2013-06-13 Budget Work Session NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 32
BUDGET WORK SESSION,JUNE 13,2013 PAGE 646
ASSEMBLY
The New Hanover County Board of Commissioners held a Budget Work Session on Thursday, June 13,
2013, at 2:35 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: Commissioner Jonathan Barfield,
Jr.:and Commissioner Thomas Wolfe.
Staff members present: County Manager Chris Coudriet, Assistant County Managers Avril Pinder and Tim
Burgess:Budget Director Cam Griffin:and Deputy Clerk to the Board Teresa P.Elmore.
Chairman White called the meeting to order and requested the County Manager to begin the budget
discussion on funding for the Cape Fear Public Transportation Authority.
County Manager Chris Coudriet gave a recap of the WAVE history and funding as follows:
• July 2003 City and County merged under one transportation agency for operation and evaluation
• July 1, 2004 the Cape Fear Public Transportation Authority was established
• July 2005 fully merged
• WAVE Funding from County:
• FY09-10 $132,939
• FY10-11 $132,939
• FYII-12 $132,939
• FY12-13 $250,000 (expanded sei ice to beach communities)
• FY13-14 $500,000 Requested
• FY13-14 $140,000 Recommended
• NHC Pays for Para-transit sei ices: FYII-12 - $1 million
• Senior Resource Center provides Para-transit transportation to those not receiving Medicaid
or other transportation assistance for medical or general use-not mandated
• Department of Social Sei ices provides Para-transit transportation for Medicaid and Work
First Employment Programs-mandated
• Health Department provides Para-transit transportation for patients needing access to care
(well-baby checkups, etc.) -not mandated
• WAVE Routes
• Recommended funding should maintain existing route to northern section of county
• Federal Grants restrict use of grant fiords for operating expenses
• Commissioners may want to review the policy expectations for the scope of public transportation to
determine most appropriate sei ice for County resources:
• More extensive and comprehensive county-wide sei ice
• Para-transit for health and human services
Albert Eby, Director of the Cape Fear Public Transportation Authority, provided information on the
funding mechanisms in place from the Federal and State governments and responded to questions pertaining to the
organization's budget.
Consensus: The Commissioners agreed that the Board would need to study the issues to determine the most
appropriate sei ice for all citizens of the County and review funding resources.
Vice-Chair Dawson suggested that while the Board considers the policy decisions for fixture funding, the
County might want to consider waiving or forgiving the $130,000 loan to the authority. A consensus was not
reached.
In other discussion on the Recommended Budget, Commissioner Wolfe requested additional funding of
$12,500 for Wilmington Downtown,Inc. to recoup some of their cost in recruiting new businesses for the downtown
area.
Consensus: The Commissioners agreed to fiord Wilmington Downtown, hrc. an additional $12,500. Funding will
come from carryover fiords from FY2012-13 Economic Development Fund.
Consensus: In review of pending budget issues, the Commissioners made the following funding decisions for the
Recommended Budget:
• No increase in salaries for Commissioners.
• Remove$635,000 for DSS Daycare program and returned to fiord balance.
• DWI court—keep funding in this year's budget and staff is to review.
• Remove $320,000 - DSS General Assistance funding. Commissioner Wolfe suggested the private sector
could donate money for this purpose.
NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 32
BUDGET WORK SESSION,JUNE 13,2013 PAGE 647
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further discussion, Chairman White adjourned the meeting at 3:52 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.