020720041038
MINUTES
CITY OF DUNN
DUNN, NORTH CAROLINA
The City Council of the City of Dunn held a Budget Retreat/Planning Session on Saturday, February
7, 2004, from 10 :00 a.m. -6:00 p.m. and Sunday, February 8, 2004 from 8:00 a.m. -12:20 p.m. at the
Holiday Inn SunSpree Resort, Wrightsville Beach, NC.
Council Present: Mayor J. Dal Snipes, Mayor Pro -Tem Donnie Olds, Council Members Buddy
Maness, Bryan Galbreath, Billy Tart, Billy R. Godwin, Jr. and Joey Tart.
Staff Present: City Manager Michael Uskiewicz, Assistant City Manager/Public Works Director
Ronnie Autry, Human Resources /Safety Officer Moses Gallion, Recreation Director Perry Hudson,
Finance Director Renee' Daughtry, Police Chief Timothy Benware, Fire Chief Austin Tew, Chief
�� ✓ Building Inspector Shane Hudson, Libraian Deborah Melvin, City Planner Julie Reid, and City
Clerk Debra G. West
Also Present: City Engineer Ed Powell, City Attorney P. Tilghman Pope, Daily Record Reporter Lisa
Farmer and facilitators Pat LaCarter and Lalla Sidbury
SATURDAY. FEBRUARY 7.2004
Facilitators LaCarter and Sidbury went over the ground rules and the agenda that will be used for the
retreat.
The Council gave examples of board expectations (Examples: detailed plan for the future, how the council
will communicate, better understanding of city operation especially the budget process)
10:30 A.M.— DEPARTMENT HEAD
Administration
Manager Uskiewicz reported and spoke briefly on annexation, updating street lighting structures, water
tower maintenance contract, Clean Water Management Trust Fund application (total grant with no match),
water and sewer rate increases, downtown revitalization, Machine and Welding grant for farmer's market,
421 and Juniper Creek drainage, recreation center bids, future of civic center facility, city employee raises
(3 -4 0 /o), Community Development Block Grant for Harnett Street, garbage contract, health insurance,
revising personnel policy, printer and copier needs, council minute procedures, video equipment, economic
development growth, web site update, Swedish exchange opportunities, eastside force main project, rural
center grants, staffing needs, payscale (employees that never reach mid - range), alcoholic beverages at the
community center, inclement weather policy, tree ordinance.
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Police Department
Police Chief Benware gave an overall review of the Police Department. Reported on reduction in crime
and on traffic control. Priorities of department: salaries, educational incentives, concern with loosing
experienced officers by the retirement of (2) captains in a few years, vehicle replacement, firearms
replacement, staffing needs (support clerk and telecommunicator supervisor), space needs, wrecker rotation
policy, re- instituting dog tags, car noise ordinance, graffiti ordinance, dog ordinance, truck routes posted,
lower speed limit city wide, need for space at PAL center.
Public Works
Director Ronnie Autry gave an overview of services provided by the Public Works Department. Priorities
of department: facility maintenance staffing, custodial facility staffing, fleet maintenance staffing, Harnett
County landfill charges (currently charging the City for all solid waste picked up on roadsides - examples:
mattresses, limbs, household furniture), bridge repair at the Water Treatment Plant, upgrade of water
distribution system, water tank maintenance, beautification of cemeteries, vehicle replacement, paving
streets within the housing projects. Discussion was held, about how long Powell bill money may be reserved
(up to ten years), at which time it must be spent.
Building Inspections
Chief Inspector Shane Hudson gave an overview of the responsibilities of this department, including junk
car citations and working on cleaning up the city with a newly hired code enforcement officer. Priorities of
department: space and support person for walk -ins, phones, etc.
Library Department
Librarian Deborah Melvin reported on priorities of this department: reinstate part-time help so Library can
re -open on Saturdays, additional space needs, install enuance door for staff (money is in the budget), add to
the entertainment needs of patrons (videos, dvd's), raises for staff.
Fire Department
Fire Chief Austin Tew reported that the fire department continues to raise their level of training and fire
education for all aspects of the community. Department priorities: add (1) additional full time staff
member, replace 17 year old vehicle and refurbish another one, add 24 hour facility to downtown station
and staff with (4) full-time firefighters on 24/7, install exhaust removal system at station 2 (Harnett &
Wilson).
Human Resources
Human Resources Officer Moses Gallion gave an overview of the duties of his department. Priorities of
his department include updating the personnel policy, form a policy procedure committee, salary reviews,
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career development needs, management training needs, update job descriptions, update safety policy,
review retiree health insurance benefits.
Break for Lunch 12:30 -1:30 p.m.
1:30 p.m. — Dale Holland of Holland Consulting Planners arrived.
Recreation Department
Director Perry Hudson gave an overview of the recreation programs and functions of the department. He
pointed out that his secretary should be classified as an Administrative Assistant -She does much more than
expected. He reported on receiving the $250,0000 PARTF (Parks and Recreation Trust Fund Grant) toward
a 1.2 million new recreation center. Drawings of the facility were displayed. Priorities of this department
are: (1) full -time and (3) part-time additions to the staff to help in maintaining the new center, „
$10,000 /year to maintain the new center, $50,000 - $60,000 /year to maintain and staff the new center, asked
that his budget be reinstated to the amount he had 3 -4 years ago (prior to state cuts), replace playground
equipment at Tyler and Codrington Parks, replace ball -field lights/poles at Tyler Park, pave the parking lot
at Tyler Park that is adjacent to the Health Center, pave the parking lot beside the tennis/basketball courts at
Codrington Park, add bleachers to all (3) parks, resurface basketball/tennis courts at Codrington Park,
replace chain link fence around the tennis/basketball courts at Codrington Park, purchase a riding reel
mower for ball -field areas.
Planning Department
City Planner Julie Reid gave an overview of the planning department with priorities to include updating the
FEMA ordinance, staffing issues due to work load, services and growth— proposed employing a second
planner and to use planning interns, consider using Council of Government services to get planning
department current, ordinances need to be given immediate attention and need proper staffing to
accomplish it, infrastructure needs to be reviewed and modified.
City Attorney Pope emphasized implementing a landscape ordinance as a short-term goal for the council.
Annexation
Dale Holland of Holland Consulting Planners, presented a preliminary annexation study. He explained the
process and guidelines required to annex an area. He identified potential annexation areas as: NC 55 area,
Fairground Road area, Highway 421 area southeast of Dunn and a small area on Erwin Road. He reported
that the corporate limit lines have changed since the last annexation report in 2001.
Mr. Holland went over the major revenues, services and expenditures involved in annexation and timelines.
Approximate cost to develop an annexation report for all areas is $18,000. Recommended Highway 421
area be considered for annexation first. Discussed the possibility of annexing Food Lion Warehouse.
Ed Powell -City Engineer
Mr. Powell briefed the council on the following projects:
$400,000 Capacity Building Grant
Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) -20 year plan required to award grants — need to generate $200,000 in
revenues each year for water and sewer improvemeats
water tank maintenance (paint and reconstruct) - $500,000- $600,000 — look at possibility of hiring ongoing
tank service company ($100,000 - $130,000 /yr.)
Rural Center Grants — $400,000 matching grant has been awarded and one has been applied for
Presented new recreation center drawings — bids will be received in April, 2004
Discussed Highway 421 widening project — To bid _n April, 2004
Applying for a 3 + million dollar Clean Water Management Trust Fund Grant (no match required)
Downtown Development Revitalization Program - showed area of revitalization target area
CDBG Application to covert old Machine & Welding building into a Farmer's Market (application will be
submitted within next (2) weeks
Priority for Downtown Revitalization Group
Drainage Problems -Upper Juniper Creek - application has been submitted to NC Moving Forward through
DOT (Department of Transportation)
Council will need to consider a Utility Rate Increase to implement at the beginning of the next fiscal year —
less than 10%
3:50 p.m. - Motion by Mayor Pro -Tem Olds, seconded by Council Member Godwin to go into closed
session based upon N.C.G.S. 143.318 - pending litigation involving the City of Dunn and acquisition
of real property. Motion unanimously approved.
Closed Session adjourned at 4:55 p.m. and council reconvened the Retreat meeting at 5:05 p.m.
Motion by Council Member Godwin, seconded by Council Member Galbreath to approve the
minutes of the closed session as recorded by City Attorney Pope. Motion unanimously approved.
The Council used the brainstorming process to develop the following list of issues to discuss and prioritize
over the next four (4) year period:
Projects to provide jobs for citizens
Community security- upgrading Police Department
City pay scales- attract and keep employees
Benefits package
Community housing block grants
Cost benefit analysis to determine if privatizing is beneficial
Upgrading water and sewer system
Downtown revitalization
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New Recreation Center
Other recreation facilities
Highway 421 widening project
Overall staffing issues
City appearance (trash, weedy lots, dilapidated housing)
Annexation
Personnel policy /inclement weather policy
Equipment needs for Public Works
Water tourer maintenance
Future of Civic Center
Continued revision of City Ordinances
Space and equipment needs — City Hall complex
City Limit boundary map
Water and sewer revenues
Garbage contract
Noise ordinance
Special tax district for downtown
Bi- weekly pay system
More effective use of government channel -use for civic announcements and public information
Street lighting- quantity/quality
Expansion of the Library- services and facilities
Review of City fees - impact fees, weeded lot mowing fees
Repair of fence and pave section of Resthaven Cemetery
Exhaust system at Fire Station #2
Traffic signal study for traffic lights along Broad Street business district
Mosquitoes and ant control
Landfill credits from the county in concert with Mayor's clean-up campaign
Dangerous intersections (obstructions)
School crossing guards
From the above issues listed, Council consensus was to bring Mck'iheir top (15) issues/priorities to
Sunday's meeting.
Motion by Council Member Maness /seconded by Council, ember Godwin to recess the Retreat
meeting at 6:00 p.m. and reconvene at 8:00 a.m., Sunday, February 8, 2004. Motion unanimously
approved.
SUNDAY. FEBRUARY 8, 2004
Mayor Snipes reconvened the Retreat meeting at 8:00 a.m.
Invocation — Joey Tart
Facilitators LaCarter and Sidbury, through Council corsensus, identified and prioritized the top issues by
categorizing as:
I — immediate (now to July 1, 2004)
S - short-term (now to FY 04 -05 budget)
L — long -term (now to FY 05 -07 budget)
O — on -going (continuing)
I Hwy. 421 widening/projects that will provide jobs
I Recreation Center
I Water tower maintenance (Utility Services Co.)
I City appearance/beautification
I Space and equipment needs -City Hall complex
I Garbage contract/leaf -limb collection
I Landfill credits from Harnett County for storm charges
I, S, L Upgrading water and sewer
S Employee pay scales -to attract and retain employees/benefits package /staffing/bi- weekly pay
S Annexation
S, O Downtown Revitalization
S Expansion of Library services & facilities
S Community security- Police service needs
Discussions were held with reference to the Highway 42I/Recreation Center projects — financing, bid specs
projected in April, 2004, Local Government Commission requirements for funding both Hwy. 421 and
recreation center projects together, possibility of financing Recreation Center for 20 years and Hwy. 421
for 10 years.
Council consensus was to discuss the water tank maintenance contract at the March council meeting.
Council discussed garbage service — possible contract increase for the City if other companies bid on
service. Republic Waste purchased all city carts approximately (3) years ago (will this be a cost factor if
another company is awarded the contract ?), possible separate contracts (one for residential garbage pickup
and one for leaf/limb pickup, addressed handicapped provision provided by Republic (backdoor service),
consider separating the downtown business district corrnrercial garbage pickup from the garbage contract
(possibility of city billing for downtown district only).
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Council discussed beautification — each council member identify problem areas within their own district
and document. Volunteers scheduled to arrange clean-up day, discussed junk vehicles, downtown business
trash disposal (some businesses disposing of trash in the concrete cans on the sidewalk), look at uses
allowed, minimum housing inspections, landscape ordinance.
Rural Center Grants/Water /Sewer/Drainage — First phase rural center grant project to bid in April, 2004 and
completed by January, 2005. Application has been submitted for second rural center grant (if grant is
awarded, project to bid in February, 2005). Clean Water Management Trust Fund Grant (CWMTF) for 3+
million in sewer improvements has been applied for (total grant -no match). Continue utility rate increase
F/Y 04-05 budget year, impact fees, revenue analysis, drainage at Juniper Creek.
Annexation Study — Proposed for all potential areas at a cost of $15,000418,000. Will propose in F/Y 04-
05 budget.
Library Services — Discussed opening the Library back up on Saturdays as a priority, possibility of
additional computers donated by local businesses for internet use, additional door will be installed by
Public Works.
Employee Issues — Discussed previous pay studies that have been done.
Due to time constraints, the remaining top issues were not discussed in further depth
The facilitators went over the council's expectation; that were established at the beginning of the retreat
and went over the ground rules that were established and accomplished. The Council went through a self -
critique session to develop a list of things that were done well and things that should have been done
differently during the retreat meeting.
With no further business to discuss, the meeting was adjourned at 12:20 p.m.
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Attest: O9,
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Debra G. West
City Clerk