City Council

TOWN OF ELIZABETHTOWN Regular Meeting April 3, 2023 The Elizabethtown Town Council met for its regular meeting on Monday, April 3, 2023 at 7:00 pm in the Council Chamber. Those present were Mayor Sylvia Campbell, Mayor Pro Tem Rufus Lloyd, Council Members Paula Greene, Herman Lewis, Rich Glenn, Ricky Leinwand, Town Manager Dane Rideout and Town Attorney Goldston Womble. Department Heads in attendance included Police Chief Tony Parrish, Assistant Town Manager Pat DeVane, Town Planner Rusty Worley, Director of Communications & Marketing Terri Dennison, Public Service/Engineering Director Stephen Duffy, Town Clerk Juanita Hester, Fire Chief Hollis Freeman and Finance Director Sharon Penny. Absent was Council Member Howell Clark Jr. Mayor Sylvia Campbell opened the meeting and called to order. Mayor Campbell welcomed Paul R. Brown Leadership Academy Cadets. The presentation of colors and the Pledge of Allegiance were given by Paul R. Brown Leadership Academy Cadets. Mayor Campbell then called upon Mayor Pro Tem Rufus Lloyd to give the invocation. Item #3.1: Approve Consent Agenda Items Upon a motion by Council Member Herman Lewis, seconded by Council Member Rich Glenn, the Board unanimously approved the following Consent Items as presented: A. Proposed Agenda, B. March 6, 2023 Noon Work Session, C. March 6, 2023 Regular Meeting Minutes, D. March 6, 2023 Closed Session Minutes, E. March 7, 2023 Annual Budget & Planning Retreat Minutes, F. Tax Releases. Item #4.1: PUBLIC HEARING: Special Use Permit Request – Case Number SUP #23-002- Petitioner L Huntley – MainSyde & Huntley Farms -3307 NC Highway 87 West – For Agriculture/Greenhouse – QUASI-JUDICIAL Mayor Sylvia opened the Public Hearing and called upon Town Attorney Goldston Womble to swear in the witnesses for the Quasi-Judicial Hearing. Mayor then called Upon Town Planner Rusty Worley to present. Town Attorney Goldston Womble: Do you affirm that the testimony you are about to give in this matter is entirely the truth? Towner Planner Rusty Worley: I do. L Huntley: I do. Town Planner Rusty Worley: Thank you Mayor. The parcel is currently zoned RA, all property owners have been notified by mail, the water will stay on site, recycle water, no environmental issues, building on the by-pass side and entrance on Highway 87. L Huntley: Thank you very much. Huntley Farms Brothers and I sold property in Anson County and bought property in Bladen County. It is an opportunity for us with what the Town has done with the bypass and downtown. Agriculture is the thing for Greenhouses. Paul Nordy is the owner and he is in his forties. We will grow tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, 125-130 permanent jobs, 100% of water attain from dew and rain, collect on site, 40 acres under glass, 30 or more later and 30-40 pounds of tomatoes. The visitation side will be to the highway and will light up at night. Wholesale growing operation 15-16 months to start growing, 15 different tomatoes, average tomatoes are picked at about 65% ripe, our goal is to bring the produce local and have in stores in 48 hours. With there being no further comments, Mayor Campbell closed the Public Hearing. Item #5.1: Town Manager Update Town Manager Dane Rideout noted the Sun and Fun event was at the Airport from March 27th – April 2nd. The event was sponsored by Campbell Oil and Sovereign Air. Bo Barefoot and the Fire Department were on site also. Fuel sales usually are $14,000 – $17,000 a month, in March the sales were $70,000.00. Live Work Play Project infrastructure will be put in first, water & sewer and lights. There will be an Urgent Care facility and Distillery. Item #6.1: Approval of Special Use Permit Application – Case Number SUP #23-002 – L Huntley – MainSyde & Huntley Farms – 3307 NC Highway 87 West – For Agriculture/Greenhouse Council Member Paula Greene, seconded by Council Member Herman Lewis, moved to approve Special Use Permit Application – Case Number SUP #23-002 - L Huntley – MainSyde & Huntley Farms – 3307 NC Highway 87 West – For Agriculture/Greenhouse as presented under the Towns Zoning Ordinance, Section 3.9 & 4.9, all findings have been met (Unanimous). Copy attached and incorporated herein by reference. Item #7.1: Contract – Live Work Play Project Town Manager Dane Rideout noted County Commissioners will be voting on the contract at their meeting. RFQ’s went out a month ago, secured engineering firm correctly, Town owns the property, $80,000.00 contract, and $20,000.00 survey. Council Member Rich Glenn, seconded by Council Member Ricky Leinwand, moved to approve Contract – Live Work Play Project (Unanimous). Copy attached and incorporated herein by reference. Item #7.2: Bid Award – Water System Valve Replacement Project Public Service/Engineering Director Stephen Duffy noted that Lumber River COG assessed the Town’s System and there are lines that need to be replaced. Three companies have been reviewed with similar prices. Hydra-Stop is recommended from the bid award in the amount of $47,938.00. Council Member Rich Glenn, seconded by Council Member Herman Lewis, moved to approve Bid Award – Water System Value Replacement Project to Hydra-Stop (Unanimous). Copy attached and incorporated herein reference. Item #7.3: Request from NCDOT – Placement of Lights on the New Cape Fear River Bridge Per request from NCDOT, Council Member Herman Lewis, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Rufus Lloyd, made a motion to approve Placement of Lights on the New Cape Fear River Bridge for 17 lights $96,500 ($70.00 monthly) (Unanimous). Copy attached and incorporated herein by reference. Item # 7.4: Monthly Financial Report Finance Director Sharon Penny noted there is nothing outstanding - about the same as last month. General fund $465,902.00 and water fund $181,937.00 and revenue over expenditures. Mayor Pro Tem Rufus Lloyd, seconded by Council Member Rich Glenn, moved to approve the Monthly Financial Report (Unanimous). Copy attached and incorporated herein by reference. Item #8.1: “Briefly” Town Manager briefed on the following: Project Samuel April 11th at 11:00 am at the Airport. Dixie Youth Opening Ceremony April 15th at 10:30 am at Leinwand Park. Community Center Groundbreaking April 19th at 11:00 am at 409 Martin Luther King Dr. Pat DeVane is celebrating his birthday on April 11th. Item #9.1: OPEN FORUM Ms. Debra Bryant has an issue with finding a surveyor for her land in Council, NC. It is 2 plots and half of her cousin’s house is on her land. Her septic tank permit was approved April 2021. Town Attorney Goldston Womble noted that the property is in the County not the City Limits. He suggested that she get an attorney. Council Member Paula Greene gave Ms. Bryant a surveyor to contact. Item #10.1: Closed Session Council Member Rich Glenn, seconded by Council Member Herman Lewis, moved to enter into Closed Session for the purpose of NCGS 143-318.11(a)(4) – Economic Development (Unanimous). RETURN FROM CLOSED SESSION TO OPEN SESSION Council Member Ricky Leinwand, seconded by Council Member Rich Glenn, moved to leave Closed Session and return to Open Session (Unanimous). In Open Session, Council Member Rich Glenn, seconded by Council Member Herman Lewis, moved to approve the Lease and Operating Agreement between the Town and Sovereign Aerospace-Bladen LLC (Unanimous). Copy attached and incorporated herein by reference. With there being no further business to conduct, Council Member Herman Lewis, seconded by Council Member Rufus Lloyd, moved to adjourn the meeting (Unanimous). Sylvia Campbell, Mayor