AGENDA

1. Opening of Regular Session?Pledge of Allegiance

2. Agenda Adjustments

3. Minutes

a. August 10, 1998 Regular Session

4. Resolution Honoring the Centennial Anniversary of North Carolina Mutual Life

A resolution recognizing North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company?s 100 years of existence has been prepared by staff at the request of Chairman Black. This local company was founded in 1898, and has operated successfully through the years. President and CEO Bert Collins and Senior Vice President Charles Blackmon are present to receive the resolution and to detail some of the events that will take place throughout the anniversary period.

County Manager?s Recommendation: Approve the resolution and present to
Mr. Collins and Mr. Blackmon.

5. Consent Agenda

a. Property tax release and refund report (adopt the property tax release and refund report as presented and authorize the Tax Administrator to adjust the tax records as outlined by the report);

b. Set fees for EMS (approve the current EMS fee structure);

c. Bus stop shelter at Stanford L. Warren Library (approve Deed of Easement as submitted);

d. Street closing?Crystal Lake Road (SC98-1): setting a public hearing (set public hearing for October 12, 1998);

e. Contract for Forest Ranger (approve the contract for the County to continue to receive protection from forest fires provided under the contract);

f. Contract for transportation services between the City of Durham and Durham County (authorize the County to enter into this contract with the City of Durham to maintain coordinated transportation services for two years with the current vendor);

g. FY 1998-99 Budget Ordinance Amendment No. 99BCC000010 (Public Health?approve grant revenue of $3,500 for Asthma Management Program in school health); and

h. FY 1998-99 Budget Ordinance Amendment No. 99BCC000011 (Public Health?approve grant revenue of $5,000 for special nutrition program).

Note: The purpose of a consent agenda is to handle consensus items with one motion to save time on meeting agendas. Any item a Board member pulls for discussion should be placed at the end of the agenda so public hearings can be concluded as early as possible. This will provide for the least inconvenience to the general public attending the public hearings.

6. Overview of Durham Public Schools Progress

At the request of Commissioner Becky Heron, Superintendent Dr. Ann Denlinger will present a brief overview of various accomplishments of Durham Public Schools.
Dr. Denlinger will provide specific information about student achievement and State ABC results.

7. Public Hearing?Boomer Construction Company (Rezoning Case P98-37)

Boomer Construction Company will present to the Board of County Commissioners a request to amend the development plan for an 18.78-acre site located on the south side of Chin Page Road between Page Road and South Miami Boulevard and further identified as Tax Map 588, Block 1, Lot 11. Request: I-2(D) to I-2(D); Change in Development Plan. The Community Growth Map of the Durham 2020 Comprehensive Plan shows that the requested site is located on the edge of the ?Regional Corridor Study Area" that extends between east Durham and Research Triangle Park. The Triangle Township Plan: Future Land Use Map shows Industrial/Business Park for the site. Staff recommends approval. The Zoning Committee of the Durham Planning Commission conducted a public hearing on August 11, 1998, and voted 7-0 to recommend approval.

Sheila Stains-Ramp, Senior Planner, Durham City-County Planning Department, will be present to answer any questions of staff regarding the request. (Vonda Frantz was the Case Planner.)

8. Lease Agreement for Day Reporting Center

Durham County is responsible for providing office space and training room facilities for the Day Reporting Center. The County is currently leasing space on the 2^nd floor of the First Union Building located at 201 North Roxboro Street for this agency. The lease agreement expires on December 31, 1998. Representatives of the landlord have communicated to County staff that First Union has plans for the space and will not be renewing the lease.

As a result, staff has investigated several space options in the downtown area for the Day Reporting Center. Staff recommends leasing 10,531 square feet of office space at 102 East Main Street in downtown Durham. This space is desirable since its location is walking distance to the courthouse, Adult Probation and Parole, and other County agencies. The space is also the lowest cost option available.

The proposed lease rate is $8.09 per square foot for the first year, which is below the market rate for downtown Durham. In the first year, the landlord has agreed to exclude 1,500 square feet in calculating the rental space charged to the County. The County will be able to use all of the space in the premises. Staff negotiated this free rent to enable the Day Reporting Center to stay within budget ($82,000). With this arrangement, the agency has enough funds budgeted to pay for six months of rent, moving expenses, computer wiring, and minor cosmetic remodeling. The base rent will increase by 2.5 percent per year beginning in the second year. However, even with the annual increases in rent, the square-footage rate will remain below market rate.

The landlord is responsible for all taxes and assessments levied against the facility, capital expenses, and for making improvements to the premises before the lease commences on January 1, 1999. The County is responsible for the costs associated with providing utilities and janitorial service. The lease term is for five years.

County Manager?s Recommendation: Provide the County Manager with the authority to enter into a lease agreement with the owner/landlord of 102 East Main Street based on the conditions and terms of the lease agreement.

Resource Person: David M. Powell, Economic Development/Property Management

9. Contract with Employment Security Commission

The Durham County Board of Commissioners is requested to authorize the County Manager to negotiate and execute a contract with the Employment Security Commission of North Carolina in an amount not to exceed $27,000 to provide employment assistance services to offenders at the Criminal Justice Resource Center.

The County Attorney has reviewed the proposed contract. There are sufficient funds in the department?s budget allocated for employment assistance services to cover the expense. The Criminal Justice Partnership Advisory Board is aware and in favor of this contract.

The Criminal Justice Resource Center had previously contracted with EASE Inc. to provide employment assistance services. The contract that paid $6,666.66 monthly to EASE will expire on September 30, 1998. In an effort to secure quality services at a reasonable cost, the Criminal Justice Resource Center explored various options. It appears that most employment assistance programs in Durham have ties to the Job Link Center at the Employment Security Commission. There are several Day Reporting Centers in North Carolina that have entered into a service contract with the offender program of the Employment Security Commission of North Carolina. The Durham ESC office already provides employment services to the County?s Work First Program. The contract with ESC is the most cost effective and reasonable option. The proposed contract would present a cost saving of nearly 50 percent over the current EASE contract. The remaining allocated funds in the agency?s budget could be utilized to cover other expenses related to employment assistance such as uniforms, tools, etc.

County Manager?s Recommendation: Authorize the County Manager to enter into a contract with ESC to provide employment assistance services to the clients of the Day Reporting Center for an amount not to exceed $27,000.

10. Health Insurance for Children--NC Health Choice

The Department of Social Services is requesting approval for two Income Maintenance Caseworker II positions to administer the new child insurance health program--NC Health Choice. The cost of the two positions for FY 1998-99 is $45,600 (10/1/98-6/30/99). The annualized cost of these positions is $60,802. Fifty percent of this cost will be covered by federal funds and fifty percent by state funds. No County funds are involved.

A North Carolina plan for health insurance for children to be provided under the federal Title XXI program has been approved by the N. C. General Assembly, signed into law by Governor Hunt, and approved by the United States Health Care Financing Administration. Through this plan, titled the NC Health Choice, the state will draw down $80 million in federal funds to be matched with $27 million in state funds to finance the health insurance program.

Beginning October 1, 1998, low income families will be able to get health insurance for their children. NC Health Choice will cover families that make too much to qualify for Medicaid, but whose income does not exceed 200 percent of the federal poverty level (e.g. a family of 3 can earn up to $27,300 a year). The plan is comprehensive and covers hospitalization and out-patient care. Preventive dental, vision, and hearing benefits will also be provided under this plan. Application for NC Health Choice will be made through the Department of Social Services. The annualized projected number of eligible children for Durham County is 1,367. In addition, as many as 1,292 children may be identified as Medicaid-eligible through outreach efforts for NC Health Choice.

Dan Hudgins, DSS Director, is responsible for this item.

County Manager?s Recommendation: Approve the budget amendment as recommended (99BCCC000012).

11. Proposed Resolution Requesting Statewide Legislation Updating the Annexation Laws

This resolution was drafted at the request of Commissioner Heron and is similar in nature to one adopted by Orange County. The resolution requests that the Legislative Delegation for Durham work in conjunction with the NCACC to update the annexation laws.

12. Appointment?Alcoholic Beverage Control Board

Garry E. Umstead, CMC, Clerk to the Board, will distribute ballots to make one appointment to the Durham County Alcoholic Beverage Control Board.