The Land Use Plan Steering Committee grew by three members during the Moore County Board of Commissioners Tuesday, February 21 meeting, with the addition of one voting and two ex officio members.
During Public Comment, O’Linda Gillis of the Moore County NAACP asked that the Commissioners appoint someone of color to the Steering Committee. In response, Commissioner Jimmy Melton appointed Bobby Phillips to the panel as a voting member.
Non-voting members appointed included John Parker, suggested by Commissioner Tim Lea, and William Cochrane, presented as an expert on United Nations Agenda 21 and suggested by Commissioner Nick Picerno. The Board adopted a resolution in opposition to Agenda 21 -- which has implications for land use planning -- during its February 7 meeting.
The addition brings the number of voting members on the panel to eighteen and the number of non-voting members to nine.
The Board tabled a mission statement for the Steering Committee drafted by Planning Director Debra Ensminger, asking that she review input that the Commissioners had received on her draft and present a revised draft at a later meeting.
Airport Project Ordinance Approved
Voting four-to-one, the Commissioners adopted several project ordinances for upgrades to the Moore County Airport.
The Airport Authority is drawing on five separate grants to pay for the upgrades; the project ordinances allocates those monies to specific projects. The County's $345,000 contribution will come from a portion of the lodging tax, a levy which is also used to fund the Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Upgrades will include clearing obstructions to the runway, making runway safety improvements, and extending the runway.
Commissioner Tim Lea, who cast the dissenting vote, questioned whether twenty-two acres of adjacent recently acquired by the Airport should have been deeded to the County instead of to the Airport. Chairman Larry Caddell said he would personally get to the bottom of that question.
Airport Director Ron Maness told Lea that the Airport Authority Board had the land deed on its Tuesday, February 14 agenda, but took no action on the matter.
Lea asked that the matter be brought before the Commissioners at a meeting in March. He also asked that the Airport Authority began submitting the minutes of their monthly board meeting to the Commissioners for review, a request that Lea said had been made more than a year ago and had yet to be honored.
Public Works
At the request of Public Works Director Randy Gould, the Commissioners approved an application to the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources [NCDENR] for State Emergency Loan funds for a interceptor sewer repair located near the Pinehurst traffic circle. An eighteen inch pipe within the interceptor collapsed roughly two months ago.
The State Emergency Loan fund has $2.5 million available to lend; a study by the engineering firm Hydrostructures put the estimated cost of the interceptor repairs at $1.3 million.
The Board also approved Gould's request to amend a contract with Matchpoint Inc for $54,700 for the radio read water meters project, adding 293 meters to the project.
Carthage Communications Tower Upgrade
The Board approved Public Safety Director Bryan Phillips' request for a sole source agreement with Radio Communications Company of Cary to upgrade equipment on the Carthage communications tower to meet Federal Communications Commission [FCC] requirements. The Carthage tower is the primary hub of emergency communications for Moore County.
This is the second phase of the County's FCC-mandated move to narrowband emergency communications. The first phase involved similar upgrades to the Southern Pines tower; phase three includes upgrades to the Robbins tower, which should be complete in June 2012.
The $109,00 cost of the project will be drawn from E-911 funds. An agreement reached with the NC State Highway Patrol to share space in their storm-proof tower building will result in a savings of $62,500.
Emergency Planning
The Board approved an update to the County's emergency operation plan, presented by Phillips. The plan provides a pre-written template that can be used in the case of a local emergency to request that the Governor declare a state of emergency. Additional pre-written resolutions include those prohibiting price gouging during a state of emergency and rescinding a state of emergency.
Other Business
Other business conducted during the Board of Commissioners' Tuesday, February 21 meeting included:
• The Board approved a request by Seven Lakes Boy Scout Russell Harvey to use lands next to the Senior Enrichment Center to create a nature trail and an outdoor seating area for the Sandhills Children’s Center, in an effort to obtain his Eagle Scout Badge. The Board’s approval is for a temporary, revocable public easement and is contingent upon the approval of Moore County Aging Director Terri Prots, whose department has responsibility for the Senior Enrichment Center.
• The Board approved a FY2012-2013 grant application for Moore County Youth Services as requested by Director Janet Parris. The grant funds will come from: The Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention/Juvenile Crime Prevention Council for $104,000, a $5,000 cash match from the County, $250 in fundraising dollars, and $41,000 from in kind contributions.
• At the request of Commissioner Nick Picerno, County Attorney Misty Leland drew up a resolution that requests the “elimination of governmental waste and substantial bureaucracy in the United States Department of Education and North Carolina Department of Public Instruction by redirecting funding to the local school boards for direct use in the classrooms.” The Board approved the resolution and directed that it be sent to state and federal public officials.
• The Board received Moore County Cooperative Extension’s 2011 Annual Report.
• The Board called a public hearing for Tuesday, March 6 to consider adding one new road -- Whitetail Path, which is off of Lineberry Road -- to the Moore County Road Naming and Addressing Ordinance.
• The Board approved a property donation of three lots totaling .52 acre located in the Pine View Manor Estates subdivision from Robert Edwin Merrell and Gail Merrell, heirs of E.M. Merrell and Lillian W. Merrell who are now deceased.
• The Commissioners will hold a Special Meeting on Tuesday, March 6 at 3:00 pm to discuss water options for the County.
Appointments
The Board made the following appointments during their Tuesday, February 21 meeting:
• Jim Thomas and Bruce Yarrington to the Tax Equalization and Review Board for three year terms, and Jim McNiff as Chairman of that Board for the FY2012-2013 session.
• Robert Williams as the industry representative to the Local Emergency Planning Committee for a three year term.
