE'VE KIND OF CATALOGED, UM, ALL THOSE, UM, AREAS THAT WE SEE POTENTIAL GROWTH IN. 
          UM, WE TRY TO COUPLE THAT WITH DIFFERENT RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS, DIFFERENT ROOFTOPS THAT MAY BE COMING ON BOARD, UM, SEE, SEE DIFFERENT TAPESTRIES AS FAR AS EDUCATION THE SAME. 
          AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE, THE RETAIL TYPES THAT HAS THE MOST LEAKAGE. 
          UM, HOW MANY DOLLARS ARE LEAVING THE NEWBURN CUSTOMIZED TRAY AREA. 
          UM, WE WOULD CREATE PROSPECT LISTING, WE COUPLE WITH THAT TO SEE IF IT IS THE BEST CASE SCENARIO FOR DIFFERENT PROPERTIES THAT WE'VE ALREADY CATALOG. 
          AGAIN, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE NOTHING WITHOUT KEEPING A PULSE ON THE MARKET. 
          UM, WE HAVE A NEW SOFTWARE THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE WHEN WE FIRST STARTED A PARTNERSHIP WITH NEWBURN, BUT IT CAN TELL US, UM, FROM A A POINT OF VIEW AS TO HOW DIFFERENT RETAILS ARE PERFORMING IN THE NEWBURN MARKET. 
          UM, SO USUALLY WE WILL, WE WILL PULL THIS INFORMATION AND WE CAN SEE HOW THE LOW OF THE WALMART IS PERFORMING. 
          UM, WE JUST KIND OF WANNA TAKE A DIFFERENT APPROACH IN THE NEW BURN MARKET, CONSIDERING THAT YOU GUYS ALREADY HAVE SOME OF THOSE OPTIONS, UM, AT YOUR DISPOSAL. 
          BUT IT'S STILL IMPORTANT TO SEE, YOU KNOW, HOW SOME OF THOSE, UM, BUSINESSES ARE OPERATING. 
          SO IN THE NEWBURN MARKET, WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT, WE'RE, WE'RE BASING THIS OFF, UM, THE GREENVILLE, NEWBURY AND WASHINGTON, DMA, UH, SO IN, IN NEWBERG MARKET SOUTH, THE NUMBER ONE LOWS, WHICH EQUALS TO ALMOST HALF A MILLION, UM, ANNUAL ESTIMATED VISITORS. 
          UH, WHICH IS IMPORTANT FOR US BECAUSE IF YOU GUYS ARE ALREADY DRIVING SO MUCH TRAFFIC, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH GETTING THOSE GAS COMING OFF THE LK DRIVING FROM DIFFERENT PARTS, UH, THAT AREA, UM, IS TAP INTO THE NEW BIRD MARKET. 
          THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR US BECAUSE WE CAN USE THAT  WE DATA TO SUPPORT SOME OF THE DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, UNDEVELOPED LAND VACANCIES OPPORTUNITIES IN THE MARKET, UH, WITH SOME OF THE GUYS WHO MAY BE GENERAL MERCHANDISERS IN THE RETAIL SECTOR, UH, FULL SERVICE, UH, RESTAURANTS, SOME OF THOSE SMALL SHOPS, UH, YOU KNOW, ASK TO SEE, HEY, HOW, HOW CAN WE TAKE THIS DATA TO SUPPORT IN, UH, NEWER FUTURE DEVELOPMENT? SO THIS IS JUST THE LOWS. 
          WE ALSO HAVE THE, THE HARRIS TIER, UH, WHICH IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ROOFTOPS, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FAMILIES. 
          UM, SO YOU KIND OF WANNA KNOW HOW TO GO THE GROCERY STORE FOR ME, UM, ESPECIALLY THE ONES THAT ARE IN GROCERY CENTERS, UM, LIKE YOU OR ANCHOR CENTERS, UM, LIKE THE ONE YOU GUYS HAVE, UM, OFF MK RIGHT NEXT TO THE ACADEMY. 
          SO SOME, A A LOT OF THE, THE, THE RETAILERS IN YOU MARKET ARE PERFORMING EXCEPTIONALLY WELL. 
          UM, YOU, THE CHICK-FIL-A OFF MY MLK IS ONE OUT OF NINE, UM, IN THAT AT WASHINGTON, UM, GREENVILLE, UM, NEWBERG AREA. 
          SO THAT'S THE GREAT NEWS FOR US. 
          UM, AGAIN, WE'RE SHARING ALL THIS INFORMATION WITH DIFFERENT RETAILERS, UM, THAT WE TALK TO ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS. 
          UM, AGAIN, WE GO TO SOME OF THESE TRADE SHOWS. 
          UH, FOR GUYS WHO MAY NOT BE AWARE OF THE NEW BIRD MARKET, THIS INFORMATION IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. 
          SO, AGAIN, I KNOW I TALKED ABOUT TRADE AREA. 
          UM, USUALLY WE DON'T USE THE CITY LIMITS. 
          UM, I THINK YOU GUYS RIGHT NOW JUST AT THIS TO, BUT, UM, 20 25 1, 20 26, I THINK THE POPULATION IN NEWBURN, UM, IS RIGHT AT 34 EQUIPMENTS, 35,000. 
          UH, WE'D BE DOING YOU GUYS A DISSERVICE IF WE WERE TELLING DIFFERENT RETAILERS. 
          UM, THAT'S ALL THE, THE POPULATION THAT'S AT YOUR DISPOSAL. 
          UM, IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ALMOST 500 ANNUAL VISITORS TO SOME OF THEIR BIG BOXES, UM, THAT'S, THOSE ARE IN INDIVIDUALS IN CERTAIN POCKETS OF THE POPULATION. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, FROM FROM JACKSON TO WASHINGTON, FROM KINGSTON TO NEWPORT. 
          UM, THEY'RE TRAVELING DOWN  TO THE NEW MARKET TO SPEND, UM, SPEND THEIR MONEY, SPEND, SPEND THEIR TIME, UM, TO, TO GENERATE INCOME IN THE NEW BIRD MARKET. 
          SO WHEN WE ANALYZE THESE TRADE AREAS AND WE CREATE THESE CUSTOMIZED TRADE AREAS, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE SEEING THOSE NUMBERS AND WE'RE USING THOSE NUMBERS THAT ARE A LOT MORE INFLATED THAN WHAT YOU GUYS ARE SEEING FROM YOUR, YOU KNOW, MUNICIPAL BOUNDARIES OR THE CITY LIMITS, UM, TO GIVE THOSE THAT INFORMATION. 
          AGAIN, LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, SOME OF THE RETAILERS ARE LOOKING TO DO DEALS IN THE MARKET, UM, AND OBVIOUSLY YOU GUYS ARE GONNA SEE, YOU KNOW, IF, IF, UM, THE NEW BRAND MARKET CAN CONTINUE TO, TO CREATE, UM, CREATE WEALTH, CREATE, UM, GROWTH IN THE MARKET. 
          SO THOSE NUMBERS WILL CHANGE YOU OVER YEAR, WHICH IS WHY WE GIVE YOU GUYS AND GAIN YOU WITH THAT DEMOGRAPHICS PACKAGE, WHICH WE SHOULD BE PUBLISHING LATER THIS MONTH. 
          SO, YEAH, I KNOW I TALKED ABOUT A COUPLE DIFFERENT RETAILERS AND, UM, USUALLY IN A SETTING LIKE THIS WHERE WE HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, KIND OF, YOU KNOW, INDIVIDUALS THAT'S NOT, NOT NECESSARILY MAIN POINT CONTEXT, LIKE TO KEEP THINGS AS CONFIDENTIAL AS POSSIBLE. 
          UM, SO IF, IF IT'S A SITUATION TO WHERE IT WE PRESENT LIKE THIS, WE WANT BE REDACTED IN HOW WE, YOU KNOW, SAY, UM, HOW, HOW WE TALK ABOUT DIFFERENT PROPERTIES, HOW WE TALK ABOUT DIFFERENT RETAILERS, UM, TO, TO NOT CREATE DIFFERENT MARKET DISRUPTIONS. 
          UM, SO AGAIN, WE'RE, WE'RE CONTRACTING ON ANNUAL BASIS TO REACH OUT TO AT LEAST 30, UM, RETAILERS OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR. 
          UH, WE SUPERSEDE THAT NUMBER PROBABLY IN THE FIRST COUPLE MONTHS, YOU KNOW, AS YOU GO THROUGH, UH, 20 25, 20 26. 
          BUT WE, A NUMBER BASED THINGS OFF. 
          [04:30:01]
SO THESE ARE JUST A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT RETAIL TYPES THAT WE REACHED OUT TO WHEN WE FIRST STARTED OUR PARTNERSHIP. 
          UM, GENERALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, WE KIND OF HAVE A PULSE ON WHO'S GROWING THE FASTEST, AND I KIND OF PIGGYBACK OFF, UM, ONE OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO SPOKE BEFORE ME, HE NAME WAS REGGIE, UM, ABOUT DIFFERENT RETAIL TYPE. 
          IF YOU THINK ABOUT A GROCER, UH, THAT'S ONE TO DO BUSINESS IN, IN THE CITY OF NEWBURN, UM, HE'S GONNA LOOK AT HOW DIFFERENT GROCERS ARE PERFORMING. 
          WE'VE HAD DIFFERENT GROCERIES IN OUR PROSPECT LIST. 
          UH, WE FIRST STARTED OUR PARTNERSHIP. 
          UH, YOU GUYS HAVE GROCERIES THAT ARE PERFORMING ALLY WELL, BUT IF THERE WAS GONNA BE A SITUATION TO WHERE THOSE GUYS WANTED TO SEE A NEWER DEVELOPMENT COME IN TOWN, UM, THEY'RE GONNA NEED ABOUT 10 TO 12, UM, YOU KNOW, ACRES, ACRES OF, OF, OF LAND THEY'RE GONNA WANT, UH, IN KER, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH, WITH SOME OF THOSE, THOSE PROPERTIES. 
          UM, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE CASE FOR A MAJORITY OF THE GUYS IN THE NEW BURN MARKET. 
          UM, BUT THERE, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT SITUATIONS THAT WE SEE, AGAIN, WILL BE REDACTED WHEN WE SAY THIS, UM, FOR, FOR SOME OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO HAPPEN. 
          UM, SO, UH, SOME OF THOSE BROCHURES ARE, ARE, YOU KNOW, EXPANDING RIGHT NOW, BUT I THINK A LOT OF THE ONE YOU GUYS ALREADY HAVE IN THE MARKET, UM, OUR, SO WE, WE DON'T SEE A SITUATION TO WHERE WE'RE DUPLICATING THOSE IN EFFORTS. 
          UM, BUT I WILL TOUCH ON FULL SERVICE RESTAURANTS. 
          UM, AGAIN, I TALKED ABOUT THE LEADERS REPORT. 
          UM, YOU GUYS ARE SEEING ON, ON, ON AVERAGE, UM, A COUPLE MILLION DOLLARS LEAVING THE CUSTOMIZED TRADE AREA, WHO ARE GOING TO SPEND THEIR, THEIR DOLLARS ELSEWHERE, UM, IN THAT FULL SERVICE RESTAURANT CATEGORY. 
          UH, WE SEE IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE THAT'S, AGAIN, QUANTIFIED WITH THAT, AND WE CAN SHOW TO SUPPORT SOME OF THE GUYS WHO MAY BE INTERESTED IN DEVELOPING FULL SERVICE RESTAURANTS, UM, IN THE CITY LIMITS. 
          UH, SO ONE OF OUR, ONE OF OUR, UH, FREQUENT COMPANY IN ONE OF THESE RETAIL TYPES, FULL SERVICE RESTAURANT BEING THE CASE, UM, WE KIND OF BROUGHT BACK TO THE TABLE, UM, THEY WERE FAMILIAR WITH THE NEW BEAR MARKET. 
          UM, THEY, THEY WERE TRYING TO SEE IF THEY CAN DO DEALS, UM, IN, IN THIS TRADE AREA. 
          UM, SO WE ENGAGED THEM IN THE EARLY STAGES OF OUR PARTNERSHIP, UM, TO JUST KIND OF SEE IF WE CAN ASSEMBLE DIFFERENT PROPERTIES FOR THEM TO ANALYZE. 
          UM, MAINLY INITIALLY ON THE, ON THE PRIMARY CORRIDOR THAT MLK, UM, CORRIDOR ANALYZE DIFFERENT PROPERTIES ON THE NEWS BOULEVARD AS WELL. 
          UM, EVEN ON GLEN BURNEY, WHICH IS KIND OF A SECONDARY CORRIDOR IN TOWN. 
          UM, ANYTIME WE, WE HAVE A SITUATION TO WHERE WE'RE, WE'RE SEEING CERTAIN PROSPECTS INTERESTED, UM, IN, IN DIFFERENT MARKETS THAT WE WORK, IN THIS CASE NEWBURN, UH, WE SEE IT EQUALLY, EQUALLY AS IMPORTANT FOR THEM NOT TO JUST KNOW US, BUT TO KNOW THE GUYS WHO ARE BEHIND THE SCENES WHO ARE MAKING DECISIONS IN TOWN. 
          SO, UH, WE SAW THAT AS IMPORTANT TO, YOU KNOW, JUST TO EXPECT CONVERSATION. 
          WE HAVE A FEW CONVERSATIONS WITH, YOU KNOW, NOT, NOT ONLY OUR TEAM, BUT UM, YOUR TEAM AS WELL, UM, HAVE HAD A CHANCE FOR THEM TO COME TO THE MARKET, SEE SOME OF THE SITES THAT WE PUT ON THEIR RADAR IN PERSON. 
          UM, NOW THOSE GUYS ARE TRYING TO SEE IF THEY CAN, IF IT CAN BE A SITUATION TO WHERE IT FEASIBLE TO DO DEVELOPMENTS, UM, IN THIS HAPPEN. 
          SO THAT'S KIND OF SEEING DIVISION THROUGH, UM, AGAIN, WE, WE SEE THAT TRACTION HAPPEN IN YEAR IN YEAR ONE IN YEAR TWO. 
          UM, AND OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, THE, THE GOAL IS ALWAYS TO SEE THOSE REGISTERS OPEN DEVELOPMENTS, UM, MOVING, YOU KNOW, DEREK MOVING IN YEAR THREE, UM, AND WE JUST 10 X AND OVERTIME TO SEE SOME OF THOSE DOMINOES FALL IN DIFFERENT RETAIL TYPES BECAUSE OF THE BASIS THAT WERE CREATING YEAR ONE, YEAR TWO. 
          UM, SO JUST, JUST KIND OF LIKE A CASE STUDY OF, OF WHAT WE BEEN DOING YEAR ONE AND YEAR TWO, UM, BEING THE DIFFERENT RETAIL TYPES ON ON THE BOARD. 
          THAT'S JUST KIND, KIND ONE CASE STUDY WE WANT SHOW WITH YOU GUYS ON. 
          I KNOW WE'RE KIND OF ING TIME TODAY, BUT WE'D LOVE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. 
          UM, ANY COMMENTS THAT YOU ASKED WE HAVE ABOUT OUR PROCESS, DIFFERENT TRACTION THAT WE'VE GOT FROM DIFFERENT RETAILERS, UM, OR, OR ANYTHING THAT WE DISCUSSED TODAY? WHAT QUESTIONS DO YOU HAVE? SO WHEN, SO HAVE THERE BEEN ANY, UH, REQUESTS FOR CERTAIN, UH, RETAILERS OR RESTAURANTS HERE IN TOWN THAT THIS GENTLEMAN THEY CAN ACCOMMODATE US WITH ON SITE? I SAW OLIVE GARDEN UP HERE AS ONE. 
          THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING, YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU SAW, UH, A LIST OF A VARIETY OF BRANDS EARLIER. 
          YES, THEY HAVE BEEN REACHING OUT TO QUITE A FEW BRANDS. 
          OKAY. 
          UH, BRANDS THAT MAY, YOU MAY START SEEING IN, IN JACKSONVILLE AND OTHER, OTHER AREAS THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY REPRESENTATION, UH, FOR YET. 
          BUT YES, THEY'RE REACHING OUT TO THOSE FOLKS ON A REGULAR BASIS AND TALKING ABOUT THE PROPERTY THAT'S AVAILABLE IN NEWBURG. 
          UM, AND THEY HAVE PUT ME ONTO SEVERAL FOLKS AND I HAVE WEEKLY CONVERSATIONS WITH THOSE JUST TO KEEP NEWIN AT THE FOREFRONT. 
          UM, WE'VE HAD SEVERAL THAT HAVE COME AND VISITED US AND WE'VE GIVEN 'EM TOURS OF THE AREA. 
          UM, SO WE, WE WE'RE QUITE HOPEFUL ON A FEW BIG THINGS COMING VERY SOON. 
          UM, JOSHUA'S DONE A GREAT JOB. 
          HIM AND HIS TEAM HAS DONE A GREAT JOB OF 
          [04:35:01]
CONNECTING US WITH SEVERAL FOLKS AND, AND, UM, SO FAR WE'VE BEEN PLEASED. 
          AND I, AND ACTUALLY ALMAN FERGUSON ASKED ME, HE WAS ASKING ME ABOUT THE RETAIL STRATEGIES REALLY RIGHT AFTER YOU BECAME AN ALDERMAN. 
          UM, WHAT, WHAT IS GONNA BE THE TIPPING POINT ON WHETHER OR NOT I'M GONNA RECOMMEND, UH, CONTINUING THE RELATIONSHIP ON WITH THEM? AND I SAID, WELL, WE'RE WORKING ON SEVERAL PROJECTS RIGHT NOW, AND IF WE ACTUALLY END UP, UH, GETTING ONE OF THOSE, UH, PROPERTY IS PURCHASED, UH, FOR, FOR, UH, TO BUILD ONE OF THESE FACILITIES THAT, THAT SHOWS US RIGHT NOW THAT THEY, THEY'VE DONE THEIR JOB, PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN NEWBURN. 
          AND IT, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU COULD SEE A LOT OF THE NUMBERS, BUT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE NUMBERS WE SAW WITH LOWE'S, HOW LOWE'S, HARRIS TEETER IS OUTPERFORMING ANYONE IN OUR REGION, THAT THAT SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT VERY IMPRESSIVE. 
          YEAH. 
          WE, WE HAVE THAT DATA ON, ON ANY, ANY RETAILS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE IN THE MARKET, IF IT IS A NATIONAL BRAND. 
          UM, SO IF THERE IS ONE THAT YOU GUYS WANNA SEE IN PARTICULAR OF HOW THEY'RE PERFORMING, WHAT'S THEIR, THEIR PULSE ON THE MARKET, UH, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT, UM, YOU KNOW, TO, TO US DIRECTLY KIND OF, YOU KNOW, FOLLOW AND FOSTER, UM, IF YOU GUYS CAN, BUT JUST KIND OF WANT TO PULL TO THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT TODAY, UM, HIGH LEVEL, BUT WE, WE KIND OF GET INTO THE WEEDS WHEN WE'RE DIFFERENT. 
          WE'RE DEALING WITH DIFFERENT RETAIL TYPES, UM, DEPENDING ON WHAT DIFFERENT RETAILERS WE'RE TALKING TO AT THE TIME. 
          AND WE'RE GONNA GET YOU A COPY OF THIS PRESENTATION AS WELL TODAY. 
          PASTOR, LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION. 
          UM, WITH THE AMATE IS COMING TO NEW BERN THAT WE'RE GOING TO BUILD, HAS THERE BEEN ANY THOUGHTS OR QUESTION ABOUT ANY SUPPORTING RETAILS IN THAT AREA? WE TALKED ABOUT THE N NEW BOULEVARD CORRIDOR, BUT WE HAVE NOT SPECIFICALLY TALKED ABOUT THE AMPHITHEATER THAT COME INTO PLAY. 
          AND AND WE'LL DEFINITELY HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH JOSH AND HIS TEAM ABOUT THAT THOUGH. 
          YEAH, JUST, JUST REAL QUICK AND, YOU KNOW, USUALLY WHEN YOU SEE SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, ALONG THE LINES OF AN AMPHITHEATER, UM, YOU KIND OF WANT TO, YOU KNOW, KEEP THE, THE CULTURE OF, UH, HOMETOWN FEEL WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH SOMETHING LIKE THAT. 
          UM, WE'RE, WE'RE NATIONAL RETAILERS THROUGH AND THROUGH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, FOR THE MOST PART ALL OF OUR CONNECTIONS. 
          UM, BUT WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH, LET'S SAY, DOWNTOWN OR, UH, AMPHITHEATER, UM, YOU KIND OF WANNA SEE SOME OF THOSE REGIONAL GUYS, SOME OF THOSE LOCAL GUYS TO, YOU KNOW, 10 EXTENT PEEL OF, OF A DOWNTOWN OVER THE AMPHITHEATER. 
          UM, SO SAYING THAT WE ALSO HAVE DIFFERENT CONNECTIONS ON THE REGIONAL, THE LOCAL SIDE TO SEE SOME OF THE GUYS WHO MAY BE IN NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES WILL WANT TO BE A PART OF A, A DEVELOPMENT LIKE THAT. 
          IF YOU THINK ABOUT , YOU'RE GONNA HAVE, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE, COUPLE HUNDRED, UM, YOU KNOW, DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF MAYBE A THOUSAND INDIVIDUALS OVER THE COURSE OF, YOU KNOW, EVERY OTHER MONTH, WORK LOCAL, WHENEVER THERE'S A CONCERT, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, UM, WHEN THEY LEAVE, THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, A, SOME OF OPTIONS IN NEW BERN, UH, BUT YOU KIND OF WANNA HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S CLOSE TO WHERE THE AMPHITHEATER IS. 
          SO, UM, WHENEVER THAT PROJECT GETS OFF THE GROUND, THERE'S SITUATION TO WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN PROMOTE IT. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S HOW PARTIAL OR SOMETHING THAT CAN BE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE AMPHITHEATER, YOU KNOW, TO, YOU KNOW, TO COUPLE WITH THE APPEAL THAT THAT NEW DEVELOPMENT'S GONNA HAVE. 
          UM, THAT'S SOMETHING OUR TEAM CAN DO AS WELL. 
          HEY, JOSH, WHEN YOU'RE OUT, UM, REPRESENTING AND ESSENTIALLY SELLING NEW IN OUR COMMUNITY, WHAT, WHAT'S SOME OF THE, THE ROADBLOCKS OR SOME OF THE, YOU KNOW, NEGATIVE THINGS THAT YOU MAY BE HEARING THAT WE COULD ADDRESS? I I WOULDN'T SAY NEGATIVE. 
          I'LL BE, I'LL BE DOING YOU A DISSERVICE IF, YOU KNOW, I SAID I WAS, I WAS GETTING, YOU KNOW, NEGATIVE COMMENTS. 
          UM, SOME OF THE HURDLES ALLOWED, ORGANIZED INITIALLY, UM, HAD, WAS, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS, YOU KNOW, WHO HAVE PRIME REAL ESTATE IN NEW BERN, UM, THAT THEY, THEY WERE, THEY WERE STRUGGLING WITH, UM, SOME OF THOSE GUYS AGAIN, YOU KNOW, CONSIDERING OUR TRUST BASED RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE'VE HAD WITH THEM OVER THE COURSE OF A FEW YEARS. 
          DEALS THAT WE'VE GOTTEN DONE, UM, IN THE CAROLINAS, UH, WE, WE BROUGHT THEM BACK TO THE TABLE, UH, UH, SO THAT, THAT WAS A HURDLE INITIALLY, I WOULD SAY IS, IS HURDLE NOW. 
          UM, BUT ONE OF THE BIGGEST INCENTIVES, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, FOSTER AND THE TEAM HAS DONE EXCEPTIONALLY WELL ON IS THE BIGGEST INCENTIVE THAT SOME OF THESE GUYS, UM, CAN GET IS TO SAVE THEM THE MOST AMOUNT OF TIME THAT THEY CAN. 
          UM, NOT NECESSARILY A, A MONETARY INCENTIVE THAT THESE GUYS ARE LOOKING FOR, BUT IF IT IS 10 X AND PERMITS, UM, IF IT IS, YOU KNOW, GETTING ANYTHING APPROVED, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S, UH, NIGHT DAY TO WHAT A DIFFERENT MUNICIPALITY, UM, CAN DO. 
          THAT'S A HURDLE. 
          ANY DIFFERENT MUNICIPALITIES WE'VE GOT, WE, WE HAVEN'T GOT THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, CONSENSUS WITH A LOT OF OUR PROSPECTS JUST YET. 
          UM, SO, SO NOT NOT NECESSARILY MANY NEGATIVE OPINIONS OR THOUGHTS THAT WE'VE GOT, UM, JUST, JUST ON MORE SO, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THESE GUYS HAVE SAID THEY, THEY DEALT WITH IN NEWBURN, IT'S NOT THAT THEY'RE NOT REALLY DEALING WITH IN OTHER MUNICIPALITIES. 
          I THINK ONE OTHER THING THAT WE'VE, 
          [04:40:01]
JOSH AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT PREVIOUSLY IS IT SEEMS LIKE EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE ON MLK, AND MLK HAS A FINITE AMOUNT OF PROPERTY. 
          UM, AND SO REALLY TRYING TO PUSH THE BENEFITS OF GLEN BURNEY NOOSE BOULEVARD, UH, AS EQUALLY ATTRACTIVE. 
          AND SO THEY'VE DEFINITELY BEEN WORKING ON THAT FOR US AS WELL. 
          AND THEN OF COURSE, WHEN THE 43 CONNECTOR OPENS, HOPEFULLY WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO, UM, THAT OPENS UP A HOLE OF THE RETAIL CORRIDOR OF FOR US HUNDRED PERCENT. 
          AND I'LL SAY THAT YOU UNIQUE THING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, OUR PARTNERSHIP AND INSTRUCTION THAT WE GET, THAT WE GET, UM, IF YOU THINK ABOUT A COURT ON LIKE MLK, YOU MAY THINK THAT IT IS, AND I I WILL AGREE, JUST, JUST, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, BASIC THIS OFF OF DIFFERENT COURT, IF WE DEAL WITH CAROLINAS, UM, THAT IT IS BUILT OUT, THERE'S NO ROOM, THERE'S, THERE'S NO ROOM FOR NEW DEVELOPMENT. 
          UM, BUT THE BREAD AND BUTTER OF WHAT WE DO IS ALL MARKET SITES. 
          UM, SO IF, IF THERE'S AN UNDERPERFORMING RESTAURANT THAT YOU GUYS MAY BE AWARE OF, THAT, THAT MAY HAVE FALLEN THROUGH CRACKS OF WHAT WE'RE ALREADY ANALYZING, UM, THAT'S BREAD AND BUTTER. 
          THAT'S, THAT'S GREAT NEWS FOR US BECAUSE WE CAN GET THAT TO SOME OF THE RESTAURANTS, UM, OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, WHATEVER THE RETAIL TYPE IS, UM, YOU KNOW, IN THEIR LAP AHEAD OF TIME BEFORE IT HITS THE MARKET, BEFORE IT GETS ON THE LOOP. 
          , YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, GRAB OUT BROKER OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE. 
          UM, SO THEY CAN ANALYZE, THEY CAN GET IN FRONT OF THEIR REAL ESTATE COMMITTEE, UM, THEY CAN MAKE A TRUST BASED DECISION ON IT, UM, BEFORE IT IS, YOU KNOW, RAN THROUGH BY 10, 15, 20 DIFFERENT GROUPS. 
          UM, THEY, THEY HAVE THEIR DIFFERENT OPINIONS ON IT. 
          UM, THEY, THEY'RE, THEY'RE LOWERING, LOWERING THE MARKET VALUE ON A A CERTAIN SITE, WHATEVER CASE MAY BE, IF WE CAN GET THAT INFORMATION, YOU KNOW, SIX MONTHS, SEVEN MONTHS AHEAD OF TIME TO SEE HOW THOSE RESTAURANTS ARE PERFORMING, THAT'S, THAT'S GREAT NEWS FOR US. 
          AND THAT'S, THAT'S OUR BREAD AND BUTTER. 
          THE ONLY ONE DIFFERENT COURT WAS LIKE A, A LAMB BRAND OR, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A TON OF OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE CAN, THAT WE CAN, UM, YOU KNOW, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT WE HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF, UM, THAT WE'VE GOTTEN, YOU KNOW, IN FROM DIFFERENT DEVELOPMENT GROUPS THAT ARE MAKING DECISIONS ON THOSE PROPERTIES, UM, TO SEE IF WE CAN, YOU KNOW, TAKE SOME OF THAT ENERGY THAT MLK IS GETTING, UM, KIND OF GENERATE THAT ON SOME OF THOSE SECONDARY CORRIDORS. 
          ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ANYONE HAS? JOSH, THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          ABSOLUTELY. 
          WELL, WE APPRECIATE IT. 
          IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, YOU KNOW, AFTER YOU CONCLUDED THAT, FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT, UM, TO ME AND MY TEAM. 
          ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          ALRIGHT, SO WE'RE GOING TO, TO, TO MOVE ON TO THE RENU LAND USE UPDATE. 
          UM, OUR CONSULTANT WAS GONNA BE MAKING A PRESENTATION WITH THAT. 
          WE HAD THAT ACTUALLY PLANNED FOR 12 NOON TODAY. 
          UH, BUT SINCE WE GOT BEHIND A LITTLE BIT, UH, HE, HE'S BUSY THIS AFTERNOON, SO JESSICA'S GONNA GIVE US A BRIEF UPDATE ON THAT. 
          SURE. 
          COME ON UP, . 
          SORRY YOU DON'T GET LISTENED TO CHAD. 
          I KNOW THAT IS USUALLY THE HIGHLIGHT OF MEETINGS. 
          HE'S THAT, BUT YOU GET ME INSTEAD. 
          UM, SCOTT DID AN AWESOME JOB THIS MORNING VERY SIMPLY EXPLAINING THE CHALLENGE THAT WE'RE FACING WITH THIS PROJECT, RIGHT? SO, UH, JUST A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE'RE DOING. 
          HAVE A LAND USE ORDINANCE THAT INCLUDES ALL THINGS THAT HAVE TO DO WITH LAND DEVELOPMENT THAT FALL UNDER ONE 60 B FOR THE NEW FOLKS. 
          ONE 60 B IS A SECTION OF THE STATE STATUTES THAT REGULATES, UH, ALL LAND USE PLANNING. 
          THINGS THAT YOU WOULD THINK MIGHT FALL UNDER THAT, THAT DON'T MINIMUM HOUSING, SOME BUILDING THINGS AND BUILDING CODES ALL SEPARATE AND FLOOD IS SEPARATE. 
          FLOOD IS HANDLED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND, AND THE STATE GOVERNMENT AND US HAVE VERY LITTLE TO DO OR ANY IMPACT OR ANY INFLUENCE OVER CHANGING THOSE FLOOD RULES. 
          SO THOSE THINGS ASIDE, IN OUR ORNAMENTS IN THE CITY OF NEW BERN, WE HAVE ALL OF THESE COLLECTIONS OF LAND USE REGULATIONS, WHICH ARE LAW LOCAL LAWS LIKE STATE. 
          UH, SCOTT WAS EXPLAINING EARLIER AND THEY OVER TIME ALL GOT PUT TOGETHER AND PUT IN A SECTION OF THE, THE, UM, CITY CODE CALLED APPENDIX A. 
          SO WHEN WE SAY LAND USE ORDINANCE, I'M TALKING ABOUT ANYTHING THAT EXISTS RIGHT NOW IN APPENDIX A OF THE CITY OF NEW CODE ORDINANCES. 
          AND TYPICALLY, UH, THESE LAWS ARE ALL IN ONE PLACE. 
          THEY KIND OF WORK TOGETHER AND VERY TYPICAL THAT THEY GET UPDATED ABOUT EVERY 10 YEARS AND MOST JURISDICTIONS AND THROUGH TIME, UH, THE CITY OF NEW BERN HAS MADE AMENDMENTS AND REORGANIZED AND DONE SECTIONS OF THIS CODE OF LAND USE ORDINANCES, BUT NEVER DONE A HOLISTIC REWRITE REORGANIZE IT. 
          WHEN I SAY WE'RE REWRITING THE ORDINANCE, I DON'T MEAN WE'RE REWRITING THE ENTIRE, EVERY SINGLE RULE THAT HAS TO DO WITH LAND JUICE IN THE CITY OF NEW BRAND. 
          THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. 
          UM, BUT 
          [04:45:01]
WE ARE DOING A HOLISTIC REORGANIZATION OF IT BECAUSE IT'S REALLY NEEDED AND IT'S REALLY NEEDED REALLY BADLY AND IT'S REALLY NEEDED VERY BADLY FOR SOME OF THE REASONS AND THE THINGS THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS MORNING. 
          LIKE THERE'S SOME INCONSISTENCIES. 
          THINGS TAKE A LONG TIME. 
          SOMETIMES THINGS ARE UNPREDICTABLE AND QUITE HONESTLY IT'S BEEN AMENDED SO MANY TIMES IN SOME PLACES IT TELLS YOU YOU CAN DO SOMETHING IN ONE SECTION AND IN ANOTHER PLACE IT DOESN'T. 
          AND SO SOMETIMES THAT DOES SLOW THINGS DOWN A LITTLE BIT AND IT REQUIRES FAR MORE INTERACTION OF MY STAFF WITH OUR CITY ATTORNEYS THAN I OR ANY OF YOU WOULD LIKE. 
          ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS LACKING IN OUR LAND USE ORDINANCE RIGHT NOW IS ACTUALLY ADOPTED PROCESSES FOR DEVELOPMENT. 
          THIS IS WEIRD, IN FACT, THEY WEREN'T WRITTEN DOWN ANYWHERE, ANY PLACE WHEN I CAME HERE, WHICH WAS THREE, THREE YEARS AGO. 
          THIS WEEK IS BY ANNIVERSARY OF HOW LONG I'VE BEEN HERE ACTUALLY. 
          SO WE KIND OF WROTE THEM AND WE WROTE THEM BASED ON, ON BEST PRACTICES. 
          AND BEST PRACTICES ARE DIFFERENT ANYWHERE YOU GO. 
          AND, AND BEST PRACTICES IN RALEIGH ARE GONNA BE DIFFERENT THAN BEST PRACTICES IN NEW BERN ARE OR BEST PRACTICES ARE AT THE BEACH. 
          WE WANT TO HAVE DEVELOPMENT PROCESSES WRITTEN OUT VERY CLEARLY IN OUR ORDINANCE THAT ARE APPLIED THE SAME TO EVERYONE. 
          AND IF YOU DON'T FOLLOW 'EM, THEN YOU'RE BREAKING THE LAW RIGHT NOW. 
          WE DON'T HAVE THAT LUXURY, SO WE'RE KIND OF DOING THE BEST WE CAN WITH THAT. 
          NOTHING ILLEGAL. 
          IT IS PREFERRED THAT THESE THINGS ARE WRITTEN UP. 
          WE ALSO WANT THEM TO BE MORE EFFICIENT. 
          THERE ARE SOME INEFFICIENCIES BUILT INTO OUR LAND USE ORDINANCE RIGHT NOW THAT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW. 
          THERE ARE DEFINITIONS IN THERE THAT ARE VERY ANTIQUATED. 
          THERE'S LINGERING LANGUAGE AND LINGERING PROCESSES, UM, AND LINGERING STYLES OF USES THAT JUST ARE NO LONGER USED MOST PLACES. 
          AND SO WE, WE PRESENTED ALL THIS INFORMATION ABOUT TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO. 
          IT WAS GONNA BE AN EXPENSIVE PROJECT. 
          WE TOOK IT TO YOU ALL. 
          WE SAID, DO YOU AGREE THAT IT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST THAT NOW IS THE TIME THAT WE UPDATE THIS? EVERYONE AGREED. 
          WE WENT THROUGH SIX MONTH PROCESS TO INTERVIEW CONSULTANTS AND DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT DO THIS TYPE OF WORK. 
          WE HIRED ONE AND WE GOT STARTED ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO TO THE DAY. 
          UM, WE GET STARTED ON THIS. 
          WHERE DID WE START? WE STARTED WITH PROCESSES, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, FROM SOME OF THE FEEDBACK. 
          I KNOW YOU GUYS GOT, I AM A PROCESS PERSON. 
          I LIKE PROCESSES AND I LIKE EASY TO FOLLOW. 
          SO THAT'S ALL DRAFTED OUT. 
          WE DID THAT AFTER OUR FIRST ROUND OF PUBLIC OUTREACH. 
          SO WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS WE TOOK A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE THAT SIT AROUND THE TABLE AT OUR DRC MEETINGS AND A DRC IS A DEVELOPMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE THAT'S PART OF OPENING ANY COMMERCIAL BUSINESS IN THE CITY OF NEW BERN. 
          THEY LOOK AT YOUR PLANS, THERE'S MAJOR ONES AND MINOR ONES. 
          A MINOR ONE TYPICALLY, FOR EXAMPLE, WOULD BE THAT YOU, UM, COME IN AND YOU WANT TO CHANGE A USE IN A SHOPPING CENTER. 
          BOTH USES ARE ALLOWED. 
          OKAY, GREAT. 
          SOMETIMES THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SAYS, OH, YOU'VE GOT TO DO THIS FOR OUR CODES OR PUBLIC WORKS. 
          UM, MIGHT, MIGHT HAVE SOME COMMENTS OR THINGS THAT THEY NEED ON THE OUTSIDE. 
          THEY GET THOSE COMMENTS, THEY MAKE SOME MODIFICATIONS AND WE MOVE FORWARD. 
          AND THEN WE HAVE THE LARGER ONES, WHICH ARE, I'M GONNA COME IN AND, AND BUILD A WHOLE SUB THAT WE KIND OF THING. 
          SO WE HAVE TWO DIFFERENT GROUPS THAT WE GOT FEEDBACK FROM FROM THIS. 
          WE HAD, UH, PEOPLE THAT KIND OF USE THE ORDINANCE. 
          OUR, OUR DEVELOPERS, UPPERS ENGINEERS AND ARCHITECTS, THOSE TYPES OF PEOPLE HAD THEM COME IN AND WE JUST TALKED TO THEM AND SAID, WHAT IS NOT WORKING FOR YOU? THE THINGS THAT YOU ALL GET TO HEAR ALL THE TIME AS WELL. 
          AND THEN WE, UH, LISTEN TO, TO OUR STAFF MEMBERS AND OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS AND PEOPLE THAT SIT ON THIS COMMITTEE. 
          AND WE KIND OF JUST STARTED THERE WITH THINGS THAT WEREN'T WORKING. 
          WE FROM THERE WENT OUT AND STARTED HAVING PUBLIC MEETINGS. 
          OUR CONSULTANT HAS BEEN HERE ABOUT EVERY THREE MONTHS. 
          EVERY TIME HE COMES, WE ALLOW PEOPLE TO COME IN AND SCHEDULE OFF OFFICE HOURS. 
          THEY CAN TALK ABOUT A, ANYTHING THAT FALLS UNDER THE PURVIEW OF THIS ORDINANCE. 
          UM, IT STARTED UP, WHEN WE STARTED, WE HAD MORE PARTICIPATION THAN WE SAW THE LAST TWO ROUNDS. 
          WE TOOK THIS AND WE GOT TO WORK, WE GOT TO WORK BEFORE WE GOT THE SURPRISE THAT WE GOT LAST DECEMBER DURING IN THE HURRICANE HELENE BILL THAT SAID, OH, BY THE WAY, IF YOU CAN DO SOMETHING WITH ZONING NOW, YOU CAN'T TAKE THAT AWAY WITHOUT WRITTEN CONSENT. 
          AND THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PART THAT I THINK SCOTT KIND OF BRUSHED OVER THIS MORNING BECAUSE IT'S NOT THAT YOU CAN'T CHANGE THE ZONING AT ALL AND TAKE AWAY USES IS THAT YOU NEED WRITTEN CONSENT FROM EVERY 
          [04:50:01]
PROPERTY OWNER IMPACTED. 
          SO IF YOU LOOK AT OUR C3 DISTRICT FOR EXAMPLE, WHICH IS EVERYTHING RED ON OUR MAP, UH, THE MLK CORRIDOR, MOST OF GLEN BURNEY, UM, IF YOU TAKE ONE USE AWAY THERE THAT EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT'S COLORED RED ON THAT MAP HAS TO GIVE US WRITTEN CONSENT THAT SAYS, I AM ABSOLUTELY OKAY THAT THEY CAN NEVER PUT THIS USE IN IN, IN THIS ZONE. 
          AGAIN, THAT IS NOT REALISTIC. 
          AND WE USED TO JUST BE ABLE TO DO THAT BECAUSE THE STATE GAVE US THE POWER AS WE KNOW OUR, OUR AREA AND OUR COMMUNITY BETTER THAN THEY DO. 
          AND WE USED TO HAVE THOSE RIGHTS TO BE ABLE TO SAY, YOU CAN DO THIS OR YOU CAN DO THIS. 
          AND NOW THEY'VE TAKEN THIS AWAY AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THEY WERE DOING. 
          AND FOR WHATEVER REASON, THAT HAS US ALL SCRATCHING OUR HEADS. 
          THEY HAVE NOT UNDONE IT. 
          AS SCOTT MENTIONED, WE HAVE TRIED ONCE JUST TO GET THIS REPEALED FROM US AS HAVE MEN, I THINK OVER A HUNDRED OTHER JURISDICTIONS, COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE HAVE ASKED, WILL YOU DO THIS? AND IT'LL GET THROUGH ONE HOUSE AND NOT THE OTHER. 
          IT'S JUST NOT GAINING CORRECTION. 
          SO WE HIT PAUSE AND HAD A LONG CONVERSATION WITH FOSTER AND I SAID THIS, IF WE WRITE SOMETHING THAT MEETS THESE RULES, I DON'T THINK IT'S THE PRODUCT THAT WE SIGNED UP AND WE WE SOLD TO ALL YOU. 
          THIS IS THE GOOD USE OF HOW, HOW WE WANT TO SPEND OUR MONEY. 
          WE WANTED TO GET THIS ALL CLEANED UP. 
          THERE WAS USES WE WANTED TAKEN AWAY. 
          THERE WERE NEW USES WE WANTED CLARIFIED AND MADE VERY CLEAR. 
          AND, AND WE SHOULD HAVE HAD THE POWER TO SAY, THIS IS WHERE WE WANT TO SEE THESE THINGS AND THIS IS WHERE WE DO NOT WANT TO SEE THESE THINGS. 
          AND NOW WE CAN'T DO THAT PAUSE. 
          SO SHOULD WE WRITE THIS ORDINANCE LIKE THIS THING'S GOING AWAY BECAUSE WE WERE VERY OPTIMISTIC EVEN EARLY LAST YEAR, THIS WOULD GO AWAY OR SHOULD WE WRITE THIS AS AS THE PRODUCT THAT IS USEFUL HERE THAT'S DOING ALL THESE THINGS THAT TAKES USES AWAY BUT ADDS NEW USES. 
          AND THAT CHANGES WHERE THINGS CAN GO THAT REMOVES SOME OF THESE LAYERS AND LAYERS AND LAYERS. 
          BECAUSE FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE BEEN LISTENING, AND WE TALK ABOUT THIS FOR THREE YEARS NOW, ONE OF OUR BIG PROBLEMS HERE IS UNTANGLING ALL OF THESE OVERLAY DISTRICTS, WHICH WERE ALL DONE FOR VERY GOOD REASONS. 
          THE WORK THAT WAS PUT INTO THEM WAS DONE FOR GOOD REASONS. 
          IT'S JUST A LITTLE COMPLICATED TO ADMINISTER BECAUSE IF YOU CALL UP MY OFFICE AND SAY, THIS IS MY ADDRESS, WHAT'S MY ZONING DISTRICT, YOU SHOULD HAVE A LOGICAL LIKE IDEA AND, AND REASONABLE ASSURANCE. 
          IF YOU GO LOOK AT WHAT'S ALLOWED IN THAT ZONING DISTRICT, THIS IS WHAT I CAN DO THERE. 
          GREAT, I CAN MOVE ON. 
          THAT'S NOT HOW IT IS. 
          IT'S ASTERISK, ASTERISK, ASTERISK. 
          I'M IN A FLOOD ZONE. 
          I AM, UH, IN AN OVERLAY, HIGHWAY OVERLAY DISTRICT. 
          I AM IN THIS. 
          SO THAT MIGHT CHANGE YOUR SIGNS, THAT MIGHT CHANGE THIS. 
          WE STARTED UNTANGLING ALL THIS STUFF, TAKING THE GOOD STUFF FROM ALL MY WORK THAT WAS DONE AND BUILDING IT INTO BASE ZONING DISTRICTS. 
          SO A CITIZEN OR YOU OR ME OR A STAFF MEMBER OR FUTURE STAFF MEMBERS FOR YEARS TO COME, DON'T HAVE TO UNTANGLE THIS, THEY DON'T HAVE TO HAVE ALL THIS INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE. 
          WE STARTED GOING, WE WENT BACK AND FORTH. 
          I SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT? NOPE, I WAS PRETTY CONFIDENT LAST YEAR. 
          LET'S KEEP GOING WITH WITH ABSOLUTELY WHAT WE NEED. 
          THIS IS GONNA GO AWAY. 
          THIS IS, AND I THINK YOU'RE NODDING BECAUSE YOU DEAL DEAL WITH THIS REGULARLY AS WELL. 
          WELL OVER A YEAR WENT BY. 
          THERE'S NO TRACTION ON THIS. 
          SO WE HAVE DONE THE PARTS OF THIS LAND USE ORDINANCE AT THIS POINT THAT WERE UNIMPACTED BY THIS. 
          MOST OF THE PROCESSES, MOST OF THE DEFINITIONS, UH, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. 
          WELL NOW WE'RE AT A POINT WHERE WE NEED TO DECIDE KIND OF AGAIN, SHOULD WE BE WRITING A LEGAL BY IN THE STATE SIZE ORDINANCE OR SHOULD WE KEEP GOING? AND THAT'S WHY SCOTT KIND OF ALLUDED TO TODAY, I WE'RE KIND OF PAUSED ON THIS SOMEWHAT BECAUSE THIS IS, WE'RE WRITING A PRODUCT THAT THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE'D LIKE AND WE'RE SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY AND TIME ON IT. 
          SO THAT SAID, UM, WE'RE STILL OPTIMISTIC THIS IS GOING TO GO AWAY. 
          WE HAVE SHIFTED A COUPLE MEETINGS. 
          CHAD WILL BE IN TOWN IN FEBRUARY, I BELIEVE CHAD IS REALLY ITCHING TO HAVE FACETIME WITH ALL OF YOU, MEET THE NEW FOLKS, UM, AND KIND OF EXPLAIN SOME OF THESE THINGS ON HIS OWN. 
          HE'S BEEN DOING THIS A LONG TIME. 
          I'VE WORKED WITH CHAD IN ANOTHER JURISDICTION ON ONE OTHER PROJECT, BUT HE'S GOT 11 OF THESE ORDINANCES WITH HIS BUSINESS IN PROGRESS RIGHT NOW THAT ARE ALL MOREHEAD CITY BEING ONE OF 'EM THAT HE REFERENCED EARLIER. 
          UM, AND THEY'RE WE'RE ALL IN THIS BOAT RIGHT NOW. 
          SO THIS IS, THIS IS, THAT'S WHERE WE WERE. 
          THIS IS WHERE WE ARE NOW. 
          WE'RE KIND OF WAITING TO SEE IF THEY WILL START LOOKING AT 
          [04:55:01]
SOME OF, UH, THESE REQUESTS TO BE EXEMPTED FROM THIS IF THERE'S NOT GONNA BE A ACROSS THE BOARD REPEAL OF THIS KIND OF CRAZY LAW, WHICH, WHICH ALL HAPPENED OVER A GAS STATION IN DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA WHEN THE CITY OF DURHAM, I BELIEVE PROACTIVELY AS A CITY FLEXED THEIR MUSCLE AND SAID, WE'RE REZONING YOU BECAUSE WE NEVER WANT ANOTHER GAS STATION THERE. 
          WHICH WAS THEIR RIGHT TO DO. 
          BUT THE RIGHT PERSON GOT TO ANOTHER RIGHT PERSON. 
          AND THIS GOT TAGGED ON A BILL RIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS LAST YEAR THAT WAS INTENDED TO, TO HELP HURRICANE VICTIMS. I TALK ABOUT THIS ALL DAY AND GET WAY FURTHER DOWN INTO THIS. 
          UM, I WILL MENTION THERE WERE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT INCLUDING IN THIS ORDINANCE OR NOT INCLUDING IN THIS ORDINANCE. 
          AND WE DID TALK SIGNIFICANTLY AT THE BEGINNING ABOUT STORM WATER AND ADDING EXTRA STORM WATER CONTROLS. 
          THERE'S VARIOUS WAYS TO DO THAT. 
          IT WAS DECIDED THAT FOR US AT THIS TIME, DOING THAT WAS PROBABLY NOT IN OUR BEST INTEREST. 
          AND THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE EXTREME COST. 
          SOME OF THESE THINGS, ALMOST ALL OF THEM ADD ONTO A PROJECT. 
          THERE ARE CERTAIN PLACES WHERE IN A LAND USE ORDINANCES YOU CAN ADD ON A RETENTION REQUIREMENT. 
          IF YOU BUILD NEW SQUARE FOOTAGE IN AN ADDITION OR YOU BUILD A NEW HOUSE, YOU CAN SAY YOU ARE ALSO IN ADDITION TO THE STATE REQUIREMENTS, YOU HAVE TO, IN A CITY LAW OR COUNTY LAW, WHEREVER YOU'RE AT, RETAIN EXTRA WATER ON SITE, YOU CAN CHANGE THE, THE SIZE AND THE RETENTION AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT THE STATE REQUIRES, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE DEFAULTING TO RIGHT NOW. 
          UM, AND YOU CAN DO THAT ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF WAYS. 
          A STORM WATERED ENGINEER MANAGEMENT PLAN, WHICH IS WHAT'S REQUIRED IF YOU'RE GOING TO RETAIN WATER ON ONE SINGLE PROPERTY. 
          UH, I WORKED AT THE BEACH FOR A LONG TIME IN ATLANTIC BEACH ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO. 
          THE DESIGN ON THAT WITHOUT BEING INSTALLED WAS ABOUT $5,000 FOR THAT ENGINEERING. 
          AND IT WAS TYPICALLY LIKE A FANCY FRENCH DREAM. 
          AND THE HOPE THEY ADOPTED THAT THEY ALSO ADOPTED A COVERAGE, UM, REQUIREMENT. 
          YOU CANNOT EVEN ON A RESIDENTIAL LOT AND MANY OF COASTAL COMMUNITIES COVER MORE THAN 40% OF IT. 
          THESE ARE NOT THINGS THE CITY OF NEW BERN HISTORICALLY HAS REGULATED. 
          IT LIKELY WOULD NOT BE POPULAR OUTSIDE OF ENVIRONMENTALISTS TO TO, TO DO THIS. 
          SO AT THE TIME WE HAD THESE DISCUSSIONS WITH THE ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT WERE SITTING HERE AT A TIME AND WERE ADVISED WE'RE GONNA STICK WITH STATE STANDARDS. 
          AND THAT IS A A, A VERY SIMPLE EXPLANATION I THINK OF, OF WHY WE DECIDED TO MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT INCLUDING EXTRA STORM WATER CONTROLS. 
          UM, ON THERE. 
          IS THERE QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT I COULD ANSWER RIGHT NOW? NO. 
          ONLY THING I WAS GONNA SAY, I'M NOT TRYING TO USE SEVERAL LAWS PERTAINING TO PROPOSED . 
          I WAS PERTAINING MORE TO HISTORICAL FARMER BROWN DITCHES, CANALS THAT I GOT THROUGH THE CITY. 
          THAT'S MORE LIKE WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT. 
          OKAY. 
          I WAS NOT TALKING ABOUT UR. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          JUST KIND WANNA THROW THAT THE, THE KEY WORD OF STORMWATER CAME UP AND I THOUGHT, OH, ON THINGS THAT YOU GUYS MAY NOT ALL HAVE BEEN AWARE OF, IT IS SOMETHING YOU CAN CONTROL AND PUT EXTRA REQUIREMENTS ON. 
          UH, THEY'RE PRETTY EXPENSIVE AND USUALLY WE'LL HEAR ABOUT IT ON THE BACK END. 
          THE OTHER THING ON, ON THE FRONT END THOUGH, IS THAT WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL, UM, PROPERTIES WITHIN SEE  WITH, WITH, YOU KNOW, 16, 17 FOOT ELEVATED HEIGHTS THAT HAVE FLOODED. 
          UM, BECAUSE FARMER BROWN'S CANAL FROM A HUNDRED YEARS AGO HAS BEEN NEGLECTED. 
          THAT THAT'S WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT. 
          I'M TALKING ABOUT I TALKING ABOUT WHAT YOU DO EVERY DAY, WEEK WITH 10 YEARS, 44 YEAR STORM EVENT. 
          I WANNA TALK ABOUT THAT. 
          OKAY, AWESOME. 
          UM, NOW THERE'S A WHOLE MYRIAD OF THINGS THAT ARE COVERED UNDER LAND USE ORDINANCE AND UM, I THINK AS WE ALL WORK TOGETHER AND THE NEXT TIME CHAD COMES BACK, YOU ALL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY IF, IF WE KIND OF PIVOT AROUND THE STATE LAW, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW I'M OPTIMISTIC, UH, WE CAN HAVE A NEW LAND ORDINANCE BY THE END OF THE YEAR. 
          IT'S NOT WHAT I'M GONNA LOVE WORKING WITH BECAUSE WE CAN'T FIX A LOT OF THE PROBLEMS WE WERE TRYING TO FIX. 
          AND THAT IS OUT OF OUR CONTROL AT THIS POINT. 
          ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE ME TO ADD? LET'S SEE WHAT QUESTIONS YOU'VE GOT. 
          QUESTION. 
          I THINK THAT THE, THE, I WAS, I WAS, UH, IN ON ONE PRIOR LAND USE, UH, UPDATES AND I THINK THAT, THAT A LOT OF THE EMPHASIS WAS ON THE DOWNTOWN AREA. 
          I DON'T KNOW IF YOU FOUND THAT IN MM-HMM . 
          GETTING READY FOR THIS. 
          SO, UM, I KNOW THAT'S WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT QUITE A BIT AT THE TIME. 
          SO I THINK YOU'RE LOOKING AT MORE AREAS LIKE TRENT VILLAGE THAT TRADITIONALLY HAS C3 ZONING, IT'S RESIDENTIAL AND THAT TYPE OF STUFF YOU'RE TRYING TO CLEAN UP. 
          AND THE GREAT THING ABOUT 
          [05:00:01]
OUR DOWNTOWN AREA IS EVEN THOUGH ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE IN DIFFERENT LAYERS, AND IT'S REALLY HARD TO NAVIGATE THE ACTUAL, UH, RULES, LAWS REGULATING DEVELOPMENT DOWNTOWN ARE NOT GONNA REALLY CHANGE. 
          THEY'RE GONNA BE USING TO UNDERSTAND, BECAUSE WE, THE FEEDBACK WE GOT ON THE FRONT END OF THIS WAS PEOPLE WERE PRETTY, PRETTY HAPPY WITH HOW ALL THOSE THINGS WERE. 
          BUT IF YOU COME IN HERE AS AN OUTSIDER AND YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT ALL THESE, UH, OVERLAY DISTRICTS, IT'S A LITTLE, IT'S A LITTLE BIT COMPLICATED. 
          AND IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN AROUND HERE FOREVER, AND SCOTT'S LIKE A REALLY GOOD RESOURCE FOR US LEFT, HE'S LIKE, OH NO, I REMEMBER BACK IN 1991 AND I'M LIKE, YEAH, I WAS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL IN 1991. 
          I DON'T REMEMBER THIS, BUT WE ARE CLEANING IT ALL UP. 
          IT IS GOING TO BE BETTER. 
          I THINK IT WILL BE EASIER TO USE. 
          I THINK YOU'LL SEE LESS PEOPLE FRUSTRATED WITH HAVING TO, UM, WHAT I FEEL SOMETIMES UNNECESSARILY GO TO THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT AND TAKE ALL THAT TIME AND ALL THAT PROCESS SIMPLY BECAUSE, UM, IT'S JUST NEVER BEEN UPDATED. 
          THERE'S LIKE, IF YOU PUT A SMALL ADDITION ON A CHURCH OR AT A SNACK BAR ON A SCHOOL, THESE ARE RECENT EXAMPLES. 
          WE ARE MAKING YOU GO THROUGH THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALWAYS SAID. 
          WE REALLY, REALLY WENT THROUGH THE USE CHART VERY CAREFULLY. 
          THE LAST THING I'LL SAY ABOUT THE USE CHART, UM, THERE'S SOME AREAS IN MERRI FEDERAL LAW CHANGED A FEW YEARS AGO. 
          OUR ORDINANCE HAS NOT SPECIFIC BUILDINGS, CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS ALL NEED TO KIND OF BE TREATED THE SAME AS FAR AS PERMITTING GOES. 
          AND RIGHT NOW, THAT IS NOT THE CASE IN OUR ORDINANCE. 
          AND SO WE'RE GOING TO CLEAN THAT UP TOO. 
          SO THAT MEANS EITHER, EITHER ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE GOING TO REQUIRE A SPECIAL USE PERMIT OR NONE OF THOSE THINGS ARE GOING TO REQUIRE A SPECIAL USE PERMIT. 
          AND I HAVE SAID, WELL, HOW ABOUT NONE? HOW ABOUT WE WRITE REALLY GOOD STANDARDS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE LOOKING AT THE THINGS AT A STAFF LEVEL THAT NORMALLY THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT USED TO LOOK AT TO SAVE THESE PEOPLE TWO MONTHS AND 500. 
          SO SMALL THINGS LIKE THAT. 
          UM, BUT IT'S GOING VERY SLOWLY AND SCOTT DID A GREAT JOB EXPLAINING WHY. 
          SO, SO ADOPTING NEW AND ORDINANCE IS NOT AN ALL OR NOTHING. 
          WE CAN GO THROUGH, YOU CURRENTLY HAVE DEFINITIONS, YOU HAVE PROCESSES. 
          THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD GO AHEAD AND CHANGE IF THAT'S READY FOR REVIEW. 
          IT'S JUST NOT GONNA BE PART OF THE FULL PACKAGE OF WHAT YOU WANTED TO CHANGE BECAUSE OF THE DOWNEND PROVISION. 
          RIGHT. 
          WE, THAT USE CHART IS A, A REALLY HUGE PART BECAUSE IN MY OPINION, AS YOU KIND OF CAN UNDERSTAND, I THINK EVERYTHING THAT GOES AROUND THE USE CHART, UH, EVERYTHING IN THAT USE CHART HAS SOMETHING SOMEWHERE ELSE. 
          IT HAS TO HAVE A DEFINITION, IT HAS TO HAVE A PROCESS. 
          SO YOU'RE BUILDING THAT ALL TOGETHER. 
          UM, AND SOME OF THESE THINGS NEED TO BE TREATED THE SAME. 
          AND IF IT'S ON THE GROUND RIGHT NOW OR ALLOWED RIGHT NOW, IT HAS TO STILL BE ALLOWED. 
          AND SO DEALING WITH NONCONFORMITIES HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE. 
          AND WE ARE STILL WORKING WITH SCOTT ON, WELL, IF YOU MAKE SOMETHING, ESPECIALLY USE PERMIT THAT USED TO BE ALLOWED BY RIGHT? IN AN ATTEMPT TO GET SOME CONTROL OR DISCOURAGE THE USE, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? THE SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT HAS SAID VERBALLY, WE FEEL LIKE THAT'S OKAY BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF A SPECIAL USE PERMIT. 
          MOST LOCAL ATTORNEYS AROUND HERE, LIKE, UNTIL YOU PUT THAT IN A WRITTEN STATEMENT THAT WE CAN GO ON, WE ARE NOT COMFORTABLE TAKING THAT APPROACH. 
          THAT SAID, UM, THERE ARE AREAS, THERE'S DIFFERENT ITERATIONS. 
          UM, WE HAVE DONE, DEPENDING ON A SITUATION WHERE WE, WE HAVE DIFFERENT OPTIONS ON SOMETHING LIKE THIS THAT MAY BE THE SOLUTION. 
          IF WE'RE STILL SITTING HERE IN SIX MONTHS AND THE STATE HAS DONE NOTHING ABOUT THIS EITHER. 
          WE REALLY POWER AHEAD AND FINISH THIS THING AND MAKE THIS THIS PRODUCT THAT WE DON'T ABSOLUTELY LOVE. 
          AND EVEN UP WITHOUT THIS, THIS WAS A VERY COMPLICATED PROJECT BECAUSE IT'S IT'S YEARS OF REGULATION BEING CLEANED UP. 
          UM, OR WE JUST START TAKING PARTS. 
          THERE'S PROS AND CONS TO THAT, BUT IT'S NOT OFF THE TABLE. 
          AND THAT MAY BE WHERE WE FIND OURSELVES. 
          UM, I KNOW RALEIGH AND DURHAM, WILMINGTON, THEY ALL HAVE RELATIVELY, I THINK, NEW CODES THAT THEY WORK OFF OF. 
          SO FOR THEM, IF THEY ARE WHERE WE ARE NOW AND THEY WERE THERE FOUR YEARS AGO, THEY'RE LIKE, WELL, WHATEVER. 
          WE GOT THIS WHERE WE WANTED IT. 
          UH, WE CAN LIVE WITH NOT BEING ABLE TO CHANGE THIS AND WE CAN LIVE WITHOUT HAVING CITY OR COUNTY INITIATED ZONING CHANGES WITHOUT, WITHOUT CONSENT. 
          THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT THE CONSENT IS, UM, THERE WILL BE PLACES IN OUR ZONING MAP, UM, YOU GUYS HAVE ALL HEARD ME SAY THIS BEFORE, WE HAVE MORE ZONING DISCHARGE 
          [05:05:01]
IN THE CITY OF CHARLOTTE RIGHT NOW. 
          MOSTLY BECAUSE OVER TIME, RATHER THAN TRYING TO FIT SOMETHING IN OR AMEND IT, THEY MADE A NEW ZONING DISTRICT, THEY COLORED THE MAP THAT WHERE IT WAS CONVENIENT AND, AND MADE THOSE USES INTO THAT. 
          THAT'S NOT A GOOD PLACE TO BE. 
          AND THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO REASON FOR US HERE IN QUAIN NEW BERN, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE GROWING, UH, TO HAVE THAT MANY ZONING DISTRICTS, IT NEEDS TO BE MORE SIMPLE AND IT NEEDS TO BE LESS LAYERED AT THE END OF THE DAY. 
          SOMETHING THAT IS EASY TO UNDERSTAND, EASY TO NAVIGATE, EASY TO FIND YOUR ANSWER AND CAN GET THINGS DONE MORE EFFICIENTLY IS STILL WHAT WE'RE AFTER. 
          WE ARE JUST HELD UP A LITTLE BIT RIGHT NOW, AND I CAN, I'M NOT EVEN GONNA TRY TO WHAT THE LEGISLATURE'S GONNA DO, BUT YOU, YOU CAN'T GET RID OF THE, YOU CAN'T GET RID OF ALL OF THE OVER LAKE DISTRICTS RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF THE STATE PROHIBITION. 
          BUT YOU CAN'T CLEAR THIS UP. 
          UM, NO, BECAUSE IF THERE'S SOMETHING ALLOWED IN AN OVERLAY DISTRICT THAT WE DON'T WANT IN THE UNDERLAYING DISTRICT EVERYWHERE, THEN THAT'S A DOWN SLOPE. 
          BUT WHAT IF IT'S THE OPPOSITE? YES. 
          WE CAN DO THE OPPOSITE. 
          SO IF WE CAN ADD USES IN DENSITY, SO IF THE OVERLAY DISTRICT IS MORE RESTRICTIVE AND IT'S REMOVED, THEN THAT'S OKAY. 
          YES. 
          ARE THERE INSTANCES ON OUR MAP THAT YOU CAN PIECEMEAL THAT TO DO THAT AND THAT WOULD FIT INTO THE OVERALL PACKAGE THAT WE WOULD WANT AND STILL HAVE THESE POCKETS OF MORE RESTRICTIVE AREAS THAT EVENTUALLY WE'LL CHANGE EITHER BASED ON THE OUTCOME OF THE STATE LAW PROHIBITION OR PROBABLY, PROBABLY MY ANSWER TO THAT'S PROBABLY, BUT YEAH, THAT, THAT WORK HASN'T BEEN DONE YET, SO WE HAVEN'T, NO, UH, IT STARTED IN THE, WE HAVE STARTED IN DOWNTOWN AND SOME OF THE E WHICH SOUNDS CRAZY, BUT IT'S ONE OF THE EASIER AREAS BECAUSE IT'S PRETTY ESTABLISHED. 
          THE USES SURVEY, ALL THAT STUFF. 
          OTHER AREAS? NO, WE'VE GOT, THERE'S ONE AREA OUT, LET'S TAKE LIKE THE OLA AREA, RIGHT? FOR WHATEVER RE THAT PROPERTY SPLIT ZONED. 
          NOT SURE WHY. 
          UH, MOST OF THOSE IS IN THE HISTORIC OVERLAY. 
          SOME OF IT'S NOT. 
          NOBODY'S REALLY SURE WHY NOT, NOT EVEN SCOTT. 
          HE'S LIKE, WELL, I DON'T KNOW WHY THIS IS LIKE THIS. 
          UM, SO THAT'S INDUS, IT'S INDUSTRIAL BASE ZONING DISTRICT IS INDUSTRIAL, BUT IT'S ALSO IN THE HISTORIC OVERLAY. 
          THIS DOES NOT MAKE ANY SENSE. 
          SO UNLESS I GO OUT TO SOME, IT'S NOT JUST MALE. 
          THERE'S A FEW RIGHT IN THAT AREA AROUND THAT, THAT VICINITY AND SAY, UM, YOU'RE NOT THIS ANYMORE. 
          UM, I CAN'T DO THAT BECAUSE IF I WANT TO CLEAN THAT UP THE WAY WE ORIGINALLY INTENDED TO CLEAN IT UP, I HAVE TO ALLOW EVERY INDUSTRIAL USE IN OUR HISTORIC AREA HOLISTICALLY. 
          NOBODY KNOW. 
          NOBODY WANTS THAT. 
          NOBODY WANTS THAT ROGUE PERSON BEING LIKE, OH, GREAT. 
          I CAN DO INDUSTRIAL THINGS NOW. 
          LIKE ON, ON BROAD STREET OR QUEEN STREET. 
          WE DON'T, WE DON'T WANT THAT. 
          IT, IT'S, IT'S VERY CHALLENGING. 
          IT'S A GIVEN THE STATE OF THINGS, AND I DON'T REMEMBER THE PRICE POINT FOR THE CONSULTANT FOR THIS PROJECT, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH WE'VE SPENT, IF I'M MY MEMORY SERVE, WHEN WE LAST MET AND TALKED, IT WAS SOMETHING AROUND A LITTLE UNDER A HUNDRED, MAYBE 90 TO A HUNDRED THAT'S BEEN SPENT. 
          I, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S RIGHT. 
          THAT'S ABOUT RIGHT. 
          FROM WHAT I REMEMBER, JUST ABOUT HALFWAY. 
          YEAH, IT WAS ABOUT 200,000 FOR THE CONSULTANT. 
          BOTH. 
          I MEAN, I PERSONALLY THINK RATHER THAN US GET A PRODUCT THAT WE'RE NOT HAPPY WITH, THAT DEVELOPER'S GONNA HAVE TO LEARN TO OPERATE UNDER AND STILL NOT BE HAPPY BECAUSE IT'S NOT GONNA BE, IT, IT'S NOT GONNA BE USER FRIENDLY BECAUSE OF THE PROVISION THAT, YOU KNOW, WE LOOK AT TAKING A PAUSE ON MOVING FORWARD TO FINISH THIS, AT LEAST FOR, I MEAN, THE LEGISLATURE COMES BACK IN APRIL, AT LEAST TILL THE SUMMER AND SEE IF WE GET ANY TRACTION AT THAT POINT. 
          MAYBE REEVALUATE LOOKING AT PIECEMEALING. 
          I DON'T KNOW IF OUR CONSULTANT WOULD DO THAT. 
          I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT CONTRACT SAYS, BUT I JUST, I, I HAVE A LOT OF HEARTBURN, I THINK AS DO YOU MOVING FORWARD TO FINISH OUT THIS CONTRACT FOR A PRODUCT THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA BE HAPPY WITH, STAFF'S NOT GONNA BE HAPPY WITH, DEVELOPERS, AREN'T GONNA BE HAPPY WITH, UM, IF THERE'S A POSSIBILITY IN THE SUMMER THAT THIS PROHIBITION IS CLEANED UP AND WE CAN MOVE FORWARD. 
          YEAH. 
          UM, I I JUST THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A PAUSE ON THAT. 
          THAT'S JUST MY, I MEAN, MY 2 CENTS ON IT. 
          WHAT OTHER COMMENTS DO WE HAVE? WELL, ARE YOU EXPECT SOMETHING ON THE STATE LEVEL OR SOMETHING TO CHANGE? WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU FACING OUT ON? MY HOPE IS THAT OUR DELEGATION COMES THROUGH. 
          I THINK THE FIRST TIME THE BOARD, UM, REACHED OUT TO THE STATE DELEGATION, IT WAS FOR A COMPLETE REPEAL. 
          MY UNDERSTANDING IS SCOTT'S WORK WITH, TALKED WITH OUR DELEGATION AND THIS NEXT RESOLUTION THAT WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT IS ASKING FOR A, UM, LOCAL EXEMPTION TO IT. 
          AND EVEN IF IT'S A LOCAL EXEMPTION FOR A TIME PERIOD, IT'S A, YOU KNOW, LOCAL EXEMPTION FOR EIGHT MONTHS THAT SUNSETS 
          [05:10:01]
SO THAT WE CAN FINISH THIS PROJECT UP. 
          UM, THAT'S MY HOPE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO GET THAT ACROSS THE LINE. 
          AND IF WE'RE NOT, THEN WE COME BACK AND LOOK AT DO WE MOVE FORWARD WITH PIECEMEALING THIS? BUT I, I JUST, I HATE THE IDEA OF US SPENDING ANOTHER A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ON A PRODUCT THAT, I MEAN, ALL OF OUR CONSTITUENTS AND CUSTOMERS ARE GONNA B***H ABOUT . 
          AND SO, UM, JUST KIND OF, I AGREE. 
          I IT, IT WOULD BE NICE TO, TO HAVE A CRYSTAL BALL AND KIND OF KNOW WHERE, WHERE THEY'RE GOING AND YOU HESITATE TO DO TOO MUCH WORK ON SOMETHING THAT, THAT IS NOT WHAT WE ABSOLUTELY LOVE. 
          AND NOT EVERY SINGLE PERSON EVERYWHERE IS GONNA ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT ANYWAYS. 
          BUT IT WAS LIKE THAT BEFORE THIS HAPPENED WHEN YOU'RE CHANGING. 
          SO PEOPLE GET VERY NERVOUS, VERY, VERY NERVOUS, UNDERSTANDABLY, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CHANGING ZONING AND MAP COLORS AND MUSIC. 
          WELL, AT LEAST, AT LEAST NOW THERE IS A, A CUSTOMER BASE THERE, THERE'S A, THERE'S FOLKS AT LEAST CAN NAVIGATE. 
          YOU'RE ASKING THEM FOR A SUBPAR PRODUCT TO HAVE TO RELEARN IT. 
          IT, I THINK IT'S STILL NOT BE, I THINK JUST TO WHERE I WAS GOING BEFORE AND I LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT. 
          ONE MUNICIPALITY IN NORTH CAROLINA HAS HAD A EXEMPTION, AND IT WAS FOR ONE YEAR. 
          AND AT FIRST I WAS LIKE, WHY? WELL, THE THOUGHT PROCESS BEHIND THAT WAS THE LEGISLATOR SAID, OKAY, BECAUSE, UM, THEY HAD A HUGE ZONING MESS. 
          THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING. 
          AND THEY SAID, YOU CLEAN ALL THIS UP, WE'LL GIVE YOU A YEAR. 
          YOU'RE ALLOWED TO CHANGE YOUR ORDINANCE. 
          THE REST OF THE STATE'S NOT ALLOWED TO DO IT. 
          WELL, THAT'S REALLY, IF WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE WRITTEN RIGHT, GO RIGHT, BE ADOPTED THE WAY WE WANT IT, AND WE COULD GET THAT. 
          BUT THIS IS A HUGE GAMBLE OF TIME AND MONEY RIGHT NOW TO, TO WRITE THE WHOLE THING, STOP AND BE LIKE, OH, SOMEBODY'S GONNA COME THROUGH AND WE'RE GONNA GET ENOUGH VOTES FOR THE CITY OF NEW BERN WHERE WE HAVE A YEAR. 
          WE GET IT ON THE NEXT MEETING AGENDA, WE ADOPT IT. 
          THE OTHER SCARY THING WITH THE LACK OF THE HOLISTIC REPEAL HERE IS WE BETTER MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IN THERE IS HOW WE WANT IT. 
          BECAUSE IF THIS DOESN'T GO AWAY AND THAT WERE TO HAPPEN, WE'RE BASICALLY STUCK WITH THAT ORDINANCE DOING THINGS WHATEVER YEAR IT IS AT THE TIME. 
          THE USES THAT ARE POPULAR AT THE TIME, EVERYTHING WRITTEN LIKE THAT AND WHERE THEY CAN GO AND, UM, THAT'S NOT A COMFORTABLE GROWTH FEELING FOR, SHOULD IT BE FOR ANY OF US IN HERE THAT WE'RE STUCK LIKE THAT AND, AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'VE DONE TO IT. 
          IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ASK PEOPLE TO LOBBY THEIR CONGRESS OR NOT? YOU KNOW, THE STATE REPRESENTATIVES FOR, I, I MEAN, I, I WOULD SAY YES. 
          I DON'T THINK THE, THE LAY PERSON AROUND KNOWS WHAT A HUGE DEAL THIS IS. 
          THE ATTORNEYS CERTAINLY DO, AND AS HAS BEEN REPORTED TO ME, ALMOST EVERY MUNICIPAL AND COUNTY ATTORNEY IN THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA IS WORKING ON THIS AND ADVOCATING TO GET RID OF THIS IN SOME FORM OR FASHION, OR AT LEAST ASKING FOR THE BRIEF REPRIEVE. 
          MORE PEOPLE ARE THINKING ABOUT THAT. 
          CAN I HAVE A YEAR TO GET THINGS CLEANED UP REQUESTS RIGHT NOW? BECAUSE THERE WAS SUCCESS WITH IT ONCE, AND THAT'S KIND OF GOTTEN OUT THERE. 
          IT FEELS LIKE THEY WERE KIND OF TRYING TO KEEP THAT QUIET FOR A WHILE, BUT NOW IT'S OUT AND EVERYONE KNOWS, WELL, MILLS RIVER WAS ALLOWED TO DO THIS, WHY CAN'T WE? AND MAYBE THAT'S THE APPROACH WE HAVE TO START TAKING. 
          AND REALLY, OUR BIGGEST ADVOCATE, WE'RE A MEMBER OF THE LEAGUE OF MUNICIPALITIES. 
          THEY, THEY WERE QUIET ON THIS FOR FOR QUITE A WHILE. 
          THEY'VE JUST NOW STARTED REALLY LOOKING AT, AT THIS AND HOPEFULLY THEY'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO PUSH THE BUTTONS WITH, WITH, WITH, ON THE STATE LEVEL TO, TO CONVINCE FOLKS THAT YEAH, WE NEED TO, NEED TO MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS. 
          WHAT'S OUR DUES EVERY YEAR, JULIE? YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS, BRENDA, OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD, I DON'T REMEMBER EXACTLY. 
          I CAN LOOK. 
          I THINK IT'S BETWEEN 10 AND $20,000. 
          YEP. 
          IT, IT'S SIGNIFICANT. 
          AND IF EVERY CITY THAT HAS THIS PROBLEM WOULD BAND TOGETHER, THAT WOULD PROBABLY GET THEIR ATTENTION. 
          I MEAN, THAT'S ESSENTIALLY WHY WE ARE MEMBERS OF GROUPS LIKE THAT. 
          THIS IS THE STRANGEST THING I'VE SEEN IN 23 YEARS DOING THAT REPRESENTATION NEED TO BE, SO WHEN, WHEN WERE, WHEN WERE WE LAST? WHEN DID WE LAST UPDATE ON A COMPREHENSIVE LEVEL? HOW LONG AGO? UH, SAY MORE ABOUT WHAT YOU MEAN BY THAT. 
          I MEAN, LANEY'S PLAN, HOW LONG AGO DID WE, WHAT YEAR DID LAST TIME THE ORDINANCE HAD A SIGNIFICANT UPDATE? WELL, YEAH, WHAT, WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, RALEIGH'S HAVING ALL THIS DOWN ZONE, AND IT'S BASICALLY WHERE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS ARE ALL GREEN PETITION CITY OF RALEIGH TO TO DOWN ZONE. 
          I MEAN, YOU TAKE A 5,000 SQUARE FOOT MANSION, UM, EIGHT ACRES OF LAND AND NOW SOME NOTES THAT THROWS CONDOS UP THERE. 
          AND THERE'S A LOT OF DEBATE ABOUT THAT. 
          UM, R 20 ZONING, 
          [05:15:01]
UM, THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF, UH, TALK ABOUT, UH, ZONING ITSELF AND WHAT R 20 IS OR ISN'T. 
          UM, SO WITH THOSE TYPE OF MORE, UM, I, I WOULDN'T SAY THAT THEIR CODIFIED ZONING LAWS ARE MORE LIKE, UM, CULTURAL CHANGE. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, ARE WE GOING TO DO THIS, SPEND ALL THIS MONEY AND THEN FOUR OR FIVE YEARS. 
          NOW THIS DOWN ZONING BECOMES A BIG TO DO ON THE IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY OR, UM, THE, THE, UH, TERMINATION OF CERTAIN ZONINGS LIKE R 20, WHICH HAS ACTUALLY BEEN TALKED ABOUT IN SOME CITIES. 
          UM, HOW IS THAT GONNA IMPACT THAT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS WE SPENT OR SHOULD BE, WHAT IS THE TIMETABLE TO LAKE TO WHERE WE GOT A SAFE HARBOR OF WHEN TO INCORPORATE AND ADOPT A NEW LAND USE? YOU, YOU MIGHT HAVE MORE ON THAT. 
          I DON'T THINK, I MEAN, WE'RE NOT UNDER, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, WE'RE NOT UNDER AN OBLIGATION TO UPDATE THE LAND RIGHT NOW. 
          I MEAN, WE CERTAINLY WANT TO BECAUSE OF ALL THE REASONS JESSICA JUST OUTLINED. 
          UM, AND AGAIN, THIS GOES BACK TO THE MAKING IT EASIER. 
          UH, AND I WILL, TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE. 
          SO THE CONTRACT WITH, UH, WITH THE FIRM TO, TO DO THE LAND USE ORDINANCE UPDATE FOR $193,725 TODAY, WE PAID JUST UNDER $46,000 FOR THEIR SERVICE OVER ALMOST, ALMOST TWO YEARS WORTH OF WORK. 
          THAT'S BECAUSE IT'S GOING SLOWER THAN, AND HE'S BEEN HERE LESS. 
          WE DID TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF A BREAK WHEN THIS HAPPENED, ALL SCRATCHING OUR HEADS. 
          AND THAT'S WHAT I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE A GOOD ANSWER FOR SOME OF THESE THINGS. 
          AND THIS, THIS IS A HARD DECISION AND IT, AND IT MAY BE SOMETHING YOU ALL, I, SORRY, I HAVE TO PUT YOUR MIND TO INSIDE. 
          WE'RE GONNA WALK AWAY OR WE'RE GONNA PAUSE OR I MEAN, THERE'S NOT A, THERE'S NOT AN OBLIGATION TO CHANGE IT, OBVIOUSLY BECAUSE OF ITS USER FRIENDLINESS, THE LACK THEREOF. 
          THERE WAS A DESIRE BY THE LAST BOARD TO MOVE FORWARD ON THIS. 
          UM, AND AT THE TIME, I MEAN, IT WOULD'VE BEEN GREAT, BUT I JUST THINK WE ARE, WE ARE HAMSTRUNG BY THE LEGISLATURE IN GETTING A PRODUCT THAT'S GOING TO BE WHAT WE WANT. 
          UM, AND IF WE MOVE FORWARD AND SPEND $150,000 FOR A PRODUCT THAT'S SUBPAR, THAT DEVELOPERS ARE STILL GONNA BE FRUSTRATED WITH BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO RELEARN IT AND IT'S GONNA HAVE THIS, I MEAN, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO CUT DOWN SOME OF THE OVERLAYS, BUT I THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT. 
          I THINK WE NEED TO PAUSE ON THIS, SEE IF THERE IS A, A CHANGE IN THE NEXT EIGHT TO 10 MONTHS FROM THE LEGISLATURE. 
          UM, AND IF NOT, THEN LOOK AT DO WE PIECEMEAL IT? I MEAN, HOW, HOW DO WE PIECEMEAL IT OR HOW DO WE WORK WITHIN THE CONFINES? ARE WE REALLY STUCK WITH THIS? I JUST, I WOULD HATE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH 150 TO GET A PRODUCT THAT'S EITHER PUT ON A SHELF OR ONE WE DON'T WANT. 
          UM, AND THEN IN THE MEANTIME, I MEAN, WE TALKED TO OUR DE OUR DELEGATION, WE TALKED TO THE LEAGUE, AND I MEAN, I, I'M INTERESTED IN LOOKING AT WOULD IT BE WORTH WITHDRAWING OUR MEMBERSHIP FROM THE LEAGUE IF THEY'RE NOT GONNA ADVOCATE FOR US, IF THEY'RE NOT GONNA LOBBY. 
          I MEAN, THIS IS THE WHOLE REASON THEY EXIST. 
          UM, AND IF THEY'RE NOT GONNA LOBBY FOR US, THEN I'D RATHER TAKE THAT MONEY THAN A FIND A LOBBYIST. 
          AND THERE'S TWO OTHER THINGS WITH THE ORDINANCE THAT WERE, THAT WENT INTO THIS, THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF LAW CHANGES THROUGH THE YEARS. 
          OUR ORDINANCE DOES NOT REFLECT, OBVIOUSLY. 
          SO SOME OF THOSE CHANGES, WE, WE CAN STILL MAKE THAT, WE CAN STILL MAKE THEM. 
          THEY, THEY WERE FOLDED INTO THIS MEAT CLEAN PROJECT CLEANUP HAS THAT, THAT WE STARTED IN. 
          HAS THAT BEEN DONE TODAY? YEAH. 
          EVERYTHING THAT'S GONE IN THERE WAS ONE 60 D COMPLIANT AND FEDERALLY COMPLIANT UNDER, YOU KNOW, UNTIL DECEMBER LAST YEAR. 
          RIGHT. 
          SUMMER, NINTH, WHATEVER DAY IT WAS. 
          BUT HAS, HAS THE CURRENT CHANGES THAT YOU AND THE CONSULTANT HAVE WORKED ON, HAS IT UPDATED THE ORDINANCE TO COMPLY WITH EXISTING? WE, WE HAVE THREE CHAPTERS THAT ARE DRAFTED. 
          ALL OF THIS OTHER WORK HAS BEEN OUTREACH, COLLECTING, HAVING THESE MEETINGS, TALKING TO THE PEOPLE, BRINGING THE, THE GROUPS AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. 
          THREE, THREE CHAPTERS ARE DRAFTED. 
          THEY ARE ALL LEGAL, BUT THEY ALL TIE IN AS YOU UNDERSTAND IT, YOU KNOW, 15 OTHER CHAPTERS. 
          RIGHT. 
          WHAT OTHER COMMENTS DO WE HAVE ON THE BOARD AND YOU NEED, DO YOU NEED DIRECTION FROM US? NOT TODAY. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, I HATE TO THINK THIS. 
          I'LL PROBABLY BE BACK HERE IF THINGS DON'T CHANGE. 
          SAYING WHAT, WHAT DIRECT ME WHAT TO DO. 
          DO IT THIS WAY, DO IT THIS WAY. 
          TIME. 
          WE'RE OFF FOR SIX MONTHS TILL WE FIGURE THIS THING OUT. 
          YEAH. 
          DIDN'T SCOTT SAY THAT HE'D HAVE THAT RESOLUTION? WAS IT FEBRUARY? YES. 
          YEAH. 
          SO I'M JUST NOT SUPER OPTIMISTIC ON NO, THE LEGISLATURE DOING THAT BECAUSE I MEAN, TO ME, THIS IS SUCH A NO-BRAINER MISTAKE THAT THEY MADE. 
          AND 
          [05:20:01]
I DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT'S EGO. 
          I AGREE. 
          I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ISSUE IS, BUT I MEAN, THIS COULD BE AN EASY FIX AND I, THEY'RE JUST, THEY'RE NOT INTERESTED IN DOING IT. 
          SO, AND OF COURSE WE ALL KNOW HOW IT WORKS IN RALEIGH. 
          IT'S WHOEVER THE LEADERSHIP, WHATEVER THEY SAY DO, IS PRETTY MUCH WHAT HAPPENS. 
          SO WE CAN TALK TO OUR LOCAL FOLKS ALL WE WANT TO, BUT THEY'RE NOT GONNA DO WHAT THEIR LEADERSHIP GO AGAINST THEIR LEADERSHIP. 
          BUT DON'T WE HAVE SOMEONE, LOCAL DELEGATION IS IN LEADERSHIP. 
          OKAY. 
          I KIND OF GOT FEELING THERE'S A BIT OF A DIVIDE BETWEEN THE, THE BIG BIG CITIES. 
          OH YEAH. 
          AND THE CITIES OUR SIZE WITHIN THE METRO MAYORS GROUP, EVEN AS TO HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT THIS STUFF. 
          OH, THEY, THEY'RE PASSING LEGISLATION THAT PROVES THAT VERY POINT BECAUSE THEY'RE SAYING THE CITY'S OVER A CERTAIN POPULATION, YOU SHOULD SEE WHAT THEY'RE DOING TO THEIR FLEXIBILITY AND POWER THAT THEY HAVE. 
          THEY'RE SAYING, NO, YOU'VE GOTTA ALLOW THIS DENSITY, YOU'VE GOTTA ALLOW APARTMENT BUILDINGS. 
          YOU'VE GOTTA ALLOW THIS AND THAT. 
          WE DON'T FALL UNDER THAT BECAUSE WE'RE OUR POPULATION. 
          I THINK IT'S A HUNDRED THOUSAND. 
          IS IT A HUNDRED THOUSAND WHERE THEY'RE LIKE, YOU HAVE TO, THAT'S A LITTLE BIT SCARY BECAUSE IT'S VERY DIFFERENT THAN HOW WE NORMALLY OPERATE IN THIS STATE. 
          I WOULDN'T SAY THAT THERE'S A TIER NEED, UH, OF SORTS, BUT WITH CERTAIN, UM, YOU KNOW. 
          WELL, I'LL JUST STOP RIGHT THERE. 
          SO THAT'S MY GOOD NEWS TO GUYS. 
          THANKS. 
          SOME OF THESE PROJECTS. 
          WERE IN THE SURVEY. 
          WE ASK YOU SOME QUESTIONS ON THIS, BUT BEFORE TELL EM, GO AHEAD AND PASS THAT AFTER IT. 
          UM, THE FIRST THING THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE UP HERE, BECAUSE A COUPLE OF YOU HAD MENTIONED THIS FOR ABOUT A YEAR, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THE CONCEPT FOR A, UM, BASICALLY A SPECIALTY SHOP, SMALL FOOTPRINT, UM, THAT WE LOOKED AT FOOTING IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA USING MSD FUNDS. 
          AND SO, UM, LET'S GO AHEAD AND, SORRY. 
          SO YOU, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THE, THE LOT THAT WE LOOKED AT WAS, UH, SOUTH FRONT STREET AND HANCOCK LOT. 
          AND SO WE LOOKED AT, UM, PUTTING ABOUT SEVEN BUILDINGS ON HERE, ABOUT 600 SQUARE FEET, NO RESTROOM. 
          WE WOULD, UH, IF THIS CONCEPT COMES TO FRUITION, WE WOULD LOOK AT ADDING ONTO THE FARMER'S MARKET ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE FARMER'S MARKET, BUT RESTROOMS TO, TO SERVICE THIS AREA. 
          AND THE WHOLE, THE WHOLE GOAL OF THIS WOULD BE TO, UH, SINCE THERE IS, UM, NOT A LOT OF AVAILABLE RETAIL SPACE DOWNTOWN, FOCUS ON LIKE AN INCUBATOR WITH SOME BUSINESSES THAT ARE STARTING UP UNIQUE NICHE TYPE, UM, BUSINESSES. 
          LET'S SEE THE NEXT SLIDE. 
          NOW YOU CAN SEE THIS IS JUST A GENERAL IDEA OF WHAT THAT COULD LOOK LIKE. 
          AND SO, UM, WE'RE STILL PRICING OUT. 
          UH, WE'VE HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS WITH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, UM, ON ELEVATIONS. 
          YOU, WE'VE HAD SOME TALK WITH STAFF WITH HPC. 
          AND SO, UM, WE'VE GOT PROCESSES THAT WE WOULD NEED TO GO THROUGH WITH THIS. 
          BUT I THINK THAT WE'RE GONNA BRING THIS TO, UM, THE MSD COMMITTEE AT THE NEXT MEETING IN FEBRUARY. 
          SEE WHAT KIND OF SUPPORT WE GET FROM THEM. 
          ULTIMATELY, THIS WILL COME TO THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN FOR APPROVAL. 
          AND THIS IS A PROJECT THAT GOES, WE'D LIKE TO GET STARTED ON THIS, UM, AT, AT SOME POINT OVER THE SUMMER AND, AND ROLL ON. 
          BUT ANY COMMENTS ON THIS ONE? I'D BE INTERESTED IN HEARING WHAT ALL OF THE, THE FIRST BOARD GET. 
          SO, SO I'VE BEEN TALKING WITH FOLKS ABOUT THIS IDEA, FOLKS ON THE MSD, UM, ADVISORY BOARD, AS WELL AS SOME OTHER DOWNTOWN. 
          WHAT, YOU KNOW, THE BIGGEST COMPLAINT, ONE OF THE BIGGEST COMPLAINTS THAT I HEAR WHEN IT COMES TO STARTING A BUSINESS DOWNTOWN, IF YOU WANNA START A BUSINESS, TRYING TO FIND A, A RETAIL SPOT FOR IT. 
          UM, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE STARTING OUT IN THESE MORE SPECIALTY, YOU KNOW, I HAVE A, THE, THE PRIME EXAMPLE, LA PETITE, UH, CHILDREN'S BOUTIQUE STORE WHO WANTED TO BE DOWNTOWN, COULDN'T FIND ANY SPACE FOR IT, FOUND A SPACE THAT'S ON THE OUTSIDE DOWN, IT'S OVER TOWARDS LAWSON'S CREEK DOING REALLY WELL, BUT IS NOW ESTABLISHED A BRAND AND, AND CUSTOMER BASE OVER IN THAT LOCATION CAN'T MOVE INTO DOWNTOWN. 
          THIS IDEA WAS HOW DO WE ALLOW THIS KIND OF INCUBATOR SPACE FOR ENTREPRENEURS IN THE AREA TO HAVE THESE SHOPS? WHAT I, I, I'VE TALKED WITH SWISS BAYER AND, AND, AND TALKING WITH THEM MORE ABOUT THE IDEA OF THEM PLAYING A, A LARGER ROLE IN RECRUITING AND RETAINING BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN. 
          AND I THINK THIS IS AN ELEMENT OF THAT WHERE YOU GET SOMEONE TO COME IN TO START A SHOP HERE AFTER A CERTAIN THRESHOLD IN SALES, THEY GET PUT OUT INTO AN AVAILABLE RETAIL SPACE. 
          AND SWISS BEAR HAS PROGRAMS FOR THAT. 
          AND SO I THINK THAT THERE'S A REALLY GOOD OPPORTUNITY HERE. 
          AND THIS TO ME IS ALMOST AN EXTENSION OF THE FARMER'S MARKET. 
          YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE FARMER'S MARKET AND THEN YOU HAVE 
          [05:25:01]
THESE RETAIL SHOPS, UH, THAT I THINK WOULD REALLY CREATE A BETTER, YOU KNOW, RETAIL ENVIRONMENT TO RECRUIT. 
          I, I MEAN, I LIKE THE IDEA OF THE FOLKS I'VE TALKED TO REALLY LIKE THE IDEA. 
          UM, LIKE I, LIKE FOSTER SAID, WE'RE BRINGING THIS UP TO THE MSD ADVISORY BOARD, UM, IN FEBRUARY TO GET THERE. 
          UM, BUT I GET A FEELING THAT I THINK THEY'RE GONNA LIKE THIS IDEA. 
          AND THIS IS OBVIOUSLY JUST CONCEPT. 
          IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT A LOT OF THIS CAN BE DONE INHOUSE. 
          YES, IT CAN. 
          AND, AND YOU KNOW, AS ALL THE FIRST SAID, WE'VE HAD HAVE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH FEW FOLKS WITH SWISS BEAR. 
          THEY HAVE NOT ENDORSED THIS. 
          WE'RE REALLY A, A LOW LEVEL PLANNING STAGE, HAVING DISCUSSIONS, BUT THE GOAL WOULD NOT BE FOR THE CITY TO OPERATE THESE THINGS. 
          SO SWISS BEAR'S, THE DOWNTOWN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ENGINE WOULD BE GREAT FOR THEM TO BASICALLY HANDLE SOMETHING LIKE THAT IF EVERYTHING COULD BE ALIGNED WORK OUT. 
          SO ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON, ON THIS? UM, THIS ON A KIND OF A, A DIFFERENT BASIS IS VERY SUCCESSFUL IN SWANSBORO. 
          MM-HMM . 
          AND SEVERAL OTHER AREAS. 
          THAT'S REALLY GOOD. 
          UH, WE, YOU ARE GONNA LOSE ABOUT 30 TO 40 SPACES, I'M SURE YOU GOTTA HAVE FIGURED OUT A REPLACEMENT FOR THAT FLOW OR THE LITTLE GREEN AREA THERE. 
          FARMER MARKET. 
          THERE'S A MAP OVER THERE IN THAT NEXT ROAD I CAN SHOW YOU ON BRIDGE OVER TO. 
          THAT'S RIGHT. 
          ARE YOU SUGGESTING THERE'S A PARKING PROBLEM IN DOWNTOWN? I YOU'RE ALRIGHT, LET'S GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. 
          AND SO IN THE SURVEY, THIS IS, THIS IS WHAT STEP WALK YOU PUT. 
          SO OUR, OUR FIRST ONE WE HAVE ON HERE IS COMPLETE THE RIVER WALK. 
          SO I'M GONNA TAKE THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT COMPLETING SECTION OF THE RIVER WALK AT UNION POINT PARK HEADING OVER TOWARD FOR SIMMONS. 
          IS THAT, IS THAT AN ACCURATE STATEMENT? OKAY, SO IT'S THAT SECTION THAT GOES AROUND THE HOTEL, UH, AND CONNECTS IN. 
          AND, UM, SO FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS WE'VE KIND OF TALKED ABOUT THIS AND IT COME UP WITH SOME PRELIMINARY PLANS AND I THINK WE'VE GOT SOME COST ESTIMATES FOR IT AS WELL ON THAT. 
          WELL, YEAH, I MEAN, WAY BACK, IT, IT, IT WAS REALLY SERIOUSLY LIKE THE CUNNINGHAM BRIDGE. 
          WE GOT FIGURES WHEN THEY WERE FIXING TO THROW THAT BRIDGE OFF AND WE JUST WEREN'T IN A POSITION FINANCIALLY TO EVEN CONSIDER A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE AT THAT TIME, LIKE GREENVILLE HAS DONE. 
          UM, BUT I THINK SOME OF 'EM IN THE PAST AND, AND PRESENTLY, YOU KNOW, NEWBURN NEEDS TO CONTINUE TO TRY TO BE A HEALTHY CITY, A WELLNESS CITY. 
          AND PART OF THAT IS SOMEBODY WALKING FROM RE WOODS ALL THE WAY DOWNTOWN WITH SIDEWALKS OR EVEN RIVER BEND ALL THE WAY TO, FOR SIMMONS ALL THE WAY DOWN THROUGH RIVERSIDE AND WIND UP AT MARIET, YOU KNOW, UH, WITH A SIDEWALK DOWN OAKS ROAD. 
          I MEAN, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THAT'S, UH, UNREALISTIC TO CONSIDER THAT I, HERE AGAIN, WHEN WE TOOK OAKS ROAD OVER TO FROM DOT WITH GETTING OUT OF BRIDGE BUSINESS, UM, WE LOOKED AT IT AT THE TIME AND WE JUST ABSOLUTELY TAKEN OVER AND WHAT WAS NEEDED TO REPURPOSE OAK ROAD AND WIDEN IT. 
          THE NUMBERS WERE NOT THERE TO EVEN CONSIDER PUTTING THE SIDEWALK IN AT THE TIME ALONG WITH SOME ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES. 
          THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING I THINK THE CITY SHOULD LOOK INTO. 
          IT'LL CONTINUE TO HELP, UH, MARTIN AREA. 
          BUT, SO, I MEAN, WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS INTERCONNECTED, INTERCONNECTED GREENWOOD. 
          YEAH. 
          ESSENTIALLY, RIGHT? TO BE ABLE TO, I MEAN, I ALMOST THINK OF THAT WAY. 
          YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A MULTI-USE PATH FOR WALKING PEDESTRIAN AND JOGGING BICYCLE. 
          AMEN. 
          EIGHT FOOT ONE AADA A COMPLIANT. 
          AND THE BEST EXAMPLE WE CURRENTLY HAVE OF THAT IS, IS, IS LONG, UH, GLEN BURNEY WHAT THE DOT DID. 
          THE BEST, THE BEST OF THESE  WOULD BE BRIDGES STREET EXTENSION, MOREHEAD PEOPLE USE THAT EIGHT FOOT WHITE SIDEWALK. 
          GOOD EXAMPLE. 
          THEN WE HAD, WE, WE TALKED ABOUT THE, THE INCUBATORS IN DEVELOPMENT OF A STANDALONE LONG-TERM STRATEGIC PLAN THAT INCORPORATES ALL EXISTING PLANS UNDER ONE UMBRELLA OR DOCUMENT THAT ACCOUNTS FOR ANTICIPATED GROWTH, RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL WITH COMMUNITY INPUT. 
          SO CAN WE GET BONUS POINTS IF WE CAN PICK WHO SAID EACH ONE OF THESE? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. 
          SO, SO WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS NO, NOT EVERY DEPARTMENT HAS A STRATEGIC PLAN, BUT I'LL, I'LL NAME THE ONES THAT DO HAVE ONE. 
          PARKS AND RECREATION, UH, POLICE AND FIRE, BECAUSE THEY'RE ACCREDITED NATIONALLY ACCREDITED, THEY HAVE STRATEGIC PLANS. 
          PUBLIC UTILITIES HAS A STRATEGIC PLAN, BUT IT REALLY NEEDS TO BE UPDATED 'CAUSE IT'S OUT OF DATE. 
          BUT THEY DO HAVE A STRATEGIC PLAN. 
          OUR GIS DIVISION AND DEVELOPMENT 
          [05:30:01]
SERVICES HAS A STRATEGIC PLAN. 
          SO FIVE STRATEGIC PLANS, SO THERE'S NOT ONE FOR PUBLIC WORKS AND SOME OF THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT, THAT KIND OF GIVES YOU AN IDEA. 
          BUT DOES PUBLIC WORKS HAVE A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN? OH YES. 
          OH YES. 
          DOES EVERY, EVERY DEPARTMENT HAS A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN. 
          YES. 
          OUR NEXT ONE IS WEST NEW AND FIRE STATION, WHICH WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THAT COMING. 
          WELL, WE SEE HOW FOSTER LIKES THAT ONE. 
          . 
          YEAH, . 
          WHICH, WHICH WE TALKED ABOUT THAT. 
          AND, AND REALLY IT ALL HINGES ON WHEN IS THE 43 CONNECTOR ACTUALLY GONNA BE COMPLETED BECAUSE, UM, WE HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH LARRY HAER. 
          I THINK WE'RE BACK ON BOARD WITH POTENTIAL, SOME PROPERTY OVER THERE, UH, THAT WE CAN BUILD ON. 
          SO YES, THAT'S DEFINITELY ON THE RADAR FOR US. 
          UM, ACTIVITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. 
          SO LET'S GIVE A BETTER EXAMPLE OF WHAT ACTIVITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE YOU'RE LOOKING AT BECAUSE, UH, I THINK CARRIE CAN TALK ALL DAY ABOUT, ESPECIALLY ACTIVITIES THAT THEY'RE DOING NOW FOR YOUNG PEOPLE OR IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BOWLING CENTER. 
          UM, UH, I, I THINK TAGGING THINGS LIKE THAT. 
          I THINK A LOT OF THAT HAS, HAS BEEN ANSWERED TODAY WITH, WITH CARRIE'S REPORT, YOU KNOW, ON THE BOTTOM. 
          I MEAN THE SKATE PARK AND THE BIKE PARK AND THE ROPES AND STUFF LIKE THAT. 
          I, I THINK THAT'S A BIG STEP FORWARD INTO PROVIDING ACTIVITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. 
          WHAT WAS IT MENTIONED THOUGH WAS CAVER PARK AND CONTINUING, I MEAN THAT WAS A VERY VITAL RECREATIONAL PART OF NEWBURY ONE TIME. 
          AND THIS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE CONDITION OF THAT DEFENSE AROUND CAVER PARK. 
          UM, I, I'D LIKE TO SEE CONTINUED IMPROVEMENT IN USE OF A PAPER PARK MAYBE FOR, UM, YOUNG PEOPLE USE. 
          I MEAN, IT MAY BE SOMETHING BESIDES JUST BASEBALL. 
          I, AND WE'LL DO, I THINK THAT'S ON THE NEXT PAGE OF THIS. 
          SO COULD MINUTES THEN WE HAD, LET'S SEE HERE, LESS BARS DOWNTOWN. 
          UM, WE'LL PUT THAT, SCOTT ACTUALLY ALLUDED TO THAT EARLIER ON THE DISCUSSION. 
          THEN WE'VE GOT EVERGREEN CEMETERY CONTINUE UPGRADING AND REMOVAL OF TREES TO PROVIDE MORE BURIAL PLOTS. 
          ONE THING I'LL TELL YOU ABOUT THAT IS IN THE DOCUMENTATION THAT WE HAD, EVERY AREA SUPPOSEDLY HAS PLOTS, BUT WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO, WE'VE LOOKED AT SEVERAL AREAS WE WE'RE GONNA CONTRACT WITH, WITH A FIRM TO COME IN AND ACTUALLY SCAN TO SEE IF THERE IS ANYTHING IN CERTAIN AREAS. 
          SO THAT, ESPECIALLY WHERE WE DID THE SHELTER EARLIER THIS YEAR, I HAD MY SUSPICIOUS THAT THERE'S NOTHING IN A CERTAIN GENERAL AREA. 
          SO IT COULD BE WE TEAR SOME TREES OUT THERE AND ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO OPEN THAT AREA BACK UP FOR SALES. 
          ARE, ARE WE, ISN'T THAT SOMEWHAT REGULATED OR PERMIT ON HOW MANY YOU CAN HAVE, BUT I DIDN'T THINK THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU HAD LAND THAT YOU COULD ADD PLOTS, BUT I MAY BE WRONG. 
          NOT FOR, UM, THEN WE'VE GOT CLOSURE OF ALL CVID 19 FUNDING CONTINUED PROJECTS AT MARTIN MARIETTA FUTURE ENTERPRISE DEPARTMENT WITH AREA CITIES SIMILAR TO NEW AND PURCHASED A MILLION AND DRAINAGE EQUIPMENT TOO EXPENSIVE FOR JUST ONE CITY THAT OWNS AND THEN RENT BACK TO, UH, THE SAME AT HOURLY RATES. 
          SO SOMETHING LIKE THAT. 
          IF, IF WE COULD GET INTEREST WITH OTHER, UH, MUNICIPALITIES, EXERCISE, MAYBE AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT, UH, ON ON ON EQUIPMENT, JOINT USAGE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. 
          IS THAT WHAT THAT'S TALKING ABOUT? UH, UH, I DON'T KNOW WHO DID IT BUT OUT LIE. 
          IS THAT, IS THAT ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? SO, OKAY, CAROL, ELABORATE. 
          I DON'T HAVE SO MUCH ELABORATE. 
          I MEAN, THAT'S ALL I NEED TO SAY, Y'ALL. 
          IF YOU HAVE ANY INTEREST IN ADD TO IT OR IF YOU DON'T MOVE ON. 
          YEAH, I THINK IT'S, IT'S, NO, IT'S, IT'S LIKE A WATER SEWER ELECTRIC. 
          IT IS A FOR-PROFIT. 
          IT, IT PAYS ITS WAY THE CITY KIND LOCATED IN THE CENTER. 
          UH, IF IT'S GOLDSBORO, KINSTON, WASHINGTON MOORHEAD, JACKSONVILLE, YOU PARK IT OVER THERE IN A CHAIN LINK FENCE KINSTON, YOU PAY SOMEBODY TO MAINTAIN IT AND EVERYBODY, UH, PAYS FOR HOUR, HOURLY RATE TO USE IT. 
          THEY ALL GOT THE SAME PROBLEMS. DRAINAGE AND MILLING STREETS OR, I MEAN IT'S THE COMMON, I MEAN EVERYBODY WANTS THEIR STREET REBATE. 
          THE MORE, THE CHEAPER YOU CAN SITE PREP THAT STREET AND WORK OUT WITH SOME OF SOME MEANS OF ECONOMIES OF SCALE AND USE THE, THE MORE STREETS YOU'RE GONNA PAY IN THE COMMUNITY. 
          WELL, HOW MUCH OF THAT EQUIPMENT DO WE ALREADY OWN? WELL, YOU KNOW, IT, IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. 
          IT'S SOMETHING WE, WE'D HAVE TO HAVE SOME DISCUSSIONS WITH STAFF ON, UM, TALK WITH SOME OTHER CITIES TO SEE WHAT KIND OF INTEREST AREAS FOR S MENTALLY SHAKING THE STUFF 
          [05:35:01]
MAILING MACHINE. 
          WE DO NOT, WE DO NOT, WE DO HAVE DRAIN A GOOD MILL MACHINE. 
          YEAH. 
          NOT JUST A MILL MACHINE. 
          LET'S GO TO OUR NEXT PAGE THEN WE'VE GOT FUNDING SOURCES IF YOU DON'T WANT TO ELABORATE ON THAT. 
          UM, AND THEN REGIONAL USE AND NEEDED ROADS TO CONNECT. 
          THEN WE'VE GOT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, YOUTH LEADERSHIP, UH, NEWBURN. 
          THIS IS A DEVELOPING IDEA TO ENGAGE, UH, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH THE INNER WORKINGS OF THE CITY AND CONNECT THEM WITH MENTORS FROM THE COMMUNITY COLLABORATIVE EFFORT WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL. 
          IT'S KINDA LIKE A, A NEWBURG 1 0 1, UH, FOR, FOR STUDENTS, UH, I THINK IS WHAT ONE OF YOU'RE REFERRING TO. 
          YEAH. 
          I I DIDN'T WRITE THAT, BUT I CAN C WELL, I, I DID SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN HIGH SCHOOL AND UM, I COULD TALK TO PEOPLE TO MAKE INROADS PERHAPS. 
          UM, BUT I DON'T WANT TO GO ROGUE OR YOU KNOW, LIKE HOW, WHAT'S THAT PROCESS? CAN I HAVE AS MANY CONVERSATIONS AS I WANT? AND THEN I GUESS WELL, WELL I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S, IS THIS SOMETHING THE BOARD WOULD BE INTERESTED IN US PURSUING? AND WE COULD, WE COULD CERTAINLY DO THAT. 
          REACH OUT TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND SEE IF THEY WOULD HAVE AN INTEREST AND THEN LET STAFF KIND OF VET SOMETHING AND BRING SOMETHING BACK TO THE BOARD ON WHAT, WHAT THAT COULD LOOK LIKE. 
          AND ABSOLUTELY WE WOULD INCLUDE YOU WITH THAT. 
          I, I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA FOR, I MEAN, JUST SHEER RECRUITMENT. 
          I MEAN THERE'S AN EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT OF FOR, FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, BUT I MEAN A LOT OF THOSE FOLKS, A LOT OF THOSE KIDS MIGHT SEE SOMETHING IN ONE OF OUR DEPARTMENTS AND SAY, OH YEAH, I WANNA DO THAT. 
          AND THEN THEY CAN GO DO IT AT THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE. 
          OH, BACK, BACK IN THE, GOSH, THAT MUST BEEN 75, 76, 7, 7 SUMMER, THAT RANGE. 
          I KNOW, UM, SAMMY STOCKS THAT WORKED WITH THE UTILITY DEPARTMENT HAD A, UM, APPRENTICE PROGRAM AND YOU KNOW, THEY WERE, THEY, THE APPRENTICES WOULD BE HIRED AND THEY WOULD WORK 70 WEEKS WITH THE ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT, 70 WEEKS WITH THE DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES AND 70 WEEKS WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. 
          CARRIE, DIDN'T YOU SAY ONE POINT YOU HAD A HARD TIME RECRUITING FOR LIFEGUARDS AND STUFF? UM, ONE THING WE HAVE DONE IS FOR OUR BASKETBALL WHERE WE'VE HAD HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS COME IN AND HELP REFEREE FOR THEIR YOUNGER AGE GROUPS TO KIND OF DEAL WITH THAT. 
          SO STUFF LIKE THAT, I MEAN, WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, AND IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHAT IT IS. 
          UH, CASE IN POINT, LIFEGUARDING A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE NOT INTERESTED IN, IN AQUATICS ANYMORE. 
          UH, THEY CAN GO TO A FAST FOOD RESTAURANT AND MAKE MORE THAN WHAT THE CITY OR ANY OTHER, UH, ENTITY THAT HAS A SWIMMING POOL IS GONNA MAKE AND, UM, BEING OUT IN THE SUN. 
          IT'S JUST THE WORK ETHIC FOR, FOR YOUTH IS NOT WHAT THE WORK ETHIC WAS 20 YEARS AGO. 
          AS WE ALL KNOW, THE INTERESTED CHANGE THINGS. 
          IT REALLY DEPENDS ON, ON, ON WHAT, WHAT THE JOB IS. 
          LET'S SEE, THEN WE HAD, UM, GREENWAY IS ALSO A DEVELOPING IDEA, BUT IN GENERAL, USING INDIGENOUS PLANTS TO CREATE BEAUTIFUL WALKING AREAS AROUND THE CITY. 
          KIND OF TALKED ABOUT GREENWAY A MINUTE AGO THEN ELIZABETH AVENUE SAFETY ISSUES DUE TO NARROW ROADS, CROWDED WITH THE VEHICLES IN LIGHT OF CONTINUED CONSTRUCTION. 
          THE AREA NEEDS A LOT OF EYES ON IT FOR CREATIVE SOLUTIONS. 
          UH, QUESTIONS ABOUT DILAPIDATED HOUSES, UH, NEEDING TO BE FIXED SOMEHOW IN THE AREAS OF WARD FOUR. 
          YOU CAN ELABORATE ON THAT IF YOU'D LIKE. 
          UM, AT THE LAST ALDERMAN MEETING, A COUPLE OF HOUSES WERE TAKEN OVER BY HABITAT. 
          I DIDN'T QUITE UNDERSTAND, BUT I'M, I'M INTERESTED IN SEEING IF THAT TYPE OF THING CAN BE DONE AROUND MY WARD AS WELL. 
          WE CAN TALK TO HABITAT. 
          THEY TRADITIONALLY, UM, WORK IN, IN LOW INCOME AREAS. 
          UH, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT WARD FOUR IS GONNA QUALIFY IN THAT. 
          I MEAN, YOU SEE THAT A LOT, UH, IN THE PEMBROKE, THE DUCKY FIELD COMMUNITIES AND, AND THEY HAVE ALSO ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT THEY QUALIFY FOR, FOR LOW, LOW INCOME AS WELL. 
          SO NOT SURE HOW HOW, BUT WE CAN, WE CAN TALK TO, I THINK SHE MAYBE IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT WAS ON A RECENT AGENDA, IT'S WHERE WE CONVEYED, IT'S WHERE THE CITY HAS AGREEMENT WITH HABITAT. 
          WE PROVIDE THE LAND AND THEN HABITAT BUILDS THE HOUSE AND THEN WHEN IT GETS DONE, THE CITY GOES TO THE PROCESS WHERE WE CONVEY IT TO THE OWNER. 
          SO IT'S ACTUALLY A NEW HABITAT HOUSE IS BEEN BUILT. 
          THAT'S WHAT THAT PROCESS WAS. 
          IF THAT'S THE ONE THAT I THINK THAT IS, UM, BECAUSE THERE'S A FEW HOUSES THAT ARE UNLIVABLE AND I'VE GOTTEN A COUPLE OF COMPLAINTS WHILE GOING AROUND CAMPAIGNING, UM, ABOUT CERTAIN HOUSES THAT JUST ARE JUST SITTING THERE AND THERE'S JUST ROADBLOCKS. 
          LET, LET, LET, LET ME KNOW AFTER YOU THIS WHAT THE ADDRESSES ARE. 
          WE'LL GET STAFF TO LOOK AT 'EM AND SEE. 
          'CAUSE WE MAY HAVE A FILE ON THOSE HOUSES NOW AND THEY'RE, WHO KNOWS WHAT, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT. 
          BUT WE'LL CERTAINLY CHECK INTO THAT FOR YOU. 
          AND THEN ELIZABETH AVENUE. 
          YOU GUYS HAVE HEARD THAT PLENTY OF TIMES ALREADY. 
          THAT'S RIGHT. 
          AND SO WHAT I 
          [05:40:01]
WILL TELL YOU IS, UM, THIS SUMMER PD BASICALLY DID A A, A SPEED STUDY. 
          THEN IN FALL WHEN SCHOOL STARTED BACK, THEY DID ANOTHER ONE. 
          AND, AND WE CAN GIVE YOU GUYS AN UPDATED REPORT ON THAT. 
          BUT I KNOW THAT PD AND PUBLIC WORKS HAVE HAD DISCUSSIONS ON WHAT COULD BE DONE TO HELP CALM, CALM THE ROAD OVER THERE BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THAT IS A CONCERN. 
          AND THEN WE HAD ONE FOR CA PARK RESTROOM EDITION. 
          SO YOU SEE ALL THESE THINGS. 
          WHAT, WHAT STICKS OUT THAT YOU'D LIKE FOR US TO KIND OF FOCUS ON OUT OF THESE, OUT OF THIS LIST FOR THIS POTENTIAL BUDGET OR ANY, ANY OTHER WAY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE GREENLAKE BROCHURE. 
          YOU'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT A LOT OF MONEY WITH THAT EITHER. 
          THAT COULD BE WORKED OUT. 
          COULD I MAKE A SUGGESTION THAT YOU SEND THIS OUT TO US AND LET US RANK THESE? SURE. 
          BECAUSE EVERYBODY THAT PUTS SOMETHING ON HERE, IT'S GONNA BE PASSIONATE THEM. 
          AND NOW THAT WE'VE ALL SEEN IT, IT GIVES US AN IDEA OF SOME OTHER THOUGHTS. 
          WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE WILL, WE'LL HAVE FINANCE STAFF SEND A SURVEY OUT IF THESE THINGS ARE LISTED AND YOU CAN PULL THAT OUT AND THEN WE'LL SHARE THIS AGAIN WITH THE BOARD AT, AT AN UPCOMING MEETING. 
          AS FAR AS THE BUDGET PROCESS, ANY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I KNOW DANA MENTIONED CAPER PARK A MINUTE AGO, IF THAT'S THE CAPER PARK IS REFERRING TO, OBVIOUSLY FOR THE, THE NEW FOLKS ON THE BOARD UNDERSTANDING THAT WE ARE IN A LEGAL CONTRACTING AGREEMENT WHERE WE HAVE LEASED OUT PICKER PARK COMPLETELY 365 DAYS A WEEK OR A YEAR TO, UM, THE SOUTH FALLS. 
          AND THEY ARE NOW RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THE MAINTENANCE, THE UPKEEP, THE, THE LIGHTS, UTILITIES, ALL THAT. 
          UM, BUT ONE THING THAT THEY, PART OF THAT AGREEMENT IS THEY HAVE TO SPEND HOW MUCH FOSTER, SO ANNUALLY WE HAVE TWO LEASES WITH THEM. 
          ONE IS ON THE FIELD ITSELF, THE OTHER IS ON THE CONCESSION STAND. 
          AND THEY WANTED TO BREAK THAT CONCESSION STAND OUT. 
          I DON'T KNOW IF THEY STARTED SELLING BEER YET, BUT IT WAS JUST TO GET THE A LE LICENSE. 
          SO $22,222 A YEAR IS WHAT THE LEASE AMOUNT IS. 
          THAT'S ALWAYS DUE JULY 1ST OF EACH YEAR. 
          SO THEY EITHER PAY THAT IN CASH OR THEY, OR IT'S IN KIND IN TERMS OF AN UPGRADE, UH, TO THE FACILITY. 
          AND SO WHAT THEY DID, THE VERY FIRST THING IS THEY TORE DOWN ALL THE FENCING. 
          THEY PUT NEW FENCING UP, THEN THEY, THEN THEY TORE OUT THE DUGOUTS PUT NEW DUGOUTS UP. 
          SO CURRENTLY THEY HAVE A CREDIT GOING INTO THIS, THIS, THIS NEXT PERIOD WHERE I THINK THEY OWE, I THINK THEY OWE ABOUT $13,000 ON THIS, UH, THIS LEASE FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR. 
          BUT THEY HAVE CHANGED HANDS. 
          SO NEW OWNERSHIP IS IN PLACE. 
          THE THE TEAM SOLD, UH, THIS PAST FALL HAD ANOTHER CONVERSATION WITH THE NEW OWNER LAST WEEK. 
          UM, AND I ACTUALLY, HE, HE WASN'T AWARE OF, OF HOW EVERYTHING CAME TO BE. 
          SO I ACTUALLY SENT HIM, UM, CLIPS FROM THE BOARD MINUTES WHERE, WHERE THE PREVIOUS OWNERS MADE PRESENTATIONS TO THE BOARD AND, AND WE WERE KIND OF SOLD ON CERTAIN EXPECTATIONS FOR, UH, WHAT THE, UH, CAPE PARK WOULD LOOK LIKE. 
          'CAUSE THEY TALKED ABOUT DOING, UH, STADIUM SEATING, DOING A LOT OF UPGRADES TO THE FACILITY. 
          AND SO HE WASN'T AWARE OF SOME OF THOSE THINGS. 
          BUT ONE OF THE BIGGEST NEEDS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IS THEY NEED TO HAVE SOME SEATING BECAUSE WE HAVE ALLOWED THEM TO USE SOME OF OUR BLEACHERS. 
          BUT I THINK THAT'S BEEN ONE OF THE BIG TURNOFFS THEY HAD. 
          BUT ANOTHER ISSUE THAT, THAT THEY ARE HAVING OVER THERE ARE, ARE RESTROOMS. UM, THEY HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH THAT, YOU KNOW, ON AVERAGE AN AVERAGE GAME, THEY'RE DRAWING OVER A THOUSAND PEOPLE AND THE RESTROOMS ARE NOT SUITABLE, UH, FOR THAT. 
          NOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT, IT IS OUR FACILITY. 
          I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE SPENDING 40, $50,000 FOR RESTROOM UPGRADES, JUST LIKE THERE ARE SOME ISSUES WITH THE BALL FIELD LIGHTS. 
          I DON'T, WHILE THEY'D LIKE TO SEE NEW BALL FIELD LIGHTS, I DON'T KNOW THAT ANYONE'S GONNA WANT TO PUT IN 200 TO $250,000 TO UPGRADE THOSE BALL FIELD LIGHTS AT THIS TIME. 
          SO THEY ARE STUCK PAYING THAT DEMAND CHARGE EVERY TIME THEY CUT THOSE WALL FILLED LIGHTS ON. 
          THEY HAVE A, AN EXPENSIVE POWER BILL. 
          AND SO, BUT WE INFORMED THEM OF ALL THAT, UH, BEFORE THEY SIGNED THE LEASE ON, ON THE EXPENSES. 
          WITH THAT SAM, WITH, YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE, UM, FAIR HARBOR ISSUING SPEEDING TICKETS BY WAY OF ELECTRONIC DEVICES AND PEOPLE ARE GETTING THEM IN THE MAIL AND WHERE IT'S NOT A CIVIL INFRACTION, IT'S A COVENANT INFRACTION AND DO EVIDENTLY HAVE HOA POA. 
          I'M JUST SAYING THAT FOR AREAS OF NEW HAVE HOA POAS, UH, I I'M CONTINUALLY, UM, GETTING GET COMPLAINTS ALL OVER NEWBURN ABOUT SPEEDING, UH, YOU KNOW, YOUNG CHILDREN, NATIONAL AVENUE PARTICULARLY, UH, A LOT OF, LOT OF HEAVY TRAFFIC THROUGH THERE. 
          UM, SO I'M ALWAYS LOOKING AT MEANSES, PARTICULARLY IN MY CASE, KINGS ROAD. 
          WE'RE 
          [05:45:01]
HAVING A LOT OF ISSUES OVER THERE AND EVEN GREENBRIER, UH, BUT ARE NOT AREAS THAT YOU COULD IMPOSE ON AN HOA LEVEL IF, UH, THAT IS CONCERNED WITH PUBLIC DEDICATED STREETS. 
          MM-HMM . 
          UH, WHETHER OR NOT YOU CAN DO THAT WITHIN THE CITY. 
          BUT I'M LOOKING AT, I KNOW THAT AUBURN NASTER AND I'VE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT SPEED BUMPS AND BOB, YOU CAN KIND OF GIVE US YOUR POSITION ON THAT, BUT, UH, I'M NOT FOR SPEED BUMPS LIKE WE HAD AT LAWSON CREEK, UH, BUT I AM FOR SOME MEANS NUMEROUS, ONE OF THE FEW CITIES THAT I I WORK IN, IN A 90 MILE RADIUS THAT DO NOT HAVE SOME MEANS IN SOME INSTANCES WITH PROBLEMATIC AREAS HAVING COMMON DEVICES TO SLOW THE TRAFFIC DOWN. 
          BUT BOBBY, YOU HAD A CONCERN ABOUT THAT, DIDN'T YOU? YEAH, I'M NOT SURE. 
          DID WE EVER FINISH THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE BALLPARK? BECAUSE I WAS GOING ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THE BALLPARK. 
          GO AHEAD AND ASK, BUT, UM, I, I FORGOT WHAT IT WAS NOW, , UM, I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE A CLUE WHAT I WAS GONNA ASK. 
          I JUST, BUT I, I DON'T KNOW. 
          SPEED BUMPS. 
          I DON'T THINK ANYBODY IN THIS ROOM'S IN FAVOR OF THEM. 
          YOU KNOW, I, I KNOW THAT SPEED BUMPS HAVE A TENDENCY TO TEAR UP FIRE TRUCKS. 
          RIGHT? THAT, THAT'S ALL I GOTTA SAY ABOUT THAT. 
           WELL, WE, WE'VE GOT SEVERAL OF THE SPEED SIGNS AND I MEAN, THEY'RE, THEY'RE NICE, BUT I DON'T KNOW THEY REALLY ARE THE TERM, BUT SO DID I HEAR YOU SAY THAT THERE ARE METHODS OF EXTRACTING FINES ELECTRONICALLY IN THE AREAS WITH POAS IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS? YEAH. 
          BUT THAT'S YOU NOT ON PUBLIC STREETS. 
          YEAH, WE'RE, I'M I'M SAYING OUR STREETS ARE DEDICATED PUBLIC. 
          I'M JUST GRASPING AT STRAWS TO FIGURE OUT, UH, PARTICULARLY, I, I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE AND I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY DO IT, BUT JIMMY STREET DRIVE, INSTEAD OF GOING UP THAT STOPLIGHT AT CVS, THEY'LL ALL DAY LONG, THEY GO THROUGH JIMMY'S CREEK THROUGH KINGS ROAD TO AVOID THE STOPLIGHT THAT'S AT MLK AND . 
          AND THERE'S, THEY'RE SPEEDING THROUGH THERE. 
          PRETTY GOOD. 
          I, SOME OF MUNICIPALITIES HAVE DEPLOYED, UM, WHAT THEY CALL THE, THEY'RE SPEED BUMPS, BUT THEY, THEY'RE NOT PERMANENT RUMBLE PADS. 
          LIKE RUMBLE PADS. 
          YEAH, LIKE RUMBLE PADS OR, OR IT'S ALMOST PORTABLE SPEED, SPEED BUMPS THAT POLICE DEPARTMENTS SHIFT WHEN THEY START GETTING COMPLAINTS, THEY START, THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS THE SECOND YOU PULL THOSE UP, PEOPLE START SPEEDING AGAIN. 
          SO I MEAN, WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO REGULATE PEOPLE'S BEHAVIOR THAT ARE NATURALLY BREAKING THE LUMP. 
          I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO, I THINK THE BEST WAY OF DOING IT IS WHEN THE ROADS ARE NEW ROADS ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION, IS TO DO SOME TYPE OF CONFIGURATION WHERE ROAD NARROWS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. 
          OR YOU HAVE TO TURN SLIGHT TURN TO THE RIGHT AND THEN BACK TO THE LEFT OR SOMETHING. 
          BUT NO, JUST KEEP GIVING 'EM TICKETS EVENTUALLY. 
          DON'T STOP. 
          YEAH, WELL THEY, YOU KNOW, I GET MORE, I GET COMPLAINTS FROM ONE NEIGHBORHOOD ABOUT SPEEDING MORE THAN ANYWHERE ELSE. 
          AND THE CHIEF WOULD TAKE A, WOULD GET ONE OF HIS GUYS TO GO DOWN THERE AND SET UP AND THE VERY FIRST CAR THAT GOES THROUGH THERE SEES THE POLICE OFFICER THERE AND GETS ON THEIR FACEBOOK PAGE AND SAY, HEY GUYS, BE CAREFUL. 
          THERE'S A POLICEMAN SITTING AT THE END OF THE ROAD. 
          TRUE. 
          AND YEAH. 
          AND THEY'RE THE ONES COMPLAINING ALL THE TIME ABOUT SPEAKING, BUT I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T EVEN HOW WE GOT ON THIS SUBJECT. 
          POPULAR SUBJECT. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          BACK, BACK TO THE CASE COURT. 
          MAYBE YOU REMEMBER WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT. 
          SO, SO THE REQUESTS, UH, THEY, THEY'VE ASKED PUBLIC WORKS I THINK SEVERAL TIMES THROUGHOUT THE SEASON TO GO UNCLOG OR GO WORK ON IT BECAUSE IT IS OUR INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE OWN. 
          UM, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS A CONVERSATION OR SOME SORT OF UPDATED PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NEW OWNERS TO SAY, WE ARE WILLING TO UPGRADE THE RESTROOMS, BUT YOU'VE GOTTA GET YOUR STADIUM SEATS FILLED OR SOMETHING. 
          YOU DO THAT, THEN WE'LL DO SOMETHING ON THAT. 
          WE'RE, WE'RE BOTH IN, UM, COMPLIANCE WITH THE AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE, BUT IF THEY WANT SOMETHING MORE OUT OF US AND I THINK THEY NEED TO SOMETHING AND EFFORT, BUT IT HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL. 
          A LOT OF THE ISSUES ARE CONCERNS THAT WERE EXPRESSED AT THE BEGINNING. 
          WERE MO UM, PARKING'S NOT AN ISSUE. 
          THERE'S SOME CARS JUST GOT SOME HITS IN 'EM. 
          NOT MY LAST ONE DID, BUT A CITATION, YOU LEARNED WHERE TO PARK THAT'S RIGHT ON CA FOR PARK. 
          JUST BRIEFLY, THE, AND THIS MIGHT NOT FIT INTO THIS, BUT I GOT SOME CALLS FROM THAT NEIGHBORHOOD ABOUT THE WALL. 
          MM-HMM . 
          ABOUT PAINTING THAT WALL. 
          BOTH, AND I MEAN IDEALLY 
          [05:50:01]
BOTH SIDES OF IT. 
          I KNOW THE SIDE FACING AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING NEW OWNERS WOULD BE WILLING TO DO IF THEY, THE NEW OWNERS ARE WILLING TO DO THAT. 
          WE'VE HELD THEM FROM DOING ANYTHING. 
          BUT RIGHT NOW THAT THAT BLOCK WALL NEAR WHERE THE BANDING CAGE IS, IT'S BASICALLY A SECTION THAT, THAT BASICALLY TURNS TO THE, TO THE RIGHT, MAYBE IT'S ABOUT 150 FOOT SECTION. 
          IT'S A HOLLOW BLOCK WALL. 
          SO WE'RE GONNA GO IN THERE, UH, PUT SEMEN IN THERE TO, TO TO, TO STIFF STRENGTHEN THAT THING UP. 
          THEN THEY'RE GONNA COME IN AND PAINT. 
          I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO DO MURAL AS WELL. 
          SO YES, THAT'S COMING AND I GUESS THEY'LL DO THE MURAL AND WE'LL PAINT THE BACKSIDE FACES THE NEIGHBORHOOD. 
          ACTUALLY I THINK THEY'VE GOT THE BACKSIDE OF THAT AS WELL. 
          OKAY. 
          SO THAT WHOLE LEAGUE IS SOLD, IS THAT WHAT NOT THE LEAGUE JUST THE TEAM, THE NEW BRUN TEAM. 
          IT'S THE NEW TEAM, RIGHT? THE, THE, THE, THE OWNERS OF THE LEAGUE ACTUALLY OWNED THE NEW BRUN BASEBALL, LLC. 
          AND, AND THEN AFTER, AFTER SEASON AND A HALF, THEY SOLD THE TEAM OFF TO ANOTHER GROUP. 
          WHAT IS THE TIMELINE FOR, UH, WE'RE JUST HOLDING OFF WITH THE OWNERS ON DOING THE WALL AND SOME OF THESE IMPROVEMENTS OR IS THIS A LET'S HAVE A CONVERSATION IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS, SO, OH NO, WE'VE HAD, WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM. 
          SO THEY'RE COMING INTO TOWN I THINK IN A FEW WEEKS. 
          AND SO, UM, WE'LL, WE'LL TALK TO 'EM ABOUT IT. 
          IT'D BE NICE TO WE DONE BY NEXT SEASON. 
          YEAH. 
          EVEN POSSIBLY COULD BE. 
          YEAH. 
          THE WALL OR THE RESTROOM? THE WALL. 
          OKAY. 
          GEORGE'S GOOD, YOU KNOW. 
          I KNOW. 
          EXACTLY. 
          GOOD. 
          ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON ANY, ANY, UH, PROJECTS? ALL RIGHT, SO CITY SPONSORED EVENTS, UM, YOU SHOULD HAVE IN YOUR PACKET ON A CURRENT LIST OF CITY SPONSORED EVENTS. 
          AND AS WE WERE LOOKING THROUGH THIS JUST FOR YOUR INFORMATION, THERE ARE, THERE ARE TWO ON THIS LIST THAT HAVE, UM, THAT HAVE NOT BEEN HELD IN MANY, MANY YEARS. 
          THE FIRST ONE IS THE TWIN RIVERS YMCA 5K AND 10 K IN MAY. 
          THEY HAVEN'T HELD THAT IN IN SEVERAL YEARS. 
          THEY DO A TURKEY TROT, I BELIEVE THAT'S HELD, UM, IN TO BURN UP, BUT THEY HAVE NOT EXPRESSED INTEREST IN THAT BEING A CITY SPONSORED EVENT. 
          IS THAT CORRECT? HEARING THEY HAVE NO, THEY HAVE NOT, THEY HAVE NOT APPROACHED US ABOUT THAT. 
          SO THIS IS JUST ONE OF THE THINGS ON THE LIST THAT WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT REMOVING. 
          THE OTHER IS THE LIBRARY BOOK SALE IN MARCH AND OCTOBER, TWO TIMES A YEAR. 
          UM, THE LIBRARY HAS NEVER REQUESTED ANYTHING FROM, FROM US ON THIS. 
          UM, THEY HAVEN'T REQUESTED ANYTHING IN THE EIGHT YEARS THAT, THAT I'VE BEEN WITH THE CITY. 
          SO IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE, WE NEED TO LOOK AT, UM, REMOVED FROM THE LIST. 
          I'LL SHARE WITH YOU, WE DID GET A REQUEST AND, AND THIS IS GONNA BE ON THE AGENDA NEXT WEEK AS WELL. 
          UM, WHAT YOU'RE GONNA HEAR IS A PRESENTATION FROM SWISS BEAR. 
          THEY'RE WANTING TO DO, UM, MARDI GRAS DOWNTOWN THAT HAS BEEN HELD IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR, FOR SEVERAL YEARS. 
          AND THEY ARE GONNA TALK TO YOU ABOUT THAT PROGRAM. 
          IT'S GONNA BE A PARADE. 
          THERE'S GONNA BE A DOWNTOWN STREET FESTIVAL. 
          AND THEY HAVE ORIGINALLY ASKED FOR THIS TO BE A CITY SPONSORED EVENT. 
          HISTORICALLY, WHEN WE HAVE HAD, UH, HAD GROUPS THAT HAVE WANTED TO START AN EVENT. 
          GREAT, GREAT EXAMPLE IS JUNETEENTH, WHILE THEY'VE ASKED FOR MANY YEARS TO BE A CITY SPONSORED EVENT, WE DIDN'T DO THAT 'CAUSE WE WANTED TO SEE HOW THE JUNETEENTH PROGRAM WORKED OVER A FEW YEARS. 
          BUT JUNETEENTH WOULD ALWAYS COME AND SAY, HEY, WE, WE WOULD SURELY LIKE FOR THE PARTNER WITH THE CITY AND ASK FOR SOME MANKIND SERVICES. 
          AND THEN IT'S BEEN UP TO THE GOVERNING BOARD ON WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANTED TO GRANT THAT IN THE CASE OF JUNETEENTH AND IN THE CASE OF RES ACROSS AMERICA, UH, YOU, YOU GRANTED THAT. 
          AND SO THEY'RE GONNA BE COMING TO YOU NEXT WEEK TO TALK ABOUT THIS. 
          SO I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THAT. 
          PAUL, SIR, I'LL JUST MAKE A COMMENT AGAIN FOR THE, FOR THE NEW MEMBERS. 
          SO WE WERE APPROACHED, I THINK IT WAS THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY ASKED A PREVIOUS BOARD ABOUT ADDING THE GEORGE WASHINGTON TOUR. 
          UM, AND FOR WHATEVER REASON THESE CITY SPONSORED EVENTS SEEM TO GET VERY POLITICAL AT TIMES. 
          UH, THE BOARD APPROVED IT. 
          WE ADDED THE GEORGE WASHINGTON TOUR AND THEY DID IT FOR ONE YEAR AND THEY NEVER DID IT AGAIN. 
          AND WHEN WE UPDATE THIS LIST OF CITY SPONSORED EVENTS, THIS IS A ORDINANCE THAT IS IN OUR CODE OF ORDINANCE. 
          SO, I MEAN, IT'S A, IT'S A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT STEP IN THE TAKE. 
          I HAD A CALL FROM, UH, THE CHAIR OF SWISS BAY YESTERDAY AND HE ASKED ME WAS THERE GONNA BE AN ISSUE WITH THIS? AND I JUST TOLD HIM THAT I DIDN'T HAVE AN ISSUE WITH US CONSIDERING ADDING THIS AS A CITY SPONSORED EVENT, BUT I THINK THEY NEEDED TO DO IT AT LEAST ONE OR TWO YEARS AND SORT OF PROVE THE CONCEPT BEFORE WE JUMP OFF AND ADD THIS AS A CITY SPONSORED EVENT. 
          HE SAID HE PERFECTLY UNDERSTOOD THAT AND IT MADE SENSE. 
          UM, SO I THINK WHAT THEY MAY BE ASKING IS IF WE DON'T MAKE IT A CITY SPONSORED EVENT, WILL WE DO WHAT WE DO WITH REESE ACROSS AMERICA AND JUST SUPPORT THEM AS IF IT WERE A CITY SPONSORED EVENT. 
          LET'S SEE HOW 
          [05:55:01]
IT WORKS FOR A YEAR OR TWO AND THEN CONSIDER DOING THAT A FUTURE DATE. 
          SO I JUST WANNA SHARE THAT HAD A CONVERSATION YESTERDAY AND THEY WILL COME WITH A SPECIFIC ASK, WHETHER IT'S BARRICADE OR PUBLIC SAFETY OR WHATNOT TO HELP WITH THEIR EVENT. 
          THE ONLY THING I WOULD ADD TO THIS THAT, AND, YOU KNOW, I I WOULD PERSONALLY LIKE TO SEE IT AS A CITY SPONSORED EVENT, BUT CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THE RATIONALE OF, WELL THIS IS A CHANGE FROM WHAT IT HAS BEEN IN THE PAST. 
          IT'S BEEN, AGAIN, NEIGHBORHOOD, JUST FOR SOME, SOME BACKGROUND. 
          MARDI GRAS WAS HELD IN GET NEIGHBORHOOD AS A NEIGHBORHOOD EVENT. 
          IT GOT SO BIG WITH VENDORS PARADES THAT, UH, THAT, AND IT'S NOT A FORMAL ASSOCIATION, BUT THAT ASSOCIATION COULD NOT HANDLE IT. 
          THEY DID NOT HAVE THE VOLUNTEERS AND THEY WOULD COME AND ASK THE CITY FOR ASSISTANCE THIS LAST YEAR AFTER THEY DID IT. 
          THEY, A GROUP OF THOSE FOLKS ORGANIZING THE EVENT ASKED SWISS BAY TO ESSENTIALLY TAKE IT OVER. 
          AND IF SWISSAIR WAS GOING TO DO THAT, IT HAS TO BE WITHIN SWISS BAY'S DOWNTOWN FOOTPRINT. 
          'CAUSE UM, THEY'RE AS PART OF THE MAIN STREET AFFILIATE FOR THE CITY, THEY HAVE A DOWNTOWN FOOTPRINT THAT THEY, YOU KNOW, SPEND THEIR RESOURCES IN. 
          AND SO THAT'S WHY IT'S BEING MOVED TO DOWNTOWN BECAUSE SWISS BAY IS OUR MAIN STREET AFFILIATE. 
          YOU KNOW, WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH THEM THAT WE WILL FUND THEM AND WE DO SO WITH IN KIND SERVICES WITH MUM FEST, I WOULD IMAGINE WE WOULD DO THE EXACT SAME WITH MARDI GRAS TO GIVE IN KIND SERVICE CONTRIBUTIONS PURSUANT TO OUR MAINSTREAM AGREEMENT. 
          UM, AND SO I THINK IF IT, YOU KNOW, I WOULD HOPE THAT AT OUR MEETING NEXT WEEK THAT WHEN THEY COME WITH THAT ASK FOR IN KIND SERVICES THAT WE, OR IN KIND CONTRIBUTIONS THAT WE WILL GIVE THEM THAT, SEE HOW IT GOES THE FIRST YEAR, UM, AND THEN CONSIDER ADDING IT AS THEY SEE SPONSORED EVENT BECAUSE IT WAS SUCH A, UM, IT WAS SUCH AN IMPORTANT EVENT IN THE GANT NEIGHBORHOOD. 
          AND THEY, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, THOSE FOLKS ARE STILL BEHIND IT RIGHT NOW. 
          I THINK THEY'RE AT 20 VENDORS FOR THE DOWNTOWN KIND OF BLOCK PARTY. 
          AND THEN RIGHT NOW I THINK IT WAS 10 PARADE FLOATS, WHICH REGISTRATION JUST OPENED I THINK EARLIER THIS WEEK FOR THAT. 
          UH, THEY'RE EXPECTING 40. 
          SO I THINK IT IS GONNA BE COMPARABLE TO WHAT IT WAS IN AGAIN. 
          BUT OBVIOUSLY I UNDERSTANDING TO SEE PROOF OF CONCEPT. 
          SO THAT'S JUST MY 2 CENTS ON IT. 
          I IT'S ALSO SAFE TO SAY WE SAVED SOME IN INCOME LABOR FEST THIS YEAR SINCE IT DIDN'T HAPPEN. 
          SO YOU'RE CORRECT. 
          THAT'S RIGHT. 
          YES. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON CITY SPONSORED EVENTS? SO IS THERE ANY OF THESE THAT WE NEED TO REMOVE? THERE ARE, THERE ARE TWO THAT, THAT I MENTIONED THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE LIBRARY BOOK SALE. 
          THE LIBRARY, BECAUSE THEY, THEY HAVEN'T ASKED US FOR ANYTHING. 
          AND, AND THERE WERE EIGHT YEARS. 
          AND THEN THE, THE TWIN RIVERS, UM, 5K, 10 K IN MAY, AND THEY NO LONGER DO THAT EVENT AT THAT TIME OF YEAR. 
          SO WHAT DO YOU NEED A MOTIONS FOR THAT HAPPEN? UH, JUST GIVE DIRECTION. 
          WE'LL, WE'VE GOTTA UPDATE THE ORDINANCE. 
          SO WE'LL COME BACK AT PROBABLY THE FEBRUARY MEETING WITH THIS. 
          ANYBODY OPPOSED? REMOVING THOSE TWO. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          GO TO OUR NEXT ONE, ADVISORY COMMITTEE. 
          SO JUST SO YOU KNOW, WE HAVE NINE ADVISORY BOARD DECISION MAKING BOARDS, AND SO WE'RE GONNA KIND OF GO DOWN THAT LIST. 
          I'M GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT EACH ONE OF 'EM. 
          SO THE BIKE AND PET ADVISORY COMMITTEE WAS ESTABLISHED A FEW YEARS AGO. 
          UH, THE PURPOSE WAS TO SUPPORT AND ASSIST IN IMPLEMENTING THE NEW ROOM, BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN PLAN. 
          UM, THEY HAD FIVE MEMBERS ON THAT PLAN THAT EACH PERSON SERVED A TERM FOR THREE YEARS. 
          AND, AND THE GOAL WAS TO MEET QUARTERLY. 
          THAT PLAN WAS COMPLETED A FEW YEARS AGO, RIGHT BEFORE I GOT HERE. 
          YEAH. 
          ALMOST, ALMOST THREE, ALMOST THREE YEARS AGO. 
          THAT PLAN WAS COMPLETED AND THAT THAT COMMITTEE HAS REALLY FLOUNDERED AND NOT BEEN ABLE TO DO ANYTHING SINCE THEN. 
          AND THEY ACTUALLY CAME TO THE GOVERNING BOARD WITH A PRESENTATION LAST SUMMER AND, AND ASKED WHAT, WHAT CAN WE DO? AND, AND SO, AND CONVERSATIONS WITH STAFF. 
          UH, WE'RE GONNA RECOMMEND THAT THIS, THIS, UH, THIS COMMITTEE BE DISMAN THERE, THERE'S JUST NOT A NEED OR A USE FOR THAT ANYMORE. 
          AND I'D LOVE TO HEAR SOME COMMENTS FROM THAT. 
          I AGREE WITH YOU. 
          THIS WAS A PROJECT AL I'LL REMEMBER SSON AT THE TIME. 
          HE REALLY WANTED TO SEE THIS COMMITTEE, UH, COME ABOUT TO, TO, TO HELP THE VET, THIS BIKE FED PLANT. 
          AND IT SERVED IT PURPOSE. 
          AND THE RESULT OF THAT WAS THE BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN PLAN. 
          THAT'S CORRECT. 
          THAT WE CAN INCORPORATE THAT'S RIGHT. 
          IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS WHEN WE, THAT'S THEM, THAT PLAN WAS ADOPTED. 
          UM, AND YOU KNOW, THE UNFORTUNATE THING IS THE MAJORITY OF THE PROJECTS THAT THEY RECOMMENDED ARE MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR PROJECTS. 
          RIGHT. 
          JUST THREE TO THREE TO $6 MILLION PROJECTS JUST TO PIPE IN. 
          AND CARRIE AND GEORGE PARTICIPATE IN THIS COMMITTEE AS WELL. 
          YOU ADOPTED THE PLAN. 
          IT'S A VERY GOOD PLAN. 
          WEREN'T SURE WHAT TO DO WITH THE PLAN. 
          RENSON REQUESTED THE COMMITTEE BE SET UP TO RANK THE PROJECTS, UM, AND, AND PRIORITIZE 'EM. 
          AND THE COMMITTEE WAS GREAT. 
          THEY WERE ENGAGED COMMITTEE, UH, MOST PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS VERY PRESENT AND THEY HAD GREAT 
          [06:00:01]
IDEAS. 
          UH, THEY HAVE FULFILLED WHAT YOU HAVE ASKED THEM TO DO AND WITHOUT A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF, UH, KIND OF LIKE FUNDING TO GO BUILD STUFF, WHICH I DON'T REALLY KNOW. 
          WE WANT A COMMITTEE OVERSEEING. 
          THERE'S NOT MUCH ELSE FOR THEM TO DO AT THIS TIME. 
          ANYTHING TO ADD GUYS? UH, THE LAST COUPLE OF MEETINGS, UM, THEY KIND OF FOCUSED ON SOME THINGS THAT DIDN'T HAVE TO DO WITH THE BIKE AND HAD PLAN TO KIND OF, UH, HELP OUT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WITH A BIKE RODEO AND STUFF. 
          SO THEY'RE KIND OF OUT OF THINGS TO DO RIGHT NOW, MINUS A LOT OF MONEY. 
          I, I'M, I'M FINE WITH THIS. 
          MANNING. 
          I THINK WE NEED TO OBVIOUSLY THANK 'EM FOR THEIR SERVICE AND IF ANY OF 'EM ARE INTERESTED IN CONTINUING, I KNOW THE POLICE VOLUNTEERS, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE A GROUP. 
          IF THAT GROUP CAN HELP WITH THE BIKE RODEO, IF THEY'RE INTERESTED IN DOING THAT, WE CAN PLUG THEM IN OTHER AREAS BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO HAVE ENGAGE PEOPLE THAT WILL VOLUNTEER. 
          AND I DON'T WANNA JUST DISMISS IT BECAUSE THEY COMPLETED WHAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO DO. 
          ONE, HOW MANY USE TO THE IDEAS OF, UH, BUILDING GREENWAYS OR DID THEY ALREADY DO THE WORK THAT WE CAN USE FOR THAT PROJECT IS CONNECTIVITY AND THE SIDEWALK MULTI-USE PASS. 
          ALL THAT'S IN THE PLAN THAT'S BEING ADOPTED SO WE CAN USE IT. 
          MM-HMM . 
          OKAY. 
          YEAH. 
          AND IT'S RANKED AND PRIORITIZED. 
          JUST NOT FUNDED. 
          IT COULD BE WITH OUR BOND. 
          LIKE IT COULD BE WITH OUR BOND MONEY, KIND OF. 
          OR IS IT SEPARATE? SO, SO WITH THE BOND PROJECTS, WE, WE TALKED ABOUT SPECIFIC PROJECTS ON THAT. 
          IF THE BOARD WANTS TO CHANGE WHAT THOSE PROJECTS ARE, THAT'S WITHIN THE BOARD'S PURVIEW. 
          BUT IF YOU'RE WANTING TO CHANGE SOME OF THOSE, WE NEED TO KNOW LIKE PRETTY QUICK. 
          'CAUSE WE'RE, WE'RE BITING THE BULLET ON A LOT OF PROJECTS RIGHT NOW. 
          CAN WE LOOK AT THEM SIDE BY SIDE? CAN CAN I BRING UP ONE OR TWO OF THOSE? UM, SO WITH THE BIKE AND PED, UM, PLAN, WE INCORPORATED SOME OF WHAT WAS, YOU KNOW, SHUTTING IN THERE AS A NEED INTO SOME OF THE WORK. 
          EVEN THE STORM WATER LONG OAKS ROAD, WHICH IS ONE OF THE PROJECTS, IF WE PIPE CERTAIN SECTIONS OF THAT, THAT NOW GIVES US RIGHT OF WAY FOR A SIDEWALK. 
          SO WHILE IT MIGHT NOT BE A FULL RUN OUT PLAN, THIS IS OUR WAY OF WORKING OUR WAY TOWARDS MARTIN MARIETTA WITH OUR ULTIMATE GOAL THAT THE BIKE PIT PLAN SHOWS A, UH, A WALKWAY FROM LAWSON CREEK WHERE YOU CAN WALK ALL THE WAY THROUGH TAYLOR RIVERFRONT AND MAKE IT ALL THE WAY TO MARK MARIETTA. 
          SO THIS WOULD BE OUR NEXT STEP IS RIGHT THERE, JACK SMITH CREEK AND N ON NOOSE WHERE WE NEED TO CONTINUE DOWN OAK ROAD. 
          SO WE HAVE INCORPORATED SOME OF THAT INTO THE, TO THE PROJECTS WE'VE, WE'VE PUT UP FOR THE BAR. 
          I MEAN, THAT SHOULD PROBABLY BE PUBLICIZED THAT WE'VE USED THEIR WORK AND THAT IT'S, THAT WE'RE ROLLING IT INTO OUR, OUR PLAN SET OUT. 
          AND IT WILL BE WHEN, WHEN WE GET TO THE, TO THE PEDESTRIAN SIDE OF IT, I'VE GOTTA GET PIPES IN THE GROUND, MAKE A LINE ENOUGH DRY, PUT THE SIDEWALK FIRST. 
          SO CAN WE, I MEAN, I, I THINK WE'RE ALL IN AGREEMENT WE CAN DISBAND THIS, BUT WITH SOME AT MAYBE THE FEBRUARY MEETING OF FORMAL RECOGNITION, THANKING THEM OR MAYBE A LETTER FROM THE MAYOR THANKING THEM FOR THEIR SERVICE ON IT. 
          I DON'T THINK THE TERMINATION OF BOARD IN ANY WAY TAKES EMPHASIS OFF OF THE NEED IN, IN THE CITY PART. 
          MARIETTA, PORTIONS OF IT AND BEHIND CROWN PALACE ARE FARTHER THAN MOUNTAINS TO THE SEA TRAIL. 
          CORRECT. 
          AND UM, YOU KNOW, MY THOUGHT ON THE OAKS ROAD, UH, WOULD BE THE MOST LIKELY BEINGS OF EGRESS INGRESS TO OR TRAVERSING THAT AREA, UH, TO CON TO CONNECT THE DOTS BETWEEN THE TWO AREAS THAT ARE ON THE MOUNTAINS TO THE SEA MAP. 
          AND THEN, YOU KNOW, ME AND NUMEROUS DONE ITS PART OF, OF THAT, UH, CARRIE, YOU, HAVE YOU TALKED TO THOSE MOUNTAINS TO THE SEA FOLKS LATELY? NO, I'M, SINCE THEY DESIGNATED, I THINK THAT'S WHAT FOSTER WAS STILL DOING. 
          AND EVEN PARTS OF, THERE ARE SEVERAL AREAS OF NEWBURN THAT HAVE BEEN DESIGNATED AS THE EAST COAST GREENWAY AS WELL. 
          SO WE'VE GOT BOTH OF THOSE THAT HAVE DESIGNATIONS HERE IN NEWBURN. 
          DO YOU, DOES STAFF HAVE ANY, ANY CITY OWNED PROPERTIES THAT COULD BE PART OF, OF A NOT SPEND A LOT OF MONEY, A, A GREENWAY AREA? OH, OH YES. 
          I THINK WE'VE GOT SOME OPTIONS FOR SOME, I MEAN, I ALWAYS WONDER WHY SOME OF THE SIMMONS STREET EXTENSION, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT AREA, THAT PUMPKIN STATION OR MM-HMM . 
          THINGS LIKE THAT COULD NOT BE PART OF, OF A GREENWAY. 
          UM, SO I THINK BACK, WHAT LANE'S ASKING OR ARE THERE SOME THINGS THE CITY COULD, YOU KNOW, SHORT TERM WORK ON THAT DON'T TAKE A LOT OF MITIGATION WITH THE STATE OR ANYTHING 
          [06:05:01]
TO, I THINK IDENTIFY WALKING TRAILS, ET CETERA? THAT I THINK THERE ARE. 
          YES, SIR. 
          I THINK THERE ARE. 
          AND, AND ALSO, UM, THERE, THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES STATE AND FEDERAL FOR, FOR TRAILS GRANTS AS WELL. 
          AND SO, UM, WE'LL GET WITH STAFF AND WE'LL WORK ON SOME THINGS AND BRING THAT TO THE BOARD AT IN THE FUTURE DATE AS WELL. 
          ASIDE FROM WHAT'S ALREADY IN THE ED PLAN, BECAUSE I THINK THERE, THERE ARE SEVERAL OPPORTUNITIES. 
          YES. 
          UM, I, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO BUTT IN ON THE EARLIER CAPABLE PART DISCUSSION, BUT I, I THINK MY PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE ON THE BOARD IS THAT EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE AND SAID TODAY IS GREAT. 
          THESE ARE REALLY COOL IDEAS. 
          IT'S JUST THAT WHEN THE CITY GETS BOD DOWN WITH A COVID-19 OR A HURRICANE FLORENCE OR A BUNCH OF OTHER THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, ARE ON THE TIMETABLE HAVE GOT A SUNSET ON, THEY GET PRIORITIZED. 
          AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE, WE FORGET A YEAR OR TWO LATER, SO TO SPEAK THAT, THAT THEY WERE ON OUR RADAR. 
          AND SO I THINK IT'S BEEN REALLY GREAT THAT THIS AUGUST STUFF'S BEEN BROUGHT BACK UP TODAY. 
          AND WE, ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA MOVE DOWN THE LIST. 
          WE'VE GOT A LITTLE MORE TO GO OVER. 
          COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ADVISOR COMMITTEE. 
          UM, THIS, THIS COMMITTEE IS IN PLACE BECAUSE OF THE CDBG FUNDS WE RECEIVED, AND WE WERE RECENTLY NOTIFIED THAT WE RECEIVED IN THIS, UH, RECENT ALLOCATION OVER $260,000. 
          UM, AND SO THE GOAL OF THIS COMMITTEE IS TO, IS TO HAVE PUBLIC MEETINGS TO, TO, TO LISTEN TO RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC, UH, ABOUT THOSE PROJECTS AND, AND, AND MEET WITH STAFF AND THEN PRESENT A RECOMMENDATION TO THE GOVERNING BOARD. 
          UM, FREQUENCY OF THOSE MEETINGS ARE ABOUT QUARTERLY. 
          UH, THERE ARE SIX MEMBERS ON THAT BOARD AND THEIR TERM IS FOR THREE YEARS. 
          SO THAT, SO, SO WE WERE ASKED A WHILE BACK NOT TO APPOINT ANYBODY TO THIS BOARD BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT IT WAS GOING AWAY. 
          HAS SOMETHING CHANGED WITH THAT? IT, IT, IT IS NOT GOING AS LONG AS WE RECEIVE FUNDS FROM CDBG, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE, THIS IS THE SAME BOARD I'M THINKING ABOUT. 
          RIGHT? IT WAS NOT THAT IT WAS GOING AWAY. 
          UM, IT WAS IMPLEMENTED A FEW YEARS AGO AND STAFF AT THAT TIME THAT IMPLEMENTED IT WAS NOT AWARE. 
          IT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN IMPLEMENTED AND WAS ALREADY EXISTING. 
          UM, THE CURRENT, ONE OF THE CURRENT PROBLEMS IS THE SAME PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SERVING ON THAT BOARD FOR EIGHT, NINE YEARS. 
          AND THERE, THERE NEEDS TO BE A TURNOVER, BUT THEY NOT, THEY HAVEN'T BEEN MEETING. 
          THAT WAS ONE REASON WE, WE ASKED ABOUT REAPPOINTING PEOPLE AND WE WERE TOLD THERE WERE NO POINT. 
          WE WERE ASKED TO HOLD OFF BECAUSE THEY WERE REEVALUATING THAT BOARD. 
          I DIDN'T ASK BECAUSE OF THE STANLEY WHITE WASN'T THAT GOING THAT NO. 
          STANLEY WHITE, THE BOARD TO YOU WERE ASKING. 
          THEY STILL HAD ENOUGH THAT THEY COULD HAVE MET. 
          AND IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO MEET UNTIL SOME OF THE STRUCTURE OF THAT COMMITTEE WAS ADDRESSED BY THE CITY ATTORNEY. 
          IN THE MONTHLY REPORTS I'M SEEING WHERE THEY'RE STILL SCHEDULING MEETINGS ANYWAY, SOMETIMES THEY DON'T HAVE A FORM. 
          SOMETIMES THEY DO. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, OUR NEXT WING IS DANGEROUS DOG BOARD. 
          UM, THIS IS ESTABLISHED AS AN APPEAL PROCESS FOR DOGS DETERMINED TO BE DANGEROUS. 
          WE HAVE THREE MEMBERS ON THAT BOARD. 
          THEY SERVE ONE YEAR TERM AND THEY MEET AS NEEDED. 
          I THINK THE BOARD'S ONLY MET ONE ONE TIME TO, TO ADDRESS THE DANGEROUS DOG SITUATION, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ALWAYS NEED TO HAVE IN PLACE JUST IN CASE. 
          WE THEN HAVE THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION AND, UH, THERE ARE NINE MEMBERS ON THAT BOARD THAT TERMS ARE THREE YEARS. 
          THEIR MEETING FREQUENTLY IS MONTHLY. 
          AND THE PURPOSE IS TO DEFINE THE RULES OF PROCEDURE IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT, CONDUCT RULE CONDUCT AND RULE ON CERTIFICATES OF APPROPRIATENESS AND NEGOTIATE WITH PROPERTY OWNERSHIP, PROPOSED TO DEMOLISH, RELOCATE, CONTRIBUTING PROPERTIES. 
          I'M GONNA LET JESSICA GIVE AN UPDATE ON WHAT THAT GROUP HAS BEEN DOING QUICKLY. 
          WHICH ONE? HM. 
          H-P-C-H-P-C. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, OVER THE LAST PROBABLY SIX MONTHS, WE STARTED WORKING ON THIS. 
          AS YOU KNOW, WE PUT OUT A SURVEY THAT WAS RUNNING, UH, FOR ABOUT TWO MONTHS. 
          AND I, I ENDED IN NOVEMBER. 
          WE HAVE ALL THAT DATA. 
          WE DID TWO OUTREACH MEETINGS. 
          THEY WERE RUN LIKE CHARETTES. 
          WE DID ONE IN THE EVENING. 
          WE DID ONE IN THE DAYTIME. 
          WE HAD, UH, TWO VERY DIFFERENT GROUPS OF PARTICIPANTS. 
          THE ONE THAT WE HAD IN THE EVENING OVER AT STANLEY WHITE WAS ATTENDED, UH, BY OVER 40 PEOPLE. 
          WE HAD 12 OR 13 PARTICIPANTS AT THE ONE THAT WE DID AT WEST NEWBURN. 
          UM, THE WAY WE OPERATED THOSE MEETINGS WAS WE HAD SIX OR FIVE DIFFERENT TOPICS. 
          THEY HAD SUB QUESTIONS RELATED TO ALL OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, KIND OF KEEP COMING 
          [06:10:01]
UP, THE QUESTIONS THAT KEEP BEING ANSWERED. 
          WE HAD A REALLY DIFFERENT MIX OF PARTICIPANTS. 
          WE HAD SOME PEOPLE THAT WERE NEW TO TOWN. 
          WE HAD SOME PEOPLE THAT OWNED PROPERTY WITHIN THE DISTRICT. 
          WE HAD SOME PEOPLE AT BOTH MEETINGS THAT WERE JUST CURIOUS. 
          AND THEN WE HAD, UH, A COUPLE OF ARCHITECTS AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT THAT SHOWED UP. 
          SO WE GOT ALL THAT INFORMATION. 
          UM, IT IS ALL CATALOGED IN NOTES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. 
          JUST YESTERDAY WE TOOK ALL THIS, ROBERT AND I, THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, MET WITH THE CHAIRMAN AND VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE HPC. 
          WE ALL, UM, ARE COMFORTABLE MAKING A RECOMMENDATION AT THE MEETING TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY AT THE REGULAR HPC MEETING. 
          UM, WE DON'T THINK WE NEED TO HIRE SOMEBODY TO DO THE WORK ON THIS. 
          SO, UH, VERY MIXED RESPONSES. 
          UH, I DON'T THINK THAT SURPRISES ANYONE. 
          THERE ARE PEOPLE VERY PASSIONATE ON, ON EXTREME ENDS AND NOT A LOT IN THE MIDDLE. 
          SO WHAT WE'VE TAKEN THE HOT TOPICS, UH, DISCUSSED A LIST AND I AM GOING TO PUT TOGETHER A PRESENTATION. 
          I'LL BE DELIVERING IN TWO WEEKS, GET FEEDBACK FROM THE BOARD AND WE'LL ADVISE YOU KIND OF POWER MOVING FORWARD. 
          OVERALL FEEDBACK. 
          THE, UM, ACTUAL OUTLINE, THE SHELL OF THE ORATE OR THE, THE STANDARDS ARE, ARE NOT TOO BAD, BUT WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE MATERIALS THAT WE ARE ALLOWING. 
          AND THE PUBLIC DEFINITELY WANTS TO BE ABLE TO MEET THE GOALS OF THE HPC, BUT THEY WANNA BE DO IT TO DO IT AT A LOWER COST WITH LESS RED PINK. 
          SO WE'RE GONNA TRY TO, NOTHING THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW, I DON'T THINK, BUT NOW IT'S BEEN CONFIRMED AND SO WE'RE GONNA MOVE FORWARD FROM THERE. 
          AGAIN, NOT YOU WILL BE HEARING FROM ME, I WILL NOT BE RECOMMENDING A CONSULTANT TO DO THAT WORK. 
          I ASK A QUESTION FOR THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS. 
          DOES ANYBODY ELSE EVER RECEIVE COMPLAINTS ABOUT SOME OF THE DECISIONS AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HPCI MEAN, I I I DON'T GET A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF COMPLAINTS IN MY WARD, BUT I GET A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT HPC AND SOME OF THE RIDICULOUS STUFF THAT'S TAKEN PLACE THERE. 
          DO YOU GET 'EM? OH YEAH. 
          DO YOU, DO YOU WE GET EMAILS SOMETIMES. 
          MAKE A MOTION TO ELIMINATE YES. 
          DANIEL, WHAT ABOUT, YES. 
          DO WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT COMMITTEE? YES. 
          YES. 
          SO YES. 
          I MEAN, WE DO HAVE TO HAVE IT IN ORDER TO HAVE THE HISTORIC OVERLAY THAT WE HAVE UNDER THE PRESERVATION GUIDELINES. 
          UH, THE PRESERVATION STATUTE, UM, IS MY UNDERSTANDING. 
          UM, I THINK THAT WHAT OUR ATTORNEY SAYS, IT'S NOT REQUIRED. 
          I THINK, I THINK IT IS EXTREMELY NECESSARY WHEN IT COMES TO LOOKING AT THE FOOTPRINT OF HBC, THE DOWNTOWN AND RIVERSIDE IN PRESERVING THE AESTHETIC. 
          AND I THINK IN THESE REWRITES THAT WE HOPEFULLY WILL GET TO SEE IN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS, MAYBE SOMETIMES THIS IS NOT A RERATE, JUST THIS IS A, THIS IS A CLEANUP. 
          THESE CLEANUP, THE CLEANUP OF THESE STANDARDS, I THINK WE WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PICK OFF SOME LOW HANGING FRUIT AND ALSO CLARIFY WHETHER OR NOT WE AS A BOARD WANT STRICT PRESERVATION OR THE AESTHETIC FOR A HISTORIC DOWNTOWN. 
          WE WANT. 
          I THINK, I THINK WHAT WE WOULD WANT, WHAT I'VE HEARD A LOT FROM IS THAT THE DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION AND RENOVATIONS OF DOWNTOWN HISTORIC RESIDENCE MAINTAIN AS AESTHETIC OF THEIR HISTORIC LOOK. 
          NOT NECESSARILY A STRICT PRESERVATION, WHICH I THINK IS WHERE WE GET A LOT OF THE CRAZY, UH, WHAT YOU WOULD SAY THE CRAZY COMPLAINTS. 
          I THINK THAT'S THE, THE BULK OF IT IS THE TYPE OF WOOD AND CERTAIN, AND I'M CONFIDENT A BREAK THAT MS. BLISS OVER HERE WOULD BE HAPPY TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT SOME OF THAT. 
          UH, BUT THAT'S, THOSE ARE THE KIND OF COMPLAINTS THAT I GET. 
          BUT I ALSO HAVE QUITE A FEW FOLKS ON THE OTHER END WHO ARE PROPONENTS OF MAINTAINING A HISTORIC CHARM OF DOWNTOWN AND RIVERSIDE. 
          WELL, WITHOUT THIS COMMITTEE, HOW WOULD WE DO THAT? HOW WOULD YOU MAINTAIN THE HISTORIC CHARACTER OF WELL, I THINK THE, THE POINT OF IT'S THE HISTORIC, UM, LIKE OUR, HIS OUR HISTORIC GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS, WHICH ARE PART OF OUR ZONING ORDINANCE. 
          THAT'S HOW WE ENFORCE THAT. 
          YES. 
          WHEN WE WERE TO HAVE THAT, WE HAVE TO HAVE THE PRESERVATION COMMISSION. 
          WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO REGULATE AESTHETICS, ANYTHING AESTHETIC ON A RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE WITHOUT THAT HISTORIC BOUNDARY IN THE HPC. 
          THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING OF IT. 
          AND WE CAN CLARIFY THAT WITH SCOTT, BUT THAT, THAT'S HOW IT'S BEEN EXPLAINED. 
          WELL, I MEAN, I, I DON'T HAVE, I DON'T KNOW IF I WOULD HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE COMMITTEE, BUT SOME OF THE DECISIONS THAT THEY MAKE IS JUST, 
          [06:15:01]
YOU GOT, YOU GOT A THREE STORY WOODHOUSE AND YOU GOTTA HAND SCRAPE IT, THE PAINT OFF OF IT, INSTEAD OF USING WHAT MODERN DAY TECHNOLOGY AND MACHINERY. 
          OR YOU GOT A OLD DILAPIDATED WOOD FENCE THAT'S HIDDEN BEHIND THE BUILDING AND NOBODY CAN SEE. 
          OR IF YOU HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF DAMAGE ON SITE AND YOU HAVE TO REPLACE THE WHOLE SIDING. 
          I MEAN, THINGS LIKE THAT. 
          AND I THINK THAT SPEAKS EXACTLY TO WHAT THIS CLEANUP IS INTENDED TO ADDRESS. 
          BUT TO YOUR POINT, THE IDEA OF SOME OF THESE DECISIONS, MY QUESTION IS, IF YOU LOOK AT THE MAKEUP OF THE BOARD, THERE'S QUITE A FEW OF THEM THAT DON'T ACTUALLY LIVE IN THE DISTRICT. 
          MM-HMM . 
          UM, THEY, THEY SUPPOSEDLY HAVE EXPERTISE IN THAT AREA FOR PRESERVATION. 
          THAT'S WHY THEY'RE ON IT. 
          BUT I MEAN, WOULD Y'ALL BE OPPOSED TO A CHANGE THAT TO BE ON THE HPC? YOU HAVE TO LIVE IN THE DISTRICT? EVERYONE WOULD STILL GET THEIR OWN APPOINTMENT POWER. 
          BUT A WE HAVE A RESIDENTIAL REQUIREMENT. 
          WOULD Y'ALL BE OPPOSED TO THAT? MOST OCCUPATION BOARD ON STATE LEVEL AS AN EXAMPLE, HAVE WHAT THEY CALL IT A PUBLIC MEMBER. 
          AND THAT IS SOMEBODY THAT'S NOT IN THE HEAT OF THE BATTLE, SO TO SPEAK, THAT CAN GIVE AN OBJECTIVE OPINION OTHER THAN JUST BEING IN, IN THE MIDDLE OF IT. 
          UM, HP C'S DONE A LOT OF GREAT THINGS. 
          I DON'T THINK SIGNIFICANT WOULD BE WHAT IT IS TODAY WITHOUT IT. 
          UM, I THINK 90% OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE APPLICATIONS ARE APPROVED. 
          YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'VE ALWAYS HEARD. 
          THERE ARE SOME, THERE ARE SOME ISSUES, BUT, UM, IT STARTED, AND I REMEMBER WHEN THERE WAS A CHINESE RESTAURANT ON EAST FRONT STREET AND THEY TORE IT DOWN IN ABOUT WITHIN A WEEK THERE WAS CONDO PROJECT. 
          THEY WERE ALL, THEY WERE ALL MODULAR. 
          AND THAT'S WHEN A LOT OF PEOPLE IN NEWBURN SAID, WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING TO KEEP THAT FROM HAPPENING. 
          AND THAT'S WHEN THEY ESTABLISHED HPC. 
          I THINK OVERALL IT'S DONE A GREAT JOB. 
          I DO THINK IT'S GOT A FEW ANOMALY ISSUES AT TIMES, BUT THEY'RE HAVING TO FOLLOW A CODIFIED GROUP OF  ON THE STATE OR FEDERAL LEVEL THAT IF THEY DON'T, IF THEY, WELL, THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO, THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO. 
          I THINK THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE. 
          YEARS AGO, THE CITY OF NEWBURG FOR  AND THE HOUSE AUTHORITY, BECAUSE OF A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING, HAD A JOINT MEETING AT CITY HALL SO THAT WE COULD BOTH KIND OF UNDERSTAND WHERE WE BOTH ARE AND I THINK WOULDN'T BE A BAD IDEA AT SOME POINT FOR HPC TO COME DOWN AND HAVE A JOINT MEETING WITH THE CITY SO THAT WE UNDERSTAND BETTER. 
          THERE ARE A LOT OF THOSE SITUATIONS, I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH HPC, BUT SOME OF THEIR DECISIONS, AND IT MAY NOT BE THEIR DECISION. 
          I GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. 
          YOU TAKE A WINDOW IN THE OLD FIRE STATION IN S MUSEUM AND TO TAKE THAT WINDOW OUT AND REBUILD IT WAS $4,500, RIGHT? WHEN YOU COULD BORROW A BRAND NEW WINDOW THAT LOOKS IDENTICAL TO THE ONE THAT'S THERE CUSTOM MADE FOR LESS THAN $2,000 AND IT'S MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT. 
          BUT THAT GOES DIRECTLY TO THE STANDARDS. 
          I MEAN, THEY'RE MAKING THESE DECISIONS UNDER THESE STANDARDS, BUT, OR THEIR, OR, OR WORSE THEIR INTERPRETATION OF THE STANDARDS. 
          AND SO THAT'S WHY I'M, YOU KNOW, QUITE A FEW OF THOSE DECISIONS COME FROM FOLKS WHO ARE NOT IN LIVING IN DISTRICT WHO DON'T UNDERSTAND THE COST CONSTRAINTS. 
          AND SO THAT'S WHY I THINK THAT'S BETWEEN THE STANDARDS CLEANUP AND APPOINTING MEMBERS WHO LIVE IN THAT DISTRICT. 
          I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN DO TO FIX THOSE KIND OF DECISIONS. 
          WELL, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE CERTAINLY NEED TO LOOK AT AND CERTAINLY DO SOMETHING. 
          I DON'T THINK WE CAN GET RID OF IT. 
          I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD GET RID OF IT BECAUSE I AGREE WITH ALDERMAN OUTLAW THAT, I MEAN, THEY HAVE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB AT RESERVING THE HISTORIC CHARM, KEEPING DOWNTOWN AND RIVERSIDE LOOKING THE WAY THAT IT DOES. 
          I MEAN, WITHOUT THESE TYPES OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION STANDARDS, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD HAVE, I MEAN, YOU COULD HAVE WALMART IN DOWNTOWN, WHICH I DON'T THINK WE NECESSARILY WANT WHEN IT COMES FROM A TOURIST TOURISM ASPECT FOR OUR HISTORIC DOWNTOWN CHS, YOU'RE, YOU'RE RIGHT. 
          AND WE ALSO DON'T NEED A FLOODED BUILDING THAT WAS IN TRENT COURT KEPT FOR HISTORICAL PURPOSES. 
          WHEN THERE'S OTHER BUILDINGS ON THAT SAME CAMPUS THAT LOOK THE SAME, THAT'S NOT THE FLOOD ZONE. 
          HOWEVER, THE HPC IS REQUIRING THEM TO KEEP A BUILDING IN ORDER. 
          TELL THE REST OF THEM. 
          NO, BUT DO THEY HAVE TO AUTHORITY TO DO THAT? CAN'T WE REMOVE THAT? APPARENTLY THEY DO. 
          WHAT S**T POST SAYS THEY DID. 
          I I, WE PROBABLY NEED A WORK, WE PROBABLY NEED TO MEET WITH THEM, HAVE WORK SESSIONS JUST ON HTC. 
          I I DO THINK THAT'S BECAUSE I WE CAN DO THAT. 
          BUT MY QUESTION YEAH, THANKS BOBBY. 
          BUT I DO THINK IF WE'RE GONNA DO, AND I HAVE NO PROBLEM DOING A JOINT WORKSHOP, A, YOU KNOW, WORK SESSION WITH HPC AND THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN, ASSUMING Y'ALL, A MAJORITY OF Y'ALL WANT TO SHOW UP. 
          UM, BUT I THINK THE QUESTION BECOMES DO WE DO IT WITH THE CURRENT BOARD OR DO WE HAVE APPETITE TO CHANGE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR WHO'S ON THAT BOARD AND DO IT WITH A NEW BOARD? WELL, ARE YOU, ARE YOU SURE WHETHER OR NOT ON THE GUIDELINES ON THE STATE LEVEL THAT 
          [06:20:01]
YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE PUBLIC MEMBERS? SAY THAT AGAIN? I I DON'T KNOW THAT THE GUIDELINES DON'T CALL FOR YOU TO HAVE TO HAVE A PUBLIC MEMBER, SOMEBODY OUTSIDE OF, I, I'D HAVE TO LOOK. 
          I DON'T KNOW THAT AND I DON'T KNOW EITHER, BUT I THINK THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD REASON WHY THEY PROBABLY ARE ON THERE. 
          WELL, I THINK WE NEED TO GET SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS ANSWERED AND THEN HAVE A MEETING WITH THEM OR SOMETHING. 
          OR EITHER HAVE A MEETING WITH AMONG OURSELVES AS, AS THIS BEING THE TOPIC TO DISCUSS AND WE CAN GET SOME ANSWERS FOR YOU. 
          THANK YOU, SIR. 
          WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON. 
          NEW ROOM BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT. 
          UH, THIS GROUP MEETS MONTHLY. 
          UH, DID YOU GET, DID YOU DO M MSS? D OH, I'M, I'M SORRY. 
          THANK YOU FOR THAT. 
          JUST, JUST, JUST REMEMBER THIS, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FIRE STATION , JUST REMEMBER THIS CONVERSATION. 
          SO, SO THE MUNICIPAL SERVICE DISTRICT ADVISORY COMMITTEE, UM, THEIR PURPOSE TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW MSD PROPERTY TAX FUNDS SHOULD BE USED WITHIN THE DISTRICT. 
          UH, THEY MAKE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE GOVERNING BOARD TO FILE APPROVAL. 
          THEY'RE CURRENTLY MEMBERS ON THAT BOARD. 
          THEY SERVE THREE YEAR TERMS AND THEY MEET QUARTERLY. 
          UM, THEY STARTED OUT A LITTLE SLOW, BUT THEY FINISHED UP STRONG, UH, AT THE END OF LAST YEAR AND HAVE MADE RECOMMENDATIONS ON JUST ABOUT A HUNDRED, $1.5 MILLION WORTH OF PROJECTS. 
          FOSTER I AND, AND AUBURN FERGUSON, I'M SURE HE'S BEEN AT THESE MEETINGS IN THE PAST, BUT I'VE, I'VE HEARD THAT THEY KIND OF GET DEEP INTO THE WEEDS, LIKE THE DESIGN OF THE INTER CORE VERSUS THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE SAYING, YES, WE LIKE THIS PROJECT, YOU GUYS GO DO IT. 
          IS THAT STILL THE CASE? SO IT IS STILL THE CASE AND WE TELL THEM THAT EVERY SINGLE TIME. 
          UH, BUT YEAH, THEIR ONLY GOAL IS IF, IF PROJECTS ARE PRESENTED, IT'S YAY OR NAY. 
          WE'D LIKE TO RECOMMEND THIS TO THE GOVERNING BOARD. 
          IT'S UP TO STAFF TO, TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF DESIGNING AND FIGURING OUT THE PROBLEMS THAT THEY'RE NOT A, THEY'RE NOT A PROBLEM SOLVING GROUP. 
          THEY, THEY, THEY SAY, YES, WE LIKE THIS PROJECT. 
          NO, WE DON'T, AND WE WANT TO RECOMMEND IT. 
          THEY ALSO CAN COME UP WITH PROJECT IDEAS THEMSELVES. 
          MM-HMM . 
          I MEAN, AND THEY'RE ALL MADE UP OF, UM, TAXPAYERS WITHIN THE DISTRICT. 
          AND SO SOME OF THE, I MEAN, THAT'S A, A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THIS LAST TIME THEY CAME UP WITH IDEAS FOR PROJECTS, UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, HAD UNANIMOUS SUPPORT AND APPROVAL THAT CAME BEFORE US. 
          SO THEN WE HAVE THE MEMBER BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT. 
          THERE ARE SEVEN MEMBERS, UH, SERVE THREE YEAR TERMS, AND THEY MEET MONTHLY. 
          UH, THEY'RE A DECISION MAKING GROUP AND THEY DECIDE ON APPEALS FROM ANY ORDER DECISION REQUIREMENT OR INTERPRETATION, UH, FROM H FROM THE, UH, PLANNING AND ZONING. 
          AND I'LL JUST ADD TOO, SINCE WE'VE HAD A KIND OF ROBUST CONVERSATION ABOUT HPC, ALL OF THEIR DECISIONS CAN BE APPEALED TO THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT. 
          AND SO THE, THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE THE ABILITY TO APPEAL A BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT, TO HAVE A DIFFERENT GROUP HEAR THOSE DECISIONS AND, AND RENDER DIFFERENT OPINIONS THAT THEY ACCEPT USED. 
          WELL, WHY, SINCE HE BROUGHT HPC BACK UP, I'D LIKE TO KNOW THE MEMBERS OF HPC AND WHEN THEIR TERMS EXPIRE. 
          WE CAN PROVIDE THAT FOR YOU. 
          WE'LL INCLUDE THAT IN THE, UH, WEEKLY REPORT FOR YOU. 
          THANK YOU, SIR. 
          THEN WE HAVE THE NEW ROOM PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD. 
          THEIR PURPOSE IS TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNING ZONING, MODIFICATIONS, AMENDMENTS, SUBDIVISION, GENERAL PLANS, AND ON THE GROWTH DEVELOPMENT OF THE CITY TO THE GOVERNING BOARD. 
          THERE ARE 10 MEMBERS ON THIS BOARD, AND THEY SERVE THREE YEAR TERMS AND THEY MEET MONTHLY. 
          THEN WE'VE GOT THE POLICE CIVIL SERVICE BOARD. 
          AND THEIR PURPOSE IS TO ESTABLISH AND RECOMMEND REQUIREMENTS FOR APPLICANTS TO SEEK EMPLOYMENT WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. 
          THAT'S REQUIRED. 
          UM, THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS ARE FIVE AND THEY HAVE SERVED TWO YEAR TERMS. AND, AND THEY, THEY, THEY'RE MEETING FREQUENTLY IS AS NEEDED. 
          THEY ALSO, UH, HANDLE A LITTLE BIT OF APPEAL PROCESS, DON'T THEY FOR CERTAIN DISCIPLINARY? NOT ANYMORE. 
          TERMINATION, NOT ANYMORE. 
          OKAY. 
          ONLY TERMINATION CHIEF, HAVE THEY HAD A HEARING SINCE YOU'VE BEEN THE CHIEF HERE? NO, SIR. 
          AND SO NEW AND CHARLOTTE, I BELIEVE ARE THE ONLY CITIES IN THAT HAVE A CIVIL SERVICE FOR THAT. 
          DO WE NEED TO CONTINUE WITH THEM? YES, YOU DO. 
          YES. 
          WELL, THE BOARD DECISION, BUT MY VOTE WOULD BE YES. 
          IF YOU ASK ME. 
          THE OFFICERS I'VE TALKED TO WHEN I'VE ASKED ABOUT THIS BOARD, I MEAN, THEY, THEY ALL SAY YES, THEY LIKE HAVING THIS GROUP. 
          THEN WE HAVE THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION AND THEIR PURPOSE IS TO REJUVENATE, REVITALIZE THE GREATER DEATH FIELD COMMUNITY. 
          THEY HAVE NINE MEMBERS, THEY SERVE FIVE YEAR TERMS, AND THEY'RE MEETING FREQUENTLY AS MONTHLY. 
          UH, I ASKED MARVIN TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON WHAT THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION IS DONE, AND I KNOW THEY'VE GOT A, UM, A RETREAT COMING UP AT THE END OF THIS MONTH. 
          SO MARVIN, GIVE US ALL AN UPDATE ON THAT. 
          YEAH, BASICALLY, I MEAN, MOST OF Y'ALL ARE VOTED, THIS WAS ESTABLISHED BACK IN 18. 
          I THINK SOME OF THEIR FORWARD MOVEMENT ARGUABLY MADE THAT COULD SLOW DOWN A LITTLE BIT DURING COVID, BUT THEY HAD FIVE GOALS WHEN THEY STARTED OUT. 
          UH, ONE BEING IMPROVE OVERALL, UM, APPEARANCE. 
          I GUESS ARGUABLY WE COULD SAY THAT, UM, UH, THEY STARTED OUT, THEY HAD A NEIGHBORHOOD CLEANUP AND, UM, MRS. ROOF WAS INFURIATING THAT FOR A WHILE. 
          AND THAT 
          [06:25:01]
SORT OF FELL OFF THE WAYSIDE SINCE, UH, THAT, UH, STARTED TAKING ANY TYPE OF TRACK, UH, TRACTION. 
          IT ALSO HAD IMPROVED APPEAR APPEARANCE AND QUALITY OF HOUSING STOCK, UH, THANKS TO MOND ASTER. 
          I THINK PART OF THAT, UH,  WAS THE BEST STATE THAT THEY'VE DONE, UH, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THAT. 
          I THINK THEY WOULD PROBABLY ARGUE THAT THE LAND THAT THEY, THAT THEY UTILIZED WAS PART OF THE REDEVELOPMENT PRIOR TO BEING UTILIZED, UH, EXPLORING, UH, FLOOD, UH, MITIGATION, UM, AL ALTERNATIVES, THE, UH, HMGP, THE, UH, HAZARD MITIGATION GRANT, UH, PROGRAM. 
          IT CAME ABOUT FOR A WHILE, UH, THAT WAS RAISING SOME OF THE HOUSES. 
          I THINK THEY HAD A FEW HOUSES THAT GOT INTO THE PROGRAM AND THEN IT WAS LIKE NINE OR 10 AND THEY ALL BASICALLY BOWED OUT BECAUSE IT WASN'T VERY PROFITABLE FOR, FOR THEM TO GET THAT DONE. 
          UH, BUT ONE OF THE BIG PROJECTS IS BEING DONE NOW, A DUCK FIELD STORM WATER PROJECT, WHICH IS GONNA HELP A LOT WITH THAT COMMUNITY. 
          UH, THE ACQUISITION OF BLIGHTED PARCELS FOR DEVELOPMENT SITES. 
          UM, AGAIN, THEY'RE UTILIZING SOME OF THE, UH, THE COUNTY LOTS. 
          THEY'VE GOTTEN LIKE 10 LOTS FROM THE COUNTY TO TRY TO UTILIZE THOSE LOTS TO TRY TO DEVELOP ALL MY, I THINK THEY HAVE ABOUT 20 OR SO PLUS LOTS THAT, THAT THEY WERE NOT CURRENTLY WILLING TO SELL RIGHT NOW FOR, WITH THE THOUGHT THAT MAYBE DOWN THE ROAD THEY'LL DO SOME KIND OF MAJOR PROJECT AVENUES PROJECT, WHAT THEY WERE CALLING. 
          BUT THAT'S STILL, UH, A DISCUSSION AND NOTHING REALLY, UM, DEVELOPED FOR THAT. 
          AND THE LAST THING WAS ENCOURAGEMENT, COMMUNITY HEALTH AND WELLNESS. 
          AND I THINK THEY WOULD SAY THAT THEIR INVOLVEMENT WITH THE, UH, HEALTH CENTER THAT CAME THERE WOULD BE PART OF THEIR DISCUSSION THERE. 
          BUT THOSE ARE PRETTY MUCH THE MAIN THINGS THAT THEY'VE DONE SINCE THE ESTABLISHMENT IN 2018. 
          UH, AND THAT'S THE, UH, THE MANAGER SAID THEY HAVE THEIR, UM, A RETREAT ON JANUARY 24TH, BUT YOU ALL ARE INVITED TO ATTEND IF YOU'D LIKE. 
          UH, AND YOU ALL HAVE WHAT THE AGENDA IS AND, UH, UH, WE'RE ALSO GONNA BE LOOKING AT THINKING A FUTURE MEETING TO SEE IF ANY OF YOU ALL WANT TO BE PART OF THE EX OFFICIOS FOR THAT, FOR THAT BOARD CURRENT. 
          CURRENTLY, I THINK THERE'S ALDER, VESTMENT, OFFICIO. 
          UM, WE'VE GOT, I THEY CAN, THEY CAN, THEY CAN HAVE AT LEAST ONE OR MORE. 
          SO IT'S NOT A NUMBER SPECIFIC NUMBER, BUT AS MANY THAT WAS ONE, TWO AND ONE TWO AND FIVE ARE AUTOMATIC SUFFICIENT. 
          NO, IT IS. 
          ONCE YOU, YOU'RE ONLY ON THERE, UM, IF THE BOARD, LIKE YOU ARE ONLY ON THERE BEFORE YOUR TERM AND ONCE YOUR TERM IS OVER WITH YOUR, YOUR, YOU'RE PUT OFF. 
          BUT THERE WASN'T ANY DESIGNATED, UH, WARD THAT WERE DESIGNATED FOR IT. 
          WHAT'S THAT? YES, IT IS. 
          ONE, TWO, AND FIVE. 
          YES. 
          ACCORDING TO THE, WELL, I, I, ACCORDING TO THE OF FISH SHIELDS, THEY WERE ON THERE. 
          BUT ACCORDING TO THE WAY THE, UH, POLICY WAS WRITTEN UP, THAT, THAT WHEN IT WAS DEVELOPED, IT SAID THAT, UH, THE BOARD COULD COME UP WITH ONE, UH, AT LEAST ONE MEMBER. 
          AND THEN IT SAID ONCE THEIR TERM IS OVER THERE OFF, BUT IT DIDN'T DESIGNATE UNLESS THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT, ANOTHER ORDINANCE THAT THE ORIGINAL, UM, OF DOING THE ORIGINAL ESTABLISHMENT BEEN ESTABLISHED. 
          I THINK IT WAS BOARD ACTION. 
          OKAY. 
          THE BOARD DETERMINED IT WOULD BE ONE, TWO, AND FIVE. 
          DOES THAT EXCLUDE ME FROM WANTING TO BE ON IT OR IS IT STILL, COULD IT STILL BE ON IF I WANTED TO? I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE VOID ACTION, SO THINK THAT WOULD REQUIRE THING THAT WOULD REQUIRE THE RESOLUTION THAT CREATED THAT COMMITTEE BE CHANGED. 
          WELL, EX OFFICIOS DO NOT VOTE OR TAKE ANY ACTION. 
          SO SHE CERTAINLY ATTEND AND LISTEN AND PARTICIPATE FROM THAT STANDPOINT. 
          WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE REHABIL COMMISSION AND THE BOARD SEATS, UM, THE PREVIOUS BOARD HAD SOME CONVERSATION AROUND CHANGING SOME OF THE TERMS BECAUSE WHEN IT WAS FIRST CREATED, SOME OF THEM I THINK WERE GIVEN FIVE YEAR TERMS TO HELP PROVIDE SOME CONTINUITY. 
          UH, THERE WERE SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT UPDATING THAT AND I, I HAD NO ISSUE DOING THAT. 
          I JUST DIDN'T THINK IT WAS THE PLACE OF THE PREVIOUS BOARD IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS IN OFFICE TO BE MAKING THOSE DECISIONS. 
          SO IF THIS BOARD, YOU KNOW, HAS THE APPETITE TO LOOK AT THAT, WE CERTAINLY CAN. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          ANYTIME. 
          IS, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION DOES THAT WE 
          [06:30:01]
AS A BOARD CAN'T DO? SELL REAL ESTATE? THAT'S THE REASON WE CREATED A LOT OF THINGS. 
          WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO DO OUR RENT PROPERTY. 
          THE CITY CAN'T. 
          WE EXERCISE REDEVELOPMENT, COMMISSION POWER, SITTING AS A DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION. 
          YOU NEED TO GET WITH SCOTT ON THAT. 
          THERE'S A HUNDRED REASONS WE FORMULATED THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION. 
          THINGS THAT CITY IS PROHIBITED FROM DOING THAT THEY COULD DO. 
          BECAUSE MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THEIR ROLE IS, I MEAN, KIND OF SETTING THE TABLE FOR DEVELOPMENT, FINDING AREAS, ESPECIALLY IN THIS COMMUNITY TO HELP BUILD AND BRING AFFORDABLE HOUSING. 
          AND TO DO THAT BY BUYING LAND SITE PREP, BEING ABLE TO PACKAGE, YOU KNOW, LOTS TOGETHER, UM, OR DO PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS. 
          I, I KNOW THEY CAN GET INCOME BY RENTING OUT. 
          UM, AND, AND I DON'T, AND I JUST DON'T KNOW. 
          I MEAN, HOW, HOW MUCH OF THAT, I MEAN, THE COMMUNITY HEALTH CLINIC IS FANTASTIC RESOURCE. 
          HOW MUCH OF THE SITE PREP FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING HAVE THEY DONE SINCE 2018? WELL, YOU GOTTA REMEMBER, THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY FUNDING. 
          THERE WAS VERY, AND THEN THE FIRST YEAR OR SO, THEY HAD TO SET UP THEIR KIND OF RULES AND REGULATIONS AND STUFF LIKE THAT. 
          AND, AND THEN I, YOU KNOW, UNTIL THEY SOLD THESE LITTLE THREE HOUSES, THEY REALLY DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF MONEY TO WORK WITH. 
          UH, I MEAN, I, I THINK WE SHOULD, I THINK THEY'VE TAKEN GIANT LEAPS FORWARD SINCE THE SALE OF THOSE LITTLE HOUSES. 
          AND I'M HOPING THAT THEY WILL MOVE FORWARD AND, AND DO BIG AND BETTER THINGS IN THE COMMUNITY. 
          I, I THINK THERE'S BETTER FOR THEM TO DO IT. 
          THEY, THEY SPEND A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF TIME, YOU KNOW, I WAS TALKING TO KIT PARAGO AND HE, HE SPENT, HE, HE WAS SPENDING A, YOU KNOW, A GOOD AFTERNOON A WEEK WORKING ON SOME OF THAT STUFF OVER THERE FOR 'EM. 
          MM-HMM . 
          UH, I I, I'D LIKE TO GIVE 'EM A LITTLE MORE TIME NOW THAT THEY'RE ESTABLISHED AND THEY HAVE SOME MONEY. 
          AND IS THERE A WAY TO, AND I, AND I DON'T KNOW, THIS IS JUST A GENUINE QUESTION. 
          I MEAN, IS THERE A WAY TO PARTNER THEM WITH THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR FUNDING? 'CAUSE THIS ISN'T THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE. 
          ISN'T THAT HOW THEY, HOW WE ADMINISTER CBG FUNDING TO CREATE A FUNDING SOURCE? I ASKED THAT QUESTION BACK DURING A WHILE. 
          BACK IN DIDN'T BEEN VERY FAR. 
          SO CURRENTLY THEY HAVE ABOUT NINE, OVER $900,000 IN THEIR FUND BALANCE THAT THEY CAN, UH, DO PROJECTS WITH. 
          AND, AND I, AND I THINK THEY MAY BE TALKING ABOUT THAT AT THEIR UPCOMING RETREAT AND WHAT THEIR PLANS ARE. 
          UM, AND THEY CAN CERTAINLY PARTNER WITH ANY OF THE OTHER, UH, BOARDS OR COMMISSIONS IF THEY SO CHOOSE, BE THEIR, THEIR DECISION MAKING BOARD. 
          I MEAN, I ASKED ABOUT PUTTING THE CBEG MONEY UNDER THEIR AUTHORITY, YOU KNOW, BUT YEAH, THAT, THAT WON'T MEET, UH, FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS ON THAT AND IT HAS TO BE UNDER THE CITY. 
          NOW. 
          THEY CAN CERTAINLY APPLY FOR THOSE FUNDS. 
          UM, BUT WE AND, AND CDBG FUNDING, UH, THAT, THAT'S A WHOLE NOTHER LONG CONVERSATION, UH, ABOUT THAT AS WELL. 
          'CAUSE IT'S A WHOLE NICE CONVERSATION. 
          OH LORD. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          ANYTHING ELSE ON THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION? MARVIN IS RIGHT. 
          THE RESOLUTION THAT WE PASSED SAYS A SECTION FIVE IS REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION LIAISON. 
          THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN, CITY OF NEWBURY MAY APPOINT ONE OR MORE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION LIAISONS FROM AMONG THEMSELVES WHO SHALL ATTEND AND PARTICIPATE IN MEETINGS OF THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION. 
          ANY LIAISON APPOINTED HERE UNDER SHALL NOT BE CONSIDERED A REM A MEMBER OF THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION SHALL HAVE NO RIGHTS OF A MEMBER OF THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, SPECIFICALLY RIGHT TO VOTE ON ANY MATTER AND SHALL COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS NOON STATUTE 1 68 5 11. 
          THE LIAISON SHALL SERVE IN SUCH A CAPACITY ONLY DURING THEIR TERM OF OFFICE AS THE BOARD OF . 
          SO HE'S RIGHT. 
          IF WE DID A 0.1, TWO AND FIVE, THEN TECHNICALLY ONLY FIVE IS THE ONLY ONE SITTING AT THIS POINT. 
          DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? MM-HMM . 
          SO YOU'VE GOT TWO APPOINTMENTS. 
          YOU GO BACK AT THE NEXT MEETING, THEN IT SAYS ONE OR MORE. 
          SO I DON'T, ALRIGHT. 
          AND THE FINAL TWO BOARDS WE HAVE DOWN THERE, THOSE ARE REALLY NOT OFFICIAL CITY BOARDS. 
          HOWEVER, WITH THE FRIENDS OF THE FIRE  FIREMANS MUSEUM, UH, THE GOVERNING BOARD DOES APPOINT THOSE MEMBERS. 
          AND WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, THE MAYOR APPOINTS AT LEAST 10 OF THOSE MEMBERS. 
          UM, SO THAT'S ALL WE HAVE ON BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. 
          WE HAVE TWO OTHER ITEM ON THE, THE 
          [06:35:01]
FIRE MUSEUM BOARD OF DIRECTORS. 
          SINCE THE CITY DOESN'T TECHNICALLY FUND THAT. 
          I MEAN, WE PAY FOR THE UTILITY. 
          IT IS OUR, IT IS OUR FACILITY. 
          THAT'S RIGHT. 
          AND WE, AND WE UH, COULD, COULD THAT BE SOMETHING WHERE THEY COULD MANAGE THEIR OWN APPOINTMENTS? IF, IF THE BOARD WANTED TO DO THAT? I MEAN, I THINK IT'S IN THEIR BYLAWS THEY WOULD'VE TO CHANGE THEIR BYLAWS, BUT THEY COULD CERTAINLY GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS. 
          YOU, YOU'RE ON THEIR RIGHT BOAT. 
          YES, I'M ON THAT. 
          I MEAN, WE, WE GO OUT, WE HELP BY GOING OUT AND FINDING SOMEONE THAT'S INTERESTED IN THE FIRE SERVICE, IS INTERESTED IN THE HISTORY OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. 
          WE KIND OF LET 'EM, AND THEN WE MAKE RECOMMENDATION TO BRENDA. 
          AND THAT'S HOW, I MEAN, THEY'RE BASICALLY SELF-APPOINTED NOW ANYWAY. 
          IT'S JUST A PROCESS TO GO THROUGH US. 
          IF IT WAS A STEP THAT COULD BE SAVED, I'D LOVE FOR 'EM TO BE ABLE TO POINT THE ROOM. 
          WE WILL HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THEM IF THAT, IF THAT'S, THAT BOARD IS FINE WITH THAT. 
          EVERYONE ALRIGHT WITH THAT? ALRIGHT. 
          UM, OKAY. 
          I THINK THAT WAS IT ON BOARD THE COMMISSIONS. 
          NOW, UH, WE'VE GOT CHARLIE HERE TO GIVE A, AN UPDATE ON DETAILS. 
          YOU GOT IT. 
          HAPPY. 
          CAN YOU HEAR EVERYBODY? NICE SEEING YOU. 
          ANY QUESTIONS? UM, THANKS FOR INVITING ME. 
          I REALLY, UH, UM, DIDN'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TO SPEAK ABOUT AT THIS MEETING. 
          UM, SO I JUST PUT SOME THOUGHTS TOGETHER MAYBE TO STIMULATE CONVERSATION. 
          UM, SEE WHERE YOU WANT TO GO. 
          UM, SO INFRASTRUCTURE, I GUESS IS ONE OF THE TOPICS YOU WANT TO, UH, FOCUS ON. 
          UM, SO IN SUMMARY AND OUR FISCAL YEAR ENDING 26 BUDGET, THAT'S THIS YEAR WE APPROVED, UH, $955,000. 
          ALMOST A MILLION DOLLARS IN OPERATING CAPITAL THAT WE PLAN TO SPEND DOWN BY THE END OF THE YEAR. 
          UM, ALSO RECOMMENDED A FIVE YEAR OPERATING CAPITAL PLAN ABOUT $17 MILLION. 
          UM, AND IN OUR FISCAL YEAR, 26 APPROVED PROJECT CAPITAL WAS ZERO. 
          WE APPROVE IT FOR PROJECT CAPITAL. 
          UM, I'M RECOMMENDING ABOUT $99 MILLION AND CAPITAL PROJECTS OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. 
          AND, UM, PRESENTLY THIS IS BASED ON THE, THE RATES FINANCIAL STUDY THAT I DID LAST YEAR, LAST OCTOBER'S DATA. 
          WERE ABOUT 63% DEPRECIATED TO 73% DEPRECIATED ON THE SYSTEM. 
          UM, OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST FOUR YEARS, YOU CAN SEE HOW MUCH WE DEPRECIATED THE SYSTEM. 
          I WOULD SAY THAT AS A MATTER OF GOOD PRACTICE, YOU KNOW, TYPICALLY YOU WANT TO INVEST EQUAL AMOUNT AND CAPITAL INTO WHAT YOU'RE DEPRECIATING OR YOU'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO GRAB THIS, THIS NUMBER UP I A TARGET SOMEWHERE, YOU KNOW, FOR HEALTHY UTILITY, ABOUT 50%. 
          YOU WANT TO GO INTO ANY MORE DETAIL? UH, WE'VE TALKED, IF I HAVE YOUR CAPITAL PROJECTS, THE $99 MILLION, DOES THAT INCLUDE THE NEW POWER STATION? WHATEVER SUBSTATION, SUBSTATION. 
          NOT 21, 20 $2 MILLION THAT HAVE, UM, PLAN FOR THAT. 
          THE BOARD HAS ALREADY APPROVED THAT PROJECT. 
          UM, WE'VE ALREADY ALLOCATED MONEY TO A PROJECT BOND. 
          I SPENT MOST OF THAT DOWN MAKING READY THAT PROJECT BUYING LAND, DOING SOME PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING, UM, SECURING RIGHTS OF WAY EASEMENTS, UH, THE INTERCONNECTION WITH DUKE'S TRANSMISSION LINE. 
          I'M JUST WAITING ON THE REST OF THE FINDING. 
          SO THAT POWER LINE THAT YOU'VE JUST RECENTLY BUILT DOWN COUNTY LINE ROAD, IS THAT TOWARDS THE, THAT SUBSTATION? IT'S TWOFOLD. 
          UM, IT'S NOT FINISHED. 
          I'M WAITING ON A, A PERMIT FROM THE STATE, FROM THE NATIONAL FORESTRY TO FINISH BRINGING IT THE REST OF THE WAY. 
          ULTIMATELY THAT PLAN IS TO CONNECT TO THE NEW SUBSTATION. 
          I NEED THAT NEW LINE COMING DOWN THERE IMMEDIATELY. 
          'CAUSE I NEED CAPACITY IN THAT AREA. 
          SO IT'S AN EMERGENCY FEEDER THAT WE'RE BUILDING. 
          UM, IT SERVED FROM TRENT ROAD SUBSTATION UNDERNEATH THE TRENT RIVER COMES THROUGH BRYCE CREEK AREA AND I'M BRINGING IT UP TO COUNTY HIGH ROAD TO SERVE THAT WATER OF BLUE WATER RICE. 
          WOW. 
          WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO WITH LEWIS FARM ROAD? UM, GREAT QUESTION. 
          PART OF THIS $99 MILLION IN I THINK YEAR THREE, YEAR TWO OR THREE, UM, OF THAT FIVE YEAR PLAN HAVE PLANS TO RELOCATE ONE OF THE TRANSFORMERS AT TRENT ROAD SUBSTATION. 
          HOW MANY ARE WE TWO  
          [06:40:01]
MOVE THAT, UH, TRANSFORMER TO THE LEWIS FARM SUBSTATION. 
          UM, SO WE HAVE TWO TRANSFORMER SYSTEM, UH, LEWIS FARM THEN REPLACE THAT ONE WE RELOCATED FROM FRONT ROAD WITH A BRAND NEW ONE AT ROAD. 
          SO WE BASICALLY HAVE TWO RELATIVELY TRANSFORMERS TO T ROAD ASSOCIATION. 
          UM, AND THEN AT THAT POINT IN TIME, WE COULD THEN RETIRE OUR SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH DUKE WHERE WE'RE RUNNING A CIRCUIT BREAKER FROM THEM. 
          UM, OUT AND A HALF LEFT AREA WE COULD BRING ALL. 
          SO WHEN MR. WR PROPOSED LITTLE FARM ROAD, WE HAD TO GET A, WE HAD BOUGHT THINK IT WAS $30,000 EASEMENT FROM EDDIE ELLIS TO GET THE CONNECTION TO DUKE ENERGY. 
          AND UH, AND YOU AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS THAT I DON'T THINK THAT WAS NECESSARILY, YOU KNOW, FROM A PROJECTION STANDPOINT FOR GROWTH TO WHERE GROWTH HAS BEEN. 
          MAYBE WHAT YOU'RE TALKING CERTAINLY WOULD BE A BETTER LOCATION, BUT I THINK AT THE TIME FOR ALL THE WAY DOWN TO CHURCH STREET, WHICH I GUESS IS ABOUT AS FAR AS HAVELOCK GOES, IS DOWN, UM, CHURCH STREET AS FAR AS WE SERVE, YEAH, WE SERVE DOWN TO ABOUT WHERE THE KFC'S AT. 
          YEAH. 
          YEAH. 
          SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IF IF IF, UH, 12, 15 YEARS AGO I WAS VOTING, I CERTAINLY WOULDN'T VOTE LEWIS FARM ROAD, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW ANY BETTER AT THE TIME AND I DID VOTE FOR IT BY THE WAY. 
          UM, SO I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WAS ANY ELSE IS CHOKING ON NINE, 9 MILLION. 
          BUT, BUT THE DEAL IS THIS, IS THAT THE GROWTH IS KIND OF QUASI GENERAL FUND AOR TAX GROWTH, BUT THE ENTERPRISE FUND ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT HAS GOT TO GET SOME EQUIPMENT. 
          UH, IT'S GOTTA GET SOME POWER LINES. 
          IT'S GOTTA GET SOME REDUNDANCY. 
          UM, AND, AND YOU KNOW THIS, I DON'T MEAN TO, I'M I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW THAT'S GOT STANDALONE GENERAL FUND CAN'T PAY FOR THAT STUFF AND HOW DO WE DO IT AND NOT HAVE A BIG RATE INCREASE BECAUSE THE GENERAL FUND IS GOING TO HAVE A CASH COW, UH, INCREASE IN FUNDING THROUGH ABNORMAL TAXES AND WE CAN'T GIVE IT TO YOU. 
          WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO. 
          BUT THE, THE RATE INCREASE THAT WAS APPROVED LAST, THAT WENT EFFECTIVE LAST AUGUST, WE BELIEVE ACCOUNTED FOR, UH, THE OPERATING BUDGET THAT WAS PROPOSED AND THEN THE DEBT SERVICE ON THE $22 MILLION, UH, THE $99 MILLION IN THE FIRST YEAR. 
          SO, SO OF THAT $99 MILLION OF PROPOSING DEBT SERVICE ON IT, WHETHER IT'S IT'S UM, MUNICIPAL LENDING OR REVENUE BONDS, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. 
          SO WHERE ARE YOU, I MEAN, AGAIN, YOU'RE IN CONTACT WITH THESE GUYS. 
          UM, WHAT ARE YOU SEEING PROJECTIONS FOR WHOLESALE RATE STRUCTURE IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS? NEXT SLIDE SIR. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          OKAY, GREAT. 
          CAN CAN WE WAIT? NO, NO, NO, JUST, UM, I JUST, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE MAKE A MISTAKE OVER AND I'M PART OF THAT MISTAKE, UM, AND IT'S UH, PEYTON WALL CAME PARK AND IT'S $10,000. 
          SO WHAT, UM, I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER, BUT I BELIEVE IT WAS ABOUT 15 MILLION ON, ON UM, LEWIS FARM ROAD AT THE TIME. 
          SOUNDS REASONABLE. 
          . 
          AND NOW WE'RE, YOU KNOW, SO WE, WE, WE GOT VERY  FIGURE THIS THING OUT, BUT WE DON'T ALL HAVE CRYSTAL BALL TO DO THE BEST WE CAN TO KIND OF FORECAST AND PLAN THE REST OF THE NINE 9 MILLION, UH, IN THE SECOND YEAR OF THAT, UM, IS ABOUT 8 MILLION FOR REPLACING THREE TRANSFORMERS AT, UH, GLEN BURNIE SUBSTATION. 
          THEY'RE 50 YEARS OLD, EACH OF 'EM, THEIR END OF LIFE. 
          UM, A GOOD YEAR AND A HALF LEAD TIME ON THOSE. 
          YOU DON'T WANT THOSE TO FAIL. 
          UM, THEN THE REST OF THAT IS, UH, SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS TO TWO LINES THAT ARE ALREADY IN THE SYSTEM. 
          THEY'RE EITHER OVERHEAD OR UNDERGROUND THAT ARE, UH, UNDERSIZED BECAUSE WE'VE HAD GROWTH OVER THE YEARS AND NOW THOSE LINES CAN'T CARRY ENOUGH CAPACITY TO MOVE A LOT, MOVE IT AROUND ONCE WE GET ALL THE REST OF THIS STUFF CONNECTED. 
          CHARLIE, YOU SAID 8 MILLION IN YEAR TWO FOR THREE TRANSFORMERS? YES. 
          WHAT IS THE, I MEAN, WHAT'S THE SHIPPING TIME IF YOU WERE IN YEAR TWO TO ORDER THEM? WHAT'S THE TIMELINE TO GETTING THEM ONLINE? I WOULD SAY LET, LET'S LET'S SAY, UH, UM, DELIVERY IS WITHIN A YEAR OF AFTER RECEIPT OF ORDER. 
          I WOULD SAY I NEED ANOTHER MONTH AND A HALF TO TWO MONTHS TO PLACE THEM ONLINE. 
          SO THEY'RE ALREADY AT END OF LIFE AND YEAR TWO WE'RE BUYING THEM TO BE IMPLEMENT TO BE PUT 
          [06:45:01]
IT TO BE INSTALLED ONLINE AT THE BEGINNING OF YEAR FOUR. 
          CORRECT. 
          WELL MAKE SURE WE'RE SAYING THE SAME THING. 
          WHEN I ORDER THOSE, WHEN I HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO ORDER THOSE, I START TO MAKE READY WORK SO THAT WHEN THEY, WHEN I RECEIVE THEM, I CAN PLACE THEM AND I CAN IMMEDIATELY ASSEMBLE THEM AND PUT THEM IN SERVICE. 
          I DON'T ANOTHER YEAR TO GET IT UP AND GOING. 
          CHARLIE, THERE WAS A PERIOD OF TIME THAT I THINK THE CITY WOULD NOT, WOULD NOT PURCHASE OR ALLOW DEVELOPERS TO PURCHASE RECONDITION TRANSFORMERS. 
          IS DOES THAT CHANGE? UH, WE PROVIDE ALL OF OUR TRANSFORMERS OURSELVES. 
          WHAT I'M SAYING THOUGH IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE SHORTAGE CAME THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO, UM, I THINK THAT SOME OF THE DEVELOPERS WERE LOOKING FOR ALTERNATIVE SOURCES. 
          YES, SIR. 
          OR TRANSFORMERS AND THEY WERE LOOKING AT RECONDITIONING AND I THINK THEY WERE TOLD THAT THE CITY WOULD NOT ACCEPT ANYTHING BUT REBUT NEWS. 
          NO SIR. 
          OKAY. 
          NO SIR. 
          WE, WE WOULD TAKE ANYTHING WE COULD GET. 
          THE PROBLEM WAS WE COULDN'T GET RECONDITIONED 'CAUSE YOU HAD TO TURN ONE IN. 
          THEIR INVENTORY WAS DOWN ON IN STOCK RECONDITIONED SUPPLY THAT WAS SITTING THERE OFF THE SHELF. 
          SO I HAD TO GIVE THEM ONE THAT FAILED TO GET IT REWOUND AND THEN GET IT BACK TO US SO THAT, THAT PROCUREMENT PROCESS GOT REALLY SLOWED DOWN. 
          I BELIEVE WE'RE PAST THAT. 
          WHAT'S THE, LET'S JUST OUTTA CURIOSITY, WHAT'S THE DELIVERY TIME NOW ON THE TRANSFORMER? LIKE A 50 KW BOY DON'T HOLD ME TO THIS FIRE. 
          I'D SAY PROBABLY 22 WEEKS. 
          OH WOW. 
          HAS THE PRICE COME DOWN ANY OH NO. 
          . 
          YEAH. 
          ABSOLUTELY NOT. 
          UM, I'M GETTING HAPPY WITH THAT. 
          GOOD. 
          GO BACK A COUPLE SLIDES LOWER BIT. 
          ONE MORE THANK YOU RATES. 
          UH, MR.  QUESTION. 
          UM, THIS TOP CHART IS OUR WHOLESALE, UM, POWER SUPPLY RATE FORECAST AS OF SEPTEMBER, 2025. 
          THIS MORNING I ATTENDED A MPA RATE COMMITTEE MEETING. 
          UM, SO SOME OF THIS CHANGES I TRY TO COMMUNICATE TO YOU THAT CHANGE. 
          UM, IF THAT, IF THAT, WHAT HAPPENS NEXT WITH THAT, UH, RECOMMENDATION FROM THE KEMPER RATE COMMITTEE, THAT'LL BE PRESENTED TO THE EMPA BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS THE LAST WEEK OF JANUARY, I THINK THE MEETING SCHEDULED FOR, THEY'LL VOTE ON THAT AND THEN IF THAT'S APPROVED, ELECTRIC CITY'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS WILL VOTE ON IT ABOUT TWO DAYS LATER. 
          AND IF THAT'S APPROVED AND IT WOULD GO INTO EFFECT APRIL 1ST. 
          AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW IS APRIL, UH, FIRST 20 26, 4 AND A HALF PERCENT, UH, RATE INCREASE RIDER NUMBER ONE. 
          IT'S, THAT WAS TRUE UPS THAT HAVE BEEN COMING EVERY SINGLE YEAR THAT'S GONNA WASH OUT AND RIGHT OF 2022 COMES OFF THE BOOKS WE'VE PAID THAT. 
          THIS DEBT REFUND IS A COMPLICATED MATTER, BUT IT'S BASICALLY THE AMOUNT THAT WE'RE NEW BERN IS GONNA GET REFUNDED FROM PAYING OFF OUR DEBT BACK IN JULY. 
          WE'LL WASH THIS OUT. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, OVERALL THE DEBT RESERVE REFUND FOR THE LOAN THAT WE HAD WAS ABOUT $28 MILLION OF RESERVES LEFT FOR THE ENTIRE AGENCY ER'S PORTION OF WAS $1.2 MILLION. 
          NOT ALL OF THE COMMUNITIES NET IT OUT TO ZERO, BUT NEW BERN NETS OUT TO BASICALLY WHAT WILL HAPPEN APRIL 1ST, WE'LL GET A CREDIT OF ABOUT 120,000 THAT'LL SETTLE THE DEBT RESERVE AND THAT'LL, THAT'LL BASICALLY PAY OUR OBLIGATION FOR RIDER 1 20 24 THAT'LL GO AWAY. 
          I WOULD EXPECT ANOTHER RIDER, UM, TO COME OFF RIDER 2023 IN OCTOBER AND THEN RIDER 1 20 25, UH, TO REAPPEAR IN OCTOBER OF THIS YEAR, THEN GOING TO 27 THAT IS FORECASTED TO GO TO 5.5% ON THE RATE INCREASE. 
          AND THEN THE REMAINING YEARS IS FOUR POINT HALF PERCENT. 
          YOU'RE SAYING 27 5 0.5%, CORRECT. 
          CORRECT. 
          WHAT IS 
          [06:50:01]
NOW THAT THE, THE, UH, DEBT SERVICES OFF, I KNOW YOU YOU'RE GETTING THAT CREDIT, BUT WHAT WAS THE ANNUAL FEE ON THE DEBT SERVICE? ABOUT $3.1 MILLION. 
          SO WE'RE NOT, WE DON'T HAVE THAT ANYMORE. 
          RIGHT? CORRECT. 
          SO HOW DOES THAT WORK INTO THE FORMULA? UM, IT GETS ABSORBED BY THESE OTHER RIDERS AND BY OPERATING EXPENSES. 
          OKAY. 
          BUT WE HAVE TO, IN OTHER WORDS, LIKE FOR THOSE 27 THROUGH THROUGH 30, NOT PAYING OUT $3 MILLION A YEAR ON THE CORRECT ON THE DEBT STRUCTURE, DEBT SERVICE. 
          SO IN OTHER WORDS, OUR NOI SHOULD BE 3 MILLION OF GOOD LESS, THOSE RIDER ARE COMING HOME. 
          UM, SO THIS WOULD BE LIKE 20 20 CENTS SHOULD BE A WASH OTHER THAN WE MAYBE HAVE CASH IMPROVEMENT NEEDS THAT WILL NO, I THINK WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THE WHOLESALE COST IS INCREASE AS EAT UP THAT $3 MILLION WE WERE PAYING IN DEBT SERVICE ALREADY. 
          CORRECT. 
          SO IN ADDITION TO THAT, WHOLESALE RATES GOING UP ANOTHER 2.8 BY FACTORING IN, WE'VE ALREADY 3.1 MILLION TO THE GOOD IN 2027. 
          YOU'RE NOT PAYING OUT. 
          IS THAT RIGHT CHARLIE? WELL I KNOW YOU FORMULATED ALL THAT IN THERE WITH YOUR RECOMMENDED RETAIL RATE. 
          YOU KNOW, I MEAN OTHER WORDS LIKE YOU ARE YOUR BOTTOM LINE. 
          ARE YOU SEEING 3%? THIS IS THE RATE PATH UP. 
          THIS IS THE RETAIL RATES DOWN HERE, AND THIS IS WHAT I RECOMMENDED, RIGHT? UM, IN JULY OF 2025, I'D LIKE TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO QUICKLY, UH, REVIEW THIS. 
          WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE FRONT END OF A, UH, COST OF SERVICE AND THE FINANCIAL STUDY FOR THE UTILITY. 
          I'D LIKE TO, TO DOUBLE CHECK THIS, LOOK AT OUR REVENUES. 
          I FACTOR IN THESE CHANGES UP HERE AND SEE WHAT THE RECOMMENDATION DO YOU EXPECT. 
          YOU THINK THAT BOTTOM LINE IS GONNA BE WORSE THAN 3%? YOU DON'T THINK IT'S GONNA BE BETTER? IT DEPENDS WHAT YOU DO HERE, RIGHT? ON THE PCA, THE PCA, THE SUNSETS IN JULY OF 2026, UM, SEE IF I CAN EXPLAIN THIS. 
          IF IF YOU DON'T, IF YOU DON'T ABSORB THIS, THE RATE INCREASE WITH YOUR RETAIL RATES AND YOU LEAVE THE PCA, THE PCA IS GONNA GO UP, IT'S GONNA TRY TO COLLECT THAT MONEY. 
          WE BACK UP EVEN A STEP FURTHER. 
          RIGHT NOW THE PCA IS GOING DOWN LIKE WE EXPECTED IT TO, IT'S RECOVERING OUR FUNDS. 
          WE START, WE NEVER HIT THE CAP OF ONE AND A HALF CENTS PER KILOWATT HOUR. 
          WE'VE GOT ONE POINT. 
          YEAH. 
          ONE AND A HALF CENTS PER KILOWATT HOUR. 
          WE'VE GOT TO 1.30 CENTS PER KILOWATT HOUR. 
          WE'RE DOWN TO ABOUT ONE POINT 11 CENTS IN NOVEMBER. 
          AND IT'S OR FORECAST, IT'S, IT'S TRENDING DOWN. 
          SO AS LONG AS, AS LONG AS WE KEEP UP WITH THESE RATES, THIS PCA IS GONNA WORK ITS WAY DOWN TO ZERO. 
          UM, BUT AGAIN, WE, WE HAVE TO, WE, YOU KNOW, LIKE I WAS ALWAYS CONCERNED ABOUT 8% FUND BALANCE, BUT NOW WE HAVE TO LOOK, THIS, THIS, THIS THING IS DOWN TO 12. 
          IT IT NEEDED TO BE AT LEAST 16%. 
          IT IS UP TO 19 RIGHT NOW. 
          IS THAT RIGHT? WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY OF HOLDING IT ABOVE 16% FOR LGC PURPOSES. 
          RIGHT. 
          LAST I SAW IN OCTOBER FUND BALANCE WAS UP TO 67 THREE'S CASH. 
          YES. 
          AND, AND SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES FOR THE ELECTRIC UTILITY, THE REASON THAT WE DID NOT RECOMMEND ANY OF THOSE PROJECTS WERE WE, WE, ONE, WE DIDN'T MEET OUR POLICY OF 90 DAYS OF CASH ON HAND. 
          WHEN YOU LOOK STATEWIDE, WHEN THE LGC RECOMMENDS THAT'S ACTUALLY ONE 20 OR, OR EVEN MORE OF DAYS OF CASH ON HAND. 
          SO THERE'S NO WAY WE WOULD'VE GONE TO LGC AND SAID, HEY, WE NEED A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLAR REVENUE BOND. 
          'CAUSE WE DON'T EVEN NEED OUR OWN POLICY. 
          SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING AND THE PCA HAS BEEN WORKING BECAUSE WE SAW WE, WE WENT FROM 30 SOME DAYS TO CASH ON HAND. 
          NOW WE'RE ALMOST AT 70 DAYS TO, TO GET WHERE WE NEED TO BE. 
          UM, BUT I CAN TELL YOU WHEN WE GO FOR THAT REVENUE BOND, WHEN THAT TIME COMES, IT'S NOT GONNA BE A CHEAP THING. 
          IT IT, EVERY CUSTOMER IS GONNA FEEL THAT THEY, I THINK WE'RE GOING, I THINK IT'S GONNA BE CLOSE. 
          TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I'M HOPEFUL THAT IT'S GONNA BE AROUND 3% RANGE, UM, WHEN I COME BACK. 
          BUT THE TRICK ALSO IS WHAT, IDEALLY IF I HAD A MAGIC WAND, I WOULD WAVE IT. 
          I WOULD HAVE THIS NUMBER FOR YOU TODAY AND YOU MAKE A DECISION ON IT. 
          SO I CAN LINE UP ANY RATE ADJUSTMENTS WITH APRIL 1ST BECAUSE WHEN THIS RATE GOES INTO EFFECT, APRIL 1ST, IF WE DELAY UNTIL JULY, AUGUST TO 
          [06:55:02]
MAKE THE RATE EFFECTIVE, WE HAVE TO GO BACK AND ABSORB ALL THOSE OTHER COSTS. 
          AND THAT'S WHAT THE PCA WILL THEN TRY TO. 
          WELL, IS THAT SOUND LIKE IN THE OLD DAYS, VECO IN, UH, VIRGINIA, THEY HAD A PCA ACCORDING TO HOW MUCH THEY, THEY WERE USING NUCLEAR POWER. 
          I MEAN THEY WERE ACTUALLY, IF THEY WERE USING FOSSIL FUELS AND, AND THEY COULDN'T USE NUCLEAR, THEY WERE ADJUSTING THAT. 
          PCAI MEAN IS THAT I THINK EVERYBODY NEEDS TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT THE COST ADJUSTMENT IS. 
          THE PCA'S DESIGNED TO COLLECT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT OUR ACTUAL POWER SUPPLY OR WHOLESALE POWER COSTS ARE AND WHAT OUR RETAIL RATES ARE COLLECTING. 
          IT'S SUPPOSED TO COLLECT THAT DIFFERENCE. 
          AND IDEALLY WE TRY TO KEEP THEM AS CLOSE TOGETHER AS POSSIBLE. 
          UM, KNOWING THAT THERE'S SOME VARIABLES IN THERE. 
          UM, AND THE CLOSER YOU CAN KEEP THOSE TOGETHER, THE MORE FLAT THIS LINE IS GONNA BE FOR OUR CUSTOMERS. 
          THE MORE WE GET THESE OUTTA WHACK THAT PCA IS GONNA GO UP AND DOWN FOR OUR CUSTOMERS. 
          AND IT'S, IT, NO, I DON'T DON'T LIKE IT. 
          NOBODY LIKES IT. 
          UM, WELL HOW MUCH, HOW MUCH RIGHT NOW IS, ARE THE 23,000 CUSTOMERS. 
          HOW MANY ARE, I'M A LITTLE SURPRISED AT WHAT I THINK I WAS TOLD WHILE BACK I THOUGHT WITH A MI THAT ABOUT A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS WOULD BE ABLE TO LET MANAGEMENT. 
          IT'S NOT BAD. 
          IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. 
          AND WHAT, WHAT IS LEAD MANAGEMENT FIGURES? IT'S, IN OTHER WORDS, I'M TRYING TO LOOK AT WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO REDUCE THE VARIABLE COSTS DOWN. 
          AND I THOUGHT A MI, YOU KNOW, WE DID IT AND WAS GOING TO PRODUCE A LOT OF COST SAVINGS BECAUSE WE WOULD NOT BE ON PEAK DEMAND. 
          WE WOULD BE, DO YOU REMEMBER THAT? YEAH, BUT I DON'T, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THERE'S NOT ANY HIGHER NUMBER ON FLOOD MANAGEMENT, WHICH WOULD HELP IMPROVE OUR BOTTOM LINE. 
          SORRY, I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBER FOR YOU OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. 
          UM, NOVEMBER, WE HAD 12,400 CUSTOMERS ON ROAD MANAGEMENT. 
          UH, ROUGHLY 24,000. 
          SO ABOUT HALF 50%. 
          SO 12,000 TIMES THREE, ASSUMING EACH CUSTOMER HAS THREE CONTROLLING DEVICES, THAT WOULD BE THE NUMBER OF DEVICES THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE. 
          UM, I, I DON'T THINK IT'S GONNA COLLECTIVELY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL PLAYING THIS GAME OF, OF COST AVOIDANCE WITH OUR PEAK. 
          THIS, THIS IS TOO OFF TRACK. 
          LET ME KNOW BECAUSE I CAN TALK FOR HOURS ABOUT IT. 
          BUT, UM, WE'RE TRYING TO SHAVE THAT PEAK FOR THE MONTH. 
          THAT'S WHAT OUR DEMAND CHARGE IS ON. 
          UM, SO OUR LOAD MANAGEMENT DEVICES DO THAT. 
          THE GENERATION DOES THAT. 
          UM, THE WEATHER DOES THAT. 
          IT'S, BUT IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT THE, IT'S NOT THE END. 
          ALL ANSWER TO, TO BALANCING THE RAISE ARE, ARE WE, UM, I KNOW WE USED TO HAVE A GENTLEMAN WAS DOING ALL THIS FOR FOLKS. 
          HOW MANY, HOW MANY ENERGY AUDIT FOLKS DO WE HAVE WITH THE CITY THERE GOING OUT HELPING RESIDENTS WHEN THEY'RE, THEY'RE CONCERNED WITH THEIR LIGHT BILL. 
          WE HAVE ONE PERSON THAT, THAT COORDINATES IT MANAGEMENT OR MANAGES IT AND ELECTRICITY STAFF COMES OUT AND ACTUALLY EXECUTES IT. 
          WELL IS ON, ON THE AVERAGE WITH THE CUSTOMERS WE HAVE, ARE, ARE WE USING THE POWER AGENCY TO BRING IN THEIR, THEIR FOLKS TO HELP US? WE, WE DO FOR, FOR THAT? YES. 
          ROUGHLY. 
          IS THERE A, IS THERE A BREAK EVEN POINT FOR, HAVE YOU EVER DONE ANY CALCULATION REMODELING TO SAY WE'RE 50% LOAD MANAGEMENT, IF WE GOT TO 80% THAT WOULD NEGATE THE RATE INCREASE THAT WE'RE GONNA SEE. 
          IS THERE ANY NUMBER LIKE THAT? 'CAUSE THE REASON I ASK IS IT WOULD BE A A POINT TO SAY IF IT'S GONNA COST US 2.8 MILLION NEXT YEAR, DO WE SPEND A MILLION IN GETTING 30% MORE CUSTOMERS ON LOAD MANAGEMENT TO OFFSET THAT? I THINK I'M TRACKING WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. 
          I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN ARTICULATE IT, BUT ONE MEGAWATT OF AVOIDANCE IS ABOUT $400,000 OF COST SAVINGS FOR SPN RULE. 
          CAN YOU SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME? I'LL TRY. 
           ONE MEGAWATT OF, OF 
          [07:00:01]
AVOIDANCE SAVES US $400,000 A YEAR. 
          SO WHAT DOES THAT GO DOWN TO? A KILOWATT? UM, A HUNDRED TIMES THAT. 
          A THOUSAND TIMES THAT. 
          SO LET ME ASK YOU THIS QUESTION. 
          IF 50% OF OUR CUSTOMERS ARE ON LOAD MANAGEMENT, WHAT DID WE SAVE? WHAT WAS THE DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT WE SAVED BY 50% OF THEM BEING ON LOAD MANAGEMENT? IS THERE ANY WAY TO CALCULATE THAT? WE DO. 
          I DO RUN THOSE NUMBERS, BUT HAVE TO, YOU BETTER JUST SIT DOWN WITH YOU AND SHOW. 
          YEAH, BUT I DON'T, I GUESS HALF OF THOSE, UM, 36,000 DEVICES THAT ARE OUT THERE, SOME OF 'EM ARE OLDER GENERATION. 
          THE LARGE MAJORITY OF THEM, WHICH ARE ONE WAY COMMUNICATION. 
          RIGHT. 
          WE DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE ON OR I DON'T DUNNO IF THEY'RE ON OR NOT. 
          AND A LOT OF CASES PEOPLE GO DISCONNECTED AND WE'RE GIVING CREDIT. 
          THE EASY PLAY. 
          IF YOU WANNA GO UP TO BOARD MANAGEMENT THE MOST, IN MY OPINION, THE BEST WAY TO DO IT IS YOU CITE GENERATION AND PUT IT AT YOUR SUBSTATION AND YOU OPERATE, UM, ONE OR UP TO AS MANY GENERATORS THAT YOU HAVE PER SUBSTATION. 
          AND YOU SHED THE LOAD RIGHT AT THE SUBSTATION. 
          YOU GET THE TOTAL COST OF VOYAGES ACROSS THE ENTIRE SYSTEM. 
          YOU LOWER YOUR RATES AND YOU SHARE THAT WITH YOUR CUSTOMER. 
          EVERYBODY WINS. 
          IS THAT ALLOWABLE WITH OUR CONTRACT WITH ? IT IS NOW. 
          IT IS NOW. 
          WELL, IT'S SOMETHING LIKE THAT COST CHARLIE, THAT'S PART OF THE $98 MILLION PLAN. 
          IT'S ABOUT WE ARE NOW ALLOCATED, I CAN'T, I'M TRYING TO COMMUNICATE 19 MEGAWATTS OF GENERATION THAT WE CAN RUN TO SHED OUR COST. 
          WE HAVE WHAT THEY CALL NOTICE 12 MEGAWATTS A GENERATION INSTALLED NOTICE REGISTERED. 
          THAT GENERATION, SOME OF IT'S OWNED BY THE CITY, SOME OF IT'S OWNED BY THE UTILITY, SOME OF IT'S OWNED BY CUSTOMERS. 
          WE HAVE ABOUT 36 UNITS OUT THERE CHASING UNITS ALL OVER THE PLACE. 
          I'M LUCKY ON A SINGLE, I'M LUCKY ON THE EVENT DAY, THE PEAK DAY I CAN GET MAYBE SEVEN MEGAWATTS TO RUN OUT OF 19. 
          NOW THE LADDER, IT'S ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS IN MEGAWATT. 
          THAT'S WHY I HAVE ABOUT 20 MILLION BUDGET FOR THAT. 
          WHY I, I MIGHT HAVE MISSED SOMETHING, BUT WHY ONLY SEVEN MEGAWATTS OUT OF THE 19 THAT YOU'RE ALLOWED? 'CAUSE IT'S OLD. 
          I CAN'T GET IT TO RUN, I CAN'T GET CUSTOMERS TO RUN IT FOR ME. 
          THEY OWN IT BY SENDING A SIGNAL TO RUN. 
          THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T RUN IT. 
          SO THEY, THEY GET PENALIZED ON THEIR BILL. 
          BUT ALSO I DON'T GET TO SHARE IN THAT WITH THE REST OF MY CUSTOMER. 
          SO IT'S, IS THERE ANY WAY WE COULD CONVINCE THEM TO LET US RUN IT? I MEAN, I, I CAN'T KEEP UP WITH ALL THOSE, THOSE UNITS AND THE OBLIGATION TO DO THAT. 
          WE SEND THEM A SIGNAL. 
          THE WOMEN'S CENTER, THEY NEVER RUN THEIRS. 
          SEND THEM A SIGNAL EVERY, EVERY MONTH. 
          THEY NEVER RUN THE CHAMBER. 
          NOT THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. 
          BUT THE CONVENTION CENTER NEVER RUN. 
          VERY RARE. 
          DO THEY OWN IT? NO. 
          THEY OWN THAT UNIT. 
          NO. 
          AND DID THEY REALIZE HOW MUCH IT SAVED THEM IF THEY RAN IT? NO. 
          SO, SO CASE IN POINT, IF YOU'RE EVER AT CITY HALL ABOUT, IT SEEMS LIKE ABOUT THREE HOURS EVERY DAY OUR GENERATORS ARE ON, THAT'S BECAUSE THEY THEY FLIP THE SWITCH. 
          YEAH. 
          THE PROBLEM IS WHAT YOU'RE SEEING AT WHEN YOU'RE IN SESSION AND THAT LITTLE FLIP WE'RE PROBABLY DOING GOING IN LOAD, COMING IN OR COMING OUT OF LOAD MANAGEMENT PLANS. 
          WE'RE IN THE, IN THE WINTER, NORMALLY IN THE SUMMER WE'RE COMING OUT ABOUT THAT TIME. 
          SO IF YOU USE THE CONVENTION CENTER AS AN EXAMPLE, WHATEVER THAT'S IS REGISTERED, THAT'S PART OF OUR ALLOCATION THAT WE GET. 
          SO IF THEY'RE NOT UTILIZING IT, HOW CAN WE TAKE THEM OFF OF THAT? I I COULD DEREGISTER THEM AND THEN I WOULD STILL HAVE THAT, THAT ALLOCATION I COULD PUT SOMEWHERE ELSE, RIGHT? YES. 
          SO HAVE WE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS OF THOSE PLACES TO SAY, IF YOU DON'T START UTILIZING THIS, UM, IN SOME CASES WE HAVEN'T REALLY DRAWN A REAL HARD LINE IN THE SAND. 
          THE OTHER PART OF THIS TOO IS I GOTTA HAVE A PLAN THAT IF I GET REAL SERIOUS ABOUT THIS AND, AND PULL THIS GENERATOR OUT FROM YOU, WHAT GRADE ARE YOU GOING ON? MM-HMM . 
          WELL, SO HERE WE GO. 
          . 
          SO IT, IT'S, IT'S, WELL THAT'S MORE OF A REASON WHY THEY SHOULD AGREE TO ALLOW US TO CONTROL IT. 
          UM, BECAUSE NOT ONLY ARE WE GOING TO PULL IT, WE'RE GOING 
          [07:05:01]
TO RAISE THE RATE. 
          WELL, I HAVEN'T SEEN A RATE SCHEDULED LATELY, BUT YOU HAVE ABOUT EIGHT DIFFERENT RATES, DON'T YOU? HOW MANY DIFFERENT RATES? I MORE THAN THAT. 
          OKAY. 
          WELL I WOULD THINK YOU WOULD JUST ARBITRARILY PUT 'EM BACK TO WHAT THAT COMMERCIAL RATE WOULD BE. 
          AND LET ME, LET ME PREPOSITION THIS A LITTLE BIT TOO. 
          THAT PEAK THAT I'M TRYING TO SHAVE, I'M, I'M CHASING THAT ONE HOUR DURING THE MONTH EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THE MONTH. 
          SO THE FIRST DAY OF THE MONTH AT MIDNIGHT, AT ONE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, WE SET A NEW PEAK FOR THE MONTH. 
          SO AT HOUR 200, I'M BETTING ARE WE GONNA PEAK OR IS IT GONNA BE HIGHER OR LOWER? SHOULD I RUN GENERATION TO TWO O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING? PROBABLY NOT. 
          I'M PROBABLY GONNA SET A DIFFERENT PEAK. 
          SO IT'S ALL A GAME OF WEATHER. 
          IT'S ALL A GAME OF HEDGING AND IT'S NOT OUR PEAK. 
          I KNOW WHEN WE PEAK, IT'S ALL BASED ON THE DUKE SYSTEM PEAK AND WE'RE NOT COINCIDENT ON EACH OTHER'S PEAK. 
          SO I DON'T EVEN FIND OUT WHAT THE PEAK DAY IS UNTIL ABOUT 10 DAYS AFTER THE MONTH IS CLOSED. 
          BUT WITH IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RATE MODERNIZATION STUDY THAT YOU HAD, ISN'T THERE A SYSTEM IN WHICH YOUR DIFFERENTIATED RATES CAN CHANGE BASED ON CUSTOMER CHOICE OF CHASING THAT PEAK AS WELL? AND SO THOSE THAT WANT TO LOWER THEIR BILL CAN YES. 
          I MEAN, YES. 
          WHAT IS THE TIMELINE FOR IMPLEMENTING THAT PORTION? THAT I WOULD SAY WILL PROBABLY A YEAR PLUS OUT. 
          I NEED THE MBM TO DO THAT, UM, AND GET MY DUCKS IN A ROW WITH THOSE, THOSE RAIDS. 
          BUT IT WILL BE A TIME OF USE RATE. 
          AND, AND IS THERE, SORRY. 
          NO, GO AHEAD. 
          AND IS THERE, I MEAN, IN, YOU'RE IN PUSHING THAT OUT IN A YEAR OR OR TAKING THAT OUT IN A YEAR, YOU HAVE A YEAR TO DO SOME CUSTOMER EDUCATION SURE. 
          ON THAT, WHICH I THINK WOULD BE A HIGH PRIORITY FOR THOSE THAT HAVE ALL OVER MY RATE. 
          WELL, YOU, YOU KNOW, TIME OF USAGE AND EXPLAIN WHAT THAT IS TO YOUR CUSTOMER. 
          MOSTLY IT'S GONNA BE COMMERCIAL. 
          I IMAGINE THAT WOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT, BUT IT, IT'S STILL AVAILABLE. 
          COUPLE THAT WITH YOUR GENERATION, WHICH I, I AM IN FAVOR OF TAKING A HARD LINE STANCE ON GENERATION FOR THOSE THAT ARE CURRENTLY REGISTERED. 
          AND I WOULD EVEN SUGGEST WE START WITH A CONVENTION CENTER AS A TEST CASE. 
          UM, BUT THAT'S GOOD INFORMATION FOR ME AND, AND I, I THINK MOST OF THE BOARD WOULD PROBABLY AGREE ON THAT. 
          OKAY. 
          AND IT, I MEAN, I'LL LET THEM SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES, BUT IF WE TAKE A HARD LINE WITH THEM THAT SAYS, LOOK, WE'RE YOU ARE USING UP OUR ALLOCATION FOR GENERATION THAT WE COULD USE ELSEWHERE, RIGHT? YOU NEED TO DO THIS OR WE'RE MOVING ON, RIGHT? UM, AND THE PENALTY FOR THAT IS YOUR RATE IS GONNA CHANGE, RIGHT? THEY'RE PAYING, I AGREE. 
          THEY'RE KIND OF PAYING IT ALREADY BECAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE NOT AVOIDING THE PEAK. 
          SO THEY'RE GETTING A HIGHER RATE. 
          SO HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN THE TURN THE GENERATION SYSTEM'S ON, IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHEN THE PEAK'S GOING TO BE? JUST THROUGH EXPERIENCE OF THE, AND THE WEATHER. 
          SO YOU CAN, WE ALSO, WE ALSO MONITOR DUKE'S PEAK ON AN HOURLY BASIS. 
          WE'RE LOOKING AT THE DUKE SYSTEM LOAD AND WE'RE MAKING EDUCATED DECISIONS AND LOOKING AT THE TEMPERATURE, UM, AND TRYING TO MAKE OUR BEST GUESS. 
          DO WE RUN GENERATION THIS MORNING BECAUSE IT'S FULL AND NOW WE'RE GETTING, WELL, WE'LL BE GETTING INTO THE SHOULDER MONTHS. 
          SOME DAYS IN THE SHOULDER MONTHS WE'LL BE RUNNING GENERATION. 
          WE'LL CHASE THE PEAK IN THE MORNING HOURS 'CAUSE PEOPLE ARE RUNNING HEAT AND THEN THEY TURN ON AIR CONDITIONING IN THE AFTERNOON. 
          WE'LL CHASE IT AGAIN IN THE AFTERNOON. 
          THE REASON I MENTIONED WHERE ON LOAD MANAGEMENT IS, AND I KNOW THAT YOU SAY THERE'S MINIMAL ADVANTAGES OF IT, TO ME ONE OF THE MOST INEFFICIENT TYPES OF, OF, OF, UH, PRODUCTION OF, OF WIDGETS OF ELECTRICITY IS, IS COGENERATION OBVIOUSLY UP THERE AT A VERTICAL INTEGRATED MODEL UP THERE. 
          AND DUKE ENERGY, THEIR PRICE PER KILOWATT IS, IS MUCH CHEAPER THAN COGENERATION. 
          AND SO, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, CO-GENERATION GOOD FOR WHAT IT'S GOOD FOR. 
          I MEAN TWC AND FAYETTEVILLE HAS DONE THAT FOR YEARS AND GOT IN TROUBLE WITH, UH, WITH THE, THE LEAGUE ON THE FACT THAT THEY WERE CO GENERATING AND THEY DIDN'T WANT 'EM, THEY WERE DOING IT WITH NATURAL GAS. 
          BUT AGAIN, I TEND TO FAVOR MORE, UM, TRYING TO GET THE LEAD MANAGEMENT BACK WHERE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN WITH THE A MI. 
          BUT ISN'T THE CODE GENERATION, I MEAN THAT'S THE SYSTEM WE CURRENTLY HAVE AVAILABLE TO US WITH THE, WHAT IS IT, THE SUBSTATION WITH THE ADDED 20 MEGAWATT 
          [07:10:01]
GENERATION. 
          ONCE THAT IS BUILT, IF THAT'S CLAIMED FOR IT AND FINANCE, ONCE THAT IS BUILT, THEN IT'S NOT CODE GENERATION. 
          WE HAVE THE GENERATION THAT WE ARE, WERE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO SHAVE OFF AT THE SOURCE. 
          IS THAT RIGHT? YOU CAN STILL DOUBLE DIP. 
          YOU CAN STILL USE, I SUGGEST YOU STILL USE WEB MANAGEMENT DEVICES. 
          WE'VE INVESTED IN THEM. 
          YEAH. 
          YEAH. 
          I, I, YOU KNOW, NOT NECESSARILY, I'M NOT SAYING  TOO, RIGHT? MMDM HAS BEEN PROCURED. 
          WE TICKED IT OFF. 
          UM, WE'VE BEEN IN DESIGN WITH THEM. 
          IT'S GONNA BE A GOOD SOLID YEAR BEFORE STAFF IS UP AND RUNNING WITH IT AS A TOOL. 
          IN THE MEANTIME, WE CAN DO ALL OTHER THINGS. 
          THESE CONVERSATIONS THAT I'M HAVING WITH YOU RIGHT NOW ARE GIVING ME IDEAS AND HELPING ME THINK AT THE SAME TIME, GIVEN THAT I CAN BE WORKING ON, YOU KNOW, DRAFT RATE DESIGNS TO HELP MIGRATE THIS AND AND MOVE IT ALONG, I ALSO HAVE TO BE SENSITIVE THAT I DON'T SHOCK MY CUS OUR CUSTOMERS EITHER TOO AND, UH, GOTTA DO WHAT'S RIGHT FOR, FOR EVERYBODY. 
          UM, AND THEN FACTOR IN THE QUESTION IS IF YOU DO THAT ALL AND BLEND IT IN WITH YOUR RATE ADJUSTMENT PATH OR YOU COME BACK AND DO IT AND MAKE IT REVENUE NEUTRAL AND DO IT AT A DIFFERENT TIME AND IT GETS A LOT OF MOVING PARTS. 
          UM, SO, SO WHAT YOU'RE RECOMMENDING, IF I'M READING THIS RIGHT JULY FROM, YOU'RE RECOMMENDING RECOMMENDING 3% RATE INCREASE EACH YEAR HERE. 
          I'M SAYING THAT'S WHAT I RECOMMEND. 
          THAT'S WHAT I WAS FORECASTING IN JULY. 
          I'M I'M SAYING THAT I'D LIKE TO COME BACK IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE AND GIVE YOU A RECOMMENDATION THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE VERY CLOSE TO 3% AND A RECOMMENDATION TO, TO REMOVE THE, UM, TO EXTEND THE, THE PCA AND AND, AND I'D LIKE TO DO THAT IN, IN, IN A TIME THAT IT'S CLOSER TO APRIL 1ST. 
          WELL, THAT WAS GONNA, MY NEXT QUESTION IS THE IDEA OF THAT RATE INCREASE OR THAT TO COINCIDE WITH APRIL 1ST BECAUSE ONCE THE DEBT SERVICE IS OFF SOME, I MEAN IF, IF WE DON'T, IF WE WAIT UNTIL PCA EXPIRES ON ITS OWN TO DO SOMETHING WITH IT IN JULY, YOU HAVE THREE MONTHS WHERE CUSTOMERS MIGHT ARE GONNA SEE A DIP AND THEN THE PC A'S TRYING TO CATCH THAT BACK UP. 
          IS THAT RIGHT? WELL, YEAH. 
          IF WE DO NOTHING APRIL BY APRIL 1ST, INCLUDING DOING NOTHING WITH THE PCA, UM, THE PC A'S GONNA SHOOT BACK UP FOR A LITTLE WHILE UNTIL WE START TO DO SOMETHING. 
          BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S TRENDED DOWN. 
          THIS IS JUST FOR PURCHASE POWER, RIGHT? JUST JUST FOR TO COVER THE YOU DON'T HAVE DEBT AND ALL OF THAT IN THERE. 
          THAT WOULD BE LATER. 
          NO. 
          AND AND, AND THEN THE 3% WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MILLION OR WHATEVER THE, THE 3% THAT WAS EFFECTIVE AUGUST AND THE PCA ACCOUNTS FOR THE OPERATING BUDGET, THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING 26 PLUS THE $20 MILLION OF CAPITAL IN THE FIRST YEAR OF THE CAPITAL PLAN DEBT SERVICE ON IT. 
          JOHN, WOULD IT BE TO ADVANTAGE MAYBE WHEN SCHOOL LETS OUT TO HIRE A, A COLLEGE KID FOR THE SUMMER TO GO AROUND AND CHECK ALL THESE LOAD MANAGEMENT SWITCHES AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE ON WORKING AND NOT DISCONNECTED? I MEAN, I'VE THOUGHT ABOUT IT MANY TIMES INCLUDING BRINGING IN, UH, CONTRACTORS. 
          AND IF YOU'RE GONNA DO THAT, YOU MIGHT AS WELL JUST PUT A NEW DEVICE IN. 
          IF YOU'RE GONNA GO KNOCK ON A DOOR, CRAWL ON SIR UNDER CRAWL ON UNDER SOMEBODY'S HOUSE, MIGHT AS WELL HAVE A NEW DEVICE IN YOUR HAND AND JUST REPLACE IT. 
          AND THAT WAY YOU WOULD KNOW THEN IF IT WAS GOING KNOCK. 
          CORRECT. 
          AND I LOOKED AT THIS MAYBE SIX YEARS AGO AND AT THAT TIME IT WAS A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS. 
          AND HOW MUCH DOES THE DEVICE COST? THEY'RE, THEY'RE ABOUT $140 A PIECE NOW. 
          AND BATTERIES GOOD FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS. 
          DIDN'T YOU HAVE REPLACE THE BATTERIES ON IT? YEAH, I, I CAN DETERMINE THAT ON THE TWO WAYS. 
          THE NEW WAY ON THE NEW ONES. 
          BUT THE OLD ONES ARE, WELL, SOUNDS LIKE ME. 
          IT MIGHT BE A GOOD INVESTMENT. 
          I MEAN WELL I'M, BUT I'M CREDITING BACK UM, $5 PER DEVICE. 
          YEAH. 
          BUT SHE MAY BE CREDITING SOMETHING BACK THAT THEY'RE NOT USING. 
          CORRECT. 
          THAT'S THE WHOLE IDEA. 
          HOW MUCH MONEY, HOW MUCH DO YOU WANNA SPEND ON CASE OF THIS? I'M GOING IN FAVOR OF GENERATION SOMETHING. 
          I KNOW WHAT THAT'S DOING. 
          HELP ALL OF US IS IF YOU COULD TAKE A, A BEST CASE LOAD MANAGED HOUSE WITH DUKE VERSUS CITY AND UBER AND WORST CASE WITH DUKE VERSUS THE CITY AND MAYBE SEVERAL DIFFERENT CONSUMPTION, LIKE A THOUSAND SQUARE FOOT HOUSE IN A 3000 SQUARE FOOT HOUSE. 
          I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE WE'RE, 
          [07:15:01]
I'M JUST SITTING HERE GRASPING THAT I I KNOW THIS IS, IF YOU THINK YOU GET COMPLAINTS ABOUT FAST TRAFFIC THROUGH MEMBER ELECTRIC RATES IS THE OTHER ONE. 
          AND I MEAN IT WOULD HELP ME. 
          I I DON'T KNOW ABOUT REST OF THE BOARD, BUT I WOULD, I WOULD LIKE SOME SCENARIOS ON, ON WHERE THEY ARE VERSUS WHERE WE'RE MORE EXPENSIVE. 
          WE, WE LOWER CUSTOMER, WE OWN LOWER, NO QUESTION. 
          WELL, YEAH, WE'RE LOWER, BUT ONLY UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES. 
          LIKE IF YOU ARE COMPARING A A, A MARGINAL HOUSE WITH NO ENERGY PATIENT SEATS TO VERSUS A COMPARING KILOWATT HOUR TO ONE KILOWATT HOUR, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE TOTAL BILL. 
          IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR RATE, OUR RATE IS CHEAPER THAN DUKE. 
          I'M, I'M TAKING LEAF AND LIMB OUT AND I'M TOO, SO WHEN I SIT, I, I'VE DONE THIS, PEOPLE DON'T TAKE ME UP ON IT, BUT WHEN THEY DO, THEY BRING THEIR SEED OF NEW BILL AND I TAKE MY DUKE BILL AND I TAKE THEIR LEAF AND LIMB TRASH PICKUP, WATER, SEWER, TAKE EVERYTHING OUT AND I JUST LOOK AT THEIR ELECTRIC COSTS AND MY ELECTRIC COSTS AND MINE IS MORE EXPENSIVE THAN THEIRS. 
          AND IT'S PROVEN TRUE EVERY SINGLE TIME I'VE DONE THAT. 
          WELL MINE'S ABOUT WE DIVIDED BY THE  WHATEVER, CORRECT? YEAH. 
          IT'S ABOUT 14, 15% RIGHT NOW. 
          AND YOU HAVE TO FACTOR IN ALL THE DIFFERENT RIDERS AND ALL THE, THE OTHER FEES THAT DUKE PUTS ON IT. 
          'CAUSE THEY GET CREATIVE, THEY, THEIR RATE, THEY TECHNICALLY THEIR RATE MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT LOWER, BUT WHEN THEY PUT ON ALL THESE RIDERS AND ALL THESE FES, YOU GOTTA FIGURE THAT IN. 
          THAT'S WHY IT REALLY, I STUMBLED OVER MYSELF WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR RATE, YOU KNOW, I THAT IT'S, TO ME WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT OUR REALIZED COST IS WHAT YOU'RE DOING. 
          THEN YOU KNOW THIS, IT DON'T MATTER. 
          YOU CAN TELL EVERYBODY THAT WE'RE CHEAPER THAN DUKE ANYWAY. 
          IT DOESN'T MATTER NOW, DUKE, AS SOON AS THE NEWSPAPER RELEASES THAT CITY OF NEW HAD A 2% RATE INCREASE. 
          THAT'S ALL ANYBODY CARES ABOUT NOW. 
          NOW DUKE HAS ANNOUNCED A 17% RATE INCREASE FOR DUKE. 
          WHAT'S THAT? IS THAT A PROPOSAL THAT'S BEFORE THE PUBLIC UTILITY. 
          YEAH, I THINK SEPTEMBER OR OCTOBER. 
          SO THEY'LL PROBABLY SETTLE ON THE 12TH. 
          RIGHT. 
          MOVE ON. 
          I HAVE ONE, ONE SORT QUESTION. 
          LIKE GOING BACK TO THE MAYOR'S ORIGINAL QUESTION ABOUT THE PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE WHO ARE USING IT. 
          WAS THE FOR WAS THE PURPOSE OF THAT QUESTION TO SEE LIKE IF WE COULD INCENTIVIZE ENOUGH PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE TO UTILIZE LOAD MANAGEMENT, COULD WE OFFSET SOME COSTS? IS THAT WHAT YOU WERE ASKING? CORRECT. 
          LIKE OR DID THAT GET ANSWER? I DON'T THINK SIR. 
          'CAUSE I DON'T THINK HE HAS THE NUMBERS WITH HIM. 
          I IT'S A GUESS. 
          YEAH, I HAVE, I HAVE THOSE NUMBERS. 
          NOT WITH ME, BUT IT IS A GUESS OF HOW MANY OF THE OLD DEVICES DO YOU THINK ARE IN SERVICE? CHARLIE? WE CAN DO, I CAN DO 25%, 50%, 75%. 
          HOW MANY TIMES DO YOU WANT ME TO DIVIDE THIS UP? IT'S A GUESS, BUT IT MIGHT BE WORTH TRYING TO GET MORE MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC VERSUS VIRTUAL. 
          NOT EVERYBODY, NOT EVERYBODY'S A FAN OF IT BECAUSE I INTERRUPT YOUR SERVICE. 
          MM-HMM  WHEN YOU WANT IT THE MOST. 
          AND THEN THERE BECOMES THE ARGUMENT THAT IF I CHANGE THE TEMPERATURE IN YOUR HOUSE FOR A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME AND THEN I ALLOW YOU TO ADJUST YOUR TEMPERATURE, ARE YOU SPENDING MORE TO REHEAT THAT VOLUME OF YOUR HOME THAN IF YOU WOULD'VE JUST MAINTAINED IT. 
          OKAY. 
          AND I SAW THAT LAST DURING THE ENZO AND, AND WE PAY HOW, WHAT IS IT? $5 PER UNIT PER MONTH AND DUKE IS $25 PER UNIT PER YEAR. 
          I CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT. 
          IT'S SOMETHING LIKE THAT. 
          I'M NOT ON IT BECAUSE IT'S NOT WORKING. 
          HAVE YOU LOOKED AT DUKE HAVE TIME OF USE RATE? I THINK THE DO THAT, THAT'S A DIFFERENT STORY. 
          SURE. 
          MOVE ON. 
          MY LAST QUESTION. 
          THIS IS THE EASY ONE OF THE 99 MILLION IN CAPITAL. 
          HOW MUCH OF THAT IS TO MAINTAIN THE INTEGRITY OF OUR CURRENT SYSTEM VERSUS EXPANDING FOR FUTURE CAPACITY? THAT DON'T SOUND EASY. 
          WELL, , I KNOW THERE'S SOME OVERLAP. 
          I'M TRYING TO THINK OF. 
          YEAH, I WOULD SAY ALL OF IT IS TO MAINTAIN. 
          OKAY. 
          THE CAPACITY THAT'S INCLUDED IN THAT, UM, IS LARGELY IN THE SUBSTATIONS FOR FUTURE GROWTH. 
          IT'S NOT EXTENDING LINES THERE LATE IN THE LATER YEARS OF THAT FIVE YEAR PLAN, THERE ARE SOME CAPACITY IMPROVEMENTS TO EXISTING WIRES SO THAT NOW THAT WE HAVE MORE CAPACITY, WE CAN REROUTE THAT CAPACITY THROUGH THOSE WIRES AGAIN AND USE THEM MORE EFFICIENTLY. 
          DID THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YEAH. 
          IF THIS IS NOT TO EXTEND TO 
          [07:20:01]
WARHEAD CITY, UM, AND PAY AS YOU GO. 
          WE TALKED ABOUT THAT A FEW TIMES. 
          UM, PAY AS YOU GO SERVICES INCLUDES, THIS STARTED UM, SLIGHTLY BEFORE I WALKED IN THE DOOR IN 2018 AND WAS A PILOT PROJECT AND I DON'T THINK IT EVER GOT OFF THE PILOT STAGE UM, INCLUDES BOTH A PREPAY SERVICE FOR CUSTOMERS WHERE THOSE THAT FIND IT BENEFICIAL TO RATHER THAN PAY A LUMP SUM WHEN THEY GET THEIR MONTHLY BILL, THEY CAN MAKE PAYMENTS THROUGHOUT THE MONTH. 
          AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, THERE'S AN ANCILLARY SERVICE CALLED MY USAGE. 
          UM, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A PREPAID CUSTOMER FOR, AND YOU CAN STILL USE, YOU CAN LOOK AT YOUR ENERGY CONSUMPTION, YOU CAN'T LOOK AT YOUR BILLING AMOUNT, BUT YOU CAN LOOK AT YOUR ENERGY CONSUMPTION. 
          UM, THAT TOTAL PROGRAM COSTS US ABOUT $48,000 A YEAR PLUS CREDIT CARD TRANSACTIONS FOR EACH PERSON THAT'S MAKING A PAYMENT. 
          AND I'LL GET TO THAT IN A LITTLE BIT. 
          BUT I'M MAKING ONE PAYMENT A MONTH. 
          THEY'RE MAKING SEVERAL PAYMENTS A MONTH AND EACH ONE OF THOSE TRANSACTIONS IS ABOUT A DOLLAR 65. 
          UM, BASED ON THE NUMBER OF TRANSACTIONS, UM, WE'RE SEEING PER MONTH, IT'S ABOUT $11,600 A YEAR AND CREDIT CARD FEES TO SUPPORT THAT SERVICE. 
          THE TOTAL COST EXPOSURE FOR THIS SERVICE, ABOUT $60,000 A YEAR. 
          AND WE DO THIS FOR 70 PREPAID CUSTOMERS AS OF NOVEMBER 25. 
          AND WE DO THIS FOR 31 NON PREPAID CUSTOMERS THAT ARE JUST USING THE, MY USAGE SERVICE FOR A TOTAL NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS THAT ARE BENEFITING FOR THIS IS 101 CUSTOMERS. 
          OF THOSE 70 PREPAY CUSTOMERS, THEY'RE AVERAGING 590 CREDIT CARD PAYMENTS PER MONTH AT A DOLLAR 65 PER CHARLIE. 
          DO YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION, UH, ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE GO ONLINE WITH OUR CURRENT SYSTEM TO PAY THEIR PAY, THEIR POWER BILL? THEY'RE CHARGED FOUR 50 OR $5 PER TRANSACTION PER CREDIT CARD. 
          HOW MANY TRANSACTIONS THAT THERE ARE IN A YEAR? DEPENDS ON WHICH TRANSACTION YOU TALKING. 
          WE'VE HAD SO MANY DIFFERENT METHODS OF PAYMENT. 
          UM, CREDIT CARD TRANSACTION ON THE WEBSITE I BELIEVE. 
          I BELIEVE THAT'S A ROCK'S METHODOLOGY. 
          AND THAT'S, UM, ON AVERAGE THROUGH NOVEMBER OF THIS YEAR, IT'S BEEN 7,200 PER MONTH. 
          7,200 TRANSACTIONS PER MONTH. 
          PER MONTH OUT OF 20 OUT OF 30,000 UTILITY BILLS. 
          UM, I CAN GO THROUGH THE WHOLE LIST. 
          WE HAVE A THIRD PARTY CREDIT CARD, UH, COMPANY THAT HAS 159, UM, DIRECT MAIL PAYMENTS TO OUR LOCKBOX 2,800, UM, ELECTRONIC PAYMENTS TO OUR EBOX 3,400, UH, CREDIT, CREDIT CARD TRANSACTIONS AT FORT TOTTEN 3,500, WHICH I THINK FINANCES IS HELPING ME TO WORK ON AND REDUCING THOSE, UM, CREDIT CARD FEES. 
          I I'VE GOT STATS ON IT DEPENDS ON YOU WANT. 
          SO THIS AS YOU GO, SERVICES COSTING 60,000 A YEAR? YES. 
          ROUGHLY. 
          YES SIR. 
          UM, OTHER THAN THE COLLECTION FOR THE, OTHER THAN THE COLLECTION FOR THE ELECTRIC USAGE FOR THOSE CUSTOMERS, IS IT MAKE, IS IT GENERATING ANY ADDITIONAL REVENUE? NO. 
          FOR YOU NO. 
          $60,000 JUST FOR THIS SERVICE TO PAY. 
          SO, SO LET ME GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON WHY THE IMPLEMENTATION AND THE USAGE RATE IS SO LOW. 
          SO FOR SOME OF YOU MAY, YOU MAY RECALL BACK ABOUT NINE YEARS AGO, WE CHANGED OUR DEPO DEPOSIT POLICY TO WHERE IT WAS AN AVERAGE OF THE TWO HIGHEST MONTHS IN A 24 MONTH PERIOD. 
          I, I BELIEVE THAT WAS COST AND IT WAS REQUIRING SOME PEOPLE WITH POOR CREDIT SCORES, A $3,000 DEPOSIT. 
          THERE WAS AN ELECTION FROM THE NEW BOARD THAT CAME IN, CHANGED THAT, REVERSE THAT POLICY AND CAP IT AT 300 MIGHT BE 500. 
          OKAY, TAP IT'S FINE. 
          CAP IT AT 500. 
          THE REASON WHY WE DID WHAT WE DID WAS TO FORCE PEOPLE TO GO AND PAY AS YOU GO IN LIEU OF PAYING THAT DEPOSIT. 
          SO WHEN THE DUE BOARD AT THAT TIME CAME IN AND CHANGED THAT, PEOPLE SAID, WELL I'M NOT GONNA GET ON PAY AS YOU GO. 
          I'M JUST GONNA RUN THE RISK AND GIVE YOU A 500 DEPOSIT. 
          THAT'S 
          [07:25:01]
WHAT THE CAP IS. 
          AND THEN THEY STILL GET TWO MONTHS IN ARREARS. 
          THEY STILL GET WRITTEN OFF AND RIGHT BACK TO WHERE WE WERE. 
          RIGHT. 
          I GUESS I'M JUST ASKING WHAT IS THE BENEFIT? I MEAN, IF WE WERE TO REVERT TO THAT POLICY TO TRY TO ENCOURAGE THIS PROGRAM, WHAT IS THE BENEFIT OF THE PAY AS YOU GO FOR THE UTILITY? LESS WRITE OFF. 
          I I I DON'T, IT JUST, I MEAN JUST, JUST INCREASE COLLECTION. 
          WELL HOW COULD HE, HOW COULD IT NOT BE LESS WRITE OFFS? YOU'RE NOT GOING, YOU'RE NOT, YOU'RE NOT GIVING 'EM PROVID EM ELECTRICITY UNLESS THEY'RE PAY FORTH. 
          SURE, SURE, SURE. 
          UM, SOME COMMUNITIES, UM, I'VE HEARD THEY'VE GOTTEN RID OF ALL OF THEIR PAYMENT PLAN OPTIONS OR LOANS AND FORCED ALL CUSTOMERS ONTO A PROGRAM LIKE THIS. 
          BUT I CAUTION US WITH THAT BECAUSE THIS PARTICULAR PAY AS YOU GO SERVICE IS A NIGHTMARE FOR STAFF. 
          WE EFFECTIVELY HAVE TO TRUE UP 70 BALANCES EVERY SINGLE DAY. 
          IT'S, IT'S A FULL-TIME JOB FOR ONE. 
          IF, IF I WERE TO HAVE 24,000, THIS WHATEVER THEY'RE PROVIDING US DOESN'T WORK. 
          I SOMETHING DIFFERENT. 
          IF WE WERE TO, I MEAN IF WE WERE TO TRY TO PUSH PEOPLE ONTO THIS PAY AS YOU GO SERVICE IN IN, IN LIEU OF THESE YEAH. 
          IN, IN LIEU OF PAYMENT PLANS, DO YOU SEE THAT THERE WOULD BE ANY KIND OF COLLECTION BENEFIT THIS VERSUS PAYMENT PLEASE? EFFECTIVE? I THINK, YEAH. 
          MR. ROSE'S POINT IS THAT, UM, WE FORCED 'EM OVER THERE AND THAT POINT IN TIME, I GUESS YOU'D STILL BE EXPOSED TO WHATEVER BALANCES THEY HAD COMING OVER TO THAT. 
          BUT IF THEY STARTED OFF CLEAN THERE WOULD BE PAYMENT PLANS ARE BEING MADE, THOSE CUSTOMERS ARE ARREARS, THEY'VE ALREADY CONSUMED ELECTRICITY, I HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. 
          THIS, THEY DON'T GET ELECTRICITY UNTIL THEY PAY FOR IT. 
          AND IT ALSO MAKES 'EM MORE CONSCIOUS OF WHAT THEY'RE SPENDING, YOU KNOW, SO LEAVING THE WINDOW OPEN, THE DOOR OPEN. 
          WHEN IT'S AIR CONDITIONING RUNNING, THEY'RE LIKE, HMM, I BETTER SHUT IT BECAUSE I JUST LOOK IN MY APP AND I'M GETTING LOW FOR THE MONEY. 
          WE, WE'VE ALSO ALLOWED THEM TO GO ON THIS IN LIEU OF A DOWN PAYMENT. 
          MM-HMM . 
          IMAGES SEEM TO ME THAT THIS SERVICE IS AN UNNECESSARY EXPENSE IF WE'RE NOT GONNA GO ALL IN ON IT. 
          UM, AND I, WHAT THE, THAT IS OF THE BOARD. 
          I MEAN I, I MEAN IF WE NEED MORE INFORMATION, I LOOK AT THIS AND THINK WE JUST NEED TO GET RID OF IT. 
          I'M READY TO PULL A PLUGIN. 
          I JUST WANT TO HAVE SUPPORTED BY DO. 
          AND, AND, AND JUST SO YOU KNOW, WASN'T THE LAST BOARD, IT WAS BOARD BEFORE THIS, THERE WAS DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS AGAIN, I THINK IT WAS IN FALL OF 2021 ACTUALLY WHEN THIS OCCURRED. 
          AND THE DIRECTION IT WAS GIVEN WAS PROMOTE THIS MORE. 
          WELL IT WAS PROMOTED MORE WHEN WE'VE GOT, BUT THERE WAS NO INCENTIVE CUSTOMERS, THERE WAS NO INCENTIVE FOR PEOPLE TO GO ONTO IT IF YOU'RE DOING PAYMENT PLANS. 
          RIGHT. 
          THAT'S RIGHT. 
          SOMEBODY THAT THAT, AND SINCE WE HAD THAT LAST DISCUSSION, I'VE BEEN PROACTIVE AND ASKED PEOPLE WHAT THEY THOUGHT ABOUT IT. 
          I'VE HAD MAYBE ONE OR TWO PEOPLE SAY THAT THEY REALLY APPRECIATE IT AND LIKE IT AND IT'S NOT FOR THE REASONS OF KEEPING UP WITH THEIR PAYMENTS. 
          THEY WERE MAKING PAYMENTS ON THE BENEFIT OF SOMEBODY ELSE. 
          THEY LIVED OUT OF TOWN AND IT WAS JUST EASY FOR THEM TO JUST LOOK AT THIS APP AND PUT A HUNDRED DOLLARS ON HIS BROTHER'S ELECTRIC ACCOUNT. 
          GREAT. 
          I GET IT. 
          YOU CAN DO THE SAME THING WITH OUR NEW DOC ZONE. 
          YOU CAN SET UP A DAILY PAYMENT THERE. 
          SO IF, IF THIS WAS, IF THE BOARD'S DIRECTION WAS TO GET RID OF IT, DO YOU HAVE A PHASE OUT PLAN TO COMMUNICATE TO THOSE 101 CUSTOMERS? NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT, BUT YES WE COULD YOU DO THAT WITHIN TWO MONTHS? I BELIEVE SO. 
          OR WHATEVER THE CONTRACT IS TO ALLOW, I MEAN DOES THE CONTRACT ALLOW FOR TERMINATION MIDYEAR OR, WELL, THERE'S TWO PARTS. 
          UH, STOPPING NEW SERVICES AND ROLLING OUR CUSTOMERS ONTO, YOU'RE NOT PAYING THIS WAY ANYMORE. 
          YOU HAVE TO PAY WHEN YOU GET YOUR BILL. 
          THEY STILL GET BILL, MONTHLY BILL AND THAT TRIPS UP A LOT OF CUSTOMERS AS WELL. 
          'CAUSE THERE'S, THEY'LL GET THEIR MONTHLY BILL, WHICH IS WHAT WE WOULD NORMALLY SEE, BUT THEY'VE MADE PAYMENTS ON IT ALL MONTH LONG. 
          SO THEY GET TRIPPED UP ON HOW I MADE 20 BUCKS BACK PAID HERE. 
          HOW DOES IT NOT RECONCILE HERE? AND IT GETS REALLY WEIRD FOR THEM. 
          HOW MANY OF THOSE HUNDRED ONE CUSTOMERS WOULD THIS TRIGGER A POSITIVE REQUIREMENT? THAT'S GONNA BE, THAT'S GONNA BE THE ISSUE. 
          THAT'S A GOOD POINT. 
          THERE'S GONNA BE SOME KIND OF THING. 
          IF THEY'RE STRUGGLING AND THIS IS THE WAY THEY'RE MAKING IT, THEN HOW, HOW ARE WE GONNA KEEP THEM WHOLE SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE POWER IN MONTH THREE WE'RE GONNA CREATE A PAYMENT PLAN FOR 'EM, 
          [07:30:01]
WHICH INCLUDES THEIR DEPOSIT. 
          CORRECT. 
          RIGHT. 
          BUT IF THEY, IF THEY'RE SETTLED, PUT HIM ON A PAYMENT, MAKE SOME SORT OF, IN LIEU OF THE DOWN PAYMENT, THEY'RE STARTING WITH A ZERO BALANCE, ZERO EXPOSURE, PUT 'EM ON SOME SORT OF PAYMENT PLAN FOR THREE OR SIX MONTHS. 
          AND I, I TO THINK THAT THROUGH, BUT WE COULD, I MEAN WE COULD ALSO JUST AS EASILY SAVE THAT 60,000 A YEAR AND JUST THE SAVINGS FOR THE FIRST YEAR. 
          ESTABLISH A DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 
          I MEAN IF WE, I MEAN, I'M NOT SAYING WE DO THAT, I'M JUST SAYING, I MEAN IT SEEMS, I GOTTA PICK WINNERS AND LOSERS. 
          WE'RE, WE'RE ALREADY WORKING WITH ORGANIZATIONS FOR MAKE A DONATION THAT TO RCS BECAUSE THEY THE PROGRAM IN PLACE AND PEOPLE TO R YEAH, I MEAN I THINK THAT'S, I THINK I THINK THAT'S A BETTER USE THAN PAYING THIS COMPANY $60,000. 
          RIGHT. 
          YEAH. 
          I'D HAVE TO PRESENT YOU A SOLUTION ON THAT. 
          YOU MIGHT WANT TO SEND THIS BOARD A LIST THOSE CUSTOMERS AND REDACT THEIR NAME AND JUST PUT WHAT WAR THEY'RE IN SO EVERYBODY CAN  PHONE CALLS ARE, I MEAN, I AGREE. 
          I I DO THINK YOU NEED TO GET RID OF IT, BUT I, IT'S NOT GONNA GO AWAY QUIETLY. 
          I I GUESS I'M SENSING THAT I SHOULD'VE PLAN TO KEEP MOVING THIS FORWARD. 
          IS THIS, IS THIS SOMETHING YOU COULD PUT TOGETHER BY THE FEBRUARY MEETING FOR HOW TO PHASE THIS OUT? IS IT WHEN THE FEBRUARY MEETING, FEBRUARY 10TH. 
          I CERTAINLY TRY, UM, WHEN YOU SAY TWO MONTHS TO, TO MOVE, I GOTTA BE SENSITIVE TO WHEN THE BILLING PERIOD STOPS AND STARTS AND GETTING THEM ON. 
          I I HAVE TO THINK THAT THROUGH. 
          BUT IT WOULD IF YOU WOULD ALLOW ME, YOU KNOW, UNTIL THE NEXT BOARD MEETING TO COME UP WITH A MORE THOUGHTFUL SOLUTION. 
          SOUNDS GREAT. 
          ANY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR CHARLIE? ALRIGHT, SO CHARLIE, YOU GONNA BE COMING BACK TO US DID YOU SAY IN FEBRUARY TO PROPOSE TO US FOR ANOTHER RATE INCREASE PLUS PCA? IS THAT WHAT, OR IS THAT GONNA BE IN MARCH BEFORE APRIL? WHAT I MAY BE DOING IN FEBRUARY IS ASKING TO CALL FOR A PUBLIC HEARING. 
          OKAY. 
          SO THAT WE COULD POST THAT FOR 30 DAYS, BE IN A POSITION TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING MAYBE IN MARCH, AND THEN MAKE A DECISION AT THAT PUBLIC HEARING AND, UH, KEEP PACE WITH WITH IT'S AGGRESSIVE WITH THE APRIL DATE AS YOU PROPOSED. 
          CORRECT. 
          OKAY. 
          AND THEN AS I GO FORWARD, I WOULD BE SPECULATING AND PUTTING THIS, UM, INTO OUR BUDGETARY NUMBERS AS WELL. 
          ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. 
          CHARLIE. 
          GOT ONE MORE, ONE MORE ITEM UNDER OTHER, UNLESS THE BOARD HAS SOME THINGS, ANYBODY TO TALK ABOUT, UH, KELLY PASS THESE THINGS OUT. 
          SO, UM, THIS, THIS IS GONNA BE ON THE AGENDA FOR NEXT WEEK, BUT I WANT TO GIVE YOU SOME, UH, PREP ON THIS. 
          WE WERE APPROACHED BY THE SONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION AND THE DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, UH, ABOUT THE POTENTIAL PLACEMENT OF, OF WHAT THEY CALL PATRIOTIC SQUARE. 
          AND THEY WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT PLACING A MONUMENT AND HONOR AND, AND RECOGNITION OF, UH, ER RESOLVES AND THE 250TH, UH, CELEBRATION OF AMERICA ALONG WITH TWO PATRIOTIC BEARS, UH, IN FRONT OF THE FLAG POLE AT CITY HALL. 
          SO YOU'LL SEE IN HERE SOME EXAMPLES OF WHERE THE LOCATION IS. 
          I THINK THEY'RE TALKING AS WELL ABOUT, UH, THEY'RE GOING BIG SELF AND BRICKS IN THAT AREA TO HELP, HELP RAISE FUNDS FOR THAT. 
          UM, AS WELL AS WHAT THE TWO BEARS COULD, COULD LOOK LIKE. 
          YOU'VE GOT AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT THE, THE MARKER CAN LOOK LIKE AS WELL. 
          AND SO IF YOU'VE GOT ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS, HAPPY TO TALK TO IT. 
          BUT THEY, THEY'RE COME TO MAKE A, A, A PRESENTATION TO YOU. 
          UH, THEIR GOAL IS, UM, TO APPLY FOR SOME GRANTS FOR THIS, WHICH THEY WILL TALK WITH YOU ABOUT. 
          UH, AND THEIR GOAL IS TO HAVE THIS IN PLACE BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR. 
          SO THEY WANT LOOK LIKE AT CITY HALL. 
          YES. 
          I THOUGHT THAT AREA WAS KIND OF WHERE, UM, YEAH, THAT WAS THE, UH, SO THAT 
          [07:35:01]
LINEAL OR GENERAT, WHAT WAS THAT? PARK HERITAGE PARK HERITAGE HERITAGE PARK OF THE PREVIOUS BOARD DESIGNATED THAT AREA. 
          AND, UM, ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, WE WERE PROMISED ABOUT EVERY, EVERY MONTH THAT, THAT, UH, THAT GROUP WAS GONNA COME TO US AND, AND LAY OUT THEIR PLAN AND THEIR COST. 
          AND WE HAVEN'T HEARD FROM THEM IN YEARS. 
          UM, AND SO AGAIN, THE REASON WE'VE GOT A FLAG POLE IN THAT PLACE AND WE'VE GOT SOD, THERES 'CAUSE WE CAN'T WAIT FOR, UH, FOR PIPE DREAMS. AND THAT WAS A PIPE DREAM ON THERE, ON THEIR PART. 
          SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN CONSIDER AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, LET US KNOW, BUT THEY'LL, THEY'LL BE HERE AT THE NEXT MEETING. 
          ALRIGHT, WE, WE WENT THROUGH A LOT OF THINGS TODAY. 
          HOPE, HOPE YOU LEARNED SOME THINGS. 
          HOPE, UH, UH, IT STARTS OTHER THOUGHTS FROM YOU ON SOME THINGS, BUT, UH, IT'S A BUSY TIME FOR THE CITY. 
          WE'VE GOT A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON. 
          WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU, UH, THIS YEAR AND IN COMING YEARS AND, UH, MAKING NEWBURN A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE. 
          AND SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, LET US KNOW. 
          OTHER THAN THAT, I THINK THAT'S ALL STAFF HAS BOARD HAVE ANY COMMENTS? , UH, THAT LETTER, IT'LL BE ON THE AGENDA. 
          IT'LL BE ON THE AGENDA FOR THAT. 
          YEAH. 
          AND THEN BRENDA WILL HAVE IT FOR YOU. 
          UH, JUST THANK THE STAFF, UH, FOR THEIR EFFORTS IN PUTTING THIS TOGETHER. 
          UM, THANK THE CHAMBER FOR THE VENUE, BUT THEY PROVIDED AT NO COST AND, UM, APPRECIATE THE ENGAGEMENT FROM EVERYBODY TODAY. 
          I GUESS WE'LL SEE EACH OTHER ON TUESDAY NEXT WEEK. 
          NICE. 
          MEET, HAVE A MOTION. 
          SECOND. 
          ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. 
          ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? A OPPOSED? WE ORDER.
* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.