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