The Alleghany County Board of Commissioners met=
in
regular session on Monday, September 17, 2007, at 3:30pm in the Commissione=
rs
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 Kar=
en
Evans.
Chair Ken Richardson called the meeting to orde=
r.
Commissioner Warren Taylor led the Pledge of
Allegiance and opened the meeting with a prayer.
Chair Ken Richardson stated that closed session=
for
legal needs to be added to the agenda.
Commissioner Doug Murphy made a motion to appro=
ve the
amended agenda for this September 17, 2007, meeting. Commissioner Warren Taylor seconde=
d the
motion. Vote 5:0.
AGENDA
Monday, September 17, 2007
3:30 PM
3:30 =
Meeting
Called To Order, Pledge of Allegiance and Prayer
=
M=
otion
on Agenda for September 17, 2007, meeting
Motion
on Minutes for August 29 and September 4, 2007, meetings
Motion
on August Tax Releases & Refunds
3:35 A. =
Public
Comments—30 minutes
B. Mary
Walker
=
R=
E:
Late Tax Applications
C. Gerald
Leftwich
&=
nbsp; RE: E Plan and Annual Report
D. Health
Department Annual Report
E. &n=
bsp;
Building
Inspection Annual Report
F. =
County
Business
1. &n=
bsp;
Ropes Cour=
se
Budget Amendment
2. &n=
bsp;
Review Off=
icer
Resolution
3. &n=
bsp;
NCDOT/Resc=
ue
Squad Agreement
4. &n=
bsp;
NCDOT/Glade
Creek VFD Agreement
5. &n=
bsp;
Fairgrounds
Sound System
6. &n=
bsp;
Safety Nee=
ds
Assessment
7. &n=
bsp;
QZAB Fundi=
ng
8. &n=
bsp;
Other Busi=
ness
9. &n=
bsp;
Closed
Session—NCGS 143-318.11 (a) (4)—economic development
NCGS 143-318.11 (a) (6)—personnel
NCGS 143-318.11 (a) (3)—legal &=
nbsp; (added)
10. Adjourn
Commissioner
Randy Miller made a motion to approve the minutes for the August 29, and
September 4, 2007, meetings. =
Commissioner
Doug Murphy seconded the motion.
Vote 5:0.
Commissioner
Milly Richardson made a motion to approve the real property releases and
refunds for August. Commissio=
ner
Randy Miller seconded the motion.
Vote 5:0.
Commissioner
Randy Miller made a motion to approve the vehicle releases and refunds for
August. Commissioner Doug Mur=
phy seconded
the motion. Vote 5:0.
Chair
Ken Richardson opened the public comments’ portion of the meeting.
Mary
Walker, Tax Administrator, came before the Board to present late tax
applications for present-use value.
Commissioner
Milly Richardson made a motion to approve the present-use applications. Commissioner Doug Murphy seconded =
the
motion.
Chair
Ken Richardson and Mary Walker talked about the letters having dates on the=
m in
the future.
The
Board voted on the motion on the floor.&nb=
sp;
Vote 5:0.
Mary
Walker presented late elderly exemption letters.
Commissioner
Warren Taylor made a motion to approve the late elderly exemption applicati=
ons. Commissioner Randy Miller seconded=
the
motion. Vote 5:0.
Mary
Walker presented two letters for solid waste appeals. She explained that Ms. Hammock had=
appealed
before and the house is valued at $2,400.&=
nbsp;
She further explained Mr. Shaw’s situation. She stated her recommendation rega=
rding
Mr. Shaw’s request.
Commissioner
Milly Richardson made a motion to release the solid waste fees. Commissioner Randy Miller seconded=
the
motion. Vote 5:0.
Gerald
Leftwich, Emergency Management Coordinator, presented his annual report.
Commissioner
Milly Richardson made a motion to approve the Emergency Operations Plan
updates. Commissioner Warren =
Taylor
seconded the motion. Vote 5:0=
.
Chair
Ken Richardson and Gerald Leftwich discussed the generator transfer switch
hook-ups at Sparta Elementary School and Piney Creek Elementary School. County Manager Don Adams talked ab=
out
the school’s maintenance staff was unable to install the switches and=
having
to go with a private company.
Commissioner
Randy Miller, County Manager Don Adams and Gerald Leftwich talked about the=
price
of the generator transfer switch hook-ups and taking approximately two week=
s to
install these switches.
Commissioner
Warren Taylor and Gerald Leftwich talked about how much of Sparta Elementary
School would have power with the generator. Mr. Leftwich talked about the cost=
s of the
switch at Sparta Elementary School because of the three-phase power and the=
other
schools will cost less.
Larry
Dickerson, Director of E Plan Online, gave the Board a brief overview of Al=
leghany
County’s Online Emergency Plan and how it can be accessed online.
Gerald
Leftwich thanked Mr. Dickerson for his work on the E Plan.
Danny
Staley, Health Director, presented the annual report for Appalachian Distri=
ct
Health Department. He reviewe=
d the
highlights of the areas of concerns; mosquitoes, rabies, pandemic flu,
campylobacter and their accomplishments of well testing requirements, walki=
ng
track at Glade Creek Elementary School and participation in an air quality
survey.
Commissioner
Doug Murphy and Danny Staley discussed the rabies issue. Mr. Staley reviewed the Health
Department’s guidelines for testing for rabies.
Commissioner
Warren Taylor and Danny Staley talked about the Community Health Needs Asse=
ssment
report. Mr. Staley talked abo=
ut the
importance of the Community Health Needs Assessment. He invited everyone to attend a me=
eting
on September 26 about the Assessment.
Commissioner
Milly Richardson and Chair Ken Richardson thanked Mr. Staley for his work.<=
span
style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> Chair Ken Richardson reminded the =
Board
that Warren Taylor is the Commissioner representative on the Health Board, =
and
he does an excellent job.
Randy
Blankenship, Chief Building Inspector, presented the annual report for the
Building Inspection Department including the number of inspections, number =
and
types of permits issued, average number of daily customers and daily phone
calls, number of miles driven, hired a third inspector, followed up on
approximately 50 complaints and are dealing with a few lawsuits in the coun=
ty. He updated the Board about the sta=
tus of
two new hires and their training to date.
County
Manager Don Adams and Randy Blankenship talked about the amount of training
that is required for Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 certifications.
Commissioner
Milly Richardson and Randy Blankenship talked about having on-the-job train=
ing
plus their class work.
Randy
Blankenship talked about his budget’s auto line should have been $6,5=
00 but
it was listed as $1,500 during the budget process. He said that a budget amendment wi=
ll be coming
back before the Board.
County
Manager Don Adams presented budget amendment General Fund #5 in the amount =
of
$742 for the Ropes Course. He
explained that these monies are rollover monies from last year and these fu=
nds
were raised through private donations.
Commissioner
Milly Richardson made a motion to approve budget amendment General Fund #5 =
in
the amount of $742. Commissio=
ner
Randy Miller seconded the motion. Vote
5:0.
County
Manager Don Adams presented a resolution naming Wendy Williams, Mary Rector,
Don Adams and Kathy Murphy as plat review officers. He explained that this resolution =
is
replacing Amy Pardue with Kathy Murphy.
Commissioner
Warren Taylor made a motion to approve the resolution as presented by the
County Manager. Commissioner =
Doug
Murphy seconded the motion. V=
ote
5:0.
County
Manager Don Adams presented agreements with the Alleghany County Rescue Squ=
ad
and Glade Creek Volunteer Fire Department and North Carolina Department of
Transportation. He explained =
that
the State reimburses these agencies for improvements made to their bay door
entrances. He further explain=
ed
that the rescue squad’s amount is $1,560 and the fire department̵=
7;s
amount is $2,281. He stated t=
hat
these funds must pass through Alleghany County.
Commissioner
Milly Richardson made a motion to approve both agreements. Commissioner Randy Miller seconded=
the
motion. Vote 5:0.
County
Manager Don Adams talked about the fairgrounds sound system and complaints =
from
someone in the neighborhood. =
He
further talked about the fairgrounds board is developing rules regarding the
system. He said that the comp=
lainant
only wants the system used during events.&=
nbsp;
He explained concerns from the fairgrounds board including setting up
for events to ensure that everything is working prior to the event and peop=
le
setting up for events like to listen to music and use it for announcements
during the set-up process.
Commissioner
Doug Murphy and County Manager Don Adams talked about the system and how so=
und
carries.
County
Manager Don Adams talked about the main issue is using the sound system onl=
y on
the day of the event and then the problems that creates.
Commissioner
Milly Richardson talked about the Board should go with the fairgrounds
committee recommendations.
County
Manager Don Adams said he is looking for general direction from the Board
regarding this issue.
Commissioner
Milly Richardson and County Manager Don Adams discussed that there has been=
one
complaint with the new system.
County
Manager Don Adams explained that it is reasonable to ask about testing it f=
or
an event and using it at the event.
He further explained that the question is about using it for personal
enjoyment while setting up for events.&nbs=
p;
He talked about he needs to respond in writing and is looking for
guidance from the Board. He t=
alked
about the main request is not using the system expect for events. He explained how he has investigat=
ed the
complaint.
Chair
Ken Richardson talked about yielding to what the fairgrounds board recommen=
ds.
The
Board of Commissioners agreed.
County
Manager Don Adams presented a proposal from Solutions for Local Government =
regarding
a public safety needs assessment study.&nb=
sp;
He reviewed the letter of agreement and Steve Allen’s biograph=
y. He stated that he has talked to so=
me of
the County Manager’s who have utilized Mr. Allen’s services and
received good reports. He exp=
lained
why he thinks Mr. Allen will work well with the volunteer fire departments =
and the
rescue squad. He further expl=
ained
the letter of agreement, including the services will not exceed $7,500. He talked about the major tasks and
activities to be completed. H=
e said
he wants to get a master capital plan and develop a comprehensive report to
start long-term planning for safety issues.
Chair
Ken Richardson talked about the timeline being around two months.
County
Manager Don Adams explained that he would like to take two-three weeks of
prepping everyone before the County says go. He further explained that he would=
like
to present the results to the Board in December or January.
Commissioner
Warren Taylor made a motion to approve the letter of agreement. Commissioner Milly Richardson seco=
nded
the motion. Vote 5:0.
County
Manager Don Adams explained the six different scenarios for the QZAB loans =
with
varying interest rates/increase in annual payments and with varying interest
rates/loan amount reduction to stay within the budgeted $146,000 debt payme=
nt. He stated that reducing the loan a=
mount
could increase the interest rate.
He further stated that he is going to ask for a bond attorney to wor=
k on
this project. He explained th=
at
LaSalle Bank hasn’t done any work in North Carolina. He further explained the documents=
that
will be required that LaSalle Bank doesn’t provide. He said that he wants to push this=
back
one month. He talked about BB=
&T
may be interested in the QZAB loans at 0% interest.
The Board talked about it will be wise to wait another month about the banks. <= o:p>
County
Manager Don Adams talked about getting quotes from bond attorneys to have f=
or
the Board, if a bond attorney is needed.&n=
bsp;
Commissioner
Warren Taylor talked about this could be a discussion with the School Board=
and
how a loan reduction would impact them.&nb=
sp;
Chair
Ken Richardson stated that this issue is tabled until the next meeting.
Commissioner
Milly Richardson made a motion to enter into closed session at 4:50pm under
NCGS 143-318.11 (a) (4)—economic development, (a) (6)—personnel=
and
(a) (3)—legal. Commissi=
oner
Doug Murphy seconded the motion.
Vote 5:0.
County
Attorney Donna Shumate left the meeting at 5:18pm.
Commissioner
Randy Miller made a motion to adjourn closed session at 5:34pm. Commissioner Warren Taylor seconded=
the
motion. Vote 5:0.
Chair
Ken Richardson stated that no decisions were made in closed session.
&=
nbsp; Being
no further business, Commissioner Randy Miller made a motion to adjourn the
meeting at 5:35pm. Commission=
er
Warren Taylor seconded the motion.
Vote 5:0.
Respectfully Submitted,
Karen Evans
Clerk to the Board
Attest:
Ken Richardson
Chairman
&=
nbsp; WHEREAS, S.L. 1997-309 (S875) makes a number of
significant changes in the procedures for recording maps and plats; and &=
nbsp; WHEREAS, the main purpose of the law is to transfer=
the responsibility
for reviewing plats to determine whether they meet recording requirements f=
or
the Register of Deeds to a Review Officer; and &=
nbsp; NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED =
effective
September 17, 2007, that Kaynita L. (Wendy) Wil=
liams
and Mary Rector of the Alleghany County Mapping/E-911 Office and Don Adams =
of
the Alleghany County Administration Office and Kathy Murphy of the Alleghany
County Planning Office are hereby appointed to perform all responsibilities=
as
required for Review Officer under the appropriate North Carolina General St=
atutes. &=
nbsp; BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a=
copy
of this Resolution designating the Review Officers be recorded in the Alleg=
hany
County Register of Deeds Office and indexed in the name of the Review Offic=
er. &=
nbsp; Adopted this 17th day of September, 2007.