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HomeMy WebLinkAbout9-20-2016 1 September 20, 2016 IREDELL COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS PRE-AGENDA MINUTES September 20, 2016 The Iredell County Board of Commissioners met in pre-agenda session on Tuesday, September 20, 2016 at 5:30 PM, in the Iredell County Government Center (South Wing Conference Room), 200 South Center Street, Statesville, NC. Board Members Present Chairman James B. Mallory III Vice Chairman Marvin Norman Tommy Bowles Steve Johnson Ken Robertson Staff present: County Manager Ron Smith, County Attorney Bill Pope, Deputy County Manager Beth Jones, Finance Director Susan G. Robertson, Attorney Lisa Valdez, and Clerk to the Board Retha Gaither. CALL TO ORDER: Chairman James Mallory called the meeting to order. ADJUSTMENTS TO THE AGENDA: County Manager Ron Smith said there two adjustments from the staff: Add: Presentations of Special Recognitions and Awards – Item V.3 Presentation from the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC) to Steve Johnson Add: Closed Session – Attorney Client G.S. 143-318.11 (a) (3) PRESENTATION OF SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS & AWARDS Resolutions for Lake Norman Volunteer Fire and Rescue and Mount Mourne Volunteer Fire Department Regarding the ISO Ratings: Fire Safety and Emergency Management Director Kent Greene stated that ISO is the Insurance Services Offices, a for-profit company that collects data from fire departments and other entities to sell back to insurance companies. From that information, insurance companies use the data to set premiums for fire insurance rates. For a fire department, it is a very labor intensive process. ISO reviews everything such as apparatus, staffing, performance, training records, fire prevention, life safety education, communication center, etc. Scores are 0 to 100 which relates to the rating. The higher the score the lower the rating which is determined by the Department of Insurance and the Office of the State Fire Marshal in North Carolina. The lower rating means lower fire insurance premiums which is more pertinent for commercial properties than residential. The Board of Commissioners resolved a few years ago to adopt a service level of 6 or better throughout the county. Every department achieved that except Mt. Mourne. They had a 7 because they hadn’t been rated in the last ten to twelve years. Mt. Mourne went from a 7/9 to a 4/9. Lake Norman went from a 6/9 to 4/9. The commercial properties will see improvements in their fire insurance premiums around January 1. Commissioner Bowles asked to clarify that properties closer to the fire hydrants are rated at 4 and the outer lying areas are still 9. 2 September 20, 2016 Greene said yes. However, several years North Carolina allowed departments to extend from a five mile travel to a six mile district. Properties within five miles of the station received a lower rating and anything between five and six miles received the higher rating. There are v ery few of those areas within Mt. Mourne’s district except to the extreme south. Lake Norman has more of those properties along the lake which came into play for their ladder credit. In Mt. Mourne most of the large multi-story structures are close to the fire station so they received full credit for their ladder. However, for Lake Norman, most of their large structures are on the water so they did not receive full credit. The large structures must be within 2 ½ miles of the fire station. Commissioner Bowles asked if property lying outside the six miles is considered unrated. Greene said it is considered unprotected or Class 10 which would make the fire insurance very expensive if it can be obtained at all. There are very few such properties in Iredell County. There are some between Harmony and Union Grove in what is known as no-man’s land but with very few structures. Commissioner Bowles asked if there was anything around the lake that falls into that category. Greene said no. Chairman Mallory asked about the highest and lowest ratings in Iredell County. Greene said the highest rating is a 3 for the City of Mooresville. The highest rating within the volunteer departments are 4s that were just achieved. The contracted departments such as Lone Hickory, County Line, and Wilkes Iredell have ratings of 9. Sheffield-Calahaln has a 5/9 split rating. Commissioner Bowles asked the cost to maintain the ratings. Greene said that changes. There is a new rating schedule and there have been significant discussions on the importance of the ISO rating along with the impact on insurance rates. ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS Project Amendment for Cool Spring Elementary School Construction Project: Finance Director Susan Robertson said Iredell-Statesville Schools System is finishing the Cool Spring Elementary School project. The Committee of a Whole has approved the transfer of funds between line items but the total project amount has not been exceeded. It is required to be reported to the Board of Commissioners. This item was placed on the Consent Agenda. * * * * * Iredell County, North Carolina Amended Capital Project Ordinance Cool Spring Elementary School Be it Ordained by the Board of County Commissioners of Iredell County, North Carolina: 6/21/2016 9/20/2016 Original Amended 3 September 20, 2016 Section 1. Funds for this Capital Project Fund will be provided from the following sources: Ordinance Amendment Ordinance Qualified School Construction Bond $12,700,000 $12,700,000 General Obligation Bond 800,000 800,000 Premium on Bonds 75,900 75,900 Interest on Financing Proceeds 5,000 5,000 Sales Tax Refunds 14,300 14,300 Iredell-Statesville Schools - $13,595,200 $13,595,200 Section 2. The following costs for school projects shall be paid by this fund: Professional Fees - Architect, Management $ 449,100 $ 449,100 Other Fiscal Costs 76,000 76,000 Testing, Permits, and Other Fees 50,000 50,000 Closing Costs 90,035 90,035 Right of Way Acquisition 250,000 (50,000) 200,000 General Construction Contract 10,415,000 Unencumbered - 10,415,000 940,062 11,355,062 Water Line Improvements 500,000 (80,000) 420,000 Transitional Costs (mobiles) 550,000 550,000 Contingency 815,065 (810,062) 5,003 Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment 400,000 400,000 $13,595,200 $ - $13,595,200 Section 3. This Capital Project Fund shall continue until the projects are complete. Section 4. Transfers between line items shall only be made upon formal action by the Iredell-Statesville Board of Education and such action shall be reported to the Iredell County Board of Commissioners at its next regularly scheduled meeting. Section 5. Payments from this Capital Project Fund shall be authorized by the County Manager or his designee. This Capital Project Ordinance effective upon adoption this the 20th day of September, 2016. * * * * * Finance Director Robertson said the GO Bonds were sold for the improvements to North and South Iredell High Schools. Bonds were issued in the Par Amount of $17,605,000 with a premium of $1,552,000 that provides total funding of $19,157,000. After closing costs it will provide the $19 million for those projects. There were 13 bidders on the bonds. JP Morgan Securities was the low bidder with a true interest cost of 2.196% and all-in true interest costs which include all closing costs of 2.268%. Commissioner Robertson asked the anticipated interest rate when first working on the budget. Finance Director Robertson said she used 5% in budget calculations. Chairman Mallory asked the dollar difference. 4 September 20, 2016 Finance Director Robertson did not have that information but will get it for the Board. If the County had a Triple A from all three agencies there would have been a larger impact on the reduction of interest costs. Fitch gave a Triple A, S&P gave AA+, and Moody’s gave AA1 which is probably 2-5 bases points difference because of the Triple A. Commissioner Bowles asked if the other agencies will look more favorably next year. Finance Director Robertson said they might. Every time the County issues debt it must be rated. The next deal will be $12 million for Mitchel Community College and those bonds will be rated. Some discussions lead to being cautiously optimistic that the County will meet the criteria for S&P and/or Moody’s within the next year. Commissioner Bowles asked if there was any one particular item that helped to achieve the Triple A. Finance Director Robertson believes there were very pleased with the policies the Board has set to help accumulate funds and to respond to economic downturns. The stability, philosophy, and economic growth have made a difference as well. Smith stated the agencies seem to be impressed that the two large projects (jail and public safety complex) are pay/go and the County is not borrowing. Request Approval and Award of the Final High Bid Offer for the Purchase of 1370 Scotts Creek Road: Contracts and Purchasing Manager Dean Lail said the Board approved the process for the upset bid on April 19, 2016. The initial high bid was $110,000 which was upset twice with a final high bid of $130,000. The final bid was advertised and no other bids were received so the process was closed. The high bid meets the requirements of the resolution and the bid process. The bid deposit is on file. Staff requests approval of the bid and authorization to move forward. Staff request authorization for the County Manager to sign the sales documents and handle the closing paperwork. This item was placed on the consent agenda. Request of a Revised Interlocal Agreement with the Town of Troutman Concerning Troutman Town Park: Parks/Rec Director Michelle Hepler asked for approval of the revised interlocal agreement between Iredell County and the Town of Troutman to provide grass mowing and grounds maintenance for Troutman ESC Park and in-turn provide the County with additional playing space for recreational programs. The original agreement was approved in 2011 with a revision in 2014 and very minimal changes with this revision. It is the intention of Parks/Rec to review this agreement annually for potential changes. This item was placed on the consent agenda. Request Approval to Execute the Withdrawal of Street Dedication of “C” Street: Project Manager David Saleeby said C Street is actually a paper street that was recorded 15 years ago by the developer but was never opened or improved. The removal of C Street will make the entire 16 acres whole. This item was placed on the consent agenda. Request Approval of August Refunds and Releases: County Manager Ron Smith said everything was in order. 5 September 20, 2016 This item was placed on the consent agenda. Releases for the month of August 2016 Monthly Total $ 87,654.05 Breakdown of Releases: County $ 47,018.88 Solid Waste Fees $ 182.00 Statesville Solid Waste Fees $ 5,400.00 Mooresville Solid Waste Fees $ 60.00 Davidson Solid Waste Fees $ - E. Alex. Co. Fire #1 $ - Shepherd's Fire #2 $ 105.91 Mt. Mourne Fire #3 $ 96.25 All County Fire #4 $ 1,467.39 B&F Fire #5 $ 272.33 Statesville City $ 18,067.69 Statesville Downtown $ - Mooresville City $ 11,696.68 Mooresville Downtown $ - Mooresville School $ 1,660.89 Love Valley $ - Harmony $ - Troutman $ 712.10 Davidson $ 913.93 Refunds for the month of August 2016 Monthly Total $0.00 Breakdown of Refunds: County $ - Solid Waste Fees $ - Statesville Solid Waste Fees $ - Mooresville Solid Waste Fees $ - Davidson Solid Waste Fees $ - E. Alex. Co. Fire #1 $ - Shepherd's Fire #2 $ - Mt. Mourne Fire #3 $ - All County Fire #4 $ - B&F Fire #5 $ - Statesville City $ - Statesville Downtown $ - Mooresville City $ - Mooresville Downtown $ - Mooresville School $ - Love Valley $ - Harmony $ - Troutman $ - Davidson $ - 6 September 20, 2016 NC Vehicle Tax System Refunds August 2016 Breakdown of NCVTS Refunds: County $ (575.02) E. Alex. Co. Fire #1 $ - Shepherd's Fire #2 $ (1.24) Mt. Mourne Fire #3 $ 26.83 All County Fire #4 $ 2.06 B&F Fire #5 $ (2.05) Statesville City $ 34.21 Statesville Downtown $ - Mooresville City $ (958.18) Mooresville Downtown $ - Mooresville School $ (288.41) Love Valley $ - Harmony $ (1.74) Troutman $ - Davidson $ - Monthly Total $ (1,763.54) Request Approval of the Minutes from September 6 and July 26, 2016: There were two corrections in the minutes, which will be made before printing in the permanent book. This item was placed on the consent agenda. UNFINISHED BUSINESS NC 150 Widening Project: Planning Director Matthew Todd said Highway 150 is scheduled for a widening project. The right-of-way acquisitions will begin in 2017 with construction and bids beginning in 2019. It is an extremely large scale project. NC DOT had a meeting in Mooresville to go over the material. Essentially, DOT wants to minimize left hand turns which means there will be multi U-turns. However, DOT feels this is the only type of road that will meet the needs of the current and future traffic counts. The closest similar project is in Cabarrus County. Some concerns include decreases in drive way cuts for businesses along Highway 150. Commissioner Bowles said calls have begun from local businesses expressing concerns of lost business because of no left turns. Todd said the initial plan of a diverging diamond has been scrapped because it will not handle the traffic. U-turns are throughout the project and they are designed large enough for tractor/trailer use. Some are signalized. Greene expressed concerns about access issues with emergency responses. Commissioner Robertson asked if this project was a “done-deal.” 7 September 20, 2016 Todd said the concept is done but the placement of some U-turns may not be set. Commissioner Bowles said inconvenience to residents and shoppers is one thing but prolonging an emergency response time is critical. He asked if there could be so me type of soft medium that could actually be driven over. Todd said he has inquired but has not received an answer yet. Commissioner Johnson asked if any consideration has been given to the amount of potential lost tax base. One particular business has two locations with a combined tax base of $6 million. Chairman Mallory said there needs to be more signalized intersections. The highest tax base is clustered close to the interstate and there needs to be more access for both economic and practical perspectives. Commissioner Johnson said the congestion starts where the sewer line starts. Maybe there should be one set of standards for limited access where there are utilities. The traffic begins at the apartments on 150 with Mooresville utilities. Then another set of standards 4-5 miles out on 150. There have been several calls from business owners along Highway 150. Chairman Mallory instructed staff to craft a resolution, circulate to members of the Board and send to DOT by September 23. Legislative Goals for NCACC: County Manager Ron Smith reported a conversation with Steve Moony and Brady Johnson. Neither of them sent anything in writing, however, they would like to have more local control of the calendar and/or the school calendar to follow colleges and universities. One issue with the calendar is that high school students take Christmas break between the semester and the exam versus the college calendar with exams prior to their break. Chairman Mallory said dual enrollment is an issue as well. He suggested incorporating this with the other items previously mentioned. Commissioner Robertson said there are too many regulations. There should be some relief if the charter schools have freedom of movement and the public schools are choked with regulations. The school system needs to specifically identify those mandates. The Board recessed into Closed Session at 6:20 PM. IREDELL COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS REGULAR MINUTES September 20, 2016 The Iredell County Board of Commissioners met in regular session on Tuesday, September 20, 2016 at 7:00 PM, in the Iredell County Government Center (Commissioners’ Meeting Room), 200 South Center Street, Statesville, NC. Board Members Present Chairman James B. Mallory III Vice Chairman Marvin Norman Tommy Bowles 8 September 20, 2016 Steve Johnson Ken Robertson Staff present: County Manager Ron Smith, County Attorney Bill Pope, Deputy County Manager Beth Jones, Finance Director Susan G. Robertson, Attorney Lisa Valdez, and Clerk to the Board Retha Gaither. CALL TO ORDER by Chairman Mallory. INVOCATION: Chairman James Mallory asked everyone to bow their heads for a moment of silence. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE led by James Mallory. ADJUSTMENTS TO THE AGENDA County Manager Ron Smith said there are two adjustments from the staff: Add: Presentations of Special Recognitions and Awards – Item V.3 Presentation from the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC) to Steve Johnson Add: Closed Session – Attorney Client G.S. 143-318.11 (a) (3) MOTION by Vice Chairman Norman to adopt the agenda as adjusted. VOTING: Ayes – 5; Nays – 0 PRESENTATION OF SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS & AWARDS Resolution for Lake Norman Volunteer Fire and Rescue Regarding the ISO Rating: Fire Safety and Emergency Management Director Kent Greene stated the ISO rating system is a system used by insurance companies to evaluate fire premiums for insurance. The fire departments are evaluated by the office of the North Carolina State Fire Marshal. This is a rigorous evaluation involving staffing, equipment, training, fire prevention, communications, etc. This occurs about every 10-12 years. During that time fire departments have a chance to make improvements and lower their score. The scores range from 1, the best obtainable score, to a 10, which is basically an unprotected area. Iredell County has a very small area in the northern end which has a 10 rating but this area has very few populated parcels. Lake Norman and Mt. Mourne recently underwent their evaluation which resulted in improved ratings. This translates to a modest savings for commercial and residential properties. Deputy Chief Kevin Clark of Lake Norman Fire Department was present to accept the resolution and thanked the Board. * * * * * A RESOLUTION OF THE IREDELL COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS RECOGNIZING AND HONORING THE LAKE NORMAN VOLUNTEER FIRE AND RESCUE DEPARTMENT FOR ACHIEVING AN IMPROVED INSURANCE RATING OF CLASS 4/9. WHEREAS, the North Carolina Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) helps insurance companies across the state set their premiums by evaluating local fire departments; and WHEREAS, OSFM ratings are based on a variety of measures having to do with almost every aspect of a fire department, from training to apparatus to water supply; and 9 September 20, 2016 WHEREAS, the availability of water alone accounts for 40 percent of the rating, making it very difficult to areas without widespread fire hydrant systems to attain good ratings; and WHEREAS, many residential insurance and commercial insurance companies rely upon OSFM ratings; and WHEREAS, OSFM uses a Fire Suppression Rating Schedule (FSRS) and a Public Protection Classification (PPC) to analyze data collected from the system; and WHEREAS, in the PPC system, lower is better; and WHEREAS, lower ratings mean savings to residential and commercial property owners; and WHEREAS, only 10 percent of fire departments rating under the PPC have achieved a Class 4 rating; and WHEREAS, as of the last rating the Lake Norman Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department area was a Class 6/9, and effective January 1, 2017 the PPC rating is lowered to Class 4/9; NOW, THEREFORE, the Iredell County Board of Commissioners resolves: To recognize the hard work and dedication of the men and women of the Lake Norman Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department and the consistently strong support of the community in achieving this improved rating to assist in lowering ins urance costs to property owners throughout the service area. PASSED AND APPROVED by the Iredell County Board of Commissioners this 20th day of September, 2016. * * * * * Resolution for Mounty Mourne Volunteer Fire Department Regarding the ISO Rating: A RESOLUTION OF THE IREDELL COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS RECOGNIZING AND HONORING THE MOUNT MOURNE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR ACHIEVING AN IMPROVED INSURANCE RATING OF CLASS 4/9. WHEREAS, the North Carolina Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) helps insurance companies across the state set their premiums by evaluating local fire departments; and WHEREAS, OSFM ratings are based on a variety of measures having to do with almost every aspect of a fire department, from training to apparatus to water suppl y; and WHEREAS, the availability of water alone accounts for 40 percent of the rating, making it very difficult to areas without widespread fire hydrant systems to attain good ratings; and WHEREAS, many residential and commercial insurance companies rely upon OSFM ratings; and WHEREAS, OSFM uses a Fire Suppression Rating Schedule (FSRS) and a Public Protection Classification (PPC) to analyze data collected from the system; and WHEREAS, in the PPC system, lower is better; and WHEREAS, lower ratings mean savings to residential and commercial property owners; and WHEREAS, only 10 percent of fire departments rating under the PPC have achieved a Class 4 rating; and WHEREAS, as of the last rating the Mount Mourne Volunteer Fire Department area was a Class 7/9, and effective January 1, 2017 the PPC rating is lowered to Class 4/9; NOW, THEREFORE, the Iredell County Board of Commissioners resolves: To recognize the hard work and dedication of the men and women of the Mount Mourne Volunteer Fire Department and the consistently strong support of the community in achieving this improved rating to assist in lowering insurance costs to property owners throughout the service area. PASSED AND APPROVED by the Iredell County Board of Commissioners this 20th day of September, 2016. * * * * * MOTION by Commissioner Johnson to adopt both resolutions. VOTING: Ayes – 5; Nays – 0 Presentation from David Nicholson from the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners to Commissioner Steve Johnson: David Nicholson stated that the Iredell County Board of Commissioners have a good reputation across the state. The consistent leadership is well known and the members of this board have served the community very well. The NCACC would like to recognize one member in particular with a Long Time County Commissioner Service Award. This award was presented to Commissioner Steve Johnson for 22 years of service. 10 September 20, 2016 Commissioner Steve Johnson thanked the Association for the recognition and what the Association has meant to Iredell County. Johnson stated he stayed with this Board because he found a group of people he enjoyed working with. He thanked the board and staff. This group is intelligent and talented but the most important thing is their character. Staff has been supportive and shares the necessary information for this Board to make the right decisions. He stated that it has been an honor to serve the citizens of Iredell County. APPOINTMENTS BEFORE THE BOARD Tammy Wilcox: Request Concerning a Moratorium on Polluting Industries: Speakers - Melissa Needer of 634 Elmwood Road, Lou Zeller of Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, and Tammy Wilcox of 140 Wilcox Karriker Lane in the Elmwood Community. All were representatives of Elmwood Strong. Each spoke asking the Board to implement a moratorium to stop polluting industries for six months. Existing regulations only allow a 50 foot set back which is not very much. The Wilkes County ordinance requires a quarter -mile setback but they are recommending at least 2000 feet. They also expressed concerns about polluting agriculture, watershed and the environment in general. A moratorium would give time to rewrite the existing ordinance which would be R56 – Mining and Quarrying; R53 – Asphalt and Concrete; R52 – Explosives; R57 – Petroleum, Biodiesel and Related Products. They would like a new ordinance directed at polluting industries and wants the public involved in creating it. Commissioner Johnson asked if the Board of Commissioners could declare a moratorium for a specific reason, for a specific period of time, to effectively remedy some existing problem over which they have authority. Pope said that is accurate. Commissioner Johnson said the first thing is to determine if there is indeed a problem and define that problem. Pope said the Board needs to make some fact findings. Commissioner Johnson said 50 feet is not a lot of room but not sure that particular issue is enough to launch a full scale moratorium. He suggested two members of the Board meet with a couple from the Elmwood Community in order to gather information and become educated about their concerns. This group would need to learn more about what other jurisdictions have done. This information could then be passed along to the County Manager who would ask the Planning Director and County Attorney to address the information in an ordinance. At that time a moratorium could be considered. Pope said, under the circumstances, the Board has the authority to declare a moratorium for a length of time to address specific matters. There needs to be a definition of what the moratorium is stopping. At this moment there aren’t any applications from anyone that would be effected. Todd said there are no applications to date. Chairman Mallory said there is time to go through a fact-finding process. He agrees with Commissioner Johnson’s suggestion and asked for a motion to appoint a subcommittee of Commissioner Johnson and Bowles to meet with representatives of Elmwood Strong within the next week. Secondly, to request staff to determine the adequacy of the current zoning and land use 11 September 20, 2016 regulations as well as the inter-play between the County regulations and any municipal regulations in adjoining properties. Finally for the subcommittee, after meeting with Elmwood and staff, to return with sufficiently honed findings and a recommendation to the Board as to whether a moratorium is warranted prior to any modification of the current regulations or ordinances. Pope said there is an ordinance called Hazardous and Radioactive Waste Ordinance which was adopted following the incinerator fight 27 years ago. The inter-play of that ordinance along with the land use should be considered as well. Chairman Mallory said the adjoining municipal regulations and existing hazardous waste and radioactive material ordinance should be included in that package. This subject should be ready to revisit in two to four weeks at which time the Board will be in position to rule/entertain a motion concerning a moratorium. MOTION by Commissioner Johnson as outlined by Chairman Mallory. VOTING: Ayes – 5; Nays – 0 PUBLIC HEARINGS Public Hearing for the Consideration of an Economic Development Incentive for Project Horsepower: Mooresville South Iredell Economic Development Representative Chris Younger thanked the Board and they are proud to announce that Project Horsepower is Cook’s Headers and Exhaust. They plan an additional facility to be located in Mooresville. They manufacture custom automotive headers and exhaust systems. They supply the racing and automotive industry and have been located in Iredell County since 2009. Their 70,000 sq. ft. and 29,000 sq. ft. facilities are located in Statesville. They currently employee 87 with wages above the county average. Cooks plan to expand into a new 17,200 sq. ft. building in Mooresville for approximately 30 employees with 10 being new. The new facility will house sales/marketing, research/development, warehouse, logistics, and management. At the current location they will add a new laser cutting machine and expand the manufacturing capacity. This project will create 10 new full time positions and generate $3.12 million in new tax investment. This project expects to be completed by December 2016. The request is an incentive totaling $65,832 over a five year period. Chairman Mallory opened the public hearing. No one from the public wished to speak. Chairman Mallory closed the public hearing. MOTION by Commissioner Bowles to approve this incentive of $65,832 over a five year period based on this company’s investment of $3.12 million and this be contingent upon the contract being executed within 180 days. VOTING: Ayes – 5; Nays – 0 ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS County Manager Ron Smith summarized the consent agenda as follows:  Project amendment for Cool Spring Elementary School Construction Project to make a transfer between line items. 12 September 20, 2016  Request approval and award of the final high bid offer of $130,000 for the purchase of 1370 Scotts Creek Road.  Request approval of a revised interlocal agreement with the Town of Troutman concerning Troutman Town Park.  Request approval to execute withdrawal of street a dedication of “C” Street. This is a paper street located on county property on Bristol Drive.  Request approval of the August refunds and releases.  Request approval of the minutes from September 6, 2016 and July 26, 2016. MOTION by Vice Chairman Norman to approve the consent agenda. VOTING: Ayes – 5; Nays – 0 ANNOUNCEMENT OF VACANCIES OCCURING ON BOARDS & COMMISSIONS Partners Behavior Health Board of Directors (1 Announcement) APPOINTMENTS TO BOARD AND COMMISSIONS (None) UNFINISHED BUSINESS NC 150 Widening Project: Planning Director Matthew Todd said the widening project is funded and the right-of-way acquisition will begin in 2017 with construction to begin in 2019. The entire length of Highway 150 from the west side of Mooresville will be affected. There will be a new bridge across the lake and widening of the existing road. The theory is to move left turns away from existing intersections which means left turns will become U-turn bulbs placed through-out the project. It will decrease some north/south connectivity. The diverging diamond originally talked about has changed as it would not meet the needs of the traffic. Public comment is open until Friday, September 23 on the NCDOT website. Chairman said the broad concerns of the Board were related to the impact on commercial activity and businesses, particularly those close to the interstate, whose patrons would not be able to exit the business and get back to the interstate without traveling almost 1 ½ miles down 150 to a turn around. Todd said that is correct. Chairman Mallory said the second point is the response time for emergency vehicles from the north or south would have to go in one direction and turn around. There is a time crunch to submit comments. Staff will craft comments addressing the issues in general and delve into specifics at a later date with NCDOT. He asked if it would be appropriate to consider/approve a resolution to prepare those comments for circulation. Commissioner Johnson said there needs to be some provision for the businesses along 150 that are destinations, such as the museum and gun range. Asking someone to drive a mile and a half down the road only to turn around and come back to get to the businesses would be harmful to their enterprise. They also need to consider how much tax base will be lost along that corridor with the construction of this highway. There are two locations of businesses that will simply disappear because of the construction and the tax valuation on those two parcels alone is $6 million. 13 September 20, 2016 Commissioner Bowles echoed Commissioner Johnson and said a project that large makes it hard to be sensitive to one particular business’s needs. However, when there are clusters of businesses that could potentially shut down because people can’t make left turns deserves consideration. It is not unreasonable to ask that there is access for emergency services without having to drive into another county to turn around and come back to a citizen’s house. This is a paramount problem that needs to be fixed. Commissioner Robertson said this is a major east/west state highway that goes through an urban area. Exit 36 is usually not thought of as urban but it is more congested than going through most downtowns. The problem is trying to make that a thoroughfare that is unimpeded by people getting on/off a highway that would be a bypass. Bypasses are specifically for that reason. But building a road that makes it difficult to get in/out of a business will kill the business. Highway 150 needs a bypass but it can’t be to the south because of the lake and the bypass on the north is Cornelius Road. The struggle is that DOT is trying to make one highway do both which won’t work. Chairman Mallory asked for a motion to adopt a resolution to submit comments capturing the Board’s concerns to be drafted by the staff and circulated among the members. MOTION by Commissioner Bowles to adopt such a resolution. VOTING: Ayes – 5; Nays – 0 Legislative Goals for the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners: County Manager Ron Smith said this was discussed at the last meeting and there were three specific goals. First – to allow flexibility in setting fees at the local level for the food and lodging section of Environmental Health. Second – request sharing of best practices take place between the public school system and charter/private school systems. Third – allow more flexibility on the local level for the public school calendars to follow the college and university calendars. Chairman Mallory asked for a motion for the staff to craft a letter to the NCACC containing the substances of those three items for their consideration as part of their legislative goals package. MOTION by Commissioner Johnson as Chairman Mallory stated. VOTING: Ayes – 5, Nays – 0 PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD Ted Nellis of Elmwood spoke concerning the earlier subject of polluting industries. He expressed his concerns because the property has been sold and he encouraged the Board to implement a moratorium. Lou Zeller with Blue Ridge spoke again to express his appreciation to the Board to set up the committee and the Board’s willingness to research the problem that needs to be addressed. He feels there is potential danger in waiting due to the possibility of a company seeking a permit. He asked if there was a way to make the clear intent of the Board be part of the public record to avoid someone trying to slip in prior to proper approval of an ordinance. Chairman Mallory said a special or conditional use permit would have to be granted for this type of industry. Specifically the quarry is excluded in the land use plan that carves out the 14 September 20, 2016 industrial corridor that runs along Highway 70. It would have to come before the Board for approval of such an activity. This is not likely to occur within the next two weeks. Commissioner Robertson said that permit is a long process and would not happen quickly. NEW BUSINESS (None) COUNTY MANAGER’S REPORT County Manager Ron Smith reported:  Candy Strezinski, ECOM Director, was awarded the 2016 Communications Leader of the Year from APCO (Association of Public Communications Officials) and NENA (National Emergency Number Association).  EMS World is a national publication for emergency medical services. The latest issue includes a case study that highlights Iredell County. This is a significant article dealing with ultrasound on the ambulances.  Last week was the kickoff meeting with Bordeaux Construction and Mosely Architects for the jail expansion. This was the first meeting that included the contractor. This will be an excellent relationship. Bordeaux is making another level of review to the numbers and the design that Mosely has presented. There will be a meeting in mid-October to review the first true estimate of costs with the intent of keeping it under budget.  There was a meeting with the Hall of Justice staff and frequent users of those buildings. David Saleeby has a communication plan which will keep parties updated as the project moves forward.  Today was a kick off meeting with Edifice Construction, who is the contractor of the Public Safety Building along with ADW Architects. Some schematics are being reviewed and will be brought to this Board soon. Chairman Mallory asked to share the results of audits of the Finance Department from the three rating agencies that are required to rate the County’s financial status when bonds are being issued. Bonds are incrementally being issued for school construction based on the economic viability of continuing forward and the anticipated bond ratings improved over previous ratings. Moody’ rating went to AA+, S&P’s rating has increased and Fitch’s rating of Iredell County went to Triple A, which is the gold standard for bond issues. Only eleven counties in the state meet that criteria. The result is the refinancing of existing bond packages with a savings of $10 million in interest payments. The new bond issue, that was just bid today, was given interest rates around 2.2% which is phenomenal and will save $5 million. He expressed appreciation to the staff for the hard work to strengthen the County’s finances. CLOSED SESSIONS MOTION by Commissioner Robertson to enter into Closed Session pursuant to G.S. 143- 318.11 (a) (5) for Property Acquisition and G.S. 143-318.11 (a) (4) for Economic Development. VOTING: Ayes – 5; Nays – 0 The Board returned to open session at 9:05 PM. 15 September 20, 2016 MOTION by Commissioner Robertson to adopt the resolution authorizing the condemnation to acquire certain property located at 249 Harrill Street, Statesville, NC. VOTING: Ayes – 5; Nays – 0 * * * * * A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CONDEMNATION TO ACQUIRE CERTAIN PROPERTY LOCATED AT 249 HARRILL STREET, STATESVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners of Iredell County hereby determines that it is necessary and in the public interest to acquire certain property owned by William R. Axley for the public purpose described below; WHEREAS, the proper officials or representatives of Iredell County have been unabl e to acquire the needed interest in this property by negotiated conveyance. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GOVERNING BODY OF IREDELL COUNTY, THAT: 1. The County of Iredell shall acquire by condemnation, for the purposes stated below, the property and fee simple interest in a certain tract described as follows: BEGINNING AT THE JUNCTION OF STOCKTON AND HARRILL STREETS AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER; THENCE SOUTH 38 DEG. EAST WITH HARRILL STREET, 75 FEET TO A STAKE; SOUTH 52 DEG. WEST 154 FEET TO A STAKE IN SULLIVAN’S LINE; NORTH 38 DEG. WEST WITH SULLIVAN’S LINE ABOUT 100 FEET TO A STAKE ON STOCKTON STREET; THENCE NORTH 67 DEG. EAST WITH STOCKTON STREET 164 FEET TO THE BEGINNING CONTAINING 0.3 ACRES, MORE OR LESS; and also being known on the tax records of Iredell County as Tax Parcel 4744077413. 2. The purpose for which the property is being condemned is for enlarging and improving the existing jail facility and other uses incidental to the jail facility, for the benefit, use and safety of the public. 3. The necessary proceedings under NCGS § 40A-1, et. seq., as authorized by NCGS § 40A-3(b)(6) and/or other appropriate statutory provisions and local acts to acquire the property herein described, are hereby directed to be instituted. Adopted this 20th day of September, 2016. * * * * * ADJOURNMENT MOTION by Commissioner Johnson to adjourn at 9:10 PM. (The next meeting will be Tuesday, October 4, 2016, 7:00 PM, in the Commissioners’ Meeting Room, Pre-Agenda Discussion at 5:30 PM in the South Wing Conference Room, Government Center, 200 South Center Street, Statesville, NC) VOTING: Ayes – 5; Nays – 0 __________________________________ ___________________________________ Date Approved Retha C. Gaither, Clerk