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County Manager John Crumpton mentioned that if Medicaid Transformation <br /> is implemented, 10 more social workers will be needed. The Department of <br /> Insurance is working on a project that would allow people to buy their own <br /> insurance at a much more affordable price. Counties around Wake County are <br /> growing at a rate that is difficult to keep up with school development. Dr. Crumpton <br /> noted that it would help tremendously if the legislature allocates funding to the <br /> County to help the schools. Senator Burgin mentioned there may be an <br /> organization interested in building a rural health clinic in the area. Commissioner <br /> Smith raised the issue of doing away with the emission control requirements in Lee <br /> County. He also mentioned the potential for a school teacher strike. Representative <br /> Sauls stated that the average teacher pay is $54,000 and North Carolina currently <br /> ranks 29th in the nation for teacher pay. Senator Burgin stated that the State is <br /> short on correction officers and highway patrol. It takes 6 months to hire a <br /> correctional officer with a starting pay of$33,000. He provided information <br /> regarding a proposal of increasing the salary to $40,000 base pay and putting in a <br /> new step system to get them moved up quicker. Correction Officers are currently on <br /> 12 hour shifts so the recommendation is to change that to eight hour a day shifts. <br /> Average age of death of one of the correction officers is 58 years old and the <br /> suicide rates is horrendous. The State was once again rated number one by Forbes <br /> for places to do business and Lee County is right in the middle of it all. The goal is <br /> to become the most military friendly state in the Country. Senator Burgin is working <br /> on making military retirements tax-free. <br /> Sherry Lynn Womack with the Lee County Board of Education asked <br /> Senator Burgin and Representative Sauls about how they can help the schools <br /> access the funds that should be available through fines and forfeitures from the <br /> court system which amounts to over$4 million. <br /> There is money in the proposed State budget for the Veterans Treatment <br /> Court in Harnett County. The Department of Transportation budget is over$5 billion <br /> and they spent over$7 billion last year. Senator Burgin stated that there are a <br /> number of inmates that could help with the trash problem but there are not enough <br /> correctional officers to oversee inmate work in the field. <br /> Senator Burgin asked for top three goals in Lee County. Commissioner <br /> Smith stated a concern regarding the ability of law enforcement to tell the difference <br /> between marijuana and hemp. Chair Dalrymple stated that Virginia is piloting an <br /> instrument that can be used that is similar to a breathalyzer test. Chair Dalrymple <br /> requested a way to regulate hemp. She mentioned a concern that tobacco farmers <br /> have not been offered contracts due to the tariff situation. The second priority is <br /> school funding. County Manager John Crumpton mentioned that the County <br /> Transportation System has not received a check yet due to the lack of the state <br /> passing a budget and cash flow issues from DOT. <br /> Representative Sauls and Senator Burgin referred to a local bill that was <br /> adopted that allowed for voluntary satellite annexation. There is a concern about the <br /> impact of high-density residential development. Senator Burgin mentioned that <br /> some counties have a recreation fee associated with building. He said it was <br /> structured different from an impact fee. Both Representative Sauls and Senator <br /> Burgin stated that they supported the local bill for voluntary satellite annexation as <br /> long as the property annexed is done so strictly on a voluntary basis. <br /> 3 <br />