MINUTES
Snow Hill Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting
Monday August 11, 2008—7:30 p.m.
Snow Hill Town Hall
201 North Greene Street, North Carolina 28580

The Snow Hill Board of Commissioners regular meeting convened at 7:30 PM on Monday August 11, 2008, at the Snow Hill Town Hall with the following members present: Mayor Don Davis; Commissioners James Bizzell, Percy Edwards, Dennis Liles, Geraldine Shackleford, and Lorrine Washington, Acting Town Clerk Michelle Strickland; Town Administrator Bob Clark and Attorney Brian Pridgen.

Call to Order – Mayor Pro-Tem Lorrine Washington called the meeting to order at 7:41 p.m.

Prayer - Commissioner Edwards offered prayer.

Pledge of Allegiance – Mayor Pro-Tem Washington led the Pledge

Roll Call – Roll call was suspended without objection. All Commissioners were present and a quorum was declared.

Consider Approving Meeting Agenda – Motion was made by Commissioner Edwards, seconded by Commissioner Liles and carried unanimously to add Neighborhood Affairs Report as item 8.

Consider Approving Meeting Minutes: July 30, 2008 – Motion was made by Commissioner Edwards, seconded by Commissioner Bizzell and carried unanimously to approve the July 30, 2008 meeting minutes as written.

Mayor Davis joined the meeting at 7:44 p.m. and he assumed the gavel.

Report of Officers:

Mayor:

Recognition of the life and contributions of William Ray Clark – Mayor Davis stood and informed the Board and public that Mr. Clark, a former Town Commissioner, had passed away. Mayor Davis passed out a resolution (a copy hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of these minutes) honoring the life and memory of William Ray Clark which the Clerk read out loud. An empty chair was placed beside the American Flag in honor of Mr. Clark and a moment of silence was observed.

Governing bodies vacancies & appointments – Mayor Davis asked that he cover the governing body vacancies and appointments at a later time and the members consented.

This report was received without objection.

Town Administrator:

Skateboarding tournaments – Mr. Clark informed the Board that two skateboard tournaments were being worked on at this time. He had hoped that one of the tournaments would be able to be held before the start of school but at this point it didn’t look like that is going to happen. The second tournament will take place during the Sweet Potato Festival.

Inter-local agreement with Greene County for coordination of $500,000.00 Water System Improvements Grant– Alternative Water Supply Project – Mr. Clark spoke with Van Lewis today about the timing of signing the agreement. Mr. Lewis stated that the deadline for the agreement is August 15^th but the county will not be meeting until the 18^th of August. Clark stated that he had been in contact with the Rural Center and the Rural Center did not have a problem with this.

Law Enforcement Contract with Greene County – Mr. Clark reported that he had been in contact with the County Manager several times since the last meeting and that the numbers are closer and they are working together on a different revision of the original contract. Mr. Clark also stated that he had also spoken to Sherriff Smith about providing quarterly reports to the Board. Sherriff Smith would like to know when the Board would like the reports.

Cornerstone Employee Assistance Program (EAP) contract renewal – Mr. Clark asked the Board to reference information on the Cornerstone Employee Assistance Program (a copy hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of these minutes). Mr. Clark recommends renewing the contract.

This report was received by consent.

Report of the Boards, Commissions, Committees and/or Taskforces: Neighborhood Affairs Report – Mayor Davis asked Mrs. Becki Scarborough to speak to the Board regarding the Neighborhood Affairs Committee. She informed the Board that they would like to have a Town Hall night on September 30, 2008 at 7:00 pm. Neighborhood Affairs will host the meeting and would like to have recommendations from the Board as to who would facilitate, what would be on the agenda, and where the meeting would be. The Neighborhood Affairs Committee would also like to have another section of the citizen’s academy in the spring.

By consent it was determined that Mr. Bob Clark will be the moderator for the Town Hall meeting. By consent it was determined that the meeting will be held at the Community Center and if the Community Center is booked it will be held at the Museum. Neighborhood Affairs will provide refreshments.

Unfinished Business and General Orders:

Consider approval of a franchise ordinance with Piedmont Natural Gas Company – Motion was made by Commissioner Edwards, seconded by Commissioner Shackleford and carried unanimously to approve the franchise ordinance with Piedmont Natural Gas.

Policy – waste collection carts and non-profit organizations – Mayor Davis passed out a memo (a copy hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of these minutes) regarding a policy on waste collection rates for non-profit organizations. Mayor Davis also passed out a copy (a copy hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of these minutes) of the list of customers who had more than one garbage container. Mayor Davis asked that everyone look over the memo and the list. Motion was made by Commissioner Washington, seconded by Commissioner Shackleford and carried unanimously to approve the policy for non-profit rates on garbage collection fees.

New Business:

Resolution remembering the life and contributions of William Ray Clark – Motion was made by Commissioner Liles, seconded by Commissioner Washington and carried unanimously to approve the resolution remembering the life and contributions of William Ray Clark.

Mayor Davis went on record as saying that he knew Mr. Clark and that he was a dedicated public official and a great man.

Consider governing bodies appointments – Mayor Davis passed out (a copy hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of these minutes) a list of appointments to the governing bodies. Motion was made by Commissioner Liles, seconded by Commissioner Washington and ruled out of order by Mayor Davis. Mayor Davis asked if there were any other nominations for appointments, there were none. Motion was made by Commissioner Liles, seconded by Commissioner Washington and carried unanimously to accept the governing body appointments.

Consider Inter-local agreement with Greene County for coordination of $500,000.00 Water System Improvements Grant– Alternative Water Supply Project – Tabled due to waiting on language changes in the agreement from the state.

Consider renewal of a Law Enforcement Contract with Greene County – Tabled until the next meeting.

Cornerstone Employee Assistance Program (EAP) contract renewal – Motion was made by Commissioner Shackleford, seconded by Commissioner Edwards and carried unanimously to approve the EAP contract renewal with Cornerstone Employee Assistance Program.

Consider a closed session to pursuant to NCGS 143-318.11 (2) and (6) – Motion was made by Commissioner Edwards, seconded by Commissioner Liles and carried unanimously to enter closed session at 8:16 p.m.

Motion was made by Commissioner Liles, seconded by Commissioner Washington and carried unanimously to reconvene into open session at 9:03 p.m.

Motion was made by Commissioner Washington, seconded by Commissioner Edwards and carried unanimously to approve the transfer of Joseph Roberts into the position of Water Resource Operator at a grade 12 with no pay change until completion of the 6 month probationary period.

Program: none

Announcements and Public Comments – Mayor Davis handed out a copy (a copy hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of these minutes) of a proposed policy. This policy outlined a public service burial benefit for elected officials. Mayor Davis went over the proposed policy and requested that if the Board approved it that it be effective as of August 1, 2008. Mayor Davis also recommends refunding the plot price to the family of Mr. Clark. Motion was made by Commissioner Washington, seconded by Commissioner Shackleford and carried unanimously to approve the Public Service Burial Benefit Policy.

Mayor Davis handed out a copy (a copy hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of these minutes) of an e-mail that he had received from Mrs. Becki Scarborough concerning group homes on Greene Street. Mayor Davis spoke to the Board about this e-mail and asked everyone to read it. Brian Pridgen, Town of Snow Hill Attorney, advises that in this situation the Town’s hands are tied due to housing discrimination laws. It was recommended that they continue to take the complaints to law enforcement and to the state level.

Adjournment – Motion was made by Commissioner Edwards, seconded by Commissioner Liles and carried unanimously to adjourn the meeting at 9:31 p.m.

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Don Davis, Mayor

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Michelle Strickland, Interim Town Clerk