1971-03-27 Special Meeting5~~
MINUTES OF SPECIAI~ MEETING - MARCH 18, 1971.. CONTINiJED -
STATENEi NT OF DR. BELLAMY_, SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS - CONTINUED - •
Problem of sidewaix on i•iarxei; atreet in front of Ne~t Hanover High School was discussed;
there is possibility it will have to be closed.
Dr. Bellamy stated it would be desirable to have Princess and Market Streets north and
south closed but realized this would create a traffic problem.
CONiMUNICATION SYSTEM WITHIN SCHOOLS -
Mr. Marks suggested some form of communication within the schools be used in order for
teachers in classrooms to be able to press button and let the principal's office know of
trouble before it gets out in the halls. Dr. Bellamy stated this will be included in next
year's budget.
Sheriff Millis asked how long could he promise new deputies they will be on the payroll.
Mr. Harriss said they would be on a permanent basis.
SheriYf Millis pointed out it will take some time to get the new deputies and Dr.
Bellamy wanted officers in the schools when they reopen Monday; therefore there will be
a matter o£ overtime for the regular deputies until this is accomplished. Sheriff Millis
was requested to provide the School Board with the necessary help and if this requires over-
time the Board by common consent agreed it will be paid the regular deputies on a straight
time basis.
ADJOUF?NI"fENT -
There being no £urther business to come before the Board, Mr. Marks moved, seconded
by Mr. Harriss, that the meeting adjourn. Motion carried unanimously.
Respect£ully submitted,
Hazel Savage,
Clerk to the Board
HS/bh
MINUTES OF SPECIAI, MEETING - MARCH 27, 1971 - 8:45 A. M. -
ASSEMBLY
Special Meeting of the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners was held on the above
date and time in the Commission Building with the following present: Chairman Meares Harriss,
Jr., Vice-Chairman Berry A. Williams, Commissioners J. M. Hall, Jr., John R. Oxenfeld; County
Administrator Laurence 0. Bowden; and Hazel Savage, Clerk to the Board.
INVOCATION -
Chairman Harriss called the meeting to order and asked Mr. Williams to give the invo-
cation.
CITY-COUNTY APPOINTMENT OF ACTING TAX COLLECTOR -
The £ollowing members of the City Council were present for appointment of a temporary
Acting Tax Collector: Mayor Luther Cromartie, Mayor Pro Tem B. D. Schwartz, Councilmen
John Symmes and Alex Fonvielle. City Manager E. C. Brandon was also present.
Mr. Williams stated there is an Assistant Tax Collector who has been with the department
£or a number of years and has served in an acting capacity for a period of time when the
Collector was ill and from all reports did a~ood job and stated he thought she was well
qualified to assume the responsibility on a temporary acting basis at this time.
Mr. Williams moved, on the part of the County, seconded by Mr. Oxenfeld, that Mrs.
Janie Straughn be made acting Tax Collector on a temporary basis.
Mr. Fonvielle stated he had been informed Mrs. Straughn is a well qualified person
and thought it would be well to appoint her as Tax Collector. He stated he thought it would
be timely to have a lady in a top responsible position.
Mr. Harriss stated he and Mayor Cromartie had requested Mr. Henry I,ewis of the Institute.
of Government to make a study of the Tax Collector's Office and Mr. I,ewis will be down on
April 20. Mr. Harriss stated he would prefer to defer any permanent action until after Mr.
I,ewis has completed the study.
Vote was called on Mr. Williams' motion. It carried unanimously.
Mr. Symmes moved, on the part of the City, seconded by,Mr..Fonvielle, that the City
concur in the action taken by the County. Motion carried unanimously.
Separate motions were made at the request of Chairman Harriss.
Mr. Williams suggested Mrs. Straughn be compensated for the added responsibilities.
City Manager Brandon stated he and Mr. Bowden had discussed pay for Mrs. Straughn and
they recommend that she be given a temporary two step increase which would raise her pay
from $543 to $598 per month.
Mr. Symmes moved, on the part of the City, seconded by Mr. Fonvielle, that the increase
outlined by Mr. Brandon be approved. Motion carried unanimously.
Mr. Williams moved, on the part of the County, seconded by Mr. Oxenfeld, that the County
concur. Motion carried unanimously.
Meeting recessed at 8:50 A. M.
Meeting reconvened at 9:00 A. M.
5 9 M INUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING - MARCH 27, 1971 - CONTINUED -
PUBLIC HEARING - DISCUSSION OF THE 1% SALES TAX -
Chairman Harriss announced Yublic Hearing for discussion of the 1% Sales Tax in New Han-
over County was open.
Mr. H. C. Wallace of the Taxpayers Association was recognized by the Chair. Mr. Wallace
stated his organization is not enthusiastic over,the reinstatement of the 1% Sales Tax due
to the increased tax ratio from 50'~ to 100'~ recently passed by the Board of Commissioners.
Mr. Wallace pointed out the County will realize more from the sales tax now than it did be-
fore and urged the County to live with this for this fiscal year and go back to the 50'~0
ratio. He stated if this is done and the County's revenues are not good enough, his .
association would be willing to go and work for an increase in the tax assessment. Mr. Wal-
lace stated his association had, at the suggestion of some of the Commissioners, tried to
see what they could do in the way of getting the Councilmen to rescind their request for an
increase in the tax ratio. To date the Councilmen have not done this.
Mr. Symmes stated the City o£ Wilmington based their budget on the 1% Sales Tax and
would like to see it imposed again. He stated he felt the vote of the people would be re-
tained if the tax orere reinstated.. He agreed with Mr. Wallace; people rather have the 1%
Sales Tax than property tax and he felt every effort should. be made to hold the property tax
at the present amount. He requested the Board reinstate the tax at the very earliest possi-
ble moment and everyone pledge to do everything possible to hold the property tax.
Mr. W. E. Williford o£ Kure Beach spoke in favor of the Sales Tax being reinstated and
stated he would like to state for himself and the Kure Beach Town Board that they are in
favor of the distribution on the ad valorem tax basis.
Mr. Roy Rudd, Alderman, at Wrightsville Beach, concurred with Mr. Williford.
At this juncture Chairman Harriss read the resolution which included adoptaon of the
1% Sales Tax as well as the method of distribution.
Mr. Robert R. Lamb, Mayor Pro Tem, Carolina Beach, spoke in favor of the method of ad.
valorem basis being used in the distribution of the tax.
Mayor Cromartie spoke for the City of Wilmington pointing out it is very obvious that
the per capita method of distribution would be favorable to the City of Wilmington, but he
could not in good conscience ask the Commissioners to enact an ordinance that would work
diametrically opposed to the financing of the municipalities in our county and did not see
how the County Commissioners can in good conscience favor the larger city and deprive our
neighbors of the ultimate they can secure from this sales tax. It behooves the City Govern-
ment to yield on this point and speaking personally he felt the ad valorem basis of distri-
bution would be overall much more bene£icial to the £ull citizenry of our county.
Mr. Fonvielle and Mr. Symmes went on record as agreeing with the Mayor's statements.
Mr. Robert Sawyer, Mayor Pro Tem, Wrightsville Beach, concurred with the method of
distribution being on the ad valorem basis.
There being no others who wished to speak, Mr. Harriss pointed out the City of Wil-
mington does yield approximately $16,700 in revenue in taking the position they do and the
County, if they go along with the method, will give up around 9C22,500. Mr. Harriss stated
he was in favor o£ the ad valorem method because the beaches do have the responsibilities
of providing for unusual services during a three or four month period during each year.
Chairman Harriss now declared the public hearing closed.
Mr. Oxenfeld moved, seconded by Mr. Hall, that the 1/ Sales Tax be reinstated.
Mr. Williams called attention to the fact that the people had voted on this at the
polls and what the Board is being asked to do this morning is to reinstate the tax which
the citizens voted for.
Vote was called on the motion. It passed unanimously.
Mr. Harriss stated Mr. Marks, who could not be present at the meeting, had asked that
his views be known; he is in favor of the imposition of the tax and the ad valorem inethod
of distribution.
Mr. Hall moved, seconded by Mr. Williams, that the method of distribution of the sales
tax be on the ad valorem basis and that the Chairman be authorized to sign the resolution
imposing the sales tax and distribution be made based on the ad valorem tax of the commun-
ities and the county. Motion carried unanimously. Following is the resolution which was
adopted.
"A RESOLUTION I,EVYING A ONE PER CENT (1%) LOCAI, SALES AND USE TAX AND PRESCRIBING THE METHOD
OF DISTRIBUTION OF THE NET PROCEEDS WITHIN NEW HANOVER COUNTY.
41HEREAS, a public hearing on the question of levying a one per cent (1/0) local sales
and use tax in New Hanover County was held on March 27, 1971 pursuant to public notice duly
given as required by law, and
WHEREAS, all interested citizens were given an opportunity to present their views for
and against the levy of said sales tax in New Hanover County, and
WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners of New Hanover County is now o£ the opinion and
does hereby find and declare that the levy of said sales tax within New Hanover County is
both desirable and necessary to adequately finance the operation of the county and the
cities and towns herein, NOW THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of County Commissioners of New Hanover County as follows:
Section 1. There is hereby imposed and levied within New Hanover County the one per
cent (1%) local sales and use tax authorized by Senate Bill 81, ratified on March 15, 19'71,
and to be codified as Article 39, Subchapter VIII, Chapter 105 0£ the General Statutes of North
Carolina. The tax hereby imposed and levied shall apply to the same extent, subject to the
same limitations as are set £orth in Sections 105-46'] and 105-468 contained in Senate Bill 81.
~;;J
MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING - MARCH 27, 1971 - CONTINUED -
PUBI~IC FLEARING - DISCUSSION OF THE 1% SALES TAX =(CONTINUED)-
Section 2. Collection of the tax by the North Carolina Commissioner of Revenue, and
liability therefor, shall begin and continue on and after the first day of M~, 19~.
Section 3. The net proceeds of the tax levied herein shall be distributed by the
Commissioner o£ Revenue to New Hanover County and to each municipality herein in propor-
tion to the total amount of ad valorem taxes levied by each on property having a tax situs
within New Hanover County during the fiscal year next preceding such distribiztion, as pro-
vided in Section 105-4'72 (b) as written in Senate Bill 81.
Section 4. This Resolution shall become effective upon its adoption and a certified
copy hereof shall be delivered immediately to the North Carolina Commissioner of Revenue.
Adopted this 27th day of March, 19Z•
(s)
Meares Harriss, Jr.
Chairman
Board of County Commissioners
ATTEST:
(s)
Hazel Savage, Clerk to the Board"
NEED FOR DEPUTY SHERIFFS -
Mr. Harriss called attention of the news media to the fact there are four deputy sheriff
jobs available to fill vacancies occurring in the department. Salary is ~5919 per year.
They will be filled through the Civil Service procedure.
ADJOURNMENT -
There being no further business to come before the Board, Mr. Hall moved, seconded by
Mr. Williams, that the meeting adjourn. Motion carried unanimously.
Respectfully submitted,
Hazel Savage
Clerk to the Board
HS/bh
MINUTES OF THE MEETING - APRIL 5, 1971 -°r:00 A.M. -
ASSEMBLY
The regular semi-monthly meeting of the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners was
held on the above date and time in the Commission Building with the £ollowing present:
Chairman Meares Harriss, Jr., Vice-Chairman Berry A. Williams, Commissioners J. M. Hall, Jr.,
H. A. Marks, John R. Oxenfeld; County Attorney James C. Fox; County Auditor Perry Shepard,
County Administrator Laurence 0. Bowden; and Hazel Savage, Clerk to the Board.
INVOCATION -
Chairman Harriss called the meeting to order and asked Rev. Milton Boone, Pastor, Mason-
boro Baptist Church, to give the invocation.
APPROVki, OF MINUTES -
The following correction to the minutes of regular meeting of March 15th was made:
Under heading "Nillbrook Subdivision, Section 1", first sentence should read: "Mr. Jerry
Ramsey presented subdivision plat of Nillbrook, Section 1, advising plat was bein~ presented
without improvements having been made which is permissible when there are only 25 lots
in a section, however before another section of the subdivision can be approved improvements
must have been made in this section. The Planning Commission recommended approval."
Following this correction, Mr. Hall moved, seconded by Mr. Oxenfeld, that the minutes
of March 15, 1971 be approved as corrected. Motion carried unanimousl~.
Mr. Williams moved, seconded by Mr. Marks, that the minutes of Special Meeting of
March 16, 1971, be approved as written. Motion carried unanimously.
Mr. Ha11 moved, seconded by Mr. Williams, that the minutes of Special Meeting of March 18,
19~1, be approved as written. Motion carried unanimously.
Mr. Oxenfeld moved, seconded by Nr. Williams, that the minutes of Special Meeting of
March 2'7, 1971, be approved as written. Motion carried unanimously.
ACTING TAX COLLECTOR'S REPORT -
Mrs. Janie B. Straughn, Acting Tax Collector, gave £ollotiaing report for March, 1971:
Amount on books, less abatements:,$5,213,8'74.21.Collections through the month of March amounted
to $4,'746,611.92, leaving balance due of $46'7,262.39• Back taxes were collected through March
in amount of $6119,979-66 leaving balance of $311,132.7']. Amount of delinquent personal pro-
perty taxes collected to date amounts to $20,163.56.
Discussion was held on garnishees and question o~as asked by Mr. Hall if it would be pro-
fitable to hire someone to get the notices out. Mrs. Straughn stated she thought it would
be profitable to put someone full time on collection of back property taxes. She stated com-
panies are reluctant to furnish their books to the County. Only three garnishee lists have
gone out this year. Garnishees have to be delivered, not mailed. Mrs. Straughn stated she
was the only one in the office who knew how to process garnishee notices.
~