1. October 11, 1999 Regular Session
2. November 8, 1999 Closed Session

4. Presentation of the Certificate of Achievement in Financial Reporting
 
County Manager David Thompson requests that the Durham County Board of Commissioners present the Certificate of Achievement in Financial Reporting to Finance Director Patricia Gravinese and her staff at this meeting. This certificate is awarded by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) for Durham County’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR). The Certificate Of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management. In announcing this award, GFOA stated that the "…CAFR has been judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program including demonstrating a constructive spirit of full disclosure to clearly communicate its financial story and motivate potential users and user groups to read the CAFR."

In addition to this award, the County Manager wants the Board of County Commissioners to be aware that the Finance Department has also completed this past year’s audit in record time for Durham County. The completion date for this audit was October 11, 1999. No one on staff can remember the County’s audit being done earlier than the end of October.


5. Introduction of New Deputy County Manager Wendell Davis
 

County Manager David F. Thompson will introduce Durham County’s new Deputy County Manager Wendell M. Davis to the Board of County Commissioners and to the public. Mr. Davis began his new position with Durham County on November 11. Prior to this position, Mr. Davis served as the Deputy County Manager for Bertie County, North Carolina since January of 1996. Mr. Davis has also held key positions in Prince William County Government in Woodbridge, Virginia. In his last position with Prince William, he served as Senior Management and Budget Analyst to the County Executive, and as Capital Improvement Program Coordinator, where he developed, implemented, and managed the County’s $343 million Capital Improvement Program.

Mr. Davis holds a BA degree in Geography and a BS degree in Sociology from North Carolina Central University. Additionally, he has a Masters of Business Administration from Southeastern University, Washington, DC and a Master of Urban Planning, University of Illinois. He is also a graduate of the County Administration course at the Institute of Government in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.


6. Consent Agenda
 

1. Appointment—Boards and Commissions (appoint Eric N. Derr to the Durham County Emergency Medical Services Council to represent the City/County Communication Center; his term expires in June 2002);
2. Appointment—Boards and Commissions (appoint Mickey Brown to the vacant at-large position on the Juvenile Crime Prevention Council);
3. Resolution Regarding Designation of an Official to Make Recommendations to the North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission on ABC Permit Application (in accordance to G.S. 18B-904(f), adopt the resolution to appoint Deputy Michael D. Andrews, Operations Major, as the designated official to make recommendations concerning the suitability of persons or locations for ABC permits);
4. Standard Non-Reimbursable Utility Contract for Extension or Upgrade of the County Sanitary Sewer System (authorize the County Manager to execute the Gordhan LLC utility contract for these additions to the County sanitary sewer system);
5. Property Tax Releases and Refunds (accept the property tax release and refund report as presented and authorize the Tax Administrator to adjust the tax records as outlined by the report);
6. Application for Property Tax Exemption (approve the application for partial tax exemption for Saint James Baptist Church); and
7. FY 1999-2000 Budget Ordinance Amendment No. 00BCC000017—Public Library (accept the incorporation of the additional revenues [$33,186] into the current operating budget of the Library).

Conduct the public hearing and consider the amendment to the zoning ordinance. The proposal would allow more flexibility for development in the Planned Density Residential [PDR] zoning district. The amendment would support 2020 Plan goals and offer citizens a broader choice of housing types. Rather than limiting side setbacks in the PDR to either 0 feet or 8 feet, this amendment would allow for setbacks in between these 2 distances if the developer provides greater design detail. The proposal was initiated by a citizen request. The public hearing was advertised in the newspaper in accordance with the requirements of the Durham Zoning Ordinance and North Carolina General Statutes. The proposal was recommended for approval by the Joint City-County Planning Committee at its September meeting and by the Zoning Committee of the Planning Commission at its October meeting.

8. Children at Risk – Interim Report
 
At the Board’s May 26 meeting, County Manager David F. Thompson, Deputy County Manager Carolyn Titus, and Youth Coordinating Board Director Anita Daniels-Kenney presented the issue of Durham’s Children at Risk. The Board was informed that the County Manager, through rising costs of court-ordered care and juvenile detention beds, became aware of the vastly increasing number of Durham County youth who had been abused and neglected, and/or had committed serious criminal offenses. Now in the juvenile court system, these children were in need of long-term mental health treatment and rehabilitation for which there are few local resources and even fewer sources of funding. As a result, the County had borne an additional $30,000 in juvenile detention bed expenses, as well as an additional $2.2 million dollars in court-ordered care payments. Since June of 1999, Deputy County Manager Carolyn Titus has been working with the "Continuum of Care" Committee comprised of county department heads and representatives of other key community organizations to address the issues identified and respond to the Charge issued by the Board. A presentation will be made reporting on the analysis that has been conducted and the systematic changes made as a result of this collaborative effort. Findings will be presented regarding the 75+ children currently under court-ordered care along with a plan of action to begin bringing the children back to their home community including development of a continuum of care.

Resource Person(s): Carolyn Titus, Deputy County Manager, will present the report. Members of the "Continuum of Care" Committee will be available to answer questions: Anita Daniels-Kenney, Youth Coordinating Board Director;
Dan Hudgins, Department of Social Services Director; Dr. Steven Ashby, The Durham Center Director; Steve Price, Youth Home Director; Gudrun Parmer, Criminal Justice Resource Center Director; Archie Snipes, Chief Juvenile Court Counselor; Donna Smith, Assistant Superintendent for Durham Public Schools; Dr. Betsy Feifs, Durham Public Schools; The Honorable Elaine O’Neal, District Court Judge; The Honorable Craig Brown, District Court Judge; and The Honorable Marcia Morey, District Court Judge.

County Manager’s Recommendation: Receive the committees’ report and recommendations.


9. Briefing on the City of Durham’s Proposed Urban Growth Area Boundary Amendments
 

County Commissioner Becky Heron has requested that City/County Planning staff brief the Board of County Commissioners on the proposed City of Durham’s Urban Growth Area Boundary Amendments that City Council is currently considering. Senior Planner Keith Luck will be present to describe and answer questions concerning these amendments.

County Manager’s Recommendation: Note that there is no action required of the Board of County Commissioners. These amendments were discussed at the Joint City/County Planning Committee held on November 10, 1999.


10. Lease Agreement for the Access/Crisis Unit of The Durham Center at 501 Willard Street
 

The Board is requested to authorize the execution of a lease for the Access/Crisis Unit of The Durham Center at 501 Willard Street, Durham, NC with NC Mutual Life Insurance Company. The Access/Crisis Unit initially occupied this facility in January 1995 with a five-year lease term. The current lease expires November 30, 1999. The term of the proposed lease is 36 months beginning December 1, 1999 and ending November 30, 2002 with a provision for two additional one-year renewals. The financial terms of the lease are:

Period                                                             Price /Square Foot                           Monthly Rent
December 1, 1999-November 30, 2000             $11.25/Square Foot                         $12,372.19
December 1, 2000-November 30, 2001             $11.36/Square Foot                         $12,493.16
December 1, 2001-November 30, 2002             $11.48/Square Foot                         $12,625.13
December 1, 2002-November 30, 2003*           $11.59/Square Foot                         $12,751.38
December 1, 2003-November 30, 2004**         $11.71/Square Foot                         $12,878.07

The rate of the initial term of this lease agreement represents a 3-percent increase over the prior lease agreement with 1-percent increases each subsequent year. Funds were appropriated in the FY 1999-2000 budget.

*First-Year Option        **Second-Year Option

Resource Person(s): Sandra W. Phillips, Director of Purchasing, and Evester Bailey, The Durham Center

County Manager’s Recommendation: This is a renewal of an existing lease for the Access/Crisis Unit of The Durham Center. The rate increases and term of lease are reasonable and within expectations. The Board is request to authorize the execution of this lease with NC Mutual Life Insurance Company for the facilities at 501 Willard Street in accordance with the provisions of the lease.


11. Draft of Adult Establishments Amendments
 

The public hearing on these amendments has been set for December 13, 1999 pursuant to the action of the Board at its last meeting.

Resource Person(s): Lowell Siler, Deputy County Attorney

County Manager’s Recommendation: Review the draft and give any directions to staff.


12. Closed Session
 

The Board is requested to adjourn to Closed Session to discuss the performance and fitness of an individual public officer or employee pursuant to G.S. § 143-318.11(a)(6).