HAMLETCITY COUNCIL WORK: SESSION COUNCIL CHAMBERS ROOM 201 MAIN STREET, HAMLET, NC: 28345 TUESDAY, April 30, 2024 5:30PM MINUTES  Governing Body Present: Mayor Mayor Pro-Tem Council Member Council Member Council Member Staff Present: City Manager Finance Director City Clerk  Amy Guinn Jessie McQueen Eddie Martin Oscar Sellers Maurice Stuart Matthew Christian Ednal Miles HeatherHawks  Others Present: Mackenzie Webb, Mechelle Presler  1. Call to Order  Mayor Guinno called the meetingt to orderat 5:30 pmwith a momentofsilence fort the 4 police officers in  Charlotte who were killed int the line of duty. 2. Adoption of the Agenda  City Manager Christian requested to hear item # 41 before item #3. Mayor Guinn requested. ar motion to change the order oft the work: session. MayorPro-Tem McQueen motioned to accept it with the change, seconded by Council Member Stuart to adopt the agenda. The motion passed unanimously.  3. Work-Session a. Fourth of July Celebration  City ManagerChristian: statedI Mechelle was presenta at the meetingtotalk about the Fourthof July Mechelle stated! has beenworking on findinga at fireworkvendersince 2023. She has reached out to various vendorsi for. July4 4th fireworks. She asked Councilfora anotherdate otherthan. July 4th forour fireworks becauset there are no vendors available on. July 4th. She used Deep South out of Georgia revousy.Anolervendor. East Coast Pyro was al little cheaperthan Deep South. Mayor Pro-Tem McQueen asked what day the 4th falls thisy year, stating we could tie that to the othere events we have on Fridayss such as foodtrucks. Mayor Guinn askedif all activities would! be movedt tot the day, we choose tol havet frewons/CoundiMember: Stuart askedi if we could have fireworksat thes same time as the foodi trucks on that Friday after the 4th. Mechelle stated it's also hard to find food  fireworks fort the City of Hamlet.    trucks onJuly 4th. Mechelle stateds shel had positive feedback from last year when we hadi it on the Saturdayl before the 4th. There was discussion about the date that works besti for thei fireworks, Mayor Guinn suggested Friday, July 5th, Council Member Stuart agreed Friday, July 5th, works well with thet food trucks. Council Member Sellers agreed. City Manager Christian asked iff food trucks would still bet the second Fridayi if we chose the! 5th fort thet fireworks. There was ab brief discussion about July 5th forf fireworks. Council Member Martin preferred fireworks before. July 4th. City Manager Christian said we could considertraining: someone here in Hamlet to dot fireworks in the Mayor Guinn, Mayor Pro-Tem McQueen, Council Member Stuart agreed on. July 5th. Council Mecheleremndedeverene this willl be the 40th 5k and the first 100participants will receive a 40- ounce tumblerwhen they register. She also reminded everyone about the Pop-Up Marketon  future.  Member Martin and Council Member. Sellers preferred. July 3rd.  Saturday, May 4th from! 9-2pm.  Inc conclusion, City of Hamleti fireworks will be on. July 5th.  b. FY25 Draft Budget Review  City Manager Christian presented PowerPoint slides reviewing budget details. He stated the General Fund hasi increased: steadily. He also mentionedi the Enterprise Fund hadi taken a dip ini the previous year, stating we may needi toi incorporate rate increases to make up the difference. He also mentioned MayorP Pro-Temi McQueenasked: aboutthe difference! int the Enterprise Fundl betweent the year 2022 and 2023. City Manager Christian stated he could get exact numbers for him to review. City Manager Christian stated itr roughly beinga a $250,000-9300,000 change in Fund balance overt time. City ManagerChristian discussedi needingt to post our revenue neutral tax rate this year because we: are required by law to posti it. Our county does this every8years. The current tax rate needs tol be determined. He mentionedi itemst to discuss, behgtheproperylaxrate, the garbaget feei increase,utility Mayor Pro-Tem McQueen: stated as far as ARP money, it would be ag good idea to buy air packs for the Fire Department to replace older ones, He also discussedi thei tax rate going from 0.76to 0.66t to be fair. City Manager Christian agreedt takingi it down to 0.661 makes sense and willl help grow our fund balance. City Manager Christian discussed utility and garbage rates stating we haven't raised themi inl his time here, stating wel have absorbed those costs over the years. The garbage enterprise isi ini the General Fundwhich makesi it hard to monitor. MayorPro-TemMcQueenstatedwhen: theyl looked ati it last year, itsavesn money ont the othersider whenpaid throughi the Enterprise Fund. City Manager Christian stated residential is $15 for garbage pick up and! $5foran additional garbage can. The current rate brings in  the letterv we wrote to the LGC about this matter.  rates, and before year end ARP obligations.  Council Member Martin suggested: at tax rate of 70cents.    $335,000 forg garbage pickup. Itv was decided to gol backi in minutes to see when the last increase was. Mayor Pro-Tem McQueen: stated an increase would be difficult forv widows and senior citizens. Mayor Guinn inquired about pressure washing the sidewalks int the business district stating she was approached by al local contractor. Council Member Sellers asked about Public' Works cleaning the sidewalks. City Manager Christian statedi they don'thave the equipment needed toy pressure washi the sidewalks. There was a discussion on the quote of $16,000ifi itisa areasonable amount. Mayor Guinn broughtupaprolectshe was approached: about. A local artist hasa a goal toy paint ar mural in everycounty ini North Carolina. Mayor Guinn thinks it would be a great addition to Hamlet. There was a discussion on wall space for murals. Mayor Guinns statedi the artist would charge $10,000for the mural and his wife wouldhave: a ppetyeventhconunction with ther mural. Therewas a discussionabout it possibly taking Council MemberSellers: stated the Hamlet City sign on Hwy 38 is hard to read because of trees in the City! Manager Christian brought upt the timeline fort the budget. Council Member Stuart asked ift the budgetwould ber readyk before hel left. City Manager Christian stated that was his goal. There was ab brief discussion on at timeline to make sure thel budget would be finished and ready to adopt before City City Member Martin discussed opening night at American Legion, May 31st. He stated there would be  away from the. John Coltrane mural.  way, stating it needs tol be cleaned up. There was discussion on the matter.  Manager Chrisitan leaves next month.  free admission and askedi forv volunteers tol help with the event.  4. Closed Session perNCGSS 143-318.11 (a)(3)(6) fora attorney-client privilege and personnel. Council Memperartinmotones, seconded! by Mayor Pro-Tem McQueen to go into closed session for  attorney-client privilege and personnel. The motion passed unanimously.  5. Motion to Adjourn passed unanimously at 7:30pm.  Council Member Stuart motioned, seconded byl Mayor Pro-Tem McQueen to adjourn. The motion