* 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.
           GOOD 
          [00:00:01]
EVENING EVERYONE, AND 
          [1. Meeting opened by Mayor Odham.  Prayer Coordinated by Alderman Aster.  Pledge of Allegiance.]
WELCOME TO THE FEBRUARY 10TH, 2026 NEW BOARD OF ALDERMAN MEETING. 
          THE PRAYER TONIGHT IS GONNA BE GIVEN BY OUR CLERK, MS. BRENDA BLANCO. 
          HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME TO YOU TODAY ASKING FOR GUIDANCE, WISDOM, AND SUPPORT. 
          AS THIS MEETING BEGINS, HELP ALL PARTICIPANTS TO ENGAGE IN MEANINGFUL DISCUSSION. 
          FILL EVERYONE WITH YOUR GRACE. 
          AS DECISIONS ARE MADE THAT AFFECT THE CITY AND ITS RESIDENTS, WE ASK THESE THINGS IN YOUR NAME, AMEN. 
          AMEN. 
          IF YOU WOULD PLEASE STAND WITH ME AS A PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF OUR COUNTRY. 
          I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE, EXCUSE ME, LIE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD IN INDIVIDUAL WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. 
          MADAM CLERK, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. 
          ALDERMAN FERGUSON. 
          HERE. 
          ALDERMAN BRYANT? HERE. 
          ALDERMAN ASTOR. 
          HERE. 
          MAYOR ODOM. 
          HERE. 
          ALDERMAN WHITE. 
          HERE. 
          ALDERMAN. 
          BEST PRESENT. 
          ALDERMAN OUTLAW HERE. 
          OKAY. 
          BOARD. 
          UH, 
          [3. Approve Agenda.]
ITEM NUMBER THREE IS TO APPROVE THE GENERAL. 
          ARE THERE ANY CHANGES YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE, MR. MAYOR? I WOULD MAKE A MOTION TO REMOVE ITEMS 25 AND 28 FROM THE AGENDA ALTOGETHER. 
          SECOND. 
          I HAVE A MOTION TO REMOVE THOSE. 
          ARE WE GOING TO, ARE WE TABLING THAT? NOPE. 
          OKAY, WE'RE GONNA REMOVE THOSE. 
          UM, OKAY. 
          WHICH ITEMS? I'M NOT, I HEARD 25. 
          I WANT 25 AND 28. 
          OKAY. 
          UH, WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA. 
          REMOVING ITEMS 25 AND 28. 
          IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? UH, YES. 
          IF WE REMOVE THESE ITEMS. AND YOU SAID, SO WHEN IS, WHEN WILL A DISCUSSION BE ON THESE ITEMS? YOU JUST GONNA LEAVE IT LIKE IT IS? I, I THINK SO. 
          MY UNDERSTANDING, ITEM 25 AND 28, I HAVE RECEIVED NUMEROUS CONSTITUENT FEEDBACK ON THOSE ITEMS THAT FEEL BLINDSIDED ON THE POTENTIAL CHANGES. 
          SO I WOULD LIKE SUFFICIENT TIME TO TALK TO THE STAKEHOLDERS FOR THOSE ITEMS, UM, AND WORK WITH THEM ON A SOLUTION AND THEN BRING IT BACK FOR THE BOARD. 
          AND I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THAT WILL BE. 
          SOUNDS LIKE A PLAN. 
          THANK YOU ALL FOR, OKAY. 
          UM, IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. 
          ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. 
          AYE. 
          ANY OPPOSED? OKAY. 
          ITEM IS APPROVED. 
          AGENDA IS APPROVED WITH THE EXCEPTION OF 25 AND 28. 
          UH, NEXT IS REQUEST A PETITION TO CITIZENS. 
          MADAM CLERK. 
          SEE AGAIN? GO. 
          GO EAT DOWNTOWN. 
          SPEND SOME MONEY. 
          , YOU CLEARED THE ROOM. 
          NEXT TIME. 
          WE NEED DO, OKAY. 
          THE FIRST 
          [4. Request and Petition of Citizens.]
PETITION OF CITIZENS NINE IS BILL CHOI. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR ALDERMAN. 
          UH, MY NAME IS BILL CHOI AND WITH MY GRANDDAUGHTER, WE OWN TWO 17 HANCOCK, WHICH IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION, AND I LIVE IN OWN 2 21 HANCOCK. 
          BOTH HOUSES ARE ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE STREET. 
          I APPRECIATE ALDERMAN FERGUSON'S MOVE TODAY AND YOUR ENDORSEMENT, BUT I THINK IT'S, UH, IMPORTANT THAT WE, UM, ELABORATE WHY THE RESIDENTS OF HANCOCK STREET, OR AT LEAST THE WEST SIDE OF HANCOCK STREET, ARE AGAINST IT. 
          UM, I'M NOT A NEWCOMER. 
          WE BOUGHT, UH, THE TWO 17 HOUSE WITH MY LATE PARTNER, LINDA LESLIE, IN 1992, AND WE BOUGHT, UH, A HOUSE, UH, 2 21 IN 1998. 
          I ALSO WANT TO THANK MY NEIGHBORS ON HANCOCK STREET, RICHARD PARSONS AND JOHN DOHERTY FOR TAKING THE LEAD ON THIS AND FOR OTHER NEIGHBORS FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT. 
          FOR BACKGROUND, I REGISTERED MY OPPOSITION TO THIS CHANGE TO GEORGE CHILD ON FEB ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 30TH, BEFORE THE SNOW BOMB. 
          WE CHATTED FOR MORE THAN 30 MINUTES ON THE PHONE, AND HE WAS OPEN TO MY VIEWS AND VERY PROFESSIONAL. 
          HE CALLED ME AT THE SUGGESTION OF A COLLEAGUE IN THE DEPARTMENT NAMED SHERRY. 
          SHERRY FIRST CALLED AT 3 49 A WEEK EARLIER ON JANUARY 23RD FROM MY EMAIL ADDRESS AND SAID SOMETHING WOULD BE FORTHCOMING. 
          NOTHING HAS BEEN RECEIVED EITHER BY LETTER OR EMAIL. 
          I'M GOING TO READ AN EXCERPT OF, UH, OF AN EMAIL I SENT TO THE MAYOR WARD, UH, UH, ALDERMAN FERGUSON AND GEORGE CHILES LAST WEEK TO SHARE MY VIEWS WITH THE ENTIRE BOARD SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHERE WE'RE COMING FROM. 
          QUOTE, NEITHER THE CITY NOR GEORGE HAVE 
          [00:05:01]
PROVIDED A VIABLE REASON FOR THIS CHANGE OTHER THAN CITING SAFETY. 
          I INFORMED GEORGE OF THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE STREET AND ASKED WHAT ACTUAL STUDIES HAD BEEN MADE. 
          HE NOTED THAT THE WEST SIDE HAS LESS ROOM IN FEET FROM THE RAIL TRACKS IN THE EAST SIDE. 
          HENCE, THAT LED TO THE CHOICE OF SIDES. 
          THAT EXPLANATION SEEMED INADEQUATE AND WHY THE CHANGE WAS NEEDED IN THE FIRST PLACE. 
          GEORGE AND I ALSO TALKED ABOUT WHETHER ALTERNATIVES WERE EXAMINED, SUCH AS MAKING HANCOCK AND METCALF ONE WAY STREETS IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS. 
          NUMBER TWO, CUTTING DOWN THE PARKING BY ISSUING RESIDENCE PARKING PERMITS AND VISITOR PARKING PERMITS FOR THEIR GUESTS WHILE HAVING A TWO HOUR PARKING LIMIT FOR OTHERS. 
          IT APPEARED TO ME THAT NO OTHER OPTIONS WERE CONSIDERED, AND OBVIOUSLY NO REPORT HAS BEEN MADE OR AT LEAST SHARED WITH THE FIRST WARD ALDERMAN, AN AFFECTED RESIDENCE. 
          UH, I APPRECIATE AGAIN, ALDERMAN FERGUSON TABLE, UH, MOVING TO REMOVE THIS FROM THE, UH, UH, THIS, THAT'S THE END OF THE EMAIL. 
          AND NOW I'M SAYING I I APPRECIATE ALDERMAN FERGUSON REMOVING THIS. 
          UH, FINALLY, I URGE THE CITY NOT TO MAKE THIS A MINI UNION PARK MOMENT WHERE TRANSPARENCY AND TRUST ARE TOSSED INTO THE WIND. 
          PLEASE DO WHAT IS RIGHT WHEN THIS COMES BACK UP FOR THE HANCOCK STREET RESIDENCE IN THE CITY. 
          LONG TERM. 
          GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AS ALDERMAN FERGUSON SUGGESTED, AND PROVIDE, UH, A, UH, PROVIDE TRANSPARENCY AND RE SO WE CAN REGAIN TRUST IN OUR CITY GOVERNMENT. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          NEXT IS DAVID FRENCH. 
          MR. MAYOR? YES, MA'AM. 
          IF I MAY, UM, MR. FRENCH, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT A CHALLENGE TO YOU TONIGHT, SIR. 
          UM, WITH THE DECORUM OF OUR ENVIRONMENT, I WAS WONDERING IF YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO PRESENT YOUR INFORMATION WITHOUT ANY NAME CALLING. 
          WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT? THE TRUTH IS THE TRUTH. 
          THE TRUTH IS THE TRUTH. 
          AND, UH, THE LAW AS FAR AS I CHECK, WE ARE STILL LIVING IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 
          AND WE HAVE FREE SPEECH. 
          YES, SIR. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I'M DAVID FRENCH, 1 0 4 JOHNSON FOR 1,481. 
          NUMBER OF DAYS FROM HURRICANE FLORENCE IN 2018 TO WHEN COUSIN MARYANNE PASSED AWAY IN 2022. 
          NEVER WERE RETURNING HOME. 
          DUE TO THE ABSOLUTE FRAUD OF COOPER AND OTHERS, OVER FOUR YEARS, 2,706 NUMBER OF DAYS THAT I HAVE BEEN OUT OF MY HOME OVER SEVEN YEARS, 11,654 NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO APPLIED FOR HELP FOR REBUILD NC 3000, UH, 522 NUMBER OF PEOPLE SUPPOSEDLY HELP. 
          ABOUT 30% HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH THE QUALITY OF WORK. 
          8,132. 
          NUMBER OF PEOPLE NOT HELPED, OF WHICH I AM ONE, 1.3 BILLION TAXPAYER FUNDS MISMANAGED BY INCORE REBUILD NC HUD 316 NUMBER OF DAYS IT TOOK REBUILD NC TO RESPOND TO MY VALID APPEAL. 
          THEY WERE REQUIRED TO RESPOND WITHIN 15 CALENDAR DAYS. 
          144 NUMBER OF PAGES OF REBUILT NCS RESPONSE TO MY VALID APPEAL RESEARCH WRITTEN, UH, BY AT LEAST THREE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA TAXPAYER FUNDED ATTORNEYS. 
          ZERO NUMBER OF ATTORNEYS THAT I HAVE, TWO NUMBER OF ELECTED OFFICIALS AND STAFF WHO ARE HELPING US. 
          CRAVEN COUNTY COMMISSIONER JASON JONES, WHO IS NOT EVEN MY REPRESENTATIVE. 
          AND CRAVEN COUNTY PLANNER, CHAD STRONG, TWO NUMBER OF ENC CANDIDATES HELPING US. 
          COLONEL RETIRED GLORY BUCK REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE FOR US HOUSE NC ONE AFTER IT WAS EXPLAINED TO HER THAT NC SENATOR BRISSON LIED TO HER JUST ABOUT ALL LAST YEAR, ABOUT ME, ANGELA HUMPHREY, NC STATE LIBERTARIAN CANDIDATE FOR NC HOUSE THREE. 
          ONE NUMBER OF CITY OF NEW BERN ALDER. 
          PEOPLE WHO HAVE GEN WHO PERSONALLY REACHED OUT TO SHOW CONCERN IN HOW THEY COULD HELP ALDER LADY LAINEY WHITE NUMBER OF TIMES THE CITY OF NEW BERN HAS DONE ANYTHING TO HELP ME TO GET BACK IN MY HOME BY WRITING THE NOVEMBER, 2025 LETTER TO REBUILD 105,000. 
          FINDS THAT THE CITY OF NEW BERN HAVE ASSESSED AGAINST COUSIN MARYANN, A STROKE AND HURRICANE SURVIVOR. 
          AND NOW ME, INSTEAD OF HELPING US GET BACK HOME YEARS AGO. 
          DEPLORABLE, THIS IS THE ABSOLUTE FAILURE OF FORMER MAYOR OUTLAW AND PRESIDENT MAYOR ODOM. 
          AT LEAST THREE. 
          THE NUMBER OF TIMES THAT REBUILD HAS BEEN GIVEN INFORMATION THAT PROVES THAT I AM THE SOLE OWNER OF MY HOME. 
          ZERO NUMBER OF ELECTED OFFICIALS HOLDING, REBUILD ACCOUNTABLE. 
          ROY COOPER HAS COMMITTED CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY. 
          JOSH STEIN SAYS HE DOESN'T HAVE TIME TO MEET WITH THE HURRICANE FLOOD SURVIVORS OF ENC. 
          EDDIE BUFFALO TUCKED TAIL AND RAN AWAY. 
          LAURA HOG SAID, WHY HAS SHE NOT BEEN AN INVESTIGATOR? PRIOR GIBSON CONTINUES TO DEFRAUD THE HURRICANE FLOOD SURVIVORS OF ENC MATTHEW ARLEN. 
          WHY HAS 
          [00:10:01]
HE NOT BEEN INVESTIGATED? RICHARD TRUMPER REBUILD NCS TWO FAITH FLYER. 
          JESSICA RU, DIRECTOR OF NEWBURN DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICE HELD SECRET MEETING WITH TRUMPER AND OTHERS. 
          AND THE GIST OF ONE MEETING WAS FOR REBUILD. 
          TO FIGURE A WAY TO GET ME OUT OF THE PROGRAM. 
          SHANE GREG MURPHY REFUSES TO HELP US. 
          STEVE TYSON AND BOB BRISSON REFUSED TO FIGHT FOR US. 
          WELL NOT EVEN SIT DOWN WITH ME TO GET ME BACK IN MY HOME. 
          DAVE BULLOCK LIED TO US ABOUT HELPING US LIED UNDER OATH TO THE NORTH CAROLINA LEGISLATURE HURRICANE RECOVER COMMITTEE SAYING THERE WAS NO FRAUD. 
          DENNY BOOKER, MY CRAVEN COUNTY COMMISSIONER, SAID, IT'S NOT MY JOB. 
          JEFFREY ODOM MAYOR REFUSED TO CONTACT STEIN GIBSON AND MURPHY DIRECTLY BY TELEPHONE TO ADVOCATE FOR ME. 
          DANA OUTLAW, HEARTLESS COWARD, REFUSED TO MEET WITH ME, HAS BEEN PAID OVER 50,000 FOR OUR STORAGE, PART OF WHICH ARE STATE AND FEDERAL TAXPAYER FUNDS. 
          THAT MONEY IS NOT GOING TO GET YOU INTO HEAVEN. 
          ODOM AND OUTLAW STILL HAS A PERSON WORKING FOR THE CITY OF NEWMAN WHO HAS BEEN CHARGED AND CONVICTED AS A CHILD PREDATOR OR ODOM AND OUTLAW THE RIGHT PEOPLE TO BE IN CHARGE OF OUR BELOVED CITY. 
          ZERO NUMBER OF TIMES THAT MAYOR OUT. 
          MAYOR ODOM HAS REACHED OUT TO ME SINCE THE LAST MEETING. 
          I'M ASKING YOU THAT AGAIN TO PLEASE ADVOCATE FOR ME WITHOUT BIAS. 
          WE, THE HURRICANE FLOOD SURVIVORS HAVE NO ONE INDEPENDENTLY REPRESENTING US WHO HAS KNOWLEDGE AND POWER. 
          MY PRAYERS ARE FOR E, N, C AND W AND C. 
          I'LL KEEP MY FAMILY HOME, I'LL KEEP MY TEMPORARY APARTMENT, I WILL KEEP MY FAMILY BELONGINGS AND STORAGE INQUIRY REBUILD NC HU WILL FULFILL MY SIGN CONTRACT AND WILL PAY BACK. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THE FUTURE STAFF IN STORAGE. 
          AND UNTIL I BACK IN MY COMPLETE, THE LORD IS OUR SHEPHERD. 
          I SHALL NOT WANT, I WILL NOT YIELD UP. 
          I WILL. 
          DON'T TOUCH ME. 
          DO NOT TOUCH ME. 
          DO NOT TOUCH ME. 
          SIR. 
          THIS IS ORDERLY. 
          I, I'M, I'M FINISHED. 
          I'M FINISHED. 
          THANK YOU. 
          YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M GLAD THIS IS RECORDED. 
          SO WE CAN SEE THAT THE POLICE STATE IS ACTIVE IN NORTH CAROLINA. 
          OKAY? NO, I'M GONNA ASK HIM MORE QUESTION. 
          MR. FRENCH, PLEASE SIT. 
          NO. 
          NO. 
          WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO? WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO RESPOND, SIR? I'M ASKING HIM A QUESTION. 
          I HAVE A, DO YOU KNOW THE CONSTITUTION? DO WE HAVE A RIGHT A RE MR. FRENCH OR NOT? NO. 
          IT'S NOT ENOUGH. 
          IT'S NOT A MATTER. 
          AND THE HISTORY WILL SHOW. 
          I'M GLAD THAT'S ALL RECORDING. 
          GONNA SHOW THE POLICE STATE. 
          NEXT UP IS STEVE TAYLOR. 
          TAYLOR, VOTE TAYLOR. 
          OKAY. 
          AND SHAME Y'ALL. 
          DO NOT RESPOND MR. FRENCH. 
          NO MORE OUTBURST PLEASE. 
          NEXT IS JOHN DORY. 
          YES, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK. 
          I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY. 
          MY NAME'S JOHN DOHERTY. 
          UH, I OWN A PROPERTY AT 2 2 3 HANCOCK STREET, UH, FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. 
          UM, LOVE THE TOWN. 
          I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS TO CONTINUE IMPROVING THE CITY. 
          UH, THE REASON I'M SPEAKING IS REGARD TO THE ITEM THAT HAS BEEN, UM, NUMBER 28 THAT'S BEEN PULLED. 
          UH, DIDN'T KNOW IF THAT WOULD OCCUR. 
          SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY A FEW QUICK WORDS. 
          THE CROWD THAT WAS HERE, I DIDN'T REALIZE THERE WERE SO MANY, BUT THANK YOU TREY, FOR MAKING THAT POSSIBLE THAT TO HAVE MORE TIME TO EVALUATE, UH, POSSIBLE OPTIONS. 
          UM, I JUST WANTED TO BRING IT TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT, UH, A PETITION, UM, TO, TO THE CITY HAS BEEN FILED WITH, UH, THE CLERK TODAY. 
          UM, 37 PEOPLE SIGNED IT IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AND ALMOST WITHOUT EXCEPTION, UM, UH, FELT THAT THE PROPOSALS WERE NOT, UM, THOUGHT THROUGH COMPLETELY. 
          SO I'D JUST LIKE TO BRIEFLY, UH, SUMMARIZE WHAT THE PETITION SAYS. 
          ALTHOUGH, UH, YOU WILL RECEIVE A COPY OF IT SHORTLY, IF NOT ALREADY. 
          IT BASICALLY SAYS, THIS IS A PETITION. 
          WE, THE UNDERSIGNED OBJECT AND PETITION FOR RELIEF FROM THE PROPOSED CHANGES IN ORDINANCE THAT WOULD ELIMINATE 100% OF THE CURRENTLY UNRESTRICTED PARKING ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE 200 BLOCK OF CAN HANCOCK STREET. 
          THE REASONS FOR THE PETITION ARE THAT THERE IS NO RIGHT RESIDENT PRIORITY IN ANY REMAINING, UH, PARKING THAT WOULD BE AVAILABLE UNDER THAT CURRENT PROPOSAL. 
          UH, THERE'S A DISPROPORTIONATE NEGATIVE IMPACT ON ALL PROPERTY OWNERS ON THAT BLOCK. 
          UH, IT IS NOT STRICTLY A COMMERCIAL BLOCK. 
          THERE ARE ACTUALLY PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE AND MANY OF THEM DON'T HAVE DRIVEWAYS, OR THEY HAVE SHARED DRIVEWAYS ARE VERY LIMITED SPACE. 
          SO THEY'RE FORCED TO UTILIZE STREET PARKING. 
          CURRENTLY, UH, THIS PROPOSAL WOULD FORCE RESIDENTS TO COMPETE FOR A SPOT EVERY DAY, DAY IN AND DAY OUT WITH NON-RESIDENT VISITORS WHO ARE IMPORTANT TO THIS CITY. 
          BUT THEY DO HAVE THE OPTION OF USING PUBLIC, UM, PARKING LOTS, UNLIKE THE RESIDENTS WHO, WHO WOULD BE POTENTIALLY UNABLE TO WALK TWO, THREE BLOCKS TO, TO GET TO THEIR CAR AND BACK. 
          AND THE SAFETY ISSUE IS, IS BE BECAME AWARE OF IT, IS THAT 50% OF ALL THE PROPERTY OWNERS AND CURRENT RESIDENTS ON THAT BLOCK ARE SENIOR 
          [00:15:01]
CITIZENS 65 PLUS. 
          SO THEY HAVE MOBILITY ISSUES, SOME OF THEM, AND THEY SIMPLY CANNOT WALK BLOCKS AWAY TO PARK THEIR CAR AND GET BACK WITH GROCERIES AND SO FORTH. 
          IT'S EXTREMELY, WOULD CREATE AN EXTREME HARDSHIP FOR THEM. 
          WE URGENTLY REQUEST A REVISED PARKING PROPOSAL, WHICH DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE AGAINST LONGTIME RESIDENTS WHO RELY ON THE EXISTING PARKING. 
          AN APPROPRIATE NUMBER OF RESTRICTED RESIDENT ONLY PARKING SPACES COULD HELP SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. 
          PLEASE PUT RESIDENTS FIRST AND THESE, THIS IS THE PETITION, A COPY OF IT. 
          BEYOND THAT, WE DO HAVE CONSTRUCTIVE, UM, COMMENTS THAT WE COULD RECOMMEND TO HELP IMPROVE TRAFFIC FLOW ON THE BLOCK, INCLUDING BETTER SIGNAGE AT THE P*****K STREET, HANCOCK STREET INTERSECTION WHERE CARS SOMETIMES GO THROUGH WITHOUT, THEY, THEY MISS THE STOP SIGN. 
          LARGER STOP SIGNS COULD HELP POSSIBLY A FLASHING LIGHT. 
          IT'S NOT UNKNOWN TO HAVE ACCIDENTS THERE. 
          I'VE WITNESSED ONE MYSELF. 
          AND OFTENTIMES IT'S PEOPLE AREN'T FAMILIAR WITH DOWNTOWN THAT JUST SLIDE THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. 
          UH, WE MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER LOWER SPEED LIMIT ON THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF HANCOCK STREET. 
          IT'S A UNIQUE STREET WITH TRACKS, THE ONLY ONE I KNOW OF, AND IT DESERVES A LOWER SPEED LIMIT. 
          I REALIZE THAT IS NOT IN CONFORMITY WITH THE EXISTING 25 MILE PER HOUR LIMIT. 
          IT'S SOMETHING TO CONSIDER 'CAUSE IT'S A UNIQUE STREET WITH UNIQUE ISSUES. 
          AND THE OTHER THING, UH, INSTALLING SIGNAGE TO BAN OVERSIZED, OVERSIZED TRUCKS COULD ALSO HELP. 
          OKAY, THANK YOU, SIR. 
          YOU AND THAT'S IT, FOLKS. 
          THANKS FOR LISTENING. 
          THANK YOU. 
          APPRECIATE IT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          NEXT IS ROSS NEW BIRTH. 
          OKAY. 
          UH, LEE HOFF, UM, SHE LEFT. 
          OKAY. 
          AND I THINK I SAW ROSE WILLIAMS LEAVE AS WELL. 
          OKAY. 
          THAT'S ALL THE PETITION OF CITIZENS FOR THIS EVENING. 
          NEXT UP BOARD IS THE CONSENT AGENDA. 
          [Consent Agenda]
WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD ON ITEMS FIVE THROUGH 10? MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS IS SECOND. 
          HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND. 
          IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? I WOULD LIKE TO, I GUESS, MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION, UM, AND EXCLUDE ITEM FIVE. 
          YOU WANNA DO I EXCLUDE, SIR? YOU WANT TO PULL IT? YES. 
          I'LL CHANGE MY MOTION, SIR. 
          SO ALDERMAN ASHER WILL PULL HIS MOTION. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ALMAN BRYANT, WILL YOU PULL YOURS AS WELL? THANK YOU. 
          OKAY. 
          MAYOR OUT OR ALDERMAN OUTLAW. 
          YOU CAN MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION IF YOU'D LIKE. 
          OH, YEAH, I'D LIKE TO. 
          ITEM NUMBER FIVE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          AND APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. 
          APPROVE THE REST, THE AGENDA. 
          OKAY. 
          HAVE A MOTION. 
          DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. 
          I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. 
          IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? ARE YOU PULLING IT FROM THE AGENDA OR ARE YOU PUTTING OH, NO. 
          PULLING IT FROM CONSENT AND PUTTING IT INTO THE RECORD FOR DISCUSSION. 
          THANK YOU FOR CLARIFICATION. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE? UH, LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN FERGUSON. 
          ALDERMAN FERGUSON. 
          YES. 
          ALDERMAN BRYANT. 
          YES. 
          ALDERMAN ASTOR. 
          YES. 
          ALDERMAN WHITE. 
          YES. 
          ALDERMAN BEST? YES. 
          ALDERMAN OUTLAW. 
          YES. 
          MAYOR ODOM? YES. 
          OKAY. 
          NOW WE'LL DISCUSS ITEM NUMBER FIVE. 
          [5. Consider Adopting a Resolution Calling for a Public Hearing to Amend the Electric Rate Ordinance.]
UH, ALDERMAN OUTLAW. 
          THAT WAS CONSIDERED ADOPT A RESOLUTION CALLING FOR A PUBLIC HEARING TO AMEND THE ELECTRIC RATE ORDINANCE. 
          YES. 
          I'M JUST, UH, I WANT TO BE A LITTLE, UM, I DON'T WANT TO BELABOR THE POINT, BUT THERE'S BEEN MANY TIMES IN THE HISTORY OF THE CITY OF NEW BERN AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH ITS PROVIDER OF ELECTRICITY THAT WE HAVE HAD TO HAVE RATE INCREASES. 
          UM, I'VE ALREADY, I I THINK THERE ARE, ARE SOME CUSTOMERS THAT ARE, HAVEN'T HEARD OF THIS, THINK THAT THERE'S GONNA BE A RATE INCREASE TONIGHT WITH THE APPROVAL OF THIS. 
          THIS IS FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING. 
          UM, I'M NOT TRYING TO CHAMPION THE CALLS HERE. 
          I'M CONCERNED WITH THE TRENDING OF, UM, OF ENERGY IN AMERICA. 
          I'M CONCERNED WITH THE FACT THAT IN NORTH CAROLINA YOU HAVE ACTUALLY A DUOPOLY BETWEEN BECO OUTTA VIRGINIA AND DUKE ENERGY. 
          BUT THERE'S ACTUALLY THREE. 
          THERE'S DUKE ENERGY, CAROLINA DUKE, ENERGY PROGRESS, AND PEPCO. 
          UM, SO I'M NOT TRYING TO SIT HERE AND MAKE EXCUSES. 
          I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT IN THESE DIFFICULT TIMES AS OUR, OUR BILLS, FOR THOSE OF US THAT ARE ON DUKE RETAIL AND FOR RESIDENTS THAT ARE ON CITY OF NEWBURN RETAIL, THAT WE DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN INFORMATIVELY TO PROCESS ANY INCREASES THAT MIGHT HAPPEN. 
          PART OF THAT IS, IS TO MAKE THE PUBLIC AWARE THAT THE CITY OF NEWBURN FOR YEARS HAS DONE EVERYTHING IT CAN WITH OUR STAFF TO, TO WATCH AND, AND AS 
          [00:20:01]
EFFECTIVELY, EFFICIENTLY AS WE CAN PROVIDE REASONABLE SERVICE AT REASONABLE RATES. 
          I THINK, UH, A RESIDENT IN GREENBRIER SENT ME SOME INFORMATION WHERE SEVERAL YEARS AGO WHEN WE HAD OUR RATE REDUCTIONS, UM, WE WERE DOWN SOMEWHERE, IF YOU COULD SEGREGATE OUT YOUR LEAF AND LIMB AND YOUR OTHER ITEMS, WA WATER AND ELECTRICITY, ET CETERA, WAS SOMEWHERE IN THE 12 CENT KILOWATT RANGE. 
          HE SHOWED ME A BILL RECENTLY THAT'S IN THE 15 CENT RANGE. 
          THIS IS NOT JUST A NEWBURN PROBLEM, IT'S A NORTH CAROLINA PROBLEM. 
          BUT I JUST WANNA MAKE EVERYBODY AWARE FROM LET'S ALL RESEARCH THIS, ALL LET'S ALL PROCESS THIS TOGETHER. 
          AND THERE ARE CITIES LIKE REEDSVILLE AND KINGS MOUNTAIN IN NORTH CAROLINA, AND EVEN ACTUALLY FAYETTEVILLE THAT RECENTLY ALMOST WENT WITH ANOTHER PROVIDER. 
          AND THAT WAS THAT THROUGH FERC, FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION AND THE UTILITIES COMMISSION IN NORTH CAROLINA. 
          DUKE HAD TO ALLOW BACKUP POWER FOR, FOR A MODEL THAT IS YOU'RE GONNA SEE MORE OF IN THE FUTURE. 
          AND THAT IS A COMPANY, I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. 
          NTE OUT OF FLORIDA, ST. 
          AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, THEY'RE ACTUALLY PROVIDING POWER THROUGH NATURAL, NATURAL GAS CO GENERATION. 
          AND, AND, AND, AND ALL THIS STUFF TO TALK ABOUT BY ANY IS THREE AND FOUR HOURS. 
          AND YOU, YOU'RE JUST GETTING STARTED ON IT BECAUSE WE HAVE TO GET THE ENERGY SOMEWHERE TO SELL YOU. 
          WE CAN'T MAKE IT. 
          AND PROBABLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS HAPPENED IN NEWBURN YEARS AGO IS WHEN NEWIN ACTUALLY GOT OUT OF THE CO-GENERATION BUSINESS AND WENT WITH DUKE BECAUSE OF THE ECONOMIES OF SCALE. 
          SO ANYWAY, MY COMING IN FOR LANDING ON THIS IS THAT WE'RE SENSITIVE TO ANY RATE INCREASE. 
          I KNOW THERE'S SOME MISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT MARK, ANY TYPE OF, UM, INDEXING OF, OF, UH, SURCHARGES, ET CETERA. 
          UM, BUT FOR MY 2 CENTS WORK, I'M LOOKING AT LEADERSHIP FROM STAFF AND THIS DECISION AS TO HOW WE CAN MAKE OUR RATES AS CHEAP AS WE CAN. 
          UH, IT'S NOT GONNA BE AN ELECTED BOARD VISIONARY, UM, POLICY. 
          IT'S NOT GONNA BE A STAFF, UM, BEING GIVEN THE POLICY AN IMPLEMENTATION. 
          IT'S GOING TO COLLECTIVELY BE ALL OF US AND ALL YOU IN THE ROOM AND EVERYBODY TO MISS ON TV AS WE FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN DO BETTER THAN DUKE ENERGY. 
          AND THAT MIGHT BE FOR THE CITY OF NEWBURN TO PARTNER WITH A, WITH AN ENTERPRISE LIKE NTE. 
          I'M JUST USING THAT AS AN EXAMPLE. 
          GO READ UP ON. 
          AND AT THE VERY LEAST, THAT THAT'S THE ONLY MEANS OF, OF COMPETITIVE BARGAINING WITH ELECTRIC CITIES WITH THE POWER AGENCY BECAUSE WE, WE CAN'T NEGOTIATE WITH THE UTILITIES COMMISSION BECAUSE WE ARE NOT A PUBLIC ENTITY. 
          ONLY VETCO AND THE TWO PRO, UH, TWO DUKE ENERGIES CAN DO THAT. 
          VERY COMPLICATED. 
          WE'LL DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PROVIDE A RELIABLE SERVICE AS AS REASONABLE CHARGE. 
          WE CAN, AND WE, I ASSUME MAYOR AND STAFF WILL BE HAVING A PUBLIC HEARING, PROBABLY THE NEXT MEETING TO DISCUSS THIS. 
          AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE DURING THESE DIFFICULT TIMES, JUST LIKE WHEN YOU GO TO THE GAS PUMP AND YOUR CULTURE AND NORMALCY IS $2 AND 59 CENTS A GALLON, AND THE VOLATILITY OF THAT, THE FUTURES AND WHATEVER THEY MIGHT BE OF 2 79 1 DAY, 2 9 9 1 DAY 2 39 THE NEXT DAY. 
          UM, A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN ELECTRICITY, BUT I KNOW, I'M JUST TRYING TO OPEN THIS UP AS WE ALL DISCUSSED THIS. 
          AND I, I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE FOR THE, THE BOARD OF ALLMAN LOOK AT HAVING, UM, A, HAVING DIALOGUE WITH NTE IS A STARTER, UH, DUKE ENERGY, UM, YOU, YOU READ UP ON, I'M NOT GONNA TELL YOU WHAT HAPPENED ON, BUT READ UP ON DUKE ENERGY AND THE CITY OF FAYETTEVILLE. 
          CITY OF FAYETTEVILLE HAS ITS OWN PUBLIC COMM. 
          IT HAS ITS OWN, LIKE GREENWOOD HAS A UTILITIES COMMISSION THAT'S SEPARATE ON TITLELESS FROM THE CITY AND READ UP ON THAT AND I'LL READ UP ON IT SOME MORE. 
          AND AGAIN, WE WILL DO WHAT WE CAN. 
          AND I JUST OPEN THAT UP IF ANYBODY ELSE GOT ANY COMMENTS. 
          ALDERMAN OUTWELL, I THINK YOUR POINT IS WELL TAKEN. 
          AND YOU KNOW, I REALLY THINK THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE A LARGER DIALOGUE. 
          THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE INVESTIGATION INTO THE ISSUES OF CO-GENERATION RATE MODERNIZATION THAT ARE REALLY OUTSIDE OUR ONE MEETING A MONTH. 
          I, I DON'T KNOW HOW THE INTEREST IS OF THE FULL BOARD, BUT I DO THINK THAT WE COULD LOOK AT DOING, AND I WOULD PROPOSE EITHER 
          [00:25:01]
A ADVISORY COMMITTEE OF CITIZENS WHO HAVE A BACKGROUND AND WE HAVE EXTREMELY WELL QUALIFIED CITIZENS WITH BACKGROUNDS IN ENERGY WITH ALDERMAN APPOINTMENTS OR EVEN A AD HOC COMMITTEE OF A SMALLER GROUP OF THIS BOARD OF MAYBE THREE ALDERMEN WHO MEET WITH CHARLIE IN A PUBLIC MEETING TO TO, TO HAVE THESE KIND OF CONVERSATIONS. 
          UM, I THINK THAT WOULD BE, I MEAN, THAT'S SOMETHING I WOULD LIKE US TO LOOK INTO. 
          BECAUSE AGAIN, I THINK WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AND WHAT WE SEE THE FUTURE OF ENERGY, NOT ONLY IN THE COUNTRY, BUT IN OUR STATE AND HOW IT AFFECTS OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR CUSTOMER BASE, IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO LOOK FURTHER INTO AND WE NEED TO PLAN FOR. 
          I MEAN, WE ARE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO, TO CUT RATES ANYTIME SOON, ESPECIALLY WITH DUKE PASSING ON THE 4.5% WHOLESALE COST, UH, TO US STARTING IN I THINK MARCH OR APRIL. 
          AND SO I THINK SOONER RATHER THAN LATER, WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT SOME FORM OF A GROUP. 
          AND I WOULD LIKE TO PUT THAT MAYBE ON FOR NEW BUSINESS IN THE MARCH, UH, AGENDA FOR US TO MAYBE DISCUSS THAT FURTHER. 
          IS THERE ANY INTEREST FROM THIS BOARD OF AN AD HOC GROUP MEETING TO TALK MORE ABOUT THIS WITH OUR STAFF, UM, AND REPORTING BACK TO THE BOARD? YES. 
          ALDERMAN FERGUSON. 
          I THINK THAT THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE THAT, THAT WE NEED MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES ON. 
          I THINK THAT'S A WONDERFUL IDEA TO SUPPORT THAT. 
          YEAH, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE AS A BOARD OR THAT THE AHOP GROUPS, BUT I KNOW FOR YOU NEW , UM, YOU MIGHT NEED TO GET SOME UPDATES FROM OUR, UM, ELECTRIC, UM, DEPARTMENT HEAD. 
          MR. CHARLIE BURCHARD. 
          HE'S THE ONE THAT RUNS THE ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT. 
          MM-HMM . 
          I'M QUITE SURE HE CAN GIVE YOU INFORMATION THAT HAS BEEN PROVIDED TO US OVER THE YEARS MM-HMM . 
          AND PRESENT AND, UM, EVEN, UM, LATTER PART OF LAST YEAR, IT CAME BEFORE US. 
          SO I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO HEAR FROM HIM. 
          UM, THAT'S MY PERSPECTIVE ON IT BECAUSE HE IS THE ONE THAT'S IN CHARGE OF THIS. 
          MM-HMM . 
          HE KNOWS THIS DEPARTMENT, HE KNOWS OUR ELECTORATE AND WE CAN GO FROM THERE. 
          AND I, I CAN FULLY AGREE ALL THE WOMEN BEST. 
          I THINK ANYTHING WE DO HAS TO INCLUDE HIM INTIMATELY WITH THE CONVERSATIONS WITH MC KEMBA, WITH ALL OF THE DIFFERENT INITIATIVES THAT, YOU KNOW, HE EXPLAINED TO US AND MAYBE AN HOUR IN OUR RETREAT. 
          I MEAN, THAT'S JUST NOT ENOUGH TIME FOR US TO DIG IN. 
          AND I'M NOT SAYING THE FULL BOARD NEEDS TO NECESSARILY DIG IN, BUT IF, IF TWO OR THREE OF US FORM AN AD HOC COMMITTEE TO REALLY INVESTIGATE THESE ISSUES WITH HIM, TO, TO BOUNCE IDEAS, TO, TO VERIFY AND DO OUR OWN RESEARCH AND THEN COME TO THIS BOARD, UM, I, I JUST THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE OUGHT TO LOOK AT. 
          SO I, I THINK WITH THAT, I WOULD, I, I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S A MOTION REQUIRED, BUT DIRECTION TO STAFF AT OUR NEXT, UM, MEETING TO HAVE ON THE AGENDA SOME RESOLUTION FORMING AD HOC COMMITTEE OR, OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT. 
          IS THAT SOMETHING I'M LOOKING FOR STAFF FOR GUIDANCE OR DOES IT NEED TO BE JUST INFORMAL? ALDERMAN, UM, FERGUSON THE HOUR THAT MR. BISHAR PRESENTED TO US DURING THE RETREAT, AND IT'S NOT THE ONLY HOUR THAT HE'S COME BEFORE US. 
          A ABSOLUTELY. 
          I I DIDN'T NEED TO SEE, I JUST WANTED TO GET THAT CLEAR. 
          IT'S NOT JUST ONE HOUR. 
          HE'S PRESENTED HIMSELF, MA WITH THE FACTS WITH WHAT'S GOING ON. 
          YES, MA'AM. 
          FOR US' ALDERMAN FERGUSON, OUR CURRENT RULES AND PROCEDURES STATE THAT IF WE WANT SOMETHING ADDED TO A FUTURE AGENDA THAT'S DONE. 
          SO BY WAY OF A MOTION A SECOND, A MAJORITY OF THE BOARD VOTES. 
          SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO GO DOWN THAT ROAD, WE CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT. 
          I, I, I JUST WAS PROCEDURALLY WE'RE CURRENTLY IN DISCUSSION ON 0.5. 
          I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S BEEN A MOTION. 
          JUST MAKE SURE THAT'S NOT A MOTION ON THE FLOOR, RIGHT? CORRECT. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          UH, I WOULD MOVE THAT WE ADD TO THE MARCH AGENDA A CONVERSATION AND POSSIBLY ESTABLISHMENT OF AN AD HOC COMMITTEE OF THIS BODY TO WORK WITH THE UTILITY DIRECTOR SPECIFIC TO ELECTRIC UTILITY AND ISSUES REGARDING RATES. 
          I HAVE A MOTION. 
          DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I HAVE A QUESTION. 
          WOULD THE, UM, PURPOSE OF THE AD HOC COMMITTEE ALSO TO EVENTUALLY BE MAKING AN APPOINTMENT TO INVOLVE THE CITIZENS IN THIS? I I THINK THAT'S A, I THINK IT'S A BROADER DISCUSSION. 
          I WOULD REALLY LIKE SOME INPUT FROM STAFF, YOU KNOW, AS ALDERWOOD BEST HAS SAID, TALK WITH MR. BOUCHARD ABOUT WHAT HE WOULD LOOK, WHAT WHAT HE WOULD LIKE IN THIS. 
          WAS IT A CITIZEN ADVISORY WITH ALDERMAN ON IT? OR IS IT JUST THREE ALDERMAN WITH PUBLIC MEETINGS SO CITIZENS CAN COME, UM, AND HEAR INFORMATION? I'M, I'M OPEN TO BOTH OF THOSE IDEAS. 
          OKAY. 
          I'D LIKE TO OFFER A SECOND. 
          OKAY. 
          I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND. 
          IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT, UM, 
          [00:30:01]
THE SAFE HARBOR ON THIS, THE SAFE THING TO DO IS TO STAY WITH DUKE. 
          THAT'S A SAFE THING TO DO AND YOUR RATES ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO GO UP. 
          THE OTHER THING TO DO IS TO GET THE BEST BARGAIN YOU CAN FOR THE STAFF AND THE ELECTED OFFICIALS WORKING THROUGH THIS, PROCESSING THIS ALONG WITH THE CITIZENRY. 
          AND AGAIN, IF YOU READ UP ON NTE AND THE CITY OF FAYETTEVILLE, YOU'LL SEE THAT, IN MY OPINION, UM, DUKE, UH, WAS PRETTY PERSUASIVE IN, IN GETTING FAYETTEVILLE NOT TO GO WITH NTE AND TO NOT GO WITH ANOTHER POWER SOURCE MEANS THAT THEY MUST HAVE SWEETENED THE POT A LITTLE BIT. 
          SO AGAIN, UH, NEVER IN MY DISCUSSION HAVE I MENTIONED AN ALDERMAN, A MAYOR GETTING ON A PLANE AND FLYING TO ST. 
          AUGUSTINE AND MAKING A DEAL. 
          UM, WE SORELY NEED STAFF, BUT STAFF, JUST LIKE WITH THE BRIDGE OVER HERE, WHEN WE WANTED TO GET OUTTA THE BRIDGE BUSINESS, THE STAFF WASN'T GOING TO GO OUT ON A LIMB AND DO POLICY FOR THE CITY. 
          THE MAYOR AND ALDERMAN DID THE POLICY PART OF IT. 
          THE ATTORNEY AND THE STAFF DID THE CITY PART OF IT TO GET OUTSIDE BRIDGE BUSINESS. 
          AND THIS IS GONNA BE THE SAME WAY. 
          THE STAFF ALONE'S NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO MAKE ANY, ANY CHANGES. 
          THE CITY ALONE'S, NOT THE ELECTED OFFICIALS NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO DO A ALONE. 
          IT'S GONNA TAKE ALL OF US. 
          AND AGAIN, I I SAY THIS THAT I DON'T KNOW THERE'S ANYTHING MORE DIFFICULT TO DO ON THIS BOARD THAN HAVE RATE INCREASES, BUT WE CAN'T ABSORB ALL OF IT. 
          AND HAVING SAID THAT, THE SAFE THING TO DO IS STAY WITH THE PROVIDER. 
          YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE THAT THE, THE, THE, THE THING TO EXPLORE IS THE POSSIBILITY OF A BETTER RATE STRUCTURE WITH ANOTHER PROVIDER. 
          AND IF YOU GO WITH ANYTHING LESS THAN SOMEBODY'S GOT BILLIONS OF DOLLARS LIKE DUKE, IT'S GONNA BE MORE DANGEROUS. 
          SO WE HAVE TO WORK ALL THAT OUT. 
          BUT WE HAVE SHORT TERM AND LONG TERM PROBLEMS HERE WE'RE DEALING WITH SHORT TERM IS WE HAVE TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING AND DECIDE WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE A RAPE PRIEST. 
          LONG TERM IS TO LOOK AT OTHER ALTERNATIVES FOR WELL, THAT'S GONNA BE MY NEXT MOTION ONCE WE GET THIS ONE. 
          ALRIGHT, SO WE GOT THIS MOTION ON THE FLOOR WITH A SECOND. 
          UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE AD HOC COMMITTEE DISCUSSION BEING ADDED TO THE NEXT MONTH'S AGENDA, PLEASE SAY AYE. 
          AYE. 
          AYE. 
          ANY OPPOSED? AYES HAVE IT. 
          OKAY. 
          NOW WHAT'S THE CLOSURE OF THE BOARD ON ITEM NUMBER FIVE, MR. MAYOR, I MOVE TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION CALLING FOR A PUBLIC HEARING TO AMEND THE ELECTRIC RATE ORDINANCE. 
          SECOND. 
          I HAVE A MOTION A SECOND. 
          IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? SINCE THAT'S CALLING FOR RESOLUTION, I'D LIKE TO DO A ROLL CALL VOTE, UH, STARTING WITH ALDERMAN BRYANT. 
          YES, HONOR, BEEN A YES. 
          ERMAN WHITE. 
          YES. 
          ALDERMAN BEST? YES. 
          ALDERMAN OUTLAW. 
          YES. 
          ALDERMAN FERGUSON. 
          YES. 
          MAYOR ADAM? YES. 
          MOTION CARRIES. 
          NEXT UP IS ITEM NUMBER 11 OF PRESENTATION 
          [11. Presentation on MPO Boundary Expansion Efforts.]
ON MPO BOUNDARY EXPANSION EFFORTS. 
          MS. MCCLAY, I APOLOGIZE, I'VE CUT INTO YOUR TIME, SO NO WORRIES. 
          GOOD EVENING. 
          I AM ABBY MCCLAY WITH THE NEW BERN AREA METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION HERE TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT EXPANDING, UM, THE MPO BOUNDARY AND THEIR PLANS TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. 
          SO A LITTLE HISTORY, UM, ABOUT NPOS, IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR, THE METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION, OR MPO IS FEDERALLY MANDATED FOR URBAN AREAS WITH POPULATIONS OVER 50,000. 
          NEWBURN RECEIVED THIS DESIGNATION IN 2010, UM, WHEN OUR POPULATION WENT ABOVE THAT THRESHOLD AND WAS FORMED IN 2014 ENCOMPASSING NEWBURN TRENT WOODS RIVER BEND AND BRIDGETON, ALONG WITH THE OTHER PORTIONS OUTLINED, UM, IN THE BLACK LINE ON THE MAP OF THE ABOVE AND METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATIONS FOCUS ON TRANSPORTATION PLANNING. 
          WE DO THIS FOR ALL MODES OF TRANSPORTATION, FROM BIKES, PEDESTRIANS, HIGHWAY AVIATION, RAILROADS, UM, ANYTHING THAT MOVES. 
          WE, WE WORK ON WHERE WITH THEM TO CREATE TRANSPORTATION PLANS, IDENTIFY AREAS, IMPROVEMENT, COORDINATE, PROJECT DEVELOPMENT. 
          WE CAN FIND AND APPLY FOR PROJECT FUNDING. 
          AND WE CONDUCT PUBLIC OUTREACH AND EDUCATION. 
          AND ALL THIS IS DONE THROUGH THE HELP OF THE PUBLIC AS WELL AS THE LOCAL PARTNERS AND MUNICIPALITIES, AS WELL AS OUR STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES THAT WE 
          [00:35:01]
WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH. 
          OUR MOST RECENT, UH, TRANSPORTATION PLAN IS CALLED NAVIGATE 2050. 
          IT WAS ADOPTED BY THE TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE IN NOVEMBER OF THIS PAST YEAR. 
          AND A METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION PLAN IS REQUIRED TO BE UPDATED EVERY FIVE YEARS AND IT OUTLINES THE TRANSPORTATION EFFORTS FOR THE NEXT 20 YEARS IN OUR AREA. 
          SO THESE PLANS LOOK AT FORECASTS OF DATA AS WELL AS TRENDS AND PATTERNS FROM THE PREVIOUS YEARS. 
          AND THE LAST UPDATE TO IDENTIFY, UH, CHANGES IN TRAVEL OR EMPLOYMENT OR LIVING STATUS, UM, TO SEE WHERE THE GROWTH AND THE CHANGES ARE OCCURRING WITHIN THE AREA. 
          AS YOU'LL SEE, UM, THE MAP ABOVE SHOWS THE DISTRIBUTION OF POPULATION IN THE COUNTY. 
          UM, SO THE CURRENT AREA BOUNDARY OUTLINED IN BLACK AND THEN THE LARGER AREA IS SHOWN IN THE PICTURE. 
          BUT THERE'S GROWTH THAT OCCURS ALONG THE NC 43 PROJECT, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THAT, AS WELL AS JAMES CITY, WHICH ARE TWO MAJOR PROJECTS ALREADY HAPPENING IN OUR AREA. 
          AND THEN THERE'S ADDITIONAL GROWTH OUTSIDE OF OUR AREA AND HAVELOCK SRO, COVE CITY AND DOVER. 
          UM, AND AS A RESULT OF THIS, THIS DATA, OUR TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE ASKED STAFF TO EVALUATE WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO EXPAND THE PLANNING AREA BOUNDARY TO ENCOMPASS THIS LARGER AREA. 
          SO IN ORDER TO EXPAND THE BOUNDARY, UM, IT WOULD, IT WOULD TAKE A LOT OF EFFORT, BUT WE'RE MAKING SOME MAJOR STRIDES TO GETTING THERE. 
          UM, IT'S A REGULARLY OCCURRING PROCESS THAT'S SUPPORTED BY FEDERAL LANGUAGE, UM, THAT ENCOURAGES MODIFYING THE MPO BOUNDARIES AS NEEDED EITHER TO GROW THEM OR TO MAKE THEM A LITTLE BIT SMALLER FOR YOUR PLANNING EFFORTS. 
          THE CURRENT, UM, PLANS WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO PLAN FOR OUTSIDE OF OUR AREA, SO RESTRICTED TO ONLY PLANNING WITHIN THE NEW BERN METROPOLITAN PLANNING AREA. 
          UM, SO WE CANNOT PLAN FOR THOSE GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE OCCURRING OUTSIDE OF THAT BOUNDARY. 
          IF WE DO DECIDE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH EXPANDING, IT WOULD ALLOW FOR MORE STRATEGIC AND INTENTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AS WELL AS UNIFORMITY ACROSS THE REGION. 
          THIS CREATES A MORE PROACTIVE APPROACH INSTEAD OF A REACTIVE APPROACH, AS WE'VE SEEN IN SOME OTHER AREAS AROUND THE STATE, THIS WOULD HAVE NO CHANGE TO OUR FUNDING. 
          UM, NPOS ARE FEDERALLY FUNDED THROUGH, UH, PL 1 0 4 AND 53 0 3 FUNDS. 
          UM, SO THERE WOULD BE NO CHANGE TO THAT BASED OFF THE CHANGE IN EXPANDING THE AREA. 
          AND THE COUNTY HAS EXPRESSED INTEREST IN HOSTING THE MPO RATHER THAN RIGHT NOW IT'S THE CITY OF NEW BERN EXPANDING, UM, REQUIRES PARTICIPATION ON THE BOARD. 
          UM, WE HAVE OUR TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AS I MENTIONED, AND WE HAVE OUR TECHNICAL COORDINATING COMMITTEE, WHICH IS MORE OF THE LOCAL EXPERTS, UM, AND N-C-D-O-G STAFF AS WELL AS SOME AGE OTHER AGENCIES THAT WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH. 
          WE WOULD NEED TO ESTABLISH A VOTING STRUCTURE, CALCULATE THE LOCAL SHARE, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO MODIFY THE MPO NAME TO BE MORE REFLECTIVE OF THE REGION AS A WHOLE NOW THAT IT WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT LARGER RATHER THAN JUST THE NEW BERN AREA. 
          AND TO DO ALL THIS, WE WOULD HAVE TO EXECUTE AN MOU OUR TIMELINE FOR THIS MOVING FORWARD. 
          UH, WE WERE GIVEN THE REQUEST TO EXPAND BACK IN, UM, NOVEMBER AND THROUGH PRIOR DISCUSSIONS WITH PLANNING THE METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION PLAN. 
          SO THIS HAS BEEN A ONGOING EFFORT. 
          UM, AND DISCUSSIONS THAT HAVE HAPPENED, WE'VE PRESENTED TO THE LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF THE AREA. 
          UM, OVER THE LAST TWO MONTHS, I'VE DONE PRESENTATIONS VERY SIMILAR TO THIS WITH THOSE, AND THERE ARE BEEN VERY POSITIVE FEEDBACK SO FAR FROM THOSE STAKEHOLDERS. 
          UM, AND WE WOULD LIKE, WE'RE HAVING A STAKEHOLDER PLANNING MEETING ON NOVEMBER, OR NOT NOVEMBER, FEBRUARY 19TH AT FOUR O'CLOCK, UM, AT THE RIVERFRONT CONVENTION CENTER. 
          I INVITE YOU TO ATTEND, UM, JUST TO DISCUSS MORE OF THE DETAILS THAT WOULD GO INTO THE MOU FOR THAT, UM, MOVING FORWARD AND PART OF THE MOU, WE WOULD ASK FOR A FORMAL ADOPTION FROM THIS BOARD THAT WOULD BE SIGNED AND SHARED WITH N-C-D-O-T TO ADOPT AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THE LARGER AREA THAT, UM, RESOLUTION WOULD COME EITHER AT THE, THE MARCH OR APRIL MEETING FOR THIS COMMITTEE. 
          UM, AND THEN N-C-D-O-T WOULD REVIEW EVERYTHING AND WE WOULD HOPE TO HAVE THE TRANSITION TO THE COUNTY WITH THE LARGER MPO AREA BY THE START OF THE FISCAL YEAR. 
          SO I DON'T NEED ANY ACTION FROM THE BOARD AT THIS TIME. 
          THIS IS JUST TO GET ANY QUESTIONS OUT IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING. 
          UM, AND TO INVITE YOU TO THAT FEBRUARY 19TH MEETING. 
          DOES THE BOARD HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. MCCLEAN? UH, THE FEBRUARY 19TH MEETING AT THE CONVENTION CENTER, THAT IS WITH STAKEHOLDERS OF THE CURRENT IN THE CURRENT MPO TO TALK ABOUT A POTENTIAL MOU? YES, THE CURRENT TAC MEMBERS AS WELL AS THE MAYORS OF 
          [00:40:01]
THE NEW COUNTIES OR CITIES AND TOWNS THAT WE WOULD BE INVITING IN. 
          ARE THE MAYORS ON THE MPO? UH, FOR THE MOST PART, IT'S ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT ARE MAKE UP AND WE DON'T, WE HAVE AN OPENING ON THAT, JUST THROWING IN THAT OUT THERE FOR THE APPOINT. 
          THAT'S, I'M ENCOURAGING ATTENDANCE AT THIS MEETING SO YOU CAN HAVE A VOICE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE QUESTIONS? WELL, ANYTHING CHANGE WITH THE CITY, UM, WITH THE COUNTY HOSTING YOU INSTEAD OF THE CITY? UH, RIGHT NOW THE CITY ONLY PROVIDES LIKE OUR PAYCHECK  FOR THE MOST PART. 
          UM, AND WE GO THROUGH HR AND ALL OF OUR PROCESS PROCESSES ARE THROUGH THE CITY. 
          BUT, UM, THE ONLY CHANGES WE WOULD BE NOW THROUGH THE COUNTY INSTEAD. 
          OKAY, THANK YOU. 
          DID THEY CHANGE IT TO THE RIVERFRONT NPI? YES. 
          OH BOY, . 
          UM, MS. MCCLAY, A QUESTION FOR YOU A COUPLE SLIDES BACK. 
          UH, YOU MENTIONED THAT THE FUNDING, UH, THERE WAS NO COST TO THE LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES THAT ALL FEDERAL FUNDING MM-HMM . 
          THE, AND THEN I THINK THE SLIDE AFTER THAT, YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE WILL BE A CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW IT WOULD BREAK DOWN. 
          YES. 
          SO THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF FUNDING, THE BIG POT AS A WHOLE WOULD NOT CHANGE, BUT THE LOCAL SHARE WOULD SPLIT IF WE DECIDE RIGHT NOW IT'S BASED ON THE POPULATION OF THE URBANIZED AREA. 
          IF WE DECIDE TO USE THAT, YOUR SHARE WOULD STAY THE SAME. 
          IF WE DECIDE TO CHANGE THAT FUNDING SHARE TO INCLUDE THESE NEW AREAS, IT MAY CHANGE A LITTLE BIT, BUT IT WOULD MOST LIKELY BE A DECREASE IN YOUR SHARE. 
          SO THE REASON I BRING THAT UP IS IF WE LOSE YOU OUT OF OUR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES OFFICE AND YOU RELOCATE TO A DIFFERENT OFFICE AND THE COUNTY IS THEN IN CHARGE OF WHAT THE NEW MPO WOULD BE AND THESE OTHER TOWNS THAT DECIDE THEY WANT TO JOIN AND THEY DON'T PAY, WE'RE CONTINUING TO PAY THE SAME AMOUNT. 
          IS THAT WHAT I UNDERSTAND? IT WOULD. 
          IF YOU PAY TO BE A PART OF THE MPO, YOU RECEIVE ALL OF THE BENEFITS. 
          UM, SO IT'S, RIGHT NOW WE DON'T REALLY WORK FOR THE CITY. 
          WE WORK FOR THE MPO AS A WHOLE. 
          UM, YOU RECEIVE THE BENEFITS OF THE MPO AS A MEMBER, BUT NOT BECAUSE YOU HOST THE MPO. 
          OKAY. 
          OKAY. 
          ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? SO MAYOR, I JUST WANNA MAKE A COMMENT. 
          SURE. 
          I DID SEE SOME OF THE, UM, SOME OF THE EXAMPLES OF WHAT THE COST SHARING COULD BE AND, AND IF WE DID NOT HOST THE MPO ANYMORE, OUR COST WOULD GO DOWN. 
          OKAY. 
          I'M ALL FOR IT THEN. 
          , I THINK I'VE SAT ON THAT BOARD TWO OR THREE DIFFERENT TIMES AND HAPPY TO PASS THAT TORCH ALONG TO SOMEONE ELSE. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU MS. MCCLAY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          NEXT UP IS ITEM NUMBER 12, 
          [12. Update on Historic Preservation Commission.]
UPDATE ON THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION. 
          MS. ROO, ANOTHER RIVETING TOPIC ON THE AGENDA. 
          OH MAN, THIS DEPARTMENT JUST KEEPS 'EM COMING AT YOU. 
          GOOD EVENING. 
          I AM HERE TO GIVE YOU A BRIEF UPDATE ON OUR HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION UPDATES THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON AND WHERE WE ARE AND KIND OF WHERE WE THINK WE'RE HEADED. 
          THERE ARE FOUR MEMBERS OF OUR HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION HERE WITH US THIS EVENING AS WELL. 
          IS THAT A FORM? NO. 
          'CAUSE IT'S A NINE MEMBER BOARD. 
          SO, UM, ANYWAYS, DOCUMENTS LIKE PLAN, ALL ALL PLANNING DOCUMENTS HAVE A LIFESPAN AND THEY NEED TO BE UPDATED OR COMPLETELY REVISED FROM TIME TO TIME. 
          SO THE HISTORIC GUIDELINES ARE ABSOLUTELY NO DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER PLANNING DOCUMENT AND TYPICALLY GET UPDATED ON, ON ABOUT A 10 YEAR SCHEDULE. 
          AND OUR DESIGN STANDARDS THAT ARE PART OF OUR ORDINANCE, BUT KIND OF EXIST SEPARATELY, UM, AND SEPARATED FROM THE REST OF IT ARE IN THAT WINDOW BECAUSE THE LAST MAJOR UPDATE, AND FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT WERE A PART OF IT, IT PROBABLY DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT'S BEEN THIS LONG, BUT IT WAS DURING 20 15, 20 16 TIMEFRAME THAT WORK WAS DONE. 
          AND SO LAST YEAR WE STARTED TO RECEIVE SOME PUBLIC FEEDBACK FROM DIFFERENT CITIZENS. 
          AND WE USE THAT FEEDBACK AS AN IMPETUS, UH, FOR THE HPTC TO START SOLICITING SOME FEEDBACK FROM THE PUBLIC ON OUR HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROGRAMS. AND I SAY THE PROGRAMS BECAUSE I'M TALKING ABOUT HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN THE CITY OF NEW BERN AS A WHOLE, AND NOT JUST THE GUIDELINES AND OUR OUTREACH EFFORTS THAT WE DID DID REACH OUT FOR INFORMATION NOT ONLY ON THE ACTUAL DOCUMENT, BUT ALSO ON OUR PROCESSES, PROCEDURES, PERCEPTIONS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. 
          AND SO TWO PARALLEL EFFORTS HAPPENED THAT SUPPORTED GETTING THIS BACKGROUND INFORMATION. 
          THE HBC PUT OUT A COMMUNITY SURVEY REGARDING THE GUIDELINES AND THE PROCESSES AND RESIDENTS EXPERIENCES WITH HISTORIC PRESERVATION, WHICH RAN FROM OCTOBER 17TH, ALL THE WAY TILL NOVEMBER 30TH. 
          AND THAT SURVEY RECEIVED 270 RESPONSES. 
          AND THAT DATA HAS ALL BEEN INCLUDED DOWN TO EVERY, UH, COMMENT IN YOUR PACKET. 
          SO THAT PROBABLY ADDED A, ADDED A COUPLE INTEREST TO YOUR STACK THERE. 
          AND THEN IN ADDITION TO THAT, 
          [00:45:01]
THE CITY HOSTED TWO INTERACTIVE OUTREACH MEETINGS. 
          ONE, DURING THE DAY WE HOPE TO SOLICIT FEEDBACK FROM PROFESSIONALS, UH, ARCHITECTS, DESIGN REVIEW, REAL ESTATE AGENTS. 
          THAT'S PRETTY MUCH MOSTLY WHO ATTENDED THE DAYTIME MEETING. 
          AND ANOTHER ONE IN THE EVENING WE HOSTED OVER AT THE STANLEY WHITE REC RECREATION CENTER. 
          AND WE HAD ABOUT, UH, SLIGHTLY OVER 50 PEOPLE ATTEND THOSE MEETINGS. 
          THEY WERE HIGHLY INTERACTIVE. 
          THERE WERE TARGETED QUESTIONS ON FIVE DIFFERENT TOPICS. 
          UH, OUR PARTICIPANTS, ALMOST ALL OF THEM STAYED THROUGH THE END FOR THE WHOLE TWO HOUR SESSION, PROVIDED THAT INPUT AND THEY ROTATED AROUND AND WE GOT SOME REALLY GOOD FEEDBACK AND WE HAD SOME REALLY WONDERFUL CONVERSATIONS. 
          AND IT WAS A DIFFERENT WAY OF GENERATING FEEDBACK THAN JUST A SURVEY. 
          SO I THINK OVERALL, UH, WE WERE PLEASED WITH HOW THAT TURNED OUT AND THE INFORMATION THAT WE GOT FROM THAT. 
          AND SO THOSE TWO MEETINGS, UH, WE GOT A LOT OF OPINIONS OUT OF. 
          SO GOING BACK TO THE SURVEY, THE SURVEY RESPONDENTS WERE ABOUT HALF DISTRICT RESIDENTS OR PROFESSIONALS WHO WORKED, DID A LOT OF WORK IN OUR HISTORIC DISTRICT. 
          UM, AND MANY OF THOSE RESPONDENTS THAT REPLIED TO THE SURVEY HAD NOT ACTUALLY BEEN THROUGH A COA PROCESS. 
          SO THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO, UH, PROVIDE A LOT OF INSIGHT ON EXPERIENCE WITH GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS. 
          AND WE WERE ABLE TO LOOK AT THAT DATA AND KIND OF MANIPULATE IT AND, AND LOOK AT THE ANSWERS DIFFERENTLY THERE. 
          AND SO WITH ABOUT 1400 PEOPLE THAT LIVE AND ARE IMPACTED BY THESE RULES IN THE DISTRICT, THAT IS A VERY, VERY LOWER RESPONSE RATE FOR US. 
          SO WE'RE NOT PUTTING TONS OF WEIGHT IN THERE, ALTHOUGH READING THE COMMENTS DOES OFFER A LOT OF INSIGHT. 
          IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE THAT, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO SO. 
          AND SO THAT SAID, UH, THE MOST NOTABLE RESPONSE TO ME IN THAT SURVEY WAS THAT 70% OF THE PEOPLE THAT ANSWERED THE SURVEY STRONGLY AGREED THAT HISTORIC PRESERVATION WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO THE CITY OF NEW BERN. 
          AND SO WITH THAT ANSWER IN THAT RESPONSE, WE ARE PRESSING FORWARD IN ENHANCING OUR PROGRAM, AND THAT'S WHY I'M HERE WITH YOU THIS EVENING. 
          SO STAFF AND OUR LEGAL PARTNERS, AFTER LOOKING AT ALL OF THIS, ARE RECOMMENDING THAT THESE GUIDELINES CAN RELATIVELY EASILY BE UPDATED IN-HOUSE WITHOUT GOING, UH, TO UTILIZE A CONSULTANT OR SOME PROFESSIONAL FIRM. 
          WE DO NOT FEEL THAT WE'VE DEVIATED SO FAR FROM THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF WHAT WAS PUT TOGETHER 10 YEARS AGO, WHICH WAS A MORE IMPRESSIVE OVERHAUL. 
          WE'RE GOING TO WORK WITH WHAT'S THERE AND MOVE FORWARD. 
          UM, AND, AND WE'RE CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN GET THE PRODUCT THAT WE NEED DOING IT IN THAT MANNER. 
          SO WITH ONE EXCEPTION, I AM GOING TO REQUEST, UM, SOME FUNDING IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET FOR THE REPACKAGING OF A PRODUCT ONCE, ONCE WE HAVE THE CONTENT CORRECT. 
          SO IT'S EASIER TO NAVIGATE, IT'S LINKED, IT'S EMBEDDED IN OUR OTHER ORDINANCE AND IT HAS SOME SEARCH TOOLS AND EASIER TO UNDERSTAND GRAPHICS. 
          SO, SO THAT'S A KIND OF A SEPARATE PROJECT THAT WE'LL GET TO AT THE END THERE. 
          SO WHAT, WHAT DID OUR OUTREACH TELL US AFTER SPENDING ABOUT FOUR MONTHS WORKING ON THIS? WELL, IT TOLD US SEVERAL THINGS. 
          IT TOLD US WE NEED TO CLARIFY SOME MISINFORMATION, PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO HOW A QUASI-JUDICIAL BOARD OPERATES, RIGHT? THAT'S VERY CONFUSING. 
          I KNOW EVEN FOR SOME OF US THAT WORK WITH QUASI-JUDICIAL BOARDS REGULARLY, THERE ARE THINGS AND RULES AND LAWS THAT APPLY TO THEM THAT ARE A LITTLE MORE FORMAL AND WE HAVE TO ADHERE TO THOSE BECAUSE THIS IS A, UM, FUNCTION THAT FALLS UNDER GENERAL STATUTES ONE 60 D. 
          SO WE, WE ARE AT THE MERCY OF WHAT THE STATE SAYS AND HOW WE HAVE TO OPERATE THOSE BOARDS, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO DO SOME UPDATES TO OUR RULES OF PROCEDURE. 
          WE GOT SOME NICE, UH, SUGGESTIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS OF OTHER RULES OF PROCEDURES TO LOOK AT. 
          SO STAFF AND SCOTT AND JAMIE AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING THROUGH SOME OF THOSE. 
          SECOND THING IS THE COMMUNITY HEAVILY DESIRES TO SEE MORE ENFORCEMENT ON VIOLATIONS AND DILAPIDATED HOMES. 
          THIS WAS NOT HIGHLIGHTED SO MUCH IN THE SURVEY RESULTS, BUT VERY MUCH SO IN VERBAL CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAD WHEN WE HAD OUR OUTREACH MEETING. 
          SO THAT WAS NOTED. 
          WE NEED TO REVISIT THE CONVERSATION ON THE USE OF MODERNIZED MATERIALS, PARTICULARLY SIDING AND WINDOWS. 
          UM, THERE ARE VERY STRONG OPINIONS ON BOTH SIDES ON WHETHER TO INCORPORATE MORE MODERNIZED MATERIALS OR, OR ACTUALLY PRESERVE THE ACTUAL HISTORY BEING THE MATERIALS, ET CETERA. 
          ABOUT EVERY 10 YEARS, ANYONE THAT HAS A HISTORIC DISTRICT HAS THIS CONVERSATIONS. 
          AS NEW MATERIALS COME OUT, THINGS MODERNIZED, OTHER LARGER PLACES CHANGE THEIR POLICIES, WE KIND OF LOOK HOW THOSE WORK OUT. 
          WHILE THAT IS ACTUALLY TECHNICALLY PART OF AN ORDINANCE UPDATE, I HAVE SEPARATED THAT OUT AS A SEPARATE CONVERSATION BECAUSE IT DESERVES TO BE A SEPARATE CONVERSATION IN MY OPINION. 
          UM, WE CERTAINLY COULD INCORPORATE THAT INTO 
          [00:50:01]
EVERYTHING ELSE. 
          I THINK THE OTHER UPDATES THAT ARE KIND OF, UH, ON THE TABLE THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED THAT WE NEED TO MAKE ARE FAR LESS COMPLICATED THAN THE CONVERSATION ON WHETHER OR NOT TO EXPAND THE ALLOWABLE MATERIALS. 
          WE LEARNED OUR WEBSITE NEEDS TO BE MADE MORE FUNCTIONAL, AND THEN OUR GUIDELINES DO IN FACT, AS WE KNOW, UH, REQUIRE SOME AMENDING, INCLUDING THINGS SUCH AS NOT, NOT MAJOR CHANGES HERE, BUT REORGANIZING THE CONTENT MORE LOGICALLY THAT CAME UP. 
          THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT SHOULD BE PACKAGED IN THE SAME AREAS AND THEY'RE NOT RIGHT NOW, AND YOU HAVE TO GO LOOK FOR THEM. 
          THAT'S VERY FRUSTRATING. 
          IF YOU'RE UNFAMILIAR WITH ANY LAND USE ORDINANCE, AND THIS IS TECHNICALLY A LAND USE ORDINANCE TO RELOCATE SOME INFORMATION, UH, CURRENTLY IT'S LOCATED IN NARRATIVES. 
          SOME OF THAT INFORMATION IS BEING APPLIED AS A GUIDELINE. 
          IT SHOULD ACTUALLY BE A GUIDELINE WITH A NUMBER EXTRACTED OUT OF THE NARRATIVE AND MAKE IT VERY EASY TO UNDERSTAND THIS IS THE LAW AS IT APPLIES TO X, Y, OR Z TO UPDATE A NUMBER OF DEFINITIONS. 
          IN MY OPINION, OUR DEFINITIONS IS, IS WHERE WE PROBABLY NEED THE MOST WORK. 
          THEY JUST NEED TO BE MODERNIZED WHERE THERE'S SOME WORDS IN THERE AND THINGS THAT ARE, ARE NOT MODERN PRACTICE ANYMORE. 
          THAT'S A RELATIVELY SIMPLE FIX. 
          AND THEN OF COURSE, SEVERAL POLICIES AND TO IDENTIFY THOSE POL POLICIES, WE HAVE GONE TO OUR SURVEY DATA AND THE FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED AT OUR MEETINGS AND, AND LOOKED AT THOSE THINGS. 
          AND OUR HPC MEMBERS WERE TASKED AT THE LAST MEETING AFTER GETTING A MUCH DEEPER PRESENTATION ON THIS DATA, UM, TO COME TO THE DESIGN REVIEW MEETING WITH THEIR PERSONAL LISTS OF OUR GUIDELINES OF WHAT THEY FELT NEEDED TO BE UPDATED. 
          AND SO, UH, THEY HAVE DONE THAT HOMEWORK AND WE HAD OUR DESIGN REVIEW MEETING LAST WEDNESDAY. 
          AND OF THOSE WHO ATTENDED, WE HAVE THOSE LISTS AND THEY'RE BEING COMPILED INTO ONE KIND OF LET'S WALK THROUGH THE GUIDELINES STANDARDS AND, AND HIT ALL OF THESE THINGS KIND OF IN THE ORDER. 
          THEY'RE LISTED THAT SO WE CAN GET DRAFTING. 
          UH, BY THE TIME WE GOT TO THE CONVERSATION ON THE ACTUAL UPDATES TO THE GUIDELINES, WE ONLY HAD FOUR MEMBERS OF OUR HPC AT THAT MEETING. 
          UH, THERE WERE SEVERAL EMERGENCIES AND SOMEBODY UNFORTUNATELY HAD TO LEAVE EARLY. 
          SO I STILL NEED SOME INFORMATION FROM A COUPLE OF OUR HPC MEMBERS, BUT ALL IN ALL, WE'RE WORKING ON GETTING THAT LIST MERGED SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD. 
          THE APPROACH THAT WE INTEND TO TAKE, UH, IS IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT HOLISTICALLY, THIS IS KIND OF FIVE SEPARATE UPDATES, FIVE, FIVE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THAT WE NEED TO DO. 
          AND WE ARE STARTING WITH THE CONTENT OF THE ACTUAL ORDINANCE. 
          SO OUR PLAN MOVING FORWARD IS HAVE THE HPC WORK THROUGH THOSE UPDATES AT THEIR DESIGN REVIEW MEETINGS, WHICH HAPPEN ONCE A MONTH AND THEN REPORT BACK, UM, AT THEIR OFFICIAL MEETINGS FOR CONVERSATION. 
          AND IN ORDER TO FACILITATE THE MOMENTUM AND MAKE SURE THIS KEEPS MOVING, WE'VE SET ASIDE LEGAL AND STAFF TIME, UM, ONCE A WEEK FOR THE, FOR THE NEXT FOUR MONTHS TO BE WORKING ON THIS. 
          SO WE CAN TAKE THAT FEEDBACK AND ACTUALLY KEEP IT GETTING DRAFTED AND INTO A DOCUMENT. 
          AND MY HOPE, WHICH MAY BE OPTIMISTIC BUT I THINK CAN BE PRETTY REALISTIC, IS TO CIRCULATE AN ACTUAL DRAFT OF AMENDMENTS BY BY MID-SPRING. 
          SO I'M THINKING APRIL OR MAY, THAT WE CAN HAVE ALL OF THIS IN A DOCUMENT AND THEN GET IT OUT TO THE PUBLIC TO LOOK AT. 
          IT HAS BEEN MY EXPERIENCE THAT UNTIL THE PUBLIC HAS SOMETHING TO ACTUALLY LOOK AT AND CAN ACTUALLY SEE IN A RED LINE, THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE TELLING ME YOU WANT TO CHANGE. 
          IT IS VERY HARD FOR PEOPLE, EVEN PEOPLE THAT USE THESE ORDINANCES ALL THE TIME TO ACTUALLY UNDER UNDERSTAND AND PICTURE THINGS. 
          AND THAT IS WHY SCOTT AND I AGREE THAT IS KIND OF THE APPROACH THAT WE'D LIKE TO TAKE. 
          SO THE DRAFT GETS CIRCULATED, LET'S SAY FOR A MONTH. 
          WE COME BACK, WE REVIEW ALL THE COMMENTS WE GET DURING THAT PERIOD, IT GETS INCORPORATED INTO THAT DRAFT DOCUMENT. 
          IT, THE DOCUMENT WILL GET CHANGED A LITTLE BIT. 
          THEY ALWAYS DO. 
          PROCEDURALLY WE WILL NEED TO GO TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD BECAUSE IT IS A CHANGE TO LAND USE SECTION OF THE ORDINANCE. 
          IT FALLS UNDER THEIR PURVIEW. 
          THEY MUST GIVE A RECOMMENDATION LIKE ANY OTHER TEXT AMENDMENT YOU ALL CONSIDER, UM, AT THAT POINT IN TIME, THAT RECOMMENDATION IS, IS GIVEN YAY OR NAY OR YES, WE LIKE THIS, BUT WE'D LIKE TO SEE SOME THINGS CHANGE THAT WE'LL ALL GET IN A REPORT. 
          WE'LL DO WHAT WE ALWAYS DO. 
          WE'LL CALL FOR A PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY HOLD THE PUBLIC HEARING WHERE THE PUBLIC WILL HAVE THE CHANCE TO COME STAND UP HERE AND TELL YOU ALL WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT WHAT'S IN THAT DOCUMENT. 
          SO WITH THAT, SCOTT, OR I WILL BE HAPPY TO TRY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE ON THIS OR ANY, UM, IDEAS YOU MAY HAVE ON THIS ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO DO THIS EFFECTIVELY. 
          BUT AS 
          [00:55:01]
I STAND BEFORE YOU HEAR THIS EVENING, THAT IS OUR PLAN TO MOVE FORWARD. 
          UM, AND AS I HAD MENTIONED, WE DO HAVE FOUR MEMBERS OF OUR HBC HERE LIST THIS EVENING. 
          THANK YOU BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS. 
          MAYOR, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY, UM, MS. RU, YOU ARE A GEM. 
          UM, THIS, UH, IT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF WORK TO HAVE BUILT THE MOMENTUM, UM, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'VE DONE A VERY THOROUGH JOB IN GETTING INPUT AND THEN COMPILING IT AND MAKING THE PROCESS, UM, ACCESSIBLE TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE SAYING THAT THIS IS IMPORTANT TO THEM. 
          SO I JUST WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR HARD WORK AND THE REST OF THE STAFF, UM, TO, TO GET THIS UPDATED. 
          I I JUST WANNA ADD THAT HISTORIC PRESERVATION BASED ON THE SURVEY DATA FOCUS GROUPS AND JUST GENERAL SENTIMENT AND FOLKS I TALKED WITH IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. 
          THE PRESERVATION GUIDELINES STANDARDS FOR DOWNTOWN NEW BERN AND HISTORIC RIVERSIDE ARE VITAL TO NEW BERN'S, HISTORIC CHARM AND NATURE. 
          UH, AND SO I MEAN, IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR HARD WORK ON THIS. 
          THE BOARD MEMBERS, THE COMMISSIONERS FROM THE HBC, I APPRECIATE THEIR WORK ON THIS. 
          UM, AND GETTING IT ACROSS THE FINISH LINE THIS YEAR, TAKING THE PUBLIC'S FEEDBACK INTO ACCOUNT. 
          I I I DO BASED ON MY CONVERSATIONS AND THESE FOCUS GROUPS AND THE SURVEY DATA, SEE IT AS MATERIALS LISTS, STANDARDS, AND THEN A LOT OF FEEDBACK ABOUT THE PROCESS, THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS THAT REALLY NEEDS TO BE TWEAKED. 
          UM, AND I THINK WHEN IT COMES TO THE STANDARDS AND MATERIALS LISTS, I WOULD, I'LL SPEAK FOR ME, BUT I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE A PURPOSE AND INTENT SECTION FOR OUR STANDARDS IN THIS ORDINANCE TO HELP GUIDE, NOT NECESSARILY THESE COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE SITTING HERE, BUT THE ONES WHO ARE SITTING HERE IN FIVE YEARS. 
          UM, THAT THIS IS ABOUT PRESERVING THE HISTORIC CHARM, UM, OR IS IT ABOUT PRESERVING THE HISTORY OF THE BUILDING ITSELF? AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DEBATE AND TALK THROUGH THIS PROCESS, BUT I THINK THAT'S GONNA REALLY HELP GUIDE THE QUASI-JUDICIAL PROCESS. 
          AND I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT. 
          UM, YOU STATED THAT MID-SPRING, APRIL, MAY IS WHEN WE CAN EXPECT TO SEE A DRAFT. 
          THAT DRAFT WILL BE PUT OUT, UM, MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES AT THE HPC FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, CORRECT? YES, SIR. 
          AND THEN IT WILL COME BEFORE THIS BOARD, BEFORE AND, AND IT IT'LL COME BEFORE THIS BOARD AND THEN BE REFERRED TO THE PLANNING BOARD, CORRECT? OR WILL IT GO TO THE PLANNING BOARD FOR NO, IT WILL GO TO PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD FIRST IN WHICH PLANNING TO MAKE THAT REQUIRED RECOMMENDATION FOR THE, TECHNICALLY IT'S JUST A TEXT AMENDMENT AND THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD HAS PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AS WELL. 
          ABSOLUTELY, YES. 
          AND THEN AFTER THE PLANNING BOARD, IT WILL COME HERE TO THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN WHERE WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON IT AS WELL. 
          THAT'S RIGHT. 
          THERE SHOULD BE AT LEAST THREE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AND OF COURSE, STAFF AND I AND AND OUR LEGAL TEAM ARE ALWAYS ABLE TO TAKE FEEDBACK VIA EMAIL OR IN PERSON DISCUSSIONS AS WELL. 
          THANK YOU. 
          AND I THINK THERE WAS A CONVERSATION ABOUT A JOINT HPC BOARD OF ALDERMAN MEETING AT SOME POINT, I WOULD ASSUME AFTER THERE'S A DRAFT IN PLACE, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S STILL THE DESIRE OF THIS BOARD FOR THAT JOINT MEETING, BUT I IF WE'RE GONNA DO THAT, I THINK ONCE THERE'S A DRAFT IN PLACE, APRIL, MAY, THAT WE LOOK AT DOING A JOINT HBC ALDERMAN MEETING WITH PRESENTATIONS TO GO THROUGH WHAT THIS BODY WANTS TO SEE IN THOSE CHANGES, IS THAT STILL SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD WANTS TO DO? MM-HMM . 
          YES. 
          I, I WOULD SAY I THINK WE SHOULD SEE WHAT THOSE CHANGES ARE. 
          I WOULD HATE TO HAVE A MEETING IF THERE ARE JUST MUNDANE CHANGES THAT EVERYBODY AGREES WITH NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE. 
          BUT IF THERE ARE THINGS ON THERE THAT WE FEEL LIKE IT'S WARRANTED, THEN CERTAINLY, AND, AND YEAH, I, I'M CERTAINLY NOT CALLING FOR ONE. 
          I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE EXPLAIN TO THE PUBLIC AS WELL AS TO STAFF THE EXPECTATION THAT ONCE THERE'S A DRAFT, WE WILL THEN LIKELY BE CALLING FOR A JOINT MEETING. 
          NOW IF, IF THAT DRAFT COMES BACK AND WE DON'T NEED A JOINT MEETING, THAT'LL BE, THAT'LL BE ONE OF GOD'S MIRACLES, . 
          SO I'M RETIRING IF THAT HAPPENS. 
          THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR HARD WORK ON THIS. 
          ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY, THANK YOU MS. RU. 
          NEXT STEP IS ITEM NUMBER 
          [13. Discussion of Pay-As-You-Go Utility Payment Service.]
13, DISCUSSION OF PAY AS YOU GO UTILITY PAYMENT SERVICE. 
          MR. BOUCHARD. 
          CHARLIE, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES? YES, SIR. 
          GOOD EVENING, MAYOR O, BOARD OF DERMAN EVENING. 
          GOOD EVENING. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THAT'S FINE. 
          TONIGHT I'D LIKE TO FOLLOW UP ON OUR PREVIOUS CONVERSATIONS AND, AND TALK ABOUT PAY AS YOU GO SERVICES. 
          AND ULTIMATELY, I'M REQUESTING YOUR SUPPORT TO, UH, TO STOP THESE SERVICE OFFERINGS, UH, GOING FORWARD. 
          UH, PAY AS YOU GO IS A PREPAY TYPE OF SERVICE OFFERING. 
          IT'S AN ALTERNATIVE TO POSTPAY. 
          POSTPAY IS YOU GET YOUR BILL, YOU USE THE ENERGY, YOU USE THE POWER, YOU USE OUR UTILITIES, WE SEND YOU A BILL A MONTH LATER YOU PAY IT, UH, PREPAY, YOU'RE MAKING PAYMENTS ON YOUR USAGE 
          [01:00:02]
BEFORE YOU OCCUR. 
          IT OR AS THEY'RE OCCURRING. 
          UM, THERE'S ALSO A PART OF THIS SERVICE THAT HAS A, A USAGE PORTAL THAT CUSTOMERS CAN GO IN AND THEY CAN, UH, LOOK AT THEIR USAGE INFORMATION AND THEIR CONSUMPTION, UM, INFORMATION AS WELL. 
          UH, THIS STARTED AS A PROOF OF CONCEPT, UM, EITHER RIGHT BEFORE I WALKED IN THE DOOR, OR AS I WAS WALKING IN THE DOOR AROUND 2017, 2018. 
          FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THE INTENT WAS TO TRY TO LIMIT BAD DEBT, UM, AND KEEP FOLKS THAT WERE HAVING DIFFICULTY KEEPING UP WITH THEIR PAYMENTS, CURRENT WITH THEIR PAYMENTS BY MAKING THESE PREPAY AMOUNTS. 
          SO IT WAS TO LIMIT BAD DEBT AND ALSO TO PROVIDE AN ALTERNATIVE METHOD OF PAYMENT FOR OUR CUSTOMERS. 
          UH, CURRENTLY THE ADOPTION RATE HAS BEEN VERY, VERY POOR. 
          UM, WHEN I PUT THIS SLIDE TOGETHER, WE HAD 69 CUSTOMERS ON PREPAY SERVICES OUT OF 24,000. 
          UM, WE HAVE 31 CUSTOMERS USING THE USAGE PORTAL AS WELL. 
          COST BENEFIT FOR THIS SERVICE ANNUALLY, ALL, AND IT COSTS US ABOUT 48,000. 
          IS SOMEONE, SOUNDS LIKE, CAN EVERYBODY CHECK AND MAKE SURE SOMEONE LEFT THE PHONE? ALRIGHT. 
          SO WHOEVER'S WATCHING THE MEETING THAT'S LOST THEIR PHONE IT HERE. 
          ALRIGHT, AT THE END OF THE MEETING, WE START MEETING AT A HUNDRED DOLLARS. 
          OKAY, I DEDUCT THAT FOR MY TWO MINUTES. 
          I'M SORRY. 
          YOU CAN STILL GO. 
          YOU RECLAIM YOUR TIME. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UH, COST BENEFIT ALL IN FOR US IS ABOUT $48,000 A YEAR. 
          AND, AND, AND, UM, SOME OF THE 40,000 OF THAT IS AN ANNUAL FEE. 
          WE PAY TO THE SERVICE PROVIDER, WHICH ESCALATES WITH INFLATION AS THEY SET THE PRICING ON THAT. 
          UM, ANNUALLY OUR AVERAGE CREDIT CARD FEES ARE $12,000 THAT WE PAY TO PROVIDE THIS SERVICE. 
          SO TOTAL, TOTAL ALL IN ABOUT $60,000. 
          CAN YOU ADVANCE YOUR SIDE PLEASE? SORRY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU FOR HELPING ME OUT WITH THAT. 
          SOMETHING LOOKS DIFFERENT. 
          UH, THE COST BENEFIT, I'M LOOKING AT TWO DIFFERENT THINGS HERE. 
          UM, WE DISCUSSED THE ANNUAL FEES TOTAL ALL IN IS ABOUT $60,000 ANNUALLY. 
          IT COSTS THE CUSTOMER ABOUT IT COSTS US $870 A YEAR TO SUPPORT THIS PROGRAM PER CUSTOMER. 
          UM, AVERAGE NUMBER OF CREDIT CARD TRANSACTIONS PER MONTH OF THE 69 PREPAID CUSTOMERS IS 590 TRANSACTION A MONTH. 
          SO THEY'RE SWIPING THEIR CARDS EVERY DAY, MAKING PAYMENTS, OR MAYBE NOT EVERY DAY, BUT VERY, VERY OFTEN. 
          AND THAT RESULTS IN A DOLLAR 65 TRANSACTION FEE FOR EACH TIME THEY SWIPE THEIR CARD. 
          SO WHAT I'M RECOMMENDING IS RETURNING ALL OUR PREPAY CUSTOMERS, 69 OF THEM TO POSTPAY, GIVING THEM A 30 DAY NOTICE, UM, TO, TO MAKE THAT TRANSITION. 
          THOSE CUSTOMERS THAT, THAT DON'T HAVE ANY BAD DEBT RIGHT NOW, UH, THERE'S 53 OF THEM OF THE 69, UH, RETURN THEM TO POSTPAY. 
          WE ASSUME THAT THOSE CUSTOMERS ARE IN GOOD STANDING, SO NO DEPOSITS REQUIRED, BUT IN THE FUTURE THEY WOULD FOLLOW A NORMAL, NORMAL DEPOSIT REQUIREMENTS. 
          AND IF THEY'RE LATE, UH, TWO TIMES WITHIN A 12 MONTH PERIOD, THEY'D BE SUBJECTED TO A DEPOSIT AT THAT TIME. 
          THOSE CUSTOMERS ARE 16 OF THEM THAT CURRENTLY HAVE BAD DEBT, AND THAT DEBT RANGES FROM $9 AND 23 CENTS TO $912 AND 3 CENTS. 
          I RECOMMEND RETURNING THEM TO POSTPAY. 
          UM, THEY WOULD BE REQUIRED, UM, A DEPOSIT. 
          OUR MAXIMUM DEPOSIT IS $500, BUT IT'S BASED ON THEIR ACTUAL USAGE AND THE HISTORICAL, UH, BILLS BILL AMOUNTS. 
          UM, WE COULD OFFER THEM AN INSTALLMENT LOAN, SIX MONTHS, UM, WHERE WE WOULD ADD THE BAD DEBT TO THE DEPOSIT REQUIREMENT. 
          SO THAT SIX MONTH INSTALLMENT LOAN WOULD RANGE BETWEEN $85 TO $235 DEPENDING ON THE CUSTOMER. 
          UH, THE MY USAGE PORTAL WHERE YOU CAN VIEW YOUR, YOUR, YOUR USAGE INFORMATION, DISCONTINUE THAT USAGE THAT WOULD AFFECT 31 CUSTOMERS. 
          UM, I'M LOOKING AT OUR, OUR, OUR CUSTOMER INFORMATION SYSTEM RIGHT NOW, AND THEY HAVE A PRODUCT, UM, THAT, UH, REALLY, UM, IS FAR BETTER AS CUSTOMER 
          [01:05:01]
PRESENTMENT PORTAL INFORMATION, BOTH IN USAGE AND DOLLARS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO BE ROLLING OUT SOMETIME WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR. 
          SO I THINK WE HAVE THAT BASE COVERED AS FAR AS CUSTOMER PRESENTMENT AND CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT GOES. 
          UM, CANCEL THE PAY AS YOU GO. 
          MY USAGE SERVICE AGREEMENT. 
          UM, AND I WANTED TO GIVE YOU SOME OPTIONS TO THINK ABOUT. 
          UM, OPTION NUMBER ONE IS I GUESS WE COULD INCREASE THE LENGTH OF THE INSTALLMENT LOAN. 
          I'M RECOMMENDING SIX MONTHS IS WHAT I PROPOSED, BUT WE COULD GO LONGER IF YOU SO WISH. 
          THE OTHER OPTION WOULD BE, UH, THE UTILITY MAKING A ONE-TIME CONTRIBUTION OF $10,000 TOWARDS A ROUNDUP PROGRAM. 
          UM, AND THOSE FUNDS WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO QUALIFIED APPLICANTS THROUGH CHARITY SERVICES. 
          AND THOSE CHARITY SERVICES WOULD QUALIFY THOSE CANDIDATES, UM, FOR THAT MONEY. 
          UM, AND THEY WOULD PICK WHO IS ELIGIBLE AND WHO IS NOT. 
          SO I WANTED TO GIVE YOU A FEW DIFFERENT OPTIONS THERE TO, TO CONSIDER. 
          I FORGOT TO ADVANCE THE SLIDE. 
          I APOLOGIZE. 
          OH, OOPS. 
          TOO FAR. 
          SO WITH THAT, I'D BE HAPPY TO TRY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR D DISCUSS IT. 
          ARE, ARE YOU BASICALLY TRYING TO, ARE YOU GONNA SHUT THIS PROGRAM DOWN? YES, SIR. 
          WHAT ARE SISTER CITIES DOING? ARE MOST CITIES GETTING OUT OF THIS? THEY'RE NOT FINDING PARTICIPATION. 
          IT'S, IT'S REALLY A MIXED RESPONSE ACROSS THE INDUSTRY. 
          UM, PROBABLY THE, THE, THOSE THAT HAVE THE HIGHEST ADOPTION RATES, THEY'VE ELIMINATED ALL OF THEIR, UM, LOAN PROGRAMS. AND IF YOU'RE DELINQUENT, YOU HAVE NO CHOICE, YOU GO ON THIS PREPAY ACCOUNT, UM, AND THAT DRIVES UP THE ADOPTION RATE. 
          NO MORE LOANS, NO MORE, UH, GRACE PERIOD. 
          YOU JUST AUTOMATICALLY GO ON IT. 
          SO IT DRIVES UP THE ADOPTION RATE. 
          BUT WE HAVE FOUND HERE LOCALLY THAT THIS, THIS SERVICE, UM, IS VERY, VERY LABOR INTENSIVE TO MANAGE. 
          WE'RE TRUING UP ALL THOSE INDIVIDUAL BALANCES EVERY SINGLE DAY. 
          AND IT'S, IT'S, IT TAKES A HIGHER SKILLSET. 
          IT'S VERY LABOR INTENSIVE. 
          I CAN'T IMAGINE MORE THAN 69 CUSTOMERS BEING ON THIS. 
          IT, I WOULD, I WOULD NEED A FULL-TIME PERSON TO SUPPORT THIS IF WE WERE TO REALLY RAMP THIS UP. 
          AND, AND SO FROM A COST BENEFIT STA STATUS, WE ARE GOING SOUTH 50,000 A YEAR DOING THIS. 
          IS THAT 66? WELL, I MEAN, I THOUGHT, I MEAN, OKAY, I'LL GO WITH YOUR 60. 
          I SAW YOU 40, 48 AND 12, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WAS ANY PROFITABLE PART OF THAT, BUT I GUESS NOT. 
          WELL, I, I THINK THE MAYOR BROUGHT UP AT THE LAST MEETING. 
          IT, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, UM, AVOIDANCE OF, OF, OF DEBT AND, UH, LOST BAD DEBT, UM, WHERE FOLKS CAN, THEY CAN RUN UP THEIR BILLS AND THEY CAN LEAVE US STANDING ON THIS PROGRAM. 
          UM, THEY CAN'T RAMP UP THEIR BILLS ALL THAT HIGH BEFORE THEY GET, THEY HAVE TO STAY CURRENT. 
          RIGHT. 
          UM, SO, OKAY. 
          I THINK THAT WAS THE INTENT OF IT WHEN IT STARTED. 
          IT WAS TO ELIMINATE THAT BAD DEBT. 
          WHAT'S THE CITIZEN GIVEN ENOUGH INFORMATION ABOUT HOW THIS PROGRAM WORKS THERE? WE PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL FOR THEM. 
          WE WORK WITH THEM ONE-ON-ONE WHEN NE NECESSARY. 
          THEY'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE AN EMAIL. 
          THEY'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE, UM, INTERNET ACCESS TO BE ON THIS PROGRAM. 
          'CAUSE YOU HAVE TO WORK THROUGH AN APPLICATION. 
          UH, IT DOES GET VERY CONFUSING AND DIFFICULT FOR SOME CUSTOMERS BECAUSE THE BALANCES ARE ALWAYS TRUING UP EVERY SINGLE DAY AND THEY'RE LOOKING AT, AT THIS INFORMATION ON THEIR APP, ON THEIR PHONE OR ON THEIR COMPUTER. 
          AND THEN THEY TRY TO COMPARE THAT TO WHAT OUR BILL SAYS. 
          THEY'RE STILL GETTING A BILL. 
          THE BILL STILL IS THE BILL. 
          THEY'RE JUST PAYING IT IN SMALL INSTALLMENTS IN ADVANCE. 
          SO IT IT DOES LEND ITSELF TO BE CONFUSING TO THE CUSTOMER IN SOME CASES. 
          YES. 
          THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION. 
          SO, SO RIGHT NOW, LET'S SAY HOW QUICKLY WHEN YOU GO TO THIS NEW SYSTEM, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT TWO, THREE KIDS ON, ON DIAPERS AND YOU KNOW, YOUR GROCERY BILL IS ABOUT HALF THAT ONCE THEY GET OFF. 
          SO, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY'S GOT A DIFFERENT FINANCIAL SITUATION. 
          BUT, UM, THE DISCONNECT RECONNECT IS ABOUT 150. 
          I DON'T HAVE THOSE COMMITTED TO MEMORY. 
          I THINK LATE PAYMENTS, UH, 30 AND DISCONNECT IS 50. 
          I THINK 75 DON'T HOLD ME TO THAT. 
          I DON'T 
          [01:10:01]
HAVE IT COMMITTED TO MEMORY. 
          WELL, I, IS THAT THE FEE INVOLVED WITH IT? YEAH, I'M JUST, UH, YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD OCCASIONS IN THE PAST WHERE, I MEAN, I'VE WRITTEN CHECKS BECAUSE I MADE A BAD DECISION AND HELPED SOMEBODY GET THEIR LIGHTS TURNED BACK ON AND IT WAS ON. 
          I TOLD, I TOLD YOU GUYS, IT'S ON ME IF THEY'RE NOT GOOD. 
          AND THEY WERE NOT GOOD. 
          SO AGAIN, UM, WE WENT THROUGH ALL THIS JEFFREY, UM, WAY BACK WHEN WE, UM, GOT IN LINE WITH THE OTHER SISTER CITIES, WE DID A POLL AND ALL THAT, AND THEN EVERYBODY WAS UPSET THAT WE CHANGED THE, THE MODELS. 
          I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY WERE AT THE TIME. 
          SO I'M NOT TRYING TO PUT HIM ON HARDSHIP ON OUR CUSTOMER BASE, BUT IT DOESN'T LOOK ME LIKE THIS IS WORKING. 
          YOU'VE GOT, WHAT, 23,000 CUSTOMERS? YES, SIR. 
          AND YOU GOT HOW MANY? NINE. 
          HOW MANY DID YOU SAY? 69. 
          69, YEAH. 
          MEAN IT'S NOT WORKING. 
          WELL, MAY ALDERMAN OUTLAW, IF YOU RECALL, I THINK THE REASON WHY THERE'S A LOW ADOPTION IS BECAUSE WHEN WE CHANGED THE UTILITY DEPOSIT POLICY BACK IN 2014 MAYBE MM-HMM . 
          UM, THAT WAS TO OFFER THIS PROGRAM AS AN ALTERNATIVE. 
          YEAH. 
          BECAUSE IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE, OR IT USED TO BE SOMEBODY HELPED ME OUT. 
          I THINK IT WAS YOUR TWO HIGHEST MONTHS IN THE PAST TWO YEARS WAS THE CALCULATION THAT WAS USED. 
          AND THEN SOMEBODY WOULD WALK IN AND THEY WOULD OWE A $1,800 DEPOSIT AND THEY COULDN'T AFFORD TO PAY THAT. 
          SO THE ALTERNATIVE WAS GET ON PAY AS YOU GO, IT LIMITS THE EXPOSURE FOR THE ENTERPRISE FUND AND PEOPLE COULD THEN HAVE A MORE UP-TO-DATE VIEW. 
          AND THEY DIDN'T JUST FRIVOLOUSLY SPIN AND LEAVE THEIR LIKES ON WHEN THEY COULD TURN 'EM OFF. 
          IT WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE ONUS ON THEM. 
          UH, BUT THEN PREVIOUS BOARDS REVERSE THAT POLICY AND CAP IT AT $500. 
          SO SOMEBODY SAYS, WELL, IF MY BILL'S $800 A MONTH, I'LL GIVE YOU A $500 DEPOSIT. 
          AND THEN IF I MISS IT, THEN I'M $300 TO THE GOOD. 
          SO I THINK IN THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION, WHAT I DIDN'T SEE IN THE CALCULATION WAS, UM, UH, ANNUALIZED BAD DEBT NET BAD DEBT WRITE OFF. 
          UM, SINCE THIS PROGRAM STARTED VERSUS PRIOR, I, I HAVE SOME BAD DEBT INFORMATION, BUT I DON'T HAVE IT RELATED TO WHEN IT STARTED. 
          SURE. 
          AND I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T EXPECT YOU TO, BUT I THINK, UM, WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR, UM, THE BOARD IS GONNA HAVE TO TAKE SOME ACTION TONIGHT. 
          IS THAT CORRECT? I'M, I'M SEEKING DIRECTION IF IT'S POSSIBLE. 
          OKAY. 
          MR. BOUCHARD, WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THIS AT A EARLIER MEETING, I BELIEVE ME AND ALDERMAN, UM, FERGUSON HAD ASKED IF THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY OF ADDING SOMETHING TO CUSTOMERS WHO WANTED TO DONATE ROUNDUP PROGRAM. 
          THAT'S RIGHT. 
          YES, MA'AM. 
          AND SO I'M WONDERING IF, IF THAT IS CAN BE AN ANNUAL THING VERSUS JUST A ONE TIME THING. 
          BECAUSE I AM, I'M THINKING OF SINGLE MOTHERS WHO CAN'T GO TO WORK WHEN THEIR CHILDREN ARE SICK AND THEY LOSE MONEY AND GET IN THE ARREARS. 
          AND SO THAT'S WHO I'M THINKING OF. 
          AND, AND THAT'S WHAT YOUR, YOUR DISCRETION. 
          UM, I TRIED TO LISTEN TO, TO YOU FOLKS AT THE RETREAT, AND THAT'S WHY I CAME BACK TO THIS $10,000, UM, CONTRIBUTION TO, TO THE ROUNDUP PROGRAM. 
          UM, YOU, YOU MIGHT, IF YOU, IF THAT INTERESTS YOU, YOU MIGHT WANT TO DO IT ONE YEAR AND, AND SEE IF IT, IT NEEDS TO BE REFUNDED AFTER THAT. 
          I DID BRING SOME ROUNDUP INFORMATION WITH ME, UH, THE END OF JANUARY. 
          WE CURRENTLY HAD $6,200 IN, IN THE ACCOUNT. 
          UM, WE HAD ONE PERSON THAT WAS DOING ROUNDING UP $250 EVERY MONTH, BUT THEY JUST RECENTLY MOVED. 
          SO IT'S KIND OF A BUMMER HEY, TO SEE THEM. 
          YEAH, THAT IS, YEAH. 
          UM, THE AVERAGE CUSTOMER ROUNDS UP 50 CENTS A MONTH, SO IT'S ABOUT $6 A YEAR. 
          I, I THINK WHAT WE'RE GONNA, I KNOW WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS WE'RE GONNA TRY TO MARKET THIS BETTER AND, UH, AND TRY TO BE MORE VOCAL ABOUT THE ROUNDUP PROGRAM AND MAKE IT, PUT IT AT OUR CUSTOMER'S FINGERTIPS AND MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT EASIER. 
          YOU CAN ROUND UP TO THE NEAREST DOLLAR, YOU CAN, YOU CAN, UM, MAKE A ONE TIME CONTRIBUTION. 
          YOU CAN ROUND UP TO $250. 
          SO THERE'S SOME FLEXIBLE, SOME DIFFERENT OPTIONS IN THERE THAT ROUND UP PROGRAM AS WELL. 
          CHARLIE, THE COST IS 60,000 A YEAR FOR THE TERM OF THIS CONTRACT WITH THIS PROGRAM ARE, ARE WE HALFWAY THROUGH THAT TERM OR EITHER IT CANCEL ANY TIME OR 30 DAYS NOTICE. 
          AND SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE, IF WE'VE ALLOCATED 60,000 FOR THIS YEAR, WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME COST SAVINGS BY, IF, IF, IF WE MOVE FORWARD IN TERMINATING IT, WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME COST SAVINGS THIS YEAR IN GETTING RID OF THIS PROGRAM, RIGHT? YES, ABSOLUTELY. 
          OKAY. 
          WOULD WE BE ABLE TO PUT SOME OF THAT INTO A FUND? I THINK THAT'S WHAT OPTION TWO. 
          THAT'S WHAT I'M, THAT'S OKAY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          YOU, YOU'RE, 
          [01:15:01]
I GUESS WHAT I'M SAYING IS YOU'RE TRADING $10,000 FOR $60,000. 
          I MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE RECOMMENDATIONS AS, AS PRESENTED FOR THE PAY AS YOU GO PROGRAM TO INCLUDE OPTION TWO, WHICH WOULD BE UTILITY ONE-TIME FUNDING OF $10,000 TOWARDS OUR ROUNDUP PROGRAM. 
          A I SECOND MA, I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND. 
          IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. 
          ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? SO HOLD EFFECTIVE WHEN EFFECTIVE, WHEN? WELL, I BELIEVE THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO GIVE 30 DAYS NOTICE. 
          I WOULD SAY AFTER THIS MEETING WE GIVE, TOMORROW WE GIVE 30 DAYS NOTICE. 
          MAKE SURE THOSE CUSTOMERS ARE ALSO INFORMED OVER THE NEXT 30 DAYS THAT WE WILL BE TRANSITIONING APRIL 1ST. 
          AND SO THEN THE EFFECTIVE WILL BE THE FIRST APRIL 1ST. 
          FIRST, THE FIRST OF THE MONTH. 
          ARE YOU GOOD WITH APRIL 1ST? APRIL 1ST? YES. 
          ALDERMAN OUTLAW. 
          ARE YOU GOOD WITH APRIL 1ST? YES. 
          YES, SIR. 
          OKAY. 
          DOES EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND THE MOTION? YES. 
          YES. 
          ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. 
          AYE. 
          AYE. 
          ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. 
          THANK YOU, CHARLIE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          NEXT UP IS ITEM NUMBER 14. 
          [14. Consider Adopting a Resolution Dissolving the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee.]
CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION DISSOLVING THE BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE. 
          UH, I'D LIKE TO ASK MS. RU IF SHE WOULD COME UP AND MAKE A FEW COMMENTS. 
          PLEASE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          IN 2022, THIS BOARD ADOPTED A BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN PLAN THAT WAS VERY WELL DONE. 
          AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY, IN 2023, ESTABLISH A BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN COMMITTEE WITH THE PURPOSE OF GOING THROUGH THE PLAN, LOOKING AT THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS, ORGANIZING THEM, PROVIDING TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, AND, UM, MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE ORDER TO MOVE FORWARD ON, ON HOW TO GET THE PLAN IN MOTION. 
          AND OVER THE COURSE OF TWO YEARS, UH, EVERY PROJECT IN THAT BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN PLAN HAS BEEN LOOKED AT AND REVIEWED. 
          AND THEN AFTER THAT WAS DONE AND EVERYONE WAS FAMILIAR WITH WHAT WAS IN THE PLAN, THE PLAN WAS ORGANIZED AND THINGS WERE RANKED, AND WE KIND OF REACHED THE END OF THAT MISSION. 
          WHEN WE REACHED THE END OF THAT MISSION, WHICH WAS THE ORIGINAL PURPOSE OF THE BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN COMMITTEE, THEY GAVE US SOME ASSISTANCE AND HELP WITH SOME BICYCLE EVENTS, UM, THAT WERE PUT ON WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. 
          AND NOW WE ARE AT A POINT WHERE WE FEEL THAT THIS COMMITTEE HAS FULFILLED THEIR ORIGINAL GOALS. 
          THEY'VE DONE THEM VERY WELL. 
          IT WAS A VERY ENGAGED AND ACTIVE, UM, HIGHLY PARTICIPATORY COMMITTEE. 
          AND, UH, AFTER DISCUSSION AT OUR WORK SESSION AND KNOWING THAT THESE PROJECTS ARE THERE IN THEIR RANKED AND THEY'RE READY TO MOVE FORWARD WHEN FUNDING BECOMES AVAILABLE, UM, WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH A RESOLUTION TO OFFICIALLY END THIS COMMITTEE BECAUSE THEY HAVE FULFILLED THEIR TASK. 
          SO THAT'S A SUCCESS AND TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR WORK. 
          AND WE DO HAVE TWO COMMITTEE MEMBERS, I THINK MAYBE MORE HERE TONIGHT. 
          UM, HENRY AND BEN ARE BOTH WITH US. 
          THEY SERVED WITH US ON OUR BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN COMMITTEE. 
          AND WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UM, WE HEARD SOME REALLY GREAT THINGS, UM, ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN THAT BOARD, SO WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT AND THERE ARE OTHER BOARDS IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SERVE ON THOSE. 
          UM, PLEASE EXPRESS YOUR INTEREST TO DO SO. 
          IS THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR FEEDBACK FROM THE BOARD? I, I'LL JUST SAY THE MEETINGS THAT I ATTENDED OF THE, UM, BICYCLE PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE, THEY ARE, THEY WERE EXTREMELY, EXTREMELY ENGAGED IN THE PROCESS, UM, AND WILLING TO DO ANY, ANY AND EVERYTHING AND GAVE REALLY GOOD INSIGHT AND FEEDBACK. 
          AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. 
          AND I, I REALLY THINK IT'S A TESTAMENT TO OUR CITIZENRY THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE LIKE THAT WITH THAT PASSION. 
          SO I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THE WORK Y'ALL DID. 
          THANK YOU. 
          YES. 
          I'D LIKE TO ECHO ALDERMAN FERGUSON SENTIMENTS. 
          SO WITH THAT, MR. MAYOR, I WOULD, UH, MOVE TO ADOPT RESOLUTION DISSOLVING THE BICYCLING PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE WITH A JOB WELL DONE. 
          SECOND. 
          I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND. 
          IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE UNLESS HAVE A ROLL CALL. 
          ATTORNEY ALDERMAN AS ALDERMAN ASTOR. 
          YES. 
          ALDERMAN WHITE. 
          YES. 
          ALDERMAN VEST? YES. 
          ALDERMAN? YES. 
          ALDERMAN FERGUSON. 
          YES. 
          ALDERMAN BRYANT? YES. 
          MAYOR ODOM. 
          YES. 
          MOTION CARRIES. 
          THANK YOU AGAIN. 
          ITEM NUMBER 15 IS CONSIDERED DR. 
          [15. Consider Adopting a Resolution Approving an Amendment to the CDBG Housing Rehabilitation Program Policies and Procedures.]
RE RESOLUTION APPROVING AN AMENDMENT TO THE CDVG HOUSING REHAB PROGRAM POLICIES AND PROCEDURES. 
          MS. RU? THANK YOU. 
          I AM HERE BEFORE YOU THE TONIGHT. 
          UM, THIS IS REALLY SOMETHING I JUST WANTED TO BRING TO EVERYONE'S ATTENTION BECAUSE WE GOT THE GUIDANCE FROM THE LAST BOARD, AND I'M TRYING TO MOVE FORWARD AND MAKE SOME MODIFICATIONS TO HAVE A MORE EFFECTIVE PROGRAM IN 2022. 
          ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT WAS IN OUR ANNUAL ACTION PLAN WAS A HOUSING REHABILITATION PROGRAM FOR HOMEOWNERS THAT FIT A, A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT CRITERIA AND WERE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE ASSISTANCE. 
          AT THE TIME WE DID THAT AND MOVED FORWARD. 
          WE ASKED YOU ALL, HEY, WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR US TO CAP THESE PROJECTS? THAT THE GROUPS THAT WE'RE DOING IN AT THE TIME WERE ONLY COMFORTABLE IT REALLY IN QUALIFIED TO DO HVAC REPAIRS. 
          AND AT THE TIME WE DID 
          [01:20:01]
THAT, ABOUT $10,000 WAS WHAT IT WAS COSTING TO DO THAT. 
          WE STILL HAVE $85,000 LEFT IN THAT 2022 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN UNDER THIS PROGRAM WE WOULD LOVE TO HELP CITIZENS WITH. 
          BUT WE ARE RUNNING INTO A PROBLEM. 
          THAT PROBLEM BEING, WHEN THE HVAC CONTRACTORS GO OUT THERE AND GIVE AN ESTIMATE, THEY ARE TERRIFIED TO DO ANY OF THE WORK BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF ELECTRICAL WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AS A PREREQUISITE BEFORE THEY CAN UPGRADE THAT HVAC EQUIPMENT. 
          IN TALKING WITH OUR CONSULTANTS THAT WORK WITH US ON OUR CDBG PROGRAM, THERE IS NO PROBLEMS OR RESTRICTIONS AND UPPING THAT IT WAS KIND OF AN INTERNAL CONVERSATION WE HAD. 
          WE FIND IT VERY CHALLENGING SOMETIMES TO FIND, UH, QUALIFIED CANDIDATES WHO CAN RECEIVE THIS MONEY BECAUSE THEY CHECK ALL OF THE BOXES THAT HUD AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT REQUIRE US TO MEET. 
          AND SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE THREE FAMILIES THAT WE CAN HELP RIGHT NOW. 
          ONE IS HIGHLIGHTED IN YOUR AGENDA PACKET, BUT THERE'S TWO VERY SIMILAR ONES IN THE QUEUE THAT DEIA WOULD LOVE TO CALL AND TELL THEM SOON THAT WE CAN HELP. 
          AND SO I AM ASKING FOR YOUR BLESSING TO MOVE FORWARD AND TO UP THE CAP OF THOSE IMPROVEMENTS. 
          THE MINIMUM BEING $10,000 TO $20,000, AND TO BE ABLE, UM, NOT TO JUST RESTRICT IT TO THAT HVAC EQUIPMENT, BUT ALSO FOR THIS ELECTRICAL WORK THAT'S COMING UP OVER AND OVER THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO COMPLETE THESE PROJECTS. 
          MS. BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS. 
          THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS. 
          MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING AN AMENDMENT TO THE CDBG HOUSING REHABILITATION PROGRAM POLICIES AND PROCEDURES. 
          SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SEVERAL SECONDS CLERK CAN CHOOSE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION. 
          HEARING NONE. 
          LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN WRIGHT. 
          ALDERMAN WHITE. 
          YES. 
          ALDERMAN BEST? YES. 
          ALDERMAN OUTLAW. 
          YES. 
          ALDERMAN FERGUSON. 
          YES. 
          ALDERMAN BRYANT? YES. 
          ALDERMAN ASER. 
          YES. 
          MAYOR ODOM? YES. 
          MOTION CARRIES. 
          THANK YOU. 
          NEXT UP AS ITEM. 
          THANK YOU, JESSICA. 
          NEXT UP AS ITEM NUMBER 16, 
          [16. Consider Adopting a Resolution Approving Additional Streetlight at the Intersection of Racetrack Road and Elizabeth Avenue.]
CONSIDER DR. 
          RESOLUTION OF APPRO ADDITIONAL STREET LIGHT AT THE INTERSECTION OF RACETRACK ROAD ON ELIZABETH AVENUE. 
          MR. BOUCHARD, GOOD EVENING ONCE AGAIN. 
          UH, BASED ON CITIZEN REQUEST, UM, FOR STREET LIGHTING AT THE INTERSECTION OF RACE TRACK ROAD AND ELIZABETH AVENUE, UM, STANDARD PROCEDURE IS FOR THE BOARD TO PROVE THE INSTALLATION OF STREET LIGHTING. 
          THE STREET LIGHTING, UM, IS SUFFICIENT FOR ROADWAY STANDARDS, BUT THE, UM, THE OPINION OF THE, OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS THAT, UM, MORE LIGHTING IS NEEDED AND WARRANTED THERE DUE TO PUBLIC SAFETY. 
          FORD HAVE QUESTIONS THEN THAT FOLLOWING TIS MODEL FOR, I MEAN, IS IS THAT A, A REDUNDANCY AS FAR AS LIGHTING AS FAR AS, OR IS IT? WELL, IT NORMALLY WHEN Y'ALL COME UP TO THE STREETLIGHT, THERE WAS A GIS STUDY DONE. 
          TY, TYPICALLY THE ROADWAY LIGHTINGS IS TWO TO 250 FEET APART, UM, WITH, BASED ON THE TYPE OF LIGHTS WE HAVE, AND THERE IS LIGHTING THERE NOW. 
          BUT, UM, CITIZEN REQUEST WAS FOR ADDITIONAL LIGHTING, WHICH FROM A, FROM A ENGINEERING ROADWAY PERSPECTIVE, I CAN'T REALLY JUSTIFY. 
          BUT THAT'S WHY THE, THE, UM, THIS DECISION THEN GOES TO, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. 
          THEY LOOK AT IT AND THEY SAY MORE LIGHTING. 
          THERE IS DEFINITELY, WELL, I MEAN, IT'S VERY BUSY INTERSECTION AND WHEN I READ THROUGH IT, I JUST, UH, I WONDERED ABOUT THAT, BUT I DO, I DO UNDERSTAND THE DANGER OF THAT PARTICULAR INTERSECTION. 
          SO WE, WE'D BE HAPPY TO PUT A LIGHT UP FOR HIM. 
          SO MR. BASHAR, YOUR DEPARTMENT GOES OUT AND EVALUATE THE AREA TO SEE IF THAT LIGHT IS NEEDED? CORRECT? WE DO THAT FIRST BASED, BASED ON THE REQUEST. 
          IF IT, IF IT MEETS OUR STANDARDS, MEANING WE, WE THINK THERE'S ENOUGH LIGHT THERE, THEN WE SEND THAT THE INFORMATION TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THEY LOOK AT IT FROM A PUBLIC SAFETY PERSPECTIVE AND, AND THEIR OPINION IS MORE LIGHTING IS WARRANTED, THAT MIGHT BE. 
          YOU GOOD WITH THAT? YEAH. 
          GOOD. 
          GREAT. 
          HERE'S NO MORE QUESTIONS. 
          UM, I MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION APPROVING ADDITIONAL STREET LIGHT AT THE INTERSECTION OF RACE TR ROAD IN ELIZABETH AVENUE. 
          I'LL SECOND. 
          I HAVE A MOTION A SECOND. 
          IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE UNLESS HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN VEST. 
          ALDERMAN VEST? YES. 
          ALDERMAN OUTLAW. 
          YES. 
          ALDERMAN FERGUSON. 
          YES. 
          ALDERMAN BRANDT. 
          YES. 
          ALDERMAN ASTOR. 
          YES. 
          ALDERMAN WHITE? YES. 
          MAYOR ODOM? YES. 
          MOTION CARRIES. 
          THANK YOU CHARLIE. 
          UH, BOARD. 
          NEXT UP, UH, ITEM NUMBER 17 
          [Items 17 &18]
AND 18. 
          WE CAN DO THOSE TOGETHER, SO I'LL READ THEM BOTH. 
          ITEM NUMBER 17 IS CONSIDERED ADOPTING A RESOLUTION APPRO A MUTUAL AID AGREEMENT WITH THE MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT FOR FIRE PROTECTION RELATED 
          [01:25:01]
SERVICES. 
          AND NUMBER 18 IS CONSIDERED ADOPTING A RESOLUTION APPROVING AN INTERAGENCY AGREEMENT WITH CRAVEN AND PAMELA COUNTY'S CHILDREN, ADVOCACY CENTER OF SOUTH MOUNTAIN CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES AND OTHER PARTIES. 
          UH, LOOKS LIKE CHIEF LOCK L UH, WILL DO THE FIRST ONE AND THEN CHIEF GALLAGHER WILL BE RIGHT BEHIND US. 
          GOOD EVENING. 
          GOOD EVENING, DAVID. 
          NOT HERE TO TAKE A LOT OF YOUR TIME. 
          UM, THIS IS A MUTUAL AID AGREEMENT BETWEEN, UH, THE CITY OF NEWBURN AND CHERRY POINT. 
          THIS AGREEMENT WAS LAST SIGNED IN 2017 AND IT'S UP FOR RENEWAL FOR 2027. 
          SO STAFF WAS PROVIDED A COPY OF, IT WASN'T ANY CHANGES OTHER THAN, UH, COMMANDING OFFICERS NAMES AND, AND, UH, I THINK, UH, ADDITIONAL FOR TRAINING PURPOSES, BUT FOR THE MOST PART IT'S STILL THE SAME. 
          SO JUST WANTED TO BRING IT BEFORE YOU IF YOU HAD ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS. 
          I WAS GONNA TRY TO ANSWER THOSE FOR YOU TONIGHT. 
          DOES BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT, CHIEF, YOU GOT OFF EASY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          CHIEF GALLAGHER, YOU'RE UP, SIR. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          UH, SIMILAR TO, UH, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE NEW BERN POLICE DEPARTMENT IS REQUESTING THAT WE CONTINUE OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CRAIG AND BACO CHILDS ADVOCACY CENTER IN, UM, NOVEMBER OF 2023. 
          THIS BOARD APPROVED THE ORIGINAL, UH, MEMO OF, OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THIS GROUP TO ASSIST IN, UH, REDUCING CHILDHOOD TRAUMA. 
          UH, THIS IS A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT, THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE, AND OTHER PROVIDERS TO ASSIST, UH, FAMILIES AND CHILDREN GOING THROUGH TRAUMA. 
          SO WE ASK THAT WE CONTINUE THAT RELATIONSHIP AND ASK THAT YOU SIGN THE UPDATED MOU, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY THE SAME AS THE 2024 MOU THAT WAS SIGNED BY THIS BOARD. 
          AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE. 
          BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS? UH, CHIEF, I LOOKED IT OVER, UM, AND EVERYTHING THAT THE CHILD ADVOCACY CENTER LOOKS PRETTY STANDARD. 
          UM, BUT I DID WONDER WHAT THE POLICY OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS. 
          IN THE CASE OF, UM, SEXUAL TRAUMA IN CHILDREN IS THE ALLEGED PERPETRATOR. 
          UM, WHAT DOES THE POLICE DEPARTMENT DO? IS IT AUTOMATIC THAT THEY'LL SEARCH THAT PERSON'S THE ACCUSED PERSON'S PHONE? UM, IS THAT THE PURVIEW OF THIS MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT? NO. 
          NO. 
          OKAY. 
          THERE ARE TWO SEPARATE ISSUES AT HAND HERE. 
          ONE IS THE VICTIM SERVICES. 
          THAT'S WHAT THIS MOU IS INVOLVED IN. 
          THE INVESTIGATIVE PROCESS INVOLVING THE SUSPECT HAS OTHER ELEMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH CONSTITUTIONAL, UH, UH, ISSUES OF FOURTH AMENDMENT AND OTHER PROSECUTORIAL, UM, ISSUES THAT WE DEAL WITH ON A SEPARATE, UH, INVESTIGATIVE, UH, TRAIL. 
          THANK YOU. 
          OKAY. 
          ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? MR. MAYOR, AT THIS TIME, I WOULD MOVE TO APPROVE THE ADOPTION OF BOTH RESOLUTIONS LISTED IN ITEM 17 AND ITEM 18. 
          SECOND. 
          WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. 
          IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE? LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL DURING WITH THE ALDERMAN OUTLAW ALDERMAN AL. 
          YES. 
          ALDERMAN FERGUSON? YES. 
          ALDERMAN BRYANT? YES. 
          ALDERMAN ASTER. 
          YES. 
          ALDERMAN WHITE? YES. 
          ALDERMAN BEST? YES. 
          MAYOR ODOM? YES. 
          MOTION CARRIES. 
          THANK YOU TO THE CHIEFS. 
          OKAY. 
          BOARD BUCKLE UP. 
          LAST PAGE IS GONNA GO QUICKLY. 
          HOPEFULLY, UH, WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT ITEMS 19 AND 2019 THROUGH 22 COLLABORATIVELY. 
          [Items 19 - 22]
UH, 19 IS CONSIDERED ADOPTING A RESOLUTION PROVING THE SALE OF 2204 HARTFORD AVENUE. 
          NUMBER 20 IS THE SALE OF 10 16 MAIN STREET. 
          NUMBER 21 IS THE SALE OF 10 39 MAIN STREET AND NUMBER 22 IS THE SALE OF 10 41 MAIN STREET. 
          MR. HUGHES CARLOS MURO SUBMITTED A BID IN THE AMOUNT OF $2,500 FOR THE PROPERTY IN QUESTION. 
          THIS IS A VACANT POINT. 
          1 1 6 ACRE RESIDENTIAL TRACK WITH A TAX VALUE OF $5,000. 
          THE BID WAS ADVERTISED BUT NO UPSET. 
          BIDS WERE RECEIVED. 
          PROPERTY WAS JOINTLY ACQUIRED BY THE CITY AND COUNTY IN MARCH OF 2023 THROUGH TAX FORECLOSURE. 
          IF THE PROPERTY IS SOLD FOR THIS BID, THE CITY WILL RECEIVE $958 6 CENTS IN THE COUNTY, $1,541 94 CENTS ON THE NEXT PROPERTY. 
          BCJ DEVELOPMENT SUBMITTED A BID IN THE AMOUNT OF $2,700 FOR THE PURCHASE OF THIS PROPERTY, WHICH IS A VACANT 0.063 ACRE RESIDENTIAL TRACK WITH A TAX VALUE OF $5,400. 
          THE BID WAS ADVERTISED BUT NO UPSET BIDS WERE RECEIVED. 
          THIS PROPERTY WAS JOINTLY ACQUIRED BY THE CITY AND THE COUNTY IN SEPTEMBER OF 2015 THROUGH TAX FORECLOSURE. 
          IF THE PROPERTY IS SOLD FOR THIS BID, THE CITY WILL RECEIVE $539 53 CENTS IN THE COUNTY, $2,160 47 CENTS. 
          THIRD PROPERTY, CHESTER FREEMAN'S SUBMITTED A BID IN THE AMOUNT OF $2,700 FOR THE PURCHASE OF THIS VACANT 0.069 ACRE RESIDENTIAL TRACT WITH A TAX VALUE OF $5,400. 
          THE BID WAS ADVERTISED 
          [01:30:01]
BUT NO UPSET. 
          BIDS WERE RECEIVED. 
          THE PROPERTY WAS JOINTLY ACQUIRED BY THE CITY AND THE COUNTY IN MARCH OF 2024 THROUGH TAX FORECLOSURE. 
          IF THE PROPERTY IS SOLD FOR THIS BID, THE CITY WILL RECEIVE $825 36 CENTS AND THE COUNTY $1,874 64 CENTS AND THE FINAL PROPERTY. 
          CHESTER FREEMAN ALSO SUBMITTED A BID IN THE AMOUNT OF $2,400 FOR THIS VACANT 0.039 ACRE RESIDENTIAL TRACT WITH A TAX VALUE OF $4,800. 
          THE BID WAS ADVERTISED BUT NO UPSET. 
          BIDS WERE RECEIVED. 
          THE PROPERTY WAS JOINTLY ACQUIRED BY THE CITY AND COUNTY IN MARCH OF 2024 THROUGH TAX FORECLOSURE. 
          IF THE PROPERTY IS SOLD FOR THIS BID, THE CITY WILL RECEIVE $754 3 CENTS AND THE COUNTY $1,645 97 CENTS BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS. 
          IF THERE'S NO QUESTIONS, I MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING THE SALE OF 2204 HARTFORD AVENUE, 10 16 MAIN STREET, 10 39 MAIN STREET AND 10 41 MAIN STREET. 
          SECOND. 
          SECOND. 
          I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND. 
          IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? I'M SORRY, HEARING NONE. 
          LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL CERTAIN WITH ALDERMAN FERGUSON. 
          ALDERMAN FERGUSON. 
          YES. 
          ALDERMAN BRYANT. 
          YES. 
          ALDERMAN NAER. 
          YES. 
          ALDERMAN WHITE? YES. 
          ALDERMAN BES? YES. 
          ALDERMAN OUTLAW. 
          YES. 
          MAYOR ODOM. 
          YES, THERE IS A MOTION CARRIES. 
          NEXT UP IS ITEMS 23 AND 24. 
          [Items 23 & 24]
23 IS CONSIDERED OUT RESOLUTION REQUESTING A LOCAL BILL EXEMPTING THE CITY OF NEW BERN FROM THE PROVISIONS OF PART THREE, SUBSET THREE K OF SENATE BILL 3 82, AND RESTORING THE ORIGINAL PROVISIONS OF NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL STATUTE ONE 60 D 6 0 1 D. 
          AND ON ITEM NUMBER 24 IS CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION REQUESTING LOCAL BILL REGARDING MINIMUM HOUSING PENALTIES. 
          UH, MR. ATTORNEY, UH, MAYOR MEMBERS AND BOARD. 
          UM, THANK YOU MAYOR FOR BUNDLING THOSE TOGETHER. 
          UM, THIS SEGUES, UM, TO THE DISCUSSION WE HAD AT THE RETREAT, UM, REGARDING, UM, WHAT WE CALL THE THE DOWN ZONING BILL. 
          UM, THAT, UH, WENT INTO EFFECT A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO THAT HAS REALLY STO OUR PROGRESS TO UPDATE OUR LAND USE ORDINANCE. 
          THE, THE BOARD LAST YEAR ADOPTED A VERY SIMILAR RESOLUTION, UM, TRYING TO DEVELOP, UM, SOME POLITICAL MOMENTUM, UM, FOR THE STATE TO EITHER, UM, UM, AMEND THE STATE STATUTE OR TO ADOPT A LOCAL BILL TO EXEMPT US FROM IT. 
          UM, THAT PROCESS WAS STOMPED OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST YEAR FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS. 
          UM, SINCE OUR RETREAT, AS I MENTIONED, I HAVE MET WITH OUR LOCAL LEGISLATORS. 
          UM, THEY FULLY UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE. 
          THEY UNDERSTAND THE LEGAL CONSEQUENCES, THEY UNDERSTAND THE FINANCIAL IMPACT IT'S HAVING ON NEWBURN, UM, AND THAT WE'VE GOT TO HAVE SOME KIND OF RELIEF TO UPDATE OUR CODE. 
          UM, THIS RESOLUTION SIMPLY GIVES THEM SOMETHING IN WRITING TO SUPPORT THEIR EFFORTS IN RALEIGH. 
          IN ADDITION TO THE LANGUAGE THAT WE HAD LAST YEAR, WE'VE ADDED THE LANGUAGE THAT WE HAVE VENTURED INTO THE UPDATE OF OUR LAND USE ORDINANCE. 
          WE HAVE A A BUDGET ALLOCATED FOR THAT, AND WE'RE NOW IN NO MAN'S LAND OF RISKING WASTING OUR MONEY IN PROCEEDING WITH AN AMENDMENT THAT IS NOT LEGALLY PERMISSIBLE AT THIS MOMENT. 
          SO THAT RESOLUTION IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN PROVIDE TO OUR LOCAL DELEGATION. 
          UM, I WILL ALSO ENCOURAGE YOU AS YOU HAVE OPPORTUNITIES, UM, WITH OUR LOCAL LEGISLATORS TO, TO MEET WITH THEM, KEEP THIS ISSUE TOP OF MIND FOR THEM. 
          UM, AND WHATEVER SUPPORT I CAN GIVE THEM, YOU CAN GIVE THEM WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED, I'M SURE. 
          UM, THE SECOND ISSUE IS, UM, IT'S, IT'S MORE OF A, A, A MINOR LEGAL ISSUE THAT IT'S, UH, BEEN ON MY MIND FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. 
          IN OUR CURRENT MINIMUM HOUSING CODE. 
          WE, UH, APPLY PENALTIES FOR NON-COMPLIANCE. 
          WE USE THOSE PENALTIES, UM, AS AN INCENTIVE INDUCEMENT FOR COMPLIANCE. 
          WE DO NOT USE THOSE PENALTIES, UM, TO, UM, TO, UH, MAKE LIFE WORSE ON FOLKS. 
          BUT IT REALLY HELPS TO GET PEOPLE'S ATTENTION WHEN WE HAVE A A, A PENALTY OF SOME CONSEQUENCE. 
          UM, RIGHT NOW, AND FOR MY ENTIRE CAREER, WE HAVE USED, UM, OUR, OUR GENERAL PENALTY AUTHORITY WITHIN THE GENERAL STATUTES. 
          I WOULD LIKE A LOCAL BILL THAT SPECIFICALLY TIES THE PENALTY TO THE, UM, HOUSING CODE, JUST TO MAKE IT CRYSTAL CLEAR AND I THINK MORE USER FRIENDLY FOR FOLKS LOOKING AT IT SO THEY CAN LINEARLY SEE THAT A VIOLATION OF THE HOUSING CODE TIES THEM TO A PENALTY IN THE STATUTE. 
          UM, INTERESTINGLY IN THE COMMERCIAL CODE SECTION OF THE STATUTES FOR COMMERCIAL UNFIT STRUCTURES, THE LEGISLATURE HAS THAT SECTION. 
          SO I SIMPLY WANT TO CUT AND PASTE THAT SECTION OVER INTO THE RESIDENTIAL SECTION. 
          AND THAT'S WHAT THIS BILL HAS FOR. 
          AND AGAIN, WHAT I MEANT FOR THE LEGISLATORS, UM, EXPLAIN THAT TO THEM AND I THINK THEY FULLY UNDERSTAND HOW THAT CAN HELP THE CITY AND HELP US, UM, YOU KNOW, RAISE THE QUALITY OF HOUSING IN OUR, IN OUR MORE BLIGHTED AREAS. 
          BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS. 
          I WOULD JUST SAY ON THE, UM, ITEM NUMBER 23, I BELIEVE, UH, SOMEONE FROM THE LEAGUE, UH, MUST HAVE VIEWED OUR MEETING, OUR RETREAT. 
          AND, UH, THEY 
          [01:35:01]
WERE INTRIGUED BY SOME OF OUR CONVERSATION ABOUT, UH, THE LEAGUE'S LACK OF REPRESENTATION ON THIS TOPIC. 
          THEY REACHED OUT TO A MUTUAL FRIEND OF MINE AND WANTED TO KNOW, UH, EXACTLY WHY THE LEAGUE WAS SPOKEN UNFAIRLY AT THE RETREAT. 
          AND THEY TOLD THEM THE REASON BEHIND IT AND OFFERED THE CONVERSATION TO BE HAD WITH ME. 
          AND I HAVE YET TO HEAR FROM ANYBODY THERE. 
          SO THE OFFER'S STILL THERE. 
          IF ANYBODY FROM THE LEAGUE WOULD LIKE TO CHAT ABOUT THIS, I'D BE HAPPY TO DO SO. 
          I'D PARTICULARLY LIKE THE LOBBYING ARM OF THE LEAGUE MUNICIPALITIES TO GIVE AN UPDATE TO US AND ANY OTHER SMALLER MUNICIPALITIES ON THE LOBBYING EFFORTS FOR THIS DOWN ZONING PROHIBITION BECAUSE IT HAS STIFLED NEW BERN AS WELL AS MULTIPLE SMALL JURISDICTIONS THROUGHOUT THE STATE, UH, UNNECESSARILY. 
          AND SO WITH THAT, I WOULD MAKE A MOTION TO, UH, ADOPT RESOLUTIONS IN ITEMS 23 AND 24. 
          I'LL SECOND THE MOTION. 
          WE HAVE A MOTION. 
          I SECOND. 
          IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. 
          LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN BRYANT. 
          YES. 
          ALDERMAN BRYANT? YES. 
          ALDERMAN NASTER. 
          YES. 
          ALDERMAN WHITE? YES. 
          ALDERMAN BEST? YES. 
          ALDERMAN OUTLAW. 
          YES. 
          ALDERMAN FERGUSON. 
          YES. 
          MAYOR ODOM? YES. 
          MOTION CARRIES. 
          IF YOU RECALL, WE SKIP ITEM NUMBER 25 AND THAT WAS PULLED. 
          SO WE'LL MOVE TO ITEM NUMBER 26. 
          CONSIDER ADOPT A 
          [26. Consider Adopting a Resolution Approving a Debt Management Policy.]
RESOLUTION APPROVING A DEBT MANAGEMENT POLICY. 
          MS. OSTROM. 
          GOOD EVENING. 
          THE EVENING. 
          NEXT STEPS IN THE BOND PROCESS IS TO OBTAIN A CREDIT RATING. 
          THE GOVERNMENT FI, THE GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICER'S ASSOCIATION AND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMISSION RECOMMEND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT'S ISSUED DEBT. 
          DEBT HAVE A WRITTEN BOARD APPROVED DEBT POLICY. 
          ALTHOUGH IT'S NOT REQUIRED BY STATUTE, IT DEMONSTRATES TO INVESTORS AND RATING AGENCIES THAT THE CITY HAS FOUND FISCAL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN IS CONSIDERED A FACTOR IN I BEING HIGH EXHIBIT RATINGS. 
          THIS POLICY PROVIDES A COMPREHENSIVE FRAMEWORK FOR THE RESPONSIBLE ISSUANCE AND MANAGEMENT OF DEBT IN ACCORDANCE WITH NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL STATUTES CHAPTER 1 59 AND THE OVERSIGHT REQUIREMENTS OF THE LGC. 
          THE POLICY IS INTENDED TO ENSURE DEBT IS USED PRUDENTLY TO FINANCE LONG-TERM CAPITAL NEEDS, MAINTAIN FINANCIAL STABILITY AND CREDIT QUALITY, AND PROMOTE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN ALL POWERING DECISIONS. 
          IT IS REQUESTED THAT THE BOARD FORMALLY ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING THE DEBT MANAGEMENT POLICY. 
          DOES THE BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS? WELL, I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE A CLUE WHAT THIS DEBT MANAGEMENT POLICY IN ITS ENTIRETY IS. 
          UM, UH, COULD YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT IT? I'M SORRY, I, I'M REMISS THAT I MAYBE SHOULD KNOW MORE THAN I KNOW ABOUT WHAT THIS IS. 
          IS THERE A CESSATION IN SOME, SOME POLICY WE HAVE AND AN INCLUSION OF THIS? AND I, SO BASICALLY IT SETS, UM, STANDARDS FOR BORROWING AND IT COMPLIES WITH ALL OF THE RULES AND REGULATIONS WITHIN THE STATE. 
          WE HAVE, UM, BENCHMARKS SO THAT WE'RE NOT, IS THIS ALL GOVERNMENT? IS THIS LGC WANTING THIS DONE WELL? WE'RE, UM, GETTING READY TO GO FOR OUR CREDIT RATING AND IN ORDER FOR US TO GET A POTENTIALLY HIGHER RATING, IT'S BEST THAT WE HAVE THE DEBT POLICY, THAT MANAGEMENT POLICY SAYING THAT WE, UM, ARE RESPONSIBLE WITH, YOU KNOW, OUR BORROWING. 
          I MEAN, IS THIS MORE FROM A BOND RATING STANDPOINT OR IS IT MORE FROM A INSTITUTIONAL BANKING STANDPOINT? IS THIS LGC? WHAT, WHO, WHO, WHY, WHO WANTS US TO DO THIS BESIDES US? I MEAN, WE OBVIOUSLY WANT BETTER RATING, BUT, RIGHT. 
          SO, UM, WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THIS DONE SO THAT WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT HELPS US MAKE BETTER DECISIONS OR EDUCATIONAL DECISIONS. 
          UM, WHEN WE ARE ISSUING DEBT, IT FORCES US TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHERE WE'RE AT. 
          MM-HMM . 
          UM, WHAT ARE, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT WE DO HAVE THE, UM, CAPACITY AND THE AFFORDABILITY. 
          UM, IT LOOKS AT LONG TERM, NOT JUST COURAGE. 
          MM-HMM . 
          AND, UM, THE, UM, NOT ONLY FOR THE, THE BOND OR FOR THE RATING, THE CREDIT RATING, BUT IT WAS RECOMMENDED BY THE BOND, UM, ATTORNEY AS WELL AS, UH, DAVENPORT, WHO WAS ONE OF OUR FINANCIAL ADVISORS. 
          MM-HMM . 
          THROUGH THAT BOND PROCESS, WE WENT AHEAD AND PULLED, UM, MULTIPLE MUNICIPALITIES, DEBT MANAGEMENT POLICIES MM-HMM . 
          AND REVIEWED THOSE, RAN IT  STATUTE AND AS WELL AS THE, UM, BEST PRACTICES AND 
          [01:40:03]
DESIGNED THIS, RAN IT, UM, KIND OF GET AN OVERVIEW OF IT WITH, UH, THE, THE CONSULTANTS. 
          AND THEN IT WAS, IT WAS LESS, YEAH, I MEAN, I'M JUST, UH, I'M JUST PLAN AHEAD. 
          LIKE IF, I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT THING IF IT'S PROPERLY LEVERAGED. 
          UM, AND THE CITY OF NEWBURN WOULDN'T BE WHERE IT WAS IF WE HAD NOT BORROWED MONEY AT SPECIFIC TIMES FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS. 
          SO, UM, I MEAN, ANYTIME IN A FIDUCIARY DUTY OF A CITY, IT'S GREAT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT POLICY AND PROCEDURE, BUT I, I'M, I'M NOT INTERESTED IN A DEBT MANAGEMENT POLICY THAT PRECLUDES OR IMPEDES OUR ABILITY TO, TO USE FINANCIAL MEANS, WHAT THEY MIGHT BE FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT. 
          GOOD. 
          FOR THE, FOR THE CITIZENRY. 
          I MEAN, IS THAT, IS THIS IN ANY WAY, UM, APPROVING A DEBT MANAGEMENT POLICY? I, I MEAN, DOES THAT IN ANY WAY LIMIT US FROM WHAT WE CAN DO? NO, IT MAKES US STEP BACK AND TAKE A LOOK AT IF WE CAN AFFORD IT, WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH A PROCESS. 
          WE HAVE TO RUN SOME, UM, TESTS. 
          AND IF WE FALL BELOW THOSE BENCHMARKS, THEN IT'S UP TO THE BOARD TO DECIDE TO MOVE FORWARD. 
          IF WE FALL, IF WE ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, KIND OF GETTING INTO THE, UM, CROSSING THAT LINE, THAT BENCHMARK LINE, THEN IT DOESN'T SAY THAT WE CAN'T BORROW IT. 
          JUST, IT'S CONVERSATION. 
          IT'S AWARENESS. 
          IT FORCES US TO CREATE, TO BE, TO PROCESS THESE, UM, CALCULATIONS AND ASSESS WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN AFFORD IT AND GIVE YOU THAT INFORMATION SO THAT YOU CAN MAKE, UM, THE BEST DECISION. 
          OKAY. 
          WELL THANK YOU FOR ALL THE INFORMATION. 
          I'M STILL DRAWING A BLANK ON IT, BUT THAT'S JUST ME. 
          BUT KIM, DON'T WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO FOLLOW UNDER NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL STATUTE AND WE HAVE TO BE, UH, APPROVED I MAY SAY BY THE LCGC, CORRECT? CORRECT. 
          OKAY. 
          IS THERE ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR IN HERE THAT, WELL, I JUST THINK WE DID A PRETTY GOOD JOB OF, UH, YOU KNOW, AS A BOARD THROUGH THE YEARS BETWEEN THE 35% FUND BALANCE THAT WE TYPICALLY KEEP AND, UM, JUST OUR DAYS ON HAND WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE ELECTRIC ENTERPRISE FUND. 
          AND THAT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT SUBJECT. 
          THAT IS UNFORTUNATE FOR WHAT IT IS. 
          I JUST THINK WE DO A GREAT JOB AND I THINK FROM A FORECASTING STANDPOINT, I KNOW OF A LOT OF PROJECTS IN THE LAST 20 YEARS, WE SHOULD HAVE NEVER DONE. 
          WE DID, WE INCENTIVIZE THINGS AND WE BORROWED MONEY WE SHOULD HAVE NEVER DONE. 
          AND THE CITY OF NEWBURG IS, IN MY OPINION, IN REALLY GREAT SHAPE BECAUSE WE TOOK THE LEAD, YOU KNOW, AND I DON'T WANT ANY DEBT MANAGEMENT POLICY WHEN I THINK WE'RE PRETTY FISCALLY SOUND LIMITING OUR ABILITY TO, YOU KNOW, TO, I I MEAN, I I DON'T READ THE POLICY AS LIMITING THIS BOARD TO THE EXTENT IT DOES, BUT WE CAN CHANGE THAT. 
          I, THE POLICY IS MY, UNDER MY UNDERSTANDING FROM READING IT, SO PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IS GUIDANCE FOR YOUR DEPARTMENT WHEN TALKING ABOUT GOING OUT TO DEBT AND ISSUING DEBT AND IT COMES BEFORE THIS BOARD OVER CERTAIN THRESHOLDS THAT ARE NOT THE PAY AS YOU GO. 
          CORRECT? CORRECT. 
          AND SO WE HAVE ULTIMATE CONTROL OVER IT. 
          MM-HMM . 
          UM, YEAH. 
          AND SO I, I SEE THIS AS MORE OF A CHECKS AND BALANCE, FRANKLY, SOMETHING THAT IS PROBABLY A CODIFICATION OF WHAT KIM IS ALREADY DOING, AND SO IS PUTTING PEN TO PAPER FOR HER DEPARTMENT, AND THEN WE GET THE BENEFIT BY GETTING POINTS ON OUR BOND RATING BY HAVING AN ADOPTED WRITTEN POLICIES. 
          THAT'S HOW I READ THIS. 
          IS THAT VERY ACCURATE? UH, WITH THAT I WOULD MOVE TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE DEBT MANAGEMENT PLAN MANAGEMENT POLICY AS PRESENTED. 
          SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. 
          IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? I WOULD JUST LIKE TO MAKE ONE COMMENT. 
          ALDERMAN OUTLAW ONE, ONE EXAMPLE, I I COULD GIVE, UH, IN THE PAST ON PREVIOUS BOARDS WHERE WE WOULD, THE BOARD WOULD APPROVE CAPITAL PURCHASES OF 12 POLICE CRUISERS AND A BACKHOE. 
          AND WE WERE ALL UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT WE WERE GOING TO GO OUT AND GET DEBT SERVICE AND FINANCING FOR THAT. 
          AND PREVIOUS FINANCE DIRECTORS MADE THE UNILATERAL DECISION THAT THEY DIDN'T WANNA DO THAT, SO THEY PAID FOR IT. 
          WELL, NOW IF WE'RE DOING, IF THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING, I THINK WILL THIS, WILL THIS ON BOARD WITH THAT? WILL THIS NOT HELP GIVE YOU GUIDANCE IN THOSE SITUATIONS? IT DOES. 
          AND ACTUALLY IN THERE IT DOES TALK ABOUT, UM, CAPITAL PURCHASES LESS THAN $250,000. 
          IT DOESN'T SAY THAT WE CAN'T GET A RIGHT. 
          IT SAYS IT REQUIRES BOARD APPROVAL. 
          RIGHT? RIGHT. 
          BUT IT DOES, DOES 
          [01:45:01]
THAT HELP A LITTLE BIT? WELL, I MEAN, WHO, I ASSUME YOU ARE THE OVERSEER OF THIS, THIS NEW POLICY, RIGHT? MM-HMM . 
          OKAY. 
          ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONETHELESS, HAVE A ROLL CALL SORTING WITH ALDERMAN ASTOR. 
          ALDERMAN ASTOR. 
          YES. 
          ALDERMAN WHITE. 
          YES. 
          ALDERMAN BEST? YES. 
          ALDERMAN OUTLAW. 
          YES. 
          ALDERMAN FERGUSON. 
          YES. 
          ALDERMAN BRYANT? YES. 
          MAYOR M? YES. 
          MOTION CARRIES. 
          NEXT IS ITEM NUMBER 27. 
          CONSIDER ADOPT 
          [27. Consider Adopting an Ordinance to Amend Chapter 70, Section 70- 78 " One- Way Streets Established" to Add the 300 Block of New Street.]
ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 70, SECTION 70 DASH 78 1 WAY STREETS ESTABLISHED TO ADD THE 300 BLOCK OF NEW STREET, UH, MR. OFFICIAL. 
          GOOD EVENING, MAYOR ODOM AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. 
          I APPRECIATE THE TIME. 
          UH, THIS ITEM 27, UM, THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT PERFORMED AN EVALUATION OF THE 300 BLOCK OF, UM, NEW STREET, WHICH FALLS BETWEEN MIDDLE STREET AND CRAVEN STREET. 
          UM, WE LOOKED AT THE LAYOUT AND THE TRAFFIC, TRAFFIC OPERATIONS IN THIS AREA. 
          UM, WE ALSO LOOKED AT, AT THE STREET AS A WHOLE. 
          UM, THERE'S, IT IS GOT SOMEWHAT OF A UNIQUE STREET. 
          IT'S, IT'S ACTUALLY NOT A NEW STREET. 
          IT'S, IT'S A VERY OLD STREET. 
          SEEN A LOT OF CHANGE. 
          AND WHEN YOU LOOK AND IT HAS DIFFERENT WIDTHS AND DIFFERENT SECTIONS, WHEN YOU START, UM, AT THE 200 BLOCK IN, AT HANCOCK STREET, YOU HAVE A 36 FOOT WIDTH, TWO-WAY TRAFFIC AND MARKED ON STREET PARKING, UH, GEOMETRICALLY FUNCTIONALLY THAT WORKS, THE CARS FIT. 
          UM, AND IT OPERATES WELL. 
          THIS 300 BLOCK SECTION, THIS HAS A 23 AND A HALF FOOT, UH, ROADWAY WIDTH. 
          YOU HAVE CURRENTLY, IT OPERATES AS TWO-WAY TRAFFIC AND IT HAS MARKED ON STREET PARKING, UH, GEOMETRICALLY AND OPERATIONALLY THAT DOESN'T FIT. 
          YOU CAN'T GET ALL THREE, UM, SECTIONS IN IN THAT LAYOUT. 
          UM, AND THEN WE HAVE THE 200 BLOCK OF NEW STREET THAT GOES FROM CRAVEN TO, UH, EAST FRONT. 
          THAT IS AN 18 FOOT STREET WIDTH. 
          IT HAS, IT'S ONE WAY GOING EAST AND IT HAS, UM, ON STREET PARKING THAT DOES FIT GEOMETRICALLY TIGHT, BUT IT FITS. 
          UM, SO OUR RECOMMENDATION AND REQUEST TO, TO THE BOARD IS TO, UM, CHANGE THE, CHANGE THE 200 OR THE 300 BLOCK SECTION OF NEW STREET TO ONE WAY IN THE SAME DIRECTION THAT THE 200 BLOCK SECTION IS AND MODIFY THE ORDINANCE APPROPRIATELY. 
          BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS. 
          WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD ON ITEM NUMBER 27? HAS THIS BEEN, IS THE, THIS SECTION RUNS BESIDE THE CHURCH, CORRECT? YES. 
          THE CHURCH, THE, THE CHURCH IS THE ONE REQUESTING THIS BECAUSE OF, UM, TRAFFIC ELDERLY AND MOST OF THAT BLOCK ARE ALL BUSINESSES THAT MY UNDERSTANDING HAVE BEEN INFORMED AND DIDN'T REALLY HAVE AN ISSUE WITH IT. 
          BUT, SO I, I HAVE, I MEAN, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH IT. 
          AND I THINK THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS, THAT WAS BECAUSE IT'S REALLY JUST THIS BLOCK 300 BLOCK OF NEW TO CONNECT CORRECT. 
          CRAVEN TO CONNECT TO CRAVEN, RIGHT? YEP. 
          IT'S, IT'S, IT'S ONE BLOCK SECTION BETWEEN, UM, CRAVEN MIDDLE AND CRAVEN. 
          THANK YOU. 
          IS THAT BOTTOM BLOCK ON TO, JUST TO JUST CONTINUE THE EXISTING ONE WAY? CORRECT. 
          UH, MR. MAYOR, I WOULD MOVE TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 70, SECTION 70 78 1 WAY STREET ESTABLISHED TO ADD THE 300 BLOCK OF NEW STREET. 
          SECOND MOTION. 
          HAVE A MOTION A SECOND, SIR. 
          FURTHER DISCUSSION. 
          HEARING NONE, LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH DERMAN WHITE. 
          DERMAN WHITE. 
          YES. 
          DERMAN BEST? YES. 
          DERMAN OUTLAW. 
          YES. 
          DERMAN FERGUSON. 
          YES. 
          DERMAN BRYANT? YES. 
          DERMAN ASTER. 
          YES. 
          MAYOR ODOM? YES. 
          MOTION CARRIES. 
          OKAY. 
          BOARD. 
          THANK YOU DAVID. 
          UH, BOARD. 
          NEXT WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT 29 THROUGH 
          [Items 29 - 33]
33 TOGETHER. 
          ITEM NUMBER 29, CONSIDER DOCUMENT ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE 2019 ELECTRIC IMPROVEMENTS FUND. 
          NUMBER 30 IS TO DO THE SAME WITH THE TWO 12 K ROAD FUND. 
          31 IS SIMILAR WITH THE AMEND THE ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS FUND 32 IS TO IMPROVE, AMEND THE ENTITLEMENT CITIES COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FUND, AND THEN 33 IS CONSIDERED BUDGET ORDINANCE. 
          ORDINANCE AMENDMENT FOR FY 26, WHICH I ASSUME CAPTURES 29 3 32 MS. O. 
          OKAY. 
          THE 2019 ELECTRIC IMPROVEMENTS FUND IS AMENDED TO ACCOMMODATE THE N-C-D-O-T ROADWAYS IMPROVEMENTS OF 
          [01:50:01]
LOCATING ELECTRIC INFRASTRUCTURE. 
          N-C-O-D-N NC DOT HAS AGREED TO REIMBURSE THE CITY FOR THIS WORK. 
          THE AMENDMENT INCREASES THE PROJECT FUND BY $3,937,630, TOTALING $10,103,992 FOR NC DOT REIMBURSABLE PROJECTS. 
          THE KALE ROAD PROJECT FUND IS AMENDED TO TRANSFER $20,000 FROM THE ELECTRIC FUND TO COVER EXPENSES THAT HAVE EXCEEDED THE ORIGINAL FINANCING AMOUNT OF 2.2 MILLION. 
          THE ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS FUND IS AMENDED TO ACKNOWLEDGE A TRANSFER FROM THE GENERAL FUND IN THE AMOUNT OF $400,000 IN REDUCTION OF MOTOR VEHICLE FEE REVENUE IN THE SAME AMOUNT. 
          THIS AMENDMENT REFLECTS THE CHANGE IN HOW REVENUE FOR THE MOTOR VEHICLE FEE IS RECORDED. 
          THE AUDITOR PREFERS THAT THE REVENUE IS RECORDED IN THE GENERAL FUND AND SUBSEQUENTLY TRANSFERRED TO THE PROJECT FUND. 
          THE ENTITLEMENT CITY'S COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT, CDBG IS AMENDED TO RECOGNIZE THE FY 25 CDBG AWARD IN THE AMOUNT OF $260,903. 
          AND THEN AS PREVIOUSLY INDICATED IN THE AMENDMENTS TO THE PROJECT FUNDS ABOVE, THE GENERAL FUND IS AMENDED BY $400,000 TO REFLECT THE MOTOR VEHICLE REVENUE ALONG WITH THE TRANSFER TO THE ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS FUND. 
          AND THE ELECTRIC FUND IS AMENDED TO TRANSFER $20,000 FROM OPERATING EXPENSES TO THE TWO 12 KIL ROAD PROJECTS. 
          IT IS REQUESTED THAT THE BOARD FORMALLY ADOPT THE FIVE BUDGET ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS IN FRONT OF YOU. 
          DOES BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS? IF NOT, WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD ON ITEMS 29 THROUGH 33? MAY I HAVE A, UM, OR A STATEMENT, UM, SINCE WE ARE, WE'RE CLASSIFYING ALL OF THESE TOGETHER, UM, DO THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS, DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU NEED SOME CLARIFICATION ON EACH ONE OF THESE LINE ITEMS OF WHY IT IS BEING HANDLED IN THIS MANNER? I DON'T NEED CLARIFICATION, UM, NECESSARILY, BUT JUST IN GENERAL, IS IT PUTTING OUR BUDGET IN A STRAINED POSITION? IS THERE ANY REASON TO BELIEVE WHY THIS WOULD BE AN IRRESPONSIBLE FINANCIAL MOVE TO DO THIS? OKAY. 
          SO GOING UP TO THE FIRST ONE, N-C-D-O-T, THAT'S REIMBURSABLE. 
          WE'RE JUST INCREASING THE BUDGET TO COVER THE EXPENSES AND WE WILL GET THAT REIMBURSED BACK. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, AND THEN FOR THE KALE ROAD, THERE IS $20,000 FOR SOME EXPENSES. 
          UM, I THINK IT WAS THE INCREASE IN CONCRETE ABOUT $16,000, AND THEY'RE ESTIMATING ABOUT $4,000 FOR, UM, ADDITIONAL MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES AS THEY GET READY TO MOVE INTO THE BUILDING. 
          UM, THE ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS, THERE'S NOT REALLY ANY NET CHANGE, IT'S JUST SETTING THE, UM, BUDGET UP SO THAT IT, IT CORRELATES WITH HOW THE AUDITOR WANTS US TO ACCOUNT FOR IT. 
          UM, AND THEN FOR THE NEXT ONE, WE'RE JUST RECEIVING GRANT. 
          AND THE GENERAL FUND IS THE SAME AS ABOVE. 
          OTHER THAN IT'S THE OTHER SIDE OF ALL OF THOSE TRANSACTIONS THAT DID COME FROM THE GENERAL FUND. 
          SO, NO, WE'RE, I DON'T, THERE'S NO ISSUE. 
          THANK YOU, KIM. 
          YOU'RE WELCOME. 
          THANK YOU ALL. 
          INVEST ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION WITH ANOTHER YES, I DO. 
          I'M SORRY. 
          . 
          KIM, CAN YOU JUST BRIEFLY, UM, TELL, UH, ELABORATE ON THE, THE CDBG THAT THIS IS FUNDS THAT WE'RE, WE RECEIVE YEARLY BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN CLASSIFIED AS AN ENTITLEMENT CITY OR WHATEVER, HOWEVER YOU WANT TO PUT IT. 
          YEAH, THAT'S, UM, THIS IS THE PART OF THE FEDERAL FUNDING THAT, UH, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES TALKED ABOUT EARLIER. 
          SO, UM, WE RECEIVED THIS FUNDING BECAUSE WE ARE CONSIDERED ENTITLEMENT CITY, ALTHOUGH WE'RE NOT $50,000 OR 50,000, UM, IN POPULATION. 
          SO WE HAVE A, UM, AND THIS IS GOING FOR SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT THEY HAVE, I BELIEVE IS THE SISTER'S HOUSE, UM, CATHOLIC CHARITIES. 
          AND THEN SO, SO THIS, THIS IS TIED INTO THE FIVE YEAR ANNUAL ACTION PLAN AS WELL. 
          UM, AND NORMALLY THIS BOARD WILL SEE THOSE PLANS IN THE SPRING OF EACH YEAR FOR, FOR THE, FOR THE COMING YEAR. 
          WE WERE A LITTLE LATE RECEIVING THE ALLOCATION THIS YEAR AS WELL. 
          ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? MR. MAYOR? I WOULD MOVE TO ADOPT THE FIVE BUDGET ORDINANCES IN ITEMS 29, 30, 31, 32 AND 33 IS PRESENTED. 
          SECOND MOTION. 
          I HAVE A MOTION A SECOND. 
          IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? 
          [01:55:01]
HEARING NONE? LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN BEST? ALDERMAN BEST, YES. 
          DERMAN OUTLAW. 
          YES. 
          ALDERMAN FERGUSON. 
          YES. 
          ALDERMAN BRYANT? YES. 
          DERMAN ASTER? YES. 
          ALDERMAN WHITE? YES. 
          MAYOR ODOM? YES. 
          MOTION CARRIES. 
          NEXT UP IS APPOINTMENTS. 
          UH, DOES 
          [34. Appointment( s).]
THE BOARD HAVE ANY APPOINTMENTS TO MAKE? MAYOR? I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, I WOULD LIKE TO APPOINT MR. GARY WILLIAMS TO THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS. 
          SECOND. 
          WE HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND. 
          IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. 
          ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. 
          AYE. 
          AYE. 
          ANY OPPOSED? HE IS HEREBY APPOINTED. 
          ANY OTHER APPOINTMENTS? WE GOTTA PUT SOMEONE ON THE MPI. 
          BUT YOU SEE WHO'S GONNA DRAW STRAWS HERE. 
          WHO WOULD LIKE TO SERVE ON THE MPO? IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S AN EXCITING TIME TO BE ON THERE WITH SOME CHANGES FORTHCOMING THAT YOU COULD REPRESENT THE CITY. 
          THEY ONLY MEET ONCE, UH, SIX TIMES A YEAR. 
          LIKE EVERY OTHER MONTH. 
          I THINK IT IS ABOUT ONCE A QUARTER. 
          ONCE A QUARTER. 
          OH, ONCE A QUARTER, ONCE A MONTH. 
          AND OCCASIONALLY. 
          OCCASIONALLY THEY MAY HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING HERE OR THERE. 
          SO THAT'S ON WITH THE IMPORTANT ONE BEING NEXT WEEK, FEBRUARY 19TH, WHERE THEY'RE NEGOTIATING THE MOU. 
          YEAH, THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH OTHER MUNICIPALITIES MIGHT BE A BIG ONE. 
          NOT MISS ALL. 
          BRIAN, WOULD ANYBODY LIKE TO SERVE ON THIS BOARD? I, IF NO ONE ELSE VOLUNTEERS, I'M FINE TO DO IT. 
          WE TALK. 
          SO YOU NEED A MOTION FOR YES, PLEASE MAKE MOTION. 
          AR WOULD FIRST, SECOND, SECOND . 
          ALRIGHT. 
          AND A THIRD AND A FOURTH AND A FIFTH TOO. 
          SO, UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. 
          A AYE. 
          ANY OPPOSED? CONGRATULATIONS. 
          ARMY FIRST. 
          YEAH. 
          MR. MAYOR, I WOULD MOVE TO APPOINT ALDERWOMAN BRYANT AS MY ALTERNATE ON THE MPF. 
          SECOND. 
          I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND IS FURTHER DISCUSSION. 
          HEARING NONE. 
          ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. 
          AYE. 
          MR. MAYOR, ANYONE OPPOSED? OKAY, I JUST HAVE IT, MR. BARR, AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO TENDER MY RE I'M JUST KIDDING. 
          . 
          UM, I DO, I DO HAVE A QUESTION FOR, UH, STAFF. 
          I, I SEE CHARLIE LEFT. 
          DO WE KNOW WHO IS THE CURRENT, UM, BOARD REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE EMPA BOARD? OKAY, SO CHARLIE BACHAR IS, IS NUMBER ONE AND ALDERMAN ASKED HER IS THE ALTERNATE OKAY. 
          MORNING. 
          YEAH. 
          WHEN, WHEN ARE THOSE, UM, ARE THOSE TERMS, DO THEY EXPIRE OR IS IT AT THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? DO WE KNOW BY CHANCE IS AT THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? AND NOW CERTAINLY LET YOU TAKE IT IF YOU WANT IT. 
          UM, I THINK IT SOUNDS LIKE ALL, I MEAN, UNLESS MAYOR WANTS, UH, I BELIEVE, UH, ALDERMAN OUTLAW WOULD BE A GREAT ASSET. 
          I THINK ALDERMAN DOING A GREAT JOB. 
          I'M SURE I'LL BE GLAD THAT THAT STATE WITH, BUT I, I MEAN, AND I DON'T MIND SERVING, BUT REALLY ALDERMAN, I'M SURE THE KE ADVISORY IS NICK KEMP ADVISORY BOARD, THE KEMP. 
          I MAKE A MOTION THAT ALL AN OUTLAW, UH, SERVES AS THE KEA ADVISORY BOARD AS THE SECOND, AS THE ALL. 
          OKAY. 
          WE HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND FURTHER DISCUSSION. 
          ARE YOU TENDERING A RESIGNATION? YES. 
          AND AT THE SAME TIME, I'LL TENDER MY RESIGNATION. 
          THAT'S PART OF HIS MOTION. 
          EVERYBODY CLEAR ON THE MOTION? ALDERMAN ASHER IS RESIGNING FROM HIS ALTERNATE POSITION ON THE KEA AND APPOINTING ALDERMAN OUTLAW. 
          ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. 
          A AYE. 
          ANY OPPOSED? CONGRATULATIONS ALDERMAN OUTLAW. 
          ANY MORE APPOINTMENTS TODAY? I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT, BUT ANYWAY, THANK YOU. 
          YOU'LL BE GOOD ON THERE. 
          OKAY. 
          I DON'T SEE ANY MORE APPOINTMENTS. 
          DO WE HAVE AN ATTORNEY'S 
          [35. Attorney's Report.]
REPORT? UH, YES, SIR. 
          MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. 
          UH, TWO QUICK ISSUES. 
          UM, ONE, UM, YOU MENTIONED I BELIEVE MUNICIPALITIES, I'VE GOT A CALL TOMORROW WITH ONE OF THE ATTORNEYS THERE. 
          I WILL INQUIRE ABOUT THEIR EFFORTS ON THE DOWN ZONING BILL AND WHAT THEIR THOUGHTS ARE IF I CAN'T GET SOMETHING FROM THEM AS TO WHERE THEIR HEAD IS ON THIS. 
          UM, SECONDLY, AND, AND PLEASE, PLEASE CONVEY MY APOLOGIES FOR ANY HURT FEELINGS THAT MY COMMENTS I IRIE MIGHT HAVE MADE TO THE LEAGUE THAT NO, NO WORSE THAN MY COMMENTS, I ASSURE. 
          UM, THE, THE OTHER ISSUE I JUST OFFER IN THE SPIRIT OF, UH, MEETING EFFICIENCY, UM, YOU PROBABLY NOTICED HOW ROBUST YOUR AGENDA HAS BECOME BY CONSOLIDATING, UM, THE MEETINGS EACH MONTH TO ONE. 
          UM, I KNOW STAFF, UM, IS, UM, VERY SENSITIVE TO USING THE TOOL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, UM, TO AVOID ANYTHING THAT IS REMOTELY SUBSTANTIVE. 
          SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT YOUR CONSENT AGENDA, YOU WILL ONLY SEE PROCEDURAL ISSUES CALLING FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS AND HEARINGS, INITIATING UPSET BID PROCESSES, PROCEDURAL VERSUS SUBSTANTIVE. 
          SUBSTANTIVE MEANING WE HEREBY ADOPT X, Y, OR Z. 
          UM, TWO THINGS FOR YOU TO THINK ABOUT. 
          AND I DON'T NEED DIRECTION TONIGHT. 
          I JUST, I'M PLANTING THIS SEED AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT NEXT MONTH. 
          AGAIN, UM, ONE THING THAT JUMPS OUT AT ME IS, UH, YOUR MUTUAL AID AGREEMENTS. 
          WE ALREADY HAVE A STANDING POLICY WHERE THE BOARD IS NOT INVOLVED IN APPROVING MUTUAL AID AGREEMENTS THAT COMPORT TO MY 
          [02:00:01]
FORM THAT OTHER LOCAL AGENCIES USE WITH US. 
          WHEN YOU USE MY FORM, YOU'VE APPROVED MY FORM. 
          SO WHEN CHIEF OR ANYBODY ELSE LOCALLY WANTS TO, TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT USING OUR FORM, IT STAFF HAS THE AUTHORITY TO SIGN THAT THE CHIEF HAS THAT AUTHORITY. 
          BUT WHAT HAPPENS THERE ARE OUTSIDE AGENCIES, OFTENTIMES FEDERAL AGENCIES THAT HAVE NO INTEREST IN LOOKING AT MY FORM. 
          THEY WANT TO USE THEIR FORM. 
          UM, AND THOSE ISSUES HIT YOUR AGENDA. 
          MY THINKING IS WHEN WE DO ONE OF THOSE FOR THE FIRST TIME, YOU MIGHT WANNA LOOK AT IT, BUT THE TWO ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT ARE LEGACY AGREEMENTS WHERE NOTHING MATERIAL IS CHANGING AT ALL EXCEPT THE NAME OF THE NEW PERSON THAT IS SIGNING IT EFFECTIVELY. 
          OR, OR, OR CHANGES THAT ARE SO MINOR THAT THEY DON'T DO ANYTHING SUBSTANTIVE. 
          SO THOSE WOULD BE TWO KIND EXAMPLES OF, OF CONTRACTS THAT COULD GO ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. 
          OBVIOUSLY YOU ARE ALWAYS FREE TO PULL 'EM OFF IF, IF THEY FEEL MORE ROBUST THAN THAN YOU THINK OR YOU WANT TO DISCUSS IT. 
          UM, ANOTHER CATEGORY ARE THE, THE, UM, APPROVING THE FINAL SALES. 
          YOU KNOW, YOU'VE INITIATED THE UPSET BID PROCESS PROCEDURALLY, SO YOU'VE SEEN THAT INFORMATION, UM, ON, YOU KNOW, ON AN EARLIER AGENDA. 
          BY THE TIME IT GOES THROUGH THE PROCESS, YOU'VE NOW SEEN WHETHER OR NOT THERE ARE ANY UPSET BIDS. 
          UM, SO THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT IS YES, SUBSTANTIVE. 
          BUT ON THE, ON THE SCALE OF IMPORTANCE, FAIRLY MINOR. 
          AND AGAIN, THOSE ARE JUST TWO EXAMPLES. 
          THERE ARE PROBABLY MORE, I'M JUST PLANTING THE SEED ON WAYS THAT YOU MIGHT MAKE YOUR MEETINGS MORE EFFICIENT GOING FORWARD. 
          ENOUGH, SIR, ANYTHING ELSE? I, I JUST, I MEAN I WILL COMMENT ON THE EFFICIENCY ASPECT OF THOSE TWO RECOMMENDATIONS. 
          I, I DON'T KNOW IF LOOKING AT OUR POLICY, I DON'T THINK THAT'S REQUIRED TO BE CODIFIED IN THE POLICY FOR THAT. 
          BUT I, I WOULD STRONGLY URGE STAFF IF THIS BOARD IS OKAY WITH THAT, MOVING THE FINAL SALES AND THE MOUS TO CONSENT AGENDA FOR EFFICIENCY. 
          AND I THINK THERE'S PROBABLY OTHER THINGS WHEN IT'S ESSENTIALLY A RUBBER STAMP THAT IT'S NOT CONTROVERSIAL, UM, HISTORICALLY VOTED ON UNANIMOUSLY, THOSE SORT OF THINGS. 
          IF YOU WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT A, PROBABLY A, A TOO MUCH OF A ROBUST CONSENT AGENDA, YOU COULD LOOK AT GREENVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA. 
          UH, I LOOKED AT THEIRS LAST NIGHT AND, UM, IT WAS VERY INTERESTING TO SEE, BUT, WELL, EXACTLY, AND, AND POINT TAKEN. 
          OBVIOUSLY WHEN TRANSPARENCY WE WANT, WE WANT DISCUSSIONS AND INSIGHT ON THINGS THAT ARE WORTH, UH, REFLECTING UPON. 
          BUT THOSE, TONIGHT, THOSE WERE TWO CATEGORIES OF EXAMPLES WHERE THERE'S REALLY NOT MUCH TO TALK ABOUT AND YOU ALWAYS HAVE THE OPTION. 
          SO WHAT WE MIGHT DO, UM, WITH A LITTLE DIRECTION THAT I WASN'T EXPECTING TONIGHT ON YOUR NEXT AGENDA, TO THE EXTENT WE HAVE THOSE KIND OF THINGS, PUT 'EM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, SEE HOW IT PLAYS, CAN ALWAYS, CAN ALWAYS BACK UP. 
          AND AS YOU ENCOUNTER MORE OF THESE EXAMPLES, WE CAN START SHIFTING THOSE THINGS OVER AS WELL TO GIVE YOU MORE TIME TO REALLY DISCUSS THE ISSUES THAT REQUIRE SOME DEBATE AND DISCUSSION. 
          OKAY. 
          ANYTHING ELSE? NO, SIR. 
          THANK YOU. 
          OKAY. 
          CITY MANAGER'S 
          [36. City Manager' s Report.]
REPORT A FEW THINGS TO, TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON. 
          FIRST. 
          FIRST IS WINTER STORM, UH, GIANNA, UH, THAT 35 PLUS YEARS SINCE WE'VE HAD THAT MUCH SNOW. 
          SO I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT OUR ELECTRIC UTILITY POLICE, FIRE DEPARTMENTS, OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT THROUGH THE WAREHOUSE AND FINANCE STAFF, OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AT PARKS AND RECREATION, DID THOSE FOLKS WORKED AROUND THE CLOCK FOR SEVERAL DAYS. 
          UM, WE DID HEAR SOME COMPLAINTS ABOUT PEOPLE WANTING TO SEE ALL OF THEIR STREETS NICE AND CLEAR WITHIN A DAY OR SO, BUT IT WAS REALLY IMPOSSIBLE. 
          BUT I REALLY DO APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK STAFF DID. 
          UH, AND IT WAS REALLY GOOD TO SEE ON WEDNESDAY ALL THE COMPLAINTS IF WE HAD ANY EVAPORATED. 
          'CAUSE ALL THE, ALL THE SNOW AND ICE HAD HAD EVAPORATED. 
          SO GREAT JOB TO THE STAFF ON THAT. 
          ALSO, GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF AN UPDATE, UH, FROM THE, UM, RETREAT WE HAD. 
          THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION ON THE ELECTION PROCESS, SO EMAILED YOU SOMETHING EARLIER AND YOU ALSO HAVE THAT IN FRONT OF YOU THIS EVENING. 
          SO, UH, I'M JUST GONNA GO OVER THIS AND THEN, UH, YOU CAN THINK ABOUT IT. 
          YOU CAN GIVE US DIRECTION ON HOW YOU WOULD LIKE TO PROCEED WITH THIS TONIGHT OR AT A DIFFERENT, ANOTHER TIME. 
          SO BASICALLY, UH, HOW THIS WORKS, YOU'VE GOT TWO OPTIONS. 
          ONE IS THE NON-PARTISAN ELECTION RUNOFF METHOD, WHICH YOU CURRENTLY ADHERE TO, OR YOU CAN GO TO THE NONPARTISAN PLURALITY METHOD WITH THE PLURALITY METHOD. 
          THE GENERAL ELECTION IS HELD IN NOVEMBER AND THERE IS NO PRIMARY, IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE WITH THE ELECTION AND RUNOFF METHOD, THERE ARE THREE OPTIONS. 
          WELL, FIRST YOU NEED TO DETERMINE WOULD YOU LIKE TO KEEP IT ON ODD YEARS OR DO YOU WANT TO GO TO AN EVEN YEAR? AND SO IF YOU WENT TO AN EVEN YEAR, IF, IF YOU LOOKED AT THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION YEAR, THE TERM WOULD BE SHORTENED BY ONE YEAR. 
          IF YOU WANTED TO GO WITH THE MIDTERM ELECTION, WHICH WOULD BE 2030, THE TERM WOULD BE EXTENDED BY ONE YEAR. 
          AND THEN YOU HAVE THE OPTION OF DETERMINING 
          [02:05:02]
WOULD YOU LIKE THE ELECTION TO BE IN OCTOBER WITH A NOVEMBER RUNOFF. 
          AND IF YOU DO, UH, THE CITY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF THE OCTOBER ELECTION, BUT YOU'RE ONLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE, THE BALLOT PORTION IF THE NOVEMBER, SINCE ALL THE OTHER ELECTIONS ARE TAKING PLACE AT THAT TIME, OR OPTION B MARCH ELECTION AND NOVEMBER FOR THE RUNOFF. 
          AND IN THAT INSTANCE, THERE WOULD BE NO ADDITIONAL COST OTHER THAN WHAT THE PORTION IS FOR THE COST OF BALANCE. 
          AND THEN THE FINAL OPTION IS A NOVEMBER ELECTION WITH A POTENTIAL DECEMBER RUNOFF. 
          NOW, THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS DOES NOT PREFER THIS ONE BECAUSE THERE'S NO OTHER ELECTION IN THE STATE IN DECEMBER. 
          ALSO, THE ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING FOR THE GOVERNING BOARD OCCURS IN DECEMBER. 
          UM, WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO THE ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING IF THERE WAS A RUNOFF UNTIL THE VOTE WAS CERTIFIED, WHICH WOULD PUSH THAT TO JANUARY. 
          BUT I WANTED TO GIVE YOU ALL OF THESE OPTIONS. 
          THE NOVEMBER ELECTION WOULD BE A, THERE WOULD BE NO CHARGE FOR THAT OTHER THAN THE COST OF THE BALLOT, BUT THE RUNOFF WOULD BE, WOULD, THERE WOULD BE A COST. 
          JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, EACH ELECTION WE HAD THIS YEAR WAS APPROXIMATELY 45 OR $46,000. 
          AND SO, AND 3, 4, 5 YEARS THAT THAT COST COULD GO UP, WE WON'T KNOW WHAT THAT WILL BE UNTIL WE GET TO THAT POINT. 
          SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM. 
          BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS? IS THAT ALL YOU HAVE, SIR? NO. 
          GOT ONE MORE THING. 
          AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO ASK MR. REGINALD BARNER WITH THE HOUSE AUTHORITY TO COME UP AND GIVE US A BRIEF UPDATE ON THE CNI GRANT AND HOW THAT'S GOING. 
          EXCUSE ME. 
          UH, BEFORE WE MOVE TO MR. BARNER, DO WE NEED TO GIVE SOME DIRECTION OR SOME DISCUSSION OR SOMETHING ON THE ELECTION? I I THINK THIS BOARD WANT TO LEAVE THIS. 
          YOU WANTED JUST LEAVE THAT OPEN OR, NO, I AGREE WITH AL, UH, WOMAN BETH, THAT I THINK THIS BEARS FURTHER DISCUSSION. 
          I I THINK IT ALSO BEARS PUBLICATION ON AN AGENDA, UH, FOR THE PUBLIC. 
          SO WE CAN HEAR DURING PUBLIC COMMENT WHAT, UH, THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE WHEN IT COMES TO THE ELECTIONS. 
          I THINK AT THE RETREAT WE ALL KIND OF VOICED OUR THOUGHTS. 
          UM, AND SO I, I WOULD MOVE TO ADD TO THE MARCH AGENDA, THIS DISCUSSION ABOUT A LOCAL BILL FOR CITY OF DUBIN ELECTIONS. 
          SECOND, THAT I HAVE A MOTION A SECOND. 
          IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? AND JUST TO CLARIFY, WOULD IT BE A LOCAL BILL OR WOULD THIS BE A CHARTER CHANGE? IT WOULD BE A LOCAL BILL, UM, TO ACCOMPLISH THAT. 
          AND THE CHARTER WOULD HAVE TO BE CHANGED IN ADDITION TO THAT? EXACTLY. 
          OKAY. 
          YEP. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. 
          AYE. 
          ANY OPPOSED? OKAY. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          GOOD EVENING. 
          GOOD EVENING. 
          UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR, UH, UH, ALLOWING ME TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE APPLICATION PROCESS THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON. 
          UH, FOR THE CNI APPLICATION, UH, FOR THE GOOD OF THE GROUP. 
          IT, THE DEADLINE FOR THE APPLICATION IS DUE MARCH 9TH. 
          OUR INTERNAL DEADLINE THAT WE'VE SET FOR OURSELVES IS MARCH 5TH. 
          UH, WE'VE MADE TREMENDOUS PROGRESS. 
          LAST WEEK WE HAD OUR GRANT WRITERS AND AND CONSULTANT TEAM IN TOWN. 
          WE SPENT A COUPLE OF DAYS, UH, MAKING SURE THAT WE GO THROUGH ALL OF THE PROCESSES WITH OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY PARTNERS, UH, BECAUSE, UH, WE'RE THE, WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF GETTING LEVERAGING LETTERS. 
          SO NOW IT'S WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD. 
          ON THIS APPLICATION, OUR GOAL IS TO APPLY FOR 26 MILLION. 
          THE TOTAL AMOUNT THAT IS AVAILABLE, UM, BASED ON THE FEDERAL NOFA IS 75 MILLION. 
          UH, HUD WILL ONLY ALLOW A COMMUNITY TO APPLY FOR UP TO 26 MILLION. 
          THEIR INTENT IS TO MAKE FOUR AWARDS. 
          UM, SO THE AWARD MAY BE LESS THAN NATURALLY THAT 26 MILLION, BUT THE WAY YOU DO IT IS YOU APPLY FOR THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT THAT IS AVAILABLE AND THEN LET THEM DECIDE IN THE REVIEW PROCESS. 
          'CAUSE WHAT YOU DON'T WANT TO DO IS APPLY FOR LESS, AND THEN WHEN THEY GO THROUGH THE REVIEW PROCESS, THEY CUT YOU DOWN. 
          SO OUR GOAL IS TO APPLY FOR THE FULL 26 MILLION. 
          THE CITY OF NEWBURN, UH, AS YOU ALL AGREED SOME TIME AGO, UH, IS THE LEAD APPLICANT. 
          THE HOUSING AUTHORITY IS THE, THE CO-APPLICANT. 
          UH, BUT YOU CAN'T APPLY WITHOUT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY BEING A PART OF IT. 
          BUT WE BELIEVE OUR APPLICATION IS A LOT STRONGER, UH, WITH THE CITY BEING THE LEAD APPLICANT. 
          AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS TO CONTINUE, UH, WITH NEW ALDERMAN ON BOARD THAT YOU ALL CONTINUE TO DO THAT. 
          I WANNA ALSO THANK JESSICA BECAUSE SHE HAS BEEN, UH, A TREMENDOUS ASSET IN THIS PROCESS OF, OF WORKING THROUGH THE MAZE OF, OF ZONING AND, AND, AND OTHER COMMUNITY LEADERS AND SUPPORT TO GET THEM ON BOARD. 
          SO I WANNA PUBLICLY THANK HER FOR ALL OF THE WORK THAT SHE'S DOING IN THIS APPLICATION PROCESS. 
          UM, WE, THE, THE PART THAT'S IMPORTANT NOW, UH, I KNOW THAT THERE'S DISCUSSION THAT'S GOING ON. 
          THERE'S LEVERAGING, AND THEN THERE'S MATCH. 
          AND SO WHERE WE 
          [02:10:01]
ARE IS COLLECTIVELY, UH, WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF, OF GETTING THOSE LETTERS. 
          AND SO WE'RE WORKING WITH THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB. 
          WE'RE WORKING WITH THE HOSPITAL, UM, SCHOOL DISTRICT, CRAVEN COUNTY, I MEAN CRAVEN, UM, UH, THE, THE COLLEGE. 
          UM, AND SO WE'RE WORKING WITH ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS. 
          LET ME BE ABLE TO, TO, TO SAY TODAY THAT WE HAD A MEETING THIS MORNING WITH OUR GRANT WRITER AND WE ARE MAKING, UH, AS SHE SAID, UH, WE'RE MAKING, THIS HAS BEEN ONE OF THE BEST PROCESSES THAT SHE'S BEEN A PART OF WITH COMMUNITIES, UH, MUCH LARGER THAN NEW BERN. 
          AND SO, UH, SHE, SHE, SHE, SHE CAN'T SPEAK ENOUGH OF THE SUPPORT THAT WE'VE GOTTEN AND, AND, AND THE COOPERATION FROM EVERYBODY WORKING TOGETHER IN THIS COMMUNITY. 
          UH, FOR THIS GRANT. 
          WE WILL, UH, AND, AND, AND FOSTER A TALK, TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS. 
          UH, BUT FROM THE CITY STANDPOINT, UH, AS WE LOOK AT THE ASK FROM YOU ALL, PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT ONCE THIS GRANT IS AWARDED, IT IS AN EIGHT YEAR PROCESS. 
          SO WHEN WE LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, WE'RE REALLY FORECASTING RESOURCES FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS. 
          THE INFRASTRUCTURE, ROADS, SIDEWALKS, A LOT OF THOSE COMMITMENTS COME FROM THE CITY STANDPOINT. 
          I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL AS IT RELATES TO THE THREE TARGET SITES THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON. 
          AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE'RE NATURALLY, WE'RE FOCUSED ON THE TRENT COURT SITE. 
          THE NEXT SITE WE'RE FOCUSED ON IS THE DAY'S INSIGHT THAT'S CURRENTLY OWNED BY YOU ALL. 
          UH, WE HAVE AN AGREED UPON LOI WITH HABITAT TO BE ABLE TO EXPAND THAT SITE THAT IF WE GET THIS GRANT TO PURCHASE, UH, THEIR FACILITIES THERE. 
          SO THAT WAY WE HAVE A MUCH LARGER SITE. 
          AND THEN THE OTHER IS IN DECEMBER, THE SCHOOL BOARD, UH, DID AGREE TO THE LOI WITH US TO, UH, PURCHASE THE, UH, FFR SITE. 
          AND SO, UH, A AGAIN, FROM THAT STANDPOINT, UH, THE FR DAN SITE, THE INFRASTRUCTURE ON THAT, BECAUSE IT'S ALL ON SITE, THERE'S NO MATCH OR ASSISTANCE WE'RE ASKING FROM, FROM THE CITY BECAUSE THAT WILL ALL COME WITHIN INSULATED WITHIN THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS ITSELF. 
          THE SAME WOULD EXIST WITH THE DAY'S INSIGHT. 
          WE WOULD NOT BE ASKING THE CITY FOR ANY MATCH OR ANY DIRECT SUPPORT ON INFRASTRUCTURE RELATED TO THE DAYS IN SITE. 
          HOWEVER, BECAUSE WE WANNA REROUTE, I IF YOU ALL REMEMBER THE, THE, UH, DESIGN AND THE PLANS BECAUSE OF THE, THE SIZE OF THE TR COURT SITE. 
          ONCE WE DEMO DEMOLISH ALL OF THOSE UNITS, AND I'LL SPEAK TO THAT, UH, AS WELL, UH, ALDERMAN FERGUSON. 
          'CAUSE I THANK YOU. 
          I'M, I'M GONNA ANSWER YOU BEFORE YOU ASK ME. 
          OKAY? THANK YOU. 
          UH, BUT YOU KNOW, SO AS PART OF THAT PROCESS, THE TRENT COURT SITE IS THE LARGEST SITE. 
          SO THE OTHER TWO, UH, THE, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE IS INSULATED WITHIN, UH, THE SITE ITSELF. 
          BUT WHERE WE NEED THAT SUPPORT AND LONG TERM MATCH, AND LET ME BE CLEAR AGAIN, THAT'S A LONG-TERM MATCH. 
          UH, SO WHEN YOU COMMIT THAT, I KNOW I'M ASKING YOU TO DO THAT WITH VISION AND FORESIGHT OF WHAT WE NEED TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. 
          BUT WE WOULD BE REDEVELOPING, TEARING UP THOSE STREETS. 
          YOU GOTTA KEEP IN MIND THAT THAT, THAT THOSE SEWER LINES AND THOSE WATER LINES HAVE BEEN THERE. 
          UM, NEW BERN HOUSING AUTHORITY UNDER HUD CODE IS, IS NC 0 0 5, WHICH MEANS IT WAS THE FIFTH HOUSING AUTHORITY STARTED IN THE STATE. 
          SO THOSE, THOSE, THAT INFRASTRUCTURE HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR A LONG TIME AND ALL OF THAT STUFF NEEDS TO BE TORN OUT. 
          AND SO THAT'S REALLY WHERE THIS ASK IF YOU WILL, FOR THE MATCH. 
          UH, AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE AMOUNT OF FUNDS, UH, THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THE TOTAL REDEVELOPMENT WITH EVERYTHING WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WOULD END UP BEING OVER A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS. 
          SO WHEN WE LOOK AT LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDITS, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE 40 SOMETHING MILLION DOLLARS COMING FROM FEMA, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE 20 SOME 26 MILLION POTENTIAL MAX WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. 
          SO WHEN WE LOOK AT ALL OF THAT PRIVATE FUNDS, BANK FINANCING, ALL OF THE INVESTMENT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, WE'RE, LOOK, WE'RE BASICALLY TALKING ABOUT A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS REDEVELOPMENT, WHAT WE ARE ASKING FOR IN THAT COMMITMENT INFRASTRUCTURE FROM THE CITIES AROUND $5 MILLION. 
          SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT LEVERAGING FROM THE LEVERAGING STANDPOINT, THAT'S REALLY A SMALL AMOUNT IN THE TOTAL SCHEME OF THINGS IN THE TOTAL REDEVELOPMENT THAT WE'RE ASKING OVER AN EIGHT YEAR PERIOD OF TIME. 
          SO AGAIN, WE'RE ASKING THAT IN ADVANCE, UH, AND AS WE GET THE AWARD, WHEN WE GET THE AWARD, 'CAUSE I'M CLAIMING IT. 
          SO WHEN WE GET THE AWARD, WE'LL BE COMING BACK TO YOU ALL AS WE PUT THE PLAN TOGETHER. 
          PLEASE KEEP IN MIND OUR FIRST GOAL IS THE OTHER TWO SITES. 
          SO THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THOSE OTHER TWO SITES, BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH, UH, 110 OF THOSE UNITS WERE DAMAGED DURING HURRICANE FLORENCE, WE STILL HAVE 108 
          [02:15:01]
FAMILIES STILL RESIDE IN THERE. 
          SO WE GOTTA BUILD OFFSITE AT THOSE OTHER TWO LOCATIONS TO BE ABLE TO MOVE THOSE FAMILIES OUT. 
          SO EVEN THOUGH WE ARE GONNA, THE GOAL IS TO DEMOLISH THE DAMAGE UNITS AS SOON AS, UH, WITHIN THIS YEAR, UH, WE STILL GOTTA GET THE AWARD, BUILD THOSE NEW UNITS AND THEN MOVE THOSE OTHER FAMILIES OUT IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO DEMOLISH THE REST OF IT. 
          SO TRENT COURT SITE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS COMMITMENT THAT WE'RE ASKING YOU FOR, IS REALLY GOING TO BE THE LAST SITE TO BE REDEVELOPED. 
          SO THIS FORESIGHT THAT YOU ALL WOULD BE APPROVING IS GOING TO BE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THAT FIVE AND EIGHT YEARS. 
          BUT BEFORE WE REALLY NEED ALL OF THAT COMMITMENT OF THOSE FUNDS. 
          AND SO, AS IT RELATES TO WHERE WE STAND IN THE TOTAL PROCESS WITH THE DEMOLITION, UH, WE HAD VERY GOOD MEETINGS WITH THE FEMA, UH, FOLKS BACK IN DECEMBER, LATE NOVEMBER. 
          UH, WHAT I PROPOSED AND WHAT THEY AGREED TO IS FOR US TO SEGREGATE OUT THE DEMOLITION, WHICH WAS THE PROBLEM WITH THE, UH, REDEVELOPMENT BECAUSE TR COURT IS IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT. 
          THAT'S WHERE THE PROBLEM WITH NORTH CAROLINA SHIPPO AND FEMA WAS COMING IN. 
          AND SO WHILE WE FOCUS ON THE FIRST REDEVELOPMENT AT THE, AS THOSE TWO OFF SITES, WHICH IS DAYS INN AND ANA, AND ONLY FOCUS RIGHT NOW AT TRENT COURT ON THE DEMOLITION, THAT'S WHAT WE SUBMITTED IN OUR PLAN. 
          TO THEM, THAT'S WHAT THEY AGREED TO. 
          SO THAT ALLOWS US TO SEGREGATE IT OUT. 
          AND BECAUSE WE ARE RIGHT NOW NOT FOCUSED ON REBUILDING ANYTHING ON THE, UH, TRENT COURT SITE, IT ALLEVIATES THE 1 0 6 PROCESS OF REBUILDING BACK ON THE TRENT COURT SITE RIGHT NOW. 
          THEY GAVE US, AND WE AGREED TO A 45 DAY, UH, PLAN TO PROVIDE THAT TO FEMA. 
          WE DID THAT ON JANUARY 29TH. 
          AND I HAVE A CALL WITH THEM, UH, THIS COMING WES, I MEAN, EXCUSE ME, THIS COMING THURSDAY MORNING AT 11 O'CLOCK. 
          AND SO, UH, I'LL BE HAPPY TO GIVE YOU ALL BY EMAIL AND THROUGH FOSTER AN UPDATE AFTER THAT CALL ON THURSDAY OF WHERE WE STAND. 
          BUT WE'RE IN A GOOD PLACE WITH THEM. 
          WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS AND WE'RE WORKING IN A COOPERATIVE FASHION, UH, WITH ONE GOAL. 
          AND THAT IS IN 2026 TO BRING DOWN. 
          THAT'S MY GOAL. 
          UH, SO I WANNA BE CLEAR FOR MEDIA COVERAGES. 
          OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE WE GET THE APPROVALS AND GET THOSE FLOOD DAMAGE UNITS DOWN IN 2026 WHEN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT UPDATE. 
          WHEN YOU SAY THEY APPROVED THE PLAN TO ESSENTIALLY SEGREGATE OUT THE DEMOLITION AND, UH, THE REBUILD SO THAT YOU CAN EFFECTUATE THIS WITHIN 2026 YES SIR. 
          WHO IS THEY? IS THAT SHIPPO AND FEMA OR, SO WE, WE ARE DEALING DIRECTLY WITH FEMA. 
          FEMA HAS HAD COORDINATION BECAUSE THEY'RE THE, THEY'RE, FEMA IS THE ENTITY THAT'S PUTTING IN THE FUNDS. 
          THEY'VE HAD CONVERSATION WITH THIS NORTH CAROLINA SHIPPO OFFICE TO BE IN AGREEMENT WITH THAT. 
          UH, THEY'VE, THEY AGREED, WHEN I SAY THEY, AGAIN, I'M TALKING, SHIPPO HAS AGREED WITH FEMA THAT THE CONCEPT IN THE PLAN THAT WE'VE PUT IN PLACE THAT'S ACCEPTABLE TO FEMA, UH, IS, IS, IS ACCEPTABLE TO THEM. 
          THEY WERE JUST WAITING ON OUR, OUR PLAN AND THE REASON WHY THEY'RE WAITING ON OUR PLAN. 
          WE STILL HAD TO SHOW WHERE BUILDINGS WERE GOING BACK, ELEVATION, SCHEMATIC DRAWINGS, FLOOR PLANS, UH, OF EACH OF THE BUILDINGS THAT WE WERE PLANNING TO COME BACK ON DAYS IN SITE. 
          SO WE PROVIDED ALL OF THAT DETAILED INFORMATION WITH COST ESTIMATES AT THAT JANUARY 29TH. 
          THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE WAITING ON. 
          SO CONCEPTUALLY THE MASTER PLAN WAS GOOD, BUT IT STILL DIDN'T GIVE THEM DETAILS, EXTERIOR ELEVATIONS, ALL OF THOSE THINGS. 
          AND THAT'S WHAT WE PRESENTED DURING OUR MEETINGS LAST WEEK WITH THE COMMUNITY, UH, AT THE OMEGA CENTER ON THURSDAY NIGHT AND WITH THE RESIDENTS ON WEDNESDAY EVENING, IS TO PROVIDE THE COMMUNITY ALSO WITH THOSE DETAILS OF WHAT THOSE FACILITIES WOULD LOOK LIKE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          HOW MUCH IN FEMA FUNDS WAS IT? SO THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF FEMA FUNDS IS OVER 40 MILLION. 
          THEY'VE ALREADY COMMITTED, UM, THEY ALREADY COMMITTED OVER 8 MILLION THAT WE'RE WORKING ON. 
          SO PART OF THE FUNDS THAT WE'RE USING FOR THIS MASTER PLAN, UH, IS COMING OUT OF THAT 8 MILLION THAT FEMA ALREADY PROVIDED TO US. 
          THEY'VE ALSO PROVIDED FUNDS FOR US TO REDEVELOP THE CHARLES TAYLOR BUILDING. 
          UH, BECAUSE AS YOU ALL KNOW, ONCE THE FLOOD HAPPENED WITH THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, UH, THE AGENCY'S BEEN OUT OF THEIR OFFICE. 
          SO WE, UH, HAVE ON THE STREET, ACTUALLY THE BIDS ARE ACCEPTED TOMORROW. 
          UH, SO WE ARE RECEIVING BIDS TO, UH, COMPLETELY REMODEL THE CHARLES TAYLOR BUILDING, WHICH WOULD ULTIMATELY BECOME THE HOUSING AUTHOR'S, NEW EXECUTIVE OFFICES. 
          AND THEN WE WOULD MOVE THERE FROM THE RENTAL SPACE THAT WE'RE IN NOW. 
          SO, 
          [02:20:01]
SO ALMOST 10 MILLION IS ALREADY BEEN COMMITTED, UH, TO THAT OVER THE 40 MILLION. 
          SO IT'LL BE ABOUT 30 MILLION LEFT THAT WILL GO TOWARDS THE REDEVELOPMENT. 
          SO EIGHT MILLION'S BEEN COMMITTED. 
          HOW MANY HAS ACTUALLY BEEN DRAWN DOWN? ABOUT A MILLION. 
          A LITTLE OVER A MILLION DOLLARS. 
          SO, AND, AND, AND WE, WE ARE NOT GOING TO UTILIZE, EVEN THOUGH THEY PUT 8 MILLION IN THE PLANNING PROCESS, WE WON'T USE ALDERMAN FERGUSON. 
          WE WON'T USE ALL OF THAT 8 MILLION. 
          THE GOOD THING IS WE DON'T LOSE IT. 
          SO WE'LL PROBABLY SPEND ABOUT 2 MILLION OF THOSE FUNDS IN THE PLANNING PROCESS WITH ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING FEES AND THOSE THINGS, AND THEN THE REMAINING FUNDS WOULD REVERT BACK TO THE ACTUAL VERTICAL CONSTRUCTION WHEN WE GET TO THAT POINT. 
          SO YOU'RE ASKING FOR THIS BOARD FOR US TO GIVE AUTHORIZATION FOR A LETTER OF LEVERAGE TO GO IN WITH THE C AND I GRANT APPLICATION FOR OUR POTENTIAL COMMITMENTS? YES, SIR. 
          OF ABOUT BEING FIVE, I THINK WE SAID ABOUT 5 MILLION IN YOUR FOSTER. 
          AND ALSO, REGGIE, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, YOU WERE LOOKING AT LEVERAGING, UH, OVER EIGHT TO 10 YEARS THROUGH THE ENTIRE CNI ZONE AS WELL. 
          IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. 
          AND SO, UM, AS WE MET WITH STAFF, WE LOOKED AT NOT ONLY THE REQUEST THAT THAT MR. BARNER MADE REGARDING THE THE STREET AND WATER SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, BUT ALSO PROJECTS THAT WE KNOW ARE GONNA BE GOING ON THROUGHOUT, UM, THAT AREA. 
          AND THEN IT'S BASICALLY THE REDEVELOPMENT ZONE AS WELL. 
          AND A GOOD MAJORITY OF THE DUFFY FIELD COMMUNITY. 
          AND SO BASED ON PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED SOME GRANTS FROM, THEY'RE ALREADY IN THE HOPPER. 
          SOME, SOME OF THE PROJECTS ALREADY HAVE RECEIVED, UM, ARE PART OF THE BOND PACKAGE. 
          SO WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA BE DOING THOSE THINGS. 
          WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, LEVERAGING APPROXIMATELY, UH, $15 MILLION IN PROJECTS OVER THE NEXT EIGHT TO 10 YEARS, PLUS THE ADDITIONAL AMOUNT FOR, UH, THE ROAD AND WATER SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE TO BE A TOTAL OF APPROXIMATELY $20 MILLION IN LEVERAGING FOR THIS PROJECT. 
          REGGIE, YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT, UM, UH, WHAT HAPPENS IF THIS GRANT IS NOT RECEIVED? SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PLAN B, UM, BECAUSE IF YOU ALL LOOK AT IT, FEMA IS GIVING US MONEY FOR REPLACEMENT OF THOSE UNITS. 
          AND SO I WANT TO PUT IT IN SIMPLE MATH FOR YOU IF I COULD. 
          UH, THE, THE NORTH CAROLINA HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY MANAGES, UH, THE FEDERAL FUNDS THAT COME INTO THE STATE, UH, FOR LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDITS. 
          THAT ALLOCATION IS AN ALLOCATION BASED ON THE PER CAPITA OF EACH STATE. 
          AND THEN THERE'S A DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT'S ATTRIBUTED TO IT. 
          SO WHEN WE GO AND APPLY FOR LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDITS, I WANT TO USE THE 9%, JUST SIMPLE MATH, JUST WORK WITH ME FOR A MINUTE. 
          SO IF I WAS USING THE 9% TAX CREDIT APPLICATION AND WE WERE LOOKING AT A PHASE OF THE REDEVELOPMENT, THAT'S $10 MILLION, THEN DO 9% OF THAT $10 MILLION, WHICH IS 900,000, THE TAX CREDITS ARE FOR 10 YEARS. 
          SO THEN THAT'S 900,000 TIMES 10. 
          SO THAT WOULD BE 9 MILLION. 
          SO IN A $10 MILLION DEVELOPMENT, IF WE WERE EVER LUCKY ENOUGH, AND YOU'RE NOT, BUT WE'RE JUST TALKING FOR DISCUSSION PURPOSES. 
          IF WE WERE EVER LUCKY ENOUGH THAT YOU WOULD SELL THOSE CREDITS FOR A DOLLAR PER CREDIT, THEN YOU WOULD GET $9 MILLION BECAUSE YOU WOULD SELL THOSE, YOU SELL THOSE CREDITS TO THROUGH A SYNDICATORS. 
          SO LIKE RBC BANK OF AMERICA, THEY BUY THOSE CREDITS AND THEY USE THOSE CREDIT AGAINST THEIR CORPORATE INCOME TAXES. 
          SO THEY GET THE BENEFIT OF THE CREDIT AND WE GET THE CASH THAT COMES INTO THE COMMUNITY TO BUILD THE DEVELOPMENT. 
          SO WHEN YOU GOT A $10 MILLION DEVELOPMENT AND YOU SOLD THOSE, IF YOU WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO SELL 'EM FOR A DOLLAR PER CREDIT, WE WOULD GET 9 MILLION TO GO IN THAT DEAL. 
          AND THEN WE WOULD ONLY HAVE TO RAISE A MILLION. 
          FOLLOW ME. 
          SO IF I GOT 20 MILLION OR 30 MILLION IN FEMA FUNDS TO HELP TO GO TO THE REDEVELOPMENT, THEN NOW I GOT A MILLION DOLLARS OF THAT 30 MILLION THAT I'M GONNA PUT TOWARDS THAT PARTICULAR PHASE OF THE REDEVELOPMENT BECAUSE THE 9 MILLION CAME IN CREDITS. 
          SO NOW I WAS ABLE TO BUILD A $10 MILLION DEVELOPMENT WITH ONLY 1 MILLION COMING OF FEMA FUNDS FOR REPLACEMENT AND THE 9 MILLION COMING AND OTHER TAX CREDIT FUNDS. 
          SO I SHARE THAT BECAUSE THERE'S, THAT IS OUR REALISTIC PATH FORWARD FOR LEVERAGING ON THE VERTICAL SIDE OF THE CONSTRUCTION. 
          SO THAT'S WHY WHEN I SAID WE DON'T REALLY NEED THE COMMITMENT ON LEVERAGING FOR THE DAY'S INSIGHT OR FOR THE, UH, FFR DATA SITE IS BECAUSE WHEN I PACKAGED THE DEAL AND THE MODEL THAT I JUST GAVE YOU, ALL OF THAT TOTAL DEVELOPMENT COST, WHICH IS WARDEN SEWER, THE PARKING LOTS, THE VERTICAL CONSTRUCTION, THE SOFT COST ARCHITECT 
          [02:25:01]
AND ENG ENGINEERS, ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE ALL PACKAGED IN INTO THAT $10 MILLION, UH, DEVELOPMENT NUMBER THAT I JUST GAVE YOU ALL. 
          SO WE WE'RE GONNA LEVERAGE EVERY STEP OF THE WAY. 
          WHAT WHAT CNI DO DOES IS AS AN EXAMPLE, BECAUSE YOU ALL ARE THE LEAD APPLICANT, WE'RE ABLE TO UTILIZE A PERCENTAGE OF THE FUNDS TO HELP AN ADMINISTRATIVE COST TO ADMINISTER THE GRANT. 
          THE OTHER PART IS THE PEOPLE PORTION. 
          SO IN THE CNI APPLICATION, THERE ARE THREE COMPONENTS. 
          THERE'S HOUSING, THERE'S PEOPLE AND THERE'S NEIGHBORHOOD. 
          AND SO THE CNI MONEY IS JUST NOT GOING FOR HOUSING. 
          THE CNI FUNDS ARE ALSO GOING FOR REDEVELOPMENT OF PEOPLE OF NEIGHBORHOODS AND OF HOUSING. 
          SO LET'S TALK REAL QUICK ABOUT, UM, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE PEOPLE COMPONENT, THE PEOPLE COMPONENT IS ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS HUD IS MAKING IS YOU GOTTA HELP PEOPLE GET JOBS, GET EDUCATION, GET SUPPORT SERVICES. 
          SO THAT'S THE C AND I. 
          SO I SHARE THAT WHEN YOU SAY, WHAT'S THE PLAN B, THE HOUSING PORTION, WE STILL THINK WE GOT A PERFECT PATH FORWARD EVEN WITHOUT CNI, WHAT CNI HELPS US DO THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE, IF WE DIDN'T GET IT, IS THE 2 MILLION OR $3 MILLION AVAILABLE OF CNI THAT CAN GO TOWARDS THE PEOPLE PORTION? WE WOULD STILL THEN WORK WITHIN THE COMMUNITY OF THE AGENCIES ALREADY HERE, BUT WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO HELP INCENTIVIZE THAT. 
          THE OTHER PART OF IT IS NEIGHBORHOOD. 
          OUR GOAL, AS WE'VE HAD DISCUSSION AND THERE'S BEEN CONVERSATION, PART OF OUR GOAL ON NEIGHBORHOOD IS WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT BUYING, PURCHASING, THEREFORE DANNY SCHOOL, OUR GOAL IS TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY WITH WHAT THEIR VISION IS OF A MUSEUM. 
          SO OUR GOAL WAS TO, AS YOU ALL KNOW FROM THE DESIGN, TO CARVE OUT THE CAFETERIA PORTION AND ONE OF THE BUILDINGS WITHIN THE SCHOOL AND MAKE THAT AVAILABLE FOR USE FOR THE MUSEUM. 
          AND SO WE WOULD USE THOSE FUNDS TO COMPLETELY REHAB, UH, THOSE FACILITIES AS ANY COMMERCIAL SPACE, GIVE IT PERFECT SHELL SPACE. 
          AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, WHAT CNI MONEY ALLOWS US TO DO AND HUD LIKES MUSEUMS, IS THEY WOULD THEN ALLOW US TO TAKE 200, 250,000 OF THAT MONEY AND THEN ALSO PROVIDE THAT FOR THE UPFIT OF THAT MUSEUM. 
          SO PART OF CNI WOULD ALSO GO FOR COMMERCIAL SPACE ON BROAD STREET. 
          AND OUR DESIGN FOR THE BUILDING ON BROAD STREET AND BROAD AND P*****K IS TO HAVE THAT MULTI-STORY BUILDING. 
          BUT THE ENTIRE FIRST FLOOR THAT'S FACING BROAD WOULD BE COMMERCIAL AS WELL AS WE PLAN TO PUT A CHILDCARE FACILITY IN THERE. 
          SO SEEING OUT NOT ONLY IS JUST ABOUT HOUSING, IT'S ALSO ABOUT NEIGHBORHOODS AND IT'S ALSO ABOUT THE PEOPLE COMPONENT. 
          SO SOME OF THE MONEY THAT COMES OUTTA CNI WILL HELP SUPPORT THOSE INITIATIVES AS WELL. 
          IF YOU REMOVE THAT OUT, WE CAN STILL MOVE FORWARD WITH THE HOUSING PART. 
          I, MR. BROWN, I DON'T THINK ANYONE UP HERE WOULD DEBATE THE VALUE OF THE CNI AND WHAT A GREAT INVESTMENT IT WOULD BE. 
          AND, AND WE DO, YOU KNOW, I, I CERTAINLY SUPPORT IT AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP YOU IN THAT APPLICATION. 
          I, I'M HAPPY TO DO THE, THE CONCERN IS THAT PLAN B AND JUST TO SUMMARIZE YOUR PLAN B IF YOU DON'T GET THIS, IS TO MOVE FORWARD ON THE HOUSING THROUGH PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP WITH A PRIVATE DEVELOPER YEP. 
          WHERE YOU'RE ABLE TO PACKAGE THE TAX CREDITS AND THEN USE FEMA FOR THE PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION. 
          IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. 
          THAT'S, AND, AND SO I JUST WANTED Y'ALL TO UNDERSTAND, AS YOU JUST SAID, UH, ALDERMAN, THE, THE, THE CNI MONIES, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT 26 MILLION A, A GREAT GOOD PORTION OF THAT HELPS WITH THE OTHER SUPPORTED SUPPORTIVE SERVICES, BUT WE CAN STILL CONTINUE WITH THE HOUSING PART WITHOUT THE CNI, MR. BARNES, ABOUT HOW LONG WOULD IT TAKE FOR YOU IF, ONCE YOU GET THE REJECTION LETTER TO START MOVING FORWARD WITH THE HOUSING? SO THE DEADLINE FOR THE APPLICATION, UH, AND THAT WAS A GREAT QUESTION. 
          ALDERMAN WHITE, THE DEADLINE FOR THE APPLICATION, AS I SAID IS MARCH 9TH. 
          UH, HUD WILL GO THROUGH A REVIEW PROCESS, UH, WITHIN A MONTH THEY WILL PUT OUT A LIST OF EVERYBODY AROUND THE COUNTRY WHO APPLIED FOR THIS. 
          UH, AND SO, UH, THEN WE'LL WE'LL KNOW. 
          AND SO WE'LL START INTERNALLY WITH OUR GRANT WRITERS AND TEAM KIND OF ESTIMATING, UH, WHERE DO WE THINK WE FIT WITHIN THAT CLASSIFICATION FROM A COMPETITIVE APPLICATION STANDPOINT. 
          WE THEN, WHAT HUD DOES IS THEY REVIEW IT AND THEN HOPEFULLY BY THE SUMMER THEY WILL 
          [02:30:01]
CONTACT US AND THEY COME TO NEWBURN AND DO A SITE VISIT. 
          SO THEY COME ON SITE. 
          SO THAT'S WHEN WE NEED TO DO OUR DOG AND PONY SHOW WITH THE, UH, HUD OFFICIALS WHEN THEY COME TO TOWN THIS SUMMER. 
          AND THEN GENERALLY BY THE FALL THEY MAKE THE AWARDS. 
          SO IT'S GENERALLY ABOUT, UH, SEVEN, SEVEN MONTH PROCESS. 
          UH, SO WHAT IF YOU DON'T GET THE GRANT, WE'LL STILL MOVE FORWARD, LIKE WHEN YOU GUYS START BUILDING? YEAH, SO OUR GOAL STILL IS, EVEN WITH THE GRANT, WE STILL PLAN TO MOVE FORWARD IN 2027 ON THE F OR DAN SCHOOL SITE, WHETHER WE GET THE CNI OR NOT. 
          OUR GOAL IS TO START IN 2027 WITH THE, UH, F OR DAN SITE. 
          IT'S PHASE ONE. 
          MR. UM, BARNER QUESTION, UM, I KNOW YOU'VE HAD SOME PUBLIC MEETING, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENTS. 
          UM, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE FR DANIEL SITE, HOW DID, I KNOW YOU SAID THAT YOU PLANNED ON THE PLANS ARE TO INCLUDE SOME PORTION OF THAT BUILDING AS A MUSEUM. 
          SO HOW DID THE CITIZENS, HOW DID THE PEOPLE RESPOND TO THAT? DID WHAT THEY ACCEPTABLE OF THAT OR SO THERE, UH, I LIKE TO ANSWER THAT, UH, TWO WAYS. 
          WE INVITED, UH, BOARD CHAIR, UH, JANELLE REDDICK AND I, I INVITED MS. CLEOPATRA TO MY OFFICE, UH, TO TALK ABOUT THE, UH, THE PLAN. 
          UH, WHAT WE TALKED TO HER ABOUT WAS, AND NOTHING HAS CHANGED 'CAUSE WE'VE BEEN, THIS HAS BEEN IN OUR PLAN ALL ALONG. 
          SO WHEN PEOPLE SAY WE'RE NOT TRYING TO SUPPORT THE MUSEUM, THAT'S NOT A TRUE STATEMENT. 
          'CAUSE IT'S BEEN IN OUR PLAN FOR THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF. 
          THE OWNERSHIP OF IT IS MAYBE THE QUESTION, UH, WHETHER IT'S THEM OR US, BUT WE'RE WILLING TO BUY IT. 
          WE'RE WILLING TO MAKE THAT FACILITY AVAILABLE. 
          WE ECHOED THAT TO HER DURING THAT MEETING, THAT OUR GOAL WAS TO CONTINUE, WHAT WE'VE ALWAYS SAID IS TO MAKE THE CAFETERIA AVAILABLE TO, UH, HER OR AN ORGANIZATION, UH, THAT SHE'S A PART OF OR ANOTHER ORGANIZATION IN THE COMMUNITY. 
          UH, AND ONE OF THE CLASSROOMS FOR COMMUNITY SPACE. 
          AND SO, AND THEN WHAT WE SHARED, WHICH BE VERY CANDID, GOT MISINTERPRETED, UH, IN SOME RECENT ARTICLES. 
          WE, WE SAID WE WOULD PROVIDE FUNDING AS I JUST SAID, BECAUSE HUD LIKES MUSEUMS. SO THEY WOULD ALLOW SOME OF THE CNI MONEY TO GO TOWARDS THE UPFITTING OF THE MUSEUM AND THEY COULD USE THAT 200 TO $250,000 THAT THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TO GO OUT AND FUNDRAISE AND RAISE. 
          WE COULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE FUNDS. 
          SO IT WASN'T THAT I OFFERED SOMEBODY MONEY, I WAS SHARING WITH THEM WHAT THE GRANT WILL ALLOW. 
          SO THAT IS WHAT WE FOCUSED ON AND THAT'S WHAT WE CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON. 
          WELL, YOU STILL DIDN'T ANSWER MY QUESTION. 
          I ASKED YOU WERE THEY AMENABLE TO THAT? DID THEY BUY INTO THAT? THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN AMENABLE. 
          SHE'S NOT AMENABLE. 
          OKAY. 
          SO NO ONE ELSE, ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME TO OUR MEETINGS HAVE BEEN AMENABLE. 
          WE'VE NOT HEARD ANY OTHER NEGATIVE COMMENT FROM ANYBODY ELSE OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF RELATED TO THE PLAN THAT WE'VE PRESENTED. 
          JUST ONE INDIVIDUAL. 
          THANK YOU FOR EXPLAINING THAT. 
          YES, MA'AM. 
          I'M SORRY. 
          I I WAS, WAS THAT, SO WHAT, WHAT, WHAT SPECIFICALLY ARE YOU ASKING THIS BOARD TO DO TONIGHT? WE WE'RE, UM, I'M, I'M ASKING YOU ALL TO WORK WITH THE CITY MANAGER TO PROVIDE, UH, THE SUPPORT THAT WE NEED UP TO THE MAX LEVERAGING THAT, UM, FOSTER INDICATED, UH, I THINK HE HAS THE DETAILS RELATED TO THE, UH, SEGMENTATION OF EACH OF THOSE SOURCES THAT THEY WOULD UTILIZE. 
          I'M JUST ASKING YOU ALL FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT TO HELP HIM, UH, HELP US REACH THAT MAXIMUM AMOUNT THAT'S ALLOWED. 
          AND, AND I WOULD JUST, IN, IN THE FUTURE WHEN WE HAVE THESE NEEDS FOR GRANT APPLICATIONS, A LITTLE MORE NOTICE WOULD BE NICE, JUST AS A COMMENT. 
          YES, SIR. 
          AND, AND WE WOULD, WE WOULD WANT TO DO THAT. 
          UH, AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE DIFFICULTY THERE IS HUD GIVES YOU, UH, 90 DAYS, UH, WHEN THEY PUT THE NOTICE OUT. 
          AND, AND SO WE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE JUST BEEN WORKING THROUGH THE APPLICATION TO GET TO THIS POINT, BUT SO NOTED AND WE WILL, WE WILL GOVERN OURSELVES ACCORDINGLY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          AND SO, ALDERMAN FERGUSON, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, BASED ON OUR CONVERSATION, UM, I BELIEVE WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IS FOR THE GOVERNING BOARD TO AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR TO SIGN A LETTER, UH, REGARDING THE LEVERAGES, UH, THAT WOULD BE INCLUDED AS PART OF THIS GRANT PACKAGE. 
          AND SO WE, WE WILL EX WE WILL CREATE THAT AND, AND THEN WE WILL PASS IT AROUND SO EVERYONE CAN SEE IT, AND THEN HAVE THE MAYOR SIGN IT IF, IF THAT'S THE WILL OF THE BOARD. 
          AND, AND, AND TO BE CLEAR, THE LEVERAGES ARE NOT FUNDING COMMITMENTS. 
          IT 
          [02:35:01]
IS, WE'RE SAYING THESE ARE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE DOING IN THIS REGION OVER THE NEXT EIGHT YEARS THAT CAN BE INCLUDED AS THE LEVERAGE FOR THIS, CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT. 
          OKAY. 
          UH, I WOULD MOVE TO AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR TO SIGN A EXCUSE, EXCUSE ME, EXCUSE, I'M SORRY. 
          BEFORE YOU, UH, MS. UH, ALDERMAN FERGUSON, BEFORE YOU MAKE THAT, PUT THAT MOTION ON THE FLOOR, I HAVE ONE QUESTION. 
          UM, I JUST WANT TO, TO KNOW WITH, WITH THIS WHOLE PROJECT, OKAY. 
          WITH, YOU ARE ASKING FOR US TO, TO BUY IN, WHICH WE'RE THE LEAD OF COURSE, UM, FOR THE GRANT IS CONCERNED, THIS IS NO WAY IT'S GOING TO INCORPORATE THE MONIES THAT WE HAVE FOR THE BOND REFERENDUM. 
          I JUST WANT IT TO BE KNOWN BECAUSE I WAS ASKED THAT QUESTION BEFORE BY SOME CITIZENS. 
          SO, SO, SO I WANNA MAKE A COMMENT ON THAT. 
          AND I, AND I ALLUDED TO THAT EARLIER WHEN I WAS MAKING A, A COMMENT. 
          THERE ARE CERTAIN BOND PROJECTS IN THE CNI AREA THAT WOULD BE INCLUDED. 
          THE GREAT EXAMPLE IS THERE'S A STORMWATER PROJECT ON P*****K STREET. 
          THE VALUE OF THAT'S APPROXIMATELY HALF A MILLION DOLLARS THAT WOULD BE INCLUDED AS LEVERAGE. 
          'CAUSE IT'S ALREADY IN THAT AREA. 
          UM, WE KNOW WE'VE GOT $10 MILLION FOR STREETS AND SIDEWALKS. 
          NOW WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE BASING WHERE THOSE STREETS AND SIDEWALKS ARE GONNA BE TAKEN CARE OF IS THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND OUR PAVEMENT CONDITION REPORT. 
          SO THERE COULD BE SOME STREETS IN THAT DUFFY FIELD COMMUNITY IN THAT ZONE WHERE, WHERE SOME OF THOSE FUNDS WOULD BE ALLOCATED TOWARD THAT. 
          BUT THAT WOULD NOT CHANGE OUR OVERALL GOAL TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR STREETS ARE, ARE MUCH BETTER CONDITION THAN THEY WHAT THEY ARE NOW CITYWIDE. 
          SO, SO, SO NO, WE WOULD NOT BE DOING A DUMP LITERALLY IN THIS AREA OF, OF BOND FUNDS. 
          AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO COMMENT AS WELL THAT, UM, I ALSO FULLY SUPPORT LEVERAGING AND SUPPLYING THIS LETTER TO YOU. 
          BUT I THINK THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE ON THE BOARD, THE CITY, UM, CAN'T EXPRESS ENOUGH HOW IMPORTANT IT WILL BE THAT REGARDLESS OF THE OUTCOME OF THIS GRANT, THAT CONSTRUCTION OF NEW HOMES HAS TO START AS SOON AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE. 
          YES MA'AM. 
          THAT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO US. 
          WE HEAR YOU LOUD AND CLEAR AND THAT'S OUR GOAL AS WELL. 
          OKAY. 
          YOU WANNA GO AHEAD WITH YOUR MOTION? NO. 
          YEAH, I WOULD MOVE MR. MAYOR, I WOULD MOVE THAT THIS BOARD AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR TO SIGN A LETTER OF LEVERAGE TO SUPPORT OUR APPLICATION IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY FOR THE CNI GRANT APPLICATION BASED ON THE PROJECTS THAT YOU AND THE CITY MANAGER IDENTIFY WITH STAFF INPUT. 
          YES. 
          I A SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. 
          IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. 
          ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. 
          ANY OPPOSED? SHE UNANIMOUS. 
          THANK YOU MR. BARNER. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ANYTHING ELSE MR. HUGHES? NO, SIR. 
          WELL, I GOT A QUESTION FOR MR. HUGHES. 
          TALK ABOUT THE SNOWSTORM THAT WE HAD AND POWER OUTAGES. 
          CAN YOU TELL ME HOW MANY POWER OUTAGES THAT WE HAD DURING THE SNOWSTORM? YES, SIR. 
          UM, BECAUSE AT ONE TIME I SAW SOMEWHERE WHERE THOSE PARTS OF THE COUNTY, THEY HAD 1700 PEOPLE OUT. 
          PARTS OF THE COUNTY DID HAVE ABOUT 1700 PEOPLE OUT, I THINK STATEWIDE. 
          AT ONE POINT THERE WERE ABOUT 8,000 PEOPLE WITHOUT, IN NEW BRUN OUR ELECTRIC UTILITY, UH, WE HAD SIX POWER OUTAGES AFFECTING 823 CUSTOMERS. 
          THE MAIN OUTAGE OCCURRED WITH A SWITCH ON BROAD STREET THAT THAT BASICALLY BLEW UP. 
          AND SO, UM, THAT SWITCH WAS REPLACED. 
          UM, ACTUALLY THAT NIGHT THAT THE ELECTRIC UTILITY REROUTED ALL OF THE POWER TO OTHER AVENUES. 
          THE SWITCH WAS REPLACED THE NEXT DAY. 
          SO OUR CUSTOMERS WITHOUT OR WITHOUT POWER, UH, WITH THAT, THAT 800 CUSTOMERS FOR POSSIBLY A COUPLE OF HOURS AND THEY WERE BACK ON. 
          SO DID YOU SAY THE TOTAL WAS 800 AND SOMETHING? 8 8 23 TOTAL. 
          SIX TOTAL OUTAGES. 
          THERE WERE A FEW, YOU KNOW, ONE AND TWO CUSTOMERS, BUT THEY WERE PUT ON PRETTY QUICK. 
          IT, I THINK THAT'S AMAZING THAT WITH ALL THAT SNOW, ICE AND WIND, THAT OUR ELECTRIC SYSTEM, WE ONLY HAD 800 CUSTOMERS TOTAL OUT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          YES SIR. 
          OKAY. 
          NEW 
          [37. New Business.]
BUSINESS ALDERMAN FERGUSON. 
          UH, NOTHING EXCEPT TO SAY, AND JUST TO ECHO ALDERMAN NASTER, UM, WELL DONE TO THE CITY STAFF, ESPECIALLY PUBLIC WORKS AND ELECTRIC UTILITY FOR H HANDLING THE SNOWSTORM. 
          I THOUGHT THIS WAS THE COMMUNICATION, THE RESPONSIVENESS, THE, UH, CLEARING THE ROADS. 
          I MEAN, IT 
          [02:40:01]
WAS ALL AROUND A REALLY, UM, WELL DONE OPERATION. 
          SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH HONOR BRIAN, I JUST LIKE TO THANK THE CITY BECAUSE I DID CALL FOSTER MANY A, A TIME FOR SOME COMPLAINTS THAT CAME THROUGH. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING CARE OF THAT. 
          ABSOLUTELY STER. 
          UH, OTHER THAN I HAD RECEIVED A BUNCH OF EMAILS FROM PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, SAYING THANKS FOR THE CITY STREET, CLEANS UP AND SAID FAST AND EVERYTHING. 
          I, I FORWARDED SEVERAL OF 'EM TO FOSTER, SET THE SHARE WITH STAFF, BUT THEY DID IT. 
          STAFF DID A WONDERFUL JOB. 
          THE, THE STREET CREW AND EVERYBODY THAT WAS INVOLVED IN PLOWING STREETS JUST WAS AMAZING. 
          ARM WHITE. 
          UM, I ECHO IT. 
          I HOPE THAT THIS STAFF HAS RECEIVED EMAILS AND, AND PATS ON THE BACK. 
          UM, THEY DID A WONDERFUL JOB AND THANK YOU. 
          AND THEN ON A PERSONAL NOTE, I'D LIKE TO WISH HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY HUSBAND THIS MONTH. 
          HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALDERMAN. 
          BEST. 
          YEAH. 
          UM, I TOO JUST ECHO OFF OF THE OTHER ALDERMAN AND THANKING, UM, CITY STAFF. 
          UM, AND THANK YOU, UM, CITY MANAGER HUGHES FOR KEEPING US UPDATED. 
          UM, EVERY TIME MY PHONE WENT OFF I WAS UP. 
          THAT'S FOSTER , BUT THANK YOU. 
          I APPRECIATE IT. 
          I APPRECIATE STAFF. 
          UM, OUR EMPLOYEES ARE, UM, THE ONES THAT DO THE JOB FOR US AND MAKE US SHINE, MAKE US LOOK GOOD. 
          SO, UM, ALSO IT JUST MORE THAN A PAT A BAT, THEY NEED A RAISE TOO. 
          THAT'S IT. 
          THAT'S IT, SIR. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          ALDERMAN OUTLAW, LIKE, THANK CITY NEW BERN STAFF FOR DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB DURING THIS AND THAT SNOW EVENT. 
          IS THERE ANY WAY THAT WE CAN GET THAT ALERT SYSTEM NOT TO CALL YOU AT TWO O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING AND LET YOU KNOW IT'S SNOWING ? YEAH. 
          YOU CAN SET YOUR PHONE TO WHERE ONLY CERTAIN PEOPLE'S NUMBERS COME THROUGH. 
          EXACTLY. 
          THAT'S WHAT I DO. 
          MAYOR, MAYOR, I'D LIKE BEFORE YOU GO, I, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY, AND I, AND I'D BE REMISS WITHOUT MENTIONING, I WANNA THANK COLLEEN FOR ALL THE WORK SHE DID BECAUSE YES, WE WERE IN CONSTANT CONTACT. 
          SHE WAS THE ONE THAT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR GETTING INFORMATION OUT ON, ON THE FACEBOOK PAGES AND THE WEBSITE AND THINGS LIKE THAT. 
          SO THANK YOU COLLEEN. 
          NICE JOB, COLLEEN. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          AND I DON'T BELIEVE WE NEED TO CLOSE SESSION TONIGHT. 
          YES, SIR. 
          IF NOT, I ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN. 
          HAVE A MOTION A SECOND. 
          IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. 
          A AYE. 
          ANY OPPOSED?
* 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.