HomeMy WebLinkAboutC.054.93009_1875(At this time, the board welcomed radio broadcaster Pat Shannon, and Kimberly Stewart.
Stewart, a UNC -Chapel Hill Journalism student, is interning at the radio station this summer.)
ELECTIONS BUDGET: Commissioner Johnson asked how long it took to train a person
for this department. Mr. Mashburn said he did not know. No changes to budget.
TAX ASSESSOR: The county manager advised that one new position was
requested/recommended for the revaluation department. It was mentioned that it was less expensive
to do revaluations in-house rather than contracting out.
IREDELL-STATESVILLE SCHOOL SYSTEM
I -S Board of Education Chairman Bill Long, Supt. Joe Sinclair, Asst. Supt. Julia Williams,
Project Manager Steve McDonald, and Finance Officer William Barnard discussed FY 98-99
funding for the school system. Dr. Sinclair said Northview, Ebenezer, Scotts, and Sharon were the
only schools not air conditioned, but these were projected to be finished by the end of this summer.
Sewer upgrades are recommended for North Iredell High, West Iredell High, and West Middle for
next year. At fifteen different sites, 95 classrooms are currently being constructed. There is a
request for 32 mobile units in the budget. The system has 80 mobile units now and some of the new
ones will be replacements. It was mentioned that it cost about $3500 per year to lease anew double -
wide unit. The set up is about $7,500 per year. The school maintenance staff now builds mobile unit
ramps, etc., in breakaway pieces for easy removal to other sites. A total of 16,225 students is
projected for 98-99. This is an increase of 800 students.
Sinclair said the system had around 53 seized vehicles at the bus garage on Oakland Avenue.
The school representatives were not optimistic about this new legislation. The vehicles are mostly
older models with little value.
Commissioner Fortner asked about the bus service in North Iredell. Long said nothing had
been decided, and that a committee has been established to study the service. Dr. Sinclair said the
Iredell-Statesville System ranked number one in the state for efficiency in bus transportation. The
system transports more students, per bus, than any other unit in the state.
Commissioner Boone asked the policy on student transfers (out of county). Long said the
system did not hold anyone back.
Dr. Sinclair briefed the board on the status of the Salisbury Road (formerly Unity High
School) facility. He said the interior "literally fell in" A pro -tech building was moved to the site
for some of the staff. The school officials are currently deciding on the best option for the property
- - whether to sell it, etc. Commissioner Johnson asked that the commissioners be informed if a
situation similar to this (collapsing of a school structure, etc.) occurred in the future.
Commissioner Johnson asked about the Service Master contract. Sinclair said the contract
expired in June of 1999. Long said there were varying opinions about the quality of work done by
Service Master. Barnard said the contract this year was $400,000 but this included equipment
(vacuum cleaners, etc.). Long said a positive factor for Service Master was that it had set
maintenance schedules, i.e., specific times to clean HVAC systems and determination of roofing
needs.
Commissioner Boone asked the local fund balance. Barnard said it was $700,000 in last
year's audit. however, immediately after doing payroll, it dropped to about $100,000. Barnard said
the fund balance was not a separate fund and it fluctuated on a daily basis.
Dr. Sinclair mentioned the system was supposed to receive $800,000 in technology funds
from the state; however, only $165,000 was actually received. The state keeps shifting the funds to
other areas.