Town of Hertford  Regular Session Meeting (In Person/Zoom) Monday, July 12, 2021 -6:00 p.m. Horace Reid Community Center, 305 W Grubb Street  The Council of the Town of Hertford held a Work Session Meeting at the Horace Reid Community Center (also by Zoom) on Monday, July 12, 2021, at 6:00 pm.  COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT Mayor Earnell Brown Ashley Hodges, Mayor Pro Tem Frank Norman STAFF PRESENT Olga Simpson, Town Clerk A quorum was present.  Jerry Mimlitsch (Zoom) Quentin Jackson  Mayor Brown called the meeting to order, and Mayor Pro Tem Hodges led the  invocation. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.  APPROVAL OF AGENDA Mimlitsch seconded. Roll Call Vote: Councilman Jackson Mayor Pro Tem Hodges aye Councilman Mimlitsch Councilman Norman Mayor Brown  Mayor Pro Tem Hodges moved to accept the agenda as presented. Councilman  nay aye nay aye  The motion to accept the agenda as presented passed 3-2.  APPROVAL OF MINUTES  Mayor Brown motioned for the Council to table the minutes sO that everyone may have an opportunity to review the minutes and provide their comments to the Town Clerk. Councilman Jackson asked if Mayor Brown's motion excluded closed session minutes because he wanted to ensure the motion only included open session minutes and not  Mayor Pro Tem Hodges seconded.  July 12, 2021 Regular Session Meeting Minutes  1    closed session that are not supposed to leave the Clerk's eyes. Mayor Brown stated public minutes are to be reviewed by Council and provide their comments to the Clerk. Closed session minutes are to be reviewed and approved in closed session. All the Friendly Amendment: Councilman Norman requested Mayor Brown add into her motion that we have a meeting in which we will have an opportunity to say, because passing notes back and forth without all council members being able to see what each one of us iss saying is not fair. Unfortunately, some of us don't make sure that all our information is completely shared with the whole council. So, in your motion, you set up a meeting time in which we will get together with the Clerk in open session, because these are open minutes, and discuss what those distinct differences that you and Mayor Pro Tem Hodges feel like the Clerk did incorrectly. (1) correct what needs to be corrected, (2) we do it in full view of the citizens sO they can see and hear what we are doing, (3) ifone person says it was A and another says it was B, we can go back see ifi it was A or B and  minutes will be reviewed at a later date.  get it corrected in full view.  Mayor Brown did not accept Councilman Norman's friendly amendment.  Roll Call Vote: Councilman Jackson Councilman Norman Councilman Mimlitsch Mayor Pro Tem Hodges aye Mayor Brown  nay nay aye aye  The motion to table the minutes passed 3-2.  Councilman Norman motioned that they meet on Wednesday at 6:30PM to give everyone ample time to read the minutes and then they can ratify them all at the same Attorney Gallop stated the minutes are draft minutes. Anyone can walk in and give their recommendations; the Clerk can agree or disagree. They are not the minutes until the board approves them. They need not be word for word, but only need to contain the  time. Councilman Jackson seconded the motion.  actions taken by Council, but commonly include more.  Roll Call Vote: Councilman Jackson Councilman Norman Councilman Mimlitsch Mayor Pro Tem Hodges nay Mayor Brown  aye aye nay nay  The motion that Council meets on Wednesday at 6:30PM failed 3-2.  CITIZENS CONCERNS  July 12, 2021 Regular Session Meeting Minutes  2    Sara Winslow commented on Council's need to address the delay in meeting minutes and the delay of the audit. She also questioned who is responsible for the liability of the Muriel Harmon suggested the Town Manager should be the community messenger since she is the gatherer of the information and during citizen concerns, they do not Quentin Jackson questioned the respect for the person of color that looks like him and asked who has been threatened and who is afraid to come to council meetings? People have made many unfavorable comments in the newspaper and on Facebook. He discussed how it was shameful for Council and Mayor Pro Tem Hodges to allow the sheriff's office to take 11 cars just to keep them for spares, 12 Surface Pros, and other things that it cannot get back in exchange for five officers. Yet, Public Works requested two vehicles and were denied. He objected to people who are not originally from Hertford, those not graduating from Perquimans High, nor have loved ones buried here acting as though they speak on behalf of all citizens of Hertford, saying "we." They say they love Hertford, maybe more than some of us. Yet, they can't name any of the people living in Wynn Fork Court or Stokes Drive, the largest voting district here. None oft them held anyone accountable for the fund balance falling from 85% to 47% and spoke about the attacking of character. Lastly, he addressed Mayor Brown's absence at  S-Bridge.  need to impugn the Mayor. Town Council should be civil.  the Black Lives Matter Street dedication and said, "Shame on her." Mayor Brown called a five-minute recess at 6:47PM.  Council reconvened at 6:52PM.  Leeorn Brown, a member of First Baptist Church on the corner of Hyde Park and King Street, is concerned about the change of the street name of Hyde Park to Black Lives Matter. Cynthia Warren and Linda Harvey spoke to her about the name change of the street. She wanted to know how this came about. Who agreed to the name change? Who spoke to Cynthia Warren and Linda Thomas? It was not discussed with any of those people. She was concerned about having to change her address, social security information and bank accounts. The people did not agree with it and asked, why would Council do just a block of the street instead of the entire street? There are five people who live there and one church. They don't want it there and it must come down. No one asked them anything. Ms. Brown came before Council because people came to her Councilman Jackson responded that letters were sent out in January. Reverend Franklin approved it, and Council voted and approved it. He had spoken to Ms. Rheam about the black history of the area, even though he does not belong to Black Lives Matter. He is willing to go to Ms. Brown's house and fully explain to her how it all came James Logan has been a resident of Hertford for 65 years. He is concerned about the disrepair of the streets and asked if and when they will be repaired. Secondly, he no longer sees the crew of men who usually kept the streets clean. There is a lot beside  about it.  about.  July 12, 2021 Regular Session Meeting Minutes  3    him the city is responsible for cutting. He has cut the grass on a few occasions. If he doesn't cut his grass, the city will cut it and tax him fori it. Who can he talk with about the city cutting its grass? Thirdly, the issue about the Black Lives Matter doesn't concern him because all lives matter. It's good we have a city council trying to do something for Hertford, but more things can probably get done if you stop bickering and arguing Gracie Felton attended her nephew's funeral yesterday. He was an icon and a music legend but could get no recognition in Hertford. He graduated from Elizabeth City State with a degree in Criminal Justice. She thanked Councilman Jackson for helping him get his record straight. Recently, he was killed in a car accident. Only the sheriff of Winfall came and paid his respects. None of the Council members came to the funeral while others came from Greensboro. We have to think about the town as a whole because we  amongst yourselves.  are a community.  Frank Norman said minutes need to be ratified in front of the citizens.  Mayor Brown began to make a statement on the agenda stating speakers should not expect action or deliberation on the subject matter. Councilman Jackson raised the Point-of-Order: Councilman Jackson motioned to adjourn the meeting. Councilman  issue of not being able to respond to citizens.  Norman seconded. Roll Call Vote: Councilman Jackson Councilman Norman Councilman Mimlitsch Mayor Pro Tem Hodges nay Mayor Brown  aye aye nay nay  The motion to adjourn the meeting failed, 3-2.  Point-of-Order: Councilman Norman stated we are going to respect each other. You are not going to be disrespectful to me and I'm not going to be disrespectful to you. Subsequently, an individual in the audience began to clap with others, and Councilman Jackson made a comment about Mayor Brown not addressing the person in the Mr. Patrick Morrissey stated, "Call me out!" Councilman Jackson and Mr. Morrissey continually exchanged words. Mr. Morrissey came out onto the floor and Councilman Jackson came out onto the floor. Councilman Norman, the police, and other citizens kept them apart. Mayor Brown called for a motion to adjourn the meeting. Councilman Jackson motioned to adjourn the meeting. Councilman Norman seconded.  audience yet calling Council members out.  Roll Call Vote:  July 12, 2021 Regular Session' Meeting Minutes  4    Councilman Jackson Councilman Norman Councilman Mimlitsch Mayor Pro Tem Hodges nay Mayor Brown The motion to adjourn passed 4-1. The meeting adjourned at 8PM  aye aye aye aye  July 12, 2021 Regular Session Meeting Minutes  5