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<br />
<br /> The Board of Commissioners for the County of Cabarrus met in special
<br />session at 7:00 P.M. on Thursday, February 27, 1997, for a presentation by the
<br />Alternative Revenue Sources for School Capital Expenditures Task Force. The
<br />meeting was held at the Charles A. Cannon Memorial Library Auditorium, 27 Union
<br />Street, North, Concord, North Carolina.
<br />
<br />Present - Chair: Sue B. Casper
<br /> Vice-Chair: Carolyn B. Carpenter
<br /> Commissioners: Jeffrey L. Barnhart
<br /> Kenneth Mills
<br /> Franklin C. Niblock, Jr.
<br />
<br /> Also present were Mr. Frank W. Clifton, Jr., County Manager; Mr. John Day,
<br />Deputy County Manager for Operations; Mr. Jonathan Marshall, Planning Services
<br />Director; and Mrs. Frankie F. Bonds, Clerk to the Board.
<br />
<br />Chair Gasper called the meeting of the Board to order at 7:00 P.M.
<br />
<br /> Members of other elected boards were recognized. A quorum was present for
<br />the Concord City Council, Kannapolis City Council and the Cabarrus County Board
<br />of Education. Several members from the Mt. Pleasant Board of Commissioners,
<br />Harrisburg Town Council and the Kannapolis City Board of Education were also
<br />present. In addition, the following Alternative Revenue Sources Task Force
<br />members were present: Mr. Tim Lowder, Mr. Leonard Sossamon, Mr. Dick McMillan,
<br />and Mr. Bill Williams.
<br />
<br /> Mr. Clifton gave a brief overview of the Alternatives Revenue Sources Task
<br />Force. The Task Force was appointed by the Board of Commissioners in April, 1996
<br />to develop recommendations for revenue sources to pay for anticipated school
<br />capital needs in the future. Members of the Task Force were as follows: Mr.
<br />Scott Barringer, Mayor, Town of Mt. Pleasant; Mr. David Bluto, Bluto Builders;
<br />Mr. Bachman S. Brown, Jr., Chairman, Kannapolis Chamber of Commerce; Mr. Frank
<br />W. Clifton, Jr., Cabarrus County Manager; Mr. Ronald Davis, Senior Vice
<br />President, First Union National Bank; Mr. Tim Lowder, member of the Cabarrus
<br />County School Board; Mr. R. Gene McCombs, Kannapolis City Manager; Mr. Dick
<br />McMillan, Craven & Company; Mr. Kenny Propst, Chairman, Cabarrus Chamber of
<br />Commerce; Mr. Leonard Sossamon, Concord City Manager; Mr. Bill Yandell,
<br />President, Cabarrus County Homebuilders' Association; and Mr. Bill Williams,
<br />member of the Harrisburg Town Council. Staff support was provided by Mr.
<br />Jonathan Marshall, Planning Services Director; Mr. Mike Downs, Development
<br />Services Director; and Planning staff members.
<br />
<br /> Mr. Marshall presented a summary of the Task Force's report. He stated the
<br />Task Force analyzed both alternative revenue and non-revenue strategies for
<br />responding to school capital improvement needs. The Task Force considered the
<br />following revenue methods during its work process: (1) Designated School Tax; (2)
<br />Local Option Sales Tax; (3) Impact Fees; (4) Land Transfer Tax; (5)
<br />Seat/Entertainment Tax; and (6) Local Income Tax. In addition, the Task Force
<br />considered the following non-revenue methods: (1) Building Permit Gaps; (2)
<br />Downzoning/Rezoning; (3) Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance; and (4)
<br />Alternative School Scheduling. The Task Force recommended the following course
<br />of action for the elected boards of the County, the municipalities and the school
<br />systems:
<br />
<br />Re-consider permitted residential development densities and
<br />location including the ratio of residentially zoned land to
<br />that zoned for non-residential uses.
<br />Develop and adopt an adequate public facilities ordinance.
<br />Develop a legislative plan, work with the local delegation,
<br />and lobby the legislature for a general alternative tax menu
<br />or specific local legislation. This recommendation is to
<br />pursue the two revenue options of an additional one cent local
<br />option sales tax and a one percent real estate transfer tax.
<br />Further, the Task Force recommended that if these methods are
<br />authorized for the County that they only be employed after a
<br />referendum by the citizens that approves their use.
<br />
<br /> Mr. Williams, Mr. McMillan, Mr. Sossamon and Mr. Lowder made brief comments
<br />about their participation as Task Force members, the Task Force recommendations
<br />and the urgency in meeting school facility needs in Cabarrus County.
<br />
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