Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting

The following is a staff-prepared summary of key discussion points and decisions from this meeting. For the complete official record, please refer to the approved minutes above.

Public Comment – Water Bill Concern A resident on Whitfield Drive raised concerns about receiving water and utility bills, including late fees and a reconnection fee, for a property she has not yet moved into.

• Town staff explained that per town policy, a minimum monthly bill — covering water, sewer, trash, and stormwater — is charged to any open account regardless of usage. The current minimum is approximately $55 per month.
• Staff noted that accounts not paid by the 15th of the month receive a $5 late fee, and accounts unpaid by the 25th are disconnected, with a $50 reconnection fee applied.
• The resident also asked whether the town offers any utility discount programs for senior citizens. No such program currently exists.
• A motion was made and seconded to apply the town's one-time bill forgiveness — an option available once per account under town ordinance — to the resident's account. The motion carried.

Public Comment – Tractor-Trailer Parking on Residential Streets A resident raised ongoing concerns about commercial tractor-trailers parking and idling on residential streets near his home, a problem he stated has persisted for approximately one year.

• Staff confirmed that custom "No Tractor-Trailer" signs (30"x30") have been ordered and are expected to arrive within the week. Signs will be posted at the entrance to the affected area near Spencer Street and on the Central Street side.
• The board discussed whether truck idling through the night could be addressed through the town's noise ordinance. Staff indicated the code enforcement officer has previously spoken with the property owner and offered to follow up on the noise issue.
• The board noted that current state law prevents the town from down-zoning the industrially zoned property where trucks are staging.

Public Hearing – USDA Rural Use Requirement / Federal Funding Intent The board opened and closed a required public hearing related to a federal funding requirement for the Secondary Interconnect Waterline Project in the Monterey Park area.

• Staff explained that the town previously secured $5 million from the NC General Assembly and an additional $1 million federal appropriation — originally directed by then-Congressman Jeff Jackson — for this waterline project.
• Because the federal funds are administered through the USDA, a public hearing and public notice of intent to file for federal funding is required as part of the permitting checklist.
• No public comments were received. The board voted unanimously to close the public hearing.

Stormwater and Street Resurfacing Strategic Plan Staff presented a strategic framework for prioritizing road repaving across town, developed by the Public Works Department.

• Public Works staff used the town's sewer camera to inspect stormwater pipes beneath priority road areas before any repaving decisions are made — a proactive step the town has not taken before.
• The inspection found that stormwater infrastructure in the Alpine/Wilmont/Essen Lane area is in generally good condition, while pipes in the Central/Gray/Woodside/Old Mill Village area are in poor condition.
• Staff identified approximately eight roads in the worst overall condition, based on a full scoring system. "Alligator cracking" — a network of small cracks indicating asphalt breakdown — was cited as a key indicator of roads needing priority attention.
• Staff presented three repaving options of increasing scope and cost, all eligible for funding from the town's utility fund balance. Option 3, the most comprehensive, was estimated at approximately $640,000; the current utility fund balance is approximately $792,000.
• Staff recommended against depleting the full fund balance in order to maintain a financial safety net for emergencies. Current asphalt costs are approximately $10 per square foot, compared to $4 per square foot roughly 12 years ago.
• Essen Lane was noted as being in the most critical condition, with the road surface deteriorating to near subgrade level. Wilmont Street was identified as a high-priority thoroughfare, estimated at roughly $250,000 to repave on its own.
• The board expressed interest in proceeding and directed staff to move forward through the town's procurement process to obtain competitive bids, with final appropriation to be voted on once concrete pricing is available.