MINUTES OF TOWN COUNCIL MEETING OF THE TOWN OF STALLINGS, NORTH CAROLINA

Transcription

1 MINUTES OF TOWN COUNCIL MEETING OF THE TOWN OF STALLINGS, NORTH CAROLINA The Town Council of the Town of Stallings met for its regular meeting on September 12, 2016, at 7:00 p.m. at the Stallings Town Hall, 315 Stallings Road, Stallings, North Carolina. Those present were: Mayor Pro Tempore Regis Griffin; Council Members Rocky Crenshaw, Kathy Heyse, Deborah Romanow, David Scholl, and Shawna Steele. Those absent were: Mayor Wyatt Dunn. Staff present were: Kevin Woods, Town Manager; Erinn Nichols, Deputy Town Manager and Town Clerk; Marsha Gross, Finance Officer; Minor Plyler, Chief of Police; and Lynne Hair, Town Planner; Chris Easterly, Town Engineer; Kevin Parker, Assistant Town Engineer; Emily Hughes, Communications Specialist; Richard Baker, Town Services; and Josh Baker, Code Enforcement Officer. Invocation, Pledge of Allegiance and meeting called to order Mayor Pro Tempore Regis Griffin welcomed everyone to the meeting and thanked them for their interest in local government. Council Member Steele then delivered the invocation. Mayor Pro Tempore Griffin led the Pledge of Allegiance and called the meeting to order. Public Comments Dennis Rape, 1417 Crown Forest Lane, Monroe, was running for the at-large position on the Union County Board of Education. He felt the future rested on transparency and common sense and would work to restore trust in the board. Fiscal responsibility and an open and collaborative partnership between parents, teachers, administrators and elected officials were key. Mr. Rape stated he was the only candidate who successfully ran a business for 40 years and was a member of Indian Trail Baptist Church. He stated he was running for office because common sense should not be uncommon and wanted the future with children in safe environments. Mr. Rape wanted administrators and board members to be held accountable for the success of Union County students. Stronger communities meant a stronger Union County. Mr. Rape asked for the public s vote. Amelia Schol, 4017 Cameras Crossing Lane, Matthews, was running for District 5 Union County Board of Education which included parts of Stallings. She gave up her career in the corporate world to raise two children who were currently at Weddington Middle School. Ms. Schol began her involvement with schools in the PTO at Antioch Elementary School and the Superintendent s Finance Advisory Council. She was recently appointed to the North Carolina Childcare Commission. Ms. Schol s vision for the future was September 12, 2016

2 moving forward together by engaging communities to plan for growth. She felt her experience and knowledge made her the best choice to represent District Approval of Consent Agenda Items A. Minutes of the following meetings: (1) (2) closed (3) special B. Constitution Week Proclamation Mayor Pro Tempore Regis Griffin read the Constitution Week Proclamation aloud for the record. Council Member Romanow made the motion to approve the Consent Agenda as presented. The motion was seconded by Council Member Steele and passed unanimously. The Constitution Week Proclamation is attached to these minutes and therefore incorporated herein. 2. Reports A. Report from the Mayor Mayor Dunn was not present at the meeting because he was in Washington, D.C. meeting with legislative representatives. B. Reports from Council Members/Town Committees Council Member Heyse had no report. p.m. Council Member Crenshaw reminded everyone that Stallings Fest was on Saturday from 10 a.m. 8 Council Member Romanow had no report. Council Member Griffin reported that the Public Safety Advisory Committee would meet on Monday, September 26, The Finance and Administration Committee (FAC) meeting would be on Friday, October 16 at 7:30 a.m. He also reminded all about Stallings Fest and the addition of fireworks. Council Member Steele reminded everyone to be mindful of school buses now that schools were back in session and the increase in road construction. The secondary entrance to Forest Park was now open. She also reminded people of the fireworks at Stallings Fest. Council Member Scholl had no report September 12, 2016

3 C. Report from Town Manager/Town Departments Chief Plyler introduced the new Officer Mario F. Zepeda who brought 10 years of experience to the department. Town Manager Woods introduced the Town s new Finance Officer, Marsha Gross, who came to the Town with 25 years experience in finance management. He then reported on the following items: The installation of the cameras for the Town s e-commerce safe parking zones would be complete that week. The Community Center discussion would be on the September 26, 2016 Agenda where all the comments for the open houses would be shared. The Town was designated as a Purple Heart City in January Staff was working on signage for that designation. Dena Sabinske, Parks and Recreation Director, reported that Stallings Fest would be held the following Saturday and would have fireworks and tents for community feedback on possible town projects. Town Attorney Cox had no report. 3. Agenda Approval Council Member Crenshaw requested that Agenda Item 13, Parks and Recreation Department Part- Time Hours, be moved to Agenda Item 3.A. Town Manager Woods requested Council delete Agenda Item 11.C., Amended Budget Ordinance 3 Risk Management, and replace it with Land Purchase Contract Approval. He also requested adding Agenda Item 10.F. as Finance Officer Oath of Office. Council Member Romanow made the motion to approve the Agenda with the above noted changes. The motion was seconded by Council Member Heyse and passed with Council s unanimous support. 3.A. Parks and Recreation Department Part-Time Hours Original Agenda Item 13 Parks and Recreation Director Dean Sabinske explained the Parks and Recreation Department was requesting additional hours for the parks and recreation service technicians. Due to increased in-house services and reduced outsourcing as well as increased park hours, more staff hours were needed. An additional 30 hours were needed at a cost of $14,760 for continuous park coverage seven days a week. Council Member Crenshaw made the motion to approve the request. The motion was seconded by Council Member Scholl and passed unanimously September 12, 2016

4 4. Annexation 48 Allen Black Road Council Member Griffin re-opened the public hearing for Annexation 48 Allen Black Road which was recessed on Lewis Fisher, 5507 Two Iron Drive, Emerald Lake, felt there had been misinformation about hearings and meetings. Mr. Fisher said that October 10 was not a good time for him to be at a meeting for a decision on this item. He asked the Council to consider a public meeting prior to the Planning Board meeting. The decision would impact his area of the Town significantly with traffic count and school impacts. Mr. Fisher said that the matter should have been heard in May and requested that the decision be delayed until November putting the public meeting ahead of the Planning Board meeting. Since the applicant had significantly changed the application, he felt this was a reasonable request. Mr. Fisher was questioning the traffic study done by the developer and encouraged the Council to ask the NCDOT to do a traffic study on Lawyers Road and the impact of the developer s plan. He also suggested the Council consider the Planning Board s recommendation and the possibility of not even annexing the property into the Town. Cindy McAdams, Deepwood Place, stated it used to take her forty-five minutes to get to work in Charlotte but now it took ten minutes just to get on I-485. She understood that the Town needed tax base but Ms. McAdams lived where she did because it was quiet and peaceful. She wanted to know how the Council wanted to run the Town. Ms. McAdmas state that a one turn lane would not fix the traffic problem. Adding 160 homes would not benefit the residents. Ms. McAdams asked the Council to take the residents comments into consideration. Phil Deason, 5927 Fullwood Drive, thanked the Council for their time and serving. He was concerned about the zoning request because of all the different meeting dates advertised. Mr. Deason felt like someone was trying to move the dates so people did not come. He felt it was time for the Council to move forward and make a decision on the request and not let the Town be jerked around by the developer. Margaret Carmichael, 2274 Redwood Drive, had lived in the area for over 20 years and watched many subdivisions be built. All the subdivisions were going in with no road improvements. She would like the Council to team up with Mecklenburg County for road improvements and hold the developers accountable with NCDOT to reduce the traffic impact. David Malcom, 1125 Ashlin Creek Drive, was present representing the developer. He agreed that the plan had been changed significantly and wanted to have another community meeting as well as an additional presentation to the Planning Board to explain all the changes. Mr. Malcom requested the Council consider the new plan. He also agreed to pay for readvertisement of any ads announcing the additional meetings. Council Member Steele made the motion to hold another community meeting on the subject on September 28, 2016; have the Planning Board rehear the zoning application associated with this annexation on October 18, 2016; and recessing the public hearing and vote on the matter until September 12, 2016

5 November 14, The motion included that the developer would pay for additional advertising for those meetings. Council Member Romanow seconded the motion which was passed unanimously by the Council. Mayor Pro Tem Griffin then recessed the hearing until November 14, CZ Ryan Homes/Allen Black and Lawyers Road Conditional zoning request from R-20 (Union County) to MR (Mixed residential) on a 60 acre tract of land off Lawyers Road between the Stevens Mill Road and Allen Black Road intersections. The request is for 142 single family homes and 49 townhome units. Mayor Pro Tem Griffin reopened the public hearing. Donna Fumo, 8109 Stevens Mill Road, was concerned about the school capacity with the new application as she did not want her children to be rezoned again. The traffic was already horrible. Cindy McAdams, Deepwood Place, did not want townhomes at the location because it was packing more people into a small space and put a strain on Town services. She wanted the developer to expand the lot size for home instead of packing more people into a smaller space. Council Member Steele made the motion to hold another community meeting on the subject on September 28, 2016; have the Planning Board rehear the CZ Ryan Homes/Allen Black and Lawyers Road on October 18, 2016; and recessing the public hearing and vote on the matter until November 14, The motion included that the developer would pay for additional advertising for these meetings. Council Member Romanow seconded the motion which was passed unanimously by the Council. Mayor Pro Tem Griffin then recessed the hearing until November 14, Union County Tax Department Vann Harrell and John Petoskey, Union County Tax Department A Tax Settlement Report John Petosky, Union County Tax Department, presented the Council the Union County Tax Settlement Report for the Town of Stallings. The Town contracted with Union County to collect taxes for the Town. The county had a collection rate of 99.6% for the Stallings taxes, which was a collection rate of fourth in the state. The county collected for six other municipalities in the county. Council Member Romanow made the motion to accept the Union County Tax Settlement Report for the Town of Stallings. The motion was seconded by Council Member Scholl and passed September 12, 2016

6 unanimously. The Union County Tax Settlement Report for the Town of Stallings is attached to these minutes and therefore incorporated herein. B. Tax Charge for Fiscal Year Council Member Scholl made the motion to charge John Petoskey, Union County Tax Administrator, for the collection of taxes for the fiscal year. The motion was seconded by Council Member Romanow and passed unanimously. The Tax Charge for John Petoskey, Union County Tax Administrator, for the collection of taxes for the fiscal year is attached to these minutes and therefore incorporated herein. 7. UCPS Central Services, Bond Referendum Information Melissa Merrill with the Union County School Board stated that the schools were very over crowded in the County. There would be a bond on the November 8 ballot which would address renovations at seven Union County School locations: Monroe High School Piedmont High School Porter Ridge Middle School Porter Ridge High School Western Union Elementary School Sun Valley High School Transportation Center The complete Union County School Board presentation on the bond referendum is attached to these minutes and therefore incorporated herein. 8. Union County Economic Development/Retail Representative Contract Chris Plate, Union County Economic Development Chris Plate, Union County Economic Development, presented the Council with the Union County retail initiative. Union County EDC was approached by several communities to recruit retail, a facet which was not currently done in the county. The interlocal agreement would provide a focused retail employee for Stallings, Indian Trail, Monroe, Waxhaw and Wingate through the Union County EDC. There would be a five member advisory board, one person from each municipality. Reports would be presented to the Council several times a year on the initiative. Council discussed the contract. Council Member Romanow made the motion to place the contract on the September 26 work session agenda for further discussion and on the October 10 Agenda for September 12, 2016

7 decision. The motion was seconded by Council Member Heyse and passed by a 5 to 1 vote with Council Member Griffin opposing. 9. Fairhaven Phase II Street Acceptance Town Engineer Chris Easterly explained that MI Homes had constructed the 1.33 miles of roadway and stormwater infrastructure in the Fairhaven Phase II neighborhood. All homes in that phase were occupied. MI Homes was making the request of the Town that it accept the 1.33 miles of road into the Town s maintenance system. All roads had met the Town s standards and regulations. Council Member Steele made the motion to accept the 1.33 miles of roadway from the Fairhaven Phase II subdivision into the Town Maintenance System. Council Member Crenshaw seconded the motion which was passed unanimously. 10. Nuisance Ordinance Amendment Mayor Pro Tem Griffin opened the public hearing. Code Enforcement Officer Baker explained this amendment updated two areas of the Nuisance Ordinance: Required property owners to maintain the grass which was adjacent to the abutting street or highway Chronic violator 3 or more violations in a given year resulted in a chronic violator which would no longer require a warning on subsequent violations. There was no one present to comment on the amendment. Council Member Scholl made the motion to adopt the Ordinance Affecting the Regulation of Public Health and Safety Matters; Public Nuisances, Amending Chapter 93 of the Code of Ordinances of the Town of Stallings. The motion was seconded by Council Member Romanow and passed unanimously. The Nuisance Ordinance Amendment is attached to these minutes and therefore incorporated herein. 10. Finance Officer Oath of Office Deputy Town Manager/Town Clerk Nichols swore in Finance Officer Marsha Gross. The Finance Officer Oath of Office is attached to these minutes and therefore incorporated herein. 11. Budget Items A Amended Budget Ordinance 1 Council Discretionary Finance Officer Gross explained this amendment was needed to correct a miscalculation on the original budget ordinance. Council Member Steele made the motion to approve Amended Budget September 12, 2016

8 Ordinance 1 Council Discretionary. The motion was seconded by Council Member Romanow and passed unanimously. The Amended Budget Ordinance 1 Council Discretionary is attached to these minutes and therefore incorporated herein. B Amended Budget Ordinance 2 Employee Compensation Finance Officer Gross explained this amendment was needed to account for the Town Manager s approved salary increase for the fiscal year. Council Member Steele made the motion to approve Amended Budget Ordinance 2 Employee Compensation. The motion was seconded by Council Member Romanow and passed unanimously. The Amended Budget Ordinance 2 Employee Compensation is attached to these minutes and therefore incorporated herein. C Amended Budget Ordinance 3 Risk Management This item was removed from the Agenda during the Agenda Adoption C. Land Purchase Contract Approval Town Manager Woods requested the Council give him the authority to enter into a contract for the purchase of 242 Stallings Road for the use of parking at Stallings Municipal Park. Council Member Scholl made the motion to authorize the Town Manager to enter into a contract for $117,000 for the land purchase at 242 Stallings Road to expand parking for the Stallings Municipal Park. The motion was seconded by Council Member Romanow and passed unanimously. D Amended Budget Ordinance 3 Stallings Fest Fireworks Finance Officer Gross explained this amendment was required in order to reflect the approved addition of fireworks to Stallings Fest. Council Member Steele made the motion to approve Amended Budget Ordinance 3 Stallings Fest Fireworks. The motion was seconded by Council Member Romanow and passed unanimously. The Amended Budget Ordinance 3 Stallings Fest Fireworks is attached to these minutes and therefore incorporated herein. E Amended Budget Ordinance 4 Stallings Municipal Park Parking Finance Officer Gross explained that the improvements to the additional Stallings Municipal Park property which was soon to be purchased (see Agenda Item 11.C.) was not budgeted. In order to account for expenses with those improvements, Amended Budget Ordinance 4 Stallings Municipal Park Parking was needed September 12, 2016

9 After a brief discussion, Council Member Romanow made the motion to table this item until September 26 working session with a decision to be made at the October 10 Council Meeting. The motion passed unanimously after a second from Council Member Crenshaw. 12. County Woods East Stop Sign Request (Griffin) The request of Council was to install a stop sign at Juniper Court and Hawthorne Drive in Country Woods East. After brief Council discussion, Council Member Steele, in accordance with the Town s traffic calming policy, moved to install a three-way stop at Juniper Court and Hawthorne Drive in County Woods East based on a previously identified public safety need. The motion passed unanimously after a second from Council Member Heyse. 13. Parks and Recreation Department Part-Time Hours Moved to Agenda Item 3.A. 14. Closed Session pursuant to NCGS (a)(4) Council Member Steele made the motion to go into closed session pursuant to NCGS (a)(4) inviting Town Planner Lynne Hair and Chris Plate into the session. The motion was seconded by Council Member Romanow and passed unanimously by Council. Council went into closed session at 9:49 p.m. and reconvened into open session at approximately 10:29 p.m. 15. Adjournment Council Member Romanow moved to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Council Member Steele, and the motion received unanimous support. The meeting was adjourned at 10:30 p.m. Approved on October 10, September 12, 2016

10 s/wyatt Dunn Wyatt Dunn, Mayor s/erinn Nichols Erinn E. Nichols, Town Clerk Approved as to form: s/cox Law Firm, PLLC Cox Law Firm, PLLC September 12, 2016