[0:06] Um just so you know I Emily and I were
[0:10] talking earlier and we and she was able
[0:12] to go back. We didn't have any
[0:16] truly virtual meetings during COVID. We
[0:19] So we're this is our go by moving
[0:21] forward. Um, so just little bit of uh
[0:27] just FYI, keep you might want to keep
[0:29] your mics muted until you're ready to
[0:31] talk. Um, especially if you're like me
[0:34] and have kids and dogs and cats running
[0:37] around the house. So, uh,
[0:39] » I can't I can't hear them.
[0:42] » I can hear them perfectly.
[0:47] Push your volume.
[0:55] on the top.
[0:56] » Honey, I've got it. It's just not.
[1:12] Hey guys, I at first I can see
[1:14] everybody, but now I can only see three
[1:16] people.
[1:18] Can you Well, I can hear you. I guess I
[1:20] can hear you.
[1:23] » Can you hear me now?
[1:25] » I can.
[1:26] » Okay, there you go.
[1:28] » Yes,
[1:29] I can. I'm good.
[1:37] » Whoever's Whoever's talking, Doris,
[1:40] ought to pop up on your screen, I would
[1:43] think.
[1:44] Well, you popped up and went out. You
[1:47] know, at one point I seen everybody, but
[1:50] now I'm just seeing I'm just seeing Miss
[1:53] Emily
[1:57] and then I don't see you.
[2:01] I don't even hear you right now.
[2:03] » Well, yeah. As long as you can hear,
[2:05] that's the best thing.
[2:07] » Yeah, I'm good. I'm good.
[2:31] Can y'all hear me? Okay.
[2:35] » If there's no I can I heard you.
[2:37] » Yes.
[2:37] » Yes, sir.
[2:38] » Loud and clear.
[2:40] » Okay.
[3:10] Okay,
[3:16] » That's the problem. It's on in there.
[3:18] Would you
[3:18] » That TV?
[3:19] » No. Would you turn the speaker off
[3:22] there?
[3:24] » Yes. Yeah.
[3:34] » Look at it.
[3:41] » Is it still all There we go.
[3:46] » Christie, it looks like you and Lisa
[3:48] have both gone somewhere nice to weather
[3:50] out the storm together.
[3:53] We are we are very excited about that.
[3:57] Y'all just let us know when the the
[3:59] roads are clear and we'll come back.
[4:19] » All right, folks. It is six o'clock. So,
[4:22] um, I'll call this meeting to order. Uh,
[4:26] and the city clerk will lead us in in
[4:29] invocation, please.
[4:32] » Let's pray everyone. Dear Lord, thank
[4:35] you for this day and thank you for
[4:36] keeping everyone safe during the storm.
[4:38] I pray for our street department and our
[4:40] first responders who are still working
[4:43] to uh keep the streets clear. And I pray
[4:45] that the council members make wise
[4:47] decisions for our community tonight. In
[4:49] your name we pray. Amen.
[4:52] Thank you, Emily. Okay. Uh during the
[4:55] pre-agenda, the city council removed
[4:58] items one and nine from the agenda. And
[5:01] because this is a virtual meeting, the
[5:03] three presentations have also been
[5:06] removed. So item 10, item 10 uh has now
[5:10] been removed due to new information that
[5:12] must be reviewed and item 11 was uh
[5:16] reviewed during the pre-aggenda meeting.
[5:18] So no decision and no decision is
[5:21] necessary. Is there a motion to adopt
[5:24] the amended agenda?
[5:27] » So move.
[5:27] » So move.
[5:29] » Okay. We have a first and a second. Is
[5:31] there any further discussion?
[5:36] Okay. Due to this being a virtual
[5:38] meeting, we will need to have a roll
[5:40] call vote. So if you will just vote uh I
[5:44] or no as I call your name. Council
[5:47] member David Jones,
[5:56] » Council Member Christy Feifer.
[5:58] » Hi.
[6:00] » Council member Doris Allison.
[6:03] » Hi.
[6:04] » Council member Amy Lton.
[6:07] » Hi.
[6:08] » Council member Tip Nicholson.
[6:11] » Hi.
[6:13] » Council member Lisa Pearson. I,
[6:17] » Council Member Trey Robertson.
[6:20] » I,
[6:21] » And Council Member James Presley,
[6:23] » I.
[6:25] » So, the motion passed unanimously. Thank
[6:27] you so much. So, uh, the 2026 code of
[6:31] ethics and the front and center
[6:33] strategic plan. As always, the city
[6:35] council works to follow the code of
[6:37] ethics and the strategic plan. Um, we
[6:41] have removed uh the presentations and
[6:43] recognitions. We have removed these
[6:45] items from the agenda uh to have them
[6:48] present at the next meeting. So we'll
[6:50] hear from the two chiefs next next
[6:52] meeting.
[6:54] So uh city manager report now. Ron uh
[6:57] will be providing his report tonight.
[7:02] » Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh Emily, can you
[7:08] [cough and clears throat]
[7:08] we uh for those of you that have been on
[7:11] the council for a while, we we're moving
[7:13] this earlier in the meeting just to, you
[7:16] know, not have it as an add-on. Uh I'm
[7:19] going to try and make it a little
[7:20] shorter because of that. But some of
[7:22] these I think you really need to to hear
[7:24] as a group and ask me any questions that
[7:26] you might have.
[7:29] » [clears throat]
[7:29] » So, just to start, uh, Emily alluded to
[7:33] this in the invocation, like to thank
[7:35] everybody who's been working, um, you
[7:38] know, literally around the clock in some
[7:41] cases, uh, to handle the two winter
[7:44] storms that we've had. It's not very
[7:46] often that you get that you get uh, two
[7:49] plus inches of ice and then six to 10
[7:52] inches of snow depending on where you
[7:54] are. And uh you know it goes without
[7:57] saying we are not equipped for these
[7:59] types of storms. So everything that has
[8:02] been done I I really do appreciate um
[8:06] will tell you that [clears throat]
[8:09] you we are our streets department uh has
[8:12] been you know again working as as as
[8:14] much as they can. um when we have ice
[8:18] that's, you know, under under all of the
[8:21] uh under the snow, it's just almost
[8:23] impossible to get down to the pavement
[8:26] with the equipment that we have. Um the
[8:28] motor graater, we have one motor graater
[8:30] and it has been um it's been like the
[8:33] piece of equipment that's worked the
[8:35] best. Um but all everything else that we
[8:38] have, we have snow plows on our trucks,
[8:40] spreaders for salt and and sand. Um so
[8:44] they've done a great job. police, fire,
[8:48] um storm water crews, everybody that's
[8:50] been called in has just been done done a
[8:53] great job and we're doing the best we
[8:54] can. I know it's not perfect, but but
[8:57] we're really uh we're really trying.
[9:00] Next, please.
[9:04] So, going into the um construction
[9:06] projects, the terminal building is
[9:09] finished. Um and just as a reminder, our
[9:12] ribbon cutting is February 9th at 2
[9:14] o'clock.
[9:16] Next,
[9:20] we have several other airport projects I
[9:23] wanted to bring to your attention. Um,
[9:25] the airport apron expansion design. This
[9:29] is the the image that you have on your
[9:31] screen with the yellow the yellow lines
[9:34] on the kind of the left side. We're
[9:36] expanding out the FBO tarmac. Uh this is
[9:40] going to be this is going to allow us to
[9:41] build uh hanger spa or hangers in that
[9:44] area. Um and potentially if the
[9:46] Elizabeth City State project does come
[9:49] to fruition, then we will put them there
[9:52] as well. So design's 90% complete. Uh
[9:57] and then we will put that out for bids
[9:58] after uh after we get those the design
[10:01] done. the uh corporate development
[10:05] uh area. This is the one where we bid it
[10:08] three times uh for various reasons. And
[10:11] this will allow us to build um an apron
[10:15] and potentially at one point we were
[10:17] going to have a hanger there as well.
[10:19] But this is going to be our main area
[10:20] for expansion on the airport and it's uh
[10:24] down behind the Victory Air hanger, if
[10:27] you know where that is, going down the
[10:29] main taxi way on NASCAR Road.
[10:32] So bids were opened on uh January 22nd
[10:36] and that's been awarded to or will be
[10:38] awarded to uh Country Boy Landscaping
[10:41] who is the apparent uh responsive and or
[10:44] low responsive and responsible bidder.
[10:47] The third is a um
[10:51] this isn't the la the most updated one,
[10:54] Emily.
[10:55] » [clears throat]
[10:56] » So, the the last one uh is that I wanted
[10:59] to let you know that West Star, who took
[11:02] over the old Lowe's hanger, we received
[11:05] this last week a letter from the state
[11:08] saying that we were granted a $3 million
[11:10] or we we're going to be getting a $3
[11:12] million grant to assist them as an
[11:15] economic development project on building
[11:18] the the basically apron space and doing
[11:21] the horizontal work for their new hanger
[11:25] expansion which is going to accelerate
[11:27] that project. So that's a huge win for
[11:29] us.
[11:30] Next
[11:36] um the circuit 63 undergrounding. Um I
[11:40] would just disregard the words on this
[11:42] slide. Uh this is the undergrounding
[11:45] project in the valley stream area. Um
[11:48] what what we're doing out there is it's
[11:50] it's kind of a two-fold project, but
[11:53] it's the first of its kind that I'm
[11:54] aware of in Statesville.
[11:57] This area is notorious for outages, and
[12:01] our crews are out quite often when there
[12:04] are storms. So, we're taking we're we're
[12:06] we're taking the 4KV lines, upgrading to
[12:10] 23 KV, and taking them underground. So,
[12:14] this is the first one where we've been
[12:15] pro proactive on going underground.
[12:18] Hopefully, this is something we continue
[12:20] to do to help with our crews uh and the
[12:23] reliability. It is not cheap uh but for
[12:27] the overall long-term health of uh the
[12:30] system that this is something that we're
[12:32] trying to do in in strategic areas.
[12:35] Next,
[12:40] uh the police department. Um what I will
[12:43] tell you about that or and the parking
[12:45] deck the parking deck substantial
[12:47] completion is hopefully somewhere end of
[12:50] March early April. Uh so that is moving
[12:53] along. Both of these projects and really
[12:56] any of our construction projects are
[12:58] heavily dependent on the weather this
[13:00] time of year. So obviously the last week
[13:03] and a half has um has hurt their
[13:05] progress. Uh but hopefully we can stay
[13:08] with that time frame.
[13:10] police department. There's a lot of work
[13:13] going on inside and outside for that
[13:15] project. We're hoping that substantial
[13:17] completion on that one is in August of
[13:20] this year. Next,
[13:27] fire station 5. Um, y'all are well aware
[13:30] of this project. The roof's done. uh
[13:32] grading the grading contract has not
[13:35] been awarded yet to my knowledge but we
[13:38] do have the low bidder so that should
[13:40] happen any time and then interior work
[13:42] in in March we have you'll see at the
[13:46] end of this report we have done all the
[13:48] hiring uh for you can go ahead you can
[13:51] for that station so we have uh we are
[13:54] going to have I believe 15 more
[13:56] firefighters be pinned mayor uh in the
[13:59] in the next little bit so Um there there
[14:02] are a lot of new firefighters on the
[14:04] scene.
[14:06] Uh the waterline spline weather has been
[14:09] atrocious for this one. Uh this is the
[14:12] $23 million water project basically from
[14:14] the plant to Idol Memorial Gardens south
[14:17] of town. Um paving on Brookdale has
[14:21] finally been done. Uh we are going to be
[14:23] moving to Stockton Street uh very soon.
[14:27] Uh and then the next project or next
[14:29] part of the project is going to be um
[14:32] South Meeting Street uh moving from the
[14:35] railroad
[14:37] um to Amnony Hill Road if I'm not
[14:40] mistaken or no that's that's the US 21.
[14:43] Um but the South Meeting and US 21 are
[14:48] the two next areas that are going to be
[14:50] hit in earnest. And I'll remind you that
[14:53] when we're putting these lines in the in
[14:56] the ground, it's a multi-step process,
[14:58] which is what's taken us so long. You
[15:01] got the main line, which tears up the
[15:03] pavement. Eventually, you have uh feeder
[15:06] lines that have to be tied into it after
[15:08] DEEQ has come in, done pressure testing,
[15:11] and making sure it's all done correctly.
[15:14] Then finally, we can overlay and re
[15:16] repave. So, I I hate it, but it takes a
[15:20] long time and it's a multi-step process.
[15:22] Um hopefully come spring we won't have
[15:24] to fight the weather as much and and
[15:26] we'll be able to get this thing done. Um
[15:28] but it is at 53%
[15:31] um completion.
[15:33] » Hey Ron, can we ask questions as you go?
[15:35] » You can. Uh
[15:37] » Just quick question about Stockton
[15:38] Street. I drove down there recently and
[15:41] it's like an old logging road. Do you
[15:42] have an estimated date of when you're
[15:44] going to begin and when that'll be
[15:45] complete?
[15:46] Uh it should start any time. Um and I'm
[15:51] not sure when it's going to be complete.
[15:53] This the storm has really thrown that
[15:55] project off. Um one of the I think the
[15:58] intersection of Brookdale and Stockton
[16:00] is probably where they're going to start
[16:02] it because it's last time I looked it
[16:05] was still in really bad shape at the
[16:08] turn coming off of Brookdale onto
[16:10] Stockton.
[16:11] » Um but that's that is the next phase
[16:13] coming back in. I can get I can get more
[16:16] information from you uh or for you after
[16:18] the meeting and send that out.
[16:20] » That'd be great. Thank you.
[16:21] » Can you send it to me also? I'm getting
[16:23] tons of calls.
[16:24] » I I'll send it out to everybody.
[16:26] » Thank you.
[16:27] » You're welcome.
[16:30] Next,
[16:34] uh South Yadken uh pump station. This is
[16:37] our main uh our pump station uh bringing
[16:40] raw water in from the South Yadken.
[16:43] Years ago, it was our Statesville's
[16:45] primary source of water. Now, it's our
[16:47] secondary source with the um Kataba
[16:50] River being the first. It's been a long
[16:52] drawn out process, but we have finally
[16:55] gotten finished with the uh redoing the
[16:57] pump station. Um, in Bill Vaughn's
[17:00] terms, we have totally recapitalized uh
[17:03] the the pump station here or the pump in
[17:06] here. Um, close to a two $3 million
[17:09] project. Uh, and we're going to do a an
[17:12] unveiling at some point uh some point
[17:14] soon.
[17:16] Next,
[17:21] Emily, I'm going to skip this one if you
[17:23] don't mind, please.
[17:29] Okay. So, coming up, I mentioned earlier
[17:31] February 9th at 2, that's the ribbon
[17:33] cutting for the airport. And then our
[17:35] council retreat 19th and 20th of this
[17:37] month. We are going to start at city
[17:41] hall, go to Hickory to meet there and do
[17:44] the tour there. And then on the 20th, we
[17:47] will be back at our um at the
[17:50] Statesville airport. So, in the meeting
[17:52] room that you see right here.
[17:55] And we've got a we have an agenda that's
[17:57] pretty much completed. I'm going to send
[18:00] it out fairly soon just to get some
[18:02] thoughts on uh from you on it.
[18:06] [snorts] Next.
[18:11] Okay. Open positions. I'm going to
[18:13] probably end it after this one because
[18:15] we have a lot of filled positions. Um so
[18:19] we only have five here. So that's that's
[18:23] a huge deal for us. Uh we have uh been
[18:26] working to uh you know positions come
[18:29] and go when you have 550 plus employees.
[18:31] There's there's turnover. Um but uh one
[18:34] of these positions the transportation
[18:36] planner is new or new in this year's
[18:39] budget. So we have done very well
[18:41] filling these positions. And that's not
[18:44] to say they won't we won't have
[18:46] vacancies, but uh I feel really good
[18:49] sitting where we are right now with this
[18:52] next.
[18:56] And so I won't go through all of these
[18:58] because we have, I believe, four full
[19:00] slides of either promotions, transfers,
[19:04] um, new hires, or folks that have come
[19:07] back around to us. I would we we'll send
[19:10] this out as well. I I would and you can
[19:12] see this one on the website. Um, I'm
[19:15] really proud of everybody for getting
[19:16] these positions filled and I'm and I'm
[19:18] super proud of those that actually take
[19:20] the time to go after certifications
[19:23] uh and things of that nature and and for
[19:25] promotions
[19:27] and I'm glad to answer any questions
[19:29] that uh that you might have.
[19:35] Okay, no questions for Ron. No
[19:37] additional questions.
[19:40] Thank you so much, Ron.
[19:42] Um, so on the consent agenda, all items
[19:46] were considered to be routine by the
[19:48] council and will be enacted by one
[19:50] motion. So consider approving the
[19:53] January 8, 2026 pre-agenda meeting
[19:56] minutes and the January 12th, 2026
[20:00] regular meeting minutes. Uh B is
[20:03] consider approving budget amendment
[20:06] 2026-12
[20:07] for the current sewer relocation
[20:10] project. AE services agreement. Um item
[20:15] C is consider approving budget amendment
[20:17] 2026-13
[20:19] to fund the city hydraulic water model
[20:22] update. Uh item D is consider approving
[20:26] the submission of application to the NC
[20:29] governor's crime commission for funding
[20:31] of two police officers uh police
[20:33] department salaries. Uh item E is
[20:36] consider approving an ordinance
[20:38] establishing a 25 mph speed zone on a
[20:42] portion of West Front Street at the
[20:44] request of the North Carolina DOT.
[20:47] Item F is consider approving the special
[20:50] use permit 2026-01
[20:54] which is the Winston Avenue town homes
[20:56] order. And uh item G uh is consider
[21:01] approving a resolution designated John
[21:04] Hatcher, grants manager, and Randall
[21:06] Moore, storm water program manager, the
[21:08] authorized primary and secondary agents
[21:11] to execute and file applications for the
[21:14] hazard mitigation grant program with NC
[21:17] Division of Emergency Management and
[21:19] FEMA for the Beauty Street South Drive
[21:23] culvert replacements and the Holland
[21:25] Drive culvert replacement.
[21:27] And uh item H is consider accepting the
[21:31] annual non-primary entitlement grant
[21:33] from the NC DOT AV aviation division in
[21:37] the amount of $150,000.
[21:41] Are there any items that the council
[21:43] would like to move back to the regular
[21:45] agenda?
[21:49] Hearing none, I will ask for a motion on
[21:52] the consent agenda. [snorts]
[21:54] » So moved. Do I have a second?
[21:56] » Second.
[21:58] » Any further discussion?
[22:02] » Okay. Once again, we will need to have a
[22:04] roll call vote, so we'll make this a
[22:07] little faster. Uh, Council Member Jones,
[22:10] » I.
[22:12] » Council member Feifer,
[22:14] » I.
[22:15] » Council member Allison,
[22:17] » I.
[22:18] » Council member Lton,
[22:21] » I. Council member member Nicholson.
[22:25] » I.
[22:26] » Council member Pearson.
[22:28] » I.
[22:29] » Council member Robertson.
[22:31] » I.
[22:32] » And council member Presley.
[22:34] » I.
[22:35] » Okay. The motion has passed unanimously.
[22:38] Thank you so much. So going to with the
[22:42] um
[22:44] with everything that we've already
[22:45] talked about. Uh we don't we don't have
[22:48] any advisory board meeting minutes.
[22:51] Uh, no other business.
[22:55] Um,
[22:58] is there if there is no other business,
[23:00] I will entertain a motion to adjurnn.
[23:03] » Some moved.
[23:04] » Second.
[23:05] » You don't have to be so happy about it.
[23:07] Uh, [laughter]
[23:09] » So okay. Any any further discussion?
[23:13] Okay. We will have a quick roll call
[23:15] vote now. Uh, Council Member Jones.
[23:23] H, I saw it. Yep. Thank you. Council
[23:26] member Feifer.
[23:27] » Hi.
[23:28] » Council member Allison.
[23:30] » Hi.
[23:31] » Council member Lton.
[23:32] » Hi.
[23:33] » Council member Nicholson.
[23:35] » I.
[23:36] » Council member Pearson.
[23:38] » I.
[23:39] » Council member Robertson.
[23:41] » I.
[23:42] » And Council Member Presley.
[23:44] » I.
[23:45] » Okay. The motion has passed unanimously.
[23:49] Thank you guys for a wonderful meeting.
[23:51] » Well done.
[23:52] » Everybody be safe.
[23:54] » Be safe.
[23:55] » Yeah. Back at you 20 record, Doug.
[23:59] » I know [laughter] that beats the first
[24:00] night.
[24:01] » Good job, Mr. Mayor. Thank you all. They