MINUTES
WATAUGA COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
JOINT MEETING WITH THE
BOONE TOWN COUNCIL
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2013
The Watauga County Board of Commissioners held a joint meeting with the Boone Town Council at 6:00 P.M. on Wednesday, November 20, 2013, at Council Chambers on Blowing Rock Road, Boone, North Carolina.
The following were present: Board of Commissioners: Chairman Miller, Vice-Chairman Blust, and Commissioners Kennedy, Welch, and Yates; Boone Town Council: Mayor Clawson, Mayor Pro-Tem Leigh, Mayor-Elect Ball, and Council Members Mason and Scherlen; County Staff: County Manager, Deron Geouque, Planning and Inspections Director, Joe Furman, Planner, John Spear, Clerk to the Board, Anita Fogle, and County Attorney, Stacy “Four” Eggers, IV; Town of Boone Staff: Town Manager, Greg Young, Planning and Inspections Director, Bill Bailey, and Deputy Town Clerk, Christine Pope.
[Clerk’s Note: Town Council Member Rennie Brantz was not in attendance due to a prior commitment.]
Mayor Clawson followed by Chairman Miller called the meeting to order at 6:00 P.M.
Chairman Miller reviewed the process regarding extra-territorial jurisdiction (ETJ) appointments and the stated that Town Council had overstepped statutory regulations by requiring the County to hold a public hearing prior to making ETJ appointments.
After lengthy discussion the following items were agreed upon by both the Town Council and Board of Commissioners:
? The Town agreed to direct staff to notify the County ninety days prior to the expiration of the term of an ETJ member.
? When the term officially expires, the Town agreed to notify the County, per resolution, of the vacancy.
? Both the Town and County agreed to begin advertising upcoming vacancies through meeting announcements and via the internet upon notice of an upcoming vacancy.
? The County agreed to receive as few as one nomination per vacant seat from the Town.
? The Town agreed to forward nominations as soon as available.
? The County agreed to continue to follow the procedure of holding two readings prior to making an appointment or requiring a unanimous vote for an appointment at a first reading.
? The Town and County agreed that the ideal candidate for ETJ representatives would reside in the ETJ area.
After further lengthy discussion, the County agreed to allow the Town up to sixty days to make recommendations for ETJ appointments prior to passing a resolution requesting the County to fill the vacancy. Upon receipt of the resolution, the County would then have ninety days, per statute, to fill the seat prior to that authority being turned over to the Town.
Vice-Chairman Blust, seconded by Commissioner Yates, moved to adjourn the meeting at 7:54 P.M.
VOTE: Aye-5
Nay-0
Mayor-Elect Ball, seconded by Council Member Leigh, moved to adjourn the meeting at 7:54 P.M.
VOTE: Aye-5(Clawson, Leigh, Ball, Mason, Scherlen)
Nay-0
Absent-1(Brantz)
Nathan A. Miller, Chairman
ATTEST:
Anita J. Fogle, Clerk to the Board