VILLAGE OF FOREST HILLS COUNCIL MEETING

Monday, May 01, 2000

7:00 PM

Cullowhee Valley School Cafeteria

Present:  Mayor Irene Hooper; Councilpersons Jean Adams, Sharon Jacques, Larry Kolenbrander, Harold Williford; Clerk, Mary Ann Budahl; Treasurer, Carol Pearce; Attorney, Jay Coward; Sylva Herald reporter, Rose Hooper; and approximately 100 residents of Cullowhee.

Mayor Hooper called the meeting to order at 7:05 PM and welcomed everyone. 

Motion to approve the minutes of the preceding meeting held on April 3, 2000 as previously circulated (Jacques, Adams).  Passed unanimously.

Motion to approve the financial report as circulated (Jacques, Kolenbrander).  Discussion regarding expenditure necessary for road signs on non-state maintained roadway.  Passed unanimously.

Motion to approve contract with accountants Crisp, Hughes and Evans to audit the financial records of Forest Hills Village for the year ending June 30, 2000 not to exceed $1800.00 for the audit, $800.00 for preparation of financial statements, and $95.00 per hour for any addition bookkeeping assistance (Kolenbrander, Williford).  Passed unanimously. 

Old business: 

Budget Hearing:  Harold Williford discussed the history of our Village budget, the original of which was modeled after that of the Webster Township.  Overhead transparencies were used to show the development of the present budget.  Several line items were amended as indicated on the attached copy of the 2000 Budget.  Motion to accept (Williford, Kolenbrander).  Discussion:  It was ascertained that sufficient notice was given prior to the Budget Hearing.  Payment to the Cullowhee Volunteer Fire Department will be made each July instead of April in the future.  Passed unanimously.

Forest Hills will be amply represented in the Jackson County Heritage, Book Two, reports Mayor Hooper, who has included two pictures along with the narrative report she has submitted.

Motion from the Planning Board based on its deliberations to deny request to have a parcel of land between the University Inn and the condominiums rezoned for multi-family use as.  (Kolenbrander, Williford)  Passed with one dissenting vote.

Jim Wallace reported that he will soon be contacting members of the non-state maintained roadway committee to proceed to the next step of contacting personally each property owner involved.

Ron Stephens reported that the purpose of the Economic Development Committee (to which he is our delegate) is to invigorate Jackson County and the surrounding area.  Plans involving a high-tech industry to be located on 10 - 15 acres of land in the vicinity of WCU are in the works.

Extra-territorial jurisdiction:  Motion:  The Planning Board recommends that the Village Council develop a set of educational plans including items such as fact sheets, newspaper articles, letters to the editor, posters, postcards, and informational hearings to clarify issues relating to Extra-Territorial Jurisdiction.  (Kolenbrander, Williford)  Passed unanimously.  Drafts of fact sheet, letter to landowners involved in the proposed ETJ area, and suggestions for radio coverage and other media prepared by Lee Budahl were presented to the Council. 

New business:

Harold Williford will review the material involving the Powell Bill which will must be submitted after July l, 2000.

An ad hoc committee to discuss the use of, and the mechanics of, spending the Powell Bill funds will be convened.  The following Village residents will be requested to serve on this Committee by Mayor Hooper:  Mark Ellison, Ron Stephens, Angela Davis, and David Shapiro.

Mark Jamison, who represented the group, "Concerned Citizens Against ETJ" read a prepared statement requesting that the Village Council of Forest Hills drop their proposal for ETJ.

At 8:22 PM the motion to adjourn (Jacques, Adams) was passed unanimously.

Respectfully submitted,

Mary Ann Budahl, Village Clerk