Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 19870622APPROVED FEBRUARY 1 1988 1 ~' - MINUTES - ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BUDGET SESSION JUNE 22, 1987 -.7;30 P.M. The Orange County Board of Commissioner met on June 22, 1987 at 7:30 p.m. at Lincoln Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina for the purpose of holding a budget work session. BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Chair Shirley E. Marshall and Commissioners Moses Carey, Stephen Halkiotis, John Hartwell and Don Willhoit. STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT: County Manager Kenneth R. Thompson, Assistant County Manager Albert Kittrell, Finance Director Gordon Baker, Clerk to the Baard Beverly A. Blythe, Deputy Finance Office Ken Chavious, Social Services Director Marti Pryor-Cook, Health Director Jerry Robinson, Budget Analyst Donna Wagner and Personnel Director Beverly Whitehead. M:~NTAL HEALTH Bill Baxter, Area Director, made the presentation. the use of charts an overview of his total budget with specifics wfor orange Caunty and emphasis on the proposed new program for this year. The new program "Crisis Emergency Service" would be established to provide a new emergency service in Chapel Hill which would provide .coverage from 8'5 every day. The cost would be $178,000 minimum. The total budget requested from Orange County this year is $230,104. Th.e Crisis Emergency Service would serve in a cost effective way 'those people in crisis who need immediate help. The -program would serve _; as a referral resource for many of the, agencies in the County. The County's share would be 17~ of the total amount needed and they would receive 83~ return for this money. Ken Thompson stated that the Manager's recommended budget includes everything as requested with the exception of the Crisis Emergency facility. He noted that there will be proposals for State action in this area and that the County could go head of that and fund such a unit on a single county basis or wait to see what the State will do on a regional funding basis. Discussion ensued with Baxter answering questions from the.Board. The Board agreed that the service is needed and placed on the markup list for later considerion the amount of $178,000. HUMAN SERVICES ADVISORY COMMISSION HEALTH DEPARTMENT Ruth Royster did both presentations. She spoke about three areas which had been deleted from the Health Department's requested budget. with reference to personnel, the proposed budget includes one part-time health educator position to begin January 1, 1988. Because of program priorities and objectives two fulltime health educator positions are needed instead of the one part time as recommended by the Manager. This recommendation has the endorsement of HSAC. She emphasized the importance of providing preventive measures for teens. There is also a need for one additional .public health nurse 2. State funding may be available for this position but that is not known at this time. The Health Department, because of the increase in the workload, does need one additional sanitarian. With reference to equipment that was not included in the Manager's recommended budget, there are two offices - in Carrmill Mall without any furniture. one additional two-way radio is`needed for use by the sanitariars and five new typewriters are needed for use by the staff who must .keep a lot of 2 records. Another item cut from the budget was supplies that are necessary in carrying out the services provided by the Health Department and include cotton balls, etc. Ruth Royster asked why the County had not purchased a new building in southern Orange County for the Health Department. The yearly rent is $58,000 which could be used toward the purchase of anew building. She noted that the old Southern Bell building is empty and available for rent or purchase. Chair Marshall stated that this would be considered in the CZP. Tt was decided that $39,404 would be placed on the markup list far the two health .educators and tv wait to see what the State does on the positions of Sanitarian and public health nurse S. HSAC (A copy of these recommendations is in the permanent agenda file in the Clerk's Office) Ruth Royster presented the recommendations from HSAC. After extended discussion, it was decided that $5,557 would be added to the markup list for the "Friends of Black Children" program that will be administered out of the Social Services Department. DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES Dick Syythe, Director of the Social Services Board, stated in preface to his remarks about the budget that the Social Services Department located in the southern facility is not .in compliance .with State require- ments. He mentioned two problems that need to be addressed either this year or in future budgets. First, the waiting list for daycare far exceeds the services that can be provided and second the chore providers are not covered by any kind of medical insurance program. with .reference to the budget, Smythe stated that although several items were not recommended by the Manager he would concentrate on those which are the highest priority. The first is the position of an account technician. This person would handle the day care accounts as well as other accounts .which are now being handled by various social workers. If this position is reinstated, the equipment for the position would need to also be put back into the budget. Another priority 'item at a cost of $2,200 is for the director to attend an executive training program sponsored by UNC and the National Welfare Leadership Conference. He asked that reconsideration be given to putting this request back into the budget. He also endorsed the "Friends of Black Children" program as presented by HSAC. He expressed concern that the request for file cabinets was not funded and asked that the Board give- further consideration of this item. Ken Thompson stated that half of the file cabinets requested were included in the budget and that it was not the intent to cut from the budget the $2,200 for the executive training program. Tt was decided to add to the markup list $17,570 for the account technician position, $2,200 far travel and $3,844 for equipment. Discussion ensued on the budget for the Animal Shelter. It was decided that additional information is needed on the proposed workplan as well as on the average length of time an animal is kept, fees, etc. Albert Kittrel]. will bring back to the Board additional information on the operation of the Animal Shelter. ADJOURNMENT with no further items to discuss, Chair Marshall adjourned the meeting. The next regular meeting will be held on July 5, 1987 in the courtroom of the old Courthouse, Hillsborough, North Carolina. Shirley E. Marshall, Chair Beverly A. Blythe, Clerk _