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1966-02-24 Special Meeting~~ Minutes of the Meeting February 21, 1966 Continued _ _ i'SALARY ADJUSTMENT - CHIEF PROSATION OFFICER = the fact that the annual salary amw nted to $1761}.00. Dr. Hooper voiced his ~opposition to the principle of making changes after the Budget appropriations were made. ~~Messrs. Bowden and Hall could not recall definitely where the agreement was made but ;felt like i:t might have been at an unofficial meeting with the Welfare Board and never 'ratified by the Board of Commissioners. A ballot was finally taken on the original ~imotion at which time Nr. Bowden voted "YES", however, all the other members of the Board voted "NO" and the Chairman declared it failed. . IdELFARE CASES INSPECTION - Mr. Vaughan raised the question~as to whether or not the Commissioners have the right to inspect the Welfare records. The County Attorney asked for time to study the law before makino a direct answer but in an 'offhand opinion felt like they did not have, except througri their representative on the Board of Public Welfare. BUDGET DISCUSSION TIME - Mr. Vaughan stated that he would like to have the other members of the Board consider updating the Budget Discussions from Jufle and Jvly to Nay and June. No action was taken on this suggestion. ' REPORTS - The following reports were reviewed by the Board and ordered filed for further reference: (a) The Chief Justice has entered en Order for a one week term of Criminal Court beginning March 7th and one week of Civil Court beginning March 21st. (b) Letter from Mrs. Erla Swain Stone recommending that the Ferry across the river to Southport be named Cape Fear. . . (c) Monthly report of the Home Economics Extension Agent. (d) Monthly report of the Wilmington Public Library. (e) Certificate of appreciation from the Junior Chamber of Commerce. (f) Minutes of the Board of Directors Meeting on January 20th of Community Hospitai. , ADJOURNMENT - Upon motion of Mr. Braak, seconded by Mr. Bowden, the Board unanimously voted Ito adjourn the meeting. ~ /d~(l ~ ~f ~/E/ifiti~r ~W. G. Ho ck, Executive Secretary I SPECIAL CALLED MEETIArG Commissioners Room February 24, 1966 8:00 A. M. Wilminqton, N. C. ASSEMBLY The New Hanover County Board of Commissioners met on the above date in the Commissioners~ Room with the following persons present: Chairman, Dr. Joseph VJ. Hooper, Jr., Commissioners Laurence O. Bowden; Peter N. Braak, J. M. Hall, Jr. and M.H. Vaughan, Cpunty Auditor T, D. Love and County Attorney L. Bradford Tillery, and the members of the New Hanover County Board of Elections which include Chairman Otto K. Pridgen, II, Mr. Jack L. Yarboro and Mayo Holmes,'Jr. ! PURPOSE - I , The Chairman called a Special Meeting of the Board of Commissioners for the for the purpose of discussing the Bndoet presented by the New Hanover County Board of ~; Elections for the installation of the permanent looseleaf voter registration system. ~ INVOCATION - , ~ ~ Dr. Hooper called the meeting to order and requested the Executive Secretary, j W. G. Houck, to pronounce the invocation. WAIVER OF NOTICE - ' ~ Upon motion of Mr. Braak, seconded by Mr. Bowden, the Board unanimously waived ' written notice as required by GS i[3-8 IBUDGET DISCUSSION - The Chairman of the Board of Commissioners explained to the Chairman of the Board of Elections that the Budget proposed at the last meeting seemed too high. He re- Iminded the Board that on January 17th, the Election Board had indicated to the Commissioners that there had been some advance in cost since the original estimate of $15,000 but he did feel that a L~0% error was in order and questioned its correctness. Mr. Pridgen replied ~ PTem t~ie Guilford County officials which were at least 2 years old, but when he itemized Ithe expenses that would be necessary to set up the permanent looseleaf voter registration system, he found that he did not have a full grasp of the problems he wouid encounter in imaking a detailed Budget. The Board of Commissioners questioned each member of the Board ~of Elections and received various opinions of how the expenses might be cut down from the estimated cost presented at the last meeting which amounted to $21,811. N;ost of the dis- cussion centered around whether or not to use typists at each of the precincts to register the voters by hand and then send it to central office where it could be typed. In the discussion, it was brought out that there is no question but that some of the items listed can be reduced and, in fact, Mr. Pridgen stated that he believed th¢ system could be . continued- # that the $15,000 figure was based on information he had received from the ~ ~~~ _ Minutes of the Meeti_n.g (Continu¢d) February 24, 1966 BUDGET DISCUSSION - ~ installed for the $15,000 by cutting down on the quality of the supplies, using volunteer help, which he considers undependabie. He pointed out that the law requires illiteracy tests for each voter ~hich will slow down the registration. Mr. Vaughan observed that, in his opinion, it is time to get back to the concept of public service to the community. At this point, consideration was given to the estimated cost of the personal services of the members of the Board of Electtons. Dr. Hooper stated frankly that he thought $750.00 was entirely too much for the members of the Election Board as it represented 50 days of work at $15.00 per day and that $3500.00 was considerabiy out of line in his opinion, for the Chairman. The County Attorney cited the law permitting the Board of Commissioners to pay the Chairman at the rate of more than $15.00 per day if they chose. He suggested $450.00 each for the Election Board members and $1750.00 for the Chairman of the Board of Elections. He questioned ~7r. Pridgen as to ti~hether or not he did not think it could be done for that figure. Mr. Pridgen stated that he could not do it for that amount, whereupon, Dr. Hooper asked Mr. Pridgen, "Do you mean that you would not do it for that amount?'~ Mr. Pridgen stat that it could not be done for that amount. . Precinct Aliqnment - At this point, the Board of Elections exhibited a map showing the reslignment of precincts within the old City limits of Wilmington cutting them down to 14. They explained that they tried to line up the precincts in such a way the maximum voter registration would not be more than 1500 persons. They are having some problems in the newly annexed sectfons of the City in::cutting them down to this size and up to the present time they have not come up with a solution for the County precincts. At this point, Mr. Pridgen remarked that when the system was in- stalled, the resuit wnuld seem like they had been using a very old "Model A" Ford com- pared to a new Cadillac. After discussing the precinct m~ps and problems, the atten- tion of the Board reverted to detailed consideration of each of the estimaLed Budget items to see if they might be reduced. Mr. Vaughan moved that the Board of Commiss- ioners consent to the Board of Election proceeding to install the permanent looseleaf voter registration system and settle the question of compensation for the Election Board when the bills are presented for payment. There was no second to this motion and the Chairman declared it dead. Dr.Hooper then moved that the Board appropriate $3,000 from Unanticipated Interest Revenue, which added to the $15,000 in the Budget, amounts to a total of $18,000 with the understanding that the regu2ar Board of Election members would be paid $450.00 or at the rate of $15.00 per diem for actual time spent up to that amount and that the Chairman-s salary be set at $1740 unless there is proof in writing that the number of days spent on the instailation of this system exceeds that amount at the rate of $15.00 per diem, after which he would be paid on that basis. I It was seconded by Mr. Braak. Before the ballot was taken, Mr. Vaughan offered a substitute motion that the budgeted item of $15,000 for the purpose of installing the permanent looseleaf voter registration system be inereased to $15,450 and that the tom- pensation for the members of the Election Board be settled when it comes up for payment. This substitnte motion died for lack of a second. The vote was then taken on the original motion and Mr. Vaughan voted against it but since.all the other members of the Board voted in favor of the motion, the Chairman declared it carried and instructed the Executive Secretary to see that a copy was delivered to Mr. Pridgen by hand today. ADJOURNMENT - The purpo~e for this meeting having been accomplished, Mr. Bowden offered a moLion that ft be ad,journed. It was seconded by Mr. Braak and unanimously passed. „~ , ,. ~ .~ .~...., . ~ W. G. ouck, Executive S~retary ~ Wilmington, N. C. March 7, 1966 I 8:00 A. M. i ASSEMBLY - The regular semimonthly meeting of the New Hanover County Board of Comm s,s, ione;`s was held on this date in the Commissioners~ Room of the County Court House at 8:0~•With the following members in attendance: Chairman, Jos. 'bV. Hooper, Commissioners Peter H. I Braak, Laurence O. Bowden, J. M. Hall, Jr. and M. H. Vaughan: County Attorney L. Bradfotd Tillery and County Auditor T. D. Love, Jr. INVOCATION The Chairman calied the meeting to order and asked Reverend W. D. Barkley, Pastor of the Assembly of God Church to open the meeting with a prayer for guidance. , APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES - II The minutes of the 5pecial Called Meeting held on Febrvary 24th, copies of whieh had been sent to each of the members of the Board of Commissioners, were upon moLio~, of Mr. Bowden, seconded by Mr. Braak approved as written. The minutes of the regular semimonthly meeting held on February 21, 1966, copies of which had been sent to each member of the Board, were upon motion of Mr. Vaughan, seconded by Mr. Braak, approved witt,ti the proviso that Mr. Vaughan could make an insertion in the paragraph headed "ELEMENTARY I AND SECONIlAF2Y EDUCATION ACT" if it is presented to the Board for approval before being ~ put into the perman¢nt records. (See minutes of February 21,1966) ~