March 2016

COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
VILLAGE OF FOREST HILLS
MARCH 01, 2016

 

The Council meeting for the Village of Forest Hills was held at the Jackson County Recreation Center at 6:00pm on March 01, 2016. 

The following members of the Council were present:

Mayor Kolleen Begley

Councilmember Ron Mau

Councilmember Carl Hooper

Councilmember Clark Corwin

Councilmember Debbie Rowland

The following Non-Council members were present:

Jason Farmer, Sylva Herald

Stephanie Gibson, Clerk

Jack Brown, ETJ Resident

 

  1.  Call to order:  The meeting was called to order at 6:06 pm by Mayor Kolleen Begley.

 

  1.  Announcements:   None

 

  1. Approval of Agenda:  Councilmember Rowland made a motion to approve the agenda; Councilmember Corwin seconded the motion, unanimously approved.

 

  1. Approval of Meeting Minutes from the February 02, 2016 Work Session & Council Meeting:  Councilmember Rowland made a motion to approve the work session and Council meeting minutes; Councilmember Mau seconded the motion, unanimously approved.

 

  1. Acceptance of Financial Report & Checklist for the month of February, 2016:  Councilmember Corwin made a motion to accept the Financial Report; Councilmember Mau seconded the motion; unanimously accepted.

 

  1. Public Comment:  None 

 

  1.  Reports
  • Mayor’s Report:  Kolleen Begley - Mayor Begley said that she attended the Essentials of Municipal Government training in Asheville as did Councilmember Rowland, Corwin, and Hooper. 

She gave an update on the Ordinance violations, which include 201.A, 201.F, and 202.  She noted that the abandoned vehicle has been sold and is no longer on the side of the road.  The property at 318 NCC Drive has had some of the trash and liter removed by Helping Hands and Attorney Moore has initiated the paperwork to place a lien on the property to recover the Village expenses.  Mayor Begley noted that there are still trailers on the side of the house and if they are registered, the Village would have to store them if they had them removed but if they are not registered, they can be disposed of.  Councilmember Hooper said that the property really needed to have another clean up, he noted that there is lumber, bikes, tires, the trailers, an electric cart, and some lumber and pipe still outside the home.  Councilmember Corwin read the ordinance sections regarding liter control and what constitutes a health hazard. Council agreed that some of the items left on the property could be health issues if left unattended. Councilmember Hooper made a motion to have Helping Hands return to clear the remaining lumber, pipe, bikes, tires, trailers, and electric cart, Councilmember Corwin seconded the motion, unanimously approved. Mayor Begley said that she would contact Helping Hands to set a date for them to return, Councilmember Hooper agreed that he would meet them at the property.

  • Safety:  Carl Hooper - Councilmember Hooper said that there were a couple of warning citations issued for speeding.  RPO – he said that the next meeting is scheduled for the end of the month.
  • Roads:  Debbie Rowland – Councilmember Rowland said she met with Jonathan Woodard with the DOT and they looked at the state-maintained road near 846 South Country Club Drive after she noted it could be a safety concern without a guard rail.  Mr. Woodard agreed that a guardrail was needed but that funding was not available, he noted that if the Village wanted to help with payment that might be an option.

Councilmember Rowland noted that on Cox Farm Rd., there are two pot holes that need repair, Mayor Begley said that since they are state maintained roads, DOT would be responsible for those repairs.

Councilmember Rowland said that she is waiting on a response from DOT regarding her call about the pot hole in front of the Rice home on SCC Dr.  Councilmember Rowland indicated that she and Ron Mau are still looking into the safety concern brought up by the Shapiro’s at February’s meeting, and will plan to report their recommendation to the Council at the April 5th meeting.

  • Jackson County CTP:  Ron Mau – Councilmember Mau said that he was not able to attend the last meeting but plans to attend the meeting being held tomorrow.
  • Planning Board:  Clark Corwin - Councilmember Corwin shared the draft meeting minutes from the last Planning Board meeting.  He noted that the Future Land Use Map was not approved – after the public hearing during the Planning Board meeting (no public comments received) Planning Board members voted against recommending adoption of the Future Land Use Map, 3-1.  Councilmember Corwin stated that one member is not comfortable with the wording in the Guiding Land Use Plan and wanted to have the word “retail” removed.  Council suggested asking Planning Board members what they would consider acceptable retail. 

 

Mr. Jack Brown, an ETJ resident, came to the Council meeting and submitted his volunteer form to become the ETJ representative on the Planning Board.  Councilmember Corwin discussed the process for becoming a member and explained the form would go to the County commissioners and they would appoint him and he could then be sworn in as a member.  Councilmember Corwin explained the Planning Board and the tasks the board is charged with.  Council agreed to submit Mr. Brown’s application to the county, Mayor Begley said that she would send the form to Chuck Wooten and Councilmember Corwin said he would call to follow up.

 

Councilmember Corwin announced that Kristy Carter had scheduled two Planning Board workshops, one for April 13th from 2:00 – 6:00 pm and on May the 18th from 1:00 – 5:00 pm both to be held at the Southwestern Commission meeting room in Sylva.  He noted that the workshops will replace the regular monthly Planning Board meetings for April and May. 

Councilmember Corwin said that Kristy Carter reviewed the Rules of Procedure for the Planning Board and indicated that she may request that they tweak a few items.  He said that she did emphasize that the Planning Board needed to have a Chair in place rather than the current rotating process.

 

  1. Unfinished Business: 

 

  • Future Land Use Plan:  Mayor Begley noted that a Public hearing was needed at a Council meeting regarding the Future Land Use Map and asked the Council if they would like this scheduled for the April meeting.  She noted that there could be a work session for discussion from 6:00 – 6:30 pm and then the Public hearing at 6:30 pm.  Council agreed and Councilmember Corwin said that he would invite Kristy Carter to attend that meeting.  Stephanie will advertise the Public Hearing and post the notice on the website.
  • Whee Farmer’s Market:  Mayor Begley asked if permission had been granted for Curt Collins to have the Whee Farmer’s Market again this year in Forest Hills, Councilmember Hooper said that he did receive verbal permission from the owner to hold the market this year.
  • Notice to residents about April 16th trash pick-up day combined with the 5K:  Mayor Begley asked how best to get the notice out to residents in the Village about the combined trash pick-up and 5K run on April 16th.  She said that she could have a large corrugated plastic sign made to put at the entrance to the Village and Stephanie could post the information on the website.

 

  1.  New Business: 

 

  • Budget Committee:  FY 2016-2017 (nominate and set Budget Committee meeting date in April)  Mayor Begley agreed to be on the Budget Committee again this year and asked Councilmember Hooper if he would be on the committee again this year as well, he agreed.  Stephanie will be on the budget committee as well.  Mayor Begley suggested dates and the committee agreed to meet on Saturday, April 23rd at 12:00pm at the Jackson County Recreation Center.  This is an open committee work session and will be advertised.

 

 10.  Additional Public Comment:  None

 

 11.  Adjourn:  At 7:40pm Councilmember Hooper made a motion to adjourn; Councilmember Mau seconded the motion, unanimously approved.