) STOKES COUNTY GOVERNMENT
COUNTY OF STOKES ) DANBURY, NORTH CAROLINA
) MARCH 11, 2010
The Board of
Commissioners of the County of Stokes, State of North Carolina, met
for a Goals Session in the Commissioners’ Chambers of the Ronald Wilson
Reagan
Memorial Building (Administration Building) located in Danbury, North
Carolina on Thursday,
March 11, 2010 at 10:30 am with the following members present:
Chairman Jimmy
Walker
Vice Chairman Ernest
Lankford
Commissioner J.
Leon Inman
Commissioner Ron
Carroll
Commissioner
Stanley Smith
County
Personnel in Attendance:
County
Manager K. Bryan Steen
Clerk
to the Board Darlene Bullins
Finance
Director Julia Edwards
Chairman Jimmy Walker called the meeting to
order and delivered the invocation.
Chairman Walker opened
the meeting by inviting the citizens in attendance to join the
Board with the Pledge of Allegiance.
GENERAL
GOVERNMENT – GOVERNING BODY – APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Chairman Walker entertained a motion to
approve or amend the March 11, 2010
Agenda.
Commissioner Inman moved to approve the March 11,
2010 Agenda as presented.
Commissioner Smith seconded and the motion carried unanimously.
Requested
Information
Chairman Walker noted
the following requested information which had been provided by
staff:
·
Stokes County Recreation Department – Statistical
information regarding programs and number of participants
·
Convalescent Transports – Statistical information
submitted by Emergency Services Director Monty Stevens
·
Financial Report as of 02-28-2010
·
Sales Tax for Fiscal Year 2009-10
·
Debt Schedule as of 06-30-2010
·
Debt for Fiscal Year 2009-10 through 2029-2030
The Board briefly discussed the information
from EMS Director Stevens and the
prior recreational budgets.
Discussion
Regarding Specific 2009 Goals
Vice Chairman Lankford
commented about a 2009 goal which was to pursue grant funding
from the Golden Leaf Foundation and to his knowledge no application has
been submitted by
Stokes County.
Commissioner Inman
noted that the EDC has been very active trying to pursue any grants
available especially from the Golden Leaf Foundation. Commissioner Inman noted one item that
hurts the County in obtaining grants is the tier designation – Tier 2.
Chairman Walker noted
the available grant funding from PARTF for recreational needs
and the fact that Stokes County has received very little funding from
PARTF.
The Board discussed
the need for Stokes County to try to obtain any available grant
funding.
County Manager Steen
noted the need for a Recreational Master Plan which Economic
Development Director Alan Wood presented to the Board at the regular
March 8th meeting.
The Board discussed the need for a Land Use
Plan that designates growth areas,
commercial development areas, rural/residential areas, Voluntary
Agriculture Districts, etc.
Commissioner Inman noted a Land Use Plan will provide a plan that
allows Stokes County to
continue to grow as a county while still maintaining the rural, natural
beauty, and heritage
of the county. Vice Chairman
Lankford noted the Planning Board could start with the
existing Land Use Plan under the Zoning Ordinance with Planning
Director Sudderth initiating
the process.
The Board started
discussion regarding the following items:
(Board unanimously agreed all of the 2009 Survival Goals should be
included in the 2010 goals)
(Quality Cost Effective services)
· Continue expenditures and revenues review
· Minimize mileage on county vehicles (place mileage sheet in all county vehicles)
· Assess county vehicles being driven home by county employees
· Employee sharing in all departments, especially those departments associated with the current economic status
· Meet with Department Heads for suggestions for cutting cost
· Hiring freeze/selective hiring (any hiring must be approved by the BOCC)
· Control Comp. Time in all departments
· Look into imaging process to make departments more efficient
· Focus on eliminating any unnecessary spending, spending will be the key this year and next year just as the County has done during the past two years
· No funding being borrowed for recurring expenses, just capital needs
· Identify salary options
§ First, look at eliminating only the bonus with salary schedule still intact
§ Second, eliminate longevity increases
§ Third, impose a salary freeze
§ Fourth, reduce work hours
Chairman Walker noted agencies who have had to
cut services due to cuts from the
State such as JCPC. Vice
Chairman Lankford noted Stokes Partnership received funding cuts last
year and projections are funding will be cut again this year. Chairman Walker questioned the
county allocating a one-time emergency allocation to those type agencies
during this crisis period.
Chairman Walker
requested Finance Director Julia Edwards to briefly hit the highlights
of the financial information provided to the Board:
|
Financial Report |
||||
|
Total Available Cash |
$ 19,389,520.07 |
As of 02-28-2010 |
||
|
Ad Valorem Taxes |
$ 19,538,656.14 |
As of 02-28-2010 |
||
|
Ad Valorem Taxes |
$ 19,740,273.00 |
As of 03-10-2010 |
||
|
Remaining Ad Valorem Taxes |
$ 962,004.00 |
Remaining budget to collect |
||
|
Total Collection of Taxes |
$ 20,255,659.33 |
As of 02-28-2010 |
||
|
1 Cent Sales Tax |
$
675,838.89 |
As of 12-31-2009 |
||
|
1/2 Cent Sales Tax Article 40 |
$ 730,102.19 |
As of 12-31-2009 |
||
|
1/2 Cent Sales Tax Article 42 |
$ 327,937.53 |
As of 12-31-2009 |
||
|
1/2 Cent Sales Tax Article 44 |
$ 100,665.38 |
As of 12-31-2009 (sunsets this fiscal year) |
||
|
DSS Revenues (two mths behind) |
55.23% |
collected |
||
|
Health Dept. Rev. (one mth behind) |
54.57% |
collected |
||
|
Register of Deeds Revenues |
Slightly
down |
|||
|
Interest on Investments |
Down |
|||
|
Expenditures |
$ 22,165,558.36 |
As of 02-28-2010 |
||
|
Revenues |
$ 30,931,390.41 |
As of 02-28-2010 |
||
|
Revenues over Expenditures |
$ 8,765,832.05 |
As of 02-28-2010 |
||
|
Quarterly Reviews will be done |
In
April |
3rd Quarter Review |
||
|
Fund Balance as of
06-30-2009 |
21.67% |
|
||
Sales Tax 56.13 % collected with the January
Payment
The
Board discussed the following revenue losses/expenditure increases/debt
services for fiscal year
2010-11:
· Sales Tax Revenue Projections– F/Y 2009-10 = $3,799,000.00
· Sales Tax Revenue Projections – F/Y 2010-11 = $3,000,000.00
· Less Sales Tax Revenue Projections for F/Y 2010-11 = $(799,000.00)
· Lottery - less Revenue Projections for F/Y 2010-11 = $300,000.00
· Health and Dental premiums = $10% increase – estimated at $125 - $130,000.00
· Retirement (increase in employer contributions) = $150,000.00
· Hospital = ???
· Fuel Prices =???
· Less Debt Service for F/Y 2010-11 = $487,332.00
· Total Debt for Fiscal Year 2010-11 = $3,164,339.61
Manager Steen noted the following preliminary information from Tax Administrator Jake
Oakley:
· Projected Tax Revenue Increase (Ad Valorem Taxes) = $96,000.00 for f/y 2010-11.
Finance Director Julia Edwards noted the
possibility of privatization of ABC Stores which
could reduce county revenue - $8,000.00.
Finance Director
Edwards stated using the revenue losses/expenditure increases listed by
the
Board, there could be a shortfall of approximately
$800,000.00 for fiscal year 2010-11.
The
Board continued further review of the following Survival Goals:
(Quality Cost Effective services)
· Continue expenditures and revenues review
· Minimize mileage on county vehicles (place mileage sheet in all county vehicles)
· Assess county vehicles being driven home by county employees
· Employee sharing in all departments, especially those departments associated with the current economic status
· Meet with Department Heads for suggestions for cutting cost
· Hiring freeze/selective hiring (any hiring must be approved by the BOCC)
· Control Comp. Time in all departments
· Look into imaging process to make departments more efficient
· Focus on eliminating any unnecessary spending, spending will be the key this year and next year just as the County has done during the past two years
· No funding being borrowed for recurring expenses, just capital needs
· Identify salary options
§ First, look at eliminating only the bonus with salary schedule still intact
§ Second, eliminate longevity increases
§ Third, impose a salary freeze
§ Fourth, reduce work hours
Finance Director Edwards
stated that IRS regulations only allow the County to borrow only $10
million for tax exempt counties/cities for capital
expenditures which was met this past
calendar year (Nancy
Reynolds/Community College/Early College Projects).
Finance
Director Edwards also noted the County received approximately $6,000 from debt
setoff
(state taxes) for unpaid EMS and Tax bills.
· Less State Appropriation for upcoming fiscal year 2010-11
Chairman Walker opened the floor for discussion regarding the following 2009 Thrive
Goals: (The Board discussed each item below which was added by a commissioner)
v Strategic Plan for Economic Development (working with the Economic Development Commission and the new Economic Development Director) (Timeframe – ongoing)
· Business Retention and Expansion
· Recruitment of New Businesses and Industries
· Entrepreneurship
· Travel and Tourism
Commissioner Inman confirmed the top four goals have been underway since the
establishment of the Economic Development Commission and the EDC is continuing to
move forward with their goals.
v
Schools
Commissioner Inman requested to add the following:
· Possible School Bond Referendum in 2012 for next two priority school projects – Southeastern Middle School, new Elementary School in Yadkin Township along with Community College
The Board discussed the pros and cons of a bond referendum in 2012.
Commissioner Smith noted issues with financing one priority school project and putting the
other top priority projects to the vote of the people. Vice Chairman Lankford noted the critical
needs at Nancy Reynolds prompted the immediate action.
Commissioner Carroll requested to add the following:
· Hire an architect to design a community college in fiscal year 2010-11
· Start looking at Southeastern Middle School Project in 2010-11
· Get off the “lottery bubble” to receive 100% return from the lottery funds and tie it to school and community college construction
· Consider raising the taxes for school and community college construction as to the “needs only” maybe labeling “school tax” which could be taken off when projects that were identified are done
· Consider school and community college construction even if it means raising taxes and forget this is an “election year”
County Manager Steen noted that the engineer study related to water/sewer in the
Meadows community will probably be ready for presentation to the Board at the first
meeting in April. This information will be used for grant submissions.
County Manager Steen also noted staff met with Golden Leaf Foundation representatives
last week to discuss possible grant funding.
Chairman Walker requested Finance Director Edwards prepare the following
information for the next goals session:
· Calculate figures for debt/financial impact for the following for possibly 2012:
o New elementary school project in Yadkin Township = $14 M
o Community College project = $6 M
o Southeastern Middle School Renovation Project = $8 M
o Other needed renovations = $3M
o Consult financial advisor for estimates on future county budgets
Chairman Walker confirmed with Finance Director Edwards that if debt was incurred in
2012, the first payment would be in 2013.
Commissioner Smith inquired if the Board should discuss an alternate site for
Early College students in case the POD is not ready in time for the start of school in August 2010.
v Health Care
Commissioner Carroll requested to add the following:
· BOCC make a decision in 2010 on the future of Stokes Reynolds Memorial Hospital
Chairman Walker noted Health Director Josh Swift informed the Alliance members
last week that the King Clinic should be operational by May 2010.
Chairman Walker stated that until that meeting, he was unaware the King Clinic was not
operating and expressed concerns with the fact that the clinic wasn’t open.
Commissioner Carroll, who also was unaware the clinic was not operational, noted
information received from Director Josh Swift confirms the clinic had not been in operation due to
staffing and Health Director Swift is projecting the clinic to be operational in May 2010.
Commissioner Smith noted that the building is currently being used for WIC Services one
day a week and DSS is also using the space one day a week along with the Health Department using
the space for special clinics such as flu vaccines, school physicals, immunization clinics, etc.
Chairman Walker noted that Dr. Scott Volger, who practices for Novant and attends the
Alliance meetings, questioned the need of the clinic due to the number of health care providers that
are currently available in that particular part of the county at this time. Dr. Volger stated that
he thought it would be extremely unusual for patients who are already established in a practice
to transfer to the clinic.
Chairman Walker requested to add the following:
· Review the status of the King Clinic
Commissioner Carroll requested to add the following:
· Review the status of Home Health
Commissioner Carroll noted the current competition regarding Home Health Services.
Chairman Walker requested to add the following:
· Review of Health Department Services in light of pending changes such as FQHC’s and other appropriate options
Commissioner Carroll requested to add the following:
· Smoke Free Public Buildings – Board of Health recently adopted a resolution regarding smoke free public buildings
Vice Chairman Lankford requested to add the following:
· Keep public buildings as they are pertaining to smoking issue
v
County
Policies
Manager Steen noted that a personnel committee had been established and is currently
reviewing policies with an projected finish date of summer 2010.
The Board unanimously agreed to add the following:
· Continue working on county policies to hopefully be completed this year
v
Fund
Balance
Chairman Walker noted an allocation had been approved from the Fund Balance for
projected hospital losses. Manager Steen noted that monies could be placed back into Fund Balance
if unused. Commissioner Smith noted that the recent allocation from Fund Balance was the first
allocation from Fund Balance approved by this Board.
The Board unanimously agreed to add the following:
· Continuing to improve Fund Balance
v
Technology
The Board unanimously agreed to add the following:
· Continue with plans and progress already made with technology (Broadband)
v Danbury Water System:
The Board unanimously agreed to add the following:
·
Complete the Danbury Water System Project in
2010
Chairman Walker requested Board members to
have their personal 2010 goals ready for the
next Goals Session.
Adjournment
There being no further business to come before
the Board, Chairman Walker entertained
a motion to recess the Goals Session.
Commissioner Inman moved to recess the Goals
Session until Monday, March 15, 2010 at
3:00 pm. Vice Chairman Lankford seconded and the motion
carried unanimously.
_________________________
_____________________________
Darlene M.
Bullins
Jimmy Walker
Clerk to the Board Chairman