) STOKES COUNTY GOVERNMENT
COUNTY OF STOKES ) DANBURY, NORTH CAROLINA
) JUNE 14, 2007
The Board of
Commissioners of the County of Stokes, State of North Carolina, met
for a Budget Work Session regarding the Proposed Fiscal Year 2007-08
County Budget in the
Commissioners Chambers of the Ronald Wilson Reagan Memorial Building
(Administrative
Building) located in Danbury, North Carolina on Thursday, June 14, 2007
at 2:00 pm with the
following members present:
Chairman
Leon Inman
Vice-Chairman
Jimmy Walker
Commissioner Ron
Carroll
Commissioner
Ernest Lankford
Commissioner
Stanley Smith
County
Personnel in Attendance:
County Manager K. Bryan Steen
Clerk
to the Board Darlene Bullins
Finance Director
Julia Edwards
Chairman Leon Inman called the meeting to
order.
Vice Chairman Walker delivered the invocation.
Chairman Inman opened
the meeting by inviting the citizens in attendance to
join the Board with the Pledge of Allegiance.
Budget Work
Session
County Manager Bryan
Steen presented the Board as requested at the June 12th budget
work session a proposed budget with a $.60 tax rate and a proposed
budget with a $.62 tax rate.
Manager Steen noted
the following items in the proposed budgets:
·
Proposed budget with a $.60 tax rate
o
Ad Valorem Taxes = $18,619,330
o
Hold Harmless appropriation for expenditures =
$1,680,710
o
Fund Balance from Hold Harmless = $138,387
o
Expenditure
Reductions/Elimination
§ Contingency-
Personnel Cost = $100,000 proposed original budget allocated $300,000
§ Environmental
Health Overtime Pay = $7,764
§ Finance File
Cabinet =$1,850
§ Governing Body
Defibrillators (2) = $3,344
§ Health Department
Exam Tables = $2,225
§ Parks Zero Turn
Lawnmower = $5,500
§ Public Buildings
E911- Building Roof = $16,500
§ Public Buildings
Ice Guards/Booth Mtn. =$6,000
§ Public Buildings
Courtroom C = $100,000
§ Register of Deeds
Additional Hours P/Time = $2,223
§ DSS Social
Worker II Adult Services = $34,871
§ Superior Court
Furniture =$3,000
§ Solid Waste
Green Boxes =$13,100
§ Total Decrease -
$296,377
§ $1,587 Change due
to RGP Transportation Funding
·
Proposed budget with a $.62 tax rate
o
Ad Valorem Taxes = $19,239,975
o
Hold Harmless appropriation for expenditures =
$1,060,065
o
Fund Balance from Hold Harmless = $759,03287
o
Expenditure
Reductions/Elimination
§ Contingency-
Personnel Cost = $100,000
§ Environmental
Health Overtime Pay = $7,764
§ Finance File
Cabinet =$1,850
§ Governing Body
Defibrillators (2) = $3,344
§ Health Department
Exam Tables = $2,225
§ Parks Zero Turn
Lawnmower = $5,500
§ Public Buildings
E911- Building Roof = $16,500
§ Public Buildings
Ice Guards/Booth Mtn. =$6,000
§ Public Buildings
Courtroom C = $100,000
§ Register of Deeds
Additional Hours P/Time = $2,223
§ DSS Social
Worker II Adult Services = $34,871
§ Superior Court
Furniture =$3,000
§ Solid Waste
Green Boxes =$13,100
§ Total Decrease -
$296,377
§ $1,587 Change due
to RGP Transportation Funding
The Board discussed the following items
regarding the proposed $.60 tax rate budget
submitted by Manager Steen:
·
Hold Harmless allocation
·
Contingency Personnel Cost reduction from $300,000
·
Ad Valorem Tax revenue
·
Revenue changes due to elimination of DSS Social
Worker
·
Estimated Fund Balance projection probably no
substantial increase with a $.60 tax rate
·
Fund Balance allocation in 2006-07 = $303,680
·
Disappearance of hold harmless revenue projected in
2012-2013
·
Proposed Election Director trainee position
·
Contingency = Personnel Cost
·
Reductions and eliminations included in the
proposed budget
·
Future Bond referendum for school construction
along with Countys current bond rating
The Board discussed fund balance appropriation
from Hold Harmless revenue in
order to get ready for future bond referendum for schools.
Chairman Inman noted
the significant changes would have to be made to the proposed
$.60 tax rate budget if additional expenditures were added.
Finance Director Julia
Edwards noted a recent conversation with Local Government
Commission (LGC) in which LGC noted that the fund balance needed to be
at least 50% of the
average of comparable counties.
The current average of counties is 27%; therefore, the
Countys fund balance should be at least 13-14%. LGC also noted that the County would
need to sit down with LGC to further discuss the issue.
The Board discussed school capital outlay,
school current expense, E911 ice guards
for building roof, and renovation to Courtroom C.
Chairman Inman polled
the Board regarding their thoughts about Hold Harmless
appropriation to Fund Balance:
·
Commissioner Carroll = approximately $800,000
·
Chairman Inman = approximately $300,000 - $400,000
·
Vice Chairman Walker = approximately $300,000 -
$350,000
·
Commissioner Lankford = approximately $420,000
·
Commissioner Smith = approximately $500,000
The Board discussed proposed budget items:
E911 ice guards for building and the
renovations for Courtroom C.
The Board discussed
the proposed budget items: Contingency Personnel Costs
original proposed budget = $300,000, COLA, and salary schedule study.
Commissioners Lankford
and Carroll both stated the proposed studys intention is
to bring parity to the current system fair and equitable. The proposed budget allocation
would be used to implement the study.
Vice Chairman Walker expressed the need to
have a professional neutral objective salary
classification/compensation study performed before
any salary schedule is implemented.
Commissioner Carroll reiterated the proposed study will
be a set standards used to determine salaries when hiring, promoting,
demoting, etc. that will be
fair and equitable to all employees.
Chairman Inman
suggested the Board possibly consider a one-time bonus for
employees.
Chairman Inman
directed Commissioners to have any concerns ready for discussion for
the next work session on Monday, June 18th.
The Board continued
discussion regarding the following:
Emergency
Medical Services
§ Increase in Part
time wages due to historical data
§ Wireless charges
for EKG transmittal to ERs
§ M & R to
Equipment no vehicle currently available that would not have to have
immediate modifications to the unit
§ $56,000 allocation
in capital reserve for major repairs- if not used it will remain in capital
reserve for future purchase of a new ambulance currently having issues with
the motors in the recent purchased Ford ambulances
§ Current EMS fees
§ Convalescent care
·
Reducing M&R for auto to $30,000
Economic Development
§ Possible putting
$100,000 in Economic Development
Environmental Health
§ Part time
overtime to be used to help reduce waiting time for citizens requesting a
permit
§ Vacant position
Finance Department
§ Bank Charges
credit card services certain departments accept credit card payments
Governing Body
o
Dues and subscriptions
o
Retirees insurance
Commissioner Carroll recommended that the
Board meet with the Fire Commission
regarding their recommendations for the Fire Service District Budget.
The Board discussed
the request to meet with the Fire Commission at a future budget
work session.
Commissioner Carroll
moved to schedule a time to meet with the Fire Commission
regarding their budget recommendation for the Fire Service
District. Commissioner Smith
seconded the motion. The Board
further discussed inviting the Fire Commission to the next
budget work session to discuss the Fire Service District. The motion failed 2-3 with Chairman
Inman, Vice Chairman Walker, and Commissioner Lankford voting against
the motion.
Adjournment
There being no further
business to come before the Board, Chairman Inman
entertained a motion to adjourn the budget work session.
Commissioner Lankford moved to adjourn the
budget work session. Vice Chairman
Walker seconded and the motion carried unanimously.
_________________________
_____________________________
Darlene M.
Bullins J. Leon Inman
Clerk to the
Board Chairman