City Council

MINUTES WENTWORTH TOWN COUNCIL December 7, 2021 7:00 pm Wentworth Town Hall 124 Peach Tree Road, Wentworth NC The Wentworth Town Council held their regularly scheduled monthly meeting at the Wentworth Town Hall, on Tuesday, December 7, 2021 at 7:00pm. Council Members Present: Mayor Dennis Paschal Jr., Mayor Pro Tem Evelyn Conner, Cheryl Moore, Dennis Paschal III, Iris Powell Council Members Absent: A quorum was met. Staff Present: George Murphy Sr., Town Administrator Yvonne Russell, Town Clerk & Finance Officer Others Present: David Huggins, Pastor Article I. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Dennis Paschal Jr. called the meeting to order. Council and guests recited the Pledge of Allegiance. Article II. INVOCATION David Huggins gave the invocation. Article III. NEW BUSINESS A. RECOGNITION OF RETIRING COUNCIL MEMBER IRIS POWELL Mayor Paschal presented Councilmember Iris Powell with a plaque thanking her for 21 years of service on the Wentworth Town Council. Mrs. Powell thanked Council and everyone who voted for her in the past. She said she has enjoyed serving on the Town Council very much. Town Administrator George Murphy read a history of Mrs. Powell’s many years of service in the community that he gleaned from conversations with her daughter, Marilyn Reagan. Mrs. Powell received a standing ovation and tears were shed by many. (Note: A history of Iris Powell, composed and read by George Murphy, is herein incorporated and made a part of these minutes.) Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes December 7, 2021 – pg. 1 Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes December 7, 2021 – pg. 2  Mayor Paschal reminisced the days he was a student of Mrs. Powell’s in 4-H and Bible school. He thanked Mrs. Powell for her many years of service in the community. Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes December 7, 2021 – pg. 3 Article III. NEW BUSINESS B. ORGANIZATIONAL SESSION 1. Oath of Office Administered to Elected Council Mayor Paschal announced that during the 2021 Wentworth Town Council elections, Cheryl Moore was re-elected to her third term, and Daryl Crowder was elected to his first term. Mayor Paschal turned the Organizational Session over to Town Administrator George Murphy. Mr. Murphy asked Rockingham County Clerk of Court Mark Pegram to administer the Oath of Office to the elected officials starting with Daryl Crowder. The Honorable Mark Pegram administered the Oath of Office to Daryl Crowder. Mr. Crowder’s wife held the Bible while he, with his right hand raised and his left hand placed upon the Bible, recited the Oath. The Honorable Mark Pegram administered the Oath of Office to Cheryl Moore. Mrs. Moore’s husband and sister held the Bible while she, with her right hand raised and left hand placed upon the Bible, recited the Oath. B. ORGANIZATIONAL SESSION 2. Election of Mayor Mr. Murphy asked Council for nominations for Mayor of the Town of Wentworth. Councilmember Evelyn Conner nominated Dennis Paschal Jr. There were no other nominations. Councilmember Dennis Paschal, III made a MOTION, the nominations be closed. All voted in favor and Dennis Paschal Jr. was elected Mayor of the Town of Wentworth. Mr. Murphy turned the Organizational Session over to Mayor Paschal. B. ORGANIZATIONAL SESSION 3. Election of Mayor Pro Tem Mayor Paschal asked Council for nominations for Mayor Pro Tem of the Town of Wentworth. Councilmember Cheryl Moore nominated Evelyn Conner. Mayor Paschal seconded the nomination. There were no further nominations. Councilmember Paschal III made a MOTION, the nominations be closed. Mayor Paschal seconded the motion. All voted in favor and Evelyn Conner was elected Mayor Pro Tem of the Town of Wentworth. Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes December 7, 2021 – pg. 4 Article III. NEW BUSINESS B. ORGANIZATIONAL SESSION 4. Oath of Office Administered to Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem The Honorable Mark Pegram administered the Oath of Office to Mayor Pro Tem Evelyn Conner. David Huggins held the Bible while Mayor Pro Tem Conner, with her right hand raised and her left hand placed upon the Bible, recited the Oath. The Honorable Mark Pegram administered the Oath of Office to Mayor Dennis Paschal Jr. Mayor Paschal’s wife held the Bible while he, with his right hand raised and his left hand placed upon the Bible, recited the Oath. C. ADOPTION OF HOLIDAY CLOSING SCHEDULE FOR YEAR 2022 Mayor Paschal made a MOTION, “We adopt the Holiday Closing Schedule for 2022”. Mayor Pro Tem Conner seconded the motion. All voted in favor and the motion carried. Article IV. PUBLIC COMMENTS There were no comments. Article V. ANNOUNCEMENTS Mayor Paschal made the following announcements:  The next regular meeting of the Wentworth Planning Board is scheduled for Tuesday, December 21, 2021, at 7:00 pm at the Wentworth Town Hall.  The next regular meeting of the Wentworth Town Council is scheduled for Tuesday, January 4, 2022, at 7:00 pm at the Wentworth Town Hall.  Year 2022 Meeting Schedules for the Wentworth Town Council and the Wentworth Planning Board are available in the Town Clerk’s Office and at www.townofwentworth.com.  Applications are available for volunteers interested in serving on Town Committees – Appearance, Recreation, Historic Preservation, and the Wentworth Planning Board. Mayor Pro Tem Conner thanked Yvonne Russell and George Murphy for putting together the Town’s first Christmas in the Park event. Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes December 7, 2021 – pg. 5 Article IX. ADJOURN Mayor Paschal made a MOTION, “We adjourn”. Mayor Pro Tem Conner seconded the motion, and the meeting adjourned. Respectfully Submitted By: Approved By: _______________________ __________________________ Yvonne Russell, NCCMC Dennis Paschal, Jr. Town Clerk Mayor Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes December 7, 2021 – pg. 6