Town of Maggie
Valley
Board of Aldermen
Budget Workshop
May 10, 2005
MINUTES
Members Present: Aldermen: Linda Taylor
Phil Aldridge
Mark DeMeola
Roger McElroy
Members Absent: Mayor Jo Pinter
Staff Present: Manager Bob Shepherd, Finance Director Shayne Wheeler, Chief Scott Sutton, Building Inspector Ron Mercier, Captain Jason Moody, Public Works Director Mike Mehaffey, Planning Director Kevin Byrd (1:50 p.m.) and Town Clerk Vickie Best
Others Present: Les Holzhuter, Dan Massey, James Carver, Wade Reese and Shirley Pinto
Meeting Called to Order
Mayor Pro-Tem McElroy called the meeting to order at 1:35 p.m. in the Town Hall Boardroom.
Budget Workshop
Manager Shepherd opened the workshop stating that the budget is the most important document that Council approves annually. Manager Shepherd went over the budget message discussing trends and priorities.
Based on the initial meeting with Council in March, each department worked as a team on the budget. The proposed tax rate is 0.42.
Council discussed the difficulty in prioritizing roads for non-Powell Bill funded maintenance. Alderman McElroy felt the town should maintain the roads at the standard they are when annexed into the town. If the roads are upgraded to meet the required standards, the homeowners should be assessed the cost.
The Capital Improvements Plan includes a new police department and renovations to Town Hall. The Town is working with McGill Associates looking for grants to assist with the cost of building a new Police Department.
The existing equipment, furniture, telephones, etc will be used at the newly proposed police department. The Pubic Works Department will be able to do a lot of the work to help lower the cost of construction. An engineer is needed to design and oversee the construction management.
As previously discussed, an evidence room is desperately needed. Also needed, a one bay garage and an area to process and impound vehicles.
Alderman McElroy felt building a full size basement would be the most cost effective design.
Alderman Taylor questioned if the chief could wait to get new vehicles until the police department is built.
Currently one officer is on duty per shift. On Friday and Saturday nights, a part time officer works during the hours that the bars are in operation. Chief Sutton stated that a detective is needed because “Maggie Valley is guilty of being reactive rather than proactive in a lot of areas.”
Maggie Valley’s crimes are not publicized due to the negative impact on tourism. There were three “meth labs” found in Maggie Valley last year. When a sex offender moves to the area, the police department is inundated with calls. The police department is obligated to provide the best service possible to the citizens, visitors, and businesses.
Alderman Aldridge suggested soliciting lower gas prices by offering a station the entire Town owned vehicle gas business.
Alderman McElroy felt that a detective was needed because often people, criminal in nature, assess a Town’s vulnerability before moving into an area.
The Town has the ideal opportunity for an ABC Officer. Doyce Stephens, a retired ALE officer, is in the budget for $3,000 (ABC Store pays $3,000). Mr. Stephens will help the Town to be more proactive in alcohol control and inspecting local establishments.
Chief Sutton answered Alderman Taylor’s question; one vehicle could be removed if a detective position were allocated. Officer Dallas wants to keep the K-9 for another year. The second vehicle requested is to replace the K-9 vehicle. Officer Dallas agreed to keep his police car if he is allowed to keep the drug dog.
Statistics do not support Maggie Valley having a K-9. Haywood County’s Sheriff’s Department wants to have a K-9 on each shift. The County’s K-9s are always available to Maggie Valley.
The cost of outfitting an officer is approximately $1,600 not including a gun.
The DCI licensing fees are included in the budget.
It is cheaper for the town to contribute $25 a month toward cell phone bills than to pay for pagers and/or cell phones.
Alderman Taylor questioned the amount of sewer capacity available.
The Treatment Plant will need to expand by 2008. The sewer bond will be paid in 2006/07. The Town will seek grant funding for sewer plant expansion.
Council discussed development impact fees. If enacted, special legislation would be required.
The facility has capacity for approximately 200 homes with Ghost Town reopening.
Council recessed from 3:10 p.m. until 3:20 p.m.
Mr. Mehaffey stated that salaries for the Public Works Department have been lower since 2003, because one less man is employed. A part-time employee is used during summer months to help mow grass and weed-eat sidewalks. The town continues to expand and take in more roads to maintain.
Mr. Mehaffey reported that the proposed buyers of Ghost Town asked about capacity for 500 homes. The Maggie Valley Resort expansion and newly developing Trinity Cove Subdivision will affect treatment plant capacity as with all departments.
The town needs an additional $10,000 increase in street lighting for the main US-19 corridor and a few other adjacent areas inside the corporate limits.
Alderman McElroy felt street lighting should be required in all subdivisions. The developer can install the streetlights then the town pays the monthly electric bill. Alderman McElroy asked that the Planning Board look into the issue.
Alderman Aldridge concurred adding that US-19 desperately needs additional lighting, especially at the crosswalks.
NCDOT refused the Town permission to place lights inside the street planters.
The discussions then lead to solid waste collection. Alderman DeMeola suggested educating people on a “ready service”. Solid waste collection is like sewer service; one often pays for the availability especially part-time residents.
Council discussed the advantages and disadvantages of providing solid waste collection. The owner removing the electric meter will handle the complaints from people having to pay for structures where no one lives.
Garbage pick-up is a benefit to the elderly, especially the people with a handicap that use the back door service.
Vacation rentals do not get the full benefit of the service, but seasonal rentals are commercial in nature.
Alderman DeMeola suggested scheduling a workshop after the solid waste bids are submitted.
Alderman McElroy does not want to cut funding for road maintenance. “The Public Works Department should be continually working on roads.”
Manager Shepherd asked that Council provide direction on prioritizing roads for town maintenance.
The budget reflects an increase in liability insurance, due to the new maintenance facility.
Mr. Mehaffey informed Council that staff is working with NCDOT trying to get a walking trail or sidewalk down Moody Farm Road.
The Public Works Department has improved in snow removal efforts significantly in the last two years.
Mr. Holt’s abilities will be better utilized now that he has an area from which to work.
The Enterprise Fund paid the General Fund over $80,000 last year.
Council discussed Brannon Forest and the pending legislation. The proposed sewer rates for outside users without water will become effective July 1.
Both Aldermen Taylor and McElroy felt campground rates are too low especially for the campgrounds down US-276 that do not pay city taxes.
Haywood County requires a percentage of the impact fee for all sewer taps from the red light at Quality Inn to Queens Farm. Therefore, Linson Ridge Subdivision falls within the category as will the Trinity Cove Subdivision.
Alderman McElroy felt the town should annex down to Queen’s Farm.
Alderman Taylor added that no sewer taps should be installed until the area is annexed.
Alderman McElroy suggested getting an intern to complete an annexation study from Dellwood Road to Queen’s Farm. The sewer impact fees need to be increased. The cost of quarterly testing required by the State continually grows as with the cost of chemicals. Alderman McElroy felt sewer impact fees should be close to the cost of installing a septic tank.
Alderman Taylor felt that the outside [corporate limits] rate should be more than the inside rate due to those people already paying taxes.
The Sanitary District charges the town $2.10 per customer to bill for sewer.
The Public Works Department physically inspects all connection made to the municipal sewer line.
Some of the State required testing takes five days to complete. The Town is now required to send a yearly newsletter informing customers about the municipal sewer system.
Mr. Byrd explained the Planning Department Budget.
· In order to maintain certification Mr. Byrd will need to attend national conferences.
· A new computer is needed
· Money is allocated for Planning Board and Zoning Board of Adjustment training and materials.
· The ordinances should be codified.
Due to cost, the GIS program has been removed as a request.
Mr. Mehaffey felt the GIS program would benefit both the Planning Department and the Sewer Department, especially now that the sewer system is being mapped.
Council discussed increasing planning and review fees. Currently there are no charges for site plan review.
Building Inspector Ron Mercier explained that he is attempting to complete the required classification, thus the increase in travel and transportation. Mr. Mercier is getting a program from Haywood County to assist with records keeping within the department.
The transmission in the building inspection’s truck is slipping. The Town has spent over $1,000 in repairs to the Ford Ranger this year alone.
Mr. Mehaffey explained that most of the miles put on the Ford Ranger are hard miles due to the terrain Mr. Mercier drives doing inspections up and down the mountain slopes.
Council discussed paying for the GIS program and extending the payments on a building inspection truck.
Ms. Wheeler reported that the Local Government Commission discourages municipalities borrowing small amounts of money.
Council discussed the difficulties encountered when Mr. Mercier is out of work. Alderman McElroy suggested hiring a part-time retired inspector to fill in while Mr. Mercier is absent.
Ms. Wheeler, the finance director reported that the administration department is in need of a server and another fireproof file cabinet for the front offices.
The Professional Services line item has increased due to Manager Shepherd being under contract rather than salary. The manager’s salary will remain in a separate line item for a new manager.
Mr. Shepherd’s time will taper, as a new manager becomes acquainted with managing the town.
Allocations have been made for 2005 Election.
$50,000 is allocated to the festival grounds.
There being no further business to discuss the meeting adjourned at 5:30 p.m. on motion by Alderman Taylor, seconded by Alderman DeMeola.
Mayor Jo Pinter Town Clerk Vickie Best, CMC