HomeMy WebLinkAboutC.054.93009_1733IREDELL COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PLANNING SESSION MINUTES
THURSDAY JANUARY 15 1998
The Iredell County Board ofCommissioners met for a Winter Planning Session on rhursday,
January 15, 1998, 8:00 a.m., at the Queens Landing in Mooresville, NC.
Present were: Sara K. Haire, Chairman
Steve Johnson, Vice Chairman
David A. Boone
Alice T. Fortner
Alice M. Stewart
Staff: Joel Mashburn, County Manager
Susan Blumenstein, Finance Director
Jim Vernon, Support Services Director
Jean Moore, Clerk to the Board
Media: Christine Underwood, Statesville Record & Landmark
Jim Wrinn, Charlotte Obscry r
Chairman Haire called the meeting to order.
STATESV ILLE AIRPORT: Commissioner Johnson shared information about a proposed
water line extension ( West Iredell Water) to serve new hangars at the Statesville Municipal Airport.
A complete project would encompass three phases at a total cost of $38,315. The work would be
broken down into the following components: Phase I - $16,858, Phase II - $10,789, and Phase 111 -
$10,668. Johnson said the Board might want to include Phase I in next year's budget. Mr. Johnson
noted that adequate corporate hangar space was an economic development incentive.
FINANCIAL UPDATE: Using a comparative revenue report for 1996 and 1997,
Blumenstein said she did not have any surprises to reveal. "Everything seems to be on target"
Commissioner Boone asked about sales tax revenues, and Blumenstein said she was confident the
full estimate would be reached.
Mrs. Blumenstein said the sales at the Jail Commissary had been substantial.
EMS UPDATE: Larry Ray, Safety & Emergency Services Director, and Paul Tamer, EMS
Operations Manager, joined the group for this segment. Ray mentioned the other ambulance
companies operating in the County. Mashburn said it was too early to tell what revenue impact was
occurring. The private companies are making non -emergency transports. It was mentioned that the
private companies have lower charges, but they require an "upfront" payment guarantee from clients.
Since the private companies do not use 911, they can schedule the time/date of transport. County
units are primarily for emergencies. Mashburn said some counties had franchises governing these
services but the only part that could be regulated was the type of care.
Mr. Mashburn further said that all of the County's employees were at the paramedic level
except one long-time employee. He mentioned that ifthe County wanted to be competitive with the
private companies restructuring would be needed. Commissioner Stewart said it was easier to write
EMS work schedules if all employees were on the same training level.
Mr. Mashburn said that when he first came to work at the County it was a goal to make the
average response time to be eight minutes or less. This time has been achieved for most locations.
Commissioner Johnson asked about the need for a future base. Ray said the only need he
envisioned was a Quick Response Vehicle (QRV) on the southern tip of Brawley School Road. He
mentioned if anything happened on the northern end it would be difficult to reach an emergency on