HomeMy WebLinkAboutMay_23_2013_Regular_MinutesIREDELL COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
MINUTES
MAY 23, 2013
The Iredell County Board of Commissioners met on Thursday, May 23, 2013, at 7:00
PM, in the Iredell County Government Center (Commissioners' Meeting Room), 200 South
Center Street, Statesville, NC.
Board Members Present
Chairman Steve Johnson
David Boone
Renee Griffith
Ken Robertson
Absent: Vice Chairman Marvin Norman
Staff present County Manager Ron Smith, Deputy County Manager Tracy Jackson,
Finance Director Susan Blumenstein, Chief Deputy Rick Dowdle, Crime Lab Director Misty
Icard, Communications/Emergency Management Director David Martin, Code Enforcement
Director Lynn Niblock, and Clerk to the Board Jean Moore.
CALL TO ORDER
INVOCATION
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
ADJUSTMENTS OF THE AGENDA: MOTIO by Commissioner Griffith to approve
the agenda with the following adjustments.
Revision: Due to a large number of individuals attending the meeting, and many people
desiring to speak, the public comment period was moved to the beginning of
the agenda.
Addition: Approval of the Revised FY 14 Juvenile Crime Prevention Council Funding Plan
Deletion: Closed Session for Attorney -Client — G.S. 143-318.11(a) (3)
VOTING: Ayes — 4; Nays — 0.
County Manager Smith noted that due to occupancy limitations (250 people maximum)
many individuals could not be seated in the Commissioners' Meeting Room. He said the people
who could not be seated were stationed downstairs. (A sign up sheet was circulated, and it
revealed that 170 additional people were in attendance.)
David Coble: Requested the board to allow a bond referendum on the November ballot in
regards to the needs listed in the School Facilities Task Force.
Michael Whitaker: Requested the board to allow a bond referendum on the November ballot,
especially due to the needs of the Mooresville gym and auditorium.
Greg Whitfield: A member of the School Facilities Task Force, he requested the board to allow
a bond referendum on an upcoming ballot.
Allan Hand: Mentioned a concern that North Carolina's attention to public schools had
"waned." Requested the board to allow a bond referendum.
Matthew Fail: Mentioned funding cuts to the Iredell-Statesville Schools and the system's low
ranking in local funding. He also mentioned the possibility of helping the schools by (1) raising the
property tax rate by a nickel (2) increasing the sales tax from 5.0675 to $.07 or (3) the county could use
its fund balance to help the schools.
I
Mac Herring: Requested the board to allow a bond referendum on an upcoming ballot and to
also consider the quarter cent sales tax option.
Terry Wall: A teaching assistant and bus driver, she requested the commissioners to help offset
school system funding gaps and to supplement the state's budget for the schools.
Barbie Ervin: A teaching assistant, said it was felt the Iredell County citizens would be
agreeable to an increased property tax to help the schools.
Miles Atkins: Requested the board members to listen to their constituents in regards to a school
bond referendum.
Jamie Connotillo: Requested additional funding for the schools through increases in either the
sales tax or the property tax. She mentioned the personnel cuts that been made by the Iredell-Statesville
School System and requested an opportunity for the voters to vote on a school bond.
Commissioner Robertson then spoke and some of his comments are as follows: "During the
campaign for this office one of the questions I was asked was: `What is the biggest challenge that Iredell
County faces in the coming years?' I said it would be Obamacare. People said, `How in the world can
that happen?' Well, what we've seen at the federal level has been the biggest expansion of medical
obligations since Medicare and Medicaid were created. At the same time there are the baby boomers
who started being born in 1946. So at the same time we saw the largest increase in an entitlement
program, it's the same time we see the baby boomers just start to hit Social Security and Medicare at the
same time. The federal government is broke. Right now they are not borrowing 43 cents on every
dollar spent. They are printing it. The Chinese have quit lending us money. We are printing $87 billion
a month. They can print money to pay for stuff they want to pay for but the state of North Carolina
cannot. The state of North Carolina is obligated in the largest Medicaid expansion that we've seen. At
the same time, the cost of private medical insurance has skyrocketed because of the mandates for
additional coverage under Obamacare. With all of those expenses the federal government can print
money, and they can pay for it. But the state cannot. About 50% of the state's budget goes to
education, and most of the people who ran for office ran with a no tax pledge so they have these huge
medical expenses. They are obliged to pay these expenses when their revenue stream is going down,
and they basically promised not to change the tax rate. I like to hear people say that as well. The way
the state is dealing with it is by taking the money they allocate to schools, which is over a half of their
budget, and their state budget is optional. The state portion for the Medicaid budget is not optional. The
money is going to pay for healthcare. The question is: Are we to make it up? This is the question for
the county. Whose schools are they? In the past the counties only paid for facilities, but over time the
state has pulled money back out, and we've paid more and more for salaries and salaried positions. The
state in the past paid more for schools than the county, but will the schools become county schools?
Nobody has told us. It's like the federal and state governments are walking away from this. They've
not said they are your schools. Some of the solutions are to cut teaching assistants. Most of the bus
drivers are TAs, because we can't find people who are willing to work two hours in the morning at
slightly above minimum wage and then come back for two hours in the afternoon for slightly above
minimum wage. The next part is in regards to people saying we can expand the classroom size. We are
being told from the state that this is an option, but the majority of the schools that were built in this
county in the last two decades were built at a time when the state was telling us we should cap and have
smaller classrooms. The schools were built for smaller class sizes. The ability to increase size really
doesn't exist because the facilities were built at a time when the state was telling us to make the
classrooms smaller. A lot of these solutions that we are being given by the state really in fact are not
solutions at all. That further exacerbates the problem. What I would ask you to do when talking to
people in the state is to ask them (1) to not cut the funding and (2) if cuts have to be made to at least give
the local school boards the flexibility to decide what can be cut." (At this time the audience members
cut off Commissioner Robertson's remarks.)
Request from the Sheriff's Office for Consent to Apply for a $45,000 Coverdale Crime Lab
Grant: Crime Lab Director Misty Icard requested approval of this budget amendment. She said no
local match was needed, and the funding had to be used for equipment, such as drug analysis, latent
print examination, and/or blood/alcohol and blood drug testing equipment.
Chairman Johnson asked if the funds would be available in the future.
2
Icard said future grants of this type were unknown.
MOTION by Commissioner Griffith to allow the sheriffs office to apply for the grant.
VOTING: Ayes — 4; Nays — 0.
Request from the Sheriffs Office for Consent to Finalize a Contract with ARAMARK for
Food and Commissary Services: Chief Deputy Rick Dowdle said ARAMARK had been used for
several years to supply food services, and the new contract would add commissary services. He said
Attorney Pope's office had assisted with the contract.
Commissioner Griffith asked if ARAMARK accepted food stamp cards.
Dowdle said he was "pretty" sure the kiosk did not accept food stamp cards.
OTION by Commissioner Robertson to approve the contract with ARAMARK for
commissary operations and food services at the detention center.
VOTING: Ayes — 4; Nays — 0.
Commissioner Griffith requested for the board members to be notified if ARAMARK decided to
accept food stamp cards.
Request from the Sheriffs Office for Approval of Budget Amendment #34 for the
Appropriation of $20,000 from Seized Funds to the North Iredell Training Facility for the
Purchase of Gravel, Sand, and Mulch for Erosion Control: Chief Deputy Dowdle requested
approval of budget amendment #34 to finish construction work at the firing range. (He noted on the
agenda memo that the erosion control work was needed to meet state requirements.)
OTIO by Commissioner Griffith to approve Budget Amendment #34.
VOTING: Ayes — 4; Nays — 0.
Request from Emergency Management for Approval of Budget Amendment #35 in
Association with the Acceptance of a $52,500 Hazard Mitigation Plan Grant:
Communications/Emergency Management Director David Martin said last September a request
was approved to join with Rowan County in a Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan as well as
permission to apply for a grant. He said the State was federally approved for $470,000 for regional
plans, and of that amount, Iredell and Rowan County were awarded $70,000. He said the budget
amendment would be for $52,500.00, or 75% of the grant, and the remainder had to be supplied by
Rowan and Iredell County as an in-kind match. Mr. Martin said the county would not be eligible
for federal disaster funds if the mitigation plan was not created.
Commissioner Griffith asked if the 25% local match cost would be split between Rowan
and Iredell counties.
Martin said yes.
OTION by Commissioner Griffith to approve Budget Amendment #35.
3
To appropriate $20,000 from seized funds to the North Iredell Training Facility to purchase gravel, sand and mulch for
erosion control.
BA#34
5/2312013
Account#
Current
Chane
Amended
104880 499401
Appropriated Fund Balance - Seized Funds
-
(20,000)
(20,000)
105514 536010....
N Iredell Training Facility
5,000
20,000
25,000
Request from Emergency Management for Approval of Budget Amendment #35 in
Association with the Acceptance of a $52,500 Hazard Mitigation Plan Grant:
Communications/Emergency Management Director David Martin said last September a request
was approved to join with Rowan County in a Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan as well as
permission to apply for a grant. He said the State was federally approved for $470,000 for regional
plans, and of that amount, Iredell and Rowan County were awarded $70,000. He said the budget
amendment would be for $52,500.00, or 75% of the grant, and the remainder had to be supplied by
Rowan and Iredell County as an in-kind match. Mr. Martin said the county would not be eligible
for federal disaster funds if the mitigation plan was not created.
Commissioner Griffith asked if the 25% local match cost would be split between Rowan
and Iredell counties.
Martin said yes.
OTION by Commissioner Griffith to approve Budget Amendment #35.
3
VOTING: Ayes — 4; Nays — 0.
BA#35
5/23/2013
To appropriate $52,500 in the Office of Emergency Management Department for a Hazard Mitigation Grant.
Account#
Current
Chane
Amended
104546 438330
105546 53750814543
Hazard Mitigation Grant
Contracted Services - Hazard Mitigation
-
(52,500)
52,500
(52,500)
52,500
Request from Code Enforcement for Approval of an Interlocal Agreement with the
Town of Troutman to Administer a Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance through the
Applicable Provisions of the North Carolina State Building Code: Code Enforcement
Director Lynn Niblock requested approval of an interlocal agreement with the Town of Troutman
to provide inspection services. Niblock said the county had been providing this service on an
informal basis for the past 30 years, but there was never an agreement. He said Troutman was in
the process of updating its Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance, and the agreement needed
approval.
Commissioner Boone asked if the Town had any building ordinances or codes stricter than
the State codes.
Niblock said in North Carolina it was not legal for jurisdictions to adopt building code
regulations without permission from the State. He said, typically, zoning ordinance standards did
not address the particular items that building standards addressed. Niblock said he was not aware
of any items (construction, wiring, plumbing or mechanical) in the Troutman ordinance that were
more stringent than the State Building Code requirements.
MOTION by Chairman Johnson to approve the interlocal agreement.
VOTING: Ayes — 4; Nays — 0.
Request for the Adoption of a Resolution to Cancel the Loan Performance Agreement
and Deed of Trust Dated March 10, 2010 for Longitude 80 Dairies, Inc: Finance Director
Susan Blumenstein said that in 2010 the Rural Center approved a 5240,000 grant to Iredell County
for the purpose of loaning the funds to Longitude Dairies for a building/restoration grant. She said
a loan performance agreement had to be signed and a deed of trust on the property was executed.
Blumenstein said the Rural Center had recently sent notification that the grant had been completed,
and Longitude Dairies had met all requirements. She said the Rural Center had recommended for
the loan performance agreement to be forgiven and for the cancelation of the deed of trust.
OTIO by Chairman Johnson to approve the request.
VOTING: Ayes — 4; Nays — 0.
RESOLUTION OF THE
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF IREDELL COUNTY
WHEREAS, The Rural Center made a grant to Iredell County to be used for the funding of a loan to Longitude 8o
Dairies, Inc. upon certain conditions, including the creation of twenty-four (24) full-time jobs; and
WHEREAS, the covenants and obligations of Longitude 80 Dairies, Inc. were secured by a Deed of Trust from
Yoga Pure Properties, LLC recorded in the Iredell County Registry in Booh 2067 at Page 1687; and
WHEREAS, The Rural Center has now informed Iredell County that all of the conditions of the loan commitment
have been met and completely fulfilled and that the loan from Iredell County funded by The Rural Center grant
should be forgiven.
NOW THEREFORE, it is resolved:
1. The obligations of the parties to each other under the Loan Performance Agreement dated
March 10, 2010 between Iredell County and Longitude 80 Dairies, Inc. have been fulfilled.
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2. The Loan Performance Agreement between Iredell County and Longitude 80 Dairies, Inc. dated
March 10, 2010 is cancelled.
3. The loan to Longitude BO Dairies, Inc., secured by the pledge of Yoga Pure Properties, LLC is hereby
forgiven.
4. William P. Pope, the Trustee under the Deed of Trust from Vogo Pure Properties, LLC dated
March 10, 2010 recorded in Book 2067, Page 1687, is hereby directed to cancel said Deed of Trust from
the public record.
Request for Approval of Budget Amendment #36 to Recognize and Appropriate
Additional Juvenile Crime Prevention Council (JCPC) Funds for FY 13: Finance Director
Blumenstein requested approval of budget amendment 436 to recognize $17,360 in JCPC funding
to be used to purchase trauma assessment software and other tools to evaluate pre and post
treatment measures for children placed at Barium Springs Home for Children by the juvenile court
counselors.
OTION by Commissioner Robertson to approve Budget Amendment #36.
VOTING: Ayes — 4; Nays — 0.
Request for Approval of a Revised FY 14 Juvenile Crime Prevention Council Funding
Plan: Finance Director Susan Blumenstein said that when the board approved the FY14 funding
plan there was an unallocated amount of $41,822. She said requests for proposals were sent out
for community service and restitution programs. Blumenstein said the council met on
May 21, 2013, and evaluated two proposals (one from Appropriate Punishment Options and one
from Project Challenge). She said the council unanimously approved a proposal from Appropriate
Punishment Options (APO). Blumenstein said in addition to community service and restitution,
the APO office would offer sessions on job and communication skills, teamwork/leadership, and
job success/advancement.
OTIO by Commissioner Griffith to approve the revised FY 14 JCPC Plan.
VOTING: Ayes — 4; Nays — 0.
To accept JCPC Discretionary Funds awarded on May 17, 2013 and appropriate to Barium Springs Home for
Children for services provided tojuveniles.
BA#36
5/23/2013
Account#
Current
Chane
Amended
394486 4341.00
JCPC Pass-lhru Grants
271,296
(17,360)
253,936
395486 5636.00
Barium Springs Residential Services
100,341
17,360
117,701
Request for Approval of a Revised FY 14 Juvenile Crime Prevention Council Funding
Plan: Finance Director Susan Blumenstein said that when the board approved the FY14 funding
plan there was an unallocated amount of $41,822. She said requests for proposals were sent out
for community service and restitution programs. Blumenstein said the council met on
May 21, 2013, and evaluated two proposals (one from Appropriate Punishment Options and one
from Project Challenge). She said the council unanimously approved a proposal from Appropriate
Punishment Options (APO). Blumenstein said in addition to community service and restitution,
the APO office would offer sessions on job and communication skills, teamwork/leadership, and
job success/advancement.
OTIO by Commissioner Griffith to approve the revised FY 14 JCPC Plan.
VOTING: Ayes — 4; Nays — 0.
Request for a Decision Regarding the Possible Cancellation of the July 2, 2013
Meeting: MOTION by Chairman Johnson to cancel the July 2 meeting.
VOTING: Ayes - 4; Nays - 0.
Request for Approval of the April Refunds and Releases for the Month of April
2013: County Manager Smith said the April refunds and releases had been submitted by
the tax office for approval.
MOTION by Commissioner Boone to approve the April refunds and releases.
VOTING: Ayes - 4; Nays - 0.
Releases for the Month of April
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Appmpriate Placement Options -Teen Conrt
$52,000
$10,098
$37,000
118.78
Mt. Mourne Fire #3
$
$99,098
2
Appropriate Placement Options -Restitution
$41,822
$4,000
$9,000
172.96
Statesville City
$
$54,822
3
Diakunus, Inc.
$13,000
Mooresville Town
$
$3,900
Mooresville
$16,900
a
Barium Springs Home For Children
$114,308
$34,292
School
$
$148,600
s
Piedmont Mediation Center, Inc.
$45,000
Harmony
1 $20,000
-
Troutman
$
$65,000
5
JCPCAdministration
$15,500
1
$15,500
$0
a
$0
n
$0
o
$0
$0
12
$0
11
$0
:d
s0
$0
c
$0
$0
$0
TOTALS:
$281,630
$48,39
$66,00
$3,900
$0
$0
$399,920
Request for a Decision Regarding the Possible Cancellation of the July 2, 2013
Meeting: MOTION by Chairman Johnson to cancel the July 2 meeting.
VOTING: Ayes - 4; Nays - 0.
Request for Approval of the April Refunds and Releases for the Month of April
2013: County Manager Smith said the April refunds and releases had been submitted by
the tax office for approval.
MOTION by Commissioner Boone to approve the April refunds and releases.
VOTING: Ayes - 4; Nays - 0.
Releases for the Month of April
6
Total
$22,829.34
Monthly
Total
County
$
14,358.46
Solid Waste Fees
$
-
E. Alex. Co. Fire #1
$
-
Shepherd's Fire #2
$
118.78
Mt. Mourne Fire #3
$
38.84
All County Fire #4
$
851.84
B&F Fire #5
$
172.96
Statesville City
$
885.43
Statesville Downtown
$
-
Mooresville Town
$
5,179.89
Mooresville
Downtown
$
16.00
Mooresville
School
$
1,142.44
Love Valley
$
-
Harmony
$
-
Troutman
$
64.70
Davidson
$
-
6
Total
$22,829.34
Refunds for the Month of April 2013
County
Solid Waste Fees
E. Alex. Co. Fire #1
Shepherd's Fire #2
Mt. Mourne Fire #3
All County Fire #4
B&F Fire #5
Statesville City
Statesville
Downtown
Mooresville Town
Mooresville
Downtown
Mooresville
School
Love Valley
Harmony
Troutman
Davidson
Breakdown of Refunds:
$ 13,860.83
$ 15.48
$ 65.27
$ 16,948.94
$ 23.69
Total
$30,914.21
Request for Approval of the May 7, 2013 Minutes: MOTION by Commissioner Griffith
to approve the May 7 minutes.
VOTING: Ayes — 4; Nays — 0.
ANNOUNCEMENT OF VACANCIES OCCURRING ON BOARDS & COMMISSIONS
Social Services Board (1 announcement)
Planning Board (3 announcements)
Fire Tax District Board (1 announcement)
Juvenile Crime Prevention Council (16 announcements)
Centralina Workforce Development Board (2 announcements)
Mooresville Planning Board (ETJ - I announcement)
Troutman Planning Board (ETJ - 1 announcement)
Troutman Board of Adjustment (ETJ - 1 announcement)
Recreation Advisory Committee (1 announcement)
APPOINTMENTS TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS
Industrial Facilities & Pollution Control Financing Authority_ (3 appointments): Commissioner
Griffith nominated David Johnson.
MOTION by Chairman Johnson to close the nominations and to appoint David Johnson by acclamation.
VOTING: Ayes — 4; Nays — 0.
Region F Aging Advisory Committee (I appointment): Commissioner Robertson nominated Lou
Greta Raven.
MOTION by Chairman Johnson to close the nominations and to appoint Lou Greta Raven by
acclamation.
VOTING: Ayes — 4; Nays — 0.
Troutman Planning Board (ETJ — I alternate position appointment): Commissioner Griffith
nominated Randy Farmer.
OTION by Chairman Johnson to close the nominations and to appoint Randy Farmer by acclamation.
VOTING: Ayes — 4; Nays — 0.
Statesville Airport Commission (I appointment): Commissioner Griffith nominated Steve Johnson.
MOTION by Chairman Johnson to close the nominations and to appoint Steve Johnson.
VOTING: Ayes - 4; Nays — 0.
Mitchell Community College (1 appointment): Commissioner Robertson nominated Sara Haire Tice.
Commissioner Griffith nominated Angie Travis Roberts.
MOTION by Chairman Johnson to postpone the appointment until the June 18 meeting when all board
members will be in attendance.
VOTING: Ayes — 4; Nays — 0.
Note: In accordance with the Rules of Procedure, this appointment was postponed due to having two
nominees for one position.
Farmland Preservation Advisory Board (2 appointments): Commissioner Robertson nominated
Charles Carter and Lisa Valdez.
OTION by Chairman Johnson to close the nominations and to appoint Carter and Valdez.
VOTING: Ayes — 4; Nays — 0.
Statesville Board of Adjustment (ETJ — 1 appointment): Commissioner Griffith nominated David
Aman.
OTION by Chairman Johnson to close the nominations and to appoint Aman by acclamation.
VOTING: Ayes — 4; Nays — 0.
Jury Commission (1 appointment): Commissioner Robertson nominated Irene Blackburn.
OTION by Chairman Johnson to close the nominations and to appoint Blackburn by acclamation.
VOTING: Ayes — 4; Nays — 0.
I -CARE Board of Directors (2 appointments): Commissioner Griffith nominated Melissa Wike and
Yvette Smith.
OTIO by Chairman Johnson to close the nominations and to appoint Wike and Smith by acclamation.
VOTING: Ayes — 4; Nays — 0.
Jail Review Committee (S appointments): Chairman Johnson nominated Dave Collins, Judge
Crosswhite, Sarah Kirkman, Rick Dowdle and Bert Connolly. Commissioner Griffith nominated C.O. "Jap
Johnson and Jim Mixson. (Chairman Johnson and Commissioner Boone announced their willingness to
serve at the May 7 meeting.)
OTIO by Chairman Johnson to appoint the following individuals to serve on the jail review
committee.
County Commissioner
Steve Johnson
County Commissioner
David Boone
Bail Bondsman
Dave Collins
Statesville City Council
C.O. "Jap" Johnson
Local Judge
Joseph Crosswhite
District Attorney
Sarah Kirkman
Clerk of Court
Jim Mixon
Sheriff/Jail Rick Dowdle
Sheriff/Jail Bert Connolly
VOTING: Ayes — 4; Nays — 0.
REMINDER LIST
Nursing Home Advisory Committee: Commissioner Griffith nominated James Hatfield.
MOTION by Chairman Johnson to appoint Hatfield by acclamation.
VOTING: Ayes — 4; Nays — 0.
Personnel Advisory Committee: The board was informed of an application from Barbara Davidson to
serve on this committee. Chairman Johnson made a request to vote on this position at a later time.
NEW BUSINESS
Chairman Johnson made the following remarks: "I've been here for 18 years. Prior to the economic
collapse of 2008-2009, and the decade or so prior to that, this county spent nearly $300 million on
renovations of public schools or new school buildings. At the end of which the tax rate was lower than
when I took office. I wish I could tell you it was due to the fact that I'm an economic genius, but I'm not. It
is attributable to one thing and one thing alone. It is economic growth. Economic growth is the blessings of
western thought. It originated in the mind of Adam Smith. I would contend that the revolution of economic
thought that he brought about in 1776 was at least as great as the American Revolution. What we have
today is an absence of economic growth. Now, why do I say that? Some of you have a few gray hairs like
me and you may remember the 1980s. Japan was buying the world. We were all going to drive Toyotas,
and Japan was going to own Rockefeller Center. It sure looked that way, but what happened? Real estate
collapsed in Japan in 1991. What did they begin to do? They began a series of stimulus programs to
stimulate the economy and the country began to print money. They thought the answer was a greater role
for government and cheap money. At the end of the 1990s, the economists called it the "Lost Decade."
Their average annual growth was 1.2%, and these were the people who 12 years ago were going to own the
world. Now do you know what they are calling it? You may have seen the Nikkei drop 7% yesterday and
do you know why`? They had another round of stimulus money and they printed more money. Do you
know what their economic growth numbers came out? They are miserable again, because it doesn't work.
When speaking about Japan, the economists no longer talk about the "Lost Decade," they speak about the
"Lost Generation." That is what we have embarked upon. A lot of people in the last election voted and
made a choice between economic pursuits. Some of them knew exactly what they were doing, and they
wanted economic equality. I make no apology. 1 am a pro -growth conservative. I believe in the free
markets ability to create unimaginable wealth. You are unimaginably wealthy compared to your great-
grandparents. The poorest person in this room is unimaginably wealthy compared to three-fourths of the
people in this world. You have amenities they will never possess. But where we are to a point, if you
pursue economic equality, then this is what it looks like. You can put five other people up here, if you so
choose, but this is what it will look like. Until we get to the point that you have to create the right incentives
for people, and if you create the right incentives for people, they perform miracles everyday. Because
Adam Smith was exactly right, it is not gold and silver that is the wealth of kings. It is the wealth of
nations. Wealth is contained in the imagination of free people, and that is what is missing in this economy.
If you create the right incentives, that imagination will come back to life, but until you create those
incentives, this is what it looks like. I'm fearful that in a few years the economists will not speak about the
"Lost Decade," they will speak about the "Lost Generation." A time when economic growth was anemic,
and we could not afford some of the things we needed. Our standard of living will go down. It has fallen to
the plight of this board to manage through these times as best we can. But in the absence of economic
growth, to give folks what is asked for, then you have to raise taxes, and then they come back next year, and
you have to raise them again. Because in a climate of no economic growth, that's all the answer you have.
You can't continue to do that. What will the people live on?"
CLOSED SESSION: MOTION by Chairman Johnson at 8:35 PM, to enter into closed session
pursuant to Economic Development— G.S. 143-318.11 (a) (4).
VOTING: Ayes — 4; Nays — 0.
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(RETURN TO OPEN SESSION AT 8:45 PM)
CALL FOR A PUBLIC HEARING FOR PROJECT COFFEE: MOTIO by Chairman Johnson
to call for a public hearing on Tuesday, June 4, 2013, at 7 PM, regarding an economic development
incentive of $112,520.00, over a five-year period, for Project Coffee based on an investment of $5,800,000
in Iredell County.
VOTING: Ayes — 4; Nays — 0.
ADJOURNMENT: MOTION by Chairman Johnson to adjourn. (NEXT MEETING: Budget
Session Review on Thursday, May 30, 2013, beginning at 5 PM, in the Iredell County Government Center,
South Wing Conference Room, 200 South Center Street, Statesville, NC.)
VOTING: Ayes — 4; Nays — 0.
Approval:
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Clerk to the Board