Minutes - June 5, 2015 Budget Work Session

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ob BK -00027 PG. -0512 LEE COUNTY Committed Today for a Better Tomorrow BUDGET WORK SESSION OF THE LEE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS 106 HILLCREST DRIVE SANFORD, NORTH CAROLINA 27330 JUNE 5, 2015 The Budget Work Session of the Lee County Board of Commissioners for the County of Lee, State of North Carolina, convened at 2 p.m. in the Commissioners' Room, First Floor, Lee County Government Center, 106 Hillcrest Drive, Sanford, North Carolina, on said date. Commissioners present when the work session was called to order was Amy M. Dalrymple, Dr. Ricky D. Frazier, Larry "Doc" Oldham, Timothy S. Sloan, and Robert T. Reives. Commissioners Dr. Andre Knecht and Kirk D. Smith were absent for the meeting. Staff in attendance included County Manager John Crumpton, Assistant County Manager/Finance Director Lisa Minter, and Clerk to the Board Gaynell Lee. Chair Dalrymple called the work session to order. Commissioner Frazier delivered the invocation. The pledge of allegiance was recited. The first budget item discussed was funding for two positions at the Cooperative Extension Office. Commissioner Sloan stated that after hearing comments from the last public hearing, he has concerns in reference to the Cooperative Extension vacant Horticulture position. County Manager John Crumpton stated the Horticulture position has been vacant for the past 2 years; hard to keep the position filled. Currently the position is frozen by the State. He also stated the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) developed by the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC) and North Carolina State University needs to be re -written. Funding in the amount of $23,400 is needed to fund the Horticulture position for the entire year. Mr. Crumpton further stated the County will be receiving $132,000 from the State for the School Resource Officers (SRO's) that were not expected. The Board can fund the Horticulture position this year with those funds if the Board so desires. Commissioner Dalrymple stated the Board needed concrete information from the State by the 15th of the month for Cooperative Extension issues. The vision plan for Cooperative Extension lacks in funding and must be addressed on the State level. Mr. Crumpton stated staff at the Cooperative Extension office are State employees — not County employees and the local level needs more control. Commissioner Reives stated he had no problem with funding the Horticulture position but only if we (County) have control. Mr. Crumpton stated he could not justify funding to keep the Administrative position that is scheduled to be eliminated by the State at the end of June. He further stated he tried several years ago when other departments were having to make reductions to riff the position but couldn't due to the MOU. He stated he would put money back in the budget for the Horticulture position (80%) and would also be asking for a new MOU.