June 17, 1992 - 7:30 PM - County Board of Commissioners Meeting Minutes (Recessed)

June 17,1992The Johnston County Board of Commissioners resumed regular session Monday, June 17,1992, at 730 pmin the Commissioners Room, Johnston County Courthouse Annex, Smithfield, North Carolina, with the followingmembers presentNorman C Denning, Chairman, Frank B Holding, Vice Chairman, James W Cash, John M Booker, DVM,and Jerry F Wood, DDSAbsent NoneAlso Present Richard B Self, County Manager, and Joyce H Ennis, Clerk to the BoardThe Chairman called the meeting to order and the following business was transacted1 School Budget PresentationDr Dicky Parrish, Chairman of the Board of Education, asked the Commissioners to hear Dr ThomasHoulihan, Superintendent of Johnston County SchoolsMessage to the County Commissioners - 61792GOOD EVENING, AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS EACH OF YOU DURING THISTIME OF THE YEAR, WE REALIZE THAT YOU HAVE A VERY DIFFICULT SET OF DECISIONS TO MAKE, ANDYOUR WILLINGNESS TO CONSIDER CAREFULLY OUR LOCAL BUDGET REQUEST IS APPRECIATEDTHE JOHNSTON COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION SHARES YOUR FRUSTRATION AND OUTRAGEREGARDING THE LEGISLATURES PASS ON MENTALITY FROM SCHOOL SYSTEM UTILITY BILLS TOWORKPLACE SAFETY FUNDS, THE SITUATION IS REACHING INTOLERABLE LIMITS IT IS ALMOSTIMPOSSIBLE TO ACHIEVE A WIN -WIN SOLUTION TO COUNTY NEEDS WHEN ALL OF US ARE BEING SET UPBY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN A WIN -LOSE SCENARIO WE PLEDGE TO WORK WITH YOU TO SEND AMESSAGE TO OUR LEGISLATURE THAT THE CURRENT FUNDING SHELL GAME CANNOT CONTINUEAS AN UPDATETOYOU, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD TO SECURE ADDITIONAL STATE FUNDING IN THECATEGORY OF LOW- WEALTH SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING LAST YEARS APPROPRIATION WAS USED TOBEGIN AN ACADEMICALLY GIFTED PROGRAM IN GRADES SEVEN EIGHT, PURCHASE COMPUTER LABS INSOME OF OUR SCHOOLS, AND HIRE LAB PROCTORS FOR THESE COMPUTER LABS AS CHAIR OF THESTATE -WIDE CONSORTIUM OF LOW- WEALTH SCHOOL SYSTEMS, I AM HOPEFUL THAT ADDITIONAL FUNDSWILL BE ALLOCATED TO EXPAND SERVICES TO CHILDRENWE HAVE ALSO BEEN VERY AGGRESSIVE IN SEEKING STATE AND FEDERAL GRANTS AT THIS TIME WEARE CONFIDENT THAT JOHNSTON COUNTY WILL RECEIVE A THREE -YEAR GRANT FROM THE FEDERALGOVERNMENT TO IMPLEMENT TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT IN OUR SYSTEM THIS GRANT, WORTHAPPROXIMATELY 120,000, WILL PROVIDE MONEYTO HIRE ACOORDINATOR OFSTAFF DEVELOPMENTFOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEMIN ADDITION, WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT THE NC DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION WILL AWARDJOHNSTON COUNTY A THREE -YEAR GRANT WORTH APPROXIMATELY 15 MILLION TO DEVELOPSPECIFIC OUTCOMES FOR STUDENTS AND A METHOD TO ADEQUATELY TEST THESE OUTCOMESFINALLY, YOUR SUPERINTENDENT HAS AN APPOINTMENT NEXT WEEK WITH THE DEPUTY SECRETARYOF EDUCATION TO EXPLORE POSSIBLE FEDERAL FUNDING SUPPORT FOR PROJECT L3THESE EXAMPLES ARE PROVIDED TO ASSURE YOU THAT EVERY POSSIBLE SOURCE OF ADDITIONALASSISTANCE IS BEING EXPLORED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE CHILDREN OF OUR COUNTYBELIEVE IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THE FINDINGS OF THE NC PUBLIC SCHOOL FORUMSRECENT REPORT ON LOCAL SCHOOL FINANCE IN THIS REPORT ISSUED LAST MONTH, JOHNSTONCOUNTY RANKED 28TH OUT OF 100 COUNTIES IN OVERALL EFFORT BASED ON EFFORT AND ABILITY,WE BELIEVE IT IS OUR PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY TO NOTE THAT THE EFFORTS BY THECOMMISSIONERS TO FUND SCHOOLS IS WELL ABOVE THE STATE AVERAGE AND WE THANK YOU FORYOUR DEMONSTRATED SUPPORT OF OUR EFFORTSTHE ISSUES BEFORE US, UNFORTUNATELY, CALL FOR CAREFUL CONSIDERATION OF AVAILABLERESOURCES TWO PRIORITIES MUST BE SOLVED THROUGH LEADERSHIP AND COOPERATION; 1 THELOSS OF STATE REVENUE FOR UTILITIES 2 THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PLAN TO ADDRESS SCHOOLFACILITY NEEDS IN OUR COUNTY269AT THE VERY MINIMUM, WE MUST FIND SOLUTIONS TO THESE ISSUES, AND WE PLEDGE TO WORK WITHYOU TO ADEQUATELY SOLVE THE QUANDARIES WE FACE AS A COMMUNITYAM VERY PROUD OF THE PROGRESS WE HAVE MADE IN EDUCATION PLEASE CONSIDER THEFOLLOWING1 AVERAGE SAT SCORES FOR JOHNSTON COUNTY SENIORS WAS 857 LAST YEAR,WELL ABOVE THE STATE AVERAGE AND ONLY FOUR POINTS BELOW THE AVERAGE SCOREIN CHARLOTTE- MECKLEN BURG2 STUDENT IMPROVEMENT IN THE AREA OF 6TH GRADE WRITING SCORES HAS BEENREMARKABLE, WITH SCORES INCREASING 33 POINTS THIS PAST YEAR3 10TH GRADE WRITING SCORES ARE WELL ABOVE THE STATE AND REGION AVERAGESIN THIS FIRST YEAR OF TESTING4 AND FINALLY, STUDENT PERFORMANCE ON THE CAT AND END -OF- COURSE TESTSCONTINUES TO SHOW CONSISTENT PERFORMANCEWE HAVE OUR PROBLEMS, TO BE SURE MOST NOTABLE, WE MUST IMPROVE DISCIPLINE IN OURSCHOOLS WE NEED TO CONTINUE WORKING ON THE DROP -OUT RATE, AND WE MUST DO A BETTERJOBOF PREPARING OUR STUDENTS FOR SUCCESS IN THE 21ST CENTURYTHE EXPANSION ITEMS IN THIS YEARS BUDGET REFLECT AN EMPHASIS ON CONTINUED IMPROVEMENTFROM INCREASED EMPLOYEE SUPPLEMENTS TO AN EMPHASIS ON EMPLOYEE EVALUATION ANDALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS I BELIEVE YOU WILL FIND OUR REQUESTS TIED TO IMPROVED LEVELS OFPERFORMANCE WE ASK THAT YOU CAREFULLY CONSIDER THESE NEW ITEMS AS YOU CONTINUE YOURBUDGET DELIBERATIONSIN THE FINAL ANALYSIS, YOUR JOB IS A DIFFICULT ONE WE ONLY ASK THAT YOU GIVE OUR BUDGETREQUEST CAREFUL CONSIDERATION AND APPROACH THIS TASK WITH AN UNDERSTANDING THATIMPROVED EDUCATION HOLDS THE KEY TO THE FUTURE OF THIS COUNTY IN THE PROCESS, I CONVEYA SPIRIT OF COOPERATION AND A WILLINGNESS TO WORK CLOSELY WITH YOU TO SOLVE OUR PROBLEMSAND MEET THE NEEDS OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTYTHANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THESE THOUGHTS WITH YOU THIS EVENINGSchool Board member, Gordon Woodruff, discussed the problems facing the Board of Education because ofthe cut in state funding for utility bills It is projected that approximately 500,000 additional current expense moneywill be needed for utility bills during the next school yearCommissioner John M Booker questioned several items in the schools prepared budget He expressed concernover the inadequate number of books and periodicals in our school libraries Dr Houlihan stated he shared Dr Bookersconcern, however, he noted all school libraries now meet the standards set by Southern AccreditationCommissioner Frank B Holding noted that the Countys primary responsibility in relation to education is tomeet the schools capital needs He favored the Board increasing the Schools Capital Outlay allocation by 15 millionFollowing discussion, it was agreed that a final decision on the schools budget would be postponed untilThursday, June 25th, in order to give the School Board an opportunity to discuss how additional capital outlay fundswould impact on their budget2 1992 -93 BudgetThe Board discussed budget items and approved the followingA New PositionsChild Subbort DepartmentRegister of DeedsHealth DepartingntFire CodeSocial ServicesSheriffs Departingnt1 Child Support Agent1 Clerk Typist III1 Clerk Typist III1 Public Health Nurse I - Maternal Health1 Social Worker I - Child Health6 Public Health Nurse I - Adult Health Clinic1 Animal Control Officer2 Fire Inspectors1 Social Worker III2 deputies Retained from Drug Task Force2 deputies upgrade 2 existing jailer positionsB Daffy -Day Treatment Center A 5,000 appropriation approved270C Public Library - Bookmobile The Board agreed to allocate 32,000 for a smaller bookmobile,contingent upon state funding for the balance of costD Tobacco Museum of Kenly 7,000 appropriation approvedE Employee Salary Adjustment - The Board approved a 4 cost of living increase for county employees3 Sheriffs VehiclesCounty Manager, Richard Self, informed the Board the County has an opportunity to purchase deputy vehicles1992 Ford Crown Victoria - Police Package at a considerable savings He asked the Board to authorize the immediatepurchase of next years deputy vehicles so that the County can take advantage of this savingsUpon a motion by Commissioner Jerry F Wood, seconded by Commissioner Frank B Holding and carried byunanimous vote, the Board authorized the purchaseUpon a motion by Commissioner Frank B Holding, seconded by Commissioner John M Booker and carriedby unanimous vote, the Board recessed until 730 pm, Thursday, June 25, 1992Norman C Denning, ChairmanJoyce H Ennis, ClerkDetailsAnnotationsEntry PropertiesModified11192013 14951 PMCreated5142003 93527 AMTemplateMinutesFieldsMinutes - TypeRecessedMinutes - Date6171992Book19