May 11, 2021 Regular Meeting Minutes  HAMLET CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING COUNCIL CHAMBERS ROOM 201 MAIN STREET, HAMLET, NC: 28345 TUESDAY, May 11, 2021 7:00PM MINUTES  Governing Body Present: Mayor Mayor Pro Tem Council Member Council Member Councin Member Council Member Staff Present: City Attorney City Manager City Clerk Finance Officer IT  Bill Bayless Jesse McQueen Eddie Martin Maurice Stuart Oscar Sellers Abbie Covington TC Morphis Matthew Christian Gail Strickland Jill Dickens Zach Garner  Others Present: Gavin! Stone, Will Toler, Margaret Williams, James Wall, Thomas Wall, Jean Douglas and Howard  Wallace 1. Call to Order 2. Invocation  Mayor Bayless called Meeting to Order at 7:00 pm.  AI Moment of Silence was observed. 3. Adoption of Agenda Stuart.-The vote was 5-0. 4. Approval of Minutes  Council Member Covington motioned to adopt the Agenda. The second was offered by Council Member  Minutes from the April 13, 2021 Regular and Closed Session Meetings and April 21, 2021 Budget Work Session were approved by motions of Council Members Martin and Covington. The vote was! 5-0. No one presented to address Council at this portion of the Meeting. After the Mayor's Comments, Ms.  5. Comments from Attendees  Jean Douglas spoke to the Board regarding abandoned houses on Pine St. 6. Manager's Presentation of the Budget Message (Attachment A)  New Business  City Manager Matt Christian reported the Budget process started in March and the Budget Message and Proposed FY2021-22 Budget along with the Draft Budget Ordinance were submitted to City Council on  1    May 11, 2021 Regular Meeting Minutes  April 29th. The last Budget Session was held last week on May 6th. The submitted Budget balances at $8,423,660.00. The Manager gave remarks from the Budget Message. It maintains alle existing services and is balanced without any property tax or utility service increases. AlI Capital Purchases have been eliminated fort the second yeari in a row following Richmond County's surprise decision to change the Sales Tax Distribution Method. The impact oft the change was grossly miscalculated and misrepresented to the citizens of Richmond County. The City will continue to advocate for the citizens, tax payers and customers by any means necessary. The Budget is designed to survive as long as possible, until something changes. Followingi the Public Hearing the City has met all the requirements to adopt the Budget. He thanked Council for their input and Staff fort their assistance, specifically Finance Officer. Jill  Dickens.  7... Public Hearing: Eiscal Year 2021-22. Budget.  Mayor Bayless opened thet floor to the Public Hearing. No one addressed Council. The Public Hearing  was closed.  8. Adoption of the Fiscal Year 2021-22 Budget- = Ordinance No. 2021-02  Council Member Covington thanked Staff for their hard work in preparing the Budget. She motioned to adopt the Budget Ordinance. The second was offered by Council Member Sellers. The vote was 5-0. Council Member Covington inquired on the Credit Card Fees. Finance Officer Jill Dickens explained with COVID, more water account payments were made by credit card. The amendment off sets the credit card fee that the City recoups. Mrs. Covington motioned to approve the amendments. Council Member  9. Fourth Quarter Budget Amendments  Stuart provided the second. The vote was 5-0. 10. Consideration of Special Revenue Fund  Mayor Bayless reported the City will receive $1,850,000.00 from the American Rescue Plan. Mr. Christian clarified the City is setting up a Special Project Fund for any: stimulus money received to separate it from the General Fund. Council Member Covington motioned to approve the Special Fund.  Councit Member Sellers, gave the second. The vote was 5-0.  11. Approval of Audit Contract  Council Member Stuart inquired ift the City Manager had reviewed the Contract. When Mr. Christian confirmed, Mr. Stuart motioned to approve the contract. The second was offered by Council Member Sellers. The vote was! 5-0. Council Member Covington inquired ift the City'sauditing requirements would change with the reporting tot the Local Government Commission, and if the additional reporting would increase the Audit Contract. The City Manager replied he did not think it would change the Audit  Contract.  12. Appointment to Hamlet ABC Board  Council Member McQueen motioned to re-appoint Mr. Steve Mercer to the ABCI Board. The second was  offered by Council Member Sellers. The vote was 5-0.  13. Appointment to Hamlet Depot Board  Council Member Covington motioned to appoint Mr. Richard Steen to the Hamlet Depot Board. The  second was offered by Council Member McQueen. The vote was 5-0.  2    May 11, 2021 Regular Meeting Minutes 14. Approval of Tax Releases Member Stuart. The vote was! 5-0. 15. Discussion of Animal Ordinances  Council Member Covington motioned to approve the Tax Releases. The second was offered by Council  The Mayor reported some questions have been asked regarding animal ordinances. Council Member Martin provided information ofas situation al Hamlet resident is experiencing with a neighbor's barking dog. The police responded numerous times and charged the dog'sowner. The case was postponed several times, but when it was heard in Court, the. Judge dismissed the case citing the City'sOrdinance indicates al barking dogi is a nuisance onlyi ifi it disturbs the neighborhood, not one individual. Mr. Martin was told, but could not confirm, the. Judge stated the Ordinance was unconstitutional. He asked Council to.c consider. changing the Ordinance. and. to. also.consider. changes.t to. the types ofa animals allowed in the Cityl limits. Currently, hogs and fowl are not allowed, but the Ordinance does not address pigs, goats, and other animals. The Mayor asked the City Attorney to looki into the matter. Council discussed ift there would be a difference ift the acreage was larger but no final determination was made. Implementing tiered fines was discussed. The Attorney will gather more detailed information from the Police Chiefand provide possible revisions to the Ordinance. Council Member Covington added another issue is the  tethering aspect. Other Business 16. City Manager's Report  City Manager Matthew Christian announced het finalized the submission to USDA for the Waste Water Expansion Project; hopefully, next month he can report their feedback and possible funding. He reported City Hall is open with masks and: social distancing. The Depot, Museum and Visitors Center are open and the volunteers are: staffing on the weekends. The Senior Center is open with limited activities. This Fridayi is Food Truck Friday with food vendors and crafts. Also announced was free COVID vaccines will be available at the Memorial Park Gym Parking Lot on Monday, May 17th from 2 pm -5 pm provided  by the Health Department. 17. Comments of Council in the recreation business.  Council Member Covington commented she rode down Boyd Lake Road and was glad to see the Cityi is Council Member Sellers thanked the City Staff for working on the budget and keeping the City going. He stated he would like to see more of the community come to the meetings with their concerns. Council Member Stuart stated he was glad to see the citizens at the meeting. He added Council is here tos serve and advocate for them. He expressed his appreciation to the City employees.  Council Member Martin concurred with previous comments.  Council Member McQueen reported he went to the baseball park and observed kids and families having fun. He said the baseball program was positive fort the community. He offered special thanks to! Staff for the Budget and to the Council and Mayori fori their time invested with special meetings and positive feedback. Mr. McQueen thanked Mr. Morphis and his team for their work with the City the past7-8  years andi the extensive knowledge they bring.  3    May 11, 2021 Regular Meeting Minutes 18. Mayor's Comments  Mayor Bayless thanked the dedicated staff for their hard work. He said he has received good comments on the baseball program. He discussed thei issue oft trash on the side oft the roads and encouraged everyone to help remove the trash. Mr. Bayless announced this is Law Enforcement Week and 19. Motion to go into Closed Session per NC General Statute 5143-318-11(a)(3), Attorney-Client Privilege. Mayor Bayless asked for a motion to goi into Closed Session per NC General Statute 5143-318.11 (a)(3) Attorney - Client Privilege. At7:42 pm, Council Member Sellers offered the motion. Council Member  encouraged the citizens to thank an officer for all they do.  McQueen provided the second. The vote was! 5-0.  Return to Open Session.  At 9:13 pm. Council Members Sellers and McQueen motioned to return to Open Session. The vote was  5-0.  Closed Session Action 20. Motion to Adjourn meeting. The vote was 5-0. Respectfullys submitted, %.  Mayor Bayless reported a personnel matter was discussed during Closed Session.  At 9:14 pm, Council Members McQueen and Covington provided the motion and second to adjourn the  OF HAMLE E CI SEAL NORT P  Gail M. Strickland, City Clerk  4