020116February 1, 2016
The Randolph County Board of Commissioners met in regular session at 6:00 p.m. in the
1909 Randolph County Historic Courthouse Meeting Room, 145 Worth Street, Asheboro, NC.
Commissioners Frye, Haywood, Kemp, Lanier and Allen were present.
Appoint New Sheriff to Fill Unexpired Term of Sheriff Reid
Chairman Frye introduced Robert Graves as the Randolph County Republican Party nominee
to fill the unexpired term of Sheriff Maynard Reid, Jr. who passed away on January 5, 2016.
On motion of Haywood, seconded by Allen, the Board voted unanimously to appoint Robert
Graves as Sheriff of Randolph County.
Administration of Oath of Office to Sheriff
The Honorable Judge V. Bradford Long administered the oath of office to Sheriff Robert
Graves.
Invocation and Pledte of Allegiance
Dr. Bob Shackleford, RCC President, gave the invocation and everyone recited the pledge of
allegiance.
Recess
At 6:15 p.m., the Board recessed.
Regular Meeting Resumed
At 6:23 p.m., the Board returned to regular session.
Set Salary and Approve Surety Bond for Sheriff Graves
On motion of Kemp, seconded by Allen, the Board voted unanimously to set the salary for
Sheriff Robert Graves at $88, 000.
On motion of Kemp, seconded by Allen, the Board voted unanimously to approve the Surety
Bond for Sheriff Robert Graves at $25, 000.
Public Comment Period
No one spoke during the public comment period.
Consent Agenda
On motion of Kemp, seconded by Lanier, the Board voted unanimously to approve the
Consent Agenda, as follows:
• approve minutes of the 114116 regular meeting and closed sessions- I and II minutes, and
the 1111116 special joint meeting;
• unseal closed session minutes- 114116 II;
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• reappoint Marjorie Beason, Mickey Bowman, Clifford Elliott, and Leverette Strider to the
Voluntary Agricultural District Advisory Board;
• reappoint Debbie Pike and Phyllis Bell to the Randolph County Adult Care Home
Community Advisory Committee;
• reappoint Linda Sawyer to the Randolph County Nursing Home Community Advisory
Committee;
• appoint Courtney Chavis Polk and Kaitlyn Cook to the Juvenile Crime Prevention Council
• adopt amended Order of Succession Policy for County (Exercise of Administrative
Decisions During County Manager's Absence): 1. Will Massie, Assistant County
Manager/Finance Officer; 2. Paxton Arthurs, Public Works Director 3. Donovan Davis,
Emergency Services Director;
• approve Budget Amendment #23 for Public Health-HC and TANF Funds received, as
follows:
2015-2016 Budget Ordinance
General Fund —Budget Amendment #23
Revenues
Increase
Decrease
Restricted Intergovernmental
$20, 549
Appropriations
Increase
Decrease
Public Health
$20, 549
• approve Budget Amendment #24 for Emergency Services- Homeland Security Grant, as
follows:
2015-2016 Budget Ordinance
General Fund —Budget Amendment #24
Revenues
Increase
Decrease
Restricted Intergovernmental
$8, 000
Appropriations
Increase
Decrease
Emergency Services
$8, 000
• approve Budget Amendment #25 for Planning and Zoning- Megasite Rezoning Filing Fee,
as follows:
2015-2016 Budget Ordinance
General Fund —Budget Amendment #25
Revenues
Increase
Decrease
Permits and Fees
$10, 000
Appropriations
Increase
Decrease
Planning and Zoning
$10, 000
Change to New Business Agenda
Chairman Frye announced that Item I. Closed Session for Economic Development
[N. C. G. S.143-318.11(a)(4)J and Personnel Matters [NCGS 143-318.11(a)(6)J had been added to
the agenda.
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Voluntary Agricultural District (VAD) Advisory Board Annual Report
Cooperative Extension Director Jonathan Black said that agriculture is a $580 million business for
the Randolph County economy. He reported that Randolph County is 41 in beef cattle, 42 in dairy
cattle and 46 in poultry in the state rankings. He said that was significant because in 2012 Randolph
County was only 44 in beef cattle.
In 2015, the Voluntary Agricultural District Board admitted farms into the program, totaling 3,346
acres of land. As a result, Randolph County now has over 18,131 acres of land enrolled in the
program. Fifteen farms are enrolled in the Enhanced Voluntary Agriculture District with 1,326 acres
and 122 farms with 16,805 acres enrolled in the Regular Voluntary Agriculture District.
The VAD Board has continued to concentrate on meeting the strategies outlined in the Farmland
Preservation plan for 2011-2012 and 2012-2013. Two agricultural forums were held between the
VAD Board and Randolph County Cooperative Extension, Randolph County Schools, Agriculture
Education Teachers, Soil and Water, Department of Forestry, Livestock Association, Farm Bureau,
Farm Service Agency, and various other agencies and organizations, to coordinate an agricultural
curriculum. These forums have resulted in a better understanding of programs available and a better
coordination of efforts.
Mr. Black said the "Farm to Table" program continues to be a great success. Cooperative
Extension created and piloted this program to teach first graders in Randolph County elementary
schools where their food comes from. This program consists of six lessons and a field trip to A&T
State University Research Farm and has reached 122 first graders. This was a direct result of the
agricultural forums.
Mr. Black thanked the Commissioners for their continued support of the Voluntary
Agriculture District program and recognizing the value of agriculture and agribusiness in
Randolph County.
Commissioner Allen said he was one of the fifteen farms in the Enhanced VAD program and
felt that it was good for the community.
Commissioner Lanier stated that the growth in agriculture has led to the need for an
agriculture center for the county; a place for farmers to get assistance, show and sell livestock,
sell produce, and a place to educate the community about agriculture. He added that the
community is also in need of an event center and felt it could be incorporated into a facility of
this kind. He listed ag civic centers in other counties as examples.
Mr. Black said that the agriculture and general community's desire for such a facility has
been identified through the strategic planning process. Commissioner Frye asked how much
acreage would be needed. Mr. Black said it would be subject to what the farmer and community
need is within the facility. Commissioner Allen said the acreage would depend on facilities that
could be included such as an arena and an auditorium. Mr. Black added that he'd like to see
educational facilities included. He concluded that it would be a huge asset to the community as
a whole and not just the farmers.
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Randolph County Economic Development Corporation (EDC) Annual Report
Bonnie Renfro, EDC President, said that the EDC was founded in 1985. She said community
leaders had the foresight 30 years ago to create a focused effort to promote jobs and investment in the
industrial sector of Randolph County's economy. Since that time, there has been $1.8 billion in new
capital investment and a creation of 12,000 new jobs. Ultracraft, a cabinet manufacturer located in
Liberty, was the first company to benefit from efforts of the EDC. Today they are Liberty's largest
employer with 280 employees. Several companies chose Randolph County as a place for operations
and growth over the last 30 years and are important to the tax base of the County. Many of the
projects have supported infrastructure grants for roads, water, sewer, rail, and building reuse. Since
1974, more than $17 million in grants have supported job creation for those companies.
Ms. Renfro presented the EDC's annual report and shared the following highlights for the
prior year, as follows:
• After three strong years of growth and expansion, 2015 was a year when companies
consolidated their gains and planned for the future.
• Unemployment remained just above 5% throughout the year and most businesses report
level or slightly increased demand.
• Focus was on business recruitment, product development, workforce development, new
marketing initiatives, existing industry support, & strengthening partnerships
• Greensboro Randolph Mega Site - Enormous strides over the last 12 months and a key
focus of the EDC:
o Randolph County invested in the site
o The same week, Golden Leaf Foundation announced their decision to support a
megasite project
o Made a trip to Spartanburg to learn about the experiences of the BMW facility and
the impact for the state/city.
o Completed site due diligence - all environmental assessments
o Greensboro launched water / sewer design & engineering
o Adopted a logo and introduced a new website that focuses on the megasite
o Hired global powerhouse, KPMG, to certify and market the site
o KPMG began certification process
o NC Railroad announced investment of $13 million to purchase 875 acres in the site
o At the request of the NC Railroad -beginning the State certification
Ms. Renfro stated that Randolph County saw 204 new quality job opportunities which added
an annual income of $2,662,200. This will result in more than $11 million in new capital
investment that adds to the tax base. This impacted 540,530 square feet of real estate and
supports $970,000 in grant dollars, primarily to construct a rail spur for Technimark, to renovate
and repair vacant industrial facilities for new users, as well as an investment in infrastructure.
Kevin Franklin, Existing Industry Coordinator, presented the EDC's Existing Business and
Industry Program and its continued outreach to companies across Randolph County. A total of
171 visits were made to Randolph County companies. Of the companies tracked, the EDC
reported total employment of 17,478 fulltime workers at 246 companies, an increase over 2014.
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He said that local company management was generally optimistic about the outlook for 2016.
Particular sectors that appear to be strongly positioned are furnishings, plastics, adhesives, and
metal fabrication/machining. Many companies continued to express concern about the skills gap.
Topping the list was the need for sewers, upholsterers, CNC machinists, maintenance technicians
and truck drivers. The inability to attract qualified applicants for available positions is a concern
as many companies have a high percentage of their workforce reaching retirement age.
Employers continue to report having difficulty finding general laborers with a positive work
ethic, basic math skills, and the ability to successfully navigate through pre -employment
screening. He noted that employers have a great partner in RCC to provide training for current
employees and preparing students to enter the workforce. With the challenge of finding skilled
workers, businesses are identifying ways to streamline processes and improve output without
relying on increasing headcount.
EDC Chairman Steve Foley thanked the Commissioners for their continued support of
economic growth and stated how much he loves the uniqueness of Randolph County.
Courthouse Space Utilization and Renovation Study Report
William `Bill" Moser of Moser Mayer Phoenix Associates stated that in September 2015, the
County asked them, the architectural firm that was the original designer of the Courthouse, to conduct
a space needs study. The Randolph County Courthouse was occupied in 2000 and the building has
well served the citizens of the County; however, several divisions in the courthouse have outgrown
their available space. County Maintenance has made minor changes over the years to accommodate
court agencies; however, they have reached a point where there is no longer any room for growth.
During the 15 years, space needs within the building have changed.
This study involved coordinating a series of meetings with court agencies to discuss their potential
for growth and determine how best to utilize courthouse space. The conceptual drawings with various
options were included in the agenda packet and discussed during the presentation. He summarized the
findings of this study and contents of the assessment presentation, as follows:
1. The seven existing courtrooms along with ancillary areas for the courtrooms remain in
excellent condition and are adequate for current and projected judicial caseloads. It has been
suggested that one of the Superior courtrooms on the fourth floor be used once a month for
grand jury proceedings.
2. There is currently no significant vacant space available within the administrative areas of the
existing building. There are opportunities to effectively and efficiently reconfigure
administrative areas within the existing building under certain conditions.
3. Alternative suggestions were reviewed by the study group and illustrated test fit floor plans
were included in the packet. The following recommendations are fundamental to the
implementation of the "suggested" test fit space plans:
a. Probation and Parole (except for three judicial service coordinators) needs to vacate their
current space in the courthouse allowing for expansion of the Clerk of Court area and the
relocation of the Magistrate and Guardian ad Litem areas.
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b. Staff projections for Juvenile Justice personnel will increase significantly if, and when, the
State of NC raises the age of juvenile offenders to include 16 and 17 year olds.
c. The Clerk of Court is in need of significant additional space. Changing to high density
filing will help with file management and will help relieve some space needs, however,
this will not meet all administrative space needs for both immediate and future staff
projections. The "public interface" component of the Clerk's area also requires
reconfiguration and modernization.
d. The District and Superior Court Judge's areas do not require any significant renovation.
4. A structural analysis has confirmed that high density filing can be placed in specific locations
on elevated floor slabs of the 2000 Courthouse.
Floor plans were provided in the assessment packet to illustrate current space needs for
judicial personnel.
6. In addition to the test fit plans for consideration of interior renovation, three other options for
potential future expansion of the current courthouse complex were included, but he noted no
expansion of the existing buildings is currently required if Probation and Parole can be
accommodated at a remote location.
Phased construction for each area within existing buildings would need to take place in order
to not interrupt daily operations. He estimated around $2 million for a total project by
completion. He said it is likely to be a multi -year project because of construction being done in
phases. Mr. Moser said the next steps for consideration could be to:
• Determine best location for Probation and Parole and probably Day Reporting program.
They do not have to have direct access to the court system.
• Perform selective demolition of interior construction within the 1981 building and upper
level of the former court administration building.
• Provide detailed design documents for interior upfit plans for each reconfigured area
within courthouse (1981 and 2000 buildings).
• Smaller projects could be performed by County Maintenance.
Commissioner Frye asked that he and Commissioner Haywood be added to the process going
forward so the Board has representation and could help set direction.
"Thank a Veteran" Discount Program at Register of Deeds
Register of Deeds Krista Lowe said the Randolph County Register of Deeds Office will be
hosting an event they are calling "Thank you For Your Service" Day. It will be held on Monday,
May 9, 2016, from 9 a.m. until noon. They plan to offer the Veterans the opportunity to record
their DD Form 214 free of charge and receive a "Thank you for your Service" Photo ID card that
can be used at local, participating businesses. She hopes this will bring awareness to local
Veterans of the importance of their DD Form 214 and encourage them to record it at the Register
of Deeds Office, for safekeeping and allow them an avenue to quickly obtain the document when
needed. Ms. Lowe said "this is just a small way, that the County, and local businesses can honor
and celebrate our Veterans and thank them for their service to our Country."
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They are partnering with other governmental offices (Veterans Services, Board of Elections,
Emergency Services, Social Services, Human Resources, Tax, Public Health, and Cooperative
Extension), outside agencies and businesses to offer their assistance on services that are available
and to answer questions. Others involved will be the Senior Adult Association and Prevo Drug.
She said they are still receiving responses from area businesses who would like to participate in
the discount card program.
Approval of 2016 Audit Contract
County Finance Officer Will Massie stated federal and state laws require a local government's
annual audit to encompass testing of both financial statements and legal compliance, thus making it a
specialized service. The County has historically maintained a lasting relationship with its independent
audit firm, resulting in better service and a more efficient audit.
Mr. Massie said Cherry Bekaert LLP, which has an office in Asheboro, has served as the County's
independent auditors since 2005 and the County has been pleased with the level of service provided.
In 2013, Cherry Bekaert agreed to a fixed contract fee for three fiscal years, which ended with the
FY15 audit. He said they have proposed a new three year agreement with a three percent increase.
The proposed audit fee for the 2016 fiscal year is $59,000, which includes the audit of the Tourism
Development Authority. He has compared this fee with other counties of the same size and consider it
reasonable.
Mr. Massie recommended the Board of Commissioners authorize the Chairman to sign the contract
with Cherry Bekaert for the audit of the fiscal year ended June 30, 2016.
On motion of Kemp, seconded by Allen, the Board voted unanimously to approve the 2016
Audit Contract and fee of $59, 000 with Cherry Bekaert.
Discussion of Budget Meeting Schedule for FY 2016-17 Proposed Budget
Chairman Frye asked the Board to review the proposed budget meeting schedule that was
included in the agenda packet for consideration at the March meeting.
Strategic Planning Update
Hal Johnson, County Manager, stated that the strategic planning process is well underway and
the results will impact the County for at least the next 15-20 years. The meetings have been well
attended and are currently in the stage of identifying the issues. The next phase will be to
establish some goals and strategies. He said he hopes to have a completed document to present
to the Board by April or May.
Regional Update
Chairman Frye stated that Randolph County's workforce development area has been managed
by Regional Consolidated Services for many years. The area also includes Alamance,
Montgomery, and Orange counties. He said he had been informed that Alamance County would
be moving their process and handling to the Piedmont Triad Regional Council (PTRC).
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Chairman Frye asked County Manager Johnson to review the current workforce development
process for Randolph County and see if it needs any changes.
Closed Session
At 7: 30 p.m., on motion of Kemp, seconded by Haywood, the Board voted unanimously to go
into closed session to discuss matters relating to the location or expansion of business in the
area, pursuant to [NCGS 143-318.11(a)(4)J and to consider the qualifications, competence,
performance, condition of appointment of a public officer or employee or prospective public
officer or employee, pursuant to [NCGS 143-318.H(a)(6)J.
Regular Meeting Resumed
At 8:10 p.m., the Board returned to regular session.
On motion of Kemp, seconded by Lanier, the Board voted unanimously to set public hearing
for March 7 at 6:30 p.m. to consider adopting a Greensboro -Randolph Megasite project
agreement between Randolph County, the NC Railroad Company, and the Greensboro -Randolph
Megasite Foundation, Inc.
Adjournment
At 8:11 p.m., on motion of Kemp, seconded by Lanier, the Board voted unanimously to
adjourn.
Darrell L. Frye, Chairman Phil Kemp
Arnold Lanier
David Allen
Stan Haywood
Amanda Varner, Clerk to the Board
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