HomeMy WebLinkAboutAugust_18_2009_Briefing_MinutesIREDELL COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
BRIEFING MINUTES
AUGUST 18, 2009
The Iredell County Board of Commissioners met in Briefing Session on Tuesday,
August 18, 2009, at 6:05 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
Ken Robertson
Scott Keadle
Staff present: County Manager Joel Mashburn, Deputy County Manager Tracy Jackson,
Finance Director Susan Blumenstein, Fire Marshal Lloyd Ramsey, Director of Clinical Services
for the Health Department Susan Johnson, Executive Assistant Retha Gaither, and Clerk to the
Board Jean Moore.
County Manager Mashburn explained the agenda adjustments.
Request from the Iredell-Statesville Board of Education for Permission to Apply for
Additional Qualified School Construction Bonds (QSCBs) for the Union Grove Elementary
School Project, the Career Technical Center, and the Cool Spring Elementary School
Project: Dr. Kenny Miller, the Executive Director for Facilities & Planning for the Iredell
Statesville Schools, said $86 million in non-interest QSCBs still remained due to no school
systems applying for the bonds. He said school units were told to reapply, and the board of
education desired to apply for the maximum amount since there were not any monetary limits.
Miller said, however, it was doubtful the full application would be approved. He said the school
system desired to retire the bond debt by using existing annual capital revenue; however, the
fallbacks that could be used if there was a shortfall were (1) the lottery funds (2) the fund balance
or (3) to seek assistance from the county commissioners. Dr. Miller said the system desired to
ask for all of the bonds because they would be pro -rated based on the specific request, for
example, if $5 million were requested, then $4 million might be given. Miller said the board of
education felt this was an opportunity to obtain zero percent bonds, and the value of the projects
could be doubled. He said three separate resolutions were approved by the board of education on
Sunday, August 16. Miller requested permission to apply for the maximum amount for three
projects (identified by the Facilities Task Force for Phase III), and this was done in case the
board of commissioners felt uncomfortable with the method of paying the debt service. He said
one project could be deleted, if necessary. Miller said I -SS was comfortable taking all of the
lottery proceeds and applying them towards debt service. He said the lottery funds might be
considered uncertain, plus they did fluctuate, but state officials felt they would be in the state
budget for the next three years. Miller said the following projects were listed in the board of
education resolutions, and I -SS felt the debt could be funded from annual recurring capital.
Union Grove Elementary - $2,700,000 (Balance of funds needed to complete Union Grove)
Career Technical Center - $2,500,000 (Renovations to the Thomasville Plant)
Cool Spring Elementary - $12,500,000
County Manager Mashburn said this was a loan with no interest.
Miller said the bonds might be authorized, but there might not be any buyers.
Finance Director Susan Blumenstein said she attended a QSCB meeting in Raleigh and
was told the only national group buying the bonds was Guggenheim. She said the last two deals
had supplemental coupon interest because the investment partners were trying to achieve a ten
percent return. Blumenstein said there was a possibility that interest might be attached. She said
the request, or application, did not obligate the county to issue any debt. Blumenstein said there
was no competition right now for the bonds, and the school system, at this point, was trying to
"corral" the money before it went to another educational unit.
Request for Approval of Budget Amendment #5 to Appropriate Ratings
Improvement Funds to the Ebenezer Fire Department for the Cost of Sealed Building
Plans for Station Expansion: Fire Marshal Lloyd Ramsey said $30,000 from the ratings
improvement fund was needed to cover the cost for sealed building plans.
(A representative from the Ebenezer VFD said the fire insurance rating had improved
from a 6.9 to a straight 6.)
Request for Approval of Budget Amendment #6 to Appropriate Ratings
Improvement Funds to the Trinity Fire Department for a Substation Construction
Reimbursement: Fire Marshal Lloyd Ramsey said $250,000 was needed from the ratings
improvement funds to reimburse the Trinity VFD for the construction of a substation. He said
the ratings improvement fund was completely depleted in the last budget year, when the
construction occurred, and the VFD was now asking for a refund. Ramsey said the fire tax board
approved the reimbursement, and the substation had been built to provide more coverage in a
"hole" for the six mile insurance maps.
Request for Approval of Budget Amendment #7 to Appropriate Ratings
Improvement Funds to the South Iredell Fire Department for Grant Matches: Fire
Marshal Lloyd Ramsey said $32,600 was needed from ratings improvement funds to reimburse
the South Iredell VFD for expenses associated with several grants. He provided the following
information on the grants:
50150 Grant for $51,400 Required $25,700 in VFD funds
Fire Station Construction Grant Required $ 6,600 in VFD funds
Truck Purchase Grant Required $ 300 in VFD funds
$32,600 total reimbursement
Request from the Health Department for Approval of a Budget Amendment for the
Acceptance of a $66,472.23 School Based Influenza Vaccination Project: Clinical Services
Director Susan Johnson said the health department had been asked to participate in a school-
based influenza initiative that would primarily occur in middle schools and elementary schools.
She said based on needs, the school systems would identify the selected elementary schools.
Request from the Health Department for Approval to Accept $60,000 in Emergency
Preparedness Funds from the North Carolina Public Health Office for HINI Pandemic Flu
Planning: Clinical Services Director Susan Johnson said $60,000 in first -phase funding had
been received, and it would be used to (1) purchase materials to educate and inform the public
about the pandemic (2) enhance the existing county pandemic plan and to conduct mass
vaccinations of priority groups, (3) purchase equipment and supplies, and (4) to hire temporary
staff for planning purposes.
Request for Approval to Apply for a North Carolina March of Dimes Grant:
Clinical Services Director Susan Johnson requested approval to apply for a $3,000 grant. (The
funds will be used to (1) purchase educational materials (2) provide health education and referral
services to pregnant women who use alcohol/drugs and (3) host a training program for local
professionals on prenatal substance abuse.
Request from the Health Department for Approval of a New CPT (Current
Procedural Terminology) Code & a New Fee & Approval of New CDT (Current Dental
Terminology) Codes & Fees: Clinical Services Director Susan Johnson requested approval of
the following new codes and fees:
CPT Code 56420 (Drainage of Vulva Absess) Fee $115
CDT Code D3120 (Indirect Pulp Cap) Fee $ 47
CDT Code D9951 (Limited Occlusal adjustment Fee $122
CDT Code D9952 (Complete Occlusal adjustment) Fee $687
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All other administrative items were placed on the consent agenda, with the exception of
the August 4, 2009 minutes, and information about these items may be found in the regular
minutes.
Adjournment: The briefing session adjourned at approximately 6:30 P.M.
Approved:
Clerk to the Board