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Home My WebLink About02-07-2023 1 February 7, 2023 IREDELL COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS PRE-AGENDA SESSION February 7, 2023 The Iredell County Board of Commissioners met in pre-agenda session on Tuesday, February 7, 2023 at 5:00 PM, in the Commissioners’ Meeting Room located in the Iredell County Government Center 200 South Center Street, Statesville, NC. Board Members Present Chair Melissa Neader Vice Chair Bert Connolly Scottie Brown Gene Hope Brad Stroud, Sr. Staff present: Deputy County Manager Susan Robertson, County Attorney Lisa Valdez, Finance Director Deb Cheek, and Clerk to the Board Amy Anderson. CALL TO ORDER: Chair Neader called the meeting to order. Chair Melissa Neader said County Manager Beth Mull, at the direction of the Board, is attending her child’s senior night for basketball. Deputy County Manager Susan Robertson will be filling in during tonight’s meeting. ADJUSTMENTS TO THE AGENDA: Deputy County Manager Susan Robertson went over the following adjustments: ADD: Request from Emergency Communications for approval of Budget Amendment #34 to appropriate 911 fund balance to purchase Freedom and Mobile Commuter Terminal (MCT) Site License at 100%. Request from Emergency Communications for approval of Budget Amendment #36 to appropriate 911 Fund Balance to purchase Emergency Fire Dispatch Protocol Software. ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS Request from the Library for approval to apply for E-Rate discounts: Library Director Juli Moore requested approval to apply for discounted internet access under the Federal Communication Commission's E-Rate program for FY24. The total cost for internet access for Statesville, Harmony, and Troutman libraries for FY24 will be $15,660. E-Rate funds 60% of the cost of services, so E-Rate discounts will cover $9,396. Internet for Statesville and Troutman are under a 3-year contract with Spectrum that went into effect on 7/01/2021. Internet service for Harmony will be on month-to-month service with Yadtel/Zirrus. The deadline to apply for E-rate discounts is March 28, 2023. This item was placed on consent. 2 February 7, 2023 Request from Tax Administration to present the Report of Unpaid Taxes and approval of March 15, 2023 as the advertising date for tax liens: Tax Administrator Bill Furches reported approximately $61.1 the Unpaid Taxes and requested March 15, 2023 as the advertising date. Furches also provided an update on tax collections. There was a problem with the US Postal Service and lock box in December and January. At the end of December 2022, collections were down $17 million for the County and municipalities. Over 100 taxpayers stopped payment on checked because they had been mailed in November and early December but have not cleared the bank which caused a compounded problem. Collections started catching up in January. The collection rate is now at 95.89%. This item was placed on consent. Request from Solid Waste for approval to apply for Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling (SWIFR) Grant: Solid Waste Director Teddy Boller requested approval to apply for the Solid Waste Infrastructure Recycling (SWIFR) Grant. Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has $275 million available for grants to improve local post-consumer materials management programs, including municipal recycling, and to make improvements to local waste management systems. The Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling (SWIFR) grant has a minimum award of $500,000. The maximum individual reward will be $4,000,000. Boller requested approval to seek $1,878,700 to replace two Harris balers that were installed in 1993 originally to bale trash. These balers transitioned from baling trash to recycled commodities around 2005. In 2020, these balers were abandoned after repair cost exceeded the value of the machines. Solid Waste will also be requesting $383,000 for site preparation and to purchase and erect a steel building that will be used to store baled commodities until we are ready to market materials. This will allow the department to market materials when the rates are high rather than marketing due to a lack of space. This item was placed on consent. Request from the Solid Waste Department for approval to award contract for Landfill Engineering and Consulting Services: David Sifford said a request for qualifications for Landfill Engineering and Consulting Services was released by the Finance Department and the Solid Waste Department on November 30, 2022. Qualifications packages were received from three engineering firms: HNA Engineering, CDE Engineering and TRC Engineering. After reviewing and discussing the submitted qualifications packages, the selection committee chose HNA Engineering as the best fit. Sifford requested approval to award a contract to HNA Engineering for Landfill & Transfer Station Consulting and Engineering Services, and to allow the County Manager to sign the associated contract. This item was placed on consent. Request from the Finance Department for approval to purchase 42 gun safes for the Sheriff's Office for use by School Resource Officers: David Sifford said the Finance Department released a Request for Proposals on January 6, 2023 for 42 gun safes to be installed in Iredell - Statesville Schools and used by Iredell County School Resource Officers. Only one response to the RFP was received from Vapen Systems. Pricing was requested for a small safe as well as a 3 February 7, 2023 larger safe. The cost of the small safe is $2,460 each, and the cost of the larger safe is $3,450 each. The Sheriff's Office has requested 37 of the small safes, which comes to a total of $91,020, and 5 of the large safes, which comes to a total of $17,250. The total for all of the safes will be $108,270. This item was placed on consent. Request from the Clerk to the Board for approval of the minutes from the meetings on January 3 & 17, 2023: This item was placed on consent. County Construction Projects Update: This item was placed on consent. Request from Emergency Communications for approval of Budget Amendment #34 to appropriate 911 fund balance to purchase Freedom and Mobile Commuter Terminal (MCT) Site License at 100%: Robertson requested approval of Budget Amendment #34 in the amount of $41,340 from the 911 Fund Balance to purchase Freedom and Mobile Commuter Terminal site license. The 911 fund balance has to be used specifically for communications. This item was placed on consent. Request from Emergency Communications for approval of Budget Amendment #36 to appropriate 911 Fund Balance to purchase Emergency Fire Dispatch Protocol Software: Robertson requested approval of Budget Amendment #36 in the amount of $128,245.80 from the 911 Fund Balance to purchase Emergency Fire Dispatch Protocol Software. The on going maintenance will costs $15,600. This request went before the fire dispatch committee but they did not make a decision. The software does not delay fire dispatch at all. They immediately attach a nature code then the protocol is much like that for the emergency medical dispatch. This item was placed on consent. COUNTY MANAGER’S REPORT Deputy County Manager Susan Robertson gave an update on the following:  Winter Retreat will be Friday, February 17, 2023 at the Iredell County Cooperative Extension, 444 Bristol Drive, Statesville. IREDELL COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS REGULAR MINUTES February 7, 2023 4 February 7, 2023 The Iredell County Board of Commissioners met in regular session on Tuesday, February 7, 2023 at 7:00 PM, in the Commissioners’ Meeting Room of the Iredell County Government Center, 200 South Center Street, Statesville, NC. Board Members Present Chair Melissa Neader Vice Chair Bert Connolly Scottie Brown Gene Houpe Brad Stroud, Sr. Staff present: Deputy County Manager Susan Robertson, County Attorney Lisa Valdez, Finance Director Deb Cheek, and Clerk to the Board Amy Anderson. CALL TO ORDER by Chair Neader. INVOCATION: Commissioner Brown led the invocation. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE led by Chair Neader. Chair Melissa Neader said County Manager Beth Mull, at the direction of the Board, is attending her child’s senior night for basketball. Deputy County Manager Susan Robertson will be filling in during tonight’s meeting. ADJUSTMENTS TO THE AGENDA: Deputy County Manager Susan Robertson went over the following adjustments: ADD: Request from Emergency Communications for approval of Budget Amendment #34 to appropriate 911 fund balance to purchase Freedom and Mobile Commuter Terminal (MCT) Site License at 100%. Request from Emergency Communications for approval of Budget Amendment #36 to appropriate 911 Fund Balance to purchase Emergency Fire Dispatch Protocol Software. MOTION by Commissioner Houpe to approve the agenda as presented. VOTING: Ayes – 5; Nays – 0 SPECIAL PRESENTATION & RECOGNITIONS (None) PUBLIC HEARINGS Public hearing to consider an economic develop ment incentive for Project Flow: Public Hearing to consider an economic development incentive for Project Weave: Iredell County Economic Development Vice President Chad Thomas presented Water Tech Inc. for an economic development incentive grant for the company’s new facility in the City of Statesville. Water Tech Inc. is a privately owned company founded 33 years ago in Fort Smith, 5 February 7, 2023 Arkansas. As a full-service water treatment company, Water Tech Inc. has additional facilities in Oklahoma and Mississippi. The primary focus of the company is serving food processing companies along with other industrial clients. The company has selected a site near the intersection of Taylorsville Highway and Deer Ridge Road to build a new facility that will better serve their east coast customers. Thomas requested an economic development incentive grant to Water Tech Inc. for up to $199,844 based on a capital investment total of $10 million and the minimum creation of 13 jobs. The grant is performance based and would be payable over five-years at 75% of the new real property and 50% of tangible personal property assessed tax value. Chair Neader opened the public hearing. No one wished to speak. Chair Neader closed the public hearing. MOTION by Commissioner Houpe to approve an economic incentive up to $199,844 over a five-year period based on the company's investment of up to $10 million and contingent upon a contract being executed within 180 days VOTING: Ayes – 5; Nays – 0 ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS Deputy County Manager Susan Robertson summarized the following Administrative Matters during the Pre-Agenda meeting held at 5pm:  Request from the Library for approval to apply for E-Rate discounts.  Request from Tax Administration to present the Report of Unpaid Taxes and approval of March 15, 2023 as the advertising date for tax liens.  Request from Solid Waste for approval to apply for Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling (SWIFR) Grant.  Request from the Solid Waste Department for approval to award contract for Landfill Engineering and Consulting Services.  Request from the Finance Department for approval to purchase 42 gun safes for the Sheriff's Office for use by School Resource Officers.  Request from the Clerk to the Board for approval of the minutes from the meetings on January 3 & 17, 2023.  County Construction Projects Update.  Request from Emergency Communications for approval of Budget Amendment #34 to appropriate 911 fund balance to purchase Freedom and Mobile Commuter Terminal (MCT) Site License at 100%.  Request from Emergency Communications for approval of Budget Amendment #36 to appropriate 911 Fund Balance to purchase Emergency Fire Dispatch Protocol Software. MOTION by Commissioner Brown to approve the consent agenda. 6 February 7, 2023 VOTING: Ayes – 5; Nays – 0 ANNCOUNCEMENT OF VACANCIES OCCURING ON BOARDS & COMMISSIONS APPOINTMENTS TO BOARDS & COMMISSIONS Animal Grievance Committee - 1 appointment Justin Benfield has volunteered to serve again. MOTION by Vice Chair Connolly to appoint Justin Benfield to the Animal Grievance Committee. VOTING: Ayes – 5; Nays – 0 Board of Health - 7 appointments Ben Loftis (engineer), Dr. Candace Reeves (pharmacist), Andrea Sherrill (public), and Dr. Raphael Weeks (optometrist) have volunteered to serve again. Valerie Mills and Pam Gill have volunteered to serve as the nurse discipline for the first time. Dr. Nichola Gaither has volunteered to serve as the veterinarian discipline for the first time. Dr. George Rankin has volunteered to serve as the dentist discipline for the first time. Commissioner Houpe explained the Clerk to the Board reached out to the Board of Health regarding the appointments and members recommend the appointment of Valerie Mills based on current needs. Houpe suggested Gill’s application be kept on file to consider for the next opening. MOTION by Commissioner Houpe to appoint Ben Loftis, Dr. Candace Reeves, Andrea Sherrill, Dr. Raphael Weeks, Dr. George Rankin, and Valerie Mills to the Board of Health. VOTING: Ayes – 5; Nays – 0 UNFINISHED BUSINESS (None) PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD (None) NEW BUSINESS (None) Deputy County Manager Susan Robertson gave an update on the following:  Winter Retreat will be Friday, February 17, 2023 at the Iredell County Cooperative Extension, 444 Bristol Drive, Statesville. 7 February 7, 2023 CLOSED SESSION The Board held a Closed Session prior to the regular meeting. MOTION by Commissioner Brown to call for a public hearing on Tuesday, February 21, 2023 at 7pm to consider an economic development incentive in the amount of $197,445 over a five-year period for Project South based on the company’s $17.4 million investment in Iredell County. VOTING Ayes – 5; Nays – 0 MOTION by Commissioner Houpe to approve an extension of time to execute the incentive agreement with Sherwin Williams (Project Artist) until June 30, 2023. VOTING Ayes – 5; Nays – 0 MOTION by Commissioner Stroud to approve the purchase of 1.4 acres at 430 Twin Oaks Road from Mr. Allen Ayers for the price of $50,000 to include the purchase of a right of first refusal for the remainder of Mr. Allen Ayers’ property. VOTING Ayes – 5; Nays – 0 ADJOURNMENT MOTION by Commissioner Brown to adjourn at 7:36PM. The Board will meet for a regular meeting Tuesday, February 21, 2023 at 7pm in the Commissioners’ Meeting Room, Government Center, 200 South Center Street, Statesville, NC. VOTING Ayes – 5; Nays – 0 __________________________________ ___________________________________ Date Approved Amy B. Anderson, Clerk