Approval of Minutes - Budget Workshop and Regular Session May 20, 2002
Mayor Boyette announced that the minutes of the Budget Workshop and Regular Session of May 20, 2002 were open for review and adoption. There being no corrections to the minutes, Councilman Hodges made the motion to approve the minutes as submitted. Councilwoman Wilkerson seconded the motion which carried unanimously.

Amend Agenda - Consensus of Council
Elevation Report - Mr. Alan Crawford, Program Administration (Holland Consulting Planners)
Mayor Boyette stated that the agenda needed to be amended to include an update by Mr. Alan Crawford, Program Administrator of the Elevation Program being administered by the consulting firm Holland Consulting Planners. The consensus of the Council was to amend the agenda and hear the update.

Mr. Crawford stated that to date there would be 255 homes elevated; 165 were complete; 24 were under construction with the remaining 44 already bid. Mr. Crawford stated that the completion date for this project would be January 2003. Mr. Crawford informed the Council he had attended a Flood Plain Management Program and that Belhaven was the only project in the United States this large. He also stated that FEMA had now realized that it was better to elevate homes in a community instead of buying out home and relocating families as this tears a community apart.

On the Crisis Housing Assistance (CHA) Program there were twenty complete and 10 underway with an expected completion of March 2003. The Community Development Block Grant - Concentrated Needs (CDBG-CN) was progressing administratively with home owners being interviewed and deciding upon replacement housing or rehabilitation. Town Manager Johnson questioned when the Project Advisory Committee would have their first meeting. Mr. Crawford stated that the meeting should be sometime in mid July. The Mayor and Council thanked Mr. Crawford for the update on the elevation programs.

Museum Budget Request and Update - Mr. John Britt, Museum Board Member
Mayor Boyette stated as per Council request, Mr. John Britt, Museum Board Member was present to update the Council on the status of the museum and make a budget request.

Mr. Britt stated that the museum was requesting from the Town $3,000 and the recommended appropriation was $2,500. Mr. Britt stated that the museum belonged to the Historic Albemarle Tour (HAT) which promoted the museum in over twenty-seven sites with 20,000 - 25,000 brochures circulated per year. Mr. Britt stressed that being a part of the HAT was very important to the publicity of the museum and the town with an estimated 90% of the visitors coming from out of the county and 70% of those out of state. Mr. Britt stated that the dues for the HAT were $500 and historically had been paid by the County for Bath and Belhaven.

Mr. Britt stated that last year the museum had requested $1,750 from the County budget which was a $500 increase from the year before. The appropriation was received and allotted for payroll. Mr. Britt stated he is also a member of the HAT and had asked the treasurer if the dues had been paid and he stated a check was received. At that time, Mr. Britt did not know the check was for Bath not Belhaven since the county increased the museum budget they did not pay the HAT dues. Mr. Britt stated that the Museum operates on a $8,100 budget per year without continuing to catalog the items in the museum. He stated that the museum was in dire straits and that after contacting a benefactor the HAT dues were paid and the museum was back in the black, for the time being. Mr. Britt stated that the cataloging was started about three years ago with a two year grant and costs about $5,000 a year with the cataloging about 80% complete.

The Council discussed the importance of the museum being a member of the HAT and the need to complete the cataloging. There was much discussion concerning the need of volunteers to work in museum to keep the budget down. Town Manager Johnson stated that Ms. Peg McKnight, former Museum Board President, was an invaluable asset to the museum and her inability to physically support the museum has shown. The Council also discussed the importance of seeking grants to complete the cataloging and Town Manager Johnson offered to review grant applications. The Mayor and Council reiterated the need to use volunteers at the museum and suggested ways to seek new interest.

Chamber of Commerce - 4th Requests - Mrs. Amy Bonney, Executive Director
Mayor Boyette recognized Mrs. Amy Bonney, Executive Director of the Belhaven Community Chamber of Commerce. Mrs. Bonney requested that Main Street be closed from Haslin to Allen Streets, 9 PM - 12 Midnight for the Street Dance. There was some discussion concerning the street dance historically being held from 9 PM - 11 PM and how family oriented the event was within those hours. Mrs. Bonney stated that 9 - 11 PM would be fine for the street dance the band had stated they would play from 9 PM to Midnight. After some discussion, Councilman Ebron made the motion to close Main Street from Haslin to Allen Street, from 8:50 P.M. until 11:10 PM in order to hold the street dance. Councilwoman Heath seconded the motion. Councilman Baker questioned if the reduction in hours of the street dance would hinder the contract the chamber had with the band. Mrs. Bonney stated that the band was to perform for 3 hours at the street dance and perform a concert on the 4th and that the reduction in hours for the dance would not hinder the contract, the dance would not be as long. The motion carried unanimously.

Mrs. Bonney also requested use of town property behind the post office for a petting zoo and kiddie rides, including a balloon slide and jump. Mrs. Bonney also requested that the Town include the Chamber on their liability insurance. The Council discussed at length the insurance request by the Chamber.

Town Manager Johnson advised the Mayor and Council that according to the Town's insurance carrier, the chamber cannot be included on our policy because the chamber was a stand alone agency and could not be included on our policy. The insurance carrier did suggest that the Town be named as a co-insured on the chamber's policy.

After some discussion, Councilman Ebron made the motion to allow the use of the property behind the post office for the petting zoo and kiddie rides. Councilwoman Wilkerson seconded the motion which carried unanimously.

Councilman Hodges made the motion to amend the previous motion to include the wording "allowed to use the property behind the post office pending satisfactory insurance with the town named as a co-insured".

Councilman Ebron and Councilwoman Heath had no objections to the amendment. Councilwoman Heath seconded the motion which carried unanimously. Mrs. Bonney then presented to the Mayor on behalf of the Town a plaque of appreciation and recognition for the town's support with a complimentary Chamber Membership for 2002-2003.