Good evening.

I'm Alan Joins, Mayor of Winston Salem.

It's my pleasure to call to order this uh October 6th meeting of the Winston Salem City Council and ask the city clerk to call the roll, please.

Councilmember joyner.

Present.

Councilmember Clark.

Councilmember Andrew Bowen.

Here.

Councilmember Scipio.

President.

Mayor Pratim Adams.

Here.

Councilmember Taylor.

Present.

Councilmember Hall.

Present.

And Councilmember Burke.

Here.

Thank you very much.

Would you please join the City Council and me in a moment of silence?

Thank you.

Would you join the City Council and meet in the budget of allegiance?

Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic.

We just stand one nation under God.

Liberty and Justice.

Thank you.

Our Sergeant in Arms tonight's Lieutenant Watkins.

Thank you for being with us.

And our fire marshal tonight is Corey Lambeth.

Fire Marshal, thank you for being with us as well.

May we uh have our update, Mr.

Manager.

Yes, sir.

Thank you very much.

Um several different items tonight.

Um first I'm gonna uh have uh uh assistant city manager uh uh rightly near introduce our new housing director, uh Michael Blair, who's joined us today.

Good evening, Mayor Joins, Mayor Pro Tem Adams, and members of City Council.

Good evening.

I please to introduce Michael Blair, our new housing director.

Michael brings over 20 years of experience in housing, community development, and regional planning.

Most recently, he served as regional community development director for the Piedmont Friend Regional Council, managing a $15 million budget and a team of 25.

He led housing initiatives across multiple counties, administered home consortiums that finance hundreds of affordable units, and over saw weatherization, rehabilitation, and section eight programs.

His career includes leadership roles with the City of Asheville, with the cities of Asheville, Greensboro, and Punta Gorda, Florida, and the Piedmont Triangle Regional Council's Housing Services Division.

Michael is a certified member of the American Institute of Certified Planners, a HUD certified specialist in home administration, and a past board chair of the North Carolina Community Development Association.

He holds a BA in political science from Florida Atlantic University and a graduate certificate in citizen-driven performance measures from Rutgers University.

His work has earned recognition, including 2021's North Carolina Housing Finance Association's Affordable Housing Award and the 2020 Nando Impact Award.

We're excited to welcome Michael Blair to Winston-Salem and look forward to his leadership in advancing affordable housing and community development citywide.

Michael?

Michael, welcome.

Thank you for that wonderful introduction.

Um I just wanted to say I really appreciate the opportunity and uh working at the PTRC for 13 years.

I did a lot of work in Forsyth County here in Winston Salem with the work weatherization program and look to just work with anybody and anyone that's willing to bring affordable units in and also mixed market units.

I really again appreciate the opportunity and the wonderful introduction.

We wish you the best.

We need all your great leadership as uh this is one of our top priorities, obviously, as you've heard.

Yes, it is welcome.

Glad to have you here.

Thank you.

All right, good.

Thank you.

Thanks, Michael.

I I know you might have missed a little bit of the that first part of the introduction, but he brings a wealth of experience and has been working on uh over 20 years in this uh in this field and and most of it in this area.

So he's got a lot of knowledge of our existing contractor.

He's actually a city resident as well, so he he really does know the community expert well.

We're looking forward to his taking up the mantle of that as one of your strategic priorities.

Um next, let me call on um Transportation Director uh Jeff Fanzler, who's gonna give you a little bit of a uh a quick update on uh an item that's on your consent agenda, but we're we know there was some uh wanting to have some discussion about that for uh some uh the item on fair updates.

Thank you, Mr.

Manager, and good evening, uh Mayor Joins, Mayor Pro Tim Adams, members of City Council.

Just a reminder that um uh by approval of this resolution of the Fair Cap, also known as a daily kind of fair policy for the City of Winston Salem Transit Authority.

We'll be establishing a two-dollar daily cap for all transit fare within the city of Winston-Salem service area.

Essentially, what we did is we are launching the you've heard us talk about the UMO mobile fairing uh platform that we'll be launching later this year.

It was really time to consider this fair policy update to make sure that when we launched that app, this is written into that program so we can utilize that when we're loading the bus with the mobile device.

So essentially what this does was establish a daily fare of two dollars.

So we this encouraged folks to ride as many times as they would choose, uh really moving that uh that barrier for uh access and really capping how much uh a rider would spend in any calendar or any calendar service day.

So we're excited to bring this out and it'll be launched when we roll out the mobile application later this year.

Happy to take any questions.

Any questions, Mr.

Fansler?

Thank you.

Thank you.

Just want to give you a quick update on that one.

We we talked about whether to talk about the two-way conversion, but we're gonna he's got a there's a little bit more work to be done, but the paving is is pretty much done now.

So I know everybody was looking forward to having a smoother ride through there.

But the other parts of the conversion of the signalization is still going on, and hopefully that'll be we'll give you a full report at one of our upcoming council meetings.

I do want to make sure that uh that you are aware and that the community is aware that the budget and performance management department has worked with the ETC Institute to conduct a biannual residence survey.

So the printed surveys have been sent randomly selected 20,000 city residents.

Again, they're represented uh representative of the city by geography and other factors, uh demographic factors to provide a statistically valid sample.

So if you've got one of those surveys, we encourage everyone to please fill that out.

And if you didn't get a survey, but you want to let us know your opinion on city services, you can do that as well on our website, there uh the online survey survey, which is not a part of the statistically random selection, but it is available at WSNC Survey.org.

And so any citizen can also give us their opinion on city services.

Uh just a quick update.

Uh as we enter um close to a full week of the federal shutdown.

We are not we have not seen any major impacts yet.

We are getting some reports of items that may not be reimbursed or that they're waiting to hold to see whether we're going to get in for any any monies for for programs.

So if anything that we haven't put in place yet that we know we've got funding for, then we're going to make sure we get federal documentation.

We're going to get those funds before we move forward with those projects.

But right now it's it's fairly minor.

Well, we're still waiting as the rest of the country is to see what the impacts of that might uh ultimately be.

Um other items.

One is uh just to bring it back.

I know this is out as has gotten a lot of publicity, but due to some recent disruptive behavior at Merchal Park, city staff has proactively taken steps to foster a more positive environment in the park, as we would do in any park or public facility that we have uh issues going on with.

The measures that we implemented included the removal of furniture from the park, storing the solar table until an appropriate alternate location can be identified.

Um we're not using free Wi-Fi in the park.

And we are working with the police department to look at strategies to monitor any disruptive behavior and to make sure that we're effectively dealing with that.

Uh a lot of people are asking questions.

Right now, you have uh committee meetings coming up next week.

We will be bringing back some new guidelines for down for all of our city parks, including our downtown parks, for consideration.

That's going to the Parks and Rec Commission and the City Council uh through through your committees to to highlight some areas where we think we can make improvements to again curtail some of the disruptive behaviors that we've seen in uh in Marshall Park, but in some of our other parks as well.

These actions probably will involve trying to have some amendments to the city code.

Some of that will be granting authority for us to enforce the new guidelines that are in place when these uh activities are being seen.

It would also allow for some more stringent penalties to make sure that our repeat offenders are not given the opportunity to continue to do this, exhibit the same behaviors over and over again in the same community spaces.

We also know with the colder weather approaching that things like excuse me, tables in parks that are used for dining activities are typically not used because people aren't eating outside in the cold.

So some of those will not be brought back out for the winter time, and we'll be looking at how do we program each of our park areas in the most appropriate manner for ongoing in the future for the enjoyment of all of our communities.

And so they're they were there not because they did not have somewhere else that they could be.

This is an event to have people bring their kids, put on their best costumes and enjoy a safe and fun way to trick-or-treat with local community vendors.

And then I know as many of you are uh aware, hopefully everybody in the community is aware.

The Carolina Classic Fair has begun and will run through October the 12th.

I'm gonna call on uh ACM Raoul now to introduce uh Cheryl Hartley and give an update on what is coming up this week for folks to enjoy.

Good evening.

Mayor joins, Mayor Pro Temporios, members of council.

Uh as uh Cheryl's walking up to the podium.

I do want to take a moment to to thank her uh for her many years of service.

She recently announced that she is retiring from the city at the end of this year after 35 years with the uh the Coliseum and then moved over to the fairgrounds when they were two separate entities and was uh served the fairgrounds in 30 fairs, I believe, um during that time, and then in 2018 when she was promoted to fair director.

I doubt she knew that she was going to be facing some of the most probably unique challenges, we'll say that that anybody's probably ever faced.

Number one, going through the process of changing the name of the fair.

Um, and then also the pandemic.

The pandemic was an enormous challenge.

Uh but her ingenuity and uh creativity in coming up with the drive-thru fair that particular year in 2020, I think was a great way for folks to still get a little taste of the fair and have a little you know taste of normalcy during that very trying time.

And of course, you've got the weather, and you know, we lost the the roof of the grandstand, and she was instrumental in making sure that the grandstand was back up and and and uh operational.

So uh just wanted to thank her for her many years of service.

But she's gonna provide you an update on our opening weekend on and what we have in store for the upcoming week.

Cheryl.

Thank you so much.

I do appreciate it, and I am thank you for recognizing my 35 years of service.

It's been a pleasure since it's been my whole life career, and I just deeply appreciate your recognition today.

I'm looking forward to retirement, but I'm a little sad because I'm gonna be missing a lot of people around here and at the fair.

But now I would like to update you on the some numbers that we had from the past three days.

Um we've had a strong start this year with great weather and strong crowds.

Feedback from the community has been overwhelmingly positive, especially regarding our entertainment lineup.

The highlight of the weekend was Twiggy the water skiing squirrel.

He was actually featured on the national NBC news, bringing national recognition to Winston Salem.

So that was a great um plug there.

Um in the grandstand, our demo derbies and figure eight races.

Um, they packed the stands both both nights this weekend.

Our rodeo recorded its largest competitor registration to date, and also packed the stand.

So we've had some great um entertainment and our strollers.

We're getting a lot of great feedback, and of course, the food is everywhere and everyone's loving it.

Um this year we have worked with the Winston Salem Police Department to implement the new clear bag policy and the code of code of conduct and admission our admission gate closure at 9 p.m.

This year through opening weekend, we have seen significantly less in ejections and improved behaviors.

We believe that to be a testament to the change made to the entry times and the code of conduct policy implemented, and using a zero tolerance proactive approach for the officers on the grounds.

Officers at the magnetometers and officers within the fairgrounds have reported they feel these implementations have resulted overall in a very positive change.

So I hope this continues throughout the fair.

And now I would like to share a few numbers with you.

Some factors that may attribute to that is the 9 p.m.

gated mission closing.

And also we have a lot of competition going on in the area with different fall events, a lot of festivals that didn't get to happen after Helene last year.

There's quite a few of them.

Right now we are our estimated attendance is at 67,416.

Last year at this time, it was at 73,000.

So we're a little off, but I have a feeling we're gonna make that up over this week.

For our ride growths in 2020 2024, we were at 627,706.

And in turn, the percentage of the revenue that comes to us as direct revenue in 2024, it was 237,942, and we've already collected 239,140 just from the rides.

Food.

This is a good one here.

Last year, the first three days, 929,503 in gross sales.

This year we're at 1,044,123.

The food percentage that we've received already in 2024, we received 155,000 90 dollars, and in 2025, 174,240, 248 dollars.

That's just three days.

We have seven more to go.

So revenues are looking very strong.

And these numbers and the community response highlights how much the fair continues to embrace Winston Salem and this the surrounding areas.

The Carolina Classic Fair remains one of the city's most important family-friendly events, generating both local pride and a significant economic impact.

Does anyone have any questions?

Questions to Cheryl.

First off, I was there last night and I did see the squirrel ride that little boat.

Could you get to it?

My question is in the whatever the building is where they normally have all the exhibits, the hockey rink was set up.

Um, yes, we did make quite a few changes this year.

Um we got a new ice rink put in, and we decided to open that during the fair so we could promote our ice skating and get the community more involved with ice skating.

We have um general public skating they can do.

We have we've already had a Wait Forest hockey game as a demonstration, and that's all included in their admission ticket, and that's been really been working well.

What we did is we took some of the exhibitors that were in there, spread them around the rink.

Um we still have the butter sculpture in the back, and we took the veterans wall and some of the other home and garden style booths and put them in the home and garden building along with the American Legion bingo.

And I don't know if any of you have um been to the home and garden building, the veterans wall looks amazing.

We've had great um response with the bingo, and um I think it's I think it's doing really well.

Some may go.

Yeah, some people are a little confused.

We've got signs trying to direct them, um, but they'll get used to we just we're just trying new things and with the ice rink in place that did have have us move some booths around.

You're welcome.

Uh Mr.

Kessler Hall.

Thank you, Mayor Joins.

Uh, Cheryl, I just want to take a quick moment of personal privilege to say thank you in ditto to what others have said.

I know I didn't want to necessarily talk to you too much on Friday, but uh council member Adams, Mayor Pro Tim Adams spoke, I believe it was last week about tears and uh showing emotion and how that's okay.

And I think it's important to note that this is bittersweet for you, and it's okay to shed a tear.

Happy tears because it just shows that you're human.

But I do want to thank you for all of your years of service and all that you have done to make the fair a great place for all citizens to go, and also the way that you have embraced all staff members who work with you with the fair, and so just thank you for your service, and I hope that you have a great whatever is to come.

Thank you.

Again, big thanks to you guys for all of everybody that had to work through the pandemic.

But uh I wanted to let you know everywhere I went this weekend after Friday, uh, everybody wanted to give big ups to the clear bag policy, and they wanted to give big ups to the the closing of the gate at nine o'clock.

Uh we are seeing all over the country when you have open spaces that involve community that there are people that yes lay in wait until the doors open or they can get in and calls as the commercial goals mayhem.

But uh, I thank you again for everything you've done.

We will miss you tremendously, but uh we know how to find you, and we know that you're not gonna go home and sit down.

It's not you.

You just that's just not you.

So again, thank you.

And I pass by the fire fair every day that it goes on all day.

I pass by on my way here this evening, and uh, I could tell you, like I told you when I got here, it's packing out, there was too much traffic, but that's okay.

But uh that's one of those things that we need to embrace even more that the Carolina Fair Fair is a destination location for tourists, and not just our citizens as well.

So people come from all around to come to our fair.

Uh we still have one of the largest fairs in the Southeast.

So uh I feel very confident that our numbers are going to continue to grow, and uh, we're gonna pray that if we get rain on Wednesday, those thunderstorms, that they come really, really early and move out really really quickly.

So thank you so much, Cheryl.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you, Cheryl.

Best wishes.

Thank you so much.

Um, and uh I I'll just reiterate what how much we appreciate what Cheryl's done and and the all the activity at the fair.

Uh people it is 10 days of uh pure hecticness going on right now, but there's a lot of things going on the fairgrounds year round.

So there this is it's not just a one and done.

It takes a lot of effort, and we we appreciate all that you've done.

And with that, we'll stand ready to answer any additional questions council may have.

Uh Ms.

Clark.

I just Google squirrels can't swim.

She should be able to make it in the middle of the speaker.

Thank you, Councilman.

Like we're all concerned about that.

Thank you, Councilman.

Go and join the squirrel.

There you go.

We do have one honorarium tonight.

Uh Madam Clerk, would you read that one?

Proclamation declaring fire prevention week.

Whereas the city of Winston Salem is committed to ensuring the safety and security of all those living in and visiting our city, and whereas fire remains a serious public safety concern, both locally and nationally, and to preserve of lift and the presence of lithium-ion batteries in many household devices and introduces unique fire risks.

And whereas most of the electronics used in homes daily, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, power tools, e-bikes, e-scooters, and toys are powered by lithium-ion batteries, which, if misused, damaged or improperly charged, can overheat, start a fire, or explode.

And whereas the National Fire Prevention Association reports an increase in battery-related fires, underscoring the need for public education on the safe use of lithium-ion batteries.

And whereas residents should follow three key calls to action, buy only listed products, charge batteries safely, and recycle them responsibly to prevent battery-related fires.

And whereas lithium ion batteries store a large amount of energy in a small space and improper use, such as overcharging, using off-brand chargers without safety certification or exposing batteries to damage can result in fire or explosion.

And whereas the proper disposal and recycling of lithium lithium ion batteries helps prevent environmental hazards and reduces risks in the home and community.

And whereas the Winston-Salem Fire Department is dedicated to reducing the occurrence of fires through prevention, safety education, and community outreach.

And whereas the 2025 Fire Prevention Week theme, charge into fire safety, lithium ion batteries in your home serves to remind us of the importance of using charging and recycling lithium ion batteries safely to reduce the risk of fires in homes and communities.

Now, therefore, IJ Allen joins, Mayor of the City of Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Do hereby proclaim October 5th through the 11th, 2025 as fire prevention week.

Thank you.

Uh Chief Mayo, would you join me, please?

Chief, I know that you've got we've got great equipment, we've got great personnel, and we can put out fires really well, but I think you'd rather prevent them than to have to put them out.

So thank you for bringing uh our attention to fire prevention uh time and what we need to do to stay safe.

So thank you for all you do and what your department does for us.

Appreciate my work here.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor, and good evening, uh, Madam Mayor Pro Tim and members of the council.

Um I appreciate this recognition.

It's another opportunity for us to get in front of the public with uh our message that we have been um communicating for about two years now about the risk that lithium ion batteries pose uh in the modern world.

Uh the um uh uh the proliferation of these batteries.

I mean, there's 150 of those batteries in this room right now between watches, portable devices, uh computers.

Um they are everywhere.

They are in power tools, they are in lawn equipment.

Um I mean, it is the current battery technology.

Um the the proclamation summed it up fairly well.

Um the the technology is running ahead of the code cycles.

And um until things catch up, you know, our ability to regulate um things that go on associated with lithium ion batteries, particularly in public places, is is really limited.

Um I used to be able to sit at my desk and you know, we'd have a fire.

And we have more fires than than people uh give us credit for.

We uh per capita, we we we are one of the leading cities in the state for for the number of building fires that we have.

We reported 299 last year.

That's a fire about every 30 hours.

Uh that's a fire in a building.

I'm not counting car fires, nonstop fires, grass fires, you know, all those other things that we go to.

But I used to joke, I could sit at my desk and I could do the fire investigation uh at my desk on those fires, and if I guessed that it was either unattended cooking or improperly discarded smoking materials, I would be right 75% of the time.

And we are seeing those trends change.

Um and we are more and more frequently responding to fires involving uh these um magnetic charging devices that you you know you let you lay your phone on top of.

Um you can go on YouTube and Amazon, and in a couple of days, you can have the knowledge and the materials that you need to put a solar solar system in your house.

Now we don't recommend that because most people are not electricians, and uh who knows what kind of information you're getting on YouTube and what kind of of uh equipment you're getting from Amazon, but you can do it, and we are going to these, we are going to these events and having to throw just dozens and dozens of lithium-ion batteries out of people's houses that are caught on fire.

Um, you know, we're going to vehicles and garages that are on fire, uh electric and and and hybrid vehicles.

So again, uh I think the moral of my story is where we have always, you know, for kind of modern American history, cooking has been the leading cause of fire in America by a long shot, sometimes as many as as much as two-thirds of the fires in America start on the cooktop.

We're seeing that go down, and I will not be surprised in a few more years if we do not see lithium-ion batteries taking a prominent place in fire statistics as one of the leading causes of fires in America.

So again, Mr.

Mayor, we appreciate you and your folks and in your office working with us on this.

Uh fire prevention week is always the week that corresponds with uh um October 8th, which is uh this is uh Wednesday will be the 154th anniversary of the Great Chicago fire.

So a little history for you.

Thank you.

Thanks again.

Thank you, Chief.

Tonight's meeting is being televised live on our TV 13 as well as the city's YouTube page.

Uh and it will be replayed tomorrow morning at 9 a.m.

and again on Wednesday night at 9 p.m.

Uh as you know, copies of our agenda as well as videos of previous meetings are always available online on the city's website, and just click on the watch meetings online link.

Uh tonight's agenda, as you know, is comprised of two parts: the consent agenda and the general agenda.

As always, the practice of our council to take the consent agenda as the first order of business.

Items on this agenda have been unanimously recommended by committee of the city council or are being submitted in accordance with established city procedure.

There will be no discussion of the items on this agenda unless a council member so request in which event the item will be removed from the consent agenda and considered individually.

Items not removed from consent agenda will be inactive as one motion.

Uh Consumer Hall, I believe uh understanding you'd like item C 11.

Yes.

C twelve.

C twelve.

Okay.

Any other items?

Is there a motion to approve the uh second?

Councilmember uh Taylor moves approval, seconded by councilmember Scipio to approve the balance for the consent agenda.

All those in favor of that motion, please say aye.

Aye.

Any opposed, no?

And that is unanimous.

We'll do item C 11, please.

Item C 11 resolution amending Article 2 of the City of Winston-Salem personnel resolution to update language related to competitive market range and pay grade adjustments.

Councilmember Hall.

Yes, thank you.

Um City Clerk and Mayor joins for that.

If um Okay, thank you.

I would like just um a high level recap of what we heard um pertaining to this particular resolution regarding the um changes in the uh language that we have here on this resolution.

Dr.

Raller and Director of Human Resources, please, if you would.

Thank you.

Good evening, Mayor Joins and Mayor Pro Tim Adams.

To answer your question, Councilmember Hall, the original language said that for class and comp studies that employees would be moved to the grade minimum to the new minimum uh with a minimum of five percent increase, and also that if the salary was within the grade, that they would receive a five percent increase.

The change in recommendation is that employees not at the minimum would go to the minimum, and then employees that are within the grade range that the city manager would have the authorization to determine if um an increase was warranted.

Thank you.

Thank you, Doctor.

And would you like to make a motion, Councilmember Hall?

Uh no.

Okay.

Is there a motion to approve items?

I move for approval of item C11.

Sir, second.

Second.

Second by Councilmember Clark.

Any discussion?

We'll be voting electronically.

All those in favor of the motion, please indicate by voting yes.

Anyone opposed, vote no?

Did yours come up to vote?

And that motion is unanimous.

Thank you very much.

Item C 12, please.

Item C 12 resolution awarding purchase order for rear loading refuse trucks to Carolina Environmental Systems.

Mayor Pro Tim Adams.

Yes.

Um I know we approve these.

I know we need these.

But what is the expected delivery date?

And as we move forward, we do remember uh right after COVID, we had issues with delivery of product.

And if there is a late delivery, is there something in our contract or agreement that uh there's a penalty or we signed off that it would be 30 days, six months, a year, whatever.

Thank you.

Good yeah, Darren Redfield purchasing director, great question.

I would have to look that up for you.

I don't know what the delivery on this is.

We are in through the source well contract.

That does give us a better guarantee of getting the products versus a bid through a dealer where we have seen those canceled in the past on us by the manufacturer.

So we'll have to get that information to you on how long this is gonna take unless Angus knows.

Well, I was gonna write from an email you sent me.

Um I can speak to the um it looks like for the 25 yard trucks, 90 to 120 days delivery, and then we also had approval for 27 yards.

That's a little longer, 180 to 210 days.

So I think we will be kind of evaluating which one um we order to get those as soon as possible.

So, assistant manager was uh all the timeline, the delivery time is built into the contract.

No.

As to where we receive the product when we sign off, it's in the contract or the billing invoice.

I think it has to do with when we place the order.

That I'm not sure I would look to do right.

I'm pretty sure that that happens when we place the order.

So when we get our purchase order and we deliver that to them, then we get in the queue.

So then that's when that timeline starts.

I would be interested to know if you guys could provide that information as to how we've been looking on delivery of product once we sign the agreements or the purchase order for the product.

Okay.

With that, mayor our move for approval of item C12.

Thank you.

Is there a second?

Second.

Second by Council Member Hall.

Hall, Councilmember Clark, excuse me.

I was looking at Councilmember Holland in the place.

So this is to uh Mayor Pro Team Adams.

Were you trying to see whether or not we had it within staff had it within their uh authority or jurisdiction to try to write in a delivery time with the contract?

Well, I'll I'm looking at just like how when we purchase anything, whether it's on Amazon or whoever, they give you an expected delivery date.

But when you're buying uh items of this type at the the cost, I'm looking because the world has changed.

And and does the distributor have that built in that a promised date?

And if they don't make the promise date, what happens?

You know, because and I'd also like to know if we've had any issues with any other uh products we bought when it comes to trucks and fleet uh over the past year or so, and whether we actually got it or whether it's like the fire trucks or whether it's still in the queue, and it may be two years old that we haven't gotten it yet.

I think it can come through public works, but I think we need to at the committee if you could provide that information that we need to know that.

And then my follow-up is I guess uh Darren, if possible, and this may be something you can come back to us with of whether or not you've seen that as being a practice when different municipalities enter into contractual contractual agreements for large purchases like this, if we have the authority or the power to be able to um uh redefine our contract and and be able to put something like that in.

I don't know if that's something in working with the city attorney's office that we may be able to do, but that may be helpful.

Thank you.

Thank you.

We do have a motion and second to approve this item.

All those in favor, please indicate by uh voting yes.

Anyone opposed, vote no.

And that is unanimous.

Thank you very much.

We're gonna go to now go to the general agenda where we have uh three items.

We have uh uh two public hearings relative to one related to a closing of a street and one relating to the issuance of uh installment purchase contract, uh, and then another item approving uh funding for uh the city's uh water and sewer revenue bonds.

Uh when public hearings called, uh invite individuals who would like to speak on this item to come forward and speak.

Uh giving a name and address for the record, of course.

Um we're experimenting a little bit tonight with the new system.

Uh we will be listing those individuals who have signed up for uh public hearing so we can see see the listing and and see what order they might want to come in.

So can we have item G1, please?

Item G1, public hearing in consideration of a petition to close and abandon a portion of an unnamed right away north of Carnation Drive, located in the northeast ward.

Uh this is a public hearing.

It appears that no one has signed up.

Is there anyone in the council chamber who wishes to be heard on this proposed street closing?

Yes, ma'am.

Would you come to the podium, please?

If you would please give your name and address for the record.

Okay.

My name is Angela Dixon.

And this is the address.

Um 4141 Coronation Drive.

And I'm Sharon McIntyre.

I live at 4145 Carnation Drive.

I actually live at the dead end of that road.

Um, not aware of what's going on.

Um I just know I was home, I went to the grocery store, came back, and the signs were put up, and one is in my yard.

Um, when I called the inquiry, they wouldn't tell me anything.

So I'm not aware of nothing that's going on, and it's a dead-end street.

I'm the last house on that dead end.

Okay.

We can give you a little update right here if you'd like.

Uh I would appreciate it.

Okay.

Mr.

Huff, are you able to?

Sorry, excuse me, Mr.

King's gonna illuminate us here a little bit.

So I'll add Lib a little bit while Jamie's pulling this up.

Um this is a request to abandon an unused portion of city right-of-way.

So this is a stress section of Carnation Drive.

And I can show you, I think you live probably right.

The dead end.

Yep.

So the sign is probably there at the end, and it's the section of red.

It's a it's a paper right-away that's been on the city's record for a number of years.

There's obviously no street within the right-of-way.

And so the basically the folks on either side of that have asked for that to be closed so they can build a house back there.

The city has no use for the right-of-way and will never build a road within there.

So they're trying it's what is really going on?

Okay, I'm trying, because those are the people that own that property the other side.

So I'm still they're the applicants, and mayor, if you want to call them up, they may want to speak to this, but they are the applicants.

Of course.

Sir, if you would uh tell us uh I didn't call you and saw the sign.

We're just canceling that.

Sir, sir, sir.

I'm sorry.

Please give your name and address our record.

Micro Throck, uh, I'm at 4540 Harry Street.

I'm the one that's proposing the close the thing.

And she is my good neighbor.

So we're just closing the road so nobody can be in there.

It's not gonna be a development, Rebecca's house down in there.

Okay, up by my house.

No reading.

So it'll stay closed.

Stay close.

Okay.

Yes, ma'am.

All right.

Thank you.

I got you code.

Okay.

You're welcome.

Anyone else like to be heard on this proposed uh street closing?

Seeing no one, I declare the public hearing closed.

And uh this uh is in the um northeast ward and also chairman of the public works committee.

Councilmember Burke.

Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you, neighbors.

Thank you for coming and asking questions at this time, council.

I move for approval of item G1.

Second.

Second by Councilmember Taylor.

Any discussion?

All those in favor of the motion, please indicate by voting yes.

Anyone opposed, vote no?

And that is unanimous.

Thank you very much.

Item G2, please.

Item G2, public hearing in consideration of a resolution of the City of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, approving an amendment to an installment purchase contract with the North Carolina Municipal Leasing Corporation and delivery thereof and providing for certain other related matters.

Ms.

Latham, please.

Good evening, Mayor Joins.

Mayor Tim Adams, any members of council.

At the September 15th council meeting, you all approve the initial resolution for the city to issue these limited obligation bonds for the landfill expansion that has been in the city's capital plan.

Um at this time, in order for us to continue to move forward, a public hearing is required.

And following the hearing, um, council will be asked to adopt what's called the approving resolution, which just gives us the final um requirements needed to move move forward.

Any questions, Ms.

Latham?

Thank you.

And this is a public hearing.

Uh appears no one has signed up uh either as a proponent or opponent, but I'll ask is there anyone in the council chair who wishes to be heard on this proposed uh issuance.

Seeing no one, I'll declare the public hearing closed.

And what's the pleasure of the finance committee, Mr.

Chairman?

Thank you, Mayor.

I move for approval of item G2.

Second.

Second by Mayor Pro Tim Adams.

Any discussion?

Not all is a favor of the motion, please indicate by voting yes.

Anyone opposed, vote no.

And that is unanimous.

Thank you very much.

Item G three, please.

Item G3 resolution directing the application to the local government commission for approval of the city's water and sewer system revenue bonds, series 2025, requesting local government commission approval of the 2025 bonds declaring the intent of the city to reimburse itself for capital expenditures from proceeds thereof and certain related matters.

Again, Miss Latham.

Uh good evening once again.

Um at the September 15th council meeting, you all approve the initial resolution to allow staff to begin working on the water and sewer revenue bonds for 70 million dollars for various projects that are in the capital plan.

Um the bond regulations do not require a public hearing for revenue bonds, however, council is still asked to approve the formal bond order, which would allow us to move forward.

Thank you.

Any questions, Ms.

Latham?

Good.

Councilmember Clark?

Thank you.

I move for approval of item G3.

Second.

Second by Mayor Pro Tim Adams.

Any discussion?

Questions?

Not all those in favor of the motion, please indicate voting yes.

Anyone opposed, vote no.

I thought I did, but that's okay.

And that is unanimous.

Thank you very much.

That's all the items on our agenda.

Is anyone have a comment, questions?

If not, I recognize a motion to adjourn.

So moved.

Thank you, Councilmember Hall.

Sir a second.

Second.

Second by Councilmember Joyner.

All those in favor adjourning, please say aye.

Aye.

Anyone opposed, no.

And we are adjourned.