HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-18-2024 winter retreat1
March 18, 2024
IREDELL COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
WINTER RETREAT WORK SESSION
March 18, 2024
The Iredell County Board of Commissioners met for a Winter Retreat Work Session on
Monday, March 18, 2024, at 9am at the Iredell County Public Safety Complex - Emergency
Operations Center.
Board Members Present
Chair Melissa Neader
Vice Chair Bert Connolly
Scottie Brown (arrived at 9am)
Gene Houpe
Brad Stroud, Sr.
Staff present: County Manager Beth Mull, Deputy County Manager Susan Robertson,
Finance Director Deb Cheek, Assistant Finance Director Caroline Taylor, Budget Analyst Daisy
Lopez, County Attorney Lisa Valdez, and Clerk to the Board Amy Anderson.
Call to Order: Chair Neader called the meeting to order.
Invocation: By Chair Neader.
Veteran’s Treatment Court Update – Kyle Going and Brad Borders gave an update on
the Veteran's Treatment Court. Currently, there are 11 participants in the program. Going said one
of the most beneficial aspects of the Veteran’s Treatment Court is to reduce the recidivism rate.
The current recidivism rate for Veteran Treatment Court graduates is less than 9%, as compared
to 36% for the national average.
Going said the initial grant was written to last three more years.
The Board expressed appreciation to Going and Borders for their continued work for
Veterans.
Health Insurance Rate Projection & Updates – Shannon Buckner with USI gave an
update on health insurance rates. The upcoming renewal is very positive as rates will remain the
same. Medical claims are down by 15% compared to the previous year. Pharmacy claims have
decreased by 2% from the previous year. Two claimants have reached the $150,000 Specific Stop
Loss; an additional nine large claimants comprise 12.95 of the medical cost plans. Total cost is
down by 9.4% compared to the previous year.
Buckner said the prescription generic utilization rate is 88% which is higher than the
industry standards and the generic substitution rate is 98.5%. Medical claims comprise 60% of
claim cost and pharmacy 40%. One hundred percent of claim payments in the last year were pai d
using in-network providers. The nurse advocate is proving to be beneficial as 54% of high-risk
members are engaged.
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Commissioner Houpe asked if employees are being prescribed medication that is not
covered by insurance.
Mull said there is a trend of weight loss medication being prescribed that is not covered by
insurance because the drug has been approved to treat only diabetes. She noted if the medication
is being prescribed for diabetes the cost is covered.
Commissioner Houpe said covering the cost should be considered if the medication is
prescribed by a doctor.
Mull said the County has a wonderful Employee Wellness Clinic and there are other
medications that can be prescribed for weight loss that are covered by insurance.
CAB Broadband Program – Mull reminded the Board of participating in the GREAT
Grant and using ARP funds as a match. The CAB Broadband Program is new. Jeffrey Brooks,
NC DIT, gave an overview of the program.
Brooks explained that although some counties are moving forward aggressively with the
CAB program he would not invest in the program right now. The legislature comes back in session
in April. Different statewide associations have asked the legislature to amend the match amount.
Brooks believes the legislature will change the amount.
Commissioner
Fire & Rescue Funding Update – Mull said the fire departments and rescue funding is
formula-based. For fire, the formula is based on the average cost of operations, and they receive
additional funding if they have additional stations. This current FY, the Board added additional
funding for staffing. Rescue is funded based on square miles in their district and population.
Commissioner Brown asked if fire departments are allowed to pay different hourly rates.
Kent Greene said yes. Staff used $18 per hour to establish the budget. It is up to the
department what they pay personnel. Greene noted that staff did not take payroll taxes into account
so that will need to be discussed.
Greene went over call volume by department. He provided charts outlining total service by
demand, response performance by department, missed calls by department, response adequacy by
department, staffing for structure fires, and personnel per incident. Most departments are getting
two personnel to scenes. Structure fires require four personnel on scene not including mutual aid.
Mull asked what the remedy is for the departments that do not have four personnel on fire
for structure fires.
Greene said more research would be needed. Some departments indicate they staff two
people 24/7 but data shows they are not getting four people on average to a structure fire. Greene
said the department could have been on another call at the time.
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Greene also provided a summary of the personnel budget, staff counts, full-time personnel
salaries/rates, part-time rate, paid-on-call rate, full-time benefits, live-in program, fundraising, and
Board of Directors.
Greene said, “Six departments have paid fire chiefs or other personnel. I did not get salary
data from Troutman on chief or deputy chief.”
Commissioner Houpe asked, “Are they not giving that?”
Greene said, “They did not give a response.”
Commissioner Houpe asked, “Contractually, what do we need to change? We need to start
getting annual budgets. I’ve not talked to any fire chief who was against that. I think that would
help us understand where they are having issues. That way it’s a good breakdown…if we have
their budget to break down what the County is paying for now that they used to pay for. When we
went over the original contract some people did not compensate themselves back for money they
used to pay out of their budgets until they got used to that.”
Greene said, “Right.”
Commissioner Houpe said, “Is there anything other than that, that will be beneficial to
you.”
Greene said, “I think seeing a budget from the departments…when we built this funding
methodology it is based on some assumptions. Some of those assumptions came from their annual
financial reviews in regard to operation costs. Some of the assumptions were staffing and at how
we wanted to see them staffed. If they submit a budget in regard to personnel and operational costs
it will help us generate more accurate methodology.”
Commissioner Houpe said, “When will you all need the annual budget so you will be ready
for the budget process?”
Mull said, “The new budget starts July 1. If you want to change the way we fund fire and
rescue we will need that as soon as possible.”
Greene said, “I think he is referring to going forward.”
Robertson said, “Not FY25.”
Commissioner Houpe said, “Right. I think we can give them a heads-up of the things that
we need but to look at all these factors we need some actual budgets.”
Greene said, “A lot of that can come from financial reviews. We are paying a little more
attention to those now, looking at particularly fund balance at some of the departments. We are
using some of that data as it should be used.”
Mull said, “One of the problems is the financial reviews are not consistent and done at the
same time for all 19 departments. We get one this month and one that month. They are not done
at the same time every year for every department. Everybody is on a di fferent schedule as far as
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their financial reviews. That is the difficult part. If we can get them all in December then we could
look at those and use that in the planning for next FY budget.”
Commissioner Houpe said, “Let’s look into a policy that requires it by a certain time so
you can look at it and we are looking at guestimates. We need real numbers that you all can hang
your hat on.”
Greene said, “That policy is in place in the contract.”
Mull said, “We have that.”
Cheek said, “It says three months after year-end. The problem is they don’t all have the
same year-end.”
Mull said, “They have different year-ends.”
Cheek said, “So, we can’t make it…”
Commissioner Houpe asked, “What do we need to change to make them all get them in at
one time.”
Mull said, “They need to all have the same year end.”
Valdez said, “Their year-end is based on when they created their corporation.”
Greene said, “Even though our contract states that they will adhere to the County’s fiscal
cycle. They would have to change their by-laws. We have one or two departments that start
October 1. Some are January 1.”
Commissioner Houpe said, “I guess that is what I am asking. What can we do to help you
get this information.”
Greene said, “I guess work with the chiefs. They are really good at getting their equipment
requests in. Also, they’re really good at talking with me about their apparatus needs. Let’s start
there. Let me work with the chiefs to see what is going to work with them in that process. I can
ask for that in the middle of November with the equipment list. I think the budget for fire service
is due by the first of March.”
Taylor said those are due a week after departmental budgets.”
Commissioner Stroud said, “I think Chief Webster has something to say.”
Chief Webster said, “There was a discussion held with the fire chiefs about every
department moving and we also talked about having Martin Starnes do all the…and do the same
for each department so the information coming to the County would be the same.”
Mull said, “We cannot dictate that, but the fire departments can decide to do that upon
themselves.”
Webster said, “Still, I think that is something that most are more than willing to do.”
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Commissioner Houpe asked, “What can we do to request the departments to get it
consistent across the board to help ya’ll?”
Greene said, “I think we work with them to get it done.”
Commissioner Stroud said, “We can’t direct them, but they can volunteer to come to that
mutual standard.”
Cheek said, “If you are contracting with a CPA firm to do your financials, they should all
be standard. There is a standardization across the CPA firms on how to do a financial report. To
pull them all under one firm that would be the choice of the department. The County uses Martin
Starnes and so does all the other 100 counties. We struggle to get our financials done so it is a
statewide problem. But as far as there being consistency there should always be consistency if they
are using a CPA firm.”
Greene said, “I think they all are.”
Cheek said, “I don’t know why the disparity because there is standardized reporting to be
done as far as the categories.”
Robertson said, “Their accounts are different.”
Commissioner Houpe asked, “Can we give them a template of how we want it?”
Commissioner Stroud asked, “Can we recommend a template?”
Mull said, “We can send out a spreadsheet and tell them this is the information we are
requesting but as you can see some of them didn’t even turn in data for this (call response and
salary information).”
Vice Chair Connolly said, “We give these folks county taxpayer money and they’re
501C3s. If they want to continue to receive tax-payer money they’re going to have to get us the
reports, we need. Get us the accurate numbers we need. I truly feel that…I understand they’re
501C3s. I understand we have a fire contract, but if they can just give us a basic budget of what
they’re doing with their money and what they are proposing to do with their money for that year,
whether it is personnel, maintenance, or repair. Kinda like we’ve done for the county budget
forever, we have it broken down. Not saying we are going to change the way we fund them, but
we will know exactly where the money is going just like we do for the County departments. It is a
two-page Excel Spreadsheet. Finance staff can email it to them and ask them to fill in the blanks.
That way we know. Right now, if we give Kent Greene’s Fire Department $500,000; we just give
him $500,000. We don’t know what he spent that on until the financials come and some of those
financial reports have been delayed. If he is not going to his calls and not hiring people but we are
still shoveling the money to him not really knowing except what they report here. Then you have
to call and verify why we didn’t go to that call and this call. I understand they’re between a rock
and a hard place. We are in a business where we pay people to come to work. We do insurance on
the County side, and we have vacancies. You’re just hoping and praying when that call goes out
you have people rolling to them. They can have people at the station to go but they are depending
on other mutual aid departments to come help. I’ve also been thinking about…we are paying some
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of the County Line Departments a substantial amount of money. We are basically running that
department for another county if you look at the math and look at the area they cover in Iredell.
We are doing the brunt of the money for that other county so other counties benefit from what we
do as well. I think that is something we are going to eventually have to look at as well. I don’t
think it is a lot to ask for a two-page basic budget. Next fiscal year – this is the format; fill in the
blank and send it in by a certain due date.”
Greene said, “We did that previously with…
Vice Chair Connolly said, “This is the deal. The five of us say this is what we want. This
is what needs to come in and if you don’t get it in you may not get your money. This is the way it
is. This is tax-payer money, and we are held accountable for what we spend to the taxpayers. This
is what we need. We need financials. I appreciate what every one of them does, trust me. They do
stuff that other people don’t want to do. People don’t want to pay for anything but want the best
of everything. The five of us are accountable. I think that is not a lot to ask for, in my opinion.”
Chair Neader said, “Deb, when you sent them out in the past, did you have them at the
same time of the year?”
Cheek said, “Yes, they participated in the budget process just like everyone else did. One,
is that sets up an expectation. You wanted our budget and we’re telling you what we need to
operate and then you’re coming back and not giving us that amount of money.”
Vice Chair said, “That is the same thing we do with the County budget.”
Cheek said, “When we went to the funding, we said we don’t need your budget because
that is a proposed plan, we need your actual expenditures because they can put their budget into
what they want it to be. That does not mean that is what is going to be spent out of those lines just
lines in county budgets. We have money that goes back into the General Fund. So, we can get the
budget numbers. We felt like once we went to this formula that overrode looking at each budget.
If you want to look at the budgets, we can have those turned in like we used to. Again, the
departments are going to say we told you…”
Vice Chair Connolly said, “But, we are not guaranteeing…just because a department turns
in a budget doesn’t mean we are going to guarantee the Chief they are getting everything in their
budget. It gives the County and board members what they are facing.”
Cheek said, “I agree. We also sat across the table from fire departments that said, ‘I sent
you my budget and you knew that was not going to be enough money.’ That puts another
discussion on the table.”
Greene said, “Before the current structure of the Fire Tax Oversight Committee there was
a Fire Tax Board. For lack of better terms, it became very political. A lot of back door meetings
of we need this we need that. That is what we are trying to avoid in this process. Like I said, as
long as there is not a guarantee or a perceived guaranteed level of funding based on the received
budget it could be helpful.”
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Chair Neader said, “It would be interesting to compare that budget to what was actually
spent with their year-end. I just didn’t know how on target that was in the past.”
Greene said, “Typically when we get those financial reviews…we get some in September.”
Taylor said, “We get them all over the place. Lake Norman’s fiscal year ends June 30 and
we got theirs in December. There are a bunch that ended June 30 that we still don’t have today.”
Greene said, “And when we ask a question it’s our accountant is coming up on tax season
and don’t have time for it. Or something else happened.
Chief Webster said, “There have been discussions about budgeting and contract. It was
discussed. No department said there is no way they could change theirs. They just have to go
through the process. Ours used to end in April until we started on the County’s cycle. It does make
it simpler.”
Taylor said, “There are 11 departments that end on June 30 and eight do not.”
Chair Neader said, “Anything else on this matter?”
County Attorney Lisa Valdez said, “Everything you are talking about is already required.
The contract says the department will provide operational, capital, and equipment replacement
needs by November 30. It also says the Fire Tax Oversight Committee will review so that there is
no guarantee that what they request is what they get. What is recommended from the committee
then goes to the County Manager to go into the budget. So, I think the process is alread y in place
for what you all are talking about.”
Greene said, “Just have to enforce the contract.”
Vice Chair Connolly said, “I think the five of us are serious when we say a contract is a
contract and a deadline is a deadline. If we need it, we need it. Staff has to have it. This is tax-
payer money. We are giving people money, and we have to be accountable for that money. Their
service is life or death. Point blank.”
Commissioner Stroud said, “Knowing their dates are different…whatever their completed
year is…”
Greene asked, “Who is the enforcement authority? Who would be responsible for sending
the letter that they are in breach?”
Mull said, “We have a template letter.”
Valdez said, “They are supposed to send a letter to the County’s Director of Fire
Emergency by November 30.”
Mull said, “That is Kent.”
Commissioner Stroud said, “Maybe it would help if you sent a letter on October 1 as a
gentle nudge that this is required.”
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Mull said, “He does that.”
Greene said, “I do around the first of November and most of them are in by the end of
November.”
Chair Neader said, “When we have mentioned the enforcement part that is when the
scenario of defunding the fire departments becomes the big hairy monster.”
Mull said, “When we try to enforce the contract it comes back that we are trying to defund
the fire departments and we don’t care about public safety.”
Chair Neader said, “All we are asking for is some paperwork to be turned in.”
Mull said, “the result is to hold the appropriation until they meet the contract. That is the
result. Holding those funds until that contract is met. That is where the defund comes from. The
only mechanism we have is to not pay for the service until the service is being provided on what
we both agreed on contractually.”
Greene said, “I think the template letter includes 30 days to come into compliance. We are
really giving them an extra 30 days.”
Chair Neader asked, “Have you ever handed one of those out?”
Greene said, “No.”
Commissioner Stroud asked, “How many departments do we still not have right now?”
Taylor said, “Eight.”
Vice Chair Connolly asked, “Can we just call them and say the Board is needing this
information as soon as possible?”
Mull said, “The finance officer and Kent contact them regularly.”
Vice Chair Connolly asked, “Can we get the list of eight departments?”
Taylor said, “Yes.”
Mull said, “If the Board is okay with sending out that letter giving them notice that they
are in violation of contract and they have 30 days to get it done, we can copy you on those letters.”
Chief Starr said there is new verbiage in the contract. Some are not familiar with sending
the budget. He said there may be one or two departments that will have an issue with producing a
budget.
Commissioner Stroud said, “To Chief Starr’s point, point out the change to the
departments. Instead of singling out one department let it be if the shoe fits wear it.”
Commissioner Brown said, “I think we need to put down all 19 fire departments and say
these guys have done it and you guys have not. They need to know we are not picking on one or
two.”
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Chair Neader asked, “Do some departments not check their email? Do they need a
telegram?”
Commissioner Houpe said, “I want to see the letters copied to board members. The Chief
and Board can decide who beyond them needs to receive emails. That way the board members can
see the same correspondence between the chief and the County.”
Greene said, “In the more rural areas, those fire chiefs may only check their email once a
week.”
Valdez said, “The contract also has a notice provision. The fire departments were supposed
to put in, as the County did, who they wanted notices to go to. I would ask that whatever notice is
sent goes to whoever is listed in that contract because that is what the contract says. You can send
it to additional but in the one I am looking at it is the board president. As long as you also send it
to whoever is in the contract.”
Commissioner Houpe said, “You can go by that but in turn correspondence to the board is
fair.”
Mull said, “Sometimes Kent has trouble getting contact information for the board
members. They don’t even tell us that.”
Greene said, ‘We have one board president that does not have an email address. I don’t
have contact information for all board members, just presidents.”
Vice Chair Connolly said, “It looks like someone from your office needs to go around to
the Monday meetings they have and update the information.”
Greene said, “There is one department that does not do a budget for personnel. I am
assuming they spend it until it is gone.”
Commissioner Houpe said, “Let us know what you need from us, if anything, and if there
need to be any changes in the next contract. When we met with Lake Norman the last time it was
very beneficial for board members to hear the explanations. I think that is my point.
Communication needs to go to all of them.”
Chair Neader said, “On the agenda, the personnel survey is the document we just went
through. Are we clear on what steps to take away from the conversation we just had.”
Mull said, “We need to enforce the contract and send notifications…”
Commissioner Houpe said, “Focus on the ones that are not doing it.”
Mull said, “When Kent sends out those letters the recourse if they are not compliant with
the contract is to hold the funding until they are compliant with the contract. You guys are going
to have to back him up when he sends that letter to the fire department and they get upset, you are
going to have to send them back to Kent. Tell them they signed the contract, and he is giving them
notice.”
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Commissioner Houpe said, “I want to make sure there is proof that someone received it.”
Greene said, “I will send a read receipt.”
Chair Neader said, “The reminder we are talking about is the actual letter that says you are
out of compliance or a reminder to become compliant.”
Mull said, “We have an out-of-compliance letter template that we created, and it can be for
anything contractual.”
Commissioner Stroud said, “I am thinking would it be appropriate at this point to send out
a letter now to all 19 departments saying here is the contract. We have to have this by November
30. You have the 30-day grace. If we don’t have it, it is a part of the new contract that if we don’t
have it on December 31, don’t expect a check in January.”
Commissioner Houpe said, “At this point, you have to send it out and say thank you to the
ones who have done it. Right now, they don’t have the ones that were due.”
Greene said, “I can do the same thing I do with data. Just like their contact list. I send it
every October.”
Mull said, “It is usually the same ones.”
Commissioner Brown said, “In the contract, it says we will withhold funds.”
Mull said, “They are in breach of contract.”
Greene said, “They would be in breach of contract and which case is the only recourse.”
Commissioner Brown said, “Send the contract and highlight that.”
Valdez said, “Section 6 also says then their request is reviewed by the Fire Tax Oversight
Committee by February 1. There are two deadlines that have now come and gone without requests.
It says that if they are in breach of contract then they are sent a default notice. And that is essentially
for any breach of contract.
Commissioner Brown said, “I understand. I am just trying to say it in a nice way.”
Valdez said, “Candidly, I think if they don’t send in those requests by the deadlines then
you all have no funding to approve in your budget. It is not even a matter of being in default and
not providing the funding. It is they have made no request; therefore, I would take the contract as
saying they don’t need any money because you didn’t make a request by the deadline.”
Commissioner Brown said, “That is sort of what I am looking for.”
Mull presented the All-County Fire District 2025 Proposed Funding. It is a replica of what
was done this year and carries it over to the next year with an 8% increase.
Taylor said staff looks at the total revenue and what costs the County covers. There is a
decrease in requests for fire apparatus and an increase in fire equipment, and there was a little more
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added to the $8000 reserve for future stations. Then, whatever revenue is left over is split amongst
the departments. Staff funding did not change. The 8% increase is in operations.
Commissioner Houpe asked where the payroll taxes would be added.
Taylor said the only options are to decrease what they’re given for operations, decrease
what is set aside for future buildings, not fund all of the equipment requests, or increase the tax
rate.
Commissioner Houpe asked how much the payroll taxes are.
Greene said $38,000 per department.
Commissioner Houpe said that is if they are funding staffing.
Vice Chair Connolly said some departments do not have staff and those funds can be taken
to cover the payroll taxes.
Commissioner Houpe does not want to cut the funding but will not vote to increase the tax
rate. Houpe asked what is the difference that needs to be supplemented.
Greene will calculate the amount. He noted the reporting software is another factor. Right
now, the County has a bargain with Emergency Reporting at $31,000 per year. That is going away.
A committee was created to review First Due, ESO, and Alpine Software. The bid from First Due
is $163,000 for the first year. Mooresville, Davidson, and Concord have migrated to First Due.
ESO (who bought Emergency Reporting) is $60,000.
Commissioner Houpe asked the difference in the software.
Greene said it is hard to justify First Due when ESO is $60,000.
Greene asked Chief Webster and Chief Starr to speak on the software.
Chief Starr works with First Due daily. First Due assists in the different benchmarks for
ISO, collecting data for hydrants and businesses, and staffing. The one program can combine
everything including Active 911. Responders use that as a means to have a third-party delivery to
their phone for mapping and CAD updates. Starr said if the County goes with First Due the
departments could start phasing out Active 911.
Greene said ESO does not have a mobile application so Active 911 would still be needed.
The personnel managing component alone is $40,000. Greene said between ESO and First Due
there is approximately $30,000.
Commissioner Brown said what Emergency Reporting provided.
Greene said incident reporting. Some departments may use it to enter training records.
Chair Neader asked if the change was inevitable.
Greene said yes.
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Commissioner Stroud asked for the drop-dead date for the changeover.
Greene said approximately January 1. First Reporting has not given an exact date.
Mull said the County has PulsePoint and Active 911.
Greene said PulsePoint is more public-facing.
Mull said some departments specifically requested PulsePoint. She cautioned against
taking services back. One of the benefits is to consolidate, specifically for ECOM.
Greene said First Due has the consolidation piece except for the public-facing system,
PulsePoint.
Greene will bring revised numbers to the budget workshops.
Mull said, “We have the long-range plan of apparatus. We need to talk a little about what
the Board would like us to include as far as fire funding in the upcoming FY. Kent has worked up
another proposal but first and foremost, do you want to stick with the methodology we currently
have in place? Do you want to do something different?”
Commissioner Brown said, “Is what we’re doing not working?”
Mull said, “We have had various requests for additional funding. This current FY we had
four departments that asked for additional funding. That is when we came back and came up with
more funding for staffing. There are still requests for additional funding. There was one request
specifically about equalizing the funding for the southern end departments and that is the proposal
that Kent worked up.”
Greene said, “It will make two departments happy and not the others.”
Mull said, “That is taking money from some of the voted-in fire districts. To get those
voted-in districts to participate in the All-County we said we will not take funding from you. That
is how we got them to participate. This will be taking money from them to equalize the southern
departments. I need guidance from the Board because this is something that continues to come up.
We are not going to make all 19 happy but at this point, I need guidance on which direction you
want us to go.”
Commissioner Brown said, “I have looked at a couple of them and some that want the extra
don’t really need it, right?”
Mull said, “I think if we give them more money they could spend it.”
Commissioner Brown said, “I know.”
Greene said, “They brought up that some departments are not staffing at night and not
spending those funds. Do we need to go back and look at those and ask how much they are
spending?”
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Mull said, “You created a chart to see how many have staffed up based on the minimum
staffing and there were several that had not. There were some that weren’t because they don’t have
the call volume to warrant that.”
Commissioner Houpe said, “I think we need to look at each department and our options for
funding. Across the board is not working per se. There are legitimate needs out there. Revenues
could be refurbished from departments that are not using them for their intended purpose. What
are the options?”
Greene said, “I will work on that.”
Commissioner Houpe said, “If we replace this funding mechanism, what would we go to?
Mull said, “Any other options that you look at there will be winners and losers. Any
deviation from this there will be come you take money from and there will be some you give
money to. You have to be aware that there will be winners and losers with any r eworking of the
current funding.”
Commissioner Houpe said, “A lot of this across the board makes sense. Where we are
going to get into discrepancies is the staffing. You have some with healthier fund balances than
others that may be paying $20 or more per hour compared to others paying $15.”
Greene said, “We provided the funding in the current FY. Some have chosen not to staff
to the level of funding because their call volume does not support it, or volunteers are picking up
the calls. Some are saying they can’t find anyone else to work. If they are not able to fully staff
now how are they going to add additional staff?”
Mull said, “Which is a great lead in about the pilot program.”
Commissioner Stroud said, “I have one thing about the staffing piece. I don’t remember
what we came to but on the staffing…I don’t know if we have it but we talked about having a
mechanism by which a fire department could use it for that then we could draw that back.”
Mull said, “What we said was this is the minimum level of staffing that the County is
funding you for. We also said that we would follow up to see how that money was spent and if
they were successful in spending that money. Kent has another chart that he can update to see if
they have staffed 24/7. The funding that we provided allows every VFD to staff 24 hours per day.”
Commissioner Stroud said, “The mechanism of spending the money isn’t the problem.
Spending the money on the staffing is…”
Mull said, “Some of the departments would like to do that but they can’t fill the positions.
It makes it more difficult for them because we funded at $18 per hour and some departments are
paying much more than that. If you are looking at working at one of the departments and one is
paying $23 and one is paying $18, which one are you going to work for? Our attempt was to try
and standardize and we did that one year then Covid hit. When we look and one department that
isn’t spending the money the other question needs to be are they trying to fill positions or spending
the money? I don’t want to penalize the departments having trouble filling those positions.”
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March 18, 2024
Vice Chair Connolly said, “It all comes down to a budget. We looking at what they need
just like we do for other county departments. This funding formula, the way it was done years ago,
works to a certain extent. It’s just like county departments. We give them money and they can’t
hire people. Beth has a good point. We give fire department A money for staffing, and they can’t
do it, it’s not their fault. It all comes down to a budget. We live on a budget in this county.”
Cheek said, “We were doing it that way, but it didn’t work either.”
Pilot Program with Lake Norman VFD – EMS Director Blair Richey presented the Lake
Norman Iredell County EMS Pilot Program. LKNVFD Chief Brawley will select eight
paramedics/firefighters to work full-time at LKNVFD in conjunction with Iredell EMS.
Participants of the program will report daily to Chief Brawley. The crew will be based at LKNVFD
and not rotate.
Richey said LKNVFD’s highest call volume is between 8am and 6pm, which reflects
Iredell EMS call volume peaks. Firefighter I & II and a class B Driver’s license is required for the
Fire Department, along with and EMS credential. Imed 12 will be moved into the Fire Bay with
the other fire apparatus and crews being housed on the Fire side of the station. After hiring on-
boarding will be done in conjunction with Fire and EMS, and all positions will need to be approved
by both Fire and EMS to begin working.
Operations
The Firefighter/Paramedics will remain at Lake Norman Fire Department for the duration of the
pilot:
• All EMS credentialing and standards will be maintained by Iredell County EMS.
• All Fire credentialing and standards will be maintained by the Fire Department.
• All 8 of these employees will report directly to Iredell County Leadership; however, will
report daily to Lake Norman Leadership.
• Additional cross-trained Firefighter/Paramedics can be approved by Lake Norman Fire to
fill open shifts when they occur.
• Hiring will occur per Iredell County processes, interviewing will be held in conjunction
with Lake Norman Fire Department administration.
If an EMS Call is dispatched:
• Both employees will respond in an Iredell EMS ambulance and provide medical care to the
public.
• If beneficial, Lake Normal Fire personnel can drive in the ambulance, leaving one
Paramedic/Firefighter available in the district.
• An ambulance will respond to all calls in the Lake Norman EMS district, when not
providing fire services.
• If a fire related call is dispatched the Firefighter/Paramedics will respond per LKN Fire
Standard Operating Guidelines.
• IMED 12 staff will not respond out of the Lake Norman Fire district for fire related calls.
Such as mutual aid to the City of Mooresville.
Possible Concerns include:
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March 18, 2024
• Lake Norman Fire Department currently only has one full-time firefighter per shift and
depends heavily on their part-time roster to fill the other 3 positions per shift.
• They are required to staff their apparatus with a minimum of three firefighters.
• Lake Norman Fire Department would like to change their current operations from
responding one Engine to fire calls to an Engine and a Ladder truck. This would require
them to use the Firefighters/Paramedics on the Fire trucks, effectively shutting down
Imed 12 during these service requests.
• Most Fire-related calls are often completed quickly and trucks return to service.
However, calls such as structure fires can take many hours, leaving Imed 12 out of
service, until relief can be found.
• A large portion of Imed 12 EMS responses do extend outside the Lake Norman Fire
District.
• At times EMS calls can take upwards of two hours, which would make these new positions
unavailable to assist the Fire Department for some time.
• Currently Imed 12 stands by for the adjacent EMS District taking them outside of Lake
Norman’s District. EMS is currently reviewing these statistics in an attempt to minimize
posting, with the implementation of AVL.
• Imed 12 ran 26 convalescent calls in the year 2023. This should not cause a problem in
services to support Lake Norman Fire.
• Imed 12 would provide backup coverage out of the district in times of high call volume,
which is standard practice in both Fire and EMS.
• Imed 12 would not respond to Fire calls outside of Lake Norman’s Fire District and will
remain in Lake Norman to provide coverage for possible secondary calls in the districts.
• Imed 12 staff conducting daily Fire Department operations and training may slow EMS
chute and response times. This will be monitored throughout the trial.
Richey went over the metrics. EMS and Fire will meet monthly at a minimum to review operations.
Staff Feedback will be taken into account. If needed, immediate attention can be given to anything
that arises. The following metrics will be tracked and analyzed monthly.
Target and actuals are on a monthly basis.
Commissioner
Stroud said communication between Richey and Chief Brawley will be crucial to the success of
the program.
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March 18, 2024
Mull is hopeful to start the program on July 1.
Rescue funding is based on the square miles in the district, the population in the district,
and a small stipend for the technical rescue aspect. Mull presented the proposed funding based on
the formula. There have been some discussions about the City of Statesville wanting to provide
some rescue services within their corporate limits. They have had discussions with Iredell Rescue.
The city is already a certified rescue provider but their municipal jurisdiction is in Iredell Rescue’s
rescue district. Mull said there were some conversations regarding that. She said if the City starts
providing those rescue services they would like to be compensated for providing those services.
Mull asked for direction regarding continuing with the funding or looking at other funding
options. Rescue funding comes from the General Fund. Iredell Rescue has a large district. North
Iredell Rescue has a smaller call volume.
Greene said Iredell Rescue Chief Lindermann is requesting $100,000 in funding for next
FY. The city does not necessarily want to create a new rescue district but wants to cooperate with
Iredell Rescue. Iredell Rescue can get to some of the northern areas of Statesville quicker than
Statesville Fire can. Statesville Fire can get to a lot of the southern end of Statesville quicker than
Iredell Rescue. Greene explained the City and Iredell Rescue essentially want to trade off some
services. The exchange for Statesville providing that service instead of Iredell Rescue would be
approximately $100,000. Greene said to consider that leaving Iredell Rescue.
Commissioner Houpe feels this is the start of Statesville taking over. If the City wants to
provide additional services in the City, they are paying people to do so. It is not costing them more.
Greene said that is the City’s contention. They are already providing the services and
Iredell Rescue is proving a subpar level of service because they are only getting one or two
personnel on the scene.
Commissioner Houpe said it is not shown that the service is inadequate because the fire
departments are responding as well. If the City has a desire to do fire and rescue, then the County
cannot stop but the funding is already there by City Council.
Commissioner Stroud agreed. It’s no additional cost to the city.
Greene said the city is already responding to the calls however there are some incidents
where they are not responding like to skilled nursing facilities where rescue is responding. Greene
said there would be a question as to who is going to respond to those because in most other places
the fire department does respond.
Commissioner Houpe asked if the city would respond if they received additional funding.
Mull said the city is choosing to stand by on Alpha Bravo Medical Calls that they would
not go to anyway. The city offered to come to the retreat, but Mull felt it was best for the Board to
discuss the matter first.
Commissioner Houpe thought the city was working on protocols for who becomes
command.
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March 18, 2024
Mull said the city has met with Iredell Rescue and have come up with an agreement on
who will take care of calls in what areas based on the location of the call. They have said they are
not specifically asking for a rescue district because there is already an established district and
previous boards have said no further rescue districts. The City does not want Iredell Rescue’s
funding but they do want to be proportionally funded for the calls that they are running to the same
level that Mooresville is.
Commissioner Houpe said that is indirectly creating a new rescue district. Houpe would
have an easier time providing more funding if they would go to all calls instead of standing by and
providing additional services if Iredell Rescue cannot meet the need.
Mull said Statesville is concerned that on certain calls Iredell Rescue arrives on the scene
with one person and is unable to help.
Commissioner Houpe asked what Iredell Rescue’s response was.
Greene said Iredell Rescue is having the same issue as some of the fire departments and
cannot find qualified part-time staff whether it is a management issue, or the call volume is too
high. Greene feels the call volume is too high because they are running every dispatch in their
district from county line to county line. The fire departments are getting their minutes ahead of
them and they still respond. Iredell Rescue gets canceled at least half the time.
Commissioner Houpe asked if that was in the city.
Greene said everywhere. Iredell Rescue’s district goes from the Rowan County line to
Highway 40 at the Catawba County line to Love Valley. Greene said Iredell Rescue cannot provide
an adequate level of service to that large of an area. There have been disc ussions in the past of
creating a medical response area where Iredell Rescue is not running from Wayside to West Iredell.
The chief at the time felt that would kill the department’s morale.
Commissioner Houpe is okay with providing the funding if the need is there. Houpe would
prefer to not split up calls because that will indirectly create a district and Iredell Rescue will get
used to not responding to that area. Houpe would like to figure out a way to give them additional
funding for the calls that they are needed on.
Greene feels the City is looking at it as a redundant resource. Responding when it’s not
necessary. A medical call at Fifth Street Ministries can be handled by one engine from Statesville.
Iredell Rescue does not need to come all the way thru town and get canceled before getting to
Broad Street.
County Capital Improvement Plan (CIP)
Jennings Park – Project Manager David Saleeby provided an update on Jennings
Park. Progress is being made. There have been 15,000 man-hours put into the project since
September. There have been no recorded injuries. Almost all of the stormwater is in. Off-site sewer
and off-site water and 60-70% of the electrical is in. There were 12 rain days in January which has
pushed out the contract by 20 days. Saleeby noted there were some changes in turf which changed
the grading.
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March 18, 2024
Saleeby said the original budget was $27,359,485 of which $5.6 million has been
encumbered. The project is well within budget. Saleeby noted the project to the budget not the
budget to the project.
Saleeby said once the asphalt is down building pads will be put in even though the
other part is not completed.
Government Center Entrance Project
Saleeby said a lot of preliminary work has been done including utility movement
and preparing offices. Saleeby noted an alternate bid will be presented at an upcoming
regular meeting to tie two parking lots together. Bids for concrete and electrical came in
higher than estimates so bids are going back out in hopes of more bidders. The estimated
completion date is one year from the start date. During the project, the front entrance of the
Government Center will be used at the main entrance.
Health Department
Taylor said last year the estimated cost to build a new Health Department, if started
this year, would be $22 million. She said $18.3 million was budgeted in the current year
with $6.9 million coming from Medmax Funding reserved in Fund Balance. At that ti me
the plan was to use additional funds to make up the difference designated in the CIP. This
year, there is an additional $811,000 that can be put towards the project. Taylor asked for
the Board’s guidance on the project.
Fairgrounds
Taylor said the estimated cost is $60 million. There is currently $16 million funded;
$6 million from funds set aside in Fund Balance and two $5 million grants from the State.
Chair Neader asked about the expiration date on the State funding.
Commissioner Brown said it ended up not being an expiration date.
Mull said the State came back and said the funds need to be expended by 2028.
Commissioner Stroud asked if that was for the entire $10 million.
Mull said yes.
Commissioner Brown said if the County does not move forward and start funding
the project the State will not allocate any more funds.
Commissioner Houpe asked if the $10 million from the State is earmarked for the
fairgrounds.
Mull said yes.
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March 18, 2024
Mull asked for the Board’s direction on the Health Department and Fairgrounds.
Currently, the projects are approved and somewhat funded. If the Board decides to not
move forward it would be better to stop the clock on them.
Commissioner Brown asked if the County would have to return the $10 million.
Mull said does not think so since the County has until 2028 to expend the funds.
Mull recommended to at least stop the clock on the Health Department project for now.
Commissioner Houpe said all of the County’s projects are on hold until ISS receives
final numbers for the high school.
Mull said that also eludes that the County will give more than $120 million.
The Board disagreed.
Commissioner Stroud said more things are pressing than a new Health Department.
Commissioner Houpe said the money is here when the County is ready to move
forward. The Board is not agreeing to fund more than $120 million but may be able to
borrow less.
Mull said the Health Department is fully funded.
Taylor said the more the project is put on hold the more expensive it is going to be.
Commissioner Brown asked why not move forward with the Health Department.
Vice Chair Connolly said hit the stop button on the Health Department. The current
facility is serving the needs. Growth is exploding in the County.
Commissioner Stroud said there is also a need for court space.
Commissioner Brown said the Health Department expands with growth.
Taylor said part of the reason staff wants to move forward with the HD is because
it was always the plan to co-locate them with DSS. Part of the new Health Department will
be space for DSS as they are maxed out of space. It will not just be a Health Department
building.
Commissioner Brown asked why not move forward if the funding is there.
Commissioner Houpe said construction costs could come down. Houpe suggested
not moving forward with the Health Department until the final numbers are in from the
school. The County is mandated to build schools.
Mull said DSS and Health Department is also mandated.
Commissioner Houpe said the County is not going to stop providing the services.
Vice Chair Connolly said there are groups leasing space in the Health Department
that is not even on the lease.
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March 18, 2024
Mull said that was a part of the agreement with Partner’s Behavioral.
Commissioner Houpe noted that he is not saying the Board will approve anything
over the $120 million for the new school however if the schools come back with a bid for
$130 million there will be money there in this year’s budget.
Commissioner Houpe said Mount Mourne School will be opening as a charter
school.
Mull shared that she heard the school could not open as a charter and will offer to
rent to ISS.
Mull asked for direction regarding the Health Department and Fairgrounds.
Commissioner Houpe asked the cons of putting the projects on hold.
Mull cautioned against putting the projects on hold for an extended period and the
costs escalated.
Mull said the school system has not sent bids out yet. ISS will present the bids to
the Board until May.
Vice Chair Connolly suggested placing both projects on hold until May when the
budget process begins. He added that staff can still look for property to see if it is a better
match.
Commissioner Brown asked how much an appraisal would cost for the fairground’s
property.
Valdez said $5,000-$6,000.
Vice Chair Connolly said if the perfect place is found for the fairgrounds the current
property would be an ideal place to put ICATS or a new EMS station.
Vice Chair Connolly added that Troutman Fire Department will not be able to stay
in their current location.
Mull said a developer donated land to the Town of Troutman for a new fire station.
Commissioner Houpe said the Board needs to decide if there is a better location for
the fairground or commit to the current location. He added the options should be on the
table.
Commissioner Houpe said once the new Health Department is built there are plenty
of uses for the current building.
Commissioner Brown asked about the Public Defender’s Office location.
Commissioner Stroud asked if the current Health Department building would hold
two courtrooms.
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March 18, 2024
Valdez said special legislation may be needed in order to do so.
Commissioner Stroud said the building is well-built and it would be beneficial to
repurpose the building.
The Board discussed Blue Light Emergency Towers being installed at Jennings
Park.
Saleeby said the estimated cost is $10,000-$15,000 per pole plus underground
electrical and monthly phone service.
Saleeby said there are two types of towers: wireless and solar types.
Vice Chair Connolly asked about the solar option.
Valdez said the County’s liability exposure when the light does not work and
someone pushes the button during an emergency is greater than not having the light there
at all. She warned about the assumption there will be towers at other county parks.
Vice Chair Connolly said the towers should be placed in remote or parking areas
of Jennings Park.
Saleeby asked for direction from the Board because the conduit will need to be
installed in order for the towers to operate.
Staff will gather more information on the towers and bring it back to the Board for
review.
Taylor went through the following CIP:
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March 18, 2024
The Government Center interior renovations include fixing stucco, repainting, and
replacing the skylight.
IT: The core switch is beginning to fail and is no longer under warranty. Costs are
skyrocketing for the antivirus and backup upgrades so staff is looking to change vendors
to get the best value. The Island Management Console allows IT to manage internet access.
It allows IT to control what the users can and cannot do.
Airports: Includes the County’s 5% grant match. Some grants have already been
awarded and some are in the process of being applied for.
Commissioner Houpe asked Mull if she had the opportunity to meet with Airport
Manager John Ferguson about property purchases. There are a few more parcels the city
has bought that grants have not been received for but grants are expected.
Mull explained that she was made aware of the property purchases last week in a
meeting with Ferguson. The money is not in this year’s budget because the purchases were
done and the County was not made aware. She noted she asked Ferguson to keep the
County updated on projects.
Animal Services – Expansion of kennel space, intake, and adoptions. The
expansion would include visitation rooms. This would assist in the increased cat
population.
Mull noted that intake has had to close because the shelter was at capacity.
Commissioner Stroud asked how much kennel space would be added.
Chair Neader said the Board has turned down several Animal Services projects in
the past.
Mull said the expansion will allow room to have adoptions.
Facility Improvement Projects
Taylor went through the following Facility Improvement Projects:
Building Standards – Renovate plans area to office space
19 Requests:
General Government 3,560,860
Public Safety 2,235,300
Development Services 275,000
Human Services 250,000
Cultural & Recreational 32,480,000
$38,801,160
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March 18, 2024
Government Center – Replace transfer switch
Government Center South – Repair roof in areas that are leaking
Health – Replace flooring in the lab
Courts – Cubicles for criminal district clerks
Project Ranking
The Board agreed to the following project ranking:
• Government Center Renovations
• ADA
• LED Lighting
• Core Switch
• Antivirus Update
• Rubrik Backup Upgrade
• Island Management Console
• Netscout Network Analysis/Monitoring Tool
• Airport (grant matches)
• Replace Backup System (ECOM)
• Voice Dispatch System (ECOM)
• Replace carpet with LVT on 2nd & 3rd floors of Building Standards
• Replace carpet in meetings rooms at Cooperative Extension
• Replace generator at Health Department in Statesville (replacement
will be portable)
• Replace roof at Library (Statesville)
• Carolina Thread Trail (adjusted to $500,000)
Vice Chair Connolly would rather use $15 million for the new elementary and $15 million
for Public Safety Annex Facilities than fund $30 million for the fairground. Connolly noted the
annex facilities could house fire, EMS, rescue, and other county resources. He said three other fire
departments need to be built; Central, West Iredell, and Monticello.
Mull cautioned against using General Fund dollars to build fire departments.
Commissioner Houpe asked if the fire departments should be built in a way to house other
resources.
Mull said Cool Springs and Trinity were built that way. The County paid for the EMS and
rescue portion out of the General Fund. The fire department’s part of the building comes from the
fire tax.
Commissioner Houpe said the fire departments could lease space in the annex facilities.
Mull noted the County would be responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the
facilities.
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March 18, 2024
Chair Neader asked if funds would be set aside for such facilities.
Vice Chair Connolly said the building would be funded by the General Fund.
Commissioner Houpe said the money that would have paid for the fire department could
be retained by the County for the fire portion of the building.
Vice Chair Connolly asked the Board and staff to think about the pros and cons of annex
facilities.
Commissioner Brown thinks phase 1 of the fairground will pay for phase 2.
Mull asked, “Do you want the fairgrounds where it is?”
Commissioner Stroud said, “No.”
Commissioner Brown said, “No.”
Mull said, “How many want to move it?”
Neader said, “Yes, I mean…”
Mull said, “Then that is the decision. We don’t build at the existing fairground. We invest
all our time and effort trying to find different property. What are the limitations on finding the
additional property? How far is too far? What is a general location?”
Commissioner Stroud said, “I am going to go back to the other…”
Commissioner Houpe said, “We need to find out if you want to leave it there and why. If
you want to move it and why? Then decide by majority you want to move it then you say the
parameters. What you said a while ago was, we would sell the property to pay for the new
property.”
Commissioner Brown said, “No.”
Commissioner Houpe said, “But now you’re saying we want to keep that property for a
county function in the future even if you found a new location.”
Robertson said, “We need it for ICATS. Might not need all of the property but they need a
new facility.”
Commissioner Stroud asked, “What would be considered excessive? I still believe we can
make it happen. We know the perfect place. How much is…they know what it sold for. What is
too much for us to offer to tie it in? The piece of property by the Ag Center that adjoins two other
parcels we already own.”
Valdez said, “48 acres.”
Commissioner Stroud said, “It attaches to other properties the County owns. You already
have city water and sewer, and right off the interstate. What did they pay for it?”
Valdez said, “It is 43.856 acres and he paid $725,000.”
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March 18, 2024
Commissioner Stroud asked, “What is considered an excessive point?”
Valdez said, “If you can’t support the purchase with an appraisal, you are paying too
much.”
Commissioner Stroud said, “I think we went above the appraisal when we bought the Gray
property.”
Valdez said, “I don’t think we got an appraisal.”
Mull said, “He said he wouldn’t sell before.”
Commissioner Stroud said, “As learning more, I didn’t realize there was another person
that really goofed up another deal for them. I am not saying the right person…it is going to have
to be beneficial to them.”
Valdez said, “That is the problem. I don’t know how to make it beneficial to them in the
way they want it to be beneficial. That is what I have struggled with every time.”
Commissioner Stroud said, “They like to somehow be considered as the CMR.”
Chair Neader said, “For now, we need to figure out…”
Commissioner Stroud asked, “Build to suit.”
Valdez said, “I ran that rabbit.”
Commissioner Brown said, “Back to the $30 million. Let’s put $5 million back.”
Commissioner Stroud said, “To grow it a little more. Whether it is at the current
location…”
Mull said, “Or somewhere else.”
Chair Neader said, “We have to look at the entrance off Murdock Road whether it is a
fairground or what. Maybe look at doing some improvements around the EMS base. We will still
have a fair this year. Looking at what we can work with from the $5 million to $16 million.”
Commissioner Brown said, “Set aside $5 million next year.”
Commissioner Stroud asked, “How long can we use the entrance we have now.”
Mull said, “Until Troutman decides they want to cut our access.”
Commissioner Stroud asked, “How long do they have to tell us we no longer have access?”
Mull said, “What are they going to do with the property?”
Taylor said, “You are talking about cutting $25 million out of next year. I don’t know that
we have $25 million in increases in requests. Would you rather we balance the budget and put
whatever money we have leftover into one of these projects? Or would you rather us put it in CIP
as undesignated.”
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March 18, 2024
Commissioner Houpe said, “Undesignated.”
Mull asked, “Are there any projects that you see on the horizon, or you want to see done
that are on this list? Bert, you have talked several times about courtroom space. One of the things
that I am going to be requesting in this year’s budget is to contract out a Space and Needs Analysis
of all county-owned facilities. We have to get an idea of where we are in all of our facilities. Have
we outgrown them? Do we have room to grow? Do we need to start an addition? Do we need to
look at satellite locations? We have to have an analysis so we can start planning ahead. DSS is
maxed. We are looking at a lot of different facilities trying to figure out how we are going to add
more people. I think doing the analysis would be very beneficial to us. Do you want to wai t and
see the outcome of that? Maybe leave it in the undesignated that way we will see the outcome of
the study and see what needs to be dropped in.”
Commissioner Stroud asked, “If we put it in undesignated and we change our mind…”
Mull said, “It will just be a placeholder while we are waiting for the analysis. My only
concern with putting in a column this year is it looks like you funded that project. I think it may
be better to put it in undesignated with a note that it is waiting on the analysis.”
Commissioner Stroud said, “You explain this as well as anyone I’ve ever heard. I think the
average citizen gets how we talk about a savings account.”
Commissioner Houpe said, “Pay as you go.”
Commissioner Stroud said, “Exactly. That is what you have to do. The others who beat us
up that is what we do. The average person thinks how much smarter it is that we are already saving
$10 million a year to save $30 million.”
Commissioner Houpe said, “Most are uninformed.”
Commissioner Stroud said, “I guess that is the one thing. No matter which direction we go,
Beth, you do a very good job of explaining that it is not a rainy-day fund. We put our priorities on
the back burner while we take care of others.”
Chair Neader said, “The courthouse itself is not a building that can be easily renovated or
worked on.”
Mull said, “No.”
Commissioner Stroud said, “Where are you going to put them while the building is being
worked on? They are getting ready to put in the Crave system and are going to be down a couple
of weeks.”
Vice Chair Connolly said, “You remember what Judge Crosswhite came and talked to us
about. If we do not add that additional Superior Court Criminal support, we will be talking about
adding on to the new jail that was added on to the old jail in probably two and a half years.”
Chair Neader asked, “Where can you hold court?
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March 18, 2024
Vice Chair Connolly said, “Something that is added on to the existing courthouse. Not a
new courthouse. Something added on to the first floor. Public Defender Possibly. We have to get
two courtrooms. We have got to get two courtrooms. The Sheriff is big on crime. Statesville is
growing like it’s growing. You see what is going on. You see what’s going on in Mooresville. You
see what's going on in Troutman. We are behind big time on court space.”
Commissioner Houpe asked, “How can we make court function away from there?”
Vice Chair Connolly said, “You can’t. We are in a bad spot now because you have the
DA’s office in the annex then you have the courthouse. The retired SBI agent came and did security
assessment. I am surprised someone has not been killed.”
Commissioner Houpe asked, “Based on?”
Vice Chair Connolly said, “It needs to be a one-stop shop. Criminal needs to be one-stop
shop. You know what you are dealing with in that building.”
Commissioner Brown asked, “What about the video system?”
Vice Chair Connolly said, “There is some. But the video is more for inmates that are in
custody somewhere else or a civil motion. This is an inefficient way of doing business. There are
300-400 cases on a docket knowing you can’t get but 40 at the max done. It is an old process that
does not work. If we do two courts, Joe can bring the Judge in and it will not cost us anything. It
will get people to prison.”
Commissioner Houpe said, “Is there a way to move anyone out of the annex without adding
on to that particular building? If we add on to the building it is going to say we are committed to
staying there an x number of years.”
Vice Chair Connolly said, “Your jail is there. Your clientele is there. We are married on
the site for 50 years.”
Commissioner Houpe said, “Can you move the Register of Deeds?”
Vice Chair Connolly said, “There is nothing.”
Robertson asked, “Even the Tax Office?”
Vice Chair Connolly said, “If you look at the space at the DA’s office. The guy this
morning is in the DA’s office. The one-stop shop is there. I know we have moved people all
around. We need two courtrooms, and it needs to be a building that is somehow attached to the
current courthouse.”
Commissioner Houpe said, “If you add on you lose parking.”
Vice Chair Connolly said, “Use the greenspace toward Stockton Street.”
Commissioner Houpe asked, “Can you gain enough parking?”
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Vice Chair Connolly said, “There is a nice footprint there. I would do at least three levels.
You don’t want court on the first level. One for entrance and offices and then the courtrooms. We
are not looking at a great deal of money, but we will if we wait and build a new facility. Where
would we build it? We can’t find land now. And where are we going to get all these schools with
all of this growth?”
Commissioner Stroud said, “Matthew told us 20,000 units. Imagine one kid being in half
of those. The average is 2.3.”
Mull asked, “Do you want to put two courtrooms in the CIP, or do you want to include the
courthouse in the Space and Needs Analysis?”
Vice Chair Connolly said, “It needs to be in the analysis.”
Commissioner Houpe said, “Undesignated. Pending the analysis.”
Mull said, “That is what we will do with the extra money, and we will balance with that
number. It could be any number. I think putting $5 million. We will take the balance out of what
we pulled out of the Three Corners and Fairgrounds. It may not be all that. It just depends on where
we end up with the rest of the budget, but we will balance with that undesignated.”
Education CIP
Iredell-Statesville
Weather’s Creek High School - $120 million
Lakeshore Middle School – add 4-6 classrooms; $8 million
Central Services – move staff to CATS; $5 million
Mitchell Community College
Public Safety - $10 million
Mull noted the center is a great project for the Golden Leaf grant. The $10 million is not
going to be enough but would like to add the project to the Golden Leaf request for a $1.5 million
grant.
Commissioner Stroud asked about the study that was done several years ago on the fire
departments. He asked if it would be beneficial to look at that again. Mount Mourne and Monticello
are becoming shrinking districts.
Mull said that is beneficial to do but the County has already purchased property for the
three future stations. The Board could decide to sell the property.
Commissioner Stroud said two of the three will be justified but the third probably will not
be. By the time the station is built and paid for the City of Statesville will be using it as a resource.
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Mull said staff received good guidance on the CIP. Staff is going to balance in the
undesignated pending the Future Space and Needs Analysis. Staff will also get an update from the
ISS on approved projects and the new elementary school.
Strategic Planning Survey Discussion –
Chair Neader asked for an update on the survey.
Strategic Planning, Grants, & Communication Manager Kimberly Fullerton said the
consultant cannot start until there is a contract in place.
ETC Consultant Robert Heathcock gave an update on the process. The survey is developed
and approved before being sent out. Hard copies and electronic surveys will be available.
Heathcock proposed sending out 4,000 surveys and targeting 600 of those, which is a 4% level of
precision. The process will take approximately four months to complete. A sample will be
designed to appropriately represent the entire county.
Chair Neader asked if the questions would be shared with staff and the Board.
Heathcock said the company will customize the process to the County’s needs.
Commissioner Brown asked the cost of the survey.
Heathcock said the company is proposing $21,500 for the survey with the following
options: $1,600 for an onsite visit and $5,000 for an interactive dashboard.
Mull asked if the Board was okay with moving forward with the survey,
Chair Neader said yes and no. She said she would like strategic samplings from citizens in
areas that may not necessarily feel like they can voice their opinions. It is hard to get people to fill
out surveys.
Mull said the first survey will give good baseline information. The rubber meets the road
as the process continues.
The Board agreed to the survey. Staff will work on the questions and gather the Board’s
input.
Legislative Decisions & their impact by department – Mull provided a list of legislative
decisions that are currently impacting county departments.
Commissioner Houpe said Representative Mills is working on the electioneering bill. It is
becoming more and more difficult for the County to obtain polling locations.
Mull noted some things were vetted in the budget which came as a surprise when the budget
was passed in October.
Commissioner Brown made a motion to adjourn at 5:12pm.