Town Council - Regular Meeting

The first on the agenda is to approve the agenda. Make a motion to approve the agenda. Much council member second.

Uh all in favor

the next item is a cons consent agenda items. questions or additions or make a motion we approve it after. Motion made by Councilman, second by Councilman Brown. Any more questions? All those in favor?

The next item on the agenda is the open floor. We ask that you if you would like to address the council who comes to the microphone name address. Thank you. Thank you. Um, my name is Kam Fwood. I actually work at the Johnson County Public Health Department in Smithfield. My address is listed as 517 Brightly Boulevard. And I'm just here to share with Wilson's Mills some of our updated services and offerings that we have at the public health department. Um, I have packets for everyone here if they like them. No pressure. Um, but I just have information about um, measles. Um, we had a measles case in our county. We had our first measles case in the county. So, I do have some FAQs that may be beneficial to the citizens here. Um, I also have a list of our programs and services that we offer at the Johnson County Public Health Department. Uh we do we are a medical facility. We do have a primary care, a pediatric clinic, epidemiology clinic, women's health clinic. Um we have a health promotion clinic and we have a behavioral health division. So I just wanted to make sure that everybody was aware of those services. Uh we also create a public health newsletter um every day uh every month and I just

wanted to make sure that we share information uh as this is park health month. Uh on the back of that newsletter we have a list of some offerings and classes that we have which includes a car seat check narcan trainings um a hearing screening some nutrition programs. I just wanted to make sure that everyone in Wilson's Mills was familiar with that. We also have a free hearing screening February the 18th. Uh so if anyone is in need of a hearing screening and Wilson Mills, we'd be very happy to have. We also have some Narcan trainings that are scheduled. So if anyone um needs Narcan at their business, agency, home, community, community location, your local health department does have Narcan free of charge. Um that is provided by opioid settlement funds. So make sure that everyone knows that information and has that information. We also have breastfeeding support classes as well. And that is all I would like to share. You have any questions? You all have my business card? I'll be happy to network with you.

Thanks. Yes. You provide CPR training over there? Sir, you do not. Is it in the plans at all? No, I've been there 20 years. In all my 20 years, we've only provided CPR training for our staff, not for the community. But if you need a resource, I'll be happy to keep you one. I I was I was thinking it would it would be something that would help you relate to all the 11 municipalities in Johnson County to offer it for county or municipal employees. Something like that because we have meetings with those people and might be handy. Thank you for that.

You're welcome. I I would just like to say thank you for coming back. you know the diesel thing, you know, it's was pretty contagious from what I can understand. Very contagious. But uh so do do you guys work with the local school system in the event for example Wilson's News here because this is and and our high school. Do do you guys work in conjunction with the school system if you find the case let them know so that they will be aware that a student may have been

excited. Thank you. Yes sir. Absolutely. Um we did a lot of that during co times. I don't want to bring up the big C word, but yes sir. Um so if we see that there's a need, we'll definitely work with those families involved and make sure that both the families and the school staff and they know how to handle the situation appropriately. Absolutely. Thank you for coming. Thank you. Appreciate it.

And the Okay. The information that you have given us, our staff at town hall can pass it on to our citizens and help them if they have these situations. Sounds that that's a good resource that you have. Thank you so much.

Most of us, the older folks here, we were all vaccinated as as children. Not even that. Is there a certain was there a certain time going back in history when you think vaccinations for measles as an example kind of fell off in schools or with with newborns and parents weren't doing it as much? In other words, is the younger population more susceptible to it than older people like Brown? So, you know, those that were born before 1957, you have some environmental immunity because you were around when there were some other pandemics going on. But yes, our young infants, young children who are not able to get vaccinated yet are some of the high-risisk populations that we need to be mindful of. Yes, sir.

Okay. So, you think like for example, Wilson's Mills Elementary School, 90 95% of the kids are vaccinated. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. they've had at least one dose. If you have one dose of the MMR vaccine, you have 93% immunity. If you have two doses, which some of us do have two doses, um you end up with 97% immunity after your second dose. Where where does her immunity fit in there? the definition of it.

At this point, all we can do is just making sure that everyone knows their status so that if and when they do have an exposure or if they have an exposure, they'll know the best way to protect themselves and their family. There is a check immunity tool that is on that FAQ sheet where you or anybody else can go through that tool and check some boxes and it'll give you sort of a recommendation. And I think that recommendation along with your primary care provider support will sort of indicate what you should be doing as far as vaccination. Thank you for your answer. Thank you for coming out and very vulnerable. Thank you so much. I would just like to also say for those in our community mentioned Narcan. Yes, sir.

I'm sure the law enforcement and and fire is is very familiar with Narcan. But um it's just to make sure our community knows that you can go there and and you can get free Narcan. Um hopefully you'll never need it, but I was I was getting my haircut the other day and talked to a gentleman. His brother suddenly died. Um and if they' have had it, maybe could have saved his life. So it's one of those things if you don't have it, get it. Hopefully you'll never leave. But if you if you ever do it saves a lot of life

about three years. Yes, sir. Absolutely. Thank you so much. Yes. Thank you so much.

Anyone else wishing to address council? I close our first open forum at 6:41. Our next item on business is comments from N. And I will just I had some things that I have been doing. So I thought I'd let y'all know that I'm not just around. Um I attended the annual meeting of the Triangle East Chamber of Commerce in Selma. They finally had it after having been postponed twice because of the bad weather. But we had a very good meeting. It was well attended even though it had been postponed so many times. But um they talked a real a great deal about the work um health care that is currently available for citizens um not citizens businesses for small businesses in Johnston County. So maybe we can get some of that information out to some of our uh small business owners. Darth and I attended the um classes last week to get our certification for our civic um duty for as Moody elected officials and we had two days in Rocky Mount and attended classes and that was pretty entertaining and learned a lot. It was I tell you we went from 8:30 to 4:30 and it was jam-packed. So, we have covered a lot of material. I attended the uh ribbon cutting for our new fire department this past week and um met with all the people there. It was a wonderful event. Um got to see a lot of people that I hadn't seen in a while and that was very good. Um all the fireflies there.

I also attended our winter fest at the park and got to have s'mores and I didn't get to make any of the stuff but Donald and the rest of the young ones did but it was very very nice. I enjoyed that too. Um we had a a real good event and I was very very glad that we were able to do it. Um, the mayors of Johnson County are still meeting and still discussing the moving forward with a reasonalization of school and water. Um, that is getting into the stages of we are trying to put something on paper that we can take to the legislature. So, uh, just keep that in mind and as we're moving forward, I'll be bringing some things back to council for council to look at and and see what we would like to recommend. So, as we move this board, maybe that could help some of our water sewing. So, that's all that I have and now we're going to turn it over to the try to get through all this without coughing. Sorry if the stuff everybody's got in the room. Not um I did want before we get to the items that are on the agenda, I just wanted to um make note of the memos that were in your packet about the annexation public hearings that we've been looking at the past three months and continuing and they have requested to withdraw annexation application at this time for both of those parts. So, I just wanted to make sure that you saw that those were in the agenda. And also, um, there was no action required, but I did add the dispositions of surplus properties from both the police department for some of the chargers and for that old animal

control shelter building that was out at the town. I thought that was gone. It looks nice. Yes, that it's gone. I mean, that sounds crazy, but it looks nice that it's not there anymore. It wasn't wasn't really um valued at a lot, but the person that wanted the building to creating some materials and labor at the park with some of the work that's being done. So,

um the first item on the agenda is the update fee schedule for the town of Wilson's Mills. I don't know that this came before you last month, but as we were looking at the park fees, um, if you'll turn to the back page next to the last, yeah, the last page, the community park rental is how it was worded. We do not rent the park. We rent the shelter, but we wanted to add the word shelter to that just for clarity because it is a community park. He's going to get dark in there at any time, but if you want to just rent the shelter, you can do that. Um, and we did change the out of town resident fee from 25 to 30 because the daily rate is double out of town as it is in town. So, the hourly rate will be doubled as well.

So, that's that's the only changes. Do we need to vote on business? We do. Unless anybody's got questions or suggestions. Everything else stayed the Everything else was the same and we already changed the platform. It's just this that we noticed that. Does anyone have any question on what we presented? Make a motion we approve the community park shelter rental as page five. Just say a motion to adopt which is Make a motion we adopt the amended fee schedule as opposed to the item.

Motion made by council member McGawan and seconded by council to adopt the fee schedule as presented. Any more comments? Any questions? All in favor? All opposed? Ask. The second item is the police department design discussion. And before the meeting started, I handed everybody some options. Now, the first page that you've got is a draft floor plan of some things that we've been looking at for the new police department. We've met quite a few times with Mosley, which is the the um architect that's working on the design. And after a few changes, this is what we've come up with as the draft will refle um chief and I are available to answer any questions about that if you'd like. The next three pages are three options for placement of the building on the campus. And when we met several months ago about some of the planning for the town hall campus, we talked about where we might want to put this. And this is what we've come up with with the three options based on the layout of the building, the area on the campus, connection to sewer. Um, a couple of these options would do away with the current public works building and then we would switch out and use other buildings. So, turn the make sure I got what they Yeah. So, if you turn it turn it this way. So, this is 70. So, you're looking at 70. So the sorry somebody online is

hearing the microphone. They thought about sorry

the three options give you three different locations for the building and and before we move further with the design of the Mosley we've got to decide which of those locations is what you would prefer. My first reaction is the I I personally don't like to see the demolition and of the the current maintenance building with everything that's going into it. And besides, I kind of like it. I like the police police department side this up against the wood besides I'm sure the police would prefer that also. Even though it's great for public to drive and see the police department back there, which we can make Patrick building, I like the police department off to the side, which

I think it's the third one. So, you're looking at option three. Option three. Yeah, it seems to be a lot more room down there and a lot more room for expansion if it's needed. The first one? No, that's the first two require the demolition of it. What? It does. It does. So if I could just give you a little information about So yeah, options one and two would require the demolition of the sixth bay.

Options one and two would require the demolition of the sixth bay. Um, which again we the chief and I along with Patrick and the architects have had conversations about how it would look coming into the property, how it would look from Highway 70 looking at the property. Um, and option three was our first choice when we started talking about this. Um, one of the reasons that we started looking at moving it that was because of all of the earth work that would be required to put it where it's shown on option three because of the slam of the property. So, you're talking about a lot of we'd have to build that property up a lot. So be a lot of like truckloads and truckloads of dirt and and building it up so that it would be level enough to be able to build that big of a building on it and have a park in the back. Also the um the gated area in the back would would basically be facing um highway 7. So that was one that was kind of the cons for that. The probe was again that we wouldn't have to demolish any of the buildings. Um, option one, Chief, correct me if I'm wrong. I think option one was the one that kept the fence area in the back the most private, not, you know, not seen from the public. Is that correct, T?

That's right. Okay. Um options one and two again they would both of those options would create a buffer between the police station police department and the public works building. Um option one would orient the police department so that it faces the traffic circle which is one of the things that you talk about coming in on campus. Excuse me. Um, it includes a road. Yep. Option one. Excuse me. Includes a road that separates the public works building from the police department in addition to the public parking lot. And then by orienting the building at an angle, there is some frontage that can be visible from the highway, but not the back parking area. How important is it to see it from the highway blowing by at 70 mph?

Well, that's that's kind of a two-way question. Are they how important is it to see the front of the building and know that the police department is there? And then how important is it to not see the fenced area with maybe impounded cars and things like that in the back? But I'm just giving you the information that we've discussed. So if you're talking about optin number three impounded cars are going to be visible from 70. That's right. Okay. I I I still like three because I I I just don't understand tearing down a perfectly good building that's already built and having to rebuild another building plus plus build a new police department. That's

one demolition of two buildings. Whereas the other way I mean

there's no demolition just build one building. the the original plan that you had when we talked about the campus was doing away with the existing public works department building having the police department over there and moving public works into the six day. So the original plan was to do away with one of those buildings. Um, but because of the fact that the offices are already built, the restrooms, the parliaments, and everything Patrick's been talking about, that public works would be better off to stay in that building than to try to move everything over and upfit the six bay for another, you know, an additional public works, not an additional, but moving the public works over there. So the what what caused us to kind of move it from option three was the cost of the earthwork that's going to have to be done on that property.

Yeah. But is that going to exceed the uh the uh hold on the demolition of the current public works building then the the redesign and the building of a whole new public works. I think we can we can spring for a few dump trucks full to build it back up. I I just don't see it as just a I'm going to let the construction workers in the crowd answer that because as it was my understanding from everybody that I talked to that would be much more up um they first of all what's what is the square footage on on this this do you have a square footage

it's not on this sheet the sheet do you remember was it um like 11 11,000 11,000 I think I was guessing 12 11 or 12

11 12 um as as far as you know I'm I'm always not not in in agree to to tear down a good deal and I agree with Dave on that but I can tell you earth work is expensive um when you have to the the build up this and you're talking about hundreds of truckloads of dirt. Hundreds. Um, it gets pretty expensive. However, with that said, my question is is take take this building on on number three because that's that's honestly that's what I like. Um, and keep the building because next thing we know we're going to end up building a building where this blue square is on three or something in the future when we already had a building. when we tore it down. So that that's that's kind of smart on me. But if we take this on on on number three, twist it around, turn it completely around where the peach piece shutting out facing 70 highway and move it instead of county blocks and that's county. Um putting it straight for town hall building. Why? Why would that not be an option?

Are are you saying to turn it 90 degrees to the left? I'm saying this right here. Yeah. Turn it 90° to the left so that protrusion on the new department would face south parallel with the town hall. You could you could I was talking about taking this and completely reverse.

Oh, this is sticking this way and even it up with this building here and and and making it straight instead of like I said, Caddy Walt making it straight. Now, you might have to push this this street a little bit. I I don't know if if if it would work with measurement. Um but that way the stuff storage stuff would not be visible from seven. I think it's important that visibility from 70 is very attractive. Well, if I may what what is that that building down there on the lower right hand corner? Currently there's a couple of small buildings that is there. Is there one large building like that? So the option three would take away the two stores buildings that are

and if I remember correctly they're just stupid. Yes, one of the stores buildings. If you look at option one, it shows it shows those two buildings. Option one shows those two buildings. So those would have to be done away with. Yeah, they're not fabricated. I do want to remind you also um we had a discussion last month. I think it was at your work session about um our current town hall building possibly needing to be built onto at some point and the only way that we have to go on that building is in that direction. So keep that in mind as well. It's to the right if you're facing from seven.

Yeah. So, so that that would and that leads into is there any way that this will be pushed closer to the town hall building, the police department building

with we got looking ahead if we need to add I'm going to throw out there 10 offices on the right hand side of this building. whatever office size that we would think bringing that building that that close and just negative breezeway not not doing the building to build but just a breezeway like a glass breezeway like a beautiful church um I mean I I don't know I I I just don't like tearing down a building but um but I do know that it can get expensive with with

I think if you were going to do something like that and I don't if you can all see this or not you would take this building and turn it like you said 90° maybe push it up a little bit. Yeah. And like you said at some point if we build on to this side of town hall there could be a breezeway but that would the front the public entry where it's pointed say that's the public entry facing number three facing highway 702 whatever. Okay. Don't we all so at this time have a drainage problem with this property on this side anyway? That would be what would have to be done with the earth as well.

But when we did that, couldn't we also level it up with the side of the um existing town hall building so that if we wanted to build out that building later, we wouldn't have to do the other work. Couldn't that build up be all the way across? We would talk to the architects about that because if if we could do it all at the same time, it would be better to have than to have come back because if we take that building and turn it like you're saying that we need to be but we're going to have to have I'm No, you're have to have

turn your microphone on off and back on again. We're gonna have to have that work. I'll just have to call. We're gonna have to have that earthwork done anyways if we build on town hall. So why couldn't we do it all at one time? Can't straighten that building out closer to building. So that that the decision about that would probably come when we get some price because this does still give us our roundabout. Yeah. So can I let me ask you this is this we're planning something, right? This is all planning.

Yeah. Have we brought the planning board into any of this at all? Because there's people there that have built things before. You know, they they can help us. Would it not will we not benefit from a quick two-hour joint meeting sometime where they have the same thing we have and we can all discuss it? That's completely I'm I'm against making the decision tonight based on what we

Oh, no. You don't have to make decisions tonight, but we do before they move forward. just know that we're we'll have to decide on a location before they can give us any kind of estimates on cost because this one's going to include a lot of earth work and leveling and drainage issues. These other two objects you put wings on it. I'd be happy to talk to you about talk about moving earth. That's not for today right now. But these guys and ladies and I I would see us getting a lot more comment if we can have a joint meeting. They've done this before. I'd like to see it again.

I I would just I would like to if you could ask them about bringing it closer and and us with the tension that we're definitely going to have to add on to the town hall building at some point. We think straighten it up even um option three and u and see what that looks like. I mean, it may be that that that that it juts out too far into the street. I don't know. But, um, why why are we building that area up just to bring it up level to the uh town hall? Range issue. It's going to have to be just like

builders love builders love to dig a hole. So this are you all saying that we this is again where planning is going to come in. We can't deal with drainage issues. I'm not I'm not sure that that you I'm not engineer but I'm not sure that you have to build it up when you can put have a basin rather than than than building it up and and it part of your office area on that slope. Used to they used to build houses and buildings on whatever slope is. Now they dig holes and put houses. If we could build it up on a slope like they could have park done seriously. And you probably could underground park, right?

You know that that that was just another question that I was going to ask

but rather than building something. I have seen these gentlemen that are buds guides try to move that and get stuck when he just lands. That's the drainage part. I went down there one day and they had a lawnmower stuck to the point that both of them was out there trying to get so that if we didn't get something hooked to it, pull the thing out because it stuck and it was just on the rain that could wash down and it stand. So that's going to have to have something. I'm not an engineer either, but I do know that you can't have to do something. Well, I I don't know how we do it, but I'd like to I'd like to see us meet with planning.

Yes, I think so. As a planning folk, not necessarily an architect, you know, they like to make things pretty and all that stuff, but have an engineer who's got some common sense, but you can you can put a parking lot down there and we can work around the drainage. They they have an engineer that's working with them and he has come out to um review the site. And this is kind of where we got stuck because he don't want to review the site until we know where the site is going to be. Um, and he's talked about, you know, the differences between the two and the costs and stuff. So, what I could do is see if we could figure out a time when we you all could meet jointly with the planning department, the planning board, and have

the representatives from Mosley there as well, both the engineer and the architect.

Um, I mean I'm going about this option three big time soul attorney think it would be a little bit of a decent but I know a little bit about construction myself don't think the way again the way I visualize it having been out We can't build it up to all this stuff. That would be way too much. That's not what they're talking about. That would be just That's not what they're talking about doing.

But what you're saying, there's no way we can do it. No, it might be. Although I'm I'm not even I'm not an engineer or anybody that deals with water situations that I am agreeing with them that I do like option three where and then make the decision as we go on the how it's going to be positioned. So I think we can maybe get that schedule so then we can move forward the data. Okay.

Yes. Please, please, please take these home and study them and um look at them and make sure you understand what you've got. Chief, do you have any comments to add? Okay, step up to the

part of the reason was categor that was an issue. Awesome. Those categories allow us to not only have parking back there, but be able to drive around entrance and exit gate. If you turn the way you're talking about lose all of that, you got the wood line vehicles. So, not only do you have a problem and the slope you had the creek was not a big creek, but something that had to be dealt with only so far. That's why that is why it was because you turn the building lose that angle around both side I think we I think at the meeting we'll take all of that you know into consideration but our biggest thing was Mr. Brown agreement hope others do it tearing down one building get rebuild somewhere else and then building a nice new building you guys at the same time I don't think it's a good use of of the time money and honestly it didn't matter to me option one two or three although option one and two um kind of eliminated that drive around issue because the creek was farther back you know the farther you get down as far as the slope closer to the road. But that's come up with some other some other options when the planning board gets involved or an engineer does.

Um I just have a couple of other things too. The um Central Pines Regional Council has a regional day scheduled for the 20th which is Friday. Okay.

And we ended up with one extra ticket. So, right now it's um Mayor Verb, Council Member Riley, and myself going and we have one extra ticket. So, I need to see if anybody else on the council would want to go. It's from 9 to 2 at Central Find. Can you make this one?

Okay. Welcome in. Yeah.

Um I am going to be sending you all some information about city vision which is every year the may or normally go to vis. It's the North Carolina League municipalities conference. This year it's in Raleigh and it's shorter only two days. Maybe a day to actually day and day and a half. um it's in Raleigh at the convention center and there are tons of breakout sessions for every department in a municipality and so I've encouraged and talked to my department heads about taking those days to go for these sessions and I'd like to find out if any of you are interested mayor if you want to chime in

just like we attended last time over in the high when we all Winston

why they want me to drive um you know this is the it's well it's the league of municipalities are the same people that took that session on but this is like it's normally three or four days but this year it's only about a day and a half two days and again close it's in Raleigh so when it's going to be May 5th through the 7th through 12th sixth and seventh is when the sessions start. You you'll bring it back up to us. I was going to email it to you so you have a chance to look through all of the sessions and see what what's available.

My wife keeps well forward it to Vicki.

Okay. But I'll be sending that to you via email. Um, as I said in my email earlier today, we we do not have certificate occupancy yet because we um decided not to get a temporary one until the canopies are done. We want to wait until the entire project is finished before we get a permanent co. And so that's why we're not meeting there tonight. Although the chambers are pretty much done other than getting the chairs in there and cleaning those. We'll have a training for AB on Wednesday and the entrances are what the problem is right now. So until the canies are finished, repeat with CO for that. So but I'll keep you updated. We meet Wednesday. I don't like to put a time frame on it because every time I know something happens, but we're but we're meeting Wednesday to get to get more information about when they'll be done.

It looks it looks better every time I go in. There's something different. The chambers are it's beautiful. I mean, it's the walls, ceilings, floor, the seal is up, the logo is up beautiful. So, we're ready. We're excited. That's all I have.

Yes. Were you reaching for the J? No. Chief, I see today that I was in my community in I landed. They're putting the cameras up and I think they've got them over at the cottages. Is that correct? Everything is done. How total four count? Yeah. But what that did was it reminded me of something that I heard not too long ago. And I'll just ask it like this. Are we having difficulties with the town's cameras that we go to various locations? Are they all online? Are they all functioning well? telling you we do have a contract with that that outfit. I I've heard something so I need to hear your response.

Yes. They're supposed to after they finish referring to they're not online. Yes. Right.

They're up but they're not active and they're supposed before they leave the camera and whatever to get them back up. What seems to be the problem? uh each location, you know, they were set up differently depending on the landscape type of structure what they had to do. So it's hard to tell by on campus the current issue is different from what's over. So I don't know they troubleshoot every time. Um are they all down?

No, I think three are down. Okay, we're gonna get them back up to speed. I mean, we paid good money for them and yeah, I don't want them coming out saying gee, they're all different. We'll get to it when we can. I want

um some of the problems are important to them. This it's not their it's not the camera. It's either the installation or it's a power issue here on this side. Um and they just have to troubleshoot every time. This we haven't had one issue camera set up. It's usually something to do with Um they had camera reset um technical stuff but not the camera. So we got three entities that we deal with camera people and then we go install there and then of course the location. Do we ever get them all together pointing fingers at each other in a room?

We have but issues so far have not been the cameras. has been either the installation issue or BAS says it's on our Okay. Well, I'm I'm just it's just me, but I'll leave that to you. But I certainly want something done about I don't want all that money we put cameras just saying. I just had that the way we installed it at at House Landing was totally different from the way we did it at the park, which was totally different than the way we did it at town hall. So, they have to like look at it and do an evaluation. Each way is different depending on the infrastructure, the internet services, electrical access that's already there, you know. So again, it's unique. Okay. Well, we're leaving it up to you.

Thank you. Anyone else have comments?

I I do, mayor. Uh I I just wanted to to say that um and and to let the town folks know that that that our mayor said we're council gives us a report every month. But we I've been on this this council for a short amount of time compared to most on here. But but in my we have a mayor who is very active inside and outside of the town and and represents us well. I just want to say thank you, man. Um, you know, I see you on social media and you going to these meetings represent us and represent them as well and and I just want to say thank you. Um, I just want to say thanks to the staff that stopped by the funeral home when my brother passed. Um, staff and and condolences that were sent for folks that couldn't be there. That meant a lot to me and I This time we will have our second open floor to address council to come forward. Search your name, your address, and then we'll check for your name on the phone and on the I'll have it up. You don't have to open it. It'll be okay.

My name is Craig Hicks and I live in Lockwood Forest. And first of all, this is where it calls Wilsonville. Uh, I'm an avid hunter and um would like to get Wilson Mills to put themselves on the Wildlife Commission's urban archery register. Gives gives us hunters that go an opportunity to hunt for another five weeks of the hunt season. It also helps uh loosen the moon because this area of Johnson County the deer population is is it's wild. It's gone crazy and it needs to be thinned out. Uh for the last I've lived here 16 years and for the last six years I've planted the garden and the viewers have destroyed it. I had a last year I didn't get a single tomato off my tomato plants because they ate them. So the deer population in this area and you could you could check with anybody in the county it's overrun were overrun with the deer population and um and Smithfield needs to do the same thing Wilson on the urban archery registry. I mean, there's probably 10 or 12 oas in the area that have to take advantage of it, but 10 or 12 of us killing two or three deer ext.

And I can help you do it. Did you say this was for archery only? Archery only. So, not firearms. No, ma'am. So, it would just be for archer. Yes. Yes, ma'am. And it would be in designated hunting areas because if not, you do know there are certain areas that are not designated. Residential areas are not. Absolutely. Yes, ma'am. So, you would have to make sure you were in a res a designated area. Uh well, that would be up to

It's in our It's in our ordinances. You can check with our planning department. It's in our ordinances where you can uh hunt. See, I own a farm. I hunt. I have a shotgun. So, I know what you're talking about. I'm not just saying, but it in order to hunt in Wilson's Mill, you're going to have to hunt in a designated area. Well, I've never heard that before, but because if it's in a residential area, it's not a square footed area. big enough to be up.

Well, I've got a tanker and a half of land in in Lockwood Forest, but I back up to a a huge field and Okay, that would also mean that you would have to have permission from the field owner that's backed up to you in order to come. Why Why would I need to have his permission? Because I parked on my land. I've got an acre and a half of land. an acre and a half. But if you shoot something on that man's land and you don't have permission from that land owner, it's not worth the wildlife commission.

I sign letters every year for people to hunt on my farm and I give them permission because that's the law. If they are caught by that deputy, I mean that police officer right there without that on them saying the arrest. I didn't know that. Oh. Can I get a letter of I would be I I would be interested if you could pass along information on what you're sharing um maybe to to Lanna or or Wendy if you're going to be with everyone and and I would love to I would love to further and lead it because

we all know that that that I mean, we have a problem. There's a lot there's a lot of that going on and when you see more power than you've ever seen. So, um, but I would love to I I would love to to some more information to the study.

Yeah, I I I agree. I'm not trying to make Wilson's Mills into a wait not trying to make Wilman's Mills into a bureaucracy, but it's very difficult for us to sit up here and go, "Yeah, all in favor, let's do that." Uh, it's going to require just a little bit more, for example, the information that Council Member Brown is asking for. I could see you coming back to us next month with some more data in hand after speaking with uh Wendy after speaking, you know, sitting down with Lyanna with Wendy going over the town's maps and seeing what's where and what's legal or what's not and coming back to us to in addition giving us more information on the the archery uh the hunters group that you've got. Okay. Is there membership required? you have to. I'm just saying come back to us rather than just telling us no. I want to see it where I can read it and say there's no membership required. Yes, there is training required. We just don't let anybody go out there with some of these sharp metals shooting them everywhere. You see what I'm getting at? It is going to require more than just us saying yes or no.

I agree totally. I think it's a good idea and I think it's something that we could probably get behind if we had all the information and if you had the information about the town. Well, I have some information on it right now. But just get with Wendy, go to town hall, get with go over planning and find out where you can win. And the other thing then we can discuss it and look at it all. Another thing, right? Another thing that you could do in your favor. I'm listening.

Okay. Another thing that you could certainly do in your favor is get with the chief and say, "Ask the chief or ask anybody there if they have any statistic on deerable interaction. I see deer all the time by the side of the road." So yeah, church costs go up. Don't think you can do that in your favor and we could look upon that a little bit favorably, a little bit more favorably thing. You know, we got to reduce not just because there's deer eating your I get that. But there's deer hitting cars and they're always hitting them. Let's say on on fire department road and Southern Road. You see what I'm getting at? Something just I'm not saying a big detailed report for a bureaucracy. I'm just saying a few more facts that we can look at and go, "Yeah, I like what I hear." I mean, I'm not against it, but I want more detail.

Thank you very much. Anyone else wishing to address that? My name is Donald. Uh, one thing that council don't even know

address 75 road or whichever way you want to fill it out. Uh Johnson County, we go to the county order to say you got to have 10 acres of land on outside city limit. You got to have 10 inside city limit 10. Do they differentiate all guns and arrows bow or gun? They don't mind. That's something you might want to investigate. I will

may have to go through the county and get changed. I think the county is going to state law, but it might have to go higher. I do know you can you having problems with your guard and things like that. You can't get a special permit from the game board to shoot. Other than that, you can't get get that special permit inside.

You can't shoot a gun. When we got that third does it every I don't actually kind of like Smithfield my address like 37 first street mayor that uh tried to make it last month but uh my schedule has been unbelievable. I started uh as a fire chief with Wilson Mills on December 1st. Met uh mayor and the others for a couple of weeks at lunch. Gave me a good handshake and I think he smiled saying good luck. Then my buddy Marvin back there straight. But we've been making a lot of progress. I just wanted to update the council introduce myself. Uh, you know, it's got a lot of uh lot of assessments, a lot of thinking. I mean, I mean, from a state of 200 miles north of here, we're up there in the city. I come down here, it's really nice. I'll say that. But there's a lot of work to do. This is 2026 and uh we have three stations waiting and smithing and we're going to

move up to 2026 as fast as so uh with that being said um I started out creating a lot of working relationships started down to my expectations back didn't know it being about 75 days later. So, uh, I was glad to see a few of you over at Riverutary Chief Naga to say hello again and, uh, but we've been making a lot of work relationship. Johnson County EMS, uh, Emergency Planning and Operations, 911 Center, mutual aid, all of our jurisdictions provide mutual and automatic aid to us. Some of those have gone by the wayside, they're back. And a lot of it is because since December 1st, we have a 91 percentile uh success rate of staffing every station since December. And uh what that means is that there is an EMT and there's two other firefighters, a firefighter EMT and a medal and two other firefighters there for staffing three personnel. Hasn't been that way in the past. So the expectation is to make sure that if anybody needs our assistance, we're there. We have about 27 employees that are on our roles, if you will, that are allowed for our budget and u just recently about last two weeks ago had done. So we uh went outside to a North Carolina fire chief associates pretty much one of the same I guess you call third party assessment sites and hire me and back out assessment. This is what I identified.

These are some of my numbers. And we went back and forth a little bit. That means for us that I don't want to put anybody's way. That's why I say uh Johnson County has a minimum staffing of two. A lot of that is just to meet the exact states to break that down. They're simply saying if we get a fire truck there, put it out on a lot of really lot of really disgusting fire trucks. So that's what we're doing on this past Friday. quite a challenge. We went through 39 applicants at one day about 5 a.m. about 9:30 these applicants for the first time with Wilson Mills history one interviewed exam practical exam another practical outside and a physical agility test that's stand a little bit because uh by department send to every part of ple for the same employees all separated by a dollar or two an hour we wanted to set our telephone series and we had a 34 assessment pass so that's good right now I got to get through I'm hoping that works so that's this Friday we have outside assessor people that uh don't know anybody from here on

the other side and some north of Winston. So, u firefighters that uh I've learned over the years for our company officers, make sure that they meet the expectation of leading the company. The other thing we're trying to do is uh have big truck just right and we're trying to put that in full time because there is a need and ability something that truck comes through working with an engine crew creates a large success fire ground some of We had a fire over there one morning on Friday like textbook. It's great. Fortunately, we got a few fires that and u even on Christmas day two. So uh we try and be proactive at that case where we're at community outreach program through branch smoke detectors and organizations to us to help residents and senior citizens by not just change your smoke detector bad but different ways that you can keep your house clean and pack your eggs. a lot of fire prevention material. So, uh we're also in partnership right now with a brand writer out that has a 94% uh success rate through us. So, looking at us about $400,000 equipment and they want to help us get through our

dayto-day outage. I am hopeful to come back to you guys and I'll be here. So if you have any questions for me and always call my phone, track down barb, he's around all the time. He's not passing through. He's on the way to the next station. He uh does great job but I'm glad to be here. Thank you. Couple quick questions. Statement on behalf of all of us. Welcome. Thank you.

We appreciate it. I've said I chief before one of the community events, but it's nice to see you here addressing this like this. I I do appreciate quite immensely. Uh three quick questions. Full-time um these new hires you're talking about 34 out of 39 that passed. Are they going to be full-time or Yes.

So, what would be the the overall percentage that you're trying to achieve a full-time population? Other words, you have 100 firefighters, 28% are full-time. What are you What are you looking at? We have a lot of firefighters that are tired past members if you will have about good assessments active members team five of those 13 have now full time two of the other parttime. So uh we have been doing things in the past as far as like giving them a site 10 bucks something to cover their time of trash keep static fire trucks and it's just not working because some would work 150 hours a week you know and the other ones are working the minimum of 24 and there's really no way that so uh what we tell them put them all part-time employees bump their pay about $4 an hour on top of that u 96 hours fulltime employees that we have 15 number 60 like I said for 28 and that's about 50 right now if you think of so there's three shifts and there's three station tell you how many you say part-time employees

uh police department, fire department cooperation. You mentioned you're trying to get past this one person coming out with the trucks, can't leave the truck, can't go on the side, but with fire department with police cooperation, would that not change a little bit if there's an officer on scene and and chief, do we try to send out an officer for every call that fire department's going out on? Yeah, we've been going out to six about six every

one. Okay, good. Yeah, you had great interaction with Jeff with some of the other agencies and I can tell you that I've been every analyst at space for Johnson County as they ever have but if the police are fire and they say no police they're perfect. So that's what I want. My last question is why do smoke detector the batteries fail at 3:00 a.m. in the morning? I'll tell you what you can answer. I I probably wouldn't have had brand probably about 30,000 less costs that they see.

Um Chief Chief Yes. Wilton just so just so people do you have a a number for calls uh last year? Last two years we were well that's that's a little unique as well but last year we're about 1,600 calls a year.

Okay. hang on right there. I don't remember how many it was when I retired, but it will it may have been 100. Um, so and I had been retired too awfully long, but but 1,600 calls and I don't think people really realize how how busy our fire department. I don't think people realize how busy our police department,

but uh but I just wanted to get get that number out there so people understand. And I want to say thank you to raising that ball. Um um it it's it's not the same WF that I have attacked. Um things have changed and and gotten more complicated and more stringent. So So I I just say thank you. Thank you for that. The last thing I want to say thank you for is thank you for bringing old Santa Claus through the town. I'm gonna tell you what, there was some happy kids and um and and I don't know who else does that, but uh I know that that there was some happy kids. I know social media up. It's just a great PR thing. I want to say thank you.

Yeah. Could you could you put out something and let us know when you're coming through? So, for example, when I was landing, I saw you. I followed I got a lot of lollipops, but no other pigs. Yeah. I tell you all I started on December 1st. I flew out Tampa second. I flew on 3 and when open right right to moving in the new fire station. So a little busy first week and my little girl St. Santa Claus comes to Santa Claus at Maryland. Best used to do I think St. Claus r. Yeah. I live I lived 15 years in buoys. I know old buoy or new buoy. uh old movie.

So, uh it was my little one. She she watched Santa and I said, "You know what? Not to say he didn't try, but it was a good Okay, her off. Everybody, right? Okay. See, now you know. Oh, and also Tim now it's 48.96." Yeah. Thank you chief city but thank Yes. Thank Anyone else wishing she address?

I close public forum at 74. make a motion we go into close session in accordance with the general statute 143-318.11A3 consult with attorney and I make a motion we go into close session in accordance with a general 1738.11A 6 personnel second all in favor I