HomeMy WebLinkAboutDecember_16_2008_Briefing_MinutesIREDELL COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
BRIEFING MINUTES
DECEMBER 16 2008
The Iredell County Board of Commissioners met in Briefing Session on Tuesday,
December 16, 2008, 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 Godfrey Williams
Vice Chairman Marvin Norman
Steve Johnson
Scott Keadle
Ken Robertson
Staff present: County Manager Joel Mashburn, Finance Director Susan Blumenstein,
Sheriff's Chief Deputy Rick Dowdle, Fire Marshal Lloyd Ramsey, Tax Administrator
Bill Doolittle, Planning & Development Director Ron Smith, and Clerk to the Board Jean Moore.
CALL TO ORDER by Chairman Williams.
REQUEST FROM MITCHELL COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOR $3,662,894 TO
COMPLETE THE MOORESVILLE CAMPUS CLASSROOM BUILDING PROJECT:
Mitchell College representatives Dr. Doug Eason (President), Dick Lefevre (Finance Director),
and several members of the board of trustees attended the meeting to explain this request. Eason
said the 2004 education bond included funding for this building project in Mooresville. He said
the total estimated project cost was $6,662,894.00, and the college had $3 million to apply
towards the project, leaving the needed amount at $3.6 million. He continued by saying the 17
new classrooms/labs were needed for the 1600 students (13% increase in the fall enrollment).
County Finance Director Susan Blumenstein distributed a financing spreadsheet that
itemized the debt service, over a ten-year period for the building project. She said it was
anticipated the project would go to bid in the spring of 2009, and the interest was estimated at
5.25%.
Due to the spreadsheet including the $250,000 reserved for land acquisition,
Commissioner Johnson asked the Mitchell representatives if they were interested in purchasing
any other property. Johnson said he was mentioning this because it was unknown whether or
not the funding could be included in the FY 09-10 budget.
Eason said there was a possibility the college might want to purchase more property in
the Mooresville area.
Mitchell Board of Trustees Chairman Ralph Bentley said he would be in favor of
reserving the $250,000.00 for land acquisition rather than using it on the classroom project.
Commissioner Johnson suggested that the $250,000 be backed out of the classroom
building project, and the Mitchell representatives agreed.
Commissioner Keadle asked Blumenstein if the county needed to make any more cuts
out of the FY 08-09 budget.
Blumenstein said it was unknown at this time, but more information would be available
after the February sales tax distributions.
UPDATES FROM THE TAX ADMINISTRATOR ON NEW TAX LISTING
LAWS: Tax Administrator Bill Doolittle briefed the board on the following new laws recently
approved by the legislature.
Disabled Veterans Exclusion: The first $45,000 of a taxpayers' appraised residence
value may be excluded for qualifying individuals. This is for honorably discharged disabled
veterans or the unmarried surviving spouse.
Circuit Breaker Tax Deferment Program: This is for taxpayers 65 years of age who are
totally and permanently disabled. The property owner has to have owned the property for five
years. The taxes over the limitation amount are deferred; however, they remain as a lien on the
property.
Doolittle said the listing forms would be different this year, and they would be sent to a
lockbox in Benson, North Carolina. He said the tax office would review the material from a
computer image, and this would eliminate the office having to open every piece of mail (85,000
listings), then alphabetizing them by owner's name and filing them. Doolittle said this method
would save the county money.
REQUEST FROM PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR RON SMITH
FOR A DISCUSSION ON THE COMPREHENSIVE LAND USE PLAN UPDATE AND
URBAN SERVICE AREAS (USA): Joining Ron Smith to discuss this matter where
Don Bartelt and Jim Dobson, both members of the Land Use Plan Oversight Committee. Smith
said that for the past nine months, work had been occurring on the new land use plan, and a draft
might be available in March. He said one issue needing to be resolved before the plan could be
finalized was intergovernmental cooperation with the municipalities, especially in dealing with
utilities. Smith said Clarion Associates, the company assisting with the plan, had recommended
the designation of urban service areas around Troutman, Statesville and Mooresville. He said
guidance was needed on this particular aspect of the plan.
Commissioner Johnson said a positive point about USAs was that people owning land in
extra -territorial areas could vote for the officials making decisions about their property. He said
the land use plan committee needed to discuss urban service areas and not the minutiae.
Dobson said he understood the USA concept could be reviewed in principle, but the
committee needed to refrain from looking at the minor details.
Bartelt asked if the committee was headed in the right course.
No opposition was voiced from the board members about pursuing the USA tool, and
Chairman Williams suggested that everyone contact the planning office with any questions.
(All other agenda items were presented and a summary about these matters may be found
in the regular minutes.)
ADJOURNMENT: Chairman Williams adjourned the briefing at 6:25 p.m.
Approval:
2
Clerk to the Board