City Council

MINUTES WENTWORTH TOWN COUNCIL December 5, 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, December 5, 2023 at 7:00pm. Council Members Present: Mayor Dennis Paschal Jr., Mayor Pro Tem Evelyn Conner, Cheryl Moore, Dennis Paschal III, Daryl Crowder Council Members Absent: A quorum was met. Staff Present: Yvonne Russell, Town Clerk & Finance Officer Hunter Wilson, Deputy Clerk/ Accounting Clerk Others Present: Barbara Cooke, Chair – Historic Preservation Committee 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 Councilmember Dennis Paschal III gave the invocation. Article III. NEW BUSINESS A. ORGANIZATIONAL SESSION 1. Oath of Office Administered to Elected Council Mayor Paschal turned the meeting over to Attorney Ellis Martin for the swearing in of new Council members Evelyn Conner, Dennis Paschal III, and Dennis Paschal Jr. The Honorable Chris Freeman administered the Oath of Office to Evelyn Conner. Mrs. Conner’s son, Jeff Conner, and grandson, Cole, held the Bible while she, with her right hand raised and left hand placed upon the Bible, recited the Oath. The Honorable Chris Freeman administered the Oath of Office to Dennis Paschal, III. Hakon Nordstrand held the Bible while Mr. Paschal, with his right hand raised and his left hand placed upon the Bible, recited the Oath. Mr. Nordstrand is a foreign exchange student from Norway being hosted by Mr. Paschal while attending Rockingham County High School. Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes December 5, 2023 – pg. 1  The Honorable Chris Freeman administered the Oath of Office to Dennis Paschal Jr. Mr. Paschal’s wife, Debbie Paschal, held the Bible while he, with his right hand raised and his left hand placed upon the Bible, recited the Oath. 2. Election of Mayor Mr. Ellis asked Council for nominations for Mayor of the Town of Wentworth. Councilmember Evelyn Conner nominated Dennis Paschal Jr. There were no other nominations. Mr. Ellis closed the nominations and called for a vote on the nomination of Dennis Paschal Jr. for Mayor of the Town of Wentworth. All voted in favor and Dennis Paschal, Jr. was elected Mayor. 3. Election of Mayor Pro Tem Mr. Ellis asked Council for nominations for Mayor Pro Tem of the Town of Wentworth. Mayor Paschal nominated Evelyn Conner. There were no further nominations. Mr. Ellis closed the nominations and called for a vote on the nomination of Evelyn Conner for Mayor Pro Tem of the Town of Wentworth. All voted in favor and Evelyn Conner was elected Mayor Pro Tem of the Town of Wentworth. 4. Oath of Office Administered to Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem The Honorable Chris Freeman administered the Oath of Office to Mayor Pro Tem Evelyn Conner. Cole Conner 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 Chris Freeman administered the Oath of Office to Mayor Dennis Paschal Jr. Debbie Paschal held the Bible while Mayor Paschal, with his right hand raised and his left hand placed upon the Bible, recited the Oath. Mr. Ellis turned the meeting over to Mayor Paschal. Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes December 5, 2023 – pg. 2 Article III. NEW BUSINESS B. Board/ Committee Appointments and Recognitions Mayor Paschal made a MOTION, “We reappoint Gary Moore for an additional four (4) year term on the Wentworth Planning Board”. Councilmember Daryl Crowder seconded the motion. All voted in favor and the motion carried. Town Clerk, Yvonne Russell, presented Barbara Cooke with a service plaque commemorating her years of service from 2011 through 2023 as Chair of the Wentworth Historic Preservation Committee. Ms. Cooke will be retiring from the Committee on December 31, 2023. Ms. Cooke accepted the plaque and said, “I couldn’t have done it without the committee. It’s been my pleasure to serve the Town of Wentworth in this capacity. No one else wanted to Chair so I said okay I will try it, and it stuck.” She continued, “I just want to thank the committee too. We’ve had some good times and sad times.” Mayor Paschal thanked Ms. Cooke for her service. Article III. C. ADOPTION OF HOLIDAY CLOSING SCHEDULE FOR YEAR 2024 Mayor Paschal made a MOTION, “We adopt the Holiday Closing Schedule for 2024”. Councilmember Dennis Paschal III 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 regularly scheduled Planning Board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, December 19, 2023, at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Hall Council Chambers.  The next regularly scheduled Town Council meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 2, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Hall Council Chambers.  The Wentworth Town Hall will be closed December 25 – 27, 2023 in observance of Christmas.  Year 2024 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 Wentworth Council Meeting Minutes December 5, 2023 – pg. 3   Applications are available for volunteers interested in serving on Town Committees — Appearance, Recreation, Historic Preservation, and the Wentworth Planning Board.  PLEASE JOIN US FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2023 AT 5:30PM FOR WENTWORTH CHRISTMAS IN THE PARK!  THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING; please join us for the reception! Article IX. ADJOURN Mayor Paschal made a MOTION, “We adjourn”. Councilmember Crowder 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 December 5, 2023 – pg. 4