County to Look at Staff Vacancies for Savings

Nick Picerno has served on the Board of Commissioners since 2008. Glenn M. Sides

As of Saturday, May 19, 2012

Moore County Commissioners have asked County Manager Cary McSwain to re-examine the proposed budget and see if any vacant positions can be eliminated to save money.

Commissioner Nick Picerno, who has helped develop the spending plan for the coming year, expressed dissatisfaction with several areas of the budget during a hearing on the subject Thursday night.

Commissioners’ Chairman Larry Caddell, Commissioner Tim Lea and Picerno were present for the special meeting, held at the Agricultural Center in Carthage. Commissioners Jimmy Melton and Craig Kennedy were absent.

Picerno said he had a particular problem with the areas in which spending cuts were occurring.

“What bothers me is that spending needs to be prioritized,” Picerno told McSwain, who presented the budget May 1. “I believe that public education should have high priority in funding, as well as law enforcement, but over the past few years law enforcement has seen the largest cuts. A lot of the cuts that Cary has given us tonight are in that department, so I have asked the county manager to go back and take another look at this issue.”

Picerno said that vacant job positions in the county system are one area in which McSwain could implement cuts.

“We don’t want to fire anyone or lay off anyone, but I was shocked to see the number of vacancies there are in the system. Now would be a good time to scrutinize which positions could be eliminated.”

A county employee in the audience stated that there were 27 vacant positions in the county, while Lea said his understanding was that there were 35.

“I take responsibility for this (misunderstanding about budget priorities),” Picerno said. “I didn’t give him (McSwain) very good direction.”

Each of the three commissioners talked briefly to the more than 30 county employees and others who gathered to hear the budget presentation.

Addressing the county employees present, Caddell called himself “the eternal optimist.”

“As a business owner, I never laid off employees or cut their salary or benefits. I was blessed to be in that position. As a commissioner, I have always felt that you deserved good government, which is why I have decided to stay for 23 years. You should have people sitting on this board who are conservative and take care of your money, but times are tough. Our goal was to try to hold the line on the budget and not have a tax increase, and we will try to do the best we can.”

Lea said that budgets “are tough, sensitive, and impacting. Whatever road we take, it impacts peoples’ lives.

“Washington, D.C., has a $16 trillion debt, and Moore County is doing the same thing with the debt that we are accumulating,” he said. “A lot of county employees say they are concerned about what the county manager is doing with the budget and with their health care benefits, but not one time has a county manager ever approved a budget. That lies with the county commissioners. It’s a nice political move because he gets hit instead of us. But you should talk to us rather than the county manager, because that’s our responsibility.”

Lea, who is stepping down from the board later this year, said that the commissioners will have to make “some really hard decisions” over the next few years.

“The board will have a lot of debt to deal with in the coming years,” he said. “So that everyone understands, there is debt in many areas, including water, schools, the new detention center and more. Adding or expanding the new detention center could cost $20 million that would increase to $40 million with interest. The school system will soon need either a new high school or an expansion of the three existing high schools at a cost of $45 million in principal and $60 million with interest.

“We’re going to be responsible for another $100 million for future water needs. If we agree to the Robbins water proposal, we’re looking at $29 million for Phase I and Phase II capital costs, which means $40 million with interest. We’re looking at over $200 million, and the public needs to know that.”

Picerno said that he found comparing Moore County government with the federal government “offensive.”

“There’s a big difference between Moore County government and Washington, D.C.,” he said. “They’re accumulating debt in D.C. while we’re paying down. We’re not borrowing money. Our budget is balanced.”

No formal action was taken regarding the budget at Thursday’s event. Another hearing will be held at an as of yet undetermined date.

Contact John Lentz at (910) 693-2479 or jlentz@thepilot. com.

More like this story

Toda 1 year ago

"Picerno said that he found comparing Moore County government with the federal government "offensive."

Sorry Nick but compare the Washington big spenders per-capita [nation-wide] and the 68,000 citizens here in Poorer County one has to look at economies-of-scale. Taxpayers are well on there way to 200 million in debt; that is if the new dentition center doesn't start sinking due to shifting soils. No pilings were driven, and perimeter drainage will not suffice carrying away only surface water. Debt is debt until it is paid in full. Interest is considered debt until it's paid. A contract is a contract until the terms of the contract are met. Borrowed money on bonds are debt, and until reconciled, a contract is a legal binding document.

So that means interest included in a debt is debt until relinquished by payment. The county has accrued so much interest debt that the debt alone will not permit a reduction in our tax base. As long as new properties are coming on-line for sale, more income is derived from new taxes from homeowners buying in this area. What happens when that bubble bursts?

DaveyNC 1 year ago

Hey, here's an idea for some cost-cutting. Drive through the parking lot at Carriage Oaks in Carthage any time of day and take note of all of the county vehicles sitting there unused. Unload 'em and start paying employees mileage for the use of their personal vehicles. There are always a dozen or more cars and trucks just sitting there, not being used.

Bflat 1 year ago

So, Picerno now realizes that cost cutting measures are required to pay for the big JAIL-Public Safety building. Once again, poor planning and lack of foresight for what it really will cost is going to result in a tax increase. If you have not seen that huge monstrosity on McNeill St, then take a look....built next to wetlands, soil being packed around it, possible poor weight distribution and springs on the land will result in ongoing problems.

P.S. the photo of Picerno is 4 yrs old.

cantstandya 1 year ago

Have the anticipated problems with the new Detention Center been verified by an independent engineering firm or are they being blown out of proportion,if they are real and are exspected to have an impact down the road would it be wise to confront them now rather than later,have heard and read many problems with this structure and find it hard to believe with all the engineers and architects involved that this would be going on so late in the game,just wondering how much is to be taken as fact.

alladat1 1 year ago

Good explanation Toda - It really is easy for our elected officials to spend other peoples money.

citizen 1 year ago

@Davey -- Excellent observation and suggestion! Commissioners, are you listening (reading?)? Or does this suggestion make entirely too much sense to be considered?

jon 1 year ago

I hope the people in Moore County are a little smarter than to hear more accusations without facts. Our budget is balanced. If you know anyone who works at the Sheriff's Office or Jail, you would understand the need for the "Detention Center" as it is called. It is really the new Detention Center, new 911 Center, new Sheriff's Office and more. And counties accrue debt when they are in a position to upgrade buildings such as these. But, we still did not raise taxes and have a balanced budget. I take offense to Commissioner Lea comparing our county to DC, who has out of control spending and no plan to stop it. Has anyone's taxes been raised in the county? Is our county not paying it's bills? The answers are no. We are a very responsible county who is taking care of business in a very educated and prudent way. We are a very blessed county to have the things we have without higher taxes. Many counties are not able to do the things we have done without raising taxes, which shows how well our leaders have taken care of our money.

Toda 1 year ago

jon to answer some of your questions, the electrical company has an interest in resolving issues which will probably end up in court.

site bore holes prior to building on the site reveled underground springs emanating from the high ground around the site. "Wet Lands" are being destroyed by the contractor. Clay is a most unpredictable soil since it "heaves" when it becomes wet and contracts when it dries. Soil conditions would require steel pilings to support the footings and foundation. The county should release ALL change orders to date to see how much concrete was over poured as well as rebar.

One of the site managers was quoted as saying, "the land is really not a good option to build upon due to soil shifts".

County Commissioners have a reprieve from raising taxes until sales on homes stagnates again and revenue shortfalls become a realized reality with an approaching debt threshold of 200 million dollars.

The County Board of Commissioners should come forward and inform the public about "their" detention center, "when they are in a position to upgrade buildings such as these"?

Initially the public was told that the New Detention Center was a addition to the existing facility. The overwhelming building that looks like a Federal Detention Center in downtown Carthage, is a far cry from an "upgrade".

This board may hold the tax liability but what about the next board to follow in the wake of a rising debt tide?

SoPinesNo1 1 year ago

More misinformation. The population of Moore County is approximately 90,000 per the following link.

http://accessnc.commerce.state.nc.us/docs/countyProfile/NC/37125.pdf

That's 22,000 more that TODA states, or nearly 1/3 more, but anything to give his statements more impact, right?

How are we to believe anything that TODA claims in these blogs?

Toda 1 year ago

SoPinesNo1 => try registered voters in Poorer County. Keep trying to discredit me and I'll keep the facts coming.

BTW: You obviously know that Lee McGraw, hand picked mayor of Carthage, works for Southern Software; and Jon is Jon McKenzie who works for Jimmy Melton.

see a pattern here? who do you work for? Southern Software as well? Keep hiding, not too long from now, The Pilot may change their on-line service and people who hide behind their screen names will will have to step up to the plate like real people....Tommy Davis

Toda 1 year ago

CORRECTION: John McKenzie works for Jimmy Melton. Apparently someone is logging on using his name to contribute to the boards.

cantstandya 1 year ago

Toda, You seem to have more knowledge than most who are directly involved in the construction of the Detention Center,my question to you would be ,are there currently problems being exposed due to the site on which it is being built or are these assumptions as to what will happen in the future,I guess what I am asking is it already showing signs of stress and some degree of structural failure,just asking as I just have a hard time believing all is well when I hear so many different stories on this monument.

LeeMcGraw 1 year ago

Tommy, you are a smart guy. Don't be stupid. I ran on my own. You now owe me an apology.

Bflat 1 year ago

Actually taxes have been raised in the County in the form of value added taxes. Look at your cell phone bill and cable bill. There ya go! Moore County Telecom tax every time you pay your cell phone bill. Look at your cable bill. Ah yes, where did that Moore County tax come from?

SoPinesNo1 1 year ago

TODA What is your point? Are you trying to say that only the registered voters are tax payers? Look at the numbers from the latest primary, ther registered voters don't even vote, and they are certainly not the only ones paying taxes.

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