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Home My WebLink About042523 ws I HARNETT COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Minutes of Work Session April 25, 2023 The Harnett County Board of Commissioners met in work session on Tuesday, April 25, 2023 at { 9:00 am, in the Commissioners Meeting Room, Harnett County Resource Center and Library,455 McKinney Parkway, Lillington, North Carolina. Members present: Matthew B. Nicol, Chairman William Morris, Vice Chairman Barbara McKoy, Commissioner W. Brooks Matthews, Commissioner Lewis W. Weatherspoon, Commissioner Staff present: Dwight Snow, County Attorney Brent Trout, County Manager Kimberly Honeycutt, Finance Officer Melissa Capps, County Clerk Chairman Nicol called the Harnett County Board of Commissioners meeting to order at 9:00 am. Commissioner Weatherspoon led the Pledge of Allegiance and invocation. The following agenda was before the Board of Commissioners: 1. Call to order— Chairman Matt Nicol 2. Pledge of Allegiance and Invocation— Commissioner Lewis Weatherspoon 3. Sandhills Program Update and Budget Request; Victoria Whitt, CEO with Sandhills Center 4. Good Hope Behavioral Hospital Update; Mark Morris, Executive Director 5. Mental Health Month Proclamation 6. Discuss System Development Fees; Steve Ward, Harnett Regional Water Director 7. Riverside Community Drainage Improvement Project Update; Lynn Lambert, Natural Resources Director/Conservation Education Coordinator 8. Update on Opioid Task Force; Christopher Appel, Senior Staff Attorney and Coley Price, Deputy County Manager 9. Discuss revocation of offer to sale for Monroe Lane; Christopher Appel, Senior Staff Attorney 10. Compensation Study Update;Janice Lane, HR Director and Pontifex 11. Discuss proposed changes to Article III - The Pay Plan Section 8; Brent Trout, County Manager 12. Finance Quarterly Update; Kimberly Honeycutt; Finance Officer 13. Review applications to serve on Boards and Committees. 14. County Manager's Report- Brent Trout, County Manager Harnett County Board of Commissioners Work Session Minutes April 25, 2023 Page 1 of 5 I 15.May 1,2023 Regular Meeting Agenda Review • Upcoming meetings and invitations • Closed Session 16. Adjourn Victoria Whitt, Chief Executive Officer, Sandhills Center,thanked the Commissioners for their time serving on the Sandhills Board of Directors and their support over the years. Ms. Whitt shared after 43 years, she will be retiring June 30, 2023. Ms. Whitt introduced Anthony Ward, who was appointed to serve as the Chief Executive Officer effective July 1, 2023. Ms. Whitt presented the FY23/24 funding request and Mr. Ward provided an update to the Board. Mark Morris, Executive Director of Good Hope Hospital provided an update to the Board. Mr. Mark Morris thanked the Board for their support. Chairman Nicol proclaimed the month of May as"MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH"in Harnett County. The Board of Commissioners called upon all citizens, government agencies,public and private institutions,businesses,and schools to recommit the community to increasing awareness and understanding of mental illness, reducing stigma and discrimination, and promoting appropriate and accessible services for all people with mental illnesses. The Board of Commissioners presented Mr. Mark Morris with a framed copy of the Proclamation. Steve Ward, Harnett Regional Water Director,provided information on the Water and Wastewater System Development Fee Study for 2023 performed by Willdan Financial Services. A copy of the study is available on Harnett Regional Water's website. Based upon the reviews, analyses and assumptions as discussed in the report,Willdan recommended a system development fee of$3,850 for water and$4,320 for sewer. Staff recommends $3,000 for water and $4,000 for sewer. A public hearing will be scheduled for the Board of Commissioners meeting on June 5, 2023. Rates will be included in the proposed budget. Mr. Ward also provided an update on meter installation which is about 80% complete. Lynn Lambert,Natural Resources Director/Conservation Education Coordinator,provided an update on the Riverside Community Drainage Improvement Project. Location of abandoned tires was discussed and additional before and after photos were requested at the next update. Coley Price, Deputy County Manager and Christopher Appel, Senior Staff Attorney provided an update on the Opioid Task Force and Reaching Rural Initiative. The following has been prioritized during the strategic planning process: • Drug Treatment Court • Detox Center • Faith Based Initiatives • MAT/MOUD(Medication-Assisted Treatment/Medication for Opioid Use Disorder • Housing Harnett County Board of Commissioners Work Session Minutes April 25,2023 Page 2 of 5 • Transportation • Early Youth Intervention • Peer Support • Employee related Re-entry Services • LEAD(Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion) • Syringe Service Programs • Family Support Services &Education • Community Paramedicine • Post-Overdose/Post-Fatality Response Team • Co-located Case Management • Health Care Access A public input session is scheduled for the May 15, 2023 Board of Commissioners meeting regarding the priorities identified. Attorney Appel reviewed a request for the revocation of the Offer to Convey Certain Real Property located on Monroe Lane. A Resolution was adopted on September 6,2022 to sell the real property located on Monroe Lane for$14,520.00. On October 5,2022, Ms. White made a deposit in the amount of$726.00 in compliance with the upset bid process. No upset bids were received by the October 24,2022 deadline and Ms. White's offer was accepted. Ms. White was given a deadline to receive the final amount due by March 15, 2023. She was also made aware that she would forfeit her deposit if she did not pay the final amount due. To this date, Ms. White has not paid the remaining balance. Attorney Appel stated he has spoken with Ms. White and if Ms. White pays the final amount by Friday,he will ask that the item be removed from the agenda. Consensus of the Board was to place this item on the next consent agenda. Janice Lane, Human Resources Director,provided information on the Compensation Study performed by Pontifex. A Compensation Study was completed as part of the County's adopted Strategic Plan and the FY 2023 Key Strategic Action(2.1). Ms. Lane introduced Peter Ronza with Pontifex. Mr. Ronza reviewed information regarding the Compensation Study which included labor market analysis,labor market behavior, Harnett County marketing positioning, recommendations and process equity. Ms. Lane reviewed the following recommendations: 1. Approve the recommendation to increase the Public Safety positions by 10%percent effective May 16, 2023. a. This 10%increase on May 16, 2023 would apply to the Sheriffs Office positions that did not receive the two-part Market Adjustments of 5%on November 16, 2022 and the additional 5%on March 16, 2023. b. This includes front line Emergency Services positions. 2. Approve the recommendation to give an increase of 8%to all County positions effective July 16,2023. 3. There are additional recommendations to be considered for approval for the following fiscal year(2024-2025) Harnett County Board of Commissioners Work Session Minutes April 25,2023 Page 3 of 5 a. Adopt a minimum wage of$15.00 per hour. b. Examine any job classification showing a market position of greater than negative 10%to ensure the position is properly graded. c. Review the County's Compensation plan a minimum of every 24 months. Chairman Nicol asked what the numbers were to move to the$15.00 per hour pay rate. Mr. Trout stated that number will be calculated after the 8%increase as we look into the next budget year. Consensus of the Board was to place the recommendation to increase the Public Safety positions by 10%percent effective May 16, 2023 on the next consent agenda. This 10%increase on May 16, 2023 would apply to the Sheriff's Office positions that did not receive the two-part Market Adjustments of 5%on November 16,2022 and the additional 5%on March 16, 2023. This includes front line Emergency Services positions. Brent Trout, County Manager,reviewed a request to update the section regarding promotions and to consider adding a policy for retention purposes. The current promotion policy is set for a salary increase of 5%of the employee's current salary or the minimum of the new pay grade (whichever is greater). In addition,a Department Head can make a request of a 6%- 10% increase with written justification to the County Manager for approval. The current policy puts constraints on the amounts of increases the County is able to provide an existing employee, putting the current maximum increase at 10%. Recently,the County has been made aware that due to the current labor market and local competitive salaries and has been faced with the need to offer a starting salary amount somewhere between the minimum rate and job rate; sometimes even midpoint, to attract and secure external candidates. Unfortunately,this amount is more than the 10%the County is able to offer qualified internal County employees. Human Resources is proposing to make an addition to this section to allow the County Manager to have the authority to approve a salary increase of up to 20%in special instances where the current employee's professional experience, training, certifications, complexity of the job duties,tenure and competitive job market supports a higher salary increase. The HR Department also recommends adding a Retention Policy to the Personnel Ordinance. Recently, some of our Departments such as HRW and Development Services lost talented employees who decided to leave the County to take a position at neighboring municipalities for a considerable increase in salary. The Retention Policy will allow the County Manager to have the authority to approve an increase up to 15%for non-probationary period employees for retention purposes for key positions(definition added to Personnel Ordinance) when the County is in danger of losing talented staff members. Per the County's adopted Strategic Plan, one of the Goal Objective(2.1) within Organizational Excellence identified by the Board is to attract,retain and grow high performing employees. HR believes the above proposed changes will assist in retention of County employees who are willing to take on the added responsibilities and job duties to work towards a promotion as well as in situations of the County potentially being in danger of losing talented employees. Consensus of the Board was to place this item on the next consent agenda. Harnett County Board of Commissioners Work Session Minutes April 25,2023 Page 4 of 5 Kimberly Honeycutt, Finance Officer, provided a financial quarterly update. Applications for Boards and Commissions were received. Consensus of the Board was to place the appointment of Kriston Jade Stone to the Dangerous Dog Committee as a regular member position and the appointment of Della Owens to the Cemetery Board of Trustees on the next consent agenda. Mr. Trout shared we are having an exercise at the EOC today, I will be out tomorrow for Leadership Harnett and I did met with Reid Williams and hopefully we will soon have an agreement written up for your consideration. Vice Chairman Morris made a motion to adjourn at 11:13 am. The motion was seconded by Commissioner McKoy. The motion carried unanimously. Matthew B. Nicol, Chairman Melissa apps, Clerk Harnett County Board of Commissioners Work Session Minutes April 25, 2023 Page 5 of 5 I