Town of Snow Hill in Greene County, North Carolina

MINUTES
Snow Hill Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting
Monday July 9, 2007—7:30 p.m. Continued to Monday July 16, 2007—5:30 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, July 9, 2007, in the Snow Hill Town Hall with the following members present: Mayor Don Davis; Commissioners Percy Edwards, Phyllis Burruss, Geraldine Shackleford, Allison Thomas, and Lorrine Washington; Town Clerk-Finance Officer Mauren Baker; Town Administrator Bob Clark; Public Works & Utilities Director Dana Hill, and Town Attorney Brian Pridgen.

1. Call to Order—Mayor Davis sounded the gavel and called the meeting to order.

2. Commissioner Edwards offered prayer.

3. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

4. Roll Call—All members were present and a quorum was declared.

5. Consider Approving Meeting Agenda —Motion was made by Commissioner Edwards, seconded by Commissioner Burruss and carried unanimously to amend the agenda by substituting for Item 9.b.1: “Recommend a resolution in support of the Contentnea Creek Project submitted by ECU to the Golden Leaf Foundation.”

6. Consider June 27, 2007 regular meeting minutes—The Board consented to tabled adoption of the June 27, 2007 regular meeting minutes.

7. Report of Officers:

a. Mayor:

1. The Fourth of July firework demonstration—Mayor Davis said the demonstration was good and offered suggestions for improvements with the Town’s support next year to ensure at least a 20-minute display and nice finale.

2. Amendment to ordinance regulating recreation in the Snow Hill Cemetery—Mayor Davis noted this was the second reading of the draft regulations. He distributed a memorandum detailing proposed amendments to the Cemetery Ordinance, Sections 93.04 and 93.5 of the Town Code (hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of these minutes) saying he had received numerous suggestions for consideration.

Davis summed the public comments in three basic groupings: (1) restrict activities to sacred ceremonies, (2) extreme liberal tolerance to recreational use of the cemetery, and (3) a middle stance tolerant of limited recreational activities with tight control.

3. Recommendations for appointments to governing bodies—Mayor Davis distributed a memorandum with his recommendations for May 2007 appointments to governing bodies (hereby incorporated by reference and made part of these minutes). Davis’ slate included Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ) appointments on the Planning Board and Board of Adjustment because the County had failed to make its appointments even though extended ample time and encouragement.

There were no objections to Mayor Davis request to amend the adopted agenda to add a fourth item to his report.

4. Caring Arms Home, Inc. recently delivered a $3,000 check as a donation to the Town in support of the Community Center Enhancement Project. Mayor Davis expressed appreciation for the unexpected contribution, saying further that Caring Arms’ President Felicia Shackleford expressed a desire for the Town Council to know there are group homes supporting this community.

b. Town Administrator:

1. Recommend consideration of a resolution in support of the Contentnea Creek Project submitted by ECU to the Golden Leaf Foundation–Mr. Clark stated the grant would provide part of the match for Greene County’s Contentnea Creek snagging project and overall mapping and plans for developing and promoting aquatic recreation and sustainable tourism along the creek’s entire length.

2. Proposed Skateboard Park lease between County of Greene and Town of Snow Hill—the Greene County Board of Commissioners approved the Town Council’s requested 25-year lease of the former tennis courts at Greenridge Road and School Street. Town Attorney Brian Pridgen approves of the document as to form (hereby incorporated by reference and made part of these minutes). Channel 12 television aired a story at 11:00 p.m. Sunday as part of the on-going media interest in the proposed skateboard park.

c. Public Works & Utilities Director: Status of Town clean up—Mr. Hill stated the clean up was a learning experience with 18,000 lbs. collected by Town personnel in the first day. The public responded overwhelmingly to the Town’s invitation to get household items to the curb. The effort is being coordinated with Greene County. The County was very cooperative in waiving the disposal fees and allowing time to deliver the large collection to the landfill, which would take more than a few days to finish. Hill indicated that he was assessing the effort and suggested more time to plan future town-wide cleanups. He would recommend springtime and fall periods.

8. Report of the Boards, Commissions, Committees and/or Taskforces: None

9. Unfinished Business and General Orders:

a. Minutes June 11, 2007 regular meeting– Motion was made by Commissioner Washington, seconded by Commissioner Shackleford and carried unanimously to approve the minutes of the June 11, 2007 Regular Meeting with one correction, striking “Rivers & Associates, Inc. in the third line of item 11c.

b. Minutes June 18, 2007 Special Joint meeting with the Greene County Board of Commissioners—The Board consented to tabled the June 18, 2007 Special Joint meeting minutes until received from the County.

c. Consider approving a Home Energy Supplier Agreement between Greene County Department of Social Services and the Town of Snow Hill—The Board consented to tabled this item.

d. Consider a resolution in support of the Contentnea Creek Water Management Project by Greene County (creek snagging)—The Board consented to table this item.

10. New Business:

a. Consider amending the ordinance regulating recreation in the Snow Hill Cemetery (2nd Reading)—Mayor Davis reviewed an updated memorandum written to the Town Board dated July 3, 2007 (incorporated herein and made part of these minutes) with proposed amendments for consideration to Section 93.04 (Certain Persons and Objects prohibited on Cemetery Grounds) and 93.05 (Prohibited Conduct) of the Town Code introduced at the June 27, 2007 meeting of the Town Board—Motion made by Commissioner Edwards, seconded by Commissioner Burruss and carried unanimously to approve amendments as presented with the exception of individual consideration of amendments to sections 93.04 (A), (C), (F) and(H).

Consider amendment to 93.04 (A)—Motion to approve made by Commissioner Washington, seconded by Commissioner Edwards and carried unanimously to amend 93.04 (A).

Consider amendment to 93.04 (C)—Motion to approve made by Commissioner Edwards, seconded by Commissioner Washington.

Commissioner Thomas motioned to offer an amend to remove the strike thru on “jogging”, seconded by Commissioner Burruss and on roll call vote the proposed amendment failed (Ayes–Commissioners Thomas and Burruss; Noes—Commissioners Edwards, Washington, and Shackleford).

The motion carried unanimously.

Consider amendment to 93.04 (F)—Motion to approve by Commissioner Washington, seconded by Commissioner Edwards. Commissioner Thomas moved to amend the motion to strike “bicycles”, seconded by Commissioner Burruss and on a roll call vote the proposed amendment failed (Aye–Commissioners Thomas and Burruss; Noes—Commissioners Edwards, Washington and Shackleford).

The motion carried unanimously.

Consider amendment to 93.04 (H)—Motion to approve by Commissioner Thomas, seconded by Commissioner Washington. Commissioner Edwards moved to amend the motion to insert “except guide dogs,” seconded by Commissioner Thomas. The proposed amendment carried unanimously.

The motion carried unanimously.

Consider amendment to 93.05 (C)—Motion to approve by Commissioner Washington, seconded by Commissioner Edwards. Commissioner Thomas moved to amend the motion to strike “setting on the ground,” seconded by Commissioner Edwards. The proposed amendment carried unanimously.

The motion carried unanimously.

Consider amendment to 93.05 (D)—Motion to approve by Commissioner Washington, seconded by Commissioner Thomas and carried unanimously.

b. Consider governing body appointments—Motion was made by Commissioner Washington, Seconded by Commissioner Shackelford and carried unanimously to approve the slate of governing bodies candidates nominated by Mayor Davis in his report to the Board.

c. Consider authorizing proposed skateboard park lease between County of Greene and Town of Snow Hill –Motion was made by Commissioner Thomas, seconded by Commissioner Shackleford and carried unanimously to approve the 25-year lease of property at the SE corner of School St. and Greenridge Rd. from Greene County for the proposed skateboard park.

d. Consider a closed session to discuss a personnel matter pursuant to
NCGS 143-318.11(6)—Motion was made by Commissioner Burruss, seconded by Commissioner Shackleford and carried unanimously to enter a closed session pursuant to NCGS 143-318.11(6).

Motion was made by Commissioner Washington, seconded by Commissioner Burruss and carried unanimously to reconvene in open session.

e. Consider hiring part-time Animal Control Officer—at the request of Public Works & Utilities Director Mr. Hill, the Board consented to Table this item.

f. Consider hiring part-time Utility Maintenance Worker—Motion was made by Commissioner Washington, seconded by Commissioner Burruss and carried unanimously to hire Mr. Gerald Beaman as a part-time Utility Maintenance Worker at a starting wage of $10.75 per hour.

There were no objections to Mr. Clark’s request to amend the agenda to add item 10g to the Agenda.

g. Consider a Resolution in support of East Carolina University’s application to the Golden Leaf Foundation for development of Aquatic Recreation and Sustainable Tourism Initiatives along Contentnea Creek. –Motion was made by Commissioner Washington, seconded by Commissioner Burruss and carried unanimously to approve the resolution (incorporated herein by reference and made part of these minutes).

11. Announcements and Public Comments—There was none.

12. Recess—Due to the late hour, Mayor Davis recessed the meeting at 11:00 p.m. and the Town Council agreed to continue the meeting to 5:30 p.m. July 16, 2007 at Town Hall.

At 5:30 p.m. July 16, 2007 in Town Hall, Mayor Davis sounded the gavel and reconvened the Snow Hill Board of Commissioners regular meeting of July 9, 2007 with the following members present: Mayor Don Davis; Phyllis Burruss, Geraldine Shackleford, Allison Thomas, Lorrine Washington; Town Clerk-Finance Officer Mauren Baker; Town Administrator Bob Clark; and Town Attorney Brian Pridgen. Commissioner Percy Edwards was absent.

The Board Consented to remove Agenda Item 9b from the Table—Minutes June 18, 2007 Special Joint meeting with the Greene County Board of Commissioners—Motion by Commissioner Washington, seconded by Commissioner Shackleford and carried unanimously to approve the corrected minutes of the June 18, 2007 Special Joint meeting

The Board Consented to take action on Agenda Item 9c—Motion was made by Commissioner Burruss, seconded by Commissioner Shackleford and carried unanimously to approve a Home Energy Supplier Agreement between Greene County Department of Social Services and the Town of Snow Hill.

Mayor Davis mentioned seeing an article in the Kinston Free Press about the $3,000 donation Caring Arms, Inc made in support of the Community Center project. He also referred to an electronic mail message provided by Town Clerk Mrs. Baker, regarding the pending purchase of the New Wave Cable system by Dale Hancock.

Motion was made by Commissioner Shackleford, seconded by Commissioner Washington and carried unanimously to enter a closed session pursuant to NCGS 143-318.11(6).

Commissioner Washington and Commissioner Thomas left the meeting. Mayor Davis adjourned the meeting at 6:50 p.m. because there was no longer a quorum present.