August 24
August 24, 2009
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PERSON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS AUGUST 24, 2009
MEMBERS PRESENT OTHERS PRESENT
Johnny Myrl Lunsford Heidi York, County Manager
Jimmy B. Clayton
Kyle W. Puryear Brenda B. Reaves, Clerk to the Board
B. Ray Jeffers
Samuel R. Kennington
The Board of Commissioners for the County of Person, North Carolina, met in
recessed session on Monday, August 24, 2009 at 9:00 a.m. in the Commissioners’
meeting room in the Person County Office Building.
Chairman Lunsford called the meeting to order.
CONSIDERATION FOR AN ADDITIONAL SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER
FOR PERSON HIGH SCHOOL:
County Manager, Heidi York told the Board that Dr. Cartner of Person County
Schools has requested to place an third school resource officer at Person High School for
2009-2010, with a ten month salary funded by the school district.
Mr. Gordon Powell, Chairman of the Board of Education, on behalf of Dr.
Cartner, explained safety and education were the primary concerns noting Person High
School is a 42-acre complex, 230,000 square feet of building, huge assembly areas in the
school, cafeteria with approximately 400 seats, gymnasiums that will hold 950 children at
one time, large parking lots, one hall that is one-quarter mile in length. Mr. Powell stated
in March, 2009, the schools contracted with the Sheriff’s Office to place a third resource
officer at Person High School for the remainder of the 2008-2009 school year and were
pleased with the additional coverage of a very large facility. Mr. Powell confirmed the
intent for the school district to continue to fund this 10-month salary for an additional
school resource officer.
Sheriff Dewey Jones stated in addition to the ten month salary funded by the
school district at $46,567.10 that $15,603.02 is requested to be funded by Person County
to cover two months salary at $9,513.02, and equipment and training at $6,090. Sheriff
Jones noted the Sheriff’s Department currently has a used patrol car that could be used
for this position. Sheriff Jones stated there were no funds in the Sheriff Department
budget to dedicate to this new position.
Commissioner Kennington inquired about 10-month contracts for school resource
officers. Sheriff Jones responded that in-service training takes place when school is out
of session, school response plans are prepared during the summer break, and other duties
are assigned, i.e., GREAT camps for youth, serving papers, fill in on shifts. The school
resource officers are sworn officers and work 42 hours a week. Sheriff Jones stated that
there are currently four resource officers deployed in Person County Schools, one at each
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middle school and two at Person High School plus one DARE officer. Historically, the
county has funded three of those school resource officers plus the one DARE officer and
the school district has funded one ten-month salary with funds from the state budget
allotment specifically for the high school. Sheriff Jones noted there are approximately
1,600 students enrolled at Person High School and the amount of incidents had decreased
with an additional school resource officer that was in place part-time during the spring
semester last year.
Commissioner Kennington asked if the City had any part of funding for the
school resource officers. The Sheriff confirmed the county has always had the
responsibility.
Commissioner Puryear asked about an average daily incident report at Person
High School. The Sheriff noted quarterly meetings occur with the Sheriff Department
staff and Person County Schools’ staff to discuss the incidents. In the Sheriff’s opinion
there is a need for an additional school resource officer at the high school.
Sheriff Jones stated if a favorable vote, a part-time staff would be in place at the
open of school until a full time staffing was hired.
The County Manager, Heidi York offered two possible funding options for the
county portion of an additional school resource officer. 1) Undesignated Contingency
Fund and 2) Fund Balance, both of which the County Manager noted were typically
funds to be used on an one-time need versus an on-going indicating this funding would
need to be included in the budget for next year. Ms. York’s recommendation was to use
the undesignated contingency fund noting there was a balance of $50,000 in that fund
account presently.
A motion was made by Commissioner Kennington, seconded by Commissioner
Puryear, provided no teachers are being laid off because of lack of funds, to accept the
request for an additional school resource officer for Person High School and to
fund$15,603.02 to cover two months salary at $9,513.02, and equipment and training at
$6,090 as a supplement to the Person County School funding the ten-month salary at
$46,567.10 with the county funding of $15,603.02 funded for this fiscal year only from
the account at the County Manager’s recommendation.
A substitute motion was made by Commissioner Jeffers, seconded by
Commissioner Clayton, and carried 3/2 to approve the request for an additional school
resource officer for Person High School and to fund $15,603.02 to cover two months
salary at $9,513.02, and equipment and training at $6,090 as a supplement to the Person
County School funding the ten-month salary at $46,567.10 with the county funding of
$15,603.02 to be drawn from the undesignated contingency fund on a recurring basis
based on the intent of Person County School’s intent to continue to fund the 10-month
salary on a recurring basis. Commissioners Lunsford, Clayton and Jeffers voted in
support. Commissioners Kennington and Puryear voted in opposition.
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CONSIDERATION TO ADOPT THE PERSON FUTURE’S REPORT GOALS
AND THE NEXT STEPS:
A motion was made by Commissioner Kennington, seconded by Commissioner
Puryear, and carried 4/1 to adopt the goals and the next steps of the Person County
Future’s Project including each commissioner to select the working group of choice to
co-chair, select a subcommittee to work with the County Manager to solicit and select
county staff and citizens co-chairs for each working group and solicit and select members
of each working group and to follow through and present to the Board with a tentative
Strategic Plan by March 1, 2010. Commissioner Puryear cast the dissenting vote.
Commissioners Kennington and Jeffers were designated to work with the County
Manager as a subcommittee to solicit and select county staff and citizens to serve as co-
chairs for each working committee as well to solicit and select members to serve on each
working committee. A meeting would be scheduled following the Board meeting.
Each commissioner selected the goal and working committee of their choice:
Goal #1
Prosper by Developing the New Economy Locally
Commissioner Puryear
Goal #2
Foster a Sense of Community
Commissioner Kennington
Goal #3
Protect our Land
Commissioner Clayton
Goal #4
Encourage Learning for Life and Lifelong Learning
Chairman Lunsford
Goal #5
Re-imagine our County for a Better Future
Commissioner Jeffers
CLOSED SESSION:
A motion was made by Commissioner Jeffers, seconded by Commissioner
Puryear and carried to have a five minute recess after which the Board would go into
closed session at 10:15 a.m. per General Statute 143-318.11(a)(6) for the purpose of the
discussing personnel.
A motion was made by Commissioner Clayton, seconded by Commissioner
Jeffers and carried to return to open session at 10:45 a.m.
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ADJOURNMENT:
A motion was made by Commissioner Clayton, seconded by Commissioner
Jeffers, and carried to adjourn the meeting at 10:50 a.m.
_____________________________ ______________________________
Brenda B. Reaves Johnny Myrl Lunsford
Clerk to the Board Chairman