June 20, 2016 - 6:00 PM - County Board of Commissioners Meeting Minutes (Special)

10 264 Meeting of the Johnston County Board of Commissioners June 20 , 2016 6 00 pm The Johnston County Board of Commissioners met in special session Monday , June 20 , 2016 at 6 00 pm in the Commissioners Meeting Room , Johnston County Courthouse Annex , Smithfield , North Carolina The following members 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 , County Attorney Jennifer J Slusser , and Paralegal Deputy Clerk to the Board Dana Cuddington Chairman Tony Braswell called the meeting to order at 6 00 pm 1 Recognition of Princeton High School Softball Team Chairman Tony Braswell called on Commissioner Chad M Stewart for a special recognition of the Princeton High School Softball Team Commissioner Chad M Stewart stated the Princeton High School Softball Team recently won the 2016 North Carolina High School Athletic Association 1 - A State Softball Championship in Raleigh Commissioner Stewart stated as he understands , Princeton’s team had a 24 - 3 season and won the State title by defeating North Stanley in a best of three series , two games to one Commissioner Stewart congratulated the team on the win and read the following resolution that was adopted by the Commissioners on June 6 , 2016 RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE PRINCETON HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL TEAM Whereas , the Johnston County Board of Commissioners takes pride in recognizing the accomplishments of all athletic teams in Johnston County ; and Whereas , the Princeton High School Softball Team won the 2016 North Carolina High School Athletic Association 1 - A State Softball Championship in Raleigh , North Carolina on June 4 , 2016 ; and Whereas , the Johnston County Board of Commissioners recognizes this great accomplishment ; and Whereas , this Championship brings statewide recognition and distinction to all of Johnston County Now Therefore , Be It Resolved , that the Johnston County Board of Commissioners hereby publicly recognizes and congratulates the Princeton High School Softball Team on winning the 2016 1 - A State Softball Championship th Adopted this the 6 day of June , 2016 Commissioner Stewart and the Board of Commissioners presented a framed plaque of the resolution to the team Head Coach Terry Braswell expressed his appreciation to the Board for the recognition and spoke on the team’s success and hard work The Team Members then introduced themselves to the audience , as follows Emily Ricks , Taylor Flowers , Natalie Smith , Megan Bryant , Brianna Myers , Taylor Carroll , Hailey Wood , Casey Mitchell , Karlyn Woodard , and Beth Braswell not present Takiria Cummings , Kortney Edwards , and Kelsey Peedin Assistant Coach Ashley Braswell and Batboy Daniel Braswell also introduced themselves to the Board Fiscal Year 2016 - 2017 Budget Discussions Chairman Tony Braswell announced the purpose of the meeting is to discuss the proposed Fiscal Year 2016 - 2017 County budget and related matters The Chairman called for anyone wishing to address the Board to come forward Page265 June 20 , 2016 – 6 00 pm Continued 2 Boys & Girls Club Thad Woodard , 616 Lakestone Drive , Raleigh , addressed the Board on behalf of the Boys & Girls Club Mr Woodard stated he is a native of Selma and has been volunteering his time to determine if there is a need and receptivity for a full - fledged Boys & Girls Club in Johnston County Mr Woodard stated there is currently a Boys & Girls Club in Selma that serves approximately 200 children and he believes there is no greater need for another full - fledged Boys & Girls Club in North Carolina than in Johnston County Mr Woodard continued the effort would be collaborative and they have already received many commitments for help He asked the Board to consider allocating as much as 25,000 to be designated for this effort to get it established and to hire a seasoned Boys & Girls Club Executive and a Development Director so the campaign can stand on its own and move forward At the inquiry of Chairman Tony Braswell , Mr Woodard stated the Selma Boys & Girls Club currently operates under the Wayne County organization and does not have a separate charter which would remain as such He stated the new facility would be established in Smithfield Commissioner Allen L Mims , Jr asked for clarification on how the 25,000 would be spent and if it would be used to hire the two initial employees to start a capital campaign Mr Woodard responded the allocation would not be used for a capital campaign in that their plans are to get an older building He stated the funds would all go towards establishing the financial strength that would be enduring Chairman Braswell asked Mr Woodard if he sees the funding request as recurring Mr Woodard stated in Wake County , the City of Raleigh as well as the County and some of the other towns have given on a continued budgeted basis when able to do so Commissioner Jeffrey P Carver stated he toured the Selma Boys & Girls Club some years ago and what he found is that the Clubs need to be in areas where they can be utilized best by the children , noting most of the children in Selma also attend Selma Elementary School which is within walking distance Commissioner Carver stated the facility needs to be in a location that parents can walk to Commissioner Ted G Godwin stated as he understands , the Selma Boys & Girls Club has been striving to be a “ zero ” facility which means they have zero drop - outs from school , zero teen pregnancies , and zero problems with the judicial system Commissioner Godwin stated he believes the Selma Club has been able to achieve that “ zero ” status which is a good thing Chairman Braswell thanked Mr Woodard for his comments stating the Board will take the request under advisement 3 North Carolina Forestry Service Johnston County Ranger Mike Winslow addressed the Board and presented the following information Page266 June 20 , 2016 – 6 00 pm Continued Mr Winslow stated currently , they have spent less than what was allotted to them for Fiscal Year 2015 - 2016 and explained they had a four - month vacancy which is one reason why less funds were spent than what was allocated Mr Winslow outlined why the increased request is needed for Fiscal Year 2016 - 2017 , as follows Page267 June 20 , 2016 – 6 00 pm Continued Mr Winslow clarified that the cost to replace the 2007 Ford F - 350 would actually be higher than 31,700 because the trucks are now required to be outfitted with a LED light system that costs approximately 1,200 Mr Winslow explained the truck to be replaced was involved in a deer collision this past year and the cost to repair the damage has been deemed too excessive for a truck at its current age mileage Mr Winslow spoke on the increased call volume and their coordinated efforts with the local emergency systems He reviewed the value added to the economy with the Board and offered to answer any questions Upon a question by Chairman Tony Braswell , Mr Winslow confirmed that the State’s allocation amount is determined by how much the County contributes County Manager Rick Hester stated he has allocated 109,000 in the proposed budget which is the same amount that was allocated for Fiscal Year 2015 - 2016 At the inquiry of Commissioner Chad M Stewart , Mr Winslow stated they have filled the vacancy in their Division Chairman Braswell thanked Mr Winslow and the Forestry Service for all they do and for their cooperation with the local fire departments and emergency systems 4 Johnston County Regional Airport Airport Authority Chairman Ken Starling addressed the Board Mr Starling explained that they would like to expand on their budget request for Fiscal Year 2016 - 2017 for improvements at the Airport He stated the Airport has been approved for a State grant in the amount of 613,800 and they need the local matching funds in the amount of 68,200 to complete their next project Mr Starling reviewed the following information with the Board noting the grant will help to improve Airport safety which is their long - range goal PagePage pageNumber5268 June 20 , 2016 – 6 00 pm Continued Mr Starling stated currently tenants at the Airport access their hangers by driving across the aircraft ramp and as the Airport is growing with larger jets coming in and more people accessing the facility , it is becoming a safety hazard He stated with the goal of improving safety , they would also like to improve access to the fuel farm which would be under a separate grant Mr Starling reviewed the following project scope with the Board PagePage pageNumber6269 June 20 , 2016 – 6 00 pm Continued Mr Starling outlined the project cost as listed below , noting that they have received approval from the State for previous grant funds in the amount of 113,471 that were not expended to be applied towards this project Mr Starling stated the local matching amount was included in the proposed budget request Mr Starling also outlined future safety improvements , as follows Mr Starling explained that future improvements include the need for a turn lane off of Swift Creek Road into the Airport and the new access to be developed He stated the project has been added to the Department of Transportation STI list for funding consideration Mr Starling stated they hope that project will be funded by the Division of Highways within the next year or two PagePage pageNumber7270 June 20 , 2016 – 6 00 pm Continued County Manager Rick Hester stated the local matching funds were shown in the Airport’s budget as incoming revenue , but it would require Board approval in order to move forward Commissioner Jeffrey P Carver commented that the funds were shown as incoming revenue and if the funds were not allocated from the County , then the Airport could use their own fund balance Commissioner Carver noted several hangers have been constructed over the last few years and he asked how this project compares to an overall footprint for the future of the Airport Commissioner Carver stated that he used to say the Airport was a diamond in the rough , but now the Airport is a diamond and he would like to make sure the future footprint is being considered Mr Starling stated the footprint in the project scope and future improvements as outlined in the presentation is the long term plan and could not be changed very much with the planned accesses there to stay Mr Starling spoke on the land at the Airport noting they have received an inquiry from someone interested in a large development at the Airport , but he cautioned that is in the very initial stages Mr Starling stated future growth is on their radar , they are planning ahead , and they are trying to make sure the Airport is shovel ready for future economic development Airport Director Ray Blackmon stated on the west side of the Airport , 17 acres remain that can be developed which has already gone through environmental assessments and permitting Mr Blackmon continued that on the eastern side , there has been some interest in that acreage but if it were developed , they would have to entertain some kind of access off of Hwy 70 Mr Blackmon stated there is a lot of room for growth at the Airport In response to Chairman Tony Braswell , Mr Blackmon stated take - offs and landings have increased at the Airport He noted they have more tenants , more business flights , the flight school , and Duke Life Flight which adds to the numbers Mr Blackmon stated the traffic has increased to the point where they are being requested to obtain their own radio frequency Commissioner Allen L Mims , Jr asked about the previous grant funds in the amount of 113,471 that were left over from another project Mr Blackmon explained those funds were a part of the terminal building project grant He stated part of that project was an additive bid for the turn lane project off of Swift Creek Road ; however , they learned that it was a project that could be paid for with Division of Highways funds Mr Blackmon stated they would prefer for the Division of Highways to pay for the road improvements so the aviation grant funds could be used for Airport improvement projects Mr Blackmon stated the Airport put up the local match on the terminal building project grant Commissioner Carver commented on the Airport’s fund balance noting it is twice as much , percentage wise , than the County’s , based on the most recent audit Mr Starling stated the Airport has been fortunate to receive good grants so they could build their balance ; however , airports operate differently He explained the Authority has tried to maintain the high fund balance to cover major malfunctions Mr Starling stated one example is that if a fuel truck goes down , the Airport would need to replace it immediately which could cost anywhere from 100,000 to 200,000 He also stated if a corporation were to decide to base their aircraft at Johnston Regional Airport and needed a hanger , the Airport would have to be in a position to make those preparations immediately Mr Starling stated with some past grants during leaner years , the Airport was able to use their own funds for local matches with the County reimbursing them later on ; however , the terminal building 41 million grant local match was covered completely with Airport funds Commissioner Ted G Godwin stated the proposed scope of improvements planned for the Airport make a lot of sense to him and appear to be well laid out Chairman Braswell thanked Mr Starling and Mr Blackmon for the information 5 Public Library of Johnston County and Smithfield Public Library of Johnston County and Smithfield Board of Trustees Vice Chair Terry Lee , 316 Rosewood Drive , Smithfield , addressed the Board and read the following statement PagePage pageNumber8271 June 20 , 2016 – 6 00 pm ContinuedPagePage pageNumber9272 June 20 , 2016 – 6 00 pm Continued Public Library of Johnston County and Smithfield Board of Trustees Chairman Jeff Jennings , 62 N Bellaire Court , Clayton , thanked the Board for their continued support Mr Jennings also thanked County Manager Rick Hester for his assistance recently with establishing a Memorandum of Understanding between the Library , the County , and the Town of Smithfield for emergency repairs which was greatly needed Mr Jennings reported the Library was able to recently migrate over to the North Carolina Cardinal System which was a big deal that allows for the sharing of books all across the State of North Carolina Mr Jennings explained how the NC Cardinal System works and how it benefits the patrons of the Library Mr Jennings stated the Selma , Princeton , Benson , Four Oaks , and Kenly Libraries are all affiliated with the Public Library of Johnston County and Smithfield , noting that when they speak about the budget for the Library , they are also speaking about the affiliated libraries as well Mr Jennings stated the Library Director reports that approximately 60 of the time spent cataloging and processing the materials that come through are done for the affiliated libraries Mr Jennings stated the Library Board of Trustees is committed to finding creative ways to fund and grow the services of the Library while taking proper care of the facilities He spoke on one new service being offered in the Flowers Plantation community of Johnston County called the “ Grab and Go ” program He explained the Library has partnered with a local insurance company where people are allowed to come in and drop off books , pick up books , and take them home He noted in the four months the program has existed , over 400 books have gone through the system Mr Jennings stated the only cost associated with the program is the time that one of the Library employees takes when they pick up drop off the books on their way to and from work since they live close by Mr Jennings thanked the Board for hearing their comments and offered to answer any questions At the inquiry of Commissioner Jeffrey P Carver , Mr Jennings stated the “ Grab and Go ” drop off is located in the Food Lion Shopping Center at Flowers Planation in the Family Insurance Group office Chairman Tony Braswell thanked Mr Jennings and Ms Lee for their comments Chairman Braswell spoke on the pre - school program that is offered at the Library noting it is very good Commissioner Carver reminded everyone that the Library is a joint venture between the County and the Town of Smithfield Commissioner Allen L Mims , Jr asked if the additional 13,000 in funding would be split between the County and the Town of Smithfield Finance Director and Assistant County Manager Chad McLamb stated 13,000 in additional funds has been requested from the County Chairman Tony Braswell reminded everyone that the Board would be meeting again on June 27 , 2016 at 8 15 am in the Commissioners Meeting Room to adopt the Fiscal Year 2016 - 2017 County Budget Chairman Braswell asked if there is anyone else in the audience that wished to speak There being no further speakers or business to come before the Board , Commissioner Chad M Stewart moved the Board adjourn Commissioner Cookie Pope seconded the motion , which carried by unanimous vote The meeting adjourned at 6 50 pm ____________________________ Tony Braswell , Chairman Paula G Woodard , Clerk to the BoardPage