2026-09-14 - Town Council

00:11Oh, it is.

00:48Not good.

00:50Not all.

00:52I'm full.

01:20Okay, good.

01:40>> [laughter]

01:53>> I didn't say

02:10And

02:12that's

02:27Yes.

03:15is

03:26like everyone's like

03:36Mine are not, but I'm put

03:44on.

03:48I'd

03:49>> like to call this meeting of the Royal

03:50Hall Town Council to order at 7:00 p.m.

03:56Little change here right at the

03:57beginning.

03:59on uh

04:01911

04:03was the 25th anniversary of 911 and it's

04:07a day of remembrance

04:10and last Friday we had um at the fire

04:13station there was a ceremony there um

04:16it's a day of never forgetting

04:19we proclaimed

04:21that or I procla proclaimed that day uh

04:25911 u day of remembrance 25th

04:29anniversary.

04:31I'm going to read that proclamation here

04:34because I think it's important. Whereas

04:37September the 11th, 2026 marks 25 years

04:41since the terrorist attack of September

04:4411th, 2001,

04:47when nearly 3,000 innocent people lost

04:50their lives in New York City, at the

04:53Pentagon, and aboard United Airlines

04:57Flight 93, forever making the day in

05:00history in a memory of the United States

05:03of America. And whereas on the September

05:06morning, firefighters, law enforcement

05:09officers,

05:11emergency medical personnel, members of

05:13armed forces, public service, and

05:15ordinary citizens demonstrated

05:18extraordinary courage and selflessness,

05:21running towards danger, helping

05:24strangers, comforting the grieving, and

05:26reminding a wounded nation of the

05:28strength found in service to one

05:31another.

05:34And whereas in the days and months that

05:36followed, Americans responded not only

05:39with grief, but with unity, with

05:42resolve, generosity, and renewed

05:45appreciation for our shared citizenship,

05:48demonstrating that even in moments of

05:50profound darkness, their American spirit

05:53endures.

05:55And whereas 25 years later, we continue

05:59to honor those who were lost, those who

06:02survived, the families who carried an

06:05immeasurable burden, the first

06:08responders whose sacrifices continued

06:11long after that day, and the members of

06:14the United States armed forces who

06:16answered that their nation's call in the

06:18years and followed.

06:21And whereas the year 2026

06:25also marks the 250th anniversary of the

06:28United States of America,

06:30inviting us to reflect upon two and a

06:32half centuries of an American experiment

06:36founded

06:37upon the enduring ideals of liberty,

06:41self-government, equality,

06:44civic responsibility, and the belief

06:46that our common bonds are stronger than

06:49the forces that seek to divide us.

06:53And whereas across those 250 years,

06:56generations of Americans have been

06:58called upon to preserve those ideas

07:01through sacrifice, courage, service, and

07:05abiding commitment to leave our nation,

07:08our communities stronger for those who

07:11follow us.

07:14Where and whereas

07:16the convergence of these anniversaries

07:19offers a solemn reminder that patronism

07:22is expressed not only in remembrance

07:26or ceremony, but also in how we live as

07:29citizens, in serving our neighbors,

07:32respecting one another

07:35despite our differences, supporting

07:39those who protect in service,

07:41participating

07:42responsibly, in our communities and

07:45safeguarding the freedoms entrusted to

07:48our generation. And where as

07:52a community and a na as a nation, we

07:56honor September 11th, most faithfully we

07:59when we remember not only how Americans

08:02died that day, but how Americans

08:04responded with courage instead of fear,

08:08compassion instead of indifferences, and

08:10unity in the face of division.

08:14Whereas it is our responsible ability to

08:17ensure that generations born after

08:19September 11th, 2001

08:23understand what occurred, remember those

08:26who were lost and car carry forward the

08:28lessons of courage, service, vigilance,

08:32and na uh nationally national unity that

08:36emerged from that day.

08:39Now therefore, I, Terry Bennett, mayor

08:41of the town of Royal Hall, North

08:43Carolina, do hereby pro proclaim

08:46September 11th, 2026 as a day of

08:49remembrance, service, and patriotic

08:52reflection in the town of Royal Hall.

08:55And I call upon all citizens to pause in

08:58remembrance of those who lost lives were

09:01taken 25 years ago to honor the first

09:04responders, members of our armed armed

09:07forces, and countless Americans who have

09:10served and sacrificed [clears throat]

09:11in the years since. and during this

09:14250th anniversary year of our nation to

09:18recommmit ourselves to the

09:20responsibility of [snorts] citizenship

09:22and to the enduring promise of the

09:24United States of America. May we

09:27remember those we lost. May we remain

09:30grateful for those who serve. May we

09:33teach those who came after us. And may

09:36we continue together the unfinished work

09:39of the building a nation and community

09:41worth worthy of sacrifices made on our

09:45behalf. In witness whereof, I here upon

09:49set my hand and cause this seal of the

09:51town of rural hall to be affixed this

09:5311th day of September, 2026.

09:59If you would all please stand for the

10:01pledge of allegiance. Remain standing

10:03for a moment of silence.

10:07>> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the

10:10United States of America and to the

10:13republic for which it stands, one nation

10:17under God, indivisible, with liberty and

10:20justice for all.

10:36Okay,

10:45we have a pretty good list of

10:47announcements uh want to cover. Um the

10:50first one, the bombers versus the young

10:52guns, every Monday at 6:00 p. p.m. and

10:55that's through October. Uh, I also want

10:58to let you know that a few of the

10:59council, some of the staff,

11:02uh, they practice on m, uh, Thursdays,

11:06uh, at 9:00 and for about the last three

11:10weeks, u, I'm still trying to get over

11:13soreness from the first practice, but,

11:16uh, it's a great opportunity to, uh, and

11:18if you're not familiar with the bombers,

11:20uh, you have to be 80 plus to play. And

11:24I think the young guns is 50 uh or or

11:28it's no real age limit, but most of them

11:30are over 50. So, it's a great

11:32opportunity to come out and see what's

11:34happening at ballpark on Monday evenings

11:37at 6:00. Veteran banner applications are

11:41open September the 10th through October

11:44the 10th.

11:46Uh you have those here or there online.

11:49Okay.

11:51Okay. Mayor's town hall meeting

11:54September the 15th and the 29th of this

11:58month 6:30m rural hall council chambers

12:02uh tomorrow night will be the first one

12:05um get an opportunity to come it's an

12:08open forum uh there's no agenda uh you

12:11can ask questions and

12:15we'll try to answer them and if can I

12:17get back with you and I give opportunity

12:20for the group to ask any questions they

12:23like. So, uh, come on out.

12:26JC's meeting is the 24th.

12:29Uh, if you're not familiar, we've talked

12:31about the JC's. They're, uh, getting

12:34almost to the charter, uh, level now.

12:36They will be meeting at 6:30 at the

12:39training room at the fire station.

12:42There is some flyers. I think it's out

12:44front. That's 8 uh, that's a group of

12:47young individuals 18 to 30 uh, 40.

12:50[snorts]

12:51um Roar Hall area um plan community

12:55engagement event dates. The first one is

12:59uh September the 23rd at 5:30 p.m.

13:04Um and then November the 5th, December

13:08the 16th, and January the 13th. Now, I

13:11did read in our packet that those dates

13:13could possibly change or those pretty

13:16those

13:16>> are set.

13:17>> Those are set now. Okay.

13:21The cruise in, you'll hear a little more

13:23about that uh from our events

13:25coordinator, Whitney, shortly, I'm sure.

13:27But the cruise in and music by the

13:29Catalinas will be out front here on

13:32October the 2nd, 6:00 to 9:00. Uh that

13:35will be a huge event and the Catalinas,

13:38everybody knows, beach music.

13:42Uh Royal Hall Area Business Association

13:445K race October the 24th. Registration

13:47is now open.

13:50Rohal Trunk or Treat October the 24th at

13:546:00 to 8:00 PM at Covington Park.

13:57Royal Halloween, that's where Broad

13:59Street will be closed as a tradition

14:02probably 20 plus years. Uh will be clo

14:05uh shut down on October the 31st.

14:09And we had a flag purchased by Roh Hall

14:11senior citizens in memory of Sarah

14:14Ferguson Nats.

14:18Any the council see any other

14:20announcements or anything that's going

14:23on? Okay. All right. Moving right along.

14:26Tonight we have a presentation by Dan

14:28Roberts with Winston Salem for Scythe

14:30County Planning and Development. Uh

14:34u who would be putting on a presentation

14:36for us? So, I'll turn it over to you.

14:44>> All right. Good evening, Mr. Mayor,

14:46members of council. As uh as was

14:48mentioned, my name is Dan Roberts. I'm

14:50with City County Planning Staff, and I'm

14:52here just to do a brief introduction

14:54about the rural hall area plan process

14:56that we are going through. Um, and there

14:58will be a lot more information going

15:00forward, but this is just to not notify

15:02you and your residents about this

15:04process. And I look forward to, you

15:07know, going through this over the next

15:08couple months.

15:36>> [clears throat]

16:20>> Dan, I'm sorry. Give me one moment.

16:22>> That's right.

17:21I'm sorry.

17:32Okay.

17:58Mayor, I think I'd recommend we have a

18:00precess because it looks like our live

18:02stream is interrupted as well.

18:06Not sure what's going on with our it,

18:08but it looks like our our live stream

18:09stopped.

18:13>> We recess for 10 minutes.

18:18>> Sorry for the inconvenience.

18:19>> I was read catching up on my reading.

18:22>> Probably a good time to do that.

18:26>> Yeah, if it's

18:39I got him.

18:45>> Yeah.

19:06If you can

19:23Yeah, apparently

19:26the laptop

19:32Best way

20:21See if we can switch out.

20:34Oh boy. Check it out.

21:06Jason, you configure these four plugs.

21:30This

21:37>> [clears throat]

21:56>> How is it?

22:24We don't need that.

22:45Oh no.

22:48I didn't want to

23:13in there.

23:21Jason, do you have the USB thing over

23:24there?

23:29>> I thought we had it right here.

23:33>> Maybe that's it.

24:23Just give me a Go ahead.

25:42We're square.

26:06That work?

26:15>> All right.

26:17>> Yes, that's key.

26:20Okay,

26:20>> live stream is good. We're good to go.

26:25>> All right, I'll I'll bring it from the

26:27top. So, my name is Dan Roberts with the

26:29city county planning staff and I'm here

26:32to present uh some information about the

26:34rural hall area plan process that will

26:36be going on for the next several months.

26:38And uh this is just a brief introduction

26:40to that. And there will be more

26:42information um as I we'll discuss.

26:46Here's a quick video um pres that should

26:50give a little bit of information for

26:51you.

27:09All

27:25right.

27:27All right. Since we uh we're on a new

27:28computer, I'm just going to skip the

27:30video. This is available on our website

27:32and there is the link that is that

27:34you'll be able to see and I'm going over

27:36the same information anyway here.

27:40So this is just the first introduction

27:41of the rural hall area plan. It's the

27:43first in a series that we are working on

27:46and this just shows the boundaries of

27:48where we are working. Um you can see

27:50that it encompasses all of rural hall of

27:52course and then some aspects of city of

27:56Winston Salem jurisdiction and then it's

27:58primarily unincorporated for scythe

28:00county. It's about 12,600 total acres

28:04and we're going to be going through and

28:06discussing a little bit more about that.

28:10So an area plan is sort of the middle

28:12range of the planning process that we're

28:14involved in. Of course the top is the

28:16forward 2045 comprehensive plan which

28:18covers the entire county and that was

28:21adopted last year. This plan will go

28:23into parcel specific recommendations. So

28:26every single parcel in the entire county

28:28over the course of many years that we're

28:29doing these plans will assign a land use

28:32recommendation.

28:34And that is just an overarching idea of

28:36what could or should go on a particular

28:39parcel such as residential, commercial,

28:41etc. And it provides the planning board

28:44and elected bodies with recommendations,

28:46not mandates of what sort of land uses

28:49we recommend based on our research and

28:51and expertise. It's a very unique

28:54process. It's there's no other planning

28:57department that we found in the country

28:58that does it at this level of detail

29:00because foride county is so populated

29:03but so small relative to that population

29:06and so we need to be really efficient

29:07with our land use and that is a big uh

29:09portion of what we're doing here

29:13uh briefly this is just the context of

29:16the entire county we are in the process

29:17of adopting the northeast suburban area

29:20plan which I worked on and that is the

29:22one directly to the east of that red

29:23circle

29:24And the reason that we chose these two

29:26first is because of the construction or

29:28the completion of the beltway. And so we

29:30think there's going to be a lot of

29:30development pressure. We want to make

29:32sure that we have land use

29:33recommendations to go with that.

29:38So here is the area plan process with

29:41the dates that uh Mayor Bennett had

29:43previously mentioned. So in the first

29:45meeting is next week uh September 23rd

29:48and that's just going to be an

29:49introduction. and I'll go into a lot

29:50more detail about what we're doing and

29:53the community input that we're

29:55interested in receiving uh throughout

29:57the entire process. This will be open to

29:58members of the community to attend.

30:01Again, all of this information is

30:02available on our website, but wanted to

30:04give you a brief introduction that the

30:06kickoff meeting is just in about nine

30:08days from now and that'll be a good

30:10start to everything

30:13public hearings. Um and then there will

30:16be public hearings throughout the next

30:18spring.

30:21And just to be clear that uh area plans

30:24do not change the zoning of a property.

30:26They do not impact property rights or

30:28recommend any specific uses or

30:30businesses. These are merely

30:32recommendations that elected bodies can

30:35lean on for information based on our

30:37research. Um and so we do not recommend

30:41a McDonald's or a Chick-fil-A or a John

30:44Deere factory. We'll just say commercial

30:45or industrial. These are really

30:47higharching big picture recommendations.

30:52So, a little bit more information about

30:54that first meeting. We're going to

30:56explain this in more detail. There'll be

30:57a longer presentation to kick things off

31:00along with some interactive stations,

31:02input opportunities, and we'll have an

31:04ask a planner with some staff. I'll be

31:06joined by several of my colleagues,

31:08including the planning director, Chris

31:10Murphy, and others. So we'll be able to

31:12engage with the community and go over

31:14our plans and the process in a lot

31:17greater detail.

31:21And here just finally the um all of the

31:23meetings will be held right here in

31:24council chambers. We'll take over the

31:26lobby with the stations. We'll have the

31:28presentation at the beginning. They all

31:29begin at 5:30. Um if you cannot make it

31:32at 5:30 on the dot, we still encourage

31:35you to come. They will go on until about

31:377:30 each meeting and want to get those

31:40interactive stations and the you know

31:42have people um attend and share their

31:45their insight into the community. All of

31:48the information is here on the website

31:50and I'm happy to field any questions um

31:53about this about this process and would

31:55like to give a shout out to the staff

31:57that I've been working with. Everyone's

31:58been really accommodating and we're

32:00looking forward to having it here um in

32:02this building for sure.

32:09If there's nothing for me, then I'll

32:11conclude.

32:13All right. Thank you'all.

32:22>> Okay.

32:31Okay. Council, you've had a opportunity

32:34to look over the agenda.

32:36Um, is there any additions, deletions,

32:39or changes? If not, I'd entertain a

32:44motion to accept the agenda

32:48when you're ready.

32:51>> I'll make a motion to accept the agenda

32:53as is.

32:54>> Motion by Mayor Pro Tim Horn.

32:58>> Second.

32:59>> Second by Councilman Lane. Any

33:01discussion?

33:03Seeing none, all those in favor?

33:05>> I I

33:12>> All right, we'll move right along into

33:13our public comment area uh of the

33:16meeting. Um,

33:19every individual that signed up will

33:21have opportunity to speak for up to six

33:23minutes.

33:25So, Lynette, if you uh town clerk.

33:29>> Yes, sir. get my timer and we'll be

33:31ready to go.

33:32>> Okay.

33:47June Cohen.

33:55Good evening, council. I'm June Cohen.

33:58430 College Street. Recently at the

34:02forum for council candidates, I asked

34:06Mark Lane and Michael Woodcock why they

34:09voted to hire a town manager that had

34:12been fired as town manager and King.

34:16Mark Lane responded the town manager for

34:19Rule Hall had resigned and had not been

34:22fired. This was not true. He was fired

34:26May the 6, 2022 by King Council. I

34:30believe he was fired from King because

34:33of his constant brawling with his wife

34:37and fighting. The police were called. It

34:40was reported in the newspapers.

34:43I believe the king council was

34:46embarrassed and shamed. They did not

34:49want this behavior by a town manager.

34:52They fired him four to zero. He could

34:55not find another job for a year. You

34:59hired him. You poured perfume on a pig.

35:03I have no use for a man that beats a

35:06woman. Here's a copy of where this man

35:10was fired from king.

35:13Thank you for your service.

35:26I'm gonna save I'm gonna save a comment

35:28for after that. But who's next?

35:31>> Robin Smith.

35:41>> Good evening everyone. Uh my name is

35:43Robin Smith. I live at 807 Academy

35:45Street and um I printed off my

35:48presentation for y'all. Um so I'm going

35:50to present today Rural Hall 2026 and

35:53beyond.

35:55Um I had called Homer um probably

35:57midsummer um about maybe seeing what we

36:01could do with like Main Street um which

36:03is a program that North Carolina puts

36:05together. Um and our group that did come

36:09out of um No Data Center Royal Hall

36:11decided to branch off um and have a

36:14group called Royal Hall Alliance. Um the

36:17purpose of Royal Hall Alliance is to

36:19achieve um to advance Royal Hall by

36:22turning shared ideas into member-driven

36:24actions

36:26that strengthen connections and enhance

36:29community well-being. Um, one of our

36:31initial goals was to think about

36:33revitalization of downtown because I

36:35really like the buildings. Um, like I

36:38said, it was born from no data center

36:40rural hall, but um, my application to

36:44the Secretary of State for a 501c um, is

36:47not political. We welcome time,

36:50treasure, and ideas from all who share

36:52the goal of the town and community

36:54prosperity.

36:58Why this path for me? Um, personally, I

37:00do not live within the town limits, but

37:02consider rural hall my home, my town.

37:04Um, we moved out here. Uh, I have a

37:0617-year-old son who is very active and

37:09he likes to work on diesel engines and

37:12it got the cops called on us twice. Then

37:14we tried to build a shed in our backyard

37:16for all his projects and then our

37:18neighbor went around with a pamphlet

37:20about how he didn't like the shed. So,

37:22me and my family, we just decided that

37:24wasn't for us. And so, we came out to

37:26Royal Hall. Everyone's been great. the

37:28neighbors come by. They're all real

37:29interested in what he's doing. So,

37:31that's why we're here. Um, since I

37:33cannot serve like you all, not that I

37:35would necessarily get elected, but I

37:37thought this was the best way I could

37:39help the town.

37:41Um, I like I said, I've been in Winston

37:44Salem. I was in Winston Salem for about

37:4540 years. And, you know, you'd go

37:47downtown Winston Salem when I was in

37:48high school and it was a dead zone. And

37:50but then you started seeing all this

37:51revitalization. I'm not saying Royal

37:54Hall should turn into Winston Salem, but

37:55I always like why, you know, why haven't

37:57things move forward a little bit here? U

37:59money, staffing issues, a plan, a desire

38:03to have things just the way they are.

38:04And we've been told multiple times that

38:06that's just not going to happen. Um, so

38:08I started thinking about, you know, some

38:10guidance and hopefully some money. You

38:12know, what could we look at? And the

38:14North Carolina Department of Commerce

38:15and Royal Hall Economic Development

38:17Division is the flagship program for

38:20rural areas in North Carolina. Their

38:22main street is a state- managed economic

38:25development initiative that realizes um

38:28historic development and commercial

38:30districts. I have a bunch of others down

38:33there that you know we can get to in the

38:35future, but my time is limited, so

38:36that's the one I wanted to focus on. Um

38:39North Carolina Main Street is a public

38:41private partnership.

38:43Um the core idea is that downtown comes

38:46back with coordinated long-term

38:48structure rather than a one-off project.

38:51their strategic economic development

38:53plan, training and education for staff

38:56and volunteers,

38:58access to downtown revitalization

39:00grants. The first thing you have to do

39:02is become a downtown associate

39:03community. You have to apply for that.

39:05Um and uh the applicant is Rural Hall

39:08because I was hoping that I could just

39:10look into everything myself and then

39:12just bring it to you all and say, "Look

39:13at this plan. Isn't it great? We've done

39:14all the work." But obviously um the town

39:18hall is is the the applicant and I would

39:21just be a helper. Our group would be the

39:22helper. Um the next application is

39:25spring 2027 and there I included the

39:29website down there. The next page shows

39:32the samples of the communities that have

39:34undergone Main Street programs. So you

39:36can see there's many and 51 uh North

39:39Carolina towns achieve main street

39:41American status and that was of 2024.

39:45Um, and then my last one, uh, since

39:481980, the initiative has rehabilitated

39:517,800 historic buildings and helped net

39:54thousands of small businesses and jobs.

39:58So, that's all, folks. I'll hope to have

40:00something for you again next month once

40:02the um nonprofit has been approved.

40:05>> Thank you.

40:06>> Thank you.

40:08[applause]

40:14And that's it.

40:16>> That's it.

40:16>> Yes, sir.

40:19>> All right.

40:28Next item is my comments and any of the

40:30council members comments that'd like to

40:32make. And um one of the things I want uh

40:35I'm just going to bring back up is the

40:38mayor's town hall meeting tomorrow

40:40night. Uh it is great opportunity to

40:43where you where we get to come uh or I

40:46say I get to come and u uh have an

40:50opportunity to answer back and have

40:53conversation back and forth without a

40:56time limit. There won't be a two or

40:59three minute time limit. with as long as

41:01it doesn't get out of hand. Uh, I would

41:06encourage

41:07after hearing that first speech tonight

41:09to watch slanderous stuff because I know

41:13that there's probably a lot of notes

41:15been taken over this uh comments and and

41:20I normally don't call out anyone, but if

41:24we keep having this, I will uh put a

41:28stop to that because it gets into a

41:30slander

41:32uh situation.

41:33I think uh I have that authority. So

41:37anyway, come out to the meeting

41:38tomorrow. We have a lot of things going

41:40on in town. Uh last week we had the 9

41:44911 uh ceremony. Um couple of us went

41:48over to Wano Cove. They had another 911

41:51ceremony over there. Uh we've got our

41:54council meeting this week. We've got a

41:56town uh mayor's

42:00Why is it keep Now I must be hitting it

42:02with my finger when I pulled it down.

42:05Okay. I didn't know it would cut off up

42:08there. But um we have the town hall

42:11meeting also this week. We have the

42:14business association meeting tomorrow

42:17and then the U. So there's a lot of

42:20things going on to be engaged in the

42:22town. And if you haven't had the

42:24opportunity to read any of this 260ome

42:29plus pages of attachments, I think we've

42:32made a copies available. And I really

42:35want to thank Homer, town manager Homer

42:38Dearman's for starting to put all this

42:40information together because a lot of

42:43this is information that goes back and

42:46has been requested somewhere uh either

42:50through public records or comments

42:52that's been made. So, uh, I think he's

42:55putting all this stuff together so

42:57everyone will have a hard copy and I

42:59think it goes all the way back to about

43:0120 21 if I'm not mistaken. Uh, so it's

43:06um some very good reading, some good

43:08good information in there, and you can

43:10come out to the town hall meeting and

43:13and I've I've read every page of it. So,

43:15if you ask me a question, I hope I can

43:18uh give you an answer or I can uh find

43:22it very quickly. So, with that being

43:25said, um I'm going to turn it over to um

43:29uh the council and let them have any

43:31comments.

43:34>> Okay. [clears throat]

43:36>> None. Okay. All right. Um I would

43:38entertain a motion to excuse Councilman

43:41Michael Woodcock. uh he's not able to be

43:44present with us tonight.

43:47>> Mayor, I'll make a motion that we excuse

43:48Michael Woodcock from this evening's

43:50council session.

43:51>> All right, we have a motion from

43:53Councilman Lane.

43:54>> I'll second.

43:55>> Second from Mayor Pro Tim Horn.

43:58Any discussion? Seeing none, all those

44:01in favor?

44:01>> I I

44:02>> Okay. Uh next item on our agenda is the

44:06consent agenda, approval of the minutes

44:08for August 10th. Um,

44:11so [clears throat]

44:14whenever you I would entertain a motion

44:16to approve.

44:18>> Mayor, I'll make a motion that we

44:19approve the minutes from August 10th,

44:212026 regular council meeting.

44:23>> Motion made by Councilman Lane.

44:26>> Second.

44:27>> Second by Councilwoman Ring. Any

44:30discussions? Seeing none. All those in

44:33favor? I I

44:35>> I. Motion approved.

44:39Okay, moving right along into our new

44:41business items. Um, first item on the

44:44agenda is the credit card and purchase

44:47card electronic funds transfer policy

44:52914. I want to turn that over to manager

44:54dear.

44:55>> Thank you, Mayor Council. The U item

44:59before you is one resolution that

45:01effectively adopts two policies. So,

45:03we're asking for your adoption of

45:05resolution number 914,

45:07which authorizes electronic payments and

45:10electronic fund transfers and also

45:13adopts a new credit card and purchasing

45:15card policy for the town. Currently, our

45:19credit cards that the town uses are

45:20regulated by a purchasing policy that

45:23was adopted in 2017.

45:26Uh as part of our financial governance

45:28and uh management efforts, we are

45:31looking at all of these policies trying

45:33to bring them into uh modern times with

45:36statutes that have been adopted over the

45:38last decade or more um with trends and

45:41with uh best practices in local

45:43government and that is the case with

45:45what is before you tonight. Um the two

45:49complimentary financial policies for the

45:51resolution. Uh again one being the card

45:54policy which governs the use of the

45:55cards and the other one is the

45:58electronic funds transfer which

46:01basically provides a mechanism for the

46:02count the town to send and receive funds

46:06electronically. We currently do this. We

46:08receive monthly drafts from Forcy County

46:11for different things like property tax,

46:12fire tax. uh just about every payment

46:15that we receive is is an electronic

46:18payment and this would give us a policy

46:20that governs how those are handled.

46:22North Carolina General Statutes and

46:25applicable local government commission

46:26rules authorize us to use electronic

46:29payment methods subject to specific

46:31fiscal controls. These requirements

46:34distinguish between the pre- audit of an

46:35obligation before it is incurred and the

46:38review and approval of a dispersement

46:40before public funds are released. Uh you

46:42may be very familiar with that term pre-

46:44audit because it did get us in trouble u

46:47long before most of us were in in the

46:49positions that we are in and I'll

46:51discuss that a little bit more with the

46:53progress report that's in your manager

46:54report tonight. But the main impetus for

46:57establishing these new policies is a

46:59change in the general statutes and how

47:02the pre- audit function works for credit

47:04card purchases. The proposed card policy

47:07establishes standards for the issuance

47:09and use of town cards and formalizes

47:11procedures for pre- audit, incumbrance,

47:13authorized and prohibited purchases,

47:15documentation, reconciliation,

47:17card security, oversight, and employee

47:20accountability. Before an electronic

47:23purchase is made, the the appropriate

47:25budgetary authority and availability of

47:28funds must be verified in the

47:29anticipated obligation recorded through

47:32the town's encumbrance process. The

47:35complimentary electronic funds transfer

47:37policy establishes controls for our AC

47:40transactions, wire transfers, electronic

47:43vendor payments, payroll related

47:45transfers, transfers between accounts

47:49such as our checking accounts and

47:50investment accounts, and any other

47:52electronic dispersements. The policy

47:55provides for appropriate authorization

47:56and review, segregation of duties,

47:59banking security, verification of vendor

48:02banking information, documentation,

48:05reconciliation, and fraud prevention

48:08measures. The resolution before you

48:10tonight provides the town council's

48:12formal authorization for electronic

48:14payments and electronic funds transfers

48:17and adopts both policies. The resolution

48:20also adop authorizes the town's finance

48:23officer to establish the administrative

48:25procedures necessary to implement these

48:27requirements while maintaining

48:29compliance with state law, local

48:32government commission rules, and other

48:34financial policies that this council

48:36adopts. Together, these policies provide

48:39a consistent framework for the town's

48:41use of modern payment methods while

48:43strengthening our internal controls,

48:45safeguarding public funds, and providing

48:48a clear audit trail for all electronic

48:50transactions.

48:52The policy that's in your current policy

48:54that was adopted in 7 2017 only governs

48:57credit card purchasing and takes up

48:59about two pages in a 16page

49:02policy. So, it's um it's barely

49:04adequate. It's kind of what we've hung

49:05our hat on. Our auditors have reviewed

49:08this policy as well as our accountants,

49:11our um town attorney, and this is a much

49:14more comprehensive policy that has the

49:17kinds of internal controls in it that

49:19should be expected from a local

49:20government. So, our advice to you this

49:22evening is to adopt resolution 914

49:25authorizing electronic payments and

49:26electronic fund transfers and also

49:29adopting the town of Rural Hall's credit

49:31card policy for the town of Rural Hall.

49:34I'm glad to answer any questions that

49:35you have on either one of these policies

49:37or the resolution adopting both.

49:42>> Thank you, Homer. Questions from

49:44council.

49:57Okay. I would entertain a motion to

50:01adopt resolution 914

50:04and all the uh authorizing electronic

50:07payments and electronic funds transfer

50:09and adopting the town's credit card and

50:12purchasing card policy and electronic

50:14funds transferred and electronic dis

50:17dispersement policy.

50:20A lot of words.

50:22>> I make a motion that we adopt resolution

50:24914.

50:26Okay, we have a motion by um

50:29Councilwoman Ring.

50:33>> Second.

50:33>> Second by Councilman Lane. Uh any

50:36further discussion?

50:38Seeing none, all those in favor?

50:40>> I

50:42>> Okay,

50:47next item on the agenda is the cash

50:48management policy update resolution

50:52number 915. I'll turn that back over to

50:55uh town manager Dearman.

50:57>> Thank you, Mayor Council. This is

50:59another financial governance item for

51:01your consideration and um this is

51:04adopting a policy that replaces a policy

51:06that this council or that the town

51:08council adopted in 2011. So, the new

51:11cash investment policy, if adopted

51:13tonight, will modernize our cash

51:15management and investment procedures um

51:17from a policy that has been in effect

51:19for a little over 15 years. We're

51:21requesting that you adopt an updated

51:23cash management and investment policy

51:25this evening um establishing

51:27comprehensive standards for the

51:28management, deposit, and investment of

51:30town funds. The town's existing cash

51:33management, investment policy was

51:34adopted by resolution number 697

51:38on December 12th, 2011.

51:40The proposed updated policy updates that

51:43framework to more clearly reflect

51:45current North Carolina statutory

51:46requirements, LGC and Department of

51:49State Treasurer guidance, and

51:51contemporary municipal cash management

51:53practices. The policy establishes three

51:56investment objectives in order of

51:58priority. And hopefully everybody will

52:00be able to quote these in your sleep,

52:02but the best acronym to remember is Sly,

52:04SLY. And that is safety, liquidity, and

52:08yield. Safety is the safety of our town

52:11funds. We currently use the North

52:12Carolina cash uh capital management

52:15[snorts] um trust fund where we are

52:18guaranteed that we are not going to lose

52:20a dollar that we put in that investment

52:22vehicle. We're only going to we only

52:24stand to gain. So we want to make sure

52:25that any investment vehicle that we use

52:28in the future features safety. Liquidity

52:31means that we can access it when we need

52:33to. If the council comes up and says we

52:35need to put a new roof on town hall and

52:37we need to pull some money out of that

52:38investment account, we can do that in

52:40very short order. Don is able to get

52:42that transferred um to a a checking

52:45account within 24 hours. And finally,

52:47yield. Yield is important. We we

52:49certainly want to make sure that we're

52:51making money and that we're having our

52:52money work for us instead of sitting in

52:55uh dormant accounts or earning very

52:56little interest. And I'm very proud to

52:58say that as of September, we've earned

53:00over $800,000 in a little under three

53:03and a half years in interest just by

53:05changing our investment strategy. So now

53:08we're asking that you adopt a policy to

53:10line up with that strategy so that

53:12regardless of who is in any of these

53:14seats over the years, there is a a

53:16modern policy um governing that effort

53:19to uh make sure that our cash is safe,

53:22liquid, and yields plenty of return. The

53:26proposed policy further establishes

53:28standards addressing authorized

53:29depositories and investments, the North

53:31Carolina Capital Management Trust,

53:33collateralization of public deposits,

53:35diversification and risk management,

53:38investment maturities, certificates of

53:40deposit or CDs, and other bank

53:42investments, the safekeeping of those

53:44funds, internal controls, investment

53:47reporting, and statutory reporting

53:48requirements.

53:50Of particular importance, this proposed

53:52policy formalizes the town's objective

53:54of avoiding unnecessarily large balances

53:57in non-interestbearing accounts or

53:59comparatively comparatively low yield

54:01accounts when those funds can prudently

54:03and lawfully earn to earn a higher rate

54:06of return without compromising safety or

54:08operational liquidity. The policy also

54:11recognizes the statutory responsibility

54:13of the finance officer for the town to

54:15manage the town investments subject to

54:17restrictions and directions imposed by

54:19you all as the town council and

54:21authorizes the finance officer to manage

54:24cash balances, deposits, withdrawals,

54:26authorize investments, and transfers

54:28among town accounts consistent with

54:30applicable law and adopted policy.

54:33Adoption of this policy continues our

54:35ongoing efforts to strengthen our

54:36financial controls, formalize sound

54:38financial management practices,

54:40safeguard public funds, maintain

54:43appropriate liquidity, and maximize the

54:46productive use of taxpayer funds within

54:48prudent risk management parameters. Upon

54:51adoption, this policy will supersede the

54:53existing policy adopted in 2011, and

54:56there is no direct expenditure

54:58associated with adoption of the policy.

55:01Implementation of this policy, if

55:03adopted, is intended to improve the

55:04management of our existing funds by

55:06maintaining appropriate operating

55:08liquidity while allowing temporarily

55:09available cash to earn competitive rates

55:13when prudent and legal legally

55:14permissible. This policy will not

55:16require us to pursue maximum yield and

55:19expressly establishes safety and of

55:22principle and liquidity ahead of yield.

55:26So again, that safety, liquidity and

55:28yield is in priority order. Uh we are

55:30recommending at this time that you adopt

55:32resolution 915 approving the revised

55:34town of rural hall cash management and

55:36investment policy. Again this has been

55:39reviewed by our auditors, our legal

55:41counsel and our financial consultants.

55:44And glad to answer any questions that

55:46you all may have this evening.

55:51>> Any questions to

55:54manager dear?

55:57>> No. Okay.

56:04All right. I would uh entertain a motion

56:07to adopt resolution

56:09number 915 approving the revised town of

56:12Warh Hall cash management and investment

56:14policy.

56:16>> I'll make a motion that we adopt

56:19resolution 915 revising the town of Ruh

56:22Hall cash management investment policy.

56:24>> All right. We have a motion by Mayor Pro

56:26Tim Horn.

56:29>> I'll make a second.

56:31>> Second by Councilwoman Ring. Uh, any

56:35discussion? All those in favor?

56:38>> I.

56:38>> Okay.

56:39>> I should beat you by one second, half a

56:42second. Um, next item on the agenda is

56:46to propose to install AEDs in town

56:48facilities. I'm going to turn this back

56:50over to [snorts] town manager Dearman.

56:53He may turn it over to Chief uh Smith.

56:56>> Mayor, I'm tired of talking. I'm going

56:57to turn it over to Chief Smith.

56:59>> Okay.

57:00>> All right. Thank you, Mr. Manager,

57:01Mayor, Mayor Pro Tim, Council. Uh the

57:04proposal before you is uh something that

57:06the fire department and town staff want

57:08to be proactive on. So many times the

57:11fire department is a responsive unit. We

57:13respond to 911 emergencies and things

57:15like this. Uh this proposal before you

57:18uh will give the town a chance to be

57:20proactive. Um, and you can read uh in

57:23front of you here uh just a little

57:24introduction about it. Says uh automated

57:27external defibrills AEDs provide

57:29immediate uh potential life-saving

57:31treatment for a person experiencing sudd

57:34sudden cardiac arrest. Rapid access to

57:36an AED combined with early CPR and

57:40prompt activation of emergency medical

57:42services can improve the opportunity for

57:44successful outcome before responding

57:47emergency personnel arrive. To improve

57:50the preparedness and public access to

57:53life-saving equipment, staff proposes

57:55placing five AEDs with one unit located

57:58at each town property. The distribution

58:00would provide town employees, visitors,

58:03members of the public with ready access

58:05to an AED during a cardiac emergency.

58:08Based on the available equipment and

58:10options uh before us,

58:13um the units uh they're industryleading,

58:16offered at the same price point. uh

58:19staff will select the model that best

58:21meets the town's operational needs after

58:23completing uh the f uh final equipment

58:25contract and review.

58:28Uh and you can see down below it goes

58:30into the to the options and if you look

58:32in your agenda package um I have it

58:34broken broken down by the the cost. So

58:37it's uh $99 per month for an automated

58:41external defiill. Uh this is a turnkey

58:44package. Uh so the the vendor will

58:47provide the installation, the mounting

58:49and the surveillance of the of the

58:52equipment. Uh so it'll have um alarms on

58:55it. So if anybody tampers with it, it'll

58:57notify let us know that hey, something's

58:59going on or somebody has used the AED um

59:04it it'll let us know. Uh so what we're

59:06looking at doing is placing them at

59:08Covington, placing one at Covington

59:09Park, one at the license plate agency,

59:12one here at Town Hall, uh one mounted on

59:15the exterior of the fire station in case

59:17if we're out uh and someone drives to

59:20the fire station. Just last week we had

59:22a drive up emergency call. Uh you know,

59:24and luckily we were there, but instead

59:27of calling 911, somebody just drove

59:29immediately to the fire station. So if

59:30there was a cardiac event, there could

59:32be equipment there ready and available.

59:35um uh for for them um in in case if

59:38we're having to come back to the fire

59:39station.

59:41So, I've uh this proposal before you, it

59:44has the uh the full ter lease if we

59:47decide to go if you guys decide to go

59:49that route and it's uh $99 per month. Uh

59:53they'll keep up with all the upkeep, the

59:54maintenance of it, the batteries. uh if

59:57one is utilized, they'll come out uh

59:59service the unit, replace the the pads

1:00:01that go with it, the batteries, uh and

1:00:03all the upkeep and maintenance that are

1:00:05associated with the um with the

1:00:07automated external defibrill.

1:00:10Uh the other option that we have is I've

1:00:12got a quote in here uh just to if you

1:00:15bought them outright uh what you're

1:00:17looking at um on that. So, you know,

1:00:20you're looking at one of the quotes was

1:00:22uh little just over $7,000. So, we're

1:00:25looking at uh 5,495

1:00:28on an annual lease agreement. Uh but

1:00:31it's nothing that we have to keep up

1:00:33with and maintain. They'll maintain it

1:00:35uh take care of any of the replacement

1:00:36cost with it. Uh if we purchase an AED,

1:00:39it needs to be serviced uh every year.

1:00:42Uh so our ones in our medical equipment

1:00:43that we carry on the fire engines and

1:00:45the uh quick response vehicles, uh we

1:00:48have a technician come out and service

1:00:50them, change the batteries, um and

1:00:52making sure that they're functioning

1:00:54correctly the way that they're supposed

1:00:55to function.

1:00:59Uh so uh the recommendation staff

1:01:02recommends that if uh approved that the

1:01:04town council enter into a full lease

1:01:06service agreement for five AEDs at a

1:01:08cost of $99 per month. Um, it'll be

1:01:11$5,940

1:01:13annually. Uh, with one AED placed at

1:01:16each town property. Uh, this lease

1:01:19approach provides a predictable cost and

1:01:21assigns inspection, maintenance, supply,

1:01:23replacement, compliance, and post-event

1:01:26support by the service provider, helping

1:01:29ensure that each unit remains rescue

1:01:30ready. Approval should be subject uh to

1:01:33the final contract review and the

1:01:35availability of appropriate appropriate,

1:01:37excuse me, appropriate funds. Um, I've

1:01:40included a sample what the service

1:01:43contract would look like. Uh, that's

1:01:45included in your um, your agenda package

1:01:48as well if you would like to look

1:01:49through that. And I'll be glad to

1:01:51entertain any questions that you may

1:01:53have about it. And this came about from

1:01:55us uh, talking about, you know, how can

1:01:57we be more proactive in our in our

1:01:59community? And uh, and we really feel

1:02:01that this would be a um, a good way for

1:02:04us to to get out there. and a lot of

1:02:06your local churches have AEDs in their

1:02:08that they bought on their own. Um I

1:02:11think it's just a good best practice for

1:02:13us as a town if we can um go that

1:02:15direction.

1:02:18>> Okay.

1:02:18>> Chief, is this uh price how long is this

1:02:21guaranteed or does it

1:02:23I can uh find out that and get back to

1:02:25you. I don't have that answer right in

1:02:27front of me, but Mayor Pro Tim, I'd be

1:02:28glad to um to find out how long uh that

1:02:31contract is for. Okay,

1:02:34>> Chief, do these automatically dial out

1:02:37to EMS when they operate?

1:02:39>> No. Um, as far as they will send out,

1:02:42um, and I'm still working on to get some

1:02:44more information about that. Who does it

1:02:46alert? Does it alert just the vendor?

1:02:48Does it alert the fire station? Um,

1:02:51that's some more information that I'm

1:02:52still waiting to to receive. But no,

1:02:54there it's not like the um like you see

1:02:57in some of the the towns and the cities,

1:02:59the blue help button like you see

1:03:01walking on the uh greenways and stuff.

1:03:03It's not a direct 911 access to those.

1:03:12Okay.

1:03:16So, what we have here is it's $99 a

1:03:19month per unit, which comes out to the

1:03:2157 and some change,

1:03:23>> but I guess to

1:03:27um

1:03:29is how long a term of lease is that? I

1:03:32mean, I guess would be

1:03:33>> right. Is that a one-year lease or?

1:03:35Yeah, that would be an an initial

1:03:37one-year lease, but I can find out about

1:03:39long long-term pricing as to far as if,

1:03:42you know, you wouldn't want them to get

1:03:44us, you know, on the hook for this first

1:03:46year and then go up on your rate the

1:03:47next.

1:03:48>> Right. Right.

1:03:48>> Um, so yes, I will do some more uh

1:03:50digging and find out some more

1:03:51information for you, mayor and council.

1:03:53>> Well, we know for one year that would be

1:03:56a set one year lease. Okay.

1:03:58>> All right.

1:04:00Don't

1:04:02for

1:04:07>> what are we looking at? Hold on.

1:04:11>> The cardio partners

1:04:13is that price as if you owned them.

1:04:16>> Yes. Under the um the document in there,

1:04:19the cardio partners. Uh so if you look

1:04:21at that, I'm not sure what page that is

1:04:23in your agenda, but it's after um

1:04:28after it goes through and describes the

1:04:29two different uh two different models

1:04:31that they offer under the lease, it goes

1:04:33into the one like if we purchased it. So

1:04:35if you go in, you can see the the

1:04:37breakdown as to what their um

1:04:41what it's what each co each unit cost.

1:04:45Um, and that that comes up with the

1:04:47after the subtotal and all the other

1:04:50fees associated with it, $7,22251

1:04:54cents. And that's a one-time purchase.

1:04:56And then you would be responsible for

1:04:58the um the maintenance of of those. you

1:05:01know, we'd have to have the vendor or a

1:05:03vendor come back out uh test the AEDs,

1:05:06test the batteries, um making sure that

1:05:09the um the defibrillator pads that you

1:05:12actually apply on the on the patient um

1:05:14they expire, so they have expiration

1:05:16date, so they have to be replaced. Uh if

1:05:19you go with the lease, it's just a

1:05:20turnkey package. Um they'll take care of

1:05:22all the all the the maintenance and

1:05:24everything that goes with it.

1:05:27>> Chief, that includes staff training as

1:05:29well. Yes, that is that is correct. So,

1:05:32they will come in and train uh staff on

1:05:36uh basic first aid and AED. Um but be

1:05:40the other thing to be mindful about the

1:05:41these AEDs are total um they're made for

1:05:45the lay person, somebody that has no

1:05:47medical training, no experience

1:05:49whatsoever. So, if someone is walking at

1:05:51the park, um you know, their significant

1:05:54other or friend or they come across

1:05:56somebody, it's made to it's got

1:05:58pictograms on it, you can look at it,

1:06:01turn, if you can press a button to turn

1:06:02it on, it's going to walk you through

1:06:03it. Has diagrams to show you where you

1:06:06place the the pads on the patient and

1:06:08then it takes it takes over after that.

1:06:10Once you get the pads on the patient

1:06:21after looking over it, I mean, you know,

1:06:24you know, sometimes you look at the and

1:06:27say, "Well, it'd be nice to own them."

1:06:28But sometimes it's not nice to own them

1:06:31because um u something like that needs

1:06:34to be ready and you don't walk up to it

1:06:38and wonder so if it's been maintained.

1:06:40So u I found that on something like that

1:06:44it is much better to be get into a lease

1:06:47agreement than

1:06:49than purchasing it outright.

1:06:52It's like buying a [clears throat]

1:06:53computer. Computer's no good after three

1:06:56years and if you bought it you're stuck

1:06:58with it. if you go somewhere and have a

1:07:02three-year contract, go get a new one

1:07:04afterwards. But that's my opinion.

1:07:08>> I'm definitely for it. I just like to

1:07:09know if there's check on that price. Be

1:07:12sure

1:07:12>> and if that's something that, you know,

1:07:13we you guys want me to report back on

1:07:16before you make a decision, we're we're

1:07:18okay with that as well. Um, please.

1:07:20>> Um, I'll I'll I'll do more diligence on

1:07:22that and find out more information and

1:07:24report back to uh council and mayor on

1:07:27that.

1:07:28>> Think you can have that by next council?

1:07:31>> Yeah,

1:07:32>> we can we can do that for next council.

1:07:33>> Put that back on the agenda for our next

1:07:35meeting.

1:07:35>> And I do apologize for not having that

1:07:37information in front of me. So, that's

1:07:38fine.

1:07:39>> That's no big deal. And I can see where

1:07:40going with the leasing is smart because

1:07:44these items

1:07:47cost a whole lot of money to order.

1:07:50>> They do. They do. And then it goes into

1:07:53the the labor and the expense of okay,

1:07:56who's going to maintain them? Which town

1:07:58staff do we have that's available to go

1:07:59and maintain these these um these items?

1:08:02So, it's just um it's it's just

1:08:06reassuring to know that there's somebody

1:08:08there that's going to take care and

1:08:09maintain um that they're electronically

1:08:12monitored in case if anything's tampered

1:08:14with, anybody, you know, messes with

1:08:16them and those type of things. And then

1:08:18the locations we've identified too, you

1:08:20know, they have their security cameras

1:08:21there that are already in place for us.

1:08:24Um so, we could monitor those remotely

1:08:26as well.

1:08:30>> Okay. May I'd recommend a motion to

1:08:32table if it's going to be carried over

1:08:33to the next meeting.

1:08:34>> Okay. I'd entertain a motion to table it

1:08:38to the following October meeting.

1:08:41>> I'll make a motion we table it.

1:08:43>> Okay. Motion made by Mayor Pro Tim Horn.

1:08:50>> Second.

1:08:50>> Second.

1:08:54>> Here you go. Uh

1:08:57second by Councilman Wayne. Uh, any

1:09:00discussion?

1:09:02>> Okay. All those in favor?

1:09:04>> I

1:09:05>> I

1:09:05>> All right.

1:09:09That was pretty good timing. That one. I

1:09:11think it's getting right on it. Uh, next

1:09:14item is resolution number 916,

1:09:17FCDA surplus and donation attachment uh

1:09:21six in our books. Um, turn that back

1:09:24over to manager dear. Probably go to

1:09:28>> Sure. back to Captain uh Chief Smith.

1:09:31>> Thank you, manager. Thank you, council,

1:09:33mayor. Mayor Pro Tim. Um yeah, so you

1:09:36know, recently we just placed our new uh

1:09:38SCBA, our self-contained breathing

1:09:40apparatus in service,

1:09:43excuse me, thanks to council's approval

1:09:45for us to apply for the AFG grant, it

1:09:48was awarded, uh we replaced 27 airpacks

1:09:51um that were reaching their end of

1:09:53service life for for us here at the town

1:09:55of Royal Hall. So the uh the resolution

1:09:58before you uh is is to donate these to

1:10:02uh two other agencies uh that can still

1:10:04find use for them. Um and so we've got

1:10:08here it says the Ruh Hall Fire

1:10:10Department recently replaced its

1:10:11inventory of uh Scott self-contained

1:10:13breathing apparatus. Uh the retired SCBA

1:10:16SCBA units and related components are no

1:10:18longer needed for frontline emergency

1:10:20operations in the town and are proposed

1:10:22to be declared surplus by the town and

1:10:24rule hall council. Uh, the town has

1:10:27previously used the formal resolution

1:10:28process to declare fire department

1:10:30property surplus and authorize its

1:10:32disposal in accordance with the town of

1:10:34rule hall finance policy and North

1:10:36Carolina general statutes. Rather than

1:10:39dispose of the retired SCBA equipment

1:10:41through sale or discard, the fire

1:10:43department is requesting authorization

1:10:45to donate the equipment to the

1:10:47organizations that continue that can

1:10:49continue to use and support fire and

1:10:51emergency services in training and

1:10:53public safety. The proposed donation uh

1:10:56Ruh Hall Fire Department proposes to

1:10:58donating the retired SCBA equipment to

1:11:01the following organizations. Siri

1:11:04Community College Fire Program for

1:11:05firefighter education, hands-on

1:11:07training, equipment familiarization, and

1:11:10other instit institutional purposes. Uh

1:11:13the other organization is the Dobson

1:11:15Rescue Squad for training, equipment

1:11:17familiarization, other appropriate

1:11:19emergency service purposes as determined

1:11:21by the receiving organization.

1:11:25Um it says the the fire chief and the

1:11:27town town manager or their designines

1:11:29would coordinate with the division and

1:11:30transfer of available equipment between

1:11:32the two receiving organizations

1:11:34following approval by the town council.

1:11:40So we I know you may be wondering why we

1:11:43have se reached out to Siri community

1:11:46college and the Dobson rescue. So, uh,

1:11:48our first was to reach out to the the

1:11:50local high school programs. Um, and for

1:11:53Scythe County, they offer, uh, fire, uh,

1:11:57fire certification training to the high

1:11:59school students that are in 11th or 12th

1:12:00grade. Uh, they have an abundance of of

1:12:03of used equipment or surplus equipment.

1:12:06Uh, and we've reached out to some other

1:12:09local um agencies. We reached out to

1:12:11Forsythe Tech um here at the Northwest

1:12:13Center and King uh and they had an

1:12:16abundance as well. Um and I had these

1:12:20two organizations reach out to us um you

1:12:23know after cuz you know after the we

1:12:26were awarded the AFG grant. It's all

1:12:28public record. They had they contacted

1:12:30us and asked hey what are we going to do

1:12:32with our uh SCBAs that we're replacing?

1:12:35And I told them [snorts] I would bring

1:12:36it before the council for for approval.

1:12:39So that's why we're here this evening.

1:12:41Um asking for the approval of uh

1:12:44resolution 916 to donate to the Dobson

1:12:48Rescue Squad and Suriri Community

1:12:50College.

1:12:53>> Any questions for Chief Smith?

1:12:57>> All right. I would entertain a motion uh

1:13:00to declare the retired Scott SCBA

1:13:04equipment surplus and authorized

1:13:06donation to the Siri Community College

1:13:08Fire Program and Dos Doppson Rescue

1:13:11resolution 916.

1:13:13>> I'll make a motion.

1:13:14>> Motion made by Mayor Pro Tim Horn.

1:13:18>> Second.

1:13:18>> Second by uh Councilwoman Ring. Any

1:13:21further discussion?

1:13:24Uh seeing none, all those in favor? Uh I

1:13:26>> I

1:13:27>> Okay.

1:13:32Okay. Next item. Uh approval of the 2027

1:13:36July 4th celebration/f fireworks

1:13:39attachment 7 in our books. Turn that

1:13:42over to back to town manager Dearman.

1:13:45He'll probably turn it over to um

1:13:49um events coordinator Whitney.

1:13:52>> Is that going to happen?

1:13:53>> That'll work.

1:13:54>> Okay. I'm getting all this in line here.

1:13:57>> Um, so I'm coming before you guys today

1:14:00to uh try to set a date for the July 4th

1:14:03events for 2027. It may seem early, but

1:14:06um this would be the time to book our

1:14:08fireworks vendor. So, if you are

1:14:10planning to do a fireworks show for the

1:14:12Independence Day celebration in 2027, we

1:14:16do need to go ahead and book um our

1:14:18fireworks vendor. I checked with them.

1:14:22um

1:14:23they are available the July 2nd, 3rd,

1:14:26and 4th. However, on the 3rd, and 4th,

1:14:29um there's a $25,000 minimum, um which

1:14:33is above what we have budgeted for

1:14:35fireworks. Um so, our recommendation is

1:14:38to do our celebration on July 2nd. It'll

1:14:40be a Friday night, Friday, July 2nd,

1:14:432027. Um the date would allow the town

1:14:46of Ro Hall to be one of the first

1:14:47fireworks displays in the area and allow

1:14:50staff to take part in the long holiday

1:14:52weekend um as we would be off on Monday

1:14:55the July 5th. Um so our recommendation

1:14:58is for Friday, July 2nd. Um but open to

1:15:01discussion and and your thoughts.

1:15:06>> Okay.

1:15:06>> Just out of curiosity, how much are the

1:15:08firework I mean

1:15:10>> in our budget? Mhm.

1:15:12>> We It's been being 16,000.

1:15:16>> Okay.

1:15:16>> Is where we're at or have been for the

1:15:19past couple years.

1:15:23>> Any other questions? I have one. I'm

1:15:27just sitting here. Um, do we pay for

1:15:30these before July 2nd, 2027? Because

1:15:35that would be in the following fiscal

1:15:37year budget. That is always a fun

1:15:40discussion with a vendor. I've done it

1:15:42for almost 20 years now, every year.

1:15:45When are we paying for this? So, uh,

1:15:47most of the companies do require a

1:15:49deposit. So, they do get a chunk of this

1:15:51this fiscal year. Um, it all depends on

1:15:54when we can get the check written. And

1:15:56when they require it, we they'll we'll

1:15:58get a contract before you in the next

1:16:00couple of months that'll have that laid

1:16:02out, but we typically try to pay it out

1:16:05of this fiscal year,

1:16:06>> okay? because that's when it's budgeted.

1:16:08>> Okay.

1:16:11All right.

1:16:14Any other questions, uh, comments? Uh,

1:16:18the recommendation is to approve the,

1:16:20uh, 20 27 July 4th celebration for July

1:16:25the 2nd.

1:16:26>> Yeah. Friday, July 2nd.

1:16:28>> Friday, July the 2nd.

1:16:32>> I'd entertain a motion.

1:16:35I'll make a motion. M motion by Mayor

1:16:37Pro Tim Horn.

1:16:41>> Second

1:16:42>> second by Councilwoman Ring. Uh any

1:16:45further discussion?

1:16:47>> All those in favor?

1:16:49>> I

1:16:49>> I approve. The next item u it might go

1:16:54to Whitney or Homer. I'll the 2026

1:16:58Christmas parade dis discussion. You

1:17:01want

1:17:01>> I'll I'll take this one and let Whitney

1:17:02set me straight on anything I miss.

1:17:04How's that?

1:17:05>> Okay. All right.

1:17:06>> This is a discussion item for you all

1:17:08council. I know that we have discussed

1:17:10several times the idea of having a

1:17:12nighttime parade and uh that is a desire

1:17:15that has been expressed in several

1:17:17different venues and format. Um I am

1:17:21certainly not opposed to that but would

1:17:24highly recommend that if that is

1:17:25something that we want to do uh that we

1:17:27begin planning for 2027 and beyond

1:17:30rather than trying to do that for this

1:17:32year. You may be saying, "It's

1:17:34September. We've got plenty of time to

1:17:36do that." But that does take a lot of

1:17:38coordination with our emergency

1:17:40services, with NC DOT, uh, with our

1:17:43parade participants, with our businesses

1:17:45and homeowners. Um, I'm not certainly

1:17:49not shutting the idea down, but I do

1:17:51think if we want to do it, we ought to

1:17:52to try to plan that a year out and down

1:17:55the road, not necessarily tonight, have

1:17:57you all as a council make that decision

1:17:59to say this is what we want to do and

1:18:01that way we [clears throat] can take and

1:18:02run with that decision. Um, but

1:18:05certainly open to any of your thoughts

1:18:06on that if that is something that you

1:18:08want us to try to go through with this

1:18:09year. I I think it can be accomplished.

1:18:12I just don't think that it is the most

1:18:14prudent thing to do with our staff

1:18:16resources and with our time and in the

1:18:19short time frame that we have to try to

1:18:21do for this year. So, wanted to bring

1:18:23that to your attention this evening and

1:18:24have a brief discussion. Um, certainly

1:18:27let you know how we feel and see if

1:18:29there's a way we can move figure out how

1:18:31to move forward if that's something that

1:18:32you all are set on doing.

1:18:36I think to keep in mind as well, if we

1:18:38do a night parade, historically the

1:18:40Rohal parade is on the first Sunday of

1:18:42December, uh, during the afternoon. If

1:18:45we were doing a night parade, probably

1:18:47moving to the Saturday before, um, so

1:18:50competing with other nighttime parades

1:18:52that historically have it at that time.

1:18:55Um, so we're probably looking at

1:18:57changing a date and time if we move

1:19:00forward with this. So that's just

1:19:02something to keep in mind.

1:19:07Um, discussions from

1:19:10>> Do you know off the top of your head

1:19:11what other nighttime parades? I know

1:19:13there are some. I'm just trying to

1:19:15think.

1:19:15>> Pilot Mountain, I think is the

1:19:16>> Winston West Salem.

1:19:18>> Winston Salem.

1:19:19>> Yeah.

1:19:19>> Is Pilot Mountain on the Saturday before

1:19:22>> they're on the first They're on usually

1:19:23the Saturday night before ours because a

1:19:25lot of folks come straight from keep

1:19:27their floats and come to ours the next

1:19:29day.

1:19:29>> Correct.

1:19:31So it may be something that we want to

1:19:32look at

1:19:33>> completely changing date which is also

1:19:38an issue

1:19:41>> with um the amount of planning that

1:19:44would take to get go to a nighttime

1:19:46parade. I think it would be something

1:19:47that I would uh recommend that uh

1:19:51looking into sometime uh early by March

1:19:56of next year start working on uh a

1:20:00nighttime parade for next year. Uh have

1:20:03worked on the Winston Salem parade

1:20:07committee for many many years and it's

1:20:10like you get through with one and you

1:20:12start with the next year. So, not Royal

1:20:14Hall is obviously nowhere near that

1:20:17size, but it will require

1:20:19>> a lot of um

1:20:20>> because it it's dark and then you got to

1:20:23figure out how are you going to light

1:20:25and

1:20:26>> can you throw candy

1:20:27>> for the participants? Correct.

1:20:28>> Yeah. Can you throw candy because the

1:20:30streets are going to be dark. So,

1:20:31there's a lot I I like the idea because

1:20:35I think everybody loves a nighttime

1:20:37parade, but I think

1:20:40my my opinion would be let's let's do it

1:20:43right and and put it off till next year.

1:20:50>> I agree with that.

1:20:52>> Okay.

1:20:52>> I don't think we have enough time.

1:20:54>> Yeah.

1:20:55And with the luminary stuff going on and

1:20:58already

1:20:59>> that's the ne the other part the

1:21:01following Saturday is the luminary

1:21:03events.

1:21:04>> Yeah.

1:21:07>> All right. Uh that was a discussion u

1:21:10pew that never said we need to vote on

1:21:12anything. So we just we don't need to

1:21:14vote on the discussion. Right.

1:21:17>> I'll leave that to Whitney if you want

1:21:18to go ahead and get it on the record

1:21:20now.

1:21:20>> Yeah, if we could get it on the record

1:21:21that would be great.

1:21:23>> Okay. on the record uh

1:21:25>> with a motion

1:21:26>> with a motion. Yeah. Whether or not

1:21:28>> to move forward this year or in 2027 or

1:21:32I guess to table it to bring back in

1:21:35March.

1:21:39>> Well, the the item on the agenda is 2026

1:21:43Christmas parade. I guess we could put a

1:21:45motion to carry the Christmas parade as

1:21:47usual.

1:21:48>> As usual. Yes. Date time.

1:21:49>> Okay. All right. I would entertain a

1:21:51motion to um uh the 2026 Christmas

1:21:55parade uh to be conducted as usual or

1:21:59set by the calendar of this year.

1:22:02>> I'll make that motion, mayor.

1:22:04>> All right. Motion made by Councilman

1:22:06Lane.

1:22:09>> Second.

1:22:10>> Second by Councilwoman Ring. Any further

1:22:12discussion? Seeing none, all those in

1:22:15favor?

1:22:16>> I I All right. Thank you.

1:22:18>> Thank you.

1:22:20Okay,

1:22:22before we get into the departmental

1:22:24reports, I'm going to u u make one more

1:22:27mayor's comment that um I got a little

1:22:30bit off track and didn't get into my

1:22:32comments. And this is just a comment I

1:22:34want to get to the council to uh for a

1:22:37thought process uh of an item that I

1:22:40will probably be putting on the agenda

1:22:42for next month. Um uh one of the things

1:22:46in the uh town hall meetings that uh

1:22:49keeps coming up and up is the community

1:22:52center and um uh we'll put more

1:22:56information in there. I just wanted to

1:22:58give you a heads up because I know with

1:23:00the mayor's u uh town uh hall meeting

1:23:04tomorrow, it'll probably come up again.

1:23:06And I just wanted to be able to say

1:23:08we're looking at putting it on the

1:23:10agenda. Right now, we have a community

1:23:12center fund balance already there, and

1:23:15I'm going to be recommending um uh to

1:23:18put on the agenda that we reappropriate

1:23:21uh from our fund balance uh to move a

1:23:25sum of money over to the community

1:23:27center fund balance. It's a matter of

1:23:29transferring funds over from one to the

1:23:31other, but uh um I think that would get

1:23:35us a good head start on this community

1:23:38center. And we're sitting with

1:23:40approximately 5 million some dollars in

1:23:43our fund balance. And I think u unro uh

1:23:47uh we would we could actually move up to

1:23:50probably somewhere in around a million

1:23:52dollars over to the community center. Uh

1:23:56and I think with having the land million

1:23:59dollars in the start, we've got a good

1:24:01start to go out and look at uh how we're

1:24:05going to raise funds to make this

1:24:06happen. So that that's just so you have

1:24:10some hearing on it. Uh we'll we'll get

1:24:13together I'll get together with all the

1:24:15details with town manager Dearman on how

1:24:18that actually works and we'll be able to

1:24:21explain all that at the next council

1:24:23meeting. Okay, with that being said, uh

1:24:26departmental reports. I'll turn that

1:24:28back over to manager dear.

1:24:31>> Thank you, Mayor Council. This month's

1:24:34uh report provides a unique opportunity

1:24:36to reflect a little bit on where the

1:24:38town has been in the past and where we

1:24:40are headed in the future. And tonight's

1:24:43agenda that we've just gotten through

1:24:45had several items that taken together

1:24:47tell a very important story to everyone

1:24:49about Rural Hall. The fact that we are

1:24:51continuing to strengthen the way that we

1:24:53conduct the public's business. We're

1:24:55making town government easier for

1:24:57citizens to understand and beginning

1:25:00community conversations about the town's

1:25:02future. I'd like to highlight two items

1:25:05uh right off the top from my report this

1:25:07evening because I believe they speak to

1:25:08the same larger goal of making rural

1:25:11halls government more accountable,

1:25:13understandable, and sustainable. The

1:25:16first is the progress report on

1:25:18governance, financial management, and

1:25:20organizational improvements, which was

1:25:22submitted to the office of the state

1:25:23auditor back on August the 7th and is

1:25:26included in tonight's agenda package.

1:25:29There are stapled copies on the back of

1:25:31the uh the table in the back and those

1:25:33are available for anyone to grab a copy.

1:25:36Uh this report was prepared as a

1:25:38followup to the state auditor's

1:25:40investigation that was completed in

1:25:42February of 2023.

1:25:45Rather than simply saying that things

1:25:47have improved, I wanted to document the

1:25:49corrective actions that have been taken

1:25:52um that are reflected in public records

1:25:54in your meeting minutes and our contract

1:25:57administration, our financial oversight,

1:26:00and all other aspects of the council

1:26:02manager form of government here in rural

1:26:04hall. The state auditor's 2023

1:26:07investigation report documented serious

1:26:10deficiencies during the period it

1:26:12reviewed, which was late 2021 through

1:26:15early 2022.

1:26:18And that review involved public records,

1:26:20open meetings, contract administration,

1:26:24and pre- audit requirements, financial

1:26:26oversight, bank reconciliations,

1:26:30and council manager governance.

1:26:33These findings deserve a serious

1:26:35response. More than three years later, I

1:26:37believe it is equally important to

1:26:39document what happened next.

1:26:42Our conclusion, or my conclusion, is

1:26:43that every recommendation in the report

1:26:46has since been substantively addressed.

1:26:49Most importantly, those improvements are

1:26:51becoming part of the town's regular way

1:26:53of doing business.

1:26:56The progress report included in your

1:26:58agenda package tonight does not erase

1:27:00the past.

1:27:02It does not dispute the importance of

1:27:04accountability

1:27:06or suggest that the work of improvement

1:27:08is ever finished.

1:27:10Instead, it provides a measurable

1:27:12account of the corrective actions

1:27:13implemented by this council and the

1:27:16broader organizational changes that have

1:27:19occurred since the period examined by

1:27:21the state auditor.

1:27:23The corrective action matrix that is

1:27:25attached to the report is an eight-page

1:27:28report with a three-page executive

1:27:29summary. uh very easily laid out for

1:27:32review. But the corrective action matrix

1:27:34that is part of that report identifies

1:27:36the recommendations concerning public

1:27:38records, open meetings, contract

1:27:41administration,

1:27:42council manager governance, and other

1:27:44areas as implemented and ongoing. While

1:27:47strengthened financial oversight, bank

1:27:50reconciliation procedures have become

1:27:52institutionalized town processes.

1:27:56Those

1:27:57procedural improvements have been

1:27:59accompanied by measurable financial

1:28:01results.

1:28:03Since fiscal year 2023,

1:28:05the town's unassigned general fund

1:28:07balance has increased by approximately

1:28:0949%.

1:28:11Your net position has increased by

1:28:13approximately 5.5 million.

1:28:17You have received over $4.7 million in

1:28:20outside grants. That's $4.7 million more

1:28:24than you received in the several years

1:28:26prior combined.

1:28:29Improved cash management has generated

1:28:31over $800,000 in additional revenue for

1:28:34this town in just three and a half

1:28:36years.

1:28:38At the same time, we have reduced the

1:28:40municipal property tax rate. You have

1:28:43expanded services. You have completed

1:28:45major capital investments. You've

1:28:48strengthened your budgeting and

1:28:49reporting processes and continued

1:28:51completing annual independent audits.

1:28:54The progress report that I published

1:28:56also documents improvements beyond those

1:28:58original findings. We now have stronger

1:29:00reserves. We have millions of dollars in

1:29:03outside grant funding, substantially

1:29:05increased investment earnings, improved

1:29:08financial reporting, progressively

1:29:10better annual audits, better

1:29:13organizational stability, and continued

1:29:15investment in services and

1:29:16infrastructure that benefit our

1:29:18citizens. Those numbers matter, but the

1:29:20institutional changes behind them matter

1:29:22even more.

1:29:24Tonight you were presented with updated

1:29:26policies governing credit and purchasing

1:29:28cards, electronic funds transfers, and

1:29:31electronic dispersements and cash

1:29:33management and investments. Boring as

1:29:36can be. Those policies, however,

1:29:38formalize the pre- audit process,

1:29:40segregation of duties, documentation,

1:29:43reconciliation, fraud prevention, and

1:29:45investment controls. That's exactly what

1:29:48continuous improvement looks like.

1:29:51These policies are not simply additional

1:29:53paperwork. They are part of the

1:29:55continuing effort that we have been

1:29:57making concertedly

1:29:59to ensure that strong financial

1:30:01practices become part of the town's

1:30:02institutional structure rather than

1:30:04practices dependent upon any particular

1:30:06elected official or staff member.

1:30:09The adopted investment policy, for

1:30:11example, expressly establishes safety,

1:30:13liquidity, and yield in that order as

1:30:16the town's investment objectives.

1:30:18Accountability also requires more than

1:30:20just internal controls. It requires

1:30:23helping citizens understand what their

1:30:25government is doing and why. Over the

1:30:27past several weeks, under Whitney's

1:30:29leadership, we have continued developing

1:30:31and publishing a series of frequently

1:30:33asked questions and explanatory

1:30:35materials concerning town finances,

1:30:38operations, and local government

1:30:39practices and procedures. The purpose

1:30:42for those is very simple. Make local

1:30:44government easier to understand.

1:30:47Some of these questions originated in

1:30:49conversations with citizens at meetings

1:30:51like these or at our mayor's town halls

1:30:53meetings. Um, some of these originated

1:30:55in social media posts, public

1:30:57information requests, or recurring

1:30:59misunderstandings about municipal

1:31:01government and what the town of Rural

1:31:02Hall does. When a reasonable question

1:31:05has broader public value, our goal

1:31:07increasingly should be not to simply

1:31:09answer that question one time, but to

1:31:12verify the facts, provide some resources

1:31:14and an understandable answer documented

1:31:17and make that information available to

1:31:18everyone.

1:31:20Recent topics for these FAQs have

1:31:22included town finances, fund balance,

1:31:24investment earnings, the new fire

1:31:27station and fire apparatus financing,

1:31:29public records, open meetings, and other

1:31:31subjects that can sometimes be difficult

1:31:34to understand from a budget document or

1:31:36an audit report alone. I believe that's

1:31:39an important part of transparency.

1:31:41Providing information is is important

1:31:43and making that information

1:31:45understandable is equally important.

1:31:49That same commitment to public

1:31:50participation is reflected in another

1:31:52significant item on tonight's agenda and

1:31:54that was the beginning of the rural hall

1:31:55area plan process. I'm sorry for the

1:31:58technical difficulties that we had. It

1:31:59looked like when we tried to open up the

1:32:01presentation, the computer that it was

1:32:02on decided that was a perfect time to

1:32:04update. Uh so I apologize to Dan and to

1:32:07everyone here for the uh the technical

1:32:10difficulties, but those things happen.

1:32:12We are looking forward to working with

1:32:13Winston Salem Precise County planning

1:32:15staff u and our community over the

1:32:17coming months to develop a long range

1:32:19vision addressing growth, development,

1:32:21transportation, connectivity, community

1:32:23facilities and related issues.

1:32:25Importantly, that process begins with

1:32:27public participation rather than just a

1:32:29completed proposal that we're asking for

1:32:31public feedback on. I encourage everyone

1:32:33to participate in those four community

1:32:35uh meetings that are scheduled and that

1:32:38are outlined on the agenda.

1:32:40Good planning is most useful when it

1:32:42reflects not only technical expertise,

1:32:43but the experience, priorities, and

1:32:45aspirations of the people who live and

1:32:47work in our community. There are many

1:32:49other signs of steady progress that are

1:32:51reflected in this month's departmental

1:32:53reports that I'll highlight. Work

1:32:55continues with Withers Rabinel and the

1:32:56North Carolina Parks and Recreation

1:32:58Trust Fund on the Covington Park

1:32:59Improvement Project. Administration of

1:33:02the Railroad Economic Development Grant

1:33:04for OBBE warehousing continues. And I'll

1:33:06remind you that we do have a

1:33:08representative from the railroad uh

1:33:10slated to be on your agenda for October

1:33:12uh to come and address any concerns that

1:33:14you all may have as well as any citizen

1:33:17concerns surrounding the railroad and

1:33:18operations there uh particularly since

1:33:21the changes in the butane operation took

1:33:23place in late 2023 and early 2024.

1:33:26The Broad Street pedestrian improvements

1:33:29project continues through the NC DOT

1:33:31approval process. Uh staff continues

1:33:34working on grants, infrastructure,

1:33:36economic development, public safety,

1:33:38parks, and community events. Likewise,

1:33:41our departments continue the less

1:33:42visible work that keeps the town

1:33:44functioning every day. Code enforcement

1:33:46reports 16 violation notices issued and

1:33:4916 violations abated or corrected during

1:33:51the month of August with 47 junk or

1:33:54nuisance vehicle violations removed or

1:33:56abated over the past year and nine

1:33:59months. Our public works department

1:34:01under Jason's leadership continues their

1:34:03work in our parks, our streets. Our

1:34:05rights of way, sidewalks, and other

1:34:06public spaces. Our fire station under

1:34:09Chief Smith, our sheriff's office under

1:34:12Corporal Collins, our license plate

1:34:13agency under Dawn Tyer. Donna with our

1:34:16finance function, and our administrative

1:34:18staff continue serving residents through

1:34:20their respective responsibilities every

1:34:22day. Taken all together, I think that

1:34:24this month's agenda and department

1:34:26reports illustrate something very

1:34:27important to all of us. Accountability

1:34:30and progress are not competing ideas. We

1:34:33can acknowledge where the town has

1:34:34fallen short in the past, correct those

1:34:37problems, document the improvements, and

1:34:40still take appropriate pride in the work

1:34:42that has followed. And this council has

1:34:43done an exceptional job pulling the town

1:34:46out of a very bad situation in a very

1:34:48short time. Likewise, transparency

1:34:51should not mean talking only about our

1:34:53problems, nor should good public

1:34:54information mean talking only about

1:34:56successes. Citizens deserve the complete

1:34:59picture.

1:35:00The state auditor's report was an

1:35:02important chapter in Rural Hall's

1:35:04history. The progress report submitted

1:35:06to you this evening and made available

1:35:08online documents what we learned from it

1:35:10and what we've done since. The financial

1:35:13policies that you adopted this evening

1:35:15help ensure those lessons remain

1:35:16embedded in the town's operations for

1:35:18years to come. Our FAQs and public

1:35:21information initiatives help citizens

1:35:23better understand those operations and

1:35:25the area plan process begins a

1:35:28conversation about come what comes next

1:35:31for rural halls bright future.

1:35:34That's the direction that I hope we can

1:35:35continue. Accountability for the past,

1:35:37responsibility in the present, and

1:35:40transparency with the public and a focus

1:35:42on the future. As always, I appreciate

1:35:45your leadership, council and mayor, the

1:35:48professional professionalism and

1:35:49dedication of our staff and the many

1:35:52residents, volunteers, community

1:35:54organizations, and partner agencies

1:35:56whose work continues to make rural hall

1:35:59a better place to live, work, and serve.

1:36:01I know that a couple of our department

1:36:02heads have a couple of other items. I'd

1:36:05like for Whitney to highlight the uh

1:36:07cruise in and the Catalinas coming up. I

1:36:10think uh Chief Smith has a little show

1:36:12and tell this evening and there's a

1:36:13couple of other things that our staff

1:36:15would like to highlight as well, but

1:36:16that is all that I have right now unless

1:36:18you have any questions for me.

1:36:21>> Any questions?

1:36:25>> Okay. All right.

1:36:28>> Um so just wanted to highlight um the

1:36:31cruise in that's coming up on October

1:36:332nd. Um just like at Roll Fest, you do

1:36:36not have to sign up. It is just a cruise

1:36:38in. So show up. Um, we will have food

1:36:41trucks, uh, music by the Catalinas. Um,

1:36:44so come out, uh, let your car friends

1:36:47know. Um, additionally, it's pretty much

1:36:51event season, so um, we have lots of

1:36:53events coming up through the fall and

1:36:55holiday season. Um, we've noted all of

1:36:59those. Uh, if you're interested in

1:37:01volunteering or getting involved, please

1:37:02let me know. We'd love to have you. Um

1:37:05but keep an eye on our our Facebook, our

1:37:07website um for any updates on events.

1:37:13>> Any questions to Whitney and

1:37:17>> Go ahead.

1:37:17>> Go ahead.

1:37:18>> No, you go ahead.

1:37:19>> We I was wondering if we were going to

1:37:21do any banners or anything for the

1:37:23Catalinas, you know, that group if

1:37:26anything had been discussed or planned.

1:37:28>> We haven't discussed it. We absolutely

1:37:32can. Um like large banners to put

1:37:35through town is what to advertise it.

1:37:37>> Yeah.

1:37:38>> Yeah. We we'll chat.

1:37:40>> Okay.

1:37:43>> How many any idea of the f food trucks?

1:37:47>> Right now I have six.

1:37:49>> Okay.

1:37:49>> Um trying to keep

1:37:50>> variety. Yeah. So, we have um a

1:37:54barbecue,

1:37:56a you know, sandwiches, burgers,

1:38:00um ice cream.

1:38:03>> That's all.

1:38:04>> No, that's all you need. [laughter]

1:38:07>> Um there's a Japanese

1:38:10>> Yeah, food truck. Still working on

1:38:12>> Yeah, there's a variety. It's not a lot

1:38:14of overlap. U we're trying to keep it to

1:38:16probably six to eight. Um but everybody

1:38:18will be pretty different.

1:38:21Okay.

1:38:23Who

1:38:25>> who's who's next?

1:38:26>> Chief Smith.

1:38:27>> Chief,

1:38:28>> talk about

1:38:33>> Sorry. There we go. All right. So, u I

1:38:35just want to highlight uh two major

1:38:37things uh that have come about in the

1:38:39fire service or the fire department here

1:38:41in the in the past little bit. Uh the

1:38:43first one was the capital improvement

1:38:45project uh for the UTV. Uh so we have um

1:38:49still in the process of that, but we do

1:38:51have it out in the parking lot for

1:38:53display. So if council, mayor, mayor pro

1:38:56Tim, uh citizens, if you would like to

1:38:58go out to the parking lot to see uh

1:39:00where we're at with the the project, um

1:39:03it will be out there for display staff

1:39:05will be out there. Please ask questions.

1:39:07Uh open it up, look at it. Um and we'll

1:39:11try to help answer any questions that

1:39:13you have about it, how it can be

1:39:15utilized in the town. uh in uh its its

1:39:18purpose, but I do thank the the council

1:39:20and uh mayor and staff for the approval

1:39:22of that capital project. It's going to

1:39:24be a huge benefit uh for the town. As

1:39:27Whitney just said, you know, event

1:39:28season is here. Uh that's one of the the

1:39:31focuses of of this UTV is for us to be

1:39:34able to be mobile uh to be able to

1:39:36transport if there is any any patients

1:39:38um in remote areas outside of the the

1:39:41streets or the roadways. And then also

1:39:43it's going to help us when we're coming

1:39:44into the uh the grass and the the brush

1:39:46fire season that's almost upon us. Um so

1:39:50yeah, so we've um uh still waiting on

1:39:52just a little bit of equipment on it uh

1:39:54before it goes into service. Uh the

1:39:56staff has been through uh about three to

1:40:00four hours of training each person

1:40:02that's going to be checked off to

1:40:03operate it. uh we still got about

1:40:06another three-hour uh additional

1:40:08training course for them to go through

1:40:10uh before we get give the green light to

1:40:11go ahead and put it in service. Um with

1:40:14that, so I do thank uh uh council and

1:40:16staff for that. Uh another development

1:40:19uh with the fire department is uh we've

1:40:21reached out to the security emergency

1:40:23response training center. They're in

1:40:25Colorado. Um they do a um a freight uh

1:40:30transportation course. It's going to be

1:40:31a three-day course. Uh this is a huge

1:40:34deal. Uh we had to get approval by North

1:40:36Carolina Emergency Management, our local

1:40:38forite county emergency management uh to

1:40:40be able to host this and we were given

1:40:42the green light for that just a few days

1:40:43ago. Uh so in December there will be a

1:40:46three-day training event uh hosted here

1:40:48in Rule Hall. Uh depending on the the

1:40:51size of it, uh we'll we may have to

1:40:53adjust the venue. Um but uh we we are

1:40:56excited to host that. It'll be uh for

1:40:59the rule hall staff plus neighboring

1:41:01agencies. Uh so we've reached out to all

1:41:03their responding agencies around us uh

1:41:05so they could have uh representation

1:41:07there and go back and help do kind of a

1:41:09train the trainer uh you know if they

1:41:11send two or three people then they can

1:41:13spread the message and and share the

1:41:15information that was gathered from that.

1:41:16So uh we are excited about that uh

1:41:19training opportunity that'll be here in

1:41:21December. But if uh uh council mayor if

1:41:24you guys have any other questions about

1:41:26any of the stuff in the department head

1:41:28report I'd be glad to answer those at

1:41:30this time. I would like uh our

1:41:32conversation the other day about the

1:41:34cost of this side by side versus uh

1:41:38would you um Sure. kind of tell what

1:41:41what savings we did with it going

1:41:44>> Sure. Absolutely, Mayor. I'd be glad to.

1:41:46Uh so that was one of the projects when

1:41:47I I came on board here with the town of

1:41:49Rule Hall in January was looking at the

1:41:51fleet, looking at our apparatus uh and

1:41:54going back through records and I uh had

1:41:56noted that the u the brush truck had

1:41:58been um put up for you know uh a capital

1:42:02improvement project for a couple years

1:42:05and you know the the cost of it at that

1:42:08time three years ago was 150,000. Um,

1:42:11when I started researching, hey, you

1:42:13know, we needed to replace it, uh,

1:42:15you're looking $250 close to $300,000 to

1:42:18replace that that apparatus. Uh, so I

1:42:21had to get creative and try and figure

1:42:23out, hey, how can we accomplish the same

1:42:26thing, be a good steward of the

1:42:28resources, and

1:42:31expand our responses. And that's where

1:42:33we uh with staff and uh town management,

1:42:36we we got together and decided that hey,

1:42:38if we purchase this UTV, it will assist

1:42:41us on the brush and and woodfire

1:42:43responses. Uh also, it'll give us a

1:42:45presence at all the uh public events

1:42:48that the town of Royal Hall sponsors and

1:42:50and hosts. So, it's a dualpurpose

1:42:53vehicle. Um so, currently the total

1:42:56capital project, uh it was slated for

1:42:5987,000. Uh so right right now currently

1:43:02we're right at 55,000. That includes the

1:43:04UTV purchase, uh the firefighting skid

1:43:08unit that goes in the back, uh the

1:43:09lights, the sirene, um the transport for

1:43:13if we um we need to put some on on a

1:43:15backboard, we can transport them on in

1:43:17the bed of the the UTV. Um, and the

1:43:21other part of that project we're uh

1:43:23we're waiting on is the um our QRV, the

1:43:26uh the 3/4tonon Chevrolet pickup truck

1:43:29that we have. Um, we have ordered a new

1:43:33skid unit to go in the back of it. So,

1:43:35it's a tank and a pump allin one unit.

1:43:37Um, and that truck is a lot newer than

1:43:40what our old brush truck. The old brush

1:43:42truck was a 1993. Didn't have a lot of

1:43:45the safety features that current

1:43:47vehicles have. Um and it was it had

1:43:50reached its end of end of service and um

1:43:53this will get us up into a more safe

1:43:56response area. Um and we've not uh added

1:43:59anything to the fleet. We've just

1:44:00adjusted um what we've what we've done.

1:44:03So um huge tremendous savings uh to the

1:44:07citizens here in Rule Hall. Uh it's been

1:44:10a lot of strategic planning and thinking

1:44:11and and trying to figure out how can we

1:44:13do this with the least amount of funds

1:44:15and still be uh effective and uh we're

1:44:18going to be more than effective. We're

1:44:20going it's going to be a good thing for

1:44:21the town.

1:44:23>> Okay. Thank you.

1:44:26>> Any other thing Jason does

1:44:31>> after all that discussion public works

1:44:33would like one of these units too.

1:44:36No, I'm just kidding.

1:44:39Uh after discussion at our um monthly

1:44:42staff meeting um about a couple things,

1:44:45we thought it was best just to uh put a

1:44:48feeler gauge out there for the council.

1:44:51Um I'll just do these separately. Um the

1:44:55first one is

1:44:57we've had a lot of uh I mean I hear it

1:44:59quite often. I know you guys have in

1:45:01public comment about uh speeding. I've

1:45:04talked to Corporal Collins. Um, just

1:45:07want to see what you guys think about um

1:45:10staff doing a project to change the

1:45:13speed limit on all town maintained

1:45:15streets from 35 to 25. Um, this would

1:45:19include staff uh, Corporal Collins, the

1:45:21town attorney. Um, but um, we didn't

1:45:25want to put a lot of time and effort

1:45:26into it until we got your thoughts on

1:45:29it.

1:45:30Um, that's the first one. The second one

1:45:33is we have had um some issues with

1:45:38trespassing

1:45:40um you know trespassing may be um

1:45:44hunters or um the known trespassers that

1:45:48we've had on some town property or um

1:45:50riding UTVs, four-wheelers. It creates a

1:45:54little safety issue um especially on one

1:45:58specific property off the end of Jackson

1:46:00Street um where we may have heavy

1:46:03equipment. Um we're getting ready to

1:46:05have our our leaves and our our brush

1:46:07pile ground up. There's there'll be a

1:46:09tub grinder there for several weeks.

1:46:12Loaders, excavators. We also have a

1:46:15large um dirt pile down there um that on

1:46:19the back side uh where we dig into it is

1:46:2215 20 feet high. Um and it is a safety

1:46:26issue um when there are four-wheelers

1:46:28and UTVs riding on top of it down the

1:46:32side of it and that sort of thing. Um so

1:46:34we just wanted to reach out um to see

1:46:37how the council feels as far as adopting

1:46:40an ordinance addressing trespassing on

1:46:42town property. Um, this ordinance would

1:46:45establish a town's authority to regulate

1:46:47access and identify prohibited entry.

1:46:50Um, again, we would work with the town

1:46:53attorney, of course, on something like

1:46:55this. Um, so just wanted to see if these

1:46:58are a couple um projects that you would

1:47:02be interested in staff work on and bring

1:47:04back to you for discussion and

1:47:06consideration at a later date.

1:47:11>> Yes.

1:47:13No. Yes. And yes.

1:47:14>> Is Broad Street on

1:47:17>> No, it would not. Uh, as the mayor

1:47:19refers to it, I I like it a couple

1:47:21months ago, Interstate Broad Street and

1:47:23Interstate 65. Um, those are DOT

1:47:26maintained roadways. We don't have any

1:47:29um authority to change speed limit on

1:47:30those two or street or a few other

1:47:33streets. Um, the majority of our streets

1:47:37are 1,000 ft and less. Um, they are 35

1:47:41miles per hour. There are a few um that

1:47:44this council and past councils have

1:47:46designated. We've changed it to 25 and

1:47:49we post the speed limit 25 um on maybe a

1:47:54quarter of our maintained streets, but

1:47:5735 miles an hour um is,

1:48:01you know, it's pretty fast on a street

1:48:03that's, you know, 500 to,000 ft long.

1:48:06Um, and when residents um, you know,

1:48:09approach the you guys or the town

1:48:12deputies and say, "Well, you know,

1:48:14vehicles are speeding." Well, they're

1:48:16going 35 miles an hour. They're running

1:48:17the speed limit, but when you're

1:48:19standing there walking on the side of

1:48:20the road, it does seem like they're

1:48:22going um extremely in unsafe speed.

1:48:28[clears throat]

1:48:29>> I think it's a good idea. I think it's a

1:48:31good idea for the simple reason like you

1:48:34said.

1:48:34If it's 35,

1:48:37uh, Corporal Collins and them, if

1:48:39they're running 40, they're not going to

1:48:42stop them. But if they're running 25, if

1:48:45a speed li

1:48:52[laughter]

1:48:54I think it's a good idea just make it a

1:48:58town.

1:48:59>> Yeah, I think so.

1:49:01>> I would agree.

1:49:02>> Okay. So yeah, research.

1:49:05>> Okay, we will.

1:49:07>> And the trespassings as well.

1:49:09>> Oh, yes. Yeah, that's definely

1:49:11>> All right. We will do our research

1:49:13project and uh bring that back to you um

1:49:15at a later time. May not be October, but

1:49:18in the next few months.

1:49:19>> Okay.

1:49:20>> Thank you.

1:49:22>> Is that finish all the

1:49:24>> one other thing just to to mention and

1:49:27just get your feedback on in the

1:49:29manager's report. Donna has put together

1:49:31as always a list of our um

1:49:35financial accounts and I talked a little

1:49:37bit about that safety, liquidity, and

1:49:39yield, but wanted to to let you all know

1:49:42I'm leaning very more toward much more

1:49:44toward closing out the money market

1:49:47accounts that we currently have in favor

1:49:49of uh moving those over to capital

1:49:52management trust and earning a little

1:49:53bit more interest. We have kept those

1:49:56money market accounts for years

1:49:58basically because of loyalty to the

1:50:01bank, because of the relationship that

1:50:02we've had with them over the years, and

1:50:04we have a great relationship with them.

1:50:06But I would much rather see us making 12

1:50:09or $1,300 a month versus $7.40 a month

1:50:13on a on interest. So, uh, that will also

1:50:16help with a little bit of paperwork and

1:50:19cutting down on that a little bit. So

1:50:21over the next couple of months, we're

1:50:23going to make a strong effort toward

1:50:25consolidating more of those into

1:50:27investment accounts uh where you do have

1:50:29that safety, liquidity, and yield. Um

1:50:33all three at this point. So

1:50:34[clears throat] just wanted to bring

1:50:35your attention to that. And one other

1:50:38financial thing uh that is in your

1:50:40packet is a packet of information

1:50:42regarding the top 10 taxpayers for

1:50:46>> for Scythe County and for rural hall uh

1:50:50over the past year. This is for 2025

1:50:52bills. I included in your report um

1:50:57all the pages from all of the

1:50:59municipalities so that you can see how

1:51:01rural hall stacks up to the rest of the

1:51:04county uh to your your neighboring

1:51:06municipalities as well. Uh but those are

1:51:09in there in your u agenda packet behind

1:51:12the manager report and also behind the

1:51:15progress report and the 2023

1:51:18state auditor's report as well. for

1:51:21Scythe County provides that report to us

1:51:23each year. And Rural Hall's 10 largest

1:51:26taxpayers collectively paid

1:51:28approximately $725,000

1:51:32in town property tax. The biggest one of

1:51:34those being Duke Energy or Pedmont

1:51:36Natural Gas at about $136,000.

1:51:40Uh followed by a couple of the apartment

1:51:42units and some of the other larger

1:51:45companies. But I wanted to point that

1:51:48out because that report does illustrate

1:51:49the important contribution of commercial

1:51:51properties and industrial properties to

1:51:54our tax base. As you know, our tax

1:51:57revenue accounts for about 40% a little

1:52:00less than 40% of our annual revenues,

1:52:03but it does not depend solely on

1:52:05residential properties to uh determine

1:52:08that that tax income. Um, so we do have

1:52:12some meaningful diversification among

1:52:13rural hall's largest taxpayers, but I

1:52:16think it's also important to look at

1:52:17that industrial and commercial tax base

1:52:19and do what we can on our end to look at

1:52:23industries that might help support that

1:52:24that tax revenue. At our current 28 cent

1:52:28tax rate, those tax payments correspond

1:52:30to approximately

1:52:32$259 million in taxable value

1:52:36represented by just our top 10

1:52:38taxpayers. With no single taxpayer

1:52:40accounting for more than approximately

1:52:4219%

1:52:44um of the taxes represented by the top

1:52:4610, while the four largest collectively

1:52:48account for approximately 63%

1:52:51of our tax revenue. So twothirds of our

1:52:53tax revenue is tied up in four taxpayers

1:52:56basically. Um something to consider,

1:52:59just good information to know and I

1:53:00encourage you to review that information

1:53:02as well as all of the information that's

1:53:04included in the manager report. Um we

1:53:07don't try to litter you with paperwork.

1:53:08It's all it's all important to the job

1:53:10that you're trying to do and governing

1:53:12the town of Royal Hall. And always glad

1:53:14to answer any questions that you all as

1:53:16elected leaders or any members of the

1:53:17public have regarding any of the

1:53:19materials published in our agendas.

1:53:23I'm glad you put that in there because I

1:53:26hope every everyone looks at that

1:53:28because Royal Hall is a very in the out

1:53:31in the business world uh I would say

1:53:34you're real topheavy

1:53:36u and uh when I was in business I if I

1:53:40had something like that I would look I

1:53:42could go from having steak to eating hot

1:53:44dogs overnight. Uh so to have that uh

1:53:49big large of a tax base just in a few

1:53:52amount of tells us we need we need uh

1:53:58other businesses to help generate and

1:54:01get that from being such topheavy

1:54:03because uh obviously Duke Energy is

1:54:06probably not going anywhere but Hannes

1:54:08did. Uh DHL is leaving at the end of the

1:54:12year. So we've got things leaving, but

1:54:15also and I'm not know I haven't heard

1:54:18you mention it, but um uh was it uh we

1:54:22had a big buyout of the North Bridge

1:54:24over here. Is that uh

1:54:27>> I think uh with talking about with

1:54:29Hannes or with the other company?

1:54:30>> Uh no, the company has bought bought out

1:54:32bought up all the property over there.

1:54:34Big investment.

1:54:35>> Councilman Lane actually brought that to

1:54:37to my attention. um earlier last month

1:54:40and and councilman, I hate to put you on

1:54:42the spot, but I don't want to steal your

1:54:44thunder either. if you want to share a

1:54:45little update about that.

1:54:48>> It's a um for lack of remembrance here,

1:54:51the development companies out of the um

1:54:53investors out of High Point and it was

1:54:56like a 425

1:54:58400 something million dollar investment

1:55:00of properties over in the Northridge

1:55:01business park

1:55:02>> that they acquired and um 40 million 40

1:55:06125 total 125 million total investment

1:55:09across all their properties but about 40

1:55:11million

1:55:12>> investment in Ohio. Yeah.

1:55:14>> Okay.

1:55:15>> But that that's pretty good in pretty

1:55:17good size investment. But anyway, that's

1:55:20my comments on that. Any further

1:55:21comments?

1:55:23>> All right. Seeing a motion to adjurnn.

1:55:26>> I'll make a motion to adjurnn. Uh

1:55:28>> second.

1:55:29>> Second.

1:55:30>> All in favor? I