REVISED
(Addition?Item No. 1a
Item No. 5 amended)
THE BOARD OF
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
DURHAM, NORTH
CAROLINA
Monday, November 7, 2005
9:00 A.M. Worksession
AGENDA
1. Proclamation?Adoption Awareness Month
5 min.
November is ?Adoption Awareness
Month? and the Department of Social Services would like to take this
opportunity to spread awareness on behalf of the children in Durham County waiting for
loving families.
County Manger?s Recommendation: The Manager recommends that
November 2005 be proclaimed ?Adoption Awareness Month?.
1a. Resolution
Opposing Federal Cuts to the Safety Net
5 min.
The U.S. Congress is currently
debating significant, damaging cuts to vital human services programs including
Child Support Enforcement, Medicaid, Food Stamps, Child Welfare, and Temporary
Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). Based on information received from a variety
of sources, including the Center for Law and Social Policy, the American Public
Human Services Association, National Association of Counties, and the NC
Division of Social Services, these potential cuts could have a devastating
impact on families in Durham and reduce funding for vital programs. Preliminary figures for Child Support indicate
a loss of almost $500,000 per year based on the House proposal to reduce the
Federal Financial Participation (FFP) from 66% to
50%. The House proposal would cut
approximately $844 million in Food Stamps over the next five years by
restricting eligibility for families receiving TANF
services, but who are not receiving a cash benefit ? those who are making a
real effort to move from dependence to economic independence. In addition, the House proposes to cut an
additional $275 million over five years by increasing to seven years the current
five-year ban on Food Stamps eligibility for eligible immigrants who have
migrated legally. At a time when the
immigrant population is growing substantially in Durham, this will have a negative impact on
the health status of these families.
Further cuts are proposed in Medicaid, TANF,
and Social Security Disability (SSI). These cuts would further exacerbate the
damaging results of poverty that include poor school performance, poor health
status, increased crime and gang activity, and homelessness.
County Manger?s Recommendation: The County Manager
recommends that the Board approve the resolution and send it to the US Congressional leadership and North Carolina
Delegation.
2. Report on Research with At-Risk Substance Abusers and Their
Families: Strengthening Community Ties
20
min.
At the request of Commissioner
Michael D. Page, Dr. Wendee Wechsberg
of RTI International will provide a report on Research
with At-Risk Substance Abusers and Their Families: Strengthening Community Ties.
County Manger?s Recommendation: The Manager recommends that the
Board hear the report and provide input, if appropriate.
3. 14th
Judicial District?s FY 2004-05 Annual Report
20
min.
Geoffrey
Hathaway, Judicial
District Manager, wishes to present the FY
2004-05 Annual Report for Community Corrections for
District 14 (Durham). The report includes information that
summarizes money paid by offenders to the Durham County
Clerk of Court, offender population trends within the past five fiscal years,
the most frequently committed criminal offenses for which offenders were placed
on probation, and drug tests completed and the rate of positive test results.
Resource Person(s): Geoffrey Hathaway, Judicial District Manager, District 14,
NC Department of Correction, Division of Community Corrections
4. Tax
Office?Establish 2008 Revaluation Date and Request for Additional Personnel
20
min.
Although at this time the date has not
been set, Tax Administration and the Board of County
Commissioners have both expressed
the desire for a 2008 revaluation. A
resolution must be adopted to advance the revaluation to January 1, 2008. Further, a recommendation has been made that at
the conclusion of the 2008 reappraisal, the County should advance to a four-year
reappraisal (January 1, 2012) and each fourth year thereafter. (The potential exists for the state
legislature to change the current mandated octennial
revaluation plan to a four-year plan.)
Current appraisal staff is responsible
for yearly maintenance of over 98,000 parcels of real property. Historical data indicates that as of January
1, 2008, the County parcel count
will exceed 105,000.
With revaluation forthcoming and
workload increasing, an immediate staffing need is evident. Revaluation functions are in addition to
all regularly scheduled yearly real property appraisal work. It is imperative that current staff be
allowed to execute their existing job functions separate and apart from general
reappraisal.
Hiring four full-time employees to
carry forward the revaluation process for 2008 and retaining such employees for
future four-year general reappraisals are requested herewith. The positions are: Revaluation Supervisor--1;
Residential Appraiser--2; and Commercial Appraiser--1.
These employees will execute all
duties associated with general reappraisal, ensuring that current staff
maintains yearly cycle appraisal functions.
These duties include fieldwork such as reviewing neighborhoods and
commercial districts; building of the uniform schedules of values, standards,
and rules to be used in the revaluation; and multiple land valuation
issues. These very time-consuming issues
must be done expertly and completely for a proper revaluation.
These positions are being requested
at this time because of the timing and need with the upcoming revaluation. These positions were requested in this past
year?s budget, but the decision was postponed until a final revaluation date
was chosen. Tax Administration requests
that the positions begin in January 2006.
The Schedule of Values, Standards, and Rules will be presented to the
Board of County Commissioners in the first half of 2007 for approval;
therefore, Tax Administration has slightly over 12 months to complete the
necessary work.
Staff is requesting the authority to
establish the above-enumerated four positions. Per North Carolina General Statutes, Durham County has budgeted for
the 2008 general reappraisal. Funding is
currently available in the reappraisal budget for hiring of the four
employees. The Budget and HR Departments
have reviewed and approved this matter.
5. Resolution
Amending the Economic Development Investment Fund
20
min.
The Board
of Commissioners adopted a
resolution creating the Economic Development Investment Fund on October 14,
1996. Besides creating the fund from
which economic incentives could be paid, the resolution created the parameters
for awarding economic incentives. Since
1996, the business climate in the United States has changed
considerably. Many of the jobs held by Durham County residents in
1996 have now been exported offshore.
The need to recruit companies which will bring high paying jobs, along
with medical benefits, to Durham
County
is now of paramount importance.
Corporate headquarters are specifically mentioned in the policy as one
type of employer that is likely to produce high paying jobs. While headquarters of companies and other
large employers may build their own buildings, today many of these companies
may choose instead to locate in properties that have already been
developed. The revision to the policy
recognizes this change in corporate reality.
The
Resolution Amending the Economic Development Investment Fund provides the
following:
· Minimum $5
million investment to be increased annually by CPI.
· Minimum
creation of 200 new jobs in Durham
County.
· New jobs
must pay 110% of average wage in Durham
County.
· Company
must provide health insurance for employees.
· Incentive
is up to $1 million in the discretion of the Board.
· ?Claw-back?
provision to require partial or total repayment of incentive if the company
leaves prior to ten years.
· Commissioners
are not obligated to make an appropriation to any company.
County Manger?s Recommendation: The Manager recommends that
the Board suspend the rules and adopt the revision to the Economic Development
Investment Fund Resolution.
The Manager recommends that the Board review the policy and
advise the staff if any additional changes or action is desired.
6. Finance
Policy
30
min.
The proposed Finance
Policy for Durham
County
sets various financial ratio goals, establishes budgeting procedures, and
simply reduces to written form the current practices. Finance is requesting an opportunity to
review the proposed policy with the BOCC.
7. Closed
Session
20
min.
Pursuant to G.S.
§ 143-318.11(a)(5), the Board is requested to adjourn to Closed Session to
instruct staff concerning the position to be taken on the terms of possible
acquisition of 247 S. Mangum Street owned by U-Haul Real Estate Company and 306
S. Roxboro Street owned by Scarborough and Hargett
Funeral Home.
