BY KARISSA MILLER
The Iredell County Board of Commissioners has adopted a policy that will allow commissioners to participate in board meetings remotely if they are unable to attend in person.
A board member can participate remotely through a cell phone, audio, video or other technology device in real time; however, commissioners who participate remotely will not be counted present for purposes of constituting a quorum.
Chairman James Mallory said the policy, which was approved unanimously by the board on Tuesday, will enhance commissioners’ ability to participate in meetings, but he noted that the board put some “guard rails” on the policy.
One of the guard rails is that the vote of board member who is not physically present for the meeting cannot cast the deciding vote on a matter.
The policy allows commissioners to participate in two meetings remotely per calendar year.
In order to participate remotely, a board member’s physical absence must be due to one of the following:
♦ An illness or medical emergency of the member of an immediate family member,
♦ Out-of-county travel for employment,
♦ Weather conditions, or
♦ Participation in county-related meetings when it is logistically impossible to attend the official board meeting.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business, the board:
♦ Approved proposed text amendments to the land development code after they held a public hearing and heard from no one in the community.
Planning Director Matthew Todd explained that changes were necessary to meet the N.C. Soil Erosion and Sediment Control Model Ordinance. The updates include additions to the Scope and Exclusions, changes to First Time Recipients of Civil Penalty Assessments (CPAs), Remission of Civil Penalty Requests and Transfers of Plans.
♦ Heard a presentation from Martin Starnes and Associates, CPAs on the June30, 2019, audited financial statements. The firm gave the county an “unmodified opinion” or clean audit. This is the highest level of assurance the county can receive and means there were no significant errors found.
♦ Approved a request to accept a Homeland Security Grant Program award for $18,000 for purchasing an all-terrain vehicle. The project will allow Emergency Management to purchase a UTV capable of carrying patients from remote locations and serve as a regional asset available to any of the 10 counties within Iredell’s Domestic Preparedness Region.
♦ Approved a request from Planning and Development, on behalf of Brian Thompson, for the release of 75 percent of the value of an $8,125 cash bond on a recently completed stormwater control pond at 1214 River Highway.
♦ Approved a resolution to formally support the 2020 Census.
♦ Approved a request from Planning and Development, on behalf of Peter Cai, for approval of the release of the remaining $25,000 cash bond on a stormwater control pond at 1264 River Highway.
NEXT MEETING
The next meeting is scheduled for Dec. 3 at the Iredell County Government Center, 200 South Center Street, Statesville. The pre-agenda briefing starts at 5 p.m. and the regular meeting at 7 p.m. Both meetings are open to the public and take place in the commissioners’ meeting room.