[0:27] Meeting of the honorable body like to
welcome everyone out to another budget
[0:30] work session on June the 4th
2026.
[0:35] Uh, we met yesterday and are continuing
today and one thing I'd like to ask of
[0:41] my fellow commissioners is today
when we have a presenter, if we could
[0:46] wait until they are finished presenting
to ask them questions
[0:51] and let's try to stay on point. I felt
like a couple of times yesterday we kind
[0:55] of got out in the weeds a little bit.
We could
[0:59] make the questions narrow and to the
point, it'll speed this process up.
[1:04] All right. Uh, I'll turn it over to the
county manager.
[1:08] » Yes, our first um, speaker today will be
the school system superintendent Stokes,
[1:13] so I will turn it over to him for his
presentation.
[1:23] » Good afternoon.
[1:27] First and foremost, the Kershaw County
schools is pleased um, to be here to
[1:32] share information regarding
um, our status. So, first I want to give
[1:37] an update of our capital 888 projects.
Um, our school board and our school
[1:43] system is very thankful for the capital
888 reserve.
[1:46] As you know, we've appropriated 80
888,000
[1:50] to us and so as of today
of the 27 projects
[1:56] two projects have not done. The reason
those two projects have not begun, one
[2:01] is the South Elementary Water Treatment
Plant because students cannot be in the
[2:06] building cuz we have to cut water off
for that. That's one that we know will
[2:10] be need to have some inconveniences
to go carry over to the next fiscal
[2:14] year. And the second one is the
drainage for custom cuts that doing some
[2:20] work outside of the school. That will
begin next week and will be completed by
[2:24] the end.
And so thus far
[2:28] we have
of the 888,000,
[2:31] we have a total of 882,300
dollars and 11 cent
[2:37] in cost and work being done. To this
date, total reimbursement request that
[2:42] we've sent to this
organization has been 97,219
[2:47] dollars and 6 cent.
And our next reimbursement we hope to
[2:51] have to you by June 12th will total
536,865
[2:57] dollars and 11 cent.
Our biggest um projects are the chillers
[3:02] at both North and South Elementary.
They're approximately 50% complete. Um
[3:07] they're on site working with those. And
so those of course are the major of the
[3:12] 888 that has not been invoiced. Well, we
are expecting to have those invoices
[3:18] coming in before the June 30th deadline.
So total money spent encumbered has been
[3:24] 701,000
300 dollars and 11 cent giving us again
[3:28] the total
of total remaining projects 100
[3:32] 81 882,311.
Once my board meets on Monday, I can
[3:38] send you the written format given the
progress. Um but my board has been
[3:43] updated but I would like to make sure
that they have approved it before I send
[3:45] it to you.
[3:50] It It asked of us to talk about what
were our capital outlay priorities for
[3:55] the upcoming school year. We have not
put in a rank on any of those items yet.
[4:00] However,
we still have needs regarding from have
[4:05] that pavement, uh some security issues,
water and sewer needs at various sites,
[4:12] um some athletic places that could help
fix some leaking roofs. So, um once my
[4:17] board has helped me put this list in a
prioritized order, I can get it to the
[4:22] county commissioners where we do meet
Monday.
[4:27] Uh one of the um concerns I just want to
be thankful that um this past capital
[4:32] reserve 888 has been very influential in
helping us move in the right direction
[4:37] and keeping our facilities up and
running. And we're greatly we're
[4:41] we're definitely appreciative of that.
With the same flat appropriation funding
[4:46] that we received last year, we are
thankful for that because it could it
[4:49] could have been less. It It does pose
challenges to us. However, we will not
[4:55] have our state budget until the state is
expected to vote the week of June 15th,
[5:00] um which is we got the next. So, my
understanding that election that vote
[5:04] will occur on
June 17th. So, we'll know what local
[5:08] current expenses, local
staff,
[5:13] health benefits, things will cause will
impact our local
[5:16] uh our operating expenses.
[5:20] I now defer to the county commissioners
for any questions.
[5:24] » Uh open the floor for questions,
gentlemen.
[5:29] Yes, sir.
[5:37] » I I couldn't hear you. I'm sorry.
>> Will you have all the capital needs uh
[5:41] cost itemized by the 15th so we can
review it prior to voting on a budget?
[5:46] » You're talking for the upcoming school
year?
[5:48] » Yeah, mhm.
>> I cannot guarantee that, but we will
[5:52] work on that as far as what cost we may
have estimates.
[5:55] » I think I think we're responsible for
overlooking that money, so it'd be we
[5:59] need that to see
>> Yes, sir.
[6:01] » before we vote on it.
>> We'll take note of that and get that to
[6:03] you.
>> Thank you.
[6:08] » Any other questions?
[6:13] Mr. Dukes, are you going to speak for
the school board or are you going to
[6:15] have someone else speaking?
>> I am the only one presenting today.
[6:19] » Okay, can I ask another question?
>> What Do you have your current fund
[6:23] balance to date?
So or the school board?
[6:26] » So our current fund balance is
approximately I asked my CFO to come up
[6:30] with a number, but I think I'm almost
right. Our current fund balance total
[6:34] restricted and unrestricted funds is
approximately 1.9 million.
[6:38] But that 1.9 million
that has not we have not removed what
[6:42] we've appropriated for this year's
budget from that balance, which right
[6:46] now is between
right now at the last presentation I
[6:50] shared with my board was approximately
715,000
[6:53] that has not been
re-appropriated yet.
[6:57] » Okay, you say that
it's not just unassigned, but that's the
[7:02] entire fund balance?
>> 1.9 million, yes, sir.
[7:05] » Okay, do you know what the unassigned
is?
[7:08] » The unassigned is less than
So less than a million.
[7:13] » Okay. But then that does not include
where you had to dip into it for this
[7:18] year, is that correct?
>> That does not currently what we've
[7:21] appropriated for this school year, yes,
sir.
[7:28] » Any other questions?
Mr. Dukes, what um
[7:32] what was the total amount y'all were
asking for in capital
[7:35] this time?
[7:38] » Our total ask
>> Mhm.
[7:42] » I need my CFO to come up with the exact
number.
[7:45] » Okay.
[8:02] » The total asked for capital outlay was a
rent roughly 1.2 million dollars.
[8:13] » I'm not going to direct this question at
you, but I'm going to direct it Miss
[8:16] Stokes.
I guess if you all asking 1.2, you don't
[8:20] have any plan in places to
how much what money is needed for what
[8:26] projects?
>> So, NCDPI is requiring us to submit a
[8:30] new facility plan. All LEAs we're
currently working on that as well
[8:35] because NCDPI has asked us to if they're
going to a new platform for us to do
[8:40] facility plan. So, we're working on that
because our last approved facility plan
[8:45] has
through some transitions we've had
[8:49] just a
a good number of transitions. So,
[8:51] therefore some things have been
executed, some things have not. And so,
[8:56] without that plan we contend continue to
be in a place where we don't really have
[9:02] the clearest of direction moving
forward. And so, our goal is to have
[9:05] that moving forward.
[9:13] » And just a reminder that we are going to
having the recommended budget the same
[9:18] amount 400,000
as last year. And as we showed on the
[9:22] slide, we would be looking for the
difference. I think it was like 865,000
[9:29] to come from lottery funds. And of
course, both boards would have to agree.
[9:34] » Yes, cuz some of the projects that we're
looking at
[9:38] require, of course, both boards to
agree.
[9:41] Um some planning for some planning
regarding that, but I I'm not able to
[9:45] speak at length on it because my board
has not made a final decision and
[9:49] direction regarding this. So, I do not
want to put anything out there before
[9:53] our board has approved it.
>> Your board does realize that we got to
[9:57] have a budget in place by June the 30th,
don't you?
[10:00] » Absolutely.
>> It looks like they're a little behind,
[10:04] if I might be blunt.
>> I
[10:06] do understand.
>> Come to us with a request, but yet
[10:10] you're not You're not I'm saying you,
but the school system in general is not
[10:14] able to tell us where they need this
capital money spent, what it needs to be
[10:18] spent on.
Today is June the 4th.
[10:22] We anticipate adopting a budget in 11
days, on the 15th.
[10:27] So,
I would suggest your board step up the
[10:31] process a little bit.
>> Duly noted.
[10:36] » Any other questions from Mr. Stokes?
>> I've got one other question. Mr. Stokes,
[10:40] what's your current enrollment in the
Capital County schools?
[10:44] » Our current enrollment as of our last
as of our May We have a certain day in
[10:49] each month we pull the numbers. It was
1998.
[10:53] » 1998. And do you know how many
how many students you have to pay out of
[10:59] the system, say charter schools and so
forth? How much of that money is having
[11:02] to go to other
other schools?
[11:06] » Yes, so we have
>> It's over 300 students, and I want to
[11:10] say it's about 400,000
we're having to pay for charter school.
[11:14] » 300 students, 400,000.
>> It's in the 300s, and we're paying
[11:18] approximately
at least 400,000 going to the
[11:21] charter schools.
>> Thank you.
[11:28] » Anything else for the superintendent?
[11:33] All right, Mr. Stokes. Thank you very
much.
[11:35] » Thank you for your time.
>> Thank you.
[11:40] » At this time, we would like to show you
about five slides to just help you with
[11:44] some decisions or questions that you may
have for the departments that are here
[11:48] today.
[11:54] » Slides that you all see here um
is to address Commissioner Claggett's
[11:58] question yesterday regarding
uh what two extra paid days off would
[12:04] would cost the county for full-time
employees.
[12:08] Um on paper for all two
uh
[12:12] So, on paper for full-time employees,
the the value is about $113,000.
[12:19] Uh but that
but that overstates that that overstates
[12:22] it because more uh for most staff
um it is it is not a a cash cost. Salary
[12:31] employees
um take the time and are are paid the
[12:35] same. So, so the county would in essence
not be be issuing an additional check.
[12:43] Um
So, but the the the real cost is in our
[12:46] 24/7
um operations. Um
[12:51] uh so, departments like EMS, 911,
detention center,
[12:56] uh sheriff's department where an open
shift must be covered and it will likely
[13:02] it would likely be
be done so using overtime.
[13:06] Um and that backfill is is estimated at
about 74,000.
[13:12] Um it if the if the board moves forward,
uh we we believe administratively the
[13:18] the cleanest way is to to add these two
um
[13:22] uh paid off days uh to everyone's leave
bank with with basically no no
[13:28] restrictions.
[13:38] So, this slide addresses pay increases
and bonus cost options.
[13:45] Options the board asked the
administration to price.
[13:49] And at 1% pay increase
is a recurring cost about 149,000
[13:56] in the general fund and about 160,000
across all funds.
[14:01] Those figures include FICA, retirement,
and reflects our budgeted vacancy rates.
[14:09] The one-time bonus at $1,000 for
full-time employees and $500 for
[14:14] part-time employees would cost about
346,000
[14:18] all in covering roughly 323
employees.
[14:25] One One note on the bonus, a $1,000
bonus for an employee is about $800 in
[14:32] the employees check after taxes and
withholdings.
[14:36] Both numbers are estimates and we can we
can definitely tighten them once the
[14:40] board signals which direction is
preferred.
[14:45] » And also
like he was saying as well, I think you
[14:49] will definitely see that number reduced
because if you put the 500 hours worked
[14:54] and still active for part-time employees
that they would have had to work in this
[14:58] fiscal year starting July 1st to June
30th,
[15:03] it would they would need to have worked
those hours in this current period
[15:06] fiscal year that we're in in order to be
able to get that. And just remember the
[15:11] 1% raise is a recurring cost and the
one-time bonus is not it's a one-time.
[15:23] And for the maintenance, I know there
was questions just saying you kind of
[15:27] wanted to see what was funded in FY27
and what was not funded. So, the parking
[15:34] lot pavement for 911 was included. The
Havoc at the Ag and building and
[15:41] co-squares included. Water testing is
included. Roofing, concession stand and
[15:47] courthouse are included. Tap and meter
at Pelham is included. Backflow
[15:53] preventers
at Pelham included. Gutter guards,
[15:58] probation and section 8 are included.
And what was deferred to a future year
[16:03] is painting the historical courthouse,
carpet and flooring at the Ag, fencing
[16:09] at Guilford Mills, carpet and flooring
at the courthouse,
[16:13] basement and that's what $144,000
was deferred.
[16:19] So, that's just giving you an idea of
the maintenance projects that were
[16:23] funded, just broken out and what was not
funded and deferred.
[16:30] The next slide, I know you've seen
something very similar to this yesterday
[16:35] showing you the FY26
options of savings that we have. We were
[16:42] able the Deputy Finance Director, Ms.
Miller, had got me the additional FY26
[16:48] maintenance capital that will not be
spent in this fiscal year which was
[16:53] $41,984.
So, when you put that with the other the
[16:58] $944,000
that we went over yesterday the net
[17:02] available the total available is
$985,984.
[17:09] And on the next slide, it will show you
the proposed uses and of course this is
[17:14] at your discretion. You can make changes
anywhere that you would like. This is
[17:18] just giving you some options here. If
you wanted to do the one-time employee
[17:23] bonus, it has it fully loaded here at
346 338.
[17:29] Um the EMS ambulance remount of $275
and the sheriff's department with the
[17:35] uplift up to six vehicles at $351,
which is $972,338.
[17:44] So, I was hoping maybe this would help
you when you talked to these
[17:47] departments.
Um you know, help you with your
[17:50] questions you may want to ask.
>> Mr. Chairman. Yes.
[17:55] And this still on this last page, page
number five, with with doing this,
[18:00] there's still no tax increase associated
with any of this.
[18:03] » Correct. This is leftover from FY26
um funds that we savings that we have
[18:10] for FY26. And we would come back to the
board at the June 15th meeting with a
[18:15] budget amendment.
>> Okay. And this is no reoccurring on this
[18:18] either, correct?
>> No, it's not reoccurring. These are all
[18:21] one-time, and this just would help um
we've got the funds now that we could
[18:25] pay for, and since, you know, we have to
go to the LGC for any debt service,
[18:31] this would be a way that we could go
ahead and make some of these purchases
[18:34] cuz I know the sheriff's department we
are already getting ready to be two
[18:38] cycles behind because there's no cars
appropriated for FY27,
[18:43] and then the EMS remount, um I know if
we have to wait and take this through
[18:49] the LGC, I'm not sure how much longer it
would continue to defer these.
[18:55] » Thank you.
[18:59] All right.
Listen.
[19:01] Um looking at page three where you've
got the original requested projects um
[19:06] funded in '27,
let's just say if you have a another
[19:10] elevator that goes out, $75,000.
Where's that money coming from?
[19:15] » We would have to come back for anything
that costs that much, we would have to
[19:19] come back to the board and you would
have to appropriate at that time fund
[19:23] balance, but keep in mind that's a
one-time occurrence. It's not like
[19:28] you're doing something that's recurring
out of it. So, we would just have to
[19:32] come back before the board, but I do
know he has up to 90,000 for like
[19:37] capital outlay besides these other items
that they're also included in addition
[19:43] the 90,000 and then also there's an
additional I think 50,000 for if we have
[19:49] issues with have back or electrical, but
if we had anything that was of a large
[19:55] cost, we would need to come back up to
the board because we we wouldn't have
[19:58] any funding for it.
>> Okay, as I mentioned yesterday it's a
[20:01] little bit concerning to me that we're
paying cash for the ambulance and now
[20:06] the remount. You know, there's savings
we had during the year would you know
[20:10] better than I do as to how our cash
looks and how we're looking
[20:13] in relationship to what the state
requires.
[20:17] Obviously, we're looking pretty good to
be able to do that.
[20:20] » We should be at the 11.1%
still and you should there will be some
[20:27] additional savings that can go back and
whatever you choose if you choose this
[20:31] is just I provided on the other the last
slide some examples of what you can do
[20:36] with the savings. Um you don't have to
fund everything I put on there if you
[20:40] decide not to, that's more that will go
back into fund balance, but these are
[20:46] things that we could go ahead and
purchase and I don't I know Miss Sharp
[20:50] and she can correct me if I'm wrong, but
if we had to come back for a one-time
[20:55] purchase, I don't think that the LGC
would frown upon that because we will be
[21:00] above and which they don't require, but
you know, they say that it's recommended
[21:05] to have at least 8%. We would be above
that and they would see that it was for
[21:09] a one-time purchase that was you know
out of out of our control.
[21:14] » Okay, but the fund balance and the cash
balance can be two different numbers,
[21:18] right?
Cash in bank.
[21:21] So that's what I'm saying. Obviously
we're in pretty good shape on cash in
[21:24] bank to be able to pay $600,000 for a
re-mount a new ambulance without getting
[21:29] in trouble with the state.
>> Exactly. Exactly cuz we can pay it's
[21:33] fine to pay the cash for that like you
said that's different than with the fund
[21:37] balance.
[21:40] So at this time is it particular
departments you would like to call up to
[21:44] hear their request or what questions you
may have?
[21:49] » Leaves.
[21:54] Health Department. Mr. Rogers says
Health Department.
[22:06] » Good evening.
>> Good evening. How you doing?
[22:08] » I'm good. How are you?
>> Just have a couple questions for you. I
[22:11] do see
uh
[22:14] on one of the slides we had yesterday
option for capital purchases from 26
[22:19] savings
it had in here uh
[22:26] two vehicles
>> Mhm.
[22:28] » for the Health Department. Can you kind
of elaborate a little bit on that?
[22:31] » Sure. We have two of the original
vehicles that were purchased by the
[22:35] county. They're not part of the fleet.
One is a F-150 pickup truck. It has
[22:42] I think uh right around 100,000 miles on
it. The four-wheel drive engages
[22:48] uh just sporadically. The staff have
um
[22:52] disconnected the four-wheel drive so
that it stays in two-wheel drive.
[22:56] Otherwise there's this grind and noise.
The air will not switch back and forth
[23:00] between defrost
feet, and face, so they're not able to
[23:05] use air conditioner or heat.
Um, and
[23:11] I think there's one other tires. It
needs new tires.
[23:14] » Okay.
>> Um, otherwise
[23:17] it
it still is working. They drive it when
[23:20] they have to. They try not to drive it
if they don't have to.
[23:23] » Right.
>> The other car is a F-1, I mean a Ford
[23:26] Focus. It has around 72,000 mi on it.
There's not really anything mechanically
[23:32] wrong with it. Um, but our care managers
drive it. They go out into the far
[23:38] reaches of the county. They're seeing
patients that
[23:41] live off the road. It's It's just It's a
small car. It's not really meant for the
[23:47] type of driving that they do.
Um,
[23:50] I put it in the budget every year just
to remind you guys that we have those
[23:55] old vehicles.
>> Right.
[23:56] » Um, but if it comes down to me keeping
staff employed or being able to give
[24:02] them a raise, we can make do with the
cars we have.
[24:06] Um, there's a plan in place right now to
um,
[24:11] shuffle cars a little bit because Donnie
Powell is retiring and he drives uh,
[24:16] public health because he is technically
still partially a health department
[24:20] employee. He still drives that truck.
Um, Matt Maynes will start driving it
[24:24] when he um, when he retires and then
we'll shift cars down. Um, we'd still
[24:31] like to be able to use the F-150, so if
we don't replace it, we are going to
[24:35] have a significant repair cost for it
and I don't I think we cut our repair
[24:40] costs in that vehicle repair line item.
We may need to adjust that uh, after the
[24:46] beginning of the year.
>> Right. Well, that was that was going to
[24:49] be one of my recommendations when I was
looking through everything last night
[24:52] is, you know, with with Mr. Powell
retiring the end of uh,
[24:56] June
there's a vehicle that's going to be
[24:58] open there. So, if we could
move the person behind him up to that
[25:03] vehicle and kind of stair-step it up,
then we could kind of eliminate that.
[25:07] My last question
>> to do that week after next to go ahead
[25:10] and transition that over to Matt.
>> My question to you is
[25:15] um
it's a two-fold question. One One
[25:20] with that being taken care of the truck,
do you think you could
[25:24] deal with the other car you have for
another year? And on the backside,
[25:29] um I know the manager's going to take a
look at the fleet.
[25:33] Um it's going to take a little bit to do
that, but in her doing that, if she can
[25:37] find something within those vehicles
that's a little better shape,
[25:42] maybe we could look at trying to move
that over to them.
[25:45] » Okay.
>> I appreciate it.
[25:48] One other question I have real quickly,
Mr. Chairman, Mr.
[25:51] the
this last slide you gave us and I'm
[25:55] done.
>> Okay.
[25:56] » I think Wait one minute. Somebody else
may have questions. I'm sorry. I
[25:59] apologize.
>> Hold hold hold hold right there, Mr.
[26:01] Rhodes. Let's finish up with the health
department.
[26:04] What year model is the F-150?
>> I think it's a 2013.
[26:11] » What about the Ford?
>> It might be a 15. The The Focus is a 13,
[26:16] I think. And the And the truck is a
15.
[26:20] » Okay.
All right. That's all I need to know.
[26:23] Any other questions for
director?
[26:28] All right. Thank you, ma'am.
>> I have one follow-up for the manager. Um
[26:31] Madam Manager, due to that being able to
handle that issue, was this
[26:36] 985 984, was that including this
um
[26:43] was that including the vehicles from the
health department into that phone or
[26:46] not?
>> Not on the new slide because I had
[26:48] talked
>> Okay.
[26:49] » So, right, could take this we could take
this 985
[26:54] 984 and add
[26:58] » I have that last slide without the
health department the cars in it.
[27:04] They've already been removed. Yesterday
had them in but the one I'm I'm
[27:08] presenting today, I had removed them
because I had talked to Miss Eastwood to
[27:12] see
you know if they were able to go one
[27:15] more year.
>> Thank you.
[27:20] » Let's do EMS.
[27:45] » Okay.
[27:53] » Good evening Commissioners. I apologize
for not getting the slides in time so we
[27:57] could have them on the screen but in
front of you have you just have a brief
[28:01] review and overview for this upcoming
year. Um in fiscal year 25 we responded
[28:07] to
[28:11] about 4,000 calls and had about 4,500
reports. Um my eyes aren't as good as
[28:16] they used to be.
Um since 2022 we've seen about a 7%
[28:21] increase in call volume and in fiscal
year 25 we brought in about a 1.185
[28:27] million um from EMS billing.
Um
[28:32] it's misstated on the slide on page two,
the second slide slide number four.
[28:37] Um
there's an additional portion that is
[28:40] not included in this 1.185
because that's what's used um to offset
[28:45] some of the fee that EMSMC charges. So,
our actual revenue should be a little
[28:50] bit higher than what's stated.
Um
[28:55] And in 2025, we drove approximately
almost 179,000 mi.
[29:03] Um on page three,
you can see that we've got two
[29:07] ambulances that have reached the end of
their life, pretty much exceeded it.
[29:12] Um and to go along with that, our
vehicle repair costs each year have been
[29:16] increasing. In 2024,
um we saw vehicle repair costs to 37,000
[29:22] up to this current year so far, we've
spent 63,000.
[29:27] Um the three trucks that are have
exceeded their useful life or exceeded
[29:33] their expected life.
Um 209 is a 2015 F-450.
[29:39] When you factor in not only the actual
mileage on the truck, but the engine
[29:42] auto hours, and how you do that is 40 mi
per auto hour,
[29:46] um you get up to over 600,000 mi. The
same thing with 204,
[29:52] it's over a half a million as well. And
207 is quickly approaching that point,
[29:57] and it's a 2019 F-450.
Um
[30:02] on page four,
something that we need to look at, not
[30:06] necessarily during budget time, but in
the future is a fleet replacement plan.
[30:10] Um our original request included two
remounts, and we understand that every
[30:16] department's got to pitch in in cutting
the budget so that we're not using fund
[30:20] balance and not proposing a tax
increase.
[30:23] Um but a vehicle replacement plan,
especially for the ambulances, is
[30:26] something that's sorely needed.
Um
[30:30] Also, in the FY27 budget is a $300,000
vacancy allowance.
[30:37] $300,000 equates to four paramedics.
Um
[30:42] that will cut the number of trucks, the
number of ambulances that we have
[30:46] staffed during the day
from four trucks down to three trucks.
[30:51] Um right now we have four trucks that
are staffed that are um on the road
[30:55] during the day if we're fully staffed
and three trucks at night. This will cut
[30:58] us to three trucks 24 hours. And
as you expect, the daytime is our
[31:03] busiest hours.
The last page um
[31:07] as Commissioner Ingram is not with us
today asked
[31:12] EMS salaries are sorely behind and we're
not of any
[31:19] under any illusion that we can compete
with the Durham County and Orange
[31:23] County, but I wanted you to see how we
compare with other counties because we
[31:28] are competing with the surrounding
counties.
[31:31] And it's hard to when you have EMTs that
are making $9,000 less than their
[31:36] counterparts in other counties all the
way up to paramedics who are $6,000
[31:40] less.
I know that's not something that we
[31:42] could
fix right here right now, but I wanted
[31:45] you to be aware of it. Um and with that,
you have my contact information. I think
[31:50] all of you have my phone number anyway.
Um I'm open for questions right now. If
[31:55] you have questions later, feel free to
contact me.
[31:58] » Questions.
[32:02] Mr. Yarbrough.
>> Yes, sir.
[32:04] » Um
looking at that
[32:09] email
that that we were looking at through our
[32:13] um budget process.
I see the price in here as if you
[32:17] contacted the the company
cuz I know when we looked at this, we it
[32:22] was months back.
>> Yes, sir.
[32:24] » Is anything is is any cost changed with
that?
[32:28] » I spoke to him this morning. He was at
the hospital with his wife who was
[32:31] having some surgery done. He said I he
couldn't lay eyes on it, but he didn't
[32:34] expect a major increase from the
original quote he gave us.
[32:41] » That's truck 204.
>> That's truck 209.
[32:44] » 209 is the one you wanted to re-model.
>> That's going to be our oldest truck and
[32:49] the one with the most miles on it.
>> Well, explain re-mat to me again. I know
[32:53] uh
Barry did it when he came before us
[32:57] 12-18 months ago.
What are you keeping?
[33:01] » We're keeping the box. We're
>> Keeping the box. You're getting a new
[33:04] cab and chassis.
>> Correct. And we're taking that box.
[33:06] They're un- un-mounting it from the old
truck and putting it on a brand new cab
[33:11] cabin chassis.
>> Okay. Okay.
[33:17] I was for some reason I had in my mind
that it was right the opposite. You were
[33:21] keeping the cab and chassis and getting
a new box, but
[33:24] » No, sir. And in that process, they
refurbed um
[33:27] everything that needs refurbing. The
HVAC in the back of the truck gets the
[33:31] refurbished as as well as the charging
system. The inverter system gets
[33:37] um replaced as well during that process.
>> And all that's figured into that cost.
[33:40] » Yes, sir. And it also includes um
the stretchers and power loads. That is
[33:45] something that we've not in play that
has not been included in the past, but
[33:50] it is sorely needed to be included in
these costs. This is a turn-key price on
[33:55] including everything from all vendors.
>> The 209 is the one you're talking about
[33:59] doing.
>> Correct. That's the oldest one with the
[34:02] most miles on it.
>> Okay. All right. All right.
[34:04] » I'm sure. Yes, sir.
>> I'm the same place you were with with
[34:09] I don't remember because I do remember
him talking about
[34:13] there were uh rules and regulations on
the things in the box
[34:20] not being up to
standards or new. And that's where that
[34:24] came from because he was talking about
that box had to be redone every so many
[34:28] years, too, or so many hours.
>> The box
[34:33] our goal is to
when we get a new truck like we did in
[34:37] September,
that one will reach its useful life and
[34:41] I'm hoping to get 5 years out of it.
Once we get to that point of re pla
[34:45] redoing that truck, we will take that
box off since it's a brand new box and
[34:50] put it on a new chassis to get us 5 more
years out of that box.
[34:53] » And correct me if I'm wrong, John, but
that's usually only recommended to do
[34:57] once for safety reasons.
>> Correct. Because if you get much more
[35:01] than that, um
when you get when if they x-ray the box,
[35:04] they'll see the welds have started
breaking
[35:07] and such.
>> that was a question
[35:10] that I know myself and former
Commissioner Rian had when they're way
[35:14] to x-ray that box to see cracks and if
it wasn't wouldn't it still usable.
[35:21] » The chances of it in of it cracking if
you remount it more than once are going
[35:26] to increase.
>> Okay. Now, I I get that. I did.
[35:29] » There are ways to x-ray it, but once you
remount it more than once, that box is
[35:33] probably going to have
close to half a million road miles on it
[35:37] in a total of
a million miles when you include auto
[35:41] hours.
>> Okay.
[35:44] Any more questions?
>> Uh John, how many total trucks do you
[35:47] have?
>> Right now, we have seven.
[35:50] » Seven.
[35:53] How many
[35:57] on average, how many times in a week
are all four trucks out?
[36:05] » Uh we run out of trucks, um
[36:10] I'd like to say once a day, we make
calls for standbys, but that's not
[36:14] always the case because we're not always
fully staffed.
[36:18] Right now, we have five open positions
um that we could hire
[36:24] if we didn't have a vacancy allowance.
[36:30] » Any more questions?
>> Mr. Chairman.
[36:32] » Yes.
>> John, what uh
[36:35] what is the cost savings on this remount
versus a new truck?
[36:39] » So, the remount, I think we have 275
that's in the
[36:43] proposal
on the table right now. Is that correct?
[36:47] » Yeah.
>> Um
[36:49] a new truck The new truck that we bought
in
[36:52] I think was delivered in September was
350.
[36:55] » Do you want
>> Um and if you want to add
[36:59] one cost that we didn't equate to that
you seen on the contingency fund slide
[37:03] yesterday
was the $10,500
[37:07] for tags for that truck that we had to
pull out of contingency in September.
[37:11] Nobody equated for that in the original
cost.
[37:15] Um and my proposal, that 275 actually
includes that.
[37:20] » Thank you.
>> So, it actually goes up to about 26 361
[37:23] for a new truck.
[37:26] » No problem. Any more Any other
questions?
[37:29] » Mr. Chairman.
>> Yes, sir.
[37:30] » John, uh so you've got a freeze on four
positions.
[37:35] » That's
>> how's that
[37:36] » Go ahead.
>> How's that look? I mean, we've got seven
[37:39] ambulances and you got
four a freeze on four positions. How's
[37:43] that look to the public? I mean, what
does that amount to?
[37:47] What's the result of that?
>> Right now, we have 24 positions that are
[37:51] 24-hour set and 24 hours on 72 hours
off. And we also have four positions
[37:57] that work a what we call a 223 schedule
in which they work 12 hours. Um
[38:02] and they'll work 36 hours one week and
48 the next. Those four positions will
[38:07] be eliminated because they only work
8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
[38:11] Those four positions will be put not
eliminated, but put on hold because of
[38:15] the vacancy allowance.
>> How's that going to affect service time
[38:18] and response time?
>> Um
[38:21] if we have to do that, we'll probably
bring all three trucks back to
[38:24] Yanceyville
instead of having trucks at out bases.
[38:28] Um, that's going to increase response
times to the edge far edges of the
[38:32] county.
[38:38] » Any more questions?
[38:42] All right, thank you.
Who else do we have?
[38:47] Madam Manager?
>> Um, you have the Sheriff's Department.
[38:50] » All right.
Sheriff, you coming up?
[38:59] » Afternoon.
[40:13] » All right, questions.
[40:18] Sheriff, I know we don't. I think it was
originally put in there for 10
[40:22] 10 vehicles.
[40:25] Would these six
go a long way to to help him alleviate
[40:30] some issues you have?
[41:12] Sheriff, as you know, we've got a freeze
on all vacancies. How many vacancies
[41:15] does the department have?
[41:34] What's your total number of vehicles?
[41:48] Yeah. Yeah.
Got you.
[41:54] I'll get back to Mr. Rose's question.
If we can't we can't do 10, if we can do
[42:00] five or six, I'm taking it that would
help.
[42:04] Okay.
[42:13] I understand. I understand.
>> Sheriff, would these be replacing your
[42:17] high pursuit vehicles that have the high
mileage and wear on them?
[42:37] » Any other questions?
[42:42] All right, Sheriff. Thank you very much.
[42:50] » And then we have our maintenance
department.
[42:52] » All right. Mr. Hayes.
[43:14] What questions y'all have for
maintenance director?
[43:19] I have a number of questions. I think
Melissa's answered a lot of my questions
[43:22] today.
And um
[43:24] yeah, I just want to make sure that your
funding was sufficient to see you
[43:28] through next 12 months. I'm concerned
and and what we would do in the case of
[43:34] an emergency or major repair, where that
money come from, and she's addressed
[43:38] that.
So, um I guess uh
[43:42] day-to-day maintenance, uh you've got
money for
[43:46] maintenance and and I know you've got
some personnel on freeze, too.
[43:50] Is that correct?
[43:53] » There's one cleaning um one on the
cleaning crew that we have.
[44:04] » I'd like my comment.
Um
[44:08] I really I I'd say you probably run the
tightest ship in this county.
[44:12] And I just want to let you know I
appreciate it.
[44:18] » No questions, Mr. Hayes?
>> Mr. Chairman.
[44:20] » Yes.
>> I don't really have a question. I mean I
[44:23] I think he knows as well as I do that,
you know, everybody's had to
[44:28] to struggle this budget cycle and
everybody's had to
[44:32] but um
cut back.
[44:36] But I guess
going off what um Commissioner Hope
[44:41] said, I
I've seen you
[44:45] take nothing and make something out of
it and I appreciate it.
[44:48] That's not taking away from any of other
fire department heads cuz all of them do
[44:51] a great job and I appreciate everything
they do.
[44:55] But your kind of task at some point in
time when their stuff breaks is trying
[44:59] to get it fixed and um
I do appreciate everything you do and um
[45:03] I know it is had been a struggle with
this budget.
[45:07] That's all I have, Mr. Chairman.
[45:19] » No questions?
Thank you, Jody.
[45:23] » And we have our solid waste director
here.
[45:26] » Mr. Feagins.
[45:41] » Afternoon.
Thank you for being here. So um most of
[45:45] you are aware the fees did go up.
Um and as we've been speaking since
[45:51] middle of last year
majority of the fees are going to the
[45:55] monitoring wells that the state is
requiring us to put in additional
[45:58] monitoring.
Excuse me. As well as the contract we
[46:03] have one more year left with First
Piedmont and their fees went up as well
[46:07] for the disposal side. I can go over
anything you want. I have documentation
[46:12] we can look at stuff if you got any
questions, I'm open.
[46:16] » Questions.
Total amount what total cost on those
[46:20] monitoring wells we're going to have to
install?
[46:23] » It was around 118,000, right?
[46:28] » Yes, let me um
>> I'm sure it's in here, but I you've got
[46:33] it you're closer than I have.
>> Yes, so the monitoring wells, it's
[46:40] around 118,000 increase.
But that includes putting the new wells
[46:44] in, testing all the wells for P fast as
well as the lab fees for the dish the
[46:50] current
testing we're doing
[46:54] um and establishing roads to the
monitoring wells as well as to the um
[46:58] surface water samples that we have to do
and we're doing a lot of that stuff in
[47:03] house to cut cost.
>> Is
[47:05] is the state giving you a definite
number on how many wells?
[47:09] » Yes, sir. So right now we're at two. We
did have some money left we did test our
[47:15] our supply well at the landfill.
Um I got them to go ahead and do that
[47:21] and that was negative. So that
contributed to the number. So we're only
[47:25] doing two and they're clustered kind of
together so that also saves on money
[47:30] getting a road in.
>> How does
[47:33] How does the monitoring well just
compare to a conventional well that
[47:37] someone might have at their home?
>> Um the depth the depth is very shallow.
[47:43] Some are a lot shallower than your
normal drinking well and I could get my
[47:46] other book and tell you exactly the
depth, but we won't go there unless you
[47:49] want to know.
>> No, go ahead.
[47:51] » Um basically
if you think about a 3-in pipe in the
[47:55] ground and it's cased and when they get
ready to test it, they stick a tube down
[48:00] in it and they hook it they have
different pumps depending on the volume
[48:04] of that well and they pump out water and
they put it in a tube sample and it's
[48:09] encased at the off of the ground in
concrete and locked and that's something
[48:13] the state requires. We have to check the
locks and all.
[48:18] But they drill them on a well drilling
skid
[48:21] and you know, they drill and they have a
certain amount they don't hit, we have
[48:26] to move.
>> They don't hit water on
[48:29] » They don't hit water, that's correct.
And then we have to develop the well
[48:33] and if the well doesn't produce enough,
then we have to come back. So we try to
[48:37] make sure when they drill, I'm on site
with them. We try to make sure we hit
[48:41] enough water where it will develop
to save cost to having to come back.
[48:50] Uh I can go get my beef at my well book
and tell you I don't know off top of my
[48:55] head.
So they they're pumping them off of 12
[48:59] volt pumps. So I would say maybe a
gallon less than a gallon a minute.
[49:03] » Can't be much if they're doing it like
that.
[49:04] » Yep.
[49:08] » I was expecting you to say it's going to
be a thousand feet deep as much as this
[49:11] cost.
>> No, so um
[49:18] So for example and I can tell you a
little bit more to break it down. So
[49:22] they're doing a weep sweep and sampling.
So basically a representative from SM&E
[49:28] and myself is going to walk from the
creek property line. There's two creeks
[49:32] on the property. We're going to walk
from one of them from property line to
[49:34] property line
and do them both.
[49:37] And they're going to look for any
settlement
[49:40] or and they're going to take samples of
settlement or anything in the quick
[49:44] creek. That's $7100,
okay? To install the two wells is $3900.
[49:52] Okay?
And then they have to develop the wells,
[49:55] which is around 4,000.
Um there's two sampling events, and that
[50:01] includes the PFOA sampling of those two
wells and the lab costs and my already
[50:06] in-ground wells, which is around
$28,000.
[50:12] And we have to pour the water,
um which I'm thinking is part of their
[50:19] development, and that is right at
$6,000,
[50:23] as well as we have to do assessment
report for the PFOA to the state, which
[50:27] is another $7,000.
[50:32] And then I mean in in the proposal well
monitoring, I have to buy rock to get
[50:38] rock to the wells so that they are a
all-weather road, so they can get their
[50:42] vehicles to the wells.
And we'll install the rock ourselves, so
[50:47] we're not paying somebody to do it.
>> Are these the only two you'll have to do
[50:51] the PFOA sampling on?
>> No, sir. I got to do them on every well.
[50:55] Yes, sir. 13 of them, plus I currently
do three groundwater samples, and I've
[51:00] added I mean, excuse me, surface water,
and we added four more, so a total of
[51:04] seven surface waters as well.
>> Correct me if I'm wrong. We were on the
[51:09] verge of coming off
any type of monitoring because the
[51:14] landfill's been closed for a number of
years.
[51:17] » Until the state decided to start to test
for PFOA.
[51:22] » I I was thinking that was what you had
told us. Yes, sir.
[51:25] » Um
>> AJ, you said we contract First Piedmont
[51:29] now, correct?
>> Yes, sir.
[51:32] » And those
It looks like those fees increase in
[51:35] year after year after year.
>> That's correct.
[51:38] » How
how many other companies around are you
[51:42] able to get quotes from?
>> I've done two RFPs since I've been the
[51:48] director
um over the time frame um
[51:53] and nobody will bid against them.
They're the only company that will turn
[51:56] a bid in. I send it out Excuse me, we
put it on the website. I'm happy to do
[52:01] whatever we need to do to get some other
companies. Um it will become next year
[52:06] will be time to bid. I'll have to build
a RFP, put all the data in it, and we'll
[52:10] have to put it out next year.
>> What What is the main cost associated
[52:14] with? Is it with the hauling or is it
with the trash space within their
[52:17] landfill?
>> The tipping is the most expensive, but
[52:20] the hauling costs as well.
>> Right.
[52:23] Um have you ever thought about looking
at seeing what um
[52:28] if there's any savings or
it could be more cost. I don't know of
[52:33] us actually hauling it if you know, I
don't know. I'm just asking So we can
[52:37] ever looked at that. We can look at that
if y'all want to form a committee so we
[52:41] can put some ideas and thoughts in
there. Um we could um
[52:45] we could haul the open tops from the
Yancey Center and let them continue to
[52:48] do the packer boxes.
Or we could take it over all, but I will
[52:52] tell you I can't do it with on the staff
I have and I can't do it with the trucks
[52:57] I have.
>> Yeah, and I'm not I'm not saying that's
[52:59] something we need to change. I said I
guess I'm looking at it from the aspect
[53:02] of
if we took a look at that to see if if
[53:06] there is some cost savings because
I mean
[53:11] it's two things that I think feel like a
life's not going away. Taxes not going
[53:14] away and trash.
>> Right. And I will tell you two things on
[53:17] that statement you just made.
Um we can definitely take a dive into it
[53:23] before we put the RFP out,
but I will tell you that um
[53:28] if I come and say, you know, I can haul
for $100,000 less,
[53:32] you can't say oh we saved $100,000
because I've already been told
[53:36] if I take the hauling from them and I go
to their landfill, they're going up on
[53:40] your tipping fee.
>> Okay.
[53:42] » So you're going to have to you're going
to have to adjust.
[53:44] » And I think that we're kind of
[53:48] at their mercy, for lack of a better
words.
[53:51] » And we may be able to contract with
another landfill. You know, I can put
[53:55] the fillers out once we get through the
budget, we can start planning, maybe put
[53:59] a little committee together, get some
ideas of is it cheaper for us to haul
[54:03] half of our stuff and they haul half or
contract with somebody else
[54:07] and see where we can go from it before
we put the RFP out.
[54:11] » Cuz I mean, it looks like it's been
every year it it continuously keeps
[54:14] going up and up.
>> And you you know, every time we do the
[54:17] contract, um
you're going to get a big spike.
[54:21] And that's next budget.
And I hate it. And I argue with them I
[54:25] mean, it just, you know,
>> Right. And I don't even I don't know if
[54:30] it would actually be any cost savings to
the county if to do this. I have no
[54:34] clue.
>> Right. We can look into it.
[54:36] » Um I just know that
and and and I guess one thing I I've
[54:40] been doing some
looking at some stuff and and and I
[54:43] guess the board
at some point in time needs to be very
[54:46] aware of it. Um
A lot of these landfills are limited in
[54:51] space that they will take
other trash from other counties.
[54:55] So, they cut you back.
And they only take so much.
[54:59] Um
>> They'll take whatever we send them.
[55:02] All of your MSW, which is your bagged
trash and garbage, goes to the transfer
[55:08] and then we pay them to haul it to the
transfer and then haul it to Reidsville.
[55:11] All of our C&D, like your couches and
stuff that you throw away at the
[55:15] landfill, that goes in their landfill.
>> Okay.
[55:21] But that's that's where the First
Piedmont takes their stuff. They don't
[55:24] deal with Alamance over here anything
like that.
[55:26] » No, sir. All Pennsylvania County
anywhere and I can check and see.
[55:29] » Who hauls Who hauls
Is there any companies out of Alamance
[55:34] that haul?
>> Republic's out of Alamance.
[55:38] » Okay.
>> So, they don't own a landfill in
[55:41] Alamance.
>> Right. That's all I have, Mr. Chairman.
[55:43] » Mr. Chairman.
>> Yes, sir.
[55:45] » Let me Let me ask this. Um how many
sites around the county, not counting
[55:49] the the
the main
[55:51] » Eight.
>> Eight.
[55:53] What's the percentage of trash? I mean,
is that
[55:57] majority of it
or I mean, I don't have to have numbers,
[56:01] but you kind of know
is most of the trash coming from these
[56:05] other eight sites?
>> Yeah, so um I can give you the breakdown
[56:09] of what comes out of the landfill, what
we call the landfill, like when you
[56:13] cross the scales to throw something. And
excuse me, what comes from the packer
[56:17] boxes cuz I get it separated.
Um but yeah, your majority of your
[56:22] weight is coming out of your packer
boxes except for the landfill. Your
[56:26] business site is Pelham.
>> Let me ask this question. How many
[56:29] counties are still doing it the way we
are because I know
[56:34] the other counties
at least a lot of them, you know, they
[56:38] have trash pickup.
So, how many how many counties do you
[56:41] think still left in North Carolina that
are doing it?
[56:45] » It's quite a few. I know um
if you get down towards the coast and up
[56:49] to the mountains, they have convenience
sites now far as
[56:53] counties touching us, not many. But
there is quite a few counties that have
[56:57] the convenience sites like we do or
either they have convenience sites like
[57:00] we do, but they have a county employee
sitting in a house, hut, or building
[57:05] there all the time.
When it's open.
[57:08] » So, the trash that's at um
I'm going to call it the landfill over
[57:12] here, but um
you're going to get paid for whatever
[57:15] comes in there.
>> Yes, sir. It
[57:17] » What tax is that one's really not
costing us?
[57:21] » So, we we break even on that with the
exception of we take free trash uh the
[57:25] county
county trash like if, you know,
[57:28] depending on the project um we have a
good neighbor policy like we don't
[57:33] charge the churches and the nonprofits
as well as uh NCDOT when they do
[57:38] roadside cleanup and stuff, they dump
for free as well.
[57:42] Um, so we do have some free stuff, but
the fees at the landfill
[57:47] cover that majority and renting the
dumpsters out covers the landfill cost.
[57:54] It's about $450,000
out of the landfill itself.
[58:01] » Any more questions for Mr.
I've got one. AJ, going back to the
[58:06] monitoring wells,
if we find that we've got a problem with
[58:09] the results exceed the limits, can we
treat through the well itself or do you
[58:14] have to go another step?
>> So, you asked me that one time we were
[58:18] talking about it and I asked my job
principal geologist Ed
[58:23] and he says we can if need to be. If we
we could, but the probably the best
[58:28] thing to do would be actually put a
treatment well in and treat. Sometimes
[58:32] it's like blowing air into the ground or
whatever.
[58:35] Um, but he doesn't feel like we we're
going to be in that risk right now by
[58:40] the studies and data, you know, that
they've looked at. Uh, but we can treat
[58:44] through the well if we have to.
But it's not a normal practice.
[58:51] » Any other questions?
Thank you, Mr. Bigger.
[58:56] I believe Mr. Rose has a question for
someone from the school system. Mis- is
[59:02] it super- uh superintendent Artega?
Okay. I know and quote me if correct me
[59:07] if I'm wrong, he said that the school
board was going to meet Monday
[59:11] to come up with their capital stuff.
[59:19] I can't hear you. I'm sorry.
[59:25] » So, if I heard him correctly, I think
it's just going to be a presentation of
[59:28] what the 888 we are at and then we're
going to present that to y'all and then
[59:33] it was also going to be a presentation
of what we're expected to do for next
[59:38] fiscal year.
[59:43] Cuz again, we still need that facilities
plan and that's going to drive a lot of
[59:47] the things that we're looking at.
[59:52] » Okay. Thank you.
>> You're welcome.
[59:56] » Is that all the departments been
requested?
[59:58] » Yes.
>> All right. Gentlemen, yesterday before
[1:00:03] we adjourned
the manager and myself both asked if
[1:00:08] there were any specific questions
related to the budget numbers that you
[1:00:13] all have.
No one had any at that time. Does
[1:00:17] anybody have any today?
Specific numbers that have stuck
[1:00:23] with you that you're not comfortable
with.
[1:00:27] You have a question about.
[1:00:32] All right, since no one has a question
about anything specifically
[1:00:37] in the budget
let's dig into this.
[1:00:41] Can we go back to that screen
from the five
[1:00:46] » The last one.
>> Yeah, the the page number five.
[1:00:51] Right there.
[1:00:54] Yeah. Yeah, that's it.
Now this
[1:00:58] this uh
[1:01:01] Okay, let me get my numbers right.
[1:01:06] I believe you said Madam Manager
that there was
[1:01:14] 985 984
available
[1:01:19] and you know
things we money we can have that we can
[1:01:24] use if the board is so inclined.
>> Correct.
[1:01:27] » And you gave these suggestions
or possibilities, let me just call it
[1:01:32] that, not suggestions. I won't put words
in your mouth. So, you suggested them.
[1:01:37] Uh
these items on page five for using the
[1:01:43] majority of that money, not quite all of
it, but the majority.
[1:01:46] » into consideration cuz I knew the EMS
ambulance remount was a high priority
[1:01:51] and the sheriff vehicles and I know that
you as the commissioners wanted to give
[1:01:55] something back as well to the employees.
That's why I chose the ones that I did
[1:02:00] on here, but by all means, you can
change that.
[1:02:03] » Right. Right. All right. I just want to
know the board's feelings
[1:02:08] on what you see there on
the screen five, but you've got it in
[1:02:13] front of you, page five.
The one-time bonus,
[1:02:17] the remount, and the sheriff vehicles.
Personally, and I'll just throw this out
[1:02:23] there, the remount is one that I don't
know we've got a lot of options on that
[1:02:27] one.
>> Correct.
[1:02:28] » Uh that was put off
because we didn't ever go before the LGC
[1:02:35] cuz we couldn't get the finance numbers
all together
[1:02:39] to ask for it to be financed.
>> And we don't know how long it may take
[1:02:43] to get back before the LGC, so if
>> Right.
[1:02:46] » asked to go ahead and purchase it now, I
think it would be wise to do so.
[1:02:50] » Okay.
Is it the consensus I'm going to just
[1:02:53] say is the consensus of the board to do
pay for the remount?
[1:03:02] I don't see a no, so I'm saying it's the
remount will stay.
[1:03:06] » Okay.
>> Yes, sir.
[1:03:09] Yes, sir.
>> It It went You said it went before the
[1:03:13] LGC?
>> It didn't ever get that. We didn't have
[1:03:16] our financial house in order and it's
still not in order to get this.
[1:03:22] » So it wasn't denied. It never got to
>> It never got to never got to. It was
[1:03:26] scheduled and then they said you can't
come cuz you don't have everything where
[1:03:30] it needs to be. So now we didn't did we
never got in front of them so to speak.
[1:03:36] All right. So we're good on the
ambulance remount.
[1:03:40] All right, let's go with the sheriff's
vehicles next then.
[1:03:43] Yesterday it was proposed we could do
10.
[1:03:47] Scaled it back a little bit to six. I
think listening to the sheriff few
[1:03:52] moments ago
he's grateful for whatever we can do as
[1:03:55] far as vehicles go.
I'm sure he would like to have a whole
[1:03:58] new fleet of vehicles but of course we
can't do that.
[1:04:03] What's the board's feeling on these six
vehicles?
[1:04:09] » I think I mean it's been
Melissa 2 years.
[1:04:13] » Cuz we don't have any you know in for 27
so it'll be two cycles.
[1:04:17] » Yeah.
Um
[1:04:21] and I thank you for all your hard work
on putting these numbers together. I I
[1:04:24] think um
I wish we could do 10 but
[1:04:28] I have enough I'll go with six.
[1:04:33] » Any other comments, concerns, questions?
>> I'll I'll go with I'll go with the six
[1:04:38] but also
feel like there's a lot of people
[1:04:42] driving these sheriff cars home. I know
that
[1:04:46] I I know this that you know they're on
call this stuff but
[1:04:50] I don't I don't agree with I think it
could be cut back.
[1:04:53] » Yeah.
>> Yeah.
[1:04:55] I'm fine with the six but like
was it last meeting or meeting before
[1:05:00] last I told you after budget time I
wanted to look at this county vehicle
[1:05:03] policy as to who's driving them home
and why really.
[1:05:08] » So
>> I'm hoping we can dig into that in the
[1:05:10] next few weeks.
>> We brought this up and it just seems to
[1:05:14] never happen, so
I don't know what we can do to change
[1:05:17] it, but
Yeah, we got to
[1:05:20] I won't say we need to rein this some of
these vehicles in, but I think maybe
[1:05:24] there's some vehicles that are
that should be left on county property.
[1:05:30] Let's just leave it like that.
>> I agree.
[1:05:34] » Is
everybody comfortable with the six? I
[1:05:38] know Mr. Pope, you said you were.
>> Yeah.
[1:05:41] » Tony?
>> Mr. Chairman,
[1:05:43] it bothers me great degree that we
cannot lease these vehicles. Here again,
[1:05:48] we we paying cash,
which could go into our fund balance to
[1:05:51] get us back healthy again, but that's
just it's just got to be one of our top
[1:05:57] top priorities after the
budget meetings get over to get back in
[1:06:01] and get office UAL, get our audits
caught up, and to where we can lease as
[1:06:08] we used to the ambulances and outfits
and sheriff's vehicles and so forth. But
[1:06:12] yeah, I I think it's we we did save that
money and it's a good use for that
[1:06:17] money.
>> We are looking at that because we do
[1:06:21] think that there possibly could be
better savings if we ended up going back
[1:06:25] to purchasing our vehicles, but in order
to do that,
[1:06:30] we've got to set up our like a fleet
plan like payment to be able to like pay
[1:06:35] ourselves to build it up and and I do
think there would be savings there to to
[1:06:41] look at that, but we've just got to have
time to sit down and and look at that.
[1:06:49] » Mr. Oh,
I do understand kind of what you're
[1:06:53] saying as far as the the county
vehicles, stuff like that.
[1:06:57] And I guess one thing that I will push
back a little bit on um
[1:07:01] and not so much pushing back, that was
the wrong word.
[1:07:04] Um
when you're looking at sheriff's office
[1:07:07] vehicles,
what you got to look at is if you got a
[1:07:11] deputy that's
at home and he's supposed to start his
[1:07:15] tour of duty.
Well, if he's driving his personal
[1:07:17] vehicle from his house
to the Sheriff's Office
[1:07:21] and a call comes out in between the time
he leaves home and he gets there,
[1:07:27] he doesn't I wouldn't be responsible in
my private vehicle
[1:07:31] to a scene.
Too much liability.
[1:07:35] Um
there's also issues if if things happen
[1:07:40] when they check on work before they get
there if they're driving a personal
[1:07:43] vehicle that they can't address.
So, I think some of that if they're on
[1:07:47] call in a emergency status, I mean
that's just
[1:07:51] that's just the nature of the beast. Um
Now, as far as other vehicles within the
[1:07:56] county, yeah, we probably need to take a
look at it, but um
[1:08:01] you know, I've seen it to where
um
[1:08:05] something happens and they're on the way
and and I'll be honest with you, I don't
[1:08:08] know of any
any jurisdiction in this state of North
[1:08:12] Carolina that requires their
officers to drive their personal vehicle
[1:08:17] to and from work.
>> All right, but my question is how do you
[1:08:21] feel about the six?
>> Sorry, I'm fine with the six.
[1:08:27] Yeah, I'm I'm perfectly fine with the
six.
[1:08:28] » Mr. Speaker, Mr. Blake.
>> What?
[1:08:31] » I'd like to respond to that. I mean
one of my best friends grandfather
[1:08:35] police and he never had a car to drive
home.
[1:08:39] He was a sergeant.
>> I tell you, gentlemen, let's
[1:08:42] » I just don't understand.
>> Let's
[1:08:45] And I maybe I should have just kept my
mouth shut. Let's stick on the budget
[1:08:49] thing and this vehicle thing. We we are
going to tackle it
[1:08:53] in the next
two months or less.
[1:08:56] Uh let's get this budget stuff worked
up.
[1:08:59] » Mr. Blake, how do you feel about the
six?
[1:09:03] » I think it's a good compromise.
[1:09:08] » All right, Madam Manager, you're good
with the six vehicles then.
[1:09:11] » Yes.
>> So, between the vehicles and the
[1:09:15] ambulance rate, man, if my math is
right, this 626,000
[1:09:20] bucks.
[1:09:25] I think it's right. All right.
>> Uh
[1:09:29] I know Commissioner Flagler brought up
yesterday about giving employees
[1:09:33] 2 days off.
Uh and we asked finance officer to run
[1:09:41] those numbers, and he did.
And one thing that didn't cross my mind
[1:09:45] when it was brought up was
emergency personnel, or the sheriff
[1:09:50] department, EMS.
You know, if they take off, you got to
[1:09:55] still got to fill that slot, so to
speak. And more or less, it I guess time
[1:10:00] and a half. Am I thinking about this
right, finance people?
[1:10:05] So, that adds cost to it. Go ahead.
Like, am I thinking about that right,
[1:10:10] Keith?
>> Correct.
[1:10:11] » Okay. Good.
Uh and I talked with the manager this
[1:10:15] morning,
and
[1:10:19] through some discussions that some of
staff had yesterday afternoon, I
[1:10:22] believe,
uh they came up with this bonus idea.
[1:10:30] And
the bonus is a non-recurring
[1:10:35] expense. Am I stating all of this right?
>> Correct. Correct.
[1:10:38] » Okay, it's a non-recurring expense. So,
if you do it this year, it's not ne it's
[1:10:44] not in the budget next year, unless you
want it in there.
[1:10:46] » Correct. And it's also, you know, not
added to the salary. It's just a bonus.
[1:10:51] » Exactly. Uh
one question I had concerning that
[1:10:56] number.
You go back to
[1:11:00] page
[1:11:06] Yeah, find it somewhere. Okay. So, page
two, I think.
[1:11:13] Full-time down about middle of page
where it says full-time $1,000 each 249
[1:11:20] bonus We got 249 employees.
The bonus cost 249,000.
[1:11:27] That extra
57,508
[1:11:32] is what?
[1:11:37] » So, that's the the FICA retirement
pieces.
[1:11:42] » But the How much
would the average employee get $800? Did
[1:11:48] I see that somewhere? Out of the
thousand.
[1:11:50] » Yes.
>> Okay, so that's take home.
[1:11:52] » That'd be the take home pay.
>> Yeah, that'd be the take home.
[1:11:55] » So, they wouldn't be getting a thousand.
And all the taxes above that would come
[1:11:59] out of the county's coffers, so to
speak.
[1:12:03] They would only be getting 800.
>> Correct. Yes, after take out for
[1:12:06] retirement and taxes.
>> So, that would just that
[1:12:10] whatever number I quoted 50 some odd
thousand just the county's portion of
[1:12:13] FICA and retirement.
Correct?
[1:12:16] » Correct.
[1:12:18] » How y'all feel about the bonus deal?
And I believe and I don't know if you
[1:12:25] stated it not, Madam Manager, that the
part-time would be limited to those that
[1:12:30] have 500 hours or more by June 30th.
>> And are active.
[1:12:35] » And are Explain to me what a active and
inactive part-time person
[1:12:39] » You could have had a part-time employee
just making sure that no one who make
[1:12:43] got 500 hours in is no longer with the
county. Just making sure they shouldn't
[1:12:48] be in our system or anything. So, it
means they are still a current employee
[1:12:52] and active on the county payroll.
>> Okay. Okay.
[1:12:57] Mr.
>> Yes.
[1:12:58] » And they also would it correct me if I'm
wrong from what I heard a while ago they
[1:13:02] would actually have to have worked
500 hours
[1:13:06] from June 30th of last year to July
1 of this year.
[1:13:14] » Yeah, it would be from July 1st of last
year to June 30th of this year.
[1:13:20] » Okay. So they would have had to have
incurred at least 500 hours if not more
[1:13:23] to to be eligible for this.
>> Correct. If the board chooses to do
[1:13:28] that.
>> Right. Um do you know how many
[1:13:32] would qualify
or would not qualify?
[1:13:36] » I do not have that exact number. Um I do
know that when Miss Sharp was helping us
[1:13:42] come with these with the the numbers
um that she said that she did see that
[1:13:47] there was some in there that only had
like six or eight hours, but I'm not
[1:13:51] sure of how many. Do you
Okay.
[1:13:54] I don't know the exact number.
Yeah, she just gave us the maximum so we
[1:13:59] would know, but um as she and I
discussed we're certain this number will
[1:14:04] be lowered.
>> Right. So that this number we got not
[1:14:07] going up if anything is coming down.
>> Right. Exactly.
[1:14:11] » Thank you.
[1:14:17] What's y'all's thoughts?
>> Mr.
[1:14:19] » Yes.
>> Um
[1:14:20] additional compensation for the
employees is one of my main objectives.
[1:14:24] I didn't see how we're going to do it,
but uh yeah, $1,000
[1:14:30] amounts to about 2% on average probably
maybe a little bit less increase which I
[1:14:35] think is that's that's not inflation up
to inflation, but it's certainly better
[1:14:40] than than zero.
But it concerns me we had to freeze 29
[1:14:44] other positions to be able to to do
this. I mean, it's going to it's going
[1:14:49] to affect the departments and so forth.
So, in coming years, we've got to
[1:14:53] increase our revenues through economic
development or whatever to where we can
[1:14:57] have a cola increase next year because
we may not have any savings. So, this
[1:15:02] may be just a one-shot deal. So, we've
got our work cut out for us the next 12
[1:15:06] months to get revenues up.
>> Yeah, I definitely do not suspect that
[1:15:10] you'll have these type of savings at the
end of FY27.
[1:15:14] » But, I like the idea that we not going
to be taking away from fund balance and
[1:15:18] we
say, "Okay, these are revenues and these
[1:15:22] are expenses and we're not going to
exceed the revenue."
[1:15:25] Well, that's that's healthy. It's just
that we've got to build that fund
[1:15:29] balance up to where we beyond 11.5 up to
12 plus to where we feel more
[1:15:34] comfortable. But, yeah, I'm in I'm in
agreement with with that number.
[1:15:41] » Any other comments or questions
concerning the
[1:15:45] bonus
possible bonus?
[1:15:47] » Yes, sir, chair.
>> Yes, sir.
[1:15:48] » County County Manager, so where is these
funds coming from? Is it
[1:15:52] » These are from savings in FY26, our
current fiscal year. So, we'll have to
[1:15:58] come before the board at the June 15th
meeting with a budget amendment to
[1:16:03] appropriate these funds. But, um they're
savings that we had from FY26
[1:16:09] um and we had on the previous slide it
gave, you know, from where we did not
[1:16:14] purchase the vehicles, do the lease
agreement, didn't have to use the
[1:16:18] uplift, contingency, and vacancy
um
[1:16:23] salaries that were lapsed. It was a
combination of things that made up this
[1:16:27] total.
>> Thank you.
[1:16:31] » Thank you, chair.
[1:16:35] » All right. I'll tell you what. Let's see
if this is not a formal vote.
[1:16:40] Show of hands
of those that
[1:16:44] I will say crazy about it but you can
live with this bonus idea that's
[1:16:48] managers put before us this afternoon.
You can live with it raise your right
[1:16:53] hand.
I guess I could. Those that couldn't.
[1:16:58] When majority
>> 346,000
[1:17:02] » Yes. Yes.
>> versus almost a million
[1:17:05] » Right.
So
[1:17:08] majority of the board is consensus that
you could do that. All right, we got
[1:17:15] that out of the way. What else do we
need to cover today?
[1:17:19] I know that we don't have the school
capital outlay yet.
[1:17:43] » That's what we went with.
>> Mr. Chairman
[1:17:45] » Yes, sir.
>> We have mentioned to them
[1:17:48] numerous times to have this ready for
us.
[1:17:51] I don't
>> I agree.
[1:17:54] » I don't see it.
Let's panic and over what they have
[1:17:58] done.
>> going to panic over it. I can assure you
[1:18:00] of that.
It but
[1:18:04] I believe it was
two years ago
[1:18:09] they didn't get us anything until mid to
late May at all.
[1:18:14] Our previous one former manager Mazaros
was here. I believe it's that year.
[1:18:25] » Are there any other changes you want to
make to the proposed budget cuz we're
[1:18:30] just looking for a final direction from
you all?
[1:18:33] » Other than the school capital outlay
that they don't have yet.
[1:18:40] I haven't heard this board bring up
anything else.
[1:18:43] Uh
you and I both asked yesterday and I
[1:18:47] asked today if there was anything and no
one seems I know none of us are happy
[1:18:52] with it overall. Well,
>> I understand.
[1:18:55] » specific items, but it's
one that we're going to have to bite the
[1:18:59] bullet and live with, I guess.
>> And we'll come back before the board at
[1:19:02] the 15th meeting with a budget amendment
for definitely for these items right
[1:19:07] here that are in
>> How are we going to handle the school
[1:19:09] capital outlay?
>> That's what I was going to ask when we
[1:19:12] » Because that's the only outstanding
thing.
[1:19:19] » I'm sure
you can be here
[1:19:22] after the 15th.
>> The
[1:19:25] the 400,000 is already in the budget.
So, you can before you appropriate it to
[1:19:30] them, you can ask them to let you know
what they're going to use it for. But
[1:19:33] the 865,000,
[1:19:37] um that will y'all can decide that later
because both boards have to agree and
[1:19:43] that would be from the lottery funds.
It's not coming out of our budget. That
[1:19:48] would be going And we are going to
appropriate 400,000,
[1:19:53] but the 865,000, the only way they will
get that is if both boards agree to get
[1:19:58] it out of lottery funds. Otherwise, they
get the 400,000.
[1:20:06] » I know you said we can appropriate it,
but is that the same way we did it last
[1:20:12] year on the 888?
>> You can still before you give them, you
[1:20:16] know, release the funds to them. We just
have to budget for it. You can ask them
[1:20:21] to do line by line like you did before
to show you what they're going to spend
[1:20:26] the money on. And then if they get the
lottery funds, you know, you You ask to
[1:20:30] see that as well.
>> Okay, but the lottery funds are
[1:20:33] something that both boards have.
>> Both boards have to agree upon. So,
[1:20:37] that's why I had um sent an email to the
superintendent to let him know that, you
[1:20:42] know, he may want to prioritize because
if both boards not
[1:20:46] you know, agree
that's something they definitely need to
[1:20:49] take a look at.
>> Okay. Okay.
[1:20:52] » What What was the total number that we
gave them last year?
[1:20:55] » For um I'm going off the top of my head
before the baseline, it was like
[1:21:00] $3,078,000
the baseline, and then we appropriated
[1:21:04] the 400,000
for capital, and that's the exact amount
[1:21:09] that we're giving them again this year.
>> Okay.
[1:21:11] What we're
They won't be able to say that we didn't
[1:21:15] if we did that number we didn't cut them
in.
[1:21:19] » Right, and he and I mean and he was
here, the superintendent was at the
[1:21:22] recommended budget. I've talked to him a
couple of times since, and I also talked
[1:21:27] to him on the phone today, and I mean
he's seemed pleased with what he was
[1:21:32] receiving.
>> If correct me if I'm wrong, the school
[1:21:35] system is the only thing in this county
budget-wise that we did not cut.
[1:21:42] » Correct. They are the only ones that did
not receive a reduction.
[1:21:46] » They should be well pleased.
[1:21:50] All right, so
with the 400,000 that we can approve
[1:21:55] that's in the budget
uh
[1:21:59] So, we're not really waiting on anything
from them at this point.
[1:22:03] » No, that's up to them how they proceed
on um and then it'll, you know, I would
[1:22:09] assume they would come back to discuss
with our board, you know, appropriate,
[1:22:14] you know, going for the lottery funds.
>> Okay.
[1:22:16] And the board has given you direction on
this
[1:22:21] 900 and whatever some thousand dollars.
You've got that. Anything else that you
[1:22:26] need as far as putting the budget final
budget together?
[1:22:31] All right. So, we don't need to meet on
Monday then. Am I correct?
[1:22:34] » You're You're right. We do not.
>> So, you will have a budget ordinance for
[1:22:38] us on the 15th?
>> We'll um have the adopted budget we'll
[1:22:42] be bringing before the board. Um we'll
have that as well and the budget
[1:22:46] amendment for these FY26.
>> That and those That's actually just
[1:22:52] savings from this year
>> Correct.
[1:22:54] » going to make a budget amendment, but
the money will actually be spent until
[1:22:57] 20
>> Correct.
[1:22:58] » seven.
>> Yes.
[1:22:59] » Okay. All right.
Everybody okay with what we've talked
[1:23:04] about?
>> Do we need to uh know this is six
[1:23:07] 6:30 meeting?
The 15th.
[1:23:10] » 15th.
>> Do we need to start earlier?
[1:23:14] Maybe to put some of this together.
>> It should She should should have
[1:23:19] everything pretty well condensed, I
think.
[1:23:22] » And you'll have it ahead of time in your
packets as well.
[1:23:25] » Okay.
>> So, cuz it's really um at that point
[1:23:28] it's just the board adopting.
>> Yeah. And we've already had the hearing
[1:23:32] on it
>> Right.
[1:23:33] » last Monday, so
>> Right.
[1:23:35] » I'm not saying it won't be somebody here
to speak during public comments they're
[1:23:38] welcome to, but
uh the hearing for the budget has
[1:23:41] passed.
Gentlemen, I appreciate everybody's
[1:23:45] input and everybody's work. And like I
previously stated, it's not one that
[1:23:49] anybody's crazy about, but it's one I
think we can all live with. And a
[1:23:53] special thanks to everybody in finance,
everybody that was involved, manager,
[1:23:57] Ms. Sharp,
Mr. Everett.
[1:23:59] Thank all of y'all. Know it wasn't an
easy task, but it was one you got done.
[1:24:04] And I believe I told you might have
manager six weeks ago we would get
[1:24:08] through this. We would get a budget, so
looks like we've reached that point.
[1:24:13] All right. This time the chair will
entertain a motion to adjourn.
[1:24:17] » So moved.
>> Have a motion from Commissioner Smith.
[1:24:20] » Second.
>> Second from Commissioner Rose. All those
[1:24:23] in favor let it be known by saying I.
All those opposed.
[1:24:27] We stand adjourned.