Town of Hertford  Regular Session Meeting (In Person/Facebook) Monday, June 10, 2024 -6 6:00PM Horace Reid Community Center, 305 W Grubb Street  The Council of the Town of Hertford held a Regular Session Meeting at the Horace Reid Community Center (also by Facebook) on Monday, June 10, 2024, at6:00 PM.  COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT Ashley Hodges, Mayor Connie Brothers Rhonda Waters STAFF PRESENT  Sandra Anderson, Mayor Pro Tem  Keith Rouse  Janice McKenzie Cole, Town Manager Doris Walton, Assistant Town Manager Ashley Eure, Finance Director Gina Durante, Town Clerk Johny Leidy, Attorney A quorum was present. CALL TO ORDER  Mayor Hodges called the meeting to order. INVOCATION & PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE  The invocation was given by Pastor Gilbert Vaughn, followed by the Pledge of  Allegiance.  APPROVAL OF AGENDA  A motion and a second were made by Mayor Pro Tem Anderson and Counciwoman  Brothers to approve the agenda with the following amendments:  under New Business add 7f) Additional funds for EDA; and  under Closed Session add 11c) $143-318.11 (5)() to establish, or to instruct the public body's staff or negotiating agents concerning the position to be taken by or on behalf of the public body in negotiating the price and other material terms of a contract for the acquisition of real property by purchase, option, exchange, or  lease.to approve the agenda as presented.  The motion passed unanimously, 5-0.  CONSENT AGENDA  June 10, 2024 Regular Session Minutes  1    Councilwoman Waters motioned to approve the Consent Agenda consisting of:  a) Minutes for the 5/13/2024 Regular Session and 5/28/2024 Work b) Ordinance closing Clark Street for Fireworks related activities  Session & Public Hearing  7/6/2024  Mayor Pro Tem Anderson seconded the motion and it carried, 5-0.  CITIZEN CONCERNS  Pastor Gilbert Vaugh addressed Council expressing that we are one race, and that is the human race. He discussed the black and white races in the United States and explained the Niger culture. He read from a letter written in 1712 by Willie Lynch regarding the management of slaves. Pastor Vaugh emphasized that Juneteenth is a national holiday that should not be minimized. We should all be celebrating it and not be confined to one location to celebrate. Tony Riddick also addressed Council regarding Juneteenth. He discussed the history and economic impact on the United States. He explained that for safety reasons he would like to see Hyde Park closed. There will be several activities for children, and people, including the elderly, should be able to safely and freely walk around the event. Mr. Riddick acknowledged that another street will be closed that day and questioned if there is a policy prohibiting the closure of more than one street in Town on the same day. Lastly, he noted the diverse aspects of unity, and why we should celebrate the importance of Juneteenth and America's Dr. Penni Brown began by stating that Juneteenth is meant to be unified. The two scheduled events on June 15th in Hertford are meant to educate people and inform people about the significance of Juneteenth. Dr. Brown also requested that Council close Hyde Park during the NAACP Juneteenth Celebration for the  freedom from a different perspective.  safety of the community.  CONTINUED BUSINESS  a) Budget FY2024-2025 - Manager Cole stated that the budget was presented to Council at a previous meeting and there have been several meetings and discussions regarding the budget. Mayor Hodges acknowledged that there have been numerous budget meetings and discussions, and a Public Hearing regarding the proposed budget was held on May 28th. He asked Council ift they had any questions for Manager Cole. There were no questions. A motion and a second were made by Councilman Rouse and Councilwoman Brothers to approve the FY24-25 Annual Budget for the Town of Hertford. The  motion to approve the FY24-25 Annual Budget passed, 5-0.  June 10, 2024 Regular Session Minutes  2    Mayor Hodges thanked the staff fori the budget, acknowledging the enormous b) Fee Schedule - Manager Cole provided Council with the updated Fee Schedule which was also previously presented and posted on the website for discussion at the Public Hearing. She noted the only change was to lower the increased fee of $100 for use of the Community Center's multipurpose room or kitchen to $75. Manager Cole provided justification for the $300 residential utility deposit that the Town will require for new residential service, which includes comparison of residential utility deposit information from municipalities in our region. The $300 deposit amount is based on the average rate for one month of utilities for a Councilwoman Brothers motioned to approve the Fee Schedule for FY24-25 as presented. Counciwoman Waters seconded the motion and it passed  task of building a budget.  residential account.  unanimously, 5-0.  NEW BUSINESS  a) Budget Amendments - Finance Director Eure explained the three budget  amendments to Council.  1. FY24-40: Move funds to balance out payroll items.  a. Fire Supplies to Fire Life Insurance ($100.00) b. Streets Health Insurance to Streets 401K ($100.00) DMV Health to DMV Full-time ($2,000.00) d. DMV Health to DMV FICA ($1,000.00) e. DMV Health to DMVLGERS Pension ($400.00) Sewer Collection Contingencies to Water Full-time salary g. Sewer Collection Contingencies to Water LGERS ($750.00) h. Sewer Collections FICA to Sewer Collections LGERS Sewer Treatment Contingencies to Sewer LGERS Electric Overtime to Electric Regular Time ($35,000.00) <. Electric Contingencies to Electric Health ($1,500.00)  ($11,000.00) ($1,100.00) ($2,000.00)  Councilman Rouse made a motion to approve Budget Amendment FY24- 40 and Counciwoman Waters seconded. The motion passed  unanimously.  June 10, 2024 Regular Session Minutes  3    2. FY24-41: Balance line items within the budget; two months of bypass pump rentals; correcting interest and principal split that was off in software conversion; pay for drug screening for new employee; cover the cost of  new employee uniform.  a. Water vehicle to Water Fuel ($735.00)  b. Sewer collections Contingencies to Sewer Collections Rental C. Debt Services Interest to Debt Services Principle d. Electric Contingencies to Electric Drug Screening ($30.00) e. Electric Contingencies to Electric Uniforms ($200.00).  ($2,700.00) ($51,220.43)  Amotion was made by Mayor Pro Tem Anderson to approve Budget Amendment FY24-41. A second was made by Councilwoman Brothers,  and the motion and it carried, 5-0.  3. FY24-42: Move funds to pay for the water tank maintenance.  a. Water Capital Outlay to Water Professional Services b. Water Dies and Subscriptions to Water Professional  ($2,600.00) Services ($2,640.00)  A motion was made by Councilwoman Waters to approve Budget Amendment FY24-42. Mayor Pro Tem Anderson seconded the motion  and it carried, 5-0.  b) Powell Bill Map Contract- - Manager Cole explained that the Powell Bill is funds we receive from NCDOT to maintain, resurface, and repair Town-owned streets. A new study of our Powell Bill Map should be done every five years to indicate any changes, eliminations, or additions. The Town had such a study done three years ago, but Manager Cole realized that the Marine Industrial Park was not included in this study, SO we are losing funding. Withers Ravenel, who did the Town's last study, has submitted a contract to perform an updated study for our Powell Bill Map for $1,750.00. Manager Cole noted that we will use Powell Bill Ar motion was made by Councilman Rouse to approve the Powell Bill Map Contract from Withers Ravenel for $1,750.00. Mayor Pro Tem Anderson seconded the motion, and it was unanimously approved, 5-0.  funds to pay for the study.  c) Revised Utility Policy - Manager Cole stated that our Utility Policy needed to be updated. The Utility Staff and Public Works worked on updating our policy. She  June 10, 2024 Regular Session Minutes  4    gave Council a draft copy of the revised Utility Policy with comments from Mayor Hodges and Utility Director Earline White. The fees are separate and apart oft the policy and need to be approved by June 30, 2024, but this policy does not. Recommendations and suggestions based on comments in updating the policy 1) Information regarding rules, regulations, and requirements for utilities is available in the Town Ordinance, as they are more permanent and standardized, and will not be included in the policy. 2) Code Red was added to the policy because residents whose bills are past due are notified via Code Red that the cut-off date is approaching. 3) Determination of deposit information will be eliminated and there will be one standard deposit fee for all new residential accounts. 4) The phrase "all day" will be eliminated from the section about extreme weather conditions below 32° and above 95°. 5) Manager Cole explained that there is no in-depth corresponding section in the policy for Water and Sewer to match Electric. There is not the flexibility inl Water and Sewer that there is in Electric: different voltage requirements, solar etc. Water and Sewer is a matter of hooking up to the service. There are general items in the latter part of the policy that refer to both Sewer and Water and Electric such as meters and meter reading, and it has been  include, but are not limited to, the following:  adapted to reflect that those apply to both.  Manager Cole stated that they are open to more comments and if Council wants those or others incorporated, they will be added. Council discussed it and Manager Cole advised them that the Utility Director is creating a flyer that will include the residents' and Town's responsibilities. Deposits from businesses will be based on the historical use of the property. Ai final Utility Policy will be  presented to Council at a later meeting.  d) Request to close Hyde Park for NAACP Juneteenth Celebration 06/15/2024 Council discussed thei importance and significance of the Juneteenth Celebration and the safety of our residents and guests is a priority. They expressed their preference that the two events scheduled for the same day near each other be coordinated as a unified celebration for Hertford. Mayor Hodges supports closing Hyde Park and is hopeful that the people from each event can confer prior to the Ar motion was made by Councilwoman Waters to approve Ordinance FY24-15 to close Hyde Park for the NAACP Juneteenth Celebration. Mayor Pro Tem Anderson seconded the motion, and it was approved, 5-0. Manager Cole added that last minute planning can create problems, and the Special Event Request Form should be submitted 45 days before the event. That allows more of an opportunity for discussion and planning. It's unfortunate to  Juneteenth Celebration.  June 10, 2024 Regular Session Minutes  5    have people split their time between two events celebrating Juneteenth. The NAACP's Special Event Request Form was received approximately two weeks prior to the event and well after the first Juneteenth Special Event Request Form was submitted. Manager Cole had suggested that the NAACP move their celebration to the actual date of the holiday, Wednesday, June 19. That date was e) Request to close Hyde Park for Sheriff's Office & Fountain of Life Church Ar motion was made by Mayor Pro Tem Anderson to approve Ordinance FY24- 14. Councilwoman Waters seconded and the motion was approved unanimously,  not an option for the NAACP due to prior commitments.  Refining Relationship 7-13-2024  5-0.  Additional Funds for the EDA Contract  Manager Cole stated that we got the EDA contract for $300,00015180,000 from the EDA, $60,000 from the Town, and $60,000 from the County) for the construction design for Boardwalk and retaining wall as part of the Riverfront project. We put it out for bid twice and received a bid from the Timmons Engineering Company, which Council approved. The Timmons Company has found that there is some work that they will have to get a subcontractor to perform. They shopped around and have come back with the lowest figure they could find for that work, which brings the total to $335,000. We may be able to use some of the money from the legislature for the Harbor Town as this work could be related to the docks. Ifwe are unable to use funds from the legislature, Manager Cole recommends that it come out of the Fund Balance. She explained that we need to move forward with Timmons because they were the only company to provide us with a bid. Before she signs the contract committing the Town to the additional $35,000, she wanted Council's approval. Manager Cole requested an extension for spending the EDA grant and we have until March 6, Councilwoman Waters made a motion to commit to the additional $35,000 for the contract with Timmons Engineering Company. Mayor Pro Tem Anderson  2025, to use it.  seconded the motion and it carried, 5-0.  MANAGER'S UPDATE  Manager Cole stated that the Harbor Town Ferry is scheduled to arrive in Hertford from Manteo at 12:15 pm on Thursday, June 13. It will depart Hertford at 3 pm and return to Manager Cole noted that the mural painted on the side of the Community Center by Seeds of Success is complete. O'Neal Pullie, an art teacher from Elizabeth City, helped and directed the kids painting the mural. Former Mayor Earnell Brown was organizing.  Manteo.  June 10, 2024 Regular Session Minutes  6    The mural was funded through a grant from the Perquimans Art League. Manager Cole thanked all those that were involved in it and said they did a very good job.  COUNCIL REPORISICONCERNS Councilwoman Waters had no report.  Councilwoman Brothers wanted to remind everyone about the Juneteenth Celebration, Saturday, June 15th. She thanked the sponsors: Perquimans Art League, North Carolina Arts Council, Elizabeth City State University, and Mr. James Jones. Councilman Rouse stated that he had a meeting in Hertford with some young men and itv was very positive, noting that they have a very positive vision and shared what they want to see in the community. He said the First Baptist Church is working on a grant to offer the community hot meals five days a week. Councilman Rouse mentioned that he discussed with Mayor Hodges that he needs a dedicated space to meet with people. He believes that when the grants come through, it will make a very big and positive change in the community. Mayor Hodges asked Councilman Rouse if he has heard back from the Boys and Girls Club regarding the grant that was applied for, but Councilman Rouse said he has not. Councilman Rouse was told that they would contact him when there is  information. Mayor Hodges will follow up. Mayor Pro Tem Anderson had no report.  Mayor Hodges acknowledged the completion of the mural at the Community Center and said it turned out great; and we are: sO proud of what they have done. He thanked Mr. Pullie for his guidance and former Hertford Mayor Brown for her vision. Mayor Hodges thanked Sheriff White for the Perquimans County Sheriff's Hot Block Party last Friday. He attended the quarterly Hertford Housing Authority meeting on Wednesday. He intends to attend their quarterly meetings throughout his term as Mayor. Mayor Hodges noted that they have challenges and anything we can do to help HHA, we want to. He again thanked Manager Cole and the staff for their work on the budget. He  invited all to come out and celebrate Juneteenth.  ANNOUNCEMENTS June 14 5pm - 7pm June 15 11am - 6:30pm  Friday Night Stroll, Downtown Hertford (Church Street Juneteenth Celebration at Central Park, Freedom Walk at 10:30am at Colored Union Soldiers Monument to Central Park  will be open to traffic)  June 10, 2024 Regular Session Minutes    June 16 5pm- - 7pm  Music in the Park, Missing Mill Park Jazz group Connections will be playing  June 17 June 21  Carolina Brotherhood Ride will pass through Hertford Ruritan National Fish Fry. Pick up at Hertford Baptist Church Parking Lot (Tickets are $12/plate) Dog Festival at the Perquimans County Rec Center Neighborhood Block Party on Pennsylvania Avenue July Fourth Festivities and Fireworks, Missing Mill  11-2&4-6  June 29 10am - 3pm  July 4 July 6  1pm 8 :30pm 5pm  Park  Counciwoman Brothers added that Habitat for Humanity will be dedicating a home on Dobbs Street, Saturday, June 15 at 2:00 pm. Also, tomorrow, June 11th, the African American Experience of Northeast North Carolina Board, which she serves on, will be meeting and the Director of the North Carolina African American Heritage Commission  will be there.  CLOSED SESSION  Councilman Rouse made a motion to go into Closed Session to approve previous Closed Session Minutes; and pursuant to NCGS $143-318.11 (3) to consult with attorney employed or retained by the public body in order to preserve the attorney-client privilege between the attorney and the public body which privilege is hereby acknowledged; and $143-318.11 (5)() to establish, or to instruct the public body's staff or negotiating agents concerning the position to be taken by or on behalf of the public body in negotiating the price and other material terms of a contract for the acquisition of real property by purchase, option, exchange, or lease. Counciwoman Brothers  seconded the motion and it carried, 5-0 at 7:20 PM.  RETURN TO OPEN SESSION  Council returned to Open Session at 7:57 PM.  ADJOURNMENT  A motion and a second were made by Counciwoman Waters and Counciwoman Brothers to adjourn the meeting. The motion to adjourn was approved 5-0.  The meeting was adjourned at 7:58 PM.  June 10, 2024 Regular Session Minutes  8