HomeMy WebLinkAboutC.054.93009_1183 (2)RD,
except Buddy Hemric, residing at Iredell County, North
Carolina, who appeared in person and stated he was in opposition
to the bonds. Hemric felt the school maintenance department
should do some of the maintenance work and that $18 million
shouldn't be handed over to the Iredell-Statesville School
System;
except Bedford Cannon, Esq., who stated he represented the
Iredell-Statesville School System, located in Iredell County, North
Carolina, and desired to seek a modification to the bond question.
He felt that the entire ballot should either be all bold print or
all regular print. Cannon felt the layout of the ballot should be
neutral. He awknowledged there was no statute or case law in North
Carolina that sets out the requirements for a similar bond
matter (ballot lettering/print);
except Michael Rhyne, residing at Iredell County, North
Carolina, who appeared in person and stated he was in support of
the bond;
except Jeff Watt, residing at Iredell County, North
Carolina, who appeared in person and stated he was in support of
the bond;
except Karen Bedinger, residing at Iredell County,
North Carolina, who appeared in person and stated she was in
support of the bond;
except Rhyne Dowell, residing at Iredell County, North
Carolina, who appeared in person and stated he was in support of
the bond;
except Gay Busque, residing at Iredell County, North
Carolina who appeared in person and stated she was in support of
the bond;
except Eddie Guy, residing at Iredell County, North Carolina
who appeared in person and stated he was in opposition to the
bond;
except Scott Neely, residing at Iredell County, North
Carolina who appeared in person and was in favor of the bonds;
except Reitha Gaither, residing at Iredell County, North
Carolina who appeared in person and was in favor of the bonds.
All of the foregoing statements were duly considered by the
Board of Commissioners.
Chairman Haire closed the public hearing.
Chairman Haire advised that she felt it would be proper to act
on Mr. Cannon's request pertaining to the ballot.
Commissioner Johnson mentioned that he sat on the Facilities
Task Force during the past summer. The original proposal from this
group varied from $81-145 million. It would have required the
County to borrow $61.6 million. At that time, Mr. Johnson said he
discovered that the maximum borrowing capacity of the County was
$55 million. He mentioned that he voted against the task force's
recommendation, because he felt it was his duty to keep the County
on a sound financial footing. The recommendation would have
exceeded the County's borrowing capacity plus it would have left
the County without any borrowing capacity if an emergency occurred.
It would have also amounted to an eleven percent tax increase. Mr.
Johnson said he felt the citizens of the County spent enough time
working for the government and not enough time working for
themselves. Johnson mentioned that he had advised the school board
that if an agreement could be reached that he would not speak
either for or against the proposed bond. However, the newspaper