1. Board of Commissioners (BOC)

TOWN OF PITTSBORO BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MARCH 28, 2022 REGULAR MEETING MINUTES PAGE 1 OF 5 TOWN OF PITTSBORO The Pittsboro Board of Commissioners met in Regular Session on Monday, March 28, 2022 at 7:00pm in a virtual format via ZOOM with Mayor Cindy Perry presiding. The meeting was called to order at 7:01 pm. Mayor Perry requested a moment of silence with the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance following led by Commissioner Farrell. ELECTED TOWN OFFICIALS PRESENT: Mayor Cindy Perry, Mayor Pro Tern Pamela Baldwin, Commissioner Jay Farrell, Commissioner Kyle Shipp, and Commissioner James Vose. TOWN STAFF PRESENT: Town Manager Chris Kennedy, Town Attorney Paul S. Messick, Chief of Police Shorty Johnson, Town Clerk Jenifer Johnson, Finance Director Heather Meacham, Planning Director Theresa Thompson, Engineering Director Kent Jackson, and Parks and Recreation Planner Katy Keller. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA Mayor Perry called for a motion to either approve or modify the agenda as proposed. Mayor Pro Tem Baldwin made a motion to approve the agenda as proposed, seconded by Commissioner Farrell. Vote: Aye-4 Nay-0 Commissioner Bonitz was absent. Motion carried unanimously. PROCLAMATION FOR ARBOR DAY 2022 April 8, 2022 will celebrate in conjunction with a Girl Scout Troop to plant trees with Grand Trees of Chatham in a formal ceremony located at Mary Hayes Holmes Park. Commissioner Bonitz joined the Zoom meeting at 7:04pm. CITIZEN MATTERS 1. Manager Updates Kennedy wanted to remind the Downtown Advisory Committee is searching for volunteers with fifteen to twenty applicants received so far with a preliminary Board determined in early May. Thursday April 7th will begin at 8:30am a Budget Retreat with the Board at the Chatham County Agriculture and Conference Center which will be streamed live. April 25th and May 9th will be public hearing meetings of the budget and May 23 rd meeting to approve the budget for 2022-2023. The Town is working on water and sewer analysis and working on a capital improvement plan and commissioned a new study for system development fees which are part revenue for water and sewer fees and SDF fees. Freese and Nichols Inc., consulting engineering firm, will provide a report next Monday which will be posted for forty-five days and then go to public hearing May 23 rd . 2. Mayor and Commissioner Updates and Concerns  TOWN OF PITTSBORO BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MARCH 28, 2022 REGULAR MEETING MINUTES PAGE 2 OF 5 Mayor and Board members gave updates on the committees and boards on which they serve. 3. Public Comment None. CONSENT AGENDA Mayor Perry called for action on the Consent Agenda. The Consent Agenda contained the following items: 1. Town of Pittsboro Financial Reports by Month - February 2021 2. Minutes of the January 10, 2022 Regular Meeting of the Board of Commissioners 3. Minutes of the January 24, 2022 Regular Meeting of the Board of Commissioners 4. Minutes of the February 14, 2022 Regular Meeting of the Board of Commissioners 5. Minutes of the February 28, 2022 Regular Meeting of the Board of Commissioners 6. Budget Amendment for Town of Pittsboro Parks & Recreation Projects Decrease Line Item Kiwanis Park Bathrooms 990-3001-53570 $46,410.00 Decrease Line Item Transfer from General Fund 990-9500-95010 $46,410.00 Decrease Line Item Transfer to P&R Project 100-3790-59999 $46,410.00 Increase Line Item Departmental Supplies 100-6200-52330 $46,410.00 7. Board of Commissioners Future Agenda Item "Look Ahead" Tentative Schedule Commissioner Farrell made a motion to approve the consent agenda as presented, seconded by Commissioner Bonitz. Vote: Aye-5 Nay-0 Motion passed unanimously. PUBLIC HEARINGS 1. None. OLD BUSINESS 1. None. NEW BUSINESS 1. Request for Development Fees Reimbursement and Sewer Allocation Forfeiture - SDA Bio, Inc. The applicant, Mr. Shawn Zhang, is requesting reimbursement of the development fees paid in association for his research laboratory and office project located at 25 Deegan Drive, which was approved under ZC-2021-117 on June 10, 2021 totaling $23,073.50, that he is no longer  TOWN OF PITTSBORO BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MARCH 28, 2022 REGULAR MEETING MINUTES PAGE 3 OF 5 continuing forward with. The fees requested for reimbursement are water and sewer system development, water meter, and sidewalk fee-in-lieu of construction paid to the Town. Town Manager Kennedy clarified that the only cost the Town incurred was the administration and processing of a reimbursement. Engineering Director Jackson commented that maybe a time limit on request for reimbursement would be added to the UDO. Commissioner Shipp made a motion to approve the request to reimburse and to bring forward a UDO amendment that might address this for future, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Baldwin. Vote: Aye-5 Nay-0 Motion carried unanimously. MISCELLANEOUS 1. Report to the Board on Vehicle Alternatives for the Town of Pittsboro Police Department Town Manager Kennedy shared the Town wants to be as efficient as we can with all aspects of our operation. The Town and Police Department are looking into to see how efficient the police vehicles can be. Staff have been researched various makes and models of vehicles and narrowed down to gas powered Ford Explorer, hybrid For Explorer, Ford Mustang Mach E, and Tesla model Y. After considerable analysis, the Town feels the hybrids over the period of the replacement schedule are the best option financially. A factor to consider is the operational characteristics with the take home policy and a challenge of availability of charging stations. Commissioner Shipp shared that electric vehicles should be used in the future for replacement vehicles and thanked for the time that went into the report. Commissioner Farrell wants to make sure the police force is safe in the vehicles chosen. Commissioner Bonitz wanted to thank staff for the comparisons that were viewed with balance and appreciated the gas price charts with inflation as a factor and omitted the cost of the EV chargers as that may be grant supported. Benitz questioned what the replacement cycle goal would be for the vehicles. Kennedy responded the patrol vehicles would be a seven-year replacement schedule and administration vehicles would be a ten-year replacement. Bonitz commented that the electric vehicles would be able to stretch the replacement schedule. Bonitz also requested that if choosing Tesla to remove the outfit of extra cameras as Tesla has eight cameras Police Chief Johnson stated the camera systems used by Watchguard are seven thousand dollars and the concern would be if rely on Tesla cameras there would be two camera systems that require server space but would look into the Tesla camera option. Bonitz asked how the Finance Department is handling depreciation on equipment. Finance Director Meacham stated that vehicles were depreciated by life expectancy at a replacement of seven years for patrol vehicles. Bonitz stated that depending on make and model EV's are depreciating slower than gas powered vehicles and feel that this is an important factor in understanding the total cost of vehicle  TOWN OF PITTSBORO BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MARCH 28, 2022 REGULAR MEETING MINUTES PAGE 4 OF 5 ownership and feels the TCO (total cost ownership) is the ideal metric for comparing vehicles for same use case. Kennedy stated the analysis presented is based on TCO operations for different type of vehicles factored in addition to fuel and maintenance costs. Bonitz shared that Boulder County Sheriffs Department showed that the maintenance of the Ford Explorer Interceptor was 18 cents per mile and the Tesla Y was 3 cents per mile. Kennedy stated agreed the data also supported numbers similar to what Bonitz stated and shared that is why the seven-year replacement was factored in due to high maintenance costs when vehicles are older and a detractor for EV is the longevity is unknown. Discussion was had referencing what the electricity cost would be for EVs based at Town and take-home vehicles for staff. Mayor Perry asked if the small footprint of Pittsboro makes an EV possible or more productive. Kennedy stated that he thought it was an advantage for a municipal Police force vs. a county Sheriffs office as the mileage used per shift is less. Mayor Perry asked if the Police staff were required to live in the town or county. Kennedy stated no. Commissioner Farrell asked if there was a road use tax on EV at this time or would that be added in the future. Bonitz shared there is a vehicle fee for electrical vehicles that more than substitutes for the lost gas tax revenues. Commissioner Shipp states that the EV tax felt like a large charge since it is once per year instead of each gas fill up and is an additional fee on the renewal of vehicle yearly. Shipp questioned if we know of the percentage of electric vehicles at other Police Departments? Shipp shared he felt there is some value that employees have same vehicles and asked how vehicles were assigned with those on the force. Kennedy stated that the replacement schedule is consistent and once a vehicle is assigned to an employee it stays with that person and there is a hierarchy within a Police Department, but it mostly based on need of replacement. Shipp felt the decision needs to be whether to select EV at this stage or not and also be cautious of time that is spent on an analysis, or proposed making a timeline in the future or start with other department staff. Kennedy stated that vehicle replacement will be yearly if not every other year and the conversation shifts with each replacement. Mayor Pro T em Baldwin thought the Tesla Y was a small car for a Police vehicle for the situations that they need and did not see the feasibility of adding a charging station for each employee that has the take home option but did see the electric value in other employee positions. Baldwin also liked the hybrid vehicle. ADJOURNMENT Bonitz questioned the sign ordinance of the Confederate flag on the east side of town. Planning Director Theresa Thompson shared the violation was with the proximity of the location of the pole close to the property line and not meeting height standards. The flag size per the ordinance is not the violation. There are several flag poles in Pittsboro in violation and homeowners will be notified shortly. Vose thought it was the size limit that was breaking the ordinance. Shipp shared that it was not in the current UDO but previously existed. Vose stated that it should be.  TOWN OF PITTSBORO BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MARCH 28, 2022 REGULAR MEETING MINUTES PAGE 5 OF 5 With no further business, Mayor Perry called for a motion to adjourn. Commissioner Farrell made a motion to adjourn at 8:42pm, seconded by Commissioner Bonitz. Vote: Aye-5 Nay-0 Motion carried unanimously. ATTEST: