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HomeMy Public PortalAbout08-25-2008 Monthly Workshopdub st 2~, 2008 l~7onthly Workshop approved: October 13, 2008 Pale 1 of20 Town of Hills ~~~,s c^ 1994 Town of Hlllsboroui h MINUTES' Board of Commissioners Monthly Workshop Monday, August 25, 2008 - 7:00 p.m. Town Barn PRESENT: Mayor Tom Stevens, Commissioners Michael Gering, L. Eric Hallman, Evelyn Lloyd, and Frances Dancy. ABSENT: Commissioner Brian Lowen, absence excused. STAFF PRESENT: Town Manager Eric Peterson, Assistant Town Manager/Public Works Director Nicole Ard, Town Clerl~/Director of Administration & Human Resources Donna Armbrister, Budget Analyst Emily Bradford, Planning Director Margaret Hauth, Town Engineer/Utilities Director Kenny Keel, Police Chief Clarence Birkhead, Finance Director Greg Siler, Town Attorney Bob Hornilc. PUBLIC CHARGE Mayor Stevens did not read the Public Charge, but noted it would be followed. 1. OPEN THE WORKSHOP Mayor Stevens called the Workshop to order at 7:04 p.m. 2. AGENDA CHANGES & AGENDA APPROVAL 7:04:23 PM Planning Director Margaret HaLrth stated that regarding Item #6a, Jerry McKoy had called and asked that this item be delayed until the September workshop. Commissioner Gering asked why they should wait to consider that item. Mayor Stevens suggested addressing that question when they reached that point in the agenda. There was no objection from the Board. 7:04:37 PM Town Manager Eric Peterson requested adding a discussion of possibly adding a Community Bulletin Board to the Cable Access Channel on Time Warner Cable, as Item I. There was no objection from the Board. 1 august 2~, 2008 l~7onthly Workshop approved: October 13, 2008 Paget of20 7:05:24 PM Mayor Stevens added an item as Item J regarding items to be included on the agenda for the upcoming Assembly of Governments meeting, reminding the Board that Hillsborough would be hosting that meeting. There was no objection from the Board. Upon a motion by Commissioner Darcy, seconded by Commissioner Gering, the Board moved to approve the Agenda as amended by a vote of 4-0. The motion was declared passed. 3. COMMITTEE UPDATES AND REPORTS 7:06:21 PM Commissioner Lloyd stated that the Fire Department had met, and explained that new maps were being created of the districts. She explained that in the past the Fire Department only covered areas within five rules, but that had been enlarged to six miles. She said if you were within the six-mile limit then your insurance rating would go down. Commissioner Lloyd suggested that people check with their insurance companies to make sure they were getting the lower rate. She said that the Fire Department was sending out notices to the insurance companies to alert them that the rates should be lowered. 7:08:44 PM Commissioner Hallman arrived at the meeting. 7:09:34 PM Mr. Peterson stated one reason that was important for people who lived in Town was that they were not releasing the results from the Fire insurance rating until the six-mile district issue was clarified. He said when that process was complete, they would be receiving the results of the fire rating survey so they would have the opportunity to see if any improvements could be made to the score. 7:10:03 PM Commissioner Hallman stated that the Strategic Growth Committee was scheduled to begin public hearings on its process the week of September 7. He stated it was important to understand the process before any maps were given to the public, and once the maps and their implications were understood, more public comment would be obtained after the first of the year. Commissioner Hallman stated the Economic Development Commission had received a presentation from the Stratford Group on the happenings with Waterstone. He stated major retailers as well as a Fortune 100 business that was looking for a site for a business campus were being discussed, so there may need to be some redesignation of some of the parcels in the future. 7:11:52 PM Commissioner Dancy stated that the Chapel Hill-Orange County Visitor's Bureau had met and decided to use a portion of the $100,000 to promote Hillsborough. 7:12:30 PM Mayor Stevens said that the Upper Neuse River Basin Association was in the process of a nutrient management strategy for Falls Lake, and some of the regulations that would come from that would affect development. He said they had created a stakeholders process, and before the Division of Water Quality made any decisions there would be an opportunity to provide information to them. Mayor Stevens stated that he would continue to attend as many meetings as possible, as would Town staff, to stay abreast any progress. 2 august 2~, 2008 l~7onthly Workshop approved: October 13, 2008 Page 3 of20 4. APPOINTMENTS A. Appoint Alice Lamson to a Restaurant Representative Vacancy on the Tourism Board for a 2-year term ending August 2010 B. Appoint Matthew Shepherd to a Restaurant Representative Vacancy on the Tourism Board fora 2-year term ending August 2010 7:13:57 PM Commissioner Gering noted that the Tourism Board had interviewed both candidates, and both had been told that it was not customary that they had to appear before the Town Board.. 7:14:15 PM Upon a motion by Commissioner Gering, seconded by Conunissioner Dancy, the Board moved to appoint Alice Lamson and Matthew Shepherd to a Restaurant Representative vacancy on the Tourism Board fora 2-year term ending August 2010 by a vote of 4-0. The motion was declared passed. 5. ITEMS FOR DECISION -CONSENT AGENDA A. Consider Adopting a Resolution to Participate in the North Carolina League of Municipalities "Green Challenge" B. Consider Approval of Lakeshore Sewer project change orders C. Consider Acceptance of Riverbend 2 Subdivision project water ad sewer utilities, and start of warranty period 7:14:43 PM Upon a motion by Conunissioner Hallman, seconded by Commissioner Gering, the Board moved to approve the Consent Agenda by a vote of 4-0. The motion was declared passed.. 6. ITEMS FOR DECISION -REGULAR AGENDA A. Discussion of staff time used in the Jerry McKoy code enforcement case and discussion of funds due to the Town 7:14:55 PM Mayor Stevens reminded the Board that Mr. McKoy had asked that this issue be delayed until the September workshop, and Commissioner Gering had suggested otherwise. 7:15:36 PM Commissioner Gering stated he saw no point in delaying this issue any further, particularly since Town staff had been requested to provide an estimate of staff time involved in resolving this matter and they had done so. He stated he believed it was clear that the fine was completely justified, and could not imagine a reason that would persuade him to reduce the fine. 7:15:41 PM Commissioner Lloyd asked if Mr. McKoy had to pay the amount determined by the Judge, or pay some other cost. Attorney Bob Hornilc stated the Court-awarded judgment amount of $3,575 was what Mr. McKoy was ordered to pay, but he was asking for a reduction of that amount. He stated that Town staff had calculated that the actual cost exceed that $3,575. -, august 2~, 2008 l~7onthly Workshop approved: October 13, 2008 Page 4 of20 Commissioner Lloyd stated if Mr. McKoy could not pay the fine, the result would be a lien against his property. Mr. Hornilc stated it would give the Town the possibility of foreclosing at some point in time to collect that amount as well as interest. 7:17:19 PM Mayor Stevens asked if the Board was in agreement to handle the matter now. Mr. Hornilc renunded the Board that the Town had gone to some effort to get to this point, noting it was a difficult process and was one of the reasons the cost was so high to the Town. 7:18:03 PM Conunissioner Gering stated Mr. McKoy had made his case to the Board in the past, and although he was sympathetic this should not be regarded as a negotiation process. 7:18:16 PM Upon a motion by Commissioner Gering, seconded by Commissioner Hallman, the Board moved to maintain the penalty assessment of $3,575 in the Jerry McKoy code enforcement issue by a vote of 4-0. The motion was declared passed. B. Receive petitions for annexation from Habitat for Humanity for 9 lots on Locust Road 7:18:42 PM Ms. Hauth stated the Board had held previous discussions with Habitat regarding these 9 lots, noting sewer was currently being constricted to these lots and it was Habitat's hope to have the homes occupied shortly after the first of the year. She said they wanted to facilitate that and have them annexed prior to that, so that process needed to start very soon. Ms. Hauth suggested that the annexation process could be scheduled for an upcoming public hearing or for a regular Board meeting. She said the Board had asked that the Planning Board provide continents on annexations, and that process would be easier if this issue was scheduled for the October public hearing. 7:20:18 PM Commissioner Gering stated they had asked the Planning Board to comment on annexations, but this one did not appear to reach the threshold the Board had in mind. He said the Planning Board's work load was heavy, and he was not sure he would need comments from that Board in this particular case. Ms. Hauth stated the annexation could be put on the September workshop agenda or the October regular meeting agenda, and they could arrange it so that the Board could vote on it the same night as the hearing. 7:21:04 PM Mayor Stevens said essentially this was a very straightforward annexation with no issues, and because of that he agreed the Board did not need to have the Planning Board make a recommendation. 7:21:17 PM Commissioner Lloyd asked if the nearby properties would eventually be developed. Ms. Hauth noted that most already were developed, although some were vacant. She said they would work hard to make sure that the 911 Center understood which houses were in the Town limits and which ones were not for dispatching purposes. Ms. Hauth asked if the October 13 regular Board meeting was an appropriate time to put this issue on the agenda, to hold the public hearing and to make a determination. There was no objection from the Board. 4 august 2~, 2008 l~7onthly Workshop approved: October 13, 2008 Page ~ of20 7:23:16 PM Commissioner Hallman stated this issue had already been discussed, so he did not expect any surprises. Commissioner Gering agreed. C. Approval of LGC/F'inancing Resolution for Purchasing Collins Property 7:23:39 PM Mr. Siler stated the Town had received financing bids from four lenders on the purchase of the Collins property. He stated that RBC had won the bid at a rate of 3.92% for financing over 15 years. Mr. Siler stated that RBC did not have the lowest fee but their bottom line of interest fee and principle repayment was by far the best deal offered. 7:25:18 PM Upon a motion by Conunissioner Gering, seconded by Commissioner Hallman, the Board moved to approve the resolution accepting the financing offer from RBC by a vote of 4-0. The motion was declared passed. 7:25:44 PM Mr. Siler stated they were scheduled to close on the property in the second week of September. 7:25:47 PM Mr. Peterson stated he would not be available that week, and needed to confirm that Assistant Town Manager Nicole Ard could sign in his absence. Mr. Siler stated he would alter the resolution to reflect that. Mr. Hornilc stated that the Board could tonight authorize Mr. Peterson or Ms. Ard to sign the financing documents on behalf of the Town. 7:26:57 PM Upon a motion by Commissioner Hallman, seconded by Commissioner Gering, the Board moved to modify the resolution to aurthorize Town Manager Eric Peterson as well as Assistant Town Manager Nicole Ard to sign the financing documents for the purchase of the Collins property by a vote of 4-0. The motion was declared passed. D. Set date to attend a Water/Sewer Advisory Committee Meeting to Hear a Presentation from Raftelis Financial Corporation Regarding the Results of the Updated Capital Facility Fee Study 7:27:16 PM Mr. Peterson stated that several dates were being proposed for the presentation on the Water and Sewer Capital Facilities Fees review by the consultant. He stated he was sure that the Water and Sewer Advisory Committee would prefer that the presentation take place on one of their regularly scheduled meeting nights, and that would also provide an opportunity for the Town Board to open a dialogue on any other topics of interest with that Committee. 7:27:59 PM Commissioner Lloyd stated she was not available on September 4th. She suggested October 2"a 7:28:27 PM Commissioner Hallman noted that October 2"a worked for him. Commissioner Gering stated that date was fine with him as well. 7:28:40 PM The Board agreed by consensus to receive the presentation from the consultant on October 2"a at 7:00 p.m. during the regularly scheduled Water/Sewer Advisory Board meeting. 5 august 2~, 2008 l~7onthly Workshop approved: October 13, 2008 Page 6 of20 E. Discuss Request from the Hillsborough Arts Council to Close Churton Street the Afternoon of October Hth for their Handmade Parade and the Consideration of Policies/Practices Related to Future Closings of Churton Street and cost of Town Services Provided for these Events 7:29:00 PM Mayor Stevens stated this discussion should include how the Town would go about this street closing request as well as how fiiture closings could be accomplished, as well as the implications of such closings. He noted that three citizens had signed up to speak on this issue. 7:29:40 PM Heather Delisle, Director of the Hillsborough Arts Council, stated she was available to answer any questions the Board might have regarding the parade and the requested street closing. She stated this was a new program which involved a variety of workshops, the malting of puppets, perfornung, stilt wallting, dnimming, and other activities. Ms. Delisle stated these activities would culminate in a parade, and the purpose was to bring the conununity together and to make this a diverse experience. She stated the theme for the event was the Eno and Her Creatures. Ms. Delisle provided brochures on the event for additional information, and noted that a street closing request had already been submitted to the Police Department. Ms. Delisle stated that an email had been sent out to the downtown merchants to get feedback on past experience with other parades held to see what concerns there might be regarding closing the street. She said that some feedback had been received. 7:32:42 PM Commissioner Gering stated that the Tourism Board had provided a grant for this parade, and had been very enthusiastic about it. He said that Board believed the parade deserved a chance to be a successful event for the Town, if the logistical problems could be solved. Commissioner Gering said he believed it would be advantageous for the Town Board to discuss on a more abstract level a policy on parades in general, as well as ways that some of the negative side effects could be mitigated. He suggested that perhaps the cost to the Town due to additional staff time could be offset through the use of fees, or perhaps have some of those fees go towards a fiord to benefit downtown merchants. 7:34:06 PM Commissioner Lloyd said perhaps they needed to discuss the other events that called for closing the street, such as the Chili Cook-off and the Speedway event. Mayor Stevens suggested they focus on the parade at this point. Conunissioner Lloyd said as a courtesy to the downtown merchants as well as those trying to travel through the downtown, she did not believe you could just close the street for a short time. She said traffic cones had to be put out hours before an event, and that hurt downtown businesses. Conunissioner Lloyd stated in future she would like to see parades on Sundays only, noting that no matter how much publicity there was about an event people would still be inconvenienced. She said the idea of this parade was a good idea, and she supported the Eno River Association as well as the Arts Council, but believed her concerns were valid. 6 august 2~, 2008 l~7onthly Workshop approved: October 13, 2008 Page 7 of20 7:37:25 PM Elizabeth Read, Director of the Alliance for Historic Hillsborough, spoke to the issue of parades in general. She said parades were easier to sell as a tourism issue that other events, noting such events were designed for an audience and allowed the Town to showcase itself. Ms. Read said when speaking to merchants, the big issue was notification so that they could alert their customers well in advance. She suggested that the Town alert her organization as well as the Visitor's Center whenever such events were planned so that they could help publicize the events. Ms. Read stated that the traffic concerns brought up were that any traffic pattern alterations should be advertised fiirther down Churton Street to give drivers a greater opportunity to take another route in advance of the required detour. She said as far as this specific parade, it appeared it was one of those events that had a good chance to be a Hillsborough trademark event, adding that no one else was doing anything quite like it and it could turn out to be something the Town was known for. Ms. Read said one issue brought up at one of the Tourism Board grant funding meetings was that those grants gave the opportunity for first-time events to have seed money to get off the ground, and believed the Tourism Board would be watching to see how this event played out. Ms. Read said as far as Saturday versus Sunday, she would specifically say that some of those parades took months to plan and if the day was changed now it would interfere with the Hillsborough Home Tour scheduled for that Sunday. 7:40:57 PM Ann Derby, representing the downtown merchants, reiterated that many of the downtown merchants had individualized email lists, so they could help with notification of any such events. She noted that the Wine Company had over 5,000 people on their email notification list, she had 1,000, and Melissa Booth had many hundreds. Ms. Derby said that they would like to be able to give as much advance notice, at least a month, to people planning to come into the Town on such days. She stated that alternate routes should be posted so that people were not trapped in traffic jams. Ms. Derby, who owned the Hillsborough Yarn Shop, stated that for her weekends were her prime business times, and closing the street to traffic and parking at 7 or 8 a.m. for a parade that took place at 3 p.m. severely limited that business. She suggested that perhaps cars be allowed to remain parked until 2 hours before an event, and that if not moved on time they could be towed. 7:45:06 PM Ms. Booth, also representing downtown merchants, stated that at other events around the country she had attended that temporary signage was prevalent alerting people regarding parking and alternate routes. She said she believed the Town could step up and do something that would leave parking spaces open for a good part of a day that an event was planned so that at least some business would be possible for the merchants. Ms. Booth asked the Town to consider ways to deal with that. 7:46:36 PM Mayor Stevens stated he was hearing that temporary signage was important, and that closing the street and blocking parking spaces be kept to a minimum amount of time. Ms. Booth agreed that would be very helpful. She said the merchants could help promote such events if the proper notification was provided. 7 august 2~, 2008 l~7onthly Workshop approved: October 13, 2008 Page 8 of20 Mayor Stevens stated that the lists Ms. Derby had mentioned could be utilized as well to help with that notification. He asked Chief Birkhead if what had been suggested was possible. 7:48:51 PM Police Chief Clarence Birkhead stated that such things were workable. Mayor Stevens asked about shortening the length of time the streets had to be closed. Chief Birkhead noted it would be possible to do three to four hours, noting that enough time had to be allowed to put out traffic cones and complete the staging for the event. He stated that anything shorter than that would be problematic. 7:50:19 PM Commissioner Gering asked about placing notices next to parking spaces to give people the time limit so they would know when to leave. 7:50:37 PM Assistant Town Manager/Public Works Director Nicole Ard stated the signs already invested in had been purchased using feedback from downtown merchants. She stated that temporary signage had already been used for Last Friday's as well as other events. Ms. Ard stated those were not the large signs such as those used by NCDOT. 7:51:08 PM Chief Birkhead stated those temporary signs had been placed as far south as US 70A, so that people coming into Town would begin seeing those small signs. But, he said, they did not have enough signs to place one at every parking space. Ms. Ard stated that alternate routes into Town had already been posted on the Web site. 7:52:04 PM Mayor Stevens stated that maps could be printed so that people would have them on file during special events. He said they could be put at the Visitor's Center, restaurants and other places as well. 7:52:05 PM Commissioner Lloyd stated she would still argue for having such events on a Sunday. She said it was a better day, using Hillsborough 250th anniversary celebration as an example. Commissioner Lloyd said the Holiday Parade and the Holiday Homes Tour were different, noting there was an expectation that they would take place at a certain day and time. She said she had witnessed first-hand what street closings did to businesses, and believed Sundays was the more appropriate day. Commissioner Lloyd also noted that there would always be problems experienced by people approaching the Town from the north, regardless of signage. Commissioner Lloyd noted she had heard complaints and comments from people regarding such events, most notably that they did not like to see parking blocked off. She said since the parade was to take place very soon, she would not vote against having it on a Saturday this year, but for the fiiture she would prefer that it be scheduled for a Sunday. Conunissioner Lloyd stated that the Town was experiencing cost containment issues, and that they needed to be thinking about the Speedway event in September which could draw 40,000 people. She said she knew for that event that extra dumpsters had been requested, and asked if when full they would have to be emptied at the Town's expense. She said the Town should not have to incur those costs. 8 august 2~, 2008 l~7onthly Workshop approved: October 13, 2008 Page 9 of20 Mayor Stevens commented that it did cost for trash pick-up as well as for the Police officers' time, and that cost was not insignificant. 7:56:38 PM Commissioner Gering asked since the issue of cost had been brought up, did the staff have an idea of the kinds of costs incurred for such events. Mr. Peterson stated the cost of overtime for Police and Public Works could be calculated and brought back to the Board, adding that they had brought the issue of street closings to the Board because of past criticisms from the public. He stated they could then develop a proposed policy, and asked that the Board provide any feedback they would like to see included in such a policy. 7:57:56 PM Conunissioner Gering stated it would be reasonable to figure out the costs of such events so that they could be included in the budget. He said perhaps those expenses could be calculated and included in the grants that were awarded to non-profits each year. Commissioner Gering said he also believed it was reasonable for Tourism dollars to mitigate some of those costs to the Town. Mayor Stevens agreed. He asked that since this event was already planned, did the Board feel comfortable leaving it to the Chief and the Manager to plan. There was no objection from the Board. Mayor Stevens said what he had heard was that it made sense for new events to consider Sunday rather than Saturday; that they had some events that had been grandfathered in on Saturdays; and, that some "hard and fast" policy needed to be developed to manage such events. 8:01:42 PM Commissioner Dancy asked if anyone had considered alternate streets for parades. She asked why they had to occur on Churton Street. Mayor Stevens stated that the area towards the community college might be a good alternate route. Commissioner Dancy stated perhaps they could consider a street that would not block off the main street, allowing families to gather and traffic to continue to flow. Mayor Stevens stated that King Street was an alternative. 8:02:55 PM Ms. Read stated she believed a recommendation for an alternate street would be better received than having events scheduled for Sundays. 8:02:57 PM Mr. Peterson stated he believed that information was enough to begin crafting a proposed policy, which would be brought back to the Board in the next few months. 8:03:00 PM Mayor Stevens said working collectively to publicize such events, particularly through email, would be something very specific they could do. He said they should also look into investing in additional signage including DOT signage. 8:03:53 PM Commissioner Gering stated to make a stronger statement, he believed it would be reasonable to require at least 30 days notice for any event as a part of the application process. 9 august 2~, 2008 l~7onthly Workshop approved: October 13, 2008 Page 10 of 20 Mayor Stevens said he did not believe 60 days was unreasonable. Commissioner Dancy agreed. 8:04:17 PM Mr. Peterson stated that was a good point, noting that if merchants needed 30 days notice then the Town needed 30 days prior to that. He said if they created a policy or even updated their parade or activity permit they could put that prior notice on the checldist. Mr. Peterson said as well, the onus could be placed on the event organizers to make sure they noticed all the merchants. 8:04:53 PM Mayor Stevens said when this issue came back to the Board, some suggestions regarding standard fees should be included. 8:04:58 PM Commissioner Lloyd said that some suggestions regarding fees for dLUnpsters or any other Town services should be included when this issue came back to the Board. 8:05:51 PM Mayor Stevens asked were there other issues related to such events, whether it was at the Speedway or in Town, the staff might need guidance on. Ms. Ard outlined some of the assistance the Town would be providing for the Speedway event, noting the event organizers would be emptying the dumpsters at the landfill themselves, but the Town would be responsible for their delivery and piclaip and cleaning them out. Ms. Ard stated that whenever an event was held in the downtown, piclaip of litter and getting the street opened back up was also an expense to be considered. 8:08:07 PM Chief Birkhead added that they were looking at all events, noting they got requests for road races such as by the Tar Wheels as well as various groups sponsoring foot races. He said that a 30 to 60 day notice was advantageous for planning staff time. 8:09:00 PM Mr. Peterson agreed, noting that closing Churton Street was a big deal, and a 60 day notice was preferable. He stated perhaps less intnisive permit requests could get by with less notice. Mr. Peterson said using King Street may be a good alternative, noting that the advantage of moving from east to west was that the traffic on Churton could be stopped at short intervals only. He said they would consider all the options at their disposal. 8:09:46 PM Mayor Stevens asked staff to look at all events, and that the Tourism Board, the Alliance and the Chamber work together in order to get the best possible solution. F. Consider Setting Saturday, January 24, 2009 as the Date for the Board's FY10 Budgetary Planning Retreat 8:11:34 PM Commissioner Lloyd suggesting having the retreat in Town, noting if it were planned for out of Town she would not be able to attend. Mr. Peterson suggested that Durham Tech would be a good venue. Several of the Commissioners agreed. Mr. Peterson stated he would inquire about reserving space. He stated he had also contacted Donna Warner about serving as facilitator if the Board was interested, and 10 august 2~, 2008 l~7onthly Workshop approved: October 13, 2008 Page 11 of 20 she had agreed. Mr. Peterson stated they would work to get all cost containment information to the Board two weeks ahead of time for the retreat. 8:12:57 PM Mayor Stevens stated he believed having a facilitator allowed the meeting to flow more smoothly and to stay on time. He said he was supportive of that, and since the Town had worked with Ms. Warner in the past he saw no reason not to continue using her services. There was no objection from the Board. G. Presentation on results from this years Citizen Survey 8:14:07 PM Budget Analyst Emily Bradford noted that the second annual Citizen Survey was conducted in June. She stated they had distributed 620 surveys, about 25% of the households, with the idea of surveying every household at least once every four years. Ms. Bradford stated that 187 responses had been returned, about a 30.2% response rate, up from 28% last year. Ms. Bradford highlighted the following results: • 90% of respondents said that they felt safe living and working in Hillsborough, up 3.6% from last year; • the number of residents who said they had an opportunity to interact or speak with a police officer fell from by 17% to 32%, but residents believed that was a good thing; • 76% of respondents said that the Town was responsive to the needs of citizens, up 20% from last year; and • 72% said that the Town spent its tax dollars wisely, up 22% from last year. Ms. Bradford stated that all of the survey information was being provided to the Departments and the employees, and the information would be used as part of the departments' balanced scorecard information. She noted the survey results would also be posted on the Town's Web site. 8:17:22 PM Commissioner Gering said regarding parks and recreation, the first bullet stated "Decrease the funding for parks and recreation." He asked for an interpretation of that statement. Commissioner Lloyd stated she believed a respondent must have believed that the Town was spending too much on parks and recreation, noting she received comments about that frequently. Ms. Bradford stated that was a comment made by a citizen, and she had tried not to make any intuitive leaps as to what they were trying to communicate. 8:17:45 PM Commissioner Hallman stated you had to remember that the person malting that comment was only one person, and it was important to keep that in perspective. 8:18:06 PM Mr. Peterson thanlted Ms. Bradford for her work on the survey, noting it was a lot of hard work and the information gathered was extremely valuable. 11 august 2~, 2008 l~7onthly Workshop approved: October 13, 2008 Page 12 of 20 8:18:42 PM Mayor Stevens asked would there be a press lease regarding the survey. Ms. Bradford responded yes, noting that would be done soon. She said it would also be placed in the Town's newsletter. 8:19:11 PM Mayor Stevens stated that safety was a large part of the survey, and thanked Chief Birkhead and the entire Police Department. He noted they had recently held a Community Watch group Citizen Safety Summit which had been well attended. Mayor Stevens stated he had heard from several neighborhood representatives afterwards that they had gained a lot from listening to what other neighborhood groups were doing, and they had found it encouraging and had gotten ideas they may not have had otherwise. H. Identify possible times to have a Joint Meeting with the Orange County School Board 8:20:09 PM Mayor Stevens stated that during a reception that the Schools and the Chamber were holding for new teachers and new employees in the County, he had tallced with the new Chair of the School Board who had requested a joint meeting in order to keep the lines of communication open between the Town Board and the Orange County School Board. He said perhaps the Town Board could invite the School Board to attend on a workshop night and tallc about how they might coordinate. 8:21:20 PM Mr. Peterson suggested either the October or November workshops, and suggested October 27th since that agenda was not yet frill. He said he could contact the School Board and give them the dates for the October and November workshops, and let them choose. 8:21:40 PM Mayor Stevens said to offer October, with November as the alternative. There was no objection from the Board. Added Item L Cable Access Bulletin Board 8:22:36 PM Mr. Peterson stated that Chapel Hill and Carrboro both utilized a bulletin board on Time Warner Cable to announce/advertise such things as upcoming events, to alert citizens to turn in surveys, and many other activities. He said it was an untapped resource that would add an important layer to the Town's communication with the public. Mr. Peterson stated that Ms. Ard had some experience in this area, noting that the ballpark figure for the equipment was $10,000 and that equipment could be located in Town Hall and tied in to the cable. He said that since they already had about $4000 available, it was possible to take $3,000 from each Fund to cover the expense. Mr. Peterson said he believed it was a small investment for a large return. 8:23:20 PM Mayor Stevens asked was that aone-time expense or an annual expense. Ms. Ard stated that was for the purchase of the equipment. She stated the equipment was touted to be user friendly in terms of the software, and Time Warner had given her a positive response when she had inquired about it. 12 august 2~, 2008 l~7onthly Workshop approved: October 13, 2008 Page 13 of 20 8:24:05 PM Mr. Peterson said if the Board was agreeable, he would ask that the Board adopt a motion directing him to request Time Warner to provide the Town with a public access channel to be used as a community bulletin board. 8:24:36 PM Commissioner Hallman asked about the money available from franchise fees to be contributed towards this. He asked what those fiords would normally be used for. Mr. Peterson responded that the franchise fee money was actually paying for the use of the rights-of- way which went into the General Fund. He stated about a year and a half ago, the Town had requested from Time Warner that they start charging everyone using cable 20 cents or so a month, which was held in reserve until the Town needed to use the fiords for some sort of public access, such as broadcasting Town Board meetings. Mr. Peterson stated that at that time Time Warner had vehemently opposed that charge, but the Town had decided to go ahead and do it since there was a time limit involved in doing so. He said at the present time there was almost $4,000 in that reserve fiord. 8:26:07 PM Mayor Stevens stated that part of the Town's Strategic Plan was to enhance communication with the public, and this appeared to be a straightforward way to do that. 8:26:14 PM Commissioner Hallman asked what kind of viewership that kind of channel received. Ms. Ard stated this was a bulletin board, which might include snippets of other kinds of broadcasting, so it would not get the viewership of an Olympic event. She cautioned that the information would have to be kept updated, because people would not continue to look at it if the information was stale. Ms. Ard stated that a PowerPoint-type of presentation was something that was user friendly and easy to read. 8:27:05 PM Commissioner Hallman asked could they conceivable combine this with the Orange County Schools to help offset some of the costs. Ms. Ard stated she would be happy to find out, noting she did not know if the Schools were already partnering with someone else. Mr. Peterson asked was Commissioner Hallman suggesting trying to split the cost of the equipment. Commissioner Hallman responded yes, noting he did not know if the Town had enough content to keep the bulletin board fresh. Mr. Peterson said from watching Chapel Hill and Carrboro's bulletin board this weekend, they ran Carrboro for five to ten minutes, then they would nor Chapel Hill's material. He said the information was varied, and he did not believe it would be a problem to keep Hillsborough's information updated. Mr. Peterson said what they needed was the channel, and if sharing a channel with the School Board could be worked out that would be even better. 8:28:48 PM Upon a motion by Commissioner Dancy, seconded by Commissioner Gering, the Board moved to aLrthorize the Town Manager to request Time Warner to provide the Town with a public access channel to be used as a community bulletin board by a vote of 4-0. The motion was declared passed. 13 august 2~, 2008 l~7onthly Workshop approved: October 13, 2008 Page 14 of 20 Added Item J. Assembly of Governments 8:29:26 PM Mayor Stevens stated that in September they had an Assembly of Governments meeting of which Hillsborough was the host. He stated it was scheduled for Thursday, September 18th from 7:30 to 10 p.m., and Hillsborough was in charge of the agenda for that meeting. Mayor Stevens stated he was meeting with the Mayors and the Chairs next week, and would be asking them to provide items for the agenda. 8:29:45 PM Commissioner Hallman stated one issue they had been tasked to come back to the Assembly of Governments with was the recommendation on finding going forward with the Orange County Land Tnist as well as the homelessness initiative. He said both of those issues should be included on the agenda. Commissioner Hallman noted that at the last Assembly of Governments meeting, they had not gotten the chance to hear the Long Range Transportation Plan presentation. 8:30:42 PM Commissioner Lloyd stated she had a Fire Department meeting that evening, and did not know if she would be finished in time to attend the Assembly of Governments meeting. 8:31:57 PM Mayor Stevens stated he believed the meeting would be held at the SoLrthern Human Services Building in Chapel Hill. 8:32:18 PM Commissioner Gering stated that since they were the host, would Hillsborough nm the meeting. Mayor Stevens stated he believed the Orange County Commission's Chair would nm the meeting. Commissioner Gering asked then why were they hosting it. Mayor Stevens stated responsibility for setting the agendas rotated among the members. 8:32:50 PM Mr. Peterson stated that was of some benefit to the Town, since at least once every other year they would have the opportunity to add something to the agenda that was of interest to the Town. 8:33:14 PM Mayor Stevens stated it also gave them the opportunity to showcase something about Hillsborough that they wanted the rest of the County to know about or understand. 8:33:39 PM Commissioner Hallman stated the only thing he could think of along those lines was the community college, but did not know if that would be of interest to others in the County. Ms. Hauth stated it also gave the Town the opportunity to share things they had learned and discover what their counterparts had learned. She stated that Chapel Hill would send a large contingent, although Carrboro would not nor would the County. 8:35:08 PM Commissioner Gering asked about the transportation meeting to take place in Charlotte. Commissioner Hallman stated he was thinking about attending, but it would be at his own expense. 14 august 2~, 2008 l~7onthly Workshop approved: October 13, 2008 Page 1 ~ of 20 8:35:42 PM Mayor Stevens stated they may want to put something about a possible train station on the agenda, as well. Mr. Peterson said as Commissioner Gering had said, a focus on transportation may be worthwhile. 6. CLOSED SESSION A. Closed Session as authorized by North Carolina General Statute Section 143-318.11 (5) regarding Property Acquisition (Riverwallc) 7. ADJOURN Upon returning to Open Session and upon a motion by Commissioner Gering, seconded by Commissioner Dancy, the Board moved to adjourn the meeting at 8:50 p.m. The motion was declared passed. ~~~~'~ Respectfulh~ submitted, Donna F. ~imbrister, 1~71~7C Town Clerk IS august 2~, 2008 l~7onthly Workshop approved: October 13, 2008 Page 16 of 20 Page 1 of 2 v _ ~ ~_ - - ~ a~ ]ob ads Calendar Meetings ~ Conferences Upwrning h-dlntng Publtcatlons Reaching the municipal n',arkefplace NCLM Local Leadership Foundation Key Lfnks Nome NCLM Staff General Assembly National League of Cities Associate rnembers Affiliate organizations UNC-CH School of Government SCMA slow to find us Contact us USE THE ~dCK KEY ON YOUR BROWSER TO RETU RN 'r0 PREb'IOUS PAGE HOME a+ A jj WHEREAS, the ®e. °__~~°r, i. -r J7,._,- wants to emphasize the benefits Of energy CO R52 rva tlOn and Conser,,V//atl//oti U~ f""- natU Cal re50Urce5 SUCK a5 Water; WHEREAS, the ~f,C,~r4~ ~~ alt/ s ~_ wants to demonstrate that conservation practices can be applied to the daily operations of municipal government and to infrastructure projects; WHEREAS, the _= ~,~ .~ ~ ~~~ seeks to find methods of service delivery and operations that conserve energy and resources, thus saving taxpayer dollars and protecting and preserving the environment; WHEREAS, sound conservation prectices can reduce government costs over the long-term; WHEREAS, this government would lead by example to show the practicality and effectiveness of conservation practices; ,t ' WHEREAS, , _ _ ~ _ seeks to encourage its citizens and its businesses to be stewards of the environment; NOW THEREFORE, BE PT RESOLVED THAT THE _ ' -- of,_ .~ ~ _ o ~epts the NCLM Green Challenge and pledges to work toward achieving the various levels of the challenge, indicating measures accomplished to save energy and other natural resources over the next three years. Adapted by the ~ ~ d ~ ~'~J ~_ _., ~ ~ ' of the ~, ~ ~ T -. ~ this _ ,-.s -~ '--.°- _ _-- http://70.62.11 Q.178/gcsampleresolution.htm ~ilsiaaos 16 August 2~, 2008 ILZonthly Workshop Approved: October 13, 2008 Page 17 of 20 NC,LiWi GREEN CHALLE~ NORTH CAROLINA lEAGUF OFMUNCiPAL(TIES P.Q. BOX 3669 225 N. DAwS6N 5T. ftRLEIGIi,NC27602 919-715-3921 tNVkl~d.PiCLI~.~RCx ~a~te~~ta~v~ ~~r~ I'~°~~v°~ss ~z~a~ey !n order to share information with other tides "-y parCicipating in the Green Challenge, please return the survey by fax to 919-733-952 9 ar by going or'ine to www.nclm.c~and complete the online version by September 1, 2068. The (cityltown(village) af._ accepts the NCLM Green Challenge. Contact parson to whop" nge materials sl~auld he sent: Name _ _ Title Email _ ,_. _.. Phone Fax .. : , ST 1 2. Formally adopted a sustainability plan, climate protection resolution or similar commitment by the governing ~bo,d~,ry.^~~ ~ r ~ (^~'es,date: _ ®No CtFIC~~ 2. Created an energy improvement plan (EfP). ~ Yes, elate: '~ o 3. Registered with the EPA's Energy Star Challenge and use their tools or an equivalent system to conduct a baseline emissio~~n,s,,irrnventory of your government facilities. Sae 6ackgraund ma+ iaEs. fires, date:-- _ ~ ~`~~ ®No 4. Condudetl an energy audit of two ar more of your government fa. is J at least one recom~~meyyndation. a Yes, date:- _._ (~ No 5. Create a water conservation education program. ° ~Yes,date:___ [;~,No If there is someone in your town who vvould 6e available to be contacted to act as a green resource to other municipalities, please give E!s their contact information. _ ~ ~ ~ Name Title _ r _ t -- Email L>;~ -f ~-- Phone _. ,- .~' ; I 17 august 2~, 2008 l~7onthly Workshop approved: October 13, 2008 Page 18 of 20 FY~f 6,~ ~,.,, °.TIC~"' ;h, t~T~rt ~ ~ a speca~l I°dc ~ _ .. a " rt~~tin~, Ean e e _°~r C ~, uric ~Ia~irr~ ~vel~ Also ,~_. _ I'€ . _ N, _t '.. ;.~~ r!I`abl~~ --rQ - L~ir~ct~s~ 1~° . ~lE cif _ a ' iaa. °~ct --- e °. LL ~1. T11T11 _ y ~ TI ` _ _ w ~>. _ _ _ 1 1 _ §27 IS august 2~, 2008 Monthly Workshop approved: October 13, 2008 Page 19 of 20 Ear e) L e ~. 4 ~~ s~ - - ~ ~avgG'Ct _ the ~ ~ Sec: 2. `The lava tc F?r; ~~ 'sera, the Ta~xn, ~ i eels , <. r. C ~ atldl deliver 1 _ is as ~ , e, _ ___~St~ T ale is I ~ '~ _ie Tc s ai _, °~ earth ~ ~anara€;t ante [n w _ . .d ie. , Sect~an s. 7 at a 'tae ate and deliver any d ; cer d yr ' -nd to da or cause ` ~ " a an to r_-£-- f__ ~___5_r_~, aut this IZe ,tiara, the far " dst. 4. 23at~n ~ ste gn of the contract seed the Reed of Tray t, no d€, ° ~udg~nent may be re~.c~er~ LJ a y ~~,r breach of a tractaxal o~~ _ ender flee contract a~Pd cfl ; , t 1 of '' v ° ` net and ~taa =net be fledged directly ar int -rea sure , _ cler e C: ct, the sec ~ ravided under the contract c _ ; LDeed of Try si ' s~_ se f ~ l~anl~ in ; 1a€~i ~a Section 5, T' 1_ enants tl t, ,' :tent permii C y ~ _ ~ ws of the State of wort" C`°_ eras, it w;" _ .4. _ _ I fade caf 1986, as z .he "C~ d t' ' der the t~antract will t g v ;eluded l `scan Section 6. The l: eby relsr : t reasa~ is __c ate eL ~.. ;reef d atl ~ c of the _. will is he amt ate leis than ~ 1 a,ooo ~~ 4 ~ the ~,antra~t ~n~ : E gsn ate-act~v~ty bands ~ _ €ined yn the CoL calendar year ~aa l~ , t e + °antra~t d a ~n~ under the ~arrtract as a ` ~~, ~ ~~-~,~~ of the ~ae~e. Section 7. This Resolution shall t is c age. 19