Council - Regular Meeting

Hey, [music] hey, hey.

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Heat. Heat.

Good evening and welcome to the Surf City Town Council regular meeting at 6:00 p.m. So, we're excited. We're going to call the meeting to order and I'm going to ask Nick Adams from the gathering to come up and lead us in our invocation and following by John Koffy lead us in the pledge. if you would please stand. All right, God, let's pray.

Lord, thank you uh for an opportunity to meet. Thank you for everybody that's gathered here, dear Lord. Thank you for all the people that make up this town, dear Lord. Uh just thank you for this time. I pray that uh you just go before us in this time. Uh whatever decisions need to be made, dear Lord, I pray that it would be made with wisdom. and just thank you for the uh all the staff and and people that make up this town and serve this town that I just pray that you just continue to give them a heart of stewardship, dear Lord. And that uh they would just continue to do it honoring and glorifying you and know that when we serve the interest of you, we got nothing to lose. So, just help them to to do that in that way. And and I look forward to what you're going to do in this town. Uh I thank you for letting me be a part of it in uh in any kind of way and uh I just pray that you uh be with us in this meeting and that uh you go before us in in the things we have to do. We love you. Amen.

Amen. [cough] [clears throat] I pledge 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.

At this time, I'm going to call up Sandy Maro, and she has been Come on up, Sandy. Miss Sandy has been an outstanding chair of our beautifification enhancement committee. I'm also going to um ask her to call up her committee and introduce her committee that's here with her today and those that are not. And she's going to present um the business and the home of the month as well as um a special presentation tonight. surprise. I think um so to start off with our uh home and business of the month, every month we select a um either through public nomination or our committee drives around town and looks for all the gorgeous businesses and um lovely homes in our community. We select a business and a home of the month. So for our business of the month this month, I would like to welcome Pat Davis from Surf City Coffee. I believe she told me she was going. Oh, there she is. [laughter] Sorry. Sorry. [applause] So, normally we have Oh, don't go away. Normally, we have a certificate, but that uh with the holidays, we had a little snafu. So, we're going to get that to you tomorrow when we do the photos. But I know that Pat, your business has been awarded this award a few years ago for as beautiful as you have your landscaping outside. But this time, we wanted to also present the award in recognition of some of the sponsorships that you've done of our last few street sweeps and um Pat donated all of the coffee that the folks enjoyed when they came out to do the street sweeps. So, thank you so much for that. And would you like to say a few words about

I'm casual. The important thing about being a business in this community is giving back and any way that I can do that whether it be for you little pink houses or hope or helping people in need. That's what we need to be about as a community and it blesses my heart to do it. Thank you so much [applause] and we will see you tomorrow uh around 4:30 for photos and we'll give you your plaque at that time. Okay. Thank you. [laughter] And for our home of the month this month, it is Cheryl and Robert Mitchell at one or excuse me, at uh Oops. 10:48 First

First Street. Sorry, I had the wrong address on here. And I don't believe that they're here. They live in Goldsboro, so they were unable to make it. But we will take some photos of their house and um give them recognition online. So, let's give them a little [applause] [snorts] roll right into this. Absolutely. It's all yours.

Get to see me for a little bit more. Um, so in the past, believing that public art enhances our community, we have commissioned already two beautiful murals. One you'll see at the base of the roundabout as you come onto the island underneath the water tower. And the second is located at the Kinston Beach access. It's the um bath house there. So both of these are unique and truly beautiful. Taking an unattractive plain cement wall or building and turning it into a gorgeous work of art. For the last two years, the beautifification and enhancement committee has been working on a new type of public art project. It it was the brainchild of one of our previous committee members, Michael Hill. And when we heard about it, our whole entire committee just jumped on board and we were very excited about this. And we hope that you are too. This time we're taking a page from some of the other communities who have had successful art projects and creating some standalone art p art art pieces in the form of these large surfboards that will either live in front of a sponsor's business or be located in one of the public art spaces like Roland Avenue or the some of our parks in the area. So to date, we have secured the sponsorship of seven boards, including the one we're going to unveil tonight, and you'll soon see them out and about in the community. In the coming months, as each statue is completed and installed, we will share with you images and introduce the businesses and let and the artists and let you learn a little bit about each one. But tonight, we're here to unveil the first completed statue for the town of Surf City. Um, it will stand proudly just outside the front doors of town hall. And the artist is Cricut Tempa. I'd like to have her stand up and wave [applause] to everybody. She's been working on a few of our

upcoming surfboards. So, you'll see her again and her artwork again. She's a resident here for about seven years. And she owns uh Grasshopper Studios. And would you like to say a few words, Cricket? tell a little bit about

local artist been in North Carolina for a really long time but city for like seven years I'm never leaving so you're stuck with me [laughter] um most of my art is ocean based which is marine life and I know that's dear to my heart and conservation for the community um if I look familiar it's because I am lucky enough to be part of top art market. I'm an artist with them. I've been with them for about 10 years down at the south end and a lot of here in S city, which I'm really excited to be part of that community. Anyway, I have worked with some really cool businesses already on this project and I'm super excited and I hope our collaboration brings a little bit of color and creativity. Thanks. [laughter] [applause]

And here here are a couple of other members of our committee. We we have uh Jerry Iman and Richard Vessoff and uh later after the presentation or at any time if you see them in the community and you have questions you're welcome to ask them any questions about this program. So now without any further ado we're going to unveil the town's surfboard. [applause] So, as you can see, it's two-sided with the base. It has this beautiful the beautiful backside as well. So,

threedimensional. [applause] And that's all I have. So, if you have any questions about sponsorship or about becoming an artist for any of the boards, just reach out to one of us. And you can go on the town's website under the special projects tab. there is a a little link that you can email us and we will get back to you. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you for all your hard [applause] work.

All right, we'll move right on into the agenda. Do I have a motion to adopt the agenda? I'll make a motion to adopt this agenda. Second. Have a motion and a second. All in favor say I. All oppose, same sign. Motion carries. Um, next item. Do I have a motion to approve the approval of the consent agenda? I'll make a motion as well to approve the consent agenda. I'll second. Have a motion and a second. All in favor say I. I. All oppose, same sign. Motion carries to approve the consent agenda. Next item is public comments. And Carla, we have

Richard Bess off. I'm Richard Vess, 25503 Southshore Drive. Uh, come this March, I'll been a resident on the island for eight years. Uh, many changes, you know, have happened in that time. Uh, one of the things that I know that all of us have just recently done is we've all paid our property taxes. And as far as on the island myself, u I have an issue with our city employees chasing trash trucks and pulling cans back. I know that this is costing us money. And I've always taken care of my own cans, take care of my neighbors cans when they're out and about. And as far as the rental properties and stuff, either the management companies or the owners, I believe really should be taking care of that expense themselves. And I just think that we have a lot better things for our city employees to be doing than chasing trash trucks and especially in the summer when we have two day pickups. So just kind of, you know, bounce that out there and see if maybe we can't find a way of having people be responsible for their own trash cans going in and out instead of the city having to foot the bill.

That's all. Thank you. Thank you, Richard.

But that's it. No one else signed up.

Okay. Um we'll move on to um public hearing and Jeremy [clears throat] um this is our planning director. He will come up and present. Hey madam mayor, members of council before you tonight is a proposed text amendment to the zoning ordinance appendix A. This is more or less a housekeeping item. As you are aware, we require foundation and final surveys for new projects, new single family, um, any new build. Going through the ordinance, uh, when the new ordinance was adopted, it is in a incorrect area. I don't believe it's in the right section. So, I'm proposing to move it from section 5.3 complexes to section 3.8 zoning permit. it makes more sense to be in that location and adds clarity to anyone who is reviewing our zoning ordinance. The planning board heard this at their meeting in December and then along with staff is recommending approval. I'll be happy to answer any questions.

Thank you. I have a motion to open the public hearing. I'll make a motion to open the public hearing. I'll second. I have a motion and a second. All in favor say I. I. All oppose, same sign. Motion carries to open the public hearing. At this time, are there any questions or any public comments that would like to be heard? This is strictly a housekeeping. Yes, sir. Please come up. State your name and address, please.

Mike McCusker, 1016 South Topsill Drive. Uh I would just ask if you all could explain that uh more definitively so us commoners understand what it is you're doing in clarity so we understand how it affects us as taxpayers. Thank you.

To be honest it affects you no no way there the standards are not changing. They're the same standards. We're just relocating it in the ordinance from one section to the other where it makes sense when you're reading the ordinance. Um, I've been with the town since May of last year, but from my understanding for years, the town has required foundation and final surveys during construction. Uh, that's middle construction and then final. Uh, this just moves it to what staff believes is the correct location in the ordinance. The standards are not changing. There is no impact. There's no new requirements. It's the same as what we've been doing. So, yes, sir. Thank you. [clears throat]

Any other comments? If there are no other comments at this time, do I have a motion to close the public hearing? I'll make that motion to close the public hearing. Mayor, second. I have a motion and a second. All in favor say I. I. All oppose, same sign. Motion carries to close the public hearing. At this time, it is requested that the town council consider approval of the zoning text amendment amendment as presented. Do I have a motion to do so? I'll make a motion to do so. I'll second. Have a motion and a second. All in favor say I. I. All oppose, same sign.

Motion carries. There is no old business. There is no new business. At this time, we'll move into the manager's report and I'll ask Cal Brew to present. Thank you, Madam Mayor, and good evening, council, and members of the public. Um, got several items on here I just wanted to give you an update on. Um, as you know, we are moving [clears throat] into our budget season. December 31st was a pivotal uh date for us as that's when capital improvement items were due uh by department heads. Um, as a reminder, uh, this council reviewed the scoring criteria on that at your work session a couple weeks ago and, uh, we will be reviewing those, um, over the next couple of weeks, and we'll present those to you, uh, during your annual annual planning meeting, uh, at the end of January. Um, as a reminder, we will then, uh, roll into departmental line items. Uh, that'll be due by the end of February. and and we uh work in this process moving forward. I mentioned it last month, but just wanted to bring it up again. Um is that the uh legislative priorities for the town is something that we do annually and we are in year two of of the state legislative cycle. Um and then also establishing or renewing federal legislative priorities uh will be something that comes before you uh at your next work session. So, if you have items or if you talk to constituents in the community that are having issues uh with something that uh we can potentially work on their behalf, we'll be happy to do that. So, um just a reminder for for council and staff for for the legislative cycle. [clears throat] Uh we have another excellent storm water project that is about to uh start uh start very soon uh which is our Roland

Avenue storm water project. Um the contract was awarded uh to the actually it was the contractor that did our seahorse project and we are securing the necessary signatures for final approval. Uh the project is slated to kick off uh soon after the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend and will force the closure of the Roland Avenue Northshore Southshore Drive intersection uh while work is being completed. So that's a busy intersection in town. Um, this is probably the most favorable time for us to do it, but never uh convenient for everybody. Um, this project will replace the asphalt in that intersection with pvious pavers and a catch inlet to divert the roadway flooding that occurs in that location. Um, and the project will visually appear similar to the Seahorse Avenue project. Uh there are some components that won't be the exact same but um the end result from from the public eye will be the um intersection being replaced with the uh pvious pavers.

What's the time? I mean it's going to take uh it's about about two month uh project. So our goal is to have that completed by the time that the weather in earnest gets uh warm for everybody. Okay.

The uh waterline resilience project, we've been talking about this a lot. Um, last time I updated the board on this, we had a unsuccessful uh, bid of that project. Um, however, we are at the point where we have received a favorable bid uh, which is under um, the engineering cost estimate for it. Um, and it is anticipated to bring that to you at your next work session. Um, with this project, the town requested an add alternate bid for segment seven of the multi-use path, uh, which runs from Roland Avenue up northshore to, um, Dolphin Street. Uh, that too came in under engineer cost estimates. Um staff will bring both projects to the board for consideration and staff is beginning to work on the communication plans for the project as it will impact areas of the island town center. Um specifically uh old Roland or where the br uh old swing bridge came into town and then of course property owners along Northshore Drive um as we work within the right ofway to replace that that old water line there. Um, so we will have a communications plan uh with that and and we will start addressing that for folks. Our annual planning meeting is coming up. Um, so uh that's scheduled January 28th through the 30th um and will be located here at the Surf City Municipal Complex. Um, similar to years past, the me the meeting will be facilitated through a partnership with the UNCC School of Government. The planning meeting will allow council to review recent accomplishments, assess current challenges and opportunities, and set priorities for the year ahead. During the meeting, council will review the town's financial outlook and long-term planning needs, hear input from department directors, advisory boards, and community engagement efforts, update and prioritize objectives within the town's strategic plan, identify key initiatives and capital projects, uh to guide future

budgets, discuss accountability, transparency, and how progress will be shared with residents. And the meeting will help guide town projects, investments, and budget development while ensuring responsible use of public resources in alignment with the community values. The mobile app um trying to continue to get the word out uh on the Surf City mobile app um as this can serve as a primary source of information regarding all things Town of Surf City related. The reliance on code red for non-emergency communications will cease and transition to the mobile app as well as our website, social media and other forms of communication uh will take place of of some of the messaging that was going out on code red. Once again, I can't stress enough for oceanfront property owners uh please visit the topsell island shoreline protection commission's website at tispc.org or to learn more and sign the property owner acknowledgement form. Uh contractors will be back in the spring and without the proper approvals, they will not be able to treat vitex on properties. Um so we are pleading with property owners uh or those that know property owners that are unaware about this project to please sign off on that waiver so that our contractors can come in and treat that vitex. The coastal storm risk management project. Uh the town remains in contact with uh specifically Congressman Rouser's office to assist in getting the concurrence approval from the Army Corps of Engineers uh coasttorrm risk management project. Uh things have been stagnant in Washington DC specifically in the assistant secretary of the army's office and office of budget and management. As soon as I hear anything I will let everyone know. I will um say that uh Congressman Rouseer's office has been extremely attentive to this and uh they are trying to work through the um bureaucracy of those two agencies to get

our project moving forward. So as important as as it is to us, we're trying to convey that same message to uh the powers that be in in DC. Um it's just been a little bit difficult. And just to let everybody know, uh, let the board know that the town has received a notice of appeal of a recent board of adjustment decision regarding the appeal of an administrative decision on the Bony property along NC50. Um, staff is working with legal counsel to satisfy the court's request for records of the hearings and will continue to comply until this matter is resolved. The order requires that the town furnish the requested documents by January 21st, uh, which we fully plan on complying with. But, um, just wanted to let everybody know that this is the property, uh, just adjacent to the, uh, Surf City Bridge on the left, um, I should say, uh, west of Sweetalicious where there was a carnival that was set up there. The town issued a violation. The, uh, applicant appealed that violation. the board of adjustment voted to deny the appeal and then that denial is now being appealed to uh superior court in Pender County. So that is the status of of that case. Um it's been going on for several months now. Um and with that is the conclusion of my report. Madame Mayor,

thank you. This time I'm will turn it over to our town attorney, Brett Selms. Kyle did a great job giving my report. So, [laughter] exactly what I was going to say. We'll This will probably last several months before we have finality. And of course, once we [clears throat] have finality on it, we'll update the public on what the judge decides, but this is just part of the appeal process. So, um we'll keep you updated. Thank you. All right, Mr. Andy Pile.

I get to go first again. All right. Um, in the consent agenda and line item 8, we uh we resolve to uh appoint three new people to the uh uh beautifification committee. And I think it's important that we recognize those folks. Uh Barb Wessleman, if you're here, Kim Padshaw, and Renee Bennett. Congratulations. Thanks for uh volunteering. And Sandy, you got six more hands. All right. Um, Mr. Vassoff, I I share your concern because I live on the island. My trash carts are returned back to my door or my my house uh routinely and it doesn't fail to be in a place that requires me to move them again. So I I have a lot of respect and admiration for the guys uh from the city that are doing this, but I don't think in the pocket communities it's quite as necessary as perhaps it is on the main thorough affairs which the problem there was what prompted this whole thing to go on. And I I'd like to ask Kyle Brewer to uh engage with uh with sanitation to think about is there a way to modify this process to reduce costs by reducing the number of cans that need to be done and if there is a way to manage through uh a billing process back to those uh rental house owners who are probably at greatest need for this kind of service. So that's I I I ask you that. And the last thing I want to just comment on is um the town just completed a system development fee review to determine what it costs us to

put in uh a new house on sewer and water. And this uh system development fee is something that's charged for new development, not for existing development. It helps offset the cost of the infrastructure that we need to support water and sewer. The approval of this uh new fee schedule has to go through a public comment process that's coming up. I understand that perhaps as early as February it will be part of the agenda. So if you're at all interested in this, I would advise you to take a look at the agenda. If you have comments, questions about uh the process or or what's in that report, let me know and I'll try to do my best to help you. And if you have an opinion, um, please do come to the the public hearings and and and let us hear your your perspective. So that's all I have to say and thanks for coming at 6:00 isn't too bad.

Thank you, Andy. John [snorts] Kowski. Uh, that's all I have to say is thanks for filling the seats tonight for our first six o'clock meeting and we'll see how the next six months goes. Thank you all for coming. Thank you, John. you Kennedy. I'm very excited to see so many people here tonight. I hope this is a ongoing thing and I just want to wish everyone a happy new year and looking forward to 2026 and I hope you are also. Thank you, Alicia.

Thank you everyone for coming out and like you said, hopefully we continue this trajectory of having so many behinds and seats, but um it's a short meeting tonight, so it was a good one to get everybody started. Hopefully, you're ready for the longer [laughter] ones to come. But happy new year and merry Christmas. And that's it. All right, Solomon.

Um, yes, I'm excited about the new year and and our our new council. Um, just the group is is changed a little bit. We'll have our retreat later this month and that'll be us in a in a room for three days looking at each other and discussing a [clears throat] lot of subjects and it that's really one of my favorite things that we we get to have um a lot of discussions about a lot of important topics that we um cover throughout the year, but we're going to dig into all of it once of course and make sure we're focused on the right initiatives. And I appreciate some of the strategic mess that we've had to involve your comments. And I just encourage everyone to um to stay a breast of that whether it's following I think the our our public information office is doing a great job of having a strategic uh plan for social media um releases and and lots of frequent updates. Each week there's a plan for them to advertise certain things and keep up with that. That's really up if if you're into social media, that's really up to you to if it's not showing up your feed to please search on it, make sure you're seeing it because it is there, you know, and you can say, "Well, I didn't see it." And I have that problem, too, sometimes with certain certain accounts, but please, I encourage you to to look at look for it. It's it is there. And there's people who spend a lot of time and energy to put that information together on all kinds of topics. I think it was really lovely to start our first meeting off this year with this beautiful piece of artwork. So, I I was on the beautifification committee at one time and and I know that group is um is doing a lot of good things and there's many many things around the town that um that they've been extremely successful at. I really like seeing this project too. Um but anyway, I know we have the resources with the new year. We have a lot of initiatives. I hope it brings a lot of hope to people. We have a lot of resources and intelligence and um wisdom available. And so I hope we can um have

effective communication and um fruitful um conversations that we can come about and and do what everybody wants to see done in the town. So thank you.

Thank you, Trudy. I want to say thank you to all of the town council members that have um that take their take your time out to to be here and take the hours away that um um that we it takes to put together workshops and town agendas and so forth and to um move forward with a bright new year. We went to the dolphin dip on January 1st and it wasn't just a dip. I would say it was seeing all the excitement that day and the cheer and the I mean from our residents to the visitors that come to town, the neighbors, your families that were all there. It is a deep dive into our community that um [laughter] I mean as as far as it's that it's it's not a like it's is a dive that you invest you invest in our community and we appreciate it. It's nothing that goes unnoticed. And so, thank you all again for um showing up here tonight. 2026 is going to be great. We hope that you continue to come back to the 6:00 meetings and give your input to this town. So, with that being said, um do I have a motion to adjurnn?

I'll make a motion to adjurnn. Mayor second. A motion and a second. All in favor say I. I. All oppose. Same signed. We [music] [music] [music] [music]

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