Board of Commissioners Chairman Nick Picerno "was really sort of dismayed" at the Moore County Board of Education's vote to cancel a joint meeting of the two Boards that had been scheduled for Thursday, September 5.
"And I was particularly concerned about the comment of one School Board member that the Board of Education and the Board of Commissioners seem to have different goals in mind," he added. "I believe the goals of both boards is giving the children of Moore County the best education that we can afford."
Picerno addressed the meeting cancellation during the Tuesday, September 3 Commissioners meeting. [See our story here for more on the School Board's decision.]
The purpose of the joint meeting was to discuss financial planning for Moore County Schools [MCS] facilities and the digital learning initiative, as well as the goals of the two boards.
In addition to those new school-related expenditures, the Commissioners face the prospect of building a new courthouse in the next decade, as well as upgrading other facilities. So they have a keen interest in developing a comprehensive picture of long-term capital financing needs.
"I am concerned that we can't have just board members sit down in a work session, without staff," he added. School Board members wanted to have Superintendent Dr. Aaron Spence and other MCS staff participate in the meeting; the Commissioners wanted only elected officials at the table.
"It is in everyone's best interest . . . to have a good working relationship," Commissioner Randy Saunders said, noting that, as the Commissioner designated to interface with MCS, he had regular conversations with Kathy Farren, the School Board member designated as liaison to the County.
"We are going to work to have a meeting where we can talk through those things," Saunders said. "We have to keep an open line of communication. The only way for us to have success in the schools is to work together."
"If they don't want to sit down and talk with us, how do they ever expect to resolve anything?" Commissioner Otis Ritter asked.
Resolution on state budget deemed "political"
Picerno was also unhappy with a resolution the Board of Education passed during their Monday, August 12 regular meeting "Opposing The Treatment of North Carolin’a Children and Professional Educators in the 2013-2015 State Education Budget."
Picerno called the resolution "a political statement . . . aimed at the new Republican majority" in Raleigh. He noted that the state's contribution to MCS was cut by $7 million in the 2009-2010 school year, in the wake of the Great Recession; but those cuts, made by a Democratically controlled General Assembly and Governor, resulted in no similar resolution.
"They don't even have the final numbers yet," Picerno said, referring to the fact that the resolution was passed before the full impact of the new state budget on county schools was available.
"We support education, we will defend it, we will do the best we can," Picerno said, "but we have to be accountable for the dollars we spend."
"The members of the school board are all friends of ours," he concluded, on a gentler note. "I think, once they figure out where they are going, I think we will have that meeting. I hope that day will come, and I hope it will be soon."
Animal Control Criticized
Appearing for the second time regarding the same issue, Whispering Pines resident Lynn Stickel objected to Animal Control Officer Frank Ringelberg's shooting of five dogs that had been reported neglected or abused by the Moore Humane Society.
Based on rules for public comment during Commissioners meeting that forbid statements that might embarrass County staff, Chairman Picerno asked that Stickel not use Ringelberg's name during her remarks, and she complied with that request.
Stickel produced a timeline that traced the events of the May 7 incident, from the initial complaint about the condition of animals at a Jackson Hamlet residence to Ringelberg's return to the Animal Center with five canine carcasses and two live dogs. She argued that the officer could not, within that timeframe, have spent more than forty-five minutes attempting to catch the dogs. That did not constitute the "reasonable means" called for in Moore County's ordinance, she said.
Stickel pointed out that Ringelberg's euthanasia privileges had been suspended by the state in 2012 for a violation of the Animal Welfare Act in connection with a hasty decision to shoot two dogs inside a fenced tennis court at MidSouth Club. She also noted that the County's official Animal Control records show that no animals were field euthanized in May, despite the killing of the five dogs in Jackson Hamlet.
"It is apparent that Sections 4-66 and 4-67 [of the County Animal Control Ordinance] need to be more clearly defined, so as not to be contrary to NC State Laws," Stickel said. "Procedures must be implemented which prevent Animal Control officers from shooting animals as a convenience, and which hold officers accountable for their actions."
Stickel had addressed the same incident during the August 6 Commissioner meeting, asking that the Board tighten Moore County's ordinances in order to prevent such incidents. During the August 20 meeting, Commissioner Jimmy Melton, the Board's point person in Animal Control issues, suggested that the matter be handled at a staff level, and by the Animal Control Advisory Committee.
Later during the September 3 meeting, Commissioner Picerno said of Ringelberg — again, with out mentioning him by name: "I want to go on record as saying that man has given more to Moore County and to Animal Control than anyone I know. If he did make a mistake, he's human. If he has some issues we need to address, then we need to address them. I am really saddened that he would be so taken to task in a public forum."
Commissioner Caddell, recognizing Melton's leadership in Animal Control issues, suggested the Board continue to follow his advice and deal with the issue at the staff level.
"If he told me to let this go, I am going to do that," Caddell said.
Other business
Aside from comments by the public and the Commissioners, the actual business on the agenda for the Tuesday, September 3 meeting was relatively straightforward and handled with dispatch:
• Health Director Robert Wittmann provided the Board with materials produced by the NC Association of Local Health Departments that highlight the value of the work of those departments.
• Department of Social Services Director John Benton briefed the Board on the kick-off of the United Way campaign among county employees.
• Chief Financial Officer Carrie Neal presented the quarterly financial report for Sandhills Center for Mental Health.
• The Board approved $1,092 in bad debt write-offs for the Health Department, reflecting amounts unpaid by department clients.
• At the request of Partners in Progress CEO Pat Corso, the Commissioners authorized the expenditure of $4,400 left over from the previous budget year to close out a study of the feasibility of linking local farmers to institutional kitchens.
• The Board approved the plans for a 100 by 100 foot hangar to be built by Time Saver Aviation, LLC at the Moore County Airport on property leased from the County.
• At the request of Planner Tim Emmert, the Commissioners approved a Cost Allocation Plan that is used to charge staff time and the use of other County resources against community development grants.
• Also at Emmert's request, the Board authorized the Planning Department to use translation applications on their iPads when dealing with customers who have limited English skills. Previously, the department had utilized a language interpretation service.
• The Commissioners approved a new fire and rescue contract with the Town of Robbins.
Appointments
The Board made a number of appointments during the September 3 meeting, including:
• Erick Stromberg and Ed Christian to the Emergency Services Advisory Committee, with Stromberg to serve as that panel's chairman.
• Ann Robson to the Triangle J Regional Aging Advisory Council.
• Dianah Bradshaw to the Board of Health
• Dr. Wendi Carlton and Commissioner Ritter to the Sandhills Center Area Board, and Ritter also to the Center's County Commissioner Advisory Board.
• Dr. James Watson as the County's Animal Cruelty Investigator.
• Bill Herbert to the Social Services Board.
• Judge Skipper Creed to the Courthouse Facilities Advisory Committee
• Jimmie Ann Lassiter to the Jury Commission.
