Whiteville Approves Raising Storage Fee for Impounded Vehicles {video}
The Town of Whiteville met for its regularly scheduled monthly Board of Alderman meeting on Monday, December 2, 2024, at the Whiteville Municipal Center. Present were Mayor Gene Bowden, Vice-Mayor Ocie Holmes, City Recorder Angelous Simmons, and and Alderpersons Jessie Giles, Mattie Polk-Nelson, Ernest Pirtle, and Tommy Turner. Absent was Alderwoman Deborah Burkeen.
Several topics were included on the December 2024 agenda.
1) Call to Order
2) Roll Call (1:24 minute mark}
3) Approval of Minutes {1:35 minute mark}
4) Comments of Mayor {4:02 minute mark}
- Mayor Bowden had no comments.
5) Old Business {4:07 minute mark}
- Re-zoning Ordinances 2nd Reading – Board recognized as the second reading.
- ARP Resolution – Board approved.
6) New Business {5:44 minute mark}
- ECHO Resolution – Regarding the Old Allen White School. Board approved.
- Fluoride Treatment -1st Reading – Board recognized as the first reading.
7) Other Business {8:00 minute mark}
- Adjustments and Charge-offs – Board approved.
- Paid Invoices – November 1 through November 30, 2024 – Board approved.
8) Notices/Meetings/Activities {13:32 minute mark} –
- Downtown Christmas – December 8, 2024, from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Holiday Hours – City Hall closed Wednesday through Friday, December 25 – 27, 2024, and Wednesday through Thursday, January 1 – 2, 2025.
9) Reports from officers, staff, and board members {16:34 minute mark}
- Police Department {16:50 minute mark} – Everything going well in town and no major calls. Will have seized vehicles coming up for auction possibly in February 2025 with money going to the drug fund. Vehicles are unclaimed or have accrued unpaid storage fees. Whiteville storage fees are currently $15 a day compared to other entities, which are charging on average between $20 to $50 a day. The Board approved raising the storage fee to $40 a day, effective immediately. Discussion was held about the condition of the police vehicles, which are old and have a lot of miles, and may need to be replaced by soon/next fiscal year. Ms. Simmons is searching for grants to help with funding to purchase newer vehicles. All officers have running vehicles. Awards and promotion ceremony will be held on Tuesday, December 10, 2024, at 6 p.m.
- Fire Department {31:27 minute mark} – The new fire truck is here and they are waiting on ladders, etc. and hope to have it in service in the next couple of weeks.
- Water Department {33:08 minute mark} – Hydrants were drained./flushed. Still working on lead service line inventory. Received good news from the State, which approved the Town for reduced monitoring on lead and copper. Working on a plan to update Town water meters, which are getting towards the end of their lifecycle. The meters are on year nine and are rated for around eleven or twelve years. Towards the end of the lifecycle are when the majority of them will start to fail and may have issues. The Town will have to pay for the new meters, which is close to 700 total meters.
- Library {38:46 minute mark} – The library now has a Smart TV, which is from grant money. Milk and Cookies with Santa will be on Friday, December 20, 2024, at 2 p.m. Library will be closed on Tuesday and Wednesday, December 24 and 25, 2024, and they will reopen on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
- Parks and Recreation Department {42:46 minute mark} – Discussion about the heating for the restrooms and storage building/shop. Need quotes for heating repair work.
10) Comments of Citizens {48:20 minute mark} – No comments.
11) Adjournment {48:34 minute mark}
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