April 6, 2015 - 6:30 PM - County Board of Commissioners Meeting Minutes (Special)

10 519 Meeting of the Johnston County Board of Commissioners April 6 , 2015 Special Meeting The Johnston County Board of Commissioners met in joint session with the Johnston Community College Board of Trustees on Monday , April 6 , 2015 at 6 30 pm at Johnston Community College located at 245 College Road , Smithfield , North Carolina in the Tart Building - Tart Multi - Purpose Room The following members of the Board of Commissioners were present Present Chairman Tony Braswell , Vice Chairman DeVan Barbour , Cookie Pope , Allen L Mims , Jr , Jeffrey P Carver , Ted G Godwin , and Chad M Stewart Absent None Also Present County Manager Rick J Hester , Clerk to the Board Paula G Woodard , Finance Officer and Assistant County Manager J Chad McLamb , and County Attorney Jennifer J Slusser Chairman Tony Braswell called the meeting to order at 6 30 pm and turned the meeting over to Johnston Community College for their presentation of information Johnston Community College President Dr David Johnson stated the College’s portion of the last bond referendum was 7 million of which , they have received 500,000 to date Dr Johnson continued that the College is using the initial 500,000 to conduct planning and research development in terms of what the College needs to focus on in the future for renovations He noted part of that process is to update their master plan which was finalized in 2008 Dr Johnson reported the College went through the bidding process for an architectural firm to begin that process in an effort to determine how the remaining 65 million in bond funds should be spent for renovations Dr Johnson stated HH Architecture won the bid and came highly recommended having worked with other community colleges in the past , most notably Fayetteville Tech Dr Johnson introduced HH Architecture President Kristen Hess to give an overview on the very early stages of updating the master plan Presentation by HH Architecture for Johnston Community College HH Architecture President Kristen Hess introduced her team members David Cary from HH Architecture and Bill Smith from Stanford White who is the plumbing , electrical , and mechanical engineering firm Ms Hess explained they are very early in the process but she wants everyone to understand what will be happening during the analysis She noted there are many firms on the team that will be working on the analysis for the College including OBS Landscape Architecture , Draper Aden Associates , Stroud Pence & Associates , Theatre Consultants Collaborative , and Ramey Kemp & Associates Ms Hess reported the existing campus master plan was completed in 2008 and proposed many new buildings and projects ; however , the plan was completed right before the economy began to decline She continued that the plan from 2008 was a strong wish list , but because of what happened with the economy , many of those facilities did not get funded The Learning Resource Center was the only building from that original list that was constructed Ms Hess stated they will evaluate the 2008 master plan during this process and use that document to look at connections , accessibility , common spaces , parking lots , and buildings Ms Hess reviewed some of the steps being taken during the update process , including the following points • Gap Analysis – Overall intent is to measure how well - aligned JCC’s program offerings are with the regional labor market and provide recommendations on additional programs that could be offered that would be a good fit for regional employer demand • County Locational Analysis – Overall intent is to provide JCC with the necessary information to inform its decisions on where to locate its new facility • “ Ground - Truthing ” – Onside Focus Groups o Faculty o Staff administration Page520 April 6 , 2015 – 6 30 pm Continued o Student leaders o Larger employers o Small employers entrepreneurs o Other academic institutions K - 12 , State Community College representative , higher education institutes in the region , workforce development partners o Community leaders County and City elected officials or appointed officials o Board of Trustees • Campus Analysis o Inventory and provide analysis of existing campus o Meet with Town of Smithfield o Meet with staff and other JCC representatives leadership to understand how the campus currently functions o Develop goals and objectives for the new master plan • Alternative Concept Plans o Prepare two alternative concept plans for presentation to JCC that will illustrate distinct approaches to future campus development • Final Master Plan o Final plan , including phasing and cost estimates Ms Hess reviewed the existing campus layout on an aerial photograph noting the locations of the various buildings and their ages She noted that the average age of the buildings by square footage across the campus is over 20 years Ms Hess stated although the discussion at this meeting will focus on the Tart Building which includes the auditorium , she does not want anyone to lose sight of the fact that there are many other buildings on campus that are coming of age where it is time to talk about reinvestment Ms Hess presented a listing of the campus buildings and their square footage , below Bill Smith , with Stanford White , stated the total inventory of the campus buildings is approximately 450,000 square feet and the average age is over 20 years for these facilities Mr Smith reported the replacement value of these facilities at 20000 per square foot would be approximately 90 million He stated if site costs were factored in , the cost could be closer to 100 million Ms Hess stated her firm has become very familiar with the campus and she complimented the College on maintaining the facilities She continued that the average person walking through the buildings would say they are in great shape and look good However from an architect engineering perspective she sees the system side of the buildings which is the roofing , electrical , mechanical , infrastructure , etc and she noted there are problems with those systems that need addressing Tart Building Discussion Ms Hess stated the Tart Building is the first building they are focusing on because it has numerous safety concerns that need to be addressed She explained especially in the auditorium there are safety issues with respect to lighting , electrical , and the theater equipment Ms Hess stated the Tart Building was designed inPage521 April 6 , 2015 – 6 30 pm Continued 1987 with construction occurring during 1987 - 1989 and it is now approximately 27 years old The Tart Building is 51,000 square feet and the three original functions of the building were the Paul A Johnston 1,000 seat auditorium , the campus library which has moved , and classrooms that are still active along with a commercial instructional kitchen that is no longer in use Ms Hess stated the Tart Building , just like all the other buildings on campus , has been maintained well but it has not had any major renovations or system replacements She noted especially with the rigging , ropes , and other equipment in the auditorium , due to their age and heavy use , there is a real safety concern Ms Hess stated the College has had to rent rigging equipment and they are paying high rental costs just to maintain currently booked shows Both Ms Hess and Mr Smith thoroughly reviewed the list of issues on the Tart Building that need to be addressed following and provided photographs of those areas • Tart Building Exterior o Metal cladding is rusted and needs to be replaced • Tart Building Roof o Roof is beyond life expectancy Tears , punctures and “ alligatoring ” throughout o Open joints and laps , blistering o Recommend full replacement • Tart Building Site o Roof drains have rusted and failed o Site has drainage and flooding and erosion problems o Re - grading and civil engineering repairs recommended • Tart Building Structural o Masonry cracking o Repairs needed • Tart Building Interior o The audience amenities are acceptable , but crowded , worn and dated o Could be enhanced with additional break - out space , restrooms , concessions , and general upgrade of ambience • Tart Building Auditorium o The auditorium , stage and backstage areas need to be upgraded to meet ADA access requirements • Tart Building Equipment o All of the performance equipment systems rigging , lighting , sound , draperies , audience seating are well beyond their useful life spans and need to be replaced • Tart Building Backstage o Backstage accommodations , from the loading dock to the performer dressing rooms , operate at minimal standards Upgrades would significantly improve the backstage operations • Tart Building – Fire Protection Systems Code o Existing fire sprinkler system limited to stage area o Current code would be easier to satisfy with building - wide fire sprinkler system Page522 April 6 , 2015 – 6 30 pm Continued • Tart Building – Plumbing Systems Program o Former kitchen is now a classroom Code o Toilets do not meet current code fixture counts or handicap requirements • Tart Building – Electrical Systems Code o New energy codes promote efficiency o Modern lighting systems are 25 – 50 better than 1987 equipment o Some code problems in building Program o Usually less expensive to replace electrical than modify if building is renovated • Tart Building – HVAC Systems Age o Approaching 30 years old o HVAC equipment service life typically 20 years o Failure rate will increase over time o Equipment failures have begun chillers , pumps o Boiler will fail soon o As air handling units fail , replacement units will be too big to fit o As equipment ages , efficiency decreases o Band - aid fixes and work - arounds will become prevalent o Emergency replacements will be costly o Fewer options available when facing an unplanned replacement o 1987 design includes internally insulated ductwork unhealthy Code o New ventilation codes promote healthy buildings o Existing ventilation rates are 25 - 33 of current code standards o Code upgrades that will be difficult to accommodate if not pre - planned and handled in total o New energy codes promote efficiency o Modern boiler and chiller efficiencies are 25 - 80 better than 1987 equipment Program o Original building programs auditorium , kitchen , library o Current building programs auditorium , offices , meetings , computer , studio o System designed for kitchen now serving offices and classroom o System designed for library now serving meetings , computer , and studio o Inefficient and poorly performing operation • Tart Building – Mechanical and Electrical Systems Summary o Equipment replacement is inevitable will it be planned or a surprise o At some point necessary code upgrades will catch you o Zero investment does not mean zero cost degradation of efficiencies higher operating cost unexpected failures high cost + limited options o At what point will cost of failures and fixes outpace your operating budget o When will system failures and poor performance impact your ability to use the building Ms Hess presented and reviewed proposed renovation plans for the Tart Building , as follows PagePage pageNumber5523 April 6 , 2015 – 6 30 pm Continued Ms Hess stated the renovations could be done in phases which would not require the College to shut down the entire building at one time She noted by renovating in phases it will cost more than if the College were to shut down the building all at once and complete all the renovations at one time PagePage pageNumber6524 April 6 , 2015 – 6 30 pm Continued Ms Hess presented the following spreadsheet of costs to complete the renovation project for the Tart Building She stated the total estimated cost is 16,644,616 and once completed the building would essentially be brand new with a new back of house production space , a state - of - the - art auditorium , innovated classrooms , a new contemporary events center for meetings and other functions , more efficient and up to code systems , and a new entrance PagePage pageNumber7525 April 6 , 2015 – 6 30 pm Continued Ms Hess stated if the Tart Building were completely demolished and a new facility constructed , it would cost an additional 18 million for demolition Ms Hess stated demolition is an option that would give the College an open clean slate ; however , she is unsure what that would do for the community because the Tart Building is the community’s building She added the community loves the Tart Building and raised the funds to construct it ; therefore , a conversation needs to happen to determine what exactly needs to be done at this point Ms Hess offered to answer any questions Chairman Tony Braswell asked about the fees that were added to ticket sales a few years ago that were to be earmarked for future renovations Johnston Community College Vice President of Administrative Services Mike Cross confirmed that fees were added to ticket sales a few years ago and those funds have been and are being used for minor renovations to the Tart Building already He stated the balance of those funds is approximately 120,000 which is nowhere close to what is needed for the building Johnston Community College Board of Trustees Chair Lyn Austin stated she wants the Board of County Commissioners participation because the Tart Building is more than a college auditorium in that it is a community auditorium Ms Austin stated she feels the College has done a good job of maintaining the structure , but the systems are failing She continued that at this point , when things are at a point of failing , everyone needs to have a discussion to determine what the Tart Building should be and where does the funding come from Ms Austin stated she had asked Dr Johnson to get statistics on how much the College uses the auditorium versus the community and it looks like 70 of the events in the auditorium are community events Commissioner DeVan Barbour asked if cost estimates per phase were available as well as time estimates in between phases Mr Smith stated the phasing was suggested purely to keep the building in operation during construction and they do not have those estimates separated out Ms Austin stated she has issues with phasing the renovations because the community uses the building very much and it concerns her that there are safety issues that could be hazardous to those using the building She asked would it be better to close the building and get the renovations done Ms Hess responded it will be cheaper to complete the renovations at one time instead of phasing , but they proposed phasing because they were unsure if the College could live with the building being completely closed for an extended period Upon a question by Commissioner Barbour , Ms Hess stated phasing the renovations would add anywhere from six months to a year to the construction time Ms Austin stated the Tart Building is the heart of the campus and that should be taken into consideration because it will define how the rest of the campus will be structured which is why the Board of Trustees wanted the County Commissioners to be involved in the discussions Ms Hess reminded everyone that there is a whole campus need and while the Tart Building is the highest priority right now because of safety concerns and because of its location , there are many needs across the entire campus that will need to be addressed Commissioner Allen L Mims , Jr stated it sounds to him that the Tart Building has been made the priority versus other things such as parking lot repairs , etc Commissioner Mims noted they have been working on fixing some of the roofs ; therefore , some of them have already been completed recently Commissioner Mims spoke on the limited amount of funds available and noted the County has been impacted by legislation that limits bond referendums to even numbered years Commissioner Mims explained it could take a few years by the time a bond referendum is voted on and then the actual bonds are sold He asked is the Tart Building unsafe to the point that it needs to be shutdown or could the remaining 65 million from the last bond referendum be used to repair the roof and update the electrical system to get by until such a time when another bond referendum could be voted on Johnston Community College Board of Trustees Member DeVan Barbour IV stated the only thing that concerns him about making some repairs now and then going from one bond referendum to the next is what happens if plans change and things do not get completed Mr Barbour asked everyone to recognize that the TartPagePage pageNumber8526 April 6 , 2015 – 6 30 pm Continued Building serves a purpose to the community and it needs to be fixed right the first time around so it will be sustainable for another 30 years Commissioner Jeffrey P Carver agreed that it would be better to complete the project at one time ; however , he does not want to raise taxes to do it Commissioner Carver stated the County must consider its available debt capacities and determine what can be afforded without raising taxes He stated right now , the County cannot afford the entire 16 million or even five or possibly ten years from now without raising taxes Commissioner Barbour stated as Commissioner Mims explained it could be as long as 2019 before funds would be available from a new bond referendum considering the County’s current debt capacities He asked if the current remaining bond funds could be used to complete some of the more critical items until another bond referendum could be considered Ms Austin expressed her concerns that the College has never been given access to enough of the bond referendum monies to do what they needed to do Commissioner Carver stated he can empathize with the College , but he spoke on the other numerous needs the County Commissioners has to consider noting the County Courthouse currently had netting on the side of the building and is in need of repairs as well Ms Austin stated the Board of Trustees were also surprised at the estimated cost for the Tart Building renovations as well as the current condition it is in given that the building still looks good from the outside She stated the Board of Trustees have to consider that the College is an educational facility so the limited funding that is available to them must go towards educating the citizens of this County She stated it is time for everyone across the State to look at what community colleges mean to the economy and to this State Commissioner Barbour asked if any thoughts had been given to other outside sources of revenue Dr Johnson responded they have had conversations concerning outside sources of revenue He noted the College recently received a donation of stock that resulted in a little over 300,000 that would be rolled into the renovation project Dr Johnson stated there will also be opportunities for naming Chairman Braswell stated it is a lot of information the Commissioners need to take in and study , but he stressed that the Board’s commitment has been and always will be education to not only Johnston County Schools but also to Johnston Community College Chairman Braswell stated the County does not have the ability to write a check for 16 million , but more discussions need to be had At the inquiry of Commissioner Chad M Stewart , Ms Hess stated the goal is to finish the Master Plan update by August She explained that because of the Tart Building needs , it was felt the County Commissioners needed to be brought in for a conversation regarding the future of the facility County Manager Rick Hester stated the Board of Commissioners will receive an update on the County’s debt capacity later this summer and he will be glad to share that information with the College Chairman Braswell reminded everyone that because of the new legislation , the County is limited to holding bond referendums in even numbered years He stated the County had anticipated having another referendum in 2017 , but with the new legislation it may have to be in 2018 Commissioner Mims asked if bond monies from a new referendum were not available for three or four more years , will the Tart Building need to be shut down Ms Hess stated on the auditorium side of the Tart Building she would be very nervous to keep going because of the condition of the rigging , lighting , and backhouse functions Commissioner Mims asked how much it would cost to replace those parts of the auditorium to make them safe to operate Ms Hess responded those features could be fixed ; however , when one component is replaced such as the mechanical systems , then another one such as the electrical systems is impacted and would then need addressing She stated when you start repairing specific things it can grow to create other problems Ms Hess also explained if things were done to just update the code or address ADA requirements , useable square footage would be lost in other areas PagePage pageNumber9527 April 6 , 2015 – 6 30 pm Continued The Board of Commissioners and the Board of Trustees continued to discuss specific areas that could be renovated and how it would impact other areas Ms Austin asked if it is possible to have a bond referendum just for Johnston Community College County Attorney Jennifer Slusser responded that she would have to research that question Chairman Braswell reminded everyone that even if there is a bond referendum for just the Community College , the County must still have the capacity to repay that debt Dr Johnson thanked the Board of Commissioners for the opportunity to jointly meet and stated the College will continue to share information with the County as it becomes available There being no further business , Commissioner Cookie Pope moved the Board adjourn Commissioner Jeffrey P Carver seconded the motion , which carried by unanimous vote The meeting adjourned at 8 00 pm Tony Braswell , Chairman Paula G Woodard , Clerk to the BoardPage