SITE STEVENS WHERE YOU WILL, YOU WANT TO DO IT? HOW FAR NOW GOD IS. WE AM TO COME BEFORE YOU TONIGHT. WE'LL FIND RISK. WHEN THE THING THAT WE ARE IN THIS PLACE TOGETHER, AGAIN, WAS THE FATHER WE WANTED TO THANK YOUR FATHER, HOW YOU LET THE STORM PASS BY FATHER, EVEN THOUGH SOME OF OUR CONSTITUENTS IN RALEIGH AND DURHAM, PROBABLY EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD A BAD TIME FOLLOW, YOU BLESSED US THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO HELP THEM. PLEASE, FATHER CONTINUE TO BLESS THIS COMMUNITY. AND BY THE WAY, BLESSED THIS BOARD, ALL THOSE PABA THAT IT BE TEND TO THE BUSINESS AT HAND WILL FALL ALL THE WAY. LET US REMEMBER THAT WE ALL BROTHERS KEEP A FATHER. THOSE WHO HAS GIVEN MUCH, MUCH OF EXPECT TO BE ASKED TO BE ANOTHER BLESSING IN JESUS' NAME. WE PRAY RICOTTA DONE YOU MAN. OKAY. THE SPACE OF AMERICA, WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, JUST TO FALL HERE, HERE, HERE, THERE. FIRST THING WE HAVE TONIGHT IS REQUEST AND PETITION CITIZENS. AND THAT'S WHERE THE CITIZENS IS GETTING THEIR OPPORTUNITY TO TELL US WHAT THEY REALLY THINK OF. SO IS ANYBODY HERE ON THE MAP, IF YOU WOULD RAISE YOUR HAND HERE FOR THAT? SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO NUMBER FOUR, WHICH IS THE RECONSIDERATION OF THE COUNCIL GOVERNMENT MEMBERSHIP. UM, MR. MAYOR MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, I WAS APPROACHED BY COMMISSIONER SAMPSON. WHO'S HERE AND HE MAY WANT TO SPEAK TO THIS, UM, OR IN JUST A LITTLE BIT. UH, HE ASKED US TO RECONSIDER THIS, CONSIDERING HIS POSITION ON THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS. AND, UH, HE ALSO INDICATED THAT SOME THINGS HAVE CHANGED AT THE COCK SINCE, UH, WE MADE THE ORIGINAL DECISION. AND SO IT'S BEEN BROUGHT BEFORE YOU FOR RECONSIDERATION FOR THAT REASON, MS. PLANT, WE WANT TO HAVE SOME THINGS, 10 36 NORTH STREET. IT'S A BLESSING TO BE BEFORE THE OFFICERS AGAIN IN NEVADA CITY OF NEWBURN. AND I HAD TALKED WITH, UH, MOST OF YOU, I BELIEVE MR. BELL AT NOON. ONE, I DIDN'T GET CHANCE TO TALK WITH CONCERNING THIS RIVER, CASA GOVERNMENT, WHICH IS THE EAST CAROLINA COUNCIL AT THIS TIME. AND I NOTICED NEWBERN HAD GOTTEN OUT. I DIDN'T FIND OUT TILL IT OUT THERE IT HAPPENED. AND WE HAD SOME CORRECTION MADE BECAUSE WE FOUND THAT WHAT OUR EMPLOYEES HAD BEEN KIND OF GIVEN NEWMAN TO KIND OF HARD TIME OVER IN BRIXTON. AND WE QUICKLY GOT RIGHT ON DEBT AND THIS FELLOW NO LONGER REAL TO BE CALLED AT THIS TIME. AND COLE HAS BEEN DOING A GREAT JOB. IT'S STILL DOING A GOOD JOB. THEY'RE GETTING MONIES FOR DIFFERENT CITIES. AND THEY REALLY WANTED TO HAVE NEWBURN BACK, UH, NUMEROUS STUCK WITH THEM WHEN THEY WERE HAVING A BAD TIME. AND SO WE TALKED WITH THE CITY MANAGER ALSO CONCERNING GETTING BACK INTO CALL AND I'VE BEEN, BEEN IN BARBARA. LEE IS FOR QUITE A WHILE. AND WE, WE THINK IT'D BE A GOOD THING THAT WE CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER. WE HAVE NINE COUNTIES AND ALSO WE HAVE ABOUT 15 MANASSEH. PALLETS IS 50 ALL BUILDING MUNICIPALITIES THAT WORKING TOGETHER. AND WE HAVE A LOT OF FUNDS THAT'S COMING THROUGH. AND BY COG THAT REALLY HELPED THEM MANASSEH PALLETS AND ALSO THE COUNTIES. SO FOR THIS REASON, I AM THE SECOND VICE PRESIDENT AT THIS TIME, THIS REASON WE WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE NEWBURN BOARD HALLS TO COME BACK INTO THE ORGANIZATION, THAT WE CAN EVEN BE EVEN STRONGER. I FEEL LIKE THE FIRST NAME WOULD BE $4,800. IT'S TALKED ABOUT. AND THE WAY WE'VE HAD TO CUT A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS OUT, EVEN THOUGH WE GOT THIS HALF AND SAID, COME IN, I THINK THAT WE SHOULD HAVE THIS AT THE NEXT WORK SESSION AND DISCUSS, WHAT
ARE WE GOING TO DO? WE THOUGHT WE BLED TOO MANY OTHER WORTHY ORGANIZATIONS OUT AND WE CAN LET US SEE THE MANAGER, TELL US WHAT WE ARE CAPABLE OF DOING IN THE FUTURE FOR HIS ESTIMATES. I THINK IT'D BE PREMATURE TO TAKE ANY ACTION TO MISS. YEAH. AS A PREVIOUS MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF THE CARDBOARD. I AGREE WITH YOU. I THINK THAT, UM, WE HAVE TO BE A LITTLE BIT CAREFUL ABOUT REVISITING OUR SITUATIONS THAT WE'VE ALREADY DECIDED UPON. YOU GOT TO SEE HOW, WHAT THE DOMINO EFFECT WOULD BE. HOWEVER, UM, I DO AGREE WITH MR. SAMPSON AS A FORMAL MEMBER OF THE COCK, UH, THAT THE CAR HAS CHANGED. I WAS ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO TOLD ME WE WERE TOTALLY OFFENDED BY THE WAY, THE OTHER GENTLEMAN WAS TREATING US AT A MEETING. I THOUGHT THAT WE DESERVE BETTER. AND SO THE CAR ITSELF, THE CARDBOARD WAS APOLOGETIC, BUT I THOUGHT THAT IT MOVES OKAY AT THAT TIME. CAUSE I WAS IN A BID IN SEPTEMBER TOO. BUT, UH, I THINK TOO, AS YOU HAVE SAID, AS A FORMER MEMBER THAT I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR US TO TAKE IT UNDER CONSIDERATION MAYBE AT THE WORK SESSION AS WE HAVE, WE GET TO ASSESS WHAT THIS MEANS TO OUR BUDGET AND REVISIT SITUATIONS. MR. MAYOR, UH, I DON'T EVEN RECALL THE INCIDENT AND I DON'T WANT TO KNOW ABOUT IT NOW SINCE IT, SINCE EVERYTHING IS SOLVED, BUT, UH, I DO SERVE ON ONE ADVISORY BOARD WASTEWATER ADVISORY BOARD, WHICH WORKS THROUGH THE COC AND, AND THEY DO A GOOD JOB. I, I, I THINK THAT PROBABLY RATHER THAN MAKE A RASH MOVE RIGHT NOW, WE DO NEED TO DISCUSS THE WORK SESSION BECAUSE WE DON'T REALLY KNOW YET WHAT EFFECT THIS SALES TAX THING IS GOING TO HAVE ON THE BUDGET. I KNOW WE'LL GET A LITTLE OF WHAT WE LOST AND SOMETHING TO REPLACE A LITTLE BIT OF IT, BUT I DON'T EVEN HAVE THE FIGURES ON IT YET, BUT I, I, I THINK THAT, UH, PUTTING IT ON THE AGENDA FOR THE WORLD FOR A WORK SESSION IS DEFINITELY WORTH DOING BECAUSE THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE HELPED US IN THE PAST AND IT'S WORTH LOOKING AT, AND MAYBE AT THE WORK SESSION. AND I'M SURE THAT THE COP, UH, ADMINISTRATORS WON'T MIND, YOU KNOW, RATHER THAN TO GIVE US A GENERAL OVERVIEW, THEY COULD GIVE US A MORE SPECIFIC OVERVIEW OF THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT THEY'RE DOING NOW AND HOW THEY COULD PARTICULARLY HELP US WHEN WE GET, WHEN WE GET BACK IN. SO GOOD NEWS IS THE BOARD. DIDN'T SAY, NO, NOW I'VE BEEN MARRIED COMING UP ON 41 YEARS. I NOTICED THERE WAS A DOOR SLAM AND THEN A ONE I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE. I WOULDN'T, I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE YOU. I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE, UH, COMMISSIONER SAMSON ON HIS ELECTION TO BE CHAIRMAN THIS YEAR A PROBABLY LONG OVERDUE. AND I HOPE YOU HAVE A VERY YEAH. LOOK FORWARD TO A POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP. I THINK THAT THERE'S ONE THING THAT MRS. SAMPSON AND VIEWERS OF THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE CHATTED IN COURT OVER THE YEARS, THAT KIND OF TOGETHERNESS WORKING TOGETHER THE WAY THAT WE SHOULD AS A COUNTY AND CITY. UH, AND I'M THANKFUL FOR THAT BECAUSE IT'S SORT OF DIFFICULT FOR US TO WORK GUESTS OURSELVES. SO THIS IS MR. SAMSON WITH THE GAVEL. I MEAN, WE GET TO TEST TOP. YUP. AND WE DO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU NEVER FORGOT, BUT THE CITY IS IN THE COUNTY AND WE OWE YOU THAT SAME RESPECT. AND ON THE OTHER WAY YOU REALIZE YOU APPRECIATE IT. OKAY. ANYBODY ELSE GOT ANY COMMENTS? WE'LL MOVE TO NUMBER FIVE. AND THAT'S PROBABLY A HEARING TO CONSIDER AN ORDER, 190 ACRES NORTH OF WEST THURMAN ROAD. I THINK YOU'RE THE MAN GETTING THE MAIL, BAYLESS AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN. YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU A REZONING REQUEST BY GABLES ROAD, LIMITED LIABILITY CORPORATION TO REZONE APPROXIMATELY 180 ACRES FROM A FIVE F AGRICULTURAL FORESTRY DISTRICT TO OUR 20 RURAL RESIDENTIAL AND C3 COMMERCIAL DISTRICT. THIS PROPERTY IS LOCATED ON THURMOND ROAD, ON WEST THURMAN ROAD, BETWEEN THE RAILROAD RIGHT AWAY AND, UH, OLD AIRPORT ROAD. THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD MET LAST WEEK, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3RD, AND VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO RECOMMEND THAT THIS REZONING BE APPROVED, NO ONE APPEARED IN OPPOSITION TO THE REZONING. ALTHOUGH THERE WERE SERVICE, UH, CITIZENS THERE WHO SOUGHT MORE INFORMATION ON ANY QUESTIONS, WHAT WERE THEIR QUESTIONS? PEOPLE WHO WANTED MORE INFORMATION,
WHAT KINDS OF THINGS WERE THEY CONCERNED ABOUT? THERE WERE A FEW QUESTIONS ON THE SIZE OF THE LOTS. AND, UH, THEY WERE VERY MUCH SATISFIED BASED ON THE FACT THAT THE LOTS AVERAGED ABOUT, UH, FIVE ACRES. EACH, THERE WAS A MISCONCEPTION THAT THE LOTS WERE SMALL. ALSO, THERE WAS SOME, UH, RESIDENTS WHO LIVED OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS, WHO WERE CONCERNED ABOUT ANNEXATION AND WE'RE ASSURED THEM THAT, UH, THE CITY COULD NOT ANNEX ON THAT SIDE OF THE RIVER, UNLESS IT WAS REQUESTED BY THE PROPERTY OWNERS. SO THEY SEEM SATISFIED WITH THOSE ANSWERS. WELL, I KNOW THAT THERE WAS SOME CONCERN ABOUT THE COMMERCIAL DISTRICT, BUT IT'S OUT ON THURMAN ROAD AND IT'S A VERY SMALL PART OF IT. SO, YES. SO I FELT BETTER ABOUT THAT WHEN I SEE COMMERCIAL POPPING UP DOWN THERE, I GET NERVOUS. BUT, UH, THE PEOPLE OUT THERE I'VE TALKED TO SEVERAL PEOPLE IN TOMORROW, MONDAY, AND THEY SEEM OKAY WITH IT. I'D LOVE TO HAVE, WHAT WOULD THAT BE? ANNEX IT'S ALL RIGHT. IS THERE ANYBODY HERE IN THE MOST TO SPEAK ON THAT TONIGHT? AND THEN YOU POUR IT SO AGAINST IT OR WHATEVER, COUPLE PEOPLE, UM, YEAH, WE NEED, YOU, YOU, THEN YOU STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD. UM, UH, MY UNDERSTANDING AND TALKING WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER IS THAT, UH, THE BUSINESSES WILL BE, UH, MORE OF A SERVICE TYPE OFFICE AND A SMALL SERVICE THERE. AND IT'D BE PART OF A UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT THAT WOULD SERVE AS BASICALLY THAT DEVELOPMENT THERE, THE SUBDIVISION AND ANY OF THE, UH, RESIDENTIAL USES ALONG THAT AREA. SO ACCORDING TO THE PROPERTY ON IT, HE'S TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING VERY UPSCALE, UH, NO GAS STATION, THAT SORT OF THING, BUT BASICALLY, UH, SMALL BUSINESSES AND, UH, OFFICE IS YES, IT WOULD. YES, IT'D BE RIGHT BESIDE THE FIRE STATION. THAT'S THE COMMERCIAL AREA, BUT THE REST OF THEM IS RESUME WOULD BE WHAT'S THE OTHER SIDE. THEY CAN DO SIDE OF IT GOING OUT. UH, YOU SAY YOU DIDN'T ANYTHING YOU CONCERN THEM PROBLEM WITH? NO, I DON'T. UM, C3 COMMERCIALS, ALMOST GENERAL COMMERCIAL. HOWEVER, UH, THE PROPERTY OWNER HAS ASSURED US THAT, UH, THERE WILL BE RESTRICTIONS ON THE TYPES OF DEVELOPMENT THAT CAN GO IN THERE. UH, THE PROPERTY HAS NOT GONE THROUGH SUBDIVISION AT THIS POINT AND DOING SUBDIVISION IF DORIS SOME ISSUES, UH, AS FAR AS DEVELOPMENT OF THAT TRACK, IN ADDITION TO SUBDIVISION, THERE'S ALSO A SPECIAL USE PERMIT WILL BE REQUIRED. IF THE PROPERTY IS GREATER THAN TWO ACRES, DOESN'T BE ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING. AND, UH, THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS AND THOSE STAINS CAN BE REVIEWED AT THAT TIME. BUT LET ME ASK YOU ONE OTHER QUESTION, I'M UNDERSTANDING THIS, CORRECT. I THINK YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE PROPERTY SCOTT, BUT IS THIS, THIS COMMERCIAL ASPECT OF IT? ISN'T THAT I'M GOING TO SAY A JOANIE, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY A PART OF THE ORIGINAL PROPERTY TO JUST CARVE OUT A LONG ROAD SO THAT MY THINKING IS THAT ANY THING IS PUT IN THERE WITH PEOPLE IN DEVELOPING IT, IT WOULD BE A HUGE DETRIMENT TO WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO WITH THE PROPERTY. THAT IS PART OF IT, BUT THEY DIDN'T PUT ANYTHING THAT WAS VERY PALATABLE TO THE AREA IN LANKA. DO YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? IN OTHER WORDS, THAT ME WOULD BE THE BUILDING RAISING, THEN I WOULD THINK THAT IT WOULD BE NO, NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT. THAT WAS A BIG CUT IN THERE. IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND EITHER, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? THE LOTS BACK. THAT'S TRUE, MAN. SOMEBODY ELSE WHEN YOU'VE DONE WHAT YOU'RE REQUESTING OR, OKAY. I WANT TO KNOW HOW MANY OF THEM, HOW MUCH OF THE 180 ACRES
BERNARDO, HONEY, IF I COULD SPEAK TO THAT, IT MIGHT BE MORE HELPFUL, I GUESS, IN THE SPIRIT OF FULL DISCLOSURE, IF THE WORLD WAS NOT AWARE OF, I OWN A PORTION OF THIS PROJECT, SO I CAN'T SPEAK, UH, UH, FROM MY PARTNERS. UM, BUT, BUT I WILL TELL YOU EVERYTHING I KNOW ABOUT IT. UM, THE 180 ACRES IS, IS A PIECE OF 254 ACRES, THE ENTIRE PARCEL FRONTS ON WESTERN REVENUE AND THE ENTIRE TRACKS, 254 ACRES OF THAT PIECE, 180 ACRES IS BEING CARVED OUT, UH, IN ROUGHLY FIVE ACRE, LOTS, UH, COMPRISED OF 35 BUILDING SITES. THE REMAINING TRACK WILL REMAIN AGRICULTURAL FOREST, OPEN COMMON AREA TO START THE DEVELOPMENT. YOU, UH, TELL ME YOU GO INTO THE WEDDING ON THAT MOLDING. NO, SIR. WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO THE TH THE, UH, KIM, UH, FOLKS, UH, REQUIRES TO JUMP THROUGH CERTAIN HURDLES. AND, UM, IF YOU LOOK AT THE PLAT AND WE'LL SEE THAT ALL THE LOT LINES ARE DELINEATED BY THE WET LANES, SO THAT, UH, YOU CAN'T DISTURB ANY, ANY OF THE SOILS IN THOSE AREAS. SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT THE, UH, THE BURN OR THE SAME RULE, IN FACT, IN FACT, THAT'S PROBABLY WHY YOU WERE NOTICED TO BE HERE BECAUSE YOU WERE LOCKED ON RUNS TO THE CENTER OF THE GOLDEN CREEK LIGHT. LIKE THESE LOTS WERE RUN TO THE CENTER OF THE FREE, BUT OF COURSE, NOBODY CAN BUILD BACK IN THERE OR DISTURB THOSE, THOSE WETLANDS AND BY CANADA, COASTAL AREA MANAGEMENT ACT, OKAY. THAT'S ALSO FORCED BY THE BUILDING INSPECTION DEPARTMENT, UH, WHEN THE BUILDING PERMIT IS APPLIED FOR ABOUT A PROPERTY ON IT. YES, BUT AREN'T, IF I MIGHT, UH, TO BERTA ITSELF IS ZONED R EIGHT, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY COULD, THEY COULD HAVE IN THAT AREA. BUT OF COURSE, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO, I DON'T THINK THEY'D EVER GET BY WITH THAT. THEY COULD PUT LOTS, THEY COULD DIVIDE. THEY COULD HAVE DIVIDED TO BURN IT UP INTO LOTS OF 8,000 SQUARE FEET ARE 20, IS A MINIMUM 20,000 SQUARE FEET. SO THIS IS ZONING IS SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER AND THE SIZE OF THE MINIMUM, LOTS THAN TOMORROW, BUT TO BURN OFF COURSE, THOSE LOTS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED. THE SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING WAS THERE. THEY DETACHED SOME OF THE SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS, OF COURSE, A LOTS OF MUCH LARGER THAN RA REQUIRES AS APPARENTLY THESE ARE PLANNED TO BE ALSO. SO, UH, WE'VE BEEN CAREFUL WITH THIS ONE. YES, SIR. YES. IN THE CITY, OUR TWINS ARE RURAL RESIDENTIAL, WHICH IS A LOW DENSITY. THE LOWEST DENSITY IS THE H FIVE AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT, WHICH IS FIVE ACRES, BUT THIS IS THE SECOND LOWEST DENSITY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OR IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M SURE YOU WOULDN'T HAVE HAD ANY TIME, OR LIKE YOU THINK AT ALL LOOK, OR HOW WILL YOU WANT TO BE BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO WANT WHEN THAT WAS COMING UP NEXT TO YOU. I'VE SEEN SOME OF IT MYSELF AND I SURELY DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH IT IF I WAS NEXT TO IT. SO THAT'S MY OPINION. SO YOU LOOK FOR YOURSELVES, BUT UNLESS YOU ALL GOT TWO MORE COMMENTS, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, IF NOT ALL THE ROLL, PLEASE. MA'AM YES, YES, YES, YES, YES. NEXT THING IS TO CONSOLIDATE, UH, EVERYTHING EXCEPT NUMBER 13. YES, YES, YES, YES. ALRIGHT. REASONABLE NUMBER 13. AND HOW IT'S GOING TO MAKE A COMMENT TO IT. AND ANY OF YOU FEEL LIKE YOU WANT TO COMMENT ON IT AND THAT'S YOUR OPPORTUNITY. WHAT THAT DOES IS GIVES THE CITY EMPLOYEES OR RAISED
BACK, ESSENTIALLY THAT THEY WOULD HAVE GOTTEN BEFORE ROB THE STAGE GOES, DIDN'T MAKE IT TO TOWN, BUT HEY, I JUST WANT TO TAKE OPPORTUNITY. AND I'M SURE THE BOARD VOICED THE SAME THING TOO, TO LET THE PUBLIC BE AWARE THAT WHEN EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY FOUND OUT THEY WEREN'T GOING TO GET A RAISE BECAUSE WE WERE IN A TIGHT THAT THEY STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE AND THEY DIDN'T COMPLAIN. AND THEY DIDN'T WHY THEY DID LIKE REAL SOLDIERS AND TOOK IT. AND THAT MEANT THAT THEY DIDN'T DO THAT JOB ANY WORSE. THEY DID IT AS WELL ABOUT IT. AND THEY DID BEFORE. THEY DIDN'T LET ANYBODY IN THIS TOWN DOWN SERVICE, ANYTHING FACED UP POSSIBLE STORMS, ICE STORMS, OR WHATEVER MIGHT COME OUR WAY, PUTTING OUT FIRES, DOING POLICE WORK. AND I'M GONNA TELL YOU SOMETHING, I DON'T KNOW VERY MANY ORGANIZATIONS IN THIS COUNTRY, MUCH LESS IN THE CITY. I MEAN, IN THE COUNTY OR IN STATE, IT REALLY CAN TAKE A DISAPPOINTMENT AND NOT JUST ROLL OVER AND DIED. AND I JUST WANT TO THANK THE EMPLOYEES FOR, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE BLEW THE HORN, THE CHARGE THEY CHARGED, THEY DIDN'T ASK WHY AS THE OLD SAYING GOES, THEY JUST DID OR THAT. SO I APPRECIATE THAT. AND WE TOLD THEM AT THE TIME WE CAME ACROSS THE MONEY AND INSIGHTFUL WAY TO PAY THE TRUST AS WE DO IT. AND THAT'S WHAT WAS HAPPENING. SO I WON'T TAKE MY HAT OFF TO THEM. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS THAT, UH, THEY WOULD TEST IT, NOT THE PUBLIC WITH THE EMPLOYEES. AND THEY PASSED THE FLYING. SOME YOU UH, WE TALK ABOUT SAD. I AGREE. 100%. THE ONLY THING IS WE'RE NOT BE RETROACTIVE. YOU HAVE TO START FROM THE FRONT OF THE LAST HALF OF THE YEAR. I WISH WE COULD, BUT I'M SURE THEY APPRECIATE IT. WHAT LITERALLY CAN TWO AND A HALF CENT SALES TAX. IT MADE THIS POSSIBLE, BUT IT STILL DOESN'T LOOSEN UP THAT WE'D LOST SIX MONTHS OF WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN GETTING ANYWAY, BUT THE BOYS DESERVE A I'M FLAGGING. I AM TOO. I LIKE THE SPIRIT THAT THEY HAD. IT WAS REALLY ENCOURAGING WITH THE ECONOMY LIKE IT IS. AND PEOPLE LOSING THEIR JOBS, OUR EMPLOYEES, THAT WAS THE ADMINISTRATORS AND THE ONES WHO MIGHT BE CONSIDERED LOWER ON THE TOTEM POLE, WHERE THEY'RE VERY SUPPORTIVE. AND I WOULD, WE WOULD TALK TO THEM. I THINK SOMEONE WROTE A NET OF MY TIME TO THE NEWSPAPER. I THINK IT'S WHEN WE HAD DECIDED TO BUY SOME PROPERTY FOR A RECREATION CENTER IN PLEASANT HILL AND SOMEBODY WHOSE NAME. I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE US, ASKED ME IN THE NEWSPAPER TO SEE THAT THE CITY GIVE EMPLOYEES A RAISE. I DIDN'T LOOK AT IT AT THAT AS SOMETHING NEGATIVE. I THOUGHT IT WAS SOMETHING ENCOURAGING, WHOEVER THAT WAS KIND OF THOUGHT THAT MAYBE WE COULD BE GOOD. AND I'M JUST THANKFUL THAT NOW WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT. BUT THE EMPLOYEES THEMSELVES DID NOT COMPLAIN THAT I, THAT IS REALLY SOMETHING. I ALWAYS, I DIDN'T COMPLAIN IN MY STORE HEARTBEAT. I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY CRITICAL. ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT ON THE TEAM'S TAKING WELLNESS? THAT'S WHY IT IS A TEAM. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I WAS TERRIFIED THAT WE'VE GOT SUCH GREAT PEOPLE. I WAS TERRIFIED THAT WE WOULD START LOSING SOME OF OUR PEOPLE TO PRIVATE INDUSTRY, AND WE WOULD HAVE TO START ALL OVER WITH THE HIRING PROCESS AND THE TRAINING PROCESS. AND THAT WOULD BE SO EXPENSIVE. AND TO ME, DISRUPTIVE OF THE SCHEDULE AND THE QUALITY OF SERVICES, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE'VE GOT GOING TO THE CITY OR THE EMPLOYEES. I MEAN, IT'S LIKE ANY BUSINESS AND PEOPLE WANT THE CITY RUN AS A BUSINESS. WE TRY TO RUN IT AS A BUSINESS. AND IN ORDER TO DO THAT, WE TRY TO GET TRAINED AND KEEP THE BEST PEOPLE WE CAN. AND THAT'S HARD TO DO WHEN YOU CAN'T KEEP UP WITH THE ECONOMY AND THEY COULD MAKE MORE MONEY BY LEAVING TO GOING TO PRIVATE INDUSTRY. SO I GUESS WHAT IT WAS, WE WORKED WITH MANY PRIVATE INDUSTRIES AND THEN WE DO PIPE WITH, WELL, ONE OF THE PROBLEMS, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SCARED ME WAS THE THOUGHTS OF SOMEBODY LIKE CP AND L IS AMPING UP ON ALL OF OUR, OUR, SOME OF OUR LINEMEN, THE ONE NATIONAL HONORS. I MEAN, THOSE GUYS ARE GOOD AND WE DID NOT HAVE TO LOSE THEM. WELL, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THE CUSTOMER TOLD ME WHEN I HAD MY BUSINESS MANY YEARS AGO, TELL HIM, HE SAID, TOM, I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT HOW YOUR STUFF WORKS WHEN IT'S WORKING. HE SAID, I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED WHEN IT
INTERESTING. AND THE POINT WAS THE SERVICE. AND THAT'S WHAT BUILT MY BUSINESS ON THE SAME WAY HERE IN THE SENSE THAT IT'S EASY TO BE A GOOD EMPLOYEE WHEN YOU'RE MAKING PLENTY OF MONEY AND EVERYTHING COMES WHEN THINGS ALL THE WAY, AND YOU DON'T WANT TO INFLICT THAT, FIND OUT, YOU KNOW, BUT IT'S LIKE A FRIEND OF MINE WHO ONE TIME HIS TRUCK CAUGHT ON FIRE AND HE CALLED THE FIRE AND HIS WIFE CAME OUT OF THE HOUSE AND ROLLED IT ACROSS THE YARD AND PUT HIM OUT. I TOLD HIM, I SAID, YOU KNOW, THE GOOD THING ABOUT THAT. AND HE SAID, WHAT? I SAID, I SAID, AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, YOUR WIFE WILL PUT YOU OUT. WELL, YOU'RE IN, YOU'RE IN TROUBLE NOW. ANYWAY, MY AREA NO, I'M SERIOUS. YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? IN OTHER WORDS, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. MR. MAYOR. THE THING OF ALL OF THESE THINGS, WHEN THEY GO INTO EFFECT IS TIMING IS EVERYTHING. AND I'D LIKE MR. HARTMAN. AND TO BE ABLE TO NOTIFY ALL THE EMPLOYEES TOMORROW MORNING, THAT THIS WAS A CHRISTMAS PRESENT, IT GOES INTO EFFECT. I THINK THE PAY PERIOD ENDING DECEMBER 24TH. SO ALTHOUGH WE WERE FIGHTING TO GET IT DONE, IT'S A VERY TIMELY. AND, UH, SO THE EMPLOYEE IS GOING AND GO OUT AND SPEND THEIR HARD EARNED MONEY BEFORE THE SALES TAX KICKS IN. I HOPE IT BRINGS THEM A HAPPIER AND A MORE PROSPEROUS MEANS. UM, I'D LIKE YOU TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE. SALARY SCHEDULE PLEASE, MAN. MR. MAYOR, JUST ONE COMMENT. THANK YOU FOR ALL THOSE KIND WORDS. CAUSE THEY REALLY DO DESERVE IT. ALL THE EMPLOYEES DO AND NIGHT, BUT THE EFFECTIVE DATE WILL ACTUALLY BE THIS FRIDAY. IT'S IN THE PAPER IN WHICH YOU ARE NOT THEIR ORDINANCE. SO PAY PERIOD ENDS IS, AND I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT ALSO THE BEST DEPARTMENT WAS THE ONE WHO INITIATED THE THOUGHT. WE ALL JUMPED ON THAT AGREEMENT WITH HIM, BUT HE'S THE ONE IN FIRST, ALL OVER HIM. THE FIRST THINGS YOU JUST PUT ME OUT IF I NEED TO PUT OUT, OKAY, THE NEXT THING. YES BUT YOU'RE NOT, BUT YOU'RE THE ONE THAT WANTS AN INCLUDED. WE SEE OUT EVERY DAY AND THEY WERE VACUUMING MY STREET THIS MORNING. ALL THOSE EXTRA LEAVES AT THE FOLKS IN RIGHT DOWN TO THE CURB CAME BY WHAT A MACHINE IS, SUCKS THEM ALL UP. MY NEIGHBORS ARE REALLY HAPPY. SO THE EMPLOYEES DESERVE THIS, UH, SMALL RATES IMPROVE THEIR SITUATION. AND I ALSO LIKE TO THANK MY FRIENDS, SAMPSON GUYS. WE HAD TO I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT WITH NOBODY LIKES TAXES. PAY A LOT AND A LOT BEING DEFINED. IS THAT PRESENTED YOU WHAT YOU HAVE? I MEAN, I PROBABLY WILL AS MIKE AND I MAY NOT HAVE A BUTTON PENNY TAX, BUT YOU KNOW, WE WERE ALL ON A TIGHT ASS FOR SURE. AND HE LOOKED LIKE THAT FOR THEM TO LEAVE. AND THEN THE POSITIVE THING ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR TAX THAT I THINK OF IS IT, AT LEAST IT ALL DOESN'T HAVE TO COME OFF THE BACK OF THE LOCAL SALES TAX AND GET THE ONES COMING THROUGH. AND GOD KNOWS THEY GET US EVERY TIME I GO TO SOMEWHERE, THEY ALL LIVE AT THE TOP OF MEGAN AND YOU AND THE REST OF THEM. SO ANYWAY, WE APPRECIATE WHAT HAPPENED WHEN IT HAPPENED. MAYBE LOWER WORK OUT IN THE END, AS THEY SAY, IF WE HAVE STARTED ON STARTING ON THAT. NO, SIR, NO APPOINTMENTS TONIGHT. IT'S LATE. YES, SIR. ONE SECOND FURTHER DISCUSSION. SEVERAL SECONDS. OKAY. THE ATTORNEYS
WE GOT MISCELLANEOUS, MR. MATT. YES, SIR. UH, SINCE THIS IS OUR LAST MEETING OF THE YEAR AND KEEPING WITH THE SPIRIT AS THE HOLIDAY SEASON, LIKE THE WASTE OF BOARD AND ALL OF THE CITIZENS OF NEW BERN AND CRAVEN COUNTY, A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR, 2003. ABSOLUTELY. IT'S LATE. AND I TOO WISH ALL THE CITIZENS AND NON GODSPEED FOR THE NEW YEAR. I WOULD CERTAINLY LIKE TO ADD MY BEST WISHES TO EVERYONE OUT THERE WHO, WHO WORKED SO HARD TO HELP US WORK SO HARD. I, WE IT'S, IT'S A COOPERATIVE EFFORT. WE CAN ACCOMPLISH IT WITHOUT THE CITIZENS AND THE CITY EMPLOYEES GETTING BEHIND US. BUT WE HAVE SUCH A GREAT TOWN HERE AND, AND EVERYBODY OUT THERE AS PART OF IT AND NOT JUST APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU HELPING US. AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE BOARD FOR THEIR VOTE OF CONFIDENCE IN ME. I'VE GOT A RIBBON TO CUT TOMORROW MORNING AND I'VE GOT AN INSTALLATION OF OFFICERS FOR ARP TO DO IT TOMORROW. SO I'M ALREADY, ALREADY ON THE JOB. AND I HOPE THAT EVERYONE HAS A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR. AND NORMALLY I WOULD HAVE LITTLE BASKETS OF GOODIES UP HERE FOR ALL OF THE ALDERMAN AND FRANCINE. THE NEWSPAPER LADY IS MAD AT ME AND I'VE ALREADY HAD TWO LETTERS TO THE EDITOR JUMPING UP. WELL, THE SAME ONE REPEATED. SO I BETTER DO THAT. THAT'S A FIRST. SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, WHILE THE REST OF YOU, UH, GO ON WITH THE MISCELLANEOUS, I WILL MOUTH PLACE IN FRONT OF YOU, YOUR LITTLE CHRISTMAS GOODY BAG. NOW WE'LL SAY MAX, HE GOT A GOOD JOB. HE WAS MY BRIGHT DAMN LAST THIS LAST YEAR. AND HE HAS HELPED ME RETAIN A LITTLE BIT OF SANITY. I GOT, OBVIOUSLY NOT ALL OF THEM. I SAID I DIDN'T. CAUSE I GOT, HE EXPLAINED THE PART ABOUT ME. I GET OUT OF HERE. ALL RIGHT, MR. FREEZE, LET'S SAY JUST ABOUT . ALL RIGHT. HOW ABOUT MR. WRIGHT? AND LIKEWISE, I WOULD LIKE TO WISH EVERYONE AND EVERYONE HERE AND GO TO ELIZABETH HELEN VERY WELL AT CHRISTMAS AND, UH, CONTINUE TO REMEMBER. WOW, WOW. THERE IS A CHRISTMAS, LET THAT SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS REMAINED IN YOUR HEARTS, SHARE WHATEVER BLESSINGS YOU HAVE WITH THOSE THAT ARE LESS FORTUNATE THAN YOU, OSCAR. THANK YOU, PAUL. EXACTLY. AND I TELL YOU, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS A LOT OF CONTROVERSY AND TALK AND SAY, WELL, DURING THE 9 1 1 BUSINESS LAST YEAR AND I'LL LAND, AND I MADE A COMMENT ONCE AND CHRISTMASES THAT WERE VERY BIG EXAMPLE OF WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, THAT I FELT LIKE THIS COUNTRY WAS IN THE RIGHT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING WHEN HE WAS FORMED BECAUSE THE GOD, MOST OF US BELIEVE IN GOD, PLEASE, THAT YOU HAVE FREE WILL. AND THAT'S THE WAY YOU'RE PUT TO THE TEST AND THE WORLD. COULD YOU BE PUT TO A TEST OF FREE WILL THAT HE DIDN'T LEAVE ON THE BLOT, A FREE COUNTRY? SO, YOU KNOW, WE GOTTA REMEMBER THAT. CHRISTMAS IS ONE OF THE BEST TIMES THAT I CAN THINK OF TO REMEMBER THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE CAN, SOMETIMES WE CAN START THINGS OVER IN JANUARY, LOOK AT THINGS ON THE WAY, IN A DIFFERENT WAY AND ALL THAT SORT OF BUSINESS. I WISH EVERYBODY MERRY CHRISTMAS MYSELF. AND, UH, NEXT THING THAT WE HAVE IS THE ATTORNEYS BEFORE WHEN I SAID HE WAS ALL I'M TRYING TO MAKE SURE IS WHEN HE WAS IN A TIGHT THE LONGER YOU TALK, THE DEEPER YOU'RE DIGGING YOURSELF.