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County retreat bill was $3,512
by Bob Shiles, Staff Writer
5 months ago | 1391 views | 10 10 comments | 12 12 recommendations | email to a friend | print
Sonny McDowell, left, of Grayco Detection Equipment, Surfside Beach, S.C., and Capt. Jeff Martin and Major Terry Harris, both of the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office, discuss county jail security with Robeson County commissioners at the county’s retreat. | Staff photo by Bob Shiles
Sonny McDowell, left, of Grayco Detection Equipment, Surfside Beach, S.C., and Capt. Jeff Martin and Major Terry Harris, both of the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office, discuss county jail security with Robeson County commissioners at the county’s retreat. | Staff photo by Bob Shiles
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LUMBERTON — Robeson County officials say that the work they accomplished at last week’s three-day retreat in Ocean Isle Beach far exceeds the retreat’s price tag of $3,512

Ken Windley, the county’s manager, calls the retreat a “good deal for the county.”

Windley said the total cost includes $1,700 for 13 rooms for two nights, renting a conference room, and food. Those county employees required to make the trip to the beach to present information to the eight commissioners drove county vehicles, he added.

Windley also said that Commissioners Tom Taylor and Lance Herndon paid their own retreat expenses. He said that cost each commissioner $270.

Last week’s retreat, held at The Winds Resort Beach Club, was the second time that a coastal community in Brunswick County has been the site of the work session. Last year’s retreat was held at the Sea Trail Golf Resort in Sunset Beach.

The cost of last year’s retreat was $5,315. That total included $850 in consulting fees for Ron Aycock, the former director of the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners, and his son, Chris, president of the Aycock Group. Chris Aycock was present at the retreat because he specializes in such areas as retreat facilitation, strategic planning and organizational behavior.

This year Windley acted as the facilitator.

The commissioners last week discussed several issues over the three days, including recycling; the county’s 2010 property revaluation; space needs, both at the courthouse and the county jail; establishment of a pharmacy as part of a wellness program for county employees; and expansion of the county landfill in St. Pauls.

The commissioners have already taken action on two other issues discussed at the retreat — setting a referendum for voters to decide if they want to pay more sales taxes and less property taxes, and agreeing to participate in a gas-provider program that could save the county as much as $100,000 annually.

“The retreat was very successful,” Windley said. “It helped give me the direction the commissioners want to go now and in the future as we prepare our next year’s budget.”

Noah Woods, the board’s chairman, also gave high marks to the retreat. He said that as a former school administrator he had often participated in similar retreats and found them to be beneficial.

“This retreat was very informative and cost effective,” Woods said. “If we can do something that is cost effective, we are not wasting county money.”

Herndon and Taylor both said their decision to pay for their own expenses was handed down to them.

“I just wanted to follow the tradition of my grandfather,” Herndon said. “He always paid his way to out-of-town meetings,”

Lance Herndon’s grandfather was long-time Commissioner Bill Herndon, who died in November 2007.

Taylor’s father, H.T. Taylor, served on the county Board of Commissioners from 1972 to 1988.

“My father always paid his way and I have always done the same,” Taylor said. “I feel that’s my obligation. I didn’t become a commissioner for the taxpayers to give me anything. I did it to do something for the taxpayers.”
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comments (10)
« BubbaD wrote on Saturday, Feb 06 at 04:58 PM »
With the shape the county is in financially, you should be looking at every way possible to cut spending. If that means having to meet in Lumberton in a closed conference room-that's what you should do. Turn your cell phones off. You could get as much accomplished in Lumberton and you could at the beach. It just looks better. I can go to the beach one day, get a meal, and come back home and I've spent over $100.00 easy. I read that the courtroom is too small. You guys just spent God knows how many million on that old building. Why didn't someone do a justification and to see if building a single story steel building (or whatever kind)was economically justifiable. I'm sure the folks in Robeson county don't hold any sentimental value concerning the location of the old courthouse-tear it down. It's an eye sore in my opinion. That place needs to be torn down and turned into a garden or parking lot. You don't have to keep spending millions on millions to upkeep it and expansion after expansion. Build a new building! But you need to do it when the time is right. The time just now is not right. I know people that are in the process of trying to sell their homes here in the county because they are having to pay so much in property taxes. The value of most people's property has plunged considerably, but I bet during the retreat nothing was mentioned of reducing the property taxes to what the actual values are considered now. A $450,000 home last year is only worth about $360,000 this year. If that's the value for the home this year, shouldn't that reflect in the person's real property taxes? I just don't get it. We have the poorest county in the state, and you guys sit there and try to figure out how to get every dime from the hard working people in the county you can. You should be trying to figure out how to clean up the county and try to bring industry into the area. Just think how much money you could generate by having a liter patrol! These people that throw trash out on the side of the road should have to pay considerable fines. I ride behind people who constantly throw out beer cans, and even whole bags of garbage. I could be writing tickets and giving out fines like crazy. Get some unmarked cars on the road and start writing some tickets. If nothing else, we would start seeing the county with less trash next to the road. I be honest with you, it is so embarassing for me to drive down our roads. I am so embarassed, when people ask me where I am from, I tell them that I am from Carolina Beach. I won't tell them that I live in Robeson county. If I were a new and upcoming company or industry, one ride down our roads would change my mind about moving my business here. Everywhere you look are junk cars outside people's homes. The junk yard next to 711 and Lowe Road-that place is unbelievable. I can't believe we haven't made that guy clean that mess up! If it's not cleaned up, it should be covered up or hiddened. I would give this guy 10 days to get that mess cleaned up. I love what we're doing with the garbage dumpsters now. That is so much better and organized. But that is not enough. Seriously, let's start a liter patrol and see what happens. Having to pay $250 for an empty soda pop can would get people to start thinking. I have to pick up trash out of my front yard everyday. I shouldn't have to do this. People come by and throw beer bottles into your yard, it makes me so angry. You'd be surprised how much revenue 4 or 5 cars would generate. It wouldn't take long either that the fines and tickets would pay off. Once the county got cleaned up, who knows you might not need the patrol anymore. I think its something worth looking into. E-mail me at cccbroughton@gmail.com
« mrlumbee3 wrote on Friday, Feb 05 at 10:11 AM »
Kudos to Mr. Taylor and Mr. Herndon. We need more politians like them in the county.

Mr. Wood, needs to step up and do the same. He needs to set a better example for his fellow Lumbee's that look up to him. I'm sure he can afford a room and gas to these retreats.

I served on a board and seen all the wasteful spending. I was the only one that contested wasteful spending, but majority rules. It's always easy spending someone else's money.

« alexallen wrote on Thursday, Feb 04 at 10:29 PM »
Get over it!

Yes they went. Yes they did work. The thing that people just can't grasp, is they got more work done by being away than they would have if they were here.

This practice of going on retreats is commonplace all over. Sure you can go behind closed doors at home but it doesn't have the same effect. It seems to me that the people that are negative about the situation have never had the responiblity or even thought through some of the things these elected officals have to deal with. It isn't easy voting on or even suggesting a tax rate change.

If they had went and stayed at the MB strip and played golf all week long then that is one thing. But they didn't, they took a trip to a hotel. Worked on county affairs for three days and then came back.

Start understanding that these trips happen, they will continue to happen. The most important thing is that the work got done. It not just Robeson Co. elected officals that do it.

Cantbelievepeople,

If my water line burst, guess who's going to pay for it. ME. Would I like it, probably not. I'm sorry but it is your own responsibilty to heat your own home. You can get by without water for a day or two from cold weather. But, heat? You have to provide that for your self. Can't afford to have heat? Shouldn't have had three kids.

« seattledoglover wrote on Thursday, Feb 04 at 10:27 PM »
No one said how much the entertainment was! I bet that cost alot!! I agree money *WASTED*!

Have your meetings local, support the local resturants with a cater and there ya go a win win situation. Atleast for the TAX payers in this county.. next thing we know we will have a headline>"TARNISHED COUNTY GOVERNMENT"

maybe thats where it all started! who knows...
« RClady wrote on Thursday, Feb 04 at 10:26 PM »
GladToHearIt:

http://www.robesonian.com/view/full_story/5688282/article-Cramped-courthouse-poses-biggest-need-for-county?

http://www.robesonian.com/view/full_story/5700209/article-County-wants-bump-in-sales-tax?

http://www.robesonian.com/view/full_story/5705418/article-County-retreat-ends-with-recycling?
« GladToHearIt wrote on Thursday, Feb 04 at 06:15 PM »
Why is every heading starting with the amount of money spent - that sets the tone for negative thinking. More detailed information on what was discussed with a copy of the agenda included would have been more beneficial than the cost of the retreat...
« ROSSisRIGHT wrote on Thursday, Feb 04 at 06:01 PM »
Tom Taylor needs to run for president in '12. Imagine this county if everyone thought about taking responsability for themselves like Tom. They would then be discussing a tax rate of 5 cents on the $100 evaluation instead of the current .80 cent. Stop the spending on entitlement programs and put that resposability back on their family and their friends. We are forced to pay this tax rate but never get anything in return. How about the people who pay a higher tax rate our kids be allowed to have free school lunches, or free tutering, or once a week our groceries are paid for, or how 'bout a lottery ticket, since none of us ever waste our money on them.... just thinking....
« TIREDOFTHECRAP wrote on Thursday, Feb 04 at 04:02 PM »
“This retreat was very informative and cost effective,” Woods said. “If we can do something that is cost effective, we are not wasting county money.”

Newsflash, this same meeting could have been held locally behind closed doors @ the same building you guys have County Council meetings, couldn't it? Catered locally, maybe? Don't tell me you aren't wasting tax dollars. My momma didn't raise no fool....
« cantbelievepeople wrote on Thursday, Feb 04 at 03:51 PM »
Called 3 of the commissioners just prior to the retreat, none has yet to call me back.. While they where down at the retreat one of their constituent was at home with three kids, no water and no heat. This lady's water line had brust due to the extreme cold weather and she was unable to paid her water bill, we had someone you was nice enough to pay it for her, yet the county would not forgo the reconnection fee. But the county can spend $3500.00 on a retreat. Ocean Isle is 75 mile away instead of spending two nights they could have driven back and forth.
« mrlumbee3 wrote on Thursday, Feb 04 at 03:42 PM »
“This retreat was very informative and cost effective,” Woods said. “If we can do something that is cost effective, we are not wasting county money.”

What crock of bull. This is just an small example how local government is wasteful.
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