County Commissioners - Regular Meeting

variance is allowed in your own 2025 subdivision ordinance manual. That variance can be approved under article 4, section 2.4, which I have right now a copy for five if y'all would just like to see what it looks like. And that's all I'm asking. And this has taken so long for me, but I'm very far behind because of not getting answers. I I was before several people. I've talked to uh Mr. Hunt, Mr. Leech on the utility meeting on on June the 24th. And what I took away from that meeting is yes, we probably need some kind of a waiver. My problem is I can't figure out how to get it. Um that's why I'm here. Um, if if there's no one to get a waiver directly from, which there apparently isn't because I've I've I've hunted that dog, then I've got to come before the board of commissioners, I'm assuming, to get the waiver. So, what I'd like to do is I would like to either have y'all direct me or have someone within the hierarchy issue me that waiver that that planning and zoning has in hand as of two weeks ago. um are come before the board the first meeting in October to discuss the board granting me that waiver.

A waiver for what? It's a waiver for installing water lines with no water in them. It's It's that simple. And Mr. Turner, your three minutes is up. I'm sorry. Your three minutes is up. Okay. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I I would like for someone to to give him some direction if if if it's at the next meeting so that he can come and then we can address it in a proper manner. Senator Lady, I'm going to point you to her. You see what he have on mind? Give give her the information. She has it and she has my whole We'll talk to you now. Please, please, all of you please call to her. Okay. Thank you, Miss Ellen Bradford.

Good evening. Good evening.

First off, I want to start off Kudos to Kathy Leandro for her perseverance, patience, and dedication to Hoke Animals and the shelter staff for coming to all these meetings and asking about the status of the animal control building. I hope she receives a completion date soon. Question um item number two, why isn't there an agenda item tonight repealing the illegal electronic gaming ordinance? I still failed to understand how and why it was passed in the first place, especially with two members voting against allowing local restaurants to serve alcohol two hours earlier on Sundays. Third, my husband and I were surprised at the increase in our water bill. There was no information on the water bill stating why. Nice lady at the water department explained there was a 10% increase effective the 1 of August. We went online and confirmed the info on the utilities page. But thanks to a small note at the bottom of the water rate schedule, we found not only was the water bill increased, but all county services were increased 10% per year for the next five years. When did you make this increase? After meeting at Charlotte or as a jerk reaction to the big beautiful bill. My husband did the math. 10% per year for the next five years is not a 50% increase. Due to the magic of compounding, it is a 61% increase. If your B water bill was $100 a month, in five years it'll be $1615. Please put all county notices back in the news journal instead of hiding them in the faithful observer or contact all residents through mail, email, reverse 91. I for one want more transparency from this board and county officials. And I just found out tonight that the video of tonight's meeting is not available on the pokecount.net.

Um, I was told it had it's going to be on YouTube and it's under county of hope commissioners meeting. I think that's it. Um, I think that should be announcement of on the homepage saying there's no video tonight. Here's where you can go to tune in because I don't always make it to here, but I always tune in to the videos. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Miss Myrtle Andrews. Miss Linda Campbell. Thank you for having us. Hello. Um, good evening.

I um I'm concerned about um the houses that are built up the hill for me. I live on 1180 Baker Road and the mud is coming down through the woods into my yard. I have mud all the way around my house from the mud coming through the yard. I have talked to Miss Felicia uh Lleia. I also talked to Miss Jackie. Uh I also talked to uh Mr. Sutherland about this issue. And uh around my house is flooded with mud. And that's my concern. That's why I'm here tonight. And I do have pictures of all this that's going on going on around my house. Okay.

My name Linda Campbell and I have the same concern of what is going down into my yard onto my driveway and it just discolorate my driveway. My driveway was white. Now it's orange. The mud is just really messing up our yard and just coming down. Every time it rain, a hard rain come, it just water just come all the way down. just mess us up and we need to uh for y'all to help us out. Thank you,

Mr. Chairman. I was um uh called and and summons out to um Miss Andrews and Miss Campbell's home and I went and visit their home about a week or so give or take and they took me all around their home in the backyard and and both houses and they're absolutely right that the contractor that's doing the work uh the house is kind of like on going downhill and because of either the grading or what have you with the with the construction all the mud was coming up to their property and it it did damage their their yard. Uh I spoke personally with the with the contractor. Uh he told me that his staff was going to be on going to be taking care of it as well. And because this was a ETJ uh project, it was counter approved by the city at the time. Felicia was working with the city and she had she's very knowledgeable what's going on and she as well has been speaking with the contractor. Uh so they got some things in place uh that if they don't come out and and do what they say they're going to do, uh she she got some ways to kind of make kind of hold them to the feet to the fire. So we've been we've been working on it and they called us out and we went out and looked at it. Uh it is you're absolutely right. I think Miss Campbell just uh redid her her driveway, her brand new driveway.

And so it is it is orange. I looked at it. I was I was on the property myself. So um real concerned about that. So me and Felicia talked and I talked to Mr. her. He was very gracious and said that his staff was going to be on top of it and so we're looking forward to him uh correcting the problem and we'll stay on top of it as well. M you could corrosion control. Do they have the mats the curtain down or make them go ahead and do the landscaping so the water the dirt won't move?

They had everything in place. We had an uncommon storm and apparently there were some things that actually went through under They haven't been coordinating because there's also a time to place it kind of levels out and it really doesn't have anywhere to go up into yard as well on their houses until you take care of that. Thank you. So So Miss Felicia, they'll repair any damage that they have to

That's correct. They've been over one time before and attempted, but we've had rain since then. It didn't really resolve the issue. So, they know that they can't get a co until we'll hold the cos until everybody's satisfied. Thank you. She'll take care of it. Okay. Thank you. And thank y'all for notifying us when you have problems like that so we can kind of get on top of it. Thank Ryan McClemans.

Good evening, commissioners. I come here today as a conservative citizen of Hope County who believes we deserve accountab account accountability, transparency, and better planning when it comes to the use of taxpayer dollars and the future of our community. In our community, illegal machine, illegal gambling machines are openly operating openly. This not only is against the law, but it takes away from legitimate businesses and creates risk for our community. I want to know what steps are being taken to address these machines and why enforcement has been in been so inconsistent. Two, illegal hiring practices and public contracts. There are some serious questions about labor practices. Reports suggest that companies such as JNK and Hook Hook Contracting are employing undocumented workers. If this is true, I want to know who do we report this to and why are taxpayer dollars continuing to fund contracts with these companies without proper oversight. Rockfish Road Widening Project. The Rockfish Road Widening Project is another example of poor planning. We were told this project would move forward long ago, but now it has been pushed back to 2030. This delay hurts families, businesses, and communities who depend on safe and efficient infrastructure. I want to know what happened and who needs to be held accountable. I would also like to know about the North Carolina Ed education lottery funds. As citizens, we're told the proceeds from the North Carolina Educational Lottery would support education. Yet, when I look for these records or of these funds through both of Hoke County and school boards and the commissioner's budget, there is no clear accounting for it. Where is the money and how is it being used? Our water crisis earlier this year in the Rockfish community went several days without water due to a major issue. I want to know who is the contractor responsible for this repair, how they were selected, how much were they were paid, and where did that money come from? taxpayers deserved answers about this commissioner retreat in Charlotte. I would also like to request full transparency about the retreat held in Charlotte to discuss water issues. What was discussed? How can citizens

access a full transcript of that meeting and how much did the retreat cost the taxpayers including travel, lodging, and other expenses, citizens access and communication. Finally, I have a personal concern. Over the past year, I have left several messages requesting a meeting with the commissioners and received no replies. Citizens deserve a clear, reliable process to engage with their elected officials. If calling the county manager is ineffective, then what process do you folks recommend we take? In a real conclusion for it all, there are small these are not only small concerns. They affect the safety, trust, and well-being of our entire community. We deserve accountability, transparency, and timely action on these issues. I ask that each one of you address these questions openly or make documentation available to the public very very soon. Thank you.

Thank you. This is Joyce Bounds.

Good evening. Good evening.

I am Joyce Bounds. I have lived in Hope County for over 50 years and I have frequently back uh bragged to my friends and relatives about what a clean, nice, safe county we have. I'm very proud of it. However, we do have one big problem. This one uh when I first learned that you had Wait a minute. When I first learned that you had directed the local government agencies to place all public and legal notices in the Favville Observer instead of the local newspaper, the news journal, which I can afford and I can get to as a senior citizen. I thought that was a joke. I really did. But it turns out I was wrong. I'm here to ask you why you continue to try to force Hope County citizens to buy the Favville Observer and why you continue to use our tax dollars to pay for printing information in the Favville Observer that all Hope County citizens are legally entitled to receive in the local newspaper. For example, most recently a grant became available to qualifying disabled and lowincome senior citizens to for home repairs. It was called the urgent repair program. Most lowincome and disabled citizens cannot afford to subscribe to the news observer using an observer. And why should they? We don't they don't anything that we're interested in. We talk we want to hear about our town. But that notice about that grant did not get sent to the news journal where most senior citizens and disabled and lowincome people might have learned about some possible help for their needs. I respectfully ask you to become the intelligent and professional

uh commissioners that I know you can be and stop this childish, blatantly illegal and discriminatory behavior. It makes all of us Hope County look bad and consequently it makes our leaders look bad. Thank you for listening. Thank you. Thank you, Miss Cassie Parala. Argula, sorry about that. Good evening everyone. Good evening.

Thank you for letting me come up and speak again. I'm not asking for money this time. Okay, I actually just want to let you guys know about um a project that Volunteer Village Company's working on with trying to help bring some resources um in the community together. We're working on um creating a community resource and volunteer fair to where all the nonprofits um community organizations and charities in Hope County can actually come together in one place and display what their mission is and also highlight what volunteer opportunities are available to them. Um, since I've been doing this, a lot of senior citizens, high schoolers, college students always tell me that they would really love to know what opportunities are available here in Hope County, but it's not something that's typically publicly advertised in a lot of different places since a lot of the nonprofits and places here in Hoke don't do websites or Facebook or social media things. So, we're trying to bring them together just all in one place so they get the opportunity to actually have all the public come to them instead of them having to go doortodoor to the public. Um, and it'll be a way for um, you know, our citizens to actually really get involved with the community, see what's out there, maybe connect to some resources that might be helpful to them. Um, and we've also invited Benchmark Planning to come because we know that they said that they were looking at doing their um, community outreach around the same time that we're going to be doing the volunteer fair. I'm waiting to hear back from them to see if they're actually going to be coming. Um, but hopefully if they do, that'll actually help save the county a little bit of money since we already have everything ready for them.

Sounds good. So, um, but I just want to let you guys know about it. Here's the flyer if you guys need it or want it. Yes. Thank you. You Thank you. Keep working. Thank you. On Sunday, November 9th from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Robert A. Wright Agricultural Building. Thank you. Thank you. Have a good night.

Mel Andrew. I'm getting older. It's harder. Uh, you know why I'm here. The animal shelter. There's nothing on the agenda about when it's going to be built or what you all have done to kind of speed it up. It's been a year and it'll be a year and a month, the 7th of this week that and the guys that were here back a long time ago said May. They would definitely be, you know, really going to town by May. The animals made it through the hot summer. There's animals everywhere. I was telling Mr. Leech, there was a beautiful German Shepherd has been running up and down my street obviously for several days because I had neighbors calling me and I was out of town. Uh my husband saw it today. We need help and we need you all to I need and I know other people do too. need you all to, you know, this me coming every month and you all saying, "Yeah, and it's not working." We need to really bombard it and get it going. And and I need you all to do that. You all, that's what I expect. That's what the other animal lovers expect. You know, we made the big presentation, the whole bit, and it's been a year and a month.

Have you Have you been out there lately? Uh, the last time I was out there was to drop off some stuff, and they had done some plumbing. Yeah, they started sight work. They has started doing some site work, but but that was a while and and there's nothing there's no building coming up.

And there's nothing for cats, you all. There's nothing planned for cats. I understand. And that's what everybody's throwing in my yard. I got more cats than I can board when I go somewhere. And uh we I need the commissioners and the animal lovers need the commissioners. Uh, I think you all saw or if you read the paper, Ambassador for Animals that Miss Selena Norton runs, that's a tax deductible association. She takes a lot of the bat, you know, the animals that are hospice and so forth and keeps them. Uh, she's wonderful. She actually I bought a washer and dryer for the pound a couple three year three or four year three or so years ago. It was a normal, you know, Lowe's gave me a good deal, but it was a normal washer and dryer. it's, you know, out the you they can't do all that laundry with that. She started raising money just on Facebook and her group came up with a commercial washer and now they're working on a dryer and I asked that you all make a donation for that dryer because they're expensive. That's the reason I bought the normal kind when I bought them. But they need that to do the laundry. They need some help. They need to be patted on the back. I think I passed out a letter to you all that one that one of the leaders out there had written about how hard, you know, mentally hard it is, but how much she loves it. Uh she's been working with animals through Hope County for 20 years. And we recognize a lot of people, but I think there's people we miss sometimes to recognize because I guarantee you, and I know every one of you, there's not a one of you that would go out there and do the job that they do for the pay that they get and for the respect and for the comments and good love that they get other than from other animal lovers. It's a part of Hope County and I'm really gonna wait on I don't want to wait another month to be said to do this again because I will do it until the day I drop dead here. So, if you want to get rid of me,

get behind it and give us a report. I want to see it on one of these attendants. Thank you. Thank you. That's all it is. Yes. Thank all you for your public comment. They went into the record. We heard them and we will look and consider all of them. Thank you. Um consent. Anyone have any from A through I? Mr. Chairman, I make a motion that we approve the consent agenda A through I. That's second. Second. All with I I have it. Thank you. Jane McQueen. He's here tonight.

Yeah, he's here. Good afternoon committing. So what you have in front of you is a a progressive design build agreement for phase one services for pre presubscription and design for water and wastewater projects. Um the projects will be phased out. Um and we're going to probably start based off u the phasing will start at McCain. Any questions? Design builds. Yes sir. Can you um go ahead just tell the purpose to the public?

So what we're trying to do is to increase water capacity for the entire county. So the project is based off water and wastewater improvements. Okay. Cody.

Yeah. Cody. What what we understand here is that uh in doing the wells that we want to do over the next three to five years um that we also have some issues where you know when we just like at McCain if we if we uh did three or four wells up there we've got to understand that some of the line running from the wells out to where we are upsizing the line on 211 some of that has got to be replaced also. So what this plan does it it addresses all of those issues that we can start doing them over a phase. And I talked to James today and I asked him, you know, if we said 3 to 5 years, how many wells are we looking at that be operational? Maybe by the end of five years. And we're we're, you know, or three years actually, we're talking about maybe adding at least five new wells to our, you know, to our inventory and everything. So what that's going to do is that's going to up our allocation of what we're going to be able to give out as far as, you know, development and things going on in in our county. But another thing that we have to realize is that some of these places are going to have to look at also replacing pipe because when they put the pipe in at the very beginning, a lot of it's the 8 in pipe. Uh they did not anticipate a lot of the growth that we're having, especially out in the western part of the county. And some of those areas we're going to have to replace some of that smaller pipe and put in larger pipe. So, you know, they've got a a a nice plan that we've put together. uh got the folks working on it that's been working on the water for quite some time and uh we're we're looking forward uh to going ahead and getting this project kicked off and everything.

Okay. Thank you. Appreciate that. And design built is is is truly a way to go to save a lot of time that we can get these webs up and online. Yes, sir. Thank you. One more update before you leave on what's going on with the widening at um 211.

211. So, what we wanted to do is send out an actual public notification for the residents that actually live in the Callaway area. Uh, we got a uh some information from DOT. They're going to start doing uh tie-ins. Basically, what that consists of is they're going to run lines parallel to our lines and they will cut off services as they move forward and tie services back in. So, some of the residents may be out of water for anywhere from four to six hours because of that. Now, this is just an estimate. It could be shorter. It could be longer, but it's DOT 60% DOT is doing DOT. It's a DOT project for the 211 widening project. So, basically, they're running their lines parallel to our line. So, they going to have to cut services in order to increase those um water sizes,

but we're going to try to help notify the citizens. Yes, sir. We already have our notification and there will be actually door hangers given and we shall have everything posted on Facebook and on our uh website. Great. Good. Great. Okay. Good job. Help them with that. So, we're we're putting out the notification, but we're going to help them as they notify us. Okay. Good job, Jame. Sister McQueen, do you need a motion for approval for the field agreement? Yeah. Yes, sir. I make a motion to approve, Mr. Chair. Second. Second. Motion second. I have time to consider f I had it. Thank you, Jamie. Good job. So, proper. I bet the clerk is on online. I forgot to give him a motion. All right. You good evening.

Yes. Um, I have before you two requests regarding surplus property. The first request is a resolution accepting the offer of a bid. Uh this is located on Aggie's Lane. Parcel number is 394200148. The total cost is $3,17.68 and the bid amount for this is $4,145. This was declared surplus of 4725. Uh this property has been advertised and bid has been received during the 10day bid upset, excuse me, the upset bid period. Motion to board. Make a motion to approve.

A second. Second. Motion second. Our time is set. All I have B. Second request is a resolution authorizing the advertisement of an offer to purchase certain property. Uh the location is off of Goose Pond Road, parcel number 2943100142. Uh the Total cost for this is $6,300. Uh this was declared surplus uh February 1st, 2021 and the amount for this is $4,000. Okay. The board wish to accept it. I make that motion, Mr. Chair. A second advertisement. Yeah, just the advertisement. Yeah,

a second to advertise. All right. Time consider I have it. Thank you. This next Thank you, Andrew. Good evening, chairman, members of the board. Good evening.

Uh, tonight I'm presenting before you the uh donation from Puppy Creek Fire Department of the fire trainer that's on the premises of the uh Hope County Public Safety Training Center out on Golf Course Road. So, Puppy Creek Fire Department received an allocation uh from the state a number of years back, maybe year or two back um passed through the county that went to them for the purchase of a fire trainer. in the county has put forth some in kind matches with six acres of property, a facility, and a host of other things out there. Uh Popey Creek Fire Department has filled out the appropriate IRS paperwork and turn it over to be uh an asset of the county up under total county uh authority management. Okay. Need a motion to adopt.

So we're we're just taking action to accept what they're giving us. Is that basically what we're doing? Okay. I'll make that motion. Second. Motion second. All time. with I oppos. I have it. Thank you, Andrew. Uh number seven, number seven was put out from last meeting because it needed a five or zero vote and it didn't that's that's the right one and it did not see the five zero vote. Uh because need second vote. This is a second vote. I won't be able to support it. Um but it's up.

And Mr. Chairman, this is just because like you said, it had to come back through because it didn't the ordinance stipulates it to get a five though. It needs to be revoted on again. Right. Okay. So, Mr. Chairman, I'll make a motion again to adopt this ordinance 153A-145.7. Second motion second. All time to sit on f with I oppos I. All righty. Pass the number two three. It's either 32 or 41. It passes. Two. Three. Okay. 32. All right. It passes.

Yeah. 32 passes. 32. All right. Manager report. You put a card. Where's Cota? Miss Cotain must be in her office. She coming. I can hear her, but I don't see her. She is coming. She There she is. She could have walked right through. Where she go? She came through this door right here. I can hear you. I don't see you. Oh,

good evening.

Good evening. Um, I'm presenting that memo to you guys on JAR credit cards to update you guys. On June 10th, you guys had made some approvals for us for search charges at the parks and wreck. And since then, I've learned that we can't charge two separate search charge rates according to how the our merchants charge us. So, I have revised that paragraph for you guys. If you guys can just look it over. The main changes is number one, we decided that we should not accept American Express anymore at parks and wreck. So we have taken American Express off the other options they can still do our Visa, Mastercard, and Discover cards. Um, excuse me. And then, um, I don't think that we told you guys on June 10th that we wanted, um, our county policy is $25 NSF fees. So, I did add that to the memo as well. Um, and then I don't know if they broke down the third party fees specifically for you guys.

I'm sorry. You said $25. That's your term checks. Yes. Okay.

Yeah. So, in the second italicized paragraph, I did just put a general statement in there for you guys other than those fees imposed by third parties when applicable at the time they occur. So if we have any return rejected payments insufficient um and that where I say other fees all of that would apply if a cash check, debit card, electronic payment or AC checks. If for some reason it gets rejected and we get charged, we would like to pass that charge on to the customers as well. So those are the main changes from June 10th.

I think I have issue with that. So, so, so if someone tries to buy something that they don't, they don't they're surprised and realize they don't have enough money to pay for, we want to charge them again. No, our So, if somebody was to do an a like memberships, you said or a debit card,

right? So, there's there's so for debit cards or a if our bank accepts it and everything's good, then we're good that day, right? And so sometimes people may dispute their charges after the fact. And so our bank would charge us a fee. So all I'm asking for the board to do is to to allow us to um push that fee over to the customers to pay if if if it turns out that it was rejected and they got the services that was performed. So it's not like we're charging a fee. what the our bank would have charged us for the rejection of an a

debit card. So in other words for electronic that that would be like NSFs. If somebody did an AC and it came back rejected later and our bank charged us the fee then we would pass that fee on to the customer to pay. If if if if it's found that they do owe us the funds. The problem we would research first. The problem here is that it's general. It's not saying specifically to membership. So this is not saying only for membership. Someone is charging services at parks and wrecks.

So what this is saying specifically because it's so general is that if I go to the concession stand to buy some popcorn and I don't have the money, I get declined. This is specifically saying that you all can come back and try to charge me another fee because I got declined for ins. It says insufficient fund specifically, right? So, so if somebody went to concessions, ran the card, and it accepted it that day, right, my our bank and their bank, and then somebody decides to call their bank and say, "Hey, I dispute that charge." Our bank's going to charge us a fee, but but it says insufficient funds.

So, I'm I'm not talking about someone uh saying going back to calling the bank and says, "I want my money back because I'm not happy with the service." Right? etc. So, I don't know what scenarios could happen with their operations. I'm just saying if we get charged, we're going to pass that back to the customer. But if I go there and I buy $20 worth of concession, right? Mhm. And my card is declined. I Yeah. Then it stops there. Our bank doesn't charge us anything at that point. And the bank doesn't charge anything, right? So charged anything. Exactly. Okay. After the fact. After the fact. And then I call up there and say, "Right,

I didn't eat that popcorn at Jark building. I weren't even over there and I know I ate it anyway and I'm disputing it." Then they're going to send they're going to charge us. Yeah. So, yeah. If the bank does their research and dispute is not valid, they're going to charge us, right? To which we're going to charge, we would like to pass that on to the customer. I'd like to ask a question just for still take cash out there. Information for the public. Tell us why you're recommending that we don't uh accept American Express. Just tell us they are the ones with three and a half%. So we can't charge if somebody pulls out an American Express, we can't charge three and a half. The most we can charge is three.

Okay. Well, I just want the public to know why you don't like Right. And so we we decided that maybe we can just not accept it and see how it goes for a year. We can reassess that again next year. Right. They charge too much. Yeah. Because otherwise otherwise that half% is going to be the county. The bottom line they charge too much. But that's why I'm saying I need I wanted the public to know why you said that. That's all. Yeah. I mean I can Yeah. They eat your They'll eat you alive. So Mr. Grady, do we need to make a motion to approve? Yes. Yeah. Eat your live. I'll make a motion, Mr. Chairman, that we approve that the recommended changes from our finance director. Most second. Second.

I'll have it. Thank you. I think it's a very good idea and I've cut citizen saf it's very expensive. They don't mind charging you. Oh, you go. Yeah, I was going to say just so the public for record, um, if you guys think about it, most people have a Visa, American Express, Mastercard. So, and again, that's not a fee that those percentages is not what we came up with. That's what our merchants going to charge us, right? So, we're going to pass. It's like going to gas stations. They charge a convenience fee, right? So, same difference. Thank you. It's approved. Give me your credit card, Mr. T. Good evening, chairman, board of commissioners. Um, how are you doing this evening? Good evening.

Um, I have a couple things tonight, but one of the main things that I would like to do tonight is that I have had an interim director working in transportation for the last year and about four months. And I am asking the board since I sent it ahead of time. I'm asking that we make Hello Wilkinson. Is she in here tonight? Yes, she's here. Come up. I am asking that we make um Tilla Wilkerson our transportation director. Um she's worked in the position for the last year in six months and I am asking that we make her the transportation director. Um and I'm asking that the board take my recommendation.

Mr. Chairman, I've talked with u quite a few of the uh board members on the transportation board and we are in I know I'm in support of us doing this. she's been doing the job for the last year and a half and um taking care of of what needs to be took care of done at the department as the director. So I think we just it makes good sense for us to promote her from within. I believe in promoting from within and um you know and I I know she'll continue to do a good job for us. Yeah. Thanks. Do you need a motion? Great or just I need a motion. I'll make that motion. M. You're on that board, Tony. You're on that board. I think I am, Mr. Chair. Okay. All right. That motion second.

Second. Motion second. I don't have time to sit off it with I I have it. Thank you, Tony. Thank you. Congratulations. Thank you. Thank you. So, congratulations to you. Thank you. All righty. Too. And the next one is um I need to go ahead and promote um Marshia Smith who's in that office also as the office supervisor. um and go ahead and take care of that department um while I'm doing it so that I can get that department squared away um and be done with that department for now so I can move on from that department. So who's this? This is all Marsha Smith. We don't need

Mr. Chairman. I don't think we need to prove this. I think it's just information this reformation. Congratulations. But we're in favor of it. Thank you. Congratulations. Congratulations. She's trying to give us her job. No, that's my job. I'm just telling you. We got a lot of And I also need to um introduce Felicia Lleair, who's our new planner. Felicia. Felicia. Felicia, stand up. Our new planner. I seen your mother today. I sure did. [Music] All right. Oh, that's all I have. That's all you got? Okay. Any other board member have anything? Mr. Chairman, I got a couple things I want to talk about if you would allow me, please.

Yes, sir. Um, the first thing is um we and I can't I don't know if we want to call it, Jackie, but we had the the Dawkins, the Dinkens, and the Bryants come over uh uh for an issue that we had for the public hearing. It was a zoning matter. I would like for us to put that back on if we could with the board approval on the third Monday night of this month so we can go ahead and and and address it. Um we did myself and JNK uh met with the neighbors and uh we want to meet with them again uh to try to some get some type of resolution even though we're in the early stages of um the zoning process. So we had a very productive meeting. Want to meet with them again so that they can uh be participants and what's going on in that community.

They want to pull it back up. Okay.

Yes. Um that's that's the first thing. The second thing is um the gentleman sitting there has has some wonderful questions that that I think we need to address. Uh the first being the the Rockfish road widening process that's a a DOT project and that's done through DOT. I do have the division and and graded us to um the division eight probably contact and he he's the one that when they make the decisions for for widening roads even 211 or 41 it comes from the state uh so the state controls all all the roads uh in our in our county so that's that's do uh the education uh school lottery I will talk to the superintendent and the chair to maybe see if they can make a presentation at and they would do that at their board meeting so we wouldn't really address how the funds are spent for the education lottery.

But but it goes to debt. But I know if they got a question, I still want the public to have an idea, you know, right on how Yeah. Yeah. So So I would get with the superintendent and maybe they can have it on their agenda to because if he got that question might be some other people may have a question about how it's spent. So I would just like just that I was able to find excuse. Uh it says that the funds have commission to then go over to them, but they have to have a pretty good solid plan about what they're going to do. Right. Anywhere over the last several years where I I understand. I I do and that's why I want them to to address it.

So that way we, you know, transparency. I I totally agree with that. um the the illegal gaming machines, that issue is being looked at as we speak with our council, uh with the uh state representation because there's several North Carolina general cases uh that's being uh tried, appeal, tried, appeal, tried, appeal. So that's that's going through the process now. So that's still pending. So if you go to more county, they still allow the machines. If you go to come to county, they allow them, but maybe in Wake County, they may not allow them. So, we don't have a firm law on how the state's going to handle the illegal gambling machines right now. So, we that's still up in the air. That's that's it's not done, but it's it's still kind of being worked on. Um the issue um regarding and I and I know uh Miss Bounds, I know her family. I went to school with with probably her granddaughter, not her daughter. Um and she brought some to our attention tonight about the newspaper. She said that um being a a senior on a fixed income, they can't afford um to to purchase the new the the federal observer and and so they probably missed out on a lot of opportunities such as the um uh the urgent repair grant which is for our seniors. And that's a grant that over the past 12 years since I've been on the board, uh a lot of seniors have gotten some repairs under their house up to about $6,800. And that's a that's a very powerful grant. And I would hate to see seniors miss that grant because that grant might have been in a in a paper where they can't afford it because when you get to a certain age, you're on a fixed income. So if if what we're doing as as a commission,

if we what we're doing as a commission is not allowing information to get to our citizens by doing business in in in Cland County, then I will make a motion tonight that we start back doing paper doing business with the newspaper and the news journal here so that we won't miss any citizen. Second. Let's add it. Let's add it over. Let's add it. I have a motion to add it. I I make a motion to add it. Okay. Second. The motion added to There's a motion to add the news general item back to us tonight. Second and motion in second. All had time to consider offer with I motion approved. Not yet.

I make a motion to u um I request this board to uh add the that the county can start back doing business with the uh Rayford News Journal effective immediately um as soon as possible. A second. Second motion to second. All had time to consider. All in favor with I. Opposed? I hear none. [Applause] Anytime um you got to say something. Anytime this board take action and affect our citizens is not it's not a good decision.

Miss Kevin, I see you clapped your hand back there. So, I would ask that we really consider that and I I apologize if that was a problem with our citizens because we don't mean to hurt our citizens. Miss Bounds, that what you want, sweetheart? She gone. She gone. She gone. Okay. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, members of the board. I appreciate your support on that. Thank you.

We're going to Well, they don't have to now. Uh uh. Oh, we need to set a date. Board, we need we need to set a date with our contract that looked at the two county office plans. What date can we set a date for that meeting? I thought we did set oneuesday. Tuesday. Next Tuesday. Mr. Chairman, this was the administration for Yeah. Yeah. Next Tuesday. Can we get together next Tuesday morning? D is dead. We didn't set no date yet. We can next Tuesday. We have not read the date. We didn't say it the 9th. Can we do that date? We have not set a date. Let's set one. Tuesday the 9th. Give me one second. Look at the calendar. Everybody, what time are you looking at? Morning. Get it out the way.

No, don't let me. I can I can do it. I'm trying to look right now. I'm trying to look right. We'll get you out of here just few moments. We have a couple close session. one personnel and one night I'm I'm free personnel and one of um so Tuesday night the device 8:00 is that what you said you said morning no Mr. Hunt it ain't morning at 8:00 is starting to be a minute give time date and time 10:00 Mr. Give me a date time. 10's fine with me. I don't care. I'm 10 5 hours anyway. All right.

That going to be 9 10:00 a.m. We need to recess this meeting to that day. Okay.

You good, Mr. Turn? I need close session for personnel. I move that the board of commissioners for Hope County go into close session for the purposes of discussing personnel Northcon General statute 153A-98 and section 143-318.11a A1 and 6 to consult with our attorney uh retained by the board in order to preserve the attorney client privilege between the at the attorney and the board North Carolina general statute 143- 318.11 sections A and three. All right. We have close session. Second motion. Second. Second. All in favor with I.

All oppose. Go. Let me do a five minute recess. Five minute recess. Reco. Oh, I see why you need that. Hallelujah.

We good. Hello. We back. Are we good? Yes. Mr. Mr. Chairman, I come before you tonight county board of commissioners asking for repeal of the electronic gaming uh electronic gaming devices provision of the county zone and plan ordinance. Also ask for replication all permits that have been issued as well as refunding all parties that paid for those permits allies that bey [Music] $5. It wasn't a $5 per machine as well. Uh, no. I think it was just a straight

only permit per machine. One permit per machine. Gotcha. Okay. Okay. So move, Mr. Chairman. No, he didn't make a motion. He just what he want me to do. You made a motion. I make a motion. Second move on what he said. All had time cons I I have it. All righty. I need to recess this meeting to 99 2025 at 10:00 a.m. I thought it was 8. So move second.