MINUTES
Town of Blowing Rock
Board of Commissioners
Regular Meeting –December 11, 2007
The
Town of Blowing Rock Board of Commissioners met in regular session on Tuesday,
December 11, 2007 at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Hall Council Chambers. Present were Mayor J.B. Lawrence,
Commissioners Bobby Ball, Keith Tester, Terry Lentz, Rita Wiseman and Tommy
Klutz. Commissioners elect Albert Yount and Phillip Pickett also attended. Others present were Town Manager Scott Hildebran,
Town Attorney Allen Moseley, Town Engineers Doug Chapman and Andy Lovingood, Police Chief Eric Brown, Public Works Director
Johnny Lentz, Planning Director Kevin Rothrock, Building Inspector Jesse
Horner, Parks & Recreation Director Jennifer Brown, Emergency Services
Director Kent Graham, and Town Clerk Sharon Greene.
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor
Lawrence called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. and welcomed everyone
present.
PRESENTATION
Mayor
Lawrence asked Police Chief Eric Brown to come forward to receive a certificate
for completion of the 19th North Carolina Justice Academy Management
Development Program. Course Coordinator
Bob Garbett presented Chief Brown with his
certificate of completion which consisted of one year of classes for a total of
480 hours. Mr. Garbett
stated that Chief Brown was voted class president and was highly regarded by
his peers. He stated that several police
officers from other areas of the state were in attendance to show their support
of Chief Brown.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Commissioner
Wiseman made a motion to accept minutes for meetings held on November 13th
and 14th as well as meetings held on December 6th, 2007
which included closed session minutes as presented, seconded by Commissioner
Lentz. Commissioner Tester stated on the
December 6th minutes a correction was needed on page 3, paragraph
two that reads: Mr. Brew stated that
right of way acquisitions would be completed by June 2008, Mr. Tester
stated this should read that acquisitions would commence by June 2008. Commissioner
Wiseman amended her motion to include the correction.
Commissioner Lentz seconded the amended motion.
Unanimously approved.
PRESENTATION IN HONOR OF OUTGOING
COUNCILMEMBERS
Mayor
Lawrence called on Commissioner Wiseman to come forward and receive a plaque of
appreciation for her 12 years of service as a Council Member from
1995-2007. Mayor Lawrence commended Ms.
Wiseman on the wonderful job she had done during her tenure. Ms. Wiseman addressed the audience by saying
she had thoroughly enjoyed her time on the Town Council. Ms. Wiseman also commended Town Manager
Hildebran and all of the Town staff on the great job they do.
Next,
Mayor Lawrence called Commissioner Lentz forward to receive his plaque of
appreciation. Mayor Lawrence stated that
Commissioner Lentz had served on the Town Council from 1991 to 2007 starting as
a member on the Parks & Recreation and Planning Boards. Mayor Lawrence commended Mr. Lentz on the
great job he had done while serving the Town of
RECESS MEETING
Mayor
Lawrence called for a short recess at 7:10 p.m.
During
the recess Town Clerk Greene administered the Oath of Office to Mayor Lawrence
for his upcoming term. Mayor Lawrence
then administered the Oath of Office to newly elected council members Phillip
Picket and Albert Yount.
Mayor
Lawrence reconvened the meeting at 7:15 p.m. and welcomed the newest members of
Council.
SELECTION OF MAYOR PRO TEM
Commissioner
Ball nominated Commissioner Keith Tester for Mayor Pro Tem, seconded by
Commissioner Pickett. Unanimously
approved.
PUBLIC HEARING
Sworn
to speak during the public hearing were Planning Director Kevin Rothrock, Randy
Jones and Steven Goldfarb.
Planning
Director Rothrock presented Council with a request from Mr. Steven Goldfarb for
a conditional use permit to make significant exterior changes to the former
Eugenia’s/David Baskin Realty building located at
Mr.
Rothrock advised the following suggestions had been made by staff:
During
the Planning Board meeting held on November 15th, a recommendation
was made to approve the conditional use permit with the conditions noted by
staff.
Randy
Jones of Jones Architecture spoke regarding the project stating the anticipated
use would possibly be retail in one area and a real estate office in the
other. According to Mr. Jones the
upstairs would have a conference room and some office space. He also stated the outside staircase would be
reworked for safety purposes and that his client was in favor of the suggestions
that staff had offered.
Commissioner
Klutz questioned if a dumpster was going to be located in the rear of the
building near the creek. Mr. Jones
stated that more than likely his client would be using the roll-out containers.
Mr.
Jones advised that a minor change might be needed regarding an awning located
on the side of the building later in the renovation process. Commissioner Yount asked if this could be
handled by the planning staff. Mr.
Rothrock replied that it could.
With
no further questions, Commissioner Tester made a motion to close the public
hearing, seconded by Commissioner Ball.
Unanimously approved.
A
motion to accept CUP 2007-13 which was to include Mr. Yount’s
recommendation to address the awning administratively was made by Commissioner
Ball, seconded by Commissioner Klutz.
Unanimously approved. CUP 2007-13
NEW BUSINESS
Town
Manager Hildebran presented Council with the FY 2007-08 Audit Contract between
the Town of
Commissioner
Tester made a motion to accept FY 2007-08 Audit Contract as presented, seconded
by Commissioner Ball. Unanimously
approved. FY 2007-08 Audit
Contract – Exhibit E
Town
Manager Hildebran presented Tax Release #2007-11 and Tax Refund #2007-02 to
Council for their consideration. Mr.
Hildebran advised the refund/release had been reviewed by the Tax Collector and
met the statutory requirements set forth in North Carolina General Statutes.
Mr. Hildebran stated that Release #2007-11 for $283.08 and Refund #2007-02 for
$283.08 was to Mr. Paul Peterson for an appeal of property assessment on parcel
number 2817-55-3185-000.
A
motion was given by Commissioner Pickett, seconded by Commissioner Ball to
approve Release #2007-11 and Refund #2007-02 for $283.08 as presented. Unanimously approved. Release #2007-02 – Exhibit F Refund #2007-02 – Exhibit G
Ordinance
#2007-11 was presented to Council for a budget amendment for the fiscal year
2007-2008 for their consideration. Town
Manager Hildebran advised the amendment was to the General Capital Projects
Fund to allocate donated funds received from various entities (Broyhill Foundation, BR Community Foundation, Blowing Rock
ABC Board and a N.C. PARTF Grant) for the Parks & Recreation Swimming Pool
Improvement Project as well as donated funds received from the Blowing Rock TDA
for the American Legion Parking Facility.
A
motion to accept Ordinance #2007-11 as presented was made by Commissioner
Tester, seconded by Commissioner Pickett.
Unanimously approved. Ordinance #2007-11 – Exhibit H
SPEAKERS FROM THE FLOOR
None
DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS
Town
Manager Hildebran recognized Mayor Lawrence for recently being voted
Outstanding Executive Board Member by the High Country Council of
Governments.
He
also thanked Parks & Recreation, Public Works and the Emergency Services
Department for the outstanding job they did during the Christmas in the Park
celebration.
ADJOURNMENT
With
no further business to discuss, Mayor Lawrence wished everyone a Merry
Christmas and adjourned the meeting at 7:40 p.m.
Mayor _____________________________
J.B. Lawrence
Attest: __________________________
Sharon Greene, Town Clerk
Attachments
Yount
Oath of Office – Exhibit B
Pickett
Oath of Office – Exhibit C
CUP
2007-13
FY
2007-2008 Audit Contract – Exhibit E
Tax
Release #2007-11 – Exhibit F
Tax
Refund #2007-02 – Exhibit G
Ordinance
#2007-11 – Exhibit H