The Alleghany County Board of Commissioners met in regular
session on Monday, March 3, 2008,
at 6:30pm in the Board
Meeting Room of the County
Administration Building,
348 South Main Street,
Sparta, North Carolina.

Present:  Chair Ken Richardson, Vice-Chair Warren
Taylor, Commissioner Randy Miller, Commissioner Doug Murphy, Commissioner Milly
Richardson, County Attorney Donna Shumate, County Manager
Don Adams, and Clerk to the Board Karen Evans.

Chair
Ken Richardson called the meeting to order.

Commissioner
Doug Murphy led the Pledge of
Allegiance and opened the meeting with a prayer.

Chair
Ken Richardson reviewed the agenda changes; delete David Higgins, Larry Adams,
closed session and add deed of trust release and secondary road public hearing
dates.

Commissioner
Milly Richardson made a motion to approve the amended agenda for this March 3, 2008,
meeting.  Commissioner Randy Miller seconded
the motion.  Vote 5:0.

AGENDA

Monday, March 3, 2008

6:30 PM

6:30                Meeting
Called To Order

Pledge of Allegiance and Prayer

Motion
on Agenda for March
3, 2008, meeting

Motion on Minutes for February 18, 2008, meeting

6:35    A.        Public
Comments—30 minutes

B.
David Higgins                       (deleted)

RE: Fire Departments

C.
Junior Waddell

RE:  Personnel

D.        John
Kilmartin

RE: Razor Edge Skate Park

E.
Mary Walker

RE: Board of E&R/Tax Advertising/Tax Office Annual
Report

F.
Register of Deeds Annual Report

G.
Arts Council Annual Report

H.
Piney Creek Volunteer Fire Department Annual Report         (deleted)

I.
County Business

1.      PEG Grant Budget Amendment

2.      Tag Office Update

3.      Non-Smoking Policy

4.      Budget Work Session

5.      Deed of Trust Release                                      (added)

6.      Secondary Road Public Hearing Dates        (added)

7.      Other Business

8.      Closed Session—NCGS 143-318.11
(a) (6)—personnel   (deleted)

9.      Adjourn

Commissioner
Milly Richardson made a motion to approve the minutes for the February 18, 2008, meeting.  Commissioner Randy Miller seconded the motion.
Vote 5:0.

Chair
Ken Richardson opened the public comments’ portion of the meeting and
asked for public comments.  None
were received.  He closed
the public comments’ portion of the meeting.

John
Kilmartin came before the Board to request a one-time allocation for the Skateboard Park.  He talked about the huge increase in
concrete prices.  He explained that
their current shortfall is $4,400.
He further explained that they are asking the County to become involved
as a partner on this project.  He
talked about funds they currently have and the different revenue sources.  He stated that the total raised is
$16,400.

Commissioner
Doug Murphy and John Kilmartin discussed the $4,400 shortfall is on phase 1.  John Kilmartin explained that phase 2 is
all through private donations.

Commissioner
Warren Taylor asked about the
timeline for the project and could it wait until budget time.

John
Kilmartin explained that the park should be completed in May.

Kathy
Murphy stated that they hope to complete the park in May and have a grand opening
on June 21.  She explained what has
been done so far.

Commissioner
Warren Taylor and John Kilmartin discussed the Town’s participation.

Commissioner
Doug Murphy asked about the recreation department providing $2,000.

John
Kilmartin stated that was a misunderstanding of prior funds and now understands
that those funds aren’t available.

County Manager Don Adams
explained that those funds were Recreation Commission funds and were not
earmarked for the skate park; therefore they were used on the ropes course.

Chair
Ken Richardson and County Manager Don Adams
talked about the money would come from the fund balance.

Commissioner
Warren Taylor made a motion to
approve the request for the skate park.
Commissioner Milly Richardson seconded the motion.  Vote 5:0.

Commissioner
Doug Murphy stated his appreciation
to Coalbey Murphy for his hard work on this project.

Lizabeth
Roupe, Register of Deeds, presented the annual report for the Register of Deeds
office.  She discussed the total
collections for the calendar year, real property recording fees, number of real
property documents handled, amount collected in excise tax, number of certified
vital records, marriage licenses issued, death certificates filed and the number
of plats recorded.  She talked about
the total revenue transactions.  She
stated that it the office was self-supporting for another year.  She talked about goals achieved for the
office.

Commissioner
Warren Taylor and Lizabeth Roupe talked about all of the land records are
now online.

Lizabeth Roupe explained that electronic recording will be coming
soon.

Chair
Ken Richardson thanked Mrs. Roupe for her report.

Mary
Walker, Tax Administrator, came to present her annual report for the Tax
Office.  She reviewed the activities
of the Tax Office including billing and collections, audits performed,
revaluation and the Board of E&R and online property records.  She talked about special projects
including billing/collections software.
She explained that Fred Sides developed software that they just began
using.  She stated that the Tax
Office will begin collecting taxes for the Town of Sparta.
She explained that she hopes to start using the debt set-off program, begin
accepting credit cards and would like to have access online to pay taxes.  She explained what the collection rates are
for real property and vehicles.

Commissioner
Milly Richardson stated that the Tax Office does a good job and a lot of hard
work.

County Manager Don Adams and
Mary Walker discussed that the software costs $35,000.  They also discussed that the prior
software package was in excess of $280,000.

Commissioner
Warren Taylor and Mary Walker discussed
that the data is backed up daily.

Chair
Ken Richardson asked the Commissioners for dates for the Board of E&R.

Mary
Walker reminded the Commissioners of the rules for the Board of E&R.

The
Board discussed dates for the meetings.
They decided on April
8, 22, 29.

Mary
Walker talked about the date for advertising tax delinquents.  She explained why she picked the middle
of May.  She talked about the
process to get to the actual advertising.
She explained that letters will be going out on March 17 and the ad will
run on May 8.

County Manager Don Adams talked
about reasons to have this in early May.

Commissioner
Warren Taylor made a motion to grant permission for Mary Walker to run the ad
on May 8.  Commissioner Doug Murphy seconded the motion. Vote 5:0.

Genia
George presented the annual report for the Arts Council.  She stated their appreciation to the
Board for their continued support.
She talked about the programs they offered during the last year including
activities for the students and the community as well as upcoming summer
activities.  She expressed their appreciation
for all of the help that the Commissioners give them.

Commissioner
Warren Taylor stated his appreciation for all they do with the programming.

County Manager
Don Adams presented budget amendment
General Fund #24 in the amount of $50,000 to budget for the PEG grant that goes
towards Channel 50.  He explained
the breakdown of the revenues, and this budget amendment is for equipment for
Channel 50 and this conference room.

Commissioner
Warren Taylor made a motion to
approve budget amendment General Fund #24 in the amount of $50,000.  Commissioner Doug
Murphy seconded the motion.  Vote 5:0.

County Manager Don Adams updated the Board regarding the status of
having a license plate agency in Alleghany
County.  He stated that it is the intentions of
DMV to open a tag office here.  He
explained that they have accepted applications, reviewed them and conducted
interviews.  He further explained
that a decision should be made soon.
He stated that once an applicant is selected they will have six weeks of
training and time associated with getting the lines in place.

County Manager Don Adams stated
that he invited the Sheriff back for this next discussion, but the Sheriff
declined the invitation stating that he would comply with the
Commissioners’ decision. He reiterated that the Commissioners have made
all facilities smoke-free with the exception of the Law Enforcement
Center and the small area
behind the court room.

Chair
Ken Richardson stated that he thinks the entire courthouse should be made
smoke-free.

Commissioner
Milly Richardson asked didn’t the Board discuss the Law Enforcement
Center’s public
areas.

County Manager Don Adams reviewed conversations with the Sheriff
regarding the Law
Enforcement Center.

Commissioner
Milly Richardson stated that the complaints she receives are about the public
area.

Commissioner
Milly Richardson made a motion to include the courthouse and the public areas
of the Law Enforcement Center
as smoke-free.

County Manager Don Adams asked for clarification on what are public
areas in the Law Enforcement Center.  He further asked are we talking about
the lobby area and the hallway to DMV or everywhere to the secured areas.  He stated that currently there are no
smoke-free areas in the Law
Enforcement Center.

Commissioner
Milly Richardson talked about making the public areas excluding the Jail area
as smoke-free.

Commissioner
Warren Taylor and County Manager Don Adams
talked about the new law allows the Board of Commissioners to make facilities
smoke-free.

Commissioner
Warren Taylor seconded the motion on
the floor.  Vote 5:0.

County Manager Don Adams talked
about scheduling a budget planning session.

The
Board and the County
Manager discussed dates
for the meeting.  They decided on
March 19 at 6:30pm.

County Manager Don Adams
explained that the Department of Transportation is requesting dates to schedule
the secondary road public hearing.
He explained what the meeting is.

Clerk
to the Board Karen Evans reviewed dates available for the meeting.

The
Board discussed the dates and decided on April 16 at 6:30pm.

County Manager
Don Adams reviewed the economic
development deal with Charleston Forge having two deeds of trust and their
purposes.  He talked about one deed
of trust was satisfied in 2006 and now the second one has been satisfied.  He stated that the County Attorney
will file papers to release the second deed of trust.

Being
no further business, Commissioner Milly Richardson made a motion to adjourn at 7:26pm.  Commissioner Warren
Taylor seconded the motion.  Vote 5:0.

Respectfully
submitted,

Karen Evans

Clerk to the Board

Attest:

Ken Richardson

Chairman