Town Council Regular Meeting

Page 1 of 3 TOWN OF ST. JAMES REGULAR MEETING MINUTES June 5, 2024 The St. James Town Council met in Regular Session at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 5, 2024 in the Earl Dye Council Chamber. Council Members Present: Mayor Jean Toner, Mayor Pro Tem David DeLong, Councilors Jim Board, David Morgan, and Lynn Dutney Staff Present: Town Manager Jeff Repp, Finance Director Pauline Haran, Community Center Manager Steve Brennan, and Town Clerk Laura Williams Others Present: State Port Pilot Reporter Eliot Duke and 42 residents. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Toner opened the meeting at 4:00 p.m. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE All in attendance joined Mayor Toner in honoring our flag. APPROVAL OF AGENDA There were no changes or corrections to be made to the Agenda. Mayor Toner asked for a motion to approve the Agenda as presented. Mayor Pro Tem DeLong made a motion to approve the Agenda. Vote: 5/0 APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA Councilor Board made a motion to approve the Consent Agenda, which consists of the minutes from the April 18, 2024 Work Session and the minutes from the May 1, 2024 Regular Meeting. Vote: 5/0 PRESENTATIONS a. Proclaiming June 2024 as St. James Chapel Volunteer Month Mayor Toner read and presented the St. James Chapel Volunteer Month Proclamation to Mr. Jim Daly and Mr. Bruce Hayden. Mr. Jim Daly thanked the Town, the St. James Fire Department, and the volunteers. b. Certificate of Recognition to Mary Nash - St. James Emergency Management Work Group Mayor Toner presented the Certificate of Recognition to Ms. Mary Nash for being on the Emergency Management Work Group for ten years. Mayor Toner also presented a Recognition Award to Ms. Nash. Ms. Nash thanked the Mayor, Council, and the Emergency Management members. MAYOR/COUNCIL/STAFF REPORTS  Page 2 of 3 TOWN OF ST. JAMES REGULAR MEETING MINUTES June 5, 2024 a. Early Voting in the St. James Community Center Town Manager Jeff Repp discussed the status of the Brunswick County Board of Elections’ early voting request. The Town did receive an official request from the County Board of Elections (BOE) to use the Community Center as an early voting site for the upcoming election in November. The Town has twenty days to respond, and the plan of action is to politely decline the request. State law may allow the BOE to override any decisions the Town may make since the Community Center is a public building. OLD BUSINESS – None. NEW BUSINESS 24-17 Motion to Appoint Walt Lynch as Deputy Director of the Emergency Management Work Group Town Clerk Laura Williams swore in Walt Lynch as Deputy Director of the Emergency Management Work Group. 24-18 Resolution # 2024-03 Declaring Seven (7) Office Chairs as Surplus Property Mr. Repp discussed that this resolution involves disposing of the old office chairs that were in the Town Hall Conference Room. With approving this resolution, the Town will be able to advertise the chairs on Gov Deals, where they will be sold to the highest bidder. Mayor Pro Tem DeLong made a motion to approve Resolution # 2024-03: Declaring seven office chairs as surplus property. Mayor Toner asked if there were any discussion or questions from Council, there were none. Vote: 5/0 24-19 Approval of Ordinance # 2024-01: FY 2025 Budget and Fee Schedule Town Manager Repp stated that this ordinance will establish the budget for the upcoming Fiscal Year, starting July 1st. The process of putting together the budget begin in February, it has been reviewed and discussed at several Work Sessions, and a Public Hearing was held in May. Mayor Toner stated that North Carolina requires municipal budgets be balanced. She discussed the Town’s largest revenue source is sales tax, followed by ad valorem/property taxes. Mayor Toner discussed the funds in the budget that are set aside for capital needs and operating funds for the Fire Department. There is also a disaster recovery fund in place in case of storm damage. As soon as this fund reaches $1.5 million, it will sunset. The Mayor also mentioned that. Mayor Toner inquired if there was any public comment, there was none. Councilor Dutney made a motion to approve Ordinance # 2024-01: FY 2025 Budget and Fee Schedule.  Page 3 of 3 TOWN OF ST. JAMES REGULAR MEETING MINUTES June 5, 2024 Mayor Toner asked if there were any discussion or questions from Council. Councilor Board thanked Ms. Pauline Haran for putting the budget together. Vote: 5/0 24-20 Approval of Resolution # 2024-04 Assigning Portions of Fund Balance for FY 2024 Town Manager Repp discussed this resolution will transfer $600,000 from the undesignated fund balance for this fiscal year to the designated fund balance for the St. James Fire Department’s capital needs. This makes the total available amount to $1.9 million, as of July 1st. Mayor Toner inquired if there was any public comment, there was none. Councilor Board made a motion to approve Resolution # 2024-04 Assigning Portions of Fund Balance for FY 2024. Mayor Toner asked if there were any discussion or questions from Council, there were none. Vote: 5/0 PUBLIC COMMENT – None. ADJOURNMENT At 4:24pm Councilor Morgan made a motion to adjourn the meeting. All were in favor. Vote: 5/0 Respectfully Submitted, Approved, _________________________ ______________________ Laura Williams, Town Clerk Jean R. Toner, Mayor