City Council

MINUTES WENTWORTH TOWN COUNCIL March 1, 2022 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, March 1, 2022 at 7:00pm. Council Members Present: Mayor Dennis Paschal Jr., Daryl Crowder, Cheryl Moore, Dennis Paschal III Council Members Absent: Mayor Pro Tem Evelyn Conner A quorum was met. Staff Present: George Murphy Sr., Town Administrator Yvonne Russell, Town Clerk & Finance Officer Others Present: Ellis Martin, Attorney, Fox Rothschild LLP – Town of Wentworth Victor Johnson - Rockingham United Bonnie Dickens – ReDirections Jeff Bullins – Museum and Archives of Rockingham County Hugh Montgomery – Friends of Chinqua Penn Walking Trail Lee Templeton – Friends of Chinqua Penn Walking Trail Article I. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Dennis Paschal Jr. called the meeting to order. Article II. INVOCATION Councilmember Dennis Paschal III gave the invocation. Article III. APPROVAL OF TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA A. Requests and Petitions of Citizens B. Approve/ Amend Agenda Mayor Paschal made a MOTION, “We approve the agenda as written”. Councilmember Paschal III seconded the motion. All voted in favor and the motion carried. Article IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. Town Council Meeting – January 4, 2022 Mayor Paschal made a MOTION, “The minutes be approved as written”. Councilmember Cheryl Moore seconded the motion. All voted in favor and the motion carried. Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes March 1, 2022 – pg. 1 Article V. OLD BUSINESS There was no old business. Article VI. NEW BUSINESS A. Funding Requests for FY 2022-2023 1. Rockingham United - $5,000 for Wentworth Mobile Market Victor Johnson, Director of Mobile Marketing, presented the funding request for Rockingham United. He reported that last year the market for the Wentworth area served 195 families, totaling approximately 24,860 pounds of food. The market served 25 families in January of this year. Funding the market cost approximately $18,000 per year. Mayor Paschal asked how they are expecting rising costs to impact the market. He expressed his concern for the growing numbers of families in need of food. Mr. Johnson shared Mayor Paschal’s concern and said their goal is to serve as many families as they can. He noted their truck is equipped to serve 16 families per market. Mr. Johnson also explained that he is trying to build these markets to be a community resource center. He has invited other organizations like ADTS, Health Department, Sheriff’s Department, etc. to participate. He said, “We want these markets to be a one stop place for somebody who maybe has an addiction problem, a housing problem, income issues, or whatever”. He added, “We’ve invited other organizations to come alongside us at the Market so not only do we help them with the food, but we also help them with other needs they may have”. Mayor Paschal thanked Mr. Johnson for his work and for the presentation. The Town Council will consider the funding request during their budget work session. (Note: The funding request submitted by Rockingham United is herein incorporated and made a part of these minutes.) Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes March 1, 2022 – pg. 2 Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes March 1, 2022 – pg. 3 Article VI. NEW BUSINESS A. Funding Requests for FY 2022-2023 2. ReDirections - $8,000 Bonnie Dickens, Finance Officer for Redirections, addressed Council. She informed Council that ReDirections staff will be back on site in the upcoming school year to teach the program. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, they were not allowed on school grounds in 2020 and 2021. Ms. Dickens explained that they worked with a Rockingham County High School teacher to administer the program materials to the students. Mayor Paschal thanked Ms. Dickens and explained Council will consider the request during their budget work session. (Note: The funding request submitted by ReDirections is herein incorporated and made a part of these minutes.) Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes March 1, 2022 – pg. 4 Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes March 1, 2022 – pg. 5 Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes March 1, 2022 – pg. 6 Article VI. NEW BUSINESS A. Funding Requests for FY 2022-2023 3. Museum & Archives of Rockingham County (MARC) - $12,000 Jeff Bullins presented the request from MARC. He explained there is a capital component to the request for FY22-23. They are asking Wentworth for $8,868.00 to help with the costs of roofing and plumbing repairs. The total funds needed to make the repairs is $100,000. Mr. Bullins explained that MARC is asking all of the municipalities in Rockingham County for funding, and $8,886.00 is equal to 1% of the amount of funds the Town of Wentworth has been allocated from the American Rescue Plan Act, which was based on population size. The remaining $3,332.00 of the funding request is for programming and operating costs. Mayor Paschal thanked Mr. Bullins and explained Council will consider the request during their budget work session. (Note: The funding request submitted by MARC is herein incorporated and made a part of these minutes.) Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes March 1, 2022 – pg. 7 Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes March 1, 2022 – pg. 8 Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes March 1, 2022 – pg. 9 Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes March 1, 2022 – pg. 10 Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes March 1, 2022 – pg. 11 Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes March 1, 2022 – pg. 12 Article VI. NEW BUSINESS A. Funding Requests for FY 2022-2023 4. Friends of the Chinqua Penn Walking Trail (FCPWT) - $3,892.00 for picnic tables and $974.00 for maintenance on the boardwalk at Lake Betsy Hugh Montgomery was introduced as the new Treasurer for FCPWT by Lee Templeton. Mr. Montgomery replaces T Butler who recently moved from Wentworth with her husband Lindley Butler. Mr. Montgomery presented the funding request for new picnic tables and repairs to the boardwalk at Lake Betsy. Councilmember Paschal III asked if $974.00 covers all of the cost for maintenance of the boardwalk. Mr. Montgomery said it covers the cost of the lumber needed. There were no further questions. Mayor Paschal thanked Mr. Montgomery noted the request will be considered during the Council’s budget work session. (Note: The funding requests submitted by Friends of the Chinqua Penn Walking Trail are herein incorporated and made a part of these minutes.) Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes March 1, 2022 – pg. 13 Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes March 1, 2022 – pg. 14 Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes March 1, 2022 – pg. 15 Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes March 1, 2022 – pg. 16 Article VI. NEW BUSINESS B. Consideration of Appointments to the Wentworth Planning Board & Board of Adjustment 1. Erselle Young – 171 Chinqua Penn Trail Mayor Paschal made a MOTION, “We appoint Erselle Young to the Wentworth Planning Board & Board of Adjustment”. Councilmember Paschal III seconded the motion. All voted in favor and the motion carried. Article VI. NEW BUSINESS C. Consideration of Budget Amendment No 2 for FY 2021-2022 Yvonne Russell, Town Clerk & Finance Officer reviewed the budget amendment. Mayor Paschal asked that $50,000 be added to the budget amendment for repairs to the drain system and front doors of the gymnasium at the Wentworth Consolidated School Site. He explained that during his meeting with the Fire Marshal at the school site he was told that the front doors need to be repaired or replaced. Mayor Paschal said he’d like to get these repairs done before the Town starts spending grant money for a bigger repair and construction to the school site. He asked Council to give him leeway like they did on the 202 County Home Road office repairs, and he would keep Council informed of what was being done with these repairs and what the costs are. Councilmember Paschal III asked, “Is the $50,000 to get all of the doors in the gym facility to where we need them so that they meet fire code? Mayor Paschal replied, “Yes, and they asked for a little extra lighting although they didn’t say it was required”. Councilmember Paschal III asked, “As long as we’ve got an exit out of the front of the gym, if there are people in the facility, would the Fire Marshal want us to have those doors open right under the crow’s nest to go out down that hall and go out the other egress on the other side of the building?” Mayor Paschal said, “He said that counted as an exit for us”. George Murphy said, “We replaced the pass through doors there and had those re-keyed and locked, and those doors open from the gym into the crossroads into the main building. Once you get into the main building the doors on that hallway are all, with the exception of the two restrooms, locked including the stairwell doors. However, there is the rear door that’s an exit which was the original school boiler room, where the electrical room is, there’s a door there so that’s an exit, and you can go to the end of the hallway on the south end and get out that particular door.” Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes March 1, 2022 – pg. 17  Councilmember Paschal III replied, “I guess that’s what I was asking, the south end doors at the other end of that hallway that would be closest to what used to be the primary building”. Mayor Paschal said, “We can’t count that as an exit for the gym because it’s too far away”. Councilmember Paschal III asked, “So as far as opening the gym, we don’t have to worry about those doors on that end?” Mayor Paschal answered, “No, we’re able to keep that project separate.” Mayor Paschal said, “Before, we tried to rent the ballfield and gym from the County and we’ve always been focused like a laser beam on that…and we’ve got a scope of work for the other part of it, but I think we need to knock that out over there and let people start getting in there (gym)”. Regarding gym exits, Mayor Paschal said, “As soon as you go out the door (under crow’s nest) and walk past the stairwell, where you use to go get your milk and ice cream and stuff like that, there’s a visible exit sign there and that counts as an exit, so they’re not worried about the other end of the hall. They did say to keep the hallway clear and lights turned on if you have people in there going back and forth to the bathroom”. Mayor Paschal said, “I’d like to get folks back in there as soon as I could. We can remove all of the trees, and I think a lot of water problems are coming from that right side of the gym. We could knock out a lot of little things before we have to bid a big project.” Mayor Paschal made a MOTION, “To add $50,000 to the budget amendment”. Councilmember Moore seconded the motion. All voted in favor and the motion carried. Ms. Russell explained the change to the budget amendment would include an appropriation from Fund Balance in the amount of $50,000 and an increase in Capital Outlay: Property Improvements in the amount of $66,000 instead of $16,000. The amended total budget dollars would be $837,949. (Note: The amended Budget Amendment No 2 for FY 2021-2022 is herein incorporated and made a part of these minutes.) Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes March 1, 2022 – pg. 18 Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes March 1, 2022 – pg. 19 Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes March 1, 2022 – pg. 20 Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes March 1, 2022 – pg. 21 Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes March 1, 2022 – pg. 22 Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes March 1, 2022 – pg. 23 Article VI. NEW BUSINESS D. Discussion of Waterway Crossing Signs on Highways in the Town of Wentworth Barbara Cooke, Chair of the Wentworth Historic Preservation Committee began by thanking Bob Carter for identifying the waterway crossings. She explained the Committee is asking for two signs per crossing, for a total of ten signs. NC Department of Transportation (NCDOT) will provide a turn-key job of $4,000.00 for all ten signs. (Note: A memo from the Wentworth Historic Preservation Committee regarding waterway crossing signs is herein incorporated and made a part of these minutes.) Mr. Murphy listed the waterway crossings:  Rock House Creek at Pannel Road  Roach’s Creek at NC 87  Caroll’s Creek at Camp Dan Valley Road  Bold Run Creek at County Home Road  Bear Branch at Hancock Road Mr. Murphy noted that NCDOT would require the Town to submit a right-of-way encroachment agreement for non-utility encroachment on primary and secondary highways. Mayor Paschal made a MOTION, “We give approximately $4,000.00 for waterway crossing signs”. Councilmember Crowder seconded the motion. All voted in favor and the motion carried. Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes March 1, 2022 – pg. 24 Article VI. NEW BUSINESS E. Discussion of SCIF Grant Scope of Work & Performance Measures Ms. Russell referred to the Scope of Work document in the Council’s packet and explained that it must be approved by Council and sent to the Office of State Budget & Management before the Town can receive their allocated funds from the SCIF Grant. The Scope of Work does not have to contain detailed budget information at this time. It is meant to be an overview of what the Town plans to do with their allocated funds. She noted the list of items in the draft Scope of Work are items that Mayor Paschal suggested be included. Councilmember Paschal III asked if an HVAC system was going to be included in the Scope of Work. Mayor Paschal replied, “Don’t know. I’ve talked to several people. There’s some huge fans that you can get and they may generate enough air flow so that we won’t have to have air conditioning in there. If so, then all we have to do is have heating in there. So, that would greatly affect how much we have to spend.” He added, “We can go up the backside of the building, with units on the ground, and go in overhead and provide an HVAC system to the whole building as we move along. No way would we want to do it all at one time.” “With the gym, we’ll look at doing something on that, but right now I can’t say whether it’s going to be heating and cooling. It may just be cooling with those large fans”. Councilmember Paschal III said he was asking because a new HVAC system could end up costing a significant amount of money. Ms. Russell noted that Council will not be bound to all of the items currently listed in the Scope of Work. Changes can be made as the Town gets further along with the project. Mayor Paschal made a MOTION, “We approve the SCIF Grant Scope of Work & Performance Measures”. Councilmember Paschal III and Councilmember Moore seconded the motion. All voted in favor and the motion carried. (Note: The SCIF Grant Scope of Work & Performance Measures is herein incorporated and made a part of these minutes.) Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes March 1, 2022 – pg. 25 Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes March 1, 2022 – pg. 26 Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes March 1, 2022 – pg. 27 Article VII. PUBLIC COMMENTS There were no comments. Article VIII. ANNOUNCEMENTS Mayor Paschal made the following announcements:  The next regular meeting of the Wentworth Planning Board is scheduled for Tuesday, March 15, 2022, at 7:00 pm at the Wentworth Town Hall.  The next regular meeting of the Wentworth Town Council is scheduled for Tuesday, April 5, 2022, at 7:00 pm at the Wentworth Town Hall.  Daylight Savings Time begins March 13, 2022. Remember to set your clocks forward one hour. Article IX. Budget Work Session: FY 2022 – 2023 Mayor Paschal made a MOTION, “We move into the Budget Work Session for Fiscal Year 2022-2023”. Councilmember Paschal III seconded the motion. All voted in favor. Ms. Russell and Council reviewed the annual budget estimates for FY 2022-2023. Most expenditure line items are estimated to be approximately the same as FY 21-22 except the following:  Capital Outlay: Property Improvements – Council discussed purchasing bench type swing sets for the Wentworth Park. Approximately $2,000 for the equipment necessary for two swings. Mayor Paschal suggested maybe installing three instead of just two. Installation labor would be an extra expense.  Other Operating Expenses: Bank Charges – This line item has increased due to merchant service fees the Town incurs when receiving rental fees by credit card. Council agreed to budget $500 for FY22-23.  Board of Elections: Reduced to $0 since there is no election this year.  Public Safety: Miscellaneous – ReDirections has requested $8,000. Council discussed budgeting $5,000. Rockingham United has requested $5,000. Council discussed budgeting $5,000. Ms. Russell mentioned all of the funding requests the Town has received. Council decided to wait until they have heard all of the requests before deciding on amounts to budget. Several more requests will be heard at the April 5, 2022 Council meeting. Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes March 1, 2022 – pg. 28 Article X. ADJOURN Mayor Paschal made a MOTION, “We adjourn”. Councilmember Paschal III 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 March 1, 2022 – pg. 29