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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1963-07-15,22,29 Budget Discussions? ? _- , ? BUDGET DISCUSSION MEETING Commissioners Room Wilmington, N. C. • Julv 15, 1963 7:30 P. M. ? ASSEMBLY - • Complying with the agreement at the meeting this roorning, the Executive Secre- tary arranged to have the Welfare Board, comprised of Mr. Braak, Mr. Fensel, and Mr. Barefoot, along with Miss Lela Moore Hall, Director, meet with the Board of Commissioners: who had in attendance Chairman Hall, Commissioners Braak, Broadhurst and Mayhan. Mr. Metis was absent because of County business in Raleieh. The revised Welfare Department Budget was reviewed item by item and tentative approved after some revisions in certain categories: were made. „ JAMES WALKER MEWIORIAL HOSPITAL- :_ While all of the above named persons were present, Messrs. Hugh,MacRae II, Robert R. Martin, Director and R. H. Holland, representing the Board of Managers of James Walker Memorial Hospital reported that their reimbursable cost was $23.57 per day and that I in order to compensate partially for the'cost of handling indigents, they requested the County to increase their per day pay to $20.00 instead of the present $19.00 and increase I their Emergency Room visit fees from $2.50 to $3.00. After a brief review of past exper- ? iences, Mr. Mayhan offered a motion that the County daily rate of pay for indigents at the James Walker Memorial Hospital De increased to $20.00 and that the Emergency Room Clinic , visits be $3.00 per visit. It was seconded by Mr. Broadhurst and unanimously adopted by ; the Board. BUDGET DISCUSSION MEETING July 22, 1963 9:OOA.M . ASSEMBLY A continuation of the Bud'get Discussion was held today at 9:00 A. M. in the Commissioners Room of the Court House with the following Board members present: Chairman J. M. Hall, Jr., Mr. Peter H. Braak, Mr. Ernest R. Mayhan, Mr. John Van B. Metts, Jr., Commissioners; County Auditor T. D. Love. Commissioner L. E. Broadhurst and County Attorney L. Bradford Tillery were unable to be present for the meeting. CHANiBER OF COMMERCE Messrs. Alfred A. Johnston and P. M. Camak, representing the Greater Wilming- ton Chamber of Commerce presented their Budget Requests and stressed the fact that now j is the time to make an all out promotional effort to bring in new people. They cited that I approximately 400 additional rooms were being built in the County which would bring in I additional taxes on an amount of $5,000,000. They reported that Nyrtle Beach was spending $50,000 and Asheville $85,000 for promoting their respective efforts to bring in addi- tional tourists. The Board promised to take the matter under further study. ? ? WILMINGTON - NEW HANOVER NNSEUM ? Colonel Thomas A. Price, Jr. presented the Budget Estimate of the NPuseum and re- quested that the Board reconsider the limitation of $5,000 which they had previous2y placed on the Museum. He urged them to approve the Budget Request of $7,070 and stated that for the first 16 weeks of operation they had more than 1500 visitors or an average of a little less than 100 per week. The Chairman promised that the Board would study it and let them know. ADJOURNMENT - The Chairman then declared the meeting adjourned. JOINT BUDGET DISCUSSION P9EETING j Council Chambers 'July 22, 1963 12:00 A.M Wilminqton,N.C. 11:00 A.M. II ASSEMBLY - P.ursuant :torthe agreement,last^Monday,;;Lhe,.Board of•,County Commissioners with ? the foliowing m?m35er5 pcesent??Cfiairman:Hal1,,E.R::Mayhan,_J,_Van:,B.Metts,Jr,?:Peter;H..Br;aak, L: E: Broadhur'st and County Attorney L. Bradford Ti'llery met in joint session with the 1J31- mington City Council with the'following members in attendance: Mayor O. 0. Allsbrook, Councilmen John C. Symmes, James H. Batuyious, E. S. Capps, Jr., Councilwoman Hannah S. . Biock and City Attorney Cicero P. Yow and E. C. Brandon, Jr., City Manager. ' INVOCATION - Mayor Allsbrook called the meeting to order and asked W. G. Houck, Executive ' Secretary of the Board of County Commissioners, to pronounce the invocation. REPORT - Complying with the instructions issued to the committee appointed at the last I meeting to study and make recommendations regarding the mutual appropriations, Mr. Metts, I speaking for the Committee, as Chairman, reported that they recommend that the Joint Boards go along with the present basis of allocations this year and that the same Committee or a ? new Committee be appointed for long range planning and recommendations for next year's Budget. allocations. The same Committee agreed to function at the request of the Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners and the lviayor of the City of Wilmington. u ? ?J P r'238 JOINT BUDGET MEETING - Continued July 22, 1963 l TAX LISTING - ? In reviewing the Tax Collector's Office, it paid the County for listing the City taxes which some Upon motion of Mr. Capps, seconded by Mr. Braak, this above Committee for study. was brought out that the City of the Council members questioned, question was referred to the ? TAX ATTORNEY - The Chairman of the Board of Commissioners reported that he had received a letter from John T. Schiller, Attorney for the Tax Department, requesting an increase of $100.00 per month. The Mayor observed that he had received a similar letter. After a21 members agreed that he was doing;.an excellent job and there were no ob,jections raised to the increase, both Boards unanimously approved an increase of $50.00 each for \ the City and County, upon motion of Mr. Metts, seconded by Mrs. Block. PUBLIC LIBRARIES - Mr. Louis J. Poisson, Jr. and Miss Catherine E. Howell presented the Library Budget. Af.Cer reviewing the Budget item by item and receiving satisfactory answers to questions raised about any item, Mr. Capps moved the adoption of the Budget as recom- mended by the City Manager and County Auditor. It was seconded by Mr. Hall and unani- n mously approved. ; ? BQARD OF HEALTH - I Chairman Hall explained that tht Commissioners hzd carefully reviewed the ? Budget presented by the Board of Health and had tentztively approved the items changed with the exception of Salaries which are subject to the Merit System. He explained that last year they had agreed to a minimum of two (2) steps below the normal range recommended by the Merit System Council and had hoped to make another step upward until the nornal was reached but since that time the Merit System Council has revised their pay rznges, especially as it applies to professional people. He reported the difficulty which they had last year in securing approval of the State Board of Health and the Merit System Council for those salary ranges. He also czlled attention to what he considered an inequity that needed ad,justment in the Plumbing Inspector's salary as he is not subJect to the Merit System. He reported that the Board of Commissioners have decided that it is better for all of the departments to be on a 71 per mile basis and therefore recommended this same thing for the Plumbing Inspector. He aiso called attention to the fact that the Board of Health had put a$70.00 maximum limit on the Plumbing Inspector which he recommended be removed. As Mayor Allsbrook is also on the ' Board of Health, ex-officio, he agreed that this should be done and that some adjustment' be made in the salary paid to the Plumbing Inspector as he is the only employee pro- ducing revenue for the Department. After all the questions surrounding the Health Deparlt- ment were resolved, Mr. Capps moved the adoption of the Health Department Budget, after it had been adjusted as discussed above. It was seconded by Mr. Mayhan znd _ unanimousiy approved by the ,joint Boards. i `CIVIL DEFENSE - ' ' A review of the Civil Defense Budget requested by the Director disclosed that the only change recommended from last year's budget is a step up in the secretaryts szlzry one step from $2580 to $2712 annually. Upon motion of Couneiiman Capps, seconded by Commissioner Hall, this recommendation was unanimously approved, making the total $5,534•25 for each governing body. \?-CAPE FEAR ARMORY - Upon motion of Commissioner Metts, seconded by Councilman Capps, the Budget Estimate of $358.67 for the Cape Fear Armory was unanimously approved. \ PLANNING AND ZONING - Commissioner Metts observed that the County is in the process of setting up a Planning and Zoning Board in an effort to control the orderly development of the County in the areas outside of the one mile limit now being regulated by the City Pianning and Zoning Board. He raised the question as to whether or not it should be a joint venture and if the Council would allow their City Planner to supervise the activities of the County Planning and Zoning Board. Councilman Batuyios•moved the zdoption of this suggestion. It was seconded by Commissioner Braak and unanimously \ carried. ` U.S.O. A brief discussion of this activity revcaled that the ma,jority of both Boards, thought it was a worthwhile pro,ject to maintain the U.S.O. services and, by common con- sent, they agreed on the same appropriation as last year. ?. ELECTION COSTS - The question of a perranent registration system and voting machines was discussed and after a brief review it'was decided to refcr this question to the committe> composed of Councilwoman Hannah S. Block and Councilman J. S. Batuyios who are to work ' with a County committee composed of Messrs. Broadhurst znd Nayhan and both the C1ty and County Attorneys. ? ADJOURNMEhT Mayor Allsbrook congratulated both of the Boards on their effort to on their mutual problems and stated that so far as they knew this completed the of the joint session. Counciiman Capps then offered a motion for adjournment. seconded by Commissioner Mctts and it was unanimously adopted. () cooperate business It was i "'r ' W. G. Houck, Executive Secretary '? New Hanover County Board of Commissioner? J z , 2 39 - -- - -- -- - BUDGET DISCUSSION MEETING Commissioners Room Julv 22, 1963 7:30 P. M. Wilmin4ton, N. C. - ? PRESENT : Chairman J. M. Hall, Jr., Commissioners Peter H. Braak, L. E. Broadhurst, Ernest R. Mayhan, John Van B. Metts, Jr., County Auditor T. D. Love, and'?2County Attor- ; rtey L. Braclfor@ Tillery. I CHAMBER OF COMWlERCE - Mr. P. M. Camak came back and ? ? presented a press release supporting the conten- tion which they had presented in the morning session and urged the Commissioners to con- 'sider their Budget Request for $14,000. He was promised consideration. • SCHOOL TEACHER PENSIONS - / y The subject of pensions for retired school teachers was again briefly discuss- ed and aft¢r reviewiny the report made by the Board of Education aL their request, Mr. Metts oFfered a motion that a floor of $50.00 be placed as a minimum for the older retired schooi teachers. It was seconded by Mr. Mayhan and when the votes were cast, Mr. Broad- hurst voted "NO" with Lhe statement that he could not in good conscience give State employees County money. As all members of the Board voted "YES", the Chairman declared the motion prevailed. - ? RECAPITUL.FITION - ? 'After a reView of a11 Lhe items in question by any of the Commissioners, with the except;on of salaries, Mr. Metts offered a motion that the Budget Estimates be referred I back to W. Love, the County AudiLor, for his recommendations after making the ad,justments ? agreed on and that the Board meet again Monday morning, July 29th at 9:00 A.M. and stay , until the Budget is set. It was seconded by Mr. Broadhurst and unanimous2y approved, ADJOURNMEMT - '"The Chairman then declared the meeting ad,jonrned. BUDGET DISCUSSIOIV MEETING I . July 29, 1963 PRESENT. - A Budget Discussion Nieetingwas held by the New Hanover County Board of Com- missioners with the follow;ng present: Chairman J. M. Hali, Jr., Commissioners Peier H. Braak, L. E. Broadhurst, Ernest R. Mayhan and John Van B. Metts, Jr., County Auditor T. D. Love, Jr. and County Attorney L. Bradford Tillery. ? INVOGATION - ' The Chairman requested the ExecuLive Secretary Lo give the invocation. ' CSC - ? / Mr. H. Foster Edwards,_Clerk of Superior Court, informed the Board that he had ? one employee retiring and two resigning within the next 30 days and requested that he be granted permission to sLart them at.once in order that they might be ready to replace those who are leaving. Upon motion of Mr. Metts, seconded by Mr. Mayhan, tnis request was approved unanimously. . . FORT FISHER - ' :Mr. Henry J. MacMi.l]an,.Chairman of the New Hanover Confederate Centennial Committee, thanked the Board for their interest in the pro,ject, then introduced Mrs. 9 Alice Strickland, Co-Chairman of the Fort Fisher Restoration Committee, who informed the A Board that the State.has.purchased land at Fort Fisher for the first time in its history ' and that her Committee is planning $100,000 State-wide campaign for private funds and requests the County to start it off with $10,000 contributinn. She recounted that the State was spending more than $300,000 in the Lower Cape Fear Area, most of it being in II New Hanover CovnLy. The plans at present include the Restoration of the gun Mnplacements and bunkers which were destroyed when the present airf.ield was constructed. Mr. Staniey ? A...South, Archaeologist and Historic Site Specialist, supervising the operation at Fort F3sher,stated that the U. S. Navy was sending the Petrel with navy divers to sa2vage five canon which are known to have been aboard the U.S.S. Peterhoff.,: The gun J?nplace- ments above will be used to d3splay the cannon after they have been processed through the laboratory. He reminded the Board that Fort Fisher was a heavy tourist attraction as it has drawn the_largest number of visitors. After a brief discussion of the impor- tance of Fort Fisher to the area,_Mr. Mayhan moved that $5,000 he appropriated this,year ? for the Fort Fisher Restoration Fund with the understanding that the Board wou2d look with favor next year and be in a receptive mood to appropriate further funds toward this prosect. It was seconded by Mr. Metts and when the votes were cast, Mr. Broadhurst voted along with the Board favorably but stated that he had some reservations about the project, SGHOOL PENSION - / Mr. 6-la]lace C. Murchison appeared before the Board and stated that he was in- ? terested in the school pensions for elderiy retired teachers. The Chairman explained Lhat the matter had already been discussed and that the recommendation by the Board of Education of a minimum floor of $150.00 was out of the question and that at no time had i they ever thought of more than $100.00 as a fIoor. He pointed out other reLired County ? empioyees were getting less than the school teachers and the Board eQUld not see its way ? clear to change it at this time. CORONER - ? In reviewing the Coronerts Budget, salaries were @iscussed, after which Mr. ? , Broadhurst offered a motion that the salary of Lhe Coroner be stt at $3,960.00 for the fiscal year and that the Assistant's Salary be set at $150.00 a year with the under- standino that should it be necessary for the Assistant Coroner to assume any further responsibilities, it would be paid out of the salary of the Coroner. The motion was seconded by Nr.\Metts and when the votes were taken, Mr. Mayhan voted "No", however, I (continued) ? J r- 240 BUDGET DISCUSSION MEETING CORONER - - July 29, 1963 Continued the Chairman declared it.passed by the ma,jority vote. ? COASTAL CODE COMMITTEE - Mr. Metts reported that he had attended a meeting in Raleigh as a'sespresen- tative of the State AssociaLion of County Commissioners at the request of its president, Mr. Henry M. Milgrom. It was essentially a meeting of the State'Insurance Association seeking ways and means to write insurance in Coastal North Carolina and it is hoped that the building of the dikes and berm on our beaches might prove strong enough to stand the wind damage and the berms will eliminate the wash" hazard. ' Practically, it means that if we can not write insurance on bea property, we get little or no building. I WELF}1RE DEPARTMENT County Auditor Love reported Lhat he had checked into the salary schedule suggested by the Welfare Board and so far as he could determine they could approve the salaries recommended without any cost to the taxpayers of New Hanover County. After a pro and con discussion on this sub,ject, W. Metts offered a motion that the personnei and salaries recommended by the Welfare Board be approved providing it did not cost the County any more money. It was seconded by Nir. Braak and approved by a majority vote. Mr. Broadhurst requested that he be recorded as voting "NO". ?RECESS - Mr. Metts moved that a recess be called until 3:00 P. M. and that the County Auditor take the Budget Requests which are now approved and bring back his recommendation at that time. It was seconded by Mr. Mayhan and unanimousTy approved. RECONVENTION July 29, 1963 3:00 P. M. - The Board of County Commissioners reconvened at 3:00 P. M. with the following present: Chairman J. M. Hall, Jr., Commissioners Peter H. Braak, L. E. Broadhurst, Ernest R. Mayhan, John Van B. Metts, Jr., County Auditor T. D. Love Jr. and County ? Attorney L. Bradford Tillery. 1963-64 APPROPRIATION RESOLUTION Mr. Love reported that he had made a recapitulation of the Budget Estimate and after ad,justments requested by the Board, it amounted a total of $8,114,050.76 and he recommended that if the Board was willing for him to make some minor adjustments where necessary, he could keep the tax rate at $1.40 based on a valuation of $154,000,000.: Mr. Mayhan offered the following Resolution: I BE IT RESOLVED on this 29th day of July 1963 that for the expense of the County government, its activities, and institutions for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1964, the following amounts to the various funds are hereby appropriated: General Fund ------ -----------------------°----------------- Agriculture 8 Economics ----- ------- ----- -------------- -------- Aid to Blind ----- ---------- -------------------°--------------- ' Aid to Dependent Children ---------- --------- ------ ------------ Aid Permanently & Totally Disabled ------ -------------- ----- Old Age AssisLance ---- --------------------- --..-_--------_-_- County Home -----------------------------------------=------ Health ------------?------__?--------------- ° ------------ New Hanover Memorial Hospital ------------------------------- NHM Hospital Notes ---------------- -------------------------- Hospitali2ation - Indigent d Pub. AssL. ------------------------- Hospitali2ation - Community ------- ------------------ ---------..». Welfare ------------- ------------------ --------------------- Revaluation ------- ----?------------ -------- ----------------- Workmens Compensation ------------- --------------------- ---- Court Room -------- ----------------------------- ------------ Wilmington College -------------------------------------------° Scltool Bonds ----- ----------------------- -------------------- School Books ----------------- --------------- --------------- School Building --------------------------------------------- School Bond Building ---=-=---------------------------------- School Capital Outlay -------------- ------------ --------------- School Driver Education -------------------------------------- School Lunch ------------------------------- ------------- ---- School Pension ----- ------- ------------------------------ ---- Schooi Regular ------ ------- --------------- -------------------- School Supplement ----------------------------- -------------- $ 728,835.42 22,788.20 15,291.16 74s,soo.oo 396,900.00 455,400.00 111,600.90 151,765.69 817,500.00 1.1020,000.00 59,?00.00 424, 54•23 221,592.50 15,400. 00 1,100.00 161,050.00 469,522.50 19,000.00• 10,000.00 750,000.00 34,700.00 31,000.00 70,500.00 70, 382 .48 862,667.68 42!}, 000.00 $0,094,050.76 : \ , \ BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a tax levy of $1.40 per hundred be levied against all taxable property in the County as of Jan. 1, 1963 to support the activities of th4 County government for the fiscal year 1963-64. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Budget be adopted in detail and spent only in the amounts appropriated for each item un2ess changes are approved by the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners. This Resolution was seconded by Nr. Metts and passed by a majority vote. INr. Broadhurst I voted "No" with the explanation that he could not go along with some of the items approved in the Budget. i ? Minutes of the Meeting (Budget Discussion) July 29,1963 -Continued SUPERIOR CaURT SUGGESTIONS Judge Rudolph I. Mintz came before the Board and reported that the air conditioner in the Superior Court Room was much quieter than it previously had been and he considered it satisfactory. He suggested three improvements as follows (1) During Court, consider- able noise is made by lawyers and others walking on the cement floor between what is known as the Judges Chambers and the Lawyers Room. He suggested a rubber y ? runner or sim- ilar material be put on the floor to muffle some of the noise. (2) He recommends an asphalt tile covering be put on the floor in the•Lawyers Room and that the telephone be taken off the wall and placed on a table in the center of the room with six or eight chairs. The lawyers frequently need to use this room for Conferences and telephone communication with clients.- The Chairman Lhanked him for the suggestions and directed the Executive Secre- tary to look.into the matter. CHANiBER OF COMMERCE - ? ? Mr. P. M. camak, Director of the Chamber of Commerce, informed the Board that he had considered the use of newspaper advertising and posterboards and decided that posterboards would be a great help in directing tourists into New Hanover County. After a brief.review, Mr. Metts moved that the appropriation for the Chamber of Commerce be left at $6,000 but that $2,000 of it be earmarked for posterboards to be used at the discretion of the Chanber of Commerce. It was seconded by Mr. Mayhan and unanimously adopted. INTERSTATE 21 - ? Mr. Braak reported that he had recently learned that an East-West Interstate Highway is being planned from the West Coast to terminate in Fiorence, S. C. and he sug- gested that some effort should be made by the Board to extend it into Wilmington. Mr. Metts suggested that our Senators and Congressmen be written•a letter urging them to see ? if this could be done. , INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION CENTER - The Chairman repoirted on the Industrial Education Cent Dr. Hubert A. Eaton Mr. Fred J. Galehouse Dr. Thomas P. May Mr. W. Mercer Rowe. / that he had completed appointments to serve as Trustees ar as foilows: 411 N. 7th St., Wilmington, N. C. 110 Green Forest Dr., " " P. O. Box 656, Wrigritsville Beach, N. C. 2216 Acacia St., Wilmington, N. C. ` The other four appointments as Trustees for the IEC by the Board of Education are: Mr. William Emmart Mr. C. McD Davis . Dr. James 'vJethern Mr. Eugene McWatty I The Chairman then directed the Executive Secretary to write each of the appointees con- firming their appointments and thanking them for the service they are rendering. HUGH MAC RAE PARH - / The Executive Secretary reported that Babcock and Wilcox had promised that ' Chey would furnish the framing materials for a new shelter at Hugh MacRae Park if the Board wouid furnish the roofing and cement for the foundation. He had Parks Supervisor Roberts secure.an estimate of the cost to complete it which amounts to $400.00. Mr. Mayhan offered a motion that $400.00 be included in the Capital Outlay Fund of the Park for this purpose. It was seconded by Mr. Metts and unanimously approved. ' / SALARIES The Chairman reported that he understood that it was the inLent of the Board last year when they established (2) steps below the recommended normal of the Merit Sys- tem Council that the Board this year would advance another step but since that time, the Merit System Council had revised their salary ranges and even if one (i) step upward is made this year the County would stiil be (2) steps under the normal as of July 1, 1963• He recommended that any employee who had improved their classification should receive the benefit of it. It was the opinion of other Board members that the adjustments should be made at the end of the fiscal year. After a pro and con discussion, Mr. Metts offered a motion that each employee be stepped up one grade above what they were at the end of June 30, 1963. It was seconded by Mr. Braak and when the votes were cast, Mr. Broadhurs,t voted "NO",however, the Chairman declared the motion carried by a ma,jority vote. ELECTIONS - / , The sub3ect of voting machines and election procedures w.ere again discussed after wh3ch the Board unanimously ref.erred the matter back to the study committee composed of Messrs. Broadhurst and Mayhan to bring tack a recommendation and that the total Elec- tion Budget be approved as recommended by the Auditor and that an item by item breakdown would be determined, after the recommendations were received. ADJOURNMENT - The Chairman then declared the Board meeting adjouaae?'. . w. tive Secretacy dI