MINUTES
Snow Hill Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting
Wednesday, January 30, 2008—9:00 a.m.
Snow Hill Town Hall
201 North Greene Street, North Carolina 28580

The Snow Hill Board of Commissioners regular meeting convened at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, January 30, 2008, at the Snow Hill Town Hall with the following members present: Mayor Don Davis; Commissioners James Bizzell, Dennis Liles, Geraldine Shackleford, and Lorrine Washington, Acting Town Clerk, Michelle Strickland; and Town Administrator, Bob Clark.

Call to Order – Mayor Davis called the meeting to order at 9:10 a.m.

2. Prayer – Prayer was offered by Mayor Davis.

3. Pledge of Allegiance – The pledge was led by Mayor Davis.

4. Roll Call – Mayor Davis asked that roll call be suspended and announced that Commissioner Edwards would not be able to attend the meeting due to training and that Commissioner Washington would have to leave early for the same reason. Commissioner Edwards’ absence was excused by consent and a quorum was declared.

Mayor Davis asked Katie Marshall of the Free Press to step up. Mayor Davis announced that Ms. Marshall was leaving the Free Press and presented her with a Town of Snow Hill letter opener for all of her dedicated service to the community. He along with the Board wished her well.

5. Consider Approving Meeting Agenda – Motion was made by Commissioner Shackleford, seconded by Commissioner Washington and carried unanimously to approve the agenda as written.

Consider Approving Meeting Minutes: January 14, 2008 – Motion was made by Commissioner Liles, seconded by Commissioner Bizzell and carried unanimously to approve the minutes as written.

7. Report of Officers:

Mayor: “State of the Town Address” February 11, 2008 – Mayor Davis reminded everyone of the “State of the Town Address” and asked that they encourage friends and family to attend.

Report received by consent of the Board.

Town Administrator:

Introduce Snow Hill Downtown Revitalization Program initiative with Rural Initiative Project, Inc. and Contentnea Development Partnership, Inc. – (a copy hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of these minutes). Mr. Clark spoke about the NC Rural Center grant program proposed that the Rural Initiative Project, Inc. The grant would help with downtown building improvements. Under the program the Contentnea Development Partnership would provide technical assistance to participating owners or prospective small businesses, and the town would focus on making public improvements to the new town hall parking lot expansion, sidewalks, lighting, and other public amenities in the downtown. Clark suggested pledging $15,000 currently budgeted funds for parking lot improvements and a like amount next year. The sidewalk upgrades could come from available Powell Bill street fund reserves. Mr. Clark spoke about how the grant would help match building owners’ façade and other eligible improvement costs. Mr. Clark would like to look at more numbers and speak to more business owners and bring further information back to the Board at a later date.

Change Orders regarding treated termite damage, lighting, windows, flooring, entrances, trim, and plumbing on Community Center Construction Project to Burney & Burney Construction Co. (within available project budget funds) – Mr. Clark announced that he received an update the day before on the progress on the Community Center. The completion date is expected to be somewhere around the first week of March. Mr. Clark advised contract change orders (a copy hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of these minutes) in the amount of $25,385.00 to cover things such as plumbing repairs, flooring, entrances, and treatment for termites.

NC Department of Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) Hearing 2:00 p.m. February 14, 2008 at Pitt Community College – Mr. Clark announced that registration would be at 1:00 p.m. and that any Board member who would like to attend to please let him know. Mr. Clark also informed the Board that there were several Greene County projects on the state TIP priority list and that additional effort was being proposed for improvements to Kingold Blvd.

Interim Town Clerk Michelle Strickland attended the 2008 Annual City and County Clerk’s School and New Clerks School – Miss Strickland spoke to the Board about the schools that she had recently attended in Durham. She thought these sessions were very educational.

Acting Finance Officer Addie Watson is attending a Governmental Accounting course – Mr. Clark advised the Board that Mrs. Watson was presently out of town attending a class at the Institute of Government.

Items 7b6, 7b7, and 7b8 were added to the agenda without objection at the request of Mr. Clark.

NC STEP Program – Mr. Clark handed out a proposed resolution (a copy hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of these minutes) between the cities of Snow Hill, Walstonburg, and Hookerton. This resolution would combine the towns in the application of the NC Step program. Mr. Clark announced that the Town of Hookerton would be considering it at their next meeting. Mr. Clark recommends that the Board consider the resolution.

Correspondence from Croxton Williams – Mr. Clark handed out a letter (a copy hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of these minutes) from Mr. Croxton Williams that informed of his interest in purchasing lots 5,7,9, & 10 on Petteway Street from the Town of Snow Hill in order to build a house. Mr. Clark advised that he wanted to report back additional information about the properties that were donated to the town in the early 1980’s, respond to Mr. Williams the matter was being considered, and report to the board and Mr. Williams the NC statutory procedures for disposal of town property.

Report received by consent of the Board.

Public Works & Utilities Director: Introduce part-time Snow Hill Animal Control Officers: Kathy Pazzaglia and Dennis McGaughy – Mr. Hill introduced Kathy Pazzaglia and also asked the Board to be aware that Christmas decorations for next year will need to be planned early.

Report received by consent of the Board.

8. Report of the Boards, Commissions, Committees and/or Taskforces: N/A

9. Unfinished Business and General Orders: N/A

10. New Business:

Without objection of the Board the agenda was amended to change item 10b and make it 10c and replace 10b with “ Consider NC STEP Resolution”

Consider approval of Change Orders regarding treated termite damage, lighting, windows, flooring, entrances, trim, and plumbing on Community Center Construction Project to Burney & Burney Construction Co. (within available project budget funds) – Motion was made by Commissioner Washington, seconded by Commissioner Shackleford, and carried unanimously to approve the recommended change orders.

b. Consider NC Step Resolution – Motion was made by Commissioner Shackleford, seconded by Commissioner Bizzell, and carried unanimously to approve the NC Step Resolution. Motion was made by Commissioner Shackleford, seconded by Commissioner Liles, and carried unanimously to amend the resolution to remove “Hookerton” and replace with a fill in the blank space. This is so that in the event Hookerton does not sign on then the staff will determine whether to go ahead with the application.

Workshop: Discuss 2007-2008 Snow Hill Town Council Strategic Goals and Objectives – Motion was made by Commissioner Washington, seconded by Commissioner Liles and carried unanimously to enter into work session at 10:18 a.m.

Mr. Clark announced that he would like to walk through the Town of Snow Hill Objectives and Strategic Goals for the year with the new members since they were set before the new members took office.

Commissioner Washington was excused from the meeting at 10:35 a.m. for voting purposes.

The Board spoke about Committee assignments. Mayor Davis asked each member what he or she would be most interested in between Public Works, Finance & Administration, and Public Safety. Mayor Davis spoke about the different aspects of each and advised that the Mayor Pro Tem was to serve as the chair of the Finance & Administration Committee. Commissioner Bizzell was interested in Public Safety and Public Works; Commissioner Liles was interested in Public Works and Public Safety; Commissioner Edwards was for Public Works and Finance & Administration; Commissioner Washington will serve as the chair for Finance & Administration; Commissioner Shackleford was interested in Public Safety and Finance & Administration.

Announcements and Public Comments – none

Adjournment – Motion was made by Commissioner Shackleford, seconded by Commissioner Liles, and carried unanimously to adjourn at 12:30 p.m.

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Mayor Donald G. Davis

ATTEST:

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Michelle Strickland, Interim Town Clerk