Proposed North Carolina Gullah Geechee Multi-Use Greenway/Blueway Heritage Trail
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City of Southport BOARD OF ALDERMEN SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA RETREAT/ WORKSHOP SESSION # 1 223 E. BAY STREET FEBRAURY 8, 2021 9:00 A.M. Meetings are now open. Facial coverings required, 25 people capacity with adherence to Social Distancing. Public comments can be made in person. Video/Audio is available on the City’s website. Present: Mayor Joseph P. Hatem, Mayor Pro Tem Karen Mosteller, Aldermen Marc Spencer, Thomas Lombardi, Lora Sharkey, John Allen, and Lowe Davis. Absent: None Staff Present: Gordon Hargrove, City Manager Tanya Shannon, City Clerk Randy Jones, Tourism/Communications Director Lisa Anderson, Communications Assistant Director Todd Coring, Police Chief Ralph Treadway, Battalion Fire Chief Melanie Trexler, Finance Director A) Call to Order by Mayor Joseph P. Hatem at 9:00 A.M. B) The Invocation was led by Reverend Alderman Davis. C) The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Mayor Hatem. D) Public Comment: None Mayor Hatem read the Ethics Statement. "If any members know of any conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest with respect to matters on the agenda please so state at this time." E) Approval of the Agenda by Alderman Allen, second by Alderman Lombardi. Unanimous vote; motion carried. 1 Mayor Hatem welcomed everyone to the Board of Aldermen 2021 Retreat/Workshop. He quoted Mark Twain: “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” He explained that the workshop will be analytical and focused on the goals the city would like to accomplish. Agenda Finance Director, Melanie Trexler gave an introduction on the requirements of establishing a balanced budget that begins on July 1, 2021. Planning a balanced budget allows the City to avoid excessive spending and allows the body to focus funds on areas and services that require them the most. The process requires each department to provide a list of reasonable needs and incorporate that into a balanced budget. She went over the revenue manual and the audit report that is available at the Clerk’s office. Workshop Facilitated by City Manager Hargrove: Manager Hargrove provided an overview of the workshop and thanked everyone for attending. He gave a presentation on the following topics: A) City of Southport's Core values 1. Preserve the city's historic character. 2. Protect the city's shoreline vista. 3. Continue to support a vibrant Central Business District. 4. Preserve the city's residential areas. 5. Protect the city's Areas of Environmental Concern consistent with 15ANCAC 7H. B) 2019/2020 Highlights in Review. 1. Continued Community response to Covid – 19. 2. Formalized a sewer agreement with Brunswick County. 3. Completed the update for the Unified Development Ordinance. 4. Completed the CAMA land use plan (waiting on DCM approval). 5. Started the Howe St . sewer line replacement project. 6. Received CAMA exemption to repair city dock Started development of the Taylor Field park project. 7. Recovery from Hurricane Isaias. 8. Continued work on the Weather Tower replacement. C) Thinking Strategically 1. Focus on prioritizing the most pressing needs the community faces that be FUNDED and COMPLETED within a strategic time frame from t to 5 years. 2. Strategic thinking is simply an intentional and rational thought process that focuses on the analysis of critical factors and variables that will influence the long-term success of a municipality, a team, or an individual. 2 3. This types of thinking must account for economic realities, market forces, and available resources. 4. Strategic planning is an ongoing process that continuously reappropriates resources to initiatives that must be prioritized. D) Long Term Planning 1. Long term planning is about setting the process by which the strategic plan will be achieved. 2. Long term planning is often a timeframe that exceed 5 years and normally depends on the strategic objective it is trying to accomplish. 3. Long term planning is about aligning city project to fit in with city strategic goal and coordinating departments so that everyone is in sync and ready to accomplish city goals. E) Capital Projects 1. Capital project is a project that helps maintain or improve a city asset, often called infrastructure. 2. It can be new construction, expansion, renovation, or replacement project for an existing facility or infrastructure. 3. Usually, the project must have a total cost of $5,000.00. F) Authorized Capital Financing Mechanisms. Current Revenues: A. General Fund: property taxes, sales and use tax. B. Enterprise funds: user fees, other specialty charges. G) Authorized Capital Financing Mechanisms 1. Savings 2. Fund balance 3. Capital Reserve Fund a) A municipalities governing board may establish a capital reserve fund and periodically appropriate money to it . A local government may establish and maintain a capital reserve fund for any purpose for which the unit may issue bonds. b) To establish a capital reserve fund, a units governing board must adopt an ordinance or resolution. H) Authorized Capital Financing Mechanisms in North Carolina Special levies • Targeted revenue generation mechanisms, (user charges), that are paid only by the citizens or property owners who most directly benefit from the specific services or projects. • Special assessment is a charge levied against a property to pay for public improvements that benefit the property. 3 Authorized Capital Financing Mechanisms in North Carolina Special Taxing districts • State Constitution requires that property tax rates be uniform throughout the jurisdiction with the EXCEPTION that the Constitution authorizes the General Assembly to allow a local government to carve out one or more areas within the unit as service districts. • Examples of a service district: beach erosion and flood and hurricane protection, downtown revitalization projects, urban area revitalization projects, transit oriented development projects, drainage projects, off-street parking facilities, sewage collection and disposal, watershed improvements, drainage, and water resources development. • A service district is simply a geographic designation---a defined area in which the government levies an extra property tax and provides extra services or undertakes capital projects that more directly benefit the properties in the district. I) Types of Bonds 1. General Obligation 2. Revenue 3. Special Obligation 4. Project Development financing bonds 5. Installment Financing Break at 10:24 AM. Returned at 10:38 AM J) List of goals over the next 5-10 years Alderman Allen: 1. Implement Water Front stabilization project. 2. Continue implementing pedestrian safety plan. 3. Sidewalk project on Howe Street. 4. Stormwater and infrastructure improvements. 5. Construction of the kayak launch. Alderman Spencer: 1. Shoreline And Waterfront Stabilization project. 2. Storm drainage improvements. 3. Sewer system infrastructure. 4. Power redundancy and underground utilities. 5. Economic diversity, such as housing, jobs, and opportunities. 4 Alderman Sharkey: 1. Water Quality control and improving the drinking water conditions. 2. Sewer management. Preventing spills and overflows. 3. Stormwater management. 4. Street and road repairs for traffic, cyclist’s, and pedestrian safety. 5. The need for recreational facilities for the youth and elderly. 6. Planning for the potential need for additional work spaces for staff. Mayor Hatem: 1. Waterfront Stabilization project. Erosion control and protection. 2. Continue to plan for pedestrian safety with sidewalks and crosswalks. 3. Continue to promote and protect the health and safety of the citizens. 4. How to increase revenues to support needed repairs and projects. 5. Historic Preservation to "promote, enhance and preserve the character of the Southport historic districts. 6. Enhance the quality of life. 7. Promote the economy. 8. Continue to repair and improve the infrastructures. 9. Maintaining and improving City Facilities (Community Building, Gym, old City Chambers, etc.) 10. How to partner with Brunswick Community College on Lord Street to utilize the facility for exercise and other activities. 11. Keep promoting the protection of the waterfront, the yacht basin, and the marina. Alderman Davis: In addition to all the goals and needs already presented. Major priorities and pressing needs that must began right away. 1. Mitigating stormwater and erosion control. 2. Road repairs and sidewalk maintenance. 3. Underground utilities project. 4. Protecting the Right of Ways. 5. Managing Short-term Rentals. 6. Citizens are advocating for an indoor pool. How to facilitate developing a pool in the area. (supporting the county to designate an area). 7. Open Space protection for trails and nature walks. Implementation of the kayak launch. Raised boardwalks to promote pedestrian safety. Alderman Lombardi: 1. Road and infrastructure repairs. 2. Flooding issues and possibly designing a pump station. 3. Sidewalk extensions and repairs. 4. Implementing underground utilities. 5 Mayor Pro Tem Mosteller: 1. Waterfront stabilization and erosion control. 2. Stormwater management. 3. Roads and infrastructure repairs. 4. Safe connectivity for cyclists and pedestrians. 5. Renovation of the Public Services facility. City Manager Hargrove concluded that the overall theme is how to finance these important needs. He encouraged strategic thinking on how to increase revenues to fund pressing needs for the City. He provided some suggestions on how to plan. Project Ordinance: • A governing board may adopt a project ordinance at any regular or special meeting by a simple majority of