WARREN COUNTYBOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

APRIL 21, 2010

6:00 PM

WARREN COUNTY COURTHOUSEMAIN STREET

WARRENTON, NC

Work Session Agenda - April 21, 2010

Department Head Reports (5 min): Christopher Wright, Emergency Services

Elgin Lane, Human Resources

1-Recommendation for Health and Dental Insurance Carrier for Fiscal Year 2010-2011 – Elgin lane, HR Manager

2-Bryant Pitchford, County Ranger (introduction to the Board)3-Hicks Landscape Contractors, Scott Hicks (Concerning trespassing)4-David Mackowski, (Concerning disposal of construction waste)5-Turner Business Appraisers, Inc. – James Turner & Eddie Mitchum6-Kerr Tar Council of Governments Housing Conditions Study

Survey & Assessment 7-Noise Ordinance – County Manager, Linda T. Worth8-Proposed Ethics Policy for Officials, Clerk to the Board,

Angelena Kearney-Dunlap9-County Government Celebration:

a. Sons & Daughters to Work Dayb. Block Party

4:30 pm Meeting at Cooperative Extension

Building

Department Head Reports

(keep to 5 minutes each)Christopher Wright, Emergency

Services

Elgin Lane, Human Resources

April 21, 2010 Worksession

Item #1

Elgin Lane, Human Resources Manager

Recommendation for Health and Dental Insurance Carrier for Fiscal Year 2010-2011

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April 21, 2010 Worksession

Item # 2

Bryant Pitchford, County Ranger

Wants to introduce himself to the Board of Commissioners.

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April 21, 2010 Worksession

Item # 3

Hicks Landscape Contractors, Scott Hicks

Wishes to address the Board concerning trespassing.

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April 21, 2010 Worksession

Item # 4

David Mackowski

Wishes to address the Board regarding disposal of construction waste.

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We are weekend residents and taxpayers at Lake Gaston.  We have recently experienced a problem and need some assistance.  We have been remodeling our weekend home when we come to the lake on Fridays and leave on Monday mornings in time to get to the office.  Easter Weekend we replaced a window in our master bathroom.  While we were at it we removed drywall and decided to install better insulation in the walls.  We loaded the debris on our truck and took it to the convenience site on Wise Five Forks Road.  They turned us away and would not take our debris.  We were told we would have to go to the transfer station.  The transfer station is only open during the week when we are not here.  What are homeowners supposed to do with their construction debris on the weekends.  There are several weekend residents that this will affect.  As residents, we believe that either the transfer station needs to have weekend hours or the convenience site needs to accept construction debris from homeowners.  I cannot take time off from my work schedule to empty debris during the week.

Thank you for any advice or assistance you can offer.  I am sorry I will be out of town for the next couple of weeks on business and will be unable to come to the meeting on Wednesday night.  Please feel free to contact me at 919-422-8612 if you need further information.

David Mackowski148 Old Mill RoadMacon NC  27551252-257-3439 weekends919-422-8612 weekdays

April 21, 2010 Worksession

Item # 5

Turner Business Appraisers, Inc.

James Turner & Eddie Mitchum

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April 21, 2010 Worksession

Item # 6

Kerr Tar Council of GovernmentHousing Condition Survey and Assessment

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April 21, 2010 Worksession

Item # 7

Proposed Amendments to “Warren County Noise Ordinance”

County Manager Linda T. Worth

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April 21, 2010 Worksession

Item # 8

Proposed “Warren County Ethics Policy for Officials”

Clerk to the Board, A. Kearney-Dunlap

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PROPOSEDCOUNTY OF WARREN

ETHICS POLICY FOR OFFICIALS

Policy PurposeThe proper operation of democratic government requires that:•Public officials be independent, impartial and responsible to the people;•Governmental decisions and policy be made in proper channels of the governmental structure;•Public office not be used for personal gain; and•The public have confidence in the integrity of its government.In recognition of these goals, an ethics policy for County of Warren officials is hereby adopted. The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines for ethical standards of conduct for all such officials by setting forth those acts or actions that are incompatible with the best interests of the County.Policy StatementCounty of Warren officials shall: •Obey all local, state and federal laws. •Uphold the integrity and independence of his/her office or position, yet be responsive to the needs of those he/she represents in an advocacy capacity.•Avoid impropriety in the exercise of the board member’s official duties; demonstrate the highest standards of personal integrity, truthfulness and honesty in all their public activities. •Faithfully perform the duties of the office.•Conduct the affairs of the County of Warren in an open and public manner, including complying with all applicable laws governing open meetings and public records.•Participate in establishing, maintaining, and enforcing the standards of conduct and disclosure as set forth in this policy.•Per NC General Statute § 160A-84 all County officials shall provide a record of Ethics Education to be filed with the County Clerk. DefinitionsThe following words, terms and phrases, when used in this policy, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

Business entity  means any business, proprietorship, firm, partnership, person in a representative or fiduciary capacity, association, venture, trust, or corporation which is organized for financial gain or for profit.  County official  means the chairman, members of the County Board, County appointees to advisory boardsImmediate household  means the county official, spouses and all dependents of the County official.  Interest  means direct or indirect financial, fiscal, economic, or material benefit accruing to a County official as a result of a contract or transaction which is or may be the subject of an official act or action by or with the County. For the purpose of this policy, a County official shall be deemed to have an interest in the affairs of:  (1)   Any person in his/her immediate household, as such term is defined in this section;(2)   Any business entity in which the County official is an officer, manager or director;(3)   Any business entity in which in excess of five percent of the stock of, or legal or beneficial ownership of, is controlled or owned directly or indirectly by the County official; or(4)   Any nonprofit organization on which the County official currently serves as an officer, manager, director, or board member.Official act or action  means any legislative, administrative, appointive or discretionary act of any County official.  Standards of Conduct(a)   Scope.  All County officials shall be subject to and shall abide by the standards of conduct in this section.   (b)   Interest in contract or agreement.  No County official shall have or thereafter acquire an interest in any contract or agreement with the County.  (c)   Use of official position.  No County official shall use his/her official position or the County's facilities or resources for private gain, nor shall he/she appear before or represent any private person, group or interest before any department, agency, commission or board of the County except in matters of purely civic or public concern. Members of the County Board shall refrain from using their position to unduly influence the deliberations or outcomes of advisory board proceedings. County officials shall represent the official policies or positions of the appropriate board to the best of their ability when designated as delegates for this purpose. When presenting their individual opinions and positions, officials shall explicitly state they do not represent their body or the County of Warren, and shall avoid any inference thereof. This subsection is not intended to prohibit a County official from speaking before neighborhood groups and other nonprofit organizations.(d)   Disclosure of confidential information.  No County official shall use or disclose confidential information gained in the course of or by reason of his official position for purposes of advancing:  (1)   His/her financial or personal interest;(2)   A business entity or non-profit organization of which he/she is an owner in part or in whole, an officer, manager or a director; or(3)   The financial or personal interest of a member of his/her immediate household or that of any other person.

(e)   Incompatible service.  No County official shall engage in or accept private employment or render service for private interest, when such employment or service is incompatible with the proper discharge of his official duties or would tend to impair his independence of judgment or action in the performance of his official duties, unless otherwise permitted by law and unless disclosure is made as provided in this policy.  (f)   Gifts.  No County official shall directly or indirectly solicit any gift or accept or receive any gift having a value of $50.00 or more, whether in the form of money, services, loan, travel, entertainment, hospitality, thing or promise, or any other form, under circumstances in which it could reasonably be inferred that the gift was intended to influence him/her, or could reasonably be expected to influence him/her, in the performance of his official duties, or was intended as a reward for any official action on his part. Legitimate political contributions shall not be considered as gifts under this subsection.  (g)   Special treatment.  No County official shall grant any special consideration, treatment or advantage to any citizen beyond that which is available to every other citizen.  Disclosure of Interest in Official ActionAll County officials who have interest in any official act or action before the Board shall publicly disclose on the record of the Board the nature and extent of such interest and shall withdraw from any consideration of the matter if excused by the Board.

General Disclosure Statement(a)   Every County official shall file with the County clerk, on June 1st of each year, a “Conflict of Interest Statement” containing the following information:(1)   The identity, by name and address, of any business entity or nonprofit organization of which he/she or any member of his immediate household is an officer, manager, director, or board member, or in which in excess of five percent of the stock of, or legal or beneficial ownership of, is controlled or owned directly or indirectly by such person. Additionally, the County official and spouse shall give the names of their employers or, if self-employed, shall state the nature of their work.(2)   The identity, by location and address, of all real property located in the County of Warren or area of consideration for annexation by the County of Warren, owned or leased by the County official or any member of his immediate household, including an option to purchase or option to lease for ten years or more, other than his personal residence. (b)   The statements required by this section shall be filed on a form prescribed by the County clerk and are public records available for inspection and copying by any person during normal business hours. The County clerk is authorized to establish and charge reasonable fees for the copying of statements.

Investigations; Filing of ComplaintsThe County Board, by majority vote, may direct the County attorney to investigate any apparent violation of this policy, as it applies to any County official and to report the findings of the investigation to the County Board. Any person who believes that a violation of this policy has occurred may file a complaint in writing with the County Board when a County official is the subject of the complaint.

Hearings on Violations; Sanctions; Rights of Accused at HearingsIf the County Board, after the receipt of investigation findings, has cause to believe a violation of this policy has occurred, shall schedule a hearing on the matter. The County official who is charged with the violation shall have the right to present evidence, cross examine witnesses, including the complainant and to be represented by counsel at the hearing. If, after such hearing and a review of all the evidence, the County Board finds that a violation of this policy has occurred, it shall take, by majority vote, whatever lawful disciplinary action deemed appropriate, including but not limited to reprimand, suspension, demotion, termination of service, or adoption of a resolution of censure which shall be placed as a matter of record in the minutes of an official Board meeting. The County official accused of a violation of this policy shall not vote in these proceedings. If, after hearing proceedings, the CountyBoard, by majority vote, determines that no violation has occurred, the County Board agrees to reimburse the accused County official for legal expenses incurred for the purpose of the hearing. Advisory Opinions

The County of Warren does not attempt to deny County officials the opportunity to acquire, retain, or pursue private interests, economic or otherwise. However, these interests may potentially conflict with their responsibility in public office. When any County official has a doubt as to the applicability of any section of this policy to a particular situation, or as to the definition of terms used in this policy, he/she may apply to the County attorney for an advisory opinion. The County official shall have the opportunity to present his/her interpretation of the facts at issue and of the applicability of sections of this policy before such advisory opinion is made.

April 21, 2010 Worksession

Item # 9

County Government Celebration

Angelena Kearney-Dunlap, Clerk to the Board

April 22nd – Daughters & Sons to Work dayApril 23rd – Block Party on Courthouse Square

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