City Council

Page i of 3 City of High Shoals Regular Council Meeting July 9, 2024 • Call to Order o Mayor PJ Rathbone called the July 9, 2024, meeting to order at 6:30 pm. In attendance are the following: Dennis Cash, Denese Cook, Bo Rhyne, Bobby Vassey, and Tim Eidson. Kathy Rhyne was absent. • Invocation • Pledge of Allegiance • Approval of Agenda o Motion to approve the agenda made by Denese Cook, seconded by Bobby Vassey. All in favor. • Approval of Minutes o Motion to approve the minutes made by Denese Cook, seconded by Bobby Vassey, All in favor. 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). No one signed up to speak. 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. No comments. ➢ Departmental Reports: ➢ Police Report-Gaston County—Did not attend meeting ➢ Financial-Dennis Cash ▪ CHECKING $393,206.14 ▪ SAVINGS 1 $160,838.57 ▪ SAVINGS 2 $ 11,114.69 ▪ CAP MGMT $ 47,952.40 ▪ Total: $613,111.80 ➢ Cemetery-Denese Cook ▪ Received a quote from Mackey Tree Service to remove the stump. It is large and the price is $600 to grind and remove the stump and will try to refill the hole. This came about because a resident wanted to continue her family’s row of plots, so she purchased that plot where the stump is. Denese will also have the tree service look near Judy Taylor’s mom’s grave which has a large tree leaning over it. ➢ Water/Sewer-Bo Rhyne ▪ Tim fixed a leak on School Street on the first of last week. They were rerouting a driveway, and the company hit a service line that very few knew was located there. Tim plugged the line. ➢ Streets/Maintenance/Sanitation-Kathy Rhyne o They aren’t alternating the trucks because Brian doesn’t want to drive it. o The issue of the drainage ditch on State Street where the ditch collapsed, Tim has a quote on the pipe, $2300. Tim said there is another sink hole on the other side of the road as well. PJ said that the sinkhole needs to be looked in to as well. ➢ Parks/Recreation-Bobby Vassey o Yard of the Month:– Rose McCurry ▪ 204 N Lincoln St. ➢ Vehicles- Tim Eidson Page 1 of 3 Page ii of 3 HS1 needs brakes and calipers on the front, we will send it to Gaston Automotive to have it o fixed. o Tim said that since we purchased new trucks, we should have no need for HS1, so he believes we need to sell it. ➢ Administration/Mayor Report-PJ Rathbone o Post office—PJ had a conversation with the postmaster about the people hanging out at the Post office and leaving their shopping cart on the property. The Postmaster called and reported them to the police immediately. His supervisor said the local Police have the jurisdiction to remove those individuals. The Postal Clerk has been told that those people aren’t allowed on the property. o The Mill Property—we are working on scheduling another meeting this month on the Brownfield property. o The condemnation of houses. PJ reached out to Travis Page and requested a meeting regarding such legally. Brian Sciba from Gaston County is putting a package together about how we can move forward. Steve Austin has said that he has access to grants to have the properties demolished. The condition of these houses is no longer feasible. Though may be a slow, drawn-out process. o We will have to change our agreement with Gaston County and the code enforcement and zoning. There are some things that aren’t as clear as they should be. Those changes will be coming to the council for their approval. ➢ Old Business: • Discussion/Action: HR manual o We need changes by the end of next week. Ms. Becky will be coming back next month to help with implementation. Once we approve at the August meeting, that will be the new HR manual. Some of the policies are extremely strict, as they should be. If any members have any mark-ups that they want changed, please turn them in by the end of next week, so Becky can change them by the August meeting. • Discussion/Action: Military Banners o Dennis Cash motioned to table until next month, seconded by Denese Cook. All in favor. ➢ New Business: • Discussion/Action: Approval of Grant Administrator (CDBG-I Phase 2) o Five companies put in and all five have been reviewed and scored. Stephen Austin scored the highest. Three companies are out of state and one company is starting up and requesting the city provide them with office space, computers, etc. o Denese Cook made a motion to select Steve Austin for phase 2 CDBG water project, seconded by Bo Rhyne. All in favor. • Discussion/Action: 2021 Neighborhood Revitalization Ordinance Revision o Dennis Cash made motion to accept the revision, seconded by Bobby Vassey. All in favor. • Discussion/Action: Budget Amendments (preceding fiscal year) o To decrease contingency and decrease water purchase funds, to increase contracted services, and maintenance equipment o Motion to approve the amendments for water and sewer made by Dennis Cash, seconded by Bo Rhyne, all in favor. Page 2 of 3 Page iii of 3 • Discussion: Required Drug Testing-CDL o Under DOT regulations, we have to ensure a service agent (DOT/CDL license). Dennis Cash asked, once we start doing the drug testing, we have to do a physical every two years. • Discussion/Action: Summer/Fall event o Kathy requests at least 2 dates to work with ▪ Late September (earlier may be too hot) o Saturday September 28th or October 5th ▪ Also consider either/or or both o Saturday April 26th or May 3rd of 2025 • Discussion/Action: Closed session §§NCGS 143-13.11(a)(6) Employee writeups/grievances o Motion to go into closed session made by Denese Cook, seconded by Bobby Vassey. All in favor. o Motion was made to come out of closed session. ➢ Action: Motion to adjourn o Motion to adjourn made by Dennis Cash, seconded by Bobby Vassey. All in favor. Page 3 of 3