HomeMy WebLinkAboutDecember 6 2007 Retreat MinutesIREDELL COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
MINI -RETREAT
DECEMBER 6, 2007
8:00 A.M. —12 NOON
IREDELL COUNTY LIBRARY
201 NORTH TRADD STREET
STATESVILLE, NC
The Iredell County Board of Commissioners met in Special Session on Thursday,
December 6, 2007, for a mini -retreat to discuss capital needs.
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, Code Enforcement and Special Projects
Director Lynn Niblock, Animal Services Manager Chris Royal, Solid Waste Director David
Lambert, Cooperative Extension Director Ken Vaughn, and Clerk to the Board Jean Moore.
Others in attendance: Rob Johnson, an architect with MBAJ, Kathryn Thier with the
Charlotte Observer, Lee Ann Sherrill with the Iredell Citizen, Bethany Fuller with the Statesville
Record and Landmark, and Victor Crosby.
Opening Remarks: County Manager Mashburn reminded everyone about the winter
retreat scheduled on February 22 & 23, 2008. He asked for suggestions on a meeting location,
and Commissioner Johnson mentioned the Lowes Hangar Conference Room at the airport.
Mashburn said there was a documented population count of 146,000, but 150,000 would
probably be more accurate. He said the projected population for year 2010 was 175,000, and
with more people, came the need for more services and facilities. Mashburn said that in 1988,
the jail housed 60 to 70 inmates a day, compared to the current 300+. He said annual budgets
had also increased, and he noted that in 1988, recreation's budget was $300,000 compared to
today's $1.3 million. Mashburn mentioned that the county's park funding plan was over 20
years old, and it might need to be reviewed.
Review of Capital Needs
Landfill: Solid Waste Director David Lambert said the construction and demolition (C&D)
landfill was usable for approximately three more years. He mentioned the state, however, had
imposed new regulations on C&D facilities, and if operating at the current site in July 2008,
closure, or the capping of the site, would be under new and costlier requirements. Lambert said
new C&D facilities had to be constructed similarly to municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills, or
they had to have a plastic liner. He said the only difference between a C&D & MSW landfill
was the clay permeability requirement. Lambert said the county had the following three options:
1. Continue to operate the C&D, cap it under the new rules, and develop the Harmon
property. Cost $1,000,000
2. Close the C&D before July under the old rules. Cost $50,000
3. Close and cap before July and begin co -disposal in MSW landfill. Cost $50,000
(Note: The only reason there was a C&D in the past was due to not having as many
regulations. The downside to option 3 is that MSW space will be used up faster.)
Lambert added that the C&D fee would have to increase.
Commissioner Johnson requested the staff to offer a recommendation on the best option
and to include (1) a justification (2) an estimate of the costs (this should include how much of the
increase occurred from the new regulations), and (3) revenue schedules.
Pertaining to future MSW construction, Lambert said the following:
♦ Engineering work on Phase V should start by the end of 2008, estimated cost at $250,000 an
acre
♦ Phase III & IV will need to be capped in six to eight years with costs at $150,000 to $200,000
an acre
Other: •A convenience disposal site (approximately three acres) is needed in the Troutman area,
estimated cost $350,000.
• The North Iredell transfer station site needs to be evaluated. On many days, the facility
is crowded and vehicles are backed up on Hwy. 901.
• New vehicles/equipment will be needed in FY 08-09.
Courts/Jails/Law Enforcement: Architect Rob Johnson, Sheriff Phil Redmond, Jail
Administrator Mike Valentine, and Chief Deputy Rick Dowdle attended this segment of the
meeting. Using slides, R. Johnson showed the downtown area surrounding the courts/jail
buildings (Stockton, North Center, and Tradd Streets). He discussed the different methods
available to provide more space in the area, such as building rehabs, add-ons, and removals.
Sheriff Redmond said 600 new jail beds were needed. Chief Deputy Dowdle said 280
beds currently existed. Additionally, Dowdle said more office space, kitchen space, and
processing space was needed.
Commissioner Robertson asked if starting over with a totally new facility was the
request.
Redmond and Dowdle said the jail needed to be in close proximity to the courts. Sheriff
Redmond said 80% of the inmate population was pre-trial.
Mashburn asked if the 600 beds included the prison site.
Dowdle said the former prison site needed to be retained for the female population.
Valentine said many detainees had mental problems, and it wasn't uncommon to have as
many as six inmates on suicide watch. He mentioned the courts' backlog, and said one inmate
had been incarcerated since December 24, 2004, and still, had not been to court. Valentine said
many inmates had to be housed until state or federal officers transported them to their facilities.
Commissioner Robertson asked about the Department of Correction's transport
procedure. He mentioned the possibility of constructing a larger jail facility, only to have it
filled up by prisoners that should be housed in state or federal facilities.
Dowdle said every jail in the state had the same problem. He said the transport
procedure for the state inmates was dictated by the General Statutes.
Valentine said additional medical space was needed. He mentioned that even though
cultures had not been taken, there appeared to be six MRSA cases.
Robertson asked if a two or three-story expansion was feasible.
Niblock said Statesville had height requirements, but the design might work.
Chairman Norman and Commissioner Tice said they wanted to be pro -active on the jail
space. They mentioned the desire to sufficiently remedy the situation rather than to have it
surface so frequently.
Commissioner Williams asked about housing approximately 300 inmates elsewhere in
the county.
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Redmond said it was possible, but the overhead would be costly.
Tice asked when the county needed to start being concerned about lawsuits stemming
from the overcrowding.
Dowdle said the federal government might sue, and then there would be a mandate to
construct.
Niblock said 75 sq. ft. of space was needed for each inmate.
After reviewing bar graphs, Commissioner Robertson said a total of 600 beds, not 600
new beds, would be reasonable. (The graphs were submitted by the sheriff's department, and
they depicted the inmate population for the past several years.)
Commissioner Johnson said 600 additional beds would cost $12 million.
Conclusion: Due to Commissioner Tice and Commissioner Johnson both serving on the
courts task force, it was suggested that this same group review the jail space needs.
Animal Control Services: Tracy Jackson, Chris Royal, and Lynn Niblock reviewed the
problems associated with the current animal shelter. They mentioned inadequate septic capacity,
inadequate temperature control and ventilation, along with water damage and mold/mildew. A
recommendation was made by them for the county to build a new structure and use the present
facility as a storage space for the Facility Services Department. Regarding a new facility, the
following site options were offered.
1. County -owned land at Eastside Drive
2. County -owned land at Twin Oaks Road
3. County -owned land at Bristol Drive
Jackson said the new shelter would be totally separate from the adoption center proposed
by the Friends of the Animals organization.
Williams said public accessibility needed to be considered when exploring a location.
Tice, Williams, and Norman all preferred the Bristol Drive site.
Commissioner Johnson said the employees' health and safety should be the chief concern
when addressing a new shelter.
Williams asked the estimated cost for a facility on Bristol Drive.
Niblock said a 20,000 sq. ft. facility would cost approximately $150 a sq. ft.
Conclusion: There appeared to be a consensus about the Bristol Drive site, and the staff
will begin the preliminary work. It was noted that some funds are already included in the
budget. Also, it was mentioned that design work would cost about $500,000.
Recreation: County Manager Mashburn said the Recreation Advisory Board had discussed the
north Iredell community's inadequate funding for the North Iredell Park. He said the advisory
board had inquired about the possibility of the county putting an "infusion of funds" into the
project.
Commissioner Williams said recently $58,000 was spent on a county -wide plan. He
expressed a concern about spending this money when not much was being accomplished in north
Iredell. Williams said these plans were only usable for about five years, and he feared the years
would pass with nothing to show at north Iredell.
Mashburn said direction was needed from the board. He said $500,000 was in the
budget, and a match would make it a million dollars. Mashburn mentioned that no other areas
were being studied as potential park sites.
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Chairman Norman said the Troutman community was looking for a park site, and the
west Iredell community was trying to find suitable land. He noted that land had been purchased
for north Iredell, and the other communities shouldn't be forgotten.
Commissioner Williams said the Harmony area was also interested. He mentioned that
20 years ago, the schools had play areas, but expansions and new construction had consumed
much of the recreational space. He requested that the capital improvement plan include parks
and land purchases.
Commissioner Tice said a Troutman group had approached her about a park, and they
even advised there was money to assist.
Commissioner Johnson said the Stumpy Creek Park was built due to the community
raising the funds.
Williams said the National Guard helped at Stumpy Creek, and money was borrowed for
the sewer. He said it was only after the groundwork was done that the community started to
participate.
Tice said the community started raising money from the beginning.
Williams said the north Iredell land was only $5,000 to $6,000 an acre, and this price
wouldn't be beat anywhere else in the county.
Commissioner Johnson said the north Iredell community had raised no money, and he
wanted to see more personal initiative on their part. He said at some point, money would have to
be borrowed for the courts and jails.
Chairman Norman said the north Iredell community needed to become more active in the
park's creation.
Conclusion: County Manager Mashburn said it appeared the majority of the board
members did not desire to revise the current park policy.
Emeraeney Services: Assistant County Manager Tracy Jackson said there was a nationwide
paramedic shortage. He noted that several county areas (west Iredell, Trinity, and possibly in
north Iredell) needed ambulances. Jackson said utilizing fire departments to house the vehicles
was being studied.
Tice asked if the Mt. Mourne population was large enough to warrant a vehicle.
Jackson said the call volume was not heavy enough yet. He said the staff would monitor
the calls as well as the response times for the area.
In regards to ECOM, Jackson said an expansion or relocation of ECOM in the next five
was being reviewed. He mentioned that if the jail were enlarged, ECOM might be placed in a
lower level. Jackson said another site option would be Eastside Drive.
ADJOURNMENT: Chairman Norman adjourned the meeting at 11: 40 a.m.
Approval:
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Clerk to the Board