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021919 Planning retreatSpecial Meeting Planning Retreat February 19, 2019 The Randolph County Board of Commissioners met in special session at the Randolph County Office Building, 725 McDowell Road, Asheboro, for a Planning Retreat. Commissioners Darrell Frye, Kenny Kidd, Maxton McDowell, and Hope Haywood were present, as well as County Manager Hal Johnson, Assistant County Manager/Finance Officer Will Massie, County Attorney Ben Morgan, Associate County Attorney Aimee Scotton, and Clerk to the Board Dana Crisco. County Department Heads/staff and outside agencies were in attendance and made presentations where so noted later in these minutes. At 12:30 p.m., Chairman Frye called the meeting to order. County Manager Hal Johnson gave an overview of the Retreat Agenda. He said that he has never seen as many capital projects at one time as this Board is facing. He stated that the County is facing many challenges. Construction costs are rising. There are many staffing needs throughout the departments. The priorities will need to be identified so the Commissioners can determine the County's ability to pay for them. Agriculture Events Center Update County Manager Hal Johnson said there had been many meetings conducted in regards to an agriculture event center. He said it would be kept on the agenda so plans will continue to move forward. The plan presented by HH Architecture in June 2018 for the full facility will be kept as the master plan. Because the cost of building the entire facility at once was too expensive, the work will be broken down into phases to make it possible to achieve the master plan in the future. He said the Board members of the Voluntary Agriculture District were supportive of the Phase 1 A -B that was detailed later in the presentation. The design keeps the arena to give the local agriculture community a place to show their animals and products. Paxton Arthurs, County Engineer, told the history of the agriculture center project up to current. He said Magellan Strategy Group was hired by the Tourism Development Authority to conduct a study for the feasibility of an agriculture center in Randolph County. Magellan determined that the location on Hwy 64 would be ideal for an agriculture events center. He said the next step was to hire an architect. HH Architecture was chosen for the design. They met with many committees to come up with a design for the full project. He introduced Siler Ransmeier of HH Architecture and Jeff Ashbaugh of Benesch to present the concept of multiple phases for the project and to provide cost estimates. Mr. Ransmeier and Mr. Ashbaugh explained a few possible scenarios for Phase I. The modifications from the master plan included a smaller office space for Cooperative Extension and Soil and Water only. They recommended doing all of the site work based on the full facility such as grading and water and sewer in the first phase, if possible. The decorative facades of buildings would be facing Hwy 64, whereas the rest of the building would look more utilitarian to lower costs. The following three construction options were presented. 2/19/19 Option 1: Multi-purpose arena, two livestock housing areas, a sales ring, a maintenance building, a solid waste structure, an office building, and site development for future growth. This was estimated to be approximately $27 million. Option 2: Multi-purpose arena, one livestock housing area, a maintenance building, a solid waste structure, an office building, and site development for future growth. This was estimated to be approximately $23.2 million. Option 3: Office Building and site development for that building only. This was estimated to be approximately $12 million. Other ideas to reduce Phase 1 costs included reducing parking but remaining code compliant and moving a retaining wall to the second phase for a possible savings of $500,000. Commissioner Allen said that site development is a majority of the cost. The updated plan will allow for future development and made the buildings more utilitarian. Chairman Frye asked if there was someone who could advise on the costs of running a facility like this. Mr. Ransmeier stated that a consultant could be hired to evaluate potential expenses. Commissioner Allen stated that the Old Dominion facility they visited in Virginia was comparable but the facility manager was not forthcoming with any information on costs when asked. Commissioner McDowell suggested consideration of cost saving such as eliminating the retaining wall and reducing parking. Mr. Arthurs said the sales ring is very important. Chairman Frye questioned if the sales ring would be affected by the lack of the retaining wall. The response was that it would affect truck traffic flow. Mr. Massie spoke about the County's ability to pay for Phase 1 construction. The current Capital Improvement Plan projects are as follows: 2018 -Asheboro High School Addition/Renovation I $19,000,000 2019 -Randolph County Schools -Trinity Middle School $32,000,000 ACS Elementary and Middle School Renovations $ 2,500,000 Detention Center $32,000,000 2020 -Asheboro High School Renovation II $15,000,000 With these current capital projects requiring funding, he showed four different projections of potential financing. Projection A showed the debt service with no agriculture center. Projection B had no additional property tax or sales tax funding but instead using limited obligation bonds (LOBS) at an estimated $30 million but would not be able to start until 2028. Projection C was for the offices only and used increased Article 46 sales tax funding that would start in 2020. Projection D was for both phases using Article 46 sales tax funding. Phase IA funding would start in 2020 and Phase 1B funding would begin in 2023. 2/19/19 Mr. Massie did say his projections did not include the possibility of USDA Financing through Randolph Electric Membership Corporation (REMC). This financing would be a ten year loan with low interest; $2,000,000 for Office and Event Center soft costs and $2,000,000 for Arena Facility soft costs. These loans could not be used to pay for grading or site development. Commissioner Kidd asked what the interest rate might be on those loans. Mr. Massie replied approximately 3.5%. Chairman Frye commented that having an arena is a good thing. Mr. Massie said it could be expanded later. Manning Chante — Impact of the Megasite on Randolph County County Manager Hal Johnson gave an update on the Megasite and discussed the impact of the growth derived from secondary industry once the Megasite is occupied. He noted that the County needs to take a hard look at the Megasite and touched on the water and sewer infrastructures that would be impacted. He said that even though Toyota/Mazda did not choose the Randolph County Megasite, the fact that it was the second choice offered great publicity. He also noted that the County is not ready to support industry from a potential Megasite buyer; there will be residential, commercial, and industrial growth to account for. Mr. Johnson stated "we will be in competition with our neighbors if someone moves to the Megasite." Finance Officer Will Massie discussed the need for industrial sites and commercial sites. The Economic Development Corporation is searching for competitive development sites. Commissioner Allen stated that the County will "benefit from the Megasite from the offshoot industry." He went on to say that sites needed to be prepared for development so opportunities are not missed. He noted that the top priority of the Economic Development Corporation is to identify sites for development. Chairman Frye said the sewer is a major issue in relation to the Megasite and a sewer treatment plant would be "huge." He asked "where do we get the utilities to make those areas available?" Commissioner McDowell questioned who would be responsible and who was the lead group or agency that is handling development. He asked if it was the Economic Development Corporation(EDC) and stated that a lead agency is needed. Commissioner Allen stated that the County provides the EDC funding, but not direction. He asked if it would be possible to work with municipalities. He also suggested partnering with developers and offering incentives. Commissioner McDowell noted that "Randolph County is not lacking in water resources." Rather, the issue lies in infrastructure. Commissioner Allen said the anticipated completion date for the water treatment plant in Randleman would be 18 to 24 months and that water services for the Megasite would likely tie in. 2/19/19 Paxton Arthurs, County Engineer, stated that townships and USDA water guidelines are used to create water and sewer districts. He displayed images of these districts. Chairman Frye asked about the capacity of the sewer lines. Mr. Arthurs said that the Highway 220 sewer line has no room for expansion. He noted that four additional pumps would be needed in order to reach Ramseur and Liberty. He also suggested that Greensboro may be willing to wheel water with Randolph County paying a maintenance fee, rather than the County adding lines. Chairman Frye said "we can build it, but somebody's got to operate it." Mr. Arthurs stated that it would cost $10 per gallon for water treatment, roughly $5 million for Ramseur and Liberty. Mr. Massie asked who would treat the water if it were to be wheeled through Greensboro lines. Mr. Arthurs responded that the Liberty Water Treatment Plant was the closest but would need an expansion to handle the additional capacity. He closed by saying that an estimate determined in 2016 was $16.1 million for water and $24.1 million for sewer. These are combined totals for the Highway 64, Highway 49, and Highway 421 Corridors. Capital Proiects Update County Engineer Paxton Arthurs gave an update on current Capital Projects in the County. He said Bordeaux Construction was working on Detention Center updates and renovations. He noted that Sheriff Seabolt took office after the design process had already begun. After review, the Sheriff and his staff noted eight items that could be made more functional in the design. These items are as follows: • Addition to Special Populations Unit • Relocation of Master Controls • Renovation of "G" Pod (delete control room) • Deletion of "D" and "F" Pod control rooms • Deletion of fence for staff parking lot • Deletion of medical unit addition • Addition to Maintenance Building • Deletion of vehicle sallyport These suggestions were made in consideration of safety, security, and staffing. Mr. Arthurs said the conservative preliminary cost estimate would be about $1,587,000 for those eight changes. The updated Detention Center budget has been adjusted to a grand total of $30,410,842. Mr. Arthurs noted that the Northgate renovation project was ahead of schedule and showed slides of the progress. The Randolph County Courthouse Special Needs Assessment was completed on February 1, 2016. Mr. Arthurs described the process as being a series of small projects as opposed to one large project. Plans include: • Expansion of Juvenile Justice and relocation of Magistrate and Sheriff • Rework of Transaction Area and public access for Judicial Waiver • Expansion/reconfiguration of District Court Judge Suite 2/19/19 • Expansion of Clerk of Court • Relocation of Probation and Parole to remote location • Addition of High Density Filing for Clerk of Court • Addition of three Judicial Services Coordinators • Renovation of common space • Conversion of a corridor to secured staff only • Expansion of District Attorney Suite • Relocation of Guardian Ad Litem • Shifts in purposes of various rooms Costs for this project are estimated at $1,887,000. Mr. Arthurs explained that the next steps for the renovation included selective demolition, provision of detailed design documents, and phased construction for each area within existing buildings. The Board recessed for a break at 2:20 p.m. and reconvened at 2:25 p.m. Capital Proiect Financing Finance Officer Will Massie presented financing options for each of the capital improvement projects. In 2018, $19,000,000 was spent on the first phase of the Asheboro High School addition. In 2019, he anticipated Trinity Middle School construction to cost $32,000,000, Asheboro elementary and middle school renovations to cost $2,500,000, and the Detention Center to cost $32,000,000. In 2020, he estimated the second phase of the Asheboro High School renovation to cost $15,000,000. The Agricultural Center costs are to be determined. Mr. Massie said that per Fiscal Policy, any Fund Balance above 24% of budgeted General Fund expenditures is to be used for capital projects or capital reserve. This amount was $2,563,004 as of June 30, 2018. Mr. Massie suggested that in order to use the funds most effectively, a pay-as-you-go approach for the Asheboro City Schools projects would be prudent. In this case, the County would be asked to advance construction funds so that projects may begin as soon as students are released for the summer. The Board was in agreement that this option will be explored further. Emergency Medical Services Staffing Emergency Services Director Donovan Davis gave an update on department projects, concerns, and staffing issues. He said that his Trinity -based crew hopes to move into their new base in March. Staffing remains a major concern for Emergency Services. He stated that call volume increases by around 1,000 calls per year. The department is now responding to over 23,000 calls annually. However, recruitment is not meeting the needs of the expanding volume. He detailed the process of training new employees, including the fact that when a new employee is assigned a partner, a mandatory third person must accompany the pair during training so that there are always two fully trained crewman with each truck. This can make scheduling difficult and takes the third person away from their normally scheduled shift. 2/19/19 Mr. Davis stated that losing new employees during their first six months of probationary employment remains concerning. He also reiterated that the high turnover rate for new employees has been a "huge problem" for the last two to three years. He noted that the high turnover rate is likely due to surrounding counties offering 12 hour shifts, which allow employees more family time and reduced fatigue. Mr. Davis expressed concern with the 24 hour shifts that retention is at an all-time low, employee morale is greatly affected, and safety needs to be maintained. Non -emergent transfers from Randolph Health to other hospitals have been eliminated between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 9:30 a.m. in an effort to combat crew fatigue due to lack of staff and high call volume. While the County may lose some revenue in this regard, Mr. Davis noted that safety outweighs the cost for all involved. Chairman Frye asked how many employees have a second job. Mr. Davis responded that over sixty percent of his staff have second jobs. He does not think that having 12 hour shifts will interfere with employees' secondary employment, as Emergency Services shift rotations are published for the entire year. Chairman Frye asked how other counties handled the transition from 24 hour shifts to 12 hour rotations. Mr. Davis said that it varies department to department. He said that making the complete transition in one year would be most desirable but may not be feasible due to lack of staffing. Chairman Frye asked about employee turnover and retention. Mr. Davis stated that his crew is currently hovering at a 30 percent turnover rate, but he does not have exact statistics on the difficulty of retaining new hires. Mr. Davis detailed several alternatives that the department has considered as follows: • Move busier ambulances to a quieter district during 24 hour shifts. However, this causes logistical problems because employees park at certain base when they arrive at work. Narcotic/DEA issues (because of pharmaceuticals onboard) also arise with ambulances changing bases mid -shift. • Take ambulances out of service for breaks. Since call volume and locations are too unpredictable, longer response times are likely if the district ambulance is out of service. • Schedule different shift hours. This negatively affects employees' personal lives. • Reverse 24 hour shifts (employees begin their shifts at 8:OOpm and work until 8:OOpm the following day). Employees would still likely not have adequate time for rest while on shift. The solution Mr. Davis suggested includes transitioning to 12 hour shifts by adding a new shift. He asked for a total of 24 positions to include: one Shift Supervisor, one Assistant Shift Supervisor, two Paramedic Field Training Officers, 16Paramedics, one Assistant Operations Officer, and three additional Paramedic positions that will allow Assistant Shift Supervisors to move to Quick Response Vehicle (QRV) status. Mr. Davis introduced Paramedic Field Training Officer Victoria Pacheco. She gave insight into the difficulties that employees face while on shift. With little to no sleep during a 24 hour 2/19/19 shift, Ms. Pacheco said that it can be very difficult to drive the truck and retain or recall complicated information. She said she tries to stay awake with her partner while they are driving so that she may help keep her partner awake. She reiterated that staying awake for 24 hours and handling complicated medical calls while fatigued is very challenging. Mr. Davis noted that in recent months, fatigue has contributed to two ambulance rollover accidents in other counties. He said that 12 hour shifts may become federally mandated. With a new federal EMS oversight department in place and with proposed changes to Medicare and Medicaid, Mr. Davis pointed out that many changes are to be expected in pre -hospital care over the next few years. Mr. Davis highlighted the successes of his department. He said the CPR success rate has improved from five to eight % up to 36 to 43 %. He noted that the department has been awarded the Gold Plus Level Mission: Lifeline recognition for three consecutive years and his staff will receive the award again this year. He stated that response, recognition, and transport times continue to improve, even with limited staffing and fatigue that 24 hour shift employees face. For Emergency Services Dispatch, Mr. Davis explained that a huge increase in calls and dispatch occurred from the end of 2018 into the beginning of 2019. He stated a total of 237,996 telephone transactions happened in 2018 that resulted in 23,231 EMS dispatches and 23,998 fire dispatches. He noted that Sheriff's Office radio traffic is extremely high and time consuming and asked for four additional Telecommunicators in order to split Sheriff's Office radio traffic into three separate channels. This would allow for primary calls on Channel 1, traffic stops, warrant checks, NCIC entries, etcetera on Channel 2, and Civil Officers, School Resource Officers, Warrant Squad, et cetera on Channel 3. Mr. Davis concluded his presentation by noting that Medicaid will be changing for this region beginning in November 2019. Brokers will control Medicaid ambulance transports and reimbursement and the County will have to contract with the brokers. Because of that, there may be mandatory ambulance fee schedule rate changes, which may affect the County's current franchised convalescent services that include Piedmont Triad Ambulance Rescue and Ash -Rand Rescue. He asked for a total of 28 new Emergency Services positions, costing an estimated $1,359,470, which will not be used in full the first year due to recruitment and shift transition. Sheriffs Office and Jail Staffing Sheriff Greg Seabolt introduced Colonel Aundrea Azelton, Chief Deputy. She began her presentation by stating the Detention Center has the capacity to hold 211 inmates. However, the daily population of confined inmates has averaged from 274.3 up to 304.7 inmates from October through January. She stated that, according to an analysis completed by Todd Davis of Mosley Architects, the jail is understaffed by 41 people before implementing staffing for the expansion project. Colonel Azelton spoke of the opioid crisis, pointing out that there were 444 suspected overdose patients in 2018 and 64 suspected overdose patients in 2019 so far. She noted that "opioid people" must be supervised twice as often as other inmates. She said that G Pod is usually over capacity, with sometimes as many as 68 inmates that are supervised by only one officer. 2/19/19 For the detention center, Colonel Azelton requested several new positions. The figure she gave included salary, benefits, uniforms, and any necessary equipment. These are the positions requested: 16 Jailer positions for a cost of $905,488, one sworn Investigator position for a cost of $111,490.50, one after hours Transportation Officer position for a cost of $103,356.50, and one Inmate Advocate position for a cost of $64,965. She stated that by adding four Jailer positions to each shift, a Cell Extraction Response Team (CERT) can be created. The CERT team would be derived from the 16 Jailer positions already requested and would serve as dual purpose Jailers. Colonel Azelton also requested a Point Security Inc. Full Body Security Screening System that would cost an estimated $116,419. Colonel Azelton explained that the Detention Center is ready to staff 16 officers immediately. She said it would need 12 additional officers in a year and 12-13 more when the expansion project is complete. She stated that overcrowding is the number one issue causing in-house "inmate on inmate assaults." Sheriff Seabolt noted that they are working with the District Attorney to get as many confined persons out on unsecured bonds as possible to alleviate strains on the jail. Colonel Azelton said there is no current jail investigator for reports of sexual assault, drugs, or weapons. This complicates the process as jailers are non -sworn officers and cannot take reports. Chairman Frye asked why a vehicle would be necessary for the Jail Investigator position. Colonel Azelton responded that the Investigator may have to travel to other facilities or to court. She noted that pulling officers from other divisions has been very inefficient and results in lots of compensatory time earned. Colonel Azelton explained the need for an Inmate Advocate position to help inmates with needed services. She mentioned a program in New Hanover County called Community One that is "wrapping these people in services" and stated that confinement is the opportune time to reach people dealing with addictions. She said New Hanover had 78 participants and only four of those were repeat offenders. Commissioner Allen asked if the program would be similar to Project Safe Neighborhoods and if these services could be meshed together. Colonel Azelton responded that it could be a good opportunity to bring community services together. Sheriff Seabolt said that resources and advocates need to be offered. Colonel Azelton added that volunteers are being considered, and even utilization of recovering addicts to reach inmates through this program. She noted that in a position like this, incumbents must have "street cred." Sheriff Seabolt presented a request for four full-service canines and one "bomb" canine for an estimated cost of $46,000 not including kennels. He noted that three dogs will be available in May for the Criminal Interdiction Team (narcotics dogs) that are separate from his request for four additional dogs. He stated that having the additional dogs could deter drug activity in schools. He said that the Sheriffs Office is looking into establishing a 501(c)(3) nonprofit for the department to receive monetary donations. 2/19/19 Additional requests were six more patrol deputies at a total cost of $622,824 and four more Bailiff positions for the courthouse at a cost of $251,268.80. Sheriff Seabolt mentioned that it takes six months to train a Bailiff and Bailiffs are sworn officers. A Domestic Violence Protective Order Corporal position (costing $107,967.50) and a Warrant Squad Corporal position (costing $107,967.50) were requested as well. Colonel Azelton said there were over 1,000 unserved orders for arrest and 200 unserved warrants when Sheriff Seabolt took office. Two additional Vice and Narcotics positions were requested for a total cost of $220,437 and an additional Corporal school- based position costing $108,703. Sheriff Seabolt said, "I know we're asking for a lot, but we're not asking for anything we don't need." Community Outreach Coordinator Terry Story requested a garage for Sheriff's Office vehicles. He stated there are 240 vehicles. When they take a vehicle to a shop for maintenance or repair, they "don't know who's working on [their] cars." He mentioned that outside mechanics may not support law enforcement. Mr. Story compared the costs of maintenance on one vehicle from a commercial garage versus the proposed Sheriff's Office garage and estimated a savings of $153,770.40 per year. He mentioned the creation of a 501(c)(3), Friends of Randolph County Sheriff's Department, to help offset costs. To staff this garage, Mr. Story requested a Garage Mechanic position estimated at $48,140 annually, including benefits. Sheriff Seabolt said with the addition of this position, the Sheriff's Office could have a same-day accurate record of what work was performed on their cars. He noted that they are working in collaboration with Richard Petty and Rebecca Petty Moffitt in starting the non-profit because many people have expressed interest in donating to the Sheriff's Office. In conclusion, Mr. Story stated that starting up a business and receiving the investment back in 12 months is rare, making the addition of a garage a good investment. Health Department Update Susan Hayes, Public Health Director, presented the current positions at Randolph County Animal Services with salaries and fringe benefits, totaling $508,600.93. The total Animal Services budget for fiscal year 2018-2019 was $626,113. Ms. Hayes highlighted several 2018-2019 accomplishments that included a $4500 ASPCA- Subaru grant, a Companion Animal Equipment Trailer, a 41% decrease in the euthanasia rate, a new Shelter Pro database, and a temporary staff increase. She added that future plans for Animal Services include adding a Shelter Pro Portal, managing admission of owner -surrendered pets by appointment only, gaining permission to offer special reduced rate adoption events, and adding Saturday hours which has been discussed since 2016. Ms. Hayes noted that a spay and neuter program was started in the mid 2017-2018 fiscal year. Chairman Frye asked if Randolph County had a current spay and neuter contract. Ms. Hayes responded that there is a current contract in place with Dr. Noeller, a veterinarian based out of Randleman. The County receives a discounted spay/neuter rate. Ms. Hayes said that there were eight adoption fairs held last year. Ms. Hayes compared the County's Animal Services budget and positions to comparable counties. Randolph County had the lowest number of employees and the lowest budget. 2/19/19 Ms. Hayes gave three proposals for consideration, as follows: • Proposal 1: Included eight new positions (Division Director, Animal Control Officer, Animal Shelter Attendant, Animal Adoption Coordinator I, Animal Shelter Coordinator I, Office Assistant III, Veterinarian, Vet Technician) for a total of $524,803.37 in salary and fringe benefits cost. This proposal also included a spay and neuter clinic, that, when combined with personnel and additional support costs, was estimated at $819,803.37 for start-up. Ms. Hayes predicted that the clinic will require $30,000 in consumable supplies after start-up. With current costs of Animal Services at around $626,113, the total initial start-up costs for this proposal are estimated at $1,445,916. The total estimated ongoing expenses are $1,180,916. • Proposal 2: Included seven new positions (Division Director/Veterinarian, Animal Control Officer, Animal Shelter Attendant, Animal Adoption Coordinator I, Animal Shelter Coordinator I, Office Assistant III, Vet Technician) for a total of $448,791.11 in salary and fringe benefits. This proposal called for an estimated start-up cost of $743,391.11 and estimated ongoing costs of $478,791.11. With current costs included in the figures, Proposal 2 called for $1,369,904 in start-up costs and $1,104,904 in continuing costs. • Proposal 3: Included five positions (Assistant Manager, Animal Control Officer, Animal Shelter Attendant, Animal Adoption Coordinator I, Animal Shelter Coordinator I) for a total of $241,961.71 in salary and fringe benefits. This proposal suggested expanding the current spay and neuter contract (estimated $29,000 additional cost) and adding the Shelter Pro Portal (additional $4,000 cost). The total estimated cost for this proposal, including current costs, was $901,074. Chairman Frye asked if Randolph County would be able to hire a Veterinarian. Retired Veterinarian Dr. Charles Lee, Chairman for the Board of Health, responded that Randolph County is competitive with these figures, but finding a Veterinarian who also has management experience could prove difficult. Dr. Lee noted that a Veterinarian candidate for an Animal Services position would need to have a passion for shelter work. Ms. Hayes agreed, and used Public Health Dentist Elyse Hayes as an example. She explained that Randolph County had not employed a full time dentist for 20 years. She said Ms. Elyse Hayes truly has a passion for Public Health and it would be great to find a Veterinarian with a mindset like that. Dr. Lee said that it may be easier to find a spay/neuter/exam Vet rather than a Veterinarian/Director. Ms. Hayes agreed and suggested that be considered for Proposal 2. At this time, Animal Services does not have enough management staff. Chairman Frye asked if Animal Services was lacking facilities with what was currently available. Ms. Hayes responded yes and explained there is no dog wash, there was not enough space for animal housing, there is no quarantine or isolation location, and the shelter is overrun with cats. 2/19/19 Chairman Frye commented that changes need to be made. Commissioner Haywood mentioned that there are a large number of animals but a small number of spaces for them. She said last year, $114 was the cost per animal at Animal Services. Commissioner Kidd stated for Proposal 1, the cost per animal would rise to $373. The Board recessed for a break at 5:05 p.m. and reconvened at 5:10 p.m. Liberty Library Operations Public Library Director Ross Holt gave an overview of County Library history and current operational standards for the Randolph County Public Library System. He presented a request that Randolph County take over operation of the Liberty Library on the same basis as the Asheboro and Archdale Libraries. The request would provide for County staffing of the Library while the Town of Liberty remains responsible for the building and grounds. Mr. Holt shared some concerns of the Liberty Library that included inadequate staffing and risks to a sustainable children's program. He noted the importance of the Library to the town, but said the Town of Library is becoming unable to provide needed services. He discussed a proposal that offers a new Librarian II position that would act as Branch Manager, three part-time Library Assistant positions, and a Library Technician position that would act as Assistant Branch Manager. The County would be reimbursed by the Town of Liberty for the cost of the Library Technician position. Mr. Holt compared this cost scenario of $95,987 to an ideal scenario at $150,000. Mr. Holt noted that permanent professional leadership, stabilized staffing levels, and an enhanced, sustainable children's program would benefit the citizens. Currently, Liberty Town Hall functions from the same building as the Liberty Library. With plans for a new Town Hall building, the Library will gain room for expansion and will have the ability to support increased demand when the Megasite is occupied. When Town Hall is relocated, the building will have additional space that could be used for other County services and allow for growth potential. Mr. Holt said he will be seeking guidance and authority to proceed with the request at the March 11, 2019 Commissioners meeting. If approved, the contract will have an effective date of July 1, 2019. Business Continuity Planning Update Cathryn Davis, Risk Manager, and Aimee Scotton, Associate Attorney, presented an update on Business Continuity Planning. Ms. Davis began the presentation with an overview of why Business Continuity is important to Randolph County. She noted that citizens depend on the County to provide vital services; a comprehensive Business Continuity Plan ensures that services will still be provided in situations that cause disruption. She gave examples of incidents that were disruptive to business and illustrated how a Business Continuity Plan could provide the framework for minimizing impact and reestablishing normal operating procedures. Ms. Davis explained that Randolph County has a Business Continuity Implementation Team that consists of the Emergency Services Director, the Emergency Management Coordinator, the Risk Manager, the Assistant County Manager/Finance Officer, the Staff Attorney, the Internal 2/19/19 Auditor, the Clerk to the Board of Commissioners/Executive Assistant to the County Manager, and the Information Technology Director. The team has met every Thursday for two years to develop a comprehensive "living document" for the County. She said this document is not a template where the County simply fills in the blank; rather, this document grows, develops, and changes over time to accommodate the needs of the County. Ms. Scotton noted that over 80 employees have been directly involved in the development of this plan. A Crisis Management team has been established that includes the County Manager, who acts as incident command, the Clerk to the Board, the Internal Auditor, the Finance Officer, and representatives from Emergency Services, Human Resources, Information Technology, Legal, Public Buildings, Risk Management, the Sheriff's Office, and others as indicated by the event. Ms. Scotton noted that the Crisis Management Team prioritizes business operations. She described the next phase of the planning process as a combination of testing and exercises. She stated that the "testing and revision process will be a never-ending story." The Business Continuity Plan is anticipated to be presented at the May Commissioners meeting for approval. Once approved, training and testing will begin and updates will be made as needed to support the Plan as a living document. Budget Priorities for 2019-20 Finance Officer Will Massie gave a preview of the 2019-2020 fiscal year budget. He stated that no decisions were needed the day of the Retreat, but guidance from the Board would be appreciated. Mr. Massie began his presentation by illustrating the Retirement System rate increases that are predicted from current through fiscal year 2023. He noted that the County is looking at an increased cost of around $450,000 due to a 7.75 % increase. He also pointed out that the rate for Law Enforcement Officers is 0.75 % higher than general employees. He described this increase as statutory. The Employee Health Plan shows a projected increase of 14.82%, which will cost the County an additional $996,000. Mr. Massie explained that there will be a year or two of no cost increases to the health plan with a noticeable increase in the year following. Mr. Massie stated that the Classification Study is a priority. Social Services, Tax, Child Support, Information Technology, Planning and Zoning, and others are included in Year Three of the study. Mr. Massie estimated that Year Three will cost $500,000. It is estimated that a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) of 1% will cost the County $450,000. This estimate does not include any new positions added. Thirteen requested positions were not funded in the 2018-2019 fiscal year. It was expected that the Sheriff's Office would make requests for new positions and that Emergency Services would again propose a 12 hour shift plan. Veterans Services is expected to have requests, as well. Mr. Massie noted that a 1% increase to current education expenses would result in a cost of around $270,000. 2/19/19 At the end of his presentation, Mr. Massie said that the County is ahead of budget on sales tax. Sales tax growth from July to September of 2018 resulted in putting the County 0.72% ahead of the budget. Growth from July to November of 2018 shows a 5.01% increase. Chairman Frye stated he had "never seen a budget process like this one." Adjournment At 6:00 p.m., on motion of Allen, seconded by McDowell, the Board voted unanimously to adjourn. Darrell Frye, Chairman David Allen Kenny Kidd Hope Haywood Maxton McDowell Dana Crisco, Clerk to the Board 2/19/19