Mooresville Officials Question County Funding
Kim McKinney
IREDELL CITIZEN
Al Jones, mayor of Mooresville,
led a group of south Iredell citi
zens at the July 13 pre-agenda
meeting in expressing disappoint
ment about funding the Iredell
County commissioners are provid
ing the town’s new library.
The town provided building costs
for the 34,000 square foot project,
Jones explained, but town leaders
considered the county commis
sioners to be in an informal part
nership with the town to contribute
toward operating costs.
Last year the county provided
funding of $553,030 for the
Mooresville library. For 2004
2005, Mooresville requested dou
bling that support to $1,174,004.
However, the approved 2004-2005
budget only raised the appropria
tion by 25 percent to $691,290.
Jones told commissioners that
without an increase the library,
scheduled to open March 2005,
will be extremely short-staffed and
might have reduced hours of oper
ation. He added that the library
would be unable to purchase many
new books and furnishings would
be sparse. He asked the commis
sioners to do all they could to help
them in their dilemma.
Commissioners asked Jones, coun
ty manager Joel Mashbum, library
directors and financial representa
tives from both the county and the
town to meet to see if they could
find dollars in either budget to
soften the blow to the library. They
will report back to commissioners
at a later date.
Jones also asked for financial par
ticipation in the regional transit
service that operates bus service
between Mooresville and Charlotte
each day. The cost of the service,
which is not covered by the $4
one-way fee, is around $200,544.
The town of Mooresville asks the
county to pay $50,136, or half the
portion not covered by Mecklenburg
County, since the service benefits
Iredell county residents and helps
meet air quality non-attainment
goals for the county. Commissioners
expressed skepticism saying they
feel that the system should be self
supporting, but agreed to consider
the request.
During other business commissioners:
•Approved an amendment of the
economic development incentives
for Lowe’s Companies, Inc. The
amendment provides a five-year
incentive grant to be awarded to
Lowe’s after one year’s payment
of ad valorem (property) taxes.
That was a change from the prior
requirement of five years of property
tax payment for construction of a
new hangar/building at the
Statesville airport. In addition,
Lowe’s was given a grant for the
location of Lowe’s aircraft in
Iredell County. The grant will
begin after six years and will be
based on the aircraft’s value in
the prior five years. The grants
will occur for five years,
provided aircraft of the same
value remains in Iredell County.
The grants will be based upon
.0036% of the assessed value of
the building and the aircraft. There
will be no cap on grant amount
assessed.
•Approved a contract presented by
Lee Darnell, EMS Director, to
outsource billing operations. EMS
Management & Consultants, out
of Lewisville, was awarded the
contract. They currently work with
85 EMS services around the state.
Commissioners also approved a
contract with EMS medical director
Dr. Stephen Folstad.
•Approved changes in zoning to
Mooresville properties including:
A request from Richard D. Boone
to amend the River Highway Corridor
Land Use Plan to rezone a portion
of property located at Pinnacle
Lane and Hwy 150W from Resort
Residential to General Business -
Conditional Use District; a request
from Woodland and Waterview LLC
to rezone property located at 1454
Brawley School Rd. from
Residential Agricultural to •
Residential Office District; and a
request from JT Alexander Jr.
to rezone property located on
Langtree Rd. from Residential
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•Approved a request from
Emergency Services Director
Tracy Jackson to add a member to
the local emergency planning
committee from the Iredell County
Firefighters Assoc. Jackson also
advised commissioners of two
vacancies on that committee.,
•Approved change orders for the
new county library, in the amount
of $33,317.
•Approved an additional $3,000
appropriation for the Lake
Norman Marine Commission.
•Heard an update of current projects
and upcoming projects from planning
supervisor Ron Smith.
•Heard from members of the Lake
Norman Volunteer Fire Department
about financing of a new fire station
at Brawley School and South
Fork Rd. in Mooresville.
Commissioners asked them to get
financing plans by the fire tax
board and return with a report at
the next meeting.
•Approved refinancing obligations
of the Iredell County Rescue Squad.
•Approved a grant project ordinance
and a request allowing Chairman
Steve Johnson to sign various
documents regarding the FlexSol
Community Development Block Grant.
•Agreed to be fiscal agent for a
Governor’s Crime Commission
Grant for the Unity Children and
Family Services Agency.
•Approved Marvin Norrnan as a
voting delegate to the NC
Association of County
Commissioners conference in
Asheville August 19-22.
•Wayne Suratt, of the Plaza
Appealers handbell team, asked
commissioners for written support
for their handbell team at the
Senior Games State Finals in
October of 2004. Surratt said that
the seniors have raised all but
$500 and are looking for community
support.
•Appointed Stephen Issak, Donna
Young and Steven Michael
Sexton to the Juvenile Crime
Prevention Council. Three
appointments remain open for the
Adult Care Home Community
Advisory Board.
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