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2008 Minority Enterprise Development Week |
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REVISED (Item No. 10 added) THE BOARD OF
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA Monday, March 4, 2002 9:00 A.M. Worksession AGENDA 1. Citizen Comments—Mr. Jack Steer and Dr.
Anita Keith-Foust Mr. Steer has requested time on the
agenda to discuss the FY 2002-2003 budget planning now in progress. Dr. Keith-Foust will speak about the
M/WBE program and procurement policies. 2. Request from Register of Deeds The office of the Register
of Deeds is requesting actions that will: 1.
Restore already trained temps for the remainder of the fiscal year, 2.
Allow us to continue work on automation project which is already funded
and which is about 60% complete, 3.
Permit us to increase staff by 2 FTEs in the upcoming budget year. The two (2) Head Count will replace the two
temps we currently have. The above request is made
necessary by the huge increase in volume over the past two years. While other areas of the economy have
suffered, the ROD office volume has increased greatly. Our revenues have gone from 1,500,000 in FY
96/97 to a projected 2.4 to 2.5 million in FY 2001/2002. Our Head Count in that same period has gone
from 12 FTEs to 15 FTEs. The requested 2 Head Count
is to get us in compliance with state statute and to get us to where we are in
line with the Triangle Area average time of two (2) weeks for returning
documents. We in the office of
Register of Deeds provide a service to the citizens for which they pay. We should be allowed to provide the level of
service they deserve and desire, and which reflects well on us as a county. Resource Person: Hon. Willie Covington,
Register of Deeds County Manager’s
Recommendation: The manager recommends that the board review the request and advise
the staff if any additional action is necessary. 3. Annual Report: Durham Open Space and Trails Commission The Durham Open Space and
Trails (DOST) Commission was created in 1994.
The twenty-two (22) member commission meets on a monthly basis in an
effort to advise elected officials on matters relating to open space preservation
and trail development, as well as the implementation of approved
activities. The DOST operates under the
authority of an Interlocal Agreement, which requires the provision of an annual
report. Resource Person(s): Annette Montgomery,
Chairman County Manager's Recommendation: Receive the report and
advise the staff if any additional action is necessary. 4. Report to the Commissioners from the
Durham County Library Board of Trustees and Recommended By-Law Changes The Durham County Library
Board of Trustees will present its annual report to the Commissioners as
required by its bylaws and G.S. § 153A-266(8). In addition, the Library
Board requests Commissioner consideration and action on proposed changes to the
bylaws of the Board of Trustees. The
purpose of the proposed changes is to clarify the authority and
responsibilities of the Trustees and to bring the language of the delegated
duties in line with the language in G.S. § 153A-266. The proposed changes were developed in consultation with Deputy
County Manager Carolyn P. Titus. Resource Person(s): Bessie M. Carrington,
Chair, Durham County Library Board of Trustees; Dale Gaddis, Library Director;
and Carolyn P. Titus, Deputy County Manager County Manager's
Recommendation: The Manager recommends that the Board receive the Library Board of
Trustees’ annual report and consider and approve the recommended changes to the
bylaws of the Library Board. 5. Land Use Plan Amendments Calendar Year
2001 According to adopted procedures, coordination of land use
plan amendments is required on an annual basis. The procedures require a public meeting before each governing
body for the purpose of rectifying any differences between the adopted land use
plans of the City and County. During
calendar year 2001, the City Council approved three plan amendments for areas
within the City’s zoning jurisdiction while the Board of County Commissioners
approved two plan amendments within the County’s zoning jurisdiction. As a result of these actions, coordination
of the affected plans is necessary. The
NC 54/I-40 Corridor Study Area is presently the subject of pending
litigation. A plan amendment for this
area will be brought to the Board at a future date. Attached are the staff reports and resolutions amending the
future land use maps of the East Central Durham and the Southwest Durham
Plans. The resolutions were adopted by
City Council on September 17, 2001 (13-0) and December 17, 2001 (6-0),
respectively. Plan amendment procedures
do not require the Board to adopt resolutions for an amendment; however, an
affirmative vote by the Board to rectify differences between amended versions
and adopted versions of the East Central Durham Plan and the Southwest Durham
Plan is required. Resource Person(s): Dick Hails, Interim
Planning Director and Dwight Yarborough, Senior Planner County Manager's
Recommendation: The Manager’s recommendation is that the Board discuss these
amendments and direct staff on the desired changes of the future land use maps
of the East Central Durham Plan and Southwest Durham Plan. After the discussion and plan modifications,
staff is requesting that the Board place these amendments on the March 11, 2002
agenda for action. 6. Discussion of Additional ½-Cent Sales
Tax The North Carolina Association of County Commissioners has
sent a form resolution implementing the new ½-cent sales tax. This new sales tax was passed by the General
Assembly to take the place of reimbursements for repealed inventory and other
taxes. This tax would not be effective
until July 1, 2003. The Board would be
required to hold a public hearing prior to adoption of the sales tax. Resource Person(s): Mike Ruffin, County Manager; Chuck
Kitchen, County Attorney County Manager's Recommendation: Receive the
information regarding the loss of reimbursements from the State and the sales
tax which replaces the reimbursements.
Give direction to the staff as to setting the public hearing on the
sales tax. 7. Insurance Renewals for the Upcoming
Fiscal Year The County’s insurance broker, Marsh, has given the County
estimates of insurance premiums for the ensuing fiscal year. While the exact amount of premium can only
be estimated until actual renewal, these amounts are based on renewal of
policies taking place currently. The
insurance market has caused these significant increases in renewals, and the
increases do not reflect claims on the part of Durham County. Resource Person(s): Chuck Kitchen, County Attorney;
Cathy Whisenhunt, Risk Manager County Manager's Recommendation: Receive the
presentation by the Attorney’s Office regarding insurance and give direction to
the staff regarding any possible reductions in coverages. 8. Respond to Questions Surrounding the Joint City/County Utility Audit During
the February 25, 2002 Board meeting, Commissioner Bowser requested that this
item be added to the worksession agenda for the purpose of responding to
questions he had regarding the Joint City/County Utility Audit. Resource Person(s): Wendell M. Davis, Deputy County
Manager; George Quick, Finance Director; and Susan Fox-Kirk, Assistant Finance
Director County Manager's Recommendation: The Manager’s recommendation is
that staff be provided the opportunity to respond to questions raised by
Commissioner Bowser at the February 25, 2002 regular meeting. 9. Designation of Members for 2002 E&R
Board North Carolina General Statues
105-322 require adoption of a Resolution to appoint a special Board of
Equalization and Review to hear tax appeal matters. The Board of Commissioners approved that resolution on February
25, 2002. However, the statute also
requires that the Board finalize its appointments to that board, appoint the
chairman and vice chairman, and set the rate of compensation, all of which must
be consummated by the first Monday in March. The
rate of compensation for the 2001 Board of Equalization and Review was $50.00
per session plus $15.00 an hour for any hour over the three-hour session. A session consists of a three-hour block of
time that Board members actually attend for official meetings. The Board currently consists of the
following members with their noted attendance:
Resource Person(s): W. Steven Crysel, Tax
Administrator County Manager's Recommendation:
The Manager recommends that the Board suspend the rules and consummate its
appointments to the special Board of Equalization and Review, including the
appointment of Chairman and Vice Chairman, and establish the rate of
compensation for serving on this Board at $50.00 per session and $15.00 per
hour after the three-hour session. 10. Cancellation of Public Hearing on
School Impact Fee Ordinance The
Board of County Commissioners agreed to schedule a public hearing on the School
Impact Fee Ordinance on March 25, 2002.
Since that time, Governor Easley’s action to withhold reimbursements
from Durham County will severely limit the ability of Durham County to meet its
obligations under the proposed ordinance with regards to the establishment of
an incentive program to reimburse eligible developers for impact fees paid on
affordable housing. The projected
annual cost to the County for the reimbursement is estimated at $202,500 for
the 2002-2003 Fiscal Year. Resource
Person(s): Mike Ruffin, County Manager County
Manager's Recommendation: The Manager recommends that the Board
cancel the March 25, 2002 public hearing and suspend its review of the
ordinance until the impact of the state financial crisis on Durham County’s
budget is fully understood. |
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