‘We’re getting things done’

The Town of Greensboro Mayor and Council moved efficiently through the agenda of their June 17 meeting, adopting two ordinances, agreeing to sign four contracts for services, and passing a formal agenda policy. Midway through the meeting, after the fourth or fifth piece of business was completed, Mayor David Spencer commented, "We're getting things done."

Spencer, along with members of the Council, gave credit to the new town manager, Cindy Yost, and staff for preparing the agenda and meeting materials to keep it organized and professional.  

Yost started her report out by noting that during her first month in the position, she familiarized herself with the current contracts and expenditures and is putting forth an effort to trim down unnecessary expenditures without reducing Town services.

In response to citizen calls for transparency in the town for several years, Yost announced that a meeting streaming service is in place that will help with agenda and meeting management. The Council voted to adopt with amendments a formal agenda policy that states, among other things, agendas and supporting documents for the business of the town will be made available 4 days prior to the Mayor and Council’s meetings. The public will be able to access the agendas and supporting documents online through the streaming service on the town’s website.

Yost is working through required fiscal audits for FY2023 and FY2024 with accounting firm Alta CPA Group LLC, and the Council approved the $40,000 contract with the accounting firm to continue the financials support and audits. Yost stated that the accounting system was set up incorrectly, causing the bookkeeping and financials information to be incorrect. She will continue to work with the accounting firm and auditors to finalize FY2023 audit and move right on to FY2024.

The Mayor and Council moved swiftly through the agenda, resulting in:

The Mayor and Council adopted Ordinance 2025-0-4 that removes a special use exception for large scale energy projects (solar, wind, etc.) in residential zoning districts, effectively prohibiting such from residential areas.

Mayor and Council advised the town attorney, Lyndsey J. Ryan, to bring an ordinance to update property codes to set violations of overgrowth of grass and weeds to $100 fine, plus the cost of the town to cut the grass. The town is considering contracting grass cutting to manage these costs to the property violator. There was discussion about the notice of potential violations to property owners; currently, the code allows 10 days via postal service. The Mayor and Council voted to change the timeline to five business days, and serve notices via hand-delivered flyers, door-hangers, or sticky note. The matter will be formally discussed again at the August meeting through a proposed ordinance.

In 2012, under the Kinnamon Meadows’ Development Rights & Responsibilities Agreement (DRRA), the developers were to pay $3,500 per each of the 125 units for water and sewer permits. The 2012 DRRA expired, and with it the $3,500 fee. The current permit fees are higher at $4,200. The Mayor and Council voted to apply the higher permit fee for any new permits issued (approximately 100) from the time of its decision.

The Mayor and Council approved subscription for eCode-360, an online service that uploads town codes, reviews for legality, and provides proposed changes to bring the code in line with current laws. The service also has the capability to input in future code updates.  The service will provide efficiencies to the town staff and provide citizens with online access to the town’s Charter, Resolutions, and Ordinances.

As one of the last bits of business for the night, the Mayor and Council heard from resident Keith Hill, who formally requested that no parking signs and yellow-painted curbs be placed in front of Ober Condominiums on School Street. Mayor Spencer referred the request to Chief Trams.