HomeMy WebLinkAboutC.054.93010_0875WHEREAS, 24 children are known to have died in North Carolina in the year 2001 due to abuse
or neglect that was inflicted upon them by their parents or caregivers; and
WHEREAS, it is important to remember the 24 known innocents who died in North Carolina
during the year 2001.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Iredell County Board of Commissioners
calls upon !redell County communities to dedicate October 3, 2002, as a day of remembrance for the
unknown number of children who died as a direct result of abuse and neglect and for the 24 innocent
children known to have died due to abuse and neglect in North Carolina during the year of 2001.
Mr. Alan R. Eisele Presents a Petition from Concerned Citizens Requesting
the Reconsideration of the Decision to Locate the New Library at the Meeting &
Front Street Location: Mr. Eisele said he was presenting a petition that had been
signed by nearly 2,000 county citizens who were concerned about locating the new
library at the Meeting and Front Street location. The caption of the petition read:
"Petition to Reconsider Construction of the lredell County Library, at the Meeting Street
Location: This is a petition addressed to Members of Council of the City of Statesville and to County
Commissioners of Iredell County. The undersigned citizens and residents of Iredell County and of the
City of Statesville, for a number of compelling reasons, are opposed to locating the Iredell County
Library upon the site selected at the corner of South Meeting and West Front Streets in the City of
Statesville. We hereby petition the two governing bodies to re -open consideration ofsite selection for said
library and to receive additional public input within the context of official public hearings before each
body. Since facts now available to the public regarding the selected site were not available at the times of
previous public hearings, this procedure is necessary to allow meaningful public input on this important
issue. "
Eisele said the circumstances surrounding the library issue had changed since he
first made a request to appear before the board. He said that "last Friday morning the city
council passed a resolution offering the county a sum of money intended to enable the
county to build the new library upon some site within the downtown business area."
Eisele said the resolution did not specify a site, or that it was being made "in lieu of the
city's offer to provide the county a `buildable' site at the corner of Front and Meeting
Street." He said that, however, at the council's meeting on September 16, 2002, Mayor
Marshall deleted an agenda item that would have addressed the inter -local agreement
pertaining to the Front and Meeting Street site. Mr. Eisele said the petition was being
presented since the county had not officially addressed the latest developments of the
city. He said his group was requesting the county to officially abandon the Front and
Meeting Street site as had the city.
OTIO by Commissioner Williams to accept the mayor's, and the Statesville
City Council's, offer of $1,000,000 along with any other donations that have been
received on behalf of the effort to place the Iredell County Library in downtown
Statesville. In receiving this gift, we the board of the county commissioners, agree to
withdraw from any previous agreement concerning the proposed site on Meeting Street.
After an appropriate examination, and by determining the site to be suitable, we agree to
use our resources along with those gifts of the city, and any other benefactors, on the
parcels of land on Water and Tradd Street for the construction of a new Iredell County
Library.
Commissioner Johnson said there had been a great deal of controversy over the
library. He continued by saying:
"Approximately 16 months ago, I was asked by this board of commissioners to approach the city
council members concerning their desire to participate with the county financially in the construction of a
new Iredell County Library. I went to those folks individually and talked to most of them and was satisfied
that at that time, we had a majority of support from the members of city council for their financial
participation for the county library. Subsequent to that, came the state budget debacle -- an ongoing
continuing mismanagement of the state budget. Understanding the predicament they found themselves in,
since the commissioners were in a similar situation, I re -approached those members of the council and told
them we understood their plight, and that we would postpone any action on the library due to the financial
uncertainty as far as reimbursements from the state. At that point, I was thanked by each one I contacted
for my understanding and the understanding of the other commissioners. Later on, Mr. Godfrey Williams
approached the city council when financial matters had improved to some degree about the possible
participation from the city on the financing of the library. Mr. Williams was told 'no.' As a commissioner