| BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS | ALEXANDER COUNTY |
| MINUTES | STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA |
| May 18, 1999 PRESENT:
STAFF:
Chairman Joel Harbinson called this Special County Commissioners meeting to order at 7:00 PM in the Commissioners Meeting room of the Alexander County Courthouse. Rev. Mike Runion gave the Invocation. Ms. Nita Watts led the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. Commissioner John Watts presented The Citizen of the Month Award to Mary Lou Griffith. Mary Lou had a liver transplant and was adopted by Alexander County citizens. ANNOUNCEMENTS AND UPDATES
AGENDA Chairman Harbinson noted three items on the Agenda were changed from the regular Agenda outline. Commissioner Bolick made the motion to adopt the Agenda with these changes. Commissioner Odom seconded the motion and the Board’s vote was unanimous. PUBLIC HEARING – CLOSEOUT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT & APPALACHIAN REGIONAL COMMISSION Nancy Coley stated that documentation had been provided that the Community Development Block Grant of $600,000.00, the Appalachian Regional Commission funds of $200,000.00, and Alexander County's contributions over $200,000.00 to provide public sewer to Clayton Marcus and the Bethlehem Community was a completed project. Jobs had been created as a result of this grant. No public comments were made in reference to the Closeout of this project. Commissioner Robertson made the motion to close the Public Hearing. Commissioner Watts second the motion and the Board voted unanimous to close the hearing. Upon motion by Commissioner Robertson and second by Commissioner Watts to closeout the documents for this grant, the Board voted unanimously in favor of the motion. PUBLIC HEARING – DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION PETITION FOR PARTIAL ABANDONMENT OF SR 1496 Sylvia Turnmire representing the Planning Board of Alexander County requested that the County accept the request of the Department of Transportation to abandon a portion of SR1496 (Patterson Road) due to a realignment in conjunction with an improvement project. All adjoining property owners were notified and were not affected by the abandonment. Commissioner Watts made a motion to close the public hearing that was seconded by Commissioner Odom. The Board’s vote was unanimous in favor of the motion. Motion to accept Staff’s recommendation of the abandonment was made by Commissioner Watts, seconded by Commissioner Odom, and the Board’s vote was unanimous in favor thereof. PUBLIC HEARING – PROPOSED MANUFACTURED HOME PARK ORDINANCE (155) AND MANUFACTURED HOUSING APPEARANCE CRITERIA (156) Sylvia Turnmire and John Marshall, WPCOG Planner, introduced the proposed Manufactured Home Park Ordinance and Appearance Criteria that the Planning Board had adopted. Citizens that had questions and concerns were given the opportunity to speak. Commissioner Robertson made recommendations: (1) copies of Ordinance draft to be placed in public offices; (2) the Public should forward their comments to the Planning by June 15,1999; (3) the Planning Board to review concerns of the Commissioners and citizens with feedback provided to the Commissioners. Commissioner Robertson made a motion to close the Public Hearing on these Ordinances. Commissioner Bolick seconded the motion and the Board voted unanimously in favor thereof. Upon motion by Commissioner Robertson and second by Commissioner Bolick to have another Public Hearing on July 6, 1999, at the Commissioners' Meeting, the motion passed unanimously PUBLIC HEARING – ZONING ORDINANCE TEXT ADMENDMENT Sylvia Turnmire, representing the Planning Board, recommended that this Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment to be continued until the July 6 Commissioners Meeting. Commissioner Watts made the motion that Commissioner Odom seconded; the Board voted unanimous to tabled this recommendation until the July 6 Meeting. BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT PERSONNEL REQUEST The County Board of Adjustment, represented by Sylvia Turnmire, requested that the Commissioners appoint two alternate members to the Board in order to establish a quorum of four-fifths if more than one member is absent. Upon motion by Commissioner Robertson and second by Commissioner Watts, the Board voted unanimous to approve the appointment of two alternate County Board of Adjustment members. The two members recommended were Lucille Warren and Bob Hopper. Motion by Commissioner Watts and second by Commissioner Odom to appoint these two citizens to the County Board of Adjustments. The Board voted unanimously. REQUEST FOR PERSONNEL – FIRE DEPARTMENT Russell Greene, Fire Marshall and Keith Mundy, Chief of the Taylorsville Fire Department requested a contract/agreement with Alexander County to hire a full time person to work at the Taylorsville Fire Department. Commissioner Watts made a motion to table this action until they could meet with the County Manager to review the salary and make a recommendation to the Board. Commissioner Bolick seconded the motion and the Board voted unanimously in favor thereof. PROPOSED CIVIL CITATION PROGRAM Russell Greene, Fire Marshall, presented a proposed Civil Citation Ordinance to implement for Building code violations and Proposed Fire Inspection fees. Motion by Commissioner Robertson and second by Commissioner Bolick to table this program until the June 1 meeting. Four Commissioners, Watts, Harbinson, Bolick, and Robertson voted to table for the motion Commissioner Odom opposed. Motion carried 4-1. REQUEST FUNDING FOR PART-TIME ASSISTANT WITH THE DAY REPORTING CENTER John Alspaugh, Criminal Justice Advisory Board Chairman requested $9,200.48 funding for a part-time worker at the Day Reporting Center, which would save the county approximate $26,000.00 versus sending persons to jail or prison. Commissioner Bolick made the motion to grant the funding. Commissioner Watts second the motion and the Board voted unanimously in favor thereof. REQUEST FROM ALEXANDER COUNTY ANCESTRY ASSOCIATION FOR OLD JAIL FUND RAISING ISSUE The Alexander County Ancestry Association requested permission to sell the old shingles from the Old Jail roof as a fund raising project. Motion by Commissioner Robertson and second by Commissioner Odom to give the old shingles to the Association for public sale. The Board’s vote was unanimous in favor thereof. ALEXANDER COUNTY AMATEUR RADIO EMERGENCY SERVICE Mr. Rudy Rice, Emergency Coordinator of the Alexander County Amateur Radio Emergency Service requested permission to use the surplus radio equipment located behind the sheriff’s dispatch office. He requested to have equipment moved to Linney’s Mountain. Commissioner Watts made the motion that the County Manager and 911 Coordinator confirm that the equipment is surplus from the sheriff. When the equipment is no longer used by the ACARES, it would be reverted back to the County. Commissioner Odom seconded the motion and the Board voted unanimously in favor thereof. ADVERTISING FOR INSTRUCTONAL LEAGUE UMPIRES A request was received from a concerned parent for umpires to be hired in the Instructional League. The Board referred the matter to the Recreation Department for study. No action was taken. APPOINTMENT TO VARIOUS BOARDS
It was the consensus of the Board not to take action at this time. Commissioner Robertson made a motion and was seconded by Commissioner Bolick to table this appointment until June 1, 1999. The Board voted unanimously in favor thereof.
NC ASSOCIATION OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS 1999 ANNUAL CONFERENCE The Conference will be held August 19 –22, at the Grove Park Inn Resort, Asheville, NC and all Commissioners were encouraged to attend. No action taken. UPDATE OF DAYTON PROPERTY It was recommend that the property be re-advertised for sale under the same conditions as previously advertised at a minimum bid of $375,000 with the County Attorney reporting to the Board at its June 15, 1999 meeting. Motion by Commissioner Odom and second by Commissioner Watts to advertise as stated. The Board voted three: Watts, Harbinson, and Odom for, and two Bolick and Robertson opposing. Motion carried. FLAG HOLDERS FOR DECEASED VETERANS Commissioner Odom recommended that County Manager, Rick French, investigate the number of deceased veterans from 1900 to the year 2000. Information may be find through the local funeral homes, DAV, and other Veterans that will give an estimate cost to purchase flag holders for each veteran from Alexander County who served his or her County during the 20th Century. Upon motion by Commissioner Bolick and second by Commissioner Odom, the Board voted unanimously to explore the potential of purchasing flag holders for these veterans. ALEXANDER COUNTY CONVENIENCE CENTER FEES County Manager read the current schedule of fees at the Convenience Centers and the landfill. He suggested that we eliminate the Convenience fee of $1.00 fee at the gate to enter. The Convenience Center fees are $2.00 for the first 5 bags (30- gal. size) if not recycling. Add $1.00 for bags 6 and 7, and another $1.00 for bags 8 and 9. Ten or more bags must be taken to the landfill. Motion by Commissioner Robertson and second by Commissioner Bolick to table this proposal. The Board voted two (2), Robertson and Bolick, to table and three (3) Commissioners, Watts, Harbinson, and Odom against tabling this proposal. Motion to table failed. Commissioner Odom moved that as of July 1, 1999, the $1.00 entry fee at all convenience centers be eliminated for those county, residential customers with up to 5 bags of trash and atleast one recycling box of bag of recyclables; with this exception, all other fees to remain the same. Commissioner Watts seconded the motion. The motion carried three (Watts, Harbinson, and Odom) for and two (Bolick and Robertson) against. Motion by Commissioner Robertson and second by Commissioner Watts to add two items to the Consent Agenda as presented by the County Manager. CONSENT AGENDA
The Board voted to adopt the Consent Agenda unanimously by consent. CLOSED SESSION Commissioner Odom made a motion to move the closed session for purposes of legal and personnel matters and Commissioner Watts seconded the motion. The Board voted unanimously in favor thereof to adjourn to closed session. ADJOURNMENT
______________________ _______________________________ Joel Harbinson, Chairman Helen P. Anthony, Clerk to the Board |