December 2022

Village of Forest Hills Council Meeting
Tuesday, December 06, 2022 – 7:00 pm
Forest Hills Assembly Hall, Cullowhee NC

 

The following members of the Council were present:

Mayor Jim Wallace

Councilmember Nilofer Couture

Councilmember Ron Yount

The following members of the Council were absent:

Councilmember Marcia Almond

Councilmember Daniel Shields

The following non-Council members were Present:

Stephanie Gibson, Clerk

Bronwyn Burleson, Auditor

  1. Call to order: at 7:00pm Mayor Wallace called the meeting to order. 

     2.  Announcements:

Reminder – Please silence cell phones for meeting 

     3.  Approval of Agenda: Councilmember Yount made a motion to approve the agenda, Councilmember Couture seconded the motion, unanimously approved. 

     4.  Approval of Meeting Minutes for November 01, 2022, Regular Council Meeting:(All meeting minutes are posted on the Forest Hills website once approved.) Councilmember Yount made a motion to approve the meeting minutes for November 01, 2022, Councilmember Couture seconded the motion, unanimously approved. 

     5.  Acceptance of Financial Report & Checklist for the month of November 2022: (All financial reports are posted on the Forest Hills website once approved.) Councilmember Couture made a motion to accept the financial report, Councilmember Yount seconded the motion, unanimously approved. 

     6.  Public Comments: None

     7.  Reports: 

Mayor’s Report: Jim Wallace – Mayor Wallace said that he met with Ashley Hill to discuss their plans for the commercial area that will be in the front buildings being built and to discuss potential landscaping buffers at Prospect.  He said that Ashley told him that the Prospect would like to achieve three things in the first building, he would like to have beer, food and activities, the axe throwing bar.  He said that Peter’s Pancakes is planning to be in the second building, and he would like to have short term rentals in the third building.

Council discussed their concerns about having the Axe bar due to the noise and potential problems that could be created and the concern for short term rentals that the village would like to prevent.  Council discussed concerns about parking and the congestion that the traffic would cause.  The Prospect is already experiencing parking problems and has a lot of 911 calls made every month with disturbances coming from that area.

Roads: Ron Yount – Councilmember Yount said the roads look good but there is an area with broken pavement that CWS created and needs to repair located on SCC road near the back before the loop.

RPO/TAC: Marcia Almond – Councilmember Almond was absent

Planning Board: Rick Cardona was absent

Village Safety: Nilofer Couture – Councilmember Couture said that the village was patrolled a total of 40 hrs. for the month, she said law enforcement received 33 - 911 calls for the month and that 60% of them came from Prospect.

Councilmember Couture said that there was a notice of a funding opportunity for safe streets, Mayor Wallace mentioned looking into asking a Grant Writer to investigate the potential of writing a grant to make a two-lane road.  Councilmember Couture said she would send Mayor Wallace the information.

  1. New Business: 
  • Audit Report:  Bronwyn Burleson – Bronwyn provided the Councilmembers, Clerk and Mayor with bound copies of the Audit Report for fiscal year 21-22 and discussed the audit and answered any questions. 
  1. Unfinished Business: 

o    Municipal Grant due in January:  Councilmember Couture suggested completing the Municipal Grant proposal early, it is due in January, she suggested getting a quote and proposal for work needed on the opposite side of the road from the entrance sign. 

o    Mendoza Tree Service quote:  Stephanie said that Mendoza gave a quote of $3200 per day to trim trees that needed to be cut or trimmed along village roads.  Councilmember Yount said he would speak with Mendoza and see what they were planning to trim or cut for the price and will follow up. 

  • Village Social updates: Councilmember Couture said she had a certificate to raffle from Guadalupe’s restaurant and Ron said that he was donating a wood carving to be raffled.  Marcia said via email that the Christmas tree should be delivered within a few days, and she would take care of decorations, raffle items, and the food.  Stephanie mailed the invitations and raffle tickets and will pick up the signs from the Print Haus this week.  Councilmember Couture said she would put the signs out. 
  • Planning Board meeting/member status: Councilmembers discussed the Planning Board status.  Stephanie said that village homeowner, Tim Eckard, had been sworn in and added to the website.  Councilmember Almond had said that she was not able to reach Rick Cardona and doesn’t know if he is still planning to chair the board.  The other 3 homeowners who had volunteered have not been sworn in. Mayor Wallace said that he would try contacting Rick and follow up.
  • VFH SW Corner Property:  Mayor Wallace said the contract has been signed by the Village, Stephanie contacted the Real Estate Agent and she said that the Dillard’s did not like the wording and wanted the contract amended by the attorney and she hasn’t heard back on closing the purchase of the parcels. Mayor Wallace asked for a motion to pay for Surveying the parcels the village is planning to purchase, it will be $4,000.00.  Councilmember Couture made a motion to pay the $4,000 to survey the parcels, Councilmember Yount seconded the motion, unanimously approved.  Mayor Wallace will send Stephanie payment information.
  • Discussion of entrance work not covered by the Municipal Grant:  Councilmembers discussed the work on the left side of the entrance, Mayor Wallace provided two drawings that showed the left side of the entrance and drew the property with trees and bushes and how they would look at that side and the buffer they would provide.  Mayor Wallace said he would take those to BH Graning and ask for a quote.  Council noted that additional quotes would be needed for work costing over $5,000. 

    10.  Adjourn: At 9:25pm, Councilmember Couture made a motion to adjourn, Councilmember Yount seconded the motion, unanimously approved.