The Waxhaw Board of Commissioners (BOC) convened for its regular meeting on December 10th, addressing several key topics, including board appointments, public comments, a consultancy contract, and updates on state legislation. Here’s a detailed summary of the meeting:
Technical Issues with Audio
The first 41 minutes of audio from the meeting was neither broadcast on YouTube nor recorded. This issue arose due to a test of the town hall’s backup power system conducted by the contractor who installed the generator. A brief power cut occurred during the test, and staff were unaware that the audio equipment had not come back online. To prevent such issues in the future, the audio recording capability of the ceiling camera has been activated as a backup.
Board Appointments
The BOC decided to maintain the current appointments to various boards.
Public Comments
Two individuals addressed the board:
- Support for Current Appointments: One commenter supported keeping the current appointments, citing an expectation that three board members not currently on any board might lose their re-election bids next year. However, Mayor Pro Tem MacMillon criticized this comment as disrespectful.
- Allegations of Corruption: A second commenter accused the entire board of corruption, referencing ongoing construction projects in the town.
HR Director’s Retirement
HR Director Wendy Davenport was recognized and applauded for her dedication as she prepares to retire at the end of December.
Haven Creative Contract Discussion
The BOC engaged in a detailed discussion about the town’s contract with Haven Creative, a consultancy providing communications services. Commissioner Daunt outlined the key differences between the current and proposed contracts:
- Current Contract:
- January-February: 50 hours/month at $10,500/month ($210/hour).
- Starting March: 25 hours/month at $8,500/month ($340/hour) until a full-time Communications Manager is hired.
- Total cost $30-40K.
- Proposed Contract:
- Continuation of 70 hours/month at $14,500/month ($207/hour), until a full-time Communications Manager is hired or through June, whichever comes first.
- Total cost $87,000
Jenni Bukolt of Haven Creative expressed frustration about the scrutiny of hourly rates. The town attorney did not object to the disclosure.
Bukolt explained that the increased hourly rate in the current contract reflects a shift to using fewer but higher-compensated employees. However, the lack of itemized invoices left some commissioners questioning the justification for the rates.
Commissioner Wedra opposed the proposed contract, emphasizing fiscal responsibility during a time of economic challenges for residents. Commissioner Wesolek expressed gratitude for Haven Creative’s contributions in another county. Ultimately, the BOC approved the proposed contract in a 3-2 vote, with Commissioners Daunt and Wedra dissenting.
Town Leadership Report
Interim Town Manager Richard Hicks provided an update on SB382, a statewide bill revoking local governments’ authority to initiate down-zoning. After being vetoed by Governor Cooper, the NC Senate overrode the veto. As of December 11th, the NC House followed suit, making SB382 law.
Commissioner Wesolek noted the Planning Board’s inactivity in recent months and asked if board members could attend training sessions.
Holiday Wishes and Adjournment
Mayor Murray closed the meeting by wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays before adjourning the session.
This meeting underscored the town’s ongoing challenges, from fiscal accountability to adapting to new legislative realities, as Waxhaw continues to grow.
Update
A few days after the 12/10 meeting, the town’s communications web page was updated to include a lot of promotion of Haven Creative’s work, and responses to Commissioner Wedra and Commissioner Daunt’s questions. Whether the town is being charged for this work is under investigation.
Here’s the link to the page: https://www.waxhaw.com/government/departments/communications
For the sake of comparison, here’s a link to an archived version of the page from last year: https://web.archive.org/web/20230329124813/https://www.waxhaw.com/government/departments/communications
In case the live version on the town website is reverted, here is a zipped copy of the page.