Town of Blowing Rock

Board of Commissioners

Minutes – November 17, 2006

 

The Town of Blowing Rock Board of Commissioners held a special meeting on Friday, November 17, 2006 at 9:00 a.m. in the Town Hall Boardroom.  Present were Mayor JB Lawrence, Commissioners Bobby Ball, Keith Tester, Terry Lentz, Rita Wiseman, and Tommy Klutz.  Others in attendance were Town Manager Scott Hildebran, Finance Officer Margaret Pierce, and Town Clerk Sharon Greene.

 

Call to Order

Mayor Lawrence called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. and welcomed Town Auditor Billy Combs to the meeting.

 

Police Chief Retirement Resolution

Town Manager Hildebran presented a resolution to award Chief Tolbert his badge and service weapon upon retirement.  NCGS 20-187.2 authorizes municipal governing bodies to award to a retiring law enforcement officer the badge and sidearm carried during his service. The statute requires the governing body to determine a price for the service sidearm and further requires that the retiring officer obtain the appropriate permit in accordance with the NCGS 14-402.

 

A motion to set the value of the service sidearm at $1 and authorize the Town Manager to transfer to Chief Tolbert the service sidearm carried and badge worn during service with the Blowing Rock Police Department to him was made by Commissioner Wiseman and seconded by Commissioner Ball. Unanimously approved.  (Attachment #1)

 

Tolbert Retirement

Manager Hildebran stated that historically the Town has awarded retiring employees with a $1,000 service award.  A motion to give Chief of Police Owen Tolbert a $1,000.00 service award was made by Commissioner Wiseman, seconded by Commissioner Ball. Unanimously approved.  Town Manager Hildebran will develop a formal policy concerning retirement service awards for the council to review at the January planning retreat.

 

CUP #2002-08 – Minor Amendment Inn at Ragged Gardens Update

A map with the revised location of the valet shed was presented to Council to address concerns from the Tuesday Council meeting.  Planning Director Rothrock and applicant Rob Dyer met and concurred with moving the shed to a less visible location across the driveway in the landscape area facing Sunset Drive.  Council unanimously agreed with the new location. (Attachment #2)

 

FY 2005 – 06 Audit

Mr. Combs presented copies of the Town of Blowing Rock Audit for FY 2005-06 to Council.  Mr. Combs stated the audit was done in accordance with the Government Accounting Standards Board. Finding no apparent problems, Mr. Combs proceeded to give a “clean opinion” of the town audit.

As Mr. Combs was highlighting certain areas of the audit he commended the Town Manager Hildebran and Finance Director Pierce for their hard work during the audit process.  He also stated that the Town of Blowing Rock maintained its A3 bond rating for the fifth consecutive year. 

 

He briefly discussed fund balance stating he felt it continued going in the right direction with an unreserved balance of $1,457,813 or 40.27 percent of the total general fund expenditures for the fiscal year, an increase of $236,448 over prior year.  Mr. Combs also commended the Town of Blowing Rock’s tax department stating that their collection rate of approximately 99 percent was one of the highest in the state. Concluding the FY 2005-06 Audit Report, Mr. Combs stated it was a very good report and commended the town staff on record keeping.

 

A motion by Commissioner Tester and seconded by Commissioner Ball to accept the audit and thank Mr. Combs for his work. Unanimously approved. (Attachment #3)

 

Finance Officer Pierce and Town Attorney Combs exited the meeting.

 

Emergency Services Building – Final Materials Review

Planning Director Kevin Rothrock and Architect Neil Brown joined the meeting.

 

Neil Brown with Garner and Brown Architects presented building materials for the Emergency Services Building.  Specific materials included:  Boral brand bricks (French quarter modular), Hardi shingle siding, and Elk brand weatherwood architectural 50-year roofing shingle.  Mr. Brown also presented stone samples from JR Stone Sales in Asheville. 

 

Commissioner Lentz asked if the roofing shingles was the heaviest weight shingle available.  Mr. Brown commented that the 50-year shingle was rated for 110 mph.  Commissioner Lentz requested that the highest-grade shingle be used.  Mr. Brown agreed to follow up on the issue.

 

Mr. Brown also stated that the contractor would prepare a sample panel of all of the materials for display on the site. 

 

Commissioner Klutz requested that the contractor pursue acquiring fieldstone for the building rock.  Mr. Brown stated that with the scale of the building, larger materials would be needed but he would look into the availability of fieldstone similar to the Blowing Rock Market. Commissioner Ball said she preferred the dry stack appearance of the stone.  Mr. Brown advised Council that they will have a better representation of materials once the sample panel is erected.

 

Planning Director Rothrock and Mr. Brown exited the meeting.

 

Municipal Benefits, Inc. (NCLM) – Whole Life Insurance

Finance Officer Pierce rejoined the meeting.

 

Finance Officer Pierce reviewed a proposal from Municipal Benefits, Inc (affiliated with NC League of Municipalities) to offer whole life insurance policies to Town employees, payable by employees through payroll deduction. Employees can continue this insurance after they leave employment with the Town and the initial offering will not have health questionnaires.

 

A motion to approve offering life insurance through Municipal Benefits, Inc at employee cost was made by Commissioner Lentz, seconded by Commissioner Ball.  Unanimously approved. 

 

Finance Officer Pierce exited the meeting.

 

McGill Engineering Services Agreement – Water/Sewer CIP

Town Manager Hildebran reviewed a proposed engineering service agreement with McGill Associates for the recently approved Water/Sewer CIP projects. McGill Associates would design, bid and provide construction oversight of phase one of the water/sewer capital improvement plan for a cost of $270,500. 

 

A motion to approve the contract from McGill Engineering for the Water/Sewer CIP was made by Commissioner Lentz, seconded by Commissioner Ball. Unanimously approved.  (Attachment #4)

 

Art Center Reimbursement Request

Town Manager Hildebran presented a request from the Blowing Rock Community Arts Center for reimbursement in the amount of $40,860 for water line extensions during their construction.  Town policy allows the Town to pay the difference in costs between what the project requires and what the Town requests.  Based on this project, a 6 inch line was required and the Town requested an 8 inch line be installed.  McGill Associates has reviewed the request to determine the line cost difference.  Based on their review and Town policy, $8,756 is reimbursable. (Attachment #5)

 

A motion to reimburse the Hayes Performing Arts Center $8,756.00 for the water line extension based on existing Town policy was made by Commissioner Wiseman, seconded by Commissioner Ball.  Unanimously approved.

 

Mountaineer Express

Town Manager Hildebran presented information on the new bus service, Mountaineer Express. For Council information, a trip from Boone to Greensboro will be $10 and $5 for students and seniors. (Attachment #6)

 

Police Department Organizational Chart/Job Descriptions

Police Chief Owen Tolbert and Chief Designee Eric Brown joined the meeting.

 

Town Manager Hildebran and Chief Designee Brown reviewed a proposed police department organizational chart and the corresponding job descriptions.  All proposed position modifications would be accomplished within the established FY 2006-07 budget allocation.  Mr. Brown also distributed two manuals on evaluation programs to be instituted for Council review.  Council thanked Mr. Brown for his work on the projects.

 

A motion to approve the revised police department job descriptions and organizational chart was made by Commissioner Wiseman, seconded by Commissioner Ball.  Unanimously approved.  (Attachment #7)

 

Police Chief Tolbert and Chief Designee Brown exited the meeting.

 

Other

At the conclusion of the agenda items, a motion that Council convene in closed session to discuss personnel matters by authority of North Carolina General Statutes 143-318.11(6) was made by Commissioner Wiseman, seconded by Commissioner Tester.  Unanimously approved.

 

Town Manager Hildebran and Clerk Greene exited the meeting.

 

Upon reconvening in open session Manager Hildebran and Clerk Greene rejoined the meeting. Mayor Lawrence announced Council had conducted a performance evaluation of Town Manager Hildebran.  He stated that Council was very pleased with the job performance of Town Manager Hildebran during his four-year tenure and noted their appreciation for all he does for the town.  Council members then agreed unanimously to provide Town Manager Hildebran with at $10,000.00 increase in annual salary effective December 1, 2006.

 

Adjourning

There being no further business to discuss, the meeting was adjourned at 10:30 a.m.

 

 

________________________________

J.B. Lawrence, Mayor

 

 

________________________________

Sharon Greene, CMC

 

 

Attachments

#1 – Police Chief Retirement Resolution

#2 – Map on CUP #2002-08

#3 – Town of Blowing Rock Financial Statements

#4 – Agreement For Engineering Services

#5 – McGill Construction Cost Comparison

#6 – Mountaineer Express Pamphlet

#7 – Blowing Rock PD Organizational Chart & Job Descriptions