TOWN OF MAGGIE VALLEY

REGULARLY SCHEDULED BOARD OF ALDERMEN MEETING

MARCH 22, 2007

MINUTES

 

Members Present:        Mayor Roger McElroy            Aldermen:       Saralyn Price

                                                                                                            Mark DeMeola

                                                                                                            Phil Aldridge

                                                                                                            Colin Edwards

Staff Present:              Manager Tim Barth, Planning Director Nathan Clark, Pubic Works                          Director Mike Mehaffey, and Town Clerk Vickie Best

 

Others in Attendance: Dan Massey and Selena & Joe Keller, Beth Pleming with the                                               Mountaineer Newspaper

 

Meeting Called to Order.

Mayor McElroy called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. in the Town Hall Boardroom.

 

Mayor McElroy asked if Council accepted the agenda addenda pertaining to TDA Funding.

 

Council agreed.

 

2.    Consent Agenda

a.  Petition for Annexation:  Will Carver, Timberline Drive/

Maggie Valley Leisure Estates, Parcel #7686-74-0848,

(1.053 acres): Resolution No. 07-10,

Directing Clerk to investigate an annexation petition.

b.  Petition for Annexation:  Dan Myers

3579 Dellwood Road, Parcel #8606-29-3067,

(0.61 acres): Resolution No. 07-11,

Directing Clerk to investigate an annexation petition.

c.  Correction and Approval of Minutes for March 6, 2007 and

February 16, 2007.

 

ALDERMAN ALDRIDGE MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.

MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

 

3.    Consideration of a resolution setting the filing fee for municipal offices in Maggie Valley.

The filing fee has been $10 for many years but the Haywood County Election Board asked that we adopt and submit a resolution stating that the fee is $10 for their records.

 

ALDERMAN EDWARDS MADE A MOTION TO ADOPT

RESOLUTION NO 07-12 CONFIRMING THE FEE AT $10.

MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

4.    Consideration of changing the personnel policy in regard to compensatory leave.

The last sentence of paragraph 2 of Section 12 Article III of the Personnel Policy states that, “All compensatory leave must be used or paid effective March 31 of each year.” By removing this sentence, it will allow the employee more flexibility and hopefully save the Town some money by not having to pay for the time but instead allowing the employee to take the time off.

 

ALDERMAN PRICE MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CHANGE IN THE PERSONNEL POLICY.

MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

5.    Consideration of a resolution to endorse the Haywood Greenway Advisory Council and its Project Manager.

Alderman DeMeola stated that he would like to allocate the funding year by year rather than for the entire three years. This would allow the Town to receive progress updates of activities and to continue to seek assistance for Maggie Valley.  By having yearly updates, the Town will be provided a better sense of accomplishment.

 

Maggie Valley’s share based on the Town’s population in Haywood County is:     

                                                            FY 2007/08     $516

                                                            FY 2008/09     $528

                                                            FY  2009/10    $543   

 

ALDERMAN DEMEOLA MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE $516 FOR FISCAL YEAR 2007/08 AND TO CONTINUE SUPPORT ON A YEAR-BY-YEAR BASIS.

MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

6.    Discussion regarding an annexation agreement between the Town of Maggie Valley and the Town of Waynesville.

There was a verbal agreement between the Town of Maggie Valley and the previous Town Manager Al Matthews.  Interim Manager Bob Shepherd began talking with Waynesville about the verbal agreement being drafted into written form. At the 2006 goal-setting workshop, Manager Barth was asked to get the proposed annexation agreement in written form accompanied by a map.

 

Manager Barth presented the map to Council pointing out areas of interest. By having the boundary agreement with Waynesville, both Towns can make planning decision for the adjacent areas.  The line runs along the ridgeline down to Colman Mountain Road located off US -276.  The Richland Creek Watershed lies on the Waynesville side of the ridge, while the Jonathan Creek Watershed lies on the Maggie Valley side of the ridge.

 

Annexation agreements are common among municipalities throughout the State. North Carolina General Statues addresses the procedure and requires a public hearing for both Waynesville and Maggie Valley.

 

The Town of Maggie Valley owes the Town of Waynesville a thank you for agreeing to the annexation boundary and providing the map showing the boundary.  Waynesville has always been a good neighbor to Maggie Valley.

 

A public hearing will be held April 3, 2007.      

 

7.    Consideration of an appointment to the Parks, Recreation and Festival Advisory Committee.

Mr. Dan Massey’s term expires this month. Mr. Massey has served since the committee began.

 

Alderman Price stated that Mr. Massey has done a good job but was curious to see if other people would like to participate.  There are three alternate members appointed in the absence of a regular member. 

 

When Mr. Massey was asked about stepping to an alternate position and letting an alternate step into a regular seat he responded that he would resign.  Mr. Massey asked that the Board look at how many meetings had been missed before considering moving an alternate to a full member position.

 

Alderman DeMeola agreed; Mr. Massey does attend all of the PRFAC meetings and the Board of Aldermen meetings.

 

Council asked that they receive a list of members, how long they have served, and how many meetings have been missed.

 

ALDERMAN EDWARDS MADE A MOTION TO TABLE THE ISSUE UNTIL THE NEXT BOARD MEETING.

 

Ms. Keller spoke from the floor, stating that Ms. Wight was reappointed because of her commitment and attendance.

 

MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

8.    Budget Amendments.

Ordinance 525 adds some funds to Professional Services in the Administration department to cover legal fees that the Town has had above what was originally budgeted.  The extra funding is coming from the Investment Earnings, which has exceeded the budgeted amount.

 

ALDERMAN ALDRIDGE MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE ORDINANCE 525.

MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

Ordinance 526 is adding funds in the proper account to cover the expense to add the new police vehicles to insurance.  The funds for this are coming from three different accounts where the actual revenue received is above the budgeted amount.

 

ALDERMAN EDWARDS MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE ORDINANCE 526.

MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

 

Ordinance 527 is moving the funds budgeted for new building expenses in the Police Department into a different account, so that it is properly shown in our financial statements at the end of the year.  This amendment takes the funds out of one account and puts them in a different account.

 

ALDERMAN ALDRIDGE MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE ORDINANCE 527.

MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

Ordinance 528 is adding the funding in the Police Department for the purchase of two Tasers.  The Police Department received a donation for the purchase of a third Taser.  The funding for this comes from two revenue line items that have exceeded the amount budgeted for those line items.

 

ALDERMAN EDWARDS MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE ORDINANCE 528.

MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

 

Ordinance 529 covers the agreement made at the March 6 meeting to hire the Chamber of Commerce Events Coordinator to promote the Festival Grounds through the remaining of the fiscal year (June 30).  The funding for this comes from the annual transfer that is made from the General Fund to the Festival Fund.

 

ALDERMAN PRICE MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE ORDINANCE 529

MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

Ordinance 530 adds $600 to the Planning Department for the purchase of zoning signs.  With the large amount of property that has been added into Town and that had to be zoned, the Planning Department needs to buy more zoning signs.  The money for this will come from additional money received in Zoning Permit fees above what was budgeted.

 

ALDERMAN DEMEOLA MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE ORDINANCE 530.

MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

Ordinance 531 adds Medical Insurance funding to the Building Inspection Department to cover a spouse who was no longer covered by a different medical insurance plan.  The Town’s medical insurance plan only covers family members who are not covered by a different medical insurance plan. The additional funding for this comes from Building Permit fees that are in excess of the amount that was budgeted.

 

ALDERMAN PRICE MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE ORDINANCE 531.

MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

Ordinance 532 covers the actual transfer of funds from the General Fund to the Festival Fund.  An amount is transferred every year from the General Fund to subsidize the Festival Fund.  This amendment just transfers the funds from one account to another.

 

ALDERMAN DEMEOLA MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE ORDINANCE 532.

MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

Ordinance 533 adds $1,500 to the Contract Services account to cover increased expenses related to Southern Software linking Police Department computers to other County law enforcement agencies, and the funds will allow for any extra funding needed for computer professional help.

 

ALDERMAN PRICE MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE ORDINANCE 533.

MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

9.    Manager’s Report.

Manager Barth reminded Council about the invitation to the Club on April 7, 2007.

 

Manager Barth thanked Ms. Pleming for the positive article in the newspaper regarding the trout festival.

 

Mr. Mehaffey is currently reviewing the plans for the treatment plant expansion. The report should be coming before Council in April.

 

There is a 6:30 p.m. Region A meeting in Cherokee on March 26, 2007.

 

Manager Barth will be meeting with the Haywood County Building Inspection Department and the County Manager about having a backup inspector during Mr. Mercier’s absence for critical inspections.

 

10.  Other Business.

Resolution 07-13 was introduced in support of the Room Occupancy / Tourism Development Tax.  The 1% will be return to the corridor from which it was collected.

 

ALDERMAN DEMEOLA MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION.

MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

The Smoky Mountain News will be doing a full color magazine that contains stories and photos about the many attractions, people and places that make Maggie Valley a unique place to visit, live, and do business.

 

ALDERMAN EDWARDS MADE A MOTION TO PURCHAS A FULL PAGE AD FOR THE TOWN.

MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

 

Mayor McElroy stated that Commissioner Mary Ann Enloe has asked that someone from Maggie Valley sit on the bicentennial celebration committee.  Council was asked to consider appointments and make recommendations at the next meeting.

 

 

There is a movement in the General Assembly to change the school calendar. Manager Barth will draft a letter stating that Maggie Valley opposes the change.  All Council members will sign the letter.

 

11.  Public Comment.

There were no comments from the floor.

 

ALDERMAN ALDRIDGE MADE A MOTION TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION AT 7:38 P.M. FOR THE PURPOSE OF ATTORNEY –CLIENT PRIVILEGES.

MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

ALDERMAN EDWARDS MADE A MOTION TO COME OUT OF CLOSED SESSION AT 7:56 P.M.

MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

 

12.  Meeting Adjourned.

ALDERMAN ALDRIDGE MADE A MOTION TO ADJOURN AT 7:57 P.M.

MOTION CARRIED.

 

 

___________________________

Mayor Roger McElroy

 

 

___________________________

Vickie Best, CMC, Town Clerk