The Alleghany County Board of Commissioners met in regular session = on Monday, December 1, 1997 at 6:30 PM in the Conference Room of the County Of= fice Building, 90 South Main Street, Sparta, North Carolina

&= nbsp; The Alleghany County Board of Commissioners met in regular session on Monday, July 6, 2009, at= 6:30pm in the Board Meetin= g Room of the County Administration Buil= ding, 348 South Main Street, Sparta, North Caro= lina.

= Present: Chair Ken Richardson, Vice-Chair R= andy Miller, Commissioner Doug Murphy, Commissioner Steve Roten, County Attorney Donna Shumate, County Manager Don Adams, and Clerk to the Board Karen Evans. Commissioner Milly Richardson was p= resent but arrived late.

Chair Ken Richardson called the meeting to order.

Commissioner Randy Miller led the Pledge of Allegiance and opened the meeting with a pra= yer.

Chair Ken Richardson stated that the following changes need to be made to the age= nda; changed Johnnie Whitlow to Carolyn Sprinkle and added draft letter for the = RBEG grant.

Commissioner Doug Murphy made a motion to approve the amended agenda for th= is July 6, 2009, meeting. Commissioner Randy M= iller seconded the motion. Vote 4:0.

AGENDA

Monday, Jul= y 6, 2009

6:30 PM

6:30 &= nbsp; Meeting Called To Order <= /o:p>

Pledge of Allegiance and Praye= r

&= nbsp; &nbs= p; Motion on Agenda for July 6, 2009, meeting

Motion on Minutes for June 9, June 10, June 11, June 15, June 22, June 29, and June 30, 2009, meetings

6:35 A. &nbs= p; Public Comments—30 minutes

&= nbsp; B. Public Hearing

&= nbsp; &nbs= p; RE: Rural Operating Assistance Program Public Hearing<= /p>

C. &nbs= p; April Hamm

RE: Ashe County Medicaid Contract

&= nbsp; D. Mary Walker

&= nbsp; &nbs= p; RE: Exemption Appeal=

&= nbsp; E. Johnnie Whitlow -- Carolyn Sprinkle &= nbsp; (changed)=

&= nbsp; &nbs= p; RE: Alleghany Wildflower Club

F. = Arts Council Annual Report

G. = Cherry Lane Volunteer Fire Department Annual Report

H. = County B= usiness

1. 1998 Chevy Chassis Bids

2. Rigid Plastic Container Law

3. Draft Letter for RBEG Grant &= nbsp; &nbs= p; (added)

4. Other Business

5. Adjourn

Commissioner Steve Roten made a mot= ion to approve the minutes for the June 9, June 10, June 11, June 15, June 22, June 29, and June 30, 2009= , meetings. Commissi= oner Doug Murphy seconded the motion. Vote 4:0.

Chair Ken Richardson asked for public comments. None were received. He closed the public comments port= ion of the meeting.

April Hamm, Transportation Director, presented the Rural Operating Assistance Program (ROAP) grant in the amount of $122,929.&nb= sp; She presented the amounts for the EDTAP, Work First and RGP funds in= the 2009/10 allocations and the supplemental funds.

Chair Ken Richard= son opened the public hearing at 6:36pm regarding the Rural Operating Assistance Program (ROAP) grant application.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> He asked for public comments. None were received. He closed the public hearing at 6:37pm and reconvened the = regular meeting.

Commissioner Doug Murphy made a motion to allow April Hamm = to move forward with the grant application.&n= bsp; Commissioner Randy Miller seconded the motion. Vote 4:0.

April Hamm talked about the Ashe County Department of Social Services Medicaid contract. She explained the purpose of the contract.

Commissioner Randy Miller made a motion to approve the contract. Commissioner Doug Murphy seconded the motion. Vote 4:0.

Commissioner Milly Richardson arrived at 6:38p= m.

Mary Walker, Tax Administrator, presented an exemption appeal for Christopher Brinegar regar= ding a late application for veterans’ benefits. She explained that the deadline wa= s June 1, and it was received June 12 because of waiting for information from Winston-Salem. She read the NCGS regarding this l= ate application.

Commissioner Randy Miller made a motion to approve the late application. Commissioner Doug Murphy seconded the motion. Vote 5:0.

Carolyn Sprinkle = came before the Board to request the opportunity to plant knock-out roses along = the inside of the wall at the Courthouse. She explained that they will take full responsibility for the planti= ng and maintenance. <= /span>

County Manager Don Adams and Carolyn Sprinkle discussed the r= ose bushes will be planted along the wall, members will be responsible for the = 20 bushes and maintenance. They discussed that John Mahan will be employed by the Club for the installation= and maintenance of the bushes.

Commissioner Doug Murphy made a motion to approve the reque= st. Commissioner Steve Roten seconded = the motion. Vote 5:0. =

Genia George came before the Board to present the annual report for the Arts Council. She stated her appreciation to the= Board to allow them to present a wide variety of programs to the people in Alleghany County. She reviewed the types of programs= they have offered. She said that t= hey offered more than 25 programs during the year.&nbs= p; She reiterated their appreciation for the Board’s support.

Chair Ken Richard= son stated, on behalf of the library board, his appreciation for the Arts Council worki= ng with the library.

Genia George than= ked the library for working with the Arts Council.

Brian Edwards with the Cherry Lane Volunteer Fire Department presented their annual report including the number/types of calls during the past year. He talked about work they are plan= ning to do to their building this year. He further talked about their fundraisers.

Chair Ken Richard= son, Commissioner Steve Roten and Brian Edwards discussed having enough people to operate the department and trouble recruiting people.

Commissioner Steve Roten and Brian Edwards discussed what good intent calls are.

Chair Ken Richard= son and Brian Edwards talked about the junior program and first responders. Chair Ken Richardson complimented M= r. Edwards for the efforts of the fire department.

Commissioner Steve Roten said that based on his personal experience he knew the type of service that the Cherry Lane fire department provides to the county.&nb= sp; He expressed his appreciation for what the department does.

County Manager Don Adams presented information regarding the = bids for the 1998 Chevy chassis and cab. He explained that last time no bids were received, and the next day = he received a call wanting to place a bid on the 1998. He further explained that he decid= ed to go out to bid again and received two bids; Old Quarry Scrap & Auto Sale= s $800, Foothills Trucks and Stuff $2,000.

Commissioner Milly Richardson made a motion to accept the $2,000 bid. Commissioner Doug Murphy seconded the motion. Vote 5:0. <= /p>

County Manager Don Adams explained the new rigid plastic cont= ainer law effective October 1, 2009, where certain rigid plastic containers will be banned = from landfills and will be enforced like aluminum cans since they are illegal to= dispose of them in a landfill. He fur= ther explained how the aluminum can law is enforced, and the County provides a place to recycle the cans along with the plastic containers.

Chair Ken Richard= son, Commissioner Steve Roten and County Manager Don Adams discussed that a rigid plastic container is plastic containers that have a neck smaller than the b= ody of the container. County Manager Don Adams explained that he will find examples and provide the information = to the newspaper.

Chair Ken Richard= son reiterated that the County is following the law by providing people a place to dispose= of the containers.

County Manager Don Adams presented a draft letter for the RBEG grant. He reminded everyone t= hat several months ago the County applied for a grant through USDA for the BDC to purch= ase a van. He stated that he needs permission to sign off on the conditions in the letter. He reminded the Board that no Coun= ty money is involved.

Commissioner Milly Richardson made a motion to approve. Commissioner Doug Murphy seconded the motion. Vote 5:0.

Commissioner Milly Richardson and Chair Ken Richardson talk= ed about the Sheriff will respond to the semi-annual report for the Jail.=

Commissioner Randy Miller talked about the Board just got through with one budget and the need= to be proactive instead of reactive. He said that the Board doesn’t need to wait until March of next year and needs to start now thinking of ways to come up with the money.

The Board of Commissioners requested the County Manager to provide monthly budget updates. =

Commissioner Randy Miller talked about a meeting on July 16 with the School Board’s representatives with the Doug Murphy, the County Manager and him about school needs.

Commissioner Doug Murphy talked about the meeting on July 1= 6 and about the needs that are out there. He further talked about the budget.

Commissioner Doug Murphy and County Manager Don Adams discussed that the County Manager doesn’t have any new information on QZAB funding.

Commissioner Steve Roten agreed with Randy Miller about the money, and he thinks the department heads and employees should be encouraged to trim expenses as much as possib= le because this could impact whether employees are cut next year or not. He talked about the need to find w= ays to save money.

Chair Ken Richard= son talked about a hiring freeze that he mentioned during the budget session. He asked the Board how they feel a= bout a hiring freeze.

The Board talked about this would apply to all county departments/employees.

Chair Ken Richard= son reiterated that this would mean that the County Manager or departme= nt heads would come explain why the position is needed when there is a vacancy= .

= County Manager Don Adams asked about employees moving to other departments l= ike in the Law <= st1:PlaceName w:st=3D"on">Enforcement Center<= /st1:PlaceType>.

Chair Ken Richard= son stated that they would be frozen for the time being. He talked about the Commissioners = would play a part in the discussions about the hiring freeze. He further talked about waiting to receive the June budget figures and what the General Assembly is doing. He = asked the County Manager to update the Board when he receives the information.

County Manager Don Adams explained that the next major update is around October when the audit numbe= rs come in. He said he would be = glad to report at the beginning of August and September but the audited numbers = will show how the projections compare to the audit.

Chair Ken Richard= son and Commissioner Milly Richardson asked the County Manager to share information with = the Board when it becomes available.

&= nbsp; Being no further business, Commissioner Milly Richardson made a motion to adjourn= at 7:06pm. Commissioner Doug Murphy seconded the motion. Vote 5:0.

Respectfully submitted, &nb= sp;

Karen Evans &= nbsp; &nbs= p;

Clerk to the Boar= d &= nbsp;

Attest:

Ken Richardson

Chairman