* 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. STOP. [1. Meeting opened by Mayor Odham. Prayer Coordinated by Alderman Outlaw. Pledge of Allegiance.] [00:00:05] GOOD EVENING EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THE MAY 12TH, 2026 NEWBURN BOARD OF ALDERMAN MEETING. THE PRAYER TONIGHT WILL BE COORDINATED BY ALDERMAN OUTLAW. WOULD YOU JOIN ME IN PRAYER? HEAVENLY FATHER, WILL YOU JUST ASK YOU TO BE WITH US TONIGHT? YOU PROMISE WHERE TWO OR THREE ARE GATHERED, BE IN OUR MIDST? WE HAVE QUITE A BIT OF WORK ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF NEW, AND WE JUST ASK FOR YOUR BLESSINGS AS WE CONDUCT THE BUSINESS OF THE CITY OF NEW. YOUR NAME WE PRAY, AMEN. AMEN. IF YOU EVER TO STAND, PLEASE DO SO AS WE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OUR COUNTRY. I PLEDGE JESUS FLAG THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. AND TWO REPUBLIC FOR GEORGE STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD IN THE VISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE. 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. [3. Approve Agenda.] OKAY. BOARD. HAS EVERYONE HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE AGENDA? ARE THERE ANY CHANGES YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE? MAKE A MOTION. WE ADOPT THE AGENDA AS IS SECOND. HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS IS. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, HEARING ALL, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? [4. Request and Petition of Citizens — Agenda Topics.] OKAY. NEXT IS REQUESTING PETITION OF CITIZENS FOR THE AGENDA TOPICS. MADAM CLERK. THANK YOU, UH, THE WAY FAMILY. SOIE CAMIKA ZEL WILLIAMS. YES. COME ON UP. GOOD AFTERNOON. I MEAN, EVENING. I DO APOLOGIZE. MY NAME IS CAMIKA. WE AND MY MOTHER, SOIE, WE WHO WILL BE SPEAKING TONIGHT ON THE MATTER. GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE BOARD. EVENING. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. AND TO ALL THAT'S, HERE WE STAND BEFORE YOU TO PETITION THE RENAMING OF E STREET. MY HUSBAND, LEROY WAY, JR. CREATED A RENTAL COMPANY KNOWN AS NEW RENTAL TO PROVIDE HOUSING FOR LOW INCOME FAMILIES IN CRAVEN JONES AND LE NORTH COUNTIES. HE WAS BETTER KNOWN AS COACH WADE. AS MANY OF YOU MAY KNOW, UH, THEY HAVE MET, MET HIM. UM, HE SPENT MOST OF HIS YEARS IN EDUCATION, WHICH WAS IN CRAVEN COUNTY AT NEW BERN HIGH AND WEST CRAVEN MIDDLE. WHILE AT NEW BERN HIGH, HE FORMED A SUMMER LEAGUE, UH, TRACK TEAM CALLED THE NEW BERN BLAZER. AND THAT WAS SOME YEARS AGO. AND THEY TRAVELED, UH, COMPETING AT DIFFERENT PLACES. I RECALL ONE OF HIS, UH, STORIES THAT THEY HAD GONE TO TOWNS IN MARYLAND. AND OF COURSE, UH, THAT WAS AN EXCITEMENT FOR THE, UH, THE TRACK MEMBERS. THEY COMPETED ALL OVER EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA. AND AFTER THAT, UH, HE CARED A LOT OF HIS STUDENTS THAT HE CARED, PLAYED DIFFERENT PLACES, MAY HAVE NOT HAD FUNDS TO, UH, PROVIDE FOOD FOR THEMSELVES. AND OF COURSE, HE WOULD, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE THAT FOR THEM. BUT I THINK THE MOST OUTSTANDING THING WAS WHEN HE WAS AT, UH, WEST CRAVEN MIDDLE SCHOOL. HIS, UH, PRIOR TO THE GAMES THAT WOULD BE HELD, HE ALWAYS PROVIDED, UH, AFTERSCHOOL TUTORING ALONG WITH VOLUNTEER TEACHERS THAT WOULD ASSIST HIM AND PARENTS MAKING SANDWICHES FOR THOSE STUDENTS TO MAKE SURE THEY HAD SOMETHING TO EAT. SO HE HAD A PASSION FOR, UM, WHAT HE DID. AND WE JUST FEEL LIKE THAT, UH, THE NAMING OF THAT STREET, OF COURSE, WE DO HAVE PROPERTY ON THAT STREET. UH, THERE ARE SIX HOUSES LOCATED THERE, AND FIVE OF THOSE HOUSES, UH, BELONG TO NEW RENTAL. SO, UM, WE JUST FEEL LIKE THAT AS A MEMORIAL THAT THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING GREAT TO DO. SO I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY, BOARD, UH, NEXT UP IS THE CONSENT AGENDA. UH, WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD ON ITEMS FIVE THROUGH 20? PARDON ME? I, YOU, ON THE, UH, POSITION , UM, YOU DO NOT HAVE AN AGENDA ITEM THAT YOU'VE REFERENCED TO SPEAK TO, SO YOU YES. HAVE, IT'S, IT'S THE, [00:05:01] IT'S A MISUSE OF TAKING ALL OF US TO THE END. THAT'S, UH, MR. FRENCH, THAT'S NOT AN AGENDA ITEM. UH, YOU'RE FREE TO SPEAK UNDER ITEM NUMBER 42. I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TWICE THEN. UM, NOT TONIGHT, SIR. THANK YOU. SHAME ON YOU ALL. SHAME [Consent Agenda] ON YOU ALL. OKAY. BOARD, AS I SAID, UH, WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? MOTION, WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION A SECOND. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN FERGUSON. ALDERMAN FERGUSON. YES. ALDERMAN BRYANT. YES. ALDERMAN ASTER. YES. ALDERMAN WHITE. YES. ALDERMAN VEST? YES. ALDERMAN ATWELL. YES. MAYOR ODOM. YES. MOTION [21. Conduct a Public Hearing on the CDBG Annual Action Plan.] CARRIES. NEXT IS ITEM NUMBER 21. CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE CDBG ANNUAL ACTION PLAN. MS. RUTH, GO RIGHT AHEAD. ALRIGHT, GOOD EVENING. AS WE DO EVERY YEAR, WE'RE BRINGING FORTH TO YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND COMMENTS. A DRAFT OF OUR ANNUAL ACTION PLAN. IN A BRIEF PRESENTATION THIS EVENING, I WILL BE GOING THROUGH THE REASON WE'RE HERE, A SUMMARY OF OUR ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS, HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE PLAN, THE PLAN BUDGET, AND WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THIS EVENING. OUR ANNUAL ACTION PLAN, THIS IS A DEFINITION OF THE PLAN. IT'S A SUMMARY OF ACTIONS, ACTIVITIES, AND SPECIFIC FEDERAL AND NON-FEDERAL RESOURCES USED EACH YEAR TO ADJUST THE PRIORITY NEEDS AND SPECIFIC GOALS IDENTIFIED BY THE CONSOLIDATED PLAN. AND FOR THOSE WHO MAY NOT BE AS FAMILIAR WITH CDVG PROGRAMS, THE CONSOLIDATED PLAN IS OUR PLAN THAT COVERS FIVE YEARS AND OUR GOALS AND STRATEGIES OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO ATTAIN CERTAIN GOALS THAT WE HAVE SET IN THE CITY. AND THE ANNUAL ACTION PLAN, YOU CAN REALLY THINK OF AS A BUDGET OF BUDGETED ACTIVITIES THAT MEET THOSE GOALS. IN THE OVERARCHING PLAN, THIS IS YEAR THREE OF OUR CONSOLIDATED PLAN, UM, JUST FOR, FOR REFERENCE. SO IN TWO YEARS, WE'LL BE UPDATING THAT AGAIN AS WELL. THESE PLANS WORK TOGETHER. OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, THE CDBG PROGRAM CYCLE IS ABSOLUTELY, THAT IS A CYCLE. IT IS HAPPENING AT ALL TIMES. AND WE START PLANNING FOR OUR JANUARY MEETING IN DECEMBER BY DRAFTING ADVERTISEMENTS AND RECRUITING PEOPLE TO COME TO A PUBLIC NEEDS MEETING THIS YEAR. THAT MEETING TOOK PLACE ON JANUARY 26TH. WE HELD THAT AT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, AND IT WAS THE HIGHEST ATTENDANCE WE'VE HAD AT ONE OF THESE MEETINGS IN THE FOUR YEARS I'VE BEEN PARTICIPATING. WE DID THIS MEETING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY THIS YEAR. WE RAN THROUGH A POWERPOINT OF SOME OF OUR FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AND PARTICIPANTS WERE ABLE TO HAVE A QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION. AND I APPRECIATE SEVERAL OF YOU DID ATTEND THAT MEETING AS WELL. SO YOU HEARD SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS. PEOPLE RAN IDEAS BY US. WE EXPLAINED SOME OF THE NUANCES OF THE PROGRAMS, HOW, UM, THE APPLICATION WORKS. THERE'S KIND OF A COMPLICATED 14 PAGE APPLICATION WITH VARIOUS ATTACHMENTS AND THINGS REQUIRED IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN RUNNING A PROGRAM WITH THIS FUNDING. AND WE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT HAD BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN THE PAST AND SOME THAT HAVE NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN THE PAST. AND SOME OF THE THINGS WE THOUGHT WOULD BE GREAT TO GO IN THE PLAN THIS YEAR. THE REASON THEY SAY THAT, AND WE SHARED THAT WITH THE ATTENDEES, IS THAT THERE ARE VERY SPECIFIC FORMULAS ASSOCIATED WITH SPENDING THIS MONEY. AND IF YOU SPEND IT A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE IN ONE, ONE PROGRAM YEAR, THEN YOU CAN'T GO BACK AND PUT CERTAIN THINGS IN ANOTHER ONE. THERE ARE CERTAIN CAPS OF PERCENTAGES YOU CAN SPEND, FOR EXAMPLE, ON DEMOLITIONS, WE RAN A SUCCESSFUL DEMOLITION PROGRAM THAT WAS AN EFFICIENT WAY TO SPEND THIS MONEY AND SPEND IT IN A TIMELY MANNER. AND I'LL TOUCH ON THAT IN A MOMENT ON WHY THAT'S IMPORTANT, BUT WE'RE NOT ELIGIBLE TO PUT THAT KIND OF THING BACK IN. WE HAVE SEVERAL PROJECTS FROM PROGRAM YEARS THAT ARE TAKING US LONGER THAN WE EVER ANTICIPATED TO GET CLOSED OUT. BASICALLY, I WOULD ATTRIBUTE THAT TO FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS CHANGING, PARTICULARLY ON CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS WHERE THEY ARE ADDING MORE AND MORE REQUIREMENTS, BUT GIVING US LESS AND LESS MONEY. UM, SOMETIMES BY THE TIME THESE PROJECTS RECEIVE BIDS, IT'S DIFFICULT TO COMPLETE THEM WITH THE ORIGINAL BUDGET. AND THEN THAT IS WHY SOMETIMES YOU SEE ME COMING BACK HERE ASKING TO MOVE MONEY FROM ONE PROGRAM YEAR TO, TO A SEPARATE PROGRAM YEAR. SO THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT GO INTO THAT PLAN. UM, AFTER WE HAD OUR PUBLIC NEEDS MEETING, UH, FOR ABOUT SIX WEEKS, WE ACCEPTED APPLICATIONS. WHEN WE REACHED THE END OF THIS PRESENTATION, MS. WILMORE, WHO OVERSEES THIS PROGRAM FOR US, WHO'S CLOSEST TO THE INFORMATION, WILL STAND [00:10:01] UP AND ASK, ANSWER ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ON THINGS OF THAT NATURE. UM, BUT WE RECEIVED THREE APPLICATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC FOR THIS, UH, ROUND OF FUNDING. THE ANNUAL ACTION PLAN WENT ON DISPLAY ON MAY 8TH. MAY. IF YOU'VE DONE THIS FOR A WHILE, YOU KNOW, WE TYPICALLY DO THIS EARLIER. WE TYPICALLY DO THIS IN APRIL. THAT WAS DUE TO A DELAY IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RELEASING THE FUNDING. ONE OTHER THING TO NOTE IS THAT DESPITE THE FUNDING COMING US TO US LATE AND BEING ABLE TO BE, OR HAVING TO BE SPENT LATER THAN WE TYPICALLY HAVE ACCESS TO START SPENDING THAT MONEY, THE DEADLINE TO SPEND THIS MONEY DOWN AND HAVE IT ALL CLOSED OUT REMAINS TO BE AT JUNE 30TH OF NEXT YEAR. THAT MEANS IN ORDER TO MEET A TIMELINESS GOAL TO SPEND DOWN CERTAIN PERCENTAGES OF THIS MONEY, SO WE ARE ELIGIBLE TO KEEP RECEIVING IT, UM, WE NEED TO MEET THAT TEST. SO KNOWING THIS YEAR THAT WE HAD SEVERAL PROJECTS THAT MAY CAUSE US TO NOT MEET THE TIMELINESS TEST, WHICH IT LOOKS, I'M PRETTY CONFIDENT TO SAY WE WILL NOT DUE TO, TO ONE OUTSTANDING CONSTRUCTION PROJECT. UM, WE WERE LOOKING AT OTHER THINGS THAT WE HAD BEEN EFFECTIVE AT IN PREVIOUS YEARS IN DRAWING THAT MONEY DOWN. AND MANY TIMES THAT MEANS WORKING WITH A PARTNER ON ASSISTANCE TYPES OF PROGRAMS, OR IT MEANS RUNNING A PROGRAM OR DOING A CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM IN-HOUSE, MEANING THE CITY CAN CONTROLS THE PROJECT AND IT DOESN'T DEAL WITH ALL THE BIDDING AND SOME OF THE OTHER FEDERAL THINGS THAT COME WHEN SOMEBODY ELSE DOES THAT PROJECT. I KNOW THIS WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION, BUT IT ALL TIES IN AND IS IMPORTANT TO WHY WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO YOU TONIGHT IS IN THAT PLAN. SO OUR PUBLIC HEARING IS TAKING PLACE ABOUT A MONTH BEHIND SCHEDULE BECAUSE OF THAT DELAY IN THAT MONEY. AND THAT'S THE STEP THAT WE ARE AT TONIGHT. WE ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE THIS PLAN ON DISPLAY FOR THE PUBLIC TO LOOK AT AND REVIEW AND COMMENT ON FOR 30 DAYS THAT WE'LL WRAP UP ON JUNE 8TH. WE ARE UNABLE DUE TO FEDERAL GUIDELINES TO HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND VOTE ON THE PLAN ON THE SAME EVENING, AND IT MUST BE ON DISPLAY FOR 30 DAYS. AND SO NO ACTION IS BEING REQUESTED OF YOU THIS EVENING. UM, SIMPLY COLLECTING COMMENTS AND HEARING THE PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS PLANK. SO, UH, WE ARE ADDRESSING THREE DIFFERENT STRATEGIES. NOW, IF YOU RECALL, I SAID THE STRATEGIES ARE OUTLINED IN OUR FIVE YEAR CONSOLIDATED PLAN. WE GO TO LOOK AT THE STRATEGIES THAT WE FOUND AS A CITY. WERE IMPORTANT TO US IN THAT, IN THAT PLAN. AND WE CONNECT THEM TO ACTUAL THINGS THAT GO IN THE ANNUAL ACTION PLAN. AGAIN, WE'RE KEEPING UP THAT AS A BUDGET OF HOW TO EXECUTE THAT. AND FOR THIS YEAR, WE'RE COVERING ADMINISTRATION, THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY, AND OUR HOUSING STRATEGY. I'M GOING TO WALK THROUGH FOUR PROJECTS, WHICH IS FAR LESS THAN YOU ARE ACCUSTOMED TO SEEING. TYPICALLY, WE BRING FORTH SIX, SEVEN, OR EIGHT PROJECTS FUNDED IN A YEAR. THESE ARE THE FOUR THAT ARE PROPOSED IN THE BUDGET FOR THE PLAN THIS YEAR. EVERY YEAR YOU SEE GENERAL ADMINISTRATION COVERED. UH, HUD RECOGNIZES THAT IT COSTS MONEY TO IMPLEMENT THIS PROGRAM. SO WHAT THESE FUNDS COVER IS WHEN WE DO AN IN-HOUSE PROJECT THAT HAS SOME ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS, SUCH AS IF WE DECIDE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE IN-HOUSE ROOFING PROGRAM. UH, WE WORK WITH A CONSULTANT WHO DRAWS UP A LOT OF THE LEGAL DOCUMENTS REQUIRED TO MOVE THAT FORWARD. THAT TYPE OF THING COMES OUT OF THIS LINE. ADDITIONALLY, IT HELPS PAY MS. FILLMORE'S SALARY, WHO IS OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR. AND, UM, THOSE TYPICAL AD ADMINISTRATION TYPE COSTS, THE ADVERTISEMENTS THAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE FOR MEETINGS LIKE THIS, ET CETERA. AND THAT IS THE COST THAT YOU SEE EVERY YEAR. THAT DOES GO UP EVERY YEAR, UM, WITH INFLATION AND OTHER RISING COSTS, STREETS AND SIDEWALKS. UH, THIS IS MONEY ALLOCATED TOWARDS STREETS AND SIDEWALKS. IT WOULDN'T NEED TO BE WITHIN OUR CDBG BOUNDARY REED. SO WHEN WE OFFER PROGRAMS FOR ASSISTANCE AND THINGS, ANY LOW TO MODERATE INCOME PERSON QUALIFIES TO RECEIVE THAT ASSISTANCE. WHEN WE DO ACTUAL ON THE GROUND CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, THEY NEED TO BE IN ONE OF THESE AREAS THAT FITS THIS CRITERIA. WE HAVE A OUTSTANDING PROJECT RIGHT NOW THAT THE COST HAS GONE UP ON THAT HAS NOT COMPLETE, BEEN COMPLETED OUT YET, WHICH WE COULD VERY WELL DRAW FROM FUNDS IF THESE ARE ALLOCATED IN STREETS AND SIDEWALKS THIS YEAR TO HELP THAT PROJECT AND THEN MOVE ON TO A ANOTHER PROJECT. WE HAVE A, A VARIETY OF PROJECTS THAT ARE READY AND NEED FUNDING IF THEY FALL WITHIN THAT AREA. HOWEVER, WE ARE NOT REQUIRED, NOR HAVE WE CALLED OUT THE SPECIFIC STREETS AND SIDEWALK. THIS, THIS [00:15:01] IS WOULD JUST BE A POT OF MONEY ALLOCATED FOR THAT FOR, FOR TO BE SPENT BEFORE JUNE 30TH. OUR ROOF REPLACEMENT PROGRAM. OUR HOUSING REHAB PROGRAMS ARE, ARE VERY POPULAR. UM, WE'VE HAD A VARIETY OF THEM. WE'VE TRIED DIFFERENT WAYS WITH THEM. WE CURRENTLY HAVE $42,000 LEFT IN A 2022 LINE ITEM FOR HVAC AND HOT WATER HEATER REPAIR. UM, WHY DO WE STILL HAVE MONEY IN A 2022 PROGRAM? WELL, THIS IS WHERE THE EXECUTION COMES IN AND THE CHANGING REQUIREMENTS TO FULFILL THE NEEDS OF THIS PROGRAM. THEY KEEP GETTING MORE AND MORE EXPENSIVE. IF YOU RECALL, I HAVE COME BACK TO YOU, UH, IN JANUARY THIS YEAR AND SAID, LOOK, WE ARE TRYING TO HELP SOME FOLKS. WE'RE RUNNING INTO A PROBLEM AS DESCRIBED. THIS PROGRAM IS $10,000 FOR HVAC REPAIR ONLY. WELL, IN REAL LIFE, THIS WAS BECOMING A PROBLEM AND WE WERE UNABLE TO HELP PEOPLE BECAUSE SO MANY FOLKS THAT HAD THE NEED FOR THE HVAC WE COULD FULFILL. HOWEVER, THEY ALSO NEEDED ELECTRICAL WORK DONE TO PREPARE THE STRUCTURE TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE A MODERNIZED HVAC SYSTEM. WE'RE SEEING EVEN MORE COMPLICATIONS NOW WHERE OCCASIONALLY WE RUN INTO, THEY NEED TO CUT A NEW HOLE FOR SOME OF THIS EQUIPMENT AND THAT THAT BUMPS IN TESTING FOR ASBESTOS AND LEAD PAINT ON SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS TRYING TO GET AN HVAC UNIT IN. SO THERE ARE A LOT OF STRINGS AND A LOT OF TS TO CROSS AND I'S TO.IN THESE PROGRAMS. THE REASON ROOFS ARE BEING, UH, RECOMMENDED AS A PILOT PROGRAM IS THERE'S FAR LESS PERMITTING AND CONSTRUCTION TYPE WORK TO, TO VET A NEW ROOF THAN THERE IS ON SOME OF THESE OTHER THINGS. AND ALSO THEY'RE STILL OUTSTANDING MONEY IN THE 2022 PROGRAM FOR, FOR THE HVAC ASSISTANCE. WE ARE OPTIMISTIC. WE HAVE ONE HOME VERY CLOSE, READY TO GO BASED ON YOUR DECISION TO UP THAT FUNDING TO $20,000. AND WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT. THAT WILL DRAW THAT PROGRAM DOWN TO ABOUT $20,000 OR TWO TO THREE MORE UNITS AVAILABLE TO, TO BE SERVICE FOR PEOPLE THAT CAN FULFILL THOSE REQUIREMENTS. UM, THE THE LAST PROJECT THAT IS PROPOSED THIS YEAR, UH, WAS ONE OF THE THREE APPLICATIONS THAT WERE RECEIVED FOR A COMMUNITY PARTNER TO RUN A PROGRAM THIS YEAR WAS $25,000 IS PROPOSED FOR THE HOUSING PRIORITY FOR UTILITY ASSISTANCE. THIS CONNECTS TO THE LARGER, UM, CONSOLIDATED PLAN AND OUR GOAL, UH, TO HELP PEOPLE NOT BECOME HOMELESS. THIS PROGRAM TIES INTO THAT. IT IS CURRENTLY PROPOSED TO BE RUN BY THE ABUNDANT LIFE GROUP. UM, ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF A PROGRAM LIKE THIS IS THE $25,000 WOULD BE GIVEN TO THEM AND IMPLEMENTATION OF IT IN ALL COSTS. ASSOCIATED WITH THAT ARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF ABUNDANT LIFE HUD IN THEIR, IN THEIR APPLICATION, WHICH WHEN WE RECEIVE THE APPLICATION, A CONSULTANT THAT WORKS CLOSELY WITH HUD ALSO SEES THE APPLICATION AND THEN HUD SEES THE APPLICATION THEMSELVES. UH, THERE'S VERY, VERY SPECIFIC CRITERIA ON HOW THIS MONEY HAS TO BE SPENT AND THEY GO BACK AND AUDIT IT. AND THERE IS A CAP OF 10% OF THAT MONEY BEING ALLOWED TO BE USED FOR, UM, ADMINISTERING THE PROGRAM. HOWEVER, IN THE APPLICATION RECEIVED THERE, THERE WAS NO INTENTION TO DO THAT. THIS IS A SUMMARY, UM, OF OUR $240,314 ALLOCATION. THIS MONEY AS IN PAST YEARS HAS CONTINUED TO SHRINK. THIS IS ABOUT $20,000 LESS THAN WE WERE ALLOCATED LAST YEAR. AND AGAIN, WE'RE GETTING THIS FUNDING A LITTLE BIT LATER. TO SUMMARIZE OUR COSTS THAT I JUST WALKED THROUGH IN THOSE FOUR PROJECTS, AS ARE IN THE PLAN PROPOSED TO YOU TONIGHT ARE ON THE SCREEN. I EXPLAINED WHY THIS PLAN WILL BE ON DISPLAY UNTIL THE EIGHTH. IT WILL BE BEFORE YOU ALL FOR A DECISION AND A VOTE AT OUR NEXT MEETING IN JUNE. UM, AND WITH THAT, MS. FULMAR AND I STAND PREPARED TO TRY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY. DOES THE BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? YES. UM, MS. UM, , MS. RE, UH, MS. FULMAR, UM, FOR THE 2022 PROGRAM, YOU SAID THAT YOU HAD MONIES LEFT BECAUSE OF THE HVAC SYSTEMS THAT YOU'RE GONNA ROLL OVER TO. SO WE'RE, WE DON'T HAVE TO ROLL THAT AT ALL. OKAY. WE, WE, WE'VE GOTTEN A COUPLE OF [00:20:01] APPLICATIONS COME IN RECENTLY. OKAY. AT THREE ACTUALLY, THAT, UH, DEIA HAS STARTED PROCESSING AND IS GOING THROUGH THE VETTING PROCESS. OKAY. WITH THE MONEY. AFTER WE DRAW DOWN THE, THE LAST, UH, HOMEOWNER THAT WE'VE BEEN SUSTAINING, WE'LL HAVE ABOUT $20,000. UM, THAT MONEY WILL BE THERE UNTIL WE DON'T HAVE IT TO GIVE OUT TO HOMEOWNERS RIGHT NOW. OKAY. SO WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING? UM, YEAH, SO WE ALREADY HAVE, UM, THREE APPLICANTS THAT I'M ALREADY VETTING. AND SO THAT MONEY SHOULD BE SPENT PRETTY FAST. SO YOU CAN TAKE ON ANOTHER APPLICANT? I COULD BECAUSE AT ANY TIME I, I DON'T KNOW IF A HOMEOWNER WILL SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THEIR APPLICATION. OKAY. SO I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE TO SUBMIT. OKAY. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU FOR THAT. UM, THERE WAS ANOTHER QUESTION. YOUR ROOF PROGRAM YOU'RE ALLOWING, BASED ON THIS MONEY, IS THIS 10,000 PER PERSON? 'CAUSE YOU GOT 40,000 HERE. IS THIS 10,000 PER PERSON THAT APPLIES? THAT, THAT WOULD BE, UH, YES MA'AM. ABOUT THE GOING RATE ON A ROOF REPLACEMENT ON A MEDIUM OR SMALL HOUSE. UM, IT MAY NOT BE A REPLACEMENT, IT COULD BE A REPAIR. UH, WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO, TO ASSIST FOR, AGAIN, THIS IS A PILOT PROGRAM. WE HAVE NEVER RUN ROOF, ALTHOUGH I CAN TELL YOU FROM 24 YEARS WORKING IN PERMITTING ROOFS ARE ONE OF THE EASIER THINGS TO GET PERMITTED. OKAY. SO IF IT JUST SAY FOR AN APPLICANT, UM, APPLIES AND THEY DO NEED THE ROOF AND THEN IT COMES IN TO WHERE THEY NEED MORE THAN $10,000, THEN HOW IS THAT MONEY FUNDED TO THEM? IS IT LEFT UP THE REMAINING BALANCE LEFT UP TO THE HOMEOWNER? OR DO YOU MOVE SOME FUNDS? SO IT SAYS FUNDS LEFT OVER FROM ANOTHER PROJECT TO, OR ALL ARE POSSIBLE? OKAY. SO THERE'S A COMPLICATED ANSWER TO THAT. UM, TYPICALLY WHAT HAPPENS IS WE'LL SET, WE, WE WROTE A TARGET GOAL WAS TO HELP FOUR PEOPLE. MM-HMM . WITH THAT $40,000, IF WE START SEEING THINGS COME UP EARLIER AND IT'S GONNA EXCEED THE $10,000 LIKELY DEIA AND I'LL BE STANDING BEFORE YOU ASKING FOR IN A POLICY AMENDMENT. OKAY. SO WE CAN, SO YOU CAN MAKE THAT DECISION IF YOU FEEL IT'S APPROPRIATE AS WE DISCUSSED THE LAST TIME WITH THE HVAC REPAIR PROGRAM. OKAY. THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS. HEY, I JUST WANT TO THANK BOTH OF YOU 'CAUSE I KNOW Y'ALL ARE DOING A TREMENDOUS JOB WITH THIS, WITH THIS CDBG MONIES AND WE THANK YOU AND YOUR STAFF. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY. AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, AND AGAIN, THIS IS REGARDING THE CDBG ANNUAL ACTION PLAN. IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS, PLEASE COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME. GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD AND MAYOR. GOOD AFTERNOON. UH, I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION. WHO IS GONNA BE DOING THE CONTRACTS FOR LIKE THE ROOFING AND THE HVAC? IS THAT THE CITY OR THE CONTRACTS LIKE WHOEVER'S DOING THE ROOFING OR CONTRACTORS? OH YEAH. SO WE HAVE A LIST OF, UM, CONTRACTORS THAT WE DRAW FROM. WE GET THREE BIDS AND WE CHOOSE THE LOWEST BIDDER. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE MAKE A MOTION? WE CLOSE THE HEARING, PUBLIC HEARING. SECOND, HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. A AYE. ANY OPPOSED? PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED. NO FURTHER ACTIONS NEEDED. THIS WILL BE ON A FUTURE AGENDA FOR US TO TAKE ACTION ON. [23. Consider Adopting a Resolution Approving a Water and Sewer Use Agreement for 4095 E US 70 Hwy. — Tax PIDs 7- 037- 017 and 7- 034- 025.] OKAY. BOARD, UH, ON YOUR PACKAGE, UH, NUMBER 22 AND NUMBER 23, UM, NEEDS TO BE REVERSED. IS THAT CORRECT MR. DAVIS? YES. UH, SO WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA CONSIDER NUMBER 23 FIRST. SO THAT IS TO CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION APPROVING A WATER AND SEWER USE AGREEMENT FOR 40 95 EAST US HIGHWAY 70 TAX PARCEL ID 7 0 3 7 0 1 7 AND 7 0 3 4 0 2 5. MR. JORDAN HUGHES. UH, GOOD EVENING MAYOR. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, UH, WHAT WE HAVE IS A STANDARD WATER AND SEWER USE AGREEMENT, WHICH WE ENACT ON ANY, UH, DEVELOPER OR PROPERTY THAT'S OUTSIDE OF OUR CURRENT MUNICIPAL BOUNDARIES THAT'S REQUESTING WATER OR SEWER SERVICE. UM, THIS IS ABOUT A FIVE AND A, UH, A 5.8 ACRE PARCEL. WHEN YOU COMBINE, COMBINE THE, THE TWO PROPERTIES, UM, WITH AN, UH, ESTIMATED CALCULATED DAILY DEMAND FOR WATER TO WASTE WATER A LITTLE OVER 5,000 GALLONS A DAY. UM, AT THIS POINT WE'VE TALKED TO THE PROPERTY OWNER DON'T HAVE A EXACT USE TO HAVE USED KIND OF A GENERIC, UH, PER ACRE CALCULATION RATE TO COME UP WITH THAT DEMAND NUMBER, WHICH WE FEEL IT WOULD BE ADEQUATE FOR ANYTHING THAT THEY WOULD POTENTIALLY USE ON THE SITE. UM, THERE'LL BE VERY SHORT EXTENSIONS [00:25:01] OF BOTH THE WATER AND WASTEWATER SYSTEM MADE TO CONNECT THIS PROPERTY TO OUR EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE. AND WE'VE OUTLINED THOSE CONNECTION LOCATIONS WITHIN THE AGREEMENT. UM, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE POTENTIAL CONNECTIONS OR THE AGREEMENT ITSELF. BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS? MAY I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADOPT A RESOLUTION APPROVING A WATER AND SEWER USE AGREEMENT FOR 4 0 9 5 EAST US HIGHWAY 72ND MOTION? HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE UNLESS HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN BRYANT. YES. ALDERMAN BRYANT? YES. ALDERMAN ASTOR. YES. ALDERMAN WHITE? YES. ALDERMAN BEST? YES. ALDERMAN OUTLAW. YES. ALDERMAN FERGUSON. YES. MAYOR ODOM. YES. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU, JORDAN. UH, [22. Conduct a Public Hearing and Consider Adopting an Ordinance Annexing 4095 E US 70 Hwy. — Tax PIDs 7- 037- 017 and 7- 034- 025.] NOW WE'LL GO TO ITEM NUMBER 22. CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDER ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE ANNEXING 4 0 9 5 EAST US 70 HIGHWAY, UH, WITH THE SAME TAX PARCEL IDS, NUMBERS I MENTIONED FOR THE LAST ONE. UH, MS. RU. MAYOR, I'LL, I'LL STEP UP. OKAY. THIS ONE. UM, ALRIGHT. THE REASON WE WE REVERSE THOSE IS THE, OUR TYPICAL SEWER AND WATER USE AGREEMENT HAS A, A REQUIREMENT THAT THE OWNER PETITION, UM, VOLUNTARILY PETITION, UM, THE BOARD TO ANNEX THEIR PROPERTY. UM, THAT'S WHY WE REVERSED THIS. SO NOW THAT THAT AGREEMENT HAS BEEN APPROVED, UM, WE HAVE THE PETITION FROM THE OWNER OF THIS PROPERTY TO ANNEX, UM, INTO THE CITY. UM, YOU WILL DO THAT IN YOUR TOTAL DISCRETION AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC HEARING. OKAY. DOES THE BOARD HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF BEFORE WE OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY. AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING. THIS IS ON ITEM NUMBER 22. IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK REGARDING THIS ITEM, PLEASE COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME, MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING. SECOND. SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. A AYE. ANY OPPOSED? PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED. WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD ON ITEM NUMBER 22? MAY I MAKE A MOTION THAT, OH, EXCUSE ME. I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADOPT AN ORDINANCE. YEAH, I'M, I'M, MY SCREEN JUST WENT BLANK. OH. WHAT'S THE ADDRESS? UH, ADOPT AN ORDINANCE ANNEXING A 40, UH, NINE FIVE EAST HIGHWAY 70. I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADOPT AN ORDINANCE, UM, ANNEXING 4 0 9 5 HIGHWAY 70 EAST. SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ASTOR. ALDERMAN ASTOR. YES. ALDERMAN WHITE. YES. ALDERMAN DUST? YES. ALDERMAN OUTLAW. YES. ALDERMAN FERGUSON. YES. ALDERMAN BRYANT? YES. MAYOR ODOM? YES. MOTION CARRIES. OKAY. BOARD. [Items 24 & 25] NEXT IS ITEM 24 AND 25. THEY'RE VERY SIMILAR SO WE CAN, UH, CONSIDER THOSE TOGETHER. SO ITEM NUMBER 24 IS CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION OF PROVEN AN ADDITIONAL STREETLIGHT AT 1800 PEPPERCORN COURT. AND ITEM NUMBER 25 IS THE SAME AT THE CORNER OF PINEHURST DRIVE AND CARMEL LANE. MR. BOUCHARD, GOOD EVENING. MAYOR OI, BOARD OF ALDERMAN. THIS IS A TYPICAL ROUTINE REQUEST BY A CITIZEN TO INSTALL A STREET LIGHT. UM, IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, IT'S ON, ON PEPPERCORN COURT. UM, UTILITY TYPICALLY EVALUATES THE LOCATION AND THE REQUEST FOR STREET LIGHTING TO SEE IF IT'S WARRANTED FOR ROADWAY, UM, SAFETY. AND IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, THERE IS SUFFICIENT LIGHTING ALREADY ON THE ROADWAY. SO IN THAT PARTICULAR CASE, UM, OUR, OUR, OUR ACTION IS TO FORWARD THAT INFORMATION TO POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THEY LOOK AT IT FROM A PUBLIC SAFETY PERSPECTIVE, AND THEY'RE RECOMMENDING, UH, A LIGHT BE INSTALLED THERE FOR THE PURPOSE OF PUBLIC SAFETY. DOES BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS? MAYOR, I'D MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADOPT A RESOLUTION APPROVING ADDITIONAL STREETLIGHT AT 1800 PEPPERCORN COURT AND ALSO ADOPTING A RESOLUTION APPROVING AN ADDITIONAL STREETLIGHT AT THE CORNER OF PINEHURST TRIBE AND CARMEL LANE. SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN WHITE. ALDERMAN WHITE, YES. ALDERMAN VEST? YES. ALDERMAN OUTLAW. YES. ALDERMAN FERGUSON. YES. ALDERMAN BRYANT? YES. ALDERMAN ASTOR. YES. MAYOR ODOM. YES. MOTION CARRIES. [26. Consider Adopting a Resolution to Rename E Street to Leroy Way Jr. Avenue.] NEXT IS ITEM NUMBER 26. CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION TO RENAME E STREET TO LEROY WAY JUNIOR AVENUE, MR. WILLIAMS, UH, MAYOR AND BOARD FOR THE REASONS THAT WERE EXPRESSED BY MS. SOIE WAY. UM, WE'RE ASKING TO, UM, FOR THE BOARD TO CONSIDER ADOPTING THIS, UH, [00:30:01] RENAMING THESE STREETS, AND I'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE BOARD? I MAKE A MOTION TO CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION TO RENAME E STREET TO LEROY WAY JUNIOR AVENUE. SECOND. SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN BEST, ALDERMAN BEST? YES. ALDERMAN OUTLAW. YES. ALDERMAN FERGUSON. YES. ALDERMAN BRYANT? YES. ALDERMAN ASER. YES. ALDERMAN WHITE. YES. MAYOR ODA? YES. MOTION CARRIES. CONGRATULATIONS. OKAY, [Items 27 - 29] BOARD. NEXT, UH, WE'RE GONNA CONSIDER ITEM 27, 28, AND 29 COLLABORATIVELY. ITEM NUMBER 27 IS CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION ACCEPTING OWNERSHIP AND MAINTENANCE OF CERTAIN STREETS. IN BLUE WATER RISE NUMBER 28 IS CONSIDERED ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND SECTION 70 99 STOP INTERSECTIONS TO ADD CERTAIN STREETS IN BLUE WATER RISE. AND ITEM NUMBER 29 IS CONSIDERED ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 70, TRAFFIC AND VEHICLES TO SECTION 71 3 2. TO AMEND THE SCHEDULE OF SPEED LIMITS TO ADD CERTAIN STREETS IN BLUE WATER RISE. MR. CHIS, GOOD EVENING BOARD MAYOR, UM, PUBLIC WORKS HAD RECEIVED A REQUEST TO ACCEPT OWNERSHIP AND MAINTENANCE RESPONSIBILITIES OF CERTAIN ROADS LOCATED WITHIN THE BLUE AUTO RISE DEVELOPMENT. MORE SPECIFICALLY, THAT IS ROADS WITHIN SOUTH WIND PHASE ONE, SOUTH WIND PHASE TWO, SECTION A AND B, VENDIGO BAY PHASE ONE, SECTION A AND B, VENDIGO PHASE TWO, SECTION A AND B AND MONITOR CAPE PHASE ONE. THE LISTING OF THOSE 18 STREETS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THOSE PHASES WERE INCLUDED IN THE PACKET. WE HAVE INSPECTED THESE ROADS AND HAVE DETERMINED THEY'RE BUILT THE STANDARDS AND CONFORMED WITH THE STREETS, UM, THE CITY STREET STAND DESIGN STANDARDS AND ARE REQUESTING A RESOLUTION TO ACCEPT THESE ROADS. BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS? UM, ONLY QUESTION. I I HAVE A, I WOULD JUST, I, I GUESS I'LL MAKE THIS A QUESTION. UM, THROUGHOUT NEW BERNON, THIS IS THE WAY THE FUTURE IS AS FAR AS DEVELOPMENT. UM, I ASSUME THERE'S A HOMEOWNER'S ASSOCIATION ASSOCIATED WITH THIS. AND, UM, THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF, OF FUTURE MAINTENANCE THAT CITIZENS NEWMAN WILL BE PAYING FOR. AND, UM, THE AMOUNT OF, OF MAINTENANCE WE HAVE WILL DEPEND ON THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION AND THE CITY OF NEWBURN AS FAR AS THE MAINTENANCE OF RETENTION PONDS AND, AND MEANS OF, UM, OF STORMWATER RUNOFF BEING TREATED WITHIN THAT DEVELOPMENT AND LEAVING THAT DEVELOPMENT WHEREVER IT MIGHT GO. UH, IN THE CASE OF SOME DEVELOPMENTS IN DIFFERENT WHERE, UM, THE MAINTENANCE IS NOT, HAS BEEN MARGINAL, TO SAY THE LEAST. UM, THE CITY HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH STREETS, WHICH PUTS A BURDEN ON THE TAXPAYERS BY WAY OF YOU HAVING TO PAY TO FIX STREETS THAT, UM, GET, GET FLOODED BECAUSE STORMWATER DRAINAGE PONDS, PRIMARY AND SECONDARY DOES NOT WORK. UM, AND AGAIN, I'M, I'M SURE YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT ALL THAT'S IN ORDER. YES. WE'VE, UH, WE'VE INSPECTED THE STORMWATER AND THE, THE STORMWATER FEATURES THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THAT DEVELOPMENT AS PART OF OUR INSPECTION. DANA, I CAN TELL YOU THAT I HAVE RECEIVED SEVERAL PHONE CALLS AND EMAILS ABOUT STREET CONDITIONS, SIDEWALK CONDITIONS, CURBS, AS WELL AS STORM WATER RUNOFF AND RETENTION POND MAINTENANCE PASSED ONE TO GEORGE AND GEORGIA DEPARTMENT'S BEEN ON TOP OF IT. YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY, THEY'VE BEEN AT, THEY SPENT SEVERAL HOURS OUT THERE SOMETIMES DOING INSPECTIONS. SO I'M SATISFIED THAT THEY HAVE MET THE, UH, REQUIREMENTS FOR THE CITY. AND THE THING ABOUT IS, IS, IS, UH, WHEN THIS BURDEN IS PLACED ON TAXPAYERS, IT, IT'S ACTUALLY BECAUSE THE SYSTEM IS WORKING THERE, THE SILT AND OTHER, UM, CONTAMINANTS THAT ARE ON THE ROADWAYS ARE GOING INTO THAT SYSTEM, WHICH THEY SHOULD BE JUST NOT BEING PROPERLY MAINTAINED. AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE WORKED WITH A LOT OF THE HOAS UP FRONT GOING FORWARD TO TRY TO PREPARE THEM. AND I, I THINK THE CURRENT STORMWATER STANDARDS HAVE SOME REFLECTION OF THAT EFFORT, NOT, NOT JUST ON A CITY LEVEL, BUT ON THE STATE LEVEL, ON THE PERMITTING SIDE. SO I THINK THINGS ARE DEVELOPING IN A, IN A BETTER, BETTER MOTION FORWARD TO, TO PREVENT THAT DOWNSTREAM. AND ITEM 28, 20 EIGHT'S RELATED TO THE INCLUSION OF THE STOP INTERSECTION RELATED TO THESE 18 ROADS AND 29 [00:35:01] IS TO AMEND THE SPEED LIMIT SCHEDULE IN SECTION 70 DASH 1 32 THAT ARE RELATED TO THE SAME ROADS. ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? AGAIN, A REMINDER, THIS IS GOING TO BE TO CONSIDER ADOPTING 27, 28 AND 29. MR. MAYOR, I MOVE TO ADOPT ITEMS 27, 28 AND 29 AS PRESENTED ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF STAFF. SECOND. A MOTION? I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. LET'S HAVE, HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN OUTLAW. ALDERMAN OUTLAW. YES. ALDERMAN FERGUSON. YES. ALDERMAN BRYANT? YES. ALDERMAN ASTOR. YES. ALDERMAN WHITE? YES. ALDERMAN. BEST MAYOR ODOM? YES. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU, GEORGE. THANK, UH, ITEM [30. Consider Adopting an Ordinance to Amend Article II, Chapter 74 to Remove Division 2. " Electric Services Board" In Its Entirety.] NUMBER 30. CONSIDER ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND ARTICLE TWO, CHAPTER 74 TO REMOVE DIVISION TWO ELECTRIC SERVICES BOARD IN ITS ENTIRETY. MR. BOUCHARD. GOOD EVENING ONCE AGAIN. UH, UPON DOING AN ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW OF, OF THE CITY'S ORDINANCE WHERE IT APPLIES TO ELECTRIC SERVICES, UM, I NOTICED THAT, UH, THERE'S A CALL, UM, THERE'S A DIRECTION IN THE ORDINANCE TO HAVE AN ELECTRIC SERVICE BOARD. UM, THERE HASN'T BEEN ONE ACTIVE SINCE 2012, AND THE CITY CLERK WENT BACK INTO RECORDS AND, AND, AND HELPED ME LOCATE THAT. IN 2010, THERE WAS A RECOMMENDATION BY THE BOARD TO, UM, TO ABANDON THAT. AND, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS JUST OVERSIGHT THAT THE ORDINANCE WAS NEVER AMENDED, BUT I'M PUTTING IT IN FRONT OF YOUR ATTENTION SO THAT, UM, YOU, THE ORDINANCE CAN REFLECT YOUR, YOUR DIRECTION AND YOUR WILL. SO I DRAFTED IT OUT AS REMOVING IT, UH, FROM THE ORDINANCE, BUT I'LL LEAVE THAT UP TO YOUR DISCRETION BOARD, HAVE QUESTIONS. WHAT IS, I WOULD, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS ABOUT, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND VOTE ON IT, BUT BEFORE WE LEAVE THAT ITEM, I THINK MAYBE THE OCH GROUP MIGHT WANT TO MAKE A COUPLE COMMENTS. MAY I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADOPT AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND ARTICLE TWO CHAPTER 74 TO REMOVE DIVISION TWO ELECTRICAL SERVICE BOARD IN ITS ENTIRETY? SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? THE ONLY THING I'LL ADD, UH, DISCUSSION MR. MAYOR IS, UH, TO ALDERMAN OUTLAWS POINT, THE ELECTRIC UTILITY AD HOC GROUP, UH, HAS BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS WITH THE UTILITY DIRECTOR AS WELL AS WITH OTHER ENTERPRISE FUNDS ON THIS ISSUE. AND THEN ACROSS THE BOARD CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLANS FOR OUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS. SO I THINK THAT THAT AD HOC GROUP IS A MORE USEFUL USE OF THE, THE STAFF'S TIME THAN ELECTRIC SERVICE BOARD, UH, THAT IS OUTDATED AND HASN'T BEEN ENGAGED IN, UH, YOU KNOW, ALMOST EIGHT YEARS. UM, I THINK AT SOME POINT IT MIGHT MAKE SENSE TO THEN PUT TOGETHER SOME KIND OF ADVISORY BOARD, BUT AS IT STANDS NOW, I THINK THE AD HOC WORKING GROUP HAS DONE A GREAT JOB AND WE, WE LOOK FORWARD TO PUTTING TOGETHER RECOMMENDATIONS FOR YOU, UM, WITH OUR FINDINGS AT OUR SUMMER RETREAT. SO, UH, I WOULD SAY, UM, ANY COMMENTS I WOULD'VE WOULD BE AFTER THE SUMMER RETREAT WHEN THE AD HOC REPORTS TO THE FULL BOARD. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, BASED ON WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE FUTURE OF THE, THE PARTNERSHIP RELATIONSHIP WITH THE, WITH THE CITIZENRY WOULD BE PROBABLY, IF IT'D BE THE AD HOC GROUP OR, OR ANOTHER GROUP INBORN INVOLVEMENT TO MAYBE HAVE MONTHLY MEETINGS, UM, KIND OF TALL, HOW TOWN HALL TYPE OF A CONCEPT, UM, AS TO WHERE THE PUBLIC COULD COME AND ENGAGE, UM, THE AD HOC OR THE BOARD OR WHATEVER IT BE. UM, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AS THINGS MOVE ALONG WITH THE MERGER AND OTHER THINGS, THERE'S, THERE'S GONNA BE QUITE A BIT OF, UH, STATE NEWS. I, I NOTICED TODAY THAT THE UTILITIES COMMISSION, UH, FAILED TO MEET BECAUSE OF SECURITY CONCERNS. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? OKAY. LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN FERGUSON. ALDERMAN FERGUSON. YES. ALDERMAN BRYANT. YES. ALDERMAN ASTOR. YES. ALDERMAN WHITE? YES. ALDERMAN DE YES. ALDERMAN OUTLAW. YES. MAYOR ODOM. YES. MOTION CARRIES. NEXT UP IS ITEM [31. Consider Adopting an Ordinance to Restate the Schedule of System Development and Connection Fees for Water and Sewer Customers.] NUMBER 31. CONSIDER ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE TO RESTATE THE SCHEDULE OF SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT FEES AND CONNECTION FEES FOR WATER AND SEWER CUSTOMERS. [00:40:01] MR. JORDAN HUGHES. THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, THE NEXT ITEM IS A RECOMMENDATION TO RESTATE OUR SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT AND CONNECTION FEE ORDINANCE. AND THERE ARE TWO FEES THAT ARE BASICALLY BUILT INTO THIS ORDINANCE THAT ARE PRIMARILY FOR NEW DEVELOPMENT OR NEW CONNECTIONS TO OUR WATER AND WASTEWATER SYSTEM. FIRST IS THE SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT FEE, WHICH WE DO A PROFESSIONAL ANALYSIS EVERY FIVE YEARS, WHICH IS REQUIRED BY GENERAL STATUTE, WHICH SETS THAT RATE. WE DID IT A COUPLE YEARS AGO, THAT NUMBER IS GOOD TO GO. THE OTHER FEE IS OUR CONNECTION FEE. THIS IS OUR, OUR COST TO PHYSICALLY MAKE THE CONNECTION. THIS IS THE, THE PIPE, THE EQUIPMENT, ASPHALT REPAIR, WHATEVER IT TAKES TO PHYSICALLY MAKE NEW WATER AND SEWER CONNECTIONS. WE UPDATED THESE NUMBERS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO TO BETTER REFLECT CURRENT MATERIAL AND CONSTRUCTION PRICING. AND IT, IT FELT LIKE WE HAD A PRETTY GOOD NUMBER ON EVERYTHING OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS. WHAT WE'VE NOTICED ARE THERE SOME, UM, SPECIALIZED CONNECTIONS MOSTLY IN OUR COMMERCIAL TYPE DEVELOPMENT WHERE WE'RE DEALING WITH LARGER CONNECTIONS, DEEPER CONNECTIONS, UH, CONNECTIONS THAT CROSS ROADWAYS AND HAVE SPECIALTY CONTRACTORS COMING IN TO MAKE BOARDS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. WE LOOKED AT THE COST TO MAKE THOSE WHERE WE'RE BRINGING SUB SUBCONTRACTORS IN VERSUS WHAT OUR PUBLISHED RATES ARE. AND THEY'RE ALL OVER THE MAP. IN MOST CASES, WE ARE NOT RECOUPING THE COST AND SOMETIMES BY A LARGE MARGIN, AS AN EXAMPLE, UM, A STANDARD SEWER CONNECTION MAY BE $1,900, BUT BECAUSE IT REQUIRES A ROAD RATE BOARD AND IT'S A DEEP CONNECTION, WE MAY HAVE 20,000 OR $25,000 IN CONTRACTOR BILLS TO MAKE THOSE SPECIALIZED CONNECTIONS. SO WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS UPDATE THIS ORDINANCE FOR THOSE SPECIALTY CONNECTIONS, THOSE LARGER CONNECTIONS THAT MOSTLY IMPACT NEW COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT WHERE WHEN WE GET TO ONE OF THOSE, THEY'RE ACTUALLY GONNA PAY THE TRUE COST PLUS AN ADMINISTRATIVE FEE ON TOP OF THAT. AND YOU'LL SEE THROUGH THE RED LINE EVERYWHERE WE'VE GOTTEN THOSE AREAS WHERE WE FEEL LIKE WHERE WE WE'RE GOING TO ENCOUNTER THOSE SPECIALTY CONNECTIONS OR THE NEED TO BRING IN A SUBCONTRACTOR, YOU'LL SEE THOSE RED LINED OUT WHERE WE'VE BASICALLY DONE AWAY WITH A PUBLISHED RATE AND WE'RE JUST GONNA GO TO THE ACTUAL COST PLUS 10%. AND THE REASON FOR THAT METHODOLOGY IS THESE CAN VARY WIDELY DEPENDING ON THE LOCATION OF THE NEW DEVELOPMENT, THE LOCATION OF OUR EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE, HOW DEEP SOME OF THAT IS. SO WE DON'T WANNA TRY TO MAKE SOME, WE WIN SOME AND WE LOSE SOME. WE WANNA MAKE THIS VERY EQUITABLE WHERE EVERYBODY KIND OF PAYS THE TRUE CALLS TO CONNECT THEIR NEW DEVELOPMENT TO OUR INFRASTRUCTURE. HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. COURT HAVE QUESTIONS? JORDAN, I THOUGHT AT ONE TIME I DON'T HAVE YOUR RATE SCHEDULE IN FRONT OF ME, BUT I THOUGHT TO THAT POINT, UH, CERTAIN TAPS, UM, WERE AT THE DISCRETION OF THE MANAGER OR STAFF THAT, THAT YOU GUYS DID JUST THAT WE HAD IN, IN ONE OF THE OLDER SCHEDULES, AND ACTUALLY STILL IN THIS SCHEDULE WHEN YOU GET TO, WE HAVE PUBLISHED RATES FOR STANDARD METER SIZES, UH, UP TO I THINK FOUR, SIX INCHES. IF SOMEBODY COME, CAME IN AND NEEDED A VERY LARGE CONNECTION, AN INDUSTRIAL CUSTOMER NEEDS A 12 INCH METER AND A 12 INCH SEWER LINE CONNECTION. WE DON'T HAVE EVERYTHING PUBLISHED OUT ALL THE WAY IN RIGHT. FOR, FOR THOSE VERY LARGE SPECIAL, UH, SPECIALTY SIZES. SO WE'VE ALWAYS HAD SOME VERBIAGE IN THERE. IF SOMEBODY COMES IN AND REQUEST A, A VERY LARGE CONNECTION, IT, YOU KNOW, WE KINDA, WE CAN GO BACK AND TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT THAT WOULD ACTUALLY COST AND THEN PRESENT THEM A TRUE COST TO MAKE THAT CONNECTION. WHAT WE'RE REALLY DOING WITH THE COST PLUS 10% ON THESE OTHER ONES IS GIVING US THE SAME ABILITY FOR PLACES WHERE WE'RE DOING DEEP EXCAVATION TO MAKE SEWER CONNECTIONS OR PLACES WHERE WE'RE MAKING ROADWAY BOARDS AND WE'RE HAVING TO BRING IN SPECIALTY CONTRACTORS. SO, UM, KIND OF SEGUEING ON THAT, WHERE, WHERE ARE WE ON CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT RESERVES? SO THE SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT FEE. SO THE, THE CONNECTION FEES ARE BASICALLY THAT, THAT THAT TRUE COST. SO IF IT COST US $2,000 WORTH OF MATERIAL TAP FEE END OF TO, TO MAKE, TO MAKE THE COST, THE SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT FEE IS WHERE WE, WE GET THAT CAPITAL RESERVE MONEY MM-HMM . AND WHAT OUR METHODOLOGY AND HOW WE APPLY THAT CAPITAL RESERVE MONEY, WE ROLLED THAT BACK INTO ANNUAL REHABILITATION. ALRIGHT. OKAY. IT'S A PLEASURE. THE BOARD ON ITEM NUMBER 31, MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADOPT AN ORDINANCE TO RESTATE THE SCHEDULE OF SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT AND CONNECTION FEES FOR WATER AND SEWER CUSTOMERS. SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN BRYANT. ALDERMAN BRYANT? YES. ALDERMAN ASTER. YES. ALDERMAN WHITE. YES. ALDERMAN BEST? YES. ALDERMAN AL. YES. ALDERMAN FERGUSON. YES. MAYOR ODOM. YES. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU JORDAN. [32. Consider Adopting an Ordinance Amending Sec. 86- 27 and 86- 28 of Chapter 86 — Waterways.] NEXT IS ITEM NUMBER 32. CONSIDER ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 86 27 AND 86 28 OF CHAPTER 86 WATERWAYS, MS. WARREN [00:45:02] GREEN. SORRY. GOOD EVENING. UM, MAYOR AND BOARD. SO WE ARE REQUESTING AN ORDINANCE AMENDMENT TO CHAPTER 86 WATERWAYS. UM, WE HAVE HAD SOME INSTANCES, UH, WHERE SOME CLEAR LANGUAGE AND RULES AND REGULATIONS WOULD BE HELPFUL WITH THE USE OF COMMERCIAL VESSELS AT OUR RAMPS IN ALL OF OUR PARKS. UM, AND SO OPERATION OF BOATS IN THE VICINITY, VICINITY OF LAUNCHING RAMPS, UH, PARTICULARLY SECTION B COMMERCIAL AND WORKING VESSELS LESS THAN 35 FEET IN LENGTH MAY LAUNCH AND LOAD A PUBLIC BOAT. RAMPS CONSISTENT WITH THE RULES AND REGULATIONS THAT GOVERN THE USE OF PUBLIC BOAT RAMPS. PREPPING AND LOADING THE MATERIALS FOR COMMERCIAL AND WORKING VESSELS AT THE BOAT, BOAT RAMP LAUNCH AREA AND PUBLIC PARK IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED. AND THEN ADDING IN WHICH WE ALREADY HAVE RULES AND REGULATIONS POSTED AT THE RAMPS, BUT THIS JUST ADDS IT TO THE ORDINANCE. UM, AND THEN SECTION 86 DASH 28 TEMPORARY MOORING AT PUBLIC DOCKING FACILITIES. THAT ALSO, UH, SECTION B WILL HAVE, UM, OVERNIGHT MOORING AT ALL PUBLIC DOCKS IS PROHIBITED UNLESS SUCH OVERNIGHT MO IS SPECIFICALLY INCLUDED AS PART OF A PUBLIC ASSEMBLY PERMIT. SO THAT WOULD BE PART OF LIKE ONE OF OUR SPECIAL EVENT APPLICATIONS. UM, AND THEN C COMMERCIAL AND WORKING VESSELS. THIS IS NEW. WE'VE HAD A, UH, REQUEST FREQUENTLY FOR TOUR BOATS BEING ABLE TO LOAD AND UNLOAD AT OUR DOCKING FACILITIES. AND SO THIS LANGUAGE STATES THAT COMMERCIAL AND WORKING VESSELS, SPECIFICALLY INCLUDING COMMERCIAL FISHING VESSELS, MAY NOT MORE OR OTHERWISE USE THE PUBLIC DOCKING FACILITIES. PORTIONS OF PUBLIC DOCKS MAY BE LICENSED TO OWNERS OF COMMERCIAL TOURIST VESSELS OR WATER TAXIS UNDER SUCH TERMS AND CONDITIONS AS MAY MAY BE ESTABLISHED FROM TIME TO TIME BY THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN. AND WITH THAT, WE ARE PROPOSING A ANNUAL FEE IF WE DO APPROVE TO OFFER A LICENSE FOR, UH, COMMERCIAL VESSELS TO USE THE DOCKING FACILITIES FOR LOADING AND UNLOADING. UH, THE FEE I'M PROPOSING IS, UH, ANNUALLY FOR $500. DOES THE BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS? WELL, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE BEFORE THE, THE QUESTIONS START COMING IN FROM PUBLIC. UH, MR. DAVIS, DO YOU HAVE, HAVE YOU RUN INTO THAT IN OTHER CITIES AND I I I HAVE, UH, MAYOR OR ORMAN OUTLAW THE, UM, THE STRUCTURE HERE WILL WORK MUCH LIKE THE, THE, THE LEASE OF OUR SURPLUS PROPERTY. SO IF WE HAVE, UM, AN OPERATOR WHO IS INTERESTED IN LICENSING ONE OF OUR DOCKS, THAT LICENSE WILL COME BEFORE YOU AND YOU'LL HAVE CONTROL OVER ALL THE TERMS AND PROVISIONS OF THAT. BUT IF, IF A, A PERSON IN THE, IN THE SEA DOING DOCKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT NEEDS TO LAUNCH IS THEY'RE PROHIBITED. NO, NO, SIR. UH, WE, WE, WE ARE ALLOWING, WHAT THEY CANNOT DO IS LOAD. THE PROBLEM WE HAVE IS, UM, DOCK BUILDERS WILL HAVE THEIR MATERIALS, 18 WHEELERS SHOW UP IN A PARK WITH A CRANE AS THEY LOAD THEIR VESSEL TYING UP THE RAMP, DAMAGING OUR PROPERTY. THIS CLARIFICATION ALLOWS THEM TO LAUNCH BOATS AND BARGES UP TO 35 FEET IN LENGTH FROM ALL OF OUR FACILITIES, BUT THEY JUST CAN'T LOAD THEM AT THE FACILITY. MM-HMM . OKAY. AND WE HAVE HAD THAT A COUPLE TIMES WHERE WE ACTUALLY HAD TO GO OUT AND STOP THAT FROM OCCURRING. YEAH, THAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD. ON ITEM 33, MR. MAYOR, I, SORRY. 32 WHAT? 32. SORRY. I MISSPOKE. MR. MAYOR. I MOVED TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 86 DASH 27 AND 86 DASH 28 OF CHAPTER 86 WATERWAYS OF OUR CODE OF ORDINANCES AS PRESENTED. SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE? LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ASTOR. ALDERMAN ASTOR. YES. ALDERMAN WHITE. YES. ALDERMAN VEST? YES. ALDERMAN OUTLAW. YES. ALMAN FERGUSON. YES. ALDERMAN BRILLIANT. YES. MAYOR ODOM. YES. MOTION CARRIES. [33. Consider Adopting a Resolution Approving the Classification Pay Plan for Fiscal Year 2026- 2027.] NEXT IS ITEM NUMBER 33. CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE CLASSIFICATION PLAY PAY PLAN FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 27. MS. HAYES, GOOD EVENING MAYOR. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, I STAND BEFORE YOU TONIGHT ASKING THAT YOU CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION TO APPROVE THE CA CLASSIFICATION PAY PLAN FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 27. THE PAY PLAN DOES INCORPORATE A 2% COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT AND I'VE OUTLINED EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE IN THE MEMO BEFORE YOU. HOWEVER, I DO WANNA HIGHLIGHT ALSO THAT IT DOES INCORPORATE [00:50:01] SOME POSITION TITLE CHANGES, A COUPLE OF NEW POSITIONS. SO ALL THAT'S ENUMERATED IN THE MEMO, BUT JUST FOR SUMMATION, IT DOES INCLUDE EIGHT TITLE CHANGES ALL IN WATER RESOURCES. ONE NEW POSITION TITLE IN WATER RESOURCES, TWO POSITION TITLES THAT ARE GONNA BE USED JUST FOR CAREER DEVELOPMENT PURPOSES AND WATER RESOURCES. AND THEN ONE NEW POSITION TITLED IN FINANCE. AND I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS? MAY I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING THE CLASSIFICATION PAY PLAN FOR PHYSICAL YEAR 2026. 2027. SECOND. HAVE A MOTION A SECOND. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? WELL, YOU GOT IN THERE HEARING NONE UNLESS I HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN BEST? ALDERMAN BEST, YES. ALDERMAN OUTLAW. YES. ALDERMAN FERGUSON. YES. ALDERMAN BRYANT? YES. ALDERMAN ASTER? YES. ALDERMAN WHITE? YES. MAYOR ODOM? YES. MOTION CARRIES. NEXT UP IS [34. Consider Adopting an Ordinance Amending the Schedule of Fees and Charges.] ITEM NUMBER 34. CONSIDER ADOPTING ORDINANCE AMENDING THE SCHEDULE OF FEES AND CHARGES. MS. HARMS. GOOD EVENING MAYOR. BOARD. UM, SO I LOOKING BEFORE YOU ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE SCHEDULE OF FEES AND CHARGES, WE DID INCORPORATE THE, UH, CHANGES DIRECTED AT THE MAY 5TH BUDGET FOR POSSESSION WHERE WE, UH, CHANGED THE DESCRIPTION OF THE HORSESHOE RENTAL AT UNION POINT PARK AND REMOVED THE PROPOSED HISTORIC PRESERVATION BASE OF 25. I DO WANNA, UH, NOTE THAT WE DO HAVE ONE MORE MINOR REVISION, UM, THAT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE PACKET PROVIDED AND THAT IS UNDER SECTION 10 FOR REFUSE. THERE WAS A LANGUAGE THAT PROPOSED A SERVICE FEE OF $20 AND 25 CENTS PER EACH ADDITIONAL 65 GALLON RESIDENTIAL USE CONTAINER THAT SHOULD BE DELETED AS THERE IS ONLY ONE CONTAINER, UM, ALLOWED FOR RESIDENTIAL BOARD. HAVE QUESTIONS? NO, UH, QUESTION I HAD FOR THE CITY MANAGER, UM, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL YEARS AGO WE PROCURED A HORRIBLE STAGE. YES SIR. AND WHERE ARE WE WITH THAT AND HOW MUCH ARE WE USING IT AND WHAT, WHAT IS YOUR FUTURE PLANS FOR SO MAXIMAL USE OF IT? SO THE PORTABLE STAGE IS USED QUITE A FEW TIMES A YEAR FOR CITY, CITY EVENTS. UM, WE WITH CITY SPONSORED EVENTS, FOLKS REQUESTED, I DON'T BELIEVE, AND CARRIE CAN CORRECT ME ON THIS, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ACTUALLY RENTED THIS OUT TO ANYONE. I THINK WE'VE HAD SOME INQUIRIES, BUT IT'S, IT'S PROBABLY USED ABOUT 10 TO 12 TIMES A YEAR AT THIS TIME. YEAH, I WOULD SAY THAT'S ABOUT RIGHT. WE USE IT OURSELVES ABOUT EIGHT TIMES A YEAR AND THEN THERE'S A COUPLE OF CITY SPONSORED EVENTS WE USE IT FOR, UH, JUNETEENTH DOVE FEST, UM, AND MUM FEST, WE USE IT FOR THAT AS WELL. WE HAVE HAD A COUPLE INQUIRIES, UM, USUALLY THE PRICE DETERS PEOPLE ON THAT. AND, AND AS YOU REMEMBER WHEN, AND SOME OF YOU REMEMBER WHEN WE SET THAT PRICE THAT IS IN LINE WITH WHAT A STAGE OF, OF THAT NATURE IS ACTUALLY GOES FOR ON THE HIP AND MARKET FOR RENTALS? WELL, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, FOR WHAT WE PAID FOR VERSUS THE FEMA REIMBURSEMENTS FOR THE DECK DOWN AT UNION POINT AND THE, YOU KNOW, THE IDEA OF MORE EVENTS FOR MORE WELLNESS AND AMENITIES FOR UPSET RE UM, I WAS HOPING IT'D BE USED A LITTLE MORE THAN THAT, BUT I DON'T REALLY KNOW HOW TO GO OUT AND, UM, YOU DON'T WANT TO UNDERPRICE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE ONE WE GOT SUPPOSEDLY, IF YOU REALLY WERE FINE TUNING THE OPERATION, THREE PEOPLE SUPPOSEDLY COULD, UM, GET IT READY, UH, IN ABOUT ONE HOUR, 45 MINUTES OR SOMETHING. WAS AN HOUR, ABOUT AN HOUR TO AN HOUR AND A HALF. YES SIR. YEAH. BUT NO, NO TAKERS ON RENTING IT MUCH. THAT'S CORRECT. YEAH. OKAY. MR. MAYOR, I MOVE TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE SCHEDULE OF FEES AND CHARGES AS PRESENTED TO INCLUDE THE CORRECTION, UH, AS TO THE RESIDENTIAL, UM, REFUSE CONTAINER CORRECTION. SECOND, HAVE A MOTION A SECOND. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE UNLESS HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN OUTLAW. ALDERMAN OUTLAW. YES. ALDERMAN FERGUSON. YES. ALDERMAN BRYANT? YES. ALDERMAN ASTOR. YES. ALDERMAN WHITE? YES. ALDERMAN BEST? YES. MAYOR ODOM? YES. MOTION CARRIES. NEXT IS ITEM NUMBER 35. [35. Consider Adopting the Budget Ordinance for Fiscal Year 2026- 2027.] CONSIDER ADOPTING A BUDGET ORDINANCE FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 27. MS. HARMS AGAIN. OKAY. THE PROPOSED BUDGET [00:55:01] WAS PRESENTED TO THE BOARD ON APRIL 14TH. A PUBLIC HEARING WAS HELD ON APRIL 28TH AND THE WORKSHOP WAS CONDUCTED ON MAY 5TH. SO WE RECEIVED NO COMMENTS AT THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THERE WERE SOME CHANGES THAT THE BOARD DIRECTED US TO MAY, UM, AT THE MAY 5TH BUDGET WORKSHOP. SO THOSE, UM, WERE INCORPORATED INTO THE FINAL, UH, PRESENTATION OF THE ORDINANCE FOR FISCAL YEAR 26, 27. DOES BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS, MR. MAYOR? I WOULD JUST, THIS ISN'T A QUESTION, IT'S MORE OF A COMMENT. UM, AND FOR THE CITIZENS TO UNDERSTAND THE STAFF BEGINS ALL THE WAY IN NOVEMBER WORKING ON THE BUDGET. AND YOU ALL STAFF HAVE DONE AN INCREDIBLE JOB WITH A LIST OF CRITERIA AND CONSTRAINTS THAT, UM, I FRANKLY DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND HOW YOU'RE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THE BUDGET WITH ALL OF THE CONSTRAINTS. AND SO I APPLAUD YOU. I THINK THIS BUDGET DOES A PHENOMENAL JOB ENSURING THAT OUR CITIZENS HAVE A LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT THEY EXPECT FOR THE TAXES THAT THEY PAY HERE. AND WHEN WE EXPAND THE TAX BASE, WE ALSO HAVE TO EXPAND OUR SERVICES. AND THOSE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE OUR CITIZENS ARE SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT, UH, THAT THEY RELY ON. AND SO THIS IS A FANTASTIC BUDGET THAT SUPPORTS MOVING NEW BERN FORWARD. WITH THAT, MR. MAYOR, I WOULD MOVE TO ADOPT THE BUDGET ORDINANCE FOR FISCAL YEAR 26, 27 AS PRESENTED. SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? I'LL JUST MAKE A COMMENT. UH, AS I TOLD THE MANAGER, UH, WHEN HE PRESENTED THIS TO ME, UH, AT FIRST I BELIEVE IT'S $136,000 IS THE AMOUNT THAT THE 0.0025 IS BEING USED TO ROUND UP. UM, IF THAT CAME OUT OF FUND BALANCE, I'D BE HAPPY TO SUPPORT THE BUDGET. UM, BUT I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF INCREASING THE TAXES ON THE CITIZENS THAT DIDN'T VOTE FOR IT. THEY DID VOTE FOR THE BOND REFERENDUMS, WHICH I SUPPORT, BUT NOT THE QUARTER OF THE SENATE. SO JUST WANNA MAKE THAT COMMENT. AND, AND THE ONLY COMMENT I WOULD ADD TO THAT IS WE WERE ELECTED TO MAKE THE HARD CHOICES. AND I THINK WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT APPROPRIATING FROM FUND BALANCE, WE CAN ONLY DO THAT FOR SO LONG UNTIL THE BALANCE IS ZERO. SO I THINK THIS IS A RESPONSIBLE BUDGET THAT ENSURES THE SERVICES THAT YOU ALL RELY ON. I THINK THAT QUARTER OF ONE PENNY EQUALS QUARTER OF A PENNY EQUALS SOMETHING LIKE A $6 INCREASE A YEAR FOR $250,000 HOUSE. IS THAT CORRECT? SOMETHING THAT'S APPROXIMATELY YES. I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK WHAT THE PRESENT, AND COURSE IT COULD CHANGE SEASONALLY, IT COULD CHANGE MONTHLY. WHAT IS THE PRESENT FUND BALANCE FOR THE CITY? UM, YEAH, WE GENERAL FUND, THAT'S PHONE IS CALCULATED ONCE A YEAR. UM, WE CAN ESTIMATE, I'LL, I'LL GO WITH THE ESTIMATE QUARTERLY AND FOR THE END OF MARCH, THAT WAS PROVIDED IN THE COURT MARCH QUARTERLY REPORT. THE UNASSIGNED AVAILABLE THUMB BALANCE IS APPROXIMATELY 3.8 MILLION. PERCENTAGE WISE, PERCENTAGE WISE, WE, WE VOTED YEARS AGO, NOT LET THE PHONE BALANCE GET BELOW 35%. MORE LIKE UNDER CERTAIN, I WOULDN'T CALL 'EM , BUT UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, NO LOWER THAN 25 BASED ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMISSION. YEARS AGO ACTUALLY WRITING THE CITY OF NEWBURN ELECTED OFFICIALS AND MAKING THEM SIGN A LETTER OF WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO DO TO ADDRESS FUND BALANCE GETTING BELOW 8%. UM, I THINK THAT, UM, I'LL SUFFICE MY QUESTION BY NOT NEEDING AN ANSWER, BY SAYING THAT ONE THING A FUND BALANCE CAN DO LIKE A PCA OR, UH, A TRUE UP OR WHATEVER OTHER DEVICE YOU WANT TO USE A CONTINGENCY WITHIN A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT. UM, SETTING UP AN ACCOUNT THERE, THERE'S ALL KIND OF WAYS OF, OF HAVING SOME COMFORT ZONE IN CASE, UH, LIKE THIS YEAR. UM, I, I DON'T KNOW, BUT I EXPECT, I EXPECT THE COST OF DIESEL FUEL HAS INCREASED 40 OR 50%. AND I'VE OFTEN WONDERED WHERE, UH, THE CITY WHEN WE CERTAINLY DIDN'T KNOW, UH, THAT, UH, A GUY ON THE DIESEL FUEL WAS GONNA BE $505 50 CENTS ONLY UP TO AROUND $6 AND, AND, AND INSURANCE, UH, AND SOME OF THE OTHER EXPENSES I, I DIDN'T KNOW. UM, I THINK THAT AS, UH, OTHERS THAT SAT ON THE BOARD, I THINK THAT LAST YEAR THE BOARD OF ALL DID A A GENTLEMAN'S JOB, UH, A OF PROVING A BUDGET THAT [01:00:01] SEEMINGLY TO ME, THE FUND BALANCES ENDED UP ABOUT WHERE WE THOUGHT IT IT SHOULD HAVE. IT IS IF, IF YOU GOT TOO LOW FUND BALANCE, THAT'S NOT GOOD. AND IT MEANS THAT EITHER YOU OVERSPENT OR YOU DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH REVENUES COMING IN. IF THE FUND BALANCE IS WAY UP, THEN THIS CITY DOESN'T NEED A 80% FUND BALANCE. IT IT, IT MEANS THAT WE NEED TO EITHER BE CUTTING EXPENSES OR PROVIDING BETTER SERVICES. SO TO ME, I THINK WHERE WE ARE, AND IN MY HEART OF HEARTS, I WOULD LOVE TO TAKE THAT 0.25 AND GET IT ON THE PHONE BALANCE, BUT I DON'T THINK WE CAN. UM, AM I FOR, UM, FOR ANY TYPE OF, OF FREEZES WITHIN OUR GOVERNMENT? NO. UH, AM I FOR CUTTING SERVICES, BE THEY PUBLIC, UM, PUBLIC WORKS OR, OR FIRE AND POLICE? NO, I THINK THAT, UH, I THINK THAT THE STAFF'S DONE A GREAT JOB THIS YEAR AND, UM, I I, I WISH WE WEREN'T, UM, PRESENTED WITH THE MOTION, BUT I'M GONNA SUPPORT IT TONIGHT ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION. BUT DID WE JUST BETTER BE GLAD THAT WE HAD A NICE HEALTHY FUND BALANCE DURING HURRICANE FLORENCE? MA'AM, DID WE GET A, WHAT IS THE PERCENT RIGHT NOW? UM, AS OF THE END OF JUNE, THE TOTAL FUND BALANCE LOOKS LIKE IT WAS APPROXIMATELY 42% OR BENCHMARK. OUR PROJECT IS AT LEAST 35%. THANK YOU. ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSIONS? HEARING NONE, LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN FERGUSON. ALDERMAN FERGUSON? YES. ALDERMAN BRYANT? YES. ALDERMAN ASTER? YES. DERMAN WHITE? YES. ALDERMAN BEST? YES. DERMAN OUTLAW? YES. MAYOR OR ADAM? NO. [36. Consider Adopting a Resolution Approving a Declaration of Intent to Reimburse FY2026- 2027 Vehicles and Equipment.] OKAY. ITEM NUMBER 36. CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION APPROVING A DECLARATION OF INTENT TO REIMBURSE FY 26 27 VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT MS. HARMS. SO INCLUDED IN THE ADAPTIVE BUDGET, UH, WE HAVE, UM, PURCHASES FOR VEHICLE EQUIPMENT AND SOME BUILDING IMPROVEMENTS HOLDING APPROXIMATELY $2.8 MILLION FROM THE GENERAL FUND AND $280,000 FROM THE SOLID WASTE FUND. UH, PURSUANT TO IRS REGULATIONS, WE HAVE TO ADOPT A DECLARATION OF OFFICIAL INTENT TO REIMBURSE, UM, PRIOR TO INCURRING ANY EXPENSES FOR THESE PURCHASES. SO DOING, DOING SO ALLOWS THE CITY TO PAY ITSELF BACK FOR ITEMS PAID FOR PRIOR TO OBTAINING THE FINANCING BOARD. HAVE QUESTIONS, MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADOPT A RESOLUTION TO PROVE IN THE DECLARATION OF INTENT TO REIMBURSE FY 20 26 20 27 VEHICLE AND EQUIPMENT FUND. SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL ATTORNEY WITH ALDERMAN BRYANT. ALDERMAN BRYANT? YES. ALDERMAN ESTHER? YES. ALDERMAN WHITE? YES. ALDERMAN BEST? YES. ALDERMAN OUTLAW. YES. ALDERMAN FERGUSON. YES. MAYOR ODOM. YES. MOTION CARRIES. NEXT IS ITEM NUMBER 37. [37. Consider Adopting an Ordinance to Amend the Multi- Year Grants Fund.] CONSIDER ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE MULTI-YEAR GRANTS FUND MS. HARMS. OKAY, SO THIS AMENDMENT IS TO RECOGNIZE THE 6,500 GRANT FROM THE NORTH CAROLINA AMATEUR SPORTS YOUTH SPORTS GRANTS FUND. AND THIS, UH, THE FUNDING WOULD BE USED, UH, FOR YOUTH SPORTS EQUIPMENT AND THERE'S NO MATCH BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS? TION, WE CONSIDER WE ADOPT AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE MULTI-YEAR GRANTS FUND. SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE UNLESS HAVE A ROLL CALL. STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ASTOR. ALDERMAN ASTOR? YES. ALDERMAN WHITE? YES. ALDERMAN DUST? YES. ALDERMAN OUTLAW? YES. ALDERMAN FERGUSON? YES. ALDERMAN BRYANT? YES. MAYOR ODOM? YES. MOTION CARRIES. NEXT [38. Appointment( s).] IS APPOINTMENTS. ITEM NUMBER 38. ALDERMAN. BEST, DO YOU HAVE SOMEONE FOR THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS? I DO, BUT I'M WAITING ON, SEE WHAT WE ARE GONNA DO FOR IS REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION FIRST. OKAY. UM, SOMEBODY REMIND ME WE WERE WAITING UNTIL THE JOINT MEETING BEFORE WE MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE REBUILDING. YES. OKAY. ALRIGHT. UH, ANY MORE APPOINTMENTS THAT I'M NOT SEEING HERE? OKAY, UH, NUMBER 39 ATTORNEY'S REPORT. NOTHING. NIGHTMARE NUMBER [40. City Manager's Report.] 40, CITY MANAGER'S REPORT FEW ITEMS TO UPDATE YOU ON THE DOWNTOWN CROSSWALK. PROJECT CREW STARTED CONSTRUCTION ON THE BRICK CROSSWALK YESTERDAY. WORK IS BEING PERFORMED ON THE EAST SIDE OF P*****K STREET AT HANCOCK. ONCE COMPLETED, THE WORK WILL PROCEED TO THE INTERSECTION. OF CRAVEN AND P*****K STREET. SO WE'LL MAKE SURE WE NOTIFY EVERYONE BEFORE THAT, UH, CHANGE OCCURS. ALSO AN UPDATE TO THE LOSS CREEK PARK. [01:05:01] LAUNCH NUMBER ONE, UPGRADES. THIS IS RIGHT BESIDE THE SOCCER FIELD. CREWS STARTED WORK ON REPAIRS TO THE DRIVE AT LAUNCH ONE YESTERDAY. WE ANTICIPATE THE LAUNCH REOPENING BY MEMORIAL WEEKEND. ALSO WATER SEWER IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS. UH, THE CONTRACTOR CREWS HAVE STARTED A LARGE WATER SEWER IMPROVEMENT PROJECT NEAR EVERGREEN, NEAR GREENWOOD CEMETERY THAT WILL LAST APPROXIMATELY 60 TO 90 DAYS. THEY'LL BE REPLACING UNDERGROUND INFRASTRUCTURE ALONG CYPRESS STREET BURN, NORTH BURN, UM, WHITE STREET AND JULIA CLAY STREET. DURING, DURING THIS PROJECT, THERE WILL BE PERIODIC LANE CLOSURES TO ALLOW FOR EXCAVATION, BUT NO SIGNIFICANT TRAFFIC IMPACTS ARE EXPECTED. STAFF HAS ALREADY NOTIFIED THE RESIDENTS OF THESE ISSUES. ALSO LIKE TO DO SOME RECOGNITIONS ON MAY 3RD THROUGH NINTH. LAST WEEK WE CELEBRATED PUBLIC SERVICE RECOGNITION WEEK AND ALSO MUNICIPAL CLERKS WEEK. WE APPRECIATE ALL THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES AS WELL AS THE CLERK FOR THEIR, UH, THE JOBS THEY DO. ON MAY 4TH, WE CELEBRATED INTERNATIONAL FIREFIGHTERS DAY. ALWAYS APPRECIATE OUR FIREFIGHTERS. THIS WEEK WE ARE RECOGNIZING NATIONAL POLICE WEEK IT TAKES TO PD FOR ALL THEY DO. NEXT WEEK, MAY 17TH THROUGH THE 23RD IS NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK, SO WE'RE GONNA TRY TO KNOCK 'EM ALL OUT IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. UH, UPCOMING EVENTS FRIDAY, MAY 15TH IS LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER'S MEMORIAL CEREMONY. PD WILL HAVE THIS SPECIAL CEREMONY AT UNION PORT PARK AT 10:00 AM TO PAY TRIBUTE TO LOCAL FALLEN OFFICERS AND HONOR OF THOSE WHO SERVE LAW ENFORCEMENT ON MAY 16TH. PARKS AND RECREATION WILL BE PRESENTING PLAY DAY AT THE POINT AT UNION POINT PARK FROM 10:00 AM TO 3:00 PM WITH A VARIETY OF GAMES, ACTIVITIES, AND ENTERTAINMENT AND FOOTLOOSE ON THE NEW SUMMER CONCERTS. RETURNS TO UNION POINT PARK ON MAY 22ND, FEATURING TRIAL BY FIRE. CONCERT STARTS AT 7:30 PM AND AS A REMINDER, THE UPCOMING MEMORIAL DAY HOLIDAY IS FAST APPROACHING. CITY OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED ON MONDAY, MAY 25TH. THAT'S ALL WE HAVE TONIGHT, SIR. THANK [41. New Business.] YOU, SIR. NEW BUSINESS ALDERMAN FERGUSON. UH, TWO VERY QUICK THINGS, UH, MR. MAYOR, FIRST OFF, I'VE SPOKEN TO A FEW OF YOU, BUT JUST WOULD LIKE GENERAL CONSENSUS, UM, AND MAKE SURE THERE'S NO ONE ADAMANTLY OPPOSED TO THIS. UH, THE STATE HIGHWAY COMMISSION, UH, FOR HIGHWAY MARKERS IS PUTTING TOGETHER A PLAQUE FOR GERTRUDE CAREWAY, WHO IS INSTRUMENTAL IN THE FUNDING AND RENOVATION OF THE TRIUM PALACE, AS WELL AS MULTIPLE PROJECTS DOWNTOWN. UH, THEY'VE ASKED THAT IT NOW BE PLACED SOMEWHERE IN DOWNTOWN WITHIN CITY LIMITS, I BELIEVE, ON BROAD STREET, UM, IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE THAT SHE WAS BORN IN AND DIED IN. UM, JUST MAKING SURE THERE'S NO ADAMANT OPPOSITION TO THAT. I DON'T THINK WE NEED ANY KIND OF VOTE ON THAT. BUT BEFORE THEY, BEFORE WE GIVE THEM THE GO AHEAD ALL. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. UH, WE ARE ONE MONTH, UH, FROM THE END OF OUR FISCAL YEAR AND WE HAVE ABOUT $7,000 LEFT IN THE SPECIAL APPROPRIATION COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, UH, LINE ITEM FOR OUR SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS. UM, I RECEIVED A LETTER THAT I CIRCULATED TO YOU ALL FROM RCS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ABOUT THE NEED FOR UTILITY ASSISTANCE. AND AS WE, UH, ENTER INTO THE WARMER MONTHS, I THINK THAT'S GONNA BECOME EVEN MORE NECESSARY. UM, TYPICALLY THEY, THEY'VE, THEY'VE GONE THROUGH A PROCESS WITH FUNDING THROUGH CDBG FUNDS THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN OR LIKELY NOT GONNA HAPPEN THIS YEAR, UH, FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS. BUT I WOULD ASK THIS BOARD, UH, IF THEY WOULD SUPPORT ALLOCATING $7,000 FROM THAT SPECIAL PREPARATION COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FUND TO THE UTILITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, UH, WHICH IS ADMINISTERED BY RCS. AND SO THAT WOULD BE MY MOTION. IS THAT IN ADDITION TO WHAT WE JUST HEARD ABOUT C 25? YEAH. $25,000 FROM CD. SO THE 25 CDBG THAT WAS PRESENTED IS FOR UTILITY ASSISTANCE. IT IS NOT ADMINISTERED THROUGH RCS OR THROUGH OUR PROGRAM. UH, IT WILL BE THROUGH MY UNDERSTANDING AS PROPOSED IT WILL BE WITH ABUNDANT LIFE COMMUNITY SERVICES. UM, AND I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT THAT PROGRAM. SECOND, I, I AGREE WITH YOU. WE HAVE A MOTION, A SECOND FURTHER DISCUSSION. ALL MY BEST, YOUR HONOR. YES, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH IT. OKAY. I AGREE WITH IT. UH, I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION. UM, THIS IS GENERAL FUND MONEY GOING TO SUPPORT ELECTRIC UTILITY CUSTOMERS. IS THERE AN ISSUE WITH CUSTOMERS OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS RECEIVING ANY OF THIS FUNDING? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION, MAYOR. I DON'T KNOW. HAPPY TO LOOK INTO IT. OKAY. IT, IT'S, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IF IT GOES INTO OUR UTILITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT IS THROUGH THE ELECTRIC UTILITY AND THEN ADMINISTERED BY THE VOUCHER PROGRAM, THAT ANY CUSTOMER WOULD BE ELIGIBLE BASED ON HOW OUR CURRENT PROGRAM IS STRUCTURED. OKAY. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION. SHOULDN'T, COULDN'T, SHOULDN'T THAT, UM, ATTORNEY DAVIS, [01:10:01] SHOULDN'T SOME OF THAT WORDING BE CHANGED? AND IT ONLY APPLIES FOR IN CITY CUSTOMERS? CITIZENS THAT WOULD BE UP THE BOARD. YEAH. OKAY. BUT I'M JUST ASKING. I MEAN, THERE'S NO PROBLEM WITH THAT. IF THE BOARD AGREES WITH THAT OR THERE'S SOME KIND OF RULE REGULATIONS THAT YOU CAN'T DO IT BECAUSE IT'S THROUGH ELECTRIC. I'M NOT AWARE OF THE BENEVOLENT ITEMS THAT THE RCS DOES BEING LIMITED TO CITY OF NEWBURN RESIDENCE. UH, IF SOMEBODY COMES IN OFF THE STREET THAT'S NOT A CITY OF NEW RESIDENT, I, I DON'T THINK THAT THEY ARE PRECLUDED FROM THE SERVICES. AND ANOTHER THING AS FAR AS THIS ENERGY ASSISTANCE, WHAT IF THEY'RE A DUKE CUSTOMER WITHIN THE CITY OF NEWBURN OR, I MEAN, MY UNDERSTANDING, MY UNDERSTANDING WITH HOW OUR UTILITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IS ADMINISTERED, RCS GIVES THEM A VOUCHER. MM-HMM . THAT ONLY THE CITY OF NEWBURN ELECTRIC UTILITY HONORS. AND SO IT'S ESSENTIALLY A VOUCHER THAT PAYS PART OF THEIR BILL OR SOME OF THEIR ARREARS, UH, TO AVOID SHUTOFF. OKAY. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? UH, EVERYONE UNDERSTAND THE MOTION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ANYTHING ELSE, SIR? UH, NO. MR. MAYOR, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ARM BRYANT? YES. I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE ALL THE PEOPLE THAT I GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL KINDERGARTEN THIS YEAR, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF 'EM THAT'S GRADUATING. I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO ATLANTA TO, UM, WITNESS TWO OF MY GRANDCHILDREN GRADUATING. SO CONGRATULATING TO ALL OF THE GRADS. JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION WILL TAKE PLACE ON JUNE 20TH. PARADE STARTS AT 11 KICKOFF, UH, FOR THE FESTIVAL STARTED AT 12. ANYONE INTERESTED IN, UH, WANT TO BE A PART OF THE JUNETEENTH CAN GO TO THE JONB 1860 FIVE.ORG TO SIGN UP. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU ALDERMAN AS, UH, YES. UM, CHIEF, CHIEF, PLEASE. NOT HERE. I'VE, UM, HAD SEVERAL PHONE CALLS AND IT'S ALSO BEEN A LOT ON THE, UH, BLUE WATER RISE FACEBOOK PAGE THAT I'M A MEMBER OF, OF A LOT OF PETTY DEATH GOING ON. I'M, I'M, I'M SURE YOU GUYS, IT'S BEEN REPORTED TO TO YOU, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF WE COULD GET SOME LITTLE EXTRA CONTROL GOING ON OUT THERE AT NIGHTTIME. IT SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING AT TWO AND THREE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING AND A LOT OF RING DOORBELLS ARE PICKING UP PEOPLE PLUNGING AROUND IN FRONT YARDS, BACKYARDS, GOING TO CARS AND STUFF LIKE THAT. OKAY? YES SIR. IF YOU WOULD. AND ALSO, I DON'T EVEN KNOW, I HAVEN'T HAD OPPORTUNITY TO RIDE DOWN THERE OR NOT, BUT I HAD FROM ONE OF OUR REGULARS THAT FISH ON OUR FISHING PIER CALL ME THE OTHER DAY AND SAID, CALL THE POLICE. THERE'S PEOPLE FISHING FROM THE SIDEWALK. AND I SAID, YEAH, RIGHT. YOU KNOW, I'M CALLING THE POLICE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. BUT IS THERE SIGNAGE DOWN THERE SAYING THERE IS. AND WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT, UH, UH, WE START PATROLLING THAT AGAIN. UM, JUST TO REMIND FOLKS THAT WE BUILT THAT PIER FOR A REASON AND NOT TO, NOT TO FISH ON THE ROAD. YEAH. HE SAID THAT THERE WAS NO ONE FISHING ON THE PIER, BUT THERE WAS FOUR OR FIVE PEOPLE FISHING OFF THE SIDEWALK. WE'LL TAKE CARE OF IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THERE'S PLENTY OF SIGNAGE THERE AND THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, A LOT OF KIDS RIDING BICYCLES ALL OVER THAT THEATER TWO AND THREE AT THE TIME. YEAH, IT'S, IT'S NOT A SAFE PLACE TO BE WHEN SOMEONE'S CASTING TWO OR THREE OUNCES OF LEAD AND A HOOK RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. ALDERMAN WHITE. NOTHING TONIGHT, MR. MAYOR. ALRIGHT. ALDERMAN BES. YES. UM, JUST WANT TO KNOW, WHEN IS THE CITY GONNA START CUTTING THE CITY ON LOTS? 'CAUSE I'M GETTING COMPLAINTS AND I KNOW LAST BOARD MEETING, WE WERE TOLD THAT THE, THE PROCESS HAD JUST STARTED FOR, FOR BOEING, BUT I'M GETTING SOME CALLS. EXCUSE ME. WE, WE ARE CURRENTLY HAVE STARTED AND SO THEY'RE MOWING RIGHT NOW. UM, RIGHT AWAYS AND CITY END PARCELS. SO SOME, SOME OF THE CITY PARCELS ARE ACTUALLY ON THE SCHEDULE TO BE MOWED THE SECOND TIME ALREADY. SO THE RAIN, THE LITTLE BIT OF RAIN WE HAVE HAS, UM, PROMOTED THE GRASS GROWTH A LITTLE FASTER HERE. SO WE'RE, I FIGURE THERE WAS SOME REASON WHY, AND LIKE, LIKE I TOLD THE, UM, CITIZENS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE PROCESS HAS JUST STARTED AND, BUT THEY, WERE WE MAKING COMPLAINTS BECAUSE MORE SO BECAUSE THE CITY OWNED PROPERTY? YES, MA'AM. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. THAT WAS IT. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. OKAY. ALDERMAN OUTLAW. UH, JUST ANY, AN UPDATE ON WHEN WE CAN MEET WITH THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION? HAVE WE, [01:15:02] DO WE HAVE THAT TODAY OR HAVE WE, SO I'LL, I'LL, I'LL TAKE THIS. I'VE GOT, UH, AND I THINK EACH OF YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU THE, UM, SUMMER RETREAT DATES THAT HAD BEEN CIRCULATED. UM, THE, THE BOARD, IF WE WANT TO GIVE DIRECTION ON WHICH ONE WE WANT TO HAVE FIRST, UH, WHETHER WE WANNA HAVE THE SUMMER RETREAT FOR THIS BOARD OR THE JOINT MEETING WITH THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, WE NEED TO GIVE STAFF DIRECTION. UH, BECAUSE ALL THE DATES THAT WERE PRESENTED FOR THE SUMMER RETREAT, UM, WE COULDN'T GET UNANIMOUS CONSIDERATION FOR ANY PARTICULAR DATE. UM, SO REALLY LOOKING FOR SOME DIRECTION FROM THE BOARD ON WHICH ONE YOU WANNA PRIORITIZE AND, UH, LOOK FOR SOME DATES THAT MAYBE WILL WORK FOR EVERYONE. I HATE FOR NOT EVERYONE TO BE HERE FOR THIS RETREAT. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, MAYBE WE SHOULD JUST CHANGE THIS. 'CAUSE SEEMS LIKE THE PROBLEM IS IT'S ONE MORNING AND THEN AN AFTERNOON OR WHATEVER. WE JUST CHANGE IT TO ONE DAY WHERE YOU CAN ACCOMMODATE OR CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT. I THINK, UH, I THINK THE CONCERN WOULD BE NUMBER OF PROJECTS, AND THIS IS JUST, AND I'M FINE FLEXIBLE TO CHANGE IT UP, BUT I THINK THE CONCERN WAS WITH THE NUMBER OF PROJECTS AND THEN THE, THE WAY IN WHICH THESE KIND OF GO, IF WE HAVE A HALF DAY WHERE THE HALF THE AFTERNOON IS UPDATING ON PROJECTS AND THEN START FRESH IN THE MORNING TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT DIALOGUE AND NOT BE CONSTRAINED BY, YOU KNOW, HAVING AN IN A HARD END TIME. UH, I BELIEVE WAS THE MAYOR'S SUGGESTION ON, ON THAT. UM, I, I'M, I WONDER IF WE COMBINE THE TWO TO TRY TO FIND IN, IN A TWO DAY RETREAT WHERE WE DO AN HOUR. I, I DON'T THINK A, YOU KNOW, A JOINT MEETING WITH REDEVELOPMENT COACHES IS GONNA TAKE MORE THAN AN HOUR AND A HALF. UM, AND SO WE KNOCK THAT OUT AND THEN MOVE INTO MAYBE INFORMATION. UM, SO I, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE'S GONE THROUGH THE ADDITIONAL DATES BRENDA SENT. UM, I, I DON'T REMEMBER WHEN SHE SENT THOSE FAIRLY RECENTLY. SO IF WE LOOK AT THOSE DATES AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE, THAT MIGHT ACCOMMODATE SOME SCHEDULES. SOUNDS GOOD. I'M MORE IN FAVOR OF HAVING IT IN A ONE DAY INSTEAD OF SPLITTING IT UP IN TWO DAYS. OKAY. SO ONE DAY, WHO WANTS TO DO ONE DAY INSTEAD OF TWO? I'M FINE WITH ONE DAY. OKAY. I'M FINE WITH ONE DAY, ONE DAY. WHATEVER WORKS FOR THE BOARD. OKAY. UM, SO NOW, UH, ANYONE WANT TO TAKE THE SUGGESTION THAT ALDERMAN FERGUSON MADE OF HAVING THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION COME IN? AND IF YOU WANNA DO THAT IN ONE DAY, HOW LONG CAN THAT MEETING LAST? I WOULD PUT A HARD STOP TIME AT AN HOUR AND A HALF. I'D GET TWO HOURS ON THAT. BUT JUST, JUST BE CAREFUL AND NOT, NOTHING TO SAY THAT IF WE MEET THE WHOLE DAY AND WE DON'T GET EVERYTHING DONE, WE JUST NEED ANOTHER HALF A DAY OR SOMETHING AT A LATER DATE. THAT'S RIGHT. SO IF THE MAJORITY'S IN FAVOR OF ONE DAY, I'LL ASK THE CLERK IF SHE WOULD RECIRCULATE THE AVAILABLE DATES TO EVERYONE, UM, TO SEE IF WE CAN LAND ON ONE DATE. UH, THAT WOULD WORK FOR EVERYBODY. ANYBODY OPPOSED TO THAT? NO, SIR. OKAY. I HAVE ANYTHING ELSE ON ORMAN OUTLAW? UH, I HAVE [42. Request and Petition of Citizens- General Topics.] NO NEW BUSINESS. UH, NEXT IS REQUEST PETITION OF CITIZENS ITEM NUMBER 42 FOR GENERAL TOPICS MS. CLERK. THANK YOU MR. FR. OOPS. I'M DAVID FRENCH 1 0 4 JOHNSON MAYOR ODOM SEEMS TO THINK THAT THE CITY OF NEW BRUIN'S INVOLVEMENT WITH ME BEING ILLEGALLY REMOVED FROM THE REBUILD NC PROGRAM IS OVER. HE IS GREATLY MISTAKEN. HERE IS SOME OF WHAT COUSIN MARYANN AND I HAVE SUFFERED AT THE HANDS OF REBUILD NC IN THE CITY OF NEWBURN ELECTED OFFICIALS AND ITS BUREAUCRATS TIMELINE. IN 2016, COUSIN MARYANNE S'S THROAT IN 2018, HURRICANE FLORENCE FLOODED HER MAR COUSIN MARYANNE SOUTH MIROW, OR WAS AWARE OF BOTH OF THESE EVENTS. AND ABOUT 2019 FEMA SAID THEY WERE GOING TO REPAIR HER HOME. AND ABOUT 2019 OR SO, COUSIN MARYANNE RECEIVED A NOTICE FROM THE CITY OF NUMEROUS DEVELOPED SERVICES, NANCY REGALS BERGER, THAT HER HOME HAD BEEN REPORTED BY A NEIGHBOR FOR NOT BEING REPAIRED. WE MET WITH NANCY AND TOLD HER THAT WE WERE WAITING ON FEMA. SHE SAID SHE WOULD STAY IN TOUCH WITH US. SHE DID NOT. LATER IN ABOUT 2019 OR 2020 OR SO, COUSIN MARYANNE RECEIVED A LEGAL NOTICE THAT SHE WOULD BE FINE UNTIL HER HOME WAS BROUGHT INTO COMPLIANCE, UNABLE TO AFFORD LEGAL COUNSEL. SHE WAS NOT ABLE TO CHALLENGE IT. WE QUESTIONED NANCY, WHY SHE DID NOT CONTACT US, AND SHE SAID SHE DIDN'T HAVE TIME, BUT SHE HAD TIME TO FILE A LAWSUIT AGAINST HER. WHY WOULD THE CITY OF NEWBURY TREAT A STROKE AND H VICTIM THIS WAY? WHY DIDN'T THEY EVER SAY, LET'S FIND A WAY TO HELP YOU GET HOME, UH, YOUR HOME REPAIRED SO THAT EVERYONE WOULD BE HAPPY. IN ABOUT 2019 OR 2020 OR SO, THE CITY OF NEWBURN PAID, UH, PLACE HUGE CONCRETE CULVERTS PREVENTING ACCESS TO COUSIN MARYANNE FLOODED HOME IN JANUARY, 2021. WE WERE ACCEPTED INTO THE REBUILD [01:20:01] NC PROGRAM. REBUILD NC WAS FULLY AWARE THAT COUSIN MARYANNE'S HOME WAS IN THE NEWBURN HISTORIC DISTRICT AND HAD TO MEET THE NEW HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION GUIDELINES AND THAT HER HOME WAS IN A TRUST. IN ABOUT 2021 OR SO, THE CITY OF NEWBURN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES SAID THEY HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR REBUILD NC PROJECT. WE ASKED THE CITY OF NEWBURN TO SUBMIT A LIST OF QUESTIONS VIA EMAIL SO THAT WE IN REBUILD COULD REVIEW THEM. SO NO PRI PRIVACY VIOLATIONS WOULD OCCUR. THE CITY OF NEWBURN REFUSED TO DO SO. INSTEAD, THE CITY OF NEWBURN ATTORNEY JAMIE BULLOCK, ACCOSTED ME AT A HPC MEETING TRYING TO GET ME TO SIGN SOMETHING, ALLOWING THE CITY OF NEW TO HAVE FULL ACCESS TO OUR REBUILD NC INFO. IN OCTOBER, 2022, COUSIN MARIANNE UNEXPECTEDLY PASSED AWAY, NEVER BEING ABLE TO RETURN TO HER HOME BECAUSE THE ABSOLUTE FAILURE OF COOPER STEIN BUFFALO HIGH SAID AND THE ENTIRE NORTH CAROLINA LEGISLATURE. IN ABOUT THE SPRING OF 2023, WITHOUT INFORMING ME, THE CITY OF NEW ROOM DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR JESSICA RU HAD A MEETING WITH REBUILD NC RICHARD TRUMPER AND OTHERS. I DISCOVERED MONTHS LATER THAT THE GIST OF THE MEETING WAS THAT REBUILD NC WAS TRYING TO FIGURE A WAY TO KICK ME OUTTA THE PROGRAM BECAUSE OF HOW MUCH IT WAS GOING TO COST. WHY DID JESSICA RU NOT INFORM ME OF WHAT WAS GOING ON? SHE HAS CAUSED ME GREAT HARM AND SHOULD BE FIRED. AND THE AUGUST, 2024 REBUILD, NC GENERAL CONTRACTOR, MARK MOORE SHEPHERD'S RESPONS APPEARED BEFORE THE NEW BRUN HPC REBUILD. NC HAD NOT TAKEN THE HP C'S ADVICE AS REQUIRED BY HUD AND THE HOME WAS NOT APPROVED. THEY SAID THEY WOULD BE BACK IN TOUCH WITH THE CITY TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES THEY NEVER DID. RATHER, RATHER, THEY BLAMED THE CITY OF NEW BRUNS. HPC MARK WARD TOLD MY NEIGHBOR ANN COOPER SHOUT THAT REBUILD NC WOULD NEVER BUILD ME A HOME. IN FEBRUARY, 2025, REBUILD NC ILLEGALLY FRAUDULENTLY REMOVED ME FROM THE PROGRAM DUE TO MY GIVING A FRONT PAGE INTERVIEW WITH A NEWS AND OBSERVER ABOUT THE FRAUD REBUILD NC THROUGHOUT 2025. I DID EVERYTHING IN MY POWER TO WORK WITH REBUILD NC TYSON BRISSON, BUT THEY CONTINUALLY SHUT ME OUT AND WOULD NOT LET ME ATTEND VITAL MEETINGS ABOUT MY HOME. IN NOVEMBER, 2025, MAYOR ODOM FINALLY SENT A LETTER BY CITY ATTORNEY SCOTT DAVIS, UH, TO, UH, GOVERNOR STEIN ODOM HAS SLOW WALKED ALL THIS TO MY DETRIMENT, PROTECTING HIS GOOD OLD BOY NETWORK OF TYSON, BRISSON BUKER, AND POSSIBLY OTHERS. IN JANUARY, 2026, OVER 300 DAYS SINCE MY APPEAL REBUILD RESPONDS WITH 144 PAGE DIATRIBE FULL OF LIES OF WHY THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO GET US BACK HOME. ON APRIL 18TH, 2026, MAYOR ODOM POSTED ON HIS OFFICIAL FACEBOOK PAGE A LETTER DATED MARCH 31ST, 2026, THAT HE RECEIVED VIA EMAIL FROM REBUILD NC OF ABOUT MY HOME. I NEVER RECEIVED A COPY OF THIS LETTER FROM REBUILD OR MAYOR ODOM. IF MAYOR ODOM HAD MY BEST INTERESTS AT HEART, WHY DIDN'T HE TELL ME THAT HE WAS REACHING OUT TO REBUILD NC? WHY DIDN'T HE LET ME KNOW OF THE LETTER PERSONALLY INSTEAD OF POSTING IT ON FACEBOOK? I WILL ADD IN HIS TRUE MARXIST AND COMMUNIST WAYS, HE WOULD NOT LET ANY COMMENTS BE MADE ON THE POST. SO MAYOR ODOM YOUR QUOTE WITH REGARDS TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE INVOLVEMENT, THIS MATTER IS NOW CLOSED. I WILL INFORM YOU THIS MATTER IS FAR FROM BEING CLOSED. GET ME BACK HOME NOW. THE LORD IS OUR SHEPHERD. I SHALL NOT WANT, I WILL NOT YIELD. WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY? YOU'RE THOMAS. WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY? THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. TREY, ARE YOU NOT GONNA ADVOCATE FOR ME? YOU'RE MY ALDERMAN. YOU'RE MY ALDERMAN. NEXT UP IS MR. JOHN HERRON. GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOU. MY NAME IS JOHN HERRON. I'M THE OWNER OF DOWN EAST DAYS HARDWARE, AS WELL AS THE, AS WELL AS THE FOUNDER AND ORGANIZER OF THE BARBECUE, WHICH JUST COMPLETED ITS INAUGURAL EVENT ON MAY 2ND IN DOWNTOWN NEWBURN. JOINING IN THIS EVENT WAS THE MID-ATLANTIC BARBECUE ASSOCIATION MAKING THIS EVENT THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP FOR NORTH CAROLINA, AS WELL AS NORTH CAROLINA SOYBEAN PRODUCERS ASSOCIATION MAKING US THE FIRST STOP FOR THEIR NC BARBECUE TRIPLE CROWN CHAMPIONSHIP. I WAS OFFERED THE RARE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING KANSAS CITY BARBECUE SOCIETY COMPETITION TO NEW BERN FOR THE FIRST WEEKEND OF MAY BY THE KANSAS CITY BARBECUE SOCIETY OFFICIALS. KANSAS CITY BARBECUE SOCIETY IS WORLD LEADER IN COMPETITION BARBECUE. WITH OVER 15,000 CURRENT MEMBERS WORLDWIDE, I WANTED TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS CREATE ADDITIONAL TOURISM. I THINK WE'LL ALL AGREE THAT THE CITY OF NEW BERN RELIES ON TOURISM WITH PROFESSIONAL BARBECUE TEAMS, JUDGES AND OFFICIALS COMING FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. THIS WAS VERY PROBABLE TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY. I WANTED TO PARTNER WITH A LOCAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION TO HELP THEM RAISE MONEY TO DO THIS. I INTERVIEWED SEVERAL CHARITIES AND AFTER MEETING WITH THE CAROLINA EAST FOUNDATION, WE DECIDED WE WOULD MAKE A GREAT PARTNERSHIP. I PARTNERED WITH FRONT STREET DEVELOPERS OWNING THE GALLEY STORES AND PERCENTAGE RESTAURANT AS WELL AS JIMMY ROBINSON OF ROBINSON'S DEATH. WITHOUT GOING IN LONG DETAIL OF THE ORDEAL. LEADING UP TO THE EVENT I HAVE TO SUPPLY EACH OF YOU WITH COPIES OF NOTES THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS, AS WELL AS EMAILS BETWEEN CITY OFFICIALS AND MYSELF OVER THE PAST 15 MONTHS, YOU'LL SEE THE CITY'S PROCESS IS BROKEN AND IT SEEMS TO HAVE FLEXIBILITY TO CHANGE THEIR MINDS AND DO WHATEVER THEY WANT AND RUN ROT. NONE OF THE EMAILS FROM ALLISON OR CARRIE AT PARKS AND REC, THEY ACKNOWLEDGE USING CITY PROPERTY AS ACCESS POINT DOES NOT NECESSITATE THE NEED FOR AN EVENT PERMIT. FIRST, I'D LIKE TO ATTENTION THE PETITION OF THE CITY TO CHANGE THE RULES THAT RESIDENTS OF NEWBURGH CAN RENT CITY PROPERTY FOR A FEE WHILE NON-RESIDENTS PAY DOUBLE BUSINESS OWNERS WHO OWN BUSINESS, PROPERTY AND OPERATE [01:25:01] THE BUSINESS SHOULD BE GIVEN THE SAME CONSIDERATION AS RESIDENCE. I LIVE IN RIVER BEND, WHICH WE ALL KNOW IS JUST OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS. I OWN THE PROPERTY AT 41 0 9. DR. ML KING AND I OPERATE DOWN THESE DAYS AT THE SAME LOCATION LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS. I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE I PAY MORE THAN MY FAIR SHARE OF TAXES AS WELL. I SHOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE THE SAME CONSIDERATION AS RESIDENTS WITH A SMALL PARCEL PAYING MINIMAL TAXES. SECONDLY, I BRING UP AN ISSUE THAT WAS CAUSED BY THE CITY MANAGER DURING OUR EVENT. AFTER THE EVENT OPENING TO THE PUBLIX AND THE FIRE MARSHALS COMPLETING THEIR INSPECTION AND APPROVAL, THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND BEGAN EXTENDING THE ORANGE CONSTRUCTION BARRIER TO THE ROAD BLOCKING THE LEGAL EASEMENT TO THE PROPERTY. I ATTEMPTED TO EXPLAIN TO THE CITY OF EMPLOYEES THEY CAN'T DO THIS, AND THEY SAID THEY WERE JUST FOLLOWING ORDERS. I CALLED DERMAN OUTLAW AND EXPLAINED WHAT WAS HAPPENING. HE SAID HE WAS GONNA MAKE SOME CALLS AND SEND ME GEORGE CHILD'S NUMBER AND HE WOULD CALL ME BACK. I CALLED GEORGE AND EXPLAINED WHAT EXPLAINED THIS WAS THE EASEMENT STATED IN THE EMAIL FROM PARKS AND REC ON FEBRUARY 8TH, 2026 AS THE ACCESS POINT AND WOULD ENDANGER THE ATTENDEES AND COMPETITORS OF THE EVENT. GEORGE STATED HE WAS JUST DOING WHAT HE IS TOLD. I ASKED HIM WHO TOLD HIM TO DO THIS. HE REPLIED THE CITY MANAGER. GEORGE SENT JOHN SAXON TO THE SITE AND JOHN SENT THAT CITY EMPLOYEES HOME WITHOUT INSTALLING THE FENCE. I COMMEND THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT FOR USING COMMON SENSE AND DOING THE SAFE AND RIGHT THING. ALDERMAN OUTLAW DID CALL ME BACK AND SAID HE SPOKE TO THE CITY MANAGER AND I SHOULD EXPECT A VISIT FROM HIM LATER THAT EVENING. IT'S BEEN 10 DAYS. I'M NOT HEARD FROM ANYONE IN THE CITY NOR THE CITY MANAGER. HOWEVER, I CONDEMNED THE CITY MANAGER FOR ATTEMPT TO PUT THE COMPETITION CASE S OFFICIAL CITIZENS AND TOURISTS IN JEOPARDY. I CAN'T THINK OF ANY REASON THE CITY MANAGER WOULD ATTEMPT SUCH A DANGEROUS AND DAMAGING BEHAVIOR OTHER THAN AN ATTEMPT TO NEGATIVELY AFFECT THE EVENT. THIS CHILDISH BEHAVIOR SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED. MAKE NO MISTAKE, THIS WAS EMBARRASSING FOR THE CITY OF NEWBURN POTENTIALLY DAMAGING THE TOURISM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, DO WE NEED A CLOSED SESSION? NO, SIR. UH, IT'S NOT I ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN. GOOD. MAYOR, MOVE SECOND. HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? EXCUSE ME. EXCUSE. YES, BRENDA, I WHERE TO SIGN? UM, WE HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND ON THE FLOOR. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? YES. OKAY. WHAT'S THE DISCUSSION? THE CITIZEN SAYING SHE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK THE FORMS AND THE BOARD'S RULES AND PROCEDURES STATE THAT WE HAVE TO TURN IN THE FORMS BEFORE THE MEETING STARTS. I DID NOT GET THOSE FORMS BEFORE THE MEETING STARTED. OKAY. SO IF THAT'S THE CASE THEN, AND I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT FOR THE FIRST, UH, PETITION OF CITIZENS, BUT FOR THE LAST, FOR ITEM NUMBER, UM, 42 ON OUR AGENDA SHOULDN'T IF A CITIZEN COMES IN BECAUSE THEY KNOW THEY GOTTA SIT HERE AND WAIT UNTIL THE END OF THE MEETING, THAT THE CITIZEN SHOULDN'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SIGN THAT FORM TO SPEAK. I MEAN, THAT'S THE WAY I FEEL ABOUT IT. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS. I'M JUST TELLING YOU HOW I FEEL ABOUT IT. NOW I CAN UNDERSTAND THE RULES FOR THE FIRST BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, FOR THE PETITION OF CITIZENS. THEY SHOULD HAVE THAT FORM SIGNED IN BEFORE OUR MEETING STARTS. I THINK IT'S WORTH A DISCUSSION SINCE THIS IS A NEW YES. UM, FORMAT SO THAT WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT IT. UM, SO IT SOUNDS, I MEAN, WHAT, WHAT Y'ALL ARE SAYING AND ADVOCATING IS A CHANGE IN THE RULES AT SOME POINT TO HAVE A SIGN UP AT THE BEGINNING FOR THE FIRST ONE AND THEN A SECOND SIGN UP THAT IS PULLED ONCE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IN THE SECOND, THE SECOND PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS BEGUN. SOMETHING LIKE THAT. YES. I, I WOULD BE OPEN TO THAT. I WOULD BE OPEN TO THAT KIND OF RULE CHANGE. UM, AND, AND YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK WE NEED A MOTION. I THINK WE CAN DO DIRECTION TO THE CITY ATTORNEY TO CHANGE THOSE PROCEDURES TO DO A DRAFT FOR US TO LOOK AT IF THERE'S GENERAL DIRECTION ON THAT. THAT SHOULD BE A TIME, I'M SORRY. SHOULDN'T BE A TIME TO BE ON TIME. SO A CERTAIN TIME IF THE MEET STARTS AT SIX O'CLOCK AND THE SECOND ONE IS AROUND, THERE'S NO TIME NOW. THERE'S NO TIME. YEAH. I WOULD JUST SAY BEFORE, BEFORE IT STARTS. AND THEN ONCE IT STARTS, YOU CAN'T CONTINUE TO DO FORMS. OKAY. AND SIGNUPS IS WHAT I WOULD ENVISION I GOT. WHAT DO YOU MEAN? WHAT DO YOU MEAN? ONCE WE START, THEN YOU CAN SIGN UP. LIKE ONCE YOU START, ONCE YOU START THE SECOND PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. SO YOU HAVE A SIGN UP AT THE BEGINNING, YOU PULL THE SHEETS AND THEN YOU HAVE A SECOND SIGN UP THAT IS AVAILABLE UNTIL THE SECOND PETITION OF CITIZENS BEGINS. RIGHT? AND THEN IT GETS PULLED AT THAT TIME. SO SOON. I, I THINK THAT'S A CHANGE IN THE RULES THAT WE CAN DIRECT THE CITY ATTORNEY TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES. AS FAR AS THE CURRENT ONES THAT WERE SUBMITTED, HOW MANY, I MEAN HOW MANY DO WE HAVE? TWO TO I WOULD MAKE A MOTION TO SUSPEND OUR, HOLD ON. YOU [01:30:01] HAVE A MOTION. WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE TO ADJOURN IF, IF, IF THE MOVING PARTY IS WILLING AND A SECOND TO, TO WITHDRAW THEIR MOTIONS AND OPEN THE BO OPEN THE, THE, THE BOARD BACK UP TO ENTERTAIN A YET A DIFFERENT MOTION. A MOTION WAS MADE BY ALDERMAN ASTER AND SECONDED MY DERMAN BRYAN. SO IF THEY'RE NOT WITHDRAWN, THEN THE QUESTION GETS CALLED. THEN WE SEE WHAT THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IS. I WITHDRAWN MY SECOND MOTION AND I WITHDRAW IT. NO. OKAY. SO NOW IT'S OPEN FOR MOTION. MR. MAYOR, I MAKE A MOTION TO SUSPEND OUR RULES OF PROCEDURE TO ALLOW THE TWO PUBLIC COMMENT FORMS THAT HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED TO BE HEARD DURING THIS SECOND PETITION OF CITIZENS UNDER THE FOUR MINUTE REQUIREMENT UNDER OUR RULE. SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? OKAY. THANK Y'ALL FOR BEARING WITH US. UH, FIRST UP IS EDRA. BRETT, THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE CITIZENS WHO ARE HERE AND REMAIN. UM, I WANNA SAY TO ALL THE ALDERMANS, THANK YOU ALL FOR TAKING THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECONSIDER OUR TIME TO COME UP TO SPEAK. I PROMISE I'LL MAKE THIS VERY EASY. UM, WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST ATTENTION TO MULTIPLE HAZARD PUBLIC WORKS AND ROADWAY CONDITIONS THROUGHOUT THIS CITY. SINCE THE FUNDING IS AVAILABLE, SEVERAL EXPOSED UNSTABLE UTILITY PUBLIC WORK CAPS ARE NOT PROPERLY FOOTING AND HAVE ALREADY CAUSED TWO INJURIES, UM, CAUSING SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERNS FOR RESIDENTS AND PEDESTRIANS. I BELIEVE THAT'S FIVE 14 FIRST AVENUE. UM, ADDITIONALLY, CEDAR STREET AND CHAPMAN STREET ARE IN SEVERE CONDITION THAT'S ALMOST KIND OF LIKE A COBBLESTONE AS YOU'RE DRIVING THROUGH, UM, AND REQUIRE URGENT REPAIR AND RESURFACING. UM, THE OTHER PART THAT I WANTED TO BRING UP IS RESPECTFULLY, WE JUST ASK THAT THOSE REPAIRS AND INFRASTRUCTURE CONCERNS BE ADDED TO, UM, CURRENT OR EITHER FUTURE REVITALIZATION, ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS. AND ALSO IF YOU COULD GIVE US THE CURRENT, UM, ALLOCATION OR AVAILABLE FUNDING, UM, THAT WE CAN STILL HELP THE CITIZENS WHO ARE NEEDING SOME RECONSTRUCTION AND OR REVITALIZATIONS TO THEIR HOMES. IF YOU COULD TELL US WHAT THAT IS, I'D APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT IS WENDY CARD. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK. I APPRECIATE IT. UH, IT'S JUST REAL SHORT. IN JANUARY DURING YOUR RETREAT, THE VERY FIRST MEETING OF THE NEWLY APPOINTED BOARD, UM, Y'ALL TALKED ABOUT LIMITING CITIZEN COMMENT, THIS COURT AND MOVING NON AGENDA ITEMS TO THE END OF THE MEETING. SO IT WAS SAID THAT A DRAFT POLICY WAS GONNA COME BACK TO THE BOARD TO EXPLAIN, YOU KNOW, TO CHANGE THE RULES OF PROCEDURES THAT WE ALL HAVE. UM, DID THAT EVER HAPPEN? AND IF IT DID, WHEN DID IT HAPPEN? THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL. THE SECOND ROUND OF PETITION OF CITIZENS. WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD MOTION? WE ADJOURN. SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? WE ADJOURNED. * 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.