The Henderson County Board of Commissioners met for a special called meeting at 2:00 p.m. in the Commissioners= Conference Room of the Henderson County Office Building at 100 North King Street, Hendersonville, North Carolina.

Those present were: Chairman Grady Hawkins, Vice-Chair Bill Moyer, Commissioner Renee Kumor, Commissioner Don Ward, Commissioner Marilyn Gordon, County Manager David E. Nicholson, Assistant County Manager/Interim County Attorney Angela S. Beeker, Finance Director J. Carey McLelland, and Budget Analyst Selena Coffey.

Absent was: Elizabeth W. Corn, Clerk to the Board. Mr. Nicholson prepared notes for these minutes.

Chairman Hawkins welcomed everyone and stated that the purpose of this meeting was to discuss the Emergency Medical Services and Solid Waste Budgets. The Board would also discuss a response to Mayor Niehoff=s letter concerning the Clear Creek Connector.

Vice-Chairman Moyer requested that the Board prepare a one-year budget for Fiscal Year 2000-2001 and develop a one-year forecasted budget for Fiscal Year 2001-2002. He also suggested that our Capital Improvements Plan be expanded to 10 years. The Board members agreed with these two proposals.

EMS Director Tom Edmundson and Assistant Director Terry Layne presented their department=s Mission Statement and the services provided by the department. EMS has 35 full-time EMS personnel and are a State Approved Teaching Facility. EMS responded to approximately 6,700 calls in 1998 and transported 5,169 patients. They also provide an EMS bike team for community events, operate a billing and collection system, coordinate the EMT-D program for the fire departments and review the Emergency Medical Dispatch for E-911.

The major operational issue facing EMS is that 570 patients who needed advanced life support were transported by either the Rescue Squad or a private service and received only basic life support. This amounts to 10% of their total call volume. They will be requesting additional personnel and satellite stations. Each satellite station costs between $250,000 to $288,000. Other major capital items include an additional leased vehicle and twelve Life-Pac 12 EKG Monitors-Defibrillator-Pacers. Long-term issues include a new lease for the current ambulances and an additional sub-station.

The Board discussed the current EMS main station which is located at Pardee Hospital. Pardee is planning the expansion of their facilities that will greatly effect the downtown EMS location. The Board discussed issues such as the possible relocation of the station at Pardee. The County Manager plans to meet with Frank Aaron (Pardee CEO) concerning Pardee=s expansion plans.

County Engineer Gary Tweed reviewed the operation of the Solid Waste Department. These programs include handling municipal solid waste, construction and demolition waste, wood and yard waste, white goods, recycling, tires and other administrative activities. Mr. Tweed reviewed the annual flow of waste into our facility by month. He also explained the cash flow of the enterprise fund. He reminded the Board that our contract with Waste Management has an increased fee effective January 1, 2001. The Board discussed several options to consider in reviewing the fee schedule for Fiscal Year 2000-2001. The Board requested that staff review several revenue options during the development of the up-coming budget.

Mr. Tweed also presented a list of potential Capital Improvements Projects. These include the move of the Convenience and Recycling Center, a truck axle scale system, walking floor trailer and a trash vacuum system. He also told the Board that they would be getting a proposal from Land of Sky Regional Council concerning a regional effort on Household Hazardous Waste Program.

The Board considered a response to Mayor Niehoff=s letter of December 10, 1999 concerning the establishment of a task force to look at the Clear Creek Connector. The City did not agree to establish this task force. The Board stated that both the City and the County should have a voice in the resolution of the Connector. The Commissioners agreed that their new Transportation Advisory Committee should look at the Clear Creek Connector as one of its first projects. They stated that this project would affect the traffic in the entire community.

There being no further business to come before the Board, Chairman Hawkins adjourned the meeting at 4:45 p.m.

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