July 20, 2015
Page 1 of 5
POLKCOUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS’REGULARMEETING
July 20, 2015 – 6:00P.M.
R. Jay Foster Hall of Justice
WomackBuilding
Columbus, NC
MINUTES
PRESENT: Chair Pack, Vice-Chair Holbert, Commissioner Bradley, Commissioner Gage and Commissioner Gasperson. Also in attendance were County Manager Pittman, County Attorney Berg, Clerk to the Board Fehrmann, media and citizens.
1.Call to Order – Chair Pack called the meeting to order.
2.Invocation –Commissioner Pack gave the invocation.
3.Pledge of Allegiance –Vice-Chair Holbert led the pledge.
4.Approval of Agenda – Commissioner Gage asked that “Flagpoles in Front of the Womack Building” be added to the agenda as Agenda Item #17.a; Chair Pack asked that Agenda Item #17, Manager’s Report, be moved to Agenda Item #5.a; County Manager Pittman asked that Agenda Item #11, FY16 North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Section 5311 Community Transportation Program Contract Agreement, be removed from the agenda. Commissioner Bradley moved to approve the agenda as amended, seconded by Commissioner Gage and the motion carried unanimously.
5.Consent Agenda
A)Approval of theMay 21, 2015,work session minutes, the June 15, 2015, public hearing and regular meeting minutes, and the June 29, 2015, work session minutes.
B)Tax Department June 2015 refund request in the amount of $1,014.16.
Commissioner Gage moved to approve the consent agenda, seconded by Vice-Chair Holbert and the motion carried unanimously.
5.aManager’s Report – Regarding the Duke Energy Transmission Reliability Enhancement Project, Chair Pack said he is concerned about the proposed installation of a 230-kilovolt (kV) transmission line in Polk County; although unfortunately the Board has little say in the matter, he promised to help the citizens in any way feasible. County Manager Pittman announced that, as part of its siting process, Duke Energy will hold informational open house meetings regarding the project on Tuesday, July 21, 2015, from 4-7 P.M. in the Landrum Middle School Gymnasium, and on Thursday, July 23, 2015, from 4-7 P.M. at the Henderson County Campus of Blue Ridge Community College in Flat Rock. (Duke Energy held its initial meeting on Tuesday, July 14, 2015, from 4-7 P.M. at the Western North Carolina Ag Center in Fletcher.) Mr. Pittman said it is very important for citizens to attend the meetings and voice their concerns.
Commissioner Gasperson reiterated the importance of citizen participation regarding the location of a Duke Energy 230-kV transmission line in Polk County, and urged the formation of citizen alliances. It was the consensus of the Board to instruct County Manager Pittman to determine - before the next regular BOC meeting - the exact process Duke Energy has to follow going forward on this project, what entity regulates the process, and to contact surrounding county and managers and officials who will also be potentially impacted by Duke Energy’s project. It was further the consensus of the Board to send the requisite letters,and adopt a resolution at the August 10, 2015, regular BOC meeting expressing the county’s concerns about the proposed location of the transmission line within the county. Vice-Chair Holbert said he would prefer for Duke Energy to choose the proposed Hwy. 11 to Hwy. 25 route for the transmission line, and so bypass Polk County.
6.Citizen Comments – Greg Lobas, Charles Parrish, Zora Rhodes Davies, Robert Means, Libbie Johnson, Kate Bond, Kathy Nebel, Ed Krause, Scott Pleune, Joan Puma, Marcy Wright, Rebecca Kemp, Ellis Fincher, Madelon Wallace, Lee Mink and Jane Hart spoke in opposition of the Duke Energy 230-kV transmission line being located in the county. Dennis Lanahan, Baiba Bourbeau, Tommy Melton and Lee Mink spoke in opposition to the proposed water agreement with Inman-Campobello Water District (ICWD), and asked that a water contract expert be retained to review the proposed agreement. Sky Conard expressed concern regarding needed repairs to the Turner Shoals Dam at Lake Adger. Bob Morgan resigned as Chair of the Economic & Tourism Development Commission, citing lack of Board support.
7.In God We Trust Initiative – Vice-Chair Holbert asked that this item be placed on the agenda for consideration. Mr. Rick Lanier of the U.S. Motto Action Committee presented the information wherein thecommittee will install the “In God We Trust” national motto inside and/or outside of county buildings at no cost to the county. Vice-Chair Holbert moved to approve placement of the “In God We Trust” national motto over the front entrance of the Womack Building, on the wall behind the Board of Commissioners’ dais in the R. Jay Foster Hall of Justice in the Womack Building, and over the front entrance of the historic Polk County Courthouse (contingent upon confirmation that such placement is consistent with the courthouse’s status as part of the National Register of Historic Places in North Carolina) seconded by Commissioner Gage. Discussion ensued. With a motion and a second on the floor, the motion carried unanimously.
8.PolkCounty Fit, Fresh & Friendly (PF3) Update – PF3 board members and Ben Ellington and Mary Smith gave a presentation on this local coalition. PF3 is a broad-based group of community leaders, health professionals, and concerned community members working together to plan and implement effective strategies to promote wellness in PolkCounty.
9.Polk County Personnel PolicyRevisionsfor Review – Patti Wagner, Human Resources Officer, presented the draft revised policy for Board review. Commissioners thanked Ms. Wagner and staff for all their hard work on the policy.
10.State Library of North Carolina Library Services & Technology Act (LSTA) EZ Planning Grant – Rishara Finsel, Library Director, presented the information regarding aplanning grant the library received in the amount of $27,872. The money will be used to create a 5-year strategic plan for the library. The grant is made possible through funding from the Federal Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the LSTA as administeredby the State Library of North Carolina, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources. No vote was required, as this grant represents additional state fundingwhich will be added to the county budget. Dr. Robert Burgin of RB Software & Consulting, Inc., an experienced consultant who has provided consulting services on strategic and technology planning to libraries since 1986, has been hired to guide Ms. Finsel and her staff through the planning process.
11.FY16 North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Section 5311 Community Transportation Program Contract Agreement– Dianne Timberlake, Transportation Director, will present the contract agreement. The Board will need to assign delegation authority to County Manager Pittman. This item was removed from the agenda.
12.Polk CountyTransportation 5-Year Community Transportation Service Plan for Review – Ms. Timberlakegave an overview of the plan, and a copy of the PowerPoint presentation is hereby incorporated by reference into these minutes. The purpose of the plan is to: 1) Achieve North Carolina Department of Transportation priority to improve efficiency, effect cost savings, and serve more people. 2) Increase overall growth with goals that the community can support. 3) Describe current performance and organizational direction. 4) Recommend strategies to increase mobility. The Board will begin discussing the plan at the next regular meeting scheduled for August 10, 2015.
13.Report on the Cost of Water Provided to Polk County/Inman-Campobello Water District (ICWD) by the Broad River Water Authority (BRWA) – Commissioner Gasperson asked that this item be placed on the agenda for informational purposes. Commissioner Gasperson explained that BRWA provides finished metered water to ICWD for its water customers - which includes Polk County water customers - and sends Polk County Government a monthly invoice. Polk County then invoices ICWD for the amount of the BRWA invoice and, upon receipt of payment from ICWD, remits payment to BRWA for the original invoice. Polk County water customers receive their bills directly from ICWD. Commissioner Gasperson said he believed the term of the ICWD-BRWA contract was originally for 30 years. Chair Pack said that, according to ICWD General Manager Jeff Walker, ICWD is working on extending the contract because BRWA’s finished water price is so cost effective that it enables ICWD to operate without building its own water treatment plant.
14.Budget Amendment – Sandra Hughes, Finance Director,presented the budget amendment. Commissioner Gage moved to approve BA #1, Polk County Transportation Authority (PCTA) Administration, $18,704 – To transfer the PCTA portion of vehicle liability insurance from thegeneral account and charge it to a new PCTA Vehicle Insurance account in order to be compliant with new state regulations, seconded by Commissioner Bradley and the motion carried unanimously.
15.NCACC Annual Conference Voting Delegate –Vice-Chair Holbert moved to designateCommissioner Gage as the voting delegate for the 108thNCACC Annual Conference to be held in PittCounty on August 20-23, 2015, seconded by Commissioner Bradley and the motion carried unanimously.
16.Resolution of Intent to Consider Future Participationin the North Carolina State Employee’s Health Care Plan – This resolution does not obligate the county to participate in the State Employee’s Health Care Plan, but rather reserves the county’s right to do so in the future if it so chooses. Vice-Chair Holbert said the state’s health care plan is a grandfathered plan and does not fall under the latest Affordable Care Act guidelines, which would help county employees immensely. Vice-Chair Holbert moved to adopt theResolution of Intent to Consider Future Participation in the North Carolina State Employee’s Health Care Plan, seconded by Commissioner Gage and the motion carried unanimously.
17.Manager’s Report – Duke Energy Transmission Reliability Enhancement Project. This item was moved to Agenda Item 5.a.
17.a Flagpoles in Front of the Womack Building – It was the consensus of the Board for County Manager Pittman to see the Womack Building flagpole project initiated by Commissioner Gage through to completion.
18.Volunteer Boards for Vote –Ernie Giannini was appointed to the Adult Care & Nursing Home Care Community Advisory Committee by unanimous vote.
19.Volunteer Boards for Review–Mental Health Advisory Board – 2 applications for 2 vacancies were reviewed. Recreation Advisory Board – 1 application for 1 vacancy was reviewed.
20.Commissioner Comments–Commissioner Gage thanked everyone for coming out, and for all the support he has received from his fellow Commissioners and the County Manager over the last couple of months of his wife’s illness. Commissioner Gasperson offered Commissioner Gage his condolences. Commissioner Bradley thanked everyone for coming out and for their citizen comments. Vice-Chair Holbert thanked everyone for coming out, and said the Board will do everything it can as regards the Duke Energy project. Chair Pack thanked everyone for coming out.
Chair Pack called for a recess of the regular meeting, and called the Board of Commissioners’ work session scheduled to begin immediately following the regular meeting to order. The Chair called the recess so that citizens in attendance for the work session would not have to wait until after the closed session for the work session to begin. (Minutes of the work session are on file under separate cover.)
Chair Pack called the regular meeting back to order.
21.Closed Session – Commissioner Bradley moved to go into closed session for the purposes of personnel, G.S. 143-318.11(a)(6), and attorney-client privilege, G.S. 143-318.11(a)(3), seconded by Commissioner Gage and the motion carried unanimously.
22.Return to Open Session – Commissioner Bradley moved to return to open session, seconded by Vice-Chair Holbert and the motion carried unanimously.
23.Adjournment – Commissioner Bradley moved to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Vice-Chair Holbert and the motion carried unanimously.
ATTEST:POLK COUNTY BOARD
OF COMMISSIONERS
______
Beth FehrmannTom E. Pack
Clerk to the BoardChair