HomeMy WebLinkAbout103123 wsHARNETT COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Minutes of Work Session
October 31, 2023
The Harnett County Board of Commissioners met in work session on Tuesday, October 31, 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
Lewis W. Weatherspoon, Commissioner
Member absent: W. Brooks Matthews, Commissioner
Staff present: Dwight Snow, County Attorney
Brent Trout, County Manager
Kimberly Honeycutt, Finance Officer
Melissa Capps, Clerk
Chairman Nicol called the Harnett County Board of Commissioners meeting to order at 9:00 am.
Vice Chairman Morris 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 — Vice Chairman William Morris
3. Discuss a request for reimbursement of permit fees and sewer/water fees for a home
built at 229 Sneed Lane, Fuquay-Varina, NC in honor of a Fallen US Army SSG;
Home Builders Association of Raleigh -Wake County.
4. Operation Green Light for Veterans; Eric Truesdale, Veterans Services Director
5. Discuss a request for Board approval to receive $8,000 awarded by NCPHA for the
Ann Wolfe Mini Grant to support Child Health and Infant Mortality Projects; John
Rouse, Health Director
6. Discuss a request for the Board to approve a resolution adopting the 2022 Local
Water Supply Plan for the Harnett Regional Water System; Steve Ward, Harnett
Regional Water Director
7. Discuss a request for the Board to agree to a Letter of Intent with the Town of
Lillington for creation of an Urban Service Area (USA) north of the Town's current
corporate limits; Steve Ward, Harnett Regional Water Director
8. Discuss a request from Anderson Creek Emergency Services for Board approval for
the purchase of a 2000 KME Aerial Cat 102 ft Platform Ladder Truck; Larry Smith,
Emergency Services Director
Harnett County Board of Commissioners
Work Session Minutes
October 31, 2023
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9. Discuss a request for Board approval to receive a total of $35,000 in EMPG funding
from North Carolina Emergency Management; Larry Smith, Emergency Services
Director
10. Discuss a request from the Jetport requesting the Board of Commissioners consider
and sign the required NCDOT/Division of Aviation Airport Safety/Maintenance
Letter of Commitment; Greg Frank, Jetport Manager
11. Discuss a request to approve a project ordinance allocating expenditures &
revenues for the 2023 USDA Rural Housing Preservation Grant (HPG23) Project;
Barry Blevins, General Services Director
12. Discuss a request from the Tax Department barring off the 2013 delinquent taxes
pursuant to NCGS 105-378(a); Christine Wallace, Tax Administrator
13. Discuss a request to award a contract for the 2026 Reappraisal; Christine Wallace,
Tax Administrator
14. Discuss an update to the School Bus Stop Arms Ordinance; Christopher Appel,
Senior Staff Attorney
15. Economic Development Quarterly Update; Stephen Barrington, Economic
Development Director
16. Financial Quarterly Update; Kimberly Honeycutt, Finance Officer
17. Review applications to serve on Boards and Committees.
18. Discuss a request to waive fees for the Benhaven Emergency Services Fire Station
located at 13151 NC 27 W; Brent Trout, County Manager
19. County Manager's Report — Brent Trout, County Manager
a. November 6, 2023, Regular Meeting Agenda Review
b. Upcoming meetings and invitations
20. Closed Session
21. Adjourn
Paul Kane, Home Builders Association of Raleigh — Wake County and Operation Coming
Home, requested the Board consider a reimbursement of fees to support their Operation: Coming
Home (OCH) initiative. The amount being requested is $1,105 for the permit fee and $7,340 for
the water/sewer fee for a home built at 229 Sneed Lane, Fuquay-Varina, NC in honor a Fallen
US Army SSG Juantrea "Trey" Bradley. The organization held a Special Ceremony on October
6, 2023. We are asking for you to help donate to this cause by reimbursing the $1,105 permit fee
and the $7,340 water/sewer fee for this lot. Consensus of the Board was to place this item as an
individual action item on the next agenda.
Eric Truesdale, Veteran Services Director provided information on Operation Greenlight. He
requested the Board consider adopting a Resolution supporting Operation Greenlight which
encourages its citizens in patriotic tradition to recognize the importance of honoring all those
who made immeasurable sacrifices to preserve freedom by displaying green lights in a window
of their place of business or residence from November 6I' through the 120,, 2023. Consensus of
the Board was to place this item on the next consent agenda.
Harnett County Board of Commissioners
Work Session Minutes
October 31, 2023
Page 2 of 5
John Rouse, Health Director, requested the Board approve $8,000 awarded by NCPHA for the
Ann Wolfe Mini Grant to support Child Health and Infant Mortality projects. Consensus of the
Board was to place this item on the next consent agenda.
Steve Ward, Harnett Regional Water, requested the Board adopt a Resolution adopting the 2022
Local Water Supply Plan for the Harnett Regional Water System. It is a state requirement that
public water systems adopt a plan every year. Consensus of the Board was to place this item on
the next consent agenda.
Mr. Ward also requested the Board agree to a Letter of Intent with the Town of Lillington for
creation of an Urban Service Area (USA) north of the Town's current corporate limits. This
letter of intent outlines mutual points of agreement between the Town and the County for the
provision of future water and sewer service for the designated area. The Town has agreed to
these provisions and said letter is attached for review. If both parties are in agreement on the
general structure then a formal agreement will be created to solidify details on the creation and
operation of the proposed USA. Consensus of the Board was to place this item on the next
consent agenda.
Larry Smith, Emergency Services Director, requested the Board approve the purchase of a 2000
KME Aerial Cat 102 ft Platform Ladder Truck for Anderson Creek Emergency Services. They
recently have been given the opportunity by the Town of Spring Lake to purchase their 2000
KME Aerial Cat 102 foot platform ladder truck for $70,000 (no financing needed). This will be
an asset to the west side of Harnett County and they also have a large number of staff members
who have spent a lot of their career on this truck and are trained and capable of operating it. They
have obtained the records for this vehicle from the town and are satisfied it is in serviceability.
They are requesting to replace the brush truck purchase that was in this year's capital projects
with the purchase of this Ladder Truck to benefit their fire district and surrounding mutual aid
districts. Consensus of the Board was to place this item on the next consent agenda.
Mr. Smith also requested Board approval to receive a total of $35,000 in EMPG funding from
North Carolina Emergency Management. This recurring funding is utilized to assist in funding
the Emergency Management Program. These are annual in -kind match funds for EM Staff
salaries and funding operational budget and project needs. Consensus of the Board was to place
this item on the next consent agenda.
Greg Frank, Jetport Manager, requested the Board of Commissioners consider and sign the
required NCDOT/Division of Aviation Airport Safety/Maintenance Letter of Commitment. This
letter ensures Harnett Regional Jetport continues to receive support from the NCDOT/Division
of Aviation's airfield maintenance program for another five (5) year term. Airfield maintenance
activities include asphalt patching, crack sealing, pavement repair, joint sealing, rubber removal
and airfield painting. This maintenance program is state -funded with no cost to the County.
Consensus of the Board was to place this item on the next consent agenda.
Harnett County Board of Commissioners
Work Session Minutes
October 31, 2023
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Barry Blevins, General Services Director, requested the Board of Commissioners review and
approve a project ordinance allocating expenditures & revenues for the 2023 USDA Rural
Housing Preservation Grant (HPG23) project. On May 15, 2023, the Board of Commissioners
approved Community Development to apply for a grant in the amount of $85,000 with no local
match required. The funds will be used to provide rehabilitation and general repairs to owner -
occupied homes for homeowners who meet US Department of Housing and Urban Development
(HUD) very -low-income and/or low-income standards. Consensus of the Board was to place this
item on the next consent agenda.
Christine Wallace, Tax Administrator, requests the barring off the 2013 delinquent taxes pursuant
to NCGS 105-378(a). Per statute delinquent taxes that are more than ten years past due cannot be
collected using enforced collection remedies. This statute of limitations affects the use of bank or
rent attachment, the garnishment of wages, sheriff executions, debt setoff, or foreclosure in
collecting delinquent taxes. Although forced collections is no longer permissible by law the
delinquent taxes still remain a lien on the property and may be collected by other payment
methods including private sale of the property. The amount of county taxes to be barred off for
2013 as of September 30, 2013 - Real and Personal Property $36,985.44 Motor Vehicles
$42,215.01. Consensus of the Board was to place this item on the next consent agenda.
Ms. Wallace also requested the Board award the contract for the 2026 Reappraisal to Vincent
Valuations for $2,036,300. The Harnett County Tax Department solicited a Request for
Qualifications (RFQ) from firms for contract services related to the furnishing of labor, material,
and supplies along with the performance of all work required for the completion and delivery of
a walk -around appraisal of all real property in Harnett County. Services would also include
assistance to the Tax Administrator and staff, the Board of County Commissioners, and the
Board of Equalization and Review. Services would also include assistance to county legal staff
for appeals to the Property Tax Commission. Consensus of the Board was to place this item as
an individual action item at the next meeting.
Christopher Appel, Senior Staff Attorney, requested the Board approve amendments to the
School Bus Stop Arm Violations Ordinance. Consensus of the Board was to place this item on
the next consent agenda.
Stephen Barrington, Economic Development Director, provided a quarterly update to the Board.
He stated there are three major areas they will be focusing on, business retention and expansion,
real estate and product development and business attraction.
Kimberly Honeycutt, Finance Officer, provided a quarterly update to the Board. The collection
of ad valorem taxes remains strong but the reported amount is less than the prior year due to the
implementation of new tax software. Tax collection for FYE 2023 is 99.43% compared to
99.46% for FYE 2022. General Fund cash balances as of September 30, 2023 was $61,361,662
as compared to $53,275,614 for the same period last year; a difference of $8,086,049. Revenues
received from Facility Fees represent 94% of Harnett Regional's revenue collections to date.
Harnett County Board of Commissioners
Work Session Minutes
October 31, 2023
Page 4 of 5
Harnett Regional Water Cash balances as of September 30, 2023 were $47,508,511.97 as
compared to $72,918,273.72 for the same period last year. The difference of $25,409,762 is due
primarily to the transfer of local reserves to five capital projects. Revenues received from
Enterprise Charges and Facility Fees represent 98% of Solid Waste's revenue collections for the
year. Solid Waste cash balances as of September 30, 2023 was $7,159,041.81 as compared to
$5,547,560.45 for the same period last year; a difference of $1,611,481,360. The financial
position of the Solid Waste Fund continues to remain positive in response to the continued
growth of the county and demand for services.
The Board reviewed applications for the various Boards and Committees. Consensus of the
Board was to appoint Donna Johnson to the Historic Properties Commission as an alternate
member. The Board requested the clerk reach out to Joe Langley to see if his application for the
Board of Equalization and Review was still valid. Consensus of the Board was to list the board
appointments for the Board of Equalization and Review as an individual action item.
Brent Trout, County Manager, shared information regarding a request from Benhaven
Emergency Services who is requesting the Board of Commissioners waive permit fees in the
amount of $18,865 for the new Fire Station located at 13151 NC 27 W, Broadway, NC.
Consensus of the Board was to place this item on the next consent agenda.
Mr. Trout shared we received an email from Attorney Snow notifying us we did complete the
land acquisition for the Jetport expansion.
Vice Chairman Morris made a motion to adjourn at 10:15 am. The motion was seconded by
Commissioner Weatherspoon and carried unanimously.
Matthew B. Nicol, Chairman
Melis D. Capps, Clerk
Harnett County Board of Commissioners
Work Session Minutes
October 31, 2023
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