January 31
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PERSON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS JANUARY 31, 2011 MEMBERS PRESENT OTHERS PRESENT
Jimmy B. Clayton Heidi York, County Manager
Kyle W. Puryear B. Ray Jeffers Brenda B. Reaves, Clerk to the Board
Samuel R. Kennington
Frances P. Blalock
The Board of Commissioners for the County of Person, North Carolina, met in recessed session on Monday, January 31, 2011 at 9:00 a.m. at the Mayo Park Educational Center for the purpose of the annual Board Retreat.
Chairman Clayton called the meeting to order and welcomed the group.
Chairman Clayton requested to add an item to the agenda for consideration an appointment of an elected official as an alternate to the Transportation Development Plan Committee. It was the consensus of the group to add the requested item to the agenda.
County Manager, Heidi York welcomed the group, identified herself as the
Retreat Facilitator for the day and highlighted the Retreat Goals:
• Understand Person’s current finances and future challenges
• Create priorities and strategies to influence FY11-12 Budget
• Align the FY11-12 Budget with the Strategic Plan
FINANCIAL STATE OF THE COUNTY:
Mr. Jim Winston of Winston, Williams, Creech, Evans & Company, LLP,
Certified Public Accountants, presented the Board with the Fiscal Year 2009-2010 Audit.
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Ms. York led a group discussion of Fund Balance with the following presentation:
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Tax Administrator, Russell Jones gave the Board information related to Property
Tax Collections and Revaluation attributing the good collection rate to staff efforts, 92%
of citizens that pay their taxes without persuasion and the support of the Board.
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Mr. Jones confirmed the pending legislative action from 2009 that incorporates
the ability to collect taxes when tags are received for a vehicle has been delayed until
2013.
Mr. Jones told the Board revaluation is scheduled to be done in 2012 but noted the
2005 values are still on target. Mr. Jones stated he would be recommending the Board to
delay revaluation to 2013 at the Board’s next meeting. Mr. Jones noted state law would
mandate revaluation to be done in 2013 (8th year). Mr. Jones confirmed the current tax rate (.70) has been the same the last four years. The collection rate of 96.50% equates to $26,209,400 tax levy collected. Mr. Jones stated the cost of revaluation would be
approximately $350,000 to $400,000 funded over two years. Mr. Jones stated he
currently has three staff dedicated to revaluation duties as well as duties related to new
construction and land-use. During the revaluation process a contract agency is acquired on a per day basis.
The Board took a break at 10:19 a.m. and reconvened at 10:30 a.m.
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN: Finance Director, Amy Wehrenberg reviewed with the Board the adopted Capital
Improvement Plan 2011-2015.
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Ms. Wehrenberg stated a correction on the slide outlining Approved CIP Items –
Current Year that the funding source for the Issuance Costs should be listed as Financing
and not Capital Reserve Fund.
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General Services Director, Ray Foushee updated the Board on existing 2010-2011
projects as well as discussed the Capital Improvement Plan Requests for 2011-2012
including a) Roof Survey and b) Energy Project for the Person County Office Building and Library.
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Mr. Foushee told the Board that Mr. Larry King of Person County Schools and Mr. Bruce Chisholm of Piedmont Community College participated and agreed with the
Roofing Study results.
Commissioner Kennington asked the following questions be researched with
answers returned to the Board: a) Condition of the old Helena School facility,
b) Total number of roofs, and
c) Number of county facilities not being used.
Mr. Foushee and Ms. Wehrenberg spoke of the importance of Board consideration and action due to the timelines imposed by the Energy Efficiency Grant. It
was agreed by the Board to have Energy Efficiency Grant on the next Board agenda
scheduled for February 7, 2011.
Ms. Wehrenberg continued the CIP presentation as follows. Commissioner Kennington asked which Person County School facilities were the window replacements
being requested. Ms. York stated she would include these facilities in her retreat
summary.
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BUDGET SNAPSHOT:
Ms. Wehrenberg presented to the Board the mid-year budget update.
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Ms. Wehrenberg stated the Build America Bonds/stimulus funding also ended
December 31, 2010. Commissioner Kennington requested for staff to provide peer
county information as provided for current year adopted revenues and expenditures for
comparison. Ms. York commented many variables would be included for such
information for comparison.
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Ms. York updated the group on the following upcoming Budget Challenges:
Ms. York stated the average county employee salary is $36,000 plus benefits
totaling approximately $46,000.
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Ms. York noted departments will be asked to identify cuts excluding grant funded
programs/staff.
The group took a lunch break at 12:11 p.m. and reconvened meeting at 12:30 p.m.
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FORECASTING THE STATE’S IMPACTS ON COUNTIES: County Manager, Heidi York introduced Ms. Rebecca Troutman,
Intergovernmental Relations Director of North Carolina Association of County
Commissioners to update the group on the State Budget.
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BUDGET BRAINSTORMING SESSION: DEFINING PRIORITIES:
County Manager, Heidi York led the Board in the Budget Brainstorming session.
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Ms. York summarized that the Board’s priorities for the FY 10-11 budget
included maintaining county services at the same level, restoration of furlough days,
hiring an Economic Development Director, realizing growth in county jobs, however
noting the county fund balance was used to balance the budget and a capital reserve fund was not created for economic development. Ms. York challenged the Board to use the
community goals set forth in the Strategic Plan as the guideline to implement its budget
goals while realizing a new normal exists for service levels. The group noted contracting
for services to run the Senior Center has already been agreed to for next fiscal year.
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Assistant County Manager, Gene Hodges collected and presented Ideas from the
Board as priorities for FY 11-12:
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Group discussed ensued related to all the Ideas from the Board. Commissioner
Jeffers requested staff to provide a list of county owned property that may be put on the market for possible sale. Ms. York reminded the Board members that they each have copies of tax cards on all Person County owned property.
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The Board took a break at 2:15 p.m. and reconvened at 2:30 p.m.
STRATEGIC BUDGETING: ALIGNING PRIORITIES WITH THE FY11-12 BUDGET:
Protect Our Land:
Chairman Clayton highlighted the following three priorities with the Strategic
Plan goal to Protect Our Land:
• Voluntary Agricultural Districts
• Upper Neuse River Basin Association Rules
• Agriculture Cost Share Reduction Program
Foster a Sense of Community:
Commissioner Kennington stated 72% of the objectives within the Strategic Plan
goal Foster a Sense of Community could be achieved with little to no costs. Commissioner Kennington requested objectives 18, 19, 2, 4, 5, 9, 10, 17, 20, 22, 23, 24
and 25 of the Strategic Plan be incorporated into county job descriptions for
implementation. Commissioner Kennington highlighted the two higher costing
unbudgeted objectives, noting the Board should review and make decisions regarding
creating a Welcome Center as well as creating a Community Center for recreational and senior activities.
Encourage Learning for Life & Lifelong Learning: Commissioner Blalock identified the following priorities in the Strategic Plan
goal Encourage Learning for Life & Lifelong Learning:
• County owned facilities evaluation to maximize use of space and recycle facility use
• Create a Work Force Center
• Create an Allied Health Center
• Strengthen and support early childhood programs within DSS and Partnership for Children
• Create a Resource Guide for citizens to access services and update
annually
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Re-Imagine Our County for a Better Future:
Commissioner Jeffers stated the priorities within the Strategic Plan goal Re-
Imagine Our County for a Better Future include no real budgetary impacts but the involved the valuable resource of time. The priorities include:
• Desire to locate the TDA Director into a county space to incorporate a
Welcome Center
• Create a Newcomer’s Club
• Essential services information cards
• Neighborhood Watch Program
• New Farmer’s Market Programs
• Expand existing mentoring program
Prosper by Developing the New Economy Locally:
Vice Chairman Puryear noted an accomplishment within the Strategic Plan goal
Prosper by Developing the New Economy Locally with the new contracted service to hire
an Economic Development Director. Vice Chairman Puryear stated the need to create an economic development capital fund as well as continued support of the Roxboro Area
Chamber of Commerce, Roxboro Development Group and Roxboro merchants. Vice
Chairman Puryear also noted his support to further develop the Southern Industrial Park,
appropriate one-million dollars toward the Allied Health Center at Piedmont Community
College as well as hire a grant writer to identify funds for economic purposes.
Ms. York noted the Kerr Tar Regional Council of Government announced their
Board recently approved the concept of assisting the regional counties with grant writing,
economic development and other services.
The group took a break at 3:18 p.m. and reconvened at 3:26 pm.
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STRATEGIES FOR NON-DEPARTMENTAL FUNDING:
Ms. York requested the Board to consider if nonprofit services support the
Board’s priorities and asked for direction on the nonprofit application process for Fiscal Year 2011-12. Ms. York provided the following non-departmental funding history:
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• Nonprofits
Ms. York told the Board that included as a part of the Retreat packet is a copy of the Person County Nonprofit Agency Funding Policy as well as the Nonprofit Funding Application used for current fiscal year (FY 2010-11). Ms. York reiterated Person
County is facing an unprecedented financial situation facing a $4.8 million shortfall
noting this deficit does not take into account any actions from the State or any critical
funding needs of county departments. The Board discussed many options including across the board cuts, setting a moratorium, consideration of funding only those awarded funding in the current fiscal year, opening up the process to any new nonprofits, setting
the standard that the nonprofit service must meet a Strategic Plan objective for
consideration, cutting the current year nonprofit funding by 50%, moving the nonprofit to
fit under an appropriate county department, etc. The group agreed to forgo the nonprofit application process for Fiscal Year 2011-12.
• Volunteer fire contracts Ms. York reminded the Board of the current outside agency funding agreement for fire protection as well as the Fire Marshal’s proposed contract to provide fire
protection services along with the fire services reporting requirements. The Board stated
agreement to continue use of the current contract as well as treating volunteer fire
departments the same as a county department related to any proposed changes in funding.
• OPC Mental Health
Chairman Clayton confirmed to treat OPC Mental Health as a county department.
• Education
The group agreed to treat funding for education the same as a county department.
Chairman Clayton noted the county did not have the ability to make up the loss of the school’s other funding sources’ cuts.
• Person Memorial Hospital (PMH)
The group agreed the current fiscal year allocation of $50,000 funded through the capital reserve fund to PMH was a one-time allocation. Commissioner Kennington stated
the only proposal appropriate for county review would be another capital project request.
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Commissioner Kennington provided the group with information he gathered using
the Peer County Budget Information as well as Person County Government Employment
Growth versus Population and Private Sector Job Growth 2000-2009.
SUMMARY OF RETREAT & EVALUATION:
Assistant County Manager, Gene Hodges identified the following follow up action items:
• Number of county facilities not presently being used
• Peer County revenue and expenditure charted information
• Savings in the adjustment from 401.20 FTEs to 387 FTEs
• Across the board cuts – identify programs as mandated or non-essential
• Identify mandated versus non-essential % of the budget
• Identify county owned property not in use, not needed, for possible sale
TRANSPORATION DEVELOPMENT PLAN COMMITTEE:
Chairman Clayton announced an elected official from Person County is needed to be appointed as an alternate for voting purposes to the Transportation Development Plan
Committee due to Vice Chairman Puryear’s schedule not allowing him to attend the
meetings. Chairman Clayton noted the next meeting is scheduled for February 24, 2011.
Both Chairman Clayton and Commissioner Jeffers agreed to serve in this capacity.
A motion was made by Commissioner Jeffers, seconded by Vice Chairman
Puryear, and carried 5-0 to appoint Chairman Jimmy B. Clayton as the alternate to the
Transportation Development Plan Committee.
CLOSING REMARKS:
Chairman Clayton thanked all staff for their effort in setting up and making the
Board Retreat a success.
Ms. York requested all Board members to complete the retreat evaluation
included in the Board packet.
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ADJOURNMENT:
A motion was made by Commissioner Jeffers, seconded by Vice Chairman Puryear, and carried 5-0 to adjourn the meeting at 4:34 p.m.
_____________________________ ______________________________
Brenda B. Reaves Jimmy B. Clayton
Clerk to the Board Chairman