MINUTES

 

 

WATAUGA COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2011

 

 

The Watauga County Board of Commissioners held a regular meeting on Tuesday, December 20, 2011, at 5:00 P.M. in the Commissioners' Board Room of the Watauga County Administration Building, Boone, North Carolina.

 

                        PRESENT:      Nathan A. Miller, Chairman

                                                Vince Gable, Vice-Chairman

                                                David Blust, Commissioner

                                                Jim Deal, Commissioner

                                                Stacy C. Eggers, IV, County Attorney

                                                Deron Geouque, County Manager

                                                Anita J. Fogle, Clerk to the Board

 

Chairman Miller called the meeting to order at 5:04 P.M.

 

[Clerk’s Note:  Commissioner Tim Futrelle was not in attendance due to a prior commitment.]

 

Commissioner Deal opened the meeting with a prayer and Vice-Chairman Gable led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Approval of Minutes

Chairman Miller called for additions and/or corrections to the December 6, 2011, regular and closed session minutes.

 

Commissioner Deal, seconded by Vice-Chairman Gable, moved to approve the December 6, 2011, regular meeting minutes as presented.

 

VOTE:  Aye-4(Miller, Gable, Blust, Deal)

             Nay-0

             Absent-1(Futrelle)

 

By consensus, the Board tabled approval of the December 6, 2011, closed session minutes until after closed session to allow for review of proposed amendments.

Approval of Agenda

Chairman Miller called for additions and/or corrections to the December 20, 2011, agenda.

 

County Manager Geouque requested to add Watauga Medical Center Board of Trustees under Boards and Commissions.

 

Commissioner Deal, seconded by Vice-Chairman Gable, moved to approve the December 20, 2011, agenda as amended.

 

VOTE:  Aye-4(Miller, Gable, Blust, Deal)

             Nay-0

             Absent-1(Futrelle)

Presentation of Fiscal Year 2011 Audit

Mr. Bryce Holder presented the County’s Fiscal Year 2010/2011 audit.  Mr. Holder stated that the County’s assets exceeded its liabilities by $110,806,926.  The unassigned fund balance was $11,880,356 representing 25.63% of the total General Fund expenditures while the state average was approximately 25%. 

 

This report was given for information only; therefore, no action was required.

Proposed American Red Cross Shelter Agreement

Mr. Tom Dunn, Mountain Area Emergency Services Manager with the American Red Cross, presented a proposed agreement requesting permission for the Western Watauga Community Center to be designated as an emergency disaster shelter when/if needed.

 

Commissioner Blust, seconded by Vice-Chairman Gable, moved to approve the agreement with the American Red Cross, contingent upon the County Attorney’s review.

 

VOTE:  Aye-4(Miller, Gable, Blust, Deal)

             Nay-0

             Absent-1(Futrelle)

Planning and Inspections Matters

A.  Update Regarding Proposed Acceptance of NC Rural Center Grant

Mr. Joe Furman stated that the County’s requests for amendments to the Building Reuse and Restoration Program grant award presented at the October 18, 2011, Board meeting had been denied by the NC Rural Center.  However, Rural Center staff assured Mr. Furman that there was no language within the agreement requiring the local governments to repay funds in the event of the recipient’s default.

 

The grant application was originally submitted, per Board approval of an Economic Development Commission request, with the NC Rural Center Building Reuse and Restoration Program requesting an amount of $64,000 which required a commitment from Giant Street Ventures dba Aaron’s, the benefactor of the grant, to create eight new jobs within eighteen months and maintain the same number for another six months.  Funds were awarded in the amount of $44,843 and the job requirement was reduced to six positions.  The reason for the reduction was that the grant was to only fund the renovation portion of the project.  The local match was to be covered by Mr. Furman’s administrative time which would total approximately 30 hours.  A promissory note was included as a part of the grant agreement.

 

County Attorney Eggers stated that, according to correspondence from the NC Rural Center, the County should not be responsible for repaying funds in the event of the recipient’s default; however, the County would be responsible for attempting to collect funds from the project owner if a default resulted due to the grant stipulations not being met.

 

Commissioner Deal, seconded by Vice-Chairman Gable, moved to authorize staff to enter into the contract with the NC Rural Center as presented.

 

VOTE:  Aye-4(Miller, Gable, Blust, Deal)

             Nay-0

             Absent-1(Futrelle)

B.  NCDOT Secondary Roads Program Public Hearing Request

Mr. Furman stated that each year the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) presented their Secondary Road Improvement Program to the County at a public hearing.  The NCDOT requested that a public hearing be scheduled on January 17, 2012. 

 

Commissioner Deal, seconded by Commissioner Blust, moved to schedule a public hearing to allow citizen comment on the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s Secondary Road Improvement Program on Tuesday, January 17, 2012, at 6:00 P.M.

 

VOTE:  Aye-4(Miller, Gable, Blust, Deal)

             Nay-0

             Absent-1(Futrelle)

Budget Amendments

Ms. Margaret Pierce, Finance Director, reviewed the following budget amendments:

 

Account #

Description

Debit

Credit

103586-332006

Senior Health Insurance Information Pro. (SHIIP) Grant

 

$8,803

105550-449901

SHIIP supplies

$8,803

 

 

The amendment recognized a grant award for Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP).  The award was accepted at the August 2, 2011, regular Board meeting.

 

Account #

Description

Debit

Credit

103586-332000

Home & Community Care Block Grant (H&CCBG)

 

$9,932

105550-429200

POA Program Supplies

$4,966

 

105550-422000

POA Food and Provisions

$4,966

 

 

 

 

 

The amendment recognized the award of Home and Community Care Block Grant (H&CCBG) funds for an additional allocation received from the High Country Area Agency on Aging.  The County match of $1,103 was present in the Project on Aging’s budget.  The award was approved at the December 6, 2011, regular Board meeting.

 

 

 

 

Account #

Description

Debit

Credit

103300-343313

Homeland Security Training Grant

 

$1,857

104330-439501

EM Training Grant

$1,857

 

 

 

 

 

The amendment recognized a grant award for a search and rescue and level 330-400 Incident Command Classes for first responders.  No County match was required.  The award was approved at the November 15, 2011, regular Board meeting.

 

Account #

Description

Debit

Credit

103300-345000

E&D Transportation Grant

 

$40,359

103300-345001

WorkFirst Transportation Assistance

 

$11,822

103300-345002

Rural General Public

 

$60,222

104500-469843

AppalCART – RGP

$60,222

 

104500-469844

AppalCART – WorkFirst

$11,822

 

104500-469845

Elderly & Disabled Transportation Assistance

$1,500

 

105550-431301

POA – E&D

$21,859

 

105890-469846

Watauga Opportunities – E&D

$17,000

 

143300-345000

E&D Transportation Grant

 

$18,645

145310-469845

E&D Transportation Grant

$18,645

 

 

The amendment recognized the award of the NC Public Transportation Division FY 2011-12 Rural Operating Assistance Program (ROAP) grant funds.

 

Vice-Chairman Gable, seconded by Commissioner Blust, moved to approve the budget amendments as presented.

 

VOTE:  Aye-4(Miller, Gable, Blust, Deal)

             Nay-0

             Absent-1(Futrelle)

Miscellaneous Administrative Matters

A.  Boards & Commissions

County Manager Geouque stated that the Farmland Preservation Advisory Board requested the reappointment of Mr. Johnny Moretz whose term expired November 2011.

 

Commissioner Blust, seconded by Vice-Chairman Gable, moved to waive the second reading and reappoint Mr. Johnny Moretz to the Farmland Preservation Advisory Board.

 

VOTE:  Aye-4(Miller, Gable, Blust, Deal)

             Nay-0

             Absent-1(Futrelle)

 

County Manager Geouque stated that the Watauga Medical Center Board of Trustees had requested the appointment of Mr. Joe Miller, Mr. Paul Miller, Jr., and Dr. Mark Murrey to serve three-year terms beginning January 2012 and ending December 2014. 

 

Commissioner Deal, seconded by Vice-Chairman Gable, moved to recuse Chairman Miller from this vote as his father, Mr. Paul Miller, Jr., was considered for appointment.

 

VOTE:  Aye-4(Miller, Gable, Blust, Deal)

             Nay-0

             Absent-1(Futrelle)

 

Commissioner Deal, seconded by Commissioner Blust, moved to waive the second reading and reappoint Mr. Joe Miller and Mr. Paul Miller, Jr., and appoint Dr. Mark Murrey to serve three-year terms on the Watauga Medical Center Board of Trustees beginning January 1, 2012, and ending December 31, 2014.

 

VOTE:  Aye-3(Gable, Blust, Deal)

             Nay-0

             Absent-1(Futrelle)

             Recused-1(Miller)

B.  Announcements

 

The County Manager announced that the first regular meeting of the Board scheduled in January had been cancelled due to the holiday schedule.  Therefore, the only regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Commissioners in January would be on the 17th at 5:30 P.M.

 

The County Manager announced that the National Association of Counties’ (NACo) 2012 Annual Legislative Conference had been scheduled for March 3-7, 2012, in Washington DC.

Public Comment

There was no public comment.

 

Chairman Miller wished the citizens of Watauga County a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year on behalf of the Watauga County Board of Commissioners.

Closed Session

At 5:26 P.M., Commissioner Blust, seconded by Vice-Chairman Gable, moved to enter Closed Session to discuss Attorney/Client Matters, per G. S. 143-318.11(a)(3).

 

VOTE:  Aye-4(Miller, Gable, Blust, Deal)

             Nay-0

             Absent-1(Futrelle)

 

Commissioner Blust, seconded by Vice-Chairman Gable, moved to resume the open meeting at 6:23 P.M.

VOTE:  Aye-4(Miller, Gable, Blust, Deal)

             Nay-0

             Absent-1(Futrelle)

Action After Closed Session

Commissioner Deal, seconded by Vice-Chairman Gable, moved to approve the December 6, 2011, closed session minutes as amended.

 

VOTE:  Aye-4(Miller, Gable, Blust, Deal)

             Nay-0

             Absent-1(Futrelle)

Adjourn

Chairman Miller adjourned the meeting at 6:24 P.M.

 

 

 

Nathan A. Miller, Chairman

 

ATTEST:

Anita J. Fogle, Clerk to the Board