[0:13] Before we do our invocation, I would like to recognize Mr. Herman Dale, a U.S. Army veteran who served as a country during the veterans war, Vietnam war from 1967 to 1969. Mr. Dale worked as a director of safety and health for co-mails from 1979, vice president of Dan River, labor relations from 1999 to 2006.

[0:38] It was set in Florida as a safety and health consultant from 2006 to 2019, and also talked

[0:44] OSHA, courses and GTCC from 2006 to 2024.

[0:50] Mr. Davis currently enjoy a retirement life with its wife of 59 years, Carol, their two children

[0:57] and their three grandchildren.

[1:00] I'm Mr. Davis.

[1:00] Thank you for your service to our country and our community, and after the medication we

[1:04] that you come forward and need us in the plate of belliges. Please stand for an

[1:07] application.

[1:15] Let us pray. Father, we come before you

[1:19] throng as counsel for our commissioners in this meeting. It is when we seek

[1:23] your counsel that you direct our path and order our steps. Thank you for our

[1:29] commissioners and their heart to serve and how they give with themselves to you and

[1:32] your people on a daily basis. Lord, you have shown us what is good and what you require

[1:38] of us, that we do justly, that we love mercy, and that we walk humbly with our God.

[1:46] So let us do good and what is required of us, Father, help us to remember that 80 years

[1:52] ago today, 2,500 American soldiers lost their lives on D-Day, but it would be this one

[2:00] historic event that would turn the tide of World War II and ensure our freedom from tyranny.

[2:05] Thank you for those brave and courageous men who laid down their lives for freedom.

[2:12] God our commissioners through this agenda and every decision made tonight grant them peace

[2:17] and knowing that they have done their very best with the resources given to them.

[2:22] Now, may the peace, mercy and grace of God abound in this government and among this

[2:27] people and your mighty marvelous and miraculous name we pray amen.

[3:14] Next item on our agenda is our speaker's from the floor. We do want to remind those

[3:20] that are speaking on behalf of the our budget. You will have your opportunity to do that.

[3:26] But those who are speaking on any other item, you have the opportunity to come for for three

[3:31] I have five other signed up for speakers from the floor, and we refer to you about your number batch, and I will call the fourth now speaker number one. Please come forward.

[3:51] Good evening, Chairman Austin and commissioners. My name is Paige Gillier, and I'm the Director of the Custody Advocacy Program with the Children's Law Center of Central North Carolina.

[4:00] I've been a member of the Children's Law Center team for over 13 years, and I've experienced

[4:05] first hand at the incredible development, growth, and impact of our work.

[4:10] CLC began serving children in Versailles County in 2005.

[4:14] In 2014, we expanded to Gilbert County to advocate for vulnerable children in domestic violence

[4:20] protective order cases.

[4:22] In 2023, we expanded again to provide crucial services for children in high-conflict custody

[4:28] cases here in Gilford County in response to the needs of so many children and the requests

[4:33] of the judges and family law bar. We are appointed by the District Court Judges to serve

[4:38] as guardians at Lightham, advocating for the best interests of children who may experience domestic

[4:43] violence, child abuse, substance abuse, and mental health challenges in their home.

[4:50] CLC provides a critical voice for children impacted by adverse childhood experiences and

[4:55] Our advocacy helps mitigate the negative effects of aces, including poll...

[5:00] More health outcomes later in life for the children we serve. Because our young clients know we listen to them, hear them, and care about them, they often develop a feeling of hope and empowerment enabling them to persevere.

[5:14] We interview parents, children, and others close to the children. We visit children in their homes, their schools, their daycares. We review records and collaborate with professionals and community partners to connect children and their families with support.

[5:28] We testify in court and provide a voice for children when they want and need to have a voice.

[5:34] But we also protect children from court involvement when they're caught in the middle.

[5:39] The most important and most enjoyable part of my job is really getting to know our CLC children.

[5:45] CLC's focus on children's safety, health, well-being, and the overall well-being of the family has a positive effect on the child, parents, extended family,

[5:55] neighborhood, and in the long term the community at large, that is a positive ripple effect.

[6:01] We are grateful to collaborate with so many partners in our work.

[6:05] We are a founding partner of the Guilford County Family Justice Centers in both

[6:08] Greensboro and High Point.

[6:10] Our Guilford County staff works on site in both locations.

[6:14] In addition, the Children's Law Center is a leading partner agency of Camp Hope,

[6:18] North Carolina, and the Pathways Program.

[6:21] I'm so excited to be attending camp for the eighth year this fall as an adult support staff member.

[6:27] My camp name is Fannie Pack.

[6:30] I genuinely appreciate this opportunity to speak with you today.

[6:33] We at Children's Law Center respectfully request approval of our application for fiscal year 2025 funding

[6:39] to expand our reach and continue our tenacious advocacy for children here in Gilbert County.

[6:45] Thank you.

[6:47] Good

[6:50] evening, Mr. Chairman, Chairman Austin, members of the Board of Commissioners,

[6:57] Pleasure to be here. My name is Marcus Shields. I'm an attorney here in Guilford County,

[7:02] a former District Court judge here in Guilford County. I'm also a member of the Board of Directors

[7:06] for the Children's Law Center. I'm here to support and bolster what you just heard

[7:10] and from my perspective, the lens of the District Court judge here in the cases that involve

[7:15] these children in Guilford County. As a judge, you get a snapshot of what's happening

[7:20] behind the scenes, oftentimes parents come to court and they're in or mind, intertwined,

[7:26] intertwined children into the mix, which we all know is not in their best interest.

[7:31] It is nice and was always pleasant to have the children's loss in or coming into court, being

[7:35] a voice for those children.

[7:37] Oftentimes, if you have a child in chambers, which is what we call it, meaning they're outside

[7:42] of the presence of their parents, talking to the judge 101, you find out that they've

[7:46] they've been coached or some parent has a motive and having them come to court and testify.

[7:51] It also takes away from their childhood innocence.

[7:54] They have to come to court face one or two parents in the courtroom.

[7:58] And that also isn't adverse effect on a child.

[8:01] They feel obligation to both parents oftentimes, but oftentimes one parent is not going to be the winner in the situation.

[8:07] The custody battle.

[8:09] The Children's Law Center is the voice of those children.

[8:11] They were always helpful, always prepared.

[8:13] They provided detail reports as requested from the courts.

[8:17] They also provided an avenue for children's voices to be heard without influence.

[8:21] They go into homes, they go into schools, they ensure that their things are going on, that

[8:26] those things are addressed with the court.

[8:28] And so I was support the request, not only just as the member of the Board of Directors, but

[8:33] as a former judge, that heard these cases that actually work as a partner with the Children's

[8:39] Law Center and the Family Justice Center, domestic violence is more common.

[8:43] that we think it happens behind the scenes and most people don't know about it until something

[8:47] really bad happens.

[8:48] The children's law center is there in the gaps, both here at Greensboro, High Point, of

[8:53] course, Forsyth County, but I experience and work with them both in Greensboro and High

[8:57] Point.

[8:58] And so just to bolster what you've just heard, we'd ask you to take seriously the

[9:01] consideration of funding their grant application.

[9:05] Thank you so much.

[9:07] Yeah.

[9:08] Speaking of number three.

[9:15] Good evening.

[9:15] My name is K-Brown, I'm the president of the Greensboro Branch of the NAACP.

[9:21] I'm thrilled to be here this evening to talk about something that is of the utmost

[9:25] and critical importance to residents of Guilford County.

[9:30] And that is the work of the MWB in his office, and to urge everyone here to continue to support

[9:37] actively and invest in that work that we know gives back to so many.

[9:42] It is the position of the MWCP that we must empower MWBE with the tools and skills needed to compete effectively for contracts, provide education and tools such as estimating classes and access to professional estimating tools that will help to level the playing field.

[10:00] For these businesses, we believe that support is not just about education, but doing all we can to ensure that MWBEs have the same opportunities and access to information that can help them succeed as larger firms have had many in the past.

[10:18] So we believe that support is an action word. So setting up a support desk for MWBEs to get help with estimating tools and understanding contracts and requirements would be a practical and impactful step.

[10:30] to help grow businesses and again,

[10:32] continue to level the playing field.

[10:34] The Greensboro NWCP is looking to be an active partner

[10:38] with any organization that is looking to enhance these efforts

[10:41] and also to thank the County Commission for the monumental

[10:44] steps that you all have taken so far.

[10:47] Our NWBE program is a beacon of light

[10:49] and hope across the state of North Carolina

[10:51] and I hope that each of you are proud

[10:53] that that new direction happened under U.S. leadership.

[10:58] And thank you Mr. Chairman for your guidance on that.

[11:00] I would also like to mention that I know it's going to be coming up soon, but we are

[11:04] related to support efforts such as the Juneteenth Farmer's Market by creating more opportunities

[11:10] like this.

[11:11] We are connected in farmers, with people who are in food deserts, and providing opportunities

[11:16] for more sustainable mechanism of feeding families in East Greensboro and across Guilford County.

[11:22] We truly believe that things like this are a win-win, and again, want to be so appreciative

[11:27] and thankful for the support of this, and we're looking forward to seeing and supporting more.

[11:32] Again, the NAACP is proud, and we hope that you are, too, that the NWBE program is leading

[11:38] to state and measuring its economic impact.

[11:41] We know that for every dollar, different county spends with the NWBE community, every

[11:45] term is 4.5 and economic impact.

[11:48] Every year investing in the NWBE department yields an extra 11% return to the county, and these

[11:54] numbers clearly demonstrate the value and effectiveness of this program.

[11:59] Again, we are thankful that you all also continue and will, I'll say, execute it,

[12:05] spare the study, and we hope that that study won't do as it has done in other municipalities

[12:10] where it has set on a shelf where nobody has actually utilized the recommendations, so

[12:15] we want to thank you for what you've done so far.

[12:17] Have a good night.

[12:20] We're going to have a four.

[12:27] Good evening.

[12:28] Thank you for your time and for your listening ear.

[12:31] My prayers that you truly hear my heart, and just a few in this meeting, you will receive a resolution, recognizing June, 2024's Pride Month, and encourage all residents to respect and honor our diverse community and to participate in relevant activities that build dialogue, strengthen alliances and advance the equal rights of all individuals.

[12:53] I just wanted to remind you all that there are people of faith who cannot participate in relevant activities regarding Pride and Month.

[13:03] My concern is that what is a resolution today is a preferred pronoun policy for Geofar County employees tomorrow.

[13:11] a pride parade to end the school year tomorrow.

[13:16] A drag, reading, story hour in our schools or community college in the name of advancing equal rights.

[13:25] Religious liberties cannot be trampled on in the name of strengthening alliances.

[13:31] Right above your heads are the ten commandments, and God is holding.

[13:38] and we just opened up with prayer.

[13:44] We can't celebrate what is not a virtue.

[13:49] The Lord cannot be mocked and he grieves my heart

[13:53] that I even have to speak about this.

[13:56] The Viper Religious Liberty is very near and dear to my heart

[13:59] because my husband's religious liberty was violated back in 2021.

[14:05] I don't have anything else to say because honestly

[14:07] It was not ready to speak so quickly, so I appreciate being able to speak very promptly.

[14:15] But please understand, people's religious liberties are just as important, and in some

[14:23] cases, for some people, they feel even more important than any other right.

[14:27] If we don't have the right to worship God freely with our bodies, the way He intended them

[14:32] to be, we have nothing.

[14:35] And it greets my heart that you truly want to fight and champion certain things, but not equally across the board.

[14:45] And perhaps that might be unintentionally.

[14:47] I don't want to assume that it is intentional.

[14:50] I want to give grace.

[14:52] But please remember my husband's name, Alvin Robinson,

[14:56] and please consider the right that we're taking away from him, his right.

[15:00] To work freely in Guilford County, his rights work freely in the city of Greensboro, and how his religious liberties were infringed upon during with a policy, a testing policy, a COVID testing policy, and the policy lasted about two months and he was fired, not considering his religious liberty and his need to worship the Lord.

[15:28] Thank you for your time.

[15:30] Thank you.

[15:31] Speak number five.

[15:38] Okay, my name is Alvin Robinson.

[15:40] Of course, there's no wife who just finished speaking there.

[15:44] She mentioned quite a bit there, and I'll just be in the continuation of that.

[15:48] As she already mentioned, we have placarded up there, the Ten Commandments.

[15:53] First of which, first commandment, you shall have no other gods before me.

[15:57] That's what the Lord God who has created all things,

[16:00] that said concerning all of humanity and so it is that he is the one who has prescribed

[16:06] how humanity should live. No man can or should prescribe that because God has and we all

[16:13] are responsible to him. I too stand up here right now in opposition of the adoption of the

[16:19] resolution to make Guilford County residents to be a part of this pride month. The Bible says

[16:28] that we acknowledge the Bible there and the Bible says that pride comes before a fall.

[16:33] The reason we're seeing a lot of the chaos that we're seeing around really the world,

[16:37] I was going to say the country right now because man has forgotten God and has become

[16:41] prideful in him and herself.

[16:45] And we see the falling of the nation, the falling of the world.

[16:48] Geofre County ought not be a part of that.

[16:50] I know some of you personally that are only commissioned, we spoken before, and as my wife

[16:57] already put forward. This is what we stand. This is what many residents of Gilford County

[17:02] stand and you all as the board need to recognize that. Mr.

[17:10] Gray Hill understand that

[17:12] you presented this and so I would encourage not only you directly and I call you out because

[17:21] is right here, but anyone who is choosing to live in such a way other than the way in which

[17:28] guys describe to repent of your sin and to turn to Jesus Christ, as many of us in here have

[17:35] heard before.

[17:35] Many of you know, turn to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, because He is Lord and Savior.

[17:40] And the same one that we're about to bolster our own self-prite against, we'll come

[17:46] back one day to judges. As my wife said, we beg of you to change your minds and to experience

[17:53] the grace and the mercy and the love of God. Thank you for your time.

[17:56] Thank you. Any other speakers from the floor?

[18:02] Please go for it.

[18:13] My name is Lenny Patterson and I am the Teachers Supply Warehouse Manager at Geoford Educational

[18:17] Alliance. The Teachers Supply Warehouse is a community collaboration that provides free supplies

[18:23] to GCS teachers and offset the costs of them paying out of pocket for school supplies.

[18:29] We provide supplies because many teachers pay up to $1,000 a year of their own money

[18:34] on classroom supplies for their students.

[18:37] We want them to know that our community cares about them and is grateful that we have chosen

[18:42] that they have chosen to teach our kids.

[18:45] Every day teachers come in and I see their acts of dedication to their students.

[18:49] to the Spanish teacher who sees a folder whose perfect for that one can in her class

[18:54] to the math teacher who snags a card trade game for his students who has been excited for the upcoming talent show.

[19:02] The teacher supply warehouse is grateful to partner with community to support teachers with free classroom supplies

[19:08] and we also know that that is just the tip of the iceberg in supporting them.

[19:13] We need to fully fund teacher supplements and raise classified pay rates to ensure that these critical staff members are paid fairly.

[19:21] Geofr County Schools is currently the largest employer in Geofr County.

[19:26] Paying our teachers a competitive wage ensures that they stay in our community.

[19:31] It helps them buy houses here, put down roots, pay taxes.

[19:35] If we don't pay a competitive wage to teachers and support staff, we risk them losing Geofr County.

[19:41] Leaving our schools without teachers, cafeteria workers, and bus drivers, taking their tax dollars elsewhere.

[19:49] Paying our teachers and support staff a fair wage is not only the right thing to do morally,

[19:53] it is the right thing to do for our economy.

[19:57] At the Teachers Supply Warehouse, I.C. educators after AITL.

[20:00] Long at day of teaching, come from all over the county to get paper, pencils, markers, you name it for

[20:06] their classrooms, and their students, they come on their days off, their own children until because

[20:12] they are dedicated to our community's future. As much commitment as they put into our schools

[20:18] and our students, we must do the same for them. We must insist on fully funding teacher supplements

[20:25] and raising classified pay rates. Thank you, Vera time.

[20:32] Any other speakers from the floor?

[20:37] The point about gender is now closed.

[20:39] Next item on gender is presentations.

[20:42] First one is proclamation.

[20:45] Celebrating June 19th, 2024.

[20:48] A June 10th.

[20:49] Here in Gephyr County, there's going to be presented by Vice Chair,

[20:52] Jay Carvena Foster.

[20:54] Thank you Mr. Chairman, and I think that our MWE coordinator is going to

[20:59] to come forward to receive this

[21:01] proclamation or someone from our office.

[21:05] There are two.

[21:20] Thank you.

[21:21] Proclamation celebrating Juneteenth.

[21:24] Whereas over two months after the civil war

[21:27] in on April 9, 1865,

[21:30] the United States Army General Gordon

[21:33] Ranger arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas,

[21:36] an issue general order number three

[21:38] June 19, 1865, declaring all slaves of free and whereas the ensuing celebration of the end of slavery,

[21:49] which became known as Juneteenth, is the oldest national celebration of the end of slavery in the United States,

[21:58] and whereas Juneteenth commemorates African-American freedom and remembers the courage of all who sacrificed

[22:04] and suffered injustices in their fighting against slavery.

[22:09] And we're as Juneteenth honors the historic heritage

[22:12] and contributions that Americans of African descent

[22:16] have made to help shape the cultural, academic,

[22:20] social, economic, and moral attributes of this nation.

[22:25] And we're as on this day, we celebrate our belief

[22:29] in the fundamental ideologies of liberty and equality for all

[22:33] and recognize that our shared history continues to unite us in the struggle for equity, diversity and inclusion.

[22:44] Now therefore, a bit resolved at the GIVA County Board of Commissioners do hear about proclaim June 19, 2024,

[22:52] as a day to celebrate Juneteenth in GIVA County and encourages all citizens to participate in commemorative and educational events

[23:00] While remembering that all Americans, regardless of race, should be equal parties to the

[23:08] immeasurable opportunities our nation has to offer.

[23:12] I adopted this the sixth day of June, 2024.

[23:15] In witness we're of, I hear in two, sit my hand and call us a corporate seal of the

[23:19] county of Gilford to be a fix.

[23:21] This is the sixth day of June, 2024, Melvin Skip Austin, Chairman, Gilford County Board of

[23:27] Commissioners.

[23:30] I have two copies.

[24:10] Commissioner Austin and other members of the Guilford County Commissioners.

[24:14] I am lowly to Wykins, co-convene of the triad Black faith leaders in Black Farmers Network,

[24:20] and I accept this Juneteenth Proclamation. On Wednesday, June 19, 2024,

[24:26] while we were recognized to feed and delay water to African Americans in this country

[24:31] with the official ending of slavery that has worked still to be done.

[24:35] Our network's goals are to address hunger, access to healthy food, and marginalised communities

[24:42] and providing economic opportunities for black farmers in good for county.

[24:48] We are thankful today for this proclamation and ask for your assist to your support of our

[24:53] work here in good for county.

[24:54] And we are inviting everyone to our Juneteenth farmers market at Hayes Taylor YMCA.

[25:00] Starting at 10 a.m. Continuing to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, June 19th. We'll have farmers, vendors, bank goods and entertainment. So thank you all so much.

[25:12] Thank you. Appreciate the work this you all do.

[25:14] Thank you.

[25:16] Let me say thank you too as a result of this proclamation. It tells us that the work we're trying to do in the community makes a difference.

[25:24] My name is Max Sims.

[25:26] I serve as the president of E-Screen's world now.

[25:29] It's community development corporation

[25:30] of addressing economic development, housing,

[25:34] entrepreneurship, and community engagement.

[25:36] And while we've been in E-Screen's world now,

[25:38] we've expanded our territory to East and Gifford County,

[25:41] and now we're going to High Point.

[25:42] Now only if our market is going to be this June 19,

[25:46] we're going to High Point and August 4,

[25:47] bringing the same market to the community as well.

[25:50] Because it's important to address

[25:53] insecurities and food, but we also economic ability is what we're trying to do and make sure that people

[25:58] live in neighborhoods and get safe and not as food to do that. So we greatly appreciate that.

[26:03] And I would say that the MWB program that's initiated by Giver County means a whole lot.

[26:08] We see it's initiation being important to this community at large. It makes a difference and it will continue to make a difference

[26:15] on that. Because we are in an artificial field as well. So it makes a difference there that we are addressing that.

[26:21] When we bring black farmers out to the community, we are showing them that they can survive

[26:25] in Guilford County and can bring a product that people want to get for county.

[26:30] So, as we do this and we continue to do this, we will make a difference and this is just

[26:35] the beginning.

[26:36] But we understand how black farmers have not been recognized throughout this country.

[26:42] And now we are trying to make sure that happens, understand how to be entrepreneurs, understand

[26:46] how to make a difference in our community, understand how to serve our community.

[26:50] So, this is the beginning, not the end, and we thank you for this

[26:53] proclamation.

[26:55] Thank you, Mr. Sam.

[26:56] Thank you for the work that you all also do at these degrees for now.

[27:03] Next, I want to add to our generous resolution, recognizing June 20, 24, as

[27:07] Prime Month in Giffy County that's going to be presented by Commissioner Brandon Gray

[27:11] Hill.

[27:12] Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[27:13] It's my honor to read this resolution tonight.

[27:16] Resolution recognizing June 20, 24, as Pride Month in Giffy County.

[27:21] Whereas Gilford County supports the rights of every citizen to experience equality and freedom

[27:27] from discrimination and whereas the county accepts and welcomes people of diverse backgrounds and believes a diverse population leads to a more vibrant community

[27:37] and whereas Gilford County recognizes that all people regardless of age, gender, identity, race, color, religion,

[27:46] Marital status, national origin, sexual orientation, or physical challenges makes significant

[27:52] contributions to the cultural and economic success of this community, and whereas all

[27:58] Gulford County citizens should be able to live without fear, prejudice, and discrimination,

[28:05] and should continue to seek educational and awareness opportunities that champion the civil

[28:09] rights for all people. Now therefore it be resolved that the Gulford County Board of Commission

[28:15] and hers recognizes June 2024 as Pride Month in Guildford County, and encourages all residents

[28:21] to respect and honor our diverse community and to participate in relevant activities that

[28:26] build dialogue, strength, and alliances and advance the equal rights of all individuals.

[28:32] Adopted this the sixth day of June 2024 and witness where I hear unto set my hand and cause

[28:39] the corporate seal of Guilford County to be effects this, the sixth day of June, 2024 Melton

[28:46] Skip Austin Chairman of the Yolford County Board of Commissioners.

[29:00] Thank you, Mr. Greg here.

[29:03] Next item on agenda is our consent agenda of any items on the consent agenda, any

[29:07] any commission I'd like to approve of a separate consideration,

[29:12] a little approval.

[29:14] We're going to have a proper second.

[29:15] Let me call you attention also to our agenda with the pink pages here that it would also

[29:22] be included in this motion. In discussion on emotion. Here and I'm pleased

[29:29] Gashiba.

[29:40] That passed so many anonymous food.

[29:49] Next time on our

[29:49] Janis I have our public hearing on economic development, incentive grants to

[29:56] merely a clean product's LLC.

[30:00] Mr. Dunston and Mr. Price. The Greensboro Chamber of Commerce. You'd like to present first.

[30:15] Good evening.

[30:21] I'm Marvin J. Price. I'm the Executive Vice President of Economic Development for the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce.

[30:27] We also have any audience, our President and CEO, Brent Christiansen.

[30:33] Before I start, I would like to remind the commissioners that all economic development incentives for economic, for a Guilford County are performing space.

[30:41] That means that any company must meet the requirements that are specified in your legal agreements

[30:47] that includes paying their taxes and creating the jobs that pay at or above the county average wage

[30:53] before they receive their economic development incentives.

[30:57] These incentives are subject to the North Carolina but for statutes,

[31:01] meaning that the company would not come but for these economic development incentives.

[31:05] This has allowed our officials to create an amazing business climate that has led North Carolina

[31:12] to be the first ever state-to-win, best in business two years in a row by CNBC and we're

[31:21] one of the hottest counties in the United States if I do say so myself.

[31:28] So, project Mercury, clearly clean, it is an advanced manufacturer.

[31:34] Clearly clean is a leader in sustainable packaging solutions that provide eco-friendly alternatives

[31:40] to their traditional packaging material.

[31:44] This include a patent, 100% recyclable smooth-age PET trades, which have been widely embraced

[31:53] as a drop-in replacement for the non-recyclable,

[31:58] phone plastic trays that we see a lot of times in restaurants.

[32:02] This company, in addition to winning numerous awards,

[32:05] has grown its employee base by 30%.

[32:08] Hence the reason why they need to expand.

[32:11] They hear quarters are currently located in Pennsylvania.

[32:18] They're considering the location off of 3, 6, 1, 7,

[32:22] McConnell wrote in Greensboro,

[32:24] where they would occupy over 300,000 square feet.

[32:29] There are requesting incentives,

[32:32] an investment of a minimum of

[32:35] their requesting incentives to assist with the

[32:37] investment of a minimum of 26 million,

[32:40] 940,000, and new real property

[32:43] improvements, equipment, and machinery

[32:45] by the end of December 31, 2021.

[32:49] They will create at least 80 new jobs full-time

[32:53] paying an average wage of 58,876 of the county average wage and no job will pay under $18 an hour.

[33:04] This project exceeds the minimum criteria for incentives, guidelines for a

[33:09] Guilford County and is a target industry for the Guilford County Economic Development Alliance,

[33:14] which falls in advance manufacturing.

[33:20] Some of those jobs include maintenance technicians,

[33:24] process technicians, machine operators, and forklift operators, all in line with the training

[33:30] that Guilford Tech Community Colleges provide.

[33:33] Our competition for this project is in the Atlanta Metro in Georgia

[33:40] and is our recommendation,

[33:43] the consideration of an incentive in the amount of $373,000, $855.

[33:51] Execution of a performing based incentive agreement with clawback provisions.

[33:56] Aiding new jobs must be retained throughout the installment period.

[34:01] New jobs must be posted with guilty works career centers.

[34:06] And at least one targeted job there must be hailed in all hiring phases.

[34:13] Thank you.

[34:14] Thank you.

[34:15] This is a public hearing where proponents shall be heard first and shall be provided total 20 minutes not with standing number person

[34:22] design to be heard.

[34:24] Opponents shall be heard after the proponents and shall be provided total 20 minutes not with standing number person to

[34:29] design to be heard.

[34:30] And each side would be allowed three minutes for rebuttal.

[34:34] Call the four of those now, those proponents.

[34:38] Those in favor, please come forward.

[34:47] the chair of the vice chairman who's a good kind of commissioner. My name is Luther Falls,

[34:52] Jr. and I'm the secretary of the marketing director for the vice for that work and co-operated.

[34:57] And I'm very happy to hear about this proposal and it'll be...

[35:00] Meeting about it. It actually is in close proximity to my neighborhood, and not community while it's raised in.

[35:07] And I'm happy to see that we're getting the exposure and the decisions that need to be made to drive economic development in our community and in that part of the county.

[35:17] And I am a CNBC fan, so I'm happy to see things happening statewide, especially in our county and especially in our community, which includes the African-American community.

[35:28] I hope you will do this for all. Thank you.

[35:31] Yeah. Any other speakers and proponents?

[35:41] Send on that portion of the public here is now closed those in opposition.

[35:44] Opponents please come forward.

[35:51] Send on the clear now the public here and it's been closed.

[35:55] Commissioner here, motion.

[36:01] To remove that property, second. Discussion on the motion.

[36:17] Thank you so much.

[36:20] Please come back real soon.

[36:22] We like economic incentives.

[36:29] Before we get into our next public hearing,

[36:33] I would like to invite our county manager

[36:36] to share just a quick review of the county's recommended budget.

[36:41] You know, in March, we held a series of community meetings at schools around the county.

[36:47] On March 11th, we held a community meeting at Harrison Meadows School,

[36:53] on March 12th.

[36:54] We held a community meeting at Paige Haneschool, and on March 18th,

[36:59] as a civilian man, there's new commerce schools.

[37:03] I think this is a great information that we share with our community.

[37:07] during that time period that allowed the manager to put forth his recommended budget.

[37:13] Then it gives us an opportunity now for the citizens here this evening and the citizens

[37:19] that's listening on our own television, they kind of hear exactly what the county managers

[37:25] would but it was all about and what we do with your tax sales money.

[37:30] I'm Mr. Manaji, I'd like to proceed.

[37:33] Thank you, Mr. Chairman, thank you board for asking me to give some initial

[37:37] comments for the public hearing. And thank you to our community for being here. I appreciate

[37:42] the engagement looking forward to hear your comments. I'm looking forward to that. My staff

[37:48] looking forward to as well in the commissioners here as well, and so we'll work through this

[37:51] process over the next three weeks or so. So do want to talk about, I think at this point.

[38:11] So the

[38:12] budget you're seeing tonight who have presented to the board really is the culmination of several

[38:16] years of work by this Board of Commissioners, along with this community partners, to try

[38:20] out a course for Gilford County.

[38:22] And that course was informed by resident feedback, not only at our town halls, but after

[38:27] enduring the pandemic, one of the most extensive community surveying processes and engagement

[38:32] processes that Gilford County has engaged in over the last several decades, as well as

[38:38] comments that come to the Commissioners every budget year.

[38:42] And it is really structured around building out a good framework and resources for a community to support the broader purpose and why we're here in Gyofer County and that is to empower successful people to thrive in a strong community supported by quality government.

[38:58] And that's how our local government and my administration is organized in these successful people strong community and quality government domains.

[39:08] That's what we do, one of the things that also guides my building of this budget as well as the boards consideration of the budget is our core values, so how do we do this, how do we work with each other, how do we work with our community, how do we process what it means to be a good steward of the public resources in our community, and I do want to mention those, because you'll see these reflected in my recommendation. Transparency and communication, we're here tonight, and we have all of this information on this.

[39:36] We're here tonight and have all of this information on our website because we believe in transparency and communicating with transparency.

[39:45] Open access to information that's driven by this community sharing.

[39:51] Please visit the website for more information about this budget.

[39:55] You have also provided you this evening with a handout.

[40:00] Chair, a little bit more of that information, a little bit later, but it gives you some information about the budget and brief. And if you turn it on the back, you can actually see how much money we're spending for all of our different programs, how much outside revenue we get, and then you as an individual, how much you would be paying on average reach of these services. Equity and inclusion. So we celebrate the diversity of our community, our county team members, and we strive for equitable and inclusive stakeholder in our services accountability. We are public stewards.

[40:30] of the public's resources. And we take that responsibility very seriously. We accept that responsibility

[40:35] for maintaining the fiscal and physical health of our community.

[40:40] Service and outcomes excellence, Gilford County is known as a community of first, innovative services.

[40:46] We strive for compassionate and professional service delivery that continues that tradition of innovation

[40:51] and service excellence and finally our people matter. So we want to make sure that those people serving our residents

[40:58] are well, and that we provide a compassionate work environment that supports the financial

[41:03] physical mental and social well-being of our team members.

[41:07] That comes together in the Board of Commissioners' vision for each of these service areas,

[41:12] and this was informed by the Budget Town Halls that Chairman Allison had mentioned in

[41:18] other engagement with our residents.

[41:20] I won't read through these, but these are in our budget document, and so these have

[41:23] not only my recommendation, but also I believe the board's consideration and framework for how it

[41:29] allocates dollars in our community. But they speak to what if we achieve our goal of successful

[41:35] people thriving in a strong community, supported by quality government, what that looks and feels like and

[41:40] how we engage with each other and how we're represented externally and how well we manage your money.

[41:46] So please say sometimes to read those or be able to go online. So a little bit of the technical aspects

[41:52] of building the budget. So this budget process, one is a multi-year budget process because

[41:58] we have a lot of things that have been in play over the last several years and we're making

[42:01] incremental investments for those improvements in our community. But when we shrink it down to

[42:06] what happens in a year, this starts back in the fall with an analysis of the economy and what

[42:10] we expect revenue to be. It continues to dispring as we build continuation budgets. You'll hear

[42:16] in a moment that the county really is an agent of the state and there are many things that we

[42:20] to do and that we have to provide and so we build those initial budgets.

[42:24] We work to hear from the community through our budget work sessions and budget town halls

[42:28] about what's important to the community.

[42:31] We build in those budget priorities wherever it is allowed.

[42:34] And then we end up here at the public hearing.

[42:36] We're going to hear from our residents and our community about my recommendation

[42:40] and about what's important to you.

[42:42] And then the Board of Commissioners eventually adopts a budget by June 30.

[42:46] Our fiscal year is not on a calendar year.

[42:49] begins July 1st and it runs for 12 months through June 30th.

[42:55] So who does what?

[42:57] We're in Greensboro, we're in Guilford County, we're in North Carolina.

[43:01] So when we talk about the county's budget, really what we focused on, a lot of information

[43:07] on there, but the point being the county is really the yellow area.

[43:10] And so the counties in North Carolina are essentially agents of the state that are assigned

[43:15] the responsibility for carrying out state functions at the local level.

[43:19] And so those functions when you think about them are public health or social services or behavioral health items,

[43:25] foster care, child welfare, adult and aging services, responsibilities for funding school systems,

[43:31] for funding the community college system, emergency management,

[43:35] for preparing for and anticipating and mitigating disasters and shock to our community,

[43:41] things like juvenile detention, soil and water, cooperative extension are really reserved for the

[43:46] County in the state, and then there's a host of other things that we do as well that's

[43:50] kind of in this orange area in the middle, this intersection, things like support of

[43:55] our community's libraries, our parks and recreation departments, counties run the ambulance

[44:00] service and go for county, our community and economic development, you just heard about new

[44:06] jobs coming to the community and support for the expansion of our economic base, animal

[44:12] services, animal controls, so a host of things.

[44:15] Cities, we ring Greensboro, and so if you've got concerns

[44:18] about roads or electric systems or cable, we're happy

[44:23] to take those, but it's across the Plaza that we have

[44:26] that conversation.

[44:27] And so hopefully this gives you some sense of what we're

[44:29] talking about tonight, but also the complexity of counting

[44:32] government and the range of things that not only we do,

[44:35] but we're required to do, by the state of North Carolina.

[44:39] So we talked about the budget and brief that you have in

[44:41] chair, barature chairs. So it talks about the 24 budget, the percent of the budget that

[44:48] these particular expenditures account for. So for instance, education, we'll talk about this

[44:54] a little bit more between education, go for county schools and go for technical community college. It's about 50%

[45:00] And of this operating budget that we have, which is our general fund budget, as well as what we have our dense

[45:06] service budget. So the biggest part of our budget clearly is education. If you read across

[45:11] that line, it shows you that overall about $449 million in education, and that there's

[45:22] about $755 per capita expenditure for that by far the largest part of the county's budget.

[45:29] So, a little bit broader picture of the county's budget in total, we're looking at $895 million.

[45:37] We talked about geofr county schools being the largest part of that.

[45:41] You can see that in the yellow squares by far the largest part of our allocation of funding.

[45:47] Not only is it about half of our total budget.

[45:50] And we think about total budget, includes things like social services, public health.

[45:54] Well, a lot of that budget is very specifically mandated and we can't use those revenues to support that for anything else.

[46:00] So if we think about the most flexible revenues that the Board of Commissioners have, and it's really limited for counties in North Carolina, it's property tax and sales tax.

[46:09] Education accounts for about 60% of those dollars. So about six of every 10 dollars that the Commissioners collect goes to education and yield for county.

[46:19] And then the rest of it has to accommodate 30 plus other departments.

[46:24] So that gives you some scale about the priorities that are established in this budget.

[46:30] When we talk about our successful people domain, we talk about things like social services.

[46:35] I mentioned our child predicted welfare, adult welfare, public health, communicable disease,

[46:41] control, or vendor services functions are behavioral health, urgent care, a crisis,

[46:45] care that we run, family, justice center you heard.

[46:47] We talk about our strong community, we talk about our Sheriff's Office, the law enforcement

[46:52] community, the operation of our two detention facilities, our emergency services department

[46:57] again, our ambulance service, our fire service, disaster planning, mitigation, planning and

[47:03] development inspections, animal control and services and extensive parks system in the community.

[47:09] We talk about quality government, it's all those things that we need to support that.

[47:12] keep your data safe, so our IT, our cyber security work, managing your money, our finance,

[47:20] our human resources, counties are also responsible for funding and running elections, registered

[47:25] these programs tax on other items.

[47:29] So, how do we pay for these?

[47:30] I alluded to a lot of flexibility in local government, about 60% of our revenues come from

[47:36] the property tax.

[47:37] This budget does not include a property tax rate increase for the general property tax, so

[47:42] at the same rate as it was last year.

[47:46] Fifth sales tax is the next largest about 15% and so when I talked about the most flexible

[47:50] revenues of the commissioners have, it's those budget revenues there.

[47:55] Federal and state funds because we do get significant reimbursements for things like

[47:59] our child welfare, our adult services, behavioral health things like that.

[48:05] User fees and charges, so if you use an ambulance, we collect revenues for that, inspections,

[48:09] we charge a fee for that, and then some other revenues also in appropriation of savings, essentially

[48:16] to help us balance the budget, and that is something we have to be careful about because

[48:21] just like in your own home budgets, you don't want to be using your savings to pay your electric

[48:25] bill all the time, because eventually it keeps coming back every year, and if you're not replenishing

[48:29] that, you're going to run out of your savings. So another stat that we have, and when we think about

[48:37] really flexible dollars. 90 cents of every dollar that the commissioners bring in goes to support

[48:43] the seven or so eight services that you see underneath the green bar. So our education

[48:50] function that we just talked about, and that includes not only go for county schools, but

[48:55] the Board of Commissioners has a mandate and responsibility and also helps support the

[48:58] geofrotechnical community college system. A law enforcement, we talked about public

[49:02] health social services, emergency services, the information technology and the facility support

[49:09] services for where we do this stuff and people receive care and then our behavioral health

[49:14] facility. That means the remaining 10 cents has to go to support all of these 30 other

[49:21] functions, many of which are still mandated in North Carolina, so things like our economic

[49:27] development, or parks program, elections, or libraries, juvenile detention, solid waste, fleet

[49:34] operations, our veterans support, child support enforcement.

[49:39] So, diving in a little bit deeper into what is the highest priority in the budget, in

[49:43] the largest use of county funds, it's the Guilford County Schools, and so this shows you

[49:47] a five-year history of funding for the Guilford County Schools, and FY25, and my recommended

[49:53] budget, there's an increase for Guilford County School's funding, both in the operating

[49:57] funding and in the overall capital.

[50:00] And debt service funding for the school system. That current total support for Guilford County schools, including operating budget, the capital budget, as well as the debt service budget, and the set aside to help us move this $2 billion bond program that the boat voters approved as fast as possible, and as broadly as possible across the community requires some set aside dollars. And that's what this budget also supports.

[50:27] that $420 million represents about $140 million increase since 2021.

[50:35] That's a 50% increase in funding for and support for the Guilford County

[50:40] School system in the overall bond program for our community.

[50:44] I talked about that being again with education about 60% of the flexible

[50:49] dollars that you have.

[50:51] I do want to spend a little bit of time on what's in the budget for funding

[50:55] this massive $2 billion school renovation program that's in place.

[51:01] The red arrow shows we're three years into this multi-year plan,

[51:07] but the $2 billion required

[51:10] a lot of work between the Board of Commissioners and the Board of Education over the last

[51:15] several years.

[51:16] In fact, a very collaborative process, a very open transparent process that talked about,

[51:20] What was the highest priority facing our community right now as it relates to education, supported

[51:26] in our community?

[51:27] And the Board decided it was, in fact, the condition of our school buildings and then took

[51:32] back to the voters and the voters passed, essentially, $300 million and then $1.7 billion.

[51:38] That is a huge amount of investment in our community.

[51:43] It also requires a lot of advanced planning and making sure that we're allocating dollars

[51:48] every year so that we don't get in a financially untenable situation.

[51:53] The work of the Kudos to this Board of Education and the Board of Commissioners for their

[51:57] work, the plan that you see on the screen and this fiscally responsible and sustainable

[52:04] plan, one a national award, one of seven in the country, for the creativity, the forward

[52:09] thinking and the responsible financial management.

[52:12] And so this budget includes 52 million dollars, which creates kind of a savings account for us to pay where you see those orange lines go above this green line.

[52:24] So when this bond program peaks, the county is setting aside dollars right now that allow us to pay that the peak and debt service.

[52:34] If the county were not doing that, we would have to halt a lot of that bond program and wouldn't be able to move as fast as we can.

[52:43] A few more slides, and then we'll get to your thoughts on the budget.

[52:46] One of the things that's also available for you online is a analysis of where the county

[52:52] spends the money, and we hear these things about mandated services, and I mentioned

[52:56] the county being an agent of the state, so we have information online that's readily available

[53:01] for everybody to help you understand the levels of mandated, what things are most mandated

[53:06] for us.

[53:06] For instance, the debt I just showed, once the Board of Commissioners issues that debt, the

[53:11] County has no choice but to repay that debt and build that into its budget.

[53:15] We have a slightly lower level of mandate service, and we think of the Board of Education

[53:20] Community College, the County is required to fund certain things, primarily related

[53:24] to their facilities, which is why this budget is so heavy on our facility support.

[53:31] But there's some flexibility in that, and then you get into other areas in C&D, where

[53:35] there's less flexibility.

[53:37] And we talk about flexibility, there are things like how fast do you want an ambulance to get to your house?

[53:43] The county has to ensure that that service is provided in the community.

[53:47] But we don't have to get there like we do now about 80 to 90 percent of the time within nine minutes.

[53:53] We could take two or three hours to get there.

[53:56] So we talk about flexibility and discretion in our budget.

[53:59] That's really what we're talking about as a level of service.

[54:02] We want to provide for our residents.

[54:03] So overall, we've got about 243 distinct services that the county funds, about 122,

[54:09] where there's mandated in some of those high-level mandated categories, and that takes

[54:14] about 75% of our total funding, or about a half million dollars.

[54:18] And we're talking about things like social services, child welfare, adult services, education,

[54:24] public health, sheriff, and a lot of talk.

[54:28] So a little more information on there, what does that look like?

[54:30] It looks like about 83,000 emergency medical calls during a year,

[54:35] 67,000 law enforcement calls, 420 child welfare cases,

[54:41] about 600 kids in our county's care, 170,000 residents

[54:45] and rolling in Medicaid benefits to our community,

[54:48] which represents a ballot, a connection of about three quarters

[54:51] of a billion dollars to resources for our residents,

[54:55] most in the internet community, 5,200 food and lodging

[54:59] inspection.

[55:00] 308,000 building inspections in about 13,000 animal control calls in a year. The remaining 25% of the budget is in

[55:09] quadrant C and D and so think things that make our community a nice place to be parks. Things like

[55:16] our animal shelter and so that community engagement or family justice center that we heard about tonight.

[55:21] Our infant mortality program to reduce disparities in infant debt between black, brown, and white babies.

[55:27] Our behavioral health, urgent care center libraries, and our community-based organizations.

[55:33] So, whoops, I didn't jump through, so thank you for joining tonight, and I hope that

[55:37] wasn't too long, and that we've got people waiting to have comments.

[55:40] But please read the information that we've got online, please dig into this, we're available

[55:45] for questions, and thank you, Mr. Chairman and Board of Commissioners.

[55:48] Thank you, Mr. Manantir, and unlike our community meetings, we had questions and answers.

[55:54] We won't have questions that asked us tonight.

[55:57] We do want to hear from you.

[56:00] The general public, your thoughts in the questions you might have

[56:04] you might refer to as to a clerk by calling on the phone or email

[56:09] in each one of your commissioners.

[56:11] But before we get into our open public hearing, I would like to refer to who

[56:18] I call our teaching residents, commission of very

[56:22] staff, Murphy, who has prepared an op-and-piece on behalf of the board, which also further

[56:28] advocates for school funding commissioner Murphy.

[56:31] Thank you so much.

[56:33] As I look out tonight at the many red shirts, it's clear that we have a room full of people

[56:38] who are supporters of public education.

[56:43] I'm guessing that many of you came tonight to share that support for our public schools during

[56:47] the budget hearing that we're going to have in just a moment.

[56:49] But before the Chairman opens the hearing, I want to share a statement on behalf of the full board of commissioners.

[56:57] My colleagues and I might not always agree on everything, but we see and united in our support of public education.

[57:03] It's my honor to read this statement on behalf of our entire board.

[57:09] Since 2021, the Guildford County Board of Commissioners has made historic investments in public education by increasing local funding for K12 schools

[57:19] but more than $115 million in just three budget cycles.

[57:25] The manager's proposed budget for FY25 would bring that investment up to $140 million,

[57:32] a 50% increase over four years. Unfortunately, the same cannot be true,

[57:39] cannot be said for the North Carolina General Assembly. As cost to operate schools,

[57:44] rise and the needs of learners require additional investment,

[57:47] The General Assembly continues to fail to meet its responsibility to provide a sound

[57:53] education to all children. This failure of our state government to adequately fund public

[57:59] schools, which is there, constitutional mandate, leaves local governments and ultimately

[58:05] gilford county tax payers in an impossible position. Local boards like ours are attempting

[58:13] to stand in the gap and to cover the shortfalls in operating costs such as staffing and technology

[58:19] equipment while still fulfilling our mandated responsibility to maintain school buildings.

[58:25] In addition to the numerous other mandated services that the county provides. Simply put,

[58:32] the gap is entirely too great. The shortfall in education funding left by the state has

[58:38] dire implications for both our students and county services, and the solution is clear.

[58:46] The general assembly must comply with the Leandro mandate and provide sufficient funding

[58:52] to meet the ever-increasing demands within North Carolina's public schools.

[58:57] We, the Gilford County Board of Commissioners, call on the North Carolina General Assembly

[59:02] to number one.

[59:04] In Vestate dollars to begin implementing the Leandro comprehensive remedial plan, which outlines what is needed to meet the constitutional mandate to provide a sound basic education to all children, and to commit to ongoing investment until North Carolina schools are wholly funded and all remedial actions have been realized.

[59:26] and number two. To revise the low-wealth supplement formula, which left Guilford County out of much needed extra funds for teacher supplements.

[59:36] Even though 31% of county residents are Medicaid eligible and 57.4% of students are eligible for your reduced lunch.

[59:46] Further, we call in our colleagues and other counties across the state to join us in this advocacy to the General Assembly.

[59:55] We believe that North Carolina can be America's top state for both.

[1:00:00] Business, and education, in unison, the Guilford County Board of Commissioners. Thank you.

[1:00:08] Let me thank Commissioner Murphy for.

[1:00:13] And

[1:00:16] a very well drafted, Miss Murphy, and then we want to make sure we get this an all to the media

[1:00:25] throughout the GIF account here, press release, whatever we might be able to do, because we

[1:00:30] do need to hold our general assembly accountable, and my understanding they held back

[1:00:36] about $1.3 billion in their budget that they could have given to education.

[1:00:44] So we need to hold our accountable, and that's what we intend to do here again, Ms. Murphy.

[1:00:49] Thank you.

[1:00:50] We're putting that together.

[1:00:51] Before we open the public hearing on the gift accounting of physical year 2425 proposed budget,

[1:00:59] I would like to remind everyone of our rooms and procedures to ensure all speakers have an opportunity to speak and to be heard.

[1:01:07] Members on audience should refrain from making unsolicited comments or any conduct that disrupt the public hearing.

[1:01:13] The conduct may include, but not limited, cheers, hissing, boin, or clacking, hand-tapping

[1:01:21] signs.

[1:01:24] Audience members must also refrain from displaying any signs that obstruct the view of others

[1:01:31] in attendance or present a safety hazard.

[1:01:34] Each person will be allowed two minutes to address the proposed budget, and the public

[1:01:39] care will remain open until every person is heard.

[1:01:42] I have signed up here, it's registered about 25 persons, and again, I will refer to you

[1:01:52] my understanding amount of the cleric, they have been given batch numbers, so we refer

[1:01:57] to you by your batch number, and now I'll call for a speaker at number 1, please come forward.

[1:02:10] Thank you.

[1:02:10] Thank you so much for your opportunity to speak tonight.

[1:02:13] I'm the a carper, I'm a Guilford County resident educator, and I'm the 2021 North Carolina

[1:02:18] state teacher of the year but years ago I was a student in a high point elementary school and I showed

[1:02:26] up to school hungry and I showed up to school wearing dirty clothes and I showed up to school

[1:02:31] carrying no pencils, carrying grief, carrying fear, carrying a lot with me, but I still showed up

[1:02:39] to school and when I showed up to school my teachers showed up for me. They showed up in so many ways.

[1:02:46] They saw my potential and they helped me actualize my potential, statistically based on my

[1:02:51] poverty level and other demographics, I wasn't supposed to be anybody.

[1:02:57] But because my teachers showed up for me, because educators showed up for me, I was able

[1:03:02] to do something great.

[1:03:06] But my story is not unique.

[1:03:07] It's a story of so many students sitting in our Guilford County schools classrooms every

[1:03:11] single day who need all of us to show up for them.

[1:03:14] You have shown up for us in so many ways, and now we're asking for you to show up just a little bit more to help us to help us do the best for our students.

[1:03:25] So that's why I'm here tonight to employ you to reconsider parts of your education budget.

[1:03:31] As it stands, it falls short in providing resources, our schools need to truly help our students reach the infinite possibilities that they possess.

[1:03:40] It lacks funding for those teacher supplements that we absolutely need so all of our students can have the best teacher to show up for them.

[1:03:48] The proposed 2.5 million capital outlay is the lowest in over a decade, just one quarter of the amount from two years ago

[1:03:55] and costs have risen so sharply and I know you know that.

[1:03:59] It's been very difficult for us to keep up with the demands that our buildings have.

[1:04:03] Our students deserve to be learning and classrooms that are the best places for them to be successful.

[1:04:11] Thank you so much.

[1:04:12] Thank you.

[1:04:13] Thank you, Michelle.

[1:04:14] Speak to them at two.

[1:04:24] Hello, and thank you for your time today.

[1:04:26] My name is Ebony Burnett.

[1:04:28] And I live at 102 Carson Farms in Burlington.

[1:04:31] I know what you do as community leaders is hard work.

[1:04:34] You are working with the community to try to solve very real and very hard problems.

[1:04:38] and I sincerely thank you. I want you to know that you'll have to carry that burden alone,

[1:04:42] nor you carry that burden forever. Soon, you'll find school students are going to be carrying the

[1:04:47] load and they're going to be leaving our county to places we can only dream of. Taking a page

[1:04:52] from philosopher 50 cent behind our students is infinite power before them is endless possibility

[1:04:58] And the round them is bound this up.

[1:05:00] Our teachers are behind our students giving them infinite power and possibility. They are pushing them to bound this opportunity. We need to ensure that our teachers are rewarded and supported in a manner in which they were promised. This includes a competitive salaries, school support, personnel, safety and resources. Our teachers are developing critical, critical thinkers, problem solvers and communicators, leaders and infrastructural builders who will one day be carrying the load and we'll be carrying our community.

[1:05:29] Let's ensure they are prepared to successfully walk in our shoes.

[1:05:33] Finally, I would like to thank my children's teachers Ms. Moore and Ms. Messer, I guess

[1:05:37] in Bill Elementary School. Together, we work to push my kids to great level reading for

[1:05:41] the first time in their early academic careers. They were behind them with infinite power.

[1:05:47] Ms. Messer, who loved them, who loved both of my children and taught both of them,

[1:05:51] sent home a note with my daughter today. And it ended with the one thing I tried to teach you

[1:05:56] to last your whole life through is to know that you are special just because you are you.

[1:06:01] These are the kinds of teachers we have living on our students.

[1:06:05] Please approve the budget that Skilford County Schools has requested or as close as possible.

[1:06:10] This will ensure you are fulfilling the county's vision for a successful people, strong communities and quality government.

[1:06:17] And you will also be telling our children, you are special just because you are you.

[1:06:22] Thank you.

[1:06:23] Thank you.

[1:06:49] Hello everyone, my name is Jordan Cameron, and I'm here to advocate for the approval of the

[1:06:54] Guilford County Schools operating budget for 2024, 2025 school year.

[1:06:59] The approval of this budget is not just a financial decision, it is a crucial investment

[1:07:04] in the future of our community.

[1:07:06] Our schools are the bedrock upon which we build the future, and the foundation of this bedrock

[1:07:11] is our teacher's students and the infrastructure that supports them.

[1:07:15] This proposed budget will ensure that our teachers receive the bonuses they

[1:07:20] reach to deserve, sustain vital programs, and provide for necessary

[1:07:25] renovations and upkeep. Recently on the Student Advisory Council, student

[1:07:30] voice their concerns about the state of their living, of their learning

[1:07:33] conditions. They spoke on inadequate resources, leaps in their buildings, and

[1:07:38] improper heating and cooling equipment. No child should feel discouraged to

[1:07:43] their school building each day. Our school should be places of inspiration and pride not neglect.

[1:07:50] The state of our schools directly reflects our commitment to our children. They are a future

[1:07:55] and everything we do should pour back into them. When we invest in our schools, we create a trickle down effect

[1:08:01] that benefits the entire community. Happy Will Supportate Teachers are more effective educators

[1:08:07] and will maintain resource, resource, rich schools,

[1:08:12] foster better learning environments.

[1:08:14] We cannot expect our teachers to show up every day

[1:08:17] and impart wisdom and knowledge to our students

[1:08:19] when their own needs are not being met.

[1:08:22] It is a literal chain of effect

[1:08:23] when we support our teachers, they in turn

[1:08:26] can better support our students

[1:08:27] when our students feel valued and cared for.

[1:08:30] They perform better academically and emotionally.

[1:08:34] Therefore, I challenge you all to take the necessary steps

[1:08:36] to support the holistic progression of our educational system by

[1:08:40] approving the operating budgets suggested by the Board of Education,

[1:08:43] let us stand together and make the bold choice to invest in our future,

[1:08:47] our teachers, and our students, and our community, and our community deserve nothing less.

[1:08:51] Thank you.

[1:08:52] Thank you.

[1:08:54] Speaker number four.

[1:08:57] Yes?

[1:08:59] Could we have numbers speakers number four through 10

[1:09:02] come and line up along this wall here just so we can have everyone sign up.

[1:09:14] Good

[1:09:21] evening.

[1:09:23] First, I would like to thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak today.

[1:09:27] My name is Michael Hall.

[1:09:28] I'm a rising senior and I'm here to address the critical issues of our failing school

[1:09:32] system and why the distribution of Guilford County school's budget needs to prioritize equity over

[1:09:38] a quality. Allow me to introduce the goal means gap theory, which is a sociological concept,

[1:09:44] based on that idea that we are all sold this American dream of success, yet we're not

[1:09:49] all given the same legitimate means to achieve it, and that is where the gap comes in.

[1:09:55] Despite compulsory education laws, and actually nearly 180 years ago, it was a

[1:10:00] Go to reduce educational disparities. These disparities persist largely due to property tax-based school funding. Approximately 67% of students in

[1:10:11] Guilford County are considered low income. Low income students, statistically have lower graduation rates,

[1:10:17] poor test scores, higher absences, not due to their inferiority, but because of the lack of equitable funding.

[1:10:23] Prioritizing these schools benefits not only the students, but the communities and their county's economy.

[1:10:30] Research shows that there's a positive correlation between high school dropout rates,

[1:10:36] with lifelong poverty.

[1:10:38] Higher levels of education rates with lower crime rates.

[1:10:42] Access to quality education enables individuals to actively engage in the workforce

[1:10:48] as a skilled workforce is crucial for thriving economy.

[1:10:51] Studies show the individuals with higher levels of education tend to earn more throughout their lifetime due to enhanced job opportunities.

[1:10:59] By providing low income students with quality education, we equip them with essential skills needed to break free from the cycle of poverty.

[1:11:09] That is why I stand before you today urging for an equitable distribution of funds to bridge the funding gap between low income and affluent schools.

[1:11:17] And I thank you for allowing me to advocate for those often unheard.

[1:11:21] Thank you.

[1:11:24] Thank you.

[1:11:24] Speak of number five.

[1:11:30] Thank you for having me today.

[1:11:31] My name is Giovanni Robinson.

[1:11:32] I'm just going to speak from straight from Horas.

[1:11:34] I didn't prepare anything.

[1:11:35] I feel I had to come in a second.

[1:11:38] And so I want to understand that, of course, I have always been saying to raise the budgets for

[1:11:42] loud kids to being a better environment because as you get these students and through these

[1:11:49] environments are a good for them, they're a proper there, are infrastructurally safe and well-being

[1:11:55] and teachers that help with education students, they not themselves grow, but also help others

[1:12:01] to grow because from my personal experience, having teachers that help me with my speech,

[1:12:06] have teachers that help me understand how to think, understand how to know my knowledge and not

[1:12:11] just for me from our low siblings I have,

[1:12:13] one of my siblings have autism that those teachers have helped

[1:12:17] grow them through providing a higher budget and through

[1:12:20] from the teachers being in a safe and a friendly environment

[1:12:25] is what generally helps students to know how to perform or how to

[1:12:31] really grow themselves, not being so scared,

[1:12:34] to even come to school, not being so scared to even try to

[1:12:38] attempt to get out bed because they don't want to be in that

[1:12:40] environment as they feel unsafe because no student wants to feel unsafe into

[1:12:45] environment that has liquid oils. No student wants to feel unsafe that they

[1:12:49] have to hold their pee all throughout the day because there's only one

[1:12:52] totally left throughout the schools. And so now when I come here today as myself I

[1:12:57] come here today as my family I come here today as for friends, for people all

[1:13:03] around that have dealt with these type of environments they feel unsafe. They feel

[1:13:07] like they're not getting proper education that they deserve, that they need throughout our

[1:13:12] throughout our school system.

[1:13:14] Thank you for your time.

[1:13:15] Have a good time.

[1:13:15] Thank you.

[1:13:17] Speaker number six.

[1:13:32] Speaker number six.

[1:13:42] Righties.

[1:13:42] Speaker number seven.

[1:13:50] Good evening, Chairman Alston.

[1:13:51] And give our county board a commissioners.

[1:13:53] I'm Kimberly Robertson.

[1:13:54] That's a stakeholders and a future of GeFor County.

[1:13:57] I feel compelled to address the nithical concerns regarding the 2425 budget recommendations presented by the county manager.

[1:14:03] The proposed allocations are in stark contrast with the established goals of nurturing successful people and fostering a strong community as outlined in your first strategic objectives.

[1:14:15] The Board of Education's original budget requires aim to enhance teacher supplements, advance the classified salary plan and continue essential safety and learning recovery initiatives.

[1:14:25] These components are fundamental to maintain high quality education, which is inextricably linked to the communities overall success.

[1:14:32] regrettably, these critical requests were not reflected in accounting managers' recommendations,

[1:14:37] leaving our schools underfunded by nearly 3.5 million.

[1:14:41] This shortfall undermines our ability to provide competitive salaries and a safe and

[1:14:45] conducive learning environment. Key elements for attracting every tiny top talent and ensuring

[1:14:50] students success. Moreover, the recommended 2.5 million for capital expenditures is alarmingly

[1:14:57] insufficient for the Earth of Repairs required in many of them.

[1:15:00] In fact, we have a lot to do with our facilities. Such neglectfully to escalate future calls and jeopardizes the safety of our students. Quality public excuse me, quality public schools are the cornerstone of a thriving community.

[1:15:11] They attract families, foster economic development, and ensure well-prepared workforce.

[1:15:16] By underfunding our educational system, we're risked diminishing the quality of life in our county and hindering our ability to compete successfully in a global marketplace.

[1:15:25] This approach is at odds with the county's vision of becoming a community of first,

[1:15:31] celebrated for innovation and excellence.

[1:15:34] A lot of these concerns are strongly or the Board of Commissioners to reallocate the

[1:15:39] necessary funds to meet the original request.

[1:15:41] We appreciate your attention to this matter, this critical matter, and our hopeful for a

[1:15:45] collaborative resolution that reflects the interest of the county's residents.

[1:15:50] Thank you.

[1:15:52] Thank you.

[1:15:54] It looks like Speaker number eight has been crossed out here, so I'll call on Speaker

[1:15:58] number nine.

[1:16:05] Mr. Chair, Madam Vice Chair, my dear brother, thank you, Joe, and my mentor, K. Cassian.

[1:16:13] My name is Luther Wallace, Jr., Secretary of the Marketing Director for the March

[1:16:16] Award for Networking, Corporate and Small Business Network and also the financial network

[1:16:19] insurance group.

[1:16:20] I am happy to see that you all are giving deliberate consideration to the school budget, but

[1:16:27] I also want to support our funding of the MWBE program for the county, which we've been working with for many, many years.

[1:16:34] All we're back to previous director, Shaila Parker, and if you're playing with the MWBE program.

[1:16:40] And I'll also work very closely with Mr. Johnson and the family justice center, census and seption.

[1:16:48] And as far as the education budget goes, I'm a proud and longness of James B. Delhi.

[1:16:52] I don't see me here many times talking about Delhi and how it's been instrumental in my development.

[1:16:58] And we had our first men and women's track champions in the 3A this year in the state.

[1:17:05] So I wanted to make sure I gave that.

[1:17:09] I can remember Louford.

[1:17:12] Now, Louford still, which I'm happy to see some STEM academy.

[1:17:16] That was where I started out.

[1:17:17] And then what's not academy Lincoln was Lincoln's junior high school, and then on to

[1:17:22] Dully.

[1:17:23] And after the U.S., he chopped wheel of many, many by the time.

[1:17:26] And the young lady they were talking about students that are experiencing achievement gap issues.

[1:17:32] Definitely needs to be addressed because they just don't know about the current.

[1:17:37] And if they continue to fall behind, that's not only bad for them, but it's bad for our

[1:17:42] local economy as well.

[1:17:44] And you'll understand from the federal government funding that you get, I wouldn't encourage

[1:17:48] people to go.

[1:17:50] We have a next year's end coming up.

[1:17:52] Talk to your family and friends across the state about being more proactive with their representatives

[1:17:57] who are in the general assembly, who they can use decisions about the funding that the county

[1:18:00] get.

[1:18:02] That is one way to weaken assist.

[1:18:04] We also have to be aware.

[1:18:05] Thank you.

[1:18:06] Thank you very much.

[1:18:09] Speaking of a 10.

[1:18:14] Good evening.

[1:18:15] My name is Leo, Jealousinski.

[1:18:18] I'm a Vietnam veteran.

[1:18:21] 80 years ago, thousands of young men stormed the beaches of Normandy because they knew that thousands of people were not allowed to freely speak or challenge those who govern their lives.

[1:18:33] Only 13% of today's world population are allowed to do what we the people are doing tonight.

[1:18:42] Because we, the people, pledge allegiance to this flag and to this republic for which it stands,

[1:18:49] one nation, under God, not over God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all, including those who consider themselves to be the elite.

[1:19:00] This body of commissioners has been given the responsibility to resent, represent we, the people,

[1:19:08] not just a few special interests.

[1:19:12] You will be making decisions that will impact the personal lives of those you must consider

[1:19:16] to be your neighbors.

[1:19:19] I moved to this community over 10 years ago.

[1:19:22] My wife and I live on a fixed income.

[1:19:25] Remember that all of you will, one day, also, be living on a fixed income.

[1:19:32] Remember also that burdensome taxes sparked a revolution against a government that did not

[1:19:39] listen to we, the people.

[1:19:42] This body cannot continue to raise the taxes of the people who call Greensboro home every

[1:19:48] year, year after year.

[1:19:50] When decisions are being made about whether to buy food or gas because of inflation, you have the power to listen to we the people.

[1:20:00] And not raise our taxes again this year in some form or another.

[1:20:07] We, the people, humbly asked that you consider the needs of all the citizens that you have been calling to represent, as you make your decisions tonight.

[1:20:16] Thank you.

[1:20:18] Speaker, number 11. Can we have the next 10 to please line up?

[1:20:23] Hi, I'm Senator Walgreens.

[1:20:30] Good evening.

[1:20:32] I wish I could stay home and trust that you would spend our money wisely, and we didn't have

[1:20:38] to worry about being tagged out of our homes and our properties, but unfortunately that doesn't

[1:20:42] seem to be the case. I ran it today that in the last four years since this majority of

[1:20:47] Democrat board took over control of the Board of Commissioners, the board has increased the

[1:20:52] county budget roughly $200 million more than four times greater than the previous Republican

[1:20:58] led board of commissioners did in the eight years controlling the board from 2012 to 2020.

[1:21:04] There is no tax decrease in the budget, even though Gelford County is getting $92 million

[1:21:10] extra every year due to the fact that property in the county was revalued at a time when housing

[1:21:17] prices were sky high. During that year, the most recent countywide property revaluation, you did

[1:21:24] not adjust the tax rate to compensate for the higher property values.

[1:21:29] You kept the rate the same, which equal to 14 cent tax increase per $100 of assess property

[1:21:35] value.

[1:21:37] That's the largest tax increase this century by far, and perhaps the greatest tax increase

[1:21:42] ever seen in the history of Gulford County.

[1:21:46] I would also like to know why we need over a million dollars for minority women own businesses.

[1:21:51] I own a business, and I don't expect to gain customers because I'm a woman, but rather because I offer a good product and good customer service.

[1:22:03] Our law enforcement gets a 3% increase.

[1:22:06] Who gets that?

[1:22:07] Is that the staff?

[1:22:09] Is that our law enforcement officers that protect us?

[1:22:12] Also, I'd like to know if any of our money is being given through HHS to the Hebrew Academy,

[1:22:18] which nobody can gain any information from. Nobody. Nobody knows what's going on but there's millions

[1:22:25] of money being funneled into that. Over one million dollars to non-profits do we get to vote on those

[1:22:32] who those are? Doesn't appear that it's the goal of this commission to save money for the people of

[1:22:50] county's experience, major economic growth.

[1:22:54] The companies want a strong workforce.

[1:22:57] Our teachers are the developers of that workforce.

[1:23:01] We are seeing a major inflation in housing, food, and insurance.

[1:23:08] Our teachers are filling the stress of that inflation.

[1:23:12] GCS has the lowest teacher supplement

[1:23:15] among the large districts and many other districts.

[1:23:20] We did not see an increase.

[1:23:22] You did give us one in 21.

[1:23:25] However, that just barely got us over the limit.

[1:23:28] So, Wake and Durham have already stepped up to the plate

[1:23:31] and have an already assured that they would increase the supplement.

[1:23:36] And we do expect the other districts to follow it.

[1:23:40] Without no supplement increase,

[1:23:42] GCS will be $1,500 to $2,000 behind our neighbors.

[1:23:48] Their districts will be more attractive to our teachers.

[1:23:53] GCS cannot afford to lose strong teachers at this time.

[1:23:58] When we will be seeing a population growth and other and then workforce need.

[1:24:05] So we need to step up like other districts and provide a supplement for our teachers to get us

[1:24:11] is barely. I mean, we are under the ground on this supplement. Okay? On the 2.5 million

[1:24:18] for 126 schools. It will probably at least 75 be between 30 and 50 years old. We cannot

[1:24:28] use that bond. It's great that that's the bond money. We cannot use that bond money to fix

[1:24:32] a patch on a roof or to get some free on in a cooler or to do any of the minor things.

[1:24:40] And if we know what maintenance costs,

[1:24:42] if you've had someone at your house lately,

[1:24:45] it is outrageous.

[1:24:46] So the 2.5 is absolutely ridiculous,

[1:24:49] the list for 426 schools.

[1:24:52] Thank you.

[1:24:54] So we can go out 13.

[1:24:57] Good evening.

[1:24:58] I am Timmy Shaduk's, and I know-

[1:25:00] We will not only stand here as a candidate for House District 59 right here in Guilford County, but also a former educator of Guilford County schools. And I want to thank the Board for their support of our school construction needs in Guilford County. I love the energy tonight and our advocacy for our schools and hope that we carry it forward to the general assembly.

[1:25:20] It is important that we elect representatives who will support and advocate for not only our teachers, but our public schools.

[1:25:28] More and more people are moving into my district for work and to raise their families.

[1:25:33] And without our schools being fully and equitably funded by our state, our infrastructure will fail.

[1:25:40] We cannot let our public education become an afterthought, and we can all agree that the people of Guildford County do deserve better.

[1:25:47] So thank you for tonight and thank you for the work even if it's just a little bit more than we can give to our schools in Guilford County, thank you.

[1:25:55] Thank you.

[1:25:57] Speaker number of 14.

[1:26:02] Good evening.

[1:26:03] Dr. Elma Harrison, High Point School Partnership Board.

[1:26:08] Mr. Chairman, Madam Vice Chair and County Commissioners.

[1:26:12] First of all, thank you so much for all the work that you do.

[1:26:16] And for your support of public education.

[1:26:18] I want to amplify the need for essential outlay that the school bond does not cover.

[1:26:24] I'm motivated to stand here before you because I read the Juneteenth story to second graders

[1:26:29] at Southwest Elementary School, and I am encouraged what I saw.

[1:26:37] To keep this spirit of excellence alive, there is a need for funding that exceeds

[1:26:42] proposed to $1.5 million down from the $6.5 million this past year. The funds go toward

[1:26:50] upkeep of car school needs like HVAP repairs and supplies. The school bond pays for

[1:26:56] big ticket repairs, but not for the regular maintenance that upkeep life things such

[1:27:02] as the roof and HVAP parts. Students deserve a safe learning environment. Teachers' salaries

[1:27:08] are still in limbo because of the supplement for teachers was placed on hold to support

[1:27:14] classified staff increases. All of what I have described is connected to excellence in education.

[1:27:20] Our goal is to create excellence in all aspects of education, where there is from

[1:27:24] scholastic achievement to preparation for workforce, recruiting and maintaining the best

[1:27:30] in the brightest teachers. Providing a safe and functioning work environment is key to obtaining

[1:27:34] of these objectives. I ask you to consider the level of funding to its original figure 6.5 million

[1:27:41] to ensure that we achieve the goal of excellence which our children should be accustomed to.

[1:27:47] Martin Luther King says, and I quote, now is always the right thing. Now is always the time to do

[1:27:53] the right thing. In this regard, make educational priority by the additional funding needed to do so.

[1:27:59] Thank you.

[1:28:02] Speaking of our 15.

[1:28:09] Good evening.

[1:28:10] My name is Tessa Penley, and tomorrow will be the last day of my 10th year teaching English

[1:28:15] learners in Guilford County Schools.

[1:28:18] After a decade in our public schools, I can say for sure that I have learned a lot and seen

[1:28:23] a lot.

[1:28:24] And it has become more and more clear to me that we can't hard work or hard work our way

[1:28:31] to the schools our students deserve.

[1:28:32] to put it plainly, we need funding.

[1:28:36] As an example, just last month, I was in an IEP meeting for a third grade student of mine

[1:28:41] who has significant developmental differences.

[1:28:43] This was a meeting to determine if she would get to participate in the three week extended

[1:28:47] school year program or not.

[1:28:49] A determination which hinges on whether or not there's documented stagnation or regression

[1:28:53] in her learning outcomes.

[1:28:55] As in, we have to demonstrate that this third grade student can count to 15 instead of

[1:28:59] So that she can access just three extra weeks of desperately needed schooling, therapy, and general support.

[1:29:07] I found myself enraged.

[1:29:09] She needs and deserves so much more than our funding allows us to provide,

[1:29:14] and it is maddening and heartbreaking to watch this play out over and over again,

[1:29:20] knowing it doesn't have to be this way.

[1:29:23] According to the most recent making the Greater Port by the Education Law Center,

[1:29:26] North Carolina ranks criminally low at 49th nationwide in funding effort for education.

[1:29:34] 49th, it doesn't have to be this way. The good news is that the negligence of the

[1:29:39] General Assembly is not replicated by this board. And the bad news is that the fact that

[1:29:45] the public school forum ranks gulfed at 9th out of 100 in the state for local funding

[1:29:49] effort is not enough to make up for the deficit left by the NCEGA.

[1:29:55] It doesn't have to be this way.

[1:29:58] As we shared at our town hall.

[1:30:00] We need two things from this board in order to make it not be this way. First, we need you to look at that ranking of 9th out of 100, and ask yourselves, with what we have, what else is possible, so that Guilford County students can get just a little bit closer to having what they need and deserve.

[1:30:17] And the second thing we need for you to do, as you demonstrated in your statement tonight, is stand with us in saying, it doesn't have to be this way. Use your elected position, use your power, and use your connections to melt pressure.

[1:30:30] are on our general assembly to uphold their constitutional responsibility to the students

[1:30:34] of our state and the students of Gelford County.

[1:30:37] We all know that they need and deserve nothing less.

[1:30:41] Thank you.

[1:30:43] Let's speak at number 16.

[1:30:48] My name is Samantha Petina Perez and I live in District 8.

[1:30:51] I'm a high school math teacher at the Middle College at GTCC James Town.

[1:30:55] I've taught Gelford County for five years and have lived in the county my entire life.

[1:30:59] I've stood here several times and spoken about my mother, who worked tirelessly for 13 years at Easter and go for high school as a custodian.

[1:31:07] As you can see, I am a product of this school district.

[1:31:11] I began advocating for public schools pretty early on in my career as a second year teacher.

[1:31:16] Maybe that is the reason that I have forgotten just how scary it can be to stand here in front of you.

[1:31:21] I just terrifying to stand up and say that there is something desperately wrong with the way things are.

[1:31:27] But then I remember that I'm not alone.

[1:31:30] I stayed here with Ms. Harden, the kindergarten teacher that never forgot my name or face.

[1:31:35] With Ms. Walters, the fifth grade teacher that taught me the importance of caring for others.

[1:31:39] I think of Ms. Servesino, the eighth grade algebra teacher that taught me to love math.

[1:31:44] I carry with me the names and teachings of so many.

[1:31:48] Ms. Fengado, Ms. Dean, Ms. Abel, Mr. Ball, Ms. Williams, Ms. Bodhi, Ms. Jones, Ms. Sunshine, Ms. McWroy.

[1:31:55] These are the names of only a few of the people that helped me get to this point.

[1:31:59] These are the names that the general assembly has failed.

[1:32:02] And should have to face.

[1:32:05] Our students and all the people that make their education possible deserve more than the shortcomings of the state.

[1:32:12] Today I asked this board for two things.

[1:32:14] I know you did not create this problem.

[1:32:17] I know you have fought for public schools in the past.

[1:32:21] one, do it again, do everything you can to fund our schools, and stand with us, act with us as we take this fight to the state.

[1:32:32] We only win if we stand together.

[1:32:35] Thank you.

[1:32:38] Speak at number 17.

[1:32:44] My name is Chavon Spate, and I reside at 212 Luke and Drive.

[1:32:47] Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you regarding the business of public schools and give for county.

[1:32:51] As a longstanding NCAA member, I made a commitment to be the voice of fellow educators across the district so here I stand on behalf of the employees of GCS asking for your support.

[1:33:01] We need you to continue to be generous and thank you for your generosity.

[1:33:05] We need you to be more generous in funding the school budget as well as hold the general assembly accountable for providing additional money we need to provide our students with the sound basic education.

[1:33:15] It looks like we will on our way.

[1:33:17] I often think to myself that the people out there whom they are and wherever out there is have no idea what happens in public schools or what we as educators do to make it all happen day by day.

[1:33:29] And around this time every year at the end of the year we pack up like we're moving put most of our belongings and boxes, push and stack them all in the corner and our rooms or our floors can be clean and if by chance we do not teach summer reading camp.

[1:33:41] We attend how to be a better teacher seminar and professionally develop most of our summer vacation.

[1:33:47] A few weeks later we come back to school, unpack, add a few things to make it fresh and we start all over again.

[1:33:54] New lessons for new year with the group of students.

[1:33:57] With all kinds of gifts and talents, special needs, social and emotional adversities, trauma, mental health and or behavior challenges.

[1:34:04] the workload is great, and so it not only seems, but it's often impossible to get it all done.

[1:34:12] Even when you stay late, and you leave feeling good about all that you have accomplished in that day,

[1:34:17] the next day is loaded with more tasks that need your attention.

[1:34:22] Sometime long ago, when I was working at Clergy Pick, the custodian acts, Ms. Spate, do you have family?

[1:34:28] Why do you always stay so late? And from that day to now, my answer remains the same, I'm just trying to get it all done.

[1:34:34] For me, this year marks the end of 28 years with GCS, and we've been doing more with less

[1:34:39] with longer than I can remember.

[1:34:40] The sad part about all of this you've heard it all before, it doesn't have to be this way.

[1:34:45] Guilford schools need Guilford's help.

[1:34:47] We need you to be our voice.

[1:34:49] We need you to speak up for us and keep my public monies and public schools.

[1:34:53] Thank you.

[1:34:54] Thank you.

[1:34:55] Speak up on my 18.

[1:35:04] Hello, thank you for allowing me this opportunity to speak in front of you all tonight. My name is Latasha Barnes Smith. I am a teacher assistant at Harrison Middle School.

[1:35:15] And I'm also the chair leading coach and the softball assistant coach. So I come here with a slightly different viewpoint.

[1:35:22] My ask of you all what this budget is that we can make sure that the funds are fairly distributed.

[1:35:30] We didn't have the money that we needed for our kids to play sports this year.

[1:35:35] This ingestion for our home plate was that we should get a piece of wood to nail down the

[1:35:40] home plate and bury it under the rocks that we play in, which also resulted in us not

[1:35:45] being able to play in a few games this year.

[1:35:49] I am a product of Guilford County and my childhood growing up was tumultuous to say the least,

[1:35:57] but sports gave me an outlet and it gave me a reason to want to come to school every day.

[1:36:02] And in the area of town that I am in, it is very obvious that they are not cared for.

[1:36:08] There's needles in our fields. We didn't have money to turn our football lights on for us to be able to play games.

[1:36:14] We had to play games at Dudley High School and so the last person at Dudley was killed.

[1:36:19] And then somehow I guess we found the money to turn the lights on at our school on the football field.

[1:36:25] But in all of this, it's just the message that we are sending these kids.

[1:36:29] Eventually, these kids are going to become our future.

[1:36:32] They're going to be the one taking care of us.

[1:36:34] I believe that crime could be greatly reduced, especially with our juvenile community, if we

[1:36:38] actually gave them the support and the positive outlets to be kids.

[1:36:46] Equality and equity is huge, and I really sincerely just ask that whenever we do get this

[1:36:54] because I believe in speaking things into existence.

[1:36:57] But when this money comes, I genuinely ask you to make sure

[1:36:59] that these funds are distributed equally

[1:37:01] between all of the Gilbert County schools.

[1:37:04] It's not fair that we should have the travel

[1:37:05] to every other school and see that they have more

[1:37:08] than what we have.

[1:37:09] We don't even have the bare minimum.

[1:37:12] So, that's all I have.

[1:37:14] Thank you.

[1:37:15] Thank you very much.

[1:37:18] Speak of number 19.

[1:37:24] It's the chairman in board.

[1:37:26] I don't have a speech.

[1:37:27] from speaking from personal experience.

[1:37:29] My name is Karen Page, I am a co-teacher and pre-K

[1:37:32] event day elementary.

[1:37:34] I'm celebrating 33 years this year.

[1:37:37] I'm speaking from safe places.

[1:37:39] We work with children from all walks of the world.

[1:37:44] And when our children come to us,

[1:37:47] we are their safe places.

[1:37:50] When they need something, we are their safe places.

[1:37:54] When they're hungry, we continue to make them a safe place.

[1:38:01] When the parents can't parent, we have to parent the parents.

[1:38:06] But when an employee has a classified employee comes to me and say,

[1:38:11] I cannot keep my job because I don't make enough money.

[1:38:16] I don't have enough money.

[1:38:18] My rent is already behind.

[1:38:20] They're about to repossess my car and while they're telling me their problems

[1:38:25] I'm still thinking about my children. They're still in our safe place and after I've listened to everybody's problem

[1:38:34] I think about my description at the drug store with my insulin that I have to pay for and I have like spending

[1:38:40] What I'm still thinking about the children?

[1:38:44] That's with us in our safe places

[1:38:46] We need somebody to continue to advocate for us, to speak with us, to stand up with us, to address the general assembly, to ask them and tell them, we need help.

[1:38:57] I don't know what to tell my employees was asked, hang in there, stick this out.

[1:39:02] It's not going to happen overnight. You cannot just walk away.

[1:39:07] When these children come to us in the morning of the bus and some in the back seat of somebody's car,

[1:39:13] They think we know everything and we don't, we're playing it by hand so that we can make

[1:39:23] sure they stay in this safe place.

[1:39:28] Thank you.

[1:39:29] Thank you.

[1:39:31] Speak to them at 20.

[1:39:36] Good evening.

[1:39:37] My name is Heather Skavoni and I moved to Gilford County for college, but I stayed because I

[1:39:41] love it.

[1:39:42] My husband and I are going to retire here.

[1:39:43] We have three kids in GCS schools.

[1:39:46] I'm here to urge you to adopt the GCS proposed budget.

[1:39:50] And if you can't adopt it in whole, I'm going to urge you to speak specifically to

[1:39:55] four critical line items that we cannot do without.

[1:39:57] You've heard about some of them already.

[1:40:00] These are teacher supplements. Second, the capital outlay line item at $17.5 million. Third, the phase 2 classified

[1:40:08] plan for frontline workers. You just heard about that. And fourth, high dosage tutoring, which

[1:40:14] is a critical benefit. So first, teacher supplements, three years ago, the commissioners

[1:40:19] agreed to a gradual increase over five years to attract and retain excellent teachers in

[1:40:25] for county. Last year there were $0 in the budget for teacher supplements and the proposed

[1:40:30] budget from the county manager. This year has $0 for teacher supplements. Meanwhile,

[1:40:36] most recently we learned we have an 18.3% attrition rate year over year and go for county.

[1:40:43] So, in a span of five to six years we could see our whole teacher work force turnover. That's

[1:40:48] a much higher attrition rate than our peer counties and some of our neighboring counties. So,

[1:40:52] need to retract and retain teachers by keeping our promise teacher supplement. Next, the capital

[1:40:59] outlay line item for non-bond projects. So this is a line item for facility repairs. The proposed

[1:41:07] budget has the lowest amount of funding in more than a decade for facilities maintenance. Only

[1:41:12] two years ago that line item was $10 million and the county manager has proposed $2.5 million

[1:41:17] this year, respectively, that is shocking. We've had significant inflation in the past couple

[1:41:25] years. We're in tear, hasn't magically disappeared on our facilities. I'm in attorney and

[1:41:31] we are famously bad at math, but this is math that I can do. And when you see that this line

[1:41:36] item has dropped to 20% of what it was three years ago, despite increased costs. It doesn't make

[1:41:41] fiscal sense. So we need to repair the hole in the roof, not wait till the roof caves in. That's

[1:41:46] fiscal sense and please also fund the phase two for classified workers for frontline workers

[1:41:52] and fund high dosage tutoring that will help close the achievement gap. It's proven and works. Thank you.

[1:41:59] Thank you. Speaking of a 21.

[1:42:08] A 21. All right. Speaking of a 22.

[1:42:14] Good evening. My name is Joanna Pendleton. I'm a school librarian by trade and the president of our

[1:42:20] public school workers union, GCAE, the Guildford County Association of Educators.

[1:42:24] I'm here tonight to present to you a petition from the workers of Guildford County Schools with over 2,300 signatures.

[1:42:33] The two petition demands we are delivering to you this evening are one fully fund the Board of Education's budget request to adopt a resolution committing to keeping public dollars in public schools by not funding capital outlay for charter schools.

[1:42:49] We have a copy of this petition for you and it has been delivered to the clerk.

[1:42:55] It is a thing of beauty so please be sure to take a look.

[1:43:00] Now we know that there is some budget nuance as always.

[1:43:04] And I'm not here to give you anyone's talking points except the workers of GCS.

[1:43:09] And what my co-workers and I know is that Guildford Schools need Guildford's help.

[1:43:16] We are calling on you to stand in the gap we know is caused by state underfunding, because

[1:43:22] at the end of the day, no matter who's fault it is, the people suffering are our public

[1:43:28] school workers and students.

[1:43:32] Thank you commissioners for keeping the lines of communication open with public school

[1:43:35] workers, especially at the town hall we hosted a couple of weeks ago.

[1:43:39] Thank you for a serious conversation about meeting the needs of our kids and taking steps

[1:43:44] to raise the issue of the funding gap to the state.

[1:43:48] Thank you also for the word's commissioner Murphy shared a few minutes ago.

[1:43:53] We are united with you and demanding full funding for public schools from our state, and

[1:43:59] knowing what we know about this crisis situation, we are calling on you to stand in the gap

[1:44:06] for our students.

[1:44:07] Guilford schools need, Guilford's help.

[1:44:11] Thank you.

[1:44:12] Thank you.

[1:44:14] Speaker number 23.

[1:44:19] 24.

[1:44:28] Good evening commissioners.

[1:44:30] My name is Capri Regates.

[1:44:32] I'm an independent registered voter and I know mom who's college educated.

[1:44:39] And I would like to comment on the allocation of the budget for the 18 to 20% on successful people.

[1:44:47] I believe successful people are of the result of successful parents.

[1:44:52] It is my passion to develop a program to develop our parents to have effect.

[1:45:00] Deparenting. Domestic violence is a silent epidemic. Our education system is broken, but why. I believe

[1:45:08] it is not your job commissioners to parent or police our children. I believe it is my responsibility

[1:45:15] as a parent to teach my child. Not the teachers, not social services, not anyone else, but the parent

[1:45:23] me. So, instead of allocating that 20% to developing, I believe it you called it, successful people,

[1:45:33] I instead of a proposal program to go back to basics, let the parents be the one who parent

[1:45:41] their children and teach their children invest in homeschooling, virtual schools, cut funding

[1:45:50] for performing schools and in best more and I will black farmers, and best more in vocational

[1:45:58] training, basically go back to a basic program, which gives the power back to the parents

[1:46:04] to allow them to teach their children.

[1:46:07] Thank you.

[1:46:10] Speaker number 25.

[1:46:20] Good evening board members.

[1:46:21] It's really nice to be here tonight.

[1:46:23] My name is Lane Brown.

[1:46:24] I work at Gilford County Schools, I'm the senior director of public affairs and philanthropy.

[1:46:29] I write a lot of grants, I work with teams across our district to create funding opportunities,

[1:46:35] and we work really hard at it, and we've been growing, and we're making great strides.

[1:46:41] I want to talk to you tonight about the things that grants can fund, and the things that grants can't fund.

[1:46:46] Because it's often tempting, in my line of work, for people to say, oh, we'll fund a grant.

[1:46:50] Oh, don't worry, we'll get a grant. There are a lot of grants. You can get a grant.

[1:46:53] And we know that grants are time-bound, we know they find innovation, they find special projects,

[1:47:00] they help us think about new ways to engage students to promote safety and mental health,

[1:47:06] wellness for our students.

[1:47:08] They don't find sustainable operational costs.

[1:47:13] I've seen situations where organizations have worked for have tried to find sustainable costs

[1:47:20] through grants and the grants end.

[1:47:22] And the funders don't want to continue funding things that are no longer special projects.

[1:47:29] So I'd just like to submit to you that when I look at the gaps, the teacher supplements, the classified staff salary plan,

[1:47:36] and some of the numbers in other areas, I want to ask you to share the vision that I already know you have with us,

[1:47:44] and stand in the space that Ms. Pendleton talked about, because I hope your advocacy with the general assembly works.

[1:47:51] But today the future is unfolding in our classrooms across this district and our students futures are taking shape and they need you and we need you.

[1:48:01] I think about the times I go into schools in my work and I see the people who have great relationships with students and yes, there are teachers who are dynamic and fantastic and they are pivotal.

[1:48:13] So we're cafeteria workers, so we're bus drivers, so we're custodians.

[1:48:18] I'm going to invoke my previous boss, Nora Carr, the late Chief of Staff at GCS,

[1:48:25] who often said, if every child could have a caring adult in their lives,

[1:48:29] what a difference it would make, and it takes all of these people every day

[1:48:33] to make it happen. Please help us. Thank you.

[1:48:36] Yeah. Those are the last speakers that I've, we have listed on any others that want to speak.

[1:48:58] Good evening to air, vice chair and commissioners. My name is Rebecca Clark.

[1:49:04] I'm executive director of the Piedmont Tribe Film Commission.

[1:49:08] And we are the only economic development organization in the region that works specifically to recruit film, television,

[1:49:18] and commercial business. There's a lot more to that industry than what I just said but that kind

[1:49:25] of summarizes it. Anyway, I'm very grateful to the support that you've given out through

[1:49:32] the years. That investment in the Pima Triad Film Commission enables me to recruit more business

[1:49:38] to the area and keep some of our film school graduates in the area and other film professionals

[1:49:45] keep them creating and living here. I wanted to let you know that last year I've worked with

[1:49:54] the legislators to try to have a bill to improve.

[1:50:00] I move upon the film incentives, and I had support of Guilford County representatives and for

[1:50:07] South County representatives, and not that they crafted a bill based on my suggestions. Ultimately, it

[1:50:14] didn't go through the Senate, but however, a making strides in other ways to get business here.

[1:50:29] And

[1:50:29] But five feature film production companies,

[1:50:34] a scouted today with one on swive as run in a little late,

[1:50:40] and they're here through the weekend.

[1:50:42] Next week, I've got other filmmakers coming,

[1:50:45] and then I'm going to be meeting Wednesday and Thursday

[1:50:48] with some other filmmakers that

[1:50:50] are going to have a connection to Guilford County.

[1:50:53] You'll know more soon as soon as I could talk about it.

[1:50:57] But just wanted to say thank you so much for all you do, and I appreciate it, and I appreciate your time.

[1:51:03] Thank you.

[1:51:05] I'll speak here.

[1:51:12] You mean, thank you for your time. My name is Katie Kleinert.

[1:51:15] I am a mother of two Guildford County school students, and I also worked as a high dosage tutor for the 2324 school year.

[1:51:22] And I also want to speak to this budget deficit that we're facing, and it's shocking to see that it's 4 million dollars less for non bonded projects than it was last year.

[1:51:32] I know the county manager mentioned communication and transparency in this process, and I appreciate that.

[1:51:38] However, the current recommendation includes so few of the priorities that I know the Board of Education has requested in this budget.

[1:51:47] This year as a high dosage tutor, I have the opportunity to work with roughly 70 students to varying degrees, many attending regular sessions, and so many of these students are chronically underserved.

[1:51:59] and it was such a wonderful opportunity to be able to be another caring adult in their life,

[1:52:04] to be able to provide the opportunity for smaller group instruction,

[1:52:10] and to see them make these wonderful increases, however, this current.

[1:52:14] Budget proposal eliminates my job.

[1:52:16] I won't have an opportunity to teach as a tutor next year,

[1:52:19] because the grant that funded to a high dosage tutoring has run out.

[1:52:23] And so I hope that there will be a room in the budget for you to add that along with these other priorities that have been mentioned endlessly this evening, and even if I do such tutoring is for some reason not funded, I would love to see it.

[1:52:37] Our teachers deserve our support now more than ever.

[1:52:42] It should not just be kids with access to the most resources who have access to a good education.

[1:52:47] And every single student in Guildford County deserves a high quality public education.

[1:52:52] I appreciate the effort that you've made to stand in the gap, and I hope that you'll be able

[1:52:58] to vote to fund our schools.

[1:53:00] Thank you for your time.

[1:53:03] I was speaker.

[1:53:13] Thank you for your time.

[1:53:14] I'm a first year teacher at a local high school where I was tasked with revitalizing my program,

[1:53:22] getting a student engagement up within the automotive department.

[1:53:27] I was chosen as rookie teacher of the year this year and I've been pushing hard as a teacher coming in from the mechanics field or the technicians field.

[1:53:38] I just want to say that our students are dealing with some inadequate circumstances within their school.

[1:53:46] Simple things like age-fact issues, students going from cold environments to warm environments.

[1:53:52] If we know anything about respiratory issues, that can be caused.

[1:53:56] Students are getting sick, they're out of school, that's just one issue.

[1:53:59] Teacher burnout is one thing I will say and get out of the way.

[1:54:04] I'm a new teacher and I'm already burnout.

[1:54:08] I'm working hard as a technician to apply my efficiency and effectiveness within my job.

[1:54:15] And for me to do that, it burns me out, we're not getting what we need, we're not getting

[1:54:21] the money we need to survive, and I'm a new teacher.

[1:54:25] So battling, jumping back into the field, rather than trying to be a better and more efficient

[1:54:31] teacher for my students, I'm not going to trouble your time any longer.

[1:54:35] Thank you for debating this, but our teachers need help, our students need better conditions

[1:54:42] because if our students are better conditions, we're going to have a better society, a better

[1:54:47] Greensboro, a better good for county. Blessings.

[1:54:52] Thank you.

[1:54:54] Next speaker.

[1:54:55] D.

[1:55:00] I hadn't played on speak at night with us on Mr. Johnson's step up here. That was my replacement, Southern Goodford High School. He's made it one year. Why?

[1:55:11] Conditions at the school pay for teachers. He worked one year and he's out the door. I can't blame me. If he can make more money somewhere else, you have to look out for yourself.

[1:55:25] We need to take care of our teachers, we need to pay our teachers, we need to talk about the HVAC and the HVAC.

[1:55:33] I experienced those problems.

[1:55:35] I had those problems for years.

[1:55:38] I had a shop with no AC, half the time.

[1:55:41] I had a classroom with no heat.

[1:55:44] I had to use a fan, the blown hot air into the shop,

[1:55:47] or out of the shop, dependent on which one was working that day.

[1:55:52] So, two and a half million to fix 126 schools and keep on going, that's an embarrassment.

[1:56:01] School's need more.

[1:56:03] Thank you.

[1:56:07] All the speakers?

[1:56:19] Good evening.

[1:56:19] My name is Christopher Scott, and I'm a principal at Southeast Coast for High School.

[1:56:22] Good evening.

[1:56:23] Good evening.

[1:56:23] My name is Christopher Scott, and I'm a principal at Southeast Coast for High School.

[1:56:26] Good evening.

[1:56:31] Good evening.

[1:56:32] job over the past three years of supporting us in our schools.

[1:56:36] From the bond to becoming proximate during that process,

[1:56:42] being coming into the buildings, I'm very proud of that moment.

[1:56:47] And I think as we take our steps forward,

[1:56:50] we together have to be proximate with each other.

[1:56:54] We is the schools and the teachers and the staff that you

[1:57:01] You know, we're in about their pay to our buildings and those conditions.

[1:57:06] We do have to go and together to our general assembly or major issues with that.

[1:57:15] I would say that as we put forth a bunches, go for county,

[1:57:20] we're approximate to the issues that we are facing.

[1:57:24] And we bring that recommendation to you all in the city manager.

[1:57:28] we are proximate to the challenges we face and those are recommendations.

[1:57:35] If you are going to continue to have that progress, you all have to stay proximate to what we face.

[1:57:43] City manager, you have to stay proximate to what we face.

[1:57:48] So when we brought that recommendation forward, we're proximate to the issues you see.

[1:57:53] We are going to ask that you guys find more things, especially around teacher salary, and

[1:57:59] 2.5 million to take care of our schools, it's very difficult.

[1:58:03] I know the city manager is building what I was a middle school principal and he got to

[1:58:07] see firsthand just the building itself and how hard that is to find.

[1:58:13] So look forward to working with you as we continue this journey to do what's best for

[1:58:18] our students and truly be better together in our community.

[1:58:21] Thank you.

[1:58:25] Other speakers?

[1:58:35] My name is Britain.

[1:58:36] I was not planning on speaking tonight.

[1:58:39] I'm emotional.

[1:58:41] I love what I do.

[1:58:42] It's my dream to bring a program teaching emergency medical technology to Guilford County,

[1:58:49] where I was raised by Deputy Allbright.

[1:58:56] I'm teaching that in Guilford County schools.

[1:58:58] I love fighting for the underdog,

[1:59:00] But I don't feel that all of our students, this past semester I've taught at two schools

[1:59:06] because one school didn't have a teacher, so I would commute on my planning period to teach at another school

[1:59:13] and I saw a lot of disparities.

[1:59:16] The students were I teach.

[1:59:18] They couldn't afford beings and tissue boxes and things like that to make a model of the skin.

[1:59:25] My other school, I taught, they could, the students, I also coach men's soccer.

[1:59:31] We don't have a field to practice on.

[1:59:34] We rotate between the soccer.

[1:59:37] We rotate between test courts.

[1:59:40] The football field, if they're space, it's not equal.

[1:59:45] My students ask me, my athletes ask me, why don't we have this?

[1:59:49] And I try to always put the positive spin on it, but sometimes it's really hard to.

[1:59:57] My roof range.

[2:00:00] First six months, my students asked me why that happened. It happens. They're doing the best that they can, but sometimes they get really hard to be that positive person for my kids.

[2:00:13] I wasn't playing out coming up here because I really like to be behind the spotlight, but I just, I want you guys to know that there are some, there's a lot of discrepancies.

[2:00:23] And it's not fair to our kids because we're trying to teach them, to believe in themselves and

[2:00:31] in spite of, you know, things will always go our way. Life is hard. I'm a paramedic. I understand

[2:00:37] life isn't fair. But when they see all the inequity, it's really hard. Thank you very much.

[2:00:44] Thank you.

[2:00:48] Any other speakers?

[2:00:55] Any other speakers going on? What?

[2:00:59] Any other speakers going

[2:01:01] twice,

[2:01:04] any other speaker's going three times.

[2:01:10] Just, just, just, barely made, just barely made,

[2:01:17] just barely made, just barely made.

[2:01:21] You got me at the three times, so.

[2:01:24] Good evening, it's a pleasure to speak before you, I'll keep it short, just because it took

[2:01:28] you three times to get me up here. My name is Holly Poir, and I'm the Executive Director

[2:01:34] of Career and Technical Education for Geophore County Schools. One of the things when we

[2:01:40] about recruiting teachers in CTE, oftentimes we're competing with the industry, in which

[2:01:47] they're trade exists. And when they look at what they could make in industry, compared

[2:01:53] to what they could make in education to teach the industry, they're such a significant difference.

[2:02:00] Right now, the primary student in kindergarten, by the time they graduate, over 2 billion

[2:02:08] careers will be eliminated and new ones created and so to keep up with that demand and how

[2:02:16] we raise up the next workforce and those to engage in careers that exist today and careers

[2:02:24] that will exist tomorrow. We have to think about our teaching force and we have to find ways

[2:02:30] to creatively recruit not just individuals until the field of education but to recruit them

[2:02:36] from industry, what's they've given their talents

[2:02:40] in that particular trade.

[2:02:42] And so I implore you to really consider an opportunity

[2:02:46] to creatively recruit top talent.

[2:02:51] And not just recruit them.

[2:02:52] I have an automotive teacher who I had a conversation

[2:02:55] with on yesterday.

[2:02:57] And I asked him for his non-negotiables,

[2:03:00] try to keep him in the space.

[2:03:02] And he looked at me.

[2:03:03] And I said, you know what?

[2:03:04] If you're heart tells you to leave,

[2:03:06] you have piece about it, I'll respect it.

[2:03:09] But what can I do to keep you in front of our students?

[2:03:13] And I need your help as we not only are looking

[2:03:16] to teachers outside of CTE, but the collective teaching force,

[2:03:21] how do we keep top talent in front of our students

[2:03:24] to prepare them for the world of work

[2:03:27] when they choose to engage in it?

[2:03:29] Thank you.

[2:03:31] Yeah,

[2:03:34] all right.

[2:03:35] And I'm gonna speak as going three times.

[2:03:40] I'll just start making one or two.

[2:03:42] All right, anymore speakers at all.

[2:03:50] One, one, going twice, going three times.

[2:03:56] The public hearing is now closed on the budget.

[2:03:59] Let's take a five minute break.

[2:05:10] Court of Justice, I think I am able to support Madam clerics and say correct.

[2:05:18] He was my, I had it on my sheet of paper.

[2:05:22] He's the busier to put him on ready to write read.

[2:05:25] It'll be emergency services staffing.

[2:05:30] It was a budget amendment emergency service staffing.

[2:05:36] Okay.

[2:05:37] This is the business.

[2:05:37] It's all done.

[2:05:38] I have to answer each other's question.

[2:05:39] Thank you.

[2:05:40] Thank you for the opportunity to speak tonight.

[2:05:41] As part of our normal budgeting monitoring, as we get towards the end of the year, we're looking

[2:05:45] to see where our dollars are looking based on budget availability.

[2:05:49] So throughout the year, we're monitoring that, reporting it through our performance reports.

[2:05:54] As we've talked about in the budget performance reports, one of the areas we've been monitoring

[2:05:57] really over the last six to eight months is an emergency services related to salary cost.

[2:06:03] And so as we continue to get closer to the end of the year, generally at the end of the year,

[2:06:08] we will bring an item to the board.

[2:06:09] What do you know that we've moved salaries

[2:06:11] around to cover potential overages in departments

[2:06:13] as there have been things that happened

[2:06:15] in that department that caused

[2:06:16] increased salaries over what we estimated?

[2:06:19] In this case, for emergency services,

[2:06:21] we have the opportunity to recognize

[2:06:23] an additional $1 million in revenue

[2:06:26] that they have brought in over their budget estimates,

[2:06:29] which will allow us to cover their salary overages

[2:06:33] that have been accrued throughout the year.

[2:06:35] As we look at our overall budget, much tighter this year on salaries, as we have a vacancy credit built into our budget.

[2:06:43] So we anticipated about $8 million in salary vacancies throughout all departments.

[2:06:49] But as we've had historically low vacancy rates, and historically low vacancy rates within emergency services,

[2:06:56] the salaries have exceeded or we project what we have budget.

[2:07:01] This will be an opportunity for us to recognize the additional revenue that emergency services

[2:07:05] has brought in to cover that so that we don't have that tightness in their budgets be closer

[2:07:12] to the end of the year.

[2:07:13] Hidjim is with me as well if you have any specific questions about their personal lines.

[2:07:19] Questions?

[2:07:20] Do you want?

[2:07:22] Yes.

[2:07:23] One million in use of these, right?

[2:07:26] You can start off this.

[2:07:28] All right.

[2:07:29] Do I have a question?

[2:07:30] Do I have a question?

[2:07:32] Do I have a question?

[2:07:35] Do I have a question?

[2:07:35] and

[2:07:46] that passes over the anonymous bill.

[2:07:49] All right.

[2:07:50] It's followed the request asked the vision of such a services contract

[2:07:54] business for a physical year 2425 required board approval.

[2:07:58] Yes, good evening commissioners.

[2:07:59] This is an annual request that we bring to you for our service contracts

[2:08:04] for fiscal year 2025.

[2:08:07] We have identified a number of contracts with amounts over 200,000

[2:08:11] which do require board approval.

[2:08:12] These contracts are in home aid vendors as well as our remin board for children in foster care.

[2:08:20] You will see the list of in-home aid contracts that are over 200,000 and, as you know,

[2:08:27] that these services allow older and disabled adults to remain safely in their homes.

[2:08:32] The services of in-home aids promotes independence,

[2:08:36] Pervance, premature placement into long-term care facilities, and it really helps with self-determination for the clients that we work with in aging and adult services.

[2:08:45] Our room in board vendors help provide placements for children in our custody, and the list of those is also on your sheet, and those are the ones that are over $200,000.

[2:08:58] So, the term of these contracts is normally 12 months, but starting in fiscal year 2025, we are trying to move our annual contracts out of alignment with the fiscal year, which will help us improve continuity of services as the county transitions across fiscal years.

[2:09:15] So, as a result, these contracts will be extended for 15 months, a period running from July

[2:09:22] 1224 to September 30, 2025, and then that will be reduced back to 12 months, starting

[2:09:29] at October 20, 25, and all funding for the final three months of that term will fall into

[2:09:34] fiscal year 26.

[2:09:36] So what we are asking tonight is to approve these contracts in substantial form and other

[2:09:40] staff to take on necessary actions to execute these service contracts.

[2:09:45] For a period of July 1st, 2024, through September 30th, 2025, upon the adoption of the budget

[2:09:52] and final funding availability.

[2:09:55] In the question of when it's false, it's false, it's false, it's false, it's false.

[2:09:59] Thank you.

[2:10:00] So she and I understand that some contracts are necessary to continue for continuity of services. But do any of these have to submit a new application at the beginning of a fiscal year, or you just keep the same ones that you have?

[2:10:17] Yes. We do look at all of these contracts every year. This meeting the them to 50 months will not change our process in vetting them every year.

[2:10:28] So you do vet them. Yes. When do you vet them annually? So we will vet these probably at the end of the a little bit before the end of the 15 months so that we'll get on that schedule.

[2:10:41] Is there ever the opportunity for new agencies to submit applications? Absolutely.

[2:10:49] Yes, we will always be looking for in high-maid and service providers for children in foster care. Yes.

[2:10:54] There are a period of time that you advertise for new people to submit applications.

[2:10:59] I'd have to confirm that with our contracts and RFP process, but yes, there is.

[2:11:04] I'm just not sure what it is.

[2:11:07] Thank you.

[2:11:08] Any other questions from this follow?

[2:11:11] Do you hear motion?

[2:11:12] Move for a second.

[2:11:13] Move for a second.

[2:11:13] Move in a proper second discussion.

[2:11:16] Here and I'm pleased to ask you about

[2:11:27] that passage on the unanimous vote.

[2:11:29] Thank you.

[2:11:30] that information so you'll know that time frame. Thank you.

[2:11:36] Next item is C contract to operate an eviction

[2:11:39] in mediation and landlord outreach program with UNC and G.

[2:11:45] Good evening Chairman and members of the board.

[2:11:47] The requested action is to approve a contract amendment for the purpose of continuing the eviction

[2:11:53] mediation program. Since July 2022, the county has contracted with the UNCG Center for Housing

[2:11:58] and community studies to operate the eviction, mediation, and landlord outreach program.

[2:12:04] In partnership with Legal Aid, the program addresses the needs of those facing housing

[2:12:08] instability and potential evictions.

[2:12:11] As of March 2024, 6,940 evictions were on the court docked the days, the eviction,

[2:12:17] mediation clinic was in court, and 32% were dismissed by the court, or by the landlord,

[2:12:22] and an additional 14% were delayed by being continued to a later date.

[2:12:26] This contract will continue to provide funding for staffing the eviction clinic and the

[2:12:31] landlord outreach program, as well as for legal age provide eviction prevention services.

[2:12:36] Data will be gathered on the number of individuals served, the outcomes of court cases,

[2:12:41] and the number of repeat clients served.

[2:12:43] Additionally, we will have an impact report in December of 2025 to analyze the impact

[2:12:48] and potential future implications of the program.

[2:12:51] We are proposing a 17-month contract this year to obligate all of the remaining funds allocated

[2:12:56] for this program to meet the federal obligation deadline of December 31st, 2024.

[2:13:02] Thank you and I'm happy to answer any questions you may have.

[2:13:06] Any questions?

[2:13:08] Move approval.

[2:13:09] Second.

[2:13:10] Move approval.

[2:13:11] Move approval.

[2:13:14] I'm just I'd just like to know when you talk about 101 landlord engagement with that means and the outcomes

[2:13:21] and you don't have to tell me that tonight.

[2:13:23] I'd just like to get that information.

[2:13:24] Mr. Chair, what the Open Press are from that.

[2:13:28] Yep, I can provide that information to you.

[2:13:31] First session.

[2:13:33] No, the questions.

[2:13:35] Thank you.

[2:13:36] Please cash it up.

[2:13:37] Thank you.

[2:13:48] That passes over unanimous vote.

[2:13:50] All right.

[2:13:51] Our contract with wheel pack LLC for behalf of care services that you give the county attention

[2:13:55] facilities.

[2:13:58] Mr. Mitch, Captain.

[2:14:01] Good evening.

[2:14:02] Commissioner Mr. Chairman, Mr. Seyramon.

[2:14:04] Wes Meekham, Captain with the County Sheriff's Office, I'm a company by Captain Shimell Johnson,

[2:14:09] who works in our detention bureau.

[2:14:11] So basically what we're here tonight is to ask for you to approve the contract in substantial form with

[2:14:16] WellPath.

[2:14:17] WellPath, as you know, has been our long-time service provider for medical needs for the folks who are currently residing in our detention facilities.

[2:14:26] We did conduct an RFP staff did and there were four bidders.

[2:14:31] Well, path was the lowest bitter of the four.

[2:14:34] They came in at 271,000, 900 dollars less than the next competitive bitter.

[2:14:42] And of course, we're looking for a three-year contract at which there will be in-in-place

[2:14:49] raises over the course of that three-year period.

[2:14:52] The total of the three-year contract is 33 million, 600, 21,800, and five dollars.

[2:14:57] one of the greatest pro...

[2:15:00] Problems that has faced the medical services providers is keeping qualified and certified staff and keeping

[2:15:09] them there and competitive pricing for their employment. And so that has affected the rates

[2:15:15] continuing to increase. And that has happened over the course of the last four years. We have

[2:15:29] and we did have conversations with counties of comparable size,

[2:15:34] white county and for South County,

[2:15:36] and they have seen the exact same issues arise.

[2:15:39] And so we are not in any way an outlier.

[2:15:43] We're right in mainstream with this type of service,

[2:15:46] and we just ask that you approve this contract.

[2:15:51] If you have any questions about our Captain Johnson,

[2:15:53] be glad to answer them.

[2:15:57] Questions for you all?

[2:15:59] Yes, Mark.

[2:16:00] I'm sure as first of you can share if there is any increase in the services provided in conjunction with the increase in cost or if the service level is going to remain the same and the cost is

[2:16:14] you're really connected to personnel or primarily to personnel?

[2:16:19] Okay, just don't make sure I understand the question.

[2:16:21] You're wondering if there's more services provided,

[2:16:23] or whether they're just inflation, is that what your level of deferred

[2:16:26] at Captain Johnson 11?

[2:16:29] Good evening, everyone.

[2:16:31] So yeah, there are increases in services as well.

[2:16:34] So we've actually, the Medicaid assistant treatment programs

[2:16:39] are opioid.

[2:16:40] Of course, we have opioid crisis going on.

[2:16:43] So, we've now implemented our map programs, our opioid use addiction programs, substance use of disability programs.

[2:16:54] So, and we're, you know, in both with in both facilities.

[2:16:58] So, that has, you know, put calls a lot of increase as well.

[2:17:03] That, along with, you know, now with both facilities, we're having to have more staff as far as, like, the providers, the psychiatrists and things like that.

[2:17:13] So yeah, that has increased the pricing.

[2:17:17] Okay, I have the opportunity to participate with approximately 70 stakeholders from across the community in a sim mapping workshop where we looked at what happens when people with substance use disorder and mental health disorders interact with the criminal legal system and how we might change the trajectory for those individuals.

[2:17:39] It was fantastic to have representatives from the sheriff's department present and engaged with us and many stakeholders over those two days to really think about how can we improve the ways in which we're meeting the needs of those specific populations, understanding that often it is other factors like their addiction or mental health concerns that land them in our jails and so what might it look like.

[2:18:08] to address some of those root causes.

[2:18:11] There were some really fantastic suggestions that came actually out of that meeting and gathering

[2:18:19] including support from folks in the sheriff department to make some adjustments with

[2:18:25] well-path, specifically around ensuring that people who are on MAT when they exit the jail,

[2:18:33] they can continue that treatment,

[2:18:35] civil things like ensuring that scripts get processed automatically

[2:18:41] for them instead of giving them a piece of paper

[2:18:43] and that they have to keep up with.

[2:18:45] Was there any discussion or follow-up between the command staff

[2:18:50] and folks within this year of support

[2:18:52] and to try to address some of the things that came up in that?

[2:18:56] Well, it's fine.

[2:18:57] Yes, actually, I remember vividly what you're saying

[2:19:01] because I've had conversations with the person that was in that meeting and we have talked

[2:19:07] about those things because those things are very important because, you know, along with

[2:19:12] the program, you know, that is going on inside, we need to capture, you know, before the release

[2:19:17] and then outside of, you know, when they release and then follow them a little ways, you know,

[2:19:22] so that they don't, we're still, you know, recidivism isn't the problem. So yeah, we're talking

[2:19:28] about those things, we're actually having meetings to find ways that, you know, like you

[2:19:35] said, even with the script, you know, that may sound like a small thing, like, you know,

[2:19:41] for you to us, you know, yeah, I know I need to pick up my prescription, so yeah, I'm

[2:19:46] going to go by CBS and get my prescription. Well, you have someone on open on, with an opioid

[2:19:51] addiction, you know, to them, you had them in prescription and said, hey, you need to go

[2:19:55] within five days. Well, when they hit the doors, they're probably their first.

[2:20:00] First, you know, thought is, let me go find some drugs. So, you know, it's a matter of collaborating with, you know, having that script, you know, sent to the pharmacy, having someone to make sure they get to the pharmacy, right outside of release, you know, and making sure they get those prescription, so that the things that we've done, the treatment that we've done on the inside can carry on and kind of keep them on that same path.

[2:20:30] of, you know, treatment when they get on the outside.

[2:20:32] So yeah, we are having those conversations.

[2:20:34] I'm glad you brought that up.

[2:20:36] Awesome.

[2:20:36] Thank you for sharing that.

[2:20:38] I think that well-path has an opportunity

[2:20:40] to play a really critical role in bridging that gap

[2:20:44] in part of discharge planning and just in some small practice

[2:20:48] changes that could help really increase support

[2:20:51] for folks in addition to, like you said,

[2:20:52] have an warm hand off and some of those other things

[2:20:55] with our community partners.

[2:20:56] So I'm glad to hear that y'all are having those conversations

[2:20:58] and look forward to seeing how well-path can be a part of our group efforts to help support

[2:21:05] those populations in our community.

[2:21:07] Yes, ma'am.

[2:21:08] Thank you.

[2:21:10] Thank you.

[2:21:10] Thank you, Ms. Murphy.

[2:21:10] Further any other questions?

[2:21:13] Do we have a motion?

[2:21:15] We'll have a roll.

[2:21:16] We'll have a proper second-for-the-scussion.

[2:21:19] Here in our discussion,

[2:21:45] that passes only unanimous vote.

[2:21:50] Madam Clerk, E has been removed.

[2:21:52] Is that correct?

[2:21:54] All right.

[2:21:54] So, F contract with our remote, correct, congressional, directional services, LLC for food service and

[2:22:02] get-for-counting jails.

[2:22:04] Mr. Meach, can we get a capture?

[2:22:05] Yes, sir.

[2:22:05] We're right back.

[2:22:07] I would say you've saved the best for last, but Mr. Benny Gay, guess one more time to be in front of

[2:22:12] you.

[2:22:14] As with well-path, we're seeking substantial approval of contract and substantial form with

[2:22:21] Mayor Mark, again, we put it out for RFP, Bids came in from four different bidders.

[2:22:27] Mayor Mark was the lowest bidder by margin of $571,000 for the first year.

[2:22:35] They have been with us for several years now.

[2:22:38] This is not new.

[2:22:39] We did again compare costs with Mecklenburg County, Versailles County and White County.

[2:22:46] And our costs are actually lower than some of those counties.

[2:22:49] but not as low per se as for side County, but the difference was only 12 cents per meal.

[2:22:57] So that's basically negligible.

[2:22:59] We did do our due diligence, put forth all the matters through the team.

[2:23:06] And we feel that this is the correct path to take it this time.

[2:23:10] We do we will open up for any questions that you might have.

[2:23:14] Questions?

[2:23:24] Thank

[2:23:40] you all very much.

[2:23:42] Appreciate you.

[2:23:45] All right.

[2:23:45] Move around a little bit.

[2:23:46] Commissioner here is on reports and reports from the

[2:23:48] Asans.

[2:23:49] Mr. Jones.

[2:23:50] You have got one from the Greensboro Sports Foundation.

[2:23:52] I had their meeting earlier this week.

[2:23:55] Big takeaways that the new management companies in

[2:23:59] place for the city facilities, the Coliseum,

[2:24:03] Tanger, White Oak, and all of the other entertainment venues and what they're anticipating

[2:24:10] is to greatly increase the number of events here and one of the pieces that particularly

[2:24:17] going after is getting an anchor tenant at the Coliseum, which may look like a moderately

[2:24:23] cocky team. So it even a lot of exciting news going on with the sports foundation in terms of

[2:24:29] to continue to address more stress.

[2:24:36] Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[2:24:38] I participated in a strategic exploration session

[2:24:43] with the ready for school ready for life board.

[2:24:46] Two Fridays ago was a four and a half hour meeting

[2:24:50] that they requested the board to engage in a process

[2:24:53] to evaluate their strategic direction.

[2:24:57] pictures or was there with me as well.

[2:25:00] I think it was a fruitful, productive meeting, and hopefully we'll lead that organization into some new

[2:25:09] success as they move forward, and as they continue to look for their new executive directors.

[2:25:15] So hopefully I can share more about that as they make progress.

[2:25:22] Just the PC, we have had a meeting, since we last met, and that was reflected in the agenda tonight

[2:25:31] the results of that meeting. It was part of an attention yesterday, someone submitted an email

[2:25:38] that there is a mail for the general assembly to change back. I think 2017 is when we did the

[2:25:52] race, the age, in Guelper County, was in 2017 and there was a mail before the general assembly

[2:25:59] that might change that back, that may affect the opportunity on a number of ways.

[2:26:05] We need to check that out and see if we need to help them put there.

[2:26:11] So, because you know, we're a regional center, juvenile detention center, and we've been talking

[2:26:17] about whether to expand our expand our dollar, and that would affect that quite possibly.

[2:26:25] Kelly Azeon, Mr. Manager, Mr. Mayhouse, I just note that you've got to copy the April budget

[2:26:36] performance report in your packet to reach out to any questions.

[2:26:41] Madam, we do have a close session.

[2:26:46] All right, commissioners, comments?

[2:26:50] Let's talk with Ms. Cash in this time.

[2:26:57] Well, last Friday, we had the unveiling and the dedication of the sculpture at our

[2:27:08] you know, the help center of one third street, beautiful ceremony,

[2:27:17] about a hundred people

[2:27:18] there. The sculpture is an original that has been done by Jim Golucci, who is a local artist,

[2:27:31] a great studio here, but being local certainly doesn't limit him. He has done a authority

[2:27:38] exhibitions across the U.S. and completed more than 50 public art commissions for

[2:27:45] municipalities, Arts Council, Universities and Private Collections across the United States.

[2:27:51] This was a gift to, of course, now I try and I'm on to that facility, Sandy also

[2:27:58] did, but it's a gift to our community from the Slasa family in memory of their son, David.

[2:28:07] And lots of people there were making comments afterwards, they just were not aware.

[2:28:17] They go for county head, these mental health services, and particularly for children.

[2:28:25] And three or four parents came up to me and said, we only wish these facilities had been here when we needed them for our children.

[2:28:33] It was a very lovely service,

[2:28:40] one of the Slasa sons spoke and Rebecca Slasa's mother and we

[2:28:46] had the unveiling and then the benediction by Reverend Monsignum, Marcassio from the church,

[2:28:52] Saint-Path, with church.

[2:28:54] And afterwards, the Slasa's interchange, everyone about 100 people for lunch and night they're

[2:29:04] This is a wonderful sculpture it was after working on this for about two, two and a half years.

[2:29:14] Actually I've been working on it since the drawings, since first seeing the drawings,

[2:29:19] architectural drawings for the center when it was pretty obvious this was an opportunity for us to have a public art piece that would speak to the services there

[2:29:32] and the needs of mental health and all the behavioral health areas and public support and family

[2:29:41] support and hand-borne and was. This we use the monorarch because that's a symbol of mental health.

[2:29:49] We use that as the guiding force. Sorry we don't have these to pass out every one of

[2:29:57] We would have that this was the program.

[2:30:00] That was it. And actually, we use the parrot hands, arms for forms and hands, releasing butterflies, showing

[2:30:13] support, et cetera, for mental illness. In what was needed there. It really was a wonderful gift to

[2:30:25] Gilford County citizens, and we should like the slices. Mike died in February, so after

[2:30:34] working on this and the inverse specific about where every letter was placed in every detail,

[2:30:42] he was not able to make it to the end, but we certainly felt his presence there and his impact

[2:30:50] certainly on the sculpture itself, but beautifully done and I think it'll be a reminder

[2:30:59] and it will be very impactful for people for years to come to go visit just to the

[2:31:05] center, family members to the center, people who work at the center to be able to go out

[2:31:09] sort of an area of repose and where one can stop and think and calm and be calm etc.

[2:31:19] Thank

[2:31:22] you, Mr. Chair. We're not just quickly second-gradulations to all the GCS graduates

[2:31:26] and students for finishing up successful year and teachers for hanging in there, all our educators

[2:31:32] for doing the job, the very important job that they do, specific congratulations to my

[2:31:38] son Chris for who you just graduated eighth grade. Head of the high school.

[2:31:44] Thank you.

[2:31:45] We might sound like a broken record here, but just wanted to extend congratulations as well

[2:31:50] to all of the graduates across GoFour County and a special

[2:31:54] congratulations to my daughter, Zamayo, who is graduating from Northwest GoFour

[2:31:58] to High School to Marrow. She is going to be attending North Carolina

[2:32:01] Central and Durham in the fall. We are so proud of her

[2:32:04] and very excited. In spite of the fact that we are

[2:32:07] and Aggie House Hold, she will be an eagle and they'll be a

[2:32:11] little competition between she and her father. I'm sure, but

[2:32:13] we are really proud of her and excited for her next

[2:32:17] chapter in life. I also just wanted to say thank you to Commissioner Greg Hill for bringing

[2:32:23] a resolution that really lifted. I think our core values here in Gilford County.

[2:32:30] The reality is that everyone deserves to feel safe and welcomed in our community.

[2:32:39] And I appreciate you bringing that for us today and ensuring that all people know that they have

[2:32:44] how you and that they are welcome here in our community.

[2:32:49] That's all.

[2:32:50] Thank you.

[2:32:51] Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[2:32:54] I want to thank everyone who came out and gave their input tonight on the budget.

[2:32:59] How about your feedback and we have the same priorities.

[2:33:01] I also want to thank Mr. Murphy for craft in the op-ed.

[2:33:05] I'll be half of the board where she urged the North Carolina General Assembly

[2:33:09] to step up and properly fund our schools.

[2:33:11] I also attended the David Slasher Monarchs School of Dren Bayland last week where we

[2:33:16] ordered a young man who we lost, but highlighted the great work that

[2:33:20] Gilford County, that the Gilford County Child Crisis Center does for our

[2:33:23] community, our community, around mental health. I wanted you to know why I

[2:33:27] recognized him pride month for the first time here in Gilford County is a

[2:33:31] big deal because somewhere out there tonight, someone thinks that they are better off

[2:33:35] dead than be in themselves. I wish 10 year old Brandon could have seen this moment and

[2:33:39] that it does get better. And while politicians are attacking the LGBTQ community and trying

[2:33:44] to roll back our rights, I want the people of Gopher County to know that we see you,

[2:33:47] we're loved, and support them. Thank you. Thank you. Mr. Graham. Let's put it. Nothing

[2:33:52] nice of an already been said about the great work that Kaye spearheaded on his hats off to her

[2:34:00] and saying heels were allowing us to put that there is going to make a big impact.

[2:34:05] Thank you.

[2:34:07] Joe?

[2:34:08] Just a couple of things.

[2:34:10] First, I want to recognize Deborah Mack, and the tremendous work would be

[2:34:14] Huck.

[2:34:15] Mental health rock the block.

[2:34:17] The block was rocked on May 17.

[2:34:20] Commissioner Tillman, I think spent the entire day there.

[2:34:23] I made it towards the end of the day, but still made it before he closed up.

[2:34:27] But tremendous event.

[2:34:29] One of the best things about the mental health rock the block piece is that it allows

[2:34:34] other vendors, suppliers to communicate with one another, which reduces the duplication of services.

[2:34:43] And that they're each able to fill their niche.

[2:34:45] And Assistant County Manager Isler was out there quite a bit, but it was a fantastic event.

[2:34:51] I also want to congratulate Chancellor Harold Martin, who had his big retirement,

[2:34:55] Gailo May 18.

[2:34:57] It was tremendous attendance, a grand over.

[2:35:00] He is one of the top chances in the entire country, and certainly an anti-Sistery. He will be missed, and he's left certainly

[2:35:08] big shoes to fill. Once also mentioned that, I've spent some time at some of our local elementary

[2:35:16] middle schools. I was at Rankin earlier this week, and sponsored ice stream for the fifth

[2:35:24] and then because of that, I'm doing a sick and so on, so apparently when you're a young kid, you can eat ice cream at 9 o'clock in the morning and be just fine, so we're doing that, and I even made it over to Willborn.

[2:35:38] It's a hot point, and it was with the Women's Foundation, and with Carolina, who has been going there on a weekly basis,

[2:35:46] dealing with some six and eighth graders, and so I had an opportunity to talk to the students that they had.

[2:35:53] Lastly, I want to mention that I did go to Pleasant Gardens Town Council meeting.

[2:35:58] Unfortunately, Ron Serge's widow, Brenda Serge, was unable to make it here when we did the resolution.

[2:36:04] So, I went to Pleasant Garden and deliver a resolution there on behalf of this board.

[2:36:12] And that's it for me.

[2:36:15] That was true.

[2:36:16] Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[2:36:18] So, I want to lift Pat Tillman.

[2:36:20] You said he was at the middle health, rock the block on the 17th.

[2:36:24] He was in high point, of course, at the veterans event.

[2:36:26] On the 18th, then I did get out there.

[2:36:29] It was kind of sponsored by the Heroes Center.

[2:36:31] It was a great event downtown High Point honoring veterans.

[2:36:35] I'd like to welcome Dr. Tullisha Roberts, who is the new Executive Director for Thrive 2.0.

[2:36:44] The county did support Thrive in its emphasis.

[2:36:48] When first guy started, we gave a big donation to help them about three years ago.

[2:36:53] So now they are revamping and it is now Thrive 2.0.

[2:36:58] Um, attended the Carolina Corps, MLS soccer game on last Saturday.

[2:37:05] It was their first home game, a sellout crowd.

[2:37:09] It was a huge event at Rockers Stadium.

[2:37:14] They didn't win the game, but it was a lot of hoopla around that first night.

[2:37:19] So I was glad to be able to support that.

[2:37:26] The High Point Alumni Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated Awarded 10 Scholarships

[2:37:33] across give a county ranging from $700 to $1100 to young men and women in RGCS schools

[2:37:45] who will be further in the education at the college of their choices was the big thing

[2:37:51] us to be able to give 10 scholarships in that amount.

[2:38:00] Juneteenth coming up on June 16th and High Point will be at the Rocker Stadium.

[2:38:06] It is sponsored by the College of Davis YMCA, it's going to be bigger and better this year

[2:38:11] and we moved it from the one there because we are honoring fancage of Burino and the chairman

[2:38:17] will be there to make a presentation to her on behalf of the county.

[2:38:21] So any commissioners would like to attend that event, just let me know so that I can take it to that.

[2:38:29] It's a free community event, but we have, we do have sponsors and we'll have local talent,

[2:38:35] we have some school children that will be there because they have done some artwork around June 10th

[2:38:40] or have vendors and food trucks and it's going to be a big time and high point.

[2:38:46] Following that, the Black Pearl Society is sponsoring Douggy Fresh in Greensboro,

[2:38:52] kind of served at the Continental Club that starts at 6 o'clock. In High Point we're 2 to 6,

[2:38:57] there's a 6 to 930. Tickets can are still available to be purchased there.

[2:39:06] Want to congratulate all of the Government County School students that will be graduating this

[2:39:10] weekend. I will be participating in graduations on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from the High Point Schools.

[2:39:18] I always look forward to that.

[2:39:19] Can't let the school board head follow my head.

[2:39:21] Education is just a priority.

[2:39:24] And Black Pearl Society will be sponsoring

[2:39:28] Lunch for all of the teachers and staff to

[2:39:30] Marrow at Alan J. Prep Academy.

[2:39:34] Missed teacher appreciation week,

[2:39:36] but they said tomorrow would be a good day for us to do that.

[2:39:39] So we're doing that.

[2:39:40] And just a moment of personal privilege.

[2:39:42] I have to congratulate Makabria who made the

[2:39:48] She was one of two fifth graders that made the team, so there were 14 young ladies that were picked, and she was one of them.

[2:39:56] So congratulations to my career with Abianna Rose student.

[2:40:00] Chair leader, and lift up her brother C.J. who is a three-sport athlete and AB Honore student as well.

[2:40:07] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Church announcements, that's what these are.

[2:40:13] I too want to thank the general public for coming out tonight. All of the teachers, all of the folks that support the teachers, coming out and letting us know what your thoughts are on the budget.

[2:40:27] That's how we, you know, I'll feed back and I think the manager for putting together a presentation in order to kind of educate the community on basically how budget to put together and how we're spending their tax dollars or appreciate that and also do want to select all the graduates this year that'll be graduating over the next couple of weeks and been able to also to teachers who helped give them get to that point.

[2:40:57] I've been able to graduate from high school.

[2:41:02] So again, Hassel, all of them, all the people

[2:41:05] at GCC, GCS, for a personal privilege, also.

[2:41:11] I want to congratulate my granddaughter, Nala Austin.

[2:41:16] She's been promoted to the third rate.

[2:41:20] So she's been graduated from that from above.

[2:41:25] Also, my youngest granddaughter, R.L. Austin, she would be going to pre-K next year, and her birthday

[2:41:35] is going to be June 11th, one day after my birthday, which will be June 10th, so happy birthday

[2:41:44] to my baby granddaughter.

[2:41:50] Do I hear a motion to go into closed session for the purpose of General Stack 2143-318 and

[2:41:59] everyone for the purpose of consulting with our county attorney?

[2:42:03] I mean, we're in the proper second order, maybe second order, maybe second order.

[2:42:08] Those may as have it so order, we stand in closed session.

[2:42:45] All right, we got the motion to come back in the open session.

[2:42:47] We would have probably said for all those things that could perhaps say that.

[2:42:52] We would have a motion to adjourn.

[2:42:54] Second.

[2:42:58] Second.

[2:43:21] Second.

Board of Supervisors View — GCBOCC Meeting 060624 - Trimmed

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