061404June 14, 2004
The Randolph County Board of Commissioners met in special budget session at 5:30 p.m. in the
Commissioners Meeting Room, County Office Building, 725 McDowell Road, Asheboro, NC.
Commissioners Holmes, Frye, Davis, Kemp, and Mason were present.
Budget Presentations
Chairman Holmes announced that any department head satisfied with his/her budget could leave.
Others were welcome to stay to discuss their budgets as proposed by the County Manager.
Sheriff and Jail
Major Allen McNeill stated that the County Manager is recommending almost everything that the
Sheriff s Department had requested except for 4 new patrol officer and 1 new records clerk positions. He
said that other than COPS grant positions, the last time that the Board had approved new patrol officers
was 1999; 6 were approved at that time. The last records clerk position approved was in 1998 when the
concealed weapons permitting program was established. Major McNeill urged the Board to reinstate these
5 much needed positions. He mentioned that if the patrol officer positions were approved, they could
delay hiring for a month in order to afford the cost of equipping and outfitting (excluding vehicle costs)
these new officers. He said that they would somehow "find" cars for them; it might be possible to
purchase 1 vehicle with some Homeland Security Grant funds. He said the growing population of this
county means more calls to respond to, more paperwork documenting those calls, and more civil papers to
serve. He mentioned that the Sheriffs Office pulls Courthouse security deputies from the Courthouse
whenever they can. He said that since there was no court this week, 9 of these officers were being utilized
in other areas.
R.K. Paul, a citizen, spoke in support of the need for additional patrol officers. He said that it was
the role of government to protect the lives and property of its citizens. He also discussed the drug
problems here in Randolph County.
Mike Pringle, a citizen residing in Liberty's Run Subdivision, said that there had been a rash of
break-ins in his neighborhood recently. One "barking dog" 911 call from a neighbor took 1 hour and 17
minutes before a patrol officer responded. He said that the dog was barking at a person (a possbile
intruder) in a neighbor's back yard. He said that the Sheriffs Department desperately needed more
officers.
Deputy Charles Ratcliffe said that when this particular "barking dog" call came in all officers in
all zones were busy with other calls. They got to the "barking dog" call as quickly as possible.
Other Budget Discussions and Adiournment
The Board briefly discussed other various proposed appropriations and then adjourned at 6:57
p.m.
J. Harold Holmes, Chairman
Phil Kemp
Robert O. Mason
Darrell L. Frye
Robert B. Davis
Cheryl Ivey, Deputy Clerk to the Board