March 17-18, 2022 - County Board of Commissioners Meeting Minutes (Strategic Planning Session)

10 652 Meeting of the Johnston County Board of Commissioners March 17 - 18 , 2022 Special Meeting Strategic Planning Session The Johnston County Board of Commissioners met in special session on Thursday , March 17 and Friday , March 18 , 2022 in the Marshbanks Alumni Hall at Campbell University located at 143 Main Street in Buies Creek , North Carolina The following members were present Present Chairman RS “ Butch ” Lawter , Jr , Vice Chairman Patrick E Harris , Tony Braswell , Ted G Godwin , Fred J Smith , Jr , and Richard D Braswell th Absent Vice Chairman Patrick E Harris was absent for Friday , March 18 Also Present Rick J Hester , County Manager , Paula G Woodard , Clerk to the Board , J Chad McLamb , Finance Director and Deputy County Manager , Martha Lasater , Debt Manager , Jennifer J Slusser , County Attorney , Dana Cuddington , Paralegal Deputy Clerk to the Board Facilitated by North Carolina Association of County Commissioners - Executive Director Kevin Leonard , Deputy Director & General Counsel Amy Bason , and Outreach Associate Neil Emory along with Support Staff Christy Berk , Denise Canada , Jason King , and Don Reeves Thursday , March 17 , 2022 Chairman RS “ Butch ” Lawter , Jr called the meeting to order at 9 45 am Commissioner Patrick E Harris offered a prayer and Commissioner Ted G Godwin led everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American Flag Chairman Lawter announced that Commissioner Tony Braswell would be arriving later in the morning He thanked Campbell University President Dr J Bradley Creed for allowing the Board to use the facilities Chairman Lawter also thanked the staff for their work in coordinating the session as well as his fellow Commissioners for taking time out of their schedules to meet and look to the future Chairman Lawter recognized representatives from the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners NCACC to facilitate the session 1 Process , Introductions , Expectation Setting , and Setting the Stage NCACC Executive Director Kevin Leonard thanked the Board for setting aside two days out of their busy schedules in an effort to come together and think about the future of Johnston County Mr Leonard stated their facilitation of the Board’s strategic planning session is somewhat of a new venture for the Association and he would appreciate any feedback from the Board following the close of the meeting tomorrow Mr Leonard also noted that the session is being livestreamed and he thanked the public for watching from home Mr Leonard reviewed the agenda with the Board and noted that although the various items on the agenda have set times , they can be adjusted as necessary Mr Leonard recognized NCACC Deputy Director and General Counsel Amy Bason as well as Outreach Associate Neil Emory who shared their backgrounds with the Board Mr Leonard also introduced NCACC Support Staff Christy Berk , Denise Canada , Jason King , and Don Reeves Mr Leonard began the discussions by reviewing the roles and responsibilities of the Board of Commissioners Ms Bason discussed expectations as well as desired outcomes and rules of operations with the Board for the session She stated things to remember are actively listening to each other , asking constructive questions , using specific examples to ensure clarity of vision , allowing the facilitators to keep everyone on track , and jointly designing the next steps Chairman Lawter stated he is hoping to create a roadmap for not only the staff but for the Board and the people of Johnston County Mr Leonard began the discussions by sharing a story with the Board on his preparation and time spent hiking a part of the Appalachian Trail and how that compares to the Board’s preparation and work during this session He stated the plan involves reviewing data environmental scan , identifying priorities , gaining focus making a plan , and developing three to five top priorities Page653 March 17 – 18 , 2022 – Strategic Planning Session – Continued 2 Review of Survey Data NCACC Outreach Associate Neil Emory stated the Commissioners were provided with a survey prior to the session in an effort to determine issues that were important to them He stated as the Board talks about creating a roadmap , it is helpful to know the main issues of importance Mr Emory stated the first question on the survey asked why the Commissioners wanted to run for office and many of the responses included development and land use , water and sewer in unincorporated areas , transportation issues , county - wide parks and recreation , school construction , workforce development , solid waste , county space needs , vision planning , leadership , and long term livability He spoke on the challenges the Board is faced with when it comes to balance on growth and development as well as protecting what makes Johnston County special Mr Emory stated some of the other issues from the survey included broadband service , public transportation , capital improvements , and education Mr Emory stated later in the session , he would like for the Board to look deeper into these issues to determine exactly what these issues mean for them and what is the role of the Commissioners 3 Financial Presentation from Davenport Kyle Laux with Davenport & Company LLC presented the following financial update to the Board Mr Laux highlighted the fact that Johnston County is in very good shape financially He introduced new team member with Davenport , Austin Sacks Page654 March 17 – 18 , 2022 – Strategic Planning Session – ContinuedPage655 March 17 – 18 , 2022 – Strategic Planning Session – ContinuedPagePage pageNumber5656 March 17 – 18 , 2022 – Strategic Planning Session – ContinuedPagePage pageNumber6657 March 17 – 18 , 2022 – Strategic Planning Session – ContinuedPagePage pageNumber7658 March 17 – 18 , 2022 – Strategic Planning Session – ContinuedPagePage pageNumber8659 March 17 – 18 , 2022 – Strategic Planning Session – ContinuedPagePage pageNumber9660 March 17 – 18 , 2022 – Strategic Planning Session – ContinuedPage0661 March 17 – 18 , 2022 – Strategic Planning Session – ContinuedPage1662 March 17 – 18 , 2022 – Strategic Planning Session – ContinuedPage2663 March 17 – 18 , 2022 – Strategic Planning Session – ContinuedPage3664 March 17 – 18 , 2022 – Strategic Planning Session – ContinuedPage4665 March 17 – 18 , 2022 – Strategic Planning Session – ContinuedPage5666 March 17 – 18 , 2022 – Strategic Planning Session – ContinuedPage6667 March 17 – 18 , 2022 – Strategic Planning Session – Continued Mr Laux concluded his presentation and offered to answer any questions The Board thanked Mr Laux and Mr Sacks for the information The Board recessed for thirty minutes for lunch Commissioner Tony Braswell arrived to the meeting 4 Johnston County Success and Johnston County Data Mr Leonard discussed the successes over the years by Johnston County with the Board The Commissioners each spoke on what they believe is a success , in particular all the economic development announcements and how they have brought good paying jobs for the citizens The Board also spoke on how many schools have been constructed over the years as well as the extension of water to citizens , enhancements in public safety and customer service , and strides in open space and recreational opportunities NCACC Fiscal and Policy Research Director Denise Canada reviewed the following data with the Board Page7668 March 17 – 18 , 2022 – Strategic Planning Session – ContinuedPage8669 March 17 – 18 , 2022 – Strategic Planning Session – ContinuedPage9670 March 17 – 18 , 2022 – Strategic Planning Session – ContinuedPage0671 March 17 – 18 , 2022 – Strategic Planning Session – ContinuedPage1672 March 17 – 18 , 2022 – Strategic Planning Session – Continued At the inquiry of Chairman Lawter , Kyle Laux , with Davenport , stated the data presented is very helpful and they would like to have it for the next round of meetings with the bond rating agencies Chairman Lawter thanked the NCACC for the presentation stating this is very useful information for the Board to have 5 Discussion by the Board Mr Leonard and Ms Bason discussed observations from the day with the Board and asked the Commissioners to list their top three to five priorities Commissioner Richard D Braswell – infrastructure and education Commissioner Ted G Godwin – completion of Land Use Plan , capital improvements planning for County facilities , and achieving a funding solution for solid waste disposal Chairman RS “ Butch ” Lawter , Jr – completion of Land Use Plan revision of ordinances , infrastructure , transportation , education , continue providing excellent customer service for the citizens and having the proper facilities conducive to conducting business , and economic development Page2673 March 17 – 18 , 2022 – Strategic Planning Session – Continued Vice Chairman Patrick E Harris – in addition to completing the Land Use Plan and infrastructure as others mentioned - county facilities and judicial space needs , school construction and school facilities , parks and recreation open space , competitive salaries and incentives for employees , and continuing to maintain a healthy financial outlook Commissioner Tony Braswell – economic development and continuing to create jobs , completion of the Land Use Plan revision of ordinances , continuing to maintain a strong financial standing , public safety , the need for another recreation bond , and school construction Commissioner Fred J Smith , Jr – the need to make sure the Board is using use the taxpayers ’ money in accordance with the responsibilities and authority given to the Board by North Carolina General Statutes , public safety , governmental facilities , providing funds for school facilities , and making good use of our resources including land and water The Board took a 20 minute recess The Board continued to discuss priorities with the facilitators and how to accomplish goals for the future of the County Mr Leonard concluded the day’s conversation stating they will work on combining all the priorities discussed in an effort to work on a ranking system tomorrow Upon a motion by Commissioner Ted G Godwin , seconded by Commissioner Richard D Braswell , and carried unanimously , the Board recessed the meeting at 5 00 pm until Friday , March 18 , 2022 at 9 30 am Friday , March 18 , 2022 Chairman RS “ Butch ” Lawter , Jr reconvened the meeting at 9 30 am Chairman Lawter noted that Vice Chairman Patrick E Harris is under the weather and would not be in attendance today Chairman Lawter also acknowledged that there were some technical difficulties with the livestreaming yesterday ; however , all the sessions are being recorded and staff would upload those videos to the County’s YouTube channel next week Chairman Lawter thanked the staff for all the work that they do in helping the Board accomplish their work as well as serving the citizens of Johnston County 6 Check - In Discussion from the Previous Day and Mission Statement Ms Bason asked the Board to share their thoughts from the previous day’s session The Board discussed the presentation by Denise Canada and how important that information and data is The Commissioners each acknowledged the parts of the previous day’s session that were meaningful to them and how these discussions must continue as the County continues to evolve Mr Leonard shared the current mission statement of the Board on the screen , as follows “ The mission of the Johnston County Board of Commissioners is to provide leadership and support , and to advocate actions for an effective County Government that seeks to enhance the quality of life for present and future generations of the people of Johnston County ” Mr Leonard stated in thinking about the conversations from the previous day , they worked with the current mission statement and offered the following for revisions “ The mission of the Johnston County Board of Commissioners is to provide visionary leadership and strategic guidance support , and to advocate actions for an that promotes effective and efficient County Government that seeks to enhance the quality of life for the present and future generations of the people of Johnston County in a fiscally responsible manner ” Mr Leonard noted that the mission statement is something that should be looked at every so often as the goals and priorities change The Commissioners discussed the proposed revisions and there was a favorable consensus of the changes by the Board Mr Leonard noted that they are not asking the Board to take any kind of action today He stated the NCACC would compile the information from the session and provide that to the Board at a later date for consideration 7 Discussion of Priorities Mr Leonard stated the main priorities they heard from yesterday’s session include infrastructure , land use , financial stewardship , educational funding , county employees , and public safety The Commissioners discussed the list of priorities and how staff can address some of the subcategories under the various priorities Page3674 March 17 – 18 , 2022 – Strategic Planning Session – Continued Chairman RS “ Butch ” Lawter , Jr agreed that many of the subcategories should be the responsibility of staff ; however , it is the Board’s responsibility to have the vision and proper policies in place to make sure those tasks are carried out Staff expressed their thoughts to the Board that with the Fiscal Year 2022 - 2023 budget process beginning , it is helpful for the Board to establish which priorities are on the forefront The Board discussed the need to decide on how much should be considered for the next school bond referendum because those deadlines are fast approaching Mr Leonard noted the point of this exercise is not to take any specific actions today , but rather to identify the issues to focus on and put them in some kind of ranking order as a guide for staff and the citizens The Board also discussed county space needs and how to address space issues for the Department of Social Services , Administration , and warehouse and logistics space for Emergency Services and Buildings & Grounds County Manager Rick Hester noted that a county space needs study is in the final stages and there are many details to be considered , but one of the biggest needs in the study is space for the Department of Social Services Mr Hester also noted that Davenport is working with staff on the financial model to layer in debt for a school bond , depending on what amount the Board decides The Board discussed that two of the main items that will require decisions sooner than later are county facilities and the next school bond referendum amount It was noted that while the other issues are equally important , decisions for those would come later down the road as some of them are currently out of the Board’s control or part of long - range items The Board recessed for forty - five minutes for lunch The Board reconvened the meeting and continued their discussions regarding a school bond referendum as well as county space needs and how existing space could be used if a new building is constructed for the Department of Social Services There was a consensus of the Board to go forward with a school bond referendum and discussion regarding an exact amount could be determined once more financial information is available from Davenport Following further discussion by the Board on county space needs and how to use the existing DSS space once a building is constructed for that department , County Attorney Jennifer Slusser noted that with the completion of the space needs study and the financial information from Davenport coming soon , the Board will have more information to base their decisions upon Ms Slusser stated Davenport will have detailed information as it relates to debt capacity and affordability while the space study will help to answer a lot of questions on county space needs Mr Leonard agreed with Ms Slusser and stated it sounds as though the Board is very close to being able to make some decisions , and there are just a few last pieces of data forthcoming to help in that process 8 Wrap Up – Next Steps The Board began to discuss their final thoughts for the day and look at next steps Chairman RS “ Butch ” Lawter , Jr noted that he is hesitant to make any hard decisions today with the absence of Vice Chairman Patrick E Harris Chairman Lawter stated that Vice Chairman Harris has some very strong opinions and thoughts as it relates to county facilities and some of the other issues discussed Mr Leonard stated that in regular meetings , the Board does not have time to discuss in depth the various issues , so this has been a good opportunity to have more of that discussion and learn where everyone is at with their own thoughts Finance Director and Deputy County Manager Chad McLamb commented that for whatever decisions the Board makes over the next few months , this is a year - to - year process for staff He stated staff can take direction from the Board and continue to work with Davenport on the financial model and keep the Board updated County Attorney Jennifer Slusser thanked the Board for taking the last two days to have these types of conversations She stated that coming up with priorities are helpful to staff and even though there may not be action items associated with all the priorities identified , it lets staff know where to focus their time and efforts Page4675 March 17 – 18 , 2022 – Strategic Planning Session – Continued Ms Slusser stated these conversations give staff the ability to prioritize all the things that come across their desks every day County Manager Rick Hester agreed that these conversations have been very helpful in understanding where the Commissioners stand on the various issues Mr Hester noted that although the Commissioners have different opinions on how to get there , it is clear that everyone on the Board wants the best for the County Commissioner Fred J Smith , Jr stated the Board has worked hard over the last two days , but there comes a time when you have to step away and recharge Commissioner Smith thanked the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners for facilitating the retreat and expressed his appreciation to his fellow Commissioners for sharing their thoughts and opinions Commissioner Tony Braswell stated he has been on the Board for a long time and this has been a great session Commissioner T Braswell noted that all the questions were not answered ; however , a lot of thoughts were shared on how to go forward Commissioner T Braswell stated the Board has to position the County to be in a good place 20 years from now Commissioner Richard D Braswell stated this has been a good learning opportunity and an opportunity to look at everyone’s different points of view He stated these types of conversations are helpful for him as the Board moves forward Commissioner Ted G Godwin expressed his appreciation to his fellow Commissioners and thinks that the Board will see over the next few weeks and months that a lot was accomplished over the last two days Chairman RS “ Butch ” Lawter , Jr stated a big takeaway for him from the last two days is that the Board will be looking at many changes going forward , including changes in the population , changes in the County , and changes in the way the Board leads Chairman Lawter stated he would like to see the Board become more visionary and less in the details Chairman Lawter stated one thing he has seen at this session is that there is respect for the differences the Commissioners have and the Board is becoming more future focused Chairman Lawter thanked Mr Leonard and the entire staff from the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners for working with the Board Chairman Lawter also thanked the staff for their work and organization on the session Mr Leonard thanked the Board for participating as well as the citizens at home for staying involved Mr Leonard stated although there is diversity of opinions , the Board does have the common factor that they all care deeply about Johnston County and its future Mr Leonard stated he and his staff would organize the information from the last two days and follow up with the Board at a later meeting There being no further business , upon a motion by Commissioner Ted G Godwin , seconded by Commissioner Tony Braswell , and carried unanimously , the meeting adjourned at 2 40 pm RS “ Butch ” Lawter , Jr , Chairman Paula G Woodard , Clerk to the BoardPage