BOC Minutes May 23 2016
May 23, 2016
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PERSON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MAY 23, 2016
MEMBERS PRESENT OTHERS PRESENT
David Newell, Sr. Heidi York, County Manager
Tracey L. Kendrick
Jimmy B. Clayton Brenda B. Reaves, Clerk to the Board
Kyle W. Puryear
B. Ray Jeffers
The Board of Commissioners for the County of Person, North Carolina, met in
recessed session on Monday, May 23, 2016 at 6:00pm in the Commissioners’ meeting
room in the Person County Office Building for the purpose of a budget work session.
Chairman Newell called the recessed meeting to order.
County Manager, Heidi York presented the following items for discussion which
were identified during the individual commissioner budget briefings.
1. Personnel Positions
Ms. York presented the following handout related to County personnel positions
for Board discussion and consideration. Ms. York said she did not consider any requests
for new full-time positions and had evaluated every vacancy to determine a restructure.
Ms. York’s proposed budget requested the Board to consider reducing six full-time
positions; these included three vacant positions in Tax, General Services and Person Area
Transportation System (PATS), two transitional positions in the Register of Deeds (ROD)
and Person Industries and one grant funded position in the 4-H YES program due to
reallocation of funding. Ms. York stated that the ROD Amanda Garrett and the PATS
Director, Kathy Adcock were not in agreement with the Manager’s proposed budget and
both were available in the audience to answer questions. They both wanted to provide the
Board with justification to keep the positons in the budget.
Ms. York stated the handout included ridership data for PATS and workload data
comparing real estate documents only for the ROD office.
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ROD Amanda Garrett and ROD Elect Tonya Wilson both appeared before the
Board to advocate the need for the position proposed to cut. Person County is a Race to
the Courthouse County. Race to the courthouse is an informal name used to describe the
rule in some jurisdictions that the first conveyance instrument, mortgage, lien or judgment
to be filed with the appropriate recorder's office, will have priority and prevail over
documents filed subsequently, irrespective of the date of execution of the documents at
issue. Ms. Garrett conveyed that in her almost 24 years of service, there has been a need
for the ROD plus three staff. Currently the ROD has an Assistant Register of Deeds and
two deputies.
Through discussion, it was determined that the proposed cut position would be
filled with a lesser grade of 61 therefore the remaining FY 2016-2017 funding needed
would be $24,543 and recurring cost for 12 months for FY 2017-2018 would equate to
$42,074 per the Finance Director, Amy Wehrenberg.
Vice Chairman Kendrick stated his preference to leave the ROD position out of the
budget as proposed, noting it could be added back in later, if proved to be needed, noting
the economic climate of Person County he was inclined to cut more from the budget and
was against adding anything back into the budget.
Commissioner Jeffers advocated that the positon was workload justified.
A motion was made by Commissioner Jeffers to fund a Register of Deeds Deputy
position at a grade 61, funding $24,543 for seven months using undesignated contingency.
Commissioner Puryear respectively asked Commissioner Jeffers to table his motion until
the Board’s scheduled work session on June 7, 2016 at which time the Board would have
heard all comments related to the budget for consideration. Commissioner Jeffers agreed
to table the motion until June 7, 2016.
PATS Director, Kathy Adcock told the Board her department lost a position in the
last budget process. Ms. Adcock said she currently has seven full-time and eight part-time
positions. Ms. Adcock confirmed the proposed cut position was funded 100% with local
funds in the amount of $39,113. PATS currently transports individuals on approximately
4,000 trips per month.
Commissioner Clayton asked consideration from the Board to reinstate the cut
Environmental Health position.
Economic Development Director, Stuart Gilbert requested Board consideration to
move his part-time Administrative Assistant position to full-time status. To increase to
full-time status in FY 2016-2017 the cost would be $28,975 with a recurring cost of
$44,948.
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Ms. York corrected an oversight in the Manager’s proposed budget noting she had
not included $56,633 for the District Attorney (DA), Wallace Bradsher’s Head
Administrative Liaison Officer (HALO) position when in fact the County entered into an
agreement for two years. DA Bradsher stated a full-year with the HALO staff in place was
coming up in September 2016, at which time, he wanted to come before the Board to give
an annual report. His preliminary report noted a reduction in average daily inmates from
115 to 75; he further noted that approximately 10-20 inmates of the 75 daily average are
participants in the state misdemeanant program. DA Bradsher stated this reduced average
daily inmates results in a savings to the County due to the HALO position expediting the
process for the inmates getting the needed services.
2. Education Funding
Person County Schools’ Superintendent Danny Holloman requested the Board for
additional funding over the current fiscal year. Total funding recommended by the
Manager included the following:
$9,376,614 for current expense,
$159,000 for capital,
$419,014 for technology capital,
$1,048,925 for CIP, and
$795,722 for debt service
The recommended budget totaled $11,799,275 as compared to $10,371,003 in the
current fiscal year.
Mr. Holloman noted the growth of the two charter schools in the county has
impacted the number of students attending the traditional schools; approximately 700
students currently attend the two charter schools in Person County. According to
projections from the Department of Public Instruction, 1,100 Person County students will
enroll in charters, both located inside and outside the county. Mr. Holloman noted he uses
the ADM formula to determine the cost-per-student funding. Approximately $1.7M to
$1.9M of the district’s current expense followed the students to the charter schools.
Mr. Holloman indicated his personnel was already lean noting his custodians were
individually cleaning 30,000 sq. ft. or more and that he only had two landscaping staff to
maintain all grounds maintenance.
Mr. Holloman thanked the Board for their previous support noting if the Board
could increase the school’s funding it would be much appreciated and if not, he would do
the best he could with what he had.
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3. Volunteer Fire Department Funding
Commissioner Jeffers noted the updated radio equipment was increasing the budget
but he felt all volunteer fire departments are not created equal, i.e. Timberlake Volunteer
Fire Department has significant higher call volume. Commissioner Jeffers suggested the
Board to review other criteria to set the funding. Chairman Newell added that each station
should be evaluated individually. County Manager, Heidi York gave the Board the
following handout:
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4. Vehicles
County Manager, Heidi York shared the following handout related to the County’s
Vehicle Replacement Policy.
Doug Young, Emergency Management Director and Greg White, EMS Operations
Manager answered questions related to the larger or smaller version of the ambulances
used. The smaller van type was not recommended by staff due to the confined working
space, but was viewed a good fit for transports only. The larger international truck was
purchased under previous management and thought to have a longer life however, Mr.
Young noted maintenance costs are double the other trucks used. Mr. Young told the group
that the County has refurbished a truck with new wiring and chassis.
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Chairman Newell inquired if staff knew how many calls each truck answered. Vice
Chairman Kendrick asked if staff knew how many calls were transport only versus used
for an emergency call. Both Mr. Young and Mr. White stated the trucks were rotated in
use based on availability. Transports have increased due to the situation with WASS. Mr.
Young stated he would be bringing two applicants for franchises before the Board soon.
Commissioner Clayton described the fleet rotation program that the County tried to
implement but due to the recession was not able to do so. The plan was to buy new vehicles
on the state pricing scale and before the warranty expired, rotate the vehicle to surplus to
sale, so to have a good return on investment.
5. Summary of Adjustments to the Recommended Budget
The only change to the Recommended Budget was to add $56,633 to the budget
that was left out for the HALO position.
ADJOURNMENT:
A motion was made by Commissioner Jeffers and carried 5-0 to adjourn the
meeting at 8:18pm.
_____________________________ ______________________________
Brenda B. Reaves David Newell, Sr.
Clerk to the Board Chairman