By Karissa Minn
kminn@salisburypost.com
SALISBURY — County commissioners approved a new position Tuesday for a deputy to help the sheriff’s office handle a surge of evictions, notices of foreclosure and other civil matters.
The position will be funded through fees charged in these processes, Sheriff Kevin Auten told Tuesday the Rowan County Board of Commissioners.
Beginning Aug. 1, a state law increased the fee for service of process in civil cases from $15 to $30.
Based on the increase and the revenue collected in July and August, Auten said, the county should take in about $311,000 revenue this fiscal year. This would be more than double the money from the previous year.
He said the state law also instructs counties to use at least 50 percent of fees collected “to ensure the timely service of process within the county.”
The sheriff’s office originally estimated the position would cost $90,787 in the first year and $49,012 each year afterward.
But Auten said Tuesday he can cut the first year cost to $53,012 by using existing equipment and an older vehicle.
“What we really need to ask for today would be the salary (and benefits) at $49,012, and $4,000 for a radio. That’s the one thing we couldn’t absorb at this time,” Auten said.
The sheriff’s civil squad currently has nine positions, including a sergeant.
Service of civil process by the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office has increased 70 percent from 1996 to 2011, Auten said. In the past five years, the county’s annual revenue from civil process fees has risen about $105,000 to more than $144,000.
“You would think during these economic times that the crime rate would jump,” he said, “but what we’ve really seen is the civil process issues jump tremendously.”
Auten said evictions are at an all-time high, and one deputy must help landlords move tenants out.
Two full-time deputies serve writs of execution, seizing property to satisfy judgments in lawsuits. Another two deputies are responsible for tax sales in cases of delinquent property taxes.
Three deputies, each funded two-thirds by the Department of Social Services, are assigned to handle child support warrants and social services court appearances.
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Also Tuesday, commissioners sent a proposed fire prevention and protection ordinance to the planning board for review.
Commissioner Jim Sides made the motion after confirming that no one was present to speak at the public hearing.
“This is a large document, and I have several questions,” Sides said. “I know several individuals have questions who found out about it just recently and aren’t in attendance.”
Commissioner Carl Ford agreed, saying he heard from two concerned builders Tuesday.
Under the new ordinance, the fire marshal’s office would begin charging fees for construction permits and operational permits.
The ordinance also would establish fines for fire code violations and clarify local rules.
Ford said he has “an awful lot” of questions about it. The planning board could go through the document in detail, he said, and hold an additional hearing to let the public weigh in.
Commissioner Raymond Coltrain voted against the majority in the board’s 4-1 decision.
“I would hope that the planning department has been involved in the development discussion of this ordinance anyway, so I would think that would cover our bases,” Coltrain said.
Tom Murphy, the county fire marshal, said last week that his office has been working for 18 months to bring Rowan County in line with surrounding local governments and the state fire code.
County planning officials were given input into the ordinance, Murphy said, as well as officials from the city of Salisbury and other interested groups and individuals.
Contact reporter Karissa Minn at 704-797-4222.
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In other business
Rowan County Commissioners also:
• Gave final approval to a conditional use permit allowing Davidson County Broadcasting to build a 1,200-foot radio tower in Mount Ulla.
The citizens’ group that opposed the permit now has 30 days to appeal the county’s decision.
• Delayed a presentation of county health rankings until their next meeting.
• Approved amendments to the county’s zoning and flood damage prevention ordinances.
• Designated Zion Organ Lutheran Church, located at 1515 Organ Church Road, as a historic landmark. The designation includes the property’s stone church, Sunday school building, council building and cemetery.
• Authorized the Juvenile Crime Prevention Council to apply for $89,619 in state funds for a Rowan County Youth Services Bureau proposal to provide trama-focused therapy to 30 high-risk youth.
• Approved several board appointments.
• Proclaimed the week containing Sept. 11 as Firefighters Week in Rowan County.
• Proclaimed Sept. 11 as Patriot Day in Rowan County.
• Approved a resolution for a National Moment of Remembrance of the 10th anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001.
The board encourages people to cease all work or activity for one minute at 1 p.m. on Sept. 11 and join a national moment of remembrance, “marking the moment in an appropriate manner, including by ringing bells, blowing whistles or sounding sirens.”