Town Council

May 20, 2025 Page 1 of 4 TUESDAY, MAY 20, 2025 TOWN OF SAWMILLS REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING 6:00PM COUNCIL PRESENT STAFF PRESENT Mayor Keith Warren Julie A Good Clay Wilson Terry Taylor Rebecca Johnson Dustin Millsaps Melissa Curtis Bobby Mosteller COUNCIL ABSENT Joe Wesson CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Keith Warren called the meeting to order at approximately 6:01pm. INVOCATION: Chaplain John Abernathy gave the invocation. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Councilman Bobby Mosteller led the Pledge of Allegiance. ADOPT AGENDA: Mayor Keith Warren stated the May 20, 2025, agenda would need to be amended to add Agenda Item 9B. Sales Tax Reinvestment Agreement and asked for a motion to adopt the May 20, 2025, Amended Agenda. Clay Wilson made a motion, and Rebecca Johnson seconded, to adopt the Amended May 20, 2025, Agenda. All were in favor. APPROVE APRIL 15, 2025, REGULAR MEETING MINUTES: Mayor Keith Warren asked for a motion to approve the April 15, 2025, regular meeting minutes. Bobby Mosteller made a motion, and Rebecca Johnson seconded, to approve the April 15, 2025, regular meeting minutes. All were in favor. APPROVE APRIL 15, 2025, CLOSED SESSION MINUTES: Mayor Keith Warren asked for a motion to approve the April 15, 2025, closed session minutes. Clay Wilson made a motion, and Bobby Mosteller seconded, to approve the April 15, 2025, closed session minutes. All were in favor.  May 20, 2025 Page 2 of 4 APPROVE MAY 6, 2025, BUDGET WORKSHOP MEETING MINUTES: Mayor Keith Warren asked for a motion to approve the May 6, 2025, budget workshop meeting minutes. Clay Wilson made a motion, and Melissa Curtis seconded, to approve the May 6, 2025, budget workshop meeting minutes. All were in favor. PUBLIC COMMENT: No one wished to speak. RECOGNITIONS: MAY RECYCLE REWARDS WINNER: Mayor Keith Warren announced James Worcester as the May Recycle Rewards Winner. A credit of forty dollars ($40.00) will be added to the current sanitation bill. No Council action was required. PUBLIC HEARING: TEXT AMENDMENT: OPEN PUBLIC HEARING: Mayor Keith Warren asked for a motion to open the public hearing. Clay Wilson made a motion, and Rebecca Johnson seconded, to open the public hearing. All were in favor. STAFF COMMENTS/RECOMMENDATIONS: Planning Director Dustin Millsaps stated that the Town of Sawmills has received an application for Amendment to the Sawmills Zoning Ordinance to allow food trucks and trailers in the Town of Sawmills. This application will cover both individual food trucks and trailers on individual lots, as well as, food truck and trailer courts, which would allow more than one (1) food truck and/or trailer on one (1) lot. PUBLIC COMMENT: No one wished to speak. CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING: Mayor Keith Warren asked for a motion to close the public hearing. Clay Wilson made a motion, and Rebecca Johnson seconded, to close the public hearing. All were in favor.  May 20, 2025 Page 3 of 4 COUNCIL ACTION: Melissa Curtis made a motion, and Clay Wilson seconded, to approve the Food Trucks and Trailers text amendment as written. All were in favor. FINANCIAL: PRESENTATION OF FY 2025-2026 BUDGET AND CALL FOR PUBLIC HEARING: Town Manager Chase Winebarger presented to Council a proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2025-2026. Town Manager Chase Winebarger stated that the budget is balanced as required by the NC Local Government Budget and Fiscal Control Act. The Town’s overall budget for FY 2025-2026 totals six million four hundred eighty-nine thousand seven hundred one dollars ($6,489,701.00). A few highlights of the proposed budget include no property tax increase; two-point five percent (2.5%) increase in water and sewer rates per five (5) year NCRWA Rate Study; no increase in sanitation fees; Town wide street and traffic sign assessment/replacement; Paving/repair to Oxford Drive, Gatewood Drive and Withers Drive; Additional resources for nuisance abatement and cleanup; new Christmas tree at the Farmers Market lot; aggressively addressing aging water infrastructure along US Highway 321-A; maintain current levels of services to citizens. Council must hold a public hearing on June 17, 2025, to adopt the budget. Bobby Mosteller made a motion, and Rebecca Johnson seconded, to hold a public hearing on June 17, 2025, at 6:00pm, to adopt the budget for FY 2025-2026. All were in favor. SALES TAX REINVESTMENT AGREEMENT: Town Manager Chase Winebarger stated that the current contract with Caldwell County for the Sales Tax Reinvestment program will expire on June 30, 2025, and will need to be renewed. If renewed, the Sales Tax Reinvestment contract will be effective starting July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2029. Town Manager Chase Winebarger stated that amount of the contract will not exceed one hundred ninety-four thousand dollars ($194,000.00) annually. The funds will be used by Caldwell County and the Caldwell County Economic Development Commission as incentive monies for job growth and development. Additionally, Caldwell County is able to use up to three hundred fifty thousand dollars ($350,000.00) of the fund annually for public purposes other than economic development. Melissa Curtis made a motion, and Clay Wilson seconded, to renew the Sales Tax Reinvestment Contract with Caldwell County. All were in favor. DISCUSSION: ELLEN STREET PETITION: Town Manager Chase Winebarger stated that the Town of Sawmills has received a street petition from the residents of Ellen Street asking to convert the existing private street to a street to be maintained by the Town. One hundred percent (100%) of the property owners have signed the petition. Town Manager Chase Winebarger stated that staff has looked at Ellen Street and entire street will need to be repaved and brought up to NCDOT standards.  May 20, 2025 Page 4 of 4 Clay Wilson made a motion, and Bobby Mosteller seconded, to table the Ellen Street Petition until the July 15, 2025, regular scheduled Council Meeting. All were in favor. PUBLIC COMMENT: Mayor Keith Warren asked if anyone had any questions or comments at this time. No one wished to speak. UPDATES: MAY CODE ENFORCEMENT REPORT: Town Code Enforcement Officer Curt Willis stated that there are nine (9) code enforcement cases that are open. No Council action was required. TOWN MANAGER UPDATES: Town Manager Chase Winebarger had the following updates: • Town Manager Chase Winebarger stated that the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for Project Management Services for Storm Damage Recovery Veterans Park was posted on May 7, 2025, with a deadline date of May 21, 2025. COUNCIL ADJOURN: Mayor Keith Warren asked for a motion to adjourn. Clay Wilson made a motion, and Rebecca Johnson seconded, to adjourn the meeting. All were in favor. The meeting was adjourned at approximately 6:31pm. ____________________________ ________________________ Keith Warren, Mayor Julie A. Good, Town Clerk