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Unapproved Items to be discussed will be considered for the Fiscal Year 2003-2004 Budget. The meeting started with a discussion on Solid Waste Service Options. Mr. Rush gave the board four (4) options. Mr. Rush commented that solid waste costs for the proposals were higher than anticipated. Option 1 is less attractive now. He provided a cost list for Options 1,2 and 3. Option #4 is a new one added to the list. Commissioner Eckhardt furnished the board with a picture of the things the town is trying to eliminate. (Backup is attached at the end of these Minutes). Commissioner McElraft does not like ugly green trashcans on the street for 3 days before pick-up. Commissioner Marks noted in relation to the costs that many people on Emerald Isle are on fixed incomes. Commissioner Farmer doesn’t think it is an option to leave trashcans on the street. Commissioner Eckhardt wondered why Emerald Isle would not handle this problem like other towns? Discussion took place on having town employees to roll out and roll back the carts before and after pickup. The consensus was to have no town employees doing this. Size of garbage containers was another topic. The sizes are 40,65 and 90-gallon. Waste Industries equipment is made to handle these three sizes. Suggestions were made to have real estate companies responsible for those houses they manage. Also included in this discussion were collection schedules, racks, procedures and violations. Elimination of Options A and B was considered. Option C is closer to what the town wanted to accomplish. Option C will be revised and be presented at the Special Meeting set for Monday March 3rd beginning at 7:00 P.M. to try to finalize this issue. Turtle Trawling – The issue of turtle trawling was discussed. It will probably take approximately $50,000 for this service. General consensus was to go ahead and authorize it now and follow-up with a Budget Amendment on March 11th for transfer of the funds. Sidewalk Construction Bids – A Bid Opening was held on Friday, February 21, 2003. EDA of Morehead will certify the bids before a contract is awarded. Assuming that one of the two lowest bids will be certified by EDA, the Board wants to award the contract for the base bid plus Alternate I. If the neither of those bids are certified, then the Board wishes to award the bid to the next lowest bid for the base project only. Next was the financial status of the town. It was noted that the Town is looking into "farming out" payroll services to possibly save money, and provide additional services to the Town employees. The ½ cents sales tax enacted this year will be a surplus. Mr. Rush gave a report on the preliminary budget projection (page 30 of the report), which the key assumptions are: Assume business as usual, no new programs, services or personnel. Return to historical levels of capital outlay spending. Fund everything on a “pay as you go” basis except for Police vehicles, which would be a 3 year installment financing agreement. Assume purchase of new fire engines in FY 03-04 and FY 07-08; 4 year installment financing agreement for FY 03-04 purchase and 5 years for FY 07-08 purchase. Assume average 3% increase in salaries in FY 03-04. Assume 30% increase in health insurance rates. Assume 3% annual increase in expenditures 04-05 and beyond. Assume full impact of beach nourishment sales tax distribution in FY 03-04 and also a full year of additional 1/2 cents sales tax. Assume sales tax distribution remains unchanged and assume 3% annual growth in sales tax revenues in FY 04-05. Assume 1.5% growth in tax base in FY 03-04; 1% annually in FY 04-05 and beyond. Mr. Rush is striving to hold a 18.5 cents tax rate for FY 03-04. Copies of these numbers are attached at the end of these Minutes.Need for new fire engine – Truck
4, 1983 Pierce, 250 gpm Mini-Pumper is due for replacement during 2003.
The town is due for an ISO inspection and unless the town can show a new fire engine has been ordered to
replace this Mini-Pumper, the town may lose its present fire rating of Class 4.
If this rating were lost, it would mean that peoples fire insurance would
increase and may not be able to buy policies.
The estimate on a new fire engine is approximately $325,000 with an
additional Community Center Repairs – Because of extensive water damage due to a broken water pipe, part of the community center walls were taken out for repairs. During the repair stage, it was discovered that there was rot damage to framing under all windows where water has leaked in. Flooring had to be replaced as well. The exterior of the building had also decayed. A proposal from EDA in Morehead City for repairs, is $40,500 to $52,500 with a 10 percent contingency to be provided due to the unknown hidden conditions for projects of this type. There was strong support for this item by everyone, but Mayor Schools pointed out that this money would have to come out of the reserve, and that we also needed to deal with the repairs to the Western Regional Access Park. The community repairs may be included in the 04-05 budget. Western Regional Access Park - Engineering cost estimate for Western Regional Park done by John P. McLean is $137,800. That would include excavation of approximately 800 cy of clay, hauling 80 loads to Block 44 spreading/sweeping/rough grading both sides of park and other things to improve parking at this facility. It was decided to move forward with this project in the current budget year. Elected Officials Pay and Benefits – Survey of other towns compensation to elected official was distributed. Emerald Isle is low. Commissioner McElraft does not think the town should improve elected officials salary. Commissioner Marks thinks that if it is not improved it will limit those who will run for Commissioner. Commissioner Farmer stated that health insurance is a very important benefit to some members of the Board. There was no vote taken, but there seemed to be general agreement to provide the same pay and benefits in the upcoming budget as in the current year. Fireworks Enforcement – NC State
says that anything that does not shoot into the sky or explodes is legal.
In South Carolina, you can buy almost anything except for the M-80’s.
The police department has a hard time controlling what is shot off in Emerald Isle. The
consensus of the board was to educate the real estate companies about fireworks,
hopefully have the Sheriff’s department enforce legal sales only on NC 24
during July 4th . Police
used to use State Citations. Make
it a State level crime. Attorney Taylor said any ordinance could say that the
fireworks are a fire hazard. Yard Waste Services – There are problems with yard waste now being prepared properly, i.e. all limbs no more than 4 feet in length, leaves and other waste separated from limbs, piles too large, placed on other peoples property, etc. Suggestions were to have a surcharge for larger items; people drop off yard debris for mulching and then let people come get mulch from pile. The possibility of using prison labor was suggested. The town has a chipper that is operational and could be utilized for this purpose. A boom truck could be purchased, and will be considered at budget time. Manpower was also an issue. Telephone Systems / Services - Ms. Overman presented the information she had gathered on a new phone system. The annual rental on the present service is approximately $9,000. TSM South, Cary, NC has given us a quote to replace the old system with a new, more efficient and effective phone system. The cost to install this new system is $31,000. TMS South does provide financing arrangements at their average interest rate of 8.0%. BB&T sent a schedule showing financing for 36,48 and 60 months with an interest rate for a 36-mopnth period being 3.85%. Monthly payment would be $908.00 per month. The town presently pays Sprint $740.00 per month. The annual rental came up for renewal in July and the administrative contract on the present system was paid off. The $9,000 amount is now reduced to $3,360 a year. Pay / Classification Study – Mr. Ruth asked for consideration in the Fy-2003-2004 budget for a Pay / Classification Study for the Town. The one in use was initiated around 1986 and has not been kept updated. Job Descriptions are very old or do not exist at all. Consideration of $10,000 for this study and development of new Job Descriptions was asked by Mr. Rush. House Numbering – Discussion took place on having standard locations at driveways for house numbers to make it easier for Emerald Isle EMS, Fire Department and Police Department to locate houses quickly during emergencies. Suggestions were to stencil house numbers on the asphalt, put them on posts or stakes, put some number signs on street signs on Ocean Drive, review ordinance and improve, place some numbers on the ocean side of the oceanfront houses. Suggestions will be entertained and staff will try to come up with a good suggestion considering all mentioned. Public Works Re-Organization – Mr. Rush is entertaining the idea of re-organization of the Public Works Department since Mr. Conrad, former Director of department has retired. A new organizational chart was provided and is attached at the end of these minutes as back-up materials. He is proposing removing the Buildings and Grounds Supervisor, 1 part-time Landscape Specialist and one part- time Summer Laborer from the responsibility of Parks and Recreation and putting them responsible to the Public Works Director. Commissioner Farmer said this was an internal matter to be taken care of internally. Commissioner McElraft likes it the way it is now and is against the transfer to Public Works. Ms Sanderson, Parks and Recreational Director, did not agree with the change Mr. Rush wanted to make. The only change at this point in Parks and Recreation would be making Danny Taylor Department Head and adding another person to it. Commissioner Eckhardt thought it was the Town Managers’ call. Board Meeting / Workshop Times - A Special Meeting was set for Monday, March 3, 2003 beginning at 7:00 P.M. to work on the Solid Waste Issue. The public is invited to attend this meeting. Discussion of Budget Priorities /
Other Priorities - Miscellaneous
items were discussed. (1)
Consideration of requests to have regular board meetings during the daytime. (2)
Scheduling of Dunes and Vegetation workshop during the evening time.
(3) General discussion on house numbers and ways to solve the problems.
(4) General discussion on ways to solve the issue of yard trash and brush, etc. The meeting was adjourned at 2:00 P.M. Respectfully submitted, Carolyn K. Custy, CMC |