In a 4-1 vote at the Holly Springs Town Council July 7 meeting, councilmen approved an amendment to the council’s ethics policy. The amendment requires councilmen to report membership in any Wake County-based social or civic clubs. Councilman Chet VanFossen voted against the amendment.

Councilman Hank Dickson, who proposed the amendment, said, “I just feel, since we give money to a lot of organizations in town, we should disclose up front and during deliberations whether we are members.”

During discussion, Dickson suggested listing civic, political, social and religious clubs.

After commending Dickson, Councilman Vinnie DeBenedetto said he belonged to more than 19 clubs or organizations and said, to use an example, though he had no problem listing an automobile club he belonged to, it seemed impractical. He also said requesting an individual’s religious and political affiliations concerned him.

At one point during discussion, Dickson said DeBenedetto’s mission was accomplished because he gained camera time.

VanFossen said he did not see where religious organizations should be excused from the policy and said in a few cases the council has chosen to delay road widening for a church’s benefit.

“We all should do it, because it’s the honorable thing to do,” he said.

Councilman Tim Sack questioned the legality of the amendment in regard to requiring listings of political party and religious affiliation.

“That was exactly my concern,” DeBenedetto said.

Dickson said he was not interested in political affiliation and was willing to remove religious clubs but said membership in a civic or social organization “should stick.”

After a motion to approve the amendment to the ethics policy requiring civic and social organizations to be reported, DeBenedetto introduced an additional amendment. The amendment sought to require elected officials and top town staff who provide goods or services to individuals or companies in town or in the town’s extraterritorial planning jurisdiction to provide the town written notice to the town of their intent to do business, as well as copies of all proposed or signed contracts, within 10 days. The amendment also would require officials who provide goods or services valued at more than $500 to report all billing and monies received on a quarterly basis, listing who was served, what was provided, when the business was transacted, and the value of the business. DeBenedetto said his amendment used information on financial disclosure from International Municipal Lawyer’s Association material, which was the model used by the town in creating its original ethics policy.

VanFossen vehemently responded with a no.

Councilman Parrish Womble seconded the motion “to see where we’re coming from.”

Mayor Dick Sears said DeBenedetto’s motion was lengthy and said the council had not had a chance to review DeBenedetto’s amendment before the meeting. Sack said the motion was a full page typed and said DeBenedetto wanted the council to vote on it without discussion or a chance to look at it. DeBenedetto apologized and said he’d been working on the motion for several days. Dickson suggested the motion be submitted for the next meeting’s agenda.

A vote on DeBenedetto’s amendment was called. DeBenedetto voted for it; Dickson, Sack and VanFossen voted against it. Womble did not vote verbally. When pressed for a vote, Womble did not vote in favor of or against the motion. Sears explained that the vote was for DeBenedetto’s amendment.

“I’m not going to get heartburn if it doesn’t come back,” Womble said.

After the 4-1 vote on the original amendment in favor of listing local social and civic clubs, VanFossen explained his vote against the motion.

“I’ve always felt I’m a person of honor,” he said. “I do not need a set of rules to guide me. There are, however, some on this council who do. … I don’t need more government.”

Locals graduate from citizens academy

A special presentation was held to recognize nine locals who graduated from the Holly Springs Citizens L.E.A.D. (learn, educate, awareness, direction) Academy. The three-month academy was established “to serve as a conduit for teaching interested residents and the business community about how their local government operates,” said Daniel Weeks, project analyst with the town.

Topics of discussion for the academy included government officials, how the town manages growth, public infrastructure and more.

“These nine individuals have brought so much to the table they’re truly the reason for this academy’s success,” Weeks said.

Graduate Marco Ramirez thanked the town council, manager and staff for conducting the academy.

“You don’t realize some of the stuff that goes on running the town until you kind of dig into it,” he said, adding that he appreciated “how much work town staff has to do to make this a great place to live.”

He described town staff as passionate and driven for excellence.

The academy graduates were Brian Adornetto, Mary Babbitt, Tracey L. Goodwin, Scoop Green, Debbie Whitaker Mann, Will Quick, Marco R. Ramirez, Janet A. Swank and Linda Hunt Williams.

Graduates received a certificates and a shirt.

Other business

The council approved a modified agreement with the town of Lillington to provide Lillington with building inspections services at a rate of $31,500. Town Manager Carl Dean said a town inspector spends about 40 percent of work time in Lillington, but Lillington’s payment covers 67-75 percent of the inspector’s time. Since the inspector lives out-of-county and drives past Lillington on the way to work, and since Lillington provides the inspector a vehicle for work conducted in Lillington, Dean said Holly Springs did not need to reimburse the employee for miles traveled.

DeBenedetto asked if Dean was suggesting the town had a surplus of inspectors. Dean said the agreement with Lillington was “one way to generate revenue” and offset costs of inspectors progressing through professional levels of service.

As part of the meeting’s consent agenda, the council approved extending the construction contract completion date on the water reclamation facility expansion, entered in a contract with Christopher K. Abbot, CPA, P.A. in an amount not to exceed $26,527 for auditing of the town’s finances during the 2008-2009 fiscal year, endorsed a design of the Methodist Church parking lot project, and appointed Peter Koutroumpis to fill vacancy on the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee.

Dean noted that the state’s ranking of the town fire department improved and commended the town’s fire and public works departments, as well as the police dispatch. He said the better ranking would reduce insurance costs for any business that did not have a sprinkler system.

The town awarded $300,730 to Narron Contracting for construction of enhancements along Main St., between Center and Raleigh streets. Enhancements include decorative sidewalk, underground utilities, crosswalks, landscaping, benches and more. A grant from the NC Department of Transportation is to offset costs to the town for the enhancements.

Councilmen noted that certain parts of town, including Holly Glen and sections of Sunset Oaks, were getting either sporadic or no viewing of Holly Springs’ new cable television station. Councilmen said residents should call Time Warner Cable to resolve the problems.

Consideration of a request from Devil’s Ridge Golf Club for a water bill adjustment, which was scheduled to be discussed at the meeting, was resolved by staff before the meeting.

Public hearings regarding the Leslie-Alford-Mims house, including allowing for a banquet facility and professional offices, and development incentives, were continued to the council’s July 21 meeting.