City Council

MINUTES WENTWORTH TOWN COUNCIL November 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, November 1, 2022 at 7:00pm. Council Members Present: Mayor Pro Tem Evelyn Conner, Cheryl Moore, Dennis Paschal III, Daryl Crowder Council Members Absent: Mayor Dennis Paschal Jr. A quorum was met. Staff Present: Yvonne Russell, Town Clerk/ Finance Officer Hunter Wilson, Accounting Clerk/ Deputy Clerk Others Present: Ellis Martin, Attorney, Fox Rothschild LLP – Town of Wentworth Rockingham Update - Media Article I. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Pro Tem Evelyn Conner 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 Pro Tem Conner made a MOTION, “We amend Article V., B. by deleting 1. Request to Participate – River Lake Homes, and move New Business to Article V., and Old Business to Article VI.” Councilmember Paschal III seconded the motion. All voted in favor and the motion carried. Mayor Pro Tem Conner made a MOTION, “To approve the Agenda as amended”. Councilmember Paschal III seconded the motion. All voted in favor and the motion carried. Article IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. Town Council Meeting – October 4, 2022 Mayor Pro Tem Conner made a MOTION, “The minutes be approved as written”. Councilmember Paschal III seconded the motion. All voted in favor and the motion carried. Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes November 1, 2022 – pg. 1 Article V. NEW BUSINESS A. Annual Audit Report – Rouse, Rouse, Rouse & Gardner LLP Rex Rouse, CPA reviewed the Town of Wentworth’s Audit for Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2022. Mr. Rouse noted the Town is financially sound with a General Fund Balance of $2,072,854.00. Mr. Rouse reported there is a deficiency in internal controls, as is the case for most small municipalities with limited staff. He added, “However, the weakness in internal control relative to receipts is greatly mitigated by the fact that nearly all of the receipts of the Town are directly deposited by the NC Department of Revenue.” Mr. Rouse thanked Josh Ammons and Yvonne Russell for their work on the audit. (Note: The Town of Wentworth Audit for Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2022 is available for review in the Clerk’s Office at the Wentworth Town Hall.) Article V. NEW BUSINESS B. Consideration of Quote for Additional Camera(s) at Wentworth Town Hall Councilmember Paschal III made a MOTION, “We purchase the additional cameras at a cost of $5,283.40.” Councilmember Daryl Crowder seconded the motion. All voted in favor and the motion carried. (Note: The quote for additional cameras at the Wentworth Town Hall is herein incorporated and made a part of these minutes.) Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes November 1, 2022 – pg. 2 Article V. NEW BUSINESS C. Consideration of Service Contracts at Wentworth Consolidated School Site 1. CPI Security 2. Duke Energy Yvonne Russell, Town Clerk & Finance Officer explained the Town has received a quote from CPI Security for a security system at the Wentworth Consolidated School Site in the amount of $5,075.89 for installation and an $88.58 monthly monitoring fee. Councilmember Paschal III made a MOTION, “We approve the quote from CPI Security for installation cost of security system on the first floor of the Wentworth Consolidated School Building for $5,075.89, and the monthly monitoring fee of $85.58.” Mayor Pro Tem Conner seconded the motion. All voted in favor and the motion carried. Ms. Russell explained that Duke Energy has quoted 12 outdoor flood lights for the Wentworth Consolidated School and ballfield at a total monthly cost of $284.10. Councilmember Paschal III made a MOTION, “We approve the contract with Duke Energy for three years for a monthly charge of $284.10.” Councilmember Crowder seconded the motion. All voted in favor and the motion carried. Article VI. OLD BUSINESS A. Wentworth Ballfield – Revised Quote for Fencing Ms. Russell reported that Mayor Paschal requested a quote for an additional 100 feet of fencing at the Wentworth School ballfield. The quote for the additional fencing from Garcia Fencing is $2,000.00. Councilmember Paschal III made a MOTION, “We approve the additional $2,000.00 for fencing at the Wentworth Consolidated School ballfield.” Mayor Pro Tem Conner seconded the motion. All voted in favor and the motion carried. Article VI. OLD BUSINESS B. Wentworth Christmas in the Park Update Ms. Russell gave an update on progress made in the planning of Wentworth Christmas in the Park. She also reported that Rockingham County High School has a home basketball game on December 2nd and needs all of their parking lot to be available for that event. Councilmember Paschal III said there is a possibility that the RCHS gym renovations will not be complete by December 2nd and therefore parking will not be an issue. Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes November 1, 2022 – pg. 3  Council discussed using NC Works and the Rockingham County Courthouse for additional parking for Christmas in the Park or rescheduling the event for a day that would not conflict with school activities. Council decided to wait and see if the RCHS gym will be ready for a game on December 2nd to determine whether Christmas in the Park will be rescheduled or if alternative parking will be advertised. (Note: The gym at RCHS was completed in time for their Dec 2 basketball game. The Town held the Wentworth Christmas in the Park event on Dec 2nd with additional parking at NC Works and the Rockingham County Courthouse with shuttle service to the Park.) Article VII. PUBLIC COMMENTS No one signed the speaker register for public comments. Article VIII. ANNOUNCEMENTS Mayor Pro Tem Conner made the following announcements:  The next regular meeting of the Wentworth Planning Board is scheduled for Tuesday, November 15, 2022, at 7:00 pm at the Wentworth Town Hall.  The next regular meeting of the Wentworth Town Council is scheduled for Tuesday, December 6, 2022, at 7:00 pm at the Wentworth Town Hall.  Daylight Savings Time ends on Sunday, November 6, 2022. Set your clocks back one hour!  The 2nd Annual Wentworth Christmas in the Park will be held on December 2, 2022 from 5:30pm until 8:00pm at the Wentworth Park. Article IX. ADJOURN Mayor Pro Tem Conner made a MOTION, “We adjourn”. Councilmember Paschal III seconded the motion, and the meeting adjourned. Respectfully Submitted By: __________________________ Yvonne Russell, NCCMC Town Clerk Approved By: _______________________ Dennis Paschal, Jr. Mayor Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes November 1, 2022 – pg. 4