Planning Board - Regular Meeting

Good evening. We're going to call the meeting to order today on September 8th, 2025 at 6:02 p.m. We now stand and rise for the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice. And if we now just have a moment of silence, the approval of the minutes from August 2025. I do have a copy if anyone needs to um have see a copy, but if everybody has their corrections or um that we need to make at this time and anybody see anything that they would like to have.

I motion um to approve as presented. I get a second. A second.

All in favor? I. All oppose. Motion uh has carried to approve the minutes as presented. Um Cameron, thank you so much for stepping in tonight um and helping us as the liaison of the evening. We appreciate your presence here today. I'm sure you can just pick up from where you left off. You have such a great mind. But tonight is just going to be a very simple meeting as um I think you know. But if you'd like to go through the items of discussion, um you at this time and let us know what your updates are. I have some updates from the city as well and we can just go through those things. Um we were planning on looking at decorations for the fall. Um we had mentioned that we would bring the decorations from downstairs to upstairs so we could take inventory of what we had and what we needed. But um I know the with the changing of the guards that may have been um overlooked and we understand that but and we would trust your judgment on anything that you do find uh after today. But tonight, we're going to go forward and our objective is to be able to pick out decorations uh for downtown and determine uh a vendor uh and give a cost back to you or submit it directly into um Renee so we can get uh decorations for downtown started early. Um, last year we unfortunately were washed out and most of the decoration was demolished due to the big rain pores and so we will need to start a little bit from scratch. I do have some updates once you get um further into that. Um, but if you'd like to open up with what your what your thoughts are and what your notes are

need to advise us or do you just want me to continue with what I have? I mean, I have no notes. I mean, this is something that you all are trying to put together, so I really don't have anything.

Okay. All right. So, since the time we last met, guys, um I have heard back from the city clerk, Renee Ward, and and what they are indicating is that um they can help us um to be able to get decorations. Uh we do have a person that has actually an account with a wholesale company and I'm not sure if we're going to be able to use that or not. So what I've done is that I've just taken the liberty to going online and simply just pulling up fall decorations and I submitted some um suggestions to Cameron um and he should have them available for us to look at. and Renee has written me and this is basically what she has said. Um, we were going to go in for the the meeting for the council tomorrow night. Um, but it was already been published, but however, we could have still went and signed in under the public comments section. But I know they have an agenda item that is a very lengthy item to be discussed. So there would have been a possibility we would have been there to the end of the meeting just to be heard. So we decided to converse through via email with the approval of the U mayor and the town manager. And so this is what she has said to me. After speaking with Megan and Aaron, the city can get you bales of hay and pumpkins which will save money. if you'd like to send us your purchase plans, we'll work on them so you can proceed with purchasing those items instead of waiting until October. This way, you can decorate earlier. Basically, we have the money uh has been earmarked for all fall decorations. And um it can be similar to what we had bought last year. And so my response to

that was that um we would probably want to look at just keeping it simple. They're saying bales of hay and pumpkins can be purchased and some moms and just get some fall u um silk foliage. Yeah. Something of that nature. And I think that would be enough. The scarecrows, they're cute, but they don't really last. There's no durability. I stuff like that might be good.

Okay. Well, someone wants to want to start pulling those up and then we can leave our vendor list and price with Cameron tonight and get the ball rolling. So, if we what we could do, we could just close this session and go into um findings and then do a deliberation back and then just call it a day. I just want to say and then you're going to give an update. Sandies is doing their fall festival September 27th. So they'll be want to try and shoot for that weekend.

Yeah, we want to have the downtown pretty much ready so when they have their festival everything is you know you know would be nice. Yeah. And yeah, I think that would be a good idea as well. So, um, uh, we could just, uh, close the meeting or what would we need to do? Just go into discussion. We just want to we just want to go into discussion and try to find some vendors, f find some scarecrows real quick. And did you have any other suggestions? Did you want to show us the pictures of what I picked out so far, please, Cameron? Yeah, I can certainly try and pull it up.

Okay. So there is a a that's a a 10 bundle 10 bundle um package and it's 520 and I think that's all shine and then some fake pumpkins some mom's things like that. Just put them on a hay barrel like here. This one this is kind of perfect. Yeah. Yeah. Just some go back to that. Go back up a little. Yeah. right there, you know, and um I think we'll be fine with that. So, I mean, if the city is saying that they're going to be able to supply pumpkins and hay,

only thing we need is just the little foliage, like the little fall foliage, um mums, mums, and just some potted mums just to sit in front of each. Who's going to keep those watered? Cuz they dry out very quickly. Yeah, I think if we start doing silk, we will be able to use them year after year. Um, well, I think the only thing I mean, if that's the case and you know, if the city is able to get the the hay and the pumpkins and you really only want to do the faux foliage and whatnot, then you really just need to say how much you need and whatever that price is. I'm thinking we have six,

but why can't just go run over to Hobby Lobby, like a Hobby Lobby or whatever, or Michael's, whatever the other place. I think you can, but what he's saying is just say, "Hey, we're going to spend if it's 50 bucks per bail, then it's $300 of the allocation and he takes that back." He's just he's not looking at itemized list. He's looking at what you're overall going to

Yeah. I mean, I need to triple check and make sure because I've heard definitely different things when it comes to the money, of course, that's been, I guess, allocated for some of this stuff. I've heard that it is earmarked. I've heard that it isn't. Um, so regardless, it seems like they're still willing to be able to give you funding, but it's just a matter of fact, if it is earmarked, then you can go out and buy it and not have to worry about it. You just give us a receipt. If it's not earmarked, then we need to be the ones that get invoices on behalf of what's being paid to get this stuff and then we would allow it to be able to be purchased because we would essentially either um write a check for it or pay for it with cash, etc. But that's just the one part that I'm not that's up to what dollar amount.

Whatever that I guess is a is it I mean what's the purchasing limit without having to have like a PO? Because what you're saying sounds like a PO. That's essentially what it is because I've heard that there's no budget associated with this stuff. So, but then she's saying that there's still the 1500, which I don't know. Yeah, because unless she's saying it's been continuously carried over and whatnot. So, that's just nothing I'm not 100% aware of. I've asked and I've heard different than what I've heard tonight. He or not? He doesn't know. you don't

Oh, he's saying that basically we don't have a recurring budget uh every year, which I I thought um well, I guess we've just been um given the money time at the time, but it's not something that is actually uh appropriated for this particular board. it has there's no funds um that we actually work off of a budget but I thought we did have the 1500 but for his recolleation he's saying that no it's not uh a budget that's been set aside for appearance commission tree board it is just money that was given at some particular time and then maybe awarded again at some point

that that is not what I remember but that's not what I remember at all but I don't know how much it is $15 1,500 1,500 15,000 and it was every year we had to go and say, "Hey, can we spend this for this purpose out of our 1500 aotment or allocation?" Yeah. So, I mean, you're saying that essentially there was a $1,500 allocation to begin with. Yes. To this commission. Add to this commission. And you're saying that you're getting $1,500 each year. Yes. That $1,500 the first time that we got it have to be each year. It's it's recurring and it goes in when the when the new budget is set up for July 1st,

then they replenish um the monies. I don't think what if we had like uh $200 left over that then we have 17. I think it's just within a fiscal year and if we don't spend it then it's depleted and then we start over with a new 1,500. For sure. Yeah. No, I get it. Um, so I mean, yeah, if that's the case, I mean, then yeah, it won't be a problem at all. But if it is that it's been earmarked and it's actually a budget line item, then yeah, you can go out and purchase whatever you want and we reimburse you based on that. But that's one thing I need to find out, but I don't think it's going to change the ability of you all being able to get decorations.

Can we can we just make a motion that this board's going to agree to spend up to X if if approved and available, the funds are available? Yeah. And then we can then after this meeting once we get that approval, yes, the funds are there, then because we made that motion, we can go ahead and um spend those dollars that we approved.

Well, I think really want to make something on a stipulation, I guess. But I really don't think that there's any motion that needs to be made based on whatever we're end up going to spend because it's there regardless. Um I mean, I think it's just a matter of figuring out what exactly you do all want to spend and what you want to buy it with. That's why I said tonight from my understanding was to do an itemized list and submit it back to them

to kind of figure out where we are. Um that way we have September 27th. So we have roughly what two and a half weeks to to get it completed, get them things ordered and back to us or someone go out and shop for them and then bring the receipts and then by the time they do all their paperwork. But I think tonight we do need to spend on finding vendors. Yeah, I think if you're trying to shoot for the 27th or before, you really need to go with something quite reputable. So you can find it anywhere. And I mean there's a chance that you might not get stuff from Sheen or Teimu for months. Absolutely. Yeah. We're talking about Hobby Lobby. This is just an example of a picture. Yeah.

Yeah. Just throwing it out there. just one because they have like 50% off uh some places now for fall decorations which is kind of good and then they have up to 80% at some places. I just think um you know with some of this money that's been allocated as well, you know, I remember from the start whenever we first had this discussion, there was always discussion of uh you know this $1,500 was essentially to start with the fall and then it would kind of reoccur over to other f or not festivals but seasons and that we'd stockpile essentially stuff and updated on needs basis. But it seems the fall has been the reoccurring thing for the past three years. So I don't know if y'all

but the stuff hasn't hasn't lasted. I think that's the problem. the stuff the inventory is not there was so oh got down for you she remember I don't know I that's what I've heard I know I just trying to fall back into this stuff and pick up well I'll work out those particulars between me and Cameron we'll get that straight as a board we'll just come together and make a selection of what look we want and then I think we're all in agreement this is this is it is it Cameron I don't think that I think the big thing is is you all have an understanding of what you want to buy that's fine let's figure out the money stuff tomorrow and there's nothing really else itemized we need to make and you can figure out based on what you need to do. You guys agree with that? I agree with that. Supportive

cuz there's still stuff downstairs and you can take a field trip after this is done and take a look at some of that stuff. I like field trip. I mean it's literally just downstairs. So after we finish this stuff up, we'll go take a look at it and it may be that you don't need to get as much as you thought and you could still reoccur and use some of that stuff before because it's the whole reason we started, right? So, um, I'd like to be using some of the stuff that we had previously and save what do potentially put it towards other things in the future, whether it be Christmas, spring, summer, etc. So, that sounds like a plan. I concur.

Everybody aboard. Okay. So, now what we'll do then, let's do the You want to do the filter? Well, we can go ahead on and any other items or discussions that's coming up. Miss Cheryl, you did have a update for us for the um litter. Yep. Litter sweep litter sweep NC is um the half part of the later half of this month. We discussed it at the last meeting um as a way to just beautify um Graham in some capacity um and also um it's supported by NC DOT. So they will provide um the trash bags, the vests, things that we need. So there's no cost to the city of Graham. we just coordinate volunteers or seek folks to volunteer um and then pick a roadway and um spend some time um to clean it up and then we can count that towards that and they will issue some certificate um of appreciation post that. So the idea was um we pick um some um roadway. It cannot be a park because it's an NC DOT sponsored event. And um I was thinking um September 27th because that's the last Saturday of this month. It's a Saturday morning. I was thinking 9 to 11 because it's just easy. Um, and then hoping that the city um could create like a Facebook page um and see if we could get volunteers coordinated um or volunteers that are interested and then I I don't mind being that liaison um for that you know for um contact person I guess you'd say um to you know see if we get two people or we get 20 people um we can divide and conquer and um you know check check the box per. Did you did you I don't know if it's an option, but I think we did mention it one year. Um checking with

the city, they have people that are assigned hours from the court that bittersweet community service

community service is part of some of their assignments. I think if the city would would and um Cameron just um announced a little bit earlier that they'd have a brand new marketing person that started today. Um but if the city would create an event, then we we could all share that event um and then share that event via email to maybe whoever the contact is and just get the word out. Um it's our first time doing it. I think Cameron has some signage. Um so I'm willing to give it a try. Might might just be me picking up the trash, but that's okay. I don't mind. Does it have to be a state road or can it be a county road? Can it be any road except for

um Alamance doesn't have county roads? So, it's state or city um roadways. Yeah. So, I don't I don't I mean it is NC DOT that provides and and they actually did say they would come pick up the trash afterwards. I'm wondering if I did do um a city street, I might have to uh rely on public works to pick up that or sanitation to pick up that. Um but I can verify um that.

Okay. It sounds like um Cheryl you really have studied this and you've kept us a breast of each time you cross a hurdle. So it seems like you're getting closer and closer. Your date you're indicating is September 27th. Um the festival is starting the 27th but your hours will be from I was just saying 9 to 11. 9 to 11. So, I don't think that would interfere with anything and you're not going to be anywhere near here. Um I think if we get the proper resources, that's my whole thing. I don't want you out there by yourself. Yeah. Um um I have I have a previous engagement. Okay. That's my um pre

I think what they could do is they can maybe check with um with you offline or um city management to see if their administration I guess I should say if there's particular roadways or even public works if there's particular roadways that staff see when they're out and about that may be the best solution to kind of target. Um and then we just go from there. um I can work on it and hopefully we can get it posted at least then we can get some um information out and about. Sounds like a plan. So um Bernardet and I picking up trash. No, I think if you go and follow up on that program for the um volunteers volunteers I think you're going to

go to schools have volunteers some. Yep. So if we get the event, we can spread um we can share it. The only thing that bothers me about the children because you're doing right on the road, you know, not like in a park in a secluded area uh where they can be confined. That would be my consideration. Age group, I don't know. High school if they're any uh you know serious about because some of them are run out and joke around, push each other. I mean, I don't know. I just I don't think that's a good idea for children. But I think if you go back again to the uh people that have been assigned public work hours, you'll find you'll probably get your handful of people. A lot of people.

All right. Well, more to come. Okay. Thank you so much, Cheryl. Yep. And um I'm sure that will be a success and you and Bernardet and we'll supervise. And did we have an update on the um the business appearance? I think that was post. Wasn't that advertised? Okay. Yeah, it was advertised and sent out. So, um we should be taking a look at those November, I believe. Okay. Yeah, while um do y'all have anything else? Um are there any uh city updates?

Um the only thing that um I really have is I think there's been some discussion regarding like banners and such. Um, I think city council has gotten pricing for some, um, but I think it's more or less updating the current ones that are out there for per like for a longer period of time. Um, and they may ask for influence or thoughts in the future of potential designs of what those may look like from you all. So, um, probably more to come in that regard, but I don't know where it stands on that point. I think they just got pricing um for upgrading the ones that are currently out there.

So, this has been something and Bernardet, I'm sure you can allude to this. This has been something that has been bounced around for a while.

So, I think what we need to do, we need to make um some type of um plea to the council to be very clear because this has been on our um in our notes forever. Just to be clear, are we involved with the um selection of the banners or have they made the s um the decision to go ahead and provide the type of banner? Because now I heard an operative word that I hadn't heard before and you're saying just to replace some. So it seems like we may be keeping some and just adding some new ones. But I thought it was going to be one big project and we had did a presentation um that uh consists of military um flags and and banners and Bernardet she can um elaborate on that. And then we knew that there was a company that had been chosen by the council um to use and we were going to want to get that name to see if they could also make the type of banners that we had been speaking about. But if we're not to be involved in the planning or the selection, that's just we just need to be clear about that because we've been back and forth. Um, and we haven't really gotten any resolutions simply because it's just been tossed around. So, we need to just know

we don't have a liaison. My understanding is um my understanding is that they're replacing wanting to replace every single one of the banners that is currently downtown with something updated that's kind of up to standard of what it currently is is I don't So let me ask you so since you think that they have selected how what what part would we play in that if any? I think it would just be either a recommendation or a selection of the potential signs. I think they're going to get a um multiple different layouts of different signs of what or the banners of what they're going to look like and it's kind of a up to you all to take a look at them and decide on which one you believe would be the most beneficial around here um from what they have already selected. Is that right? So,

it may be like a selection of like multiple different types and they might get your opinion on which one you all think would be best. Who's running that? Do you know who the That's just what I got information wise from the council folks is that I think that's where some of that money the the funds that we received is going to go towards is upgrading some of that down there. Um I mean it's like the ones even that are here on South Main Street. Yeah. Because they go all the way down to like Zach Bees and and I think you know what you're requesting in regards to the Veterans Day stuff um to Memorial Day to Veterans Day.

Yeah. um replacing those, that would probably be a separate endeavor. Um where we would have to essentially you if that's something you all were looking to do on top of the current signage that they're looking to get influence on, um those would be installed and then maybe I don't know exactly what the time frame of some of this stuff would be. Um, but essentially you would make another request that we do this for this amount of month and you provide pricing on what it's going to cost and they ultimately have to approve it and then figure out how we're going to get the signs up there and down every year. So,

well, see, that's one of the hiccups with what we were looking at on our end was that say if we say, okay, we have a design that we would like to go with, but who's going to provide the manpower? We never got past kickback saying that's a so much work. It's so much work and whatnot, which it is. It is. It's a lot. So, you don't know if that idea was dead or if it's still alive. Be something for them to approve it based on. Right. So, if they're going to approve the stuff to interchange them out, they come with the understanding that our public works and maintenance people are going to be the ones that have to change it. Right.

Um, so that ultimately boils down to whether council comes into consideration with the fact that they're going to have to be the ones that provide the manpower or not. We're not going to have y'all on ladders out there changing them out. God, not me. Please, not me. So, but yeah. Is that is their project of updating is that this year's budget this year? So, that they're looking to make that happen. And is that fall in your department or someone else's department? That is all admin stuff. So, that's Aaron and um and Megan. All right.

Yeah. So, I think they they have somebody that did the previous ones that and they have another pricing for it. Um, and I think they're just working on potential designs and that's what essentially we'll bring back to y'all in the future and let y'all have a look, maybe have some recommendations and provide that to them and they'll probably ultimately make the decision of which ones to choose based off the recommendation they've received from multiple different people you all probably community people as well. So, probably just be a combined effort. Okay. So, I don't think we need to keep that on our list of things to do. uh in the sounds of it, they're going to make the selection. We we can we they're going to make the choices, we can make the selection uh and we'll work um

unless anything changes. Like I said, I'll keep y'all up to date, but that's been something that's been slow rolled out to me. So, I wanted to at least at least make you aware of it. So, things could change where they want more influence from you all. Um but right now, I think that's just where we stand is they have an understanding of a price point and the potential of wanting to purchase them and would like influence and assistance on what's going to go out there. Okay. Okay. Sounds good. So, um I do know there's a public hear or maybe it already happened for the tomorrow for the park. Yep. To relocate to um potent uh

I don't know what they're going to do. I think they're requesting public input to finally make a decision on what they're going to do. There's a rec there's a suggestion for behind the um historic museum, right? I don't know. I do not keep in touch with some of that stuff. Honestly, I try and stay out of it because I know it's a hot topic and it doesn't fall in my department. So, I just know that there's a public hearing for that tomorrow. There's also a public hearing for a text amendment tomorrow. So, that's a text amendment to our development ordinance. That's more of my speech. Yeah. I don't know. Here in BC, he talks. Okay. Okay. So, there's a public meeting tomorrow on the Centennial Park, right? That's what we're trying to get clarification. And it's going to be held where? here in city hall.

Here at city hall, right? So, are they is that the item of discussion that's on the council? That's correct. Okay. Okay. So, that's going to be heard during the council meeting tomorrow. So, that's the agenda item that's going to be kind of lengthy probably. Okay. So, it's probably one of the same thing. So, if we would still like to come and just get clarification, if we are planning to attend that meeting because I know some people were very sensitive to the fact about the Centennial Park and if you want to come in representation, we can do that and whoever chooses to come, we would maybe try to sign in also on the public comment and go ahead on and get clarification on whether or not uh about our funding.

Yeah, I think those are only two items on the agenda tomorrow. Good. There's those two publications. Go ahead and get that clarified. And um if somebody's going to plan, are you planning to attend the public hearing? Yeah. What did you I can try and get here. I didn't realize it was tomorrow. Um Okay. Well, well, if you all have the request, you know who to talk to if you want to get on the agenda. Um you got to do it like two weeks in advance. Yeah. it it's closed from now but we can still come and we can still sign in the public comments in the back there'll be a sheet right in the back and you just sign in and whenever they get to you they get to you know

is a public hearing so people are going to speak on their opinion of what they should either way if you was on if anybody speaks come before the you never know is a public hearing but it offers the ability for somebody to come and speak. Yes. So that's what she's saying is if if she if someone we weren't on the agenda, but if we wanted to speak on behalf of that topic, we could sign in and speak on behalf of that topic. But not only that topic, our topic of interest, you know, the public comment section, the public comment public hearing, there's two public hearings and they close whenever the item's done and you're only talking about those items are in the time, right? You don't they're ready to adjourn. They have that list back there of people wanting to talk about non-aggenda items. Correct.

That's when if of course you wanted to one of y'all would sign in and come and speak on behalf of whatever it is that you all would like to see. Yeah, that's what I'm suggesting. If somebody email somebody and just say what's our budget, I mean on the council or who's well I mean I think that's what actually do that. But if you're going to be present I mean it's not mandatory that any of us do. They know though. No, they're not going to know in the meeting. I'll be able to figure out before Yeah. Cameron will get will convert. It sounds like that y'all have questions about. So, I mean, I don't really know. Well, I I just I'm very um very shocked to hear that we don't have a recurring budget. We're not on the He doesn't know that for sure, though.

That has been my understanding as of yet, but according to what Miss Renee said, it sounds different. So, um I've asked, but like I said, Cameron's been removed a little bit now back in. So, yeah. Find out and should be a problem. let us know tomorrow who do we contact or do we have it or you know whatot otherwise if you have it then like I said the only thing that you have to do is purchase it and give us receipts that we've done that before we can do that this week I mean that's not a problem after we see we will see

y so that's tomorrow but if you wanted to get an answer to um for some reason if he can't get the answer then you can address the council because they're the one to make the decision. So, a lot of people are going to be very busy because this Centennial Park is a big item and it's keeping everybody busy. Everybody has just been overloaded. There's been several little meetings inside of a meeting out of the meeting. So, it's been a very busy time for them. But, if you want to take up the time of the people who are going to be making the decision, that can be done tomorrow night. Just signing in to public comments. All right. Are you ready to adjourn?

Okay. Well, uh, any other business? Bernardet, did you have anything else? Uh, no. Okay. Um, Cameron, no, ma'am. No. And liaison, um, being assigned to the board. Have they even talked about it because this is an election year, so it's a kind of busy year for a lot of people. I know Mr. Parson's last meeting was uh when we last met, so he won't be returning. Uh, um, not Mr. Um, what's her name? The lady, what's her name? I'm sorry. Um, we haven't seen her so long, but the council Bonnie

Bunny Whitaker, I'm sorry. Um, I she said that she's still with us. Um, Cameron, we really need to kind of nestle down and just figure out where we are and if we're looking for a liaison for both mission boards or is she returning or what is the deal? Because I mean having a representation from the council, it really does help us to keep a breast and like right now we're just gasping for straws. I mean what's what's this? What's that? If we had someone to come back and report to us normal, I think we would be a lot better off. So we need to find out what is her position um and and really get us a direct answer on where she is with this board. Um is she continue if she plans to continue. We love that. If she does not, not so much, but we would have to accept it. Um, other than that, that's all I have. I just need some definite answers.

Yeah, that'd have to come from the city council. I don't know if I can really help out too much in that regard, but I'm Yeah, I didn't know if you could follow up because Evan was saying he could follow up with the letter. Um, he could send a letter out and then get a response. I think you might not have been at the meeting, but there was an update that they're not going to reassign until after the new board comes in. Do you remember hearing that? I do. Yes, you might not have been at that meeting. So, we are where we they're not going to reassign. Has she well or rechange or she's still assigned to the the commissioner commission and um they're not going to re read or change any assignments until post the election. Okay.

Motion to keep you a little longer. Uh if there's no other business then uh if I have a motion to adjurnn. So move second. All in favor? I all oppose. Okay. Meeting adjourned. Thank you. can see.