HomeMy WebLinkAboutC.054.93010_0427 (2)IREDELL COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
BUDGET SESSION MINUTES
MAY 24, 2001
The Iredell County Board of Commissioners met for a Fiscal Year 2001-02
Budget Session on Thursday, May 24, 2001, 5:30 p.m., in the Iredell County
Government Center (South Wing Conference Room), 200 South Center Street,
Statesville, NC.
Present: Chairman Sara Haire Tice
Vice Chairman Steve D. Johnson
Tommy E. Bowles
Karen B. Ray
R. Godfrey Williams
Staff Present: County Manager Joel Mashburn, Finance Director Susan
Blumenstein, Social Services Director Don Wall, Health Director Ray Rabe, and Clerk to
the Board Jean Moore.
SOCIAL SERVICES BUDGET: Social Services Director Don Wall said there
was about an 8.7% increase in his budget. He said most of it was due to rising Medicaid
costs. Wall said Medicaid was increasing due to: increased utilization, rising healthcare,
prescription costs, and the federal government was shifting the costs to the states and
counties. Wall said he had basically prepared a maintenance budget, and it was one of
the lowest he had ever created.
County Manager Mashburn said there was little the commissioners could do with
the social services budget.
Mr. Wall was asked about his telephone system. He said the department had nine
or ten telephone lines and one switchboard operator. Wall said that in a day's time, about
20% of the calls were probably missed.
No changes from the county manager's recommendation.
HEALTH BUDGET: Health Director Ray Rabe said a conservative budget had
been prepared. He said a measure to implement a West Nile Virus Prevention Program
was not included, but he wanted to warn that a financial request might be made if a case
developed in a nearby county.
Commissioner Williams asked if the West Nile virus decision was based on
monetary reasons or because the department felt it did not need a prevention program at
this time.
Rabe said there did not appear to be an imminent threat at the present. Mr. Rabe
did say, however, there were concerns about the expense of the prevention program
($100,000). Rabe said his department would closely monitor the virus. He said the
health staff had been providing educational materials to clubs, schools and organizations.
Rabe said a presentation about the virus had been presented to the Town of Mooresville,
and this municipality, on its own, planned to carry out a mosquito abatement program.
Rabe said another budgetary concern he had was about the Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). He said the Act might have major
cost implications.
Septic Svstem Inspections: Commissioner Johnson mentioned he had received
calls from contractors complaining about unnecessary septic system inspections. Johnson
said the contractors were of the understanding that a subsequent inspection was not
required by the state.