Gastonia City Council Meeting - April 4, 2023
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Gastonia City Council Meeting - April 4, 2023
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Pro Tem Dave Kirlin, sitting in for Mayor Walker Reed, who was absent due to recovery. An invocation and Pledge of Allegiance were held, with the invocation noting the 55th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination and the passing of former State Senator David Hoyle. The agenda was adopted with an addition to the consent agenda (Item G10). The minutes of the March 14 and March 21 meetings were approved.
Consent Calendar
- Approved unanimously: All consent agenda items (G1–G10) after Councilman Gallagher requested explanations for G4 (mowing tractors, $207,944.60), G8 (sweeper truck, $395,650), and G9 (asphalt truck, $278,477). City Manager Michael Peoples confirmed these are replacement equipment for end-of-life vehicles, budgeted in the current fiscal year and not affecting next year's budget. Also discussed was G2 ($512,000 for public safety mobile data terminals, critical for police/fire operations) and G3 ($140,000 for solid waste vehicle maintenance). All items were approved.
Proclamations
- Proclamation supporting The Genesis Church Higher Learning College Tour, presented by Councilman Kellogg to Pastor Johnny Brown.
- Proclamation recognizing April 18, 2023, as Lineman Appreciation Day, presented by Councilman Gallagher to Adrian Certain, Assistant Division Manager of the Electric Department. Both proclamations were adopted unanimously.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Mark Sallers: Urged the council to set the property tax rate at revenue neutral (37.7 cents per $100 valuation, down from the current 52 cents), arguing that inflation is hurting families and that spending on pickleball courts ($312,000) and the swimming pool ($1.4 million) from ARPA funds is not essential. He requested the council publicly commit to starting the budget at revenue neutral.
- Mike Tambarella: Echoed calls for revenue neutral taxation, stating that a one-cent cut is meaningless and that if taxes are not reduced, citizens may be forced to sell their homes. He asked council members to publicly state their preferred tax rate.
- Marion Harley: Described personal property value increase from $289,530 in 2019 to $545,770 in 2023 (an 87% increase), stating that retirees on fixed incomes cannot afford such hikes and may lose homes. She appealed for the council to care for citizens.
- Karen Chiron (passionate reading): Listed specific expenditures (pickleball courts, pool, street sweeper, mowing tractors, asphalt truck, soil sample for posters) totaling over $2.6 million, calling them wasteful and non-essential. She argued ARPA funds should go to police, firefighters, and first responders instead. She pleaded for revenue neutral tax rate and criticized the spending as "theft" and "sinful."
- Tammy Gonter: Shared that she has lived in Gastonia for 47 years, noted higher tax rates than Charlotte with fewer amenities, and expressed frustration over a rumored state letter mandating revaluation. She asked the council to cut the budget and protect citizens.
Discussion Items
- ARPA Projects Update (Item H.1): City Manager Michael Peoples presented an overview of American Rescue Plan Act funds—$15.66 million total, with $3.7 million spent as of April 1. He explained the shift to revenue replacement allowed $10 million flexibility. Completed projects included playground replacements ($500,000), bridge repairs ($200,000), road resurfacing ($1.5 million), police body cameras/tasers ($1.3 million), and cybersecurity. Ongoing projects: Public Works facility renovation ($3.9 million phase one), Erwin Center pool replacement (budgeted $1.3M, needed $1.486M), Linwood Springs Park phase one ($1.5M match with state grant). Pending items included affordable housing, conference center upgrades, security cameras at Martha Rivers Park, workforce development, FUSE Stadium improvements, partnership with Greer Middle School, T. Jeffers Community Center pickleball courts ($312,680), and traffic signal preemption devices for fire trucks ($117,000).
- Council Discussion on Tax Rate and Spending: Multiple council members responded to public comments. Councilman Kellogg stated that revenue neutral would be "devastating" and require cutting essential services, as the city has 82,000 residents and large public safety departments. He pledged to work hard to lower the rate but cautioned against unrealistic expectations. Councilman Gallagher acknowledged the burden, noting his own tax bill would increase $1,600 if rates stayed unchanged, and committed to reducing it as much as possible. Councilman Owen and Councilwoman Step echoed the need for responsible cuts without harming services. Councilwoman Barber emphasized that council members also feel the pinch and assured the public they are gathering information. Councilwoman Step explained that revaluation is done by the county, not the city, and that Charlotte's lower rate is due to a much larger tax base.
Key Outcomes
- Approval of ARPA Funding Resolutions: Motion by Councilman Kellogg, seconded, to approve the ARPA projects as presented. Approved unanimously.
- Resolution to award contract to Quincale/Custom Paving for T. Jeffers Community Center pickleball court resurfacing ($312,680).
- Resolution to amend design-build contract with Southside Contractors for Erwin Center pool replacement (total $1,486,575, including bathhouse renovation).
- Consent Agenda Approved (see above).
- Proclamations Approved (see above).
- Mayor Pro Tem Kirlin announced upcoming meetings and events, including a budget work session on April 6, a special council meeting on April 25, and the city's upcoming Easter holiday closure.
City Council Reports
- Council members reported on community engagement activities: ribbon cutting for Amtrak station renovation, Multicultural Festival, Optimizing Wellness event, Habitat for Humanity build, Senior Games opening, Sister Cities anniversary, police promotions, and opioid settlement committee (chaired by Councilwoman Barber) with a public survey on spending $20 million in settlement funds.
- Councilman Gallagher noted he would continue to work on cutting the tax rate, and others echoed commitment to fiscal responsibility.
The meeting adjourned after announcements.
Meeting Transcript
Welcome this evening. I'm Mayor Pro Tem Dave Curlin sitting in for Mayor Walker Reed, who is he's coming back. He's getting there every day. He's a little stronger and feeling a little bit better, but not quite able to uh make this meeting this evening. So keep him in your thoughts and prayers, please. Um before going any further, let's go ahead and uh excuse the mayor if we would excuse Mayor Walker Ree from this meeting. Second, thank you. All those in favor, please indicate so. Thank you very much. Okay, um so let's move forward with our um invocation. Uh Councilman Gallery. Sure. Just want to um give a charge to everyone before I do the prayer. And that charge is um I'm a Bible believe uh Bible believing born again Christian, and if you have the opportunity as a Christian, uh you need to invite some of your neighbors and friends to dinner on Sunday. Um just remember what Jesus Christ after the Sermon on the Mount, he said to the disciples, um, you know, give give something to eat to the people. And the disciples were saying, send them away, go find some food. But I think as Christians we need to open up our homes and bring people in. So if you know somebody that is alone, definitely ask him in. So if you're so inclined, please join me in prayer. Dear Heavenly Father, we come to your prayer, and I'm first want to say, Lord, that um it's been 55 years ago today that the Apostle of Peace, Martin Luther King Jr. was shot, and that was sad, Lord. Um also um I would like to lift up um Senator David Hoyle's family uh on his passing, and I just ask you, Lord, to help that family. Lord, I come we come to you in prayer and just ask you to help the city council guide and direct us in all the city business today, and I just pray you're with us, Lord, give us wisdom and understanding and knowledge, and also Lord, um pray for the our soldiers that are overseas, our airmen and um our sailors. Lord, thank you for our police and fire here and our electric guys and all city employees. I just ask a special blessing on them, keep them out of harm's way, Lord, and we ask this in your son's strong name, Jesus Christ. Amen. Amen. If I could, I'd just like to take a second. Sorry, Ash, um, and just uh again give recognition to Senator David Hoyle uh who who passed uh this past week and uh Senator Hoyle was certainly a friend of Gastonian certainly uh a strong uh advocate and supporter for Gas and County. Um as you may know, um David Oyle started his career in his 20s as the mayor of Dallas and uh served nine nine terms in the uh state senate, and uh he was very impactful and influential in uh in where we are today in this community. And so uh yeah, our hats go off to him and his family, and um we are keeping them in our thoughts and prayers at this time. So if you would uh stand with me for the Pledge of Allegiance, I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for a while. Thank you. Moving on to item C, which is the adoption of the agenda. I I do have one addition to the uh consent agenda at this time. Uh this would be considered item G10, which is a resolution supporting the City of Gastonia application for community project funding uh for the expansion of the housing rehabilitation program for fiscal year 2024. So if you and your motion would uh add that to the agenda, please. I moved it. We accept the agenda with said corrections. Okay, second second. There's a motion and uh councilwoman step second to that. Um all those in favor, please indicate so. Thank you very much. Okay, moving on to the approval of the minutes. Um we have uh the budget update meeting, which was held on March 14th, 2023, where the motions of the council move to approve. Thank you. Second. There's a motion and a second. All those in favor, please indicate so. Thank you very much.
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