County weighs funds for jail
By Steve Herring
Published in News on February 16, 2015 1:46 PM
Capital project ordinances for a new misdemeanant jail and an agriculture center are expected to be adopted by Wayne County commissioners when they meet Tuesday.
The ordinance for the detention center would cover fiscal budget years 2014-15 and 2015-16, while the one for the agriculture center would cover fiscal years 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17.
A capital project ordinance allows funding to stretch across several budget years instead of having to be appropriated each year.
The meeting will begin with an agenda briefing at 8 a.m., followed by the formal session at 9. Both will be held in the commissioners' meeting room on the fourth floor of the Wayne County Courthouse Annex.
The jail would be built on the old Mason department store property on North William Street. The jail is in the design phase and will cost an estimated $10 million. The price includes design, additional land purchase and full construction.
Commissioners have already set aside $5 million for the jail and County Manager George Wood is recommending that another $5 million be earmarked from the fund balance in the budget's general fund.
The plan is to have the project ready to bid out this coming spring.
The county also has committed $2 million for the agriculture center that could cost up to $14 million. Wood is recommending the amount be increased to $4 million.
During a recent breakfast meeting with local legislators, commissioners asked what the possibility is that the state would help fund the project. A bill filed in the previous session seeking $3 million stalled.
During the meeting, lawmakers were not optimistic about that funding. However, they told commissioners there is a "50-50 chance" that the state could chip in $1 million to $2 million.
Sen. Louis Pate suggested that the $2 million local contribution would not be sufficient to sway lawmakers to justify support for such a bill.
He suggested the county set aside more.
There are two items under the board's consent agenda.
The first is to establish a public hearing on March 3 at 9:15 a.m. on Public Finance Authority Charter School Revenue Bonds. The bonds would finance the acquisition, construction, reconstruction, renovation, equipping, and/or any other capital expenditures and related expenses for Wayne Preparatory Academy on 1404 Patetown Road.
The amount is not to exceed $25 million per school. The county is not liable for the debt.
The second is a petition to add Aurora Lane to the state road maintenance system.
In other business Tuesday commissioners will:
• Watch video update on the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners legislative goals.
• Act on budget amendments.
• Consider a motion to declare 103 N. Slocumb St. as surplus property and authorize Goldsboro to sell the property under its existing policy.
• Consider a recommendation on a change to the Wayne Health Corporation bylaws and two appointments.
• Hold work sessions on a recommendation on a minor change to the Emergency Services Cost Recovery Ordinance and on a financial review through Jan. 31, 2015.
Public comments will be taken at 10 a.m. when people will have four minutes to speak on the topic of their choice.