February 2025 Minutes

The regular monthly meeting of the Mayor and the Board of Commissioners was held on February 11, 2025, at 6:00 p.m., at Town Hall, 107 Main Street, Stovall, North Carolina.

Mayor Michael S. Williford present and presiding.

Board Members Present

Commissioner Roberts, Commissioner Sneed, Commissioner Stovall, and Commissioner Lunsford

Police Chief Present

Craig Williams

Clerk Present

Ummala Rowley

Administrator Present

Janet Parrott

Mayor Williford called the meeting to order and started with the Pledge of Allegiance.

Invocation

Commissioner Sneed spoke an opening prayer.

Mayor’s Update

Mayor thanked Commissioner Stovall for filling in at January's meeting. He announced that the Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual banquet in March at 6:30 p.m., taking place at the Henderson Country Club. Tickets are available at the chamber office located downtown. Mayor Williford thanked Commissioner Stovall for agreeing to participate in the upcoming county retreat on Monday.

Police Report

Chief Williams gave an activity report for the Police Department for the months of January 14, 2025, to February 11, 2025. The activity was as follows:

•364 Miles of Patrol       

• 5 Reports

• 15 Citations

• 5 Warnings

• 0 Arrest

Mayor Williford mentioned a brief discussion regarding traffic control and speeding issues, particularly involving trucks on Highway 15. He mentioned a previous request to replace the flashing light with a four-way stop to slow down traffic. He agreed to follow up with the new transportation planner regarding this proposal.

Water Report

Commissioner Lunsford presented the water report for the month. Oxford billed the town for 1,046,000 gallons, while the town billed its customers for 706,030 gallons. This resulted in a discrepancy of 339,970 gallons, amounting to about a 32% loss. The commissioner explained that part of the reason for this discrepancy was due to differences in reading dates and a staff member's illness affecting the work schedule. He also mentioned ongoing issues with the Dale Street water situation, which was difficult to assess due to recent heavy rainfall.

Commissioner Lunsford also reported on sewer plant pump issues. He has ordered two new vacuum pumps at a cost of $2,500 to address priming problems. A technician will install these pumps and check the panel box, which may be causing issues with automatic operation.

Approval Minutes

A motion was made by Commissioner Lunsford and seconded by Commissioner Sneed to approve the January 14, 2025, minutes.  Motion carried unanimously.

Old Business

Debit/Credit Card Machine Update

Commissioner Stovall mentioned to the board that provided an update on the debit and credit card machine implementation. He reported that on January 30th, he and two staff members underwent a one-hour training session with First National Bank regarding the internal administrative system. The commissioner found the system relatively easy to understand and suggested considering its implementation on the town website to increase efficiency.

He mentioned that the system is ready to go live, pending a successful test run. The commissioner also recommended purchasing a laptop and printer combo for approximately $430 to facilitate the process and improve overall office efficiency. The board agreed that the town administrator could make the decision to purchase the necessary equipment within the budget constraints.

New Business

Updates on Policies for Federal Projects

Administrator Parrott presented several policies required for federal grant compliance, particularly related to the American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds. The policies discussed included:

1. Record Retention Policy

2. Federal Procurement Policy

3. Conflict of Interest Policy

4. Civil Rights/Nondiscrimination Policy

5. Town of Stovall Internal Control Policy

A motion was made by Commissioner Stovall and seconded by Commissioner Sneed to approve five policies: the Internal Control Policy, Conflict of Interest Policy, Federal Procurement Policy, Record Retention Policy, and Civil Rights/Nondiscrimination Policy.  Motion carried unanimously.

Meter Issue

Commissioner Lunsford discussed the issue of water meter complaints and replacements. He proposed adding language to the town's policy stating that if a customer requests a new meter after the town has inspected the existing one and found no issues, the customer would be responsible for paying the current cost of the meter, which is approximately $126. The board agreed that this was a good idea to clarify the policy for homeowners.

Commissioner Lunsford also reported that seven meters were recently found to be faulty due to a lack of readings, likely caused by freezing and bursting.

Civic Comment Update

Commissioner Stovall provided updates on several items:

1. The town submitted a recreation mini-grant application for 100 yards of ground mulch and associated labor costs.

2. The zoning permit application language has been revised to clarify the town's role in construction matters.

3. The newly adopted Civic Committee will hold its first meeting on Thursday, February 27, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. at the Town Hall. The committee plans to work on organizing a fall festival for 2025 and identifying other community projects.

The Mayor briefly mentioned a bill (HB 24) regarding down-zoning notifications, but no action was taken.

Public Comment

Mayor Williford stated no one had signed up for public comment.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned on a motion by Commissioner Stovall, and seconded by Commissioner Lunsford.  Motion carried unanimously.

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Michael S. Williford, Mayor                            Date

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Ummala Rowley, Town Clerk                           Date