The air was thick as the commissioners again struggled through discussions about who is sitting where, who said what, and where are the banks at, but they pushed through the agenda at the Bladen County Board of Commissioners’ first meeting of the new year.
The most important, pressing issues on the agenda Monday evening were the items concerning the over $19 million detention and law enforcement center construction project.
County Manager Greg Martin reminded the commissioners the county did receive the USDA Rural Development loan agreement, and the county must secure funds for financing until the project is complete with interim financing and hold a public meeting. Monday evening served as the public hearing on the matter.
According to Martin, requests for proposals were sent to the banks in the area from the county, and none of the banks have submitted a proposal.
Martin said, “Unfortunately, that’s going to put us in a tough situation. Hopefully, we will get our application in.”
The application needs to be sent to the Local Government Commission (LGC) this week in order for the approval of the installment purchase to be on next month’s agenda for the LCG’s approval, however, without any proposals from any banks the county is at a stop sign in the road.
Martin did say if at least one of the banks sends a proposal by Tuesday, January 5, the county will still have time to send in the application to LGC to be on their February agenda.
The county has followed back up with the banks the requests for proposals were sent to, and according to Martin, several bankers have been out for the holidays. The application was approved and the commissioners heard from Blair Bordeaux, vice-president with Bordeaux Construction Company, Inc. out of Durham provided an overview of the a proposed Guaranteed Maximum Price, related to a detention and law enforcement center construction project.
The Guaranteed Maximum prices of the project was forecasted between $16,533,982 and $19,343,543, according to Bordeaux.
The commissioners adopted a resolution for approval of financing agreement for the new detention and law enforcement center after hearing from Bordeaux.
More items covered…
A policy was set in place for assigned seating for the board of commissioners’ chair, vice chair and past chair seating positions at the meetings after several heated discussions and a split decision.
Commissioner Michael Cogdell asked again what his motion in a passed meeting included in reference to the non-profits’ contributions from the county. Martin explained the approved motion Cogdell made at a past meeting was for the non-profits receive the same allotment as the year prior.
Cogdell said, “That was not my intentions with that motion. All I asked was if the money was appropriated give the money to the non-profits.” He made a motion and it was seconded by Commissioner Blanks to removed his pasted approved motion and replace it with a motion to distribute all the funds allocated for non-profits to the five non-profits applying for funding this year.
Commissioner Charles Ray Peterson responded to Cogdell’s request by saying, “We are a county that doesn’t have a lot of money, and if you have any left over does not mean you have to spend it.”
Peterson continued on the subject, “We had five out of the ten non-profits apply this year. If we give all the allocated money to the five that applied this year and other non-profits try to apply we will not have any money to give them.”
Peterson made a motion to leave the previously approved motion as it was previously approved by the board. Commissioner Jimmy Smith seconded the motion and the motion carried with all in agreement except for commissioners Cogdell, Blanks and Bullock.
Keaton was welcomed and introduced to the public as the new Human Resources Director of Bladen County. Keaton officially began her new job duties with the county on December 14th, 2015, however, Martin, County Manager introduced the seasoned professional Monday night. READ MORE (link to story about Keaton)
Commissioner Cogdell and BladenOnline.com owner Charlotte Smith asked the board if the board meetings could be recorded. Cogdell asked if the meetings could be voice recorded and maybe video recorded for the board’s record.
Smith asked if the commissioners’ meetings could be video recorded for her media outlets. Commissioner Wayne Edge told Smith the meetings could be recorded and to follow up with the county manager to see what steps should be taken to begin recording.
The commissioners tabled Cogdell’s request to have the meetings recorded to research the cost of the recordings.
There are 17 advisory board appointments to be voted on at the next meeting. After the commissioners reviewed the list and approved the Single-Family Rehabilitation Program (SFR15) agreements the commissioners heard the upcoming calendar of events and went into closed session for a personnel matter.
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