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HomeMy WebLinkAboutC.054.93010_1284 (2)containing 50 milliliters or less, and live cents on each container with more than 50 milliliters would be collected on all alcoholic beverages. He said G.S. 18B -805(b)(4) stated that cacti month the local ABC Board would pay to the commissioners the bottle proceeds, and they were to be used for the treatment of alcoholism and substance abuse, or for research and education. Bryan said he understood that in the past, the proceeds had been distributed to Crossroads Behavioral Healthcare. He said that under the new mental health laws, Crossroads would not be providing services. Mr. Bryan said he was employed with Counseling Insights, Inc., a nonprofit 501(c)(1) entity, and that Crossroads contracted with the agency for alcohol and substance abuse services. Bryan said the Latino population continued to grow in Iredell County, and there was a need for a Spanish-speaking counselor who could offer alcoholism and substance abuse services. He requested that the board utilize all, or a part of, the ABC revenues for the establishment of this type of position. Commissioner Williams asked if the request had been proposed to Crossroads. Bryan said no, due to the new mental health laws and Crossroads becoming a management entity instead of a service provider. Mr. Bryan said counties were not limited to distributing their ABC funds to mental health agencies. He said a halfway house in Caldwell County was funded by ABC taxes. Chairman Johnson asked how much money was generated in Iredell County from the bottle tax on an annual basis. Finance Director Blumenstein said $25,000 a year had been budgeted for the past several years. Chairman Johnson mentioned the difficulties that might start occurring if the county entered into contracts with Crossroads' contractors. He said it would be difficult for the county staff to administer and monitor the contracts. Mr. Johnson asked Commissioner Williams if the mental health board had discussed the bottle tax distributions in conjunction with the new mental health law. Commissioner Williams said the board had not, and Crossroads should probably share some information on how the bottle tax was being disbursed. Mr. Williams agreed that any contractors needed to be monitored by someone, and it would be difficult for the county staff to assume the responsibility. Chairman Johnson said $25,000 would not cover the full salary costs of a qualified substance abuse person. He also said he didn't think it was equitable to spend all of the money on one targeted population. Mr. Johnson said he thought adequate accommodations had already been made since the drivers' manuals were written in Spanish and so were the tests. He said anyone with a valid North Carolina license should have a fundamental understanding that it was against the law to drink and drive. --------------------------------------------CONSENT AGENDA ---------------------------------- OTIO by Chairman Johnson to approve the following eleven (11) consent agenda items. VOTING: Ayes — 4; Nays — 0. I. Request from the Iredell-Statesville School System for Approval of a Capital Outlay Amendment for Celeste Elementary and East Elementary Fire Systems: At the briefing session, Finance Director Blumenstein said a capital outlay budget revision was needed by the Iredell-Statesville System for the purchase of fire systems that were to be installed at Celeste and East Elementary Schools. She said the school system had originally budgeted the costs ($54,000) in renovations, but they should have been reflected in the equipment line item.