HomeMy WebLinkAboutAugust_21_2007_Briefing_MinutesIREDELL COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
BRIEFING MINUTES
AUGUST 21, 2007
The Iredell County Board of Commissioners met in Briefing Session on Tuesday,
August 21, 2007, at 5:00 P.M., in the Iredell County Government Center (South Wing
Conference Room), 200 South Center Street, Statesville, NC.
Board Members Present
Chairman Marvin Norman
Vice Chairman Sara Haire Tice
Steve Johnson
Ken Robertson
Godfrey Williams
Staff present: County Manager Joel Mashburn, Deputy County Manager Susan
Blumenstein, Assistant County Manager Tracy Jackson, Planning Director Ron Smith, Tax
Administrator Bill Doolittle, Lt. Darren Campbell with the Sheriff's Department, Fire Marshal
Lloyd Ramsey, Health Director Donna Campbell, Cooperative Extension Director Ken Vaughn,
Code Enforcement Director Lynn Niblock, Human Resources Analyst Cynthia Eades, and Clerk
to the Board Jean Moore.
CALL TO ORDER by Chairman Norman
REQUEST FROM THE FIRE TAX DISTRICT BOARD FOR A DISCUSSION
AND/OR APPROVAL OF A PROPOSAL IN REGARDS TO TRINITY VFD'S
INSURANCE RATING REDUCTION (REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT FROM
THE ONE -CENT TAX SET ASIDE 1N CAPITAL RESERVE FOR THE
PERFORMANCE BASED PROGRAM): Fire Tax Board Members Carroll Goodman and
Frank Phillips, along with Trinity VFD Chief Jay Stewart requested $377,621 out of the special
one -cent performance based tax.
Phillips said it was anticipated the VFD's insurance rating would be reduced from 7 to a
6 after the Department of Insurance made an inspection around the beginning of 2008. Mr.
Phillips said the $377,621 would be used for the following:
4 Hydrants on Harris Bridge Road (Station 2 response area) $ 6,500
20 water point improvements (funding out of existing hydrant budget) 12,000
Turbo draft 2,846
Service Trailer 6,275
Pumper/Tanker (1500) 300,000
Hoses, nozzles, radios, foam 50,000
$377,621
Additionally, Phillips said the new rating would produce an estimated $150,000 per year
reduction or savings, and this excluded the substation.
Chief Stewart said water had been a problem in the past, but 20 points had been identified
for improvements. He said there was also an effort being made to retain the necessary
documentation and paperwork (three years worth) to achieve better ratings.
Commissioner Robertson said that if the plan worked, the board members needed to be
informed. He said, too, the citizens would become more confident with the plan, if it saved them
money.
Commissioner Williams said the Fire Tax District Board would not recommend anything
to the board of commissioners that was unlikely to be accomplished.
Fire Marshal Ramsey said contact had already been made with the Department of
Insurance about the inspection.
Deputy County Manager Blumenstein said the one -cent funding was budgeted, but a
determination needed to be made on the payout method. She said currently, the VFDs were paid
1/12`" of their annual appropriation each month.
Stewart said the truck was the major expense.
It was then decided that an invoicing method would be used, and payment to Trinity
could occur through direct deposit.
Commissioner Johnson asked how much the fire tax one -cent generated.
Commissioner Williams said $838,000.
Phillips said one more VFD, probably Ebenezer, could be assisted this year.
Goodman added that a third VFD, with a smaller need, might also be included.
REQUEST TO CALL FOR AN ELECTION ON THE QUESTION OF
CREATING THE TROUTMAN FIRE DISTRICT IN ACCORDANCE WITH
G.S. 69-25.1: Assistant County Manager Tracy Jackson presented a map outlining the proposed
new fire district. He said the fire department officials had requested for the district to be
identified on the election ballots as the Troutman Fire District rather than the Barringer and
Fallstown (B & F) Fire District to avoid confusion.
Tax Administrator Bill Doolittle submitted a verification memo that stipulated the
petition names had been verified. He said the petition exceeded the required 35% resident
freeholders.
Attending the meeting to answer questions regarding the election were Troutman VFD
Chief Allen Church and representative Keith Troutman.
REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF AN NC 3 CORRIDOR STUDY (AREA
BETWEEN MOORESVILLE & KANNAPOLIS) COST WILL BE $47,638 BUT WILL BE
SHARED EQUALLY WITH TOWN OF MOORESVILLE, CITY OF KANNAPOLIS AND
CABARRUS COUNTY. • Planning Director Ron Smith said the NC 3 Corridor Study would be
beneficial, and the county's cost of $11,842 could be paid out of his budget. He recommended
approval due to the study area having key intersections.
Commissioner Robertson said he understood Iredell County would not be bound by any
of the recommendations.
Smith said this was correct, and the state department of transportation (DOT) would not
be bound either.
Robertson asked if the study would elevate Iredell County's road needs on the DOT
priority list.
Smith said it would help by providing more credibility, but not necessarily move the
county's needs up higher.
Commissioner Johnson said the land topography might dictate the best governmental
entity to provide water sewer.
Smith said the corridor study would not address water sewer, and it would be a while
before this type of utility was in the area.
Commissioner Tice said the Town of Mooresville had extended lines to the DEI (Dale
Earnhardt Inc.) site, and the area was growing.
Robertson requested for the study to list doable projects. He said an "action list" should
be included.
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Smith said a firm set of recommendation strategies would be requested.
REQUEST FROM MITCHELL COMMUNITY COLLEGE (MCC) TO APPROVE
A FUNDS AVAILABILITY FORM IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE NEW STUDENT
SERVICES CENTER: MCC President Doug Eason and Finance Director Dick LeFevre
attended the meeting to discuss this request.
Deputy County Manager Blumenstein said the State Board of Community Colleges had
to approve the new Student Services Building for the main campus, and one item necessary for
approval was that the county had to stipulate a willingness to support the project's
operation/maintenance costs. She said also, the county needed to provide a statement showing
the amount of county funds, or bond funds, available for the project.
Dr. Eason said the new center would provide a "one-stop shop" for the students. He said
the current student center would be converted into classrooms.
(A project budget for the new center is included in the regular minutes.)
Dr. Eason announced that in regards to the Mooresville campus, the college had received
two monetary gifts, with one being $250,000 and the other at $50,000.
(All other agenda items were then reviewed, and a summary may be found in the regular
minutes.)
ADJOURNMENT: Chairman Norman adjourned the briefing at 6:20 p.m.
Approved:
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Clerk to the Board