City Council - Regular Meeting

Everybody ready? Yeah.

Good evening and welcome to the City Council meeting of the City of Lenoir for Tuesday, September the 15th, 2026. We welcome you here this evening. Thank you for coming, those that are joining us here in the audience, and those who will be joining us on the air tonight. In a few minutes, we'll have our moment of silence and our Pledge of Allegiance saluting our country. As we go into that, I have a couple quick announcements we'll make. I would like to say... This week, of course, is Constitution Day and Constitution Week, and we'll be celebrating that on Thursday the 17th with a little ceremony at the Charters of Freedom at 10 o'clock Thursday morning with a proclamation and some other words about our Constitution, and we're always proud of that for Constitution Week. We do have some new banners in our downtown. I'd like to thank our Main Street group, Brenda and Ashley and everyone involved, and our guys who put them up. Thank you for that. They look really good. Some fall banners joining our banners. 250 and 175 banners that have been up, and we kind of blended them in together, so we appreciate that. Also, this past weekend was the sculpture celebration, festival celebration this past weekend. I understand there was a great, great crowd down there for that this weekend, and I know things went really well, and we appreciate that we have the sculpture celebration every year. I thank our recreation staff and our Main Street staff and others who were involved in helping put that on and making that happen. And the Arts Council, of course, who does that. For many, many years, we're over 50?

Forty.

Forty. I'm trying to rush it up there, aren't I?

And the grounds look excellent.

They do. They really do. It's great. Also, a nice announcement tonight. Our story, the history of Colwell County, which was part of our 250th celebration here in Colwell County, which is displayed down the hall, has been selected as an award winner from the North Carolina Society of Historians. And we will be honored with that on October 24th in Shelby. The 250 committee has worked on that. It's being invited to come to that and be a part of it, and we hope that so many will be able to go. So it was very exciting that we found that out, that we will be honored with that. Quickly, we have a signed dedication coming up this Monday in honor of the late Rick Pierce, who was such a great part of our recreational programs and things and soccer and helped the soccer complex for so many years and helped us get that put together and was great with it. And we'll be putting a dedicated sign for the field. I think it's the U8. Is that? Eight and under. Phil will be honored and named for Rick this coming Monday. That is at 530 on Monday out at the soccer complex. So, council, if you can, anybody can be there. Please plan to be there to honor Rick and his family as we say a very special thing for what he meant to this community. So I think that's all the early announcements I had. So anyway, if you will please now rise and join us for a moment of silence and our pledge. Thank you. Please salute the flag. 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 for all. Thank you. Tonight we have a very special recognition anyway um tonight is a special recognition and as on behalf of the city council we'll be presenting a proclamation tonight to uh i'm not sure who all i knew marco was gonna be but he uh i told him i banned him tonight because he's wearing a mask And I really don't want to catch it. Don't put it that way. I'm just kidding. I didn't ban him. He knows I'm just joking for sure. But I hope you feel better, Marco. I know you've had some things going on with that. So anyway, we'll do that. But somebody I hope will join me up in a few minutes as we present this proclamation to the Concilio Hispano Incorporated. proclaiming the month of September 15th to October 15th, 2026 as National Hispanic and Latino Heritage Month throughout the city of Lenoir. So who's, you want to come, are you coming up? Okay. That's great, come on in. It's a new gadget we're getting used to. I'm going to present this, this proclamation for Hispanic and Latino Heritage Month between the Concilio Hispano Incorporated and the City of Lenore, 2026. Whereas the United States of America observes National Latino and Hispanic Heritage Month, that's Mes de la Horencia Latina Hispania. from September 15th to October 15th each year since its inception in 1968, and whereas we appreciate the annual opportunity to celebrate the history, the culture, and the contributions of those residing in the United States whose roots stem from Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain, or Hispanic origins. And whereas we are encouraged by the growth of the La Comunidad Latina, that's the Latinos community in our city, and the contributions from La Comunidad Latina in enriching our city, and whereas we fully believe that the growth of La Comunidad Latina makes the city of Lenore a more culturally diverse city, and welcoming area for anyone who chooses to make the city of Lenoir their home for themselves and their future generations. And whereas we are guided by the city's motto, Create With Us, and Concilio's mission in creating a more welcoming hometown, both working in harmony towards a common mission, of ensuring that all persons who choose to make Lenoir their home are invited to do so. And whereas we reiterate our shared call for community, unity and protection, confident in our mission and vision for our city and everyone residing within it. Now, therefore, I, as Mayor of the City of Lenoir, and on behalf of Lenoir City Council, do hereby proclaim September 15th to October 15th, 2026 to be Latino and Hispanic Heritage Month, and I call on all congregations, organizations, businesses, and people within Lenoir and Colwell County to join us and the community in observing Latino and Hispanic Heritage Month. In witness whereof have Herod, too, set my hand and caused the seal of the seal of North Carolina to be affixed this, the 15th day of September, 2026. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

All right. Sorry, I need my stuff written down, too. Hello there, Mayor Gibbons, the city council members, and the attendants today. My name is Emmanuel Lazo. I am Secretary of Concilio Hispano. As a representative of Concilio Hispano, a member of the Latino community, and a resident of Lenore, North Carolina, I want to say thank you. and show my deep appreciation. Today is a very special day for many in the Latino community. It is a day of celebration of our culture, our history, and our triumphs. As this proclamation acknowledges this month of Latino and Hispanic heritage, I want us to reflect on what it took for many of us to have this moment. As the generations before and during have gone through a lengthy process of turmoil, struggle, and achievements, to get to where we are now. Let that be from the long walk through land, the choppy pathway by boat, and the rough turbulence by plane. We, as a Latino community of Lenoir, still congregated here because we all believed in this city is something more than just a fly-by town. As many of us have invested, worked, and believed in the vision and motto of Create With Us. Thank you, Mayor Gibbons, again, for building this bridge, and we look forward to the next conversation. Muchas gracias.

the plan to be in the picture?

And the council, we'll have the council just stand up back here.

Don't sit down. Don't sit down. Don't sit down.

Take it down one time for the picture.

There you go boy One more

Thank you.

Thank you very much. Thank you for being with us tonight. We certainly appreciate that. Hopefully it will be a great month for celebration. Thank you for all you do in this community, for sure. Thank you. Okay, we'll move on then. Tonight we have no matter scheduled for public hearings this evening, so we'll move to our consent agenda items, consisting of minutes of the City Council meeting of Tuesday, September 1, 2026, Item B is the approval. This is a bid award for the Clock Tower Foundation project. The Clock Tower Foundation design was let for bid informally on August the 11th of 2026 with a closing date of August 28th, 2026 at 10 a.m. Only one bid was received. Therefore, the bid was turned down at that time and the project was re-advertised on August 28th, 2026. bid informally with a closing date of September the 11th, 2026 at 10 o'clock. Following the review of bids submitted, staff recommends awarding the Clock Tower Foundation project to GNM Structures LLC for the lump sum of $91,837. GNM Structures LLC is the lowest responsible bidder, is appropriately licensed, and is adequately equipped to perform work of this nature as submitted. Item C is the resolution of acceptance. This is for Environmental Protection Agency, the EPA, brownfields cleanup grant, approval of a resolution to authorize the acceptance of an Environmental Protection Agency brownfields cleanup grant in the amount of $500,000. The purpose of the grant is to complete the site cleanup of the old Brawhill property located at the corner of Virginia Street and College Avenue. The project includes the hiring of a duly qualified contractor for the removal of the remaining material to an appropriately approved landfill facility under the direction of the City and Mid-Atlantic Associates, the City's environmental consultant, and the staff recommends approval of the resolution as submitted. Item D is approval of the City of Lenoir and the Town of Blowing Rock sludge agreement. This is a City of Lenoir and the Town of Blowing Rock have had an agreement for the Lower Creek Wastewater Treatment Facility to accept municipal wastewater treatment plant sludge from the town for approximately 30 years. This updated agreement modifies the original agreement to meet current permit requirements. Throughout the term of this agreement, Bowen Rock will continue to hold all appropriate permits necessary to effectuate their responsibilities under the... agreement or will use their best effort to obtain such permits. Whenor will not increase said rates to Blown Rock more than one time during any fiscal year of 12 months ending on June 30th of each year. Whenor agrees to notify Blown Rock in writing of planned increases in rates at least 90 days prior to June 30th of any fiscal year with rate increases that are to be become effective on July 1st of that same year. Staff recommends approval of the agreement as submitted. And item D is the proclamation for the National Hispanic and Latino Heritage Month that we just presented a few minutes ago. So that's your items A through E. On the consent agenda, I will turn it over to council for any questions or comments or vote when you're ready.

I do have a question.

Yes, sir.

On item D, the sludge agreement. Yes. I know in the agreement we've got approval up to 9,000 gallons per week. And what has it generally been?

I don't think last 12 months they submitted anything to us. This is well within the limits. Okay.

All right. Okay. Thank you. Any other questions? All right. If not, I will entertain a motion for the consent agenda as presented.

Mr. Mayor, I'd like to make a motion to accept the consent agenda items A through E as presented.

A motion from Council Member Stevens that we approve the consent agenda items A through E as presented. No other questions. All in favor, please say aye. Aye. All opposed. And that tonight is unanimous. We are minus one council member. Mayor Pro Tem Perkins is not here tonight. Thank you for that. All right, we'll move on then. Now it's time for any requests and petitions of any citizens, anyone who would like to address the council, this is the time to do so. If you'll please come forward to the mic and give us your name and address, we'll be glad to hear from you now.

to hold this in Spain.

Good evening. My name is Esmeralda Echachel, and I'm the director of Concilio Hispano Inc. My address is 1601 Main Street, Lenoir, North Carolina, 28645. Thank you. Firstly, I want to thank Mayor Givens, again, and the City Council of Lenoir for recognizing Hispanic and Latino Heritage Month. This moment means a lot to us as a community. I will now read the proclamation that was just passed in Spanish for our Spanish-speaking community. Buenas tardes. Mi nombre es Esmeralda Chachal y soy la directora de Concilio Hispano. Voy a darle lectura a la proclamación firmado en español. Proclamación del mes de la herencia hispana y latina, Concilio Hispano Inc. y la Ciudad de Leonor 2026. Considerando que los Estados Unidos y América conmemoran el mes de la herencia latina e hispana del 15 de septiembre al 15 de octubre de cada año desde su instauración en 1968. Considerando que valoramos la oportunidad anual de celebrar la historia, la cultura, las contribuciones de quienes residen en los Estados Unidos y cuyas raíces provienen de América Latina, el Caribe, España u orígenes hispanos. Y considerando que nos alienta el crecimiento de la comunidad latina en nuestra ciudad y las contribuciones que esta aporta para enriquecerla. Y considerando que creemos firmemente que el crecimiento de la comunidad latina hace que la ciudad de Leonor sea un lugar culturalmente más diverso y acogedor para cualquiera que decida establecer su hogar aquí, tanto para sí mismo como para las generaciones futuras. Y considerando que nos guiamos por el lema de la ciudad Create With Us, Crea Con Nosotros, y por la misión del concilio hispano de crear una comunidad local más agendora, acogedora, trabajando ambos en armonía hacia el objetivo común de garantizar que todas las personas que elijan Lenoir como su hogar se sientan invitados a hacerlo. Y considerando que reiteramos nuestro llamado conjunto a la comunidad la unidad y la protección confiados en nuestra misión y visión para nuestra ciudad y para todos sus residentes. Por tanto, yo, Joseph L. Gibbons, alcalde de la ciudad de Illinois, junto con el consejo municipal proclamo que la presente el periodo comprendido entre el 15 de septiembre de 2026 y el 15 de octubre de 2026 como mes de la herencia latina e hispana e invito a todas las congregaciones, organizaciones, empresas y habitantes de Lenore y del condado de Caldwell a unirse a nosotros y a la comunidad en la conmemoración de este mes. En fe de lo cual, firmo el presente documento y ordeno que se estampe el sello de la ciudad de Lenore, Norte Carolina, este día 15 de septiembre de 2026. Antes de terminar, quiero dejar algo claro, que esta proclamación es para celebrar a todos los latinos e hispanos, no importa su religión, su estatus económico, su estatus migratorio, su comida o su bandera. También quiero recordarnos a todos, incluyéndome a mí, de llevar siempre la amabilidad en nuestras acciones, el amor en nuestras palabras, y que nunca perdamos nuestra humanidad. Y ahora lo digo en inglés. Before I finish, I want to make it clear that this proclamation is to celebrate all Latinos and Hispanics, regardless of religion, economic status, immigration status, or country of origin. I want to remind us all, myself included, to always show kindness through our actions, let love flow through our words, and to never lose our humanity. Finally, a small shout out to the country celebrating Independence Day today. Thank you. Muchas gracias.

Thank you very much. Thank you very much. We certainly appreciate it. Thank you all for being with us tonight. Again, I hope it will be a great month. Thank you. Okay, we will move on then. Tonight we have the reports of our boards and commissions. I will recognize, and it's decked out in purple tonight, by the way, just because of some team that played this weekend. We don't know about that. Mr. Rick Oxford is here for the Home Program Plan Administrator for the Western Piedmont Council Governments. We'll hold a public meeting to receive public input and comments concerning the proposed FY 2025 Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report. This report details the activities and expenditures of Community Development Block Grant and Home Funds during the period beginning July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. Jennifer, yeah.

Thank you, Jennifer.

Good evening, Mayor and members of the council. The City of Lenoir receives both CDBG, Community Development Block Grant funds, and home funds from HUD, Housing and Urban Development. One of the requirements we have to do for HUD is to complete a consolidated annual performance and evaluation report. Better known to us and everybody as the CAPER. So this is a little report we're going to go over of what we've done in the past year, fiscal year 2025. The city of Lenoir received home funds of $984,230.65 in home funds for fiscal year 2025. The city also received an additional $445,772.68 from the home program generated program income. The city serves as the lead entity of the 28 local governments. The city also has a homebuyer assistance program, and since this past fiscal year, over 34 applicants became first-time homebuyers. The city also funded two different CHODOs, community housing development organizations, which resulted in the construction of four new habitat homes during the reporting period. And we also funded two multifamily apartment projects, and it created 126 rental units. For the CDBG funds, we received in fiscal year 2025 $136,612 of CDBG funds. The city is in the process of using CDBG funding for public facility improvements at the Old Lenore High School Complex, which is located in a low-income census tract, which is a program requirement. Also, we have the, going back to the first-time homebuyers program, we have a homebuyer assistance program. It covers the four counties of Alexander, Burke, Collin, and Catawba counties. We can provide up to $20,000 to qualified applicants for the purchase of a home. It says this assistance is in the form of a zero interest, zero monthly payment. Half of the loan is forgiven at the 10-year anniversary of the loan, once the 10-year date of purchase. And repayment is triggered to us if or when they sell the home. That's about it.

Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Any questions of Jennifer concerning the... Programs for the Western Piedmont Council of Governments that we are involved in. Just one question. Yes, sir.

You said that the repayment is triggered if they sell the home. If they don't, and the half that is not forgiven, how is that repaid?

So if they sell the home in the first 10 years, they will owe the full amount. So if they got $20,000, the full $20,000, year 10 through year 100, they'll only owe half of the $10,000. It's an open-ended loan. So, you know, if they sell it, if they don't do anything, basically they'll have to wait until something happens or they sell it or something, or if they die, then they'll go to the heir property and they... take care of it, and they'll pay it out of that settlement.

But they still have to repay the funds?

Yes. Somebody will have to repay, yes. They will pay us back.

And that goes back into the fund for another?

Yep, that'll be the program income, and it recirculates and comes back, and we reuse it to something else.

Okay. Well, thank you.

Uh-huh. Any more questions?

Any other questions? Okay. Seeing none. Thank you, Jennifer. We appreciate that. We'll look forward to seeing you again. You can bring him back if you want to.

That'd be fine.

Thank you. All right. We'll move on then to reports and recommendations of the city manager, Mr. Hildebrand.

Mr. Mayor, Council, tonight all I have is information items for you. This Thursday, the city will have a litter sweep day. That's being coordinated by Jonathan Hogan, Public Works Director. We'll meet outside probably, John, 9 a.m. to start 8.30 to 9 to go back and start picking up litter along the streets in Lenore. The ABC Board will meet on Thursday, September 17th as well. That will be at 2 o'clock. The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board will meet on Monday, September 21st, 6 o'clock, and that's at the Aquatic Fitness Center. As the mayor mentioned, at 5.30, 5.45, we'll go back and have the dedication of the sign in the field for Rick Pierce and his family. The Committee of the Whole will meet on Tuesday, September 22nd, 8.30 a.m. That's third floor City Hall. The Foothills Regional Airport Authority will meet on Wednesday, September 23rd at noon at the airport. And lastly, I have the Friday night concert series we have will feature Wild Canyon Band, and that will be held on Friday, September 25th from 7 to 10 p.m. at the downtown Lenoir Stage. And that's all I have, unless you have questions this evening.

Any questions, Mr. Hildebrand, or any of our staff concerning anything that is coming up? All right, seeing no one. We'll move on then to a report from our city attorney, Mr. Rohrer. Nothing to report. Nothing, thank you, sir. And I made some announcements at the start of the meeting, so I don't think I have anything else to add to that. tonight i'll move on any recommendations or recommendations reports or recommendations from our council members anything that you want to add okay seeing no one all right thank you very much for being with us this evening we'll uh look forward to a good week weather get a little a little cooler maybe and uh maybe some fall coming up but thank you for being with us this meeting is adjourned