Following is a report on the Kinston council meeting held Feb. 16, 2008.

I  Annexation: Not a seat was empty in the Council Chambers Monday night when the council voted to proceed with involuntary annexation plans of 501.45 acres northwest of Kinston. The area contains 492 parcels and includes the Briarwood, Crestview, Hickory Hills and Silver Creek subdivisions.

Several residents spoke, passionately describing their objections to the plan. The most frequently-heard complaint was that property owners were not allowed to vote on the annexation, and had not elected council members who would be voting. Others commented on the increased taxes and fees they would be paying, saying this would be an especially bad time, economically, to be forced into extra expenses for additional taxes, sewer connections and fees, trash collection and storm water charges.

One woman told the council North Carolina is one of only four states using involuntary annexation.

The city stands to collect between $195,000 and $223,000 annually from the annexation. The figure depends on how many people connect to the sewer system. Property owners currently have septic tanks.

Council members Joe Tyson, Alice Tingle and Robbie Swinson voted to continue with the plan. Councilmen Jimmy Cousins and Will Barker voted against continuation.  

Tingle said she sympathized with residents in the targeted area, but said her responsibility is to the city and its well-being.

II. Tax liens: The council authorized the Lenoir County tax collector to publish a list of unpaid property taxes for 2008. The list is to be published in The Free Press on March 25 and in the LaGrange Weekly Gazette.

III. The city received a Clean Water Management Trust Fund grant of $143,000 for the Parks and Recreation Department to be used for engineering and design of Battlefield Parkway, a proposed 126-acre Civil War Battlefield Parkway and soccer complex. The grant must be matched with $7,000 from the city. The funds do not include construction costs.

IV.  Fireworks permits were approved for the Kinston Indians. The dates for the displays are:

            Thursday, April 9

            Friday, April 17

            Friday, April 24

            Friday, May 8

            Friday, May 15

            Friday, June 12

            Friday, June 26

            Friday, July 10

            Friday, July 24

            Friday, Aug. 7

            Friday, Aug. 28

Another display was discussed for July 4. This would not be sponsored by the Indians. Park and Rec Director Bill Ellis said these fireworks would be held at Neuseway Park, near the Farmers’ Market.

V. Public Safety Director Greg Smith will continue to investigate changes to the city taxi ordinance that would allow taxicab owners to sell and place metal advertising signs on their vehicles. One taxi operator already is placing paid ads on his car. Smith said his research indicates that such alterations adversely affect the safety of cars in crash situations, preventing them from buckling on impact in the way vehicles are engineered to do.

VI. Council members agreed unanimously to provide an $11,200 performance-based grant to Mother Earth Brewing, which held a ribbon-cutting ceremony earlier in the day. The grant will be paid over three years. The company has promised an investment of $1.4 million and expects to hire six employees within the next three years.

VII. Greg Smith said plans are in the works for Lenoir Community College to take over Bynum School when it closes, and turn the school into a regional center for training public safety personnel. LCC would operate the program. Smith said the training center is badly needed in Eastern North Carolina. Details about opening, retro-fitting the school and curriculum are still being discussed.

VIII. The U.S. Department of Justice Bureaus of Justice Assistance will give the city and county a $10,792 grant for law enforcement. The city will contribute a $600 match. The county will make a $4,204 match. The city and county will split the grant evenly. The city will buy a Watchguard Video camera for $4,901 and three removable hard drives for $1,095. The county will buy eight AR15 rifles for a total of $9,600.

IX. City Manager Scott Stevens has submitted to the state a list of requests for a share of the federal stimulus package. Stevens said the city could use the money for road repairs, sewer and water projects and Fire Station 2.