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Uh, I was told by the staff attorney
that she did not know what this

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legislation was about, but she would
check and get back with me.

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Um, never heard from her.
Uh, I tried to email her I emailed her

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again today to see if there's any
update. So,

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uh, I believe I'm correct Dia that
you've not heard from your um,

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counterpart in Franklin County. Um, so
despite our efforts to find out what

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this was about, uh, we've had no word.
Um,

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uh, what I call radio silence. So, I I I
don't know what that means, but in any

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event we thought it would be um,
important to have you have this

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emergency meeting to consider
uh, a resolution on opposition to this

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proposed legislation. Um, so that is the
presentation. The proposed resolution is

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attached [clears throat] to your agenda
packet. It's um,

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it's one page. I've I Mr. Chairman, I
don't know if you want me to read this

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or not. For the public there are copies
I think at the table if someone wants to

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have a copy. Um, I will defer to the
board to have for any questions you have

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or comments
uh, before you take action on the

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resolution.
Okay, you've heard information coming

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from attorney Rollins. Um,
Cook Commissioners any questions or

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comments? Miss Denton you have anything
you want to add?

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Okay. All right. Yes yes sir. Yes ma'am
Vice Chair Davis. Just clarifying the

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where this
proposal is and what actions or steps

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will be taken from
starting tomorrow.

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Um,
Miss Davis, all I can tell you is I

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looked at the legislative history just
before the meeting today and all I can

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tell you is it is out of committee.
It is scheduled on Tuesday to be in both

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chambers, the House and the Senate for
some kind of action. Uh, I assume that's

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a vote.
Don't really know. Uh, in fact this

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happened so quickly that the version of
the bill you have in front of you was

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not available uh, from the General
Assembly website hadn't been updated yet

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because this just happened yesterday.
But as it's presented to you today, it

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will be before the Senate and the House
in the chamber of both houses

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uh, on Tuesday for some kind of action.
Um,

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I'll add one more thing that that I've
in the resolution we we basically made

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it clear that
it's an

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it may be appropriate for a county or a
unit of government to go to the

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legislature for a local bill because you
want the authority to do something that

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you don't otherwise have authority to do
by general statute or by general law.

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Um,
in in in my 40 years being involved in

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local government work, I have never seen
a situation where another county goes to

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the legislature asking that
another county

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is deprived of what their statutory
rights are.

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Uh, and that's what's happening here
with respect to Halifax County and also

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um,
Warren [snorts] and Vance County. I can

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tell you as I've been told by both
county attorneys that that Warren County

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and Vance County are both considering
similar resolutions tomorrow.

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Um, and I will also like to say and I
I appreciate uh, the city attorney for

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Roanoke Rapids Mr. Davis reached out to
me yesterday as I was pulling up my

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driveway um,
uh,

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after I got home. Um, I had a text from
him. He said, "Have you seen this?" And

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I said, "Oh, yes. We've seen it and
we've been working on it."

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Uh, and I appreciate the support we've
been getting and updates from Mr. Davis

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and uh, the city's efforts and the
city's behind us on this proposed

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resolution. And um,
there [clears throat] may be others I've

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not had personal contact with, but I did
appreciate Mr. Davis reaching out when

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he did.
Okay, any any further questions Miss

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Davis?
>> And and just a suggestion too just to

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make every effort we can to show a
strong

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opposition to this. I suggested um, to
um, Miss Denton is there a possibility

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of using the bus that we have with 4-H
and having some of our citizens travel

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to Raleigh on Tuesday just to see that
process and let their voices be known

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too. I think it would be a great idea if
we could pull that off.

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We'll definitely try to make that
happen. Okay, that's something to

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consider. All right, um, Commissioner
Silver. Um, just want to know you I

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reached out to the Haliwa Saponi tribe
and I spoke with the chief vice chief.

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They are strongly opposed and they're
going to meet and

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plan on probably most likely issuing
issuing a resolution.

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I've probably been contacted by
50 to 60 citizens from Halifax, Warren

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County and surprisingly Franklin County
that oppose this legislature and stuff.

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So,
I encourage you to remind all the

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citizens to regardless if they're state
resident, their representative has a

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vote on this and they can help us out.
Okay.

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All right, and I do have some to report
a little bit later along the lines of

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what Commissioner Silver talked about. I
appreciate you you as well as all the

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Commissioners being in touch with me
today.

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Think I talked with all of you all today
for the very first time since I've been

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chair. One day I'll talk to all of you.
But anyway, that that's been great

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talking to some of you several times.
All right, in reference to the

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resolution opposition to Senate Bill 214
part 5 section 5. Any further comments

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00:05:44,360 --> 00:05:49,560
or
or questions or anything to attorney

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Rollins? One last comment. I'm sorry.
And just thank you to Rodney I'm

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representing Rodney Pierce for sharing
[clears throat] this when he found out

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about it and letting us know.
Um, you know, he really started the ball

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rolling. So, um, big thanks to him Yeah.
Absolutely. Thanks goes to Senator

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Sanderson too who voted against it uh,
when it appeared before him yesterday.

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So, anyway, with that being said
anything else?

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All right, if not I'll need a motion to
And I and I got to tell you some old

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things too you all probably got to make
some comments too, but can I get a

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motion to
Okay, motion made by Commissioner

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Bearsdell second.
Second. Second by um,

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co- co- um,
by Vice Chair Davis. Uh, any further

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discussion? All those in favor say I. I.
All opposed like sign.

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Okay. All right, Commissioners um,
and I want you all to chime in. I know

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several of you have talked with
officials and other folks and we don't

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want to get into the weeds of it cuz
we're not going to be here long.

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You know, but you know, if you have
something to say very specific, you

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know, we just need to do it. Uh, want
you to know that I'm not going to be

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sitting here reading these letters, but
Miss uh, Denton and

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and also our deputy county manager has
put together some letters for me uh,

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that has my signature on it. Uh, one
letter going to the chair of the

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Franklin County Board of Commissioners
basically showing our displeasure

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uh,
with what has taken place. I'm not going

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to read it. You have a copy before you
Commissioners. Um,

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and uh, it's pretty strong language.
Very professional, but pretty strong and

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and it's just totally wrong. It's very
dishonorable

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uh, of the Franklin County Board of
Commissioners. I'm just totally

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disappointed in that board.
Um,

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we also sent a letter to Representative
Pierce thanking him

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and also advising him what has taken
place as well as Senator Sanderson who

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cast that vote yesterday uh, against it
and I thank Commissioner Barrett you

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talked with him today, right?
Okay. And uh, we appreciate you know,

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uh, you doing that. I have personally
contacted every mayor

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um, in the county with the exception of
the mayor of Scotland Neck and I talked

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with the mayor pro tem in Scotland Neck
and they're going to be coming out

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resolutions doing the same thing that
we're doing here tonight each one of

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them.
In addition to that, Halifax Rising's

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Economic Development Commission,
HCIA Miss Davis is the president of the

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Halifax County Intergovernmental
Association.

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Um,
I talked with Thomas Wren Roanoke Rapids

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graded Roanoke Rapids Sanitary District.
Um,

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and I think Miss Denton is going to be
talking with the Upper Coastal Plains.

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Anyway, all of them are going to do a
resolution as well. Um,

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you know, in opposition of this bill.
And you know, I I just you know, I don't

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want to say a whole lot about it because
I want to remain professional. I want to

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keep my cool with this, but this thing
has got me boiling.

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And you know, this is just totally
disrespectful y'all. And I think

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attorney Rollins summed it up. You know,
if it was something here in the county

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that we needed to do is different, but
when you reach across to another county

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and try to do something like this,
you know, that's just as low as you can

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go.
And uh, you can print that too if you

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want to Richard. I don't mind.
You know, so anyway, um,

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anyway, that's all I'm going to say at
this point. Um, any of the Commissioners

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want to chime in? I like I said, I won't
get into the weeds cuz we're not going

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to be here very much longer.

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Anyone else? Commissioner Redding?
I also want to start with acknowledging

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Representative Pierce for his leadership
and

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for communicating
with us on an ongoing basis about the

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updates.
And

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just to follow up on the point you made
when we attend either the national

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county commissioners conferences or
state conferences,

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we seem to
you know, unite together for

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not just uh,
in support of our goals, but also

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in support of
what we're trying to achieve

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00:10:03,120 --> 00:10:09,840
either locally or within our schools or
economic development and so on and so

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forth.
And it's just as you pointed out, it's

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disturbing to see that one county
seems to not

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00:10:16,840 --> 00:10:25,040
be in agreement with that
united front that we have. And we have

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too many issues, whether it's
trying to improve our public schools,

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whether it's trying to improve economic
development,

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our infrastructure,
whether it's

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you know, trying to improve our health
care in our counties

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uh to be uh taking time out of our
agendas and schedules and

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and uh
work days to be focusing on something

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like this
that

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clearly is not legal
or um as I said

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in line with what we're trying to
achieve unitedly as a county

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commissioners association. Very well
put. Thank you. Anyone else?

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00:11:04,360 --> 00:11:09,800
Commissioner Silver. Again, Chairman, I
just want the people that's listening

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here in our neighboring counties. If
they can do this to us, who say they

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00:11:11,360 --> 00:11:17,520
won't come for them.
And also, it's very disrespectful and I

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00:11:15,240 --> 00:11:21,480
call names. We just had um
Alan Chester, Senator to support this

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00:11:19,000 --> 00:11:26,120
bill at I-250 who sat there in that
room, made no motion to that. I feel

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like that reflects poorly on
relationships with other government

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bodies.
Thank you.

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00:11:30,760 --> 00:11:33,920
Okay. Anyone else?

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00:11:35,040 --> 00:11:39,240
Um
Commissioner Barry, did you want to say

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00:11:37,200 --> 00:11:42,520
anything about your conversation with uh
Senator Norman Sanderson today?

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00:11:41,480 --> 00:11:45,640
Well, I mean, I'll I'll give you an
update. I I called his office earlier

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00:11:44,320 --> 00:11:48,680
today and after speaking with his
legislative assistant, he called me back

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00:11:47,160 --> 00:11:53,920
this afternoon.
Um

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00:11:50,480 --> 00:11:56,800
and very supportive of of of us and and
our issues. He said he you know,

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00:11:55,480 --> 00:11:59,400
obviously he voted against it when it
first came up.

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Um
and I you know, strongly told him how

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00:12:02,080 --> 00:12:08,000
upset
the people here in Halifax County were

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00:12:06,200 --> 00:12:12,480
and that
not only did we expect him to vote

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00:12:10,080 --> 00:12:17,160
against it, but we expected him to throw
his full weight in opposition of it.

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And he indicated to me that was his
intention. Um that was he was going to

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do everything he could to to fight it
and get it taken out of the bill. Okay.

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00:12:24,280 --> 00:12:30,360
Very good. Thank you for that update.
Anyone else? I can answer. Ms. Denton.

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00:12:28,600 --> 00:12:33,960
Um good evening, Mr. Chairman. Thank you
all for being here on short notice. Um

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we thought this was very
um

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00:12:34,920 --> 00:12:39,160
very well [clears throat] justified as
an emergency meeting with the the

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00:12:37,360 --> 00:12:44,520
seriousness of the the language in this
bill. Um two other updates just for your

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00:12:42,600 --> 00:12:48,280
information. With this being a local
bill, if it passes, it cannot be vetoed

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00:12:46,800 --> 00:12:52,920
by Governor Sun.
So, just know that. Um additionally, we

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00:12:50,560 --> 00:12:57,760
have a when the General Assembly is in
session, we have a managers call with

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00:12:55,640 --> 00:13:02,680
our state association every Thursday at
4:00. I was on that call today. They are

187
00:13:00,400 --> 00:13:06,320
aware of the bill, the language in the
bill, but as you know, they they need to

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00:13:04,720 --> 00:13:10,800
remain neutral.
But I I think they're very aware of what

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00:13:08,400 --> 00:13:14,200
this this could mean across the state of
North Carolina for all counties.

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00:13:12,680 --> 00:13:19,120
Um and I think you may see some
additional counties sign on and hold

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00:13:16,240 --> 00:13:21,560
meetings and pass resolutions. Um we've
I've had at least one additional county

192
00:13:20,440 --> 00:13:26,520
manager
um contact me today that's not listed in

193
00:13:23,760 --> 00:13:30,520
the bill. Mhm. Um but could be affected.
So, we'll be talking to our other our

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00:13:28,600 --> 00:13:34,839
neighbors. Okay. And you may see some
additional action. All right. One thing

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00:13:32,800 --> 00:13:37,920
that I forgot to thank you, Ms. Denton.
Uh

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00:13:35,400 --> 00:13:41,280
in this information I just passed out,
Commissioner, I do have to have your

197
00:13:39,240 --> 00:13:45,960
approval for these letters and I didn't
ask you for that. I'm sorry. Uh let's we

198
00:13:43,960 --> 00:13:52,160
can do all three of them together. Um
we'll be okay, I would think. Yes, sir.

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00:13:48,520 --> 00:13:56,280
Okay. The letter to the chairperson um
Roxanne Bragg in Franklin County, the

200
00:13:54,880 --> 00:14:01,320
letter that I'm sending. You have a copy
before you. The letter to Representative

201
00:13:58,400 --> 00:14:04,560
Rodney Pierce and also uh Senator Norman
Sanderson.

202
00:14:02,520 --> 00:14:07,400
Uh I need a motion uh
you know, for your approval to to send

203
00:14:05,920 --> 00:14:10,040
these letters. I forgot to ask that. May
I have a motion?

204
00:14:08,080 --> 00:14:13,040
» So moved. Motion made by Commissioner
Silver. Is there a second? Second.

205
00:14:11,839 --> 00:14:18,040
Seconded by Commissioner Webb. Any
further discussion? All those in favor

206
00:14:14,959 --> 00:14:22,600
say I. I. All opposed. It's been said
several times, but please, y'all, when

207
00:14:20,480 --> 00:14:26,640
we see these people out, Representative
Pierce, we'll probably see him a lot and

208
00:14:24,079 --> 00:14:30,920
we see Senator Norman Sanderson, you
know, out a lot, too, and or even when

209
00:14:28,600 --> 00:14:35,920
we go down to the legislative day in
June or at the conference in August, uh

210
00:14:34,120 --> 00:14:39,040
make sure you tell these folks a big
thank you.

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00:14:37,040 --> 00:14:43,320
You know, please do that because you
know, they represent us and um

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you know, I mean um
I don't know how many times I talked to

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Representative Rodney Pierce today and I
told him last time I talked to him, I

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said, "This is all you've been working
on last 2 days." I know. So, anyway, but

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but please thank them for all their hard
work. So, anything? Anything else?

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Chairman,
Commissioners, Uh huh

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Mhm.
Yep. Sorry about that, but this is just

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for us, okay?
Okay. All right. Anything else,

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Commissioner?
Anything, staff? No, sir.

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Okay, with that being said, can we get a
motion to adjourn?

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Motion made by Commissioner Red. Is
there a second? Second. Seconded by

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Commissioner Barry. Any further
discussion? All those in favor say I. I.

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All opposed. Okay. Meeting adjourned and
the next meeting is May 4th at 9:30.

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Thank you.