The Alleghany
County Board of Commissioners met in regular session on Tuesday, January 20, 2004, at 10:00am in the
Conference Room of the County Office Building, 90 South
Main Street, Sparta, North
Carolina.
Present: Chair Eldon Edwards, Vice-Chair Warren
Taylor, Commissioner Sandy Carter, Commissioner
Patrick Woodie, County Manager Don Adams, and Clerk to
the Board Karen Evans. Commissioner Graylen Blevins
was present but arrived late. County
Attorney Ed Woltz was absent.
Chair Eldon Edwards called the meeting
to order.
Commissioner Warren Taylor opened the
meeting with a prayer.
Commissioner Patrick Woodie made a motion
to approve the agenda for this January 20,
2004, meeting.
Commissioner Warren Taylor seconded the motion. Vote 4:0.
AGENDA
Tuesday,
January 20, 2004
10:00
AM
10:00 Meeting Called To Order
Motion on Agenda for
January 20, 2004 meeting
Motion on
Minutes for January 5, 2004 meeting
10:05 Public Hearing
RE: 911 Road Names
10:10 Wendy
Williams
RE: 911 Road Names
10:15 Mary Walker
RE: Tax Releases & Refunds
10:30 David Isner
RE: Pesticide Information
10:40 April Caudill
RE: Transportation Grant
County Business
1. Building
Permit Release
2. Fuel Oil Bids
3. Facility Study
4. Other Business
5. Public
Comments—30 minutes
6. Adjourn
Commissioner Sandy Carter made a motion
to approve the January 5,
2004, minutes.
Commissioner Warren Taylor seconded the motion. Vote 4:0.
Chair
Eldon Edwards recessed the regular meeting at 10:02am and opened
the public hearing regarding E-911 Road Names.
Chair
Eldon Edwards asked for public comments.
None were received.
Wendy
Williams, E-911 Coordinator/Mapper, presented two new road names, Shepherd
Lane and Morningstar
Drive, for the Board’s approval. She explained where each road is located.
Commissioner
Graylen Blevins arrived at the meeting at 10:04am.
Chair
Eldon Edwards asked for public comments.
None were received.
Chair
Eldon Edwards closed the public hearing at 10:05am and
reconvened the regular meeting.
Commissioner
Patrick Woodie made a motion
to approve the road names as presented by the E-911 Coordinator/Mapper. Commissioner Warren Taylor seconded the
motion. Vote 5:0.
Mary Walker, Tax
Administrator, presented the tax requests for vehicles for December 2003 in the
amount of $965.83 for releases and $337.95 for refunds.
Commissioner Patrick
Woodie made a motion to approve the tax requests for
vehicles for December 2003 in the amount of $965.83 for releases and $337.95
for refunds. Commissioner Sandy
Carter seconded the motion. Vote 5:0.
Mary Walker, Tax Administrator, presented the tax
requests for real property for December 2003 in the amount of $2,898.74 for
releases and $3,300.47 for refunds.
Commissioner Sandy
Carter made a motion to approve the tax requests for
real property for December 2003 in the amount of $2,898.74 for releases and
$3,300.47 for refunds. Commissioner Warren Taylor seconded the motion. Vote 5:0.
Mary Walker, Tax Administrator,
presented a motor-vehicle appeal for a 2000 Chevrolet S-10 pickup with a tax
value of $10,260. She further explained
that Trojan Chevrolet currently values the vehicle at $8,500, and she
recommends the value be $8,500.
Mary Walker, Tax Administrator,
presented a motor-vehicle appeal for a 2002 Buick Century with a tax value of
$14,090. She further explained that
Trojan Chevrolet currently values the vehicle at $8,250, and she recommends the
value be $8,250.
Mary Walker, Tax Administrator,
presented a motor-vehicle appeal for a 1992 Lincoln with a tax
value of $4,780. She further explained
that Trojan Chevrolet currently values the vehicle at $1,430, and she
recommends the value be $1,430.
Commissioner Warren Taylor made a
motion to accept the Tax Administrator’s recommendations on these three
motor-vehicle appeals. Commissioner Patrick
Woodie seconded the motion.
Vote 5:0.
David Isner with the Cooperative
Extension Services gave the Board a brochure about pesticides and pest control
that answers frequency asked questions on these subjects. He reviewed the content of the brochure for
the Board.
Commissioner Sandy Carter and Chair
Eldon Edwards asked about water testing and best management practices.
David Isner stated that Alleghany County wells and
water ways have been tested and were not above allowable EPA guidelines. He explained how best management practices
operate.
April Caudill, Transportation Director,
came before the Board to present an amendment to AIM’s CTP grant application. She explained that she wishes to add an
additional $2,000 in the employee development line. She further explained that these funds will
be reimbursed by the State with the County paying the 15% match of $300. She stated these funds will be used for
additional training for her employees.
Commissioner Patrick Woodie made a motion
to approve request of an additional $2,000 for employee development. Commissioner Sandy Carter seconded the
motion. Vote 5:0.
County Manager Don Adams gave the
Board an update about the Building Inspections office releasing $75 to John
Woodruff because two permits were obtained for the same job.
County Manager Don Adams reviewed the
fuel oil bids that were received on January
13, 2004. He stated that the
County received two bids; G&B Energy and Hometown Fuel Services.
Commissioner Graylen Blevins stated
that he is speaking on behalf of Hometown Fuel Services, and Hometown will
withdraw the bid because of the legality of doing business with the County
since he is a County Commissioner.
County Manager Don Adams informed the
Board that this action leaves G&B Energy bidding on the fuel oil services.
Commissioner Patrick
Woodie made a motion to approve the contract with G&B Energy
for fuel oil, kerosene and off-road diesel.
Commissioner Warren Taylor seconded the motion. Vote 4:1 (Graylen Blevins).
County Manager Don Adams gave the
Board a brief summary from the architect about remodeling the Piedmont Medical Building. He stated that a complete feasibility study
would cost $25,300 and an additional $2,500 to $3,000 for an environmental
assessment that would need to be completed.
He reviewed the items that are included in the study. He further reviewed the preliminary costs for
the Piedmont Medical Building in the amount
of $5,251,000 not including purchasing the property and the environmental
studies.
Commissioner Sandy Carter asked about
the costs for the three buildings.
County Manager Don Adams stated that
the Cash & Carry building and the Courthouse will costs approximately $2.5
million with the library costing approximately $1.2 million.
The Board of Commissioners and County
Manager Don Adams discussed the square-foot costs
for each of the buildings, remodeling in stages, price difference between the
two scenarios, debt service for these projects, selling county buildings vacated
by these projects and the library needs.
Commissioner Sandy Carter stated that
she thinks the Piedmont Medical building needs to be tabled due to the amount
of money difference between the two projects.
Chair Eldon Edwards asked if that is
the consensus of the board.
Commissioner Sandy Carter further stated
that she didn’t think the Board needs to spend the additional $25,000 to have
study on the Piedmont Medical building completed when estimated prices are
significantly higher than the other option.
Commissioner Graylen Blevins asked why
table it and come back to this scenario later.
Commissioner Warren Taylor stated that
he thinks the Board needs to proceed in giving the County Manager instruction
to continue with the study on the Cash &
Carry Building and
Courthouse.
County Manager Don Adams stated that he
is hearing the Board tell him to continue on finishing the study on the Cash
& Carry building and Courthouse and put that project in the budget during
the upcoming budget process and then the Board can decide about actually
renovating those facilities at that time.
He stated that he is also hearing that he needs to stop working on the
Piedmont Medical building.
Commissioner Graylen Blevins made a
motion to pursue the initial study of the Cash & Carry building and
Courthouse. Commissioner Warren Taylor
seconded the motion.
Commissioner Sandy Carter stated that
the motion is not voting to do anything on these two buildings but rather to
complete the study on those buildings.
County Manager Don Adams stated that
is correct.
Commissioner Patrick
Woodie talked about if remodeling these buildings will meet the
County’s needs in 15 to 20 years.
The Board voted on the vote on the
floor. Vote 5:0.
Commissioner Patrick
Woodie stated that Angelou Economics has completed the economic
development study, the 8 counties have adopted the study and Alleghany County needs to do
so as well. He stated he will give each
Commissioner a copy of the study and hopefully act on it at the next meeting.
Commissioner Sandy Carter stated that
she has received several comments from the public concerning the
consolidation. She further stated that
one person asked why the County couldn’t purchase the property next to the
Courthouse and build the consolidated facility there.
County Manager Don Adams stated that
there are several things that need to be looked at before you bring architects
in on any type of project. He gave
examples such as parking issues with the number of employees working in the
consolidated building.
Commissioner Warren Taylor stated that
he would like to comment about the article in the Alleghany News giving the
Commissioners credit for the educational levels that the students have achieved.
Chair Eldon Edwards talked about
citizens discussing the property next door to the Courthouse and the parking
issues at that location.
Commissioner Patrick
Woodie discussed that option would be removing retail space for
the County’s use rather than retail use.
Chair Eldon Edwards stated that he placed
a letter in everyone’s box about the western loop. He further stated that responses are due by
February 6. He stated that the map shows
a culvert crossing Bledsoe Creek. He
further stated that he hopes the State knows there is a landfill on property that
they will be crossing for this project.
County Manager Don Adams stated that
the State owns the property in question, and he would write a letter talking
about not disturbing the landfill and working on the erosion of the creek bank.
Chair Eldon Edwards mentioned a workshop
in Raleigh on February
9-10. He stated the topic of the
workshop is Creative Responses to Global Economic Changes with Grant Godwin as
one of the speakers. He stated that he
is leaving the information with Karen Evans if anyone is interested in
attending this workshop.
Commissioner Patrick
Woodie stated that he is pleased and appreciative of the working
relationship with the Town and Tom Douglas and believes it will continue with
Bryan Edwards as the Town Manager.
Commissioner Graylen Blevins asked
about the Chamber and the revitalization efforts for the Town. He asked if they could report to the Board on
the progress of the Chamber and revitalization efforts that are going on at
this time.
The Board of Commissioners and County Manager discussed the
Chamber reporting to the Commissioners quarterly.
County Manager Don Adams talked about
the budget process. He asked the Board
to set the budget hearings so he can work on the budget schedule. He stated that he would like to present the
budget the first meeting in June. He
explained last year’s budget timeline.
Chair Eldon Edwards, Commissioner
Warren Taylor and County Manager Don Adams discussed going over the budget by
line items with each department head.
The Board of Commissioners agreed to
have the budget meetings like last year with the County Manager meeting with
each department head to discuss their line items.
County Manager Don Adams asked the
Board to bring their calendars to the next meeting to set the actual date the
budget hearings will begin. He further
asked the Board if they would like to hold a planning session in March or April
to discuss the upcoming budget year.
Chair Eldon Edwards asked for public
comments.
Dennis Smith asked if the Board had
considered a large steel building for the consolidated facility.
Chair Eldon Edwards and Dennis Smith
discussed the costs of a steel building to be used for the facility.
County Manager Don Adams stated that
he hasn’t talked to the architect about a steel building or building a new
facility at this time.
Bob Bamberg stated his
appreciation of the Board for the careful consideration of the impact on the
retail in Sparta by
consolidating governmental services. He
talked about the beautiful Courthouse building and how he wouldn’t like to see the
building built onto. He stated that on
behalf of Chamber, they will work out something on the report that Commissioner
Graylen Blevins asked about earlier in the meeting.
Susan Reinhardt stated that she agrees
with Mr. Bamberg’s comments concerning retail in Sparta. She further stated that retail needs an
anchor to attract business and our Main Street’s anchor is
government.
Chair Eldon Edwards asked for further
public comments. None were received.
Being no further business, Commissioner
Sandy Carter made a motion to adjourn the
meeting at 11:38am. Commissioner
Graylen Blevins seconded the motion.
Vote 5:0.
Respectfully
submitted,
Karen Evans
Clerk
to the Board
Attest:
Eldon
Edwards
Chairman