060922 Department Budget presentations
June 9, 2022 Budget Meeting (County Department Presentations)
The Randolph County Board of Commissioners met at 6:00 p.m. for a special budget session
in the 1909 Randolph County Historic Courthouse Meeting Room, 145 Worth Street, Asheboro,
NC. Chairman Darrell Frye, Vice-Chairman David Allen, Commissioners Kenny Kidd, Maxton
McDowell, and Hope Haywood were present. Also present were County Manager Hal Johnson,
Finance Officer Will Massie, Deputy Clerk Sarah Pack, and Clerk to the Board Dana Crisco. The
meeting was livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube. County department heads were given the
opportunity to present their budget requests.
Human Resources (HR)
Jill Williams, Human Resources Director, said she would be discussing recruitment and
retention efforts for Randolph County. The goal is to recruit, retain and develop a qualified
workforce in order to best serve the citizens of Randolph County. Additionally, there is a need to
develop employees who can be the next generation of supervisors and Department Heads;
employees who have the institutional knowledge of the county, as well as the skills and abilities
to move into leadership roles.
Randolph County was selected as the 2021 Industry of the Year. Much of this can be credited
to the leadership of the Board in bringing industry to Randolph County and to County employees
for their ability to work and serve the community in the face of many challenges, including the
Coronavirus Pandemic and staffing shortages. County employees have continued to provide
services throughout the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and have stepped up to ensure
services are provided, during these staffing shortages, to help mitigate gaps in services.
When looking at the education and skills required for County employment positions, there are
7% that require Associate’s Degree or 1-year degree programs, 21% that require bachelor’s
degrees, master’s degrees and doctorate degrees, 45% that require certifications (BLET, EMT,
Building Inspectors), and 13% that require some type of specialized pre-employment work
experience and/or post-employment training.
Because approximately 86% of the County’s 919 positions require additional certifications,
advanced degrees and experience, the County’s employees are easily marketable in other public
and private sector jobs. These positions provide critical services to the public: public safety,
emergency medical care and public assistance. When the public/citizens call us, they want
immediate service and they want us to know what we’re doing.
Ms. Williams discussed Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA) in years past. In the past 12 years,
employees have received between 0% and 3% each year for a COLA. This year, a 5% COLA is
proposed, which will not only increase the employee’s pay, but will also increase contributions to
retirement and 401(k).
Additionally, for the upcoming fiscal year, Ms. Williams said there is a request for an increase
in merit funds. The request is to increase the current merit funds by $100,000 and to request a
one-time adjustment of $500,000 in order to recognize many of our public safety employees for
what they have had to respond to during the Coronavirus Pandemic.
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The merit increases for public safety employees will have primary emphasis on those positions
where employees were working with the public in a non-controlled or limited controlled
environment and were working throughout the majority of the Coronavirus Pandemic. The market
for public safety positions has changed drastically and the County wants to recognize employees
for their commitment to the County and citizens during this time. These merit adjustments will
move employees’ pay up the pay scale and will be an increase to their compensation (and benefits
contributions) as long as they work for the County. We hope this will help retain our employees
who did what we asked them to do during very challenging times.
If approved, American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds will be used this first year. HR and
County Management are determining the amount of the $500,000 each department will receive
and the departments are managing those employees who may be eligible.
Merit as an ongoing increase to employee pay and benefits (retirement, 401(k), FICA) was re-
instated in the 2015-2016 fiscal year budget. Prior to that, for about three years, the County had
offered one-time bonuses as merit that did not impact/increase an employee’s pay going forward.
A challenge with the Merit Pay Program is that the “merit” pot of money has not increased in
almost seven years. As salaries have increased over the years, either due to the Classification
studies, cost-of-living adjustments, or market adjustments, there is just not as much to go around.
Of 919 full-time positions/employees, 133 received merits in 2021-2022. These merits averaged
$601 annually or .55 cents per hour. Increasing the funding of the Merit Pay Program will allow
it to be more effective in recognizing, rewarding, and retaining high performing employees.
Ms. Williams said there are other options to consider in addition to the COLA and merit
increase. The County has had two comprehensive classification studies within the past ten (10)
years. The Springsted Study, which moved positions to open ranges was implemented in April
2012. This was followed by the three-year classification and compensation study completed by
Piedmont Triad Regional Council from 2017 – 2019, with the final implementation of group 3
effective 7/1/2019.
Due to the instability in the labor market, the County may need to consider updating the
classification plan sooner rather than later, in order to help ensure that the county remains
competitive with the market, which includes a mix of private businesses and other government
agencies.
There are 272 people currently employed in the Sheriff’s Office: There are 85 in the step
progression process, between Base (Step 1) and Step 12. There are 103 at Step 12, which is
Standard Job Rate. There are 82 between Step 13 and the midpoint (Step 24) and 2 are above
midpoint. There are 169 in a 5% range of Step 12 to Step 16. Of the 619 general employees, 211
are between Base and Step 11, 179 are at Standard Job Rate (Step 12), and 32 are at or above the
midpoint (Step 24).
Ms. Williams said what is seen right now is businesses, industries, and government agencies
“reacting” to the labor market shortage and trying innovative measures to attract, retain and
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compensate staff. More frequent classification studies may help the County to remain competitive
with the market, which includes a mix of private businesses and other government agencies.
In reference to other benefits, the School of Government has provided data regarding dental
insurance, with 51 of 79 reporting counties paying 50% - 100% of the employee-only premium.
The average premium is $30. The county-contribution average is $18, making the employee cost-
share average $12. At this rate, the County’s contribution total would equal approximately
$16,200 per month. The annual total would equal approximately $194,400.
In reference to 401(k) benefits for non-sworn staff, 81 counties offer 401(k) to non-sworn
employees. There are 54 counties that make employer contributions. There are 27 counties that
make no employer contribution. Of the 54 that contribute, 27 contribute 3% or more. Randolph
County’s employer contribution rate is up to 2%.
According to the School of Government, 64 counties provide longevity pay. Contribution rates
vary widely from flat dollar amounts starting at $25, to 5% with one year of service. This amount
increases based on years of service.
The County’s turnover rate percentage continues to hover in the mid-teens. Ideally this number
should be in the single digits, even accounting for retirements and necessary dismissals. In 2021,
the turnover rate for the calendar year was 18.78%. The 2022 calendar year is trending at 18.10%.
There are 88 vacant County positions.
Ms. Williams said Human Resources is coming before the Board again this year to request an
additional position to expand recruitment efforts and classification. This would be an
Administrative Assistant position that would provide dedicated administrative support for the
department. Duties would include answering phones, managing personnel files, scanning, and
assisting other HR staff with administrative support on projects, as needed. This position will
provide front desk duties, freeing up other HR staff to perform their normal duties. This position
will support other HR initiatives including training and development, classification, benefits
administration, employee relations, and risk management.
The last time a position was added to HR was in 2010, increasing the staff to five (5). At that
time the County had 751 positions (724.8 full-time and 26 part-time). At the start of the 2021-
2022 fiscal year, the County had 919 positions (892 full-time and 27 part-time). An average
recommended ratio of HR staff to employees is 1:100.
Commissioner Haywood asked if the Public Safety increase would apply to all public safety
positions and Ms. Williams said yes, but within those departments there may be groups that are
more public-facing than others. Commissioner Haywood said 911 telecommunicators are not
forward facing, but they have worked very hard and retention is difficult. Ms. Williams said the
ARPA guidelines are being considered when Department Heads determine which groups of
employees will receive this benefit. Commissioner Haywood said it would be better to err on the
side on generosity to keep valuable employees in place.
Sheriff (SO)
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Sheriff Seabolt said the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office is in agreement with the 2022-2023
proposed budget by the County Manager. However, there are two additional requests:
1) Reclassification of the Fleet Maintenance Manager
2) 5% increase for Deputies and Detention Officers in addition to a cost of living
adjustment (COLA)
Prior to establishing the Fleet Maintenance Facility, the Civil Captain traditionally managed
the Sheriff’s Office fleet. In addition to the supervisory responsibilities of Civil, the Captain was
responsible for ordering new vehicles, scheduling vehicle equipment installs, writing vehicle
maintenance work orders, managing vehicle repairs, assigning vehicles and auctioning vehicles
that had reached the end of service. The fleet was managed from an observational point of view
and therefore not properly documented, effective nor efficient.
When Fleet Maintenance was established, the existing Special Equipment Corporal was
assigned additional responsibilities of maintaining and servicing vehicles as well as several of the
management responsibilities to increase accountability, improve fleet management and establish
maintenance records on each vehicle.
The Fleet Maintenance Corporal is now responsible for:
Managing vendors and keeping inventory
Holding deputies responsible for the condition of their vehicles
Supervising part-time employees and volunteers assigned to Fleet
The safety of every vehicle
Over $7 million worth of county assets
A supply budget exceeding $800,000
Cleaning and maintaining the fleet maintenance building and scheduling repairs
Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) Compliance
Equipment maintenance, repairs, and calibrations
Overseeing repairs to those vehicles involved in collisions
Maintaining records and overseeing preventive maintenance schedule on parts
In addition to those responsibilities, the Corporal works flexible hours, coming in as early as
5:30 a.m. to perform maintenance during patrol shift changes. The Corporal is also on-call and
often responds after business hours to maintain the fleet and prevent vehicles from having to be
towed in for service. The Corporal reports directly to the Administrative Major and operates Fleet
Maintenance without direct supervision. Fleet Maintenance has returned nearly $228,000 from
the automotive supply budget in the past budget two years.
Due to the additional job duties, supervisory responsibilities, and accountability, Sheriff Seabolt
requested that the Corporal’s position be reclassified to Lieutenant. The total cost for this
reclassification is $8,580 including fringe benefits.
As of June 1, 2022, the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office has 19 open positions, including 16
Detention Officer positions and 3 Deputy Sheriff positions. Surrounding Sheriff’s Offices such as
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Davidson, Alamance, Chatham, Montgomery, and Stanly counties have a higher starting base pays
than Randolph County, with the exception of Detention Officer pay in Montgomery County.
Those counties are seeking substantial pay increases. Examples include Alamance requesting an
$8000 increase for deputies and Davidson requesting a 12% increase for deputies and detention
officers. Four deputies have left since April for higher paying jobs. Several others have recently
taken on part-time jobs to make ends meet. Sheriff Seabolt discussed the starting wages of some
of the surrounding counties.
Sheriff Seabolt said there are several reasons that the SO is having a difficult time retaining
officers, including the following:
Randolph County salaries are lower starting out compared to other neighboring Sheriffs’
Offices and Police Departments
No Longevity Pay Program to reward tenure
No Shift Premium Pay for members who work a late shift (3rd Shift)
After two years of service there are no additional pay increases available unless promoted
Neighboring Sheriffs’ Offices are seeking substantial pay increases for deputies and detention
officers to increase recruiting and retain members. Based on our tax revenue, it is understandable
that Randolph County Sheriff’s Office pay is slightly less than all surrounding counties. The
Sheriff’s job is to offset that with good leadership and create a pleasant, positive work
environment. However, as inflation continues to rise and surrounding counties substantially
increase pay, quality leadership cannot replace the impact of a higher paycheck for deputies. They
are and will be forced to seek higher pay from another agency.
The members of the Sheriff’s Office are truly grateful for a 5% COLA. However, an additional
5% salary increase, at a minimum, will hopefully keep the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office
competitive in recruitment and ensure the retention of deputies and officers in whom we have
already trained, educated, and invested.
There have been approximately 2000 permits issued for homes, condos and other housing in
the Archdale/Trinity area and the Toyota battery plant is expected to employ nearly 10,000
individuals in the coming future. Randolph County is therefore expected to grow exponentially in
the next three years. As this growth occurs, more calls for service and more opportunities for
criminal activity are expected. The Sheriff’s Office is in the process of negotiating a contract for
three additional deputy positions with the City of Trinity in preparation for that projected growth.
The SO must prepare now for those demands on law enforcement. Randolph County is changing
and Sheriff Seabolt said it is his responsibility to prepare for those changes.
In the past year, the SO has lost 37 employees; those members accounted for a combined total
of 84 years of experience that is working somewhere else. The majority of those left for higher
salaries with neighboring departments. Sheriff Seabolt is concerned with the County’s ability to
compete with other departments because our salaries are already lower.
It is therefore imperative that the County does everything possible to retain the officers and
attract new recruits with competitive salaries and benefits. Sheriff Seabolt urged the Board to
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seriously and prayerfully consider the request for an overall 10.00% pay increase for deputies and
detention officers.
Sheriff Seabolt said as the Sheriff of Randolph County for the past three and half years, he has
been a good steward of taxpayer money. He has found ways to save money and generate additional
revenue so it could be used for other needs in the Sheriff’s Office instead of asking for additional
funding. The Command Staff and the Sheriff are committed to seeking ways to provide better
services to the citizens of Randolph County while also being good stewards of their tax dollars.
Chairman Frye asked if all hires are Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) certified. Sheriff
Seabolt said not all detention officers are certified. The SO reaches out to recruits completing
BLET to try to hire them. Times have changed and law enforcement is not as noble a profession
as it once was. Chairman Frye asked if the detention officer vacancies are due to the jail expansion.
Sheriff Seabolt said some have left because the department is understaffed and the hours are long.
Employees are having to complete extra duties due to short staff.
Vice-Chairman Allen asked if the Sheriff’s Budget $500,000 contingency accounts for the
additional 5% request beyond the COLA. Sheriff Seabolt said the additional 5% equates to
$843,214.
Commissioner Haywood asked if new hires are trained through Randolph Community College.
Sheriff Seabolt said some are attending BLET programs and the SO will sponsor them. Salary has
presented a challenge in recruitment efforts. Some employees come from other local agencies for
political or personal reasons.
Chairman Frye asked if a non-certified officer can be put on patrol. Sheriff Seabolt said it is
legal, but the civil liability is too much and it is not something he would do.
Commissioner McDowell asked how many positions are vacant in the detention center and
Sheriff Seabolt said 16 positions are vacant. The Sheriff said he approaches community members
that he sees and educates them about the opportunities at the SO.
Sheriff Seabolt introduced Deputy Colten Scarberry, who recently submitted his resignation.
Deputy Scarberry said this job has never been about money, but due to inflation, he has accepted
another role outside of law enforcement in order to make ends meet. It’s been an honor to serve
Randolph County, but having to dig into savings in order to simply live has become too much of
a burden. He has worked for the County for a year and came due to the small-town feel.
Chairman Frye thanked Deputy Scarberry for his service.
Emergency Services (ES)
Donovan Davis, Emergency Services Chief, said employees see things that civilians never
imagine. They protect and serve and do the best they can to minimize loss of life and damage to
property. ES is in a similar position to SO. The competition with the private sector is intense.
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Jared Byrd, Emergency Services Deputy Chief, showed a graph displaying the number of
employees lost each month of the year. Through the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of
employees leaving per month is steadily increasing.
Chairman Frye asked why so many have been lost. Deputy Chief Byrd said some of the number
comes from a purge of inactive part-time members.
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As of June 1, there are a total of 12 full-time vacancies between EMS and 911. Seven of those
are in EMS, which is an 8% vacancy rate, and 5 of those are in 911, which is a 17% vacancy rate.
One person in a full-time role in 911 is still in training, so essentially, they are working at only
80% of their normal full-time staff.
Deputy Chief Byrd said ES Administration has been working hard to replace the staff. A huge
challenge to the hiring process now, is that staff that normally is responsible for hiring and training
new employees are doing the job of front-line employees because of the shortages. For example,
in the 911 Division, Major Heaton and Captain King are typically responsible for hiring and on-
boarding new employees. However, in the last month, they have both permanently moved to fill
two critically short night-shift positions in the 911 Center. In a best-case scenario, this could be a
6-month commitment. It’s extremely difficult for leaders in the 911 division to participate in
interviews, on-boarding, and training, and do their normal administrative jobs when they are
working 40-60 hours per week at night.
But despite an attempt to increase hiring, little progress has been made according to Deputy
Chief Byrd. This year to date, ES has hired 17 new employees. However, 17 existing employees
have resigned their position. As of June 9th, ES has already had 3 resignations this month. Despite
hiring 17 new employees, ES has gotten no closer to filling any of the 12 full-time vacancies.
Labor shortage is affecting many County departments making presentations, but one huge
challenge ES is facing, is despite many days working with fewer employees per shift, the call
volume and workload is higher than ever seen before.
During 2021, ES ran more EMS calls than ever before. The call volume staff were facing last
year put stress on the entire medical system, both at the EMS and hospital levels. However, the
2022 EMS volume is on course to shatter the record set last year. Already by the end of last month,
ES has run 1,871 more medical calls above a 5-year average.
Chief Deputy Byrd said on average, it takes 58 minutes to handle an EMS call from the time it
is dispatched, until the ambulance is available for the next call. He gave an example that if an
additional ambulance was brought on today just to handle the additional 1,871 calls above the 5-
year average this year, it would take an ambulance 75 straight days working non-stop, 24 hours a
day, 7-days per week, to respond to all of the additional calls. That doesn’t account for normal
volume. That is 75 less days throughout ES service that an ambulance has been available to run
emergency calls. That volume stresses any agency, much less one that is working with around 90%
of it’s normal staff.
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On Monday this week, around 2 p.m., all 11 of the ambulances in Randolph County, including
the County’s 9 and the two franchised ambulances, were all assigned to medical calls at the exact
same time. For a period of about 25 minutes, had there been a car wreck or other medical
emergency, there would not have been an ambulance in this county to respond.
Looking back at the 911 division. Again, 911 does so many tasks it’s extremely hard to quantify
everything they do. 2022 is running right up there as one of the busiest years ES has seen. 911
staff have answered just under 100,000 telephone calls as of May 30. That is 3,344 calls above the
running 5-year average by this time of the year. If a staff member was hired to answer the
telephone, and it took them just 4 minutes to answer, take the information, dispatch the call and
hang up, it would take someone working 8 hours per day, non-stop, without any breaks, more than
28 straight days just to answer the additional call volume ES seen so far this year. 911 staff has
done that working at just 80% of their normal staffing.
The inability to keep up with the workload is appearing in ES statistics. Deputy Chief Byrd
said for the first time that he is aware, ES is beginning to fall below the standard of having 90% of
all 911 calls answered within 10 seconds, which is state requirement standard.
Employees are extremely stressed and the workload quickly becomes unbearable, and many
have taken higher hourly pay in industries that are looking for similar skillsets with the offer of
less stress. ES has lost three supervisors and two telecommunicators so far this year. This equates
to more than 140 years of combined Randolph County 911 experience in the last 3 years.
Deputy Chief Byrd said that national 911 staffing models recommend that we should have 12
people per shift answering our emergency calls based on our counties data. ES is currently running
5-7 people per shift depending on the day. In this budget year, ES is asking for an additional 8
employees. Having 8 new employees would allow us to assign 2 additional staff to each of the 4
shifts. This would bring us to a total of 9 per shift if we can get fully staffed again.
Every week, there are staff working 17 hour shifts just to keep the 911 Center staffed to
minimum levels. Some are working from 7AM to midnight, going home to get 4 hours of sleep,
only to be back at 7AM the next morning for their next 12-hour shift. If it weren’t for them, the
work couldn’t be done. ES staff have been amazing at bending over backwards, altering their
schedules, and changing their lives around to work when there are staffing shortages because they
care about their county and the citizens. Many of the staff that have stuck with the job are burned
out. They are tired and they are frustrated. They have been sacrificing for nearly two years. If the
County can’t give them the reinforcements and help they need as soon as possible, Deputy Chief
Byrd said his fear is that we are going to lose more staff and emergency calls are going to be
delayed. Even if this Board were to approved 8 new positions this month, it would take 4-5 months
of training until they were functional. Randolph County cannot afford to lose anyone else in the
911 division.
There are a lot of staff who have left, or will be leaving when they complete nursing school.
Some others have gone to urgent cares, hospital-based systems, or the private sector who have just
recently begun recruiting paramedics. Paramedics have a lot of clinical skills that are valuable to
hospitals. With the same amount of education, which is a two-year program, a paramedic can
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increase their hourly rate by $10 per hour in a hospital setting. In the current pay plan, a long-time
experienced front line paramedic working in our agency would rarely make more than $24 per
hour, significantly less than a new graduate nurse.
Randolph County ES isn’t the only agency facing these problems. These are the highlighted
topics at every seminar or conference Deputy Chief Byrd has been to in the last year. Counties
have determined that in order to survive, they must compete. He showed a presentation slide with
news articles of North Carolina counties recruiting for ES positions. Many counties are competing
with dollars. Deputy Chief Byrd said he had never seen recruiting for public safety as competitive
as it has been recently.
Deputy Chief Byrd said he was surprised when he attended training recently at a statewide EMS
conference in Greensboro that scattered among the many vendors selling their products were
several County ES agencies recruiting for employees. This is a conference, where EMS agencies
send their staff for training, and there were other counties there with vendor booths handing out
brochures trying to lure EMS providers to their agency with their recently approved pay increases.
Also, the Cone Health system gave ES a heads up several months ago that they were considering
adding paramedics in their emergency rooms as a cost saving measure. Traditionally Paramedics
cost less per hour than nurses, but they offer many of the same clinical skills. This will further
shallow the pool of available Paramedics.
In October of last year, the Board authorized ES to offer 8 new paramedics a $4,500 sign on
bonus to come work for Randolph County. Since this approval, ES has only been able to offer this
bonus to 4 new employees. There have just not been enough applicants.
Right behind 911 and EMS divisions, the Technical Service division is the next area additional
staff is needed. Each year, there are more and more devices and technology added to the
department to maintain service, and the two employees in Technical Services work extremely hard
to keep everything operational despite more and more projects added to their responsibility. As ES
continues to grow, this division needs to grow to support staff and equipment.
Deputy Chief Byrd said staff are weary. They are physically and mentally exhausted. They have
been digging their heels in for the better part of two years. Each pay period, he has been signing
timesheets of employees who have put in 70-hour work weeks. They are sacrificing family events,
vacations, their kids’ ball games, and their health to come into work and be busier than they ever
have been before. It’s not sustainable. Good long-time employees are burning out faster than we
can replace them. Each month, they look over to the chair beside them and wonder who will be
the next to go. It’s a snowball effect that is turning into an avalanche for ES.
Commissioner Haywood asked what sort of training is required for the 911 call center. Deputy
Chief Byrd said ES tries to hire out of a classroom setting. There is a lot of learning required,
usually taking 4-6 months before the employee can function on their own.
Chief Davis said the morgue has increased by 25% occupancy each year since opening in 2018.
Since 2018, there have been 847 decedents. For 2022, there has been double the number from this
time last year. It is extremely time-consuming, and a lot of communication and logistical
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coordination is required when dealing with the funeral/cremation services, transportation services,
chief medical examiner’s office, law enforcement, donor services, etc.
Chief Davis said an ES Assistant Director position is needed in order to focus on quality
management, safety, legislative and regulatory monitoring and compliance, performance
measurements, and policy implementation and improvements.
Chief Davis explained the FY 22/23 budget requests, including:
• Four (4) 911 Asst. Shift Supervisors
• Four (4) 911 Telecommunicators
• One (1) Technology Specialist
• One (1) Morgue Manager
• One (1) Emergency Management Resource Specialist
• One (1) Assistant Director
• Two (2) additional replacement ambulances
Chairman Frye asked if the request included two additional ambulances other than the two
already included in the budget and Chief Davis said yes. Chairman Frye clarified that the requested
positions are a priority and Chief Davis said yes.
Vice-Chairman Allen asked if the increase in pay will draw more applicants. Chief Davis said
he hopes so; currently 11 employees are in the Paramedic program at RCC which will take two
years. A two-year degree will soon be required for paramedics. There are no classes for
telecommunicators at the college level. Chief Davis said ES has asked the SO to cut back on
requests in order to be able to manage the volume of requests.
Commissioner McDowell asked where all the necessary people will come from. Chief Davis
said 911 will be easier to hire for due to in-house training. The additional positions requested
would help to disperse workload. Employees are leaving for higher pay, less stress, and longevity
benefits.
Social Services (DSS)
Tracie Murphy, Social Services Director, recognized her staff in attendance and gave an
overview of the state of Randolph County’s families and children. She said that 20% of children
are living in households that are food insecure and $62 million has been issued to Randolph citizens
in Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) benefits this fiscal year (average caseload of 1100). The
median family income in the county is $47, 288. Petitions for Abuse, Neglect and Dependency
have increased from 70 in FY 18/19 to 139 FY 20/21. More than 40,000 citizens are receiving
Medicaid with 25,000 moving into Managed Care on July 1, 2021. $199 million in medical
benefits has been provided to Randolph county citizens and Medicaid expansion is possible, which
would affect an additional 11,000 eligible citizens.
Social Services is supporting retention through leadership development, Leadership Academy
and mentorship.
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Ms. Murphy reviewed the funding structure for Social Services. The total budget for FY 2022-
2023 is $20,942,071. DSS is funded 52% by revenues and 48% by County funds. An increase of
$128,968 is being requested over last year’s budget. Four positions are being requested:
Two Visitation Monitor positions – the number of children in care is over 200. The
additional monitors will ensure that court ordered visits are completed and social work staff
is supported in their duties.
One Paralegal position – this position is required to support increased legal workload. The
number of filed petitions has doubled since 2018-2019.
One Food and Nutrition worker – needed to support increased FNS caseloads.
Ms. Murphy said there is a 39% turnover rate for Social Workers. Every creative idea has been
utilized. At a recent hiring event, DSS was able to hire 10 workers due to an experitmental
expedited process.
Chairman Frye asked the reason for the high turnover rate. Ms. Murphy said child welfare
workers see things they should never have to see. She gave examples of horrific situations that
staff have experienced. There are some things that staff just cannot unsee.
Chairman Frye remarked that the difference in revenues and county funding used to be more.
Ms. Murphy said the amount is the requested amount, not the spent amount.
Commissioner McDowell said DSS receives State and Federal funding as well.
Chairman Frye thanked Ms. Murphy and her staff for their dedication and commitment.
Commissioner Haywood asked Ms. Murphy’s thoughts on the public-private partnership
proposed by the Children’s Home Society. Ms. Murphy says she supports anything that keeps
children out of the welfare system. There need to be new solutions applied to old problems. She
said she doesn’t know enough about the program to have a firm opinion, but she supports assisting
families before they enter the child welfare system.
Commissioner McDowell asked where staff members are recruited from. Ms. Murphy said it
is difficult to find employees who are willing to do the tough work that child welfare and foster
care requires. These employees are required to have a qualifying four-year degree. A Master’s
degree and experience is preferred. Ms. Murphy said work/life balance is very difficult in this line
of work.
Chairman Frye said many people do not understand the critical issues that DSS responds to
right here in Randolph County.
Public Health (PH)
Tara Aker, Public Health Director, recognized Health Board Chair Marty Trotter who was in
attendance. Commissioner Haywood also serves on the Public Health Board.
Ms. Aker said there are no major requests in her budget, but she has similar sentiments
regarding recruitment, retention, longevity, and merit. Turnover rates are high. Nurse positions
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are very difficult to fill. She anticipates potential upcoming challenges in Environmental Health;
current employees have been in the department for over 20 years each. In a few years, there will
be a “mass exodus” of retirements in Environmental Health.
The demand for Environmental Health Specialists is causing counties to raise salaries in order
to attract talent. The starting salary in Moore County is higher than several of the 20 year veterans
of the Randolph County Environmental Health agency. $42,000 is the starting salary in the hiring
range in Randolph County, whereas it is $60,000 in Moore County. There are educational
requirements for Environmental Health Specialists. It’s important to prepare now for the
impending retirements.
Public Buildings (PB)
Robert Cross, Public Buildings Director, said he is not experiencing a turnover issue, but he
does see retirements becoming an issue. Experienced help tends to be in the 40-55-year-old range.
PB employees wear a lot of hats and do a lot behind the scenes to keep the County running. There
are approximately 200 HVAC units in County buildings; this takes two teams of two to manage.
He is asking for a technician position to help manage this load with even teams. Road signs in
the county are also managed by PB which is a large commitment. Mr. Cross said there is a need
to plan for retirements now.
Soil & Water Conservation District (SW)
Kaitlyn Johnson, Soil and Water Environmental Specialist, said they are happy with the
proposed budget. SW will be receiving $422,194 in grant funding. She thanked the Board for
their budget.
Chairman Frye asked if the worst sites will be addressed with the initial allocation and Ms.
Johnson said yes.
Animal Services (AS)
Ashley Morris, Business Manager, thanked the Board for their support. AS has asked for more
spay and neuter funds due to increased intake. Additional funding for vaccines and vehicle fuel
has been requested as well.
Jonathan Moody, Animal Control Manager, said AS is requesting an Animal Control Officer
(ACO) position. Last year, AS requested to use the SO Fleet Maintenance Garage for their vehicles
and the savings has been immense. This has been an efficient and effective way to manage the AS
fleet. Call volume has increased for ACOs by a substantial amount. In the past, response times
have been a challenge. These times have been improved, but will continue to be lowered with an
additional ACO. The requested ACO will also manage dangerous dog cases.
Juvenile Day Reporting Center (JDRC)
Pam Resch, Juvenile Day Reporting Center Director, said two years ago, a Substance Abuse
Case Manager was requested and granted. Last year, a peer mentor was requested and granted.
Both positions were desperately needed in the community.
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Over the past ten years, the JDRC typically serves 250 youth per year. This year, JDRC has
served over 700 youth. Innovated programming has been a major factor in serving youth. The
two positions that were granted over the last two years have been extremely beneficial to the
community. Randolph County has been selected by the State to participate in a pilot program for
Teen Traffic Court. This is a critical, life changing service to youth. Several staff members will
be certified as defensive driving instructors. These courses will be available to youth at no cost as
st
of July 1.
JDRC has also been selected for the EKG2 pilot program. This is a gang and gun program
taught alongside law enforcement. JDRC has also partnered with RCC to provide GED options
for students who are not allowed on campus. RCC has provided technology, a faculty member,
and support, and JDRC has provided a safe space to learn. JDRC also provides a place for expelled
youth to continue learning while they are not allowed on campus.
JDRC has grown immensely in the past two years. JDRC has received a grant of over $400,000
to assist in expanding programming. Ms. Resch asked for two transportation driver positions to
be reclassified from part-time to full-time. She also asked for an Office Manager position to ease
the administrative workload.
Grant monies have provided for new technologies and vehicles for JDRC. The community
deserves the best services possible.
Child Support Services (CSS)
Damon Brown, Child Support Director, praised Randolph County’s department heads for their
support and commitment to the County.
Mr. Brown is requesting two new Case Manager positions for the first time since 2014. These
positions will be reimbursed by the Federal government at a rate of 66% percent. The caseload
rate has dramatically increased to over 5,000 cases. Similar counties have lower caseload rates
and a greater number of staff. Mr. Brown gave comparative rates of other counties and their
staffing levels.
Commissioner Kidd asked for clarification regarding salary costs. Mr. Brown said the County’s
funding would be approximately $45,000.
Planning & Zoning (PZ)
There was no representative of Planning and Zoning present.
Veterans Services (VS)
Elizabeth Wood, Veterans Services Officer, gave a brief overview of the FY 2022-2028
Strategic Plan for Veterans Services, comprised of four main goals:
Goal 1 ensures clear communications and messages are consistent across veteran services
and the ecosystem of human services.
Goal 2 Ensure access to resources while tailoring the delivery of benefits and customizing
care, memorialization, and services to foster equity and promote independence and optimal
outcomes and well-being for veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors.
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Goal 3 ensures veteran services’ culture of accountability drives ethical behavior and trust
across the organization and throughout the ecosystem of human service partners.
Goal 4 ensures the department manages resources as strategic assets, including people,
infrastructure, data, and technology, and leverages governance, evidence, best practices,
and management principles to improve performance and outcomes for veterans and other
beneficiaries.
FY 2022 included numerous accomplishments for VS including the conversion of 4500 paper
case files to the electronic database Veterans Benefits Management System and the launch of video
and teleconferencing for claim assistance and appellate hearings (initiated FY 2020) in response
to the pandemic. The VS Team conducted 1,050 hearings to date. All staff members are fully
accredited to prepare, present, and prosecute claims on behalf of veterans before the Department
of Veteran Affairs. Ms. Wood said VS began the mobile veteran service officer initiative (Pilot)
in 2022 to aid consumers in the community who can't come to the Asheboro office.
Ms. Wood detailed a number of future opportunities for VS, including launch of an E-
Newsletter and virtual/in-person Town Hall meetings, collaboration with multiple County
departments for new programs, and launch of the Mobile Veteran Service Officer Program. She
gave examples of a surge of requests over the past two years for mobile intakes. Since April 2020,
over 70 calls have been received from elderly veterans or family members who lack the ability to
travel to the Asheboro office. Ms. Wood said funding of one additional full-time and one
additional part-time position would ensure needs of the citizens are met through this mobile
outreach opportunity. VS has evolved greatly and these changing needs must be met.
Ms. Wood briefly reviewed key strategies for the year, which include new methods for
advertising and promotion, distributing a consumer satisfaction survey, and engaging in
community partnerships.
Chairman Frye asked if veteran suicides were an issue in Randolph County and Ms. Wood said
yes.
Register of Deeds (ROD)
Krista Lowe, Register of Deeds, said she had no additional requests. The ROD was an essential
service that did not close during the pandemic; she thanked her staff for all their hard work.
Revenues have increased while the budget has stayed the same. The ROD has been approved as
a passport office by the State.
County Attorney Ben Morgan said the County is very fortunate to have such unbelievable, top-
notch staff at the ROD.
Commissioner Haywood asked how the message about processing passports is being spread.
Ms. Lowe said there are a number of marketing efforts underway to reach citizens.
Adult Day Reporting Center (ADRC)
Tim Lovin, Adult Day Reporting Center Case Manager, asked the Board to fund an additional
$1,500 for transportation costs.
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Chairman Frye asked if the cost was related to fuel or more clients. Mr. Lovin said both fuel
and more clients are a factor.
Mr. Lovin thanked the Board and said he greatly appreciated working with local government.
Tax (TX)
Debra Hill, Tax Administrator, has no additional budgetary requests. Operating expenses will
increase for this year’s budget due to a countywide reappraisal. A general ledger account will also
be added for credit card fees. TX is working to become paperless, with technicians using devices
in the field to process transactions. Tax bills can now be received via email as well. Recruitment
has been a challenge. A Real Estate Appraiser position has been vacant for almost a year.
Chairman Frye asked how real estate values have changed. Ms. Hill said values have
skyrocketed and the revaluation will be difficult.
Vice-Chairman Allen asked about the anticipated effects on interest rates and Ms. Hill said the
rates would slow.
Information Technology (IT)
Michael Rowland, Information Technology Director, is happy with the budget as presented.
The budget does include the security projects that were presented at the annual budget retreat. Mr.
Rowland thanked the Board and County Administration for their support over the years.
Chairman Frye asked how current the County’s technology is. Mr. Rowland said there is a
replacement plan for infrastructure, hardware, and software.
Elections (EL)
Melissa Johnson, Elections Director, recognized several board members and staff members in
attendance. EL is requesting considerably less funding this year. The budget fluctuates due to the
number of elections in a given year. The requested budget does include a few improvements such
as voting equipment and a mobile tech system for voter convenience. One capital request is
included for security of the front counter.
Chairman Frye asked if there were plans for a building in Archdale. Ms. Johnson said the plans
are to continue using Braxton Craven School as a polling place for as long as possible.
Cooperative Extension (CE)
Kenny Sherin, County Extension Director, said he is happy with the budget. There is a very
small increase over last year’s budget. The part-time summer 4-H workers were included in the
budget as programming can resume after halting during the COVID-19 pandemic. The two
American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funded positions that were approved have employees starting
st
July 1.
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Mr. Sherin thanked the Board for their support of the Farm, Food, and Family Education Center.
This will have a big impact on agriculture in Randolph County. Mr. Sherin thanked County
Engineer Paxton Arthurs for his tireless help as well.
Building Inspections (BI)
David Bryant, Building Inspections Director, said he is happy with the budget and has requested
two additional vehicles and increased fuel funding for next year.
Public Library (LB)
Ross Holt, Public Library Director, said the museum project at the Historic Courthouse is in
the architectural design phase and will be ready for bid in the fall. A Museum Curator position is
being requested in conjunction with this project. This position would begin in January 2023. The
cost for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022-2023 would be $36,384 which accounts for six months of funding.
This position is critical for museum operation.
The Library’s Strategic Plan (2021-2026) includes provision for digital literacy and Community
Navigators. Patrons have reacted positively to digital literacy programs. Federal funding has
provided Technology Act Grants for library services, allowing for program expansion. The
Community Navigators have proven to be very successful, with 101 clients served between
February 16 and May 15. Of these cases, 56% were followed through with 12% in progress. There
have been a large number of referrals, particularly from the Asheboro area. Mr. Holt discussed
agencies, organizations, and professionals who are engaged with this program. There are a variety
of services the Navigators can help to match clients with, including housing, medical information,
transportation, employment, and more. The community has been very receptive and the
Navigators have been able to assist many patrons.
Mr. Holt reviewed highlights from the FY 2021-2022 for the library. There has been an
increase in checkouts, both print and online, the mobile library is back on the road, and in-person
activities have resumed.
Lastly, the Library has conducted a Patron Survey and received very positive feedback from
the community.
Public Works (PW)
Paxton Arthurs, County Engineer, said the main change to the PW works budget is a significant
decrease in revenue due to scrap tires going to Waste Management at the landfill.
Administration (AD)
Will Massie, Assistant County Manager/Finance Officer, said Finance is asking for a position
to reporting for all of the different State and Federal funding coming to the County. $20,000 has
been included for public information request software as well.
Adjournment
At 9:01 p.m., on motion of Allen, seconded by Haywood, the Board voted unanimously to
adjourn.
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________________________________ ________________________________
Darrell Frye, Chairman David L. Allen
________________________________ _________________________________
Kenny Kidd Maxton McDowell
________________________________ _________________________________
Hope Haywood Sarah Pack, Deputy Clerk to the Board
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