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2013-05-30 Budget Work Session NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 32 BUDGET WORK SESSION,MAY 30,2013 PAGE 635 ASSEMBLY The New Hanover County Board of Commissioners held a Budget Work Session on Thursday, May 30, 2013, at 2:34 p.m. at the New Hanover County Govermnent Center, 230 Government Center Drive, Harrell Conference Room, Wilmington,NC. Members present: Chairman Woody White: Vice-Chair Beth Dawson; and Commissioner Thomas Wolfe. Commissioner Jonathan Barfield,Jr.was excused by consensus of the Board. Staff members present: County Manager Chris Coudriet; County Attorney Wanda M. Copley; and Deputy Clerk to the Board Teresa P.Elmore. Chairman White called the meeting to order and requested County Manager Chris Coudriet to begin the budget discussion. County Manager Chris Coudriet requested the Commissioners to give firrther direction on the Budget in order to have it ready for adoption at the June 17t"meeting. The Budget would need to reflect the Board's policy. The Commissioners reviewed the Recommended Budget and staff responded to their questions. Chairman White requested the Manager to revisit the following expenses in this year's budget for firrther reductions: • Reexamine travel expenses for departments to determine if cuts could be made in the number of staff attending conferences and consider a possible reduction of 10-15% • Remove DWI Court expense as the District Attorney agreed that the program could be dropped • Remove drug court as it could be included as part of the criminal court schedule • Reduce $5,000 - $10,000 in departmental supplies expense and review procedures for best purchasing price • Total budget of$500,000 with possible reduction to$400,000 • Review DSS supplies expense of$95,000 for reasonableness • No tax increase for next near County Manager Coudriet discussed the following parts of the Recommended Budget: Proposed Pay and Classification Study: • Current turnover rate= 10'/z% • 18%leave due to wage issues • 30%of current employees eligible for retirement in next five years • Independent third-party study= $125,000 • Determines competitiveness of personnel pay scale • Determines personnel needs of the fixture • County needs to have the best qualified personnel • Last study performed over ten years ago Cape Fear Community College: • Operating Cost of$8.7 million • Debt of$11.5 million • Union Station operating cost of$1 million • Proposed Emerging Technology facility construction debt of$44 million • 250,000 square-foot building necessitates maintenance and custodial costs • $170,000 design cost • County will remain compliant with debt policy of 21% fund balance and 1.6% ad valorem if an increase in revenue or a revision in sei ice is obtained New Hanover Count-v Schools: • Operating Cost of$64.7 million • Capital Improvement Expense(roof repair)$2.5 million • Increase of$4.4 million due to growth in new students • 1%increase for employee/teachers'pay • Pre-recession cost per student=$64.71 per student • Debt of$20.9 million CFCC Debt of$11.5 million+NHC School debt of$20.9 million= $31 million debt for public education Department of Social Sei ices Budget: • Increase in Daycare Funding of$635,000 due to cuts in federal finding of$535,000 • Number one priority from DSS Board • Maintains daycare for 135 bids • 364 children on last year's waiting list • 793 children on waiting list this year NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 32 BUDGET WORK SESSION,MAY 30,2013 PAGE 636 • DSS Budget$7.9 million Chairman White expressed concern that the County would be setting a precedent in funding federally created programs and that the County is unable to fill these types of gaps in state and federal funding. Manager's Recommendation for Funding of Daycare Program: • Reduce Funding for General Assistance (discretionary funding for 1 month intervals for hardship cases) • FY 12-13 funding level=$320,000 • FY 13-14 funding level=$0 • Increase number of children on program by changing criteria for providers • Current requirement of 4 and 5 star licensed facility(strong educational backgrounds) • Annual cost of daycare for 1 child=$4,200-$4,900 WAVE Transportation Funding: • FY 11-12 Budget of$139,539 • FY 12-13 Budget of$250,000 • FY 13-14 Request of$500,000 • Reduction in sei ice anticipated with no coverage for beach communities • FY 13-14 Recommended Budget of$140,000 • County currently provides Medicaid transportation • Majority of WAVE sei ice for city residents ADJOURNMENT There being no further discussion, Chairman White adjourned the meeting at 3:48 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Teresa P.Elmore Deputy Clerk to the Board Please note that the above minutes are not a verbatim record of the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners meeting.