s032614Planning RetreatMarch 26, 2014—Planning Retreat
The Randolph County Board of Commissioners met in special session at the Randolph
Community College Foundation Conference Center for a Planning Retreat. Commissioners
Holmes, Frye, Kemp, Lanier and Haywood were present, as well as, County Manager Richard
Wells; Assistant County Manager/Finance Officer Will Massie; Associate County Attorney
Aimee Scotton; Paxton Arthurs, Public Works Director; Cheryl Ivey, Clerk to the Board and
Amanda Varner, Deputy Clerk to the Board. County Department Heads/staff and representatives
of agencies were in attendance and made presentations where so noted later in these minutes.
At 12:45 pm, Chairman Holmes called the meeting to order.
Economic Development Strategies
Bonnie Renfro, EDC President, stated that several economic development realities and trends
impact our economy, such as product, workforce, infrastructure, target audiences and what we
have in our "tool box." Those tools are the marketing of the county, a site location, etc.;
incentive programs; professional staff and organization and the reserve fund. She said that the
model we have followed for decades is changing. The Department of Commerce has
reorganized and is still working through their changes. The regional partnership no longer has a
rural focus, but there are opportunities to create new partnerships – locally, regionally and
statewide.
Ms. Renfro said since the marketing reality has changed, we need to determine how we put
Randolph County in front of our target audiences. She said that new project sources come mostly
through the Department of Commerce or a broker. Many counties now plan a focused marketing
effort by knocking on doors of targeted companies. Ms. Renfro suggested the reallocation of the
County's regional marketing funds from Piedmont Triad Partnership to the EDC. She said the
EDC can use their website and social media more effectively to reach non-traditional audiences,
use key allies, rural marketing groups and organizations. The EDC has created a YouTube
channel and other videos are planned.
Ms. Renfro stated that our incentive return on investment has been very good and presented a
historical summary of County incentives from 1994 through 2013, as follows:
Historical Summary 1994-2013
Job Creation
Investment
Total Incentive Promised
Total Incentive Paid to Date
Outside Financial Assistance
Total Projects
Cost Per New Job
Direct Tax Base Per Incentive Dollar
State & Federal Grant Per Local $1
Total Infrastructure Funded
2,851
$712,115,225
$14,718,289
$9,128,239
$16,758,383
33 companies / 4 have left
$5,162
$48.38
$1.13
$10,309,000 (local + state + federal)
She said that the performance based incentive program delivers a high return on investment,
but the County may want to look at tweaking the current plan. Two possibilities are 1) creating a
revolving loan fund with a minimum of $500,000 and 2) modifying the State's Building Re -use
Grant Program for vacant buildings.
Ms. Renfro said that the Reserve Fund is a great tool for the County. In 2005, the Board
agreed to set aside one cent on the tax rate for four years for economic development to be used
for incentives and product development; the fund was funded for three years. The current
balance available is $425,390. She said that we need to create a designated funding mechanism
to sustain the fund.
She stated that from the "product" standpoint we have to look at the company's perspective of
location and available labor force.
Redevelopment is a good way to market old sites and reusable or re -purposed buildings
because utilities are already in place as well as road or railway infrastructure. Ms. Renfro said
partnering with a municipality to market this is a possibility. There is a higher return on
investment since the infrastructure is in place.
The State grant for the building reuse program has allowed for seven buildings to be reused in
Randolph County, which created 437 jobs. Ms. Renfro suggested that it might be feasible for
local governments (county along with municipalities) to expand this program for site and
building redevelopment. After discussion, the Commissioners agreed that the Heath Road site is
a priority to market.
Ms. Renfro said the mega site impact could result in 2,000 direct jobs; 3,517 ancillary jobs;
additional supplier locations; infrastructure capacities; increases for public safety, housing,
schools and roads; as well as, an increase in the tax base. Ms. Renfro said that we must prepare
now to be ready for any opportunity from either of the two potential mega sites. The eastern
portion of Randolph County is positioned to benefit from either the Greensboro -Liberty or
Chatham sites.
She said that "talent" is the new hot word in economic development. Workforce
demographics, education and training, the skills gap and the changing of job preferences are all
important components and that we have made great progress because of the Commissioners'
support and the business and education partnerships. She reported that the unemployment rate is
6.6% and 4,695 people are unemployed. She praised RCC for efforts to continue to provide
training to the workforce that is needed.
Ms. Renfro said that the Triad has the second largest interstate highway system in the US,
therefore, many are passing through, but asked, "How do we get them to stay and what strategies
will leverage highways for economic development?" Other key infrastructures are the water
resources of the Randleman Lake, City of Asheboro, and Town of Ramseur reservoirs; the
regional landfill and access to municipal sewer.
How do we transform water resources to strategic assets for economic development? Ms.
Renfro said that we need to identify and target water dependent business & industries, such as
food and beverage processing; textile industries; and pharmaceutical and chemical companies.
We also should target non -industrial businesses, as well as, companies that focus on
transportation equipment, distribution and logistics.
The proposed regional landfill has a competitive advantage in economic development as a
cost advantage for existing industries and is a strategic advantage for new companies.
In closing Ms. Renfro reviewed what she deemed the needs are, as follows:
Priority Actions
• Reallocate current budgeted funds once paid to the Piedmont Triad Partnership to EDC
• Start planning process for ancillary development from either proposed mega site
• Focus on redevelopment of high value sites such as the former Goodyear site and partner
with Asheboro to redevelop this high priority site or partner with other municipalities for
other sites.
• Target focus on large water customers for county water allocation of Randleman
Reservoir
Mid-term actions
• Look for designated funding source for economic development reserve fund and
suggested several options: �/z-cent on property tax rate, dedicated funding from franchise
fee, revolving loan fund, land bank options, building reuse grants at the local level
• Prioritize and leverage partnerships with municipalities on product development
including redevelopment
• Target non -industrial projects for job growth — may require alternate incentive tools
Ongoing long-term strategies
• Utilize existing infrastructure to spur and accommodate future growth
• Capitalize on the county's abundant water resources
• Improve site readiness for priority sites
• Maintain dedicated funding stream for economic development
• Broaden search beyond industrial to wider range of investments
Employee Wellness Initiatives
Stacy Griffin, Human Resources Director, presented an update on the employee wellness
programs, saying that the benefits of having one is that it helps control healthcare costs;
decreases absenteeism; increases productivity, employee retention and morale; produces fewer
work-related injuries, workers comp claims and disability claims; prospective employees are
more easily attracted; and it enhances the community image of the County. From the health
screenings it was determined that weight, cholesterol and blood pressure were the top health
risks for County employees. Ms. Griffin summarized the Wellness Program's progress, how the
County is supporting the wellness goals and the programs the Wellness Committee is working on
for the upcoming fiscal year. The wellness health plan goals include continuing to provide
wellness education. The County has paid for many aspects of the program with a $15,000 grant
that was received from CIGNA in 2012/2013 and 2013/2014. Even with the additional costs of
screenings and health coaching, the health plan is currently operating approximately $350,000
under last year.
Ms. Griffin said that she wanted to continue to move forward with the Wellness Program, but
it takes resources to coordinate and plan the numerous activities, manage the multiple plan
offerings (HSA/PPO), manage ancillary relationships (Hope Center/Prevo) and requested the
Commissioners consider a Wellness Coordinator position in the upcoming budget.
Ms. Griffin stated that the Wellness Program will begin revenue generation July 1, 2014 and
will generate at least $55,800, which will be more than sufficient to fund a Wellness Coordinator
and fund all wellness activities should the County not receive the $15,000 Cigna Wellness Grant
in 2014/2015.
Fire Department Issues
Aimee Scotton, Associate County Attorney, said Randolph County is responsible for
providing fire protection to its citizens by contracting with local fire departments for their
services. She said current contracts are outdated and need to be expanded to more fully reflect
the County's expectations. A committee was formed, comprised of Ms. Scotton, Emergency
Services Director Donovan Davis, County Fire Marshal Rick Davis, Tabernacle Fire Chief Brent
Powell, Randleman Fire Chief Marty Leonard and Liberty Fire Chief J.R. Beard. Agreements
from other counties were reviewed during several meetings.
Ms. Scotton reviewed the details of the contract with the Commissioners and highlighted the
major components. Once the Board has reviewed and approved the contract content, the new
contract will be sent to each of the fire chiefs for signatures by July 1, 2014.
Ms. Scotton stated that the Level Cross Fire Department had requested to be changed to a fire
service district and asked the Board to consider changing all the remaining fire districts to fire
service districts.
Break
At 2:47 p.m., the Board recessed for a short break.
Retreat Resumed
At 3:00 p.m., the retreat resumed.
Tax Reappraisal Update
Debra Hill, Tax Collector, stated there had been 800 requests for appeals due to the
reappraisal. Some parcels show an increase and some a decrease in the value. She presented the
Commissioners with a reappraisal analysis and map showing increases and decreases by
percentage.
Update on Capital Replacement Program
Assistant County Manager/Finance Officer Will Massie said that the County continues to
have a backlog of capital replacement needs such as roofs, HVAC and vehicles. During the
recession, the County delayed capital projects, hiring staff, replacing vehicles or anything that
added to the debt. He reminded the Commissioners that the fund balance will be down to 20%
this year and advised not to deplete it any further. He stated that County departments still lack a
recurring financial resource for capital needs and those needs should be addressed. Mr. Massie
presented the following proposed Capital Replacement Schedule summary:
Estimated Costs By Year
FV VI -Id FV Ili-] 5 FV I,;_] h FV 1 C_17 FV 17_1 R
Capital Costs
Department equipment
$ 556,495
$ 209,871
$ 580,441
$ 342,057
$ 485,154
Vehicles
1,107,617
1,126,767
991,267
1,165,467
1,066,267
Countywide technology
522,671
382,420
469,091
544,966
531,805
Building maintenance
185,000
366,500
137,500
2,500
50,500
$ 2,371,783
$ 2,085,558
$ 2,178,299
$ 2,054,990
$ 2,133,726
Existing funding (patrol
cars & ambulances) $ 801,417 $ 801,417 $ 801,417 $ 801,417 $ 801,417
Additional Funding needed
for Capital Replacement and
Facility Maintenance $ 1,570,366 $ 1,284,141 $ 1,376,882 $ 1,253,573 $ 1,332,309
Mr. Massie presented the following debt service requirements for 2013-14, stating that the
schools are 90% of the total.
Randolph Co Schools
$11,113,404
Asheboro City Schools
1,390,665
RCC Training Facility
277,136
County Buildings
New Courthouse
934,221
Mental Health Bldg - Walker Ave
80,260
Seagrove Library
79,454
DSS, Archdale Bldg
24,974
Cardiac Monitors
88,240
Water Projects
Water rights -PTRWA
555,571
Water Lines
209,214
$14,753,139
He also presented an analysis of education appropriation and related funding sources for
2013-2014 fiscal year budget.
Mr. Massie recommended using the unrestricted portion of sales tax from one of the
following options to establish a funding source to address the capital needs of County
departments:
• Option 1 match Article 46 (same as RCC) $ 2,095,409
• Option 2 match restricted portion of Article 42 $ 3,107,342
• Option 3 match total restricted for schools $ 4,661,013
County Commissioners asked questions of Mr. Massie about the proposal and indicated that
they like the concept of setting money aside to begin working on the existing needs of County
facilities. Mr. Massie said that if we start addressing the backlog of the capital needs of the
county departments, we could be caught up within five years.
Facilities Committee Report
Paxton Arthurs, Public Works Director, presented the Facilities Committee Report and
reviewed the current building/planning projects.
➢ Ambulance base with a two-bedroom station and a one -bay garage located in the vicinity of
Wheatmore High School in Trinity.
➢ Ambulance base with a two-bedroom station and a one -bay garage located on the corner of
High Pine Church Road and Strieby Church Road to service the south west quadrant of the
County.
➢ Emergency Services Headquarters: Mr. Arthurs said that the Facilities Committee chose an
architect for sizing and conceptual design, developed a Building Committee, went through the
request for qualifications process and received seven submissions. The Committee interviewed
three architectural firms for the Emergency Services headquarters: Little Diversified
Architectural Consulting; Moser, Mayer, Phoenix Associates; and Smith Sinnett Architecture.
Little Diversified Architectural Consulting was chosen and they have provided a conceptual
design packet with an estimated cost between $10,200,000 and $12,900,000 for construction.
➢ New Animal Shelter: Mr. Arthurs stated that the Facilities Committee went through the
same process for a proposed new animal shelter and received five submissions and interviewed
three architectural firms: Bacon Group Architecture, Daggett + Grigg Architects and ESPA
Architects and Planners. They chose Daggett + Grigg Architects based on their experience in
building animal shelters. Daggett + Grigg Architects have worked with a company called
shelterplanners.com on previous projects. Mr. Arthurs presented the results of the needs
assessment study completed by Daggett + Grigg Architects and shelterplanners.com. The study
showed that based on an average 14 -day length of stay and the number of animals the shelter
processes, a 12,100 square foot building would be needed to meet all animal welfare rules, at a
construction cost of 2.7-3.2 million dollars for the base building. They also recommended the
addition of a sally port for the containment of animals as they are brought in. Mr. Arthurs said
that the proposal is designed to meet the County's needs for at least 20 years and is designed for
future expansion.
Mr. Arthur said that an addition/upgrade was not recommended to the existing shelter, but
thought it be best left operational while a new shelter is under construction and could continue to
be used for large animals and seasonal peak overflow.
He said the proposed site of the new shelter was at the corner of Henley Country and County
Land Road and would require rezoning and grading.
Mr. Arthurs reviewed other potential projects the Facilities Committee had reviewed.
• Two additional solid waste convenience sites; one would be located in Trinity and one
just north of Seagrove. The proposed contract with the solid waste facility operator of the
proposed regional landfill includes these sites.
• Additional ambulance bases
• Repair/Renovation of the Old County Home, a designated historic landmark which is
currently used for storage (8000 sq. ft. of available space that could be used for offices,
but does have asbestos under the building and cannot be disturbed). Cost could be well
over $300,000.
• Renovation of the Annex Building. (It is located beside historic courthouse. The upstairs
is used for the Day Reporting Center and downstairs is currently used for classrooms and
storage.) Probation and parole has inquired about additional space due to rule changes
that require private offices instead of cubicle space and additional employees are being
added next fiscal year.
• Child Support Building (currently a leased building). County could possibly receive
State reimbursement for a County -owned building.
• Juvenile Day Reporting Center Relocation — They are currently in a 3,800 sq. ft. office
located next to DSS. Their relocation would free up space for DSS.
After discussion, the Commissioners asked that the Facilities Committee look at the
Emergency Services headquarters and animal shelter project again for other construction options.
Emergency Services Modernization
Donovan Davis, Emergency Services Director, said that his department has several issues
due to understaffing. He said that the 9-1-1 call volume has increased by 3,214 transactions,
EMS call volume increased by 1,873 calls and transports increased by 1,477 calls since last year.
There is an average of 17 calls per day that go unanswered on an initial 9-1-1 call because all
Telecommuicators are on other calls. The citizen hangs up and the first available
Telecommunicator calls the citizen back to determine if they need emergency assistance. He
stated that Randolph County Emergency Services does not come close to meeting required
standards to answer and dispatch calls within 90 seconds. These standards affect 9-1-1 funding,
State and Federal grant funding, fire department insurance ratings, law enforcement
accreditation, and more. Mr. Davis said that since 2009, calls have gone from 16,178 to 19,212
calls in a year with the same amount of staff to handle the volume. He noted that we have seven
paramedic ambulances plus access to Ash -Rand Rescue and Piedmont Triad Ambulance. The
County has run out of ambulances to respond to calls 316 times since the issue was last discussed
with the Board a couple years ago. When this happens, we have to rely on surrounding counties
to respond.
Mr. Davis gave the following details regarding the EMS ambulance bases:
• Randleman base is complete except for some landscaping.
• Trinity base location is being investigated and funding is available from the sale of the
former Randleman base.
• Uwharrie base land has been purchased, surveyed and currently completing permitting
requirements.
• A Coleridge/Erect base is needed to improve service time to the southeast portion of
county.
• Liberty base, located at Liberty's old fire department, needs many repairs. It is not a
County building.
Mr. Davis gave a summary of all the capital needs for Emergency Services with a hope to
have all construction finished by 2016-17, as follows:
➢ New Uwharrie Base $ 260,000
➢ Cardiac Monitor for Uwharrie Base $ 40,000
➢ Liberty EMS Base replacement (excluding property) $ 260,000
➢ Three Fire Investigation replacement vehicles $ 81,000
➢ One EM replacement vehicle $ 35,000
➢ One EMS replacement Supervisor vehicle $ 35,000
➢ One EMS replacement Supervisor vehicle (utility) $ 45,000
➢ Two ambulances (in addition to annual allotment) $ 300,000
➢ New Southeast EMS Base (ex: property / incl: card mon.) $ 300,000
➢ New Headquarters $ 12,834,366
➢ Emergency Notification System (per year) $ 40,000
TOTAL $ 14,230,366
Mr. Davis added that staffing is a priority, listing the needs for January — June 2015 (then
annually thereafter), as follows:
➢ Six 9-1-1 positions /Five Call -Taker Positions= $105,283 ($210,566 annually) and one
Assistant Communications Supervisor = $ 15,185 ($49,272 annually).
➢ Six Paramedic positions (Uwharrie Base) 1/2015 — 6/2015=$163,413 ($326,825
annually)
Mr. Davis presented the proposed new fee schedule for the Commissioners to consider during
the budget approval process providing details that show Randolph County is still less or in line
with surrounding counties on the same fees. The increases will ensure Randolph County's
compliance with Medicare guidelines of collecting the 20% obligatory co -pay and will maximize
payments from insurance companies.
Commissioner Haywood suggested that two additional cents on the tax rate be used to address
Emergency Service needs. Commissioner Lanier asked that figures reflecting what two cents
could accomplish be presented at the May meeting to help with their budget preparations.
Adjournment
At 5:32 p.m., there being no further business, the meeting adjourned.
J. Harold Holmes
Phil Kemp
Arnold Lanier
Darrell L. Frye
Stan Haywood
Amanda Varner, Deputy Clerk to the Board