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LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE IN RALEIGH ON JUNE 13, 1990: Mr. Mashburn announced this meeting.
o Three members of the board plan to go.
PUBLIC HEARING ON BUDGET
Chairman Sloan opened the meeting for the public hearing on the FY 1990-91 Budget.
County Manager Mashburn read the following prepared statement:
On May 15, 1990 I presented the Board of Commissioners a proposed budget representing an
increase of only $683,214, or less than 2% over FY 89-90 budget. However, based on projected
revenues, it was necessary to appropriate $1,770,718 in Fund Balance to balance the proposed budget,
This will leave the County with less than 8% in unappropriated fund balance.
Based on past experience, an B% unappropriated fund balance may seem sufficient and may not
create any major financial problems for us during the budget year. There is, however, a real danger
that revenue could fall below estimates during the coming year and then the services provided by the
County could be put in serious jeopardy.
If the economy drops and taxes are off, if the General Assembly reduces its reimbursement to the
County in Lieu of Inventory Taxes, as it is talking about doing, or if values should fall as a
result of some catastrophic event, i.e. hurricane, tornadoes, closing of industries, or siting of a
hazardous waste incinerator, or if expenses are above the projection because of some economic or
natural catastrophic event, then we could be in serious trouble with the proposed budget.
The proposed budget was presented as is because it was my sincere belief that the board of
commissioners would not have been receptive to a budget recommending a tax increase. And indeed,
one is not needed to fund the proposed budget. There are some things, however, that are not in the
budget, and you should be aware of these:
1. Amount budgeted to Capital Reserve is lowered to $500,000. The
debt service alone for the projects needed immediately will exceed
$1.5 million. We need to either continue putting money into the
Capital Reserve or we need to forget about building the facilities
we so desperately need, and I'm not even talking about the needs
of the schools.
2. There is no funding for water -sewer expansion to assist us in economic
expansion.
3. There are 32 new positions requested, yet only 8} are being
recommended. No new positions are being recommended for the health
or social services departments; however, this may very well be
false economy, especially in light of our infant mortality rate in
Iredell County.
4. There is only a 2.25% across-the-board increase in salaries; however,
if we continue to go at this rate in future years, our employees
will continue to fall further and further behind the market for
their classifications.
I do not believe that all the above can be adequately addressed, even if the board considered a
tax increase; however, I do feel the board should give more consideration to the appropriation from
fund balance and use this only if absolutely necessary.
Also, I think the board should rethink the lack of appropriation to the Captial Reserve. We
started a commitment this past year and set aside $1,000,000. The need is just as great now as it
was last July.
Not that it will address all the needs; however, having received an adjustment on our Medicare
funds for EMS, we can project another $300,000 in that line item. However, the other needs will go
unmet unless the board is willing to take another look at its position on no tax increase for this
coming year.
The following people spoke during the public hearing.
Anna Rice, Council on Aging
Requested the board to grant their full request of $15,826.
Lisa Kraft, Appropriate Punishment Options.
Tri -County Mental Health Agency.
Requesting a total amount from the three counties of $714,652.
Dr. Larry Freeman, Counseling Center of Iredell
Said thank you to the board.
Bill Brown, Big Brothers/Big Sisters
Said "thank you" for their allocation.