MINUTES TOWN OF STOKESDALE TOWN COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING 8325 ANGEL-PARDUE ROAD STOKESDALE, NC 27357 OCTOBER 10, 2024 AT 7:00 PM The following were in attendance of the meeting: Stokesdale Town Council: Stokesdale Town Staff: Michael E. Crawford, Mayor Robbie Lee Wagoner II, Derek Foy, Mayor Pro Tem Town Administrator / Town Clerk Jimmy Landreth, Councilman Charles H. Winfree, Town Attorney Jim Rigsbee, Councilman Kimberly Thacker, Tim Jones, Councilman Town Finance/l Budget Officer 01. Call to Order, Pledge of Allegiance, and Invocation. Mayor Crawford called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM. Mayor Crawford led the Pledge of Allegiance. Councilman Jones delivered the opening invocation. 02. Review and Adopt the Agenda: October 10, 2024. Mayor Crawford requested an amendment to the agenda. That amendment being the removal of Agenda Item Number 03. Councilman Landreth requested an amendment to the agenda. That amendment being the switching of Agenda Item Number 13 to Agenda Item Number 16 and Agenda Item Number 16 to Agenda Item Number 13. Councilman Landreth also requested would a third opportunity for public comments after Agenda Item Number 13 (now Agenda Item Number 16). Mayor Crawford made a motion to adopt the agenda as amended. Councilman Landreth seconded the motion. Mayor Mike Crawford YES Mayor Pro Tem Derek Foy YES Councilman Jimmy Landreth YES Councilman Jim Rigsbee YES Councilman Tim Jones YES 305 Motion carried (5-0). 03. Presentation of Eagle Scout Project. (Mayor Mike Crauford) Mayor Crawford requested the removal of Agenda Item Number 03. 04. Review and Adopt the following Minutes: a) 03-13-2018 - Closed Session Meeting. Mayor Crawford made a motion to adopt the minutes as written. Councilman Landreth seconded the motion. Mayor Mike Crawford YES Mayor Pro Tem Derek Foy YES Councilman Jimmy Landreth YES Councilman Jim Rigsbee YES Councilman Tim Jones YES Motion carried (5-0). b) 12-20-2018 - Closed Session Meeting. Mayor Crawford made a motion to adopt the minutes as written. Councilman Landreth seconded the motion. Mayor Mike Crawford YES Mayor Pro Tem Derek Foy YES Councilman Jimmy Landreth YES Councilman Jim Rigsbee YES Councilman Tim Jones YES Motion carried (5-0). c) 09-09-2020 - Closed Session Meeting. Mayor Crawford made a motion to adopt the minutes as written. Councilman Landreth seconded the motion. Mayor Pro Tem Foy inquired to Town Administrator / Town Clerk Wagoner how these sets of minutes were prepared given that these meetings took place before Town Administrator / Town Clerk Wagoner and Deputy Clerk Dale Martin were hired. Town Administrator / Town Clerk Wagoner explained that the reason that these minutes were on the agenda was because the Town Council had asked the staff to do an inventory 306 of all the close session meeting minutes and during that inventory process discovered that roughly five sets of minutes had not been approved prior to the creation of that inventory. Some of the minutes were prepared using audio from the meetings and the set 09-09-2020 was completed by Deputy Clerk Martin using a draft on the minutes prepared by a previous Town Clerk. Councilman Jones said that he was present at both 2018 meetings. He said based on his recollection and the notes that he has, the minutes are accurate. Mayor Pro Tem Foy said that he would prefer for Deputy Clerk Martin to go back and listen to the audio to craft a set of minutes herself for the 09-09-2020 meeting. Mayor Crawford withdrew his motion. Councilman Landreth withdrew his second. The Town Council agreed to continue the minutes for 09-09-2020 for further review by Deputy Clerk Martin. No motion carried. d) 11-12-2020 - Closed Session Meeting. The Town Council agreed to continue the minutes for 11-12-2020 for further review by Deputy Clerk Martin. No motion carried. e) 08-15-2024 - Special Called Town Council Meeting. Mayor Crawford made a motion to adopt the minutes as written. Mayor Pro Tem Foy seconded the motion. Mayor Mike Crawford YES Mayor Pro Tem Derek Foy YES Councilman Jimmy Landreth YES Councilman Jim Rigsbee YES Councilman Tim Jones YES Motion carried (5-0). f) 09-12-2024 - Closed Session Meeting. Town Attorney Winfree clarified that this set of minutes were sent as a draft emailed him by to the Town Council on September 22, 2024, to avoid confusion about their location. 307 Mayor Pro Tem Foy made a motion to adopt the minutes as written. Councilman Jones seconded the motion. Councilman Jones requested that Town Administrator / Town Clerk Wagoner take note that these minutes were prepared by Attorney Winfree, and he will hold them at his office. In the situation that Town Attorney Winfree would stop representing the Town, then the minutes would be transferred to the new Stokesdale Town Attorney. Mayor Pro Tem Foy clarified that the reason for this was because the minutes discussed a personnel matter. Mayor Mike Crawford NO Mayor Pro Tem Derek Foy YES Councilman Jimmy Landreth YES Councilman Jim Rigsbee YES Councilman Tim Jones YES Motion carried (4-1). f 10-02-2024 - Special Called Town Council Meeting. Mayor Crawford made a motion to adopt the minutes as written. Mayor Pro Tem Foy seconded the motion. Councilman Jones announced that since he was not present at the meeting that he would be voting no. Mayor Mike Crawford YES Mayor Pro Tem Derek Foy YES Councilman Jimmy Landreth YES Councilman Jim Rigsbee YES Councilman Tim Jones NO Motion carried (4-1). 05. Public Safety Reports: a) Stokesdale Fire District. Town Administrator / Town Clerk Wagoner presented the Stokesdale Fire District report. b) Guilford County Sheriff's Office. Town Administrator / Town Clerk Wagoner presented the Guilford County Sheriff's Office report. 06. Administrative Reports: 308 a) Administrative: Town Administrator, /Town Clerk Robbie Lee Wagoner II. Town Administrator / Town Clerk Wagoner presented the Administrative Report. b) Planning Board: Town Administrator, / Town Clerk Robbie Lee Wagoner II. Town Administrator / Town Clerk Wagoner presented the Planning Board Report. Councilman Jones requested that it reflect in the minutes that the October 2024 Stokesdale Town Planning Board Meeting was canceled due to the State Board of Elections commandeering the Stokesdale Town Hall Council Chambers for the purpose of early voting. c) Property Committee: Councilman Jim Rigsbee. Councilman Jim Rigsbee presented the Property Committee report. d) Town Park Improvement Committee: Committee Chair Tee Stephenson. Committee Chair Tee Stephenson presented the Town Park Improvement Committee report. 07. Financial Reports: Town Finance / Budget Officer Kimberly Thacker a) Financial Report: Town of Stokesdale General Fund. Town Finance/Budget Officer Kimbery Thacker presented the Financial Report for the General Fund. b) Financial Report: Town of Stokesdale Water Enterprise Fund. Town Finance/l Budget Officer Thacker presented the Financial Report for the Water Enterprise Fund. 08. Public Comments from the Floor (3-Minute Limit per Speaker). Speaker Name: Molly Byrd Speaker Address: Summerfield, North Carolina Speaker Comment: Mrs. Byrd spoke on behalf of the Friends of Stokesdale. She thanked everyone who attended their Farmer's Day event. Only ten members of the Friends of Stokesdale and volunteers from the Stokesdale UMC planned and worked the event. The best part of the event was the crowning of Mr. and Mrs. 309 Farmer' S Day. She encouraged everyone to be on the lookout for the next Friends of Stokesdale event and to for everyone to look at the Facebook Page. Friends of Stokesdale meet the first Tuesday of the month at Stokesdale UMC. The new email address is mftdasabyahson She thanked Mayor Pro Tem Foy for providing cookies for Farmer's Day and reminded everyone to be safe on Halloween. Speaker Name: Hollie Reed Speaker Address: Athens Road, Stokesdale, North Carolina 27357 Speaker Comment: Mrs. Reed thanked Town Administrator / Town Clerk Wagoner for reading her letter to the Town Council last time. She mentioned an issue she has with the intersection at Athens Road, Angel-Pardue Road, and US Highway 158. She said that she reached out to Mayor Pro Tem Foy who got her in touch with Mrs. Allison Bennett, Principal of Stokesdale Elementary School. Mrs. Bennett told Mrs. Reed to be patient and it would get better, but she says that it has not got better. The car-rider traffic is getting worse. Laborers in box trucks are using the intersection in the afternoons. She has been informed that a spotlight will be needed first. Mrs. Reed is a stay-at-home mom who has lived in her home for 11 years. She witnesses the accidents that almost happen. She has come to the Town Council to request proactiveness from both the Council and Stokesdale Elementary School. Mrs. Reed referenced an incident that occurred on October 3, 2024, when NCDOT contractors were spreading gravel on Athens Road preventing the school traffic from leaving the area. On a positive note, Mrs. Reed mentioned that the new lines painted on the road at the intersection have helped with intersection congestion and speeding. Mrs. Reed inquired why Angel-Pardue Road is beautiful and paved but Athens Road has received low-budget gravel re-paving. Mayor Pro Tem Foy explained that Mr. Richie would be attending the November 2024 Stokesdale Town Council meeting to provide an update on the issue of the school traffic. Mrs. Reed asked if the Town of Stokesdale Town Hall has an emergency preparation plan for something like what happened to Western North Carolina. Speaker Name: Deena Raceese Speaker Address: 7873 Athens Road, Stokesdale, NC 27357 Speaker Comment: Ms. Raceese said that she lives at the corner of Athens Road. She mentioned that she is tired of governmental agencies pointing fingers and that she wants to see results because she is tired of not being able to get out of her own driveway due to school traffic in the mornings and the afternoons. She mentioned that she has lived in the neighborhood for 30 years. She encouraged the Town Council to visit Athens Road and see the school traffic first-hand. She also mentioned the issue of speeding on Athens Road. She stated that the Town Council is just as responsible for the safety of Stokesdale residents as she is or as any other governmental agency. Ms. Raceese also addressed speeding on Athens Road and encouraged the Town Council to be proactive and take action. 310 Speaker Name: Almon Robinson Speaker Address: 2139 Huffine Mill Road, McLeansville, NC 27301 Speaker Comment: Mr. Robinson said that he is running for NCState Senate District 26 and that he is a Biblical, Constitutional conservative. He said that he is opposed to Phil Berger and democratic candidates. He shared his platform and shared that people can learn more at momainemniNOeitcom Speaker Name: Maria Adams Speaker Address: 5999 Morganshire Drive, Summerfield, NC 27358 Mrs. Adams mentioned that she is with Mom's for Liberty and that she stands by the Almon Robinson Family. She spoke about Title 9 enacted by congress. She said that Mom's for Liberty will be having a meeting on October 22, 2024. She mentioned that Michael Logan was nominated by the Republican Party to sit on the Guilford County Board of Education after Pat Tillman vacated his seat. Voiced her displeasure with Bill Gobel and claimed that he stole the seat of Michael Logan due to a backdoor meeting. Speaker Name: Michael Logan Speaker Address: Rambling Road, Greensboro, NC Speaker Comment: Mr. Logan invited everyone to attend an event at Guilford College. Per the question of Councilman Jones for an update on Stokesdale Elementary School traffic, Mr. Logan said he had a conversation with Phil Berger. He said that he is a firm believer in numbers and that numbers of people reaching out will make a difference. Speaker Name: Bill Gobel Speaker Address: Guilford County Speaker Comment: Mr. Gobel wished a good evening to the Town Council, Staff, and citizens. He said that he has a good relationship with Phil Berger and that he got Mr. Berger to add language into a bill that allows boy scouts access to schools. Mr. Gobel addressed Maria Adam's claims about him. He said that he did not have a backdoor meeting to get Mike Logan's seat on the school board. He shared his displeasure of Mike Logan and finished by saying that his is running for the Guilford County School Boad. Mayor Pro Tem Foy requested a 7-minute break (8:43 pm to 9:50 pm) Mayor Crawford approved. NEW BUSINESS ITEMS: 09. Consideration of the Investment of Funds from the Town of Stokesdale Water Enterprise Fund into Certificate of Deposit Account Registry Service (CDARS). (Mayor Pro Tem Derek Foy) 311 The Town Council discussed the matter with Finance/l Budget Officer Kimberly Thacker. Mrs. Thacker said that the Town currently has 1.3 million dollars in the Water Enterprise Fund. Mayor Pro Tem Foy made a Motion to authorize Finance/Budget Officer Kimberly Thacker to move $600,000 from the Fidelity Account to a CDAR Account at Bank of Oak Ridge for 24 months at 3.50% interest rate. Councilman Rigsbee seconded the motion. Pro Tem Derek YES Mayor Mike Crawford - YES Mayor Foy Councilman Jimmy Landreth YES Councilman Jim Rigsbee YES Councilman Tim Jones YES Motion carried (5-0). Mayor Crawford made a Motion to authorize Finace/Budget Officer Thacker to move $200,000 from the Fidelity Account to a CDAR Account at Bank of Oak Ridge for 12months at 3.75% interest rate. Councilman Jones seconded the motion. Mayor Mike Crawford YES Mayor Pro Tem Derek Foy YES Councilman Jimmy Landreth YES Councilman Jim Rigsbee YES Councilman Tim Jones YES Motion carried (5-0). The Town Council instructed Finance/l Budget Officer Thacker to break those into separate $100,000 investments. 10. Consideration of Spending Authority for the 2024 Stokesdale Christmas Parade scheduled for Saturday, December 14, 2024, at 2:00 PM. (Mayor Pro Tem Derek Foy) Councilman Landreth made a Motion to give the Christmas Parade Committee $4,500 spending limit authority for the 2024 Christmas Parade. Mayor Crawford seconded the motion. 312 Councilman Jones said that last year the Town Council gave two council members spending authority if they agreed with each other. Councilman Jones said that he would like to do the same thing again to give the Town Council authority. Councilman Landreth withdrew his motion. Mayor Crawford made a Motion to approve the $4,500 spending limit for the Christmas Parade and that Mayor Pro Tem Foy and Councilman Landreth oversee the dispense of those funds for that project. Councilman Jones requested an amendment that money can be spent by Mayor Pro Tem Foy and Councilman Landreth as long as they both agree. If they were not to agree, a vote would be made by the Town Council. Mayor Crawford accepted the amendment. Mayor Mike Crawford YES Mayor Pro Tem Derek Foy YES Councilman Jimmy Landreth YES Councilman Jim Rigsbee YES Councilman Tim Jones YES Motion carried (5-0). 11. Consideration of Construction Contract for Ellisboro Road Water Line Extension Project. (Mayor Pro Tem Derek Foy) Mayor Pro Tem Foy asked Town Attorney Winfree is he had reviewed the contract. Town Attorney Winfree said that he had and there were a few points that he would like to add to it. As a standard construction contract, it incorporates standard conditions. The contract calls for completion within one year, however that time does not start running for 30 days after the contact is approved. He also mentioned that the contracts contain change orders that has caused issues before in the past. Unless the Town Council requests one or agrees to one then it should not be an issue. Mayor Pro Tem Foy made a motion to authorize Mayor Crawford to sign and execute the contract for $194,660 Mayor Crawford seconded the motion. Mayor Mike Crawford YES Mayor Pro Tem Derek Foy YES Councilman Jimmy Landreth YES Councilman Jim Rigsbee YES Councilman Tim Jones YES Motion carried (5-0). 313 Mayor Pro Tem Foy made a motion to authorize Town Administrator / Town Clerk Wagoner to be designated as the representative for the project. Councilman Rigsbee seconded the motion. Mayor Mike Crawford YES Mayor Pro Tem Derek Foy YES Councilman Jimmy Landreth YES Councilman Jim Rigsbee YES Councilman Tim Jones YES Motion carried (5-0). 12. Consideration of Cost Proposals for Athletic Field Lighting Project at Stokesdale Town Park. (Mayor Pro Tem Derek Foy) Mayor Pro Tem Foy gave background on the project and discussed the need for lighting around the athletic fields at the Stokesdale Town Park. Mayor Pro Tem Foy made a Motion to accept the proposal from Reynolda Electric Co. from Rural Hall, North Carolina from a document dated September 25, 2024, for the GeoSport lighting proposal in the amount of $410,662 with the warranty to be included in the contract. Mayor Pro Tem Foy specified that Town Attorney Winfree would be authorized to prepare a contract with a scope of work and allow Mayor Crawford to sign and execute it on behalf of the Town. Councilman Rigsbee seconded the motion. The Town Council further discussed the consideration with Town Attorney Winfree and Town Administrator / Town Clerk Wagoner. Town Attorney Winfree said that he was concerned that the Town Council would approve a contract before it was executed. He said that he would prefer to work on a contract with the vendor and ifit gets to a form that everyone can agree on then have a special meeting just for the purpose of adopting it. Mayor Pro Tem Foy withdrew his motion. Mayor Pro Tem Foy asked to continue this item to the November 14, 2024, meeting. Public Comments from the Floor (3-Minute Limit per Speaker.) Speaker Name: Maria Adams Speak Address: 5999 Morganshire Drive, Summerfield, NC 27358 Speaker Comment: Mrs. Adams discussed Bill Gobel and said that the information that she relayed were from sources that she got from local news coverage. 314 13. Consideration of Measures to Prevent Unauthorized Access and Theft from Town of Stokesdale Fire Hydrants. (Councilman immy Landreth) This Agenda Item was switched with Agenda Item Number 16: Closed Session in accordance with NCGS 143-318.11(a)(3) (Closed Sessions). (Councilman immy Landreth) (a) Permitted Purposes. It is the policy of this State that closed sessions shall be held only when required to permit a public body to act in the public interest as permitted in this section. A public body may hold a closed session and exclude the public only when a closed session is required. (3) To consult with an attorney employed or retained by the public body in order to preserve the attorney-client privilege between the attorney and the public body, which privilege is hereby acknowledged. General policy matters may not be discussed in a closed session and nothing herein shall be construed to permit a public body to close a meeting that otherwise would be open merely because an attorney employed or retained by the public body is a participant. The public body may consider and give instructions to an attorney concerning the handling or settlement of a claim, judicial action, mediation, arbitration, or administrative procedure. If the public body has approved or considered a settlement, other than a malpractice settlement by or on behalf of a hospital, in closed session, the terms of that settlement shall be reported to the public body and entered into its minutes as soon as possible within a reasonable time after the settlement is concluded. Mayor Crawford made a Motion for the Stokesdale Town Council to enter into closed session in accordance with North Carolina General Statute 143-318.11(a)(3). The purpose of this closed session is to consult with an attorney employed or retained by the public body in order to preserve the attorney-client privilege between the attorney and the public body. Councilman Landreth seconded the motion. Mayor Mike Crawford YES Mayor Pro Tem Derek Foy YES Councilman Jimmy Landreth YES Councilman Jim Rigsbee YES Councilman Tim Jones YES Motion carried (5-0). (CLOSED SESSION MEETING: 10:08 PM TO 10:38 PM) Mayor Crawford made a Motion for the Stokesdale Town Council to enter back into open session at 10:38 PM. Councilman Landreth seconded the motion. 315 Mayor Mike Crawford YES Mayor Pro Tem Derek Foy YES Councilman Jimmy Landreth YES Councilman Jim Rigsbee YES Councilman Tim Jones YES Motion carried (5-0). Consideration of Measures to Prevent Unauthorized Access and Theft from Town of Stokesdale Fire Hydrants. The Town Council decided to continue this matter until next month. 14. Public Comments from the Floor (3-Minute Limit per Speaker). No public comments from the floor were made. 15. Council Comments. Councilman Rigsbee: Thanked everyone for attending the meeting. He reminded everyone that Northwest Guilford and Northern Guilford had a football game against each other the following day and encouraged everyone to attend. He mentioned that both teams are rated top 20 in the state. Councilman Rigsbee also reminded everyone to vote in the upcoming election. Mayor Pro Tem Foy: Talked highly about the meeting and mentioned that he appreciated all the comments from the citizens. He said that he does not believe the issue around the school traffic will be resolved quickly, but that he is holding confidence that the DOT and Guilford County Schools are in communication. He said that he was looking forward to a representative of Guilford County Schools updating the Town Council and the citizens next month at the meeting. He said that he is glad to see the project dealing with the lights moving forward even though the setback tonight. Councilman Landreth: Encouraged everyone to keep people affected by Hurricane Helene in their prayers. Mentioned that his son is in Asheville and that what he is seeing is really bad - even worse than what is being reported in the news media. He said that the issues facing Stokesdale are small in comparison of storm victims. He said that if the Principal of Stokesdale could snap her fingers and fix the issue that she would, but she can't. Councilman Landreth clarified that they do not have the power to push anything = they can talk, ask, and demand, but that is it. Councilman Jones: Expressed his gratitude to the three citizens who were still at the meeting. He thanked the candidates that had come to the meeting to speak. He reminded everyone to be safe during Halloween - to wear safe colors. He reminded everyone to vote and to be prepared for storms. 316 Mayor Crawford: Reminded everyone to keep the people that live in Western North Carolina, Georgia, and Florida in their prayers. His son-in-law was in the storm affected areas offering aid to one of the fire departments. He thanked everyone that stayed through the meeting and said that is was a good meeting. CLOSED SESSION ITEMS: 16. Closed Session in accordance with NCGS 143-318.11(a)(3) (Closed Sessions). (Councilman Jimmy Landreth) (a) Permitted Purposes. It is the policy of this State that closed sessions shall be held only when required to permit a public body to act in the public interest as permitted in this section. A public body may hold a closed session and exclude the public only when a closed session is required. (3) To consult with an attorney employed or retained by the public body in order to preserve the attorney-client privilege between the attorney and the public body, which privilege is hereby acknowledged. General policy matters may not be discussed in a closed session and nothing herein shall be construed to permit a public body to close a meeting that otherwise would be open merely because an attorney employed or retained by the public body is a participant. The public body may consider and give instructions to an attorney concerning the handling or settlement of a claim, judicial action, mediation, arbitration, or administrative procedure. Ifthe public body has approved or considered a settlement, other than a malpractice settlement by or on behalf of a hospital, in closed session, the terms of that settlement shall be reported to the public body and entered into its minutes as soon as possible within a reasonable time after the settlement is concluded. This Agenda Item was switched with Agenda Item Number 13: Consideration of Measures to Prevent Unauthorized Access and Theft from Town of Stokesdale Fire Hydrants. (Councilman Jimmy Landreth) ANNOUNCEMENTS: 17. Council Announcements: a) The Stokesdale Town Hall has been selected as an Early Voting Site for all Guilford County voters. Early Voting for the November 05, 2024, General Election will begin on October 17, 2024. b) The next regular Stokesdale Town Planning Board meeting, scheduled for Thursday, October 24, 2024, at 7:00 PM inside the Stokesdale Town Hall Council Chambers, has been CANCELED. 317 c) The next regular Stokesdale Town Council meeting is scheduled for Thursday, November 14, 2024, at 7:00 PM inside the Stokesdale Town Hall Council Chambers. ADIOURNMENT: 18. Adjournment of Meeting. Councilman Landreth made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 10:45 PM. Councilman Jones seconded the motion. Mayor Mike Crawford YES Mayor Pro Tem Derek Foy YES Councilman Jimmy Landreth YES Councilman Jim Rigsbee NO Councilman Tim Jones YES Motion carried (4-1). Being no further business to come before the Stokesdale Town Council, the meeting was adjourned at 10:45 PM. Approved: December 12, 2024. nk Michael E. Crawford Mayor Town of Stokesdale, North Carolina ATTEST: b Ce Robbie Lee Wagoner II, Town Administrator / Town Clerk Town of Stokesdale, North Carolina 318