BC 1990 12 27 - Laserfiche WebLink

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647 The Board of Commissioners for the County of Cabarrus met in recessed session in the Commissionersv Conference Room at the Cabarrus County Governmental Center in Concord, North Carolina on Thursday, December 27, 1990, at 4:30 P.M. Present - Chairman: Billy J. Simmons, Jr. Commissioners: Jeffrey L. Barnhart Carolyn B. Carpenter Kenneth F. Payne Absent - Commissioner: William G. Hamby, Jr. Mr. Michael M. Ruffin, County Manager, reported that neither Dr. Ralph Johnston, Kannapolis City Schools Superintendent, nor Dr. Jesse Register, County Schools Superintendent, could present the Schools Capital Improvement Program requests on this date. The Kannapolis Board of Education has not given its final approval of the proposed program and the Cabarrus County Schools Program has not yet been completed. Presentation of these programs will be scheduled at a later date. Dr. Robert Lorish, Area Director for the Piedmont Area Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Authority, reviewed the operation and services of the Piedmont Area Mental Health Center. He requested funds to construct a Community Care Services Center on a site in proximity to the existing Mental Health Center for care of the chronically mentally ill, the mentally retarded, and people with developmental disabilities. Dr. Lorish noted that services are currently being offered in facilities in five separate locations and that the rental expenses are creating an unnecessary cost to the operating budgets. Construction and equipment costs for the proposed facility were estimated at $1,322,000.00. Secondly, Dr. Lorish requested that the Board consider the construction of a Family and ChildrenVs Center to meet the special needs of the 0 to 5 population in the county and to provide early intervention services to those children and their families. Such a facility would include participation by Public Health, Mental Health, Social Services, hospital pediatric services, and the school systems. Chairman Simmons requested Dr. Lorish to work with the Health Director and Social Services Director to prepare cost estimates involving construction costs, operations costs, etc. This matter will be considered by the Board at a later date. Mr. Aubrey Attkisson, Emergency Services Director, reviewed the operation of the County's Emergency Medical Services and its growth in recent years. He discussed the required relocation of Station Number 2 due to the construction of the new cloverleaf interchange at the intersection of Highways 601 and 49. Also, Mr. Attkisson addressed the need for a new facility larger than the current main station on Willowbrook Drive in order to have adequate training space for the staff. In order to resolve both needs, he proposed that the main ambulance station be located on a site near Central Cabarrus High School and that the current main station on Willowbrook Drive become Station Number 2. Mr. Ken Griffin, Architect, presented plans for the construction of a 6500- square foot ambulance facility at a site near Central Cabarrus High School. He estimated the cost of the facility at $523,000.00. Other projects presented by Mr. Attkisson included the construction and operation of an Ambulance Station Number 4 in the Midland area and Ambulance Station Number 5 in the Odell area. The estimated cost for each of these stations was $201,000.00. Mr. Attkisson explained that these stations were needed to provide an eight-minute response by paramedics to citizens in the southeast and northwest portions of the county. Commissioner Payne questioned the construction of a driveway behind the Social Services Department for employees in that complex. The Board instructed Mr. Ruffin to investigate the status of this driveway. UPON MOTION of Commissioner Barnhart, seconded by Commissioner Payne with Commissioners Barnhart, Payne and Carpenter and Chairman Simmons voting for, the Board authorized the purchase of the Edna Hancock property in the amount of $84,500.00 with Ms. Hancock to retain the alarm system and fence around the house and with the County to pay the relocation expenses which included the closing costs of approximately $1,200.00 and moving expenses of approximately $2,300.00. Mr. Michael M. Ruffin, County Manager, reported that Mr. James F. Cook, Jr., Social Services Director, had requested that the Board schedule a special meeting to discuss the Job Opportunities and Basic Skills (JOBS) Training Program which is scheduled for implementation by the Department of Social Services on July 1, 1991. The Board agreed to meet at 4:30 P.M. on January 14 to discuss the JOBS Program as well as the County Schools Capital Improvement Program requests. The Board by consensus agreed to schedule a Saturday breakfast to meet with local legislators.