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41 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 Monday, February 26, 2001, at 6:30 p.m. Present - Chairman: Arne L. Fennel Vice Chairman: Robert W. Carruth Commissioners: Robert M. Freeman Coy C. Privette Richard D. Suggs Also present were Mr. Frank W. Clifton, Jr., County Manager; Ms. Marilyn Porter, Attorney with Hartsell Hartsell & White (portion of meeting); and Mrs. Frankie F. Bonds, Clerk to the Board. The Midland Town Council met in joint session with the Board.. Present were Mayor Dan Short, Town Council Members L. W. Whitley and Joyce Beatty and Town Attorney Michael Burgner. Chairman Fennel called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. Meeting with Local Legislative Delegation Chairman Fennel announced a meeting would be held at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, March 12, 2001, with members of the local legislative delegation to discuss legislative issues, specifically the impact of the State's budget on Cabarrus County. All Board members, with the exception of Commissioner Freeman who will be out of town, indicated they could attend the meeting to be held at the Red Pig Restaurant. Service Contracts with the Town of Midland Chairman Fennel outlined issues associated with the Midland retroactive property tax. The Town wants to tax real and personal property of Midland residents for the year 2000 in order to qualify for sales tax revenue and other Federal and State funding programs effective July 1, 2001. Chairman Fennel stated the County has already collected taxes, for the year 2000 and does not want to tax the 'Midland citizens again. He listed the following alternatives and issues associated with each: (1) Do nothing and Midland will begin collecting taxes July 1, 2001; (2) Retroactively tax the citizens back to January 1, 2000; (3) Make tax effective November 7, 2000 (date of Midland incorporation); and (4) County provide tax records to Midland and the Town assumes responsibility for sending out the retroactive tax bill. Mayor Dan Short stated the Town needs revenue to provide services to its citizens. He explained the Town must levy a tax for the year 2000 in order to receive revenue from local option sales and use tax, utility franchise tax, intangibles tax reimbursement and inventory tax reimbursement beginning July 1, 2001. The Town must also levy the .tax in order to receive any Powell Bill funding for road improvements. Mayor Short reviewed proposed budgets for Fiscal Years (FY) 2001 through 2003 showing a five cents (5¢) tax rate for FY 2001, a ten cents (10¢) tax rate for FY 2002 and FY 2003 and the reimbursement tax revenues for FY 2002 and FY 2003. Without the 2000 tax levy and reimbursement revenues, Mayor Short projected a deficit in both FY 2002 and FY 2003 after the Town makes appropriations to provide such services as public health and safety, garbage service, fire protection, etc. Mr. Clifton. reviewed sample service agreements and the various fee- based services that the County could provide to the Town, including planning, inspections, erosion control, zoning and alarm ordinance. He stated the County could provide the services for the fees collected, and there would be no direct payment by the Town. .However, the Town would need to adopt the County's fee schedules and ordinances associated with the services. Also, Mr. Clifton stated the County and Town could enter into agreements for other services such as animal control, law enforcement, flood ordinance and mobile home regulations. There is already an agreement for the County to provide tax collection and assessor services for FY 2002 at the standard cost of 1.5 percent of taxes collected for the Town. There was discussion regarding other services the Town plans to provide its citizens and potential revenue sources, specifically garbage collection services and cable franchise fees. Although garbage collection services are not required, Mayor Short explained the Town had promised the service to its residents. Also, he stated the Town would enter into a contract with the Midland Volunteer Fire Department for fire protection services.