Published: May 30, 2008 12:33 pm         

County cuts funding to airport board

Magistrates questioned money cuts to the local airport board and accepted agreements with Montgomery County for housing female prisoners at its latest meeting.

County Treasurer Michele Jessee also was praised for her good work with the county’s budget as the audit report for the fiscal year ending June 30 was returned flawless.

During a regular re-scheduled fiscal court meeting Nov. 22, Judge-Executive Jim Nickell and all the magistrates commended Jessee for a job well done.

“The auditor said everything is in good shape and has absolutely no discrepancies,” Nickell said. “In fact, there were no compliance issues at all.” The court then made a motion to accept the audit report.

Meanwhile, magistrate Nick Caudill continued to ask the court to allow additional funding for the arts foundation. Nickell once again told Caudill the county pays all the utility bills for the group and therefore the $10,000 from the county and $10,000 from the city would have to do.

The court then made a motion to sign an agreement with the Montgomery County Detention Center to take female prisoners at $30 per person, per day, including medical. “We will continue our contract with Carter County, but we want to also have this agreement with Montgomery in case we need them,” Nickell said

Magistrate Ray White said an individual with the Rowan County Airport Board had contacted him about the county cutting the group from the 2007-08 budget.

Nickell said the cut would only be for one year as the county’s budget was tight. “They have $332,000 in their budget right now and they can get additional funding from other places if needed,” Nickell said. “We are working on a very slim budget and just tell them we will try to add them back in during the next fiscal year.”

Four representatives with two health care providers addressed the court with proposals for a potential health care package for the jail.

The bids came from Health Professional at the price of $84,115.34 each year; Advanced Correctional Health Care’s bid was $92,139.80 and Southern Health Partners’ at $104,400. No representatives with Southern attended the meeting.

The court made a motion to accept all bids and agreed a decision would be made once all submissions were reviewed. Nickell asked each representative to return to next month’s meeting with a presentation of each bid.

Other items discussed during the meeting included six people appointed to local boards for a term of four years. Earl Alderman Jr. and Rita Bradt were chosen to serve the solid waste board and J.D. Reeder, Christine Barker and Joanne Setser were appointed to the Rowan County Arts Foundation. Likewise Dr. Robert Wolfe was selected for the Rowan County Library board.

Court was adjourned with the next meeting set for June 17.