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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 19840607!r ~.. 4 1 r•_INU~Es BUDGET SESSION ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COPiMISSLONERS JUNE 7, 1984 The Orange County Board of Commissioners held a budget session on June 7, 1984 at 7:30 in the Commissioners' Room of the Orange County Courthouse in Hillsborough, North Carolina. Commissioners Present: Chair Don (4illhoit, and Commissioners Shirley Marshall, Ben Lloyd, Norman Walker and Richard Whitted. Staff Present: Kenneth Thompson, County I+lanager; jaallace Harding, Director of Finance; Donra Clayton. Financial Analyst and Beverly y Blythe, Clerk. Chair Willhoit announced that several departmental budgets would be discussed at this budget session. L. ~ Sheriff Pendergrass gave an overview of the 1983-84 goals and objectives for his department, most of which had been accomplished. The jail has been made self-supporting by housing federal prisoners. Collections so far this year total 534.547. Training all the jailers in first response techniques has been accomplished. In the Civil Division, S0; of the processes are now served by mail. Transportation costs for transporting mental patients to John Umstead Hospital has been lowered by having to transport these patients only to North Carolina Memorial. The Investigatkon Division has reduced crimes in every category. Nine thousand four hundred seventeen calls have been answered to date and 826,506 miles have been patrolled in Orange County. Except for training all goals and objectives were met; the manpower was not available to release personnel. Four additional people have been requested for 1984-85. Commissioner Whitted questioned the. 516,000 request for travel and training. Pendergrass requested $16,000 because the department is working with Durham County and F~7ake County on a consortium basis to train the officers far a fourteen week period. Since there are four officers who teach at the training school and with this money going back into the training fund, the figure was lowered. Other costs include (1) lunch, (2) ammunition, and (3) equipment for the school. Other training include sending men to a school in Salemburg. However this training will be brought to Orange County which will save money. The Sheriff's recommendation is for 55,700. Also, Major Truelove has been nominated and accepted to the FP1 accedemy which will cost 51200. In the area of repair and maintenance of equipment, the manager recommended 55,000 and the Sheriff requested 59,650 because of the maintenance on the radios which will go under contract and will. save money. In office supplies the County b'lanager recor..mended 52500 and because of the increase in computer usage, 53800 is requested. Capital outlay of equipmment - 510,538 has been recommended; 512,253 was requested. This additional amount would allow for the purchase of equipment needed to meet an emergency situation. Commissioner [Marshall asked about the request for another secre- tary in the nfrice that was not funded. 2!E 2 Pendererass explained this request was made because of the work load and is needed for backup. Thompson pointed out the increase in Revenues received from jail fees from 52,358 in 1982-83 to 529,189 this fiscal year. Chair willhoit favored adding to the budget for the Sheriff's Department 517,965 and requested this item be added to the markup list for further consideration by the Board. Commissioner Alarshall teas in agreement. ~otlaliTaSTy nT ~~~ Bill Banter, Director of dental Health, spoke on behalf of the Community Plental Health Service and Orange Industries and gave an overview of the program. The concept and purpose of the Community Plental Health Service is to provide 24 hour service to a wide variety of persons who are in need. There are eleven mandated services offered. County Government provide 9.8ti of the total support. In fiscal year 1983, 2.1ti of the population was served by the Community Plental Health Service. Calls totaled 950 per month. The proposed 1984-85 budget represents a 12.5 increase. Tlze,salary increase request is 6.5~ - 5o across the board and 1.5$ merit. They are requesting a 16.5 increase from Orange County. This figure is high because of the new group home. 'The requested amount of 5294,000 includes 525,000 for Orange Industries. Orange County has the largest program and the highest number of skilled people. The 566,247 budgeted for Orange Industries includes two new positions and realignment of other positions and with movinc,~ to the new building provides money to meet state standards. The request is for an increase of $64,219 in County General with 525,000 for Orange Industries and 510,000 increase in the five cents per bottle tax. This money with the exception of the 525,000 will be used for salaries. Computations are as follows: S 272,563 - amount recommended 5 344,632 - amount requested 5 72,069 - difference 8 25,000 for Orange Industries 5 47,069 - actual amount requested 5 12,000 - increase recommended by the County Manager 8 35,069 - requested increase remaining Commissioner whitted requested to add this 562,000 to the markup list for further consideration by the Board. Don Cox made some brief remarks. One additional person has been requested in the budget because of the demand to protect the Falls and the Jordan Reservoirs. The total cost would be 830,000 with the state funding 51~ or 515,300 4ihich will be awarded to the County. Charles Snipes commented about the increase in the workload which has doubled sine 1982-83. Commissioner whitted noted that the 874,137 level of funding would support the doubling of the current activities plus if the General ~~r 3 Assembly passes the nutrient sensitive regulations would enable the County to enfcrce that program. Thompson requested the addition of 52,930 to the markda~•m list for Sail and T•7ater. IN-HOPfE SERVICES Thompson noted same changes in Medicare which will affect in•-home services. The federal government will be paying costs that it estimates for different types of treatment rather than the costs reported to them; hospital stays will be shortened and the demand for in-home services will increase. Four different agencies within the County will be affected: (1) Social Services with their Chore Service Program; (2) Aging Department with their homemaker-home health aides, (3) Health department with some in-home delivery of Nursing care on a limited basis, and (4) Chapel Hill Rome Health Agency which provides skilled nursing care within the home. The Chapel Hill Home Health Agency projects a higher level of indigents because of these changes in Medicare. There is a grant but the indigent cost is expected to exceed the amount of the grant. The projected loss of 534,560 for 84-B5 will be partially offset by the 517,025 grant and other contributions of 52,535 leaving a net loss of 515,000. Orange County residents make up 89$ of the case load of ~•rhich 95~ are indigent. Tony Zizzamia, 'e'xecutive Director of Home Health Services pointed out that the 515,000 request is related to Orange County. The 517,025 state grant is for the total service area. He noted that if a patient is indigent and unable to pay for the services from a surrounding county, the state money would be used for that and the S1S,000 would be restricted to Orange County residents only. Commissioner P•iarshall asked if Orange County should not receive some of the grant money for indigents in Orange County. Zizzamia noted that the prooess would be to go ahead and use the state grant for all counties before using the money from Orange County. A small percentage of the grant would be held back to insure monies far the surrounding areas. It would be very small; the major part of the grant would go to Orange County. Zizzamia and Lynn Taylor-Rimer, Chairman of the Board, spoke in support of their budget. Commissioner Pdhitted requested the amount of S1S,000 be placed on the markup list far further consideration by the Board. Commissioner PZarshall stressed coordination among the Home Health agencies. Bill Baxter, Tony Zizzamia and Jerry Robinson all supported this coordination. She requested that the Home Health agencies work with the County Manager and report back to the Board on this coordination. She requested that the Have Health agencies work with the County P,anager and report back to the Board or, this coordination of in-hame services. ADJODRA'^; ENT Tvith no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was adjourned. Hever],y A. Blythe, Clerk Don j~illhoit, Chair