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HomeMy WebLinkAboutJanuary 8 2002 Briefing MinutesIREDELL COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BRIEFING MINUTES JANUARY 8, 2002 The Iredell County Board of Commissioners met on Tuesday, January 8, 2002, at 5:00 p.m., for an agenda briefing in the Iredell County Government Center, 200 South Center Street, Statesville, NC. Present: Chairman Sara Haire Tice Vice Chairman Karen B. Ray Tommy E. Bowles Steve D. Johnson R. Godfrey Williams Staff Present: County Manager Joel Mashburn, Finance Director Susan Blumenstein, Planning Supervisor Ron Smith, Health Director Ray Rabe, Environmental Health Supervisor Kelly Sheeks, Support Services Director Jim Vernon, County Assessor Brent Weisner, Social Services Director Don Wall, DSS Income Maintenance Administrator Lynn Deal, Social Work Supervisor Linda Bledsoe, Inspections Director Lynn Niblock, and Clerk to the Board Jean Moore. CALL TO ORDER by Chairman Tice. Request for Approval of a High Density Application for the WSIV-CA Watershed from John Deere Landscapes and Transco LLC: After the public hearing matters were explained, Planning Supervisor Smith advised that John Deere Landscapes and Transco Property LLC desired the approval of a high density option for property located in the critical area of a watershed. He said the option would allow the applicants to exceed the standard 24% built -upon coverage for buildings, parking, sidewalks, etc., yet not exceed 50%. Smith said the option required the applicant to build a wet detention pond capable of removing 85% of the total suspended solids from a one -inch rainfall. He said the property was zoned for light manufacturing (M-1). Commissioner Bowles said he understood the owner would be required to maintain the basin. Smith said this was correct -- the owners would have to obtain a bond for the pond's upkeep. Update and/or a Request for the Approval of a Memorandum of Understanding in Reference to the Rural Transportation Planning Organization (RPO): Smith said a recent meeting was held about the memorandum's contents and wording. Mr. Smith said the voting issue was discussed and everyone in attendance was in agreement for each county to have one vote and the collective municipalities of each county to have one vote. In addition, he said the staff was recommending that if a member from Centralina's Executive Board served on the advisory committee, this person's membership should be in a non-voting capacity. He said Rowan County had not made a decision on joining the Lake Norman Rural Transportation Planning Organization. Request from the Health Department for Approval of Proposed Changes Regarding Septic System Permit Fees and Preventive Health Fees: Health Director Ray Rabe and Environmental Health Supervisor Kelly Skeeks said a recent review of the septic system fees revealed that the environmental revenues were not covering the program's expenses. Sheeks said this was due to a slowdown in the economy. Mr. Sheeks said that when the economy improved, the fees might exceed the department's costs, but it was not self-supporting at the present. When asked why there were cost differences between the various septic systems, Sheeks explained it was due to the complexity of the types. He said it took longer to design and inspect the more complex system. Also, he said an additional inspection trip was needed. He said that six or seven different septic systems could be in a Type III listing. Commissioner Ray asked the procedure when a citizen hired a private soil scientist to test an area after being told the site didn't perk. She asked why the soil scientist could get the property to perk when the sanitarian couldn't. Sheeks said approval by a soil scientist was not automatic. He said the method used by private soil scientists was to push for approval from the state authorities. Mr. Skeeks said a private citizen could always appeal the health department's determination. He said the citizen would appeal to the state regional office (Joe Lynn or Gene Young). Sheeks said the health department had a low turndown rate -- less than five percent. He also said that if the state approved a site after it had been turned down by the county, and the septic system proved to be faulty, the liability would fall on the state and not the county. Request from the Social Services Department to Transfer $136,000 from the Maintenance of Effort Line Item to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Emergency Assistance Line Item: Social Services Director Don Wall, Income Maintenance Administrator Lynn Deal, and Social Work Supervisor Linda Bledsoe explained that they were requesting to transfer $136,000 from the Maintenance of Effort line item to the TANF Emergency Assistance program. Wall said the transfer was due to rule changes and the slowdown in the economy. He emphasized that no additional county funds would be needed. UPDATE ON THE WORK FIRST PROGRAM: Mr. Wall distributed the following information concerning the Work First Family Assistance Program. Update on Iredell County's Work First Family Assistance Program (WFFA) November 2000 -October 2001 • WFFA mission is to provide all able-bodied recipients an employment plan to enable them to gain permanent full-time employment and become tax paying citizens. • WFFA Caseload — Average 260 • WFFA output average per month — 427 actions. (This figure only includes applications taken, reviews, changes, and application dispositions.) • Benefit Diversions average per month — 4 • Number of newly employed participants average per month — 6 • Average rate of pay per employed participant - $7.53 • Number of participants active in employment services average — 39 • Average number of 150% clients per month — 74 • Average 150% expenditures per month - $32,701.14 • Number of average WFFA participants helped with transportation per month — 19 • Average expenditures per month for WFFA transportation - $3,773.61 • Home visits/field visits completed per month average — 20 • Number of EAs averaged per month — 78 • Average monthly expenditures for EA per month (11/00 —10/01) $9,273.73 • Participants' component placements average per month: Education — 2 Job Search — 6 Employment -14 Vocational Training — 10 Work Experience -4 Assessments —10 • EA program ran from 1/01-6/01. It started again 10/01/0l. Expenditures as follows: 10/01 - $18,182.67 11/01 - $24,734.54 12/01 - $17,006.82 • From 11/00 — 09/01 housing and utility services were provided through 150% of services. Effective 10/01/01 these services were removed from 150% of services and provided solely from Emergency Assistance Funds. Request for Approval of an Agreement with Robert S. Segal, CPA, Regarding the Application Process for the Bureau of Justice Alien Assistance Program/Funding: Finance Director Blumenstein said Mr. Robert S. Segal's firm assisted governments and businesses in expense reduction and revenue enhancement techniques. She 2 said Chief Deputy Rick Dowdle had been given a proposal by Segal's firm that would aid in obtaining funds for the cost involved in the incarceration of criminal aliens accused or convicted of either felonies or at least two misdemeanors. Mrs. Blumenstein said Segal's fee would be 25% of every dollar recovered. (This is a one-time fee.) She said that if no savings were found, the county did not have to pay anything. In addition, Blumenstein said the Segal staff would train the jail employees on how to obtain the reimbursements in the future. Request from the Library for Approval to Apply for E -Rate Funding: Library Director Steve Messick requested permission to apply to the Federal Communications Commission for E -Rate funding for discounted telecommunications services. He said the E -Rate program provided discounted Internet access and other services to schools and libraries. Messick said that at the present, the funding covered 63% of the library's Internet access cost. He said the deadline to apply for the 2002-03 budget year was January 18. Messick said the application would also include discounted Internet services for the proposed Harmony library. Request for Approval of a Register of Deed's Technology Account with the North Carolina Capital Management Trust: Finance Director Blumenstein said many of the Register of Deed's fees doubled as of January 1. She said a recent change in the General Statutes dictated that ten percent of the recording fees had to be set aside for automation and technology. She requested permission to establish a new technology account for the Register of Deed's Office. ADJOURNMENT: Chairman Tice adjourned the briefing session at 6:35 p.m. Approved: 3 Clerk to the Board