County leaders review projects, discuss insurance

By Lynn Hotaling

During a work session Friday (Oct. 27), Commissioners' Chairman Jay Denton highlighted the various construction projects recently completed or under way with county funding - classroom additions at Fairview, Smokey Mountain Elementary, Smoky Mountain High and Blue Ridge; an expanded new school (current commissioners borrowed additional funds to add an auditorium) at Scotts Creek; a new jail; a new recreational facility in Cullowhee; a C&D transfer station; and an expansion of the county's human services department.

About two-thirds of the $29.9 million borrowed by the county is being spent on education, Denton said.

"People don't have any idea how much we're spending on schools," said Commissioner Conrad Burrell.

Jackson County's recent audit reports have been "excellent," Denton said, and the county's fund balance is about 26 percent. The average fund balance for counties the size of this one is about 28 percent, he said.

At the conclusion of the presentation, which included reports on all county departments, commissioners turned their attention to retiree benefits, a topic that has proved controversial in recent months.

The consensus of board members Friday appeared to be support for a proposal by Denton and Darlene Fox, county finance officer, that would move all retirees to AARP insurance and give them a drug card that will pay 80 percent of the cost of prescription drugs. Total cost to the county to put all retirees on this plan would be $71,332, Denton said. The budgeted amount for retiree insurance is $71,000. The insurance proposal is expected to be on tonight's (Thursday's) agenda.

"I can support that if AARP has agreed to take everyone knowing of pre-existing conditions," said Commissioner Roberta Craword, and Commissioner Stacy Buchanan agreed. Crawford, who was injured in a weekend automobile accident, is not expected to attend tonight's meeting.

County retirees are not presently on the same plan, said Fox. Many are on Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and two are on the county's group plan for current employees. All retirees cannot be switched to Blue Cross, Fox said, because two have pre-existing medical conditions and Blue Cross will not accept them.

The other option, Fox said, would be to move most retirees to Blue Cross and leave the two Blue Cross will not accept on the county policy. However, the county would then assume liability for transplants and would be responsible for 20 percent of claims up to $40,000, she said.

"It would be good to get everybody on the same plan," Commissioner Burrell said.

Other matters discussed Friday included:

- Board members indicated they'd like to reintroduce a proposal for a local land transfer tax to the state Legislature. A resolution to do so is expected to be on tonight's (Thursday's) agenda, Denton said.

Commissioners asked legislators in 1999 to approve such a tax, which would levy a 1-percent fee on the purchase price of real estate at the time a parcel is sold. North Carolina's General Assembly did not grant that authority to any of the state's counties at that time.

- Commissioners discussed the possibility of selling a half-acre, county-owned parcel on Slabtown Road in Cashiers. Purchased as a location for an SRC, the site was later deemed unsuitable for that use. Denton proposed selling it and using the funds generated for paving at existing SRCs.

- County leaders also discussed the increase in number of automobile junk yards in the county and enforcement of state laws that regulate them. Commissioner Buchanan suggested the board research an "axle tax" on unlicensed vehicles to provide an incentive to disposing of some of them.

Jackson County's commissioners will meet in regular session tonight (Thursday) at 7 p.m. in the Justice Center.

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