AGENDA

1. Update on Finances and Operations of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board

Mr. Randy Mills, who has served as Durham County’s ABC General Manager since September of this year, will be present to provide a brief status report to the Board of County Commissioners. Mr. Mills will discuss the summary financial report and his view of the system’s operations for the first five months of this fiscal year. Mr. Mills will also be prepared to answer any questions that Board members have concerning the system.

2. Half-Way House Operation

Commissioner Joe Bowser has requested time on the agenda for Burnie Bass to discuss the operation of a half-way house.

3. Set Public Hearing to Approve Durham County’s Work First Plan

Staff is requesting that the Board of County Commissioners set a public hearing for the January 12, 1998 Regular Session to receive public comment and to approve the County’s Work First Plan.

Every county is required by North Carolina law to prepare a Work First Plan for the next two years. After preparing a draft of the plan, each county must allow for public comment. The law does not specify how to receive public comment and allows each county to determine its own process. To date, the Work First Planning Committee, which was appointed by the Board on October 13, 1997, has invited Work First participants and various religious, civic, and non-profit organizations to discuss the most pressing needs of the population to be served and to review and assist the Department of Social Services (DSS) in developing a plan to respond to those needs. In addition, the Durham Housing Authority has held community forums for the Fayetteville Street, Few Gardens, and Cornwallis housing communities to discuss needs and to review the plan. The Housing Authority has other community forums scheduled in the upcoming weeks. The DSS Board also held a public hearing on December 18, 1997 to receive public comment on the plan.

The planning committee is scheduled to meet on January 6, 1998 to provide comments on the remaining sections which are incomplete in the draft. David Powell, County Manager’s Office, and Arnold Dennis, Department of Social Services, will be available to answer questions.

4. School Generation Rates

On August 4, 1997, the Planning staff presented a report to the Board of County Commissioners regarding the number of school children generated by new residential construction. While the overall report was well received by the Commissioners, staff was asked to re-examine the generation rates for multi-family projects.

The table of multipliers presented to and approved by the Commissioners at the August 4 Worksession has been revised to reflect the results of the more recent data analysis of multi-family development. By comparison, the generation rates remain comparable to Orange County and Chapel Hill-Carrboro models, and fall between the upper and lower limits of the models developed by the University of North Carolina and the Census Bureau.

County Manager’s Recommendation: Recommend that the Board of County Commissioners approve the use of the revised data, “SCHOOL CHILDREN GENERATED PER DWELLING BY HOUSING TYPE AND COST" for planning purposes.

5. Presentation on the Zoning Ordinance, Rezonings, Site Plans, and Subdivisions

The County Commissioners regularly receive a large number of development-related agenda items that they are required to evaluate and act on. The information received and processes followed on these items are established by requirements of the Durham Zoning Ordinance and by past requests of elected officials. A review of Ordinance provisions, the review process, and staff report format would be helpful in having a common understanding about the underlying basis for the issues and reports that end up in Board agenda packets.

Members of the City-County Planning Department will make this presentation and respond to questions. Bonnie Estes will review the Zoning Ordinance, Sheila
Stains-Ramp will review rezoning reports and procedures, and Steve Medlin will review reports and procedures for site plans and subdivisions.

6. Adoption of Guiding Principles for Durham Regional Hospital Deliberations

On December 15, 1997, County Commission members received a Draft of Guiding Principles created by Durham County consultants based on previous statements by Board members. Commissioners were requested to submit any proposed revisions to the County Manager’s office by the end of December to be compiled and brought forward to this Worksession for deliberation. Chairman Black has also requested that prior to the Board meeting, Commissioners rank these principles in priority order as a beginning point for deliberations. After Commissioner deliberation at this meeting, the adopted guiding principles will be sent out on the following day to the proposers for use in their presentations to the Commissioners on January 13, 1998.

The County Manager has enclosed the draft previously sent to the Commissioners for use at this meeting. Mr. Thompson will distribute any comments he has received regarding the draft.

7. Reduction of Sheriff’s Salary

The Board is requested to adopt a resolution to reduce the Sheriff’s salary effective when the person elected takes office. This reduction is necessary in the event a new person is elected to the position of sheriff.

County Manager’s Recommendation: Approve the resolution reducing the salary of the sheriff so that if a new person is elected, the person would not be paid the same amount as the sitting sheriff. The salary of the sheriff may be reset next December if the current sheriff is reelected to the position.

8. Discuss in Closed Session, Pursuant to N.C.G.S. 143.318.11(3) the Case of Robert Truelove et al. v. Durham County

To review and discuss the case and give directions to attorneys.