City Council - Regular Meeting

I'd like to call our meeting to order. The first item of business is item 2A, the invocation and pledge of allegiance. Would you please stand, please?

let's pray Heavenly Father we just thank you for all the blessings that you have given us Lord we thank you for allowing us to be in a free country Lord we thank you for allowing us to live in a wonderful town And Lord, I thank you for all of the folks that are here tonight to participate in our process of managing this town. Lord, we thank you for the wonderful weather that we've had lately. We thank you for the rains that we have had. And just give this board wisdom so that we can make decisions that would be looked favorably upon in your sight and in our community's sight. Lord, we thank you for all of our blessings. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. Amen.

I'd like to welcome each of you to our May 19th meeting. It's just wonderful to see so many people out to participate in our meeting. It is good to see and we are interested in hearing what you have to say. One of the things that this board values is this sense of community and i hope as we go through this meeting tonight that that idea of community and the value that it has will be sustained so i encourage you to believe that we will listen to your concerns we will proceed fairly And one of the things that we will focus on is running the business of the town, and we ask for your assistance in helping us to do that with civility and respect. We thank you so much for hearing us out. At this time, I will ask the town manager, Adam Mitchell, to review the meeting protocol for public participation as it relates to this meeting.

Thank you very good evening good evening board members tonight's town board meeting is both in person and live streamed on the town's YouTube channel and Facebook page tonight's meeting contains a public comment period and to schedule public hearings public is invited to comment in person when is the appropriate time mayor Harris will call those wishing to address the town board. All attendees that have appeared in person to address the town board during the public comment period should provide your name and address on the green registration sheet by the podium prior to the public comment period beginning. All attendees that have appeared in person to address the town board during a scheduled public hearing should provide your name and address on the white registration sheet by the podium. We ask all those wishing to address the town board either during the public comment period or a scheduled public hearing to begin their comments by clearly stating their name and address for the public record. The public is asked to keep all comments to three minutes so that all that wish to speak may be heard in a timely manner. To be respectful of those that may have different views on matters addressed by the town board, we ask that all in attendance respect the decorum of the meeting by refraining from clapping, making loud noises, and generally showing support or displeasure for comments made during the public comment period or public hearings. Police Chief Smith will be asked to escort from the boardroom anyone not respecting the process, and it is the discretion of the mayor as presiding officer to continue the public comment and or public hearing periods. if the meeting protocol is not followed this concludes the protocol for tonight's meeting mayor

Thank you, Mister town manager item 3, a is the approval of the minutes of the April 23rd 2026 town Board of Commissioners budget workshop and May 4th 2026 town Board of Commissioner regular schedule meeting. Do I hear a motion to approve those minutes so move second. Is there any discussion. All those ready to vote, let it be known. All those in favor of the vote, let it be known by saying aye. Aye. All opposed? Ayes have it. Motion carries. Thank you. Our next item is item 4A, Proclamation of National Public Works Recognition Week, May 20th. 17th through May 23rd and I can't think of a better time for us to recognize our public work staff and management they do so much for us that is unseen I mean they really are servants and they have skill and they have heart because a lot of the infrastructure, the roads that we ride on, the water that we drink that comes out, the various things that we do that are common to all of us, there are always people behind it making that happen and making sure that we have a quality of life here in Fuqua Arena that is exceptional. So I want to read this proclamation, and this is to all the Public Works staff that are part of Fuqua-Varina. If you are, would you please stand? If you are members of the Public Works team, thank you. Oh, yes. Thank you, appreciate it, Tracy, and I see some people in the back as well. Thank you all so much. I'm gonna read this proclamation here. Whereas the public works professionals play a critical role in ensuring Fuquay-Varina remains a sustainable and resilient community, providing the vital infrastructure and services that define our quality of life. And whereas these dedicated professionals, including our engineers, our managers, our field staff, and sanitation crews across both the public and private sectors are responsible for the essential maintenance, improvement, and protection of our transportation networks, water supply, and waste management systems. And whereas from the roads we travel, and the water we drink to the cleanliness of our neighborhoods. Our public work teams work diligently behind the scenes to keep Fuquay Marina thriving. And whereas it is vital that our citizens, our civic leaders and youth recognize the importance of public works and the indispensable programs that support our daily lives. and whereas 2026 marks the 66th anniversary of the National Public Works Week, a tradition supported by the American Public Works Association and the Canadian Public Works Association. Now therefore, be it resolved that I, Mayor William H. Harris, do hereby proclaim the week of May 7, through the 23rd, 2026, as National Public Works Week. I invite all residents to join me in celebrating our public works professionals and thanking them for their essential contributions to the health, safety, and vitality of our town. Signed, William H. Harris, Mayor. Thank you so much. Let's give them a big hand if you don't mind. I tell you, when I'm in the neighborhood and the sanitation crew comes by to pick up the garbage, they're always friendly and they're always optimistic and appear to be enjoying what they do. And now you think about it. You let a few days go by, a few weeks go by, and your garbage isn't picked up. you have an entirely different attitude about how important garbage is. Again, just want to thank each and every one for the sanitation, for Public Works and all that they do. Thank you all so much. The next item of business is a resolution, the Law Enforcement Service Weapon Retirement Award. David Hinton. More information about this agenda item will be presented by Police Chief Smith.

Good evening, Mayor and Commissioners. Tonight I'm going to spend some time talking about Lieutenant Scottie Hinton as he is set to retire after 30 years in law enforcement, and he deserves that. So the purpose of this presentation is to consider adopting a resolution awarding Lieutenant Hinton his service weapon upon his retirement from the town of Fuqua Verena Police Department. This is a common practice in law enforcement and has been done in our police department as far back as I can remember. Effective June 1st, 2026, Lieutenant David Scottie Hinton will retire from the Fuqua-Varina Police Department with over 30 years of honorable and distinguished public service. His service includes over 22 and a half years to the town of Fuqua Verena and over seven and a half years of previous service with agencies in Wake County. Lieutenant Hinton and I worked closely together for many years. I was his direct supervisor for several of his earlier years with the department when he and I were in the patrol division working the streets to make Fuquay-Varina a safer place. While I hate to see him go, I am excited for what the next chapter in his life will bring. Tonight, I would also like to recognize his wife Tanya is in attendance and his son Sam is in attendance and I would just like to publicly thank them. It is not easy being the spouse of a law enforcement officer or a child of a law enforcement officer. And so I just want to tell them thank you for your support and your understanding throughout his career. So I would like to read a summary of his 30 year career, which is a brief summary and does not fully contain all the positive impact he had during his career, but highlights some of his work. Scotty Hinton has devoted his life to public service and community engagement. He is a proud graduate of Sanderson High School in Raleigh and furthered his education at North Carolina State University, earning a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and sociology. Scotty began his distinguished law enforcement career with the Cary Police Department where he served the residents of Cary for four and a half years. His commitment to public safety led him next to the Morrisville Police Department where he continued his service for just under a year. He joined the Rollsville Police Department as a reserve officer for a year and a half while he worked at Nationwide Insurance but missed the face-to-face community service that law enforcement provided. Seeking new perspectives and challenges, Scotty transitioned to the Raleigh-Durham International Airport Police Department, gaining valuable experience in a unique law enforcement environment. However, his enduring passion for community-focused policing brought him to the Fuquay-Varina Police Department, where he began his service on December 2, 2003. Over the course of his career in Fuqua Verena, Scotty has become an invaluable leader serving the community with unwavering dedication. During his time with the Fuqua Verena Police Department, Lieutenant Hinton played a pivotal role in advancing crisis intervention team training and promoting bike safety within the community. As the department's CIT coordinator, he organized and facilitated numerous CIT-related events and was instrumental in introducing veteran crisis intervention team training to the agency, hosting sessions open to neighboring law enforcement departments. Recognized across the region, Lieutenant Hinton is highly regarded in the CIT community and by Alliance Health for his deep involvement and passionate advocacy. Lieutenant Hinton's leadership extended to grant writing, where he secured funding to provide hundreds of bike helmets to children lacking proper safety equipment. These helmets were distributed at community outreach events, reinforcing his commitment to public safety and education. In 2026, the police department was once again awarded the helmet grant thanks to Lieutenant Hinton. Throughout his tenure with the Fuquay-Varina Police Department, Lieutenant Hinton served in a variety of key roles. His assignments included patrol officer within the patrol division, detective in the special operations division, school resource officer at the Fuquay-Varina High School, sergeant in the patrol division, lieutenant in the patrol division, and currently, lieutenant in the administrative services division, where he oversees school resource officers community outreach training and recruiting lieutenant hinton served as the great instructor and coordinator at lincoln heights elementary for 19 years working with elementary students and teaching them life skills building positive relationships with police and reducing delinquency his service and leadership have made a lasting impact on colleagues and community members alike Lieutenant Hinton is a graduate of several distinguished professional development programs, including the Management Development Program from the North Carolina Justice Academy, the Administrative Officers Management Program at NC State University, and the Law Enforcement Executive Program also at NC State University. He holds the Advanced Law Enforcement Certificate from the North Carolina Education and Training Standards Commission, completed the Credible Leadership Series, earning a five-star Credible Leader designation, and was honored as CIT Coordinator of the Year by Alliance Health. Lieutenant Scottie Hinton will conclude his exemplary 30-year career in law enforcement on June 1, 2026, leaving a legacy of integrity, dedication, and meaningful community engagement. His contributions have touched countless lives and he will be remembered as a leader committed to the highest ideals of public service. So I know this is the last time that he can address the board before he officially retires. So I think he has a few comments that he would like to make before I continue with my presentation. Lieutenant.

Lord, he knows not what he has done. It is not hard to get me to talk, but it's always work to shut me up. With that said, Mr. Mayor, commissioners, Manager Mitchell, Assistant Manager Matthews, Um, department heads, my police department family, and all the great citizens that have packed the house just for my retirement. Thank you. And I am absolutely sure that all of you are only here for me and not a park issue. Before I get started, I'd like to ask Mayor Harris for a dash more time, as three minutes will not be enough for me. For those of you that know me, you fully understand that. I will, however, let you know that I have notes, and for possibly the first time in my life, I will try to keep this as brief as possible, with as possible being used very loosely. 22 years ago, I had finished field training and was sitting with then Sergeant Smith, now Chief Smith. It was about 2 or 3 o'clock in the morning. And we were just sitting as police do with the cars kind of buddied up. And we talked about the things that we wished we could see our agency do, the possibilities that this town had, and the growth that we felt like was going to come like a tidal wave. And we talked about ideas for making the town great. We felt like the town was a lump of clay, that it had a lot of potential, but no focus or direction at the time. To give you an idea of where we were as a police department, I walked in to be sworn in, and the chief of police had just retired. He was in the process of cleaning out his office while I had my hand on the Bible and was being sworn in by the interim police chief. There was no pomp, no circumstance, and nobody else present. Now we elevate these events to one of the biggest events that we do every year when we swear new officers in. It's huge now, and I love that. That was one box checked on that list. After we talked, I went back to the PD and wrote down all the things that we talked about, at least what I could remember. I mean, by now, it was 4.30 in the morning. My list was maybe 20 things or so that I could remember. Well, the other day while I was cleaning out my office, I had a file that I stuck notepads, notebooks, different things in just to have spare paper in case I needed it. And I was flipping through to see if I needed to throw it out or leave it for the next person, and I found this list. Amazingly, when I looked down that list, all 20 things on it we did. I'm gonna try to keep myself together too, because this is gonna make me a little bit emotional. I'm doing the best I can. Y'all bear with me. But some brief examples of what was on that list, and this is by no means all of it because y'all don't want to stay here till midnight. One item was to have the town board and town management on board with the P. D. And the fire department to get them y'all to understand the cost benefit analysis of investing in the only two entities in the town budget that do not generate their own revenue. These also happen to be the two most expensive budget line items that you all deal with. Somewhere along the way, we all began communicating. We became a town family. All aspects of town government and all departments began to forge a new friendly relationship. We came together. We worked with similar goals in mind. We broke down barriers. We removed the silo view of the world that had been holding us back. That relationship was missing when I started here. Shortly after this, we gave you one of the safest cities in the state. Jump ahead a few years and we gave you the number one safest city in the state. My first full year, we had a 50% turnover rate. Think about that. Half your officers, it costs over $100,000 to get an officer on the road by themselves. Half of them left. We had, I think, 20 or 22 when I started. Oops, I skipped a paragraph. Pardon me. And we were effectively training all of Wake County's deputies. We are now fully staffed. We have a minimal turnover rate. And we have a wait list to get into our agency. I was told once that every time one of our officers goes to the jail or goes in Raleigh or goes to the Wake County courthouse, it becomes an FBPD recruiting event. That, ladies and gentlemen, is a sign of happy officers. They're selling their department for us. I supervise recruiting, hiring, training, all of that stuff, but I don't have to work very hard in the recruiting aspect. Our officers do it for us. We submit effectively cemented an iron bar into a brick wall, and it's the standard that we set and will not deviate from when we hire and evaluate our officers. If you can't meet or exceed the set bar, then you do not need to work here. It moves for no one. That's led to an extreme level of accountability among our officers at all levels, and a transparent culture that centers around the core values of fairness, vigilance, professionalism, and dedication. These spell FVPD on purpose and also with purpose. But the general demeanor of the department is much more simple. We meet people where they are, and we make them better by our presence. We understand, though, that sometimes the best way to make the most people better by our presence is for an arrest to be made. When this happens, we do the best we can to allow the person arrested to maintain their dignity. We show them respect, we understand that they made a mistake, and we treat them as professionally as they allow us to. We also instill pride and esprit de corps in our new officers. They hear about the history of the town, the future plans for the town, and they're eager to have their seat at the table and a voice in the decisions that are made. They're proud to be here. They understand how elite they are, and they understand they are here to serve and protect, not as punishers, but as guardians. And they truly get that. This culture from the chief to our newest hire led to a closeness and a family atmosphere that has to be experienced to be understood. It's like nothing else I've ever felt in police work. It truly is one team, one fight as our CJC clubs and our explorers say. With the change of culture and the town's support, huge training opportunities presented themselves, and an industry-leading investment and diversity training, implicit bias training, mental health training were made. And with that focus, we created the belief that if the training was too hard to get, then we should send folks to become certified to teach that particular class so we could bring it in-house and make the training readily available, not only to us, but to other agencies in the area. And finally, we recognize that we have an obligation to our officers to make officer wellness a priority. So we now lead the state and officer wellness initiatives that focus on three core values that make up any officer, the mind, the body and the spirit. That is what we focus on each in their individual parts and each as a whole. In doing this, we tell our officers how much they are valued. We also let them know that we do not expect them to give everything to the public without anyone helping them heal after traumatic events. Daily, this instills through action that our officers are supported, valued, respected, and needed. Back then, Chief Smith and I, we thought we were dreaming about the equivalent of building a 100-story skyscraper in the middle of downtown and having it done for free. This is just an example of a few high spots from my list. But now that they have all been checked off, the list is complete. All of these improvements have been made as a team, as a family in the last 22 years. And it's all made the town better and left me amazed. I've learned to stop doubting and start believing because this list proves that anything is possible. Finally, I believe I'd be remiss to not thank a few folks. Manager Mitchell, Mayor Harris, board members, thank you for always being willing to come alongside the department and listen. Chief Smith, now Commissioner Smith, thank you for believing in me and promoting me to lieutenant. Chief Tim Smith, a lot of Smiths. Thank you for everything, for trusting me to be your senior officer, your sergeant, your mentee when you were mentoring me right after I was promoted to lieutenant. You've been my boss, my leader, my disciplinarian, and of course, my friend. You believed in me when others doubted and didn't know me. You were always willing to take a chance on the new guy. In later years, Chief Smith was what the department needed when we needed him the most. He stepped up to lead with passion, distinction, transparency, and intelligence. Thank you for this. And also, thank you to your family for allowing you to sacrifice time with them to be our chief. I'll tell you all that this consistent where to anything, I will tell you all Pardon me, I lost my spot. I'll tell you all that his consistent answer to anything you ask is to explain it to you. Then, if you don't like it, you simply hear, but it's what's best for the town. This passion for the town rings clear in every decision that he makes. Thank you, sir, for all that you have done and all that you will do moving forward. Next, I'd like to address Captain Walsh, Captain Connerly, and Captain McDonald. The three of you work for me as sergeants, work with me as lieutenants and now supervise me as captains. I know you three very well and I know the department and the chief are in compassionate, caring and capable hands. I also know that you are all passionate and will not hold back in your opinions. Think of that what you will. Of course, address them behind closed doors as always. Additionally, you three should win an award for surviving both working for me and supervising me. However, I never got you fired, sued, or killed, though sometimes you all doubted that this would not be the outcome. Your character and forward thinking will continue to shape the agency in town. Please keep up the great work. I mean, hey, you survived me. You can do anything. And finally, to the officers and staff of the Fuquay-Varina Police Department, you're all my friends and my family. It's been my honor to work, play, laugh, bleed, and cry with you. You are the future of the department. It's time for me to step aside. My list is complete. It's time for new talent to shine and take us to the end of the next list of dreams. I can't wait to see where we will be in 22 more years. With all of that said, finally, I want to tell you that I have laughed, cried, fought, chased, bled, hurt, and been mad as a wet hen, but I have never regretted my choice to become a police officer or my choice to join the Fuqua Wave Arena Police Department. In 1995, I walked through the front doors of the police department, and I was told, you don't have any experience. We can't even hire you. You're not even BLEC certified. Eight years later, the FEPD gambled on me and gave me my dream. I've never looked back. In closing, I will leave you all with a quote directly from Jimmy Buffett himself. Thank you all for the stories I can tell. Now, according to some, for the first time ever, I'm going to shut up. Thank you.

But I'd certainly like to just express my gratitude to you, Sir, for your exemplary law enforcement service and contributions to the town of Fuqua Verena. So we do have a retirement celebration scheduled for him this Friday. And so we're gonna tell all kinds of stories and everything else just to send him off the proper way and recognize him for, again, his over 30 years of law enforcement service. So as authorized by the state of North Carolina and at the discretion of the local governing body, Lieutenant Hinton is afforded the opportunity to receive his service weapon upon retiring from local government service. North Carolina General Statute 17F20 states that the governing body of a law enforcement agency may in its discretion award a retiring member upon his or her request their service sidearm. Lieutenant Hinton has satisfied all the requirements and formally request he be awarded his service weapon upon retirement. I would like to read the proposed resolution. Whereas David Scott Hinton began his Town of Fuquay Verena law enforcement career on December 2nd, 2003, and whereas after distinguished service to the Town of Fuquay Verena and the Fuquay Verena Police Department and with over seven and a half years of prior law enforcement service, David Scott Hinton, Lieutenant, submitted his intentions to retire effective June 1st, 2026, with over 30 years in law enforcement. And whereas North Carolina General Statute 17F-20 provides that the governing body of a law enforcement agency may, in its discretion, award to a retiring member, upon his or her request, their service sidearm, and now therefore be it resolved, by the Board of Commissioners of the Town of Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina, the following. David Scott Hinton is hereby awarded the following service sidearm for $1. Glock 17 Gen 5 9mm with serial number BMWZ349. This resolution of the Town of Fuqua-Varina Board of Commissioners is hereby adopted this 19th day of May in the year of 2026 in Fuqua-Varina, North Carolina. And should this be adopted tonight, it will then be signed by William H. Harris, Mayor for the Town of Fuqua-Varina. So tonight, there is a recommended motion, and that recommended motion is to adopt the resolution authorizing the award of a law enforcement service weapon to Lieutenant David Hinton in recognition of retirement from the town of Fuqua-Varina Police Department as presented and recommended.

Thank you. Do I hear a motion to that effect?

Mr. Mayor. I would count it a great honor to be able to make a motion to accept this resolution for a former colleague, a person that I enjoyed working with for many years, and congratulations. Job well done. Mr. Mayor, I'd like to make a motion to adopt the resolution authorizing the award of a law enforcement service weapon to Lieutenant David Scottie Hinton in recognition of his retirement from the town of Fuquay, Reno Police Department as presented and recommended. Second.

It's been moved and seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor, let it be known by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed? Ayes have it. Congratulations, Lieutenant Hinton, on an outstanding career. I know that you are committed to and have been committed to law enforcement. A great writer said that there are three outstanding things in the world. That's a mountain, an ocean, and a dedicated man. And you are that man. So thank you very much.

Thank you, sir.

You're quite welcome.

Thank you.

Congratulations. The next item on the agenda is the public comment period. At this time, the town clerk will call on individuals that are in attendance and have registered to address the town board prior to the meeting. The public comment period is a time for the public to address the town board about any matter that is not the subject of a scheduled public hearing. Those speaking are asked to begin by clearly stating your name and address for the public record. Please limit your comments to three minutes in order that all who wish to speak may be heard in a timely manner. Town Clerk Wilder, do we have anyone signed up for public comments?

Yes, we have one person, Norma Coble.

Norma?

Good evening.

Good evening.

My name is Norma Coble. I live at 4741 Lenaria Lane. Can I get my phone open here? When I pulled into the entrance of Crooked Creek today at one o'clock, there was only two parking spaces at the parking lot for the Blue Trail. It was 95 degrees outside with the feels like temperature of 100. But the heat did not stop people from walking because of the shaded canopy under the trees. It's much cooler. I live at the top of the hill directly behind the park, the Blue Park Trail, so I literally watch people all day long walk and jog from morning till night. There's easily a few hundred people a day out there. People are trying to stay physically fit and they want to get outside and walk. Some people bring their dogs along, others ride their bikes. The blue trail offers an in-between trail between the red trail, which is more difficult, and the yellow trail, which is flat. Kids of all ages jog in groups. There are huge gatherings of high school kids that participate in cross country events. I don't know if this is a city level or a state level, but there is quite a bit of participation from these groups of people. And I don't think these student athletes should be overlooked. The Blue Trail is extremely popular place to sled. People also have picnics, fly kites, and do photography there. In my opinion, the five acres of beautiful rolling landscape is the most actively used section of the entire 140 acres that make up the Hilltop Needmore Park. It is the heartbeat of the park. It is enjoyed by people of all ages, 365 days a year, and that is no exaggeration. They're out there on Christmas. They can be out there in the rain with their raincoats on, but people are always out there. Hang on, my phone just shut. So I humbly ask all of you to please do not rob the entire town of this blue trail. It's like a priceless gym to so many people. I thank you for your time and I appreciate it so much thank you y'all have a good evening.

Thank you so much was cool, thank you.

We have no one else we have no one else.

We move on to item 6A. Are there no items tabled from the previous meeting for the May 19th, 2026 town board meeting? Now we're gonna move on to our public hearings. The public hearings are a time for the petitioner to present his or her request and for the public to give input and voice their favor or opposition to the request. If you wish to speak and are physically in attendance, please step forward to the podium one at a time, provide your name and address on the registration log at the podium, and clearly state your name and address for the public record. We ask all those addressing the town board to please limit your comments to three minutes in order that all who wish to speak may be heard in a timely manner. Item 7A, Wastewater System Development Fee Analysis Report. More information about this agenda item will be presented by Public Utilities Director Wagner.

Good evening, mayor commissioners. This public hearing is to consider the recommended 2026 water and wastewater system development analysis and fee. The study was performed by Stantec, which is a professional engineering and consulting firm. This analysis is required by general statute 162 a article 8 and House bill for 436 requires there to be a 45 day public comment period. During the posting from March 31st to May 15th there were no written or e-mail public comments to me. Santac recommends a $45 increase to the water system development fee and a $218 increase to the sewer system development fee. Stantec also recommends increases to the town's non-residential system development fees for the three-quarter inch, one inch, inch and a half, two inch, three inch, four inch, and eight inch water and sewer lines. The current water rate is $4,929, and the recommended rate is $4,929, and that would be an increase from the $4,974 if approved. The current sewer rate is $4,845, and that would increase to $5,063 if approved. The fiscal note is that the increase to the water system development fee to $4,974 from $4,929 and an increase to the sewer SDF to $5,063 from $4,845. Management and staff's recommendation is to adopt the water and wastewater system development fee analysis as presented and recommended.

The hearing is now open. I have some questions. You have some questions? All right.

Questions? Can you explain what is a system development fee?

system development fee was formerly known as an impact fee it's a what is the demand that is created on the system based on new connections whether it's water or wastewater so the system development fees are the proportionate share that any new development pays to offset the costs of water and sewer infrastructure

So if somebody builds a house in Fuqua Verena, then they are required to pay the system development fee.

That is correct. The standard house fee is $4,929. If it was a 100-unit apartment, they would pay $4,929 times 100 for that apartment.

Okay, but for a standard house that has water and sewer, what would they pay?

The combined rate... I'd have to do, I did not put the math on my cheat sheet here. It's a little over $10,000, around $10,000.

Around $10,000? Yes. So why wouldn't we charge $20,000?

So we are required to do an analysis by a professional firm. There's new capital improvements, there's combined capital improvements, and then there's previous capital improvements. We use the combined method of analysis which is, you know, we're partially already funding the development of the Terrible Creek Wastewater Plant and Harnett County Wastewater Treatment Plant and Sanford Water Filtration Facility. And so those costs are combined with previous capital improvements. And so that analysis says we're not allowed to charge. This is the max rate that we're allowed to charge.

So the state law will not allow us to charge any more than what you're recommending correct. We are these that we call system development fees for water and sewer capacity used to be known as impact fees we are charging as much as we legally can correct and that's what we're being presented tonight and that's what we have a public hearing to discuss yes, sir.

Any other questions.

Yes, Mister. When was the last time this fee was increased by the town.

By statute were required if we're going to charge it we only have to do it every 5 years and we have done it every year for the last 5 years. So just because of our capital improvements were trying to stay on top of that make sure we're able to charge the maximum.

Any other question. The hearing is now open. Does anyone wish to speak in favor of the wastewater system development fee analysis report? Does anyone wish to speak in opposition to the wastewater system development fee analysis report? The hearing is now closed. Any more discussion by the board?

I'll make a motion to adopt the water and wastewater system development fee analysis as presented and recommended. Second.

It's been moved and seconded that we adopt the water and wastewater system development fee analysis as presented and recommended. All those in favor of the motion, let it be known by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed? The ayes have it. Thank you very much. The next item is item seven B, public hearing fiscal year 2027 operating budget and five year plan. More information about this agenda item will be presented by finance director Stevens.

getting you good evening mayor. You know board members are going. So tonight we're at the another step in the budget process which is to hold a public hearing on the FY 27 operate in 5 year. On May 4th, the town government board received a presentation regarding the FY27 recommended budget. Since that meeting, the FY27 recommended budget book, budget video, ordinance, fee schedule, and book were posted on the town's website. Between that May 4th and May 19th, the public had the opportunity to review the budget on the town's website as well as offer any input or feedback. This feedback has been shared with the board. Just a reminder of what some of the highlights are in the FY27 Operate and Five-Year Plan. The proposed tax rate increased by 2 cents to 37.8 cents per 100 of assessed value. The monthly sanitation fees proposed to increase by $1, raising it to $24 per month. There's a proposed increase of 15% for both the water and sewer base rates and volumetric rates. And as Mike just said, we are proposing to increase the developmental fees by $45 and $218, respectively. So some of the feedback we have received since the budget was presented. This slide is as of May 14th, but we do have some updated numbers on that. So as of May 18th, the town received 175 submittals on Let's Talk FE regarding the recommended budget. Of these, 69% or 121 are from town residents and 31% or 54 were from outside town limits, including several from the ETJ and from other cities. 165 of the total 175 comments pertain to the Hilltop-Neymoortown Park. Of these, 161 were opposed and four were supportive. 30 comments from town residents address proposed 2 cent property tax increase. Of those 5 were supportive and 25 were opposed. Reason for the opposition to the tax increase included lack of affordability, belief that the fire station 5, and certain park improvements were unnecessary. So our recommendation night is to hold the public hearing on the recommended FY27 operating budget and five-year plan to receive public comments on the recommended budget. If you are not taking the action tonight on the budget, you will do that at your June 1st, 2026 meeting.

All right. Thank you. Does anyone have any comments or questions to ask Mr. Stevens?

Well, I guess, Mr. Mayor, I guess it might be department heads as well. I just want for the public to clarify and give more information on why, one, the increase for our water and sewer, 15%, as well as the $1 increase in sanitation, just explaining the increase of

cost on us um that we can't control so I guess I don't know if manager can speak to that but I can yes sir uh first go with the the one dollar for sanitation uh this is essentially to keep up with the cost of providing that service cost of fuel has gone up cost of taking refuse and garbage and recycling to the different facilities has gone up on the town in addition we're adding a additional crew and truck to our to our fleet for servicing the public so that is what is driving that additional $1 per month addition to the fee that is being recommended per our analysis In terms of, Mike spoke about the system development fees, but in terms of the user fees, the fixed and volumetric fees that every water and wastewater customer receives on their monthly bill, That is being driven by a rate analysis that the town has done to take into consideration the cost of operating plus the cost of debt service on servicing the infrastructure debt for our capital improvement plan. The town many years ago set course to implement a capital improvement plan for long-term, reliable, safe drinking water for its citizens today and into the future. well as the ability to treat that wastewater wastewater and discharge it pursuant to state statute and making those commitments required the town to incur a tremendous amount of debt in today's dollars not in future days dollars which only gets more expensive that debt must be serviced under our obligations for bond covenants, and that requires us to generate a specific amount of revenue for servicing that debt. That revenue comes from both existing users of our system and new development that Mike spoke to. So in order to make the math work, the 15% increase in water and wastewater rates is recommended for fiscal year 27. and we also have a five-year rate plan so that customers can be prepared and can predict what future rates will be we intend to follow that plan along the way and that's been advertised in our five-year plan as well but that is what is driving those rate increases any other questions

Could you just, in terms of, say, the median household, the property values of the median household in Fuqua Arena, what would that two cent increase impact look like on the property tax, say annually, and we can divide by 12 and say what that would be monthly, right?

Mark, you want me to handle that one? Yes. You have it off the top of your head. The median house value if you're quavering is roughly around $458,000. That two cents is roughly a $93 per year increase in Avalorum taxes, roughly $7.90 per month of an increase to someone who has a house valued at the average house value of $458,000. Great, thank you. Thank you.

Thank you the public the hearing is now open. Does anyone wish to speak in favor of the fiscal year 2027 operating budget and 5 year operating plan. Please come forward. If you would state your name and your address, please Sir, thank you.

My name's Timothy Weiss. I live at 2816 Meadow Bluffs Way in Fuquay Varina. Probably not expecting this, but I'm gonna lay it out to you. As a resident of Fuquay for the last five years, I've seen the exponential growth that we've experienced, and I know you have too. I own a house. I don't have a large property that was handed down to me by my forefathers from centuries past. So unlike others whose wealth has been given to them, it doesn't matter what it's worth today they're just going to hand that property back to their kin as they move on the family line my wealth our wealth here that we own houses are tied to the values of our homes that we paid for ourselves so when the time comes for us to sell our houses and move to a nursing home assisted living space or even with a relative I'd like to maximize what my home is worth. Personally, I want my home value to increase, and that's what I have to look forward to to help fund my future retirement, so I'm not a burden to anybody. So I want you all to keep an open mind that when we have a town that has world-class recreational facilities, we bring in more people. We bring people in who are looking for a living community that has arts, has sports, have facilities, recreation, and greenways for their families to live here. That's very evident when you look at the other towns around us. They've all done this. They've all been down this road, just like you all are dealing with it today. So when it comes time to sell, I want more. So I'm looking at that number that was just given as $93 a month, and I say to myself, in 10 years' time, my house that's worth $450,000, maybe it's going to be worth $650,000. So when I look and say $100 a month, and in 10 years' time, I might get another $200,000 value when it's time to sell, I'm for that. I want to see that because that's the only vehicle that I have to fund my retirement. Our wealth is important, but I also trust you guys. Being here today and listening to Officer Hinton and what he said from Chief Smith about doing what's best for the town. Remember, we heard that. I believe you all are capable of doing that. And that's why I believe that that budget that you've put together is in the best interest for the town. It's a minuscule amount of tax increase. Granted, it's not what everybody would hope for, but at the end of the day, as a citizen, to protect my property, I'm hoping that in 10 years, my house is worth another 200 grand. So thank you for doing this, and I hope it works. Thank you so much. Appreciate your comments.

Thank you. Does anyone else wish to speak in favor of the fiscal year 2027 operating budget and five-year operating plan? Does anyone wish to speak in opposition to the fiscal year 2027 operating budget and five-year operating plan?

Do you want me just to go down the list of people that have signed up? That many? The first one I have is Lori Chamberlain.

All right. Come forward. Do you have a list? I do have a list.

Would you like to call the names out? Yes. Thank you.

Excuse me, I apologize. Would you would you state your name and your address please?

Yes. Hello, my name is Laurie Chamberlain and I live at 404 Wade Street here in downtown Fuquay. So tonight I'd like to address the Armed Forces Memorial that's in the budget. I am a veteran. My husband retired two years ago after 33 years of active duty in the Army, including six deployments to war. We truly appreciate the town's desire to honor those who have served in the armed forces. This truly means a lot to myself and to my family. But respectfully, I believe the Armed Services Memorial should stand apart from any divisive development debate and be treated as something unifying for the entire community. I would argue it deserves a location that is central, intentional, and connected to the civic heart of our community. The town's own downtown generational plan envisions Piney Woods Park as a future civic gathering space designed for community events, ceremonies, and public connection. That seems like a far more appropriate setting for a memorial honoring our military service members. If the town hopes to hold Veterans Day and Memorial Day events in the future, Piney Woods Park would provide a meaningful place for our community to gather together in reflection and appreciation. I want to add that any memorial you decide to make does not need to be massive or expensive. to be meaningful. A gathering space with perhaps a thoughtful fountain surrounded by benches with each of the military services honored could be something of a truly special gathering place for generations to come. As a military family, we would ask you to consider placing our town's armed service memorial somewhere it can become part of the shared civic identity of Fuqua Verena, a place where future generations can gather, reflect, remember, and honor those who have served.

Thank you very much. Thank you. Appreciate it. Thank you. Next, Teresa.

Quincy Scott.

Quincy Scott, 5464 Brushy Meadows Drive. Thank you. Mr. Mayor, gentlemen, and gentle lady. Thank you so much for this time, albeit brief, to stand here to underscore the arguments you have undoubtedly heard many times pursuant to allowing the Crooked Creek community to maintain the design, identity, layout, purpose, and yes, green space It was promised when we were assembled in the not so long ago. My wife and I have been residents of Crooked Creek community 31 years. Having arrived at this station, by way of our combined 52 years of service in the United States Army and in subsequent years to the North Carolina community. The expressed concern for the peaceful habitat, for the animals, for the birds, the bird watchers, the hundreds if not thousands of walkers and joggers, and the children as they run and relay over the walkways. These are not exaggerations. I witness this expression of humanity every day of my life. Please do not label us as folk disinterested in the likes of ball fields and multipurpose land provision. We believe quite sincerely that your goal and our goal can and should be accomplished should you choose to dig harder for this elusive yet neutral resolution. I thank you very much for listening and I thank you even more for the not so easy decision you make in our behalf.

Thank you very much, Mr. Scott. One of the things, if you would look at the history as you speak, I'm going to clarify some factual information that I hope can help us to understand where we are and the complexity of this situation. Mr. Scott mentioned promises were made In the history of this effort, it was a collaborative conversation regarding the park, which is town property, and it was considered that there would be active and passive participation with this park, and that was the agreement. There were no promises made of long-term anything in regards to green space. And I just wanted to clarify that. Some of you may have been told differently, but when you look at the facts and the agreement that goes back to 20, as this conversation took place between the town and the county and those residents that there was a general understanding that there would be active and passive activity at this park. And I want you to understand that there were no promises made. I know by this board there were no promises made in regards to anything other than that. We will continue to work together to make sure that the property there was maintained. The property there was mold. It was supported by the town. There were expenses and staff allocated to maintain that property, but there were no long-term promises made because the fact is that the property was given from Wake County to the town of Fuquay Marina, and it is in fact public property, but out of agreement in regards to the proximity of the property to Fuquay Verena and when the property was initially transferred from the county to Fuquay Verena one of the goals was to make sure that we would maintain that property and so prior to that there was vandalism on the property the property was overgrown, but the town of Fuqua agreed to come in as a partner with the neighborhood to make sure that the neighborhood did not have to live under those kinds of conditions. So if any of you were told that there was a promise made legally or orally, That's not necessarily true. I know that's been floating around a lot, but to be candid with you, that's not factual information. And I think the only thing that can help us in regards to understand and come together as a community is to depend on the facts of what has transpired because there has been a lot of information that has been distorted that is just absolutely not true. And what we want as a board, as your local governmental body, and I know as mayor, I want you to understand that where we are proceeding from is a history of basic factual information in our relationship to your neighborhood. We certainly don't want to have it any other way than for you to feel that we are listening and we are treating you fairly. But that information that there was promises made, Those promises were not made at all, and I just wanted to clarify that. Our next person.

Elizabeth Stryker.

Thank you. My name is Elizabeth Stryker.

Elizabeth Stryker. 1716 Brushy Meadows, Fuquay Verena. I'm an election worker for the Wake County Board of Elections early voting site at Hilltop Needmore. Back in 2023, our HTNPP advocacy team handed out flyers all over town. We talked to everyone. The strange thing was, is once we got there, your voters were already upset and they were vocal about it. Quotes included, stop building from the ground up, stop spending, save money, make our parks beautiful again, watch our taxes, no more blank checks, preserve this beautiful park. The preachers talked about it in the pulpits. It became very clear that our movement was part of a much larger conversation about a breakdown in communication between the town and its voters. 60% of voters voted no. When we say that we're worried about taxes, WCPSS has completed 17 schools at a cost of $75 million per campus. That's $1.275 billion that we're all paying for. Now we're here in 2026, layoffs happening twice a week, housing prices surging, AI replacing jobs, including my beautiful husband's. Dedicated voters being forced to move and now Wake County has announced more property tax increases Voters were surveyed four stickers voted for baseball and softball fields for 68 voted for walking trails and paths I'm curious. Why does Fleming loop have no baseball after 2 30 p.m.. On a Saturday I? Schedules are not full. Why hasn't the drainage been fixed at some of these parks? Liam, my godson, who's nine years old, asked me. Lights are out, bathrooms broken for months. Falcon Park is flat, easily improved. But are you guys listening? Voters were clear. They do not want new ball fields at Hilltop. It's too far outside of town. One of my best friends fumed, why do I want to fight traffic on Sunset Lake and Whited Road to get to Hilltop Needmore Park after commuting home from RTP? You might as well build the ball fields in Duncan. At least there's less traffic. To our critics, we understand. You're fashionably late to the dinner party. I've been laughed at, scoffed at, and all we wanted to do was work with you. We were never against you. We were just opposed to the bond as it was packaged. Have you asked the homeowners at the bottom of that hill where those ball fields are proposed? Have you asked how they feel? Have you even visited the Blue Trail where small children get to play, severely handicapped children? Disabled adults and seniors can enjoy an easy flat trail. Let's take this one step further. What happens when you have an excavation, grading, and paving contractor come in? The answer is simple. The taxpayers will pay, and the voters know it. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Thank you all very much. Thank you. Teresa?

Mark Bertrand.

I am Mark Bertrand. I lived at 5421 Greens Flag Lane, Fuquay. I was going to go on about the bald eagles we all know about, the barred owls that live over here, but I'm not going to go there. That's ridiculous. what we all have here and not just those that live at crooked creek but this community is a park it's a one-time chance to preserve what is there it's a one-time chance once the land machine come in once everything is leveled it's gone forever It's disturbing to think, really, that y'all would put $16 million or more into flattening and leveling that, destroying it, For parking and every other it just it boggles my mind that 16 million dollars or more Can't be used somewhere else. You can't tell me believe me I don't believe it that there aren't flat level pieces of land around that are available for less than 16 million dollars It's a travesty what this proposal is to this park You know in closing I am not opposed, because I love Fuquay. I've been here 20 years, and I see the growth. And is there a need for ballparks and recreation here? The answer, yes. But why would you ever jam it into something like that park? Why? It just makes no sense. And here's the thing, too. It's not just the park right now. It already is a preserve. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Bertrand. Mr. Bertrand, I'll just respond. On my way coming here, when I come, I come down Academy Street. And I come down Academy Street and I pass Falcon Park, which is in the middle of a residential neighborhood. It's a small park. It's been there for years. It's in the middle of a neighborhood. It is beautiful. It is not far from the street. It has not disrupted the quality of life for those residents there in that particular area. So it lets me know that it can happen and it's not taking anything away as it has been communicated. It just depends on how we view it. I appreciate your comments, but I just wanted to respond as well. So thank you for your comments. Teresa, do we have someone else?

Lily Grimmie.

Good evening.

Hi, how you doing?

I'm well, how are you?

Good.

My name is Lily and I currently live at 718 Tyler Stone Drive. I grew up at 5313 West Oaks Drive. My parents moved us here from New Orleans in the 80s when our yard backed up to a cow pasture, which eventually became a golf course. then home soon to follow and now hilltop need more park my brother and i went to the tiny in-home montessori school with miss alice we spent our wednesday afternoons at elliott's for a one dollar ice cream cone special our springs were spent picking berries at ogburn's and our tomatoes were straight from thomas's old store on our drive home from dance by candy or games at south park In the summer, we eventually learned that if we collected the golf balls in our woods and shined them up really good, we could make a few bucks and go buy a milkshake at the clubhouse. We grew up in a place and time that is what childhood dreams are made of, a time when you knew your neighbors, you knew your farmers, you knew your pastors, and you knew your coaches. You knew your fish and holes and the best spot to watch fireworks and where the fireflies were in abundance. Fuqua Verena made a name for itself not because of the high-rise apartments gracing Main Street or tearing down the iconic brick-and-mortar businesses. It became a place to live in part because it was a nod to simpler, slower times. And yet, the very things that once made Fuqua Verena a desirable and beautiful space to live are being decimated by the town at an astonishing rate. today i stand here not against growth growth is inevitable but i am standing here today against disregard and with this part thoughtless development and poor planning the most recent post on facebook on monday may 11th spouted off statistics of youth sports development in fuquay and how the town has reached i quote a breaking point the children of fuquay need more places to play games this post feels laughable to be quite frank the town does not get to cry victim to a problem that they have allowed we have been saying for years that this is reaching a breaking point while every other week a new cardboard housing development is being approved the breaking point that you speak of is not on the people to take care of The people are telling you loud and clear what we want, and what we want is to be heard on this one, to be taken seriously, and to not level the little natural beauty left in this town. Instead, we, the people, are asking you, the town, to please take a spot that has already been wiped out or zoned for commercial space or, hey, a park on Kennebec Road that is already available because the town is literally trying to build a park there. and build the ball fields there. Respectfully, would you please choose better and serve the people of this town in the long run instead of ruining some of the last fragments of beauty that the town of Fuquay has left? Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Ashley Manston.

My name's Ashley Manstedt. I live at 5608 Brushy Meadow Drive in Fuquay. I represent over 5,500 people in the Hilltop Needmore Town Park and Preserve Advocacy Group. I'm here tonight because every time elected officials try to take away open space at this park, the matter catches fire, and this time is no different. In 2023, the parks bond failed because citizens did not want their tax dollars spent on amenities that would destroy this green space that people had fought for 10 years to protect. The people spoke. Yet instead of listening, you're proposing to sidestep the will of the people and move forward anyways, using their tax dollars to fund those same rejected amenities. Slipping these ball fields into this upcoming budget makes this action of this current board stand out as far worse than the bait and switch effort that the county pulled in 2019, and worse than when the town board slyly tried to bundle in the ball fields with the 2023 bond, an action that lost the town $60 million. It's worse because at this point, you clearly know what your constituents want, and you don't seem to care. You say it's only five acres out of 143, so what's the big deal? Well, the big deal is that you were gifted a free park because of these people's advocacy Originally calling it a preserve, and now you insist on planting the wrong things. When you bulldoze trees to plant five acres of noise pollution, it does not affect just those five acres. It carries, it changes, and invades all of the acreage around it, driving away wildlife and spoiling what the people here desire most, respite. you aren't just destroying five acres you're removing people's accessibility to green space that has become a landmark for preservation public advocacy advocacy and refuge that people have been telling you that they want and need for you for 10 years so that they can get out into nature and decompress from the noise and the chaos of their lives in every other corner of traffic congestion and over development in this town but the good news is that this destruction does not have to be your legacy There are other solutions. You can move the Armed Services Memorial to where you already discussed putting it at Library Park, where it would be centralized, accessible, quiet, would not create safety or traffic concerns, would not disturb a bald eagle habitat, and most importantly, would not dishonor our vets by locating it by two elementary school playgrounds and hundreds of screaming kids. You can utilize our joint interlocal agreements with schools for ball fields. There are fields sitting out there unused. You can also cap youth athletics in Fuqua to prioritize town residents. We don't have to take in all of the kids from everywhere. We don't even have enough coaches for the teams when the kids do show up. Fuqua sports has far deeper issues than what those two destructive ball fields can fix. So cap the numbers while improving the program from the inside. so finally just pause this plan and work forward with the people instead of against them to find a path forward just do not fast track the destruction of an amenity that is already magnificent just to make it mediocre and more of the same because once it's gone you cannot get it back you're gonna have to ask you to land the plane thank you yes thank you

From what I understand, the town of Fuqua has spent over $3 million in maintenance of Hilltop and Needmore Park. That's been our commitment over the years to make sure that the green space that you were talking about, you have the impression that we don't support. We have supported it with taxpayer dollars over the last five or six years, if not longer. So there is a commitment from this board. We do appreciate green space. That's part of our strategic plan. That's part of our goals to sustain a quality of life. So no matter what happens and what you hear tonight, I don't want you to walk away not knowing that we have made a commitment to keep that property as pristine as it is today. It is because of the partnership that Fuqua Arena has committed to in order to keep that property as you see it today. I just wanted to make that comment.

Next. Kelly O'Brien.

Good evening, mayor and council members. Hello. My name is Kelly O'Brien. I live at 5733 Brushy Meadows Drive, Fuquay Marina. Before I even get started, I would like to say that there seems to be a mindset that this is about Crooked Creek residents, and it's not. It's the town of Fuquay, all residents. So I'm here tonight because many residents are deeply concerned about what happens or what appears to be a backdoor attempt to move forward with athletic field construction at the Hilltop Nemoortown Park after voters already made their position clear. The citizens of this town were asked to approve a $60 million bond that included major park expansion projects. The voters said no. That vote mattered. Residents rejected higher taxes and rejected moving forward with large-scale park changes like these. Yet now, the town appears to be advancing plans for Hilltop-Memore Park to add two ball fields, two multi-purpose fields, and other changes anyway. That raises an important question. If the town intended to proceed regardless of the vote, then what was the purpose of asking the public in the first place? This is not just about ball fields. It's about trusting local government. People are frustrated because this feels less like listening to citizens and more like finding another path to get the same result after the public already spoke and said no. In addition, residents have not simply opposed this project without offering solutions. The public has responded with thoughtful alternatives, including but not limited to exploring partnerships with Wake County schools and churches that already have athletic facilities that are not being fully utilized. They've also raised valid concerns about the additional traffic this would bring to that area. What research has been done for that? If the town has researched those alternatives and determined that they are not viable, then residents deserve transparency. The public should be able to see what options were explored, who was contacted, what the cost was, and why those alternatives were rejected. If this info is posted, where does it live? Because I've looked on the town website and I can't find it. So right now, many residents feel they are simply being told to trust a process they cannot see. Hilltop Nemore Park is one of the last large natural spaces left in Fuquay, and many families support preserving its natural character, open space and trails and wildlife, not turning it into another athletic complex. Please slow this process down. Share the research on alternative solutions, including new suggestions recently submitted by residents as you requested them to submit on May 4th. And allow meaningful public input before decisions are made and actions are taken. All right, you're going to have to land the plane. Thank you.

Thank you very much. let me reiterate this is a public hearing on the 2027 operating budget and 5 year plan. If you have comments primarily for the budget that is what this hearing is about the folks is on the operating budget and what has been presented. We've had conversations before and hearing before about the issue with Hilltop need more Park if you have comments relative to the operating budget and the 5 year plan that is what this public hearing is focusing on if you have comments about Hilltop need more Park did you know then I'm going to ask a stay on those comments because we want.

Well.

As I. As I'm hearing, I'm hearing information about Hilltop Needmore Park and the justification whether or not to keep the park. I don't hear anything about the financial budget information that has been presented. Now, if you have some information relative to the presentation of the operating budget for fiscal year 2027, then that's what we are prepared to hear. But if you have issues relative to your desire to to speak on anything else other than the specifics and the financial problems with the budget or like of the budget, then that's what we want to hear now. My role is to run this meeting. This is a business meeting. You've been presented with the budget and that's what we want to hear tonight. So would you please help us and focus your comments on the fiscal year 2027 operating budget and five year plan. If you have any other comments on that, we are here to entertain that information and I would love to hear if you have some information relative to the budget that has been proposed. All right, great. All those. Let me just say all those who are speaking relative to Hilltop need more issue. Would you please stand? All of those that are speaking relative to the Hilltop Need More issue, please stand. All right. All those that are speaking relative to the specifics of the budget information that you've heard, please stand.

We have approved a budget.

If we don't sit down, I will take a recess for five minutes. Well, we have recess for five minutes. Thank you all very much for that break. I really needed it, and I think we all did. Appreciate it. We will continue the public hearings. Teresa, who's next? And if you have any new information, that's really what we would want to hear, respective to the budget. Teresa, who's next?

Donald Magnum.

Good evening Miller area commissioners are you doing I'm Donald man, I'm not a to Holland Rd and I'm not going to talk about your company more. In the last meeting. Time managers that we had a conservative budget. That kind of struck me. Because it's got a tax increase the water increase the sewer increase. In a time that 2016 this town tax base was one point $9 billion. It's pushing $11 billion now sub over 300% and we keep raising taxes. And then something just kind of hit me and I use your property all the time and that was a good thing to town deal with your part way and I applaud the town that it was needed but I use the back with a lot and I was hitting it. Yeah, Parkway West Academy where the time was used to be what warehouse was And I knew the owner of that I knew he owned a lot more and the town ended up with it. They they they weren't at a deal of a threat of combination and bought the land. And then there was 4.3 acres of land it was left over not used it was flat. At an intersection is already been approved with stoplights and turn lanes and almost adjacent to the park. And then in. March of 2022, the town manager signed a deed selling the land to a development company and the excess of reduce the land. But you tell us you can't find land hit boy. You only want to have a hilltop. I did a little check in and on point with the land like that when I had the money that knows what they're talking about it does that kind of work. You could build 3 youth ball fields of baseball football field you could have built to multi-purpose facilities and you could have built six pickleball courts not all of them but you could have picked and done whatever any arrangement that you wanted to do we can't find out how much you sold the land for because the town doesn't have to pay excess tax and i would like to know and i don't know if you can answer is why did you sell it and i got to put my glasses on i'm sorry too bluff valley contract in llc and when you did how much money was it and what did you do with the money did you put it toward parks or anything else It was excess land. You obviously stated it was overusing or a land that was not needed by the town, but here we are. And I just I don't have a talk about the budget, but I'm tired of the tax raises when the tax value has increased over 300% in 10 years. And taxes going up this year and how many said it would go up next year, but in the after that going up in the order a going up every year so rates going up every year the trash is going up every year and trash and recycle do a great job. I don't have a problem with the town trash department. They're absolutely fantastic. But I'm tired of the rates going up. And the guy up here before me said if people passed it down through generations, I guess he was talking about me, because I've been here since 17, my family's been here since 17.

I'll have to ask you to land a claim, Mr. Mangum.

Thank you so much. But somebody needs to be transparent about why this land was given away or sold away or done away with when you tell us now what we needed. We needed it then, too. Thank you very much.

appreciate it okay teresa who's next lisa ennis lisa okay hi

I'm here this evening to speak to you on. My name is Lisa and if I was out at 5, 0, 1, com or drive here if you quite off of Stewart Street and James slaughter Road. And I wanted to focus on the one thing that there's Carter asked us about last time we were here and that was to provide alternates that we know you have a difficult decision in front of you that you would like alternate ideas.

Thank you.

And We're here with solutions that meet our recreation needs and protect and preserve the community, what the community fought for at Hilltop-Needmore Park. We have suggested, we've asked that you revisit the Parks and Recreation Bond without the Hilltop fields. That last bond failed largely because of that one issue, a revised bond that reflects what residents actually support would have a far better chance of passing. The town could partner, number two, the town could partner with Wake County Public Schools to lease or share existing athletic fields. These fields sit unused during evenings and weekends, and other towns use this model successfully. And it expands access without clearing a single tree. We can expand or improve existing athletic complexes, such as Fleming Loop or South Park, and fix the drainage and possibly put in turf and so forth, so to make those better places that can be used. The town can look at other parcels better suited for active recreation, especially in Southern Wake County, where new construction and infrastructure are already expanding. If we need new fields, they should be placed where growth is already happening, not in a protected natural area or beautiful area like the Hilltop-Needmore Park. Many residents have suggested partnering with Harnett County to create a shared regional athletic complex. Harnett is one of the fastest growing counties in the state and part of Fuquay's town limits already extended to Harnett. A joint facility would distribute costs to serve both communities and place fields in areas designed for growth. The town could partner with private facilities, churches, private schools, sports organizations, or local landowners to lease space for practices or games. Then those partnerships are flexible, cost-effective, and already successfully used in other towns. Another option is to work with local farmers who may be willing to lease smaller parcels of lands. Fields could be spread out across multiple sites instead of forcing everything into one location. This approach reduces environmental impact and keeps recreation space close to neighborhoods. New subdivisions could be required to include shared community fields or open play lawns and reducing pressure on town and land and ensuring recreational space alongside population. And finally, preserving Hilltop as a passive use natural refuge is itself a valid and wildly supported alternative. Trails, wildlife habitat, quiet recreation, and environmental education serve thousands of residents and honor the intent of the land. And I would just really like to say that I don't understand why you're fast tracking it. To me, I don't understand that whole concept. It's like you're being underhanded and sneaky trying to put it into do something really fast with it. I don't understand that.

Thank you. Thank you for your comments. Appreciate it so much. Thank you. But in regards to fast tracking, this was one of the agreements that occurred with the advocacy group, the Town of Fuqua, several, several years ago, this master plan. So it's not something that Mr. manager would you correct me on that am I correct.

Well the. And there was a group of residents with a cricket Creek there HLA that prior to Wake County the Wake County Board of Commissioners taking of the property their own master agreement or not master plan for the site which included tremendous amount of passive and active recreation elements to it. That master plan was created in an effort to help convince Wake County to purchase the property. When our property when the property was donated to the town of Fuqua Verena. There were conditions that perhaps our town attorney could speak to more detail. Conditions that were established. In terms of our agreement to accept the donation of the property which included our. Our disclosure in intent to develop the property in the future for both passive and active recreation purposes, including town facilities as a potential use. And the agreement I believe with the county. The disposition contract actually goes into further detail about what those conditions are and then of course we did our own master plan for that site which included many of the elements that we're speaking to tonight. So it has been, to your point, Mayor, it has been a very long process where active recreation elements have been discussed publicly and transparently, not fast-tracked.

Thank you. Thank you so much. All right. Who do we have next, Teresa?

Maria Swanson.

I beg your pardon, who?

Maria Swanson.

Maria Swanson.

Mayor, I would like to ask that they speak up with their name and address because we're not hearing it.

Oh, would you speak loud or speak into the mic, please?

Could it be with your name and address? I'm not getting any of that.

Okay, sure.

Thank you.

My name is Maria Swanson. I live at 2012 Amy Grace Court in Fuqua. Good evening, mayor and commissioners and city managers. Thank you for this moment to speak. I live five minutes away from Hilltop Needmore Town Park, and every single day I have the privilege to use the green space in question, commonly called the Blue Trail, and I love it for a number of reasons. But I am opposed to this budget because of the $10 million item on page 51. And I am deeply disappointed and upset that our town leaders are still attempting to move forward on this item about the green space knowing full well that we, the people voted against it. Clearly the citizens voted against the $60 million bond in 2023 and desired to preserve the green space. A majority of this wonderful community, our citizens, we the voters, our voices, we spoke with our voices and that should matter. Pushing this project ahead years later without public approval from that last time we were able to vote, it feels deceptive, it feels dishonest, and it feels against the will of the people. It's how we're feeling right now. Government is supposed to represent its citizens, not ignore them and create a workaround when the officials disagree with them. We want to come to an agreement together. This decision damages public trust, and it does send a destructive message that our votes and our opinions do not matter. I urge you to please reconsider. Think about what the people are saying. We're trying to hear what you're saying, but something has already been proclaimed here, and that is to preserve the green space in question, to preserve our beautiful Blue Trail. Thank you so much.

Thank you very much for your comments. Thank you so much. Thank you. Next.

Sean Weatherhead.

Hello. How you doing?

Hi. My name is Sean Weatherhead. I live at 5409 Willow Bridge Lane. I propose that we lighten the budget by about $10 million by not developing the Hilltop Needmore Park as proposed on page 51 of the budget. Years ago, I went to a Wake County Commissioner's meeting where the community was allowed to voice their opinion as to what should happen to the park. I remember people going into the meeting telling their children that this is what democracy looks like, where the voice of the people in the community is considered when making decisions that affect these people and this community. Before that meeting began, the commissioners vowed to allow everyone to speak, expressing interest in hearing the voice of the community. Hundreds of people from the community showed up and spoke three minutes each for about two hours, if I remember correctly. Everyone there wanted the park to be protected minus one person. The overwhelming majority had spoken after that two-hour public comment period and the unanimous voice of the people was heard. I was shocked when the commissioners completely ignored everything that had been said for the past two hours. It became obvious that the community that the community comment time was just for show, just a check off the box of a procedural norm. I realized they had already made their decision, and it didn't matter what the community wanted. I, along with others, was embarrassed when we went home to tell our kids that that night democracy didn't work. But people didn't stop there, and as a result of lots of public pressure, they eventually let the park go, giving it to Fuquay-Varina. I have seen that same scene play out again and again since then in regards to this park. Once it passed into the possession of Fuqua, I had high hopes that it would be preserved, thinking that finally we had people representing us who cared about this community. But it has been an ongoing struggle to protect this park from being developed. I have attended meeting after meeting, showing my opposition to developing this space along with the rest of the community. And I've watched as these voices have been ignored over and over again. I never thought the process of participating in my community would be so frustrating. Watching as the overwhelming majority of the people are being ignored. It has been the age old struggle of the government versus the people, not as it should be the government working for the people. Even my 12-year-old son, who is obsessed with baseball, wants to preserve the Blue Trail. Even he can see how keeping this space green is more important than having a ball field. I urge you to listen to your constituents. Please do not ignore us. Once green space is developed, it will never become green again. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Appreciate your comments. Thank you. And next, Theresa.

Steve Gustafaro.

Good evening, Mayor. Good evening. Members, my name is Steve Guastavaro. I live at 5516 Brushy Meadow Drive. I am a new retiree from the Air Force after 41 years in service. Some of those spent with our fine folks down at the Special Operators at Fort Bragg and have chosen this area of the country because of my time here. I am here to talk about my opposition to the $10 million to the ballparks. Last meeting, you asked for help and options, and I have some options and some questions. If you would please be transparent about addressing these. Number one, has anyone requested a traffic impact assessment study for that new intersection that now entails the community center and the new school. NCDOT requires studies for projects generating 100 or more vehicle trips in a single peak rush hour and for projects near an existing heavily congested intersection. Number two, has an environmental impact study been initiated? Will residential wells be affected? I know that my well, as living across the street from the new elementary school, I spent thousands having my well reconditioned during that two years of construction on that school. Has there been a noise abatement study initiated? Has the town approached Wake County Schools, as many people have said, and talked about shared fields? Foul poles for a little league field are 200 feet from home plate. Guess how far the foul poles would be in the new field at Hilltop Needmore Elementary School if we utilize that field, 200 feet. Has the current softball league schedule been altered to schedule more youth games? Shouldn't youth sports be prioritized over adult softball leagues? Youth sports are the reason for this expansive project. If so, fix it now. Give the kids the current fields this summer and let adults wait for the future fields. Shouldn't taxpayers also be allowed to vote regarding the funding? And the last thing, as it was mentioned before, we have the opportunity for Wake and Harnett counties to come up with a new joint complex near the county line that will serve all the new developing areas south of us for decades to come. I would ask you to think bigger and think better.

Thank you. Thank you very much for your comments. Thank you. Thank you very much. Theresa? Yes.

Lori? Danhart? Is it Lori? I'm not sure. Darnhart? 5325 April Wind Drive. Okay.

It's Daubert.

Thank you.

My name is Lynn Daubert, and we've lived at 5325 April Wind Drive for 41 years in Windhaven subdivision that was developed by Stuart Adcock. Stuart was a good friend of ours. We were the third to move in, and we were the last original owners in that subdivision. we oppose any funds for the budget plan page 55 which will alter our path our park this is for our neighbors and extended communities it is not just crooked creek i have seen talked to people in chapel hill from durham and other areas even families that come from maine etc they come and they vacation with their children and grandchildren there they build memories We can't tell them vote, but I've supported Fuqua Arena financially and online, and my focus, financially and online. There's many charities that know my name, but you will never see that on Facebook. My focus is for older residents and those who have limited mobility and restrictions. We keep hearing it's for the children. Well, it's older residents that have raised, loved, and buried friends and families here. The current rhetoric seems to ignore all these older folks. Getting to that, I never felt old until 2023. I had a series of injuries where I ruptured my calf, tore my rotator cuff completely and injured my back and my hips. The only exercise I could do was to drive the five minutes to the park and walk for five minutes. Within about a month, I was able to walk an hour or more. And I cannot imagine taking that away from somebody. In my 40 years, I have met over 20 families that have children with autism, cerebral palsy, and extensive injuries. These children cannot adapt to any other areas. The one path along the street is what they use. They cannot go down the hills and up the hills. They just don't have the ability to do that. They cannot go to other parks because they cannot handle the congestion and the noise. If you have ever seen a parent with an autistic child in a park trying to calm them down, it is heartbreaking. And I have met these families over the years. And that's who you're taking this land from. Our park is for our neighbors and our extended communities. It's not just the taxes. And eventually, I will be able to vote in the town. I can't vote now. But town limits are a block away from my home. So we have a voice, and we have influence. We have families and friends that we talk to and that support us, and we support them. Thank you.

Thank you very much. We appreciate your comments. Thank you. Katie yes.

29 a one ballot way.

Hello. My name is Katie and I live at 2901 Violet Way. I oppose the budget, and I'm here tonight to speak about the proposed developments at Hilltop that would add the ball fields, parking lots, and restroom facilities to the preserve. My favorite thing about Fuquay is Hilltop Needmore. I'm an avid visitor going several times a week. What was once a golf course has evolved into something much more meaningful. With its old growth pines, wetlands, trails, and wildlife habitat, Hilltop has become one of the few remaining places in our rapidly growing town where people can experience true peace and connection with nature. This is my call to protect something precious. I believe access to green space is not a luxury, it's a human right. People with all ages deserve places to walk, reflect, exercise, and simply breathe. From age zero to 99, trails and preserved natural spaces serve the entire community. We were told that 690 children may be turned away from youth sports programs. I understand that as a concern, but this should not be framed as a choice between children and nature. Everything has its time and place, but the Blue Trail is not the place for ball fields and additional development. As it's been discussed repeatedly before this board, it is one of the most accessible trails for people of all ages. This is my plea. Please do not take this piece of land away from the people who love it. Please honor what so many residents expressed during the bond vote. Preserve this land for future generations so our children inherit more than just development, but also beauty, nature, and places worth protecting. If this project does not stop, as the great lyricist Joni Mitchell warned, this leadership will be remembered as the ones who paved paradise and put up a parking lot. Thank you for your time. Wow.

Jennifer Howe.

Mayor, commissioners, and the community, my name is Jennifer Howe, and I reside at 308 Harewood Place in Fuquay, Verena, and this is my daughter, Caroline. I am a working mother of nine-year-old boy-girl twins, and assumingly, I'm your target audience for this proposed addition of the ball fields at Hilltop Needmore Fields. however i stand before you today in opposition my son who's not here tonight he's an avid hockey baseball and football player because he plays hockey i am no stranger to sports that lack adequate facilities and support Multiple times each week, our family commutes over 30 minutes to reach an ice rink. My daughter, Caroline, however, is very different. She enjoys art classes at the Fuquay-Varina Art Center. She is quieter. She is my reader. She is my artist. And she is not drawn to team sports. Not every child finds belonging under stadium lights. Some find it on a quiet trail, in nature and in spaces that ask nothing of them except to explore. May she serve as a reminder that not all children are drawn to organized athletics, yet they still deserve places to explore, move, reflect, and build confidence outdoors. She created this poster that I'm going to share with you today because not all children, because children often say things best in the simplest form. It reads, save the Hilltop Needmore Trail. The Hilltop Needmore Blue Trail is a very nice place and home to many animals, including different kinds of birds, squirrels, rabbits, bugs, and reptiles. The Blue Trail is also a great place to exercise for people that are too young or too old to play sports. will you please save the hilltop need more blue trail thank you for your time tonight and thank you for the opportunity to show my daughter democracy thank you so much appreciate it so much thank you and next theresa katie bossy

Hello.

Katie could not be here tonight, I'm speaking on her behalf she lives in the 4, 6, 2 timber Meadowlake drive in Fuqua Verena.

And your name.

My name is Amy. I am the locker. L a u k k. Katie says I wish to speak to you all on the emphasis that this park is that the proposal is only 5 acres in Hilltop need more that will be developed and the rest will stay as they are. Light and noise pollution will affect more than those 5 acres. Information from National Geographic states that noise pollution degrades ecosystems by disrupting wildlife communication, altering foraging behaviors, and causing chronic physiological stress on wildlife. Because many animals rely on natural soundscapes to navigate, mate, and survive, human-made noises creates profound ecological imbalances. Light pollution affects nature by disrupting bird migration and attracts nocturnal insects like moths and fireflies, which I bet you can see a lot of at Hilltop. We need more. Leading to population decline. It causes predator-prey imbalances which can trigger a chain reaction up the food chain. I also wish to touch upon Mayor Harris' comment on the quality of life for our children. in addition to all the pollution this development will bring children benefit from trees trees provide shade help keep temperatures low and provide us the very air that we breathe parents of these children voted no in 2023 because they feel the quality of life of the children is better if we have trees and natural green space and everything the green space provides finally at the last meeting commissioner gardner asked for solutions I, Katie, sent an email to you all with possible solutions and only have received one vague reply. One big solution is to build all the needed fields at Kennebec Road Park. Please keep Hilltop Need More for passive leisure recreation and Kennebec Road Park can be more focused on sports. Thank you very much for your consideration.

Thank you, Amy. Thank you so much. Thank you all very much.

Michael. Who lives at 2224 Cooper Pond right way.

Hello. I want to start off by just a quick story and an anecdote that my father would tell me. He's a college professor for over 40 years, and he would tell me a story of two students. One would always show up for extra help. They would show up for office hours and ask all these questions. There was another student that didn't do any of that. When the grading came, they both had 89s, which was just shy of that A- that they both needed. My father said that he gave the extra point to the woman who kept showing up and telling us how much she was trying and that she really did want to get better. He didn't help the other person that much. The moral of the story was, he said, Michael, if you want people to take you seriously, show up. The town here has shown up. Talking about the town itself and the property taxes that are about to be raised, I don't understand why this is something that has to get done. Property values have gone up enormously since 2020, along with the incredibly rapid growth of just residents here in Fuquay Verena. With all these extra property taxes that are now coming in, a lot of us probably might not understand why this is a tax that needs to get even increased even more. A lot of us love being here, but I would be wrong to say that it has crossed my mind to maybe it's about time to leave the Fuquay. We moved here about six years ago, and the affordability was fantastic. And we see that just falling through our fingers constantly. Hilltop is a $10 million project. This is something where I don't need to go too much into why this is a mistake to do. But just removing this $10 million project will also help remove the need for this increase in property tax. We don't need any more of these types of fields or courts. And I know while this is not part of the Hilltop, I don't think we also need pickleball courts. But that's just my personal opinion. I'm not a fan of pickleball. If you do care about the children, do something that helps all children and not just some. Taking the $10 million, you'll be able to fund schools more. You'll be able to fund more programs at the schools. You'll be able to raise pay for teachers. You'll be able to help kids when they are at school, which will affect every single child more than just a select few that are able to go and play the sports. As was said before, not all children are able-bodied enough to actually go and play these sports. You have kids that are very young, very old as well, that are just not able to do things that Hilltop can provide. Charlie Adcock, when you led us in prayer this morning, or at the beginning of this, you were thanking the Lord for everything that he has given us here. We want to also thank the Lord for these wonderful trees, the nature, the birds, and everything else. We don't want to take this away, this wonderful gift that has been given to us. Would you want to work on making the environment happier? Would you want to make everything more productive? If you want to help kids, give them everything that they can at the schools and not just in this one hilltop.

Thank you so much. Appreciate it. Thank you so much.

Addison?

hello my name is addison kopchuk and i currently take residence in 1901 beckwood court I would like to discuss the fact of the Blue Trail currently being removed. And I believe that many children, not just the children that play sports, the ones that need the quiet and the peace should be able to walk on that trail after school or just after an activity just to calm down, wind down. And when children, they just need that. And I understand that building a softball field is also a good idea. And I understand your perspective on that. And it is a very good idea. But having a trail there is like I grew up on that trail pretty much because I've taken residence here for approximately seven years and. Living here and being on that trail has brought me so much peace and I just feel at home and it's just so wonderful being able to do that and having more children and generations to be able to enjoy the peace and quiet of that trail and so if you guys would please take this into consideration, maybe we would be able to have future children and other people enjoy this.

Thank you. Thank you, Addison. Thank you.

Anyone else?

Paula Chappell.

Good evening, my name is Paula Chappell. I live at 2812 Doves Nest Court. I wasn't sure I would be speaking to you all tonight, but I told the young lady if she did it, I would do it. So here we are. You all have heard from an amazing amount of community members tonight. I am part of the growth of Fuquay. I moved here six years ago. My neighborhood is surrounded by a bunch of neighborhoods that are considered residents, and I'm considered a non-resident. So I don't get to vote on the bond, or the budget, or to vote you find people into office. But I love that park. It was one of the first things that I discovered moving here. I saw that little girl grow up on that trail along with my boy who's not here tonight. We did youth sports one season. It wasn't that great for us because it's not great for all children that are neurodiverse. But we tried it. I digress, that's not what I'm here for. it's a true gem in our community that park is loaded with people of all ages of all abilities from you've heard senior citizens people in wheelchairs kids who can't do contact sports kids who are are nervous for it i implore you to listen to the community members that are speaking to you from their hearts from deep down that want to see this natural gem preserved for the generations to come because once it's gone we can't take it back you can always build a field elsewhere we can find the land elsewhere there's always a solution I have not been to any town meetings before tonight. I've not had a reason to. I've loved living in this town. I love going to the town concerts. I've loved going to celebrate Fuquay Day, visiting the art center. My son's done a class there for three years with the wonderful Miss Susan, who all the kids love. I mean, we know all of our community members. I've seen three mayors now go through the town and lead it. Last week I met with one of the park advocates because this really struck to my heart and wanting to maintain this preserve because when that name was dropped, it was heartbreaking for this entire community. And I understand wanting to keep the branding between Hilltop Needmore Community Center and South Park Community Center, but that preserve should have been maintained in the name as a respect. I hope that you can listen to the constituents in learning of the history of the park in the last week and how it came to be, how it was going to be sold, and how two commissioners lost their seat over that support. I really hope that we can remind ourselves to go through history and listen to it before it is repeated because this is a controversial issue and I really hope you're listening to the people tonight. Thank you.

Thank you.

Kim Pascoe Toledo.

OK, sorry. Hello. I'm Kim Pascoe Toledo, and I live at 1633 Mainsville Lane in Fuqua, Verena. So I'm here talking to you as a sports mom. I have two kids, and we've done cross country and soccer and t-ball and softball through the town. And I think the town does a great job. And I know I keep seeing everyone say like, oh, there's too many kids and we can't keep up and we need to have more fields. And I do understand that, but I honestly as someone, and maybe I do have girls, so maybe they're slightly less filled than the boys leagues, but I haven't really seen it as much. I know there are a lot of League like a lot of different teams and I've seen it get bigger but like my husband is coaching this year for my daughter's soccer team and We have not been able to like they didn't have enough people on his team so we haven't had subs for the last two games because They own like we only have nine People showing up when we have to feel seven and if two of them are out then they have no subs like they could have given us more people per team and therefore less teams and therefore we could use the fields better and My daughter did softball last year and she had the same problem. Now some of this is because people sign up and then they don't show up. So they're like three people that signed up and they didn't show up. And so maybe we need to figure out a better way to make sure that the people who are signing up and taking spots are showing up so that we can better allocate the fields, use them better. Because it's frustrating for the coaches and the kids too when we don't have enough people to play the games. And my kids are running around for an hour. really hot don't you know we don't have any subs but we're still being told there's too many kids and that we have to build more fields um And then, as I said, my daughter did softball last year, and it was the same thing where they had to forfeit one game because they didn't have enough people. So I do think maybe we could try to add just a few more, like one or two more kids per team, and then that would decrease the amount of teams and decrease the field use. So I'm talking about the budget, sorry. And the Hilltop Need More ball field is one thing that I think $10 million is a lot, right? It's a lot of money, and we want to use this money responsibly. I just don't know if there's another, like rehabbing another ball field might be a more responsible use of the money. The other thing that I haven't heard talked about yet is the artificial turf at Fleming Loop, which is another $10 million, and it is also soccer related or youth sports related. I was at a soccer game a month ago, which was like, I don't know, in April. It's really not that late in the season yet. It was so hot. It was 95 degrees out in that field. And I was sitting in a little beach chair melting and thinking about how if we replace this with artificial turf, it's going to be like 30 degrees hotter. Like artificial turf is so much hotter. And so I'm sitting here kind of close to the bottom. I'm already melting. And I know that next year or whenever we have artificial turf, it's just going to be that much hotter. There is no shade there in the middle of those bald fields. And so I just worry that spending another $10 million on that, it's going to be really hot. I don't know. Maybe I just want the money to be used responsibly, especially if we're raising taxes for it. Thank you so much.

Appreciate you.

Lindsey Goldstein.

Good evening, Mr. Mayor, council and town managers and community. I also did not plan to speak when I came in today, but seeing how things are going and taking your feedback, Mr. Mayor, to have this focus specifically on the proposed budget. Yes. So in taking a look at your five year proposed budget, I also am opposed to the $10 million line item for the Hilltop Needmore Town Park athletic fields. But I also want to point out to y'all that this is aside from the pickleball and turf project planned for fleming lube this is the single most expensive parks and rec project you have listed in the entire five years on here none of them even come close um this also appears to be across the five years the only project that is listed as having other financing as its source of funding I'd like to also point out that it seems y'all are able to purchase land for a fire station for only $500,000, yet this is a $10 million line item after you've just heard from resident after resident after resident, aside from the one gentleman who's only concerned about his retirement account, are opposed to raising taxes. You take this in context with this five-year budget plan, including the fact that you have two other parks proposed to be built from scratch for less than $2 million, and this year is gonna cost $10 million. I'm taking the feedback. I heard tonight many people proposed lots of great solutions. I know firsthand that the town of Holly Springs utilizes a number of joint use agreements. um to organize and schedule playing fields that is not a lot of money um it is very cooperative i think the idea of taking some of these funds and putting it towards building a joint complex with harnett county is a great idea and also looking into refurbish and put some of this money into cleaning up and fixing some of the parks that we already have i also have had children go through the fuquay varina sports programs and i can tell you that we've had a lot of problems at fleming with the drainage not being able to play games for weeks at a time because of the water so i do know these are all things that have been highlighted by people before i appreciate that you want it focused on the budget however the people here are here for a reason i am currently in the etj as someone else has suggested perhaps one day i will be part of the town this whole community center the bond yes we weren't allowed to vote on it that is literally in my backyard the comment that was made to you all about the potential damage to the wells on our side is a very serious one we were on our own, I guess, to fix that if our well collapses. The amount of money spent to simply clear and compact that land and to make it usable for the two ball fields, to me, seems very cost prohibitive. Thank you for your time.

Thank you very much, appreciate it so much. Okay.

We have no other people.

Okay, no other speakers? The hearing is, were you on the list, sir? No, we're not going to hear more if it's going to be on Hilltop need more are the budget on the budget. You just sign up and we're going to move on. We're going to move on Sir. The hearing is now closed. Is there any discussion by the board and if not the town hall will be asked to consider adoption of the budget on June 1st 2025. This time and you come in.

Mr. Mayor, the recommendation for the budget is June 1st.

June 1st, I'm sorry, June 1st. And it had, should be 2026 on here, it had 2025, okay. I'd like to make some comments now. First, I'd like to thank you all very much. for participating and thank you for your comments. One of the things that has been said in regards to we as a board, I think that this kind of debate does demonstrate the richness of democracy, even though we may not necessarily agree but we all have had an opportunity to hear each other's comments, and that was one of the good things about what we're doing. We tried to demonstrate as much as possible the willingness to hear the divergent comments and the information. I think it really has enhanced each of us as we've had an opportunity to receive different perspectives on a very complex and passionate issue. So I really appreciate all that you have done and the way you have conducted yourself. I think it's so important. It speaks to the strength of your community. It speaks to the depth of your compassion. And we may not always necessarily agree, but the information that we've shared and the manner that we shared it speaks to the richness of our country. Even though we might be in a climate sometimes where there's an adversarial relationship between the citizenry and government, at the end of the day, it really works. And I know that there are issues relative to public trust. I heard that tonight. But please remember one of the things that we work hard to do as a local governmental body is to listen, even though it may appear that we're not, we're listening and we are concerned. We're citizens, we're family members, we have children, we understand some of the challenges that you have, and we also understand the attachment that you have to your neighborhood. It is, in fact, beautiful. One of the things that our response...

It's our town.

It's the town.

Please, please, please, please, let me finish my comments. I don't live there. I don't live there.

I don't live there either.

neighborhood implies relationships maybe that's the wrong word for you all because you're sensitive to that but neighborhood it comply it reply it alludes to relationships okay so if that offends you i take that back but we appreciate your feedback and i just wanted to say that there is no action to be taken tonight we will continue to discuss and accept your feedback and we will vote on the budget on June. 1st 2026.

But.

What's American town manager was up. And you want to ask that question.

About recommendations was question sorry. What was the question I'm. Well, we've looked into a number of alternatives, and we have discussed those alternatives, the ones that we're permitted to discuss under open meetings law. In terms of recommendations for the improvements at Hilltop-Needmore Town Park, that recommendation has been made, and that's before the town board already. So they have that in front of them. what I need to understand specifically what you're asking about not reverses.

Let me let me see I can respond to that the feedback that we've received from the budget this is a hearing. This is a public hearing we have received feedback from you this is part of the budget approval process with this is where we are now we are We have received your feedback. We will continue to move through the budget approval process. The question that you're asking now is a bit premature, but we will look at and we hear all the information that we received tonight. Does that answer your question? All right. As best I can do. The public hearing is over. We're closing the public hearing. I'm not going to ask any more questions in regards to that. Commissioner Hayes, you have a comment?

Procedurally, before the next meeting, will anything different be presented to be voted on? Or at June 1st, are you saying that they're just going to go on this, the budget that's been published on your website?

This particular period of the agenda is closed. The public hearing has been closed. There will be no further comments on this matter. We're going to move on. We're not going to entertain any more questions. We're going to move on with the agenda. Thank you very much. Commissioner Haynes, you have any comments?

I'm really surprised. I really am. I'm really surprised. I'm really surprised. Did you have a comment?

Okay, all right. Item eight, the consent agenda. What is the board's pleasure on the items on the consent agenda?

Mr. Mayor, I move that we approve the consent agenda as presented.

Second. Second. It's been moved and seconded that the consent agenda be approved. All those in favor of the motion, let it be known by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed? The ayes have it. Thank you. Item 10A. We don't have any. And the other items reserved item 10 a agreement for purchase of real property 325 Wagstaff Rd assignment agreement of real property 325 Wagstaff Rd Fuqua Verena NCBA 2652 more information about this agenda item will be presented by town manager Mitchell.

Thank you mayor. The purpose of this agenda item is for the town board to consider approval of an agreement for purchase of real property. For property located at 325 Wagstaff Road. Additionally the purpose is to consider entering into an assignment agreement with Terrible Creek Properties LLC for the assignment of their rights as purchaser under that agreement. And the purpose of the agenda item is for the Town Board to approve a budget amendment, BA 2652, which completes the accounting function to fund the purchase. The property, 325 Wagstaff Road, is 5.12 acres as depicted in the survey map that's in front of you. More particularly, it is located adjacent to the town's Carol Howard Johnson Environmental Education Park. The agreed purchase price for the property at 325 Wagstaff Road is $415,000. Funds for the acquisition of this property have been identified in the town's general fund unassigned fund balance. The subject property is located in a strategic area immediately adjacent to the town's environmental education park, as I mentioned. Ownership of this property will allow the town to possibly expand our environmental education park in the future. Further creating natural open space for environmental friendly programming and ownership will also protect the town surrounding investment to ensure that the property is utilized for a like open space and environmental use. Again, the property is outlined here in the teal color 5.12 acres or is a power easement and a town sewer easement that goes through the back half of the property. The recommendation to the town board this evening is by motion to approve the agreement for purchase and sale of real property for the property located at 325 Wagstaff Road for the purchase price of $415,000 as presented and recommended. Also approve the attached assignment and assumption agreements between Terrible Creek Properties LLC and the town of Fuqua Verena assisting or signing the agreement for the purchase for the property. And Approve budget amendment BA 26-52 as presented and recommended. And I'm happy to answer any questions the board might have.

Motion so moved. Second.

All those in favor of the motion, let it be known by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed? Ayes have it. Item 10B, Consultant Selection, South Park Community Center Renovation, Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources. More information about this agenda item will be presented by Parks and Recreation Director Cox.

Good evening board. The purpose of this agenda item is to consider the selection of the best qualified construction manager risk firm for the South Park community center renovation project and authorize the town manager or designee to negotiate the scope and fee. So, per North Carolina General Statute 143-6431, town staff solicited a request for qualifications for CM at-risk services for South Park Community Center renovation project on March 11th and received seven RFQ responses from highly qualified firms. Based on the scoring criteria established in the request for qualifications, three firms were invited to interview with the town on May 5th. Considering the entire evaluation process town staff determined edifice construction to be the most qualified seem at risk team to complete the South Park community center renovation project with bloom construction seconds under the qualifications base election process prescribed by North general statutes. the town is required to select the best qualified cma risk firm without respect to price and following this selection may attempt to negotiate a fair and reasonable price for the proposed scope of work the qualifications and interview presented and submitted by edifice construction as well as bloom construction demonstrated both firms have extensive relevant experience in pro project familiarity familiarity and are well qualified to perform the CM at Risk services for the South Park Community Center renovation project. Edifice Construction was identified as the most qualified CM at Risk team based on their extensive experience with comparable projects, including 104 public CM at Risk projects, including the construction of Hilltop Needmore Town Park Community Center. Edifice Construction also demonstrated strong staff availability dedicated to the south park community center renovation project management staff recommend the town board designate edifice construction as the best qualified cm at risk firm and designate bloom construction as the next best qualified firm upon selection management staff will work with edifice construction to develop a scope of work and fee that aligns with the south park community center renovation project budget If acceptable scope and fee terms cannot be reached with edifice construction, town staff will move to negotiations with Bloom Construction. As a fiscal note, upon the town board selecting the best qualified firm, management and staff will attempt to negotiate a fair and reasonable price consistent with industry norms. Town management staff anticipate bringing a negotiated scope and fee with terms to a future town board meeting. At the April 21st town board meeting, the town board approved a budget amendment and a project ordinance providing funding for pre-construction services. Town funding for construction of the South Park Community Center renovation project is included in the manager's recommended FY27 budget for $6 million. The recommendation by motion is to designate Edifice Construction as the best qualified and preferred firm and Bloom Construction as the next ranked preferred firm to perform the construction manager at risk services for the South Park Community Center renovation project and authorize the town manager or designee to negotiate scope and fees subject to the town attorney review form. And I'll be happy to answer any questions the board might have.

Do we have any questions from Director Cox?

I'm comfortable with it. He's got a good track record. Johnson's got a good track record with us and this firm that you've worked with before has a very good track record with us. That makes me feel comfortable.

Anybody else to hear a motion?

So move.

It's been moved to properly second the consultant selection South Park community center renovation all those in favor of the motion that would be known by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed? Ayes have it. Okay item 10C administrative reports preliminary subdivision Platt, Woodcrest subdivision, sub-PR 2025-05.

Thank you. I'm submitting the agenda abstract and supporting documents into the official records of the town. The purpose of this agenda item is to consider a preliminary subdivision plot submitted by the Curry Engineering Group for the Woodcrest Subdivision located at 5800 Johnson Pond Road. The submitted preliminary subdivision proposes 17 single-family lots on 8.51 acres in the residential medium density conditional zoning district. A petition for annexation was presented and approved on May 4th, 2026. The minimum lot size required is 10,000 square feet and proposed is 10,640 square feet with an average lot size of 12,903 square feet. While no open space is required in this conventional subdivision, 1.81 acres of open space has been provided. At the April 20th, 2026 regular meeting, the Planning Board found the subdivision plat consistent with town requirements and voted unanimously to recommend approval. The proposed preliminary subdivision plat meets all town requirements and management and staff also recommend approval. The suggested motion tonight is to recommend approval of the Woodcrest Preliminary Subdivision Plat, SUB PR202505 as presented and recommended.

Any questions or comments?

Can you remind me, was there any like traffic easement considerations, even such as a turn lane going into this property off of?

So as an infill subdivision, this one was exempt from the frontage requirements. Okay. And it doesn't, it's not big enough to trigger any TIA.

Sure, thanks. Any other comments? If not, do I hear a motion to approve the Woodcrest subdivision preliminary plan?

So moved.

Second. It's been moved and seconded that we approve the Woodcrest subdivision preliminary plat. All those in favor of the motion, let it be known by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed? Ayes have it. Now we move to the item of other business. Item 11A, the manager's report.

Thank you, Mayor. I'll try to run through a few items quickly. Our finance department has been busy, as you know, working through the fiscal year 27 recommended budget and preparing for a year-end closeout of fiscal year 26. As it pertains to our police department, on May 12th, Detective Brian Williscroft was featured in a video produced by AARP about cryptocurrency scams and how to avoid becoming a victim. We want to thank him for his work with that video and AARP. Officers Zachary Stombaugh and Matthew McCullen have advanced through the ranks and were promoted to police officer two through the career ladder program. Officers Daniel McClung and Michael McClanahan have advanced through the ranks and were promoted to master officer. So we want to congratulate them as well. The police and fire departments had a successful bed building competition this past Saturday, Building Heavenly Peace, building 60 beds in one hour and 15 minutes. While the competition was closed, the police department maintained their title.

And I'll let them, perhaps, I don't know where chief is, or maybe let them kind of talk it through. I knew that chief. I don't know where the other chief is.

Let them kind of debate that if they need to. We want to thank Sleep in Heavenly Peace and all the employees and volunteers who showed up to make the event a success. Officers Ethan Henderson, Rodney Williams, Zachary Stombaugh, and Colby Price graduated from the crisis intervention team training at Johnston Community College on May 14th. We want to thank them for going through that program. The Police Department will host a Street Safe event from 8.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church on May 30th. 30 18 drivers will participate in this event, which focuses on education and feature speakers, including the Johnson County District Attorney, Jason Whaler, insurance agent Charlie Cruz, and Fuqua Verena police officers. Teens will then complete a series of driving courses in the parking lot. Parents of the teens will also attend a special training session that provides valuable information. and better prepares their teens to begin driving. So a lot of good work coming out of our police department. As it pertains to our Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources Department, the department recently concluded summer adult sports registration with participation up 27.3% from the previous year. This season's adult league features a diverse range of sports, including kickball, volleyball, flag football, and basketball. Adult sports programming supports, as you know, our strategic plan objective of offering recreational cultural programs that every citizen can enjoy while also scheduling athletic fields and gym space during periods of lower demand for youth and active adult use. The Splash Bad will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. starting this Saturday, May 23rd through Labor Day. The Arts Center continues to welcome and support a variety of rentals in the theaters this month. The Arts Center's competitive dance teams have completed their season with notable success. Our Streets Department has completed flag and banner installation for the Memorial Day holiday. In our public utilities department, William Harris, not Mayor William Harris, but William Harris employee, completed the North Carolina Rural Water Association Apprenticeship Program and received his certificate last week in Winston-Salem. Jonathan Joyner served as his mentor throughout the program. Planner Rachel Mann was recently promoted to Senior Planner of Current Planning and started her new role on Monday, so we want to congratulate Rachel on her promotion. The Engineering Department is expanding its commitment to the community by providing job shadowing and internship opportunities for local high school students. These programs allow students to gain practical, hands-on experience and see how Engineering principles are applied in a professional environment. The department is currently hosting a senior from Fuqua Marina High School and looks forward to welcoming additional students next month. And our downtown development manager position received 35 applications for that position. We'll be working with our human resources department to interview qualified candidates in the near future, as well as partner with the FDA on that process. With that, Mr. Mayor, The only other thing I would draw the town board's attention to is the financial quarterly report for the third quarter for fiscal year 26, what's included in your agenda materials. Fuqua Verena Chamber of Commerce run the Quay is Saturday, June 6th from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. There is a first reading for a zoning map amendment submitted by Herbert and Proctor Stewart and Proctor PLLC for 313 Raleigh Street. So that first reading will appear at your next board meeting for consideration. And with that, Mr. Mayor and board, that concludes my comments for tonight. I'm happy to answer any questions the board may have.

Any questions of the town manager? Okay. All right. Next item is town board member comments. Tonight, we're going to start on my left. Commissioner Smith. Mr. Mayor, I have no comments this evening. Okay. Commissioner Warren.

I'll wait till the next meeting to give any comments tonight. I'm pretty tired, Mr. Mayor.

Okay, good.

I have an excuse though.

Thank you.

Commissioner Haynes.

No comments.

Commissioner Hancock.

I'll make some comments for you, how about that? Thank you. You know, we had a passionate crowd here tonight and some of the things that were said, I agreed with. a lot of what was said I didn't um but you know we've as we've talked about before we've we've got a difficult process and um you know we've got a board here of uh five commissioners and a mayor and the goal is to uh get this budget across the finish line and hopefully everybody can um um support uh what we move forward with um the only thing that I did want to um highlight or talk about as far as the Hilltop need more proposal I think probably the folks that were here tonight there's nothing that that that any of us could say to make them feel better but I do think we need to be clear that the proposal that we have does not destroy the Blue Trail. I was looking a few minutes ago, and that part of the park is 15 acres, so if what we're talking about is about five, it's two-thirds of it we're not even touching. And the five acres, which I get they're not happy about, will still have a walking trail that goes by it. And so I do think that's important and I don't know if that's a message that the town needs to make sure people understand that it isn't just going away, it's just changing. The other thing that I would say, there's a lot of questions about whether it's environment or just a lot of the details. that's not really um the process that we normally go through we have a long term plan and we try to stick to it and what we're trying to do with the budget is to say this is a project that we're interested in moving forward and once we move it forward then we will get professionals to look at it and tell us exactly how we can accomplish what we're trying to do. And I know for me, part of the issue is it is very expensive, but I think part of the reason it's very expensive is because what this board intends is for assuming we move forward with those improvements that they are first class improvements. And we want that when it's completed for it to be something that we can be proud of. Not everybody's going to like it. We can't make everybody happy. But I do believe that if we move forward with it, the town will do a first rate job on it. So that's my comments on it. And I just wanted to say that tonight. Thank you. Thank you for your comment.

Mayor Potemko, Gardner.

Well, the question, because I'm the one that asked for people to please, if they had solution or recommendations, let us hear them. I know that we have investigated some of those solutions, and they're just throwing them out. Nobody's really vetted them at all. But one that I want to know, Have we, and do we have stuff like this in place? Do we have any plans that we work with like Wake County or whomever, you know, that we have or like the school system. I know in the past, I mean I've had children a long time ago, but I know that the facilities, they just made it impossible for us to do anything with the facilities. because we'd have to hire their people to be there if it were any time. It would have to be after school, and then we had to hire people extra. It was just the stuff they put in play, you just couldn't do. But I don't know if that applies to the ball fields and things like that that are outside.

We have we have absolutely explored for many years, not just recently, but for many years, joint use agreements with the Wake County public school system. We have existing joint use agreements for play fields and joint space, open open field space at several of our schools now elementary schools. The school system has... We do do these parks.

I know those are joint things like at Willow Spring.

That's right, and maybe I'll get Mark in a minute to speak maybe more specific to the five elementary schools that we have joint use agreements on. In terms of middle schools and high schools, the school system has a very strict standard for public use of those spaces. primarily because they have school hour needs and purposes for those fields and play fields and spaces. They also have extracurricular after school needs for those, whether it's sports teams or other programming that they do on it. And so it makes it very inconducive to our need and our use in terms of evening and weekend play. and i felt i i knew something about that but like i said it's been a while since i had children in any of those programs yeah the other thing about the elementary schools that we have joint use agreements on is there are no lights on elementary school fields and so it doesn't afford for us to have an opportunity to program practices or even night games at those spaces so While they are helpful in some ways, it really does not get to the root of our needs in terms of our youth sports programs. Mark, you gonna add any context to that?

So I would just give that's a good summary just some additional context we do have five existing joint use agreements at elementary schools in Fuqua Verena that are for play field space playgrounds parking it varies a little bit from site to site but we do utilize that where it makes sense to the town and to the school One of the challenges in addition to lighting with elementary school play fields meeting the facility needs of our athletic programs is that they are frankly undersized for the level of foot traffic and used by the school on a daily basis so if you go to most elementary schools in Fuqua-Varina right now at the end of the school year you will find that the turf is in terrible condition because of the heavy foot traffic wearing out the grass which even though from a timing standpoint they may be available after school hours from a condition standpoint they really don't support programs utilizing dirt fields which in many cases they become I would also add as additional context to the Fuqua Verena middle school campus that is something we've discussed with the board in the past it was a a field that was not available much of the time for town use it's of course fenced off and we would need to coordinate for access that agreement was terminated by the town several years ago when it was still the middle school because it was not available for community walk-up use and was inconvenient to get scheduled for town programming today the condition of that field is in such poor repair that it would take significant town investment as well as provision for access to the fields with relocating fencing to actually recoup that investment back and so we've actively approached the school system with attempts to uh you know do a five year or more release of the space for the play field so we could recoup that investment they've not been amenable to that because they've not identified the long-term use of campus we've also approached the school system for arrangements to use other amenities on the middle school campus and the school board has not identified the long-term use of that campus and has not been willing to commit to a long-term lease. So that's just some additional context of what we've explored in the past.

And I understand that the gym on that property has just been let go. I mean they're not even It just bothers me that they're not keeping up this property and they won't let it go for anybody else who will keep it up and could really use it.

It would take some investment to keep it maintained and in good condition and that's a conversation we've attempted to have and remain willing to have but ultimately the school board needs to be willing to identify the long-term use of that campus and what they may or may not be willing for.

And just as a reminder, the school system, the superintendent and senior level leadership at the school have made it very clear to the town that they are not interested in selling the property because they may have in the future one day a future need and property is difficult to come by so they are holding on to what they have even though they do not have a defined use for that property.

Well would that they would just repair the roof or they're not even going to have a building.

Yeah well I mean they've got a responsibility under building code to repair it to where it meets at least a minimum building code and that is they'll have to put funds into it to do that. I know that they use it from time to time for some staff training you know system-wide staff training but they do not have a long-term use and you know when we've had discussion with them in the past about would they entertain selling it to the town would they entertain a long-term lease with the town on certain elements or components of it so that we the answer is we have no immediate plans we have no plans in the next seven years and until we identify what our plans are we're not willing to commit to any long-term solution with any third-party partner to the town of Fuquay-Marina or anyone else

It is such a shame to have that kind of.

It's not for all the lack of conversation and trying.

Thank you very much.

Mr. Mayor. Also, Commissioner. Well, just after hearing some of the comments as well, I heard multiple times about, you know, we're focused on nothing but sports. And I always tell people to go back and look at our parts rec catalog. You know, that is, I think the last one was almost 60 pages. of activities for kids, not just sports. There were art classes, there were all these other activities they have that are not just focused on sports. So we don't want you to think, and we don't want the community to think that we're just focused on nothing but sports. We're focused on everybody. We're trying to meet everybody. I tell people all the time, I know y'all get tired of me hearing y'all say this, is when we make these decisions, we're making decisions based on every citizen in town, if you could ever read. whether they play sports, whether they don't play sports, whether they're young, old, whether they have disabilities, whether they have everything. We're making decisions based on that. So, you know, oftentimes there are groups that come and, you know, they're focused on one thing, but at the end of the day, we still have to go back and thinking about the town of Fuqua as a whole. We're right here at 50,000 people. we're obligated to to provide for every one of them yeah and that's the quality of life that the mayor speaks on that's quality of life that our uh our tenants speak to is that we're trying to focus on every single citizen in town people arena so we make these decisions we're making them based on every citizen in the in the needs of every citizen in town if you go to arena so you know i don't want anybody to get that mistaken that we're not focused on that when we make These tough, these tough decisions at times. I mean, you know, you heard, you heard stuff throughout the day and night that you heard actually people get solutions and answers to some of the things that were said, like we heard somebody talking about the drainage of Fleming loop. Well, that's the point of turf field. Well, we'll have the drainage of women. So you heard a lot of solutions and stuff throughout. Just listen to everybody talking. But also I want to give credit to our staff. Our staff does hard work every day. They've been working through all these solutions that everybody's been sent in even before now because I'm not these solutions were being looked at months and years before they've been brought to us now. So I don't want to let that pass. They're doing the impact studies. They're doing the traffic analysis. They're doing, you know, I've heard noise and light pollution. I mean, we have to look at all our parks. We want community parks. We want parks in our communities where people can walk to them. So, you know, you look at South Park. South Park is adjacent to, a community is behind it. A senior living facility is on the other side. They have lights. They have noise. But it's working. You have Fleming Loop. There's a community right behind it. They have lights, they have noise, but it's working. So we want these things where people can walk to. I've heard people say, I heard people say distance tonight. It's too far to get to Hilltop anymore. But we also heard people saying we need to come into a joint agreement with Wake County and Harnett County, which would be pretty much the same distance or even further. So you've heard some conflicting things in all this we've been hearing all night. And we're listening. We've heard about the bald eagles. We heard about preserve. And I mean, honestly, if we really look at it, this is technically not considered a state preserve at this point it is a public use facility right now because when we're cutting the grass you know we're touching it we're we're fixing it all the time so kind of you know i get that we want to focus on making sure we're preserving areas of that park but as a whole you know we can't just say that that's a preserve and we can't touch it because we're cutting the grass every every week So those are some of the things, you know, just thinking and just throwing out there as well while we're thinking and talking.

Well, and you know, when they're passive uses, there's still a cost to operating that park. So we have to figure out how to do that. I mean, for anything that, you know, our environmental education park or, you know, any passive uses at any of our parks have to be funded by something else, you know, so it's, I don't know, it's just a really, it's a really hard, it's a really, it's a really hard puzzle.

I think all of us have, you know, we've read all the emails, you know, and that as well, because I don't want people to think we haven't read your email as well. Do we respond at times? And I'm going to be 100% honest and put it on record. Some of these people I wouldn't respond to because I want you to hear it from me and not you take parts of what I say and use it to how you want to use it. So that's why I didn't respond to some of the emails, because I've seen people's emails get posted, and it's not used in the context that you want it to be said. And it's all the time, I tell people, going back to the Bible, we can all read a scripture, one scripture, 10 different people can read a scripture, but we all can get something different out of it. So when we write messages and stuff like this, that's why we want you to come to town board meetings and hear it, because you hear it. straight and not reading something because when we read stuff you can get the wrong impression the wrong understanding what somebody writes at times so that's why we'd like for you to come and hear from us instead of writing back and responding to at times you know and i've met and everybody who wanted to sit down and meet with me i met whatever i spent two hours with some of these people sat down phone call you call me i asked the phone we talked about it So it's not that we haven't listened, we haven't read, we haven't read all the emails and everything as well. So I want to let the public know that as well.

Any other comments? I'm just going to comment on that. Okay. My email was posted online and what I would, you know, what is online is a one-sided story and that's something that is difficult for us to deal with because one side of the story gets put out. For instance, I received two emails from an individual and I replied twice to the individual Only one of my replies shows up online. So it's one side of a story. And I'm not gonna get on there and defend myself because there's really no point. But it's disappointing because it is assumed that we are all have some ulterior motives or that we are somehow corrupt or there's something else going on. And it's really a shame, because this isn't Washington, D.C., it's Fuquay-Varina. And it's not, we're their neighbors. It's not really hard to have a conversation, but people, it's much easier for them to blast whatever they want to on Facebook. And it is what it is, that's the world we live in, but it's kind of sad.

Well, thank you, Mayor, for doing a great job tonight under very trying circumstances.

Well, thank you. I appreciate it so much. It was not easy. It didn't feel good, but it had to be done. One of the things that I was trying to do initially is a lot of the information that had floated on social media, I was trying to correct some of that information because a lot of it is, in situations like this, The method is to distract, to distort, and to threaten. And those are the kinds of things that we heard tonight, distorting the truth to try to distract us from the purpose of what we were doing tonight. And you can understand that behind the passion, but for me, I understood that's what it was. And I don't think it was anything we could have said or done that could have stopped that kind of passion that people feel about this particular issue i think at the end of the day though we have to do as as you all have said we have to do what's what's best and also at some point convey to them that I don't think any of us here are non-caring people. I believe we care about the community, we care about what we do, and we care about others. But oftentimes, I've seen in discussions like this, that gets lost, where you have this kind of us-them kind of activity. And I particularly don't like it, but in this particular kind of situation, I think there's been so much misinformation that people came in and it's like I heard somebody say, sometimes people minds are already set and it's really nothing you can do to try to change their mind. But I think in an environment like this and we as a governing body, we have to do the best we can to hear them, yet at the same time understand their passion and understand also they're there you know that's that's where they are so I think we have to move move forward and do what we have to do in regards for this community and it's a tough decision well we have to figure it out because remember that first year when when we got the park it was about this time of year because

We were at the end of the budget process, and our budget was really, we were finalizing it. And then we had to vote on whether or not to do something to stabilize that park, and it was in terrible shape. We appropriated $500,000. $500,000 that we had, and just said to the staff, can you find $500,000?

Because we had already done the budget work. I'll follow up on that comment Marilyn I was not on the board at that time but I was when this thing started and what I remember was the owners of the golf course wanted to rezone that golf course yes they did that never came to this board because it was they knew what the answer was yes So if it was all about we want development and we want the tax dollars, we would have rezoned it and rolled on. But we were in a situation where we were trying to come out with the best possible outcome from it. And so to me it's always been, there are a lot of players in this and no side should be looked at as the bad side you know we're trying to work together.

I do have a question before we shut down our discussion tonight. Okay. Just a point of order question for the next meeting. Since we have had the public hearing on the budget, will we move straight to a vote or will there be more discussion time or how does that how is that going to work Mr. Mayor?

On the agenda if that that will be what we will do. As far as any more discussion like we had tonight, I don't, you know.

How about discussion by us, or we just go straight to a vote?

Oh, yes, for us, yes. Okay. We still, if we want to provide staff feedback in regards to what we hear, our suggestions, I think this is the time to do that now, where we speak.

Tonight, or next week before we vote.

Which is the most appropriate?

Okay, so you have a recommended budget before you. That recommended budget is not going to change unless the board gives any direction to management to make any changes from this coming out of this public hearing tonight. Otherwise, the recommended budget that will be on the agenda is the one that you already have before you. There is no public hearing. The public hearing was tonight, so that has been closed. So there will not be a public hearing on June 1st. On June 1st, it will be a item under administrative reports on the agenda. There will be a very brief presentation by either myself or Mark Stevens on the particulars of the budget, similar to what was given tonight, the budget highlights. And then the mayor will be looking for a motion and a second to get the item on the floor for discussion.

So there will be discussion if we want to discuss our reasons to go.

It'll follow the Norman Roberts Rules of Orders where a motion, there'll be a motion made. There would be board discussion. Yes, right, a second and then board discussion so that y'all can deliberate and then make your decision.

And what I'm hearing, if a commissioner wants to change something or make a recommendation, are you saying the entire board has to make that recommendation or can the commissioner?

A change to the recommended budget needs to be at least three of the board members to want that. It needs to be what now? At least three board members, the majority of the board, to want that change.

They would have to approve that change?

Yeah, just any one board member saying, you know, I'm going to add $15,000 for, a widget, I would not do that just because one board member asked for that. If three board members said we want to add $15,000 for a widget, then I would make that change in the recommended budget for y'all to consider.

That will be presented for June 1st.

but i cannot make it would be very challenging for me if you wait until the night of the board meeting to say that you want to make big changes to the budget so i would say if you've got any substantial changes big changes substantial changes that you'd like for us to evaluate especially if they add money to the budget that would be helpful to know now

So then I have maybe a question for the town attorney, you know, to obviously and this is actually maybe something I've kind of trying to learn as as the new commissioner, you know, we I think by law by public record law, we are not supposed to 3 of us get together and discuss, you know, town.

I've been meeting. That's correct.

That's why that's why tonight would be the setting to do that. So

i think you answered my question then like and i and i'll just make the general comment that this is something i'm trying to learn as a new commissioner like how do we have these discussions i mean this is this town these town board meetings that are a few hours a couple times a month are really the only time we're publicly together and can have these deliberations and then you know otherwise when um

Oh man, we can't talk about this on the bus on the way to Sanford.

The two main times to really form the budget are during the annual strategic planning retreat where management hears from the body of confirming the strategic plan and of the projects and capital program that you wish to achieve. with either the upcoming budget or sometime within that five-year horizon and then we aim to develop a budget that checks those boxes so that when we get to the budget workshop and I present I'm presenting to you something that aligns with the strategic plan something that aligns with with conversation direction that the board has during their annual strategic planning retreat if the board wants any alterations from that point the budget workshop is a good time to say yeah we talked about project a B and C but we really didn't talk about project D let's talk about project D right now and can we afford to do project D and fiscal year 27 or does that need to be moved to 2830 where can we work project D that's budget workshops a good time to have those conversations and then any other public board meeting after the budget workshop leading up to the actual presentation of the budget would be also good times to do that and then of course at the night of the public hearing if you hear of something that would make you feel differently about the budget or confirm your convictions about the budget that would be a good time to to know that as well but yes once we get past tonight really your only time at that point to make any substantial or any changes to the budget would be the night of the budget adoption. And that's a challenge. At that point, we're pretty well set. And we do have opportunities leading up to it. June 1st is go time.

Well, I kind of lost track of the budget tonight. I got to go back and just look at the whole budget.

Sure. I mean, it's obviously a good thing to do. I will say there were some numbers tonight that were thrown out. $16 million for Hilltop-Needmore Town Park. That is not an accurate number. It's $10 million. So I'm not sure where the 16 came from. There was a $2 million mention for perhaps, maybe it was generally mentioned for a park. At $2 million, the design of a park is in the current fiscal year budget, but the actual construction of the park is substantially more. And so a lot of the numbers that you heard tonight that were floated were not accurate numbers. Yeah.

Well, and sometimes we come to this particular meeting in the budget process, and nobody says anything.

Well, we've had years of that in the past as well.

Nobody has any comments, even.

Can I come back and make a comment? Sure. I really do. Feel free.

Because I thought we were going to discuss at a later time, but in light of what the town manager said, I want to say this. In terms of budget and money, one thing that was put out is that our town staff did not do what they were directed to do by a previous board to go out and investigate other alternative lands for us to build on. That is not true. We were presented with some lands that we could look at. and talking about money we're talking about a 10 million dollar budget item to build a couple of baseball fields or softball fields and two youth soccer fields at hilltop park for a cost of about 10 million dollars that's what is in the budget to buy that land that we looked at would be 10 million dollars by itself one of the roads and infrastructure improvement, which is already in place at Hilltop, would have to be added to that purchase cost. The infrastructure and utilities and all, and that would move the acquisition cost up to, in the neighborhood, I think the estimates we were given of $15 million before you ever cut a blade of grass down to start building a park. So a $10 million project becomes a $25 million project if we buy this alternate land and build these baseball fields there. I mentioned that at the last meeting. That is still a concern for me as we talk about dollars and cents and budgets, that financially, fiscally, I think the best way forward is what is presented in the budget, the $10 million budget item to build on land that is already owned by the town and has already got road improvements and infrastructure in place. In fact, there's already two parking lots there. You had to build one other parking lot, which is not that big, looking at the plans. somewhere else we'd have to clear a lot more land to build more parking lots because we would have to be able to service all of those fields at one time so i think that's a big factor when i look at do we want to change the budget because i think with i heard a number a while ago how many people are already signing up for the next round of spring and summer sports it's a big number 10 000 kids played sport or put in for sports last year It's a need. Having more fields are a need. I don't think anybody on this board would disagree with that. So I think at the end of the day, we're talking about do we take this $10 million out of the budget, do we leave the $10 million in? If we take this $10 million out, we need to find $25 million to put back in to acquire land, make the infrastructure improvements, and then build the park. So I wanted to put that, at least in the record, that's my thoughts as we move forward toward next meeting when we have to look at do we vote up or down on the budget. So.

And Commissioner, just to that point, to add some context, the town board did instruct us to evaluate other potential properties that we could build a sports park on. that would include ball fields, that include other elements as well. We evaluated about 10 properties. Two, we evaluated very seriously. One was once we started negotiating was beyond our ability to afford. The other one, as you mentioned, was around $10 million, but it would have required, as you just mentioned, extension of water, at least water, if not water and sewer utilities, road improvements to accommodate the development of the park. before you before you ever turn dirt cut down a tree cut a blade of grass you're already in it for 15 and then you're talking another 10 at least to develop it or at least an initial phase 10 million to develop it and so yes we have done that now do we publicly talk about land that we have had negotiations on no that's protected under North Carolina statute and we don't do that for number of reasons primarily you know we may have to go back in the future at some other point and have a discussion with that property owner about about that property and we don't want to upset those negotiations by having publicly talked about it and it's it's there to protect both the property owner and and the town that's why the statutes exist and so Yeah, that's not gonna be on our website, the negotiations of land, but those have been done.

But I thought it needed to be said how much it would cost if we moved forward on one of the proposed plans that y'all did look at. That's right. That it would be a $25 million project at a minimum, rather than a $10 million project. That's right.

Which would have required a tax rate increase. We have to be careful if we even let anybody know we might be interested in some land. I mean, we can't just go out and, because then the cost goes up right then.

Yeah, we're in the competition with the development community of buying large tracts of land as well, and the cost of land is not inexpensive. Someone mentioned the fire department. We don't need the type of acreage for the fire department for a fire station that you do for a park. And so, yes, you can buy land for a fire department much less costly than you can buy for a sports park.

But that fire station, as all of us know, once we build that fire station, you're talking about upwards of, we're just talking about land.

$8 to $10 million for the fire station.

So I think that was kind of confusing the statement earlier about the fire. That was just for land, $500,000 for land. That's right. That doesn't include building the building. Design. That doesn't include design. That doesn't include staffing it. That doesn't include the new trucks and everything else we got to include to it. So you're talking about more than that $10 million again. So I think when we're having these discussions, and like I said, I tell people our job more than anything is educating citizens. Educating them on stuff that we had to learn ourselves, and now we have to put that information out to explain how we come up to these decisions. about different things. So I think, like I said, when I heard that as well, I was like, okay, that's just for the land. We still got to build a fire station. We still got to staff it. We still got to buy a new fire engine. We still got to do all this stuff like that. So that, you're talking $10 million.

All of which we publicly discuss at the budget workshop for four hours.

Mm hmm.

And also the memorial, you know, veteran more. I don't I don't want Commissioner Adcox, you know, request being overlooked as well. And I think that was I don't know if that was publicly stated, but we're we're going to consult with the American Legion before we build anything.

It was publicly because it was publicly requested and Mark has already begun that work.

because we don't want to do a disservice to them. So, Commissioner Adcock brought that up in a previous meeting, so I don't want that to get, you know, not said as well again.

It's been a very interesting budget process, Town Manager.

I'll just also add this further context to your point, Commissioner Haynes, that the $500,000 in the budget is additional funding to go towards fire station land acquisition. There was funding set aside previously in previous years and to build a fire station you need roughly five acres of land to build a park. Kennebec Road Town Park, that's 19 acres of land. It's likely to build about three multipurpose fields and parking is about as much as you'll be able to yield out of that because you've got need for utilities, setbacks, that kind of thing. you're building more than just the athletic field on a piece of land. You've got to park all the cars for people who visit the park. If you're looking for a larger multipurpose park, then you may be looking at 70 to 100 acres of land, and that's where you get into the $10 million acquisition cost order of magnitude.

Okay, any other comments? I'm getting ready to land this plane.

All right.

Well, this was healthy. Well, I thought it was, too. The discussion was good. Oh, and I'd like to thank the chief and his staff. Oh, yes. Yeah, Chief Smith. Oh, he's focused.

Thank you. And you brought Scotty to the beginning of this meeting, and that set a really nice tone.

That set a good tone. And the staff, too. My head is blooded but unbowed. We ready to go?

What time do we need to be here tomorrow morning?

8.15. 8.15? Van pulls out at 8.15.

Right, right in this area over here.

So be here before 8.15. Van pulls out at 8.15.

Where would a van be, do you know?

I'll have Mike be here. Okay, yeah, I'll tell him to make sure.

He is listening.

It'll be out front? Yes, sir.

Okay, be here at 8, 8.15, 8?

I'd say be here.

It's a 40-minute drive, so I'd like to leave at 8.15.

So let's be here at 8 o'clock. 8 o'clock. That way, restroom and whatever we gotta do before we roll out.

Well, thank you all so much do I hear most to adjourn so moved so that all the favor let it be known by saying I thank you very much.