Wendell News Outlet

Board of Commissioners Friday Update

March 14, 2008

ITEM 1. NO MARCH PLANNING BOARD MEETING

There will not be a Planning Board meeting on March 17^th.

ITEM 2. National Historic District Citizen Information Session – monday, march 17^th AT 6:00 p.m.

With the Planning Board meeting having been cancelled on March 17^th (due to a lack of any applications to come before the board), the opening in the meeting schedule has been filled by a citizen information session about the National Historic District application for Wendell Boulevard. The meeting will be at 6:00 p.m. Invitations have been sent to all property owners in this proposed district. As was discussed by Planning Director Teresa Piner at the March 10^th meeting, she will report back to the board about the results of this meeting.

ITEM 3. RETREAT UPDATE

As you are aware, the March 19^th retreat will be held in a board room at the NC League of Municipalities office in Raleigh. The retreat is scheduled to begin at 8:45 a.m. and to end at 4:30 p.m. The NCLM / NC Association of County Commissioners’ Albert Coates Governmental Center is located at 215 North Dawson Street, Raleigh. There is ample free parking around the building, as well as in the NCLM parking deck behind the building.

The background materials for retreat will be distributed by Monday.

ITEM 4. DROUGHT UPDATE

According to CORPUD Director Dale Crisp, the Falls Lake level A.M. today is 248.82 feet MSL, which is a slight increase in the lake level of approximately 2 inches from the beginning of the week (Tuesday). The lake level has experienced significant recovery since last week’s report due to the two rain events that occurred – almost 5 feet of lake level recovery!

The water supply days projection using the current 30 day pumpage average indicates we now have 265 days of water supply pool currently in storage at Falls Lake which projects to December 4, 2008. For more information, click here to read a News & Observer article.

The NC Drought Advisory Council has downgraded Wake County from “Exceptional Drought” to “Extreme Drought”. This is still a very serious category, but it is good news to see that our area has been downgraded. To view the NC Drought Advisory map, click here.

For the first time since August 2007, no county in the state is listed in "exceptional" drought, the worst of four categories, in the U.S. Drought Monitor's weekly report. Currently, 45 counties, covering 31 percent of the state, are in "extreme" drought; 37 counties, or 42 percent, are in "severe" drought; and 15 counties, or 17 percent, are in "moderate" drought. For more information, click here to read a News & Observer article .

As an example of what may be on the horizon, Charlotte is proposing an approximate 16% spike in its water billing rates. Wendell rates should not increase, due to the language in the merger agreement; however, Wendell customers could be made to pay for additional expenses through an extension of the buy-in amount in the merger proforma. For more information on the Charlotte increase, click here.

The News & Observer ran an interesting article about regionalism in regards to water resource management. To read the article, click here.

Governor Easley said he wants the Legislature to give governors more authority and to require more extensive planning. Easley will ask lawmakers when they reconvene in May to give the governor the authority to order a water system to provide water to a nearby community during an emergency. The legislation also would allow the more than 600 local water systems in the state to impose mandatory conservation measures on everyone in their jurisdiction during extreme or exceptional drought, including privately owned water utilities and communities that get water from private wells. Systems also would be banned from cutting prices for customers who use a lot of water. The N.C. League of Municipalities is reviewing the recommendations, spokeswoman Margot Christensen said. For more information on this item, click here to check-out a Charlotte Observer article.

The Asheville Citizen-Times had an interesting editorial about Governor Easley’s drought initiative. To read this article, click here.

ITEM 5. MEETING WITH RALEIGH AND OTHER MERGER TOWNS ON FRIDAY ABOUT WATER ISSUES

Mayor Broadwell and the manager met with mayors and managers of Raleigh, Garner, Wake Forest, Rolesville, Knightdale and Zebulon today (March 14^th) concerning the current state of the drought and the proposed Stage 3 restrictions. The following are some highlights of the meeting:

· Even with the recent rains, there is a need to maintain the Stage 2 restrictions.

· Falls Lake is about 70% full (about 5 billion gallons were added in the recent rains).

· A draft of Stage 3 restrictions was discussed. A meeting of Raleigh staff and staff members of each of the merger communities will occur in April to review the proposal.

· Tiered rates will likely occur in 12-15 months. This would require adjustment to merger agreements if instituted in merger communities.

As part of the drought response, Raleigh wants to work with nonprofits and service organizations to help install water conservation devises in homes of low income customers. If you know of an organization that may want to participate in this effort, please let the manager know.

ITEM 6. PROPOSED PERSONNEL POLICY CHANGE

A request to make a minor change in the Town of Wendell Personnel Policy has been made. This item is tentatively scheduled for discussion at the March 24, 2008 Board of Commissioners Work Session and for a possible vote at the April 14, 2008 Board of Commissioners meeting.

As per Section 4 of Article XII of the policy, notice of any suggested amendment to the personnel policy shall be provided to employees and opportunities for employee comment and reaction shall be made available prior to the amendments going to the Board of Commissioners for action. A memo (attached) concerning this matter has been sent to the employees for comment. The proposed change would allow anyone preparing for retirement to convert any and all of their accrued vacation time to sick time and to use this sick time for a credit towards retirement.

ITEM 7. MEETING WITH USDA RURAL DEVELOPMENT

Staff met with Garland Burnette, Area Director with the USDA Rural Development Smithfield office, on Thursday, March 13^th. USDA Rural Development helps rural communities with financing for community facilities, housing and water and sewer projects. They also have their Rural Business Enterprise Grant (RBEG) fund. The manager has worked with USDA Rural Development on numerous projects in other jurisdictions.

Even though Wendell is in a metropolitan county, we are on the fringe, and we currently probably have more in common with some Johnston County towns than we do with many Wake County towns. Johnson County towns have taken advantage of the USDA Rural Development programs in recent history.

One thing that would make any application that we would submit a little weaker is the fact that the Wendell median income ($39,750 by the 2000 census) is higher than the state average ($38,175 by the 2000 census). This fact would prevent us from being eligible for most of USDA Rural Development’s grant funds, but we could apply to the Community Facility financing program for the senior center relocation project when we get closer to that project. Additionally, we discussed submitting a RBEG grant application next year. (Application will be distributed in November 2008).

ITEM 8. AIRPORT SITE VISITS – MARCH 20^TH

The tentative schedule for the March 20^th airport site visits is below.

General Aviation Airport Site Visits

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Itinerary

9:15 AM Leave from Commons

9:30 AM Pick up Commissioner Brown at Swinburne Building

10:45 AM Arrive at Burlington/Alamance County GA Airport for tour

12:00 PM Lunch – either on-site or on the way to Lee County Airport (TBD)

2:15 PM Arrive at Sanford/Lee County GA Airport

3:30 PM Leave for Commons

4:30 PM Arrive at Commons

We have been asked to meet at the Wake County Commons facilities on Poole Road (the same location as the January 7^th retreat) around 9:00 a.m. Anyone wishing to ride with the manager to the Wake County Commons facilities can meet him at town hall by 8:45 a.m.

ITEM 9. OTHER:

A. The NC DOT has changed the speed limit of the eastern part of Wendell Boulevard (from Cedarmere Drive to Old Zebulon Road) from 45 mph to 35 mph.

B. The Wake Forest court dates will be held in Wendell for an approximate 18-month period starting April 18^th.

C. One of our police officers, Jermain Thomas, has volunteered to read the news once in a while on East Wake TV. Be on the lookout for him.

D. Town facilities will be closed on Friday, March 21^st for the Good Friday holiday.

E. Staff has received a proof of the proposed update for the town’s Code of Ordinances and is currently reviewing this draft.

F. The East Wake Education Foundation “Stars in the East” event will be held Thursday, March 27^th at East Wake High School. Traditionally, the town sponsors a table, and the Mayor / Commissioners and spouses are invited to attend. Please let us know by March 10^th if you and your spouse would like to attend this event.

ITEM 10. UPCOMING EVENTS:

DATE TIME EVENT LOCATION

03/17 7:00 p.m. Planning Board Meeting Town Hall

03/17 6:00 p.m.- National Historic District Citizen Town Hall

7:30 p.m. Information Session

03/19 8:45 a.m.- 2^nd Board of Commissioners Retreat NCLM Building,

4:30 p.m. Raleigh

03/20 Airport Site Visits (Burlington, Sanford)

03/21 Good Friday – Town offices closed

03/22 11:00 a.m. Chamber Easter Egg Hunt Carver Elementary

03/24 7:00 p.m. Board of Commissioners Committee Town Hall

Meeting (including presentation of the

Draft FY 2009-13 CIP)

03/27 East Wake Education Foundation’s East Wake H. S.

“Stars in the East” event Gym

04/03 7:00 p.m. Special Called Meeting – Community Community Ctr.

Meeting about a General Aviation

Airport

04/07 6:00 p.m. UDO Meeting Town Hall

04/14 7:00 p.m. Board of Commissioners Meeting Town Hall

04/21 7:00 p.m. Planning Board Meeting Town Hall

04/22 10:00 a.m. Board of Commissioners Budget Town Hall

Work Session

04/28 7:00 p.m. Board of Commissioners Committee Town Hall

Meeting

05/05 6:00 p.m. UDO Meeting Town Hall

05/12 7:00 p.m. Board of Commissioners Meeting Town Hall

(including presentation of the

Manager’s FY 2008-09 Proposed Budget)

05/14 1:00 p.m. Wendell Chamber Golf Tournament Wendell Country

Club

05/19 7:00 p.m. Planning Board Meeting Town Hall

05/26 Memorial Day – Town offices closed

05/27 7:00 p.m. (RE-SCHEDULED DUE TO HOLIDAY)

Board of Commissioners Committee Town Hall

Meeting (including the public hearing

on the budget)

06/02 6:00 p.m. UDO Meeting Town Hall

06/04 NCLM Town Hall Day NC Legislature

06/09 7:00 p.m. Board of Commissioners Meeting Town Hall

(including, potentially, adoption of the

FY 2008-09 Budget)

posted by Administrator  # 10:17 PM