April 26, 2022 Meeting Minutes  HAMLET CITY COUNCIL MEETING COUNCIL CHAMBERS ROOM 201 MAIN STREET, HAMLET, NC: 28345 TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2022 4:00PM MINUTES  Governing Body Present: Mayor Mayor Pro Tem Jesse McQueen Council Member Eddie Martin  Bill Bayless  Council Member Maurice Stuart arrived at 4:32 pm Council Member Abbie Covington left at! 5:25 pm Council Member Oscar Sellers left at 6:10 pm  Staff Present: City Manager City Clerk  Matthew Christian Gail Strickland  Others Present:  1. Call to Order 2. Adoption of Agenda The vote was 4-0.  Mayor Bayless called the meeting to order at 4:07 pm.  Council Member Covington motioned to adopt the Agenda. Council Member Sellers provided the second.  3. Approval of Minutes for April 12, 2022 Regular and Closed Session Meetings.  Council Member Covington motioned to adopt the Minutes. Council Member Sellers provided the second.  The vote was 4-0. 4. Budget Work Session equipment and infrastructure.  City Manager Matt Christian listed the goals and priorities Council set ati the last meeting as: people,  Personnel  The Manager presented Council with a revised Organizational Chart that willl best facilitate the team. He stated he plans to build out a compensation plan based on the duties oft the employees. The Chart is a step in the right direction to make improvements in the employee pay. Mayor Bayless inquired if there were any additional employees. Mr. Christian advised there were not; the chart has 84 full time employees and ai few part-time. He also advised, when asked by Council Member Sellers, there are no loss ofj jobs. The Organizational Chart will change some job descriptions and compensation will be based on duties. Council Member Martin expressed concern oft the placement oft the City Clerk on the Chart, stating Council appoints the City Clerk. After discussion by the Board, the Clerk was placed on the plane with the City Attorney and Manager, under Council. The Manager advised he will put together comparable salaries; once finalized, he will send them to the Council Members. Council gave consensus of the Organization Chart with the change in the placement of the City Clerk. Mr. Christian confirmed with Council they were  1    April 26, 2022 Meeting Minutes  okay with the addition of the Public Utilities position. Council Member McQueen inquired where the Manager would get the comparison of salaries. Mr. Christian answered the NCLM has one with population bands. He willl have to look at job classifications to make sure they arel looking at the same duties. He has asked Rockingham to submit theirs and he will work with Department Heads to obtain the information.  Several employee positions were discussed.  Equipment  The City Manager and Council reviewed the Menu of Capital Requests determined byt the Department Heads' requests. The Mayor asked if the items were included in the Budget Overview. Mr. Christian replied the present budget is only operational. He suggested the best way to proceed wasi for Council to determine parameters they felt comfortable staying within to make capital purchases. The list has his recommendations indicated. His recommended capital purchases for the General Fund total $403,000.00 and for the Enterprise Fund total $336,000.00. The General Fund Balance as of June 30, 2021 was $3,521,135.00 and Enterprise Fund Balance was $1,533,798.00. These are unrestricted dollars, cash on hand. Council Member Covington asked ift the ARP Funds were included. The Manager stated they were not. Council discussed the cost oft the $30,000.00 sign for the Senior Center, the purchase of a new mower, and the need for adequate security at the Depot Complex. Mr. Christianreported Mechelle Preslar has requested a part-time employee. Council gave consensus of the part-time employee and suggested the position may need to become full-time with all the on-going activities at the Depot. Council suggested the cell phone software used byt the Police Department to gain access into phones could possibly be shared between the Sheriff's Department and the City of Rockingham. A new evidence room and body armor for the Police Department were discussed. The Manager will ask the Chief fort the Council Member McQueen asked fori the Fund Balance Percentage. The City Manager, after reviewing the Financial Statement, reported the current Fund Balance is 73% oft the Budget, the City has $3.5 million in the bank in the General Fund. Council Member McQueen suggested making the Capital Request purchases now. Mr. Christian advised there could be a problem with getting the orders in before June 30th. After discussion by the Board, the Manager advised he will see what he can put together and bring Budget Amendments to Council. The Manager inquired ift there were things on the list not marked that should be. Council Member Covington suggested repairs to the tennis courts and adequate body armort for the Police The Manager discussed renovations to thet front of the Administration offices to provide additional workspace. Council Member McQueen suggested moving the Council seats in the Chambers forward and Mr. Christian discussed the need for help with planning, a consultant to market the community and plan  minimum amount oft body armor needed and the use.  Department. Council Member McQueen. stated they do not need 23 tactical vests.  creating a meeting room for the Board behind their seats.  for the future. He will update the list and see what can be accomplished this year.  Garbage Rates  The Manager discussed the current fees for garbage collection. He reported the total annual Budget for the Sanitation Department, after changes in the Structure Chart, is $436,000 andi the annual revenue is $335,000; the rates are not covering the costs. He provided information on the City of Rockingham's fee schedule. Mr. Christian recommended ani increase in the base rate for garbage increase from $10.00t to $15.00 monthly and an increase from $31 to $5 fore each additional can. Council Members McQueen and Sellers expressed concern of those on fixed incomes. It was confirmed Sanitation is in the General Fund. The Manager gave a 10-year projection with a 2% annual increase of costs and the purchase ofa a garbage  2    April 26, 2022 Meeting Minutes  truck every 2 years. The projection showed, ifr revenues remain flat, the expenditures will exceed the revenues by $2,431,573.00. Mr. McQueen asked how the expenses were determined. Mr. Christian advised the expenses are the entire Sanitation Department. Council McQueen questioned the expenditures, stating the City does not purchase garbage trucks every 2 years. He added the employees that collect garbage also do other work in the City. The Manager replied you have to budget for the positionsand the Public Works Director has indicted it takes 66 employees fori the garbage routes. Mr. McQueen asked for the amount ofr revenue lost last year. Mr. Christian replied the past few years have not been budgeted properly, the numbers would not be valid. Council Member McQueen said he will not vote on the increase when the City! has a 70% Fund Balance, and the citizens had a significant increase in watera and sewerai few years back. Council Member Sellers stated the City has to look ahead. Council Member Martin said the Manageri is on the right track; the City needs to cover expenses. Council Member Stuart was in agreement. He realized people will complain, but they willl have to explain the situation. The Manageradvised it is his responsibility to review and make recommendations. Ift the revenues are not covering costs, he has to provide a recommendation. Mr. McQueen advised he wanted to wait and see what the projection would be after a year with the new employee structure inj place. He also said the structure shifting would increase somewhere else; if goingi in the red in the Enterprise Fund, the changes would cause the General Fund to bei in the black. Council Member McQueen stated the placement of employees into the different funds is aj judgement calll by the Manager and may change from one Manager to the next. Mr. Christian asked, ift the City is going to be in aj position where the revenues do not meet the expenditures, why would we not prepare? Mr. McQueen asked ifi it was the Manager's recommendation to increase the garbage rates before seeing a year of data from changes in the structure. Mr. Christian confirmed, and stated Rockingham has increased their garbage fees twice.  Medical Insurance Coverage  Council Member McQueen discussed the changes in the City's Health Insurance Plan! last year had a significant impact on 10 employees. Hei felt Council was not made aware of the impact the changes would have. The Manager explained there was a list oft the medicines that would increase; the costs increased  because the City changed plans.  Other Items  Mayor Bayless advised Council received al letter of appreciation from Crime Stoppers for the donation the City provided. He also asked Council to pay the $250.00 annual fee toj join the High-Speed Rail Alliance. Council Member Stuart inquired on the next stepsi ini the Budget Process. The Manager stated he will finalize the market-based salary plan! based on structure and see what the City can buy in the current year and what can be included in the next year's budget for Council to consider. The Mayor stated adjustments need to be made to the Fire Department salaries. Mr. Christian advised they have made some equity Council Member Martin stated time is running out ati the ballpark and asked ift they could authorize Chip Gordon to have someone repair the lights. The Manager said he has already given authorization. Councit Member McQueen discussed the appearance at Memorial Park. He said hel has previously reported the overgrowth and pallets, but the conditions have not changed. Mr. Christian reported he will address the  Council gave consensus.  adjustments in the bottom half and there will be changes in the structure.  issue with employees tomorrow. 5. Motion to Adjourn  3    April 26, 2022 Meeting Minutes meeting. The vote was 3-0. Respectfully: submitted,, dkeAlbL Gail M. Strickland, City Clerk  At 6:16 pm, Council Members McQueen and Stuart provided the motion and: second to adjourn the  )  11u MOIS  4