MAY 3, 2024 RECESSED MEETING AND FIRST BUDGET WORKSHOP) Minutes of the recessed meeting and first budget workshop of the Mayor and Board of Commissioners of the Town of Elkin, May 3, 2024, 8:30 am at the Elkin Present: Mayor Sam Bishop, Commissioners Cicely McCulloch, Robert Ball, Jeff Also present: Town Manager Brent Cornelison, Finance Director Dina Reavis, Public Works Director Travis Butcher, Police Chief. Joey Vanhoy, Fire Chief Kevin Wilson, Economic DevelopmentPlanning Director Leslie Schlender, and Town Mayor Biship called the meeting to order and reconvened the recessed meeting from April 8, 2024. He welcomed everyone and then turned the meeting over to  Town Hall.  Eidson, Will Gwyn and Alvin Hayes.  Clerk Darla Parker.  Town Manager Cornelison.  Summary of Proposed 2024-2025 General Fund and Water Fund  See Summary attached  Capital Requests with priorities determined by the Board will remain the same as discussed at the budget retreat. The new Right of Way Mower/Wheeled Excavator cost will be divided as $173,333 from GF and $196,667 from WF. The budget will include the new Recreation Center Health insurance was budgeted at an increase of 10% but final numbers  Program Supervisor position at the park.  came in at 5.4% increase.  Waste Management contract came in at a 3.4% increase.  The COLA/Merit will remain as budgeted at 7.5% COLA and Merit up to 1% There will be no proposed increases in water rates or tax rates for the 2024-2025  budget year. Manager Updates:  The NC Dept. of Labor has made some changes as to the rules of being an exempt or non-exempt employees. Being an exempt (salaried) employee, they must supervise two or more employees, have management as a primary duty of the job and have input as to the hiring, firing, promotions, and duties of other employees. This law will affect the Town's current positions of Town Clerk, Planner, Main Street Manager and full-time firemen. This will be discussed at our June Board of Commissioners  meeting.    Brent has mailed out letters to all citizens in the area by the West End Water Tank, notifying them of the replacement of the water tower in the near future. Mr. Joel Kellam owns a vacant lot behind the current water tower and has offered to sell this parcel at tax value to the Town to construct the new water tank. The current tax value is $17,500 for parcel #494116846203. Mr. Kellam would also like to discuss access to the current adjacent property owned by the Town for additional parking. Brent will speak with our Town Attorney to discuss an easement or the best way to go about this. After a brief discussion a motion was made by Commissioner McCulloch to purchase this parcel for $17,500, seconded by Brent has spoken to the owners of property that backs up to W Depot Alley, Lisa Wall and Dillon Neaves of Blanket LLC. There is no ownership of the alley behind these buildings. We are currently finishing a project that includes paving and pouring concrete along Front Street and WI Depot Alley. The building owners are not interested in doing a quick claim deed to take ownership of this alley property. After a brief discussion a motion was made by Commissioner Eidson to do a quick claim deed for the Town of Elkin to take ownership and maintain this property. Motion was seconded Brent gave updates on the Front Street Parking project as well as the new amphitheaters currently under construction. We have several events already scheduled for this summer. A dedication and ribbon cutting will take place on May 31s!, 2024 prior to the starting of Elkin Trail Days at 6:00 pm at the Heritage Center. The new splashpad and upgrades to Crater Park will begin in July 2024. The VFW will be erecting a new flag pole behind the Welcome to Elkin sign at the corner of Standard Street and  Commissioner Gwyn and passed unanimously.  by Commissioner McCulloch and passed unanimously.  North Bridge St.  There being no further business, a motion by Commissioner Gwyn to adjourn, seconded by Commissioner McCulloch and was unanimously approved. The  meeting adjourned at approximately 9:25 p.m.  Ac  Darla S Parker, Town Clerk DahiAa  Page 2 of 2