County Commissioners - Regular Meeting

I don't know. Yes.

[snorts] [snorts]

I forgot. [clears throat]

caller meeting order. It is 6:00 Monday, [clears throat] March the 2nd. Would [snorts] all rise for the pledge of allegiance. Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. May be seated. We got a [clears throat] couple of changes on the agenda. Uh first change would be moving [snorts] uh moving Shane Glenn's consideration from the information down to full action. We need to take action on that tonight.

I'll make a motion to approve. Okay. And the other other change is going to have a close session. So we got a motion to approve. I need a second. Second. Any further discussion? All in favor? 5. Okay, we need a we got minutes to approve on 216 and 220 [snorts] of this year. I trust everybody's looked over that. And if there's no problem, ask for a motion to accept. Second.

Got a motion, a second. Any discussion? All in favor? 5. Okay. Public comment time. If anyone has anything to say, it's your time. Seeing no movement, we'll close public comment time. Moving on down to general business, Mr. Mike Wagner, assistant sales manager and special projects manager for bottom evergreen. [snorts]

Well, first off, I would like to uh thank the commissioners for allowing me to come speak with you tonight. I also would like to thank the staff you know for his help recently for her help. One [snorts] side note before we get started. I just like to congratulate our new sheriff James. We're real happy to have him. Uh I come to you tonight. Um as all of you in in the room know, we have suffered a cat catastrophic fire at Bottom Evergreens and Farms. Um it's been very costly for us. Yes, we did have some insurance, not enough insurance to cover all of it. What I'm coming for tonight is uh to ask you to please consider granting us a waiver uh on the debris removal fire from the fire only. We're keeping track of it. Uh Aaron Cranford is uh keeping track of it and I think Lisa told me they're also keeping track of it at the landfield. Uh we're not asking for all our other trash. We spend thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars every year for the landfill fees. And we are just uh coming to you tonight to ask you if you can please help us a little bit with the fire. And that's basically why I'm here. If anybody has any questions, I'd be glad to try to answer them.

Have any estimate on on total amount you're talking about? Not yet, but by the time we get through those by the time you all I think vote on the 16th, it should be a total from the landfill and and Darren both and I can provide the county with Darren's tickets. Yeah, it' be helpful to know kind of what we're looking at. Yeah, we'll certainly try to do do our best. Anybody got any questions? Bobby, if um we went through this years ago with another outfit and one of the questions in was did the insurance cover any of the debris removal?

Not to my knowledge. Well, I would suggest you look at the policy and be sure that there's not a coverage in there because we were led to believe this last time that they did not have a coverage and apparently it turned out they did have a coverage. I I totally understand and I will make sure I give up our insurance company and find out about that. That's all I've got. Okay. Anybody else? Anybody got any I wish we look into this. We appreciate you coming.

Thank you so much for allowing us to come before you. We appreciate everything the board does [snorts] and uh we always try to stand behind our board and our county. We uh we try to be good citizens. We appreciate everything Bottomley does for Alagen County. Likewise. Thank you very much, sir. Y thank you, Mark. [snorts]

Okay. Item number two, Mr. David Spicer, senior operations manager, project manager. [clears throat and cough] Thank you, Mr. Chairman and board. Um, [clears throat] we have uh had an u I guess a void in our EMS system for quite some time now. And we've been unable to obtain quality help. And quality help, I'm talking about paramedics to work on the analysis to take care of the people who are sick or injured. So around us in counties all around us um they went to a shift that everybody is viewing is this is the grandio thing and this is what we want. They um have been able to go and and do this 2472 somewhere else. They've been able to make a little more money. Uh so that leaves us with four positions that's been open since uh last September. Um, so in we've had two retire and two that went other places. Uh, so what we want to propose is that we try to keep up with the times, not necessarily keeping up with the Joneses, but we want to keep up with the times. Um, we need quality help and we need people to work our ambulances. uh we've been working our part-time people and so far um we've been able to do pretty good with that. We have had some of our full-time people have to work some extra shifts. Um but that's becoming more and more burdensome to [snorts] those people. So what we

want to do is to propose that we go to a 2472 shift. Now, this means that they'll work one day, one 24-hour shift, and then they'll be off for three 3 days, 72 hours. Um, with that, it's going to, um, be a little bit of an expense. Um, we need to raise the base salary just a little bit to be able to, uh, recruit some people. Now, I have had a verbal response from at least five that told me if we go to the 2472, then they would come to work for me. So, in [clears throat] order for us to have what we need for the citizens of Alageney County, I want to make the proposal tonight that we go from uh 2448 to 2472. And with that, we'll I have April and Tiffany both here tonight. um or things that I can't answer. Um but we can answer certainly any questions that you might have concerning this.

Well, I certainly think we need to look at it. I I hear that conversation some too. It's a very popular work schedule and I think I think to have good people we got to keep them satisfied you know and our our citizens deserve [clears throat] the best we can get right

what they need a I know it's going to cost a little bit and we've got to go into it with the understanding that the budget for next year is going to have to incorporate this as well. um we are able we can we're able to find the money this year in the budget because of some things [clears throat] that um had to cost as much as what we thought would. Uh so we're going to be able to have the money we can go ahead and start that and get some people in here as soon as possible. Um but we want to make sure that we have the understanding that next year in the budget that it's got to be incorporated in that budget. Any questions?

On the verbal response, if we go ahead and do this, can you get them to sign a contract, stay with us for two year or something? I I think that would be a good possibility. Yes. You know, that's something I think we need to look into. Right. Right. And we do that two two four year something. Yeah. Well, we do that with those who sign a contract from that works for basic basics and go to paramedic school. Once they get their paramedic, they work for us for two years. I think that would be a grand idea. Yeah, that's that's the only thing I have. And that way you've got a commitment commitment to at least two years. Well, if I'm if I'm going to put money into something, I want to make sure it stays. Exactly.

Yes. So, well, you said raise the base rate. Do you have a clue what that means? I mean, we're looking at going from uh right at 41 to 495 about 8,000. Do you have an estimate on the total impact on the budget [clears throat] for next fiscal year? The total impact of the budget next year, I think, uh, don't hold me to it, but I think it'll be somewhere around 150,000.

Thank you. [clears throat and cough] Anybody else? Mr. Chairman. Yes, sir. This Oh, thank you. This is our most pressing personnel need [clears throat] and it affects the safety of the people in the county. Um, we we feel strongly about trying to how about trying to make this work and hope that you'll give it every consideration. Um it's really something that [snorts] bothers us the the four of us every single day thinking we've got four vacancies

and our response time and our responsibil responsibility is affected by this. So thank you for considering it. Anybody else? That's one thing is not too many years ago we were having trouble keeping people at EMS

and we made some changes. We got a new ambulance. We got more ambulances now. But this would solidify your workforce that we will almost be guaranteed to have all these employees full-time all the time instead of possibly not having enough people. So I think part of the or obviously the county's job is to provide to provide for the citizens and this is something that to me is utmost important. Yes sir. Thank you.

That's [clears throat] a you know it's never ending never ending battle really. I mean when another joining county raises their pay you can't blame people for moving if they're making that's what we're working for. So, we got to we got to keep our end up and and keep them in place, keep them satisfied. It's easier to keep well-trained people than it is go out here and hire new and have to go through all this training and and all that stuff. Yes, I think. Yes, very much so.

And we're looking at probably within the next year of uh two more retiring. So, we've got to we've got to make arrangements and we've got to plan for the future. um so that we can maintain what needs to be done here in our old county. I got one more question that's unrelated to the paramedics, but how's the the last ammo we bought was a gas burner. Yes. How is that working out? Awesome. It is it it um it's a little bit more hesitant than a diesel because of the torque issue, but just but there's not much difference. Um everybody everybody likes it. So, um, the next one I think will go with gas once again.

Whole lot of savings there. Yes, sir. And and long-term savings, maintenance, a lot of other stuff there. I was just curious as to how that Yeah, it's working out. There's a good bit of opposition about that to start with. It wouldn't be too good, but I think we warn them up. We run gas burners a lot longer. We've run diesel. So, anyway, we'll certainly put this into consideration. Anybody got anything else? No, I we we got to take care of our ambulance services. People in the county needs it. So, he's a no-brainer. So, yeah. Thank you very much. All right. Thank you, Dave. Appreciate it.

All right. Moving on down to general business. Uh I'll take this one. It's concerning our sheriff. I I met with the Democrat executive committee and they were all in favor with having a very smooth transition to put Mr. Glenn in to finish out Brian Mr. Mains's tenure till November. So at this time I would entertain a motion to do so. I'll make a motion to approve. Second. Motion second. Any discussion? All in favor by vote. Congratulations. Mr. Shane, if you want to say something, come right on up to the microphone. [applause]

Mr. Chairman, commissioners, and citizens of Alageney County. Thank you for the confidence that's been placed with me tonight. I'm humbled by the appointment and I fully understand the responsibility that comes with serving as sheriff for Alagany County and I'm grateful for the trust that y'all put in me and I do not take that consideration lightly. [clears throat] This office belongs to the people of the county. My responsibility is to serve the citizens fairly, professionally, and with integrity. [snorts] The badge represents trust, and that trust must be earned and upheld every day. My focus as sheriff will be simple and clear to protect the community, support the men and women of this office, and maintain honest and open communication between the public. I'm honored to serve. I'm ready to go to work. Thank you. [snorts]

Thank you. [applause]

We need we need it's picture time. This is a setting record here for somebody to get good camera. [laughter] Let's go sideways. [laughter]

[laughter] [clears throat] Okay, I feel safer [laughter] getting that behind us. Uh, moving on down. Uh, Sid Carrier is not here tonight, but I'll ask David if he'll chime in here with he [snorts] talked to them the school personnel and it uh go ahead there.

Yes. Uh, Sid and I did have a conversation uh last week and we have come to the agreement that this year we'll leave it as is. So, trash pickup is what we're talking. Yeah, we're talking about $1,600 a month that that of extra that table is going to be charged, but um we we understand that that budget and restraints and and things like that, but we came to an understanding that u this year we'll leave it as is and um be able to maintain and make it. Um so with that, um he's all good with that process. Okay, we need a we need a motion to leave as is to get it in the records for the

So move motion and a second to leave it leave the contract as is till the end of the fiscal year. Got a motion and second. Any further discussion? All in favor? 50. Thank you, Dave. [clears throat] Okay. Mr. Randy Murphy, parks and recreation director. Good evening everyone. Um we had discussed this in the last meeting about the uh um discount baskets on selling them. We will need to put him in a surplus to offer them up for sale. Uh and that's basically what I'm here for tonight. We get approval to put that up for surplus. It should be 25 baskets. [snorts] uh all together six of them has never been any ground.

Those are in storage under the BDC. Yes. Yeah. Yes. Okay. We need a I'll make a motion put in a surplus. Second. Motion and a second by Bobby. Any further discussion? All in favor? Five. Thanks everyone. Thank you.

Okay. The next item up is I'll take that one. It's appointment of the town the town planning board that we're supposed to come up with and uh good gentleman offered up to do this was Mr. David Jones, Casey Jones, everybody knows him and uh he'd be good on that board. He's on the county planning board and I don't think there's any problem with him being on two boards because there's another gentleman that's on both boards. Uh, but anyway, I think he would be a be a good fit right there for us. So, with that being said, I entertain a motion. I make a motion to appoint uh David Jones to the town planning board. Second.

Got a motion and a second. Okay. Any further discussion? All in favor? Five. Okay. Next up, Miss Lisa Ashley. Surplus sale. Yes. So, uh, we finalized our sealed bids last week on the vehicles, and I just want to get your permission to, um, process these sales. Okay. It was a total of $8,670. Okay. Motion to approve. Second. Motion second. Any discussion? All in favor? 5.

Thank you. Thank you. [snorts] April Lamb, CFO of the budget. Good evening. Few budget amendments this evening. I believe the first one is for this gift [snorts] funds. This is the grant money that we received a few years ago and we need to add the interest to those grant funds. Okay. Make a motion to approve. Second. Got a motion, a second. Any further discussion? All in favor? 5. [snorts] Going right out ahead, April.

Okay. Um the next one is actually this gift courthouse project funds. Uh we're adding $8,241 in interest to that fund. Need a motion to accept. Make a motion accept. Second. Motion. Second. Any discussion? All in favor? 5. Okay, the third one is the skid capital funds. This is actually part of the money that was [snorts] used to um with the project at the transfer facility and we're adding $448 to that. 448. Need a motion to accept. Motion to accept the skiff capital project fund amendment.

Second. Any further discussion? All in favor? 5. Okay. And the next one is kind of a two-part. Um, we're doing a budget amendment to add funds for funds that have been received insurance proceeds. It's actually for law enforcement vehicle and we need to approve the budget amendment to add the funds to for the repairs and then we'll have a line item transfer to transfer those funds to the law enforcement budget so they can replace that. They've actually already replaced [snorts] the vehicle with a used vehicle. We just need to replenish that budget line for them.

Okay. I'll make a motion to approve. Second. Got a motion, a second. Any further discussion? All in favor? 5. Okay. Just to clarify, that was both portions of the item. Yes, ma'am. Okay. Thank you. Uh the same thing will be with this next budget amendment. Um it's [snorts] actually for the rebal. We need to add some funds to the revaluation fund uh to cover the cost of the rebound this year. And we do have excess funds that have been brought in for 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, and 24 for past taxes that was that was owed. So that's what we're doing with that money. Okay.

How much is a revaluation cost in the county? I believe Rita said it was going to be between 350 and $400,000 by the time. Is in a cost overrun or this it's just what it's come to. I mean I know I know we budget for this [snorts] right now. I will say there was a few years ago probably three to four years ago when there was a um year we're supposed to be putting back so much for a year. There was a year missed a few years ago. Okay. It just got missed in the budget a little bit, but I believe the cost is going up a little bit too. Okay. [clears throat] All righty. We heard the need there. Do we hear a motion? I'll make a motion to approve. Second.

Motion and second. Any further discussion? All in favor? 5. Thank you, April. Thank you. Okay, move it on down. Mr. Bill Shepley. [snorts] Yes. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um we are uh working with TRC on the transfer station. The uh plan for the transfer station is now 95% complete.

So um we're very close to the having that plan completely completely done. And the other major thing is tomorrow the budget process begins and that goes through April 15th. So, [clears throat] we'll be meeting with the the managers. Um, it'll be April and Rita and myself and um and then with some of the uh organizations uh Bill and um Timmy will be participating and that that's their choice on which which ones of those and I think they've indicated already to us which ones they want to be included in. So, we're excited about getting that rolling. We've got all the the budgets from our our people and have we compiled it?

Yes. Okay. Okay. That it. All right. Moving on. I've got a question. Okay. Go ahead. If uh about the transfer station, was there some recent damage when we had that little earthquake a few weeks ago? and what what came of that and what what's [snorts] the future look like?

Yes, sir. There there was some damage to um the the tip and floor building. Uh the damage was down in the pit where the trailer is. So, it had already [clears throat] cracked, but it knocked the blocks out. So, it made it unstable. Um, so we've been back in the trailer in not to try to disturb that any further. Uh, we did have four engineers and, uh, represented from Walk Lane that came. Um, they evaluated. Uh, they're making a plan. They're going to be a drawing. There will be a drawing that consists of putting in I beams, one on each side of the doorway where the trailer goes in, and then one across the top. There will also be a I beam that goes up on the tipping floor where the beam that is [clears throat] supporting the roof structure has almost kicked completely out. So, we want to sturdy that up and make sure that it's safe for our employees to still operate the tiff floor. Uh we have a plan to use the temporary floor the days that that's going on. Uh should be a total of three days work. So, we'll have some rolloff dumpsters that we'll put up there next to the scale house for residential um waste and then we'll allow the commercial vehicles to go down and use the temporary tipping floor and then we'll link to the dumpsters ourselves. So, um we do have a plan and hopefully it'll go off without a hitch and everything will be good. So, we should have that estimate and drawing of the plan to fix that before the end of this week.

Did we have any insurance for something like that? We're going to turn it in on insurance. Um, like I said, we're we're unsure as to how much it's going to cost right away. But, um, we are going to turn it in on insurance and let them help us with that a little bit. That's all. A pretty good number on it. You did a good number on it. pretty. Yes, sir. Sure did. Thank you. All right. Thank you. Let's see. We're down to commissioner comments. Uh Greg, you want to start off on your s? I just want to let everybody know get out and vote tomorrow. Election day tomorrow. And it's supposed to be cool tomorrow. If anybody want to do a bob sled, get out and do it. So that's all I got to say. [laughter]

Okay, T. Yeah. Um, springtime's around the corner, so looking forward to that. St. Patrick's Day and spring and um I just noticed that you're doing a um like tips reduce how to reduce cholesterol. Maybe we all need to join there on the 16th uh here at the boardroom. Is that correct? That's my u my previous life. I uh wrote a small uh book on how to reduce cholesterol.

Oh, anyway, it's a great idea. I mean, we we might we I think we're good listeners, but we don't do sometimes we don't do what the doctor asks us to. But, um yeah, and I noticed in our newsletter that we got some folks uh David Bearer has got 24 years in from the jail, which is pretty incredible. And then it amazes me people in DSS, we have another one at 28 years. And I don't know how they do that, but got to got to be proud of those folks. But um but yeah, um just uh just want to tell everybody um look forward. I I notice we got the apple pie festival coming up in May again be around the corner. So all these good things. Uh, springtime is [snorts] my favorite time of year and it's uh uh brings a lot of positive um environment is what I look at. So, but that's all I got.

Oh, thank you Garrison.

I don't have a whole lot of comment. Excuse me. I don't have a whole lot of comments. Um, just one quick note. I do support the uh shift change to 2472 for uh EMS personnel. I was just curious about the cost. So, I just want to say that for the record. I do I do think that's uh a [snorts] move in the right direction [clears throat and cough] and that's what the market demands and sometimes that's what we got to do to uh you know remain competitive in the job market. [snorts] I think uh if that's what it wants and that's what we need to do. Um tomorrow is primary day. Uh get out and vote whether doesn't matter who you vote for. get out and uh make your voice heard and pick who uh we're going to be working with for the next three years.

Okay, Bobby,

just a few things. U I always this time of year like to remember all the veterans from the Vietnam War. It was for me it was 58 years ago that the TED offensive was in full swing. So I like to always remember all the veterans from from the Vietnam conflict. Um, I noticed coming into town today the gas prices have gone skyhigh except for one at Twin Oak store is still at 259 50 59. Some of them are almost 50 cents higher than than that store. I don't understand that. But I guess that's way some of them make extra money. Um I' I'd like to have a little clarification from Heather maybe about the when we have a closed session minute meeting we keep some minutes of that meeting are the participants that attend that meeting are they named in the close session minutes? No, I mean typically the information from that meeting shouldn't be disclosed to the public unless whatever we had the closed session on becomes public. Um so that information should be kept private uh until the information is disclosed publicly

but the minutes should uh what we keep in the minutes what we keep privately is different than what we would put out for the public. Yes. Right. Exactly. Yes, that's that's no problem. It's it's like we would normally be keeping our minutes and then once they're approved then you're releasing them. But with close session minutes, we don't release that information unless and until let's say it was about a contract negotiation. Then you wouldn't release the confidential information in regards to that closed session. Unless that contract then is signed and becomes public, then you can disclose the information from a closed session. But otherwise it remains it remains closed and private.

I understand that. But my question was when we do the close session minutes that we approve are the people that attend the minute meeting are their names mentioned in our approval of the close session minutes? As long as that is not brought public and disclosed in your packet. Yes. Then yes.

Okay. but not for disclosure. So, when you're looking at something for approval, it may not contain all of the information for which you're approving because that's not public information. I I understand that, but I just wanted to be sure that when people are invited to attend a close session minute meeting that those names are reflected in the official close session minutes and they are right. That's I that's what I just wanted to clarify that.

Sure. And people can see the close session minutes after that project is finished if they request it. Yes. Once it becomes public, then you can see it. Until then, you cannot. Correct.

Yeah. And the other thing is with uh Brian Mine's retiring after all these years of service, I think it would behoove this board if we had a look at having a Brian Mann's day to commemorate what all he's done for this community. So I'd like for that for us to take that into consideration for maybe midmon meeting or something. We'll do that. That's all.

Okay. I don't have much either. Just tomorrow is election day and everybody exercise their right and go vote. That's that's a privilege we have in this country and let's all ought to use it to the maximum. And I'm like Tammy Springs my time of the year everything sort of pops to life. [snorts] It ain't far off and this is this is one year kind of I think most people looking for spring. Uh, it's a pretty time of the year and and apple pie festival is the first event at the fairgrounds. I ain't got that date in my head, but it's around the 1 of May. Pretty early. But anyway, that's about all I have. And uh, anybody else have anything? Heather, Bill, Lisa, got request for a close session. General statute 143-318.11 attorney consultation. Need a motion to go into close session.

I'll make a motion. Motion to second. All in favor. Let's take about five minute break. Sounds good.