SPECIAL BOARD MEETING of June 14, 2007, with Mayor Pro Tem Amy Patterson and Commissioners Alan Marsh, Hank Ross, H. N. James, and Dennis DeWolf present.  Mayor Mullen was out of Town.

Also present were Richard Betz, Bill Harrell, Kim Lewicki, and Linsey Wisdom.


I.    Call to Order.

The Mayor Pro Tem called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.


II.    Business.

1.    The Board discussed the proposed FY 07-08 budget presented on May 30 in some detail, covering several topics.  The consensus of the Board was to make the following changes to the budget:

● Include $50,000 for immediate silt removal in Big Creek around     the water intake, as discussed on May 30.

● Include $100,000 for the Greenways Committee.

● Include $100,000 for stormwater projects, grant applications,     and ordinance preparation, as recommended by the Public     Works Committee.

● Include $50,000 to begin clearing additional land at the     Cemetery.

● Include $150,000 to be placed in a silt removal fund for the     future, similar to the Town Hall fund.

The Board also agreed to cap donations to non-profits at $50,000, per previous policy, and thus to approve the following donations:

● Hudson Library    $14,000
● Highlands Historical Society    8,696
● Bascom-Louise Gallery    27,305

The Board also agreed to set an ad valorem tax rate of 13.5%, rather than the 12.5% recommended as the revenue-neutral rate; the tax increase is estimated to generate $2,388,346 in revenues based on the new revaluation.

The Town Administrator said that he had met with Recreation Director Selwyn Chalker and they recommended an annual salary of 6-1 ($19,382) for Dale McCall, as discussed at the previous meeting.

2.    MOVED BY COMM. MARSH, SECONDED BY COMM. DEWOLF, AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION PURSUANT TO G. S. §143-318.11(A)(6) TO REVIEW INDIVIDUAL SALARY RECOMMENDATIONS.
All present left the room except the Police Chief and the Town Administrator.

    The Police Chief reviewed salary recommendations in his Department, then left the room.

    The Town Administrator updated the Board on the Planning Director position.

    The Town Administrator then presented his individual salary recommendations for all Departments for FY 07-08.

MOVED BY COMM. DEWOLF, SECONDED BY COMM. ROSS, AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED TO GO INTO OPEN SESSION.

3.    Comm. Ross expressed concern over the number of items on the June 20 agenda and the limited time available.  It was agreed that Mitchel Sorin and John Fisher would be asked to present their preliminary report on the Town Hall architectural study, and the Pine Street Park Committee would be asked to make their report, at the budget meeting scheduled for 7:00 p.m. June 27, instead of on June 20.

4.    The Board briefly discussed attending County Commissioner meetings.


IV. MOVED BY COMM. JAMES AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED TO ADJOURN.

There being no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was declared by the Mayor Pro Tem at 8:20 p.m.



                         ________________________________
                        Richard Betz, Town Clerk