Town ofWalnut Cove Board of Commissioner Meeting April 25,2024 Regular Meeting Minutes  Members Present: Nellie Brown- - Mayor Thomas Mitchell - Commissioner Elwood Mabe - Commissioner Chad Jarvis - Commissioner Kim Greenwood - Town Manager Cory Willoughby - Zoning Administrator Johnnie Hairston - Commissioner  Absent:  Meeting Call to Order: Mayor Brown called the meeting to order at 6:30 pm  Pledge ofAllegiance: Town Manager Greenwood Invocation: Commissioner Chad Jarvis  Ar motion was made by Commissioner Elwood to reconvene from the. April 11, 2024, meeting. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Jarvis. Motion carried unanimously. Town Manager Greenwood suggests that the Commissioner Meeting continue on to item F ofthe Town Manager Greenwood introduces Becky Veazey from the MAPS Group to present her findings from their salary study and to present the recommended personnel policy. Mrs. Veazey starts with her background and continues into the services the MAPS Group offer, Mayor Brown asks Mrs. Veazey ift the pay study reflects the current market of what other Mrs. Veazey answers yes and continues with her presentation by illustrating how the recommended compensation system works with the pay grades having a range of pay starting at aj minimum and ending with a maximum based off numerous factors affecting where a new employee would start once they were hired by the Town of Walnut Cove. Commissioner Jarvis asks Mrs. Veazey ifCOLA moves up and down the rand as well? Mrs. Veazey answers yes and continues with how raises are accomplished, either being merit or  Agenda.  then to the classification and pay study. municipalities pay their employees.  performance bases raises.    Commissioner Jarvis asks how many municipalities, with a small staff like Walnut Cove do Mrs. Veazey states it depends on the philosophy oft the governing board at the time of adoption of the compensation plan, but those decide against performance-based raises doalto 1.5% raise Commissioner Jarvis agrees that that method is probably best for Walnut Cove with the close- Mrs. Veazey states that the new pay scale gets every employee in the recommended range for Mayor Brown asks ifj people should be placed in a different classification if they are cross trained Mrs. Veazey states no, that the classifications are based off their primary. job for the town and that although cross training is ideal, that is only for a short period oft time and no new classification is needed. Mrs. Veazy starts to cover everything that is in the binder that was After covering the salary study book in its entirety, Mrs. Veazey continues to the new personnel policy that she was. hired to accomplish for the Town. The new personnel policy would include Commissioner Mitchell asks ift the person on standby would be paid for when they come in ori if Mrs. Veazey states that they would bej paid standby pay even ifthey did not have to come into work. Mrs. Veazey continues her presentation by speaking on the town's 401K policy and health Commissioner Jarvis asks about providing insurance to employees that retire with the town? Mrs. Veazey states that some municipalities will cover those employees until they qualify for Medicare. Chad Jarvis continues by stating that by having that coverage, it can be a useful Mrs. Veazey continues and speaks about the three tiers of employment, vacation and longevity, Commissioner Jarvis asks if the Town should only take applications ifthe town is actively hiring  performance-based raises VS. overall raises?  every year.  knit staff the Town has. theirj job classification.  tol help fill in when someone is out of work?  handed to the commissioners at the beginning of the meeting.  supervisory training, and standby pay. they are paid just for being on standby?  insurance.  recruitment tool for the town. and employee applications.  and Mrs. Veazey agrees that is best practice.    Commissioner Jarvis asks about the new FLSAr requirements?  Mrs. Veazey states that the exempt list is in the new personnel policy that is in the binder and With Mrs. Veazey having completed her presentation and no more further questions from the Moving on to Item G oft the agenda, Town Manager Greenwood introduces Ginger Booker who Al book was provided to the Mayor Brown and each commissioner, and Mrs. Booker states that many of the chapters in the new Book of Ordinances are completely new and the others have Mrs. Booker recommends that the town contract with al host service for the Book of Ordinances due to the host service providing hardcover books, they maintain the online service oft the book which makes it easier to update and makes the ordinances easier to navigate. The whole idea behind having a host service for the Book or Ordinances is to make it user friendly. Town Manager Greenwood states that would be very helpful considering the ordinances are not user friendly in its current state, and that no significant changes have been made since 2005. Mayor Brown thanks Mrs. Booker for her time rewriting the book and coming to the Town for  covers the new FLSA: requirements.  board, the boards thanks Mrs. Veazey for her time.  was contracted out to rewrite the Town's] Book of Ordinances.  been highly modified to fit best practices.  her presentation. Item H  Town Manager Greenwood states that the Planning and Zoning Board created an Accessory Town Manager Greenwood asks for the commissioner's permission to advertise for the Public Commissioner Mitchell asks ift this ordinance is for removing the Mobile Home permitted use Town Zoning Administrator Willoughby states that this ordinance is to allow for certain properties to be able tol have accessory dwellings in the backyard ofthe home which serve as the Commissioner.Jarvis motions to approve the advertisement. Commissioner Mitchell  Dwelling Ordinance and proceeds to read the ordinance. Hearing to review/approve the new ordinance.  from the Land Use Policy.  primary use oft the property.  seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.    Item I  Town Manager Greenwood states that the town is looking to change the subdivision ordinance in the Land Use Policy. After reading the current subdivision ordinance Town Manager Greenwood states how the ordinance should be written to best serve the town and its current residence. Commissioner Mitchell asks ift the sidewalks are only required tol be on one side of the road? Town Manager Greenwood states that the way the subdivision ordinance is written currently, the planning board can ask for sidewalks to be installed on either side or both. The new subdivision Town Manager Greenwood asks for the commissioner's permission to advertise for the Public  ordinance would make sidewalks a requirement for new subdivisions. Hearing to review/approve the update to the subdivision ordinance.  Commissioner Jarvis motions to approve the advertisement. Commissioner Mitchell  seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.  Item J  Appoint In-Town Planning and Zoning Member  Town Manager Greenwood states that the town. had two applications for this open position, Ramona Timm and David Willard, and that Mrs. Timm serves as the secretary to the board. The Planning and Zoning board currently has aj primary and alternat In-Town position open. Commissioner Jarvis asks ift the primary position is a 3-year term, and the alternate position isa  2-year term.  Town Manager Greenwood states that is correct.  Commissioner Mitchell motions to approve the advertisement. Commissioner Elwood  seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.  Item K  Town Manager Greenwood states that parking behind 1889 and El Cabo on 3rd Street has become a problem with people parking in the yards of the residence who live there.  Commissioner Jarvis states that the parking is happening between High Street and Summit St on Town Manager Greenwood states that once the new Town Hall is completed, this may be alleviated with the amount of parking that will be available after the Town Hall is closed for the  3rd Street.  day and on weekends.    Commissioner Mitchell asks how can no parking ini town right of ways be enforced when Spring Fest is going on in the town and the number of vehicles that brings to the Town? Commissioner Jarvis states that parking is not happening in the town right of way but in the Commissioner Mitchell asks that if"No Parking" signs were to be placed in those locations, Town Manager Greenwood states that would be enforceable all day. Once the Farm Bureau gets Mayor Brown asks that when the traffic study is completed, will parking in the town be included.  homeowner's yards.  what time frames would those be enforced.  built, there will be more parking for town events there as well.  Town Manager Greenwood answers yes.  Commissioner Jarvis suggests no parking on grass signs.  Commissioner Jarvis makes a motion for signs "No Parking on Grass" to be placed in the right of ways from High Street to Summit Street on 3rd Street. Was never seconded and could not be Commissioner Mitchell states there will be many cars parking there for Spring Fest. Town Manager Greenwood states that public works can put up cones and caution tape to keep Commissioner Mitchell states he does not want to give preferential treatment to any one  voted upon.  people from parking on the grass in that location.  neighborhood in the town.  Commissioner Mitchell motions to table the no parking signs till after the traffic study is completed. Commissioner Elwood seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.  Departmental Report Administration:  The building projects are progressing. The roof should be sheeted this week and is close to beginning the final touches on the roofand being brick work. Reminder oft the invite from Jimmy Flythe, Duke Energy for April 16, 2024, at the Library. The Town audit is near completion. They have had staff shortages which has slowed completion. Hopefully, Mr. Pendry will be at the May meeting to complete the process. The Town is completing the final touches for next year's budget. We receive daily updates regarding withholdings for the retirement, insurance, etc. to be  accurate with budgeting.    LPA: DMV Transactions: Notary: TOTAL  LPA had a very good month. This is the revenue for the month.  $10,245.87 1,985.00 $12,230.87  Our License Plate office did nearly 5,000 transactions in March with no errors.  Public Works:  The mandatory Water System audit was completed last week. The Auditor stayed for two days with our staff and our system received an excellent rating. Two water taps and two sewer taps were made this last month. The new signage will be completed soon. We are preparing for the spring, summer, and fall events as they are fast approaching. The mowing season has begun. You will see more of our folks at the parks, sidewalks, right-of-ways to mow and trim.  PlanningZoning  Please see attached minutes approved by the P/Z Board. Also, Cory has prepared a spreadsheet  with the activities since January. Code Enforcement Report.  Please see attached spreadsheet Cory has provided with his current Enforcement Complaint  Items for Consideration: 1. Springfest May 18, 2024 2. Fireworks, July 3, 2024 3. Duke Energy Meeting, April 16, 2024 4. Special Meeting April 25, 2024 Items of General Concern  Commissioner Mitchell states that a woman keeps calling him about updating the Town's  webpage.  Town Manager Greenwood states that the Town's webpage does need updating and that Amanda Commissioner Mitchell states that the Town employees are not wearing vests while working on Town Manager Greenwood states that safety meetings have been held and the issue with not wearing safety vests while working on the side oft the road has been addressed and that extra vests have been ordered and each truck will have two extra vests in them at all times.  does what she can with limited resources.  the side oft the road.    Adjournment  Commissioner. Jarvis motioned to adjourn the meeting; Commissioner Mitchell seconded  the motion. The motion carried unanimously.  Meetinga adjourned at 8:27PM NellieBrown, Mayor luifho  CA6  Cory Willoughby, Zoning Administrator  GiBboay Date  Date  nay98044