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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 19780607.• J f. _Z MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS JUNE 7, 1978 The Orange County Board of Commissioners met in special session on Wednesday, June 7, 1978, at 7:30 p.m. in the Commissioners' Room of the Court House in Hillsborough. The purpose of the meeting was to review the proposed 1978--1979 Orange County Budget. Members of the Board present were Chairman Richard Whitted, Commissioners Jan Pinney, Norman Gustaveson, Norman Walker and Donald Willhoit. Others present were S. M. Gattis, County Manager; Neal Evans, Finance Director; Joe Bradshaw, Administrative Assistant; Wayne Weston, Recreatien Director; members of the Orange County Recreation Advisory Council and Agatha Johnson, Clerk to the Board. • Chairman Whitted brought to the Board's attention the CETA program. He stated that the Durham City Council had failed to reconsider the CETA Program, so that the program will be dissolved effective September 30, 1978. Mr. Whitted stated that the fioard needed to determine which option to go with the program. A memo- : randum was presented by Joe Bradshaw which listed three such options: (1) Contract with Triangle J for staff, planning services and program operation. The Chairman pointed out that Triangle J presently performs no CETA planning and/or operating services because all member governments have previously been connected with consortiums. (2) Seek agreement with "remains of Consortium" Durham County or seek another locally acceptable consortium arrangement, possibly with Alamance County. (3) Stand alone and conduct local programs through balance of State program. The memorandum stated that State Personnel suggested that ' Orange County pursue two courses of action; (1) Request Durham release some staff to work on Orange County's plan exclusively and (2) Ask State Office of Community Employment for technical assistance and funding to cover three ar four months planning woxk prior to September 30, 1978. The County Manager stated that some bonuses are available by being in a Consortium. Mr. Whitted asked the Finance Director to review the revenues portion of the budget. Mr. Evans distributed the Board charts relative to the.revenues and expenditures in the proposed budget. He stated that ~49~ of revenue comes from property tax and 9~ comes from sales tax in the County. The ether large revenues received are 13~ for Social Services Revenues, which is tied directly to Social Services expenditures, and the Fund Balance generates 19~ which goes into the building account. The transfer of revenues sharing a.s 2.5~ and is stable. The transfer _ utility fund is l~ and is expected to pick up next year. Charges for services, the County received 1~ of revenues; however, the Board has the potential to change this if desired. The ABC System is very much the same with 3~ or from $390,000 to $400,000. The intangibles tax of 2~ is actually decreasing in which is actually collected this year. This depends upon what the stock market reads from day to day. The Revenues show an increase over the proposed budget, but a decrease over the estimated amount. Nlr. Evans stated that the Intergovernmental Revenues are declining percentagewise, while the property tax revenues are increasing. He stated that over the last seven years, there were two big packages of revenues which came into the County budget which were not in it before. One was sales tax and the other was revenue sharing. These two items picked up a part of growth in County government. Now they are a part of the budget, and revenue sharing has actually decreased over the last three years. ~j w .~ Commissioner Willhoit pointed out that the State's General Fund revenues were increasing 14~, while the County's revenues were increasing only 6$. Mr. Evans stated the factor which causes the interest on investment to be between 1~ and 2 million dollars is the money in the building fund which has not been spent_ This depends on when a contract is let for the Grady Brown complex. The County. Manager informed the Board that he had talked with Mr. Nassif who has stated that the complex should go out for bids by June 16th. Bids should be open by the 10th of July, 1978 and construction should start within 30 days of that time. In the Health Department, Mr. Evans stated, the fund balance could be $12,000 to $15,000 more than what is actually shown (142,868). Discussion ensued regarding the responsibility of keeping account of the financing within the Health Department. The County Manager informed the Board that the Health Board wauld meet with the Commissioners on Monday evening, June 12, 1978. Commissioner Gustaveson asked the Board to talk about the County CETA positions and ta.attempt to determine which positions can be funded through this budget and which. will be lost. Mr. Gattis stated that there is not sufficient funds within the Durham-Orange Employment (CETA Program) to carry on all existing positions to September 30, ].978. By Thursday, DOETS will have a new revenue projection and will be able to tell the County where they stand on CETA Positions. He stated that ten of the counties positions are project positions which were funded for definite periods of time to perform a definite task. At the end of that definite period of time the positions would automatically expire. DOETS is hopeful of devising a method of funding to extend the ten positions to September 30 ,. 1978. After September 30, 1978, Orange County will be in a different organization entirely. The County will have some guarantee for some Title VI monies and monies for some public service jobs. Mr. Whitted stated that the Board would have to plan based on the information on hand at this time. Chairman Whitted recognized Bob Strayhorn, Chairman of the Orange County Recreation Advisory Council. Mr. Strayhorn stated. the Advisory Council was proud of what has been accomplished in Recreation over the last few years, that steady progress has' been made in the program. He added that this is the first year in which the Advisory Council has been forced to cut services. He stated that the Board of Commissioners could be assured that the Advisory Council would attempt to get the most out of every dollar allocated to them, and would work with the staff to keep spending to a minimum. Mr. Strayhorn asked Wayne Weston, Recreatien Director, to speak of the services which are proposed.to be cut. Mr. Weston informed the Board that the Recreation Department had from the beginning known they would be operating with limited funds for several years, and with limited staff. In one case, responsibilities have been doubled for one worker; however, programs have grown to such proportion that one worker cannot handle these responsibilities any longer. He stated he was speaking of the Special Population Coordinator, who works in 4. ~ ~, providing programs for special population, whether it be fox senior citizens, mentally ar physically handicapped citizens. The Advisory Council had early in the year realised that this program needed to be split and an additional Special Population Coordinator be hired. This was the greatest impact on the pro- posed budget as presented to the County Manager. The Advisory Council has requested an increase in the Recreation Budget for 1978-79 of 10 percent. Of this, $8,000 would go for salary in- creases, personnel and merits, leaving approximately $6,000 to scatter across the various department programs. The total Recreation Budget as proposed by the County Manager from County. funds is $129,163. The original request asked for $105,924 in Personnel, $39,903 for Operations and $18,134 for Capital for a .total of $163,961 in County monies. c Deducted from the budget was $10,980 from the administrative fund for capital equipment; $3,722 for personnel and operating funds for the summer cultural .arts program: $476.00 was cut from the Athletic Program; $514.00 was cut from the Capital Funds which was far the Socker Program and for bleachers. From the General Fund, the Special Population Coordinator was cut at a cost of $11,308. programs which were maintained are the Summer Day Camp for handicapped children and the special holiday events. All recreation services to the Multi-purpose Center and the Sheltered Workshop have been cut because of the lack of staff. Mr. Strayhorn commented that the greatest impact on the grogram would be the cut back in services. He then asked that the Board make some provisions for improvements to the building and grounds of the Recreation Center, particularly the rcof of the building. Mr. Gattis asked that the Recreation Director present to him in writing those items which need repair or improvements. It was pointed out that approximately $36,000 is needed over what is proposed in the Manager's budget to continue programs which are now in existence. The $36,000 includes fringe benefits far the requested additional staff. Commissioner Willhoit asked that Mr. Weston comment regarding the Recreation Department's interaction with the JOCGA program to make the summer lunch program available. Mr. Weston stated his department worked with JOCCA for two years in the summer lunch program. The program was left with the Recreation Department who did not have sufficient staff to run the program. He stated the lunches served were not eaten by the children, which required his staff to perform a great deal of cleaning up, for in some instances over 300 children a day. He recited various problems with this program and added that his department severed relations with the Summer Food Program. He added that his summer recreation program operated much better last summer without the J'OGCA Summer Food Program. Mr. Walker stated that he hated to see these programs which have been functioning so well cut, but would like to see the programs continued. Commissioner Gustaveson asked for a clearer picture of the cut backs in the program. He stated the program is not being cut, but increased. r' ." ' 4/ _. .C Mr. Weston stated that the clerk position was obtained by cutting the Department's Capital Account. In terms of cuts the greatest priority is a special population coordinator. The Chairman to the Board expressed his apprecation to the Recreation Advisory Council far their appearance at the meeting. , The Board then decided to review the recommended budget and flag the requests which are not included in the Manager's budget, which may be discussed later: Those items are: CETA Conversion Recreation Specialist Raising of Dam at Lake Orange Human-Services Specialist CETA Draftsman in Planning Department Take Another Look at the Health Budget (2) CETA Positions in Building and Grounds (2) CETA Positions in Sanitation Municipal Support Inflation Factor -- Building Fund Switchboard Rape Crisis Canter The Board then reviewed the budget and flagged those items which could be adjusted or discussed further: Administration - Clerk-Receptionist. When the Board reviewed the Data Processing budget, it was requested that a report from the Data Processing Director be given at some future date. Planning - (2) CETA Positions - The Finance Officer informed the Board that the Administrative Secretary (CETA) posx'tion was no longer in this budget. The Board requested treat administration move ahead with the development of a fee schedule for the Erosion Control Program. The. proposal should cover the different levels of services the com- plexities of the problems, number of trips to the sites by the types of structures. 'Under Central Services, the Finance Dfficer informed the Board that Personnel Accounts which are basically medical insurance, social security, and retirement are no longer included in Central Services. These are included according to the range of salaries in the different depar'tment's budget. Health - The Board will talk with the Health Board June 12, 1978. Mental Health -- The Board asked the Finance Officer to provide additional anformatian regarding the ABC revenues. Council on Aging.- Mr. Pinney asked that-this be discussed " further. JOCCA - The Board felt they should talk with this agency. Sheaffer House - Mr. Gustaveson would lake a report at some later date. Sheriff Department - The County Manager feels the Board should talk with the Sheriff. EMS - The Manager feels the Board should take with this agency. Northside Complex - to be discussed further. V j Y Day Hospital. - to be discussed further. Mr. Pinney informed the County Manager the Drivers License Program should be reimbursing the County $50.00 per month for fuel. Mr. Gustaveson asked that low cost energy rectrofitting devises be considered in the budget. Inspections Program - Salary should be increased for the 'vacant electrical combination inspector. Under Fire Districts - the Manager stated that the Orange Fire District would need a tax increase. The Board asked the Finance Officer to review the items flagged and to come back to the Board with corresponding costs. The Chairman to the Board stated that he felt that it was encumbered upon any members of the Board who added cost to the budget to devise a mechanism whereby that cost could be funded. Commissioner Gustaveson stated that two items he would like added to the budget are the human services coordinator and the CETA positions. He suggested the CETA position cost come from the Conting'ench Fund and the human services coordinator come from various other sources of cuts. Commissioner Willhoit proposed that a fee schedule for the Erosion Control Officer be initiated and let this revenue cover the cost of the CETA positions. Mr. Whitted stated he had been looking at the Contingency Fund for a portion of the needed $80,000 for Northside and to obtain the remainder of the $80,000 from various other `s'ources. Mr. Willhoit added that he felt the Manager's budget needed some adjustments, if the Board was to go with an 8 cent increase, if not, he could only suggest a cut in the schools' budgets. Tam Richman from the County School system stated that $388.00 per pupil is low foz a maintenance type budget. Dr. Hanes from the Chapel Hill-Carrboro system stated that $396.00 per pupil would mean that something would have to be cut from current programs. The Board decided to continue this discussion on Thursday, June 8, 1978. The meeting was adjourned. ~ -- - - L ~ ~ Richard Whitted, Chairman Agatha Johnson, G1erk