(A summary of decisions made by the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners)

BUDGET UPDATE
County Manager Harry Jones gave the board an update on how the current economic situation is impacting the County's operating budget for both the current and upcoming fiscal year.

FY09

To address a funding gap, the County Manager has directed the following spending reduction steps:

• Immediate County hiring freeze
• 15% reduction in non-salary accounts ($21M)
• Requested reductions in County funding from its partners CMS, CPCC, Library, MEDIC and Carolinas Healthcare System ($9M)

The County Manager will review the proposed reductions later this week and anticipates implementing most of these reductions immediately. Those reductions involving policy decisions or that significantly alter the County's course of operations will be brought to the Board for additional input.

FY10

The County Manager reported a $70 million preliminary gap between current year funding and projected revenues for FY2010. To address this gap, which is likely to increase as budget estimates are refined, the County Manager has taken the following steps:

• County departments, Library, MEDIC and other agencies will identify reductions of 20% from the current year
• Request to CMS, CPCC and WTVI to share the burden of eliminating the gap by considering a 10% reduction from current year's funding.
  

County Manager Harry Jones reported that if County departments had to assume the full burden of eliminating the $70 million gap, it would require the County to eliminate 800 to 1,000 jobs and layoff approximately 500 employees.  Manager Jones indicated his intention to retain jobs and people when possible, but that many County employees would potentially be put out of work if the County's key business partners, especially Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, do not share the responsibility for eliminating this funding gap.

Capital Spending

The Board decided to conduct a review of $1.3 billion in authorized but unissued capital projects on  March 11 and April 28.  This review will include a report on the debt capacity available under the County's debt policy.

CLOSED SESSION RECORDINGS
The Board adopted a policy for the audio recording of its closed session meetings. The recordings will be available to the public as soon as the Board approves minutes of the meeting. The recordings will be retained for two years after they become public unless the Board directs that they be retained longer.

STREET LIGHTING ASSESSMENT
The Board held a public hearing and approved a street lighting assessment for 14 subdivisions. Homeowners in these subdivisions went through a petition process that qualified the subdivisions for funding in the form of a loan for the installation and operation of street lights. Homeowners will be assessed for these costs until the subdivisions are incorporated into the City limits as a result of annexation.

HARDING UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL BAND
The Board recognized the Harding University High School Band, which performed during the Presidential Inaugural Parade last month in Washington, DC.

WHITEWATER CENTER UPDATE
The Board received an update on the financial condition of the U.S. Whitewater Center, which was built and operated by a private company on County-owned park land. 

As part of its agreement with the Whitewater Center, Mecklenburg County agreed to pay a maximum annual service fee of $1 million for

seven years, unless the Center generates revenue in excess of its operating and debt costs. For the fiscal year ending October 31, 2008, the reported revenues did not exceed operating expenses plus debt service so Mecklenburg County is obligated for the entire $1 million service fee, which is already approved in this fiscal year's operating budget.

This is the second full year that Center has been in operation. It has not been able to generate sufficient income to make the required principal payments on its outstanding debt of $38 million.

CRISIS ASSISTANCE FUNDS
As part of its consent agenda, the Board amended the Department of Social Services budget by adding $1 million in US Department of Energy funds.  The additional funding will assist Mecklenburg residents with heating and cooling needs through the end of FY2009. Crisis Assistance Ministries will continue to administer these funds to those eligible. This brings the FY2009 total of these Crisis Intervention Program funds to $4.2 million, compared with $2.6 million last year.