061809ssmHarnett County Board of Commissioners
Minutes of Reconvened Budget Special Session
June 18, 2009
The Harnett County Board of Commissioners met in special session on Thursday, June 18, 2009,
in the Commissioners Meeting Room, County Administrative Building, 102 East Front Street,
Lillington, North Carolina.
Members present:
Staff present:
Timothy B. McNeill, Chairman
Beatrice B. Hill, Vice - Chairman
Dan B. Andrews, Commissioner
Gary House, Commissioner
Jim Burgin, Commissioner
Scott Sauer, County Manager
Wm. A. (Tony) Wilder, Assistant County Manager
Dwight W. Snow, County Attorney
Sylvia Blinson, Finance Officer
Jennifer Slusser, Staff Attorney
Margaret Regina Daniel, Acting Clerk
Chairman McNeill reconvened the meeting at 8:00 am. The Board previously met on Monday,
June 15, 2009. The following agenda was before commissioners:
1) Reconvene special meeting from Monday June 15th Consider policy for extra meeting
compensation for the Board of Commissioners —see draft proposed at the suggestion
of Chairman McNeill
2) Consider procedure for placing items of new business on the agenda, with a
requirement that no action be taken unless the item was reviewed and discussed at a
prior work session, or receives a unanimous vote of the Board, per Chairman McNeill
3) Review Water & Sewer Rates and Enterprise Funds for FY 2009 -2010
4) General Fund – estimated tax levy as amended to reflect adjustments for appeals
5) General Fund — progress on expenditure reductions & cost containment
6) Notice to Employees —grant positions with no recurring funding
7) Early retirement strategy— authorization to proceed with determining voluntary
participation
8) Review calendars for adopting interim budget ordinance (Thursday afternoon June
25th)
9) Consider budget amendments and Project Ordinance (Western Harnett Library)
10) Technical adjustment for car allowance payments
Harnett County Board of Commissioners
June 18, 2009 Special Session Minutes
Page 1 of 2
The Board considered an updated policy for extra meeting compensation for the Board of
Commissioners. The following draft policy was provided to commissioners:
Additional Meeting Compensation Policy
Pursuant to NC G.S. 153A-28, the board of commissioners may fix the compensation and allowances of the
chairman and other members of the board by inclusion of the compensation and allowance in and adoption of
the budget ordinance. Currently, the chairman and other members of the board are paid a monthly
compensation which covers attendance at all regular meetings of the full board. They are also paid a travel
allowance, and they are reimbursed for the actual expenses incurred for phone /fax use, out -of- county travel,
etc.
All Commissioners meeting compensation shall be treated as reported income for payroll purposes.
It has also been the practice of the County to compensate Board members the sum of $35 for each additional
meeting of the full board. However, given the increasing frequency with which Board members - both
collectively and individually - must participate in county government related meetings, it has been suggested
that this "additional meeting" compensation be expanded to include other meetings.
Recommendations:
1. The monthly "salary" of the Board members shall be considered as compensation for one regular
meeting of the board and one additional meeting each month. Meetings in addition to these two would be
reimbursed at a rate as follows:
• Proposed rate for full board meetings (special called meetings of the BOC, BOC work sessions,
Board of E &R, Water District Board meetings, etc.) - $35 /meeting
• Committee/advisory board meetings, staff briefings • $35 /meeting
2. For purposes of reimbursement, eligible meetings would be those in which the board members serve and
participate by virtue of their position and/or in representation of the county as a board member and/or are
an invited participant by staff or agencyldepartment. There shall be no reimbursement for informal
conferences with staff or telephoniclelectronic conversations.
3. Same day attendance at meetings would not be eligible for reimbursement - i.e., a work session or staff
meeting in advance of a board meeting.
4. Meetings for which a board member is otherwise compensated would not be eligible for reimbursement.
For instance, if board member receives a per diem for attending a Board of Health meeting or DSS
meeting, then this meeting is not eligible for reimbursement.
5. Board members would be required to submit in writing (form to be designed) a voucher /request for
reimbursement setting forth description of the meeting, date, time and place.
Commissioner Andrews moved that the Board reconsider the action taken Monday night- and
moved that commissioners take a $100 month reduction from their travel allowance instead of
suspending the extra meeting pay. Vice Chairman Hill seconded the motion. Commissioner
Burgin requested an audit of prior years of meeting compensation saying he feels like the policy
has not been followed and adjustments may be needed. The motion to reconsider the extra
meeting pay and reduce travel allowance by $100 a month passed 3 to 2 with Commissioners
House and Burgin opposing.
Commissioner Andrews moved to adopt the Additional Meeting Compensation Policy for the
Harnett County Board of Commissioners. Vice Chairman Hill seconded the motion which
passed 3 to 2 with Commissioners House and Burgin opposing.
Harnett County Board of Commissioners
June 18, 2009 Special Session Minutes
Page 2 of 2
Chairman McNeill moved to adopt a procedure for placing items of new business on the agenda
with a requirement that no action be taken unless the item was reviewed and discussed at a prior
work session, or receives unanimous vote of the Board. Discussions continued regarding this
issue. The motion passed 3 to 2. Commissioner Burgin said he feel this is censorship and asked
that the attorney to investigate this and see if those changes meet the Rules of Procedure for
Harnett County Board Commissioners and as well as County Government NC and Roberts Rules
of Order.
Mr. Sauer recommended that the Board consider and approve the Water & Sewer Rate schedule
as presented in the proposed 2009/2010 fiscal budget. Commissioner House said he could not
vote on rate changes before they reviewed the budget as a group. Commissioner Burgin moved
to approve a rate schedule that keeps the $17.00 residential rate the same, the ratse for the county
municipalities the same but allows the rates for the water we sale to surrounding entities to be
increased to whatever it takes to offset. The Board heard from Steve Ward, Director of Public
Utilities, regarding the proposed rate increases. Commissioner Burgin's motion failed due to the
lack of a second.
Commissioner House moved that commissioners meet with each department head to go over
their budgets before voting on any budget related item. Commissioner Burgin seconded the
motion. Chairman McNeill said they had to deal with the water and sewer rates now because
towns are adopting budgets and must have their rates in place by July 1St. The motion failed 3 to
2.
Chairman McNeill moved to adopt the water and sewer rate schedule as presented.
Commissioner Andrews seconded the motion which passes 3 to 2.
Mr. Sauer briefly discussed the estimated tax levy as amended to reflect adjustments for appeals
and progress on expenditure reductions & cost containment regarding the general fund.
Mr. Sauer said employees in grant funded positions should receive notice from the county
reminding them that they are subject to lose of their employment if those grant funds are not
approved. Attorneys Snow and Slusser requested clarification as to how to give adequate notice
to those employees. Discussion regarding grant funded positions and programs continued with
commissioners and department heads.
It was the consensus of the Board to proceed with determining voluntary early retirement
participation.
Mr. Sauer requested consideration and approval of budget amendments and Western Harnett
Library Project Ordinance. Commissioners will consider these new items at the next special
session.
Harnett County Board of Commissioners
June 18, 2009 Special Session Minutes
Page 3 of 2
Mr. Snow distributed a Resolution to Rescind the 2009 Tax Reappraisal, Reinstate the 2003
Schedule of Values and Adopt the Next Appraisal Date for Harnett County to Be Effective
January 2, 2011. Commissioner Burgin moved to remove this issue off of the table.
Commissioner House seconded the motion which failed 3 to 2. Commissioner Burgin said the
resolution needed to be passed before June 30, 2012. Chairman McNeill said if the reval was
rescinded taxes would need to be increased.
Commissioners scheduled a special session to adopt the interim budget at 10:00 am on Friday,
June 26, 2009. At 9:00 am Commissioner Andrews moved to recess the meeting. Vice
Chailinan Hill seconded the motion ant the meeting was recessed until 10:00 am on Friday, June
26, 2009.
cNeill, Chairman
ret Regina eeler, Clerk
Harnett County Board of Commissioners
June 18, 2009 Special Session Minutes
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