HomeMy WebLinkAboutC.054.93011_0269Presentation from Rhonda Lloyd Regarding School Funding: Lloyd said
she represented the parents of N.B. Mills and Monticello Schools, and she wanted to
speak in reference to the facilities funding plan presented by the Iredell-Statesville
School System. Ms. Lloyd said rapid growth was occurring in the county, especially
in the southern end, but the facility needs of the other parts of the county were falling
behind. She said mobile units should not be an option to the growth problem, and
using them was money wasted. Lloyd said, "We want to know tonight when you plan
on meeting the needs of the N.B. Mills and Monticello communities." She said the
parents were asking for equality and equity in all of the schools throughout the county.
She requested that a solution be found to eliminate the disparity between the north and
the south ends of the county.
Ms. Lloyd also commented on the FY 04-05 budget, and the "five percent
traditional funding increase" for the system. She asked if the reduction to two percent
for the upcoming year was "retribution" for the superintendent's $124 facility funding
proposal.
Presentation from Linda Bellingi on behalf of Carolyn Kass, of Healthy
Foods for Moms & Kids, and a Request to Solicit on County Property: Ms.
Bellingi said Healthy Foods for Moms and Kids was a WIC only store. She said the
Womens, Infants, and Children's Program (WIC), was funded by the United States
Department of Agriculture, as well as the county and state. She said the program was
designed to provide healthy foods for pregnant women and for children through the
age of five. Bellingi said the WIC stores operated to help these same people,
especially the individuals with language barriers. She said currently about 35 vendors
in Iredell County accepted WIC vouchers, and these were primarily grocery stores and
gas/convenience stores. Ms. Bellingi said the advantages of WIC stores were that they
(1) sold only products used in the program, and (2) they provided community outreach
and educational services. Bellingi said advertising brochures were used in other areas
of the state to inform the clients about the locations of the WIC stores, and she desired
the same opportunity at the county health department. Specifically, she requested
permission to distribute brochures in the parking lot of the health department about the
WIC store located at 318 Tumersburg Highway, in Statesville, NC.
Commissioner Madison asked if a precedent had been set in reference to
allowing for-profit organizations to solicit on county property.
The manager said no. He said the board had previously given approval for the
United Way, Relay for Life, and March of Dimes campaigns, but these were about the
only causes allowed to solicit on county property.
(No action was taken by the board. The solicitation permit was not granted)
PUBLIC HEARINGS
Chairman Johnson declared the meeting to be in a public hearing.
Public Comments in Reference to the Iredeil County Budget for
Fiscal Year 2004-05
John J. Amon, President of the Mooresville Friends of the Library said the
renovations on the Mooresville library would be completed in January 2005, and the
size of the structure would then be 34,000 sq. ft. He said Mooresville had constructed
the building on demographic projections of the growth in southern Iredell County.
Amon said an operating budget of $1,174,004 was requested from the county for the
Mooresville library; however, only $691,290 had been recommended. He said the
county and town had an arrangement regarding facility funding in the past, and this had
been that the county would pay for the operations and the town would pay for the bricks
and mortar. Mr. Amon said the expansion project occurred due to a $2 million gift from
the Lowe's Company, and it was the largest single donation ever given to a North
Carolina public library.