Town of Hot Springs Board of Alderman Meeting September 5, 2023 Present:  Mayor Abigail Norton Alderman Vaughn Barnett Alderman Jeanne Gentry Alderman Jimmy Moore  HSCC - Kristen Robinson EMS - Dan Myers Entertainment Committee- Wendy Stancil Maintenance = Jeremy Trantham Police Chief - David Shelton Tax Department - Laura Holloway  Mayor Norton called the Town meeting to order at 6:00pm  Mayor Norton read the public charge.  Mayor Norton asked for a motion to approve the August 7, 2023, Board meeting minutes. Alderman Gentry made a motion to approve; Alderman Barnett seconded the motion; all were in  favor.  PUBLIC COMMENT lle Lassiter  The Dixson Family will have a celebration, in honor of the Hot Springs Library, on Saturday, September 16, 2023. Event is sponsored by the Friends of the Hot Springs Library and all are invited. There will be free BBQ and live music. Food and music will be in the event building; sO, rain or shine, the celebration will go on. Celebration will be  from 4:00pm until 8:00pm.  DEPARTMENTS  Maintenance Jeremy Trantham motor fixed on a water system.  Department is doing well. They were able to get one of the well valves fixed and got a their yard. Said they put up all the signs that were brought up in the August meeting. They also put rocks at Carolyn Ammons place [to keep people from running into her Mayor Norton asked Mr. Trantham if James and James contacted him regarding the  The Maintenance Team is getting things cleaned up in  fence). They will have a sewer inspection on September 27.  Mr. Trantham told the Board that Juanita James had told him  local water supply plan.  that she had prepared the plan, but Jeremy didn't receive a copy.  Kristin Robinson asked if the public water plan was public knowledge. Mayor Norton told  her that it was.  Page 1of5 September 5, 2023 Board of Alderman Meeting    Taxes - Laura Holloway The 2023 Tax Scroll has not yet of weeks.  been received. That is expected within the next couple  Copies of a report with real property balances have been provided to the board. Ms. Holloway asked the board if she could send our letters to the property owners, on lines 4 and 5, requesting they sign a payment agreement before the 2023 scroll is received. Alderman Moore asked about the owner list on line 5; the report showed a small balance due. Ms. Holloway explained that two of three properties owned were found in a discovery process and the actual balance due is over $1,400.00. The people owning these properties are not yet aware of the discovered taxes. Alderman Gentry explained to the Board that no one has paid taxes since the parents passed away. Alderman Barnett asked if we could go back 10 years. Ms. Holloway explained that on discovered properties we could only go back 5 years. Alderman Moore thought the bank owned the property. Alderman Gentry explained that only the property with the house is owned by the bank. Ms. Holloway showed Alderman Moore a map of the properties showing which properties are owned by the Estate. Alderman Gentry suggested that the property Board is she could offer a payment plan to the owner listed on line 4. Alderman Gentry told Ms. Holloway to send out a final letter to the owner listed on line 4. Mayor Norton asked about the property owners of line 9. Ms. Holloway explained that the owner contacted the County stating they had not received tax bills. This too was a discovery. Moore said line 9 name is Joy Roberts.as she has been billed by the County. Mayor  them aware of the taxes due. Ms. Holloway asked the  owners first be contacted making  nor have  the Towns. Alderman  The owner has not paid the County taxes,  they paid  Norton said Faye Stamey owned the property, a.k.a. Bull's wife.  BUSINESS  Mayor Norton Norton told the Board that the vacant seat, in the Planning Board needing to be Mayor filled. Alderman Gentry asked if this needed to be discussed in an Executive Session. Alderman Moore asked if other Board members had anyone in mind. Alderman Gentry said she had Andrew Thomas in mind. Alderman Moore asked to move forward with a vote. Alderman Gentry made a motion to approve Andrew Thomas as the new Planning Board member; Alderman Barnett seconded the motion; all were in favor.  Norton advised the Board that Section 1810 of the Zoning Ordinance to indicate Mayor an annual fee of $500.00 fee for cell towers. The current Zoning Ordinance indicates $500.00 in one section, but not in Section 1810. There is also a typing error in section 1005 that needs to be corrected. This correction would update the word charge to Alderman Gentry made a motion to approve the changes to the Zoning change. Alderman Moore seconded the motion; all were in favor.  Ordinance;  The Welcome Center would like to have a cover for their picnic table. Mayor Norton had provided the Board with a picture of the type of covering the Welcome Center has the requested. aware of the proposed covering. Alderman Barnett suggested that 'no  The TDA will be paying for this cover. Mayor Norton said she wanted to  Board to be  loitering' signs needed to be put up, too.  Page 2of5 September 5, 2023 Board of Alderman Meeting    Quotes have been obtained for the Community Center's roof, heat, and air. The roof quote is to replace the metal. There is a leak between the old roof and the new roof. Mayor Norton said we need to have a structural engineer to look at the roof - we need to fix the roof properly. Alderman Barnett agreed. Mayor Norton also told the Board that there were termites in the Community Center. Alderman Moore asked what the cost of having the structural engineer look at the roof would be. Alderman Gentry said the cost could be $500.00 $600.00, or more. Alderman Moore thinks the last roof was put on around the year 2000. He doesn't think there should be anything wrong with the metal. Alderman Gentry made a motion to approve; Alderman Moore seconded the motion; all Mayor Norton received two quotes on the Community Center heat and air. First quote [with two options] from Dale Mayberry; A) 3 ton, 2 stage 17.2 SEER split system heat Alderman Moore asked how long the quote was good as the heat and air can't be put in until after the roof is finished. Mayor Norton said she spoke with Ben Houser. Mr. Houser thinks we could work things out to move forward with a mini split system; put the outdoor units on the roof and they could easily be disconnected for the roof repairs and reconnect to get some heat in the building. The second quote is from Black Dog Mechanical; MINI Split; $13,750.00. Alderman Moore made a motion to approve the Mayor Norton referred the Board to an email from Ben Renkema, with the Southeast Gravel events; a cycling group who would like to come in next year for one of their events. The group is working with the spa to get the event set up. Mayor Norton told the Board the email is just an FYI, the group is not asking anything from the Town. Solomon asked if there was a proposed date for the event. Mayor Norton explained that the group was working with the spa and currently does not, yet, have a date set. David Wagner asked if the event was a one-day or two-day event. Mayor Norton advised that the group would probably check in on Friday and do their event on Saturday. For The Friends of the Library BBQ. Mayor Norton asks that the Noise Ordinance fee be waived for this event since the library is giving back to the community. Alderman Barnet made a motion to waive the fee; Alderman Gentry seconded the motion; all were in The Citizens Committee will be responsible for representing the Town regarding the recommendations from the Construction Professionals network Institute, Inc. (CPNI) Robinson). Mayor asked for a motion to approve the people for their positions. Alderman Gentry made a motion to approve the people in the indicated positions;  were in favor.  pump: $20,935.00; and, B) $16,757.00  mini splits; alderman seconded the motion; all were in favor.  Glenda D  asked what the event was about. Mayor Norton explained. Philip  favor.  work group. chairman (David Wagner),  Mayor Norton met with all of the volunteers and they have elected a  vice-chairman (Andy Fulton), and secretary-treasurer (Kristen  Alderman Moore seconded the motion; all were in favor.  Jimmy Moore culvert on Berry  the ditch and the  Alderman Moore asked the Board to come to a conclusion regarding  Wills Road. Alderman Moore has spoke with the Town's Attorney. The  Page 3of5 September 5, 2023 Board of Alderman Meeting    Attorney's suggestion is to clean the ditch and see if the jetter would blow out the culvert. Alderman Moore said the Town had maintained the ditch since the 1980s. Now, since the Town hasn't cleaned the ditch out in several years the ditch has built up and a residence's culvert is almost full. Alderman Barnett agreed that the ditch should be cleaned out, but the Town didn't put in, nor has maintained, the culvert. Alderman Moore expressed concern that jetting out the culvert may damage its structure. The resident has purchased larger culvert [pieces?] and has it ready to replace the current one once the Town has cleaned/cleared out the ditches - but only one piece of the culvert. Alderman Moore asked if, after the Town cleared out ditches, could the Town not put ini the one piece of culvert. Alderman Barnett responded that the Town could not do that as it was against State Law. Alderman Moore advised the Board that a main water line runs across the person's property and the Town has no right-away. He asks what the Town would do if the water line should break and the property owner tells the Town that they cannot dig on their property. His concern is that the culvert matter is due to the Town not keeping the ditch cleared out. Mayor Norton said the Town is going to clean the ditch out, possibly jet the culver out - Alderman Barnett expressed concern of having toj jet out other culverts. Alderman Moore said the Town has maintained the ditches since the 1980s. However, it has not been cleared out for some time. The ditch was a couple feet deep. Now, in some places, the ditch is even with the road. This is causing water to run into one resident's garage, and another resident has drainage water running under the house. Alderman Moore expressed concern that if the runoff water causes the homes to be removed from the foundation, the Town would be responsible. Mayor Norton said the Town will clean out the ditches, attempt to jet out the pipes and then go from there. She stated that the homeowner has always been Mayor Norton asked Mr. Trantham about the trees involved in cleaning out the ditches. Mr. Trantham told the Board that the homeowner, where they will be clearing out the ditch and jetting the culvert, told him to not clear the ditch out where the trees are. The homeowner said he will clear that portion of the ditch. Alderman Moore said he told the homeowner that the Town would clean out the ditch. And, if any tree branches are knocked off, the Town would clear them, too. Alderman Moore told Mr. Trantham to clear the ditch out, jet out the culvert, and then the continue maintaining the ditches. Mr. Trantham told the Board that maintenance will clear out the ditches on Berry Wills Road, not just the one. Mayor Norton told Mr. Trantham to drive around the town and note all the ditches that need to be cleared out; make a schedule to keep all of the ditches  responsible to maintain their own culvert.  cleaned out.  6:34 Alderman Gentry made a motion to go into Executive Session; Alderman Moore  seconded the motion; all were in favor.  Executive Session. Alderman Barnett made a motion to return to  6:56 Board returned from  regular session; Alderman Gentry seconded the motion; all were in favor.  Page 4of5 September 5, 2023 Board of Alderman Meeting    EXECUTIVE SESSION  Alderman Gentry  Executive Session was to discuss the Town Administrator position. During the Municipalities with less than 5,000 residence, the Mayor can act as the Town's Administrator, paid Administrator. Alderman Gentry made a motion to appoint Abby Norton as interim Town Administrator; Alderman Moore seconded the motion; all were in  application period, we received no qualified applications.  favor.  Mayor Norton will work in this position 1-day a week.  Since there is no other business to discuss, Alderman Moore made a motion to adjourn, Alderman Gentry seconded the motion; all were in favor. Meeting adjourned at 7:00pm.  10-02-0023  Date Other  hgaleiln Mayor Abigail Norton  Page 5of5 September 5, 2023 Board of Alderman Meeting