SPECIAL BOARD MEETING of September 27, 2006, with Mayor Don Mullen and Commissioners Alan Marsh, Amy Patterson, Hank Ross, and Dennis DeWolf present; Comm. H. N. James was not present.

Also present were Richard Betz, Adam Thompson, Steve Hamm, Larry Rogers, David Wilkes, Mike Thompson, and Sandra Baty.


I.    Call to Order.

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

II.    Approval of Agenda.

The Mayor said that this Special Meeting had been called on September 20 to "brainstorm" about the Town Hall property and the recent request from the ABC Board to expand that building.  The Town Administrator had reported that the Board had inadvertently omitted setting the public hearing for the request from Bill Nellis for R-3 Conditional Use Zoning for the Crisp property presented at the September 20 meeting; a motion had instead been made to approve the plan as presented.

MOVED BY COMM. DEWOLF, SECONDED BY COMM. ROSS, AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED TO RESCIND THE MOTION MADE AT THE SEPTEMBER 20 MEETING TO APPROVE THE PLAN AS PRESENTED.

MOVED BY COMM. ROSS, SECONDED BY COMM. DEWOLF, AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED TO SET A PUBLIC HEARING FOR 7:00 P.M. ON OCTOBER 18 TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE REQUEST FOR R-3 CONDITIONAL USE ZONING.


III.    Business.

David Wilkes and several members of the ABC Board were present and distributed information they had compiled on sales growth over the past years compared to other ABC stores in the area.  The limitations of the existing building were again outlined, but Mr. Wilkes said that the requested expansion would only be good for five years; after that time the ABC Board would be looking for a 6,000 to 7,000 SF facility.  He said if the Town was looking at using the ABC building site long-term, then long-term they were looking for another space, too.  The Board agreed by consensus to ask the ABC Board to begin assessing a new location, and pledged to accommodate them if necessary by extending the lease.  The ABC Board members then left the meeting room.

In a wide-ranging discussion, the Board then reviewed a topographical map of the Town Hall property and identified several considerations that would need to be addressed:

1.    Administrative space.
2.    Police Department space.
3.    Public restrooms.
4.    County EMT facilities.
5.    Highlands Playhouse building.
6.    Parking.
7.    Board room/meeting space.
8.    Stormwater retention.
9.    Fire station.
10.    Outdoor gathering space.
11.    Egress and access.
12.    Built-upon requirements.

John Smith entered the meeting room during the discussion and was recognized by the Mayor; he asked the Board to explain to him why his employment had been terminated at the previous meeting.  The Mayor explained to him that this was a Special Meeting for a specific purpose.  The Town Administrator explained that personnel matters could not be discussed in open session, and said that he had been told by the Public Services Administrator the reason for his termination.  He then left the meeting room.

The Board discussed at some length the Town Hall property.  The Mayor offered to contact an architect recently retained by the Presbyterian Church to see if he would be willing to consult with the Board in developing a plan for the property, and the Board authorized him to do so.


IV.    MOVED BY COMM. PATTERSON AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED TO ADJOURN.

There being no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was declared adjourned by the Mayor at 8:40 p.m.



                         ________________________________
                        Richard Betz, Town Clerk