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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 19970619APPROVED MARCH 4, 1998 MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BUDGET WORK SESSION JUNE 19, 1997 The Orange County Board of Commissioners met in regular session for a budget work session on Thursday, June 19, 1997 at 7:30 p.m. at the Homestead Community Center in Chapel Hill , North Carolina. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair William L. Crowther and Commissioners Margaret W. Brown, Moses Carey, Jr., Alice M. Gordon and Stephen H. Halkiotis. COUNTY ATTORNEY PRESENT: Geoffrey Gledhill COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager John M. Link, Jr., Assistant County Manager Rod Visser and Albert Kittrell and Clerk to the Board Beverly A. Blythe (All other staff members will be identified appropriately below) NOTE: ALL DOCUMENTS REFERRED TO IN THESE MINUTES ARE IN THE PERMANENT AGENDA FILE IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE. ALL RECORDING TAPES OF THE MEETING WILL BE KEPT FOR FIVE (6) YEARS. APPOINTMENT OF BOND COUNSEL A motion was made by Commissioner Gordon, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis to approve the Jessup/Nexsen Pruet service proposal appointing Bob Jessup, in collaboration with the Nexsen Pruet law firm, to serve as the County's bond counsel for the planned November 1997 bond referendum. VOTE: UNANIMOUS PROFESSIONAL CONTRACT SERVICES John Link distributed as part of the agenda a line item list for professional contract services for all the County Departments. There were no questions. TAX RATE IMPACTS OF VARIOUS BOND PACKAGES In answer to a question from Commissioner Gordon, Budget Director Sally Kost said that money could be reallocated in the CIP to pay for the $40 million dollar bond amount. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT SPECIFIC PROJECTS INCLUDED IN THE BOND PACKAGE Commissioner Gordon questioned putting additional money into the Northern Center because the building is 45 years old and asked staff to review the alternatives. Purchasing Director Pam Jones indicated that the old Orange Industries building would be torn down. VACANT POSITIONS AND SALARY BUDGETED BUT NOT EXPENDED The agenda material listed for each County department the vacant positions and the date the position became vacant. It also listed the lapsed salary money totaling $538,638. John Link noted that this amount is included in the County's fund balance when they determine revenues. SALARY EXAMPLES UNDER THE RECOMMENDED 1997-98 PAY PLAN There were no questions. MEADOWMONT SPECIAL USE PERMIT APPLICATIONS Several corrections were made to the draft letters to the Town of Chapel Hill and the Chapel Hill- Carrboro City School Board concerning the Meadowmont Special Use Permit applications. It was decided that a letter would be sent to Mayor Rosemary Waldorf requesting that the pond on this site not be disturbed. ORANGE COUNTY LOAN POOL PROGRAM AND EDC STATUS REPORT In answer to a question from Commissioner Gordon about the amount of money involved in this program, Director of Economic Development Ted Abernathy said that there is $12,500 in new operating funds with $2,000 carried over from last year. The proposed amount in the CIP is $50,000 this year to be added to the $50,000 allocated last year. Mr. Abernathy explained how the program will work. He said that the focus of this program is not the same as the Carrboro program. It will take $12,500 annually to maintain this program. In answer to a concern from Commissioner Brown about the composition of the loan committee, Mr. Abernathy said that six members will be appointed from local banks and two members will be appointed by the County Commissioners. Commissioner Brown expressed a concern of using public money for private purposes. County Attorney Geoffrey Gledhill said that the County has the latitude to take public money to provide jobs, improve businesses, etc. Commissioner Gordon suggested delaying a decision on this program until August and putting the $12,500 into the County Commissioners' contingency for now. Commissioner Carey requested going ahead with a decision on June 30. He feels there are citizens who are waiting to participate in this program who need to have access to a loan pool. STRATEGIC AUTOMATION PLAN Information Systems Director Dick Taylor gave this report. A copy had been distributed with the budget packet. In answer to a question from Commissioner Halkiotis, Mr. Taylor said that most of their installation work must be done by outside support. He has some internal expertise but not enough to provide full service for County Departments. Commissioner Halkiotis asked that a group of other technology experts review the plan and that the Board delay action on this CIP item until that input is received. The Board agreed to put the money related to the CIP for technology in contingency until the plan can be reviewed by a group of technical people. 10 MINUTE BREAK EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION PLAN A motion was made by Commissioner Gordon, seconded by Commissioner Carey to approve maintaining the current pay plan. VOTE: UNANIMOUS NEW POSITIONS RECOMMENDED A motion was made by Commissioner Gordon, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis to approve six and one half positions that would be time limited, namely two EMS positions, two Social Services positions, one Human Rights and Relations position, one-half Cooperative Extension position and one-half Planning position. VOTE: UNANIMOUS A motion was made by Commissioner Gordon, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis to approve one and one-half new positions in the Sheriff's Department. VOTE: UNANIMOUS A motion was made by Commissioner Carey, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis to approve the electrician position in the Public Work's Department. VOTE: UNANIMOUS A motion was made by Commissioner Gordon, seconded by Commissioner Brown to approve the new position in Child Support as a two year time limited position. VOTE: UNANIMOUS A motion was made by Commissioner Gordon, seconded by Commissioner Carey to approve two positions in the Social Services Department for CPS Social Workers. VOTE: UNANIMOUS A motion was made by Commissioner Gordon, seconded by Commissioner Carey to approve the half-time Family Nurse Practitioner in the Health Department. VOTE: UNANIMOUS Additional information will be provided for the new position requested for the Information Systems Department. A motion was made by Commissioner Gordon, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis to approve the per pupil allocation of $1,889 as recommended by the County Manager and to appropriate an additional two cents on the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City School District tax rate. VOTE: UNANIMOUS A motion was made by Commissioner Carey, seconded by Commissioner Gordon to allocate an additional $31,500 for Kidscope. VOTE: UNANIMOUS A motion was made by Commissioner Gordon, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis to allocate an additional $1,140 to the Women's Center. VOTE: UNANIMOUS A motion was made by Chair Crowther to reduce the appropriation for Center to Peace Education and the Dispute Settlement Center to zero. THIS FAILED FOR LACK OF A SECOND. A motion was made by Commissioner Gordon, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis to put the money recommended for the Dispute Settlement Center in reserve until they receive additional information from them. VOTE: UNANIMOUS A motion was made by Commissioner Halkiotis, seconded by Commissioner Brown to put the money recommended for the Center for Peace Education into reserve until additional information is received. VOTE: UNANIMOUS A motion was made by Commissioner Gordon, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis to put into a reserve account those miscellaneous items that have to do with the County's incentive program as listed on pages 11-16 and 11-17 of the budget document. Additional information will be provided on these items at a later time. VOTE: UNANIMOUS Sally Kost indicated that the above changes would set the tax rate at 87.3 cents. per $100 of assessed valuation. A motion was made by Commissioner Carey, seconded by Chair Crowther to approve the $12,500 budgeted amount for the loan pool. VOTE: AYES, 2; NOS, 3 (Commissioners Brown, Gordon and Halkiotis) A motion was made by Commissioner Gordon, seconded by Commissioner Brown to put the $12,500 budgeted amount for the loan pool into contingency so that additional discussion can take place. VOTE: AYES, 4; NOS, 1 (Commissioner Carey) A motion was made by Commissioner Gordon, seconded by Commissioner Carey to approve the expenditures as presented for capital projects for (1) public buildings and equipment, (2) public safety, (3) public works, (4) recreation and parks and (5) water, land and sewer resources. VOTE: UNANIMOUS A motion was made by Commissioner Gordon, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis to approve the expenditures as presented for capital projects for the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools. VOTE: UNANIMOUS A motion was made by Commissioner Gordon, seconded by Commissioner Brown to approve the expenditures as presented for capital projects for the Orange County Schools. VOTE: UNANIMOUS ADJOURNMENT With no further items under consideration, Chair Crowther adjourned the meeting. The next regular meeting will be held on June 30, 1987 at 7:30 p.m. in the meeting room of the OWASA Operations Facility in Carrboro, North Carolina. William L. Crowther, Chair Beverly A. Blythe, Clerk