BC 2002 06 10 - Laserfiche WebLink

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June 10, 2002 Page 369 Budget Review - General Services/Grounds Maintenance/Courts Mr. John Page, General Services Administrator, gave a brief overview of the General Services budget, including Street Sign Maintenance, Building Maintenance, Grounds Maintenance, Facility Services and Fleet Maintenance. He also reviewed the budgets for the building and custodial maintenance of the Cabarrus County Courthouse. Further, Mr. Page presented the following statistics concerning General Services: 434 acres of land maintained by Grounds Maintenance; 74 structures maintained by Building Maintenance Division; 566,988 square feet maintained by Facility Services Division; and 331 vehicles maintained by the Fleet Maintenance Division. Budget Review - Planning Services Mr. Jonathan Marshall, Planning Services Director, reviewed the proposed budgets for Planning, Community Development (housing repair and rehabilitation), Transportation (van system), Zoning and Erosion Control. He discussed recent changes that have been made in the van transportation system to keep costs within budgeted amounts. Also, he reported that negotiations are continuing with transportation service providers in efforts to keep the level of trips up with the same amount of funding. Budget Review - Public Safety Services Mr. Mike Downs, Director of Public Safety Services, reviewed the proposed budgets for Public Safety Services, including Public Safety (Emergency Management and Fire Marshal), Building Inspections and Emergency Medical Services. Mr. Clifton briefly reviewed the Emergency Services Study that was presented to the Board last year. This study addressed such .fire service issues as the annexation of fire districts by municipalities, the lack of volunteers and. the fact that fire services are not equal throughout the county. Some solutions could include the merger of volunteer fire departments, contracts with municipalities or contracts with different fire departments. He advised that the Board would need to look at this study and to consider what options to pursue for future fire services in Cabarrus County. Mr. Downs reported that staff is updating the Emergency Services Study at this time. Chief Charles Greene of Harrisburg Fire and Rescue presented a request for a fire tax increase of three cents for the Harrisburg Fire District. He stated the Department has-.spent its cash reserves and that increased funding is needed for additional paid staff, capital improvements at the fire station and the replacement of the ladder truck. There was lengthy discussion regarding the request for the fire tax rate increase. Issues addressed during the discussion included the following: (1) the growth in the Harrisburg area; (2) the possibility of Harrisburg Fire and Rescue becoming a municipal department of the Town of Harrisburg; (3) the number of paid employees and the recommended salary increases for those employees; (4) the increase in the district's tax base since 1996. Mr. David Hampton, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Director, and Mr. Day presented a proposal to increase ambulance fees in order for the County to receive the increased Medicare reimbursement rates. Currently the County charges $345.00 for all transports. The recommended fee schedule was as follows: $350.00 - BLS (Basic Life Support - No medications); $400.00 ~ ALS-1 [Advanced Life Support, No more than two (2) medications]; and $450.00- ALS- 2 [Advanced Life Support, three (3) or more medications and one (1) or more advanced care procedures, intubations, surgical airways, chest decompressions, etc.]; $5.00 per mile - Loaded Miles for Transport of Patients. The proposed fee schedule will be on the Agenda for the June 17tn meeting for adoption by the Board. Budget Review - Recreation Mr. Steve Little, Parks and Recreation Director~ presented a brief overview of the Livable Community Blueprint.