City Council

MINUTES WENTWORTH TOWN COUNCIL May 2, 2023 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, May 2nd, 2023, at 7:00pm. Council Members Present: Mayor Dennis Paschal Jr., Mayor Pro Tem Evelyn Conner, Cheryl Moore, Dennis Paschal III Council Members Absent: Daryl Crowder 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 Lynn Cochran, Planner Brian Washburn – Washburn Investments LLC Valencia Abbot, Museum & Archives of Rockingham County Rockingham Update - Media Article I. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Dennis Paschal Jr. called the meeting to order. Article II. INVOCATION Mayor Paschal 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, “To add Valencia Abbott to the Agenda under Public Comments”. Mayor Pro Tem Evelyn Conner seconded the motion. All voted in favor and the motion carried. Article IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. Town Council Meeting – April 4, 2023 Mayor Pro Tem Conner made a MOTION, “The minutes stand approved as written”. Councilmember Dennis Paschal III seconded the motion. All voted in favor and the motion carried. Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes May 2, 2023 – pg. 1 Article V. OLD BUSINESS There was no old business. Article VI. PUBLIC HEARING A. Consideration of Case W20023-02, A Request for a Rezoning from Residential Protected (RP) and Residential Agricultural (RA) to Residential Protected Mixed- Conditional District (RM-CD) and Residential Agricultural (RA) Applicant: Washburn Investments LLC Identification: The property is denoted by Tax PIN: 7977-00-61-0292 Location: 9736 NC Highway 87, Wentworth Mayor Paschal called the public hearing to order. Lynn Cochran, Planner reviewed the Staff Report and supporting documentation for Case W2023-02. He explained the applicant would is requesting to rezone the road frontage portion of a 6.27 acre parcel on NC 87 from Residential Protected to Residential Mixed-Conditional District so that he may convert an existing building to a duplex apartment unit and a smaller existing building to a single apartment. The portion of the parcel that Mr. Washburn wants to be rezoned is approximately one acre in size. The remainder of the parcel would keep the zoning designation of Residential Agricultural. Mayor Paschal closed the public hearing. Mayor Paschal made a MOTION, “To approve this request to rezone the subject parcel to the requested zoning districts based upon the Consistency and Reasonableness Determination statements that are included in the agenda, submitted during the rezoning presentation and as may be amended, incorporated into the motion, to be included in the minutes.” (Note: The Consistency and Reasonableness Determination is herein incorporated and made a part of these minutes.) Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes May 2, 2023 – pg. 2  Councilmember Cheryl Moore seconded the motion. All voted in favor and the motion carried. (Note: The Staff Report and supporting documents for Case W2023-02 are herein incorporated and made a part of these minutes.) Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes May 2, 2023 – pg. 3 Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes May 2, 2023 – pg. 4 Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes May 2, 2023 – pg. 5 Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes May 2, 2023 – pg. 6 Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes May 2, 2023 – pg. 7 Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes May 2, 2023 – pg. 8 Article VII. NEW BUSINESS A. Presentation of Proclamation to Iris Powell – 100th Birthday Mayor Paschal presented the following Proclamation to Iris Powell for her 100th Birthday. Ms. Powell was also presented with a card and flowers. She has served the community of Wentworth for many years; 22 of those on the Wentworth Town Council. The Town of Wentworth is very appreciative of Ms. Powell’s contributions. Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes May 2, 2023 – pg. 9 Article VI. NEW BUSINESS B. National Day of Prayer Proclamation Councilmember Paschal III read the following proclamation: Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes May 2, 2023 – pg. 10  Deputy Clerk Hunter Wilson announced that Dr. Travis McGuirt, Pastor at Calvary Baptist Church, would lead prayer at 12:00 noon at the Wentworth Park shelter on May 4, 2023. All are invited to join. Article VII. NEW BUSINESS C. Submission of Proposed Budget for Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Mayor Paschal announced the Proposed Budget for Fiscal Year 2023-2024 has been submitted to Town Council and is available for public review in the Town Clerk’s Office at the Wentworth Town Hall. Mayor Paschal made a MOTION to set a public hearing to consider the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Budget Ordinance for June 6, 2023 at 7:00pm. Mayor Pro Tem Evelyn Conner seconded the motion. All voted in favor and the motion carried. Article VII. NEW BUSINESS D. Discussion of Rental Rates for Advertising on Town Hall Digital Sign Mayor Paschal discussed allowing advertising on the Town Hall’s digital sign for Special Events taking place at the Wentworth Park. He clarified that he is not talking about rentals of the picnic shelter, but instead, rentals of the entire park for an event or rentals of the amphitheater for an event. Council discussed and agreed to allow advertising on the Town’s digital sign for special event rentals of the amphitheater or the entire park for the price of $10.00 for a seven-day period. Mayor Paschal made a MOTION, “We set the rental rate for advertising on the Town Hall digital sign for the amphitheater and whole park rentals for $10.00 for somebody to use it to put up a notice up to seven days before their event”. Councilmember Moore asked, “Is that just their choice if they want to?” Mayor Paschal replied, “Yes, that’s their choice”. Councilmember Paschal III seconded the motion. All voted in favor and the motion carried. Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes May 2, 2023 – pg. 11 Article VII. NEW BUSINESS E. Wentworth Consolidated School 1. Consideration of Proposals from Stonewall Construction – Gym Mayor Paschal reviewed the proposals submitted by Stonewall Construction for the gymnasium at the Wentworth Consolidated School. He noted that project 3 and project 8 were optional, and he suggested excluding those at this time. (Note: The proposals submitted by Stonewall Construction for the gym at the Wentworth Consolidated School are herein incorporated and made a part of these minutes.) Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes May 2, 2023 – pg. 12 Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes May 2, 2023 – pg. 13 Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes May 2, 2023 – pg. 14  Mayor Paschal also reviewed a quote from Reidsville Building Supply Company for windows and framing for the windows. The total cost for the windows materials is $37,458.71 and the total cost for the framing materials is $5,541.89. Mayor Paschal mentioned that SCIF grant funds would be used for these expenses. Councilmember Paschal III asked, “We’re not using ARP money; this is all SCIF?” Yvonne Russell, Finance Officer explained, “Adding these projects that you’re talking about tonight will pretty much use all of the SCIF grants. With the Grant Project Ordinance, if you want to use some of the ARP funds, then we would appropriate Fund Balance from the General Fund for that and under Capital Outlay have a transfer to the Grant Project Ordinance for the school.” (Note: Council and staff are using the term “ARP Funds”. To clarify, the funds allocated to the Town of Wentworth from the American Rescue Plan Act have been obligated to cover governmental expenditures made by the Town from March 2021 – March 2023. Those funds are now in the Town’s Fund Balance and are technically no longer labeled as ARP Funds.) Mayor Paschal made a MOTION, “We approve the proposals from Stonewall Construction except the field house upfit and the new lights in the gym, and include the quote for the windows and installation for a price of $271,724.00.” Mayor Pro Tem Conner seconded the motion. Councilmember Paschal III mentioned the need for bleachers in the gym. Mayor Paschal informed Council that Ms. Russell has been getting prices on aluminum bleachers. Ms. Russell said she could include the price of bleachers in the Grant Project Ordinance Amendment she will bring in June which will also include the projects approved tonight. Mayor Paschal asked if there was any more discussion. There was none; therefore, he requested a vote on the Motion that was seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Conner. All voted in favor and the motion carried. Article VII. NEW BUSINESS E. Wentworth Consolidated School 2. Consideration of Quote for Windows – Gym This agenda item was addressed and voted on with the proposed projects from Stonewall Construction. Council approved the quote for the windows and framing. Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes May 2, 2023 – pg. 15 Article VII. NEW BUSINESS E. Wentworth Consolidated School 3. Discussion of Rental Rates for Ballfield Mayor Paschal said he has received inquiries from people about using the ballfield. He said because the Town has an interlocal agreement with the public schools in Wentworth, those school programs would not be charged a fee for using the ballfield. However, he feels it would be appropriate to charge other users. He suggested $15.00 per hour, which is what the Town has charged in the past for use of the gym. Mayor Paschal also suggested requiring renters of the ballfield to drag the infield after each use, and he noted there is a tool on site that can be used for that purpose. Council agreed. Mayor Paschal made a MOTION, “We set the rate for the ballfield rental at $15.00 per hour”. Councilmember Paschal III seconded the motion. All voted in favor and the motion carried. Mayor Paschal asked Ms. Russell about a rental application. Ms. Russell said she could add the option of renting the ballfield to the existing rental agreement for the gym. Article VIII. PUBLIC COMMENTS Valencia Abbott addressed Council regarding the Civil Rights Marker for the Griggs vs. Duke Power Company United States Supreme Court case. Ms. Abbott stated, “I am Valencia Abbott, and I have been a history teacher for almost 20 years and have been on the planning committee of the Museum and Archives of Rockingham County (MARC) for half that time. In 2018 during a planning committee meeting, it was brought up about the Griggs vs. Duke Company United States Supreme Court case, realizing then that 2021 would be the 50th anniversary of that Supreme Court decision. I also came to realize that most of the people I encountered did not know about the case and had yet to learn that Rockingham County was the starting place of an action that would make its way to the United States Supreme Court. In 1966 fourteen African American employees of the Duke Power Steam Station in Draper filed a complaint with EEOC. With the assistance of the Reidsville Chapter of the NAACP, it would become a testimony of faith and resilience, with the end result being a unanimous decision by the Court. In the five years since I was sitting at that table at the MARC helping to plan programs, the narrative of the Griggs vs. Duke Power case has become more known and with intentional placement in the story of the Civil Rights Movement. The 50th anniversary was acknowledged with a webinar, and each year has been marked with a program on the decision date. We (MARC) and Lindsey Pegg of Rockingham Tourism applied for a Civil Rights Trail Marker through the North Carolina African American Heritage Commission and were awarded one. Only 50 will be issued through the state.” Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes May 2, 2023 – pg. 16  Ms. Abbott continued, “A year before the 50th anniversary of Griggs vs. Duke Power, I applied for a NC State Historical Marker; due to a lot of hiccups along the way, due to funding and circumstances with DOT, there was a lot of delays, and it was not going to be done in 2021. Applying for the Civil Rights Marker, we were told that the NC Historical Marker probably would be approved. But that was not the case. The Griggs vs. Duke Power Company will be given a NC State Historical Marker. There are only about 25 for Rockingham County and only 2 highlight people of color. The dedication for the Civil Rights Trail Marker will be on August 1st at 5:30pm at the MARC, and the NC Historical Marker dedication ceremony is being planned for October. This is a wonderful opportunity to not only highlight the courageous and miraculous feat of these fourteen men, but also to highlight Rockingham County. I just want to stand here before you to let everyone know what a wonderful thing the MARC is doing, but also to make sure that we highlight and appreciate this history.” Ms. Abbott noted the NC Historical Marker will be located in Eden between the hospital and the library. Mayor Paschal thanked Ms. Abbott. Article IX. ANNOUNCEMENTS Mayor Paschal made the following announcements:  The next regular meeting of the Wentworth Planning Board is scheduled for Tuesday, May 16, 2023, at 7:00 pm at the Wentworth Town Hall.  The next regular meeting of the Wentworth Town Council is scheduled for Tuesday, June 6, 2023, at 7:00 pm at the Wentworth Town Hall.  The Town Hall will be closed Monday, May 29, 2023 in observance of Memorial Day. Article X ADJOURN Mayor Paschal made a MOTION, “to adjourn.” Mayor Pro Tem Conner seconded the motion. All voted in favor and the motion carried. Respectfully Submitted By: __________________________ Yvonne Russell Town Clerk & Finance Officer Approved By: _______________________ Dennis Paschal, Jr. Mayor Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes May 2, 2023 – pg. 17