[1. Meeting called to order]
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EVERYBODY WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME YOU TO THE CITY OF NEWBURY MUNICIPAL SERVICE DISTRICT ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING.
UM, AND BILL, CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER AND ASK KIM TO TAKE THE ROLE, PLEASE.
[3. Approval of Minutes – 2.17.26 Meeting & 5.19.26 Meeting]
MOVING ON.THERE ARE, UM, A SET OF MINUTES FROM, UH, FEBRUARY 17TH THAT WE WERE NOT ABLE TO APPROVE AT OUR FIVE 19 MEETING BECAUSE WE DID NOT HAVE A QUORUM.
UM, AND SO THAT ALSO THE INFORMATION FROM OUR FIVE 19 MEETING, EVEN THOUGH WE DIDN'T HAVE A FORM, WE STILL HAVE MINUTES FROM THAT MEETING.
SO I WILL NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE BOTH SETS OF MINUTES.
AND YOU CAN DO 'EM SEPARATELY.
YOU CAN DO 'EM TOGETHER IF THERE'S NO CHANGES, WHATEVER.
SO I'LL ENTERTAIN THAT MOTION.
SO, UM, UM, WE HAD SOME CHANGES THAT WE SAID AT THE LAST MEETING, BUT THEY DID NOT GET ADDED INTO THE PREVIOUS MEETINGS.
IS THAT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE A FORUM TO APPROVE? THAT IS CORRECT.
SO THAT IS, SO WE'LL BRING THOSE.
YOU CAN BRING HIM, BRING THAT, YES.
OH, SO THEN THAT WILL GO INTO, OKAY.
IF YOU, THESE ARE CHANGES, WE COULD, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE A QUO TO ADOPT THOSE CHANGES.
SO YOU WOULD HAVE TO DO IT AT THIS MEETING TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES.
SO IF YOU HAVE CHANGES, JUST STATE THE, UM, THE DATE OF THE CHANGES, WHICH ONE? AND THEN WE CAN CUT IT FOR BOTH IN THE FORM OF A MOTION.
SO I'LL, I'LL IDENTIFY THE CHANGES THAT WERE IDENTIFIED, UM, AT OUR LAST MEETING.
THE DATE OF WHICH, UM, IS IT FOR THE FE FEBRUARY 17TH MEETING OR FOR THE MAY 19TH, 17TH MEETING.
UM, UH, CHANGES THAT WERE IDENTIFIED AT THE MOST RECENT NON-CORE MEETING WERE THAT, UH, THE SOUND SYSTEM WAS ADDRESSED, UM, BY THIS GROUP, BUT THE MINUTES DID NOT REFLECT ALL OF THE PARTICIPANTS.
SO THAT'S NOT IN, THAT'S NOT FOR THE FEBRUARY 17TH MEETING.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE MAY 19TH C MEETING.
UH, IF YOU REVIEW THE MINUTES, THE MINUTES THAT WE'RE TRYING TO CORRECT ARE THE FEBRUARY 17TH MINUTES, I BELIEVE.
BUT WE DIDN'T, WE DIDN'T HAVE THE PROGRAM FOR THE SAT SYSTEM.
ALL WE DID ON THAT IS THAT MIKE SUGGESTED ON FEBRUARY 17TH THAT WE, UM, CONSIDER, WE CONSIDER LOOKING INTO IT.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? THERE WERE COMMENTS.
I, WHAT I'M SAYING IS WHAT I MEAN, UM, IF YOU READ THE COMMENTS FROM, FROM TWO 17.
AND THAT'S THE SECOND PARAGRAPH OF THE MINUTES THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR YOU FROM OUR NON-CORE MEETING UNDER MAY 19TH.
SO THAT'S MAY 19TH, NOT FEBRUARY 17TH.
WELL, WE CAN'T APPROVE 17TH 'CAUSE THOSE ARE THE ONES HAVE TO BE CORRECTED FEBRUARY 17TH.
YEAH, I, TWO SETS OF MINUTES BEFORE US.
THERE'S ONE FROM MAY THE 19TH, WHICH WAS THE NON QUORUM MEETING.
ON MAY 19TH, THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT CORRECTING THE FEBRUARY 17TH MINUTES, SPECIFICALLY THAT JOHN HARRELSON AND MICHAEL LEE ROSE WATSON WERE NOT IN FAVOR OF THE SOUND SYSTEM, BUT MIKE LEE WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF SURVEILLANCE CAMERA SYSTEM THAT WAS ADDRESSED ON MAY 19TH TO BE INCLUDED IN THE FEBRUARY MINUTES.
SO TODAY YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT ADDITION IN THE FEBRUARY MINUTES.
I BELIEVE THAT'S THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
IS THAT RIGHT UNDER THIS? SO IT'S UNDER MSD PROJECTS.
THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WHERE MIKE, IT STARTED WITH THE MIKE LYNN SUGGESTED, AND MICHAEL LEE EXPRESSED HER CONCERNS ON HOW TO REGULATE THAT.
UM, AND THEN, UM, BUT YOU DID SAY THAT YOU WANTED SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS OR THAT DURING THAT MEETING? I DID.
I SAID I'D BE CERTAINLY FOR SURVEILLANCE FOR, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT HAPPENED AND, UH, LATE AT NIGHT.
UH, JOHN, YOU SAID DURING THAT MEETING, I DON'T REMEMBER YOU SAYING THAT, BUT YOU SAID DURING THAT MEETING THAT YOU WERE NOT.
SO THOSE ARE THE ADDITIONS THAT ARE IN FRONT OF US.
WE'RE GOING TO ADD THAT MICHAEL LEE STATED, UM,
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SHE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS, WOULD PREFER SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS AND THAT JOHN HAROLDSON WAS NOT IN FAVOR AS WELL.IS THAT CORRECT? IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED? YES, THERE IS.
AND THAT WAS A COMMENT FROM ME LISTED IN THE VERY LAST SENTENCE.
IT SAYS THAT, UM, I WOULD HAVE NEW ORDINANCES FOR, UM, RECOMMENDED NEW ORDINANCES BE CREATED BEFORE WE ADDRESS THE SOUND SYSTEM.
WHAT I HAD SAID WAS THAT WE WOULD ENFORCE ORDINANCES THAT EXIST EXISTING OR INSTEAD OF IMPOSING SOME ADDITIONAL, YOU WANT THAT TO CHANGE? I DON'T THINK WE NEED NEW ORDINANCE.
I THINK WE NEED TO ENFORCE THE ORDINANCES THAT WE HAVE.
SO WE SHOULD STRIKE IMPOSING SOME ADDITIONAL REGULATIONS.
AND YOU WANT TO LOOK AT NEW REGULATIONS OR NEW? I'M, YOU DO IS JUST, THIS IS REALLY CONFUSING.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GETTING, I WANT IT TO BE CORRECT.
THAT'S WHY I'M QUESTIONING IT.
SO WE WOULD LOOK AT IMPOSING, I THINK SCRATCH POSING AND SAY ENFORCING, SCRATCH SOME ADDITIONAL REGULATIONS, OKAYC, ENFORCING EXISTING.
IS EVERYBODY CLEAR ON THOSE CHANGES? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS OR CONCERNS? SO LET'S JUST VOTE ON FEBRUARY 17TH FOR RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE ONE AT A TIME.
BUT THAT I NEED A MOTION THEN TO APPROVE THE, UH, FEBRUARY 17TH MINUTES WITH CORRECTIONS.
JOHNNY, WHO WANTS THIS? WHO SECOND? I'M SORRY.
ANY CHANGES TO THOSE MINUTES? OKAY.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS STATED, UH, FOR MAY 19TH.
MICKEY AND MR. SECOND AND JOHNNY ROBS THE SECOND.
[4. Financial Report – Kim Ostrom, Finance Director]
WILL YOU TELL US ABOUT THE FINANCEES? OKAY.UM, LOOKING AT THE BALANCE SHEET REPORTS, THE, UM, TOTAL ASSETS FOR MSD IS JUST OVER 2.5 MILLION.
UM, MOSTLY CONSISTING OF CASH AND, UM, TAXES AND OTHER AMOUNTS, UM, THAT ARE DUE TO MSD.
THE LIABILITIES TOTAL IS $198,500.
UM, THOSE ARE CONSIST OF BILLS AND OTHER EXPENSES THAT ARE DUE.
THE TOTAL NET POSITION IS $2,148,192 OF THAT.
UM, WE HAVE COMMITTED JUST UNDER 1.6 MILLION FOR THE, UM, PROJECT.
AND YOU HAVE ABOUT 550, JUST UNDER 552,000 AVAILABLE FOR FUTURE ALLOCATION.
AND THE NEXT REPORT IS THE BUDGET TO ACTUAL REPORT.
UM, IN THE CENTER THERE, WE'VE UPDATED THAT FOR FY 27, THE CURRENT YEAR, ACTUAL THROUGH JULY 31ST, AND THEN THE OTHER PRIOR YEARS FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 AND FISCAL YEAR 25 IS OFF TO THE RIGHT.
UM, I JUST WANNA MAKE A NOTE THAT THE FY 26 IS PROVISIONAL.
SINCE WE HAVE, WE HAVE NOT COMPLETED OUR FISCAL YEAR END AUDIT AND WE ARE STILL WAITING ON SALES AND USE TAX FOR, UM, TWO MONTHS, WHICH IS MAY AND JUNE.
AND IT'LL BE RECEIVED, UH, THIS MONTH AND NEXT MONTH.
AND THOSE WILL BE RECORDED BACK.
SO LOOKING AT THE TOTAL REVENUE FOR FY 27 AND WHERE WE STAND, WE'VE RECEIVED $35,896.
OUR TOTAL EXPENDITURES, UM, BETWEEN THE, THE EXPENSES OF 30,000 AND THE TRANSFER TO GENERAL FUND FOR 42,000.
OUR EXPENSE AND TRANSFERS TOTAL 72,000, LEAVING OUR NET POSITION AT A DECREASE OF 36,104, UM, WITH A TOTAL OF, UM, JUST 2 MILLION 184 296.
I'M SORRY, I LOOKED AT THE WRONG NUMBER.
$2,148,192 IS OUR NET POSITION AS OF JULY 31ST.
AND AGAIN, OF THAT 552,000 IS AVAILABLE IN THE ONE, JUST UNDER 1.6 IS WITH PROJECT.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THOSE TWO? I DO.
AND THIS IS A REAL NI PICK QUESTION, BUT WHY WOULD THERE BE A DISCRE THAT YOU JUST GAVE US? A 5 52 AND THE ONE ON THE PAGE OF FIVE? SO IN THE BUDGET TO ACT, I THINK IT'S SHEET ACCOUNT IN THE BALANCE SHEET ACCOUNT, IT ALSO INCLUDES RESTRICTED BY STATE STATUTE THREE.
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THAT $364 UP ABOVE, THAT'S RESTRICTED BY STATE STATUTE.SO IT'S PART OF YOUR, UM, NET POSITION, BUT IT'S RESTRICTED.
UM, THE NEXT REPORT IS THE, YOUR YOUR COMMITTEE PROJECT AND THE STATUS OF THEM AS OF JULY 31ST.
UH, THERE'S JUST OVER, WELL, 2 MILLION AND 16,500,000 FOR NINE PROJECTS OF WHICH FIVE ARE COMPLETE.
FOUR REMAIN IN PROGRESS, WHICH INCLUDE THE BROAD STREET PARKING LOT AND BRICK CROSSWALK.
THOSE ARE BOTH IN CONSTRUCTION PHASES.
P*****K STREET AND SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS AND CRAVEN STREET PARKING LOT IMPROVEMENTS.
THOSE, UM, ALL FOUR OF THOSE TOTAL ONE.
UM, THE ONE POINT JUST ABOUT 1.6 MILLION, IT'S $1,595,890 THAT IS, UM, LEFT TO BE SPENT ON THOSE.
UM, SO WITH THAT, UNTIL THOSE ARE, YOU KNOW, PROJECTS ARE COMPLETE, WE DON'T KNOW IF THEY'VE, YOU KNOW, GOT ANY EXCESS MONEY.
BUT THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE AT WITH THAT.
AND THEN THE LAST REPORT IS YOUR OUTSTANDING DEBT.
WE HAVE TWO LOANS COMBINED BALANCE OF 189,400, 101,000 180 3 WILL BE PAID THIS YEAR, SAVING A BALANCE OF ABOUT $82,232 AND WILL BE SCHEDULED TO BE FULLY PAID OFF, UM, BY THE END OF FISCAL YEAR 27, 28.
ANY QUESTIONS? FOSTER A COMMENT FROM YOU ON THE ARMREST.
UM, WE THOUGHT THEY WERE COMPLETE.
WE DID GET SOME CONCERNS ABOUT SOME ARMREST IN BARE FLAVA.
AND THE GUY WAS SLEEPING TOGETHER, RIGHT? SO, SO, UM, STAFF DID, DID ACTUALLY, UM, UH, ADD TWO ARMRESTS AT THE LONG BENCHES AND, AND THEN WE'VE ORDERED ADDITIONAL ONES TO MAKE SURE THOSE WERE COVERED.
YEAH, IT'S FUNNY 'CAUSE I THOUGHT THOSE WERE THE FIRST ONES HAPPEN AND I THINK MARY WAS SLEEPING AND I THINK ONE WAS MISSED ON MIDDLE STREET AS WELL IN NEAR CHRISTCHURCH.
SO, SO WE WILL BE GETTING MORE.
DO YOU NEED MORE FUNDING FOR THAT PROJECT FOR THIS THEN? YEAH, WE, WE, WE PURCHASED EVERYTHING THAT WAS INITIALLY FUNDED.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW MUCH WERE THOSE GEORGE? THREE 50.
THEY'RE EITHER THREE 50 OR 500 A PIECE.
THEY MANUFACTURE IF THEY'RE NEEDED ANYWAY.
THAT'S THE FIRST PLACE THAT, WHY DON'T WE LOOK AT, JUST BE SAFE, LOOK AT ALLOCATING $2,000 FOR ADDITIONAL ARM ARREST AND SEE WHAT BENCHES.
THERE'S SIX MORE BENCHES THERE THAT HAVE TO BE NEED SIX.
UH, JUST, YOU KNOW, LET'S, LET'S GO AHEAD AND WE CAN APPROPRIATE, LET ME DO THIS FIRST, LET'S APPROVE THE, UM, FINANCIAL REPORT AND THEN WE'LL MAKE A MOTION TO, UM, LEAVE SOME MORE MONEY IF THAT'S OKAY WITH EVERYBODY.
SO I NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE, UH, BUDGET.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR A BE OPPOSED.
SO NOW FOSTER, WHY DON'T WE JUST DO $3,000 AND YOU HAVE ENOUGH MONEY.
I'D RATHER YOU HAVE ENOUGH THAN NOT ENOUGH.
IF ANYBODY ELSE WANTS TO MAKE A MOTION WITH AN AMOUNT OF MONEY, I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT.
I MAKE, MAKE A MOTION AND WE APPROVE ANOTHER $3,000 TO USE FOR THE ADDITIONAL ARM REST.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? A.
OKAY, FOSTER, WILL YOU GIVE US A PROJECT UPDATE, PLEASE? SO AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO ASK GEORGE TO GET SOME UPDATES ON CURRENT, UM, RICK CROSSWALK.
SO ALL THE NOTIFICATIONS HAVE BEEN GOING OUT.
WE'RE STARTING THE THIRD OF THIS PHASE, UM, AT INTERSECTION.
SO THERE WILL BE A FOUR WEEK CLOSURE WE EXPECT OF THAT INTERSECTION, UH, TO INSTALL THAT.
UM, THE FISHING P PARKING LOT IS IN CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW.
THEY SHOULD BE FINISHED UP WITH ALL THE PIPE AND BOX SETTING TODAY.
AND THEY WILL START HAULING IN, UH, SUB BRIDGE STONE FOR COMPACTION STARTING TOMORROW.
AND THEY TENTATIVELY HAVE SCHEDULED THEIR CURBING BETTER GUY NEXT WEEK.
SO YOU'LL SEE, SEE SOME IMPROVEMENTS THERE ON THAT.
UH, QUITE QUICKLY, INTER CORE PARKING, I ACTUALLY HAVE A MEETING WITH THE CONSULTANT AFTER THIS MEETING TO
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PROVIDE SOME MORE UPDATES.THEY'RE CURRENTLY DOING REVISIONS FOR THE, UM, DUMPSTER LOCATION WITH, UH, MOVEMENTS.
THEY DID SOME REVISION TO SOME FINISHES FOR SOME UPLIGHTING ON THE INTERIOR AND SOME LANDSCAPE, UH, ADDITIONS TO IT.
SO ONCE WE HAVE THOSE, UM, WE'LL TAKE A FINAL LOOK AT THEM AND SEE WHERE STAND WE'RE PLANNING TO, UH, HAVE THAT BID.
THE, UM, WE HAVE AN ADDITIONAL PROJECT, UM, THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, WHICH IS, IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE FLOOD ITEMS YET.
UM, BUT THE RIVER WALK RAILING, WHICH WOULD, LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT PROJECT.
MAY THAT, UH, OTHER, JUST WANTED TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON SOME OTHER JUST GENERAL FUNDED PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING ON THAT WILL BE GOING ON DOWNTOWN.
UH, NOT DIRECTLY MSD FUNDED PROJECTS.
UM, WE HAVE SHOULD BE RECEIVING THE MOCKUP OF THE FIRST STREET SIGN THAT WILL GO ON THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL ON FOR DOWNTOWN.
WE WANTED TO GET ONE TO MAKE SURE IT'S APPROPRIATE SIZE AND THE AESTHETIC MOVES CORRECT THE WAY WE WANT BEFORE WE ORDER FOR THE FULL INTER IN THE INTER THAT HAVE THOSE, SO THESE WOULD HANG ALL THE ACTUAL CROSS ARM THAT WOULD TAKE PLACE OF THE, THE POLE SIGNS THAT ARE CURRENTLY, UM, IN PLACE.
HANCOCK PAVING, IF YOU'VE WRITTEN HANCOCK, IT LOOKS LIKE, UM, THERE'S SOME WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE ON IT.
AND THAT WAS IN RELATION TO SOME FUNDED AWARD.
ONE, UM, ALLOCATED MONEY FOR STORMWATER IMPROVEMENTS.
WE HAVE A PAVEMENT PROJECT THAT THEY'RE MOBILIZING IN THE KINGS ROAD, JIMMY'S CREEK AREA THIS WEEK.
THE CONTRACTOR'S GONNA PAVE THAT AREA.
SHOULD TAKE PROBABLY ABOUT THREE WEEKS TO DO THAT.
THEN THEY'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO, UH, HANCOCK AND PAVE FROM BROAD TO QUEEN OF HANCOCK, WHERE WE'VE DONE THOSE TO REPLACE THE PAVEMENT AND DO, THEY'RE GONNA READ IT ALL THE PAVEMENT ON THAT ROAD.
WE ALSO HAVE, UM, WORK NOW FINALIZATION ON THE DESIGN SERVICE CONTRACT FOR SOME, UM, SIGNAL UPGRADES AT THE CRAVEN AND BROAD INTERSECTION TO ADD PEDESTRIAN CONTROLS.
SO THIS IS RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE, THE COUNTY COURTHOUSE.
UM, 18 TO 24 MONTHS AGO, THERE WAS A PEDESTRIAN VEHICLE INTERACTION THERE.
THERE'S A LOT OF FOOT TRAFFIC, ESPECIALLY ON
SO WE'RE WORKING ON THAT RIGHT NOW.
ALSO, UM, IF YOU HAD NOTICED DOWNTOWN THE MS BIKE BANNERS GOING UP, THAT WILL BE TAKING PLACE ON 19TH OF SEPTEMBER THAT WEEKEND.
AND
DO WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT? THAT'S PART OF THE INNER CORE, I ASSUME R RIGHT.
UM, SO WHAT'S GONNA BE HAPPENING IS WE'RE GONNA BE TAKING THE CIRCLE OUT OUT THERE.
WE'RE GONNA BE REPOSITIONING THE BEAR, UH, WHERE WE CAN OPEN THAT PLAZA UP TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE CONDUCIVE TO A VARIETY OF EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES THAT, UM, UM, VERY MARRIED FOLKS HAD ALWAYS COMPLAINED ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO MOVE THAT THING AROUND, BUT ESPECIALLY WITH THE AMOUNT OF CROWD.
AND SO WE RECOGNIZE IT IS A, IT'S A HINDRANCE BEING THERE AT THE CENTER.
AND SO, UM, THAT SHOULD WORK, SHOULD BE STARTED SOON AS WELL.
SO IT'LL BE DONE IN TIME FOR THIS YEAR? YES.
ANY QUESTIONS ON CURRENT PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE? I DO WANNA MENTION ONE OTHER THING.
UM, SO WE DID INSTALL FLOWER BASKETS AT, UH, P*****K AND MIDDLE STREET.
UH, DID TWO OF THOSE, UM, RIGHT THE FIRST OF THE SUMMER.
SO IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THEM YET, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO OVER THERE AND LOOK AT THOSE.
THE, THE FLOWERS AND THE, UM, AND THE PLANTINGS ARE ACTUALLY LOOKING QUITE GOOD.
UM, DIDN'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT, WHAT SIZE BASKET WE WOULD NEED FOR THAT, THAT WE WOULD IDEALLY LIKE TO SEE THAT THING DROP ABOUT FIVE TO SIX FEET LOWER.
BUT BEFORE THAT HAPPENS, WE'VE GOTTA LOOK AT OUR, OUR STREET SIGNS BEING MOVED TO THE MAST ARM AND SOME OTHER THINGS.
BUT IDEALLY THAT SIGN WOULD BE DROPPED LOWER, AND OF COURSE IT'D BE A DIFFERENT SIZE PLANNER.
SO IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK AT IT.
AND IF THIS, UH, COMMITTEE WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND ADDITIONAL PLANNERS, UM, BASICALLY THE INTERSECTIONS IS, IS IS WHERE WE THINK THOSE THINGS WILL BE BEST SUITED, UH, AND THEN HAVE THE MOST IMPACT.
SO ANY COMMENTS ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE? WE'RE, WE'RE HAPPY TO HEAR THOSE.
MICHAEL, THAT WAS ONE OF YOUR, THEY LOOK GREAT.
I THINK IT'S GREAT FOR THE TOWN.
SO I THINK THE, JUST A TAD LOWER THOUGH.
I THINK A LITTLE TA IS LOW, LOWER IS ALWAYS BETTER SO THAT IT'S EASIER TO SEE.
AND WITH THE NEW BRICK CROSSWALKS, IT'S JUST A BEAUTIFUL STATEMENT.
THE LOWER DOESN'T HINDER THE, THE THE, OH, THE CROSSWALK
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THING.WELL, I'M TALKING ABOUT WHEN A, WHEN A VEHICLE APPROACHES IT, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THEY HAVE THE GOOD LINE SIGHT.
NO, I THINK IT'LL BE WHAT LIKE MAYBE, UH, 12 FEET ABOVE GROUND, UH, ABOVE THE SIDEWALK.
IS THAT YOU'RE YES, THEY'LL BE ON, THEY WON'T, THEY WILL NOT BE IN WITHIN, YEAH.
I DON'T THINK THE, THE LOWEST SAFETY IS PROBABLY 10 FEET AT THE, AT THE LOWEST.
I GUESS I WAS THINKING 12 FEET OR SOMETHING.
AND THAT WAY THEN IF THEY CASCADE DOWN, THEN THEY SORT OF DO THE BREEZY THING.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF FOSTER OR GEORGE? OF THE CURRENT PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE GOING ON, I CAN ASK, UM, ABOUT THE, UM, FISHING PIER, UM, PARKING LOT IN SOME COMMENTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
THEY COMMENTED THAT A FUTURE UPGRADE WILL INCLUDE BATHROOMS. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT MSD IS? IS TO MSD IS NOT PART OF THAT.
UH, ALDERMAN ASTOR HAD SOME A RP, UH, FUNDS THAT HE ALLOCATED FOR THAT.
WE ALSO RECEIVED, UH, SOME FUNDS FROM THE NORTH CAROLINA WILDLIFE HABITAT FOUNDATION, UH, TO, TO BUILD THE STRUCTURE.
AND BECAUSE OF THE FLOOD ZONE IT'S IN, WE CAN'T BUILD A BUILDING.
IF WE DID, WE'D HAVE TO ELEVATE THAT, THEN THAT WOULD'VE THEN, UH, ADD A D ACCESSIBLE RAMP.
SO WE WOULD JUST TAKE A LOT OF SPACE.
SO WHAT WE, OUR, OUR BUILDING IS, UH, IN A SENSE A SHELTER THAT WOULD HOLD, UM, UH, BASICALLY A, A PORTABLE RESTROOM.
SO IT'S A TRAILER THAT WOULD, WOULD, WOULD BACK IN THERE AND THAT WOULD BE WHERE YOU COULD USE THE RESTROOM.
AND IF WE HAD THE ISSUES WITH FLOODING OR WHATNOT, WE COULD JUST PULL THAT THING OUT.
SO, UM, REALLY ONCE PUBLIC WORKS, UM, UH, WHICH WHO, WHATEVER THE CONTRACTOR IS, FINISHES WITH THE PARKING LOT, THE RESTROOMS ARE GONNA START.
SO, UM, IF THEY'RE FINISHED BY THE MIDDLE OF SEPTEMBER, I'D ESTIMATE THAT, UM, HOPEFULLY BY MONTH TEST, THAT NEW STRUCTURE WILL BE IN PLACE.
FOSTER, THIS IS REALLY OUT OF CURIOSITY.
WILL IT BE CONNECTED TO THE SEWER SYSTEM? IT WILL BE, IT WILL BE.
IT'LL BE BE AND I PRESUME CONNECT AND DISCONNECT.
ANYBODY YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY, GREAT.
SO, UM, AT THE LAST MEETING WHERE THERE WAS NOT A QUORUM, WE HAD SOME FOLKS COME TALK ABOUT A DOWNTOWN SOUND SYSTEM.
THEY DIDN'T LEAVE THEIR PROPOSAL, WE HAD TO EMAIL IT TO US EARLIER.
SO I, I'M GONNA LEAVE IT UP INTO THE FLOOR TO, I KNOW SOME OF YOU ATTENDED THAT MEETING.
WE ALSO SENT OUT A LINK OF THE VIDEO OF THE MEETING.
UH, HOPEFULLY SOME OF YOU WERE ABLE TO WATCH THAT.
SO DUNNO WHAT THE THOUGHTS ARE OF THE COMMITTEE, BUT I'M HAPPY TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS ON THAT.
I THINK MY BIGGEST, UM, PLUS FOR THIS BEING A FATHER OF CHILDREN IS, YOU KNOW, USING AN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.
YOU KNOW, SAY THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING WE NEED TO DO MASS COMMUNICATION WITH, OR IF A CHILD WAS LOST AT FEST, THAT KIND OF STUFF.
I SEE AS A, A BIG PERK TO THIS.
WELL, YOU KNOW, I'M THE CHAMPION IN THE ROOM.
I'VE BEEN AFTER THIS FOR 10 YEARS AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, THE REASON I'VE DONE THIS IS BECAUSE, AGAIN, A UNIQUENESS WE CAN BRING, I'VE SEEN WASHINGTON DO IT OTHER CITIES AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT SO MUCH ABOUT THE MUSIC IS WHAT I THINK WE CAN DO WITH THE HISTORICAL ASPECT OF OUR CITY AND HAVING THESE LITTLE FUN BLURBS.
I MEAN, WE'VE GOTTA MAKE OURSELVES SEPARATE OURSELVES AS DIFFERENT AND UNIQUE AND INVITING.
AND I THINK IT'S A GREAT WAY TO DO THAT WITHOUT HAVING WHAT WE TRY TO DO.
I MEAN, ABOUT 30 YEARS AGO WE TRIED TO HAVE AMBASSADORS OFF THE STREET.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER THIS,
WE HAD VOLUNTEERS AND THEY WOULD DRESS UP AND IT WAS TO ENGAGE OUR TOURISTS TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT THE HISTORY OF NEW BERN AND TELL THEM FUN FACTS.
WELL, IT'S HARD TO GET VOLUNTEERS.
WE DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY FOR 'EM, THAT ONE BY THE WAYSIDE.
SO AGAIN, HAVING A SOUND SYSTEM OR A WAY TO COMMUNICATE THIS WAS A GREAT IDEA.
WELL, THE NEXT ROADBLOCK WE HAD WAS INFRASTRUCTURE, BECAUSE THE SOUND SYSTEMS OF JUST 10 YEARS AGO REQUIRED ALL THIS WIRING, CONDUIT PULLING UP THE STREETS.
AND AGAIN, THE COST AND THE NIGHTMARE OF DIGGING EVERYTHING UP, REALLY PUT IT OUT OF THE WAYSIDE.
SO FAST FORWARD TO THIS LAST, UH, MAIN STREET, YOU KNOW, CONFERENCE MYSELF, VAUGHN, I THINK JOHNNY ROB WAS THERE.
AND WE CAME ACROSS THIS GROUP THAT, UM, DID SOUND SYSTEM WIRELESS.
SO WE DIDN'T HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
THEY COULD DO IT AT A MUCH CHEAPER COST AND WE COULD ACHIEVE WHAT WE WANTED TO IN DIRECTION AND SOUND AND PUTTING THEM WHERE WE WANTED TO.
AND I, I THOUGHT THIS WAS A GREAT WAY TO GO.
ARE THERE OTHER GROUPS OUT THERE? THERE PROBABLY ARE.
I, I'M SURE THERE ARE, AND WE CERTAINLY CAN PUT THIS OUT THERE BIDS, BUT WE ARE, I THINK WE'RE BEING SHORTSIGHTED.
[00:25:01]
DON'T CARE WHAT THE COM COMMENTS ARE.THE, I HEARD THE WORD NOISE CHAOS.
I WANNA REMIND EVERYBODY RESPECTFULLY THAT THIS ZOOM IS C ONE.
IT'S NOT R SIX, IT'S NOT R EIGHT, IT'S NOT R 10, IT IS C ONE, WHICH IS A COMMERCIAL BUSINESS DISTRICT.
WE ARE, WE ARE STARTING TO SEE THE IMPACT.
WE'VE GOT TO SET OURSELVES AND BE DIFFERENT.
LAST WEEK I WAS AT THE NORTH CAROLINA TRAVEL AND TOURISM MEETING, OF WHICH I'M A BOARD MEMBER.
AND THE STATISTICS CAME OUT FOR LAST YEAR'S TOURISM SPENDING.
AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW WHO'S KICKING OUR BUTTS.
AND IT'S NOT US, IT IS BERTE COUNTY, EDENTON WASHINGTON, THOSE WILLIAMSON, THOSE, THOSE AREAS, THEY'RE, THEY'RE GAINING US BECAUSE THEY'RE DOING THINGS THAT ARE A STEP UP.
WE ARE, WE, WE DECLINED AND THEY INCREASED.
AND AGAIN, WE'VE GOTTA BE AHEAD OF THE GAME.
THE OTHER INTERESTING ISSUE IS, AND CHIEF, I'M GLAD YOU'RE HERE BECAUSE YOU CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, DOWNTOWN NEW BERN IS THE QUOTE UNQUOTE SAFEST NEW BERN, UH, SAFE, SAFEST NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE CITY OF NEW BERN.
BUT, UH, UH, CRIME STATISTIC WISE, WELL, I CAN SAY AS A COMMERCIAL DISTRICT, YES, THAT IS PROBABLY TRUE.
THE, THE, THE, I GUESS NEIGHBORHOOD WASN'T THE RIGHT WORD TO USE.
RIGHT? I THINK, UH, BOBBY ESTHER AND I LIVE IN THE SAFEST NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE CITY,
RIGHT? BUT DOWNTOWN NEWBURN, THIS AREA IS BY FAR, UH, STATISTICALLY A VERY SAFE PLACE.
SO I, I JUST, I, I THINK WE'VE GOTTA STAY AHEAD OF THE GAME.
OUR MERCHANTS, OUR BUSINESSES ARE SLOWING DOWN.
THEY'RE EXPERIENCING DECLINE SOMEWHAT.
YOU KNOW, IT TAKES A LOT WHEN YOU INVEST YOUR LIFE SAVINGS IN A BUSINESS, IT TAKES A LOT TO GET IT UP AND GOING.
UNDERSTAND THERE'S SOME OF US IN THIS ROOM WHO INVESTED THEIR LIFE SAVINGS IN THEIR HOME.
BUT WE'RE STILL IN A COMMERCIAL DISTRICT.
THE REASON WE LIVE IN A COMMERCIAL DISTRICT IS BECAUSE IT'S VIBRANT AND IT'S VIBRANT BECAUSE WE HAVE BUSINESSES AND WE'VE GOT TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THOSE BUSINESSES.
IF THIS IS A METHOD TO DO THAT, I THINK WE ARE SMART ENOUGH AND WE CAN COME TOGETHER TO MAKE IT BE AMENABLE TO PEOPLE.
YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA RUN, YOU KNOW, 24 7.
IT WOULD HAVE SOME LIGHT BACKGROUND MUSIC IF WE CHOSE IT, COULD HAVE SOME ANNOUNCEMENTS IF WE CHOSE.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE COMMERCIALIZED, NO ADS, NONE OF THAT WOULD BE CONTROLLED AT CITY HALL.
I THINK IT WOULD BE SUCH AN AMENITY THAT WHEN PEOPLE VISIT US, THEY SAY IT'S THE COOLEST THING.
I COULD FIND OUT THAT NEW BERN WAS FOUNDED IN 1710, OR THE BEARS, THE REASON THERE'S BEARS IS BECAUSE IT'S THE GERMAN WORD FOR BURN.
YOU KNOW, I, I, YOU KNOW, I I JUST, THERE'S SO MANY POSSIBILITIES AND THAT'S WHY I HAVE CHAMPIONED IT FOR ALL THESE, THESE YEARS.
AND I STILL BELIEVE IT WOULD BE A GREAT AMENITY FOR OUR COMMUNITY THAT IS FINALLY SOMEWHAT COST EFFECTIVE COMPARED TO WHAT I'VE SEEN FOR ALL THE YEARS I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS.
AND I'VE, I'VE HEARD ALL THE, THE OTHER, THE ISSUES AND I'M, I JUST HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME UNDERSTANDING IT.
SO I'VE SAID MY 2 CENTS AND, YOU KNOW, UM, I THINK IT SHOULD BE MORE DRIVEN BY THE BUSINESSES, YOU KNOW, SAYING WE NEED THIS.
WE NEED TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT SETS US APART A LITTLE BIT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S WORKED WONDERFULLY FOR GOLDSBORO.
IT WORKED WONDERFULLY FOR, UH, LITTLE WASHINGTON.
WHEN WE WERE IN GOLDSBORO, I WENT TO THE MAIN STREET CONFERENCE THERE AND THAT'S WHAT I HEARD FROM PEOPLE SAYING IN THIS SCHOOL, IN THIS SCHOOL.
UM, AND I WANT THEM TO SAY THAT ABOUT NEW BERN.
WELL, I'M CERTAINLY IN FAVOR FOR, UM, I THINK FOR THE SAFETY REASONS THAT YOU SAID, TO BE ABLE TO DO ANY KIND OF, UH, IMMEDIATE, UH, UM, NOTIFICATIONS.
I THINK IT CAN BE CONTROLLED, THE VOLUME.
UH, WHAT GOES ON THERE, I THINK WE CAN CERTAINLY CONTROL IF WE WANT TO PUT, UH, INFORMATION TO, UH, SUPPORT THAT, UH, IT DOES NOT NEED TO BE ON ALL NIGHT LONG.
UM, I THINK THERE WERE SOME CONCERNS, UM, ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR, UM, UH, PRO, UM, PROPOSAL THAT IT'S ONLY ON CERTAIN CORNERS AND THEY WERE JUST GIVING US AN IDEA WE COULD DRAW WHERE IT WENT.
AND EVEN IF THAT, EVEN IF WE HAD MAL, MAYBE SOME MORE SPEAKERS SO THAT IT WASN'T, WASN'T TRYING TO BE BROADCASTED REAL LOUD ON THE CORNER TO TRY TO GET DOWN THE STREET OR, AND IF IT'S NOT AND WE JUST HAVE IT SLOW THERE 'CAUSE PEOPLE ARE GONNA WALK AROUND THE CORNER AND THEY ENJOY THE MUSIC OR SOUND THERE.
SO I THINK THERE'S, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, POSITIVES FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROPOSAL BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO ANY OF THE CONSTRUCTION.
[00:30:01]
THE SAME POINT, UM, THE SYSTEM THAT'S IN WASHINGTON, IT IS MORE OF AN AMBIENCE CON.IT'S REALLY SPREAD OUT EVENLY.
YOU WALK UP TO IT, IT'S REAL LOUD AND THEN YOU WALK AWAY WHERE, BUT THEN AGAIN, THEN MAYBE THAT'S WHERE IF WE HAVE TO ADD A LITTLE MORE SPEAKERS IN THE MIDDLE SO THAT WE DON'T, THEY DON'T HAVE THAT.
I JUST THINKING OUT LOUD, OUT OF THE BOX.
BUT OF COURSE I BROUGHT UP FOR CONSIDERATION AND I'M CERTAINLY FOR IT.
I LOVE MUSIC AND I THINK WE COULD FIND SOMETHING, WHAT WE CALL ELEVATOR MUSIC THIS DAY ISN'T THE SAME THAT WE LISTENED TO THE ELEVATORS WHEN WE WERE BACK IN THE 1960S AND SEVENTIES.
BUT, UH, I'M SURE WE COULD FIND, UH, SOMETHING THAT, UH, THAT WOULD BE PLEASANT IN THE BACKGROUND FOR OUR, FOR OUR VISITORS SPENDING MONEY HERE IN OUR TOWN.
SO IF WE WANNA TRY AN AREA, SEE IF IT WORKS, WE DON'T HAVE TO MAKE A BIG COMMITMENT FINANCIALLY RIGHT OUT THE CH WE CAN GIVE IT A SHOT.
PUT IT ON ONE STREET, SEE IF WE LIKE IT, WE DON'T LIKE IT.
YOU KNOW, BACK YEARS AGO WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT IT, IT WAS GONNA BE A LOT MORE INTO SIX DIGITS.
THIS IS, YOU KNOW, UNDER $90,000.
SO I WOULD, I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF HAVING SPEAKER SYSTEM DOWNTOWN.
I THINK IF WE WERE EVER TO GO OUT TO OUR MSD CONTRIBUTORS, THOSE THAT ARE TAXED AND ASKED IF THIS IS A PROJECT THEY WOULD LIKE TO FUND, RATHER THAN SAY, I HAVE THIS LOT OF MONEY I FEEL COMPELLED TO SPEND, UM, I THINK IT WOULD NOT BE IN FAVOR.
YOU WOULD NOT GET SUPPORT TO RAISE MONEY FOR THIS, UH, THIS ACTIVITY.
UM, I THINK IT'S, IT'S UH, VERY SILOED TO THINK THAT THERE'S ONLY COMMERCIAL DOWNTOWN.
IT HURTS ME A LITTLE BIT TO HEAR YOU SAY THAT BEING ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT DOES LIVE DOWNTOWN.
I'M NOT, I'M NOT, UH, UM, I WOULD, I WOULD SAY THAT IT'S A MIXED USE AREA.
THERE SHOULD BE QUIET TIMES AND THERE SHOULD BE RESPECT FOR BOTH RESIDENTS AND COMMERCIAL.
UM, I THINK THAT'S WHAT BRINGS PEOPLE TO THIS TOWN.
THEY COME, THEY VISIT, THEY STAY NOT BECAUSE THERE'S A, A ROW OF BARS ON A STREET.
THEY COME BECAUSE IT IS, IT IS THE TOWN THEY VIS THEY VISUALIZE LIVING IN BECAUSE IT IS PEACEFUL, MIXED USE THAT THERE ARE THINGS ABOUT IT THEY WANT TO, TO ENJOY HERE.
THEY CHOOSE TO VISIT AND THEN THEY CHOOSE TO STAY.
I THINK AS WE, AS WE MOVE TOWARDS TRYING TO BE ANOTHER TOWN, WE'LL BE EXACTLY THAT.
IF IT'S HISTORICAL MARKERS THAT WE NEED HISTORICAL INFORMATION, LET'S FIGURE OUT A WAY TO PRESENT THAT INFORMATION TO MAKE IT NEWBURGH AND PREVENT THAT, PRESERVE THE HISTORY HERE AND SHARE IT WITH OTHERS.
BUT IF, IF YOU PUT YOURSELF IN A STADIUM AND WHERE YOU SIT IN THAT STADIUM, DEPENDS HOW WELL YOU HEAR THE ANNOUNCER.
THE ANNOUNCER PROJECTS FROM TWO OR THREE POINTS.
IF YOU SIT NEXT TO THE SPEAKER, YOU GET BLOWN OUT.
IF YOU SIT IN THE MIDDLE, YOU MAY NOT HEAR THAT YOUR SON JUST SCORE WHERE YOU SIT MATTERS.
AND THAT'S THE PRO, THAT'S THE PROPOSAL THAT THEY HAVE BEFORE US, THAT THEY PUT AT THE END OF THE STREET, A SPEAKER THAT PROJECTS DOWN HALFWAY TO THE STREET.
IF YOU'RE NEXT TO THAT POLE, YOU'RE BLOWN OUT.
AND IF YOU'RE NEAR THE CENTER OF THE STREET, YOU MAY NOT HEAR IT AT ALL.
WE CAN PUT PROJECTION SPEAKERS AROUND TOWN, BUT YOU'RE ALWAYS GONNA HAVE A POINT THAT'S REALLY LOUD AND A POINT WHERE IT'S ATTENUATE TO THE POINT WHERE YOU'RE NOT HEARING IT.
WHERE YOU WOULDN'T HAVE PUT A SPEAKER THERE.
UM, IF, IF THIS SYSTEM WORKS WELL ON A NAVY SHIP, HAVING EXPERIENCE ON A NAVY SHIP, I KNOW THAT THAT SPEAKERS ARE A PROBLEM ON A NAVY SHIP.
THIS IS WHERE THEY'VE SUCCEEDED.
AND A NAVY SHIP IS NOT WHAT WE WANT DOWNTOWN.
IF WE WANT CHRISTMAS MUSIC GLARING ONE POINT REALLY LOUD AND HAVE HAVE PEOPLE THERE LISTENING TO IT, THEN, THEN THAT IS WHAT YOU DO.
YOU PUT A SPEAKER SO PEOPLE CAN HEAR CHRISTMAS MUSIC.
BUT DO YOU WANT THAT ALL OVER TOWN? DO YOU WANT THE SAME MESSAGE REPEATED OVER AND OVER ABOUT YOUR TOWN FOR THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE VISITING? MAYBE THEY MIGHT HEAR IT ONCE, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE ACTUALLY WORK HERE OR LIVE HERE? YOU HEAR THE SAME MESSAGE EVERY DAY FOR 10 YEARS.
'CAUSE WE DON'T CHANGE THINGS.
I THINK OUR, I THINK OUR KIOSK IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF HOW WE DON'T CHANGE A LOT OF THE INFORMATION ON THERE.
I'VE SEEN THE SAME THING FOR MONTHS.
SO, SO I THINK WE USE THE TERM, WE AROUND HERE A LOT.
WE CONTROL THE MUSIC VOLUME, WE CONTROL THE MUSIC CONTENT, WE CONTROL THE CONTEXT.
BUT IT'S NOT, WE, IT'S SOMEBODY.
AND IF THEY'RE DOING THEIR JOB REALLY WELL, THEY MAY KEEP UP.
BUT MOST OF US HAVE OTHER JOBS TO DO AND THAT'S NOT GONNA BE THE PRIORITY.
I THINK THIS IS A FOOLISH IDEA TO SPEND A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ON A DOWNTOWN SYSTEM THAT ISN'T NECESSARILY RIGHT FOR A TOWN.
IF YOU WALK THROUGH LITTLE WASHINGTON, THEY HAVE A SPEAKER THAT PROJECTS DOWN SO THAT WHEN YOU'RE NEAR THE SPEAKER, YOU MIGHT HEAR IT, BUT YOU DON'T HEAR IT WHEN YOU'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET.
AND IF YOU DO, IF YOU DO, THEN, THEN YOU'RE, YOU'RE IN AN AREA WHERE THERE'S NO OTHER AMBIENT NOISE.
[00:35:01]
BUT IN ORDER TO MAKE MUSIC PROJECT THROUGHOUT THE TOWN, YOU'RE COMPETING WITH ALL THE OTHER NOISE THAT'S THERE.WE HAVE TRAFFIC, WE HAVE PEOPLE TALKING, WE HAVE OTHER BUSTERS, WE HAVE EVERYTHING ELSE.
SO THAT MEANS IF YOU WANT TO HEAR IT AND YOUR MESSAGE, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO TURN UP THE VOLUME, WHICH I THINK AGAIN, COMPETES WITH EVERYTHING ELSE.
IF, IF THERE'S A HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE ON MIDDLE STREET, HOW LOUD DOES THAT MESSAGE HAVE TO BE TO HEAR THAT JOHNNY IS MISSING? YOU HAVE A PHONE SYSTEM THAT WORKS VERY WELL FOR ALERTS AND WE CAN USE EXISTING SYSTEMS BETTER.
WE DON'T HAVE TO CREATE NOW A MONEY SPEND FOR A PROJECT THAT'S FOOLISH TO FIT OUR CERTAIN NEED.
I HEARD YOU SAY, SABRINA, THAT THAT IT WOULD SAVE YOU MONEY THAT YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO HAVE YOUR OWN SPOTIFY PLAYING OUTSIDE OF YOUR BUSINESS.
AND I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY A BAD REASON TO INVEST TAX MONEY SO THAT, SO THAT AN INDIVIDUAL RESTAURANT OWNER DOESN'T HAVE TO PIPE IN THEIR OWN MUSIC.
I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S FOOLISH, FOOLISH TO SAY AND FOOLISH TO, TO VOTE PEOPLE'S TAX MONEY TO USE SO THAT THERE'S INDIVIDUAL SAVINGS.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S A PURPOSE AND IT'S, IT'S A GOOD OBJECT OF, OF IT'S NOT A GOOD PURPOSE FOR THE USE OF TAX DOLLARS.
I THINK WE NEED TO ROLL THIS BACK AND SAY, THIS MONEY IS HERE BECAUSE BECAUSE IT WAS COLLECTED FROM TAXPAYERS, BOTH RESIDENTS AND COMMERCIAL, WE SHOULD DO PROJECTS THAT BENEFIT ALL OF THEM, NOT JUST ONE SUBGROUP THAT HAS THE LOUDEST FORCE.
UM, AND, AND WE'RE GONNA AGREE TO DISAGREE.
I WANT TO MAKE ONE, UM, THE STATEMENT IN THAT, IF YOU'LL COME TO THE PEPSI STORE FOR THE LAST, SINCE 2007, I PLAY A VIDEO EVERY DAY AND MY EMPLOYEES HAVE TO LISTEN TO THE SAME THING EVERY DAY ABOUT THE HISTORY OF PEPSI.
AND THEY LISTEN TO IT AD NAUSEUM AND IT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IT JUST BECOMES PART OF THE JOB.
BUT IF WE DIDN'T PLAY IT, IF WE DIDN'T PLAY IT, OUR, OUR VISITORS LOVE IT AND THEY'RE SO EXCITED.
SOMETIMES THEY STAND THERE AND SAY, OH, I MISSED HALF OF THE KID, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA WAIT HERE TILL IT, YOU KNOW, COILS THROUGH AND THEY CAN LISTEN TO IT AGAIN BECAUSE IT'S PART OF THE HISTORY OF WHAT WE DO THERE AT THE PEPSI STORE.
AND I THINK THE SAME THING ABOUT NEW, YOU KNOW, I DISAGREE YOU, LIKE YOU SAID, YOU CAN GO TO WASHINGTON, IT POINTS DOWN, WELL WHY CAN'T WE LOOK AT A SYSTEM OR WHY CAN'T WE TALK TO THEM ABOUT THESE CONCERNS AND THESE ISSUES? IF IT'S THIS COMPANY, IF IT'S THE COMPANY THAT WASHINGTON USED, IF IT'S THE COMPANY THAT, UH, BOROUGH USED TO KILL IT SPECIFICALLY, I, I DON'T THINK IS A GOOD IDEA.
WE HAVE THE RESIDENTIAL PART OF DOWNTOWN WOULD NOT BE AS STRONG AS IT IS NOW HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THE STRENGTH OF THE BUSINESSES.
I WAS HERE WHEN THERE WERE VERY FEW RESIDENTS, MIKE, LISA GRAVES, SHE WAS HERE WHEN THERE REALLY WEREN'T VERY MANY BUSINESSES AT ALL PRIOR TO, TO ME, I'VE BEEN HERE NOW ALMOST 25 YEARS LIVING ON MIDDLE STREET.
AND UM, I COULD TELL YOU NOBODY WANTED TO BE DOWNTOWN BACK IN THE EIGHTIES AND NINETIES BECAUSE THERE WAS NO BUSINESSES HERE.
BUT AS THE BUSINESSES AND THE RESTAURANTS AND THE, THE VIBE BECAME BETTER, MORE PEOPLE WANTED TO LIVE YOU BECAUSE IT'S THAT STATE OF, HEY, THIS IS GREAT.
BUT IT DOES COME WITH SOME DRAWBACKS.
I MEAN, I EXPERIENCED THEM JUST AS YOU EXPERIENCED THEM.
I GET LOUD PEOPLE FROM THE CHELSEA, I GET THE FLYING FOX PEOPLE, I GET, YOU KNOW, WE GET ALL OF THOSE.
BUT I I, I'M VERY HAPPY WHEN I WALK OUT THE DOOR AND I CAN GO TO ANY RESTAURANT I WANT.
SO I FORGET ABOUT THOSE OTHER THINGS.
MY EXPERIENCE IN LITTLE WASHINGTON, THEY DON'T REALLY HAVE SO MUCH OF THE MIXED USE WHERE THEY HAVE RESIDENCES ABOVE, BUT, OH, THERE'S TONS OF YEAH.
DO THEY COMPLEXES, CONDOS, EVERYTHING.
I SPENT A LOT OF TIME THERE, THERE I GO UP THERE ONCE EVERY OTHER WEEKEND.
I GOT A LITTLE, A LITTLE PLACE IN THAT LITTLE, UH, THE TRAILER.
TWIN RIVER DITCHES, THE DOUBLE DITCHES UP THERE.
SO WE GO UP THERE ALMOST EVERY WEEKEND.
CAN I TELL YOU, THEY DID THAT MAIN STREET UPGRADE? THEY DID REALLY DID A GREAT JOB.
AND THEY HAVE A GREAT MIX OF RETAIL UP THERE TOO, THAT WE HAVE LOST IN THIS TOWN, WHICH IS A SHAME BECAUSE WE HAVE, THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE A LOT OF RETAIL THAT THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO MAINTAIN IN THAT TOWN.
UM, WE'VE LOST A LOT OF RETAIL, WHICH IS UNFORTUNATE.
ALSO, THE SIDEWALKS ARE TWICE AS WIDE.
YES, SIDEWALKS ARE VERY, VERY, YEAH, THEY GOT LITTLE STEAMING THINGS EVERYWHERE.
THEY GOT ALL AND THEY GOT FLOWERS.
THERE'S ALL KINDS OF THINGS ON NOT JUST TV SIGNS AND POLES WITH TABLES, BUT YOU HAVE TO SKIRT AROUND.
THERE'S ROOM FOR EVERYTHING THERE AND A WHEELCHAIR.
BUT I HAVE TO, I WOULD, I WOULD, I WOULD ADMIT I'M, I CAN'T, I CAN'T GET, UH, SAY THAT THIS IS TRUE, BUT A LOT OF THOSE PEOPLE PROBABLY LOST BUSINESSES.
'CAUSE THEY DID TEAR THAT STREET UP FOR A LONG TIME AND YOU COULDN'T GET ANYWHERE FOR A LONG TIME.
SO I'M SURE SOME OF THE SMALL BUSINESSES, UH, DID NOT SURVIVE.
BUT IT, IT'S VERY PLEASANT TO GO UP THERE.
I HAVEN'T BEEN UP THERE STRONG.
[00:40:01]
DON'T GO UP THERE UNLESS YOU'RE COMING DOWN HERE.BUT IF YOU DON'T, WELL, SPEAKING OF CONSTRUCTION, I KNOW WITH THE IMPENDING CONSTRUCTION WE HAVE AT THE INTERSECTION, THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
HOW NICE WOULD IT BE TO TELL TOURISTS AND OTHER PEOPLE, HEY, THE SHOPS ARE STILL OPEN ON P*****K EVEN THOUGH THE INTERSECTION'S CLOSED.
IF THEY'RE NOT GONNA READ THE GIANT BANNER, THEY'RE NOT GONNA, WELL HERE'S THE THING.
GIANT ORANGE SHINE BEFORE THAT, IF THEY CLOSE AND THAT'S ALL THEY SEE.
SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WE COULD ARGUE BOTH SIDES.
YOU KNOW, WE COULD ARGUE THAT ALL THE TIME.
BUT ALSO THERE'S PSYCHOLOGY IN, IN BOOSTING RETAIL SALES BY HAVING CERTAIN MUSIC PITCHED IN TO EXTEND FOOT TRAFFIC AND KEEP PEOPLE IN ONE PLACE.
AND THIS COULD AID IN THAT, TALKING ABOUT HELPING RETAIL, THIS COULD BE A LITTLE AMENITY TO HELP PEOPLE WANT TO STAY BECAUSE THE VIBE IS JUST RIGHT ON, YOU KNOW, ON A PSYCHOLOGY LEVEL, YOU PLAY LOW AND SLOW MUSIC IN A NICE HIGH END RESTAURANT, YOU PLAY FAST.
UM, MUSIC IN A FASTER RESTAURANT, IT WORKS.
BUT WE TALK A LOT ABOUT THE VIBE OR WHAT I'VE HEARD IS THE VIBE IN THE VIBE IN DOWNTOWN NEW BERN.
AND, AND TO SABRINA'S CREDIT, WHAT SHE'S KIND OF IDENTIFIED IS THE, THE VIBE IN DOWNTOWN NEW BERN NOW IS BECAUSE OF THE COMBINATION OF HISTORICAL RESIDENT AND BUSINESS.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, I, I'LL JUST SHARE, I I HAVE HEARD SOME CONCERNS OVER THIS SYSTEM.
I'M NOT CONVINCED, I DON'T REALLY LIKE THE IDEA OF THE SOUND SYSTEM PERSONALLY, I'VE HEARD FROM SOME RESIDENTS IN THE DOWNTOWN, UM, COMMUNITY HAS HEARD SOME BUSINESS CENTERS THAT DON'T NECESSARILY LIKE IT.
I THINK WHEN YOU HAVE THAT MUSIC GOING, YOU'RE TAKING AWAY FROM THE ACTUAL VIBE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, YOU'VE SPENT 30 YEARS KIND OF CURATING AND CREATING.
YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU GET CLOSER AND CLOSER TO A MALL, UM, IN THAT, AND THAT I HAVE CONCERNS WITH.
I THINK FROM THE SAFETY ASPECTS, THOSE ARE SOME GOOD ARGUMENTS, BUT I THINK WE HAVE A, A PRETTY ROBUST EMERGENCY KIND OF RESPONSE MESSAGING SYSTEM THAT CAN ACCOMPLISH THE SAME THING.
UM, AND WHAT I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT, WHEN WE DID THE INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPER COUNCIL FOCUS GROUP, YOU KNOW WHAT, WHEN THEY TALK ABOUT THE THINGS TO HELP DRIVE PEOPLE TO DOWNTOWN, IT, IT WAS LEVERAGING NEW ATTRACTIONS IN YOUR, HIS, IN YOUR CURRENT HISTORICAL ATTRACTIONS AND ALSO ACCESS TO THE WATER.
AND WE DO A, A VERY BAD JOB RIGHT NOW OF ACCESSING TO THE WATER, GETTING PEOPLE TO ENJOY UNION POINT PARK AND GOING THROUGH THERE AND THEN COMING IN DOWNTOWN.
AND SO I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE EFFORT THERE.
I DON'T THINK THAT, THAT THE SOUND SYSTEM'S GONNA GET YOU THERE.
AND I, I BRING THAT FOCUS GROUP STUDY UP BECAUSE NOWHERE IN THERE DID THEY TALK ABOUT THAT KIND OF STUFF.
UM, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT INCREASE IN RETAIL, I THOUGHT WAS SUPER INTERESTING IN JUNE, IF YOU LOOK FROM LAST JUNE TO THE JUNE BEFORE LAST, THE PLACE WHERE AI DATA SHOWS THAT WE HAD MORE PEOPLE IN DOWNTOWN NEWBURG THAN THE JUNE, THE YEAR PRIOR, AND YET RETAIL SALES WERE DOWN.
SO YOU HAVE OTHER ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS TO CONSIDER.
UM, BUT THEY WERE HERE AND THEY WEREN'T SPENDING MONEY.
UM, AND I, YOU KNOW, THE CROSSWALK MIGHT HAVE HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT, BUT WAS NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT THE REASON.
UM, AND, AND IT GOES BACK TO A COMBINATION OF THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS I THINK WE CAN DO, SOME INFRASTRUCTURE, THINGS WE CAN DO TO ATTRACT FEE ON THE STREET, LARGER SIDEWALKS, UM, EXTENDING THE RIVER WALK, DOING THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
UM, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S NOT OUR JOBS GETTING TAXPAYER MONEY TO GET PEOPLE INTO THE STORES.
THERE'S SOME INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY ON BUSINESSES THAT BRING THEM.
AND SO I THINK THAT, I THINK THERE ARE SOME INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS WE CAN DO THAT ARE GONNA HELP THOSE RETAIL SALES.
I JUST DON'T THINK THIS IS GONNA BE ONE OF THEM.
BUT THAT'S MY, I'M SORRY, SABRINA.
UM, IT'S BEEN A FEW WEEKS AGO, MY WIFE AND I HAD BUSINESS IN MY MONROE AND SHE WANTED TO GO INTO DOWNTOWN, DO SOME SHOPPING.
AND I'M GONNA TELL YOU, I, AND I JUST FOUND OUT BECAUSE I WAS TELLING FOSTER THIS SAME COMPANY, DID MONROE, IT WAS BEAUTIFUL.
SHE WOULD GO IN THE STORES AND I'D SIT OUTSIDE, WHICH IS OKAY WITH ME ANYWAY, WHETHER IT WAS USUALLY THERE OR NOT.
BUT, UM, I WAS SITTING OUTSIDE AND LISTENING TO IT AND, AND I DID NOT EXPERIENCE, I DON'T RECALL, BUT I DID NOT EXPERIENCE IT BEING LOUD IN ONE SECTION AND SOFT IN THE OTHER AND LOUD SOMEWHERE ELSE.
IT WAS KIND OF EQUAL THROUGHOUT.
UM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT TO HEAR IT, MY MONROE IS THE PLACE TO GO BECAUSE IT IS ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL LISTENING TO IT.
WHEN YOU HAVE SOUND, PEOPLE WHO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING, YOU CAN USE PARAMETRIC SPEAKERS IN A GRID SORT OF PATTERN TO COVER SPACES.
I URGE YOU COME, THEY DID TALK ABOUT THE FACT THEY COULD DIRECT IT.
AND I NEVER HEARD, HEARD THEM SAY IT'D BE LOUD HERE.
[00:45:01]
I DID ANSWER THESE CONCERNS ARE VALID CONCERNS, BUT THEY, THEY HAVE ADDRESSED, I MEAN, THESE SOUND SYSTEMS ARE STATE OF THE ART NOW.THEY'VE COME SO FAR COMPARED TO WHAT WE HEARD YEARS AGO.
AND IF YOU GO UPSTAIRS TO THE NEW TACO PLACE, NOT A SHAMELESS PLUG HERE, BUT
AND THE NOISE, THE, THE, THE MUSIC COMMENT IS VERY EVEN KEEL.
EVERYWHERE YOU GO IN THAT SPACE, IT'S NOT LOUD RIGHT BY THE TABLE THAT HAS A SPEAKER BY IT.
YOU COULD START SMALL AND SEE IF IT WORKS OR, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE STANDARD, THE STANDARD FOR SOUND, THE STANDARD FOR SOUND SYSTEMS, WHATEVER, OF COURSE IS DISNEY.
YOU KNOW, YOU GO TO DISNEY AND NOBODY DOES IT BETTER THAN DISNEY.
AND WE ORIGINALLY STARTED WITH THE PEOPLE WHO VOLUNTEERED ME ONTO THE DESIGN ENGINEERS WHO DESIGNED ALL OF THE SPEAKER SYSTEM IN DISNEY.
AND THEY, THEY THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS.
THEY THINK ABOUT IS IT TOO LOUD? IS IT GONNA, YOU KNOW, YOU THINK ABOUT THE SITES AND THE SOUNDS, THE MILLION PEOPLE THAT GO THROUGH DISNEY.
BUT EVERYWHERE YOU GO YOU HEAR THAT, YOU HEAR THE MAGIC AND IT DOES ADD ONTO IT.
SO AGAIN, THESE THINGS ARE VERY WELL THOUGHT OUT.
IT'S NOT MISHMASH, WE'RE JUST THROWING UP TO MAKE SOME NOISE OR TO MAKE SOME SOUND.
SO I, I STILL FEEL VERY CONFIDENT THAT WHAT THEY DO, WHETHER IT'S THIS COMPANY OR ANOTHER COMPANY FOR SOUND SYSTEMS IN A MUNICIPAL OR IN A PUBLIC, I'LL SAY PUBLIC SPACE, IT'S VERY WELL THOUGHT OUT AND VERY, VERY WELL DONE AND WELL ENGINEERED TO CREATE AN AMBIANCE IS WHAT IT DOES.
I'M CURIOUS WHAT, WHAT OTHER TOWNS HAS THIS GROUP DONE BESIDES THE ROAD IS ANYWHERE CLOSER TO GO VISIT? I DON'T, I THINK THIS IS THE FIRST TOWN THEY'VE DONE.
BUT I DO, I DO JUST WANT TO ADD SOMETHING THAT IF, IF THE COMMITTEE CHOOSES TO RECOMMEND A DOWNTOWN SOUND SYSTEM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UM, BASED ON OUR PROCUREMENT POLICY, WE HAVE TO BID OUT.
AND SO THERE'S NO GUARANTEE THAT THIS COMPANY WOULD BE SURE WOULD BE, THERE COULD BE ANOTHER ONE OUT THERE.
SO, BUT THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE.
THEY'RE THE ONES THAT CAME AND MADE A PRESENTATION, BUT NO GUARANTEE IF, IF THIS COMMITTEE WANTED TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD THAT THAT WOULD BE THE SYSTEM.
I, I HAVE A FEW THOUGHTS AND YOU KIND OF ANSWERED PART OF, AND ONE OF THEM IS THAT I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO DO MORE HOMEWORK IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE DECIDE TO PURSUE.
UM, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO IT, IT SOUNDS LIKE IN WASHINGTON VERSUS WHAT THIS PROPOSAL SEEMS TO BE.
IF THEY HAVE SPEAKERS THAT ARE POINTED TOWARD THE GROUND RATHER THAN DIRECTIONALLY TO FILL THE STREET.
UM, AND I THINK THAT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
I I WILL SAY I'M AGNOSTIC TOWARD OPPOSED.
UM, I LIKE TO MAKE UP MY OWN SOUNDTRACK TO MY LIFE INSTEAD OF SOMEBODY ELSE'S.
AND I FIND IF I'M LISTENING TO THE RADIO IN MY CAR, I'M CONSTANTLY CHANGING CHANNELS BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE THAT SONG.
UM, I DARE SAY THE TECHNOLOGY'S NOT THERE YET FOR A PUBLIC SOUND SYSTEM TO DO THAT
UM, AND, AND SO I THINK THE OTHER PART THAT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT IS BACK TO WHAT JIM WAS SAYING, WE NEED TO KNOW WHO'S GONNA BE MONITORING THIS, WHO'S GONNA DECIDE WHAT THE SOUNDTRACK IS.
I MEAN, IS IT GOING TO, UM, YOU KNOW, YOUNG KIDS ARE NOT GONNA CARE.
THEY'LL HAVE THEIR EARBUDS IN AND THEY'LL BE LISTENING TO THEIR OWN SOUNDTRACK.
I DO APPRECIATE THE SAFETY FACTOR.
I I DON'T KNOW IF THE CITY HAS THE ABILITY TO, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN GET LIKE THE, UH, ALARMS ON YOUR PHONE AND STUFF.
IF THERE WERE SOMETHING HAPPENING AT UM, MUM FEST, DOES THE CITY HAVE THE ABILITY TO BLAST THE, YOU HAVE TO BE SIGNED UP FOR IT.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW IT EXISTS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, YEARS AGO WHEN I WORKED FOR THE CITY, I WAS IN CHARGE OF THE CODE RED PROJECT, WHICH IS THE SAME THING THE CITY HAS NOW.
THIS IS A DIFFERENT NAME BRAND WHERE YOU SEND OUT ALERTS ON THE TELEPHONES.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT SENDING OUT ALERTS FOR A MISSING CHILD, ESPECIALLY DURING FEST.
AND NOW CHIEF MAY AGREE OR DISAGREE, BUT THAT'S NOT THE BEST THING THAT YOU COULD EVER DO FOR A MISSING CHILD BECAUSE NOW EVERYBODY IN MEMPHIS KNOWS LITTLE JOHNNY IS NOT WITH HIS PARENTS AND HE'S WEARING A RED SHIRT AND GREEN SHORTS.
SO THERE IS A SAFETY ISSUE THERE.
I'M NOT SURE IF YOU, HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF ANYTHING LIKE THAT OR WOULD THAT BE A CONCERN OF YOURS? THAT WOULD NOT BE A CONCERN OF MINE.
WELL THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S JUST ONE OF THE THINGS.
CODE RIGG DON'T NEED TO DO A DEEP DIVE ON WHAT THE OPTIONS ARE RIGHT NOW.
I KNOW THAT LIKE, I'LL GET AMBER ALERTS ON MY PHONE AND TO MY KNOWLEDGE I NEVER SIGNED UP FOR THAT.
OR YOU GET, THEY HAVE LIKE SILVER ALERTS NOW MM-HMM
THAT, THAT'S A CURIOUS THOUGHT OF ARE THERE OTHER WAYS TO TACKLE THAT? BUT I DO THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHO'S GONNA BE IN
[00:50:01]
CHARGE OF THE, THE SOUNDTRACK.BECAUSE YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE MIGHT WANT TO HEAR CLASSIC, SOME PEOPLE MIGHT WANT TO HEAR JAZZ, SOME PEOPLE MIGHT WANT TO HEAR POP.
SOME PEOPLE MIGHT WANT TO HEAR HEAVY METAL.
AND I'VE NEVER GOTTEN IN AN ELEVATOR AND THOUGHT, DAMN, THIS IS GREAT.
SO I'M NOT SAYING, AND THE LAST THING I'LL SAY IS I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, AND MAYBE THIS HAS BEEN DONE, UM, THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS ASSOCIATION HAVE, HAVE THEY DISCUSSED THIS AND IS IT DOWNTOWN BUSINESS ASSOCIATION IN FAVOR OF THIS? OR IS THIS SOMETHING THAT'S JUST COMING IN OVER THE TRANSOM TO THEM? UH, I DON'T THINK THEY HAVE.
WE HAVE A MEETING TOMORROW AT NINE WITH THE ADVISORY BOARD OF THAT GROUP.
WE CAN BRING IT UP THERE TO TAKE THEIR PULSE.
OKAY, LET'S JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT THEN LET'S MOVE IT AND SEND IT TO DOWNTOWN BUSINESS COUNSEL AND GET THEIR FLARE ON IT AND WE CAN GO FROM THERE.
FOSTER, DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER PROJECT PROPOSALS? YES, I HAVE A FEW OTHER ONES.
UH, I'M GONNA ASK GEORGE TO COME BACK UP AND TALK ABOUT THE RIVER WALL FENCE REPLACEMENT.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE, UM, A SECTION OF FENCING AROUND THE RIVER WALL AND THAT IS ACTUALLY ON THE COUNTY PROPERTY, WHICH WOULD BE RIGHT BESIDE OUR FISHING BEARD, WHICH IS THE LAST PIECE OF THE ORIGINALLY INSTALLED STEEP RAIL, WHICH WAS THE OLD ALUMINUM TWO FRAME.
AND WE'RE, WE'VE GOTTEN SOME, UH, PRICING CURRENTLY AND ON, ON REPLACING THE DAMAGE PIECES ON THAT OR THE OPTION OF UPGRADING IT TO BE CONSISTENT WITH WHAT IS NOW BEHIND ALL OF THE HOTEL SKY SALE AROUND THE CONVENTION CENTER AROUND UNION POINTS THAT DO THE ALUMINUM THAT, UM, HAS BEEN RECENTLY INSTALLED LAST SEVERAL YEARS IN THOSE SECTIONS.
SO IT, IT IS APPROXIMATELY $80,000 TO DO THAT SECTION FROM THE FISHING PIER AROUND TO THE CORNER AT THE OLDER COUNCIL CLUB SECTION.
WHAT IS THAT? IS THAT CONSIDERED OUR PROPERTY OR IS IT THE COUNTY PROPERTY? THAT, THAT IS IN OUR EASEMENT.
IT'S NOT THE COUNTY'S RESPONSIBILITY.
AS SOON AS HE SAID
I THINK YOU SAID IT WOULD MATCH THE AVAILING THIS YEAH.
I'M SURPRISED THIS HASN'T BEEN DONE YEARS AGO.
'CAUSE THAT METAL, OTHER ALUMINUM THING, AND IT IS THE LAST SECTION.
SO WE ORIGINALLY DID UNION POINT PARK, UM, AFTER HURRICANE FLORENCE, WE, WE RECEIVED A LITTLE MONEY, DID A SECTION BEHIND THE CONVENTION CENTER, AND THEN WHEN, UM, SABRINA WAS AN ALDERMAN, SHE ALLOCATED SOME A RP FUNDS TO, TO FINISH GOING FROM RIGHT PAST THE CONVENTION CENTER ALL THE WAY TO THE RAILROAD TRACK.
SO THIS IS THE, THE LAST PART OF, OF THAT PROJECT AND IT IS GREATLY NEEDED.
I, EVERYBODY I SEE NODDING THEIR HEAD.
ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING? IF NOT, WE NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE EXPENDITURE OF WHAT, UP TO 80,000? THAT'S CORRECT.
UM, FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE FENCE.
HEY JOHN HARRISON? DO I HAVE A SECOND? I SECOND.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION QUESTIONS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.
WE SEE AN IMAGE, UH, IN THERE AS WELL.
UM, WE DID RECEIVE, UH, A REQUEST FROM A CITIZEN ABOUT ADDITIONAL SIDEWALKS AT UNION POINT PARK.
SO ON THE IMAGE YOU'LL SEE, UH, THE REQUEST WAS FOR SIDEWALKS FROM EAST FRONT STREET.
SO BASICALLY CLOSE TO WHERE THE, THE DUCK STATION IS.
UM, PREVENT FOLKS FROM BASICALLY WALKING ON, ON THE ROAD ITSELF AND ALSO ONE TYING IN FROM UNDERNEATH THE BRIDGE, UM, COMING BACK UP TO THE ENTRANCE OF THE PARK.
SO YOU'LL SEE THAT IN YELLOW ESTIMATED COST, UH, TO COMPLETE THOSE TWO SIDEWALKS ARE $35,000.
I MAKE A COMMENT ABSOLUTELY BETTER THAN ANYONE ON THAT.
SO I I I LOVE MR. UNION POINT PARK.
I REMEMBER WHEN IT WAS A DUMP, UM, AND NOBODY WANTED TO GO THERE.
UM, AND I, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE DOING, BUT YOU KNOW, WE PAY THE TAX.
I WANT TO USE THE TAX MONEY IN THE CENTRAL CORE, WHATEVER THERE, I UNDERSTAND PARKS AND REC HAS A FUND AND THIS IS ONE OF YOUR MAJOR PARKS,
JUST, YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW YOU GOT, AND PLUS YOU GOT A BOND.
YOU, I KNOW YOU GOT A BOND, YOU'RE ALL FREE TO MAKE ANY COMMENT YOU WANT.
LOOK, IF I WAS THE ALDERMAN, I WOULD'VE SAID THE SAME THING.
BUT YOU KNOW, THE, UM, YOU GOT A BOND WITH SOME
[00:55:01]
GOOD, GOOD, UH, RECREATION DOLLARS IN THERE TOO.WELL THE, THE M OF MSD IS MUNICIPAL.
IT'S, IT'S MUNICIPAL TAX DOLLARS.
BECAUSE YOU TALK ABOUT DRIVING IF YOU WANNA ABOUT HOW DO WE HAVING, DO WE GET, I MEAN THIS GOES BACK TO CONNECTING.
I'M NOT SAYING AGAINST IT, I'M JUST SAYING THE FUNDING OF IT, CONNECTING THE WATER.
WE HAVE ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT GO TO UNION POINT PARK AND YET THEY WILL GO AND THEN THEY'LL LEAVE.
HOW DO YOU GET 'EM INTO THE, THE INNER CORE AREA? HOW DO YOU GET 'EM INTO THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT? IT'S TO MAKE LIKE DISNEY DOES MAKE IT AN EASY PATH FOR US TO GET THERE.
YOU PUT THESE SIDEWALKS IN HERE, OKAY, NOW I'M AT UNION POINT PARK, I'M GONNA WALK, I MEAN IT, THAT DRIVES, HOW ARE YOU GONNA DO DRIVES THOSE? I JUST THINK THAT THAT IS SO I'M JUST DEBATING, I'M JUST DEBATING THE FUNDING OF IT.
I'M NOT DEBATING THE NEED FOR IT.
I'M DEBATING THE FUNDING OF IT.
I THINK THAT THESE ARE A NICE, UM, SUGGESTIONS FOR THIS SIDEWALK.
UM, I WOULD ALSO WONDER IF THERE'S A FOR IT, BUT I, I'M FINE WITH SPIN AN MSS D FOR THAT.
IF IT GETS DONE, THEN I THINK THAT'S THE MORE IMPORTANT PART.
IT WOULD BE NICE IF MSS D CAN MATCH TONS OF PARKS AND REC.
CAN YOU NOT FIND 17 IN YOUR THIS YEAR, BUT HOW MUCH MONEY IS IN THAT BOND? WELL, SO, UM, CAN I ASK A QUESTION? ABSOLUTELY.
SO FOSTER, WHAT, WHAT DO YOU WANNA MAKE THE SIDEWALKS OF? AGGREGATE OR BRICK OR WHAT DO YOU IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE, UH, CONCRETE.
IT WOULD NOT BE EXPOSED TO AGGREGATE.
EXPOSED TO AGGREGATE WOULD PROBABLY ADD ABOUT 30% AT LEAST.
UM, ALDERMAN ASHER DID JUST WHISPER IN MY EAR AND SAID THAT, UM, IF THE MSD ADVISORY COMMITTEE, UH, MADE A RECOMMENDATION TO, TO PAY FOR HALF OF THIS, HE WOULD, UH, REQUEST ALLOCATING HALF SOME OF HIS A RP ENABLED FUNDS FOR THE, FOR THE SUCH A DEAL.
SUCH A DO YOU, WAIT, DO YOU HAVE ANY FUNDS? TREY, HAVE YOU SPENT ALL, ALL THE MONEY THAT I LEFT SINCE IT'S IN THE FIRST WARD,
I SAY THINGS GET FED, HOGS GET SLOWER.
SO DO I HAVE A MOTION?
APPROPRIATE, APPROPRIATE ON A MATCHING BASIS WITH, UH, WITH ALDERMAN AS A RP MONEY TO FUND THIS PROJECT UP TO $35,000.
DOES THAT SOUND LIKE A, A MOTION UP TO 17? I MEAN, UP, UP, UP TO 17 FIVE.
BUT A TOTAL OF 35 COMBINED, RIGHT? COMBINED.
IS THAT CLEAR WHAT THE MOTION IS? ARE WE CLEAR ON THE MOTION? OKAY.
I SUPPORT ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? SHOULD WE ALLOW BOBBY TO TWIST THE ARMS OF OTHER ALTERNATE
HEY, YOU'RE STILL GETTING THEM.
I JUST LOOKED AT WE SAVE 17,000 WE CAN PUT TOWARDS MUSIC.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? OKAY.
DO WANT DO ONE REVISIT ON THE, UM, UH, FLOWER BASKETS? UH, IF YOU WERE INTERESTED IN SEEING MORE, WE ESTIMATE THERE WOULD BE ABOUT 10 MORE THAT WE WOULD PUT THAT WOULD BE ABOUT $7,000.
SO IF THERE'S AN INTEREST TO PROCEED WITH DOING MORE OF THAT.
HE JUST SAID THAT 10, HE'S TRYING TO GET CLOSE TO 17.
UH, I'M NOT, I'M WONDERING IF THE TIMING IS RIGHT FOR THAT, BECAUSE IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WE NEED TO LOWER THEM AND MAYBE LOOK AT DIFFERENT SIZES AND STUFF, SHOULD WE WAIT UNTIL WE FIGURE OUT WHAT WE NEED BEFORE WE YES.
THE SIGNAGE IN PLACE, IT'S, IT'S JUST A WIDER, IT'S JUST A WIDER THING.
AND WE WOULDN'T, I DON'T THINK WE WOULD ORDER THESE UNTIL, UM, WINTER TIME TO BE GO OUT IN SPRING.
BUT WE HAVE ANOTHER MEETING, I THINK OCTOBER.
YEAH, LET'S WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING AND WE'LL APPROPRIATE YOU SOME MONEY THEN.
YOU, YOU'RE DRAINING US TODAY.
I DON'T KNOW IF I, I'M SPEAKING FOR MYSELF, BUT ANYBODY ELSE, I'D LIKE TO GO OUT AND I HAVEN'T REALLY FOCUSED ON THE BASKETS THAT ARE THERE, AND I'D LIKE TO HAVE THE CHANCE TO DO THAT.
[01:00:01]
AND THE BASKETS ARE LOWERED, I THINK WE SHOULD TAKE A SECOND LOOK.I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU, ANYONE ELSE HAS ANY POTENTIAL PROJECTS.
I, THIS IS MAYBE MORE FOR GEORGE.
I THINK THAT THE 100 BLOCK OF CRAVEN STREET IS ABYSMAL, UM, PAVING AND THE DRAINAGE AND IT JUST, UM, CAN THE CITY LOOK AT THAT? I THINK IT REALLY NEEDS TO BE REPAVED CIRCLE.
WELL, WELL, YOU TALKING, I WAS MENTIONING CRAVEN MIDDLE STREET, THE CROSSWALK IN THE MIDDLE IS MORE LIKE THE SPEED BUMP, BUT HANG ON.
WOULD THE CITY KIND OF JUST ASSESS THOSE BLOCKS? SURE.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE THAT WE USE MSD FUNDS TO PAY FOR A CONTRACT POLICE OFFICER TO, TO PATROL SPECIFICALLY IN THE MSD DISTRICT, UM, FOR A, A PERIOD OF TIME DURING THE WEEK.
I PROPOSE A THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY, AND USING EXISTING OFFICERS THAT WE HAVE AND CONTRACTING THEM TO, TO BE, UM, VISIBLE TO BE PRESENT IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA OR THE HOURS THAT MAKE SENSE.
AND, AND I, I THINK WE'D HAVE TO ASK THE POLICE OFFICERS THEMSELVES WHEN THAT IS, BUT I WOULD PROPOSE FROM THE NOON HOUR UNTIL THE CLOSE OF BARS, UM, AND THEN THE WALK HOME PERIOD.
UM, SO THAT, SO THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE, UM, AT LEAST AWARE THAT THERE'S AN OFFICER PRESENCE DOWNTOWN ALL THE TIME.
I THINK, UM, LIVING DOWNTOWN, I DO HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF WATCHING THINGS OCCUR, AND SOME OF THOSE ON THE INCREASE ARE PAN HANDLERS THAT WORK.
PUBLIC SPACES, UM, ARE REAL DETERRENT TO THE FOLKS THAT COME DOWNTOWN AND CHOOSE TO EAT AT OUR RESTAURANTS OR DRINK IN OUR BARS.
UM, THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE THAT ARE SPENDING TIME DOWNTOWN MAKING DOWNTOWN THEIR, THEIR HOME.
AND, AND ALTHOUGH, UM, I'M SENSITIVE TO THAT, I THINK THERE ARE BETTER OPTIONS.
UM, THERE'S, THERE'S A PRESENCE OF DRUG USE AND DRUG TRAFFICKING THAT ARE DOWNTOWN.
UM, I THINK A POLICE OFFICER THAT WORKS AND WALKS AND, AND USES THAT, THAT TERRITORY BECOMES FAMILIAR WITH WHO IS DOING IT WHEN THEY'RE DOING IT AND HOW TO DETER IT.
UM, A POLICE OFFICER IS, IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO MAKE OUR DOWNTOWN HOSPITABLE TO NOT ONLY OUR TOYS AND OUR RESIDENTS, BUT ALSO OUR BUSINESS OWNERS THAT, THAT NEED THAT FOOT TRAFFIC TO STAY AND BRING UP THINGS LIKE THE SOUND SYSTEM TO REVITALIZE.
BUT, BUT I THINK LOOKING AT SOME OF THE CORE ISSUES THAT ARE HERE IN A SMALL TOWN, ONE OF THOSE CORE ISSUES IS SAFETY AND THE PRESENCE OF AN OFFICER, UM, HELPS CREATE THAT SAFETY.
UM, UH, THIS, THIS IDEA, UM, I THINK WE'LL HAVE A COST.
UM, CAN YOU MAYBE ADDRESS FOR US WHAT THE COST OF A CONTRACT, UH, OFFICER WOULD BE AND WHETHER THAT'S AN AVAILABLE OPTION? SURE, SURE.
FIRST THING I WILL SAY IS YES, IT'S AN AVAILABLE OPTION BASED ON, UM, THE WILLINGNESS OF THE OFFICERS TO, UM, PARTICIPATE.
SO WE HAVE, UH, EXTRA DUTY OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STAFF, AND THAT IS $45 AN HOUR, UM, FOR AN OFFICER TO, UM, WORK SPECIFICALLY FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
WE ALSO USE THAT FOR THE CITY WHEN WE DO THE CONCERTS AT UNION POINT PARK, BECAUSE IT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO HAVE OFFICERS ON STATION ON TIME FOR THE, THE WHOLE DURATION OF THE EVENT.
UM, IF WE TRIED TO USE ON DUTY STAFF, WE REALIZED THAT THEY COULD BE PULLED OUT FOR EMERGENCY CALLS.
SO TO HAVE THAT DEDICATED, UH, PATROL OFFICER, UM, ON STATION DURING SPECIFIC TIMES WOULD OBVIOUSLY BE A, A VISIBLE DETERRENT.
A POLICE OFFICER IS NOT ONLY A DETERRENT TO CRIMINALITY.
UM, AND ALSO QUALITY OF LIFE CONCERNS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, QUITE HONESTLY, WE HAVE THE THINGS THAT CREATE FEAR, UH, OF CRIME.
AND, AND THAT IS ACTUAL CRIME.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PART ONE, FBI, REPORTABLE CRIMES, ROBBERIES, UH, UH, UH, UH, RAPES, MURDERS.
THESE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT, UH, ARE REPORTABLE CRIMINAL ACTS.
UM, AND KNOCK ON WOOD, WE DON'T HAVE THOSE DOWNTOWN.
BUT THEN WE DO HAVE QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES THAT ARE EVERY BIT AS CONCERNING TO OUR PUBLIC.
AND, AND OVER THE PAST SEVERAL
[01:05:01]
MONTHS, I CAN TELL YOU SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN THE SMALL P IN MY SHOE.WE HAVE FERAL CAT PROBLEMS, WE HAVE E-BIKE ISSUES, WE HAVE, UH, CONCERNS WITH ILLEGAL FISHING.
AND THAT'S NOT JUST DOWNTOWN, THAT'S ALL OVER THE CITY.
UM, AND ONE MIGHT SAY, IS THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR A POLICE OFFICER TO DEAL WITH? WELL, WHEN YOU COMPARE IT AGAINST THE CRIMINALITY AND THE DRUG DEALING AND THE GANG VIOLENCE THAT WE SEE IN SOME PARTS OF OUR CITY, SOME MIGHT SAY NO, WE'RE GONNA PRIORITIZE ONE OVER THE OTHER.
BUT IT DOESN'T CHANGE THE FACT THAT WE STILL HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO TRY TO MITIGATE THAT BEST POSSIBLE.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT AMONGST EVERY PLACE IN THIS CITY, IF I WERE TO PUT MY, UH, FINGER ON ONE SPOT THAT LEGITIMATELY WOULD SEE PROBABLY MORE POLICE IN A GIVEN 24 HOURS, THAT PROBABLY WOULD BE RIGHT AT HENDERSON PARK AND THEN FOLLOWED BY THAT WOULD BE RIGHT DOWNTOWN NEWBURG.
UM, AND WHY? BECAUSE JUST THE NATURAL FLOW OF, OF POLICE OFFICERS.
WHEN WE TRACK AND, AND, AND WE ARE AN INTELLIGENCE LED AGENCY, WE TRACK A LOT OF DATA AND WE TRY TO DEPLOY OUR STAFF BEST POSSIBLE.
AND I KNOW I'M, I'M A LITTLE TMI FOR YOU, RIGHT? THERE IS, WE TRY TO DETERMINE HOW BEST TO DEPLOY THOSE RESOURCES AND WHAT ARE THEY DOING EVEN WHEN THEY'RE NOT ON A, UH, CALL FOR SERVICE.
AND WHAT WE TRACKED IN 2025 AND WHAT WE TRACKED TO YEAR TO DATE IS WE HAVE TRACKED 150 HOURS OF ACTUAL WALKING BE ASSIGNMENTS.
THESE ARE OFFICERS GET OUT OF THEIR CARS AND THEY JUST WALK AROUND WHETHER THEY'RE SEEN OR NOT.
UM, AND THEN IN 2026, WE'VE HAD 80 HOURS OF THAT.
THAT'S, THAT DOESN'T COST ANY TAXPAYER SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE THEY DO PAY THE OFFICER'S SALARY.
WE HAVE PATROL OFFICERS THAT PATROL DOWNTOWN.
THEY GET OUT OF THEIR CARS AND THEY'RE RATTLING DOORS TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE LOCKED.
I KNOW THIS 'CAUSE FRANKLIN TELLS ME, I SAW YOUR OFFICER TRYING TO OPEN MY BACK DOOR LAST NIGHT.
UM, IS THAT SEEN? NO, BUT THAT DRIVES WHAT WE DO.
SO TO ANSWER YOUR POINT, YES, WE CAN DO IT.
UM, AND I'LL I I'LL GIVE YOU A LITTLE SECRET ABOUT PATROL OFFICERS.
AND THEY'RE NO DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER CITIZEN.
THEY WILL TAKE AN ASSIGNMENT THAT FEELS EASIER, NOT HARDER.
AND IF AN OFFICER HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME DOWN AND WALK AROUND DOWNTOWN NEW BERN ON A, ON A SATURDAY AFTERNOON, THEY'LL JUMP ON THAT ALL DAY LONG.
IF YOU ASK THEM TO WALK A BEAT IN ANOTHER AREA OF THE CITY, OR IF YOU'RE ASKING THEM TO DO, UM, SECURITY AT MJS, THEY'RE GONNA GO, I DON'T WANT THE PARTY.
SO I'M SAYING, SO I I, I, I'M JUST, I'M JUST SHARING WITH YOU THAT, UM, THAT THAT IS, THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE.
I'M HAVE TO ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
AND BY THE WAY, BARRY MANUEL, EVERYBODY LOOKS BETTER THAN MAN.
SO, SO THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.
SO COULD I ASK YOU, DID I SAY MJ? I DIDN'T MEAN THAT.
DID I SAY MJ? I I DIDN'T MEAN TO RESTAURANT.
I MEANT A DIFFERENT RESTAURANT.
YEAH, I JUST THOUGHT, I DIDN'T MEAN TO SAY, ARE YOU ABLE TO, TO UH, QUOTE A COST IF WE WERE TO, TO COVER THE DOWNTOWN AREA FROM A THURSDAY TO A SUNDAY, 52 WEEKS OUTTA THE YEAR, THAT'S 75,000.
I'M NOT OPPOSED TO THE CONCEPT.
I, I WOULD QUESTION WHETHER ALL THOSE HOURS ARE NECESSARY, LIKE FROM NOON TO SIX ON A THURSDAY.
I MEAN, I WOULD SAY THREE, UH, FROM UH, THREE TO THREE 12 HOURS.
AT LEAST WAIT UNTIL BARS CLOSED.
'CAUSE A LOT OF ACTIVITY HAPPENS, AS YOU ALL WELL KNOW ON WHEN THE OTHER PROBATION, PROBATION, THE FUND DIDN'T START UNTIL THEY CLOSED.
'CAUSE THAT'S ONE, THERE WAS THAT APARTMENT ACROSS THE STREET ANYWAY, YOU COULD SEE THE ACTIVITY WOULD COME AFTER CLOSING ALLEN STREET.
SO IT COULD BE CLOSE TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND A YEAR, BASICALLY.
SO, AND IF YOU COULD, UM, HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHAT WE BRING IN YEARLY ON TAXES IS THIS 219 AROUND THAT, MR. SO IT WOULD BE HALF OF WHAT WE BRING IN TAX WISE.
[01:10:03]
SO THAT'S A SUSTAINABLE, SUSTAINABLE EFFORTS.WE COULD THEN IN PERPETUITY FOR AS LONG AS WE FELT THE NEED TO RECOMMEND TO OUR ALDERMAN TO FUND IT.
WE COULD SAY THAT NOT ONLY THE TAX DOLLARS, UM, WE DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TO COLLECT AN MSD TAX, UM, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE NECESSARILY A PROJECT.
WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A KITTY, BUT WE DON'T HAVE A PROJECT TO FUND.
THIS WOULD BE OUR FIRST REAL PROJECT.
WE JUST TALKED ABOUT ALL PROJECTS.
WE HAVE A KITTY, WE HAVE A KITTY TE NO, BUT ARE WE NOT, ARE WE NOT FUNDING THE INTER CORE AND THE OTHER PRO? IS THAT NOT A PROJECT? SURE.
THOSE ARE ASSIGNED ON MONIES ALREADY.
WE'RE STILL DRAINING OUR KITTY.
THE INTER CORE HASN'T BEEN ASSIGNED ON THE, UH, HAS IT? YEAH, WE, WE, WE HAVE, WE'VE GOT TWO AND A HALF.
WE'VE GOT HALF A MILLION DOLLARS LEFT.
BASICALLY, I'M ALMOST PROPOSING THIS AS THE FIRST PROJECT THAT THIS COMMITTEE ADDRESSES GOING FORWARD, THAT WE COULD LOOK FOR RAISED TAX DOLLARS TO PAY.
SO WE COULD TALK TO THOSE IN THE M MSS D DISTRICT.
I WAS PAYING THE TAX TO SAY, THIS IS WHAT YOUR TAX DOLLARS ARE NOW AS YOU COLLECT THEM EACH YEAR, THIS IS WHAT IT'S GOING FOR.
DEDICATED PATROLLING TO THE AREA THAT, THAT, UH, WE LIVE IN AND WE WORK IN AND WE OWN PROPERTY IN.
SO THAT, SO THAT WE CAN SAY AS THEY USED TO BE ABLE TO SAY, WHEN SWISS BEAR WAS RAISING FUNDS, UH, FOR REDOING SIDEWALKS AND BURYING CABLES, THAT IT WAS A PROJECT THAT THE PEOPLE WERE BEHIND.
THEY SAID, YES, WE WILL PAY THIS TAX BECAUSE IT'S WHAT IT'S FOR.
THIS IS THE FIRST REAL PROJECT WHERE WE SAY, LET NEXT YEAR IN 27, 28, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO COLLECT MONEY, BUT WE'RE GONNA USE IT FOR A VISIBLE PROJECT THAT HELPS EVERYBODY AS THE MSD IS SUPPOSED TO DO.
BUT IT'S CONTINGENT ON AN OFFICER BEING WILLING TO DO IT.
IT'S NOT LIKE YOU'RE JUST HIRING SOMEBODY FOR THE JOB.
WE HAVE A SYSTEM, WE HAVE AN INTERNAL SYSTEM CALLED OFF DO BLUE, AND THEY, THEY POST ON, AND OFFICERS WILL TAKE THEIR DAYS BASED ON THEIR DAYS.
SO THERE'D BE POTENTIALITY THAT NOT ALL THE HOURS WOULD BE ACCEPTED BY CHIEF WOULD JUST BECAUSE OF BUSYNESS.
AND I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, I WOULD NOT, IF YOU'RE ASKING ME FOR RECOMMENDATION, I WOULDN'T IN THE 12 HOUR SHIFT ON, ON A THURSDAY, I WOULD, I WOULD RECOMMEND DURING THE WEEK END THAT YOU WOULD WANT SOMEBODY DOWNTOWN AND THEN IN THE EVENINGS, I WOULD SAY BETWEEN 8:00 PM AND MAYBE 2:00 AM WHICH SOUND MORE LIKE A MORE REASONABLE, UH, RETURN ON INVESTMENT BASED ON THE, ON THOSE STATS.
AND THEN WE CAN ALSO, UH, PROVIDE SOME, SOME REASONABLE, UM, JUSTIFICATION BASED ON CALLS FOR SERVICE, UH, UM, COMPLAINTS, IF YOU WILL.
UM, ON, ON WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
WHAT IT FEELS BETTER TO JUSTIFY THE, WELL, AND I THINK, I THINK YOU RAISE A GOOD POINT, CHIEF, WHICH IS TO, TO KIND OF SEE SOMETHING, TO FEEL OUT IF YOU WILL, BECAUSE AGAIN, UM, MENTIONED THAT SUNDAY NIGHTS ARE NOT ROCKING NIGHTS DOWNTOWN.
SO MAYBE YOU DON'T NEED 'EM ON SUNDAY, MAYBE LIKE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY EIGHT TO TWO AND SEE WHAT IMPACT THAT HAS AND IT'S NOT ENOUGH.
THEN YOU CAN EXPAND THE HOURS.
BUT IF MAYBE THAT NINE TO THREE IS WHAT I WAS, BECAUSE MIKE IS RIGHT, I MEAN A LOT OF THAT STUFF HAPPENS AFTER THE BAR'S CLOSED BECAUSE YEAH, I PUSHED NOW.
AND SO YOU WANT NINE AND WILL BE THE SAME AMOUNT OF HOURS.
IF YOU DID SIX HOURS FOR THREE DAYS, THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY, I DON'T KNOW.
BUT THURSDAY DOESN'T, THURSDAY, THURSDAY IS NINE BUSY TOO.
I MEAN, FRIDAY SOMETIMES, SOMETIMES IT POPS UP JUST BY WAY, BY WAY OF EXAMPLE, WHEN YOU, IF YOU LIMIT IT TO THAT IN THREE DAYS FOR 52 WEEKS, THAT'S ABOUT $40,000.
THAT'S THE AMOUNT OF, SO EVEN THAT'S, YOU CUT IT DOWN TWICE, TWO TIMES.
THAT'S MORE PALATABLE THAN HALF YOUR BUDGET.
BECAUSE I THINK THAT IT TAKES AWAY SOME FLEXIBILITY.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO FINANCE EVERY PROJECT AFTER THAT.
IF WE TAKE AWAY HALF OF OUR, YOU KNOW, INCOME.
ANYBODY WHO KNOWS ME WELL KNOW I'VE GOT REALLY WEIRD SLEEP PATTERNS AND I HAVE, I DRIVE THROUGH DOWNTOWN AT TWO, THREE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING VERY OFTEN JUST DO WORK.
BUT, AND I'M COMPLIMENT CHIEF 'CAUSE I'VE SEEN HIS GUYS DOWNTOWN, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY ON SOUTH FRONT STREET, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GOING BY, THEY'RE GOING BY SOME OTHER PLACES THAT'S IN THERE LIKE THURSDAY, YOU KNOW, FRIDAY MORNING WHERE PEOPLE YOU DRIVE BY THE BARS AND YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE STILL OUT AND YOU SEE A POLICE CAR AND EVERYTHING WAITING ON 'EM.
UM, ALSO PART OF, I UNDERSTAND WHERE JIM'S COMING FROM A HUNDRED PERCENT ON THIS.
TO ME, SOME OF THIS FUNDS WE BRING IN, IN THE MUNICIPAL SERVICE DISTRICT IS ABOVE AND BEYOND THE TRADITIONAL USE OF CITY FUNDS.
AND THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF IT MORE THAN ANYTHING.
AND I KNOW THAT THE STATUTE SAYS WE CAN USE IT FOR POLICE, YOU KNOW, ABOVE AND BEYOND.
[01:15:01]
AS BEING THE BASIC TAX VALUE.THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE PAY TAXES FOR, FOR YOU TO FIELD YOUR OFFICERS.
AND MY OTHER QUESTION ON THAT TOO IS LIKE, HOW STAFFED UP ARE YOU WHEN OFFICERS IN THE FIRST PLACE? I MEAN, I WHAT'S YOUR VACANCY ON THE CURRENT SITUATION OF OPENINGS? SO, UM, WE ARE CURRENTLY DOWN SIX OFFICERS OF OUT OF NINE, TWO, OKAY.
BUT RIGHT NOW, THAT'S A LITTLE MISLEADING BECAUSE WE HAVE EIGHT IN FIELD TRAINING.
SO DESPITE THE FACT THAT ON ITS UM, ORG CHART, WE'RE DOWN SIX FTES THAT ARE UNFILLED, WE HAVE EIGHT THAT ARE NOT, THEY'RE IN TRAINING.
SO YOU MIGHT SEE TWO IN A CAR, BUT THAT'S ONLY A ONE OFFICER CAR UNTIL THAT TRAINEE IS CERTIFIED.
RIGHT? I MEAN, I THINK YOUR OFFICERS, IT MAY DOUBLE WHAT THEY DO, FRANKLY.
I, I MEAN, BUT WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS ALSO THE DEMAND, RIGHT? I MEAN, LIKE THE ABILITY TO FILL IT, EVEN IF WE SELL, WE WANT TO FILL THESE THESE HOURS, IS HOW AVAILABLE WILL IT IS.
BUT I THINK TO THE CHIEF'S POINT THAT THERE'S AN EXISTING OFF-DUTY ASSIGNMENT STRUCTURE.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS NOT ADDING ANOTHER POSITION AND TRYING TO, IT IS ABOVE AND BEYOND BASE WHAT YOUR TAX DOLLARS BASICALLY PAY FOR.
AND IT'S HAVING THE CONTRACT OFFICER TO WORK TWO, THREE DAYS A WEEK AND THEN IT, IT'S BY ASSIGNMENT OF THOSE THAT PICK IT UP.
I MEAN, YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE, YOU LIKELY WILL NOT BE FULLY STAFFED 52 WEEKS OUT OF THE YEAR FOR THIS EXTRA DUTY ASSIGNMENT.
BUT YOU WILL TO, YOU KNOW, TO SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO GET PAID A LITTLE MORE.
I THINK I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SAYING THOUGH, THAT, YOU KNOW, HE'S GOT OFFICERS THAT DO PATROL DOWNTOWN IN THOSE AFTER HOURS AS IT'S, SO ARE WE DUPLICATING EFFORTS AT SOME POINT? IT'S NOT ALL THE TIME THINKS IS, I PROPOSE THIS BECAUSE WE NEED TO DUPLICATE THE EFFORT.
I THINK WHAT I SEE, WHAT WE EXPERIENCE BEING DOWNTOWN AS MUCH AS WE ARE IS WE'RE SEEING AN UPTICK IN ALL OF THOSE THINGS I LISTED.
WE HAVE FOLKS THAT CIRCLED WITH THESE LOUD ENGINES AND LOUD MUSIC, WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF SOUND ORDINANCES, ALL OF WHICH THE OFFICER CAN, CAN ACT ON TO KEEP A DECORUM IN THE DOWNTOWN, OUTSIDE.
AND I, I SEE YOU ROLL YOUR EYES.
WELL, I'M NOT ROLLING MY EYES.
IT'S JUST, I SOMEWHAT DISAGREE, JUST, AND LET TELL YOU WHY, BECAUSE THE OFFICER'S PATROLLING ON CRAVEN STREET AND THEN HE'S GONNA MISS ON THE 300 BLOCK OF MIDDLE, THE GUY WITH THE BOOM BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM COMING.
HE'S NOT GONNA, HE'S NOT GONNA SEE IT IN HERE.
AND BY THE TIME IT GETS BY, YOU KNOW, IT'LL GO BY I, I'M JUST SAYING ONE PERSON CANNOT, CANNOT REALLY PATROL ALL OF THAT.
AND YOU KNOW, I, I SEE IT, I'M HERE AND I SEE IT MYSELF TOO, SAYING TWO.
UM, BUT WE START WITH ONE AND WE SAY THAT DOWNTOWN PRESENCE CHANGES THINGS, THEN IT'S A GOOD USE OF MSD FUNDS.
UH, THE MSD FUNDS THAT ARE COLLECTED ARE FOR THE PLURAL GOOD OF THOSE THAT PAY THAT.
AND I SEE THIS AS ONE OF THOSE OPTIONS WHERE THERE CAN BE A TANGIBLE BENEFIT, INCREASED SAFETY, INCREASED DECORUM IN THE DOWNTOWN WHERE, WHERE OFFICER PRESENCE MATTERS.
IF WE CAN COMMIT THOSE FUNDS, WE'LL SEE IF THE OFFICERS WANT TO SIGN UP FOR IT, GREAT.
IF NOT, MAYBE WE OFFER A DIFFERENT RATE AND WE, WE BECOME MORE SELECTIVE AND IN HOW WE GET THOSE OFFICERS DOWNTOWN.
BUT I FIND IT IS AN IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION.
AND I ASK THAT THIS COMMITTEE MAKE THAT A, A POSSIBLE PROJECT TO FUND TO THE ALDERMAN.
I'M NOT OPPOSED TO A PERHAPS TRIAL BASIS ON THIS, BUT I WOULD CAUTION THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE DISCUSSION ABOUT ONE OFFICER VERSUS TWO THAT CAN'T DIMINISH YOUR REGULAR PRESENCE DOWNTOWN, OTHERWISE, BASICALLY THE MSD IS PAYING FOR, UM, THE LAW ENFORCEMENT DOWNTOWN.
SO CHIEF, YOUR POLICE STILL HAVE TO HAVE THEIR REGULAR PATROLS DOWNTOWN.
IN ADDITION TO THIS, WE HAVE MINIMAL STAFFING FOR EVERY SHIFT, 24 7.
AND, UM, AND EVERY CPD, UM, PATROL ZONE IS TO BE MANNED.
AND WHEN IT'S NOT, THEN WE, UM, RE CANOR OUR STAFF.
AND BOBBY AND I DON'T HAVE A PATROL OFFICER 'CAUSE THAT'S THE LEAST IMPACTED COMMUNITY.
NOW, I'LL TELL YOU, IT'S RARE THAT WE DON'T HAVE A PATROL OFFICER IN ANY CPD.
UM, BUT WE WILL ALWAYS HAVE A PATROL OFFICER ASSIGNED TO NOOSE RIVER, WHICH IS THIS ONE RIGHT HERE.
IS THAT BEGINNING DOWN SEVEN OFFICERS AT, BECAUSE YOU'RE, WE'RE DOWN SIX OFFICERS.
BUT IF YOU WERE, IF YOU HAD THOSE SIX, WOULD IT BE MORE THAN A MINIMAL, MORE THAN A MINIMAL STAFFING FOR EACH? SO IDEALLY IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL IF I WAS FULLY STAFFED.
I, I'VE NEVER SEEN THAT SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, HERE, AND I'VE BEEN DOING THIS JOB FOR 40 YEARS AND I'VE NEVER BEEN IN AN AGENCY THAT HAS EVER BEEN FULLY STACKED.
[01:20:01]
UM, THERE'S ALWAYS VACANCIES.WE HAVE SBI AND HIGHWAY PATROL THAT ARE TRYING TO TAKE OUR OUR STAFF AWAY.
IT IS JUST THE NATURE OF THE BEAST.
BUT I WILL SAY WHAT WE WILL DO IS IF IT GETS CRITICAL MASS, THE MOST IMPORTANT ASSIGNMENT OF THE NEW NISSAN POLICE DEPARTMENT IS OUR ABILITY TO HANDLE CALLS FOR SERVICE.
DOES THAT MEAN WE PULL A DETECTIVE? YES.
DOES THAT MEAN WE PULL FROM OTHER RESOURCES? YES.
BUT PATROL IS THE MOST IMPORTANT, UH, FUNCTION THAT WE DO.
AND IT, SO I'LL ALSO SAY THIS, OUR SAFETY PROTOCOLS AND, AND, AND OUR BACKUP PLAN IS IF WE'RE DOWN TO MINIMUM AND SOMEBODY CALLS IN SICK, MY WIFE IS GOING INTO LABOR, WE DON'T EXPECT THAT PERSON TO COME.
WE HAVE A CALL OUT LIST, WE BEGIN TO CALL FOLKS IN.
IT DOESN'T HAPPEN OFTEN, BUT WE WILL DO THAT.
AND EVERY SHIFT HAS MEMBERS THAT ARE ON A CALL OUT LIST.
SO WE WILL ALWAYS UTILIZE THAT CALLOUT LIST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE AT MINIMUM STATUS.
AND IN THAT, IN THAT CASE, THE, THE OFFICER THAT ACCEPTED THE ROUTE DOWN HERE COULD POTENTIALLY BE CALLED OUT TO GO DO THAT, OR HE IS ALREADY ACCEPTED THIS.
HE IS THAT THEY, THEY'RE OFF DUTY.
NOW, I WILL TELL YOU THIS, YOU GET A MAJOR SITUATION AND AN OFFICER IS CALLING FOR BACKUP AND ASSISTANCE.
I CAN PROMISE YOU THAT PERSON'S GONNA GO YEAH, SURE.
THEY'RE DEDICATED AND OR CADED IN OUR SYSTEM TO BE DEDICATED SPECIFICALLY HERE.
JUST LIKE IF YOU WERE, UH, HIRED AN OFFICER TO DIRECT TRAFFIC OUT FRONT OF THE CHURCH, THAT'S THEIR JOB AND THEY STAY THERE AND PERFORM THEIR JOBS AND THEN THEY WANT TO GO HOME.
I CAN TELL YOU THEY DON'T WANT TO GET INVOLVED IN OTHER CALLS OF SERVICE TO QUESTION FOR YOU.
I MEAN, I'M WITH MICKEY, I THINK A TRIAL BASIS, YOU KNOW, THEY COULD SEE WHERE THERE ARE PIT FALLS AND SEE, AND THAT WAY TOO, WE CAN SEE HOW IT GOES WITH DATA THAT WE GET FROM THAT OFFICER IF WE NEED TO EXPAND HOURS, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, HAVE, UM, UM, ON THE FOREFRONT OF OUR MINDS DOWN THE ROAD TO AUDIT THIS.
LIKE IF WE, IF WE MAKE IT MORE OF A FULL TIME THING TO AUDIT IT DURING THE SEASON.
SO MAYBE WE'RE SAVING SOME MONEY IN THE SLOWER SEASONS AND THAT KIND OF STUFF SO THAT IT JUST DOESN'T GET SPENT JUST TO GET SPENT.
CHIEF QUESTION, IS THIS OFF-DUTY PERSON ASSIGNED A VEHICLE OR ARE THEY STRICTLY ON FOOT? NO, THEY'RE ASSIGNED A VEHICLE SO THAT, THAT'S PART OF THE OFF-DUTY COST OF THE MONEY.
THERE'S NO ADDITIONAL COST TO HAVE THEM IN A VEHICLE.
'CAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOUR VEHICLES ARE ASSIGNED EVERYWHERE ELSE, YOU KNOW, AND YOU KNOW, IS THIS PERSON GONNA BE ON FOOT? ARE THEY GONNA BE IN A CAR? YOU KNOW, HOW DOES THAT WELL, AND AND THAT WOULD BE DICTATED BY WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE OFFICER WOULD BE.
I WOULD, IF I WOULD YOU, I WOULD WANT THE OFFICER TO SPEND A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME WALKING, ENGAGING, BEING SEEN, AND THEN YOU'RE GONNA WANT THEM AT SOME POINT TO BE IN THEIR VEHICLE SO THAT THEY CAN BE MORE QUICKLY, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THE PATROL AREA IS RELATIVELY SMALL AND YOU CAN BE MORE, I GUESS, SEEN DOES THIS OFFICER, UM, HAVE ALL THE AUTHORITY OF A OFFICER THAT'S ON DUTY, THE FULL, FULL RANGE OF AUTHORITY THAT THEY WOULD HAVE ON OUR, THE SECRET IS A POLICE OFFICER THAT EVEN IF THEY'RE OFF DUTY, THEY STILL HAVE THE SAME ARREST AUTHORITY, THEN THEY WOULD, UM, AS LONG AS THEY'RE IN THE JURISDICTION IN WHICH THEY HAVE POWER TO ARREST, JUST ADDRESS A COUPLE OF THINGS BECAUSE THESE ARE THINGS GOING DOWNTOWN AND, AND I'VE KNOWN FROM THE PAST, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY, UM, YOU SMELL MARIJUANA, SMELL IT HERE AND THERE ALL THE TIME IN O MARKS.
YOU CAN COME IN EVERY NOW AND THEN WE HAVE SOMEBODY THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T ARREST SOMEBODY 'CAUSE YOU SMELL IT.
YOU HAVE TO ACTUALLY FIND IT ON 'EM, SEE HIM DOING IT, WHATEVER.
IS THAT CORRECT? SHE'S ASKING FOR A FRIEND.
I HAVE A CHILD OF THE SIXTIES, BUT UM, AND THEN THE HOMELESS PEOPLE THAT ARE LURKING ABOUT WHATEVER, HE'S LYING ON A BENCH.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE HANGING OUT ON THE SIDEWALK.
THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT THAT.
IS THAT CORRECT? THERE'S NO LEGAL, NO MATTER IF WE HAVE A PATROL OFFICER OR WHAT.
THERE'S, UNLESS BRING AUTHORITY TO EXERCISE GOVERNMENTAL POWERS, THAT'LL, THAT'LL, THAT'LL GIVE ME IN FEDERAL COURT.
I'M JUST, I WANNA CLARIFY THE UNLESS THEY'RE CAMPING OVERNIGHT.
AND, AND, AND I'M SORRY, I DON'T MEAN NO, NO, NO, NO, NO.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THERE'S, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE THESE ISSUES DOWNTOWN.
A LOT OF IT WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT.
THE SAME THING WITH PANHANDLING.
THERE'S, THERE, THERE ARE VERY SPECIFIC RULES ABOUT PANHANDLING AND BUSING AND UH, UH, ELECTRIFIED MUSIC AND ALL OF THESE TYPES OF THINGS.
[01:25:01]
ALL REMEMBER, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'D HAVE SOME OF THE BUSS AND EVERYBODY LOVED IT TO, TO LISTEN TO 'EM, AND THEN WE'D HAVE OTHERS AND, AND YOU KNOW, THE, THE ONES THAT WANT TO SPREAD THE GOOD WORD AND THE, THE, THE, THE STREET PREACHERS, SO TO SPEAK.AND SO WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THEM.
AND UM, AND, AND EVEN PANHANDLING IS AWFUL, BUT LAWFUL UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE CODE, YOU CAN'T PANHANDLE IN FRONT OF AN ATM.
YOU CAN'T PANHANDLE IN FRONT OF A BUS STOP AND YOU CAN'T AGGRESSIVELY PANHANDLE OUTSIDE OF THAT, OR YOU CAN'T BLOCK SOMEBODY'S DOOR.
BUT IF YOU'RE STANDING TO A SIDE AND YOU GOT YOUR CUP, THERE'S REALLY NOT, THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO.
AND YOU CAN STOP PEOPLE AND SAY, WOULD YOU BUY ME A CUP OF COFFEE? WOULD YOU GIVE ME $5? YOU CAN STOP SOMEBODY AS LONG AS YOU'RE NOT AGGRESSIVE.
WHAT OUR OFFICERS WILL DO IS THEY WILL ENGAGE THE PERSON, HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE PERSON, ASK THEM IF THEY ARE IN NEED OF SERVICES, WHAT CAN WE DO FOR YOU? AND SOMETIMES THAT, THAT INTERACTION CREATES A SITUATION WHERE THE PERSON JUST WANTS TO WALK AWAY.
THEY DON'T WANT TO TALK TO THE, THE NICE POLICE OFFICER IN THE UNIFORM.
THEN SOMETIMES THEY'RE LIKE, LEAVE ME ALONE.
AND ARE YOU DEALING WITH THE LADY WITH THE DOG DOWNTOWN? WE HAD A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH HER IN SOMEONE BUILDING AND IN THE PEPSI STORE WOMAN.
YEAH, THE BLONDE LADY WITH THE WALKING THE DOG.
SHE HAS, UH, SHE HAS SOME ISSUES GOING ON.
WELL, SO YOU ARE, BECAUSE WE, I MEAN WE'VE TRESPASSED HER FROM OMAR'S, UM, GETTING READY TO TRESPASS HER FROM THE PEPSI STORE.
SHE'S BEEN STEALING OUT OF THE PEPSI STORE, SO, AND, AND, AND OTHER STORES.
AND SO YEAH, SHE CAME RIGHT IN AND WENT INTO THE THING AND GRABBED TOLD HER, AND I DON'T LET ANY OF MY EMPLOYEES ADDRESS ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
AND SHE JUST WALKED OUT AND THEY TOLD THE MANAGER THAT SHE TOOK THE BOTTLE AND DIDN'T PAY FOR IT.
AND SO THE MANAGER, SHE WAS SITTING OUTSIDE SAID, DO YOU PAY FOR IT? SHE SAYS, OH NO, MY DOG, IT'S FOR MY DOG AND I'M NOT PAYING FOR IT.
SO AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WE JUST LET HER BE AND SHE KEEPS COMING IN.
AND SO WE SAID, YOU ARE NOT WELCOME.
SHE KEEPS SAYING THE DOG, SHE DID THE SAME THING.
UM, SHE WENT BEHIND BAKER'S KITCHEN, YOU NEED TO BE CAREFUL.
SHE WAS OPENING UP OUR COOLERS AND WALKING IN WITH THE DOG, WHICH IS IN THE COOLERS.
AND WE TOLD HER SHE COULDN'T GO BACK THERE.
WE HAD TO TRESPASS HER FROM BACK THERE.
AND SHE KEEPS TELLING US THAT THE DOG WANT IS MAKING HER DO IT.
SO IT SOUNDS, IT SOUNDS LIKE FROM GENERAL CONSENSUS, THERE IS AN APPETITE TO TRY THE CONTRACT OFFICER TRIAL BASIS.
AND SO I THINK THERE'S SOME LOGISTICS THAT MIGHT NEED TO BE WORKED OUT THERE.
BUT FROM MY, IF YOU DID A NINE TO THREE FOR 18 WEEKS, TWO DAYS A WEEK, THAT FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, THAT'S GONNA BE ABOUT $10,000.
AND SO THAT MIGHT BE A GOOD TRIAL.
AND I GUESS THEN THE NEXT QUESTION BECOMES WHAT THE CHIEF NEEDS FOR, YOU KNOW, POINT OF CONTACT.
WHO IS THE PERSON PUTTING IN THE ASSIGNMENT AS A REOCCURRING ASSIGNMENT EVERY FRIDAY, SATURDAY UNTIL THE MONEY RUNS OUT? THAT WOULD NEED TO COME IN A, IN TERMS OF A RECOMMENDATION, BECAUSE THE CHIEF IS NOT GONNA BE REACHING OUT TO ANY OF YOU ON A REGULAR BASIS.
OH, WOULD THAT COME THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE ALDERMANS, SINCE YOU HEAR THIS AND THROUGH, SINCE YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO VOTE ON SPENDING THE MONEY.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE OKAY WITH, I MEAN, IF I LEAVE RIGHT NOW, IT'S GONNA BE FRIDAY, SATURDAY 9:00 PM TO 3:00 AM I I I'M FOR THE NEXT 18 WEEKS UP TO $10,000 UNTIL THE MONEY RUNS OUT.
DOES 18 WEEKS GET US TO THE END OF, I'LL SECOND THAT.
DOES 18 WEEKS GET US TO THE END OF THE YEAR? I JUST DID.
I TRIED TO DO IT SO WE COULD GET THAT FOR OUR NEXT MEETING.
THIS WOULD NOT START UNTIL LITERALLY MID-SEPTEMBER, UM, UNTIL, IF THIS IS A RECOMMENDATION, THE BOARD VOTE.
SO IT WOULDN'T START UNTIL MID-SEPTEMBER.
SO THE GOAL WOULD BE TO GET IT AT LEAST THROUGH CHRISTMAS.
THAT WAY CHIEF CAN COME BACK AT THE JANUARY MEETING AND PROVIDE AN UPDATE.
YEAH, AS CHIEF POINTED OUT, THIS IS A SMALL AREA.
I THINK ONE PERSON CAN HAVE A TREMENDOUS IMPACT IN THAT AMOUNT OF TIME IN THAT AREA.
AND I ALSO THINK PEOPLE ARE NOT LOOKING FOR, UM, CONFRONTATION AND CONFLICT.
SO I THINK IN THAT 18 WEEKS YOU COULD SEE A HUGE CHANGE BECAUSE THE PEOPLE CAUSING THE PROBLEM WILL LIKELY CHANGE THEIR BEHAVIOR.
SO WHEN YOU SAY SHOULD BE IN POLITICS,
THAT WAY IT GIVE YOU A REAL GOOD IDEA.
[01:30:01]
OCCURRED DOWNTOWN DURING THAT TIME AS WELL, WHETHER THEY HAD FELT BACKUP OR WHATNOT.AND ALSO MAYBE, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN HELP, THEY CAN ALSO HELP GAUGE.
WE ARE NOTICING THERE'S NOT THAT MANY PEOPLE IN THESE OUT THIS HOUR TO THIS HOUR.
YOU KNOW, LIKE, MAYBE WE SHOULD CHANGE THIS UP OR, YOU KNOW.
SO I THINK BEING ABLE TO JUST KIND OF LIVE IT OUT FOR SEVERAL WEEKS AND THEN SAY, YOU KNOW, MAKE A RECOMMENDATION BASED ON THAT.
I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO DO THIS TRIAL RUN FROM MID-SEPTEMBER THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR.
ALL, ANY OF, ANY MORE DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? YOU SAY A DOLLAR AMOUNT UP TO 10,000? UP TO 10,000? YES.
ANYTHING ELSE? FOSTER ANYBODY ELSE? ANYBODY ELSE? NO.
UM, ANY TO THE PUBLIC? DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS? WELCOME MS. CHRIS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A, PLEASE TELL US WHO YOU ARE, YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS.
CHRIS LEY ON BEAR PLAZA, 2 38 B BEAR PLAZA, UH, MIDDLE STREET.
UH, I WANNA THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR GETTING SOME DIVISIONS IN OUR BENCHES.
WE HAVE SIX MORE TO GO ON MIDDLE STREET ON, UH, BEAR PLAZA RATHER, BUT IT, I'VE HAD PICTURES, I'VE TAKEN PICTURES AND IT'S BEEN A, IT'S BEEN AN ISSUE FOR SOME TIME, FOR SOME TIME.
I'VE HAD MY, MY PLACE THERE FOR ALMOST 18 YEARS.
SO, UM, BUT I'VE LIVED IN THE AREA FOR ALMOST FOUR DECADES.
SO I, I'M VERY AWARE OF THE OLD NEWBURN AND THE NEW NEWBURG.
BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE ABOUT THE SAFETY ISSUE.
THIS IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL AND THIS IS TOP, TOP PRIORITIES FOR EVERYONE, THE RESIDENTS AND THE BUSINESSES.
AND AS I JUST SAID TO THE CHIEF, JUST THE PRESENCE OF THEM, THE VISIBILITY IS IMPORTANT AND IT'S UNMEASURABLE THE ADVANTAGES OF THAT UNMEASURABLE, THE COMFORT THAT WILL BRING TO PEOPLE THE BUSINESSES OR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE WALKING AROUND JUST TO HAVE A PRESENCE THERE IS IMPORTANT.
SO, UM, AND THE DOWNTOWN SAFETY IS A PRIORITY, IS A TOP PRIORITY.
WAY MORE, UM, I WILL DIVULGE THAT.
THE FAMILY BUSINESS WAS A COMMERCIAL SOUND SYSTEM, COMMERCIAL SOUND.
I, THAT WAS MY FAMILY BUSINESS, SO I UNDERSTAND.
UM, BUT THE, UH, AND THE CENTRAL CORE AS FAR AS THE, UH, IT SHOULD BE A PRIORITY AS WELL.
'CAUSE WE'VE BEEN, THOSE OF US THAT LIVE ON BEAR PLAZA, WE SEE PEOPLE WALKING THROUGH AND THEY'RE NOT QUITE SURE WHERE TO GO
SO I THINK WE'VE SEEN THAT, UM, DISCUSSED FOR SOME YEARS NOW.
AND I THINK IT'S, IT'S GOOD THAT IT'S COMING TO FRUITION.
UM, I WILL SAY ABOUT THE SOUND SYSTEM, I HAVE MENTIONED THIS TO MY NEIGHBOR THIS MORNING, AND FIRST OF ALL, NO ONE OUTSIDE OF THIS GROUP AT A VERY SMALL GROUP, EVEN THOUGH THAT THIS IS BEING DISCUSSED.
AND HE SAID TO ME, HE SAYS, WELL, HE SAYS, UH, I WAS IN LITTLE WASHINGTON THE OTHER DAY.
HE SAYS, I THOUGHT I GOT OUT OF MY CAR AND WAS STANDING IN HARRIS TEETER
HE GOES, WHAT, WHAT? SO I, SO, UM, BUT UH, THERE A, I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR, FOR THIS GROUP TO UNDERSTAND, TO KNOW WHAT IS THE NUMBER OF RESIDENTIAL PE RESIDENTIAL, UH, PLACES IN, IN, IN THIS DISTRICT AND COMMERCIAL, BOTH 70 TOTAL NUMBER.
I THINK IT'S 73RD, IS THAT WHAT IT IS? TRY IT.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT'S, HOW NEW BERN HAS DEVELOPED WITH THE BUSINESSES AND SO MANY RESIDENTS LIVING HERE AS MYSELF, UH, ABOVE A BUSINESS.
THAT THIS IS THE, UH, ENVY OF OTHER CITIES TO HAVE THAT, TO HAVE THAT, THAT RELATIONSHIP.
AND UH, SO I THINK THAT WE SHOULD TREASURE THAT.
WE SHOULD REALLY TREASURE THAT AND WANNA MAKE THE RESIDENTS FEEL COMFORTABLE AND SAFE AS WELL AS THE BUSINESSES.
SO WE WANT EVERYONE TO, TO, TO PROSPER AND BE SAFE.
ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE ANY COMMENTS TODAY.
UH, GRETCHEN DEPE IS A TWO 17 P*****K STREET.
UM, I WOULD JUST ALSO REITERATE, UM, THE, MY OPINION ON THE SOUND SYSTEM, I DON'T THINK IT'S NECESSARY, UH, AS A MAJOR PRIORITY.
I THINK THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT THIS COMMITTEE SHOULD BE CONSIDERING.
FIRST, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE GREATER IMPROVEMENTS TO THE SIDEWALKS AND DEFINITELY MORE INTERACTION OR, UH, INTEGRATION TO THE WATER.
HOW DO WE BRING, UH, THE WATERFRONT MORE, UM, UM, INTO THE DOWNTOWN SO THAT PEOPLE ARE BOTH
[01:35:01]
ENJOYING DOWNTOWN AS WELL AS THE WATER SO THAT WE KEEP PEOPLE DOWNTOWN.SO THAT WOULD BE WHERE I THINK, UM, AMNESTY SHOULD BE FOCUSING MORE OF THEIR ATTENTION.
I LIKE THE, UH, UM, THE BASKETS, THE FLORAL BASKETS.
UM, I HAVE ENJOYED WALKING BY THEM EVERY MORNING WHEN I WALK.
I DID WONDER WHY THEY WERE SO HIGH, I WILL SAY.
UM, SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING MORE OF THOSE.
LOVE THE NEW SIDEWALKS, THE CROSSWALKS.
THAT CROSSWALKS, I'M SORRY, CROSSWALKS.
UM, I THINK THEY'RE FANTASTIC AND, UM, HAVE MADE SUCH A DIFFERENCE, I THINK IN TERMS OF BEAUTIFYING THE DOWNTOWN.
ANYBODY ELSE FOR THE GOOD OF THE WATER? NO, I JUST QUICK, BECAUSE I'M ITCHING TO GET OUT OF HERE.
UM, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK ABOUT THE WATERFRONT AND ACCESSIBILITY AND WE HAVE GOTTEN FINAL APPROVAL AND WE'LL BE MOVING FORWARD IN THE OFF SEASON WITH THE IMPROVEMENTS ON THE REAR DECK OF THE DOUBLE TREE.
AND I HAVE ALWAYS HATED THE WAY THAT IS WITH THE PILINGS AND THE ELEVATED, AND I CALL IT KIND OF A TROLL VILLAGE UNDERNEATH THERE THAT'S GOING TO, WE'RE GONNA ELIMINATE THAT ELEVATION.
IT'S GONNA BE BROUGHT BACK TO THE ORIGINAL GRADE.
UM, THOSE PILINGS WILL BE COVERED AND HIDDEN AND THERE WILL BE A STAIRWAY ACCESS UP FROM THE PUBLIC WALKWAY TO THAT DECK WHERE THERE'S MUSIC AND WE WILL BE RELOCATING THE BAR SO IT DOESN'T BLOCK THE VIEW FROM THE LOBBY.
AND THEY WILL HAVE SEATING AROUND IT, WHICH IS NOT THERE NOW.
UM, THE SWIMMING POOL WILL GO AWAY.
IT WILL HAVE A, IT'LL BE A LARGE, UM, UH, PRIMARILY PAVERS SIMILAR TO THE PAVERS THAT ARE IN THE FRONT OF THE DOUBLE TREE NOW.
UM, AND I THINK IT'S GONNA BE A MASSIVE IMPROVEMENT BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE WALKING BY, INSTEAD OF HAVING THIS WOODEN BEAST AND THIS DARK AREA UNDERNEATH THE DECK WILL ACTUALLY BE LIKE, YOU KNOW, BELOW EYE LEVELS, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON AND, AND, AND ACCESS IT.
SO, UM, I THINK THAT'LL BE A BIG IMPROVEMENT.
AND THE CITY'S BEEN VERY HELPFUL.
YOU KNOW, IT'S A LONG PROCESS TO GETTING THAT PERMITTED.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING AT IT FOR, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY TWO YEARS.
AND A LOT OF THAT COMES IS NOT THE CITY.
UM, THE CITY AGAIN HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL, BUT YOU'VE GOT CAMERA AND YOU'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, BEING ON THE WATER IS A NIGHTMARE.
AND I WOULD SAY ABOUT NEW BERN AND THE NOOSE RIVER BASIN, THAT IF I WERE ON THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN, I WOULD BE WORKING REALLY HARD WITH MY STATE REPRESENTATIVES TO GET THEM TO MODIFY THAT 75 FOOT BUFFER ON THE RIVER BECAUSE THE NEWS RIVER IS ABOUT THE ONLY PLACE I KNOW THAT'S SUBJECT TO IT.
AND I THINK THAT THE PEOPLE WHO DRAFTED THAT LEGISLATION TOOK A ONE SIZE FITS ALL, UM, SOLUTION TO IT.
AND THERE ARE GREATER MINDS THAT ENGINEERS AND STUFF WHO CAN KEEP THE NITROGEN OUT OF THE RIVER WITHOUT HAVING TO SIT YOU BACK 75 FEET.
IT'S NOT ONLY THE MINISTER, IT'S THE TRIBUTARIES AS WELL.
BUT YOU GO DOWN TO, UH, MOREHEAD CITY AND THEY'RE BUILDING BRAND NEW BUILDINGS OVER THE WATER.
YOU GO TO BOSTON, NEW YORK, BALTIMORE, ANNAPOLIS, I MEAN, ON AND ON AND ON.
UM, SO THAT ANSWER DOESN'T LIVE IN NEW BERN.
IT LIVES IN RALEIGH, BUT I'D BE FIGHTING FOR IT, WORKING ON IT.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING THAT BEING SAID? UM, CAN I GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVE SECOND.