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HomeMy WebLinkAboutJuly_18_2006_Briefing_MinutesIREDELL COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BRIEFING MINUTES JULY 18, 2006 The Iredell County Board of Commissioners met in Briefing Session on Tuesday, July 18, 2006, at 5:00 P.M., in the Iredell County Government Center (South Wing Conference Room), 200 South Center Street, Statesville, NC. Present were: Chairman Sara Haire Tice Vice Chairman Godfrey Williams Steve D. Johnson Ken Robertson Absent: Commissioner Marvin Norman, due to being out-of-state. Staff present: Acting County Manager Susan Blumenstein, Planning & Code Enforcement Director Lynn Niblock, Planning Supervisor Steve Warren, Planner Rebecca Harper, Planner Richard McHargue, Chief Deputy Rick Dowdle, Assistant County Manager Tracy Jackson, Transportation Director Ben Garrison, Emergency Management Director David Martin, Facility Services Director Jeff Frazier, Solid Waste Director David Lambert, Cooperative Extension Director Ken Vaughn, Interim EMS Director David Cloer, and Clerk to the Board Jean Moore. CALL TO ORDER by Chairman Tice. PRESENTATION FROM GERALD WEXELBAUM, WITH STRATEGY SUPPORT ASSOCIATES, INC., IN REGARDS TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR IREDELL COUNTY: Assistant County Manager Tracy Jackson introduced Wexelbaum who answered the following questions about the strategic plan. Johnson: What type of study areas will be included the plan? Wexelbaum: A definitive answer cannot be given; however, the planning committee usually determines what's needed. The list will be long but narrowed down to "criticality." Usually there's around six focal areas, and some of these might be education, economic vitality, public safety, and "good" government. In Meridian, MS, one area studied was human relations. A group in Douglas County, GA looked at moral and spiritual climate, planned growth, leadership, and economic growth. Johnson: We try to define the areas, and you come up with the methodology. Wexelbaum: Yes. Williams: How long does it take for the process? Wexelbaum: Three months -- give or take for vacation periods. Robertson: All of the goals seem generic. How do we accomplish the goals once the strategic plan is generated? How do you incorporate value in the plan so that one to five years out, there are efforts being made to accomplish the goals? Wexelbaum: The tougher question is, "How do we reach out into the community?" The task force should reach out into the community, and later, there's the potential that 100 people might be involved. There needs to be about 15 strategies, and there needs to be a determination on who will get the goals done. You have to get others to buy into the plan. Then you might find out your plans do not have realistic expectations. Robertson: In your projects, which site had the best plan implementation? Wexelbaum: Lauderdale County, or Meridian, MS. The plan was published in the local newspaper, and it received much publicity. The plan was really pushed, and the city later achieved a "Best American City" designation. Chairman Tice said she served on the county's strategic planning committee in the 1980s. Tice said a commissioner was designated for each subcommittee, and the other committee members were chosen from all areas of the county. She said the process was enjoyable, especially getting to know the other members. Tice said the "beauty of the plan" was the diversity of the group. Williams: How do you work with diversity? Our county is unique. We have the lake on one end, and the other end is largely agricultural. Wexelbaum: That's my responsibility. We have to recognize the differences — strengths and weaknesses. I actually live in Palm Springs, Florida, and it's diverse too. Commissioner Williams said many times the same people served on the county boards and committees. He said the strategic plan sounded like it might provide an opportunity to find new people to serve. Wexelbaum said many people wanted to contribute, and they later took on leadership roles, or became activists. Assistant County Manager Jackson said the cost of the plan was $50,000, including out-of-pocket expenses for travel and related items. Wexelbaum was asked how much time was devoted to defining goals, and he said it was weighted primarily on establishing the strategies. He said the first session was important, and he encouraged all board members to attend. (It was the consensus of the board to proceed with the strategic plan, and the matter was placed on the consent agenda.) UPDATE FROM PLANNING SUPERVISOR STEVE WARREN REGARDING THE CATAWBA WATEREE RELICENSING PROJECT/DUKE ENERGY: Warren said the relicensing agreement -in -principle was signed a few months ago, and the entire three-year process would soon end. He said between July 20 and August 11 the final agreement would be signed, and the document would be more thoroughly discussed with the commissioners at the August 1 meeting. Commissioner Johnson asked if the final document would include a more extensive description about the Stumpy Creek Access lease. Warren said he would check. He said there were "strings" attached about the recreational improvements, and the county's commitment would occur in the early part of the second period of the recreation plan. Commissioner Robertson asked about the State Park. He said assurances had been made that this area would not be affected. Robertson noted that nothing was included in the agenda handout. Warren said the site was a state facility, and this was probably why nothing was included. (All other agenda requests were then explained, and additional information about these items may be found in the regular minutes.) DISCUSSION REGARDING CALVARY MEDICAL TRANSPORT'S (CMT) REQUEST TO OPERATE A BASIC LIFE SUPPORT AMBULANCE SERVICE IN THE COUNTY: Joining the board members to discuss this request were Assistant County Manager Tracy Jackson, Interim EMS Director David Cloer, and 2 Craig & Cathy Sparks, owners of Calvary Medical Transport, based out of Winston- Salem, NC. Jackson said CMT desired to operate a basic life support ambulance service (two units) in the county twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. When asked if the company would be willing to work towards paramedic level transports, Jackson said it was his understanding CMT would be agreeable. Sparks said the company had been in business for over five years, and Iredell County would be the first expansion. He said that if Iredell County wanted an advanced level of services, the company would comply. Commissioner Johnson said recently a representative of NuCare Ambulance visited him and expressed concerns about another carrier in the county. He asked if Mr. Sparks was satisfied with the call volume, and if a "break-even point" had been determined. Johnson said he was for the "free market," but he wanted to be upfront about the matter. He said there were concerns about financial hardships falling on both companies, if there wasn't enough call volume, and then each of them discontinuing the services which would necessitate the county to supply the transports. Sparks mentioned the "baby boomers," and Lake Norman being a retirement community. He said advanced life support transports would really increase in the future, and his company wanted to supply the basic services. Mr. Sparks said his agency provided all of the Forsyth County Hospice transports, and the company could provide this same service in Iredell. He said CMT operated 12 ambulances in Forsyth and provided backup for 911, especially the "slip and fall" calls. Commissioner Johnson asked about mutual aid understandings/agreements between the emergency providers. He also asked if the county would have to provide oversight for Calvary, similar to NuCare. Jackson said the EMS plan contained information about mutual aid. He said, however, Iredell County did not have franchises with the private ambulance carriers. In regards to oversight, he said yes, Calvary would have to operate up to the county's standards. Commissioner Williams asked, due to there not being a franchise, what was needed from the county. Sparks said either the county manager or the EMS Director needed to sign -off on the state form. He said Calvary could begin services in 90-120 days. Additionally, he said the county's EMS department and NuCare would not be competing with Calvary for employees. He said Calvary primarily hired recent graduates or students, and the company paid tuition for those seeking advanced degrees. Mr. Sparks said that in the past five years, the company had paid the tuition for 16 employees seeking paramedic status and for 2 people who became physician's assistants. Commissioner Robertson asked the downside of the request. Jackson said there was no guarantee that two private companies could survive. Commissioner Johnson asked if an agreement could be drafted where there would be advance notice if the company needed to discontinue services. Jackson said a 60 -day notice to the county from the company could be required along with a 60 -day notice from the county to the company, if the process wasn't working. Commissioner Williams asked why a franchise wasn't used. 3 Jackson said most counties had them, but Iredell County had always operated as a "free market." Williams stressed the importance of a franchise. Jackson agreed, and so did Sparks. Mr. Sparks said a franchise outlined the standards. He said the document wasn't necessarily disciplinary rather it was more of a compliancy instrument. Sparks said Calvary had never been out of compliance in Forsyth. Cloer said there was new legislation that "cut the lines" or boundaries in the counties. Commissioner Williams said the legislation sounded similar to what had occurred in mental health. He said most any agency could provide mental health services, but there wasn't enough money for all of the agencies to operate. Commissioner Robertson said he understood that NuCare was included in the county's EMS plan. He asked if two private providers could be in the plan. He was told yes. Jackson added that Iredell Memorial Hospital CEO Ed Rush had written a favorable letter on behalf of Calvary's request to provide services in the county. Commissioner Johnson asked for an agreement to be written up, and Commissioner Williams suggested that a franchise be explored. It was the consensus of the board to request that Assistant County Manager Tracy Jackson research the advantages/disadvantages of a franchise agreement with the private ambulance carriers. ADJOURNMENT: Chairman Tice adjourned the briefing session at 6:40 p.m. APPROVAL: 4