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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1964-07-20 Regular Meeting353I BUDGET DISCUSSION MEETING Juiy 14, 1964 8:00 P.M. ASSEMBLY - ' The New Hanover County Board of Commissioners met on the above date at 8:00 o'clock P. M. with the following members in attendance: Chairman J. N. Hall, Jr., • II Commissioners Peter H. Braak, L. E. Broadhurst, Ernest R. Mayhan and ,]ohn Van "B'.'.Metts, Jr., County Attorney L. Bradford Tillery and County Auditor T. D. Love, Jr. V INVOCATION - Vice Chairman Metts called the meeting to order and asked the Executive Secre- tary to give the invocation. • HEALTH DEPARTMENT The Chairman welcomed Dr. C. B. Davis, Director, W. H. Cranford, Sanitation I Engineer, Mrs. Mabel Price, Office Manager, and stated that the purpose of the meeting , was to hear the presentation of their Budget Estimates. Dr. Davis acted as spokesman and each of the items contained in the Health Department Budget were considered with proper explanations where necessary. After making adjustments where considered advisable and agreeable to all concerned, the Director requested Mr. Cranford to present the esti- mates for the fresh water drainage program and the Insect and Rodent Control Program which were both considered item by item and explanations and adjustments made where feas- ible. Nr. Cranford presented a film strip showing some of the activities.in the drainage and other departments of the Consolidated Board of Health. PERSONAL INJURY SETTLEN,ENT County Attorney L. Bradford Tillery reported that he was in a position to close the law suit instituted in behalf of Robert H. Walker on account of injuries received which resulted in the loss of hi's hand while serving a prison term at the New Hanover County Prison Farm for an amount not to exceed $975•00. Upon motion of Mr. Metts, seconded by Mr. Braak, the Board unanimously authorized him to make the settlement and appropriate $975•40 from Unanticipated Funds to County Aid for the purpose of settlement. I ADJOURNMENT - Upon motion of Nr. Metts, seconded by Mr. Broadhurst, the Board adjourned to meet again at 9:00 A. M. in regular session on July 20, and authorized the Executive Secre- tary to arrange a joint meeting with the City Council for the purpose of considering mutual problems at 9:00 A. N. in the City Council Chamber on Tuesday, July 21st. , Executive Secretary Wilmington, N. C. July 20, 1964 ASSEMBLY The regular semimonthly meeting of the New Hanover County Board of Gommiss- ioners was held on this date at 9:00 A. M. in the Commissioners+ Room of the County Court House with the following members in attendancet Chairman J. M. Hall, Jr., Commissioners P.eter H. Braak, L. E. Broadhurst, Ernest R. Nfayhan, and John Van B. Metts, Jr., County Auditor T. D. Love, ,Ir. County Attorney L. Bradford Tillery was out of town and could not be present. INVOCATION - The Chairman called the meeting to order and asked Reverend E. G. Connette, Pastor of Sai'nt Andrews-Covenant Presbyterian Church, to open the meeting with a prayer for guidance. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES - Upon motion of Mr. Mayhan, seconded by Mr. Braak, the minutes of the regular meeting of July 6th and the special meeting on July ll}th, copies of which had been sent to each member of the Board, were unanimously approved as written. JWENILE DETENTION HOME Mr. John S. Gordan, Chairman of the Community Development Committee of the Junior Chamber of Commerce, reported that their organization was 'fnLerested in the recent critical reports of the County Juvenile Detention Home and had taken the following action in the form of a Resolution which he read as follows: WHEREAS, By means of the news media it came to the attention of the Community Develop- ment Committee of the LJilmington .Tunior Chamber of Commerce that the conditions of the New Hanover County Juvenile Detention Home were being brought to the attention of the citi- zens of New Hanover County and the Community Development Committee feeling that'it should investigate the conditions of the home has investigated the same and, WHEREAS: The present Juvenile Detention Home is located near the New Hanover Coun.ty Prison Unit cofttrary to North Carolina Manual for work witliLChildren, Division of Child Welfare, Chapter VI, entitled Juvenile Detention Homes which set forth the North Carolina Minimum Standards for Juvenile Detention Homes. Article III, Section C-(2) of the above manual in part says, "It should not be atxached to or in the general area of a,jail or prison.unit of any type." W}{EREAS: The present home lack's adequate outdoor recreation space as called for by Article-III, Section B, which reads, "Outdoor space should be ample in size and contain paved areas. It should have an ample supply of fixed and movable play equipment." ? continued- I ??? 354 Budget Discussion Meeting, Ju1y 20> 1964 Gontinued _ JWENILE DETENTION HOME - (continued) II WHEREAS, The Community Development Committee having visited the New Hanover County Juvenile Detention Home found the toilets and lavatories to be in need of improvement and expansion along with the enlarging of shower facilities. , TNEREFORE, the membership of the Wilmington Junior Chamber of Commerce call upon the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners to authorize and provide, at a speedy date, the money for the construction of a new and updated .luvenile Detention Home, and that the present juvenile detention home be improved immediately by enlarging the shower and toile facilities for use until the new home is completed. Since the construction of the Juven ile Detention Kome is an expense of New Hanover County the membership of the Wiimington Junior Chamber of Commerce recommend that when Lhe courts of other jurisdictions place children in the New Hanover County Juvenile Detention Home that a per diem be charged and paid for by the jurisdiction placing the child in the home." The Chairman thanked him for the interest they are taking in the matter and asked the County Attorney to make a statement about the responsibility. The County Attorney in- formed him that it is the responsibility of the Juvenile Judge who is the Clerk of Super- ior Court and suggested that he present the matter to him for consideration. INDEPENDENCE BOULEVARD - The Chairnan read a letter from the Oleander Company requesting that the name of the road recently constructed from Oleander Drive to Shipyard Boulevard by the Aldermanl Elementary School property be officially named "Independence Boulevard" for the reason that the entire right-of-way was donated free of charge by the Oleander Company in an effort to cooperate and it reserved the right to select and approve the name for the road.l After a brief discussion, Mr. Sraak moved that the road be named "Independence Boulevard "I as requested. It was seconded by Mr. Mayhan and unanimously approved. COUNTY PROPERTY - The Chairman read a letter from Moore Fonvielle Realty Company stating that they were interested in purchasing two or three acres of land near the Airport property and requested the County to give them a description of what they owned in that vicinity. After a brief discussion, in which it developed that no map of the County property was available and t9aat it would require a survey, the Board, by common consent, authori2ed the Executive Secretary to write them back and advise them that there was no available description and suggest that they be more specific and make an offer for whatever they had in mind. ROAD PETITION -. A petition was received from the property owners on Fordham that it be added to the State maintained Secondary Road System. Upon hurst, seconded by Mr. Mayhan, the Executive Secretary was directed to State Highway Department with the approval of the Board. Road requesting ! motion of Mr. Broad forward it to the ? I OAK GROVE GENETERX—- I The Executive Secretary reported to the Board that Mr. Dupree, the Division , Engineer for the State Highway Commission, had cailed him with reference to some com- ? plaints which he had received about young boys digging into the sloning sides of the South 17th Street Extension which has been cut into Oak Grove Cemetery, leaving about ten feet exposed on either side. He reported that the best estimate that he could secure for shoring up the sides to prevent the natural erosion by the elementst ppggJbiy exposing existing graves, was $10,000 and that if the Commissioners did not contemplat'e moving the graves, he thought they would be forced to complete that work. He stated, however, that ? if the Commissioners 4rould relocate the graves in the Flemington vicinity as originally contemplated, the State would provide_a road.into the property. After a brief di5cussion, by common consent,. the Board referred the matter to the Cemetery committee composed of Chairman Hall and Commissioner Mayhan, who are to bring back a recommendation to the Board ? RECORDER1S COURT - , The County Auditor reported that Recorder's Court took in $14,934•00 for the ? month of June, out of which the County received $10,920.20. The remainder was distributei to various funds as provided by law. He certified to the Board that this is correct so far as he is responsible. He did think there could be some improvement made if the variou: enforcing agencies would bring in their warranLs more promptly, as much of the delay is caused by the lapse of time between the arrest and the time the warrant is issued and brou. to the Deputy Cierlc. He urged bhat all the agencies be cautioned in this reoard, Mr. Metts asked if anything in hi•s examination of the records indicated any action that should ? be taken by the Board of Commissioners. He reported that it did not. BEACH EROSION - The Chairman read a letter from the Town of Carolina Beach thanking the Board ! for their action at the last meeting in approving the increases estimated for the Beach I Erosion Project being considered by the C6rps of Engineers. ENTENSION SERVICE - Mr. D. D. Baggett, Farm AgenL, appeared before the Board and explained that he would like to have them put $500.00 in the Budget for an exhibit at the State Farm this fall. New Hanover County is one out of three counties invited to have an exhibit and he is assured that $450•00'of the $500.00 will be replaced as it is practically guaranteed. ';f the exhibit merits a certain number of points which he is sure they can do, it rrill quailif$r them for ihat much minimum prize money and has a possibility of re- ceiving $600.00 in return. They are cooperating with the State Ports Authority on food pro)cessing. continued- t '355 .nA,}o_c?___nf tha.-Mov_t in.9??-ti??--19.?1r•,•,}-Lne,.vd EXTENSION SERVICE (continued) Secretaries' Salaries - The second problem about which he wished to bring to•the Board , was a salary adjustment for his secretaries for Mrs. Mote and Nfiss Southerland, who re- ceived a$5.00'raise each in the years 1957, 1959 and 1961 but none since that time and j he wholeheartedly recommends that they give consideration to an adjustment as he is be- ' ginning to have a little dissatisfaction., Assistant Economics Agent - Mr. J. D. McCarley, accompanied Mr. Baggett and stated that he is the President of the New Hanover Advisory Board, which at their last meeting, re- I viewed the entire County Extension Program and came to the united conclusion that Mrs., Rebecca L. Hall is doing an outstanding job among her peopie in inspiring them to make the most out of what they have and they feel that she needs an assistant which would in- volve a County appropriation at approximately $2500.00. The State Extension Service has expressed a favorable outlook on this problem but it would have to be initiated by the r County before they would take definite action. The Chairman thanked him for the report and assured him that every consideration would be given to his recommendations but that the Budget this year is a tight one and they are trying to hold down any increase in the tax rate: CATHERINE KENNEDY HOME, INC. Mrs. J. Winder Hughes, President of the Board of Directors of the Catherine Kennedy Home, accompanied by Mrs. J. R. Chasten, recommended to the Board that the 1964-65 Budget contained funds for medical.and dental assistance to persons with limited incomes and who are over 65 years of age. She stated that sometimes great hardship was imposed upon these residents in trying to buy the necessary medicine and many times went without becanse they couid noL afford to get it. The Chairman thanked her for her interest and promised that every consideration would be given her request to include funds in the Wel- fare Budget for that purpose. COMMUNITY COUNCIL Mrs. Dan C. Darrow, representing the Community Countil, appeared before the Board in the interest of funds for the Welfare Department to administer the current and pro,jected programs and wholeheartedly support their request for a tr.ained staff in order to comply with the provisions of the Ribicoff Plan and urged the Commissioners to look with.favor upon these services which mean so much to the citizens of New Hanover County. In addition, she urged the County to provide a retirement system as a means of retaining trained personnel and an inducement for recruiting new workers, The Chairman thanked her for her presentation and assured her that every consideration would be given to this request. STUDY COMMITTEE REPORT The Chairman read a letter from Study Committee appointed on June 19th forimprovements in the compieting of records, explained the thinking of the Committee th; port if it was based upon the findings of in the process of making an investigation. their recommendations. Recorder H. Winfieid Smith as Chairman of the the purpose of making recommendations for et cetera in the Recorder?s Court Office., He at they could make a much more instructive re- the State Bureau of Investigation which is now The Board accepted it and agreed to wait for FAMILY SERVICE SOCIETY - Mrs. Kirk Wagenseller,representing the Family Service Society,reported that it was pleased with the present high level administration of the Public Welfare DeparLment and the proposals of a program for medical assistance to the aged and endorsed the Budget Request of the Public Welfare Department. BUDGET DISCUSSION - PUBLIC WELFARE DEPARTMENT The Director of Public Welfare, Miss Lela Moore Hall and ;the Public Welfare i Board, presented the Public Assistance Program which they broke dowm into two divisions I in general classified as the programs themselves and the administration of the programs. Mr. F. P. Fensel acted as spokesman for the Pubiic Welfare Board and stated that with the exception of the Aid to the Blind, the County Auditor had recommended them as requested. He stated-.that the total increase asked for the administration of all assistance programs amounted to $93,000..00 of which the Countyts share would be $28,872.00. This, he said, ' could be reduced'in the amount of $8,080.00 provided car depreciation is deleted, .leaving ' the net County share of $20,792.00. He ezplained that in order to understand the reason for the requested increase it would be necessary to divide the administrative Budget into three categories, (a) regular program, (b) the new Medical Assistance to the Aged Pro- i gram and, (c) addition of a new unit for the Ribicoff Plan. The total cost of adminis- I tration percentage-wise is 13.75 out of which the CountyTS share would be 5%. The Chair- ' man then asked if they mi'ght consider their administration budget item by item. In general, I the items were approved as recommended with the exception of the General AsSi.stance Pro- I gram which was increased from $6,200 to $7,200 in order to take on some of the responsibi_, lity which the Travelers' Aid"r.eporr.ed coula no longer be carried in their Budget.? In view of expected increase in postage cost on account of the additional new programs, it was increased from a recommended $2,500 to $3,000 and,likew.ise, Stationery and Supplies from $2,500 to $2,800 and Telephone from $1,800 to $2,200. Mr. Fensei ex- plained that last year each worker on the staff was responsible for 250 to 275 cases. Under the Ribicoff Program, the case load should be decreased to 60 cases per worker. They are trying to reach the Ribicoff Program goals by 1967. He reported that,the salary increases recommended were the result of reclassifications merited by the persons involved:i The Cha.irman thanked the Public Welfare Board and advised them that salaries wouid be dis- ? cussed at a later time and they would give every consideration to their request. COMSOLIDATED TAX DEPARTMENT REPORT - The,Tax Collector, Sam W. Johnson, submitted a statement as of June 30th as follows: continued - I Ni'niiEes of the Meeting July 20, 1964 Continued ? - - - CONSOLIDATED TAX DEPARTMENT REPORT -(continued) II Charged per Abstract Real 8 Personal $2,380,459•41 Add Corp. Excess 63,966.20 , Late Listing Real & Personal 1,579.30 2,446, 004. 9 i ? Less Abatements 1,143.02 Collections $1,775,850.12 Prepayments 538,699.04 2,314,549•16 I Balance .Tune 30, 1964 130,312.73 REPQRTS - I The following reports were reviewed and ordered filed for future reference: I, 1- National Rivers 8 Harbors Congress have approved Northeast Cape River ? River Project. 2- The monthly and annual repor.t of the Wilmington Public Library. II 3- June report of the Home Economics Extension Agent. I, RECESS - I Upon motion of Mr. Metts, seconded by Mr. Broadhurst, the Board recessed I? to meet in joint session with the City Council tomorrow morning/aT 9:30 as scheduled. il W. G. , xecutive Se rc etary JOINT MEETING i Council Chambers Wilmington, N. C. Julv 21, 1961i 9:00 A.M. ASSENBLY Complying with the recessed meeting of the Board of County Commissioners on July 20, 1964, the Board met in joint session with the Wilmington City Council with the following present: Chairman J. M. Hall, Jr., Commissioners Peter H. Braak,11 L. E. Broadhurst, Ernest R. Mayhan and John Van B. Metts, Jr., County Attorney L. i Bradford Tillery and County Auditor T. D. Love, Jr; Mayor 0. 0. Allsbrook, who pre- ?i sided, and Councilmen J. H. Batuyios, Hannah S. Block, E. S. Capps, Jr. and John C. Symmes, with C'ity Manager E. C. Brandon, Jr. and City Attorney Cicero P. Yow.., INVOCATION - The Mayor called the meeting to order and requested County Commissioner Peter H. Braak tolead the invocation for wisdom and guidance. . HEALTH DEPARTMENT - j The Presiding Officer asked the Chairman of the Board of County Commissioner; if he had any remarks to make relative to procedure for considering the mutual agenciesl Budget Requests. Commissioner Hall stated that it was.riecessary last year to enter into a running fight with the 5tate Board of Health and the Merit System Council on the question of at least establishing the minimum pay range for the classification of the employees in the Health Department. It was either a case of curtailing employees which would interrupt some of the services to the community or agree to the first step in the salary ranges for the qualified employees in the departnent and after consu2ting, with each of the Commissioners at the time, it was the ma,jority opinion that the com- mitment be made and they would go along with it in the 1964-65 Budget year although 11 they could not make a definite legal commitment. By virtve of this decision, the Health Department has continued to render good service to the citizens in New Hanover I County. He suggested that the only increase outside the Merit System requirements was I in the matter of the salary of an attorney which he thinks should be raised to $1,000.0( from $600.00. It has been necessary in the past year for the County Attorney to do considerable legal work in connection 4rith •the plumbing codes in reconciling them to conform to the 5tate Code as well as contain special restrictions and stipulations that apply specifically to New Hanover County. I . Insect 8 Rodent Control - There tirere no significant chanaes in this de= partment. After a brief discussion, Councilman Capps moved that the City pay its share of the Health Department Bndget as recommended bythe Commissioners. It was seconded by Covncilman Block and unanimously approved. ' WILMINGTOPi PUBLIC LIBRARY .Mr. L. J. Poisson, Jr„ Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Wilming-I ton Public Library, accompanied by Miss Katherine Hor!ell, Librarian, reported that the 1 c•irculation has substantially increased over the years and explained Lhat a part of the'? funds previously budgeted under the Red Cross Street Branch was now included in the W. L. I. Library Budget. The employees of the Library, he said are substantially underpaid when compared with other employees of the City and County and urged the Board?s to consider seriously the recommendatinns for some increases for their workers. The Budoet.Requests were studied carefully by the ,joint Boards, after which Councilman Capps moved the approval of ihe City's share as recommended for both Branches. It was seconded by Councilman Symmes and unanimously approved. Then Commissioner Metts moved the approval of the County's share on the same basis as last year. As Chairman Hall explained that it could be increased but could not be decreased as participating funds from the.State and Federal Funds would be withheld if the same amount or more was not approved as last year. Commissioner Braak seconded the motion and it was un- animously adopted. ?