City Council

MAYOR P.O. Box 6, High Shoals, N.C. 28077 CLERK PJ Rathbone Tel: (704) 735-1651 - Fax: (704) 735-5595 Brandi Strange City of High Shoals Regular Council Meeting February 14, 2023 • Call to Order o In attendance is the following: • Kathy Rhyne, Bobby Vassey, Denese Cook, Dennis Cash, PJ Rathbone. • Bo Rhyne and Jimmy Laws were not present. • Mayor Rathbone called the meeting to order at 6:31 p.m. • Invocation • Pledge of Allegiance • Approval of Agenda o Denese added to the agenda HS1 to rescind vote to allow Will to drive it home. *Old* o Dennis added bid on the sign *new business* and o time clock and o lights for sign • Motion to add the above by Mrs. Cook, seconded by Mr. Cash. All in favor. Motion to approve agenda with changes by Mr. Cash, seconded by Mr. Vassey. All in favor. • Approval of Minutes o Minutes from January 10th, 2023, motion to approve by Denese Cook, seconded by Bobby Vassey. Citizens’ comments/concerns: The City of High Shoals Council offers citizens the opportunity for Public Expression issues per NCGS 160A-81.1 (limited to 3-5 minutes per speaker). o Judy Taylor—Stated she loved the signs and taking down the old High Shoals sign. In front of her house, the ditch is not half-way to where it should be and the bank is sloping down, pushing water to her house. The culvert dirt is washing away around it also. A gentleman came by from Pike Engineering that wants to put a guywire in her front yard. All new posts next year (telephone posts). I refused to allow that in my front yard because there’s no reason for it. Also, the driveway washing away more on left side than the right side. Also, a big root at driveway. • We will get in touch with Don Smith regarding the water project. We will get him to come out and ensure that it is correct. Aysel Ellis spoke. We have a contractor coming to Aysel Ellis’ house for water leaking. Flag has been placed there. Also asked about the remodel grant. 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 a meeting. ➢ Departmental Reports: • Police Report-Gaston County—was not present. • Financial-Dennis Cash ▪ Checking $512,694.63 ▪ Powell $1100.09 ▪ Savings $160,125.02 ▪ Capital Management $44,567.32 ▪ Total 723,968.87 • Cemetery-Denese Cook ▪ No updates for cemetery • Water/Sewer-Bo Rhyne ▪ Leak on High Street ▪ Small leaks around town • Streets/Maintenance/Sanitation-Kathy Rhyne ▪ Streets & Maintenance—First of all, Kathy took on some other things. Have had the guys pull the bench out of the trailer and had them clean it up. ▪ The white bench, after checking the wood and legs have significant rot and particle board and would require major repair. After consideration, it was decided that it should be scrapped. Paper form has been filled out for disposition. ▪ Antioch Lutheran requested donated trash cans; however, we did have Patriot cans so we donated those since they were not the city’s. ▪ Lastly, Jimmy rode along during trash collections. Told to not have trash cans delivered without proper paperwork. If found to deliver any cans in their paperwork, they will be written up. ▪ New banners were put up. Hope to have lighting for next budget season for the banners. • Parks/Recreation-Bobby Vassey ▪ Yard of the Month: • 613 N Lincoln St. • Jacqueline Lovelace • Rails at park were stained today (1 set) • Vehicles-Jimmy Laws ▪ Notes given to Kathy Rhyne • Brakes completed on HS1 • The trash truck had all the services needed, kingpins & repair on rear brakes. o Invoice on desk for that expense • Jimmy is in charge of all the men to avoid confusion, all orders must go straight to Jimmy and disperse. • Administration/Mayor Report-PJ Rathbone ▪ We are working on a water source from Dallas end of town. Had a few meetings today. An Interlocal Agreement, draft form with Gaston County, nothing is in stone. We haven’t determined where equipment will be a handshake agreement where it will stop and begin for us and Dallas. Looking around Abernathy Drive. And assume the rest of city situation between us and Dallas. The county will pay 14 million dollars and would take those assets to High Shoals. At this point, they’re not asking High Shoals for any money whatsoever. Those funds must be spent by December 21, 2026. This is an interconnect to get water this way. Once we get to that point, we can look at the growth piece of it. But we can’t associate the  growth piece of it. Right now, we cannot grow, whatsoever because Lincoln County will not sell us 350,000 gallons per day. The engineer has looked at the water tower for pressure reasons. Kathy stated the chlorine was dissipating while the water set and there was a lot of line flushing because of dead water. A lot of dead legs on the system as well. We’re waiting for engineers to come back with their reports. The interlocal agreement (draft) is here if you’d like to look over it. The water line was blasting last week to get through rock. Service boxes have been put in (beginning) and pressure testing will be enacted. We will be applying for the second phase on River Street in May 2023. ➢ Old Business: o CDBG Neighborhood Grant ▪ Resolution to adopt the following: • Fair Housing Plan • Fair Housing Compliant Procedure • Equal Employment Opportunity Procedure • Procurement Policy • Section 3 Plan • Residential Anti-Displacement & Relocation Assistance Plan • Citizens Participation Procedure for Complaints • Code of Conduct • 504 Grievance Procedure • Language Access Plan o Fair Housing Resolution o Project Budget Ordinance o Policies & Procedures o Plan to Further Fair Housing o Establish Procedure o Fair Housing Resolution o Budget Ordinance o Requisition Resolution (signatory card) o Resolution Authorizing Signatures for Requisitioning Funds for 2019 Community Development Block Grant CDBG #21-C-4014 • Only 1 motion is needed to approve everything. o Steve Austin spoke. Nothing has changed with these federal requirements. This is for only this particular grant. Neighborhood revitalization grant. You can adopt everything in that one resolution. To go over, this is a HUD grant, thus the emphasis on Fair Housing. We do quarterly updates. If we have a complaint, the state investigates. Equal opportunity, everything has to be done in the open. Section 3 is a weird one, it doesn’t really apply. In some situations, they would want us to give preference to Public Housing Projects. Anti-displacement, no one is being displaced. Purpose of public hearing. Complaints if you don’t hold a public hearing. Council nor immediate family can receive the grant. Language access plan, if someone does come in and cannot speak English, there is an I- speak card. We have an agreement with DSS, to use Google translate. None of this has been an issue. Project Budget Ordinance puts money in separate Budget to give Brandi the mechanism to cut checks and bring in the monies.  ▪ Denese Cook makes motion to adopt resolutions that are listed, seconded by Bobby Vassey. All in favor. o Quick update—we did not receive confirmation until Christmas week. We then had to put all the paperwork together, and now we are waiting to do an environmental review. We have to notify the state historic preservation office and local tribes. This usually takes a month. Lincoln St., River St. gives a long list of what we must follow. Then we must post notices around town for 15 days. Then send to Raleigh for 20 days. Then PJ will get a letter before funds are released. And until then, we can’t look at houses or start anything until those funds are released. At least 2-3 months out, waiting for the Federal Government. It is a slow process, but we are working toward it as fast as we can. Everything has been signed and completed, now, we just wait. o Park Spring rider ▪ Prices had changed from previous catalog, will have to rescind original motion to update pricing. • Prior Amount =$1059+tax&shipping • New Amount =$1345+tax & shipping o Motion to rescind prior motion of $1059 and approve purchase for $1345 plus tax & shipping made by Kathy Rhyne, seconded by Denese Cook. All in favor. o Beaver Management annual quote ▪ The beavers affect our sewer lines, and we haven’t been having these issues since we started using Myer’s Wildlife Services and it resolved the issues. We’ve been proactive. Motion to approve at $1800 by Kathy Rhyne, seconded by Bobby Vassey. All in favor. o Vehicle for Will to drive home (to be rescinded) ▪ PJ stated the initial reason was to respond to lift stations and such, if we are going to do this, then who’s phone number will be on the call list. Kathy stated that Jimmy said not his. If we’re going to do so, then someone needs to respond instead. If we put it off, when alarms go off, especially Hardin’ Road and it overflows, the small creek leads to the South Fork River and is part of the state. We would have to have something in place to take the place of what is being taken away. Denese states she was approached about our fuel costs, wear, and tear, it is a good piece for him to go home and does it outweigh the costs for this vehicle for the times he responds. Is it not compensated; he is compensated at an hourly rate. Dennis asked if the hourly rate wasn’t involved. Kathy stated that bringing his own vehicle to city hall, clock in, then go to water plant to pickup truck, then go to whichever lift station, we’re looking at lost time. PJ said if you look at it from a gas prospective, it’s around 18 miles a day, 90 miles a week, 12 miles a gallon at $21.00 a week, not counted wear and tear. If you wanted to put 20% toward that for wear and tear, it would be around $25.00 per week. $25 x 52 weeks = $1300 yearly. If we don’t do this and the phone call does go off, what type of checks & balances do we have? There is still marginally enough for fuel and maintenance has helped with fuel capacity. • Denese Cook rescinded the motion to add rescinding motion of removing HS1. Seconded by Kathy Rhyne. All in favor. ➢ New Business: Discussion/Action: Carolina Lift Stations (Proposed Work) Estimate in packet. • This changes the lag of configuration. This is to install an 80-foot float to use at River Street.  o This is to install new floats and put them in all pumps. $4,686.79. o We had a pump rewired and one pump was non-reparable. Pumps and back up is good. It is the same pump for both lift-stations and will work at either place. ▪ Motion to approve proposed work by Kathy Rhyne, seconded by Bobby Vassey. All in favor. Discussion/Action: Government Accounting & Financial Reporting March 14th-March 17th $1880.00 **See packet for breakdown** o Motion to approve made by Kathy Rhyne, seconded by Mr. Vassey. All in favor. Discussion/Action: : OSHA & EPA required Chemical Response Training $160 per employee 3*160= $480.00 The price includes textbooks, handout materials, laminated wallet card, and certificate of training. March 17th Charlotte Area o Motion to approve made by Kathy Rhyne, for all 3 men to attend Chemical Spill Response Training for $480.00, seconded by Denese Cook, all in favor. Discussion/Action: Water Annual Conference May 14- May 18 *Registration Amount is not available yet, last year was $250* Room= $750 Rental = $443.67 Total: $1,443.67 o Equipment needs to be removed before going if city vehicles are used. o Motion to approve Will to attend the Water Annual Conference for $1000.00, for room rental and registration, made by Kathy Rhyne, seconded by Bobby Vassey. All in favor. Discussion/Action: Michael Bowman—90 days has been completed—raise amount? o Michael is a valuable asset to the city. He isn’t a ball of fire, but he is consistent (true & steady). Wanted to ensure we are in agreement. Raise will go into effect Monday, February 20th. Discussion/Action: **Internal Controls Implementation** o Copy is in packet. Would appreciate it if each council member would sign the Master copy. o Currently working on more Internal Controls Discussion/Action: Park Security o The bathroom and concession stand were vandalized, items stolen. Including, hotdog roller, popcorn machine, cotton candy maker, security camera system. The security team that installed our cameras in City Hall gave us a quote for security equipment for the Park. o Motion to implement park security from PRESecurity for $7059.29 made by Kathy Rhyne, seconded by Bobby Vassey. All approved. Discussion/Action: Old camera equipment disposition o Put on Gov Deals for 10 days and sell on auction. ▪ 2 people approved for such. Discussion/Action: Power Service Lines, City owned equipment/property. o If you ride through the city, a service line that goes down to Hardin’ Road lift station, there’s a pole. The service line crossed the trees. If it is a city owned road, and not a main line going through town, we don’t have the total numbers, the best thing to table this item. To get an estimate to do work. ▪ Motion to table by Kathy Rhyne, seconded by Denese Cook. All in favor. Discussion/Action: Salt Dog Purchase • Robby Wray is willing to sell to the city for $500.00. This will mount to a trailer hitch on the back of the truck. A power cable to run from it to battery and controls will be in truck. As it moves down the road it will spread salt. To mainly take care of all of our City Streets. Especially the back roads to avoid issues we had last year. o Motion to approve purchasing the salt dog from Robby Wray made by Mrs. Cook, seconded by Mr. Vassey. All in favor. Discussion/Action: City Sign • Price is $2950.00 including installation. Same as the new one that was just installed. We need to ensure we mow around the city sign. Motion made by Denese Cook to purchase the sign, with approval from Ms. Judy and the Church on placement of the sign. Judy is ok with putting a sign there. Seconded by Ms. Rhyne. All in favor. Discussion/Action: Time Clock • Motion to table by Ms. Cook, seconded by Ms. Rhyne. All in favor. • Motion to Adjourn: Motion to adjourn by Denese Cook, seconded by Ms. Kathy Rhyne. All in favor.