HomeMy WebLinkAboutAugust_3_2004_Briefing_MinutesIREDELL COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
BRIEFING MINUTES
AUGUST 3, 2004
The Iredell County Board of Commissioners met in Briefing Session on
Tuesday, August 3, 2004, 5:00 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, Planning Supervisor Ron Smith, Code Enforcement/Planning Director
Lynn Niblock, Tax Collector Bill Furches, Purchasing Agent Dean Lail, Emergency
Services Director Tracy Jackson, Fire Marshal Chuck Gallyon, and Clerk to the Board
Jean Moore.
CALL TO ORDER by Chairman Johnson.
REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF A LETTER TO BE SENT TO THE
NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION REGARDING
THE PROPOSED WIDENING OF BRAWLEY SCHOOL ROAD (SR 1100):
Planning Supervisor Smith said a public hearing was held on July 13 by the state
department of transportation regarding the Brawley School Road widening project.
Smith suggested sending a letter to the state office expressing concerns regarding safety
and educational facilities located on the road. He then reviewed a draft letter, some of
which is as follows:
The Lake Norman Volunteer Fire Department (VFD) is relocating near the intersection
of Brawlev School and Chuckwood Road. This facility will also include a County
Emergency Medical Service (EMS) station. Since the proposed roadway design
includes a vegetative median, with limited breaks, there is a potential access problem
for both the VFD and the EMS base. There should not be a median in front of the entire
length of the VFD parcel. There is a need to provide direct northbound access to
emergency vehicles in an effort to minimize response times. By, requiring these
emergency service providers to travel south to the intersection with Chuckwood Road
and to then perform a u -turn they will be losing precious seconds that could have an
impact on the ultimate results of afire or other emergency. This will also allow
volunteers to get to the station without making a u -turn (important when responding to
the station to pick-up afire truck) and allow EMS to turn left without making a u -turn.
The County feels that in this situation a mountable median is not an acceptable option.
We believe this will lead to maintenance problems with emergency vehicles over time
and cause potentially dangerous situations as emergency vehicle drivers concentrate on
how to properly approach and cross a mountable median instead ofpaying attention to
oncoming traff c.
We would recommend a median cut in front of the VFD/EMS base with signalization or
signage indicating the location of these emergency, services. The vegetative median
approaching the station from both directions should be grass only for an adequate
distance in both directions to maintain visibility.
2. There is a road that is currently under construction that is not shown on the plan. This
road is being built to serve a large residential area and an elementary/middle school
complex. The intersection with Brawley School Road will be used heavily at certain
times of day and will be located relatively, close (approximately 1,200 feet) to two other
intersections. Based on the anticipated traffic at this intersection we would recommend
that a median break, or possibly a signal be included. Please include this road in your
design process. A map showing the location of this road is attached for your reference.
3. At the intersection of Blume and Beech Tree Roads, where the old section of Brawk'v
will remain to serve ROE Ltd., Jerome McNinch, and James Brown, there will be an
q,fset intersection with Blume Road. If the aforementioned properties were to remain
residential, this would not be a problem. However, the County has designated these
parcels for commercial purposes and therefore traffic counts will increase
dramatically. We see potential traffic problems at this offset intersection and would
recommend attempting to align these two roads.
Commissioner Tice asked if the department of transportation had agreed to
construct the entrance road for the new school (Forest Heights Elementary).
Smith said he understood that Crescent Resources was building the road.
Tice said it her understanding that the Crescent representatives had never agreed to
build the road.
Smith said he would check into the matter.
REQUEST FROM OFFICIALS WITH THE LAKE NORMAN VFD FOR
APPROVAL TO PROCEED WITH THE FINANCING OF A NEW BUILDING:
Joining the commissioners to discuss the construction of a new fire department were
Frank Phillips, Kevin Clark, and Howard Neel, all representatives of the Lake Norman
Volunteer Fire Department. (Note: Phillips is also a member of the Fire Tax District Board.)
Phillips said that since the July 13 meeting, he had talked with the Fire Tax
District Board (FTDB) about the new building. He said the FTDB seemed more
inclined to recommend a 10 -year loan rather than the previously discussed 5 or 7 year
arrangement. Phillips said the SouthTrust Bank had given a 3.79% interest rate on a
$2,000,000 loan. He said a source of revenue to help reduce the debt would be that the
EMS desired to operate out of one section of the building. Mr. Phillips said $19,000 per
year for the next ten years would be paid to the fire department for the EMS area, and at
the conclusion of this time period, the county would own the space (EMS).
Emergency Services Director Jackson said the county attorney would be drafting
an agreement between the county and the LNVFD about the EMS space.
Chairman Johnson asked what the department planned to do with the money
received from the sale of the property currently in use by the fire department.
Phillips said the money would be applied towards the debt, and the property was
estimated to be worth $250,000.
Commissioner Tice asked about the fire response procedures. She said several
people had asked her why there might be three different departments at a fire scene.
Phillips said a manpower shortage, mostly during the day, was a factor. He said
the departments wanted to err on the side of safety, and sometimes to get enough people
at an emergency there might be different departments responding.
Fire Marshal Gallyon also pointed out that the departments were rated by the
Department of Insurance, and points were given based on the number (equipment and
manpower) responding.
Commissioner Williams said the FTDB had requested the fire departments to
advise about their future capital project needs. He said the Harmony VFD would soon
be requesting a $1.3 million project.
Phillips, who had compiled a ten -year -cash flow and debt forecast for the fire
tax board, said the projections looked "positive" up until the end, and this would be due
to the departments needing truck replacements.
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Chairman Johnson stressed the importance of staying within the $2 million
budget for the new building.
Clark said the representatives understood they should stay within the $2 million,
and to help on the debt, other revenue sources were being reviewed. He said
negotiations had occurred with cell tower companies, and the department was waiting to
hear back from them before any site grading occurred. Mr. Clark mentioned that the
Lake Norman homeowners were questioning the fire department members about the
best way to protect their homes and assets, especially since a $1 million home recently
burned.
Finance Director Blumenstein asked if competitive bids were obtained in the
$2 million project estimate.
Clark said a "design build" specification had been used, and everyone stayed
within the constraints.
Phillips said the work would still be "bid out above and beyond."
OTHER: The county department heads then summarized their agenda requests,
and information regarding these items may be found in the regular minutes.
ADJOURNMENT: Chairman Johnson adjourned the briefing at 6:15 p.m.
Approval:
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Clerk to the Board