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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1964-07-21 Joint Meeting w COWI Ni'niiEes of the Meeting July 20, 1964 Continued ? - - - CONSOLIDATED TAX DEPARTMENT REPORT -(continued) II Charged per Abstract Real 8 Personal $2,380,459•41 Add Corp. Excess 63,966.20 , Late Listing Real & Personal 1,579.30 2,446, 004. 9 i ? Less Abatements 1,143.02 Collections $1,775,850.12 Prepayments 538,699.04 2,314,549•16 I Balance .Tune 30, 1964 130,312.73 REPQRTS - I The following reports were reviewed and ordered filed for future reference: I, 1- National Rivers 8 Harbors Congress have approved Northeast Cape River ? River Project. 2- The monthly and annual repor.t of the Wilmington Public Library. II 3- June report of the Home Economics Extension Agent. I, RECESS - I Upon motion of Mr. Metts, seconded by Mr. Broadhurst, the Board recessed I? to meet in joint session with the City Council tomorrow morning/aT 9:30 as scheduled. il W. G. , xecutive Se rc etary JOINT MEETING i Council Chambers Wilmington, N. C. Julv 21, 1961i 9:00 A.M. ASSENBLY Complying with the recessed meeting of the Board of County Commissioners on July 20, 1964, the Board met in joint session with the Wilmington City Council with the following present: Chairman J. M. Hall, Jr., Commissioners Peter H. Braak,11 L. E. Broadhurst, Ernest R. Mayhan and John Van B. Metts, Jr., County Attorney L. i Bradford Tillery and County Auditor T. D. Love, Jr; Mayor 0. 0. Allsbrook, who pre- ?i sided, and Councilmen J. H. Batuyios, Hannah S. Block, E. S. Capps, Jr. and John C. Symmes, with C'ity Manager E. C. Brandon, Jr. and City Attorney Cicero P. Yow.., INVOCATION - The Mayor called the meeting to order and requested County Commissioner Peter H. Braak tolead the invocation for wisdom and guidance. . HEALTH DEPARTMENT - j The Presiding Officer asked the Chairman of the Board of County Commissioner; if he had any remarks to make relative to procedure for considering the mutual agenciesl Budget Requests. Commissioner Hall stated that it was.riecessary last year to enter into a running fight with the 5tate Board of Health and the Merit System Council on the question of at least establishing the minimum pay range for the classification of the employees in the Health Department. It was either a case of curtailing employees which would interrupt some of the services to the community or agree to the first step in the salary ranges for the qualified employees in the departnent and after consu2ting, with each of the Commissioners at the time, it was the ma,jority opinion that the com- mitment be made and they would go along with it in the 1964-65 Budget year although 11 they could not make a definite legal commitment. By virtve of this decision, the Health Department has continued to render good service to the citizens in New Hanover I County. He suggested that the only increase outside the Merit System requirements was I in the matter of the salary of an attorney which he thinks should be raised to $1,000.0( from $600.00. It has been necessary in the past year for the County Attorney to do considerable legal work in connection 4rith •the plumbing codes in reconciling them to conform to the 5tate Code as well as contain special restrictions and stipulations that apply specifically to New Hanover County. I . Insect 8 Rodent Control - There tirere no significant chanaes in this de= partment. After a brief discussion, Councilman Capps moved that the City pay its share of the Health Department Bndget as recommended bythe Commissioners. It was seconded by Covncilman Block and unanimously approved. ' WILMINGTOPi PUBLIC LIBRARY .Mr. L. J. Poisson, Jr„ Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Wilming-I ton Public Library, accompanied by Miss Katherine Hor!ell, Librarian, reported that the 1 c•irculation has substantially increased over the years and explained Lhat a part of the'? funds previously budgeted under the Red Cross Street Branch was now included in the W. L. I. Library Budget. The employees of the Library, he said are substantially underpaid when compared with other employees of the City and County and urged the Board?s to consider seriously the recommendatinns for some increases for their workers. The Budoet.Requests were studied carefully by the ,joint Boards, after which Councilman Capps moved the approval of ihe City's share as recommended for both Branches. It was seconded by Councilman Symmes and unanimously approved. Then Commissioner Metts moved the approval of the County's share on the same basis as last year. As Chairman Hall explained that it could be increased but could not be decreased as participating funds from the.State and Federal Funds would be withheld if the same amount or more was not approved as last year. Commissioner Braak seconded the motion and it was un- animously adopted. ? . I 357 Minutes of the Joint Meeting July 21, 1964 BUDGET STUDY COMMITTEE REPORT - ? The Presiding Officer reminded the Boards that last year they had appointed a Committee to make a study of the joint agencies in which both bodies were mutually in- terested and calied on Commissioner Metts, who was made Chairman of that Committee, for a report. He reporLed that the Joint Committee had met on several occasions to consider the matters before them and that on April 20, 1964, the majority of the Committee agreed I to submit the following recommendations: ?I 1- The Consolidated Board of Health is to remain on the same basis as at present. i 2- The Wilmington Public Library is to remain as is. i 3- The expense of Tax Listing is to be borne completely by the County. 4- The cost of making the tax scrolls is to be paid to the County and not to any employees. 5- The City Port and Waterways Development Commission will be taken over by the County. . ' 6- The Civil Defense Agency is to remain as is. I 7- The City Manaoer is to be given the authority to see that the directives of the Board of Commissioners and the Council of the City of Wilmington are carried out ' by the Tax Collector at no cost to the County. . I 8- The Cape Fear Armory is to remain as is. He said he realized that these were not official until the Boards themselves had officiaily adopted them. He was thanlied for the diligence with which they had performed their duty. ' U. S.O. - Commissioner Broadhurst offered a motion that the U. S. O. be deleted from the County Budget entirely as it was a function for the City only to consider. It was second- ' I ed by Commissioner Mayhan_and the questicn called before any discussion and when the bal- lots were cast, Commissioners Braa}t, Broadhurst,-and N?ayhan voted for the motion. At this point, Chairman Hall pointed out that the Military personnel in the Camps surrounding our area contributed to our economy and that at present the Federal government was in the pro- i cess of spending more than a million and a half dollars improving the Airport facilities I-and asked that this matter be reconsidered. After'considerable discussion, Commissioner Braak moved that the motion above be reconsidered. It was seconded by Commissioner Metts and when the ballot was taken, Commissioners Broadhurst voted "NO" but as the other Com- ? missioners voted "YES", the Chairman declared the motion carried. Commissioner Braak then moved that the U. S. O. be included on the same basis as in the past. It was seconded by , Commissioner Metts and all of the Board'voted in favor of it except Commissioner Broadhurst who voted against it. The Presiding Officer then declared that the U. S. O. would remain las a'n equally shared agency. - ? LOCAL MILITARY UNITS - After briefly discussing this•joint endeavor, Commissioner Braak moved that the County continue their support in the amount of $1,000 as in the past to the Local Military Units. It was seconded by Commissioner Mayhan and unanimously approved. BI-RACIAL OR GOOD NEIGHBOR COUNCIL - Chairman Hall reported that there was some little expense incurred with the operatidn of the Bi-Racial Committee and stated that in his opinion; they had made a fine contribution to the race relations in the County. He suggested that each of the govern- mental units contribute $250.00 or a total of $500.00 for the year. Upon motion of Com- missioner Mayhan, seconded by Commissioner Braak, the County unanimously approved includ- p ing its share in the current Budget. _ CAPE FEAR ARMORY I After a brief discussion of this item, it was mutually agreed,by common consent, that the County would include $465.00 as its share of the Budget this year,. , TAX COLLECTOR - Chairman Hall explained that last year the County had given an acrdss the Board 10% raise to its employees but that throvgh a misunderstanding the Taa Collectorls'employees were allowed only 5% and he suggested that an adjustment should be made this year. After a discussion of this subject, Commissioner Metts moved that the Tax Collector's Budget Estimates be approved as recommended by the Auditor. It was seconded by Commissioner Sraak and unanimously approved. At this point, he.reported that the Joint Study Committee had recommended that the City Manager be given the authority to see that the directives of the Board of Commissioners and the City Council were carried out at notcost to the County. By 'common consent of all present, this recommendation was approved. CIVIL DEFENSE - A review of the Bvdoet Request for the Civil Defense Agency revealed that the Itotals were slightly less than last year even though the classification of some of the personnel warranted an increase in salaries under the Nerit System. After considerable 'discussion, i_t was finally agreed that the total contribution of the County would be $5,372.25. WILMINGTON PORT 8 WATERWAYS DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION Chairman Hall reported that over the years this agency has increasingly become County-wide in its scope and service. He suggested that the agency be trans£erred from ,the City of Wilmington to the New Hanover County Budoet amounting.to $1900.00. There was ,no formal motion on this matter, however, the majority of the Board agreed to this matter, ?therefore, by common consent, it was agreed to put it into the County Budoet. ??' ? I r??8_? Chairman Hall observed that for a long time the Grand Juries have been - concerned about privilege for parking when they are serving in the Courts. After dis- cussing this subject at length, it was finally agreed that when an active juror received a violation ticket while on duty in the court, he should take it to the Clerk of Court who would in turn initial it as being O.K. and send it to the City Manager who would dis- pose of it in a legal way. Minutes of the ,loint Meetinq Julv. 21, 1961t Continued II = -_ _- ----- ----- _- - - - --- - - TAX LISTING - This subject was discussed at length and it was finally agreed, by common ? consent, that the totai expense for listing taxes would be borne completely by the County and that the cost of making the tax-scrolls would be paid by the City directly into the County and not to any employees. HOLIDAYS - Councilman Symmes reported that he had received some complaints relative to I the different holidays observed by the City and County and suggested that a uniform ? agreement be made with reference to this matter. There seemed to be complete agreement ' among those present on this suggestion and the two Boards appointed City Manager Brandon and Executive Secretary Houck as a Committee to work out a uniform Holiday Schedule, q JUROR PARKING ? ADJOURNMENT - Mayor Allsbrook thanked everybody for their cooperation and willinoness to work together on our mutually interested departments. He then declared/$he joint meet- ing adjourned. ? ? --.4 / / W. Commissioners Room BUDGET DISCUSSION 2:30 P. M. Julv 21,064 ecutive Wilmington, N. C. RECONVENTION Present were: Chairman J. M. Hall, Jr., Commissioners Peter H. Braak, L. E. Broadhurst, Ernest R. Mayhan, and John Van B. Metts, Jr., County Auditor T. D. Love, Jr. County Attorney L. Bradford Tillery was out out of the city and unable to be pre- sent. The Chairman cailed the meeting to order pursuant to the recess of the last regu- lar meeting for the purpose of continuing the Budget discussion and conducting any other business pertinent to the County. LAND RENTAL In discussing the County Prison Farm Budget, the Board finally, by common consent, agreed to dispense with the farming operation during the current year as soon as all present crops planted are harvested. Nlr: Braak, as the Committee.for the Farm; was authorized to begin preparation for closing down the operation by disposing of live- stock, farm machinery, and advertise the land for rental purposes or negotiate for leas- ing it. EAST-WEST HIGHWAY Chairman Hall reported that on July 13th, he attended an organi2ational meet- ina of the East-West Highway Development Association being organized for the purpose of improving and developing U. S. Highway 74 from its terminal in Wilmington to Asheville inLo a dual four-lane highway. After the oroanizational procedures were completed, it aras decided to form a non-profit corporation called the Hiohway 74 Improvement Asso- ciation. Each of the counties through which the Highway passes was requested to contri- bute $100.00 which might come from an appropriation by the Commissioners,or any other available sources in the County,in order to provide funds for getting action on this pro- ject initiated. By common consent, the Board unanimously approved this suggestion and authori2ed the Executive Secretary to forward $100.00 for New Hanover County's share out' of the Advertising and Industrial Development Fund. WOMENIS PRISON DEPARTMENT In a.discussion of the County Prison Farm facilities, it was found that an average from f'ive to seven female prisoners were kept at the l+lomen's Department of the Prison. It also developed that before women prisoners can work, they must have a woman supervisor. Since it has been decided to dispense with the Farm operation during the fiscal year, there would be nothing for the female prisoners to do. Mr. Braak then moved that the Women+s Prison Department be eliminated by September 1, 1964 or as soon as practically possible before that time. It was seconded by Mr. Metts and unanimously approved. JWENILE DETENTION HOME The Chairman' reminded the Board that the ldelfare Department had agreed to assume the placement of juvenile delinquents in foster homes. He suggested that the juvenile detention was a function of the Court and that the Juvenile Judge should make the arrangements with the Welfare Department before the Detention Home is abolished. At this point, Juvenile Judge H. Foster Edwards was called before the Board and the situa- tion explained to him. He stated that in his opinion the Juvenile Detention Home serves'i as a deterrent for incorrigible children but that he would go along with the idea without' objection on a trial basis but reserve the right to re-open the matter if circumstances warranted it. Then Mr. Metts offered a motion that the Countv Commissioners recommend to the Juvenile Judge that the Juvenile Detention Home be abolished and that he arrange 1t with the Welfare Department subject to his own prerogative on a trial bas?s in accordance? with GS 110-30. It was seconded by Mr. Braak and unanimously adopted. GENERAL - For the remainder of the afternoon, the various Budget items were covered undell serveral departmenLs and adjustments made as they appeared justified. ? RECESS - - Upon motion of Mr. Braak, seconded by Mr. Broadhurst, the Board unanimously agreed to recess untii 9:00 A. M. July 27th and authorized the Executive Secretary to ? have the Mental Health Center Board meet with them at that time. ?I?