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&=
nbsp; The Alleghany County Board of Commissioners met in regul=
ar
session on
&=
nbsp; Present: Chair Ken Richardson, Vice-Chair W=
arren
Taylor, Commissioner Randy Miller, Commissioner Doug Murphy, Commissioner M=
illy
Richardson,
Chair
Ken Richardson called the meeting to order.
Commissioner
Milly Richardson led the Pledge of Allegiance and opened the meeting with a
prayer.
Chair
Ken Richardson stated that
Commission=
er
Milly Richardson made a motion to approve the amended agenda for this
AGENDA
Pledge of Allegiance and Praye=
r
Motion on Minutes for
B. =
Public Hearing
RE: 911 Road Names
C. =
Mary Walker/Rita Miller
RE: Tax Office Annual Report &n=
bsp; (deleted)
Tax
Collectors Report
D. =
Forestry Service Annual Report
E. =
Tom McDevitt/Suzie Long
RE: LME Update
F. =
Steve Allan
RE: Safety Needs Assessment Report
G. =
Jack Joines
RE:
Conditional-Use Permit Appeal
H. =
1. Joint Meeting Schedule with To=
wn
2. Social Services Budget Amendme=
nts
3. Ropes Course Budget Amendment<= o:p>
4. Sign Ordinance
5. Other Business
6. Closed Session—NCGS 143-=
318.11
(a) (6)—personnel
7. Adjourn
Commissioner
Milly Richardson made a motion to approve the minutes for the
Chair
Ken Richardson opened the public comments’ portion of the meeting and
asked for public comments.
Paul
Reeves stated his appreciation to the Board for allowing him to speak. He talked about the amount spent o=
n the
Planning Board, junk yards in Twin Oaks and asked who is going to work on
this. He further talked about=
right
of ways for small subdivisions, recommended right of ways then mandatory ri=
ght
of ways, the fall of real estate when zoning took effect, County roads are =
55
miles per hour unless otherwise posted and the amount of unpaved roads. He asked how many get right-of-way
permits. He stated that thing=
s have
gotten out of hand and is costing a lot of money. He talked about the high-quality w=
aters
requirements and involving the corps of engineers. He said everyone has to get some
reasoning into zoning, and it is doing damage to the community. He asked the Board to help them ou=
t on
this.
Todd
Dittrich with Dittrich Construction stated that he has been working 18-19 y=
ears
in construction. He talked about issues with sewer permits because permit p=
roblems
and permitting is taking three to four months. He stated that he is losing busine=
ss. He said he understands that the St=
ate is
regulating this, and thought maybe someone could get in touch with the Stat=
e to
see if they can be a little more realistic. He talked about having a house rea=
dy to
build, and the perk holes were ready before Thanksgiving but it still
hasn’t happened. He tal=
ked
about losing customers, losing houses and losing people because of the sewer
system requirements. He asked=
the
Board to see what could be done. He
stated that he is not the only person here with problems. He thanked the Board for their tim=
e.
Chair
Ken Richardson asked for further public comments. None were received. He closed the public
comments’ portion of the meeting.
Wendy Williams, E=
-911
Coordinator/Mapper, came before the Board to present one road name;
Chair
Ken Richardson opened the public hearing regarding the 911 road name at
Chair
Ken Richardson asked for public comments.&=
nbsp;
None were received.
Chair
Ken Richardson closed the public hearing at
&=
nbsp; Commissioner
Milly Richardson made a motion to approve the road name as presented by the
E-911 Coordinator/Mapper. Com=
missioner
Warren Taylor seconded the motion.
Vote 5:0.
Chair Ken Richard=
son,
County Manager
Barry Maines with=
the
Forestry Service presented information for 2007 regarding their activities
including forestry management plans and forest fires. He stated a special thanks to the =
Volunteer
Fire Departments for their prompt action on the forest fires. He further stated his appreciation=
to
the citizens during the statewide burning ban. He explained that two communities =
are
being assessed to be firewise communities.=
He explained the other activities they are involved in throughout the
year.
Commissioner
Shelly Lackey tha=
nked
Commissioner
Suzie Long explai=
ned
that they officially became the area LME as of
Tom McDevitt expl=
ained
the hospital pilot program and how it works. He talked about crisis and emergen=
cy
services, working closely with Senator Nesbitt about this action. He further talked about Senator Ne=
sbitt really
likes the partnership that Smoky has with community hospitals. He explained initiatives involving=
youth
in crisis and nursing homes initiatives regarding mental health and
substantives abuse. He further
explained that they are meeting with local law enforcement officials to find
out their processes in order to make it go more smoothly. He talked about the State mandated=
a review
of all LME’s and every LME went thru the audit including Smoky. He further talked about areas of r=
eview
and determination of each LME. He
stated that he thinks the vast majority is not up to standards and the revi=
ew
will look at other areas to determine functions that the LME shouldn’=
t be
doing.
Commissioner Milly
Richardson stated that this has been quite informative.
Commissioner
Chair Ken Richard=
son
called for a brief recess.
Steve Allan prese=
nted
a PowerPoint presentation regarding the Public Safety Capital Needs Assessm=
ent
Study involving the Sheriff’s Office, Emergency Medical Services,
Emergency Management, Rescue Squad and all of the Volunteer Fire Department=
s. He reviewed the maps, projected po=
pulation
numbers, call volume, agency performance, response times, agency funding, b=
asis
of needs, finding and issues of concerns, compatibility of vehicles with
conditions found, facilities, age of vehicles, recommendations, probable co=
sts,
summary and future considerations and where do we go from here.
Chair Ken Richard=
son
stated that this is the first time the Board has heard this information and=
is
what the Board needs. He talk=
ed
about including this in the budget workshop about next year.
Steve Allan stated
that the people involved with these organizations are committed to what they
are doing.
Commissioner Doug
Murphy and Steve Allan discussed a training facility and how it could be us=
ed.
Commissioner Mill=
y
County Manager Don Adams talked about this is a capital impro=
vement
plan. He urged everyone to pay
attention to the steps and processes to follow from here. He talked about the Fire Commissio=
n can
start prioritizing the needs, look at how services to the citizens can be
improved and look at services to be provided.
Chair Ken Richard=
son
called for a brief recess.
Jack Joines came =
before
the Board to discuss an appeal for the Board to consider on
Jack Joines expla=
ined
that the mobile homes are there and ready with minor work to be done since =
they
were set down in 2004 but was never pursued by the previous owner.
Chair Ken Richard=
son
asked what they have been used for from 2004 until now.
Jack Joines stated
that they haven’t been used for anything. He talked about they met the 2004
guidelines. He reiterated tha=
t they
were set down in early to mid 2004, and no one has occupied them.
Chair Ken Richard=
son talked
about three mobile homes on one acre.
Commissioner
Jack Joines expla=
ined
the location of the land and the condition of the septic systems. He talked about these mobile homes=
meet
all of the requirements except the acreage requirement.
Commissioner
Jack Joines expla=
ined
the system and how much of it has been installed.
Commissioner Milly
Richardson stated that it seems the Board has no option about vested
rights. She asked about varia=
nces.
Jack Joines stated
that no one can occupy a mobile home or house until they get a final electr=
ic
inspection, which is the last thing obtained.
Chair Ken Richard=
son
reviewed the Commissioners’ options and Jack Joines’ options.
Chair Ken Richard=
son and
County Manager
Commissioner Warr=
en
Taylor stated that it is obvious that the 180 days keeps it from being vest=
ed
rights. He talked about it ne=
eds to
go through a variance process.
Commissioner Milly
Richardson made a motion to uphold the Planning Board’s decision. Commissioner
Commissioner Milly
Richardson made a motion to approve the joint meeting schedule. Commissioner Randy Miller seconded=
the
motion. Vote 5:0.
Commissioner Warr=
en
Taylor made a motion to approve budget amendment General Fund #18 in the am=
ount
of $27,556. Commissioner Milly
Richardson seconded the motion.
Vote 5:0.
Commissioner Warr=
en Taylor
made a motion to approve budget amendment General Fund #19 in the amount of
$8,678. Commissioner Milly
Richardson seconded the motion.
Vote 5:0.
Commissioner Warr=
en
Taylor made a motion to approve budget amendment General Fund #20 in the am=
ount
of $300. Commissioner Doug Mu=
rphy
seconded the motion. Vote 5:0=
.
The Board talked
about the timeframe on this issue.
Chair Ken Richard=
son
stated that he envisioned a very simple ordinance that deals with billboard=
s,
not the long ordinance that deals with every sign and a permitting
process. He talked about the =
County
Manager did point out the need to register signs, and having signs above a
certain size and height would not be allowed in Alleghany County.
Commissioner Milly
Richardson stated that the Commissioners asked the Planning Board to come up
with a sign ordinance, and they did.
She further stated that the next time the Commissioners need to be m=
ore
specific.
Commissioner Warr=
en
Taylor asked if there is any need in the county to have a sign larger than =
15 by
15.
Commissioner Warr=
en
Taylor asked why does the Board need all of this stuff to regulate a sign.<=
span
style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> He reiterated that this seems like=
a
lot.
Commissioner Doug
Murphy stated that this is a thorough ordinance and appreciates the hard
work. He talked about the
Commissioners’ intent was to look at billboard-size signs.
Commissioner
Chair Ken Richard=
son talked
about grandfather-in less than a certain size.
Commissioner Doug
Murphy stated that the real issue is page 5, section 3.
The Board of
Commissioners talked about measurements/sizes for signs.
Commissioner Warr=
en
Taylor stated that he recommends that a couple of Commissioners meet with a
couple people from the Planning Board.&nbs=
p;
Commissioner Warr=
en
Taylor and Commissioner Milly Richardson volunteered to meet with a couple =
of
people from the Planning Board.
Commissioner Warr=
en
Taylor, Commissioner
The Board of
Commissioners discussed dimensions for the signs.
Bill Caudill,
Planning Board member, stated that he wants to preserve the beauty of the
County and have a nice place for future generations.
Chair Ken Richard=
son stated
that the next Planning Board meeting is on February 11. He talked about having an emergency
meeting before the 15th.
Commissioner Doug
Murphy asked can the Board extend the moratorium.
County Attorney D=
onna
Shumate answered it can be extended but it has to have good reasons, and it=
is not
recommended.
Commissioner Warr=
en
Taylor asked about advertising the public hearing then the ordinance
couldn’t change.
Commissioner Warr=
en
Taylor suggested advertising for the public hearing then meeting with the
Planning Board to discuss the ordinance.
Chair Ken Richard=
son asked
does the Board have time to advertise for the 18th.
Chair Ken Richard=
son said
to arrange for Commissioner Warren Taylor and Commissioner Milly Richardson=
to
meet with the Planning Board.
Commissioner
Chair Ken Richard=
son talked
about the two people that spoke today during public comments. He asked that he and the
Commissioner Milly
Richardson explained that a young man from the community has been wounded i=
n
Commissioner
Commissioner
Warren Taylor made a motion to adjourn closed session at
Chair
Ken Richardson stated that no decisions were made during closed session.
&=
nbsp; Being
no further business, Commissioner Warren Taylor made a motion to adjourn at=
Respectfully
submitted, &nb=
sp;
Clerk to the Boar=
d &=
nbsp;
Attest:
Ken Richardson
Chairman