FAIR discusses quarterly meeting with County


At the Finance and Intergovernmental Relations (FAIR) Committee meeting on Thursday, Henderson City Council member suggested that meetings be scheduled with the County for “every two or three months”.

Davis went on to say that he wanted a discussion of quarterly meetings to be first on the agenda.

FAIR Committee Chair Lynn Harper endorsed the idea of quarterly meetings.

City Manager Jerry Moss stated that he believed that what is to be discussed with the County [during the meeting scheduled for July 26, 3:00 p.m. in the Bank of America conference room on Garnett Street] will require several meetings close together.

In an email from County Clerk Kelly Grissom, Home in Henderson has been informed that jointly funded programs will be discussed.

Jointly funded programs was the only item mentioned in the County’s notification.

Council member Mary Emma Evans asked who normally chairs the meeting.

Harper responded that she has been chairing the meetings, but she did not expect to do so for the upcoming meeting.

“I assume the Mayor will lead for our side,” Harper said.

FAIR Committee member Ranger Wilkerson noted that the joint meeting is a “golden opportunity” to talk about the “tax situation”.

The Henderson City Council has frequently expressed displeasure with the County’s tax collection rate. The County collects City as well as County property taxes. Henderson does not have the power to collect its own taxes.

Moss said it was on the agenda.

The committee discussed the acquisition of ten new Ford Crown Victoria vehicles for the Police Department. Some of the vehicles will be six-cylinder engine vehicles instead of eight-cylinder, the norm for police patrol vehicles. Moss explained that the six-cylinder vehicles are for administrative use and part of an effort to save gasoline.

Moss pointed out that a standard patrol vehicle gets about ten miles to the gallon.

The City Manager told members that he wished get the City on a cycle of vehicle replacement for the Police Department. The Department has about sixty cars, and Moss wishes to replace about ten vehicles a year.

Wilkerson asked if Henderson Police Chief Keith Sidwell was “hurting himself to save money”.

Wilkerson pointed out that six-cylinder vehicles could not be handed down to the Patrol Division for their use.

FAIR Committee member Bobby Gupton stated that the vehicles could be used in other areas.

Approximately $27,000 will be added to the budget out of drug forfeiture assets to finance the purchase of the vehicles. They will be purchased on state contract from a Ford dealer in Raleigh.

There was also a discussion on the use of hybrid cars.