TOWN OF COATS Board of Commissioners Thursday, January 9, 2025 The Town of Coats Board ofCommissioners met in regular session on Thursday, January 9, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. in the Board of Commissioners' Meeting Room at Coats Town Hall. Members Present: Staff Present: Mayor Chris Coats Kenneth Cole, Interim Town Manager Mayor Pro Tem Marc Powell Connie Lassiter, Finance Director/Town Clerk Commissioner Jerry Beasley Ken Storicks, Police Chief Commissioner Kelvin Gilbert Wesley Blount, Interim Public Works Director Commissioner Shirley Allen Commissioner Monique Warren-Clegg Others Present: Alton Bain, Town Attorney CALL TO ORDER A quorum being present, Mayor Chris Coats called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Mayor Coats delivered the invocation and led those in attendance in the Pledge of Allegiance. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Mayor Chris Coats called for a motion to approve agenda. RESOLVED, to approve the agenda. MOTION BY: Mayor Pro Tem Marc Powell SECOND BY: Commissioner Shirley Allen APPROVED: Unanimously Approved CONSENT AGENDA 1. Approval of Minutes - December 12, 2024 2. Approval of Attorney Bill - Services Rendered December 1-31, 2024 Mayor Chris Coats called for a motion to approve consent agenda. RESOLVED, to approve Consent Agenda. MOTION BY: Commissioner Kelvin Gilbert SECOND BY: Commissioner Monique Clegg-Warren APPROVED: Unanimously Approved 1 NEW BUSINESS 1. Consideration and request for approval of the following budget amendments: Link2Pump Fuel System Finance Director Connie Lassiter reminded the Board of the approval of the quote from Link2Pump Fuel System in the amount of $5,450 for the initial purchase of equipment with an annual software fee of $1,600 at the November 14, 2024 meeting. She explained that there was room within the current budget to absorb the cost ofthe software fee, but a budget amendment would be necessary to cover the purchase of equipment. RESOLVED, to approve budget amendment for fuel system. MOTION BY: Commissioner Jerry Beasley SECOND BY: Commissioner Shirley Allen APPROVED: Unanimously Approved Mid-Carolina Council of Government Town Manager Search Finance Director Connie Lassiter informed the Board that a budget amendment would be necessary to cover the cost ofthe proposal by Mid-Carolina Regional Council (MCRC) for the Town Manager Search that was approved at the December 12, 2024 meeting. The approved proposal included the cost of $5,000 with an added estimated amount of $200 for advertising fees. The total budget amendment would be for $5,200. RESOLVED, to approve budget amendment as presented. MOTION BY: Mayor Pro Tem Marc Powell SECOND BY: Commissioner Kelvin Gilbert APPROVED: Unanimously Approved Justin Hembree, MCRC Executive Director, gave an update on status of search. The advertisement for Town Manager had been placed on the League of Municipalities website and was also shared on the NC City and County Managers Listserv. There had been one application packet received in addition to two calls from interested parties. He announced that either he or the Deputy Director would be at the next meeting to give an update. Water and Tap Materials Finance Director Connie Lassiter presented the request from the Public Works Water Department to increase in the Water and Tap Materials expenditure line in the amount of $5,500. A budget amendment would be necessary to cover the cost of tap materials needed to install taps that had already been purchased by customers that were not anticipated to be needed in this budget year. The expenditure increase would be offset by the estimated revenue in the Tap On Fees line item that had been exceeded by $5,500 thus far in the current budget year. Interim Public Works Director Wes Blount explained that there were eight taps that had been paid for that needed to be installed but not enough materials were on hand. He stated that there was a good possibility that he would need to make additional requests for budget amendments this year if more customers purchased taps. 2 Commissioner Kelvin Gilbert asked if he needed more than the $5,500 to avoid coming back every month requesting more. The board discussed the houses starting to be built in the area and expressed that more taps would be needed, Mr. Blount stated that he would like for it to be increased to $8,000 if possible. Finance Director Connie Lassiter explained that ifthe Board approved to increase the budget amendment to $8,000 that the additional $2,500 would come from unappropriated surplus. RESOLVED, to approve budget amendment with the increase to $8,000. MOTION BY: Commissioner Jerry Beasley SECOND BY: Mayor Pro Tem Marc Powell APPROVED: Unanimously Approved 2. Consideration to hold Public Auction for items remaining in the old Public Works Building Interim Town Manager Kenny Cole stated that we didn't hold public auctions for items that had been collected from the side of the road as they could simple be thrown away. Any items purchased by the Town could be sold through Gov Deals. There were old couches collected from roadside, an A/C unit and a few other items. Commissioner Jerry Beasley recalled the A/C unit was purchased for the library and couldn't be used because it wasn't compatible. He asked that Mr. Blount see ifit could be used as a replacement for any of the other units before selling. Commissioner Shirley Allen inquired about the length of time to have the building cleaned out for use. Interim Town Manager responded that the building would have to be inspected and SO forth to make sure it was structurally stable to have an event there. Commissioner Allen mentioned potential grants available that she and Sharon Stevens had found. Mayor Chris Coats asked if a motion was needed at this time for selling any items on Gov Deals. Mr. Cole responded at this point it was just purely informational. PUBLIC FORUM Mayor Chris Coats opened the Public Forum. Vicki Ingersoll, 30 N Railroad, Coats NC, announced that she had taken on the role as Part Time Executive Director for the Coats Chamber of Commerce and would be requesting street closures for events at the next meeting. She then spoke on behalf of her business, Abby & Bella's, asking that everyone please support small businesses in the Coats area especially in the months of January and February. She also mentioned that she was looking forward to watching the downtown revitalization project happen. Mayor Coats closed the Public Hearing after hearing no one else. 3 I. MANAGER UPDATE Interim Town Manager Kenny Cole had no updates. He expressed that it was good to be back in Coats, and he looked forward to the next two to three months. He encouraged as much discussion as possible to get things moving in the direction the board desired. Interim Public Works Director Wes Blount reported that TA Loving had finished the last main section ofthe waterline project and pressure tested it. They are now working on the small punch list items which included street repavement. Parks and Rec employee, Johnny Daniel, stated the first basketball game for 10U team was held Monday in Erwin. The 8U group was supposed to start Saturday but had been postponed due to weather. Uniforms would be in late tomorrow afternoon or Monday. Police Chief Ken Storicks informed the Board that the Police Department had two vacancies, and he was proceeding with a candidate just out of the academy pending a clean background. Chief Storicks expressed that money was still an issue in recruiting. Interim Town Manager Kenny Cole added that he had discussed it with the Chief and would be looking at ways to improve it in the next few months. II. ADJOURNMENT Mayor Chris Coats called for a motion to adjourn. RESOLVED, to adjourn the meeting. MOTION BY: Mayor Pro Tem Marc Powell SECOND BY: Commissioner Shirley Allen APPROVED: Unanimously Approved Meeting adjourned at 7:31 p.m. The attached documents of reference are incorporated herewith and are hereby made aj part of these minutes. Minutes recorded and prepared by Finance Director/Town Clerk Connie Lassiter Chris Coats ATTEST: Mayor 1 - m Cennie Lassiter Finance Director/Town Clerk 4