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January 30 Retreat Part 2 January 30, 2012 51 January 30, 2012 52 January 30, 2012 53 January 30, 2012 54 Ms. Wehrenberg noted the $50,000 in the Contingency Fund designated for fuel will not be sufficient as many departments, i.e. PATS and Sheriff Department are incurring more fuels costs than were budgeted, further noting budget amendment requesting additional funds will be forthcoming to the Board. Ms. Wehrenberg told the Board she has analysis of the 2010/2011 fuel costs and can provide such. Ms. York stated staffs are reviewing best practices for a vehicle use policy when the Board members asked about the Sheriff Department staff driving vehicles home, and out of county. Vice Chairman Puryear requested a fleet inventory, user and purpose of driving the vehicle home. FORECASTING ECONOMIC & STATE GOV’T IMPACTS: Kevin Leonard with the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners provided the group with the following Government Relations Update: January 30, 2012 55 January 30, 2012 56 Board members specifically asked to be briefed on any potential state funded initiatives that may be proposed to pass down to counties as well as any update related to roads. January 30, 2012 57 January 30, 2012 58 January 30, 2012 59 Mr. Leonard advised that the State would be having further discussion in the Fall of 2012 related to roads. January 30, 2012 60 January 30, 2012 61 January 30, 2012 62 January 30, 2012 63 January 30, 2012 64 January 30, 2012 65 January 30, 2012 66 January 30, 2012 67 January 30, 2012 68 January 30, 2012 69 January 30, 2012 70 January 30, 2012 71 January 30, 2012 72 January 30, 2012 73 January 30, 2012 74 January 30, 2012 75 Mr. Leonard praised Person County for having approximately 95% coverage for access to internet noting the legislative bill for Nash County only was passed in the last session to partner with public entity to offer broadband to their underserved areas. Commissioner Jeffers asked Mr. Leonard if the State may be shifting responsibility of school buses to the counties. Mr. Leonard felt counties should be aware of the prospect but felt it was not an immediate concern for the upcoming fiscal year. Commissioner Kennington asked Mr. Leonard how the State lottery fund and video sweepstakes relate to charter schools. Mr. Leonard stated if video sweepstakes were put into the lottery, counties are wise to ask the question noting there are unanswered questions related to charter schools especially in the case if a charter school dissolves, where the assets are forwarded. This issue has lots of debate which is why the bill was pulled last session related to eliminating the cap and appropriating capital funds to charter schools per Mr. Leonard. The Board took a lunch break at 12:40 p.m. The Retreat reconvened at 1:15 p.m. STRATEGIES FOR NON-DEPARTMENTAL FUNDING: County Manager, Heidi York led the group in the discussion related to Non- Departmental Funding as outlined below: January 30, 2012 76 January 30, 2012 77 January 30, 2012 78 January 30, 2012 79 January 30, 2012 80 January 30, 2012 81 NONPROFITS: It was the consensus of the Board to not implement the application process for the nonprofits with keeping the limited number of nonprofits tied to economic development. FIRE SERVICES: It was the consensus of the Board to keep the fire services funding the same in the upcoming budget. Commissioner Jeffers requested consideration to fund the estimated costs of $14,416 for reprogramming all public safety radios to Narrowband as required by FCC mandate by January 1, 2013 with the exception of those responsible by the City of Roxboro for Fire and Police use. Ms. York recommended adding the additional appropriation to the annual funding amount for each volunteer fire department, rescue and Sheriff Department respectively to cover each associated costs to comply with the mandate. Commissioner Jeffers presented the list of needs as follows: Mobiles Walkies Pagers Hurdle Mills 10 18 55 Moriah 10 16 40 Timberlake 10 25 40 Ceffo 12 26 37 Triple Springs 5 10 5 Woodsdale 10 15 30 Allensville 10 15 30 Person EMS 10 40 2 Person Sheriff 55 90 0 Person Rescue 10 20 20 Person Animal 5 5 Person 9-1-1 0 3 1 Roxboro Fire 12 40 40 Roxboro Police 30 40 189 363 300 852 Reprogramming costs estimate 852 $8.00 $6,816.00 Reprogram and align Base Station Repeaters 10 $50.00 $500.00 Replacement Repeater for Sheriff Channel 2 which is so old it will not narrowband 1 T3000 MTR3000 VHF 100 WATT REPEATER $7,100.00 1 X330 VHF OPTION January 30, 2012 82 2 YEAR WARRANTY REPEATER DOES NOT INCLUDE CABINET OR DUPLEXER Base Repeaters $500.00 Reprogramming 6,816.00 Repeater 7,100.00 Total Estimate $14,416.00 It was the consensus of the Board to increase funding as recommended by the County Manager to cover the costs for volunteer fire departments, rescue and the Sheriff Department to comply with the mandate. Ms. York stated the contract for fire services with the City of Roxboro expires in June, 2012. Ms. York noted the City Manager has given the county a proposal to continue the contract with a built in consumer price index (CPI) for inflation every two years. The City proposes a 3% increase per CPI. Ms. York stated she has been tracking the data to confirm the county is getting a good value for the $353,000 contracted value noting 37% of the call volume is for outside the city limits. Vice Chairman Puryear suggested negotiating the CPI at half value, in this case, 1.5%. EDUCATION: The initial expense request from Person County Schools represents a 16% increase in funding. When asked about the Schools’ Fund Balance, Gordon Powell, Chairman for the Board of Education estimated $400,000 in unencumbered fund balance. It was the consensus of the Board to request the Board of Education to present a flat budget request just the same as will be requested of county departments with any additional request of funding to be based on justification for such at a joint meeting. Mr. Powell reiterated funding from the county has been the same for 3 consecutive years with funding from all other sources cut with expected layoffs for 10-17 staff. IMPLEMENTING THE STRATEGIC PLAN: County Manager, Heidi York presented Strategic Plan priorities and Project Updates as follows: January 30, 2012 83 January 30, 2012 84 January 30, 2012 85 January 30, 2012 86 January 30, 2012 87 January 30, 2012 88 PROJECT UPDATES: RECREATION, SENIOR CENTER: Commissioner Jeffers and Recreation, Parks & Arts Director, John Hill presented a new option of manipulating the original plan to explore building the Recreation & Senior Center on the current Huck Sansbury complex. Mr. Hill explained the original plan called for approximately 34,000 sq. feet which includes 10,000 sq. feet for a gymnasium, 10,000 – 11,000 sq. feet for exercise/fitness space and an 8,000 sq. foot pool. Mr. Hill requested the feasibility study to be moved up in the CIP to FY 12/13 or sooner. Commissioner Jeffers reiterated the new option would cut the costs in half, allow the community to see some progress yet consider the economy. Commissioner Jeffers noted the new option would require the Work Force Development Center housed in part of the old DSS Building be relocated as the intent is to replace/relocate the existing senior center to the Huck Sansbury site. The group noted senior citizens have voiced their desire for the senior center to be located in town, near other services. Mr. Hill noted once the feasibility study has been completed, he can proceed with grant applications noting the NC PARTF can be used for land acquisition or bricks and mortar. Mr. Hill stated he would propose application for the grants in two phases over 2 fiscal years to request the maximum amount of $500,000 in each fiscal year. Commissioner Kennington stated his concern related to parking at the Huck Sansbury site with the new option as well as need to explore an athletic field study. Mr. Hill noted there is enough acreage at the Huck Sansbury site to work around the parking or manipulate the field to accommodate. Commissioner Kennington suggested moving the athletic field to another site, i.e., at the Wilkerson Critcher site, county owned property. It was the consensus of the Board to proceed with the Recreation/Senior Center feasibility study including the ball field study as soon as possible to assess all available sites within the county. $53,000 has already been set aside for this project. MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL PARK: Ms. York confirmed Person County’s share of the Multi-Jurisdictional Park feasibility study is $12,000. Ms. York noted a joint meeting with Durham County will be planned following the feasibility study. January 30, 2012 89 COUNTY WEBSITE: IT Director, Gary Latta gave the Board a preview of the new county website that is scheduled to go live by the end of February or first part of March. All county departments will be included in the new website makeover, with the only exception to those departments that require a link. Links to outside agencies will also be available. PRIORITY RANKING EXERCISE: Ms. York asked the Board members to rank those strategies from the 2011 Retreat and the Executive Roundtable to begin implementing in the coming year that may have implications for the budget or CIP. Ms. York provided a form listing the strategies and asked the Board to rank 1 to 5 with 1 being the most important and return the form to the Interim Assistant County Manager, Janet Clayton. The Board took a brief break at 3:06 p.m. and reconvened at 3:14 p.m. CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN (CIP): Finance Director, Amy Wehrenberg reviewed with the Board the current CIP Plan Grid providing the status of the current projects for Fiscal Year 2011-2012, outlining requested CIP projects for Fiscal Year 2012-2013. January 30, 2012 90 January 30, 2012 91 January 30, 2012 92 January 30, 2012 93 January 30, 2012 94 January 30, 2012 95 January 30, 2012 96 January 30, 2012 97 January 30, 2012 98 January 30, 2012 99 January 30, 2012 100 January 30, 2012 101 January 30, 2012 102 January 30, 2012 103 January 30, 2012 104 January 30, 2012 105 January 30, 2012 106 General Services, Ray Foushee provided the Board with detailed CIP Project Updates: January 30, 2012 107 January 30, 2012 108 Mr. Foushee confirmed the Person County Museum of History facility, old Helena School complex, VFW facility, and Bushy Fork Gym will now be included in the roofing study and CIP as appropriate. January 30, 2012 109 Mr. Foushee stated a presentation will be provided to the Board at the February 20, 2012 meeting related using propane vs. gasoline. January 30, 2012 110 ALIGNING STRATEGIC PRIORITIES WITH THE CIP: Interim Assistant County Manager, Janet Clayton noted the top three priorities as submitted by the Board members as follows: 1) Senior/Recreation Center 2) Grant Writer position (potential partner with the City of Roxboro) 3) Economic Development Capital Fund Ms. Clayton stated the following two priorities were tied for rankings 4 and 5: 4) Welcome Center 5) Early Childhood Program Ms. Clayton stated the following two priorities were tied for rankings 6 and 7: 6) Designate staff to focus on the Futures Project 7) Decrease property tax Commissioner Kennington stated his preference for the Board of County Commissioners to promptly pass a Resolution requesting Piedmont Community College (PCC) transfer the old Education Opportunity Center/old Post Office to the county. Vice Chairman Puryear stated he submitted the priority to decrease property tax due to many tax papers that do not benefit from a COLA or supplemental increase. Vice Chairman advocated for a penny reduction in the tax rate noting when he voted for the COLA increase for county staff, he also wanted to decrease the tax rate. Tax Administrator, Russell Jones noted on a $100,000 tax value home, the savings would equate to $10. Ms. York noted the context of cutting the county budget by approximately $400,000 to save each homeowner $10. STRATEGIC BUDGETING: County Manager, Heidi York presented the following slides noting the Strategic Budgeting discussion could continue at the Board’s upcoming meeting. January 30, 2012 111 January 30, 2012 112 Interim Assistant County Manager, Janet Clayton stated the following Retreat action items and follow-up:  Report fuel costs for the last two years by department including the fleet inventory list and vehicle use.  No application process for nonprofits with the Senior Center and economic development nonprofits to be funded as last year.  Include the costs of radio upgrades to Fire Services noting the funding levels to remain the same.  Incorporate the Museum of History in the CIP.  Move forward immediately with the feasibility study for the Recreation/Senior Center including a ball field study.  Request the old Post Office building from PCC as a possible site for a Welcome Center.  Keep in mind the old Helena School site property (feasibility study needed) as a potential site to partner with PCC and Durham County.  Feasibility study of all county owned property. SUMMARY OF RETREAT & EVALUATION: County Manager, Heidi York stated she would be forwarding to the Board a Retreat Summary. Ms. York requested the Board members to complete the Retreat Evaluation sheet. Chairman Clayton stated appreciation to the staff that organized the Board Retreat as well as commended everyone’s participation. ADJOURNMENT: A motion was made by Commissioner Kennington, seconded by Commissioner Jeffers, and carried 5-0 to adjourn the meeting at 4:34 p.m. _____________________________ ______________________________ Brenda B. Reaves Jimmy B. Clayton Clerk to the Board Chairman (Draft Board minutes are subject to the Board approval).