Council split on most items
By Rochelle Moore
Published in News on October 17, 2017 5:50 AM
The Goldsboro City Council voted 5-2 to enter into a near $500,000 financing agreement for athletic field lights for the future multisport complex.
The city will enter into a five-year lease agreement with Musco Finance to finance $499,000 of the cost to fully install lights at three of the athletic fields at the complex. The loan includes a 3.5 percent interest rate.
The vote was similar to other decisions the council made Monday during its regular meeting and an earlier work session.
Mayor Pro Tem Bevan Foster and Councilman Antonio Williams voted against the financing agreement, as well as other items on the council's consent agenda. The consent agenda, typically approved with one vote, also included the addition of a loading and unloading zone in front of the Waynesborough House, at 104 S. Center St., a parking space at 121 N. Center St., in downtown Goldsboro and street closings associated with the Veterans Parade, on Nov. 11, and annual Thriller Night, on Oct. 27.
Voting in favor of the items were Mayor Chuck Allen, Councilman Bill Broadaway, Councilman Mark Stevens, Councilman David Ham and Councilman Gene Aycock.
During a 5 p.m. work session, the council decided to remove from its consent agenda appointments to its Community Affairs Commission.
Foster said that based on the city's ordinance, the council should be able to consider two applicants for each open seat.
Foster and Williams were also against other proposals Monday, including a new parade and special event application process and a proposal to make downtown Goldsboro a wedding destination.
Foster shared concern about the parade and event application decision resting with the city manager or downtown staff instead of the police chief, as it is now.
"I just don't see a reason for doing this," Foster said. "It just doesn't make sense to put it in the hands of the city manager or in the hands of the DGDC."
Julie Metz, Goldsboro downtown development director, clarified that the applications would not be reviewed by the Downtown Goldsboro Development Corp. but, instead, downtown staff, if directed by the city manager.
Williams asked Scott Stevens, city manager, why the decision would be shifted to his office.
"What is the reason you wanted to take control of this?" Williams said.
Stevens said the changes are meant to better streamline the application process, which currently requires involvement by several city departments, including planning, administration, downtown development and the police department.
"From my standpoint, it's not taking control of it," Stevens said. "It's trying to make the process better for citizens to come in and get a permit."
The new application would also be less fractured and confusing, he said.
Councilman Mark Stevens agreed that the new application would make the process better.
"It will solidify things and make it easier," Stevens said. "You have to run to three places. Wouldn't that make it easier to go to one place?"
No decision was made on the parade and special event application process, which could be considered at a future council meeting.
Metz also presented to council a new downtown development wedding destination proposal, Say I Do to Downtown. The council voted 5-2 to move forward with allowing weddings in the downtown area, on Saturdays or Sundays, from 4 to 8 p.m. Foster and Williams voted against the proposal.
Williams said he didn't view the weddings as benefiting the downtown area, and Foster questioned why some downtown merchants recently asked city leaders to approve two-hour parking limits to Center Street. The council declined to set limits on parking in early September.
"Just a few months ago, the downtown merchants said they wanted two-hour parking and now they're fine with street closings for four hours on one of the busiest days?" Foster said.
Metz said the Downtown Goldsboro Merchants Association previously asked for two-hour parking to regulate those who overuse parking spaces in the business district.
"We have merchants and we have residents that use that parking as their permanent spot and they take up 20 spaces on any given point of the day," Metz said.
The downtown wedding marketing effort will be developed by city staff and a mock wedding will be held to create marketing materials, Metz said.
"I see this as an opportunity to bring people downtown that may not come downtown," Ham said.
The weddings will lead to the closing of downtown streets, depending on the location. Weddings held at City Hall will cost $500 and include the closing of the northbound lane of Center Street, from Mulberry to Ash Street. Weddings at the downtown fountain will cost $700 and include the closing of the southbound lane of Center Street from Walnut to Mulberry.