REGULAR BOARD MEETING of May 21, 2008, with Mayor Don Mullen and Comms. Amy Patterson, Hank Ross, Dennis DeWolf, Larry Rogers, and John Dotson present.

Also present were Richard Betz, Bill Coward, Lamar Nix, Tom Clark, Larry Gaither, Hillrie Quin, and others.


I.    Call to Order.

The Mayor called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.


II.    Approval of Agenda.

Copies of the agenda had been distributed by mail.  The Town Administrator requested the addition of two items:  a resolution which the D.O.T. had requested be adopted, and a preliminary and final subdivision plat for Sagee Mountain Development.

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


III. Approval of Minutes.

Copies of the minutes of the May 7 Regular Board Meeting had been distributed by mail.

MOVED BY COMM. DOTSON, SECONDED BY COMM. DEWOLF, AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS DISTRIBUTED.


IV.    Reports.

1.    The Mayor reported that the Affordable Housing Task Force would be making a report to the Board at the June 4 meeting.  He also said that he had attended a meeting of the Southwest Commission the previous evening; the Commission was asking the General Assembly to re-evaluate the Machinery Act and the method of property taxation in this part of the State.

2.    Comm. Ross reported that the Pine Street Park Committee and the Recreation Committee would be holding a joint meeting to discuss Pine Street Park on Wednesday, May 28, at 5:00 p.m. in the Highlands Civic Center.

3.    The Town Administrator said he understood that the County Commissioners had approved the Fourth of July fireworks display.  He also distributed copies of a letter from Sallie Taylor requesting that the Town consider installing a sidewalk along US-64 between Chandler Inn and Pinecrest; it was agreed that the request would be forwarded to the D.O.T.  A proposal had also been received from Tate Landscaping Services for $3,552 to construct a wall in front of Birney Roberts's house on Chestnut Street; Comm. Ross requested that the proposal be taken under advisement.  The Town Administrator also distributed nomination forms, reports, and applications from citizens for various openings on Board and Committees; he asked that they be returned to him for tabulation before the June 4 meeting.

Two paving bids were opened earlier in the day for paving Town streets, pursuant to informal advertisement:

● Harrison (APAC Atlantic Inc.)    $47,537
● Rhodes Brothers Paving Inc.    37,756

He reported that the paving bid would be awarded to the low bidder, Rhodes Brothers.


V.    Old Business.

1.    Each Board member had visited the site where it had been requested by the Ravenel Owners Association at the previous meeting that a stop sign be removed.  After some discussion, the Board agreed for the Town Engineer to try to locate the right-of-way line where a hedge was located, and for the Town Administrator to contact the property owners on the road.

2.    Each Board member had visited the site of a proposed camouflage telecommunications tower on Town Hall property, pursuant to a request at the previous meeting from Lloyd McCarthy, Site Acquisition Specialist for Wireless Facilities Inc./Crossroads Wireless.  The request had been for permission to lease property owned by the Town between the EMS building and the Fire Department for the proposed tower and an adjacent building, on a 28' X 28' piece of property; the lease amount proposed was $400/month and the term was five years.  Comm. DeWolf thought that it would not be prudent to approve the request with all of the changes pending on this property.

MOVED BY COMM. ROSS, SECONDED BY COMM. ROGERS, AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED TO DENY THE REQUEST.

3.    Town Attorney Bill Coward had prepared a Resolution of Intent to transition to a Council-Manager form of government, as discussed at the previous meeting.  He reported that, once the resolution was adopted, the Board would have to hold a public hearing within 45 days.  The Board agreed to place this on the agenda for the July 2 meeting so that the public hearing could be scheduled in mid-August.  Comm. Ross also agreed to contact a consultant recommended by personnel consultant Becky Veazey to begin the search for a Town Manager.


VI.    New Business.

1.    Larry Gaither was present with several residents of Azalea Circle to request that the Town consider taking over maintenance of the road.  Paul Iannacone had discussed this with the Board several months ago and had been discussing it with Town staff since then, and Mr. Gaither said that a letter had been sent out to the 19 property owners along the road asking them if they would be willing to convey right-of-way; all of those contacted so far were willing to do so.  The Board agreed for Mr. Gaither to continue polling all of the property owners before proceeding with preparation of a recordable right-of-way conveyance by the Town Attorney.  Comm. Patterson noted that paving the road would reduce siltation and benefit the entire Town.

2.    The Town Administrator reported that the D.O.T. District Engineer had requested adoption of the following resolution:

    *         *         *

RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, the North Carolina Department of Transportation currently maintains the following State Routes:

● SR 1548, Hickory Hill Road
● SR 1549, Chowan Drive
● SR 1552, Cullasaja Drive

WHEREAS, all of the foregoing State Routes and portions of said State Routes lie within the corporate limits of the Town of Highlands.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Town of Highlands hereby requests of the North Carolina Department of Transportation that subject States routes be placed on the municipal system and deleted from the State system.

This resolution is adopted this the 21st day of May, 2008.

    *         *         *

3.    A preliminary and final subdivision plat dividing a lot in the Sagee Mountain Development into Lot 1 and Lot 1-B had been approved by the Planning Board at its previous meeting.

MOVED BY COMM. PATTERSON, SECONDED BY COMM. ROGERS, AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED TO APPROVE THE SUBDIVISION PLAT.

4.    The Board reviewed in some detail a written list of policy decisions prepared by the Town Administrator/Budget Officer in preparation for the FY 08-09 budget scheduled for presentation on May 28.  The Board discussed and agreed by consensus to the following:

● Non-Profit grants totaling $62,000 as follows:

ORGANIZATION    REQUESTED    APPROVED
Hudson Library    40,000    35,000
Highlands Historical Society    4,400    4,000
HCCDC    10,000    5,000
Veterans Memorial of Macon County    25,000    10,000
Community Care Clinic    9,445    8,000


● Continued funding of the Town Hall Fund @ $115,000.

● Continued funding of the Lake Remediation Fund @ $150.000.

● $100,000 for Stormwater Projects.

● $100,000 for Greenways.

5.    MOVED BY COMM. PATTERSON, SECONDED BY COMM. ROSS, AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION PURSUANT TO G. S. §143-318.11(A)(3) TO CONSULT WITH THE TOWN ATTORNEY ON THE BOWERY ROAD LITIGATION.  All present left the room except the Town Administrator and the Town Attorney.

    The Board consulted with the Town Attorney on the Bowery Road litigation.

MOVED BY COMM. ROGERS, SECONDED BY COMM. DOTSON, AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED TO GO INTO OPEN SESSION.  The room was opened to the public.


VII. MOVED BY COMM. PATTERSON, SECONDED BY COMM. ROGERS, AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED TO ADJOURN.

There being no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was declared by the Mayor to be adjourned at 8:50 p.m.



                         ________________________________
                        Richard Betz, Town Clerk