Town of Woodland Board Minutes
Date: April 6, 2023
7:00 PM

Board/Staff Present:

Randy Beale - Mayor
David Cooper - Commissioner
Brian Christison - Commissioner
Eddie Hoggard - Police Chief
Donielle McDermott -Town Clerk

Mayor Beale, Commissioner Outland, and Raymond Eaton were absent.

Call to Order: Mayor Beale called the meeting to order at 7pm. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited followed by a moment of silent reflection.

Approval of Agenda: The first item of business was the approval or amendment of the agenda. Commissioner Cooper made a motion to amend the agenda to add 9g Clerk Position, I 0d Nationwide Building, and I 6 Closed Session and to approve the agenda. Commissioner Christison seconded and the motion carried.

Approval of Minutes: The next item on the agenda was the approval or amendment of the regular meeting dated March 2, 2023. Commissioner Christison made a motion to approve the minutes as written. Commissioner Cooper seconded and the motion carried.

Consideration of Bills: Commissioner Cooper made a motion to pay all the current bills and to also pay all the regular bills that come in throughout the month. Commissioner Christison seconded and the motion carried.

Public Comments: No public comments

Data Group Technologies: Trey Strickland with Data Group Technologies, an IT and cyber security company, introduced himself and his company. He recently met with Chief Hoggard and Mrs. McDermott to discuss the security of our computers. A 3rd party galactic scan was performed, and the results showed a lot of personal information that could possibly be shared on the dark web. His recommendations are to install agents on all the computers, a cyber security software. This will protect our computers and all the information stored on them. They require signing a 5-year agreement with a 30 day opt out option. There is no penalty to end the agreement early. The town would be billed monthly. The cost per month would be anywhere from $652 to $1403 depending on the plan. This cost would cover all the computers in the office and in the police vehicles.

Fire Department: Robbie Collier read the monthly report. The Northampton County Fire Association is asking the county for more money per year. Chief of the Association, Mark Vick, was able to get the numbers together from local counties showing Northampton County's fire districts are receiving too little. Currently, the Town of Woodland's fire department is receiving $850 per year. All of the departments in the association are asking for $20,000 per year goingforward. Mr. Collier said it is looking promising that the county will increase their contribution considerably. It may not be the $20,000 right away, but he believes it will eventually get to that amount in a few years. Mr. Collier thanked the board for the great communication between the fire department and the town. He said communication is key and we have great communication.

Police Report: Chief Hoggard read the monthly report. He informed the board he will be out of town next week from Wednesday through Sunday. Chief Hoggard and Commissioner Outland discussed calling in the sheriffs department but decided against it saying it was too expensive to pay them $30 per hour to sit here. Commissioner Christison asked Chief Hoggard to contact Officer Kellett to see if he could work some while he is away. Mayor Beale asked if something could be done to stop the speeding on Saturday nights saying it's like a race track. Chief Hoggard said he will start parking the charger out front to slow people down.

Clerk Report: Mrs. McDermott informed the board that the Letter of Intent to Fund for the Southwest Stormwater Improvements Project for $277,000 was received yesterday, April 5, 2023. The first milestone is the submission of a preliminary project scope due by June 1, 2023, and Blaine Humphrey with Rivers & Associates is working on that.

a. Commissioner Christison made a motion to use Cavanaugh Macdonald Consulting, LLC for the 2023 GASB 73 reporting for special separation allowance actuarial report for $315. Commissioner Cooper seconded and the motion carried.
b. The Town of Woodland's audit response letter to the LGC was received and found to be acceptable.
c. The Northampton County Board of Elections made the decision to not change the voting precinct to the Woodland Town Hall, but instead leave it at Jerusalem Baptist Church. The board has requested they place signs at the end of Myrtle St. for people to see where to go to vote. Mrs. McDermott will contact the board of elections to make this request.
d. The filing period for the upcoming municipal election will begin at 12 noon on Friday, July 7, 2023 and end at 12 noon on Friday, July 21, 2023. The Town of Woodland will have three seats expiring including the mayor, Commissioner Outland, and Commissioner Morris' seats. The filing fee is $5.
e. Commissioner Christison and Mrs. McDermott will continue working on the new budget, and once they have completed it, the board will decide on a date for the budget workshop.
f. The board has discussed raising the water and sewer rates throughout the year. As we are preparing for a new budget year, Commissioner Christison and Mrs. McDermott feel it is imperative to make this rate increase at the start of the new fiscal year. Commissioner Cooper asked when the last increase was, and Mrs. McDermott answered 2018. The board agreed it is time for an increase.
g. Commissioner Christison asked the board for permission for Mrs. McDermott to sit in on the clerk position interviews. The board agreed.

Maintenance Report: Raymond Eaton was absent, therefore Mayor Beal read the monthly report.
a. Commissioner Christison got a quote from Triple R Tree Service to remove three trees in the parking lot next to Town Hall. This quote includes grinding of the stumps. Commissioner Christison made a motion to hire Triple R Tree Service to take down three trees and grind the stumps for a total of $5,628.00 using the OSBM grant line item 45-420-01. Commissioner Cooper seconded and the motion carried.
b. The maintenance department is requesting to only dump the loads of sand and rock customers purchase and not spread it when requested by the customer. They say it takes too much time and resources to spread the rock and sand while the town makes very little, if any profit on this service. The board discussed this and agreed that if the customers want the rock and sand to be spread, they will need to contact an outside person to do that job, someone with a small tractor, and at the customers' expense. Going forward, the town will only deliver the rock and sand and not spread it.
c. Spring Clean up will be May 1-5, 2023.
d. Commissioner Christison said someone is interested in purchasing the old Nationwide Building. Since the building is not in good shape and is next door to Attorney Culpepper's office, Commissioner Christison would like to talk to Mr. Culpepper first before we start the upset bid process.

Chestnut/Peachtree Sewer Replacement Project (CWSRF): Wednesday, May 3nl at 1 pm will be the pre-construction meeting. The contractors from Step Construction, the COG, our engineers, and someone from the state will be in attendance.
a. An amended project budget ordinance was submitted to included the $6,000 cost to Rivers & Associates for the easements and the amount the Town will be responsible for. Commissioner Christison made a motion to approve the amended project budget ordinance for the Peachtree/Chestnut Sewer Replacement Project #CS370639- 01/SRP-W-0200 in the amount of$ I,135,705.00. Commissioner Cooper seconded and the motion carried.

Asset Inventory Assessment (AIA):
a. Commissioner Christison made a motion to approve the resolution accepting the American Rescue Plan (ARP) offer of $150,000 to fund the Water System AIA project no. AIA-D-ARP-0076. Commissioner Cooper seconded and the motion carried.
b. The Offer and Acceptance is in the packet for review. Mayor Beale will sign this letter to be returned.
c. The Standard Conditions and Assurances is in the packet for review. Mayor Beale will sign this form to be returned.

CDBG:
a. The monthly reports from March and April are in the Minute Book.

Comments from the Mayor: Mayor Beale thanked Donielle McDermott for all she has done as clerk for the Town of Woodland.

Comments from the Commissioners: Commissioner Cooper thanked Donielle McDermott for her job as town clerk.

Commissioner Christison also thanked Mrs. McDermott for doing a great job as clerk.

Commissioner Cooper informed the board that Robbie Collier is going to have an artery replacement soon. Please be praying for him.

Public Comments: No comments

Closed Session: At 8:09 pm, Commissioner Christison made a motion to go into closed session pursuant to NCGS 143-318.1 I(a)(6), personnel issues.