COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES

VILLAGE OF FOREST HILLS

OCTOBER 4, 2004

 Mayor Jim Davis called the regular meeting of the Village of Forest Hills Council to order at approximately 7:00 p.m. on Monday, October 4, at the Jackson County Recreation Center in Cullowhee.

Council Members Present:                  Jim Davis, Sue Burton, Richard Iobst, Joe Rossano, and Jim Wallace.

Others Present:

Ruth Roman, Town Clerk;

Jim Weir, Finance Director;

Charlie Burton and

Irene Hooper-Residents; 

Cary King, Reporter Sylva Herald.

 Mayor Davis called for a motion to

approve the minutes of September 13,

2004.  Council members were given

time to read the minutes after which

Dick Iobst motioned to approve the

minutes as submitted, Jim Wallace

seconded, there was no discussion, all

approved, motion carried.  Mayor

Davis reported that at the last

meeting, he requested Dr. Iobst to

review minutes prior to approval at

upcoming meetings, and that this had

been done, however, after Dr. Iobst

reviews the minutes they should then

be sent on to all council members in

order to give them ample time to

review before the subsequent

meeting.  Mrs. Roman will ensure this

is accomplished in the future.

 Jim Weir reported that finances, as of September 28, are right on budget.  Mayor Davis added that the Village has just been granted Powell Bill Funds in the amount of $11,259.00, and that next year he expects to include additional roads in the grant request, which will, hopefully, increase the amount funded. Mr. Weir reported that road maintenance and attorney fees, and any other court proceeding costs are expected to be over expenditures in the coming months, and that the budget to date does not reflect these costs.  Mayor Davis reported that the Village attorney has indicated that he will work with the Village regarding his fees.   Mr. Weir stated that the cash balance as of September 28, 2004 is approximately $73,500.00.  Mayor Davis called for a motion to receive the financial report.  Dr. Iobst motioned to receive the financial report; Joe Rossano seconded there was no discussion, the motion passed unanimously.

 Dr. Iobst reported that the Budget Committee met on September 28, 2004 regarding the request from some of the villagers to prioritize the budget.  Dr. Iobst presented the recommendations of priority on those line items that could be omitted or adjusted.  Clarification was made regarding grant monies in that grant monies can only be used for what they were granted, and cannot be made part of the general budget.  Decision was reached to make a separate line item for grant money so as not to reflect grant money in the total cash balance figure.  Jim Wallace moved to accept the Budget Committee’s report, Dr. Iobst seconded, there was no discussion, motion passed unanimously.

 Jim Wallace raised the subject of security in the village, and requested the Mayor assign a committee to look into ways of improving security, and the possibility of a resident patrolman. All were in agreement to set up a “Security Committee” to study and make recommendations.

Thursday night is thought to be the most troubling night, and the Mayor will call Ken Hooper about having a sweep done on Thursdays.  He will also ask about the availability of directly calling the squad car assigned to the village, and the possibility of having the patrolman assigned check in and out with the village on his nights of coverage to verify police presence.

Irene Hooper reported for the Economic Development Commission Committee and stated that at their last meeting, the EDC voted to support a couple of items.  The first item is the Constitutional Amendment No. 1 (self-financing bond), which will be on the ballot Nov. 2 for a vote.  The second item was to support purchase of a saw for the new small cabinetry business on Skyland Drive.

 Mayor Davis asked for a motion to take from the table Agenda Item #4 (Water drainage from Forest Hills Estates Road down to Spell, Wallace and Corwin’s).  Sue Burton motioned to take up Item #4, Dick Iobst seconded, there was no discussion, motion passed unanimously.  Jim Wallace reported on the water drainage problems that he, the Spells and the Corwin’s are facing due to drainage from Forest Hills Estate Road.  The drainage is in effect washing under retaining walls and undermining foundations.  He asked council to help in this situation and look into how much it would cost to get an engineer out to look into ways of correcting the problem.  Discussion ensued, and decision reached that Mayor Davis will get with Bear Track Paving for possible ways to alleviate the problem.  Jim Wallace will meet with Mayor Davis on site for review of the situation.

 The Mayor reported that tree trimming was delayed, but will be accomplished along power lines by sub-contractors for WCU, and advised that all may want to do what trimming they can themselves rather than the sub-contractors as the sub-contractors usually do not clean up after trimming. 

Under Old Business:

1.     Paving:  Mayor Davis reported that Bear Track Paving will begin on October 6, and they will have two crews and paving will last about a week.  The Mayor will ask Bear Track to clean out some of the ditches since the hurricanes

2.     Murray’s:  Sue Burton reported that the Mayor had called Mr. Murray to ask him if he would be willing to contribute to the paving of the road to their house.  Mrs. Burton read a letter from the Murray’s where the Murray’s state that they do not feel that they should be the only ones contributing to paving as they feel the road is a community road, and they along with CWS, and the new owners who are building a home above them use the road.  They also asked about the possibility of being reimbursed in the next budget year if they did contribute this year.  Mayor Davis clarified his conversation with John Murray, in that he informed Mr. Murray that as long as the paving people were out, would Mr. Murray be interested in paving the piece of road that concerned him while the pavers were there that it would be cheaper than waiting until next year, and what was being done now in the Village was all that the Village had in the budget for the year.  So, he gave him the option that if he wanted to have it done, to have it done while the pavers were here because it would be cheaper.  The Mayor has had the road graded.  There is some question as to the culpability of the new owner who is building above the Murray’s, and his responsibility of damage from drainage from his driveway.  It is thought that the road is an easement and not part of the Village roads, and that the three who have the easement may have the responsibility of sharing the costs.  Dr. Iobst was assigned to look into public land records to find out the status/ownership of the road.  Sue Burton was assigned to call the Murray’s to inform them that the council is looking into the easement issues of the property in question.

3.     Litter Sweep:  Mayor Davis announced that the Village Litter Sweep is scheduled for Saturday, October 9 at 9:00 a.m. and called for volunteers.

Under New Business:

1.     Street Signs:  Discussion ensued about the need for several types of road signs within

the Village.  Jim Wallace motioned to purchase a minimum of six No Parking/Towing at Owner’s Expense; One Stop Sign adjacent to tennis courts from K.A. house; Two Village Signs.  Dick Iobst, seconded.  Discussion ensued about a need for additional signs - four speed limit signs and two No Littering signs.  Sue Burton made a motion to amend Jim Wallace’s motion to include four speed limit, and two no littering signs.  Mrs. Burton’s motion failed for lack of a second.  Mayor Davis took the vote on the question of Jim Wallace’s motion and second.  Ayes were unanimous.  Motion passed unanimously.

2.     Ordinances:  Jim Wallace made the motion to mail a copy of the ordinance synopsis in the form of first class mail to all property owners within the village, and certified mail to property owners who are out of state.  Dick Iobst seconded, there was no discussion, motion passed unanimously.  Mrs. Roman was assigned this task.

3.     Crosswalk:  For safety reasons, Jim Wallace proposed that the council look into getting a pedestrian crosswalk painted over Hwy. 107 to the college, from the Village entrance.  Jim Wallace and Mayor Davis will try to get with Joel Setzer in this endeavor.

4.     Blueprint Map:    The council was in agreement to give Jim Wallace authority to enlarge the blueprint electronic version of Village map that was used in the development of the ordinances for use in ordinance enforcement.  Mayor Davis reported that the Planning Committee is working on an up-to-date map of home and lot location/owner’s name/addresses and land use that will be helpful in the future.

 Question was asked as to if anything has been done regarding the Summit Apartments?  Mayor Davis said he has not heard anything yet and he assumes that Jay Coward is in the process of writing the summary that is to be sent to Superior Court.  A lawsuit has not been filed.  It is thought that Jay Coward is waiting to receive transcripts before he proceeds further.  Dick Iobst is to check into whether or not the transcripts have been completed and sent, and if the next bill for the transcripts will be sent to Mr. Clement as the bill was to have been split.

 Mayor Davis called for a motion to adjourn at 8:56 p.m.  Dick Iobst motioned to adjourn, Joe Rossano seconded, all approved, motion carried.

Respectfully submitted by:

Ruth Roman, Town Clerk