MINUTES

 

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA                                                                           BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

COUNTY OF HENDERSON                                                                                                             APRIL 24, 2008     

 

The Henderson County Board of Commissioners met for a special called meeting at 10:00 a.m. in the Commissioners' Meeting Room of the Henderson County Historic Courthouse.

 

Those present were:  Chairman Bill Moyer, Vice-Chairman Charlie Messer, Commissioner Larry Young, Commissioner Mark Williams, County Manager Steve Wyatt, Assistant County Manager Selena Coffey, Planning Director Anthony Starr and Clerk to the Board Elizabeth W. Corn.

 

Absent was Commissioner Chuck McGrady. Commissioner McGrady was in Raleigh at a State Transportation meeting.

 

Also present were members of NC DOT (North Carolina Department of Transportation) who are named later.

 

CALL TO ORDER/WELCOME

Chairman Moyer called the meeting to order and welcomed all in attendance, stating that the purpose of the meeting was a Public Hearing with NC DOT regarding the secondary road program for Henderson County. He recognized Conrad Burrell, NC DOT Division Representative.

 

SECONDARY ROAD PROGRAM FOR HENDERSON COUNTY

Conrad Burrell stated that they were here to share the secondary road program for Henderson County for the next two years (per hand out).  The hand-out is attached as a part of these minutes.

 

Mr. Burrell introduced some of the NCDOT representatives who were present:

               Joel Setzer, Division Engineer

               Brian Burch, Division Maintenance Engineer

               Mark Gibbs, District Engineer

               Steve Cannon, County Maintenance Engineer.

Mr. Burrell then recognized Division Engineer Joel Setzer to introduce others who were present.

 

Joel Setzer reminded the Board that NC DOT had experienced cash flow problems for the past three years.

 

He recognized Tim Smith and Javo Pressley, members of the road maintenance crew, who were present. He then recognized the members of the right-of-way department who were in attendance:

               Teddy Green

               Tony Rickman

               Sandra Fox

               Dale Davis

 

Mr. Setzer stated that the secondary road program is subject to the availability of these State funds being available, same as usual.

 

Mark Gibbs came forward and reviewed the hand-out which stated which roads were on the list, the SR numbers, the project limits, length, scope of work and estimated costs.  Some of these roads are already paved but they are working on utilities or some other aspect of the project.

 

He discussed the budgetary constraints briefly and stated that the department is going from calendar year to fiscal year and therefore they requested that the Board of Commissioners approve the resolutions for 2008 and 2009 because 2009 would begin this year.  Henderson County is budgeted to get $1,667,354 each of those two years.

 

He explained that the balance of prior fiscal year allocations, unexpended funds was $6,160,374 and showed on page one of the hand-out how those funds would be utilized.

 

Joel Setzer explained that the NC General Assembly had changed the funding formula several years ago. They changed the formula to accelerate the paving of gravel roads.  Maintenance funding allocations have increased in the past few years but the money isn’t going as far due to increased costs.

 

Public Input

There was none.

 

Commissioner William’s questioned if our road tax monies from Henderson County were being expended in Henderson County.  NCDOT folks couldn’t answer that.  They said that was a good question to put to the State.

 

Commissioner Young stated that not all gravel roads in Henderson County were paved yet.  NCDOT folks stated that all of Henderson County’s gravel roads had been worked for right-of-way.  Some people like to live on a gravel road and right-of-ways could not be acquired on every road.

 

NCDOT stated that there are 3,000 miles of gravel roads in the state that have not yet been worked for rights-of-way.

 

Commissioner Young stated that at some point in time Henderson County should get back more than we collect in road tax. Right now we are a donor county.

 

A question was raised about the Upward Road project. NCDOT folks stated that it will be ready to let to contract within the next year.  They have all the rights-of-way and are working the utilities.  They are on schedule.

 

Commissioner Charlie Messer moved that the resolution and attached program of total needs for Secondary Roads in Henderson County be approved for Fiscal Year 2008.  A vote was taken as follows:

 

Ayes: Chairman Moyer, Commissioners Messer and Young. Nays: Commissioner Williams.

 

Commissioner Williams objected to the words “total needs” in the resolution.

 

Commissioner Charlie Messer then moved that the resolution and attached program of total needs for Secondary Roads in Henderson County be approved for Fiscal Year 2009. A vote was taken as follows:

 

Ayes: Chairman Moyer, Commissioners Messer and Young. Nays: Commissioner Williams.

 

Being no further business to come before the Board, Chairman Moyer adjourned the meeting at 10:50a.m.

 

Attest:

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Elizabeth W. Corn, Clerk to the Board                                      William L. Moyer, Chairman