MINUTES
 
WATAUGA COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
 
 
SPECIAL MEETING, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2007
 
 
            The Watauga County Board of Commissioners held a special meeting on Wednesday, September 12, 2007, in the Commissioners’ Board Room in the Watauga County Administration Building, Boone, North Carolina. Those present were: Vice-Chairman Winkler, Commissioner Cooper, Commissioner Kinsey, Commissioner Moretz, County Manager Nelson, Assistant County Manager Geouque, and Clerk to the Board Fogle.
 
                [Clerk’s Note: Chairman Deal was out of town.]
 
            Vice-Chairman Winkler called the meeting to order at 4:04 P.M.
 
            Commissioner Kinsey opened the meeting with a prayer.
 
            Mr. Marty Moser with Barnhill Construction, Inc. and Mr. Mike Kesterson with Vannoy Construction, Inc. reviewed bids received for the early site package for the high school.  Eight bids were received for the earthworks package; four bids were received for the retaining wall package; and five bids were received for the asbestos removal package.
 
            Mr. Kesterson and Mr. Moser recommended the following bid awards: Taylor & Murphy with alternate #4 for the earthworks package; Hartwall & Power for the retaining wall package; and Environ Holdings for the asbestos removal package. The Guaranteed Maximum Price was to be $7,153,103 which was 12.7% of the total project budget.
 
            After discussion, Commissioner Kinsey, seconded by Commissioner Moretz, moved to approve the early site package with the Guaranteed Maximum Price of $7,153,103 and with the following bid awards: Taylor & Murphy (with alternate #4) for the earthworks package; Hartwall & Power for the retaining wall package; and Environ Holdings for the asbestos removal package.
 
VOTE:   Aye-4(Winkler, Cooper, Kinsey, Moretz)
              Nay-0
              Absent-1(Deal)
 
County Manager Nelson stated that staff had interviewed construction testing firms which would conduct the required inspections for both the site preparation and construction materials for the new high school. The County Manager presented staff’s recommendation to retain S&ME for the construction testing firm at a rate of approximately .5 to 1% of the overall project budget (approximately $350,000 to $700,000) depending upon the amount of testing required.
 
            Commissioner Cooper, seconded by Commissioner Moretz, moved to approve S&ME as the construction testing firm for the high school project as presented by the County Manager.
 
VOTE:   Aye-4(Winkler, Cooper, Kinsey, Moretz)
              Nay-0
              Absent-1(Deal)
 
            The County Manager presented a schematic plan for the new high school which was recommended by the Watauga County Board of Education. This plan was to approve the footprint of the building.
 
            Commissioner Moretz, seconded by Commissioner Cooper, moved to approve the schematic design as recommended by the Board of Education.
 
VOTE:   Aye-4(Winkler, Cooper, Kinsey, Moretz)
              Nay-0
              Absent-1(Deal)
 
            County Manager Nelson presented a funding request for the new high school project that included allocating $3,132,029 from the Capital Reserve Account with the intent to reimburse the County when COPS financing was received.
 
            Commissioner Kinsey, seconded by Commissioner Moretz, moved to approve the funding allocation as presented by the County Manager.
 
VOTE:   Aye-4(Winkler, Cooper, Kinsey, Moretz)
              Nay-0
              Absent-1(Deal)
 
            Vice-Chairman Winkler adjourned the meeting at 4:41 P.M.
 
 
William R. Winkler, III, Vice-Chairman
 
ATTEST:
Anita J. Fogle, Clerk to the Board