June 18 Budget SessionPERSON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS June 18, 2007
MEMBERS PRESENT OTHERS PRESENT
Johnny Myrl Lunsford, Chairman Steve Carpenter, County Manager
Jimmy B. Clayton, Vice-Chairman C. Ronald Aycock, County Attorney
Kyle W. Puryear Faye T. Fuller, Clerk to the Board
Larry H. Bowes
Larry E. Yarborough, Jr. -ABSENT
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The Board of Commissioners for the County of Person, North Carolina, met in recessed
session on Monday, June 18, 2007 at 10:10 a.m. in the Commissioners’ Room of the Person
County Office Building for a Budget Work Session.
County Manager Carpenter reviewed items discussed at previous budget meetings. Items
the Board thought were important included $7,500 for Personality, additional $368,000 to
schools, additional $47,000 to PCC, additional 6 months of a position and funds for shelving in
Register of Deeds, additional two positions in Sheriff’s Department, additional $80,000 for
Helena gym. Those items total $619,032. Unresolved items included Hurdle Mills walking
track, airport t-hangars, courthouse project. Cooling towers for the County Office Building and
a control panel for the LEC were deferred from this funding year. Health Department
Environmental software was also deferred.
Mr. Carpenter told the Board that the percentage of educational system operational
money compared to the total operational budget is 15.5% which is a reduction by approximately
5% since early 1990’s.
He said today’s session will center around items that perhaps can be eliminated from this
years budget and others that can be added. Those items included: Elimination of sound system
for the Board room - $18,800, elimination of EH software and training - $9,000; addition of
Cooling towers - $50,000; Addition of LEC Control Panel - $75,000; Addition for Register of
Deeds shelving and six months of salary - $22,000; Elections – reduction of $36,000.
Commissioner Puryear disagreed with including funds for the cooling towers and the
LEC control panel. He suggested that fund balance be reduced to 15% to avoid an additional tax
increase.
Finance Director Andy Davenport stated, following discussion of all possible additions
and deletions, that the balance remains unbalanced by approximately $523,000. He suggested
that the sales tax estimation be raised by $300,000 and $216,000 approximately be taken from
Fund Balance to bring a balanced budget with a five cent tax increase.
County Manager Carpenter explained that the schools will receive $500,000+ as opposed
to their request of $860,000-870,000. Schools will receive an increase of 7.7%.
It was agreed that the COLA would be effective July 1, 2007 at 2.75%.
June 18, 2007 – Budget Work Session 1
June 18, 2007 – Budget Work Session 2
Mr. Davenport will have a balanced budget to the Board by this Thursday for review and
adoption on June 26, 2006.
A motion was made by Commissioner Clayton, seconded by Chairman Lunsford and
carried to recess the meeting at 11:51 a.m. until Tuesday, June 26, 2007 at 6:00 p.m. Budget
Ordinance adoption and interviews for Board, Commissions and Committees will be considered
at that meeting.
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Faye T. Fuller, CMC Johnny Myrl Lunsford
Clerk to the Board Chairman