Town Council - Regular Meeting

We have public hearing extension to for the corporate limits on Gordon Road partial ID05 IO5021E continued until the November meeting. Do I have a motion? Motion made by Councilman Jernigan, second by Mayor Pro Tim Triet to extend this until November. Any comments? Any questions? All in favor? All opposed? We have an ordinance to amend zoning for Gordon Road partial ID0521E continued until November the 17th meeting. Motion made by Councilman Jernigan, seconded by Mayor Pro Tim Triet. Any questions? All in favor? All opposed? Okay, carried. At this time, we will open our first open forum. Anybody wishing to come forward and address council, please come forward and state your name. address. No one wishing to come forward. I come to the podium and state your name and your address. And if you would make sure the mic's on so we can hear you.

Chief, we'll get it. Okay. Okay. Uh my name is Christopher Crawford. I stay at 121 South Rose Hill Drive. Um East Hampton. So um I used to be on the board, but I'm not on the board anymore. So, uh, they have some changes going where parking is an issue. Um, you know, as you own a board where HOA board. Okay. Okay.

I was on it. But, uh, the way the homes are built, you know, it's kind of like uh the homeowners are really in a uh a different position where you have to park in in your in your driveway. But the way the home the homes are built, I mean, it's impossible to really get two cars in driveway if you have two large cars. Um, so you know, I'm kind of with the way this bill, but I did talk to Wendy about it and did I did my own homework and I know there's a bill in in the house right now, House Bill 444 where uh take some of those rights away from the HOA. I mean, because it is a public role, but after doing research, you know, they have the authority by some law from 1997. Okay.

So, I researched that. Um so you know the the inspections of that you know uh kind of thinking about that where you supposed to park at you know um you're not supposed to park in road and I understand that there's a hazard with fire truck especially on the back side of the neighborhood cuz that road is very narrow but at the same time as a homeowner neighborhood I pay good taxes um as everybody in this house in here knows that the taxes went up a lot but you know in East Hampton I don't like we get a proper I don't feel like we part of what's we pay money but we don't police come twice however they got to come how many times they got to come a day just to check off the log of I've called and reported there's numerous speeding violations and the chief is very good talking to me but we don't have a presence he's like to come at 7:00 in the morning uh you know people going 45 40 miles an hour in in neighborhood ho always trying to say take the cars out of the road, but it's not fixing the problem of speeding, you know. So, there's a lot of stuff that goes on in the neighborhood, but we don't have inspo with the inspections of certain things is supposed to be in the neighborhood. I don't know Wendy's last name, but I talked to Wendy numerous times. Like I said, I do my research and talk to people. My car, I was in violation. I I do know that my car was broke down. My tags were dead. I got a letter from Woodson Mills that my car need to be moved within 30 days. Um I complied to that because I knew I was wrong. But I know in my neighborhood there's been cars that been sitting there for two years. Nothing's happened. And I did ask this question and I said, "Why has nothing been done?" And I was told I don't I don't have an answer to that. So because I feel like my property tax has gone up. I have never been to a meeting, but I talked to the chief and the chief

told me when the meetings were and he was very helpful, but at the same time as paying for, you know, parts taxes going up. I don't feel I mean, I'm in the township, but I mean, like I said, I came down Swift Creek and it took me five minutes to get here. I learned what a satellite annex is. I never knew what it was. So, I'm doing my research and learning. So, I don't understand what it sound like. I know what it is now, but I used to stay on Vento Drive, which is u right off fire department road. So, once I hit Wilson Mill, like I'm trying I'm trying to figure out how do I pay Wilson Mills taxi when I'm nowhere near Wilson Mills. But you in our city.

Oh, I know. I know. Satellite and X. I mean, so I learned that from Wendy. Yeah. Yeah. So my biggest thing is like they have more of a present with some meals in my neighborhood besides two trips a day, you know, say, "Hey, we check the box." I know it's many have to do their job, but it's like the speeding uh that's, you know, in the evening and the morning time, you know, especially I walk in the neighborhood, so I don't really, you know, I got to make sure I maneuver correctly that I don't get hit in the morning time. Same people that speed every day, you know what I mean? That that at that certain time. And I promise you if they come around 7 o'clock in the morning they will tag somebody. I mean because they every morning there's nobody there. I mean so they just speed like you know reckless people. So main thing is me is like hey if I'm paying for what's meals the you know paying good good taxes you know I think I should have a good representation of Wilson Mills in my neighborhood and we don't. And me personally we don't because police don't come as often. I mean, like I said, come at 7 about 7:30 o'clock in the morning. Most time I'm out walking and most time they come like a evening check. I don't know how many checks they do, but you know, I just wish they would have more of a presence out there. And also with the things that are in Wilson Mills, like the uh like me getting a letter saying my car is illegal tags, got 30 days. I know there's two cars been since November 23, December 23. We're now in in October 25. I haven't been around the corner since I talked to Wendy,

but I know those cars set for over a year. And I Well, I I can answer that. They have just started trying to get the cars off the streets, but that has just been instigated. So, you have to give them some time. Oh, yeah. I understand that. I mean, but it's like I said, it's my first time coming to a meeting and just uh Well, I'm glad you been.

Yeah. Just to just to get some understanding of things like for homeowners, whether we, you know, we have visitors come, where are they supposed to park at? I mean, so I don't really I don't really know. That's my That's my main thing, you know. And and I'm not going to tear my car up back two cars in the driveway, and then I turn one of my cars up. I mean, if I feel like I'm safe that I mean, I got to move here, move there, and I feel like I'm about to turn something up, I'm not turning my car off. But at the same time, these are things that we've been here for four years and, you know, say, "Hey, all of a sudden change, you know what I mean?" And this is the way it is. You know what I mean? But I know once House Bill 444 passes, there will be changes to HOA things. So, you know, there's a more of a presence for uh what's some meals in our neighborhood uh besides, you know, escrow paying the taxes in December. Besides that, that's that's what I will I to have that.

We'll talk with the chief and see if he can't rearrange some of that stuff.

Oh, yeah. I mean, chief, hey, I'm not knocking the chief cuz he he I talked to him and he told me he the one told me about the meetings on on the third Monday, you mean? So, I appreciate him and I'm not knocking what they do has for me, but we don't need as much. But sometimes like I think they have a prison money. It kind of it make them think. I mean cuz some people really I mean I know two cars at least go 40 miles in there every morning. And I and when they was out there that morning I caught they came out that morning. I feel bad because a lady stopped and talked to me and they didn't see it. You know what I mean? So I know they came out. So I mean I do appreciate the chief and I talked to him. He's very helpful. You know what I mean? So I ain't coming with no just I'm more of a presence of what especially like expecting if hey if there's dead tags you know if I'm getting something I think it should be consistent that why I asked I said hey being consistent with whatever's going on being fair and consistent I mean long as it's that I don't have no problem complying to nothing just being consistent.

Well thank you for coming.

Yes ma'am. Anyone else? I'm going to close the first first open forum at 6:41 and we'll go into regular business. Um, I have had a busy month this month doing some stuff and I wanted to make sure that I told everyone. Um, I attended the mayor's meeting in Micro. Very informative. The mayors are still working on the regionalization of our water and sewer. Um, hoping that will continue to move forward. Um, the different municipalities in Johnston County are working together. I met for a mayor's breakfast with the superintendent of the Johnson County schools and got a lot of information on our schools. Wilson Mill School is in uh good shape as far as uh their standing in the school system. And I talked with the principal tonight before she left and they are thinking uh they are planning on remodeling this school uh either this year or next year, adding um some more classrooms and a bigger lunchroom. So that that's in the process. I also attended the legislators breakfast at the school board and our um congressional leaders were there. Got to talk with our senators and representatives from Raleigh and from Washington and um found out some of the things that they are trying to do to help the school systems and to help the

highways and uh the municipalities. And there's just a lot of stuff going on locally and uh regionally and uh from Washington. So um we hope that some of this stuff will come up and and help us in Wilson Hills be a a product a productive thing for us. Yesterday I attended the Wilson Mills Advent at Wilson Mills Christian Church, sorry, 150th anniversary. Um, and it was very, very good. Enjoyed the service immensely. I have a honor of reading a proclamation for the church. Proclamation in honor of Wilsville Mills Christian Church 150th anniversary. Whereas the Wilson Mills Christian Church was established in 1875 with 23 original members. And whereas the land for the church was donated by John Marshall Wilson in 1877 with a dedicated date of April the 29th, 1888. And whereas Sunday school rooms were added to the church in n in the 1940s with a wing added in 1954 and a fellowship hall and second kitchen completed in 1988. And whereas Wilson Mills Christian Church members work closely with Wilson Mills Elementary School, providing various items throughout the year and contributing to the backpack buddies program. And whereas Wilson Mills Christian Church supports Wilson Mills Town events and supports the free the little free library at Wilson Mills

Community Park. And now therefore, be it proclaimed that the Wils Mills Town Council respectfully honors the 150th anniversary of Wilsville Mills Christian Church this the 20th day of October, 2025. And I would like for the members of the church that are present, please stand. Y'all have been a blessing to this community and the church has been a blessing to this community. And I have a proclamation for y'all to take with you. Thank you.

Thank y'all for coming.

Okay, Diana, that's all I have. Okay. Um, I just want to say the the council members and um I attended the workshop with the League of Municipalities in Winston Salem October 8th and 9th and it was a really good workshop. We we got a lot of work done on the strategic plan, the draft strategic plan. And one of the one of the things towards the end of the two-day workshop was to talk about what we needed to do going forward. and the council decided to have a meeting with the department heads this coming Thursday afternoon to go over some of the items from that, get feedback on it, and then for the work session next Monday, the 27th, have a joint meeting with the planning board to go over some of these items and finalize the draft. and we'd like to present that draft to the public at the November meeting, which would be November 17th. So, I would just ask if that's still your plan, as long as there aren't any major changes during the two meetings, that the public hearing would be held on the 17th of November to present it to the public and you could um approve it at that time if you wanted to. So, we would just need to call for that public hearing if that's what you still want to do. And remember that we do have a meeting on the 23rd this week and then we are going to meet with the planning board. So we need to have a motion to call the public hearing.

Make a motion we call for a public hearing on the strategic U plan. What was the date? November 17th. No on November the 17th at at our regular meeting. Yeah. Which will be 6:30. Yeah. Okay. Motion made to call for the public hearing on November the 17th, 2025 at our regular council meeting. Second made by Councilman Brown, seconded by Mayor Pro Tim Triet. Any discussion? All in favor?

All opposed? And just a note that um I did give you all a copy of the draft that the league emailed to me based on your choices. Just remember that some of their wording didn't exactly fit with what our action items were going to be. But th those are the things that we're going to be working out with the department heads this coming Thursday afternoon and also with the planning board next Monday so that we can word it exactly how we want to word it for our action items. Okay. Anybody have any questions about at at the church?

Right. The meeting this coming Thursday with the department heads will be at the Advent Christian Church and then the work session will be back here like it normally is, but it will be with the planning board. What's the time for that Thursday?

Thursday is at 3 and next Monday is at 5. Anybody have any more questions? Okay. Any comments from council? I would like to say that I was very impressed and pleased with the council working at Winston Salem on this plan. We all I think had a lot of input and got the material that we wanted in the plan and I was I'm I'm very happy with the plan we've got. There's a little bit of tweaking we might need to do, but I think it's a good plan. Anybody else get back? Anyone have any comments? Okay. At this time, we will open the second open forum at 6:52. Anyone that wish to address council, please come forward and state your name, your address, and limit your comments. Three minutes. No one wishing to come forward, we will close the second open forum at 6:53.

Motion made by Councilman McGawan. Seconded by Councilman Brown to adjourn. All in favor? Any opposed? Okay.