In January, Moore County's Board of Commissioners compiled a list of short and long term goals. Ten months later, during the Board's Tuesday, October 4 meeting, Assistant County Manager Ken Larking reviewed the status of each of those goals.
Short Term Goals
Water. At the top of the Commissioners' list of short term goals was finding a second source of water for the Seven Lakes area. The preferred option for meeting this goal is working with the Town of Robbins to utilize the town's existing but unused reservoir as the centerpiece of a plan to bring water from Robbins to Southern Moore County.
Over the last ten months the Town of Robbins and the County have gone back and forth with a proposal and counter-proposal on this issue. At the beginning of Tuesday night's meeting, Chairman Nick Picerno announced that the Board had decided, in closed session, to send two Commissioners, along with Public Utilities Director Randy Gould and County Manager Cary McSwain, to meet with Robbins' representatives to try to move the negotiations forward.
Taxes. The Commissioners did not increase property taxes for Fiscal Year 2011-2012, satisfying another short term goal. However they were unable to realize their goal of lowering the Advanced Life Support tax by one-half cent due to a federal requirement to update emergency communications systems and uncertainty about changes in the healthcare system.
Planning for and evaluation of the County's approach to public safety falls under the mission of the Commissioner-appointed Emergency Service Advisory Committee [ESAC], which is currently focusing efforts on reducing response times -- particularly in remote areas of the County.
Land Use Planning. Another of the Board's short-term goals was to "endorse and support the planning and community development department timeline with regard to the Long Range Plan." The County's current Land Use Plan dates to 1999, and was developed through a countywide public input process, in which Commissioners Jimmy Melton and Tim Lea were both key players.
After Melton and Lea briefed their fellow Commissioners on that process, the Planning Department was asked to bring to the October 18 meeting additional information on the make-up of the 1999 Land Use Plan Advisory Committee and the Steering Committee that developed the Area A Small Area Plan. The goal is to put together a steering committee for the new land use plan by December 31, 2011.
Other Short Term Goals
• Completing the Vass Wastewater Treatment Plant. This project is underway, with the Board awarding a construction contract for the project, which is expected to be complete by October 2012.
• Put the Addor Water Pollution Control plant expansion project out to bid. This goal has been accomplished with the ground breaking for the project held on September 22. The project should be complete in 18 months.
• Reinstate longevity pay. The Board agreed to reinstate longevity pay as of July 1, 2011, and are awaiting a plan from the Human Resources Department for adjusting the performance-based rating system.
• Refine purchasing procedures. The Board and County Attorney adopted a new purchasing procedures policy last year that has helped ensure the use of a competitive bidding process on most projects.
Long Term Goals
Water Strategy. One of the long term goals for the Commissioners has been to develop a definitive water strategy -- and, possibly, a reservoir for Moore County.
Public Works Director Gould presented the county's projected water needs in 2030 -- as well as a variety of options for securing additional water supplies -- to the Board at an August Work Session.
Public Information. Getting information out to the public is another of the Commissioners' long term goals. Larking told the Board that some departments -- including Public Safety Department, Animal Control, the Board of Elections, and Keep Moore County Beautiful -- are using the social networking service Facebook, in addition to the county website.
The Parks and Recreation Department also has a separate website to provide information to the public.
Commissioner Tim Lea said he would like to take this a step further and videotape the Commissioners' meetings, so that a face can be put with a voice. Audio recordings of the meetings are already posted to the county website. Chairman Nick Picerno suggested that the Board discuss the video option -- and its cost -- at a future meeting.
Picerno said he would like to provide the public with as much information as possible. He suggested creating a quarterly newsletter, as well as posting the Board's goals and the status of each online.
Other Long Term Goals
• In August 2010 the Board approved a resolution supporting the Heart of North Carolina Mega Park.
• The Commissioners re-established the Moore County Transportation Committee [MCTC] in an effort to provide leadership in the Comprehensive Transportation Plan process.
• The Financial Services Department will prepare a recommendation for the transfer of fund balance in excess of fifteen percent of the total budget to the capital reserve fund, in keeping with a fiscal policy adopted in 2009.
• The Commissioners will continue to review capital projects costing more than $100,000, as part of the Capital Improvement Plan [CIP], including projects of Moore County Schools and Sandhills Community College. The ten year CIP will be ready for the Board's review in two weeks, Larking reported.
The Board of Commissioners will have an all day retreat on Thursday, November 17 to discuss their goals and other business.
County Mission Statement Revised
Chairman Picerno requested that the word “progressively” be removed from a section of the Moore County mission statement and be replaced with the word “conservatively.”
The mission statement read: “Governing progressively with innovative leadership and providing exemplary public service.” Chairman Picerno said the word gave the impression that “government solves all problems.”
Commissioner Lea disagreed with the change, saying this Board has been “very progressive in the last four years.” Lea asked that both of the words be included in the mission statement.
Commissioner Jimmy Melton said that the word "progressive" can be seen as a good thing when dealing with a person’s own business; but, with what is happening in government today, it has turned into a “bad word.”
The Board vote three to one, with Commissioner Lea opposed, to replace the word “progressively” with the word "conservatively" in the County's Mission Statement.
Operation Medicine Drop
Drug Free Moore County is conducting Operation Medicine Drop from October 24 to October 29 to collect expired or unused medicine from area residents. The Prescription Shoppe in Seven Lakes will be hosting this event on October 29 from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. For more information, contact Jerrell Seawell at the Moore County Sheriff’s Office 910-947-2931.
Drug Free Moore County's Darlind Davis thanked the Commissioners for their support of the program -- and in particular with obtaining a new office location in Pinehurst. Commissioner Craig Kennedy serves on the Board of Drug Free Moore County and asked that anyone interested in donating office equipment contact Davis at 910-947-1902.
Citizen’s Pet Responsibility Update
Angela Zumwalt of the Citizen’s Pet Responsibility Committee during Tuesday's meeting provided the Commissioners with an update on the program and asked for additional funding from the County.
Zumwalt said the program’s main objective is to focus on education about caring for pets. The pet program has been presented to all public school fourth grade classes in Moore County.
Zumwalt asked that the Board consider contributing $8,000 for the program for next year for education purposes. Commissioner Melton, who serves on the Board of the Pet Responsibility Committee, said it has been “one of the most pleasurable things that I’ve done . . . I've never seen such a dedicated group of volunteers.”
He credited the groups with saving the County "thousands upon thousands" and promised that, despite a "tight budget" the Board would consider the Committee's funding request in the FY 2012-2013 budget.
Commissioner Lea also spoke in favor of funding for the group, which received a $16,300 grant from the County in 2006. No funding decision was made during Tuesday's meeting.
Public Works
At the request of Public Works Director Gould, the Commissioners approved a $51,000 change to the contract with TA Loving Company for the $2.7 million Lake Pinehurst lift stations replacement projects.
The Board approved the award of a construction contract to Terry’s Plumbing and Utilities for the Vass Phase 1 sewer project for $1.6 million.
The Board approved two contract amendments for the Old Town and Lake Pinehurst sewer project. One change is to the engineering contract with Hydrostructures for $900 and the second is for Atlantic Coast Contractors for $19,500. Both changes will be paid from the contingency fund that was set aside for the project. Gould said he doesn’t expect this to be the last request for additional funds for this project, due to the age of the sewer system that is being upgraded.
Other Business
Other business conducted during the Commissioner’s Tuesday, October 4 meeting included:
• Human Resources Director Denise Brook presented the Employee Services Awards. The Board approved Brooks request to use the federal E-Verify Program for work authorization of new county employees starting October 1, 2011.
• The Board approved a request by the Planning Department’s Debra Ensminger to award a bid and a housing rehab contract for $7300 to D&A Complete Construction under the Community Development Block Grant Contract.
• Moore County placed fifth in the nation for the National Association of Counties Digital Survey Award for information technology. Robert Ramirez, who presented the award said this may be the County’s first IT award, “but I can assure you this will not be the last.”
• The Board approved the week of October 9 – 15 as Fire Prevention Week, as requested by Fire Marshal Kenneth R. Skipper.
• The Board approved a inmate medical plan for the Moore County Detention Center, as requested by Chief Deputy Neil Godfrey. The medical plan is required by the North Carolina General Assembly.
• The Board approved the ratification of eight existing contracts that lacked pre-audit certification due to an oversight.
• Commissioner Larry Caddell was absent from Tuesday’s meeting.
Appointments
The Board approved the following appointments during their Tuesday, October 4 meeting:
• Assistant Manager Ken Larking will take the role of Deputy Clerk in the absence of the County Clerk.
• Dr. James Watson was appointed to an additional one year term as the County's Animal Cruelty Officer. Watson has served in this capacity since 2006.
