BOC Minutes February 5 2015February 5, 2015
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PERSON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS FEBRUARY 5, 2015
MEMBERS PRESENT OTHERS PRESENT
Kyle W. Puryear Heidi York, County Manager
David Newell, Sr.
B. Ray Jeffers Brenda B. Reaves, Clerk to the Board
Jimmy B. Clayton
Tracey L. Kendrick
The Board of Commissioners for the County of Person, North Carolina, met in recessed
session on Thursday, February 5, 2015 at 5:30 pm in the City Council’s meeting room at City Hall
located at 105 S. Lamar Street, Roxboro. The purpose of the meeting was to meet jointly with
Roxboro City Council to receive an update on the Senior Center’s services, discuss the future
Senior Center as well as to enter Closed Session per General Statute 143-318.11(a)(5) to consider
the acquisition or lease of real property.
Person County Attendees:
Chairman Puryear, Vice Chairman Newell, Commissioners Clayton, Jeffers and Kendrick
County Manager, Heidi York
Clerk to the Board, Brenda Reaves
City of Roxboro Attendees:
Mayor Merilyn Newell, Mayor Pro-Tem William Davis, Council Members:
Henry Daniel, Sandy Stigall, Mark Phillips and Byrd Blackwell
City Manager, Stephen Steese
City Clerk, Trevie Adams
City Attorney, Nick Herman
Chairman Puryear called the meeting to order.
SENIOR CENTER’S SERVICES UPDATE:
Ms. Diane Cox, Executive Director of Kerr Tar Regional Council of Government (COG)
provided the group an update related to her recommendation to the Region K Community
Assistance Board for providing senior center services in Person County and the sites reviewed as
possible options for temporary and/or permanent locations.
Ms. Cox stated the Senior Center is currently housed in a temporary location at the Perfect
Venue (4,000 sq. ft.) since May 2014 located on Long Avenue when the former location at 121
Depot Street built in 1899 was determined to have structural problems that could cause a safety
hazard in extreme weather conditions. Ms. Cox noted the senior center currently utilizes the
County Office Building Auditorium and the Huck Sansbury gym for some of its activities noting
the Perfect Venue did not have adequate space to accommodate all programming.
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Ms. Cox told the group that her last update to the Board had included the issue with the
Perfect Venue flooring in the congregate area noting that if it was not corrected by the time the
current lease expires at the end of March 2015, the insurance carrier would not provide coverage.
Ms. Cox stated she had met with the landlord and they have come to an agreement to fix the floor.
The landlord would expense the materials and the Senior Center budget would absorb the labor
associated with a total renovation of the floor to rid the buckling and have a level floor surface.
Ms. Cox stated the agreement would include senior services remaining at the Perfect Venue for up
to 24 months with no cost increase in rent. The current rent paid to the Perfect Venue monthly is
$1,700. Ms. Cox clarified that the lease has a 60-day out clause with proper notice noting they did
not have to stay the full 24-months if a permanent location was secured.
Ms. Cox outlined the other sites visited in the county for consideration for the senior
center facility whether temporary and/or permanent.
a) 145 Weeks Drive (former Employment Security Commission office) – the asking rent per
month is $3,000; the additional rent over and above what is being paid currently would be
$31,200 for 24 months according to Mayor Newell; the owner would be willing to do
minor renovations; last spoke to owner in December; available for lease and/or for sale.
b) 211 S. Main Street, Person County Group Homes (PCGH), a non-profit with rent and/or
purchase option; 4 levels with approximately 5,000 sq. ft. each level built in 1912 - lack of
handicap and parking spaces in close proximity to the entrance; very large kitchen more
than accommodated needs; could accommodate fitness not exercise programs; no elevator
(estimated cost of a commercial elevator was $150,000-$175,000).
c) Roxboro County Club – not a central location; flexible rent.
d) PCGH Generations Daycare Center former site located on Professional Drive (owned by
PCGH) walls are load bearing preventing modifications; layout had some space
limitations.
Chairman Puryear noted the Board of Commissioners had made a motion at the recent
Board Retreat to recommend to the COG staff to temporarily locate the Senior Center into the
PCGH space until a permanent location was worked out.
Ms. Cox summarized stating her recommendation to the Region K Community Assistance
Board would be to remain at the Perfect Venue based on the recent agreement so to avoid
disruption of services with a condition that at the end of the 24 months, if a permanent location is
not available, they will no longer manage senior services in Person County. Ms. Cox said the cost
to relocate the program was $7,000 and she and her staff preferred not to relocate to another
temporary space and move again once a permanent location was determined.
Commissioner Jeffers asked Ms. Cox to address the desired and minimum space
requirements keeping in mind the growing population of people age 65 and older projected for the
next 20 years. Ms. Cox stated 4,000 sq. ft. was the minimum area to be eligible for funding. Ms.
Cox stated the former site had space that was not able to be used noting they occupied
approximately 8,000-10,000 sq. ft. and desired to have between 10,000-12,000 sq. ft. at the
permanent location.
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Commissioner Kendrick stated after hearing Ms. Cox’s update, he supported her
recommendation to keep the Senior Center at the Perfect Venue until such time a permanent
location was decided noting the flexibility to use the 60-day out clause on the extended two-year
lease.
FUTURE SENIOR CENTER:
Chairman Puryear stated he had asked his fellow commissioners to provide viable options
for dialogue with the Roxboro City Council.
Chairman Puryear presented the following four options for discussion:
1) Renovation of the former Senior Center Building on Depot Street,
2) Demolition of the former Senior Center Building and new construction of a senior center
on that site,
3) Sharing the Group Homes property at the corner of Main and Depot Streets, and
4) Acquiring and renovating the former Generations Childcare Center owned by the Group
Homes on Professional Drive.
Commissioner Kendrick stated that the Generations Childcare Center option could be
taken of the list due to Ms. Cox’s comments related to walls are load bearing preventing
modifications and the layout had some space limitations.
Commissioner Kendrick started discussions related to the PCGH property on Main Street
as a viable option with room for expansion noting an elevator would be required. Roxboro’s Fire
Chief Torain noted the exits of the PCGH facility would need reviewed and a sprinkler system
installed for assembly use.
Commissioner Jeffers advocated for a multi-use facility and to incorporate the recreation
center with the senior center noting a savings to construction costs if built at the same time.
Commissioner Clayton asked Councilman Phillips to address the idea of Roxboro
Community School’s (RCS) involvement with a recreation center. Councilman Phillips stated
RCS has benefited from using the County’s facilities through a joint use agreement and that the
RCS community has been fundraising to build their own gym. The group noted existing issues
with traffic and parking related to RCS.
It was the consensus of the city officials that the desire to have the senior and /or
combined facility with recreation be located in the Uptown area of Roxboro and for such facility to
be consistent in appearance with the area.
Commissioner Kendrick stated his campaign for his election was to assist the seniors in
locating to a suitable facility and that he opposed pursuing a new recreation center at this time.
Mayor Newell noted the primary focus was the Senior Center noting the issue related to
the recreation center would be for the County to decide.
Chairman Puryear stated the goal of the joint meeting was to form a plan to put into place
for the senior center location and he felt they have made progress. Chairman Puryear thanked City
Council for hosting the joint meeting and thanked everyone who had attended the meeting.
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Mayor Newell informed the audience that the two governing bodies would be entering
closed session to consider the acquisition or lease of real property. Commissioner Clayton
requested Ms. Cox to be permitted to attend the closed session to which City Council opposed.
CLOSED SESSION:
A motion was made by Commissioner Kendrick and carried 3-2 to enter Closed Session
per General Statute 143-318.11(a)(5) to consider the acquisition or lease of real property at 6:28
pm with the following individuals permitted to attend:
Person County Attendees:
Chairman Puryear, Vice Chairman Newell, Commissioners Clayton, Jeffers and Kendrick
County Manager, Heidi York
Clerk to the Board, Brenda Reaves
City of Roxboro Attendees:
Mayor Merilyn Newell, Mayor Pro-Tem William Davis, Council Members:
Henry Daniel, Sandy Stigall, Mark Phillips and Byrd Blackwell
City Manager, Stephen Steese
City Clerk, Trevie Adams
City Attorney, Nick Herman
Commissioners Clayton and Jeffers cast the dissenting votes.
A brief recess was held prior to Closed Session. The Closed Session was called to order at
6:35 pm.
Commissioner Newell requested to be excused from Closed Session at 6:54 pm. It was the
consensus of the Board to excuse Commissioner Newell from the remainder of the meeting.
A motion was made by Commissioner Kendrick and carried 4-0 to return to open session
at 6:55 pm.
ADJOURNMENT:
A motion was made by Commissioner Kendrick and carried 4-0 to adjourn the meeting at
6:56 pm.
_____________________________ ______________________________
Brenda B. Reaves Kyle W. Puryear
Clerk to the Board Chairman