&=
nbsp; The
Alleghany County Board of Commissioners met in recessed session on Monday, June 22, 2009, at 7:00pm in the Board Meeting=
Room of
the County Administration Buil=
ding,
348 South Main Street,
Sparta, North Caro=
lina.
=
Present: Chair Ken Richardson, Vice-Chair <=
st1:PersonName
w:st=3D"on">Randy Miller, Commissioner Doug Murphy, Commis=
sioner
Milly Richardson, Commissioner Steve Roten, County Manager
Don Adams, and Clerk to the Bo=
ard Karen Evans.
Chair Ken Richardson reconvened the recessed meeting.
=
County=
Ma=
nager
Don Adams reviewed the propose=
d fee
schedule for EMS including the projected
increase. He talked about his
recommendations being $40,000-$45,000 for the $1 per mile increase.
Commissioner Doug Murphy and
County Manager Don Adams talked
about the allowable charges through Medicare.
Commissioner Steve Roten talked about raising it to what
they will pay.
Chair Ken Richardson and County Manager Don Adams talked about how this does not cover=
the EMS expenses.
Commissioner Steve Roten made a motion to adopt the prop=
osed
fee schedule and with the $2 per mile charges. Commissioner Milly Richardson seco=
nded
the motion. Vote 5:0.
County M=
anager Don Adams presented the inspe=
ction
fee schedule. He reviewed one
change on the schedule regarding trade permits and the number of inspections
covered by the initial permit. He
said that Randy Blankenship
requested that to cover the additional trade permit inspections and get
clarification on this.
Commissioner Milly Richardson made a motion to approve.<=
span
style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> Commissioner Randy Miller seconded=
the
motion. Vote 5:0. =
County M=
anager D=
on Adams
presented the recreation fee schedule.&nbs=
p;
He explained that there are no changes because it is in the middle of
season and David will recommend changes for next year in January.
Commissioner Milly Richardson made a motion to adopt.
Commissioner Doug Murphy secon=
ded
the motion. Vote 5:0.
County M=
anager D=
on Adams
explained that he is requesting that the ropes course fee schedule be
eliminated. He further explai=
ned
that the Board of Education is assuming all responsibility for ropes course=
but
the County will require liability forms because it is on County property.
County M=
anager D=
on Adams
talked about how the Alleghany in Motion fee schedule has no changes. =
Commissioner Milly Richardson made a motion to adopt the=
fee
schedule with no changes. Com=
missioner
Randy Miller seconded the motion.
Vote 5:0.
County M=
anager D=
on Adams
presented the fire inspections fee schedule. He reminded the Board that the fee=
s were
cut in half last year.
Commissioner Milly Richardson made a motion to approve t=
he
fee schedule with no changes.
Commissioner Doug Murphy seconded
the motion. Vote 5:0.
County M=
anager D=
on Adams
presented the solid waste disposal fee schedule with no changes.=
Commissioner Milly Richardson made a motion to approve t=
he
fee schedule with no changes.
Commissioner Doug Murphy seconded
the motion. Vote 5:0.
County M=
anager D=
on Adams
presented the salary scale for 2009/10.&nb=
sp;
He explained that the only change is adding the position of Telecomm=
unications
Co-Supervisor at a grade 63. =
He
further explained that it was a Telecommunications Supervisor at a grade
64. He said that this is spli=
tting the
supervisor between two people instead of hiring an additional person. He stated that the money is there =
for
this change.
Chair Ken Richardson stated that he sees no problem in c=
reating
this. He talked about his ide=
a of
dispatch being a separate department.
County M=
anager D=
on Adams
explained that the position can be rearranged later.
=
County=
Ma=
nager
Don Adams stated that the Coun=
ty has
received some preliminary insurance information about the EMS
building. He said that there =
needs
to be serious discussions with the insurance company about the building, an=
d he
needs to get Randy
Blankenship in on this conversation. He explained that the information =
was received
today, and the amount is significantly lower than what it will take to put =
it
back.
Chair Ken Richardson and County Manager Don Adams talked about building changes for ha=
ving
communications in the building. The
County Manager talked about the space nee=
ded,
back up generator and additional wiring.
Commissioner Doug Murphy asked is this anticipated to be=
doable
for this budget year. County Manager
Don Adams said that he will ge=
t with
Randy Blankenship
next week to talk with the insurance company, and Randy h=
as
designs about putting the building back.&n=
bsp;
He said that if board wishes to include dispatch, he needs to know
within a month or two. <=
/o:p>
The Board talked about dispatch becoming a separate
department. The County Manager
talked about his conversation with the Sheriff about dispatch.
Chair Ken Richardson explained that this conversation ha=
s been
ongoing and they went on with the prior Sheriff.
Commissioner Randy Miller reminded the Board about the
conversations with the fire departments and said they want it out.
Commissioner Doug Murphy and
Commissioner Steve Roten talked about if having them in a separate location
would help. Commissioner Rote=
n stated
that the con would be the expense side.&nb=
sp;
Chair Ken Richardson said that if EMS
had not caught on fire, this wouldn’t be a conversation.
County M=
anager Don Adams reminded the Board =
that
now would be the time to price it out.
Chair Ken Richardson mentioned information about revised=
911
fees, and asked would this qualify.
County M=
anager D=
on Adams
explained that his information is that it is more for getting it to the
repeaters.
Chair Ken Richardson talked about not installing the
dispatch console twice.
County M=
anager D=
on Adams
talked about how he has worked with dispatch for 12 years, attending fire
commission meetings and talking with the different supervisors. He stated that the key is the
supervisor. He said that this
department needs to be treated like any other department. He talked about working with the
different supervisors. He fur=
ther
talked about the need for continuing education and professionalism. He reminded the Board about a meet=
ing
showing the emergency personnel that the County had the technology there and
the need to provide staff training to use it. He stated that the County has good
dispatchers, and they do a good job.
Chair Ken Richardson talked about if the County
doesn’t address this issue now it will be 10 to 20 years before it is
discussed again, if ever. He =
said
that the County has already been talking about it that long.
Commissioner Randy Miller asked if there is any other pl=
ace
in the jail for dispatch.
Commissioner Steve Roten explained that was started.
County M=
anager D=
on Adams
explained that the previous Sheriff started it.
Chair Ken Richardson talked about the parking.
Chair Ken Richardson and Commissioner Doug Murphy talked
about getting the numbers and look at it.&=
nbsp;
County Manager Don Adams explained that he has had
conversations with the Sheriff is to allow him the opportunity to talk to t=
he
Board about this issue.
Commissioner Milly Richardson made a motion to approve
adding the position to grade 63. Commissioner
Doug Murphy seconded the
motion. Vote 5:0. =
County M=
anager D=
on Adams
stated that the furloughs and longevity does not change this.
Chair Ken Richardson and County Manager Don Adams talked about the part-time pay plan =
and
how part-time pay is calculated off of full-time pay.
County M=
anager D=
on Adams
reviewed the budget worksheets and the General Fund changes. He said that he had told the Board
previously that $100,000 equals 1%, and actually it is $120,000 equals 1%.<=
span
style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> He explained that the recommended =
budget
is 22% fund balance, and it is not quite at 21% right now because of the fu=
nd
balance of $244,804 being used. He began
discussing the breakdown of the Commissioners’ discussion from the la=
st
meeting beginning with personnel: restore tax office, LEC, DSS positions; r=
estore
longevity and restore holiday pay.
The Board of Commissioners discussed the personnel
category. The consensus with =
the
Board is to do everything listed in the personnel category.
=
County=
Ma=
nager
Don Adams presented the next
category of sa-primary (plus group homes) for restoring funding to the 08/09
level for the library, health department, Wilkes Community Co=
llege,
Council on Aging, Mental Health, Group Homes and providing $90,000 to the f=
ire
commission.
The Board of Commissioners discussed the sa-primary
category. The consensus with =
the Board
is to do everything listed in the sa-primary category.
County M=
anager Don Adams discussed the next
category of sa-secondary. He
explained that this is the group that the Board had discussed several diffe=
rent
scenarios of cuts ranging from 10% to 25%.=
He presented information to the Board showing the amounts of money f=
or
the different percentages and how much money is associated with each scenar=
io.
The Board of Commissioners discussed the sa-secondary
category, fund balance numbers, money for schools for personnel, and state
budget.
Commissioner Randy Miller asked the Board what we are
willing for the fund balance to go to.&nbs=
p;
He asked the Count=
y
Manager for his
recommendation.
County M=
anager Don Adams provided informatio=
n for
the fund balance percentages according to our population size and how the L=
GC
reviews the fund balance numbers. He
talked about not going below 15%.
Commissioner Milly Richardson talked about if the Board =
does
everything that was discussed at the last meeting, the fund balance will be
16.27. She said she is not
comfortable going below that number.
Chair Ken Richardson answered 15%
Commissioner Randy Miller agreed.
Commissioner Doug Murphy answered 16%-17% is where he is=
comfortable.
=
County=
Ma=
nager
Don Adams reminded the Board that there are two or three issue coming up; <=
st1:place
w:st=3D"on">EMS building, training facility, schools.
Chair Ken Richardson talked about a presentation by the =
Local
Government Commission saying more QZAB money is available and money for
purchasing land. <=
/span>
County M=
anager D=
on Adams
talked about how these things will probably require borrowing money. He explained that they look at the=
fund
balance among other things for the interest rates.
Commissioner Steve Roten stated that he hates to see the
Board go as low as the Board is talking about. He talked about having to make som=
e hard
discussions for next year.
Chair Ken Richardson asked about personnel for the board=
of
elections and the amount of money. <=
/span>
Commissioner Milly Richardson talked about the elections
office used to be three days a week with one person, and now has two people=
for
five days a week. She said pe=
ople
are asking why they weren’t considered in the personnel cuts.
County M=
anager D=
on Adams
reviewed his logic of trying to see what would have the least impact to the
department and the public when looking to reduce personnel. He stated that is why he looked at=
the larger
departments. He reviewed the =
elections
budget.
Commissioner Milly Richardson asked how it compares to f=
ive
years ago.
The Board of Commissioners and County Manager Don Adams talked about the elections budget and
their structure of department. They
discussed what is at the commissioners’ discretion regarding the boar=
d of
elections.
The Board of Commissioners and County Manager Don Adams talked about the economic impact to =
the
mapping/911 department. =
The Board of Commissioners continued discussing the sa-s=
econdary
and Board of Education and board of elections.
The Commissioners recessed this meeting until June 29
immediately following the joint meeting with the Town that starts at 7:00pm.
Respectfully
submitted, &nb=
sp;
=
=
Karen Evans &=
nbsp; &nbs=
p;
Clerk to the Boar=
d &=
nbsp;
=
Attest:
=
=
Ken Richardson
Chairman