The Alleghany County Board of Commissioners met in
regular session on Monday, November 17, 2008, at 3:30pm 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, led
the Pledge of Allegiance and opened the meeting with a prayer.

Commissioner Milly Richardson made a motion to
approve the agenda for this November 17, 2008, meeting.  Commissioner Doug Murphy seconded the
motion.  Vote 5:0.

AGENDA

Monday, November 17, 2008

3:30 PM

3:30                Meeting
Called To Order, Pledge of Allegiance and Prayer

Motion
on Agenda for November 17, 2008, meeting

Motion
on Minutes for November 3, 2008, meeting

Motion
on October Tax Releases & Refunds

3:35    A.        Public
Comments—30 minutes

B.
Mary Walker

RE:
Present-Use Value Appeal

C.
EMS Annual
Report

D.
Health
Advisory Council Annual Report

E.
Health
Department Annual Report

F.
County
Business

1.
Fire
Commission—Communications

2.
Jail Study
Contract

3.
Soil & Water
Budget Amendments

4.
Social Security
Administration Office

5.
Board
Appointments

6.
EMS Request
Recommendations

7.
Planning Issues

8.
Other Business

9.
Adjourn

Commissioner
Randy Miller made a motion to approve the minutes for the November 3, 2008,
meeting.   Commissioner Milly Richardson seconded
the motion.  Vote 5:0.

Commissioner
Milly Richardson made a motion to approve the real and auto releases for October.  Commissioner Randy Miller seconded the
motion.  Vote 5:0.

Commissioner
Randy Miller made a motion to approve the real and auto refunds for October.  Commissioner Milly Richardson seconded
the motion.  Vote 5:0.

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

Linda
Edwards presented the Emergency Medical Services annual report.  She provided the Board statistics
regarding the activities of EMS including total number of calls, transports and
patient miles.  She talked about
their web-based reporting system.
She explained their trainings and benefits of having a part-time
training officer.  She updated the
Board about their new medical protocols and the current number of employees.  She talked about the hydraulic
stretchers helping with lifting injuries.
She thanked all of the Commissioners for their support.

Commissioner
Doug Murphy thanked EMS for their work.

Mary
Walker, Tax Administrator, presented a letter from Allen Blevins regarding an
appeal for farm-use.  She explained
that Mr. Blevins qualifies for farm-use.
She further explained that the General Statutes allows for this appeal.

Commissioner
Milly Richardson made a motion to approve the appeal.  Commissioner Warren Taylor seconded the
motion.  Vote 5:0.

Lee
Cornett came before to the Board to present the Health Advisory Council annual
report.  She talked about the
Council’s function of promoting health and dental awareness in Alleghany
County.  She explained that they try
to get information out to the community.
She talked about issues that they are focusing on.  She further talked about having a
location on Main Street to help them get the message out.  She explained that they assist with the High
School’s health fair, and it has been requested that each school hold a
similar health fair, which they will be doing this year.

Commissioner
Doug Murphy and Lee Cornett talked about the man that goes to the elementary
schools to talk about tobacco use.

Chair
Ken Richardson stated that he serves on this board, also, and Lee does a lot
for that board as their chair and also serves with her on the regional
community child protection team.

Danny
Staley, Director, presented the annual report for the Appalachian District
Health Department.  He reviewed the
State of the District report regarding public health priorities including obesity,
tobacco use, radon exposure, deaths due to injury.  He continued reviewing their annual
report including suicide rates, Eat Smart Move More, dental clinic, tobacco use
policies and community health survey.
He talked about having two members from the Board serving on the
District Health Board.  He
recognized Commissioner Warren Taylor for his service on the District Health
Board since 2002.

Commissioner
Milly Richardson stated that the Fire Commission is working on gathering their
information for the next topic.  She
asked that this topic be placed on the mid-month agenda in December.

County
Manager Don Adams talked about a contract that he presented earlier regarding
THM & Associates to apply to get more federal inmate monies.  He explained that the contract is for $3,000
to help the County put the application together.  He stated that #4 Term needs to be
stricken from the contract.  He
explained why the term length was needed if the County elected to obtain
additional services from THM & Associates.  He further explained that his services
are to put together the application for requesting higher inmate reimbursements.

Chair
Ken Richardson and County Manager Don Adams talked about how this can impact
Alleghany County.  They discussed
the daily reimbursement rate in the surrounding counties with Alleghany
County’s being one of the lowest rates.

Commissioner
Doug Murphy and County Manager Don Adams talked about the frequency of the
application.  County Manager Don
Adams explained that the County must show significant increases in costs before
asking for the reimbursement increase, and it will be several years before the
County can ask again.

Commissioner
Doug Murphy made a motion to approve the contract and pay the $3,000 fee.  Commissioner Warren Taylor seconded the
motion.  Vote 5:0.

County
Manager Don Adams presented budget amendment General Fund # 18 in the amount of
($1,039) and Soil & Water Fund #1 in the amount of ($1,039) regarding the
eco enhancement expenses and coop expenses.  He explained that these lines were
estimated during the budget process.
He further explained that this budget amendment accurately reflects the
amount available in those lines.

Commissioner
Milly Richardson made a motion to approve the budget amendments.  Commissioner Randy Miller seconded the
motion.  Vote 5:0.

County
Manager Don Adams presented a letter from Sandra Myers from the Social Security
Administration stating they will not be coming to Alleghany County once a
quarter.  He reviewed the letter
showing the staff travels to Ashe and Alleghany once a quarter traveling 110
miles with walk-in traffic averaging around 12 for Ashe County and 15 for
Alleghany County, and the visits are not cost effective.  He stated that his recommendation is to
allow him to write a letter to our legislators and the Social Security
Administration.  He further stated
that he doesn’t understand why they will not come to Alleghany County
once a quarter.  He said that he has
contacted Dan McMillan in Ashe County.
He talked about he talked with the Wilkes office, who told him that the
services provided at the quarterly visits can be obtained via mail, phone and
electronically.

Commissioner
Milly Richardson and Commissioner Doug Murphy stated that they don’t
understand why they can’t come here.

The
Board agreed for the County Manager to send letters about the quarterly visits.

County
Manager Don Adams stated that he thought he would go ahead and pass out
information on the board appointments prior to the next meeting.  He reiterated that the next meeting is
the Board’s organizational meeting.

Chair
Ken Richardson talked about Commissioner Warren Taylor would welcome comments or
questions anyone has regarding the boards that he serves on.

County
Manager Don Adams reminded everyone about EMS’s issue recruiting a
paramedic.  He stated that he met
with the shift supervisors regarding this recruitment.  He said they cannot recommend a starting
salary higher than 2% above the starting salary.  He explained his policy recommendation
of transferring sick leave from other government entities with a cap of 500
hours.

Chair
Ken Richardson talked about this is not changing the policy for this person but
changing the policy across the board.

County
Manager Don Adams explained that he needs to know how long to go back to allow
for the transfer of sick leave hours.
He further explained that he knew of four to five people with around
1,500 hours.

Commissioner
Warren Taylor asked how much time the County Manager is recommending going back.

County
Manager Don Adams stated that three years would catch everyone.

Chair
Ken Richardson reiterated that this policy doesn’t cost Alleghany County
money unless the employee is sick.

Commissioner
Warren Taylor and County Manager Don Adams talked about sick leave is a
privilege that the Commissioners provide.

Commissioner
Doug Murphy talked about at the last meeting, the Board talked about addressing
the employees who this could apply to.

County
Manager Don Adams talked about making this retroactive for three years and
affecting four employees.

Commissioner
Milly Richardson made a motion to amend the sick leave policy.  Commissioner Doug Murphy seconded the
motion.  Vote 5:0.

Chair
Ken Richardson asked if anyone has a problem with 2% above the starting salary
for this person.

Commissioner
Milly Richardson made a motion to approve the salary being 2% more than the
starting salary.  Commissioner Randy
Miller seconded the motion.  Vote
5:0.

County
Manager Don Adams explained that researching this matter allowed him to review
other examples, and he has discovered that some adjustments are needed on
annual leave for employees who left then came back.  He talked about a couple of examples
where the employees came back and allowing their time to be accumulated.

Commissioner
Warren Taylor talked about making everyone follow the amended policy.

County
Manager Don Adams asked does the Board want to wait until the next meeting to
schedule a special meeting regarding the planning issues.

The
Board agreed.

County
Manager Don Adams reviewed the timeline for the Transfer Facility scales
starting on December 1 through January.
He said that he will have more conversations with the newspaper to make
the public aware.  He explained that
this will require changing the traffic flow because there will be one-way
traffic since they need the entire right side to repair the scales.  He further explained that this Impacts
those who are required to use the scales.

Commissioner
Doug Murphy and County Manager Don Adams talked about the temporary scales will
weigh all of the trucks coming in with the exception of the County’s
tractor trailer that hauls the garbage down the mountain.

Commissioner
Milly Richardson reminded everyone that she isn’t happy that concrete is
going to be poured in December.

County
Manager Don Adams explained the plan to keep heat on the concrete so that it
won’t freeze.  He talked about
the good side to this is there is a lot less weight traffic in the winter than
in the summer.

Chair
Ken Richardson talked about Commissioner Taylor and his service to the
community.

Susie
Long with Smoky Mountain Mental Health came before the Board to express their
appreciation to Commissioner Taylor for his service to their board.

Ralph
Castillo came before the Board to express their appreciation for Commissioner
Taylor’s service on the Hospital Board

Bryan
Edwards came on behalf of the Water Authority, the Town of Sparta and the Mayor.  He stated their appreciation for Commissioner
Taylor’s commitment, appreciations for the work completed, enjoyed
working with him, and he considers him as a mentor.  He further stated that it has been a
pleasure to work with him.

Chair
Ken Richardson stated that two other boards couldn’t be here and the
County Manager will read information from them.

County
Manager Don Adams presented information from Cliff Vinson with Blue Ridge
RC&D.  He stated that he sends
his regards, and Commissioner Taylor served 14 years on the Blue Ridge RC&D
board, and offers their sincere appreciation.

County
Manager Don Adams presented information from Craig Hughes with the High Country
Council of Governments regarding Commissioner Taylor’s service on the
Rural Transportation Advisory Committee (RTAC) since it was organized in 2002
and serving as chair from 2006-2008.
He reviewed items that Commissioner Taylor assisted in while serving on
the RTAC, and he has been a valuable member of the High Country RPO and his
leadership/input will be greatly missed by the RTAC.  He read Mr. Hughes comments regarding
Commissioner Taylor’s assistance in establishing priorities and regional
cooperation have helped to make the High Country RPO a strong and unified
organization.

Chair
Ken Richardson, on behalf of the County Commissioners, presented a plaque to Commissioner
Warren Taylor for his 14 years of service to Alleghany County citizens and
painting by Harry Tepker.

Commissioner
Warren Taylor stated his appreciation for the kind words and efforts.  He talked about not missing all the work
of being a commissioner but will miss the people.  He thanked everyone that he has been
associated with while being a County Commissioner.

Commissioner
Doug Murphy talked about working with Commissioner Taylor, and he will be
missed at this table.

Commissioner
Randy Miller talked about times when Commissioner Taylor was called Coach T.  He stated that he has always looked up
to him and people look up to him.
He stated his appreciation for Commissioner Taylor.

Commissioner
Milly Richardson talked about Commissioner Taylor and her working together in
the 90’s.  She further talked
about she is thankful for him running for Commissioner again but was surprised
when he did.  She stated that the person
that she compares Commissioner Taylor to is her dad and that is the highest
compliment that she can give.

Chair
Ken Richardson talked about serving as a Commissioner is a family commitment as
well as the person serving the elected office.  He further talked about his time serving
with Commissioner Taylor has been an honor and a privilege.

Chair
Ken Richardson wished Commissioner Warren Taylor, wife Brenda and their two
sons much happiest to come.

Being
no further business, Commissioner Doug Murphy made a motion to adjourn the
meeting at 4:37pm.  Commissioner
Milly Richardson seconded the motion. Vote 5:0.

Respectfully Submitted,

Karen Evans

Clerk to the Board

Attest:

Ken Richardson

Chairman