County anticipates stimulus revenue

By Scott Nicholson

The Watauga County Board of Commissioners discussed infrastructure needs and federal funding issues in anticipation of forthcoming revenue from a federal economic-stimulus package.

County manager Rocky Nelson proposed the new high school, a county recreation center and road improvements on East King Street and Old King Street near the high school as infrastructure priorities.

The list was developed as a result of the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners’ lobbying efforts with federal and state legislators.

Board chairman Jim Deal said it was still undetermined how much control states would have in determining how any federal money was spent.

He suggested adding elementary schools to the list, since the county has a plan to install air conditioning and other improvements to elementary schools, including the possibility of solar and other renewable energy sources.

The NCACC approved several statewide issues to support in Raleigh, including remote sales tax collection, more aid in “No Child Left Behind” legislation, full payment of funds authorized through the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, overturning or delaying definition changes of public hospitals, opposing federal preempting of a state law regulating collective bargaining of public employees and increasing federal funding of infrastructure needs.

An NCACC memo on lobbying efforts reminded legislators that, over the next five years, North Carolina local governments would need $8 billion in water-and-sewer improvements and $10 billion in school construction and renovation.

“A quick infusion of federal dollars could build a lasting foundation for community vitality, while providing thousands of new jobs for the struggling construction industry,” wrote NCACC executive director David Thompson in the memo.

“Given that new stimulus federal dollars will likely flow through normal allocation channels, we have begun conversations with state officials to make sure our counties are positioned to jumpstart ‘shovel ready’ projects.”

Watauga’s submitted list includes a $75 million estimate for the total cost of a new high school facility, $12 million for a recreation center and $140 million for local road needs.

The East King Street widening and high-school access improvements are described as necessary because of the additional amount of traffic generated by the high school and “without the timely completion of both of these projects the citizenry and traveling public will be greatly inconvenienced.”

The priority lists will be forwarded to North Carolina’s Congressional representatives and Gov. Beverly Perdue. Mike Kesterson, Barnhill/Vannoy project manager for the new high school, presented 11 change orders for the school, with a net change to the contingency fund of $2,955.

The change orders don’t alter the overall budget for the project, which was contracted at a guaranteed maximum price of $47.2 million.

Kesterson said all ongoing work was inside the main building and said the gymnasium and theater would be completed in several weeks.

Watauga’s recycling coordinator Lisa Doty presented a grant request to purchase a concrete bunker for the sanitation department’s glass collection.

The bunker would allow the county to haul its own glass to the secondary market and generate some revenue from the recycled resource.

The $11,120 grant, if approved by the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, would require a $2,780 grant from the county. The request was approved.

Nelson said the state requires the county to recycle glass, and Doty said with restaurants that serve alcohol required to recycle, the bunker would increase efficiency of the program.

Doty said glass wasn’t a large revenue generator, but she said the market value varies and could rebound as the economy improves. The county recycled 200 tons of glass last year.

Doty said plastic was the best moneymaker until a few months ago, but the market for recycled materials has declined due to the economy, with cardboard and newsprint being the other materials that usually generate revenue.

Doty said the electronics recycling had been successful, with the state set to mandate such programs in 2012.

The commissioners approved a minor change to the fire-tax districts of Boone and Blowing Rock, shifting the Goshen Valley, Summit Park and Terra Brook subdivisions to the Boone service district.

A revision of all fire tax districts is ongoing to ensure that all properties are within a six-mile response area to help improve homeowner insurance rates.

The commissioners granted an area at the Watauga County Public Library for a public art project. The Downtown Boone Development Association will install a concrete pad and sculpture at the corners of Depot and Queen streets. Watauga Medical Center requested the Watauga County Department of Social Services contract with Vanguard Professional Staffing to help the hospital secure its maximum Medicaid reimbursements for patients.

The approved plan is designed to increase efficiency and Medicaid collections.

Tax administrator Kelvin Byrd presented a proposal to extend the regular tax listing period for personal property until Feb. 28, giving people an extra month to adjust to new registration forms.

Byrd said new forms hadn’t been mailed out until mid-January, with the original deadline on Jan. 31. Businesses can request an individual extension to April 15. Byrd said currently 92 percent of property taxes had been collected in the current fiscal year, compared to 93.3 percent.

Byrd said most delinquent accounts appeared to be ones the department could recover, with the collection rate typically hovering around 98 percent a year. The commissioners’ next scheduled meeting is Feb. 17.