Town of Walnut Cove Board of Commissioners: Meeting November 14, 2023 Regular Meeting Minutes  Members Present: Nellie Brown - Mayor Danny Hairston = Commissioner Elwood Mabe - Commissioner Kim Greenwood -7 Town Manager Brandi Bowman - Office Manager Ann Rowe - Town Attorney Thomas Mitchell- Commissioner  Absent  1. 2. 3. 4.  MEETING CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Brown called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.  INVOCATION: Wesley Durrell PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE- ALL ANNOUNCEMENTS:  a) Walnut Cove Fire Department monthly meeting is Thursday, December 7, 2023 @ b) Walnut Cove planning and zoning meeting will be December 7, 2023 @ 6:30 at the c) Walnut Cove Board of Commissioners meeting is Tuesday, December 12, 2023 @7:00 d) Recyling is the gth and the 24th of November 2023. Both trash and recycling will be on e) The Cove Group meeting is Tuesday, December 5, 2023, at 6:30 at the Walnut Cove f) The Walnut Cove Tree lighting is Saturday, December 2nd, 2023, from 4-8 p.m. g) The Palmetto movie nights are advertised. See Attachment. h) Thanksgiving Holiday, November 23-24, 2023. The Town will be closed.  7:00 pm at the Walnut Cove Fire Department.  Walnut Cove Public Library. pm at the Walnut Cove Senior Center.  Friday the 24th. Public Library.  ADJUSTMENTS TO THE AGENDA- none    5.  PUBLIC COMMENT- Kathleen Anderson, 116 Smith St. commented that the minutes are not on the website and she's unable to view the 2023 minutes. Chief Booe showed her Ramona Timm, 708 Summit St. sent a letter by the Town Manager to read about being concerned about the trick or treaters on Summit St. The traffic is horrible and it's very dangerous for the children. Would like to see the Halloween festivities moved to  they are on the website and how to find them.  Southeastern Middle School. CONSENT AGENDA-  Amotion was made by Commissioner Hairston to approve the consent agenda. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Mabe. All in favor. Motion carried  unanimously.  Approval of minutes from October 10, 2023.  Amotion was made by Commissioner Hairston to approve the minutes from October 10, 2023, with two corrections being the VFW and Commissioner Mitchell, not Commissioner Bennett and seconded by Commissioner Mabe. All in favor. Motion Chief Brian Booe, Walnut Cove Fire Department quarterly report- July - September reports for calls. July had 93 calls. Very busy month. We had a blood drive in. July as well and had to cut the day short because one oft the Red Cross workers became ill. We assisted the Town with the July 3rd fireworks and had two members obtain their emergency protection certifications. August had 101 calls and September had 84 calls. We assisted the Cove Group with the back-to-school event. We assisted the Cove Group We had a class with the DOI- Department of Insurance. Outside of Town the Fire Department has six designated water points for the Fire Department to get water From in the event of a structure fire. Chief Booe has reached out to DOT to ask about getting guardrails at Oldtown Rd and Hwy 311. We had an accident with two vehicles Mayor Brown just wanted to say thank you to Chief Booe and the Fire Department for all  carried unanimously.  with Fall Fest.  and went down into the creek.  they do. Old Business  Lead service Line replacement grant Attachment B-DEQ reviewed application and approved the lead service line replacement for $359,540.00 up to a maximum $215,000 is what we don't have to pay back. The remainder of that is at zero interest if we needed to borrow any money. We are guaranteed at least $215,744.00. We are working with WithersRavenel to help locate lead and copper lines from the meter to the    residents house. ARPA monies will pay to have those replaced. By February we have to Attachment C-1 The funding has been redone with the State and the Public Works Department has been started on. The plan to be open is the Middle of Spring and  have the scope work approval and October 1st for completion.  August 2024 for the admin building.  New Business  a) Christmas bonus consideration- $1000.00 per employee and $500.00 for each Board member. The money from this would come out of ARPA monies or whatever the board would want. We have different lines we can fund this from. Amotion was made by Commissioner Hairston to approve the bonuses for employees at $1000.00 and Board members at $500.00 each. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Mabe. All in favor. Motion carried unanimously. b) Request to post for a part time position for the License Plate Agency- this position would be trained for renewals. Title work takes a long time to learn and that could be done later if needed. This position is to start in January 2024. Amotion was made by Commissioner Hairston to approve hiring for a part time position for License Plate Agency. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Mabe. Mayor Brown just wanted to comment that the Public Works Department has done an amazing job where the water leak was at the sink hole at 65. This was a tedious job, and Closed session- Personnel Matter- Mayor Brown would like to hold this over because she has been doing some research on Personnel and there have been some concerns since 2007 about personnel and job descriptions. She has been talking to NCI League of Municipalities and their recommendation is to have someone come in and make sure all the positions of the town to make sure everyone is doing their job descriptions. Commissioner Hairston stated that this has gone on too long for at least two to three Attorney Rowe stated that votes must be made in open session. Personnel matters must Mayor Brown refuses to go into closed session and wants to table the discussion until the December meeting. She doesn'tfeel comfortable going into a closed session. Attorney Rowe said the closed session is on the agenda and needs a motion to go into  All in favor. Motion carried unanimously.  the Town Workers did a great job.  months and it's time we resolved this some kind of way.  be discussed in closed session.  closed session. Just like any other motion.    Attorney Rowe- everyone is expected to participate in every' vote as a commissioner. I don't know if there is an exact rule about this. Make a motion to go into closed session Amotion was made by Commissioner Hairston to go into closed session at 7:52 and the motion was seconded by Commissioner Mabe. All in favor. The motion carried Amotion was made by Commissioner Hairston to close closed session and reopen the open session. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Mabe. All in favor. The Amotion was made by Commissioner Hairston to approve Mr. Greenwood's contract and requested the Mayor to sign it. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Mabe. During discussion, the Mayor opposed the consideration of a contract. Upon the vote, the motion was carried unanimously with both Commissioners voting in favor and directed the Mayor to sign the agreement. The Mayor refused to sign the contract, Mayor Brown wants to see aj job description for the contract and Attorney Rowe said the contract that is on the table that the motion has been made about does include the term that the town manager will perform the functions and duties specified to them the Town charter and the General statute of North Carolina. It does incorporate the duties Departmental report- Town Manager, Greenwood said the Halloween event was very successful. We are very thankful for the Cove group, Walnut Cove Fire Department, Sheriff Department and all the volunteers and merchants for a great event. One of the The audit report will be completed either this month or early December. We are waiting Mayor Brown, Commissioner Mitchell, and Commissioner Mabe met with NCDOT and completed the 65-311project and there's consideration for sidewalks to be constructed along with the part that's already done. I've waited for Mr. Ivy to send this because this iss something the board will have to consider, and we will have to do a resolution. The License Plate Agency for the month was $11,339.32. Error free fori this month too. Amotion was made by Commissioner Mabe to adjourn the meeting at 8:40 PM. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Hairston. Allin favor. The motion carried  and go from there.  unanimously.  motion carried unanimously.  thus the Mayor Pro Tem did execute the contract.  as set forth in the general statute.  largest crowds we've had in al long time. for Mr. Pendry to come.  unanimously.    fukifhe Nellie Brown, Mayor spril 14,2034  hasdi Boundr Brandi Bowman, Office Manager  1a0a4  Datè  Wpal