City Council

CITY OF HIGH SHOALS REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING April 12, 2022 Call to Order: Members in attendance were the following: Jimmy Laws, Kathy Rhyne, Bobby Vassey, Bo Rhyne, Denese Cook, Dennis Cash, and the mayor, PJ Rathbone. Invocation Pledge of Allegiance Approval of Agenda Additions for trash cans for extra can (2nd can for the set price). Sell cans for set price. Park and City Signs. Dennis Cash would like to add moving the container. Motion for the change of agenda made by Mrs. Cook with a second by Mr. Cash. All approved. Motion to move the container on the agenda made by Mr. Cash and a second by Mr. Rhyne. All in favor. Motion to approve by Mrs. Cook, seconded by Mr. Vassey, all in favor. Approval of Minutes Regular Council Meeting 3/8/22 Special Meeting 3/15/22 Special Meeting 3/29/22 A motion made by Denese Cook to approve minutes, seconded by Mr. Rhyne. All in favor. Citizen’s comments/Citizen Concerns: The High Shoals City Council Offers Citizens the Opportunity for Public Expression Issues per NCGS 160A-81.1 (limited to 3-5 minutes per speaker) Good of the Order: This is a time set aside for members to offer comments or observations (without formal motion) about the organization and its work. The good of the order is also the time to offer resolution to bring disciplinary charges against a member for the offenses committed outside of a meeting. Mr. Cash wants to acknowledge why the county only picks on one house and not the other houses in the city. Mayor to contact the county to find out what is going on with it. Departmental Reports: Police Report-Gaston County – Captain Phelps went over the Crime Statistics for March 2022. Officer Rupert speaking about a new program they’re initiating. High Shoals Enforcement Actions. To approve overall traffic safety. Criminal saturation patrol, checking areas, vehicles, etc. Financial—(Dennis Cash) Checking $425,174.77 Savings $150,011.92 Capital Management $162,569.03 Total: $737,755.72 Cemetery—(Denese Cook) Contract signed with GeoModel Water/Sewer— (Bo Rhyne) Everything well, haven’t heard nor seen anything Street Maintenance/Sanitation— (Kathy Rhyne) Still pursuing quotes for street repair. Sanitation, we’re waiting to have cans collected. Plan to ride with the men for a trash can count. Information needed for upcoming newsletter. Parks/Recreation—(Bobby Vassey) Doors were installed today on concession stand. Bathrooms are fully functional, but the floors aren’t finished. Code for lockbox has been received. Said should be finished by Saturday. James McKey of Dayton Road is yard of the month. Vehicles—(Jimmy Laws) HS1 has had the radiator replaced; radiator from Rock Auto has issued refund, after 3 weeks if no request is made, it will be ours. Virgin tire is $600-$700. **Emergency amendment to agenda for trash truck, motion by Kathy Rhyne, Jimmy Laws seconded, all in favor. Administration/Mayor Report—(PJ Rathbone) A lot of open cases of code enforcement. The mayor will follow-up with the county tomorrow. You can go online for the online submission with just the physical address with a check list of violations. Link on webpage. The water grant coming through town, had a phone call today, the ductile iron pipe is 11–12-month lead time. We must change it to 12” PVC, it’s cheaper, and easier to work with. Pressure wise, it is a schedule 80 pipe holding 4,000 psi. Ground pressure on pipe should be no issue. Old Business: Discussion--Steven Austin – CDBG #17-C-3025 Close-out The city was awarded money to renovate houses. The city was able to renovate eight houses. The next round will be beginning September 30th. No action required. Discussion/Action—River Street/4th St. Fire Hydrant Echo construction owned it at the time. Carter Lumber Company was delivering the lumber. ECHO sold to another person. We can either pursue Carter Lumber Company and ECHO to have them fix the issue. Do we pursue legal action against these companies or put in our budget to fix the hydrant ourselves? Would not be small claims. Denese Cook made a motion to fix the hydrant on our own and put the amount in our budget. Seconded by Bo Rhyne. All in favor. Discussion/Action—Asphalt paving/Road Repair on River Street Still awaiting quotes. Questions of using Powell Bill funding. Motion to table by Kathy Rhyne, seconded by Mrs. Cook. All in favor. Discussion/Action—Rural Transformation Grant (Resilient Neighborhoods category) Can apply for $950,000. Motion to pursue resilient category by Denese Cook, seconded by Mr. Rhyne. All in favor. Discussion/Action—Land swap (Fire Department) No information from Ms. Nichols. Motion to table by Ms. Rhyne, seconded by Bobby Vassey. All in favor. Discussion/Action—Readopt Non-Discrimination Policy (ARPA Funding) Motion to readopt the non-discrimination policy made by Kathy Rhyne, seconded by Dense Cook. All in favor. New Business: Discussion/Action: Fair Housing Resolution (CDBG) This is to adopt a set of policies and procedures to adhere to the federal and state guidelines. Motion to adopt the fair housing resolution by Dense Cook, seconded by Kathy Rhyne, All in favor. Discussion/Action: Contract to Audit with Mr. Carrick, CPA Motion to table until amount is presented, made by Dennis Cash, seconded by Kathy Rhyne. All in favor. Discussion Action: Timer for Ball Field Lights Mrs. Cook made motion to table and have Bo Rhyne to investigate it. Seconded by Kathy Rhyne, all in favor. Discussion/Action: Shady Lane Residents There are 6 residents on this road, they are asking for assistance with the $11,000 charges for internet. No action. Council in agreeance of not being able to help. Discussion/Action: Inter-local Agreement with Fire Department Motion made by Jimmy Laws to accept the agreement with a second by Mr. Vassey. All in favor. Discussion/Action: Banners Citizen’s ability to purchase Veteran Banners as an option. Denese made motion to move forward with the D446 flag and put on sign, website, and newsletter. Seconded by Jimmy Laws. All in favor. Discussion/Action: Trash Cans $10 fee per month, for the option of keeping a recycling bin as a trash receptacle. Motion for rate of old recycling to be set at $10.00 per month if desired by Ms. Rhyne, seconded by Mr. Vassey. All in favor. Discussion/Action: Park & City Sign: We requested cost of installation-haven’t received it. We do have a temporary banner for Park Dedication. Installation price for signs needed. Motion to table made by Denese Cook for the park and city signs, Mr. Vassey seconded. All in favor. Discussion/Action: Container $400 to move container to Water Plant. Will be behind the first fence. Will need to obtain cement blocks Motion to move it, for $400 to the water plant made by Ms. Rhyne, seconded by Mr. Laws. All in favor. Discussion/Action: Tire Kathy Rhyne made motion to purchase brand new tire between $600-$700 for the trash truck. Mr. Cash recommended to purchase two. Motion to purchase two new tires in the amount of $1400.00 by Kathy. Seconded by Mr. Rhyne All in favor. Adjournment Kathy Rhyne made motion to adjourn. Seconded by Mr. Rhyne. All in favor.