Michael Bobbitt: Notes From The Peanut Gallery (VC BoC June 1st, 2015)


Last Monday night’s commissioners meeting was short yet packed with surprises. The meeting started with approval of the budget for fiscal year 2015 – 2016 and ended with approval of a settlement agreement with Charles Reavis of Christa Reavis fame which was announced at conclusion of the closed session. In between was typical sniping among commissioners and two major revelations from the public on the water project.

Public Hearings – Approval of the Budget

The commissioners set aside fifteen minutes of their valuable time to allow the public to speak about the budget. As it turns out the public’s disinterest spoke loudly. I did offer four suggestions to guide the budgeting for the 2016 – 2017 fiscal year:

  1. Repeat this year’s budget review process, with a few tweaks; such as allowing public input on the budget at the beginning of the process and not after budget consensus is secured.

  2. This budget includes $396,414 from the general fund to pay this current year’s tab for a water system never supported by the required 80% of the property owners. For the 2016 – 2017 fiscal year apply the same $396,414 towards employee wages and county building repairs.

  3. The Board chair should require publication of quarterly financial reports, starting this November, as a guide for assessing achievement of the county’s financial goals.

  4. During the work session thirteen groups, agencies, and three county department heads all pitched their need for the requested funds that had been slashed from the budget. The commissioners’ rejection of many of those requests was difficult to digest. After all you had completed a taxpayer paid dinner before denying community needs. If you need to eat then do so at your own personal time and expense.

Commissioner Brown was the only commissioner to speak about issues with the budget, specifically lack of funding for the county school system. Apparently, the other commissioners were satisfied with the budget. During per-vote decision of the budget, Commissioner Hester asked Mr. Beck to read the good for business budget highlights. First was no increase in ad valorem taxes for the rest of this year. Commissioner Hester didn’t mention that next year the county will need to impose a property tax increase to repay the loans for the water project. Commissioner Hester also chose to ignore the property tax rate adjustment the commissioners will be approving later this year. Commissioners’ Brummitt, Garrison, and Taylor did not mention the water rate increase coming after July, which is intended to pass along the increase in the cost of water paid to the Kerr Lake Water System.

Appointments – Water Project Security Account Deposit

Julie Booth was one of two appointments scheduled for Monday night’s meetings. Ms. Booth brought a new issue with the water project to everyone’s attention. The water project security account deposit. Ms. Booth made it very clear that she would not have bought a tap had she known of the “bait and switch” on the $150 security deposit. The $150 security deposit is a life time deposit. I looked quickly through the just approved budget for the account where the county keeps the life time deposit. I did not find it. Based on the current data in the agenda the county is holding between $71,850 – $115,650 in life time security deposits. Only Commissioner Brummitt was willing to speak about the issue Ms. Booth’s presented. Commissioner Brummitt, said “she has a valid concern and something we need to entertain.” Just one more of the county’s never ending issues with the county’s water system

Public Comments

Larry Satterwhite, was the only other person signed up to speak to the commissioners. Ms. Booth’s was an appointment, a reserved fifteen minutes. Public comments time is limited to five minutes. Mr. Satterwhite introduced another county water problem. Mr. Satterwhite is a licensed plumber who contracts with property owners to install the water line from the meter to the home. Apparently during this past winter’s cold temperatures some property owners complained their new water lines had ruptured, possibly not set deep enough. How or why the county got involved was not made clear. What was clear is the county changed their inspection procedures. Now the trench must be open for inspection which delays the plumber and increases the cost of installing the line. Chairman Taylor said Mr. Satterwhite would have an answer to the process change by last Wednesday.

Water District Board

The Water District Board is a regular feature of the regular monthly Board meetings. The Water Committee did not meet during May now they have two new issues to tackle.

Committee Reports and Recommendations

The Public Safety Committee obtained the Board’s approval to submit a funding application ‘for all available grant and loan proceeds from the USDA for building a new animal shelter’. The vote was four ayes (Brummitt, Hester, Wilder, Taylor) and two nays (Brown and Garrison).

The Water Planning Committee did not meet in May so Mr. McMillen informed the Board that Phase 1 construction funding is spent, and that construction of the last 10 miles of water lines in Phase 2 has started. Commissioner Hester claims signups on “Poplar Creek have reached critical mass”, then asked if federal tax dollars (a grant) are available to satisfy his district’s needs. Mr. McMillen said he was looking for just such a grant.

Closed Session

Generally, the Peanut Gallery goes home at the start of a closed session, unless the Chair announces there will be a public announcement. Chairman Taylor announced there would be an announcement. What could that announcement have been? Two topics were on the night’s closed session agenda, an economic development and a legal matter. When the general session resumed we learned the announcement was the settlement of the Charles Reavis legal matter with the county. No explanation was given or hinted. No mention of the Christa Reavis legal matter either.