060823 Budget Meeting County Department Heads
June 8, 2023 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 Jenny Parks, 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, reflected on her work experience with county
government and how she learned how important county benefits were later in her career. She
learned that working for county government was more than just a job, it was an opportunity to help
her neighbors, friends, and family with services that were offered. The County must have qualified
staff in these positions to provide these services.
Ms. Williams said that the employees of Randolph County are easily marketable in other public
and private sector jobs because of their skills, education, and experience. At the start of Fiscal
Year 2022, there were 941 full-time and part-time budgeted positions (912 full-time and 20 part-
time). Of these positions, 86% require some level of advanced education, certification, or
specialized pre-employment work experience.
Randolph County strives to offer competitive salaries and generous benefits including a 30-
year retirement pension. However, the market for talent is very competitive and qualified staff are
in limited supply. Also, employees today have options. Today’s workforce is very mobile and
remote or hybrid work options allow employees more flexibility.
Ms. Williams said, unfortunately, due to the competitive market, our employees’ separations
have continued to increase. There were approximately 228 employee separations in 2022, up from
194 separations in 2021. She spoke on retention rates; the rate of employees staying while the
turnover rate is the rate at which employees leave. The employee retention rate for 2022 was
almost 75%. She said that the County can do better. Not only is turnover costly, there is loss of
efficiency of the delivery of services as well as increased stress on the remaining staff due to
increased job duties.
Ms. Williams said that an Employee Recruitment and Retention Committee has been formed
and it consists of employee representation from across County government. This committee
sponsored an Employee Engagement Survey that was sent to all of the Randolph County
employees, and 509 employees participated, which is 55% of the total number of employees in
Randolph County. While the results of this survey are still under review, 472 employees responded
to the question “What attributes in an employer are the most important to me? (Rank from most
important to least important).” Below are the answers that were provided:
06/8/23
The County’s recommendations for FY2023-2024 are targeted at retaining staff and aligning
with the employee survey results. In addition to the recommendation for a 5% cost of living
adjustment, the County approved a market study of pressure point positions and is recommending
the implementation of proficiency pay to help ensure that the County remains competitive with the
market and retains valued employees.
The Piedmont Triad Regional Council is still reviewing the market study data from the pressure
point positions they are looking at. There are over 500 positions included in the study and no
specific recommendations have been made at this time. The preliminary results showed that
approximately 80% of positions appear to match the Market Entry percentage, which is the base
rate or entry level. And also, 80% appears to match the Market Average, which is where
employees move to in the salary ranges.
Ms. Williams said that the concept of Proficiency Pay is that as an employee develops job
competency, an understanding of their role in the organization, and is consistently contributing
value then he/she will progress through the pay range. An employee who has progressed through
the pay range is expected to then contribute greater value at a higher level of performance. There
is 1% between steps, so each step advancement is a 1% increase in pay. Any step increase, or
advancement through the pay range, is contingent upon the employee meeting or exceeding work
expectations.
Ms. Williams gave the following path of a new employee and how they would move through
the pay range over five years. They would be hired at the base salary. After six months then would
be moved to step 6 (6% increase). After an additional 6 months, they would move to step 9 (an
additional 3% increase). After 2 years on the job, they would move to step 12 (an additional 3%).
After reaching step 12 for the next 3 years they would advance two steps (or 2%) until they reach
step 18 and 5 years. Current staff who are on step 12 to 17 will also receive step increases and
those will be on their next performance evaluation date.
An employee that has been at Step 18 for one year will be eligible for a merit increase. There
is a limited amount of merit funds. With the Proficiency Pay Plan, this should allow greater
flexibility and opportunity in the merit program. There are currently approximately 100 full-time
06/8/23
employees who are at or above Step 18, which means the Proficiency Pay Program will impact
approximately 80-90% of full-time staff.
For consideration, based on the Engagement Survey, retirement benefits ranked number five.
Based on the 2022 School of Government Data, 81 Counties participated in the SOG Survey
regrading 401-k for Non-Sworn Staff, with 56 counties contributing and do not require employee
match. Randolph County offers up to a 2% match for nonsworn employees.
Another consideration, looking at the data from the Engagement Survey, is longevity. Ms.
Williams shared data from the 2022 School of Government which showed 81 counties
participating in the SOG Survey, and 66 Counties reported having Longevity Pay Plans.
In order to recruit, retain, and recognize Randolph County employees, we are proposing three
primary initiatives this year, a 5% Cost of Living Adjustment, Market Adjustment for Critical
Positions, and Proficiency Pay, which expands movement through the pay ranges and moves the
Standard Job Rate (SJR) from Step 12 to Step 18.
Ms. Williams gave an overview of an employee’s career life cycle. Most importantly, a
community, or sense of community, is created both professionally and personally. Not only do
Randolph County employees want to serve their community, they want competitive salaries,
supportive management, leadership, growth, and development opportunities.
Sheriff (SO)
On behalf of Sheriff Greg Seabolt, Major Steven Nunn said, although the Proposed Budget did
not include everything they requested, the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office is happy with their
2023-2024 proposed budget by the County Manager.
Emergency Services (ES)
Jared Byrd, Deputy Director, reported on where the ES Department was one year ago until now.
He said he believes that employee moral has improved with the measures that were put into place
last budget year. He thanked the Board for their support.
Mr. Byrd said the main goal is to fill the many vacant positions in the ES department. Once
they reach full staff, it will take away much of the stress, workload, excessive overtime, and staff
burnout. He said some of the budget requests for FY2023-24 are designed to help with turnover,
the main obstacle currently.
Mr. Byrd stated the biggest turnover rate is in the 911 Center. The Board approved additional
positions in the FY22-23 Budget, however they have been unable to increase their overall staffing
due to turnover rates and the length of time it takes to train new employees. As they try to add
staff, they have other staff choosing employment elsewhere.
To attempt to slow the turnover rate in the 911 Center, ES believes that nightshift incentive pay
would help with this issue. A 10% increase in pay for permanently assigned night shift employees
is being proposed. Nine full-time employees left 911 in the past year; one being a retirement and
eight being full-time resignations. Seven of those eight employees worked night shift.
06/8/23
Emergency Services is also proposing to implement a Paramedic Academy. The Proposed
Budget request included one full-time Instructor and 10 trainees, at a cost of $382,000. With the
limitations of the Paramedic Program through Randolph Community College, barriers are created
for employees acquiring the proper training needed. Also, it is not the most conducive to the
County’s employees work schedules due to employees having to take off one day per week for 18
months to be able to attend the class. Even if some employees attended this class, ES would not
see the benefits from this program until the spring of 2025. A solution to this problem would be
for ES to mimic what the fire service and law enforcement has been doing for years. A full-time
Instructor would be needed to teach the program and would produce 10 paramedics in an eight to
nine month program, compared to RCC’s 15-month program when it is offered. Although this is
a costly investment, is creates more of a sustainable approach by investing in Randolph County’s
own employees.
Donovan Davis, Emergency Services Chief, said if the paramedic academy is approved, ES
will be able to produce paramedics much faster than ever before. With a certification Paramedics
today can work not only on ambulances, but also in an emergency room, in a doctor’s office, in a
clinic, and many other medical areas. This has caused competition with other agencies for
paramedics. Having a Paramedic Academy will guarantee that Randolph County has sufficient
levels of new Paramedics to respond to the needs of the citizens.
Chief Davis said that call volume has increased significantly since 2017 when they added an
ambulance into their daily operations at the Erect Ambulance base. There have been 3,785
additional calls per year and they continue to grow. He shared several statistics with the Board
regarding call volume per day being between 2,457-2,650 calls per day, their busiest day of the
week being Saturday, and busiest hours of the day being between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. He also
shared a map of where the ambulances currently are stationed.
Chief Davis said that they are proposing four new paramedic positions and four field training
officer positions in the EMS Division. With these eight positions, two more ambulances will be
added in Archdale and Randleman Districts, which are the busiest. He shared a map for future
ambulances to be placed throughout the county, possibly in FY25-26.
Chief Davis said that almost daily, they reach a point where no ambulances are available to
respond to the next incoming call. On occasion, they must divert an ambulance from one call to a
higher priority medical call and the first patient must wait until the next ambulance is available.
Surrounding counties respond to assist Randolph County during those times, and Randolph County
provides the same for them. Randolph County EMS has stood by or assisted other counties
approximately 358 times between July 1, 2022 – June 4, 2023.
The four new paramedic position requests would add coverage in the Archdale and Randleman
districts during peak hours. They would be a Classification E215, beginning 7/1/2023, with the
total funds requested being $310,548. The four new field training officer position requests would
assist with the on-shift training of new and current employees. They would be a Classification
E216, with the standard rate of $80,995 each, beginning 7/1/2023, with the total funds requested
being $323,980.
06/8/23
Chief Davis said that the other critical position being requested is for an additional Fire
Inspector III. With new residential and commercial construction increasing, especially at the
Megasite, the workload of the inspectors has continued to increase. One is on-site each morning
and afternoon for blasting, which will continue for months. As the Megasite buildings are erected,
at least one inspector will likely be there all day, most days. This proposed position of Fire
Inspector III will have a Classification E220, beginning January 1, 2024, with the total funds
requested being $43,652.
An Emergency Services Assistant Director is also being proposed. This position would focus
on private insurance contracts, Medicare cost reporting, Medicaid contracts, quality assurance,
internal affairs, and quality management programs. This position would be Classification E224,
would begin January 1, 2024, with total funds requested being $100,534. This position would be
third in command in ES.
A reclassification of the Emergency Services Deputy Director is also being requested. The
position would go from Classification E224 to E227, with an additional amount of $5,939. This
position is second in command in ES.
Chief Davis shared an organizational chart of how Emergency Services is set up currently, one
with the additional positions requested, and one with the new positions plus the academy.
He shared with the Board if the eight EMS positions are approved, there would be a Capital
Outlay requests needed for two additional cardiac monitors/defibrillators at $100,000, and a Lucas
CPR Device at $40,000.
Vice Chairman Allen asked why the 911 Center employees were leaving. Chief Davis said that
everyone that is currently at the 911 Center has cited pay. One employee that left was a supervisor
who went to High Point starting as a basic telecommunicator making significantly more. This
employee showed Chief Davis a copy of High Point’s Longevity Plan. She will be making $80,000
plus in the next three years, which is nowhere near what Randolph County pays for a
telecommunicator.
Chief Davis said that the skill sets that County employees have are very attractive to the private
sector. EMS has never had to compete for employees like they do now, it is definitely a
competition.
Chief Davis thanked the Board for all that they do and thanked them for allowing him time
tonight to present ES requested budget.
Social Services (DSS)
Tracie Murphy, Social Services Director, stated that the success at DSS does not lie fully in her
hands, but in the hands of her team members who come to work every day and at every level. She
thanked her dedicated team and asked those in attendance to stand and be recognized.
06/8/23
Ms. Murphy shared information about the work at DSS, their challenges, and their proposals
for this fiscal year. The key priority for DSS is maintaining their current mandatory services,
meeting and exceeding their performance measures and preparing for Medicaid expansion to
support the current workforce. She shared a slide with the Board that displayed where the funding
for DSS comes from. One of the performance indicators for DSS is ensuring the work of their
staff is at least 50% reimbursable.
She said there is a need for Income Maintenance Caseworkers in DSS. DSS is asking for five
Income Maintenance Caseworker positions. An increased income maintenance for Medicaid
workload, food and nutrition service workload, turnover and training challenges, and the current
failure to meet performance measures supports the need for the proposed positions. The Income
Maintenance Caseworker proposed positions for FY 2023-24 will cost $57,656 per position. They
hope to have approximately 50% reimbursed with federal funds.
Ms. Murphy shared information on the Medicaid Expansion Funding that Randolph County
will receive this fiscal year. Randolph County will receive $315,153 in a one-time lump sum by
the end of this month. Also, $117,154 will be received, which will be $23,430 monthly that is
due to Randolph County for each month the Medicaid Expansion is effective. She said that there
will be additional funds that will be dispersed to Randolph County, but that will not happen until
after October 1, 2023, when the new federal budget has been set.
Department of Social Services, in the future, will be requesting funding for 22 additional staff
to handle Medicaid Expansion. The total cost being requested is $1,474,204. The actual cost for
Randolph County would be $537,478 after reimbursables have been received. This request will
not be made until final knowledge of what to expect has been confirmed.
Commissioner McDowell asked where will they get the 22 additional staff members. He said
that other counties will be adding employees too, which will be challenging. He asked if there
was an increase in people going into this workforce field. Ms. Murphy said not to her knowledge.
She said they will be creative in their recruitment process. By using their own Leadership
Academy and having positive leadership staff members, along with other benefits, she hopes to
pull people in. Ms. Murphy said that they also have a hybrid program where employees could
come into the office and work from home as an option.
Chairman Frye asked if there was a labor market training for these employees. Ms. Murphy
said Income Maintenance Caseworker training relies on in house training.
Commissioner McDowell asked what the requirements were to be an Income Maintenance
Caseworker. Ms. Murphy said they need to have some experience in data entry, medical
transcription, and front office work. The five positions of Income Maintenance Caseworker do
not have to have a four-year degree. She said usually business people move over into income
maintenance casework.
Chairman Frye asked what the learning curve would be. Ms. Murphy said it usually takes six
to nine months of training before they can independently process an application.
06/8/23
Chairman Frye asked if the Income Maintenance Caseworkers attend court. Ms. Murphy said
they do not attend court. She said that only their Program Integrity Team attend court if there is a
fraud case.
Commissioner McDowell asked Ms. Murphy to discuss how much time is spent on court cases
and how DSS has to work with the District Attorney’s office. Ms. Murphy stated for fraud cases,
it takes an unmeasurable amount of time combing through records, going to court, and talking to
witnesses. She also said that new employees in these positions will gain experience on the job.
Vice-Chairman Allen asked where will they put the additional staff. Ms. Murphy said they do
have a hybrid remote work policy, office share, a new office in Northgate, and if needed there will
be some additional open offices in the business continuity space they would ask to use.
Ms. Murphy thanked the Board for their continued support.
Public Health (PH)
Tara Aker, Public Health Director, expressed her appreciation to the Board for their ongoing
support, especially allowing PH to use American Rescue Plan (ARPA) funds to renovate their
department. The renovations should be complete within the year. Ms. Aker said that part of the
ARPA funds PH received will also be used on the renovations because of the Covid related issues
that were identified.
Ms. Aker said that PH is pleased with their budget. They are proposing funds to cover the
cost for employee health insurance coverage and for the increase in employee retirement.
Ms. Aker stated that the Board approved the addition of a Human Services Planner/Evaluator
during the May Board Meeting. This position is not part of the budget, but will be added at the
beginning of the fiscal year.
Ms. Aker reported the PH’s appropriated fund balance is a little more than normal. These funds
will be available to possibly cover some of deficits that PH will have this year during the
renovations.
Ms. Aker thanked Jill Williams and her Human Resources team for all of their hard work. She
stated she supports the presentation Ms. Williams gave at the beginning of the meeting. Public
Health, like many other departments, have pressure point positions, especially the Environmental
Health Specialist positions. Unfortunately, those positions are in high demand across the state
with not enough workers to complete the workload that is at hand. Anything that can be done to
help retain Randolph County’s dedicated employees, especially those that have been employed for
a long time, is much appreciated.
Commissioner McDowell asked where PH will find replacements for the vacancies they have
currently. Ms. Aker said that was a good question because there are not enough workers to go
around. The Environmental Specialist positions require a certain type of education and
certification, along with a centralized intern training which takes around three to four months to
complete. After training, they are required to do work in the field under supervision, and then
06/8/23
acquire multiple authorizations. It could take anywhere from six months to a year to get someone
trained, authorized, and working independently.
Soil & Water Conservation District (SW)
Carrie Slatosky, Board Member, thanked the Board for their continued service to the
community. On behalf of the Board and staff, they are able to serve the community and provide
“conservation things” to people who would otherwise not be able to achieve it. They really value
the relationship with the Board of Commissioners.
Ms. Slatosky stated they have had their fair share of retention challenges. She expressed public
appreciation to Kaitlyn Johnson for taking on the Soil and Water Department and running a one-
man show. She has done this very loyally and has done a very good job.
Kaitlyn Johnson, Department Head, said they are happy with the proposed budget and thanked
the Board for their support. The only increase they had was in the salaries line item which reflects
the reclassification of the Engineer position. This position will become a 40 hour per week position
and is currently being advertised.
Ms. Johnson said that they have received more stream debris money as well. The total stream
debris funds that will have been received will total $500,000.
Register of Deeds
Hal Johnson, County Manager, stated there is no increase in their budget.
Public Library (PL)
Ross Holt, Public Library Director, said they are happy with the Manager’s Proposed Budget
for the Library. It gives the Library everything they need to continue to serve the citizens of
Randolph County as well as their top priority, which is continuation of the Community Navigator
Program.
Mr. Holt shared several highlights and updates about where the Library stands, as well as the
latest on the Navigator Program. He also shared several comments from their 2023 Patron Survey.
Mr. Holt said that the Library’s performance measures are strong compared to last year. They
have seen an 8.4% increase in the number of items checked out, along with a 52% increase in the
number of visits. Program attendance has increased by 108%, which is a total of over 32,000
people. The mobile library has made 92 stops this past year, with 3,681 checkouts and welcomed
4,696 visitors.
Storywalks are now installed in Archdale, Franklinville, Liberty, Randleman, and Seagrove.
They expect these to be used heavily as they launch their summer reading program. The
Storywalks were funded with Federal Library Service and Technology Act grants through the State
Library of North Carolina. They have been notified that they will be receiving two additional
grants in the upcoming year as well.
06/8/23
One of the main goals this past year was bringing the Ramseur Library under County
operations. Mr. Holt shared several charts showing how the Ramseur Library is outperforming
other libraries in the County.
The Community Navigator Program continues to meet the goals of the Library, as well as
exceed expectations, and has become transformational, not just in people’s lives, but also in the
way the community addresses human service needs. This program received a National Association
of Counties Achievement Award. Mr. Holt thanked the staff, Angi Polito and Dana Nance, for
their continued success with this program. Since the program began in February 2022, they have
served 694 clients, with 66% of them being linked to services.
Mr. Holt shared a slide showing agencies, organizations, businesses, and individuals engaged
in the Navigators Program. The Community Navigators have been active in collaborating with
community groups that are addressing human service needs, and they have participated in many
community events throughout the County.
The Navigator Program, which will continue to be offered through the Library, has become so
valuable and is helping so many people. It is addressing many of the goals in the County’s
Strategic Plan that it is their number one priority for the FY23-24 budget request. The Library is
seeking a three-year extension of the program with continued funding from the Strategic Planning
Reserve at a cost of $162,473 per year for the two Navigators, including salaries/benefits, as well
as travel, training, and IT needs.
Mr. Holt encouraged the Board to look over the results of the 2023 Patron Survey. This survey
is a snapshot of how Randolph County citizens view the library and what it means to them.
Mr. Holt thanked the Board for their continued support of the Library.
Commissioner Haywood said that no matter what part of the County she travels, there is always
someone that will say something about the Navigator Program and how pleased they are at what a
void it has filled and how much they appreciate the innovative thinking. She said she enjoys seeing
the collaboration that takes place among other County departments. She stated that libraries are a
safe place for people to go that may need help.
Animal Services (AS)
Jonathan Moody, Animal Services Director, thanked the Board for their continued support. He
said the mission of Animal Services (AS) it to protect and advocate for companion animals in
need, and to build a humane community that promotes compassion and seeks to strengthen the
human-animal bond.
He reported that there are currently five animal control officers that cover the entire 790 square
miles of Randolph County, which is sectioned into zones. Due to AS not having enough officers,
they must continue to cover their area while out on calls. This is a concern due to the amount of
calls being received and increases in response times, which varies from 20-40 minutes depending
on call volume. Mr. Moody said that in 2019-2020 they received 2,629 calls. In 2022 until now,
they have received 3,891 calls and these numbers continue to increase.
06/8/23
Animal Control Offices respond to a lot of different type of calls including dangerous dog
investigations, cruelty cases, state law investigations, animal law violations, rabies reports,
abandoned animals, livestock issues, and various other calls. Not having enough officers puts the
general public and animals in danger. Turnover of staff is due to burnout.
Mr. Moody stated that the Shelter operations include the following:
Animal intakes – Handle all safe surrenders by owners, and process animals brought in by
animal control throughout the entire County
Cleaning – The entire shelter is cleaned throughout the day by animal care attendants
including medication management, blood drawing, and vet runs
Adoptions – The Adoption Center received animals from the Animal Shelter and offers
them for pet adoption. The Adoption Center provides educational visits to elementary
school classes, coordinates spaying and neutering of shelter animals, and welcomes
volunteers.
Mr. Moody reported that the 2022 to year-to-date number of animal intakes was 3,151. Due to
the unprecedented number of animals being taken in or surrendered, animal intake attendants have
a difficult time completing tasks. Economic hardships have led pet owners to surrender animals
they can no longer care for or feed.
Animal hoarding has also become more prevalent in the county. This is a growing concern
they have encountered over the recent months. The Justice System gives little to no punishment
or sanctions. This issue is not getting any better, leading to increased numbers in the shelter.
Unfortunately, with the increased volume of intakes, and the Department of Agriculture
constantly changing with rules, AS has increased rules and responsibilities they must follow.
Additional positions are needed to assist with the added workload.
Animal Services is constantly seeking outside funding and sources. AS was recently awarded
a grant from Best Friends in the amount of $156,000, which is the largest grant received to date
by AS. This grant was awarded to lower the cat euthanization numbers and to help with the Trap,
Neuter and Return (TNR) Program for spay and neuter. However, outsourcing of the
administration of the grant had to be done due to low staff.
Animal Services also receives donations from the public which allows them to keep costs down
in areas of their budget. Mr. Moody said that they have members of the community, along with
partner organizations, donate food for the animals.
Mr. Moody appreciates the collaboration with their Outreach Partnerships and programs which
include Adopt and Play, Asheboro Library Comic Con, JDRC, Veterans Services, American
Legion Post 81, Don’t Wait – Vaccinate, Happy Hills, and the RCSPCA.
Mr. Moody said that AS has operated under the same budget for the past several years. For
FY23-24, AS is requesting one full-time Animal Control Officer, a vehicle for this officer, and an
increase in gas money. AS is also requesting two part-time Animal Care Attendants.
06/8/23
Commissioner McDowell asked if AS had a lot of volunteers. Mr. Moody stated they have five
or six volunteers currently, and they continue to grow this program.
Commissioner McDowell asked what happens when the shelter is at max capacity. Mr. Moody
said they are not maxed out currently. They can house 100 dogs and 100 cats at the shelter. Mr.
Moody stated they try to say away from max capacity due to placing four animals per kennel. This
could lead to animals fighting creating more bills when they have to be treated by a veterinarian.
Commissioner Haywood congratulated Mr. Moody and AS on the positive press recently on
their collaboration with the Juvenile Day Reporting Center and their Tales to Tails reading
program. This program seems excellent for the animals and excellent for the youth involved.
Juvenile Day Reporting Center (JDRC)
Pam Resch, Juvenile Day Reporting Center Director, thanked the Board for allowing her to
come and speak. She acknowledged her staff that were in attendance and thanked them for their
service to JDRC.
Ms. Resch shared the organizational chart of JDRC with the Board. There are currently 15
employees in the department and those employees have multiple roles they complete on a daily
basis, which she explained.
Ms. Resch gave a brief history of JDRC. It became a County agency in 1999 and was funded
through Governor’s Crime Commission. In 2000/2001 JDRC became a strict regimented day
reporting center for youth suspended from school. She shared a chart that showed what JDRC
has looked like from 1999 to 2024, which included the staff numbers, number of programs offered,
and the number of youth who have been served over these years.
JDRC has always provided critical services that are free to youth, and have always provided
transportation to the participants in these programs. Most of the funding that JDRC receives comes
from grants either from Governor’s Crime Commission or Juvenile Crime Prevention.
Ms. Resch said that several changes have been made since she became the director in 2020/2021
to better serve youth in their programs. The addition of four new programs, grant funded through
Juvenile Crime Prevention, have been added. JDRC also obtained outside funding sources to assist
with their growing agency.
JDRC has been accepted into a pilot program for traffic teen court. The JDRC also
implemented more programming for their youth with the very first substance abuse support group
for juveniles in Randolph County. The Tales for Tails reading program was also implemented
recently with Animal Services. Youth are able to come into the shelter and read to animals. This
not only helps youth with their reading skills, it benefits the animals as well.
Ms. Resch said that in the proposed budget, JDRC is asking for two Part-time Case Managers
and one Part-time Transportation Aid to assist in their growing programs.
06/8/23
Commission Kidd asked Ms. Resch to expand on them having the only youth substance abuse
support group in the County. Ms. Resch said that in Randolph County there are adult support
groups for substance abuse, but none that are juvenile specific. Because JDRC is a licensed
treatment facility, and they provide assessments, treatment, and educational courses for youth, they
wanted to provide a support group for youth. She said their group not only supports the youth on
what it means to have substance addiction, but it also brings in the families of the youth in the
program so they can learn how to identify and support their child through the process.
Chairman Frye asked how many youth are in the substance abuse program. Ms. Resch said
they have received approximately 180 referrals so far that include juveniles with substance use.
They have conducted around 20 assessments this year to figure out what type of care is needed.
There are approximately 20 youth that attend the support groups on a weekly basis.
Chairman Frye asked if all of the referrals they receive are from the court system. Ms. Resch
said that law enforcement agencies are their number one referral source. Out of 1,500 referrals,
approximately 48 come from the Juvenile Court Systems. Ms. Resch stated that other referrals
come from schools, Social Services, mental health agencies, and parents.
Child Support Services (CSS)
Damon Brown, Child Support Director, said that his department is pleased with the Manager’s
budget and thanked Jill Williams, HR Director, Michael McKenzie and Crystal Hudson for their
assistance.
Chairman Frye asked Mr. Brown how long he has been employed with CSS since it became a
County department and separated from the state. Mr. Brown he was the Director when CSS
became part of the County in 2010. He said it has been much easier working with the County.
Planning & Zoning (PZ)
County Manager Hal Johnson reported there was no increase in the Planning and Zoning
Budget. This department is actively recruiting for the vacancy of the Planning and Zoning
Director.
Veterans Services (VS)
Elizabeth Wood, Veterans Services Officer, said that Veterans Services has continued to grow
and she recognized her staff in attendance. She said their mission is to help Randolph County
Veterans, dependents, and the public with all needs concerning Veterans Affairs. The office also
informs the public of the needs of Veterans. With a national accredited staff, they assist Veterans
in obtaining benefits from the Department of the VA federally, in state and locally. Veteran
Services is the voice of Randolph County Veterans. The goal is to stand apart from other county
veteran services by offering more than VA benefits.
Ms. Wood shared the statistical progression from the first quarter until now. Veteran Services
obtained $57,497,020 from the following VA benefits: compensation, pension, death indemnity
compensation, and survivor pension. They also received $28,748,510 for medical, education, and
burial.
06/8/23
With increasing their outreach with community events and the Pact Act, their office has had an
increase in claims. In addition to this, appointment times went from 24-48 hours to 5-7 business
days. This is not only due to growing demand, but also maintaining privacy with their Veterans
during appointments.
Ms. Wood stated that there has been a 20% increase in Federal dollars paid for Randolph
County Veterans.
Ms. Wood said they participated in 73 events, outreach, and home visits, with bedridden
Veterans, since July 13, 2022. With this significant increase, staff reached over 30 Randolph
County Veterans unaware of the services offered.
Ms. Wood shared a few of their community events which included Richard Childress Veteran
Coffee, Honor Guard Closet and Pantry Opening, Trinity Baptist Veteran Breakfast, Triad Honor
Flight, Rotary Club, Richard Petty “Ozzy Truck Project,” and the RCC Community and Campus
Resources Day.
Several of Veteran Services new accomplishments for FY 2023 include:
Patriot Paws – A program in collaboration with Animal Services to have Veterans
come into the shelter and make the animals more social and ready for adoption.
Peer Support Program – Rita Honeycutt completed this program and is now a
certified Peer Support Specialist with a Veteran designation.
A new system, VetPro, was implemented to file claims more efficiently. This
system offers digital signatures for those unable to travel.
th
A Vietnam Veterans Day breakfast was hosted by Veteran Services on March 29.
Veteran Services now has a Hall of Heroes in their office to honor Randolph County
Veterans.
Ms. Wood said that the Veterans Exchange Closet and Pantry officially opened on March 3,
2023, and had an estimated $2,000 - $3,000 in donated supplies. Since opening, 44 veterans have
been helped with food, clothing, medical equipment, and toiletries. There have been 14 volunteers
who have spent a total of 35 hours to help stock and sort the items in this space.
Ms. Wood explained why the Veteran Services Department is fundraising. They want to be a
step above and work hard to set the bar for what services offered should be, especially to Veterans.
They want to offer more than just claim paperwork. They want to assist with many different
programs to help Veterans get more than their monthly VA compensation benefits. All of the
programs offered are being funded through fundraising efforts. She said they currently have five
fundraising events planned.
Ms. Wood reported on the following future opportunities for Veteran Services:
• Stand Down – A one-day event to provide clothing, food, & health screenings to our
displaced and at-risk veterans. In addition, Veterans can also receive housing solutions,
employment, mental health & substance use counseling, and other essential services.
• Veteran Prison Program - This program is in development. Kenneth Harvel, Veteran
Service Officer, is working with Justin Mounts, Rowan County, and Lucas Vrbsky, the
06/8/23
Incarcerated Veteran Specialist for North Carolina. Justin is already implementing this
program in Rowan County to better serve incarcerated Veterans. He will be working with
Mr. Harvel on reentry as well as life sentence veterans. Mr. Harvel met with the prison
staff on June 6th to work on implementing this program.
• The Wall That Heals - A mobile Education Center and a three-quarter-scale replica of the
Vietnam Veterans Memorial travels offering tribute to the 58,281 men and women who
lost their lives in Vietnam and honors more than three million Americans who served
during this war.
Due to their continued to growth, Veteran Services is requesting the reclassification of Office
Administrative Assistant IV to an Accredited Veteran Service Officer assisting with VA benefits.
They are also requesting a part-time position that will focus on the front desk during their peak
hours of 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. or when the office is short staffed.
Ms. Wood thanked the Board for their time and giving her the opportunity to present.
Commissioner Haywood said good work in the Veterans Service Office for serving the
Veterans of Randolph County.
Chairman Frye inquired about the fundraising they are doing and asked if they had received
any complaints about it. Ms. Wood said they have not. She said they have several fundraisers
coming up and wanted to make the Board aware.
Adult Day Reporting Center (ADRC)
Hal Johnson, County Manager, said there was no increase in this budget.
Tax (TX)
Debra Hill, Tax Administrator, said as a citizen of Randolph County she thanked the Board for
all they do and their good stewardship of tax money. She thanked the Board for their support as a
Department Head as well.
Ms. Hill said that they are requesting a Real Property Appraiser position that is needed for the
growth that the Tax Department is having. In the Archdale/Trinity area there are an expected
1,200 new homes planned. Growth is also expected in the Northwest part of the County that will
come from the Megasite, as well as all other growth across Randolph County.
Commissioner McDowell said that he has spoken with several different people and he has heard
good things about the Randolph County Tax Department. He said that one gentleman expressed
his compliments to Ms. Hill being helpful, cordial, and very nice.
Chairman Frye said he had spoken recently with one of the E&R Board Members regarding the
revaluation appeals. It appears to be a trend in all of the appeals with manufactured homes. Ms.
Hill said, that is correct. She said they have seen a surge in the values of the market trend for
manufactured housing and it has increased.
06/8/23
Commissioner McDowell asked how many appeal cases have they had and how many they
anticipate at this point. Ms. Hill said citizens had until May 19, 2023 to appeal. At this time there
were approximately 2,600 applications, however, this does not include informal appeals already
approved.
Information Technology (IT)
RJ Williamson, IT Director, thanked the Board for their continued support and consideration
of all of the technology services and initiatives in the County. He also thanked his staff for their
continued hard work in the IT Department.
Mr. Williamson said that the proposed County Manager’s Budget for IT is sufficient for the
upcoming year. He pointed out that the price of everything has gone up over the past several years
in costs, including hardware and software costs. These prices have leveled out currently and
hopefully will hold true for a while.
Mr. Williamson stated they have requested an additional position for the upcoming budget year
for a Public Safety Support Analysist. The public safety system in Randolph County is one of the
more critical enterprise systems. It is not only used by the Sheriff’s Office; EMS, it is also used
by every first responder and life safety agency in the County. Just from March 2022, there was a
measured increase of 2,074 additional support hours worked by current IT staff, with 2,080 hours
being a normal load for a full-time employee. The majority of these hours were spent on public
safety support.
Chairman Frye asked how safe Randolph County was in regards to cyber-attacks and hackings.
Mr. Williamson said the County is as safe as it can be. Funds that were approved in previous
budget years have been focused on cyber initiatives. Mr. Williamson said that Randolph County
averages a little over 30,000 malware attempts per week outside of the network.
Commissioner McDowell asked where are most intrusions coming from. Mr. Williamson said
they come from different places. The IT Department has certain blocking mechanisms in place
that block certain areas that Randolph County would never interact with, however most of the
intrusions that the County receives are just common internet intrusions.
Commissioner McDowell asked what foreign countries have intrusions come from. Mr.
Williamson said the greatest threats are coming from Russia, Ukraine, China, or some partially or
totally communist countries.
Hal Johnson, County Manager, stated that Randolph County has programs for every employee
to be trained on cyber awareness and security. Each employee must pass a test on cyber security.
If they do not pass, the employee’s computer is shut down until the test is passed.
Commissioner Kidd asked if all of the GIS was under IT. Mr. Williamson said it was. A
mandatory GIS update was completed in January 2023. Mr. Williamson said that once the update
was complete, he asked other County Departments as well as outside agencies to give input on
Randolph County GIS. He stated he was pleased with the outcome from the feedback received
and GIS was much better than it was before.
06/8/23
Elections (EL)
Melissa Kirstner, Director of Elections, thanked the Board, County coworkers, those that have
assisted them for all of their support, as well as the County voters over the years. She recognized
Mary Joan Pugh, who sits on their Board and thanked her for being in attendance.
Ms. Kirstner stated Elections was please with their budget. The budget request, from year to
year, may vary in what is requested depending on what type of elections they must conduct as well
as the resources required for each one. The budget request for FY23-24 does include an increase
due to funding needed for three elections. It also includes a modest pay increase for both election
day and early voting workers.
Ms. Kirstner said that Elections Offices are facing great scrutiny and questioning of local
processes and integrity. Concerns for the safety of voters and staff, multiple election law changes,
and a lack of resources in many cases, reflect the need to implement these changes. In 2022,
Randolph County had the largest number of registered voters in history, which was 96,000 people.
An increase in voter registration requires more resources.
Ms. Kirstner said some of their greatest challenges in Randolph County are recruiting, retaining,
and training enough precinct officials, especially those with computer knowledge. Other
challenges consist of securing and maintaining safe, compliant voting sites and providing secure
updated voting equipment to ensure accurate and accessible elections. Training and educating
these workers and voters about photo ID requirements and new election law changes and processes
will also be challenging.
The Randolph County Elections Proposed Budget includes a pay increase for precinct officials
to help find and keep them and to bring their pay closer to those of surrounding and comparable
counties. Ms. Kirstner reported they held their very first poll worker appreciation event recently.
On June 20, 2023, Elections will hold a poll worker recruitment fair and an open house event.
Ms. Kirstner said that the safety and security of Elections is also a concern. Not only have they
taken initiatives towards safety and security of their poll workers and the elections process to be
more secure, they are also partnering with some Federal agencies to conduct a security audit over
operations and will make needed changes. Ms. Kirstner stated strives are being made to educate
the citizens, media, and workers of the upcoming elections.
Chairman Frye asked how voter ID will be handled. Ms. Kirstner said in 2016 they required
ID and it went smoothly. She said they will have several voters that do not have ID, but they have
ways to work around the issue and allow them to vote, it will take education. She said the new
law that was implemented this year does require people who vote by mail to send in a photo ID.
Ms. Kirstner also said that voters can complete a form stating why they do not have an ID. As
long as it meets the state requirements and is signed by the voter, they will able to vote.
Vice-Chairman Allen asked what the wage is for poll workers. Ms. Kirstner said Chief Judges
are paid $150 per election day. She said the levels go down by $25. Ms. Kirstner stated that a few
years ago early voting workers were only paid minimum wage. There will be a few supervisors’
06/8/23
pay that will go from $10 per hour to $13 per hour; and all of the other workers would go from
$8.50 per hour to $11 per hours.
Commissioner McDowell asked if the Election Day workers were counted as employees. Ms.
Kirstner said that anyone that works early voting is brought on as a part-time employee. Anyone
that works election day is not brought on as an actual employee, they are just paid a flat fee.
Cooperative Extension (CE)
Kenny Sherin, County Extension Director, gave his report by highlighting each of his staff
members. He also thanked Justin Brubaker and Michael McKenzie with the Finance Office for
their assistance.
Mr. Sherin stated that CE has proposed an increase in their budget for gas expenses and a Digital
Skills position using ARPA funds. There is also a request for a new truck in the Proposed Budget
to replace one which has a faulty engine.
Mr. Sherin said that they are looking to reclassify the 4-H Assistant position. Currently, the
employee in this position has had added job responsibilities which include programming,
education, and research.
Building Inspections (BI)
On behalf of David Bryant, Director, Brian Heilig, Building Inspector, stated they are pleased
with the County Manager’s Budget. He said that Mr. Bryant wanted him to mention how important
it is to retain experienced employees, especially Level III Inspectors. With Toyota, only Level III
Inspectors are able to inspect their facilities.
Public Buildings
Robert Cross, Director, thanked the Board for their support and said he was happy with their
Proposed Budget. The Public Buildings Budget reflects a slight increase due to the increase in
supplies and gas.
Mr. Cross stated that a vehicle is needed in the Public Buildings Department. The one they
have currently was refurbished from the Fire Marshalls Office, but will need to be replaced soon.
Mr. Cross thanked Jill Williams, HR Director, and her team members for all they have done to
assist them.
Public Works (PW)
Paxton Arthurs, County Engineer, said he is asking for a slight increase in the Public Works
budget reflecting an increase in revenue for the solid waste sales taxes and for the cell tower rent.
Mr. Arthurs said he is happy with the Proposed Budget and thanked the Board for their support.
Administration (AD)
06/8/23
Will Massie, Assistant County Manager/Finance Officer, reported that Michael McKenzie has
filled the position of Reporting Specialist that was added July 2022. Mr. McKenzie has provided
a lot of assistance with the budget process and he thanked him for all of his hard work.
The Administration Budget has two items to note. One is the Strategic Program Coordinator
Position that will provide technical assistance to departments. The other is the increased insurance
costs that had an effect on repairs to vehicles and rebuilding or fixing damaged buildings.
Randolph County has participation in the Association of County Commissioners Risk Group, so
worker’s comp is doing really well, but the property liability increased by about 15%. This is the
big increase in the Administration operating costs.
Vice-Chairman Allen asked if the increase was due to storms globally. Mr. Massie referenced
the Canadian Forest Fires, as well as those that happened in California, and from what he
understands State Farm is not picking up any new residential policies because they have assessed
their risks and they do not want to take them.
Adjournment
At 8:53 p.m., on motion of Kidd , seconded by McDowell, the Board voted unanimously to
adjourn.
________________________________ ________________________________
Darrell Frye, Chairman David L. Allen
________________________________ _________________________________
Kenny Kidd Maxton McDowell
________________________________ _________________________________
Hope Haywood Jenny Parks, Deputy Clerk to the Board
06/8/23