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HomeMy Public PortalAbout01-25-2016 Work Session MeetingJanuary 25, 2016 Board of Commissioners Monthly Work Session Approved: February 8, 2016 Town of MINUTES gh Board of Commissioners Monthly Workshop Monday, January 25, 2016 — 7 p.m. Town Barn PRESENT: Mayor Tom Stevens, Commissioners Mark Bell, Kathleen Ferguson, Jenn Weaver, Evelyn Lloyd, and Brian Lowen ABSENT: None STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT: Town Manager Eric Peterson, Planning Director Margaret Hauth, Finance Director Heidi Lamay, Public Works Director Ken Hines, Human Resources Director/Town Clerk Katherine Cathey, Police Chief Duane Hampton, Public Information Officer Catherine Wright, Management Analyst/Assistant PIO Jen Della Valle, Project Planner Stephanie Trueblood and Town Attorney Bob Hornik 1. Open the Workshop 7:00:28 PM Mayor Stevens opened the workshop. He and the board gave Public Works a round of applause for their snow removal work. 2. Agenda Changes & Agenda Approval There were no changes. Mayor Stevens approved the agenda as presented. 3. Committee Updates and Reports 7:01:18 PM Commissioner Bell reported that he had attended his first meeting of the Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau and learned the following: that there will be a presentation in February to the Orange County Board of Commissioners regarding the impact of airbnb and the financial impact of those places when they don't submit taxes, the Visitors Bureau is floating an RFP for a feasibility study of a convention center or flexible meeting space, and there's interest in creating a hybrid visitors center in Chapel Hill that would also serve as a museum that collaborates with UNC -CH. 7:02:53 PM Commissioner Lowen reported that he attended his first meeting of the Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Hillsborough Parks and Rec board meeting. 7:03:28 PM Commissioner Ferguson reported that the Tourism Board special meeting scheduled for the previous day was cancelled due to wintry weather. The Partnership to End Homelessness is continuing on the 2015 plan, making headway on the countywide bond and discussing how to remove barriers. Community Home Trust will do their strategic planning in February. 7:04:55 PM Mayor Stevens said he sat down with County Commissioner Chair Earl McKee to discuss the upcoming joint meeting. There is interest in economic development and the topics the Hillsborough Town Board suggested for the meeting. 7:05:45 PM Mr. Hines reported that his staff was catching up on plowing the roads this evening and the next day. Wednesday, the town is planning to run four garbage routes in one day. He emphasized that this ice is extremely difficult to clear from the roads. 4. Miscellaneous budget amendments and transfers January 25, 2016 Board of Commissioners Monthly Work Session Approved: February 8, 2016 7:12:38 PM Commissioner Lowen moved to approve the budget amendments and transfers. Commissioner Ferguson seconded. The motion carried upon a unanimous vote of 5-0. 5. Report on Cultural Site Study by Tom Magnuson (Trading Path Association, CEO). The town contracted with TPA to conduct an inventory of cultural assets on town -owned property. 7:12:54 PM Mr. Magnuson reviewed that the idea was to come up with an inexpensive way for towns to preserve their archaeological history. He explained the map coded with three colors to indicate definite archaeological assets, unsure, or deeply buried/already destroyed. 7:20:22 PM Ms. Trueblood added that the data is not just for preservation but to help inform interpretive signs, information at the visitor's center and school programs. It feeds into our preservation goals and goals to build community, which are in our vision plan too. 6. Identify Top 3 Priorities for FY17-19. 7:32:39 PM Mr. Peterson shared a few slides to help the board start thinking about priorities (clarity, simplicity, translatable into specific actions, the NASA goal to put a man on the moon, etc.). Mr. Peterson walked the board through the topic areas. 7:43:26 PM Commissioner Ferguson raised concern about the economically disadvantaged northern part of town. 7:47:57 PM Commissioner Bell agreed there should be an economic development policy. There was some discussion about the importance of economic development. There is interest in meeting with Orange County to get on the same page. Commissioner Lowen would like Hillsborough to have an economic development director. Mayor Stevens suggested this conversation is part of considering how to market the Hillsborough brand. Connectivity was expressed as important to the board, including bike paths. 7:48:45 PM Commissioner Ferguson informed Chief Hampton that she has received public comments about policing concerns (officers not getting out to talk with citizens as frequently as they used to). Commissioner Lloyd said she doesn't know the names of many of them anymore. Commissioner Lowen said he's heard comments that people want officers out more. Commissioner Lowen said it's important that Officer Nash gets out of the car when he's on school patrol and it makes a world of difference. 7:50:56 PM Commissioner Weaver spoke up for encouraging sustainable development. It might require a task force to decide what the issues really are rather than turning it over to town staff. Mayor Stevens wrapped it up with the importance of keeping that small town feel and branding Hillsborough. 8:43:06 PM Mr. Hines asked Commissioner Ferguson for clarification on a question she'd put in writing. Commissioner Ferguson clarified she was asking how the Public Works Department can do an even better job of communicating what the staff notices on the streets of Hillsborough. Commissioner Ferguson said she doesn't know how it's measured to figure out what the next level is. 8:43:54 PM The results of choosing the top three priorities: Housing (4), Economic Development (5), Connectivity/Traffic (5), Policing (2), Draft and commit to a Hillsborough sustainability plan (1), Strengthen community information and outreach (1) January 25, 2016 Board of Commissioners Monthly Work Session Approved: February 8, 2016 Mayor Stevens pointed out housing and, to a degree, other things come under the two ranked with a 5. The board could narrow the list down to two goals. The board agreed. Mr. Peterson assured the board he took notes on each comment that was made this evening. 8:49:13 PM Commissioner Ferguson said for housing, have a policy so people who live here can stay here, people can age in place, and new people can move here. Mayor Stevens said a strategy of diversity of housing types would help. Commissioner Weaver added it would help to have a clear vision for payment -in -lieu funds. And she would like to find ways to communicate that we want to encourage innovation especially with alternative ways of building that are more environmentally sustainable. There is interest in having a statement like we'd like to have an affordable housing plan by a certain date. For economic development, Commissioner Ferguson wants a statement that addresses an income ladder. Mayor Stevens suggested 3 years out: water/sewer infrastructure to parcels down by I-40, a third pod developed on U.S. 70, and streamline policies/customer service to encourage new businesses to come in (perhaps partnering with the chamber). 8:59:21 PM Commissioner Bell asked whether we can fund everything in our plan now. The answer was no, but Mayor Stevens said there are small projects that can make differences in connections. 9:01:22 PM Commissioner Lowen said connectivity — if we don't make it a priority, that's a mistake because these are long-term projects and this is tied to economic development. Board members were keeping in mind the NASA statement — a very simple statement like in 10 years you should be able to walk or bike from highway 70 to the hospital as easily as driving. 9:06:40 PM Mr. Peterson reminded the board the town has the expense of the fire station in the near future. 9:07:22 PM There was inquiry of how much sections of the Cates Creek Greenway would cost and Ms. Hauth cautioned a lot of the connectivity pieces aren't priced out yet. 9:09:22 PM Mayor Stevens said getting the new police station and having an integrated campus can be a catalyst for economic development on the highway 70 corridor. Lloyd said the town can't do both at the same time. 9:11:40 PM Mr. Peterson said there's a software package called Goalscape to help them process map in February at the budget retreat. 9:12:50 PM Mayor Stevens emphasized this was a brainstorming session. 7. Request to conduct a feasibility study to connect the Town's facilities with fiber, connect to Orange County facilities, and potentially build a backbone capable of enabling third -party last -mile service. 9:13:25 PM Mr. Peterson said the money is there. Commissioner Bell said he's on the board of a statewide fiber network and there is value in having a private fiber network. He thinks it's a good idea. MCNC is in this area because public schools are here. 8. Other Business There was none. January 25, 2016 Board of Commissioners Monthly Work Session Approved: February 8, 2016 9:17:13 PM Commissioner Ferguson moved to go into closed session. Commissioner Weaver seconded. The motion carried upon a unanimous vote of 5-0. 9. Closed Session as authorized by North Carolina General Statute Section 143-318.11(a)(5) to discuss and give direction to staff regarding negotiating terms for the possible acquisition of real property (the former Colonial Inn, 153 W. King St.) 10. Adjourn 9:46:05 PM Commissioner Ferguson moved to adjourn. Commissioner Lowen seconded. The motion carried upon a unanimous vote of 5-0. Respectfully submitted, Katherine M. Cathey Town Clerk APPROVED: 5/0 On: January 25, 2016 VERIFIED: EBRADFORD 01/19/2016 5:25:22PM Page 1 of 1 fl142r03 January 25, 2016 TOWN OF HILLSBOROUGH Board of Commissioners Monthly Work Session Approved: February 8, 2016 FY 2015-2016 BUDGET CHANGES REPORT DATES: 01/25/2016 TO 01/25/2016 CHANGE ORIGINAL BUDGET AMENDED REFERENCE NUMBER DATE USER BUDGET CHANGE BUDGET GF Revenue 10-00-3200-3203-003 FOOD & BEVERAGE TAX Account Adj to Match Tourism Board's Revenue L 2694 01/25/2016 EBRADFORI 300,000.00 18,000.00 318,000.00 cF Revenue 10-00-3460-3100-000 OCCUPANCY TAX Account Adj to Match TDA's Revenue Line -Item 2696 01/25/2016 EBRADFORI 70,000.00 4,200.00 74,200.00 Contingency 10-00-9990-5300-000 CONTINGENCY Cemetery Tree Removal 2699 01/25/2016 EBRADFORI 200,000.00 -11,000.00 1,430.00 Governing 10-10-4100-5300-338 SUPPLIES -DATA PROCESSING Body Replace Town Manager & Clerk Tablets 2691 01/25/2016 EBRADFORI 5,100.00 -989.00 4,111.00 Admin. 10-10-4200-5300-338 SUPPLIES -DATA PROCESSING Replace Town Manager & Clerk Tablets 2692 01/25/2016 EBRADFORI 4,200.00 989.00 5,189.00 Information 10-10-6610-5300-458 DATA PROCESSING SERVICES Services Cover Add'1 Computers Under IT Maint. 1 2690 01/25/2016 EBRADFORI 79,220.00 1,725.00 81,803.00 Information 10-10-6610-5300-570 MISCELLANEOUS Services Cover Add'1 Computers Under IT Maint. 1 2689 01/25/2016 EBRADFORI 25,000.00 -1,725.00 77,249.00 Cemetery 10-40-6400-5300-451 C.S./GROUND MAINTENANCE Cemetery Tree Removal 2700 01/25/2016 EBRADFORI 22,000.00 11,000.00 33,000.00 Tourism 10-50-6250-5300-001 PAYMENTS - TOURISM BOARD Adj to Match Tourism Board's Revenue L 2693 01/25/2016 EBRADFORI 282,000.00 18,000.00 300,000.00 Tourism 10-50-6250-5300-002 PAYMENTS - TDA Adj to Match TDA's Revenue Line -Item 2695 01/25/2016 EBRADFORI 65,800.00 4,200.00 70,000.00 w&S 30-80-3500-3524-000 WATER METER FEE Revenue New & Replacement Meters 2702 01/25/2016 EBRADFORI 30,000.00 27,000.00 57,000.00 Account Billing& 30-80-7240-5300-331 DEPT SUPP-METER READING Collections New & Replacement Meters 2701 01/25/2016 EBRADFORI 45,000.00 27,000.00 72,000.00 APPROVED: 5/0 On: January 25, 2016 VERIFIED: EBRADFORD 01/19/2016 5:25:22PM Page 1 of 1 fl142r03