[5:12] I'd like to call to order the Arredell
[5:13] County Board of Commissioner 6 o'clock
[5:15] regular meeting for Tuesday, August the
[5:16] 18th, 2026. At this time, I'd like to
[5:20] ask Commissioner Halp to give the
[5:21] invocation for the Board of
[5:22] Commissioners as we seek guidance and
[5:24] wisdom in the work we're about to do for
[5:26] the citizens of Ardale County.
[5:29] Lord, we come to you tonight asking for
[5:31] wisdom and guidance, Lord, in all
[5:32] decisions. We ask for prayers for our
[5:34] students, parents, staff, and for a new
[5:37] school year, Lord, and keep them safe
[5:39] every day as they come and go for our
[5:41] school and all the importance that they
[5:43] provide for our communities. We ask for
[5:45] prayers for our military, Lord, and our
[5:47] first responders and their families,
[5:49] Lord, for all that they do for our
[5:50] country and our our municipalities and
[5:53] our county and our state. Lord, prayers
[5:55] for our president, our leaders to do
[5:57] what's right for the American people.
[5:58] Lord, keep them focused on that, Lord,
[6:00] and help them to please you with all
[6:02] their decisions. Lord, please bless the
[6:04] United States as we are not perfect,
[6:06] Lord, but we're still the best country
[6:07] in the world, Lord. In Jesus name, we
[6:09] come to you tonight. We we give you
[6:11] praise and glory in all that you do. And
[6:13] thank you for all our many blessings. In
[6:14] Jesus name we pray. Amen.
[6:16] >> Amen. At this time, I'd like to ask
[6:18] » Amen. At this time, I'd like to ask
[6:18] Commission uh Vice Chair Neer to lead us
[6:20] in a pledge of
[6:20] >> allegiance
[6:24] to the flag of the United States of
[6:27] America and to the republic for which it
[6:30] stands, one nation under God,
[6:33] indivisible, with liberty and justice
[6:36] for all.
[6:40] » And turn it over to county manager for
[6:42] adjustment to the agenda.
[6:43] >> The only adjustment we have this evening
[6:45] » The only adjustment we have this evening
[6:45] is just to make sure that we received
[6:48] another application for the Farmland
[6:50] Preservation Board and that was added on
[6:53] the table before you packet for
[6:54] consideration.
[6:56] >> Do we have a motion to approve the
[6:58] » Do we have a motion to approve the
[6:58] agenda?
[6:58] >> Make a motion to approve.
[7:00] » Make a motion to approve.
[7:00] >> Motion by Commissioner Stout. All in
[7:01] » Motion by Commissioner Stout. All in
[7:01] favor say I.
[7:02] >> I.
[7:03] » I.
[7:03] >> Any opposed? The agenda is approved. We
[7:05] » Any opposed? The agenda is approved. We
[7:06] do not have any special recognitions or
[7:08] awards tonight, but we do have an
[7:10] appointment before the board with the
[7:11] Art of County Health Department. I'll
[7:12] turn it to county manager to fire that
[7:14] off.
[7:14] >> Absolutely. Thank you. Um, this evening
[7:17] » Absolutely. Thank you. Um, this evening
[7:17] we do have a request from the health
[7:18] department to present the 2025 state of
[7:21] the county health report and Miss Indic
[7:23] Savage is here to make this presentation
[7:25] to the board.
[7:45] check and make sure that we have to act
[7:46] it out too.
[7:47] >> I do have some booklets as well.
[7:49] » I do have some booklets as well.
[7:49] >> Oh, there there you go. Here we go.
[7:51] » Oh, there there you go. Here we go.
[7:51] Okay.
[7:52] >> All right. So, good evening everyone. My
[7:54] » All right. So, good evening everyone. My
[7:54] name is Danica Savage. I am the health
[7:56] promotion supervisor from the Iredell
[7:58] County Health Department. So, this
[8:00] evening I will be providing to you all
[8:01] the 2025 state of the county health
[8:03] report, also known as the Satch Report,
[8:06] which shows the actual progress of our
[8:07] community health assessment. So our top
[8:09] three priorities for our 2020 health
[8:11] assessment was chronic disease,
[8:13] substance misuse, and mental health. And
[8:15] with this initiative, we did collaborate
[8:17] with several different organizations
[8:18] throughout Ardell County to improve in
[8:20] those areas.
[8:26] All right. So for our first priority in
[8:29] our initiative, mental health, this was
[8:30] done by our own health department with
[8:32] our opioid team. So we did have our
[8:34] youth mental health first aid. So this
[8:36] is done for our actual adults to help
[8:39] them actually respond to an actual
[8:40] crisis for our youth. So we did train 28
[8:43] SRO's for our mindful Mondays. This was
[8:46] done for our recreation center and we
[8:49] had 384 children. So with this we
[8:52] actually provided emotion emotional
[8:54] regulation games like rock pain puzzles
[8:56] and positive affirmations for them. For
[8:59] our teens mental health first aid and
[9:01] this is for our actual adolesccents
[9:02] between the ages of 14 and 18. We teach
[9:05] them how to actually respond to an
[9:06] actual crisis. So in 2025 we did one
[9:10] training. However, we had five students
[9:12] and that number has incre increased this
[9:14] year.
[9:21] We did collaborate with Bwell Aredell
[9:23] which is a suicide prevention coalition
[9:25] in Ayardell County. So for them their
[9:27] all their activities, events, trainings
[9:29] held and material materials directed
[9:32] were provided. It was a total of 3,000
[9:34] people that they actually reached for
[9:37] the 500 youth engaged. This is the
[9:39] actual number of the youth that train
[9:42] attended their trainings in their
[9:43] programs and that was a total of 500 30
[9:46] partner agencies and that included the
[9:48] health department and 20 trainings held.
[9:56] All right, for chronic disease our own
[9:58] very own mental health well mobile unit
[10:00] I'm sorry. So we are around the county.
[10:03] We did a total of 139 blood pressure
[10:05] checks last year and that number
[10:07] definitely has tripled this year. Down
[10:10] below we do have our healthy for life
[10:12] that we have not yet started. This is
[10:14] with the American Heart Association. So
[10:16] this is actual training that's inerson
[10:18] and virtually done. So it provides
[10:20] education on physical well-being and
[10:22] wellness.
[10:29] All right. So we did collaborate with
[10:31] Ardell health system with their diabetes
[10:33] program. Their diabetes program is for
[10:35] their type 2 diabetes and provides
[10:37] improvement and education to those. So
[10:39] it was a total of 65 people who actually
[10:41] attended the program with 62 participant
[10:44] participants actually maintaining their
[10:46] type 2 diabetes levels. So for their
[10:49] outreach and community engagement, this
[10:51] includes educational trainings and
[10:53] events. There were a total of 406
[10:56] community members that actually attended
[11:03] for substance misuse. We did collaborate
[11:05] with Daki Ardo County Wellness Clinic in
[11:07] the Statesville Police Department. So
[11:10] these are very our own prevention
[11:12] methods. So with the Aridell Statesville
[11:15] Police Department, it was 100 a total of
[11:18] 154 pounds of unwanted med medications
[11:21] for their drug t takeback program. So
[11:24] for Daki, this included their 95 lock
[11:26] boxes. For their fitnol strips, 341.
[11:30] Again, these are prevention methods. And
[11:32] then for our Arredell County Wellness
[11:34] Clinic, there were 19 referrals for our
[11:36] quit line program. And this included our
[11:38] county employees,
[11:46] our challenges.
[11:48] So for 2025, we did have several
[11:50] different challenges. Of course, our
[11:52] measles outbreak with 24 cases and our
[11:55] last reported case was February 21st,
[11:57] 2026. Our government shutdown which
[12:00] affected the entire country, especially
[12:02] the health department with our care
[12:04] management program and access to mental
[12:06] health care. So, here in Ardell County,
[12:08] we do have our we do have behavioral
[12:10] health Davis with 42 beds. However, we
[12:13] do need more inpatient for mental health
[12:16] as well as our substance abuse recovery
[12:18] long-term treatment centers.
[12:26] For our health trends for 2023, the
[12:29] morbidity and mortality rates, there
[12:31] were no significant changes from 2023
[12:34] that remained pretty consistent. Opioid
[12:36] overdoses still a high-risisk concern.
[12:38] So, we still track those with NC detect.
[12:41] And again, with our provider capacity,
[12:43] that was our mental health and our
[12:44] substance misuse treatment centers,
[12:46] which is a need in Iridale County.
[12:52] All right. For our new initiatives at
[12:53] the health department, do we do have our
[12:55] animated character, Globy. He is our
[12:57] mood keeper for our youth. So, he
[12:59] provides our youth emotional regulation
[13:02] and teaches them how to recognize their
[13:03] actual emotions and their actual
[13:05] feelings.
[13:11] All right. And for 2027, the community
[13:14] health assessment is coming up. We will
[13:15] continue to collaborate with several
[13:17] different organizations and we will be
[13:19] partnering with Duke Health on this
[13:20] initiative. Thank you.
[13:29] » Can I ask you a question?
[13:30] >> Sure.
[13:31] » Sure.
[13:31] >> I see it says questions now.
[13:32] » I see it says questions now.
[13:32] >> Yes.
[13:33] » Yes.
[13:33] >> And if you're not able to answer, I'm
[13:35] » And if you're not able to answer, I'm
[13:35] sure you can like phone a friend or
[13:36] reach out or follow back up. If you will
[13:38] um think back to what is capable by the
[13:41] the mobile health unit
[13:43] >> when it's out and about in the community
[13:45] » when it's out and about in the community
[13:45] if someone comes in to have blood work
[13:47] done is something say there go back to
[13:50] the diabetes focus on that one on their
[13:51] numbers
[13:52] >> if they wonder if their sugar's high
[13:54] » if they wonder if their sugar's high
[13:54] whether they are diagnosed with diabetes
[13:56] or if they're just the citizen that's
[13:58] never had their blood check
[13:59] >> is that something they can coordinate
[14:01] » is that something they can coordinate
[14:01] with the mobile health unit or do they
[14:03] have to come in
[14:04] >> that is something that they are able to
[14:06] » that is something that they are able to
[14:06] coordinate with the mobile So we do have
[14:08] a lab team out there. So
[14:09] >> that's essentially what I was wondering.
[14:11] » that's essentially what I was wondering.
[14:11] So that way folks sometimes are hesitant
[14:12] to go.
[14:14] >> They need to know,
[14:14] » They need to know,
[14:14] >> right? So we do have lab out there. So
[14:16] » right? So we do have lab out there. So
[14:16] yes, we they will get the help that they
[14:18] need.
[14:18] >> How long would they have to wait to have
[14:19] » How long would they have to wait to have
[14:19] results?
[14:21] >> I'm not sure. It depends on the actual
[14:23] » I'm not sure. It depends on the actual
[14:23] what they're actually there for. You get
[14:25] it done. Yes. Yes.
[14:27] >> We do not turn anyone away.
[14:28] » We do not turn anyone away.
[14:28] >> Okay. Excellent. Thank you.
[14:31] » Okay. Excellent. Thank you.
[14:31] I think on your slide you kind of
[14:34] alluded to this is
[14:36] >> with the growth that we're seeing in
[14:38] » with the growth that we're seeing in
[14:38] this county.
[14:39] >> Are you starting to see more folks with
[14:41] » Are you starting to see more folks with
[14:41] the health department because they are
[14:43] having trouble getting in with a their
[14:46] own provider?
[14:48] >> Well, I would say that's everywhere. I
[14:50] » Well, I would say that's everywhere. I
[14:50] would say provider capacity, like I said
[14:53] it before, that's a need in several
[14:54] different counties. the health
[14:56] department does provide you know that
[14:57] access to individuals even those without
[14:59] health insurance on a sliding scale. So
[15:01] we do see a lot of different people with
[15:03] that.
[15:03] >> Are you are you hearing very much of
[15:06] » Are you are you hearing very much of
[15:06] folks kind of um
[15:08] >> more migrating to the health department
[15:10] » more migrating to the health department
[15:10] instead of their primary care providers
[15:12] >> because of capacity?
[15:13] » because of capacity?
[15:13] >> Um I wouldn't say that I'm hearing I
[15:15] » Um I wouldn't say that I'm hearing I
[15:15] would say that we we see more patients
[15:18] um because of that. You know a lot of
[15:19] people don't accept Medicaid so we do
[15:21] see a lot of patients with Medicaid. Um,
[15:23] so I I feel like we do maintain a good a
[15:26] good bit of clients.
[15:30] » Any other questions?
[15:37] » Make a motion to
[15:40] >> All right. Thank you guys.
[15:42] » All right. Thank you guys.
[15:42] >> We got a motion on the floor.
[15:43] » We got a motion on the floor.
[15:43] >> Motion by Commissioner Stout. All in
[15:45] » Motion by Commissioner Stout. All in
[15:45] favor say I.
[15:46] >> Any oppos?
[15:49] » Any oppos?
[15:49] >> You guys have a good evening.
[15:51] » You guys have a good evening.
[15:51] >> I'm feeling healthier already.
[15:53] » I'm feeling healthier already.
[15:53] positive energies.
[15:56] >> We don't have any public hearings
[15:57] » We don't have any public hearings
[15:58] tonight, but I'll turn it over to the
[15:59] manager to do our administrative matter.
[16:01] >> Thank you, Chair Conley. Um, do you want
[16:03] » Thank you, Chair Conley. Um, do you want
[16:03] to go ahead and do the the two that we
[16:05] reserve for the six? So, uh, the first
[16:08] item under administrative matters for
[16:10] the six o'clock meeting is a request
[16:12] from Ardell six schools for approval of
[16:14] phase 2 athletic funding for Weather
[16:16] Creek High School, including budget
[16:17] amendment number six and amendment to
[16:19] the capital project ordinance. And Mr.
[16:22] Mark Shanker is here to make his
[16:23] presentation to the board. I will say
[16:25] depending upon uh the board's decision,
[16:28] Miss Taylor is um has various different
[16:32] options for budget amendments. She's
[16:34] she's been busy with budget amendments,
[16:35] not knowing which
[16:37] ago. So, um she actually will come and
[16:39] tag team at the
[16:45] » Yes. Uh good evening, uh
[16:48] Chairman Connelly, members of the board.
[16:50] Um I'm here on behalf of Irale
[16:52] Statesville Schools, um to present to
[16:54] you a request for funding, additional
[16:56] funding for Weathers Creek High School,
[16:59] uh to complete phase two of our school.
[17:02] Um as you know, we're under construction
[17:03] there and have been for quite some time.
[17:06] Um, we've received
[17:09] $130 million worth of funding from uh
[17:12] the county to build this project. Um,
[17:15] and you know, our intent is to try to
[17:18] complete the project all together with
[17:21] phase one and and open the school
[17:23] together with both an athletics portion
[17:25] of the field um to the to the the school
[17:28] building side of the project. The
[17:30] building part of the project is is
[17:32] running as scheduled and um and we are
[17:36] delivering a school to be opened in fall
[17:39] of 2027. So this is our last school year
[17:41] without the uh school. We're in the
[17:44] middle of a redistricting process right
[17:45] now and we hope to have that approved in
[17:48] our next month in our board meeting
[17:49] there. And so we've been looking at
[17:52] different options. If you remember
[17:54] originally um we were making a request
[17:57] forundred
[17:59] 70 million or so for the project. 32
[18:03] million I believe was the original uh
[18:05] request there for phase two of the
[18:07] project for athletics.
[18:09] You know, we understand that that's uh
[18:11] not going to be possible
[18:14] with a with the constraints that you
[18:16] have with budget. So, we we looked back
[18:18] at it to see what we could eliminate.
[18:20] Our goal all along was to try to provide
[18:22] a full continuum of athletics, every
[18:24] sport to all the students that attend
[18:27] Weathers Creek High School. And when we
[18:29] did that project, when we did that
[18:31] exercise,
[18:32] um, we were able to to eliminate some
[18:35] things and and try to back into around a
[18:38] $25 million construction project.
[18:42] And then we've continued to sharpen the
[18:45] pencil going back through to see what
[18:48] was possible in the project to
[18:50] eliminate. Understand that anytime you
[18:51] do a project there are construction
[18:53] costs but there are other costs
[18:54] associated with the project with
[18:55] permitting design fees. You know you
[18:58] know misconception will be well we
[19:00] already designed it. Well when you're
[19:01] making the design modifications we are
[19:04] to the field uh position of the field
[19:06] and where certain things are located you
[19:09] have to redesign these things. We've
[19:11] looked at consolidating buildings
[19:13] together and doing all of all of these
[19:15] exercises together to try to drop into a
[19:18] budget. So um the construction company
[19:20] Monteth Construction has been helpful in
[19:23] doing this exercise. They've spent hours
[19:26] with their staff trying to come up with
[19:29] different versions that that could back
[19:32] into a budget that everyone was
[19:33] satisfied with. The architect has been
[19:36] very helpful and has put in a ton of
[19:38] time for the project as well. Um, and so
[19:40] the documents I shared with you is is
[19:42] kind of I believe um an option for us to
[19:46] do this project. And um and I'll kind of
[19:50] talk through a little bit of what that
[19:51] is. I have a a map up here that kind of
[19:53] shows some of these ideas that we've
[19:55] done. If you remember, the original plan
[19:56] had the field oriented a different way.
[19:59] We've we've looked at moving the field,
[20:01] eliminating parking lots mostly uh for
[20:05] grading purposes. The project has a
[20:08] large uh it's sloped from the north end
[20:12] to the south end of the property. So
[20:16] having the fields positioned in the way
[20:17] they were before would require a very
[20:20] expensive retaining wall. So we looked
[20:22] to move things up to avoid the that work
[20:25] and avoid having to build a retaining
[20:27] wall there. We eliminated some access
[20:30] roads that went up to the back side of
[20:32] the field. What's highlighted there in
[20:34] green is a section of the road that we
[20:36] would suggest would be done some of that
[20:40] were to be done in gravel versus
[20:41] pavement. On the football field itself,
[20:44] we eliminated several of the buildings
[20:46] to have one building. So, consolidating
[20:49] a concession stand, eliminating a
[20:52] concession stand and then consolidating
[20:53] the concession stand into the
[20:55] fieldhouse. It's much cheaper to build
[20:56] one building than it is multiple
[20:58] buildings. We reduce the capacity in the
[21:01] in the uh stadium there with the number
[21:04] of seats that we have in here to match
[21:06] the same capacity that we have at South
[21:07] Irale High School. on our baseball and
[21:10] softball fields. They had uh bleachers
[21:13] on the home side, on the on the I'm
[21:15] sorry, the first base side, the third
[21:17] base side, and behind home plate. And we
[21:21] looked to eliminate both the ones on the
[21:23] baselines just to have bleachers behind
[21:25] home plate. Parking lots were eliminated
[21:28] utilizing before the idea of the project
[21:30] was we had a gate that would separate
[21:33] athletics from the building side.
[21:35] Eliminating the gate and utilizing
[21:38] parking that's on the building side
[21:40] allows us to not install all these
[21:43] parking lots and saves lots of money in
[21:46] parking. I'm sure you manage your county
[21:47] budget here. You know what parking lots
[21:48] cost. We also look to eliminate both
[21:51] practice fields in this generation and
[21:55] with the idea that we could install one
[21:57] ourselves through our maintenance
[21:59] department or through our capital funds
[22:01] at a later date.
[22:03] We would grade it so that a field was a
[22:06] field kind of footprint was there for
[22:08] one of the athletic fields, but then the
[22:12] other field there actually a slope there
[22:14] where that other there wouldn't be a
[22:16] spot there for that other field. We'd
[22:17] have to go in and grade some of that to
[22:19] add the other practice field.
[22:22] And so there are some other components
[22:24] pieces in there. It's all kind of
[22:25] outlined, I believe, in that letter that
[22:27] Monteth has provided.
[22:30] And all of these I will state is is
[22:32] really just an an option. Um we can
[22:35] really work with any budget the county
[22:37] provides us. Um it is you know and this
[22:41] is this exercise that we did was done
[22:44] rather rather quickly. Um these are all
[22:46] estimates. If you notice the one
[22:48] document I provided you they have lots
[22:49] of zeros because those are estimates
[22:51] that you know we don't we're not really
[22:53] tied to any of this. you know, our
[22:55] request is to to receive funding for
[22:57] this and then we could go back and
[23:01] really decide how we're going to to
[23:03] utilize that funding. Um, but this plan
[23:06] right here, I think, is one um that we
[23:08] would be very pleased with. I will also
[23:10] point out, too, it does not have tennis
[23:12] courts in there. We eliminated all six
[23:14] tennis courts in this piece here. You
[23:16] know, that's unfortunate, but that's a
[23:18] it's a very expensive for the number of
[23:21] participants that we have in tennis. Um,
[23:23] and it's, you know, you'll spend
[23:25] anywhere from half a million to a
[23:26] million dollars instead in installing a
[23:27] tennis court. I think one of the quotes
[23:28] he had in here was $1.2 million for
[23:31] tennis or, you know, for some high
[23:33] schools that, you know, don't even have
[23:35] a tennis team, have trouble fielding
[23:36] tennis teams. We can look to add that at
[23:39] a later date.
[23:41] So, I know one popular question we
[23:42] receive is if we were to do this, how
[23:44] long it would take? We're kind of
[23:45] working with a one-year um timeline. I
[23:49] think 12 months of construction timeline
[23:50] for it. So by the time we finish if um
[23:53] funding was made available and we were
[23:56] looking to um you know go through the
[23:59] design and finalize the design finalize
[24:01] you know how we were going to utilize
[24:02] those funds it would be 12 months from
[24:05] there. So you know I kind of say a day
[24:07] for a day. The longer this is delayed
[24:10] the longer it would take you know to
[24:12] have it installed.
[24:14] I believe you're going to have the best
[24:16] price is the price that uh is today's
[24:20] price and as we move further along this
[24:22] if we were to defer this project I think
[24:24] it becomes more expensive. How much more
[24:26] expensive? I I'm not really sure. A lot
[24:29] of the pricing that all the pricing that
[24:30] we provide in here is based on the you
[24:33] know construction consumer index um and
[24:37] you know what we're seeing from we
[24:38] haven't rebid the project but I think
[24:40] once we rebid the project we'll be able
[24:42] to kind of go through and and see you
[24:44] know what our best prices in there and
[24:47] what we can do um on any of it. So, this
[24:52] scope right here, without the tennis
[24:54] courts, without the practice fields, and
[24:56] all of these modifications that we've
[24:58] spoke about, brings a construction cost
[25:01] of $22 million.
[25:03] Um, we are estimating $2 million in soft
[25:06] costs
[25:08] um for a total project cost of $24
[25:11] million.
[25:13] We have saved money from phase one on
[25:15] the project. We're running probably
[25:18] about $1.5 million and what we call our
[25:21] our kitty. We've eliminated things from
[25:24] that project to try to save money there
[25:26] to put towards phase two. We I think
[25:29] we've done a really nice job not to
[25:31] cheapen the building, but to find, you
[25:33] know, savings where things might have
[25:35] been unnecessary.
[25:37] Um so, for example, you know, I I shared
[25:40] this with the board last week. We found
[25:41] $30,000 last week because the mezzanines
[25:44] where the HVAC system is housed above in
[25:47] these areas above the classroom space.
[25:50] It's just mechanical equipment up there.
[25:52] Those in the in the plans, they were set
[25:54] to be to have painting up done up there.
[25:56] A coat of primer and a coat of paint.
[25:58] Eliminated that. You know, they could be
[26:00] just regular masonry walls up there. We
[26:02] saved a hund00 million by eliminating a
[26:04] a hall of fame kind of corridor that
[26:07] went towards the gym. Now we have a wall
[26:09] of fame with just some casing and
[26:11] trophies and things in there. So we've
[26:13] looked to eliminate a lot of these
[26:15] things through the project, saving about
[26:17] 1.5. We're comfortable with about 1.25
[26:20] of that. Still want to leave something
[26:21] in there. There is unforeseen things
[26:23] that pop up from time to time. We also
[26:26] have some allowance savings as well too.
[26:29] You know, anytime you do a construction
[26:30] project, you have little pots of money
[26:31] for allowances. you have one for um you
[26:35] know an allowance for electrical, an
[26:36] allowance for all of these different
[26:38] trades. And as the project gets further
[26:40] along, you know, we're more and more
[26:42] comfortable with utilizing the money
[26:44] that's there in the allowances. This is
[26:46] $250,000 towards allowances. There's
[26:49] more than that in the allowances, but
[26:51] this is the part I think we're we're
[26:52] going to be comfortable dedicating
[26:53] towards the project. A half a million
[26:55] dollars of the project is going to be
[26:58] reimbursed by NC DOT. This is not
[27:00] something that you receive immediately,
[27:02] but at some point we'll have a
[27:04] reimbursement of $500,000. A lot of time
[27:06] when we get those reimbursements,
[27:07] they're, you know, returned back to the
[27:10] school, but you know, that'll be your
[27:12] choice there. But 500,000, you know, you
[27:15] know, we kind of put in there as well.
[27:18] We also receive somewhere around $2
[27:20] million a year in lottery funds. So,
[27:22] we're prepared um to put money into this
[27:25] project toward from lottery. So, for
[27:28] example, we can look at one of the maybe
[27:30] baseball and softball fields and see if
[27:31] we could utilize lottery funds to to pay
[27:34] for those portions of the project. So,
[27:36] that brings a total contribution to the
[27:38] project from the district at $4 million.
[27:42] Um, so if you take you do the math, 24
[27:44] million total project cost, $4 million
[27:47] from the district gives us an estimated
[27:49] counting funding request of $20 million.
[27:53] And so, you know, and I'm going to share
[27:55] uh a little bit later about Parkertown
[27:58] Elementary, which we are operating, you
[28:01] know, within our budget there and things
[28:03] are favorable on that project. You know,
[28:07] that's another space there that I think
[28:08] we could look at at some point, too, is
[28:10] seeing, you know, is there savings that
[28:13] we have from that portion of the project
[28:14] to put back into this project. So there
[28:17] are other opportunities I think along
[28:19] the way and as as time goes on I think
[28:21] it'll become more clear on exactly what
[28:24] this may look like.
[28:28] It's probably a lot of information. I'll
[28:29] I'll take any questions you have.
[28:31] >> Anybody got any questions for Mark?
[28:33] » Anybody got any questions for Mark?
[28:33] >> Simple one on the football field. Are
[28:36] » Simple one on the football field. Are
[28:36] you is it considered to be turf in this
[28:38] estimate as well?
[28:39] >> Yes. The field itself would be a very
[28:41] » Yes. The field itself would be a very
[28:41] similar product to to what we've done on
[28:43] our other fields. South Irale High
[28:45] School. They'll have their first home
[28:47] football game on their on their turf
[28:49] field on Friday night if you want to
[28:50] come out for that. But that'll it'll be
[28:52] a similar product to what we have at our
[28:54] other ones. The track in this particular
[28:57] estimate is looking at a different
[28:59] version of track surface. And we're
[29:01] still in conversations with geoaces that
[29:04] provides our our track and fields there
[29:06] to see is there another really good
[29:08] track surface that may not be the the
[29:10] Mondo system that we have on these
[29:12] fields is top of the line across the the
[29:15] country. I think they said that
[29:16] something crazy I'll say the number
[29:18] wrong but 80% of all world records are
[29:21] set on the this particular track
[29:22] surface. We can find a really good
[29:24] surface. I just care about it lasting
[29:26] long. Is it safe for kids and will it
[29:27] last long? That's the kind of the the
[29:29] way that I look at it. So, could we find
[29:30] another product that could potentially
[29:32] save us, you know, half a million
[29:34] dollars? And I think that that's this is
[29:36] that that is the product that would be
[29:37] listed in this this so it's a very
[29:40] similar but maybe not identical as far
[29:42] as a track service.
[29:46] » Any other questions?
[29:48] I just want to say thank you to uh Mark
[29:50] and and all of their staff and Monteth
[29:53] Beth and I and Bert along with them had
[29:56] had several meetings on behalf of our
[29:57] board and staff um to try and
[30:00] prioritize. We asked them, we t them
[30:02] with coming back with the highest
[30:04] priorities
[30:06] for the athletic stuff in this phase
[30:09] because of our um funding limitations we
[30:12] have uh throughout the county, schools,
[30:16] fires, all these things. And as Mark
[30:19] mentioned, they they prioritize things
[30:23] with where we think we can be today. Not
[30:26] saying none of the other things are not
[30:28] valued and important, but I think we had
[30:30] to move these things forward if possible
[30:33] uh without jeopardizing, you know, Mark
[30:35] mentioned quality. When they did the
[30:37] scope modifications and things, they
[30:38] didn't jeopardize quality of product.
[30:41] And I wanted to say thank you to all the
[30:43] people that took part in that. And um it
[30:47] was important to to do that. And I
[30:50] think, you know, we've said it for many,
[30:51] many years
[30:53] um at other facilities and Mr. Norman
[30:57] used to say all the time is, you know,
[30:59] we can try to invest in athletics in the
[31:01] county. Our jail is already at capacity.
[31:03] We've got to try to give our kids an
[31:05] outlet. And hopefully investing in
[31:07] athletics gives them that ability. And
[31:10] also hopefully the communities will use
[31:12] these facilities. That's always been our
[31:14] long-term plan. you know, when the
[31:17] schools are not using these facilities,
[31:18] the public can use them and bringing
[31:20] economic impacts to our county. So, I
[31:23] look at all this as a as a continued
[31:25] investment.
[31:26] So, I appreciate the work that's gone
[31:28] into that from everyone.
[31:30] >> I'd like to say just a couple things.
[31:33] » I'd like to say just a couple things.
[31:33] >> This thing when it was done, and I know
[31:35] » This thing when it was done, and I know
[31:35] I've hound this horn almost four years,
[31:39] this this project was put out to the
[31:42] voters for $80 million.
[31:46] And fault lies on both sides on why it
[31:49] was not jumped on and done. Morsel
[31:51] jumped on theirs and got on theirs
[31:53] pretty quick.
[31:56] And if we approve anything tonight, we
[31:58] cannot forget Morrisville graded has
[32:00] needs as well. Big needs that they've
[32:04] got as well. So we can't forget them
[32:07] when it comes down if we make a decision
[32:08] to do anything with this tonight. So, I
[32:10] just want please let the board know
[32:12] we've got to look at requests that
[32:14] Morsel's got coming up in the next
[32:15] fiscal year. They sent us some this year
[32:18] and we told them no and they understood.
[32:20] So, I think if we decide anything
[32:22] tonight, we need to make sure that we we
[32:24] give our due diligence to Mor School
[32:27] District next fiscal year. Mark, I
[32:30] appreciate everything you have done on
[32:31] this project because it started out very
[32:33] high and it went. everything you've
[32:36] done, anytime I've dealt with you,
[32:38] you've been very honest, very you do a
[32:41] hell of a job. I'll just go ahead and
[32:42] tell you right now. And Jeff, I'm saying
[32:44] that here and you're happy your board's
[32:46] here. Mark does a very good job and and
[32:49] I appreciate I appreciate me being able
[32:51] to call him, reach out to him and it's,
[32:53] you know, we get the get the answers. I
[32:55] go back to the rest of the board. The
[32:56] board can call Mark and we value what
[32:59] Mark says.
[33:00] Please give him a good, you know, a good
[33:03] thing or something, you know, something
[33:05] on his door or something. But we go from
[33:08] 80 million, if we approve this tonight,
[33:10] we will be at 150,924,615.
[33:17] We're still 50 million shy of the $200
[33:19] million request we got. So we're 159
[33:24] 150,924
[33:26] 615.
[33:27] But with that comes the delay. This is
[33:31] well before I got on the board. The
[33:33] delay of bringing it to us thousands so
[33:35] many days with time the voters passed it
[33:37] to us to do something. The interest
[33:39] rates went up tremendously our finance
[33:42] directors here. So then we had to pay
[33:45] you know bukoo of money extra on
[33:48] financing.
[33:51] So, just
[33:55] I see it every day. I see what it is if
[33:58] kids don't have an out. And I hope if
[34:00] this passes tonight, I hope that we work
[34:02] with our kids and we keep our kids busy
[34:04] and keep them out of trouble. But we
[34:06] know that's not going to happen in all
[34:07] cases. But high school without sports is
[34:11] just if it was an early college and I
[34:14] still hope y'all sit down with Mos
[34:15] Graded and I hope y'all sit down with
[34:17] Mitchell and talk to them about early
[34:19] college opportunities there because I
[34:21] don't think you're going to get this
[34:22] thing filled up anytime soon. I I really
[34:24] don't u you know people hit at us about
[34:29] the reval that come apart that that
[34:31] we've done and you know we still get
[34:33] hounded about that. kind of got hounded
[34:34] the weekend over that, but they don't
[34:36] understand the things that we're having
[34:38] to do and we're trying to pay cash for
[34:40] with elementary school. And I mean, the
[34:43] other projects we got going on with the
[34:44] courthouse expansion, the other projects
[34:46] and stuff that we've tried to do, you
[34:48] know, we got beat up for Jennings Park.
[34:50] Now we get beat up for Jennings Park
[34:52] because we didn't do enough for the
[34:53] parking. So, we're having to adjust the
[34:54] parking there. So, it's kind of dained
[34:56] if you do and dained if you don't in
[34:58] certain situations. But
[35:01] I just going forward $20 million of
[35:05] sports of a high school that could have
[35:06] built back in the day what two and a
[35:09] half elementaryaries way back not so far
[35:11] back. I mean that could have easily
[35:13] built. So but now elementaryaries are 50
[35:16] $60 million. So if we do save money at
[35:18] Parkertown, can we adjust that money
[35:21] that we could pay back some of this 20
[35:23] if we do invest the 20?
[35:25] >> Yes.
[35:25] » Yes.
[35:25] >> Yeah. I'll share that in just a little
[35:26] » Yeah. I'll share that in just a little
[35:26] bit. We're seeing things are positive
[35:28] there and I I'll probably
[35:30] >> And please knock on wood. Please knock
[35:31] » And please knock on wood. Please knock
[35:31] on wood before you leave.
[35:32] >> Um but yeah, I'm sure I can work with
[35:34] » Um but yeah, I'm sure I can work with
[35:34] Carolina. We can figure out how to make
[35:36] that happen.
[35:37] >> Well, I will interject just a little
[35:38] » Well, I will interject just a little
[35:38] bit. Parker Town, we're paying cash for.
[35:40] >> So that is something that if there's
[35:43] » So that is something that if there's
[35:43] savings, that's just less cash we'll
[35:45] have to front. So that's a benefit
[35:49] because we're paying cash for that that
[35:50] entire school.
[35:53] >> Anybody got anything else?
[35:56] » Anybody got anything else?
[35:56] You know, I uh
[36:02] I remember the uh the vote in 2020,
[36:07] $80 million to build a school.
[36:10] Most of the people sitting in this room
[36:13] voting were not a part of any of
[36:20] not in the same capacities not in
[36:24] I was a voter.
[36:28] That bond was presented
[36:31] regardless what anyone says that $80
[36:33] million going to build that school.
[36:38] I'm not going to sit here and and let's
[36:41] beat a dead horse. But the trigger
[36:43] didn't get pulled. Action didn't take
[36:46] place. Yes, there was things going on.
[36:49] There was a change of of leadership
[36:52] going on with Idol Statesville schools.
[36:54] There was changes within the county.
[36:57] There was uh COVID all the things. I
[37:00] mean, you call it a perfect storm.
[37:04] We've had folks who were a part of it
[37:10] make statements such as didn't realize
[37:12] it uh was going to ask for $80 million
[37:15] when their names on the form that
[37:18] requested it when it brought forward to
[37:21] this board
[37:23] in 2020 to be placed upon the
[37:27] U. Um but then there their signatures on
[37:29] it requesting the board at that time put
[37:32] it out for the vote but denying
[37:36] there's a lot of
[37:42] misinformation,
[37:45] a lot of convoluted information.
[37:51] I've been labeled by some folks of
[37:53] saying I'm anti-education and I'm anti-
[37:55] athletics.
[37:58] That is not true.
[38:00] I played sports at Stacil Senior High.
[38:03] Coached Jesse Jackson.
[38:06] This was my position coach
[38:09] played basketball.
[38:14] My children came through this
[38:17] space schools. I have grandchildren who
[38:19] will come through Idle Space Schools.
[38:24] But sitting here as a board member
[38:28] and all the duties and responsibilities
[38:30] that this board has, 28
[38:34] county departments,
[38:37] 18 fire departments,
[38:39] two rescue squads,
[38:44] and countless other issues.
[38:48] We're paying 52 million cash. When was
[38:51] the last time you know that that was
[38:53] done?
[38:55] This board, this sitting board as it
[38:58] appears in front of you, voted to give
[39:00] an additional $50 million to this
[39:03] project because of those issues.
[39:14] There's going to be folks that voted for
[39:16] me that will agree with what I say and
[39:18] folks that won't. But I was voted
[39:23] in and part of my thing was
[39:25] accountability
[39:29] and my belief
[39:31] it should have went back to the people
[39:35] and the people had the right to decide
[39:40] to spend. We're if we go this we're
[39:42] we're we're
[39:44] going to be at what 70 almost 71 million
[39:48] in addition to the 80 million that the
[39:50] voters approved.
[39:57] You know, George Washington didn't cut
[39:58] down the cherry tree, I don't think. I
[40:00] think he cut down the money tree.
[40:02] Um,
[40:07] I understand and I get the value, but I
[40:09] also get and understand
[40:13] living to your obligation to your word.
[40:16] And I do not think that the people of
[40:18] Arle County,
[40:20] the voters of our county, and I'm not
[40:23] blaming again. I want to go back and
[40:25] state the majority of the people
[40:28] inherited
[40:30] this issue.
[40:34] The taxpayers inherited it.
[40:37] The school board and this board
[40:40] inherited the the the responsibility of
[40:42] trying to
[40:48] make sense of it.
[40:54] I was a taxpayer before I came here and
[40:56] I'll be a taxpayer in December.
[41:00] I'm supportive of the schools. Dr.
[41:02] James, Mark, I am 100% behind the
[41:06] schools,
[41:08] but I'm of the beliefs this has to go
[41:11] back to the people. And
[41:13] so I I personally can't support
[41:20] with Brad, you know, the last time we
[41:22] voted
[41:26] a little bit and I said, "Boy,
[41:30] That's a hard one to swallow. It was a
[41:32] hard one to swallow. But after we did
[41:33] the bond, we argued
[41:37] figure it out. And we got together, we
[41:40] figured out, hey, we can make this
[41:41] payment. We can do this. And we did it.
[41:44] I didn't sleep at night. That's probably
[41:46] the worst worst decision I've made since
[41:48] I've been on the board that I had to do
[41:51] that. We did it. But it bothered me now.
[41:54] And when I did that, I said, "Okay,
[41:56] guys, I'm gonna do it." I told this I'm
[41:58] going to do it. I'm done.
[42:01] So, I made my decision
[42:04] and I'm not against
[42:11] so you know I see what it does for this
[42:13] county but I'm like Brad
[42:16] we're almost double what bond was and I
[42:20] owe it to the people of this county to
[42:22] ask their that's my I'm spending $70
[42:27] million of taxpayers money and and I
[42:30] don't have that right, not me. So the
[42:33] people of this county, it's their money.
[42:35] So So I'm standing.
[42:39] >> Any other discussion?
[42:40] » Any other discussion?
[42:40] >> I got some comments.
[42:42] » I got some comments.
[42:42] >> I am on I was on the board when this
[42:44] » I am on I was on the board when this
[42:44] passed and I was on the board when we
[42:46] did a bond in 2020.
[42:48] and what we took to the people in 2020.
[42:52] At that time, you could build this
[42:53] school for the proposed amount that was
[42:56] on the bond. The perfect storm, as Brad
[43:00] said, happened. I don't disagree with
[43:01] any of your heartburn for it. However,
[43:05] as they've had changes of things at the
[43:07] school, we had changes after COVID. The
[43:10] state made revenues available for
[43:13] capital in the state of North Carolina,
[43:15] tier three counties. were one of 20. If
[43:18] you started a project and broke ground,
[43:20] you were not eligible to receive any of
[43:22] that capital money. 95% of the tax
[43:26] dollars in this state come from tier
[43:28] three counties and it's redistributed to
[43:30] the other 80 tier one and two counties.
[43:33] So, I just wanted to clarify we had that
[43:35] was one of the reasons we had to wait
[43:37] because we did our due diligence for the
[43:39] taxpayers of the county. If we could
[43:41] have got state capital money that was
[43:43] made available, we wouldn't have had to
[43:45] pull out that 50 million Scotty's
[43:48] talking about, but we had 50 million
[43:50] approved at the time from Katherryn
[43:52] Truit and Governor and at the time
[43:54] Governor Cooper denied that because
[43:57] we're a Republican county. We were going
[44:00] to get 10 million a year for five years.
[44:02] That didn't happen either because of
[44:04] politics.
[44:06] So, we did the best we could trying to
[44:08] look out and do our due diligence for
[44:10] the taxpayers. Yes, there were
[44:12] challenges for the timing of everything.
[44:16] All of your heartburn is right as far as
[44:17] interest rates, all those things.
[44:20] I don't disagree with that. We learned
[44:22] from that. Next time, you just got to
[44:24] pull the trigger and move on. But I feel
[44:26] like for the taxpayers, for the record,
[44:27] they needed to know some of the delay
[44:30] was trying to get their taxpayer dollars
[44:32] coming back to Ireland County that was
[44:34] made available by the legislature and
[44:37] tier three counties got none. Okay. So,
[44:40] that was part of our due diligence. And
[44:42] if you started the project, why you
[44:44] couldn't continue to apply for the
[44:46] project is beyond me. It's another dumb
[44:49] legislative
[44:51] uh part of the legislation.
[44:53] And so
[44:57] everything you've said I I don't
[44:59] disagree with. I have heartburn as well.
[45:01] However,
[45:04] we voted to spend 65 or more million
[45:07] dollars on a courthouse edition that we
[45:10] need because we've got to get the jail
[45:12] population down. If we don't provide
[45:14] athletics or alternatives for our kids
[45:17] in this county, we're going to add on to
[45:20] the jail. And the jail's going to cost
[45:21] you more per square foot than this
[45:23] school. So when we go to the people,
[45:27] with all due respect, and ask for what
[45:30] we need, if the voters turn it down, it
[45:33] don't take away my mandated
[45:35] responsibility or our mandated
[45:37] responsibility to build the school. We
[45:39] can go ask for their permission and
[45:41] approval, but if they deny it, we still
[45:44] got to build it. It just presents
[45:45] problems on how we get the money. And
[45:48] we've done a great job of paying cash as
[45:51] we go. We've put a lot of county
[45:52] projects on hold to pri for
[45:54] prioritization of mandated things.
[45:58] Sometimes we have the the public elects
[46:00] us to make informed decisions on their
[46:03] behalf because we know all the details
[46:06] and facts they may not know like the
[46:08] courthouse, the challenges, the fire
[46:09] departments. We're stretching a dollar
[46:12] getting great service from our people to
[46:15] do fire and rescue service in the county
[46:18] when we know the challenges they face
[46:20] for personnel. We fight it every day
[46:22] with staffing for paramedics and
[46:25] everyone. The jail, the hell they put
[46:28] put up with in the jail every day. Guys,
[46:31] if people come in here to tomorrow, if
[46:33] an inspector comes in here tomorrow and
[46:35] says, "Add on to the jail." You got to
[46:37] add on to the jail. A judge can call the
[46:39] manager over there and demand we add on
[46:41] to the courthouse whether we want to do
[46:42] it or not. The state mandates us to
[46:45] build schools, adequate facilities.
[46:49] We have gone back and adjusted the scope
[46:53] without jeopardizing the quality to do
[46:56] what I think is the right thing to do is
[46:59] to give this high school athletic
[47:01] facilities
[47:03] to provide that experience for our
[47:05] community, our kids. I think it's the
[47:07] right thing to do. Does it hurt? Yes, it
[47:10] hurts. But to that other point, we make
[47:14] decisions every meeting on behalf of our
[47:17] citizens
[47:18] because we either have to unfunded
[47:21] mandates that are not relieved by the
[47:24] state or federal government. So, I just
[47:26] want to remind everybody of that. We
[47:28] take in account our citizens every day.
[47:31] We lowered the tax rate after the last
[47:33] reval. people still paid more in taxes
[47:36] because their values went up. Well, now
[47:38] that may be manipulated with a ballot
[47:41] initiative in November when Brad
[47:44] mentioned all of these various mandated
[47:48] responsibilities or otherwise
[47:49] responsibilities of county departments
[47:51] that we have to meet and that's our main
[47:54] revenue stream.
[47:56] So, I just want to remind everybody, I
[47:58] don't disagree with your heartburn, but
[48:01] there also are decisions we're elected
[48:03] to make uh informed decisions on behalf
[48:06] of our citizens because we're mandated
[48:08] to do it and we're obligated to do it.
[48:11] We don't have to by statute provide fire
[48:14] service in this county, but we do
[48:16] because it's the right thing to do for
[48:18] our citizens.
[48:20] We don't have to have libraries. We
[48:22] don't have to have recreation, but we we
[48:24] have these departments to give our
[48:26] citizens
[48:27] those resources. That's why we have the
[48:30] best damn county in the state and the
[48:32] best state in the country in my opinion
[48:34] because we try to make the best informed
[48:36] decisions we can. Are they perfect? No.
[48:40] But I think they're necessary. That's
[48:42] just me. Not criticizing what anybody
[48:45] said. Just want to remind everybody we
[48:47] make decisions every meeting to spend
[48:50] taxpayer dollars the most efficient way
[48:53] we have to. So my request would be if
[48:56] there's no other comments I'll make a
[48:58] motion for this if no one else has a
[48:59] comment.
[49:00] >> I'll just make a few just okay so I can
[49:02] » I'll just make a few just okay so I can
[49:02] >> just put a little bit of thought out
[49:04] » just put a little bit of thought out
[49:04] there as well. Um,
[49:07] number one, I want to say how heartfelt
[49:10] appreciative I am for our board
[49:13] to be able to sit here and have
[49:16] difficult conversations.
[49:18] To be able to
[49:21] speak from our heart and from our mind
[49:23] and we still walk out of here got each
[49:26] other's back no matter what.
[49:31] That speaks volumes of a board.
[49:36] I'm more concerned if you don't have a
[49:38] difference of opinion. I need a
[49:40] difference of opinion. That way, our
[49:43] citizens each have a voice.
[49:47] Whether they agree with yes or they
[49:50] agree with no.
[49:52] We all sit here and represent our
[49:55] population.
[49:57] We also represent our population
[49:59] respectfully.
[50:01] No matter what our decision is tonight,
[50:04] we will work together for the next
[50:05] decision because guess what? Ardell
[50:07] County is still growing. Ardell County
[50:10] still has needs. We can't just say, "Oh,
[50:12] it's too hard. We're not going to do
[50:14] it." We were elected to make those
[50:16] decisions.
[50:17] If you turn your back on the decisions
[50:19] and you turn your back on the people, we
[50:22] were elected to make the decisions.
[50:27] I will tell you as I visit schools,
[50:30] there is not a dollar amount you could
[50:32] put. The people in those schools are
[50:34] priceless. The students are priceless.
[50:36] Our teachers are priceless.
[50:40] But yet, you've got to put a price on
[50:42] projects.
[50:45] And how do you do that? You continue to
[50:48] have conversations. What you see here is
[50:50] a condensed version because our
[50:53] population doesn't want to spend the
[50:55] hours having to dig into the facts and
[50:57] the information. That's not their
[50:58] responsibility. That's our
[51:00] responsibility. It's yours. Yours your
[51:03] responsibility to give us the
[51:04] information. And thank you, Chairman
[51:06] Connley, for digging into this and
[51:08] bringing us back factual information
[51:10] because we have to make the decisions.
[51:14] We're not putting a price on people.
[51:16] We're not putting a price on our
[51:17] taxpayers.
[51:18] We are putting respect on all
[51:20] individuals involved in this project and
[51:22] I don't take it lightly. Do not take it
[51:25] lightly.
[51:26] I take this very seriously. And it's not
[51:29] that I was a sore athlete. Heaven forbid
[51:31] when I ran track back in the day. It's
[51:33] like I hopped over the holes on a track
[51:34] in South High School.
[51:37] >> Yeah. I mean, it was like you hear the
[51:39] » Yeah. I mean, it was like you hear the
[51:39] comments. It was fine for me back in my
[51:41] day. Yeah. I turned out all right. There
[51:44] wasn't much of a field. I remember when
[51:45] Broly Middle School had a barn for a
[51:48] gym. Do we want that for the kids? We
[51:51] want acceptable, decent facilities for
[51:55] our children.
[51:57] We want them to have opportunity.
[52:00] I will tell you the number of students
[52:02] that say, "I would do sports, but if I
[52:04] don't have a ride, I can't. I've got to
[52:06] get on the bus." Even if buses provide
[52:09] transportation, it gets so complicated.
[52:14] I want to be able to say that I've done
[52:17] my homework, done my research, done my
[52:19] thinking, done my prayers, done my
[52:21] thoughts, that I want every student that
[52:24] attends Weathers Creek High School to
[52:26] have the same opportunity that the other
[52:29] students have at the other high schools.
[52:32] Thank you.
[52:34] >> Anybody else?
[52:37] » Anybody else?
[52:37] >> Commissioner, have you got a motion?
[52:38] » Commissioner, have you got a motion?
[52:38] >> Mr. Chair, I'd like to make a motion
[52:40] » Mr. Chair, I'd like to make a motion
[52:40] that we approve the formal request from
[52:43] Ireland State Schools for the 20
[52:45] million. Um the I Central School Board
[52:50] of Education has approved a formal
[52:51] request for Ardal County Board of
[52:52] Commissioners for 20 million and county
[52:54] funding to complete phase two of
[52:56] Weathers Creek High School. The funding
[52:58] combined with the district's identified
[53:00] contribution per March's presentation
[53:03] and Montist attached letter outlining
[53:05] the scope adjustments and measures taken
[53:08] to achieve the savings for this project.
[53:11] It also would include uh the approval
[53:14] for the phase 2 funding including budget
[53:16] amendment number six and amended to the
[53:18] capital projects ordinance. And I'd like
[53:21] to make a motion as part of this motion
[53:23] for the appropriation to come from the
[53:26] future capital reserve fund balance to
[53:28] transfer to Weathers Creek Capital
[53:30] Project Fund to provide funding for
[53:31] athletics at Weathers Creek High School.
[53:36] >> Motion by Commissioner Halp. All in
[53:38] » Motion by Commissioner Halp. All in
[53:38] favor say I.
[53:39] >> I.
[53:40] » I.
[53:40] >> All oppose.
[53:41] » All oppose.
[53:42] >> No.
[53:43] » No.
[53:43] >> Motion passes 32.
[53:46] » Motion passes 32.
[53:46] County manager. Our next one.
[53:48] >> Thank you, Mr. Sherrick also has the
[53:50] » Thank you, Mr. Sherrick also has the
[53:50] next item and that's a request from
[53:52] Ardell Statesville Schools for I'm sorry
[53:54] um Miss Taylor has a budget amendment
[53:58] for you and she will give that to you.
[53:59] I'm sorry I forgot about that one. So um
[54:02] you referenced where the funding is
[54:04] coming from. Miss Taylor has the budget
[54:05] amendment and she will provide that for
[54:07] you for your packets. She worked a
[54:09] couple of different options but um is
[54:12] there anything that you need to say
[54:14] regarding that for the record?
[54:22] Do I need to amend my motion?
[54:25] >> I I think the the funding is a little
[54:28] » I I think the the funding is a little
[54:28] >> it's a little different. So, do you mind
[54:30] » it's a little different. So, do you mind
[54:30] stepping to the podium? Let's just
[54:32] >> That's cleared up now.
[54:33] » That's cleared up now.
[54:33] >> Get that cleared up now.
[54:34] » Get that cleared up now.
[54:34] >> Let's do it now.
[54:34] » Let's do it now.
[54:34] >> Um before we move to the next item.
[54:41] So for for budget amendment number six
[54:44] for Weather's Creek um there we have in
[54:47] the general fund every year you know we
[54:49] budget for future capital projects.
[54:51] Anything that's not spent at the end of
[54:53] the year run rolls into that future
[54:54] capital reserve for so for Weathers
[54:57] Creek um in FY27 we have $16.3 million
[55:01] that's budgeted in the general fund.
[55:04] This budget amendment spends all of that
[55:07] 16.3 in the general fund and the
[55:09] remaining three 3,696,400
[55:13] will come from the future capital
[55:15] reserve. The future capital reserve
[55:17] estimated fund balance at the end of
[55:19] June was um 16,877,000.
[55:25] So appropriating $3.6 million reduces
[55:28] that down to $13.1 million. Um, so for
[55:32] Weathers Creek, the funds would come
[55:34] from what we have allocated in the
[55:36] future capital or in the capital project
[55:38] in the general fund with the three
[55:40] million also coming from the the fund
[55:43] balance.
[55:43] >> So, do I need to amend my motion to
[55:45] » So, do I need to amend my motion to
[55:45] include the wording as you mentioned?
[55:47] >> Yes.
[55:48] » Yes.
[55:48] >> So, move to amend my motion to add that
[55:51] » So, move to amend my motion to add that
[55:51] to it.
[55:55] » Okay. Motion by Commissioner Hal. All in
[55:58] favor say I. I.
[55:59] >> Any oppose?
[56:00] » Any oppose?
[56:00] >> Nay.
[56:02] » Nay.
[56:02] Motion passes 32.
[56:04] >> Thank you.
[56:05] » Thank you.
[56:05] >> Okay. So, the next item that we have is
[56:07] » Okay. So, the next item that we have is
[56:07] a request from Ireel Sexville Schools
[56:09] for approval of GMP3 for Parkertown
[56:12] Elementary School budget amendment
[56:14] number eight and amendment to the
[56:16] Parkertown capital project ordinance.
[56:18] Mr. Shin Carrick.
[56:19] >> Yes. Um, you know, this is we're using a
[56:22] » Yes. Um, you know, this is we're using a
[56:22] construction manager at risk uh you know
[56:25] project delivery for Parkertown
[56:26] Elementary School. You have previously
[56:30] approved GMP 1 and two. GMP one was for
[56:33] early procurement and doing some early
[56:35] site work. GMP2 was the big one which
[56:39] included most of the construction costs
[56:40] there. The last one here for um GMP3 is
[56:45] for off-site work and utility work. And
[56:48] so we um had that out to bid and uh
[56:54] received um a letter from the
[56:57] construction manager JM COPE with a
[57:01] total value of a guaranteed maximum
[57:03] price for the last bid package for 3
[57:06] million 3.6 million and some change
[57:08] there uh which includes as I had
[57:11] mentioned construction cost contingency
[57:12] bond insurance and the CER fee. Um so
[57:16] the total project um construction cost
[57:20] for the project is just over $41
[57:24] million.
[57:26] We have also kind of shored up our
[57:30] budget in there too looking at the soft
[57:32] cost associated with the project.
[57:35] You know these are going to be things um
[57:37] like FFN
[57:40] and other contingencies associated with
[57:42] the project. Um, and so we have an
[57:45] all-in budget of $52 million.
[57:51] There are we have identified
[57:53] close to
[57:56] four $4.8 million in reimburseables
[58:00] from the project. So there's a lot of
[58:04] DOT work required for this project. That
[58:06] intersection at Parkertown and 21.
[58:09] And quite honestly, we haven't even had
[58:12] got DOT to land on what that scope of of
[58:17] that intersection is going to look like.
[58:19] So, if you're not familiar, they they're
[58:21] a little slow to come back on some
[58:23] things. And so, that that part's been
[58:25] pretty tedious. We are working with the
[58:26] town of Troutman as well, too, as part
[58:28] of the intersection, bring water to the
[58:30] school site. And um so there's that
[58:35] portion of the project
[58:37] seems to be on schedule there, but
[58:39] there's a lot of permitting and things
[58:41] that need to happen with that part of
[58:43] the project as well too. So we do have
[58:45] some money kind of some some um money
[58:48] built into that that that reimbursement
[58:51] will not come right away. And even
[58:54] without the reimbursement, this GMP3 was
[58:57] very favorable for us. And so we're
[58:59] confident that there's going to be um
[59:03] you know some it'll just it'll work out
[59:06] favorably and and I my hope would be
[59:09] that we could earmark that money for
[59:11] this portion of the project or reimburse
[59:14] any of the money that you funded towards
[59:17] Weather's Creek for that
[59:20] too. So
[59:23] I'll take any questions you might have.
[59:24] >> Any questions from Mark?
[59:27] » Any questions from Mark?
[59:27] >> Do we have a motion?
[59:29] » Do we have a motion?
[59:29] Make a motion to approve.
[59:30] >> Make a motion. Motion by Commissioner
[59:32] » Make a motion. Motion by Commissioner
[59:32] Strat. All in favor say I. I.
[59:34] >> Any oppose? Motion carries. Five vote.
[59:37] » Any oppose? Motion carries. Five vote.
[59:37] >> Thank you very much, sir.
[59:42] » Now, administrative matters that we did
[59:44] at the pre-aggenda.
[59:45] >> That takes care of all of our um items
[59:49] » That takes care of all of our um items
[59:49] for the six o'clock. I'm going to go
[59:50] through and review all of the items that
[59:52] we reviewed at our four o'clock that the
[59:54] board placed on the consent agenda. We
[59:56] had a request from the health department
[59:58] for approval of budget amendment number
[1:00:00] four for the public health um
[1:00:02] infrastructure local workforce
[1:00:03] development grant in the amount of
[1:00:05] $14,283.
[1:00:08] There's a request from the library for
[1:00:09] approval of a 4-year agreement with bibl
[1:00:17] for a selfch checkout kiosk system and
[1:00:20] authorization for the county manager to
[1:00:21] execute the agreement. A request from
[1:00:24] solid waste for approval of budget
[1:00:25] amendment number seven to amend the
[1:00:27] solid waste capital project fund. Award
[1:00:30] a construction contract to SCS field
[1:00:33] services for the landfill gas expansion
[1:00:35] project and authorizing the county
[1:00:37] manager to execute the contract that um
[1:00:40] budget amendment in the amount of
[1:00:41] 1,871,968.
[1:00:46] We had a request from the purchasing
[1:00:48] division for approval of a professional
[1:00:50] architectural engineering services
[1:00:51] contract for the Arredell County
[1:00:53] government center south renovation
[1:00:55] project and authorizing the county
[1:00:57] manager to execute that agreement. The
[1:01:00] um contract is the amount of 337,378.
[1:01:05] A request from purchasing for approval
[1:01:06] of a lighting service and lease
[1:01:08] agreement with Duke Energy and
[1:01:10] authorization for the county manager to
[1:01:12] execute that agreement. And this is for
[1:01:14] lights at the fairgrounds.
[1:01:16] a request from purchasing for approval
[1:01:18] of the declaration of surplus and
[1:01:21] donation of personal property to
[1:01:23] entities carrying out a public purpose
[1:01:25] and this is the donation of three
[1:01:27] surplus stair chairs and it is going to
[1:01:30] the Cleveland Cleveland County Volunteer
[1:01:32] Fire Department. a request from
[1:01:34] purchasing for consideration of an offer
[1:01:36] to purchase the Bluefield Road property
[1:01:38] by upset bid and the uh offer was in the
[1:01:42] amount of $1.1 million for 43 acres and
[1:01:45] the board agreed by consent to reject
[1:01:47] that offer. a request from from
[1:01:50] purchasing for approval of a resolution
[1:01:52] authorizing the sale of personal
[1:01:53] property by public auction. And this is
[1:01:57] um
[1:01:58] selling by public auction surplus
[1:02:00] vehicles that total over $30,000
[1:02:04] collectively, not individually. Request
[1:02:06] from finance for approval of budget
[1:02:08] amendment number five to transfer funds
[1:02:10] from the sheriff's office budget to the
[1:02:12] jail budget to cover increased jail
[1:02:15] medical expenses. These are residual
[1:02:17] funds that were saved in last year's
[1:02:19] budget that um was carried over and is
[1:02:22] now being transferred and put into the
[1:02:25] inmate medical line item. A request from
[1:02:28] administration for discussion and
[1:02:29] decision about fiscal year 2027 fire
[1:02:32] funding and approval of budget amendment
[1:02:34] number nine. The uh board agreed by
[1:02:37] consent to fund half of additional half
[1:02:41] of the staffing requests from the fire
[1:02:43] departments, the incounty departments
[1:02:45] and provide a 2% increase in operational
[1:02:48] funding and then an additional
[1:02:50] supplement for Lake Norman and South
[1:02:52] Aredell volunteer fire departments. The
[1:02:54] uh out of county departments are held
[1:02:56] flat
[1:02:58] and this appropriation will begin in the
[1:03:02] the funding that begins the end of this
[1:03:04] month. So
[1:03:04] >> question Do we need to add that to the
[1:03:06] » question Do we need to add that to the
[1:03:06] record that we got in between meetings
[1:03:08] or you already have that in there?
[1:03:10] >> Yes, that's in here for budget amendment
[1:03:11] » Yes, that's in here for budget amendment
[1:03:11] number nine. That would be Sorry to
[1:03:12] interrupt.
[1:03:13] >> No, no, no. You're good.
[1:03:14] » No, no, no. You're good.
[1:03:14] >> Um request from administration for appro
[1:03:17] » Um request from administration for appro
[1:03:17] approval of the minutes from the
[1:03:18] September 7th, 2021, September 21st,
[1:03:21] 2021, and August 4th, 2026 board of
[1:03:24] commissioner meetings in the North
[1:03:25] Carolina Cooperative Extension annual
[1:03:27] report to the people. And then finally,
[1:03:30] the request from tax administration for
[1:03:32] approval of the July 2026 releases and
[1:03:35] refunds. All of those items were agreed
[1:03:37] by the board to place on the consent
[1:03:39] agenda.
[1:03:40] >> Do we have a motion to approve the
[1:03:41] » Do we have a motion to approve the
[1:03:41] pre-aggenda consent administrative
[1:03:43] matters? Make a motion.
[1:03:44] >> Approve the consent agenda.
[1:03:46] » Approve the consent agenda.
[1:03:46] >> Motion by Vice Chair Neer. All in favor
[1:03:48] » Motion by Vice Chair Neer. All in favor
[1:03:48] say I. I.
[1:03:49] >> Any opposed? They are approved. And with
[1:03:51] » Any opposed? They are approved. And with
[1:03:51] that, I would like for us to if we could
[1:03:54] take a 10-minute break. If everybody's
[1:03:55] good, 10-minute recess, just take a
[1:03:57] 10-minute recess. Start back at in 10
[1:03:59] minutes. Thank you.
[1:15:28] Okay, we've been on a little bit of a
[1:15:30] break
[1:15:31] >> and also I need to turn it back over to
[1:15:33] » and also I need to turn it back over to
[1:15:33] Commissioner Hal. We got a little
[1:15:34] cleaning of the house here to do. Turn
[1:15:36] back over to Commissioner H for a
[1:15:37] second.
[1:15:40] >> Mr. Chairman, um we had a te technical
[1:15:43] » Mr. Chairman, um we had a te technical
[1:15:43] difficulty in my previous motion. So, I
[1:15:45] would like to make a motion that I
[1:15:46] rescend
[1:15:48] both my amendment and my original motion
[1:15:50] on Weathers Creek High School.
[1:15:55] » Okay. Motion to rescend by Commissioner
[1:15:57] Halp. All in favor say I.
[1:16:00] >> I.
[1:16:00] » I.
[1:16:00] >> Any oppose?
[1:16:03] » Any oppose?
[1:16:03] Passes.
[1:16:04] >> And do you have another new motion? My
[1:16:06] » And do you have another new motion? My
[1:16:06] new motion would include that we're
[1:16:08] making a motion to approve the Idaho
[1:16:09] State School Board of Education's formal
[1:16:11] request for $20 million
[1:16:14] uh to complete phase two of Weathers
[1:16:16] Creek High School. The funding combined
[1:16:18] with the district's identified
[1:16:20] contribution would allow the athletic
[1:16:21] facilities to be completed as part of
[1:16:23] overall Weathers Creek High School
[1:16:24] project. Per the attached letter Monteth
[1:16:27] outlines in the scope adjustments and
[1:16:29] the measures taken to achieve these
[1:16:30] savings along with idle states was
[1:16:32] identified approximately four million in
[1:16:35] possible contributions toward phase 2
[1:16:38] savings realized in phase one and other
[1:16:40] available district resources included
[1:16:42] also in my motion to approve U BA number
[1:16:46] six and amend the capital project
[1:16:50] ordinance transferring 16,33,600
[1:16:54] from
[1:16:56] future capital projects and
[1:16:58] appropriating 3,696400
[1:17:01] from future capital reserve fund
[1:17:03] balance.
[1:17:06] » Motion by Commissioner H. All in favor
[1:17:08] say I.
[1:17:09] >> I.
[1:17:10] » I.
[1:17:10] >> Any oppose?
[1:17:11] » Any oppose?
[1:17:11] >> No.
[1:17:12] » No.
[1:17:12] >> Passes 32.
[1:17:15] » Passes 32.
[1:17:15] >> So we're good now, right?
[1:17:16] » So we're good now, right?
[1:17:16] >> Yes. Thank you.
[1:17:18] » Yes. Thank you.
[1:17:18] >> We're sticklers for for technical
[1:17:20] » We're sticklers for for technical
[1:17:20] detail.
[1:17:20] >> Now's the time.
[1:17:21] » Now's the time.
[1:17:21] >> Sorry. Now's the time. brings us down to
[1:17:23] » Sorry. Now's the time. brings us down to
[1:17:23] the announcement of vacancies occurring
[1:17:24] on boards and commissions.
[1:17:27] And since the county manager has been
[1:17:28] busy trying to get this other stuff
[1:17:30] done, I'll announce these. We have six
[1:17:32] appointments on the adult care home
[1:17:34] advisory committee. We have three
[1:17:35] appointments on the Central Aging
[1:17:37] Advisory Committee, two appointments
[1:17:39] available on the Aarddale County JCPC,
[1:17:43] one appointment on the Morsel Board of
[1:17:44] Adjustment, ETJ, six appointments on the
[1:17:47] nursing home advisory committee, one
[1:17:50] appointment on the state planning board
[1:17:52] ETJ, and one alternate appointment on
[1:17:54] the Troutman Planning Board ETJ. If you
[1:17:56] are interested in uh applying for any of
[1:17:59] these, you can go to our website or you
[1:18:01] can contact our clerk to the board, John
[1:18:03] Bess. And now brings us down to the
[1:18:05] appointments of boards and commissions.
[1:18:07] And we have one tonight for farmland
[1:18:08] preservation board and we have one for
[1:18:11] the JCPC. And I'll turn it over to the
[1:18:13] manager to go over those.
[1:18:14] >> Thank you, Chair Connley. Um we do have
[1:18:17] » Thank you, Chair Connley. Um we do have
[1:18:17] uh as Chair Connley said, we do have an
[1:18:19] opening on the farmland preservation
[1:18:21] board. Mr. James Steele's been serving
[1:18:23] on that farmland preservation board and
[1:18:25] his term expired. He has submitted an
[1:18:28] application for reappointment. We did
[1:18:30] receive three other applications. Um,
[1:18:33] one was on the the table before you. So,
[1:18:35] we had uh William Johnson, Noah Clinden,
[1:18:38] and Nancy Keith that have also applied
[1:18:40] to serve on the Farmland Preservation
[1:18:42] Board.
[1:18:45] >> Do we have a motion?
[1:18:46] » Do we have a motion?
[1:18:46] >> I'd like to make a motion we approve
[1:18:47] » I'd like to make a motion we approve
[1:18:48] Nancy Keith Farmland Preservation
[1:18:49] Committee.
[1:18:51] All in favor say I.
[1:18:53] >> I.
[1:18:54] » I.
[1:18:54] >> Any oppose? Nancy Keith is approved for
[1:18:57] » Any oppose? Nancy Keith is approved for
[1:18:58] formal preservation. And our next one
[1:19:00] for our county JCPC.
[1:19:02] >> Yes. Uh Terry Johnson has been serving
[1:19:04] » Yes. Uh Terry Johnson has been serving
[1:19:04] on the JCPC board and her term has
[1:19:07] expired and Tom Morris has submitted the
[1:19:09] application to be considered to fill the
[1:19:11] vacancy. And that's the only application
[1:19:13] we've received on that one.
[1:19:14] >> Do we have a motion? Motion to appoint
[1:19:17] » Do we have a motion? Motion to appoint
[1:19:17] Tom Morris to the Idard County JCPC.
[1:19:21] >> Motion by Vice Chair Neater. All in
[1:19:23] » Motion by Vice Chair Neater. All in
[1:19:23] favor say I.
[1:19:24] >> Any opposed? He is approved.
[1:19:27] » Any opposed? He is approved.
[1:19:27] Going down our list of uh our agenda.
[1:19:30] Anybody have any unfinished business at
[1:19:33] the six o'clock
[1:19:35] brings us down to our public comment
[1:19:37] period. The board conducts a public
[1:19:39] comment period at its second regular
[1:19:41] meeting of each month. The purpose of
[1:19:43] the public comment period is to allow
[1:19:45] citizens to speak on matters related to
[1:19:47] county government. Each speaker that has
[1:19:49] signed up is allotted to three minutes
[1:19:51] and will be called to the podium by the
[1:19:53] chair in the order the names appear on
[1:19:55] the sign-in sheet. Please state your
[1:19:57] name and address before beginning your
[1:19:59] comments. Comments are to be directed to
[1:20:01] the board as a whole. Responses by the
[1:20:03] board are at their discretion, but the
[1:20:05] public comment period is not intended to
[1:20:07] be a question and answer period, but
[1:20:10] rather a time for the board to hear from
[1:20:12] the public and take such matters raised
[1:20:14] under advisement. Citizens will be
[1:20:17] expected to be civil in their language
[1:20:19] and presentation and not engage in
[1:20:20] slander or name calling. Citizens should
[1:20:23] not discuss any matters which are closed
[1:20:25] session matters including but not
[1:20:27] limited to limited to matters regarding
[1:20:30] personnel matters which are made
[1:20:32] confidential by law. Speakers who have
[1:20:34] prepared written remarks or supporting
[1:20:36] documents are encouraged to leave a copy
[1:20:38] of such remarks and documents with the
[1:20:40] clerk to the board. I will open up the
[1:20:42] public comment period and our first
[1:20:44] person signed up is Ken Jurnney and when
[1:20:47] you approach please state your name and
[1:20:48] your full address.
[1:21:00] My name is My name is Ken Journey. I
[1:21:01] live 148 West Tol Drive, Statesville.
[1:21:05] We're here to talk about fire
[1:21:06] departments and uh just like to say that
[1:21:09] uh Chairman Connley nailed it. 4:00
[1:21:12] session lets me know y'all are fully
[1:21:15] aware of the issues. I'm just not sure
[1:21:17] that the general public is. Uh some
[1:21:20] things that concerns me that I'm not
[1:21:22] sure the public is aware of is that we
[1:21:24] have $23 and half million dollars of
[1:21:26] fire fire tax revenue this year. That's
[1:21:28] $5 million short of what the fire
[1:21:30] departments have requested the funding.
[1:21:32] We're $30 million behind on apparatus
[1:21:34] replacement. We're having to replace
[1:21:36] volunteers with paid personnel and that
[1:21:39] is a huge increase in the budget. uh to
[1:21:43] maintain the low insurance rates, our
[1:21:45] fire departments have to respond four
[1:21:47] firefighters with one engine to all
[1:21:49] district building fire calls. And when
[1:21:53] you consider that the cost of four 247
[1:21:56] 365 firefighters cost about five to 10
[1:21:58] times more than those million-dollar
[1:22:00] fire engines, we're concerned about that
[1:22:01] cost. Fire engines are peanuts compared
[1:22:04] to the the boots on the ground. And our
[1:22:07] fire districts are so widely diverse. I
[1:22:09] think y'all know that a funding formula
[1:22:11] just doesn't work and annexation as
[1:22:14] chairman Connley mentioned that's
[1:22:16] decreasing the pot the budget and the
[1:22:20] big issue coming up in November is that
[1:22:22] vote that may limit how much we can
[1:22:24] increase taxes. So where's the money
[1:22:26] going to come from?
[1:22:28] We don't know how much money we're going
[1:22:29] to need to y'all do all these
[1:22:31] negotiations and finalize those. But
[1:22:34] we're going to need more funding
[1:22:35] primarily because this paid labor that
[1:22:37] trains it's through the tunnel and it's
[1:22:40] going to get even worse. So where do we
[1:22:44] come up with the money? You know, it's
[1:22:46] the tax increase, you know,
[1:22:50] or other sources. And I'm going to
[1:22:54] suggest one of the most common sense
[1:22:56] things I think we can do is insurance
[1:22:58] companies will pay for fire department
[1:23:01] responses to incidents. And that is a
[1:23:03] good way for us to recover some fun some
[1:23:05] some monies from people who don't pay
[1:23:07] any taxes here because a lot of these
[1:23:09] accidents on our major highways and
[1:23:10] interstates.
[1:23:13] As an example, our $19.5 million EMS
[1:23:16] budget, we recover about a third of that
[1:23:18] with ambulance transportation. We pay
[1:23:20] taxes for uh recreation facilities and
[1:23:23] we have to pay dues for using the Barry
[1:23:25] Springs Rec Center. uh
[1:23:29] insurance companies will pay and I've
[1:23:30] got a uh an outline of the uh some of
[1:23:33] the funds that they will pay. I think we
[1:23:35] should consider that going forward. If
[1:23:37] we could recover a third of our fire
[1:23:38] department budget, $24 million, we could
[1:23:41] recover $8 million. We probably going to
[1:23:44] need that on top of $24 million coming
[1:23:46] down. So, that's another way to get it
[1:23:48] from somebody other than just getting
[1:23:50] the tax paid the taxpayers. I'll use uh
[1:23:53] Lake Norman's uh fire district as an
[1:23:55] example. They your your figures show
[1:23:58] they provide 28% of the revenue but only
[1:24:01] 7% of the cost. So, you know, you know,
[1:24:04] I know the property valuation pays for
[1:24:06] everything, but there's a way to uh to
[1:24:08] spread that around. So, uh I s just
[1:24:12] suggest that you look at at that
[1:24:15] supplementary funding. And I'd like to
[1:24:18] suggest that you uh open up the fire
[1:24:20] department oversight committee again
[1:24:22] because I think that will improve uh all
[1:24:24] kinds of communications with the fire
[1:24:26] departments going forward.
[1:24:28] >> Thank you, sir. Thank you, Mr. J. Rhonda
[1:24:30] » Thank you, sir. Thank you, Mr. J. Rhonda
[1:24:30] Wall
[1:24:42] this down. Good evening, uh, Chairman
[1:24:45] Connelly and county commissioners. I
[1:24:47] come before you as a private Ardell
[1:24:50] resident. Um, I'll make this short and
[1:24:53] sweet. I want to thank you for the
[1:24:55] generous support of our students and
[1:24:57] schools by providing funding for
[1:24:59] Weathers Creek athletic facilities. Your
[1:25:02] investment will create opportunities for
[1:25:05] students to participate, compete, and
[1:25:07] build valuable skills both on and off
[1:25:09] the field. I sincerely appreciate your
[1:25:12] commitment to our schools and our
[1:25:14] community. Your support makes a
[1:25:16] meaningful diff difference and I'm
[1:25:18] grateful for your partnership.
[1:25:20] >> Good evening. Thank you so much.
[1:25:21] » Good evening. Thank you so much.
[1:25:22] >> Thank you.
[1:25:22] » Thank you.
[1:25:22] >> Thank you, brother.
[1:25:23] » Thank you, brother.
[1:25:23] >> Paula Mo
[1:25:54] Is this good volume? Can you hear it?
[1:25:57] >> Okay.
[1:25:58] » Okay.
[1:25:58] >> Just state your name and address,
[1:25:59] » Just state your name and address,
[1:25:59] please, ma'am.
[1:26:01] >> My name is Paula Mimna. I live at 260
[1:26:04] » My name is Paula Mimna. I live at 260
[1:26:04] Rivercliffe Drive, Stony Point
[1:26:08] in Iridel County.
[1:26:10] I'm concerned about the lack of
[1:26:12] transparency with the Iridel Statesville
[1:26:15] Schools budget. I sent a foyer request
[1:26:18] for the 2627 rep proposed budget for ISS
[1:26:23] on July 21st, 2026.
[1:26:26] Now, that's been over four weeks. I have
[1:26:30] not I submitted that request for
[1:26:32] expenditures of at least $1,000 or more,
[1:26:36] but I have received nothing. Um, the
[1:26:39] completed budget was due to the Iridell
[1:26:41] County Commissioners, that's you all, by
[1:26:44] May 15th. But I've checked with uh
[1:26:48] Scotty Brown. He said, "You don't have
[1:26:49] the budget. You don't have a copy of
[1:26:52] it." Um, I think that's a problem.
[1:26:54] According to policy code 8100, budget
[1:26:58] planning and adoption, that should have
[1:27:00] been done. So, um, the commissioners if
[1:27:03] they don't have a copy of it, it that
[1:27:06] just seems like a big problem to me.
[1:27:08] Now, the latest budget resolution is a
[1:27:11] very basic fivepage summary for 2526,
[1:27:15] not for the coming year. That's for last
[1:27:18] year. There's nothing on the on the
[1:27:21] internet for next year. Nothing.
[1:27:24] And a budget resolution is not the
[1:27:26] budget. It's just a very very small
[1:27:28] summary of it.
[1:27:31] So, um why should the county
[1:27:34] commissioners give money to a school
[1:27:35] board who won't submit a budget? That is
[1:27:38] in their um policy that they would
[1:27:40] submit the budget to you. And this is
[1:27:42] three months after the final deadline it
[1:27:45] was due yet. You don't have a budget.
[1:27:48] Now, Chairman Knight has usurped the
[1:27:50] authority of the school board and he has
[1:27:52] not followed the ISS policies. He failed
[1:27:55] to communicate with the rest of the
[1:27:57] board of the school board on many
[1:27:59] occasions. On in the August 10th
[1:28:01] meeting, Knight was asked if he thought
[1:28:03] it was correct to meet with the
[1:28:04] commissioners, but failed to communicate
[1:28:07] with the rest of the board when he was
[1:28:09] told that the commissioners would not
[1:28:11] give the 34 million, but instead 20
[1:28:14] million for the new athletic center at
[1:28:15] Weathers Creek High School. Now, the new
[1:28:18] figure was given, I believe, to Mr.
[1:28:20] Shinkerink. No, I'm saying that wrong.
[1:28:23] Shin Carrick, I'm sorry, Shing Carrick,
[1:28:25] who apparently made changes to the plans
[1:28:28] for the athletic field without
[1:28:29] consulting with the rest of the board.
[1:28:31] That's what was discussed at that board
[1:28:33] meeting on August 10th. It's unknown
[1:28:36] whether or not Shank Carrick dis
[1:28:39] consulted with Knight, but either way,
[1:28:41] it's against policy.
[1:28:44] The rest of the board was not notified
[1:28:46] about the change in the funding and the
[1:28:48] plans to the athletic the change to the
[1:28:50] athletic field at Weathers Creek until
[1:28:52] the Friday before the school board
[1:28:54] meeting August 10th. Now, that was 2
[1:28:56] weeks after that information had been um
[1:29:00] gotten by night, two weeks later.
[1:29:03] The chain of command for Ivale State
[1:29:05] Schools is as follows. The school board,
[1:29:09] not the chair. The school board as a
[1:29:11] whole is over the superintendent who's
[1:29:14] over the principles who are over the
[1:29:17] teachers. The school board is the
[1:29:20] governing body. No one person has
[1:29:23] control over the board. Knight stated
[1:29:26] that he has the right to represent the
[1:29:28] board by himself. And uh this is not
[1:29:32] true. According to the ISS policy 2100,
[1:29:36] Knight has said on several occasions he
[1:29:38] doesn't need to follow.
[1:29:40] >> I just have a little bit more.
[1:29:42] » I just have a little bit more.
[1:29:42] >> Okay. That he doesn't need to follow all
[1:29:44] » Okay. That he doesn't need to follow all
[1:29:44] of the ISS policies because the school
[1:29:46] board is self-governing.
[1:29:48] >> Paula, you use your time. I give you
[1:29:49] » Paula, you use your time. I give you
[1:29:49] over. Okay.
[1:29:50] >> All right.
[1:29:51] » All right.
[1:29:51] >> Sorry. I give you over.
[1:29:52] » Sorry. I give you over.
[1:29:52] >> Anybody else here would like to speak on
[1:29:53] » Anybody else here would like to speak on
[1:29:54] any matter?
[1:29:57] » Just come up. Announce your name and
[1:29:58] address.
[1:30:05] We were hiding it.
[1:30:12] » Michael Cuban 125 Huntington Place in
[1:30:14] Morsville. Thank you for your
[1:30:16] deliberations tonight on your very
[1:30:18] difficult decision to fund the high
[1:30:19] school athletic facilities. I draw your
[1:30:21] attention to the colorful diagram and to
[1:30:24] the mont documents you were given for
[1:30:26] this briefing. Um the vice chair vice
[1:30:30] madam chair said it is our
[1:30:32] responsibility paraphrasing as elected
[1:30:34] officials to dig into the facts and to
[1:30:36] make decisions for those that elected to
[1:30:38] us. All these documents that you
[1:30:40] received in your package I didn't get
[1:30:42] until Friday and I spent many hours on
[1:30:46] Saturday before a board meeting on the
[1:30:47] following Monday to look at all this.
[1:30:50] You've heard a lot of you've heard a lot
[1:30:52] of discussion about we we reviewed this,
[1:30:55] we reviewed that, we we cut the scope,
[1:30:57] we changed things. Well, the we in that
[1:31:01] sentence is not the is not me and it
[1:31:04] wasn't other members on the board. We
[1:31:06] were not involved in the decision-making
[1:31:08] process on any of this and chairman
[1:31:11] Halp, you know, don't judge me by my
[1:31:13] actions until you look at my options.
[1:31:16] Well, I had no options. I wasn't
[1:31:18] involved in the decision-making process
[1:31:21] on any of this and neither were my
[1:31:23] fellow board members. Now, I visited the
[1:31:26] school recently and it's a first rate.
[1:31:27] It's going to be a first rate school.
[1:31:29] It's going to be the gem of our county
[1:31:32] and we only have one chance to do this
[1:31:35] right. And it is my opinion that
[1:31:39] building the school in the manner that
[1:31:41] was briefed to you tonight isn't going
[1:31:43] to do that. We should be we should be
[1:31:46] building the school. Well, this is what
[1:31:48] the public decided on before my time and
[1:31:51] before many of yours, right? This is
[1:31:53] what was decided. And if we're not going
[1:31:55] to build this, we should take it back to
[1:31:57] the people as two of the board members
[1:31:59] tonight discussed.
[1:32:05] You already have twothirds of the money.
[1:32:11] So, I'm asking you, the three members
[1:32:14] who voted in favor of the motions, to
[1:32:16] reconsider the motion
[1:32:19] and perhaps do something like a phased
[1:32:21] approach to build as designed. This is
[1:32:24] what we designed or what was designed. I
[1:32:27] didn't design it, but build this as
[1:32:29] design and make this the hallmark of our
[1:32:32] county, something we're going to be
[1:32:34] really proud of and not look like a
[1:32:36] half-finished high school
[1:32:39] because this is not what we want in our
[1:32:40] county.
[1:32:42] And finally, for example, if you're a
[1:32:45] tennis player and you come to this
[1:32:47] school with no tennis courts, you can't
[1:32:49] go to another school to play tennis. You
[1:32:52] can't do it.
[1:32:54] And then finally, I would just suggest
[1:32:56] to you is I I know board members across
[1:32:58] the state and they regularly meet with
[1:33:01] their county commissioners sometimes
[1:33:02] twice a year or at least once a year and
[1:33:05] I would recommend that we do that
[1:33:07] because there's more topics to discuss
[1:33:09] just than money. It's just everything
[1:33:11] that's going on in the county and
[1:33:12] growth. So I would highly suggest
[1:33:15] recommend that you do that going in the
[1:33:16] future. So I'd ask that you reconsider
[1:33:18] the motion. Thank you.
[1:33:20] >> Anyone else?
[1:33:22] » Anyone else?
[1:33:22] Hearing none. See none, I'll close the
[1:33:23] public comment period
[1:33:26] >> and commissioner updates. I'll start
[1:33:28] » and commissioner updates. I'll start
[1:33:28] back here. Commissioner, have you got
[1:33:29] anything?
[1:33:30] >> Yes. I would just say that um
[1:33:35] » Yes. I would just say that um
[1:33:35] we never get the school budget. To
[1:33:37] respond to Paula briefly, we fund the
[1:33:40] schools based on a formula we had agreed
[1:33:42] on in previous years past or and
[1:33:44] >> we do get the budget.
[1:33:45] » we do get the budget.
[1:33:45] >> We do get the budget, but we we fund on
[1:33:48] » We do get the budget, but we we fund on
[1:33:48] a formula. But as far as the complaints,
[1:33:51] they need to go to the school board. But
[1:33:53] the schools audited annually. We're
[1:33:54] audited annually. So the schools are
[1:33:57] spending the money where they say
[1:33:58] they're spending it.
[1:34:00] Um I understand Mike's thing with the
[1:34:03] scope. We'd love to be able to do the
[1:34:05] original scope. We're having to make
[1:34:07] adjustments as I mentioned based on all
[1:34:09] the other obligations, responsibilities
[1:34:11] we have. Hopefully in the future,
[1:34:13] whether it be us and collaborating with
[1:34:16] the schools, can can complete a portion
[1:34:19] of that scope. I still think it's going
[1:34:20] to be a wonderful uh investment for our
[1:34:25] county. Um I'm very disappointed that a
[1:34:29] school board member would come in here
[1:34:30] and say that it's not what we want for
[1:34:33] our county.
[1:34:35] And I mentioned in my comments that the
[1:34:37] public entrust us to make decisions
[1:34:39] every day on their behalf based on the
[1:34:42] information that we have at the time and
[1:34:44] adjustments and scopes that we may have
[1:34:46] to make. Um
[1:34:49] the meetings that have been had with
[1:34:51] representative from the school district
[1:34:52] elected and staff and Monteth were to
[1:34:56] adjust the scope and get to a budget we
[1:34:59] could afford. And if my memory reflects
[1:35:02] correctly, it was a vote of 7 to1 to
[1:35:05] recommend $20 million funding for this
[1:35:08] project to do this phase with the
[1:35:11] adjusted scopes. While I respect both of
[1:35:14] their
[1:35:15] um frustrations potentially with
[1:35:18] information and their internal
[1:35:20] processes, I would encourage them to
[1:35:21] deal with that internally. Um, but I
[1:35:24] still would hope that they would be
[1:35:26] appreciative of our investment of tax
[1:35:28] dollars into this project because I
[1:35:30] still think it's a great investment for
[1:35:32] our teachers, our staff, and our
[1:35:34] students. And um
[1:35:39] that that right there is very important
[1:35:41] to me. And our board functions
[1:35:46] at the highest integrity we can. While
[1:35:48] we disagree sometimes, we do that
[1:35:50] respectfully and try to be very factual
[1:35:52] in what we do
[1:35:54] uh to the public. I think the public,
[1:35:57] they elect us to make their lives
[1:36:00] better.
[1:36:02] And I don't care if you're Democrat or
[1:36:05] Republican. Our goal is to raise the
[1:36:07] tide because that's raising all ships.
[1:36:10] Okay? And we don't ask people when they
[1:36:13] call us to help us if they're Democrat
[1:36:14] or Republican. we make the best
[1:36:16] decisions in real time that we can based
[1:36:18] on the options we have as Mr. Kubernet
[1:36:20] mentioned. I understand there's internal
[1:36:23] strikes and frustrations.
[1:36:25] Um but they need to handle that
[1:36:27] internally, but um I'm very proud of our
[1:36:31] board and I'm very proud of our county
[1:36:33] with the investments we make on behalf
[1:36:35] of our citizens. I don't think that we
[1:36:38] waste money. We uh make investments and
[1:36:41] decisions on spending based on our
[1:36:43] options before us every day. and we can
[1:36:45] live with those and defend those in my
[1:36:47] opinion. Um I will be at uh the NCAACCC
[1:36:52] starting tomorrow for the rest of the
[1:36:54] week representing all of you and our
[1:36:56] county. And um I wanted to also
[1:37:01] uh thank you for all of your comments
[1:37:03] and considerations tonight. As Melissa
[1:37:05] mentioned, we don't always agree, but we
[1:37:09] do the best we can and we have opinions
[1:37:11] and frustrations that we deal with. And
[1:37:14] all of those are respected and that's
[1:37:16] all I have.
[1:37:16] >> You got your list for the NCAACCC?
[1:37:18] » You got your list for the NCAACCC?
[1:37:18] >> I got my list.
[1:37:19] » I got my list.
[1:37:19] >> Got your list. There's quite a few of
[1:37:20] » Got your list. There's quite a few of
[1:37:20] them this time. I will be brief. I'm
[1:37:21] assuming it's next in my direction on
[1:37:23] updates this evening. Um really the only
[1:37:26] thing I wanted to bring up this evening
[1:37:27] is conversations are are constantly
[1:37:29] evolving in the community. But this one
[1:37:31] is about Fifth Street Ministries. And I
[1:37:33] was speaking with Todd Fowler. He is the
[1:37:35] director of philanthropy out at Fifth
[1:37:38] Street. and he said, "A lot of times
[1:37:39] folks forget that it's more than just a
[1:37:42] shelter and a community kitchen, but it
[1:37:44] also touches lives from veterans, moms,
[1:37:47] kids with the partnership with my
[1:37:49] sister's house and various other things,
[1:37:51] too. So, um, he's recently begun working
[1:37:54] there in this role and
[1:37:58] he's got an interesting background, but
[1:38:00] what he also says when he talks about
[1:38:02] these things is the partnerships we have
[1:38:04] within the county with the nonprofits
[1:38:07] coming together to be the solution to
[1:38:09] take care of a lot of things that people
[1:38:11] don't want to talk about. The
[1:38:12] challenging situation um because it does
[1:38:14] exist in all counties, but they're
[1:38:16] working hard there at Fifth Street to
[1:38:17] address some of these concerns. So, with
[1:38:20] that, I'll just pass it on down the
[1:38:21] line.
[1:38:22] >> Commissioner Stra,
[1:38:25] » Commissioner Stra,
[1:38:25] >> you know, I have uh
[1:38:29] » you know, I have uh
[1:38:30] had the opportunity to do some very fun,
[1:38:33] exciting, challenging
[1:38:37] endeavors in my life.
[1:38:42] My 21-year military career, my time as
[1:38:44] the director for veteran services,
[1:38:50] I think I realized
[1:38:53] pretty young on even in my military
[1:38:55] career was my obligation to my fellow
[1:38:59] man.
[1:39:03] But I will tell you for folks that that
[1:39:05] sit out there,
[1:39:08] um I love the folks that uh say
[1:39:11] something about running for public
[1:39:12] office and they'll say something to the
[1:39:14] effect of they don't want me down there.
[1:39:17] um
[1:39:19] the decisions that have to be made. I go
[1:39:23] back to the same decision Commissioner
[1:39:25] Brown mentioned when we voted for the 50
[1:39:28] million. I felt bad that night. I can
[1:39:31] tell you I don't feel any equally better
[1:39:34] tonight saying no.
[1:39:37] It's a very difficult process.
[1:39:43] Commissioner Neers
[1:39:47] comment. Thank you.
[1:39:53] I am proud.
[1:39:57] Even in the decisions that are
[1:39:58] uncomfortable, where we disagree, I'm
[1:40:02] proud to serve beside each and every one
[1:40:05] of you.
[1:40:09] We all see the need the the how long
[1:40:13] we've sat here and and had to uh
[1:40:16] deliberate over the fire service.
[1:40:19] How long we've had to deliberate over
[1:40:21] schools in one year. In addition to in
[1:40:24] addition to the normal operating and
[1:40:27] capital we spent in one year we laid out
[1:40:32] the people gave the 80 million. So I'm
[1:40:34] not taking taking that. But 50 million
[1:40:36] plus the 52 million 102 million 103
[1:40:41] because it's
[1:40:42] 21
[1:40:44] almost
[1:40:47] million dollars. In addition
[1:40:50] to that um
[1:40:53] this this board is dedicated to
[1:40:56] education.
[1:40:59] In a perfect world would I love to say
[1:41:01] build it all.
[1:41:06] But I can tell you I've had folks call
[1:41:09] me and say, "Brad, you're missing the
[1:41:10] mark." But I've had equally or more call
[1:41:14] me and say, "Thank you for trying to
[1:41:17] hold accountable
[1:41:19] my taxpayer dollars, what I was given
[1:41:23] the presentation
[1:41:24] >> to vote on.
[1:41:26] » to vote on.
[1:41:26] Thank you for for for being my voice. So
[1:41:30] to those of you that I've disappointed,
[1:41:33] I'm I'm sorry.
[1:41:35] Um I have to go with my gut as each of
[1:41:38] you make decisions in your daily lives
[1:41:41] as that you make on your school board or
[1:41:44] on any your church board, wherever it
[1:41:46] is. Decisions sometimes are
[1:41:48] uncomfortable.
[1:41:49] And I have to stand with my convictions
[1:41:54] regardless of sometimes of my
[1:41:59] even the desire to want to go there. I
[1:42:02] have to listen to the people who sent me
[1:42:04] here.
[1:42:06] So I thank each of you. I challenge
[1:42:11] every board in this county
[1:42:14] to conduct itself in the manner this
[1:42:17] board does.
[1:42:19] in its
[1:42:21] interaction with each other.
[1:42:26] » Brown,
[1:42:27] >> thank you. You know, it's uh like I
[1:42:30] » thank you. You know, it's uh like I
[1:42:30] said, it's not easy. I'm I'm glad we're
[1:42:31] getting athletics. I just in my heart I
[1:42:34] couldn't vote for it. Sorry. I just
[1:42:36] that's just where I have been since we
[1:42:39] started this school deal. But as I was
[1:42:41] telling uh Miss Neer a little bit ago,
[1:42:45] if we were all the same, you wouldn't
[1:42:47] need but one commissioner up here. We're
[1:42:49] not. But we do agree to disagree. And
[1:42:53] we'll be back here in two weeks and
[1:42:55] we'll agree to disagree again. It's not
[1:42:57] a problem. We don't fight much.
[1:43:00] We might argue sometimes, but you know,
[1:43:04] we're doing a good job and and and it is
[1:43:07] what it is. I want to see things, you
[1:43:10] know, I want to see our kids have what
[1:43:12] they need. I'm not for Taj Mahal. I can
[1:43:15] tell you this school is going to be the
[1:43:17] most beautiful school. And you know, as
[1:43:20] as Miss Nether and I both went South
[1:43:22] Idle, graduated South a couple years
[1:43:24] ago, and it uh and and you know, it was
[1:43:28] it great school then, great school now,
[1:43:30] and now we're building a we're building
[1:43:32] a school that's unbelievable. As Mr.
[1:43:35] Kumnick said a while ago, it's it's
[1:43:36] something to be proud of. It really is.
[1:43:38] But we're going to have people that say,
[1:43:41] "Well, my kid wants to go there and he
[1:43:43] can't go there." You know, we can never
[1:43:45] please everybody. It just ain't going to
[1:43:47] happen. And and you know, a lot of
[1:43:48] people called me when we did the 50 and
[1:43:50] they chewed my rear big time. And I
[1:43:52] said, "Well, you know, I bit that one
[1:43:54] and and I went home and I didn't sleep.
[1:43:56] I'm going to go home tonight and you
[1:43:57] know, I'm going to get chewed from
[1:43:59] people say, "Why didn't you vote for
[1:44:00] it?" But I'm going to sleep better
[1:44:02] tonight knowing that I voted no and
[1:44:04] you're still getting what you want. I
[1:44:06] mean, you're getting athletes. The kids
[1:44:07] are getting athletics. And I really
[1:44:09] truly hope that that uh you know, we get
[1:44:12] this finished with that amount of money,
[1:44:14] you know, because it's going to be a bad
[1:44:17] day if somebody comes back and said we
[1:44:18] need five more million dollars. But
[1:44:21] anyway, I yield back to you, sir.
[1:44:24] >> Okay. The biggest thing, and I think I
[1:44:25] » Okay. The biggest thing, and I think I
[1:44:25] can speak on behalf of the entire board,
[1:44:27] the biggest thing we have is so many
[1:44:28] funding needs that we have.
[1:44:30] >> Yes.
[1:44:30] » Yes.
[1:44:30] >> We get hit by every angle imaginable.
[1:44:34] » We get hit by every angle imaginable.
[1:44:34] Towns and cities don't have to provide
[1:44:36] all the services that we have to
[1:44:37] provide.
[1:44:40] And it's hard for the five of us to sit
[1:44:41] here and read an agenda item or read
[1:44:43] something in an article that a town or
[1:44:45] city's approved a big a big group of
[1:44:48] developments or apartment complexes and
[1:44:51] this and that. And we're all sitting
[1:44:52] here scratching our head wondering how
[1:44:53] many kids are going to be going to a
[1:44:54] school. Are we going to have to do
[1:44:55] another school?
[1:44:57] And it's hard for us to sit here and to
[1:44:59] be responsible for putting the the uh
[1:45:03] coal in the train to make it go. We
[1:45:05] don't know how much to get. We don't
[1:45:07] know how much. We don't know anything.
[1:45:09] And it's hard for us to sit here knowing
[1:45:11] that we got mandated services we have to
[1:45:14] provide and then we got what we call
[1:45:15] optional services that we provide. And
[1:45:18] we don't want to cut anything, but this
[1:45:20] fire department thing and and I know I
[1:45:22] waited up into the four o'clock hour.
[1:45:24] It's concerning, but at the same time,
[1:45:27] we have put our money where its mouth is
[1:45:31] when it comes down to fire departments.
[1:45:33] And I covered that at the four o'clock
[1:45:35] time period that we talked about. We've
[1:45:37] increased fire funding from fiscal year
[1:45:40] 22 to fiscal year 26 just to what the
[1:45:43] departments actually get for operating
[1:45:44] and everything 46 and a half%.
[1:45:47] That's kind of unheard of.
[1:45:50] Uh you know our problem lies is we only
[1:45:52] grew our all county nine which needs to
[1:45:56] be called an unincorporated nine. I
[1:45:57] think we need to change that name
[1:45:58] officially. If we need to have an
[1:46:00] ordinance or something I think we can
[1:46:02] make that happen. to get rolling.
[1:46:04] >> He probably uh it only increased by
[1:46:06] » He probably uh it only increased by
[1:46:06] $185,585,
[1:46:09] but we decided to go ahead and help out
[1:46:11] the fire departments and do half of
[1:46:12] their initial staffing request, do 2%
[1:46:15] operational, give South Ardol Fire
[1:46:17] Department a bump in their supplement,
[1:46:20] and to go ahead and staff that
[1:46:21] additional crew at Lake Norman Fire
[1:46:23] Department, which they desperately need.
[1:46:26] And it's like I said at the four
[1:46:27] o'clock, everybody says, "Well, they're
[1:46:29] right out there next to Morrisville."
[1:46:30] But they're out there basically kind of
[1:46:31] on an island by theirel. So if they get
[1:46:33] in trouble with all the road
[1:46:34] construction going on, with everything
[1:46:35] going on. So it's been the the privy of
[1:46:38] this board to make sure that we know
[1:46:40] that from the goal with Blake Norman. I
[1:46:42] mean, we've all discussed that for a
[1:46:44] long long time. So it's just it's just
[1:46:47] hard for us to sit here and to look at
[1:46:49] the growth that we got experiencing. And
[1:46:51] if you go out here and you poll the
[1:46:52] people, you actually poll the people and
[1:46:55] you ask them, "Are you happy with the
[1:46:56] amount of growth you're seeing in this
[1:46:57] county,
[1:47:00] they're not happy, but we don't control
[1:47:03] that. We only control what's out in the
[1:47:05] county. I think our land use plan is is
[1:47:07] very good. We just kind of revamped it
[1:47:10] not long ago. you know, we had to make
[1:47:12] make some tweaks from here to here to
[1:47:14] there to make some changes and stuff,
[1:47:16] but you know, our decisions we take
[1:47:19] here, we take those decisions home and
[1:47:22] we sleep on those decisions and we make
[1:47:25] our decisions and we act civilized.
[1:47:30] I mean, we do we act civilized in the
[1:47:32] decisions we have to make. We have to
[1:47:33] make some hard ones.
[1:47:34] >> Some very, very hard ones because we are
[1:47:37] » Some very, very hard ones because we are
[1:47:37] the five up here that makes a
[1:47:39] determination of how much money the tax
[1:47:42] collector goes out here and takes
[1:47:44] basically out of your pocket.
[1:47:48] School boards don't do that. Moral
[1:47:50] Graded does for their little amount of
[1:47:51] money they get. And with that said,
[1:47:54] since we've stepped up to the plate and
[1:47:55] we've helped out Ardell Statesville
[1:47:57] schools on the high school by making the
[1:47:59] bridge a long time ago of amount of
[1:48:02] money that we didn't want to all make,
[1:48:04] but we made it. And then again today, we
[1:48:07] cannot forget Morsel Graded School
[1:48:08] District. So next fiscal year, we cannot
[1:48:12] forget Morsville graded school district.
[1:48:14] As soon as that bond got passed, they
[1:48:16] stepped up on it and they got it done.
[1:48:19] They got in it.
[1:48:22] Boom. In it. So,
[1:48:25] anybody got anything else? Any new
[1:48:27] business? County manager report?
[1:48:31] >> You don't have anything at all?
[1:48:33] » You don't have anything at all?
[1:48:33] >> Okay. We did have a close session this
[1:48:36] » Okay. We did have a close session this
[1:48:36] afternoon in regards to attorney client
[1:48:39] in accordance general statute 143 31811
[1:48:42] A3 with nothing to report on that. We
[1:48:44] had another close session item, economic
[1:48:47] development in accordance to North
[1:48:48] Carolina General Statute 143 31811 A4
[1:48:51] and I think we have a motion to go with
[1:48:53] that one.
[1:48:53] >> I do, Mr. Chairman. I'd like to make a
[1:48:55] » I do, Mr. Chairman. I'd like to make a
[1:48:55] motion to call for a public hearing on
[1:48:57] September 15th for possible economic
[1:48:59] development incentive for project lead.
[1:49:04] » Motion by Commissioner Halp. All in
[1:49:06] favor say I.
[1:49:07] >> I.
[1:49:07] » I.
[1:49:07] >> Any opposed? Motion approves 50. Brings
[1:49:11] » Any opposed? Motion approves 50. Brings
[1:49:11] us down to the end of tonight's meeting.
[1:49:13] Do we have a motion to adjurnn?
[1:49:14] >> Make a motion we adjourn.
[1:49:15] » Make a motion we adjourn.
[1:49:15] >> Scotty was fast on that one. Motion by
[1:49:17] » Scotty was fast on that one. Motion by
[1:49:17] Commissioner Brown. All in favor say I.
[1:49:20] >> I.
[1:49:20] » I.
[1:49:20] >> Any oppose? We are journ