TOWN OF COATS Board of Commissioners Thursday, October 12, 2023 Official Minutes  The' Town of Coats Board of Commissioners met in regular session on Thursday, October 12, 2023 at  7:00 p.m. in the Board of Commissioners' Meeting Room at Coats Town Hall.  Members Present: Mayor Chris Coats Mayor Pro Tem Jerry Beasley Commissioner Marc Powell Commissioner Kelvin Gilbert Commissioner Shirley Allen Members Absent: Commissioner Allen Mosby LCALLTOORDER  Others Present: Nick Holcomb, Town Manager Connie Lassiter, Finance Director/Town Clerk Mike Collins, Parks & Rec 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 the Pledge of Allegiance. MOTION BY: Commissioner Kelvin Gilbert, SECOND BY: Commissioner Shirley Allen  RESOLVED, to approve Agenda. APPROVED: 4-0, unanimously approved  II. CONSENT AGENDA  A. Approval of Minutes = September 14, 2023 Regular Meeting B. Approval of Attorney Bill - Services Rendered September 1-30, 2023  C. Budget Amendment - Powell Bill RESOLVED, to approve Consent Agenda. APPROVED: 4-0, unanimously approved  MOTION BY: Commissioner Marc Powell, SECOND BY: Mayor Pro Tem Jerry Beasley  II. PUBLIC FORUM  Mayor Chris Coats opened the Public Forum.  Lena Grubbs, 76A Scotch Broom Ln, voiced that she was glad thel Board was considering the issue of volume instead ofj just focusing on the timing in the amendment oft the noise ordinance.  Mayor Coats closed the Public Forum after hearing no one else.  1    IV.NEW BUSINESS  A. Public Hearing - Rezoning 235 E. Jackson St  Town Manager Nick Holcomb presented the request for rezoning submitted by Karen Ferguson to change the .69 acre (30,056 sq. ft.) lot at 235 EJackson St from Single Family Residential3 (SFR-3) to Residential Main Street Transition (RMST). Mr. Holcomb presented the map showing that the property was literally in between the two districts. The property was assigned SFR-3 zoning during last year'stown-wide rezoning due to the large size of the property. Hazel Stephenson, Planning Board Chair, commented that thel Planning Board recommended the approval oft the rezoning request because it is consistent with the future land use map and the Mayor Chris Coats opened the Public Hearing; and after hearing no one, he closed the Public Mayor Pro Tem Jerry Beasley informed the Board that the husband ofl Karen Ferguson (rezoning request applicant) was his cousin and expressed that he would receive no financial gain from the approval ofrequest. He deferred to the Town Attorney on whether or not he should recuse Town Attorney Al Bain instructed that generally with those types ofrelationships neither would be considered a disqualifying event as General Statues describes a close personal relationship Commissioner Marc Powell disclosed that he was in a similar situation with a spouse being a  property isi in the transition area between SFR-3 and RMST.  Hearing.  himselfi from voting.  tends tol be a spouse or child which is more or less a lineal line.  cousin.  RESOLVED, to approve rezoning of235 EJ Jackson St. APPROVED: 4-0, unanimously approved B. Public Hearing - UDO in Practice  MOTION BY: Mayor) Pro Tem Jerry Beasley, SECOND BY: Commissioner Kelvin Gilbert  Town Manager Nick Holcomb emphasized that the Public Hearing was fulfilling a promise to allow citizens the opportunity to discuss any concerns the new UDO: may have caused when it was passed last year, He commented that three toi four minor amendments were being considered Mayor Chris Coats opened the Public Hearing; and after hearing no one, he closed the Public  by the! Planning Board. Hearing.  RESOLVED, to refer back to. Planning Board for amendments to be made.  MOTION BY: Mayor Pro Tem Jerry Beasley, SECOND BY: Commissioner Marc Powell  APPROVED: 4-0, unanimously approved  2    C. - Work Session Schedule  Town Manager Nick Holcomb presented prospective dates and times with topics in response toa request tol have work sessions for the Council to meet prior to the regular scheduled Board  Meeting as follows:  November 9, 5:00pm-6:30pm - Parks & Rec Department Strategy & Improvements December 14, 5:00pm-6:30pm - Water System Grant Projects (Waterline Bid Plan & January 11,5:00pm-6:30pm - Finance & Budget (Tracking FY24 Budget Expenditures) After discussion which included scheduling conflicts and a concern that the proposed length of meeting time wasn'tenough time, Town Manager Nick Holcomb amended the prospective dates  AMI Meters)  to the following Thursday of regular meetings as follows:  November 16, 6:00pm - Parks & Rec Department Strategy & Improvements December 21, 6:00pm - Water System Grant Projects (Waterline Bid Plan & AMI January 18, 6:00pm - Finance & Budget (Tracking FY24 Budget Expenditures)  Meters)  RESOLVED, to schedule work sessions at 6:00pm on November 16, December 21 and January 18. MOTION BY: Mayor Pro' Tem Jerry Beasley, SECOND BY: Commissioner Kelvin Gilbert  APPROVED: 4-0, unanimously approved  V.OLD BUSINESS A. Noise Ordinance  Town Manager Nick Holcomb conveyed that the Board directed that the ordinance amendment should focus more on controlling volume and less on setting times after feedback received at last month'sl Public Hearing which included complaints about noise levels at restaurants as well as comments about supporting local businesses and the need to create. aj pro-business environment. The proposed ordinance amendment would add item 19 to the existing 18 items under this section which would focus on unreasonable noise from commercial establishment and any outdoor areas and define plainly audible and disruptive noise during daytime hours at 300 feet from the property line and nighttime hours at 1501 feet from the property line. Officers would respond to complaints and use the definition of plainly audible and unreasonable noise to determine a  violation.  RESOLVED, to approve amendment to noise ordinance. APPROVED: 4-0, unanimously approved  MOTION BY: Commissioner Kelvin Gilbert, SECOND BY: Commissioner Shirley Allen  3    VI. MANAGER UPDATES Autism Walk  Town Manager Nick Holcomb informed the Board of an Autism Walk that would be taking place on the upcoming Sunday which had grown from a small event to ai rather large event. Hei invited the organizer Casey McFadden provided the Board with the Emergency. Action Plan and a copy oft the Insurance & Liability Waivers that would be signed by all participants oft the event. She explained that she had met with the Police Chiefa and Fire Chief concerning safety for the event adding that volunteer Firemen and EMTs would available during the walk which would start at thel Kicking Camel along Railroad St down to Stewart's' Tire and come back up on the sidewalk of McKinley ending back up at thel Kicking Camel. The event would bel held from 10:30am through 9:00pm with the walk taking place between 2:00pm and  oft the event, Casey McFadden, to the podium to give more details.  3:00pm. Parks & Rec Update  Mike Collins, Parks & Rec Director, updated the Board on the following: Currently in the middle of soccer season with 91 teams playing Working on creating ai new entranceway at park to make it more attractive Campaigning to area businesses to get funding for lighting Kicking off Basketball registration at the school Fall Festival  Dol North Resurfacing willl have basketball goals up and all resurfacing done in about three weeks  Commissioner Kelvin Gilbert questioned the validity of the basketball goals being completed in three weeks since it was already supposed to be completed. Mr. Collins explained that the contractor was in high demand, and he would upgrade from a 50" to a 60" backboard at no additional cost because he was Mayor Pro Tem Jerry Beasley inquired ift the crack could be fixed when concrete was poured for goals. Mr. Collins replied that he had already spoken to the contractor about it and added that repairs in the  late in completing the project.  concrete at the picnic shelter would be taken care of as well.  Repair or Demolish Orders Council Comments  Town Manager Holcomb informed thel Board that he would have quotes for the November meeting.  Commissioner Shirley Allen asked about status of Dixon house. Town Manager Holcomb responded that Mayor Pro Tem Jerry Beasley expressed concern over being short staffed in the Police Department. Town Manager Holcomb replied that the hiring of one applicant was pending on' Training and Standards Commissioner Marc Powell inquired about the possibility ofa Christmas tree to replace the current holly  they've shown to be serious about getting work done.  approval and that there were two candidates interested in the SRO position.  tree at McKinley Point property.  4    Commissioner Shirley Allen stated that she had secured a Christmas tree to place between the flag poles Mayor Pro Tem Jerry Beasley commented that he agreed with Finance Director Connie Lassiter's  at] Farmer's Corner.  handling oft the maturing CDs as presented in the financial report.  VIII. ADJOURN  Mayor Chris Coats called for a motion to adjourn.  RESOLVED, to adjourn.  MOTION, BY: Commissioner Marc Powell, SECOND BY: Commissioner Shirley Allen  APPROVED: 4-0, unanimously approved Meeting adjourned at 8:06 p.m.  The attached documents ofr reference are: incorporated herewith and are hereby made aj part oft these  minutes.  Gt Connie-Lassiter, Town Clerk  Chris Coats, Mayor  1B  5