MINUTES
 
WATAUGA COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
 
SPECIAL MEETING, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2009 &
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2009
 
            The Watauga County Board of Commissioners held a special meeting on Thursday, February 19, 2009, and Friday, February 20, 2009, in order to conduct a retreat to review goals and objectives for the County. The meetings were held in the Watauga County Board of Commissioners’ Conference Room, Boone, N.C.
 
PRESENT:          Jim Deal, Chairman
William R. Winkler, III, Vice-Chairman
John Cooper, Commissioner
Tim Futrelle, Commissioner
Winston Kinsey, Commissioner
Robert E. Nelson, Jr., County Manager
Deron Geouque, Deputy County Manager
Doris Isaacs, Finance Director
 
            Chairman Deal called the meeting to order on Thursday, February 19, 2009 at 4:15 P.M., welcoming those in attendance.
              
            The following topics were discussed:
 
                         REVIEW OF CURRENT (FY 2009) BUDGET – MS. DORIS ISAACS
1)      Revenues                                                                                                                                    
a)   Sales & Property Taxes                                                                                                           
b)   Departmental (Register of Deeds, Planning & Inspections, Parks & Recreation)                         
2)      Expenditures                                                                                                                                
3)      Fund Balance                                                                                                                               
4)      Debt Service Report                                                                                                                     
 
                         DISCUSSION OF FY 2010 BUDGET – MS. DORIS ISAACS
1)      Budget Drivers                                                                                                                             
a)   Department of Social Services                                                                                                  
b)   School Board                                                                                                                           
2)      Expenditures                                                                                                                                
3)      Funding of Non-County Departments                                                                                             
a)      Cooperative Extension                                                                                                             
b)      Health Department                                                                                                                  
c)      AppalCART                                                                                                                            
d)      Mental Health                                                                                                                         
e)      Library                                                                                                                                    
f)       Special Appropriations                                                                                                             
4)      Fire District Funding                                                                                                                     
 
                         REVIEW OF CURRENT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN (CIP) AND
                         CAPITAL RESERVE FUND – MR. ROBERT E. NELSON, JR., MR. DERON GEOUQUE
                         AND MR. ROBERT MARSH                                                                                                        
1)      Current CIP Plan                                                                                                                         
2)      Tax Software Update – Mr. Kelvin Byrd                                                                                      
3)      Animal Control Facility                                                                                                                 
4)      Discussion of Unfunded Projects                                                                                                  
a)      Recreation Center/Swimming Pool                                                                                            
b)      Report on Eastern Senior Services – Ms. Angie Boitnotte                                                          
c)      Western Watauga Community Center Expansion                                                                       
d)      Human Services Center Building # 3                                                                                         
e)      Tag Office                                                                                                                              
f)       AppalCART Building                                                                                                               
g)      Rich Mountain Tower Report                                                                                                   
h)      Miscellaneous Projects                                                                                                             
 
                         JOINT MEETING WITH WATAUGA COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD                                        
1)     General Discussion                                                                                                                      
2)     Review of Schools (CIP) Maintenance Plan – Mr. Dennis Ray                                                      
3)     High School Project Update – Mr. Mike Kesterson                                                                       
4)     Recreation Fields Use Agreement                                                                                                
5)     Playgrounds Update                                                                                                                     
 
                        A recess was declared at 9:17 P.M. The meeting reconvened on Friday, February 20, 2009 at 12:07 P.M.
 
                         EMS ISSUES – MR. CRAIG SULLIVAN
1)      Contract Renewal Discussion                                                                                                       
2)      Annual Report                                                                                                                             
 
                         SHERIFF’S OFFICE REPORT & DISCUSSION – SHERIFF L. D. HAGAMAN                      
 
                         PLANNING/EDC MATTERS – MR. JOE FURMAN
1)      “Comprehensive Plan” Progress Report                                                                                        
2)      Affordable Housing                                                                                                                      
3)      Discussion of Abandoned Mobile Homes                                                                                       
4)      Brookshire Project (Water/Sewer Issues)                                                                                      
5)      Economic Development Matters                                                                                                   
6)      Daniel Boone Parkway Discussion                                                                                                
 
                         RECREATION MATTERS – MR. STEPHEN POULOS
1)      Howard’s Knob Park                                                                                                                   
2)      10 Year Plan Report                                                                                                                    
3)      Skate Park Report                                                                                                                        
 
                         TAX MATTERS – MR. KELVIN BYRD
1)       Reval Report/Discussion                                                                                                              
2)       Tax Base Projections/Comments                                                                                                  
3)       Tag/Passport Office Discussion                                                                                                    
 
                         MISCELLANEOUS
1)      Blue Ridge Parkway Request                                                                                                       
2)      Discussion of Referenda (Sales and Transfer Tax)                                                                         
3)      Recycling Report – Ms. Lisa Doty                                                                                                
4)      Surplus Property Discussion                                                                                                          
a)   Edmisten House                                                                                                                      
b)   Old High School                                                                                                                      
5)      Hazard Map Discussion                                                                                                                
6)      FY 09 Audit                                                                                                                                 
7)      Soccer Complex Agreement Discussion                                                                                        
 
                         WRAP UP, GOALS & OBJECTIVES, BOARD DIRECTIVES                                                   
 
            The County Manager concluded the retreat by reviewing the issues addressed and seeking direction from the Board for Fiscal Year 2010.
 
 
            Commissioner Futrelle, seconded by Commissioner Kinsey, moved to adjourn the meeting at 5:00 P.M.
 
VOTE:    Aye-5
               Nay-0
              
 
Jim Deal, Chairman
 
ATTEST:
Deron Geouque
Deputy County Manager