MINUTES
WATAUGA COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2020
The Watauga County Board of Commissioners held a regular meeting, as scheduled, on Tuesday, April 21, 2020, at 5:30 P.M. remotely with the meeting originating in the Manager's Conference Room located in the Watauga County Administration Building, Boone, North Carolina.
PRESENT VIA ELECTRONIC MEANS:
John Welch, Chairman
Billy Kennedy, Vice-Chairman
Larry Turnbow, Commissioner
Charlie Wallin, Commissioner
Perry Yates, Commissioner
Andrea Capua, County Attorney
Anthony di Santi, County Attorney
Deron Geouque, County Manager
Anita J. Fogle, Clerk to the Board
Chairman Welch called the remote meeting to order at 5:33 P.M.
Commissioner Yates opened with a prayer and Vice-Chairman Kennedy led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Chairman Welch asked Clerk to the Board Fogle to call roll with those listed above responding as present.
Approval of Minutes
Chairman Welch called for additions and/or corrections to the April 7, 2020, regular meeting and closed session minutes.
Vice-Chairman Kennedy, seconded by Commissioner Turnbow, moved to approve the April 7, 2020, regular meeting minutes as presented.
VOTE: Aye-5
Nay-0
Vice-Chairman Kennedy, seconded by Commissioner Yates, moved to approve the April 7, 2020, closed session minutes as presented.
VOTE: Aye-5
Nay-0
Approval of Agenda
Chairman Welch called for additions and/or corrections to the April 21, 2020, agenda.
Vice-Chairman Kennedy, seconded by Commissioner Yates, moved to approve the April 21, 2020, agenda as presented.
VOTE: Aye-5
Nay-0
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Community Update
Ms. Jennifer Greene, AppHealthCare Director, provided an update on the Coronavirus (COVID-19). The report was for information only and, therefore, no action was required.
Acceptance of Donation to Sheriff’s Office and Purchase of Equipment
Captain Justin Wood stated that the Sheriff’s Office had recently received a one-time donation for the purchase of equipment to assist local law enforcement in their efforts. The donation is in the amount of $23,424.58 and would be used to purchase donor approved equipment.
Commissioner Turnbow, seconded by Vice-Chairman Kennedy, moved to accept the $23,424.58 donation to be used to purchase equipment.
VOTE: Aye-5
Nay-0
Economic Development Commission’s Request to Establish A Local Emergency Loan Program for Small Businesses
Mr. Joe Furman, Planning and Inspections/Economic Development Director, stated that the Economic Development Commission (EDC) proposed to designate $100,000 from the Economic Development Reserve Account, which currently has a balance of $221,505, for a local emergency loan program for small businesses. This is possible through General Statute 158-7.1.
The goal was to raise $400,000 by acquiring additional funds from Blue Ridge Energy, Skyline/Skybest, and others. Mr. Furman stated that Mr. David Jackson, Director of Boone Area Chamber of Commerce, was helping to get others involved. Because public funds were involved, the program could not include grants or low interest loans. The benefit to the borrower would be that the transactions could be made quickly. All funds would funnel through Mountain Biz Works, who would make the loans and administer the repayments. The hope was for all of the money to ultimately be returned to the County.
The proposed name of the program was “Reenergize Watauga Fund” and it would be promoted as a recovery loan to help small businesses reopen when the time comes. It could also be used by some to fill the void until Federal funding comes through. It would have to be first come-first served.
Mr. Furman stated that a public hearing was required pursuant to NC G. S. 158-7.1 and requested, with time of the essence, it be scheduled for the Tuesday, May 5, 2020, Board meeting at 8:30 A.M. Mr. Furman stated that the actual program documents, including a contract with Mountain Biz Works, would be available for the May 5 meeting.
Vice-Chairman Kennedy, seconded by Commissioner Wallin, moved to establish the “Reenergize Watauga Fund” in principal and authorize $100,000 from the Economic Development Capital Reserve Fund with the program documents to be considered after the public hearing was held.
VOTE: Aye-5
Nay-0
Request for Approval of Civil Penalty
Mr. Joe Furman stated that Waterfront Group/Deep Creek Holdings was recently granted preliminary plat approval of a 99 lot development on Shawnee Road known as Monteagle. A recent site visit by Mr. Chris Grubb, who was responsible for enforcement of the Erosion Control Ordinance, revealed that grading had occurred, and had obviously begun days before. His site visit was prompted by the observation of a Building Inspector that grading was occurring. The developer was aware that an erosion control plan had not been approved because it had been submitted, reviewed, and denied with a request for revisions and additional information.
Mr. Furman stated that the County Erosion Control Ordinance included a provision, in Section 23(a), to assess a $5,000 per day penalty for violations, up to $25,000. Mr. Furman stated that, since the Stop Work Order and Notice of Violation were issued and, it wasn’t definitively known how many days the work had been going on, he requested the Board assess a penalty of $5000.00 (one day).
Commissioner Turnbow, seconded by Vice-Chairman Kennedy, moved to assess Waterfront Group/Deep Creek Holdings with a $5,000 (one day) penalty for violation of the County’s Erosion Control Ordinance at the 99 lot development on Shawnee Road known as Monteagle.
VOTE: Aye-5
Nay-0
Emergency Management Request to Purchase Radios and Accessories
Mr. Will Holt, Emergency Services Director, requested approval for the purchase of five (5) portable radios and accessories in the amount of $44,558.50. The radios were to provide back-up capability for the 911 Center. Adequate funds were budgeted in the current 2020 Fiscal Year.
Commissioner Turnbow, seconded by Commissioner Yates, moved to approve the purchase of the five (5) portable radios and accessories, in the amount of $44,558.50, as requested by Mr. Holt.
VOTE: Aye-5
Nay-0
Tax Matters
A. Monthly Collections Report
Tax Administrator, Mr. Larry Warren, presented the Tax Collections Report for the month of March 2020. The report was presented for information only and, therefore, no action was required.
B. Refunds and Releases
Mr. Warren presented the Refunds and Releases Report for March 2020 for Board approval:
TO BE TYPED IN MINUTE BOOK
Commissioner Yates, seconded by Commissioner Turnbow, moved to approve the Refunds and Releases Report for March 2020 as presented.
VOTE: Aye-5
Nay-0
Anne-Marie Park Paving Bid Award Request
Mr. Robert Marsh, Maintenance Director, stated that the following bids were received for the paving of the Anne-Marie Park parking lot:
|
Bidder |
Location |
Bid Amount |
|
Moretz Paving |
Zionville, NC |
$127,344.50 |
|
Boone Paving |
Boone, NC |
$162,500.00 |
|
Tri-County Paving |
West Jefferson, NC |
$139,800.75 |
|
Shatley |
West Jefferson, NC |
$138,559.00 |
Moretz Paving provided the lowest responsive bid in the amount of $127,344.50. This lot was part of the overall plan to provide parking for the new Community Recreation Center (CRC), baseball and soccer fields, and Greenway usage. Per the long term lease with the Town of Boone, Town Council approval was required to pave the lots. The County Manager was on the Town Council’s agenda to seek approval.
Commissioner Turnbow, seconded by Commissioner Yates, moved to accept the bid from Moretz Paving in the amount of $127,344.50 to pave the Anne-Marie parking lot and to direct the County Manager to seek Town of Boone approval for the paving of the parking lot.
VOTE: Aye-5
Nay-0
Miscellaneous Administrative Matters
A. Acceptance of Recreation Trails Grant for Rocky Knob Park
County Manager Geouque stated that at the June 16, 2019, Board of Commissioners meeting, approval was given to Mr. Kristian Jackson, Rocky Knob Trail Boss, to submit an application to the North Carolina Recreational Trails Program Grant. At that time, the Tourism Development Authority (TDA) agreed to provide the required 25% match, if the grant was awarded, of the $100,000 requested. Mr. Jackson recently received notification that the grant was awarded.
Commissioner Turnbow, seconded by Vice-Chairman Kennedy, moved to accept the $100,000 grant from the North Carolina Recreational Trails Program Grant and to accept the matching funds to be provided by the County Tourism Development Authority (TDA).
VOTE: Aye-5
Nay-0
B. Boards and Commissions
County Manager Geouque stated that Mr. Keith Deveraux, Director of High Country Workforce Development, had recommended, on behalf of the High Country Workforce Development Board, for Mr. Hayden Gibson to be reappointed to the High Country Workforce Development Board for a term beginning July 1, 2020, and ending June 30, 2022.
Commissioner Turnbow, seconded by Vice-Chairman Kennedy, moved to waive the second reading and reappoint Mr. Hayden Gibson to the High County Workforce Development Board for a term beginning July 1, 2020 and ending June 30, 2022.
VOTE: Aye-5
Nay-0
C. Announcements
County Manager Geouque announced the following:
· Budget Work Sessions are scheduled for May 14 from 12:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. and May 15 from 9:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. At this time, these meetings will be Zoom conference calls and follow the Electronic Meeting Policy adopted by the Board.
· The Watauga Compassionate Community Initiative 2020 Conference will be held on Saturday, May 16, 2020, from 8:00 A.M. to 3:15 P.M. at Watauga High School. The Opening Keynote Speaker will be Brandon Wrencher and the Keynote Speaker will be Allison Sampson-Jackson.
Commissioner Wallin stated that the Watauga Compassionate Community Initiative 2020 Conference has been cancelled.
Public Comment
There was no public comment.
Closed Session
At 6:19 P.M., Commissioner Wallin, seconded by Commissioner Yates, moved to enter Closed Session to discuss Attorney/Client Matters, per G. S. 143-318.11(a)(3).
VOTE: Aye-5
Nay-0
Vice-Chairman Kennedy, seconded by Commissioner Yates, moved to resume the open meeting at 7:36 P.M.
VOTE: Aye-5
Nay-0
Adjourn
Commissioner Turnbow, seconded by Vice-Chairman Kennedy, moved to adjourn the meeting at 7:37 P.M.
VOTE: Aye-5
Nay-0
John Welch, Chairman
ATTEST:
Anita J. Fogle, Clerk to the Board