By Tim Gardner
By a 3-2 vote, the Avery County Board of Commissioners adopted a resolution to establish and maintain a project ordinance for Phase I of the County’s proposed Parks and Recreation Complex Project during their regular monthly meeting April 1.
All commissioners—Chairman Tim Phillips, Vice-Chairman Dennis Aldridge, Martha Hicks, Wood Hall (Woodie) Young, Jr., and Robert Burleson—were present for the meeting. County Manager Phillip Barrier, Jr., Assistant County Manager and Clerk to the Board Cindy Turbyfill, County Finance Officer Caleb Hogan, and County Attorney Michaelle Poore were also in attendance.
The resolution is for appropriating $101,350.00 for Architect/Engineering fee for design of a proposed new Avery County Parks and Recreation Complex with funding coming from the County’s fund balance.
Voting in favor of the Parks and Recreation Complex Project Ordinance were Aldridge, Burleson, and Phillips. Hicks and Young, Jr. voted against.
During their March 4, 2024 meeting, the commissioners adopted a resolution in favor of paying the CPL Architecture-Engineering-Planning Company of Charlotte, North Carolina $101,350.00 to develop plans for a new Parks and Recreation Center for the County.
That resolution at the March meeting agenda also passed by a 3 to 2 vote with Aldridge, Burleson, and Phillips voting for and Hicks and Young, Jr. voting against.
The County accepted bids for design services for the proposed Parks and Recreation Center, which by state law required the solicitation and evaluation of firms to perform architectural, engineering, surveying, construction management-at-risk services, and design bid services (collectively design services) to be based on qualifications and without regard to fee.
CPL provides architectural, engineering, planning, and construction services. It has served public and private clients since 1975 and also maintains offices in Georgia, South Carolina, and New York.
Hicks and Young, Jr. said they support a new parks and recreation complex, but that they voted against paying the $101,350.00 to the architectural company because they believe that is too costly for its services and that the Board is “moving too fast” about proceeding with construction of such a complex. Hicks and Young, Jr. added that all the Board members need to first consider how much of the County’s funds will need to be used for other purposes in the 2024-2025 budget before committing to funding a new parks and recreation complex as it could cause the County to be short of funds for any current needs or arising emergency or related crises.
The commissioners have not voted to approve or reject constructing a new parks and recreation center, although a vote is expected this year. A new recreation center is anticipated to cost several million dollars. The cost would decrease if any grants or related monies are obtained to help fund the facility.
In other financial news, the commissioners unanimously (5-0) approved the March 2024 Tax Report from Tax Administrator Andrea Turbyfill of $774,169.42 in taxes due the County collected by her and her tax collections staff on all days of that month except those on the month’s five weekends and on March 29, when county offices were closed in recognition of Easter.
Tax Administrator Turbyfill said that a total of $3,931,564.70 has been collected for the months of January, February, and March this year.
A total collections amount for 2023 and a percentage of collections made for that year will be tabulated and announced later this month by the Tax Office staff.
The commissioners also unanimously (5-0) appointed Pat Dale, Nancy Owen, Dave Smith, Edith (Dedy) Traver, and Eron Thiele to the Board of Equalization and Review and Traver to serve as Chairwoman of the Board.
The Board of Equalization and Review is scheduled to meet on April 8 and conclude its proceedings on April 22 at 3:00 p.m., according to the Tax Administrator.
Additionally, the commissioners unanimously (5-0) approved the following budget amendments requested by Hogan that includes their respective details and monetary amounts:
*The County’s Department of Social Services (DSS) received an additional $19,480.00 for Avery’s Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) to help low-income households offset the burden of increased energy and heating expenses. There is no county match to that monetary amount. Previous such funds for 2023-2024 had been exhausted (ran out of money) for the Avery Department of Social Services (DSS) to use for such purposes until the Board of Commissioners designated another $50,000.00 to the fund at its March 20024 meeting. The $19,480.00 is in addition to the $50,000.00. Those households currently needing such financial assistance offsetting the cost of energy and heating expenses should contact the Department of Social Services by phone: (828) 733-8230.
*A State Appropriation Grant of $3,6000,000.00 to fund the replacement of a fire department (Elk Park) in the County. Hogan noted that those funds have been received by the County and that they have been submitted to the Fire Commission to handle the project and reporting.
*Appropriating $18,300.00 to the Avery Board of Elections in additional funding for a required run-off or second primary election. That monetary amount includes: $10,000.00 to pay wages of poll workers; $6,500.00 for supplies and materials; and $1,800.00 for rent of a polling facility.
*Amending the Agriculture Building Community Room Capital Project Ordinance and the current year budget in the amount of $30,237.30. A breakdown of that includes: Architect-Engineering Fee-$73.00; Permits, Insurance, and Surveys-$16,200.00; and Furniture-$13,964.30.
*The Blackburn, Childers, and Steagall, Certified Public Accounting Company to audit the financial statements of the County of Avery for the fiscal year of July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024. The audit will begin in July and be issued no later than October 31, 2024 at a price not to exceed $39,650.00. That process also includes a Fire Commission audit. That total cost represents a price increase in the amount of $1,150.00 from the prior fiscal year (2022-2023).
The Blackburn, Childers, and Steagall Company has offices in Boone, as well as in three Tennessee cities-Greenville, Johnson City, and Kingsport.
In other County business, the commissionersunanimously (5-0)adopted the following resolution and service board appointment:
*Recognizing and endorsing the Official America 250 North Carolina Committee which North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper formed to plan, encourage, develop, and coordinate the commemoration of the United States of America’s 250th anniversary and the state’s integral role in that event as well as those of its citizens in the nation’s past, present, and future.
The County of Avery will appoint an America 250 NC Committee consisting of a diverse group of its citizens to work with America 250 NC on any and all activities. Participants on Avery’s America 250 NC Committee will be on a totally voluntary basis with them receiving no financial compensation as a committee member.
*Margaret Earley-Thiele to the Avery Morrison Library Board of Directors and the Avery-Mitchell-Yancey (AMY) Regional Library Board of Directors
Barrier, Jr. announced that the County has received an offer of $136,550.00 has been submitted for the purchase of certain property owned by the County of Avery. Being that property of record in Book 449, Page 1034 of the Avery County Register of Deeds, and consisting of two lots, each of which is 25 foot by 180 foot fronting on State of North Carolina Highway Number 194 and known as lots 30 and 31 on a map prepared by J. A. Wilkie, civil engineer, which is of record in the office of the Register of Deeds for Avery County, North Carolina and bearing tax parcel #1836-10-45-689, known as the Avery CARES property.
Persons wishing to upset that offer should submit an upset bid with their offer to the office of the Clerk to the Avery County Board of Commissioners, County Administration Building, 175 Linville Street, Newland, NC 28657, by 4:30 p.m. on April 8, 2024. Once a qualifying higher bid has been received, that bid will become the new offer.
A qualifying higher bid is one that raises the existing offer to an amount not less than $143,427.50.
A qualifying higher bid must be accompanied by a deposit in the amount of five percent (5%) of the bid; the deposit may be made in cash, cashier’s check, or certified check. The County will return the deposit on any bid not accepted, and will return the deposit on an offer subject to upset if a qualifying higher bid is received. The County will return the deposit of the final high bidder at closing.
The buyer must pay cash at closing.
The Avery County Board of Commissioners must approve the final high offer before the sale is closed, which it will do within 35 days after the final upset bid period has passed. The county reserves the right to withdraw the property from sale at any time before the final high bid is accepted and the right to reject all bids at any time.
Further information may be obtained at the office of the County Manager’s Office, Administration Building, 175 Linville Street, Newland, NC 28657, or by telephone at: (828) 733-8101 during normal business hours, Monday through Friday (excluding holidays) from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
Lan Holtsclaw distributed copies of various materials to the commissioners, county manager, and assistant county manager, with details about various financial and related items concerning the Avery County School System’s budget. She requested that the commissioners designate what funding the County provides the school system is to be specifically used for. She said that she believes teachers and librarians deserve more pay and that more taxpayer transparency is needed in the school system’s budget.
Barrier, Jr. said the County will consider her request about funding given to the school system to be designated for specific purposes. But he added that the school system’s direct operational policies are established by the Board of Education and the State of North Carolina and its employees’ salaries are determined by both the Board of Education and the State of North Carolina, not directly by the County.
The commissioners will hold their next regular monthly meeting on Monday, May 6, beginning at 6:00 p.m. in their Board Room, located on the second floor of the County Administration Building in Newland.
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