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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1961-07-22 Budget Meeting BUDGET MEETING Commissioners Room July 20,1961 Wilmington, N. C. 7:30 P. M. RECONVENTION - The Board of New Hanover CounLy Commissioriers reconvened for budget discussions on this date at 7:30 P. M. with the following members present: Chairman.J. M. Hall, Jr., Commissioners Peter H. Braak, Ernest R. Mayhan and John i/an B. Metts, Jr., County Auditor T. D. Love and County Attorney L. Bradford Tillery. Commissioner Leon E.. Broadhurst was un- 3ble to attend the first part of the evening session but arrived before the meeting adjourned. 'COUNTY ADVERTISING FUND - Mr. W. H. 5utton, Chairman of the Greater Wilmington and New Hanover County Adver- tising Fund, accompanied by Woodrow W. Bailey, appeared before the Board and stated that last year the Board had appropriated $2,$00.00 for the purpose of assisting the merchants in a$20,000.00 advertising effort within a radius of 50 miles of Wilmington to bring in more business. The program is approximately half completed because it is operated on,a calendar year schedule beginning last January and will continue until January of 1462. It is the con- sensus of the opinion of the Merchant's Association that the Wonderful Wilmington Program has:- been successful so far and while they have not definitely decided to enter into a new contract. for the program for the next year they felt that in view of recent publicity unless requests for appropriations were made during the budget consideration time they would receive little encouragement later on. They are again requesting $2,500 for the purpose of attracting people from our neighboring counties and gradually establish New Hanover Covnty as the hub of activities for southeastern North Carolina. In the discussions which ensued, it developed that there was some question about the County putting money into a project advertising Wil- jmington, as important as that may be, there are other citizens who are entitled to a hearing. Nr. Bailey remarked that the project was aimed at the entire area and not just the City of Wilmington. The Chairman thanked them for their presentation and stated that the last in- . formation by Mr. Bailey would change the complexion of the matter in his mind. BOARD OF EDUCATIOTd - Mr. Emsley A. Laney, accompanied by the entire Board of Education and Nr. Dale K. Spencer, Mr. George H. West, and Mr. W. E. Brock were present to resume and continue con- sideration on the School Bud:g•eL. Mr. Laney first remarked that he wou2d like to give them the revised figures since learning the amount the State would contribute to various school func- tions. Reqular Budqet - In the regular Budget, the salary of the Assistant 5uperinten- dent of Instruction of $b,525,00 was deleted. The Superintendent's Travel was reduced from $1270.00 to $600.00 Instructional Supplies were reduced from $36,000.00 to $32,000.00. ; Fuel from $9,500.00 to $8,200.00 ; Uti.lities from $37,000:00 to $34,000.00 ; Building and Grounds-Salaries $65,000.00 to $62,000.00. • Supplementary Budget - In this category, Elementary Teachers Salaries and Ex- penses were reduced from $101,900.00 to $169,080.00; High School Teachers from $152,388.00 to $143,788.00; Secretaries from $37,330.00 to $2$,000.00; Libraries from $20,000.00 to $17,000.00. , Various Budpets - School Lunch Program was reduced from $71,000.00 to $70,000.00.. Mr. Laney reviewed briefly the State Board of Education's position with reference to their additional support of the school system by saying that it was intended for an ex- panded program toward higher quality education for our children. It iskto be used for: / oTFrL 1- To reduce class size in primary grades. _6 2- To provide libraries. 3T Provide guidance counselors. (?? M20 lbr4 1}- To relieve principals of teaching duties. 5- To provide challenging instruction for gifted children. 6- To provide special instruction for retarded children. __ Capital Outlay Reconsideration of the items in the Schoolis Capital? Budget resulted in a reduction of item # 7. New Library Books for the Roland Grise Junior High School from $5,000.00 as approved at the meeting of July 19th to $2,000.00 RECE55 - Mr. Metts then offered a motion that the Board be recessed until Saturday, July 22, 1961 at 9:00 A. M. to resume consideration of the Budget. ...: ? ,. ;? Julv 22, 1961 SPECIAL MEETING 'RECONVENTION - The New Hanover County Board of Commissioners reconvened in special session today ? at 9:00 A. M. for further Budget discussions with the following members present: Vice Chair- man John Van B. Metts, Jr., Commissioners Peter H. Braak, L. E. Broadhurst, and Ernest R. Mayhan, County Auditor T. D. Love and County Attorney L. Bradford Tillery. Chairman J. M. Hail, Jr. was unable to be present because of a death, so Vice Chairman Metts presided and called the meeting to order. IADUERTISING - Presiding Officer Metts suggested that the various agencies seeking advertising funds should write a letter supplying a list of their exact functions in order to determine if there were duplications of effort and to put them in proper perspective. No definite act- ion was taken on this subject. ISALARIES - Vice Chairman Metts called attention to the ?tentatively approved by the Board and that they !has been deferred. After discussing the various !Braak offered a motion that an across the board ?ed by the Department head, whichever is lower. Iunanimously adopted. fact that most items in the Budget had been must face the problem of salaries vtich so far ideas presented by members of the Board, Mr. raise of 5% be given or whatever is recommend- Mr. Mayhan seconded the motion and it was i . I ?? ' 2, Mintues o f the Meeting CORONER - The final result after a discussion of the salary for the Coroner resulted in a motion by Mr. Mayhan that no raise be given to him but that a$600.00 per year car allowance be granted. This motion was seconded by Mr. Braak for the purpose of discuss- ion after which Mr. Broadhurst offered a substitute,motion that the salary be increased from $2400.00 per year to $3600.00 per year and that a car allowance of $10.00 per month be granted. The substitute motion was seconded by Mr. Braak and when the ballot was cast, the vote was unanimously favorable, therefore, there was no need for the original motion to be acted upon. The Welfare Department Budget was next on the list for reconsideration after which Nrc.. Broadhurst offered a motion that the Weifare Budget be left as originally recommended by the Auditor. The motion died for lack of a second and no aoreement was reached in this matter. HEALTH DEPARTMENT - In discussing the Insect and Rodent section of the Health Departmentfs Bud- get, the Board instructed the Executive Secretary to investigate the reason why they are not serving the County Departments such as the Airport, the County Farm and Home, as well as the Jail to control insects and rodents. WELFARE BUDGET RECESS - After reviewing each individual item of each department from page #1 in the Budget to page # 26 and making adjustments which they deemed wise, the Board, upon motion of Mr. Braak., seconded by Mr. Broadhurst voted to recess until 9:00 on Monday, July 24th. SPECIAL MEETING July 24, 1961, Wiimington, N. C. RECONVENTION The Board of New Hanover County Commissioners re-assembled today at 9:00 A. M. in the Commissioners' Room to continue their Budget deliberations with the following membe present: Chairman J. M. Hall, Jr., Commissioners L. E. Broadhurst. Ernest R. Mayhan and J. Van B. Metts, Jr.. County Commissioner Peter H. Braak, County Auditor T. D. Love and County Attorney L. Bradford Tillery were not present as they were representing the County at the State Association of County Commissioners, Grove Park Inn at Asheville, N. C. REGISTER OF DEEDS Mr. R. L. Black, Register of Deeds appeared before the Board, and reported that he had noticed in the newspaper that his request for additional cierical help amount- ing to $3,000.00 for salary had not been approved. He presented his reasons for needing this additional personnel.and after briefly discussing-the problem,• Mr. Metts offered a motion that the sum of $2496.00 be included in the Register of Deeds Budget for add3tiona] extra help. It was seconded by Mr. Mayhan and unanimously approved. RECORDER'S COURT ' Chairman Hall reported to the Board that it was rumored that Deputy Judge Cameron of Recorder's Court was considerlrig accepting a position as Assistant Attorney Generalin the Federal Court but that in his opinion, he was doing such an outstanding job here he felt that a small additional salary amounting to $30.00 per month would keep him here. After discussing the merits of this suggestion, Mr. Metts offered a motion that $408.00 be placed in the General Fund under the Recorders Court Department for office expenses wiLh the understanding that it would be paid to Deputy :ludge William Cameron Jr. to increase his renumeration up to $250.00 per month or $3,000.00 per year. It was seconded by Mr. Mayhan and unanimousiy approved. IGENERALIZATION - The Chairman remarked that with a few exceptions this completed the tentative approval of the total Budget and mentioned that in the Sheriff's Department, Blanton, who is the newest employee, has not been employed long enough to receive the 5% increase but all of the other members of the Sheriff's Department were to receive the amount recommendec by the Sheriff because of their long hours; on the Regular School Budget, the item of Office Assistants-Bookkeepers be set at $17,000 instead of $21,850 and that the Business Manager's salary of $6,400 be approved to receive the 5% increase instead of the $7,360 recommended by the School Board and that Retirement and Social Security be reduced from $46,000 to $45,500 and that the Bus Drivers and Janitors salary remain as approved, ex- cept that the administrative secretaries in the Board of Education office here in the Court House be exempted from the 5% increase because the State increase was in excess of the County's proposed raise for other employees. The Welfare employees were to re- ceive the 5% except where the recommended increase was less than 5% and if the 5% increase did not amount to the exact steps required by the Merit System Council then the increase is to be the lesser amount. By common consent, the Board generally agreed on these points and unanimously decided to recess at this tfine and reconvene on Wednesday evening July 26t at 7:30 o'clock when it was hoped that members Braak, Love and Tillery would be presenL to participate in the discussion. •?- ' i v?- / / ?vKA / I i W. G. Honcl?_,?Zxecutive Secr tary' July 22, 1961 Continued- s L_