Board of Aldermen Budget Visioning Meeting Town Hall Board Room, Maggie Valley Town Hall Wednesday March 27, 2024, 12 pm  Members Present: Staff Present:  Mayor Mike Eveland, Mayor Pro-Tem Jim Owens, Alderman John Hinton, Alderman Phillip Town Manager Vickie Best, Town Clerk Kathy Johnson, Interim Finance Officer Shayne Wheeler, Town Planner Sam Cullen, Assistant Town Planner Noah Taylor, Public Works Director Mike Mehaffey, Senior WWTP Operator Seth Boyd, Police Chief Matthew Boger  Wight, Alderman Tim Wise  Others Present: Media Present:  No others were present.  Brionna Dellara, Waynesville Mountaineer  Meeting Called to Order  Mayor Mike Eveland called the Visioning Meeting to order at 12:01 am on' Wednesday March 27, 2024, in the Maggie Valley Town Hall Boardroom 3987 Soco Road, Maggie Valley, NC28751. Alderman Tim Wise: said the Town has received a $10,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina for upgrades to the Pavilion. He applied for the grant on behalf ofthe  Grant  Town last month. Tax Rate  Manager Best said the tax rate is .40 per $100 assessed value. The proposed tax rate is to remain the same. She is proud of having the lowest tax rate in Haywood County and she would like to  keep it that way. New Positions  The: staffi is asking to addi three new positions this Budget year: Chief Boger said duet toi the growth of the Town and increase in population he is requesting two new positions for the Police Department. Currently Josh Kelly is sponsored by MV in the yearlong BLET Program. Chief Boger said qualified people are getting harder to find. Public' Works Director Mike Mehaffey said he is Manager Best said she will need to add an administration position next year. There was discussion between staff and Board members about the cost of new employees and how the  requesting one Public Works position.  growth of the Town will impact the need to add new employees.  Town of Maggie Valley March27,2024  Board of Aldermen Budget Visioning Meeting    Mayor Eveland said as growth continues, the Town willl begin to see revenue coming in to offset the cost of the new positions. He said the new evaluation on the tax rate next year could absorb the cost oft the new employees. Mr. Mehaffey updated the Board on the new developments that would be bringing in tax revenue within the next few years. He said PW has already spent a lot Mayor Eveland said creating the new positions should help alleviate a lot of the overtime at the Police Department. Chief Boger explained the officers were currently working a lot of overtime to keep all shifts covered. Alderman Tim Wise asked Manager Best that in the next three years there were two Police Officers, one PW, and one administrative position. PW Director Mike Mehaffey said he could not say what they will need later, but currently he needs one position for PW. He said the part-time public works employee worked full time hours last week.  of time overseeing all the new developments.  New Vehicles  Manager Best said staff will be requesting four vehicles in the Budget. One Administrative (Ford Explorer), one vehicle for the sewer department (Super duty), and two police vehicles (Dodge Durango). Alderman Phillip Wight asked if administration was replacing or adding a vehicle. Manager Best said the transmission is going out in the Ford Explorer and needs to be replaced. She reminded the Board that the admin. car is also used by Board members if going anywhere Mr. Mehaffey answered questions from Board members about the new truck needed by the sewer department. He said it is hard to give an exact amount of what it will cost, he estimates Chief Boger said the two Dodge Durango's are in stock and will be around $65,000 each. Mr. Mehaffeys said Public' Works doest the maintenance on the Police' Vehicles and therei is a diagnostic tool that needs to be included in the Police department budget. The tool is around $9,200 and  on behalf of the Town.  the cost will be between $57,000and: $68,000.  will diagnose a mechanical issue and give instructions on fixing the problem.  Cost of Living Adjustment  Ms. Best said the Consumer Price Index for 2023 was 8.7% and the employees received a 4% COLA raise. The CPI in 2024 is 3.2% and the proposed COLA is 4%, to help catch up with the current rate of pay. Ms. Best and Planner Cullen attended a class and everyone across the state of North Carolina is having trouble recruiting and keeping employees. She said now everyone is focusing on retention to keep the recruiting process down to a minimum. There should be a pay classification study done every five years and next year will bei thet five-year mark for the Town. Mayor Eveland said he would like to see career-track raises implemented again for employees. That will also help with retention. There was discussion between staff and Board members on merit raises. Mr. Cullen said it would take time to implement the career-track. Mayor Eveland  said this could be worked on for next year's budget.  Town of Maggie Valley March 27, 2024  Board of Aldermen Budget Visioning Meeting    Town Facilities  Manager Best said the $10,000 that was received from the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina would be used for upgrades to the pavilion. Mr. Mehaffey said he has looked at prices to add a covered area in front of the pavilion that will cover most of the cemented area. He said the cover would be 20x16x10. The estimate for the cover is $12,542 ($8,550 for building and $4000 for labor). He was asked to get prices for picnic tables for the pavilion area. For composite tables like the ones in the parks is $1,700 for each table and that does not include shipping and handling. The total cost of the project including cover, three picnic tables (one of which will be wheelchair accessible) is estimated to cost between $17,000 and $18,000. He said this estimate does not include any timber which would be cosmetic. Town cost would be $7,000  to $8,000 after the grant has been applied. Electronic Sign at the Festival Grounds  Manager Best said the electronics in the Festival Ground sign are antiquated and is increasingly becoming unusable. She asked the Board for their opinion on howi important the signi is to them. Aldermen Jim Owens said according to a poll that was conducted, the festival grounds ranked number four on the list as to why people come to the area. There was much discussion among Board members about tourism and the impact it has on Maggie Valley and TDA funding.  Board Discussion  Alderman Tim Wise said the Board has talked about outdoor recreation and the need to have more activities. The problem is always where to put it. There is a piece of property on Moody Farm Road that is for sale and the owner is willing to sell a three-acre portion of the property. Partofthet three acresi is in the floodway and the remainder oft the three-acres is ini the floodplain which limits what can be built on the property. He proposes ift the property can be purchased at ar reasonable price, tables could be put along the creek and the upper portion could eventually be used for a pickle ball court, tennis court, volleyball; or horseshoe's (adult outdoor recreation). Alderman Jim Owens said he feels the Town should speak to the property owner and get a price on the land and see if it is reasonably priced. He said discussion on what type of activity to be placed ont the property could be madel laterb but feels there should be more discussion about what Mayor Eveland asked Mr. Cullen to speak with the owners to see what the cost of the property Alderman Wise spoke about the importance ofi informing the residents about what is going on in the Town. He would like to see a sign with the design posted at the sweetbriar parking lot sO residents could see what it will look like when it is finished. He said it is about being proactive and controlling the narrative of what the Town is doing. There was discussion between Board members about the sunshine list, website, social media, and putting news blasts out toi introduce new employees. He said as the Town looks to hire a new employee, the task of communicating  types of regulations that is placed oni the property.  would be.  could be added to the, job description. Board ofA Aldermen Budget Visioning Meeting  Town of Maggie Valley March 27, 2024    Mayor Eveland spoke about the history of the Sweetbriar and Ferguson property and said now the Town would have public parking. There was discussion on what to name the parking lots. Alderman Phillip Wight said the dressing rooms behind the stage at the festival grounds gets really hot and the Town should look at putting a unit to blow cold air. Mr. Mehaffey suggested Mr. Mehaffey has spoken with Sonja Michels, owner of Creekwood Village Resort about paving the east side entrance of the parking lot (what has been known as the Ferguson property). This road will allow her guests to use this entrance instead of the main entrance to the Festival Grounds. There will need to be continued discussion on the Creekwood Village Resort sign that will need to be moved. Mayor Eveland said he feels the paving of the road and moving the sign Alderman Phillip Wight expressed concern of drainage on Riddle Cove Road. Mr. Mehaffey said Mr. Mehaffey said he had two projects to mention to the Board for Non-Powel Bill funds. One of the projects is Nicholas Lane, at the cost of $65,000 and the Towns portion would be around $23,000. The other project being Serene Trail, at a cost of $40,000 and the Towns portion would Discussion between Board members and staff about possible projects around Town Hall Mr. Mehaffey said he would get estimates on replacing the windows and doors in the cafeteria.  putting exhaust fans in to move the air around.  should be puti in the budget for next year.  he would look at it, the entrance usually needs work done every year.  be around $12,000.  Public Works Director Mike Mehaffey  The sewer line creek crossing elimination project was pretty much done just waiting on a sign off on it and getting it out to bid. The sewer line extension will be roughly $240,000 to $300,000 range for the sewer line extension and there is some funding from the ARPA New ariels for HC usually update sewer maps when those new ones come out. The cost is not yet known because the contact person he has been working with has changed jobs A1 few line-item increase: Brush disposal, workuniforms and sludge removal/landfil. fees. Mr. Owens would like the Town to look into placing jumping pillows in the park behind the Town Hall. He said it would be a huge amount of fun at a low cost with no maintenance. Mayor Eveland asked staff to look into the cost and gather more information about the jumping pillows. Ms. Best said she would check into grant funding  fund.  and is no longer with McGill and Associates.  Alderman Jim Owens  and insurance. Town of Maggie Valley March 27,2024  Board of Aldermen Budget Visioning Meeting    He said he was proud ofthe completion ofi the veteran's park and said it would be nice to honor hometown heroes and their families. He suggested selling banners to be hung up on veterans' day and Memorial Day. The cost would go to the families to buy the banner and the Town would put the banners up. The only expense to the Town is manpower  putting the banners up.  There has been previous discussion between Staff and Board members about covering the main part ofthel hallway, to make it look more professional. Mr. Mehaffey said he would get the pricing  for1 the cost of the project. Aldermen John Hinton spoke about:  He would like a better dialogue with the water department. He gets calls alli the time and has to bother Mr. Mehaffey because he cannot reach anyone in the water department. Asked for an update on complaints that have been received about stuff being built on  He spoke about the Fall clean and the creek project. Mishap with the appointments on the ABC board.  the creek.  Made, great strides with the new additions to the planning Board. Mr. Cullen answered questions about Board term limits and what is required.  Adjournment carried unanimously.  Amotion was made by Alderman Phillip Wight to adjourn the meeting at 2:29 pm. The motion  Attest: Mayor  Manager  MRA  As  Johnson, Town Clerk hetgln  Kathy.  Town of Maggie Valley March: 27, 2024  Board of Aldermen Budget Visioning Meeting