August 24, 1983 - 7:30 PM - County Board of Commissioners Meeting Minutes (Recessed)

Meeting of Board of Commissioners - Johnston County, NCFrank B Holding, Vice - Chairman, cal led the Public Hearing to orderHe explained to the audience the reason for the Chairmans absencePUBLIC HEARINGPurpose To consider the levy of a one -half per cent 12 supplementallocal government sales and use tax for Johnston County and to give interestedcitizens the opportunity to present their views to the Board of County CommissionersRECORD OF ATTENDANCE 29 people in attendance; 27 for and 2 againstthe passage of the one -half per cent supplemental sales and use tax levy for JohnstonCountyAugust 24, 1983NAMEAREA OF COUNTYThe Johnston County Board of Commissioners reconvened in regular session Wednesday,AGAINSTAugust 24,,1983, at 730 pm, in the Commissioners Room of the Johnston County Courthouse,David 0 ProctorOnea I sSmithfield, North Carolina, with the following members presentIFrank B Holding, Vice - Chairman, James W Cash, Howard Benton, andJohnSmithfieldM Booker, DVM?iMember Absent Norman C Denning, ChairmanIIR -I SelmaChairman Denning called August 241 1983; am advising the County Mangerthat he was out of state and because of unexpected delays, he would not beableClaytonto get back to Smithfield for the board meeting Public Hearing Chairman Denningasked to be excused and asked that the Vice - Chairman and board members be advisedAyden BarefootMeadowthat he favored the passing and official adoption of the resolution levying a one -halfper cent 12 supplemental sales and use tax for Johnston CountyJ T SmithFrank B Holding, Vice - Chairman, cal led the Public Hearing to orderHe explained to the audience the reason for the Chairmans absencePUBLIC HEARINGPurpose To consider the levy of a one -half per cent 12 supplementallocal government sales and use tax for Johnston County and to give interestedcitizens the opportunity to present their views to the Board of County CommissionersRECORD OF ATTENDANCE 29 people in attendance; 27 for and 2 againstthe passage of the one -half per cent supplemental sales and use tax levy for JohnstonCountyNAMEAREA OF COUNTYFORAGAINSTDavid 0 ProctorOnea I sxWilliam K ParrishSmithfieldxHugh ParrishR -I SelmaxAllan E MiiarshburnClaytonxAyden BarefootMeadowJ T SmithWiIdersxRoy C CoatesN SmithfieldxL S WoodallSmithfieldxRoy C Coates, IIN SmithfieldxRobert R CollinsSelmaxGrover DeesSelmaxDicky ParrishSelmaxMary Fond Daughtridge SmithfieldxHoward R WinslowSelmaxT E Pete WilliamsSmithfieldxBi I I HonakerSelmaxJimmy Rogers FlowersClaytonxSam GodwinPine LevelxPaul Gross, JrSelmaxFrankie HobartSmithfieldxPaul C Embler, JrSmithfieldxElizabeth ReidW SmithfieldxJohn A WallaceSmithfieldxKenneth BakerSmithfieldxWade StephensonSmithfieldxGene CobbSmithfieldxC E HesterSe l maxTom CoatsClevelandxJames H E I I erbeClaytonxSPEAKERS AND COMMENTS1 Kenneth Baker,Smithfield Mayor ofSmithfield -Mayor Baker appearedrepresenting himself; stated that all publicservices areexpensive and vital;knowsof no other way toprovide these services except with money and the sourceof revenuehas to be bythe people; schoolsin desperateneed of finances; theSelmaCommunity needs anew school; the taxis neededand as fair a tax aswe canhave; he supports theone -half per cent salestax2 James H EIIer6e, Clayton Superintendent ofSchools - agrees withMayorBaker; towns haveneeds as well as schools;DrEllerbe related age ofmanyschool buildings inJohnston County andthat manydollars are needed forschoolconstruction, this sales tax is a good wayto find construction moneyf336August 24, 1983 Continued3 Jimmy Rogers Flowers Clayton School Board Member - says schoolsneed money desperately and sales tax means of money for support to schoolsThe Board of Education submitted the following resolution endorsing theone -half per cent sales taxRESOLUTIONENDORSING ONE-HALF CENT SALES TAXWHEREAS, the children and teachers of Johnston County should have aworking environment conducive to learning and consistent with that provided toother Johnston i ans in government and industry, andWHEREAS, the North Carolina General Assembly has empowered Boardsof County Commissioners to levy an additional one -half cent sales tax, andiWHEREAS, the Johnston County School System has school construction needsin excess of fifteen million dollars, andWHEREAS, the Johnston County Board of Education cannot alleviate thoseAdopted by the Johnston County Board of Education in regular sessionon this the 9th day of August, 1983Wade H Stephenson James H El I erbeWade H Stephenson, Chairman James H Ellerbe, EdDSe c re taryR Sherwood Parker Jimmy Rogers FlowersR Sherwood Parker, Vice Chairman Jimmy R FlowersRoyster Martin Kenneth JonesRoyster Martin Kenneth Jones4 Grover, Dees - Selma Mayor of Selma - Mayor Dees - commented thataccording to 1970 study the school at Selma should have been taken out of service;he supports sales tax for new school in Selma community; Mayor Dees introducedthe following resolution from the Selma Town Council supporting the one -half percent sales tax;RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE ONE -HALF CENT SALES TAX PROPOSALWHEREAS, a Junior High School in the Selma area is greatly needed; andWHEREAS, the Johnston County Board of Education recently voted to builda Junior High School in the Selma area; andWHEREAS, this is to be the Board of Educations top priority item forcapital projects until it is completed; andWHEREAS, revenue is needed for this worthwhile project; andWHEREAS, the one -half cent increase in sales tax would enable the Countyto finance this project in a timely manner7W1needswith appropriations made atrecentlevels by the County Board of Commis -sioners, andWHEREAS, these constructionneeds become more critical each year, andBE IT THEREFORE RESOLVEDthatthe Johnston CountyBoard of Educationurgesthe Board of County Commissionersto adopt the salestax as authorizedby theNorth Carolina General Assembly,andBE IT FURTHER RESOLVEDthatthe Johnston CountyBoard of Educationurgesthat the levy becomes effectiveat theearliest practical time,andBE IT FURTHER RESOLVEDthat,upon passage of thisResolution, a copyshallbe spread upon the minutesof theBoard of Educationof Johnston County,andjBE IT FURTHER RESOLVEDthat,upon passage of thisResolution, a copyof itbe certified, with the sealaffixed,and transmitted tothe Johnston County?IIBoardof CommissionerslAdopted by the Johnston County Board of Education in regular sessionon this the 9th day of August, 1983Wade H Stephenson James H El I erbeWade H Stephenson, Chairman James H Ellerbe, EdDSe c re taryR Sherwood Parker Jimmy Rogers FlowersR Sherwood Parker, Vice Chairman Jimmy R FlowersRoyster Martin Kenneth JonesRoyster Martin Kenneth Jones4 Grover, Dees - Selma Mayor of Selma - Mayor Dees - commented thataccording to 1970 study the school at Selma should have been taken out of service;he supports sales tax for new school in Selma community; Mayor Dees introducedthe following resolution from the Selma Town Council supporting the one -half percent sales tax;RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE ONE -HALF CENT SALES TAX PROPOSALWHEREAS, a Junior High School in the Selma area is greatly needed; andWHEREAS, the Johnston County Board of Education recently voted to builda Junior High School in the Selma area; andWHEREAS, this is to be the Board of Educations top priority item forcapital projects until it is completed; andWHEREAS, revenue is needed for this worthwhile project; andWHEREAS, the one -half cent increase in sales tax would enable the Countyto finance this project in a timely manner7W13 orAugust 24, 1983 ContinuedNOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE TOWNOF SF_LMA meeting in special session this 18th day of August, 1983;That the City Council endorses the one -half cent sales tax proposed forJohnston CountyDULY ADOPTED THE 18TH DAY OF AUGUST, 1983Grover T DeesGROVER T DEES, MAYORTOWN OF SELMA5 Hugh Parrish, Route # I, Selma - favors the one -half per cent salestax; feels that schools need all the support they can get6 David Proctor, Route # 1, Selma - opposed to one -half per cent salestax; not interested in paying any more tax; sales tax or property tax; need tostart cutting services and stop baby - sitting ; need to consolidate many needs,however, need to cut instead of considering to increase taxes7 Roy Coates, Smithfield - Mr Coates stated to the board that hereluctantly supports the one -half per cent sales tax; reluctantly because it iscontributing to a taxing philosophy contrary to his belief in fair taxing policy ;Mr Coates further stated that it is apparent that the new tax revenue is neededto provide services desired by the citizens of our county, and recognizing theneed for additional tax revenue he finds himself troubled that he is here advocatingthat the board enact a taxing proposal that is aiding in the implementation ofa taxing scheme; Mr Coates expressed feelings that on a national scale, thetax reduction that the Reagan administration has provided is resulting in a majorshift to consumer taxation , as the county is faced with that situation here tonight8 T E Pete Williams, Smithfield -sales tax; need proposed new school in the Selmathan property tax9 Howard Winslow, Selma - supports theneeded for new school facility in Selma10for schoolto gosupports the one -half per centcommunity, thinks fairer taxone -half per cent sales tax;John A Wallace, Smithfield - supports one -half per cent sales taxneeds in Johnston County and Selma; thinks sales tax is ,the fair way11 Paul Gross, Jr, Selma - personally favors one -half per cent salestax; thinks it is the fairest and best way to raise revenue for schools, countyand municipalities; needed to upgrade educational facilities, this tax will be anasset to Johnston County12 J T Smith, Wilders Township, - need one -half per cent sales taxstrongly supports and urges County Commissioners to levy this tax13 Tom Coates, Cleveland - opposes the on -half per cent sales tax;says a regressive tax and that we will run into problems on down the road; stronglyopposed to this taxone -half per cent salesmany demands from peopleounci I Member endorsesfor a new school and inupports this taxit either the one -half pere- Chairman explained thati property tax if the salesd for revenue, would soonAt this time, the Vice- Chairman asked if there w s anyone else that wantedto speak, there was no one else desiring to be heardFrank B Holding, Vice - Chairman, at this time, xplained that the one -halfper cent sales tax would produce more money for the county than the one centsales tax, because of the method of distribution based on p pulation14Mayor Sam Godwin, Pine Level- supportax;fair tax and the only tax everyone pays;there arthatdo notpay tax15Dicky Parrish, Selma School Advisoryone -halfpercent sales tax; needs, are greatin Selmaotherareasof the county; on behalf of educationstrongly16Elizabeth Reid, Smithfield - question iscentsalestax or a property tax increaseThe Vinot at thispoint, but maybe just a matter ofdelayingtaxis notimposed; that the county, becauseof the neneedto go , one way or the otherone -half per cent salesmany demands from peopleounci I Member endorsesfor a new school and inupports this taxit either the one -half pere- Chairman explained thati property tax if the salesd for revenue, would soonAt this time, the Vice- Chairman asked if there w s anyone else that wantedto speak, there was no one else desiring to be heardFrank B Holding, Vice - Chairman, at this time, xplained that the one -halfper cent sales tax would produce more money for the county than the one centsales tax, because of the method of distribution based on p pulationf338August 24, 1983 ContinuedThe County Manager explained some of the countys capital needs atthe present time; a new jail; water line to Princeton; mapping of the county;heavy equipment for the county landfill; administrative offices and etcThe County Manager reported, as of this date, out of 100 counties, 31have approved the one -half per cent sales taxBoard members agreed and related that it is not desirable to imposea tax on the people of Johnston County, but the one -half per cent sales tax seemsto be the fairest tax, as it is for the rich and poor alike Board members continuedit gets down to a matter of which way to go, you have to decide in meeting thedemands and needs of the people, this board is under constant pressure to meetthese needs for services The Board of Commissioners feel a responsibility asthey indicated to put the money where the people will get the most out of thedollars spent, this tax will take the pressure off of property taxesBoard members expressed concern for the future of Johnston County,as they must face demands if Johnston County stays progressiveEach board members expressed favor of the one -half per cent sales taxlevy for the countyCommissioner James W Cash moved that the following resolution be adoptedfiA RESOLUTION LEVYING A ONE -HALF PER CENT 12 SUPPLEMENTAL LOCALGOVERNMENT SALES AND USE TAX AND PRESCRIBING THE METHOD OFDISTRIBUTION OF THE PROCEEDS WITHIN JOHNSTON COUNTYWHEREAS, a public hearing was held on August 24, 1983,to consider the levy of a one -half per cent 12 supplementallocal government sales and use tax, and interested citizenspresented their views to the Board of County Commissiners;andWHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners caused public notice of thepublic hearing to be given in accordance with law at least ten days prior tothe date of the hearing; andSECTION I There is hereby imposed and levied within Johnston Countythe one -half per cent I 2 supplemental local government sales and use tax auth-orized by Ratified Chapter 908 of the 1983 Session Laws, and codified as Article40 of Chapter 105 of the General Statutes_ of North Carolina, effective July 21, 1983The tax hereby imposed and levied shall apply to the same extent and be subjectto the same limitations as are set forth in said Chapter 908SECTION 2 Collection of the tax by the North Carolina Secretary ofRevenue, and l i a b i l i t y therefor, shall herein and continue on and after the firstday of October, 1983WHEREAS,the Boardof Commissionersof Johnston County is now of thebyopinion and doeshereby findand` declare thatthe levy of said sales tax withinbyJohnston County is both desirable and necessaryto adequately finance the operationJohnston County shall be divided amongof the county andthe cities andtowns herein;the municipalities herein in accordance with the method by whichNOW, THEREFORE, BEIT RESOLVED bythe Board of County Commissionerslevied in Johnston County pursuant toof Johnston Countyas followsdistributedSECTION I There is hereby imposed and levied within Johnston Countythe one -half per cent I 2 supplemental local government sales and use tax auth-orized by Ratified Chapter 908 of the 1983 Session Laws, and codified as Article40 of Chapter 105 of the General Statutes_ of North Carolina, effective July 21, 1983The tax hereby imposed and levied shall apply to the same extent and be subjectto the same limitations as are set forth in said Chapter 908SECTION 2 Collection of the tax by the North Carolina Secretary ofRevenue, and l i a b i l i t y therefor, shall herein and continue on and after the firstday of October, 1983SECTION 4 This Resolution shall become effective upon its adoption anda certified copy hereof shall be forwarded to the North Carolina Secretary of RevenueADOPTED this 24th day of August, 1983Commissioner, , Howard Benton seconded the motion which was carried bythe following voteAyes James W Cash, Howard Benton, John M Booker, DVM, and FrankB HoldingNays Noneiu1SECTION3 The net proceeds of the tax levied herein shall be distributedbythe Secretaryof Revenue on a quarterlybasis to Johnston County as prescribedbyG S 105 -486The amount distributed toJohnston County shall be divided amongtheCounty andthe municipalities herein in accordance with the method by whichtheone percentI sales and use taxeslevied in Johnston County pursuant tolArticle 39 of General Statutes Chapter 105 aredistributedSECTION 4 This Resolution shall become effective upon its adoption anda certified copy hereof shall be forwarded to the North Carolina Secretary of RevenueADOPTED this 24th day of August, 1983Commissioner, , Howard Benton seconded the motion which was carried bythe following voteAyes James W Cash, Howard Benton, John M Booker, DVM, and FrankB HoldingNays Noneiu1043 9August 24, 1983 ContinuedUpon a motion by Commissioner John M Booker, DVM duly secondedby Commissioner James W Cash, and carried by unanimous vote, the board adjournedFrank B Holding„ Vice- ChairmanEleanor N CreechClerk to the Board