MINUTES
 
WATAUGA COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
 
SPECIAL MEETING, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2003
 
            The Watauga County Board of Commissioners held a work session to discuss expansion of the courthouse and draft ordinances on junked cars and solid waste on Monday, September 22, 2003, in the Manager’s Conference Room of the courthouse. Those present were: Chairman Coffey, Vice-Chairman Hodges, Commissioner Blust, Commissioner Honeycutt, Commissioner Trivette, County Manager Nelson, Assistant County Manager Geouque, County Attorney Rebecca Eggers-Gryder, Maintenance Director Robert Marsh, and Planning and Inspections Director Joe Furman.
 
            Chairman Coffey called the meeting to order at 6:04 P.M.
 
The County Manager and Maintenance Director discussed options with the Board on expansion of the courthouse to allow for holding cells, ADA bathrooms, and additional office space. The County Manager explained to the Board that a decision needed to be made about what option if any the Board was going to choose so that initial work could begin and coincide with the completion of the renovations to the Heilig Meyers building. The Board directed the County Manager to place the issue of the courthouse expansion on the agenda for the next scheduled meeting on Monday October 6, 2003.
 
The Board reviewed draft ordinances on junked and abandoned cars, solid waste and the solid waste operations. Considerable discussion followed on each of the ordinances. A straw vote was called on the issue pertaining to fines to be assessed. By a vote of three to two the Board reduced the fine to $100 per day. 
 
VOTE:   Aye-3 (Coffey, Hodges, Honeycutt)
                                                                 Nay-2 (Blust, Trivette)
 
The Board instructed the County Attorney to develop objective criteria in which they would be able to grant hardships to the ordinances. It was the consensus of the Board to incorporate the proposed changes that were discussed during this work session with updated drafts to be prepared by the County Attorney for Board discussion at their October 21, 2003, meeting.
 
Commissioner Honeycutt, seconded by Vice-Chairman Hodges, made a motion to adjourn the meeting.
 
The meeting was adjourned at 9:45 P.M.
 
                                                                                    James Coffey
                                                                                    Chairman
 
ATTEST:
Deron Geouque
Assistant County Manager