TOWN OF COATS Board of Commissioners Thursday, February 8, 2024 Official Minutes  The Town of Coats Board of Commissioners met in regular session on Thursday, February 8, 2024 at  7:00 p.m. in the Board of Commissioners' Meeting Room at Coats Town Hall.  Members Present: Mayor Chris Coats Mayor Pro Tem Marc Powell Commissioner Jerry Beasley Commissioner Kelvin Gilbert Commissioner Shirley Allen Commissioner Allen Mosby LCALLTOORDER  Others Present: Nick Holcomb, Town Manager Connie Lassiter, Finance Director/Town Clerk Rodney Pleasant, Public Works Director Ken Storicks, Police Chief Mike Collins, Parks & Recreation Director All Bain, Town Attorney  A quorum being present, Mayor Chris Coats called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Mayor Coats delivered the invocation and led those in attendance in thel Pledge ofA Allegiance. Mayor Coats called for a motion to move Section III Consent Agenda before Section II Public Forum and to move Section IV, New Business Item A - Water Systems Improvement Project to follow the approval  of Consent Agenda.  RESOLVED, to approve agenda as amended. APPROVED: 5-0, unanimously approved  MOTION BY: Mayor Pro' Tem Marc Powell, SECOND BY: Commissioner Kevin Gilbert  II. CONSENT AGENDA  A. Approval ofI Minutes - January 11, 2024 &. January 18, 2024 B. Approval of Attorney Bill - Services Rendered. January 1-31,2024  C. Review of Financial Statement RESOLVED, to approve Consent Agenda. APPROVED: 5-0, unanimously approved  MOTION. BY: Commissioner Allen Mosby SECOND BY: Commissioner. Jerry Beasley  II. NEW: BUSINESS  A. Water Systems Improvement Project - Recommendation of Award  Clark Maness, WithersRavenal Engineer, went over the history and purpose for the project, recent  project updates and discussion of next steps to move forward as follows:  1    Historya and Purpose of Project  Townd of Coatsreceived: $1,000,0001 ing grantf fundingt through American! Rescuel Plan( (ARP) directe earmarki in2 2022.0 Grant fundingt tol be spent onr neededy water work. Towns stafft then work kedy withconsultant to update their Water System Capital Improvements Plan (CIP)t toi identify the: most needed projects thatg grantr money shouldf fund. Upsizingo ofe existing 3-inchy water maint to 8-inch on! Railroad Street (from. Jacksons Street to! Pope Street) and 6-inchwater maine extension along! Ida Street (between. Jackson Streeta and Hamer Street) werei identified: as mostr neededp projects. Bothp projects will providel better firef flow protection, and the replacement: along Railroad Streetv willr remove ana aging AC water maint that hase exceeded its service life: andi ist mores susceptible to  Project Mlestone Bid-and-Designt Package! Submittal (all 9/11/2023 permits obtained) Bid-and- Design! Package Approval Advertise Project, Receive Bids, Submit 4/10/2024 Bidi Information, and Receive Authorityto Awardf fromt the! Division Execute Construction Contract(s) Receive! Last Reimbursement; (Statutory, 12/31/2026 note extendable)  Deadline 1/10/2024 5/10/2024  breaking. ProjectU Updates  Design: andh bid package was approvedi for bid! by! NCDWI (funding: administrator). on: 11/15/2023. Project was advertised on 12/13/2023: andt the bid openingv was Atotal of six! bidderss submitted! bidi packages before the deadline.  1/18/2024.  Townof Coats_ Bidder  Water System! Improvements! (SRP-D-ARP-0282) Bid7 Tabulation Summaryf for Bid Openingon 1/18/2024. Bidder 1 (RalphHodge ConstructionCo). $1,175,101.40  Base! BidValue $1,275,500.00 $1,393,489.00 $1,506,671.20 $1,620.636.00  Thet two! lowest biddersont thep project submitted! incomplete bid Bidder 2UFV Wilkerson ContractingCo) $1,178,000.00  packages andt therefore cannot bea awardedt the project per NC Bidder4 Bidder 3(TALoving (Moffat Pipe) Co.)  General Statutes and NCDWIr requirements. Bidder 1didr not submit ther required! Non-Collusive Affidavit witht their bid package. Bidder. 20 did not properly complete! MWBE: solicitation. WithersRavenelt commaeadtcORedeTReaue engineering options with! lowest, responsive.responsibie bidder (Bidder 3). Malue engineering discussions showed that therea are three options tomove forward: Option 1:A Award they project tot Bidder 3fort thet fulls scoped ofv worka asc designeda andb bid.  Bidder 5/S&L Contracting) Bidder 6(Busco Contractors).  Option 2: Awardt the projectt tot Bidder 3withareduceds scope of workb byo completely removing thev work on! Ida Street from Option 3:A Award the project tot Bidder 3withareduceds scope ofv work bys selectively removingt thei installation of certain valves, hydrant assemblies, anda asphaltr re-surfacing fromt thes scheduled of values (Ida Street and Railroad Streetv would both  the schedule of values. bec completed).  2    Recommendationi ist that the Townp proceed withe either Option 1or Option? 2 as the Townb budget allows. future, asitv will makef future worko ont thev waters systemr more difficult ande expensive.  Option 3isp possible, however,i iti isr notr recommendedt tor reduce the number ofv valves and! hydrants available for Townu use int the With Option 1, allp proposed project workwould! be completed! but" Town: staff estimate that approximately: $133,000from the With Option2, they project wouldnot requirer moneyf from the Water Fund, butl Ida Street extension wouldr not bec completed.  Water Fund would! ber requiredf for ther meter project,  Description  Optpn option2 Oplign3 $1,213,223 $1,057,841 $1,152,770 $163,250 $163,250 $163,250 $1,376,473 $1,221,091 $1,316,020 $1,000,000 $1,000,000 $1,000,000 ($376,473). ($221,091) ($316,020) $665,513 $665,513 $665,513 $289,040 $444,422 $349,493  Estimatedi Final Cost ofCorstuction Engineerin! Feer Estimated Totas Totalcranti Budgete Estmated Dypr GrentBudget  :  mansferedi FOMARPAGant Projectoy Water Fund Balancepns 514 2023 5/44231 Tanster SJA AVILBKIGPAMIMEtE  Next Steps  1. Select Option and resolve tot tentatively award project to Bidder 3under Option1 1, ori resolvet tof formalycompleteyalue  engineeringy with Bidder 3under Option2. 2. Submit bidi review package tol NCDWIf for reviewt tor receive. Authorityt to Award( (ATA). 3. Approve ATA anda award tol bidder atl March Council Meeting. 4. Submit Notice of Awardt tob bidder ande execute contract documents. 5. Schedule Pre- Construction Meeting ands setl Noticet tol Proceed (NTP) datev withContractor.  ProjectMiestone  EstimatedSchedile 2/8/2024 3/8/2024 3/12/2024 4/12/2024 4/26/2024. 7/12/2024 2/7/2025 3/9/2025 4/8/2025  Select Value Engineering Optiona and. Complete Resolution Approve ATA and Complete Resolutiont toA Award Project Submit Noticed of Awarda andE Execute Construction Contracts Complete Pre- Construction! Meeting Notice toF Proceed Construction: Substantial Completion Construction! Final Completion Grant Closeout  Receive ATAfrom! NCDWI  3 :11  Commissioner Jerry Beasley asked if there should be concern with pressure increasing on the existing lines coming off the new lines. Mr. Maness explained that the pressure was controlled by the elevation of the water level in tanks and that increasing the size oft the line within Railroad St or extending the waterline on either street would just be improving the flow in those areas not Mayor Pro Tem Marc Powell inquired about the amount of subcontracting involved. Mr. Maness replied that it depended on contractors' capabilities and that most oft the contractors supplied their own crews that laid pipe and dug trenches. The majority ofs subcontract work typically seen  pressure.  would just be asphalt removal.  3    Town Manager Nick Holcomb emphasized that there would be an overage that would have to come from the water fund balance no matter which option was selected. Mayor Chris Coats conveyed that option 1 would not be cheaper int the future. RESOLVED, to go with Option 1 and select TALoving for the resolution oft tentative award. MOTION BY: Commissioner Allen Mosby SECOND BY: Commissioner Shirley Allen  APPROVED: 5-0, unanimously approved  II. PUBLIC! FORUM  Mayor Chris Coats opened the Public Forum. sales at events to raise money for the Chamber.  Thomas Poole of 41 Rock Ridge Place spoke in support oft the Chamber for a social district with alcohol Joe Wilkins of450N NC: 55 and owner of Stouts & Ale also addressed the Board in favor ofas social district. He explained that a social district was simply an area designed to be a diverse, equitable, inclusive area to gather, socialize and take parti in activities such as shopping and an ordinance for a social district would allow the town to create such an area where citizens and visitors could sip and stroll in the designated downtown area while shopping but not in convenience stores. He noted that you would not be able to bring your own beverage and that you would have to purchase from an ABC location or purchased from event. He emphasized that it boosted events and brought people in and noted Raleigh with the following example. In the downtown Raleigh, there are 64 locations that sell alcohol where you can walk out the front door. There are 27 businesses that have stickers that say, please come in with your alcohol; and out oft the entire downtown area, there are only 13 locations that have a sign that says they don't allow alcohol inside and cited that most likely those businesses were tattoo parlors and others like that where they legally can't have it int there. Mr. Wilkins offered to help work with the Board to provide Lynn Plessinger of 202 Remington Drive and owner of Gardening at the Water's Edge. Ms. Plessinger informed the Board that she was a vendor at the Coats Farmers Market at the Farmer Square during the summer and it was a great opportunity for the community as it brought in vendors and shoppers from the town as well as outside oft the area. She noted that she also setup at McKinley Point with good results and added that the area did need to be dressed up al little more and requested signage for scheduled events Heather Adams of 1329 Delma Grimes Road spoke of behalf of the Chamber of Commerce about the Coats Farmers Market. She stated that she believed the Farmers Market and events that the Chamber host are vital in the community for growth and outreach and noted that within the last two years since she began participating she had gained business opportunities as well as friendships. She mentioned that such events also provide opportunities for locals to volunteer and attend which helped toi increase a sense of  information on state law, ordinance options, pamphlets and map ideas.  with times.  ownership and fellowship int the community.  Mayor Coats closed the Public Forum after hearing no one else.  IV.NEW BUSINESS continued  4    B. Chamber Event and Street Closure Request  Town Manager Nick Holcomb informed the Board that he had cross-checked the Chamber's list ofevents and street closure requests with the Town's meetings and events to avoid conflicts. Tricia Bristow, Chamber Director, asked thel Board ift they had any questions about the information on chamber events and street closures that had been included in the agenda packet. Ms. Bristow explained that the calendar was pretty much the same as last year with the exception ofnol Farm to Table event planned this year and noted that there would be changes with the BBQ Cook-off and Plate Sale that involves McKinley Point but no street closures. She expressed concern over the dying Christmas tree and the need for a new plan for that sO there wasa Commissioner Jerry Beasley asked if the Chamber carried a liability policy for the events. Ms. Commissioner Kelvin Gilbert asked Ms. Bristow to share her vision for a new Christmas tree whether it be artificial or live. She shared that a live tree would make the town feel likea Hallmark movie, but the reality was int that location it would take a special tree to be able to grow and do well there. Commissioner Jerry Beasley suggested planting the Christmas tree at the Community Building. Ms. Bristow explained that there was not really aj place to plant at tree there and that you would lose the visibility that having it at McKinley Point offered in welcoming  tentative date planned for the annual tree lighting and toy drive. Bristow replied that the Chamber had to get extra insurance.  people to Coats during the season.  RESOLVED, to approve the street closures that had been presented.  MOTION BY: Commissioner Allen Mosby SECOND BY: Mayor Pro Tem Marc Powell  APPROVED: 5-0, unanimously approved C. FY2024-2025 Budget Calendar  Town Manager Nick Holcomb presented the proposed Budget Calendar for FY2024-2025 and noted that he had not included a Saturday: morning for capital projects as inj past years because there were several capital projects in motion that were outside ofthe operating budget. The budget workshop for operations including department requests would be' Thursday, March 2lat 6:00pm and the regularly scheduled May and June meetings would be utilized for the introduction, public hearing and approval. Thursday, May 16 would be the date for additional Board discussion ensued regarding conflicts with the time oft the March 215 meeting and settled RESOLVED, to approve the budget calendar with the amendment of 6:30 p.m. start time for the March MOTION, BY: Mayor Pro' Tem Marc Powell SECOND BY: Commissioner Shirley Allen  work session ifnecessary. ona a change to 6:30 p.m.  21s meeting.  APPROVED: 5-0, unanimously approved  5    D. Council Requested Salary Information  Nick Holcomb, Town Manager, reviewed the requested police salary and benefit information that had been requested at the previous meeting. He noted that the total increase would bej just under Mayor Chris Coats commented that this would be a good tool to use during budget conversations. Commissioner Jerry Beasley stressed the need to put time in reviewing the situation and that all Town employees needed to be considered so that the best could be done for all departments.  $78,000.  V.MANAGER & COMMITTEE REPORT A. Setting Public Hearing for Requested. Zoning  Town Manager Holcomb stated that the Town received an application for rezoning and annexation for 80 acres located at 1380. Abattoir Road that was presented to the Planning Board on February 1 and added that ai neighborhood meeting was scheduled for February 13. Six people spoke against the rezoning at the Planning Board meeting, and there were many more: in the audience that represented interest against the rezoning and potential residential development. The Planning Board voted to recommend not to approve the rezoning; however, the application had been submitted and paid for and the developer wanted to proceed with the rezoning process. Mr. Holcomb relayed that the developer requested thej public hearing be set for the April board meeting to allow him time to address any concerns voiced at the neighborhood meeting. MOTION BY: Mayor Pro' Tem Marc Powell SECOND BY: Commissioner Kelvin Gilbert  RESOLVED, to: set public hearing fort the requested rezoning to. April 11.  APPROVED: 5-0, unanimously approved B. 2nd Harnett County Pass-through Grant  Town Manager Nick Holcomb announced that the Town had been awarded a 2nd Harnett County pass-through grant in the amount of $50,000 to be used for anything meeting "public purpose". Mr. Holcomb explained that the money would not impact the operating budget, but if spent  wisely could be helpful in relieving stress on the operating budget.  .I Downtown Revitalization Grant  Town Manager Nick Holcomb reminded the board that the $500,000 grant was awarded from the existing downtown plan that the Mayor shopped to elected officials but that it could be used for Town Manager Nick Holcomb apprised the Board oft the letter from the Chamber of Commerce included ini the agenda packet that expressed the enthusiasm and support for the creation of an alcohol social district which was also echoed during the Public Comments earlier. Mr. Holcomb offered that Tricia was  any related downtown: revitalization.  available to further explain ift the board had interest or questions.  D. Department Head Updates  Mike Collins, Parks & Recreation Director, updated the board on the: following:  6    Successful basketball season Men's softball season starting March 4th Youth baseball/softball registration underway Easter Egg Hunt on March 23 Painting on courts should be completed in April  Commissioner Kelvin Gilbert inquired about thej possibility of an adult basketball league. Mr. Collins responded that we would need to switch gyms because thet type of finish on the floor  posed a danger for aduit use.  VI. ADJOURN  Mayor Chris Coats called for a motion to adjourn.  RESOLVED, to adjourn.  MOTION. BY: Commissioner Allen Mosby, SECOND BY: Commissioner Kelvin Gilbert  APPROVED: 5-0, unanimously approved Meeting adjourned at 8:07 p.m.  The attached documents of reference are incorporated herewith and are hereby made aj part oft these  minutes.  Cot Connie Lassiter, Town Clerk  Chris  Lnb  Coats, Mayor  7