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2018-05-17 Agenda Review NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 34 AGENDA REVIEW MEETING, MAY 17, 2018 PAGE 118 ASSEMBLY The New Hanover County Board of Commissioners met for Agenda Review on Thursday, May 17, 2018 at 4:00 p.m. in the Harrell Conference Room at the New Hanover County Government Center, 230 Government Center Drive, Wilmington, North Carolina. Members present: Chairman Woody White; Vice-Chairman Skip Watkins; Commissioner Jonathan Barfield, Jr.; Commissioner Kusek; and Commissioner Rob Zapple. Staff present: County Manager Chris Coudriet; County Attorney Wanda M. Copley; and Clerk to the Board Kymberleigh G. Crowell. Chairman White called the Agenda Review meeting to order and announced that the purpose of the meeting is to review and discuss the agenda items for the May 21, 2018 Regular Meeting with discussions as noted: th Regular Item 5. Consideration of a Resolution Recognizing the 35 Anniversary of the Fifth Judicial District Guardian ad Litem Program. Commissioner Zapple will read the resolution. Regular Item 6. Consideration of a Resolution in Support of House Bill 409. Commissioner Kusek will read the resolution. Regular Item 10. Consideration of Budget Amendment to Fund the Carolina and Cure Beach Coastal Storm Damage Reduction Event. In response to Board questions regarding the request of an advance payment, Shore Protection Coordinator Layton Bedsole stated that the US Army Corps of Engineers (ACES) was requesting the payment in advance because they are unable to put the project out for bidding without having all of the funds. It is rare that they request this, but this is an opportunity for the County to possibly have more bidders if it is presented to the public early. The project is scheduled to begin this fall, so the sooner it can be put out for bid the sooner the bidding can begin. There would be no loss of interest in the money. County Manager Chris Coudriet stated the funds are being requested early by a matter of several weeks, as staff would have asked for this to be approved as part of the FY19 budget ordinance that, if adopted, will be effective July 1. County Manager Coudriet confirmed that the Room Occupancy Tax (ROT) fund will be used for these projects. Regular Item 12. Consideration of Declaration of Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions for Oak Grove Cemetery. In response to Board questions, County Manager Coudriet stated that staff feels it is being quite forward in asking the Board to put covenants on properties that they own. As such, a four-fifths vote, a supermajority, would be difficult to achieve, but staff was not comfortable saying the Board should limit itself to only things it agrees on unanimously. A brief discussion was held about past consideration of covenants for a cemetery. Ownership of Oak Grove Cemetery was transferred to the County in 1882. From that time to today, no board action has been taken to place covenants on this cemetery. An email from a former County employee who oversaw cemeteries for the County stated that there were covenants on another cemetery which were undone by a prior Board. County Manager Coudriet stated he was unaware of covenants that were placed on another cemetery until he was notified of the email that was sent today. He does not know why one cemetery had covenants and others did not. Chairman White stated he was not sure about supporting anything that has not been done in recent years. County Manager Coudriet stated there had been inquiries/unsolicited offers about purchasing the property. Commissioner Barfield stated that several years ago he and the then County Manager were approached about purchasing a portion of the property to gain access to a stormwater retention pond. The offer was declined. County Manager Coudriet stated he asked staff to prepare the document in order to be clear that it is not for sale because the th Board has restricted it by placing covenants on it. There are not less than 6,000 graves on the site even after the 17 Street was extended in 1961. Chairman White stated that he recognizes the inherent dignity and sacred value associated with someone’s burial, particularly with 6,000 souls. However, for action to be taken absent some imminent reason to do so, he needs to be convinced as to why it needs to be done now. He is not advocating or suggesting it ever be sold and agrees in theory with the County Manager. However, this Board will not be the Board in 100 years and things may change in the future. In response to Board questions, County Manager Coudriet confirmed that this is to have the ability to say this property is not for sale and to ensure long term sanctity of the graves. It was a pauper cemetery as well as a public cemetery. Further discussion was held that in the future there may be an offer to purchase the property with a proposal of relocating the graves to a more dignified location. Commissioner Zapple stated that he can see in the future offers to purchase only parts of the cemetery, not the entire parcel. This request, if approved, sends a message that this is a serious issue, is not going to be easily undone, and needs to have full Board discussion to undo even a portion of it. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, Chairman White adjourned the meeting at 4:18 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Kymberleigh G. Crowell Clerk to the Board Please note that the above minutes are not a verbatim of the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners meeting.