COUNCIL MINUTES

                                                                 VILLAGE OF FOREST HILLS

                                                                               January 5, 2010

The regular meeting of the Village of Forest Hills was held in the lobby at the University Inn at 6:00pm

on January 5, 2010.

The following members of the Council were present:

Clark Corwin

Carl Hooper

Suzanne Stone

Gene Tweedy

Jim Wallace, Mayor

The following Non-Council members were present:

Kolleen Begley, Clerk

Jim Weir, Finance Officer

Ron Hancock, Community Development Planner, Division of Community Assistance, NC Dept. of Commerce

(1)    Call to order 6:01pm by Mayor Jim Wallace

(2)    Southwestern Commission Transportation Advisory Committee  Ryan Sherby, representing the Southwestern Commission – Region A, Transportation Advisory Committee, Rural Planning Organization addressed the Council.   Mr. Sherby presented some proposed transportation planning for future roads.   He works as a liaison between local elected officials and the DOT planning a projection out to the year 2035.  None of the current projected plans directly affect the Village of Forest Hills but they do affect portions of Jackson County.  Mr. Sherby is looking for the Village officials to vote and adopt the plans they approve of.  Council to review and report back to Ryan Sherby by the next Council meeting. 

(3)    Ron Hancock with the DCA/Asheville addressed the Council  Ron Hancock presented the Council with the proposed amendment recommendations to the Zoning Ordinances that he has been helping the Village Planning Board with. There is no action to be taken on these proposed amendments yet because a public hearing needs to be held first.  Discussion evolved into explaining land use plan vs. zoning ordinances.  Discussion evolved into a potential small commercial area in the Village and putting some guidelines on architectural designs permitted if an amendment were to be approved and adopted.  Council to review the proposed amendments from the Planning Board before holding a public hearing.  Mr. Hancock recommended that Council and Planning Board get some training on quasi-judicial procedures (issuing permits, board of adjustments, etc.)  Mr. Hancock recommended that the overall ‘Code of Ordinances’ be organized by separating zoning ordinances and laws to different sections and that this should be well documented when done.  Discussion evolved about potentially hiring a codification service and/or using the County documents as guidelines.  Mayor Wallace to contact Linda Cable with Jackson County to discuss.  Councilpersons Clark Corwin and Carl Hooper offered to stay with the Planning Board until they finish the work they have been doing on the ordinance amendment recommendations. 

(4)    Approval of meeting minutes for December 1, 2009 Council meeting.  A motion to approve the minutes was made by Suzanne Stone, seconded by Gene Tweedy, unanimously approved. 

(5)    Financial reports for the months of November and December, 2009.  Jim Weir reported to Council that there were $8,122 in revenues received in November and December and $5,199 in expenses, $3,000 of that going to the volunteer fire department.  A motion to accept the financial report was made by Carl Hooper, seconded by Clark Corwin, and unanimously approved. (Budget and actual expenses to date are published on the Village website)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

(6)    New Planning Board Members.  A motion was made by Carl Hooper to approve Dawn Gilchrest-Young as a Planning Board Member, seconded by Suzanne Stone and unanimously approved.  Discussion about an additional 2 Planning Board members needed.   

(7)    Zoning Administrator needed   Discussion about recruiting a person to fill the Zoning Administrator position.  Kolleen Begley to ask Mark Teague or Alan Begley to consider taking the position and will report back to Council.  Clark Corwin to ask Dulfis Brown if he would consider taking either the Zoning Administrator position or Planning Board.  

(8)    CURVE Representative: Irene Hooper.  Irene Hooper offered to be one of the two representatives from the Village to attend the CURVE meetings.  Irene Hooper will be the representative from the community.  Clark Corwin and Suzanne Stone will share the position to represent the Village Council. A motion was made by Carl Hooper to appoint Irene Hooper as the community representative, seconded by Suzanne Stone, unanimously approved. 

(9)    Clark Corwin discussed required ethics training.   All appointed and elected officials are required to complete ethics training within 1 year of being appointed.  This requirement begins January 1, 2011.  Gene Tweedy made a motion to approve the expenses of the 2 day workshop for ethics training program for Carl Hooper, Clark Corwin, and possibly Suzanne Stone, seconded by Suzanne Stone, unanimously approved. 

NEW BUSINESS:  Mayor Wallace will not be present at the February Council meeting.  Mayor Pro-tem Suzanne Stone will fill in.  Suzanne Stone will not be present at the April meeting. 

Discussion about the chain of communication to call for snow removal.   Resolved that Gene Tweedy will call Tim Green for snow removal on all of the non-state maintained roads if necessary.  If Gene Tweedy is not available he will contact Jim Wallace or any of the Councilmembers to make the call. 

Resident, David Galloway, addressed the Council about the home security system company he works for.  Clark Corwin suggested that this information be placed on the website for the benefit of the Village residents. 

OLD BUSINESS:   Gene Tweedy discussed marking the roads.  Resolved that the Village will not mark the non-state maintained roads at this time. 

At 8:00pm a motion for continuance to January 26^th at 6:00 pm was made by Carl Hooper, seconded by Clark Corwin Suzanne Stone, unanimously approved.