2026-10-20 - City Council

00:16[snorts]

00:17>> We now call this regular meeting of the

00:19Jacksonville City Council to order. I'll

00:21welcome everyone who's in attendance

00:22tonight and also those who'll be

00:24watching on G10 television.

00:26To begin with tonight, we're going to

00:28rise for the pledge of allegiance led by

00:30Mayor Pro Tem Cindy Edwards.

00:32Please rise.

00:35>> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the

00:37United States of America and to the

00:40republic for which it stands, one nation

00:43under God, indivisible with liberty and

00:47justice for all.

00:49>> And I guess uh

00:51we need a

00:52we need a volunteer Wilson Smith to do

00:54the uh invocation if you don't mind.

00:56>> [laughter]

00:57>> Let us pray. Father, as we come here, we

01:00we always want to honor you.

01:02But most of all, we want to thank you

01:04for your grace,

01:05your peace,

01:07and your loving kindness.

01:08Lord God, as our council and mayor

01:10begins to discuss the business of our

01:12city, we thank you that everything is

01:14done in decency and in order. I thank

01:16you that clear communication is given

01:18and most of all, Lord God, that the best

01:21for our city is seen here tonight. We

01:23thank you and we love you in Jesus'

01:25name. Amen.

01:26>> Amen.

01:26>> Thank you.

01:27>> Very good.

01:35>> All right, Council, everybody's been

01:37provided a copy of the agenda for this

01:39meeting tonight and at this time I would

01:41entertain a motion to adopt the agenda.

01:43>> So moved.

01:44>> Okay.

01:45>> Second.

01:45>> Motion and second. Is there any further

01:47discussion?

01:48Hearing none, all in favor signify by

01:50saying "Aye."

01:51>> Aye.

01:51>> All opposed. We have our first section

01:53public comment for this evening and as I

01:55call your name, I would like you to come

01:57to this podium over here

01:59uh

02:00to my right

02:01and give your name and address to the

02:03clerk.

02:05And I'm going to start off with

02:06Elizabeth Hernandez, I believe it is.

02:43>> Good evening.

02:45>> Good evening.

02:45>> Good evening.

02:46>> Good evening.

02:47Do we start with problems?

02:49>> Your name

02:50and address, please.

02:50>> Okay. My name is Miss Elizabeth

02:52Hernandez and my address is 118 Denise

02:56Drive in Jacksonville, North Carolina.

02:58Unfortunately, I live in the county

03:00though.

03:02Um

03:03but it seems like any issues I have

03:07um I I haven't been able to

03:10um gain any assistance.

03:13It's like nobody wants to help other

03:16than this nice gentleman this evening

03:18uh give me some advice on, you know, um

03:21where I could go.

03:22I've got heroin down my street.

03:25And I mean, they brought it to my door

03:27and asked me if I wanted some and I'm

03:28just like, really?

03:30And um I brought it to you the county's

03:32attention.

03:34I tried to talk to the police chief.

03:37Um he doesn't want to talk to anybody

03:39and I don't understand that.

03:41And I I was just trying to think if we

03:44all, you know, communicated a little bit

03:46better, maybe um this would be a better

03:49world all the way around.

03:52And I appreciate

03:53all your help and thank you for letting

03:55me

03:57conversate.

04:02Is that good?

04:03>> Thank you.

04:04>> Thank you.

04:09And please don't go to the hospital.

04:17>> And I was remiss in telling telling the

04:20speakers that there's a 3-minute

04:22time limit on speaking.

04:24So, keep that in mind.

04:27All right. So, next I have Dennis

04:29Bergaurd.

04:37>> Good evening, council members. My name

04:38is Dennis Bergaurd and I live at 102

04:41Riverwalk Lane, downtown Jacksonville.

04:45I'm here about your favorite subject,

04:46which is the wards and and and resetting

04:49up wards, etc.

04:51Um I've tried to watch everything. I

04:53watched the last kind of meeting to get

04:55together. And this seems so incredibly

04:58simple to me, but it seems like it has

05:00been muddied tremendously.

05:03There's two options. We're either going

05:05all the way where we say there are no

05:07districts at all,

05:08or we're going to have wards.

05:10Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't

05:12see anything in between.

05:14If you're going to reject everybody

05:16voting and there's no wards,

05:18you are obligated to then make the wards

05:21equal and fair

05:23for voters and for people for running up

05:25for office as well.

05:27And the thing that is simple and clear

05:29is this. There is one and only one thing

05:32that is making the wards unfair, and you

05:34all know it. It's the base.

05:37If you don't solve that problem, you

05:39cannot create fair wards.

05:41It's that simple.

05:43I thought you had a great proposal,

05:46which was divide the base equally. They

05:49do not vote. They have no reason to

05:51vote. They have no financial reason at

05:54all to vote. They could raise taxes

05:5610,000% I'd pay it. They would pay zero.

06:00Why would they vote?

06:01So, I think everybody needs to quit

06:03pretending they matter in the vote. They

06:04don't. They will vote in all the other

06:07things that matter. They can vote in the

06:09county. They can vote for the senators.

06:11They can vote for anything they wish.

06:12But, in this city, if you do wards, that

06:15is the only solution.

06:18I don't know how this is so muddy. I

06:20don't know why it's discussed any

06:21further. Equal distribution of your your

06:24base housing is the only solution.

06:27Otherwise, you will end up with equally

06:29unfair wards,

06:31just like you have right now.

06:33So, I hope as you have your next

06:34discussion, that is the primary and only

06:36discussion if you're going to do wards,

06:39otherwise, you're wasting your time, and

06:41you're also giving the citizens some

06:42thought that you're trying to do this

06:44fairly, when you're in reality not.

06:47That's my only statement. Thank you.

06:50>> Carmen Spicer

07:02>> Good evening, Mayor and Council persons.

07:07I have a theory. I I was I had an

07:10opportunity to to be in the workshop

07:13Tuesday,

07:15and I was I witnessed

07:17how the voting went.

07:20I witnessed Councilman Smith and

07:23Councilman Washington and Councilman

07:26Bellingham.

07:28They voted one way, and I witnessed

07:31Councilman Sosa, Councilman Edwards,

07:36and Councilman Unera.

07:39And I witnessed you, Mayor,

07:42breaking the tie.

07:44And you went with them.

07:48My theory might might might point here

07:50is that

07:52why are we making these changes?

07:55We had a reason why we had the ward

07:57system

07:59so we could feel like we were being

08:00represented.

08:02We were having a challenge having

08:04someone to represent us

08:07to understand our particular needs.

08:12What you There was a question was asked

08:14when I was there

08:16why are you making the changes?

08:18And you couldn't answer the question.

08:21You couldn't give a valid answer

08:25why you were making the changes.

08:27Why was the base going to be included in

08:30another ward?

08:33If it's not harming anyone, then why we

08:36need to make the changes?

08:39We all are taxpayers.

08:42We're voting citizens, registered voters

08:44as you were saying Chief Janaro,

08:46Councilman Janaro.

08:48And we like it the way it is.

08:51It's not hurting anyone.

08:53Matter of fact, it's working for some

08:55people.

08:57So

08:59the way I saw and I what I witnessed

09:03it was very shameful.

09:06Being 2026

09:09how I saw the division.

09:14I'm going to say it and I don't want to

09:16get I'm I don't want to get myself in a

09:18whole lot of trouble. I'm even glad I'm

09:20running out of time. But I witnessed how

09:22it went. So I I I pray that you all will

09:25make the right decision for all your

09:29taxpayers, not just some of them. Thank

09:32you so much. Have a blessed evening.

09:34>> Thank you.

09:39>> All right, Council. We have uh

09:41We have the uh minutes from the October

09:436th, 2026 work session, and we have one

09:46consent item

09:48on the agenda.

09:50Need a motion.

09:52>> So moved.

09:53>> Second.

09:54>> Discussion.

09:56Hearing none, all in favor signify by

09:57saying aye.

09:58>> Aye.

09:59>> All opposed.

10:00Let's go down to number two on your

10:02agenda. This is a

10:05UDO text amendment.

10:08As I can get to it.

10:20Ron King will be presenting this item,

10:22right?

10:23>> Good evening, Mayor and Council. Um

10:24tonight we have a citizen-requested

10:26unified development unified development

10:28ordinance or UDO text amendment to

10:30several sections of the unified

10:32development ordinance. Uh the applicant

10:34is TWC Camp Lejeune LLC, and they have

10:37requested to clarify the setback for

10:39multi-family dwellings from a main

10:41roadway within the quarter commercial

10:43zoning districts.

10:46Some background back prior to around the

10:48adoption of the unified development

10:49ordinance, City Council enacted a

10:52prohibition of multi-family within 350

10:54ft of a main roadway, um and that was

10:58following concerns expressed during the

11:00public hearing.

11:02One of the questions that's come up is

11:04what's a main roadway. We don't define

11:06main roadway.

11:07We define different types of road, but

11:09main is not one of them. So, one of the

11:11items when this was brought forth to

11:12staff was, "Yeah, we need to go ahead

11:14and establish what is a main roadway

11:16because I may have a different view than

11:18Councilman Smith or Councilman Sosa or a

11:20citizen. So, let's clarify what's a main

11:23roadway." And there's a There's

11:24definitions already contained in the

11:25UDO, so it's just a matter of, "Okay,

11:27which streets should that setback apply

11:29to?"

11:30The other component came uh with this

11:34was to reduce the 350 to 300 ft.

11:37Um I

11:38There wasn't a whole lot of language

11:40from back in the 2013-14 discussions

11:42about why 350 ft. So, staff looked at

11:46typical depths of

11:48uh out-parcel developments. A lot of

11:50out-parcels range between 350 and I mean

11:53200 and 300 ft in terms of depth. You

11:56know, out-parcel these um for example,

11:58in front of a big-box retail store, you

12:01got the small lots out front along the

12:03main roadway where you have a lot of

12:04times the quick-service restaurants or

12:06smaller buildings and then the big

12:09buildings behind it. Typically, those

12:11parcels are around uh 2 to 300 ft in

12:13depth. So, working with the applicant,

12:16uh took this to planning board. Uh the

12:18original request actually had quite a

12:21bit of feedback uh concerns by the

12:23planning board. [clears throat] So, then

12:24we worked with the applicant and we kind

12:25of scaled it back some. And uh basically

12:29came up with what we're proposing

12:30tonight. Uh planning board recommended

12:32approval of that change, which in

12:35essence is clean up the language, reduce

12:38the 350 to 300, and reference what are

12:41those main roadways. So, uh that's what

12:44staff has done. Mr. um James Davis is

12:47here on behalf of TWCLCC. If you have

12:49any questions of the applicant, uh and

12:53um one other item,

12:55like I said, with clean up, get rid of

12:57the standards within the use table and

13:00move them to the use-specific standards

13:01where they belong. That's another

13:02component of this change.

13:04Um

13:07And then, once again,

13:09just

13:11slides that kind of go over what I've

13:12already expressed.

13:13Uh so, facts to consider, uh we believe

13:16that this is response to concerns shared

13:18by the development community, recognized

13:19by staff as need for clarity. We believe

13:21that this follows council's goal for the

13:23annual evaluation of the unified

13:24development ordinance. Uh number four

13:26assesses an appropriate response to the

13:28needs and quality of life in the

13:29community and supports the resolution of

13:32housing development goals and

13:34objectives. So, why did this applicant

13:37make this request? Well, they own a

13:39hotel and they want to convert it to a

13:41multi-family development. So, convert it

13:44from a hotel to multi-family. Well,

13:46they're within 350 ft, so they cannot

13:49make that change. Reducing that to 300

13:52will give them that opportunity should

13:53they choose to convert that hotel to a

13:56multi-family development. And that would

13:58apply to anybody else that's between

14:00that 300 and 350 ft rule today if

14:03council chooses to amend the code.

14:05Um

14:06So, some other items, uh there's

14:09multiple components of the camel plan

14:11that support this change.

14:13Uh and we would um

14:16we've advertised per the general statute

14:18requirements uh on our webpage, which is

14:20not a requirement, but we've done that

14:22anyhow cuz we've heard council say,

14:23"Hey, what are we doing to make sure

14:25people are aware of this?" So, we have

14:26it on the webpage. And we also posted it

14:28within the legal ads, which is what's

14:30required by state law.

14:32Uh with a unified development ordinance

14:33reminder that there is a consistency

14:35statement. So, is this proposal

14:38consistent with the camel land use plan?

14:40And we believe that it is and we've

14:41provided some information to back that

14:43up.

14:44With that, we'd be happy to answer any

14:45questions. Planning Board did recommend

14:47approval of the proposal that's before

14:48you tonight.

14:50Questions, Brian?

14:53>> Thanks.

14:53>> Thank you.

14:54>> Time, I'll recess the regular meeting

14:56and open up the public hearing in this

14:58matter. Is there anyone present that

14:59wishes to speak to this issue?

15:03Seeing no one, I'll close the public

15:04hearing and Council approve being and

15:06reconvene the regular meeting. Council

15:07being asked to approve the text

15:09amendment.

15:11>> So moved.

15:12>> Second.

15:14>> Okay. Is there any discussion?

15:16Hearing not, all in favor signify by

15:18saying I.

15:18>> I.

15:19>> All opposed.

15:30Next, we have a public hearing for

15:32zoning map amendment number three.

15:35Uh

15:36for 25 East Drive residential single

15:38family seven uh to residential mobile

15:41home. And Ryan will be presenting this

15:43item, Ryan.

15:44>> Thank you, Mayor Council.

15:46Uh this next amendment I mean this next

15:48agenda item is a map amendment to change

15:51the official zoning map. This request

15:53has come forth by John Pierce

15:56representing U Stitch [clears throat]

15:58and Barker Custom Homes LLC. The request

16:01is to amend one parcel of land located

16:05at 25 East Drive identified as tax

16:07parcel ID number 352F-13.

16:11The current zoning is residential single

16:12family seven, which primarily allows uh

16:15site-built single family dwellings that

16:17are built to the North Carolina Building

16:19Codes.

16:20And the proposal is to

16:23rezone this property to RMH, which is

16:27stands for residential mobile home.

16:29Which um would be the first in Jackson.

16:31We created this this district to provide

16:34opportunities

16:35for the the purpose originally was to

16:38provide an opportunity for existing

16:40developments to rezone when they had

16:42other obstacles that would prevent them

16:45from replacing their manufactured home.

16:49Uh the site's located on East Drive.

16:51It's surrounded by woods to the rear,

16:53single family on either side and across

16:55the street.

16:57As stated, all the area in yellow is

16:59zoned residential single family seven,

17:01minimum lot size 7,000 square feet. And

17:03the applicant's proposal is on the on

17:05the right side of the screen,

17:07which is uh RMH.

17:11The CAMA land use designation identifies

17:13this area as medium-density residential.

17:18We have posted the notice in the

17:20newspaper. We have posted signs on the

17:23site, which is on the screen before you.

17:25We've also sent notices to all of the

17:28direct property owners of the adjacent

17:30properties, which also includes going

17:32across the street in accordance with

17:34state law.

17:36As well as posted on the city of

17:38Jackson's webpage.

17:41So with the rezoning unlike the UDO text

17:43amendment, there needs to be a

17:44consistency statement and is this option

17:48to rezone it, is it reasonable?

17:51At their planning advisory boards as

17:53well as staff,

17:55the recommendation is to deny the

17:57rezoning request based on the

18:00evaluations found within the staff

18:02report, which are tied back to the

18:04findings of fact A through J

18:06and that the amendment was found to be

18:08inconsistent with the camel landings

18:10plan and not in the public interest.

18:13Be happy to answer any questions that

18:15the mayor and council may have.

18:17>> Have you heard from any of the

18:18neighbors? I'm sorry.

18:20Have you heard from any of the neighbors

18:22regarding this?

18:23>> I have not talked to anybody directly.

18:25To my knowledge, staff has not received

18:27any input from any adjoiner either.

18:29>> Okay.

18:31>> This just This just has to do with the

18:33difference between a mobile home

18:35and a modular home, say, that are

18:38more

18:40um

18:41like a single family home. Is that

18:43correct?

18:44>> So a a manufactured home and and some of

18:47the terminologies kind of been adjusted

18:50and the statutes have changed, but

18:51basically a modular and a mobile for for

18:55old old time's sake, they're they're

18:57manufactured, but the the mobile home is

19:01built to the HUD standards.

19:04Whereas a modular is built to the state

19:06building code.

19:08So it's got higher building standards.

19:11So the zoning allows basically the

19:13higher standards modular and site-built,

19:15not mobile homes. So,

19:17lesser design build standards.

19:20>> theoretically, if they wanted to, they

19:22could put a modular home there.

19:24>> They could put a modular here. Yes, sir.

19:26>> But, not a mobile home.

19:27>> That is correct, unless this rezoning is

19:28approved.

19:29>> Okay.

19:31And the planning board is denied it,

19:33correct?

19:34>> They recommended denial, yes, Mayor.

19:35>> Are there other mobile homes on that

19:37street?

19:39>> So, from what I understand, all new

19:41developments that have happened are all

19:44the state building code modular or

19:46site-built. Uh is there one or two or

19:49three that may be in that area that are

19:51still

19:52um under the HUD standards? It's

19:53possible.

19:54>> But, that would be existing, right?

19:56>> Correct.

19:56>> Okay.

19:57>> That would be non-conforming. They

19:58wouldn't They would be able to use you

20:00know, go there until they're

20:02removed, and they wouldn't be able to be

20:04replaced.

20:05>> So, technically speaking, the mobile

20:07homes that are there, if for whatever

20:09reasons, they are damaged, now they

20:11couldn't replace it with another mobile

20:13home. It would have to be a modular

20:15home.

20:15>> If If there are there mobile homes out

20:18there and they're damaged more than 50%,

20:19that is correct.

20:22>> Didn't we have other issues like this

20:23not too long ago, if I remember

20:24correctly? I think um forget what part

20:26of town it was, maybe like near

20:27Georgetown, I think there was an issue

20:29with

20:29>> That was on Leonard Street.

20:30>> Yeah, wasn't there same similar issue,

20:32wasn't it?

20:34>> There were some similarities, but some

20:36differences. The RMH is no longer in our

20:38jurisdiction because of the ETJ

20:40reduction, but when we created the RMH

20:43zoning district, it was for Hickory

20:45Hills. They have restrictive covenants

20:46that say only manufactured mobile homes

20:49can be put there. Um same thing with

20:51Ellis Park, that's still in our

20:52jurisdiction. So, we created a zoning

20:54district that would allow those

20:56residents to submit a rezoning petition

20:59to change their property if they wanted

21:01to do so. We've not had any takers. This

21:03is the first applicant that has brought

21:05forth a change proposal to us.

21:09>> The applicant actually pulled a permit

21:11for a modular home.

21:12>> That is correct.

21:13>> But then a mobile home was delivered.

21:15>> That's correct.

21:16>> So it's already on site?

21:17>> That is correct. It is already there.

21:19>> Yeah, it's already there.

21:23>> Going back to the Leonard Street deal,

21:25that was the most recent one I can

21:26remember where we had a situation where

21:30somebody wanted to replace the trailer.

21:32And that was formerly a trailer park.

21:36Was it not? Home. But it got rezoned.

21:38>> So with the Georgetown area, that is

21:40currently zoned RMH RMHLD,

21:43which is residential sorry, RMFHLD.

21:47Residential multi-family low-density.

21:49Previously, that was residential

21:50multi-family five. During the RM5 days,

21:53one mobile home per lot was allowed.

21:56With the UDO adoption, there was two

21:57zoning districts combined into one. So

22:00half of the districts didn't allow

22:02mobile homes while the other did. So

22:04when they were blended together, it was

22:06decided that mobile homes would not be

22:07able to continue within that new RMH

22:11or RMF LD, sorry.

22:13>> Let me run this scenario by you.

22:15Say for instance, somebody wanted to

22:16pull a camper trailer into a lot over

22:19there.

22:20Is that permi- permissible?

22:23Huh?

22:23>> It is not permitted.

22:24>> Why?

22:26>> It's not in the use table as being

22:27allowed to be set up that way. It's got

22:29to be one that's built to the state

22:31building codes.

22:34>> So you can't have a camper in your yard.

22:37>> Storage is allowed with provisions

22:41I believe, but living in a in a camper

22:44is not.

22:44>> I'm That's what I'm talking about. Make

22:46it their primary residence.

22:48>> That is not allowed in the unified

22:49development ordinance.

22:50>> Even with the special permit?

22:52>> That is correct.

22:53>> What about like a on a hurricane, I know

22:55a lot of a lot of my neighbors

22:58they were living in those mobile homes

23:00until they could have it built.

23:02>> There is a provision

23:04There is a provision for when casualty

23:06damage occurs that you can have a

23:10a a

23:10>> temporary

23:11>> a camper set up as long as you have a

23:13building permit to restore the building

23:15that was damaged. There is a provision

23:18for a temporary use in the UDO for that

23:20scenario.

23:22>> This owner, this property owner had

23:24ample time to notify us prior to

23:27actually

23:29having the mobile unit placed on the

23:31property, right? Or did was it just a

23:33surprise to them?

23:35>> They applied for a modular that meets

23:37the state building code and then what

23:39they had delivered was different. I I

23:41can't speak for the applicant and I

23:43don't believe anybody from John

23:44Pearson's office or the builders here

23:47and see anybody but that doesn't mean

23:48that somebody's not um they applied for

23:51a modular and then what was delivered

23:53was not meeting the state building code

23:55and thus the reason

23:57this came up. This is an opportunity for

23:59the applicant to see if they could be

24:01successful in a rezone

24:03to be able to keep what they have.

24:05>> And approving this is going to affect

24:07all of Jacksonville, not just this one

24:10particular property.

24:11>> It very well could, yes.

24:13>> And they decided not to send the mobile

24:16home back and to receive what they

24:18originally ordered.

24:21If they ordered that.

24:22>> Yeah, that's right. They they certainly

24:25have options on their end that's outside

24:27of the arena of the city but they they

24:30applied for a modular and what was

24:31delivered has the HUD placard and

24:33therefore is not meeting the state

24:35building codes based on our inspections.

24:38>> So what I'm asking, they couldn't have

24:39sent that back to get what they

24:41originally ordered.

24:42>> That that would be a question between

24:44them, the buyer and the seller.

24:46>> And we don't know if that's what they

24:47originally ordered.

24:48>> Correct. I just know what came into our

24:50office. They checked the box modular.

24:53What was keyed in the system was based

24:54on a a modular. [clears throat]

24:56The fees, the inspection types, it's all

24:58based on a modular.

25:01That's me That meets the state building

25:02code cuz if they would have applied for

25:04a mobile home setup, we would have

25:06denied the permit because the zoning

25:08wouldn't allow it.

25:10So, I think they have several avenues

25:12that they are they could expand and and

25:14try to go through, but this is

25:16maybe the quickest and and fastest to

25:18try.

25:21>> Did they appear before the planning

25:22board?

25:24>> Uh this did go before the planning

25:25board, yes, sir.

25:26>> Were they Were they here the

25:28building

25:28>> Mr. John Pierce was here that night,

25:30yes, sir.

25:31>> Okay.

25:34Any other questions, Ron?

25:36>> No, sir.

25:36>> An unrelated question.

25:38>> All right.

25:38>> Loosely related. In reading all the

25:40documentation that was included with

25:41both of the items that had required

25:43public hearings tonight, I noticed that

25:44our camera use plan needs some updating

25:46as well. I'm not sure what the cycle is

25:48on that, but it still mentions the ETJ

25:50as well as bold, which hasn't existed in

25:52quite some time, so we probably need to

25:53look at a language update there when we

25:54get the chance. You know, when you can

25:56come up for air in the next 50 years.

25:58>> Right. With with the RP and other items,

26:00that's certainly stuff that's on our

26:02list and and we appreciate the council

26:04giving us funding in this year's budget

26:06to be able to make that happen. We're

26:07also trying to uh leverage the um other

26:10funds for the RCCP one and two program

26:13that we're working on now. We're

26:14finishing up that if there's funds

26:15available with the RCCP three and four,

26:18uh but we don't believe there's going to

26:19be any, so we may go ahead and have to

26:21update that using the funds that council

26:24um allocated for us to use to do that.

26:27>> Yeah.

26:27Just a footnote. Thank you.

26:28>> Thank you.

26:30>> All right. Any other questions? Thank

26:32you, Ron.

26:32>> Thank you, Mayor.

26:33>> At this time, we'll recess the regular

26:35council meeting and open up the public

26:36hearing on this matter. Does anyone

26:38present wish to speak

26:40to this matter?

26:43Seeing no one,

26:45recess or close public hearing and

26:48reopen the regular meeting. Council,

26:50you're being asked to approve the zoning

26:52to I think you're

26:53>> Mr. Mayor, I'll make a motion that we

26:54deny the request based on the standards

26:56being an inconsistency with the Canvas

26:58Use Plan.

26:58>> I second that.

27:01>> Okay. Any further discussion?

27:03>> Yes.

27:05Um

27:08I think I was part of the

27:11kind of broad discussion that we had

27:13about um

27:15mobile homes

27:16particularly in um

27:19um the downtown area.

27:22And

27:25someone, a neighbor, was in a position

27:27of

27:29um

27:29seeking a mobile home.

27:32Um

27:34my attitude was that

27:37there were benefits to the homeowner of

27:40home ownership and being able to build

27:42equity. The mobile homes don't allow

27:44that. They depreciate.

27:47So, the owner put a modular there.

27:50And um

27:52I think the owner's thankful today

27:55that a

27:57modular unit was built

28:00that would allow the owner to acquire

28:03build equity in the property.

28:06Um for a lot of people who might not be

28:08familiar with stocks and different forms

28:10[music] of investing, their home can be

28:14a trend a tremendous investment. It's

28:15been that way for me personally. So, if

28:19we can do things to encourage home home

28:20ownership, and and sometimes the price

28:22difference is not that much if you're

28:24comparing new new to new.

28:26So, [music] I think that we wouldn't

28:28have been able to turn downtown

28:31Jacksonville around the way that we did

28:34if we um hadn't put that provision in

28:36place. And I know it creates some

28:37hardships from people who customarily

28:40might think that that is

28:42>> [music]

28:42>> financially advantageous to go the the

28:45mobile home route. But, I think um

28:48it's proven that when we um

28:54made that decision, that it was

28:55beneficial for the community

28:58and the adjacent property owners.

29:01So, I'm going to vote.

29:04>> Any further discussion?

29:10All those in favor signify by saying I.

29:12>> [clears throat]

29:13>> All opposed.

29:14Okay.

29:15Motion carries and we're going to do

29:17three to two.

29:22There we go.

29:31Next, we have item number four. This is

29:34Onslow Coastal Alliance update and

29:36Melissa Brant, the chief executive

29:39officer, is here to present to us.

29:44>> Well, good evening, uh Mayor and

29:46Commissioners, as well as the community.

29:48Uh my name is Melissa Brant and I'm the

29:50new CEO of Onslow Coastal Alliance,

29:53which is formerly known as JOED.

29:55Um I'm very excited to present today

29:58because we have been very, very busy.

30:01And I understand this is my annual

30:02review, but uh would love to um continue

30:05the conversations and maybe present

30:07quarterly because there are so many

30:09moving parts and so many things

30:11happening in your city.

30:15So, I wanted to first off and say thank

30:17you. Um thank you because I would not

30:20have a job if it wasn't for the support

30:22of the city of Jacksonville,

30:24uh just believing in this organization.

30:27Um

30:28you have actually been a foundational

30:29partner in this and making it happen and

30:32I'm very grateful, as well as the

30:33community in you believing in the

30:35organization, as well as financial

30:36partner, but also I've had the

30:38opportunity to work with some of you and

30:40also have one-on-ones with you to really

30:42learn about how passionate you are about

30:45what you do and the threat of this

30:47community and I'm just absolutely

30:49honored to have moved here from North

30:51Dakota

30:52to take on this this challenge. So

30:55before that after that I just wanted to

30:58share a couple of things with you today.

31:01So where are we today? As I mentioned we

31:04changed the organizations name to Onslow

31:07Coastal Alliance

31:09because we're just not

31:13one city focused which doesn't mean that

31:15Jacksonville is not important. You're

31:17absolutely vital but when you look at

31:19the entire county it is about the charm

31:22the assets and all the character that

31:24make you really really cool and unique

31:26and no wonder you're number three state

31:29of why everybody wants to move here. Um

31:31it's just incredible the people are

31:33incredible the culture the charm and

31:36it's so much fun to be

31:38doing this with you.

31:40Um thank you to the strategic plan it is

31:43in line with your resolution which was

31:46created in 2023. I'm using that in a in

31:49a line with our strategic plan and so

31:52when I show you our website we built

31:54that website based on our strategic plan

31:56and your resolution in mind and I want

31:59to make sure that

32:01your hard work as well as ours are in

32:03line.

32:04Also thank you to our re-energized board

32:06we have some new board members as well

32:08as new

32:10we have all the municipalities engaged

32:13they are attending our board meetings

32:15and they're on they're ready.

32:18Every single municipality has their

32:19character everybody wants what they want

32:22and don't want don't want don't want

32:24what they don't want but I think it's

32:26really important that their voice is

32:27heard and we do our best as Onslow

32:30Coastal Alliance to meet those needs.

32:34At a glance

32:35this gives you a high level of the

32:37population estimate, municipality, how

32:40many miles, retail sales, as well as the

32:43commute. This is actually taken off of

32:45the new website that I want to unveil

32:48with you today.

32:50Just gives you a really an understanding

32:52of really where your city is.

32:55Like I mentioned, we have 40 active

32:57Board of Directors, six out of six

32:58municipalities are engaged, which is I

33:01don't think has been the case.

33:0348 partner meetings have been held, and

33:06five sites are being marketed on our

33:07website.

33:09I'll show you a preview of that today as

33:11well.

33:13So, here is

33:15the one of the pages on our website, and

33:19this is the Jacksonville

33:20homepage. So, when you click onto

33:22Jacksonville, this is your community

33:24profile. There are six profiles on the

33:27website, and this is your

33:29really business card to the world. So,

33:31when site selectors come to the the

33:33website now, or tourism, or people

33:36looking for resources to start a

33:38business, or they just need help, we are

33:40that resource hub. We are partnered with

33:43community partners. We have not done

33:45their work. We've taken their work and

33:46accelerated and highlighted on our

33:49resource

33:50resource page, which I will show you

33:51that as well.

33:53When you click into Jacksonville, you

33:55get a snapshot of your community. And

33:58what it entails is, like I mentioned

34:00before, your community snapshot with

34:02your population, your per capita income,

34:05your community commute, your density, as

34:07well as your household. So, when people

34:09are researching

34:10Jacksonville, they get the facts. This

34:12is actually all data pulled from census,

34:15is pulled from qualified sources.

34:20Next statistics, it really breaks down

34:22every single municipality's

34:25retail and consumer market, your housing

34:27market, as well as your workforce and

34:29education. These are numbers that

34:31actually mean a lot to people who are

34:34looking to

34:35build here, to expand here, to start a

34:38business here. And these are the numbers

34:41that they ask when I go to like a

34:44conference. And they're like, "Melissa,

34:46why should we um

34:48develop in Jacksonville?" This is what

34:51they're looking for. These metrics, this

34:52is in the marketing packet, this is in

34:54their profile packet. And so we wanted

34:56to make it very easy for people who are

34:58shopping

34:59our website. I call it shopping cuz I'm

35:02a woman and I love fashion. I like to

35:03shop. Um to make it easy for them to

35:06really get an understanding of why they

35:10should consider us. And for us to say,

35:13"Hey, that is healthy development. We do

35:15want that business here." Or we need

35:17that business here. So I think it's

35:19really important that at healthy

35:20communication goes both ways between

35:23the city as well as myself.

35:27Next insights, this

35:29has an analysis of competitive assets as

35:31well as development opportunities in

35:33your city.

35:34And it links right to your website. So

35:36if they want to do a deeper dive into

35:38really the people who are behind the

35:40city,

35:41more stats, or who do they um

35:44they can call. I think this is really

35:46important resource because like I said,

35:48it's partnering with you. You already

35:50have that website and it's just another

35:52avenue for them to access more

35:54information and get a hold of you. But

35:56it's also nice if they want to call me

35:59and I can help give them the resource to

36:01save you sometimes so you can focus on

36:04your very very busy job and being a

36:06commissioner or a mayor. Um it's

36:08important because if it's economic

36:10development, I would love to be the

36:12first face to it and then to defer it

36:14from there.

36:15And there again, I built it in our

36:18website that it's very confidential. As

36:21a past developer myself in North Dakota,

36:23I having those conversations about

36:25multi-million dollar businesses and

36:27development that we wanted to do. Um, I

36:29was very cautious as a developer and I

36:32wanted to make sure that that

36:34conversation was secure and confident

36:36and I made sure that disclosure was

36:39noted on our website and that any kind

36:41of conversation with me in terms of

36:43their interest in our area stays with me

36:46until it actually um, is to the point to

36:48where it can be shared in a public. Um,

36:52and I think that speaks volumes from a

36:54developer standpoint and I want them to

36:56trust us and believe us, but also on the

36:58other hand, it's not because I don't

36:59want to be transparent with you.

37:01Communication is a vital between you as

37:03well as our organization, but um, timing

37:06is everything.

37:09Next, how we add value for you. Um,

37:12product invisibility. We market the

37:15sites and I want to show you a preview

37:16of that. Um, we control the sites um,

37:20for economic development on there. And

37:22right now we have five sites that um,

37:25we're uh, marketing, if you would, and

37:27they're lots, but um, from

37:29communications since I've been here,

37:31I've been here since August 1st, um,

37:33communications are all over the place.

37:35People are looking from 500 square feet

37:38to all the way up to 7,000 acres. So, I

37:41mean, I want to make sure that our

37:43inventory reflects what we have. So, one

37:46challenge that I would love to put um,

37:48on all of you is

37:50are there properties out there or

37:51developers or business owners or

37:53building owners that would like to

37:56promote and market their sites that

37:59potential people would like to expand or

38:02consider, even if they're 500 to 1,000

38:04square feet, we're getting those calls.

38:06Uh, we also are getting a lot of RFI

38:09um, emails in here and I would love to

38:11be able to um,

38:13provide the yes or the solution or the

38:16direction to those people if it fits

38:18them as well as us.

38:20Um, also coordination. Um, like I

38:22mentioned, aligning with the permitting,

38:24utilities, and incentives. Um, we have a

38:27resource page on our website uh

38:29specifically for highlighting the

38:31incentives that North Carolina, as well

38:33as the city city offers for people who

38:35are interested in doing business with

38:36us.

38:37Retention and growth. Um, we actually in

38:40our strategic plan have a business

38:42retention and expansion um, committee or

38:46uh project, if you would, that we're

38:47kicking off. Um, working on the bones

38:50and the wireframes right now, because

38:52there's a lot of opportunity. There's

38:53locals um, in our backyard that have

38:56talent that want to open a business, and

38:58they don't know where to go. They don't

38:59know how to start, and

39:01we want to give them the tools, because

39:03there's so much untapped talent here, as

39:05well as talent that's coming in our

39:06community, and we want to be able to

39:09help them and expand and watch it grow.

39:11Um, support the culture. Um, add some

39:14music, some art. I mean, there's so much

39:17opportunity, and City of Jacksonville is

39:20just on the cusp of that.

39:22And then last, the downtown synergy. So,

39:24so excited um, for this. Um,

39:28Downtown Jacksonville is just a dream. I

39:31my Airbnb is Downtown Jacksonville right

39:34now, and I've absolutely have loved

39:36every moment of it, and walking down

39:38Court Street and seeing it come to live

39:40uh live, and surviving to Oktoberfest,

39:43that was interesting, but just watching

39:45the vibrancy of the city was just so

39:48much fun, and the families coming out,

39:50and there's so much more that we could

39:51do. Uh, new bridge, um, perfect example.

39:54So, kudos to you guys for doing that and

39:57bringing that to life with the

39:58landscaping, but just little little

40:00momentum pieces like that gives the

40:03community hope that there's things

40:04happening here, and it just just the

40:07little things matter, and people talk

40:09about it.

40:10And then the synergy of the downtown

40:12coordinator. Um, I had to make this a

40:14slide, because this is my past life. I

40:16believe in revitalization of downtowns.

40:19It is the heart of a city.

40:21You're the county seat and I'm so

40:23excited that this person is starting in

40:25November. She will be off-seeing with us

40:29and I I just I'm so excited about it. We

40:32actually can't wait to move her in. And

40:35just the synergy, the communication,

40:37there's an overlap in working together

40:39and having another arm of our

40:40organization I think is vital. Speaking

40:43with some of the businesses already

40:44downtown, they're they've been asking.

40:47Even before I had the privilege to help

40:50with the interviewing process and I'm

40:52thankful that I was able to do that.

40:54People are so excited. They can't wait

40:55for this person because they're just

40:57hungry for someone to help them and show

40:59them the way and kudos to you guys for

41:02making that position happen because the

41:04businesses are ready and the businesses

41:06are in the empty buildings and the

41:08businesses are waiting for that TLC. So,

41:11kudos to you.

41:13Your investment, thank you.

41:16This shows you where you're at and I

41:18very much appreciate it. It'll be the

41:20same year two request. I don't want to

41:22focus on that so much cuz I want to get

41:24more to the fun because I only have 15

41:25minutes.

41:27Also wanted to thank you for the

41:29resources that you have allowed us to

41:31have.

41:32Josh Ray, he's okay. He's not even here

41:34today so it doesn't matter.

41:36>> [laughter]

41:37>> Mayor,

41:38your ex officio, thank you. I would love

41:41to have you. Assistant

41:43City Manager Anthony, he I can't even

41:45say enough. Nobody likes him anyway so

41:48He has taught me everything and

41:52if I need to call a friend, he is that

41:54person. So, thank you for allowing me to

41:56use him as a resource.

41:58Our strategic plan aligns with your

42:00city's resolution as well as your

42:02downtown goals as well as regular

42:03communication. I would love to hear from

42:05you but also vice versa. I If you want

42:08me to talk with you and share with you

42:11what's going on. I'm an open book. I'm

42:13transparent and I love the one-on-ones

42:16and the interaction and I have so much

42:18to learn and I am a sponge. I I'm just

42:21listening right now and I want to hit

42:22the ground running and do it right. Um

42:25I'm a perfectionist and so I want to

42:26make sure I do what's right uh for the

42:29county as well as your city.

42:32And now the fun stuff. Jacksonville, um

42:34the heart of opportunity and growth. Um

42:36I had the opportunity to um

42:39attend Rock the Block this year and it

42:40was so much fun, but next year we're

42:42going to fill the streets even more and

42:44food trucks and there's so much more fun

42:48and people are are excited and great

42:50music and the weather held out, so it

42:51was a little warm, but I'm not going to

42:53complain from North Dakota.

42:56And then the community on the rise. Um I

42:58think this is really really really um

43:01important. This is why I took the job is

43:03because

43:04the passion is here and you can't grow

43:07that. You can't infuse that in anyone.

43:10You can't

43:12you can't do that and it's here and

43:13that's what made me pick up my life and

43:15move here um and it's a warm community

43:19hug and it's incredible what you have

43:21and it's I'm excited to tell people

43:23about it.

43:25Um but one thing that people ask me

43:27about is Melissa, tourism. Tourism, why

43:31you know, tourism is such a huge

43:33economic driver. It is.

43:35But also tourism helps us with our taxes

43:38and

43:39we need to promote what we are doing and

43:42bring the people in because that's

43:44what's going to help us grow and build

43:47and not have to raise the taxes. So

43:49educating people and telling them how it

43:51impacts them personally and at the

43:53wallet is really important and tourism

43:56is vital. Our base is important. Um

43:59having that relationship with the base

44:00is

44:01so so important and getting those

44:04military um people and families to feel

44:07part of the community and not want to

44:08leave our area and bring their skill

44:11base here and stay I think it's a really

44:13really important and an untapped

44:16resource for us.

44:20And then next, um, wanted to show our,

44:23um, a new brand.

44:25Um, this is one of the abbreviations of

44:27it and our new sign is up. So, if you

44:29are by the depot, please come and say

44:31hello.

44:32Uh, thank you for allowing us to be in

44:33that property. I know the city owns it

44:35and we absolutely love our office and

44:38please come say hello. I put some

44:39lipstick on it. I've a new operations

44:41manager. She's been there for a month

44:43and a half and she's phenomenal. So,

44:45uh, please stop and say hello. But

44:47anyway,

44:48I've done a little rambling, but um, I

44:50wanted to turn over to you and say thank

44:52you.

44:54>> Well, I just wanted to welcome you

44:55aboard and know we did get an

44:57opportunity to meet, um, over at the

44:59Realtors meeting, but, um, thank you for

45:01being aboard and sharing, um,

45:04what a post it could do, uh,

45:07and bringing them out here to our nice

45:08sunny place even though it's not warm

45:10today.

45:11But, um, I I see a lot of vision and a

45:14lot of hope,

45:15um,

45:16in you and in your presentation. And I'm

45:19looking forward to what Jacksonville can

45:21become with you being a part of the

45:23team.

45:24>> Thank you. It means a lot.

45:25>> This means

45:25>> Thank you.

45:26>> And thank you for your energy. I mean,

45:28you know, you're bringing a lot of

45:29energy

45:30and, uh, you know, you're absolutely

45:32right.

45:33You know, this is the way that we keep

45:35our taxes low.

45:37And, uh, economic development, tourism,

45:40you know, developing some of those

45:41infill buildings that we need to get,

45:44uh,

45:45um, I I appreciate your your, uh,

45:49your vision and I appreciate your energy

45:52and

45:53in making Jacksonville a better place to

45:54live.

45:55>> Thank you.

45:56>> I'll say if you're I'll say, uh,

45:59welcome and well said.

46:01Councilman Smith, that was perfect. Um

46:03welcome again and also thank you for

46:06helping this organization pivot on

46:08economic development to economic

46:10development that makes sense here.

46:12Um the kinds of industry that we have

46:16the infrastructure to support business

46:18growth and quality of life. These

46:20components make it not just a place you

46:23can live, but the place you want to live

46:25and not addressing those components

46:27previously, not by you, but just other

46:29folks that team and other teams in the

46:31historically has not been addressed in

46:33that light very well. And it's been one

46:35of the chief obstacles that we've had

46:37for recruiting

46:38good surgeons and high-quality medical

46:40staff for the hospital and you know,

46:42professors at the college and other

46:43place, you know, and even in various

46:45industries getting qualified people to

46:47come here. One of their main

46:49resistance factors was well, there's

46:50there's nothing for my family to do or

46:52there's this or that, you know, and so

46:53that quality of life component affects

46:55all of us who live here,

46:57um whether we're here for 3 years or

46:58we're here for, you know, 33 years

47:01or the rest of our lives, uh but it also

47:03affects recruitment and and business

47:05growth. So, thank you for putting this

47:08in alignment with the city and the

47:10county and all the municipalities here.

47:12Um what we who we are, what we have to

47:14offer and really putting the best foot

47:16forward, not just a wish, but an actual

47:19strategic goal. Thank you, Cindy.

47:22>> And thank you, Melissa, for coming

47:24tonight and uh

47:25>> Thank you, Mayor.

47:25>> It was It was good meeting you. Of

47:27course, I met you uh before, but uh when

47:30you were at the workshop, but uh sounds

47:32like a lot of energy is you've done a

47:34lot already in a short time that you've

47:35been here, you know, with the webpage

47:37and all and all that. Uh

47:39And I think we can expect some great

47:42things in the future.

47:43>> Thank you.

47:43>> And get us moving. [clears throat]

47:44>> Thank you.

47:45>> Thank you, Melissa.

47:46>> Thank you.

47:47>> I'm sorry, one more couple of couple of

47:48questions. You've already done your tour

47:50around Onslow, correct? Or are we the

47:52last stop?

47:52>> You um no.

47:54>> No.

47:55>> [laughter]

47:56>> And the second thing

47:58I asked that for a reason, but we'll

47:59talk about that.

48:00>> tour?

48:00>> [laughter]

48:00>> You want to come

48:01>> You have been moving. You have been

48:02moving.

48:03>> I've been moving.

48:04>> Yes. Um

48:05the operations manager, is she from

48:08Jacksonville?

48:09>> Yes.

48:09>> She is. Okay, awesome.

48:11>> Phenomenal.

48:12>> Yeah, that's great.

48:13>> I'm very I'm blessed.

48:15>> Awesome. Thank you. Thank you. I can't

48:17wait to sit down and just even hear

48:18more.

48:19>> come and say hello, even if it's

48:20unannounced, and my cell phone is

48:22actually on the website because that's I

48:25want people to call me, so please

48:27call me, text me anytime.

48:29>> Yes.

48:30Thank you.

48:30>> Thank you, miss.

48:36>> All right, council, we have closed

48:37session scheduled for tonight.

48:39And I would entertain a motion to go

48:40into closed session.

48:42>> So moved. Second.

48:44>> Discussion.

48:44>> Discussion.

48:45>> Please do.

48:45>> Do we want to do our reports in that

48:48part?

48:48>> got an attorney that's been here all

48:50day.

48:50>> Okay, so we're going to come back in

48:51here for that.

48:52>> We can come back.

48:52>> Okay.

48:53>> Yeah.

48:54That works for you.

49:17Begin our the uh

49:19closed session.

49:21Um Mr. Massie, do you have one city that

49:23you want to do right now?

49:25Okay.

49:31>> The uh

49:32I got some two events to report from our

49:35one city moment. Uh first one's National

49:39Night Out. Uh

49:41we

49:42>> [clears throat]

49:42>> you we've been trying now for 2 years to

49:44execute it at the at the Commons, and

49:47this year we got the opportunity to do

49:49that. It was on October 10th. Uh it was

49:53the weather wasn't ideal, but it show

49:56went on.

49:58We had a little bit of rain there, which

49:59of course affected the number of people

50:02that attended, but everybody that was

50:05there enjoyed the opportunity with food

50:08trucks and vendors, exhibits, the

50:10military vehicles and fire and police

50:13equipment that children got to explore.

50:17And course as usual the

50:20100 [clears throat]

50:20bicycles

50:22were raffled off. And so that always a

50:25people pleaser with the children.

50:28>> [clears throat]

50:28>> And of course we had the

50:30here you see this one picture shows our

50:33our introduction of I love my city.

50:37That's kind of a restart so to speak of

50:40of our one city, our city,

50:44my city activity just to kind of

50:48renew the concept with you know with a

50:51lot of turnover that we have it

50:54doesn't hurt to to basically regenerate

50:58what our intent is with our program

51:00there.

51:01We're fortunate to have

51:04the mayor there with the opening remarks

51:06and and General Ingram from Marine Corps

51:09Installations East was there.

51:12And we had uh

51:14Chief Weaver

51:16and Chief Tallman and the

51:18representatives from the Provost Marshal

51:21there as well as our own council

51:24members, Miss Smith

51:26Senator uh

51:30Senator Lazzaro was there and also uh

51:36members of the state the city

51:38city manager's office Terrell and but it

51:41was it as always it's a it's a good

51:44event and Uh,

51:45we're glad that we did get to to execute

51:48it this year.

51:49The second activity we had in in

51:52observance of Hispanic Heritage Month

51:55was a celebration at Clyde Erwin

51:58Elementary Magnetic

52:01Magnet School under the leadership of of

52:04Principal Carrie Health.

52:06Uh,

52:07you can see the students. They They They

52:09They They did some dancing on stage. Uh,

52:12we had

52:13Councilwoman Steverson [laughter]

52:15was there front and center.

52:18>> Not that picture.

52:21>> And so it was a It was a good activity

52:23and one of the number of events that had

52:25occurred in the in the community in

52:27honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. Uh,

52:31that's all I have for one city's Mayor.

52:33Just one thing I'll mention for

52:35everybody is that this Friday at 10:30

52:38is the annual observance of the Beirut

52:41bombing

52:42in the at the

52:43uh,

52:44Beirut Memorial in the Lejeune Memorial

52:46Gardens.

52:47Uh, there will be shuttle transport from

52:50the New River Shopping Center area.

52:53Uh, the shuttle bus will run.

52:55And of course parking is

52:56[clears throat and snorts] available in

52:57the front part of the cemetery, not the

53:00back part. The back part is uh, the

53:03state cemetery. The front part is still

53:06property of the base. So free to park in

53:09that area as well as

53:11uh, the parking spots at the at the

53:14gardens itself. But that's all I have,

53:16Mayor.

53:17>> I want to add a big thanks to Bishop

53:19Smith back there. Are you behind the

53:20podium?

53:22You and You and Bishop Reverend Lester

53:25for for the work y'all did out on the I

53:27love my city initiation out there. Show

53:31They showed up pretty good, didn't they?

53:34Great job. Appreciate you.

53:38All right. So, you have anything

53:40additional?

53:41Done enough, huh?

53:43>> [laughter]

53:43>> Okay.

53:45Council members, yeah.

53:47>> Reports. Well, I did wear my I love my

53:50Jacksonville button. Um so, if there's

53:52anyone out there that wants um some

53:54stickers, buttons, they definitely have

53:56them available and I think they are

53:58adorable.

53:59Um so, I enjoyed myself as well. Um just

54:02another shout-out to Clyde Erwin

54:05uh Elementary Magnet School Elementary

54:08Magnet School, great program. Those kids

54:11were on fire, had me dancing in my seat.

54:14Um and I have to say that I definitely

54:17enjoy uh being with the kids. So, I'm

54:19excited about what the future holds. Um

54:23on that same note, Meck just started

54:25back this month with our mentoring um

54:28with the Onslow and Jones County

54:30schools. So, um

54:32uh those who have a heart to mentor

54:34those children and spend time with those

54:36children. Um

54:38not that I'm plugging Meck, but I'm

54:39plugging Meck, uh mentoring every

54:41neighborhood and community. Phenomenal

54:43organization uh led by

54:46um Mario Harris and the crew, awesome

54:49individuals. So,

54:50um

54:51just to let you guys know that there are

54:53individuals in our community that are

54:54going inside the schools seeking to make

54:57a difference.

54:59Also, um I want to give a shout-out to

55:02the Jacksonville Fire Department making

55:04the Hall of Fame when it comes to the

55:06Onslow County School Based Program uh

55:09awards. So, uh shout-out to them as

55:11well.

55:12Um this week this week weekend we had

55:15the um

55:16fashion

55:18show

55:19and police forgive me, I I was a little

55:21lost for the actual title. There you go,

55:23FTM. And the TDA definitely was a

55:27sponsor, has been a sponsor all 13

55:29years. Phenomenal show. We had

55:32presenters from New York, uh

55:35just about everywhere, but I want to say

55:36New York was the shine for me because I

55:38wanted all their clothes.

55:41Then we also have I want to give a shout

55:43out to I always got to shout out Ward 2.

55:46There's a sergeant major retired that I

55:49just want to just

55:50cross the podium give some love to and

55:53that's Sergeant Major retired Paul

55:55Cyberson. Him along with Jen Smith and

55:57some other

55:59citizens of our city have come together

56:02with the Cape Fear Community

56:03Conversation and other groups to make

56:05sure that the happenings within Onslow

56:08County

56:09that there's a platform for us to come

56:11together and discuss community needs,

56:13successes,

56:14and also solutions. So I just wanted to

56:17take the time to thank him for all the

56:19work that he does. He's kind of that

56:22person like me he just shows up and all

56:24of a sudden you see him.

56:26>> [laughter]

56:26>> But he's he's just

56:28so adamant on making sure people know

56:31what's going on and to him and Jen Smith

56:34I'm very grateful for them.

56:36And my final thing is I wanted to give a

56:40shout out to

56:42Bishop Will Smith for being my husband.

56:44That's all.

56:46>> [laughter]

56:49>> Top that, sir. Top that.

56:51>> Good luck.

56:55Well, um

56:56one of the things I'd like to

56:58person to give a shout out to is Denine

57:00Green. Uh she spent 40 years as a

57:03telecommunicator for us.

57:05Um and

57:07uh she retired

57:09this uh this this last 2 weeks.

57:11>> Good for her.

57:12>> And uh

57:13you know, she was a she was a staple and

57:16I don't know how many telecommunicators

57:18she trained. Uh she actually retired and

57:21came back and uh helped us out when we

57:24needed it the most and um I just think,

57:28you know, it it's good to see our

57:30employees that are so dedicated to

57:32making our city a better place

57:34and she was one of them. So

57:37um shout out to her. I hope she enjoys

57:40her retirement.

57:42>> Did a great job for us.

57:43>> Mhm.

57:44>> Um I would like to just mention um wow,

57:47let me just take this moment to

57:50just pause when Mr. Massie talked about

57:52this coming Friday. It's going to be the

57:5443rd anniversary of um

57:58the Beirut bombing that really impacted

58:01this city and Mrs. Martha Warren who

58:06with her class at Northwoods Park

58:09Middle School now, but when I was

58:11attending um she was actually my seventh

58:14grade physical science teacher and back

58:17then it was Northwoods Junior High

58:19School, the Dolphins.

58:21So um just listening to what we're about

58:26to embark upon on this Friday and

58:31how that really affected this community

58:35particularly if you were here. Um

58:39I was away in college at ECU and I

58:43remember my parents calling me and the

58:46first thing I wanted to do was get on

58:48the bus and come back home. I don't I

58:51didn't know what I was going to come

58:52for, but I just wanted to get on the bus

58:55and come back home, but of course my

58:57parents was like nope. Um we have it

59:01here. We just want you to know, but many

59:04families were affected both military and

59:08civilian in this community.

59:11And this coming Friday is going to be a

59:14very somber moment um

59:17for this committee

59:19and this city and what happened to our

59:23men that were serving. So taking a

59:27moment to pause and to remember those

59:29families both near and far away that

59:32will be descending upon the city of

59:34Jacksonville on this Friday and what

59:38this occasion is going to mean to them.

59:42Um

59:43when we looked at the Hispanic moment

59:46looking at those babies at Clyde Erwin

59:49Elementary School

59:51um

59:52it takes my mind back because one my

59:55father helped to build that school

59:56because my father was a brickmason.

59:59>> And that was the very

1:00:01institution that I began my formal

1:00:04education in Onslow County

1:00:07was Clyde Erwin.

1:00:09Because as Mr. Willingham can attest to

1:00:14and when I look at him

1:00:16um I see his mom and his dad and

1:00:22all of the civil rights

1:00:25that occurred in the city of

1:00:27Jacksonville.

1:00:28Because if it had not been for those

1:00:31individuals, our schools would not have

1:00:33been desegregated.

1:00:37And I was able to attend that school.

1:00:42And it's still standing.

1:00:44And the lives that that school has

1:00:48touched

1:00:49and formulated as a matter of fact, I

1:00:51started going there as a Head Start kid.

1:00:54Believe it or not.

1:00:56>> Head start strong.

1:00:58>> I guess I really did well.

1:01:00>> [laughter]

1:01:00>> But with that

1:01:02I want to piggyback off of um

1:01:05what Mary Phillips talked about with

1:01:07loving my city.

1:01:09That was an initiative I can remember

1:01:12about 10 years ago trickled down from

1:01:14the National League of Cities having all

1:01:18cities that belongs to um NLC to talk

1:01:22about the slogan of why you love your

1:01:24city so much and there can be so many

1:01:27reasons

1:01:29that we can think about as to why now in

1:01:33this world it looks like the love is not

1:01:36there. But when you take a moment and

1:01:39you look into the eyes of the children

1:01:44there is where that hope lies and

1:01:46hopefully they will grow up in a world

1:01:50where

1:01:51that mentality never changes. They don't

1:01:54look for the differences.

1:01:56They look for what unites and what holds

1:02:00them together and iron sharpening iron

1:02:04to make one

1:02:07walking in partnership along this life

1:02:10journey as opposed to in opposition of

1:02:14one another.

1:02:16I am just so hopeful

1:02:19for this council

1:02:21that there is unison.

1:02:23A transformational heart inside out but

1:02:28starting inside in because if you don't

1:02:32fix what's on the inside, it's going to

1:02:34be very difficult to project

1:02:37others to follow you on the outside.

1:02:40That completes my report.

1:02:41>> Thank you.

1:02:42>> Thank you.

1:02:43>> Therefore, Tim Edwards.

1:02:45>> Also had a good time at National Night

1:02:47Out. Was holding an umbrella in the

1:02:49photo that I was in. It was a little bit

1:02:51drippy but we had a good time. And then

1:02:53Councilwoman Smith and I both were able

1:02:55to attend the ribbon cutting and grand

1:02:58opening celebration for the Blue Star

1:03:00Families East Carolina chapter earlier

1:03:02this month which we're very happy to

1:03:04have that organization here representing

1:03:06military families and and helping them

1:03:09connect with

1:03:10resources and benefits and things that

1:03:12they need.

1:03:13Just sometimes just having someone who

1:03:15understands what it's like to pick your

1:03:17entire life up every 2 years and move it

1:03:19across the country or to some other

1:03:20place really can help you feel like you

1:03:23you're grounding and being welcomed home

1:03:25at the new station. So, glad to have

1:03:27that organization here helping us make

1:03:28our military families feel welcome.

1:03:31Um I was able to go to the ALC

1:03:33um um which is

1:03:35Now, let me see if I can get the name

1:03:36right. Advanced Leadership Corps with

1:03:38the School of Government. They have an

1:03:39alumni event every year along with their

1:03:41um training that they offer to local

1:03:43elected officials. It's an outstanding

1:03:44training. I I've recommended it to a

1:03:46friend. I know she's eyeballing it for

1:03:48the coming year, but I was able to go to

1:03:50the alumni um reunion and spend some

1:03:52time with leaders from across the state

1:03:54who've been through that program which

1:03:56was always a privilege to represent

1:03:57Jacksonville, but it's also a good time

1:03:58to just, you know, get input and

1:04:01feedback and comments and reconnect with

1:04:03folks from across our state.

1:04:05Um and then just as a community service

1:04:08announcement, um if you haven't already

1:04:10heard, the Onslow Victim Center is

1:04:11having a domestic violence vigil

1:04:13Thursday evening which if I'm correct is

1:04:162 nights away.

1:04:17>> Good time.

1:04:18>> Um at 6:30 p.m. at Riverwalk Park. So,

1:04:20if you're available to go to the

1:04:21domestic violence observation, it just,

1:04:23you know, recognizes the problem that

1:04:25still exists um

1:04:26and remembers those who have been lost

1:04:28in the fight against domestic violence.

1:04:30So, it's it's a solemn remembrance, but

1:04:32it's also a good reminder for those of

1:04:34us who are still here to keep our eyes

1:04:35open for others who may need help um and

1:04:37to do our best to help um people escape

1:04:40situations that are harmful to them and

1:04:41their children. So,

1:04:43if you can make it, I'll be there. Feel

1:04:45free to come join us.

1:04:47>> Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

1:04:48>> I was happy to be here. Y'all covered

1:04:50everything. Thank you.

1:04:51>> [laughter]

1:04:52>> Mr. Willingham.

1:04:54>> I guess I can't say anything. You said

1:04:55we covered everything.

1:04:56>> I think so. I don't think we left

1:04:58anything on turned.

1:04:59>> Okay. Let's see.

1:05:00>> I thought we found something.

1:05:01>> [laughter]

1:05:03>> Um I've gotten um

1:05:05concern expressed about pickleball

1:05:09uh at Kerr Street Rec, how the noise and

1:05:12and how late they play.

1:05:14Um

1:05:16I'm

1:05:17delighted to see the activity at Street

1:05:20I've always

1:05:22kind of advertised the the park and

1:05:24think it's a beautiful amenity that we

1:05:26have in our city.

1:05:27Um living downtown is a little different

1:05:30than a lot of the neighborhoods because

1:05:33uh

1:05:333:00 in the morning it could be a

1:05:35strange car parked on the street in

1:05:37front of my house or across the street.

1:05:40But that's downtown living and we um

1:05:43uh

1:05:44there's a degree of tolerance that comes

1:05:46with that.

1:05:47And um

1:05:5010:00 Saturday morning you could hear PA

1:05:54system or music system blasting from

1:05:57um Riverwalk Crossing all the way from

1:05:59Court Street.

1:06:00But that's okay because

1:06:03that's downtown living and and we like

1:06:05the benefits that that brings to the

1:06:07city.

1:06:08So sometimes um

1:06:11we like to give tolerance and receive

1:06:13it, too.

1:06:14Um so um

1:06:17it's good that

1:06:19people are using the recreation system

1:06:21whenever whenever I see kids out there

1:06:23and it could be late could be late at

1:06:25night. I just imagine other things

1:06:29that they could be doing that [music]

1:06:31would be destructive. And so um

1:06:34I I hope that we can um

1:06:37um embrace all of these benefits that we

1:06:41have from from from living downtown and

1:06:43promote downtown living but it it it

1:06:45does come with um

1:06:48uh

1:06:48a different environment.

1:06:51And um

1:06:53we may be considering uh the timing of

1:06:57the activities. I hope that we can

1:06:59maximize the participation opportunities

1:07:02for people and that's been the legacy of

1:07:06downtown for my

1:07:11a lot of years.

1:07:12>> [laughter]

1:07:13>> So, um I that's the way it has been and

1:07:17I I really encourage people

1:07:20if they're going to buy in the area or

1:07:21move in the area to spend some time in

1:07:24the area and experience and see what

1:07:25it's like before you make that kind of

1:07:27investment in an in an area. But, um

1:07:30what I'd like to do is hear from the

1:07:33pickleball community. Um

1:07:36they're they're um

1:07:39a wholesome community and it is um I

1:07:42don't want to call it a trend, but it's

1:07:44popular everywhere in

1:07:45in the country and um so

1:07:48we want to encourage activities. I

1:07:49certainly do. So, I'd like to hear from

1:07:51that community. You know, you can email

1:07:54me at the city address.

1:07:56That's it for me.

1:07:58>> Okay.

1:07:59Sounds good.

1:08:00>> [laughter]

1:08:01>> With that, I would entertain a motion.

1:08:05>> No, that's good.

1:08:06>> [laughter]

1:08:06>> About pickleball?

1:08:07>> Pickleball.

1:08:08>> Okay.

1:08:08>> So move, sir.

1:08:09>> All right.

1:08:10>> Have a motion.

1:08:11>> Second motion.

1:08:11>> Motion to adjourn, second.

1:08:13>> All right.

1:08:13>> All those in favor signify by saying

1:08:15aye.

1:08:15>> Aye.

1:08:16>> All opposed.

1:08:17>> Good night, everyone.

1:08:17>> Good job.

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