COUNCIL MINUTES

VILLAGE OF FOREST HILLS

October 01, 2013

The regular meeting of the Village of Forest Hills was held on September 03, 2013 at the Jackson County Recreation Center at 6:00pm.

The following members of the Council were present:

Jim Wallace, Mayor

Carl Hooper

Clark Corwin

Ron Mau

The following Non-Council members were present:

Stephanie Gibson, Village Clerk

David Moore, Village Attorney

Nick Breedlove, Sylva Herald

Kolleen Begley, Homeowner

Mark Teague, Homeowner

Carl Iobst, Homeowner

Dan Perlmutter, Homeowner

Curt Collins, Homeowner

(1)  Call to order: 6:00pm by Mayor Jim Wallace.

(2)  Vote on Agenda: Councilman Corwin made a motion to approve the agenda; Councilman Hooper seconded the motion, unanimously approved.

(3)  Approval of meeting minutes from September 03, 2013 Council meeting:  Councilman Hooper made a motion to approve the minutes, Councilman Hooper seconded, unanimously approved.  (Approved meeting minutes are posted on the Village website.)

(4)  Financial Report for the Month of September:  Stephanie Gibson provided the Financial Reports.  The budget for September included $9,258.17 in revenues from Interest, Ad Valorem Taxes, and Sales tax and expenditures of $8,489.91 for Notices/ads, Police protection, Entrance operating, Fire protection, Audit payment, streets, clerk fee, and Attorney fees.   Motion to accept the financial report was made by Councilman Corwin, seconded by Councilman Hooper, unanimously approved.

(5)  Council Nominations:  Mayor Wallace announced that Dan Perlmutter had been nominated by Councilman Corwin to fill the vacated Council seat.  Mr. Perlmutter gave a brief introduction saying that he moved to Oak Forest in 1988, he taught some at WCU and SCC, and he is a Guardian Ad Litem. 

Carl Iobst said that he would also be willing to accept the vacant Council seat; he said that his family has resided in the village since 1967, he volunteers in several community programs, and he is a Citizen Activist.

Mayor Wallace suggested voting on the two nominees for the Council Seat by secret ballot.  Dan Perlmutter was voted on by the council to replace Councilwoman Stone.

Mayor Wallace noted that the Planning Board also had an opening; they currently have six and need seven members.  Mark Teague said that he would be willing to volunteer for the Planning Board.  The council asked Mr. Iobst if he would like to consider being on the Planning Board and he said that he would let them know in a few days.

Councilman Hooper made a motion that nominations cease, seconded by Councilman Corwin, and unanimously approved.

(6)  Road Estimate:  Councilman Hooper got an estimate for Caves Springs Road past the Briggs house to the top.  To pave the section of Caves Springs Rd., 315’ and 12’ wide, except in the curve which will be 18’ wide, with a 3” stone base and 2” hot mix, the estimate was for $11,900.00.  To patch the section of existing road as marked, approximately 12 x 36, dig out and haul off, the cost would be $2400.00.  To patch Meads drive as marked would be $900.00.

Mayor Wallace suggested accepting the estimate for the patch job.  Attorney Moore said that the project should be submitted for bid.  Mayor Wallace added that he feels the road should be 16’ in width.

(7)  Planning Board:  Kolleen Begley said that the Planning Board is working with the Department of Transportation and Rick Cardona is working on a formal proposal to submit to the council for potential road work.

Kolleen read an email from DOT saying that the roads need to be an average of 16’ wide.

Councilman Corwin asked if the Planning Board’s proposal is going to be part of the Master plan and the Mayor responded that it is not.

Mayor Wallace said that he has only attended one Planning Board meeting that he was invited to and he is not sure what the proposal will be.

(8)  Culvert:  Councilman Hooper said that the Culvert needs to be extended near the Devane’s residence; it needs about 3” of pipe where the water main was repaired.  Mayor Wallace said that he is not sure if the village should be responsible.  Mark Teague asked if it was located before or after the meter.  Councilman Mau responded that it was located before the meter.  Mark said that CWS should repair it to the condition it was before the line broke.  Mayor Wallace said that the pipe broke across the road and that the repairs would be eligible to be covered by Powell funds.  Councilman Mau made a motion to go ahead and authorize that repairs be paid for by the village as long as they were no more than $500.00, Councilman Corwin seconded the motion, unanimously approved. 

(9)  Closed Session:  Councilman Corwin made a motion to go into closed session, Councilman Mau seconded, unanimously approved.

Councilman Corwin made a motion to go out of closed session, Councilman Mau seconded, unanimously approved.

(10)  November Meeting Date:  Mayor Wallace announced that the November village meeting will be moved to Tuesday November 12 due to elections.

(11)  Rules of Procedure:  Councilman Corwin noted that he emailed copies to each of the council members of the 13 pages of rules of order for the village.  He said that 3-4 pages were Robert’s Rules.  He said that he felt there were several rules that needed to be discussed as well as rules about when we meet, special meetings, and emergency meetings.

Councilman Mau asked if email is considered a written notice.  Nick Breedlove with the Sylva Herald said he believes that public notice is required for most.

Mayor Wallace said that he feels everyone should print the rules and critically read them and be prepared to discuss them at the next meeting.  He noted that one of the rules states that if a village meeting is not held on one date due to a holiday, the meeting will be held the next day which has not happened in the past.

Councilman Corwin said he feels that #3, meeting organization is important.  He agreed that everyone needs to review the procedures and address them at the next meeting.  Dan Perlmutter asked that a copy be emailed to him.

Councilman Mau asked if Robert’s Rules should apply to the village, he read where a motion doesn’t have to be seconded?

Mayor Wallace said that the School of Government said that these rules were basically written for larger committees and that smaller committees can forgo many of them.

Councilman Corwin made a motion that this discussion be put on the agenda for the next meeting, Councilman Mau seconded, unanimously approved.

(12)  New Business: Councilman Mau announced that he spoke with the director of Construction Management at WCU about getting some his honor students to work on the inventory of roads for the village.  Mayor Wallace asked if there was an opposition to the students doing this.  Councilman Mau made a motion to have Dr. George Ford have some of his WCU honor students work on non-state maintained roads inventory, Councilman Hooper seconded, unanimously approved.

The village Clerk was asked to copies of the Powell Bill Map from Lofquist & Associates for all members of the council.

(13)  Old Business: None

(14)  Public Comment:  None

(15)  Adjourn:  At 7:50 Councilman Hooper made a motion to adjourn; motion was seconded by Councilman Mau, unanimously approved. 5