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240606 Department Budget Requests June 6, 2024, Budget Meeting (County Department Presentations) The Randolph County Board of Commissioners met at 4:00 p.m. for a special budget session in the Randolph County Office Building, Meeting Room A, 725 McDowell Road, Asheboro, NC. Chairman Darrell Frye, Vice-Chairman David Allen, Commissioners Kenny Kidd, Maxton McDowell, and Hope Haywood were present. Also present were County Manager Zeb Holden, Finance Officer Will Massie, County Attorney Ben Morgan, Assistant County Manager William Johnson, Deputy Clerk Jenny Parks, and Clerk to the Board Dana Crisco. The meeting was livestreamed on YouTube. County department heads were given the opportunity to present their budget requests. Human Resources (HR) Jill Williams, Human Resources Director, shared a PowerPoint presentation. The recruitment and retention strategies for 2023-2024 were an Employee Engagement Survey, Proficiency Pay, Market Study for Pressure Point Positions, Leadership Development, and the opening of the Randolph County Employee Wellness Center. She reported on each of these strategies and their outcomes. Ms. Williams stated in 2023 the retention rate for Randolph County employees was 75%. She th reported that the retention rate for the 4 Quarter in 2023/2024 was 80%. She said because of the st efforts being put in place for employees, the retention rate for the 1 Quarter was 84%, which reflects those efforts seem to be working. Ms. Williams stated there is a 3% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) recommended in the 2024/2025 Budget for all employees. There is also a request for an additional Human Resources Position, however this position was not included in the Manager’s Proposed Budget. Ms. Williams thanked the Board for their time and all they do for Randolph County employees. Administration Will Massie, Assistant County Manager/Finance Officer, stated the requested Administration Budget included two things. One is the need for a Human Resource Technician Position and an insurance coverage increase. However, the Human Resource Technician Position is not in the Manager’s Proposed Budget. Information Technology (IT) R. J. Williamson, Information and Technology (IT) Director, said he is not requesting additional positions or funding for this year’s budget. He stated he is very proud of his staff and grateful to the Board and Administration for their support of the projects the Information and Technology Department has tackled over the past few years. Vice-Chairman Allen questioned the increase in IT’s Technology Planning and Management “Other Expenditures” section of their budget. Mr. Williamson said this was the cost of the Microsoft Licensing that was approved by the Board, along with cyber initiatives, and several software subscriptions. These items are ongoing costs to the County and the IT Department administers them. 6/6/24 Tax Department Debra Hill, Tax Administrator, thanked the Board for their support in the current year's budget. She stated there is a slight decrease in the overall operating expenses in the Manager’s Proposed 2024/2025 Tax Department Budget due to this being a non-reappraisal year. The appeals to the Board of Equalization and Review are less, requiring fewer meetings. Fewer meetings reduce the Board allowances. She stated there are no increases to the contribution rate for the NCPTS (tax software) pool fund for the upcoming year. Ms. Hill said postal rates continue to increase and funds for training/education increased due to new staff needing required educational courses for certification with NCDOR. Other than these items, the Tax Department Budget is the same. Chairman Frye asked what the Tax Department is seeing regarding the calculations of sales assessment ratios. Ms. Hill said the sales tax rate is currently at 84% of the true market value of what property is selling for. The Department of Revenue has sent a letter stating Randolph County will be due for a reappraisal in two years, which has already been scheduled for 2027. Ms. Hill said the Tax Department continues to see growth happening in Randolph County. Elections Melissa Kirstner, Director of Elections, stated the Board of Elections’ requested budget is a little larger than last year due to the upcoming Presidential Election. The additional costs are due to the need for additional part-time personnel for the election, some additional supplies, postage, as well as printing and coding of ballots. Ms. Kirstner stated this year brought a large slate of election laws that have been implemented, with no additional funding. She said they continue to implement several security measures to protect the voters and staff. Ms. Kirstner stated every election brings the challenge of the need for election workers. She said if anyone is interested in working with Elections, please contact the Elections Department. Ms. Kirstner thanked the Board for their time and continued support. Commissioner Kidd questioned $10,000 in Capital Outlay. Ms. Kirstner said it has been carried over for two years and has been set aside for a secure front counter for their office. She stated they would like bullet-resistant glass for their front office. Commissioner Kidd asked about the extra days for early voting in the fall. Ms. Kirstner said the State Board of Elections approved an early voting schedule for Randolph County. She said the local Board and the State Board always have the option to include Saturdays and Sundays. Commissioner Kidd asked what the law required as far as the Board of Elections being open for voting. Ms. Kirstner stated that it requires all weekdays during the election and the last Saturday before the election that the Board of Elections be open, but Randolph County Board of Elections will open several extra days as approved by the local and State boards. Commissioner Kidd asked what the cost difference was for these extra days being open. Ms. Kirstner said those extra costs may range between $20,000 - $25,000, but she was not 100% sure. Commissioner Kidd stated the 6/6/24 local Board chose the additional days and costs associated with those days for Randolph County Board of Elections. Ms. Kirstner said they typically include extra days during a presential voting year. Register of Deeds Krista Lowe, Register of Deeds Director, stated she was satisfied with her budget. Ms. Lowe updated the Board on their Passport Program. Since this program began July 6, 2022, there have been 801 passports issued, with 779 photos being taken. The total costs that have come into Randolph County through this program are a little less than $39,000. Public Buildings (Maintenance) Robert Cross, Director, thanked the Board for their support and said he was happy with their proposed budget. Mr. Cross thanked the Board for the employee's clinic and said this was a positive addition to the County and is greatly appreciated. Sheriff (SO) Sheriff Greg Seabolt thanked the Board for their support of the Sheriff’s Office. He stated he comes to the Board with concern about experienced employees leaving due to higher pay/benefits elsewhere, as well as there is currently a low interest in law enforcement careers. Sheriff Seabolt said the Sheriff’s Office has made many positive strides due to each Board member. He said he cannot give the Board enough credit for what they have done for the Sheriff’s Office and their support of him. Sheriff Seabolt stated their office has minimized the financial responsibilities of their budget through grants they have received, and gave a brief overview of them Sheriff Seabolt is requesting a 10% raise for all the Sheriff’s Office employees. This raise would amount to a total of $2,208,720 in additional funding. He said the Sheriff’s Office plays a critical role in maintaining the safety and security of the community. The Sheriff’s Office employees work tirelessly to fulfill their duties and provide essential services. However, their current compensation levels are not commensurate with the demanding nature of their work and the value they bring to the county. Sheriff Seabolt said a 10% raise would help address the rising cost of living, improve employee morale, and support the retention of their talented and experienced staff. It would also ensure that the Sheriff’s Office remains competitive in attracting and retaining high-quality personnel to serve the community. Sheriff Seabolt requested the Commissioners consider this proposal and allocate the necessary funding to implement the 10% raise for all Sheriff’s Office employees. This investment in their workforce will directly and positively impact the services they provide to the residents of Randolph County. 6/6/24 Commissioner McDowell asked Sheriff Seabolt to give an update on the Invictus Program. Sheriff Seabolt explained what this program was and how it works. Animal Services Jonathan Moody, Animal Services Director, shared a PowerPoint presentation with the Board. This presentation included live intake numbers, calls for service, and the number of bites reported for the years 2021, 2022, 2023, and January through the current date of 2024. He reported that the average cost for emergency veterinarian services is approximately $2,300 per animal. The Animal Shelter has multiple non-emergency occurrences per week. Mr. Moody said that the increased number of intakes is creating wear and tear on the shelter. Because of this, they will have to begin replacing things that need replacing. He said they have to kennel up to four animals per kennel because of the high intake numbers, which causes fighting at times, which produces veterinarian bills the shelter must pay. Mr. Moody stated they not only intake dogs and cats, but livestock, exotic animals, and wildlife. Mr. Moody said the Animal Shelter’s adoption and rescue numbers have stayed consistent from 2021 to 2023. He also said that calls for service have continued to rise over the past three years. Mr. Moody stated the number of bites has increased as well since 2021. Mr. Moody said if they have an animal that needs emergency care after hours, they transport the animal to an after-hours clinic in Guilford County. After-hours emergency care for animals could cost up to $2,300 per animal. Per the state, they are required to care for these animals. Mr. Moody stated they take on average 4-5 animals per week for non-emergency veterinarian care. Mr. Moody stated the cost of spay/neuter in 2021 for dogs varied between $60-$125, and cats varied between $45-$60. He shared that the cost of spaying/neutering in 2024 for dogs varies between $160-$215, and cats vary between $100-$115. These fees do not include any amount for complications, including cryptorchids, pregnancies, umbilical hernias, overweight animals, or animals in heat. Mr. Moody stated, although these items were not included in the Manager’s Budget, he is requesting a Foster Coordinator position, an Animal Control Officer position, and additional funding to cover supplies and veterinarian services (including spay/neuter costs). He is also requesting an increase in vehicle repairs due to having older vehicles that are not covered under County insurance. Vice-Chairman Allen thanked William Johnson, Leia Steigman, and Jennifer Layton for their work on the Animal Services strategic planning process. The Animal Services Advisory Board has begun the Strategic Planning process for the Animal Shelter. Emergency Services (ES) Donovan Davis, Chief, stated he was satisfied with the Manager’s Proposed Budget for EMS. He is requesting the following positions (listed by priority) in addition to his proposed budget, and they are as follows: 6/6/24 Qty Position Reason Total w/Benefits 4 EMTs To provide convalescent patient transport seven days $295,777 per week due to Ash-Rand and PTAR being unable to staff their ambulances. (hospital discharges, doctor’s appointments, non-emergency transports) 1 Housekeeper To provide continuous cleaning and minor $47,320 maintenance at HQ and the EMS out bases. 1 Asst. Director To focus on quality management programs, research $107,484 & development, legislation, and internal affairs. 1 Technical To assist with the many critical projects that we $38,947 Services currently have: VIPER tower, MCC-5500 upgrade, (no Technician VHF paging system, plus normal day-to-day benefits) PART-TIME technical services. He said the four EMT and part-time Technical Services positions are new requests. The requests for one housekeeper and assistant director position were included in the previous five budget requests. Chief Davis reported on Senate Bill 889. If this bill is passed, the minimum starting pay for a paramedic would be $30 per hour. Currently, in Randolph County, it takes several years for a paramedic to reach $25 per hour. Chief Davis said there are approximately 64 counties in North Carolina that have a Community Paramedic Program. This program has been shown to save the counties and citizens money. This program allows paramedics to work outside their normal emergency roles to care for patients at home under the supervision of a physician. He would like to bring this program to the Board for consideration at a later date. Vice-Chairman Allen asked if the 4 EMT positions would generate revenue. Chief Davis responded they would because the majority of these patients are non-ambulatory and therefore are on Medicare or Medicaid, which will pay for the services. Chief Davis said other than the position requests, he is satisfied with and appreciates the Manager’s Proposed Budget. Building Inspections David Bryant, Building Inspections Director, stated he supports the Manager’s Proposed Budget and thanked the Board for all their support. He stated they would like to obtain a Digital Plan Review, and this is reflected in Building Inspection’s Capital Outlay request. The Digital Plan Review is a paperless, digital process for reviewing plans and would eliminate the need for extra office space to review paper plans. Adult Day Reporting Center 6/6/24 Julie Alston, Adult Day Reporting Center (ADRC) Director, stated she is pleased with their budget. She reported the ADRC has partnered with the Shelter of Hope to provide some treatment services for their residents. This partnership began in May 2024. Juvenile Day Reporting Center Pam Resch, Juvenile Day Reporting Center (JDRC) Director, presented the Board with a PowerPoint presentation. She is requesting the following positions be added to her budget: 1 Full- Time Transportation Aide, 2 Part-Time Transportation Aides, and 2 Part-Time Case Managers, which total an additional $114,361. Ms. Resch stated JDRC has been in operation for 25 years and served 250 youth per year with four program options during 1999-2019. In 2020/2021 the number of youths served increased tremendously, with there being 2,200 youth served in 2024. Ms. Resch reported the JDRC now offers additional programs including tutoring, GED, Gang and Gun Violence, Aggression Replacement Training, Living/Life Skills, Strengthening Families/Parenting Classes, Limitless Mentoring, Teen Court/Traffic Teen Court/Restitution, Conflict Mediation, Suspension Programming, and Substance Abuse. She stated that because juvenile crime rates continue to climb, additional programs are needed. Research in Child Fatality Task Force Reports shows programming needs and JDRC builds programs according to the community's needs. JDRC is part of the discipline process for both Randolph County Schools and Asheboro City Schools. Law enforcement is using JDRC as an alternative to Juvenile Justice. Ms. Resch shared youth population numbers along with the number of youths served in Randolph County. JDRC has proven to be impactful by out serving every county in the state and some by 1000%. JDRC has proven to be effective with a 2.5% recidivism rate. She said JDRC can do more. She would like to see JDRC offer a mental health first aid location, enhanced supervision programs, and strengthened programming by lightening the roles of employees. Chairman Frye asked if JDRC had enough space. Ms. Resch stated they currently have enough space, however, in the future, they will possibly need a bigger building. Ms. Resch thanked the Board for their time and consideration of her requests. Planning and Zoning Tonya Caddle, Planning and Zoning Director presented a proposed fee schedule for FY 24/25, with an update on appeal fees for the surrounding counties as well as the number of appeals per year for Randolph County since 2017. These fees vary between $100 - $500 per appeal. In the proposed fee schedule the appeal fee is $400. Below is the complete list of proposed fees: 6/6/24 Ms. Caddle stated they are happy with their budget, but they are asking for an additional Technician Position that will assist with permitting. Cooperative Extension Service Tyrone Fisher, Interim Director, shared he is serving as the Interim Director on the departure of Kenny Sherin. He reported Lauren Langley will be the new Interim Director on June 10, 2024. Mr. Fisher shared a building report for the Food, Farm, and Family Education Center (F3EC) with the Board. Due to challenges with the soil health on the property, the proposed date for the building to be completed has been moved from January 2025 to March 2025. Mr. Fisher stated there will be a cost saving in the upcoming budget due to the salary lapse for the Director position. He went over the changes in their proposed budget. Mr. Fisher said he will be meeting with Mr. Holden after the budget season to begin the process of seeking a new Cooperative Extension Director. Vice-chairmen Allen asked what the time frame would be to hire a new director. Mr. Fisher said it could take up to six months to fill this position. Mr. Fisher thanked the Board for their time. Soil and Water Conservation Randy Freeman, Part-Time Engineer, stated the Soil and Water Board is pleased with their budget. He thanked the Board for the opportunity to come before them tonight. Public Works Paxton Arthurs, County Engineer, thanked the Board for approving the Infrastructure Coordinator position that was approved last year. This position, held by Chris Hildreth, has been a tremendous help to the Public Works Department. He stated there is an increase in his budget to cover costs for this position. 6/6/24 Mr. Arthurs stated he was happy with his proposed budget and thanked the Board for their support. Public Health Tara Aker, Public Health Director, recognized her team in attendance. She thanked the Board for their support and gave renovation updates on the building in Asheboro and the new building in Archdale. Ms. Aker stated in the proposed budget they are asking for additional funding to cover retirement costs totaling $23,372. She also stated there is an addition of $8,600 in Public Health’s proposed budget for a position reclassification. Ms. Aker stated there is an additional $22,000 to cover the reclassification study that impacted several of their team members last year. Social Services (DSS) Tracie Murphy, Social Services Director, recognized her team members who were present. She presented the Board with a PowerPoint presentation. She said currently the population of Randolph County is 146,470. Randolph County can expect an additional 100,000 citizens by 2030. She stated in Randolph County 14% of citizens live in poverty; 21% are children and are in households that are food insecure. Twenty-two thousand children receive FNS benefits that result in $47 million of benefits to Randolph County. st Ms. Murphy stated out of 100 counties, Randolph is the 21 highest in population in North Carolina. The median family income is $45,777, $10,000 below North Carolina’s median. Since December 2023, Medicaid Expansion has allowed another 7,800 citizens access to enhanced healthcare. North Carolina Medicaid enrollment as of May 2024 is 447,000. Ms. Murphy will be reaching out to the County Manager to discuss strategies regarding the State Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) before this document is signed. She stated there was a request to the State to provide additional resources to Randolph County, however, they were not included in this MOU that includes Randolph County Performance Measures. Ms. Murphy is requesting 1 Income Maintenance Supervisor, 1 Social Work Supervisor, 1 Income Maintenance Trainer, and 1 Information Technology Technician. Veterans Services Elizabeth Wood, Veterans Services Director, stated since 2018, Veterans Services has undergone significant growth and progress, enhancing their ability to serve veterans and their dependents more efficiently and effectively. The PowerPoint presentation she presented highlighted the key developments and improvements in their services over the past six years, and the significant growth in the past year. Ms. Wood said before 2018, the average wait time for veterans to make an appointment was 60 days with non-accredited staff. She stated her predecessor improved wait time with often the same-day appointments and in many cases appointments within the same week. All Randolph County Veterans Services Officers maintain VA Accreditation, which complies with VA law and regulations. 6/6/24 Ms. Wood reported since 2022 the Veterans Services Office's peak efficiency has increased significantly. They have achieved an average appointment time of 5-7 business days by 2023. The current wait time for an appointment is approximately two weeks. Since January 2023 VETPRO has improved the speed of handling VA documents but has not alleviated the overall workload and appointment time due to the new veterans per week. Between August 2023 through April 2024, Veterans Services has averaged 15 new veterans per week; and since May 2024 to the current date, that has increased to 18-20. Ms. Wood stated the current challenge is managing the increased appointment times due to higher demand and expanded services. She said their goal is to alleviate transportation challenges to the VA and C&P exams by obtaining a decommissioned van that can be converted into a handicap-accessible vehicle. This will ensure veterans without transportation not be denied their VA benefits. She also said they have considered hosting a Benefit Life Event and Stand-Down, however with the increase in caseload, most of their outreach may come to a standstill. Ms. Wood introduced Rita Honeycutt at this time to discuss office space challenges. Ms. Wood reported they are happy with their budget, however the request for two additional positions, an Administrative Assistant and a Veterans Service Officer, would be much appreciated, as they were not in the proposed Manager’s Budget. Child Support Damon Brown, Child Support Director, thanked them for their support and the addition of a part-time position last year. He stated he was satisfied with their proposed budget. County Manager Zeb Holden reported that Mr. Brown will be retiring at the end of June 2024. The Board thanked him for his years of service and wished him well in his retirement journey. Mr. Brown thanked the Board for their support. Public Library Ross Holt, Public Library Director, reported he was happy with the Proposed Budget and is not requesting any additional funding this year. He reported two Franklinville/Seagrove part-time positions will go from 19 hours per week to 24 hours per week, and these positions have been reclassified. He also reported one reduced full-time position will go from 30 hours per week to 40 hours per week. This will be no increase in cost to their budget. Mr. Holt reported that there has been a 7.4% increase in library visits countywide over the past year. He also said program attendance is up 34%. All libraries and extension services 23-24 YTD programs total 1,428. Mr. Holt gave an update on the Community Navigators program. There have been 482 referrals from the beginning of this program through April 30, 2024, and they have served 782 citizens. Eighty-eight percent of referrals have been linked to services. Since the start of this program in 6/6/24 2022, there have been 1,243 referrals made, with a total of 1,542 citizens (348 were children) impacted by the Community Navigator Program. Mr. Holt thanked the Board for their continued support. Chairman Frye thanked all twenty-two departments for presenting during this meeting. He reminded everyone there will be a Budget Meeting on June 10, 2024, for Public Input, along with Community Agency, and Fire Department presentations. There will also be a Public Hearing on the appropriation to Randolph Economic Development Corp and the Proposed County Budget. This meeting will begin at 6:00 p.m. Adjournment At 6:52 p.m., on motion of Allen, seconded by Kidd, the Board voted 5-0 to adjourn. ________________________________ ________________________________ Darrell Frye, Chairman David Allen ________________________________ _________________________________ Kenny Kidd Maxton McDowell ________________________________ _________________________________ Hope Haywood Jenny Parks, Deputy Clerk to the Board 6/6/24