Moore County's need for facilities and the Board of Commissioners' determination to avoid a tax increase are on a collision course. The magnitude of the challenge was outlined in a Friday, August 23 meeting of the County's Courthouse Advisory Committee.
Moore County needs a new courthouse, something the experts believe will cost $20-$25 million, or more. A new jail and public safety complex were just completed, at a cost of $25.8 million, which must now be repaid.
The County's student population is growing; some schools need to be expanded, and others need to be replaced. Exactly what will be built and what that will cost will determined in a public planning process this Fall. But, in November 2014, voters will likely find a bond referendum for $60 million, $80 million, or even more on the ballot.
Moore County Schools has initiated an ambitious plan to provide digital technology -- laptops and tablet computers -- to every student in every classroom. That could add an extra $2 million each year, every year going forward, to the $26.5 million county taxpayers currently provide to the schools.
There's a lot to be accomplished, a lot of money to be spent, and the Board of Commissioners are determined to avoid any increase in property taxes.
That was the message that County Commissioner Larry Caddell and Commissioners Chairman Nick Picerno carried to the August 23 meeting of the County's Courthouse Advisory Committee.
"The schools want $1 million a year for the next two years -- $2 million a year for life -- for technology," Caddell told the Committee. "They are talking about a $60 or $70 million bond issue, which, really, we can't do much about. If they want to put it on the ballot, we certainly can't stop them."
"If it was just this one issue [the Courthouse] that we had to deal with, it would be really pretty easy," he said. "But the five Commissioners, I do not believe, that are in power today, will vote for a tax increase. I don't believe they will do that."
A new courthouse, but not right now
A study of the County's facilities in 2010 identified the needs of the County Courthouse as "serious and urgent." A 2012 study, by a different firm, listed the construction of a new courthouse as its top long-term recommendation.
The Courthouse Advisory Committee met in April, before Caddell and Picerno joined its ranks, and asked the Commissioners to commit to the construction of a new Judicial Center as a top priority and set a target date for completion of the project. That would allow the Committee to "make meaningful and intelligent recommendations for the expenditures and space utilization of the existing court facility."
The Board of Commissioners has taken those recommendations to heart, Picerno told the Committee.
"We understand that it is a need," Picerno said. "Every space study that we have done, that the taxpayers have paid for, has identified that we do have that need . . . I don't think any Commissioner that I am serving with presently is running away from that need."
"But there are two things that override, and that are really heavy on our minds at this time, and that is: In the recent history of Moore County the taxpayers have been hit with a fairly large tax increase. That was done in the '07-'08 revaluation and the '08-'09 three-and-one-half cent increase. And then we have the unknown of the school board and their ongoing discussion of a possible bond referendum to be placed before the voters."
"From my perspective as a commissioner," Picerno continued, "I'm reluctant at any time to raise taxes . . . We still have unemployment of nine percent . . . GDP growth of only two percent . . . and the only reason we are staying afloat is because the Federal Reserve is printing beaucoup of money. Those are the realities. And we are also having to digest this building that you are sitting in right now [the new Rick Rhyne Public Safety Center]."
Ultimately, Picerno suggested that the Advisory Committee assume that, given both the financial constraints and the time consuming process of designing and building a new courthouse, "we are going to make do for five years. We need to take this court facility that we have now and, for the next five years, determine how we use it best with the least investment."
Who needs the space?
With the commitment to build a new courthouse and the five-year timeframe in hand, the committee turned to a discussion of how best to use the 7,600 square feet on the lower level of the courthouse building that has recently been vacated by the Sheriff's Office, which has relocated to the new Public Safety Center.
The 2012 Space Needs Assessment conducted by the consulting firm Chinn Planning recommended moving the District Attorney's office, which is currently in leased space, into that area.
Superior Court Judge James Webb, a member of the Committee and its former chairman, suggested simply following that recommendation.
However, County Manager Wayne Vest explained that Chinn's recommendation that the DA's office be moved was linked to other departmental moves that could ultimately involve considerable cost.
District Attorney Maureen Kreuger said the square footage of her department's current offices is adequate, though there have been problems with maintenance of the aging building by the landlord.
Chief District Judge Jayrene Maness said she was surprised by Chinn's recommendation, given the current overcrowding in the clerk of court's space and the suboptimal allocation of space to the District Court.
"Personally, I would want to see the space allocated to those of us that are already there," she said.
Vest suggested that the District Attorney's office might instead be moved to portions of the Curry Building recently vacated by Public Safety's move to the new Rick Rhyne Center, which would save the County $50,000 in rent, annually.
The Committee ultimately appeared to agree with Maness and Vest.
How to design it?
Committee member Howard Warren, a retired architect, suggested the County retain an architectural firm to work with the departments housed in the courthouse to reallocate and redesign the space.
But Vest and Commissioner Caddell argued that the remodeling needed could be handled much more quickly and efficiently using County staff.
Picerno asked Vest to spearhead that effort, consulting with the clerk and the district court staff.
"When you get to the point where you are ready to come back, we will have a second committee meeting," he said.
"Let's get started," he added. "Let's not be talking about this three years from now. We are very conservative spenders. In that frame, let's get it started."
The cost of whatever remodeling is needed will likely be absorbed by the County's capital reserve funds, which currently total approximately $7 million. Commissioner Caddell said that smart budgeting had allowed the County to grow its capital reserves by about $1.5 million per year.
Creed replaces Maness on Panel
Judge Maness, noting that she had been appointed to the Courthouse Advisory Committee before assuming the role of Chief Judge for District 19B, asked that the Committee and the Commissioners accept her resignation and appoint District Court Judge Don Creed in her place.
The Committee voted unanimously to make that recommendation to the Board of Commissioners.
Judge Maness suggested that some members of the Moore County Bar be added to the committee, and Picerno asked Creed to recommend individuals to fill that role.
