| BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS | ALEXANDER COUNTY |
| MINUTES | STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA |
| DRAFT August 3, 1998 PRESENT:
ABSENT: Wesley E. Bolick, Jr., Vice-Chairman STAFF:
Chairman Darrell Robertson called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. in the Commissioners’ Meeting Room of the Alexander County Courthouse. The Reverend Jerry Gwaltney gave the invocation and Chairman Robertson led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. Chairman Robertson announced that Commissioner Bolick was absent and that Commissioner Kerley would try to attend later in the meeting. WATER LINE-THREE FORKS ROAD The Board was presented a petition signed by approximately forty property owners who requested a water line be constructed on Three Forks Road, from Highway 90 to Piney Grove Road. The petitions indicated they will hook on to the system when water is available. The Board was informed the proposed project is about 2.5 miles long and would cost about $125,000. Payment of a $500 assessment by all forty would produce about $20,000. Mr. Robertson indicated the Sugar Loaf Water Fund does not have funds for this project. The General Assembly is considering bond funds to help with water and sewer construction. Commissioner Mayberry indicated that several names on the petition are residents who live on roads joining Three Forks Church Road. Including these roads will make the project cost more than $125,000. The Board took no action pending further evaluation of this and a proposed water line to Belle View Adult Care Facility. WATER LINE-HICKORY HOLLOW LANE Mr. Dick Holloman asked the Board to approve construction of a water line on Hickory Hollow Lane. Mr. Holloman indicated he had signed the petition for water to be constructed when the line on Davis Cove Road was constructed. The later project is now completed, but no line was constructed on Hickory Hollow Lane. His house is 500 feet from Davis Cove Road. The Board was informed that further evaluation of Hickory Hollow Lane indicated the road is private and appears to lack sufficient right-of-way to construct a line. Chairman Robertson asked Mr. Holloman to inquire if his other neighbors are willing to pay the assessment and hook to the water. Due to the misunderstanding the Board will try to get the project completed. Mr. Holloman indicated he will help coordinate the contacts with his neighbors. The Board took no action pending further evaluation. WATER LINE-PINE TREE ROAD AND FULBRIGHT LANE Several residents who live on Fulbright Lane and Pine Tree Road requested the Board construct a water line on those roads. There is a lot of sulphur and iron in the well water. There about fifty houses on these roads. These roads are near the new Elementary School and will develop quickly. A person representing the Bible Camp reported that the Camp had sold several tracts of land and more development is likely. No action was taken pending further evaluation CLINT CANADY Chairman Robertson recognized Mr. Clint Canaday as having received the state engineer of the year award. Mr. Canady serves on the Alexander County Board of Health. INSPECTION DEPARTMENT-SUPERVISOR The Board was introduced to Mr. Robert Gilbert, newly appointed Inspection Department Supervisor. Mr. Gilbert had worked several years for the City of Lenoir Inspection Department until the department was closed to contract with the Caldwell County Inspection Department. He has Level 3 certifications in several fields, and is working on Level 3 in all areas. He will facilitate other staff getting their certifications. BELL TOWER Mr. Ben Hines requested authorization to have the courthouse trees trimmed and authorization to begin construction of the bell tower. Trimming trees and taking down the large willow oak was estimated by Environmental Forestry Services to cost about $3,000. Chairman Robertson directed that Mr. Hines secure a quote to trim only the willow oak rather than take it down. The Board also indicated they believe the proposed bell tower is too large and may need to be downsized. NUISANCE ORDINANCE REVIEW The Board discussed briefly the nuisance ordinance as adopted in June, with the stipulation that it be reviewed in three months. The ordinance was adopted to control excessive noises and nuisances. The Board was advised that no known problems have been encountered. No action was taken. Residents near Dusty Ridge Park inquired if the ordinance can be used to control construction work on the new park on Sundays. The residents also inquired if the park is a governmental project, and was informed it is not. The ordinance allows construction work from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. HEALTH DEPARTMENT-ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SPECIALIST SALARY SCHEDULE Health Director Shelley Carraway asked the Board to consider changing the pay plan in order to allocate higher salaries to the environmental health specialists. Ms. Carraway reported that the workload has been increasing on a dwindling number of qualified persons in the field. Alexander County faces a difficult situation because the existing pay scale is less than the state and surrounding counties. Commissioner Kerley entered the meeting at this time (8:25 p.m.). The Board directed consideration of the matter be postponed pending a review of the DSS request and pending a review of the County pay plan at a workshop scheduled for August 10, 1998. DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES-SOCIAL WORKER SALARY SCHEDULE Department of Social Services Director Nan Campbell asked the Board to consider increasing the salary schedule for social workers. She reported it is difficult to recruit and retain social workers because the county pay scale is lower than the state wide and regional pay scales. The particular positions she is recruiting for are child protection positions. She reported that the department has failed its state review and the state could intervene and charge the county for providing the service. Upon motion by Commissioner Mayberry and second by Commissioner Glass the Board voted unanimously to postpone consideration of the Health Department and DSS salary requests pending a review of the entire salary plan at the next meeting. DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES-EDUCATIONAL LEAVE Department of Social Services Director Nan Campbell asked the Board to consider approving an educational leave policy for her department, and to approve a pending request for an employee to secure a masters degree. The policy would allow an employee to pursue the second year of a masters degree full time and be paid one-half salary. The employee would agree to work for the county upon completion of their studies. Upon motion by Commissioner Mayberry and second by Commissioner Kerley the Board voted unanimously to approve the educational leave policy and contract as proposed by Ms. Campbell. HUNTINGTON HOUSE CDBG-GRANT MANAGEMENT CONTRACT Upon motion by Commissioner Mayberry and second by Commissioner Glass the Board voted unanimously to approve for the Huntington House CDBG project a management contract with Western Piedmont Council of Governments. TAYLOR KING CDBG The Board was informed that the Department of Commerce has given tentative approval of the Taylor King CDBG project. Ms. Nancy Coley asked the Board to accept the grant, to authorize the chairman to sign the contracts, and to adopt the budget amendment. Upon motion by Commissioner Mayberry and second by Commissioner Kerley, the Board voted unanimously to accept the Taylor King CDBG grant, to authorize the chairman to execute the contracts, and to approve a project budget amendment (Budget Amendment #?, Attachment #1). ROAD ABANDONMENT-GEORGE MARSH ROAD The Board was advised that a portion of George Marsh Road had been abandoned at a previous meeting, and then rescinded as part of a review of the process when an abandonment on Moretz Court become controversial. Mr. Jim Rand at North Carolina Department of Transportation has advised that the abandonment on George Marsh Road resulted from straightening a curve, and no controversy is involved. He has asked that the abandonment be reconsidered. Upon motion by Commissioner Mayberry and second by Commissioner Kerley the Board voted unanimously to reaffirm the abandonment of a portion of George Marsh Road as requested by the North Carolina Department of Transportation. BOARD AND COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS Upon motion by Commissioner Kerley and second by Commissioner Mayberry the Board voted unanimously to approve board and committee appointments as follows: CAROLINAS PARTNERSHIP County Manager Charles Mashburn was appointed to serve on the Carolina’s Partnership. BOARD OF HEALTH Dr. Alan Grant was reappointed to serve on the Board of Health. REGIONAL TASK FORCE Charles Mashburn was appointed to serve pending the arrival of the new EDC/Planning Director, and Commissioner Tim Glass was also appointed. CONSENT AGENDA Upon motion by Commissioner Mayberry and second by Commissioner Kerley the Board voted unanimously to approve the consent agenda as follows: MINUTES The minutes of July 6, and July 13, 1998, were approved as presented by the Clerk to the Board. TAX REFUNDS AND RELEASES Tax refunds of $173.61 and tax releases for $3,111.74 were approved as requested. CLOSED SESSION Upon motion by Commissioner Glass and second by Commissioner Mayberry the Board voted unanimously to go into closed session to discuss personnel matters, and to return to open session for purpose of adjournment only. ADJOURNMENT Upon motion by Commissioner Kerley and second by Commissioner Mayberry the Board voted unanimously to adjourn until 5:30 p.m. at the Administration Building to conduct a work session.
_________________________ _____________________________ Charles S.
Mashburn
W. Darrell Robertson, Chairman |