November 2013
VILLAGE OF FOREST HILLS
November 12, 2013
The regular meeting of the Village of Forest Hills was held in the meeting room at the Jackson County Recreation Center at 6:00pm on November 12, 2013.
The following members of the Council were present:
Mayor Jim Wallace
Councilmember Clark Corwin
Councilmember Carl Hooper
Councilmember Ron Mau
The following members of the Council were absent:
Newly appointed Councilmember Dan Perlmutter
The following Non-Council members were present:
Mayor-elect Kolleen Begley
Mr. & Mrs. Plummer, property owners in Forest Hills
The following Non-Council members were absent:
Finance Officer & Clerk Stephanie Gibson
(1) Call to order 6:00pm by Mayor Jim Wallace. Mayor Wallace asked Mayor-elect, Kolleen Begley, to take meeting minute notes for the Village Clerk, Stephanie Gibson, who was absent from the meeting. Mayor Wallace recorded the meeting for the Clerk and Kolleen Begley will email the meeting minute notes to the Clerk for her to further compile and prepare.
(2) Vote on Agenda. A motion to approve the agenda was made by Carl Hooper, seconded by Clark Corwin, and unanimously approved.
(3) Approval of meeting minutes for October 1, 2013 Council meeting A motion to approve the minutes was made by Clark Corwin, seconded by Carl Hooper, unanimously approved. (Approved meeting minutes are posted on the Village website.)
(4) Financial reports for the months of October, 2013 Stephanie Gibson was absent but emailed a copy of the financial statements to the Council prior to the meeting. Copies of those financial reports were available on paper at the meeting. 4 months into the 12 months fiscal year shows the financial position still within budget. Funds in for the month included $1,720 in Ad Valorem Taxes, $1,764 from Sales Tax and $10 interest earned. Expenses out for the month included $480 for police, $343 for attorney, $300 for administrative, $13 for notices, and $205 for the entrance. As of October 31, 2013 there is $104,959 in the General Fund bank account and $14,126 in the Powell Bill bank account.
A motion to accept the financial report was made by Carl Hooper, seconded by Ron Mau and unanimously approved.
(5) Voting for vacated council seat During October’s Council meeting, 2 people showed interest in taking over the Council seat vacated by Councilmember Suzanne Stone with 2 years left on the term - Carl Iobst and Dan Perlmutter. Councilmembers took a vote again (to correct October’s secret ballet by recording which councilmembers voted for which party) resulting in a unanimous vote in favor of Dan Perlmutter.
(6) Swearing-in of Dan Perlmutter Dan Perlmutter was sworn in by Clerk of Court, Ann Melton, to take over the Council seat vacated by Councilmember Suzanne Stone with 2 years left on the term.
(7) Voting for open Planning Board seat 2 people showed interest in taking over a vacated Planning Board seat, Mark Teague and Carl Iobst. Council voted to
fill the position with Ron Mau nominating and voting for both Mark Teague and Carl Iobst, Carl Hooper voting for Mark Teague, and Clark Corwin voting for Mark Teague. Mark Teague to be sworn in on or before next month’s Council meeting on December 3rd, 2013.
Discussion prompted from Clark Corwin regarding swearing in ALL Planning Board members whose terms are up as well as the new member, Mark Teague. Attorney David Moore stated that terms for planning board members may be up to 3 years, but that the Council decides those terms for the Village. Kolleen Begley asked that this be placed on next month’s Council meeting agenda as part of the organizational meeting.
(8) Drainage Problem: Bruce Plummer Mr. & Mrs. Plummer of 859 So. Country Club Drive (state road area of the Village) addressed the Council with concerns about drainage and flooding issues they are experiencing on their property as well as their immediate neighbor’s properties. The Plummer’s showed the Council video footage of runoff on their property during a heavy rainstorm (DVD’s of these videos will be supplied by the Plummers to the village clerk as an attachment to these meeting minutes.) The Plummers stated they purchased their house in 2003. The Plummers stated there was flooding and a landslide on their property in 2005. The Plummers claim that the drainage issue on their property results from improperly directed culverts from Cave Springs Road (non state road area of the Village) which runs above/behind their property as well as silt runoff from the gravel road. Kolleen Begley stated that Cave Springs Road was built in 1992. The Plummers brought printed topo maps citing where culverts are currently installed, where they feel those culverts point, and where they feel drainage further funnels to their property (copies of these topo maps provided to the councilmembers by the Plummers are attached here as Attachment A and Attachment B.) Mr. Plummer stated that since these culverts were not on his property, that he felt there was not much he could do to correct the flooding on his property further asking the Council what the Village may be able to do.
Discussion from Council regarding who bears responsibility for addressing potential future infrastructure adjustments and costs. Kolleen Begley asked that this be placed on next meeting’s agenda under Old Business pending more research and information on the issue.
(9) Brownwyn Burleson, CPA: Audit Review Bronwyn addressed the Council with the audit she prepared on behalf of the Village of Forest Hills for the 12 month fiscal year ending June 30, 2013. Bronwyn went over the pages in her report with the Council. Bronwyn stated that as of the time and date of this presentation to Council, the audit was still pending confirmation by the Local Government Commission.
(10) Workshops for elected officials Clark Corwin discussed the various upcoming workshops available for
elected officials. Kolleen Begley stated that she will be attending the day-long Orientation for New
Mayors being presented by the NC League of Municipalities on Monday, November 18th at WCU and
that the cost was $25. Clark Corwin suggested that the councilmembers and Mayor-elect also consider
attending the Essentials of Municipal Government offered by the School of Government for a fee of
$400 per attendee. The SOG is offering one of these 2-day sessions in Asheville on January 8th & 9th.
Clark Corwin made a motion for the Village to pay for the $25 fee for the Orientation for New Mayors
and for the $400 fees for the Essentials of Municipal Government, seconded by Carl Hooper,
unanimously approved.
(11) Rules of Procedure for Village Council meetings Clark Corwin emailed a copy of the suggested Rules
of Procedure to the board members prior to the meeting suggesting that the board discuss, adjust where
necessary, and adopt these rules (based on Roberts Rules of Order) for the Village meetings and
requested they start that discussion at this meeting. Attorney David Moore suggested that this
discussion and adoption be tabled due to new board members being sworn in at the December 3rd
meeting. Kolleen Begley stated that she would like to be part of the discussions since she will be
responsible for facilitating future meetings. Kolleen Begley asked that this be brought forward on the
next meeting agenda under Old Business. Clark Corwin moved to table the discussion, seconded by Carl
Hooper, unanimously approved.
(12) NEW BUSINESS: None
(13) OLD BUSINESS: Jim Wallace stated that the Planning Board had planned to present a recommendation
to the Council for various maintenance and improvements on roads but that due to time constraints, they
had not finished the formal written part of the presentation. The Planning Board rescheduled to present
this recommendation to Council in the December 3rd Council meeting. Kolleen Begley asked that this
item be brought forward on the next meeting agenda under Old Business.
(14) Public Comments Kolleen Begley thanked Mayor Jim Wallace for requesting paper ballot voting be
done vs. electronic voting for the most recent election stating that this saved the Village $1,000.00.
At 8:40pm a motion to adjourn was made by made by Carl Hooper, seconded by Clark Corwin, unanimously approved.