061493RAND0LPH COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
June 14, 1993 Minutes
The Randolph County Board of Commissioners met in special budget session at
2:00 p.m. on June 14, 1993, in the Commissioners Meeting Room, 725 McDowell
Road, Asheboro, NC. Commissioners Frye, Kemp, Langley, Petty and Comer were
present.
Randolph County Schools
Worth Hatley, Interim Superintendent, highlighted their budget. He noted
that energy costsare up significantly this year because the state has ceased
funding this.expenseand continue to rise as they air condition more schools. Six
schools are fully air conditioned and three more will be added next year. They
are recommending that the Archdale/Trinity School District tax rate be set at
8.5(,,.
Dennis Farlow, Chairman of the Board of Education, said they are putting
more emphasis on computers and technology because, beginning this year, 8th
graders will receive standardized testing in technology.
Commissioner Kemp asked where funds will come from to pay expenses related
to the suspension of Superintendent Fleetwood and his lawsuit against the Board
of Education. Commissioner Frye asked how much money has been paid out to date
as a result of paying two superintendents and if a settlement has been offered.
Mr. Farlow stated that the new budget does not include any funds for a
settlement and that funds for a contract settlement would have to come from
their unappropriated fund balance. To date they have spent $21,460 extra in
salary by having two superintendents and they have spent $6,600 in attorney
fees. Their insurance will pay all regular attorney fees and$1,2.50,000 for
litigation. The Open Meetings lawsuit does not carry monetary damages, only
legal fees.- Any contract settlement would not be covered by insurance. Mr.
Farlow said that a resolution of the problem must be made by July 1, 1993.
Mr. Hatley noted that the $25,703 increase in Administration is not related
to the settlement. He also explained that the new line item for travel is a
result of their doing away with the leased car arrangement. Also, costs related
to underground storage tanks have -increased dramatically.
Chairman Frye stated that it is important for the Board of Education to
keep'the Commissioners advised of new developments or decisions relevant to the
superintendent situation, including all information on a settlement and its
impact on their budget. He noted that the meeting today is the first
opportunity the Commissioners have had to get any information or to ask any
questions on this issue. Mr. Frye said the Commissioners have to answer to the
public on how money is spent on County Schools. He said there had been some
criticism that the Commissioners had misappropriated $1,000,000 of County
Schools capital funds and that this is not true. School officials understood
that this amount of their capital funding would be applied to debt service for
school bonds.
Asheboro City Schools
Dr. Bob Gordon, Superintendent, said that full local funding for energy
costs has significantly increased their expenses. All schools except two will
be air conditioned this year. He said that there is not enough in local funds
for technology to prepare students for new state competency testing. Dr. Gordon
asked that their school tax rate be set at 14.5G rather than the 12.5G requested
earlier because of the revised tax base figures provided by the County Tax
Department.
Commissioner Kemp asked where Asheboro City Schools fall statewide in per
pupil expenditures. Dr. Gordon said we are 59th in state funding, 112th in
federal funding, and 34 in local funding.
Randolph Community College
Eddie Allen, Board of Trustees, and Dr. Larry Linker, President, discussed
the need for the college to build a capital reserve fund for an allied health
and science building. They requested $500,000 in the 93-94 budget for this; the
County Manager has recommended $250,000. Dr. Linker said there is strong
support in the General Assembly for a state bond referendum for such
construction, but no decision has been reached yet. State money would require
local matching funds.
911
Neil Allen, Emergency Services Director, stated that the first phase of 911
was completed on time and on budget. He discussed the second phase, which
involves computer-aided dispatch (CAD), which should be completed.by June, 1994.
The large increase in salaries for this budget reflectsthe absorption of 9
additional employees from the Sheriff's Department and the Asheboro Police
Department. Map books with all new county street names are almost ready to be
distributed to every emergency vehicle in the county.
Emergency Services
Mr. Allen noted that plans for refurbishing some ambulances instead of
doing remounts will save a significant amount of money. The, Fire Marshal's
budget includes a new vehicle, which is needed because of the new mandated
inspections countywide. All 3 vehicles in this unit have excessive mileage, but
they plan to replace only one each year. Mr.. Allen said that the new Randleman
Ambulance Base is on an excellent site'and has been very successful in helping
to cut down response time. He explained how, through reorganization, this
department has been able to operate an additional base without increasing the
number of employees. A second unit in Asheboro.operates only at peak times now
instead of 24 hours a day.
Fire Districts
Mr. Allen stated that it is difficult for him or his staff to analyze fire
departments' proposed budgets or to make recommendations on their requested tax
rates. He said they are private, non-profit organizations headed by their own
boards who are familiar with their particular needs. Most fire departments
requested the same rate as last year, even though revaluation will increase
their tax base. Guil-Rand asked for a .7G decrease and. Bennett requested a 3G
increase. Mr. Allen said that the 92-93 budget funded 76.5% of fire department
budgets; the 93-94 requested rate would fund them at 93.5%.
Chairman Frye noted that these budgets were presented by boards who are
elected by and accountable to their community.
Roger Ring, Farmer Fire Department, said they would have asked for a
significant rate increase this year if not for revaluation.
Darrell Voncannon, Seagrove Fire Department, said they presented and
adopted their new budget at their annual meeting on April 5. He expressed
concern over the many new physical and budgetary demands and requirements for
volunteer fire fighters, including the extensive training, hepatitis shots, OSHA
regulations, and infection control and blood-borne pathogen policies.
Mamie Maness, Westside Fire Department, stated that they need to keep
their rate the same because they are planning to purchase a new fire truck,
which will be in excess of $250,000, and because they are adding a full-time
firefighter position. This new employee will be involved in activities to lower
the fire rating in additional portions of the district.
Chairman Frye questioned why insurance is so high and why debt service and
capital outlay are up for Bennett. No one from Bennett Fire Department was
present to answer any questions. Chairman Frye also noted that Sophia has a.low
tax base and has no area to expand into.
Budget Discussion
Frank Willis, County Manager, explained that the revised estimates for tax
base have created a shortfall in his proposed budget. He has balanced it in two
ways: use a tax rate of 46.5G and increase revenue projections or increase the
tax rate to 46.6. He said the only way to fund some of the schools' energy
costs would be to increase the tax rate to 47�.
The Board discussed the County Schools' current lawsuit and how it could
take money away from other needed areas such as energy costs.
Neil Allen gave Commissioners information he had just received concerning
their earlier questions on the Bennett Fire Department. Last year Bennett did
not report any of the revenue it received from Chatham County, where the
majority of the district is. This skewed some of their figures.
The Board recessed at 6:00 p.m.
Public Hearing on Budget and Home & Community Care Block Grant
The meeting reconvened at 7:30 p.m. for a duly advertised public hearing on
the 93-94 budget and on the Home & Community Care Block Grant.
Candie Rudzinski introduced herself as the Executive Director for the
Randolph County Senior Adults Association and Chairperson of the Randolph County
Aging Services Planning Committee. Ms. Rudzinski stated that she was presenting
the Home & Community Care Block Grant funding recommendation totaling
$331,320 and handed out copies of DOA -731 County Funding Plan -County Services
Summary.
The money would go to the following agencies for the services specified:
Randolph County Senior Adults Association ($223,479) to provide adult day care,
care management, information and referral/case assistance, general
transportation, medical transportation, congregate nutrition and home delivered
meals; Regional Consolidated Services ($69,806) to provide in-home aide services
(level 1,2,3)) and minor home improvement and repair; and Randolph County
Department of Social Services ($38,033) to provide in-home aide services (level
1,2).
Programs experiencing increases include adult day care, which includes
daily transportation costs and overhead costs; medical transportation, which
includes salary adjustments and additional service provision; and all Randolph
County Senior Adults Association programs, which reflect salary and fringe
benefits as approved by the Board of Directors.
Chairman Frye invited comments from the audience and no one spoke. He
temporarily closed the public hearing so the Board could take action on this
funding plan.
On motion of Petty, seconded by Kemp, the Board voted to approve the Home &
Community Care Block Grant funding recommendation of $331,320 as presented.
Chairman Frye reopened the public hearing and highlighted the recommended
93-94 budget. He then invited comments and questions on the budget.
Edith Coltrane asked how much money this budget is allocating for the
Piedmont Triad Regional Water Authority.
Chairman Frye explained that $500,000 is allocated but that only a portion
of that will actually be issued to the Authority during.the year. The remaining
funds will be held in a capital reserve fund which is being built up to pay.for
Randolph County's allotment of. 6 -million gpd when the Randleman Dam project is
completed.
Alan Horton of Burlington urged the Board to withdraw from the Authority
and to oppose the Randleman Dam project. Mr. Horton read portions of a position
paper he said Darrell Frye wrote 11 years ago opposing this project. He said
that there is new evidence of contamination of the Deep River from High Point
sewage and from their landfill. He said that Seaboard Chemical Company was
allowed to place hazardous chemical ponds 1000' from this project's water
source. He also stated that Black & Veatch's water quality model used in
testing Deep River's water was flawed. He said that Burlington has a 48 million
gpd water source, Lake McIntosh, and is using only 10 million; Greensboro could
purchase water from Burlington.
Chairman Frye stated that most of the issues addressed in the paper quoted
by Mr. Horton no longer exist. Also, it was a Corps of Engineers project at
that time. It has been scaled back from 12,000 acres to 6,000 and displacement
of families has gone from 600 to 200. Seaboard is going to be cleaned up. Lake
McIntosh does not have enough water for Greensboro and does not address the
water needs of the 5 other governments in the Authority. He assured Mr. Horton
that all information given tonight will be shared with the Authority.
Vance Allred, 204 Isabell St., Greensboro, Sierra Club Conservation
Chairman, said he disapproves of this project and recommends that Randolph
County withhold its funding for the Authority this fiscal year subject to the
disposition of a court case and evaluation by EPA. He said the Sierra Club has
a lengthy document opposing this project that they are submitting to EPA.
Chairman Frye said that all concerns regarding this project will be taken
seriously but that by being a part of the Authority, the Commissioners have more
input and receive more information regarding the project.
The meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m.