2026-06-22 - Special Town Council Meeting

Summary

Built from the approved minutes first, then the auto-generated video captions for added detail. Caption names and numbers may be misheard; the minutes are the official record.

Official minutes

  • Special meeting called for 4:30 PM in the Town Hall Council Chambers; Mayor Bennett called it to order at 4:34 PM. Present: Mayor Pro Tem Horn, Lane, Ring, Woodcock, Town Manager Dearmin, Town Clerk Lynette Hendrick, Fire Chief Smith, Finance Administrator Watson and Collins.
  • Closed session under NCGS 143-318.11(a)(4) (property acquisition) entered at 4:35 PM on a motion by Horn, seconded by Lane, unanimous. The council reconvened in open session at 4:44 PM; no action was taken in closed session.
  • Ordinance 896, amending the 2025-26 budget for election costs ($20,118.21 in county invoices against $13,500 budgeted, the Town's first cycle with partisan elections): moved by Lane, seconded by Ring, unanimous. See November 2026 Municipal Election.
  • Forsyth County Sheriff's Office contract revision, a reduction of $8,670 because the night shift differential will not be approved for FY 2026-27: moved by Woodcock, seconded by Horn, unanimous. See Sheriff Office Contract Revision.
  • Resolution 912 superseding Resolution 901 on the data center: the manager reported the developer's written commitment to petition for annexation. Lane moved, Horn seconded; Woodcock voted in opposition and it passed three to one. See Project Iron Spur Data Center.
  • Adjourned at 5:16 PM on a motion by Horn, seconded by Lane.

Added detail from the video captions

  • Special meeting of the Town Council on June 22, 2026, called to order at 4:34 p.m. (29:07) and adjourned about 1:11:48.
  • Terry M. Bennett presided; Town Attorney Hugh Campbell was absent (family event) but available by phone.
  • Roughly 42 minutes of meeting, most of it on the data center resolution, which passed 3-1.

Time on topic (from transcript timestamps; approximate, includes side talk and audience noise):

Topic Minutes Share
Project Iron Spur Data Center 20 47%
Closed session (real property acquisition) 10 23%
Public Trust and Transparency 5 12%
Fiscal year 2025-26 budget amendment (election costs) 4 9%
Sheriff's Office contract revision 2 5%
Call to order, attorney note, adjournment 2 4%

Call to order and closed session

29:07-39:59

  • Eddie Horn moved, and Mark Lane seconded, to enter closed session under G.S. 143-318.11, as the captions describe it, to discuss a potential real property acquisition (the minutes cite subsection (a)(4), property acquisition). The voice vote was in favor (the captions do not capture each vote).
  • On return the mayor said no action was taken in closed session. The property is not identified in the captions. The stretch from about 30:00 to 39:30 is room noise only.

Fiscal year 2025-26 budget amendment, Ordinance 896

40:25-44:40

  • Homer Dearmin said final Forsyth County Board of Elections invoices arrived June 10 totaling about $20,118 for the election cycle, against $13,500 budgeted. The captions give the primary at about $15,411 and the general election at about $4,707, so the town was roughly $6,618 over. The captions call the primary "March 2025"; the year is probably misheard.
  • He said the county's switch to partisan municipal elections under a local act raised the odds of a primary and the town budgeted more than usual. Doing nothing would be a Local Government Commission budget violation, so he proposed adding $6,700 from fund balance to the elections line.
  • Motion by Mark Lane to adopt the ordinance, second by Anita K. Ring; approved unanimously. This is background for the November 2026 Municipal Election.

Forsyth County Sheriff's Office contract revision

44:43-46:24

  • The manager said the county told the town June 11 that the contract the council adopted June 8 had to be revised: the county commissioners did not approve a proposed night-shift differential, cutting the contract by $8,670 (personnel and percentage-based benefit costs). No other changes.
  • Motion by Michael Woodcock, second by Eddie Horn; approved by voice vote.

Project Iron Spur Data Center

46:36-57:46, 59:21-1:06:10, 1:09:54-1:11:15

  • The manager read the item: after Resolution 901 (April 2026, opposing the project), the town received written commitments from the developer's representatives (captioned "DRS group") to voluntarily petition for annexation of the project into Rural Hall and to put that commitment in a legally enforceable written agreement. Draft Resolution 912 would supersede 901, acknowledge the commitment, withdraw the town's formal opposition, express support while reserving the right to keep evaluating impacts and benefits, direct town representatives to discuss annexation, fiscal impacts, community benefits, infrastructure and environmental matters, and preserve the council's ability to act later. He made no recommendation either way.
  • Asked whether the draft commits the town to work with the fire department, the manager said "public safety" in the draft is meant to include fire and EMS.
  • Mayor's case (his statements): he said the project has changed except that it is still a data center across the road: three buildings, not four; larger setbacks; no razor-wire fencing. He said the land will be sold (he put it at about 95%) whether or not it becomes a data center, that the county commissioners decide the rezoning, that if the developer closes and the land is annexed the town would take in 130-plus acres of land value, and that without annexation the town gets nothing. He warned the land could instead be rezoned for 300-plus starter homes that would not pay for town services, and cited Winston-Salem's mayor as saying the city has plenty of water. He said he got about 50 emails running roughly two to one in one direction (the captions are unclear which; context suggests in favor of keeping Resolution 901).
  • Annexation pledge: a speaker (not identified in the captions) said the developer's pledge had been reviewed, is binding and is "a contract, so to speak," while noting the town attorney was not present. That is the speaker's description; the agreement itself is not shown in the captions.
  • Council members' reasons (speakers not labeled in the captions): one member said the only reason for the vote was financial, that it is the only way to protect the town if the county approves, that the member would pass on every message sent against the project to the commissioners, and that a vote for 912 is not a call saying the town supports it. A later speaker, referring to what Councilwoman Ring had said, said the council needs options and does not want to be left "holding the bag" if the commissioners approve. This member cited rising service costs, the choice between cutting services and raising taxes, an unfinished county fire district contract that "doesn't look favorable" to the town, and a claim that the project would help lower taxes. The member also said state Senate Bill 730 on data centers, if enacted, would not require the developer to change its plans.
  • Opposing view: Michael Woodcock read two points from the city-county planning board: the proposal is inconsistent with the Rural Hall area plan update's mixed-use recommendation and with the 2045 recommendation to protect neighborhoods from nonresidential encroachment. He said nothing had changed since the last meeting, so he was not changing his position. The audience applauded. The mayor noted the planning board vote on the county rezoning was 7-2.
  • Vote: motion to adopt Resolution 912 (mover not identified in the captions), seconded; discussion was called for and none followed. Voice vote: three in favor, one opposed, so adopted 3-1. The mayor does not vote except in a tie. The captions do not name the individual votes; Woodcock's stated position matches the one no vote, and Eddie Horn, Mark Lane and Anita K. Ring make up the rest of the council.
  • The county commissioners, not the town, decide the rezoning. See the county page Project Iron Spur Data Center Rezoning (F-1669).

Public Trust and Transparency

57:48-59:21, 1:06:10-1:09:54

  • During the data center discussion an audience member challenged the mayor on transparency. He replied that he learned of the project in a late-night call, held a town hall within days, and has held seven meetings, two of them at the public library, and invited emails; he said the opposition had dominated until the last meeting, when supporters also spoke.
  • Audience members repeatedly spoke out, clapped and cheered. The mayor ruled them out of order, said raised hands do not give a comment period because this is not public comment, and threatened to clear the room. A council member told the audience to get its facts, and an audience member said the council was misrepresenting.
  • Closing remarks (the mayor): he said he had tried to stay neutral because the council represents all 3,500 residents, "not just a few that want to be loud," and that at the planning board meeting most of those present did not live in the town. An audience member answered "Everyone votes against you." This is the claim of those speakers; the captions do not show who they are.

Adjournment

1:11:19-1:11:48

  • Eddie Horn moved to adjourn, seconded by Mark Lane; approved.

Further issues from the minutes

Sources

Video

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Transcript

These are auto-generated captions; names and numbers may be misheard.

Transcript

24:14We were talking about a second ago.

24:55What's up?

25:25This is not

26:25Is that why?

26:44I'm

26:48sure

26:49there

27:05But they are

28:46>> [snorts]

29:07>> like to call this meeting of the uh

29:09Royal Hall Town Council special meeting

29:12to order at 4:34.

29:18First item uh

29:21to entertain a motion that the council

29:24enter

29:25into close session

29:27general statute 1343-31811

29:35>> parenthesis a parenthesis 5 to discuss

29:37and provide direction to staff regarding

29:39the negotiation of the price and other

29:41material terms related to a potential

29:43real property acquisition.

29:46All right, we have a motion by Mayor Pro

29:48Tim Horn. Do I have a second?

29:51>> Second.

29:52>> Second by Councilman Lane. All those in

29:54favor?

29:55>> I

29:56>> I

29:56>> Okay.

30:37Hey,

31:43I feel like

32:17I have

32:22that way.

32:48Stop.

32:52Stop.

33:23Thank you.

33:35He told me to be here.

34:16That's like

34:44Don't like to be on

34:51We have

35:14where is that?

35:34But I

36:17Oh yeah.

36:33social.

37:20Oh yeah.

37:36So you look

37:49>> Yeah. Yeah.

38:00She doesn't want to see that.

38:24Not sure there's water.

38:47Oh yeah.

39:25Okay.

39:59Okay. Um, there was no action taken in

40:02closed session, so we're back on to our

40:05special meeting. Also, I want to uh go

40:08ahead and let you know that Hugh

40:10Campbell, our town attorney, is not

40:12present today. He had a family emergency

40:14or a family event that he had to go to,

40:18but he is available for uh a call if I

40:21need him or we need him.

40:25All right. Uh attachment one, fiscal

40:28year 2025 26 budget amendment. Uh

40:33>> thank you,

40:33>> manager. Council, as you're aware, back

40:36on uh June 8th at your regular meeting,

40:39we had a budget amendment for several

40:41items um to close out the current fiscal

40:44year. However, on June 10th, we received

40:48the final election invoices from the

40:49Forcy County uh Board of Elections,

40:52which totaled $20,118

40:55for 2025 election related expenses. Um,

40:59when the county switched to a partisan

41:02election under the local act in the

41:05North Carolina General Assembly, we were

41:08informed last year that we could

41:09anticipate additional election related

41:11expenses given the potential for a

41:14primary. So, we did budget more than we

41:16normally budget for elections. We

41:18budgeted $13,500

41:21for elections in the current year

41:22budget. The general election expense

41:25totaled $4,76.73.

41:29So if we'd only had the general

41:30election, we would have saved around

41:33$9,000.

41:34However, uh because of the multiple uh

41:38candidates from multiple parties, we

41:41were required to have a primary election

41:42in March 2025.

41:45And the invoice that we received on June

41:4710th for that primary election was for

41:49$15,41148.

41:53So the 1541148 plus the $470673

41:58totaled $20,11821

42:02which is higher than our budgeted amount

42:05of 13,500

42:07by a total of $6,61821

42:11because elections are not budgeted

42:13within a department. If we did nothing

42:16it would constitute a budget violation

42:17under the North Carolina local

42:19government budget and fiscal control

42:21act. So, it is necessary to allocate

42:23additional resources to cover the total

42:26election expense. I have proposed a

42:29budget amendment for you that is

42:30attached in your agenda packet that

42:33would allocate an additional $6,700

42:36to our elections line item and we would

42:39pull that from appropriated fund

42:40balance. So, it would increase your

42:43total uh fiscal year budget from

42:456,183987

42:47to 6,18987.

42:51It is a small amount. Uh but if we did

42:53nothing, we would be subject to a

42:55violation notice from the LGC and

42:58required to identify that as a financial

43:00performance indicator. So I figure it's

43:03worth the work to amend the budget to

43:05reflect the actual election cost. So our

43:07recommendation is to adopt the proposed

43:09budget amendment.

43:12>> Okay. Any questions to um town manager?

43:18>> None.

43:23Um,

43:25so the primary cost, the actual cost of

43:29the primary was how much, Homer?

43:32>> $15,41148.

43:35>> The primary

43:36>> for the March 2025 primary election.

43:40I did um send counsel and I think

43:42everybody saw that because we've had

43:44some individual discussions around that

43:46breakdown which I emailed to you all

43:48back on June 10th along with a copy of

43:50the invoices from Forcy County. But for

43:52county did provide a thorough breakdown

43:54of the election expenses for both the

43:56primary [snorts] and general election.

43:59Okay,

44:02any comments?

44:04Seeing none, I'd entertain a motion to

44:07do the fiscal year 20 2025 through 2026

44:12budget amendment

44:14for

44:16the election.

44:16>> Mayor, I'll make a motion to adopt

44:18ordinance 896, amendment to the fiscal

44:21year 202526 budget.

44:24>> All right, we have a motion by

44:25Councilman Lane.

44:26>> Second.

44:27>> Second by Councilwoman Ring. Any further

44:31discussion?

44:33Seeing none, all those in favor?

44:35>> I

44:35>> I

44:36>> I

44:36>> Okay, unanimous.

44:40We'll move back to town manager Dearman

44:43to uh for Scythe County Sheriff's Office

44:45contract revision.

44:47>> Thank you, Mayor. This is another item

44:49that should look very familiar because

44:51you just adopted this contract back on

44:54June 8th. Uh however, on June 11th, we

44:58were informed by the county that the

45:01town would need to sign an updated

45:03agreement to reflect a reduction in the

45:05overall cost of the sheriff's office

45:06contract due to the county commissioners

45:09not approving a proposed night shift

45:11differential in the proposed contract

45:14for uh municipal law enforcement

45:16services. When they eliminated that

45:20night shift differential, that also

45:21resulted in a reduction in the personnel

45:23costs. um and any of the corresponding

45:26percentagebased benefit costs which

45:29resulted in an overall reduction to the

45:31contract of $8,670.

45:34Um given that I would advise and

45:36recommend that the council approved the

45:38updated agreement with the precise

45:40county sheriff's office and I'll I'll

45:42reiterate that there are no additional

45:44changes to the contract just those

45:46reductions in benefit allocations.

45:51Any um questions,

45:54comments?

45:58I would entertain a motion to accept the

46:01Force County Sheriff's Office contract

46:03revision.

46:06>> I'll make the motion.

46:08>> Motion by Councilman Woodcock.

46:11>> I'll second.

46:12>> Second by [clears throat] Mayor Prom

46:13Horn. Any further discussion? Seeing

46:17none, all those in favor? I

46:22Okay.

46:33Next item

46:36would be attachment three. [snorts]

46:39Um the data center discussion. I'm going

46:42to have uh town manager Dearman to

46:47read what we're here for.

46:50Thank you, Mayor Council. Following the

46:53adoption of resolution 901 in April of

46:562026, the town received written

46:59commitments from representatives of the

47:00DRS group expressing the developers

47:02intention to voluntarily position

47:04petition for annexation of the project

47:07into the town of Rural Hall and to

47:09memorialize that commitment through

47:11legally enforcable means or a written

47:13agreement.

47:14The attached draft resolution uh

47:17prepared at the or with the

47:19understanding that a majority of the

47:21council supports this direction is

47:24intended to provide a framework for

47:25council discussion in light of that

47:28additional information that has been

47:29received.

47:31The proposed draft resolution 912 would

47:34supersede resolution number 901

47:37and acknowledge the developer's written

47:39annexation commitment. It would withdraw

47:42the town's formal opposition to the

47:43project and express the council's

47:45support for the project while reserving

47:47the right to continue evaluating

47:49potential impacts and benefits. It would

47:52direct town representatives to engage in

47:54discussions regarding annexation, fiscal

47:56impacts, community benefits,

47:58infrastructure, environmental

48:00considerations, and other matters

48:02affecting the town of Rural Hall. And it

48:05would preserve the council's ability to

48:06take future action should circumstances

48:09warrant.

48:10As this is a council um driven or

48:14directed initiative, I am not making a

48:17recommendation either way other than

48:19that you discuss the impact of the new

48:20information that you have received and

48:23determine your position as a town

48:24council as outlined in the proposed

48:27draft resolution 912.

48:31Okay. [clears throat]

48:33All right. We're going to open this up

48:35for discussion before I ask for any

48:37motions or anything. Um um I'm just

48:42going to start I'll start out with a

48:44couple of things and why are we here? Um

48:48when there's a res uh already a

48:50resolution 901 was put out. Resolution

48:54901 was uh adopted at our uh very first

48:58meeting after uh we found out about the

49:01data center. This project, in my

49:04opinion, has changed just about

49:06everything except two things. It's still

49:09a data center and it's located across

49:11the road. Everything else pretty much in

49:15that original plan has been changed to a

49:18pretty good extent of different changes.

49:21Brought this back for the council to

49:24consider.

49:25uh

49:27several um and I'll turn it over to

49:30y'all in just a second, but just things

49:32that have come up. Um

49:35it started out and the news is still

49:38reporting that it's a four building. It

49:40is a three building. Um they've uh

49:44increased the setbacks. They've changed

49:47the way the fencing and I'm just going

49:48to hit some of the highlights and we can

49:50get into more discussion because every

49:53council member has had the opportunity

49:55and has taken that opportunity to look

49:58at all the revised plans and ask any

50:00questions of the developers that

50:03[snorts] uh if they had questions on the

50:05new um uh architectural re renderings

50:09and the type of fencing. It has been

50:12stated that that it was going to be

50:15razor wire fencing. There is no razor

50:17wire fencing. That was probably never an

50:20intent, but that was one of the big

50:22things that's come up. But as we

50:25discuss, I'll bring up more items as um

50:29as we get into this discussion. Want to

50:31make sure that everybody's got the

50:33opportunity to look over it and ask

50:37anything you'd like. Okay. I'll turn it

50:41over to the

50:43>> So

50:45the section on

50:47on

50:50the transportation utility public safety

50:54[snorts] service delivery considerate is

50:56that part of the for the fire department

51:00anything in here

51:02specifically given the authority for him

51:04to work you know

51:08that part of it. Do we have anything

51:10about

51:13any commitments to work with the fire

51:15department?

51:15>> That's that's what that language is

51:17intended to convey.

51:18>> Okay, that's what I thought.

51:21>> Public safety. [clears throat] When you

51:22say public safety, a lot of folks assume

51:24you're talking about law enforcement,

51:26but that encompasses fire and EMS as

51:28well.

51:28>> That's what I wanted to [clears throat]

51:29confirm when I read it.

51:32>> Okay.

51:53>> [cough]

51:53[clears throat]

51:56>> again. Um, why it's quiet, I'll go ahead

51:59and throw out some of the things. I I

52:01say there's uh only two things that's um

52:05actually not changed. Uh one of the

52:07things we know that property is going to

52:09be sold. Uh we know it's uh uh feel

52:15pretty much 95% sure it's going to be

52:17sold whether it's a data center or not.

52:20Here's uh some of my thoughts on that.

52:23Uh and I have first of all I want to

52:26recognize and thank everyone because I

52:28have not responded to the 50some emails

52:31I received. Uh but I will tell you that

52:34the emails are 2 to one.

52:39[snorts]

52:39Two to one and I've got them all right

52:42here and I'm sure I'll get a public

52:43records request for them. So I've

52:45already got them printed out for you. Uh

52:48two to one. when I state say two to one

52:50that's for the resolution and the other

52:54is against the uh change in resolution.

52:59Some of the things that um um has come

53:01up um we know the land's going to be

53:05sold.

53:06We know that uh right now uh we have the

53:10commitment that it would be annexed into

53:13the town of Royal Hall. What does that

53:16do for the town of Royal Hall? a lot of

53:18things. Uh my last mayor's meeting and I

53:21even um it was quoted by me and I did

53:24say that if we're if they do get this

53:27project and it wasn't annexed, Royal

53:30Hall would get nothing out of it. And

53:32that is true. That goes to the county.

53:35But if it's annexed into the town of

53:38Royal Hall, then um uh the way this is

53:42written up at closing

53:46uh if the project is approved. Now,

53:49let's keep in mind,

53:51the county commissioners is the ones

53:53that going to make a decision on whether

53:55this is going to be reszoned. But if it

53:57is reszone from the county commissioners

54:00and they uh they buy that property at

54:03the closing, we will u uh be meeting to

54:08uh accept that land as a part of Royal

54:12Hall. So I've been questioned several

54:16times, well this thing's going to be

54:18built out. It's going to be years. Royal

54:19Hall's not going to they're not going to

54:21get anything. Well, the land does have a

54:24value. I can't tell you what the value

54:25is going to be. That'll be decided after

54:27it's sold, but the town would reap the

54:30benefits of the 130 plus acres of land

54:34that would come into rule hall.

54:38If this is not does not go through,

54:43I'm pretty confident in saying we know

54:46it's going to be developed.

54:48And I'm I'm going to steal a comment

54:50that the u I think it was the chairman

54:53of the force county planning board said

54:56and I've said it years and years and I I

54:59may even say he took that idea from me

55:01but you u uh the comment was be careful

55:06of what you wish for

55:09and I've used that many of times. I've

55:12also uh used another comment um if you

55:16don't grow you will die.

55:19And um

55:22my concerns and I think some of them on

55:25the council and and I'm not going to

55:27speak for you. The concern that uh

55:31there's going to be that land is great

55:33for development of starter homes just

55:37like Chandler Place is across 52.

55:41It would not be anything to reszone it

55:43to put 300 plus homes over there. Now,

55:49uh, would it be in the town limits of

55:51Rule Hall?

55:53That would be a decision that the

55:54council would make, but I can tell you

55:57from our, uh, 300 and some homes,

56:01servicing them is not going to be a tax

56:03benefit for this town.

56:07So, with that being said, um

56:12>> well, the property is going to be sold

56:16and

56:18and now the property is going to be sold

56:21and and and I'm I'm just throwing this

56:24out to the council and it's the

56:26developer's right to build whatever. It

56:28is a mixeduse and we can talk about the

56:31count the planning board. It was um what

56:357 to2 and that doesn't surprise me

56:39because they were looking at the legacy

56:41plan. The legacy plan was planned uh uh

56:44goes back a lot before you even talked

56:46about data centers before you talked

56:48about loves and stuff over here. Um

56:54I've looked at the property.

56:57People say why is that that's too nice

57:00of a land for a data center.

57:03It has a sub power station. It has

57:06higher powered transmission lines. It

57:08has the water coming. One of the biggest

57:11concerns is water and power. The city of

57:14Winston Salem, the mayor quoted and uh

57:18that the city of Winston Salem has

57:20plenty of water to sail. Duke Energy

57:24will have to make the decision on how

57:26much power has come.

57:28I've been a said that the developer

57:31can't answer questions. Well, I kind of

57:34understand that also. He can't tell us

57:37who's going to be there because he

57:39doesn't know.

57:41The same as I've got a building in

57:43Durham for lease right now. I don't know

57:45who my tenants going to be in next

57:47month.

57:48>> But you get to choose it.

57:50>> But um you should be demanding

57:53transparency.

57:54>> Transparency. I'm about as transparent

57:56as I can get. That's why I'm standing

57:58here. Well, the biggest laugh of all I

58:02always hear. But anyway,

58:05um

58:07it's more it's about as transparent. Let

58:09me tell you in April, how did you find

58:13out about the data center?

58:15>> I got a letter.

58:18Well, you were late because we we put

58:20out a notice very quickly because at

58:228:30 one night I received the call. By

58:25the Monday of the next uh week, three

58:28days later, I uh created a town hall

58:32meeting,

58:34a mayor's town hall meeting. I had two

58:36meetings that month plus a council.

58:38There have been seven meetings to hear

58:42your opinions

58:44>> and um

58:47I I've sat in the seven meetings

58:50and up until the last one it was the

58:53same thing every meeting except the last

58:57meeting the ones that were for it did to

59:01come out and we started hearing other

59:04comments. up to that it was pretty much

59:07a one-sided.

59:09It was put out

59:12to send emails. I have the emails.

59:17I don't know how much more transparent

59:19you want.

59:21>> The developer the developer has put this

59:25out to us.

59:27If the county decides to do it and we do

59:31nothing, we get nothing.

59:34So that's my spill on it until some of

59:37the council wants to speak on it.

59:44>> I think y'all done very good

59:46representing. I've seen that they listen

59:49to the people.

59:51I I saw it at the uh zoning uh meeting a

59:55couple of weeks ago.

59:57>> Do not sell yourselves short. The only

1:00:00reason I am placing this vote has to do

1:00:03with financial. And if they don't

1:00:05approve it, this goes away. But it is

1:00:08the only way to protect us with the

1:00:12money. And I I you do have a right to

1:00:15disagree. But I don't get a vote. And

1:00:17that's the unfortunate thing. and I will

1:00:21share every message you have sent

1:00:24against it. I promise to the

1:00:26commissioners. I have talked to them.

1:00:29But all I'm doing is making sure that

1:00:32what are we going to do after on the

1:00:3431st if it if it's gone through.

1:00:38We're stuck. But y'all are the ones.

1:00:41They listen to you. I know that you do

1:00:45not want it. All we're trying to do is

1:00:48in case at least we're getting something

1:00:51off of it. If not, it's going to be

1:00:54there. And whether we do this or not,

1:00:56the commissioners are not, they're

1:00:59paying attention to everything, but they

1:01:02are definitely not going to say, "Oh,

1:01:04Ruh Hall's in support. It's a done

1:01:06deal." That's not how it works. But you

1:01:08people, I've seen how you've come

1:01:11together and you do what you got to do.

1:01:15This is not has anything to do I'm not

1:01:19calling them and saying I'm for it now.

1:01:22We're doing the financial best thing for

1:01:24this town and that's all it is.

1:01:28>> Okay. All right. Um and

1:01:31>> uh I am for the people I

1:01:34>> need don't

1:01:38uh

1:01:40>> we're

1:01:42um

1:01:45>> okay we're going to move forward. There

1:01:48is no discussion at this meeting. Um

1:01:50>> I'd like to make it my remarks if that's

1:01:54>> the discussion is with this council.

1:01:59Go ahead,

1:02:00>> Michael.

1:02:00>> Um, two bullet points brought up at the

1:02:03city county planning board. The proposal

1:02:06is inconsistent with Roy Hall area

1:02:08updates recommendation for mixeduse

1:02:09development of the subject property. The

1:02:12request is inconsistent with the

1:02:15recommendations for 2045 to protect

1:02:18neighborhoods [applause]

1:02:21from inappropriate nonresidential

1:02:24encroachment.

1:02:25>> Yes. [snorts] And as you said yourself,

1:02:27nothing's changed to the last meeting,

1:02:28so I'm not changing.

1:02:32[applause]

1:02:38>> Okay.

1:02:41>> Mayor.

1:02:43>> Yeah.

1:02:44>> All right. [applause]

1:02:44>> If I may, [cheering]

1:02:46I'm I'm sure there's not a person in in

1:02:48this room that wishes we didn't have

1:02:49this dilemma ahead of us. Me being one

1:02:53of them.

1:02:55But I I think even as I had stated when

1:02:58we voted on the first resolution, we

1:03:01need to have options not knowing how

1:03:03this will go since we do not have that

1:03:05final determination.

1:03:08As Councilwoman Ring said, I don't want

1:03:11to sit here by chance that the

1:03:15commissioners for foresight county

1:03:16approve it, leaving us holding the bag,

1:03:20not receiving anything in return. And

1:03:24that's not saying they're going to

1:03:25approve it or not. We don't know.

1:03:28But we also have to realize the state

1:03:31that the county is in financially.

1:03:34And you also have to realize that's

1:03:36affecting the town of Ro Hall as well.

1:03:39The cost of everything. Cost of us

1:03:41providing services to the town is

1:03:45consistently going up. The only way to

1:03:49address that is to cut services andor

1:03:54raise taxes. I don't think any one of

1:03:57you in the town of Royal Hall want to do

1:03:59either one. I don't.

1:04:02>> And then um the the also on the table is

1:04:06a new contract for the fire district

1:04:07that foresight county is working on that

1:04:11is still yet to be determined and

1:04:12finalized.

1:04:15It doesn't look favorable to the town of

1:04:18Rural Hall

1:04:20to continue the level of service we're

1:04:22providing not only to the town of Ro

1:04:25Hall but to the fire district

1:04:28once again. Do we raise taxes? Do we cut

1:04:31back services? These are all things that

1:04:33are if not happening today, they will

1:04:36happen in the very near future. it will

1:04:38happen anyway.

1:04:39>> So, in one respect,

1:04:41>> the money that we potentially stand to

1:04:45receive

1:04:46>> from a data center being across the

1:04:48street would assist in a lot of those

1:04:52issues

1:04:53to help the town survive.

1:04:57>> The um Okay.

1:05:01>> All right.

1:05:04the

1:05:05>> has anyone uh we have the SB730 Senate

1:05:10bill that's uh passed the house went

1:05:13through the Senate and is back in the

1:05:14house to be passed that I don't know if

1:05:17y'all are familiar with that bill but it

1:05:19is addressing data centers and all the

1:05:22guidelines that have to be uh the state

1:05:25uh once that goes passed it will become

1:05:28effective immediately. I've asked point

1:05:30blank to the developers, where do they

1:05:34stand if that bill is passed?

1:05:37They are right dead in it. They will not

1:05:39have to make any changes to uh to be in

1:05:43line with what the state is requiring.

1:05:45So that's a that's a point to keep up.

1:05:48Um, also the um

1:05:55>> our community

1:05:57>> the road the the land across the road is

1:06:02outside of our town limits and I and uh

1:06:08[applause]

1:06:10>> well you're clapping now but you weren't

1:06:13clapping last year when we raised taxes

1:06:17And

1:06:21>> uh I'm telling you here, this project

1:06:25will help lower taxes in this town.

1:06:30>> And um

1:06:36>> well,

1:06:37>> and then I would I would I would advise

1:06:40y'all to get your facts before

1:06:47I'm I'm going to tell you.

1:06:52>> Hey,

1:06:54>> I'm going to call this to order. You're

1:06:56out of order. If this meeting will

1:06:59continue, we I will call the vote here.

1:07:01I'm I'm trying to discuss this with the

1:07:03council. This is going to be a council's

1:07:06decision.

1:07:08>> Um,

1:07:11>> let me tell you. say, let I'm just going

1:07:13to uh and I'm not going to get back to

1:07:15answering questions. I said our legal

1:07:17council wasn't here. This has been

1:07:19reviewed. It is a binding. It will it is

1:07:23uh a contract. so uh to speak. Um

1:07:28>> let me tell you, like I said, I have

1:07:31spent a lot of time, a lot of hours,

1:07:34and I I'm not going to argue with with

1:07:38you about it because this is the

1:07:40council's decision.

1:07:42>> Okay.

1:07:46>> Who here?

1:07:49>> I I was not there and it was

1:07:52misrepresented.

1:07:54All right, I'm going to clear the room.

1:07:57Have you ever had a room cleared?

1:07:59>> I'm I telling you.

1:08:03>> I'm You listen. You listen.

1:08:07>> Okay.

1:08:09>> All right.

1:08:11No, I don't. Raising hands does not get

1:08:14a comment period. This is not public

1:08:16comments.

1:08:26Okay,

1:08:29I just want to mention one other thing

1:08:31and uh to the council. I've heard at a

1:08:35lot of our meetings and like I said,

1:08:37I've been uh we've had seven meetings.

1:08:39There was two at the u at the public

1:08:43library. So, there's been a lot of

1:08:45opportunity to voice opinions, voice

1:08:48concerns. I've received the emails and

1:08:50I'm uh got them all here. I know y'all

1:08:53have gotten a lot of emails. It was um I

1:08:57I had to actually call uh someone and

1:09:00ask them what in the world am I getting

1:09:02all these emails for. I didn't realize

1:09:04it was posted online to send all of us

1:09:07emails. But we did get them. And I hope

1:09:09you've had an opportunity to read them.

1:09:12Uh, and I've said all along, I said it

1:09:14at the first meeting, I would try to

1:09:16stay neutral in this because I have to

1:09:18represent and this council has has to

1:09:21represent every citizens in this town,

1:09:24not not just a few that want to be loud.

1:09:29Um,

1:09:31and I'm I'm

1:09:34You can say whatever you want. I The

1:09:36town has 3500

1:09:39residents.

1:09:41>> Okay. Everyone votes against you.

1:09:43>> Well, and that's fine. And you know

1:09:45what? Work on it.

1:09:48>> Um, no, I'm not selling out.

1:09:51>> I'm not selling out. Okay.

1:09:54>> All right.

1:09:57>> Yes. If you live in the town

1:10:00>> All right. If you let

1:10:12[laughter]

1:10:14>> Okay. All right. Well, I'm glad you

1:10:18actually I'm glad you did have that

1:10:19stand up and and at the uh planning

1:10:22board meeting at that majority of the

1:10:24people there did not live in the town of

1:10:27Royal Hall. And we know it. You know it

1:10:29as well as I do. Okay. I am going to uh

1:10:33um I'm going to ask for entertain a

1:10:36motion. I'm going to entertain a motion

1:10:40to move forward.

1:10:44>> Mayor, I move to make a motion to move

1:10:47to adopt resolution 912.

1:10:51>> We got a motion. We have a second.

1:10:54>> Second.

1:10:54>> I have a second. Is there any

1:10:56discussion?

1:10:59Further discussion

1:11:01seeing none. All those in favor signify

1:11:04by saying I.

1:11:05>> I. I.

1:11:06>> All opposed.

1:11:08>> I.

1:11:08>> So that was 3 to one. [applause]

1:11:15>> All right. That's

1:11:19>> all right. I'd entertain a motion to

1:11:21adjurnn.

1:11:22>> Make a motion to adjurnn. Motion to

1:11:23adjurnn by Councilman or Mayor Pro Tim

1:11:27Horn.

1:11:27>> Second.

1:11:28>> Second by Councilman Lane. All those in

1:11:30favor

1:11:30>> I

1:11:44app.

1:11:48>> Oh.