The Alleghany County Board of
Commissioners met in regular session on Monday, February 21, 2005, at 10:00am in the Conference Room of the County Office Building, 90
South Main Street,
Sparta, North Carolina.
Present: Commissioner Graylen Blevins, Commissioner Sandy Carter Herndon, Commissioner Ken Richardson, County Manager Don
Adams and Clerk to
the Board Karen Evans. Chair Eldon
Edwards, Vice-Chair Warren Taylor and County Attorney Ed Woltz were absent.
Commissioner
Sandy Carter Herndon called the meeting to order.
Commissioner
Ken Richardson opened the meeting with a prayer.
Commissioner Graylen Blevins made a
motion to approve the agenda for this February 21, 2005, meeting.
Commissioner Ken Richardson seconded the motion. Vote 3:0.
AGENDA
Monday, February 21,
2005
10:00 AM
10:00 Meeting
Called To Order
Motion on Agenda for
February 21, 2005 meeting
Motion on Minutes for January 31 & February 7,
2005 meetings
10:05 Mary Walker
RE: Tax Releases & Refunds
10:10 Fred Hart
RE: County Lines Dispute
10:20 Amy Pardue / Mike Rankhorn
RE: New Cell Tower Technology
10:35 Melanie
McFayden / Bud Hill
RE: IDA Program
10:45 Don Suggs
RE: NRBH Financial Report
County Business
1.
Budget
Amendment—Economic Development
2.
Budget
Amendment—Recreation Master Plan
3.
Budget
Amendment—Board of Education
4.
Budget
Amendment—EMS
5.
Alleghany
Garbage Service Fees
6.
FY 05/06
Budget Timeline
7.
Joint Water
Authority
8.
Other Business
9.
Public
Comments—30 minutes
10.
Closed Session—NCGS 143-318.11 (a)
(6)—Personnel
11. Adjourn
Commissioner
Graylen Blevins made a motion to approve the minutes for the January 31 and February 7,
2005, meetings. Commissioner Ken Richardson seconded the
motion. Vote 3:0.
Mary
Walker, Tax Administrator, presented the January 2005 real property requests in
the amount of $2,570.76 for releases and $655.36 for refunds.
Commissioner Ken Richardson made a
motion to approve the January 2005 real property requests in the amount of
$2,570.76 for releases and $655.36 for refunds.
Commissioner Graylen Blevins seconded the motion. Vote 3:0.
Mary Walker presented the January 2005 automobile requests in the amount
of $2,036.77 for releases and $248.73 for refunds.
Commissioner
Graylen Blevins made a motion to approve the January 2005 automobile requests
in the amount of $2,036.77 for releases and $248.73 for refunds. Commissioner Ken Richardson seconded the
motion. Vote 3:0.
Mary Walker presented a letter asking for the solid waste fee to be
removed and fees paid to be refunded.
She explained where this property is located. She gave a brief explanation of the property.
The
Board of Commissioners and Mary
Walker discussed
taxing this property, removing the solid waste fee and a system to know when
people are living at the property.
Commissioner Ken Richardson talked about the solid waste fee being an
availability fee instead of a user fee.
County Manager Don
Adams reminded
everyone that the Board made a decision to reclassify the household solid waste
fee into a user fee in determining whether to charge this fee on properties.
Mary Walker stated that when someone sends a letter to the Board, she
must present the letter to Board for action.
County Manager Don
Adams asked if
anyone has visited the properties where the solid waste fee has been removed to
determine if someone is living at the property now.
Mary Walker stated that no one has revisited the properties.
Commissioner
Ken Richardson made a motion to approve this request regarding releasing and
refunding the solid waste fee as presented in the letter. Commissioner Graylen Blevins seconded the
motion. Vote 3:0.
Commissioner
Ken Richardson gave a brief history of the solid waste fee in relation to the
tax rate.
Mary Walker stated that she has researched Fred Hart’s property showing
that the house and the majority of the property are located in Ashe County.
Commissioner
Sandy Carter Herndon stated that Fred Hart left each Commissioner a
package of information regarding his request for all of his property to be
taxed in Alleghany County.
Mary Walker stated that the Ashe County Board of Commissioners would
have to agree for Alleghany County to tax this property then a survey will have to be
done. She further reviewed the
procedures to have the property taxed in Alleghany County.
Mary Walker talked about how services are offered for people on the
county lines and the surrounding counties cooperation concerning property on
county lines.
County Manager Don
Adams talked about
services offered including emergency services to people who aren’t taxed
here. He reviewed how the counties offer
services that overlap with the county lines.
He gave the Board a brief history from a 1956 agreement establishing the
property line between Alleghany and Ashe counties.
Commissioner
Sandy Carter Herndon talked about being at a stand still until Ashe
County Board of Commissioners agrees to release the property and determining
who will pay for the survey. She stated
that each Commissioner should review the packets provided by Mr. Hart for
further discussion at the next meeting.
Amy Pardue introduced Mike Rankhorn with Carolina West Wireless to
talk to the Board about new technology concerning cell towers.
Mike
Rankhorn gave the Board a PowerPoint presentation regarding new technology for
co-location of antennas onto utility poles to help with the visual aspects of
cell towers.
Commissioner
Sandy Carter Herndon and County Manager Don Adams talked about two wireless providers wanting to locate in
the same area and the ordinance requirements.
Mike
Rankhorn stated that Carolina West Wireless is trying to phase out construction
of new cell towers and go forward with this co-location idea of mounting on
utility poles.
County
Manager Don Adams and Mike Rankhorn talked about wireless 911 phases and
compliance issues.
Melanie
McFayden talked to the Board about the Individual Development Accounts (IDA)
program. She stated that she is asking
for the Board’s support for a CDBG grant for Alleghany/Ashe counties with Duke
Endowment providing the match.
Bud
Hill, IDA Program Coordinator, handed out information regarding the IDA
program. He explained the program is
geared towards getting people to save money to purchase a first-time home or
provide funds for a post-secondary education or start a small business. He further explained how the program operates
and other groups that IDA works with.
Commissioner
Ken Richardson made a motion to approve the project agreement for the IDA
program. Commissioner Graylen Blevins
seconded the motion. Vote 3:0.
Don Suggs stated that he is here to present a
financial report for New River Behavioral Healthcare (NRBH). He reviewed the
reasons for giving the report. He stated
his appreciation for Ken Richardson serving on their Board, and his efforts on
the Board. He reminded everyone that North
Carolina is undergoing mental health reform. He
reviewed things that New River is doing in response to
mental health reform.
Marion Deni presented the quarterly fiscal monitoring report for the last two
quarters.
Commissioner Sandy Carter Herndon and Don Suggs talked about the fund balance for
NRBH.
Commissioner
Sandy Carter Herndon discussed budget amendment Economic Development
Fund #1 in the amount of $12,000. She
talked about these monies were approved at the last meeting.
Commissioner
Graylen Blevins made a motion to approve budget amendment Economic Development
Fund #1 in the amount of $12,000.
Commissioner Ken Richardson seconded the motion. Vote 3:0.
Commissioner
Sandy Carter Herndon discussed budget amendment General Fund #28 in the
amount of $8,630. She talked about these
monies were approved at the last meeting.
Commissioner
Graylen Blevins made a motion to approve budget amendment General Fund #28 in
the amount of $8,630. Commissioner Ken
Richardson seconded the motion. Vote
3:0.
Commissioner
Sandy Carter Herndon discussed budget amendment General Fund #29 in the
amount of $3,250. She explained that
this budget amendment is for the previously approved option for the Board of
Education.
Commissioner
Graylen Blevins made a motion to approve budget amendment General Fund #29 in
the amount of $3,250. Commissioner Ken
Richardson seconded the motion. Vote
3:0.
County Manager Don
Adams presented
budget amendment General Fund #30 in the amount of $8,105. He explained that this is for a HRSA grant
for EMS and presented a list of equipment for this grant. He stated that no county funds are needed for
this amendment.
Commissioner
Graylen Blevins made a motion to approve budget amendment General Fund $30 in
the amount of $8,105. Commissioner Ken
Richardson seconded the motion. Vote
3:0.
County Manager Don
Adams presented a
letter from Alleghany Garbage Service requesting that the household monthly fee
be increased $1 to $15 per month. He
reviewed the letter.
Commissioner
Graylen Blevins made a motion to approve the request of increasing household
monthly fees by $1 for Alleghany Garbage Service. Commissioner Ken Richardson seconded the
motion. Vote 3:0.
County Manager Don
Adams presented the
fiscal year 2005/2006 budget timeline.
He asked if the Board wants to have planning retreats. He stated that he could bring it back up at
the next meeting if the Board wishes.
Commissioner
Ken Richardson stated that he thinks the planning meetings are a good idea. He further stated that he thinks it is a good
idea to have the different groups present their financial information to the
Board at various times throughout the year instead of leaving it all for budget
time.
Commissioner
Sandy Carter Herndon talked about meeting for half a day last year and
the importance of the meeting.
County Manager Don
Adams talked about
how he tailors the budget from the discussions at the planning meeting.
The
Board talked about times for the planning meeting and waiting until the next
meeting to set the date of the meeting.
County Manager Don
Adams discussed the
joint water authority. He reminded the
Board of the activities of the water authority.
He stated that each entity needs to appoint two members to the authority
with one elected official and the manager or two elected officials. He talked about the need to have an attorney
to review the documents associated with the authority.
Commissioner
Sandy Carter Herndon and Commissioner Ken Richardson voiced their
support to go forward with this project by selecting members including the County Manager to serve on this authority.
County Manager Don
Adams reiterated
Commissioner Richardson’s comments about the first step are to form the
authority to see if this is something that needs to be pursed. He informed the Board of discussions that he
has had with Eldon Edwards and Warren Taylor about serving on this authority,
and Warren Taylor agreed to serve on this authority if no one else wishes to do
so.
Commissioner
Ken Richardson made a motion to nominate Warren Taylor to this authority. Commissioner Graylen Blevins seconded the
motion. Vote 3:0.
Commissioner
Ken Richardson stated that he thinks it is a good idea for the special
appropriations groups to come to the meeting to give a financial presentation
to keep the Commissioners in touch with how County money is being spent.
Commissioner
Ken Richardson informed everyone of the Black History Month presentation on
Thursday at 7:00pm at the Methodist Church.
Commissioner
Ken Richardson talked about attending the Essentials of County Government
through the Institute of Government and the importance of the class.
Commissioner
Sandy Carter Herndon asked for public comments. None were received.
Commissioner
Graylen Blevins made a motion to enter into closed session under NCGS
143-318.11 (a) (6)—personnel at 11:52am. Commissioner Ken
Richardson seconded the motion. Vote
3:0.
Commissioner
Ken Richardson made a motion to adjourn closed session and reconvene the
regular meeting at 12:03pm. Commissioner
Graylen Blevins seconded the motion.
Vote 3:0.
Commissioner
Sandy Carter Herndon stated that no action was taken during closed
session.
Being no further business,
Commissioner Sandy Carter Herndon recessed the meeting at 12:05pm until 8:30am on
Friday to enter into closed session under NCGS 143-318.11 (a)
(6)—personnel.
Respectfully
Submitted,
Karen Evans
Clerk to the Board
Attest:
Eldon Edwards
Chairman