REGULAR BOARD MEETING of May 3, 2006, with Mayor Don Mullen and Commissioners       Dennis DeWolf, Alan Marsh, Amy Patterson, and Hank Ross present.  Comm. H. N. James was absent due to illness.

 

Also present were Richard Betz, Lamar Nix, Selwyn Chalker, Bill Harrell, Larry Gantenbein, Kim Lewicki, Jim Lewicki, Adam Thompson, Mario Gomes, George Mathis, Jack Bournemann, Steve Pierson, and John Underwood.

 

 

I.    Call to Order.

 

The Mayor called the Regular Board Meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. 

 

II.  Approval of Agenda.

 

Copies of the agenda had been distributed by mail.  The Town Administrator asked that two items be added:  appointment of a member to the Advisory Committee for the Scholarship Endowment Fund, and adoption of a resolution of support for funding submitted by Southwestern Commission.

 

MOVED BY COMM. MARSH, SECONDED BY COMM. PATTERSON, AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS AMENDED.

 

 

III. Approval of Minutes.

 

Copies of the minutes of the April 19 Regular Board Meeting had been distributed by mail.

 

MOVED BY COMM. ROSS, SECONDED BY COMM. MARSH, AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS DISTRIBUTED.

 

 

IV. Public Comment Period.

 

The Mayor stated that this was the time for public comments as required by law. 

 

There were no comments from the public.

 

 

V.  Reports.

 

1.   The Mayor reported that he had received a letter from the Corps of Engineers indicating that funds were not available this fiscal year for the water remediation project; however, the Town's lobbying firm had told him the letter was routine and funds would be available in the next funding cycle.

 

He also reported that Marguerite Williamson, a Commissioner from Davidson, had been asked to speak on planning issues at 5:30 p.m. on May 25 at the Conference Center.

 

2.   Comm. Ross said that a letter replying to questions raised at ETJ Liaison Committee public input meetings had been mailed to those who had attended the meetings, and that letters had also been mailed to residents in Communities 3, 4, and 5 inviting them to meetings on May 11 and May 25 at the Civic Center.

 

3.   Each Board member had received a copy of the Town Engineer/ Public Service Administrator's report for the month; Lamar Nix was present to review the report.  He added that the new Wastewater Treatment Plant was now operating, and that M. B. Haynes had already begun changing out utility poles in Town.

 

4.   Each Board member had received a copy of the Police Chief's written report for the month; Bill Harrell was present to review the report.

 

5.   Each Board member had received a copy of the Recreation Director's written report for the month; Selwyn Chalker was present to review the report.  He reported that the Ball Field appeared to be draining well.  He also said that the work had been completed on the gymnasium roof at the Civic Center, and the contractor was proceeding with pressure washing the building.  He also presented a list of proposed part-time summer employees for the Recreation Park.

 

MOVED BY COMM. PATTERSON, SECONDED BY COMM. MARSH, AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED TO APPROVE THE SUMMER EMPLOYEES.

 

6.   Each Board member had received a copy of the Town Planner/ Zoning Administrator's report for the month; Larry Gantenbein was present to review the report.

 

7.   Each Board member had received a copy of the Treasurer's Report for the month.

 

MOVED BY COMM. DEWOLF, SECONDED BY COMM. MARSH, AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED TO ACCEPT THE TREASURER'S REPORT.

 

8.   The Town Administrator reported that he had been notified that the Town's application for a Clean Water Management Trust Fund grant for the Stormwater Master Plan had been approved; a contract would be executed and McGill Associates would begin working on the project soon. 

 

He also distributed copies of a letter from Martin-Starnes Associates asking Board members to comment on matters relating to fraud, as required by law. 

 

He also reported that only one proposal had been received for the architectural study for the Town Hall property, from Masters Gentry Architects; the proposal offered to provide a Scope of Work at an hourly rate before establishing a fixed fee, which was estimated to be between $150,000 and $200,000.  Copies were distributed to Board members for review and taken under advisement.

 

He also reported that Becky Veazey with the MAPS Group had completed the field work on the personnel study and wanted to present the study in a one-and-a-half- to two-hour meeting in June.  The Board agreed by consensus to set a Special Meeting for that purpose for 7:00 p.m. on June 14.

 

 

VI. Old Business.

 

1.   The Board discussed permits issued at previous meetings for use of Town right-of-way for construction activities by Old Edwards Inn on Church Street and Fourth Street, which had expired on this date.  Work had been completed on Fourth Street and on the north side of Church Street, and would be confined to the area delineated along the south side of Church Street, according to George Mathis and Mario Gomes.

 

MOVED BY COMM. PATTERSON, SECONDED BY COMM. DEWOLF, AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED TO EXTEND THE PERMIT UNTIL JUNE 7.

 

 

VII.            New Business.

 

1.   Each Board member had received a copy of a resolution approving the Macon County Solid Waste Management Plan Update, as well as general information on the Town's solid waste program.

 

MOVED BY COMM. MARSH, SECONDED BY COMM. PATTERSON, AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED TO ADOPT THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION:

 

 

 

 

 

class=Section2>

                                        A RESOLUTION APPROVING

    THE MACON COUNTY SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN UPDATE

 

 

      WHEREAS, G. S. §130A-309.09A(b) requires each unit of local government, either individually or in cooperation with other units of local government, to develop a ten-year Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan, and to update said plan every three years; and

 

      WHEREAS, the Town of Highlands adopted a resolution on June 18, 1997, approving the ten-year Macon County Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan, and is now required to update said plan; and

 

      WHEREAS, Macon County has prepared an update to said plan, based on information provided by the Town of Highlands, and the Board of Commissioners has had the opportunity to review it.

 

      NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Commissioners of the Town of Highlands hereby approves the three-year update to the Macon County Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan.

 

      This resolution is adopted this 3rd day of May, 2006.

 

                                                      *         *         *

 

 

 

2.   Police Chief Bill Harrell reported that he had met with the ABC Board and they had agreed to permit both installation of an intoxilyzer and relocation of the Magistrate's office in the lower level of the ABC building.  The only cost to the Town for the intoxilyzer room would be a phone line, window tint, locks, and similar remodeling expenses of approximately $800.  The Town Administrator said he supported relocating the Magistrate's office, and the Magistrate did as well, due to better security in the Town Hall, need to use the Town Hall space for archival filing, and a better location and access for the Magistrate.

 

MOVED BY COMM. MARSH, SECONDED BY COMM. PATTERSON, AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED TO APPROVE THE PROPOSALS.

 

3.   MOVED BY COMM. MARSH, SECONDED BY COMM. PATTERSON, AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED TO SET A SPECIAL MEETING FOR 7:00 P.M. ON MAY 31 FOR PRESENTATION OF THE FY 06-07 BUDGET.

 

MOVED BY COMM. DEWOLF, SECONDED BY COMM. MARSH, AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED TO SET THE BUDGET HEARING FOR 8:00 A.M. ON JUNE 28.

 

4.   Each Board member had received a nomination form, copy of appointment policy, list of members whose terms were due to expire, report on terms served, and list of citizens who had expressed an interest in serving on various Boards and Committees of the Town; the Town Administration asked that the nominations be returned to him for tabulation before the May 17 meeting.  He also pointed out this would be the opportunity to down-size the Planning Board to seven members and the Zoning Board to five members, including Macon County appointees from the ETJ, as the Board had discussed previously.

 

5.   The Town Engineer had prepared paving estimates for the year amounting to less than $20,000; he recommended deferring the planned resurfacing of Leonard and Wilson Road until after the Harris Lake Sewer Project had been completed.  The Board agreed by consensus to ask him to see if last year's paving contractor, Rhodes Brothers, would consider adding this relatively small amount to their contract from last year.

 

 

6.   The Town Administrator reported that J. T. Putney had resigned from the Advisory Committee for the Scholarship Endowment Fund because he had moved out of Town; the Committee recommended appointing Gloria Pariseau.

 

MOVED BY COMM. MARSH, SECONDED BY COMM. ROSS, AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED TO APPOINT GLORIA PARISEAU TO THIS COMMITTEE TO FILL MR. PUTNEY'S UNEXPIRED TERM.

 

7.   Each Board member had received copies of a proposed resolution from Southwestern Commission requesting support for a 2006 Clean Water Bond.

 

MOVED BY COMM. MARSH, SECONDED BY COMM. PATTERSON, AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT.

 

 

VIII. The Board agreed by consensus to adjourn.

 

There being no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was declared adjourned by the Mayor at 7:35 p.m.

 

 

 

                                                                  ________________________________

                                                                  Richard Betz, Town Clerk