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HomeMy WebLinkAbout032624 wsHARNETT COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Minutes of Work Session March 26, 2024 The Harnett County Board of Commissioners met in work session on Tuesday, March 26, 2024, at 9:00 am, in the Commissioners Meeting Room, Harnett County Resource Center and Library, 455 McKinney Parkway, Lillington, North Carolina. Members present: William Morris, Chairman W. Brooks Matthews, Vice Chairman Barbara McKoy, Commissioner Lewis W. Weatherspoon, Commissioner Matthew B. Nicol, Commissioner Staff present: Dwight Snow, County Attorney Kimberly Honeycutt, Finance Officer Brent Trout, County Manager Melissa Capps, Clerk Chairman Morris called the Harnett County Board of Commissioners meeting to order at 9:00 am. Vice Chairman Matthews led the Pledge of Allegiance and invocation. The following agenda was before the Board of Commissioners: 1. Call to order — Chairman William Morris 2. Pledge of Allegiance and Invocation — Vice Chairman Brooks Matthews 3. Closed Session 4. Consider appointment of Health Director. **Please note action may be taken on this item ** 5. Cooperative Extension Report to the People; Tim Mathews, Cooperative Extension Director 6. Discuss a request for approval of additional food and lodging funding in the amount of $1,851 from NC Department of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS); Debra Harris -Hawkins, Interim Health Director 7. Discuss a request for approval to accept funds allocated in 121 ARPA TSF Public Health Services biennium funding from NC Division of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS); Debra Harris -Hawkins, Interim Health Director 8. Discuss a request to approve Certifications and Assurances for FY25 North Carolina Department of Transportation/Integrated Mobility Division (NCDOT/IMD) 5311/5339 Administrative/Capital Grant & Travelers' Aid Program Applications; Barry Blevins; General Services Director Harnett County Board of Commissioners Work Session Minutes March 26, 2024 Pagel of 5 9. Discuss an offer to purchase property on Ponderosa Road; Christopher Appel, Senior Staff Attorney 10. Discuss a request to approve the Flatwoods Middle School Project Ordinance; Kimberly Honeycutt; Finance Officer 11. Discuss a request to approve the Flatwoods Middle School Project Reimbursement Resolution; Kimberly Honeycutt; Finance Officer 12. Discuss a request to approve the Lillington Shawtown Gym Project Ordinance; Kimberly Honeycutt; Finance Officer 13. Discuss adding 100% Total and Permanent Disabled Veterans Tax Exemption to legislative priorities; Brent Trout, County Manager • Discuss and consider approval of legislative priorities **Please note action may be taken on this item** 14. Review applications to serve on Boards and Committees. • Discuss Harnett County Commission for Women and Youth 15. County Manager's Report — Brent Trout, County Manager • April 1, 2024 Regular Meeting Agenda Review • Upcoming meetings and invitations 16. Adjourn Commissioner Weatherspoon made a motion to go into Closed Session to discuss certain personnel matters. This motion is made pursuant to NC General Statute Section 143-318.11 (a)(6). The motion was seconded by Vice Chairman Matthews and carried unanimously. Following a motion to come out Closed Session, Chairman Morris called the meeting back into open session. Dr. Kim Fowler, Board of Health, shared the selection committee's recommendation of Ainsley Johnson for the Harnett County Health Department Director and the proposed salary rate for Ms. Johnson would be $117,134.00 per year. Commissioner McKoy made a motion to approve the recommendation of Ainsley Johnson for the Harnett County Health Department Director and the proposed salary rate of $117,134.00 per year. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Nicol and carried unanimously. Tim Mathews, Harnett County Extension Director, shared highlights from this year's extension programs. The following people spoke on behalf of Cooperative Extension Programs: • Rose Cotton spoke on behalf of the Family and Consumer Sciences Program. • Jennie Arthur spoke on behalf of the Community Development Program. • Tony Swain spoke on behalf of the 4H Program. • Craig Senter spoke on behalf of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Program. Debra Harris -Hawkins, Interim Health Director, provided information on a request for approval of additional food and lodging funding in the amount of $1,851 from NC Department of Health Harnett County Board of Commissioners Work Session Minutes March 26, 2024 Page 2 of 5 and Human Services (NC DHHS). Consensus of the Board was to place this item on the next consent agenda. Ms. Harris -Hawkins also presented information on a request for approval to accept funds allocated in 121 ARPA TSF Public Health Services biennium funding from NC Division of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS). The Health Department will be allocated funding in the amount of $50,000 for FY 23-24 and any unused portion will be carried forward to FY 24- 25. An additional $50,000 will be allocated in FY24-25. Consensus of the Board was to place this item on the next consent agenda. Barry Blevins, General Services Director, presented information on a request for the Board of Commissioners to consider and approve NCDOT/IMD Certifications and Assurances for FY2025 funding applications to complete the FY2025 Community Transportation Program (CTP) Grant and Travelers' Aid applications. Consensus of the Board was to place this item on the next consent agenda. Thomas Royer, Assistant Staff Attorney, presented information on a request for the Board of Commissioners to consider an offer to purchase surplus property from Ray Holder. Mr. Holder has made an offer to purchase an approximate 10.16 acre property on Ponderosa Road in the amount of $100,000 plus closing costs to include the notice for the upset bid publication fee and survey costs pursuant to the negotiated offer, advertisement and upset bids procedure set forth in N.C. Gen. Stat. § 160A-269. Commissioner Nicol asked if this is the property across from Patriot Park and the dump site. Assistant Staff Attorney Royer confirmed it was located across from Patriot's Park. Commissioner Nicol stated he would like to see if it would be feasible to move the convenience site to this property instead of it being in front of the park. Commissioner Nicol recommended not to accept the offer until staff has an opportunity to look at moving the convenience site. Consensus of the Board was to place this item on the April 9' work session for additional discussion. Kimberly Honeycutt, Finance Officer, reviewed a request to approve the Flatwoods Middle School Project Ordinance. The Board of Education has requested that the County of Harnett construct a new middle school to be located just south of the Town of Lillington along NC Hwy 401. This new school will have capacity to accommodate up to 1,100 students to alleviate crowding at other middle schools. The school is estimated to be substantially complete in June of 2027. Funding will be accomplished by the issuance of debt in the form of limited obligation bonds. The first step in the construction process is to establish a budget with the estimated cost of the project that will allow the Board of Education to begin work on design and plan preparation. This cost estimate is based on the architect's Cash Flow Projection, dated February 2024. Once complete, bids will be requested and upon receiving final cost numbers, an amendment to the budget may be necessary to reflect the true final cost of the project. To get this project up and running, I request that the Board of Commissioners approve the attached project ordinance for the construction of a new Flatwoods Middle School. Commissioner Weatherspoon asked what was included in the $4.8 million line item for professional services and if it was all architectural Harnett County Board of Commissioners Work Session Minutes March 26, 2024 Page 3 of 5 fees. Ms. Honeycutt stated she could verify the information and get the breakdown prior to the next meeting. Commissioner Weatherspoon stated if we had a standard set of plans we could save the taxpayers money. Consensus of the Board was to place this item on the next meeting as an individual action item. Ms. Honeycutt shared that the Reimbursement Resolution for Flatwoods Middle School goes along with the Project Ordinance. Consensus of the Board was to place this item on the next meeting as an individual action item. Ms. Honeycutt provided information on Project Ordinance for the Lillington Shawtown Elementary School. The Board of Education has requested that the County of Harnett construct a new gymnasium to be located on the campus of the Lillington Shawtown Elementary School. With a current population of 670 students, Lillington Shawtown Elementary School needs a space where students, parents, and teachers can come together for school wide functions. Students also need an indoor area for physical education class, and space for recess during inclement weather. The gymnasium addition is estimated to be substantially complete in December of 2025. Funding will be accomplished utilizing unspent GO Bond proceeds following the completion of the Northwest Harnett Elementary School project. Consensus of the Board was to place this item on the next consent agenda. Brent Trout, provided information on a memo received from Kairos regarding Senate Bill 148 titled the "deViere Disabled Veterans Act' of 2023. Since its introduction, SB 148 has remained in Senate Finance since February 23, 2023. Section 1 of the bill would change existing NC Statute 105-277.1 C to raise the first $45,000 of appraised value to $100,000 that would be excluded from taxation. It would also set a total hold harmless amount for all property excluded from taxation under this statute in the county and would be reimbursed by the state. There is no fiscal analysis for the legislation, and likely would not move forward during the 2024 Short Session. Discussion included replacement of lost revenue and senior citizen exclusion. Mr Trout stated my recommendation would be support something similar to the "deViere Bill," with a reimbursement hold harmless from the state. Commissioner Weatherspoon made a motion to add this to the legislative priorities along with support of Senate Bill 148 titled the "deViere Disabled Veterans Act' of 2023. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Nicol. The motion carried unanimously. Mr. Trout stated it was brought up to me by Commissioner Weatherspoon that the Yd item under Economic Development, support of a four -lane highway into Wake County, as you look at that, it relates to the Hwy 55 Bypass that is being created around Angier which is a four -lane road and I think we may have actually met this one and not need to include it in our priorities and wanted to see if the Board agreed with that and would like to remit it. Commissioner Weatherspoon made a motion to remove it from the Legislative Priorities because of the construction of Hwy 55 Bypass around the Town of Angier. Commissioner McKoy seconded the motion and it carried unanimously. Harnett County Board of Commissioners Work Session Minutes March 26, 2024 Page 4 of 5 The Board reviewed applications for Boards and Committees. Andrew Ruhland, Chairman of the Board of Adjustment shared information regarding the current makeup of the board. Consensus of the Board was to place the appointment of Kendra Broughton and Ion Cerga to serve on the Harnett County Commission for Women and Youth and the acceptance of the resignation of Murray Simpkins as the District 5 regular member on the Board of Adjustment and the appointment of David Summers to serve in the District 5 vacancy on the next consent agenda. Mr. Trout shared we will be closed on Friday in celebration of Good Friday. The parking lot is completely repaved in front of Health and Social Services. Commissioner Weatherspoon made a motion to go into Closed Session to consult with and give instructions to the County staff concerning the position to be taken by the County in negotiating a proposed contract for the acquisition of real property. This motion is made pursuant to NC General Statute Section 143-318.11 (a)(5). The motion was seconded by Commissioner Nicol and carried unanimously. Following a motion to come out of Closed Session, Chairman Morris called the meeting back into open session. Commissioner Nicol made a motion to adjourn at 10:33 am. The motion was seconded by Vice Chairman Matthews and carried unanimously. lS Q� William Morris, irman Melis a Capps, Clerk Harnett County Board of Commissioners Work Session Minutes March 26, 2024 Page 5 of 5