HomeMy WebLinkAboutMay 22 2003 Budget MeetingIREDELL COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
BUDGET WORK SESSION MINUTES
MAY 22, 2003
The Iredell County Board of Commissioners met for a Fiscal Year 2003-04
budget session on Thursday, May 22, 2003, at 6:00 p.m., in the Iredell County
Government Center (South Wing Conference Room), 200 South Center Street,
Statesville, NC.
Present were:
Chairman Steve D. Johnson
Vice Chairman Godfrey Williams
Doug Madison
Marvin Norman
Sara Haire Tice
Staff present: County Manager Joel Mashburn, Finance Director Susan
Blumenstein, and Clerk to the Board Jean Moore.
CALL TO ORDER by Chairman Johnson.
REVENUES: Using a 44.5 tax rate, Finance Director Susan Blumenstein
distributed and discussed a five-year projected revenue spreadsheet. She also shared a
ten-year projection. Blumenstein said $107,770.00 had been used from the fund
balance to balance the proposed budget. She said the general fund budget of
$110,737,630 was based on a 95.81% tax collection rate, and the tax administrator had
hired contracted help in an effort to increase the collections.
County Manager Mashburn mentioned that more bankruptcies had occurred this
fiscal year, and this had affected the collections.
Blumenstein said that in the past, the one -cent sales tax reimbursement had been
distributed to the counties in a point-of-sale method, but the General Assembly had
changed this to a point -of -delivery system. She said the change was done in an effort to
obtain revenue from remote (Internet) sales.
IREDELL-STATESVILLE (I -S) SCHOOL SYSTEM: Superintendent Dr.
Terry Holliday and Finance Officer Terry Haas attended the meeting to discuss the I -S
requests. Holliday said in current expense, the system was requesting a five percent
increase plus student growth. In mandated increases, Holliday reviewed the following.
Hospitalization Increase
$ 214,901
Retirement Increase to 5%
S 156,501
2% Step & Cost of Living
$ 321,184
Local Supplement (6.6% Certified Staff and 6.10%
Non -certified staft)
$ 584,975
Modulars for Harmony
$ 200,000
Charter Schools/Fines and Forfeitures
S 17,295
Increase in instructional supplies $20 per average
daily membership (ADM)
$ 0
Increased costs of business (insurance,
unemployment, charter school enrollment,
transportation)
$ 139,909
TOTAL
$1,634,765
Holliday said the system had a three-year plan to raise the teacher supplement
from 6.6% to 8%.
Dr. Holliday and Haas then presented eight priorities submitted by the system's
budget committee. These were:
I . Five teachers for class size reduction $ 167,971
2. Increase in maintenance and repair 200,000
3. Two full-time office support personnel (OSP) positions per school 53,741
4. Additional technology support 83,000
5. Implement OSP ABC Incentive Plan 78,855
6. Provide benefits for part-time bus drivers 35,929
7. Provide longevity increase for extracurricular 28,163
8. Vocational computer labs 130,000
Total $ 777,659
Dr. Holliday said funding for the five teachers ($167,971) was being requested
from the county.
In reference to capital outlay, County Manager Mashburn asked if any funds
would be directed towards wastewater treatment at Ebenezer Elementary.
Holliday said yes, and the actual amount would be obtained and shared at
another date.
Commissioner Norman asked if roofing repairs were budgeted for Troutman
Middle. He said that on a recent visit, two leaks were noticed.
Holliday and Haas said they would check with the maintenance services
director.
Commissioner Williams asked Blumenstein if projects could be added to the
Certificates of Participation issuance this fall.
Blumenstein said it might be possible for the legal documents to include a listing
with projects in a prioritized order.
Commissioner Tice said she still received complaints about the mold and
mildew at Troutman Elementary.
Holliday said air quality tests at the school revealed there were no health
concerns.
MOORESVILLE GRADED SCHOOLS: Representing the Mooresville
School System were Superintendent Dr. Bruce Boyles, Finance Officer David Dutton,
and Mooresville Board of Education Chairman Dr. Frank Fields.
Boyles said the system's current expense request was within a five percent
increase plus growth. He said it was predicted the system would have 4,300 students in
the fall. Dr. Boyles then described the following ten items or changes needed in the
current expense budget.
1. A three percent salary increase
2. Four additional locally paid teachers
3. Supplement increase
4. Projected 20% increase in hospitalization insurance
5. Contracted services for non-English speaking students
6. One additional media assistant
7. One additional school nurse or social worker
8. Library books for the high school
9. Expenses for Health Advisory Council
10. Improved student support
In capital outlay, Dr. Boyles said the system would not need any new buses next
year, but the system would have to use "mega -unit modulars."
Commissioner Williams asked the capacity of the high school.
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Boyles said around 1,600 students and this included the N.F. Woods facility. He
said the system should have enough space for the high school students through 2010.
Dr. Boyles described the system's capital outlay request of $3,425,000
consisting of:
Category I projects (Building Improvements/Renovations) $2,012,000
Category II projects (furniture/equipment)
313,000
Contingency
100,000
Reserve for Long Range Plan 2002-2003
500,000
Reserve for Long Range Plan 2003-2004
500,000
$3.425 000
MITCHELL COMMUNITY COLLEGE (MCC): Representing the college
were: Board Chairman Joe Troutman, Vice Chair Pam Stamey, President Dr. Doug
Eason, and Finance Officer Dick Lefevre.
Dr. Eason said the Mooresville project was nearing completion and an open
house would be held in July. He mentioned the Mooresville campus had over 1,000
students, and growth was predicted to continue due to the new Lowes complex. Eason
said the Workforce Development Building bids would be opened on June 24. He said
the HVAC project (main campus) should be finished by early fall. Dr. Eason said the
college continued to cope with budget cuts out of Raleigh, and it didn't appear the
State's financial problems would improve in the new fiscal year.
Lefevre said that for FY 03-04 current expense, the college would have an
increase in hospitalization along with higher utility costs due to the cosmetology
building and the Mooresville building. He said the current expense request totaled
$2,002,100.00, and the capital outlay amount was $1,325,000. (A listing of the capital
projects is as follows.)
Technology/Workforce Development Building -COPS Loan Payment $ 25,000
Parking lot repair and expansion on main campus 200,000
Security lighting and sidewalk construction for main campus 150,000
ADA Accessibility for Cherry Street Center & Rotary Auditorium 700,000
Renewal & Renovations of Existing facilities on all campuses 250,000
$1,325,000
Mashburn said that for Mitchell's future capital program, he was recommending
that the commissioners adopt a policy of funding it (capital program) at an amount
equal to one-half cent of the ad valorem tax rate.
Commissioners Johnson and Madison voiced concerns about committing the %z
cent in the future.
Mashburn said this year would be the first time the college had been included in
a COPs issuance. He said that in the past, the college paid for capital projects in a pay-
as-you-go method.
MOTION by Chairman Johnson to follow the county manager's
recommendation of Special Capital Outlay funding in the amount of $604,795.00, but to
delete the part of tying it to the '/z cent sales tax.
VOTING: Ayes — 5; Nays — 0.
SALES TAXES AND NEW LAW THAT ALLOWS SCHOOL SYSTEMS
TO BE REIMBURSED: Finance Director Blumenstein said school systems were now
treated as non -profits in regard to sales taxes, and they could file for reimbursements.
She said the Department of Revenue would deduct the reimbursement from the amount
that would have been sent to the county. Blumenstein said recently, Iredell-Statesville
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received a sales tax refund of $332,631.03, and that of this amount, $195,384.23 was
from actual sales in Iredell County. She said the $195,384 was deducted from the
county's May 15 sales tax distribution. Blumenstein said Mooresville's refund was
$52,759.19, and of this amount, $35,060.39 was deducted from the county's May 15
sales tax distribution. (Note: Since each school system purchases items from counties
other than Iredell, the amount deducted from Iredell County's distribution does not
equal the total amount the school systems received in the reimbursements.)
DISCUSSION ON NEW SOCIAL SERVICES
BUILDING/OBSERVATIONS REGARDING FACILITIES TOURED IN
DOBSON AND ELKIN, NC: Chairman Johnson said he felt the technology room at
the Crossroads facility was well designed, and there was efficient usage of the floor
space.
Commissioner Williams said he liked the style of building in Dobson, and it
appeared to be functional.
Commissioner Madison said a design concept that might work for the new social
services building would be to have a hallway with several small offices on each side of
it.
ADJOURNMENT: Chairman Johnson adjourned the meeting at 9:00 p.m.
APPROVED:
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Clerk to the Board