Citizens urged the Board of Commissioners to fully fund the $26 million Moore County Schools [MCS] local funding request during a Public Hearing on Tuesday, May 15 meeting -- and the Commissioners appeared ready to do just that.
The hearing was aimed at gathering public input on County Manager Cary McSwain's $131 million FY2012-2013 County Budget, but public input was focused on the schools.
Military families, which make up a large portion of MCS students, were represented by two parents: Army Major Frank Rodriguez and Laura Kermsey.
“Although we could have chose anywhere to live, we chose Moore County,” said Rodriguez, who explained that education is the foundation for any democracy.
“As elected officials, it is your responsibility to show the community that educating the children of Moore County is a top priority,” said Kermsey, who asked that the Board fully fund MCS for the upcoming school year.
School Board Chairwoman Kathy Farren thanked the Commissioners for the “wonderful working relationship” between the two Boards.
Speaking for the Moore County Chamber of Commerce Linda Pearson emphasized the importance of eduction -- not only to the students, but to the County as a whole. “Education is one of our top priorities,” said Pearson, “And helps close the deal when companies decide to come to Moore County.”
“I don’t see any cuts coming towards education,” Commissioner Nick Picerno told those in attendance. “What you are preaching to us -- we are already on that page.”
Picerno said he had met with MCS Superintendent Aaron Spence and School Board Chair Farren two months ago to discuss the future of MCS. “I think the schools are very fortunate to have hired Dr. Spence,” Picerno said. “I think he is going to be a tremendous asset to the County.”
One area that Spence has emphasized is the need for more technology in the classrooms. Picerno said he and Commissioners Chair Larry Caddell had been presented a $15,000 pilot project presented that would buy iPads for one third grade classroom and measure their impact on learning, as a trial run for more technology in schools.
“It seems like the kids who have access to those [computers] do better in school,” said Caddell.
The Commissioners met in a Work Session on Thursday, May 17 to further discuss the budget; The final budget is expected to be adopted in June.
Increase in Utility Rates?
In comments at the close of Tuesday's meeting, Commissioner Picerno asked that the Board consider increasing the Moore County Public Utilities $6.00 base water rate by one to two dollars to help offset the costs of bringing more water into Moore County.
“As I look over the budget -- especially when it comes to utilities," Picerno said, "there is very little money set aside, if any, for us to move forward with any deal, whether we go with Harnett County or Robbins or any of those special sources."
Picerno told The Times that adding money to the base rate now would allow a way to “pay as you go” for future water projects. The Commissioners adopted a similar strategy several years ago, increasing sewer rates in order to build up a reserve to pay for improvements on the Addor Water Pollution Control Plant.
“This is a really bad economic time to be considering any kind of increase,” said Commissioner Lea. “But, whatever we do -- whether it is a gradual increase or we do this over a period of time -- I'd like for us to give consideration for not only new projects but also looking at where we can pay off existing debt -- Where we can pay off millions and millions of dollars in existing debt.”
Even at the favorable interest rates available to local governments, when the County has to borrow to fund projects, interest expense significantly increases the final cost of projects. Lea noted that at water supply project currently on the negotiating table with Robbins is estimated to cost $29 million, but would actually cost nearly $40 million after interest is factored in.
“In the long run a lot people would be very appreciative if they understood just how much of the debt service we have,” said Lea. He noted that the County is currently obligated for a total of $222 million in principle and interest payments that stretch across various projects, from the County's new public safety building to new schools and a substantial upgrade at the Addor water pollution control plant.
Picerno told The Times that gradually increasing the utility rate and setting the money aside -- solely for bringing more water into the County -- would be better than paying so much in interest and increasing rates by a substantial amount all at one time.
Any decision on raising rates is likely to await the results of Public Utilities Director Randy Gould's comprehensive study of the options, and associated costs, of bringing more water to Moore County.
Proposed Sale of County Property to Bojangles
The County has been approached by a company that would like to buy a 1.3 acre tract of county-owned land in the Carriage Oaks Center in Carthage as a site for a Bojangles restaurant. The restaurant would be located adjacent to the tract currently occupied by a Hardee's restaurant, between Hardee's and the Moore County Veteran's Memorial.
The Commissioners have apparently discussed the property sale in closed session, and may have violated North Carolina's Open Meetings Law in so doing.
County Manager Cary McSwain brought the issue before the Board in Tuesday's meeting, asking them to approve a resolution to authorize the County Manager to inform the buyer that the County is interested in selling the property at a fair market value, contingent upon a pending report (expected in thirty days) from a space allocation study the County has commissioned, and subject to an upset bid process.
Commissioner Lea asked that the resolution indicate the location of the property, as well as the name of the buyer. He also asked that it should indicate that the county would be "potentially" interested in selling the property. And, finally, Lea noted that the County's interest would be contingent upon the results of a space allocation study.
Commissioner Picerno spoke in favor of adding "potentially" to the language of the motion. He also asked that McSwain remove the parenthetical reference to the space allocation study being completed in thirty days. "What if the study is not done in thirty days?" Picerno asked. McSwain immediately struck that portion of the resolution.
Lea asked that his four points be included in the motion before it was voted on, "since those are what was discussed in closed session."
Chairman Caddell then turned to Commissioner Melton, who said he saw no reason to include the additional points Lea had suggested, and ultimately made a motion to approve the County Manager's language without them. That motion died for lack of a second.
After considerable wordsmithing by the County Manager, the Board eventually approved a version that included Lea's points -- but not before Lea had asserted that the Commissioners are allowed to discuss the purchase of property in closed session, but not the sale of property. "Whenever we are in the process of selling the County taxpayers' assets," Lea said, "that is supposed to be done in Open Session, so that we have an opportunity to maximize the return on your asset . . ."
The property in question is currently a grassy space, but has been considered in the past as a possible site for a County Administration building. Lea told The Times after the meeting that he felt the depressed real estate market made this a terrible time to be selling county property, in terms of getting the taxpayers the highest possible value for their asset.
He said he was also concerned about the aesthetics of placing a fast-food restaurant so close to the Veteran's Memorial. He told The Times that, inevitably, restaurant patrons would use the benches of the Memorial as a convenient outdoor lunch spot, and leave behind trash.
Lea also told The Times that the Board had discussed the potential Bojangles purchase in at least three closed sessions, which he said violated the state Open Meetings Law.
At Lea's request, County Attorney Misty Leland circulated an email to the Commissioners containing the relevant statute, and highlighted portions of "Open Meetings Law," a book authored by the NC School of Government's David Lawrence. Lawrence writes that, in the General Statutes, "There is no authorization for discussing property disposition in closed session." It is Lawrence's opinion that no part of a discussion of the sale of County-owned real estate may take place in closed session.
Leland told The Times that she did not disagree with Lawrence's assessment. However, she said it is appropriate for the Board to consult with its attorney about how a sale of property should be handled in Closed Session.
Picerno confirmed that the Board had discussed the prospect of selling the property in closed session. But he said those discussions focused on consultations with the County Attorney on the process, rather than the terms of any offer, and thus were within the bounds of the Open Meetings law.
The Times has asked the Board to open the minutes of any closed sessions in which the Bojangles offer was discussed.
Keep Moore County Beautiful
In a presentation on Keep Moore County Beautiful, Chairwoman Beatriz Gill, told the Commissioners that more than 3,200 volunteers participated in the program last year and that $221,000 was raised.
“It says a lot about the work ethic and commitment you folks make to this process,” said Commissioner Lea.
Other Business
The Board approved the following items during their Tuesday, May 15 meeting to include:
• The close-out of the 2009 Scattered Site Housing Community Development Block Grant, which funds repairs to sub-standard housing owned by low-income families.
• A funding plan for the Juvenile Crime Prevention Program, which will allocate $181,000 in state funding largely to two programs: Moore County Youth Services and Moore Buddies.
• A new agreement with the Sandhills Regional Library System, which operates the Moore County Public Library, as well as those in four other counties. Sandhills Regional Library System Director Carol Walters explained that the contract needed to be rewritten to bring it into conformity with changes in state law. The library system has been in operation for fifty years, Walters said, and “we are still doing the same thing, and we love serving the communities we serve.”
• A request by Public Safety Director Bryan Phillips to purchase an ambulance from Northwestern Emergency Vehicles, Inc. for Moore County EMS for $177,000. The money has been budgeted for this year and will be paid for from the Advanced Life Support fund.
• A request by Public Works Director Randy Gould to purchase Badger radio read meters from Carolina Meter and Supply, Inc for $43,000. The County gained $43,000 from recycling old manual read meters.
• A request by Child Support Director Jane Parris to purchase a replacement van for $16,000 for the Youth Services Program.
• A resolution requested by NC Senator Harris Blake and Representative Jamie Boles, who will seek $50,000 from the General Assembly to repair a Lakeview road in the unincorporated planning jurisdiction known as Crystal Lake Support, Inc. The road is needed for general commuting and will be used during the 2014 Men's and Women’s US Opens.
Appointments
The Board approved the following appointments during their Tuesday, May 15 meeting:
• Dr. Christine Paszko, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Accelerated Technology Laboratories, Inc. in West End to the Workforce Development Board.
• The reappointment of Debra Ensminger and Ronnie Fields to the Local Emergency Planning Committee.
• Betty Sapp to the Pinehurst Planning and Zoning Board Adjustment ETJ.
