BC 2007 01 08 Work Session - Laserfiche WebLink

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January 8, 2007 (Work Session) Page 218 amendment appropriating an additional $50,000.00 of County funds to the construction budget. Sheriff's Department - Request for Six New Deputy Poeitiona for Jail Annex John Day, County Manager, reported 18 new deputy positions were approved for the Jail Annex two years ago and since that time several of these positions have been reassigned to other areas. Sheriff Riley requested six new deputies be hired now to staffthe Jail Annex when it comes on line in August 2007. He reported deputies are required to complete their law enforcement training first and these classes are only offered at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College (RCCC) in February and August for the BLET (Basic Law Enforcement Training) and in January and June for Department of Community Corrections, a.k.a. jail school. UPON MOTION of Commissioner Privette, seconded by Commissioner White and unanimously carried, the Board voted to place the request by Sheriff Riley for six new deputy positions to staff the Jail Annex on the January 22, 2007 Agenda as a Consent item. - Request for the Creation of an Attorney II (Managing Attorney) Position in Department of Social Services Sandy Russell, Interim Director for the Department of Social Service, reported the agency currently has two Attorney I positions that work independently to manage child welfare and child support cases. She reported the current caseload average is 240 which is more cases than two attorneys can manage. She requested the Board establish a managing attorney (Attorney II) position to provide legal representation for the department, to train and supervise other attorneys and to train social workers. She also commented on a large turnover in child welfare area, State provided training forsocial workers and the difficulty in finding experienced attorneys. She stated the Deputy Director supervises the attorneys, does not have a legal background, is not in court regularly and has difficultydeteimining if the agency is receiving adequate legal representation. Ms. Russell responded to numerous questions by the Board UPON MOTION of Commissioner White, seconded by Vice Chairman Juba and unanimously carried, the Board voted to place the request for an Attorney II (Managing Attorney) Position for the Department of Social Services on the January 22, 2007 Agenda as a New Business item. Cabarrus County Natural Heritage Report (Inventory of the Sionificant Natural Areas of Cabarrus County) Jonathan Marshall, Commerce Director, reported the Natural Heritage Inventory was approved by private groups along with the Soil and Water Conservation staff in 2002. He said as emphasis has increased on conservation easements and identifying grant funding, grantors want to know what importance or emphasis has been placed on the pristine or natural heritage site(s) locally. He recommended the Board adopt the inventory and commented on the need to identify critical sites for protection as zoning densities increase. UPON MOTION of Commissioner Mynatt, seconded by Commissioner Privette and unanimously carried, the Board voted to place the Cabarrus County Natural Heritage Report (Inventory of the Significant Natural Areas of Cabarrus County) on the January 22, 2007 Agenda as a Consent Item. Cabarrus County Schools.- New Northwest Area High School John Day, County Manager, reported the Board appropriated $600,000.00 last year to "fast track" construction of a new high school in the Northwest area of the county in response to greater than expected high school overcrowding. He provided a letter from Sam Masters, Director of Construction for Cabarrus County Schools, describing funding requirements and key dates for schccl. design and land acquisition. He reported an additional $200,000.00 is requ~rsted to continue the "fast track" process and presented a budget amendment. Further, he stated Cabarrus County Schools has identified a 60-acre school site with a willing seller, funding ranging from $4.5 to 5 million will be needed in July for this land acquisition and is included in the Capital Improvement Program.