126  Dunn City Council Joint Special Meeting Thursday, December 17, 2020 6:00j p.m., Dunn) Municipall Building  Town of Benson, City of Dunn, and' Town of Four Oaks  Minutes  PRESENT: Mayor William P. Elmore Jr., Mayor Pro Tem Chuck Turnage, Council Members J. Wesley Sills, April Gaulden, Billy N. Tart, and Dr. David L. Bradham. Absent: Frank McLean. Request for Special Also present from the City of Dunn: City Manager. Steven Neuschafer, Assistant City Manager Mathew Boone, Present from the Town of Benson: Mayor Jerry M. Medlin, Mayor Pro Tem Casandra Stack, Commissioners Maxine Holley, Dean McLamb, William Neighbors and Max Raynor. Also present Town Manager Fred Nelson, Present from the Town ofFour Oaks: Mayor Linwood. Parker, Commissioners Vicl Medlin, Andy Hardy, John Hatch and Carles Surles. Also present: Reid Williams, Development Coordinator and Town Clerk Martha Garris. Mayor Elmore welcomed everyone tot the joint meeting at 6:00 p.m. Mayor Medlin gave the invocation and Mayor Elmore opened the meeting oft the Dunn City Council at 6:38 p.m. and introduced those representing Mayor Parker shared the background on the proposed partnership I-95/1-40 Crossroads of America Economic Planning Alliance which started with the Mayors and staff meeting and researching the Reid Williams, Town ofF Four Oaks Development Coordinator, presented ane economic snapshot on the region whichs showed: success with employers such ast thel Food Lion' Warehouse,: Ashley Furniture, Becton Dickerson, Berry Global and Rooms To Gol but also lower mediani incomes than ins surrounding areas including Harnett and Johnston Counties. He shared the benefits ofa a regional approach which included a broader base of resources; a centralized economic development operation; cohesive short and long term planning; a focused approacht toa addressing strategici issues such as workforce development; andi increased coordinationi resulting City Manager Neuschafer presented the proposed jurisdiction map, which encompasses the I-95 corridor, approximately four miles westa and2 21 miles east ofI-95. Thep proposedj jurisdiction encompasses 20r miles from exit 70t to exit 90. Hea addedt that there ares several parcels over 50 acres each that total close to 12,000 acresi in this proposed jurisdiction. The Partnership could capitalize on available infrastructure such as the railroad Benson' Town Manager Fred! Nelson shared thej preliminary tentative Goals and Objectives toi include: Goal1-I Identify opportunity zones for commercial/industrial. development within proposedj jurisdiction. Goal 2- Formulate: relationships withl local technical colleges and universities as well as the Department Goal 3- Conductas strategic visioning campaign to assist strategy formulation: andi resource alignment. He also shared the proposed draft of bylaws of the organization to include representatives from each Mayor Parker: shared thati initial discussions were received with favorable feedback with the NC Department of Commerce as well as elected representatives Congressman David Rouzer, Senators Jim Burgin and Brent Jackson and Representatives Howard Penny and Larry Strickland. He also talked about potential partners such as the Department of Agriculture andl Harnett and) Johnston Counties. He shared that the main goali ist to spur growth for the region andi raise the overall quality oflife for people int these communities. Mayor Pro Tem) Bradham felt the partnership wasa a greati idea and thet towns could get more traction working together. He did inquire on! how the communication will work between the organization and the three town boards andl how often will the organization's board meet. Mayor Parker said he felt they willj probably meet monthly with oversight from thet threel boards asi itisg gettings started. Council Member' Turnage said that goals Mayor Elmores statedt that ift thel boards agreet to move forward staff from each community willl begin to move thep process forwardi int the establishment oft the partnership organization. Allt three boards will work together to develop the bylaws and structure of the 501C-3 organization. City Attorney Pope shared the value of havingas separate 501C-3 organization fort thej partnership's efforts aret the other available funding sources  Meeting is incorporated. intot these minutes as Attachment: #1. City Attorney Tilghman Pope, and City Clerk Tammy Williams. Town Attorney R Isaac Parker and Town ClerkAngela Thornton.  Mayor Parker ledi int the pledge ofa allegiance. Dinner was served.  CALLTO ORDER ANDI INVOCATION  Dunn. Hea acknowledged Councill Member) McLean was unablet to attend due tot beings sick.  Partnership Opportunities for Economic! Development  possibilities.  ina ane efficient use ofr resources.  and airports, combiningt thesea assets with property thati is ready to develop. of Commercet to enhance workforce development int the region community and as share oft the cost toi includeaf formulai for newi industry recruited.  wouldi need tol bee established witht timelines tor measure: success.    127  and the ability to do things that governments are not allowed to do but are important for economic After additional discussion from each board represented, motion' by Mayor Pro' Tem Bradham and second by Council Member Turnage to support and move forward with the forming of the I-95/1-40 Crossroads of Moving forward with the partnership was also formerly approved by the Town of Benson Board of With nof further business to discuss, motionl by Council Member Sills and: second by Council Member Gaulden  development: sucha as givea awayl land and! handle confidential matters privately. America Economic Planning Alliance. Motion unanimouslyapproved. Commissioners and the Town of Four Oaks Board of Commissioners.  toa adjourn the meetinga at8 8:16p.m.  CORFORATE SEAL CARD  Mayor  Attest:  EPRL9  CRAlano  TaminyV Williams City Clerk