The Wise County Board of Supervisors met in a Recessed Meeting on Wednesday, May 17, 2000, at 6:00 p.m. in the Board of Supervisors Meeting Room located in the Wise County Courthouse.  The following were present:

Honorable Robert Adkins - Chairman

Honorable Virginia Meador - Vice-Chair

Honorable Doug Mullins

Honorable Edgar Mullins

Honorable Douglas Stallard

Honorable Jeffrey Salyers

Honorable Donnie Dowell

1. Resource Officer Application/Signature Authorization

2. J&DR Court Teleconferencing/Signature Authorization

IN RE:  RESOURCE  OFFICER

Wise County Public Schools and the Wise County Sheriff's Department want to apply for continued funding for the two schools that currently have resource officers through the Sheriff's Department, J.J. Kelly High School and Coeburn High School.  The officers currently in these schools have been trained to be school resource officers and have made a big difference in decreasing fighting and use of drugs in these schools.

The grants only pay for salary and benefits and the school system will pay for the local share based on Wise County's composite index of .2237.  The cost of the salaries and all benefits for both officers will be $66,562 with a local share of $14,890, which will come from the school board's budget if funded.

The grant application requires that the applicant must be the local unit of government regardless of who administers the grant.  These applications are renewable up to four years and are due in Richmond on June 2.

A motion was made by Doug Stallard, seconded by Jeff Salyers, to authorize the Chairman to sign the grant application for the two Resource Officers.

There was some discussion as to why the resource officer for Pound High School is processed through the Town of Pound and not the School Board and the Sheriff's Department.

After further discussion, Doug Mullins made a substitute motion to consider this request at the recess meeting since the Board has so many unanswered questions.

Administrator Scott explained that it is his understanding after speaking with Suzanne Lawson that all the schools wanting a resource officer have submitted such an application.

Noting that this application must be in Richmond by June 2, Mr. Mullins withdrew his substitute motion.

Chairman Adkins asked for a vote on the motion to authorize the Chairman to execute the grant application.

Aye-Bob Adkins                  Nay-Virginia Meador

        Doug Stallard                       Edgar Mullins

        Jeff Salyers                          

        Doug Mullins

        Donnie Dowell

        Betty Cornett

Virginia Meador objected to items being brought before the Board on short notice with no time to review and study the request.

IN RE:  JUVENILE DOMESTIC RELATIONS'S COURT TELECONFERENCING

A grant has been received from the Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) to procure and install video equipment in Juvenile and Domestic Relations Courts and in Juvenile Detention facilities.  This equipment will allow the court to connect to the Highlands Detention Home in Bristol and to other detention homes in this area.

This video arraignment and conferencing capability will reduce the need to transport the detainee to and from the court for detention hearings and other hearings.  This will also increase public safety, save on staff time and travel expenses, increase coordination and interaction among the judges, the detention home staff, courts services and the clerk's office.

There was a brief discussion on the proposed cost to the County.

After further discussion, a motion was made by Doug Stallard, seconded by Doug Mullins, to authorize the County Administrator to execute the grant proposal to secure funding to procure and install video equipment in Juvenile and Domestic Relations Courts and in Juvenile Detention facilities. 

Aye-Doug Mullins      Nay-None     Abstain - Virginia Meador

        Edgar Mullins

        Robert Adkins

        Betty Cornett

        Donnie Dowell

        Doug Stallard

        Jeff  Salyers

IN RE:  BUDGET  REVIEW

Administrator Scott reviewed and discussed with the Board the following four (4) options regarding the budget and noted that at the last meeting the Board asked that he make $500,000 in additional cuts from the original handout (Option #1):

Option #1, the original handout, reflected an anticipated general fund balance of $1.5 million.

Option #2 reflected additional cuts to the general fund accounts with the exception of education totaling approximately $203,000.00.  

Option #3 cut the education budget an additional $296,923.00 above and beyond the first $259,500.00.

Option #4 , recommended by the County Administrator, had additional cuts to the School Board of  $130,800.00 in addition to the $259,500.00 in the first cut.

Both options #3 & #4 also included those cuts to general fund department budgets totalling approximately $203,000.00.

There was some discussion on additional employees at the landfill.

After further discussion, a motion was made by Edgar Mullins that funds be included in the budget to hire back for one (1) year, three (3) part-time people that were laid off in December 1999 at the landfill.  Doug Stallard seconded the motion.

Nay- Doug Mullins              Aye-Doug Stallard

         Betty Cornett                     Edgar Mullins

         Robert Adkins                    Donnie Dowell

         Virginia Meador

         Jeff Salyers

Motion failed.

RECESS

The Board took a brief recess at 7:20 p.m.

The Board reconvened its meeting a 7:30 p.m.

There was further review of the budget requests that were made from the different departments.

After considering all the needs for legal counsel, Doug Mullins asked that the Board consider budgeting for a full-time attorney. 

Betty Cornett asked that the $20,000 that had been requested by the Treasurer for the Judicial Sale be placed back in the budget

Doug Mullins asked that $10,000 be added to the budget for the WISE-Radio Station as was budgeted last year.

There was some discussion on the importance of the reserve which has been set aside for next year and the fact that the Board needs to be very selective in granting requests that have not been budgeted.

Doug Mullins made a motion to fund WISE Radio Station in the County Wide Discretionary Fund in the amount of $10,000 for FY 2000/01.   Virginia Meador seconded the motion.  The motion was unanimously approved.

A motion was made by Virginia Meador to fund the tourism 101 Car in the amount of $1,000.  Doug Stallard seconded the motion.  The motion was unanimously approved.

Donnie Dowell recommended that the line item under Sheriff Jail be cut an additional $25,000 and add said amount back for the Regional Jail. 

Administrator Scott noted that he saw no areas in the jail from which the $25,000 could be cut.  He suggested taking the funds from the detention line item.

Edgar Mullins made a motion to keep the Board's Discretionary money in the budget for next year.  Donnie Dowell seconded the motion.

Nay- Betty Cornett            Aye - Edgar Mullins

         Doug Mullins                     Donnie Dowell

         Robert Adkins

         Doug Stallard

         Jeff Salyers

         Virginia Meador

The motion failed.

Administrator Scott informed the Board that in the different departments where equipment is funded only partially by the State (1/3), said equipment will not be matched by local money but will be taken from another line item in that department's budget.  In other words, if said department wishes to purchase such equipment, those funds will be taken from another line item in their budget.

The Board directed the Administrator to handle such that there is no change to the bottom line.

A motion was made by Doug Stallard, seconded by Virginia Meador, to adopt the #3 budget option for advertisement.

Doug Mullins made a substitute motion to adopt the #4 budget option for advertisement.  Donnie Dowell seconded the motion.

Nay- Edgar Mullins          Aye- Doug Mullins

        Doug Stallard                    Donnie Dowell

        Robert Adkins

        Virginia Meador

        Betty Cornett

        Jeff Salyers

The motion failed.

Chairman Adkins asked for a vote on the main motion to adopt the #3 Budget option.

Aye-Virginia Meador                   Nay-Doug Mullins

        Doug Stallard                              Betty Cornett

        Robert Adkins                             Donnie Dowell

        Jeff Salyers

        Edgar Mullins

The motion carried.

IN RE:  BUDGET ADVERTISEMENT

A motion was made by Doug Stallard, seconded by Doug Mullins, to hold a public hearing on June 1, 2000, at 6:15 p.m. to receive citizens comments on the proposed county budget for FY 2000/01.  The motion was unanimously approved.

IN RE:  TRANSFER OF PROPERTY/LONESOME PINE AIRPORT

A motion was made by Doug Stallard, seconded by Doug Mullins, to hold a public hearing at 6:40 p.m. to receive citizens input regarding the transfer of property located at the LP Airport which is owned by the County of Wise and the City of Norton to the Wise County IDA.  The motion was unanimously approved.

ADJOURN

There being no further business, a motion was made by Donnie Dowell, seconded by Jeff Salyers, to adjourn the meeting.  The motion was unanimously approved.

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