[0:00] Attorney

[0:02] client privilege

[0:03] and

[0:04] we'll move on.

[0:06] Uh

[0:08] moment of silence right now.

[0:10] Uh I don't know if anyone has someone

[0:12] who's fallen on hard times or passed

[0:14] away.

[0:15] If you do,

[0:16] uh let folks know, but if not, let's

[0:17] have a moment of silence.

[0:19] Uh

[0:20] brings me forward and especially keep in

[0:22] mind next month, September, means Yeah,

[0:25] September 11th.

[0:26] And of course you can ask

[0:28] So, please remember

[0:39] Thank you very much.

[0:41] Pledge of allegiance.

[0:46] » I pledge allegiance to the flag

[0:49] >> [clears throat]

[0:49] >> of the United States of America

[0:51] and to the republic for which it stands,

[0:54] one nation under God, indivisible, with

[0:58] liberty and justice for all.

[1:08] » All right, Susan Crumb.

[1:16] I grew up in my local lines to the next

[1:18] side, but I'm here to consider what's on

[1:20] the agenda tonight. Which one?

[1:25] I'll congratulate you on waiting till

[1:26] the end of the season to put it on the

[1:28] agenda, but thank you for putting it on

[1:30] the agenda nonetheless.

[1:32] Um

[1:34] I'll I'll sit here with the support of

[1:35] the Inner Education Partnership. I do

[1:37] this every year. That should be no

[1:38] surprise to you as well.

[1:41] Um the Inner Education Partnership has

[1:42] done a great job giving many grants for

[1:46] uh teachers,

[1:47] giving scholarships to students in

[1:49] Hinder County regardless

[1:53] of their um GPA,

[1:56] regardless of their economic standing,

[1:58] they are vetted by what they plan to do

[2:02] with their life and how they plan

[2:03] themselves and who stand, protect, and

[2:06] enhance.

[2:07] So, I think they're a very

[2:11] I'm sorry to interrupt but I found it.

[2:13] I think they're an amazing partnership

[2:15] and they do a lot for the inner county

[2:17] students and the school all across the

[2:19] county.

[2:20] So, I'm going to

[2:21] absolutely support them.

[2:24] Um on other notes, I would like to know

[2:26] when we're going to get an update on our

[2:27] traffic situation in Surf City.

[2:31] And I would like to know when we're

[2:33] going to get an update on any budget

[2:34] amendments so that we're not using our

[2:37] funds accordingly.

[2:40] I'm going to stop now. Thank you.

[2:43] Yeah, how much?

[2:46] >> This is the one that was submitted

[2:47] online for the noise ordinance.

[2:51] Do you want me to read it?

[2:52] >> Oh, I don't mind.

[3:00] You can summarize it if you want.

[3:02] >> It is from Daniel Arnold. He um

[3:06] concerning the noise ordinance, the bass

[3:08] levels are too high at the most musical

[3:10] events around the town especially coming

[3:12] from the Pirates Tavern.

[3:14] That's actually what it was.

[3:22] » Okay, so he thinks the hot noise is too

[3:24] loud.

[3:24] >> Mhm. And he wants to know how the

[3:27] speakers are directed out to be directed

[3:30] in. I actually think he's right.

[3:33] I bet you do too.

[3:35] >> I do.

[3:37] >> What I read, the only difference between

[3:39] our proposed changes to what

[3:42] Mr. Arnold suggested was on the weekend.

[3:44] I think the decibel level was the same

[3:47] as what we're getting ready

[3:49] to we got recommended tonight. But, when

[3:52] was talking about changing the speakers,

[3:53] that will make it less loud for where he

[3:55] is, but it might make it louder for

[3:57] somebody else. So,

[3:59] that would be

[4:00] >> Now, what it does is

[4:03] Yeah.

[4:04] >> Yeah.

[4:12] This is the mayor's minute. Change it up

[4:14] a little bit. Do a little work. New

[4:16] mayor's minute. I'm going to update the

[4:17] things that have been

[4:18] and find the

[4:20] Y'all have brought to our attention and

[4:21] wanted us to follow through on that.

[4:24] And then you will put it in there.

[4:25] All right.

[4:27] Continue on.

[4:29] >> Sure. Um, we would like to just update a

[4:32] few things, but um, first thing I would

[4:34] like to do is I would like to introduce

[4:36] our new building inspector and code

[4:39] enforcement officer.

[4:41] Um,

[4:42] You read this back to them.

[4:44] Um, so I'd like to uh, introduce Doug

[4:47] Skipper. He's at the back of the room

[4:48] here.

[4:49] Uh, Doug comes to us with 12 years of

[4:52] service with local government in various

[4:54] roles, including facilities, grounds,

[4:56] and street supervisor. He also has

[4:58] emergency management experience, so

[5:00] that's very helpful, certainly being

[5:01] here in Topsail Coast.

[5:03] Um, before local government, Doug spent

[5:05] 20 years as an outside plant

[5:07] telecommunications system tech.

[5:09] I'll let you ask him what that means.

[5:11] I'm not going to sugarcoat that.

[5:13] >> [laughter]

[5:13] >> Uh, he is a North Carolina native and

[5:16] has been a resident of the area for more

[5:17] than 25 years. Um, and he actually

[5:21] married his beautiful bride right here

[5:22] in Topsail Beach at the Assembly

[5:24] Building. So, we very much have some

[5:26] ties here to Topsail Beach and hopefully

[5:28] some love.

[5:30] Another fun fact, Doug was actually

[5:32] employed with the town way back in 2013

[5:35] as a marina attendant. So,

[5:37] >> [clears throat]

[5:38] >> um, he started last Monday, hit the

[5:40] ground running. He's already been a huge

[5:42] asset to the Community Development uh,

[5:44] Department and the town as a whole. So,

[5:47] I am happy to welcome back the to the

[5:50] Topsail team. And if you have the

[5:52] opportunity at some point coming up, I'd

[5:54] love you all to stop by and introduce

[5:56] yourself and give him a warm Topsail

[5:58] Beach welcome.

[5:59] Doug, would you like to say anything?

[6:03] » Well, I just want to say Topsail Beach

[6:05] is the coolest beach town on the island.

[6:08] You guys do a lot right down here,

[6:10] obviously. I think you struck a good

[6:12] balance down here and I'm

[6:13] real happy to be a part of this good

[6:15] team. You got a great municipal team

[6:18] here. I've seen a few now, so I got a

[6:21] pretty good gauge on that.

[6:23] I can be of any help beyond my duties as

[6:25] building inspector, please let me know.

[6:28] >> Thank you, Doug.

[6:29] >> You're welcome.

[6:33] » Welcome to Topsail Beach. Full-time

[6:35] employee.

[6:37] >> And we're very excited.

[6:39] Um and then secondly, um based on some

[6:42] previous comments that we've had um

[6:45] regarding the new legislation um

[6:47] regarding occupancy tax, as we have

[6:50] said, uh we've been trying to get kind

[6:52] of to the bottom of that. And we we had

[6:54] some a local act that we we weren't sure

[6:56] how that was going to kind of co-mingle,

[6:58] so we had to do some digging, but we

[7:00] have finally gotten an interpretation on

[7:02] that and I'm going to let Connie explain

[7:04] that to you guys.

[7:08] » Okay, so back in 1984,

[7:13] we had a local act, the Topsail Beach

[7:16] accommodation tax. And this act, in our

[7:20] section

[7:22] uh routine that Rochelle has just put up

[7:25] on the screen for you, um it states that

[7:29] under this act, all occupancy taxes so

[7:32] received shall be used only for

[7:34] tourism-related expenditures,

[7:37] which expenditures shall include public

[7:40] safety, police protection, fire

[7:42] protection, public facilities and

[7:44] utilities, health facilities, solid

[7:47] waste, and sewage treatment, and the

[7:50] control and repair of water front

[7:52] erosion.

[7:53] It shall not be proper for the town to

[7:55] use any of these funds for services

[7:56] normally provided by the town on behalf

[7:59] of the citizens, unless these services

[8:01] promote tourism and enlarge its economic

[8:04] benefits by enhancing the ability of the

[8:07] town to attract and provide with

[8:09] tourists.

[8:10] Um

[8:11] the Senate bill 484,

[8:14] this I feel that was connected in 1984

[8:17] does simply receive that, and we are not

[8:20] in violation, nor is our service city, I

[8:22] believe.

[8:24] We wanted to let everybody know that.

[8:26] We're glad of that. So.

[8:33] We did have our attorney was very

[8:35] adamant in helping us get that

[8:37] information, and we thank you, Mr.

[8:38] Mayor.

[8:40] >> You're welcome.

[8:43] » Um another update that we would like to

[8:46] give is that I think that some

[8:48] information there is

[8:49] certainly since the incident with the

[8:51] fire on South Shore, there was some

[8:53] concern as to, you know, that road being

[8:56] blocked um with emergency services and

[8:58] things like that. And one of the

[9:00] concerns was our um landing zone if we

[9:03] were to have to have a medical um

[9:05] helicopter land here. Um

[9:08] we all know, I think we've probably all

[9:10] seen,

[9:11] we've had to use

[9:12] typically use the intersection of

[9:14] Haywood and South Anderson.

[9:17] Um right now there's a vacant lot there,

[9:19] and I guess there was a lot of concern

[9:20] of what happens if that lot develops and

[9:22] we can no longer use that site. Um we

[9:25] certainly have back ups. Rest assured.

[9:28] Um I talked to Bo um at the fire

[9:31] department. He let me know that our

[9:32] primary location is at North Anderson

[9:35] and Haywood Avenue. Um but if that road

[9:37] is developed or if there's that

[9:39] intersection

[9:40] unusable for that purpose, a secondary

[9:43] location is down at the intersection of

[9:45] Florida and Ocean.

[9:47] Um a larger section not on South

[9:49] Anderson, but on Ocean.

[9:51] Um and even a third location has been

[9:54] designated down at the um cul-de-sac of

[9:58] Monroe Lane.

[10:00] So, um there is a fourth I'm not even

[10:02] going to mention it cuz um we we all

[10:04] probably never get there. But, there is

[10:06] a even a fourth option. So, um these

[10:09] three locations have all been all the

[10:11] GPS coordinates have been sent in to

[10:13] Kinder County Emergency Management.

[10:15] Also, um

[10:16] uh with their 911 center. They've even

[10:19] been sent to the um private companies um

[10:22] that that do the private you know, now a

[10:24] lot of that is on private unfortunately

[10:26] like AT&T and things like that. So, um

[10:29] but just rest assured we we do have our

[10:31] primary location, but we have many many

[10:33] backups. Um if if it ever becomes

[10:36] needed. So,

[10:37] just want to make sure everybody's rest

[10:38] assured with that.

[10:41] >> Thank you.

[10:42] Um and also to address some of the

[10:45] traffic issues, you see DOT is

[10:49] through our our planning organization

[10:51] that we're part of has come up with

[10:53] several uh different options that they know that we want to move forward.

[10:58] However, it seems with close DOT. And um

[11:01] the ones that we uh have been identified

[11:05] um number one is the real

[11:07] realignment of the

[11:09] it's it's 210 and 60 interchange, but

[11:12] not necessarily realignment but they're

[11:13] adding another

[11:14] to be able to pull off off 210 and come

[11:17] to Medlin Avenue.

[11:19] Medlin Drive.

[11:20] So, there's going to be another

[11:21] intersection there that will have to

[11:22] relieve some of the traffic from

[11:25] public's

[11:27] intersection.

[11:28] Uh the other is tied to that. This is

[11:32] be bit longer range.

[11:34] It is an improvement on Highway 17

[11:36] coming in.

[11:38] And that will go to like a dual lane

[11:40] coming into our proper road.

[11:43] 17 and I think that was all that road

[11:45] will be a four-lane road.

[11:47] They could have changed but time is not

[11:50] on our side.

[11:51] Uh the work on the first item that it

[11:54] has been approved for budget year is $24

[11:57] million.

[11:59] And that work

[12:00] uh is supposed to start in 2030.

[12:03] The

[12:04] And so we're waiting to learn. And the

[12:06] third item that that's on

[12:08] the board right now is uh

[12:11] I guess an extension of our road that

[12:13] goes

[12:15] uh you remember that IGA had the road in

[12:17] front of it?

[12:18] That might be resurrected again. So, we

[12:21] would take a straight shot to our our

[12:23] road through town. I guess so we can

[12:25] avoid the roundabout. And they'll get to

[12:28] the north section of the

[12:29] town.

[12:31] Uh I don't have any report on the

[12:33] [clears throat] topic.

[12:34] Monitoring the traffic

[12:36] >> Um I can tell you that um

[12:38] DOT wanted to conduct some

[12:42] more studies um of the traffic

[12:44] especially along the corridor section

[12:46] coming onto the island.

[12:48] Um and they requested that we hold off

[12:51] on the flaggers

[12:53] um while they conducted their survey.

[12:55] Um they they were able to complete that.

[12:57] We actually just got an email on August

[12:59] 4th um from the engineering firm that's

[13:02] doing that study for DOT. And they were

[13:05] able to complete all of that, but now

[13:06] they need 2 weeks after that in order to

[13:09] do their comparison so they can see you

[13:12] know, the 2 weeks of what they did with

[13:14] the signaling and things like that. And

[13:17] they need 2 weeks behind it. So, we're

[13:19] still looking at another, you know,

[13:22] week

[13:23] uh of that.

[13:26] At that time after that, I think Kyle

[13:27] and I have talked about getting back

[13:28] together and trying to decide if maybe

[13:30] we want to bring back the flaggers at

[13:32] least for Labor Day weekend.

[13:34] Um, but that would probably be the last

[13:36] weekend that we would do it. Um, we do

[13:39] today with the $30,000 that the board

[13:42] approved for um, the traffic, um, we've

[13:45] used 16,000 today. So, we do have some funding left over if you would like

[13:51] to do the same thing

[13:52] something.

[13:53] If you will likely see them Labor Day

[13:55] weekend, we think it will help to manage

[13:57] the uh, heavier holiday traffic, um, but

[14:00] that might be the last only last weekend

[14:02] you see them back for this season.

[14:04] >> So, the light on the bridge will remain

[14:06] for a while.

[14:07] Cuz I think that does help.

[14:09] >> The light on the bridge has shown

[14:11] they've got some some data to back that

[14:13] up that it does seem to help helps

[14:15] getting traffic on the island. It

[14:17] doesn't necessarily help in, you know,

[14:18] traffic getting off cuz I mean, it I'm

[14:21] sorry, it helps getting off the island,

[14:22] but it doesn't help necessarily getting

[14:24] on the island. So, there's some

[14:26] complaints that, you know, it backs

[14:28] traffic up, um,

[14:30] over the bridge and onto that corridor

[14:32] area with the traffic light there. But,

[14:34] it does help to get the traffic off of

[14:36] the island.

[14:37] Um, I think that what we found in our

[14:41] preliminary, this, you know,

[14:43] non-scientific study, um, and actually

[14:45] what DMV has found as well is there just

[14:48] gets to a point where there's so much

[14:50] traffic saturation that it really

[14:53] doesn't

[14:54] There is no answer.

[14:56] Um,

[14:56] you know, we've all brainstormed, not

[14:58] only Kyle and myself, but other other,

[15:00] you know, DOTs and and other entities

[15:03] trying to just throw spaghetti on the

[15:05] wall what we can, you know, talk about.

[15:08] Um,

[15:09] so, there's some ideas and we're going

[15:11] to continue to to write them all down.

[15:13] If you have an idea, bring it to me.

[15:15] We're going to write it all down and and

[15:17] go through it. So, even if it seems

[15:19] crazy, bring it to me. Um,

[15:22] and you know, that's all we can do, but

[15:23] there just gets to a point where there's

[15:25] so much saturation with traffic that

[15:29] I don't without more pavement

[15:31] and more roads, I'm not sure what else

[15:33] we can do.

[15:38] » But they're going to resurrect the IGA

[15:41] lane.

[15:43] >> Do you mean coming

[15:45] Would that work?

[15:46] >> I have a I have a picture of it. If I

[15:48] can if I can get it in up here quick and

[15:50] I'll see if

[15:52] you can do that.

[15:57] Um basically what's going to happen is

[15:59] where where we go to the roundabout,

[16:02] there's going to be a secondary kind of

[16:04] road that you could go straight towards

[16:06] the IGA without having to enter the

[16:09] roundabout.

[16:11] >> That makes sense.

[16:12] >> Uh well, anybody who anybody who would

[16:15] want to go to the North end doesn't have

[16:16] to go into the traffic circle.

[16:18] >> What about Kinston Avenue where all

[16:21] these people are coming from both ways

[16:24] and hogging in if it's even straight,

[16:27] it's still going to be a problem.

[16:28] >> Yeah, that's Believe me, we've all

[16:30] talked about that being a problem for

[16:32] sure, but um

[16:34] from what I understand again, I'm not a

[16:35] traffic engineer, so I can't you know, I

[16:38] can't speak to it, but um you know, I

[16:40] said, "Why don't we they close that

[16:42] off?" You know, so people don't come

[16:43] into the right at the the circle, but

[16:46] unfortunately by closing that off, you

[16:48] push people the opposite way and then

[16:50] into the downtown area where most of the

[16:53] pedestrian traffic is in some cities.

[16:55] So, at this point, that's not what they

[16:57] want to do. They don't want to put that

[16:59] the traffic there, but um they do know

[17:02] that it's it's an issue. Um

[17:04] So,

[17:05] >> One or the other on the surface road.

[17:07] Yeah, let's uh sorry, yeah, that

[17:10] that's a long-term although that's not a

[17:11] high priority right now, so on their

[17:13] drawing board.

[17:14] >> Okay.

[17:17] » It's got to be a nightmare um

[17:19] through there.

[17:20] >> approve the regular agenda.

[17:21] >> I make a motion to approve the regular

[17:23] agenda.

[17:24] >> I second that.

[17:26] >> All in favor?

[17:27] >> Aye.

[17:30] » I'm for the ventures.

[17:32] >> Help?

[17:32] >> No.

[17:34] >> Aye.

[17:40] » Approval of the consent agenda.

[17:45] » I can make a motion to approve the

[17:46] consent agenda as presented.

[17:50] >> Second.

[17:51] >> Motion is second. All in favor?

[17:53] >> Aye.

[17:54] >> One One question on the on the vote. Are

[17:56] the old Christmas trees on the

[17:59] dumping ground there?

[18:02] Do you think that's marketable?

[18:04] >> We I don't know. Um I'm going to reach

[18:07] out to our sales rep from our company

[18:09] and see

[18:11] if there is a market for that and

[18:14] see what happens.

[18:16] >> If it doesn't sell, where do we get rid

[18:17] of it?

[18:19] >> Good question.

[18:21] Cuz it's taking up a lot of room.

[18:22] >> It's a Christmas tree heaven.

[18:24] >> Yeah.

[18:28] » One

[18:31] » Yeah, it's plastic and metal, so

[18:35] >> Okay.

[18:35] >> Next public hearing.

[18:37] Uh

[18:38] item nine.

[18:39] Consider and vote on the funding request

[18:42] for Inner Education Partnership.

[18:45] >> Okay.

[18:46] >> Thank you.

[18:50] >> Everyone does stand.

[18:53] » Welcome.

[18:55] >> How are you everybody?

[18:56] >> Great. Great.

[18:57] >> Great.

[18:58] Great.

[19:02] » I'm going right to the week, okay?

[19:05] >> Help Flags.

[19:07] >> [clears throat]

[19:07] >> That was established in 2015.

[19:11] There abouts.

[19:12] Um it's from an idea of educator and

[19:16] high school scholarship support for

[19:18] Pender County Schools by an individual

[19:21] who actually had a child that was in

[19:24] school with Topsail High School, and she

[19:26] wanted to do something beyond the

[19:27] boosters, which is a lot of athletic

[19:30] focus, and she wanted something in more

[19:33] of an academic achievement pathway.

[19:36] Not only for the students who excels on

[19:38] the field and on the court and had

[19:40] straight A's and all of that, but

[19:42] students that wanted to go to trade

[19:43] school, that wanted to earn a trade, or

[19:45] wanted to get a vocational degree, or

[19:48] even a student who maybe was not the

[19:50] best academically, but wanted to do

[19:53] something.

[19:54] So Pender Education Partnership started

[19:57] out

[19:58] as a small nonprofit organization held

[20:02] by seven board members at the time, just

[20:05] enough to get it started.

[20:07] And I would like to share with you today

[20:09] that 10 years later, effective last

[20:11] year, May of 2025,

[20:14] we have awarded over $300,000 to Pender

[20:16] County Schools.

[20:18] That is a consolidation of high school

[20:20] seniors who submitted application and an

[20:22] essay to our board for review and

[20:24] approval, but also as a newly

[20:26] implemented program, which supports

[20:28] educators at the high schools to include

[20:32] staff as well as teachers, librarians,

[20:35] nurses,

[20:37] uh counselors, anybody that has an idea

[20:40] that is not supported by our district

[20:43] funds in Pender County Schools

[20:45] that would like to do something that

[20:47] would impact a variety of students. It

[20:50] can be a variant age, it can be a

[20:53] variant of the target audience, your

[20:55] STEM students, your

[20:58] um robotics team, whatever it may be.

[21:01] So we have allocated over $300,000 as of

[21:04] this point to Pender Education

[21:06] Partnership.

[21:08] Fact number one, last year we designated

[21:11] $18,000 in award for educator mini

[21:14] grants. Fact number two, we awarded

[21:17] $11,000 for senior high school

[21:19] scholarships. Fact number three, we have

[21:22] put 12 students in a forklift operator

[21:24] certification training program,

[21:26] otherwise known as lift, which is a

[21:28] learning initiative for forklift

[21:29] training that we are in partnership with

[21:32] Coastal Pender Rotary and have been

[21:34] since last year.

[21:36] And the fourth thing I want to share is

[21:37] we recently partnered with what they

[21:39] call Root Ed. Root Ed is a new program

[21:42] that actually is going to help third

[21:44] graders in our area and it helps third

[21:48] graders coming from out of our area to

[21:51] learn about the different things there

[21:53] are to do, like the Turtle Hospital and

[21:55] Moores Creek Battleground and things of

[21:57] that nature. So, we are now partnered

[21:59] with Root Ed,

[22:00] which also is part of Pender County

[22:02] Tourism TDA.

[22:04] The next thing I want to share with you

[22:07] is the need is growing.

[22:10] We are finding more and more students

[22:11] that are reaching out for

[22:13] need, financial need. Particularly with

[22:16] the economy the way that it is right

[22:18] now, it's not as affordable for a young

[22:20] person to go off to college and have to

[22:22] have a car or to be able to find a place

[22:24] to live. Lord knows anybody that's seen

[22:26] rent prices around, you have to rent now

[22:28] for $2,000, $2,500.

[22:31] Imagine being a young person 18, 19

[22:33] years old and you're having to go and

[22:34] find a place to stay, not in the dorm,

[22:37] but in an apartment. You sometimes have

[22:39] to have four and five roommates just to

[22:40] be able to get by. That's the times

[22:42] we're in right now. So, there is a need

[22:45] for more scholarships for our high

[22:47] school seniors.

[22:49] In case you do not know this, there were

[22:51] five high schools in Pender County. We

[22:53] service Pender Innovative Learning

[22:56] Academy. That is an online/in-person

[22:59] facility for young people who experience

[23:02] behavioral issues,

[23:04] anxiety,

[23:06] mental health. We don't want them

[23:08] dropping out, so there is another

[23:10] pathway for them to stay in school and

[23:12] actually graduate,

[23:15] but not have the challenges of the

[23:17] awkwardness when it comes to social

[23:18] behavior and having to interact and be

[23:21] at a normal traditional public school

[23:23] environment.

[23:25] Pender Early College High School, that

[23:27] is a dual enrollment program. This

[23:29] facility is through Cape Fear Community

[23:31] College. I wanted to share with you, I

[23:34] found out today that out of the 250

[23:37] enrolled students at Pender Early

[23:40] College as of right now, 120 students

[23:43] come from the east side of this county.

[23:45] They're bust over to Pender Early

[23:47] College every morning at 8:00 and

[23:49] dropped off. They stay there until 3:15

[23:52] in the afternoon. These young people are

[23:54] taking classes that are college credit

[23:56] classes while they're also earning their

[23:57] high school diploma and their high

[23:59] school credits.

[24:01] Not everyone is cut out to be a dual

[24:04] enrolled student. They're missing out on

[24:06] a lot of things like athletics and those

[24:09] curricular extracurricular programs and

[24:11] organizations and things that people

[24:13] typically do in a traditional high

[24:15] school environment because

[24:17] they are geared for excellence. I want

[24:20] to share with you that some of these

[24:22] students have gone on to some very very eloquent universities. We had one

[24:27] that was from the Topsail Beach area,

[24:29] Alan Miller. She was recognized with the

[24:31] Historical Society. She just went not

[24:34] too long ago to Cambridge, to England,

[24:37] to the Art Institute.

[24:39] And she has studied abroad. We had two

[24:41] students this summer, one went to Italy,

[24:43] one went to Germany.

[24:45] We've had students go to Vanderbilt.

[24:47] We've had young lady that got accepted

[24:49] at Harvard. She's also taking classes

[24:52] for Oxford. We have a young lady who

[24:54] went to UPenn. We have a young man that

[24:56] went University of Southern California.

[24:58] We also have somebody that went to Duke

[25:02] and we have several that go to Chapel

[25:04] Hill and have been awarded the Morehead

[25:06] Scholarship. And if you know anything

[25:08] about Morehead came, that is a very, very strategic and tedious

[25:13] process, an application, and it is only

[25:15] for the Chapel Hill students. And it is

[25:18] typically a full ride. And we've had two

[25:21] students at Pender Early College that

[25:22] have been recognized for Morehead came.

[25:25] So,

[25:27] to catch you up on what's going on this

[25:29] side,

[25:30] at Topsail High School, we recently

[25:33] awarded

[25:34] two $1,000 scholarships and four $500

[25:38] scholarships. We were able to give a

[25:40] thousand more dollars to each of the

[25:42] schools this year by what we were able

[25:43] to raise last year.

[25:46] We typically have at least three from

[25:49] each school. And if we are able to give

[25:52] more, we definitely do that.

[25:56] For the

[25:58] Heide Trask High School, we had four

[26:03] scholarships. We had two $1,000

[26:06] recognition awards and then we had two

[26:09] $500 recognition awards. For Pender High

[26:13] School, we had four. We had two that

[26:16] received 1,000 each and then two more

[26:18] that received another 500.

[26:21] And lastly, let's see.

[26:25] The Jones Traweek Scholarship. We had

[26:27] another individual that was awarded a

[26:29] full ride, which is $20,000.

[26:32] That is an endowment scholarship by

[26:35] Mr. Bill Traweek and honor and in memory

[26:39] of his friend that was a minority and he

[26:42] passed away in a very tragic accident

[26:45] and he continues to support our young

[26:47] people with

[26:50] their education. He takes one student

[26:52] per year and he puts $20,000 in that

[26:55] student and it's a full ride from the

[26:57] time they start their college education

[26:59] to the time they finish.

[27:01] Mr. Traywick has since decided that

[27:03] there is one young lady, the very first

[27:06] award recipient of his scholarship, he

[27:08] will continue to support as she is now

[27:11] in grad school. She is a teacher, she

[27:13] has her own classroom, and she is now

[27:16] getting her master's and I have a

[27:19] feeling she's probably going to get a

[27:20] doctorate in education. But he's

[27:22] continuing to pay for that for her

[27:24] because

[27:26] it's not cheap to go to school,

[27:28] especially if you're going to somewhere

[27:30] that is what we consider a high-end

[27:32] elite university.

[27:34] So,

[27:36] if you don't leave me, listen to this.

[27:39] My name is Yasser.

[27:41] I come from College Park, Atlanta. I

[27:44] moved to Burgaw to pursue my education.

[27:46] And at Pender High School, I have been

[27:48] able to gain many beneficial experiences

[27:50] from clubs and activities like Beta, the

[27:52] Four County Leadership Program, as well

[27:54] as varsity football, track and field.

[27:57] In high school, starting as a freshman

[27:59] during the COVID years, I learned quite

[28:01] quickly that things don't go as you

[28:03] always plan. Growing up in a household

[28:06] with five children, two who have autism,

[28:09] one who needs a kidney, and not having

[28:11] any money, I've learned that things are

[28:13] quite difficult and you have to make

[28:15] effort to make situations be better, not

[28:18] only for yourselves, but for those

[28:19] around you.

[28:20] I work at Hardee's.

[28:22] Not many people can say that with pride,

[28:25] but I do because I help contribute to

[28:28] pay the rent for my mom and dad in small

[28:31] payments because I know they need it.

[28:33] Schooling experiences at home have

[28:35] prepared me for a life in college. A

[28:38] scholarship is going to allow me to

[28:39] pursue my education at North Carolina

[28:41] A&T, majoring business analyst

[28:44] analytics, and as a dual enrolled

[28:47] student, I will also study some other

[28:49] things at UNCW. This scholarship will

[28:52] allow me to attend and work and do my

[28:54] class work attentively and allow me to

[28:57] continue to participate in small

[28:59] projects in my community.

[29:02] And one day, I'm going to be something.

[29:05] Yashal was one of our recipients of

[29:07] scholarship.

[29:09] Meet this individual.

[29:11] Both of my parents were school educators

[29:13] and they worked all across the county

[29:15] teaching in multiple elementary and

[29:16] middle schools. I myself have attended

[29:19] five different schools in Pender County

[29:21] and I feel like I've gotten the best

[29:23] education possible despite some of the

[29:25] extenuating circumstances. We were

[29:28] displaced during COVID.

[29:30] We lost our and we also lost our home

[29:32] during Florence.

[29:34] For these factors alone, this has a

[29:37] paramount effect on my education and as

[29:40] well, it has made me into a much

[29:42] stronger individual.

[29:43] I am dual enrolled at Cape Fear

[29:45] Community College and take advanced

[29:47] placement classes. So, I have learned

[29:49] how to successfully study and manage my

[29:50] time.

[29:52] Throughout my high school career, my

[29:53] peers and I have identified a need for

[29:56] classroom emergency kits in the case of

[29:59] a school shooting. Not that anybody

[30:01] wants to think about it, but these are

[30:02] the times we're in.

[30:04] With the help of the HOSA club advisor

[30:06] and the PTSO and the administrative team

[30:09] at Topsail High, we have been able to

[30:11] supply every classroom with basic

[30:13] emergency essentials and a tourniquet. I

[30:16] also learned about Stop the Bleed.

[30:18] That's the material we received from the

[30:20] nursing staff at Topsail High School. I

[30:23] never imagined I would be able to do

[30:25] something like that and have that

[30:26] experience that would stick with me for

[30:29] the rest of my life as I continue to

[30:31] pursue my career in health sciences.

[30:33] After school, I have decided that I am

[30:35] going to attend Campbell University and

[30:37] major in pre-physical therapy. I'm

[30:40] coming back to Pender County and I

[30:42] intend to help stop the bleed, and I

[30:45] also contend to advocate for more

[30:47] emergency kits as we continue to face

[30:49] these troubled times. I'm forever

[30:51] indebted to staff members, coaches,

[30:53] church leaders, and teachers that have

[30:55] got me where I am, and I'm most grateful

[30:57] to PEB for scholarship.

[31:00] And one more.

[31:04] As one who has moved as many as nine

[31:06] times in my school years, Topsail High

[31:09] School has definitely proved itself in

[31:11] terms of its standards, opportunities,

[31:13] and a level of care that has shown has

[31:15] been shown from its faculty and

[31:17] community. Topsail makes up its lack of

[31:19] cultural diversity through its expansive

[31:21] education system. All of my teachers

[31:24] from history, English, and band have

[31:27] integrated curriculum with different

[31:29] cultures in mind and have provided

[31:31] students the opportunity to take a

[31:33] deeper dive as they desire more

[31:36] appropriate resources. And as a minor

[31:39] minority student, I greatly appreciate

[31:42] that Topsail High School puts a focus on

[31:45] diversity.

[31:47] I have made a decision to become a

[31:49] financial advisor.

[31:50] I also want to come back into Pender

[31:53] County and help educate the poor

[31:54] communities about how to become

[31:56] financially successful, budget planning,

[31:59] setting up workshops, and even helping

[32:02] people at the bank set up an account if

[32:04] that's what I need to do.

[32:06] The teachers at Topsail are very

[32:08] knowledgeable in their field and are

[32:09] dedicated to their students. Their level

[32:11] of care and commitment for the students

[32:13] is evident in their everyday

[32:14] interactions, and they do make

[32:17] everything better.

[32:19] Personally, the band and JROTC has

[32:22] propelled my preparation for continuing

[32:24] my education to allow me to dig deeper

[32:27] and learn about myself.

[32:28] The band has shown me that I love music,

[32:31] and I have now decided I'm pursuing

[32:34] UNCW's music education program,

[32:37] allowing me to share musical

[32:38] appreciation to others around the

[32:40] community, maybe even the country. JROTC

[32:44] has given me spiritual insight into what

[32:46] I need to know how I you to what I need

[32:49] to do to be a leader and a teammate. All

[32:52] of these lessons I have learned from my

[32:54] experiences at Topsail High School.

[32:56] I can make a genuine difference in the

[32:58] world.

[33:01] That is who receives our scholarships.

[33:04] I can't tell you the countless essays

[33:06] that we get. Sometimes we get 42,

[33:09] sometimes we get 45.

[33:11] I have read stories about

[33:14] abuse at home.

[33:16] I have read stories about

[33:19] financial loss.

[33:20] I've read

[33:21] substance abuse issues.

[33:24] I've read about homelessness.

[33:26] These young people pour their hearts out

[33:28] in these essays, and it is evident that

[33:30] they need financial assistance.

[33:33] I've had the opportunity to be the

[33:35] president of Pender Education

[33:37] Partnership going on 5 years now.

[33:39] And sadly next year is my last year.

[33:42] I don't know how they're going to do it.

[33:44] I don't know what they're going to do,

[33:45] but I want to go out with a bang.

[33:49] So, I'm asking the town of Topsail Beach

[33:51] to continue your support and allocate

[33:54] the $5,000 that we need to continue to

[33:57] do the work that we do because we are

[33:59] making a difference.

[34:08] » Any questions or

[34:09] >> Mr. Chairman, I just like

[34:11] >> Yes.

[34:12] >> thoughts running through my head and do

[34:14] it for a minute.

[34:15] >> Oh, let me do that.

[34:16] >> It's just it's easy for us sitting here

[34:19] in a very affluent

[34:21] part of Pender County is to wonder how

[34:24] we benefit from from this because those

[34:26] kids don't live

[34:28] on Topsail Beach. And what I what I

[34:31] would suggest is that

[34:33] we have lots of people drive close to

[34:35] the bridge every day to clean our houses

[34:39] and provide construction services and

[34:41] stuff to support the tourism that we

[34:45] want to have top to be.

[34:47] Those are the parents of these kids that

[34:49] you're talking about.

[34:50] >> Absolutely.

[34:51] >> So,

[34:52] it's an indirect benefit, but for the

[34:54] parents to know that they have that kind

[34:57] of support, I think that it's a really

[34:59] big benefit to our county it is.

[35:02] >> I want to make it very clear that the

[35:03] Pender Education Partnership is not East

[35:05] side versus West side.

[35:07] We are one county. We are Pender strong.

[35:10] We support students on the West side of

[35:12] the county. We support students on the

[35:14] East side of the county.

[35:18] I realize that there is somewhat of a

[35:21] Mason-Dixon line when you cross the

[35:23] Lane's Ferry Bridge,

[35:25] but the need is honestly the same on

[35:27] this side of the county as it is on the

[35:28] other side of the county when it comes

[35:30] to these scholarships. It doesn't have

[35:32] anything to do with infrastructure. It

[35:34] doesn't have anything to do with what

[35:35] was built in this school, what was fixed

[35:37] in that school. That's not what it's

[35:39] about.

[35:40] I have no control over district funds. I

[35:42] can't decide on what's being done in a

[35:44] capital budget, but I can help drive

[35:47] this, and that's what I intend to do.

[35:50] So,

[35:51] if you don't understand that honestly it

[35:54] is a full circle because like he said, a

[35:56] lot of these parents of these young

[35:59] people are your people that work at the

[36:00] grocery stores. They're your bank

[36:02] tellers. They're your car salesmen. They

[36:05] are your people who clean houses and

[36:07] have cleaning businesses. They're your

[36:08] dog groomers.

[36:10] They're only trying to do what they can

[36:12] to afford their child the opportunity to

[36:15] go to school and not have to make the

[36:17] choice between education and earning a

[36:20] living.

[36:23] You want to stand?

[36:25] Please stand. Please stand.

[36:27] Pender Education Partnership was

[36:29] originally started by Susan Cream. She

[36:31] is the originator of this foundation.

[36:34] And I'm telling you right now,

[36:37] my daughter was a recipient of a

[36:39] scholarship for the CNA program.

[36:43] And I got involved because as a single

[36:46] mother, I struggled to help my daughter

[36:48] pay for CNA.

[36:51] And Susan talked me into putting in an

[36:53] application. And I've been hooked ever

[36:55] since.

[36:57] I've been on the board I've been on the

[36:58] board and I've been the president now

[37:01] for this is going on 5 years. So,

[37:05] it touched me

[37:07] and it made me want to go into action

[37:09] and I can only hope that the next

[37:11] president will have as much fervor and zest and passion as I do.

[37:16] Um but

[37:19] >> What you said.

[37:20] >> [clears throat]

[37:20] >> I can't just sit there.

[37:23] It's the teachers, too.

[37:24] >> Yeah.

[37:24] >> So, all the teachers in Pender County

[37:26] schools spend ton of their money their

[37:29] own money for our kids that all these

[37:31] kids benefit from.

[37:34] And they come and they send in their

[37:35] little request. I would like to buy 12

[37:38] blank kids and my kids can learn how to

[37:40] do a clock painter

[37:42] check. There you go. Here's your $150.

[37:45] You can buy a bunch of potatoes.

[37:46] It's It's anything. Anything to help the

[37:49] kids learn. So, it's It is on this side

[37:51] of the bridge, too, cuz I was on this

[37:53] side of the bridge when I started it.

[37:55] So,

[37:56] it is on this side.

[37:57] >> We have a lot of teachers that live on

[37:59] this side of the county that either work

[38:00] in elementary, middle, or high school.

[38:03] And and they will tell you every year

[38:06] they go to the Dollar General and they

[38:08] buy supplies to put in the classroom. It

[38:10] can be anything from baby wipes to the

[38:12] tennis balls that go on the bottom of

[38:14] the chairs to extra pencils to whatever

[38:17] it may be.

[38:18] But when it comes to field trips, when

[38:21] it comes to technology, when it comes to

[38:23] books, when it comes to fun things to do

[38:26] in the classroom, they don't always have

[38:28] that extra money. And that's where PEP

[38:31] comes in. They fill out an application,

[38:33] they tell us how much the dollar amount

[38:35] is,

[38:36] and we try to be as

[38:39] even

[38:40] as we can. We give everybody a cut-off

[38:43] period,

[38:44] and

[38:46] we have awarded a lot of money, not only

[38:49] to the high school seniors, but also to

[38:52] the teachers.

[38:53] And when Hurricane Florence came, a lot

[38:56] of the Pender County staff, to include

[38:58] custodians, janitors, teachers, staff

[39:02] members, a lot of people were either

[39:04] displaced, they had flooding, or

[39:06] whatever. Instead of doing the educator

[39:09] mini grants, we cut checks. We wrote

[39:11] checks for $300, and we gave 69 checks

[39:14] for $300 right before Christmas. They

[39:16] could do whatever they wanted to do with

[39:17] it. Buy gifts, pay a car payment, rent,

[39:21] whatever you want to do. We felt like it

[39:23] was the right thing to do. We had the

[39:25] money,

[39:26] so we did it.

[39:27] We've been blessed.

[39:29] We would like to continue to be blessed.

[39:32] >> Thank you.

[39:32] >> If anybody in this room would like to

[39:34] contribute to PEP, it is the easiest

[39:36] thing in the world to do. You can ask

[39:38] Mr. Ed, he knows how. You either write a

[39:41] check to Pender Education Partnership,

[39:43] it can be any amount you want to. It is

[39:46] tax

[39:47] taxable, it is a tax write-off.

[39:49] You go to First Citizens Bank, any of

[39:52] those lovely people down there know our

[39:53] account number, they'll take your money

[39:55] anytime you get ready. We also are fancy

[39:58] enough now that we have an online

[40:00] contribution. You can go online, pay

[40:02] with your credit card, it gives you a

[40:04] receipt instantly to your email, and you

[40:06] can use that as your tax write-off.

[40:09] Any amount of money.

[40:11] We were not going

[40:13] to turn you away.

[40:15] If you are sitting here, and you don't

[40:17] have any children, you don't have any

[40:18] grandchildren, you don't have any nieces

[40:20] or nephews,

[40:22] please consider leaving PEP an

[40:24] endowment. That money will continue to

[40:26] go, God forbid, after you're not here,

[40:29] but you will be making an impact and it

[40:32] will mean something. So,

[40:35] please consider that as well.

[40:37] >> Do we have a question for

[40:41] » [laughter]

[40:42] >> I'll leave you some of this.

[40:46] » I have a I have a I'd like to make a

[40:48] comment. Um

[40:49] I It's not for you specifically, Tammy.

[40:52] It's actually for all the nonprofits

[40:53] that are requesting, it would include

[40:55] Kathy. Philosophically, I'm struggling

[40:57] with uh giving money to nonprofits.

[41:00] We have two requests tonight. We

[41:02] typically get four in a year.

[41:04] Uh I believe the purpose of the

[41:05] government is to collect taxes to fund

[41:08] government services.

[41:09] I believe government should do little

[41:11] else. I don't see where funding

[41:12] nonprofits

[41:14] fits into that scenario. Individuals and

[41:16] businesses give to nonprofits, which

[41:18] they obviously do, and it's from their

[41:20] earnings and profits. Um I have and will

[41:23] continue to give to most of the local

[41:25] nonprofits both time and money. Um

[41:28] tonight I'm going to help Top Topsail

[41:30] Turtle Project. Um but I'm not inclined

[41:32] to give money as

[41:34] that has been collected involuntarily

[41:36] from others and and it I just don't see

[41:39] how that goes how that makes any sense.

[41:41] So, I'm I'm a no vote on financial

[41:44] giving to nonprofits from the town.

[41:48] Not not not specifically that one, but all of them. Just cuz I have a

[41:52] philosophical problem with that.

[41:54] >> Okay.

[41:56] >> Make a motion to leave uh um

[41:59] I get 500 1500 C. I get

[42:02] >> I'll second the second.

[42:05] >> All in favor?

[42:06] >> I.

[42:11] I with Alex.

[42:14] So we have three two.

[42:16] Yes.

[42:21] I discuss, consider, and vote on Stony

[42:24] Reflect for Historical Society of South

[42:26] Laurel.

[42:27] English.

[42:32] » Evening.

[42:33] >> Um

[42:34] I really enjoyed that. Um

[42:37] I It It kind of

[42:38] I It reminded me that what I heard you

[42:40] say tonight was different than what I

[42:42] have on my tape.

[42:44] Um

[42:47] On Captain Hart, I represent the

[42:49] Historical Society of South Laurel.

[42:51] Um

[42:52] good evening, everybody. Um

[42:56] Allie Miller was mentioned. And because

[42:59] of the support we get from

[43:01] um the town,

[43:03] uh we're able to give people We gave her

[43:05] We provided her a scholarship this year,

[43:08] as well as three other senior

[43:10] from the South Laurel area high schools.

[43:13] We do that every year.

[43:16] And um we also

[43:18] um provide for the aquarium program from

[43:21] that support

[43:23] uh every year. And I actually attended

[43:26] one of those programs.

[43:28] And I was so amazed at the input from

[43:31] the children.

[43:32] And they told me how much they enjoyed

[43:34] it.

[43:35] I really was amazed.

[43:36] Um

[43:38] and also, I think we uh support the uh

[43:40] the Historical Society.

[43:43] So,

[43:45] anyway, okay, I'll read this really

[43:46] boring thing because it nothing can say

[43:50] what you said because you said it from

[43:52] the heart. And uh and that's really

[43:54] wonderful. Thank you for that. Thank you

[43:56] for that.

[43:57] I'll have to take lessons. Thank you.

[43:59] Every time I come here, I'm learning

[44:01] something.

[44:03] It's one of the things that everybody

[44:05] uh, for the opportunity to be here

[44:06] tonight.

[44:07] And, uh, we come before you again

[44:10] tonight to ask for your support. But, I

[44:12] want to begin by saying thank you

[44:14] because of what I just said.

[44:16] Scholarships that we provide,

[44:18] the inquiring program,

[44:20] um, we assist, uh, the town in every way

[44:24] we can.

[44:25] Uh, we're proud to be part of the

[44:27] Topfield uh, our mission is to collect,

[44:29] preserve, and promote the history of the

[44:31] greater Topfield area. And we work hard

[44:34] to make that history accessible to

[44:36] residents, visitors, and future

[44:38] generations.

[44:40] Through the Missiles and More Museum,

[44:42] our programs, lectures, exhibits, and

[44:44] special events, we bring people into the

[44:47] community throughout the year.

[44:49] And those visitors don't just come to

[44:51] visit the museum.

[44:53] They eat at local restaurants,

[44:55] shop in local stores, and stay in local

[44:58] accommodations, and enjoy everything

[45:00] Topfield has to offer.

[45:03] So, while our purpose is preserving the

[45:04] history, we also believe we contribute

[45:07] to the economic and cultural vitality, sorry, vitality of the

[45:13] community.

[45:14] We also understand that the town does a

[45:16] great deal for us. We are fortunate to

[45:18] operate in a community that values its

[45:21] history, and recognizes the importance

[45:24] of preserving it.

[45:25] We don't take that partnership for

[45:27] granted.

[45:28] As you have seen in the letter provided

[45:31] to the council, we are requesting the

[45:33] town continue its financial support for

[45:35] the coming year.

[45:37] That fund helps us provide programs,

[45:40] exhibits, educational opportunities. As

[45:43] I said, we, uh, this every year, we we,

[45:47] um,

[45:47] we award four scholarships. In this past

[45:50] year, I believe they amounted to $16,000

[45:54] and the year before as well.

[45:57] Uh, we're very proud of what the

[45:58] Historical Society has accomplished,

[46:01] particularly particularly as we

[46:03] celebrate 40 years of serving Coastal

[46:05] Isle.

[46:06] But we also recognize that none of this

[46:08] happens alone. It takes the support of

[46:10] our volunteers, our members, our

[46:12] community partners, and the town of

[46:15] Coastal Beach.

[46:16] On behalf of the the Historical Society

[46:19] of Coastal Isle, thank you for your past

[46:21] support. Thank you for your partnership

[46:23] we have today.

[46:25] And we will thankfully ask for your

[46:26] continuous financial support in the

[46:28] coming year.

[46:29] We appreciate everything you do for us

[46:31] and for the community we all care so

[46:34] much about.

[46:35] Thank you very much. And does anybody

[46:37] have any questions?

[46:39] >> I do. Um

[46:41] now that I'm looking at this,

[46:43] I'm guessing the Autumn with Topsail is

[46:46] the largest fundraiser that y'all have.

[46:48] Is that correct?

[46:49] >> in the past, yes. It's changing this

[46:51] year. Oh, it's also

[46:53] Well, because of um the structure the

[46:56] changes made in structure. So, um the

[47:00] 100 the most of it would be 100 um

[47:04] vendors in that area. I would imagine

[47:07] prior to that

[47:08] >> probably knows exactly how many.

[47:10] More than anybody. Are they having to

[47:12] cut it severely this year?

[47:14] >> Not not severely. I think we're

[47:16] down to like

[47:17] in the past

[47:18] >> Yeah.

[47:20] >> Um I know we're down maybe 20 vendors or

[47:24] something.

[47:25] >> I think that we're only going to be able

[47:27] to put vendors around the outside this

[47:29] time.

[47:30] Okay. So, that really cuts it down more

[47:32] than 20.

[47:33] >> No, we've identified additional spaces

[47:36] for 10 more vendors that

[47:38] >> Oh, that's good to hear. So, I'm a

[47:39] little worried.

[47:40] >> It's one of the things that I don't know

[47:42] that we think about is what the town's

[47:45] the services they provide with Autumn

[47:47] with Topsail. Autumn with Topsail you

[47:48] may not know this, but my favorite

[47:50] weekend at Topsail it's fantastic, but

[47:55] do you have any idea what do we spend to

[47:58] support that in I guess fire police do

[48:01] we have to pay the outside agencies

[48:03] anything?

[48:04] >> Um we don't pay the outside agencies

[48:07] they do that under a mutual aid but we

[48:09] do provide them food and water and all

[48:13] of that we believe I've asked

[48:16] for those numbers it's generally around

[48:18] $500 for that but we do have to bring in

[48:22] additional staff for policing here in

[48:24] town and that usually typically runs

[48:26] about $5,000 for the total event.

[48:29] >> And then you this year we're giving them

[48:31] that lot over there correct?

[48:33] >> We are allowing them use of that for I

[48:35] believe the vendor parking.

[48:39] » I didn't know that.

[48:40] >> Do you know off the top of your head

[48:42] about how many spaces we have over

[48:44] there?

[48:45] >> I don't know about 18.

[48:49] » [clears throat]

[48:50] >> I I want to say

[48:52] sure I recognize that the town's special

[48:54] relationship here with the Historical

[48:55] Society is more than more intertwined

[48:58] than than most

[49:01] the town uses the assembly building Auto

[49:03] Topsail uses empty lot parking lot extra

[49:06] police resources I would suggest in lieu

[49:09] of financial assistance we let the town

[49:11] manager and the president of the society

[49:14] come up with an equitable agreement

[49:16] regarding our needs and theirs.

[49:25] » Is anybody

[49:29] And I would like to recommend that we go

[49:32] back to what we gave in 23 and 24 just

[49:34] because we are giving

[49:37] so much in services and

[49:39] Historical Society is near and dear to

[49:41] my heart my mom was involved in the

[49:43] start of that and worked with the

[49:47] Fort Fisher program and to be really too

[49:49] old to be doing that so it's something

[49:52] that's near and dear to me, but I think

[49:55] y'all aren't in the financial struggle

[49:59] today that you were 10 years ago. You

[50:01] may be 10 years from now. We need to

[50:03] re-evaluate, but the town is right now,

[50:07] we got a lot on our plates, and we're

[50:10] trying hard to juggle that with the tax

[50:12] rate. So, I'd make a motion that we

[50:15] provide 5,000 and continue with the

[50:18] services we're providing with Dolly

[50:20] Madison

[50:21] and the parking lot.

[50:24] >> There is a motion.

[50:26] >> Second.

[50:27] >> Is there a motion?

[50:29] >> Second.

[50:31] Any further discussion?

[50:35] Everybody vote. All in favor?

[50:36] >> Aye.

[50:41] » Three to two. Passes. You find those.

[50:43] >> I think I like to say that the

[50:44] historical society is near and dear to

[50:47] my family's heart, and we do support

[50:50] them financially, and we'll continue.

[50:53] And as of tonight, we will also

[50:56] I

[50:57] support that financially as well.

[51:00] >> Thank you, Mr.

[51:00] >> It's just a personal

[51:02] decision, not a town decision.

[51:05] >> Yeah.

[51:05] >> Well, thank you all very much.

[51:08] >> Thank you.

[51:11] » Item number 11, parks and recreation

[51:13] with council. Any report?

[51:16] Okay, planning board.

[51:26] » Good evening.

[51:27] I'm going to talk about the objectives

[51:29] of the planning board.

[51:31] Um at our last meeting, we reviewed the

[51:33] proposed wireless communication

[51:36] structure and number that was presented

[51:37] to us. Talk or actively about some of

[51:40] the power and infrastructure that we may

[51:43] have to deal with in the town.

[51:45] Um

[51:45] because state and federal law provides

[51:47] with the appointment of violence and

[51:49] infrastructure, the purpose is to make

[51:51] sure that the town has clear standards

[51:53] in place governing the location and the

[51:55] design of these facilities. Most

[51:58] importantly, to be consistent with the

[52:00] law, but also protecting the character

[52:02] of our community.

[52:04] Much of our discussion focused on

[52:05] identifying inconsistencies and areas

[52:08] where the language can be clarified, and

[52:10] our goal is simply to make sure the

[52:12] ordinance is clear, that it's objective,

[52:15] that it's enforceable, and that the

[52:17] applicants understand what's expected so

[52:19] that town staff can administer it

[52:22] consistently without unnecessary gray

[52:24] areas. So, we found

[52:27] some revisions we asked the staff to

[52:29] type back in May. We will be bringing

[52:31] the amended language back

[52:33] hopefully to you at the next meeting.

[52:35] We'll review changes and assuming that

[52:37] our concerns have been addressed, we

[52:39] will be back in a position to bring a

[52:41] recommendation to the ordinance. So.

[52:45] Any questions?

[52:46] >> Thank you, Zane. Glad to hear that.

[52:48] Thank

[52:49] >> Thank you.

[52:56] » [laughter]

[53:01] » The report. I've been doing them

[53:03] for 15 years and she and I had a

[53:05] conversation and

[53:07] I asked her if she would send me a paper

[53:09] and she gladly said yes. So,

[53:11] very gracious. Um, also very

[53:13] appreciative of Dev.

[53:14] >> Thanks, Dev.

[53:16] >> Okay.

[53:17] >> Um, and community development can start

[53:19] reading.

[53:20] >> I can go over the college instead of

[53:22] just me, the greenway.

[53:25] But, I did want to bring to you guys

[53:27] I've started working on the flood damage

[53:29] prevention ordinance and I'm on page

[53:33] the new 2026 model ordinance for flood

[53:35] inspecting and I have a significant

[53:36] amount of required language that our

[53:38] ordinance does not contain. We have not

[53:40] adopted a significant ordinance since

[53:42] ordinance changes since 2013 and not

[53:45] having this language could decrease

[53:46] property owners flood insurance discount

[53:48] to currently 20%

[53:50] and put the town in a flood plain

[53:52] writing and standing in jeopardy.

[53:55] Considering the last update the

[53:56] proposals have been tabled by the board

[53:59] since 2022.

[54:02] We will be requesting that the board

[54:03] send this back to staff so that we can

[54:05] begin the process through the planning

[54:07] board once it's complete.

[54:12] » Good morning. I understand the request

[54:14] to that.

[54:15] >> Send it back to

[54:16] >> Do we need to make a motion to

[54:17] >> We need a motion to

[54:19] >> Yeah, and I'm not completely finished

[54:21] with it yet. I've done the majority of

[54:23] the changes. I just need to review the

[54:25] changes that we have made through the

[54:27] years to make sure that everything's

[54:29] consistent and what's already there is

[54:31] there.

[54:32] Um I have reviewed

[54:35] the public comments that we received

[54:38] at both the several times that we met um

[54:41] and address those concerns. If it was

[54:43] recommended language and not required

[54:45] language, I have not included it. That

[54:47] was one of the things that we talked

[54:48] about that, you know, everybody

[54:50] expressly said they didn't want.

[54:52] Everything that's already there will

[54:54] stay there um

[54:56] for the time being. And then like I

[54:58] said, all the required language has been

[55:00] added. It'll

[55:01] be clearly defined what's required and

[55:03] what is recommended.

[55:05] So.

[55:07] » Can we get a copy of

[55:10] all of it? That's been quite a while.

[55:12] We've had many many crises since then.

[55:15] Could you send us back the language what

[55:17] you're recommending so while the

[55:19] planning board's looking at it, we can

[55:21] get back up to speed on it?

[55:23] >> Yes, once I get done comparing it to our

[55:25] ordinance, I've got it.

[55:27] Um I will You guys can get a copy of it

[55:29] so that you can start running through

[55:32] it. And like I said, it'll be

[55:34] one color for required, one color for

[55:36] recommended

[55:38] and all of that. But, like I said, I've

[55:39] not included the language that was very

[55:42] expressly denied

[55:44] by the board and

[55:46] >> Um but that was that was that that was

[55:48] recommended they or was that just likely

[55:50] what we're looking at? As I recall is

[55:52] you couldn't have more than 100

[55:55] condition they on the ground level and

[55:58] anything on the ground level

[55:59] >> That was recommended like I believe we

[56:02] took that out.

[56:03] >> I know we took that out. But, was that

[56:05] recommended by FEMA or federal?

[56:08] >> FEMA itself.

[56:09] >> Okay. Well, okay. So, we have the right

[56:11] to say sorry FEMA we

[56:13] >> Yeah, recommended we can say

[56:15] >> Cuz I think that they were

[56:17] putting us in a really difficult

[56:20] position as far as what those people

[56:22] down here already have.

[56:24] >> Yeah. So, but we are we are very behind.

[56:27] And I hope that if the mayor of Detroit

[56:29] comes and joins us and takes a look, we

[56:31] can get him in control. But, I'd like

[56:34] to go ahead and take care of

[56:36] >> So, it could

[56:38] Steve, this is a very quick question.

[56:40] There are a lot of things here

[56:43] we talked about

[56:45] the situations you can deal with.

[56:48] Paramount, a good number of them

[56:50] are some of the things within the FEMA

[56:52] guidelines that reduces the allowed

[56:56] density in certain areas that otherwise

[56:59] would be allowed by FEMA zoning. They

[57:02] would render certain properties as

[57:03] non-conforming.

[57:05] Do you know whether or not any of the

[57:07] required language would have that

[57:09] impact? The reason why I bring it up is

[57:10] that it then puts you in a catch-22. You

[57:13] want to comply with these federal

[57:14] guidelines, but then you would also be

[57:15] in violation of the prohibition against

[57:18] downzoning legislature has imposed on

[57:20] us.

[57:21] So, I just I don't want to add to your

[57:23] work.

[57:25] I don't want to add to the complexity of

[57:26] what you're doing already, but

[57:27] unfortunately it is complex.

[57:29] >> Right. And this This released after the

[57:31] downzoning and everything else. So, I'm

[57:32] sure some of that language has been

[57:34] adjusted. I will reach out to him

[57:36] um and make sure that we are covered in

[57:38] that.

[57:39] >> Yeah, it's not like we have large tracts

[57:40] of land we're concerned about current

[57:42] zoning, but

[57:43] in fact it's there. Would be river

[57:45] certain properties as

[57:48] the board is

[57:49] >> It would have been good of us to have

[57:51] him review it before we send it to the

[57:53] planning board.

[57:54] >> So, it also would be good that we aren't

[57:56] doing something that's going to come

[57:58] back and bite us that we don't see from

[58:00] a legal standpoint.

[58:01] >> It will also be sent to our local FEMA

[58:04] rep.

[58:05] >> Okay.

[58:05] >> So, that she can review it as well. Make

[58:08] sure.

[58:09] >> What can we um

[58:11] >> Well, he has to. I don't have authority

[58:12] to. He has to see it before we

[58:14] >> Before we send it to her, let let Steve

[58:16] go through it

[58:18] and see if there's anything in there

[58:19] that could trip us up. I don't know if

[58:21] we need a motion to send it back

[58:24] to you or not or not just go ahead and

[58:26] we have to make these

[58:28] amendments to it.

[58:29] >> Being that we tabled it, I would feel

[58:32] more comfortable if you guys made a

[58:34] motion

[58:35] >> Okay.

[58:35] >> to send it back.

[58:37] >> Do we make a motion to send it to Mr.

[58:39] Coggins and once he's reviewed it,

[58:42] provide his comments and then send it

[58:44] back to you?

[58:44] >> me first so I can finish it.

[58:46] >> He can send it back, right.

[58:46] >> Can he send it back to you, you finish

[58:48] it and then you send it to him and then

[58:51] >> I mean, I think it would be easier than

[58:52] a three-step process if I finish it and

[58:54] then send it to him and then he gives me

[58:56] comments and then

[58:58] Okay, then it goes to the planning

[58:59] >> But then it

[59:00] >> Look at it from a board of planning

[59:01] board.

[59:01] Yeah.

[59:03] >> Is there a motion?

[59:04] >> That's That was a motion. You got that.

[59:06] >> [laughter]

[59:07] >> Is there a motion and a second?

[59:09] >> I'll repeat it.

[59:10] >> Um

[59:12] All in favor?

[59:12] >> Aye.

[59:14] >> Thank you.

[59:14] >> Okay.

[59:15] >> Can say uh that Riceville Beach has

[59:18] spent a ton of time on these issues.

[59:22] Um

[59:22] and they're more than willing to share

[59:25] with us

[59:27] what they've been through and what their

[59:29] recommendations are. That

[59:31] seems helpful.

[59:36] » You got the opening yet?

[59:37] >> Yeah.

[59:37] >> Immediately it's great.

[59:40] >> Good then.

[59:43] » If they

[59:44] the IAS, there was not a meeting or do

[59:46] you have

[59:47] >> I have a couple of things.

[59:48] >> Okay.

[59:49] As always I'll be brief.

[59:53] Um now um

[59:55] we are going to have a meeting tomorrow.

[59:56] We didn't have one last week.

[59:59] And there's a couple of things I want to

[1:00:01] bring to your attention. At the end of

[1:00:02] our fiscal year

[1:00:04] um the IAS fund had 9.2 million.

[1:00:07] Uh we started the fiscal year at 6.2 so

[1:00:10] the gain

[1:00:11] was 3 million which pushes, thanks to

[1:00:14] you guys,

[1:00:15] uh pushes us on target for having 12

[1:00:17] million next year when we have our next

[1:00:19] project.

[1:00:21] Uh our project will be in the fall of

[1:00:23] '27 going into '28. Family Matters

[1:00:26] project.

[1:00:28] Probably get a $25 million project that

[1:00:30] we need to be positioned

[1:00:32] to ask for it and to get it done and

[1:00:35] then be in a position for any sort of

[1:00:37] emergency. So really thanks to you guys

[1:00:40] for having the foresight to keep that

[1:00:41] going.

[1:00:42] Um

[1:00:44] the other thing is that we've had a

[1:00:45] water management task team and we Last

[1:00:47] time we met was on July the 20th.

[1:00:50] Uh we've reviewed all the information

[1:00:53] that we put together through the Adorno

[1:00:55] study.

[1:00:56] Um we've taken a tour looking at some of

[1:00:58] the outfalls that are backing up.

[1:01:00] The water.

[1:01:01] Um our own mayor is helping further the

[1:01:04] cause on Rocky Mount and doing some

[1:01:07] survey work on that.

[1:01:08] We're trying to get it into a bundle so

[1:01:10] that we know

[1:01:12] for

[1:01:13] water importation, this is a project we

[1:01:16] need. For title backup, this is a

[1:01:18] project we need. And pull together all

[1:01:20] of this in terms of what the funding

[1:01:22] will be required, so we're pushing this

[1:01:24] down the road a little bit.

[1:01:26] Um

[1:01:27] the other thing is that uh switching

[1:01:28] gears here a little bit, TI Coastal has

[1:01:31] collected all the pre-storm,

[1:01:33] pre-hurricane season data.

[1:01:35] Um they haven't processed it all, but we

[1:01:38] should be in within a week or so of

[1:01:39] having new contour maps for the sound

[1:01:42] and also on the beach, so that we know

[1:01:44] how much sand we had in the beach

[1:01:46] before any potential hurricane.

[1:01:49] So, if we lose sand, we know how much

[1:01:51] we've lost and what the value is. So,

[1:01:53] we're making progress on that. And the

[1:01:56] last thing I do want to report is the uh

[1:01:58] TISPC next meeting is on August the

[1:02:00] 27th, but there's a big signing ceremony

[1:02:04] at Surf City on Monday.

[1:02:07] Um Surf City has been pursuing a 50-year

[1:02:11] coastal storm damage mitigation project

[1:02:13] for 20 years. And they are just on

[1:02:16] Monday in a position to sign a

[1:02:19] project partnership agreement.

[1:02:21] But this is significant to us, too,

[1:02:25] because we are putting sand on the

[1:02:26] beach, we know we have a north-to-south

[1:02:29] lateral flow of sand.

[1:02:31] By them now having a 50-year project,

[1:02:34] it's probably going to be 6 million

[1:02:36] cubic yards.

[1:02:37] It's going to help this whole island.

[1:02:40] And so, I would invite you guys to come

[1:02:43] on Monday at 10:00 to help Surf City

[1:02:45] celebrate this milestone event. Uh it's

[1:02:48] going to help us all in the end. Um

[1:02:52] I think that's all I got.

[1:02:53] Thank you very much for your time. Any

[1:02:55] questions?

[1:02:57] >> I would like to ask everyone in this

[1:02:59] room to share with

[1:03:01] your friends and neighbors and

[1:03:04] uh anyone that's interested in what's

[1:03:06] going on that our new water management

[1:03:09] task force is is working extremely well

[1:03:12] with BIS and with our board.

[1:03:14] Real work's being done and

[1:03:17] we're going to get real answers and real

[1:03:19] projects going

[1:03:21] for

[1:03:23] flood mitigation that

[1:03:25] comes with king tides and all that.

[1:03:27] We're Y'all are doing great work and

[1:03:29] things are happening. So, we're not

[1:03:31] kicking the can down the road.

[1:03:32] >> Thank you for that and I do want to

[1:03:34] recognize Tom Herrick in public works.

[1:03:37] Those people are opening the doors.

[1:03:40] They're working with us. They're excited

[1:03:42] about moving forward. So, thank Tom.

[1:03:44] And I think we'll make a little comment.

[1:03:47] >> Good.

[1:03:47] >> I had a question.

[1:03:48] >> Yes. So, so I have It sounds like Surf

[1:03:50] City may be starting their project.

[1:03:53] We're doing our

[1:03:55] renourishment in a year and a half. Will

[1:03:57] that have any impact on us? I don't know

[1:04:00] if the ICW coastal is involved with

[1:04:02] Will they be getting sand from anywhere

[1:04:04] we are getting sand from?

[1:04:06] >> Uh they're They're a 50-year project.

[1:04:09] All the sand is coming offshore on the

[1:04:11] hopper dredge.

[1:04:12] And the offshore borrow site is off of

[1:04:15] Leon.

[1:04:16] So, [clears throat] they're going to

[1:04:17] transport it all the way up there. That

[1:04:18] sucks.

[1:04:20] Um

[1:04:21] whether that's going to have

[1:04:22] implications for us down the road,

[1:04:25] I don't know.

[1:04:26] Um but adding more sand inventory into

[1:04:29] the system

[1:04:31] will have some impact.

[1:04:31] >> And then we'll get that sand eventually,

[1:04:33] right?

[1:04:34] >> Eventually.

[1:04:35] >> [laughter]

[1:04:35] >> Yes. Um but it's but it's really good

[1:04:38] >> The gift that keeps giving us.

[1:04:41] >> It's really good for the entire island

[1:04:43] because as we all know

[1:04:46] you believe in um

[1:04:48] storms I mean uh

[1:04:50] storm water rise

[1:04:52] and if you believe in

[1:04:54] hurricanes and bigger storms,

[1:04:57] this resiliency is what's going to keep

[1:04:59] us together in the future.

[1:05:01] >> Mr. Mayor, we had

[1:05:03] I have a short question.

[1:05:05] >> Thank you again. I I just received an

[1:05:06] invitation that's coming within the next

[1:05:08] couple of weeks on a ceremony that's

[1:05:10] going to be at Surf City.

[1:05:12] uh

[1:05:13] >> that acknowledges their signing on with

[1:05:14] Corps of Engineers for 50 year of being

[1:05:17] of age coastal resilience

[1:05:19] plan.

[1:05:20] And I was wondering if uh your committee

[1:05:22] has discussed the potential impacts that

[1:05:24] would have on future projects on the

[1:05:26] table.

[1:05:28] I foresee this uh

[1:05:30] only possible way to be sharing costs

[1:05:33] doing projects all at the same time to

[1:05:34] leverage the economies of scale and also

[1:05:38] how it impact our current sands. Excuse

[1:05:40] me.

[1:05:42] >> I would say that all that is on the

[1:05:44] table.

[1:05:45] Um but right now we are dealing with the

[1:05:48] world we've been living in.

[1:05:51] Three years down the road when we

[1:05:53] contemplate those

[1:05:55] impacts,

[1:05:57] we'll have a chance to reevaluate that.

[1:05:58] It might be with more sand in in the in the system

[1:06:04] that you have more frequent clean outs.

[1:06:06] how

[1:06:08] do we share that burden and how do we

[1:06:11] distribute the sand

[1:06:13] on the island?

[1:06:14] I mean we've got

[1:06:15] >> More sand in the system, what does that

[1:06:17] mean? How does that happen?

[1:06:18] >> Well, the sand that that is coming in

[1:06:20] with a coastal storm damage mitigation

[1:06:23] project

[1:06:24] is being borrowed offshore and brought

[1:06:27] onshore.

[1:06:29] What we've been doing is taking sand out

[1:06:31] of the inlet

[1:06:33] and putting it on the shore. So

[1:06:34] >> Oh, I know Surf City's kind of already

[1:06:36] using that source as well.

[1:06:39] » I don't know one said anything official

[1:06:41] about that, but

[1:06:43] maybe I'll be around BIS three years and

[1:06:45] we get to talk about that.

[1:06:47] But it's a it's great great thing. It's

[1:06:49] a it it could open up a different

[1:06:52] scenario.

[1:06:56] I can tell you one thing.

[1:06:58] In 1976,

[1:07:01] my family in Sandbridge, Virginia had

[1:07:03] bulkhead on the ocean.

[1:07:06] 1982, they got a 50-year CSDM project

[1:07:09] and that bulkhead is under 12 ft of

[1:07:11] sand.

[1:07:12] That's the implication.

[1:07:14] >> Where was that?

[1:07:15] >> In Sandbridge Beach, Virginia. All the

[1:07:17] north end properties.

[1:07:19] About a mile and a half of bulkheaded on

[1:07:21] the ocean.

[1:07:23] And that's all back.

[1:07:27] » Any further questions?

[1:07:29] Thank you, Wayne.

[1:07:31] Thank you, Mr.

[1:07:34] Um

[1:07:35] what day is on the public safety

[1:07:36] building?

[1:07:38] >> Yeah.

[1:07:39] So, we are now meeting every 2 weeks.

[1:07:43] And we actually just had a meeting this

[1:07:44] morning, so this is all hot off the

[1:07:46] press.

[1:07:48] And it appears that we have pretty much

[1:07:50] everything we need for to issue a

[1:07:52] building permit.

[1:07:53] The plans are with the contracted

[1:07:56] building inspector now. He is reviewing

[1:07:58] them, so

[1:07:59] we anticipate being able to issue our

[1:08:01] building permit here shortly for the

[1:08:03] project. Thomas Construction has started

[1:08:06] to prepare the tower to be used as their

[1:08:10] construction office, their on-site

[1:08:12] construction office

[1:08:14] as the construction happens.

[1:08:16] DOT permit has been submitted on July

[1:08:19] 20th and they have 30 days to turn that

[1:08:22] around. So,

[1:08:23] right now we're just waiting on that

[1:08:25] one. But the big permit that we're

[1:08:27] waiting for is our DEQ permit. We had

[1:08:30] previously submitted that. They had some

[1:08:32] comments regarding the storm water

[1:08:35] system. We made the changes that they

[1:08:37] wanted that they requested and we've

[1:08:39] actually sent that back in on July 22nd.

[1:08:43] Although they didn't actually um

[1:08:45] I guess formally accept it until August

[1:08:47] 3rd. Um we are using the quick

[1:08:50] permitting option, but so is everybody

[1:08:52] else, so

[1:08:53] >> [laughter]

[1:08:54] >> I don't know how quick that will

[1:08:55] actually be.

[1:08:57] But we don't expect any additional

[1:08:59] comments being they've already had their

[1:09:01] one pass at it. We we that they'll won't

[1:09:03] be able to issue it without any um any

[1:09:05] further changes or modifications.

[1:09:08] Um so we're hoping to have that permit

[1:09:10] to us around Labor Day

[1:09:12] time frame is what we're looking at. So

[1:09:14] right now the target date to begin

[1:09:15] construction is September 14th.

[1:09:18] Um but again that's all subject really

[1:09:21] on the DEQ permit. Um we we do have to

[1:09:23] hold off for that.

[1:09:26] So that's where we are right now.

[1:09:29] >> I'm good. Well I hope we finally get

[1:09:31] moving.

[1:09:32] >> Well we're at the finish line.

[1:09:35] >> All right.

[1:09:36] >> We have about today.

[1:09:37] >> [laughter]

[1:09:38] >> Yeah we are talking about a ground break

[1:09:39] ground breaking ceremony so we're hoping

[1:09:42] to finalize those details and we'll have

[1:09:44] that information out to the public.

[1:09:50] » Very thanks.

[1:09:52] I'm sitting here just considering vote

[1:09:54] on noise ordinance.

[1:09:55] >> Yes.

[1:09:57] >> All right. So we've been discussing this

[1:10:00] for a couple of months obviously based

[1:10:03] on some public comments. Staff was

[1:10:05] directed to kind of go back to our

[1:10:06] current noise ordinance and try to see

[1:10:09] if we can address the comments which

[1:10:11] really initially were um

[1:10:14] the decibel level is is set too high um

[1:10:17] and the time at which the decibel level

[1:10:20] could be elevated was too late. So um we

[1:10:24] had

[1:10:25] staff to come back I think at the

[1:10:28] June meeting in order to bring some of

[1:10:30] those amendments to you. Um after

[1:10:32] further discussion at that meeting that

[1:10:34] was also asked that we try to look at

[1:10:36] how we can address the base frequency

[1:10:39] that low level frequency that isn't

[1:10:41] necessarily captured with um with the

[1:10:45] way that the ordinance is written today.

[1:10:47] And I have found out a lot more about

[1:10:48] noise than I ever want to know but um

[1:10:52] uh

[1:10:52] >> [laughter]

[1:10:53] >> basically I guess we'll I'll kind of try

[1:10:55] to

[1:10:57] tell you what I figured out. Um,

[1:10:59] we have a noise uh

[1:11:01] um measuring instrument. That noise

[1:11:03] measuring instrument can measure

[1:11:06] different types of of sounds. We have

[1:11:09] the uh A weighting scale, which is what

[1:11:12] we've been using. Um, and that basically

[1:11:15] will measure the sound that sort of

[1:11:18] matches how the human ear hears it. And

[1:11:20] then there's a C weighting scale, and

[1:11:23] this is the one that um basically

[1:11:24] measures that lower level bass

[1:11:26] frequency. So, um I thankfully I've been

[1:11:31] able to work with Oh, where did he go?

[1:11:33] Chief Lou Ellen.

[1:11:35] He has been very instrumental in this um

[1:11:37] in and trying to uh look up information.

[1:11:40] He found that the scale that we have,

[1:11:42] the noise metering system that we have,

[1:11:44] can do both A and C.

[1:11:47] So, what we did was we added those

[1:11:50] definitions. Um, you'll see them in red

[1:11:52] in your packet.

[1:11:54] And then we also um

[1:11:57] changed or added, I should say, some of

[1:12:00] the decibel levels for the C rating.

[1:12:04] Now, I will tell you that I'm not a

[1:12:05] noise

[1:12:07] expert. I don't know, you know, I'm I'm

[1:12:09] sort of just

[1:12:11] giving it my best shot here. Um, I did a

[1:12:13] lot of digging into see what other

[1:12:16] ordinances had. Um, I can tell you right

[1:12:19] now that having a C-rated

[1:12:22] decibel weighting um is not common at

[1:12:25] all, certainly not at a beach community.

[1:12:28] Um, the only three ordinances that I

[1:12:31] found, not saying this is it, but the

[1:12:32] only three I found is the bigger town,

[1:12:35] the bigger communities, uh Raleigh,

[1:12:38] Greensboro, and Charlotte.

[1:12:41] I chose Raleigh. I looked at theirs, and

[1:12:43] the only reason I thought was because I

[1:12:44] had found a memo that they hired a sound

[1:12:46] specialist.

[1:12:49] I figured if if the sound specialist

[1:12:53] suggested it, then that's probably where

[1:12:55] we should at least start.

[1:12:56] Um so that is and also not only that,

[1:12:59] but it was already in line with what we

[1:13:01] had proposed. So anyways, this is really

[1:13:04] just my best guess. Um I would like to

[1:13:08] Chief Llewellyn and I had talked about

[1:13:10] the possibility of um the next time that

[1:13:13] there's some sort of a a a event, a

[1:13:15] band, or anything like that to do some

[1:13:17] tests so we can see kind of where it

[1:13:19] does fall in line with what we're

[1:13:21] proposing. Um we are towards the end of

[1:13:24] the season as Susan pointed out. I you

[1:13:27] know, personally I would ask I would

[1:13:29] like to see us be able to look at this a

[1:13:32] little bit further, maybe do some

[1:13:33] testing before we adopt it. But um we

[1:13:37] certainly have that option to adopt

[1:13:39] tonight and then we can always make

[1:13:41] adjustments later if that's how you you

[1:13:42] want to go. So

[1:13:45] that's where we're at.

[1:13:46] >> We've got the concert in the park in

[1:13:49] a week. How could we use it then and

[1:13:51] just see?

[1:13:52] >> Absolutely.

[1:13:53] >> Yeah.

[1:13:55] And again, just to kind of see

[1:13:56] where where where it falls with what we

[1:13:58] have proposed cuz I truly don't know

[1:14:01] what that's going to sound like.

[1:14:02] >> Common sense says what Danny Arnold said

[1:14:05] is correct. If you have your speakers

[1:14:07] facing out like that

[1:14:09] versus facing in, it's going to have a

[1:14:12] big impact on the sound and I said it

[1:14:14] before.

[1:14:16] I was stunned at how loud and it's not

[1:14:19] even the loud, the bump bump of that

[1:14:23] bass is at 10:00 at night.

[1:14:26] It'd make me crazy.

[1:14:30] It's very similar to the sound when

[1:14:32] they're putting in pilings at a house

[1:14:34] right beside you.

[1:14:35] >> I understand.

[1:14:36] And I do want to say that I did reach

[1:14:39] out to the local businesses to let them

[1:14:40] know that this was on the agenda that

[1:14:42] was going to be discussed and I um you them to either attend um or send in

[1:14:48] any kind of comments that they have.

[1:14:50] So, I did make them aware that it was

[1:14:52] being discussed this evening.

[1:14:55] >> And there were [clears throat] no examples

[1:14:56] of

[1:14:57] the difference between um

[1:15:00] A and C in terms of decibels?

[1:15:04] Well, you gave the examples

[1:15:06] of what you would hear.

[1:15:07] >> Mhm.

[1:15:08] >> Uh but that that covers just the

[1:15:10] >> Just the the A.

[1:15:11] >> That's just the A.

[1:15:12] >> That's correct. You're right.

[1:15:15] Again, it was very difficult to find a

[1:15:17] lot on the C weighted decibel system. It

[1:15:19] just was. Um

[1:15:22] So, but you know, again, that's just my

[1:15:24] research. Um I think that's why I would

[1:15:27] prefer instead again, I would prefer

[1:15:30] that maybe we hold off on actual

[1:15:32] adoption until we can do some tests to

[1:15:35] see how close we are with what we're

[1:15:37] proposing.

[1:15:38] >> And we have the ability to read C C

[1:15:41] weight?

[1:15:41] >> We do. Yes. Yeah, like I said,

[1:15:43] thankfully, um

[1:15:45] people elements have been very

[1:15:46] instrumental in in helping with this

[1:15:48] ordinance, and also um the capabilities

[1:15:51] of the instrument that we have.

[1:15:54] >> I'm concerned about the A and the D

[1:15:57] decibel C level.

[1:15:59] Um

[1:15:59] and what about at night?

[1:16:01] >> This

[1:16:03] >> Yeah.

[1:16:03] >> You think it would if it carries through

[1:16:05] from C to A, you know, it

[1:16:07] A to C, that that'd be tough.

[1:16:10] >> Yeah, and it is different. Um it's not

[1:16:13] So, 60 uh

[1:16:15] DBAs and 60 DBCs are very different. Um

[1:16:21] but, you know, again, I I

[1:16:23] from what my research is, um from what I

[1:16:26] can tell, the C's, there's a filter on

[1:16:28] the sound meter, they apply some sort of

[1:16:30] a filter that kind of makes it more of a

[1:16:34] uh even flow

[1:16:36] of [clears throat] sound,

[1:16:37] um rather than the the sharp

[1:16:40] ups and downs that your hearing there's

[1:16:42] traditionally.

[1:16:44] So, again,

[1:16:45] >> I was wondering if you'd say average is

[1:16:48] out

[1:16:49] high and low in a thump thump thump

[1:16:53] >> thump

[1:16:53] >> Yeah, there's a filter. Apparently,

[1:16:56] there's some sort of filter that's

[1:16:57] applied um that that helps to even out

[1:17:01] the sound and it does I I don't know if

[1:17:03] it how it how it measures that thump, but it evens out the sound.

[1:17:07] >> All right. Now, we got to

[1:17:08] go over there. I think I really teach it

[1:17:11] an improvement in what people perceive.

[1:17:15] >> I Again, I I would agree with you and it that's the reason why I think

[1:17:20] that we still need a little bit more

[1:17:21] research and maybe some field work

[1:17:25] before before this is adopted in my

[1:17:28] opinion.

[1:17:29] >> But, you you mentioned that you used

[1:17:31] Raleigh as the basis. Is there's Is that

[1:17:34] where that 83 come from?

[1:17:35] >> It is, but the reason why I

[1:17:38] agree that, you know, Raleigh is a whole

[1:17:40] different place than here, but the

[1:17:42] reason why I did that was because their

[1:17:44] DBAs were already very similar to our

[1:17:46] DBAs.

[1:17:48] >> But, we're comparing our DBs our C's

[1:17:51] being higher.

[1:17:53] >> But, that's how it's Again, I'm not a

[1:17:55] noise ordinance, but that's our expert,

[1:17:57] but that's sort of how it is. The A's

[1:17:59] are typically in the ones I've seen, the

[1:18:02] A's are lower than the C's.

[1:18:05] >> Which constitutes

[1:18:06] >> I Again, field testing.

[1:18:08] >> I don't want to misinterpret your

[1:18:09] research. I mean, when you said you

[1:18:12] read Raleigh's ordinance, that was

[1:18:14] exciting to me. I have used that word a

[1:18:16] lot tonight, but

[1:18:18] um

[1:18:20] Do we agree that it's more important for

[1:18:23] a small town

[1:18:24] to get

[1:18:26] the noise issues right than it is

[1:18:29] a really large

[1:18:31] metropolitan city. I mean,

[1:18:34] Raleigh

[1:18:35] you know, there's more than a million

[1:18:37] people in there today now. Um

[1:18:41] They're more complex. Their issues are

[1:18:42] more complex. A million to

[1:18:45] >> Oh, I would agree. I have no question.

[1:18:47] >> But

[1:18:48] I mean, just common sense tells me it's

[1:18:49] more important

[1:18:51] for the small town

[1:18:52] to get the noise ordinance right than it

[1:18:53] is noisy volume.

[1:18:55] >> Yeah.

[1:18:55] >> Does that make sense or

[1:18:56] >> It does make sense. Um it just doesn't

[1:18:59] seem that the DBC

[1:19:02] is addressed in

[1:19:03] >> Cuz we're not sophisticated

[1:19:05] >> noise ordinances.

[1:19:06] >> in these really small towns to get to

[1:19:08] those issues.

[1:19:09] >> Well, we're getting there. I'll tell you

[1:19:10] that.

[1:19:11] >> So

[1:19:12] >> [laughter]

[1:19:12] >> I don't

[1:19:13] >> But what we're proposing is higher, it

[1:19:16] looks like, than what they have in

[1:19:17] Raleigh.

[1:19:20] >> DB

[1:19:20] >> So to me

[1:19:22] the easier thing would be to

[1:19:26] lower to where they are. They're at 70

[1:19:29] and 75.

[1:19:34] From 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Sunday

[1:19:36] through Thursday.

[1:19:37] And to 11:00. So they're the same during

[1:19:42] the week as the weekend, correct?

[1:19:46] >> Yes.

[1:19:48] >> [clears throat]

[1:19:49] >> So we're

[1:19:50] >> We could also, you know, make some

[1:19:52] amendments here

[1:19:53] >> And that's what I'm going to say. I

[1:19:54] would much rather

[1:19:56] make them overly low

[1:19:59] and come back and raise them than to

[1:20:02] approve it and it's still

[1:20:04] be as loud and obnoxious as it's been

[1:20:08] cuz it's easier, I think, to bump them

[1:20:11] back up

[1:20:12] than to

[1:20:14] dial them back down.

[1:20:15] >> Sure. And and we also have Labor Day

[1:20:17] coming up, so that might be a time at

[1:20:19] which, you know, there'll be some bands

[1:20:20] that we can do some more field testing

[1:20:22] with.

[1:20:23] >> I'd like to make a comment that

[1:20:25] piggybacks on what Commissioner Best

[1:20:27] said

[1:20:28] in relation to us versus Raleigh.

[1:20:31] I kind of doubt that there are people

[1:20:34] living in the commercial districts in a

[1:20:36] big town.

[1:20:37] Whereas we have residents living above

[1:20:40] their businesses. It's a I almost wonder

[1:20:43] if we should just have one ordinance for

[1:20:45] the entire town because there's no area

[1:20:49] where there people don't live.

[1:20:51] They they live in the commercial

[1:20:53] district. And the sound impacts them the

[1:20:56] same as it does the people in the

[1:20:58] residential district.

[1:21:00] I

[1:21:01] >> Conversation

[1:21:02] >> a big difference between us and

[1:21:04] bigger towns.

[1:21:06] Where commercial districts I think

[1:21:08] residences are prohibited. There's zone

[1:21:11] you cannot stay in a you can't you know

[1:21:14] live in a resi- a commercial district. I

[1:21:16] think

[1:21:17] um or

[1:21:19] Yeah.

[1:21:20] So that's something I do we we might

[1:21:23] want to consider is just having one

[1:21:25] ordinance one you know one district one

[1:21:27] zone

[1:21:28] instead of two zones.

[1:21:31] And um you know 11:00 is kind of late

[1:21:33] for sleepy Hollow speech.

[1:21:37] » Well again I think this is the time

[1:21:38] where we can make some adjustments from

[1:21:41] suggestions um from the board and then

[1:21:43] kind of use those as field tests.

[1:21:46] >> I don't really want to see it 80 which

[1:21:48] is described as very loud and aggressive

[1:21:52] anywhere in the town anytime.

[1:21:54] >> [clears throat]

[1:21:56] >> And we got that

[1:21:58] in the commercial zone and the

[1:21:59] residential zone.

[1:22:02] >> So you want to lower the overall limits

[1:22:05] is what I'm hearing.

[1:22:06] >> be my thought.

[1:22:09] » Test all those out.

[1:22:10] What about the timing?

[1:22:15] » Well we lowered from 11:00 to 10:00.

[1:22:18] >> 10:00 p.m.

[1:22:19] >> During the week.

[1:22:19] >> Yeah during the Sunday through Thursday.

[1:22:22] Again that was based on public comments.

[1:22:27] » This might stupid, but

[1:22:30] I just remember being at Quarter Moon

[1:22:32] and I never thought that music was loud,

[1:22:34] but then we were always

[1:22:36] music was always shut down.

[1:22:38] Uh you know, weekends. 10:00 or 9:00.

[1:22:42] >> The police officer that's no longer with

[1:22:44] us did that on a basis.

[1:22:46] >> And and we'd like to say Quarter Moon

[1:22:48] was the first to get a warning under but

[1:22:49] when we started using the ear buds, but

[1:22:51] we would kind of sneak in and tell them

[1:22:53] we we try not to make a big deal of it,

[1:22:54] but they were in violation of the times.

[1:22:56] >> So what's the difference between that

[1:22:58] and what we're talking about? It's

[1:23:00] louder than at public. I mean, it's

[1:23:02] almost like you

[1:23:03] >> The bass and we um

[1:23:05] The first warning had A and and even me

[1:23:07] I measuring on C I don't have I couldn't

[1:23:10] even tell you what it

[1:23:12] anything to compare it to cuz we haven't

[1:23:14] measured anything under C, but

[1:23:16] supposedly A is more what we hear with

[1:23:18] our the ear and C measures bass.

[1:23:21] >> Is that it?

[1:23:22] And that's the way

[1:23:24] is in her neutrals is that bass boom this to me more obnoxious than the

[1:23:30] music.

[1:23:35] And you just like them all.

[1:23:36] >> It just seems like we keep giving public

[1:23:38] a break over what we enforced at Quarter

[1:23:41] Moon. That's the way it seems to me.

[1:23:43] >> They did warn the Quarter Moon. I know

[1:23:44] they got a warning cuz I got a text and

[1:23:46] one of them said they got a warning from

[1:23:48] that American

[1:23:50] very good friend of mine, so quite

[1:23:52] amazing to me that she got my name out

[1:23:54] of that, but

[1:23:55] a lot of their problem was the band was

[1:23:57] playing very loud and the band was

[1:23:59] great. So they got a lot of more

[1:24:00] attention than the public got from the

[1:24:02] DJ, okay?

[1:24:04] >> Right.

[1:24:04] >> Um

[1:24:05] >> Okay.

[1:24:06] >> The difference

[1:24:06] >> The streets or on the bars?

[1:24:08] >> The difference both was probably. I

[1:24:10] don't know, but I know they were in the

[1:24:11] street.

[1:24:12] >> [clears throat]

[1:24:13] >> Um

[1:24:17] » We keep the

[1:24:19] decibel spread from 7:00

[1:24:22] to 10:00 or 11:00. The same in

[1:24:25] commercial district from

[1:24:28] Sunday to Thursday and Friday and

[1:24:29] Saturday.

[1:24:30] >> So, no real difference between between

[1:24:33] the week that the entire week the same.

[1:24:36] >> Yeah.

[1:24:36] >> Um from 7:00 to 10:00?

[1:24:38] >> [clears throat]

[1:24:42] » There was there was no difference there

[1:24:44] between commercial and residential.

[1:24:46] >> There is not a difference.

[1:24:47] >> They're all the same.

[1:24:48] >> Yeah.

[1:24:49] And so, the time you want to drop it

[1:24:51] from 11:00 lower and you want to hit

[1:24:54] Yeah, twice to that.

[1:24:56] >> But it's you asked about the bass. The

[1:24:58] bass is bad. The DJ on the microphone

[1:25:01] talking and getting the round the crowd

[1:25:03] to recite the rest of the lyric.

[1:25:05] >> Right.

[1:25:06] >> Who do not carry a tune, that's equally

[1:25:09] as bad. So, I can't pick one that's

[1:25:11] worse than the other.

[1:25:14] I think 75 80 is too too much. Too much.

[1:25:20] I think 75 is allowed.

[1:25:22] >> We will Yeah, we don't

[1:25:24] That's the the problem with waiting is

[1:25:26] by the time we make a decision next

[1:25:28] meeting, the summer's over

[1:25:30] and

[1:25:31] the the club's closed

[1:25:33] for the for the rest of the year. But we

[1:25:35] That's all that we know enough about

[1:25:36] decibels.

[1:25:38] >> So, look at the chart you provided is

[1:25:41] 70.

[1:25:42] Conversation difficulty raised voice

[1:25:45] rated.

[1:25:45] >> That's your decibel A, not B. We don't

[1:25:48] really know what decibel C A sounds

[1:25:50] like. That's why we In answer of

[1:25:52] Commissioner Best's question,

[1:25:54] but what wasn't given any type of rate

[1:25:56] we just trying to figure it out. Well,

[1:25:58] the times we measured and it could be

[1:25:59] because there's

[1:26:01] if we measure on Anderson's side,

[1:26:02] there's you know, the building. If we

[1:26:05] went to where it was open, it might be

[1:26:06] higher. There's just a lot to it. We're

[1:26:08] trying to take all the uh subjectivity

[1:26:10] out of it.

[1:26:11] And just trying to figure it out. You

[1:26:12] know, it's a lot of it.

[1:26:13] >> C at all over there?

[1:26:14] >> We never have. This wasn't in our

[1:26:16] ordinance.

[1:26:17] >> So, what I would suggest and try again,

[1:26:20] this is just my suggestion. You're

[1:26:21] obviously

[1:26:22] but

[1:26:24] I understand that we want the overall

[1:26:26] levels lowered. I think instead of

[1:26:28] trying to sit here and pick if we're not

[1:26:30] going to adopt tonight, instead of

[1:26:31] trying to pick one, I understand we want

[1:26:33] it lowered. Maybe just allow

[1:26:37] us to do some field testing and and try

[1:26:40] to base some kind of formulated

[1:26:43] draft based on that. Um again, we don't

[1:26:47] we we've never done C testing, so this

[1:26:49] will be brand new for us. I don't even

[1:26:50] know where to start my C testing. That

[1:26:52] much.

[1:26:53] Um this might be helpful to do some

[1:26:55] field testing. Um we can lower the

[1:26:57] overall limits when we come back with

[1:26:59] the draft. Also, we'll have our field

[1:27:00] testing results. And then um as I am

[1:27:03] hearing, you guys want to have the

[1:27:07] times 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. and cut off at

[1:27:10] 10:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

[1:27:12] >> I think that's more likely. I was like

[1:27:13] Larry's and Alhambra, some of the music

[1:27:16] is 7:00 to 10:00 and they might play a

[1:27:18] little bit over.

[1:27:22] » If it's 10:00

[1:27:23] >> It's 10:00.

[1:27:25] >> Well, I mean, you know, nobody's based

[1:27:28] on that's always based on complaints as

[1:27:29] well.

[1:27:32] >> I think we need to

[1:27:33] table this till next meeting. Invite

[1:27:35] them to do the research on the decibel

[1:27:37] C.

[1:27:38] And we may just decide to drop the

[1:27:40] commercial zone and just

[1:27:42] monkey around with the residential time

[1:27:43] frames and numbers.

[1:27:46] I mean, I don't know. I

[1:27:48] That's how I know we have enough

[1:27:48] information to make a decision about

[1:27:50] decibel C.

[1:27:52] >> Well, I

[1:27:53] >> I am informed a well-informed decision.

[1:27:57] >> Yeah, and if we're going to make the

[1:27:59] time zones all the same, then there

[1:28:01] really isn't a lot of

[1:28:03] distinction between residential and

[1:28:05] commercial. So,

[1:28:07] I could we could make a proposal.

[1:28:09] >> Why don't you just do them exactly the

[1:28:11] same as 7:00 in commercial 7:00 to 10:30

[1:28:14] same as it is in residential.

[1:28:17] >> You want 7:00 to 10:30 or 7:00 to 10:00?

[1:28:20] >> I'd say 10:30.

[1:28:22] >> Well, the residential does 10:30 on the

[1:28:23] weekend some from Friday Saturday night.

[1:28:25] So,

[1:28:27] if you just drop the commercial zone and

[1:28:28] maybe play figure out what decibels C is

[1:28:31] supposed to sound what it sounds like

[1:28:33] and whether or not it's that much

[1:28:39] » But again,

[1:28:40] 75 decibels where it says significantly

[1:28:45] raised voice.

[1:28:48] I'll be honest, I've been to some of the

[1:28:50] music venues down here where you just

[1:28:51] had to walk outside

[1:28:53] the fence standing area cuz the music

[1:28:56] was too loud. Last time you were there,

[1:28:58] the music was so loud you

[1:29:01] had to walk farther away.

[1:29:05] » While we were doing the testing,

[1:29:07] somebody it's it's mostly mostly the

[1:29:10] table was

[1:29:11] and then

[1:29:13] start talking.

[1:29:14] You said the other table

[1:29:16] >> Um

[1:29:17] >> They could do the next one.

[1:29:19] I'm on table.

[1:29:32] I would suggest something to consider

[1:29:34] and go over the technical memory

[1:29:36] protection.

[1:29:38] One guy speaks, one

[1:29:40] person could

[1:29:42] >> Toren, and I know we've had some recent

[1:29:44] um

[1:29:45] potential uh proposed changes to this,

[1:29:47] but in essence what this is is uh at the

[1:29:50] July meeting we um did a lot of text

[1:29:53] amendments, we approved a lot of text

[1:29:55] amendments uh to the town code

[1:29:57] ordinances, and uh kind of like

[1:29:59] dominoes, you know, one change and you

[1:30:02] try to catch it all, but inevitably you

[1:30:04] miss something. So, we did um come back

[1:30:07] to realize that section 1-6F

[1:30:11] needed to be amended uh so that there

[1:30:13] was no inconsistencies with the newly

[1:30:16] adopted uh amendments from last month.

[1:30:20] Um you do have your draft in ahead of

[1:30:22] you, but then I think that there's been

[1:30:23] some further changes from Attorney

[1:30:26] Coggins.

[1:30:26] >> They were all uh technical amendments.

[1:30:28] There were no substantive changes.

[1:30:41] » Do we need a

[1:30:42] >> I was making sure.

[1:30:44] >> It It The changes were

[1:30:48] » I would entertain a motion that we move

[1:30:50] forward with the changes as

[1:30:52] done by Mr. Coggins.

[1:30:54] >> Second.

[1:30:55] >> I have a motion and a second. Any Any

[1:30:57] discussion?

[1:30:59] All Let's have a vote. All in favor?

[1:31:01] >> Aye.

[1:31:02] >> Opposed?

[1:31:03] >> And uh

[1:31:03] >> You have

[1:31:05] >> Thank you.

[1:31:16] » I believe we're going to be coming in

[1:31:18] under the Fort City

[1:31:20] >> I want to

[1:31:22] >> Thank you, Holly.

[1:31:24] >> [laughter]

[1:31:24] >> I think they hear by themselves.

[1:31:25] >> I never buy stuff in the morning.

[1:31:31] » We're starting at

[1:31:33] >> CM Bible.

[1:31:35] >> They do what?

[1:31:35] >> They have a service in the morning at

[1:31:37] 8:00 and then stand by

[1:31:39] >> You're voting

[1:31:40] >> Any of us will do that service

[1:31:42] >> I feel like we used to have a civil

[1:31:44] liberty

[1:31:45] >> We're going to end up at the park at

[1:31:46] Copper Bottom

[1:31:47] >> Okay. So, we won't be having that shift.

[1:31:50] >> No, it's all right. It's going to come

[1:31:53] >> Okay.

[1:31:53] >> Wow.

[1:31:54] >> Yeah.

[1:31:55] >> It won't happen here.

[1:31:56] Our staff will get up there and

[1:31:59] >> Number 17, manager and attorney reports.

[1:32:03] >> It's in the packet.

[1:32:04] >> Okay.

[1:32:05] >> which may or may not be in addition to

[1:32:06] duties which I

[1:32:08] bring in your presence

[1:32:10] working on the finance to nail control

[1:32:12] ordinance regarding specifically

[1:32:15] chickens

[1:32:16] for your consideration next month. I've

[1:32:19] been assisting town manager with respect

[1:32:20] to a vexing problem with respect to the

[1:32:24] administration of the fire tax

[1:32:26] eradication of particular residence and

[1:32:29] advise to staff regarding the occupancy

[1:32:32] tax of the slope.

[1:32:36] » You have anything?

[1:32:37] >> Yes.

[1:32:40] » Then?

[1:32:41] >> I don't have anything additional other

[1:32:42] than what was in my report unless you

[1:32:43] have questions, but

[1:32:45] I did send the

[1:32:47] DOT proposed DOT drawing for the circle

[1:32:50] the amendment. So, I wanted to show that

[1:32:52] to you because I know I said I'd find

[1:32:53] it. There you go.

[1:32:55] Um so, as you see where the the red line is there instead of going

[1:33:01] through the circle go to the north end.

[1:33:03] Essentially, you would be able to take

[1:33:05] that straight through road.

[1:33:07] That would take you to the street like a

[1:33:09] stop light there and go to the north end

[1:33:12] that way. They're hope they're trying to

[1:33:13] keep

[1:33:14] you know, trying to keep so many cars

[1:33:16] out of the roundabout the roundabout.

[1:33:19] So, anyway, I just wanted to show that.

[1:33:22] >> Okay.

[1:33:23] >> While you have that up I spoke with one of the commission

[1:33:26] councilman in the city and one of the

[1:33:28] ideas they had is a place closing

[1:33:30] Kingston which appears to be objected to

[1:33:33] by a number of things to preventing left

[1:33:35] turns when you're going north on South

[1:33:38] Shore

[1:33:39] so that you can't jump in line. It So,

[1:33:42] that's one way of skinning the cat so to

[1:33:45] speak. Possibly.

[1:33:47] >> And and basically that would be that the

[1:33:49] people who are in in that parking lot

[1:33:51] can come out and get into the line to

[1:33:53] get into the circle. That and then but

[1:33:55] you can't get out of the line and go

[1:33:57] down the ocean road and jump back in

[1:33:59] ahead of people. That's what that is.

[1:34:02] Hope this makes some sense.

[1:34:05] But anyway, that's that. This is all

[1:34:06] public information, so

[1:34:09] >> Can you Can Can any

[1:34:11] observation

[1:34:13] extended observation been made from the

[1:34:15] traffic coming from the north?

[1:34:17] That is just every time I go to that

[1:34:20] circle there's a line just pouring in as

[1:34:22] they would cut ahead of you. You're

[1:34:24] coming around the circle and they would

[1:34:25] cut ahead in front of you and you slam

[1:34:27] on brakes. But the north traffic north

[1:34:30] traffic coming from the north is just I

[1:34:32] don't think anybody's considering that

[1:34:35] and it needs to be looked at seriously.

[1:34:37] >> Well, I mean I think that they're

[1:34:38] looking at all of it, but you're you are

[1:34:40] correct. I mean that that traffic coming

[1:34:42] into that circle

[1:34:43] >> Nobody goes across the north route, so

[1:34:45] they don't come.

[1:34:46] Well, we I I happen to go I have been

[1:34:50] around there this week

[1:34:52] and

[1:34:53] we had gone around to rush on the other side of the circle

[1:34:58] and we came back there was no traffic

[1:35:00] basically coming to the circle.

[1:35:04] But when we got around the circle coming

[1:35:07] back this way, it was backed up to the

[1:35:09] tennis court.

[1:35:11] And it was because people were coming

[1:35:13] around

[1:35:15] by my hand they come through

[1:35:18] IGA. They come through there and come

[1:35:21] and

[1:35:22] turn around and get get right back in

[1:35:24] and and there's no end and there's no

[1:35:26] close lines.

[1:35:27] I'm looking it's a wonder somebody

[1:35:29] hadn't had some

[1:35:31] real problems up there.

[1:35:33] They

[1:35:34] >> I agree. There's there they are they are

[1:35:38] trying to to find solutions to ease that

[1:35:40] traffic. Um again, you know, and

[1:35:43] one bite of the apple at a time.

[1:35:47] They have removed all the pedestrian

[1:35:49] traffic. That's helped a lot as well.

[1:35:51] You know, the pedestrian traffic that

[1:35:53] was um in the circle, the crosswalks and

[1:35:56] all that. They've removed that and it is

[1:35:58] their intention to keep that closed

[1:36:01] for good. So, that's one of the other,

[1:36:04] you know, ways. They're little things

[1:36:06] that at a time, but it's helping.

[1:36:08] >> What about the land about on the the other side?

[1:36:13] >> They haven't restricted that traffic

[1:36:15] yet.

[1:36:16] >> wheelchairs and strollers and dogs.

[1:36:18] So, that's some of the way now.

[1:36:21] >> Sure, yeah.

[1:36:24] » That's all I had left there personally.

[1:36:28] » And we're uh

[1:36:29] >> We had told you your parking is

[1:36:31] interior lots. That lot right here.

[1:36:33] >> That's the one lot that they carry with

[1:36:35] >> We we've categorized it as interior.

[1:36:38] Yes, there are others along with it in

[1:36:40] the same category.

[1:36:41] We just wanted to make sure we pulled

[1:36:43] that one out so we could see.

[1:36:49] » There's a couple of comments.

[1:36:51] >> Yeah, we'll take it in here.

[1:36:52] >> Public comments.

[1:36:54] >> Yeah, I'm just

[1:36:59] » I don't have to say anything because you

[1:37:00] already know how I feel about it. I'm

[1:37:02] talking in my face.

[1:37:04] What I do want to say is congratulations

[1:37:07] Kim Llewellyn.

[1:37:08] Very happy to see you as our interim. I

[1:37:11] hope that you will make him permanent.

[1:37:14] That is my biggest recommendation that I

[1:37:16] can give you other than the ones that

[1:37:18] you already know.

[1:37:20] >> Okay.

[1:37:21] >> I like

[1:37:22] what they said.

[1:37:23] >> Thanks for holding your tongue.

[1:37:25] >> You're welcome. [laughter]

[1:37:26] >> It's got a big hole in it right now.

[1:37:28] >> Good analogy.

[1:37:32] » And mayor and commissioner reports.

[1:37:34] >> Council are you?

[1:37:36] I want to remind everybody that

[1:37:37] Congressman David Rouzer will be

[1:37:40] cutting the ribbon Monday 10:00 a.m.

[1:37:43] And right next to Surf City Pier for

[1:37:45] their

[1:37:46] beautiful new beach nourishment project.

[1:37:49] If you could be there

[1:37:51] support what they're

[1:37:52] about to embark on, I know they would

[1:37:53] appreciate it.

[1:37:56] >> I'm very thankful for that.

[1:37:58] >> [laughter]

[1:38:04] » All right, thank you everybody for

[1:38:05] coming out and watching online. I want

[1:38:07] to

[1:38:08] say one thing about the turtles. I wore

[1:38:10] a shirt for this reason. As most of you

[1:38:12] know, it's turtle nesting season. I want

[1:38:14] to make this shout-out to Debbie and

[1:38:16] Andy who are the Topsail Beach

[1:38:17] coordinators for Topsail Turtle Project.

[1:38:20] Currently on the beach every morning and

[1:38:22] every night since about mid-July and

[1:38:24] they will continue that to the end of

[1:38:26] August. So, they're taking naps midday

[1:38:27] to make this all happen. This year there

[1:38:30] have been to this point 145 nests.

[1:38:34] That's the third highest on record, I

[1:38:36] think, and the most since 2019. We

[1:38:39] usually average 98. So, in there 34 in

[1:38:42] Topsail Beach. So, um just keep that in

[1:38:45] mind

[1:38:46] if you have a home near the oceanfront

[1:38:48] or on the oceanfront, keep your lights

[1:38:50] dim. Those little hatchlings will head

[1:38:52] for your house. They won't see the moon,

[1:38:54] especially when there's a new moon. Uh

[1:38:57] so, well, we had a

[1:38:59] that happened 2 weeks ago. They just

[1:39:00] went They Somebody shot off fireworks of

[1:39:03] all things right as they were coming out

[1:39:05] and they just went everywhere. So, if

[1:39:07] you could um

[1:39:09] help the little turtles get in the

[1:39:10] ocean.

[1:39:15] » Um I just want to shout out to John

[1:39:16] Gunter. I just want to acknowledge I was

[1:39:18] against paid parking. So far this year

[1:39:21] we've made 205,000.

[1:39:24] So,

[1:39:25] John, it was a good idea. Um

[1:39:27] secondly,

[1:39:29] well, and if we've still got and that's

[1:39:31] this

[1:39:33] calendar year even though we're on a

[1:39:35] fiscal year. It's just too hard to think

[1:39:36] fiscal year. Now, I also want to second

[1:39:39] welcoming um Chief Llewellyn to your

[1:39:42] first official

[1:39:44] Board of Commissioners meeting. I know

[1:39:46] it's been a blast and I think we've gone

[1:39:48] out of our way to make it a fun and

[1:39:50] exciting first week for you. So, yeah.

[1:39:55] » Yeah.

[1:39:57] Well, to those of you who don't even

[1:39:58] know what the Patriot Council of

[1:40:00] Governments is, uh, just know that I'm

[1:40:03] your representative of that body, which,

[1:40:06] uh, provides the various kinds of

[1:40:08] support to the municipalities and the

[1:40:11] four counties around us.

[1:40:13] And, uh, that's why I attend their board

[1:40:15] meetings every once in a while. I did

[1:40:17] this week and I have a, you know, a page

[1:40:20] with the report written out, but I'm

[1:40:22] going to skip that, uh, considering what

[1:40:24] we've been through tonight. And I just

[1:40:26] wanted to give you the the bottom line

[1:40:28] on that was that, uh, this month the

[1:40:31] Council of Governments had to select a

[1:40:33] new attorney to support them.

[1:40:36] And, uh, they pointed out that they

[1:40:38] interviewed three very competent, uh,

[1:40:41] well-established

[1:40:43] attorney firms and they selected Brown

[1:40:46] Greene Locey as their firm, uh, with

[1:40:49] Steve Coggins, uh, mentoring

[1:40:53] uh, J.D. uh,

[1:40:54] Fisher Fisher

[1:40:56] uh, as uh, the primary attorney. So, um,

[1:41:00] I think they made a really good choice

[1:41:02] there and I told them that.

[1:41:04] Glad to like to stay.

[1:41:06] >> Thank you, Commissioner Gunter. It's not

[1:41:08] a burden, it's very gratifying.

[1:41:09] >> [laughter]

[1:41:12] » You didn't know you were in that much

[1:41:13] venture then, huh?

[1:41:14] >> No, I wasn't I wasn't aware of it.

[1:41:17] Commissioner's input.

[1:41:20] » Came after you your selection was

[1:41:22] announced to board.

[1:41:26] » I just appreciate everyone coming out. I

[1:41:28] think we did some good things tonight. I

[1:41:30] know everybody doesn't agree with maybe

[1:41:32] us giving money to a non-profit, but I

[1:41:34] think we are we are a town and and we're

[1:41:37] part of the community council. We're

[1:41:39] part of the community, so I think giving

[1:41:40] back to the community

[1:41:42] is is important as well. So, thank you

[1:41:45] guys for coming.

[1:41:47] >> Thanks, Jim. Okay, gentlemen, I am I'm

[1:41:50] again appreciate everyone showing up

[1:41:52] tonight. Uh

[1:41:53] it was a

[1:41:54] kind of a streamline uh agenda, but we

[1:41:57] got through it. Uh there's some couple

[1:41:59] of little stumbling points, but I think

[1:42:01] it went well.

[1:42:02] And uh we're all the way through the

[1:42:03] summer. And uh it's it's

[1:42:06] been kind of a challenge in some cases,

[1:42:08] and I think our biggest uh takeaway for

[1:42:09] the summer is the traffic.

[1:42:11] And uh it's not going to go away and and

[1:42:14] so we now would have to see how we deal

[1:42:15] with it. But, um

[1:42:17] there's a couple of other little issues,

[1:42:19] but you know, we still live in paradise.

[1:42:21] And again, Chief, welcome. I know you

[1:42:24] got your hands full, but

[1:42:26] I think you're you're up for the task.

[1:42:28] >> I think that's great to see.

[1:42:30] Thank you all for coming. I make a

[1:42:32] motion to adjourn.

[1:42:33] >> I make the motion we adjourn.

[1:42:35] >> Okay, motion seconded. All in favor?

[1:42:37] Aye.

[1:42:38] Adjourned.

[1:42:47] » Next meeting

Topsail Beach, NC - Regular Town Board Meeting - 08-12-2026

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