The Alexander County Board of Commissioners unanimously adopted the 2022-2023 county price range at the June 20th meeting. The funds totals $53,653,167 and contains no local tax or fee boosts, except for a 3 % enhance in h2o fees by the Metropolis of Hickory.
The proposed spending plan was offered at the May perhaps 16th meeting by County Supervisor Rick French. A public hearing was held on June 6 and a budget operate session was held on June 13.
“We thought of lowering the house tax rate in this budget, but with the uncertainty of the nationwide economic climate and increasing inflation, we eventually determined to hold out until eventually the 2023-2024 spending budget after the county has absent via the revaluation process,” explained Ronnie Reese, Chairman. “Alexander County is in excellent economical ailment, and we want to guarantee that it remains that way so we can serve our citizens to the most effective of our capability.”
Mr. French stated the spending plan incorporates a 5 per cent value-of-residing adjustment (COLA) for county employees and an amplified allocation to Alexander County Educational facilities.
The budget also features various new positions: Assistant County Manager, Planner, Accounting Assistant, License Plate Company employees placement, Paralegal, Environmental Overall health staff position, Dental Assistant, Animal Management Officer, Park Assistant, as nicely as component-time/seasonal parks & recreation positions for Wittenburg Access Location and Alexander County Courthouse Park. In addition, a element-time office environment assistant in the Soil & H2o section will be reclassified to a full-time situation.
The funds features funding for numerous cash merchandise this kind of as fiber/world-wide-web networking, vehicle replacements, 9-1-1 radio program/gear, substitution of a boiler at the courthouse, an ambulance remount, a electric power elevate for EMS, and replacement of the roof on the sheriff’s office proof creating.
In addition to the fire district assets taxes presently in place, the spending budget involves $63,000 from the county’s general fund for just about every of the county’s 8 volunteer fire departments. Mr. French reported the county hopes to supply amplified funding to the hearth departments each individual calendar year, specifically if a ¼-cent local product sales tax is accepted.
In other small business:
• Pamela Bowman, Schooling Coordinator/Administrative Professional with the Alexander County Soil & Water Conservation District, stated the office has been awarded a $384,805 grant from the Streamflow Rehabilitation Aid Method (StRAP) to help with the cleanup from the November 2020 flooding. She said there had been close to 35 folks who signed up for funding from the StRAP dollars totaling $2.4 million, but the awarded total will only assistance with the prime 3 or four web-sites. Commissioners voted unanimously for the county to sponsor the StRAP cash for stream particles elimination and then be reimbursed 100 % from the grant funds.
• Commissioners unanimously authorized an settlement with Hyper-Attain to deliver emergency mass notification solutions for Alexander County. Hearth Marshal Mark Earle stated that Hyper-Reach will swap the OnSolve/CodeRed method that the county has utilised for the earlier quite a few a long time. He said the new crisis notification procedure presents added solutions and a extra consumer-helpful interface for a price tag of $8,200 for each 12 months for a few yrs, which is discounts of close to $1,000 for every year. Earle reported the method is employed in many nearby counties and will come highly encouraged. He said the only disadvantage is that citizens and firms will need to have to sign up all over again to receive the notifications.
• Commissioners held a public listening to to contemplate approval of a tax-exempt bank loan from Initially Community Financial institution to the Stony Place Volunteer Fireplace Section (SPVFD) for the invest in of a 2024 Pierce Saber fireplace truck. Fireplace Chief Scotty Abernathy explained this is the to start with truck to be ordered by the SPVFD since 2008. The board unanimously approved the ask for.
• Zack Shepherd, Vaya Wellness Group Relations Regional Director, presented an update to the board. He mentioned that given that Vaya and Cardinal Improvements consolidated, Vaya now serves an extra 9 counties in the Piedmont space for a total of 31 counties. Vaya serves 4 locations, with Alexander County in Region 3. County Supervisor Rick French serves on the Vaya Wellbeing Board of Directors. Shepherd then presented data concerning the NC Section of Wellbeing and Human Solutions Child & Relatives Specialty Approach (CFSP), which would considerably enhance the populations served in the foster treatment system. He claimed Vaya has some problems about the CFSP and hopes some changes will manifest before the system is rolled out.
• In the County Manager’s Report, Mr. French stated the county has obtained a Rural Transformation Grant from NC Commerce in the volume of $650,000 for the renovation of county property found at 16 West Major Avenue in Taylorsville. Far more particulars will be talked over at the July assembly.
Consolidated Human Expert services Board Assembly
Adhering to the regular meeting, commissioners held a Consolidated Human Services Board meeting with updates from the wellbeing section, senior heart, and division of social providers.
• Dorian Maltba introduced many updates for the health and fitness division. Maltba claimed that since Leeanne Whisnant’s retirement, Billie Walker has been named Interim Overall health Director and that she has been promoted to Director of Nursing.
Overall health Educator Kimberly Edmisten introduced an update on the health and fitness department’s accreditation progress, noting that 92 per cent of regional details was submitted by May perhaps 31. The dates for ultimate regional info submission are August 30-31. A hybrid reaccreditation study is scheduled for September 1.
Edmisten also introduced the 2021 Condition of the County Wellness Report (SOTCH), which is demanded every single year among Neighborhood Wellness Assessments. The 2021 SOTCH was submitted to NCDHHS on February 8 and was accredited on April 12. The report is readily available on the internet at https://alexanderhealth.org.
• Kristy Hunt, Senior Middle Director, reported that community seniors are taking pleasure in online games, gatherings, and birthday lunches at the senior center the moment again with participation up at all a few spots. The middle proceeds to aid with Medicare designs with discounts of $46,772 so considerably this 12 months. A Senior Celebration was held on May well 27 with dwell music, lunch, a entertaining walk, video games, and door prizes.
• Thomas Mitchell, DSS Director, said that worker recruitment is strengthening from a emptiness charge of 23 % to only 7-8 per cent, noting that DSS is now as thoroughly staffed as it has been in the previous a few yrs.
In conditions of foster care, he mentioned the greater part of young children remaining removed are in Taylorsville, with no foster mother and father in Taylorsville. The fewest removals are in Bethlehem where by the vast majority of foster moms and dads are. Mitchell explained that the DSS workers wants to maintain foster youngsters as shut to their household and school as possible, so they are functioning on foster parenting lessons in the Taylorsville place.
The new director also wishes to provide improved communication solutions for DSS employees in the industry, specifically in areas of the county with tiny or no cell service. DSS staff will be issued a Verizon mobile cellular phone so everyone has the similar cell protection, additionally the department programs to purchase a number of satellite phones which will give protection in regions with no mobile service. He reported that the security of social employees in the subject is of extraordinary worth.
The Alexander County Board of Commissioners commonly satisfies on the initial Monday of each thirty day period at 6:00 p.m. in room #103 at the CVCC Alexander Centre for Education and learning. The following normal conference is set for Monday, July 18 at 6:00 p.m. Typical conferences are recorded and can be viewed on the county’s Governing administration Channel on Spectrum channel 192 or on the county’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/alexandercountync. Assembly agendas, minutes, video clips, and more are readily available on the county’s site at https://alexandercountync.gov/commissioners.
