RFP Staff
♦On Monday evening the Rowan County Commissioners Chairman Jim Sides, Vice-Chairman Craig Pierce, Jon Barber, and Mike Caskey were present. Commissioner Chad Mitchell was absent due to the passing of his grandfather.
A complete video of this evening’s commission proceedings, devoid of slant and opinion, will be provided at the end of this article.
Yesterday’s meeting concerned itself with a discussion of the 2013-14 county budget. As the video reveals some disagreement existed among the commissioner’s present on how much the county should allocate to the Rowan-Salisbury School System. The school system requested almost a $5 million dollar increase, yet the County Manager Gary Page suggested the county budget would slash funding by $225,000. Page’s recommendations were built upon a projected enrollment decrease and maintains current per-pupil spending.
The county budget maintains the property tax rate at 62.25 cents per $100 of value. This rate would generate a $417,000 increase in collections over the current year. The budget would draw $7.4 million dollars from the county’s reserve fund.
County employees, according to the proposed budget, will receive pay raises based on years of service and the elimination of four positions.
Other key discussions were the hearing on a solar farm to be constructed in Gold Hill and the county’s involvement with the Rowan-Salisbury Human Relations Council.
The meeting:
http://rowancountync.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=385
