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TOWN OF COLUMBIA BOARD MINUTES

December 5, 2016

The Board of Aldermen of the Town of Columbia met in regular session at 7:PM, Monday, December 5, 2016, in the meeting room of the ColumbiaMunicipalBuilding. Aldermen attending were: Lloyd Armstrong, James Cahoon, Mildred Ogletree, Ray Marner and Sandra Owens. Mayor F. Michael Griffin presided.

Mayor Griffin called the meeting to order and asked Alderman Cahoon to offer a prayer for the Board. He welcomed those attending.

Upon motion of Alderman Ogletree, the Consent Agenda was unanimously approved. This included:

  1. Minutes of November 7, 2016 Regular Meeting
  2. Tax Discoveries –

Puricore Inc.$ 13.47

Piedmont Natural Gas$ 604.58

  1. Tax Releases –

Piedmont Natural Gas$ 225.32

  1. Water/Sewer Adjustments –

Downward Adjustment

Sam Spencer$ 239.94

Johnny Combs$ 29.91

Mayor Griffin announced the Public Comment Period and invited comments from the public. No one came forward and the comment period was closed.

Deputy Kevin Sawyer presented the November Law Enforcement Report. He noted there were 607 law enforcement actions or calls within the town during the month, including 489 business checks and 22 security checks. He reported 15 vehicle related charges issued during November and said officers traveled 1,058 miles patrolling the town during the month.

Jimmy Fleming, a resident of Green Street and operator of a business just outside the town limits, addressed the Board concerning flooding, storm drainage and other problems on the north side of town. He noted that properties along Green, Howard, Light, North Road streets and Virginia Avenue have repeatedly flooded during hurricane, tropical storm, rain storm and high tide events. He called for action to dredge the NorthBoundaryCanal and raise North Road Street at and near the canal location. He said three recent flooding events and the uncertainty of any work to address the roadway and canal issues contributed to his decision to close his business and retire.

He suggested asking NC State University engineering students to address the problem as a class project. He said cleaning the canal should be a priority.

Mayor Griffin responded that the town is working on both the roadway and canal problem, with plans in place to elevate the road surface and place a larger culvert where North Road Street crosses the canal. He added that NCDOT is almost $500,000 short of

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funds to do the needed and already engineered road work and that the town is working with the Albemarle RC&D organization to secure funding and permits to dredge the canal.

Mr. Fleming said the new elevated US-64 is a dike that creates much of the problem. Mayor Griffin and several Aldermen agreed.

Alderman Ogletree noted that other areas of the town are suffering from flooding, including the riverfront North water Street area where she lives. She said she is getting ready to relocate so hurricane repairs can be made to her home. She also said she believes science demonstrates that sea level rise and climate change is part of the issue.

Alderman Owens agreed that all parts of the town are affected by the repetitive flooding events.

Ms. Gail Cohoon, a resident of Martha Street said her street should be added to the list of flood prone areas. She called for immediate action to address the problems, indicating the flooding is creating a slum area on the north side of town.

Steve Bryan, attending as a Chamber of Commerce representative, suggested that Dr. Christina Abernarius of EastCarolinaUniversity may be able to provide some graduate school student help to address the flooding problems.

The Aldermen reviewed a FEMA Mitigation Proposal that has been submitted to FEMA and State Emergency Management Officials, requesting that the North Road Street and NorthBoundaryCanal projects be designated and funded as a FEMA Mitigation Project. The request has been reviewed by some FEMA officials who encouraged moving forward with the funding effort.

The proposal asks for $500,000 to complete the road work and $187,500 to dredge the canal.

Town Manager Rhett White reported on correspondence and conversations with officials from the Wilmington District US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) concerning assistance to address flooding problems. He said the USACE has two programs that may be available to local communities with repeated flooding problems. One is planning only assistance with a 50/50 match for planning work usually costing $100,000 total and taking 12-18 months to complete.

The second program involves design and funding of flood control measures. Mr. White said this work may take five to fifteen years, according to the Corps official.

Upon motion of Alderman Cahoon, the vote was unanimous to ask the US Army Corps of Engineers for planning assistance to address flooding issues affecting the town.

Mr. White reported that town staff will meet with Northeast Workforce Development officials to set up paperwork necessary to employ four hurricane disaster workers for up to six months. He explained that they will clean storm drains, clear drainage ditches, remove trees impacting town equipment and properties, and make board walk repairs. The employees will come to the town from an Albemarle Commission grant to employ workers displaced by Hurricane Matthew.

Board members considered a request from Habitat for Humanity to donate the lot at 107 Scottsville Street to that organization. Mr. White explained that Habitat will demolish and remove the derelict house on the property and build a new home on the

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9,270 sq. ft.lot. The property will be deeded to the new homeowners who will then pay taxes on the property that is currently generating no taxes.

He noted that the property is jointly owned by the town and TyrrellCounty and was offered for sale a year-ago with one potential buyer who did not follow through with a purchase. He said the Tyrrell County Board of Commissioners will consider the Habitat request during their December meeting.

Town Attorney Dwight Wheless explained that it is legal to donate the property to a not-for-profit organization that will carry out a project for a public purpose. It was noted that the Habitat project will help revitalize a neighborhood and will result in a tax producing property.

By consensus the Board directed Mr. Wheless to dray up a list of requirements for gifting the property, known as the Mary Marner property, to Habitat for Humanity, subject to agreement by TyrrellCounty.

It was reported that there was no response from TyrrellCounty on the revised Alligator Sewer Contract.

The update on the two Building Reuse and Renovation grant projects indicated no change since the October report.

The Manager reported that signs have been ordered for “NO WAKE” zones during flooding events. He said a written request has been sent to NCDOT requesting permission to designate N. Road and parts of Main Street as “NO WAKE” zones. He said a decision is still awaited on the town’s request to re-designate the school crossing zone

on US-64/Scuppernong Drive.

He reported that the AlbemarleServiceCenter property on N. Road Street Extended has been sold and that the new owner has requested sewer services which will necessitate annexation of the property. He said two double-wide mobile homes are slated to be brought into town after the first of the year. One will replace an older single-wide and the other will go on a permitted lot in a zoned mobile home park. He said both owners are surprised at the elevation requirements due to the flood zone and requirement to set up two feet above the base flood elevation.

Mr. White said it is understood that the Tyrrell CDC will be back in operation in 2017. This led to discussion about requiring the CDC to clean up their property and to complete needed repairs to their office building on Main Street.

Mr. White announced that Kelvin Dunbar is retiring at the end of December and applications are being accepted for his position as Street/Parks Maintenance Worker.

Alderman Owens asked for clarification on the fines for violating the no wake and grass clipping ordinances.

Alderman Ogletree repeated again that the Board is attempting to address the flooding problems from several directions. She also thanked Edith Deltgen for the “Peace and Love” trees at the Town Commons, noting that the art project received wide support.

She announced that the UNC students will return in March to help with public projects.

Alderman Cahoon said the Board appreciates expression of concern about the flooding problems. He said trees and shrubs need to be trimmed at several intersections and asked about the Jean Spencer property foreclosure on Virginia Avenue. Mr. White

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responded that the law firm handling the tax foreclosure reported having “obtained service” with the next step to send a “final demand letter.”

Alderman Armstrong also thanked the public for their comments and desire to see flooding addressed. He said a long term study of the river and impacts such as the elevated US-64 may be necessary, calling for the community to work with the Board to find solutions.

He reported that the Tyrrell Volunteer Fire Department plans to purchase two new fire trucks. He asked about any action on the subdivision south of TyrrellElementary School and offered compliments on the town’s Christmas decorations.

Mr. White reported that there has been no recent communication concerning the ColumbiaVillage project.

Mayor Griffin announced the holiday closing schedule and noted that the Board’s January meeting will be on Tuesday, January 3, 2017.

With no other business, Mayor Griffin adjourned the meeting.

This the 5th day of December, 2016.

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F. Michael Griffin, Mayor

ATTEST:

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Rhett B. White, Clerk