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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 19801216 1. 2. 4; if - �- 3. 4. MINUTES 5. ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS 6. DECEMBER 16, 1980 7. 8. The Orange County Board of Commissioners met in regular session on 9. Tuesday, December 16, 1980, at 7:30 P.M., in the Commissioners' Room, 10. Orange County Courthquse, in Hillsborough, North Carolina. 11. Commissioners present: Commissioner Anne Barnes, Chair, and Commissioners 12. Norman Gustaveson, Norman Walker, Richard Whitted and Don Willhoit. 13. Commissioner Barnes called the meeting to order. 114.. Agenda Item 1: Agenda Modification 15. Commissioner Barnes added one announcement to Agenda Item 9, Appoint- 16. ments. 17. Agenda Item 2: Audience Comments 18. A. Matters on this Agenda 19. The following persons wished to speak to Agenda Item 5 B: !Cr. Stewart Fisher, Doris Tyler, Diane Drakeford, Beverly Mulvihill, Debbie 21. Geesin, Mary Bridges, Janet Clement and Patsy Barbee. 22. B. Matters not on this Agenda 23. There were no comments from the audience about matters not on the 24. Agenda. 25. Agenda Item 3: The Clerk Submits Minutes of November 24, 1980 26. The Board made the following corrections in the Minutes of November 27. 24, 1980: 28. Page 2, Line 17 replace "to" with "from" 29. Page 2, Line 26 replace "petition" with "motion" 30. Page 3, Line 38 Bob Greer and Nancy Laszlo were present 31. at the Public Hearing 32. Page 9, Line 19 the name of the individual who spoke was - 33. Randal Waugh, not Randal Walker 34. Page 9, Line 28 the last name is spelled Seaber 35. Page 12, Line 18 the unidentified citizen who spoke was 36. Mr. Boeke and he presented a petition 37. Page 13, Line 23 the speaker was Mr. Waugh 38. 39. 14.0. 2 2. 3. Page 6, Line 12 the Township is Bingham, not Williams 5. Page 9, Lines 34-35 Mr. Lloyd asked who the water system 6. representatives were, not the Orange- 7. Alamance representatives 8. Page 11, Line 19 the speaker was Mr. Seaber 9. Page 15, Line 12 the unidentified citizen was Mr. Sim 10. Efland 11. Page 15, Line 10 change "at" to "after." 12. Commissioner Willhoit moved to accept the Minutes of November 24, 1980, 13. as corrected; Commissioner Gustaveson seconded the motion Vote: Ayes, 5; 14. noes, 0. 15. Agenda Item 4: Modification of December Meeting Schedule 16. Commissioner Gustaveson moved and' Conmissioner Willhoit seconded the 17. motion to cancel the last meeting`,in'December, i.e., December 22, 1980. 18. Vote: Ayes, 5; noes, 0. 19. Agenda Item 5: The Social Services Board Requests the Board Supplement Previous Appropriatfons 20. for Chore Service by: 21. A. Transferring $5,000 from Social Ser- vices Personnel; 22. B. Transferring $20,000 from Title XX 23. Day Care Funds; 24. C. and Transferring $15,000 from Con- Tin9ency. 25. The Chair recognized Ms. Janice Schopler, Chair of the Board of Social 26. Services, who addressed the Board of Commissioners and reviewed the current 27. • Chore Service situation. (See page 9 5 of this Book for a copy of the 28. Memorandum.) 29. Mr. Ward, Director of the Department of Social Services, reported that 30. an earlier examination had indicated that Title XX Day Care Funds had 31. approximately $94,000 above those allocated in the 1980-81 Budget. He 32• said the original plan, as presented by the Social Services Board, would 33. allow for a small rate increase for the day care centers but no children 34. would be accepted for Title XX aid as vacancies occurred. More recent 35. examination of the books however, indicated no surplus in the day care 36. funds. 37. 38. 39. 40• 3 1. 2. 3 ti>, • Ms. Kathy Battern, Acting Finance Director, said she was not com- 4• 5. fortable with the preliminary financial research and would not care to 6. recommend a course of action to the Board based on this research. Ms. 7. Battern preferred to make a more detailed financial analysis and make. 8. a recommendation to the Board at the first January meeting. She said 9. there were sufficient funds to cover the present level of services until 10. the January meeting. 11. Commissioner Barnes directed the Acting Finance Director to work with 12. the Department of Social Services and prepare a recommendation for the 13. Board of Commissioners at the, first January meeting. 114. Commissioner Barnes told those citizens who had indicated a desire to 15• address the Board on this issue they were welcome to speak tonight or they 16. could return when the issue appeared on the Agenda. She told the citizens 17. the Clerk would notify them when the issue appeared on the Agenda if they 18. would leave their name and address with the Clerk. 19. The following persons wished to address the Board this evening: 20. Mr. Stewart Fisher said he has two children in day care centers at the 21. present time. One of his children, a son, has cerebral palsy and is on 22. the waiting list for Title XX assistance. Mr. Fisher is a law student and 23. said the delaying action taken by the Board tonight would cost him $400 21+. in child care. 25. Ms. Beverly Mulvihill said she would save most of what she wished to 26. say until later. She did, however, ask the Board if the action taken by 27. the Board of Social Services freezing day care rate increases for Title XX 28. funding would hold in view of the action taken by the Board of Commissioners 29. tonight. 30. Commissioner Barnes replied that was a matter for the Board of Social 31. Services to decide and asked Ms. Schopler to place it on the Agenda for 32. the next Board of Social Services meeting. . 33. Ms. Debbie Geesin is a single parent who said she could not afford 34• to place her child in day care if it were not for Title XX funds. She 35. was concerned that this action freezing the rate increases by the Board 36. of Social Services would set a precedent for not meeting rate increases 37. for Title XX children in day care centers. She fears that those centers 38. 39. L.0. 4 1 :i'_,130 i will eventually have to refuse to accept Title XX children. Ms. Mary Bridges is. the Director of a center where the rate increases were frozen by the Board of Social Services and she said her center was having a very difficult time meeting its financial obligations. Her staff had deferred drawing its salary until funds came in. She said her fee paying clients were paying in advance for child care and Title XX funds arrived in the middle or end of the month. She stated that this 1 method of Title XX payment caused a real problem with "cash flow." Ms. Janet Clement said the Chapel Hill Day Care Center does not take Title XX children in order to make 'a profit. She has 74 children in her . center and only 10 are receiving Title XX assistance. If 9 more children i. whom she is sure are Title XX eligible were receiving aid her center's income would rise by $547 a month. Ms. Clement, Director of the above named center, addressed several items: 1) the number of .children in day care centers in Orange County declined during the past year; 2) the $94,000 surplus is there because the State of North Carolina has made day care a priority; 3) she urged the Board to compare the number of child- 1 ren served by day care with the number of persons served by Chore Services, challenging Mr. Ward's statement that the Chore Service and Day Care pro- grams need to be balanced; 4) she said there are no surplus funds in day care as long as 160 children are on the waiting list for assistance. Voicing her concern over the long range implications of this funding action, Ms. Clement said centers are expensive to operate and may, in order to cut costs, drop their State Certification. The inevitable result of this action would be segregation by race and income in various centers, i.e., only those center receiving Title XX funds would take low income children. Ms.Patsy Barbee of the Bi City Day Care Center said without the rate increase due next month her center will have a $4,800 deficit. Mr. Thomas Lutten, saying that he had looked for diversity when he placed his child in a day care center, echoed Ms. Clement's concern over the long range implications for day care centers. He said he felt the Chore Services Budget had been too dependent on State Reallocation funding. f The Board directed Ms. Battern and the Social Services Department to work 11 together to present a report to the Board at the January 5, 1981, meeting. Commissioner Whitted requested Ms. Battern build the requested rate increases for the day care centers into the financial analysis to ascertain how it would affect the budget. Commissioner Barnes thanked those who spoke to the Board on this matter. Agenda Item 6: Manager's Report on the Emergency Medical Services The Manager said the recommendations were basically two: 1) to adopt a county wide Ambulance and EMS Ordinance and, 2) to name North Carolina Memorial Hospital in Chapel Hill the sponsor hospital. Dr. Sarah Dent and Mr. Bill Lesig of the Orange County Rescue Squad both expressed dissatisfaction with these recommendations. They stated that Memorial Hospital refused to/deal with the Orange County Rescue Squad. Commissioner Willhoit moved to accept the Manager's recommendation that N.C. Memorial Hospital be the sponsor hospital for the County and to authorize the staff to proceed with negotiations with Memorial .to reach an agreement with Memorial. Commissioner Gustaveson seconded the motion with a friendly amendment, i.e., that the staff place this on a priority ranking just below the Orange County Jail. Vote: Ayes, 5; noes,0. The Board asked Mr. Gledhill to review the old EMS Ordinance and to bring it back to the Board for placement on a later Agenda. Commissioner Willhoit moved to ask the County Attorney to review the old EMS Ordinance and return it to the Board for action at a later time; Commissioner Whitted seconded that motion. Vote Ayes, 5, noes, 0. Agenda Item 7: Mr. Rogerson Recommends Allocation of $12,000 from CBA funds For the Yout Needs Task Force Mr. Harold Rogerson recommended the Board reallocate $12,000 from funds available from Community Based Alternatives sources. These funds had been allocated for one purpose and if not used would revert to the State. Commissioner Willhoit moved to accept Mr. Rogerson's recommendation advising acceptance of the funding proposals from Tree House, Janus House, and the Orange County Schools; Commissioner Whitted seconded the motion. Vote: Ayes, 5; noes, 0. i 5? A 4 Agenda Item 8: The Tax Supervisor recommends A. Release of Taxes from 1975 Through 1980 on Lots 340-3433Brigadoon, owned By the City of Durham Based upon a decision handed down by the State Supreme Court in the 1 Orange County vs. UNC tax case, the Tax Supervisor recommends release of taxes for the years 1975-1980 for lots 340-343 Brigadoon, owned by the City of Durham. Commissioner Whitted moved to accept the Tax Supervisor's recommendation for release of taxes on lots 340-343 Brigadoon, owned by Durham, for the years 1975-1980. Commissioner Gustaveson seconded the motion. Vote: Ayes, 5; noes, 0. B. Reduction In Value From $5,600 to 1 $2,800 on Lot 3, Section 1, Winwood Owned by Douglas Sharer and Ursula Koriath The Tax Supervisor recommends reduction in value from $5,600 to $2,800 on Lot 3, Section 1, Winwood, owned by Douglas Sharer and Ursula Koriath. The recommendation for reduction is based on poor topography and the existence of a power right of way along the southwestern boundary of the property. Commissioner Willhoit moved to accept the Tax Supervisor's recommendation for a reduction in value to the above named property; Commissioner Gustaveson seconded the motion. Vote: Ayes, 5; noes, 0. Agenda Item 9: Appointments A. A Vacancy Exists on the Recreation Advisory Council for the Cheeks Township seat The Board directed the Clerk to advertise this position. B. Four Vacancies exist on the JOCCA Board of Director Commissioner Willhoit moved to appoint Joe Straley, Carl Henley, Ruth Long and Don Willhoit to serve on the Board of Directors for JOCCA. Commissioner Whitted seconded the motion. Vote: Ayes, 5; noes, 0. Commissioner Whitted moved to stagger the terms of the three appointees (Commissioner Willhoit serving a term on the Board of Directors for JOCCA concurrent with his term as a Commissioner), suggesting one be appointed to a 3 year term, one to a 2 year term and one to a 1 year term; Comissioner Willhoit seconded the motion. Vote: Ayes, 5; noes, 0. The Board directed the Clerk to prepare three slips of paper with an appointee's name on each slip and to draw for the one year term, two year term and three year term in order. Joe Straley was appointed to the one year term; Carl Henley was appointed to the two year term and Ruth Long was appointed to the three year term. The Board directed the Clerk to notify these individuals of their appointments and terms of office. C. Commission for Women Vacancy The Clerk notified the Board there were two vacancies on the Commission for Women. Commissioner Willhoit nominated Marianne Edgerton; Commissioner Barnes nominated Amy Hardee; Commissioner Whitted nominated Patricia McElroy. The Board voted on these nominations by ballot. The vote was: Ms. McElroy 5; Ms. Hardee, 3; and Ms. Edgerton, 2. Ms. McElroy and Ms. Hardee were appointed to the Commission for Women and the Clerk was directed to inform them of their appointments. D. Announcement Commissioner Barnes announced that Commissioner Whitted had accepted appointment to the Capital Health.Systems Selection Committee. Agenda Item 10: Staff Report Concerning Utilization of Public Service Employment Positions The staff recommended six positions be awarded to JOCCA's weatherization program and two positions to jobs classified "Special Interest." Commissioner Gustaveson, noting the urgency and priority of the weatherization program, moved to allocate all eight positions to JOCCA's weatherization program. Commissioner Whitted seconded that motion. Commissioner Barnes noted the need for an additional worker to operate the County's switchboard, saying only 20 hours a week may be spent on the job site so that two persons were needed to provide support coverage where previously only one was required. Commissioner Willhoit offered an amendment to Commissioner's Gustaveson's motion to allocate one of the eight positions to the County switchboard and the remaining seven to JOCCA. Commissioner Gustaveson accepted that amendment as a friendly amendment and Commissioner Whitted responded that his second stood. Vote: Ayes, 5; noes, 0. Agenda Item 11: A Revised Joint Planning Agreement is A Ag 9 Submitted to the Board for for Its Review Commissioner Barnes offered an amendment to Section 4, paragraph 2, inserting after "Transition Areas" "(the ten year and twenty year zones)." She feels that this insertion is necessary to insure there will be no mistake but there are two transition zones in the proposed Land Use Plan now being considered by the County. Commissioner Gustaveson asked that "zones" in Commissioner Barnes insertion be amended to "areas." Commissioner Whitted moved to adopt the Revised Joint Planning Agreement with the insertion offered by Commissioner Barnes and amended by Commissioner Gustaveson; Commissioner Gustaveson seconded. Vote: Ayes, 5,noes,O. The Board directed the Chair to notify the other parties, i.e., Carrboro, Chapel Hill, and OWASA, of the action taken by the Board on this matter,. Agenda Item 12: The Manager Recommends The Board Accept a Copy of the State's.Administrative Code and File This Code in the Office of the Board's Clerk The Manager told the Board the State was offering to the County a copy of its Administrative Procedures of the various State Agencies and Boards. _. Commissioner Whitted moved,and Commissioner Wilihoit .seconded the motion, to accept the copy of the Stata's Administrative Code and to file it in the Clerk's office. Vote: Ayes, 5; noes, 0. Commissioner Whitted moved to adjourn and Commissioner Barnes seconded the motion. Vote: Ayes, 5; noes, 0. Commissioner Barnes noted that this was the last evening Mary Markell of the Chapel Hill Newspaper would be covering Board meetings. The Board bade her farewell and invited her to return for visits. Commissioner Barnes noted Cynthia Thompson would replace Mary for the Chapel Hill Newspaper and welcomed Cynthia back. Anne Barnes, Chair Paulette Pridgen-Pond, Clerk 1