TOWN OF COATS Board of Commissioners Thursday, February 13, 2025 The Town of Coats Board of Commissioners met in regular session on Thursday, February 13, 2025 at 7:00 p.m, in the Board of Commissioners' Meeting Room at Coats Town Hall. Members Present: StaffPresent: Mayor Chris Coats Kenneth Cole, Interim Town Manager Mayor Pro Tem Marc Powell Connie Lassiter, Finance Director/Town Clerk Commissioner Kelvin Gilbert Ken Storicks, Police Chief Commissioner Shirley Allen Wesley Blount, Public Works Director Commissioner Monique Warren-Clegg Others Present: Members Absent: Alton Bain, Town Attorney Commissioner Jerry Beasley 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: Commissioner Kelvin Gilbert SECOND BY: Commissioner Shirley Allen APPROVED: Unanimously Approved CONSENT AGENDA 1. Approval of Minutes - January 9, 2025 2. Approval of Attorney Bill - Services Rendered January 1-31, 2025 Mayor Chris Coats called for a motion to approve consent agenda. RESOLVED, to approve Consent Agenda. MOTION BY: Mayor Pro Tem Marc Powell SECOND BY: Commissioner Monique Clegg-Warren APPROVED: Unanimously Approved 1 NEW BUSINESS 1. Appointments to Mid-Carolina Regional Council (MCRC) Board of Delegates: Justin Hembree, MCRC Executive Director explained the purpose for the MCRC Board of Directors re-establishing the Board of Delegates. He asked that two Board of Commissioners volunteer to serve as a Primary Delegate and an Alternate Delegate to represent the Town of Coats. The Board of] Delegates will be scheduled to meet four times per year. Mayor Chris Coats asked if a decision needed to be made tonight. Mr. Hembree responded that there was no rush. RESOLVED, to table. MOTION BY: Commissioner Shirley Allen SECOND BY: Commissioner Kelvin Gilbert APPROVED: Unanimously Approved 2. Consideration of Chamber of Commerce Requests a. Approval of Street Closures for Annual Events b. Approval to waive Park rental fee to host Easter Egg Hunt and provide an Officer for the event Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, Vikki Ingersoll and Chamber President Angela Rezqallah appeared before the Board to present the Chamber's Annual Scheduled Events with request for the following street closures: April 26, 2025 - Main St. Market Close one or two blocks of] Main Street and one or two blocks of Railroad Street October 10-11.2025 - Farmers Day Close Main Street and Farmers Corner Parking Lot from 3:00pm on Friday, October 10 until approximately 6:00pm Saturday, October 11 October 31, 2025 - Treat Street Close one or two blocks of Main Street from 3:00pm-9:00pm December 2. 2025 - Christmas on Main and Christmas Parade Close Main Street from 3:00pm-9:00pm Ms. Ingersoll and Ms. Rezqallah also asked that the Board approve waiving the Park rental fee for the Easter Egg Hunt scheduled on April 12th. They inquired about having an officer on site for the event as well as assistance from the Town to help fund the cost ofbounce houses. Chief Storicks explained that some of the Police Officers were already committed to participate in a plane pull for a Special Olympics fund raising event on that day, but he would try to work something out. Finance Director Connie Lassiter commented that there was a deposit put down for the Easter event that the Town planned to host last year that was rained out. She offered to contact the 2 company to see if that deposit could still be used and check on the availability and additional cost ofbounce house rentals. Commissioner Marc Powell asked about liability insurance to cover the event. Ms. Ingersoll stated that the Chamber had a blanket policy to cover events. Ms. Rezqallah added that the bounce house company would have their own policy as well. Commissioner Kelvin Gilbert asked for an amount the Chamber would like to have to help with the event financially. Ms. Ingersoll responded that they would be appreciative if the Town would cover the cost of the bounce houses. RESOLVED, to approve the street closures and waive the park rental fee. MOTION BY: Mayor Pro Tem Marc Powell SECOND BY: Commissioner Shirley Allen APPROVED: Unanimously Approved 3. Consideration of Disposal Method for Items in Old Public Works Building Finance Director Connie Lassiter informed the Board that Public Works employees had continued with cleaning out the old Public Works Building. The Town received $704.63 for scrap metal that was hauled off for recycling in early February. There were approximately 30 old Christmas Decorations for street poles that had not been used in many years. Potential bids on Gov Deals were not likely due to the fact that the lights were sO outdated. Staff recommended scrapping the lights. There were approximately 50 seats from the old Coats School Building. The seats had been disassembled which made it difficult to get an exact count. Some of the seats could be added to the current seating in the Board Meeting Room. The Board was asked for input in disposal due to the possible entimenta/historical value of the seats. Commissioner Kelvin Gilbert inquired about offering the seats to anyone that would want them. Interim Town Manager Kenneth Cole responded that would be possible as long as the Town didn't have a cost in the seats. Mayor Chris Coats suggested saving some of the chairs in case any oft the chairs currently in the Board Room needed replacing. RESOLVED, to keep ten chairs and scrap remaining chairs and decorations MOTION BY: Commissioner Shirley Allen SECOND BY: Commissioner Marc Powell APPROVED: Ayes (3) Mayor Pro Tem Marc Powell, Commissioners Shirley Allen and Monique Warren-Clegg; Noes (1) Commissioner Kelvin Gilbert 4. Set time for Work Session on Thursday, February 27, 2025 RESOLVED, to schedule work session at 7:00pm on Thursday, February 27, 2025 regarding only the Police Department. MOTION BY: Commissioner Kelvin Gilbert SECOND BY: Commissioner Shirley Allen APPROVED: Unanimously Approved 3 PUBLIC FORUM Mayor Chris Coats opened the Public Forum. Vicki Ingersoll, 30 N. Railroad, Coats NC, expressed hope in hearing updates on the downtown revitalization soon, Jason Savage, 1978 Cane Mill Rd, Coats NC, conveyed concern with the lack of a Parks and Recreation Director and the uncertainty of the upcoming baseball season Mayor Coats closed the Public Hearing after hearing no one else. MANAGER UPDATE Interim Town Manager Kenny Cole announced that Wes Blount had been name Public Works Director. CLOSED SESSION Mayor Chris Coats called for motion to enter into closed session pursuant to NCGS 143-318.11(6) RESOLVED, to go into closed session. MOTION BY: Mayor Pro Tem Marc Powell SECOND BY: Commissioner Shirley Allen APPROVED: Unanimously Approved Board of Commissioners entered closed session at 7:30 p.m. RESOLVED, to reconvene in open session. MOTION BY: Commissioner Kelvin Gilbert SECOND BY: Mayor Pro Tem Marc Powell APPROVED: Unanimously Approved Board of Commissioners reconvened in open session at 8:55 p.m. Onrelated to the closed session, Commissioner Kelvin Gilbert asked to revisit the Chamber request regarding the Easter event. He expressed the desire to go ahead and make a decision for financial assistance to avoid delay in reserving the bounce houses. RESOLVED, to allow no more than $800 for bounce houses for Easter festival ift they are available. MOTION BY: Commissioner Kelvin Gilbert SECOND BY: Commissioner Shirley Allen APPROVED: Unanimously Approved ADJOURNMENT Mayor Chris Coats called for a motion to adjourn. RESOLVED, to adjourn the meeting. 4 MOTION BY: Mayor Pro Tem Marc Powell SECOND BY: Commissioner Kelvin Gilbert APPROVED: Unanimously Approved Meeting adjourned at 9:00 p.m. The attached documents of reference are incorporated herewith and are hereby made a part of these minutes. Minutes recorded and prepared by Finance Director/Town Clerk Connie Lassiter Chris Coats ATTEST: Mayor mfsn Comielassiter Finance Director/Town Clerk 5