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Home My Public Portal About04-25-22 Work Session Minutes BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Work session 7 p.m. April 25, 2022 Board Meeting Room of Town Hall Annex, 105 E. Corbin St. Present: Mayor Jenn Weaver and commissioners Mark Bell, Robb English, Kathleen Ferguson, Matt Hughes, and Evelyn Lloyd Staff: Police Chief Duane Hampton, Assistant Town Manager and Community Services Director Margaret Hauth, Town Attorney Kevin Hornik, Town Clerk and Human Resources Technician Sarah Kimrey, Town Manager Eric Peterson, Communications Specialist Cheryl Sadgrove and Utilities Director Marie Strandwitz 1. Opening of the work session Mayor Jenn Weaver called the meeting to order at 7:04 p.m. 2. Agenda changes and approval Addition of closed session item regarding personnel matters. Motion: Commissioner Kathleen Ferguson moved to approve the amended agenda. Commissioner Mark Bell seconded. Vote: 3-0. Nays: None. Absent: Commissioners Matt Hughes and Evelyn Lloyd. 3. Items for decision ― consent agenda A. Miscellaneous budget amendments and transfers B. Classification and pay amendment: reclassify lead customer service representative to customer service representative Motion: Ferguson moved to approve all items on the consent agenda. Commissioner Robb English seconded. Vote: 3-0. Nays: None. Absent: Hughes and Lloyd. 4. In-depth discussion and topics A. Resolution to authorize water and sewer grant applications and a 15-year Utilities Capital Improvement Project Plan Utilities Director Marie Strandwitz addressed the board to request the resolution. Hughes joined the meeting at 7:10 p.m. Motion: Bell moved to adopt the resolution. Ferguson seconded. Vote: 4-0. Nays: None. Absent: Lloyd. B. Draft Affordable Housing Guiding Principles Bell presented the principles, which he had drafted. April 25, 2022 Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting Approved: ____________________ Page 1 of 7 May 9, 2022 Community Services Director Margaret Hauth reminded the board that these are guiding principles and would not result in immediate results. Lloyd joined the meeting at 7:20 p.m. The board discussed principles with Hauth. Hauth said the guiding principles reflect what the board has been saying, which staff relays to potential developers. She explained that applicants want a checklist to know whether the proposal would meet with board approval. Guiding principles do not inform an applicant in that way. Hughes said the guiding principles overlook the need for encouraging housing in a lower price range that is not necessarily deemed affordable housing and also does not cost $500,000 or more. Motion: Ferguson moved to affirm the list as flexible goals of the board and direct staff to incorporate them into the Comprehensive Sustainability Plan and to prepare a future amendment to the Unified Development Ordinance. Bell seconded. Vote: 4-1. Nays: Hughes. Weaver recessed the meeting at 8:27 p.m. Weaver reconvened the meeting at 8:33 p.m. C. Mayor’s Task Force on Re-imagining Public Safety (continued discussion) The Board of Commissioners and Police Chief Duane Hampton discussed the recommendations for the Police Department that were categorized as recommendations regarding department procedures. On the procedures recommendations: Recommendation 1 that police officers should be more involved in the community and conduct more outreach — The police chief noted the officers participate and lead many community activities, which are listed in his response. He suggested perhaps the task force members who made this recommendation were not aware of all the officers do. He noted that the department’s Community Summit gathering has not been well attended in recent years and said the department is trying to increase engagement. He noted the department successfully engages with the public through its Facebook page. Hampton also noted that while some people have said they want to see officers patrolling more on foot, it is not practical for officers to patrol neighborhoods on foot because only a few officers are on duty at a time and they need to be able to respond quickly to a call by being close to their cars. It was noted that the department’s new electric bikes will help officers engage with pedestrians and return quickly to vehicles when needed. Recommendation 2.A. stating that an advisory board should conduct exit interviews of officers leaving the department — The police chief, town manager and town attorney stated that there would be legal issues with such an arrangement. Only a small portion of an employee’s personnel record is public record. The mayor noted the task force may have made this suggestion in an effort to find ways to retain diverse officers. Recommendation 2.B. stating that an advisory board should participate in the hiring process — Hampton said community members have been involved in some hiring and promotional processes in the past and involving community members in the hiring process would be fine with him if it did not slow the hiring process. Typically, interviews take place two days in a row with short notice. The same people who participate in interviews the first day would need to be present for the second day. April 25, 2022 Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting Approved: ____________________ Page 2 of 7 May 9, 2022 Recommendation 2.C. stating that administrative staff recruiting police officers should be diverse — The chief said the department does not have a dedicated recruitment team. He and Administrative Lt. Andy Simmons manage the recruitment process and all personnel provide support. Recommendation 2.D. stating that the salary offer for Black, Indigenous or Person of Color candidates should be higher to attract diverse officers — The chief said this is not legal. It was noted that the department does pay more for skills such as speaking Spanish, having more education, or bringing experience to the department. Recommendation 2.E. stating that there should be more hours of mandatory racial awareness training for Hillsborough police officers — Hampton said there would be more hours of training this year than last year, but at some point, more training does not make things better. He said the department’s focus is on building good culture. On the additional recommendations: Recommendation 1 stating that the expansion of diversion and deflection efforts underway in Orange County should be supported and the Town of Hillsborough should be a full partner in these initiatives — Hampton said the Hillsborough Police Department is supportive of the county’s initiatives. Recommendation 2 stating that funds should be increased to establish accessible recreational opportunities for youth — Hampton expressed agreement that more recreational opportunities for youth would be good, but he noted this was not for the police department to address. Recommendation 3 stating that funds should be reallocated or increased for community-based and community-led violence prevention programs — Hampton said this would better apply to a larger community with an identified crime problem. Board members noted there were areas within these recommendations that required discussion with the task force at a future meeting. The board agreed that at a future meeting it will discuss the recommendation to create an advisory board. The date of that meeting has not been determined. 5. Other business There was none. 6. Committee updates and reports Board members gave updates on the committees and boards on which they serve. Motion: Hughes moved to go into closed session at 9:45 p.m. Ferguson seconded. Vote: 5-0. 7. Closed session A. Closed session as authorized by North Carolina General Statute Section 143-318.11(a)(3) to consult with the town attorney in order to preserve the attorney-client privilege (potential litigation) B. Closed Session as authorized by North Carolina General Statute Section 143-318.11 (a)(6) regarding personnel matters (added item) Motion: Bell moved to return to open session at 10:48 p.m. Ferguson seconded. April 25, 2022 Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting Approved: ____________________ Page 3 of 7 May 9, 2022 Vote: 5-0. 8.Adjournment Mayor Weaver adjourned the meeting at 10:49 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Sarah Kimrey Town Clerk Staff support to the Board of Commissioners April 25, 2022 Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting Approved: ____________________ Page 4 of 7 May 9, 2022 BUDGET CHANGES REPORT TOWN OF HILLSBOROUGH FY 2021-2022 DATES: 04/25/2022 TO 04/25/2022 REFERENCE NUMBER DATE BUDGET CHANGE BUDGET ORIGINAL BUDGET AMENDEDCHANGE USER 10-00-9990-5300-000 CONTINGENCY 04/25/2022 400,000.00 -5,500.00To cover legal services 24338 120,934.00EBRADFORD 04/25/2022 400,000.00 -2,800.00To cover tax collection expense 24342 118,134.00EBRADFORD 10-10-4100-5300-041 ATTORNEY FEES 04/25/2022 125,000.00 5,500.00To cover legal services 24337 142,599.00EBRADFORD 10-10-4200-5300-530 DUES & SUBSCRIPTIONS 04/25/2022 7,184.00 400.00To cover Catapult dues 24343 8,584.00EBRADFORD 10-10-4200-5300-570 MISCELLANEOUS 04/25/2022 40,448.00 -400.00To cover Catapult dues 24344 59,284.00EBRADFORD 10-10-4400-5300-487 TAX COLLECTION 04/25/2022 39,000.00 2,800.00To cover tax collection expense 24341 41,800.00EBRADFORD 30-80-7220-5300-455 C.S./ENGINEERING 04/25/2022 27,500.00 49,000.0024340 178,620.00JFernandez 30-80-9990-5300-000 CONTINGENCY 04/25/2022 400,000.00 -49,000.0024339 55,933.00JFernandez 0.00 EBRADFORD 2:09:21PM04/18/2022 fl142r03 Page 1 of 1 GF- Contingency Governing Body Admin. Admin. Accounting Utilities Admin. W&S- Contingency To cover grant related engineering service To cover grant related engineering service APPROVED: 3/0 DATE: 4/25/22 VERIFIED: ___________________________________ April 25, 2022 Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting Approved: ____________________ Page 5 of 7 May 9, 2022 RESOLUTION #20220425-4.A April 25, 2022 Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting Approved: ____________________ Page 6 of 7 May 9, 2022 RESOLUTION #20220425-4.A April 25, 2022 Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting Approved: ____________________ Page 7 of 7 May 9, 2022