City Council to proceed with annexation
By Anessa Myers
Published in News on November 5, 2008 1:46 PM
Goldsboro City Council members decided during their work session Monday that they would continue with their annexation plans.
Members decided to move forward with Phase 12 which would include a 997-acre area of land including some of Morgan Trace, Lane Tree and Northpointe subdivisions. The area is adjacent to the northern portion of the newly-annexed areas along Buck Swamp and Salem Church roads.
Planning Director Randy Guthrie told the council that it was about that time of year when he brought the annexation issue up, to start looking at costs and options before the City Council Retreat in February.
And when Mayor Al King asked the council what they would like to do, the answers were to proceed.
"I think we need to go forward," Councilman Don Chatman said.
"I think we need to look at Phase 12 now and consider the costs of the others," Councilman Chuck Allen said.
Other members agreed to move forward with the next phase of annexation, and look into Phases 14, 15 and 16. There is no Phase 13.
Guthrie said that the only phase that the council has under a resolution for consideration is Phase 12. The resolution is the first step the city can take with annexation issues, giving the city two years to take some kind of action on the area. The next step is a resolution of intent.
The council also discussed an alcohol policy during its work session, deciding to give the new policy -- which would include allowing alcohol at the Paramount Theatre during the Performance Series -- a try.
Before, the service was cost prohibitive for the city to sell beer and wine during shows, but theater Director Sherry Archibald said that she has spoken with a distributor in Raleigh and, in turn, figured out a way that she believes will make a profit on the alcohol sales.
"The only thing that worries me is that you'll have city staff behind the bar -- you put us at 100 percent liability -- and I don't like that," Allen said. "... I would like to see the city of Goldsboro be removed from it."
Mrs. Archibald and City Attorney Jim Womble told council members that there was always going to be a liability issue, but they felt that if staff were educated as to not serving underage attendants or serving someone who has too much to drink, it would be less of an issue.
Chatman asked if Mrs. Archibald had talked with others who had this policy in their theater, and she said that she had.
"I spoke with Burlington. They have a Paramount Theater that is run by the city. The director said that they had only one issue, and that was when a person came in off the street drunk, and he had to be removed," Mrs. Archibald told the council.
Then, council members starting considering the new policy, which would also include Herman Park Center.
"I don't think these are the type of functions (with the performance series) where people are going to be drinking heavily at anyway," Allen said. "Have you talked to the insurance carrier?"
"Yes," Mrs. Archibald replied.
"And they're comfortable with it?" Allen asked.
"Yes," Mrs. Archibald said.
"Are you sure?" Allen asked.
"Yes," she replied.
"Then, I say we try it," he said.
"Let's try it," Councilman Jackie Warrick said.
"I say, 'Go for it,'" King said.
The council then asked Goldsboro Police Chief Tim Bell about the policy.
"I really don't have a problem with it. We've had the (Center Street) Jams for years now, and we've not had a problem with them," he said. "And with a city-type event, we're going to take good care of it anyway."
During the regular council meeting, council members approved every item on the agenda, including the initiation of city zoning requirements for property along Buck Swamp and Salem Church roads that was officially annexed into city limits Sept. 30. The city Planning Department proposed to change zonings to include two residential zones, an office and institutional zone and a neighborhood business zone since there are three current commercial properties.
Condemnation of five dilapidated dwellings -- at 104 N. Slocumb St., 408 A St., 1107 N. John St., 604 E. Spruce St. and 412 Woodrow St. -- were also approved.