Remarks by Gavin Smith
85 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 2 of 4
- Play at 1:04:58
“Yeah, I mean my neighborhood has an HOA, but I guess I'm I'm struggling to understand that the factor here of fixed versus variable because the ordinance as it's written today doesn't distinguish that I mean right now the ordinance says once on final plot approval the roads are taken in so long as they meet the standards. That's my reading of the ordinance.”
Town Council · Sep 21, 2026
- Play at 1:05:26
“But what I'd like to follow up on that is, I mean, I have the list of the neighborhoods that, you know...”
Town Council · Sep 21, 2026
- Play at 1:05:57
“as a straight they're completely understand that and let's just assume it's not a 100% accurate, but I drove to like 7 of the neighborhoods where we're paying for the streetlights currently according to that spreadsheet understanding it may not be accurate. They don't have the lights that are required by that ordinance because those lights have been upgraded to modern lights so we haven't kicked them out of the program. but we're not accepting new neighborhoods because they're not installing lights from back in the 1980s. The standard's not really being applied, which is why you're saying…”
Town Council · Sep 21, 2026
- Play at 1:07:01
“But you just said that they became the new standard. So really, we have accepted a new standard. We may not have adopted it in an ordinance, but a precedent has been set. I mean, we just approved streetlights in one neighborhood a couple of weeks ago, and they have the new modern streetlights. They don't meet the ordinance, but we're still reimbursing them.”
Town Council · Sep 21, 2026
- Play at 1:08:12
“Right. And just to say on the record, I agree with you that the ordinance needs to be updated. The point that I'm making is there are neighborhoods like Bar Lake and like my neighborhood, Sterling Bridge, that... the only reason apparently they're not getting reimbursed um is because they don't have the 1980 light they have the current version of that light like that's the only reason they meet all the other standards they're required and we're already paying for these modern versions of lights across town where they've been upgraded”
Town Council · Sep 21, 2026
- Play at 1:09:10
“And it is fair to say like until room point I believe they have more ornamental light so we actually reimburse at the standard rate versus the ornament so they pay the delta right.”
Town Council · Sep 21, 2026
- Play at 1:09:44
“But we have approved lights to be brought into the town. Since 1980 so like there are lights in town that we're paying for that don't meet that ordinance. Correct.”
Town Council · Sep 21, 2026
- Play at 1:10:43
“Well, to be clear, I'm not asking for anything. That will be the neighborhood HOA that has to ask, which they've done that. But I do think that it's wrong that an ordinance states that streetlights are paid for, and the only thing prohibiting these individuals from getting... Take it out of my HOA dues. I don't care. But there are... hundreds of citizens around this town, the only reason they're not getting that benefit is because our ordinance says a 1980's version of a light versus a current version of the light whereby which we are paying for the current version of the light in dozens of…”
Town Council · Sep 21, 2026
- Play at 1:11:24
“Well, I don't know. I mean, that's for the council to speak. I'm just speaking on my own. I'm speaking for myself.”
Town Council · Sep 21, 2026
- Play at 1:18:10
“Matt American asked two follow-up questions. First, as you're doing your review, my first follow-up question would be, can you help us define what a neighborhood is? Is there a definition of that in our ordinance or land development manual like does it apply to the historic area of Lexington because I kind of consider them a neighborhood that they're not like a subdivision so to say.”
Town Council · Sep 21, 2026
- Play at 1:19:13
“OK, so I think that would be beneficial and. I think my second question would be if there is a provision that prohibits us from using public dollars to pay for streetlights on private roads. How is that cleared the legal hurdles when we're approving public dollars to pay for lights on private roads in the past.”
Town Council · Sep 21, 2026
- Play at 1:19:43
“I mean, we've been advised that it's been fine, but I'm hearing you say that it might not be.”
Town Council · Sep 21, 2026
- Play at 1:23:32
“madam mayor yes can i just say i would be in favor of that option but could we allow the planning commission to go ahead and begin their work the ordinance clearly needs to be updated as far as the design standards the financial component you'd be in favor of what option of staff continuing to do that. What I'm asking though is could we allow the planning commission to go ahead and begin their work also on updating the design standards correct.”
Town Council · Sep 21, 2026
- Play at 1:25:35
“Shouldn't we make the decision without The financial component there of like let them make an independent decision of this is what it should be. You know, like I imagine we're basing our decision on square footage or whatever it is based on, you know, some standard, you know, not, well, this is what it's going to cost.”
Town Council · Sep 21, 2026
- Play at 1:26:31
“We're not going to reduce our standards because the town's paying for it, right? It's going to be what the planning commission wants. I mean, and it's based on some standard. I have no clue how they do it, but it's based on what you were saying. Dominion has recommendations for how far they should be, etc.”
Town Council · Sep 21, 2026
- Play at 1:27:56
“I just would say that we're making a decision based on public safety on what we can afford, not versus what is necessary. I mean, at the end of the day, there's a bare minimum we're requiring. And data is out there that suggests that communities that have streetlights, based on minimum standards, have a 21% reduction in crime rates.”
Town Council · Sep 21, 2026
- Play at 1:28:31
“Yeah, but I don't think we're talking about an unlimited budget here. I think we're talking about what does a standard – I think that's exactly what you instructed them to do.”
Town Council · Sep 21, 2026
- Play at 1:28:44
“That's bad policy. But I think the recommendation should be based on what the minimum standard is. I imagine that there is a minimum standard supported by some universal code that says this is what should be required for basic public safety.”
Town Council · Sep 21, 2026
- Play at 1:32:00
“And I will just follow up and say there is some sense of urgency because you do have requests and citizens are being disadvantaged by us not taking up this recommendation. I think at the end of the day, some citizens see this as I'm paying property taxes or I'm paying taxes, and I'm also paying HOA dues, and HOA dues are paying for streetlights that should be being paid for by our property taxes.”
Town Council · Sep 21, 2026
- Play at 1:34:45
“At the end of the day, it's shifting the burden from the town's balance sheet or the town's cash flow statement, whatever, to the everyday citizens. I mean, it's still being paid for, whether it's being paid for by the town's general fund budget or you're shifting it to the burden of the everyday taxpayer. Somebody's still paying for it. You're giving the choice to the homeowner. We're still going to require them to have the street light is what I'm hearing.”
Town Council · Sep 21, 2026
- Play at 1:35:12
“I still require him say so in reality, it's a tax increase on our citizens that we are imposing on them by shifting this burden from the town that we already accept over to the taxpayer think we're requiring the installation.”
Town Council · Sep 21, 2026
- Play at 4:54
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
Town Council · Sep 8, 2026
- Play at 5:18
“correct, but now you be taking action outside when you come out of executive session right on one of the items that was listed that you discussed right and I understand we cannot do that but we could add the item to the agenda to discuss the item we just could not take an action correct. Then madam mayor, I move that we add an item to the agenda. Discussion only yeah for discussion on the day and that would be town policies and procedures.”
Town Council · Sep 8, 2026
- Play at 9:09
“Thank you, Madam Mayor. A ripple fiber LLC is being acquired as part of a transaction that will result in frontier communications of the Carolinas LLC. A Verizon company acquiring and operating ripple fibers broadband network in Lexington. The town has received a request for its consent to assign the existing broadband franchise agreement from ripple fiber to frontier. the franchise agreement and its existing obligations would remain in effect following the assignment a copy of the request was attached to our agenda packet as such madam mayor i moved to consider consent to the assignment and…”
Town Council · Sep 8, 2026
- Play at 11:05
“For the record, I'm not sure the appropriate staff member, so I'll ask our administrator and she could assign accordingly. Could you just clarify for the record what type of lights are in Pilgrim Point?”
Town Council · Sep 8, 2026