Council - Regular Meeting

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. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, again, we thank you for this day, and we just invite you into this meeting to lead us and guide us and help us to make the right decision for all the citizens of Nashville. In your name we pray. Amen.

Amen.

Well, should we wait? Let me see where she's at. See where Alicia is, because I hate to do it.

If she's not on her way, then I will.

This is the agenda item add-on. I know it was emailed to y'all, but .

Good morning, Judge.

Are you on the way to the town council meeting? Hello. No, it's today. Where are you now? Okay, don't worry. The mail will do it. The mail will do it. Okay. No, that's okay. We'll work it. We'll make it work. No, it's today. She gave you the wrong date. Okay. Okay. Don't have a Rick. You're okay. It's today, but we're having, the mayor's going to swear to you. Okay. All right. Thank you, Mayor. I mean, Judge. All right. Okay. She had the wrong date. She's in Tarboro. About to have an accident. I got it. I got it. I prayed that one. It's over here. Do you have that one?

What is it?

Oh, no. Yes.

All right.

I wonder if the mayor has it. Oh, she does.

Okay.

Can we get a mic? Yeah.

Who can take some pictures? The graphic's not here yet. You're doing the graphic? Okay, good. You're doing the graphic. Okay.

Ready? I, Jaquetta Harrison, do solemnly and sincerely swear that I will support the Constitution and laws of the United States, that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the state of North Carolina and to the constitutional powers and to the constitutional powers and authorities and authorities which are or may be established which are or may be established for the government for the government therefore therefore that I will endeavor that I will endeavor to support to support maintain maintain and defend and defend the constitution and laws of said state the constitution and laws of said state not inconsistent with the Constitution of the United States to the best of my knowledge and ability, and that I will be faithfully discharged the duties of my office as council member of the town of Nashville.

So help me God.

Congratulations. And we know it's bittersweet, but we appreciate your service. Thank you. Really. Did we have anyone sign up for public comments?

No, no mayor. No.

Okay. Thank you so much. In that case, we'll proceed to the first item on our agenda, which is old business, the body street storm sewer project.

Mayor and council, with regard to our body street storm sewer project, there's a concern of what we're having really contractors build there may not be sufficient. So we had our engineer take a look at that. The concern is that the intakes on railroad are drained with the 12 inch storm sewer pipe and there are four of them. And that they, that pipe isn't large enough to carry the storm water that comes to them. So, um, our engineer is put, put forth a design. And we've asked the contractor for a price on upsizing that. And Kevin, I'll let you go from there.

So Kevin Varnell with Stocks Engineering. The map that I passed out right before the meeting has got a line shown in red. So that line is the proposed line of what we're looking to do. Currently, there's an existing 12-inch pipe that drains kind of that northern part of West Railroad Street. and we're looking to relocate and upsize that to a 24 inch pipe. So that's what we had asked the contractor to do. We're adding an additional storm drain box along that street and then tie it into the two existing boxes and replacing those. So ultimately a much better system and to go from a 12 to a 24, you're looking around four times the capacity, not two times. So when you start growing that size, it really does change. the flow characteristics of that drainage. And so we asked on ready contractors who's already on site to give us a price for that. And I think Randy has provided that to you, but the total price for that portion is $49,600. And Randy, do you want to go through the, how much is allotted in budget stuff or do you?

Yeah, we can. It was in the... We got $170,000 in this line item in our storm sewer budget, and right now we're at $105,374 with 3D contractors on the... BODY STREET STORM SEWER IMPROVEMENTS. ADDING THIS ADDITIONAL $49,600 WILL TAKE THE PROJECT UP TO, WITH ENGINEERING, $180,274, SO IT WILL BE ABOUT $10,275 OVER WHAT WE HAVE ALLOTTED IN OUR BUDGET. TRESA DID CHECK THE FUND BALANCE FOR FUND 40, WHICH IS THE STORM SEWER FUND. And we do have $279,000 in fund balance. So if you were to approve doing this, it would take a budget amendment at some point. Probably when we get finished with the project, we'd do a budget amendment on it. So that's where we are money-wise with this particular project. And as Kevin said, it definitely would be an improvement to what is currently on Railroad Street right now. We've got all the stormwater coming off the junction parking lot through its retention basin, comes down on the railroad, and uses this 12-inch pipe to make its way to Body Street. And then when it hits Body Street now, it's got that 30-inch pipe that takes it onto the railroad. And when you get on the other side of the railroad, there's an open waterway that conveys all that stormwater south out of town.

Council, do you have any questions?

I have a couple in here.

Okay.

So the 30 inch or 36 inch going under the railroad, we're replacing that currently?

No, the 36 inch is there and it's in good shape. It's actually a steel metal pipe that has been there. What we are replacing currently are the black, the bold black dashed lines right above that. Right now they're existing 15 inch pipes. A lot of them were blocked up where other utilities had gone through them. The pipes had collapsed and there was a lot of debris and things.

we have corrected and fixed all of that and most of that has been upgraded to a 30 inch pipe and over 24 inch pipes in the areas that are shown in those dark black pipes so the new red line that goes from basically near the junction i guess that's east to the intersection there where the all the work's being done That goes downhill, I'm assuming.

Correct. So there's an existing 12-inch pipe that drains roughly that same direction. And what we're proposing to do is remove that 12-inch pipe and replace it with a 24-inch pipe. So the red is a 24-inch pipe that is being moved over to the street. Instead of being on the railroad property, we're moving on to the street property.

But it's already going to flow that direction anyways.

Correct. It flows that way now. That's right.

I'm a little confused as to what the recommendation is here. So the improvements that we currently approved, you don't think are going to be sufficient or you do think are going to be sufficient?

So yeah, so ultimately I don't know that that's a fair statement. Um, so when we were originally asked to look at this location, this intersection, we identified a lot of issues with the existing pipe. So, um, the, again, the issues were existing utilities were going through, The pipes, concrete was poured inside some of the pipes, and the pipes were completely blocked. So the system didn't function really at all. And so ultimately we fixed a lot of that stuff. We were hunting and trying to find where things were because we had blind junction boxes and streets where pipes joined together, but there was no access to that location. So there was a lot of hunting and finding, and we found all those things. We've corrected all of those. issues. And we do think that is a significant improvement to what we currently have because again, none of that was functioning before. And so now with all of that functioning, I mean, this is a separate kind of piece of it. So again, I'm not saying that extending this drainage isn't going to make it better or, you know, continue to improve that section of railroad street. But the initial issue, the one causing all the problems, we have corrected with the original project. So this would be an additional to that. And again, I'm not saying it's not making things better, but ultimately we solved the initial problem. Does that make sense?

I think so. So you're not quite sure if this would improve, keep the same, because we haven't really seen the results of what...

Correct. I mean, I hate to say it will always improve. Anytime you increase drainage pipe sizes, things like that, you're going to get better flow, more flow. But the issue was not the 12 inch pipe originally. The issue was really downstream. It had nowhere to go. So the 12 inch pipe was sending water downstream to a pipe that was completely blocked. So it never functions. So, again, it certainly could get better. There will be a storm event that the 12-inch pipe will not take. But right now the junction is discharging an 8-inch pipe that way, and obviously it increases to a 12-inch. So it does get larger as it goes downstream, which is a good thing. And, again, what we don't know is what effect it's going to have now that everything is open and flowing like it's supposed to on the downstream side. Okay.

Do you think it will prevent the flooding of businesses with this new that we've done?

There will be a storm event that the business will flood. The pipe will not take. Now, we can certainly do enough models and calculations to show you which storm event that is likely to be, whether it's a Hurricane Mitchell, Hurricane Dennis, Floyd, or which one it is. But there's going to be an event that just, again, it will not take. But, yes, I will say the 24-inch pipe being increased is going to – push that storm a little further out. So where right now I'm picking numbers, but if a six inch storm event were to flood today, making that a 24 inch pipe, we may be able to get to an eight inch storm event. So it will make it better.

Okay. I have another question. Suppose we, we choose not to do it now and then we see that we need to do it later on and we put it in our budget.

i mean is that going to be a tremendous problem to come back and fix not not at all the way the projects are set up they can be completely independent we can add on this we can do a portion of this so instead of going all the way up to the top like i show if we wanted to come out of that existing box at the lower end of that red and come up one box and get into the street we could so i mean we can pick and choose kind of how for how far we would like to go Like I said, you get some economies of scale because they're on site, but it's very small. I think we could easily add this project on a year from now, and the price is going to be roughly the same.

I just want to protect businesses, but at the same time, you know, we really do need the funding. I feel like we have budgeted when we do projects, but, you know, if it's cheaper to go on and do it now at this price, I say yes.

Things always increase in price. But I don't, again, part of it is you're not getting any efficiencies because they're already on site or things like that. So there's no savings because they're there or we're not doing work today that we're going to tear out later type of thing.

but it will increase in price because it always does we have a couple more questions so it it doesn't um and we didn't get another quote correct we only got the one quote correct the contractor was on site they were the lowest of the original so we didn't ask another contract another question i have is i think i know the answer but so all this water from body and from railroad all of it goes down to that 36 inch pipe on the railroad correct so i guess i'm still a little confused on adding a pipe on the road that already flows, the water is already there and the water is already flowing. I just don't understand how making it bigger or smaller would make a difference because it's still going to flow to that same spot.

Yeah. So if you look at the top, I guess the concern is at the very top towards the junction property. If that is a 12-inch pipe and you've got 18 inches of water that's trying to come to it, then ultimately what happens is it comes out the top of the box and it begins flooding across the top of the ground. And so as that continues, there's some relief at a run down the street. But what was happening before, and this is where I think we're going to see the biggest improvement, before what was happening is it had nowhere to go. So even when it got out into the street, because all of the drainage was completely blocked, There was no option for that water to get out of there efficiently at all. We fixed that. So now when it does come out of the box and the 12-inch pipe can't take it, it has some relief to run down the street and be able to get into the other boxes that we're replacing today. So the issue or the concern is right now there's a 12-inch pipe. And when that is overwhelmed, it's going to come out the top of the box and potentially flood the areas around it. And the box on the right-hand side of the map, closest to the warehouse, obviously is within 10 feet of the warehouse. When it comes out the top of that box, it is at the footer to that warehouse.

How long would it take to do the calculation to figure out kind of what your projection would be as far as the storm event? Because if no matter what we put in there, a certain storm event will occur that cannot handle it. I guess I'd like to know what the difference would be in that event. Like if we could do something that helped it so that it would have to be a truly catastrophic event, we could do it. But if it's really going to be like every time there's a hurricane, no matter what we put in there, it's going to happen, then it seems like maybe this isn't the solution.

So by one month, the next council meeting, I can have the model ready for you to look at and tell you how many inches of rain in a certain period of time it would take, and then I can correlate that with different rain events for you.

One last question. There's no intake along this pipe except for the very top one, right?

So, no. Right now, without pointing at the map, the very top to the right where there's no black box, there's an existing box that's there.

You might need to point because I don't understand.

Yep. then we're going to come down railroad street tear out the curb and gutter and the sidewalk that's there and install a new box where the pipe makes the bin so we're effectively adding in one additional box and replacing one existing box on that section of street okay that makes sense okay so so we've cleared out where the where the where the drains are caved in

We're clearing all of that out, opening that up, and plus we're adding one additional new box.

Well, so what we've done right now with the current project, so the one that's already under construction, we've taken what was a single box on both sides of the street and made those double boxes. So we've essentially put two new catch basins or two new ways to get water in that's there, and then we increased the pipe sizes. So currently they were 15-inch pipes. And we replaced every one of those with a 30-inch pipe and then 24 above. So we, again, made dramatic improvements to this intersection that was not working at all. And now we've increased pipe sizes. We've increased the ability to get water into the system. So, again, I think this is going to make a huge improvement when it's done. And it gives that relief that when this can't take it, it runs down the street and will get into there before it goes into the building like it was before. So really the issue was this last pipe. could not let the water out. It was getting too much water and it was blocked and so there was just no way to get water out of the system when it got there. So it had to sit on top of the ground until it got out.

Any other questions from the council? Any motion? to wait till the next time to get the specifics on.

I would love to see the data if the rest of the council is okay with that.

So we just table it next time. Make a motion.

I make a motion that we table it until we have the data from Mr. Barnell.

Do I hear a second? Second. All those in favor, let it be known by saying, uh, and thank you so much for coming and giving us explanations about something. I don't know. I appreciate it. Thank you so much. The next item on our agenda is the CWS RP loan. Randy.

Uh, yes. Mayor counsel at the last meeting. Uh, we discussed, uh, an offering from the division of water infrastructure with regarding a loan to help us do what our engineer, our other engineer, was calling a find and fix project to repair bad sections in our sanitary sewer. There was a motion and a second to proceed with that. The next step in that is now to pass a resolution accepting the loan offer and agreeing to follow some of the well, the requirements of the funding, which is the Federal Clean Water Act, uniform guidance for competition, procurement of professional services, and rules of professional conduct. So what you have before you today is a resolution accepting that and also stating that we will adhere to those requirements.

Are there any questions for Randy concerning this?

Mayor, Randy, just for clarification, if you go back to the first page of it, on the summary of the issues, down to the second paragraph, added registration fee for the Parks and Rec Department in the amount of $65 for residents and $65 for non-residents. Let's take a look. No, we're on a different agenda item.

We're on something different? Yes. We're on page six. I thought we were on page six.

My apologies. Wrong one.

You're next. You're next. You can ask that. I'll ask that next. I'll ask that for the next. Save that question, please.

I'll save that question for the next.

Mary, I have one quick question. I didn't ask last time, and it doesn't really matter. But there's no early penalty payoff, right? We can pay this off any time we want to.

There is not. And another step to this, I mean, once we accept this funding offer, we still have to go to the LGC and get permission to actually borrow the money from the state.

If there are no other questions, do I hear a motion to approve Resolution 2026-31, accepting North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Water Infrastructure, Clean Water State Reserve Program loan offer for $3 million at 2.45% interest for 20 years to construct the sanitary sewer collection system rehabilitation project.

So moved.

Is there a second? Second. All those in favor, let it be known by saying aye. Aye. Thank you. The next item on our agenda is a fee schedule amendment. Larry?

I got my same question I had before.

But anyway, Lou's not here. Do you want me to read through the summary?

Sean can take that.

Sean, you can do it?

OK. Good morning, Mayor and Council. As you see, Lou prepared the fee schedule amendment. Today's agenda actually has to review and approve several recommendation change to the fee schedule. So what the town council, what we're asking the town council is to add a $50 per hour per employee when additional public work personnel assistance is requested by surrounding communities. Add a registration fee for the Parks and Recreation Department Lego program in the amount of $65 for residents and $65 for non-residents. Remove the current $350 text amendment application fee. As the council previously decided, all text amendments will be initiated and directed by the town council. So, of course, you know, with those, the applicant who wants to do a text amendment will come and ask the council, and then the council would order the manager and the plan director to either look into it or to take no action in that text amendment request. And I also removed the $50 debris vegetation from the street stormwater sewer violation, as the town attorney has advised. There's a civil penalty, so we will assess any problems that Walt catches doing, somebody doing that, by giving them a civil penalty to salute in our 10.1.12 section of the ordinance. So, Mayor, Council, I'll yield back to you. If you have any questions, the town staff is here to answer.

Yeah, just doesn't it need to be a corrected paragraph where it says 65 for residents and 65 for non-residents? It's the same thing. You repeated yourself.

And while you're here, Kawhi, I'd like to know what the current fee is and how long the program lasts.

Yes, ma'am. Good morning. So we have, um, the first part of that section that's already in there for any of our programs. We have like a tier based, um, cost for non-residents and it changes depending on the cost of any of our programs. Um, whether that's cost plus 100% plus 50% or just a flat dollar amount. What we're running into with some of these higher cost programs is that non-resident fee is pricing us out of the market of what other municipalities are doing. And we are struggling to meet the minimum amount of participants to have that program, meaning residents also don't get the benefit of having that program without having non-residents. So some other programs we have If it doesn't fit into our normal fee schedule there with all of our programs, we've kind of added them in separately to the fee schedule, which is what we're asking the council to do on this one. This is a new program we're trying with an outside provider that would come in and provide everything for that. And we're basing this rate on... what they are charging us per participant and then putting a little bit on top for what our overhead is to run registration and all that. I hope that answers your question.

So we've had this Lego Club before or we have not?

We've done some in-house. Okay. And we've done a camp before with a provider that was out of Rocky Mount that has since went out of business. This is a new provider out of the Raleigh area that provides programs like this. Okay. So this is the first one we wanted to try. We're also looking at a week-long camp in July, which would be the next fee schedule before we have that program come. So we're still trying to work out details.

And this isn't a secret code. This is actually Legos, right? Yes. Yes, sir.

And is this a one-time or is this like a month-long?

This is a one-day workshop.

One day for $65.

Yes, ma'am. And what we're looking at, again, we're trying this for the first time. We're looking at one of the teacher work days for Nash County Public Schools and hosting this event.

Okay, so this is a drop-off, full-day camp event. Correct. And you'll serve them lunch?

Correct. Yes.

That makes more sense.

Well, you won't know how it works until you try it.

Yes, ma'am.

And if we're helping citizens and parents, you know, when teachers are working, it's a good thing.

The question is, do we keep a 65 for everybody, or do we make it even cheaper for residents?

Like go 60, 70, or something like that.

Yeah, or 65 and 60.

Yeah.

I mean, that messes up your numbers, I know.

Would that give you appropriate finance for it, though?

If we did that, that would essentially cover the instructor cost for the program for residents, and we would make a little bit more on the non-resident fees there.

If it went to 60 and 65?

It should even out. Yes, ma'am.

What's your percentage now of the ones we did before with residents and non-residents?

As far as participants, I do not have that available. It's normally about a 50-50 split, I would say.

Do we want to just keep this as is for the first time that they do the workshop? If it's a success, then we can come back and see if we want to do a $10 difference or $5 or whatever it may be. That's what I was thinking, too.

I'm okay with that.

Do I hear that in a form of a motion that we... Well, it's all of them, right?

It'd be all three of them.

Yeah.

Four of them.

I think it's great, the things we're doing for our citizens and our young people. I remember when we did nothing, and it's very good that we do this. Well, do I hear a motion?

Well, one more question real quick. The $50 an hour for our neighboring things, is that a courteous thing that we're doing, or we're still going to be friends?

Good morning, Mayor and Council. Good morning. Yes, sir. So we've been asked by neighbor municipalities to come and help with various projects, sweeping for the Pumpkin Festival, hanging decorations for Castelia, sweeping for the town of Red Oak when they do different festivals. So what we had found out is in our fee schedule, we have equipment, and that's equipment with one operator. Well, to hang the decorations in a neighbor municipality, It takes three people. So the town of Nashville and the citizens are not recouping the cost of us and our personnel to go up there and do these odd and end jobs for our neighbor municipalities. So with this, we're going to recover 100% of the cost, whereas last year we did not.

I understand. We want to be good neighbors, but we don't want to.

Correct. We can't be free neighbors.

Yes, ma'am.

Yes, sir. That's right. And this is common, right? Like if we needed somebody to come in, we would be charged for their services? Correct.

So if we needed Rocky Mount to come in and help us, we would be charged for their personnel, their equipment, and their assigned rates. Great.

So do I hear a motion to... to amend the town's fee schedule with the addition of the $50 per hour per employee, with additional public work personnel assistance is requested by surrounded communities, and the LEGO program, the $65 for both residents and non-residents, and to remove the $350 text amendment application fee. As the council previously decided, all text amendments would be initiated and directed by the council and remove the $50 to pre-vegetation in the street, storm, sewer violations.

Move to approve.

Second.

Second.

Oh, I didn't hear you. All those in favor, let it be known by saying aye. Aye. Motion carries. The next item on our agenda is the Real Estate Reconveyance Agreement. Randy?

Uh, Marin council, as you previously previously, uh, uh, well, we've been told by puny Chu with, uh, build labs that, uh, he is not going to be able to build his 75,000 square foot, uh, manufacturing facility on lot four of the Nashville business center. And the development agreement that we have in place with him says, if he's not going to do it in the timeframe, then he's got to sell the property back to the town for what he bought it for from the town. And that's what he wants to do. So attached is a real estate reconveyance agreement drafted by the town attorney that does just that. It says that he will sell to the town and the town will buy the property back for what he paid for it, that $143,075, less any of the costs that we incurred in that transaction. Now, since Punic has owned it, he hasn't paid the taxes on it, so they're still owed. So what we... The closing statement, when our attorney does the closing statement for that, we'll have that purchase price less the owed taxes, less the real estate commission fee that we had paid when that was originally sold, and a couple other things. $1,000 for covering attorney fees, and then the balance is what we'll go back to PUNIT.

It ran initially when we first discussed this a couple of meetings ago. The fencing and all that stuff around it, is Punic Steel going to remove that, or are we going to have to remove it?

When I talked to him last week, he said they were in the process of having the fencing company come back and take all that. They, they want to reuse it evidently. And the sign that he erected, uh, saying coming soon, uh, they're going to, they're going to come and get that also. And then there's a, there's a dumpster on the property. Um, it's top dogs. I assume top dog is coming back to get that too.

and we can just bush hog the property back over and make it look presentable.

That's correct. Yeah, Jason and the guys are probably going to do that yet this week before it gets too out of hand.

Well, I think it's good we're bringing closure to this because I think we'll certainly be able to sell it to somebody else. And so that's a good thing rather than us just sitting on it.

Any questions for Randy? Yes, I have a couple of comments in here. So you said all of the taxes are still owed on this property. We only have in here all 2026 ad valorem taxes. So I would just take out 2026 so that it's all ad valorem taxes on the property to be paid by the grantor. It's page 25, paragraph 2, purchase price payment terms.

25? Oh, page 25.

So it says the purchase price for the property is $134,075 to be paid in cash by the town at closing. I would just like to say in that paragraph exactly what we say in our description in the beginning, less those amounts enumerated in Section 4 herein so that we know it's that purchase price but minus anything that's in this Section 4. Okay. And then in that Section 4, make sure that every single thing that we are either owed or will owe is included in there. So any taxes, any, maybe even add in, you know, that the property's returned in its original condition so that they remove the fencing, they remove the dumpster.

It's up there somewhere.

It should be in there somewhere. And then it's A, B, C, D, E. There's a typo where it says A. Oh, it does. Those are my only comments.

Well, it's sort of nice to have an attorney on the council that knows real estate. But anyway, are there any other questions for Randy? If not, do I hear a motion to approve a real estate reconveyance agreement between the town of Nashville and Bill Labs to return ownership lot four in the Nashville Business Center 101 Industrial Court to the town?

So moved.

Second. All those in favor, let it be known by saying aye.

Aye.

Motion carries. The next item on our agenda is the Regency Estates Interceptor Project. And that's Randy also.

Yes. This project got renamed when we hired Wooten Company to do the engineering for this project. We were originally calling it the Regency Lift Station Abandonment Project. The funding source wanted a little shorter name. I don't think we accomplished that, but we gave it a different name. Anyway, in March, the town was awarded $959,752. and a community project fund grant from Congressman Don Davis for this project. And the project consists of constructing 2,500 feet of gravity flow sewer from the Regency lift station to the Stony Creek environmental, I'm sorry, the Stony Creek sewer outfall line, and then to eliminate that lift station once we get that gravity line put into place. So the project engineers has reworked the cost estimate for the project and it has gone up considerably. It's now $2,491,050. That includes engineering permitting, grant administration, acquisition of easements, which we're working on right now, construction, and then a 15% contingency, which may or may not be realized during the construction. And the project is scheduled to run from July of 2026 and be finished around June of 2028. So it's multiple years. So we're going to apply that $959,752 grant to the project. That leaves $1,531,289 left for the town to fund. and with a combination of our enterprise fund, which has a fund balance of around $10.3 million as of today, and another application in the spring of 2027 to DEQ to see if we could get a low-interest loan, maybe a grant or a forgivable loan for some portion of that. The project engineers, the fall round is due the end of September, but he said, uh... let's wait till spring we won't have we won't be under construction with the project by then anyway and we make that application and spring will have a chance to uh... better and enhance our capital improvement plan for inclusion in that application uh... in the past this project was alluded to in our our cpi or capital permit plan but not specifically name with a dollar now now well And in doing so, he believes the town will be eligible to receive an additional 12 points. Now, we submitted this project in the past. Mike Tolson with Matt Gay did for us. We fell short of getting any type of funding for it whatsoever. But hopeful that another application with a little more enhanced application will net us something. Anyway, with all that said, we are allowed by statute to adopt a project ordinance, and that's typically what we do when we have a large construction project that's going to span multiple fiscal years, and that's what we have before the council. This morning to act on would be ordinance 2026-26, which establishes a project ordinance for the Regency Estates Interceptor Project in the amount of $2,491,050 to span over three fiscal years.

Any questions for Randy?

I have a couple. What was the original projected estimate of this?

Originally, when Kevin Varnell put one together about four years ago, it was 1.5. And then when we submitted it to DWI for funding by Mike Tolson, it was 1.9 million. So now it's gone to 2.4. Great. Cost estimate.

And can you just talk a little bit about how this will improve things over there? Sure.

This particular project will... Can I add on questions before you answer that?

And this is different than the project we're doing with the lot in the corner. They're connected, but they're different, right? Correct, correct.

Presently, we have under construction right now an expansion project in the Regency neighborhood to pick up about 24 houses that are in septic tanks and put them on gravity flow sewer. And that involves building a small lift station to pump it up the hill. So that's different. This particular project, It came about from our asset inventory assessment, and it was identified that this lift station we've been rebuilding about every 20 years to the tune of anywhere from 45,000 to 80,000 every 20 years. And unfortunately, I would like to escape doing any more improvements to this thing before it comes offline, but Jason and Chad tell me There's some things we got to take care of yet here fairly soon. So that's where the project, and how this will work is we will, let me see if I can pull up the route and show it to you quick.

So Randall, what we're doing now, we're looking at two separate projects out there. Correct.

We're already taking care of those with the septic.

We're working on one at the present right now. And the one we're discussing here is from the lift station to the outfall line. Is that correct?

That is correct. I don't think I put the project route in the packet, but let me pull it up quick.

So for this entire project, for both of them combined together, what are we talking about? IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF WHAT?

WELL, THE REGENCY ONE IS I THINK 1.2 MILLION. RIGHT. AND WE GOT $959,000 GRANT FOR THAT ONE. SO THE TWO TOGETHER WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, 1.2 AND 2.4 APPROXIMATELY.

I'M IN THE WRONG BUSINESS.

I'M IN THE WRONG BUSINESS.

That's what I have there as part of the route.

It's not the whole route. Let me find that proposed route.

Well, the route really wouldn't make any difference. I don't care if we're routed or not, we can take care of it.

But the route includes some future expansion of the town, right?

Okay, that makes more sense because I'm looking at this saying it's $45,000 to $80,000 every 20 years, and right now we have to pay millions. So, like, how long would it take to make it make sense? But if it's for future projects as well... Would this help future projects, Randy?

It can. Gary Glick is one of the property owners with Swine Fest that we were trying to get an easement through. He's got a development in mind. He hasn't told us what that development is. But anyway, with this line, the way it's being routed, if UNC Nash Health's new medical clinic ever has problems with the septic system they put in, it's 75 feet away from tying into this line. Where this project's going to save us dividends is, you know, all of Regency goes there, Walmart goes there, the Food Lion Shopping Center, Bradford Place, that subdivision, and any subsequent phases with that Bradford Place subdivision, Phase 2 and Phase 3, all that... going to be going to this lift station and by eliminating this lift station its capacity problems that it will certainly have in the future will be eliminated. It can only handle so much wastewater and with what is likely to develop and come to that lift station and it also includes that new sewer line that goes out to the John Deere dealer that the DOT paid for and gave to us when they did the Eastern Avenue four-laning project, all of that area out there as it develops is going to come to this lift station. The only immediate development that we know of out there is Freedom Industries. They're going to be coming on to, they're not a tremendous wastewater user, so them in of themselves isn't going to put the Regency lift station over capacity, but You know, there's well over 180 acres out there that's very developable prime commercial property that will likely develop in the future. Jason, did you have something you wanted to add?

So one thing Randy has alluded to was the bigger cost. But we have operational maintenance costs as well. So utility costs, maintenance costs, just our basic maintenance costs on this lift station alone. This lift station also, the wet well, is looking at being relined to a tune of probably $20,000. So there's a lot of factors that are going into this, just not the $30,000 or $45,000 every few years. This lift station is a nightmare. It's a gremlin.

thank you jason and the property that's across from the nash hospital could that be tied into this also eventually what's to the north oh you mean the rose property the property that was logged oh absolutely yeah it's going to go through the lowest portion well that property has access with what we're doing here uh and then also on its east side and to the north here's the outfall line All this property, and it's the same property owner, even though those are different parcels, owns that. So they would have access to our sewer both on the outfall along Stony Creek and with this interceptor line. But the more likely of that property across the road from UNC Nash Health to develop is the front portion abutting Red Oak Road.

Any other questions for Randy? Well, you know, with the way things are going, we're being proactive because if we wait, it's going to cost three times as much as the way prices go up. But anyway, any questions for Randy? If not, do I have a motion to approve ordinance 2026-26 to project ordinance for the Regency Estates Interceptor Project, projected at $2,491,050 and scheduled to span three physical years.

Do we have a choice?

That's up to you. I move to approve. Is there a second?

Second.

All those in favor, let it be known by saying aye. Aye. Motion carries.

Mayor, before we go further, since we're talking about Regency right now, I don't know if the town hall has received any complaints about the construction with the sewer project that we're working on out there now. But I've had, in the last couple of days, I've had one lady in particular has called me twice and is complaining about the way they are doing the construction stuff out there. She says, if I leave my yard, I can't get back in because they got me blocked in. And when she goes out and tries to talk to the people doing the construction work, nobody speaks English, so she's talking to a wall. And she's real upset, but I don't think... Even though we've got to do this, we shouldn't be blocking our residents in their yard or leaving them with the fear that if they leave that they can't get back in their yard. She is torn out of the frame. She was supposed to come this morning to speak, but she called me this morning and said, well, I'm so torn out of the frame, I don't think I need to come down here and try to say anything. But I think we need to look at the progress that they're doing out there and enforce that they don't need to be blocking our residents on their own property.

Correct. And they're not supposed to be.

They're not supposed to. But with a project of this magnitude, there should be one crew member out there that can't speak English.

There is.

Well, she can't find it.

And then, you know, we have Chris Skinner. He's our project inspector with Mack Gay & Associates. Chris is on site at that project. at least once during every day that they're working. And the same with Essex Road. So after the meeting, Larry, if you could let me know who that is, I'll get a hold of Chris and he can make contact with that property owner or that resident and the crew leader for Peak Civil. Okay. or I guess that's Precision Earth and Pipe that's doing that particular project and make sure. They did bring in a new crew foreman to that project and had been very successful in slowing down because before him they were going lickety split. They hit the gas main four times. They hit our water main twice. They severed internet lines going to homes. almost on a daily basis, but that has all come to a close. Okay.

Excuse me for a moment. I just got a phone call from my wife, and I didn't answer, but I see my son out here. I need to find out what's going on.

Okay, that's fine. Another thing, too, we can't solve problems if we don't know about them, so I appreciate the lady letting one of the council members know because so many times people – are not, they don't talk nice about us, but you can't fix something if you don't know something's wrong. So we'll take care of it like we always do. Randy, thank you so much.

One additional thing there. Uh, there, there is a resident of Regency whose, whose system has failed completely. So this week she had her septic tank, uh, pumped to buy her some time and you know, we're, we're probably not going to be able to connect those homes until November. So we'll likely have to pump her septic tank. Again, that's something the council previously approved to do with both this Regency and Essex Road project until they get connected. And fortunately, you know, it's only $300 a time. But we'll probably have to do that in another month or so for this particular property.

Is there not a system that can be put in place temporarily, like on a trailer or truck or something that would alleviate that problem? Or no, it's out of my league, I don't know.

Well, it would involve sticking a submersible in their septic tank and running a line over ground up the road to the nearest manhole, and then people would have to drive over it. I don't know. If it gets to be – she's doing laundry at her mom's house. It's just her and her husband. She said all we do is the bare minimum. We flush toilets, wash our hands, and shower sparingly so that we can stretch it out as long as we can before we have to have it pumped out.

Any other comments? If not, we'll move on to our next item, the stormwater drainage request. Randy?

Mayor, did you get a motion and a second to approve that ordinance?

Well, I thought I did, but maybe I didn't.

I'll make the motion that we approve it.

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

I think it was Larry who motioned it.

I think so. I thought he made the motion. But anyway. Okay. The stormwater drainage request. Randy?

Mayor and council, this was an item that was tabled from previous council meeting. It has to do with Morris Gupton's request. He's at 818 East Birchwood Drive for the town to dredge his pond on his property. and to make an improvement to a drainage culvert on Birchwood. The council tabled that for further investigation. And since that time, staff has looked at that drainage culvert and parts of that drainage culvert that Mr. Gupton asked be reconstructed are in the right of way of Birchwood. And when Chad and Jason and I took a look at that, We'd like to recommend to the council that at a minimum on this request we look at extending that culvert approximately 20 feet to the edge of the right-of-way of birch wood. And we think we can get that accomplished for what the price was to reconstruct that concrete trough. and then be a little better product, we think, when we're finished. The rest of that, Mr. Gupton is here today, if you would like to hear from him once again. But again, his request is for the town to dredge the pond on his property and to make an improvement to that culvert under birch wood.

Any questions from the council?

Like I said, Mr. Gupton is here if you'd like to hear from him.

I can't. Oh, there he is. Would you like to make any comments, Mark?

I must say I just would like to thank you all for the consideration and hope that we can move along with this project so that we can get things cleaned out and get the water moving as it should again. Thank you.

Any questions from the council?

I think I'd like to hear from Jason just on his write-up and his take. Just your analysis and what your recommendation is.

Correct. So my initial recommendation was to deny both the culvert and that. One, the culvert, me and Randy and Chad had talked after that. There was some additional information that come out that Lou had found about easements and so on and so forth. So my opinion on that changed. But as far as the pond, I provided some Google Earth shots back from 2012. There looked like there was a lot of vegetation there. it was a good riparian buffer to keep sediment from going into the pond. After some landscaping by Mr. Gupton, it does look like that some of that riparian buffer has gone away and may have caused some of the issues that he is wanting the town to fix. So the buffer is what's causing the problem? It could be. You know, I'm not a professional stormwater engineer, but just going back... and looking, I provided pictures back in 2012 where there was a lot of vegetation around the pond, and if you look at the current pictures today, that vegetation is gone. And anytime you remove vegetation around a waterway, you take away that riparian buffer, and then you have sediment that is likely going into the waterway, pond, stream, so on and so forth.

Council, do you have any questions?

Just your point on the prohibition against private property betterments.

Correct. So that was something I found online, and I think Raz could probably speak better to that, just making a betterment on private property with public funds.

Raz? There are some cases that... Mayor, members of council, there are some cases that hold that it may not be a public purpose to go on private property and to, in fact, improve private property at public expense. Typically, towns look for some connection between city infrastructure or city facilities in order to spend money for an improvement that will address a stormwater drain problem. It's a difficult call because there's no bright line there that defines where the city's responsibility ends and where the private property owner's responsibility ends. It's a part of the drainage system. But generally on private property, um there is some concern if the town upgrades improves and fixes a problem on private property that isn't somehow connected with the city's area of responsibility and normally the interface between a drainage way and a street is that area and it's and there's some cases that basically say cities have to keep their culverts upgraded to deal with greater volumes of flow or downstream obstructions that might cause backing up of water into the public right-of-way. So that's the guideline. If there's a city interface, if there's some facility of the town that makes this a partial town responsibility, then the town is entitled legally. It is a public purpose, and you can actually spend the money to do that work. But to the extent it's purely a private concern on private property that's not tied to the city in any way, that could be challenged as not being for public purpose.

I read about that. But how about the culvert? Is that part of our responsibility then, Raz?

I would say yes. Yes. Because the city has the responsibility to receive the water as it passes under the street and then to deal with the discharge of that water on the near, on the next downstream downgrade property owner. Um, most towns, at least my experience has been towns, you know, when they're putting in a covert improvements, they will acquire a stormwater rain easement that's a little stub out that covers the pipe that extends past the right-of-way and the riprap that might be at that discharge point. So it's, like I say, there's not a bright line to say this is where the city's legal responsibility ends. But generally speaking, yes, if the street's involved, the town needs to deal with its right-of-way, but also potentially that discharge point downstream.

So that would be... legal if we did something like that?

Yes. Okay.

Yes.

Jason, do we think that doing the improvements to the culvert will improve the situation over there?

It will help that situation. I don't think it necessarily will help the pond, but it will definitely help that situation that Randy had where that wall has fallen in and caused a drainage issue. Yes, ma'am.

I have a question. Probably nobody in this room can answer it. In the 60s, was this from a farm pond or was it built with the neighborhood? Was it built to run the water from the neighborhood? There's a lot of questions that probably nobody in this room can answer.

My father's cousin owned the property. I understand it was a

bad water area. And he created the pond to make it look better, not have all the growth around it. Um, To address what he said, the old riffraff that was along the street there, yes, it was all overgrown. I took it out. But what work I have done, this last big, big rain we had, it washed only about a five-foot section right at the beginning of the culvert on my side of the street is all it did. Now, I've got cement that came up from my driveway behind my property that I'm going to put back there. that I'm going to create blocks in that whole area. My intention was to get all that bad wood-looking area that was overgrown for years, bad eye soil for the neighborhood, the only lot that can't be built on in the neighborhood, to get all that out, and I'm going to grass it all, and then it will be maintained by me with my mower and all. But I'm having to get it. where I can do it. I still got a little work to do. I've got some excavated work to do to get some stumps out, but I want to make it a instead of like it is real low. I want to make it a steady from the golf cart building down to the pond. where it will be easily maintained and will not be an eye sore for the property. Now, as far as what's in the pond, what they're talking about on the other side, there's a lot of wash from that and it goes from there under what was Bill Boddy's property to Colbert Myers' property, which y'all just cemented that because of all the, and cleaned it out, and constantly clean it out after you cement it. I know it's been cleaned out one time already by the town. They went out there and took shovels and got the dirt out that has washed in. And my problem is, and I had pictures coming from up the street as that picture is there, coming up, most of the culverts you go by and look at, they're already half stopped up. And I'm trying to stop that from coming down. And I do have some knowledge of, you know, redirecting water and so forth. One of the problems I had in the past was when cloud waste came in and put that thing in there, we had a big rain. And it was washing through the property and getting into the middle of the pond. And I contacted the town. The Lee fellow was the head of the... town mall, repair stuff, maintenance stuff. He told me I didn't have a problem. But he contacted Cloudways, and they had to send somebody out there in the pouring rain and reconstruct that ditch where they had worked just to get the water from going in the middle of the property. But through the years, with all this wash coming in from both directions to me, I'm at the bottom. That's how God created the land. I'm in the bottom. That water is... That whole neighborhood is coming to that property, even coming from Birchwood, the Country Club side. There's a culvert in the parking lot that goes through Culvert Myers' property that feeds that. So every bit of this wash that comes down from the neighborhood in Birchwood's parking lot or the Elks Club parking lot, it comes into there and it's filling the pond. That's what's happened.

Any other questions or comments?

This is a hard one for me.

It is. It is.

It's hard. It is. Because we're getting into the part about getting on private property and stuff and what the town can and cannot do legally, But then, from what I hear, and I apologize for having to step out for a moment, but there is a certain amount of corrective actions that we can do to help alleviate this problem. I would think that we need to do what we can legally to resolve the problem that Mr. Gupson has. Not getting into the pond and doing all that stuff, but do what we're responsible for to straighten out. That would alleviate some of his problem that he's got. And I would like to make a motion that we do what we can legally do to correct the problem that's there. It may not correct all of his problems, but do what we can legally do on our side of the street.

Is there a second to that motion?

Second.

All those in favor, let it be known by saying aye. Aye. Motion carries. Thank you. Thank you. The next item on our agenda is yard waste collection. Randy?

back off on our curbside collection of yard waste from every week to the first and the third weeks of the month for bulk trash, for yard waste and bulk trash also. And we're here today to talk with the council about that, to feel out how it's been going and how we're going to be going forward with it. I can tell you from a public works standpoint, and Jason can attest to this, that having that week off really has allowed the guys to get out there and do a lot of things that we haven't been able to get to in a while. Such as? Street signs, paint crosswalks. Jason, you want to go into more detail?

I'll answer Jason because I've had several complaints. Yes, sir.

So again, like Randy was saying, street signs, crosswalks on Main Street around the Methodist Church that we're able to do over there on Joint Street and Green Street, those crosswalks. And we're going to continue to be able to do things like that. Also cleaning out some ditches that the town maintains. So it's kind of a domino effect. If the public, if the street department crews are so focused on yard waste, then they can't get those things done. Then our water and sewer guys have to step in and do some of those things. Then our right of ways and so on and so forth goes lacking. So we just did our sewer inspection. We got high marks on our right of ways, our lift stations and all that. So it's really a domino effect. This frees up personnel to do some things, which frees up more personnel to do what their anticipated jobs are. It's not been without some struggles and some headaches, I admit that. So when we first come to you, we said the first and the third week, we thought that was a good idea, that was a good starting point. But then there was some confusion, well, the first full week of the month and so on and so forth. So coming back, we would like to say, let's do it every other week. We propose a calendar. We can do a calendar from this point to the end of the year. We can post the calendar online. I think that would streamline the process as well. There was also a hiccup on the interpretation that the leaf machine would run year-round picking up yard clippings and stuff like that. That was not the case. That was in with the every other week. So every other week we would pick up the yard clippings and run the entire route.

And Jason, I've had some calls too, but when I tell them, you know, this was something we needed to do to save the taxes from going up and hiring other people over there, they said, well, I'll adjust and I understand. So they were very nice about it once they complained and I explained it to them.

Yes, ma'am. And this was totally done in lieu of coming to council and requesting two additional personnel to get some street stormwater issues done on the public works side. water and sewer crews we have enough personnel for that to maintain right now what we're lacking on is is our street crews and that comes from this three to four million three days a week working six seven eight hours a day just picking up yard waste and i think the map will help because someone some of them were confused about when you were coming correct and you know it's a it's a growing a growing pain so we we implemented this did we do it perfect maybe not, but I just want to make sure that the citizens get a good service, but we don't have to raise taxes to bring on two or three more personnel to get things done.

I had a couple of complaints as well, and when I explained the reasoning for it, they seemed to understand and agree that it was okay. One person did comment that he thought that the, because the I still see grass clippings in piles as I drive through town. So he was presuming that his neighbors were getting along by just not attaching the bag to their mower, so having the clippings just off in their lawn. So I guess that is one solution to the problem because I am still seeing massive piles of clippings on the side. So I guess those who still do it with a bag are going to have to adjust their mowing schedule.

So it looks bad. I mean, our town looks bad. I mean, y'all came through my street Friday, did a great job picking everything up, and over the weekend, three neighbors put stuff back out. It's going to sit there for two weeks. I mean, that's a problem. And everybody's schedule is different. I mean, I can't always get to it before the Friday because it may rain or I might be busy. But the week after, I can, and it sits there for two weeks. That's a problem. And I don't know what the solution is, but it doesn't look good.

I do agree. It does not look good. And I don't know if it's an education where we just have to maybe come back in another 60 days and see how we can do it. That's what I was thinking. mowing lawns, we adjust where we still do every week, and then we cut down when it's not high time. I just don't know the answer.

The leaves are going to fall now, so it's going to be the leaves that are out there for two weeks.

Correct. And we anticipate running the leaf machine. Right. Council approved a leaf machine. The leaf machine's in, tags. We were running it last week. So we anticipate running the leaf machine just about season long, because by the time we get over the route, it'll be time to go again. Brent was running, it was taking him almost two weeks to run one week's route. So the leaves are going to be an issue unless we look at putting both trucks on the road. But I agree, it's not ideal, but we've got to get some citizens on board to help us out. Or we can come to council in July and request additional personnel to take care of some of the other things that have gone lacking over the last few years.

And I do like the crosswalks. I appreciate that.

Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. And those are things that just go lacking when we're focusing so hard on yard waste.

We talked about that for years before it was able to be done.

Yeah, that's great.

And I'm sure you have more time to clean out the drainages now so the water will not back up and everything. So that's nice. And maybe we just need to take 60 more days to educate the people and ask them please not to. you know, to adjust their schedules.

Right. And we did have a storm come up. We put personnel out on the streets on Wednesday afternoon, Thursday and Friday because that storm come up and we knew we were going to be inundated with yard waste. So, and I don't mind, you know, adjusting our schedule when storms and stuff come in, but making that a every week thing is just, it takes an abundance of man hours to get it done.

Any suggestions or motion?

I think all of us have received complaints about the town looking bad, and I intentionally rolled around town yesterday afternoon in different neighborhoods, and it's not the town that we're used to. It does look bad, and I know the citizens are going to have to meet you halfway to try to straighten things out, but painting crosswalks and cleaning out ditches is not something we're going to do every other week. We've got them painted and everything, so we need... put our focus back on cleaning the town back up. Uh, I had 11 resident tell me that you raise taxes, but you took away service and we're not, we're not trying to take away service. Now I understand what your point is trying to free up some man. I was to do other stuff, but uh, the bottom line is we do need to keep Nashville as clean as we, as, as, as it has been in the past. And Mayor and Council, I'm going to have to leave. My wife is out on the road stranded, and I'm going to have to go take care of her. So I apologize, and y'all can handle business with that. I'm quite sure you can. Thank you.

So, Council, what are your feelings on this?

I'm willing to give it more time to see if it is an education issue and to see if there are other things that we can do. But if it continues where things don't look good and education isn't helping, then we probably have to come up either with a different schedule that addresses those high times or concede that you need additional manpower.

Right. And Public Works is here to do whatever the council desires. This was just an idea to kind of save citizens' taxes. It brainstormed with my team and I, Randy's input on it, and it was just an idea. If it doesn't work, that's fine. I mean, I want the council and the citizens to be happy with the service that we provide.

And you always do a great job.

Thank you. And I think the word you used, the peak, I think the peak time, we need to focus on what's there. There's debris and grass clippings, and the times where it's nothing growing and nobody's doing anything, that's when you do the off stuff. I think that we need to look at that. So I'm okay with another 60 days, but I think we need to look at that in the 60 days of this time of year doesn't have clippings, this time of year doesn't have leaves. And that's the time you schedule your extra work. And then the rest of time you pick up the stuff. I mean, I think there's a I think there's a plan C that we come up with.

There is. I mean, if council so desires to run the the leaf machine every week year round for for grass clippings and then leaves in the fall again, we're at the disposal of the council to to make the town as best as we can.

So what is the motion?

I'll make a motion that we do another 60-day period to see if we can figure out how to help with education in the public, see if people can adjust their schedules. But if we continue to have complaints and we continue to ride around town and see that it just isn't looking well, then we can, in 60 days, readdress and see if we can come up with a plan C. Would council so desire to alternate weeks instead of the first and third and kind of go ahead and get that out there?

That's a lot better. That's fine. That's easy to understand. It is. And we were assuming that the first and third would go that route. And then we looked down the road and then there is a week where there was nothing picked up for two weeks. And I'll admit the town got to looking a little rough. So I think this implementation will definitely every other week, it may be an adjustment that's an improvement. But we can revisit this in 60 days and kind of reconvene. That would be great.

Bill, do you want to be in on it maybe since you said you had a plan C? I'd be happy to. You know, just hear from one of the council people. Absolutely.

You know, if we can get together on peak times, I mean, there is an option C, and maybe option C would be a great option to go to.

Do you mind doing that, Bill? So I hear a motion to continue for 60 days.

With the implementation of every other week.

Every other week. Is there a second? Second. All those in favor, let it be known by saying aye. Aye. The next item on that.

Because Lou's not here, do we need to do something about Larry leaving?

You guys acknowledged it. Yeah. Okay.

So there's nothing else we need to do?

You have to acknowledge it. We have to make a motion that we approve. We did a motion last time we did that.

Do a motion to add Larry.

Do I hear a motion that we excuse Larry Taylor from the rest of the meeting due to an emergency? Yes, I make that motion. Second. All those in favor, let it be known by saying aye. Aye.

Mayor, if I may, just for information, that has an effect on the vote count, at least by statute, failure to be excused when absent counts as an affirmative vote. I took that as tacit approval, tacit excuse. But as a matter of practice, probably makes good sense when a council member leaves mid mid-meeting if it's for, obviously, an excused absence of council to vote that it is excused.

Thank you for keeping me straight. The next item on our agenda is the local match for the CDBG-NR application. Randy?

Good morning, once again, Mayor and Council. As you know, at the September, the first meeting, the Town Council did approve submission of a second $950,000 grant for the Community Development Block Grant through the NC Department of Commerce. We will have one more additional public hearing in our October meeting, so we'll do three this time. But what we are asking the Council is that it is... look well upon if the town also does a local match towards the grant. After talking with Mr. Ben Jones from Falter Consulting last year, he told us it helps with scoring. It just gives us a leg up on the scoring checkbox list. So the town can match a 2.5% at $23,750, a 3% match at $28,500, and a 5% match at $47,500. as i expressed with some council members about a couple days ago there are some towns that do apply that do not match but they also look at the stress of the town so is that the council to make a motion to either decide to do a match like we did last year or not do a match if you go back and pull the minutes from the october 7 meet for 2025 we did vote that even to do a three percent match so we also agreed to do 28 500 with a motion made and second for us to do a match on that night by Councilman Xavier Harris and Councilman Larry Taylor.

So do we have the money to do that match?

Well, it won't be in this year's budget, so we'll have an opportunity for FY27 or probably more likely FY28.

28, the budget for it.

Okay.

By the time you get the environmental reviews done on all the houses, you know, you're eight months.

And we know that that match helped last time, or are we just thinking about it?

No, that was part of my question.

That's the part of the unknown that we don't know. We just know that if you do a match, sometimes it gives you a leg up on the scoring, that they say that this town is serious about community development block grant. They're willing to put up their own money to ensure they secure the grant. But as I stated, there are towns that got a $950,000 grant to town of Yuma City that did not do a match. And after talking with officials down there last night, they're applying again and not planning to do a match also. Not a match again to see if they get it.

And we've never tried to do it without doing a match. So we don't know whether that helped or didn't. We don't know if the amount was appropriate.

And there are other towns that I called that's also applying to still teetering not to do a match or to do a match.

And if we decided not to do a match this time and did not receive the grant funding, would we have to wait an entire calendar year to then reapply?

You would have to wait to 27. Okay. Around that October is when submissions go out. So we would start everything back over again in the spring and summer, get everything lined up for the 27th submission.

I wouldn't do everything we can to get it, but at the same time, I'd rather spend $28,000 than have to.

Right. And we always can drop down to 2.5 at 2370.

Now, are these the only percentages allowed? They are. Okay.

Oh, so there's no more than five. Right, no more than five. I think last time the county, some counties are looking at doing a 5%, but like you said, it just shows them that the town is serious about it, but There are towns, as I stated, that did not provide a match and are applying again and not providing a match, hoping that they can get funded again.

But nobody's putting in 20%, which is great. Right. Yeah.

Council, what are your thoughts? I wish we had a grant writer here.

Part of me would like to see if if it makes a difference or not. But, of course, I don't want to wait a full calendar year if we don't receive it.

But we won't know either because if we don't get it, it may be another reason.

No, that's true, too.

I mean, we really don't know.

And just be reminded, if we do decide to do the pledge and we're not funded, then it's not the book. We don't have to pay anything. That's right. You don't have to pay anything.

I'd like to hear other opinions.

I'm sort of like you. I'm mixed. I would rather, if we're going to do one, do the lowest amount. Is that tacky?

Well, I was wondering if we can go even lower than the 2.5.

Well, you found that out. We can. But I just don't want to do anything to keep a citizen from not being upgraded. You know what I mean? But like you said, we don't know if it will affect us or not.

Do we have any other examples other than Elm City who did not?

M City is the only one I can think of. I believe Beth Thale, and I can go back and check, but I don't think Beth Thale did a match also, and they were rewarded. They weren't rewarded 950 like us in M City, but I don't think they were. I know Springhut, when I was down at their meeting, their board is still teething if they want to do a match. Because they're thinking the same thing, you know, let's see if we don't do a match, if we'll get picked. Now, the good thing about Nashville is we did do a match last year, so that may still score high that we did one last year, but we're not doing one this year. So that's the only uncertainty that you just don't know.

Okay. You just have to take a chance. You got to take a chance, a game of chance.

So it's about helping people, but it's also about increasing our tax value.

Right, right. Because for every house that we tear down, you may have a house now that you're getting $5,000 on taxes. When you go back, you're building back at right at $182,000 when everything comes in.

And year one, there is a tax, right? When they get the grant, there's no...

Once the house is complete, the taxes go up. So as soon as you get your CO on the new house, you automatically start paying the new tax rate. Now, it depends on how it's built and completed. It may fall in this calendar year or it may fall in the next calendar year, but you will get it once you get the CO because they'll send out the appraiser to appraise the new dwelling.

And they require you to stay there a certain amount of years without a penalty, right?

Right. If you decide to sell or have to, the town recoups back the money for so many amount of years till you get to the back end on the fifth, sixth year where the town now gets a 10% versus if you sell the first year, we tear the house down, build you a brand new house, you put the for sale side in and you sell it, we get maybe right about 80% back and it has to go back to CDBG. So when that money is refunded, we have to either use it for a rehab or doing something else. Majority of the time when we talk with Ben, It never happens, but let's just say it does happen. Ben always has encouraged me and Town Manager Lansing, use that money to just do a rehab on somebody's house. Okay.

I'm almost tempted to do two and a half just to make sure we get it, but I could be swayed.

Anybody else on the council? Two and a half or nothing, and we'll see if not matching affects it.

Two and a half as well. Two and a half.

Well, in that case, do I hear a motion that we match with two and a half?

I'll make the motion. We'll play two and a half.

Is there a second? I'll second. All those in favor, let it be known by saying aye. Aye. Motion carries. Thank you. The next item on our agenda is the Honorary Street Naming Policy.

Mayor and council we've had a request from a Nashville family seeking an honorary street name designation We don't currently have this policy in place And there are other other a number of other towns that already do it for the counts for the council's consideration here this morning we have drafted a honorary street renaming policy a street naming policy that has been developed to establish consistent eligibility requirements, application procedures, review standards, signage guidelines, and approval of authority. An honorary designation would be ceremony only and would not change the official name of the street, anybody's mailing address, the property records, emergency response information, or existing street signs. Uh, the council may also revise the proposed policy or direct staff to make additional changes in return of the policy for future consideration. But, uh, it was a request, uh, kind of a fun request, I think. Um, and the, the family that's proposed it has, uh, sent us some pictures of other towns that have done that, that have honorary street names. And it's just a matter of putting a different street color sign on top or below of one that's there already with the honorary street name on it.

And who pays for that? They do.

The way we've written up the policy all across associated with ordering the sign and putting the sign up is paid for in the application.

Now, let me ask you this question. Suppose you have three people that want the honorary name on the same street. Do you just put them under each other? That could happen, you know.

I think it's first come, first served.

Well, my thought, instead of a street, because the street could go further, is to make it an intersection. Then there's only one option. It's the intersection of these two streets. There's a sign there that says the street names, and you put the honorary there, where instead of a three-block section where you call it all three blocks, where the person down the road may want the name after them, you know, and They've been there just as long. That's my thought.

You could do one block segments.

Or one block segments. I have a couple questions about some.

Ask them.

Okay. So on page 48, number 22, it may say it, but I may not have read it, but they really need to be all the same. So each person doesn't get to pick what they want their street sign to look like. Right, they're all the same, whatever the town chooses. One for all and all for one.

Yeah, our street signs are typically green. Well, they are. These would be blue with white lettering.

Yeah, and then the other thing I thought was on 30, that first sentence and second sentence really needs to be two different sentences just because they're two different topics. They're basically talking about removal, but one's about...

the best interest of the town and the other one's about safety so i think they need to be two different senses it's minor but thank you those are my thoughts also too just for everyone in the audience to know it's not that we can just have somebody come up and say i want my street to be cape burn street you actually have to have made significant um contributions to the town or or there's a long process and you have to meet several criteria. It's not just someone wanting it. They have to have had done good.

And it might not be a bad idea is when somebody applies for this, it comes before the council for you to look at and see if you agree that it meets all those. Yeah, it was in there. Yeah.

So since, since this policy is proposed, uh, We have actually gotten an application from that family that's wanting the town to adopt this policy. That would be on our October 6th council meeting agenda.

But I think it's smart what Bill said to have the smaller amounts or like, you know.

Well, this is one block street. We're talking about England. Yeah.

It is, yeah. Ward just goes from First Street to Brake Street. Okay.

But making an intersection gives you two options on that street instead of one.

Oh, I see what you're saying.

Because you can have one at one end and one at the other end. Yeah. Yeah. So that clears up. And it clears up if the person says, well, that side doesn't have one. I mean, I don't know. I just think intersection makes more sense. But again, I'm open. I like the idea.

So do I hear a recommendation to consider and adopt an honorary street naming policy for the town?

Okay.

Chief, I didn't see your hand. I'm sorry.

Coy brought up a good point.

Uh, I haven't looked over and reviewed it, but as far as the notifying emergency communications of it or not making changes, Corey asked the question of what if they're not from here and they call 911 and they read the street sign and it's not a street register with communications. I'm in favor of it, but I think there's going to have to be some kind of formal process to notify communications because you live on Ford Street, but if they name it Lump Street, somebody calls and said I'm on Lump Street, nobody's going to know where to go. And as much as officers pay attention, once you're trained what the road name is and you change it, they'll always remember. I still know that that's L&L number 914 and I don't know what the real name of it is anymore. tell you the address but right so might be something we need to look at as far as notifying communications not necessarily to change the map but to give it an alternative route highway patrol uses state road names they don't use local road names so if they dispatch them to state road 159 they know where that's at but if you tell them body street they ain't got a clue right that's true I wouldn't shoot it down. I would just say we might need to look into how do we, in the application process, notify communications to make sure they're tracking on alternative names.

Is that something communications is likely to be able to do pretty easily?

Everything is always possible. I can talk to Bill and see what he says. I don't think that you're going to have a ton of them right at first. So maybe it's just some growing pains of, hey, how do we put a call note in there that anytime this comes up, you know, we can find it that way.

Yeah.

I would ask that just let me talk to communications so we can maybe work out some fine print and how that reads.

Okay. Or do we think of an alternative to so like obviously the address is not going to change. The actual street name is not going to change. This is an honorary addition to the street name, but I completely see that point. So maybe we don't name it whatever street. Maybe it's just a sign where it just says, you know, in honor of and the name and maybe not even in public safety blue. Maybe in a completely different color. And smaller.

Definitely smaller. On the sign or another sign?

On the sign, so it doesn't look like a street sign. It doesn't look like it would be an identifier for somebody calling 911.

No matter what you do, somebody's going to call 911. That's true. I think getting with 911 is probably the best thing. Do we want to table this for two weeks? I would say table.

It's up to the council. Do you make the motion?

I'll make a motion to table this for two weeks and get more information.

Is there a second? Second. All those in favor? Aye. Aye. Yeah, because we don't want it to be complicated. That's right. And just, I would just put in honor of so-and-so up there and not even put street on it, you know?

Yeah, exactly.

Because if people see the word street, that's going to change their thinking. Right. But just in honor of or something like that. But anyway, just... we got that going um council board and committee assignments i was looking over that and um i know you work and some of these meetings are in the day so we don't want to put you you know in a difficult position and i was wondering if we could revisit this and let her go to night um functions yes that would be great so um we'll look at that Do you think that would be appropriate for us to do, Randy? Sure. I'll get with you and we'll reassign. Which of these meetings are at night? I know some of them, but some I do not. Now, I know Zavian's Rocky Mount, that was during the day, wasn't it?

Yes, four o'clock.

Yeah, four o'clock.

And then the... Tree board, park board, or late afternoon, early evening meetings.

Officially 530?

Downtown is 515 on 2nd, 4th Tuesday.

So, Kate, you serve on that now? Mm-hmm. Would you mind if we put her on that committee?

I don't mind at all. Do you have a preference as to what committees you're on?

No.

Okay.

And then the library, I thought that would be a good, because don't they meet at night, quarterly, the library committee?

Late afternoon, early evening. Where is the library?

We meet at 5. Five. So maybe if you could take those two, the tree and the library, who would be?

Well, tree and recreation, parks and rec are together now. So that's just one appointment.

So then who would be willing to take the town employee safety committee spot? Why don't we see if Larry would do that since he was on the library?

I was going to say, Larry's not here, so he's free game.

I say we assign Larry to the rest of them. Larry has earned that one.

I've been getting stuff on the TAC anyways, and I went to the last meeting, so I'd be happy to take that. Which one? The TAC, the Rocky Mountain.

Oh, the one we just assigned to Larry?

Oh, great. No, we assigned town employment. Oh, okay. So you will take that one. Okay, that'd be great, Bill. Thanks. I was already a second anyways.

So that takes care of all of that. Okay.

Whoever does alternative on that has to have a lot of paperwork on that, even for the second person.

What on the one you're going to?

Yeah, I mean, I've already been doing the paperwork, but it's like a whole process that you have to go through every year. They asked who your brother is and sister is and all that. I mean, a bunch of stuff.

Oh, gracious. Can you put me around it?

And that meets at what time did you say? Four o'clock. It's quarterly, but it seems like it's more than that.

He said three o'clock. I know our side of the meet said two o'clock on our side that the directors go to.

Should we put Larry on that one, too?

Bill, Bill, you stated you wouldn't mind serving on that.

I'm okay with that. Larry's going to be the secondary. Larry's going to be secondary. I've been the secondary the whole time.

So hold on. Let's just go through this because I think I just skated out of being on any committee, which I'm good with.

Oh, no, you haven't. We've got to figure this thing out.

So Upper Coastal Plain is Mayor Brown. Then Parks and Recreation Tree Board together. is going to be Jaquetta, correct? Yes. And then the library board as well? Yes.

OK. Well, we could put you on the library board since that's been combined as two.

Would you mind? I'm fine with going to anything. I don't.

So why don't we do that, Jaquetta? You do the parks, rec, and tree board, and then we'll let Kate do the library. OK. OK. And I'll be glad to have somebody to help me out on that coastal plane meetings. Randy, you're my backup, aren't you?

Yes, but you've been making them, so I haven't had that.

Well, I know. But anyway.

Okay, so now as far as backup, so you're backup for the upper coastal plane. Larry is backup to Parks and Recreation and Tree Board. Library, I'm going to be. And then who's the backup for library? I can do backup for library. Okay, perfect. Thank you. And then we said the TAC, Bill, you're going to be the primary. And Larry will be the backup. Larry is on the Economic Alliance.

Yep.

Randy, you're the backup.

Then Larry is going to do the town employee safety.

And I'm listed as the backup to that.

Yep.

And then Downtown Strong, Bill.

Bill, and you're the backup for that, too.

Okay. Everybody happy?

Yes. Okay.

Good. I want everybody happy. So I hear a motion to affirm the National Town Council members' assignments to the town's various boards and committee.

I make a motion.

Second. All those in favor, let it be known by saying aye. Aye. And thank you so much for serving. You're a great crew, and I appreciate you.

It's pursuant to NCGS 143-318.11 to establish or instruct the public body staff negotiating agents concerning the position to be taken by or on behalf of the public body in negotiating the price and other materials terms of a contract or proposed contract for the acquisition of real estate property by purchase, option, exchange, or lease, and the amount of compensation and other materials, terms of an employment contract or proposed employment contract, and per NCGS 143-318.111 to prevent disclosure information that is privileged or confidential pursuant to the laws of the United States. of this state or of the United States or not considered a public record within the meeting of chapter 132 of the general status to review and approve past closed session meeting minutes.

Thank you for that.

Before you do that, staff wanted to talk about bulk item pickup, Jason. We meant to when we were talking about the other. What did you have with regard to that, Jason?

So we had that on the agenda as well. Are we going to revisit that in 60 days, or was there any questions or comments, complaints about the bulk waste pickup being the first Friday of every month?

I've only seen complaints online, and I don't address those.

I did pass out a door hanger. It's just an additional tool that we were going to use. There is going to be a little bit of changes to it because we'll take the yard waste off. The electronics are going to be picked up anyway. So this is just an additional tool. We only printed about 10 of them up if council so desires to continue with the bulk waste being the first Friday of every month. With the fees that are associated with that, we're going to print up several of these, and this will be the first line of notification if we see something out and we don't have a work order for it.

I didn't get any calls about the bulk items. It was just yard stuff.

So we're not going to revisit that in 60 days? We're just going to implement that? I think so. On a permanent basis? Yeah. Okay. Thank you.

Thank you.

Sorry, Bill.

That's fine. I made a motion.

He made the motion. Do I hear a second?

All those in favor, let me know by saying aye. Aye. We'll now go into closed session.

And if the council's okay, we can use the back room again. That'd be fine. I do need to take a quick break.