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June 13, 2002 Page 372 The Board of Commissioners for the County of Cabarrus met in recessed session in the Multipurpose Room at the Cabarrus County Governmental Center in Concord, North Carolina on Thursday, June 13, 2002, at 6:00 p.m. Present - Chairman: Robert M. Freeman Vice Chairman: Robert W. Carruth Commissioners: Coy C. Privette Richard D. Suggs Absent - Commissioner: Arne L. Fennel Also present were Mr. Frank W. Clifton, Jr., County Manager; Mr. Blair Bennett, Deputy County Manager for Administration; Mr. John Day, Deputy County Manager for Operations; Ms. Pam Dubois, Assistant Finance Director; Ms. Cathie Straub, Budget Officer; and Mrs. Frankie F. Bonds, Clerk to the Board. Chairman Freeman called the meeting to order at 6:02 p.m. Commissioner Suggs was absent for the beginning of the meeting. Commissioner Privette gave the invocation. Adoption of the Agenda UPON MOTION of Commissioner Privette, seconded by Vice Chairman Carruth with Commissioner Privette, Vice Chairman Carruth and Chairman Freeman voting for, the Board adopted the Agenda as submitted with the addition of a budget amendment for the Department of Social Services. Budget Review - Piedmont Behavioral Healthcare Mr. Chuck Hill, Director of the Cabarrus Center of Piedmont Behavioral Healthcare, presented a brief overview of that agency's budget request. The annual appropriation is based on a per capita funding method. Mr. Dan Coughlin, Area Director of Piedmont Behavioral Healthcare, discussed reforms in the Mental Health System. He stated that counties will have three options to provide mental health services: (1) Set up a County Mental Health Program; (2) Continue with the current Area Mental Health Authority; or (3) Develop a new program through interlocal agreements for areas having an aggregate population of over 200,000. There was general consensus that Cabarrus County intends to continue' with the current Area Authority. A resolution will be on the Agenda for the June 17th meeting to formalize this intent. Commissioner Suggs arrived at 6:20 p.m. and was present for the remainder of the meeting. Cabarrus Health Alliance Dr. William F. Pilkington (Chief Executive Officer of the Cabarrus Health Alliance and Health. Director) and Mr. Charles Phillips (Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Public Health Authority) presented an overview of the FY 2003 budget request. Funding is provided to the Health Alliance on an established per capita of $25.66. Items highlighted during the budget presentation included continuation of support for the West Nile Virus project, restaurant inspections, reduction in staff due to cutbacks in State funds and the continuing increase in costs for the school nurse program. Department of Social Services Mr. Jim Cook, Social Services Director, presented the 2001 Annual Report for the Department of Social Services (DSS) and the proposed FY 2003 budget for DSS. He discussed the changes that have occurred in the Community Alternatives Program (CAP), including a State freeze on the program and a reduction of the reimbursement rates by the State for case management and in- home aides. As a result of those changes and the loss of revenue, Mr. Cook proposed that DSS continue to provide case management for CAP and to contract with Good H~alth Services (a staffing agency) to provide all in-home aides. This would result in the elimination of 195 part-time in-home aide positions through a reduction-in-force. However, the in-home aides would have the opportunity to become employees of Good Health Services. Ms. Pam Dubois, Assistant Finance Director, reviewed DSS budget changes that have been made since preparation of the FY 2003 preliminary budget. Those adjustments were as follows: (a) Reduce purchased services $36,000.00