CountyLines - North Carolina Association of County Commissioners

CountyLines
www.ncacc.org
NOVEMBER 2012 | VOLUME 38, NO. 11
Help us meet
the challenge
Inside this issue:
Page 4
► Alexander opens Detention Center
I
t’s not like counties needed another challenge, but the elections
of 2012 provided one for us and
for all the organizations that advocate at
the N.C. General Assembly. When the
Legislature returns to Raleigh in January,
there will be 54 new faces in the House
and Senate. When you consider that there
were 42 new faces just two years ago,
more than half of the seats in the General
Assembly have turned over in the last
two elections. That is a tremendous
amount of turnover in a very short span.
Fortunately, eight
of the new
members are
either current
or former
county commissioners,
President’s Perspective
bringing to
by Howard Hunter III
25 the number of former
county commissioners in
the Legislature. That is the same number
we had in 2011-12.
For counties, there are 120 new
county commissioners across the state.
That means we have a lot of educating
to do – both of our new members and
the new legislators. That is one of the
many reasons why I chose mentoring as
my presidential initiative for 2012-13.
We will be doing a lot of outreach to our
newly elected commissioners, but we
need the commissioners at home to help
us out.
Please see Perspective on Page 2
Page 5
► Association staff visits Iredell
Page 6
► Counties using H438 authority
Page 7
► Election results wrap-up
Page 9
► Controling Your Risk:
Eat your peas - A holiday look at Risk Control
Page 12
► Managing Your Risk:
Looking under the hood - What worked this year?
Legislative Goals Process Continues
Co-chairs of the Legislative Goals Committee, Kitty Barnes of Catawba County (center right)
and Terry Garrison from Vance County (center left), lead the members of the Legislative Goals
Committee as they meet to discuss goals proposals. Proposals being considered have made it
through the NCACC steering committees and the Legislative Goals Committee. The committee
is composed of commissioners and county staff from across the state. The Legislative Goals
Conference will be held Jan. 24-25, 2013. You may register for the conference by visiting the
NCACC website at www.ncacc.org.
Have a smartphone?
Visit our mobile site!
www.ncacc.org
Photo by Chris Baucom
An academic assist that’s ‘Essential’
Apply for a scholarship to Essentials of County Government and/or water workshop
By Jason King
Associate Director of Education
December will bring changes to many boards of commissioners across the state as newly elected officials take their seats.
Rookies and veterans alike must adjust to different personalities
and board dynamics, and the transition from campaigning to governing can be a difficult one.
Whether you’re a veteran or newly elected county commissioner, the Essentials of County Government program – held at
four locations across the state in January and February 2013 – offers elected county commissioners and key county staff the best opportunity to learn the basics of county government, and to identify
strategies to address and overcome the challenges in governing North Carolina’s counties.
Those challenges can include budget and travel restrictions for county officials, and the NCACC and UNC School of Government
recognize this. That’s why scholarships are available to help with tuition costs.
Priority for the Essentials program is given to counties sending three or more board members, and to those who have not previously
attended Essentials of County Government or a workshop for veteran elected officials (Water and Economically Vibrant Communities:
What Every Local Leader Needs to Know, held in conjunction with Essentials on the first day).
Scholarships will be applied to the cost of tuition only for one of the 2013 sessions of Essentials and/or the water workshop. All
other costs (e.g., lodging, food, mileage) will be the responsibility of each recipient, county or municipality.
Scholarships are made possible through the generous support of Food Lion, Progress Energy, the NCACC and Local Government
Federal Credit Union.
To apply for a scholarship, click on the course you wish to attend listed on the calendar at www.ncacc.org, then click on “for more
information” in the “Links” section. This will direct you to the School of Government webpage for more course information, registration
Please see LELA on Page 3
www.facebook.com/NCACC1908
www.youtube.com/NCACC1908
www.twitter.com/NCACC
2
November 2012
CountyLines
Perspective
NCACC STAFF NOTES
From Page 1
Executive Director David F. Thompson was presented the 2012 Distinguished
Service Award by the North Carolina Agricultural Foundation on Nov. 13. David was
honored for “promoting the partnership between the North Carolina Association of
County Commissioners, the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, the College
of Agriculture and Life Sciences at N.C. State University, and all of the citizens of
North Carolina.” ... David traveled to Henderson County on Oct. 15 to participate in a
Civics 101 class sponsored by the League of Women Voters at Blue Ridge Community
College. Rep. Chuck McGrady, a former NCACC Board member and Henderson
County Commissioner, opened the two-hour class. The duo discussed how the state
government works with local governments, and David also explained how the NCACC
lobbies the General Assembly on behalf of county governments. ... Communications
Director Todd McGee became the president of the National Association of County
Information Officers (NACIO) in October. As president of NACIO, which is an affiliate
of NACo, Todd will represent the organization on the NACo Board of Directors,
beginning with their Dec. 6-7 meeting in Memphis, Tenn. ... Intergovernmental
Relations Director Rebecca Troutman and newly hired Director of Government
Relations Johanna Reese organized a conference call October 30 on behalf of the
General Assembly’s Program Evaluation Division to discuss the county perspective on
the quality of current public health services and structures and a legislative proposal to
shift the Division of Public Health from DHHS to UNC. Also participating in the call
were Health and Human Services Steering Committee chair Johnnie Ray Farmer of
Hertford County and several health directors and county administrative staff members.
... Associate Director of Education Jason King attended the 2012 Rural Partners Forum
on Oct. 16-17. The Forum focused on asset-based economic development strategies
and highlighted multiple success stories from rural counties across the state. Some of
those success stories included job-creating public-private partnerships via the “New
Life, New Purpose” Building Reuse and Restoration Program, a grants program that
assists rural communities in maximizing the economic potential of existing structures.
... Deputy Director Patrice Roesler, Deputy Director Kevin Leonard, Chief Financial
Officer Elizabeth Floyd and Information Systems Director Judy Rhyne traveled
to Mecklenburg County Oct. 21-23 for the N.C. League of Municipalities’ Annual
Conference. President Howard Hunter III also represented the NCACC. ... Todd
McGee presented a workshop on the basics of media relations to the N.C. Solid Waste
Enforcement Officers Association at its annual conference on Oct. 25 in New Hanover
County. ... Judy Rhyne presented at the N.C. Local Government Information Systems
Association’s (NCLGISA) Fall Symposium in Asheville on Oct. 19. Judy gave a
legislative update and also discussed the NCACC Collaborative Property Tax System.
If you have a new commissioner on
your Board of County Commissioners,
make sure they are aware of the many
great programs and services offered by
this Association. Start broadening their
horizons at an early stage of their careers
and get them involved. The first opportunity is our Legislative Goals Conference
in January.
The conference is a wonderful
opportunity for them to learn about the
value of our Association and that their
influence does not have to stop at their
county’s boundary. This year, we are going to include a breakfast for the newly
elected officials, and we will want all
the veteran commissioners there to offer
their guidance and support.
We are right in the middle of our
legislative goals development process.
The steering committees have all met
and made their recommendations to the
Legislative Goals Committee. That committee will then refine those goals and
send them to the Board of Directors for
our consideration in December.
Counties across the state submitted proposals, and we expect to have
more than 90 counties represented at the
Legislative Goals Conference. Please
make sure your county is one of them,
and make sure to bring along any new
members on your Board as well.
Elections by the
numbers
1
Number of current/former
County Commissioners who
won seat in N.C. Senate
7
Number of current/former
County Commissioners who
won seat in N.C. House
25
Former county
commissioners in the General
Assembly
54
Number of new faces in the
General Assembly
578
Number of years of
Legislative experience lost
2012-13 NCACC OFFICERS/BOARD OF DIRECTORS
COMMITTEE LEADERSHIP AND REPRESENTATIVES
Kitty Barnes, Catawba County, Legislative Goals Committee Co-Chair
Terry Garrison, Vance County, Legislative Goals Committee Co-Chair
Charlie Messer, Henderson County, Agriculture Steering Committee Chair
Jimmy Clayton, Person County, Environment Steering Committee Chair
Johnnie Ray Farmer, Hertford County, Health & Human Services Steering Comm. Chair
Gary Blevins, Wilkes County, Intergovernmental Relations Steering Committee Chair
Jerry Langley, Beauort County, Justice and Public Safety Steering Committee Chair
Leon Inman, Stokes County, Public Education Steering Committee Chair
Joe Bryan, Wake County, Tax and Finance Steering Committee Chair
Ann Holton, Pamlico County, RMP Board of Trustees Representative
Lee Worsley, Durham County, County Managers’ Representative
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Howard Hunter III, President
Hertford County Commissioner
B. Ray Jeffers, President Elect
Person County Commissioner
Ronnie Beale, First Vice President
Macon County Commissioner
Glen Webb, Second Vice President
Pitt County Commissioner
Kenneth Edge, Past President
Cumberland County Commissioner
David F. Thompson, NCACC Executive Director
DISTRICT DIRECTORS
1: Sandra Duckwall, Camden Co.
10: Craig Kennedy, Moore County
2: Ronnie Smith, Martin County
11: Sam Watford, Davidson County
3: Jerry Jones, Greene County
12: Jerry Simpson, Union County
4: Phil Norris, Brunswick County
13: Larry Yoder, Alexander County
Executive Editor: David F. Thompson
CountyLines
CountyLines is provided to county officials
as a benefit of NCACC membership. Sub-
advertising information, or offer an idea for
5: Jerry Stephens, Robeson Co.
14: Kenny Poteat, Avery County
6: Jefferson Strickland, Sampson Co.
15: Andy Webb, McDowell County
7: Marcelle Smith, Halifax County
16: Larry Chapman, Transylvania Co.
8: Tony Cozart, Granville County
17: Michael Edwards, Graham Co.
www.ncacc.org
9: Erv Portman, Wake County
18: Kevin Austin, Yadkin County
AT-LARGE DIRECTORS
Joe Bryan, Wake County
Jeannette Council, Cumberland Co.
Kay Cashion, Guilford County
Betty Lou Ward, Wake County
Noah Woods, Robeson County
James Klein, Lincoln County
Melvin McLawhorn, Pitt County
Garry Meiggs, Camden County
Judy Poe, Ashe County
Assistant Editor: Chris Baucom
is published monthly by the
NCACC
215 N. Dawson St.,
Raleigh, NC 27603
Phone: (919) 715-2893
Fax: (919) 733-1065
email: ncacc@ncacc.org
NACo DIRECTORS
Editor: Todd McGee
scriptions are available to non-members
at $20 per year, plus applicable sales tax.
To request subscription information, make
changes in an existing subscription, or
request display or career opportunities
a story, email communications@ncacc.org.
November 2012
LELA
From Page 1
instructions and scholarship details.
The basics and beyond: Essentials
program returns in 2013
The NCACC and UNC School of
Government jointly hold the two-day
Essentials program. This training is for
newly elected officials, veteran elected
officials and their managers, clerks and
attorneys. Entire boards are encouraged
to attend. Instructors include School of
Government faculty, NCACC staff and
local government officials.
The program will be offered
Wednesday and Thursday, Jan. 9-10,
at the DoubleTree Asheville Biltmore;
Wednesday and Thursday, Jan. 30-31, at
the New Bern Convention Center; Tuesday and Wednesday, Feb. 12-13, at the
Marriott Twin City Quarter in WinstonSalem; and Friday and Saturday, Feb.
22-23, at the Sheraton Chapel Hill.
Lessons on the first day of the
agenda (from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.) include a
context for N.C. county governments,
what counties do and how they do it, and
governing board roles and responsibilities.
The final two hours of day one will
focus on ethics for elected officials. This
training fulfills the ethics education requirement for local elected officials that
is mandated by the state each time an official is elected or re-elected. Any county
commissioner who was on the November
2012 ballot and won must receive two
hours of ethics training prior to November 2013. Attorneys can claim two hours
of general CLE credit.
Day two of Essentials covers
financing county government, working
with others, shared accountability with
schools, and the Bottom Line budget
simulation.
Bottom Line is an interactive learning tool that simulates the county budget
process. Participants break into small
groups and act as local governing board
members during the budget process.
Groups will decide what specific values
are most important to the community,
then face several scenarios where board
members must choose between cutting
programs/services or increasing taxes/
fees to balance the budget based on these
community values.
A day dedicated to water
Attendees have the option on day
one to attend a workshop for veteran
elected county and municipal officials.
“Water and Economically Vibrant Communities: What Every Local Leader
Needs to Know” will be offered from 8
a.m. – 3 p.m. Participants in the water
workshop will join day one Essentials
participants for ethics training from 3 – 5
p.m.
Water is one of the state’s most
precious resources and is fundamental
to quality of life and economic development. Water availability and pricing is an
important issue facing local elected leaders. This engaging workshop will provide
participants with a basic understanding
of water supply, drinking water systems,
wastewater treatment, and storm water.
Participants will come away from the
workshop knowing the right questions to
ask water utility staff in order to provide
strategic direction to water utilities.
As a Local Elected Leaders Academy (LELA) offering, the course is open
to both county and municipal officials.
County officials are encouraged to invite
regional county or municipal officials to
join them.
Registration
Registrants have three options:
• Attend the full two-day Essentials
of County Government program with
ethics training on day one ($380);
• Attend the day one Workshop for
Veteran Elected Officials (Water and Economically Vibrant Communities: What
Every Local Leader Needs to Know) and
the ethics training on day one, and the
Essentials program on day two ($380); or
• Attend the first day only: the Workshop for Veteran Elected Officials (Water
and Economically Vibrant Communities: What Every Local Leader Needs to
Know) and the ethics training ($180).
LELA and Recognition Program
credits
Course participants will receive
credits toward recognition in the Local Elected Leaders Academy (LELA),
a partnership between the School of
Government, the NCACC and the N.C.
League of Municipalities that offers local elected officials the knowledge and
skills needed to lead and govern their
communities in these challenging times.
LELA helps the Association achieve one
of its strategic goals, “strengthen county
leadership and board development.”
The three-level LELA Recognition Program is for individual county
commissioners. County commissioners
will earn the required 18 orientation
credits by attending Essentials. Veteran
commissioners who attend the Water
and Economically Vibrant Communities
workshop will receive six workshop/
program credits.
The Workshops category consists of
School of Government-sponsored programs and workshops, mini-conferences
and pre-conference workshops, and
Association-sponsored events. NCACCsponsored programs include the NCACC
Annual Conference, National Association of Counties (NACo) conferences,
district meetings and legislative programs. In addition, members of the
NCACC Executive Committee and
steering committees can earn NCACCsponsored credits toward the mentor
recognition level.
Since the program launched in
December 2008, four commissioners
have been honored as achieving Mentor
level status: Jonathan Barfield of New
Hanover County (2011), and Kevin Austin of Yadkin County, Gary D. Blevins of
Wilkes County and Brenda Howerton of
Durham County (2012).
LELA Recognition Program levels and credits
Level
Practitioner
Orientation
18
Master
18
30
18
66
Mentor
18
40
24
82
Durham County Library Wins Merit
Award for Sustainable Properties
Durham County Library Southwest
Regional has received a Merit Award for
Sustainable Properties from the Durham
City-County Appearance Commission.
Each year, the Appearance Commission awards Golden Leaf and Merit
Awards to illustrate the value the city and
county put on properties that demonstrate
community appearance, visual beauty,
sustainability and usability in the Durham community. Fourteen awards were
presented this year out of 52 entries.
The Sustainable Properties award
is given for projects creating a sustainable environment by incorporating green
building principles in the planning and
development of projects. Projects incorporate these principles in the areas of
energy, design, site, water and building
materials.
All of Durham County’s regional
libraries were designed with sustain-
3
CountyLines
ability as a high priority, and all have
attained LEED (Leadership in Energy
and Environmental Design) certification.
Sustainable practices and materials minimize the libraries’ impact on the environment. Those sustainable practices include
designing the buildings so that daylight
reaches 75 percent of the interior space,
using carpeting made of low emitting
recycled fibers, installing energy efficient
HVAC systems and ensuring that the
buildings emit none of the most common chemicals that contribute to ozone
depletion.
This is the third Appearance Commission award for Durham County’s new
libraries. Stanford L. Warren received
a Golden Leaf Award for Community
Appearance in 2008, and South Regional
Library received a Merit Award for Sustainable Properties in 2010.
Workshops
18
NCACC-sponsored prgs.
12
Total
48
NC FAST Pilot Counties Recognized at
90th Annual Social Services Institute
Ralph Waldo Emerson
once said “don’t go where
the path may lead, go
instead where there is no
path…and leave a trail”.
In many ways Emerson’s quote about being a
leader and leaving a path
for others to follow can be
applied to the five counties
(Buncombe, Carteret, Catawba, Guilford and Johnston) that began
piloting the implementation of the first
phase of the NC FAST (Families Accessing Services through Technology) system
in the spring of 2012.
Sherry Bradsher, Director of the
Division of Social Services, N.C. Department of Health and Human Services
noted that “one of the advantages of
North Carolina’s county administered
network of social services is the fact that
counties have the flexibility to pilot new
service delivery models and/or information systems like NC FAST before
statewide implementation.”
At the 90th Social Services Institute
held at the Raleigh Convention Center
in October, DHHS Secretary Al Delia
formally recognized and thanked the
County Social Services’ Departments in
those counties for their outstanding work
in implementing the Food and Nutritional Services component of NC FAST.
4
November 2012
CountyLines
Alexander County opens new detention and sheriff’s facility
By Chris Baucom
Communications Specialist
Alexander County is completing a
new facility that brings both its Sheriff’s
Office and Detention Center up to a new
standard. The new facility will save
the county money, make services more
accessible to citizens, make the Sheriff’s
Office more efficient, and make the
community safer.
“Essentially we’re coming from a
26-bed facility to a 164-bed facility,”
said Russell Greene, Alexander
County Emergency Services Director
and Project Manager for the Law
Enforcement Facility’s construction.
“We’re coming from a ring of keys to
everything computer operated and pushbutton controlled.”
Greene’s statement succinctly tells
the story of the upgrade the county is
making in its detention facility. There
were overcrowding issues for officers
and inmates in Alexander County. In
response, a jail committee was formed
by the county in 2006 to begin research
and planning for a new facility. County
Manager Rick French and other county
officials visited detention and law
enforcement facilities throughout the
state before moving forward with
construction of the new facility. French
said those visits made the decisions
on planning and design of Alexander’s
facility easier.
“Two years ago we started on this
facility,” said French. “It provides much
needed space for the Sheriff’s Office,
and the Detention Facility provides a
place to hold offenders. It keeps us from
sending prisoners to other counties,
saving us money.”
The Detention section of the
Alexander County's new facility houses both the Sheriff's office and the Detention Center. The Detention Center will house up to 164 inmates,
which represents a capacity expansion of 138 inmates. This will allow the county to bring inmates they currently pay other counties to house
back to Alexander, saving the county money.
Photo by Chris Baucom
facility closely resembles several others
recently opened by other counties they
visited in North Carolina, according
to French. The design allows for a
maximum capacity while keeping direct
interaction of inmates with staff to a
minimum.
Video visitation is another way to
keep direct interactions with inmates
down. Visitors are escorted to a room
where they can speak to inmates over
video without having to enter the
secured part of the facility. It is all in
an effort to keep the site as secure as
possible.
The Sheriff’s Office also represents
a significant upgrade for the department.
The 11,000-square foot law enforcement
portion of the facility brings all of the
Sheriff’s staff under one roof. They had
previously been housed in three separate
locations. Now all public business with
the Sheriff’s office can be handled in
one location through a lobby that has
direct access to officers or staff who can
help with a variety of needs, which is an
added convenience.
“You can literally come to one
location and know that, if you have
business with the Alexander County
Sheriff’s Office, you can do it at this
facility,” said Greene.
With the Sheriff and his staff
now consolidated in one building,
intradepartmental communication will
be much more efficient. Detectives
investigating a crime will now have
better access to the officers who were
first on the scene. Officers will have
desks where they can keep their files
in order to stay more organized and
to have their own space. Previously
officers had to share desks. The
new desks for officers were built by
prisoners in the local State Detention
Facility specifically for Alexander’s
new Sheriff’s Office space. There are
also conference rooms and training
rooms available on site, which will help
in meeting training requirements for
officers.
The Alexander County facility has
its Grand Opening in November and
will be brought into service shortly
after.
“We now have a great facility
for both the Detention Center and the
Sheriff’s Office,” said French.
McKinney named Executive Director of NADO
Joe McKinney has moved from the
Land-of-Sky to the Nation’s Capital. The
former Executive Director of the Landof-Sky Regional Council in Asheville,
N.C., was named by the National Association of Development Organizations
(NADO) as its new Executive Director
following a nationwide search.
“It is an honor to accept this appointment,” said McKinney. “NADO has been
a critical resource over the years, and I
am thrilled to be taking this new role. I
look forward to working with NADO’s
membership and staff to build upon the
organization’s strong history of supporting regional strategies and partnerships
to improve quality of life across America’s regions and communities.”
McKinney replaces Matt Chase, who
left NADO in the summer to take over
as Executive Director of the National
Association of Counties. McKinney and
his wife, Melanie, have five children. He
began his new duties Oct. 29.
“Joe brings an exceptional set of
skills and talents to NADO,” said NADO
Immediate Past President Russ Cowley,
Executive Director of the Six County
Association of Governments in Richfield,
Utah. “Under his tenure at Land-of-Sky
Regional Council, he showed time and
again that strong leadership, innovative thinking, and diverse partnerships
are critical to the success of regional
development organizations. His background will serve him well at the helm of
NADO.”
“Joe’s energy and excitement is
contagious,” said NADO President
John Leonard, Executive Director of the
Southern Georgia Regional Commission
in Valdosta, Ga. “I am confident that
under his leadership, NADO will grow to
new heights in the coming years.”
Headquartered in Washington, D.C.,
NADO provides advocacy, education,
research, and training for the national
network of 520 regional development
organizations. The association and its
members promote regional strategies,
Former Land-of-Sky Executive Director
Joe McKinney now leads NADO.
Photo Courtsey NADO
partnerships, and solutions to strengthen
the economic competitiveness and quality of life across America’s local communities.
McKinney has 21 years of experience in local and regional government,
having served in city, county and region-
al government management since 1991.
He was named Executive Director of
Land-of-Sky Regional Council in January 2003. Under his leadership, Land-ofSky has been recognized nationally for
its innovation and program expansion
in areas such as planning and economic
development, workforce development,
transportation and transit, aging services,
volunteer services, and geographic information systems.
Prior to his time at Land-of-Sky
Regional Council, McKinney served as
Executive Director of Eastern Carolina
Council of Governments. He also has
served as a County Manager for Mitchell
County and Town Manager for the Town
of Spruce Pine, both in North Carolina,
and County Administrator for Chesterfield County, S.C. He holds a Bachelor’s
Degree in Public Policy Analysis from
the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and is a candidate for a Master’s
Degree in Public Administration from
UNC-Chapel Hill.
November 2012
5
CountyLines
Association staff members visit Iredell County
By Chris Baucom
Communications Specialist
Iredell County is facing a situation
that is not entirely unique among North
Carolina counties in recent years. The
county’s growing and changing population makes its demographic landscape
an ever-changing scene and also makes
providing quality services for county
citizens a greater challenge. County
board members know it takes solid
planning to meet the challenge, and on
Nov. 9 the five sitting Iredell commissioners along with two newly elected
commissioners met with county staff,
including County Manager Ron Smith,
to discuss plans for the future of Iredell
County.
Association staff members visited
the board of commissioners during
that fall planning session both to hear
firsthand some of the issues the county
faces and to gain the knowledge and
perspective they need in representing
counties at the General Assembly. The
Association sends staff to several counties each fall and spring for these types
of meetings to be sure they not only
know of the issues that are important to
counties, but also have an understanding
of those issues.
“It is important for members of the
Association’s Government Relations
team and other staff members to meet
in person with county officials,” said
NCACC Deputy Director Kevin Leonard. “It is a vital link in understanding
their issues.”
Iredell commissioners, led by
Chairman Steve Johnson, discussed future plans for Economic Development,
Emergency Communications (ECOM),
Emergency Medical Services (EMS),
and possibilities for the future of housing local inmates among other topics.
These four topics pose a particularly
difficult challenge for the commissioners with a growing and changing
population. An increase in the number
of citizens means an increased call volume for ECOM. It creates challenges
for EMS to keep response times as low
as possible on emergency medical calls.
A rise in population can bring a rise in
local inmates in the detention center.
Also, a population increase brings an
increase in demand for employment
making economic development even
more vital. The Iredell commissioners
want to get ahead of each of these issues
as much as possible, and Association
Intergovernmental Relations Director Rebecca Troutman speaks to the Iredell County Board of Commissioners at their Nov. 9 Fall Planning
meeting. Pictured seated at the left side of the table is Iredell County Manager Ron Smith. From the left, seated along the back wall are Iredell
Commissioners Kenneth Robertson, Marvin Norman, Stephen Johnson, Frank Mitchell, and Sara Tice. Also pictured seated on the left side of the
table to the right of the commissioners’ table is newly elected Commissioner David Boone.
Photo by Chris Baucom
staff was there to see if they could help.
“All of these issues are important
for our county’s future,” said Johnson.
“This is an important discussion.”
NCACC Intergovernmental Relations Director Rebecca Troutman led the
Association contingency that included
Director of Government Relations Johanna Reese, Associate Director of Education Jason King, Legislative Research
Analyst Latonia Strickland, and Communications Specialist Chris Baucom.
Each of the commissioners was
given a packet of information on the
Association to help highlight how it
benefits counties, and Troutman, a native of Iredell County, gave the group
an overview of legislation for which the
NCACC has successfully advocated.
Troutman and Reese then gave them
more information on those pieces of legislation enacted by the General Assembly that could assist them in meeting the
challenges they face.
Troutman pointed out one piece
of legislation that was passed in the
last session that may help Iredell meet
the needs of a growing population. It
allows public-private partnerships to
provide broadband service to underserved or unserved areas. With Iredell’s
population growing in areas that had
been more rural, that could give the
commissioners a tool to promote high
speed internet access to those areas,
which could help spur economic develis represented.
King spoke to the group about eduopment.
cational opportunities for commission“We know some of the more rural
ers. With ethics training mandated for
areas of the county could use the high
commissioners, they should be aware of
speed internet access, and this legislaopportunities to attain that training. The
tion gives you the ability to help proAssociation provides several opportunimote that growth,” Troutman said.
ties throughout the year for commisIn addition, the EMS Enhanced
sioners to receive training on various
Federal Medicaid Reimbursement
topics.
Program offered by the NCACC assists
“The Esssentials of County GovIredell in getting its full reimburseernment coming up in February (in
ment from Medicaid patients for EMS
Forsyth County) is an excellent chance
calls, and making sure the county gets
to receive training that will assist you as
all possible funds for EMS service will
commissioners,” King said.
After the
help it in
meeting
conexpanding
cluded,
Smith
to meet its
took Association
growing
staff members
populaon a tour of sevtion’s
eral county faneeds.
cilities including
Reese
the recently contold the
structed Animal
commisShelter as well
sioners
as the county
their
Association staff members with Iredell County Manager Ron library location
participa- Smith in front of Iredell's recently constructed Animal Shelter. in Downtown
Statesville and
tion in the
Photo by Chris Baucom
the county’s
legislative
Building Stangoals process was appreciated. Reese
dards
Center
located
in
a renovated
also discussed with commissioners other
hospital.
potential issues the Association will be
“This [animal shelter] facility is a
monitoring in the coming session of the
great step forward in providing a needed
General Assembly to be sure the collecservice for the county,” Smith said.
tive interests of North Carolina counties
“It’s a wonderful facility.”
6
CountyLines
November 2012
County Governments making changes to county administration after H438
By Rebecca Troutman
Intergovernmental Relations Director
North Carolina county governments
witnessed a sea change in county
administration with the enactment
of H438, County Human Services
Flexibility, in the waning days of the
General Assembly’s short session.
With the initial legislation sponsored
by Senator Fletcher Hartsell and
championed in the House by Rep.
Carolyn Justice and Rep. Justin Burr,
this legislation enables any county to
consider restructuring and consolidating
health and/or social services to better
meet community needs. Original
authority was granted to Mecklenburg
in the 1970s, and later to Wake, to allow
the board of county commissioners
to assume the responsibilities and
functions of the then-separate boards of
social services and health, or appoint a
consolidated board of human services
to exercise these responsibilities. Given
the statutory population threshold
of 425,000, only Guilford County’s
population permitted county number
three to weigh the merits of this optional
human services structure.
By removing the population
threshold and reworking service and
governance options for all counties,
H438 allows counties to restructure
either health or social services, or
both together, under the board of
county commissioners. It is important
to note that H438 provides this as an
option only, and counties may retain
their existing county structure with
independent boards of health and/or
social services.
If a board of county commissioners
chooses to exercise this authority, there
are two main options for governance
restructuring enacted via board
resolution. Informally known as the
“Mecklenburg Model,” the board of
county commissioners may assume all
the powers and duties of the board of
health or the board of social services,
or both. Otherwise, the board of county
commissioners may choose the “Wake
Model,” and create a consolidated
human services board to serve as
the policy-making, rule-making and
administrative board. If a county board
chooses to assume all powers of a health
board without delegating these powers
to a consolidated human services
board, the board of commissioners
must appoint an advisory committee
whose members meet the statutory
requirements
for health board
members. If the
county board of
commissioners
restructures the
board of social
services, it is not
required to appoint a
DSS advisory board,
although it has the
authority to do so.
If the
board of county
commissioners
chooses to create a consolidated
human services board, there are
statutory membership requirements
and responsibilities. Counties may not
consolidate mental health area boards,
or consolidate or abolish a public health
authority, or consolidate or abolish a
public hospital under 153A-77, the
statutory authority to restructure human
services.
H438 further grants all counties
the option of consolidating health
and/or social services into a human
services agency, by reorganizing human
services under the direct control of a
human services director appointed and
supervised by the county manager. If
a consolidated human services board
is created, then the appointment and
dismissal of the human services director
must be with the advice and consent of
the consolidated board.
H438 also exempts staff of a
consolidated county human services
agency from the State Personnel Act,
and instead subjects them to county
personnel policies and ordinances alone.
The board of county commissioners
may elect to keep these employees
under the SPA.
The new authority granted under
H438 has spurred a number of counties
to restructure how human services
are administered locally. As of this
writing, four counties have initiated
consolidation under H438’s expanded
authority, and by date of action, these
include: Montgomery, Buncombe,
Brunswick and Edgecombe. At least
seven other
counties have
asked the School
of Government to
provide technical
assistance to help
their boards think
through how best
to restructure these
services under the
county manager’s
oversight. NCACC
continues to hear
from other counties
regarding their
interest in exploring this option in
the near future, with several counties
awaiting their new board members
to take office before initiating formal
board action.
This following briefly describes
how the pioneer counties have fared
thus far under this new authority. Up
first is Montgomery County, whose
board of county commissioners voted
Aug. 21 to assume the responsibilities
and duties of its separate boards of
health and social services, thereby
adopting the “Mecklenburg Model.”
Its resolution further consolidated
supervision of health and social services
under the county manager.
Buncombe County has been
preparing for service consolidation
for years, in essence implementing
the “Wake Model” through a series
of work-arounds to the population
threshold limitations. The county
created its human services support team
in 2005, to jointly provide finance and
budget, human resources, planning and
evaluation and facilities operation for
all human services. Since that time,
the county has realized $4.5 million in
savings and cost avoidance, which has
H438 allows counties
to restructure either
health or social
services, or both
together under the
board of county
commissioners.
been reinvested in core client services.
The county’s boards of health and social
services have been meeting jointly to
collaborate on service administration
and provision. Under H438’s authority,
the board of county commissioners
voted Sept. 4 to formally create a
consolidated human services board and
consolidated human services agency.
Two weeks later, the Brunswick
County board of commissioners voted
to consolidate health and social services
into a single human services agency,
created a consolidated human services
board, and then immediately assumed
that board’s powers and duties. County
management staff have been meeting
with health and social services staff
to begin the consolidation of services
administration, and are preparing key
indicators and metrics to compare the
consolidated agency’s performance
against the more traditional county
agency.
Finally, Edgecombe County on
Nov. 5 adopted its resolution to create a
consolidated human services board for
social services and health and created
a consolidated human services agency
to administer the functions of those
agencies.
While Union County has not taken
official action to initiate consolidation,
the board of county commissioners at its
Oct. 30 planning session requested that
the county manager begin compiling
the issues and steps needed to create the
consolidate board model. The county
is considering construction of a new
human services building to house its
health and social services agencies, and
believes a consolidated model reflects
the board’s philosophy to deliver local
human services in the most effective
and cost efficient manner possible.
As mentioned above, seven
counties have engaged the School of
Government through its Robert Wood
Foundation grant to assist the counties
in thinking through their options with
regards to human services restructuring.
These include Haywood, Gaston,
Wilson, Person, Rockingham, Bladen
and Pender.
Book Now Available: Real Estate and North Carolina Law
Do you own a home or have an
interest in property in North Carolina?
A new book by School of Government
faculty member Chuck Szypszak, Real
Estate and North Carolina Law: A
Resident’s Primer, covers the basics of
real estate law in a way that makes this
complex topic easy to understand.
The book was written in large part
as a result of Szypszak’s work with
North Carolina registers of deeds. It
addresses the basic questions registers
are often asked by the public, but also
answers questions that are of interest to
other public officials, real estate brokers,
lawyers, bankers, and residents.
“This book is a resource for
conscientious public officials who seek to
better understand real estate law for the
purpose of assisting their constituents,”
says Wayne Rash, register of deeds for
Caldwell County and president of the
N.C. Association of Registers of Deeds.
“I also highly recommend it to anyone
considering purchasing a home, trying
to find out what their rights are as a
homeowner, or wanting to learn more
about real estate law.”
The book contains answers to these
and other questions:
• What is an easement and how is it
created?
• What are owners’ basic rights when
the government wants to take property
for public use?
• What does the law say about
agreements with real estate brokers?
• What do banks consider when they
decide whether to make home loans?
• What does the law require of
residential landlords?
In addition to his work with North
Carolina registers of deeds, Szypszak
has worked with Russian officials on
real property issues and participated in a
UN Economic Commission for Europe
conference on the impact of reforming
property registration systems in Croatia
and other emerging democracies.
“Property is a major source of
individual and community wealth,” says
Szypszak. “The purchase and finance of
real estate in a market economy depend
on accessible and reliable information
about ownership interests.”
To purchase a copy of Real Estate
and North Carolina Law, visit www.sog.
unc.edu.
The painting for the cover of Real Estate
and North Carolina Law was done by
author Chuck Szypszak.
November 2012
7
CountyLines
Elections bring more than 120 new commissioners into office
By Todd McGee
Communications Director
Change was not limited to state and
national political landscapes in 2012, as
the recent elections will have an impact
on many North Carolina counties. More
than 120 new commissioners will be
sworn into office in December, although
several of them are veterans who are
returning to county government after a
hiatus.
Among the former commissioners
who are returning to office are former
NCACC Board members Amy
Dalrymple (Lee County) and H. Keith
Duncan (Rockingham County). Also
returning are Jack Carrolll (Burke),
Grady Hawkins (Henderson), Renee
Griffith (Iredell), Jack Bright (Onslow)
and Tom Coulson (Pitt).
The number of county
commissioners will grow by two,
to 580, thanks to expanding boards
in Cherokee (from three to five
commissioners) and Buncombe County
(from five to seven commissioners)
and one board that actually shrank
(Guilford, which went from 11 to nine
members after the General Assembly
redrew the county’s districts).
Two members of the NCACC
Board of Directors were defeated - Past
President Mary Accor of Cleveland
County, who was serving as chair of the
Public Education Steering Committee,
and Justice and Public Safety Steering
Committee Chair Paul Gibson of
Guilford County.
Eight current or former county
commissioners made the successful leap
to the General Assembly in November,
including several former NCACC
Board of Directors members. Former
Guilford County Commissioner Trudy
Wade was elected to an open seat in the
Senate, while former Buncombe County
Chairman Nathan Ramsey was elected
to an open seat in the House. Ramsey
served as the NCACC Legislative Goals
Co-Chair in 2004-06.
Six current commissioners won
a seat in the N.C. House, including
Yancey County Commissioner Michele
Presnell, who defeated incumbent
Rep. Ray Rapp in District 118. Forsyth
County Commissioner Debra Conrad,
Orange County Commissioner Valerie
Foushee, New Hanover County
Commissioners Rick Catlin and Ted
Davis and Lenoir County Commissioner
George Graham also won seats in the
N.C. House.
Eight counties put the quartercent sales tax referendum on the
ballot, with Edgecombe and Greene
counties passing the measure. Voters in
Alamance, Harnett, Lenoir, Pasquotank,
Scotland and Swain counties rejected
the measure. Orange County voters
approved a half-cent transit tax by an
overwhelming margin. Orange and
Durham voters have now approved the
tax. Wake County has yet to decide
when it will place the issue on the
ballot. The three counties were granted
permission by the Legislature to add
a half-cent transit tax if approved by
voters in a referendum.
Several counties will see changes
to their Board structure in future years.
Voters in Clay County, which is the only
county in North Carolina with three
commissioners, approved expanding the
board to five commissioners beginning
in 2014.
Greene County voters approved
a change in how commissioners
are elected. Beginning in 2014,
commissioners will have to reside in a
district, but will still be elected at-large.
Previously, all commissioners were
elected at-large with no districts.
And Swain County voters approved
going to staggered elections for their
Board. Currently, the entire fivemember Board is elected every four
years. In 2014, Swain County voters
will elect all five commissioners again,
but the top two vote-getters will receive
four-year terms, while the next three
vote-getters will receive two-year terms.
Beginning in 2016, the county will elect
three seats every two years, with the top
two finishers receiving a four-year term
and the third-place finisher receiving a
two-year term.
Alamance County
David Smith
Franklin County
John May
Orange County
Penny Rich
Alleghany County
Larry Davis
Gaston County
Jason Williams
Pamlico County
Pat Prescott
Alleghany County
Karen Leys
Gates County
Linda Hofler
Pasquotank County
Frankie Meads
Avery County
Robert Griffith
Graham County
Keith Eller
Pender County
Fred McCoy
Beaufort County
Robert Belcher
Granville County
Ed Mims
Perquimans County
Kyle Jones
Beaufort County
Gary Brinn
Guilford County
Ray Trapp
Perquimans County
Matthew Peeler
Bertie County
Ronald Wesson
Guilford County
Jeff Phillips
Person County
David Newell
Bertie County
John Trent
Guilford County
Hank Henning
Pitt County
Tom Coulson
Bladen County
Michael Cogdell
Guilford County
Jerry Branson
Bladen County
Wayne Edge
Harnett County
Gordon Springle
Polk County
Michael Gage
Brunswick County
Pat Sykes
Harnett County
Joe Miller
Polk County
Keith Holbert
Brunswick County
Frank Williams
Henderson County
Grady Hawkins
Richmond County
Jimmy Capps
Buncombe County
Brownie Newman
Hyde County
John Fletcher
Rockingham County
Keith Duncan
Buncombe County
Mike Fryar
Hyde County
Earl Pugh
Rockingham County
Zane Cardwsell
Buncombe County
Christina Merrill
Iredell County
David Boone
Rockingham County
Mark Richardson
Buncombe County
Joe Beicher
Iredell County
Renee Griffith
Rowan County
Mike Caskey
Buncombe County
David King
Jackson County
Vicki Greene
Rowan County
Craig Pierce
Burke County
Jeff Brittain
Johnston County
Ted Godwin
Rutherford County
Greg Lovelace
Burke County
Jack Carroll
Lee County
Amy Dalrymple
Sampson County
Harry Parker
Cabarrus County
Steve Morris
Lee County
Ricky Frazier
Scotland County
Whit Gibson
Caldwell County
Jeff Branch
Lee County
Kirk Smith
Stanly County
Peter Asciutto
Caldwell County
Randy Church
Lenoir County
Craig Hill
Transylvania County
Page Lemel
Carteret County
Terry Frank
Lincoln County
Cecilia Martin
Tyrrell County
Nathan Everett
Carteret County
Jimmy Farrington
Macon County
Paul Higdon
Tyrrell County
Carl Willis
Carteret County
Elaine Crittenton
Madison County
Wayne Brigdon
Tyrrell County
Leroy Spivey
Caswell County
Ricky McVey
Madison County
James Baker
Union County
Frank Aikmus
Cherokee County
C.B. McKinnon
Martin County
Dempsey Bond
Randy Hollifield
Richard Helms
Cal Stiles
McDowell County
Union County
Cherokee County
Vance County
Archie Taylor
Chowan County
Greg Bonner
Mecklenburg County
Pat Cotham
Wake County
Caroline Sullivan
Chowan County
Alex Kehayes
Mecklenburg County
Trevor Fuller
Cleveland County Susan Allen
Mecklenburg County
Kim Ratliff
Washington County
Cole Phelps
Columbus County
Trent Burroughs
Mecklenburg County
Matthew Ridenour
Watauga County
John Welch
Currituck County
David Griggs
Mitchell County
Ricky McKinney
Watauga County
Billy Kennedy
Currituck County
Kevin McCord
Montgomery County
Tripp Myrick
Watauga County
Perry Yates
Dare County
Robert Woodard
Moore County
Randy Saunders
Wayne County
Wayne Aycock
Davidson County
Steve Jarvis
Nash County
Lisa Barnes
Wayne County
William Pate
Davie County
Terry Renegar
New Hanover County
Beth Dawson
Wayne County
Joe Daugherty
Duplin County
Albert Brown
New Hanover County
Woody White
Wilkes County
Eddie Settle
Duplin County
Chioke Kenyatta
Onslow County
Jack Bright
Yancey County
Jim Edwards
Durham County
Fred Foster
Orange County
Mark Dorosin
Yancey County
Randy Ollis
Durham County
Wendy Jacobs
Orange County
Renee Price
Yancey County
Jeff Whitson
8
CountyLines
November 2012
Career Opportunities
DENTIST II – Cleveland County - Position
with the Cleveland County Health Department
to provide complete & comprehensive dental
care to patients between the ages of 0 to 21.
Requires graduation from an approved school
of dentistry. Must be licensed to practice dentistry in NC. excellent benefits pkg., salary
negotiable. Submit Cleveland County application to: Cleveland County Human Resources,
PO Box 1210, Shelby, NC 28151 (704) 4844833. applications can be downloaded from
website
www.clevelandcounty.com
EOE
DIRECTOR, AREA AGENCY ON AGING
– Albemarle commission. This position functions as a member of the senior management
team of the Albemarle Commission by providing executive level leadership and operations
management for the Commission by providing
day to day management and direction by planning and coordinating services for the elderly
in a ten county region. Specific duties include
evaluating the effectiveness of the region’s resources in meeting the social, health and varied needs of the aged; programmatic and fiscal
administration of grant awards and supervision of the program staff. The job requires a
close working relationship with a variety of
personnel in other human service agencies in
exchanging information to assure the efficient
and comprehensive delivery of services. Qualification: The successful candidate must have
excellent communication skills, experience in
working with social programs, preferable involving work with the elderly. Education and
experience requirements are a masters degree
in Human Services, Health, Business, Planning or related field or a Bachelor’s Degree
with a minimum of five years experience of
related experience.
Miscellaneous: Salary
range is from $52,538 to $81,434. A complete
job description can be seen on the Commission’s website www.albemarlecommission.
org . An application may be completed on line
and submitted to rmengel@albemarlecommission.org or mailed to Ms. Ruth Mengel, Office
Manager, P.O. Box 646, Hertford, NC 27944.
countymatch.ncacc.org
HEALTH DIRECTOR - Cherokee County
- Open until filled. Cherokee County Health
Director (Posted October 2012) LOCATION:
Murphy, NC SALARY: $57,255 - $95,671 (negotiable based on prior experience) DESCRIPTION: This position serves as the chief executive officer of the Health Department. This
position supervises budget activities and maintains direct involvement in conflict/complaint
resolution, staffing and personnel issues and is
responsible for executing the powers and duties
as defined in GS 130A-41 and GS 130A-45.5.
This position represents the agency with government officials, health care providers, public/private schools and a variety of advocacy groups to
influence the decision making process in order
to insure adequate resources for program maintenance and expansion and the delivery of comprehensive services. This position works under
the supervision of the local Board of Health.
MINIMUM EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: • A master’s degree
in public health administration and at least one
year of employment experience in health programs or health services; or • A master’s degree
in a public health discipline other than public
health administration and at least three years of
employment experience in health programs or
health services; or • A master’s degree in public
administration at least two years experience in
health programs or health services; or • A master’s degree in a field related to public health
and at least three years of experience in health
programs or health services; or • A bachelor’s
degree in public health administration or public
administration and at least three years experience in health programs or health services BENEFITS: • Participation in Local Government
Retirement System subject to the SPA • Medical/dental/life insurance • Vacation/sick leave,
paid holiday HOW TO APPLY: All applicants
must submit a completed State of North Carolina Application (PD-107) along with copies of
resume and transcripts to: Employment Security
Commission Health Director Position 800 US
Hwy 64 West Murphy, NC 28906 Please note
there are no funds for relocation or reimbursement for travel expenses for interviews for this
position. ANNOUNCEMENT DATE: October
23, 2012. CLOSING DATE: Open until filled.
Cherokee County is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of
age, race, religion, gender, genetic information,
and/or national origin. Individuals being offered
employment through Cherokee County are subject to drug screening and a background check.
COUNTY MANAGER - Northampton
County - Open until filled. The Northampton County Board of Commissioners is
accepting applications for a CEO for
Northampton County Local Government
in Jackson, N.C. The Administration Office includes a staff of the County Manager,
the Clerk to the Board, and Administrative
Assistant. The County Manager is responsible for planning, organizing, and directing the overall day-to-day management of
the county government’s operations, including financial and budget preparation/
management, administration, supervision
of department heads, and performing other
related duties. Qualifications: Graduation
from a four-year college or university with
a major in public administration, business
management, or related field and considerable experience in a management level with
a public sector organization, preferably in a
municipal environment; graduate degree in
public administration or related field preferred; or an equivalent combination of education and experience. The ideal candidate
will possess experience and/or skill sets in
the following: A minimum of 3-5 years of
management experience (preferably within
county or city governments) with experience supervising professional personnel.
Knowledge of all areas of local government:
finance, public safety, planning, economic
development, public works, etc. In-depth
knowledge of finance operations and experience in preparing and overseeing budgets in
the range of $53 million annually (includes
2012 Operating Budget, Enterprise Funds,
and Capital Project). Deadline to apply:
Open until filled - Please submit a letter of
interest, a Northampton County job application, and 3 professional references immediately to the HR Department, PO Box 367,
Jackson, NC 27845. Compensation will be
based on experience and qualifications; the
salary range is $65,676 to $115,893 annually. See county website for more details.
Application and full description available
at: www.horthhamptonnc.com/humanr.asp
Career Opportunities listings online:
www.ncacc.org
twitter.com/NCCountyCareers
COUNTY SOCIAL SERVICES DIRECTOR
- Warren County. Description of Work: The position requires directive/managerial work in serving as the executive officer of the county board
of social services executing the authority of the
board (as defined in GS 108A-14) for a primarily
rural county with a population of 20,000. The
agency director directs other managers/supervisors, professional, paraprofessional, and support staff in the delivery of agency services and
provides leadership and direction for program
development, establishing program standards
and monitoring and evaluating quality of service
delivery systems. The Director will supervise
budget activities totaling over $45 million; and
maintain direct involvement in conflict/complaint resolution, staffing and personnel issues,
and serve as the principle spokesperson for the
agency relative to program issues. Work also involves representing the agency with government
officials, other human services providers, and a
variety of advocacy groups to influence the decision making process in order to insure adequate
resources for program maintenance and expansion and the delivery of comprehensive services. The Director is appointed by and reports to
a local board of social services. Salary Range:
$61,238 - $98,268 (Salary will be negotiated
upon experience, education and Salary history of
the candidate chosen). Minimum Training and
Experience Requirements: A master’s degree in
social work and two years of supervisory experience in the delivery of client services; or a bachelor’s degree in social work and three years of
supervisory experience in the delivery of client
services, one of which must have been in Social
Services; or graduation from a four year college
or university and three years of supervisory experience in the delivery of client services, two of
which must have been in Social Services; or an
equivalent combination of training and experience. References will be required. The Warren
County Social Services Director Search Committee will further evaluate the qualified applicants. The successful candidate will be required
to reside in the Ninth Judicial District. All applicants must complete and submit a completed
State Application Form PD-107; Official Sealed
College Transcript of undergraduate and graduate degrees; and a detailed resume, to Warren
County Human Resources Office, P.O. Box 619,
Warrenton, NC 27589; or to any North Carolina
Employment Security Commission Office. Resumes in lieu of a completed State application
are not acceptable. Position is open until filled.
Calendar of Events
Job Advertising policy
The NCACC publishes career opportunities in CountyLines and on its website at
www.ncacc.org and promotes ads published there on its Twitter account, @NCCountyCareers.
CountyLines rates (monthly)
$2 per printed line (minimum of $25 per monthly ad) for North Carolina member counties and county
entities; $4 per printed line (minimum $75) for all others.
Website rates
(one-time charge)
$25 per ad (up to 400 words) for N.C. counties and county entities; $50 per ad for all others. After
400 words, all ads will cost an additional $5 per every 50 words.
General information & instructions
Ads published in CountyLines run in one issue only unless otherwise requested by the advertiser.
Ads published in CountyLines are posted online at no additional charge and will remain posted on
the website until the position’s closing date or the position is filled, for up to six months. Advertisers
are asked to notify the NCACC when their position has been filled. Ads may be submitted, along with
billing information, to Chris Baucom via email (communications@ncacc.org), or faxed to (919) 7331065. Ads for the next edition of CountyLines must be submitted by December 3, 2012. Non-N.C.
member counties must provide a credit card number before ads will be posted. For more information,
please call Chris Baucom at (919) 715-4368.
Note: A new Advertising Policy will be released in January 2013. Be on the lookout for changes.
For a complete listing of events, visit www.ncacc.org
▼ December
5-6 NCACC Risk Management Pools Board of Trustees meeting -Raleigh
(Wake County)
12
Board of Directors Meeting (Wake County)
▼ January, 2013
9-10 Essentials of County Government Hilton Asheville Doubletree, Asheville
23 Leading Your County Governing Board - Durham
24-25 NCACC Legislative Goals Conference - Durham
November 2012
9
CountyLines
Eat Your Peas - A holiday look at Risk Control
“Eat your Peas!” How many times
have we had our mom or grandma say
this to us when growing up? As with
other columns, I know you are probably
asking yourself, what does this have to do
with safety? Well, I was trying to think
of a Thanksgiving and holiday theme for
this month’s safety column, but this is
as close as I could get up-front. So, keep
reading as I try to tie it all together. Let’s
talk about the three “P”s that you need
to remember, which can help you as you
manage your safety and risk management
program.
These three concepts are simple to
implement, don’t require a tax increase,
and can save you lots of pain, time and
money if you incorporate them into your
safety management program.
Planning -Think through a new
process, including safety and the risk aspects of beginning something new. New is
new, no matter what it is applied to. How
many times have you seen the “Law of
Unintended Consequences” kick in? We
often plan from the perspective of perfection; that is, we want some new program,
process, or organization to work perfectly
from the start, so we tend to emphasize
the advantages over the disadvantages. It’s
human nature to do so.
A major part of an effective safety
and health management system is called
“Management of Change.” This entails
including a risk assessment at the beginning of a planning process, and involving
safety and risk consideration in the design
of a new program or process. By doing
this, you can make sure that when a deci-
sion is being made, or a prior decision is
being implemented, that the “what-ifs”
have been considered. You can avoid a lot
of pain and embarrassment by not leaving
this critical piece out of your planning
process.
Preparation – This is the logical next
step. As I noted
above, even
the best plans
go awry every
now and then.
You must be
prepared for an
alternate way to
accomplish what
your original
mission was and
also to have the
resources on
site or alerted
to respond in the event “it” happens.
Before undertaking a job, new process
or program, determine what is needed to
respond when things don’t go the way you
planned – for instance, when someone’s
life is hanging in the balance, it is too late
to determine that you should have had the
fire department on alert. Likewise, having
a good “Plan B” can help defuse a situation that could cause a great deal of pain
and misery to your organization.
Pause – The word Selah is a Hebrew word used 74 times in the book of
Psalms. It’s a hard word to translate into
English, but it essentially means to “pause
and think.” Let’s admit it – for most of
our day, we run on auto-pilot; that is we
do most activities without even thinking
Create budgets
•
about what we are doing. This can have
serious ramifications on working safely.
What kind of impact do you think the
concept of “Selah” could have on safety
in your organization? This pause could be
any time from a few seconds to a full day.
The military often employs this concept when
they have
“Safety
Standdowns.”
It usually
by Bob Carruth
happens afNCACC Risk Control
ter a series
of small, or
even large,
mishaps, and involves stopping all activity
to allow time for safety awareness to sink
back in the individual and organizational
mindset. What if, prior to every emergency response situation, the responder
took just 15 seconds to think about what
she is about to do? What if a social worker
took 30 seconds at a residence before getting out of the car to think through what is
about to be done, and make herself aware
of the environment and possible things
she could encounter once she steps out
of the car? What if the general services
worker paused briefly before cleaning the
lobby floor in the courthouse, to think of
the best way to complete the task while
preventing slips and falls?
It is interesting that these three Ps can
be applied in both organizational and individual circumstances, both professionally
and personally. Let’s think of a scenario:
Thanksgiving dinner – you plan by think-
Controlling
Your Risk
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•
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ing of what everyone wants to eat to put
together the menu. You make sure every
detail is planned. If not, suddenly, when
you sit down for dinner, someone is sure
to ask “Where’s the cranberry sauce?”
and you realize you forgot and left it off
the list.
You also should have a plan for if
“it” happens. Remember the movie “A
Christmas Story” and the scene with the
dogs eating the Christmas turkey? Well,
stranger things have happened. If you are
not prepared, then everyone is looking
at you waiting for something to save the
day. By being prepared, you can have the
backup meal plan ready, even if it is to
load everyone in the car and head to the
local Chinese buffet.
And, of course, what would Thanksgiving be without the time we all pause
for a moment to thank God for the blessings of the last year, or just to be thankful
for our friends and family.
Now take some time and apply these
three principles to your safety and health
program, and you will find that it will
make a difference. If our risk control
team can be of assistance in helping to
perform a risk assessment during your
planning process, identify resources to
help you be prepared, or provide more
information on setting up a safety pause
program, please feel free to contact us at
the NCACC.
We hope that you and your family
have a safe and healthy holiday season Selah!
Manage debt
10
CountyLines
November 2012
County Briefs
Risk Management recognizes Dare County
LGFCU Announces Seven New Advisory Council Members
Additions will be an integral part of credit union’s volunteer-driven initiative
Risk Management Director
Michael Kelly visited Dare County
to present the Board of Commissioners with a plaque recognizing them as
a NCACC Risk Management Pools
Super Member.
That designation is given to counties who have been a member of both
the Workers Compensation and LiabilNCACC’s Michael Kelly presents the Risk
ity and Property Pools for at least five
Management award to Dare County BOC.
consecutive years. Dare County has
participated in both pools since 1989.
Kelly presented a plaque to Dare
County Commission Chairman Warren Judge. Also pictured are Commissioners Richard
Johnson, Jack Shea, Virginia Tillett, Max Dutton, and Mike Johnson. Tillett is a former
member of the NCACC Board of Directors.
Local Government Federal Credit Union (LGFCU) proudly announces the addition
of seven new advisory council members to seven of its 28 councils across the state.
The new appointments are an integral part of LGFCU’s volunteer-driven initiative
not only to educate people on the benefits of credit union membership, but also to relay
feedback to the board of directors regarding available/potentially available products and
services, delivery of service and member needs.
Advisory council members, who represent the philosophical character of the credit
union and contribute their time without compensation, function as LGFCU’s eyes and
ears throughout the state, serving as liaisons between credit union members and nonmembers and LGFCU management.
October’s appointees are:
Eastern Sandhills
Melissa Adams, Town of Hope Mills, Town Clerk
Northern Piedmont
Keith Volz, City of Jamestown, Mayor
Former County Commissioner Elected President of Registers
of Deeds Association
Hon. J. Lee Warren, Jr. of Cumberland County was recently installed as President of
the North Carolina Association of Registers of Deeds during its 60th annual conference.
Warren served as a Cumberland County Commissioner with three terms as the chairman of the board from 1992 until May 2003. At that time he was appointed to the office
of Cumberland County Register of Deeds, and he was elected Register of Deeds in 2004.
He was re-elected in 2008 and 2012.
The NCARD is comprised of Registers of Deeds from throughout the state, working
closely as an affiliate organization to the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners. Warren also is a member of National Association of Counties, National Association of County Recorders, Election Officials & Clerks, Property Records Industry
Association, as well as International Association of Clerks, Recorders, Election Officials
& Treasurers.
Warren and his wife, Sue, have five children and 14 grandchildren.
Research Triangle
Wendy Paschal, Chatham County, Public Works Administrative Assistant
Roanoke River
Earnest Howard, State of North Carolina, Retired
Tar River
Sarah Edwards, Vidant Edgecombe Hospital, HR/Benefits Specialist
Western Piedmont
Kenneth Gamble, Town of Kernersville Police Department, Chief
Western Triangle
Shannon Watkins, City of Burlington Parks and Recreation, Lifeguard
Strategic Leadership Education for County and Municipal Elected Officials
Essentials of County Government
January 9–10, 2013
January 30–31, 2013
FeBruary 12–13, 2013
FeBruary 22–23, 2013
asheville
new Bern
winston-salem
Chapel hill
This workshop prepares newly elected county commissioners to
govern their communities. The following topics will be covered:
•
•
•
•
Transition from campaigning to governing
Carrying out the public responsibilities of a commissioner
Working together as a board
Understanding key elements of county law, finance, and
administration
Entire boards are encouraged to attend together. Faculty
members include experts from the School of Government, NC
Association of County Commissioners, and county officials.
To learn more, visit www.sog.unc.edu/node/1195, or
contact Susan Hutchinson, program manager, at 919.966.4171
or smhutch@sog.unc.edu.
Water and Economically Vibrant Communities:
What Every Local Leader Needs to Know
January 9, 2013
January 30, 2013
FeBruary 12, 2013
FeBruary 22, 2013
asheville
new Bern
winston-salem
Chapel hill
Water is one of the state’s most precious resources and is
fundamental to quality of life and economic development.
Water availability and pricing are important issues facing local
elected leaders. This engaging workshop will provide a basic
understanding about water supply, drinking water systems,
wastewater treatment, and storm water. Elected officials will
learn the right questions to ask water utility staff in order to
provide strategic direction to water utilities.
To learn more, visit www.sog.unc.edu/node/1354, or
contact Susan Hutchinson, program manager, at 919.966.4171
or smhutch@sog.unc.edu.
Visit www.lela.unc.edu for an up-to-date calendar of educational programs offered through
the Local Elected Leaders Academy. To learn more, contact Donna Warner at 919.962.1575
or warner@sog.unc.edu.
November 2012
11
CountyLines
Yadkin County receives a grant for 5D
Reservoir Recreation Area
Yadkin County has been awarded
a matching grant from the Parks and
Recreation Authority for $500,000 to
use on their 5D Reservoir Recreation
Area. The county will need to match
the $500,000 in order to receive the
grant. The county must still ensure
that the plans already made for the
area comply with grant requirements,
and those negotiations will begin soon.
Commissioners feel the grant is a
positive direction for Yadkin County,
An illustration of the 5D Reservoir Park area
and hope that with the development of
the park they could see an increase in
tourism in the area leading to an increase in sales tax revenue, which would benefit the
county.
The park will include fishing decks, a playground, walking trails, biking trails,
hiking trails, horse trails, boating and canoeing. Another phase of the park will include
a campground area with RV hook-ups and tent camping sites. Construction on the first
phase is scheduled for spring 2013.
Moore County Airport Receives Funds for Expansion
The Division of Aviation of the North Carolina Department of Transportation has
awarded Moore County Airport in Southern Pines almost $3 million in state funds for
capital improvements.
The $2.96 million in state aid to the Moore County Airport through the State Aid to
Airports program represents 90 percent of a $3.29 million project, said Moore County
Airport Executive Director Steven Borden.
"The remaining 10 percent comes from a county match to a total FAA grant of
$329,000," he said
The Moore County Board of Commissioners approved Borden's request in August.
The FAA-mandated safety upgrades call for the airport to extend Runway 5 and
its parallel taxiway 600 feet. The runway extension will help make the airport safer by
providing additional takeoff length for larger aircraft, as it will be more than 6,100 feet.
New Lee County Tax
Administrator
Mrs. Mary Yow has been appointed
the new Tax Administrator for Lee
County. Mary started her career in Lee
County in 1985 as a Tax Clerk. She
was promoted to a Business Personal
Property Appraiser in 1994 and then
promoted to Tax Listing Manager in
2003. Mary has worked hard in earning
the certifications required for the position of Tax Administrator. She replaces
Dwane Brinson, who has moved to
Orange County.
Government finance officers
gather in Morganton
The North Carolina Government
Finance Officers Association held its
first fall conference in western North
Carolina in October, and thanks to City
Finance Director Karen Duncan that
first conference was held in the City of
Morganton.
Duncan is the current president
elect for the NC Government Finance
Officers Association (NCGFOA) and
she organized the 2012 fall conference.
The conference sessions were held at
the Foothills Higher Education Center Thursday and Friday with a picnic
dinner held at Catawba Meadows Park
Thursday evening. More than 100
people from local government finance
departments across the state attended.
State releases Union County inventory, leads tour of natural
heritage areas
State officials were in Monroe in October to release an inventory of Union
County’s significant natural heritage areas, those unique places with rare wildlife and
plants and areas largely undisturbed by human activity.
The inventory identifies rare plants such as the dissected toothwort in Goose
Creek, a host of rare mussels and fish, hard-to-find forest types and bald eagles that
have been spotted along the Rocky River.
The North Carolina Natural Heritage Program, the state agency that publishes the
county inventories, serves as an information clearinghouse in support of conservation
of the rarest and most outstanding elements of natural diversity in the state.
The inventories are used to help planning officials, private landowners and elected
officials make more informed conservation decisions. That’s particularly important as
North Carolina continues to grow. Union County, for instance, boasted the state’s highest population rate increase and the nation’s 14th greatest growth rate between 2000
and 2009, according to the U.S. Census.
Land trust organizations and officials in Orange County near Raleigh use digital
maps from the inventories to prioritize which land should be acquired for new parks
and other conservation projects. Durham, Chatham and New Hanover counties have
incorporated data from their inventories into their land-use plans.
The N.C. Natural Heritage Program has completed inventories identifying outstanding natural areas in 92 North Carolina counties. The program expects to complete
inventories for the final eight counties by 2018, as each inventory takes about two
years for scientists in the program to research and write.
After releasing Union County’s inventory Friday, scientists with the Natural Heritage Program took conservation officials and others on a short tour of several of the
county’s most outstanding natural heritage areas. The group visited Jesse Helms Memorial Park near Wingate. The county-owned park supports a population of Piedmont
aster, a federal species of concern, and a variety of tree species bordering three creeks.
Then, they went to the Mineral Springs Barrens, which boasts rare “woodland openings” owned by the Plant Conservation Program, and the federally and state endangered Schweinitz’s sunflower. The group also stopped off at the East Fork Twelvemile
Creek Floodplain, a forested area filled with diverse hardwoods bordering a creek that
provides a buffer for rare plants and animals.
For an online copy of “An Inventory of the Significant Natural Heritage Areas of
Union County, North Carolina,” go to the North Carolina Natural Heritage Program’s
web page: http://bit.ly/QJSTIn.
For more information, contact Jamie Kritzer, public information officer with the
N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, at (919) 218-5935, or Misty
Buchanan, Natural Areas Inventory manager with the Natural Heritage Program, at
(919) 707-8107.
SHORTS
Gates County: Tony Chappell left Gates County where he served as
its manager to accept an offer to become the Greenwood County (SC)
Manager. Several county officials and staff were joined by those from the
community to bid farewell to their boss, professional colleague and friend
on his last day. Chappell, a product of Vance County before spending the
first part of his professional career with the Raleigh Police Department,
said he has been proud to call Gates County his home over the past four
years... Henderson County: Anthony Starr, Henderson County’s planning
director, is leaving that position in December to become the assistant
executive director at Western Piedmont Council of Governments... New
Hanover County: Officials have hired Wilmington native H. Layton
Bedsole Jr. as the county’s shore protection coordinator, filling a role
tasked with managing the county’s waterways, shore protection and beach
nourishment efforts. Bedsole is the former Director of Environmental
Affairs for the N.C. State Ports Authority and brings more than 30 years of
environmental affairs experience focused on protecting coastal waterway
resources, according to a press release... Robeson County: With help from
a grant from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, Office
of Minority Health and Health Disparities, steps are now under way to try
to reduce the cancer and obesity rates of American Indians in Robeson and
Scotland counties. The three-year grant, totaling $574,800, will fund a new
program entitled “Changing Lifestyles, Living Longer.” According to a
statement from the tribe, the grant will be used as an avenue to get more
American Indians enrolled in insurance programs. It also will be used to
help American Indians become associated with a medical facility where
they can receive the proper screenings and education about health concerns,
particularly obesity and cancer.
12
CountyLines
November 2012
Looking under the hood - What worked this year?
This month’s Managing Your Risk
article marks the beginning of the fourth
year for this column, and writing it each
month has proven to represent a great
deal of effort – and reward. In taking
some time to reflect, it reminds me that
the fall month of November is also an
excellent time to reflect on your efforts
for Risk Management and how the past
year has gone for your entity. While
most counties and their entities are quite
busy during the first six months of a
year, the last quarter is typically paced a
bit slower, making it an optimal time for
your annual review.
As discussed in prior writings, the
last step in the risk management process
is reviewing what worked and what did
not work in the way of preventing or
reducing the severity of losses. It is a
time to revisit previously defined goals
as well as your core mission statement.
Your standard operating procedures
manual should be examined for any
needed changes – major or minor – and
revised as such.
It is the time to prepare the annual
stewardship report for management and
update its numbers in order to calculate
the current baseline cost of your entity’s
risk. Loss control programs should be
reevaluated, and any special projects
or initiatives should be considered and
included in your report, along with the
updated summary of open
claims since the
last stewardship
report.
Your
benchmarking
spreadsheets
should be
brought up to
current values,
as of July 1,
2012, in order to track the annual progress or regressive results of your efforts.
Consideration should be again given to
what exactly you are measuring with an
eye towards refinement or simplification
– i.e. do you need to continue to track
all the ratios you initially set up? Are
there any new ratios that might help underscore areas needing your attention?
With the economy still lagging, do
not overlook the HR aspects of your
risk management review. Difficulty in
finding new jobs has forced previously
employed individuals into looking for
any and all ways to survive – including
the possibility of “creative” litigation.
So if you have been putting off tweaking your HR Policy Manual, now is an
excellent
time to reexamine it
for today’s
employby Michael Kelly
ment law
NCACC Risk Management
concurrence.
Finally, stop and consider any
changes in your entity’s operations since
last November. Examples that I have
seen since last year are assumption for
the management of a regional airport,
the purchase of an operational hospital,
construction and deployment of a new
and innovatively designed wastewater
treatment facility, and/or expansions of
existing operations, such as the development of a whitewater rafting exposure
thanks to your tourism department.
Remember, the risk management process is in fact circular in design – one
must be constantly coming back to the
initial process of identifying risk. New
operations would certainly qualify as
new risks.
Managing
Your Risk
This repetitive process with an annual thorough review of “what worked”
and perhaps even more importantly
“what didn’t work” is what risk management is all about. Nothing can be
done in some cases to avert or avoid the
occasional catastrophic loss – these are
to be expected. Through this expectation
steps can be taken up front to mitigate
the results – like purchasing insurance
for the catastrophic risk of a hurricane.
However it is also this annual “fall
review “ that will help eliminate those
unexpected losses that will hurt the
most, as their potential was never identified until it was too late.
NCACC Risk Management Director
Michael Kelly writes a regular column
on risk management for CountyLines.
With more than 33 years of risk management/insurance experience, he holds
the Associate in Risk Management for
Public Entities, Certified Risk Manager
and Certified Insurance Counselor
professional designations. He can be
reached at michael.kelly@ncacc.org or
(919) 719-1124. Archived versions of
the column can be found online at www.
ncacc.org.