Good evening ladies and gentlemen welcome to the Thursday, February 4th. Regularly scheduled meeting of the Escobar City Council for those of you at home watching our own YouTube. We welcome you. We appreciate your interest and we will get right right away, right starting right away with our business. I would like to call the meeting to order and ask you to stand and join me in a moment of silent meditation. I invite you to pray in any manner that you're comfortable and we will follow that with with the flag of allegiance. Thank you. I play to the allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic of the Whitney St. One Nation under God, individual, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. We have Councilwoman Carter is on the phone with us. Can you hear us well, Linda? Yes. Thank you. Good to have you with us tonight. And belated happy birthday. Councilwoman Carter had a birthday on January 3rd. Happy birthday. Happy birthday. Happy birthday. Happy birthday. Happy birthday to Kate. Yeah. Katie. Yeah Katie women. January 5th. January 5th. Yeah, I was 85. That's past my recall. Happy birthday Katie. I don't believe we have any any special guests tonight other than the ones that are on the agenda. So this is the appointed time for public comment period. Is there anyone in the house tonight that would like to address the Asperer City Council on any matters of city business or concern? I actually have nothing back there. I was going to read this into the record Doug Shiflett. I think all of you know the cloud-shiflett family shiftlet stables. He sent me a letter tonight. The Marinine, we just cannot be here. He's traveling on business. And I'll just read this into it. Then the Marinine, I'll follow up with a few comments because I know the mayor said people I can not their type of Calls I've already planned a trip. I'll send you this message strictly out of my love care and concern over the reputation of our beloved city Ashburham Several months ago, Mayor Smith and I had conversations about landscaping the degradation as well as maintaining or the grass and medians, he's talking about the interstate. Mayor Smith, and I'd like to meet some of the things that I was not aware of between these issues. That would be DOT financial crisis. They cut the mowing from four times a year to two. They have no more crews to pick up the litter. We cannot give customers, we cannot get community service folks that don't have that program anymore either. It got better at the end of the summer season, but not to the level it normally has been or what I think it should be. Now my concern shifts to litter. He writes, I'm appalled at the amount of litter on I-73, 74, we all are. amount of litter on I-73, 74, we all are. And most of the exits come in on and off it. As a citizen since 1973 and a wife who's a lifelong citizen, we embarrassed by our travelers, for our travelers, tourists, investors coming to the Rashburg. We are blessed to be at so many crossroads of our great state, but we've got to represent it better. There are so many organizations, Asperers, well as prisoners, citizens, et cetera, that I can alleviate the problem. What has happened to our adopt a highway program? We don't have that answer right now. And Kurtz, all you driving around Asperg pay attention and focus on the side of the road at this ever-increasing problem in an eye sore. Asperg, we can do better. Let's set a bar for our state. Let's make us proud to have our citizens and visitors bragging about how clean and beautiful our city is. So that's the background. This is, when we get to Mr. Leonard's presentations, we're gonna address some of this later on on the place making and beautification. So I'll come back up at that point. Thank you, Mayor. And that's again from Doug Shipplett, I think most of everybody in here knows. Thank you, Mayor. And that's again from Doug Shippled, I think most of everybody in here knows. Thanks, John. There's no one else that wants to address the council tonight. So we'll move on. The first business item is Kevin Franklin, the president of the Randolph County Economic Development Corporation. He's gonna brief us on the county's placement in the statewide tear system. Good evening Mr. Mayor, members of Council thank you for the opportunity of being here. Mr. Ogburn invited me to come and give a little bit of an update on the county's tier system that's used throughout the state of North Carolina. I wanted to give a little bit of background not assuming that everybody is familiar with what this is all about. So general statutes of North Carolina require the North County Department of Commerce annually to rank the state's 100 counties based upon their economic well-being. The states are ranked from one to 40 are considered the most distressed, and then they're designated as Tier 1 counties. Tier 2 counties are ranked from 41 to 80, and then the Tier 3 counties, which are the least distressed, are ranked from 81 to 100. So that's Tier 3. Commerce then uses this data from four, they use data from four different categories to complete the rankings. And these are the four categories that they use annually. Average unemployment rate, median household income, percentage growth in population, and adjusted property tax base per capita. So the tier system that is incorporated into various state programs to encourage economic activity in the less prosperous areas of the state. So our current situation here in Randolph County, certainly including the city of Ashbur, after multiple years, for as long as I can remember being involved in local government and now in economic development for the last seven years Local government for years prior to that. We've been a tier two county for 2021 We've been designated as a tier one county putting us amongst the most economically distressed counties in the state and I want to quote from the state documentation that says why this shift occurred for Randolph County I want to quote from the state documentation that says why this shift occurred for Randolph County for this year. Quote, this shift was largely driven by a change in the county's unemployment rate rank, which moved from number 66 last year to number 44 this year. And quote, so to me, it's a little fuzzy. As we all know, the unemployment rate for all counties across the state, and in fact, all states across the country, has been up and down, fluctuating significantly. And so as a result of this, we find ourselves in tier one this year. I think once things stabilize, and exactly how long that will take. No one knows but hopefully within the next year or two I think it's quite likely that we'll find ourselves back into that tier two category which is where we traditionally have found ourselves. Just for background again here's where Randolph County ranked in all four of these categories which determined this year's tier designation. The adjusted property tax base per capita, and this is figured on fiscal year 2021, we ranked number 26. So that's fairly low. Not good. Population growth, we ranked number 40, so we're right on the bubble there between tier one and tier two. Media and household income, we ranked, and this is based on 2018 numbers. We ranked 58, so in pretty good shape, in the middle of the pack for the state. An unemployment rate, as we've already mentioned, and this is from October 19th to September 2020. It's the average, that 12-month average, we ranked 44. So we were 66 in this category last year, we dropped to 44 for the rankings for 2021. So I also wanted to put this map up that you see ahead of you just so that you get a context of where we are in relation to the communities that are around us. And you can see the lightest color there are all of the tier one counties or the more economically distressed counties. And you can see the lightest color there are all of the Tier 1 counties or the more economically distressed counties. And we fall into that this year. Those counties surrounding us are either Tier 2 or Tier 3 counties, all of those that touch us. And most of those in our region are Tier 2 counties. I also just want to note that there's been a lot of controversy since the state initially instituted this particular program about how how equitable it is and I'll point out two things first of all in Chatham County and secondly in more county and you'll note that both of those are ranked as tier three counties, least economically distressed. But if you know anything about those communities, you know that in Chatham County, for example, the eastern side of the county, Pittsburgh, all of that, this kind of bleeding out from the Chapel Hill Durham area, that's certainly a better off section of the county economically. If you get into the western side, where the southern city is and some of the more rural areas, certainly that would have the characteristics more of a tier one community. And I think more counties the same. You've got Pinehurst there and that really is driving that tier three status. So I just, I just make note of that that there is some controversy about how this is and every year or two somebody proposes legislation that we might should look at this More holistically at the state, but that hasn't happened so far. So what does this mean for us today in Randolph County? Like you I probably we probably feel the same that we don't like to be Find ourselves categorized as among the most distressed communities in the state. However, there is the potential for some benefit to our community as a result of this. So for example, when applying for state economic development grants, lower tier communities tend to receive higher priority because the state has this vested interest in trying to help improve the status of the more economically distressed communities. In fact, that's the whole purpose for them doing this exercise on an annual basis. So as an example, some of the state grant programs I'll start with JDIG. That's the job's development investment grant. This is kind of the state grant programs I'll start with JDIG. That's the job's development investment grant. This is kind of the state's signature program for large scale investment in a community. A company that's locating in a tier three community receives 75% of an announced grant award for JDIG with the remaining 25% being transferred to the utility account which helps to fund infrastructure projects in tier one and tier two communities. So for tier three, 75% of that announcement goes to the company, 25% goes into the utility account. In a tier two community, which is what we traditionally have been, in that particular program, it is 90% of the grant goes to the company. 10% goes into the utility account. For a tier 1 community, for a large-scale investment by a company, 100% of that announced grant goes directly to the company, and there is no allocation out of that to the utility account. So a larger company landing in a tier 1 community actually has some financial benefit by doing so. Another grant for example the one North Carolina grant which is a discretionary state grant for economic development projects. Typically it's on a per job basis, a couple thousand bucks per job from the state. There's a match requirement from that, however. So in a tier three community, it's a dollar for dollar match. State puts in a dollar, the community puts in a dollar for the program for the project. In a tier two community, the state puts in two dollars and the community puts in one dollar. For a tier one community the state puts in three dollars and the community puts in just one. So it's, you know, it gives from a 100% match to a 50% match to a 25% match for a tier one community. The other state programs such as the building reuse grant, you're familiar with that. We've used it successfully across the county and certainly in Ashboro. Those give priority to tier one and tier two communities. But again, there is an emphasis on, you know, if everything's equal and the funding is limited and it's a tier one community versus a tier two community, typically the tier one community is going to get the nod for that program. So I think the bottom line here is that the state established this tier system to identify and help communities that are in need of economic support. And that tier one designation then can actually prove beneficial in attracting new industry to Randolph County. I think the other thing is, even if there's a program that's not necessarily focused on Specifically benefiting a tier one community if the state's goal is to lift up those tier one communities We certainly shouldn't be shy while we have this designation for asking the state for help Even if it's not specifically designated as being beneficial for that program. So if there's a project going on, I think we should be bold in going to the state for assistance and making reference to, you know, these are your numbers that you've compiled based upon. What's happening in our community and according to your designation, we're a distressed community. It's in your vested interest for this program to see us improve, so help us improve. So I think that's where we are today again. I don't like to be there, but I think there can be some benefit for our community while we're here. Let's take advantage as we can of being in this tier one status. So that's kind of high level. I've got some additional documentation from the state that provides information about where all of the counties across the state land and all of their specific rankings and those categories, I'd be happy to share that with Mr. Ogburn, if that would be helpful, if you all would like to see that as well But if you have any questions, I will do my best to answer them Kevin I couldn't agree with you more about the chat them and more there's clearly two chat rooms Two more absolutely. I mean, it's just this this especially in chat. It's just physical. It was well It is but I mean, this, this, this, this, especially in Chatham, this, this, this physical, this well. But, uh, looking at the map, you know, we've got some strange bedfellows in this, uh, four counties jump out at me, uh, in that three, three in addition to roundoff that, that I'm scratching my head about as well, and that's Wilson, Cumberland, and Rowan. Cumberland makes no sense. Wilson makes very little, I see no evidence in Rowan, I spend more time there. They're clearly some anomaly outliers driving this collective dististic. Yes. This year, typically there are a handful of counties that are switching tier designation. They're kind of on that bubble every year, whether it's between tier one, tier two, or tier two, tier three. And so there's a little bit of shift every year. This year, there was almost, I don't have to go back and count, there were probably 15 counties that had their designation shift. So I think really a lot of this for this year is as a function of just a strange economy over the past year. And I think we're going to see some of this level out. But ultimately I don't have the answer for this, but ultimately, there's clearly some issues. I will say that for some of these grants, if they're in a tier three community, but their census tract is designated as distressed, then they still may be eligible for some of these programs. But when we're talking about the grant matches and that kind of thing that really boils down to, where does the county fall in this tier designation level? I believe I've read about things that, for instance, Hanson Richmond and Scotton were like the only place to qualify for potential, some sort of job being. I had a certain plant industry, whatever. If we're ranked the same as them, certainly we could move right up to the front of them. If this were NASCAR, we could have the best product paying the rent. That's right. I like your analogy. I will say one other thing with respect to specifically some of the CDBG grants that are administered on the state level that require matches. Some of them have another layer of help for those that really are at the bottom of the tier level. So those that are in the lowest 25 ranking, the grant match is either very minimal or it goes away completely. And certainly we're not at that level. But let's take advantage as we can while we're here. Yeah. Yeah, the questions of Kevin. Kevin, thank you so much for staying on top of this and sharing this information with us. It doesn't. Looking at the map, it doesn't seem completely equitable. There are some real discrepancies, but maybe we can make some hay with this. It's the hand we've been dealt. Let's play it in the best we can. Is there a place where you can place a three-for-one iron? He works at Joseph A. Mike. Nobody has any other way to fight for you. That's right. Thank you, Kevin. You're welcome. Thank you. You're working with them on a... We do have... What's the... What's the question? We're working to pound the panel. The federal designation... The opportunity zone. So we do what Mr. Mothett mentioned. There's federal economic development opportunities layered on top of the state map. So there is a spot in Ashboro that's an economic opportunity zone. It's the northern end and goes up into random. When Kevin notified me about this, I did ask him to come tonight. I did direct Michael Roney and Water and Sewer Director. What he'd registered Director to a notify freezing nickels. They're doing some grant work on us to use this. Any grant money is there available. Also for our sportsplex project, Zucity Sports Block project, we, you may have remembered before COVID hit, we had a meeting in the new rec center. It's, you know, using just a little 25 square feet. And we, about the sportsplex, and the need for soccer fields and multipurpose fields, that grant application will go in this spring. That was what's on the street. Nomenclature Part F, but it's North Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund, P-A-R-T-F. And we plan to apply for the federal program also, which is Land and Water Conservation Fund in the Lingo-L-W-C-F. So the application will reflect this new rating when we send those in. Also today, Maris Smith, on top of the COVID activity, in the possibility for COVID legislation, COVID-related economic legislation and public health legislation in Washington, federal legislation, sent a letter to Senator Burr, Senator Tillis, and Representative Bud and the need for economic stimulus here in Ashboro as well as additional monies for vaccinations. I'll get to more than that just further down the agenda. And we did cite this as economics assistance needed in Ashburn, Randolph County as well. Thank you, Kevin. Thank you. Thank you, John. Thank you, Kevin. Next item I'll call on Chief Building Inspector Randy Purvis. He has his annual Building Inspections Report. Welcome, Mr Randy Purvis, as is annual Building Inspections Report. Welcome, Mr. Purvis. Mr. Mayor, members of the City Council, I'd like to present the City of Asheboro 2020 Building Inspections Department Annual Report. And we still maintain a staff of my CEO, 2020 Building Inspections Department Annual Report. And we still maintain a staff of myself, Chief Building Inspector, Jimmy Kagle, part-time Inspector, and Tammy Williams, the Deputy City Clerk. For the year of 2020, the outbreak of the novel coronavirus made for a challenging year for everyone. Changes were implemented to ensure the health and safety of employees, as well as customers while continuing to provide excellent customer service. The number of new residential building permits issued for January 2020 through December 2020 was 156 of which 85 were new construction and 71 was residential remodel. Way journey homes was responsible for permitting 62 of the permits for residential single-family structures. For the year of 2020 there were a total of 57 commercial building permits issued of which eight were new construction and 49 were remodel and upfits. The total valuation for both new commercial and remodel upfit permitting was $18 million and $8,595. The total value for residential permitting totaled $10 million, $153,220. The total revenue generated for building permits both residential and commercial was $9,3285.78. The new commercial projects included but are not limited to bow jangles, aspen dental, and we built two dollar general stores. There were a number of commercial renovations that took place such as custom extrusion, hunt electric, tractor supply, and talbot building supply. Overall the City of Asheville Building and Special Department performed well and exceeded the previous year in some categories. We will continue to work closely with all departments within the city to make Ashboro the place everyone wants to be. For the total of the building permits was $93,000 to $285.78. The electrical permits totaled $17,768 and plumbing permits totaled $10,785. And the mechanical or heating and air permits totaled $20,755. Building permit valuations for new construction, residential and commercial, $7,687,420. For additions and alterations, residential and commercial was $1,275,400. The total for residential and commercial was $8962,820 dollars. The number and value of building permits, commercial and residential manufactured homes flee flat fee excluded. And this gives you the total for the for the last five years of commercial and residential. The number of permits and dwelling structures consisted of 83 single-family permits, two town homes, which was the total of 85. The number of dwelling units in the previous 10 years are listed and these include single-family, town homes, duplexes and multi-families. For midst issued by trade commercial and residential, on the building permits we had 242, electrical 310. Plumbing permits was 151 HVAC, 248. And what do you one manufactured mobile homes. The permit valuations commercial and residential for the previous 10 years are listed with 2020 new construction was $14 million, $410,000 in $20. The additions and alterations was $13,751,795. And the total of all was $28,161,800 in 155 for the year of 2020. And if you have any questions, I'll try to answer them for you. Randy, I just like to share with you my opinion and feedback that I get on the value of the service that your department brings to the city. It's not all dollars and sent to the president. It's convenience and service that's followed through is eased the work with. And I think it's a very valuable service that the city provides and it's very necessary for us to continue. Well, thank you. Thank you. I will echo that. I get positive comments and compliments often from people that deal with you and your department. You're entamming to a great job. And people say you're great. Great to deal with you in your department. You're a Tammy doing a great job and people say you're great, great deal with. Thank you. Any other questions of Mr. Purvis? We're going to make this public. The light is Randy's last report and the report to the council. Have we heard that before? I can't say Randy will be retiring in May. last report and then report to the council. Have we heard that before? I was going to say. Randy, will we retire in May? Oh, no. June 1st. June 1st. So, congratulations. I'm glad you got it. I know yet that once you're in the city of Madras, Paul, you will actually retire. Yes. You're going to have a spare time ready to deserve it. So you may see that we're advertising now. We're going to continue all for the service and after you develop an apartment with our fire inspections. And zoning, zoning supply, one-shot, ABC for it. This come with one place, you might be wondering how we can back, we still find a good one. And we're proud of all that Randy has done. Yeah. He's been a real asset to the seat. We'll say more about that later. I'm proud of for you and say it to me. Madam, I might have a few questions. No. Any questions? Hold them till June the post. Thank you, Randy. Thank you, Randy. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Randy. At this point, I'd like to call on our coding enforcement officer Chuck Garner. He's got an annual report on his office activities, code enforcement. Welcome, Mr. Garner. Good evening, Mr. Mayor. Remember the count on Mr. Garner Good evening Mr. Mayor, members of the Council Mr. Arguerin. I am with Randy coming before me and talking about all the millions of dollars and this and that he's a tough act to follow so when we get a new building inspector I think CodenforceMitch should come in a- He's a tough act to follow. I really appreciate y'all letting me come and talk. I'm really proud of what code enforcement is able to accomplish. We move slow, but we're always moving forward. And I think overall, I'm just really proud of what we're able to accomplish. This year has been crazy for everybody. A year ago when I stood up here we had there was no COVID and I make my living more with conversation than with putting a letter in the mail to somebody and I feel like I get more accomplished that way and I'll be able to relationship with the community in that manner so in the beginning of it scratching my head what do do I do? How do I how do I do my job effectively? Well, I'm decided to just start getting COVID tests and doing my job and it's it's worked out. The numbers are off a little this year in terms of notices of violation issues and I'm going to blame that on COVID. 307 you see there. That is it's a little less than last year, but it's not really reflective of the total number of cases because a lot of cases, because of conversation and education never rise to the level of having to do something formally like that. Unlawful tent cities cleared, I really should have said relocated and moved to a better location that serves. I don't know how to say other than that community right now, which is growing. I'm afraid. Nine dilapidated structures were removed and that's always a good thing. It's always good for the community as a whole to remove something that is bringing property values down. You know, it's not safe. The breakdown on the NOV's 75% general nuisance, 10% junk vehicles and 15% zone inviolations, that's not all inclusive. Because if you ask me what I'm going to do in the morning, I can't tell you yet. I have to wait and see what the voicemail message, well no, I do know. I do know I'm going to do the first thing, but it changes from day to day. The job is always interesting, it's not predictable. So that's not an all-inclusive list. This is one of the ten cities that was moved and you can see for obvious reasons why I needed to be moved. This is a better-looking operation but nonetheless it couldn't be in that spot. This is one of the dilapidate structures that was took down. And now that is a, here's another picture of the same thing. Now it's a grassy lot. And it's aesthetically pleasing and not hurting community at all. Another one, this is a, this is one I have a before and after. And you can see obviously it need to go, there's some safety problems there, and that's what it looks like now. So you can see the improvement and the necessity in getting rid of some of these structures. And these are just typical nuisance violations that are encountered. Most of the time, most of the time people want to do the right thing and need to be educated or just reminded. And a lot of times me showing up is enough to realize that somebody else is looking at their problems. And yeah, that's, I see. Is that out in the street? That's out in the street. That's really, that's outside of the normal. That didn't happen in that afternoon. Actually, they did. Do they clean out the house? They cleaned out the house and they had all the bag stuff out at the street. And then they left. It was a rental house. And as soon as they left people converged on all the bag stuff and went shopping and you can that's the result. And that was not cleaned up by the city. I contacted the property owner and he came back from out of town with a dump truck and he cleaned all that up so that wasn't a burden put on our public services department. And that is exactly what it looks like. Two pigs. Two pigs. And that's a front porch. Good point. Yeah. That's why I say it's always interesting. And I'm going to close with this picture in just a 30 second explanation. The most rewarding thing that I do is, in situations like this, this is a rental property. It's a low income rental property where I get to be an advocate for the tenant in a situation like that. Now, it's, I have recognized during COVID that a lot of landlords are not being paid right now. So it changes the dynamic. And I really wanted to say metric right there because she said Mandy says that all the time on the use but on the governor's things but I back away from it. But it changes the dynamic. The landlord's are struggling financially too right now and so it kind of, we're all in it together right now to work together. So I work towards more of a meat and a middle approach until we come out of the pandemic. So, and I see it, that's the last one. So any questions? Questions? Ms. Carter, do you have any questions for Chuck? That's a dollar. Ms. Carter, do you have any questions for Chuck? I forgot. Mr. Carter, I forgot. I forgot you were there. I'm sorry. I do appreciate you letting me know about the thing earlier. I always appreciate you calling me or texting me and making me aware of something that I may not have seen. Thank you. Thank you because it just jumped right on there. Every time. Chuck works very closely with Ms. Carter's Community Development Committee, which she chairs and that's the source of a lot of his marching orders. Coming from that committee and contact that they have with citizens in the community. And I will compliment Chuck also in that every time I have a complaint that I end up forwarding to Chuck, he jumps right on it, it's a done, and never fails to call me back and let me know the disposition in what he's actually been able to accomplish in that particular case. And Chuck, I do appreciate that. You want to appreciate that. You worked well for the city and do a great job. Thank you. Thank you. Chuck, is there a kind of any action activity maybe on a two-story wood structure at the intersection of Coch Street and Main Street there commonly known as Hays' Groofy Store. It's the County Corner across from the Ashe Rang Rescue Squad. Yeah. Well, the two story was being renovated. Right now. Yeah, I know. The Crean Rear. Now, the one story, the Yellow House, is that's about to fall, is actually, we're gonna remove it. And the hold up right now is a legal thing. The, it was a rent on. There is a mortgage, the family that lived there left and so they haven't been able to sign any paperwork, release it back or surrender it, I think it's the right term. And we're waiting. There's a time period that has to be run out before anything can go forward, but it's good as going now. Is there a good tempered innovate that two story? That he's grocery they're going to renovate. Yeah, he's a fierce to me that he'll lean in. I've got a lid floor building, I mean, that was anyone. Very bad about it. And I've talked to him about it and he's going to renovate it. And he has started now renovating. So. I wish them well. I wish them don't do tires. It is. And there's a lot of work. I want to rent a car. I want to rent a car. I want to rent a car. I want to rent a car. I want to rent a car. I want to rent a car. I want to rent a car. I want Yeah, out of the little nickel wax coat bottles. Prior to him buying it, we had actually had a hearing on it and ordered it. It was rental property. The previous owner was renting it out for residential use and we closed it because of safety concerns. Well, once again, you do a great job. Thank you. Thank you. You're not retiring, are you? I wish. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No Is any item only consent agenda that you would like to remove for individual discussion and consideration? Hearing no items mentioned I will entertain a motion to approve the consent agenda as it's presented to you. Mayor, I move we approve the consent agenda as presented. I have a motion by Mr. Abel to approve that I have a second. Second. Mr. Reading is our second. Any discussion? All in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed, like sign. Motion carries consent agenda is approved. Our next item we will move right on into the Michael Leonard show. I believe our city engineer Mr. Leonard has just about the rest of the evening. I believe that's correct. First item for Mr. Leonard is some consideration engineering department considerations for the city sports planks. Thank you Mr. Mayor you have in your package a proposal from S&ME for the final testing of phase two portion of the zoo city sports planks. The cost for this testing will be $57,485 and staff recommends approval of this fee proposal by reference. So moved. I have a motion by Councilman Moffitt. Do I have a second? Second. Mr. Berks is our second discussion. All in favor say aye. All opposed. Thank you, Mr. Carter. I'm sorry I forgot calling you all ago. I need to remember to call on you because you have to speak up and vote. All right. We need one of those cutouts like they have in the stadium. This is Martin. We need a little cutout like they have in the stadium. They're behind the phone. Thank you, Mr. Carter. Motion carries and now we have go ahead. So in light of your action, the finance director has prepared a budget amendment for the Compaction Testing of the project and staff recommends adoption by reference. Okay, I have a recommendation to adopt the reference. May I have a motion? That's so good. That was motion by Councilman Moffett. I have a motion. Motion by councilman Moffett. I have a second. Second. Second, Miss Snuggs. Consideration. I'm sorry. Discussion. All in favor say aye. All opposed. Ms. Carter. Thank you. All opposed. Ms. Carter. Thank you. The unanimous is approved. Item B is some consideration for the David and Pauline Gerald Center City Garden Project. Thank you again, Mr. Mayor. RFQ's were advertised for the David Pauline, David and Pauline Gerald Center City Garden Project in December with a due date for January 4th. RFQs were requested for qualifications. Three Landscape Architect firms submitted their qualifications for the project and were graded by staff based on their qualifications. While all firms were highly qualified, prospect landscape architecture, LLC was chosen because it's a proposal, a completed similar project in the past. Staff requests this proposal from prospect for the design of the project, which along with their qualifications was included in your packets. Their fee for the proposed work will be $107,000. That's $107,000 and staff recommends approval. You all had a copy of her proposal. And while she had lots of great experiences, it appeared to me that this might be her her first big project as a business owner Fairly new, but she is very qualified in Projects that she's had the lead on with another So I'm excited to have have this and I will entertain a motion to to have this and I will entertain a motion to award this architect design services contract. Mayor I move with the design services contract. Motion by Mr. Bell. Do I have a second? Second. Mr. Burke's? No, Mr. Swayers. I'm sorry. Seconds Mr. Swayers. Discussion? All in favor say aye. Aye. All, Mr. Carter. All opposed? Okay. Motion carries. I believe that was unanimous also. So in light of your decision the finance director has prepared a budget amendment for the design of the project and staff recommends adoption of our reference. That is that Tuesday. Thank you. I will entertain the motion to adopt this budget ordinance amendment. Move to adopt my reference. My reference, yeah. Thank you Mr. Birx. I'm struggling with this. Okay. Have a motion by Mr. Birx. May I have a second? Second. Second, Mr. Swearer's discussion. All in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed. Mr. Carter. That's a firmman to it. Okay. Motion carries a farmman. Okay, motion carries. Thank you. And then next, Mr. Leonard, you have some place making and branding project items on I-73-74. Yes, sir. Also, at the same time, RFQs were advertised for the I-73, 74 corridor place making and branding project and the due date was the same at January 4, 3, landscape architectural firms submitted qualifications for this project as well and they were graded as well based off of their qualifications. My all firms were highly qualified again, Jay Davis was chosen because it had completed similar projects in the past. Staff requested a proposal from Jay Davis for the design, which is also included in your packets. Their fee for the proposed work will be between $107,000 and $185,000. And staff recommends a group of this proposed. Well, if I can follow along here and here to work, we're getting to the director's earlier for Mr. Schipley. This is some of our response. If you've been out there, you'd notice how overgrown the median for a week. We can't manage them. We're going down there. The engineering team and Michael have, we have begun to get the approximate agreements where this will print breaks. We can go out there and remove the big, good, good, good stuff and get the landscape part. So they don't have to work just off GIS, but they obviously don't put vision, job, vision, perfection, right? So we're going to swing a lot of that up now. The long term is we need to clean up activities. We don't know, I say this all the time, wherever that vehicle goes, and it throws that into the car and vaning in front of my house. There's a branch. If they're in the back seat, the police are for the go-ins. So I guess it's a function of COVID. It is dirtier than I am in the district. Or what, so we'll get out there and play some up to. We would like to stage the night. Restart the Community Service Department. It's been not funded now since the last 2009-10 budget crisis. And this is an important function that we hear about Kevin's employment rate. You remember a year ago, our employment rate was 2.98% so that means people moving from job to job. A lot of these people are actually unemployed and under employed there in the hospitality and travel industry. And this is one of the reasons we got to take advantage of that. And they're behind the food and gas for that extra 400 a week. Yeah. And with the coming online, now the sun and the loops open, and get food to the vaccination period, we can get Australia and Asia opened up in the zoo and we're going to stay. So this is all coming. It's all part of our long term plan. Okay, thanks John. I will entertain a motion to award the Design Services Contract for the place making and branding project based on the recommendation by the staff. This is where I'll make making motion to award the contract. They had the terrible practice designs that they had me at one day talking to somebody about the motion. Motion by Mr. Moffitt to improve. Do I have a second? Second. Second, Mr. Raiden. Discussion? All in favor say aye. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. Second. for the I'm sorry. I'm going to get to the finance director. Yes sir. Finance director has prepared a budget amendment for the design of this project and staff recommends adoption by ref. I will recommendation to adopt by reference. May I have a motion to that effect? May I just ask a quick question? Yes sir. That was for $150,000. It was $170,000 to $185. I'll just say that $180,000. $150,000. The budget amendment says $115,000. Yeah, so that's why I was wondering what the difference was when contract and the ordinance. I didn't see the budget amendment. So. any ordinance. I didn't see the budget amendment. Proposal is for. There's the proposed seat. Okay Mayor. We'll just put this on the consent agenda next time. Right. The last place 170 to 185. Was there two pages on there? No, no, no, on the budget. There's no two budget. Okay. We'll just put this on the consent agenda mayor. I think we've picked up this from the other project funds. All right. Well, then you started on 100.5. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's a long way towards it. Do we need to approve this tonight and then approve the additional. Yes. If you have a group of 30, if you know, if you'll just approve the contract, which you did, will follow along. Okay. We can't sign the contract and issue a purchase order to you approve the budget amendment anyway. Okay. Because of the pre-outed rules. We'll communicate that to the architect and we can go ahead and get them aerial folk posing all the stuff they need anyway. Okay, thank you. Next item is 9D. You're going to review a public right away needs for some sort of avenue from Davis Street to church Street. Yes, sir Sorry for skipping ahead. I'm on my good This is this is just for guidance or direction of staff to continue or not So the survey of the block for sunset Avenue between church Street and Davis Street Has been completed the current right away for this portion of the sunset is 70 foot. That is 70 foot along that whole length. In order to maintain a five foot minimum for the sidewalks on both the north and the south sides, a 10 foot portion of the right away can be closed, bringing it down to 60 foot. Sunset is, however, not exactly in the middle of the right way, so the closure would be to be at five foot from the back of curb and in order to hold the sidewalk would be approximately three and a half feet of closure on the south side and on the north side that they've accomplished the same thing of five foot behind the curb for the sidewalk with the six and a half feet on the north side. At this time, staff, like I said, staff just needs direction, whether to proceed. You know, this arises out of, you have a problem with here. This arises out of the development and the ongoing work of the the new restaurant, including locations, mainland and crooks. So, in the engineering department, we can sell conservators. We can get this done, and I have to, we can shrink the street enough. We can accommodate, give to the development of Rebecca McGee-W, she was the guy at Colourtons. We've run into the Downtown Association, they think it's a good project to, we want to encourage, I think we want to encourage. Down to the attendees, so Council's okay with that. But this is, step one, getting the process. There's official flats and advertising, this will get us moved. Well make it clear we're not strengthening strengthening the street where you're narrowing the right way. That's correct. Oh and Mr. Trollinger does that work for your client? It's been in two inches. We can ask that one. Within two inches. Okay. So the 56.67 right away is that the new proposed right away that has proposed that? Yes, it's kind of blind as well. And that's approximate. He's got to get the survey and see exactly what back at curb is and everything. The points that are on here on the proposed properties. What are they relative to? At which point you're talking about? That's absolutely details for. But, uh, Push the speed to start with? That's correct. I mean, it'd be claimed what we have claimed past. So this kind of claimed that up, too? That's correct. I mean it be claim what what we have claimed that So this is kind of clean that up to that's correct to a point. Yeah So you guys I had just so you would be aware city staff or through the survey will need to contact property owners on both sides of sunset avenue. With the reason being, they'll be approached about signing a plat. And the reason is to account for the statute generally reads that whenever there is an order of closure entered, that the property lines are presumed to extend to the center line of the street, and they take title by operation of law with that order, that's the presumption. But the statute also enables you to have a different division of property. So long as you get the signatures of the property owners who are to receive that to sign the plat that she was for closing the street. So in this case, since you're not having the classic closure of an entire right of way, where there's one center line just to extend the property lines to, we'll need to divide it up on each side of sunset avenue, depending on what's necessary to end up with the sidewalk you intend to end up with. And so each property owner will be asked to sign the plaque showing this is the property you're going to end up with. And that's always crucial because when you get to your hearing, the process is that there will be a formal resolution. Once we have that plaque, you'll adopt it that sets the hearing. At the hearing, one of the standards you have to look at is does any property owner claim this is adverse to their interest or their property rights? Well a lot of you go a long way in resolving that by getting everybody to agree up front on the platt. This is what you end up with at the end of the day. So I hope that's helpful, but you haven't answered any questions. How would a department routinely do that in the first two as an asymmetrical layout? Correct. And it's common procedures that hope that it shouldn't be needed. Exactly. Okay. No formal action. Just consensus. As long as there's the consensus of the Council to move forward we'll bring a resolution for you. Cargu, are you'll do a fine job. Okay, next is regional airport matters. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. You have in your packet's work authorization number five between City of Ashboro and WK Dixon for the acquisition of Hanger N. This item does qualify for non-primer and entitlement funding from the division of aviation and has been a submitted and approved for this use. Staff recommends of work authorization five, recommends approval of work authorization five by reference. Okay. What we're approving, go right ahead. I will be sure to understand what we're approving here is the work optimization for the BK Dix and to provide us with an implementation, the appraisal. That's correct. And begin the acquisition process. Or end it. Yes. If it's negotiated in some different manner, if it is not, yeah, agreeable. The crisis. We're funding the study. It's taking no action towards the hinders. I believe so, yes, sir. That's correct. Very good. All right. We have a recommendation, a staff to adopt this work authorization number five by reference. May I have a motion to that effect? Based on clarification, I'm losing the exact. I have a motion, but Mr. Moffitt may I have a second? Second. Second, Mr. Birx. Any discussion? Questions? All in favor say aye. Aye. Thank you, Mr. Carter. Opposed, like time? Motion carries. Item two. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. In their regular meeting on January 19, 2021, the airport authority requested staff to investigate the construction of a new 60 by 60 or 80 by 80 hangar instead of proceeding with the purchase of hangar in tea hangars. However, staff had been directed by council on January 7th 2021 to proceed with the purchase. investigation. The deadline to submit request for the 2020-2021 fiscal year was in fact January the 18th. So one day prior to this meeting and staff had already submitted the request to the division of aviation or approval of the acquisition of the property. The expiring 2017 MP funds of $84,640 would have been forfeited if we would have changed they would not allow us to change for because the deadline had already passed so if we had not continued with where we were, those would have been forfeited. The acquisition has been approved by the Division of Aviation and they wouldn't allow any other change to the scope work. In your packet, you'll find a cost-benefit analysis for the purchase of existing tea, the existing tea hangers, which is hanger in, and a new construction of 80, 80 by 80 hangar. This also shows the current MP funding available for Asperer Regional Airport through the division of aviation and a staff recommendation on how to proceed with the use of these funds for the coming years. As shown in the analysis matching funds required for the coming years. As shown in the analysis, matching funds required for the city to purchase for the purchase of hanger end are $40,000 and will be recooked in approximately one year from the purchase due to proceeds from the rental. While the matching funds require new construction will be approximately 65 required for the new construction approximately $65,000, which will take approximately three years to repeat. Rental proceeds from the hanger end could also be used towards the construction cost of these additional foot hangers and the feet. So this is just information. All right. So show you what we chose that route. And we'll go. OK. We mentioned last month. Not the last month. The authority of being the airport catchable being careful with the party. We're going to have to empower the paperwork decision making because the aviation economy is moving so forth. So I'm going to be able to make a full authority meeting going to go ahead and do that. I'm going to go ahead and do that. I'm going to go ahead and do that. I'm going to go ahead and do that. I'm going to go ahead and do that. I'm going to go ahead and do that. I'm going to go ahead and do that. I'm going to go ahead and do that. I'm going to go ahead and do that. I'm going to go ahead and big stand-alone philosophy, I would say, that it's often how very significant stands on the stone that we do not even accept in a home to go to. We'll have some financial interaction, there's not enough revenue to go to the National E-Sports and the National E-Sports and the other things that we're doing. But we can make it clear for some of these terrible people who are subject matter that sports authority can text us to come. Question for you in this, we want to do what? We'll come up with this bias, you know, and that could be a choice of two grades perhaps in this. If I'm reading your numbers correctly, and you're know that the bottom after this purchase will be approximately 360,000 in MPE funds and the way I'm kind of getting to that math is the total we have right now is 534. That includes the this year's match as well. That's so it's 534 minus 360 plus 166. That's correct. Something that gets you to the 360 or something like that in that neighborhood. So that that money is available either way if we don't spend the 84 quickly is going to vaporize. That's correct. So that's a real consideration, but we want to get something for for money. One thing that I kind of throw out here just as a consideration in this, it's sort of a, maybe an outlier consideration. You've included the projected property tax revenue for the aircraft in each model. And wouldn't it be my missing something? We get that revenue back. You're getting that revenue anyway, yes. So they don't Necessarily since the hunger is already there and existing. Yeah, we would get that revenue either that's correct Whether we own it or somebody else owns it and then how many years is it before the head? We get the thing for free. Believe us 18 years 18 years. We get it for free I think the thing for free. I believe it's 18 years. 18 years we get it for free. I asked John earlier this evening and it was just a, we need to see what's his response. I just want to say it, say it, because I'm sure there's no answer to this evening for sure. If there's a possibility to spend the 84,000 to buy a portion of, say, three of those hangers or buy, say, five years off of it. I'll have to follow up with that. You know, in no words, if we can get just shorten their lease. Yeah, in no words, we get to build in the 13 years instead of 18 or we buy D-D-L-3 or four of the slots or something other. So that money to invaperize, we get something for it that comes back in, Benz, it's there. It's my understanding that I personally am focused on the new hunger, you know, one way, just cause I believe it brings in new business. Cause it will bring in an aircraft we currently don't have a way to hire us. That's correct. So in that in that column I see that is new revenue and over here in this column I see this revenue we could have either way. Whether that properly or improperly skews the numbers. And you're right on that. We were finding these numbers out at the same time. We were trying to get these out handle on the relative stream created by the airport. One of the things I'm looking at is... This thing morphed on us in a 36 hour period. I mean that's really what happened here. I'm very impressed you got this together some contains the time on the city from the airport into our so we can roll that back to the airport essentially where they can send about the name of the make-up. Right, that'd be great. If you don't need them, we'll push back. I think the... That's where we probably started counting the call of the year. And I will say that in speaking with some other folks, this 650,000 for the 80 by 80. That's a big number. That is a big number, but that's what we got from the engineer. And that is something that we could probably design down a little bit because that's with HVAC and all this other stuff as possible we could do. That was just the number I got the day of because I was trying to put this together quickly. But it's something that we could probably value engineer and get down quite a bit. The door is to be open. And I would think that at that level HVAC is probably necessary, but you certainly up at the time of 10. If there's a big difference between getting HVAC installed on demand is reducing the tender on demand. That's correct. Really. And that's the accountant of our plan revenue, the recapture on the P-hanger, the same degree area, maybe. I think we're on the right path. We've got all correct information in front of us. We definitely don't want to see that 84,000 vaporized. So what there might be some marketing to do all three in our chicken salad. Followed here. And just to just as a clarification, not because anything's that specifically in that discussion, but during the course of this transaction being described, I just want to make it clear what has to be purchased is the lease-old interest. The city already owns that in pieces. We own the city, own that property. It's only, I mean, it's already under our lease as the city, because we even ran into an issue when they had to build that. The city would not grant, would not subordinate to allow the financing to go on. They had to find other collateral than out there because the city has been determined to keep clear control of that property. So the one thing that's being gained is the city has more direct control at that point by taking that lease back. Your purchase and control and a potential cash flow. Correct. That piece of paper. Correct. Correct. The piece of paper. Correct. Okay. Item 3, you have presented us with some information about short term hangar lease agreements. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. At the last council meeting on January 7th, Council approved new rental rates for hangars at the Asperville Regional Airport. You have in your packets a proposed template resolution for short term hangar lease that was prepared by the city attorney and staff her by actually listening to the aircraft in there, so we got it back in the morning. There's a schematic of what actually is on the ground. But remember, you know, in order to bring the short term hang on there, if I can, under my authority, I can be for a year. In the long term, there's a function of the council and we put the decision making down to authority of the decision of the third. Now, the general strategy still applies to the authority. It's just, and they, and 90 days of us being behind them, they are not only getting it, but it's us all the way to here, and it's just making sure we have that meeting. Questions? And if I may, I will say that this will come up later for discussion. The template has a durational limit of no more than a year. The reason that, limousare just like the city manager correctly pointed out, the general statutes do not allow the council to delegate leasing authority to the manager for any time and access for a year. When the council itself has to engage in the lease, it has to be advertised and we have all the different restrictions on that. Which wasn't out of problem when you had the long term leases like what we're talking about for Panger Inn, when you had the long-term leases, the council could advertise it, go to the procedure, and then sign a long-term lease and make that happen. Under the rates as these long-term leases end, and in effect, the people who built the Hangers are amortized and they've gotten the benefit of the discounted lease over that period of years, the city has now gotten out from their lease-old interest. This is moving to that month-month basis, at which you start charging an appropriate market rate, now that we've moved past the initial time period. The way to try to make that work going forward, it's not practical month-to-month to try to advertise, you've got to advertise for a minimum of 30 days before the council can act. The suggestion for the way the handle does in this template You've got to advertise for a minimum of 30 days before the Council can act. The suggestion for the way to handle this in this template last for a year, because that should be as slow as government moves. We still should be able to get this worked out within that one year time period is to basically integrate with the airport authorities blessings, the leasing, these month to month leases with the FBO's responsibility. The City Council can approve the FBO agreement, which also serves as an effect a lease agreement for the long term with the FBO. The FBO is part of that contractual arrangement is then given the authority to manage these month to month leases for these specific hangers. They then can enter. The FBO can enter into those agreements as they need to along the way and the City Council has complied with the statutory requirements, having the one long term lease with the FBO with that delegated authority. And already the FBO has the ability to have some T-hangers already, the apron and other places, so it's not like it's an unusual situation. and already the FBO has the ability, has some T-hangers already, the apron in other places. So it's not like it's an unusual situation. So that's the long-term goal. And if you see that durational limit in there of a year, this just bides us over until that can be implemented. So the FBO, there's not subletting, it's acting as an agent. It's not yet there. Simple. They are, yes, we the city has leased to the FBO, these hangers. FBO then is authorized to sublie. It is a sublie. They can sublie and what will have to be worked out in the FBO agreement between the city and FBO is how do you work the compensation where they're doing the work. They're monitoring the hangers are doing, but what's the compensation to the city for allowing them in essence Sublease those properties Exactly they literally could go month to month and the FBO can sign off on it because they've already been delegated that ability For a set some compensation city. Okay. And I apologize. I made that more complicated than it needed. All right. You're asking for action. Yes. My reference. I refer. Yes sir. Adopt this short term handling of each agreement template by reference on the recommendation of staff. I'm like a motion we adopt a reference. That right? Yes, that's correct. Okay. We have a motion by Mr. Moffe to adopt my reference. May I have a second? Second. Second. Mr. Bell. Any discussion? All in favor say aye. Aye. Thank you, Mr. Carter. All opposed? Motion carries unanimously. Thank you, Mr. Leonard. Good job. Thank you. And all that makes sense if you've owned an airplane or owned a boat that you tried to shine a short term lease in a marina. Somebody leased it to somebody leased it to somebody leased it to you. You've been to Jordan Lake. All right. So Mr. Augerman will update the Council on impact of COVID-19 pandemic. Thank you Mayor. We continue to see COVID here in Randolph County as well as in our own workforce. Currently this is as yesterday Randolph has 11,700 active cases and unfortunately we've had 186 folks die from COVID. I was told today is one of our old retired employees has it was taken to hospice. So it's kind of sad. We're still under code red. I think the state has come down some as Secretary Cohen has said in her metrics, but there's still this critical community spread. Now, I still see a lot of mass squaring. There's still a lot of mass squaring. There's some isolated not mass squaring. And there's some, the general wrote mask wearing is out there. If there's somebody who's concerned that a business is not wearing forcing the mask rules or call the police department, we are handling that as a complaint, just like any other complaint. Somebody broke in their garage or anything else. We, the violation of the governor's order has been vetted now as a criminal offense. Okay, and we do we do answer that we do respond and we do check on top of responding. This is where we are. You see your best shot. The vaccination process is going on. You see your best shot the vaccination process is going on. There'd be another mass vaccination event about 2,000 people we've given their second dose at the North Carolina Zoo on Saturday. We are the city of supporting that event. Our restroom trailer is back down there in our water buffalo. That's from the Grand Off Health System. They're using some of their allotment. You can't still get them in the, through the Public Health too, got called at 800 number. I know it's booked in slow but we're moving through the process. There's a lot of discussion in the national news about using the national Fortune 500, the CVS's and the Wal-Mart's and the Wal-Greens when the vaccine gets rolling out a lot and that would be great. We've had a lot of COVID in our workforce. We can still see it. It kinds of runs and buckets. We are working really working hard on the three dubious here in our city organization. I will say this though, fixing water breaks and making sewer taps is pretty hard to mask. I mean, it's hard work anyway. We're just trying to keep everybody well and the best we can, but we have to meet our mission. And when our mission's public health and safety, and we don't do public health and the classic sense where we do immunizations and wellness, but we do provide clean water and a clean environment with wastewater, that's an important function. So we continue to work. We've had COVID and some of our communities the environment with wastewater, that's an important function. So we continue to work. We've had COVID in some of our public safety departments. Our fire department is still cutting two pieces down there, the two stations, burning out of one, east and west, we're still separated in the fire station one down there. And later I mentioned earlier that the mayor sent out today not only mentioned it, mentioned the need that this pandemic and the length of the pandemic is highlighted a glaring weakness in our fire prevention program. We do need a third station and we do need it south of Dixie Drive. So if you look at the city and you look up our growth, we jam up against Rathamun on the north end. The west ends pretty much residential. It's zone that way. East 64 and south. So that's where we need to be. So maybe there's talk at the federal level about restarting or refunding the The safer grants and the fire grants that we got a lot of our employees all of them a lot of equipment Remember chief right came here a lot in that era when that was So we hope to get some money and maybe can figure out somehow how to get a third station Down there about the same proximity as the sportsplex they could work back north and then south as we grow down, zoo parkway and old cockroaches, etc. Okay, we've had it in public safety. We've had public service in facilities maintenance. We've done pretty well in recreation services and we have limited recreation services. And we have limited recreation services. We are doing senior aerobics and senior health in our senior center. The employee fitness is going on at noon. We have water aerobics. They all are masked. The water aerobics, when they get out of the water, they're masked. They get back in. They're not masked. And unfortunately, we've had some administration and our human resources stay pay and Doug and I or Doug Campan are really working on employee safety and trying to steer us through this. I'm reminded that plus or minus a year ago Randolph County opened the emergency operation center for this pandemic and it's been opened 24-7 cents so that is a long haul when we're used to mainly weather disasters or weather emergencies so we continue to work that we are working hard mayor to try to get our employees vaccinated. You've seen a lot in the national meeting. You're going to see a lot more about requiring the requiring of vaccinations. You may have seen this week that maybe as many as one-third of nursing home employees chose not to get the vaccine. You don't have to be a detective to figure out if it's closed to visitors and then nursing home residents don't leave the only way that COVID got in was through the employees. It's an airborne and it has to get travels via respiratory. So we'll see. I know I can speak out of turn. I know Mayor Smith in the vaccination group. He's been around one. I was able to get in late last week sometime. Katie's been able to get in. Charlie's been able to get in. Eddie was able to get in. We were in the same one. We were both 59. We're right there at the cusp. I finally said, you keep asking me to set up all the events. I'm going to have to go back to same one. We're both 59. We're right there at the CUSP and I've asked Ms. Nuban. I finally said, you keep asking me to set up all the events don't I kind of as a mission critical employee? I guess somebody said that I did. Or they want something a lot next week. I'm not sure which. Yeah, they may be having a big big get coming to ask here soon. So we continue to work at it mayor. Dr. Fauci has said, you know, his goal for the nation is to go to the baseball game and sit in the seats. He's a big Washington National's fan, that would be Mr. Bell and I's goal too. Big baseball fans are gonna drown right now for our television watching. So that's where we are. We continue to work. If you know of anything else, we can help. Or if there's some shut-ins, we're trying to get the vaccine through the PT Regional Council down through the senior centers so we can get the shut-ins, like through the Meals on Wheels Program, deliver a vaccine and the meals. We got to ramp up the vaccine dosage and just unbiased amounts with his task force that's getting schools back open is a priority and that's read the state news today or tomorrow in the career that whatever paper you read that you see that's a big push in Raleigh right now. Thanks John. I will end until the availability of the vaccine gets ramped up to a sufficient number. We're just going to have to be patient. People are complaining. You probably all had telephone calls about people that can't get an appointment. Our local health department has been getting 300- week, 500 the next week, 300 maybe the week after 400, they're not getting a consistent number and they don't know until Thursday how many they're going to get on the weekend for the Monday and Tuesday. So 300 appointments go just like that. They get to make it 400 vaccines in one week was it last week or the week before they only got 140 for that? 300, two weeks ago. And the state from the Feds, the state is actually getting 120,000 doses for a population of 10 and a half million people. So it's going to take a while. And the health department is doing the best they can. When they get 300 doses, they open their phone lines and they make 300 appointments. And those appointments are gone in no time. The event at the zoo was cord, it was a rental health, as in rental hospital, event coordinated by them with the assistance of the health department and the logistics of that were pretty much done by Donovan Davis and the EMS people, the logistics of that 2000. And the ass event was perfect. And Ellie Parker and her team ran off here. Yeah. perfect and Ellie Parker and her team at Randolph Hill. Yeah, so yeah, that was a joint effort, but the vaccine doses came from Randolph hospital, not the health department. So there's a lot going on and it's John said one of the critical concerns now is people that are homebound shut in that cannot get out to get an appointment and are ultimately the highest risk group to start with. Trying to figure out how to get those people vaccinated at home and in an efficient manner and to get everybody covered. So just tell people to be patient to it's just not enough to go around and last week, couple last two or three weeks, there's been somewhat of a panic with people calling and getting frustrated and getting angry. So, and I'm sure you've all heard from somebody who had a story to tell. So just keep washing your hands and staying at home, staying away from people, the three W's and eventually this all work out. It's a massive undertaking when you think 120,000 doses a week for a population of 10 and a half million. Now Mayor, before we move off this subject, I wanna let the council know that we've had some pretty sick people in our workforce, but nobody's been hospitalized. Not good, we've had nobody, we've had some people that really came back and said, man, it was tough. And then we've had some people that was like a cold. And that's the frustrating thing. You know, we just don't know. You know, everybody's got an experience. Some just another cold, just another bad cold of flu. Others worst thing I've ever been through. And then we know people who passed away from it. They're like 60 minutes, highlighting five families that will never be normal again. One in particular, Lady Loster 41, you're all husband with five kids. I got a $4 million bill from the hospital. And she's worried about how to feed the five kids. And just straight up, nothing will ever be normal for those people again. Now one of the things Mayor, while we're on this, and I should have mentioned this, what Kevin was still here, the unemployment rate is skewed. So generally white collar employees, you know, if you work in the government sector or the public sector, there's been no unemployment. The lower sector of the economy, if you were to break that into wage levels, you would see the lowest sector of the economy has got like the 16.5 percent unemployment rate. Very high employment rate. And that includes people as I mentioned in the travel and tourism industry and in the hospitality restaurant. It looks affecting by the lock and knock. Loster coffee shop. Which is a whole another story. I heard today of a electric supply. I was up north ash bar that closed. You know, just consolidating to just that it was a satellite office and they decided they didn't need it. So it's affecting the whole world. It would be interesting if and when this is all over to say what our new normal turns out to be. But I don't think it'll ever be what we thought what used to be. So, all right, upcoming events, the John's got it on the screen. The only thing we have upcoming is the tomorrow night, is the 2020 normally is the chamber annual meeting, but they're going to do a live, going to be on streaming, Facebook and Elizabeth Lail is the host. It's going to be like a... And y'all have a flower. A late night. A late night talk show. It's a late night talk show. It's a late night talk show. It's a late night talk show. It's a late night talk show. It's a late night talk show. It's a late night talk show. It's a late night talk show. It's a honor and honor in the year, that time of thing. And it's going to be interesting. It may worth your time. I would encourage you to log on, follow it on YouTube. And for Tenamaki Rubin Elbows with the rest of your council members at dinner. Every other TV show she's on she heals somebody. I hope so. But she's looked good doing. She's on she kills somebody. But she's look good doing. She's a heck of an actress. And she's been very kind. And she remember Owen was here. Owen George was here a couple of years ago and showed us the video for the female Academy. And then she's done this now. You know, she's a very well-known, very famous actress. So to give freely of her time to support her hometown is, we're blessed to have her. Even if it wasn't for years, she comes home just, what do you mean after driving myself around? I've been wanting to get her to leave the, if we ever have another Christmas parade, being grand marshal of Christmas parade. I think when we get some of that stuff, the copper heads in post-45 and Christmas parade and Christmas on sunset and we can have the MLK breakfast next year hopefully and all that, that's going to be a pretty good to have it all again. That's the other thing, COVID, generally when we're being the city organization, when we're helping people in a snowstorm, post hurricane, post tornado, all the things we've had here. It brings us together. It brings the citizens and the staff together Right it's you who called and the trees down and we go get them and you get out and you're so glad we're there writing But this is actually pulled us apart because it's all Well, yeah, it's just enough not seeing your friends and neighbors Okay, that's the only thing I have a favorite birthday. I'm not up to date on my last anybody. Where if you do have a birthday? I'm going to recognize the police. Robert, I appreciate you being here tonight. And appreciate all the hard work. And you guys try to be safe. I know you're right out there on the front lines and cannot always be safe in what you guys do. Fast on our appreciation to the officers, your staff. And I know you guys who were hit pretty hard with the COVID a couple of weeks ago. So hanging there be safe and we appreciate you very much. We'll start with Miss Katie down here. Got anything? No Super Bowl party this year. Just a little small one. I'm glad you're doing better. Thank you. And I think you're about to call in for the prayers and I, I didn't have to go to the hospital, but I sure felt bad. Well, we're glad you were with us. And I would wish it on my worst neighbor. And Parker, you got anything to add? No, I'm just trying to go with the... My family got their stuff today. Good. Good for you. And I'm sure you can't what I did. We were there and there were two lines all in constantly and I think they were doing about four render today. So there's about 5,000 of sweeteners. So somebody wants to be tired and get their job. Yeah. I don't know how many work to be tired to get this job. Yep. They are well organized when they've got the vaccine to work with. And we appreciate you being with us tonight. I'm glad you're doing well. Thank you. Jane. I think nothing to add. Okay. Walker. I just, we're working on projects in other areas. I hope that the new tier ratings that worked for our advantage, you know, how it's available to us, maybe, can. We certainly got two, two critical projects, the Commerce Drive Project and the, and the Dublin 42 intersection, lighting of that intersection. You use it to every advantage we came. I'd ask Kevin the other day to reach out to NCDOT and there ought to be some industrial development money for a Tier 1 county and let's get commerce place connected. We have completed our part, which is the acquisition of the ROT away, and we've completed, we will complete our part, anything above 400,000. The OTs got to be there for it. And they are putting some research and projects out to be admitted. It's starting to show some progress. So there is some cash flow. Hopefully they've been with a COVID package or something. I'm sure we did that. Zoot director, Simon, she's progressing well with her cancer surgery and her chemo. She plans to virtually attend the virtual meeting February 10th, hoping to hear from her in person. Her husband is at Sun or in Hatchborough living now full-time. They settled their farm and they previously sold the farm and I sold the one in Alabama, liquidating all that cultural stuff to live here is supporting and being with her for the future. Her prognosis is good. So thanks for progressing there. Share that with you more as an upbeat than the downwind. But other than that, I just pray for everyone with the COVID, to avoid the COVID, whatever it can be, positive COVID. Thank you, sir. Mr. Vail. Happy Valentine's Day everybody. Yeah, that's kind of a afterthought valve with everything that we've got going on in. But you best best not to get it. Yeah, I'm sorry. I'll help you with Valentine's. I did see on Facebook that the man that has been at large from Davidson County, Spree, and which spilled over to Randolph County was apprehended today, so that's goodness. Good news, thank you, goodness. Good. Good news. Thank you, Mr. Burke. I was happy to see the sidewalk removal and replacement just north of Prestel Street, they're on Fable Street. That's been needed for a long time. And everybody I know who runs, that's the one spot they complained to me about. And so now they'll have no complaints. They'll be onto something else. But it looks like a good job. So I'm happy to see that. Yeah. Mr. Schwaers. Just I think with all the bad economic news, it's nice to see a bright spot with your Bakershop opening. Down on Bevel Street. And, you know, I think it's young couples for a lot of sweat equity into it and it's going to be an asset to downtown Ashbur, I think. I hope tomorrow morning at 6.30. Don't go. There'll be too many people in the line. Go see Moxata. At least not until you get your. That's right. That's right. Okay, staff, you got anything? Just want to quickly appreciate Tammy's flexibility and being here as far as our new approach to bring added resources. And I also want to thank Holly specifically. If you'll see it's your spots, you'll see the packets for the supplements to the code of Ashburne. She's prepared those and we appreciate her ill with that. Yeah, Holly was out. Mayor. And we really missed her. Glad to have her back. But not the same. She's around here keeping us all our spirits up. Jamie filled in. Yeah. Good job, Jamie. Tammy filled in the head. Hey, Bluey. Yep, good job, Tammy. Thank you. Very good. Appreciate what you do, John Scarris. Keep it round you straight, too. Yeah. That's a job. You know you try your best. I'm really going to miss him, actually. I'm sure you are, too. We all are. Easy to guess. Holly got a field trip the other day. Holly had had to come to my plant to see me. You out in third world there. Okay. Anybody else? Traver, I'm glad you're doing better. Good to have you back. I know you really went through it too. We'll place it that you're doing better. We'll try to gain a little weight. Thanks, Bob. Well, I'll call this meeting adjourned. Thank you, everybody. You and the trailers? Very good.