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1974-05-31 Special MeetingMINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING, MAY 20, 1974 (CONTINUED) CERTIFICATE OF CANVASS - HOSPITAL AND SCHOOL BOND ISSUES (CONTINUED) (3) The total number ot voters who voted "YES" in answer to the question "Shall the order authorizing $5,500,000 bonds se- cured by a pledge of the faith and credit of the County of Neca Hanover for the prupose of paying the capital costs of providing school facilities in New Hanover County, including the construction of a school building or buildings and the construction of additions to and the reconstruction, remodeling and renovation of existing school houses, buildings, plants and other school facilities and including the acquisition of land and the acquisition and installation of furnishings and equipment necessary for such school facilities in order to enable New Hanover County to maintain public schools in New Hanover County for the nine months school term prescribed by law and a tax to be levied for the payment thereof be ap- proved?", was 7,258. The total number of voters who voted "NO" in answer to such question was 4,696. The question sub- mitted was approved by the affirmative vote of a majority of those who voted thereon at said election. Any action or proceeding challenging the regularity or validity of this bond referendum must be begun within 30 days after May 25, 1974 . (date ot publication) Board of Commissioners of New Hanover County, North Carolina Comm. Hall seconded the motion, and the motion was adopted. Those voting for the motion were Messrs. Davis, Hall, Powe11, Vaughan and Mrs. Wright. No one voted against it. DISCUSSION OF HOSPITAL CONSTRUCTION Comm. Vaughan stated that he would like for the Chairman to be authorized to ca11 and talk extensively over the phone to the proper persons at the Duke Hospital Research Organi- zation to determine if there would be any benefit to the County in building a second hospital instead of adding on to the present hospital. By common consent, Comm. Vaughan was authorized to make this phone call. ADJOURNMENT Comm, Wright moved, seconded by Comm. Hall, that the meeting be adjourned vote, motion carried unanimously. Chm. Powell adjourned the meeting at 5:30 PM. Respectfully submitted, ~~~ ~ ~~.r, q Lise K. King 0 Clerk to the Board k MINUTES OF SPECIAL MEETING, MAY 31, 1974 Upon ASSEMBLY The New Hanover County Board of Commissioners met in special session on Friday, May 31, 1974, at 9:00 AM in the Assembly Room, County Commission Building, Wilmington, North Carolina, to nominate persons for the Coastal Resources Commission and to set the date for the public hearing on the New Hanover County Budget for fiscal year 1974-1975. Members present were Commissioners Peter R. Davis; J. M. Hall, Jr.; Vivian S. Wright; Chairman W. Douglas Powell; County Manager, Dan W. E11er; and Clerk to the Board, Lise K. King. Chm. Powell called the meeting to order. DISCUSSION OF COASTAL RESOURCES COMMISSION NOMINEES Chm. Powell stated that Messrs. Lloyd Kusler and Barry Grimm were present to make a recommendation for a nominee for the Coastal Resources Commission, and that he had no objections to this and asked if it would be agreeable to the other Commissioners. Comm. Wright stated that this was not agreeable to her, chosen at the meeting of May 20 which were to be sent off at Chairman had not found anything objectional about them; and names of Peter R. Davis, Eddie Haneman, Phillip Hill and Jim Commissioners' nominees in accordance with their decision of of a second. that four names had been the end of the week if the ;omm. Wright moved that the Parnell be sent off as the May 20. Motion died for lack Chm. Powell stated that it was his understanding that the names discussed on May 20 would be allowed to stand for three days in case any of the Commissioners had objections. ~ ~6~4 ~. MINUTES OF SPECIAL MEETING, MAY 31, 1974 (CONTINUED) DISCUSSION OF COASTAL RESOURCES COMMISSION NOMINEES (CONTINUED) Comm. Wright stated that nobody had oYYicially notiYied her that anybody had objected, that she had talked unofficially with the Clerk to the Board, but there had been no notice sent out of any official objection, no notice sent out of any additional names to be considered, and that she thought the names discussed on May 20 had been sent off last week until she read otherwise in the paper Tuescgy morning. Comm. Hall stated that it was his understanding when they left the meeting of May 20 that the Board was to have three days to put any other names in nomination and then discuss those nominees. Comm. Wright stated that this was not it. She stated that the way it went was that the names were brought up, the Board agreed that the four names would be sent off after three days, that no member of the Board had objected to any of them, and that Chm. Powe11 just said he did not know them and would like to check them out. She stated that it was left with the understanding that they would be sent off after three days, and that there had been no notice sent out through the Commissioners Office of any objections nor any notice sent out listing any additional names that might have been sent it. She stated that she thought those names should have been sent in last week, under the circumstances, as the Board had agreed on them. Comm. Hall stated that it was not a matter of objecting to the names discussed on May 20 as it was a preference for other names. Chm. Powe11 stated that, before the meeting of May 20, he had written the Com- missioners regarding the Coastal Resources Commission nominations and had suggested that they get ideas lined up and communicate them to the other Commissioners prior to that meeting so they could make a decision at that time. He stated that no Commissioner had done this. Comm. Wright stated that the Chairman had not sent in any names either and that she took exception to the statement in the paper on Tuesday, May 29, quoting the Chair- man as saying the special meeting had been called because the other Commissioners had not sent in any names because he had not sent any names out either and further that, as she recalled it, he had not suggested any at the meeting of May 20. Chm. Powe11 stated that Coc~. Wright would have to take her exception with the newspaper because he had not stated, as the paper said, that the meeting was called because the other Commissioners failed to submit any names, that this had been an incorrect quote. Comm. Wright stated that, if this were an incorrect quote, she apologized for bringing it up. Chm. Powe11 stated that at the meeting of May 20, when the names had been discussed, it had been his understanding that those names would be allowed to stand for three days to see if someone had objections or further proposals. Comm. Ha11 stated that he had further proposals, not objections. Comm. Wright asked what good further proposals would do if anybody had made any, which she understood from the Clerk that one member of the Board had, if nobody on the Board knew about it. She stated that she would not have known about it if she had not called the Office after the paper had said that the Board had seven names under con- , sideration, which she stated, the Board did not have seven names under consideration. Comm. Wright asked Chm. Powell why he had not notified the Board members that there had been objections and that the names were not being sent off. Chm. Powell stated that that was what he had done when he had notified the Board members of the special meeting. , Comm. Wright stated that the notice had said nothing about anymore names. Chm. Powe11 stated that, when the names were not presented in Raleigh, they had to have another meeting. Comm. Wright stated that they had no notice that the names had not been sent in and that she thought the names had been sent in until she picked up the paper Tuesday morning. Chm. Powell stated that she had gotten her notice that the names had not been sent in when she got the notice of the special meeting. Comm. Wright stated that the notice had not said anything about the names, it had just said there was a meeting. Chm. Powell stated yes, to make final recommendations. Comm. Wright stated that it did not say that, it said a meeting to consider the nominees for the Coastal Resources Commission to nominate persons and to set the date for the public hearing on the budget. She stated that there was nothing whatsoever about any other names having been suggested or objections to the ones that had been agreed upon at the meeting of May 20. Chm. Powell stated that it seemed reasonable to him to assume that, if the meeting was called for the purpose of considering the nominees for the Coastal Resources Com- mission, obviously someone wanted to make additional proposals. ~~~ MINUTES OF SPECIAL MEETING, MAY 31, 1974 (CONTINUED) DISCUSSION OF COASTAL RESOURCES COMMISSION (CONTINUED) Comm. Wright stated that obviously the names should have been sent out to the whole Board so that they would know who they were being called into special session to nominate. Chm. Powell stated that no names had been sent out to the Board members before the meeting of May 20. Comm. Wright stated that they weren't; but that the Board had agreed on four names; and, if there were more, she asked why they hadn't been sent out. Comm. Ha11 stated that the Board had left the meeting of May 20 with the idea that if they had any input to make that they should make it within a three-day period, which he stated he had done. Comm. Wright stated that she was objecting to the fact that almost two weeks had gone by and the Board members had had no official notice of any other names being submitted, that she had gotten this information unofficially from the Clerk on her own initiative which, she stated, she would not have learned if she had not read the paper and called the Clerk. She stated that she understood that one of the Commissioners had put in a couple of more names. She stated that,it appeared to her that one of the members of the Board was trying to use this for a political thing and another was trying to use it for personal advantage. She stated that if the Board was not going to send off the four names agreed on in the May 20 discussion, that she was wasting her time because she had agreed upon four names at the last meeting. She stated that none of the Commissioners had expressed any objections whatsoever except that the Chairman had said that he did not know the people. She said that none of the Board members present had expressed any objections or given any other names. Comm. Hall stated that that was the purpose of the three-day period so that the Board members could make their input. ; Comm. Wright asked why she was not notified that someone might have sent in some more names. Comm. Davis stated that it was his understanding that the four names were brought up, one of which was his, and that of these four names, two of them he did not know; and it was his feeling that the Board, as a whole, wanted to find out who the other two people were that Comm. Vaughan had recommended. Conmi. Wright stated that nobody else had said anything about this except the Chairman. Comm. Davis stated that this was correct and that Mr. Powell, as the Chairman, had~ said he would have the list if anybody wanted to look it over, and that this would be sent unless there were objections or unless somebody wanted to think about it. Co~n. Hall stated that they would be sent unless there were additional names to be added. He stated that this was his understanding, that you had three days to put in the names that you wanted to suggest, and that he had done this. Comm. Davis stated that, as far as his name was concerned, he had been very interested and would have liked very much to have been on this Board. Comm. Wright stated that he had said that at the time and that she had been the one who had nominated him for what she thought was a very good reason. Comm. Davis stated that he appreciated this and had started making some phone ca11s because there were going to be about 80 names submitted to the Governor and he was only going to pick 12 of this 80; and he wanted to find out what his chances would be; and that he had found out that,since he was not a Republican,his chances would be slim. Comm. Wright asked Comm. Davis if he were saying that the Governor, a member of her Party, was going to use this important Coastal Board for political reasons. She stated that, if he were, she felt the Board should send in no names for that reason, thatthe Board was too important for the Commissioners to cooperate in something like that. Comm. Davis stated that he was saying that the Governor would probably pick the best people in his opinion to be on the Board and that probably, in some cases, Party affiliation would have something to do with it. He stated that this was his feeling, and whether it was good or bad was the Governor's business. He stated that he felt it was important that the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners have a member on that Commission and, for this reason, he felt it would be best for his name to be withdrawn and that a Republican member of the Board be sent in who would have more of an opportunity of getting on this Commission than he himself would. , Comm. Wright stated that she had nominated Comm. Davis because she felt he would be the best member on the Board to go on the Coastal Board if anyone were put on it. She stated that she did it because she thought Comm. Davis was most aware of the interests and the needs of what he referred to at times as "the little man", the man who was going to be controlled by the Coastal Board. She stated that she thought that Board needed some- body who was going to look out for the little man--his interests, his property rights, and everything that was important. She stated that this Board was going to have a lot of power and needed some balance. ~ ~•.3 MINUTES OF SPECIAL MEETING, MAY 31, 1974 (CONTINUED) DISCUSSION OF COASTAL RESOURCES COMMISSION (CONTINUED) Comm. Davis stated that he appreciated this but that he had called approximately eight politicians in the area who could have some influence over.this and the response he had gotten was that his chances would be small. He stated that he felt it was more important thatthe New Hanover County Commission did have one member on the Resources Commission. Comm. Wright asked Comm. Davis if he were saying that the Governor had agreed to appoint someone else on their Board. Comm. Davis stated that he had not talked with the Governor and did not have any idea what the Governor would say. Comm. Wright stated that the Board had come up with four names to send in and she did not think somebody else from out in the community, after the Board had agreed on the names, should te11 the Board what they had done wrong. Comm. Davis stated that the Board had not agreed on four names but had just taken the four names under advisement. ~ Comm. Wright asked that Comm. Vaughan's memorandum dated May 29, 1974, be placed in the record, which she said substantiated everything that she had said. This memo- randum is contained in Exhibit Book 2, Page 10. Chm. Powell stated that he would have to go on record objecting to that sub- stantiation in that it was incorrect. Comm. Wright stated that it was not incorrect. Comm. Davis stated that theyhad the tapes and that there were no votes taken. Comm. Wright stated that it was a general agreement. Chm. Powell stated that there were no tapes because it had been discussed in executive session. Chm. Powell stated that he would like to go on record objecting to Comm. Wright's contention, borne out in Comm. Vaughan's memorandum, because this was not in accordance with how the Board had left it. He stated that he felt it would be appropriate for each Commissioner to express themselves as to what their feelings were at the end of that meeting.on May 20 as to how it had been left. Comm. Davis stated that he would like to put a name in nomination. Chm. Powe11 stated that he felt this should be done in executive session. Comm. Wright stated that there was no need to go into executive session at that point. She stated that, if the other Board members were determined to put in names •for political reasons, they could do it on their. own and she would go home because she was wasting her time trying to get a good member on the Coastal Board. Chm. Powell stated that he objected to Comm. Wright's comment that other Board members would be putting names in for political reasons because, if he did put in a name, his motivation would not be for political reasons. Chm. Powe11 asked Messrs. Kusler and Grimm to speak. Mr. Lloyd Kusler stated that, as a member of the Sierra Club, he had been following very closely the Coastal Management Bi11 and offered for the Board's consideration the name of Mr. Barry Grimm, the President of the Cape Fear Chapter of the Sierra Club. Comm. Wright stated that she did not have any objections to Mr. Grimm as such but it had been published that they were considereding it before and that she, personally, was not going into closed session to discuss it any further. Comm. Wright asked County Manager Eller if it were true that under the new law effective in February of 1974, if special called meetings were held, that they could only be held for the specific purposes specified in the notice unless all five members were present and agreed to discuss something else. County Manager Eller stated that this was understanding. Comm. Wright stated that, as she understood it, since one Commissioner was absent, nothing could be taken up except the two things listed on the notice. Coun.ty Manager Eller stated that this was his understanding of the law. Comm. Wright told the other Commissioners to send whatever names they wanted to. Comm. Hall stated that he was sorry Comm. Wright was going to leave them. Comm. Wright stated that she thought it was a sorry situation when somebody objected to names and they were not notified within a period of almost two weeks. Comm. Hall stated that he was not objecting to the names. Comm. Wright stated that she thought if any other names were suggested the Board members should have been notified. MINUTES OF SPECIAL MEETING, MAY 31, 1974 (CONTINUED) DISCUSSION OF COASTAL RESOURCES COMMISSION (CONTINUED) Comm. Hall stated that he had called in and suggested two names which he felt would be appropriate under the circumstances and would give good and adequate input into' the whole program and would give good representation in New Hanover County, which he felt was very important. Co~. Wright stated that with a Chairman and a Vice Chairman, neither of whom had notified the other Bbard members of any additional names that.had been sent in, that she refused to take part in it. Comm. Davis stated to Comm. Wright that he thought she owed it to the County to at least help in taking part in the business. Comm. Wright left the meeting at this time and was absent for the remainder of the meeting. NOMINATIONS FOR THE COASTAL RESOURCES COMMISSION Comm. Hall moved, seconded by Chm. Powell, that the special meeting be recessed to go into executive session. Comm. Davis stated that he would object to going into executive session. x Comm. Hall withdrew his motion; Chm. Powell withdrew his second. Comm. Davis withdrew his name from consideration and nominated Chm. W. Douglas Powell for the local government category. Comm. Hall nominated Mr. Raiford G. Trask, Sr., for the at-large category. Chm. Powell nominated Mr. Edward J. Haneman, commercial fishing, and Mr. Barry Grimm, a State or National conservation organization. Comm. Davis nominated Mr. Paul Foster but withdrew his name from consideration. County Manager Eller presented the resume of Mr. Donald A. Gardner, who he stated had been by his office and presented his resume for consideration. Comm. Davis moved, seconded by Comm. Hall, that the following four names be nominated for the Coastal Resources Commission and mailed to the Governor. Mr. W. Douglas Powe11 Mr. Raiford G. Trask, Jr. Mr. Edward J. Haneman . Mr. Barry Grimm Upon vote, motion carried as follows: Voting Aye: Comm. Davis, Hall and Chm. Powell. Absent: Comm. Vaughan and Wright. SETTING PUBLIC HEARING ON 1974-1975 COUNTY BUDGET By common consent, it was agreed that the public hearing on the New Hanover County Budget for fiscal year 1974-1975 would be held on Monday, June 10, 1974 at 7:30 PM. (Comm. Vaughan and Wright were absent.) ADJOURNMENT Comm. Hall moved, seconded by Comm. Davis, that the meeting be adjourned. Upon vote, motion carried as follows: Voting Aye: Comm. Davis, Hall and Chm. Powell. Absent: Comm. Vaughan and Wright. Chm. Powell adjourned the meeting at 9:40 AM. Respectfully submitted, Ca~~~-'~ ~~ e K.. King Clerk to the Board k