Tag Archive for: #hendersoncitycouncil

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Daeke, Henderson City Councilman, Talks Dabney Dr. Rezoning

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Garry Daeke, Henderson City Council member, was on Tuesday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk program to provide further insight into the Council’s recent discussions on the possible rezoning of three lots at the corner of Lynne Avenue and Dabney Drive in Henderson.

Currently zoned for either residential or light commercial traffic, the Council has tabled the discussion on rezoning the lots for a heavier commercial use until their next meeting in February.

Further complicating any final rezoning decision is the concern over increased traffic volume in an already congested area along with uncertainty on the NCDOT’s current plans for the restructuring of parts of Dabney Drive.

“We know traffic on Dabney Drive is pretty bad most of the time, especially on Fridays and weekend,” said Daeke. “The corner of Lynne Avenue and Dabney has some particular concerns about ingress and egress traffic. For example, when you turn right off Lynne Avenue, you turn immediately into the right lane turning into the old Henderson Mall. Traffic also has difficulty turning left there and generally has to turn right.”

Daeke said one consideration to address safety concerns would be to make the area an out parcel of the mall and design the entrance and exits of any businesses that occupy that space to be accessible only through the mall parking lot.

According to Daeke, what the DOT has planned for Dabney Drive will also play into consideration. “We hope what the DOT does to Dabney Drive will help with that area, but we need more information before making a decision.”

As of now, Henderson City Council members are aware that the DOT is focusing its Dabney Drive surveying efforts from the intersection of the old mall to Interstate 85.

While Daeke said there have been talks that the lanes near the old mall intersection will be redesigned, the Council has not yet received an indication if that includes measures such as adding medians or changing the entire structure of the traffic flow.

Looking ahead to the future, Daeke said there are additional plans for Dabney Drive that include making the current road a one-way from the corner of Oxford Road and Dabney, all the way to the interstate. This plan also includes the addition of another one-way street running parallel along the old railroad line.

As with any project, costs and logistics are major considerations. “Some properties would be affected by this plan and that issue would need to be addressed. The plan we’ve been shown includes bike and pedestrian lanes and sidewalks; it’s a beautiful plan,” said Daeke.

While up to the DOT to fund any such project, Daeke said he believes “Dabney Drive needs it for growth in the future and for safety.” He suggested the implementation of the plan would be at least 5-10 years down the road.

Remembrance:

In an aside from the main interview topic, Daeke also discussed his fond memories of the late Mary Emma Evans, a former Henderson City Council member, on the occasion of her recent birthday.

“Mary was a sweet lady and a dear friend. She always called me ‘Daeke,’ which made me laugh. She always cared so much for the community and was wonderful to work with.”

“Something that she used to always say to me that I’ll never forget is, ‘We can disagree and we can have different opinions; that doesn’t have to mean we have to be disagreeable.’ She was always about compromise and working together to find a solution. We miss her and may she rest in peace”

To hear the interview in its entirety, please click here. Daeke’s interview portion of the Town Talk segment begins at the 14:27 mark.  

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Breckenridge Pavilion Project Slowly, but Surely, Moving Ahead

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Among the agenda items for the City of Henderson’s Public Works Committee at their meeting this past Friday, January 11 was the proposed outdoor pavilion set to complete the area known as Breckenridge Commons.

Intended for live performances and more, the pavilion will sit on the open end of the block occupied by the Henderson Police Station – the end closer to Chestnut Street between Breckenridge and Montgomery streets.

City Councilman William Burnette serves on the Public Works Committee and gave WIZS News a synopsis of the meeting.

In regards to the progress made on the pavilion, Burnette responded, “We have the preliminary concept in place. We’ve talked to two different companies concerning the groundwork. So, hopefully, we can get this off the ground pretty quickly.”

According to Burnette, while the committee would like to see the project completed in the next two months, it will more likely be three to four months. Certain donated structures are not expected to be in place until the fall of this year.

The City has been taking its time on this project for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is working out of an abundance of caution given how permanent and important the final product will be.

The cost of the pavilion, to include repair and repaving of the nearby parking lot, will be approximately $200,000 according to Burnette.

The completed pavilion will be used during events such as the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce’s outdoor “Meet Me in the Street” series. Currently, the events require tractor trailers to block off streets and certain permits. Burnette believes the pavilion will make events such as these easier to plan and more accessible to the community.

Burnette is looking forward to seeing the completed project and is confident that citizens will enjoy the pavilion. “We need to get it off the ground so the citizens can enjoy it. I’m excited about it! I think it’s going to add to McGregor Hall. We’re not going to be in competition with them, but it should add to them.”

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Coffey Discusses Kerr Lake Regional Water Meeting, Possible Rate Changes

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Sara Coffey, member of the Henderson City Council, was on Wednesday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk program to discuss the City’s recent meeting with the Kerr Lake Regional Water Partners.

Attendees of the November 27 meeting held at City Hall included representatives from the City of Henderson, the City of Oxford and Warren County.

The KLRW Advisory Board reviewed the system upgrade project, discussed a possible revision of the partners’ rate structure and reviewed results from a recent study projecting water usage over the next 10 years.

According to Coffey, the meeting focused mainly on a potential new rate structure and the partners’ capacity needs.

“No decisions were made at this meeting, other than to move forward with the rate structure discussion,” said Coffey. “We will meet again in December to decide how to proceed.”

Several factors necessitate a rate structure change, Coffey said, including the increase in cost to operate the water plant, the cost of new equipment and the increase in costs of water and water treatment measures.

“We [Henderson] are 60 percent partners, so 60 percent of the debt is on the City of Henderson,” said Coffey. “We need a different rate structure; ours has been the same for a good, long time now.”

Additional discussions focused on the capacity needs of each partner, a task that, according to Coffey, is hard to determine exactly. To help with this process, a study was conducted to project water usage for the next 10 years according to a variety of scenarios.

Plans to change the rate structure are still in the infancy stage, but, according to Coffey, the project will move forward.

“All we came away with yesterday was to know the project wasn’t going to be scrapped. Warren County has $3 million and we [Henderson] have $3 million to use. It does not need to be sent back. It needs to go into the water and water plant.”

To hear the interview in its entirety, including discussion on current and upcoming events in and around Henderson, please click here.

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Henderson City Council Meeting 10-8-18

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The Henderson City Council’s regularly scheduled meeting is Monday, Oct 8.  It takes place as always at the City Hall Council Chambers, 134 Rose Avenue.  Time is 6 p.m.

The full agenda is available by clicking here.

A couple of standout items on the agenda include:

  • Consideration of Approval of Ordinance 18-52, Amending Section 7-49 of the Henderson City Code Declaring Court Street from Young Street to Montgomery Street a “One-Way’ Street.
  • Consideration of Approval of 1) Resolution 18-63, Authorizing an Additional Interim Sewer Tap Fee of $500.
  • Reports from the City Manager as well as E-911, the Fire Department and Recreation and Parks
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Public Safety Committee to Discuss Fire Redistricting – TOMORROW

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-Information courtesy Kelly H. Grissom, Clerk to the Board, Vance County

The Public Safety Committee (Commissioners Wilder, Brummitt and Faines) will meet tomorrow, Wed., July 25, 2018, at 3 p.m. in the Administrative Conference Room, Vance County Administration Building, 122 Young Street, Henderson, NC.

The purpose of this meeting is to discuss fire service redistricting, fire service restructuring and EMS matters.

Tony Bailey, OSFM, will be in attendance.

The meeting is open to the public.

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Food Trucks in Downtown Henderson Still a Possibility

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On Wednesday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk program, Downtown Development Director Kaine Riggan addressed the recent discussion on allowing food trucks to park and operate in the downtown Henderson area.

At their July 9 meeting, with a vote of 5-3, the Henderson City Council nixed a proposal to allow food trucks to operate in designated areas downtown.

Gavin Jackson, owner of Gavin’s Grub Hub, proposed parking and serving food from his food truck in the City-owned parking lot at the corner of Garnett and Orange streets, next to Gupton’s Sporting Goods.

Garry Daeke, a member of the Henderson City Council, called in during Town Talk to provide insight into the Council’s initial decision. Referring to the Council, Daeke explained, “I don’t think anybody is afraid of having food trucks downtown. Most of us are fairly progressive and we think it is a good idea.”

According to Daeke, the outcome of the vote was simply a matter of the City Council not having enough information. “It comes down to having the information to make an informed decision,” said Daeke. “At the last meeting, we didn’t have enough information to make a decision.”

Riggan explained that he moved quickly when he learned of Jackson’s interest in bringing his food truck downtown. “I went at the speed of light to the City and said ‘hey, let’s make this happen.’ So that was a five-day process and I think that ended up being what caused us to get slowed down.”

A typical procedure for such a request, according to Daeke, involves a proposal that goes before a committee to review for liability issues, a discussion on fairness to other businesses, a public hearing to allow the community’s opinion to be heard and then a vote from the City Council.

In reference to the disappoint that the community has expressed in the initial vote, Daeke said, “I think if that process had been done, none of this would be going on now. If we had that process, it would have come up at our August meeting and we would have voted for it and moved on.”

Riggan agreed with Daeke’s sentiment and stated, “That was my first presentation for the City Council, so I’m still learning. I walked out of that meeting and got some advice from the Assistant City Manager about some things I could probably have done differently.”

All hope is not lost for downtown food trucks, as Daeke said he felt sure there would be an upcoming public hearing to discuss the matter further. “We’ll get that ordinance, probably at the next [City Council] meeting and it will have details about the responsibilities of both parties, then a public hearing and then a vote.”

Both Riggan and Daeke expressed their appreciation for all of the local talk this issue has generated. “This has created some great discussion and a lot of community input. We just didn’t get it in the format that we could act on,” said Daeke.

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Downtown Food Truck Vote Has Folks Talking

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At Monday night’s meeting, with a vote of 5-3, the Henderson City Council nixed a proposal to allow food trucks to operate in a designated area of downtown Henderson.

Gavin Jackson, owner of Gavin’s Grub Hub, proposed parking and serving food from his food truck in the City-owned parking lot at the corner of Garnett and Orange streets, next to Gupton’s Sporting Goods.

Jackson’s food truck has been a regular at various events in the community as well as a fan-favorite at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market. Jackson is also the former chef at the Henderson Country Club.

City Council members George Daye, Melissa Elliott and Mike Rainey represent the three votes in favor of allowing the food truck to operate downtown.

In a phone interview with WIZS, Rainey said, “You see these trucks in all other big cities. It’s a thing. It’s just a way of getting people downtown for one thing. It gives [people] another outlet to find their lunch or whatever the case may be, and it keeps them downtown. People who work downtown have a [place] to go eat; they can go anywhere they want to, but this gives them another avenue for lunch. It’s just another business trying to establish itself in the City of Henderson.”

Henderson City Council member Sara Coffey, who voted against the food truck proposal, told WIZS News by Facebook message for publication, “We were not given the complete information about the trucks. The restaurants that would be affected were not given a chance to voice their opinions. They were not given complete facts either. To me when someone comes in and buys a business and puts down roots to serve our public such as [Uncle] Lews and [Next Door] Bistro have done, I think it’s only fair they share their opinion. They are employers, taxpayers, water users, pay electric bills and have waitresses that depend on tips to feed their families. Even though I’m not against food trucks, I do believe restaurants should weigh in on their placement. I don’t want any business harmed that has invested in our city by a mobile unit that is here today, gone tomorrow without having input.”

In an article titled “While the iron is hot” written for The Daily Dispatch and republished in part, with permission, Henderson-Vance Downtown Development Director Kaine Riggan expressed his frustration with the Council’s decision:

I know all of the council members who voted “no” did so out of what they consider to be the best interest of the city they also love, but I can’t help but wonder what makes them say no to anyone who wants to open a legal business on Garnett Street.

It ain’t exactly an easy sell, folks. And businesses are moving out faster than they are moving in. Southside Office Supply left last month. Gupton’s Gun Shop is closing next month after 60 years. And another upcoming big departure is so fresh a wound that I can’t even make it public yet.

Opposing votes voiced opinions that it might hurt the other restaurants.

Rainey, longtime owner of City Tire, made a point that all the new, used tire places popping up aren’t exactly great for his business, but we can’t stop them from opening because of it.

I have been meeting with Henderson’s merchants, studying successfully revitalized downtowns and listening to advise for almost 12 months, now, and one thing is clear: While we are saying no and closing stores, neighboring towns are saying yes and reaping the revenue as a result.

This past weekend, I hosted Leon Steele, Kinston’s Downtown Development director, for a lunch on Kerr Lake and a tour of our downtown. In his town, with similar demographics to ours, he has full city and county support, revenues from a Municipal Service District tax and historic tax credit renovation projects peppering his Main Street program. In total, a $400,000 annual budget for Kinston’s downtown efforts compared to Henderson’s $52,000. I wanted to know his secret.

He credits a codes department and planners willing to find a way to make things work as the key to their success, as well as the city’s willingness to embrace change. “It takes leaders who think the downtown is important enough to start saying yes to things,” Steele said.

I think we have those leaders at the city level, we just need to work on being more aware of the speed of our process so as not to lose good leads when we get them.

Meanwhile, Jackson can park his truck in downtown Oxford or downtown Warrenton within the week.

“I can’t wait around for months for them to decide whether or not to let me run my business and pay my taxes,” Jackson said when I told him about Monday’s council decision. “It shouldn’t be this hard to get started.”

I would like to thank Mayor Ellington and the city staff for pushing the “food truck ordinance” forward very efficiently. I expect that it will make it through committee and back before the council in coming months and will most likely pass the next time. I just hope we still have a prospect on deck when it does.

Elaborating on his opinion, Jackson stated in a Facebook message to WIZS, “We pay for all kinds of permits, inspections, county and city inspections, registration on the vehicle and mobile kitchen, environmental health permit; we buy fuel and propane from local businesses, which is my source of power. We do pay property taxes on the truck and mobile kitchen and the property taxes on our home because this business allows us to live here. We plan to employ [other] people and is it not important to employ me? My family? We all work at this business.”

In a recent poll on WIZS Radio’s Facebook page, 98 percent of 358 participants voted in support of food trucks in downtown Henderson.

Please visit WIZS’ Facebook page [click here] to express your opinion on the food truck topic. You can leave your comments on the posting for this article or from yesterday’s thread. We would love to hear from those both for and against food trucks in downtown – especially from downtown restaurant owners.

The Monday, July 16 edition of Town Talk will also feature more discussion on the food truck debate. Feel free to call in at (252) 492-5594 to share your opinion.

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Henderson City Council’s July Meeting to Include Public Hearing on Annexation

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-Public Notice, courtesy Esther J. McCrackin, City Clerk, City of Henderson

The Henderson City Council is scheduled to hold their regular meeting on Monday, July 9, 2018, at 6 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers, 134 Rose Ave., Henderson, NC 27536

Agenda items include:

1. Holding A Public Hearing on the Question of Annexation, Pursuant to North Carolina G.S. 160A-31 and

  • Consideration of Approval of Ordinance 18-28, Extending the Corporate Limits of the City of Henderson, North Carolina;
  • Assignment of Newly Annexed Area to Ward 4; and
  • Directing the City Attorney to Record the Annexation Map with Vance County Board of Elections, Vance County Register of Deeds and the North Carolina Secretary of State.

2. Consideration of Approval of Ordinance 18-04, Amending the Zoning Ordinance Section 903.2 Site Plans and Other Requirements, 903.2.2 Single Family Residence and Duplex, and 903.3 Complete Application.

3. Consideration of Approval of Ordinance 18-12, Amending the Zoning Ordinance Section 909.1 Criminal and Penalties.

4. Consideration of Approval of Ordinance 18-26, Order of Demolition for 200 Parham Road, Former Kerr Lake Inn Hotel.

5. Consideration of Approval of Resolution 18-44, Approving a Water Sales Agreement as Amended with Vance County and the Vance County Water District.

6. Consideration of Approval of Resolution 18-45 Amending the Joint Funding Agreement for the Perry Memorial Library.

7. Consideration of Approval of Ordinance 18-29, Amending Schedule of Streets Set Forth in the City Code, Section 7-66 Relative to Replacing Yield Signs Throughout the City Limits to Stop Signs.

8. Consideration of Approval of Resolution 18-46, Approving the Use of Urban Homesteading Properties for Rehabilitation by the Triangle Literacy Council and Constructing Pathway to Prosperity Program Students.

9. Consideration of Approval of 1) Resolution 18-47, Approving the Execution of a Design Contract with CDM Constructors, Inc., for the Kerr Lake Regional Water System Plant Improvement Project Phase 1B; and 2) Ordinance 18-30, FY18 BA #26, to Establish the Budget for the Above Mentioned Project.

10. Consideration of Approval of Resolution 18-19, Establishing Uniform Guidance and Updated Procurement Policies and Procedures.

11. Consideration of Approval of Resolution 18-49, Establishing a Mobile Food Unit Operating Zone along Orange Street.

12. Consideration of Approval of Resolution 18-43, Appointments to the Board of Adjustment, Planning Board, Airport Authority, Community-Wide Advisory Committee and the Henderson-Vance Recreation and Parks Commission.

13. Consideration of Approval of Ordinance 18-31, Closing Out the 2017 Governor’s. Crime Commission ICACA Task Force Grant.

14. Consideration of Approval of Ordinance 18-32, FY18 BA# 27, Amending the FY 17- 18 Budget as Part of the Year Ending Budget Reconciliation Process.

15. Consideration of Approval of 1) Resolution 18-48, Authorizing the Acceptance of the 2017 BJA Grant in the Amount of $19,590; and 2) Ordinance 18-33, FY19 Budget Amendment #1, Establishing the BJA 2017 Grant Project Budget.

16. Tax Releases and Refunds from Vance County for the Month of May 2018.

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Henderson City Council Adopts FY 2018-19 Budget

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Without further ado, the Henderson City Council adopted the proposed FY 2018-19 budget at their Monday, June 11, 2018, meeting.

After hearing a brief summary of the overall budget from City Manager Frank Frazier, who thanked council members for the meetings and work sessions that were held to get to that point in the budget process, the approximately $44 million budget was approved.

Frazier said he felt encouraged about the budget thanks, in part, to an increase in the amount of sales tax collected this past fiscal year. “We were slightly ahead of projections,” Frazier reported. “Whereas some projections by different agencies increased that [collection rate] to 4%, we used a more conservative approach at 2%.”

Frazier also reported an increase in the personal/real property tax collection rate as performed by the Vance County Tax Office. “This collection helped increase our revenue projections for the upcoming year and staff worked hard over the last several years in becoming a safer workforce and obtaining a better worker’s comp rate,” said Frazier.

The increase in tax collection has also helped to offset the less than 1% lower personal property value from the previous fiscal year.

Budgeted funds for the final phase in a five-year pay class study allows for a 5% pay increase for City employees effective August 9, 2018. According to Frazier, “This helps us to reduce our turnover rate and also helps us compete with our neighboring jurisdictions.”

As previously reported to WIZS by Henderson City Councilman Garry Daeke, the turnover rate for City of Henderson employees has dropped from 20% to 5% since the implementation of the five-year study.

This year’s budget was approved with no tax rate increase, keeping the rate steady at approximately 71 cents per $100 of property value. Sanitary sewer and sanitation rates also remain unchanged.

A 5% water rate increase was approved, which will allow for the completion of several infrastructure projects with streets, water and sewer as well as equipment purchases.

As Frazier stated in previous budget documentation “Whereas not all needs are met, as in most budgets, I believe this budget represents further positive steps in areas not funded previously, which will help the City continue to grow and reach its full potential again.”

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Remainder of Henderson City Council Budget Sessions Canceled

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-Information courtesy Esther J. McCrackin, City Clerk, City of Henderson

During the Public Meeting Budget Work Session on Monday, May 21, the Henderson City Council concluded its budget deliberations; therefore, the remainder of the budget work sessions have been canceled.

The City Council will formally approve the budget during its regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, June 11, 2018.