TOWN OF GARLAND SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2020  7:00 PM  The special meeting of the Board of Commissioners of the Town of Garland was held at the Garland Town Hall in Garland, N.C. and virtually at GoTOMeeting on Monday,  October 26th, 2020 at 7:00 pm.  The following members of the Board of Commissioners were present:  Austin Brown (Present Virtually) Eddie Bronson, Jr. (Present Virtually) Carolyn R. Melvin (Present Virtually) Barbara A. Peterson (Present Virtually) Jo A. Strickland (Present in the Boardroom)  ADMINISTRATIVE  Mayor Winifred H. Murphy was present virtually and called the meeting to order at 7:10 pm due to some members experiencing technical difficulties with their remote connection. She welcomed everyone in attendance. Town Clerk, Pamela Cashwell,  was present in the boardroom recording notes for the minutes.  QUORUM quorum present. PERSONNEL  Mayor Winifred H. Murphy and Town Clerk Pamela Cashwell established there was a  Mayor Winifred H. Murphy read the public charge prior to getting started with the meeting. She then read a story illustrating the benefits of everyone working together  collaboratively for the good of the town.  CLOSED SESSION  Mayor Pro Tem Austin Brown made a motion to go into closed session at 7:15 pm (Pursuant to G.S. 143-318.11-(6) (Personnel), seconded by Commissioner Carolyn R. Melvin and carried with a vote of four to none. Commissioner Eddie Bronson Jr. didn't Mayor Pro Tem Austin Brown made a motion to exit closed session at 8:47 pm, seconded by Commissioner Barbara A. Peterson and carried unanimously.  cast a vote due to technical issues with his remote connection.  OPEN SESSION  No action taken in closed session.    Mayor Murphy stated she was contacting Mrs. Sylvia Chestnutt from the Sampson Weekly as she wanted to be contacted to join the meeting virtually once closed  session was completed. PERSONNEL second.  Commissioner Jo A. Strickland made a motion to hire Annette Ricketson for the deputy clerk position at a rate of $13.00 per hour. Motion failed for a lack of a Commissioner Eddie Bronson Jr. made a motion to hire Melissa Morgan for the deputy clerk position at a rate of $12.00 per hour. Motion failed for a lack of a Mayor Pro Tem Austin Brown made a motion to hire Annette Ricketson for the deputy clerk position at a rate of $12.00 per hour with a six-month probationary period at which time, the board can evaluate her performance and decide on an increase at the end of the probationary period, seconded by Commissioner Barbara A. Peterson and carried with a vote of four to one with Commissioner Eddie Bronson Jr. voting negative, stating "changes jobs every ten months". Commissioner Jo A. Strickland Mayor Pro Tem Austin Brown made a motion to hire Melissa Morgan for a temporary part-time position at $12.00 per hour to manage the Cares Act Funding expenditures, seconded by Commissioner Barbara A. Peterson and carried unanimously.  second.  agreed to make the job offer to Annette Ricketson.  CARES ACT FUNDING  Mayor Murphy encouraged board members to think about expenditures for the Cares Act Funds that are related to the Covid-19 pandemic, noting we have a lot of needs related to public safety in the public buildings as well as in the parks and recreational facilities. Mayor Pro Tem Austin Brown made a motion to purchase three touchless hand sanitizer and soap dispensers and touchless paper towel dispensers to go into the bathrooms at town hall, seconded by Commissioner Barbara A. Peterson and carried with a vote of four to none with Commissioner Jo A. Strickland not casting a vote due to briefly stepping out of the meeting. Mayor Winifred Murphy addressed the board stating there are lots of needs at this time with the staffing issues and requested each board member step up their involvement within their committees in order to complete various projects. She encouraged the safety committee to work on building security, the buildings committee to work on the various issues concerning maintenance needs for each town owned building, the streets committee to work on the Powell Bill street assessment needs, the public works committee to work on the many needs related to those services with limited staffing in place, the finance committee to work with Clerk Cashwell during this period of limited staffing by working in the office to assist with answering phones and completing the continuous use reports, the cemetery    committee in eradicating the fire ant issues, maintenance needs and updating the cemetery records. Mayor Murphy stated they should also be mindful of expenses related to the Covid-19 pandemic needed in each of these committees. She stated the parks are closed due to the pandemic and despite the areas being closed off with signs and caution tape, citizens have ignored the closings and entered the closed park facilities. She stated the park areas need to be monitored daily to ensure public safety during the pandemic. She stressed the importance of working together Mayor Murphy stated Halloween hasn't been cancelled in the town and thanked a local church for sponsoring a safe alternative to trick or treating last night for the area youth. She noted Commissioner Jo A. Strickland plans to hold a Halloween event on her property this year as well. Commissioner Jo A. Strickland stated it Commissioner Jo A. Strickland asked to make a motion to adjourn the meeting stating we have covered everything on the agenda and more. Mayor Winifred Murphy replied no not more and stated everyone needed to be respectful to each other in  collaboratively to get needs met.  would be a Covid-19 safe event.  this meeting and in the future. ADJOURMMENT  Commissioner Jo A. Strickland made a motion to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Commissioner Carolyn R. Melvin and carried unanimously. Meeting adjourned at 9:10  pm.  Pamela Cashue Pamela Cashwell, Town Clerk  Board Approved: Winifréd H. Murphy, Maypr Wbailaly  //