HomeMy WebLinkAboutC.054.93011_1437IREDELL COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
WINTER PLANNING SESSION MINUTES
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2007
The Iredell County Board of Commissioners met for a Winter Planning Session on
Friday, February 23, 2007, 8:00 a.m., at the Agricultural Resource Center (444 Bristol Drive,
Statesville, NC).
Present were:
Chairman Marvin Norman
Vice Chairman Sara Haire Tice
Godfrey Williams
Steve Johnson
Ken Robertson
Staff present: County Manager Joel Mashburn, Deputy County Manager Susan
Blumenstein, Assistant County Manager Tracy Jackson, Acting Planning Director Steve Warren,
Cooperative Extension Director Ken Vaughn, and Clerk to the Board Jean Moore.
CALL TO ORDER by Chairman Norman.
REVIEW OF BUDGET INFORMATION: Deputy County Manager Blumenstein said
the fund balance available at July 1 was estimated to be $23,821,711 and this would be equal to
15% of the FY 08 expenditures. She said the tax department had estimated a 16% increase in
real value revenues.
Blumenstein said the Iredell-Statesville school project reserve fund would have
approximately $2 million.
Commissioner Robertson said S70 million would soon be needed for high schools. He
said a general obligation bond would have to be "loaded" to pass, and he asked if a mechanism
could be found to hold money aside to assist with a Certificates of Participation.
County Manager Mashburn said some counties used this method. He said a few years
ago, the county built up its capital reserve, strictly for county facilities, but the money was
directed towards the new Lakeshore Elementary. He added that in 2011, about $10 million
would be needed for a jail.
AIRPORT ACTIVITY REPORT: Statesville Planning Director David Currier, along
with Statesville Finance Director Lisa Salmon, shared information about the airport. Currier said
there many inquiries from companies needing hangar space, and a development master plan was
being created. He said that when the plan was available, the city would approach the county for
property acquisition assistance. Currier said the airport was a valuable asset bringing in $166.6
million in taxes during 2006 compared to $15.9 million in 1998. He said Statesville required
corporate clients to have $5 million in tax base and sign a 25 -year lease.
Commissioner Tice asked if a connector road for Lowes was included in the master plan.
Currier said the plan's focus would be on acquiring property and hangar space; however,
Lowes could be placed "in the mix."
Thomas Hazel, the fixed based operator, said the airport had transitioned from a
recreational aviation center to corporate, with the last hangar being built 2000. He said the bulk
of today's traffic was from Lowes' vendors, or from the NASCAR industry.
Salmon said Statesville had loaned funding to the airport for the recent runway extension
project with the understanding the money would be repaid once grants were received. She said
the balance of the loan (principal) was $2,640,000.00, and the county's reimbursement to the city
was one-half of the loan's payment each year. Salmon said in March of this year, the city's loan
would probably be paid off. She said the city, thus far, had invested $2,467,579 in the project,
but not all expenses had been included.