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HomeMy Public PortalAbout06-23-2008 Monthly Workshop Meeting June 23, 2008 Monthly Workshop Approved: July 14, 2008 Page 1 of 5 MINUTES Board of Commissioners Monthly Workshop Monday, June 23, 2008 ? 7:00 p.m. Town Barn PRESENT: Mayor Tom Stevens, Commissioners Evelyn Lloyd, Frances Dancy, Brian Lowen, L. Eric Hallman, and Michael Gering. STAFF PRESENT : Town Manager Eric Peterson, Assistant Town Manager Nicole Ard, Finance Director Greg Siler, and Town Attorney Bob Hornik. 1.Open the Workshop Mayor Stevens called the Workshop to order at 7:00 p.m. 2.Agenda Changes & Agenda Approval 7:00:37 PM There were no changes or additions to the agenda. Upon a motion by Commissioner Dancy, seconded by Commissioner Lloyd, the Board moved to approve the Agenda as submitted by a vote of 5-0. The motion was declared passed. 3.Committee Updates and Reports 7:00:55 PM Commissioner Gering stated that today the Tourism Board would release for the Town a Request for Proposals for a Tourism website. He said the bid would close at the end of July and the Tourism Board would consider responses in August. Commissioner Gering stated that was one of the three main initiatives the Tourism Board undertook after the branding study, and this was a major step for that Board. Mayor Stevens noted it was a major step for the Town as well. He asked if part of the proposal was how to create something that other websites could use. Commissioner Gering responded yes, that the proposal included provisions for musical elements that could be donated to others who signed up. He said it did not include creating a logo, and their solution was to have a contest of graphic students at Cedar Ridge and Durham Tech to create a logo. 1 June 23, 2008 Monthly Workshop Approved: July 14, 2008 Page 2 of 5 7:02:40 PM Commissioner Lowen stated he had attended his first Orange Community Housing Land Trust meeting, and had found it interesting. He said they were experiencing some real challenges, and had discussed how the dollars were not there and how tight the budget was. 7:03:35 PM Commissioner Dancy stated she had attended the Orange County/Chapel Hill Tourism meeting at PHE, and they had toured that facility. She stated she had also attended the COG meeting this week, but had nothing to report. 7:04:54 PM Commissioner Lloyd said she had attended the Water Sewer Advisory Board meeting which she had found to be worthwhile. She said she had also attended a meeting of the Fire Department Committee. 7:05:15 PM Commissioner Dancy commented that she had attended Fairview Live last week and had found it enjoyable. She noted that Commissioner Lowen had done a lot of work on that event. Mayor Stevens agreed it was a tremendous event and that many in the community had participated. Commissioner Lowen noted that he believed the support of the Town Board had made a big difference in the success of the event. 7:05:47 PM Mayor Stevens remarked that last year the Tourism Board had developed a videotape of Hillsborough that had played on WFMY, and he believed the Tourism Board had a copy of that tape. He said he hoped that he would be able to play that for the Town Board at its next meeting. Mayor Stevens said the tape highlighted the dessert places in Town. Mayor Stevens reported that he had been working with the Upper Neuse River Basin Authority, and the big issue was the nutrient management system. He said the State would be making changes and adding new regulations, and the Authority was working on a system to get much more public input. Mayor Stevens said the new regulations would likely place a greater burden on development in regards to stormwater. 7:07:34 PM Town Manager Eric Peterson asked if any of the Board members had received a letter from the Intercity Visit Leadership Conference that was going to travel to Ann Arbor. Several Commissioners responded yes. Mayor Stevens said he would highly encourage Board members to take that trip, noting that he and Commissioner Hallman had gone last year. Mr. Peterson reminded the Board that the dates were September 14-16, and the preferred registration was by July 14. Mayor Stevens commented there was some scholarship money available, and that might be worth exploring. Mr. Peterson said perhaps between now and July 14 the Board could discuss 2 June 23, 2008 Monthly Workshop Approved: July 14, 2008 Page 3 of 5 who would want to make that trip, noting he would be unable to participate due to other commitments. He stated if a staff member needed to participate, they would delegate someone. Mayor Stevens said he would like to see someone from the Chamber of Commerce and the Alliance as well as representatives from other organizations make the trip, noting it was very beneficial and would help bring Hillsborough more into the fold of Orange County in a productive way. 7:10:20 PM Mr. Peterson commented that the carpeting for the meeting room had been ordered, and they were expecting it to arrive sometime this week. He said they had also gotten a quote on repairing the stain on the ceiling, and had discovered that the tiles currently in the meeting room were no longer available. He said the cost of replacing the tile was $3,100, but if they just cut out sheetrock to replace the stained tile then painted it, the cost would be $1,700. Mr. Peterson said they could try painting the ceiling, but was not sure how that would look. Commissioner Lowen said the ceiling had been painted before, and you could spot treat the stain and then repaint it. Mr. Peterson said that would certainly be less expensive. Commissioner Lowen suggested getting a price on treating the stain and repainting the ceiling, adding at present it was unsightly. Mr. Peterson agreed to do so. 4.Discuss Cornwallis Highway Marker 7:12:20 PM Mary Jewell, a member of the Board of the Orange County Historical Foundation, stated that Jennifer Koach, Executive Director of the Orange County Historical Museum, after having read the proposal from the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) and the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) to place the Cornwallis Highway Marker in Hillsborough, had said that she was not in agreement that the marker should come to Hillsborough. She said that in 1781 General Cornwallis had spent six days in Hillsborough, and that was why the UDC had believed the marker should rest in Hillsborough. Ms. Jewell said the marker was likely intended to be displayed in Durham along Chapel Hill Road, now a part of US 15-501. She said that Ms. Koach had indicated that Durham City or Durham County should be brought into this discussion, since technically it was their marker. Ms. Jewell said perhaps there was a place along that road that would be more appropriate, as well as some way to elevate it to make to more visible. Ms. Jewell said the main concern for historians was the sense of place, and things removed from their place lost their significance. She said by relocating the marker to Hillsborough made it insignificant because it was not were it was intended to rest originally. Ms. Jewell said relocating the marker before having discussions with Durham or Durham County would create an historical loss for this particular item. She noted that there was some concern about the actual historical significance of the marker as well. Ms. Jewell said if Durham or Durham County decided that they had no interest in the marker, and provided Hillsborough the right to make a decision, perhaps an outdoor location such as the 1845 Courthouse would be a fitting site for the marker. She said if that location was not chosen, then perhaps the grounds of the 1954 3 June 23, 2008 Monthly Workshop Approved: July 14, 2008 Page 4 of 5 Courthouse would be possible. Ms. Jewell said those were not Town-owned properties, but perhaps the County Commissioners could be involved in the discussion at that point. Ms. Jewell said in summary, the Foundation agreed with Ms. Loach that the marker should not come to their museum as an artifact donation for several reasons, including that it had little historical value as an artifact without knowing who placed it, when it was placed, and where it was originally placed. She said as well it would not have much value as part of their exhibit, but being placed outdoors would be the best location for it. Ms. Jewell said that the Foundation and Ms. Loach agreed that Durham was the preferred location for the marker, and believed the UDC and the DAR should make contact with Durham officials and begin a dialogue regarding relocating the marker there. She said if Durham had no interest, then perhaps the Town could accommodate it in Hillsborough. 7:17:17 PM Commissioner Gering stated that Sarah Caviness with the UDC had called him about a month ago and wanted to know if there would be any interest from the Town to place the marker in Town. He said that the Museum, the Trading Path Association and the Alliance would be the interested parties to advise the Town Board. Commissioner Gering said the offer from Ms. Caviness was generous. 7:18:09 PM Commissioner Lloyd said that many of the Town?s streets were named after the British, and did not believe that General Cornwallis was anyone?s hero in Hillsborough. She said to place the marker at the Courthouse would make it appear that he was well-thought of, which she did not believe was the case. 7:19:55 PM Mayor Stevens asked were there any differing opinions regarding the stone. Commissioner Lowen said his questions were where it had come from, and from where it originated. He said to bring it into Hillsborough and place in on one of their streets would, he believed, cause confusion. Commissioner Lowen said he was unsure that Hillsborough was the right location for the marker. 7:20:41 PM Commissioner Dancy remarked that Durham had a Cornwallis Road and a Hillsborough Road. Mayor Stevens said there appeared to be a consensus of the Board, and suggested that he or the Mayor Pro-tem send the DAR and UDC a letter expressing their appreciation for the offer, and in honoring the history of the marker they believed it should be placed in Durham. Commissioner Gering asked if Ms. Koach?s remarks were in writing. Ms. Jewell responded they were and provided them to the Board, noting that the opinion of the Trading Path Association had already been provided to the Board. Commissioner Gering said he believed those remarks should accompany the letter as further explanation. Mayor Stevens suggested that since Commissioner Gering had been contacted, that he write the letter. Commissioner Gering agreed. 4 June 23, 2008 Monthly Workshop Approved: July 14, 2008 Page 5 of 5 5.Consider End of year encumbrances and budget amendments 7:22:58 PM Finance Director Greg Siler stated that in addition to the encumbrances already provided, he had three new budget amendments. He said the first was a correction in which the wrong debit account was used, and the second and third was a transfer of Capital Facility Fees from the Water Fund to the Capital Reserve Fund. 7:24:02 PM Upon a motion by Commissioner Gering, seconded by Commissioner Hallman, the Board moved to approve the Year-End Budget Amendment for 2007-2008 by a vote of 5-0. The motion was declared passed. Upon a motion by Commissioner Gering, seconded by Commissioner Lloyd, the Board moved to approve the year-end project purchase encumbrances for 2007-2008 by a vote of 5-0. The motion was declared passed. Upon a motion by Commissioner Gering, seconded by Commissioner Lloyd, the Board moved to approve the year-end purchase order encumbrances for 2007-2008 by a vote of 5-0. The motion was declared passed. 6.Closed Session A.Closed Session as authorized by North Carolina General Statute Section 143- 318.11(5) regarding Property Acquisition (1. Riverwalk, and 2. General Government Purpose) B.Closed Session as authorized by North Carolina General Statute Section 143- 318.11(6) regarding a Personnel Matter 7:25:22 PM Upon a motion by Commissioner Gering, seconded by Commissioner Dancy, the Board moved to go into Closed Session by a vote of 5-0. The motion was declared passed. Mr. Peterson noted there was no need for Item B regarding a personnel matter. 7.Adjourn Upon returning to Open Session, and upon a motion by Commissioner Lowen, seconded by Commissioner Dancy, the Board moved to adjourn by a vote of 5-0. The motion was declared passed. The meeting was adjourned at 8:23 P.M. Respectfully submitted, Donna F. Armbrister, MMC Town Clerk 5