2026-10-08 - Town Council Work Session

03:49We'll call to order the October 8th

03:51Council work session. I'll turn it over

03:53to our inter manager, Mr. Over.

03:56>> Thank you, Mayor. I'll briefly go over

03:58the agenda for tonight. We're going to

04:00review the upcoming meeting schedule. Uh

04:02our main topic tonight will be regarding

04:05um kind of some information on the

04:06downtown multi multimmoal center project

04:09update and where that looks moving

04:11forward and then I'll give some updates

04:13and I don't believe there's a close

04:15session.

04:17So I'll throw it over to Jenny.

04:19>> Yes. Um so this gets us through tonight

04:22and then looking to November. Um as a

04:24reminder on your council meeting

04:26tonight, we just kind of um confirm all

04:29these dates. They were ones that we had

04:31previously talked about at council

04:33meetings and we flipped them from joint

04:34meeting. Um the some of them we flipped

04:37from a joint meeting to a work session

04:39to allow more time for topics to be

04:41covered. Um just noting October the 27th

04:45I don't believe Loriy's going to be

04:46here. And then also November 5th we'll

04:49know Lori and Carissa won't be at the

04:51quarterly.

04:52>> And November 16th I have a mayor

04:54association meeting.

04:56>> Okay.

04:57>> I I have a question about this. Mayor,

04:59you mentioned and then TJ reached out to

05:02me as well, mayor of Morrisville, that

05:05you know about the joint meeting and

05:06what he discussed with you. um he was

05:10wondering whether it would make sense to

05:12have a meeting with the entire council

05:14and I did share with him that we

05:15discussed that briefly but I don't

05:18remember that there was any outcome from

05:19the discussion and he asked would it

05:22make sense to change that into an event

05:25that could potentially people could just

05:27walk in and meet instead of making it a

05:29formal meeting but I I did not discuss

05:31that further. So did we do you remember

05:33like if there was a conversation how we

05:36ended with that? So I remember it wasn't

05:39a high priority for the council to do

05:41joint sessions and we needed work

05:42sessions more than we needed joint

05:44sessions. So we decided to change those

05:47to work sessions

05:48>> and we would come back to joint meetings

05:51in the future. Uh when I talked to Mayor

05:54Collie he was asking you know getting

05:57two groups of people is a big ask and

05:59getting two groups together. uh maybe it

06:02would just be beneficial to get a small

06:05group or just the mayors or mayor and a

06:08couple of staff and and that was the

06:10conversation we had. So I haven't had

06:12the event conversation with him.

06:14>> Okay. So I just wanted you to be aware

06:16of that since we had that conversation

06:18in the in this setting before.

06:20>> Okay.

06:22Uh was there there was one discussion

06:24about an additional date that um in our

06:283x4 that might be

06:30>> moved. Is was there finalization on

06:32that?

06:33>> Yeah. Um I had sent out an email. There

06:35was the um we were looking at possibly

06:38moving um having a work session on

06:40October the 20th, the same week as the

06:42regular meeting. Um but that did not

06:44work out.

06:45>> Okay.

06:46>> Just wanted to make sure.

06:49>> Thank you. Yeah. All right.

06:51>> Good.

06:53>> All right. Well, let's move to our

06:55update on the Multimoba Center and Kelly

06:57Blazy and Heather Willilhan are gonna um

06:59do our presentation.

07:01>> All right. Good evening, council. I'm

07:04excited to be back tonight. As you know,

07:06Go Carrie has several active projects.

07:09Uh we talked about two of them earlier

07:11this summer with the bus operations and

07:13maintenance facility and also the bus

07:15rapid transit project. And as promised,

07:18I'm back tonight this time with Heather

07:20to talk more about the downtown

07:22multimodal center. So that will include

07:24some updates on transit programming

07:26needs for the site and then also next

07:29steps with planning and public

07:31engagement. And I know that you also

07:34have interest in hearing about new bus

07:36service options in Western and Southern

07:38Kerry. Um so we are continuing to work

07:40on those and we will be back uh later

07:42this fall with an update.

07:45So, I'll start with a little bit of

07:47context behind why we even have the

07:49multimmoal center project and I'll speak

07:51more toward the transit programming

07:54needs behind it and then I'll pass it

07:56over to Heather to give an overview on

07:58our proposed public engagement and the

08:01next phases of planning for the site.

08:05So, as you know, we have been working on

08:06this for many years. Um, I will go

08:09through kind of all of the circles on

08:11the timeline over the next several

08:13slides, but really this project began

08:16when it was first envisioned in the wake

08:18transit plan, which was approved in

08:202016.

08:23Within the Wake Transit Plan, Kerry is

08:25recognized as a key destination for both

08:28uh connection of transit services and

08:30the expansion. We have local and

08:33regional bus service, planned bus rapid

08:36transit, commuter rail, and also inner

08:39city passenger rail with Amtrak. And you

08:42can see all of that illustrated here on

08:44the map. The gray lines um are our

08:47current local bus service. So we expect

08:49that that will expand. And then the red

08:51lines show the BRT and orange represent

08:55the um future rail projects.

09:00So that leads us to the why behind the

09:03multimmoal center project. Uh we know

09:05that the current carry depot is

09:07essentially at capacity. Um in fact when

09:10we added new routes um close to this

09:13time last year, we actually had to

09:15offset our schedules because we can't

09:17fit all of our buses at the depot at the

09:20same time. And you can see the picture

09:22here what that looks like um before we

09:26made those changes. And we also know

09:28that the shorter um rail platforms at

09:32the existing site can contribute to

09:34extended wait times on both Harrison and

09:37Academy when we have trains at the

09:39station. So that led to a feasibility

09:42study that we conducted in 2018 to 2020

09:46to determine what the best location

09:48would be for a new multimodal center.

09:53There were several key considerations

09:55that we needed um to think about when we

09:58were looking for a new site. Uh some of

10:01the the top of the list items um were

10:03looking at locations downtown that could

10:06serve both rail platforms. That's

10:08important for the Amtrak passenger rail

10:10service. We also needed to find a

10:13location that could accommodate at least

10:15800 ft of straight track um because that

10:19would allow us to not have the impacts

10:22um to the uh crossings at Harrison

10:25Academy when the rail uh lines are at

10:28the station. We also needed a site that

10:30would be big enough to accommodate all

10:33of that expansion that you saw on the

10:35previous slide. And then ideally we

10:38needed a site that could also

10:40accommodate additional development. So

10:43all of that is within the vision of the

10:46Kerry community plan. And so ultimately

10:48that feasibility study recommended the

10:51site that you see outlined in green

10:53here. It's just to the west of the

10:55existing Kerry depot on the other side

10:57of Harrison Avenue. And you can really

10:59see in this picture when you look at the

11:01existing Carry Depot how constrained the

11:04existing site is compared to the new

11:07site just to the west.

11:11So after the feasibility study um

11:14selected the site and council approved

11:16the location in 2020, we started

11:19preliminary planning work and part of

11:22that preliminary planning work was

11:24designating the multimmoal center as the

11:26terminus for the western BRT line. So

11:28that's what we talked about earlier this

11:31summer and we're going through um the

11:33open houses and public engagement

11:35related to that now. So the Kerry um

11:39multimmoal center facility does not have

11:42federal funding on the project. However,

11:44the BRT project does include federal

11:47funding. And so it's really important as

11:50we're considering the next phases of

11:52planning for this facility that we are

11:54keeping the timeline of the BRT project

11:56in mind so that we don't jeopardize the

11:59federal funding that has been awarded

12:01for that project. And that's because

12:03it's essential that the new multimodal

12:05center is open before BRT service can

12:09begin. Um because otherwise we don't

12:11have a place that can accommodate BRT

12:13service. And right now that is scheduled

12:15for 2032.

12:20Um so after approval of the site and

12:23some preliminary planning work, we began

12:25working on property acquisition in 2023.

12:29We purchased the final parcel in 2025

12:32and that was 21 sites uh with both a mix

12:36of residential and commercial buildings.

12:40And then we began the abatement process

12:43uh last year and demolition earlier this

12:46summer and it has been quick work. It

12:48has actually gone faster than we

12:50anticipated. Um we are only working on

12:53um demolition of the vertical

12:55construction right now. So, we're

12:56leaving any of the slabs or um pavement,

13:00but we are uh we're leaving all of the

13:03trees and other vegetation on the site.

13:05So, it's essentially going to look like

13:07similar to what you see in the picture

13:08here. Um they have almost completed all

13:11of their work and so we expect that to

13:13really be um completed around the end of

13:15the month. And then also last year we

13:18began to analyze the transit programming

13:22needs for the site and looked at some um

13:25highle site layout concepts to see how

13:28we could really maximize the public use

13:31of this location. And so that leads me

13:34to my partner Heather who will now come

13:36in and give an overview on the next

13:38steps of the planning phase.

13:40>> Yeah, thanks Kelly. Well, I am excited

13:43to be here with you all tonight to talk

13:44about the next phase of planning for

13:46this this site. So, as Kelly said, the

13:49primary function, the primary use of

13:51this site will be to accommodate

13:52multimodal transit. And we know which

13:56you know is our local and regional bus

13:58service, it's bus rapid transit, it's

14:00bike share, it's intercity passenger

14:02rail, it's ride share, it's commuter

14:04rail. So, it's not just our go carry

14:06buses. The site really does have to

14:07accommodate a lot of multimmodal transit

14:10components and we know that this is an

14:13important site downtown. It's a public

14:15land. It's a piece of public land where

14:16often there's colllocated uses. So we

14:20want to in this next phase really

14:21understand what you council and what our

14:24residents also might envision there. Um

14:26so that we can really as Kelly said

14:28maximize the utility of the site for for

14:30our for our community. That could

14:32include municipal offices, public safety

14:35facilities. Um, it could include other

14:37community facilities, maybe commercial

14:40or retail, potentially residential

14:42development,

14:45environmental features like solar or

14:47street trees with silver cells, maybe

14:49community plazas. Right? This is a

14:51really important piece of land downtown.

14:54And we know that you and our residents

14:56could imagine lots of amazing things

14:58that we could do with this site. So we

15:00really want to embark on this next phase

15:03of planning to primarily do two things.

15:06Understand what you and what our

15:08residents want to see here and analyze

15:11the feasibility both physically on the

15:13site and and financially. And so this

15:16planning effort would really help us

15:18align the plan, the future plan with

15:21council and community values. We would

15:24equitably engage our residents. We would

15:27prioritize potential uses and really

15:30align those with the TOD or the transit

15:32oriented development context that has

15:34already been developing around downtown.

15:37We would test concept feasibility. So

15:39really again understanding physically on

15:40the site the land and then also from a

15:43budget standpoint what does that look

15:44like in terms of potential additional

15:47components? Um and explore partnership

15:50frameworks and budgets. So, if there are

15:52non-transit components there, um what

15:55what could a PICE tag look like and what

15:57could potential partnership options look

16:00like for those those things?

16:02We [snorts] would imagine embarking on

16:04this kind of multi-phase uh iterative

16:07process starting with community

16:09education and listening. So, listening

16:11to you, listening to our community about

16:14what they could envision here. We would

16:15take that learning back in conjunction

16:18with some of the early site feasibility

16:19that we've already done. We would

16:21develop some concepts, something to look

16:23at to say what about this, what about

16:24that and then we would put those out for

16:26public comment and your comment review

16:28those, get some feedback on those, take

16:30that learning back, iterate and work

16:33also with our development community to

16:35understand the kind of economics of some

16:37of the things that we might be imagining

16:39or envisioning. And ultimately through

16:41that iterative process, we would come

16:43back to you with maybe several options

16:46to consider and what the frameworks

16:49might look like and potentially what you

16:51know budget around that could look like.

16:54And so then you would provide us with

16:56some direction that would get us to the

16:59next phase. So kind of zooming us back

17:01into the larger project context. Kelly

17:03talked about all this preliminary work

17:05that we've done and here we are in kind

17:07of phase two community planning and

17:10really visioning and and budgeting. So

17:12that would be through next year that

17:16would lead us into maybe an RFP, maybe

17:18pursuing some partnerships, really

17:20formulating what that what that could

17:21look like in terms of um who or um what

17:25we would work with going forward. And

17:26then we would design the site, you know,

17:28really get into site engineering and

17:30construction. and ultimately we would

17:33finish the project again in 2022 2032 um

17:37as Kelly said. So that was our highle

17:40overview and we're happy to answer any

17:41questions or hear any feedback that you

17:44all have.

17:47We're excited. [laughter]

17:49>> I I'm excited about the potential. I

17:51would love to since it's such a great

17:54location and a valuable piece of

17:56property, I would love to hear what some

17:59of the development community that's

18:01active in downtown think about it. I

18:04mean, I would love to pick up the phone,

18:06give them a call right now. What do you

18:07think about this?

18:08>> Yeah.

18:08>> Um, just to see where they're going and

18:10then I'm dying to know what the

18:12community thinks should go there. I

18:15mean, I know we have desperate needs for

18:17community centers and all kinds of

18:19stuff. Um, and maybe we could have a

18:21small version of that there, but does

18:23that fit there? I don't know.

18:26>> Just all kinds of thoughts.

18:30>> Yeah, that we I know I've received some

18:32emails from some people who want it to

18:35be, you know,

18:38everything for everyone. similar to the

18:40downtown Curry Park, right? Where no

18:42matter where you are, you can find

18:43something that speaks to you either as a

18:46mom or as a single person or as a child

18:49or as a teen. There's there's a space

18:52for you there. Um I I like that idea.

18:56Although one of the I guess devil's

18:59advocate types of things that we've got

19:01into is when we did try to do too much

19:06um the price tag goes crazy. So, do we

19:10know from a project perspective,

19:14um, since some of this is being paid for

19:17by other funders, do we have a limit on

19:20that? And then anything more than that

19:23the town has to pay for or is that still

19:26being designed?

19:27>> Yeah. No, that's exactly right. Um,

19:29anything that's related to the transit

19:31programming on the site is eligible

19:33under the Wake Transit funding that we

19:35have. Um we don't have an exact estimate

19:38for that yet. Uh that will come later in

19:41the design process, but that will be

19:43funded through the wake transit plan.

19:45And then anything that is beyond that

19:47would need to be funded through other

19:49means. So whether that's through

19:51partnerships or other development, um

19:53that's still yet to be determined.

19:57because I I know that being someone who

20:00loves transit, I've been in so many hubs

20:02from Grand Central Station to Penn

20:05Station to the Ottawa station, I think,

20:07which is a new one in [snorts] Sweden

20:10and they they have different feels,

20:12right? Some are classical, some are

20:14modern. Be really great to hear what our

20:16residents think that they they would

20:18like to see there. Yeah, I went to uh

20:21Durham see their like still pretty new

20:24their uh transit hub

20:27>> and I think their designer is pretty

20:30famous but I don't remember the name

20:32they uh someone designed the building

20:35but the only thing I see there is only

20:37for uh transit buses they're they don't

20:41provide other services so which I feel

20:44maybe we could consider something for

20:46our [snorts] community uh especially our

20:49Uh, council member uh, Richards

20:51mentioned that we could use some

20:53sponsorship or naming of so we could get

20:56more

20:58uh, funding resources and could do more.

21:01Um, I'm very excited for this and uh,

21:042032 seems a little bit far but still

21:09uh, to be compatible with the uh, BRT

21:11program. Um, I think that's a that's a

21:15very exciting day, exciting year.

21:18Absolutely. And uh the timeline that's

21:21associated with um making sure that

21:23we're in place before BRT starts just

21:25means that we need to be there before

21:27BRT starts. If we can build the facility

21:30sooner than that, there's no limit on

21:31how early we can go. So it's just the

21:33sooner that we can get started and plan

21:36um then we'll be able to make that

21:37happen.

21:38>> Yeah. Especially how do we benefit the

21:40downtown carries businesses?

21:43>> I would love to see more traffic around

21:45there. Not only during only during

21:47weekends but also during weekdays,

21:50>> right? Pushing more activation

21:53>> so east coffee could get more customers.

21:56[laughter]

21:57>> How much land is this? Do you know?

22:00>> Um, we're just under 10 acres. Um, and

22:04so we'll have to look at what that means

22:06as far as acreage dedicated to transit

22:09programming versus what's available for

22:11other uses.

22:12>> And can this be made into multilevel or

22:17Like in New York, you have port

22:18authority.

22:21>> I would love to ask your opinion about

22:24commuter rail. So commuter rail funding

22:26is very competitive and you have to have

22:28a lot of density. Um and we're we're

22:32seeing density built along Chattam right

22:35now.

22:36um by 2032, and I know this is a guess,

22:40do you think we'd be more competitive

22:42because right now we're not

22:44>> for funding for commuter rail?

22:47>> I I do think that's hard to say. Um I

22:50know that the region is looking at

22:52continuing to study that. Um they're

22:55looking at options for increasing um

22:59passenger rail frequency and maybe

23:02adding some stations um to help get more

23:05of the commuter rail feel before we

23:07might be eligible for that greater true

23:10commuter rail funding pot. Um and then

23:13the state is continuing to work on the

23:15S-line project um which carry is a key

23:18destination along that corridor. So I

23:21think there are definitely rail options

23:22that are in different phases of planning

23:25and more to come. Um but it's hard to

23:27know exactly what will make us

23:29competitive in the future.

23:30>> Sure.

23:33>> Do do you have a partner that will be

23:36helping with the visioning, budgeting,

23:38all of this or will this be done by

23:40staff? So um it will be primarily an

23:44internal effort but we do have um

23:46consultant partners through the wake

23:48transit plan that we can bring in along

23:50the way um to help us with that

23:54>> then then get a partner

23:56>> after this

23:57>> right development [laughter] partners.

23:58Yes. But but it would be a joint effort

23:59between planning community development

24:01and transit to do the community planning

24:03piece of it.

24:04>> Yeah. I just brought it up also [snorts]

24:06to share with the newer council members

24:08when we did the downtown Kerry Park, it

24:10was really partnerled by OJB and in our

24:14landscape it and that visioning work. A

24:17lot of that was I think it was it was

24:20done half and half maybe I don't know

24:22from the behind the scenes but um I know

24:24that they were at every meeting and

24:26every visioning and every sheret every

24:29opportunity helping people walk through

24:31it and I don't know if it's required but

24:34I just remember that that's how the last

24:35one was done

24:36>> that's what I what I feel will be

24:38helpful because I feel our residents

24:41most of them live in Kerry for a long

24:44time maybe they are not so familiar with

24:47this kind of uh transit h mobility

24:50model. So how could we uh share those

24:53information or education to them to

24:55understand what the future could be

24:58here?

25:00So

25:01>> visioning is hard if you've never seen

25:04something like that.

25:05>> So we would have a project website, you

25:07know, we would do a survey to surface

25:09priorities. We would have, you know,

25:11some

25:12of an informational video. So we would

25:14generate some initial, I would call

25:16them, you know, education and outreach

25:18materials to stimulate thinking around

25:20the site.

25:21>> Um,

25:22>> yeah,

25:23>> that'd be very helpful. Yes.

25:24>> And what is what is the plan for that?

25:26So are you going to cover that?

25:29>> I'm sorry. Say again.

25:30>> When when do we start going to the

25:31public? What is the plan?

25:33>> January.

25:34>> Okay.

25:34>> That timeline on the last slide.

25:36>> Yeah, you can go back.

25:38>> Go back. I'll go backoop. [laughter]

25:41>> And do we know how we're going to do

25:42that yet? We just know we're going to do

25:45it.

25:45>> U so we would plan, you know, kind of

25:47true community planning. You'd have some

25:49online presence to give people who don't

25:51want to show up to public meetings an

25:52opportunity to weigh in with a survey.

25:54And you know, our marketing team has has

25:57gotten really good at supporting surveys

25:58and helping us generate the data from

26:01that. And we would certainly do

26:02in-person in-person meetings um for

26:05folks that would want to come and share

26:07in person. And then to your point,

26:09mayor, devel some developer roundts as

26:11well, you know, so some industry folks,

26:13some focus roundts, um some focused

26:16stakeholder meetings as well. you know,

26:19um, equitable engagement really, uh,

26:22invites you to to go where people are

26:23and not just invite people to the Herb

26:25Young Community Center. So, we would

26:27really have to make a make some effort

26:29to think about the stakeholders who are

26:31trying to engage in that visioning

26:32process and and do some work in the

26:35community to get to get that those

26:37priorities surfaced.

26:38>> I'll bet the boards and commissions

26:40would love to weigh in on

26:42>> Yeah.

26:42>> with each of their various lenses

26:45>> as as well. Yeah, that's a good idea.

26:48>> Yeah, I would love also to share with my

26:51colleague friends. Um I had a a go

26:54triangle uh planning committee meeting

26:57this afternoon and they had a

26:59presentation about the demand in this

27:02area which has increased 37%

27:06writers and also um uh the gold triangle

27:10has increased the frequency from 30

27:13minutes to 50 minutes. So that and also

27:16double the Sunday uh uh Sunday buses. So

27:20that means um the demand is increasing

27:23which is uh still we have couple of

27:25years to prepare for that demand.

27:29>> That's a good metric to know.

27:31>> Yeah. Um Michelle do you remember we

27:34were in Wake Transit board? I don't know

27:36what happened to that board. I just

27:39remembered that and we discussed these

27:41kind of things in that board.

27:44Yeah, I think that was um the vision

27:46plan update and so that was um a process

27:49that they went through a year or so ago

27:52and that's [snorts] um one of the steps

27:55in updating the funding model that Wake

27:57Transit has every few years. Um so

28:00that's what gives us the funding for

28:01this project and then provides funding

28:03um for routes. And so um I think we

28:06talked a little bit about the bus plan

28:08um a meeting back and that's what gives

28:11us the funding for our local routes. So

28:13that's what they're reviewing right

28:14[snorts] now. Um so it's part of that

28:16planning process.

28:17>> Wonderful.

28:19>> Is there any additional funding that

28:21will be required from us until you get

28:24to a number? Will there be anything that

28:27will need to be in the budget that's not

28:28in the budget or is it already in the

28:30budget associated with this work?

28:32>> Um not associated with this work. Um

28:35this is all covered under the initial

28:38planning and design um that we already

28:40have set aside through Wake Transit. Um

28:43and again we'll be doing a lot of that

28:44work in house. Um so I think the the

28:47budgeting exercise comes into play once

28:50we have some things to talk about next

28:51year and um looking for your direction

28:54on that.

28:55>> So all the education outreach engagement

28:58all of that is covered in the current

29:00budget that you already have set aside.

29:02>> Yes. Great. Anything

29:07else? Thank you.

29:09>> Thank you.

29:10>> Thank you both.

29:15Obviously, a lot more to come on that.

29:18Six more years of process.

29:21All right. So, going to give [snorts] do

29:22a few miscellaneous updates, including

29:25uh bringing Jimmy up. We're going to

29:27talk about some increases to fuel

29:29prices. Um obviously there's some

29:31legislation on fuel tax uh the state

29:34fuel tax yes yesterday. So Lisa can uh

29:38detail that then uh something that's

29:39been kind of of interest and certainly

29:42we're being um figuring out what it

29:45means for us but as a residential by

29:46right uh statute that was a change by

29:49the general assembly recently. So, we've

29:51had some u recent inquiries as to

29:53properties uh that wish to use that by

29:57statute now that the general [snorts]

29:59assembly passed and then I'm going to

30:01detail some new changes to our moving

30:03forward dashboard. So, I'll throw it

30:04over to Jimmy to talk about fuel.

30:07>> All right. Thank you, Russ. Good

30:08evening, council. How's hope everybody's

30:09doing well. Um really quick two slides

30:12here. Um but it is very interesting.

30:15[snorts] If you'll look at the first

30:16slide, it shows our FY26, end of Q1,

30:19what we were paying for fuel, $229 for

30:22unled and 274 for diesel. If you notice,

30:26our FY27 is now 328 and $4.67. You saw

30:31it in your last council meeting about

30:33our B our bulk fuel contract. These are

30:35bulk fuel prices. Um, it has about a

30:39[snorts] penny tax on unled and about a

30:41penny tax on diesel, but not the state

30:44excise tax. So what you saw that's going

30:46on in the legislature in our bulk

30:48process, we do not pay those federal or

30:50state excise taxes. Um and so that's

30:53kind of what we're fighting right now.

30:55And a little Q1 update. Um 171,660

31:00gallons consumed so far. We're down 1.4%

31:04which if anybody wants to gander a guess

31:07at that, it's about 2500 gallons.

31:09>> Um which is quite extensive actually.

31:11the departments have been doing a really

31:12good job of trying to reduce that. Use

31:15um propane uh in our police vehicles

31:17that have it. It propane is much cheaper

31:20right now than either one of those

31:21fuels. Our issues really run in public

31:25works and fire and all of the bigger

31:27equipment running diesel fuel and it

31:29going up by $2. It's why you see the 663

31:32cost there. uh and the 54.1%

31:35increase on what we're paying, which

31:36goes back to the one slide before. Our

31:40budgetary outlook right now, it's not

31:42great. Um it's not terrible. We're

31:43working on mitigation strategies. Um

31:45on-site fueling instead of off-site

31:47fueling is cheaper for us, which is

31:49James Jackson. Um we have our fuel

31:51islands there. But right now, we're

31:52projecting, if things were to stay

31:54exactly the same as they are today, uh

31:57about $376,000 over budget in our fuel

32:00lines.

32:01So, with that, I will take any questions

32:03that you may have.

32:04>> And I will add that's just why it seemed

32:05timely to bring it to you based on we

32:07don't know the future, can't predict the

32:09future, but the way it's trending. Um,

32:11yeah, $367,000

32:13is not an insignificant increase to what

32:16you thought it would be. So, we do a

32:18budget adjustment later in the year. Um,

32:20we're not asking you to take any action

32:22tonight,

32:23>> but that's what it trends like. And, um,

32:25we can bring you more updates as it

32:26come. This is also not the first time

32:28that we've ever dealt with increased

32:29fuel costs through the years, but um I

32:32just thought it would be a good update

32:33for you.

32:33>> Yeah, I I think it's good when you're

32:36delivering bad news, do it early and

32:37often. [laughter]

32:39>> Q1, that's why we're here. I'll be back

32:41in Q2 with better news, hopefully. So,

32:43>> so yeah. Um so, thank you for giving not

32:46only us the heads up, but sure,

32:48>> the general public the heads up that

32:50this is what we're facing.

32:51>> Yeah. And I give our fleet team and all

32:53the departments a ton of credit. Um

32:55Brandon Pazinski put a lot of this stuff

32:56together for me to share with you all

32:58tonight and we're constantly looking at

32:59strategies to reduce um do different

33:02things different ways and provide the

33:04same results. So we are constantly

33:06working on that to try to defay the

33:08367,000 that we're projecting today.

33:12>> So

33:12>> is it all fuel for the entire fleet? So

33:16public works, public safety, all fleet,

33:19all vehicles in the town.

33:21>> That is correct.

33:21>> So you all manage all of that?

33:23>> We do. That's interesting. So

33:25>> that's a lot of work.

33:26>> Oh, sorry. So over the years we've been

33:28gradually moving to more propane, more

33:30electric. Are we still moving in that

33:34direction? Probably slowly or is that

33:36kind of stopped?

33:38>> Um well, as we buy new vehicles, we'll

33:40consider options.

33:41>> We absolutely are where it makes sense

33:43for the operation. Every opportunity

33:44that we have, um we're kind of we've

33:47been in the hybrid mode between gas and

33:49electric, which seems to be the most

33:51efficient right now. Obviously the new

33:52firetruck and Chief Cooper could talk

33:54about that. We have that option. We're

33:56running Teslas for police cars and in

33:58utilities has some Teslas. So we're

34:00trying multiple options throughout where

34:02it makes sense in the operation.

34:03Absolutely.

34:05>> And gas continues to rise at the same

34:08time.

34:10>> How can I ask how did you get the

34:12reduction of 1.4%.

34:15it did AI or route mate route

34:20um com combinations like that's a big

34:22number for in just one quarter

34:26>> I think a lot of that has to do with the

34:28cognizant team members that we have

34:30trying to reduce operations trips um

34:33just many different ways to do it

34:36[snorts]

34:36>> oh well done that's great

34:40>> thank you

34:41>> thank you

34:41>> thanks Jimmy

34:46Lis uh may have some things to add with

34:48regards to um yesterday's legislation.

34:52>> Yeah, I think you've probably seen in

34:53the news the general assembly voted to

34:55suspend the state gas tax

34:58beginning if the governor signs the bill

35:01[clears throat] beginning that day until

35:02November 30th. So, a temporary

35:04suspension. The governor has indicated

35:06he will do something about the bill on

35:08Friday. In the past, he's indicated he

35:11was in support. So, um, it could be as

35:13soon as the weekend when the North

35:15Carolina tax will be suspended, but just

35:17until November 30th.

35:20>> That a sizable hit to the state

35:22>> to the NC DO's budget.

35:23>> Yes.

35:24>> Yeah.

35:25>> Yeah.

35:25>> They are already hurting, right? That's

35:27why these projects keep getting pushed

35:29back.

35:30>> But that won't help us.

35:34>> Well, not help from a town perspective

35:37because we're not paying those taxes.

35:39>> But it could help the residents, right?

35:41And it's just a tax holiday, right? It's

35:46four weeks

35:47>> till November 30th.

35:49>> So,

35:49>> um, and it's a suspension of the tax, it

35:52doesn't necessarily mean prices will

35:54immediately drop. Um, because just as we

35:57buy bulk fuel, you know, gas stations

35:59have already bought fuel at the current

36:01prices and paid the tax. And so,

36:03probably take a little bit of time for

36:04the price to drop down. But

36:07>> Lisa, did I hear that it was maybe

36:10around 330 million would be the loss? Do

36:13you recall?

36:14>> That's what I read as well.

36:16>> And lost revenue to the state,

36:18specifically DOT,

36:19>> right? I read that it that the tax

36:22generates 2.5 billion a year.

36:26Do we know if that is a loss to the

36:30state how it will affect us? Because 80%

36:34of the roads in Kerry are state roads.

36:38>> I don't see any way it doesn't affect

36:39us.

36:40>> Do we know how it affects us? No.

36:42>> Yeah.

36:43>> Not not yet.

36:44>> Bet DOT doesn't know how it's going to

36:47probably.

36:47>> I bet the legislature doesn't

36:49>> know either.

36:50>> I read that the treasurer said we have

36:53savings.

36:54>> Well,

36:55>> I hope they use it.

36:57>> Yes.

36:59All right. Thanks, Lisa.

37:01>> All right. We're going to bring Heather

37:02back. um is this, you know, generated a

37:05was a topic of conversation at the

37:07recent quarterly meeting. Um so we

37:09thought we'd try to keep it in front of

37:11you and specifically those that are

37:12watching at home and residents of Kerry

37:15as this is something that will affect um

37:18development decisions in Kerry and takes

37:20it out of um council authority with

37:22regards to zoning. So already hearing

37:24some inquiries to this. So we'll turn it

37:26over to Heather and give some updates.

37:28>> Yeah. So, as Russ said, Lisa provided

37:30the quarterly a more comprehensive view

37:32of the legislation signed in August and

37:35kind of what those impacts are. So,

37:37tonight we wanted to update you just on

37:39this one section um that speaks to

37:41residential right um of use in

37:44commercial districts. So, this section

37:47um applies to municipalities with a

37:49population of 80,000 or greater in

37:52counties with a population of a million

37:53or more as of the last census. This is

37:55Raleigh, Charlotte, and Kerry. Um, it

37:58applies to redeveloping parcels. So,

38:01parcels that already have impervious

38:02surface of some sort and are

38:04redeveloping and they're zoned currently

38:06for non-aggricultural commercial

38:08business or light industrial uses. And

38:10if those um qualifying characteristics

38:14exist, then the municipality we would be

38:18um required to allow multif family

38:20buildings with four or more residential

38:22units permitted by right. That's how the

38:25legislation reads. Further, we we cannot

38:27impose any height limits of less than 60

38:30feet. So, we couldn't say it's 35 or 40

38:34or 50. Um the their contaminated or

38:38adjacent sites that are contaminated

38:40would not be eligible. Um these sites

38:42would still be subject to North Carolina

38:44building code. Um they would still be

38:47subject to some carry land development

38:49ordinances ordinances, development

38:51standards. There's a lot the legislation

38:53doesn't speak to directly. So we're

38:55still um learning and understanding as

38:57the cases as we think about them in case

38:59specific um context how that would

39:01apply. Um so that means they would these

39:04um would go right to development plan

39:06review. So it would be an an

39:07administrative review of the cases

39:09without that legislative resoning

39:11process that you all have um been

39:13accustomed in our community has been

39:15accustomed to.

39:16Um so um we kind of our first we're

39:20analyzing this comprehensively but our

39:22first kind of tier of analysis is

39:24properties um right now that are already

39:26in the resoning process. So the market

39:28and the developers have already decided

39:30that they want to pursue multif family

39:31at these sites and as of right now we've

39:34received from the land use attorneys for

39:36these four cases. Um we have received

39:38requests for um for eligibility to

39:41pursue uh development by right and these

39:44four um sites are eligible under this

39:47under under this statute. There are

39:48others in our resoning pipeline. We

39:50think Davis Drive PD would also be an

39:53eligible property. Um over the course of

39:55this week, we have also received other

39:58inquiries similar from properties that

40:00are not yet in the resoning pipeline. Um

40:03so we know that there is there is um an

40:05understanding of this statute at least

40:07initially from the development community

40:09and they're starting to um talk to us

40:11about what that means for properties

40:12that they're looking at. So, what what

40:14we're doing now is um Lisa helped us

40:17draft um a a guidance memo and we're

40:20going to share that tomorrow morning

40:22with the four property owners and and

40:23the others that have requested um

40:25information from us. A guidance memo

40:28that um speaks to this by right statute,

40:31what the qualifying, you know,

40:32eligibility criteria are. Um and we're

40:35going to continue to evaluate the

40:36eligible properties. there may be, you

40:38know, potential LDO amendments that we

40:40could um enact that would support some

40:43of the things that we, you know, were

40:45furthering through the resoning process

40:46as long as they're not in vi, you know,

40:48in in congruent with the with the

40:50legislation. So, these properties would

40:53come to a pre-application meeting, which

40:55they already do now. They would have to

40:56do that. Then they would submit a

40:58development plan and it would go through

41:00administrative review. So, that whole

41:02reasoning process um that you're used to

41:05would would not be a required step. an

41:07administrative review and approval. They

41:10meet our standards and then go to

41:11building permit to be able to go to

41:13construction just to

41:15>> kind of highlight, you know, how it

41:17would happen and folks may see

41:19construction happening and not have

41:21heard of it through the uh normal

41:23resoning process.

41:25>> I would love to have somewhere to point

41:27people to about what is active.

41:31>> Yeah. and what all this means because

41:33I'm sure they don't understand. They'll

41:35be screaming bloody murder at me and

41:37I'll go there's nothing I can do about

41:39it. Go talk to the governor, talk to

41:41your wake delegation.

41:43>> I support them, but they're wrong on

41:46this and you tell them and remind them

41:49November is election day. So

41:52that's what I would say.

41:53>> We certainly want to much like this is

41:56continue to keep it in front of you and

41:58since meetings are televised and

42:00streamed um you know figure out at some

42:03cadence when we get inquiries and see

42:05development plans is at least bring it

42:07to you so that you know y'all can help

42:09us get the word out as well.

42:11>> Might there be another way to um get the

42:14word out? is maybe a page on our website

42:17that talks about Carrie, you know, where

42:20>> Yeah, that's what I was talking about

42:21somewhere to point

42:22>> you know that and maybe a note in each

42:25one of these cases online in the staff

42:29report since we've seen them said by the

42:32way you know this is no longer going

42:34through resoning or it's going they're

42:37investigating by right I mean something

42:40that if I live next to region C and I'm

42:44thinking I as a resident, I'm going to

42:46have a say. I'm going to have an

42:48opportunity to voice my opinion. I no

42:50longer have an opportunity to voice my

42:52opinion.

42:53>> That's right.

42:54>> In a public way and we have no

42:57opportunity. So, is there some way where

42:59we can be more in front of it so that

43:02they're not surprised one day when the

43:04construction equipment shows up?

43:07>> We can um we can come up with some

43:09options to get um more information out.

43:12can't guarantee that they won't be

43:13surprised when construction starts.

43:15>> Does it make sense to use news

43:18[clears throat] our media outlet um

43:20partners and kind of making sure that

43:23we're doing the news release uh in

43:25advance so that it's out there. A lot of

43:28people watch news um and read news. I

43:32think that would be a good outlet to get

43:34the word out quickly.

43:37I think we got to use every resource we

43:39have honestly because with the water man

43:41break we saw we couldn't reach everybody

43:43with all our resources and

43:46>> they won't know till construction starts

43:48and then they're going to go crazy. So

43:50>> let us I mean keep keep these

43:52suggestions coming and then let us bring

43:53something back to you with options to

43:55that help with all your suggestions as

43:57well. I I agree that a web page would be

44:01really helpful because we'll inevitably

44:02get a lot of constituent emails and it's

44:04just it's very helpful to have a link

44:07handy to share the foundational facts in

44:10the same way um with all of those

44:12inquiries. I'm also wondering

44:16um for folks who have subscribed for

44:19email updates for the resoning cases if

44:23this information has automatically

44:26triggered an update. And if not, I think

44:28that would make a lot of sense that when

44:31we develop the language explaining this,

44:33making sure that those email subscribers

44:36are getting that update in particular.

44:39>> That brings up another point. Sorry. you

44:42know, um

44:45we do have a newsletter that goes out as

44:48well where people have signed up for

44:50that. So, when we're ready with the web

44:52page and with all this information

44:55drafted, perhaps that could be another

44:57media. I'm sorry. I know you guys

44:59>> suggestions are great. Yes,

45:01>> you could bring it to the ISV. I'm sure

45:03they give you an entire list of

45:05opportunities. That would be good. Yeah.

45:07>> How about the ones that aren't [snorts]

45:09on the list? because I hadn't thought

45:11about Davis Drive PD.

45:14>> How will that information be shared? Do

45:17you expect that you'll be coming back to

45:20us? Hey, by the way, you heard about

45:21this one?

45:22>> I I want to add ask that a different

45:24way. Is there information you can't

45:26share? Like if somebody comes to you for

45:28a developer meeting, can you tell us?

45:31>> Well, once once developers request a

45:34preapp, that's, you know, that's public

45:36information. And so when we have

45:37>> I'd like to know. So right now and we do

45:40have folks that you know create a create

45:42an account and go you know our permit

45:44system and so when we have um preapp

45:47mediums now lots of preapp lots of

45:49preapp mediums don't materialize

45:51>> beyond that um but that is the required

45:53first step for a development plan. So

45:55that is that could very well be the

45:57first time we know

45:58>> you know

45:59>> and in the preapp meeting we have the

46:02applicant's information.

46:04>> Yes.

46:04>> And can we publish that?

46:08That's public information.

46:09>> I mean, if they want to scream at

46:10somebody, go scream at the legislature

46:12and the applicant. We can't do anything.

46:14>> Yeah.

46:15>> So,

46:15>> well, in the best of possible ways, you

46:18know, I maybe I'm too optimistic. Um,

46:22but I still hope and would assume that

46:25many of these developers have been

46:28developing in Kerry for a long time and

46:30would like to continue, especially if

46:32they have cases that do require

46:35resoning. So maybe they will still be

46:37open to conversations,

46:40but they are no longer required to do a

46:43neighborhood meeting. Is that correct?

46:45So, you know, I I would love it if some

46:48of your guidance memos do suggest that

46:53one way to create healthy neighborhoods

46:56and communities is to keep the lines of

46:58comm community communication open. And

47:00maybe one of our guidance would be have

47:03a neighborhood meeting, right? I I would

47:06like them to still hopefully do the

47:09things that they um that help create a

47:14positive outcome. I think that would

47:16mean a lot to me at the next resoning

47:19they have right if they came and said,

47:22"Oh, by the way, we're doing this one by

47:24right, but we're bringing in another

47:26one." I would I just think it's an

47:28opportunity to keep a strong partnership

47:30with our development partners.

47:33I will just share that of the 20 active

47:36resenting cases we have right now and

47:38that's where where we started our

47:39analysis. It's it's these four plus

47:41Davis Drive that we believe to be

47:44eligible under statute just from a

47:46property standpoint. So, um

47:49>> so that's a quarter

47:50>> but there are you know other properties

47:52are not already in the pipeline so

47:53potentially. So just to kind of set that

47:56you know framework there's not it's not

47:58all 20 of the ones that are in process

48:00right now that are going to be coming.

48:02Um, nor would they have have to go that

48:04route either.

48:06>> There are literally hundreds, right? I

48:08mean, like every shopping center that

48:11has that's run down,

48:14>> every office

48:14>> or not run down

48:16>> or parking lot,

48:18>> any developed site that's um any

48:20developed site that has any development

48:21on it that has zoned for the possibility

48:23of commercial, business, or industrial

48:25use is eligible.

48:27>> Could you share what you shared in our

48:293x4 about? I was going to say

48:32>> about one of them that I I was thinking

48:34in my head it was a building that was

48:36being redeveloped.

48:37>> No, the statute says if there's any

48:39impervious surface on the property um

48:41which in the case of one of these is a

48:44part of a parking lot. So if there's

48:46been any prior impervious surface on the

48:48site then it could qualify.

48:50>> Thank

48:52>> So if there's a field but it has a piece

48:54of asphalt on it

48:56>> because there was something there before

48:58it qualifies

48:59>> potentially.

49:02Heather, I'm

49:03>> But you did. Sorry. Go ahead.

49:04>> Sorry. I'm a little confused about what

49:08you said about there being 20 about 20

49:11and then these four plus one more were

49:14eligible.

49:16I I'm not sure if I know what question

49:19to ask, but [snorts]

49:21for the almost three years that I've

49:24been on council, we've done multiple

49:26reasonings

49:28and a lot of them haven't started

49:31construction yet.

49:32>> So any of them would be eligible

49:37>> if they have if they meet the criteria

49:39of redevelopment and prior development.

49:41Yes.

49:41>> So what was the number that you

49:43mentioned? So the number the 20 is the

49:45resonings that are in the process right

49:47now in the resoning process. So they

49:49that that option could be available to

49:51them and by the time a developer gets

49:54through the resoning process and they're

49:56deep in development plan review they may

49:58you know I don't want to speak to the

49:59likelihood of them pursuing a really you

50:01know different path but

50:03>> I wouldn't expect a lot of those to flip

50:06but they certainly could make a decision

50:08that you know what they profered from

50:09resoning wasn't as much as they could

50:11get now. I know we've had at least one

50:13reach out and

50:15>> assure us that they're not interested in

50:16making changes, which was comforting

50:19>> because I mean there was a lot put into

50:21it not just from us but

50:24>> just them listening to the community.

50:28>> Lisa, you did bring this up during our

50:313x 3x4 and you said it so well. I'm

50:33pretty sure I'm not I I cannot even come

50:36close to that. So, could you explain um

50:39this or repeat it? I have to listen to

50:42this at least four or five times before

50:43it sticks in my um not so intelligent

50:46head. [laughter] But then um could you

50:50talk about um that you mentioned that

50:53even though these could qualify since

50:55they it's a commercial you know by right

50:59um it still might require reszoning

51:01based on where what it is zoned for and

51:05that might trigger but it's unclear on

51:08you know how that will be translated.

51:11It will be based on what how we

51:13translate this or something like that.

51:15Um, I'm not sure.

51:17>> Well, Lisa, [laughter] I I think what

51:18you're referring to is that they could

51:20still re even though they might have the

51:22right to do this, they may wish to go to

51:24a reszone through a resoning process

51:26>> because they might have to change their

51:29mention. Yes. So, if there's some the

51:31district that they're in uh might be a

51:33general commercial district and it may

51:35have standards about buffers or setbacks

51:38and if they don't like those standards,

51:40then they may want to come in for a

51:42reasonzoning um especially like a PDD

51:44type zoning or if they're in a mixeduse

51:46district so that they could ask for

51:48reductions or changes in certain

51:50standards. So, there may still be folks

51:51who need to do that.

51:54So Lisa, um we also saw some uh

51:57developers uh applicants came here to

51:59provide additional like traffic lights

52:02or a percentage of affordable housing.

52:05So that mean they don't have to provide

52:07those or

52:08>> That's right.

52:09>> Right. Correct.

52:10>> Correct.

52:10>> That

52:11>> so we don't have the right to ask them

52:15to pro provide.

52:16>> Right. That's correct.

52:18>> Okay. Very sad news.

52:21>> Yes.

52:24Was this discussed in the legislature or

52:26was it just part of something and just

52:28>> uh it was part of the regulatory reform

52:30bill that passed near the end of the

52:32session and there was really no

52:34discussion about almost anything in the

52:37bill?

52:39>> No public public discussion

52:41>> does I haven't I haven't read the

52:45version when it gives the specs but did

52:48it name the cities? No, it did what um

52:52Heather had on the slide. It it went by

52:54cities of a population of 80,000 or

52:57greater in counties with a population of

52:591 million or greater as of the last

53:01census. So, it did not name the three

53:02cities,

53:03>> but it's obvious,

53:04>> but it's those are the only three cities

53:05that qualify. Yeah.

53:07>> However, Apex is at 70.

53:10>> Apex is over 80,000 people now, but they

53:12were not their census number is less

53:14than 80.

53:15>> Okay. So they would have to wait for

53:17another, you know, the next

53:19>> Well, the statute only applies to uh

53:21Yeah, potentially in 2030 they might uh

53:24kick in.

53:24>> 30. Oh my god. Because it's only based

53:26on census numbers.

53:27>> It's only based on census numbers. Yeah.

53:29>> So So we have the budget for lobby

53:32lobbying. So can we spend that budget

53:34[laughter] on that?

53:37>> Well, many of the wake contingent voted

53:40for it.

53:41>> Yes.

53:42>> Both parties.

53:43>> Yes.

53:46Thank you.

53:47>> Yeah.

53:48>> Thank you.

53:48>> Thank you.

53:50>> Yeah. Very timely update.

53:52>> You have any good news?

53:53>> Uh well, I guess good news in the sense

53:55of uh how we're moving forward. Um so

53:58let let me uh say obviously we talk

54:01about this at all of our work sessions

54:03now and we'll point the public to our

54:05moving forward dashboard and they can

54:06sign up for updates. Um if you sign up

54:08for updates, you'll see that we uh push

54:10updates to the dashboard on Fridays. And

54:12so in the last week we made um several

54:16and I'll just highlight them. Uh we made

54:18eight changes to recommendations to move

54:20to develop the development phase.

54:22Obviously there are four phases anything

54:25that was not started development

54:26research and complete. Um last week

54:29again in these eight it was OSA 1 a

54:32policy related to purchases of pecards.

54:34Um OSA 3 review PECARD procedures. OSA 6

54:38PCARD purchase review. OSA7 discontinued

54:42the use of the lost receipt form. OSA 12

54:45update a policy regarding fund balance

54:48minimum calculations.

54:49Uh WD WLE bond Dickson 03 compensation

54:53review of PCARD procedure or

54:54comprehensive review of PCARD

54:56procedures. Uh WBD4 periodic review of

55:00PECARD policies. and then Cherry Beckard

55:02CB05 define a reimbursement threshold

55:05for missing receipts and adopt digital

55:07cloud-based tools for capturing and

55:09storing receipts. They were all moved um

55:12to development. Two recommendations were

55:14moved to research OSA1 monthly updates

55:17to council uh related to financial

55:20operations of the town and CBO2 enhance

55:23year-end financial closing process to

55:25include reconciliation of eligible grant

55:28expenditures again moved to research.

55:30So, we a whole host large group of town

55:34staff continue to work on all of these.

55:36Um, and I hope that in the um next

55:40council meeting in in the next month

55:42that we'll bring you a staff report that

55:44has some updates and some council action

55:46to some of these uh processes as well

55:48and uh policies. So, with that, mayor,

55:51that's my moving forward dashboard

55:53update. And I wanted to see if uh the

55:54count you um Britney or the anyone on

55:57the council committee has any updates as

55:59well. Well, we next meet on October 22nd

56:02and Britney's going to bring a whole

56:04slide deck. Um, [laughter]

56:07I don't know if you want to talk about

56:08you're probably already done with it,

56:10but

56:10>> spoiler alert, no, I haven't October

56:1222nd. We've got some time. Uh so that

56:16will be at our next meeting, next

56:19committee meeting, an opportunity for us

56:21to refine what we are hopefully then

56:24bringing back to the full body looking

56:26at our travel training and meal

56:29expenses. And so what we are hoping that

56:32slide deck or intending that slide deck

56:34to look like is to walk through our

56:38possible proposed policy

56:41recommendations. will qualify it with

56:43all of the language to say that these

56:46are very much in draft form. Um some

56:49pros, some cons, some alternatives

56:51recognizing that we are coming with

56:53ideas and that we as a body of seven

56:56will then uh determine what the final

56:59version looks like. Um, but I think

57:01probably the most substantial update

57:04since we last spoke is our resident task

57:08force is currently recruiting from our

57:11advisory boards. And Jenny, I don't know

57:13if I'm putting you on the spot to ask

57:15you if you'd like to provide uh council

57:17with some updates on how that's going.

57:19>> Yes. Um, it's going well. We've all the

57:21boards that have met have appointed

57:22somebody. So, um we are gathering names

57:25right now and next week we'll bring more

57:27names with more advisory board meetings

57:30and then um hopefully after our last one

57:32we'll share it with you know the full

57:33council of course. Um, [clears throat]

57:35you know, I don't believe we shared with

57:37the rest of council. After the the full

57:41council approved the creation of the

57:43board and this recruitment method, we as

57:46a committee did have the opportunity to

57:48refine um uh the the logistics of it.

57:52and we opted to make the resident task

57:56force entirely remote. Um just hoping

57:59that that would give the greatest degree

58:01of flexibility for the folks who are

58:04serving um to find a a joint time that

58:07would be convenient for everyone and

58:08hopefully then also to save a bit on

58:11some of our staff resources in terms of

58:14you know what it would have entailed to

58:15have to host in person.

58:18And we also elected not to have a

58:20council liaison to that board. Hopefully

58:24for obvious reasons, but you know, the

58:26point of the task force is to get as

58:28much objectivity as possible. And we

58:29felt like a council member's presence on

58:31the board could impede that that

58:33impartiality.

58:35>> And will there be a staff member then

58:37leading the effort and facilitating?

58:39Okay. And

58:40>> and getting back to the travel training,

58:42um there's been a lot of work there that

58:45she's not sharing. And I think basically

58:48the decisions is going to come down to

58:50the numbers. How much do you want to put

58:53in this bucket and when can you draw

58:55from that bucket and that kind of thing.

58:57>> Yeah.

58:58>> Uh but she's going to make it specific

59:00and

59:01>> and hopefully we can just vote on

59:03certain things

59:04>> when we get there. So yeah, she's doing

59:07>> I think I think we'll have a framework

59:08and maybe leave a couple of critical

59:11decisions as as blanks um for us to fill

59:14in together.

59:15I also want to add something there

59:17Britney and mayor. Um I ran into a

59:20resident and I think um that person is

59:24in touch with you. I'm sorry my right

59:27now I'm not able to think what the name

59:29was but I can send it to you later on.

59:32um he mentioned that he's he's he was

59:35part of committee

59:38um in town of Kerry and then he kind of

59:40transitioned out but he's very engaged

59:42and very much plugged in and would like

59:45to also participate but obviously based

59:48on what we discussed it's really limited

59:51to advisory board members so I did

59:55communicate that with him by the way but

59:57I just wanted to make sure that you're

59:58aware that you know there's some

59:59interest out there but I did encourage

1:00:02him to join as you know as u a guest and

1:00:08listen in and provide feedback through

1:00:10311 if possible

1:00:12>> and they'll have the opportunity in

1:00:14public speaks out once this stuff is

1:00:16starting to be formed to provide input

1:00:18as well. Uh but to

1:00:21start picking people out of the public

1:00:23is would be very political and we

1:00:25decided that would be a bad idea, right?

1:00:27Right. And so we're trying to disengage

1:00:30ourselves and take politics out of it

1:00:32and just let an engaged group of

1:00:34citizens decide. And that's that was the

1:00:38solution we came up with.

1:00:39>> Speaking of resident feedback, Jenny, is

1:00:40the 311 drop down live?

1:00:43>> Yes. Um so first the task force will be

1:00:46open to the public and they can call in

1:00:48and listen to the conversation. And then

1:00:50there is a drop down in 311. So if

1:00:52people did have feedback um for the

1:00:54recommendations committee and also

1:00:55probably the task force as well, they

1:00:58could go to the 311 portal and then

1:01:00choose um comments for the

1:01:02recommendations committee.

1:01:03>> Yeah, just to insight in case anyone

1:01:06else is interested um one of the things

1:01:08Raleigh did was they created a specific

1:01:10email so that that you know because the

1:01:13dropown sometimes may or may not allow

1:01:15you to let's say attach a document or

1:01:18something like that. So they created a

1:01:20specific email just for feedback. The

1:01:23other thing they did was they used our

1:01:24pub which we also use public input our

1:01:27survey tool um as they were going along

1:01:31to gauge feedback on their

1:01:32recommendations. So lots of opport you

1:01:35know opportunities using a Zen city you

1:01:39know if they put anything out to get you

1:01:41know the the um feeling of how people

1:01:45are taking it. lots of lots of

1:01:46opportunities to kind of gauge

1:01:50how the conversation is going outside of

1:01:52that room.

1:01:54>> That's valuable.

1:01:55>> Yeah.

1:01:55>> Do we have recommendation for a timeline

1:01:58for the resident task force?

1:02:01So part of um

1:02:05we for our OSA based recommendations

1:02:09we have timelines we are working towards

1:02:12um and so for a lot of these council

1:02:17compensation and expenses related

1:02:20recommendations our timeline is February

1:02:23of next year is February of 2027 and

1:02:26that's partly why we are also recruiting

1:02:28from the advisory boards recognizing

1:02:31that getting true objectivity and

1:02:33impartiality from any recruitment method

1:02:35was going to be challenging.

1:02:38But trying to make the right tradeoffs

1:02:41of working as quickly and efficiently as

1:02:44possible with vetted volunteers and

1:02:46recruiting from our advisory boards as

1:02:49opposed to starting a brand new

1:02:50recruitment process from scratch, which

1:02:53would probably have taken months and we

1:02:55don't have months working towards that

1:02:57February deadline. So I believe by the

1:03:00end of this month when all of our

1:03:02advisory boards have met hopefully we

1:03:04have nine recruited task force members

1:03:07that will then convene for the first

1:03:08time in November.

1:03:10>> Yes, that was the hope

1:03:11>> and hoping that the bulk of their work

1:03:13will be completed by February.

1:03:17I was uh last 3x4

1:03:21uh we discussed about what I I'm I'm

1:03:24really want to uh go to some conferences

1:03:27to learn from the national cities their

1:03:30best practices. So I was thinking we

1:03:33need to wait until this job is done and

1:03:36then we can decide next year if we can

1:03:39go to future conferences or we can do

1:03:43this at the same time. Um but also I I

1:03:47was thinking uh no matter which travel

1:03:50we go it's always because of the town

1:03:53because our job so whatever conferences

1:03:57or training we we go and do we need to

1:04:00provide a um like report or anything we

1:04:04need to conclude and uh share with all

1:04:08the councils. So you're right, those

1:04:10kinds of policies are not codified right

1:04:13now that they, as I understand it, you

1:04:15know, have um been done as a matter of

1:04:18practice, but not a matter of policy.

1:04:20And so that's what we are hoping to do

1:04:22is so that we're not operating in this

1:04:24gray space of deciding when and what is

1:04:28appropriate and how. Um I mean, this is

1:04:32not my decision to make. This is, you

1:04:33know, in consultation with staff as

1:04:36well. Until that happens, hopefully here

1:04:38in the coming months, but until it

1:04:40happens,

1:04:41>> is there a moratorum on all of our

1:04:44travel? I I don't think so. I think we

1:04:46need to continue to do the work and the

1:04:48training and the conferences that we've

1:04:50done. You know, one interim step we have

1:04:52taken and we saw this on the consent

1:04:54agenda at last the last consent agenda

1:04:58for the last meeting.

1:04:59>> Yes. is um you know this interim step in

1:05:04an effort to be transparent with one

1:05:06another and with the public of what kind

1:05:08of travel and training expenses council

1:05:11is incurring is putting that on the

1:05:12consent agenda. And so for the

1:05:14affordable housing conference our

1:05:16registration appeared there. You know, I

1:05:18I think that would be appropriate for

1:05:21the National League of Cities if if

1:05:24that's travel that you're planning and

1:05:26we we already if not policy, but have

1:05:28practice for how you would make

1:05:30arrangements through Jenny's office to

1:05:32do that. And then those expenses would

1:05:34appear on a consent agenda.

1:05:36>> Yeah, that would be great. Perfect.

1:05:39>> I I agree with that. And an email that I

1:05:42had sent to both um council member Wong

1:05:45and council member Richards in looking

1:05:47at the affordable housing conference was

1:05:50that it yes it makes sense that we're

1:05:54being very careful and we know the

1:05:58public is watching in my opinion. I have

1:06:01always thought the public was watching.

1:06:03So I you know I haven't changed any

1:06:05practices.

1:06:07I just don't want us to over

1:06:09o over um over correct.

1:06:13>> We there's still really important work

1:06:14that we're doing that shouldn't stop.

1:06:18>> So basically that was a lot of words to

1:06:20say. I agree with you. [laughter]

1:06:24>> It sounds like y'all might want to work

1:06:25through the clerk's office to continue

1:06:27that practice until you have a policy.

1:06:29>> Yeah. I think the key is communication

1:06:31and being transparent. Whoever said

1:06:33that, that that's key.

1:06:35>> Yep. Anything else? Right. Not a great

1:06:38>> I want to Yep.

1:06:39>> I want to say something. Um not like I'm

1:06:43going to change the topic. I want to

1:06:45give shout out to our 311 team. Um I was

1:06:49in the district meeting yesterday with

1:06:51the staff and they provided district

1:06:53appropriate flyers and um on how many

1:06:57people are calling in, how many cases

1:06:59are resolved, what are the top five

1:07:01issues they're you know we are getting

1:07:03calls for. And I thought that was so

1:07:05insightful because it gave me uh

1:07:09understanding of you know what are the

1:07:11top issues in the district but it was

1:07:14also fun to see like you know we were

1:07:17comparing every district. We were like

1:07:18oh this district was the lowest and this

1:07:20district was the highest and the these

1:07:23issues are so different from this

1:07:25district. But I thought that was so

1:07:27beneficial and um you know Russ um we

1:07:31need to really acknowledge the 311 team

1:07:33for that and absolutely

1:07:35>> give a shout out to Ryan because this is

1:07:37his brainchild and he has done a

1:07:40tremendous job

1:07:42>> on building this platform and taking

1:07:45that data and making meaningful

1:07:48um interpretation of the data and what I

1:07:51heard in the meeting was that he's also

1:07:53reaching out to the relevant departments

1:07:55saying, "Hey, why is this spike in this

1:07:58data? What are we doing different? How

1:08:01did this happen?" And you know, kind of

1:08:03investigating and initiating real

1:08:05meaningful change, which I really

1:08:08appreciate because it's data bagged and

1:08:10it gives all of us insight into, you

1:08:12know, what are the main issues that we

1:08:14need to be thinking about

1:08:16>> and we can share that with everyone as

1:08:18well.

1:08:19>> I think that would be great if uh the

1:08:21definitely if the atlarge folks could

1:08:23get a chance to

1:08:24>> absolutely. Yep.

1:08:25>> You will love it.

1:08:26>> Sure. [laughter]

1:08:27>> And thanks for giving 311 a shout out.

1:08:30>> Yeah.

1:08:30>> That's all we have tonight, Mayor.

1:08:32>> Okay. Uh thanks everyone. And we'll

1:08:35adjourn this work session.