Council - Regular Meeting

At this time, I'd like to call the regular meeting of the Nashville Town Council to order on this May 5th, 2026. Would you please stand for the pledge? I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. When you speak into Oh, you couldn't hear me? Well, I can't speak into it when I'm standing up. That's true.

Um the um let us uh bow for prayer. Our heavenly father, we just thank you for this beautiful day and we ask that you just uh enter this meeting and lead and guide us, give us your wisdom and knowledge to make the right decisions for all the citizens of Nashville. Amen. Amen. Amen. Um we have some minutes to approve tonight. Uh the first minutes we need to look at are the ones for April 15, 2026 town council meeting. Were there any corrections to those minutes? If not, do I hear a motion to approve? Make a motion to approve. Is there a second? Second. All those in favor? Let it be known by saying I.

The next minutes were from March 30th, 2026, the special call town council meeting. Um is are there any corrections to those um minutes? If not, do I hear a motion to approve? Motion to approve. Second. All those in favor? I. Minutes approved. The next minutes we need we looked over were the ones from March 23rd 26 a special call town council meeting. Any corrections? If not I move to approve. Is there a second? Second. All those in favor let it be known by saying I. I.

And then the last minutes were for March 18th 2026 the Nashville Town Council minute meetings. Any corrections to those? I have one. Okay. on the public comments. There's a sentence left off page 29. The first paragraph, I can't remember exactly what it was, but the the quote is missing is get rid of the evil that is involved in this. Where you at? Page 29. We're at bottom first paragraph. The very first paragraph. Okay.

No. If there any are there any other corrections? If not, do I hear a motion to approve those minutes? Move to approve. Is there a second? Second. All those in favor, let it be known by saying I. I. Minutes approved.

Next on our agenda are the public comments. Um, we have one person signed up, Christopher Sandy. Christopher Sandy, uh, 720 South Body Street, uh, Build Right Supply. I um I just want to address the council and the community and saying that um you know we have to be very careful with the ordinances and things we put in place. We might have a a certain goal for them to accomplish but the big picture um becomes too hard to handle and um or may be detrimental to business or to the community. So, I just caution be careful with those things like, you know, we've got some problems with the signed ordinances and different things like that. And uh and also when we enforce these things, it has to be enforced across the board equally. So, um that's all I got to say about that. You know, we the people, that's the citizens and the businesses of Nashville supporters. Thank you.

Thank you. The next item on our agenda is the 2026 kids to Parks Day proclamation. Coy,

good evening, mayor and council. Good evening.

For the past several years, the town of Nashville has recognized Kids to Park Day, launched by the National Parks Trust. Kids to Parks Day is a national day of outdoor play celebrated annually on the third Saturday in May. The day connects kids and families with their local, state, and national parks and public lands and promotes discovery and exploration in the great outdoors. This year, this year's Kids to Parks Day will be held on Saturday, May 16th. And attached to this agenda report is a proclamation recognizing Kids to Parks Day in the town of Nashville. So, this year to celebrate, uh, we will be holding our ribbon cutting cere ceremony for the improvements at Glover Park on the 16th at 10:00 a.m. And, uh, mayor, if you will allow me, I will read the proclamation.

Okay, that'll be great.

All right. Whereas May 16th, 2026 is the 16th Kids to Parks Day organized and launched by the National Parks Trust held annually on the third Saturday of May. And whereas Kids to Parks Day empowers kids and encourages families to get outdoors and visit local parks, public lands and waters. And whereas we should encourage children to lead a more active lifestyle to combat issues of childhood obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol. And whereas kids to parks day will broaden children's appreciation for nature and the outdoors. And whereas kids to park day will recognize the importance of recreating responsibly while enjoying the benefits of the outdoors. And I, Mayor Brenda Brown, do hereby proclaim May 16, 2026 as Kids to Parks Day.

Amen. That'll be nice. We'll have a great time. Excuse me. So, do you do we have to approve this or that? I didn't think we did. Okay. The next item on our agenda is the water sewer rate study. Randy,

uh, mayor and councel, um, we were expecting a presentation from Hope Tom Thomas with the, uh, School of Government. Uh, she called this afternoon, said she wasn't going to be here this evening. Uh, she'd like to reschedu her presentation for our May 13th uh, work session on the budget. uh if we could allow her 45 minutes. Uh she she's done a detailed analysis of our expenses along with our likely capital expenditures and um she's got some scenarios that she'd like to run past us with regard to water and sewer rates.

So, do I hear a motion that we continue this until May 13th? I move we table it to May 13th. Is there a second? Second. All in favor? Let it be known by saying I. Mayor, maybe one other announcement, too. Under new business, the conditional resoning of 208 South Break Street, that that resoning application has been withdrawn by the applicant. So, we won't have a public hearing on it tonight and the council will not be asked to vote on that conditional resoning.

Thank you. The next item on our agenda is the annexation of 540 and 1501 Red Oak Road. Mayor, at the April 15th town council meeting, you certified the sufficiency of the annexation of the 8.39 acres um which is one lot at 540 Red Oak Road, Nashville, owned by Nash Hospitals, Inc. and a 69 acre lot at 1501 Red Oak Road owned by Philip Heavner. It is scheduled for a p public hearing tonight. Um, notice of the hearings were published in the April 23rd edition of the Nashville graphic and notification letters were mailed to the abuing property owners on April 16th, 2026. The Nash Hospital property is zone B1 in the ETJ Nash Hospitals, Inc. The owner wants to keep the property zone B1 and plans to open a UNCC medical clinic. Medical clinics are permitted in the B1 zoning district of our zoning ordinance. The property at 1501 Red Oak Road, Nashville is zone R30 in Nash County and A1 in the town of Nashville's ETJ. Philip Hever wants to keep the property zone and plans to connect to the town of Nashville's water system. At this time, the council can open and hold a public hearing and receive oral or written comments on this annexation. Do I hear any um a motion that we go into public hearing concerning the annexation of 540 and 1504 uh and 1501 Red Oak Road?

Move that we go into public hearing. Is there a second? All those in favor? Is there anyone here tonight to speak to this issue? We have one. Okay. Come forward up here. State your name and your address.

Sure. Hi. Uh good evening. My name is Laura Hollowman. I'm with McAdams representing Nash Hospitals this evening for uh the first item, the first annexation item. My address is uh 621 Hillsboro Street in Raleigh. And just wanted to come and say thank you on behalf of Nash Hospitals for the progress that we've been able to make. Although a lot of that's due to the good Lord with blessing us for a lot of days of of sun. Uh we've we're ahead of schedule and just want to thank Randy and you all for all the efforts that you made uh to get that water line associated I know that was associated with project golden leaf but really that's been instrumental. Uh we're very excited to be open and are planning to host our first patient on August 25th.

Great. Thank you all very much. Thank you kindly. Is there anyone else that would like to speak? Okay, we got another. Good evening, gentlemen. Um, I control the property next to the land that UNCC is purchased and is developing. I need his name and I want to make We need your name, sir, and your address. Pardon? Your name and your address. Right. What is your name? My name is Robert Gary Glick. Okay. And your address? Schwinfest, Inc.

Okay, that's okay.

Okay. I just want to make sure that our property is in no way infringed upon to be helped by Nashville since we don't need it. We have a hunting club. We have high-powered rifles that make a lot of noise and we don't want this disturbed. I know that if we become part of the town, uh, this would be, uh, not admissible. So, that's one thing. And I'm just curious, you know, why, uh, UNCC didn't go with the other areas across town near Walmart. Uh, this is kind of a strange place for medical facility, unless they intend to continue in building more.

Well, I don't know why they did, but I'm sure they have a reason. And when someone decides to bill, you know, we can't control that and we need to right let them go where they'd like to go just like we couldn't control you if you wanted to build somewhere. I understand I can't control who does what and with that and they voted for the town voted for this but um they have definitely cleared the land and Nashville is going to become more like Rocky Mount. Uh UNC is everywhere. I'm a licensed architect in all 50 states. I do medical facilities, but in my opinion, this is not a place for a medical facility. Thank you. Thank you. Is there anybody else that would like to speak?

I can't see past it. If not, do I hear a motion to close the public hearing? So moved. Is there a second? Second. All in favor, let it be known by saying I. I. Do I hear a motion to approve ordinance 2026-12, a satellite annexation of 540 Red Oak Road, and ordinance 2026-13, a satellite annexation of 1501 Red Oak Road into the town of Nashville? So moved. Is there a second? Second. All those in favor, let it be known by saying I.

Motion carries. The next item on our agenda is uh the fire station 2. Thank you.

So, mayor and council, as you know, our fire station 2 is is complete. Uh it's being occupied. Uh June 8th, the council awarded a contract to turnkey contractors from Rocky Mount to construct the fire station at 1520 Oak Level Road after nearly two years of negotiating for land. uh obtaining financing, securing granting uh money for it and selecting an architect to do the design and of course to get LGC approval to borrow the money we needed in order to finish the financing for the project. Um when we undertook the project, it was anticipated with a total project cost of $4,980,554. September 13th, the fire station was finished. Uh our fire department held a ribbon cutting and a dedication and an open house and they moved in there shortly after. Um I'm glad to report the facility is working out very well and uh it shall serve the department, the town, and the Gully Fire District well for many years to come. Uh with the project now finished, uh we prepared a resolution to close out the project. The final project cost with architect fees, legal financing and construction came to $4,910,515 which is $70,39 uh below what we anticipated. And uh you can see on the agenda report there how how the uh project numbers broke down. Um the bank loan we had asked for to borrow up to 3 million. We only needed to borrow 2,449,000. Uh we we got the grant from Congressman

Don Davis, 1,338,000. The town put in 626,000 uh of general fund revenue. Uh most all that was fund balance. Uh we got a $300,000 no interest loan from Edric Martin Electric Cooperative that we're paying back over 10 years. And then the uh Gully Fire District had a fund balance of 195,000 that we also used for the project. So that's how the uh funding for the project broke down. At this time uh um the council can review resolution 2623 to close out the fire station construction project.

Did you uh review this um resolution everybody? Yeah. a clar clarification. Would the Randy would the $70,39 go back into general fund? It did. Yeah. It was just It was fun balance that we didn't have to draw down. We didn't just draw didn't draw down on. Okay. No. All right. And all the kinks are out of the building. As far as far as we know, there's a punch list. A new one hadn't punched hadn't come up yet, has it, Chief? Yes, sir. We want to make sure, you know, before we do this that it everything's fixed. We don't have any new kinks at the fire department, do we?

We do have a punch list. We met last week with uh Matt Oakley, uh Monica with USDA, Robbie Davis, um Chris AOT was there because he's over the buildings and everything. We went over that. There was 10 things that need to be addressed, but are minor things that we we found over the year. Today makes one year since we moved in it. So, and that station has done a little over a thousand calls in a year. So, don't seem like it's been a year. So, but yeah. So, you're sure all those little things will get fixed. Yeah. Okay. Believe me,

they got them on the screen. Chief is like that was a spot that they had to come back and fix because we didn't like the way it looked. So, they've reputed it. And then there's just a few other things. There's some cocking at the bottom of the bathroom wall that they're going to come back and do. Uh above those doors, those are the doors that when we put them in that they had been weathered a little bit and the rust is coming through. So that's got to have another coat of paint on it. So that's what that is. And then some receptacles that we took out and we did not do stuff in. So Robbie's going to come back put covers on those. Okay. So all this a contractor's expense anyway? Yes. Okay. Thank you. All right.

So, uh, do I hear a motion to approve resolution 2026-23 closing out the fire station 2 construction project? Move to approve. Is there a second? Second. All those in favor, let it be known by saying I. I. The next item on our agenda is the Body Street storm sewer intakes. Or did I skip something? No. No. Yeah. The reasonzoning is has been withdrawn, right? So 174 174 jump. Oh shoot. That's right. We skipped half the agenda. Yeah, it was much much much much longer term.

So uh Body Street storm sewer intake project. Uh like to do a project and and spend some of our um storm water money that we have budgeted. And this seems like a good one. It's a it's a small storm sewer intake construction project. Um as you as you may recall we during heavy rains we do have some street flooding on body at the railroad street in uh intersection and when uh our engineer town engineer looked at that there's there's some issues going on with the uh intakes that are there right now. One of them has a sewer line that goes through which significantly diminishes its capacity. Um and then we will look at redoing that uh with a larger intake box and another one if need be. Then also at the uh it'd be the south southeast corner of body and cross. There's there's a rather large mud puddle that sets there after every rain. There's no intake there, but there could be because the storm sewer pipes right underneath of it. So, it's just a matter of excavating there, popping a hole on top of that storm sewer pipe that's underneath that area already and draining it. And then further down, you get further down to uh Church Street um near the Church Street Grill and the new uh used appliance store. There's an alley behind those properties. It's it's a private alley, but there's a large storm sewer that goes through there, a 48 in storm sewer that drains, you know, the middle school all the way down behind Church on the rise all through there. Anyway, um the property owners whose uh properties are routinely flooded back there when we get heavy heavy rains and it can't get away enough thought we could give some general relief to that area if we could pull some of the water coming down Body Street and get it into that pipe before

it runs down the private alley into and behind. So, this project uh is to um this resolution is to award a contract to StockX Engineering for $25,300 to engineer and design those three storm sewer intakes. And then once that's done, we'll let them out for bidding. And uh because this uh professional service contract is less than $50,000, the council via the resolution can exempt the can exempt the town from the requirements of the Mini Brooks Act, which requires competitive uh requests for um qualifications in selecting an engineering firm. Did any of you have any questions about the resolution that was on page 175? If not, do I hear a motion to approve resolution 2026-22 awarding a $25,300 engineering contract to Stocks Engineering for the Body Street Storm sewer intake project and exempting the town from the qualificationbased SE selection process for the engineering service on this project?

Is there a second? All those in favor, let it be known by saying I.

I. The next item on our agenda is the special event permits. Section 34-77 of the National Code of Ordinance requires a special event permit and a public hearing for festivals, carnivals, parades, marches, rallies, demonstration of upper activity that temporarily close any portion of a street or are held on property owned and occupied or occupied by the town. A resolution is also required to be submitted to the North Carolina Department of Transportation for closures of statemaintained roads. The following street and special event application has been received. The Brazil family farms have submitted an application for a special event permit for the 4th annual New Year's Eve egg drop to be held on December 31st, 2026 from 4 to 8 at the Nashville Junction in Nashville. The request includes the temporary closures of Railroad Street and South Barn Street between Cross Street and West Railroad Street and West Railroad Street between Clark and South Body Street. The TRC reviewed this application at its April 27th, 2026 meeting and recommends approval of the special event permit with no conditions. A public hearing notice for this application was published at the April 23rd, 2026 edition of the Nashville graphic. At this time, you can go into a public hearing.

Do I hear a motion that we go into a public hearing concerning this special event permit? So move. Second. All those in favor? I. Are there any comments about this special event permit for the egg drop? If not, do I hear a motion? Koi. Um, last year they had they get they put the application from 4 to 8, but Koi Yeah, I'll let Ky deal. Okay.

Good evening. So, I just wanted to point out they do have the event times on here that the the egg drop normally starts at 4. However, last year we did recommend as TRC to move the road closure time up to noon just to give them time to set up and get everything safe and everything. Okay, that's great. To clarify that. So, what time did y'all have them closed so I could because I need to change the at 12 noon? 12 and then to 8 or after 12 noon to 8 after that would over you got to wait till 9 or 10, right? Yeah, you could put it to 9, I think, just to give them a little flexibility there. All right. So, I will change the um resolution. Yeah. Okay. Thank you. If there's no other input, do I hear a motion to close this public hearing? Move to close.

Is there a second? Second. All those in favor, let it be known by saying I. I. I. And we don't take any action on this, do we? Um, the resolution. The resolution. Just the resolution. The time changes. So, you do a motion to approve the resolution. Okay. Do I hear a motion to approve this resolution with the time changes? I make that motion. Is there a second? Second. All those in favor? Let it be none by saying I. I. Motion carries. The next item on our agenda is the 1278 Red Oak Road annexation.

Okay. Steve and Vicky Sutton have completed and submitted the attached voluntary satellite and annexation petition for 1278 Red Oak Road. This parcel ID number 004149 with a pin number of 3811 0359618. If the council concurs with this 888 acre satellite annexation, then per NCGS68A-58, the council shall direct the town clerk to investigate the sufficiency of this annexation and report back to the council. Anticipating that the council would want it wanted to annex this property, I have investigated and found sufficiency for the annexation application. Um, the town will schedule a public hearing of the annexation on June 2nd at the 7 PM town council chambers and notice of the public hearing will um on the council's intent to annex the property will be published in the Nashville graphics newspaper more than 10 days prior to the public hearing. Letters to the abuing property owners informing them of the annexation public hearing will be mailed more than 10 days prior to the public hearing. Um you'll need to go into um no you need to we need this before do the sufficiency and then the the resolution directed me to do the insufficiency and then uh resolution setting the public hearing date.

Okay. So those are the two different resolution dates. So that need to be voted on. So we need to vote on where you investigated. Right. And I've already I've already done it. So it's just it honestly in investigating the sufficiency is I check all the numbers. I make sure that that the property owners are the property owners and then I call the property owners and verify that that is their signature and that they want to do this. So do I hear a motion to approve the investigation that that our town clerk did on this property? Move the authorized town clerk to investigate. Second. All those in favor let it be known by saying I. I.

Now we have to go into a public hearing. No, it will be in June. June the next right now. We do a resolution setting the public hearing date. Okay. Do I hear a res approve the resolution 2026-20 direct the town clerk which she's already investigated but to uh set a public hearing on the annexation for June 2nd, 2026 at 700 p.m. Move that we set a date for the open uh public hearing. Is there a second? Second. All those in favor, let it be known by saying I. I. And that's the last last item on our agenda since we had uh the gentleman to withdraw the break street property. Right. Reszoning. Yes. Reszoning.

The uh any of you have any comments? Uh council members. Well, I have one one one comment and then one something else. But I I'm I'm glad our citizens are helping us with our um issues and things that are wrong. But I've had a lot of complaints about 720 South Body Street, a building beyond the sidewalk. had some runners that are complaining about it. So, I'll make sure we can get on that, too. You do have to enforce things uniformly. Yeah. Oh, yeah. We're we're Yeah, uniformly enforcement. I like it. Any other comments?

Yes. Mayor and council, I just wanted to report tomorrow night at 6:30, we're going to have a meeting here for the Essex Road and Regency estates property owners who are scheduled to uh receive sanitary sewer services via the grants that we got to construct those. Um, I don't know how many will show up. A few have called already with their questions and they they said with me answering their questions on the phone, they they weren't going to come. But, uh, Kevin Barnell, I I'm sorry, Mike Tolson is going to be here with me tomorrow night and whatever questions they have come up, we will answer. I think it's great opportunity for them. U, a lot of the septic tanks in their neighborhood are failing and they're going to continue as as they age and get older. Um, with with these two projects, the property owners have the opportunity to uh not incur a lot of cost because if they don't connect at this time, and they do in the future, you've already you've already agreed as a council to wave the $3,400 connection fee if they connect at this time. And uh the project also will construct a sewer line from the main up to their septic tank. Uh disconnect their septic tank, connect their pipe going to the septic tank to our sewer line. Uh fill in pump out their septic tank, fill it in with aggregate, put the cap back on, and properly abandon it. Altogether, it's it's probably a $12,000 value. uh by connecting you and I suppose if there's a downside you have to pay a monthly sewer fee from here on out but so anyway I just wanted to let you know those projects are moving forward we do have theformational meeting with the with the property owners scheduled for tomorrow night

how many property owners is that there there's 19 in Essex and I think 20 23 or 24 no there there's 19 in Regency and 23 in Essex the um letter that went out to those property owners. Did it state exactly what you just said as far as waving of fees and things like that? It it said we would be discussing those. Uh I didn't want to get too windy or too long. Yeah, of course. I'm just thinking if we don't have a good turnout, maybe we can do a second round of just a letter explaining exactly yeah what it would be. Two people called said, "Do they have to sign up for it?" I said, "Well, it's kind of the opposite. If you don't want it to happen, let us know in writing. Otherwise, we're going to plan on doing it for you." Really?

Great. Well, at the cost savings that you just you just noted, it would seem like it'd be a no-brainer to everybody out there. Yeah. So, I would want to make sure like like Miss Mars just said, make sure they all aware of the savings that they can do. Yeah. So, and they've been waited a long time for this. Oh, since after this after this meeting with the property owners tomorrow night, Mike Toulson's going to issue the notice to proceed from both contractors to both contractors and they're going to get started on the project probably the following week. That sounds good. letters. Oh, yeah. We mail the letters to all the property owners and then uh Jason had his guys tape the same letter to the doors. Okay.

So, if there are tenants that don't own the property and there are some uh it was posted on the residents. Good. Good. Sounds good. Any other comments concerning this meeting? If not, do I hear a motion to adjurnn? Nope. I'll make a motion to go into close session. We've got to hear a motion to close this meeting. Move to move to adjourn. Is there a second? Second. All those in favor, let it be known by saying I. I.

And now, do I hear a motion that we go into close session? So I make a motion we go to close session pursuant to NCGS143-3181A5 to establish or to instruct the public body staff or negotiating agents concerning the position to be taken by or by or on behalf of the public's body and negotiating the price and other material terms of a contract or proposed contract for the acquisition of real property by purchase, option, exchange, or lease. and per NCGS143-318.11A1 to prevent the disclosure of information that is privileged or confident confidential pursuant to the law of this this state or in the United States or not considered a public record within the meaning of chapter 132 of the general statutes. Those are all one sentences.

That's a mouthful. Do I hear a second? Second. All those in favor, let it be known by saying I. I. Motion carries. Thank