Moore County is about to embark on a comprehensive study of its fire and rescue services, with the hope of bringing some rational order to an ad hoc system of fire departments and rescue squads that evolved over decades, as volunteers banded together in communities across the County to serve their neighbors.
At the request of the County's Emergency Manager, Scot Brooks, the Board of Commissioners approved, during their Tuesday, October 2 meeting a $45,000 Fire Service Agency Evaluation and Emergency Service Master Plan that will be conducted by the consulting firm VIFS. The contract also includes up to $9,000 for expenses.
In April, McLendon Hills Homeowners Association President Peter Dotto asked the Commissioner to move his community from the Eagle Springs Fire District to the Seven Lakes Fire District, arguing that the Seven Lakes firehouse is closer -- and it's better insurance rating would lower residents' homeowner’s insurance rates.
Eagle Springs currently has an insurance class rating of eight, while Seven Lakes has a six rating -- and lower is better.
However, moving McLendon HIlls out of the Eagle Springs district would significantly reduce that squad's fire tax revenues. Currently, there are sixteen different fire tax districts in the County, each with its own tax rate.
One possible outcome of the study is the recommendation that the County move to a single tax rate. Not only would this create a unified tax rate, it would also eliminate fire tax revenues as a factor in determining how the fire district lines should be drawn.
In May, Fire Marshall Ken Skipper recommended -- and the Board approved -- a comprehensive evaluation of the fire and emergency districts. The current fire districts were drawn up in the 1960s and have been modified here and there over the years.
The approved Emergency Service Master Study Plan will evaluate the current staffing, operations, resource deployment, and district lines, in order to make recommendations for current and future operations, taking into account the anticipated growth in the County over the next 10 to 15 years.
The study will also develop Countywide standards, so that citizens throughout the County can count on receiving the same level of services.
The Emergency Services Advisory Committee [ESAC] and Public Safety Staff recommended that any changes to district lines be delayed until the study is complete, which is expected to be the Spring of 2013.
Public Hearings
The Commissioners held a second public hearing for the FY2012 Scattered Site Housing Community Development Block Grant [CDBG] Funding Application, and then approved the submission of the application. The $225,000 grant will fund upgrades to the homes of qualifying low-income homeowners. There will be no fiscal impact on the County budget.
The Board tabled a public hearing for the CDBG funding for the Catalyst Program, which rehabilitates housing in Robbins, due to an error in the public announcement of the hearing.
The Board called a public hearing on Tuesday, October 16 for an exchange of property between Moore County and Pinehurst, LLC. Pinehurst is seeking to acquire the sites of two abandoned County wells, at 212 Ridgewood Road, and 2 Beulah Hill Road South, in order to use them during the 2014 US Opens. The Village would trade the County two adjacent parcels located at 290 East McCaskill Road.
Other Business
Other business conducted during the Commissioners' Tuesday, October 2 meeting included:
• The Board approved a contract amendment with MidSouth Food Services for home delivered meals and congregate meal programs for the Department of Aging at a cost of $122,000.
• The Board approved the consent agenda, which deals with routine matters, unanimously. However, Commissioner Tim Lea pulled from the consent agenda Item 1 under budget amendments, which dealt with the transfer of $329,000 from the Moore County general fund to the Moore County Airport. The Commissioners then approved Item 1 in a 3-to-1 vote, with Lea in opposition. The County will use a portion of the occupancy tax to replace the money in the general fund.
• Commissioner Nick Picerno requested that Planning Director Debra Ensminger update the Board on the progress of the Land Use Plan Steering Committee.
• The Board accepted the Moore County Library’s Annual Report.
• Employee service awards for the month were presented.
• County Attorney John Maxwell will temporarily replace County Attorney Misty Leland.
• Chairman Larry Caddell was absent from Tuesday’s meeting.
Appointments
The Board approved the following appointments during their Tuesday, October 2 meeting:
• Judith Krall to the Sandhills Center for Mental Health/Developmental Disabilities/Substance Abuse Services.
• Dr. James Watson as the Moore County Animal Cruelty Officer.
• Ellen Brown to the RSVP Advisory Council.
