Hello, Patrick. The camera on too. Yes, we're live. Good evening ladies and gentlemen. Welcome you to the regular meeting of the Asperer City Council. But Thursday, October 8th, reach 8 you being here. Once again, this meeting is being live- streamed on YouTube. And we are practicing the proper social distancing. Most of the attendees are out in the hallway, socially distanced and chairs they're specifically placed. We will invite people into the room one of the time when they come to speak. At this point, I'd like to invite you to join me, stand and join me in a moment of meditation. I would invite you to pray in any manner that you are comfortable. And we will follow that with the pledge allegiance. Thank you. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. As is normal practice, this is the appointed time for public comment period. If there is anyone in the building tonight that would like to address the SBIRC Council on any matters of concern for the city or matters of city business. Please come forward. This is your opportunity. Is there anyone? Okay. Having none we will close the public comment period and ask the council for item four council you have in front of you a consent agenda it has been you had and had an opportunity to consider if you're any item on the consent agenda that you would like to remove for individual discussion. I will entertain a motion to approve the consent agenda as presented. Mayor, I move we approve the consent agenda as presented. Thank you, Mr. Birx. I have a motion to approve the consent agenda from Mr. Birx. Do I have a second? Second? Second, Mr. Bell. Any discussion? All in favor say aye. Second. Second. Second. Mr. Bell. Any discussion? All in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed. Ms. Carter, are you with us? Yes. Okay, and you vote for affirmative. Yes. Thank you very much. Good to have you with us tonight. Hope you're doing well. Miss, I miss seeing you miss having you here at the Council meeting. Okay, consent agenda was approved unanimously. Item five, downtown Asperin cooperated. We have with us tonight our brand new executive director of Rebecca McGee. She will, she has a proposal for us and is good to have you here tonight. Thank you. I'm very much enjoying my opportunity. Thank you. It's about the past five. Spend some time with you a couple of weeks ago. Hope you found everything you're liking so far. I have. I'm still excited I'm here. So that's a good thing. Well, that is a good thing. I'm working on it as actually looking at houses today. Okay. So I actually did not think I would be here within a month of starting my new position to be asking council for anything but here we are we actually have heard from several of our restaurants and our merchants that would like us to look into doing a downtown dining mini cities are doing this it is a benefit that has been added in the legislature due to COVID people you know their restaurants have been cut by 50%. And so this is a way to kind of address that. Again, we are a catalyst for businesses. We are following the, I'm sorry, we are following the North Carolina Main Street four point approach and that being, we are here as an advocate, we are here to support businesses, we are here to grow the downtown. Cities across North Carolina, including Winston's home, Greensboro, Chapel Hill, are all doing on street dining now. That includes not only the big cities, but little cities just like Ashboro, Morganton, Mount Arian, and Newburn. That's literally the mountains to the coast. Our three examples of cities that are doing on street dining. These are also main street communities that are being able to do this. One of the things that we will require in doing on-street dining will be a site plan. The area does have to be stanched off to look like it is part of the restaurant. So it can't just be free, willy-nilly in the middle of the street. They actually have to be attached to the property and the restaurant. They must adhere to ADA compliance in terms of allowing accessibility and they must adhere to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services regulations for masks and social distancing. We are actually asking for a specific date to do this from Council to close sunset Avenue, on Saturday, November 7th, providing the weather is good. We know we're getting kind of into the cold weather and we are a little nervous about it, but we wanna do something to help our businesses. And again, we're proposing a Tom 11 to 3 PM lunches a little bit more acceptable in this colder weather. I did want to provide a couple cities, like I said smaller cities that are doing this, Winston-Salem Greensboro. You can say great, they're big cities, they're doing it, but not just that the small cities are and you can see the area is closed off completely and they have on street dining. This is Newburn, they have it on both sides of the street. That isn't actually, I was there in March for our last conference. And that has several restaurants going down the center lane. But also if you, I can't know if you can see that from here, but in the middle there's actually a lounge that came out and they have couches in the middle there as well for people to sit on. And then Mount Erie, they actually did it on one side of the street. And if you can see, there's the white elephant brewery on this side and then they also have streets, I'm sorry, shops that are participating as well, staying open later for shoppers that are eating and then finishing would like to. So that being said, we actually requesting for the City Council to close on Tadavanoo and a portion of bicentennial parking lot. We want to host an outdoor dining event on Saturday, November 7th. The City provides barricades and police for safety. We have asked several of the restaurants if they would be willing to participate and all those on Sunset Avenue have said whatever day you do this we're very happy to participate whatever time we want this because we are at capacity on our weekends and with 50% dining and we want to be able to host more people. That is my first request and I actually would like the City Council request the City Council make a motion to approve closing that street on November 7th from 11 to 3 for the time an hour before and an hour after just for safety but I have an additional second request. My second request is that the City Council directs staff to do an ordinance amendment to allow alcohol sales in the public right of way for temporary events. Again this is only temporary this is only temporary. This is not a permanent request. It is for when we host events, when we close down the streets, that they can sell in the public right of way. This is happening in Morganton, Newburn, Mount Erie, Winston-Salem, Chapel Hill and Greensboro. They are selling and part of the thing that they have to do is have that area stanchion off So it is clear that alcohol sales are happening from the restaurant into that area But they cannot go outside of that area. So it is not a free-for-all They can walk around without call that is not what we're asking In response to that downtown Ashboro has created a Permit so to speak that we would be responsible for. Justin has an example of that. We would require a 1 million general and liquor liability with the city listed as additionally insured. Downtown Ashborough is in the process of getting a 1 million dollar event insurance as well as a liquor liability umbrella policy. We are looking into that as well as a liqueur liability. I'm umbrella policy. We are looking into that as well. They do have to have a site plan. They do have to have the area stanchioned off from the general walkway. And again, must adhere to ADA compliance and the North Carolina Health and Human Services guidelines. I hope that the City Council would look at this as an economic development incentive for these businesses. Again, I'm not requesting something they can do every Saturday, every Friday, it is event-based and it is a temporary thing. And this is something that is happening around the state. And with that, I'll actually open it up for questions. Questions? Yeah. Excuse me. All right. I'm a question for Jeff. Do you have seen this before? No. I'm looking at it now. Okay. Let me know when you get down. Okay. Go right ahead with the question. I don't have one. That's okay. Yeah. I mean, jump in here. Let me jump in. I believe you're asking for the second request is for us to spend a little time getting our ducks in a row and approve this next council meeting. Yes, the first request is just for the city street closure and the ability to do the on street dining without alcohol cells. Are you expecting either request to be addressed to? I would like the first one with the street closure. So we probably do the first one to not have the perfect mix of the proof. And we have expressed to the restaurants that if this is approved now at this this time they will have to tell the patrons if they are dining outside there will not be alcohol sales at this time provided we don't have a definition for it if that so changes in the future then that can be expressed then as well. So I'm hearing this right then we would have a council meeting November 5th You know we may or may not have a president We we will have a mayor And this this could be addressed then assuming is vetted etc I would just assume in his comprehensive. I mean they could apply Friday and go Saturday. Is that what I think I'm hearing? Well, I fully expect anybody that wants to participate in anticipation of our approval would probably already have an application in her hand. OK. Waiting for us to make our decision on the Thursday night. I did probably do, Saturday night event. I know we present the council action nor advice of council of any new ones. This is designed to give Jeff adequate time to vet the process. And so she does not expect any answer on that tonight. Yep. Let's back up to, well, other questions regarding it. I wrote it. Yeah, I had a question. And I thought she was asking action for us to direct staff to do the inquiry, but not for us to vote on the specific proposal as it relates to the second inquiry. Correct. Yes. Okay. I did have a question though relative to the second request. Sure. You had indicated in the first presentation or the first, as we were addressing the first issue that each location would be cordoned off as an extension of their particular location. And I take it that the libelicular liability would also go with their license and their service requirements of their particular. So we. So at the moment we are asking we downtown Ashburr asking them to section off their area to make it very clear. At the moment they can only serve food in that area but we want to go ahead and ask them to do that so they are comfortable with that. If at the next council, if for some reason, oh, sorry, if it is approved, that would still be in place, and then they are also on their, it is on their liquor liability. Many would be within their court and dog section. Yes, yes. And again, not being able to go from Correct. No, this is not open here sidewalk would be closed. They on one side of the road. Yeah, open on the It's all the restaurants on one side sunset. For pay for example the flying pig for example I'm wearing my mask because you're standing right there Well, that's all right. But their cordoned area would come from the pig across the public sidewalk out into about the center of the street. Probably, yes. So anybody on that side of the street would have to walk out and around. Yes. Okay. Or they can leave an area on the side of the sidewalk. That is ADA compliant as well. It will just have to be clearly that that is attached to that building. So there are some areas where you can walk through public sidewalks, even though they're stanchened off. And it's clear that this is a, it just depends on how each city and how each restaurant wants to do it. I've seen it right up against the building, and you can't move to, you know, you have to go all the way around, and I've seen them allow five feet of clearance for ADA accessibility even on the sidewalk, but then their extension area starts. It's, I've seen it both ways. One of our particular case're all on one side. So it's probably has more clarity to talk to the question. I'm sorry. May I address that issue? Yes, ma'am, Ms. Carter. I have a question. What down to our street? At the time, we are just focusing on Sunset sunset avenue we would love to include church street that does create a whole nother problem with DOT closing that area. Again it is able as long as the city makes allowances for it to be able to sell in the public right of way even if it is DOT but because of the short time frame and turnaround, church street was not included in this proposal. I will say I have spoken with Dusty and she is aware that what we are doing and that it will not necessarily include the table at this time. Did you hear that, okay Ms. Carter? I need it. Okay, great. You're gonna have to have some set tables. And Hal about, is destiny okay with that? How about positive tonnage? Are we considering the parking lot for positive tonnage? We could definitely do that. It makes it a little bit harder for the table, but they also have more outdoor seating than most places do with their patio. And if you were open to the farmer's market, the parking lot being closed off, we could include that as well. Half of it. Half of it, yes. Because that's the other thing with Bison Tennial Park. The map actually closes off a portion of that. And again, this is contingent on if it is passed to allow alcohol cells on a temporary basis in the right of way That would include we've asked the key to healthy wants to participate as well as four cents Popcorn right now So it's not closing all of Bacentennial Park Just below or into accommodate yes all of Bacentennial Park. Just the lower end to accommodate the Borsan. But still allow parking because we realize we're taking a lot of parking and closing these streets and Bacentennial. And a portion of Bacentennial Park. What's that sort of properties there on the church street like this? Thanks for the manufacturing. We have also, well we actually spoke with Justin and we have considered that if a lot of the question comes into if they're serving food on site that's not pre-packaged or alcohol cells. It kind of has to be closed at their location, but if they are like a key to healthy or the bakery or places that have pre-packaged items that can come onto sunset, we could possibly move them to sunset as well because it's not a question of food being made. It's pre-packaged food versus actual food on site being cooked to order and then also alcohol cells, if the second one is approved. So I just thought you were talking about things. It says restaurants, both of our bars, that I've met as the dear of this downshane. We've actually seen that a lot of the retail shops enjoy this event as well because it brings a ton of people into the downtowns that are willing to sit there and spend their time. We'd like to actually create kind of an atmosphere with that if this is approved and we go forward with it. We've talked about hiring a band. So it's more as a walking event downtown. It's not necessarily just to promote only the restaurants. Now, it is a provision to allow them to have more capacity because their Friday and Saturday nights are still busy, but they have only 50% of their business. So it hasn't impacted retail shops as much, because you're not normally going into retail shops in 50 people to 100 people at one single time and eating. Yes. As a consideration, I don't know. Just brainstorming here with what conversation. On church street, there's a perhaps. You could allow seating on the sidewalk and you could place drums in the parking spaces because the CD has parking lot right here to back green. You know, there's another CD lot next to the farmers market. There's still parking. You utilize the parking spaces for the sidewalk if you will and utilize the sidewalk for any additional dining, you know, or bakery consumption or whatever that you know would follow along with Miss Carter's, you know, question or thought process. I mean that would allow some area and maintain a pedestrian traffic and not close the road. Yes. And we need to do a requirement. And there's a little bit more room in that parking lot and that sidewalk for that, whereas some of the areas are still very narrow. A question, and I don't know what phase three means at this. I mean, maybe I should have looked at up before I asked this question, but because we're closing off areas, and if I'm looking on the map there, so we've got an area closed off there on the parking lot at Bison Tennial Park, does that not fall under the governor's requirements for a certain number, a limited number of people within that area? So that's a lot of gray area right now in the phase three, phase two two phase whatever we're in. Point five or whatever we're in. I'm not even sure. Point five. It falls within a gray area because it says you can have 50% capacity but then you can only have 25 gathering but then you can have this much in this space, 30% in this space. They have made a provision for outdoor areas that increases the allowance. It's just something that other cities have been able to do and we've been asked to look into it to basically give Ashboro businesses the chances that other cities are. I'm not sure what 7% of Bocentennial Park is. I don't know either. What's the capacity of Bocentennial Park is. I don't know either. What's the capacity of Bocentennial Park? I don't know if that. But it's not even Bocentennial Park. It's just a park. You can't. You can. But in the other, if we're blocking off one end of the street and another end of the street is that not the same thing as far as the governor is concerned. I'm not sure. I'm just throwing that out there. I just... May I make a recommendation we don't invite the governor of this event? No. That works for me. Yeah. We'll leave that to Mr. Gregson's and Tarp Touch. Yes. That's what we have. I would like to say that we are talking about downtown Asperer businesses who have been in 50% capacity or less for six months. And we'd like for these businesses to still be here, to hear from now. They need a boost. That's really what downtown Ashboro is asking for is that we give these folks some help. This is a way to do it. And it's a way to show some support for our fellow businesses, neighbors, friends, and it really does not hurt us at all across the country. And I'm all on board with that. I just, just throwing that out there with whatever restrictions we're supposed to be living on. One of the things I did forget to mention in the provisions that if alcohol was permitted in these areas, and even probably going forward, even if it isn't, one of the provisions we have as downturn ashpura in that permit application that we're gonna make the business fill out is they cannot exceed their already 100% maximum occupancy in their area. Does that make sense? So they're cut at 50% now. If they have the pay, I think, has 65. She can't have more than 65 people outside in addition to that. So they can't actually go over their maximum occupancy that would be inside. Come back. Come back. Yes. She can have six. Can't exceed her inside occupancy. What difference does that really matter? That's a big deal. Yes. They can. She can have sick. Yeah. They can see her inside oxygen. What difference does that really matter? It limits the number of people that can sit outside, even then. I'm sorry. Say that again. Let's clear that up here. So if she has a round number, if a rescuer has an indoor oxygen, she has a hundred. Yes. All right. She cannot exceed that indoors and outdoors. Correct. OK. So 50 out of 50% inside. Correct. That's 50 people inside is 50% and another 50 outside meets her maximum occupancy of 100. Yes. Correct. And I'm saying her just because it pigs in my mind it's okay So all right indoors and outdoors And I'd exceed the total indoor occupancy that would be normal in a non-COVID situation Yes, thank you for clarifying that and that is Somewhere in there. I don't know where but it's it's somewhere in there But what type of liquor ability coverage do these restores come carrying down? It's usually a $1 million policy that their liquor liability comes first. If they list the city is additionally insured there's yours would come second. I know when I was in like Centin it was flip flopped. It was the business came first, then it was downtown, uptown Lexington. I'm meeting used to saying downtown now. It was uptown Lexington's second, then the city third. So we had to actually be, y'all were the third one down the line, because we're technically hosting the event. And that could be the same here too. But my question really was about this is not an additional burden to the rest of it already. No. I mean if they're serving our call they're carrying a million dollar liability policy now. Yes. All they have to do is amend it to this additional insurance. Yes. For some clerk just got some clarification for the occupancy. Currently as we stand restaurants are 50% occupancy. So let's say for example the pig had 100 people occupancy they have to serve no more than 50 inside the restaurant but they can serve an additional 50 outside. There's just what we see. I stepped away., but I just want to make sure that we're good with that. Sorry. Sorry. I didn't meet you. But that's exactly what we just said. We passed that point. That's great. Sorry. Just a question, Rebecca, if I may, on the liquor liability or liquor serving requests when we get to that point next month. You're looking at just a one day event. This is not a request to allow street service for as long as we have street seating. Is it? Is just a one day. This is an event-based application that will be it isn't something that will go year-round they can't do it on whatever the next weekend is the 14th they can't do it on you know Thanksgiving weekend it would basically be it we're holding an event and they can do it during this event and they have to make all these minimum requirements during that event to be able to serve. Now if they're not willing to provide the minimum insurance which I can't imagine anybody doesn't have this, I've talked to several restaurants and they already have you know these minimum it's just standard business practices to have one million dollar policies but if for some reason they weren't willing to provide it, they can't participate because then that liability would fall on someone else. So they have to provide that first. I'm excited to invite them on. Yep. And until you decide not to have the event. So if we're still having good business percent occupancy in March next year, as the governor says, that's what we have to do. We may be saying in March, we're still wanting to do this to help shore up our agenda. Tonight, evening news, tonight, said the Greensboro Head extended theirs into DeSimple. Yeah. And I think Winston's theirs were supposed to end in October. I think they've extended it in to November from what I've heard. And these rules and kind of guidelines that I've come together with on any of these, even just dining on the street versus alcohol, it comes from a conglomerate of different cities that provided information to me on how that they do this. Even small town main street programs all the way up to, I was talking to Winston Salem just to make sure that we would be fully covered on all this and to make sure that it's just done like the big guys so we don't get stuck with the little guys. May I ask Mr. Mayor, I just, this is not me. I'm at the time to look at the. So I'm not advocating a position. I do want to understand that I've heard the term alcoholic beverages. Are we were the city ordinance. Trails distinctions between malt beverages, unfortified wine, and mixed beverages, liquor. I'm asking for it all. What are you asking for? I'm asking for it all. Okay. Hopefully what the restaurant does in order to be like you and the view and do is expand and see how it goes. Correct. So that would be a... It would be all alcoholic beverages, not just beer and the wine. You know, in all fairness, about three months ago when this first, when it first started getting really, really bad for a month ago, whenever the state legislature addressed this and then considered doing in blanket policy of some sort or an amendment state law that would allow cities to do this and there were a lot of questions and a lot of back and forth, so they ended up dropping it and passing it to the individual communities to make their own choice. And John and I had this conversation earlier and I had conversations as early as four months ago with restaurant tours in Asperger that just felt like they needed some sort of help to whether this restriction of 50 percent, that well one resident says you know we're supporting two families in this resident and 50 percent is not going to do that. We're not asking for anything that is not already done in Ashpur, we're just asking you to extend it. It's already there in the restaurants. It's already being sold. It's just an extension of that one day, specifically November 7th at the moment. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I put it down on the street. Yes. In a extension-dolph area extension of their outdoor dining, because we have some that already have outdoor dining and It would just actually go further into the sidewalk and then further into the streets Each individual place has their own individual license and it designates what they can Correct and I send it whatever their she would mirror whatever's inside Be extending they're not licensed for look her by the drink inside then there's just beer and wine outside. Correct. Right. The reason I have to address it is because the city code specifically separates it out and saying, you can't have unfortified wine. You can't have malt beverages out on the public streets, city owned property, public rights of way. And the city code currently is very specific and say in that prohibition includes any portion of a street that's closed off for a special event. It goes ahead and addresses that and prohibits it. So you can see how the reason I that's why I have to get into the specific. You make a very good point. It's a valid point, but dealing with what's on the books currently, I will have to be addressed in some manner. I would think that would be our expectation and then the accommodation based on what you about. One application for all the events or a different one, a new and each time. It's good for a year. Okay. Again, I think I put that in there. And it might be an hour or two. It's okay for a year. Okay. Again, I think I put that in there. And it might be an hour or so. It's okay. Yeah. I'm sorry, Mac, I didn't hear you. This is for a year. It would be, so if we did it on November 7th and then come March, which we'll call it, you know, and we're still in this situation and we decide, hey, it's getting warmer, can we do it again and I wouldn't require them to fill out provided nothing has changed there's also if their insurance the insurance is the big part of this that they have to notify us if their insurance changes and that's also in there that they would have to sign. Next no member we would expect to comply again. Yes. No number eight next year they would have to allow the whole party. Okay. But for purposes of clarity, just to understand what's being asked of the council tonight is the request only for November the seven. Correct. That's what you're asking to know. Those are the streets. That's all I'm asking tonight is close to the streets. Only that one day you're asking for tonight. Right. All right. And asking for next council meeting for you to address the possible work. We'll take care of that. We'll ask you to do that. Well, any more questions about the actual closing of the street for the November 7th event? Here again, just for clarity, for the court, just taking the minutes. So the request is for the 7th, for the time only about the street closure, is for the 7th and we always make a reference to a map for what this council is actually voting to close, you're tying it to the map that has actually displayed at this point. Is that correct? We print that out, that's what's to be closed. Is there anyone in council that has prepared to make a motion to grant this request? I'll entertain a motion to grant this request for the street closing as indicated on this map. There I move we close the streets from sunset and as directed on map on November 7th from the hours stated in the application. Okay. I have a motion by Mr. Bell. Thank you. Do I have a second? Second. I hit the interrupt. Is there any, does, when you say hours, is that when you actually want the event to start? 11 to 3, so 10 to 4. Ah. So that's what I, I wouldn't think the city crews will need time to block off streets. So that's the time that you move will have to be that broader time period. Is that sufficient time? In my experience, no. At the beginning of it, at the end of it, yes. I don't know how it is in Ashbur to get the cars off the street. Thank you. It is everywhere. Okay, then my request actually is probably for you. I'm going to call that morning. Oh yeah. You'll have to have a street block to stop there. What's the parking limit on a sunset? Two hours. So if you wanted to stop Saturday. No, I don't want to try it on a three-pride. Okay. Other than that, we can set it on to address. I don't know if you can address that as a left-leaf public work. Well, the council has to state when their, when their telling public works are works are authorized shut down the street Dinner lunch time hours from 11 to three I just say I fall or man I got your chairs and stuff So tell us or chairs up and so public works and we'll start eight clock And they're very good I'm just going to be careful not to, I know you've spoken with the businesses, the other businesses when things start being shut down. Oh yeah, put it here for me. And that's why I'll ask the time was thrown out and I asked Mr. Bales and say I'll amend my motion to accommodate the request from eight to four. Eight to four. And it's the second still in place for that. Sure. Okay. Any further discussion? We had discussed some things on church street as well, do we need to include that in our motion with a couple of areas there that we're not there? There's not church street. No, it does not. We can find five or four, you know, interest, they can submit that on next councilman as well. I'll extend it then. Is it so? It would just be the parking lot. If you're working along with what I suggested, that's a much more minor mechanism. I think when there's concern with the other inner church where the bakery and the heavenly heaven sent, heaven sent, give shop and whatnot they made but nothing would prohibit them from having their stuff on the exactly talking with those folks of general rule they don't like the sea church street clothes we just talk about parking alley parking parking places they have a little bit extra space just to assess if we coned off a couple of parking places in front of those, you know, they just gave some sidewalk and the width of a parking place and they didn't close the street. Okay. We can get some, we can require of those businesses before next council meeting and if that is something they desire to have Have that And if Bob's time I was almost half the farmers market and they Speak up and say so Would that be satisfactory Linda? I'm sorry we can we can pull those business owners on church and see if they would like to have the additional space of the sidewalk and the parking spots to be able to kind of expand out into the street as well as like pasta tonnows and the table if they would like to have some additional space and we can add that to our... that they're going to park their own business. That they don't go down for church streets and whether they's other dishes. And I think that has a goal. And I think they get their block out. I believe we can address that with some, basically, a flyer to go out of those businesses as we have in the past and direct them to park on North Street to alleviate some of that issue. Okay. Does the city have some temporary handicap? We can throw some of those out in some areas to get them closer proximity. And we have handicapped places right in the loft here. Yeah, and we do have the handicapped here at City Hall. I would, I would make one recommendation on you, ma'am. I would lower into Washington. I would move that closure barricade academy street up to the right hand separation behind the pig. Behind the four things? The four things, I'm sorry. And only close half that lot. That way you have traffic that can get in and out and you can put some handicap right there at the back of your building. And by centennial lot right up against the barricade, that's as close as you can get handicap with what you've got. And that way that parking there is still in play. And you're shortening the line there at the stage, just close one half. And down to the sidewalk coming out of the four scenes. OK. And that gives. Got other side. It gives you that whole, that whole, for the health food place, what, where they call it? Heat healthy. It healthy. Obviously, I don't know that. And the popcorn ice cream people, if they decide to participate in the four seconds. Yep. So I just think traffic flows better if you can leave after that opening. I don't think that'll be a problem. If you want to amend the map to show that. All right. Everybody good with that? Yeah. OK. I would accept that as a friendly amendment to my original request. Is the amendment of the map as presented by the mayor? I'll accept it as a burden some second. Can we move on? All right. All in favor say aye. All opposed. Mr. Carter. Aye. Thank you. OK. Your first request has been approved, and we will work toward that. Council, if everyone is in agreement, we can ask staff to research the second request and come back to us next month with the proposal and recommendation. It would actually be preferable to have a motion directing. Okay. be preferable to have a motion directing. Mayor I would move that we direct staff to adopt a proposal for our consideration as relates to these sales and service about call. Okay. I would like to add to our closing action the pursuant to our previous motion. Have a motion by Mr. Bell, or you get on the motion? Yes, and with your permission, we're going to interpret that, Madam Clerk, as being a motion directing the staff, specifically including the city attorney, to draft ordinance provisions addressing the service of alcoholic beverages in public rights of way that are closed for special events. That way can apply more to that. You know that's what I meant, yeah? I was. With your permission. Yeah. All right. Good. I have a second on that. Second. Where was the second? Thank you. Okay. Second but with snugs. Discussion. All in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed. All in favor say aye. Opposed? Ms. Carter? Thank you. Motion carries. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you all. Good news. I'm glad you're here. Really glad to be here. We're excited. We're glad to have. Yep. Great. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Mr. Evans is standing in for a community development director for every note. Tonight. And 6a is a legislative hearing which I will open as an application for rezoning RZ 20-10 to rezone property at Northern corner of East Allred and Goldfield Road. Mr. Evans, have it sir. Yes sir, Mr. Mayor. Good evening. Thank you and good evening to Council. The applicant in this case is Mr. Michael Samero. The property in question is located along East Average Street and Gold Hill Road. The request is to rezone from a conditional use general commercial to an R10 medium density residential district. The request involves just a portion of one parcel identification number that's just over two acres. The entire track is approximately two and a third acres. And the track is currently undeveloped. So to show you on the first map, the properties, the red shaded parcel, and so you'll see that's the lone commercial parcel in this area. And then surrounding the property you have in yellow, R10 medium density residential that's within the city limits, that's the Robin's Ness subdivision. And then further to the west you have the orange colored parcel, that's within the city limits, that's the Robbins Ness subdivision. And then, further to the west, you have the orange colored parcel, that's a conditional use, high-density residential. There have been some town homes proposed at that location. And then off to the south and east, you also have, residentially, designated and used properties. That is outside of the city's jurisdiction within Randolph County zoning. So the next map shows you a closer view of the property and the adjoining properties. Going onto the next map you'll see as far as the topography and you'll see this in the photographs as well. The steepest part of the property is to the south along East Allridge Street. It does level more as you get into the interior of the property and the northern side of the property. And in terms of utilities, we have water that runs along East Allridge Street that basically stops at the kind of southwestern corner of the property and then sewer that runs to at the kind of southwestern corner of the property and then sewer that runs to the western edge of the property kind of in the middle there that you see by that green green line. Looking at the aerial photograph you can see the surrounding residential uses, single-family uses primarily, and then some undeveloped property as well, just generally lower the median density residential uses. So if we're looking at the property from the ground, the first photo shows you if you're looking along Goldhill Road to the north and then East Oward Street is off to the north and then east-Ord Street is off to the left. The subject property is right in front of you there. This next photo shows you looking along east-Ord Street if you're headed west away from a Goldhill road. This is looking north on Goldhill Road. The subject property is off to your left. Then this is looking south on Goldhill Road, properties off to the right. Also east hour's street is off to the right. So you can see, again, more lower density residential in this direction. This is looking east on East hour's street toward the Goldhill Road intersection. And then this last photo shows you the view looking west on East Howard Street so you see single family residential uses are what primarily surround the property. The property is within the city limits and as you saw on the map city water and sewer are adjacent to the property. But if there were any subdivision of the property into more than the one parcel that you see, that would likely require for the owner to extend those utilities in a way that's consistent with city policy. There's a number of ways they could do it, but it would be the developer who would need to do that typically. And then as far as transportation, both East Oward Street and Goldhill Road that are classified as state maintained minor thoroughfares. So just to give a little history of why this property is just sitting out here as the long commercial property, this was rezoned back in 2006. It was previously RTN so that they're asking for it to go back to that same designation but there was no conditional use permit requested so as it's currently zoned that would require a conditional use permit for any development on the property and the district would generally not allow full residential uses outside of some very limited, like a used, like a caretaker or security dwelling, something of that nature. The requested R10 zoning allows for single family and two family dwellings if lot-size requirements are met. And so that also applies to the adjoining parcels to the north and the west as well. So it's not different than those adjoining parcels. We did in 2015 as you're aware, amend the land development plan and so the recommendations in this general area were amended as well. So previously this property was a part of a village activity center. That was a larger area that was envisioned to be more with some commercial uses that really never materialized as it was envisioned in 2000. And the adjoining parcels were also designated for urban residential. So we've seen really a different kind of pattern take hold in this area. So if we look at the zoning ordinance and how it describes the current district and then the requested district, the underlying B2 district is intended to serve the convenience goods, shoppers goods, retail, and service needs of the motoring public, both local and transient. And this district should always be located with access directly to minor thoroughfares or higher classification streets, but never local residential streets. So then, if we look at the requested district, which is RTN, it is intended to provide regulations which will produce a moderate intensity of residential uses, usually single family or two family and character, and served by central water supply and sewage disposal systems, plus necessary governmental and other support facilities to serve as such urban intensity living. So the property, of course course is in the eastern area and it is within the primary growth area. We had, when we look more closely at some specific goals and policies in our land development plan, we believe five are supportive of the request and just two that are negative toward the request. So when we look negative toward the request. So when we look overall at the request and we weigh whether it's consistent with the, with the adopt the land development plan and whether we would consider it reasonable and in the public interest, we have several reasons that we believe support the request. First of all, the property was previously designated R10 and we have had the CUBE-2 district applied, the property was previously designated RTN, and we have had the CUB2 district applied on the property for 14 years with no conditional use permit request. And also, we basically see this as a down zoning of the property back to residential. So we really don't see conflict with the Land development plan and taking it back to a residential use. And finally we would believe this is supported because it will allow available use of the property without creating an unnecessary conditional use permit process. If it's going to be consistent with the surrounding zoning. So given that analysis staff's recommendation is to approve the request, the planning board also considered this during their meeting last month and they also unanimously recommended approval. So you have the consistency statement and the rezoning request to consider as part of your motion. But before that, I'll be glad to take any questions if the council has them. What? I'm on the shock of dollar general to find that. They are clearly the champion of the bill. Okay. Anyone here that is here to speak for the request? Good evening. A Michael Somero from Trinity North Carolina Carolina, owner of the property, bought it with my wife in the Great Recession time, thinking it would be a long-term investment for the commercial use. Talking to commercial realtors at that time, they thought it was probably residential would be the best use. Talking to them again, this year, they're still maintaining that now, and looking into the future,ial will be the best use. So that's why we're considering rezoning it. Short-term it would save a little on our tax bill each year. And then that area has been pretty with Robbins-NESS. There's more building going on on those lots, and they're extending that subdivision. So it's possible that this was turned into residential lots here in 2020 or 2021 that they there would be a market for them now. He did a great job I did pull the mileage to dollar general and it seemed like they were a little too close. One where that was possible but I'm glad you're doing that. It doesn't appear possible on the playable street. But there's one another one down here. But thank you for considering it, and I'm here to answer any questions. Thank you, sir. I would like to say that developed also, President, too, I think. Any questions? Thanks, sir. Any questions? Thank you, sir Countful Entertain a motion to address the consistency statement Mr. Mayor if you would mind just inquiring for the record to make sure there's no one else in the room that would like to address the council on this request Yes, ma'am. Come on in. My name is Anne-Marisa Epitino and my house most of my property but this piece of property. And if that was turned into commercial. You would not be happy. No, not at all, because I'd be having to look at it. My back porch would face, and I had a custom built house there. So you tell us you support this request? Yes, I do. 100%. Thank you, Rick. So to all my neighbors who couldn't be here because they worked nights. Okay. Thank you, Madam. Ma'am, would you mind putting your name down just so we can decoricle have it for the records? There's a spot there. Is there a pan up there? No. So I'll give it a big. And this is just so that when we transcribe the record, we know how to spell your name. Okay. So you can print it. That's not as easy as it may have. No, but it's definitely a sad book tea. No. I could probably do that. Thank you, ma'am. Thank you. Is anyone else? Okay. Now, Councilor, what are your wishes? Mayor, based on the reasoning of staff, Okay, now, Councilor Williams, may we move that we approve the reasoning and request based on the consistency statement right about staff? Okay, so we have a motion to approve the each part of this. Do I have a second? Second. Second is reading. Discussion? All the favour say aye. Aye. Second is rating discussion. All the partners say aye. Aye. All opposed. Ms. Carter. Aye. Thank you. Motion carries. Thank you. Philipser. Thank you for being here, ma'am. Item 6B is, I will open a public hearing on the community development block grant for own virus program. John, you presenting this? Yes, very good. I'll go ahead. Thank you. So Mayor, the report to the Council that Trevor Nuddle has been under the weather. We all wish him best wishes and I'm sure he's watching this on video tonight and get back soon. Don't worry about us, but take care of yourself and get back soon. In North Carolina Community Development Block Grant COVID program, CV program, is designed to help units of local government respond to and recover from the health and economic impacts of COVID-19, some of which we just worked on earlier with the downtown businesses and the rest of them. This program will assist non-intitlement cities and areas across the state which include unincorporated municipalities under 50,000 and counties under 200,000 including public service, public facilities and special economic activities. The NC Commerce will award on a first come first serve basis with the focus on local needs identified within the community with collaboration with state local health officials and The state will initially provide about 28 and a half million funds from the U.S. Housing Urban Development to support these responses Our application requests 900,000 of these funds to provide up to six months of subsistence payments on behalf of provide up to six months of subsistence payments on behalf of individuals and families to prevent service disconnection or evictions, service disconnection from utilities, or evictions from rent or mortgages, generally for the purpose of preventing homelessness. Additionally, the city plans to appropriate funds for food distribution and support, including both meal delivery and food bank pantry services. Now, there has been a lot of hunger and people are short of food here when you're short of wages. Obviously, you're short of food. And that's a real need right now. And we think that we've estimated about 300 households could receive assistance and 500 individuals can obtain food. And 51% of the purchase benefiting as with all CDBG programs left to be low to moderate income. And our obvious goal was to protect the most vulnerable and high-risk populations. The city will match with 20,000 to this public service program bringing the total to 920,000 if funded. 70,000 or 7.75% is provoked for administration and this proposes an additional 20,000 for administrative costs. Our goal is to partner with the United Way of Randolph County to help with application intake. Now, as you know, we do not do a food assistance. We do not do public health. We do not do social services. We do not mental health. Those are county functions. However, we have asked the United Way who does do those things. And obviously, lots of us have struggled on the non-away board or the program committee where you go and look at the various departments and look at the grant recipients and see how they're fun so we know they can reach 17 member organizations and they can reach the most vulnerable population in our community and they obviously experienced in managing multiple grants and they oversee funding, and they can meet all the reporting requirements. As with all federal programs, there's a lot of reporting requirements. And the non-in-way already has a 19 person board that is connected to the community, knows what the needs of the community are, and the partners agency are require to show proof, obviously a 501C non-profit classification. So their boards meet regularly themselves, their agencies have proof and outside audit, and they detail information, they're turning the demographics of the clients they serve, their partnership with agencies complement their mission, and the proof of their effectiveness and their client's lives. As you know, also, just as a side note, the city annually runs a United Way campaign. We're in the throes of that now. So we hope to be standing up here in a few months and having a good report, don't we, John? Yes, sir. So, next slide, please please John. So Mayor at this time this is a public hearing and we'd also ask anybody here to speak forward against it and Elizabeth Mitchell, our Executive Director and President of the United Way is here to also speak for this and in your package you've seen we had lots of letters of support from our local agencies. Good evening, Mr. Mayor. Council members, what a joy this for me to be here because I don't get to come often. So this is a real joy because we have been working for the last six months or so with all of our agencies and all of our folks in Randolph County. And I won't just say this. How fortunate we all are. We all have jobs. We all have food on the table. And we are blessed. However, what we have seen during COVID has been extremely sad. Has been sad to go to C-O-C and help with the food lines that are there and be at the drive-through when folks are coming to get food. And these are folks that you and I would probably meet in our church, would meet on the street, people that we know that are in our community. So this block grant would be an incredible gift to our citizens here in Ashborough. And United Way will do everything that we can to work with all of our agencies and to work with different groups in the community outside of our partner agencies to say, let's reach more people, let's get out there. Just an example, the soup kitchen is doing incredible work right now. We work directly with the soup kitchen, and I just talked to Jean today, over 149 people were there today for lunch. We all ate our lunch. We all sat down. We were all fed today. That may be the only meal these folks have. So if we can say yes, let's do this together. I would say thank you to the council. The community would say thank you. And of course, if you are awarded that grant, we will do everything that we can do to support the city and to support our community. So I will be happy to take any questions. Obviously, they've gone through the process of putting the application together. I did take the opportunity to read the whole application. Had too many questions for Trevor. Bless his heart and John, but they answered all of my questions. And the United Way is set and ready to work with you and do what we can. And we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. And we thank you for running our campaign. We're all there this year. So if that million dollar giver is sitting in here, walk him off it. What do you think? A million dollars through United Way campaign. We have to do an excellent job here. Well, thank you, Mr. Smith. I appreciate that. And you know. I appreciate it. Yes. appreciate it. Yes and you know I joke about it but guess what one day I may come up here and say somebody actually gave a million dollars and you know what if we go right back into our community but I just want to say thank you to everyone thank you for the opportunities to be here and chat with you all yes appreciate your work your dedication and we'll look forward working with the Ole Miss Mayor if I can ask you a question. Yes. Liz, but did I understand you to say that it does, it will not be necessarily a member organization. That's correct. We're available to other five of them. Yes. Absolutely. Thank you. Yes. Yes. Does anyone else in the room audience that would like to address the council on this item. Great, John. There for you, close the public hearing. I would further down our agenda, you'll see there are a finance officer. Mr. Reeves has a report about using some of the city's COVID allotment that we got from the county. Remember that a few months ago? And these funds are not that money. This is a whole different part of money designed to push out through the city, through using a partner agency to push out to help those people most needing need. I would add to what Elizabeth said, I listened in on the Senior Senior Adult Association, one of our partner agencies across the street to their annual meeting last week, which was over the conference call. And they had served since the middle of March. They had served 50,000, 50,000 meals on wheels. Now you think there's 145,000 people in Randolph County that really puts that number in perspective, doesn't it? So we think the needs of their mayor and we would ask that you approve the application, close the public hearing and approve the application. Okay. I mean, if I could ask John a question. John, going back to your first slide, and we're going to match the 900,000 requests by 20, and then there was another 20 for as soon as our total 40 or so. No, our 20 is going for the administration. Okay. And then we can use- When you total, but that's how it will be allocated. Right. Then we can use 70 of that. 900, 70 can be used for administration, and for the United Way to vet people if we don't know who they are. I mean obviously if senior adults comes in for a quest they're vetted but there may be an agency that they need to vet and then of course as we said earlier there's a lot of bookkeeping and accounting. All right. Great. You know, the commenter? Council? Mayor, I move approve the resolution by reference to the city to submit the application. I'm motion by councilman Vail to approve the record. I have a second. Second. Second, Mr. Choyz. Thank you very much of all the things that we do and are allowed to consider for month to month. I'm sure it's probably ranked right on up there with the most important in this day that we live. It's frustrating times. Oh, yeah. All in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed? Mr. Carter? Aye. Thank you. You're not not so proud of motion carries. Thank you. And we look forward to partnering with you. Maybe our application will wear fruit. when you get started with this. How long before you would hear from the application? Thank you. About a million no matter what. They intend to push the money out of the area. Very fast. This is part of the original these funds. Mr. Mayor, before we go beyond the, I'm sorry, these funds are part of the original, one of the original COVID acts by Congress. You may have seen in the news, of course, the third act or whatever, they're having trouble organizing around, but this is already legislated and the state has some money in the state wants to disperse it by the end of the year. Okay, item six C, I will open a public hearing for discussion and public comments concerning the proposed issuance of multifamily housing revenue bonds by the Burlington housing authority for the benefit of the co-rered road apartments. Mayor, I'll fill up in the hub public hearing, which you did. John, if you'll run the slides. Mayor, I'll... Mr. Crystal, he's an attorney for... Mr. Kirby, or our guests, there are attorneys representing the Brunington Housing Authority and the Bond Council. And of course we know our House for House Authority Executive Director Bob Lollerlin and our friend and fellow public servant. The Vitus Group is a national affordable housing developer and they're based in Seattle, Washington. And this year it purchased a portfolio of eight affordable housing apartment complex loaded in seven North Carolina cities. Knows are Ashboro, Burlington, Goldsboro, Greenville, Lewisburg, Smithville, and Rockingham. And they purchased the one in Ashboro's Colreds Road apartments. And it's headquarters is a camp boulevard off Highway 64. I know most of you don't know camp boulevard is only about that big but that's what office is. The apartment complex has currently 100 units. They provide us proposals to use the low income housing tax credits and tax exempt multi-family housing bonds to refinance the acquisition of the property and to renovate it. That's an important piece of this proposal they propose to renovate it. And in August, the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency, a Lord awarded by this low income housing tax credits and bond volume capacity, not to exceed $7.5 million. And they've requested through the Burling Housing Authority, they issue the bonds. So Burling and Housing Authority would issue the bonds as the conduit or the pass-through for the issue work for their entire portfolio, including the housing units we mentioned in the other cities. And under North Carolina law, in CGS 157, multiple housing authorities can cooperate with one another to issue multifamily housing bonds for affordable housing projects. And on August 20th, the Ashh Housing Authority Board of Commissioners authorized Ashburh Housing Authority to enter to a local agreement with the Burlington Housing Authority. And that agreement authorizes Burlington Housing Authority to issue the bonds and use the money here in Ashburh. Per the General Statues, North Carolina, Ashburh City Councils were requested to hold a public hearing and then consider the approval of the bonds. Now both the hearing and approval required by federal law and neither of the city nor the housing authority faces any live building in next with the bond. So you may have, remember, three or four or five years ago, we did the same thing for Ashburts Summit. Remember, and they renovated Ashburts Summit with those bonds. So this is the same process. We welcome our guests and come up and you can speak and have more details. Mr. Mayor, I apologize for interrupting. I apologize for interrupting. I'm sure all these likely experienced individuals, probably I don't need to say this, but the deputy clerk has been given the document where she needs to list the names and addresses of who speaks, so we would appreciate it if people would list their names and addresses on the paper that's provided up there. I apologize for standing in for you. Okay. Thank you. Eric Pristell, my partner with the Banks Law firm in Durham, North Carolina. We represent the Burlington Housing Authority Authority which has been working in collaboration with the Asheboro Housing Authority to produce or yield the preservation of affordable housing at this development. The city manager took all of my thunder. I don't have much to add to it except that the developer out of Seattle Vitus proposes to invest roughly $45,000 per unit in rehabbing the development. A lot of exterior and interior components will be rehabbed. They have a bonafide security plan. They understand that the property right now is challenged and they are stepping up to invest significant capital to ensure that the property is a sustainable asset here in Ashboro. I will underscore something that the city manager mentioned, which is the last point in your slide, and that is that the city of Ashboro does not face any liability in connection with this conduit issuance. In addition, the Burlerton Housing Authority and the Ashboro Housing Authority also will not face any liability in connection with the transaction. So it's a pure pass through. Are there any questions? That's considerable amount per dose. I think that's exceptional. but this is very successful. Very good news for us. We're excited for this and welcome. It's welcome news. It is challenged, as you say. Yes. Any questions? Okay. If you will just put Ms. Carter. Yeah. My understanding is that the developer will do a rolling renovation so they'll make some units available for temporary relocation, but all will not be displaced at the same time What was a question I didn't hear it Question was they have an hour to they go while the renovation is and this is a road item question. They have an hour to they go while the renovation is and that's it a roadtie them with like you move them in I will just to leave then that's what they told her that they would make sure she had a place to move to Okay, all right, yes, okay. Thank you sir. Thank you. It's good to have you here tonight. Thank you. Thank you. Glad to be here next I'll be putting in January of this year we were approached by Burlington Housing Authority regarding the bond issue for coal-riged apartments We worked on it for several months and then the Irish hit and things got slowed down. In August, the board met with our attorneys after talking with the Banks Law firm, Broke and Housing Authority and they adopted the two, well the one resolution that the city manager talked about which was the financing agreement which allows Burlington Housing Authority to act on our behalf to issue the bonds since they're the vehicle for the developer. And we would cooperate with them in working with bond council to issue the bonds. The other document was the interlocal cooperation agreement in which we continue to work with Burlington Housing Authority and then once the coal-rigged apartments are in service, we would monitor through the housing authority staff that people are qualified to live in the subsidized housing, the assisted housing, and that income and all other requirements are met. We're paid a fee and we work with them until the project is over. So the board, we're excusing the board of commissioners for the housing authority unanimously adopted these two documents and we're on board with them. The bonds haven't been issued and so there's still a few minor issues to deal with but I'm here tonight just to say we support the project. I think it's a great idea. Mr. Waller. Mr. Waller, I'm sorry, Mr. Waller. We all know who you are but if you would further audio recording, you're going to state in your name entitled. Oh I'm sorry Robert Lawler, Ashbro Housing Authority. It goes in the address. 338 West Wamen Avenue. Thank you. Thank you sir. I mean would you like to? I am happy to. Not necessary for me. Just be repeating one. Okay. All right. Is there anyone else in the house that would like to address accounts regarding this request for the resolution? Hearing none will ask the council for their thoughts. Mayor, I move we approve the resolution or not the resolution by reference or approving in principal issuance of the balance. Hello motion by Mr. Bell to approve the resolution by reference. Do I have a second? Second. Second. The snow. Thank you very much. Any discussion? I have high expectations given the present. I think this is super very successful. I'm excited about all in favor say aye. All opposed? Ms. Carter? Thank you. Motion carries. Thank you all for being here tonight. And thank you, tell your clients. Thank you for the interest in our city. We are very excited to see this property renovated. Thank you. Thank you. Thankated. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank I have in Bridget-L more requesting annexation. I will open a public hearing. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. This item was presented to you at the September Council meeting. See, Council meeting. And a resolution has been properly advertised. Now is the time for the public hearing. In that you've already opened it. We have an annexation ordinance prepared by the city attorney making the annexation available on adoption and staff recommends adoption. Great. Is anyone in the House of Electric Dress Council regarding this annexation request? Just for the record, the applicant is not required to be here because the application speaks for itself. And this is another improvement in that part of the table. So we're always excited to an expert, commercial property like this. Any questions? I'll entertain a motion to extend the ordinance of corporate limits of the City of Ashboro by reference. Yep. May I move the affirmative ordinance by reference to extend the City limits of Ashboro? I have a second. Second. Second. Mr. Berks discussion. All in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed. Ms. Carter. Thank you. Motion is approved. Demandlessly. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Motion is approved. Demandously. Thank you. Mr. Mayor. My name is Director Ms. Reeves. She is coming to request approval and ordinance to amend the Water Surfund. Good evening. The reason why this ordinance for to amend the water and surfun is not on the consent agenda is because it is very special in nature in the aspect that I am requesting funds that I want to use to procure a to enter into a contract with a company to help us with a document management system so that we can safely take care of our customers' needs of for signing in for service and out for service without them having to come into the office. Right now we've been doing all of this over email because our office is not set up to allow for good social distancing. And the process is cumbersome. Customers don't have printers at home, so they have to come here, take applications from the building, fill them out, take pictures of them with their phone, send them back into us. It's time consuming because you don't get all the documents at one time. You'll get one piece even though you give them a list. You'll get one piece here and another piece here, and it takes a little bit of time. Well, I've been researching since it looks like this is going to be a longer process as far as being closed than we initially thought I've been researching different systems. And I have found one that will allow us to develop a form online that will be secure. It will protect all of the sensitive, encrypt and protect all of the sensitive information that customers need, like draft information, social security number, things like that, that they are on the applications. And it walks them through the process. They won't have to have a printer at home. It works on any type of device, meaning you can work on your phone, it can work on your tablet, it can work on a computer. And so I feel like this is important for us to be able to continue to offer good service to our citizens, our customers, and protect them. I am going to, if you approve this request for funding, it is, I'm asking for $6,000 and that just covers getting the system up and running. I'm going to ask for reimbursement from the city allocated funds for COVID protection. Like when we submit to the Randolph County for reimbursement for the PPE stuff we've been doing, the safety barriers and things like that. But because it's representing a bigger picture than the normal, that's why I wanted to present it to you guys and to person and give you an opportunity to ask questions to see if you had any or if that. If you don't have any, I entertain a motion to approve the ordinance to amend the Water and Sewer Fund to allow for an appropriation of $6,000 for me to allow me to have funds to enter into a contract. questions? discussion? all right I'll entertain the motion to prove this request. Mary we adopt the ordinance to amend the water and sewer fund by reference. that was motion by Mr. Bell to adopt this ordinance by reference. I have a second second. second Mr. Squier's discussion on Favorite say aye. Oh, opposed this Carter Thank you, ma'am Motion carries. Thank you. This raise. Thank you. Oh, these are trying times if you're operating Well, we're learning and we're growing. I appreciate your hard work Pass our appreciation on to your staff. But it is not easy going through. Well, I appreciate that and I will share that with them. Thank you. Okay. Item 9. We have two possible real estate acquisitions to discuss tonight. Almost a year ago, maybe not quite that long, John and I were approached by the women's Esprow Women's Club. And they are concerned about the longevity and sustainability going forward of the gatekeepers house. As you know, this was the actual gatekeepers house at the Fisher estate, which my understanding was located down here at the end of Park Street about Downward and Career Attributing and down around the funeral home area and it was the gate keepers house at the gate to the Fisher Estate. Many many years ago it was saved and moved to the property across from Memorial Park, Memorial Swimming Pool, their own linear street. It has been a Bristol order, it's very nice inside. They have their monthly meetings there. And Women's Club, EBSM flows, like so many community organizations, and many of their people were concerned about going forward. The prospect of their ability, the managing ability to maintain it, to keep a very interesting and unique piece of ash borough history, sustainable and in good shape going forward for many, many more years. John, would you like to jump in and help me out? If the City Council were to accept this gift, we would manage it through the Coatren Recreation Services Department. It could be used for weddings or community events, much like the As Yes for Women's Club uses it now. Basically, the Women's Club fundraisers, you may annually, Santa Claus brings all you guys a Women's Club Christmas ornament, all that money, they basically, all the money they may keep that up. It's been used for a lot, you may remember. Here we are in the election cycle. Mrs. Clinton ran a few years ago. President Clinton came right there and wasn't on time. But he was well guarded. I asked for a police car back up 70 miles an hour to go get him a McDonald's, but he had a crowd there, I give him credit for that. So we would be managing it through that. We do a lot of maintenance out there anyway. We've put gravel and the driveway for the club before we've trimmed the bushes, things like that. So we have a plan to use it, Should the council wish to accept it, we would need to authorize the, we would need to get some council to prepare a deed, you know, a gift deed or a deed to the city. However, we would pay that another council and they'd work with Jeff. So he's not representing two agencies. He still has to look out for the best of, he's got to be bound to look out for the best for the city. But that would be a nice gift and it would be permanent. And it is on the, the range and the Randolph County register. So, it would be the end of the Christmas day. No, they continue to do that. Oh, actually, you know, he got one no day. Yeah, actually, to him, yeah. One other day. Yeah. Yeah. First one. I can't remember what it was. You remember? I looked at it and every year I keep thinking it running out of something to put on it, but they came up with another good one, but I can't remember what it was. Oh, we know expectations become. Well, another 20 years, I have enough to do a whole tree. What do you thoughts, Council? Any discussion or questions about this? I can't think of a more physically and perpetuity capable of. Well, in so many cases, in so many cases the cities and the business are doing things and supporting things that others cannot. And that's what we're good at. We have the maintenance people to maintain it. The facilities grounds people to look after the grounds. And it's just a logical transition in the light of the current number of members of the club. I've logged in four sides, usually, you know, what kind of things presented to us, you know, it's a Hail Mary. So I will entertain a motion that we accept this gift from Ashford Women's Club to the City of Ashford. Or maybe, proceed with the title search and the big preparation and bring it back for a final approval. Yes sir. Okay. Thank you. Little bit attractive in your mask. Thank you. You've a new search in general. Okay. Do I need a motion for that? Yes sir. All right. an any motion for that. Yes sir. All right. Now I have a motion. Mayor, I move that we direct staff to explore the possibility of legal acquisition subject to title preparation of the date you put it out. Now I have a second. Second. Motion by Mr. Bell and second by Ms. Reading in discussion. All in favor say aye. Aye. Ms. Carter. Thank you. I'll see you in carries. Okay. Don, I'm going to ask you to feel this one. This has been brought to us for consideration by the owners. Mayor, this is 149 South Cox Street and it's owned by Maurice Cox, Mayor Gerald's brother-in-law. No, this one. That's a man. Yeah. The total of this is, just to, the appraised land value is $45,800. The taxable land value is $45,830. The building value is $50,797. The total taxable value is $97,210. We did the city did commission, Blue Breakin or so hits it to do in appraisal. We do have correspondence back that the value is the taxable value. It's not, and that's the value. So the tax department's right on in that To show you where this piece is You see it on your map you'll see North Street Worst streets here Cock Street to here. This is Academy Street. This is the police department. We own next door too, that's human resources. Is that movement on there, John? It's not, is it? Well, we're going to ask her anyway. And then Randolph Crisis Center owns the next two properties. They're the family's office. The county's office is the county's office. The county's office is the county's office. The county's office is the county's office. The county's office is the county's office. The county's office is the county's office. The county's office is the county's office. The county's office is the you may require that remember that the last 18 months or so we burnt that house down as a training burn. So Mr. Cox has offered the the perfect offered the city to purchase this piece or the for that value would be the offer if the council directed us to I mean you can see it there. Now, in this picture to the my right hand side, your right hand side, that's the driveway we use to get to the property. So if you can imagine on that map you see that acquisition of the .1, .14 acres, you see that shaded spot we enter on what would be the south side of that, or as you're looking at it the left side. There's two little brown bushes. Yeah. That's the original driveway to the recovery problem. The, uh, to give you more information, of course. Um, that's kind of our footprint on this map of the proposed, uh, David and Pauline Gerald Center City Park last spring. Mayor Smith and I and the fundraising group met with NC State Department of Landscape Architecture, one of their faculty members. And we hope to have a faculty master student or a group of undergraduate students master plan is completely obviously that fell apart as they went from online school so this spring we hope to tackle that issue again. We'll see how that goes. So that's all I have to report mayor. The council needs to think about this in two ways is this acquisition or wise use and probably more broadly do we need to master plan and make up what we all the property we need and then determine that to be Our master plan is that So so I know that some of this been some council and on the staff concern tune We seem to be chopping off a little piece at a time So I turn it back over to you. At this point, since we have not masterfully in the property, any addition is probably not counterproductive. Once we do masterfully, it's probably stopped by. As you all know, this is not absolutely necessary for the viability of this center city garden it will add another point one four acre to the total property it will get another little bit of house kind of out of the way, make the property a little more open, which may or may not be a good thing. So they approached us and said that they live in California, right? I believe John. And they said, what do you guys like to buy this? So it's not something we have to do tonight, right? No, Mayor. Especially the council wants to. I would say the night we need to, it may be better determined if you give us permission to talk to Mr. Cox, see if he'll take the 97-210 and then more importantly probably, John, can you turn that down please. Then can we Master planet and lay out what our ultimate footprints gonna look like? All right, so just You want a motion direction you guys to proceed with the research or for the research or just thank you for that. That's the bottom line whether you all have made the policy, most important things for you all to make a policy decision of what you want to do and then staff will do whatever you direct after that and that would be by motion what you want staff to do. Mayor, I don't see the need for us to move on this speedily. I mean, I think the value of the property is based on the residence. If we were going to use it, we're going to use it for raw acreage. And I don't see us paying full market value for our house that we're not going to do anything but tear down. At this point, unless it's critical or necessary for the component of the plan that they say, well, we'd really need this, you know, 10th of an acre or 10th of an hour. The master plan, I'd say that would be a good headquarters or welcome center. So we bought the other house right behind me, indeed, with the idea that that would be a welcome center education, welcome slash education center for the garden. Well, I say on this map where we're probably going to turn it down. It's very small and not particularly good shape. So, it couldn't be that this house ends up being the welcome slash of education. If we even, if the master plan even costful. So if you guys feel okay, then we can just ask staff to have some sort of conversation about, about possible purchase price. We see that there and report back in November. All right. And thank you, Long. Talks, I, Diaz, there's a lot of challenges around this proposed area and there's a lot of potential benefits as well. It's obviously an overhome, but it looks like a home to brick structure and just from the pictures now outside, I'm not being in there ever that I know of, but it looks like a well-built study home. As far as repurposing the home, a man that brings home some host of challenges, especially over to the public, ADA and all this sort of things, size of run, you know, like that you could easily spend more repurposing that than you could have a 20 by 30 new facility of some sort, you know, this little better suited. I'd be more inclined to look deeper into this if there was a possibility. I know nothing about the coxist situations, but if a portion of that could be some sort of taxable donation, I could get a whole lot more interested in a $45,000 lot and I could have $100,000 house cost 50 to rehab into something that's not necessarily meat to our needs. I agree. Which is not a yes, Fred. No. That's sort of my, I think value is actually on a res. I don't know if that money in that structure gets us any closer where we only in the, no. And I will say that I've never even considered the purchase of this until they came to us. And it came to us through the microphone. Good morning, Gerald. Yes, sir. It's a polling system. Yes, sir. If you were asked me to point blank how I won spend $100, I'd tell you on sidewalks up down the road. Yeah. We'll also be $100,000 sidewalks up but down there we'll do that part. Yes sir. I mean just truth. You know but you can't grow anymore lying. And there is another piece of property in this area that we probably might want to have more than this. That's, yeah, yes sir. I don't really think about it. It's a couple. The corner of the vacant lot might be the same price and you could rearrange that drawing in the parking. I mean. And the rental quadruplex is also for sale. Yes, on the corner. No. No, the other corner. Well, not the corner, but where? At the R3. At the R3. They don't hit. I think it's listed with a local realtor, but it is listed. And keeping it what James saying, I could also add sometimes you buy a property for what it can't become. Well, Mayor, I think the best way to proceed here is a quarter of nine is that the Council's giving us staff some food for thought to work on. You and I can reach back out to Ag extension for this spring mayor. Yeah, I actually was talking a day to some people inside of a call Keny and what they was phone numbering and never got to make the call. So I will call him and see if he'll build a fire under the professor that we met with. Then we're- See where that stands. The COVID kind of put that off. I'll took it off the burner, but at some point we gotta get back to the business. And we'll put this back on the agenda when we've kind of rounded all the, we have more answers before the council. And a more in-depth plan. All right, thank you, John. I appreciate that. You got a calendar on the- Yes, sir. Mayor, just quickly, everyone remember, Tuesday, the 20th, Tuesday October 20th there will be a special joint meeting 6 PM at public works for economic development. The public hearing will be at 6, there will be 2 projects. Tomorrow the ad will run in the classified section of the newspaper to legal ads so you'll read it as project one and project to The public is invited to attend we will social distance at the public works Conference room and we will be televised through the county system So we if you can watch it on the The county website if our folks watching it now want to, we will record it for both our clerk and the counties clerk. Thursday, October 31st, I mean, I think it is Saturday. Yeah, it is Saturday this year. Saturday, October 31st, 4 to 6 p.m. We're going to trick a treat in the park. That is usually the one we have downtown. You know, we have, I think we had 5,000 kids estimated last year. We're going to try to drive through this year. Now, there's a, we've got our traffic plan worked out with APD, the state and AFD. You'll drive through and the merchants downtown through the cultural recreation and downtown Ashboro will hand candy and projects. I believe I saw in the paper the day where we announced no only the city staff would be passed there. Yeah. But there, but there are plenty of kin. Yeah. And some of the downtown merchants have always helped us. Not really. Tuesday, November 3rd, it's a election day. I think we've pissed off the opening day is what, October the 15th is early voting. And I think you can mail in your ballot anytime if you have it. Thursday November the 5th is the next city council meeting. In your packet, you join may have put if there's not. There is a press release, a media release today at 130. Randolph Health has been purchased by American Health Care Systems Inc. Or $18.5 million. There will be a joint meeting, Mayor Smith and the chairman and Mr. Johnson and I got to work out the details sometime for us to meet. Johnson and I got to work out the details sometime for us to meet the management team and the executive of American Health Care Systems, Mr. Mike Sarian. You can Google him, Mr. Sarian. He's extremely well known in this business. Last Friday, Mayor Smith and I thought the bidding was over about 4 o'clock and the bidding had just started. I mean around the city. 18 or 20. Yeah, there was one bidder. There were two bidders, two hours before the bankruptcy bidding period opened and when it was open there was seven. What did you do to the other bids? I don't know about the bids. I will say that the Java dovah who we met with that we were excited about. The bidding started about a on Monday about quarter of 11 or 11 a.m. and they were knocked out by. They went around. They went one round. His two started his two in a quarter. Started at 2.25 million and it wound up at 18.5 million. If you watched the commission meeting Monday night, you know, this chairman Fry was not in his seat. He was down at the courthouse in the bidding ended Monday night. You notice chairman fry was not in his seat. He was down at the courthouse. In the bidding ended Monday night at midnight. It started back. Started up again at lunchtime or 11 o'clock on the next day. On the next day. It's the most amazing thing I've ever seen. Mayor Smith and I went down and watched the bidding procedures and consulted with our bankruptcy attorney at 130, the bid was at nine million. The mayor and I came back to, I took him back to the plan. I came back here at 430. It was 18.5. We don't know the folks. We do anticipate or being a joint meeting where you'll be able to meet them. They're out of California, right? Yes. There it comes out of California. The other final bidder, the last two bidder, the other bidder was New Jersey. So there is a press release. You'll probably get home tonight and watch it. I'm sure. Press release said substantially. Does that mean inclusively all of the, that's that. All that I see it. That's so they're now partners who come, they're ready. I'll stay away. I think that's what you'll have to I don't know that much. I've tried to avoid Bain. That's what you expect. Yes. And still there's still a lot of work to be done to finalize this deal. That's what just the bankruptcy auction. Right. So the you get the the as we know more. Just more bankruptcy law than I ever intended to know. So, there'll be a lot going on. In the next month or so, this weekend, the theater back opens. Our gym is open. You can go use it now. Each floor is, as we spoke about last time, each floor is in operation. Debbie mentioned water billing for those of you who've been down to water been in this very cramped space. We can never make 25 people in, because we can't get 25 people in there anyway. But on last payment day, we squeeze people in there. I don't know when we'll open up down there. Our basic problem is we only have three folks that work down there. So we're staffed optimally, but we're not overstaffed if we have two or three people's six. You may have seen that Thomas Field has had Firefighter sick, Clayton has had Firefighter sick. Remember Chief Summers came several months ago and talked about all our responses. Fire fighter passed away and Clayton was 42 in perfect health. We're going to continue to go through this thing a while, I guess, as my grandmother used to say, if the president can get sick, anybody can get sick. The Joanne's mother said if John Wayne can get sick anybody can get sick true story So mayor that's all we have for tonight the staff has unless you have something we want to add we appreciate the Council's attention tonight and it's good to hear Miss Carter and strong voice she was able to get to the redevelopment on Monday and Maybe we can get her here next month. So good to hear from you, Ms. Carter. Okay, Ms. Carter, do you have anything to add to the benefit of the room tonight? Oh, yeah, we're starting to spike again. Yeah, we're spike again. It is not bad to go out for a napkin. And then it has not been that much of a burden. It's a burden on the day of the day. And you take it on the day of the day of the moment. As we think it's over. I mean, you know, that's the thing. It gets better and everybody thinks, oh, OK, it's over. And stop doing their hand washing and their distancing and their mask. And I think another thing, I think, is that what they stop from? OK, just forgot about it. Just let me get a normal face, like, a normal, I will tell you I went to a church service. I will. I think what Miss Carter has mentioned is that the Randall Public Health was posting numbers every day. They went to like a Tuesday and Friday and I think it's as the mayor said it kind of drifted to the back burner for some people, but now it's back there. I wanted to church service on the morning as an invited guest and I guess there were 150 people there. Not one I'm having that. It was kind of disheartening. But Mr. Swairs, I was impressed with the new rescue truck. I stepped up into it as I came in here at this evening. That's a nice vehicle. It's surprising that what they say was a 98 model. It looks brand new. It's just over, nowhere really takes care of their equipment. And this is the second truck we bought from Dover. Yes. A real bargain for us. They take care of them and they move them out, get new ones, and where the beneficiary of that. I don't know. Just thank the staff for everything that you do. This is just, it's amazing, whenever I come by here, you think things running smooth and things are running smooth, but you don't know all the things that are going on, and I sat down with John today, and it's like, oh, here's the hospital and anyone that does and other things that are going on, and it's just remarkable that I guess it's like, oh, here's the hospital and anyone that does and other things that are going on. And it's just remarkable that I guess it's like the duck and everything looks like it's smooth on the surface here. But boy, those legs are just a panel. And so there's a lot going on. And I really appreciate everything the staff does here to make it look like everything is nice and smooth because it is nice and smooth because you do work hard. And I appreciate that very much. I'm reminded, I was, I'm getting my master's degree and I was being mentored by Bill Karstarpin who was the city manager of Greensboro. So if you know the fly over all 540 right into four seasons small right by the Sheraton Tower, Mr. Schofelt from Curry, myself and Mr. Karstarpon were the first three people to see that. Obviously I couldn't tell anybody. I learned an important lesson about city management that day because as soon as Mr. Carstarpon and Mr. Schofelt finished talking about a hundred million dollar flyover, somebody called up Mr. Carstarpon and let him have it because the city had broken his driveway pipes. So it's not the big things that get you just the little things. Well, I know that Trevor's absence if you're watching Trevor is because I told him I was going publicly, shame him and wish him happy birthday. Happy birthday to Trevor. Happy birthday. Happy birthday. Happy birthday. It's an October. Oh, okay. Yeah. So, I hope it's not this week, but I was in hospital. I see. You look so nice. Yeah. You look so nice. You look so nice. You look so nice. You look so nice. Good luck to you Trevor if you're watching get well seen Under the calendar items after you everyone's done with the trick-or-treat The 31st at 10 o'clock will be the First episode of the NC zoo on that geo, you know, a sexual recorder tune in and see all of our local personalities, you know, two legging and four legging. We have a fit of it. And we are, I think it's the 24th, 25th, and they look much younger. It's on the site, they're with the zoo, they're taking advantage of reservations for that, the kids, they did that on Saturday mornings and afternoons and they're shooting the candy down the sheet, they'll set their back and it'll come down in there and it's all like non-al palm old premium candy and you know, a fine and correct. But anyway, you know, and it's $5 a kid, but the chaperones parents won't pay anything. You know, because, you know, it's a nice community need to have them. Okay. You might have seen press release recently where Councilman Moffitt mayor of Pro Tem, Moffitt and zoo council chairman Moffitt put the right people together to make a big project happened at the zoo to protect the Rhinocerite in their exhibit from Red Alty, Green Hat Blue Green Alty or something. It's a horn in the pond, which is very toxic to the animals. And so he put Mark Marrietta in some trucking company, Hill Co. Hill Co. Crews Transport, Lender Equipment, supplied the big grapple. And made all that happen and saved the zoo. A ton of money and saw one of their little crisis, and a related crisis. So proud of what, what, proud that you represent the city so well. And as chairman of the zoo council, that's big. I still haven't figured out how a democratic governor appointed a Republican to the chairmanship of the zoo council. You got lucky. I think it was sound economic policy. We were paid a mileage fee as a stipend to attend the meeting. I tore it away. When I first started this job my check was $1.12. And thought of that, it makes more sense. Okay, staff, thank you very much. John did a good job of night. Appreciate it. Trevor, I hope you'll get well soon and be right back to work. Ray, thank you for being here. Always appreciate your coverage and stuff you do with the paper. We will stand adjourned.