NEWS R I V E R B E N D F R O M T O W N H A L L

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1 R I V E R B E N D NEWS F R O M T O W N H A L L INSIDE THIS EDITION MAYOR S REPORT PAGE 1 WRD/PW REPORT PAGE 3 COMING EVENTS PAGE 4 COUNCIL MEETING SCHEDULE PAGE 5 LEAF & LIMB SCHEDULE PAGE 5 ETCETERA PAGE 6 The Barn is History BY MAYOR JOHN KIRKLAND In 1999, the Town purchased the barn, the Police Department/Public Works building, two small storage buildings, and the caboose along with slightly over four acres of land. A professional engineer had prepared a survey of the acquisition items prior to the purchase. When the Town Council reviewed the survey, it determined that the barn did not warrant an expenditure for repair; however, the other structures in the purchase contract offered utility to the Town s present and future uses. Town Engineer Kevin Avolis inspected the barn and on December 7, 2004 submitted a report which outlined a number of miscellaneous repairs aimed at extending the useful life of the structure by 5 to 10 years. The report reads: It is important to note that the overall structural integrity of the facility itself is considered to be marginal and this structure may not be able to withstand forces during storm events prescribed by the North Carolina Building Codes. The The Council allocated funds in the Fiscal Year Budget to demolish the barn structure. a point that its useful life is extended for 5 to 10 years. When the Town Council reviewed the survey, it determined that the barn did not warrant an expenditure for repair. repairs outlined herein do not render the structure structurally sound to properly transmit building loads prescribed by the current day building codes but merely keeps the building maintained to Over the years the Town Council has discussed the future of the barn annually during budget preparations and concluded that at some point it should be demolished. The Council allocated funds in the Fiscal Year Budget to demolish the barn structure. With limited expenditures, the barn survived from 1999 to NEWS FROM TOWN HALL APRIL 2018 PAGE 1

2 2018. Any new and replacement building will better suit the needs of the Town and will be constructed to the standards of today s building code requirements. The barn has a place in the Town s history, but as the engineer stated in the above referenced report: The building was in my opinion initially constructed to offer a usable service life of 15 to 25 years and not be readily converted to a variety of uses. It is clear that the building provided good return to the Town, and it is also clear that the demolition was a good decision on the part of the Town Council. A significant benefit of acquiring the property that is occupied by the structures discussed above, is the open land in the area presently used as the soccer field. This site was low and subject to flooding during hurricane events. While dredging the canal in 2001, this area served as the reservoir for hydraulic dredged material. The dredging project contractor placed more than 35,000 cubic yards of material in this site, resulting in a field that is now at an elevation that is out of the flood plain. The entire length of Plantation Canal as well as the canal at the entrance of Island Lake were dredged. The 2001 dredging project was paid for with a grant from the State with a 20% match by the Town. The total cost of the dredging was a rounded cost of $600,000. It is clear that the building provided good return to the Town, and it is also clear that the demolition was a good decision on the part of the Town Council. NEWS FROM TOWN HALL APRIL 2018 PAGE 2

3 WATER SYSTEM FLUSHING APRIL YOU MAY TEMPORARILY EXPERIENCE: Discolored Water Low water pressure WHEN THE FLUSHING IS COMPLETE, WATER QUALITY AND PRESSURE WILL RETURN TO NORMAL WRD/PW FEBRUARY REPORT BY BRANDON MILLS DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS In February, Public Works repaired an area of shingles on the back of one of the storage buildings located off Wildwood Drive. When repairing this area of damaged shingles, there were also a few pieces of plywood that had to be replaced. We have been working on these two storage buildings, replacing deteriorating wooden trim boards, as well as cleaning out the gutters. We also repaired several minor potholes around Town, and have a few more on our list to repair. The asphalt material we use in repairing potholes is commonly called cold patch. When repairing potholes in the roadway, we cut the pothole square with our street saw and then pour in the cold patch material. Once we get it spread out in the pothole, we use our gas powered compactor to compress the material until it is fully compressed. We have had a lot more success keeping We have had a lot more success keeping the potholes repaired by the use of our gas-powered compactor. REPORTING AFTER HOURS WATER-SEWER EMERGENCIES Dial at Dial 9 and follow the directions to contact the on-call duty operator. Enter your phone number at the sound of the tone. The automated system will inform you that your page has been sent. Our utility operator will return your call. If you do not receive a call back within ten minutes, please notify the Police Department at They will get in touch with the on-call utility system operator. the pothole repaired by the use of our gas-powered compactor. This compactor was purchased several years ago, and has helped us with making small asphalt repairs. Water Resources is scheduled to flush the water system April We flush the water system at night to minimize inconvenience to our customers. Water Resources is scheduled to flush the water system April We flush the water system at night to minimize inconvenience to our customers. During the flushing process, it is normal to see a discoloration of water and to experience low water pressure. This is the main reason we flush during periods of low water usage. When we finish flushing a particular area of the system, water quality and pressure will return to normal. Utility Services inspected and cleaned the interior of both of the Town s water towers. We have an annual contract with Utility Services to perform these duties, as well as keep them painted as needed. If you have any questions concerning the Water Resources/Public Works Department, please call us at , Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. After hour s water and sewer emergencies can be reported by dialing the at You will be instructed to the dial 9 and follow the directions to contact the on call duty operator. You will then be asked to enter your phone number at the sound of the tone. After entering your phone number, the automated system will NEWS FROM TOWN HALL APRIL 2018 PAGE 3

4 inform you that your page has been sent. Please, be patient and our utility systems operator will return your call. If you do not receive a call back within ten minutes, please notify the Police Department at , and they will get in contact with the on-call utility systems operator. Meeting April 3 Meeting April 10 Council Work Session April 12 7:00 p.m. April 17 This meeting will take place only if the Council and Manager consider it necessary. Council Meeting April 19 7:00 p.m. Meeting April 24 PAINT & PIZZA Friday, April 6 6:00 p.m. NEWS FROM TOWN HALL APRIL 2018 PAGE 4

5 RIVER BEND NEWS FROM TOWN HALL is published monthly by the River Bend Town Council for the residents of the Town of River Bend. MAYOR John Kirkland TOWN COUNCIL Gene Bauer Bill Camp Buddy Sheffield Irving Bud Van Slyke, Jr. Bill Wanamaker TOWN MANAGER Delane Jackson TOWN CLERK Ann Katsuyoshi FINANCE ADMINISTRATOR Margaret Theis POLICE CHIEF Sean Joll DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS Brandon Mills ASSISTANT ZONING ADMINISTRATOR Allison McCollum GRAPHIC DESIGN & TYPOGRAPHY Kathleen De Young Contact Us: 45 Shoreline Drive River Bend, NC Leaf & Limb Collection Schedule for Residents may begin placing their yard debris street side on the dates indicated in parentheses Zone 1 Pick Up Begins July 10, 2017 July 5, 2017 September 11, 2017 September 6, 2017 November 6, 2017 November 1, 2017 January 15, 2018 (includes Christmas trees) January 10, 2018 March 12, 2018 March 7, 2018 May 14, 2018 May 9, 2018 Zone 2 Pick Up Begins July 17, 2017 July 12, 2017 September 18, 2017 September 13, 2017 November 13, 2017 November 8, 2017 January 22, 2018 (includes Christmas trees) January 17, 2018 March 19, 2018 March 14, 2018 May 21, 2018 May 16, 2018 Pinecones, pine straw and leaves must be bagged. For additional important information about River Bend s Leaf & Limb collection program, please see our Ordinance online at Town Council 2018 Meeting Dates Work Session...January 11 Regular Meeting...January 18 Work Session...February 8 Regular Meeting...February 15 Work Session...March 8 Regular Meeting...March 15 Work Session...April 12 Regular Meeting...April 19 Work Session...May 10 Regular Meeting...May 17 Work Session...June 14 Regular Meeting...June 21 Work Session...July 12 Regular Meeting...July 19 Work Session...August 9 Regular Meeting...August 16 Work Session... September 13 Regular Meeting... September 20 Work Session... October 11 Regular Meeting... October 18 Work Session... November 8 Regular Meeting... November 15 Work Session...December 6 Regular Meeting...December 13 Budget Meetings Budget Session...March 20 Budget Session...March 27 Budget Session...April 3 Budget Session...April 10 Budget Session...April 17 Budget Session...April 24 All Council Work Sessions and Regular Council Meetings will be held in the River Bend beginning at 7:00 p.m. All Council Budget Sessions will be held in the River Bend beginning at 4:00 p.m. *Green type indicates a completed leaf & limb collection NEWS FROM TOWN HALL APRIL 2018 PAGE 5

6 etc. TOWN OF RIVER BEND 2018 Golf Cart Registration Golf Cart Registration 101 Town ordinances allow for residents to drive their properly equipped golf carts on River Bend streets provided that they are inspected by and registered with our Police Depart ment. If you plan to drive your golf cart on the roadways, you must display the 2018 registration decal. Inspection and registration are required annually. The registration fee for each golf cart is $10. For additional information and to make your inspection reservation, please call the River Bend Police Department at Registration is Required for all Dogs and Cats All River Bend dogs and cats must be registered annually. The annual registration period begins January 2 and continues through March 31. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. through 4:00 p.m. Registration is $10.00 per pet. Owners must present proof of rabies vaccination at the time of registration. Pet I. D. Photos Now Available The Town of River Bend is now offering residents the opportunity to link a digital photo of their registered pets to our Animal Registration database. When you register your pet this year, you may submit a photo by , or staff can scan a photo for you if you prefer. This photo database will help reunite lost pets with their owners more quickly in the event a pet becomes lost. The service is voluntary and free of charge. River Bend dogs have their own exercise area where they can play with other canines. Situated between the Town Park and Ritter Field, the dog park gives dogs a chance to run while their owners socialize. The park is open from sunrise to sunset for dogs with proof of current vaccinations. Separate exercise areas accommodate large and small dogs. For complete list of rules applicable to dog park use, please visit for a brochure or view details on our web site at Dog park rules are also posted at the entrance to the park. NEWS FROM TOWN HALL APRIL 2018 PAGE 6

7 etc. continued Sign up for our Emergency Notification System and receive timely notifications by phone, , text messages and more. SIGN UP NOW at riverbendnc.org this service provided by the Town of River Bend through Blackboard connect River Bend has a functional Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). For more information about this group, or to volunteer, please contact the CERT liaison, Police Officer Ernest Thomas and/or visit our web site. If you have a medical condition for which you require any type of special medical care during a dis aster or if your medical condition requires assistance to evacuate during a disaster, you may wish to apply to Craven County for their Special Needs Registry. The River Bend Police Department can provide you with the appropriate form and provide some basic information about the County s program. THIS AREA OBSERVED BY COMMUNITY WATCH CITIZENS RIVER BEND POLICE DEPARTMENT River Bend has a very active Community Watch program, supported by our Police Department. If you are interested in volunteering, call the River Bend Police Department at River Bend has a skateboard park to meet the needs of some of our more athletic residents. A signed parental approval form is required and helmet use is strictly enforced. For more information about the skateboard park, visit our web site or call the River Bend Police Department at NEWS FROM TOWN HALL APRIL 2018 PAGE 7