2026-07-13 - Town Council

00:10My walker.

00:11I Whitney.

00:12Whitney.

00:16My microphone won't cut off.

00:22Mhm.

00:22I know it won't cut off.

00:26>> How are you, Mark?

00:27>> I'm doing well.

00:28How about yourself?

00:29>> I'm doing good.

00:30>> We got a new folder.

00:31>> Can you use that now? You know, off.

00:34>> It would have been nice having a little

00:35reprieve from the heat the last day or

00:37so.

00:37>> Yeah, and then the rain.

00:38>> Yeah, it was going to do more than that,

00:40but it was a nice steady rain, so that

00:41was nice.

00:48Broke it already.

00:49>> Well, it won't turn off.

00:53>> Same thing you told me.

00:56>> Well, yours go on and off?

00:58>> Yeah, mine works.

00:59>> And on, okay.

01:01>> Well, I'll do

01:01>> Your on and off, cool.

01:03>> Yep, it's good.

01:06Hold your finger on it for a second.

01:11Mhm, both of them.

01:14>> I don't mind.

01:15>> It's on, but it's sensitive.

01:16>> Mhm.

01:16>> They just really want to hear you.

01:20>> I don't like that because I

01:22I

01:25>> Well, then things you put your hand in

01:26and the nails go up and down.

01:28>> Yeah.

01:29>> You know what I'm talking about?

01:54>> And this sensor is too.

01:56No, it's on, But you can't cut it off.

02:55Let me know.

04:39>> I'd like to call this meeting of the

04:40Rural Hall Town Council to order at 7:00

04:43p.m.

04:46We'll start out with the pledge of

04:47allegiance by clerk Hendrick and please

04:51remain standing

04:53for a moment of silence.

05:00>> I pledge allegiance to the flag

05:02of the United States of America

05:05and to the republic for which it stands,

05:08one nation under God, indivisible, with

05:12liberty and justice for all.

05:34>> You may be seated.

05:40Go over some announcements first. Splash

05:43Day will be July 31st

05:47at 1:00 to 3:00

05:49at Covington Park.

05:53National Night Out is August the 4th at

05:57Covington Park from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

06:01Um

06:02Labor Day observance will be September

06:05the 7th.

06:07Uh town offices will be closed.

06:10Yard of the month for June, Ivy Martins,

06:147260

06:16Broad Street.

06:17Uh are you here?

06:19We have a certificate for you.

06:22Um

06:23July 2026 yard of the month, uh Mark and

06:26Diane Ziegler.

06:30And that's at 7320 Foster Street. They

06:33uh Ivy is um

06:35for June was 7260 Broad Street.

06:40Okay.

06:43Council, you had a chance to look over

06:45the agenda. Um

06:47any additions, deletions?

06:53I think town manager, you've got a

06:56couple

06:56>> Thank you, Mayor. I have two items that

06:58I would like to request that you

07:00actually three items that I'd like to

07:01ask that you add to your agenda.

07:03One is under your consent agenda, the

07:05minutes from your special meeting

07:08um from the executive session

07:10and from the special meeting on June

07:1122nd.

07:13The additional two items of new business

07:15are in front of you this evening as a

07:17agenda addendum one

07:19and addendum two.

07:21Addendum one is a contract amendment

07:23with the North Carolina Office of State

07:24Budget and Management.

07:26And the second addendum is the

07:30um

07:31certificate of satisfaction of deed of

07:33trust.

07:35And I will brief council I I briefed you

07:37all on those via email, but I'll brief

07:39those this evening if you'll add those

07:40to the agenda.

07:46All right. Um let's put them under new

07:49business. Let's just go ahead and add

07:51them uh one and two

07:54uh before the Covington Park

07:56presentation.

07:58And

07:59cuz that should be a fairly quickly.

08:04All right.

08:07>> [clears throat]

08:13>> Any other?

08:16I'd entertain a motion to accept the

08:19agenda with the

08:22added additions to it.

08:29>> Mayor, I'll make a motion that we accept

08:31the agenda with the

08:33two additional addendums added to it,

08:35addendum one and two.

08:37>> Motion by Councilman Lane.

08:40>> Second.

08:41>> Second by Councilwoman Ring. Any further

08:43discussion? Seeing none, all those in

08:47favor?

08:48>> I.

08:48>> I.

08:49>> Okay.

08:56>> [clears throat]

08:58>> Corporal Collins uh invites you up to

09:01introduce one of our new employees.

09:04Oh, you're over there. Okay.

09:19>> All right. This is Deputy Vault. He's

09:21been with the sheriff's office for 3

09:22years. He is taking Deputy Holly's

09:26position. Holly took a promotion and

09:28went to night shift as a corporal. So,

09:30he is now filling Holly's position on

09:33day shift.

09:34>> Okay.

09:35>> Thank you.

09:35>> Welcome.

09:36>> Welcome.

09:39>> [applause]

09:52>> Before we move into public comment, I

09:54would like to address a couple of

09:56things.

09:58Uh before we begin the meeting, uh

10:00tonight's meeting, I would like to take

10:01a few moments to address the council's

10:04recent action adopting a resolution

10:07supporting the proposed data center.

10:10Over the past several months, the issue

10:12has generated significant public

10:14interest and unders- understandably

10:17strong opinions.

10:19Many residents have attended meetings,

10:21submitted comments, sent emails, and

10:24shared their perspectives.

10:26Whether you support or oppose the

10:28project, I want to sincerely thank

10:30everyone who participated in the

10:32process.

10:33An engaged community is one of

10:35Rolesville's greatest strengths.

10:38I also recognize that some people are

10:40disappointed by the council's decision

10:42to support the revised proposal.

10:45I respect those feelings, and I

10:47understand why some residents have

10:49questions about how we reached that

10:51decision.

10:53The responsibility of serving on the

10:55town council is all uh not always easy.

10:59Our oath requires us to make decisions

11:02based on what we believe will be the

11:04best s- uh serve best to serve the

11:08long-term interests of the entire

11:10community.

11:12Sometimes those decisions are widely

11:15supported, other times they're not. The

11:18responsibility remains the same

11:20regardless of how difficult the

11:23decisions may be.

11:26Throughout the process, the council

11:28listened carefully to public comments,

11:30reviewed information from multiple

11:32sources,

11:34met with stakeholders, and discussed the

11:36issue over several months.

11:39The proposal that ultimately came before

11:42us reflected numerous revisions

11:45from what was originally presented.

11:47While those changes did not eliminate

11:49every concern, they did influence the

11:52council's evaluation.

11:55The council also had to consider its

11:57fiduciary responsibility to protect the

12:01town's long-term financial interest.

12:04Every year we are entrusted with

12:07management managing public resources,

12:10man- maintaining essential services,

12:13investing in infrastructure, and

12:15planning for the future.

12:18We have a duty not only to meet today's

12:20needs, but also to ensure the future

12:23town councils and future taxpayers are

12:25not left with financial obligations that

12:28could have been avoided through careful

12:30planning and prudent decision-making.

12:34One of the council's most significant

12:36considerations was the financial impact

12:39if a project of this scale were

12:42ultimately approved without being

12:44annexed into the town.

12:47Because Forsyth County has zoning

12:50authority over this property, the

12:52county, not the town, will make the

12:55final land use decision.

12:57If the county were to approve the

13:00project without annexation, Rolesville

13:03could still experience increased demands

13:05associated with growth near our

13:08municipal boundaries while receiving

13:11little or no municipal property tax

13:13revenue

13:15from the development itself.

13:18The council believed that

13:20that outcome would not be in the town's

13:22best financial interest.

13:25By By supporting annexation, the council

13:28sought to ensure that if a project moves

13:30forward,

13:32Rolesville would also receive the tax

13:34base associated with that development.

13:40Those revenues can help fund public

13:42services, maintain infrastructure,

13:45preserve the town's financial stability,

13:48and and reduce future pressure

13:51on existing taxpayers. It's important to

13:55emphasize that the council's action was

13:57not an

13:58not an approval of the project. The town

14:00does not have the legal authority to

14:02make that decision.

14:04Rather, it was a recommendation based on

14:06what the council believes best protects

14:09Rolesville's interests under the

14:11circumstances before us.

14:14Reasonable people can disagree about

14:17whether this project is appropriate.

14:21And I respect those different differing

14:23viewpoints. Healthy debate is part of

14:26our local government. What I ask is that

14:29we continue those discussions with

14:31civility and respect for one another.

14:34We are neighbors first, and regardless

14:37of where we stand on the issue, I

14:39believe we all want what is best for

14:42Rolesville.

14:43The council remains committed to

14:45activate actively actively of for the

14:49this community

14:50throughout the remainder of the county's

14:53review process. If the project proceeds,

14:56we will continue working with county

14:57officials and the developer to encourage

15:01outcomes that protect Rolesville's

15:03quality of life and address the concerns

15:06our residents have expressed.

15:08Thank you for your continued engagement,

15:11your passion for our community, and your

15:13commitment to Rolesville. We may not

15:15always agree, but I hope we can continue

15:18moving together forward or forward

15:20together with mutual respect and shared

15:23commitment to the future of our town.

15:27With that being said, we will move into

15:30our public comment period.

15:32Um

15:36each person will have up to 6 minutes.

15:39It will be timed.

15:41Um if you hear the uh bell go off,

15:44finish as quickly as possible

15:46or I'll have to uh

15:48kind of step in.

15:54All right. Uh

15:56Clerk Hendrick.

16:00>> June Cohen.

16:20Have to put my eyeballs on.

16:24June Cohen,

16:254:30 College Street, Rural Hall.

16:33First, I would like to say good evening

16:35to the council and I would thank them

16:38for them

16:40returning my calls. They have been very

16:42nice to return my calls what I made to

16:45them.

16:47I would like to say the squeaking wheel

16:50gets the grease.

16:51I have lived in this town and paid taxes

16:54longer than any of you. I own several

16:57old buildings in the downtown historical

17:00district of Rural Hall. In 2025,

17:04I asked Jason Hill, public works

17:07director, if I could purchase the

17:10awnings that were attached to the 1988

17:13old fire station. This old fire station

17:16was to be demolished. Terry Bennett

17:19Mayor Terry Bennett and town manager

17:22Homer Dearman ordered Jason Hill to

17:26remove these awnings from the building

17:28on August the 27th, 2025.

17:32This was done during the dark of the

17:35morning sacredly. These awnings were

17:38hidden. I inquired of every council

17:41member of the whereabouts of these

17:44awnings on September the 8th, 2025.

17:48Not one of you knew. On September the

17:5110th, Homer Dearman took pictures of the

17:54awnings being crushed inside of the fire

17:58station.

18:00The crushed awnings were put in the

18:02dump. This was against the law. Jason

18:06Hill told at the October 13th, 2025

18:10council meeting that Homer Dearman had

18:13ordered him to take the awnings down.

18:17Jason said he placed the awnings outside

18:20of the old fire department, not inside.

18:24Upon hearing Jason speak, Homer Dearman

18:27came over and in the presence of others

18:30admitted he had ordered the awnings

18:33removed and he had them crushed for

18:36spite. This was in violation of number

18:40three of his employment contract. The

18:44act of destroying public property Mayor

18:47Bennett was present when the awnings

18:50were crushed. The town council was given

18:53pictures that Homer Dearman took of the

18:56awnings being crushed. Yet, you did not

18:59fire him. These pictures pictures

19:03convicted Homer Dearman of violating

19:06number two of his employment contract.

19:10You [snorts] knew Homer Dearman had been

19:12fired as town manager in King

19:15May 6, 2022 when you hired him. Now,

19:20[snorts] Terry Bennett and Homer Derman

19:22are allowed to use the town newsletter,

19:26the Garden Spot News, for their personal

19:28gain. In the last issue, July, August,

19:32and September, they posted

19:35advertisements for two businesses in

19:37town. This was wrong, unethical, and

19:41more of their devious behavior. There

19:44[snorts] are many places in Rural Hall

19:46that have been here for over 20 years

19:49and have never been acknowledged in the

19:52Garden Spot News.

19:54>> [snorts]

19:54>> Homer Derman should be fired.

19:57He has violated section B, number two,

20:01and number three of his employment

20:03contract. He should be fired with cause.

20:08Terry Bennett should never be the mayor

20:10of this town. Not now, not ever. Terry

20:14[snorts] Bennett and Homer Derman

20:16violated title six of the United States

20:20government non-discrimination law, Civil

20:23Rights Act of 1964.

20:26Both men also broke North Carolina

20:29General Statute 168-270

20:33law. Any questions? If anybody wants me

20:37to prove what I have said here, I have

20:40the proof of everything that I have said

20:42here. Thank you so much for your

20:45service.

20:51>> [applause]

20:58>> Ava Vernon

21:16>> Hello, my name is Eve Vernon and I live

21:18on Broad Street. On June the 22nd, all

21:21of you held a special meeting which I

21:23could not attend because I was out of

21:24town and I was appalled.

21:27Um

21:29after that meeting Carol requested the

21:32emails

21:33for the two-to-one statement that you

21:35made and I noticed that both mine and my

21:37husband's were not included. So, I have

21:39provided for you today the ones that I

21:42sent. I did not send them to everyone. I

21:44only sent them to those I felt were on

21:46the fence about the situation.

21:50Um

21:52in the meeting you told us to get our

21:53facts. If you were more open to speaking

21:56with those of us opposed, you would

21:58clearly see that in fact we have plenty

22:00of facts.

22:01Some I'm sure have been emailed to you.

22:04Also, you were not misrepresented at the

22:06planning board. You chose not to be

22:08there.

22:09For, against, or neutral, you could have

22:10came to see what your community thought,

22:13their concerns, and how many folks

22:15besides us showed up, but you chose not

22:18to show up and that's on you.

22:20Now, on the noise of the data center,

22:22you feel

22:24that 50 or 60 decibels is minor, but if

22:26you listen to it for 24/7, it would

22:29drive anyone crazy. I would like to

22:31close by discussing the aggravation of

22:34constant sound that you cannot control

22:36or turn off.

26:44>> All of those who oppose, please stand.

26:49While that may have been amusing to some

26:51of you, I will have to live across the

26:53street from that. Thank you.

26:57>> [applause]

27:06>> Jane Bodenheimer

27:20Greetings to all of you.

27:23My name is Jane Bodenheimer. I live at

27:26776

27:28Cook Road, Rural Hall,

27:31North Carolina 27045.

27:37I'm here to let you know that I am

27:41opposed to the data center being built

27:45in this very heart

27:48of Rural Hall's town.

27:55If you can

27:57visualize

28:00a graveside service being held at the

28:03Rural Hall Cemetery,

28:06which is probably within 100 to 200 ft

28:11of the property line,

28:15and the noise coming from the data

28:18center,

28:20how disrupting that would be to try to

28:23have a funeral service.

28:26And there are a lot of graveside

28:28services that are held in cemeteries

28:31now.

28:34I am opposed to the noise,

28:37I'm opposed to the air pollution,

28:42the light pollution,

28:45the consumption of water

28:49and I understand we have determined or

28:52it's been determined that possibly

28:56600,000

28:57gallons a day

29:00would be used

29:02by the data center.

29:05Yet Forsyth County just

29:08in the last couple of weeks

29:11have asked us

29:14as ordinary citizens to please cut back

29:19on our water usage.

29:22We were told that

29:26they were only using maybe 50%

29:31of what's available for the county, the

29:34city, wherever the water comes from.

29:38So, what happens when the data center

29:42if the data center is built?

29:45Can they run with that less water?

29:48Can they cut back?

29:51If not, who do you think's going to take

29:54the brunt of that?

29:58It'll be us.

30:00Every one of us.

30:07I'm opposed to the environmental

30:10problems that we could have to the

30:13disturbance of the wildlife

30:18in our

30:20in our town.

30:24And I would like to ask

30:42what will be the total cost for required

30:46water,

30:48electrical,

30:50and infrastructure

30:52upgrades

30:55on the data center?

31:01And will local taxpayers be subsidizing

31:05this?

31:07Will we be asked to update

31:10anything that needs to be done in the

31:13data center?

31:19I'm a member of Nazareth Lutheran

31:21Church.

31:22The property adjoins

31:25the

31:27the farm.

31:31We have a community garden there on the

31:35property.

31:37We have a labyrinth, a walk, prayer walk

31:42labyrinth.

31:43We have a volleyball court that the

31:47youth use. We have a picnic shelter.

31:50And we have outside services there two

31:53or three times a year.

31:57Wonder how disrupting that is going to

31:59be

32:01when

32:02we are trying to have our service there

32:05outside.

32:07We've gotten used to the traffic going

32:09by, so we don't notice that, but that

32:13plus

32:15the hum

32:17of

32:1860s,

32:2070, 80 decibels,

32:31doesn't sound very promising, does it?

32:37And has any thought been given

32:40to

32:42a mandate

32:45for historic preservation

32:48of

32:49our churches our church is getting ready

32:52to celebrate 250 years

32:55of being organized 1778.

33:00Has there been any thought given to

33:03any kind of fund that would be set aside

33:06to

33:08help with the structural maintenance

33:11or

33:12acoustic retrofitting

33:16or any other relief fund?

33:21If those things haven't been talked

33:23about they surely need to be talked

33:25about.

33:27It's not a good fit for rural hall.

33:31We all know that.

33:39And I'm perplexed

33:41as to why we are having to

33:45be subjected to this.

33:49Thank you for your time.

33:53And I hope you will

33:56encourage

33:59the right decision to be made.

34:03Thank you.

34:05>> [applause]

34:14>> Patricia Osborne

34:18>> I feel like I've been called up in

34:19school so

34:21I'll just break it up a little bit here.

34:23Um

34:26I want to talk about several things

34:29uh that are really

34:31on my heart here.

34:33Uh I live on 575 Academy Street in Rural

34:36Hall.

34:38I pay taxes

34:40to this town for several things. Okay?

34:44Um

34:45I would like to say good evening

34:47neighbors and leaders. We are here

34:49because the future of Rural Hall is on

34:52the line. It is on the line.

34:55The proposed 130-acre project Iron Spur

34:59data center

35:00threatens to permanently

35:03destroy our quiet town.

35:07The Drocks Group

35:09while some leaders changed their minds

35:13for tax revenue

35:16the health of our children cannot be

35:20bought.

35:21Okay?

35:23Our children are number one.

35:26And I don't need to go into this part,

35:27but the park over there

35:30I taught school for 33 years. We took

35:34trips to Old Salem.

35:37Okay?

35:39Do you think

35:41that I would think of taking children

35:43over there to that park?

35:46There is no way I would do that.

35:49None whatsoever would I do that.

35:53So, that's one liability that you all

35:56need to deal with tonight. Okay? Because

35:59you're a part of that.

36:00That park.

36:04Each generator

36:06over there, when they talked to the

36:09commissioners meeting

36:11that was uh the 9th of July

36:15they talked about 8 ft wide, 40 ft long

36:19each one of those generators.

36:22Approximately 175 generators is going to

36:26be over there. Those big generators.

36:30You can't feasibly understand how big

36:34that is.

36:35Okay? But, you can understand 8 ft wide

36:39and 40 ft long, right?

36:42The diesel storage over there will be

36:452.5 million

36:47to 8.5 million

36:50depending on the backup hours

36:53uh to continuously have a run in case we

36:58have a system here that breaks down, you

37:02know,

37:03uh the heat

37:05and people have to have the run air

37:07conditioning running more, okay? They're

37:09going to have to run those diesel

37:11generators.

37:13And all of those fumes and those

37:16products that's going to come off of

37:17that is going to be really bad, okay?

37:23And you know, the other thing that

37:24really concerns me is the depot

37:28and those fuel storage down there.

37:31When you drive by there, all of those

37:33tankers and full of ethanol.

37:36That is not away from this data center.

37:39It is a short distance. When you go to

37:42look and they talked about that where

37:44the little

37:46uh place where they're going to have all

37:47the storage of this fuel is going to be,

37:51you're going to be able to go right from

37:52that to that depot. If we have something

37:55go uh wrong over there at the depot,

37:57it's going to affect us.

38:00And it's not going to affect us in a

38:01good way. It's going to be a bad way,

38:04okay?

38:08Getting back to um the children

38:11cuz I I want to I want to talk just a

38:13little bit about that.

38:15Uh the microscopic soot, the diesel

38:18engines em- they will put out fine

38:21particle matters. These particles are so

38:24small that the human nose and upper

38:26respiratory system cannot filter them

38:29out. They travel deep into the lungs

38:33and enter the bloodstream triggering

38:35triggering asthma attacks, bronchitis,

38:38and chronic

38:40uh pulmonary disease. Okay, that that's

38:43true. Nitrogen oxide, these backup

38:47generators emit a bunch of that.

38:50We're not having natural gas over there.

38:52So, we're going to have a whole lot of

38:54diesel and a lot of those fumes are

38:56going to be coming out.

38:59Um

39:01These children are very vulnerable.

39:04Their developing respiratory systems

39:06because the children's lungs are still

39:08growing. Toxic exposure can permanently

39:12impair the lung capacity and function.

39:17Faster breathing rates, kids have that.

39:20The neurological developments

39:22risk

39:24indicate that fossil fuels emission from

39:26data center infrastructures are

39:28associated with the risk of ADHD. Are

39:32you familiar with that?

39:34It's a serious thing, okay?

39:38Not only that, the development delays in

39:41children. In children.

39:44Their their their development is going

39:46to be delayed.

39:48Chronic noise and sleep desperation,

39:51that is another thing. I mean, it is

39:53just one thing right after the other

39:56that that is going to do to this

39:58community. Let alone how it's going to

40:01disturb all of the roads out here.

40:06You know, the traffic, that's another

40:09very very thing that's going to happen.

40:13Um and we've also have the PFAS

40:17chemical contamination.

40:19Forever chemicals,

40:21these persistent pollutions do not break

40:24down in the environment. Any leak or

40:27disposal issues can lead to widespread

40:30contaminant of local drinking water.

40:32This has happened in Fayetteville, North

40:35Carolina. No, it it has happened.

40:38Do your research.

40:40Any leaks or disposal issues can lead to

40:43the drinking water being contaminated,

40:46uh immune system dysfunction, thyroid

40:49disease, and reproduction harm.

40:53Um

40:54in

40:55conclusion,

40:57the Forsyth Planning Board saw the

40:59dangers and voted

41:017 to 1. 7 to 2. 7 to 2, okay?

41:07To recommend denying the rezoning.

41:10The Drax Group, heavy industry with all

41:13of these generators, nonstop noise, and

41:15massive water draining completely

41:18violates

41:19>> Okay, I'm going to have to cut you

41:21short.

41:22>> forward plan.

41:25The only thing else I can say to you

41:27is the town of Rural Hall needs to back

41:31the Planning Board with 100%.

41:34And you all need to reverse your

41:37decision.

41:39Because the town

41:41wants that to happen.

41:43Think about it. Go into your meeting. Go

41:45into your room and do that tonight.

41:49>> [applause]

41:58>> Amber Rohaus.

42:01>> [snorts]

42:11>> You You have to give it to the clerk.

42:23>> All right, good evening.

42:25Um I am providing some emails that were

42:29provided to the town council and the

42:32mayor.

42:33Um and they should have been batched in

42:35with the last FOIA that was provided and

42:37they were not.

42:39Um so I am giving those to you now with

42:43the dates on it.

42:45Um I'm also here on behalf of Allison

42:48Wagner, who is a resident here in town

42:50hall or I'm sorry, in Rural Hall. She

42:53lives on 8000 Glade Street. She wanted

42:55me to read out her email.

42:58Um I do not support a data center in

43:01Rural Hall. In memory of my

43:03grandparents, Gilbert and Jerry

43:05Bodenheimer, I am here to voice my

43:07opposition to this horrible idea of a

43:10project. Iron Spur Prison is not welcome

43:14at 8000 Glade Street. I want the future

43:17of Rural Hall to remain rural and

43:19continue to be known as the garden spot

43:21of the world. There is no place for a

43:24data center here and I say no to a hyper

43:27scale data center in my backyard.

43:30And I also want to represent my mother,

43:33who lives at 8020 Glade Street. She is

43:36300 feet from the proposed site. Just

43:39like this home is, Allison Wagner's.

43:42And we do oppose that at our back door.

43:45Thank you so much.

43:47>> [applause]

43:59>> Matt Sinn.

44:07Good evening. My name is Matt Sinn, 61

44:09Firetruck Road. I was born and raised in

44:13Forsyth County.

44:14Thank you, mayor, council, staff, and

44:18fellow citizens for giving me some time

44:21to speak.

44:23Um first of all, we all gave the Pledge

44:25of Allegiance, one nation under God.

44:29Um Jesus told us

44:31"What you do unto the least of these,

44:33you do unto me." Not what you do for the

44:37corporations and the billionaires, you

44:40do unto Jesus.

44:42Now, you may believe, like several

44:45people, that artificial intelligence is

44:49your salvation.

44:50My salvation

44:52is the almighty intelligence. Okay? So,

44:57>> [applause]

44:58>> that's first of all.

45:00I'm not going to rehash what people

45:01hear, and I know y'all have very little

45:03control. Okay? This is about Don Martin,

45:07the county commissioners, the people in

45:10Raleigh, the people in DC, but it starts

45:14here. It starts with the people. It has

45:17to start somewhere. Okay?

45:20So,

45:21first of all,

45:23data center probably be around for 30

45:25years. Most of y'all be dead

45:28before the end of that. So, who are we

45:30making decisions for? No, seriously. We

45:33aren't making No, stop. Stop. Stop.

45:35[applause] Stop. I will probably be

45:37dead, too. But we are making decisions

45:40for the children who have no voice.

45:43Okay?

45:44Those

45:45under 18 cannot vote, so they have no

45:48voice. So, we as responsible adults have

45:51to consider what is best for them. Okay?

45:54So, we went on about health. Now, I want

45:58to refute a little bit about the money.

46:00Okay? You say you're doing this for

46:03financial reasons. Yes, I know. Um

46:05everybody's going through financial

46:07hardships. We're all paying more for

46:08food, for gas, everything.

46:11So, um what I want to say is

46:13um

46:15people say, "Oh, your property values

46:18are going to go up based on this." Um I

46:21really don't think so. Um plus, if your

46:24property value does go up, your tax uh

46:26bill goes up and um who's going to pay

46:29that price? Your house is only worth as

46:32much as somebody who's going to pay for

46:33it. And good luck finding somebody that

46:35wants to pay um

46:38for your retirement to live um

46:40across from a data center a data center.

46:43Okay, so [applause] we want to talk

46:45about uh electricity. Um

46:49so um it's well known that uh utilities

46:52are regulated. So, their only

46:54opportunity to significantly raise rates

46:57is when they increase infrastructure.

47:00And guess what? They're going to have to

47:01increase their infrastructure

47:04huge to um

47:07to uh allow for a buffer um for this

47:10data center because they don't want to

47:12have brownouts and get sued by these

47:15mega corporations. So, um guess what?

47:19Your your electric bill is going to go

47:22up. Uh no doubt about that.

47:24Um water, okay? We're in a drought.

47:27There's no doubt that. Anybody can see

47:29that we've uh experienced one of the

47:31driest years spring um summer so far. My

47:36garden's trash, okay, because uh even

47:39with me watering it. It it's trash. So,

47:43um the idea that's closed system and you

47:45only have to fill it up once, garbage.

47:47That water is going to evaporate and

47:49they're going to have new water and that

47:51ground water is going to be

47:52contaminated. You have a school right

47:54over there, air pollution. Who's going

47:56to pay when they get developed lung

47:58disease? Who's going to pay for all the

48:00asthma?

48:02Uh is is the corporation going to pay?

48:04Are are they? Are they going to buy out

48:06the whole town? Uh cuz that's the only

48:08way uh to guarantee uh the town's

48:11safety. Okay, so what can we do? We we

48:14got to go to the county commissioner

48:15meeting, express our disapproval. What's

48:18done is done. You all have reversed your

48:20decision. You are most likely not going

48:22to reverse it again. Okay, what's done

48:24is done.

48:25July 30th, 6:00 p.m. Pack that Forsyth

48:29County Commissioners meeting. Get there

48:31early. [applause]

48:32Contact all the press you can and tell

48:36them we oppose, okay? And guess what?

48:38Don Martin's retiring July 31st. Very

48:42convenient that he's retiring after the

48:44vote. So, make sure that you lean on him

48:46and say his legacy is based on this

48:49vote. And he he if he wants a positive

48:51legacy, he'll vote against. Now, okay,

48:54so what else can we do? Hold our

48:56representatives in Raleigh and D.C.

49:00accountable. Since 2016, all I've heard

49:03is it's going to be milk and honey over

49:05here. Manufacturing's coming back. We're

49:08going to have all this. We're going to

49:09have taxes on a postcard. Guess what?

49:12That happen hasn't happened. So, I blame

49:14the people in Raleigh, the people in

49:17Washington D.C. like multimillionaire

49:19Pat Harrigan who has failed to bring

49:22economic development to Forsyth County.

49:26And it's well known that Pat Harrigan

49:28has a distaste for Forsyth County. So,

49:30blame him and get him out of office cuz

49:33that's the first step. Okay, so again,

49:36we appreciate you all looking out and

49:39wanting the tax revenue, but guess what?

49:43The citizens are going to bear a lot.

49:46You say it's going to help the citizens,

49:49put it in writing. Put it in writing

49:51that their taxes are going down. Put it

49:53in writing that their houses are going

49:55to be able to be bought for the price

49:57that they want. Make that corporation

50:00put it in writing before they break

50:03ground. Because once they break ground,

50:06they're going to do everything they can,

50:08violate the EPA,

50:12Thank you.

50:12>> Thank you.

50:13>> [applause]

50:27>> All right. All that there's wanted to

50:28stop. That one won't stop.

50:36>> Carol Newsom.

50:51>> I am Carol Newsom, 8495 Broad Street.

50:56Transparency in government is essential

50:59to ensure public trust, prevent

51:01corruption, and to foster civic

51:04engagement, and to allow the citizens to

51:05hold their elected officials

51:07accountable.

51:08Transparency is essential to our

51:10democracy, a representative democracy,

51:13which can only function properly when

51:15our elected officials listen to the

51:17voices of the people

51:19that have entrusted in them the right to

51:21make decisions on their behalf.

51:23Our elected officials are expected to

51:25make their decisions based on the voice

51:27of the people, who need to be heard

51:29before any decision is made.

51:32The notice for the June 22nd, 2026

51:35special meeting stated that a discussion

51:38on Iron Spur data center would occur.

51:42At the special meeting, the council

51:43called a vote to rescind resolution

51:46number 901, and to replace it with

51:49resolution number 912. This was not made

51:53public in advance. Resolution number 912

51:56was never presented to the people in

51:59advance of the meeting. It was not read

52:02into the record at the meeting. In fact,

52:05just before the start of the meeting, I

52:07asked the clerk for the attachments

52:09listed on an agenda that was only made

52:11available at the meeting once getting

52:14here.

52:15I was denied the attachments and told by

52:17the clerk that the

52:19documents were not made public prior to

52:22the meeting

52:23and would not be made public until after

52:25the meeting. The council voted on

52:27resolution number 912 without presenting

52:30it in its entirety to the public. The

52:33people were not allowed the opportunity

52:35to know what the council was voting on

52:38voting for or against. The people were

52:41never allowed the opportunity to reach

52:44out to their elected officials to state

52:46how they wanted to be represented.

52:49This is a violation to open meetings and

52:52a lack of transparency from the council,

52:54a breach of trust.

52:57The council cannot represent the voice

53:00of the people if they do not allow the

53:02people to be heard.

53:04In addition to this violation to open

53:06meeting laws, the town of Rural Hall has

53:08violated public records laws by not

53:11providing public records in a timely

53:13manner if at all.

53:16I have outstanding public records

53:17requests going back to 2021.

53:21This week I was finally provided a

53:23document I had requested on February

53:2514th, 2025.

53:29A delay of just under 1 and 1/2 years.

53:33This represents a violation to public

53:35records and a lack of transparency from

53:37this government, a breach of trust.

53:41The town of Rural Hall has a history in

53:43violating open meetings laws, public

53:45records laws, as represented in the

53:48state auditor's 2022 findings documented

53:51in that report.

53:54The only way to instill trust in our

53:56government is for the government to do

53:59all of the people's business in an open

54:01and transparent manner.

54:04At this time I am unable to trust this

54:07administration and I have no confidence

54:09in their ability to govern. I thank

54:12Michael Woodcock for his vote with the

54:15resolution 912. Thank you.

54:19>> [applause]

54:28>> Joel Rice.

54:38>> Thank you, Mayor. Council.

54:41I guess y'all have had an interesting

54:42couple of weeks.

54:44Uh my name is Joel Rice and I am a

54:47resident of Rural Hall.

54:49I would like to thank the town council

54:51for your reversal to support the data

54:53center proposed to be built in Rural

54:56Hall.

54:57>> [clears throat and cough]

54:58>> I believe the tax benefits would be a

54:59tremendous boost to the towns and

55:02counties economical growth.

55:05The contractor

55:07has agreed to adhere or exceed the

55:09state's standards for data centers,

55:12which should satisfy any concerns about

55:14water, power usage,

55:17and noise that the data center produces.

55:20And I guarantee you it's not going to be

55:22as loud as that train going through my

55:23backyard every morning at 11:00, 2:00,

55:274:00, and 5:00.

55:30>> [clears throat]

55:30>> This is what I'm talking about.

55:33Yes, I

55:34I've been told that my opinion don't

55:36count because I'm friends with the

55:38sellers.

55:40Yes, the servers are my friends and why

55:43can't they have friends that stay loyal

55:45to them and speak up for them when they

55:48are being attacked by something anybody

55:51else in this room would do under the

55:54same circumstances.

55:56Why can't I have a difference of opinion

56:00without being labeled, "Oh, he is just a

56:02friend of the sellers."

56:04You're exactly right. I am a friend of

56:06the sellers and I respect your right to

56:08have a difference of opinion with me.

56:11Will you respect my right to have a

56:13difference of opinion with you?

56:16I know I am not going to change the mind

56:18of any of the opposition to this

56:20tonight.

56:22But regardless of how this ends up,

56:25can we be civil

56:27and show those watching that the town of

56:29Rural Hall can get along even through

56:32something as controversial as a data

56:35center?

56:37And somebody said something about

56:39property taxes going down. Have you ever

56:41I my taxes went up last year $100,000 in

56:44one pop.

56:46Have you ever heard the

56:47the property taxes going down in Forsyth

56:49County? It ain't never going to happen.

56:52And they want four So, the opposition

56:55wants 400 homes over here.

56:58Uh

57:00affordable homes.

57:02Can you imagine the problems that that

57:05is going to cause with traffic?

57:07And it's already been stated that the

57:09town can't supply

57:11the services it's going to take to have

57:13that done.

57:15So, thank y'all for y'all's reversal.

57:17Thanks for letting me speak.

57:20>> [applause]

57:31>> Jamie.

57:34>> Bishop Albert Sanders.

57:47>> Good evening

57:49to you all today.

57:51My name is Bishop Albert Saunders.

57:53I'm a bishop and a pastor here in the

57:55community.

57:56And I want you to know that I feel that

57:59this is a right move that we are moving

58:01in for the future of our family, our

58:03children, and our churches.

58:05If we look at this right now,

58:08time

58:10time is important.

58:12And we are in the right time and the

58:13right place. I think it's an honor

58:16that someone would choose Rural Hall

58:19to be able to

58:21handle this type of opportunity that's

58:24going to help the Versite County,

58:27uh our children, and our future.

58:30I think it's a blessing, and I support

58:32it.

58:33>> [applause]

58:36>> Thank you, Mr. Mayor, for this time. Um

58:39first off, my name is Albert O'Neal

58:40Saunders Jr.

58:42And um actually, I'm

58:45North Carolina's only

58:47We made history, by the way. the only

58:49black-owned AI software and robotics

58:52company in North Carolina.

58:58Now,

58:59when it comes down to the data centers,

59:01of course,

59:03with our position, of course, with the

59:04community, we would definitely see the

59:06need on it. But actually,

59:09talk with the developers,

59:12and we actually have a way we can solve

59:14the problems that y'all actually have,

59:17which is water usage,

59:20and power supply,

59:22and air quality.

59:24So, I'm going to work strongly and

59:25directly with the

59:27um

59:27so we can actually

59:29give back to the community and not just

59:31take away.

59:34That's all I got to say.

59:46>> [clears throat]

59:47>> I like to keep the uh, chatter down

59:50while the speakers are speaking. They

59:53uh,

59:56>> Okay, Susie Hawks.

59:59Sorry, Susan.

1:00:02I know I know you as Susie. I'm sorry.

1:00:07Hey everybody.

1:00:12Y'all want my name? Susan Hawks Gordon,

1:00:157430 Broad Street, Rural Hall. That's

1:00:18where I actually live.

1:00:21The data center, a hot topic.

1:00:23Yes.

1:00:24What is best for Rural Hall? We all have

1:00:27our own personal opinions. I know I'm

1:00:30not for the data center. After

1:00:32researching about the data centers from

1:00:35many sources where we have data centers

1:00:38already to people in other states where

1:00:41the data centers just a mile from where

1:00:44they live and going to a lot of

1:00:46meetings.

1:00:52I have researched that the data centers

1:00:54will bring lots of constant hum noise

1:00:58which y'all already got some tonight

1:01:00harmful to the autism community.

1:01:03The data center will use approximately

1:01:05600 gallons of water a day in the closed

1:01:09loop cooling system that is water and a

1:01:12cooling agent.

1:01:14Out of 100% of water

1:01:1670% evaporates and 30% return

1:01:22returns to the water and cooling agent,

1:01:25not able to be consumed.

1:01:30That's a lot of water and a lot of

1:01:31electricity. I hope there's some left

1:01:33over for us.

1:01:35Mayor Bennett, you always talked about

1:01:38keeping small town charm. You and the

1:01:40town council have let us down, not

1:01:43Michael.

1:01:44I am running I am for the small town

1:01:48charm, and I have lived in Rural Hall

1:01:50since I was 5 years old. I am not for

1:01:53the data center, and I will be running

1:01:55for the mayor in November. Thank y'all

1:01:58so much.

1:01:59>> [applause]

1:02:12>> DAPHNE PACE

1:02:14PACE

1:02:24>> HOW ARE YOU EVERYBODY DOING?

1:02:27I'm speaking on behalf cuz I I'm I don't

1:02:29want the data center here.

1:02:31>> Um

1:02:31>> We have

1:02:32>> Name and address.

1:02:33>> Daphne Pace, 520 Heather Town Line. I

1:02:35said right here.

1:02:36>> Uh I couldn't hear you for the record.

1:02:38>> Okay, I don't want the data center here.

1:02:40Number one, we have our older community

1:02:43that's here that's going to affect their

1:02:44health.

1:02:46It's going to affect my health. I'm

1:02:47stage four kidney failure.

1:02:50I don't need all them chemicals around

1:02:51here. It's going to affect the water.

1:02:54It's going to take our light bill up,

1:02:55our water bill up. It's going to take

1:02:57[clears throat] the property taxes up.

1:02:59We don't need that here. We have kids

1:03:01that play around out here that don't

1:03:03need it.

1:03:04These kids need better air quality. I've

1:03:08heard that from this lady here and some

1:03:10other people.

1:03:12Y'all got to understand

1:03:14our health is more important than that

1:03:16over there.

1:03:20I have a a 6-year-old grandson that

1:03:22plays when he come to my house. He don't

1:03:24need that cuz he have asthma and

1:03:26bronchitis like I do, too.

1:03:29Y'all need to think about that very

1:03:31carefully. I don't been doing my

1:03:33research.

1:03:34It's killing people.

1:03:36I seen on TV this morning where they

1:03:38have a data center and the little girl

1:03:40it really messed up her asthma. She

1:03:42died.

1:03:45And she her mom donated her organs and

1:03:47stuff. We don't need that out here.

1:03:50We don't. I'm sorry.

1:03:53Because like I said, I'm stage four

1:03:55kidney failure and I don't need it to

1:03:57affect me any more than what I am.

1:04:00So, would y'all please

1:04:04take that vote off from having that data

1:04:06data center out here?

1:04:08That's why I made this T-shirt, no data

1:04:10center, not in our backyard.

1:04:14>> [applause]

1:04:28>> Brad Watkins

1:04:31or Watson Watkins

1:04:42Sorry.

1:04:43>> Good evening everybody. Thank you for uh

1:04:44taking time to listen to us. Uh

1:04:47I come on behalf of North Forsyth Little

1:04:48League Little League at the uh school

1:04:50here.

1:04:51And basically what I come here tonight

1:04:53for was to see if we could open a

1:04:54dialogue about potentially getting some

1:04:56more resources

1:04:58>> Make sure you speak up.

1:05:01>> Is that better?

1:05:02>> Yes, that's good.

1:05:02>> All right.

1:05:03>> She won't be able to record you if you

1:05:04don't get down

1:05:06>> Um

1:05:07I come on behalf of Little League there

1:05:08at Rural Hall Elementary School North

1:05:09Forsyth Little League and I I come to

1:05:11see if we could maybe open a dialogue

1:05:13for future uh going forward about maybe

1:05:15obtaining some additional resources.

1:05:18Um we do appreciate the resources and

1:05:21everything the town provides to the

1:05:23league. It's a great benefit for the

1:05:24kids.

1:05:26Uh but like everybody else has said

1:05:28tonight, I you know, people are

1:05:30struggling a little bit and we're just

1:05:31seeing if maybe we could talk to the

1:05:33town about maybe

1:05:34getting some more resources for the

1:05:36league and the organization.

1:05:38So, thank you.

1:05:39>> All right.

1:05:40>> [applause]

1:05:45[applause]

1:05:50>> Mitchell Church.

1:05:57>> Good evening, Mr. Mayor, town council.

1:05:59Um

1:06:00my name is Mitchell Church. I live at

1:06:017802 Red Bank Road. That's over in

1:06:03Germanton.

1:06:05Um

1:06:06I I think I stated in my first time I

1:06:08came up here that

1:06:10um I don't live [clears throat] in the

1:06:11town limits of Rural Hall, but basically

1:06:13my family and I worship and do most of

1:06:15our shopping and eating out in Rural

1:06:17Hall. We I've loved Rural Hall all of my

1:06:19life

1:06:20and I am for the data center, much more

1:06:23I'm for the Surber family. Marty Surber

1:06:26has been called, I think, my best friend

1:06:28on the Independent Hall Monitor and I'm

1:06:30not sure everything on there was

1:06:31correct, but that was uh abundantly

1:06:33correct. Um I think the world of him,

1:06:37Julie, the whole crowd never been

1:06:38anything but nice to me

1:06:40and I wish them the very best

1:06:43as the data center moves forward. Um the

1:06:45developer has addressed many concerns.

1:06:47Uh last week we heard uh that

1:06:49Winston-Salem has an abundance of water

1:06:52supply for the data center. I think

1:06:53we're at 40% capacity

1:06:56as it stands, which leaves uh about 60%.

1:06:59Uh that's with the 600 the projected

1:07:02600,000 gallons per day, but I believe,

1:07:04if my memory serves me right, it was

1:07:05late when I was watching it online.

1:07:07But

1:07:08they said that was plenty, but I believe

1:07:10Mr. Fiske said that they were going to

1:07:12use 10% of that in a closed-loop system.

1:07:14I think that's what he said. Um I want

1:07:16to congratulate the town. Uh Rural Hall

1:07:18made a great decision to um change its

1:07:21resolution statement to ensure that if

1:07:24it is uh approved that Rural Hall and

1:07:26its citizens can get the full benefit of

1:07:29the data center. The 17-acre park I

1:07:32think is a great idea. 17 acres is a lot

1:07:34of land for a park. Um I don't know how

1:07:36big um

1:07:38the biggest park in town is, but I think

1:07:39this one's at least twice the size of

1:07:41that one.

1:07:42And I encourage anyone that's opposed to

1:07:44it, maybe take the trip over to Maiden,

1:07:46North Carolina and look at that one and

1:07:48how the town has uh done better since

1:07:50they got the data center. The revenue uh

1:07:53that Forsyth County will gain will

1:07:55significantly improve our public

1:07:56schools,

1:07:58our police departments, and help us

1:07:59overcome current challenges facing

1:08:02Winston-Salem and its surrounding towns.

1:08:04Love this town and um love you guys and

1:08:07thank you very much. Have a great night.

1:08:10>> [applause]

1:08:17[clears throat]

1:08:18>> Dan Barnaby.

1:08:29>> Good evening council, mayor.

1:08:30[clears throat]

1:08:30Thanks for having me.

1:08:32>> Um

1:08:32>> Check your microphone there.

1:08:34>> Dan Barnaby,

1:08:35438 Academy Street.

1:08:38Uh October 1st will be 5 years for me as

1:08:41a resident.

1:08:43Um I've enjoyed it so far.

1:08:46Um I like the small

1:08:49small-town atmosphere

1:08:51and I would hate to see that go away

1:08:53with a data center.

1:08:56Uh

1:08:57one of the things that I learned in my

1:08:58Navy career, 20 years in the sub force.

1:09:03The my customers,

1:09:05the work centers that I supported,

1:09:08all of them talked about proper form,

1:09:10fit, and function

1:09:12to make things work right the first time

1:09:15through.

1:09:21We we didn't like to have to do rework.

1:09:25Rework is expensive. It wastes

1:09:27resources. It wastes time

1:09:30and energy

1:09:32that a lot of organizations cannot

1:09:34afford to go through.

1:09:41Couple of months ago at the meeting

1:09:42here,

1:09:44when this status center was discussed,

1:09:47I didn't really It wasn't at the

1:09:48forefront of my mind.

1:09:51But I've observed events since then.

1:09:54And I have to be honest.

1:09:58It seems like annexation was held up as

1:10:01a carrot

1:10:03for you to bite at

1:10:05to change your minds.

1:10:10And what I'd like to know is what I

1:10:12asked a couple of months ago, is there

1:10:14an independent unbiased impact study

1:10:19for the status center

1:10:22that is made public so we have a high

1:10:26confidence factor

1:10:28and the right decision being made.

1:10:31Is that too much to ask for?

1:10:33I don't think it is.

1:10:38Um

1:10:40and um

1:10:43you know, I I don't want to approach my

1:10:446-minute mark.

1:10:47That's Thank you for letting me speak my

1:10:49peace tonight. Thank you.

1:10:51>> THANK YOU.

1:10:53>> [applause]

1:11:01[clears throat]

1:11:04>> MS. WEEHOUSE?

1:11:05>> THANK YOU.

1:11:06VERY WELL DONE.

1:11:09Good evening.

1:11:10Um it's a pleasure to um be here tonight

1:11:13to ask a question of all of you.

1:11:16confused

1:11:18I I need to just

1:11:19>> mic self

1:11:19>> You turned the mic off.

1:11:20>> But don't touch it cuz it'll cut

1:11:22>> Touch it again. Right there in the in

1:11:23the bottom at the base.

1:11:26Yeah.

1:11:26>> Okay, got it.

1:11:27>> go.

1:11:27>> Thank you. Let me just briefly read to

1:11:30you um two excerpts that lead to my

1:11:33question.

1:11:36So, in the beginning of June the Forsyth

1:11:39County Planning Board

1:11:41um came to the following conclusion. I

1:11:43read this so we are all on the same page

1:11:46literally.

1:11:47Despite the proposed mitigation measured

1:11:50and volunteered conditions, the scale

1:11:54and intensity of the development of the

1:11:57hyperscale data center still presents

1:12:00the potential for significant offsite

1:12:04impacts, which is inconsistent

1:12:07with the goals of Forward 2045

1:12:11related to minimizing impacts of

1:12:13non-residential

1:12:15development on surrounding properties.

1:12:18Staff concerns remain regarding

1:12:21potential operational noise. We heard um

1:12:25that noise earlier today firsthand

1:12:28associated with a facility. The visual

1:12:31impact of multiple buildings reaching

1:12:34heights of approximately 80 ft and we

1:12:37are really talking about 84 to 86 ft in

1:12:41height adjacent to residential areas and

1:12:45broader environmental and infrastructure

1:12:47considerations

1:12:49associated with this high-intensity

1:12:52development.

1:12:53Hyperscale data center, and let me

1:12:55correct um everybody um who spoke in

1:12:59favor of data centers, there's also an

1:13:01issue confusion because we talk about

1:13:04hyperscale data centers. This is a very

1:13:08important but um

1:13:10often neglected difference. So, we're

1:13:13talking about hyperscale data centers

1:13:16and they are known to use significant

1:13:18amounts of electricity and water. And

1:13:21staff also recognizes ongoing public

1:13:23concerns regarding utility demand,

1:13:26infrastructure capacity, and the

1:13:29potential effects of high levels of

1:13:32water and energy consumption. And we

1:13:33heard a lot about this today.

1:13:36Those impacts directly relate to the

1:13:38environmental justice recommendations

1:13:42that fourth

1:13:44in forward 2024.

1:13:46And this paragraph closes.

1:13:48The proposed data center development

1:13:52also represents a substantial change in

1:13:55area character that is not compatible

1:13:59with a low-density scale and small-town

1:14:03rural development pattern of the rural

1:14:05hall community. So, I want to make very

1:14:08clear, we are not against data centers

1:14:11and we are not against hyperscale data

1:14:13centers per se. What we are concerned

1:14:16about is the location.

1:14:19This is very very important. Also to our

1:14:21friends who are speaking for the data

1:14:24center, it's location, location,

1:14:27location. And this paragraph ends,

1:14:30"Based on these considerations,

1:14:32staff recommends denial of this

1:14:35request." Now, all of you have nothing

1:14:37to do with that, you're not the decision

1:14:38makers, but you do represent us and so

1:14:43um very shortly after this document,

1:14:46resolution 912 was born in a surprising

1:14:51way as

1:14:52Carol Newsom

1:14:54outlined in great detail. So, on this

1:14:57resolution, point four

1:15:00um states very clearly there are a lot

1:15:02of ifs and buts in the resolution, I

1:15:05think on purpose.

1:15:06But, point four states

1:15:09that town council reaffirms its

1:15:12commitment to carefully evaluating the

1:15:15potential impacts and benefits

1:15:18associated with a proposed development

1:15:21and to ensuring

1:15:23that the interests of Royal Hall

1:15:25residents remain the paramount

1:15:29consideration

1:15:30in any future deliberations.

1:15:34So, I ask all of you on this council,

1:15:37between the planning board's very

1:15:39carefully thought out and researched

1:15:42denial of the request, what have you

1:15:45learned that we don't know about?

1:15:49What is it? What new information that

1:15:52you have gotten that you don't mention

1:15:54here in any detail

1:15:57that we don't know about, but you know

1:15:58about and felt strongly enough to pass

1:16:01this resolution? That's where my

1:16:03confusion is, and I trust that you have

1:16:06done your homework. I assume something

1:16:09has happened between the planning

1:16:11commission's decision and your

1:16:14resolution that I feel we have a right

1:16:17to know.

1:16:19It's very straightforward, very simple.

1:16:22I know you have

1:16:24us believe that you are doing due

1:16:26diligence, and I'd simply ask you, show

1:16:28us. What do you know that we don't know?

1:16:31Thank you for your time.

1:16:34>> [applause]

1:16:43>> And Sherry Altman.

1:16:50>> Hello.

1:16:52Um I'm Sherry Altman. I live at 853

1:16:54Academy Street, Royal Hall.

1:16:57Um and I'm actually here to speak

1:17:00I'm sorry.

1:17:03>> Just move forward.

1:17:04>> This doesn't move any Oh, this part.

1:17:06Okay. All right.

1:17:07Sorry.

1:17:08Yes, I am short.

1:17:10Um can't do anything about that.

1:17:13So, um I'm following up actually on a

1:17:15similar topic that Carol Newsome uh

1:17:18discussed. Um I had recently sent a FOIA

1:17:21request as well for uh documents

1:17:23regarding to project Iron Spur going

1:17:26back and forth between the council from

1:17:29April 1st

1:17:31through the end of June.

1:17:33Um and actually Linette has been great

1:17:35in responding to my original request and

1:17:38follow-up questions that I had from what

1:17:41I got. So,

1:17:42um that that was very helpful.

1:17:45Um however, I was concerned when what I

1:17:48received, specifically as regards to

1:17:51comments by

1:17:53the public, whether it be people here or

1:17:56have never gone to a town hall meeting

1:17:57and have sent in an email or a letter.

1:18:00Um

1:18:01what I received were emails from two

1:18:04dates, the 20th and the 21st of June.

1:18:08Uh which I found very odd since

1:18:10obviously things going back to April

1:18:13would certainly have been filed sooner

1:18:16than the 20th and the 21st of June.

1:18:19Um

1:18:20and when I asked in a follow-up message

1:18:23to Linette, oh well,

1:18:25um you know, this is is odd and you

1:18:28know, when might might I receive these

1:18:30things,

1:18:31um I was told when they are provided to

1:18:35her.

1:18:36So, my question for everyone on the

1:18:39council,

1:18:41are people not providing to her

1:18:45communication they're receiving? What is

1:18:47the process for that? It seems very odd

1:18:50to me. I find it hard to believe that

1:18:51there's been no communication from

1:18:54citizens from April 1st to June 19th,

1:18:58and no communication from June 22nd to

1:19:00June 30th.

1:19:02But,

1:19:03about 10 or whatever emails on the 20th

1:19:05and the 21st. That just

1:19:08it just belies reality.

1:19:12So,

1:19:14that is my question. Um and again,

1:19:17following up on what Carol said, um

1:19:20transparency is important.

1:19:22And um

1:19:24the result that I received, getting only

1:19:272 days of letters of communications,

1:19:29rather, I think they were probably all

1:19:31emails, and nothing

1:19:33for um

1:19:3589 days worth,

1:19:37most of which were prior to those two

1:19:40dates, um is

1:19:43the to me the lack the epitome of lack

1:19:46of transparency.

1:19:48So,

1:19:49uh it's very hard to trust that I'm

1:19:51getting

1:19:52an honest output, and um

1:19:56I'd like to get some feedback at a later

1:19:59point, if I can, as to why that is. Cuz

1:20:03again, I find it hard to believe that

1:20:04nothing has been sent. That just seems

1:20:07implausible.

1:20:09Thank you.

1:20:12>> [applause]

1:20:19>> Hello.

1:20:21Okay.

1:20:24All right.

1:20:28Before we get into our meeting, uh um

1:20:31I want to um

1:20:33uh one of the uh Mayor Pro Tem Horn is

1:20:37not here tonight. He is on vacation.

1:20:40And I would entertain a motion to excuse

1:20:42him from

1:20:45our meeting tonight.

1:20:48>> I'll make a motion to excuse him from

1:20:50tonight's meeting.

1:20:52Mayor Pro Tem Horn.

1:20:54>> Okay.

1:20:55Uh motion has been made by Councilwoman

1:20:57Ring.

1:20:58>> Second.

1:20:59>> Seconded by Councilman Lane. All those

1:21:01in favor?

1:21:02>> Aye.

1:21:02>> Aye.

1:21:05>> Okay.

1:21:10We have put on here uh for and I went

1:21:13ahead and did this

1:21:14for the mayor's

1:21:16uh mayor and council members comments.

1:21:19And

1:21:21uh a lot of times uh and you know, we

1:21:23don't respond back and forth, but uh

1:21:27I heard a lot uh heard a lot tonight and

1:21:29I've heard a lot, so we always say we

1:21:31like to respond so or we may respond

1:21:34from previous

1:21:36meetings.

1:21:37And I want to highlight a few things.

1:21:41Um

1:21:43I'm going to start out with the facts.

1:21:47Um

1:21:48and I've said all along I like facts.

1:21:52Rumors are rumors.

1:21:54And hearsay is hearsay.

1:21:58And I'm also a show-me type person.

1:22:01Now, I'm going to get uh I will go ahead

1:22:03and tell you as I speak. I've gave I was

1:22:06cordial. I didn't speak out. I didn't

1:22:08get loud. I didn't clap or anything

1:22:12uh and interrupt you. So, I would hope

1:22:15you would uh show this council the same

1:22:18um

1:22:19also.

1:22:23I've heard a lot. I would like to ask

1:22:26the question, but I'm I'm not asking for

1:22:28an answer. It's just a question like

1:22:30when you ask uh who measured the decimal

1:22:33levels on that squalling noise that we

1:22:36got to hear?

1:22:37Um I will tell you it was about 73.

1:22:42Um

1:22:44Yes, I will tell you. I got a one right

1:22:46here.

1:22:48And uh

1:22:49>> [applause]

1:22:53>> I like facts.

1:22:58Oh.

1:23:00Because I knew that was um

1:23:02um

1:23:04would probably come up.

1:23:10I've had a lot of concerns about a dre-

1:23:12uh people contacting me or saying um

1:23:16and I'm I'll be honest with you. You I'm

1:23:18not getting much emails anymore. I

1:23:21wonder why.

1:23:23Would it be because Fox 8 posted them

1:23:26all over their news site?

1:23:29I wouldn't send you an email either.

1:23:32Would it be because the show posted them

1:23:35all over

1:23:36the Facebook page?

1:23:38I wouldn't if I was for it. I wouldn't

1:23:41either.

1:23:42I wouldn't want to be called out either.

1:23:43That's a fact.

1:23:50I have been said it has been said that I

1:23:53sold the town out.

1:23:57When have you seen me vote?

1:24:03The fact is I've never voted since I've

1:24:06been elected. That means we don't have a

1:24:08split board.

1:24:14By saying that I sold you out in this

1:24:16council is uh only did it because of the

1:24:19mayor, you're you're

1:24:21I don't know what the words would be,

1:24:24but I think they have more character

1:24:26than that to set up here and say that I

1:24:29told them how to vote and they voted my

1:24:32way.

1:24:35>> [clears throat]

1:24:36>> Part of my job is is go out and get

1:24:38information.

1:24:39I submit it.

1:24:41This council goes out and gets a lot of

1:24:43their own information.

1:24:47I think I saw or someone sent a

1:24:50a screenshot that um

1:24:54a GoFundMe page for t-shirts and all.

1:24:57Could I challenge y'all maybe

1:25:00to get a tour bus or maybe few, maybe

1:25:04take three in here and go to Maiden,

1:25:07North Carolina.

1:25:11>> [applause]

1:25:11>> You want to see facts? Okay.

1:25:15I see a lot of head shaking because you

1:25:17don't want facts.

1:25:21I told you I will not Hey.

1:25:34It's a hyper scale. Microsoft is hyper

1:25:37scale.

1:25:38Let me Let me say my piece.

1:25:46There's a lot of people that's been

1:25:48there.

1:25:49And it's like checked it out. The news

1:25:51doesn't want to check it out.

1:25:54I brought a newspaper from the town. It

1:25:57just came out actually the day I was

1:25:59there. It tells you about 75 to 80% less

1:26:02water. We're going to present that

1:26:05article after here. You won't see and I

1:26:08don't know why. I would

1:26:11I would uh

1:26:13challenge some of the local news to

1:26:15visit Hickory and see why Catawba County

1:26:19is about data centers. Now, you ask me,

1:26:23how do I know?

1:26:25I went there.

1:26:27I spent all afternoon there. I toured

1:26:29the town.

1:26:31I toured around every one of these

1:26:34sites.

1:26:35I got up out of the car. I walked and it

1:26:38wasn't just me. It was Councilman Lane.

1:26:41We got out of the car. We took the tour

1:26:44around the town escorted around town by

1:26:47the town manager.

1:26:51And I he he can tell you a few things

1:26:54about it. I'm I'm just presenting you

1:26:55facts.

1:26:58I never heard any humming. There is

1:27:00houses. There is a fire station right

1:27:02next door. Probably the fence line is

1:27:06about from here to halfway in the

1:27:09audience there.

1:27:10I walked up to the fence. Once you all

1:27:12the noise of the traffic was down, it

1:27:15was quiet.

1:27:18I encourage you.

1:27:19Why are you getting all this information

1:27:22from Virginia?

1:27:26Texas?

1:27:29Why are we not getting some of this

1:27:30information from North Carolina? If you

1:27:32want want me to listen to a buzzing

1:27:35noise, why don't you go to one in North

1:27:37Carolina? Don't you know you say there's

1:27:39not anything like this.

1:27:44Catawba County has it.

1:27:47They're actually getting their second

1:27:49one. Anybody Apple has been there for 16

1:27:52years.

1:27:54They have added on, getting ready to add

1:27:57more.

1:28:00And

1:28:01I have to I'm a I'm a

1:28:03go and see person.

1:28:08You say I don't present the facts.

1:28:10If I do present the facts, something

1:28:13wrong with the facts.

1:28:15So,

1:28:15I encourage you to go yourself.

1:28:18It's very simple. It's an hour and 29

1:28:21minutes. It's a nice little drive.

1:28:24And I question where we get sometimes we

1:28:28talk about rural. Keep Rural Hall rural.

1:28:34There's nothing rural about Rural Hall.

1:28:38Tell me about it. Let me tell you it

1:28:40Look up the definition rural. We have

1:28:42Interstate

1:28:43Rural Hall Bethany Road and Interstate

1:28:45Broad Street.

1:28:47Two main streets that run through town.

1:28:50They are pretty much bypasses through

1:28:52our town.

1:28:54And when 52 over here is shut down,

1:28:58we are detour.

1:29:01You're going to hear me talk a little a

1:29:03lot about Maiden.

1:29:04You want to see rural?

1:29:06Go to Maiden. How many people live in

1:29:08Maiden? 3,800. It's almost the same size

1:29:11as Rural Hall.

1:29:15That is rural.

1:29:16You get off a uh Interstate 40 and you

1:29:21uh right outside of Hickory and head

1:29:23over,

1:29:24you know you're in the rural part of the

1:29:26country.

1:29:30I have heard about the noise. I've heard

1:29:32about the vibrating.

1:29:35I encourage you. Call the town man Well,

1:29:39I don't know but because he'd probably

1:29:40get flooded. But if you go up there and

1:29:43ask anyone,

1:29:46the cows were walking next to the fence

1:29:48line.

1:29:49A huge church was right there along the

1:29:52fence line. And lo and behold, they

1:29:54built a Hardee's

1:29:56of all things right on the fence line

1:29:59around Microsoft data center.

1:30:04Now, what does that tell me?

1:30:09You can come back and tell me it's

1:30:11different.

1:30:13And I'll agree with you. Virginia is not

1:30:15a central alley. They've got the most uh

1:30:19I could sit here and probably tell Well,

1:30:21I know I could tell you in a few

1:30:22minutes, but y'all may have a lot of

1:30:24this information comes from them.

1:30:27Uh

1:30:28I I get uh I was getting emails that

1:30:31sent me videos. All of them were across

1:30:33the country.

1:30:35None of them were in North Carolina or

1:30:37South Carolina.

1:30:38I visited eight.

1:30:41How many have you visited?

1:30:43Everyone I Every time I visit Oh, it's

1:30:44not the same.

1:30:46It's not the same.

1:30:47>> You have to look at the signs.

1:30:48>> They I I know what I'm looking for. I

1:30:51wasn't born yesterday.

1:30:55I've been here since the early '60s,

1:30:57probably before you could spell

1:30:59transparency.

1:31:06And uh you know what?

1:31:12I'm just telling I'm asking you.

1:31:14If you're going to go, and I said it

1:31:16before, and I was accused of schooling.

1:31:19You go before the county commissioners.

1:31:21I guarantee you they've done their

1:31:22homework.

1:31:24>> Yes, they have.

1:31:24>> Um

1:31:25>> Yes, they have.

1:31:27>> I can tell you for sure. You want to

1:31:30talk about our schools. Let's talk about

1:31:32what a little bit of has happened in

1:31:33Rolesville Hall.

1:31:35Rolesville Hall Elementary School, I

1:31:37went there. I went to Northwest, went to

1:31:39North.

1:31:42Rolesville School is getting ready to go

1:31:44under 400 students. Now, anybody that's

1:31:47lived in this town and was back there in

1:31:49the '60s and '70s know what the

1:31:52enrollment it was.

1:31:54We're losing a lot of our enrollment.

1:31:57Our town was incorporated in 1974.

1:32:02I can tell you the banks have left, the

1:32:04grocery stores have left. I've heard we

1:32:06let's get a shopping center. Nobody

1:32:08wants to hear this because it's not the

1:32:11perfect story.

1:32:14This land across the road is going to be

1:32:16developed.

1:32:19And I know what the planning board said.

1:32:22Be careful what you wish for.

1:32:26And do you really want 350 homes there?

1:32:33I'm sure

1:32:39Well,

1:32:40uh it will be all clear cut and go

1:32:42through. But yes, anything but a data

1:32:44center

1:32:46is what I've heard. Okay.

1:32:52Listen, I'm I'm going to finish.

1:32:58I'm just giving you some suggestions.

1:33:05But I would go to Maiden because they've

1:33:08got data centers and

1:33:11and I would refer some of you to go back

1:33:14and listen to

1:33:16the meeting of the commissioners

1:33:20briefing that they had and get some of

1:33:22the correct information. It's not

1:33:23600,000 gallons a day. That's over a

1:33:272-week period and it would take less

1:33:30than 1% of the water.

1:33:33I just want you to It is all It's right

1:33:37there on YouTube.

1:33:39You can do that.

1:33:42When has how many people in here

1:33:45protested for the Love's truck stop to

1:33:47go in?

1:33:50Oh, okay. I I knew there was some.

1:33:53That was a huge protest. How many of you

1:33:55pro- protested for R.J. Reynolds Tobacco

1:33:57Company in 1983.

1:34:00All the smoke, the pollution, the

1:34:01electricity, and all.

1:34:04Okay?

1:34:05How many of you protested for the

1:34:07Westinghouse is right over here off of

1:34:09Tobacco Road because they had to change

1:34:11the road around some.

1:34:14Um

1:34:18What I'm saying is

1:34:20anything that goes there is going to be

1:34:23protested.

1:34:24Guaranteed.

1:34:26>> Um Maiden is 60% [snorts]

1:34:28solar powered, just so y'all know if you

1:34:30like facts.

1:34:3260%.

1:34:33>> I would encourage you to go up there.

1:34:34They have a 80-acre solar farm. If you

1:34:37don't quit interrupt If you don't quit

1:34:39interrupt me, I will

1:34:41have Corporal Collins take you out. This

1:34:43is not the Independent Hall Monitor.

1:35:04And one of the thing last thing Well, I

1:35:06I see she's got to

1:35:09But I'm going to say and turn it over to

1:35:12uh uh Councilman Lane, uh Councilman

1:35:14Woodcock, and Councilman uh Councilwoman

1:35:18Ring.

1:35:19There's one thing another fact I want to

1:35:21make it

1:35:23pretty darn simple. Homer Dearman did

1:35:26not steal the awnings.

1:35:33>> [applause]

1:35:34>> Okay.

1:35:35>> Attaboy, Homer.

1:35:38Attaboy, Homer.

1:35:41>> All right, any any uh

1:35:44Councilman Lane, you were and uh I'll

1:35:46let you back up a little bit. You You

1:35:48said in the same thing, rode around the

1:35:50town of Maiden. You seen the solar farm.

1:35:54Uh You saw the entrances to all the

1:35:56place.

1:35:58What

1:35:59What did you see?

1:36:04>> Well, I saw an awful lot of

1:36:06benefit

1:36:07from it. But besides the the

1:36:10financial aspect of it.

1:36:13Uh the town manager did mention to us

1:36:16that initially there was

1:36:19controversy and dispute just like we're

1:36:21we're experiencing here.

1:36:23Um

1:36:24>> please.

1:36:24>> They addressed it Apple

1:36:26>> We can't hear

1:36:27>> Apple

1:36:28addressed

1:36:30the the community concerns. They

1:36:32actually acquired a few of the homes

1:36:34that persistent uh question about either

1:36:37traffic or noise.

1:36:40But the interesting thing was after it

1:36:42got implemented

1:36:44there was no further

1:36:46comments to the negative of it.

1:36:49And

1:36:51once Microsoft came and proposed the

1:36:53same thing but on a much grander scale

1:36:56which they're under construction now

1:36:59not hearing a single complaint other

1:37:01than

1:37:02some of the agitators or activists

1:37:04around the country but nobody local.

1:37:09So it tells me

1:37:13it's not as bad

1:37:15as the fear we're all trying to stoke.

1:37:18I'm not going to sit here and say it's

1:37:20100% perfect.

1:37:22No way. Nothing's 100%. But I think

1:37:25we're all taking it a little bit to the

1:37:27extreme.

1:37:29The facts

1:37:30as Mayor Bennett says,

1:37:33I would encourage you once again the

1:37:35YouTube video of the commissioner's

1:37:37briefing recently.

1:37:39They addressed the water issues.

1:37:43Uh they will be addressing the power

1:37:45electrical issues

1:37:47on the next briefing coming up what the

1:37:4827th I believe.

1:37:50>> I think it

1:37:50>> from Duke Energy.

1:37:53Um they've got their ducks in a row.

1:37:55They're addressing the the citizens

1:37:57questions and problems.

1:37:59Uh once again, it's not going to be

1:38:00100%.

1:38:03Uh and I just think once again, we keep

1:38:05hearing people saying let's get our

1:38:06facts and and

1:38:07how true, let's get our facts. They're

1:38:09out there.

1:38:11Uh very good resources and the

1:38:12commissioners for Forsyth County whether

1:38:14they vote yes or no or whoever.

1:38:17I can assure you just like Mayor Bennett

1:38:18said,

1:38:19they preceded us in that visit.

1:38:22They are doing their research as well

1:38:24due diligence. That doesn't mean they're

1:38:26agreement.

1:38:28But you can rest assured you got some

1:38:30good elected officials that they are

1:38:31doing their due diligence

1:38:33um for the constituents of Forsyth

1:38:36County. So feel good about that.

1:38:39Um

1:38:42But some other people have mentioned it.

1:38:43Let's let's come together as community

1:38:45and stop the the hatred that's been

1:38:47erupting around here.

1:38:49>> [applause]

1:38:49>> We're

1:38:50We're all better.

1:38:52We're all better than this.

1:38:56We're all better than this.

1:39:04There was a solar farm there.

1:39:08Well, you're not going to find one

1:39:09completely comparable to

1:39:12Well,

1:39:13and you can rest your case on that

1:39:15you're saying it's going to be a lot of

1:39:16noise and we don't know that.

1:39:20Okay.

1:39:21All right.

1:39:22The

1:39:3350 50 decimals, that's what they're

1:39:35going to have to be. From my

1:39:37understanding, they're going to come

1:39:38back and and um try to meet the 50

1:39:42decimals instead of the 60 at the next

1:39:44meeting. Council

1:39:46uh

1:39:47Woodcock

1:39:48I mean Councilman Woodcock uh

1:39:52Councilman Woodcock, I was thinking of

1:39:54you and looking at Anita, but I was

1:39:55actually looking trying to look at you

1:39:57for a minute. But

1:39:58>> Um just a quick question to see if we

1:40:01could maybe ask staff to reach out to

1:40:04Yadkin Valley Railroad or Hilco or both

1:40:07to see if they'd be interested in coming

1:40:08in in one of these sessions to answer

1:40:10some of the community concerns about

1:40:12safety, security

1:40:14any any any questions the community may

1:40:16have and give them a chance to reach out

1:40:18to us. We can ask

1:40:20um

1:40:23just open up a conversation to

1:40:27>> Okay.

1:40:29Yeah.

1:40:31All right.

1:40:36Any other comments? Any comments?

1:40:40No? Okay. All right. Let's move right

1:40:43along and uh

1:40:46with our

1:40:47actual meeting.

1:40:49You have your consent agenda.

1:40:51Um

1:40:53all of you've had an opportunity to look

1:40:55over the minutes. I would entertain a

1:40:57motion as soon as you're ready.

1:41:01>> Mayor, I make a motion we approve the

1:41:03minutes of the June 8th, 2026 regular

1:41:06council special meeting.

1:41:08And do I need to go ahead and include

1:41:10>> 22nd special meeting

1:41:11>> Yes. Yes.

1:41:13>> So be it. It's included.

1:41:14>> Okay.

1:41:15We have a motion for the consent agenda

1:41:18for the minutes

1:41:20by Councilman Lane.

1:41:23>> Second.

1:41:23>> Second by Councilman Woodcock. Any

1:41:26further discussion? Seeing none, all

1:41:29those in favor?

1:41:30>> I.

1:41:30>> I.

1:41:31>> Okay.

1:41:34Moving right along in our new business,

1:41:36first item coming up um

1:41:39is a uh

1:41:40is it uh well, let's do the certificate

1:41:42of satisfaction deed um

1:41:45uh town manager Dearman.

1:41:47>> Thank you, Mayor.

1:41:48Council, these two items are really

1:41:50administrative in nature and um but they

1:41:52are time sensitive, which is why I asked

1:41:54that they be added to tonight's agenda.

1:41:57The first one is a certificate of

1:41:59satisfaction of deed of trust that our

1:42:01town attorney has adopted or excuse me,

1:42:03drafted um regarding [clears throat] a

1:42:05property

1:42:06um

1:42:07owned by William and Elizabeth Hairston.

1:42:10And we're asking Council tonight to

1:42:11consider authorizing the Mayor to

1:42:13execute a certificate of satisfaction

1:42:16for a deed of trust recorded in Forsyth

1:42:18County by the Hairstons in 1984.

1:42:22This deed of trust secured a

1:42:23rehabilitation loan made by the Town of

1:42:25Rural Hall in the original amount of

1:42:26$14,225

1:42:29to the Hairstons as a part of a program

1:42:31at that time.

1:42:33During a recent title examination, the

1:42:35Hairstons' heirs discovered that the

1:42:37deed of trust remains recorded against

1:42:39the property

1:42:40despite the passage of over 40 years.

1:42:42They were not aware of it at all. Their

1:42:44parents are long since gone

1:42:46but this held up the title.

1:42:48Following a review by our town attorney,

1:42:50the town has no record of any

1:42:52outstanding balance or indebtedness

1:42:55or remaining obligation associated with

1:42:56this loan.

1:42:58Uh but furthermore, any applicable

1:43:00statutes of limitation that govern the

1:43:02collection of this debt or enforcement

1:43:04of the lien have long since expired and

1:43:06you can probably speak more to that than

1:43:09I can if you have particular questions

1:43:10of that, but with a debt that's over 40

1:43:13years old, we can no longer statutorily

1:43:15collect it anyway.

1:43:17Um so, no legally enforceable obligation

1:43:19remains from the homeowner.

1:43:21Approval of this action would authorize

1:43:23the Mayor to execute the certificate of

1:43:25satisfaction so that the deed of trust

1:43:27can be canceled in the Forsyth County

1:43:29Register of Deeds Office.

1:43:31This action will clear the property's

1:43:32title by removing an obsolete

1:43:33encumbrance

1:43:35that no longer has any ill Excuse me, no

1:43:38longer has any legal effect.

1:43:40There is no financial impact to the

1:43:42town. The action does not forgive any

1:43:43existing debt or release any collectible

1:43:45funds. Rather, it acknowledges that no

1:43:48enforceable obligation remains and

1:43:50allows the public record to accurately

1:43:52reflect that fact.

1:43:54So, we are recommending this evening

1:43:55that you authorize the mayor to execute

1:43:57the certificate of satisfaction in

1:43:59accordance with North Carolina law,

1:44:01allowing that outdated deed of trust to

1:44:03be canceled.

1:44:07>> Okay, any questions?

1:44:09Okay, I would entertain a motion for

1:44:14a

1:44:14certificate of satisfaction of deed of

1:44:17trust to be

1:44:19waived and signed by me.

1:44:25>> I'll motion.

1:44:27>> Motion made by Councilman Woodcock.

1:44:30>> Second.

1:44:30>> Second by Councilman Lane.

1:44:33Any further discussion?

1:44:36Seeing none, all those in favor?

1:44:38>> Aye.

1:44:38>> Aye.

1:44:40>> Okay, motion carries. Next item um

1:44:44is the contract agreement um

1:44:47the um this is the NC Office of the

1:44:50State Budget and Management Grant

1:44:52Agreement. Again,

1:44:54uh Manager Dearman.

1:44:56>> Thank you, Mayor. Council, this is

1:44:57another um

1:44:59administrative item that is time

1:45:01sensitive. The email uh is attached to

1:45:04the documentation that I provided

1:45:06from Amy Perry, who is the grants

1:45:08administrator with the Office of Budget

1:45:10and um Management uh regarding a

1:45:13contract extension for our grant for the

1:45:16fire station.

1:45:17As the council will recall, we uh

1:45:19received a grant from the state for the

1:45:21construction of the fire station

1:45:23back in 2023.

1:45:26Um the North Carolina General Assembly

1:45:28appropriated grant funding through

1:45:30session law 2023

1:45:32-134

1:45:34for the next two fiscal years.

1:45:37The original grant agreement established

1:45:39a performance period that ended June 30,

1:45:412026.

1:45:43Uh,

1:45:44prior to that there was another

1:45:45extension um, from August, excuse me,

1:45:47October 3rd, 2025.

1:45:50In 2026, the General Assembly adopted

1:45:53session law 2026-1

1:45:57extending the deadline for expenditure

1:45:59of these funds through June 30, 2027.

1:46:02We've already spent the funds. We've

1:46:03already turned in our paperwork. I

1:46:05inquired with the Office of State Budget

1:46:07and Management about that and they said,

1:46:09"Even if you're already done with your

1:46:11grant, we're still requiring an updated

1:46:14grant agreement because

1:46:16the General Assembly changed the law and

1:46:17requires a new agreement." Uh, so that's

1:46:20not something that I would just sign and

1:46:21send back. It does require your

1:46:23approval. And I'm asking that you

1:46:25authorize me to execute the amendment

1:46:27with North Carolina Office of State

1:46:28Budget and Management preserving the

1:46:30town's ability to utilize grant funds

1:46:32through June 30, 2027

1:46:35consistent with the changes enacted by

1:46:36the General Assembly.

1:46:38>> Right then.

1:46:39Entertain a [clears throat] motion.

1:46:47>> I'll make a motion to authorize the town

1:46:49manager to execute a revision to the

1:46:52grant agreement with the North Carolina

1:46:54Office of State Budget and Management.

1:46:57>> We have a motion by

1:46:59Councilwoman Ring.

1:47:00>> Second.

1:47:01>> Seconded by Councilman Lane. Any further

1:47:03discussion?

1:47:05Seeing none, all those in favor?

1:47:07>> Aye.

1:47:07>> Aye.

1:47:07>> Aye.

1:47:08>> Motion carries.

1:47:10Okay, moving right along.

1:47:14Um,

1:47:15Covington Park presentation. Uh, Withers

1:47:19um, um,

1:47:20Revell

1:47:21>> Revenue.

1:47:21>> Revell.

1:47:23>> Thank you, Mayor. We have a couple of

1:47:24>> I was going to say they were here.

1:47:26>> folks here this evening from Withers

1:47:27Ravenel, who is the um

1:47:29firm that we are working with under the

1:47:31Partis grant on the phase one Covington

1:47:34Park improvements. Um as part of the

1:47:38project, Withers has completed the

1:47:40initial schematic design process for the

1:47:42phase one playground improvements.

1:47:44And they are here tonight to share some

1:47:46of their

1:47:47um work with you all and to garner some

1:47:50feedback from you all. So, hopefully you

1:47:51have already taken a look at the

1:47:53information in your packet. But they do

1:47:55have a presentation prepared for you and

1:47:57at this time I'd like to introduce John

1:47:59Courtney,

1:48:00who is the Parks and Recreation Director

1:48:02for Withers Ravenel,

1:48:04and Jen Dolan, who is Withers Ravenel's

1:48:06landscape design guru.

1:48:08Um we are glad to have both of them here

1:48:10and appreciate their time uh spent with

1:48:13us this evening. So, John, thank you.

1:48:14Jen, thank you.

1:48:16>> Thank you, Homer, Mr. Mayor, and council

1:48:18members. Thank you for this opportunity

1:48:19to um present where we are with the

1:48:23conceptual design um and the preliminary

1:48:25design for this uh wonderful project to

1:48:29revitalize uh Memorial Covington

1:48:31Memorial Park for you. Um

1:48:34We have a brief presentation. Um as

1:48:37Homer said, I am the Director of Parks

1:48:39and Recreation for Withers Ravenel, and

1:48:41Jen here is a landscape designer. Um

1:48:44yes, she is a design guru.

1:48:46And uh together we've been working with

1:48:48staff and we've really appreciated the

1:48:49opportunity uh to work with the public's

1:48:52depart- uh public works department and

1:48:53with staff to get us to where we are

1:48:55tonight. Let's go to the next slide. Um

1:48:58briefly we'll um we won't take too much

1:49:00of your time. Uh we'll just show you

1:49:02some of the existing conditions of the

1:49:04site, um and really sort of bring you up

1:49:07to speed with where we are uh on the

1:49:09master planning of the project and all

1:49:12the public engagement. Um so, you can

1:49:14see how the designs that we're going to

1:49:16show you uh reflect the the wants and

1:49:19the needs of the community. Um and then

1:49:22that is translated into a program that

1:49:24you'll see that's that's what will be

1:49:26doing what your folks will be doing in

1:49:28the park. Um and then and then some some

1:49:30color design sketches for the the design

1:49:33of the project. And then I'll follow it

1:49:35up at the end with um

1:49:37where we are on the funding part of it

1:49:39and the costs part of it or the money

1:49:41the money part of it. So we're just here

1:49:43representing a larger team at Withers

1:49:46Ravenel.

1:49:48Um we couldn't all be here tonight but

1:49:50Jen and I have the pleasure of being

1:49:52able to present what we have for you.

1:49:54And so what if you flip to the next

1:49:56slide we'll get to the um

1:49:58existing conditions. There you go Jen.

1:50:00>> Yes so I have been working on this

1:50:02project since 2023 and one really

1:50:06fantastic thing is we know that Memorial

1:50:08Park is beloved by the community. Every

1:50:10time we've come to visit there's been

1:50:12someone walking on the walking trail or

1:50:14a a grandparent pushing their child or

1:50:17grandchild on a swing. So we know that

1:50:20there are a lot of really wonderful

1:50:21things about the existing conditions on

1:50:23site. And when we started our master

1:50:25planning efforts we were just thinking

1:50:27about how can we improve this space in

1:50:29this lovely resource for the community.

1:50:31Next slide please.

1:50:33So as I mentioned the master planning

1:50:35efforts have been going on since fall of

1:50:372023.

1:50:39We spent a lot of the time speaking to

1:50:41the community and working alongside town

1:50:43leadership in order to come up with a

1:50:45design for Memorial Park and a two other

1:50:48sites within Rural Hall.

1:50:51This was the master plan for the revital

1:50:53revitalization. So this is our big

1:50:55vision.

1:50:57And we also worked alongside our grant

1:50:59funding

1:51:01allocation team so that we could help

1:51:04get funds for the project and Part F did

1:51:07approve

1:51:09our project funding. So there is a match

1:51:11and John will talk about that later in

1:51:12the presentation.

1:51:15So, speaking to the public engagement,

1:51:17we had two public meetings, one in this

1:51:20room, and the other just outside this

1:51:22building for the Christmas tree

1:51:23lighting. Um we also had a community

1:51:26advisory board that we met with

1:51:28periodically to make sure that all of

1:51:30the input that we were hearing was

1:51:32actually being applied in a way that

1:51:34makes sense for the community at large.

1:51:36And we also hosted two online surveys

1:51:39throughout this process. So, it was

1:51:41really important to us to include um

1:51:44public input to the design because it's

1:51:47in y'all's back backyard.

1:51:50So, we ultimately ended up with

1:51:52programming that includes an improved

1:51:55and enlarged playground. There would be

1:51:57an upper play plaza, a lower play plaza,

1:52:00and some embankment play.

1:52:02A American Ninja style challenge course

1:52:06and more fitness focused. And then a

1:52:08small plaza for families to picnic and

1:52:11enjoy the space all together.

1:52:15So, this is the design that we have

1:52:17landed on through schematic design. Um

1:52:19as I mentioned, you have a pretty

1:52:21expansive play area with plenty of

1:52:24places to sit, benches, and um really at

1:52:27the end of the day accessibility and

1:52:30having accessible access to the space

1:52:32was really, really key to our design

1:52:33process.

1:52:36So, before we get into all the

1:52:38nitty-gritty about the playground

1:52:40equipment, we're still working alongside

1:52:42our playground designer. So, these are

1:52:44just some examples. We kind of like the

1:52:46idea of like mix and match from these

1:52:49ideas of equipment. We did work with

1:52:52Berliner, and they do more rope play.

1:52:54So, it's less prescriptive play

1:52:56equipment and a little bit more uh

1:52:58engaging and interactive for um members

1:53:01of the community of all ages and all

1:53:03ability levels. So, this is one layout

1:53:05here

1:53:06that is primarily rope play and slides.

1:53:10In the next slide, we have again more

1:53:13rope play, but it's more of a linear

1:53:15feature throughout that connects two

1:53:16towers.

1:53:18And then finally, we also wanted to

1:53:20provide an example of some more

1:53:22traditional play equipment that we're

1:53:23used to seeing. Um, and I also uh wanted

1:53:27to mention that we know that the swing

1:53:28set is one of the most well-loved piece

1:53:31of equipment, so we wanted to make sure

1:53:32that we have swings in every uh

1:53:34iteration.

1:53:38And finally, our challenge course. So,

1:53:40this would be kind of a circuit

1:53:41approach, but um again, you know,

1:53:44children and older folks alike can go

1:53:47use these um pieces of equipment in

1:53:49circuit or, you know, if you really like

1:53:52the frog hop, you can hang out there.

1:53:55And I will pass it on to John to talk

1:53:57about the the numbers.

1:53:58>> Yeah, the um

1:54:00these are how the numbers break down

1:54:01right now. The playground and the

1:54:03associated surfacing underneath it and

1:54:06the footings, um and access to it is is

1:54:09around $425,000.

1:54:12The challenge course and all of its

1:54:13associated uh surfacing and some signage

1:54:17to explain to

1:54:18to the public, you know, how to use it,

1:54:20um you know, kind of the circuits effect

1:54:22of it, uh around $155,000.

1:54:26The site work to be able to grade,

1:54:27there's a lot of topography on this

1:54:28site, so there'll be some earthwork that

1:54:31will need to be done so that we can um

1:54:34get the grades to work and get the

1:54:35access to work and and be able to

1:54:38utilize the parking that's there.

1:54:40Um, and then there's some soft costs and

1:54:43some contingency added in there so that

1:54:45you can be sure that, you know, on bid

1:54:47day you're you're you're having bids

1:54:49that come in at the number that we need

1:54:51it to be at. So, total is around uh 1.2

1:54:54almost 1.3 million. Um, and that's

1:54:57pretty close to on the next slide where

1:54:59our budget is right now. The part of

1:55:01funding um is has been approved by the

1:55:06public the Parks and Recreation

1:55:09Recreation Trust Fund of North Carolina.

1:55:12So that's a half a million dollar

1:55:15total sum of money that comes to the

1:55:17town and to get that the town had to

1:55:19match

1:55:21um the $775,000.

1:55:24So [clears throat]

1:55:25what we're doing is spending you know

1:55:27the town's money wisely and using that

1:55:29grant for the for the benefit of the

1:55:31community

1:55:32and so that's the the presentation that

1:55:35we have. Um

1:55:37I would say you'll probably ask me when

1:55:40would be the grand opening of it right

1:55:41cuz that's usually the first question is

1:55:43okay when can we get this built? And the

1:55:46answer is um

1:55:48we'll be finishing up the the working

1:55:49drawings for this in the summer um and

1:55:53then we'll probably go into permitting

1:55:56towards the in the fall.

1:55:58And then bidding can happen around

1:56:01November December

1:56:03and then award could take about a month

1:56:06and so what we're seeing is what we're

1:56:08expecting is in the spring to be under

1:56:11construction and then possibly by next

1:56:14summer have everything constructed for

1:56:16the community to be able to use it. So

1:56:19um

1:56:20usually you want to tie a grand opening

1:56:22to a big celebration in the community.

1:56:24Maybe it's you know Labor Day or

1:56:27something like that um

1:56:29towards the end of next summer.

1:56:31So

1:56:32we will entertain all your questions. Um

1:56:35we're here to answer whatever you you

1:56:37might ask us.

1:56:38Thank you.

1:56:40>> Thank you.

1:56:41All right. Council um questions?

1:56:47Ask Damon and Homer

1:56:49how does all this tie into the the time

1:56:51constraints that we're needing to

1:56:53[clears throat] spend the money under

1:56:54the grant?

1:56:55>> Um they're well within your time

1:56:57limitations, I believe.

1:57:00We have 3 years to spend the money um

1:57:03and and that's to actually start

1:57:05encumbering it. And then once you start

1:57:06to encumber it, you get another year

1:57:08essentially. So, I Yeah, we're we're

1:57:10well within the window of that of that

1:57:13period.

1:57:13>> Good. Thank you.

1:57:20Uh this may be more for staff. The

1:57:22$500,000 I I spoke with you about it

1:57:25under

1:57:28Uh let's see, where was it?

1:57:34The owner procured playground and stuff.

1:57:36Why why is that included in this budget

1:57:38instead of a separate item? Is it

1:57:40because of the labor cost associated

1:57:42with

1:57:43designing the playground and then

1:57:44installing it?

1:57:46Uh I guess what I'm

1:57:48asking is that's the only owner procured

1:57:50item on there. So, it kind of struck me

1:57:51as odd.

1:57:53>> Well, it's the it's really the largest

1:57:55sum of money um to be spent on any

1:57:57anything in the park. And by the town

1:58:01procuring it directly, you save the

1:58:03markup on it. Um and so, you're not

1:58:07paying that to the contractor.

1:58:09>> Okay.

1:58:10>> So, it helps um

1:58:12it helps you kind of stretch your

1:58:14dollars about as far as we can possibly

1:58:16stretch them legally.

1:58:18>> And the

1:58:20cost we were looking at was $425,000 is

1:58:23where we're somewhere in there.

1:58:24>> Right.

1:58:25>> And

1:58:25when you add [clears throat] the other

1:58:26equipment, you know, it it's actually I

1:58:28mean, you can procure procure all of

1:58:29that equipment through the through that

1:58:31procurement method. So, you know, that's

1:58:34you know, it's almost half of

1:58:35>> struck me as odd is why the challenge

1:58:37course everything wasn't owner procured

1:58:39or not. It It just seemed odd to me.

1:58:42>> It typically would be, yeah. Anything

1:58:44that's manufactured, we can actually

1:58:46have that under the procurement

1:58:47contract.

1:58:48>> Okay.

1:58:49>> Yeah.

1:58:50>> And the $500,000 we have listed there,

1:58:53that's

1:58:54pretty much the part F grant is what

1:58:56we're looking at. How many phases were

1:58:59we talking about total

1:59:01for this project? Three phases?

1:59:03>> Initially it was going to be two phases

1:59:07and this is just phase one.

1:59:09But so for the the funding that we have

1:59:11now and the plans that we're uh drafting

1:59:14right now, that's just phase one.

1:59:16>> Okay. So what we have listed here with

1:59:18the part F grant, that would use be

1:59:20pretty much used for just phase one,

1:59:23meaning if we go to phase two, we will

1:59:24have to probably seek more grant money

1:59:27or other ways to fund the project.

1:59:29>> Correct.

1:59:30>> Okay.

1:59:30>> Yep.

1:59:31>> I just wanted to make that clear to the

1:59:32public that all of the part of grant we

1:59:34are getting now is included in this

1:59:37phase one plan, not phase two.

1:59:40>> Correct. And um

1:59:42the way part F works is you put an

1:59:44application in and you have to list

1:59:46everything that part F will be paying

1:59:49for. And you're obligated to actually

1:59:51build that

1:59:53with the funds. So there's no way to

1:59:55kind of

1:59:56use some of it and save save it for a

1:59:58reserve. Um but you do have the option

2:00:00to be able to go after successive fiscal

2:00:03year grant application.

2:00:06So that's always an option. Um

2:00:09>> Okay. Thank you.

2:00:14Do you

2:00:15Sorry. While we're while I'm asking

2:00:17questions, did you have any examples of

2:00:20items you have it broken down by light

2:00:22item, the trash receptacles, tables with

2:00:25chairs, sun sails, any of that cuz

2:00:28those do add up and I had questioned

2:00:30Homer the other day. I said $15,000 for

2:00:33trash cans sounds like an awful lot to

2:00:35me, but

2:00:37I've not much experience in this. You

2:00:38guys do. I I didn't know if you had any

2:00:40other slides

2:00:42uh just to show the public what what

2:00:44we're working with, what we're looking

2:00:45at.

2:00:46>> We don't have any more slides and that

2:00:47we wanted to keep it brief. Um

2:00:49>> Okay. And we're at the conceptual level

2:00:51right now, so we'll have more details as

2:00:53the project gets more and more detailed.

2:00:56>> I appreciate that. Thank you.

2:01:01Any further questions?

2:01:09Okay.

2:01:10I think we're good.

2:01:12So, I know initially um

2:01:15we we applied for the part F grant and

2:01:17we stipulated what we wanted to see.

2:01:21And everything you're proposing now

2:01:23meets that criteria.

2:01:25>> Yes.

2:01:26>> The guidance, okay.

2:01:31Okay, so

2:01:35thank you.

2:01:38The request is that we amend the

2:01:41ordinance 883.

2:01:43>> Yeah, and that's uh that's my typo

2:01:44there. That was from a previous meeting.

2:01:46I apologize. I was uh

2:01:48using the Covington Park [clears throat]

2:01:49information and left the uh

2:01:52the wrong recommendation in there.

2:01:54>> Okay.

2:01:54>> Actually, all that we wanted you to do

2:01:56tonight was to hear from

2:01:57>> Okay, so we're not moving.

2:02:00Okay.

2:02:02>> If everything sounds good to y'all,

2:02:03we're going to continue pressing

2:02:04forward.

2:02:05>> appreciate that.

2:02:06Um one more quick item. The slide said

2:02:09775 for our match. Is that right? Is it

2:02:11771?

2:02:12>> 771 is our match. 770 The the slide I

2:02:17think comes up to about $4,000 more than

2:02:20the

2:02:21the match, but if you notice that that

2:02:2270,000 is owner contingency.

2:02:25>> Okay.

2:02:25>> So, that's there in case we need it.

2:02:27>> Okay.

2:02:28>> Gotcha. We hopefully hope to not exceed

2:02:31what we've committed to.

2:02:32>> Gotcha. Thank you.

2:02:33Thank you all for answering the

2:02:34questions.

2:02:35>> Thank you. We'll be We'll be back again

2:02:36and we'll

2:02:37We'll have You'll have another chance to

2:02:39see it before you get to approve it.

2:02:41>> Thank you.

2:02:42>> Thank you.

2:02:42>> All right. Thank you.

2:02:49All right. The next item is our 2026

2:02:52Town of [clears throat] Rural Hall

2:02:53Council meeting schedule revision.

2:02:55That's attachment three.

2:03:02Lynette,

2:03:03do you want to or speak on on that or

2:03:05you want me to just talk about it? It's

2:03:08our December meeting.

2:03:11We're recommending that it be changed to

2:03:13December the 1st

2:03:16instead of the second meeting

2:03:19in December. It's always a

2:03:22busy time in December for

2:03:25Christmas and whatever everybody likes

2:03:27to do and parties and stuff. So,

2:03:30recommending that we move our Council

2:03:32meeting to December the 1st. That will

2:03:35also coincide our pre-lighting and the

2:03:40parade all in one week. And then

2:03:42everybody can have a nice holiday.

2:03:46>> Will that meeting also include the

2:03:48swearing in?

2:03:49>> Yes.

2:03:58>> Okay. Any discussion?

2:04:00I entertain a motion to

2:04:03amend our schedule

2:04:06to December the 1st.

2:04:09>> I'll make a motion to amend the schedule

2:04:11to December 1st.

2:04:13>> Okay. The motion's been made by

2:04:15Councilwoman Ring.

2:04:19>> Second.

2:04:19>> Second by Councilman Woodcock. Any

2:04:22further discussion? Seeing none, all

2:04:24those in favor?

2:04:26>> Aye.

2:04:27>> Okay.

2:04:28>> Motion carries.

2:04:30North Carolina Department of

2:04:32Transportation mowing and maintenance

2:04:34agreement, attachment four.

2:04:37I'll move this back over to town manager

2:04:40Dearman.

2:04:41>> Thank you, Mayor.

2:04:43Council, this is one that you've

2:04:44actually technically approved a few

2:04:46years ago

2:04:47when the town initially adopted an

2:04:50agreement with DOT,

2:04:52I believe back in 2023.

2:04:55I was set for four or five years and

2:04:58each year they send us a letter

2:05:00affirming that agreement and making sure

2:05:03that we are still on board with it. So,

2:05:06that is what we have for your

2:05:08consideration this evening.

2:05:10This is a renewal of the agreement that

2:05:12was executed on April 14th, 2024

2:05:16that provides the town with funding in

2:05:18the amount of $8,005.50

2:05:22in exchange for mowing and cleaning up

2:05:25litter on the DOT right-of-ways

2:05:28within the town limits. That amount is

2:05:30included in your budget that was adopted

2:05:32back in June

2:05:33and we're simply asking your

2:05:35authorization to execute the commitment

2:05:38letter with NCDOT

2:05:40that we are going to proceed as planned.

2:05:44>> Okay.

2:05:46Any questions to town manager?

2:05:49>> [clears throat]

2:05:53>> All right, I'd entertain a motion to

2:05:56approve the agreement with North

2:05:58Carolina Department of Transportation

2:06:03for our mowing annual mowing and litter

2:06:05pickup expense.

2:06:08>> So, I make a motion authorize the

2:06:09extension of the agreement with NCDOT

2:06:11through June 30th, 2027.

2:06:15>> I have a motion by Councilman Lane.

2:06:19>> Second.

2:06:20>> Second by Councilwoman Ring. Any

2:06:23[clears throat]

2:06:23Any discussion? Seeing none, all those

2:06:26in favor?

2:06:27>> I.

2:06:28>> I.

2:06:28>> All right, motion approved.

2:06:32All right, we'll move right into the

2:06:33department reports. I'll turn it back

2:06:36over to

2:06:37Town Manager Dearman.

2:06:40>> Thank you, Mayor.

2:06:41Uh Mayor and Council, my written report,

2:06:43as well as the written reports of our

2:06:46department heads, are included in your

2:06:47agenda packet. If you have any questions

2:06:50about those, please direct those to me

2:06:52or to the appropriate department head.

2:06:54Um but in the meantime, I will highlight

2:06:56just a few items from the month of June.

2:06:59June was primarily on wrapping up one

2:07:01fiscal year as we began another.

2:07:04Staff spent a significant amount of time

2:07:06responding to interim audit requests,

2:07:08completing year-end financial

2:07:09activities, preparing budget amendments,

2:07:12and assuring a smooth transition into

2:07:14the new fiscal year.

2:07:16I truly appreciate the tremendous work

2:07:18of our finance staff, uh Lynette, Donna,

2:07:21all of our department heads, um that

2:07:24they have put into these efforts with

2:07:25our 2025-26

2:07:27audit.

2:07:29We also continue working with the North

2:07:30Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund

2:07:32on grant administration requirements for

2:07:35the Covington Park project. And during

2:07:37the month of June, we completed annual

2:07:39employee performance evaluations. I want

2:07:42to thank all of our staff for another

2:07:44outstanding year of service to the Town

2:07:46of Rural Hall

2:07:47and its citizens.

2:07:49On the legislative front, during June, I

2:07:51maintained regular communication with

2:07:53our legislative delegation

2:07:55as two local bills affecting Rural Hall

2:07:57became law.

2:07:59One removed the town from the Forsyth

2:08:01County countywide fire service district

2:08:03beginning with this tax year,

2:08:05providing a more equitable local funding

2:08:07model for fire protection for the town.

2:08:10The second legislative action updates

2:08:12our town charter to establish procedures

2:08:14for unaffiliated candidates to seek

2:08:16municipal office by petition,

2:08:19ensuring that our election procedures

2:08:20remain consistent with state law.

2:08:23From a financial management a

2:08:25we continue to look for opportunities to

2:08:27improve returns on public funds.

2:08:29During the month of June, we closed a

2:08:31$30,000 certificate of deposit and

2:08:33transferred those funds uh to our

2:08:36holdings with the North Carolina Capital

2:08:37Management Trust Fund.

2:08:39And I expect that move to increase the

2:08:41annual interest earnings that we are

2:08:43receiving

2:08:44while maintaining the safety and

2:08:45liquidity of the town of Rural Hall's

2:08:47funds.

2:08:49Uh during June, I attended the North

2:08:51Carolina City and County Management

2:08:52Association Summer Seminar in Asheville.

2:08:55The conference included training uh

2:08:57sessions on organizational leadership,

2:08:59public trust and transparency, ethics,

2:09:02artificial intelligence in local

2:09:03government, data centers in local

2:09:06governments, and other emerging issues

2:09:09that face municipalities.

2:09:11Uh professional opportunities,

2:09:12professional development opportunities

2:09:14like the North Carolina City and County

2:09:16Managers

2:09:17uh Association annual meeting helped to

2:09:19ensure

2:09:20that we here in Rural Hall continue to

2:09:22implement best practices in municipal

2:09:24management.

2:09:26Finally, I want to make the council

2:09:27aware of correspondence that we received

2:09:29last week from North Carolina Department

2:09:31of Transportation

2:09:33regarding the proposed North Carolina 65

2:09:35widening project between Glade Street

2:09:37and North Carolina 66. I've included

2:09:40that correspondence in the manager's

2:09:42report found in your packet. Um NCDOT

2:09:46has begun preliminary environmental

2:09:48studies and property owners within the

2:09:50study area that is outlined in red on

2:09:52the map may see surveyors, engineers,

2:09:56and environmental consultants around

2:09:58town and around those properties

2:10:00over the coming months as part of the

2:10:02planning process with NCDOT.

2:10:05It is important for all of us to

2:10:06remember that this work is preliminary

2:10:08and does not represent a final roadway

2:10:10design. I anticipate that we'll hear

2:10:13more communication from them

2:10:15as their planning efforts move forward.

2:10:18Mayor, that concludes my report. I'll be

2:10:20happy to answer any questions or uh

2:10:22direct any questions that you may have

2:10:24to the appropriate staff member. Thank

2:10:26you.

2:10:28>> Thank you, Homer.

2:10:30Any

2:10:31any questions?

2:10:32Everybody's had a chance to look over

2:10:34all that.

2:10:39Okay.

2:10:42All right.

2:10:44That pretty much concludes. I just want

2:10:46to make a couple more comments. Uh

2:10:49Uh

2:10:50I want to make sure Lynette, you have

2:10:52copies available. I encourage you the

2:10:56the copies of the newspaper article in

2:10:58the Hickory

2:11:00What is that called? The Hickory Daily

2:11:02Record. Those are copies. I do have the

2:11:05original, so it did come from that

2:11:07paper. I would encourage you to read it.

2:11:10It talks a lot about water usage and um

2:11:14what a hyper data center would be like

2:11:16in Maiden.

2:11:18>> Thanks.

2:11:18>> Yes, you were I'm

2:11:20I'll answer that question. They do have

2:11:23an 80-acre uh solar farm. They have a

2:11:27200-acre data center. Uh Apple's just

2:11:31bought an additional 200 acres to it to

2:11:34expand. Uh along with they're expecting

2:11:37Microsoft to be completed by January. Um

2:11:42just want to make sure the records are

2:11:44straight. Another thing um

2:11:47I would like This is kind of a trivia

2:11:49thing. It'll be a

2:11:51If you would like want to just drop me

2:11:53an email.

2:11:55I would like to

2:11:57see how many

2:11:59people know why we are called the garden

2:12:02spot of the world.

2:12:05>> I and

2:12:07with that being said, on Jason's report,

2:12:10um

2:12:11he mentioned that we would like to thank

2:12:13the

2:12:14um

2:12:15Rural Hall Garden Club for the continued

2:12:18support to the community.

2:12:19>> Yes.

2:12:20>> Um they have

2:12:22um

2:12:23provided double pole banners at each

2:12:26welcome sign for us for every season.

2:12:29And also um

2:12:33the new 4th of July

2:12:37red, blue, and white banners for the 4th

2:12:39of July.

2:12:40So,

2:12:41wanted to shout out for the Garden Club.

2:12:44I know it's in his report, but I wanted

2:12:45to make that public.

2:12:47>> Thank you to the Garden Club. Um

2:12:50But yes, if if you just a little trivia,

2:12:53if you would send that to me, maybe

2:12:55we'll announce it, might even give a

2:12:56little plaque for the correct one. I

2:12:58will go ahead and tell you not to Google

2:13:00it because this incorrect. So, I'll give

2:13:03you a little bit of head start. And

2:13:06um

2:13:06it took me a lot of years to find that

2:13:08out. Uh with that being said, I'd enter

2:13:11toast entertain a motion to adjourn.

2:13:15>> I'll motion.

2:13:17>> Motion made by Councilman Woodcock.

2:13:20>> Second.

2:13:20>> Seconded by Councilman Mayne. All those

2:13:22in favor.

2:13:23>> I.

2:13:24>> Thank you.