| BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS | ALEXANDER COUNTY |
| MINUTES | STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA |
| Draft October 19, 1998 PRESENT:
STAFF: Charles S. Mashburn, Clerk to the Board Chairman Darrell Robertson called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. in the County Commissioner’s Meeting Room of the Alexander County Courthouse. The Reverend Ron Brookshire gave the invocation and Chairman Robertson led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. CENTRAL PARK COMMITTEE REPORT Representatives from the central park committee gave a short report on the status of efforts to get tennis courts and ball fields constructed at Alexander Central High School. Mr. Byron King reported that the Board of Education has pledged $100,000 and the committee has asked the Town of Taylorsville to contribute $50,000 toward the project. They also asked the county commissioners to pledge $100,000. Mr. King reported that a "Cougar Wall" is being constructed to recognize businesses and individuals who contribute to the park. There has been no organized business solicitation. The estimated cost of the project is $400,000. The National Guard will be asked to perform the grading, and other businesses and individuals will be asked to contribute to keep the cost as low as possible. Mr. Darrell Moffitt indicated the Board of Education has voted to transfer the property to the county if such transfer will accomplish a grant award. Commissioner Mayberry entered the meeting at this time. The committee assured the Board that the sports complex will not interfere with any plans to expand Alexander Central High School. Commissioner Kerley made a motion that the Board of Commissioners commit $100,000 to a capital reserve account for the central park project pending the formation of a more formal governing body to control the project, oversee the construction, and subject to grant applications and final project scope. This motion was withdrawn. Upon motion by Commissioner Mayberry and seconded by Commissioner Glass, the board voted unanimously to appropriate $100,000 out of fund balance to be transferred to the Board of Education to be used toward construction of the central park. (Budget Amendment #18) (Attachment #3) WATER EXTENSIONS The Board evaluated requests for water line extensions on Bible Camp Road and on Pine Tree Road. Both projects would extend water off Church Road near the new Wittenburg Elementary School. Fifteen residents out of about fifty-three on Pine Tree Road submitted contracts that they would pay a $500 assessment and connect to the water immediately when available. One resident told the Board he needed water so badly that he would pay $3,000. Only eight residents on Bible Camp Road and Jennings Lane submitted contracts to take the water. However, Mr. Herman Shook had agreed to pay immediately the $500 assessment for each external lot and $250 for each internal lot on a subdivision being constructed off Bible Camp Road. This approximately $18,000 contribution plus the construction of a water system to the internal lots caused the Bible Camp Road to get a higher priority over Pine Tree Road. Upon motion by Commissioner Kerley and second by Commissioner Bolick the Board voted unanimously to authorize the County Manager to secure bids for a water line on Bible Camp Road and Jennings Lane, with each property owner paying a $500 assessment in addition to the regular tap and processing fees, except for developers of Arrowhead subdivision, who will pay only $250 per lot for those lots to which the developer constructs water. RECREATION-DUKE POWER ACCESS SITES Mr. Steve Swaim, Duke Power District Manager, and Chuck Borawa, Senior Lake Management Representative, explained a proposal by Duke Power to lease certain access sites to local governments. Duke Power is offering to lease for free Lake Hickory access sites to the counties where they are located. Counties must develop and provide some kind of recreation or access services. County governments will get the first choice and those sites not selected will be offered to private business. Mr. Borawa advised the Board that it needs to make a decision and inform Duke Power prior to December 31, 1998. Commissioner Kerley requested that a letter be prepared for review at the November 16 meeting that indicates an interest in the Duke Power proposal pending the inclusion of said proposal in the recreation study that is to begin in late October or early November. WATER PURCHASE AGREEMENT-ALEXANDER WATER CORPORATION Amendments to the water purchase agreement with the Alexander Water Corporation were discussed. The Water Corporation had proposed to construct an interconnect and upgrade the pump stations at Antioch Church Road and at Bell Bridge in order to have a water supply during the time the Corporation’s water treatment plant is being repaired. The final draft requires the county to guarantee 1.4 mg/d rather than 2.0 mg/d. The water corporation may purchase through the interconnect at other times such as weekends and when the treatment plant is incapacitated. The cost to the Corporation will be the price the county pays to the City of Hickory, plus three cents transmission charge, plus the cost of operating the pumps. The current cost was estimated at $1.25 per 1000 gallons. Upon motion by Commissioner Mayberry and second by Commissioner Kerley the Board voted unanimously to approve a water purchase agreement with the Alexander County Water Corporation that guarantees up to 1.5 mg/d until the first filter is repaired, and then 1.0 mg/d until the second filter is repaired, and then the county will supply water in emergency situations an amount to be determined from time to time. (The agreement is to be written by the Water Corporation and sent to the Board for review prior to being signed by the Chairman). WATER BILLING AND COLLECTION Upon motion by Commissioner Mayberry and second by Commissioner Glass the Board voted unanimously to table this matter pending additional information being provided to the Board. CLEAN WATER BOND REFERENDUM-SUPPORT Chairman Robertson asked the Board to consider passing a resolution in support of the 1998 Clean Water/Natural Gas Bond Referendum. A referendum will be held on November 3, 1998, stating whether the state will issue one billion dollars in bonds for infrastructure. These bonds include $800m for water and sewer, and $200m for natural gas being constructed into undeserved areas. The water and sewer bonds will include money for loans and grants. Upon motion by Commissioner Bolick and second by Commissioner Mayberry the Board voted unanimously to support the 1998 bond referendum by resolution (Resolution #98-12). ENGINEERING AGREEMENT-VASHTI AND LITTLE RIVER Chairman Robertson recommended the Board approve a contract with Pierson and Whitman to perform an engineering report for possible extension of water to the Vashti and Little River areas of the county. Preparing the study now would possibly place the county in position to apply quickly and be awarded a grant with monies that may be approved in the 1998 bond referendum discussed above. These two areas are sparsely populated and a water extension project may be possible only with grant assistance. The Board discussed that West and Associates had previously prepared a report on the Little River area, and that it may not need to be duplicated. Upon motion by Commissioner Mayberry and second by Commissioner Kerley the Board voted unanimously to contract with Pierson and Whitman to perform an engineering report in preparation for a clean water grant application as funding for possible water extension to the Vashti area , and ask West and Associates to update the Little River report for the same reason. CLASSIFICATION AND PAY PLAN STUDY A proposal by the MAPS Group to perform a classification and pay plan study was evaluated. The proposal includes a study of positions and job descriptions, a salary survey, compliance with FLSA, and a review of personnel policies. The contract price for the entire study and report is to be $11,750. Commissioner Bolick questioned whether this study should be contracted pending the seating of new commissioners in December. Commissioners Mayberry and Robertson indicated the Board committed to the study when salaries were increased by $1,200 per employee in September. The report will not be presented to the Commissioners until May. The existing Board can then decide whether to implement the recommendations. Upon motion by Commissioner Kerley and second by Commissioner Mayberry the Board voted unanimously to approve a contract with the MAPS Group for a classification and pay plan study at a cost of $11,750, provided that the company commits to completing the work by May 1999. (Budget Amendment #19) (Attachment #5) BOARD AND COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS No board and committee appointments were made. CABLE TV FRANCHISE RENEWAL-POSTPONED The Board was advised that the current cable TV franchise that has been in force for fifteen years, expires on October 15, 1998. The staff has been working on a renewal agreement with Charter Communications, but does not have the draft ready for consideration. The Board was asked to approve an extension of the existing franchise until at least January 15, 1999. Upon motion by Commissioner Mayberry and second by Commissioner Kerley the Board voted unanimously to extend the existing cable TV franchise agreement until January 15, 1999, pending consideration of a new agreement. 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 October 5, and October 12, 1998 were approved as presented by the Clerk to the Board. RECREATION DEPARTMENT BUDGET AMENDMENT Budget Amendment #14 was approved to budget $2,457 in the Recreation Department to pay by check instead of with cash (Attachment #1). HEALTH DEPARTMENT BUDGET AMENDMENT Budget Amendment #15 was approved to appropriate additional communicable disease funds ($600), health promotion money ($15,000), and child health money ($1,127), for the Health Department (attachment #2). TAX REFUNDS AND RELEASES Tax refunds for $363.10 and releases for $125.96 were approved as requested. SALARIES BUDGET AMENDMENT Budget Amendment #11 was approved to budget monies for the $1,200 per employee salary increase approved at a previous meeting (Attachment #4). CLOSED SESSION Upon motion by Commissioner Mayberry and second by Commissioner Glass the Board voted unanimously to go into closed session to discuss a personnel matter, to return to open session for purpose of adjournment only. ADJOURNMENT Upon motion by Commissioner Glass and second by Commissioner Mayberry the Board voted unanimously to adjourn.
__________________ ___________________________ Charles S. Mashburn W.
Darrrell Robertson, Chairman |