Town of Fletcher Agenda Review Meeting Minutes May 1, 2023  Call the meeting to order at: 6:00 pm Those who were in attendance are as follows:  Mayor Preston Blakely Mayor Pro-Tem Bob Davy Councilman Keith Reed Councilman Trevor Lance Counciwoman Sheila Franklin Town Manager Mark Biberdorf Moment of Sllence: Pledge of Allegiance: ***Public Comments*** None at this time. (4/3, 4/10)  Approval of minutes-corrections, additions or deletions No comments were made on the minutes at this time.  Council Updates None at this time. Consent Agenda Tax Refunds, releases  No comments were made on the Consent Agenda at this time.  Update on. Asheville Regional Airport - Lew Bleiweis, Asheville Regional Mayor Blakely stated that Lew Bleiweis would be here next week to give us an  Airport.  update on the Asheville Regional Airport.  1    Town Manager Mark Biberdorf asked if we could skip down to Manager  Comments to discuss an item at this time.  Ad current map was provided to council on the layout of the courts at Bill Moore  Community park.  Ben Cathey of McGill Associates gave a brief presentation on some issues (layout)  with the construction of the courts. A few issues or concerns are as follows:  a) Storm drainage element on the south east corner oft the site. b) Improvement on the basketball courtlayout. c) Fencing on the pickle ball courts.  Discussion Followed:  Things that have been suggested are as follows;  a) On the pickle ball courts remove the fencing between the courts to give players more room to move around while playing and feel less confined. b) Amend the basketball court to go from two half courts to a full court and al half  court. Discussion Followed: next week.  Council agrees to these changes and this will be voted on at the regular meeting  Summary report on citizen survey conducted by Polco-Mark Biberdorf, Town  Manager.  Town Manager Mark Biberdorf gave an overview of the results of the recent Polco  survey conducted by the town. Discussion Followed:  It has been suggested by council to possibly set up some type of community meet and greet at a local business sO that residents can come and ask questions to a  council member or express concerns that they may have.  2    Update on development of a traffic calming policy-Mark Biberdorf, Town Town Manager. Mark Biberdorf stated that he does not have a new policy but is currently researching this. Idid find an old policy that was put together from McGill Associates years ago but from whatIcan tell this was never adopted. Iwill come back to you with a suggested policy or policy options for you to consider.  Manager.  Discussion Followed:  Also, on the speed trailer, our Police Chief and Public Works Director are looking at several different options. We did not get a chance to meet last week to look at the different options. Iwill keep you updated on this and let you know if monies need to be appropriated. We are hoping to purchase this in this fiscal year.  Comments from the Town Manager Mark Biberdorf.  On the budget update we have got all our: revenues. The tax assessor gave us the last update on values last week. So, you knowlam putting in a tax rate of. .28 cents and our current rate is .34 cents. The initial calculation (revenue neutral) that we received from the tax assessor was .28 cents with the values she just provided us last week was 27.7 cents. Iwill be recommending a tax rate of. .28 cents. The Emergency Services Director from Henderson County contacted me last week about fire rates and they are not sure what they are going to do yet with the fire rate. The county sets this rate. The rate that they set is approved by the fire commission (state) and they do not meet until the middle of May. Fletcher Fire & Rescue has offered to reduce the rate by a penny. Whatirecommend is 9.5 cents (and maybe the county will make them go to revenue neutral) if they don'ty you are going to have huge increases in tax bills. Fletcher Fire & Rescues rate is currently at 11.5 cents and with 9.5 cents they are still getting a huge increase of like $140,000.00 of new tax levy. With Mills River Fire (Continental Teves) Idon'tl know what their rate is going to be Ithink they offered to go to. .10 cents and they are at.11 cents. In the scheme  of things that is not that much money.  Discussion Followed:  On the actuated flasher/signal at Hooper's creek and Wildbriar road the power is connected/on and we are hoping that DOT will be turning that on within the week.  3    On another actuated flasher, Ihad gotten into a discussion with Michael Luplow at Fern Leafabout a light at the crosswalk on Howard Gap Road. Aresident came by town hall recently and was concerned about how dangerous it is for people in the morning using the crosswalk on Howard Gap Road. Some of the residents that live in the apartment complex are taking the crosswalk to the school in the mornings and they have apparently had some close calls. Fern leaf has met with DOT about putting a flasher there and to do a flasher the cost would be $21,000 and DOT will not fund these lights. DOT will put them in and maintain them but the school has to pay for them. Michael Luplow has suggested to do a cost share with the town on this. Just something to think about you don'thave to make a decision right now. On the developer response on the' TIA, (Traffic Impact Analysis) they have received the results and are analyzing it and are still very interested. Their biggest concern right now is left traffic movement into the sight because as the DOT improvements stand right now iti is right in and right out. (from Hwy25) They want to look at their other store locations and see how much traffic coming in is turning left. The noise complaints from 126 Wildwood" DOT is doing a S sound study evaluation Our street resurtacing is underway for Hawks Nest Drive and Sandpiper Court and they are hoping by' Thursday to get over to Kate's park for resurfacing the trails.  and we should have the results in June.  Mayor: Blakely asked for a motion to adjourn seconded by Mayor Pro-Tem Bobl Davy. Motion carries all in favor. Adjourned: 7:44 pm  Councilman Trevor Lance stated that he would make that motion and it was  Approved:  6-13-33  aBHy  Date  Mayor Preston Blakely  4    Town ofl Fletcher Town Council Meeting Minutes May 8, 2023  Call the meeting to order at: 6:00 pm Those who were in attendance are as follows:  Mayor Preston Blakley Mayor Pro-Tem Bob Davy Councilman Trevor Lance Councilman Keith Reed Councilwoman Sheila Franklin Town Manager Mark Biberdorf.  Moment of Silence: Mayor Blakely asked for a moment of silence. Pledge of Allegiance: Mayor Blakely led the group in the Pledge of Allegiance.  ***Public Comment*** None at this time (4/3,4/10)  Approval of minutes-corrections, additions or deletions.  Mayor Blakely asked for any corrections additions or deletions to the minutes and Mayor Pro-Tem Bob Davy stated sO moved and it was seconded by Councilman  if not do Ihave a motion to approve the minutes as presented.  Keith Reed and Counciwoman Sheila Franklin.  Motion carries all in favor. Council Updates None at this time. Consent Agenda Tax refunds,releases  Mayor Blakely asked if there were any questions on the Consent Agenda and if not  is there a motion to approve the Consent. Agenda as presented.  1    Councilman Trevor Lance stated that he would make that motion and it was  seconded by Mayor Pro-Tem Bob Davy. Motion carries in favor.  Update on Asheville Regional Airport -1 Lew Bleiweis, Asheville Regional  Airport.  Lew Bleiweis from Asheville Regional Airport gave an overview of the activity at the Asheville Regional Airport over the past year. He then answered some  questions that council had for him. Discussion Followed:  Approval of stormwater design change for multi-court project at Bill Moore  Community Park. - Mark Biberdorf, Town Manager.  Town Manager Mark Biberdorf stated that last week we were talking about doing al budget amendment and as Italked this over with the finance officer we are going to get some credits. This project will run into next fiscal year before it is completed (180 days) so Iwould recommend that if you can give us approval (about 10,000) to add to the cost as we will get some credits from some oft the fencing. We will get the project further underway and then we will know if there are any other unforeseen costs that may come up and then we can come back with a budget amendment at Mayor Blakely asked for a motion to approve the stormwater design changes to the Mayor Pro-Tem Bob Davy stated so moved and it was seconded by Councilman  that time.  multicourt project at Bill Moore Community Park.  Keith Reed.  Motion carries all in favor.  Summary report on citizen survey conducted by Polco-1 Mark Biberdorf, Town Town Manager Mark Biberdorf went over the results of the Polco survey that was  Manager.  recently conducted. Discussion Followed:  2    Update on development of a traffic calming policy- - Mark Biberdorf, Town Town Manager Mark Biberdorf stated that this is a follow up: item from a few months ago that has been requested from severali residents/neighborhoods in town. Ifound an old policy from several years ago that McGill Associates had put together that was never approved from whatIcan tell. Ihave gone through this one and looking at other polices from other cities as well. My goal is to have a policy put  Manager.  together to bring back to you in June.  Discussion Followed:  Comments from the Town Manager Mark Biberdorf  On the budget and the tax rate, we have our budget workshop meeting on Wednesday morning here in the council room at 9:00 am. You will hear the rate that is very close to revenue neutral thatIa am recommending. The only thing hanging out there right now is the fire tax rate as we are waiting on the commissioners to set that. Our fire contract language is a little fuzzy as we determine the rate for Fletcher Fire & Rescue as we can't go lower than 9.5 cents. The Fire Department has presented their budget to the Fire & Rescue Advisory Council and then it goes back before commissioners the middle of this month then we have an idea of the rate they  are going tol be looking at for the districts.  Councilwoman Sheila Franklin asked about having the budget meeting in the  Multipurpose room.  Town Manager Mark Biberdorf stated that ifit is open we can shift it to upstairs. The courts in the park are underway and they are currently working on the On the actuated flasher at Hooper's Creek Road and Wildbriar Road is up and  stormwater improvements right now.  running and active now.  On the flasher for the crosswalk on Howard Gap Road near Fern Leaf Charter school asIhave talked tol Michael Luplow about this as the schools are. being required to pay for these and the cost is about $22,000. He suggested a cost share and the  3    reason for this is of course as we have our residents crossing there and if we are going to extend our greenway trail over there then that is more than likely where they will cross. He is going to come back with the request to discuss this sometime  this summer. Discussion Followed:  On the town center project and the TIA (traffic impact analysis) asImentioned last week we got our mitigation requirements back. AsIdiscussed this with Will Buie who represents our former developer and they seem to be ok with it but wanted to do get more data on how many left turns in from their other stores. Once they complete this hopefully we can sit down with the developer andre-negotiate another  contract.  Discussion Followed:  On the request for the sound study for sound walls (Wildwood) on 126DOT is currently working on this and should have the results by June. Our street resurfacing project is nearing completion on Hawks Nest Drive and Sandpiper Court and they started work on the walking trails in Kate's & Pete's Park.  Mayor Blakely asked for a motion to adjourn  Councilman Trevor Lance statedImake that motion and it was seconded by Mayor  Pro-Tem Bob Davy and Councilwoman Sheila Franklin.  Adjourned: 07:09 pm  Approved:  6-1-23 Date  RBL Mayor Prestor'Blakley  4    Town of Fletcher Budget Meeting Minutes May 10, 2023  NOTE: meeting was held in Multipurpose room instead of council room recording on planning & zoning recorder did not work correctly. Borrowed recording from  resident to complete the minutes. Call the meeting to order at: 9:00 am Those who were in attendance are as follows:  Mayor Preston Blakley Mayor Pro-Tem Bob Davy Councilman Trevor Lance Councilman Keith Reed Town Manager Mark Biberdorf Assistant Town Manager! Heather Taylor Town Clerk Christine Thompson  Councilwoman Sheila Franklin did not attend this meeting.  Town Manager Mark Biberdorf gave a PowerPoint presentation of the proposed  budget for the 2023/2024 fiscal year.  Note: Items will be attached to final minutes for the record. Some highlights from the presentation are as follows:  Balance Budget presented totaling $9,350,734 in revenues and expenses.  This is a $699,297 increase from FY 2022-2023 budget  The proposed tax rate will be significantly reduced to 28 cents. Previous year rate is Revenue neutral tax: rate calculation is 27.7 cents. (43% increase real property  34 cents. revenues)  1    Most increases in this budget are for personnel related expenses and equipment. Increase in residential recycling costs under contract renewal with Curbside  Management.  4% COLA this year due to Social Security of living measure going up. Did not match Only 5.2% increase to stay on existing health insurance plan and no increase on  actual Social Security measure of 8.2%.  dental.  Funding included for a pay and classification study.  Revenue Outlook  Ad Valorem values projects to increase from $1,421,664,000 to $1,769,970,00. Largest portion of increase is from real value increases-revaluation  Business Personal Values decreased by 30% at least partially due to Continental  leaving.  Individual personal property values increase by 31% Motor Vehicles values decreased by 2%.  4% increase (additional $187,548) in real and personal property taxes.  Large increase (additional $117,500) in Interest on Investments due to balance and  interest rates being up.  5% increase (additional $37,771) in utilities sales tax. 17% increase (additional $364,677) in Local Sales Tax. 14% increase (additional $13,000) in Recreational Activities 70% increase (additional $6,200) in. ABC Law Enforcement revenues  Large increase (additional $53,500) in Grant Funding for greenway planning grant.  2    13% increase (additional $250) in Concession Stand revenues. 7% increase (additional $20,000) in. ABC Distribution 16% decrease (drop of$ $49,483) in Motor Vehicle taxes. 33% decrease (drop of $5,000) in 2022 Taxes & Prior years. 5% decrease (drop of$ $5,000) in 2022 Taxes & prior years. 5% decrease (drop of$1,700) in Beer & Wine tax 7% decrease (drop off $3,795) in Cable Franchise revenues 17% decrease (drop of $500) in Police Revenue.  Town Manager Mark Biberdorf asked to take a quick break.  Councilman Trevor Lance made a motion to take a break and it was seconded by  Councilman Keith Reed. Motion carries all in favor. Break at: 9:25 am Back from Break at: 9:33 am  Town Manager Mark Biberdorf continued with the power point of the proposed  budget.  Councilman Keith Reed asked for a short five-minute break. Mayor Blakely asked for a motion for a five-minute break.  Councilman Keith Reed stated so moved and it was seconded by Councilman  Trevor Lance.  Motion carries all in favor. Break at: 10:30 am Back: from Break at: 10:35 am  3    Town Manager Mark Biberdorf continued with the power point of the proposed  budget.  Discussion Followed:  Mayor Blakely asked for a motion to adjourn. seconded by Mayor Pro-Tem Bob Davy. Motion carries all in favor.  Councilman Trevor Lance stated that he would make that motion and it was  Adjourned: 11:20 am  Approved:  612-33 Date  RBWy Mayor PrestorfBlakely  4