May 14, 2018 (REGULAR MEETING)  Minutes of the regular meeting of the Mayor and Board of Commissioners of the Present: Mayor Sam Bishop, Commissioners Cicely McCulloch, Jeff Eidson, Terry Also present: Town Manager Brent Cornelison, Town Manager/Finance Director John W. Holcomb, Assistant Town Manager/Recreation and Parks Director Adam McComb and Town Clerk Cathie Tilley. (Absent: Town Attorney Raymond Mayor Bishop welcomed everyone and called the meeting to order. He asked Police Chief Monroe Wagoner to lead our Pledge of Allegiance. Mayor Bishop asked for consideration of the Consent Agenda. The following items were presented for the consent agenda:  Town of Elkin, May 14, 2018, 6:00 p.m. at Town Hall. Kennedy, Tommy Wheeler and Skip Whitman.  Parker)  CONSENT AGENDA (Tab A)  Minutes of April 9, 2018 (Regular Meeting)  Minutes of May 1, 2018 (Recessed and First Budget Workshop) Set Public Hearing for June 11th to Consider Zoning Request from R-8 Budget Amendment for Church Street Paving Costs (included as Exhibit  to R-20) A)  Amotion by Commissioner Eidson to approve the Consent Agenda was seconded  by Commissioner Wheeler and was unanimously approved.  PUBLIC COMMENTS  Mayor Bishop asked for anyone wanting to speak to come forward.  David Bents - 608 Brookwood Drive:  Spoke regarding paying taxes to both the Town and Surry County on his aircraft located at the Town of Elkin Airport. Town does not benefit from the taxes paid to the Airport needs major maintenance/repars. Surry County/Mt. Airy Airport benefits from taxes  County.  collected by the County. Thinks this is lopsided.  Time was called before Mr. Bents finished his  presentation.  Planning/Zoning Director George Crater has Mr. Bents' presentation and will provide copies to the Town Manager and Commissioners.    There being no further comments, Mayor Bishop closed the Public  Comments period.  INTRODUCTION OF MATTHEW CRAWFORD:  Town Manager Cornelison had Matthew Crawford come forward and  introduced him as Elkin's new Fire Chief. Everyone welcomed him. Commissioner Wheeler: Commissioner Whitman:  MAYOR AND BOARD COMMENTS FOR STAFF  Thanked Public Works for patching hole on Front Street.  Happy Church Street is open. Itlooks terrific. roundabout.  Excited to see how that area is going to look with the  Commissioner Eidson:  Thanked staff for helping with Explore Elkin events. Gave a special thank you to Police Chief Wagoner for getting the street closed in a timely manner for the kick-off event at the Reeves to celebrate our trails and river.  REGULAR MEETING Sherriff's Department)  1. Surry County Leash Law Presentation - Abraham Doby (Surry County  Mayor Bishop asked Police Chief Monroe Wagoner to speak to this matter, and he presented the following information:  Surry County has an Animal Control Ordinance that includes a Acopy of guidelines regarding the sanctions used for violation of the Tethering Ban is included in the Agenda. Other municipalities within the County have adopted the Tethering Ban portion of the ordinançe. Requesting approval of the Tethering Ban by this Board. Commissioner Whitman made a motion to approve the ordinance as presented. There were no questions. Upon a second by Commissioner McCulloch, an Ordinance to Abate Animal Nuisances (Amended May 14, 2018) was unanimously approved. (Copy may be found in Ordinance Book 5, Pages 2018-05-0004 through 2018-05-0006.) Referenced a list of the MSAB Members and the minutes from the This is the 20th year anniversary of Elkin being in the State's Main Street The MSAB depends on MSD tax funds to pay for downtown projects. The MSD tax rate has remained the same since its inception.  Tethering Ban.  2. Main Street Advisory Board (MSAB) MSD Tax Rate Increase Request- -  Jennifer White (Laura Gaylord gave this presentation) Advisory Board's April 17th meeting.  Program  Referenced in the Advisory Board minutes where a motion was approved to increase the MSD tax rate from ten cents/$100  Page 2of6    valuation to fifteen cents/$100 valuation with the stipulation that the Town of Elkin Board of Commissioners would match the amount of the increase each year for the MSD budget. This increase is based on numerous projects needed in Had examples of MSD taxes now versus how much they will be Noted other municipalities in North Carolina, their populations Average MSD tax rate statewide is 17.9 cents. Provided a list of projects the MSAB would like to begin Talked about completed projects, projects that are under way (security cameras, awnings at Farmers Market, etc.) and projects considered important (safe sidewalks, ADA updates, parking, sidewalk bumpouts, pedestrian refuges, etc.). Also presented a 'wish list' of projects that the Advisory Board would like to see done that totals over $260,000.  downtown.  with the proposed increase. and their MSD tax rates.  undertaking if they had funding.  Provided slides of the parking lot behind Kennedy Auto and Southern on Main as an example of one of the projects that has been discussed for several months. With the MSD increase, MSAB could begin Phase 1 Could pay to extend the landscape island and landscape the area before the alley and parking lot  of this project. are paved.  Following the presentation, Ms. Gaylord said the Main Street Advisory Board requested approval from the Board of Commissioners to increase the MSD tax rate to fifteen cents per $100 valuation and for the Town to Following additional discussion, the Board instructed Town Manager Cornelison to work with staff to meet with property owners in the municipal service district to be sure the majority of them are in favor ofi increasing the MSD tax rate. Also, the Board  match these funds.  wants to know where the money is going.  3. Update on July 4th FreedomFest - Thomas Eidson, President Elkin Jaycees  The Elkin Jaycees put on the Independence Day Celebration each year. Our local Jaycees group is considering moving away from the Jaycees Currently, each of our members pays $70.00, and $67.50 goes to the This would give our organization an additional $2,500.00 each  Organization (National and State). This will keep more funds locally. State organization. year.  We would re-invest this money in Elkin.  Int the past, we have had members who were very involved with the Our current group is more focused on local community service.  State Jaycees Organization; this is not sO now.  Page 3 of6    Following this presentation, it was the consensus of the Board of Commissioners to support the Elkin Jaycees' decision to withdraw from the national and state wings of The Jaycees Organization. There were some questions about our budget request that was Referenced the following documents submitted to the Town February Letter requesting an appropriation of $12,000 from the Town. Rescue Squad Financial Statement for year ended June 30, Used appropriation from Town of Elkin last year to purchase:  4. Rescue Squad Funding Request - Chief. Jeffv Whitaker and Assistant Chief Mike  Bovender (Chief Whitaker made the following presentation) submitted to the Board of Commissioners.  20, 2018:  2018-2019 budget estimate.  2017.  New ambulance ($71,000) Generator ($36,766)  Once installed will allow our building to be used as a relief shelter in the event of heavy inclement weather or natural  disaster.  Our purchases go back to the community. Some current needs include:  Communication equipment - what we're using is antiquated; want tog get on the same page as fire departments and other Turn-out gear - current gear is old; new gear will provide full-  emergency agencies. body protection.  We try to be good stewards of donated funding.  Our parking lot needs to be re-paved, our building needs repairs and we We do not put money back to hold onto it; there is always a plan.  are trying to plan for the future. Commissioner Whitman:  Itis important to take time to have these discussions to prevent the public from getting filtered facts. Itis important for everyone to know our expenditures have exceeded our revenue for the past three years.  Noted:  Town is required by the State to balance the budget. Town continues placing capital needs on the back burner. We need to work together to develop a culture to forge  We are living above our means. private/public partnerships We still have a $153,000 shortfall. Downtown is requesting money. probably increasing their fees. We are managers of the taxpayers' money. With this shortfall, we cannot fund everyone.  Commissioner Kennedy:  We are increasing our water bills, and the Sewer Authority is  Mr. Whitaker:  Page 4 of6    Bynot being funded by the Town, we cannot do what we plan to Buying the PPE and radios will cost over $64,000. lam not sure la am comfortable cutting funding for the Rescue Idonot want to send a message that would cause Surry County think we should fund them the amount we did last year. Commissioner Eidson made a motion to fund the Rescue Squad six thousand dollars ($6,000.00) this year. Commissioner Wheeler Following additional discussion, Commissioner Wheeler rescinded his second to the motion and Commissioner Eidson Commissioner Eidson made a motion requesting the Rescue Squad to bring back a revised budget request (based on the cost oft the protective gear and radios) for the commissioners to evaluate. There were no questions. Upon a second by Commissioner Whitman, the motion was  do.  Commissioner Eidson: Squad to zero.  toconsider cutting their funding.  seconded the motion.  rescinded his motion.  unanimously approved.  Outstanding Budget Considerations - John Holcomb  General Fund (at the end of the first budget workshop):  The starting point from the budget workshop was a deficit of  ($209,386)  Made the following changes:  Removed Rescue Squad funding - $10,000 Transferred interest earned on YVSA outstanding loan balance to General Fund from Water Fund - $24,447 Added funding to Grace Clinic ($3,000) Reduced Master Plan cost from $75,000 to $50,000-  $25,000  Current projected deficit-( ($152,939) Water Fund (at the end of the first budget workshop): Projected increase - $152,068 Made the following changes:  Transferred interest earned on YVSAO outstanding loan balance to General Fund from' Water Fund - ($24,447) Impact of proposed rate increases of $1.00 to minimum bill and $1.00 to volumetric rate - $143,792 Current projected increase $271,413 The above figures reflect: General Fund:  Referenced the Executive Summary (included as Exhibit B):  Shell Building - no funding no funding Water Fund:  Funding to Economic Development capital reserve  Page 5of6    One dollar increase to both the minimum bill and Transfer of interest earned on YVSA outstanding loan balance from Water Fund to General Fund  volumetric rate  Following discussion, it was the consensus of the Board that a second Town Manager/Finance Director Holcomb asked Board members to let him know if he needed to provide any other information prior to the next  budget workshop would need to be held.  budget workshop. ABC Board:  VARIOUS ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER CONSIDERATIONS (Mayor Bishop):  We have a request to reappoint Robin Turner to this board. Upon a motion by Commissioner Eidson to reappoint Robin Turner to another three-year term on the ABC Board and a second by Commissioner Kennedy, the motion was  unanimously approved.  Main Street Advisory Board:  Recommendation to appoint Amanda Edgerly, Kerri Ferrari and Upon a motion by Commissioner Kennedy to appoint Amanda Edgerly, Kerri Ferrari and Alan Parsons to serve on the Main Street Advisory Board and a second by Commissioner McCulloch, the motion was unanimously  Alan Parsons to this advisory board.  approved.  There being no further business, Commissioner McCulloch made a motion to recess until June 1st at 1:30. Upon a second by Commissioner Kennedy, the  meeting recessed at 7:00 p.m.  dp  Sam Bishop, Mayor  Attest:  Catherine Di  C. Tilley,  As  Page 6 of6