MINUTES
STATE OF
The
Henderson County Board of Commissioners met for a special-called meeting on Thursday,
February 2, 2006 at 6:00 pm in the Commissioners’ Meeting Room of the
Present
were: Chairman
Also
present were: Finance Director J. Carey McLelland, Fire Marshal/Emergency
Management Director Rocky Hyder, Planning Director Judy Francis and County
Engineer
WELCOME\CALL TO ORDER
Chairman
Moyer called the meeting to order and welcomed those in attendance.
DISCUSSION/ADJUSTMENT OF AGENDA
Commissioner Baldwin made the motion to
approve the agenda. All voted in favor and the motion carried.
STRATEGIC
PLAN INTRODUCTION
Justin Hembree introduced the 2006 Strategic Plan. He
reminded the Board that in 2004, a retreat had been held where priorities for
the County were identified, drafted, and placed into a two year strategic plan.
The plan was updated in 2005, which added a new year to the plan, with this
2006 draft being the second update. Staff uses the plan as a work document,
guiding the major projects the County would undertake over the next two years.
Mr. Hembree explained the plan’s format, explaining that within the overall
goals there were strategies which were essentially the plan of attack. Action
steps were listed under the strategies, which were specific steps that would be
used to implement the plan.
PROCESS
Selena Coffey explained the process used in
development of the Strategic Plan. Staff held three, half-day management team
retreats beginning in November. They discussed the thoughts the Board had
presented throughout the year, and came up with some action plans to guide the
County in the direction they felt the Board would like to go. Ms. Coffey
suggested that the Board go through the draft plan, with staff providing a
synopsis of each strategy. She requested that if the Board had questions or
wished to add anything, they discuss those along the way. She stated that there
were a few issues Staff expected the Board to add to the plan: an adequate
facilities plan, a nuisance ordinance, and ridge top development regulations.
PRESENTATION
AND DISCUSSION OF STRATEGIES AND ACTION PLANS
Judy Francis presented and discussed the following
strategies, and their specific action steps found under Goal 1: To implement
Phase I of the 2020 County Comprehensive Plan:
·
Strategy 1.1: Support the development of the industrial sector of the
economy by implementing the recommendations of the Lockwood Greene Study.
·
Strategy 1.2: Support the development of the commercial sector.
·
Strategy 1.3: Promote appropriate, compatible tourism.
·
Strategy 1.4: Pursue innovative approaches to regional economic
development initiatives.
·
Strategy 1.5: Reduce Farmland Loss.
·
Strategy 1.6: Expand access for agricultural enterprises to economic
development and tourism promotion programs and support services.
·
Strategy 1.7: Minimize the potential for damage to personal property,
infrastructure, and life due to flooding.
·
Strategy 1.8: Protect Water Quality.
·
Strategy 1.9: Promote development patterns that respect sensitive
mountainous areas.
·
Strategy 1.10: Identify and implement measures to protect the region's
air quality.
·
Strategy 1.11: Protect key sites of historical and cultural significance
from development.
·
Strategy 1.12: Meet recreation needs through 2020.
·
Strategy 1.13: Form a community and regional greenway network.
·
Strategy 1.14: Identify and act upon practical options for inter-local
cooperation and consolidation in recreation planning, funding, and management.
·
Strategy 1.15: Promote a diverse range of home ownership and rental
opportunities.
·
Strategy 1.16: Develop and maintain a high-quality transportation
network, and continue to provide leadership at every level in transportation
planning.
·
Strategy 1.17: Take a leadership role in sewer and water planning and
work towards the regionalization of water and sewer policy-making and
operations.
·
Strategy 1.18: Maintain existing policies and programs, and explore
further measures, to protect and enhance the quality of public drinking water
sources.
·
Strategy 1.19: Take a leadership role in school facilities planning.
·
Strategy 1.20: Promote schools to function as focal points for
communities.
·
Strategy 1.21: To direct growth to areas where essential services and
infrastructure are present, and protect sensitive natural areas and key
historic/cultural resources from extensive development.
·
Strategy 1.22: Coordinate planning with the county's municipalities and
other governments within the region.
·
Strategy 1.23: Begin community planning process.
·
Strategy 1.24: Conduct an annual review of the 2020 County Comprehensive
Plan (CCP).
Chairman Moyer stated that the action steps in
Strategy 1.19 and 1.20 were actually talking about adequate public facilities,
specifically action step #1 in Strategy 1.20. Ms. Francis stated 1.22 related
to adequate public facilities as well. Chairman Moyer requested that Staff
remove action step #1 from Strategy 1.20, and place it more appropriately.
Selena Coffey stated that would not be a problem, and that since these
strategies were taken directly from the CCP, the Board would at some point be
provided a list of amendments to the CCP based on that change.
Commissioner
McGrady raised the issue of sedimentation and erosion control, found in
Strategy 1.8, action step 2. Ms. Francis stated the current action step
referenced what is being done now. Commissioner Baldwin stated that he was
advocating for a local program the County would create and implement, rather
than just supporting the State’s program. Commissioner
Baldwin made the motion to amend the schedule to include the insertion of
language that will allow the Board to create and implement a local soil erosion
sedimentation and erosion control program for Henderson County for adoption in
‘06-‘07. All voted in favor and the motion carried.
There was discussion about fund balance, and whether
the Board’s goal of 12% should remain in the Strategic Plan, and how capital
improvement plans are funded. Commissioner McGrady stated that he was
interested in establishing and funding a capital reserve fund.
With
reference to Strategy 1.2, Chairman Moyer
made the motion to set a specific strategy called 1.25, which pulls 1.20.2 out
and makes an adequate facilities ordinance using this language or modified a
specific strategy under the Comprehensive Plan. All voted in favor and the
motion carried.
Staff then reviewed the strategies and action steps
for Goals 2 through 6, and answered question from the Board. Those Goals were:
Goal 2: To improve service delivery to County
customers
Goal 3: To improve the County’s financial position
Goal 4: To evaluate County programs in context of the
mission statement and service delivery expectations
Goal 5: To implement the projects within the Capital
Improvements Program
Goal 6: To pursue joint efforts for intergovernmental,
public-private, and regional partnerships
The following Staff members discussed and answered
questions regarding specific Strategies:
Rocky Hyder
·
Strategy 2.1:
Develop a funding plan to upgrade the current wireless emergency communications
system.
·
Strategy 5.1:
Complete the construction of a new Animal Shelter
·
Strategy 5.6:
Address facilities issues for the County’s
Selena Coffey
·
Strategy 2.2:
Update the County’s Strategic Information Technology Plan (SITP) to enhance
services to the County’s citizens.
·
Strategy 4.1:
Revisit the implementation of the Compensation and Classification Study.
Carey McLelland
·
Strategy 2.3: Address
the needs of the County’s Board of Elections with regard to facilities and
technology.
·
Strategy 3.1:
Review all County billing procedures and internal controls.
·
Strategy 3.2:
Develop a debt issuance policy.
Justin Hembree
·
Strategy 2.4: Improve
customer service within County departments.
·
Strategy 2.5:
Examine the roles of County advisory boards and committees.
·
Strategy 4.4:
Continue the development of the Central Enforcement and Permitting Plan.
·
Strategy 5.2:
Complete the renovation of the Historic Courthouse
·
Strategy 5.3:
Complete the construction of the
·
Strategy 5.4:
Complete the facility transition planning included within the Capital
Improvements Program
·
Strategy 5.7:
Development and implementation of plans for Etowah Library
·
Strategy 5.8:
Development and implementation of plans for
·
Strategy 5.9:
Development and implementation of plans for Tuxedo Library
·
Strategy 5.10:
Continue collaboration with Public Schools and Community College
representatives to finalize and implement facility plans.
·
Strategy 2.6:
Address public records policy.
·
Strategy 4.2:
Review and update of the County’s Personnel Resolution.
·
Strategy 4.3:
Address service delivery needs for the County’s aging population.
·
Strategy 4.5:
Perform a general countywide ordinance review.
·
Strategy 4.6:
Address recycling and waste management within County facilities
·
Strategy 5.5:
Complete the construction of the Solid Waste 2nd
·
Strategy 5.11:
Complete Phase I on the Mud Creek Sanitary Sewer Interceptor Project.
·
Strategy 6.1:
Implement the Solid Waste Management Plan
There were no issues with the following:
Strategy 6.2: Cooperate with other entities to address
crisis stabilization for mental health services
Strategy 6.3: Address cable franchise renewal process.
Strategy 6.4: Transition to a direct sub-recipient of
federal transit funds
With
respect to Strategy 2.5, Commissioner
Baldwin made the motion to add an additional action step to look at the overall
policy for Boards and Committees, including issues such as sunset dates for
committees and attendance policies. All
voted in favor and the motion carried.
With
respect to Goal 3, Commissioner McGrady
made the motion to add back, as a strategy under Goal 3, the increase to, or
maintenance of, fund balance at 12%. All voted in favor and the motion carried.
Ms. Coffey spoke to Strategy 4.1. She outlined a
proposal to study 1/3 of all departments on an annual basis, probably beginning
with those departments that have the most market influence. Such annual review
would smooth out the process, helping to prevent the “sticker shock” that comes
from a study of all departments every several years. It was the consensus of
the Board to support moving forward with this strategy.
Mr.
Hembree discussed Strategy 4.4, specifically with respect to whether the Board
wished to add an action step to bring a nuisance ordinance forward as a
recommendation, and go through the adoption process. Chairman Moyer made the motion to add that action step under Strategy
4.4. All voted in favor and the motion carried.
With
respect to Strategy 5.6, Rocky Hyder stated that the Board might wish to
discuss
Commissioner
McGrady questioned what the concept was for the block containing the
courthouse, including the old water department building. Justin Hembree stated
that no specific plans had been decided, but his impression was that space
would be used for future expansion of the courthouse, or courthouse needs. Commissioner McGrady made the motion to add
an action step under the appropriate strategy to evaluate the entire block. All
voted in favor and the motion carried.
Commissioner
McGrady stated that the last strategic plan contained a reference to the
Edneyville Community Multi-Use Recreation Building Project, and the County had
recently taken action with respect to securing grants. Commissioner McGrady made the motion to add back the reference to the
Edneyville project already committed to by the County. All voted in favor and
the motion carried.
It was the consensus of the Board to direct Staff to
bring a revised draft back to the Board at the February 6, 2006 meeting for
adoption.
CLOSED
SESSION
Chairman Moyer made the motion that the
Board go into closed session pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes
Section 143-318.11(a)(5)(ii) with respect to negotiating position on employment
contracts, and 143-318.11(a)(1)to prevent disclosure of confidential
information. All voted in favor and the
motion carried.
ADJOURN
The
meeting was adjourned following Closed Session.
Attest:
Amy R. Brantley, Deputy Clerk to the Board William L. Moyer, Chairman