Commissioners said they had received complaints from citizens about the look of the site and the need to make it more user-friendly.

Lisa Lunsford, who owns an Internet consulting firm in Detroit, Mich., spoke during the public comment segment of Monday’s meeting, asking that her firm be considered to design and manage the site.

Gary Latta, county Information Technology (IT) director, said that his department had also been working toward improving the site. He presented commissioners with slides of the newly redesigned county Web site during the Monday morning meeting and suggested the formation of a committee that would include a commissioner, members of the IT and other county departments, and at least one county citizen to look into making improvements to the site.

Commissioners agreed to have Latta and County Manager Steve Carpenter formulate a list of people to serve on the committee and “bring back for us to approve” at the next regular meeting.

Commissioner Larry Yarborough, simultaneously announcing his decision to seek another term on the board, agreed to serve on the Web site committee.

In other matters Monday, commissioners:

• Received a report from Person County Tax Administrator Russell Jones, who told commissioners that, as of Feb. 1, tax collections looked “a little better than last year” at over 95 percent with about $1.5 million in unpaid taxes on 3,341 properties. Last year’s rate was 97.6 percent, Jones said.

Friday was the last day to pay taxes before being considered late.

Jones also asked commissioners for approval to advertise, on March 8, the names of individuals who were delinquent on real estate tax payments;

• Discussed terms of a lease between the county and Lacy Winstead for the former Maxway building on the corner of Main and Abbitt streets. The county plans to move the tax office and register of deeds office into the building.

A few details of the lease need to be worked out, said Carpenter, before Winstead can begin renovations on the first floor of the property.

Members of the board of commissioners voiced questions about use of the second floor and the elevator, which has not been in service or had maintenance for some time, and who would be responsible for maintenance and inspection should the county decide to use the elevator.

Commissioners, presented with the lease during the meeting, agreed that they would like to look over the terms until the next regular meeting on March 11 before signing;

• Heard from county attorney Ron Aycock, who sought approval of a settlement agreement with Person County PRIDE.

The group, which is opposed to action that would allow Republic Services to enlarge the Upper Piedmont Environmental Landfill, had filed action to contest the board of commissioners’ action to allow Republic to move toward adding a cell to the landfill. Commissioners conditionally approved a special use permit for expansion.

But, said Aycock, given that the county commissioners did not issue a special use permit for Republic to begin the process, PC PRIDE had nothing to contest as yet.

The county is taking steps to study alternate sites and health effects, a stronger recycling program and other measures such as the socio-economic impact of a larger landfill before granting Republic a special use permit.

Aycock said, following the dismissal of PRIDE’s current petition, the county would be bound to inform the group once it completed the steps and returned an answer to Republic. At that time, said Aycock, PC PRIDE could then file another petition to have the county’s action reviewed.