Minutes

Village of Forest Hills Council Meeting

Monday, March 6, 2000

7:00 PM

University Inn

Present:  Mayor Irene Hooper; Councilpersons Jean Adams, Sharon Jacques, Harold Williford; Village Clerk Mary Ann Budahl; Village Treasurer Carol Pearce; Village residents Ian Pritchard and Ron Stephens; Village Attorney Jay Coward; Sylva Herald Reporter Rose Hooper.

Mayor Hooper called the meeting to order at 7:10 PM, welcomed all present, and introduced Attorney Jay Coward.

Motion to approve the minutes of February 7, 2000 as circulated.  (Sharon Jacques, Jean Adams).  Passed.  It was decided by consensus that the minutes with attachments will be posted in the Village news box near the entrance to the University Inn, and minutes without attachments will be emailed to residents and interested parties who have submitted their email addresses to the Clerk.

Treasurer's report:  We have a balance of $34,531.15, which included January Tax Collections of $1,101.07 and Sales Tax Collections of $2,016.22.  Interest income received was $94.55, and Treasurer, Carol Pearce is investigating any retroactive interest income that may be owed to us.  She presented the purchase order forms which are to be generated by Council members for expenditures over $100.00, attached to the pertinent invoice, and sent to the Treasurer for payment.  Harold Williford and Carol Pearce will work on an amended budget and submit it to Council.  Jay Coward will look into the matter of tax collections being direct deposited into our account.  The budget committee will also investigate whether the Village has been receiving all taxes such as sales, utility, cable, etc., due since incorporation; and whether the current tax rate should be adjusted.

Old business:

1.                    Letter of Agreement between Forest Hills Village and Jay Coward was signed by both Mr. Coward and Mayor Irene Hooper on February 13, 2000.

2.                   We are still awaiting the street signs at both entrances to Cox Farm Road.

3.                   Mayor Hooper is writing a summary of the history of the Village of Forest Hills to be submitted to The Jackson County Heritage - North Carolina Vol. 2.

4.                   Ron Stephens noted that if the maintenance of portions of North and South Country Club Roads are taken over by the State, a substantial sum of money will be needed from the Village to cover costs of upgrading since State funding is not adequate.  Powell Bill Funds can be used, as well as reserves that are being collected in the Village treasury.

5.                   The Greenway Task Force meeting was postponed from February 29^th to tomorrow.  Sharon Jacques (in Larry Kolenbrander's absence) and Mayor Hooper will attend.

6.                   The Census 2000 Local Update of Census Addresses determination list has been completed and shows that Forest Hills housing unit count is 184.  The hope was expressed that Forest Hills has 100% participation so that our community will receive its fair share of public funds allocated on the basis of census-based formulae.

7.                   The Economic Development Commission agreement was signed and returned to the EDC office.  Ron Stephens reported that at the annual meeting that he attended, the laying of the natural gas line from Haywood County to Sylva and to WCU within the next one or two years was discussed.  Discussion whether there was likely to be interest in involving Forest Hills in this project at private funding.  There is a possibility that fiber optic cable would be laid along with the natural gas line.

8.                   Report on Tuckasegee Water and Sewer Authority meeting of February 8^th presented by Village Representative, Ian Pritchard.  W K Dickson Co. is set to hook up water to the WCU campus in April 2000.  Feasibility study involving interest in laying a sewer line in Forest Hills was discussed.

9.                   The letters to land owners on the non-state maintained portions of North and South Country Club Drive regarding State maintenance were mailed on February 11^th.  So far, the verbal feedback has been positive.  The committee will be calling on residents or sending follow up letters requesting signatures on the petition in the next few weeks.

10.                Mayor Hooper attended the annual meeting of the Southwestern Commission on February 11 in Cherokee.  A very informative speaker from Raleigh spoke on natural resources.

New Business:

1.                                Barbara Hollister, a property owner on North Country Club Drive has requested that her lot be rezoned for commercial use.  Jean Adams, the Zoning Administrator, will send to both Mrs. Hollister, and to her potential buyer copies of the Zoning Ordinance.

2.                               The Jackson County Board of Commissioners has rescheduled a joint governmental meeting to be held on March 21, 2000 7:00 PM, Room 203 at the Justice and Administration Center.  The Village Council along with other municipalities are invited to attend

3.                               Mayor Hooper distributed copies of remarks by Governor Jim Hunt and Lieutenant Governor Dennis Wicker regarding land development, sprawl, traffic congestion, poor air quality, and loss of farmland and recreational open space in North Carolina which were presented to the Smart Growth Commission on February l, 2000.

4.                           The litter that has collected along our roadways is especially dense, noticeable, and disgusting now.  Saturday, March 25, 2000 has therefore been proclaimed Clean-up Day in the Village.  Please, you residents and lovers of clean roadsides, help us between 8:30 AM and 12:00 noon to get rid of this mess.  The DOT will provide vests, bags, and gloves; the Village will furnish coffee and doughnuts; and your neighbors will chip in with some laughs and good times.  Come on and join in this worthwhile project!

5.                               It was reported that within the past ten days, "gun shots" were heard on two occasions around 10 or 11 PM in the Village.  It is advised that at any reoccurrence, the County Sheriff's office should be notified.

6.                               Motion to adjourn (Jacques, Williford) passed.  Meeting adjourned at 8:40 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Mary Ann Budahl, Village Clerk