good evening and welcome to our
August 2nd meeting.
We will provide one of our
prayer by commissioner puckett.
We'll introduce ourselves and
then we'll get right into our
agenda.
>> join me in prayer if you
would, please.
>> heaven's father we thank you
for bringing us to this place.
We thank you for this great
honor that you give those on
this dais and do the work of
this county.
We thank you for the citizens
who populate mecklenberg.
We ask that you give us whiz
come and discernment, that you
give us patience, that you open
up our hearts and our minds to
debate and to understanding that
we find ways to find common
ground even though we start from
different places.
We ask that you continue to
bless this county and this state
and this nation.
And we pray that you will always
keep us in the palm of your hand
and that we May always do thy
will.
In the jesus christ that I pray,
amen.
>> amen.
Please join me in the pledge of
allegiance.
I pledge allegiance to the flag
of the united states of america,
and to the republic for which it
stands, one nation under God
indivisible with liberty and
justice for all.
>> Chair: introductions.
>> I'm george dunlap elected by
the people of district 3.
Bill james county commission 6.
>> good evening.
My name is trevor fuller and I'm
honored and privilege to serve
as a county commissioner at
large which means that I
represent the more than one
million people who live in this
great county of mecklenberg.
Thank you for being with us in
the chaim
mber tonight.
Thank you for watching us online
and on the government channel.
My name is jim puckett.
I'm representing district 1.
Since commissioner leake isn't I
am the most powerful district of
mecklenberg county.
And good evening I'm ella
scarborough county commissioner
at large and I would like to say
commissioner leake we Miss Her
tonight.
But godspeed she'll be with us
soon.
I'm pat cotham.
And see our chamber.
It's full of a lot of our
advocates for parks and
greenways and so I know we have
a lot of people watching at
home.
I got a text message from robert
dawkins who is community
organizer with safeco lition and
he's watching along with other
people.
This is an important meeting and
we're so glad you're here and
I'm very proud to serve you.
Good evening everyone.
My name is matthew ridenhour.
I represent district 5.
And as we do.
But I just want to say publicly
thank you all for and those at
home who have called and sent
messages and tweets and, the
greenways and the stadium have
been something we've talked
about a lot.
Thank you for being involved.
So few people get involved in
local government, and it's
government is closest to the
people.
I just want to say thank you
very much.
>> good evening.
I'm dumont clarke.
I'm glad to see everyone here
tonight.
Thank you for your passion.
>> good evening.
I'm dena diorio.
>> good evening.
I'm marvin by the way
ethune county
attorney.
>> Chair: we'll get to our
public appearance.
And we have excuse me, two.
We will go to our
recommendations and
proclamations
proclamations.
We're going to do those at this
time.
I have a proclamation for the
following.
One for child support awareness
and commissioner cotham is going
to do that.
I also have a proclamation for
women's oncology day that is
commissioner fuller and then
another proclamation for the pga
and commissioner ridenhour is
going to do that.
Additionally we have
proclamations for preventive
domestic violence week, we also
have one for the senior
awareness insurance insurance
program and also we have one for
transportation involuntary
committed residents.
So we have all those
proclamations.
>> thank you Madam Chair.
I'm reading a proclamation of
mecklenberg county, north
carolina proclamation.
it's very beautiful.
I'm sure we're going to present
it to joan kennedy.
Stand over there.
She leads this department.
It's a very important department
as it deals with children.
So this proclamation which was
signed by our chair ella
scarborough, reads whereas
mecklenberg county has operated
a high child support enforcement
department since July 2010 when
the staff and customers of the
program were entrusted to the
county by the state of north
carolina, and whereas former
President Bill clinton first
proclaimed August as the child
support awareness month in 1995
to demonstrate the importance of
child support as a sustainable
means of well-being for our
nation's children.
Children living in poverty are
more vulnerable, educational and
safety risks and more likely to
have cognitive and behavioral
and socioemotional problems
throughout their lifetime.
And can provide a stable
foundation for a life to
children who're dependent on
them for their daily financial
mornl and physical growth.
Whereas mecklenberg county is
comphied to insuring the safety,
health and well-being of our
children by supporting families
through programs designed to
help parents remain engaged in
their children's lives.
Whereas mecklenberg county
promotes a proactive and
productive and engaging
community by taking a
collaborative and holistic
approach to help family benefit
from coparenting.
This is a very important
paragraph.
In mecklenberg county there are
71,4
71,450 children in custodial
parents who receive more than
$50 million in child support.
I mean that is a lot of money
that this department collects
led under joan kennedy, and that
goes into our economy.
It's for our children.
So this is a tremendous benefit.
So again it's fun,450 children
in custody
ial parents who receive
more than $50 million in child
support annually through the
efforts of this county's child
support professionals.
And whereas collection of child
support also contributes to the
welfare of our local economy by
adding -- avoiding local care
costs and moving families into
economic self-sufficiency by
reducing dependence on other
public assistance programs.
And whereas these local efforts
are provided by 117 mecklenberg
county staff workers who work
diligently to uphold the
county's customer service and
account
accountability members.
They also help fathers get jobs
and have interview clothes.
They do a bang-up job.
Now therefore be the resolved
the mecklenberg county board of
county commissioners hereby
proclaim August of 2017 as the
child support awareness month.
And it's signed by ella
scarborough.
(Applause)
>> Madam Chair I want to make a
motion that we approve that
before you give it away.
>> Chair: all in favor please
denote by aye.
mr. Fuller.
>> I have the privilege of
bringing forward a proclamation
from both the city of charlotte
and mecklenberg county and it is
signed by both the mayor of the
city of charlotte and our chair
ella scarborough of the board of
county commissioners.
And this relates to women's
equality day.
And it reads as follows.
Whereas August 26th, 2017 marks
the 97th easterns of women in
the united states gaining the
right to vote with the
ratification of the 19th
amendment to the constitution.
And whereas the call for women's
right to vote was first voiced
in 1848 and the slid fication of
right into law was the result of
decades of work by sufficient
raw gists.
And they let their feet speak
when their voices alone were not
alone.
Protesting and marching for
their fund mnl right to vote in
the face of heckling and jail
and abuse.
Their efforts led to enormous
progress, millions upon millions
of women have since used the
power of the ballot to help
shape our nation.
And whereas at a time when women
were meant to be seen and not
heard the sufficient gists and
by speaking out on behalf of all
women and organized for their
rights.
And whereas to these committed
and determined women, voting was
not the end of the journey
fourie quality but the beginning
of a new air
era in the advancement
of our union.
These brave and tenacious women
challenged our nation to live up
to its founding principles.
Partnership have identified the
scene for the 2017 women's 's
equality day program and event.
That theme to be overcoming
shame, how to deal with body
image.
Whereas this year's event will
be held at the main campus of
the university of north
carolina, charlotte and the
public are invited and
encouraged to participate in
this free and wonderful
celebration.
Now therefore we jennifer
w. Roberts, mayor of charlotte
and ella scarborough chair of
the mecklenberg county board of
county commissioners do hereby
proclaim August 26th, 2017 as
women's equality day in
charlotte and mecklenberg county
and command its observance to
all the citizens of our county.
Witness our hands and the
official seal of the city of
charlotte and mecklenberg county
county.
We have the women's advisory
board representative.
You want to come to the
microphone.
Do you want to say a word or
two.
We just want to acknowledge this
97th
97th anniversary know that
women's rights are human rights.
>> Chair: all in favor please
denote by aye.
>> thank you for being here.
So the women's advisory board is
partnering with the un crchlt
c women's
girls research alliance.
As you stated the theme this
year was actually selected
jointly by the women's advisory
board and alliance so to be
overcoming shame.
There are 197 preregistered for
the event and we want
commissioner guess unz and the
audience.
Our mission to promote the
credit
critical and urgent need for
women.
It was sent in error and thanks
to the partnership with unc
charlotte providing the kohn and
of juice coffee and muffins
there are no additional funds
needed.
>> thank you all, so much.
Would you come down and receive
the proclamation.
(Applause)
>> thank you.
Next proclamation will be
women's equality day.
No I'm sorry, pga.
We just did that one.
Commissioner ridenhour.
Thank you very much.
I understand Mr. Jason men gull
from the professional golfer's
association is here.
Proclamation.
I wanted to pull this one and
read it.
It's an event that occurs in
district 5 fairly close to home.
I wanted to pull this one.
I appreciate the amount of time
to read it.
Whereas the professional
golfer's association pga of
america will celebrate its 99th
pga championship.
In professional golf the final
major championship of the year.
And includes the top gall turs.
The quail hollow club will for
the and whereas the this global
sporting event will attract over
200,000 gall
olfers over a seven-day
tournament period, and be
broadcast in over 200 countries.
And
and whereas the pga championship
provides a positive impact for
the charlotte mecklenberg area
through economic benefits to
hotels.
Restaurants, rental companies,
temporary employment and in clu
inclusive exposure to the game
of golf.
Now therefore we jennifer watson
roberts, mayor of charlotte, and
ella scarborough chair of the
mecklenberg county board of
county commissioners do hereby
August 7th, 2017 as the pga
championship week in charlotte
and mecklenberg county.
And command its observance to
all hands.
>> move approval.
>> Chair:
>> Chair: all in favor please
denote by aye.
Opposers nay.
>> we're excited about it.
We're excited too.
Congratulations to the other
recipients tonight.
Doing great work in the
community.
Thank you for the welcome.
The southern hospitality, and
certainly the support along the
way.
An event this size and scope
requires cooperation and frankly
the guidance of the numerous
entities within this community
we've interacted with.
I've got to say that really over
the past two years the support
that many you have provided us
we wouldn't be able to get
through next week without it.
Thank you so much.
Here we are just days away from
the eyes of the sporting world.
for the golf world after the
final putt drops at brookdale
where jordan spieth won the open
championship.
You know, in many years the
success of the pga championship
will be numbered by what goes at
quail hollow.
The fact that we hand out the
wannamaker trophy on sunday
night.
Millions of dollars in tax
revenue will be generated.
Over 1,100 temporary jobs will
be created around this event.
Not just week.
There's folks working for months
up to the event and after the
events.
That's just the economic impact.
You know that the pga
championship is one of the most
telecast events.
28 hours of live television
coverage.
It's going around the world to
200 countries and territories
over the household north of half
a billion.
That's a lot of eyeballs on this
community.
On a standpoint on a day-to-day
basis the staff and the
professional is doing a great
job in this community.
Pga hope this is our military
program.
Our junior league golf which is
comment to the next generation.
And on behalf of the behalf the
entire pga community.
Can't say thank you enough.
I have one final request.
That we have 85
and sunshine
all next week.
I don't know if we need to add
an amendment to the proclamation
but thank you so much.
>> Chair: okay.
we will now go to our public
hearing appearance.
Okay.
We have several.
Let me read our little
intro into it.
This is a time during the
meeting when the public can
appear to address the board on
any matters that is not
appearing on the agenda.
However, persons cannot address
the board concerning someone's
candidacy for office or make a
budget request.
Anyone desiring to speak on a
matter that's on the agenda May
speak on the matter when it
comes up for discussion.
There will be three minutes
allowed
allowed per speaker unless
there's four or more spae
eakers on
a groups.
In which case 10 minutes will be
allowed for these groups.
Members of the board will not
engage members of the board will
not engage in dialogue.
With the public appearance
comments will be received and
followed up as applicable.
By the county manager staff
and/or members of the board.
Handouts and/or tokens May be
given to the clerk for
distribution to the board at the
end of the meeting.
At this time we have the
following speakers.
I have ricky hall.
David dalin.
Lest
leslie
>> good evening.
Thank you for allowing me to
speak.
I am gwen kim.
I'm coming to present the
million father March.
And I also want to thank dunlap.
In thetion null to earn better
grades.
Score higher on tests, and a
more likely to graduate from
high school.
And in 2006 the key father
initiative it kicked off the
school year with the west
charlotte and oak lawn and the
list goes on.
We are continuing this process
for 2017 so I'm very excited
about that.
And okay we need all schools to
participate, men's, uncles.
Grandfathers to go to your
children's school.
If you have any question contact
me.
A child needs direction if the
direction is clear, the child
will succeed.
And also I want to leave this
with you.
A March to movement is a March
having begun.
At the end movement is ongoing.
And can I just pause with that
and just say I do support the
parks and greenway I worked
there for 30 years so when I saw
you all, oh my gosh, so parks
and greenways.
Yes.
>> Chair: thank you very much.
And thank you so much.
Clayton porter is the next
speaker.
He is not here.
So that ends our public speaking
list.
So at this time ads I read
earlier we will now do
appointments.
For the historic landmark
commission.
[Multiple people speaking]
>> Chair: historic landmark
commission.
>> before we start nominating
people or voting, I did take the
time to look at the makeup of
the historic committee, and this
board has done an outstanding
job in terms of trying to
diversify various committees.
We understand there are some
committees are primarily made up
of people of average dissent.
There are some primarily made up
of caucasians.
This happens to be 100%
caucasian.
We still need to diversify by
including more women on this
committee.
I ask you that you take that
into consideration as you vote.
Brit
britney glens.
>> are there any of the nominees
that in the audience tonight.
Did anyone come here to attend
tonight.
>> Chair: you have one.
>> there is one hand up there.
We often consider it a sign of
interest that they're here.
>> Chair: what's your name, sir.
>> advocate for tom eakin.
>> Chair: any other advocates.
I received a letter.
I don't know if you all did from
peter jenkins.
Mr. Jones.
And she's worked on a lot of
historic preservation projects,
and she's in district 5.
>> Chair: other advocates.
Is there a motion?
I'm sorry.
Why don't we go through the list
and vote.
>> Chair: I'll start with diane
alterhouse.
All in favor.
Anyone for jennifer coates.
Any for don Mcduffie.
we can vote for two.
We have thomas egan.
I think we have our two.
>> you've got to do all of them.
>> Chair: I will ask the others
who have applied would you look
to our minutes and apply again.
We already have two and we
appreciate diane alterhouse and
also thomas egan.
Thank you very much at this
time.
Our next -- moving right along.
We have our application for
these are votes.
>> Chair: this is for
information service and
technology.
One can be nominated.
And that is frank benson and
vicky --
>> I'd like to advocate and I'm
not sure I'm saying the
gentleman's name d
e vchlt
dev ichlt
I
devicic.
He's asian and he has a computer
in computer science.
And he has 25 years experience
in management and she has
special skills in solution
engineering.
He lives in district 1 in
hunters
huntersville
huntersville.
There's one slot.
Someone want to make a motion.
>> Chair:
>> Chair: all in favor of frank
benson raise your hand.
All in favor of don.
He is nominated.
We've got one person from
hunters
huntersville.
Our next nominees have to be
from the planning commission.
and planning commission
recommended
>> I'll be happy to read it.
And I'm reading this report on
behalf of commissioner leake who
chaired the planning commission
ad hoc appointment committee.
The members consisted of our
chairperson commissioner leake
and myself and on monday July
17th, the planning commission ad
hoc appointment committee
interviewed five candidates for
appointment consideration.
One vacancy on the planning
commission.
The committee was -- I already
did that.
The committee interviewed the
following candidates who're
nominated at the June 20th, 2017
meeting of the board of county
commissioners.
They included their
and after
interviewing the candidates the
committee voted unanimously to
recommend to the full board the
appointment of keable samuels.
To expire 2020 on the planning
commission.
>> Chair: all right.
Are there other nominations.
If not I'll just go down the
list.
>> I move to appoint keable
samuels.
>> I did receive a call from
daniel broom.
He is interested in serving.
He must have known -- well I can
tell you.
I can give you all of the
background.
Of the people that we considered
there were three who had no
clue.
Just being honest.
The two that stood out was
keable samuels who is a young
person who has vast amount of
knowledge, researched on her
own, background information and
the choice was between her and
darryl broom who has previously
served two terms.
>> Chair: there a motion to --
okay.
We have darryl broom.
I need omar carter.
How many people.
No hands.
What about hasting.
How about nair.
Keable samuels.
That's eight.
That makes keable samuels is
elected to -- I think she's here
tonight
tonightment
tonightment.
>> congratulations.
>> stand up.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Next one is the women's advisory
advisory.
>> I received several contacts
about this.
One in particular from hare's
jones
jones' daughter.
Other nominations.
Any other advocacy?
If not, make a motion.
We'll vote the list.
Co-
coley.
Anyone for coley.
What about jones.
Okay.
She is voted unanimously.
You are duly elected Madam.
Moving right along.
>> Madam Chair I move that we
reappoint marcus heckler for air
quality commission.
>> all in favor of.
Any opposers.
I move that we waive our policy
and reappoint kerry lansdale and
must grath.
Madam Chair for nursing home
visry that we reappoint robert
bruton.
>> all in favor please denote by
aye.
Waste management board we
reappoint ishmael sanchez.
>> all in favor please denote by
aye.
Any opposers nay.
So that ends our nominations.
We will now go to public
hearings
hearings.
The manager's report.
>> thank you Madam Chair.
There are several item.
The first is a presentation by
our county assessor ken joiner
to demonstrate the newcomer
service module that we're
implementing called modria.
We start to manage the appeals
process.
>> thank you dena.
>> commissioners, Madam Chair.
I'm excited to be here tonight.
This is a great night for our
office as we step forward and
start being more transparent and
moving towards our 2019
revaluation, and offering our
citizens more and more options
as they go through the re-
reappraisal process with us.
Tonight we have our online
resolution portal.
It went live yesterday.
So we wand to make sure that our
board got an opportunity to see
what the product will do, the
power that it has the
opportunities it will provide us
and the citizens of mecklenberg
county as we go through and
towards our 2019 revaluation.
So as we start off the modria
tour it is an online resolution
portal.
It starts with a couple of
products that one of the product
we already have in mecklenberg
county which is our spatialest
product look at properties and
sales and other items as they
are trying to look at their
value and make a determination
of the fairness of what we bring
forward in 2019.
The link here as it says is
mecklenbergn crchlt
mecklenbergnc.Gov/assessoroffice
.
On so on the back end you come
to welcome to the mecklenberg
county
county.
You'll start your journey by
entering your parcel number.
You can look it up by address.
Also by owner name.
So we've got multiple options
there.
So you will go in and you will
put in your parcel number and up
comes your property.
From here you can see your
parcel account information,
location, you've got a map
showing your property there.
You come down the screen and
make an inquiry.
This is one of the entrances
into the dispute resolution
where if you do have questions
you can go in and talk about it.
There's some other important
links on the page.
Under the map it says view
sales.
You can look at all of the sales
in a table format for both your
neighborhood and your area.
You can also go and look at a
larger scale map.
You can look at the aerial
photography or you can enter
into what we call the comper
which is a sales portal where
you can visually see those on a
map and make selections.
We'll show you that in just a
minute.
Below lower on that screen you
also have an some additional
information.
Talk about the age of your home.
What type of structure how we've
got it classified.
This is two and one and a half
stories.
Electric.
Some of the basic physical
characteristics of the property.
You can link down and look just
at the land details.
You can see permits.
You can see sales history.
You can view the tax bill.
You can go to the county site
polaris or you can go to the
print property record card and
you can view a lot of that
information in an easy to read
format there as well.
We also have highlighted the
sketch of the property.
You can click on that.
Make it larger.
Look at the actual physical
dimensions of the property.
So again let's go back and let's
imagine you are doing an
inquiry.
So you're going to start your
case.
Once you've hit the make an
inquire
inquiry by entering some basic
information.
Here we've used tony public.
And file a case.
Then we're going to ask some
basic information.
Who are you.
Are you the owner the an
attorney agent for the property
relative or other.
phone number.
Secondary phone number and some
other additional information for
us to have on record as to who
you are.
Then there are two routes that
you go through the process.
As we ask you questions there
are some that will route you
directly to the end of your
inquiry and others that will
take you another step.
So the first time that do not
route through the sales comper
search there are errors on my
property's physical
characteristics.
And I have issues regarding an
exemption or deferment.
If you highlight one of those it
will take you more towards the
completion of the process.
But if you choose one of the
other 3 I recently purchased the
property for a different amount,
I have a recent appraisal or
other properties like mine have
recently sold at a different
price range those types of
inquiries will lead you into our
comper feature.
It will send you to this page
and please launch the comper.
When you do that you can see the
little red house is the actual
subject.
All of these other properties
that are highlighted there are
sales within that neighborhood
that have been confirmed arms's
length transaction.
On the left-hand side you see a
picture and the address, what
they sold for, and you as the
taxpayer can look at that
information and select I believe
this property is comparable to
mine.
You can go down and find another
one and from those make your
selections.
As you see here we selected the
first three.
Highlighted those as
comparables.
You can select more than three.
However you feel are applicable
on that inquiry.
Once you've highlighted you can
go up to the top and save my
comparables.
It will put it into an easy
form.
And that will attach to your
inquiry and can be sent via
electronic digital format to our
office to an appraisal.
Also you can go into the system
and attach other documents.
You can scan items in.
Attach those.
Send those to us.
You can send questions to our
office.
So it's a portal basically for
us to open up another way to
communicate with our citizens.
I think that will be very
powerful as we move forward.
Ads you can see here, once you
have gone through and you've put
in your comparable sheets or
finished your inquiry you can
continue the process and that
will take you to your
confirmation that you have filed
your case.
Then we will send you an email
that will give you a link.
It will just like sent to your
gmail.
You click on the link and it
will take you into the
discussions page.
So this allows you to see where
your inquiry was made as other
communications are made back
from us from the taxpayer, they
will all be displayed there.
It allows them as you see at the
bottom to post a message.
They can type in's message
there, hit enter.
That will also be sent.
Once the initial inquiry is made
we will have that sent to
someone on our staff who will
actually assign that case.
It will go to a particular
appraise
appraisers based on the parcel
numbers.
It will go the appraiser who is
working that area.
They will have the opportunity
to respond and work with our
citizens.
Our initial inquiry when you're
on that page says that the
county assessor's office will
respond within two business
days.
So we would expect to reply to
our citizens let them know we've
received it within two days.
Right now on the far side of the
screen we would expect for them
to work with our citizens over a
two week period and come to some
type of resolution on an initial
question.
>> but that's the process that
we're starting there.
So again, someone would have a
trail of the emails that come
through
through.
The appraiser marked this
inquiry complete.
Mecklenberg appointed an
appraiser.
This type of information at each
step through the process would
trigger another email to our
citizens so that they've got
that information as a record for
them as well.
This is a copy of an initial
that secure link.
If they click that link when
they open their email that will
take them directly into the
discussion page.
We're hoping to get our citizens
interested in the product to
understand the product well
before notices go out in late
2018.
We also would love to have our
citizens provide us information
if there are corrections that
are necessary as we go through
the process at this point.
We sent out the tax bills in
conjunction with neal's office
the collector's office this past
week and there was an insert in
each of the tax bills that high
highlighted modria.
Revaluation 2019 is coming.
Help us help you.
So we're trying to get our
citizens moving in this
direction.
I can tell you we hope many will
take that opportunity.
I know today our first what I
would consider full-day where I
feel everybody has their bill we
had 20 inquiries filed with
information.
We're hopeful that will continue
to build the momentum.
That means they went all the way
through the process.
We're hoping that many went
through comper and can be a
better partner with us as we try
to go through the next
revaluation.
For modria a convenient tool to
share information, and build
relationships in our community
and as we said on our inserts
somewhere we found in another
jurisdiction we were going to
nab it.
It's called a fairness engine.
It's an opportunity for
everybody to see that sales
information, to have access to
this information.
We know all of our citizens will
not have access to a computer.
But at a public library, some
other facility, through their
church we're hoping there will
be additional opportunities.
For the paper copies that we
receive in 2019, we will be
keying that information into
modria so that we can track the
information even if it's coming
through on a paper copy so we've
got an ability how many at any
given time we have in the
process.
What type of steps are being
made.
We'll know all of the appeals
that are going on in a
particular neighborhood so that
we can look at and work through
all of those issues at one time
versus working them one at a
time.
So I'm excited.
I think this is a great thing
for our community.
Manager's office.
Commissioners through the budget
process your support to help us
bring this to frew
uition working
with I
c
ics as we've gone through
the testing, and quality u
shurens.
It's been a definite mecklenberg
county team effort to bring this
forward.
Any questions.
Anyone we've got the ability
let's say someone were to retire
in the middle of the process.
We can change and move those
cases to another appraiser.
So we would have other people
with rights that could get into
that information.
It would be other people within
the appraisal division.
Last question.
When a resident uploads some
documents through the portal and
that gets sent to your office
and somebody downloads it prints
it or whatever, and they -- how
do we insure that or is there
even a way to get that record
mixed up so that I don't upload
a document and then it
accidentally -- how is the
system configured.
Could I upload and someone click
mistake and upload my records
from the past home.
Are they stored in separate
areas and there's no way to get
that information.
>> it's a cloud solution.
So we would both be going into
the same link.
So when you upload the record on
your end through the secure
link, when you're on the site,
we would both be going into the
cloud to the same property so
there would be no moving or
switching the property.
The only thing we might do
switch the actual appraiser
assigned to the case must be.
>> totally makes sense.
And then your team goes in and
puts it into a permanent file.
More hands it passes through it
could get -- that makes perfect
sense.
I've got no further questions
about the security.
>> first of all, ken this is
amazing.
It's amazing how far we've come
in the last few years.
It's been your leadership and
your team that have done a great
job.
Are individuals allowed to not
have this be public.
I'm thinking about our judges
for somebody who has a domestic
violence restraining order that
doesn't want this information
public.
I'm thinking about our judges.
Tell me about that.
The only individuals that are
currently allowed to be
taking -- that we're required to
take off their record we receive
information from the attorney
general's office from an
individual and we will remove
those
those.
Besides that there's been talk
about taking out law enforcement
and judges.
But the legislature has never
taken one of those bills.
That's handled through the
attorney general's office.
>> yes, ma'am.
>> thank you.
That same issue did come up 10
or 11 years ago.
I was looking at the recent
sales like in an area.
I just noticed they come it
appears -- they appear to come
up in order of distance from
your property.
>> yes, sir.
>> is that correct.
>> I just want to point out I
was looking at the different
columns and under year built,
every single property shows up
at 2017.
I don't know if that's some
glitch in the system.
But you might want --
>> it could be.
We went through some of the
testing.
One of the links actually
expired on the first day.
So we were able to quickly move
the key with one of the partners
and get that link back up.
It's quite possible.
Maybe it's something I could
have a discussion after the
meeting and take a look at
exactly what you're looking at
there.
>> I just cure
ious why it showed
up that way.
>> also I wondered if you can
sort -- I mean it automatically
comes up at proximity to your
property.
I wondered if it's possible to
sort it by sale date within that
subset.
>> I'll have to look at it and
actually see if that is one of
the options.
I know it's a very powerful tool
and gives us a lot of flex
flexibility how we go about
looking at it.
>> thank you very much.
I appreciate that ken.
>> I know before you leave I do
want to thank you and the
manager
manager.
I appreciate this and I would
also ask our residents who do
not have computers at home and
can't look at to please use our
public libraries.
>> or they can come to our
office and use the terminals at
the office.
We can help them with the
process themselves.
I've gone through a lot of the
process on my own.
If you have a phone you can do
it.
I want to be very accessible to
our citizens.
>> Chair: thank you very much.
>> Madam Manager.
We'd like to recognize naco
achievement winners.
These winners were presented
during naco.
And I want to start very special
honors.
The county best in category.
And 100 brilliant ideas building
with our veterans program.
On the screen you will see a
photo from the awards
presentation that I attended
with some of you at the
conference.
We instituted this program to
help with code enforcement
services and help our veterans
with new career paths.
And building with our veterans
is a unique and collaborative
and initiative that pairs
qualified veterans for code
official training allowing these
men and women to continue their
service with honor and
integrity.
It is seeing tremendous success
in the second year of its
program.
We have been getting multiple
awards.
It's been a home run.
I want to thank all the staff
for that.
And now I'll turn it over to our
public information danny diehl
to recognize our other
outstanding award winners.
>> I am danny diehl.
Public information director.
Medic employees received several
awards.
And those winning programs
include the civic education and
public information category,
earned media.
Putting the storm in stormwater
from louisa's stormwater
services.
To educate residents commuters
and the public about flooding
safety and water quality and
volunteering opportunities.
Starting in 2015 staff devised
strategies to match or exceed
previous paid media campaign
budgets.
The strike that we was to
establish stormwater services
staff as the go to subject
matter when storms are forecast
and occur.
The strategy has been effective
and since March of 2015 staff
have conducted 97 interviews for
142 published stories.
The results do not include
stories that aired multiple
times on multi-
ple
multiple news casts.
It is a minimum of 1
$177,000
based on household rates.
And this is for the hybrid
collaborative delivery team.
Tcdt which is part of louisa.
The hcdt and provides an
alternative way to deliver plan
reviews and inspections.
It is especially for customers
who use collaborative delivery
meth scpueds emerging trend in
construction along with building
information modeling bim that
creates 3d construction plans.
The process brings all parties
in the construction process
together.
Owner designer contractor and
code official in a collaborative
trans
transparent manner from the
project's start until its
finish.
And using the h
c
hcdt means that
the same team do everything and
guide customers through all
regulatory issues insuring
consistency and stronger
relationships throughout the
project.
We believe that mecklenberg
county is the first code
enforcement agency in the nation
to offer a permitting and
inspection process for customers
using bim with collaborative
delivery.
The process especially benefits
advanced builders by offering
more options increasing
efficiency and better protecting
the public's welfare and safety.
In the county raw
esiliency energy
and sustainability category we
have another from louisa storm
stormwater department.
Many mecklenberg county homes
were trucketed in flood prone
areas.
Despite mitigation by stormwater
services and others since then
nearly 2,600 remain in the
floodplain and at-risk of a
flooding disaster.
The retrofit flood proofing
program reduces future flood
losses by developing an on-site
program to provide local
competitive grant fund as well
as customized technical
assistance for property owners.
Upon approval the program
identified on-site mitigation
strategies and best practices
eligible for grant funding.
And an online application was
developed to verify eligibility
and initial funding was approved
by you the board of county
commissioners.
Public outreach the applications
were accepted during specific
time frames maximizing the
staff's ability to respond.
A technical assistance protocol
was developed for each inquiry.
204 property owners applied for
technical assistance of the
those 79 properties were
identified as eligible for
assistance and 57 of those
property owners received flood
mitigation strategies.
Of those nine property owners
and five were approved for 3
33,000
$33,000 in grant funding.
And $406,000 in grants.
Funding for this program is
forecast to continue through.
Under the health category an
ambulance redesign with med.
And recently embarked on a
program completely revamping the
ambulance design.
By newly ground vehicle safety
standards published by the
commission accreditation of
ambulance services.
The agency also sought a more
patient friendly and erring
ergonomically model in addition
to a the prime proved design was
completely by 200 caregivers to
make these ambulances their
office each and every day.
My total health enriching the
whole employee with from human
resources.
Mecklenberg county human
resources goal is to provide
healthcare benefits that are
affordable and efficient.
The total wellness initiative
provides employees with
information about health
alternatives.
Helps them to choose a health
plan that works best for them.
And health related activities
and events.
Involvement in my total health
is voluntary.
The purpose is to emphasize and
in
incentivize wellness and educate
employees about their health
plan choices.
My total health includes a
proactive to raise awareness and
in essentialtives for competing
health initiatives and lunch and
learn environments.
Team health challenges and free
health prevention opportunities.
The county has added a health
savings benefits plan to go
along with the ppo.
H
hr conducts ongoing to explain
the two plans and allow employ
employees to determine what's
best for them.
Medical engagement cigna had
increased
increased.
Cigna reported a 10% in
engagement with the chronic care
population to account for 79% of
the county's healthcare costs.
During the open enrollment
session last 26% of our health
savings plan option for
coverage.
I'd like to congratulate all of
the winners on all of the
groups.
If there are any representatives
in the audience please stand up
and be recognized now for your
efforts.
(Applause)
>> Chair: Mr. Dunlap.
Since I promised to provide an
update of our conference I was
tasked to do that I think this
would be an appropriate time to
do.
If ueda lough me to do so.
It web site great.
>> thank you maeds um chair.
Next item is under my fy2018 to
fy2023 capital improvement
program.
Parks and greenway projects.
As you know we have amended our
original request to include
funding to begin all the 13
projects that were in the 2008
bond that were not yet fully
funded.
And mark foster is here and we
have plenty of speakers to talk
about this.
Something that happened at the
city council's economic develop
development committee either
when marcus presented to the
team.
One of the things they talked
about were all of the community
benefits that they were
committed to providing to this
community as part of mls
franchise.
This is something we learned in
dallas with the chamber of
commerce and meeting with the fc
dallas ownership group how
important it is for the mls to
partner with the community.
And commissioner scarborough was
there.
Mls for c lchlt
l
clt really came back and
put together a fairly robust of
community benefits that did not
get any attention when they were
at the city council meeting just
a week or so ago.
I'll go through those pretty
quickly.
Franchise.
And through the U.S. Soccer
foundation.
And mls for charlotte is
committed to doing a number of
infrastructure and the double
oaks park to provide soccer, and
multipurpose field for hope in
our community.
About opportunities to use a
portion of the eastland mall as
a training facility for the mls
franchise.
i think that's another
tremendous opportunity.
On the soccer side one is to
under write the cost of the
program and serve as premier of
street soccer.
Soccer program for homeless
individuals in our community.
They're committed to developing
a special olympics team.
As part of the urban eagle
players live and provide meant
mentoring departments.
And mls for clt has to urban
eagles participation in the
charlotte 's
eagles youth program.
They have agreed to create a
scholarship program.
And they've also agreed to
partner with the police athletic
league to provide for coaches,
and pal soccer teams.
Also interested in the U.S.
Soccer soccer for success
program that is help kids to
develop healthy habits.
And mls for clt as agreed to
work with.
And the finally mls for clt has
agreed to partner with local
arenaing signifies.
Apprentice ships or mentor ships
to area leaders.
Cms.
The charlotte housing authority
the mls national sales center
that provides ticket.
I thought it was important that
they have talked are put out
there for the community to hear
about.
With that I guess we want to
turn it over to the people to
speak.
>> I'm willing to make if I
could a motion.
I appreciated the county manager
coming forward with a strategy
for funding for these parks and
greenway projects.
But my motion goes a little
beyond that and what I would
move is the following.
It's three parts.
First, I move that we approve
including in our next c ichlt
I pchlt
cip49
million to fully fund completing
all of the parks the greenways
and other park and recreation
projects approved by the voters
in the 2008 bond referendum.
And a vote on including in our
next cip any funding relating to
the proposal to rebuild memorial
stadium until such time as the
city of city council and of city
of charlotte has approved and
leased $30 million of direct
funding of the cost of willed a
stadium.
And three, that we authorize the
county manager to discuss with
the city manager the feasibility
of a path that would potentially
allow the city to control any
new memorial stadium.
What I'm essentially moving that
we approve in the cip all of the
2008 projects.
That would fund it completely in
our next cip.
All 2008 voter approved
projects.
And second, that we defer voting
on any proposal for rebuilding
memorial stadium until the city
of charlotte takes a vote.
And three, that we authorize the
manager to discuss with the city
manager the feasibility of a
path that would allow the city
to control memorial stadium.
>> Chair: any discussions.
I'm going to start.
Okay.
We have people on the sign up
list to speak.
here we go.
We have a group.
I have the following people to
speak.
Vicky holmes.
David dawell.
Leslie dwyer.
Elaine powell.
Megan sensor.
Jesse lusum.
And beth michael land.
Ment are you here.
>> is there a group within this
group?
You have 10 minutes total
because you're speaking on the
same thing.
>> I think it's my understanding
there's a group of six people
that are here to speak for 10
minutes.
Is that right.
We normally have groups out.
>> Chair: I don't have that
list.
List
list.
I would recommend that if
there's a group to peak for
ten-minute.
I would assume that remainder
are individuals.
>> so there's a group of six or
group -- can that group come
down and tell us who your names.
We have a list.
And we don't know who the group
and who're the individuals.
Would you give us your names and
what you're speaking on.
Elaine powell.
Park and recreation
infrastructure
infrastructure.
>> diana cooke parks and rec.
Dine
diana cooke.
>> fully support the 2008 bond
project.
>> michael limlel.
alternative transportation.
Ricky holler.
The west neighborhood coalition.
>> you have 10 minutes to speak.
>> hello my beth kouvey.
So I wanted to start this you
have and I want to talk about
talking about the value.
The creation of value through
parks and greenways.
There's many local and national
studies that parks and greenways
have in our communities.
In cities across this nation are
doing that.
They understand the value that
can be brought by measuring
social cohesion, improved health
and economy and the environment.
In mecklenberg county we have a
lot to be proud of.
As one of the lowest funded park
and recreation system per capita
in the nation we have a
department that works very hard
to support our public needs to
provide high quality programs,
parks and greenways and nature
preserves.
But because it is underfunded we
are falling further and further
behind.
Increase
increasing funding to our park
and rec system is a critical
investment that has to be made
to be able to capture the value
the value of a economically
vibrant and connected community.
So we need to make a concerted
effort on a county level to be
able to compete to make this an
attractive place to live and to
work.
Please continue to listen to the
community and increase the
funding now and in the future to
build more parks and greenways.
>> good evening.
My name is elaine powell and i
am the chair of you are the
parks and rec
parks and recreation commission.
Here we are in 2017 begging for
our own 2008 bond project to be
completed.
We are behind.
Park and recreation is a
community priority.
It is such an important priority
that it is even included as a
core responsibility in your bocc
mission and vision.
Even though we have some of the
nicest parks in north carolina
the park and recreation
department is way behind.
There is citizen outcry and the
alarms are sounding.
Park
park and recreation is
significantly behind to serve
our population.
Let alone the population we
anticipate in 2030.
13 years.
The parks commission unanimously
identified the top two
priorities for capital
improvements.
Number one is tay
king care all of
the unfunded 2008 projects in
the current cip including the
remaining money that was
earmarked for land acquisition.
Priority number two dedicating
and protecting every dollar of
$6.6 million earmarked for park
and recreation land acquisition.
Park
park and recreation is a
community priority that
thousands of residents support
and that all citizens deserve.
Park and recreation is already
way behind.
Land acquisition will be
critical.
We need your attention and your
leadership now.
Thank you.
>> Chair: thank you.
>> good evening.
I'm meg spencer.
And the more than 2,000 people
including 1,700 mecklenberg
petition that you have before
you.
In 2008 they approved the 2
$250
million package to approve the
park and recreation program.
It's almost 2018 and there are
still 13 projects that are not
done.
We ask you to immediately honor
the will of mecklenberg voters
and complete all of the
remaining 2008 bond projects.
We ask you to commit to
dedicating an $6.6 million per
year to the park and rec budget
to acquire the land to expand
our parks and greenways.
A generation of children and
neighborhoods through
mecklenberg county have grown
into adulthood since their
parents and grandparents voted
for these projects.
Will you allow another
generation of kids to Miss Out
on parks and greenways in their
neighborhoods.
Or will you make a decision
tonight.
While staff new proposal is a
step in the right direction.
Seven of the 13 currently
unfunded projects would only
advance.
So 15 after the 2008 vote they
still wouldn't be built.
We ask that you build the 13
projects immediately.
>> good evening.
I'm diana cook.
I'd like to share the of behalf
of american heart association.
we feel it's important to
complete the 2008 projects and
fulfill the will of the voters.
Nearly 80% of adults and 70%
adolescents do not get the
weekly amount of aerobic
exercise.
Environments that are safe with
physical visits are correlated
with lower body weights and
reduced cardiovascular disease.
People who have parks or
recreational and live in
communities with bell connected
streets, exercise much more than
those who do not have easy
access.
Research indicates that building
bike and pedestrian trails
reduce healthcare costs
associated with physical in
inactivity.
Additional research indicates
for every dollar invest in
building trails nearly $3 in
medical costs can be achieved.
It is a win win for our county
and it is a win for health.
Now is the time for the quount
to support the remaining
projects.
Thank you for your time.
I'm michael limbler.
I would like to take a look at
the parks and greenway system
here in mecklenberg county not
just as a fantastic amenity.
In here in the county we have a
number of pedestrian islands.
So for example when getting all
f
of the cats or the link system
for example there's a lot of
locations where people will be
walking right down sidewalks
right next to high-speed traffic
or on the shoulder of roads.
I think that the greenway system
is really an amenity pull people
off of these dangerous walkways
and take advantage of this
alternative use of
transportation.
For example you've seen the
oodle sugar creek parkway.
Getting cars off the road means
better air quality.
Whole slew of benefits.
I think we should make this a
priority right away.
And at the same time we would
love to use our parks and
greenways as beacon to attract
professional talent who's coming
to the area to start their
lives.
Thank you.
>> I'm ricky hall and I'm
verdict vunt in the corridor and
I'm here to lend my voice in
supporting all of the parks
projects and greenways projects
in the 2008 cip.
And I'm also here to remind you
that not only do they contribute
to the vibrancy and liveability
of our cities as you in your
deliberations talk about issues
of social and economic mobility,
the parks and greenways would
certainly enhance areas like
mine.
We were ecstatic earlier in the
year when for example one of the
projects was included involving
abilene and plan ton road back
in March of 2007 and we were
saddened it dropped below the
line in May of year as well.
And so we would certainly like
to see it's been more than 20
some odd years since the land
was acquired for this project
and if we continue to delay it
then it will certainly have an
impact on the liveability and
quality of life in the west
boulevard corridor.
>> Chair: thank you.
>> Madam Chair that the public
cip that you've approved
includes $6.6 million for land
acquisition.
If there's a misunderstanding
about that I wanted to make sure
that's clear.
>> Chair: thank you.
Our next set of speakers this
would be individual speaking.
David dowell.
Less
leslie dwyer.
You May come down.
The names I called.
Come on down so we can stack up
at the mic.
Yes, sir.
Good afternoon.
Thank you for allowing me to
speak again dave dowell.
I'm iraqi and afghanistan
veterans activist.
Back in January I spoke about a
vision about the memorial
stadium.
Today I'm here to update on a
growing veteran service
organizations that are paying
attention to this vote this
evening and the memorial stadium
project.
In the next week or the north
carolina american legion will be
in shelby north carolina for
their world series events.
They're going to begin
discussion on how they can be
involved with this, and it will
be on their agenda for their
fall meetings.
In October.
Here locally the charlotte
bridge home which is -- which
reaches out to veterans all
across the metro area they are
aware of.
Discussions have been taking
place with their staff it will
be before their board.
Other national groups like iraqi
and afghanistan veterans of
america and the wound warrior
project are where this and
seeing what they can do to be
involved or lend some support.
So many city leaders have said
they haven't heard from the
veterans community, scp
and it
normally we're a community that
stays quiet, doesn't ask for a
lot.
Be informed local and national
veteran leaders are paying
attention and will have
something to say relatively
soon.
So hopefully your vote can allow
us to continue to work while
other aspects of this project
are squared away.
Your vote -- you finally keep
the commitment to the veteran
that your predecessors promised
well, well decades before 2008
and I would hope you would
continue your support.
Thank you.
>> Chair: thank you.
Good evening.
I want to thank you first
because I didn't this last
month.
I want to thank you for the
mecklenberg support plus and
helping to bring soccer to us.
I will say I have enjoyed seeing
those young men to do yoga.
It's very entertaining to watch.
But honestly I had really hoped
we would see why we should tie
up $115 million of our money in
something like this.
And so far the biing
ggest reason we
actually got out loud at the
economic development meeting
were the idea what this does.
And also I want to talk about
the leadership we saw in the
bond referendum for parks when
we did bring the knights came
here.
In 2004 the bond referendum
before the one you heard about
very specifically this
commission chose to give the
referendum that included the
words parks and recreation
facilities other than is a
stadium for professional
baseball.
That's what happened.
We did not pay for the stayed
dium
itself.
That's important.
Then a couple of years later the
economy tank.
We had to cut libraries and that
hurt.
We had to cut parks and schools
and that hurt.
We needed to do because we were
tightening our belts.
Shortly okay we'd create a
little cushion and now we're
being asked to throw it a
professional stadium.
It's about bragging rights.
And 50th in upward mobility.
This is clear.
That means if a child in our
community is born into poverty,
this is the worst city to be in
if they want out f
of those 50
cities.
I've used minot so inside voice
and I promised you a new story.
That's being in college in a
village in the amazon where
people came together and let me
I love soccer.
These people came together and
we played soccer together.
Their idea of a school.
Remember no sanitation, and yet
they had a school that did
exactly a part shelter.
they came together every night.
They played soccer.
And honestly these little kids
with no shoes kicked our tails.
We had steele toed work boots
and they beat us senseless.
That is my favorite memory of
soccer.
If we can do that we can do
better.
>> Chair: thank you very much.
Our next speaker is diane cooke.
>> good evening.
I'm hoping that you will vote
tonight to continue the dialogue
with the city and with the team.
Regarding the stadium.
In June the city hadn't weighed
in and you deferred the funding
that seemed to be appropriate
activity considering they hadn't
taken any action.
Two weeks ago they did begin.
They asked a series of
questions.
And I think that the county
would benefit from hearing the
answers that the city gets in
those discussions.
I think the information from the
city discussions has already led
to the change in the financial
recommendation from the county
manager.
So I think that's all positive.
I'll point out in 2003 when Dr.
Dr. Morrell wrote the survey
that the historical designation
of memorial stadium was based
upon he stated that the civil
commitment to the site has begun
to wane.
That was 14 years ago.
2003.
So as you consider what to do I
hope you'll see there is a
memorial as well as a stadium.
There's been a lot of talk about
stadium.
I want to make sure there's an
actual memorial.
We need a true memorial.
Something that's elegant.
Something that people will go to
see.
Something that's accessible from
the park, from the greenway that
you can go and become a focal
point for patriotic expressions
here in the city.
We have a large stadium at bank
of america stadium.
It's too large for minor or
major league soccer.
And incidental I hope each of
you will go and see it this
saturday because charlotte is
hosting the national
championship game for the
amateur pdl soccer and the
charlotte eagles are playing on
saturday at our brand-new sports
sportsplex.
But we need a mid-sized stadium
too so the additional 20 mls
games we can have 20 community
events.
Keep bringing the high school
marching band competitions.
Festivals.
Collegiate tournaments and so
forth.
There's no reason that the parks
department can't build and
restore memorial stadium to
bring the art deco that was
referred to in the report but
this time with a wider playing
service.
The stadium is anion-year-old
building that includes plumbing
and electrical systems that were
built for 50 years.
There's been a lot of talk about
deferring things but memorial
stadium had been deferred also.
>> Chair: thank you very much.
>> I want to thank Mr. Clarke
for his innovative motion but
there are a couple of about
things about that I don't like.
I'm going to offer up a
substitute motion.
If I get a second to it I'll
speak to it.
One, I would like to move that
we authorize to deed the
property memorial stadium to the
city
city.
They have the option to accept
that or not.
Secondly, we would limit the
county's participation to the
donation of the prort
perty.
And third, that we would fully
fund by an appropriation of $49
million the remainder of the
2008 bond projects.
If I get a second I will speak
to it.
Second.
>> Chair: there's a second.
>> again, it's not significantly
different than commissioner
clarke's other than his is a bit
too open-ended for me.
I am fully supportive of fully
supporting funding all of the
bonds, all f
of the bond projects.
All of the 2008.
Once you do that, then that
takes an awful lot of capital
available and it leaves open if
we don't cap our participation
tonight that we don't know what
that leads to in the future that
somehow or another take those
moneys back away again.
I want to put them out there and
nail the box shut and make sure
that the dollars are captured.
The other problem there is still
an awful lot of unknowns for
this project.
We don't know what the
renovation the two renovations
that we have to approve are
going to be.
We've asked for eight months to
get some details what might be
and how they recaptured.
I've never been given any
information how we would handle
the unknown cost related to this
project.
That has to be covered by
property tax dollars.
I don't think we're in the pro
sports business so we shouldn't
put ourselves at-risk for that.
By placing the stadium back in
the hands of the city we place
the asset back in the hands who
do this for a living.
They manage bojangles stadium.
We have a division in the city
that deals with pro sports
centers.
With these types of venues.
They have we don't have a
dedicated revenue stream for
entertainment and can be used
for pro sports.
Amateur sports, entertainment.
So they have both the expertise
and the funding stream to deal
with that.
County wants to be a partner,
and we own the asset and the
city has said they are reluctant
to make a major investment into
an asset they don't control.
So I'm willing to give that
asset to the people who can make
the best use of it.
And if the deal is as good as we
hear it is, the city should jump
at it.
If the city in their analysis
and they have far more
experience than we do at this
decides it's not worth it, they
are the people who're in a
better position to say whether
this is a good deal or not.
This is our first foray into pro
sports.
chairman scarborough and I have
been on different sides since
January.
We've talked about it a bunch of
times how we can participate and
but stay to our core values.
A few days ago.
She understands that that's how
capable they are and she was the
person that said maybe we ought
to give it to them.
Let them run it.
And I went it's a great idea.
It's the county we will
participate.
It's a very valuable asset.
So anyone who says we're not
pramting in a high level.
It's a rather simple motion to
authorize or to authorize
deeding the stadium and grady
shoal to the city.
They can choose to accept it or
not.
Making sure we communicate we
are capping our participation at
our donation.
And authorizing $49 million into
the cip to fully fund what we
promised the people we would do
in 2008 fully fund all f
of the
park and greenway projects.
Thank you.
>> Chair: is there a second to
that.
>> comments.
James.
Dunlap.
Ridenhour.
>> I was going to if we end up
voting on the first 1 I wanted
to bifurcate it so that I could
vote for the 2008 bond but not
vote on the stadium deal.
It's not in the cip at the
moment but it's hanging over our
heads.
Like the sword of damocles.
Hanging over there ready to
drop.
I don't make any secrets I don't
think that the county should be
in the business of funding pro
sports, for profit sports.
But I do think that we need to
resolve this.
However the majority of us
decide.
We have a lot of money tied up
in the idea of mls the soccer
stadium because the board took a
vote in January and then
tinkered with it later on.
If the 2008 bonds are $49
million the total amount
allocated is for mls $150
million.
It's a big number.
125, 28.
But the point is fun the 2008
bonds and leaving mls hanging
over this debate does a
disservice to a whole lot of
projects we haven't talked
about.
This debate is should be going
to 2008 parks or mls.
The next debate should be should
we fund for schools or mls.
More for certain projects or
mls.
We keep continuing this debate
because there's a lat lack of
clarity not so much on our part
but on the the part of the city
and the partners that are
generally believed to have more
of an understanding of this.
So I'm in favor of the $49
million for the 2008 bond.
I think we need to resolve ie in
my opinion remove the dollars,
the money for mls.
Now, should we give them the
stadium the city stadium if they
want to do it.
Well, that's an option.
Frankly if you're going to have
a choice between somebody $150
million versus we'll give you
some land that we bought 100
something years ago.
The city bought it.
Then I choose to donate the
land.
I think cash is too scars a
commodity to just hand out in
something like this.
I think us getting out from
under this thing is a smart
move.
I appreciate that there are in
limits on discussions.
Either way you look at it both
motions are similar.
They're probably one distinct
difference between the two.
And I want to talk about that.
I think there are a lot of
things that have happened as it
relates to the overall
discussion that have been
misleading.
For many people this is about
mls.
For me personally it's about
memorial stadium.
I think people have lost sight
what it's really about.
And I've always made it clear
for mae
e it was about memorial
stadium.
I grew up in this community.
I remember when we had the
shrine bowl at memorial stadium.
I remember on easter sunday
being in the grady cole being in
memorial stadium.
I remember attending events at
memorial stadium.
I'd love for our and because
we're responsible for park.
It's our responsibility to
maintain that memorial as a park
and recreation facility.
Too many people want to separate
that facility from parks and
greenways
greenways.
And I don't think there's a
person on this person who
doesn't fully support fully
funding the 2008 parks bonds.
Let me tell you how we got
there.
Whether it was inside evidence
what our commission was to
approve other projects that
weren't even on the bonds and I
can name a few.
All of those projects cost
money.
And they were not listed when
the 2008 bonds project were
passed.
So I don't want anybody going
out here thinking that all all
of a sudden the county just
isn't going to pay for things.
That's how we got to where we
are.
We're in a situation now where
we can do what we promised back
in 2008.
But there are other issues with
that.
When the bonds were aprophet
fredded moo 2008 there was not
an escalation factor.
So those bonds in 2008 wouldn't
have paid for all of the
projects.
There are other issues so let's
be fair and talk about what the
real issues are.
Either going to do a memorial
stadium or not.
Some people would rather make it
mls stadium because they know
people don't like it.
If we talk about memorial
stadium then that's different.
Somebody we were talking about
memorial stadium 12 years ago.
12 years ago.
The today we still haven't done
anything with memorial stadium.
Part of the facility caved in
because of a water problem.
If you go there today you can
see that.
The facility has aged.
Either way you cut it my hope is
we will still do something with
memorial stadium.
It's our facility.
Now, I'm not opposed to giving
it to city if in fact the city
is going to do something with
it.
We're not going to give it to
the city just to give it to the
city.
It's a value
able asset.
Both proposals fully fund the
2008 projects.
No problem with that.
Difference between the other,
one puts limits on funds that we
can allocate to repair memorial
stadium.
I'm totally opposed.
Because if we don't have a mls
stadium I still hope we will
refurbish and rebuild memorial
stadium so it would be honor to
the veterans of our community.
>> Chair: our next speaker is
Mr. Ridenhour.
Thank you very much.
I appreciate the time.
So I made a comment on twitter.
Every day.
Every day of the month.
31 days in a month you hear from
constituents well it's a figure
of speech.
But I hear from folks.
I've had someone tweet at me.
I'm checking.
Have you heard from someone.
I can actually since I sent that
tweet I've spoken to mls every
day.
But you know, being elected
official I can't pass up the
opportunity to say a few words.
no I just take a few moments.
I agree.
Memorial stadium and the
condition it's in right now is
doing a disservice to the world
war 1 veterans who's it's
dedicated to.
And no doubt it is a fated
shadow what it once was.
It does need something.
I'd love to see mls come to town
and love to see it to memorial
stadium.
But I followed it up I don't
want the taxpayers to pay for
it.
Would it matter with baseball.
And I always say it doesn't
matter whether it's mlb or mls.
I have a fundamental with tax
taxpayer savings.
I would challenge anybody at
home or in the audience pull out
of your smartphones and google
publicly funded stadiums.
They're over wellingly they're
not a good deal for the
taxpayer.
You hear all the claims about
the economic impact and it's
just doesn't happen.
The development typically would
have occurred anyways.
They May be located.
They May choose to be close to a
stadium.
But they don't city stk decide
to open a new complex.
If it's part of the site
selection process.
If mecklenberg county but I did
math rough math.
It would have taken when we did
talking about the $43 million
commitment for us in sales tax
to recoup $43 million so what we
can capture is the new sales tax
revenue you're going to be
selling hot dogs and jerseys.
So our portion of the sales tax
revenue to recoup $43 million
would require almost $2 billion
in sales.
How many decades does it take of
hot dogs and jerseys to recoup
$2 billion in sales to recoup
the $43 million.
These are not just facts that
somebody in the opposition comes
up.
Anybody can pull this research
up online.
It's easily and readily
available.
So I've had a problem with this
just from that perspective.
But I was never talented at the
skilled sports.
But you know and you know you're
correct commissioner dunlap.
I think it was you that said
there's not a lot of difference
between the two motions.
The distinguishing difference
between the two commissioner
puckett 's
puckett's makes it final.
It gives some some sort of
finality to conversation we've
had for over six months.
I feel that the community is
taxed at this point.
I hear in the emails we get.
Emails are five to 1 opposed to
the mls deal and in support of
parks or schools or fill in the
blank.
And I feel like the commission
the staff, county staff, the
residents of the community, I
think folks are just taxed tired
of the question looming over
their heads what about this
memorial stadium saying deal
with the mls.
I understand that the passion
that soccer players.
I was probably the only elected
official that went to the mls
for charlotte rally.
i met Mr. Newsom there.
I'm not opposed to soccer coming
to town.
I understand the passion behind
the sport and folks that want to
bring it here.
I really do.
When you look at the overall
community.
When you look at this board.
When you look at the city
council and what they're doing.
The emails we're doing from the
community there's not that fever
around this deal.
And but what we do hear is the
excitement over building --
fulfilling our promises to build
out parks and greenways.
I will support commissioner
puckett's motion because I
believe if we city if you want
to do mls here's the asset which
you do.
If you don't we'll take the
stadium back.
We had another option on the
table a while back with
independence.
And we'll cross that bridge and
we'll tackle that problem then.
I think it's time for us to
reach a final decision on the
mls stadium deal, memorial
stadium.
>> thank you.
For all the citizens who're here
today and I agree with our
commissioner puckett that his
deal -- that his is more final.
I do believe commissioner
ridenhour we need to take this
off of our plate.
It's kind of unbelievable this
is the first time we've we've
talked about it publicly.
We talked about a very short
time in at our retreat in
January.
And we were frustrated then.
many of us frustrated.
So this process hasn't been
good.
I don't think it was -- we have
have -- I would say to say the
manager also.
Dena I value your work but I
think it hasn't been -- I would
have liked to be more neutral.
I know you were doing what you
thought was best.
I think we've given one side
heavily.
I think that the people have
spoken out and whoa, hold on a
moment.
Don't use my tax dollars.
I won't be able to afford to go
this.
That again, it isn't we're
against soccer.
They're against this deal and
the priority is the parks.
And again, our core
responsibility here at the
county are human services and
park and recreation
park and recreations.
And but the city council and the
city is better equipped to
handle this.
I hope they do accept it.
But if they don't I think as
commissioner ridenhour we will
as a board will come together to
structure something to renovate
to commissioner dunlap and
create some new memories for our
young people.
But the thing we need to end
this.
This is like I love soccer but
I'm sosic of soccer because I'm
hearing about it every fricking
day.
There's a lot of misinformation
out there.
But they email us.
Well let me clarify ma'am and i
have to explain to them
different thing.
I'm sure my colleagues have as
well.
People are riled up as well.
We need to take this off our
plate.
And ask the city to take this
on.
Who were won awards and from
naco.
In the beginning I called naco
and I called naco this is the
association of county
commissioners and they referred
me to different people across
the country.
Everywhere they referred all
over the country don't do this.
This is not a good deal and then
we certainly saw tremendous
amount of articles about this
it's not a good value for
taxpayers to be involved in.
I hope that Mr. Smith if he
wants to do he certainly has
enough money to do this.
That would be great.
I don't want it to be on the
backs of the taxpayers.
In the last few weeks we've all
heard from so many people.
We have talked among ourself.
All I can think of in the
meantime we're out in the
community doing our job and
talking about our county issue.
We haven't been talking about
county issues, scp
and we've been
talking about non-county issue.
We have a lot of serious
problems in our community.
And we're not talking about
that.
And we need to get back -- the
people need us to get back to
their issues and the only way
that we can get back to talking
about the issues that affect our
citizens is to take this off of
our plate.
I do believe that kooems
commissioner
puckett.
And commissioner clarke has
stand with us about fully
funding the bonds.
I appreciate what he has done.
I do believe this other one is
stronger and it takes it off of
our plate.
We're done with soccer.
We don't have to talk about it
anymore.
If it happens maybe I'll buy a
ticket.
In the meantime I really --
there's a lot of misery in our
community.
I've seen a lot of misery up
close and personal the last few
weeks.
The people need us to do the
work of the county commissioners
and we haven't been doing it
because we've been distracted by
soccer and we're talking about
it all the time.
The it's just like we need to
get back to our work and stay in
our lane.
Hopefully the city will take it
and make it into something
wonderful and we can at least
know we were a part of it.
Again I thank you for the time
and I thank you for Mr. Puckett
for putting this out there, and
let's hope we can do the right
thing for our people and support
the bonds, support the bonds,
parks.
We have to do that.
We have to do.
Waive
wave your sign.
Then we have to get back to
being county commissioners.
>> well, Madam Chair I haven't
been talking much about this
publicly
publicly.
Primarily because the
temperature and political nature
of the conversation has really
gotten out of hand.
The conversation has now become
so absurd so the solution is to
try to get rid of memorial
stadium and give it to the city.
Not asking whether the city
wants it, don't care about that.
Just want to give it to somebody
else.
Now that sounds like abdication
of responsibility to me.
It is a facility that has been
in the county's hands for years.
And now when it needs to be
refurbished, when we need to
spend money to make it a real
vet
veterans memorial.
Now the solution is give it to
city.
They'll figure out what to do
with it.
I hear these political arguments
that people make to get on tv
and get in the newspaper about
this issue.
They don't want to stop talking
about it.
They want to keep talking about
it.
For mae
e it has never been about
mls per se.
It's not been about soccer.
It's been honoring our
commitment to memorial stadium.
We have for decades allowed that
facility to languish.
We all know that we have to do
something with that facility.
Just giving it to city is not
going to answer that question.
We're going to have to spend
money on that facility.
Period.
So the question how do we do
that?
So we've had some estimates of
what it May cost and those
estimates are in the 25, $30
million range.
And that's just for the stadium.
We haven't talked about grady
cole and what it would take to
bring that to a reasonable
place.
So we're not going to escape
having to usury sources to bring
these things back to where they
need to be.
Proposal that we use essentially
the same amount of money, maybe
a little bit more I admit, and
with that investment we not only
get a stadium that's to be a
true jewel, 175
$175 million stadium
that would have to be a
professional soccer team that
would generate economic
development along 7th street and
along the stadium.
If you're going to have to spend
the money anyway.
To me it's not about soccer per
se.
It's about what is our comment
to memorial stadium.
And I don't hear that at all in
this conversation at all.
We have a commitment we ought to
honor that commitment.
It will take resources for us to
do that.
No doubt about it.
Through this conversation we
have now found a way to fund the
remainder of the project in the
2008 bond.
That's a great result.
And we can do both things.
We don't have to choose.
And let's remember, right now
we're just in a proposal stage.
We're not entering into an
agreement today.
We're not negotiating terms of
an agreement.
All we're doing is positioning
ourselves for the opportunity to
consider a proposal.
No team is here.
We haven't awarded a team.
We're not talking about the
agreement.
We're simply saying let's give
ourselves a chance to consider
this.
If we close it down now it's
done.
And I don't think that's a true
honoring of our commitment to
the community.
As elected officials we have to
have courage sometimes to see
the bigger picture and to say
that despite all the
misinformation that is in the
public sphere, that we have to
think clear-eyed about this and
see where it is that we're
trying to get and be courageous
to take the steps to get there.
There is nothing about this
substitution motion that is
courageous.
It is simply trying to pass off
a responsibility to someone
else, and look, even that effort
is not really legitimate.
They know full well that the
city doesn't want the
responsibility for memorial
stadium.
They know that.
I did.
>> that's not true.
>> really.
Have they committed to it.
>> great to know.
Great to know.
I haven't heard anybody say
that.
>> do I have the floor or not.
>> we're just answering a
question.
>> it was a rhetorical question.
Look, let's just be honest about
what's going on here.
This has been a political fight
from the beginning.
That's all it's been from the
beginning.
This is not a fight how best to
honor our commitment to memorial
stadium.
That's not what it's been about
at all.
It's been a political fight from
the beginning.
We ought to acknowledge that.
I think if we're being
clear-eyed about it looking at
all of the facts, all of the
facks
ts
facts, that we would say that it
is at least a reasonable
opportunity for us to be able to
improve our community, to honor,
truly honor our veterans at a
refurbished beautiful memorial
stadium, and that we have an
opportunity to get some
additional benefits other than
just fulfilling that
responsibility.
And I think it would be wrong
for us to turn our nose, to turn
our backs on that opportunity
just as when -- well I think it
would make us moving backwards
when we should be moving
forward.
>> Chair: thank you.
Commissioner clarke.
Appreciate it Madam Chairman.
I'm just going to speak to the
substitute motion.
First of all I do want to say to
the veterans who're here
tonight.
I caution my colleagues.
i think there's -- I'm very
surprised that the veterans
community is quite supportive of
this.
Ooh I believe that the two
veterans are telling us
something very important.
Our veterans in mecklenberg and
throughout this area are paying
very close attention to this,
scp
and I think we should pay close
attention what they have to say.
I believe I've heard to give
them some more time so that they
can have their leadership focus
on this proposal to rebuild
memorial stadium.
It is out there and to be able
to have the opportunity to weigh
in and I really do appreciate
gentlemen you being here tonight
and speaking, and I look forward
from hearing others in the
veterans community.
I've received some phone calls
from some veterans who're paying
remarkably close attention to
this.
No uncertainty.
None.
It would be in our bond.
In our capital improvement
program for the next four years.
All 2008 projects bond projects
would be in there to be funded
and completed in that time
frame.
No uncertainty.
I didn't appreciate the fact
that you were trying to
introduce the fact of the
uncertainty.
I'm the maker of the motion and
I want it clear what my motion
stated.
I also want to say that people
say I've heard my colleagues
we're not in the business of
sports.
our core function is parks and
rec.
We have a lot of function.
We have a lot of core function.
We're very important part of
local government.
I want to remind all of my
colleagues and those listening
by television tonight and those
here tonight, minor league
baseball would be languishing
somewhere in the -- I got to be
careful about my south carolina
friends.
Somewhere in the outlying areas
of a southern york county with
maybe six or 700 people going
down there.
Instead it's in the city of
charlotte.
There's been extraordinary
development around that stadium
and the people, the people of
mecklenberg county are packing
that stadium and having a
terrific time and it is a very
important part of the charlotte
mecklenberg scene now.
And it would not be there but
for the persistence and the
efforts of the county
commission.
Not the city of charlotte but
mecklenberg county and it has
been an extraordinary success.
I don't know really know whether
the proposal -- whether the mls
would be similar to that.
I would hope it would.
I hope it offers the same kind
of social bringing people
together to in
enjoy time together
out on nice warm summer
evenings.
Enjoying food and drink.
And even the microbreweries.
Our county dollars contribute
that we would contribute to the
cost of the stadium has gone
down by $50 million since we
last talked about this.
It's already $15 million
cheaper.
I have always looked at this and
I have heard from lots and lots
people wanting us to fund the
2008 projects.
It's doing it.
Second thing I want to make sure
people understand there has been
a lot of misinformation out
there about this proposal.
And the charlotte observer what
you need to know about the
memorial stadium the mls
proposal and they left the
impression they wrote if it as
if the team would be in complete
control of it and anyone using
it would have to pay rent on it.
I wrote a letter to the editor.
That's not entirely correct.
We have one of the deal points
it would be available for the
city and the county to use for
public functions, programmed by
the city and the county for a
total of 20 days a year.
You can argue whether that's
enough
enough.
You can argue whether it's the
right days or the wrong days.
It's material information that
the paper omitted.
I want to make people understand
we're trying -- I frankly want
to make sure that people
understand this as well.
We are upfronting the money to
build the stadium.
The smiths are paying rent for
the use of the stadium.
But I think -- the reason I
support this and I've come
around to say I recognize what
people want about the greenways
and finishing these 2008 bond
projects.
i think we need to leave the
door open and I think we want to
leave it open to do something
with a minor league team.
And I'd like the county to be in
control of this facility.
I don't want to giver it away.
For that reason I'm going to
vote against the substitute
motion.
>> Chair: I want to thank you
all of you.
We've been very patient tonight.
Let me say something.
From 1989 I served on the city
council from '89 to '98.
And I felt in this room that dau
de
ja vu because the same
identical conversation I've
heard tonight is the same
conversation when we got to do
the panther stadium and bring
the panthers here, scp
and bring
football and basketball.
And the same conversation was
narrow-minded
narrow-mindedness not understand
that the tax dollars that comes
in the city will support all of
these things you say we can't
do.
You support -- look at your
larger major cities where you
spend your vacations in other
cities.
When it comes to your hometown
you don't want to do it.
That's ironic to me.
Here is I must say this.
On the city council we had
people who did not understand
what the tax dollars were going
to bring when it came down to
football.
They didn't understand what the
whore
hornets would bring when they
came.
and I want people to understand
yes, we can still protect where
you think it needs protect.
Dog
doggone it if you're going to be
a major city let's be a major
city.
Soccer is the one of the major
things that needs to happen in
this county to well round this
county.
Say what you want to say but
soccer needs to come here and
tax dollars.
Every time somebody buys a
ticket tax.
And we will spend money and get
tax dollars off all of the food
and beverages.
Let's be real people.
If we want to be a small city
some of you need to move across
the county line.
Go to south carolina or
somewhere else.
And I feel you.
I understand you.
Because I've been there.
Done that.
But when I was on city council
I'm telling you the chamber was
just at full.
I will urge my colleagues to
understand what this means.
It means that the tax dollars
you don't have to go up on your
house taxes and your food taxes.
I know some of you can't
understand it.
I know some of you don't have to
understand it.
Let me share with you.
When you see all of this money
coming into mecklenberg county
and you see your revenues are
not raised you understand the
more sports you get, the moore
you will get, the less you will
have to pay for other thing.
I urge all of us to bring soccer
to mecklenberg county and to
make charlotte what we say
mecklenberg.
We said we are a big city and do
big things.
And but we have to small-minded.
Commissioner puckett.
>> I commit to being a small
mind.
I just want to clarify a few
things.
When I first spoke I was rather
brief and to the point.
Commissioner scarborough is
right.
Everybody at this dais
understands what that will do
for this community.
My motion simply says that the
city of shirt as she eloquently
are the people who do this best
and we should put it in the
hands in the people who're able
to do it best and make the best
of it.
>> commissioner fuller talked
about a few facts.
He talked about the minor league
baseball.
And I wasn't here when it
finally voted on.
If I remember correctly our
contribution to the minor league
baseball was land donation.
Did we donate any dollars to
that proposal or was it a land
swap?
Commissioner clarke spoke about
uncertainty.
I clearly don't want him to
think that I question his
commitment to that.
I will merely say it's unlike
what commissioner dunlap spoke
of which is when you make a
commitment oftentimes other
things get in the way.
So my whole point of putting an
end to this and give it to the
city I don't want the unknown
that will come up in the $170
million stadium we're going to
build.
What happens the cost overruns
happen.
What happens when what happens
if the smiths decide they want
to default on it.
Then there are serious costs and
we have to take care of them.
Those are the types of things
that come back and derail things
like parks and greenways.
So I'm simply saying I want to
give this to the city and give
them the decision.
It falls to their them and their
dedicated revenue stream.
It's than unknown millions of
dollars in overruns and un for
unforeseen changes that put it
at-risk.
We talk about the veteran.
Look my grandfather served in
world war I.
He rode a horse across europe.
Nobody appreciates the history
of memorial stadium than what
more than I do.
I will say we haven't done a
very good job of it.
We are the ones that need to fix
it we are the ones that let it
get where it it is.
But we have to recognize that
this particular contract as
presented to us, we waiver our
naming rights policy.
So it will all in likely
veterans memorial stadium.
It May be coors stadium.
That's fine.
I don't want people to rally
behind this we are renovating
veterans stadium because we kind
of aren't.
The very best deal was with the
minor league team that this
pulled the rug from under.
That would have been a $24
million project that allowed us
to keep the naming rights.
Commissioner fuller it would
cost is $24 million to renovate.
The county manager when I said
to bring the stadium to a usable
up to where it needs to be is 10
to $12.
The $24 million is renovation
where we would put in a minor
league soccer would put.
For $24 million we can get a
renovated stadium or we can pay
a $170 million and get a similar
renovated stadium.
This proposal funds half of the
2008 bonds.
You got a question?
I'm in charge.
I can gavel myself out.
We're not giving up anything.
Commissioner fuller hey I don't
understand the political part of
this.
I've got democrats and
republicans agreeing and
disagreeing with each other.
We've debated this.
I don't understand the
political.
It's a financial decision for
me.
And it is a county tax dollar
should not be property tax.
Taking money from people who
have property to invest a pro
sports team isn't the right
thing to do.
The city in their wisdom has a
tax that is specific for this so
they understand that and they
can make the choice.
So implore us at the end of the
day what commissioner clarke and
I have both proposed all that
terribly different.
I appreciate him kind of half
meeting on this.
Just the significant difference
for me it gives our donation to
the city.
The smiths the city and the
major league soccer can do the
best thing for them and this
city and we get back to taking
care of the health of our
community and we leave
professional sports in the
competent hands of city of
charlotte.
>> Chair: the question has been
called.
The motion is on the floor.
>> what is the floor.
>> the substitute motion.
>> can someone repeat the
motion.
>> there's the person right
beside you.
>> the substitute motion moves
to deed the property known as
memorial stadium and gray
dy cole
to the city as an option should
they choose to accept it.
Limit the county's participation
in the major league soccer
project to the donation of the
prort
property, and appropriate $49
million to our cip to fully fund
the remaining 2008 park bond
projects.
>> question has been called.
>> Chair: all in favor of the
motion please denote by aye.
You just voted the opposite way.
>> it does include soccer.
>> it says limit.
>> it gives it to the city and
the city promotes soccer.
>> no.
That's not what your motion
says.
>> the motion says that the only
contribution is the land.
>> it says memorial stadium and
grady cole.
That's our participation into
soccer.
we will not take away funds from
something else.
We will give them the asset to
use.
That is the motion.
>> if you vote for this motion
you essentially voting mls?
>> yes.
>> you are.
That's who whole point.
Now you're trying you haven't
been trying to say no to this
deal.
So your motion is in favor of
mls.
>> if no.
My original motion -- my
opposition was not to give up
memorial stadium and grady cole.
And I don't think we should fund
soccer.
However,
>> did you hear that.
Madam Chair.
>> however, with this motion I
have now said I am willing to
give up memorial stadium.
I'm willing to give up grady
cole.
I only say we put it in the
hands of city of charlotte.
Originally I said I didn't want
to do anything with them.
Put it in the hands of the city
and they can make the deal with
major league soccer.
And fund the bond projects.
That's the second part of it.
>> I just want to make sure.
>> if you vote for this.
>> Chair: I want clarity.
Hold on a second.
>> the first motion was to fund
soccer --
>> it doesn't have anything to
do with funding.
>> jim has a substitute motion.
>> Chair: I understand that
part.
>> voting yes for jim's motion
is essentially saying no mls.
>> no, it isn't.
>> no, it is not.
>> it is.
>> who're we kidding here?
>> tell me what you don't know.
Who're we kidding?
>> that's exactly what he's
saying.
>> Chair: let me hear from the
commissioner.
>> all I would say Madam
Chairman I think that it clearly
says a complete no to any county
participation to help make
soccer happen other than saying
we're giving away county
property to the city.
I do think commissioner trevor
fuller and commissioner dunlap
is correct if you vote for the
substitute motion you're closing
the door on the county being a
partner with the city in making
soccer come to charlotte.
If you're interested in soccer
coming to charlotte I would say
vote against the substitute
motion.
It's just that simple.
If you're interested in soccer
coming I would vote against it.
Debate has ended.
I would ask that it was called,
and the vote was made.
Now you are chastising her vote.
We are now.
She was unclear on her vote.
She has the right to get clear.
>> so we're debating this at
this point.
>> Chair: I'm going to cut off
the debate.
I'm going to ask our attorney to
give us a clear reading what the
two motions do if you don't
mind, sir.
>> well apparently that's a
matter of some debate.
But the question of what affect
each of the two motions I
believe that's a matter for this
board to decide not for me.
I understand what the words.
The words in the second motion
deed the memorial stadium and
grady cole to the city.
And fully fund the 2008 bond
projects in the amount of $49
million.
Now I'm not trying to tell you
what the effect is.
That is more of a subjective as
opposed to a objective
determination.
I've heard Mr. Puckett take one
position and I've heard
commissioner fuller take another
position.
I like both commissioners.
I have my only person opinion.
But I'm not elected to make
these determinations.
>> well, Mr. Attorney, could the
Chairman Ask for a motion -- ask
for a vote to re-
consider to vote
on the motion.
>> was the vote 5-4 in favor of
the motion.
>> that's what I'm challenging.
>> did you ever announce the
results of the vote.
>> she did not.
Then normally until the Chairman
Has nouns the result of the vote
the motion isn't declared to be
passed.
If indeed the result of the vote
is five-3, and then any one
person who voted in favor can
make a motion to reconsider.
But I haven't heard whether the
Chairman Has said that the vote
was 5-3.
I saw five hands.
That's the chair's job not the
parking lot
parliamentarian.
>> I think that the chair should
then ask for clarity on the vote
by asking all persons in favor
of it to raise their hand again.
Then declare the results.
>> Chair:
>> Chair: please state the
motion again.
I need to hear first the motion
that was made first.
That was dumont's and then I
need to hear puckett's motion.
My interpretation is different
evidently.
>> my motion was to do the
following.
My motion to approve including
in our next cip the amount of
money $49 million for such
greater shall to fully fund all
f
of the parks and greenways in
the 2008 bond referendum.
Defer a vote on including in our
next cip any funding to the
propose the refunding of the
memorial stadium until the city
of shirt at least $30 million of
direct cost of rebuild the
stadium.
Authorizing the county manager
the feasibility with a fees path
that would potentially allow the
city to control any new memorial
stadium.
>> Chair: your motion sir.
>> my motion is to authorize the
county to deed memorial stadium
and grady cole to the city.
Our participation in bringing
major league soccer here capping
it at that so that we don't
have -- we don't know the rest
of it
>> tell her what the motion
says.
My motion is to deed memorial
stadium and grady cole to the
city should they choose to
accept it.
To develop it for major league
soccer or whatever else they're
going to do.
Cap our participation at the
very generous donation of the
stadium and grady cole.
Give the stadium to the city to
decide whether it's a good deal
or not.
Let us be done with it so that
they decide that so we end it
with the donation and fully fund
the bonds.
>> Chair: okay.
I'm going to vote the way I
want.
>> but the question has been
called.
>> Chair: let me finish with my
colleagues and then we'll vote.
>> I just want to say I don't
want to speak to motions.
I don't think shameful what is
occurring.
A vote has occurred.
Now we're sitting here whether a
vote has been called.
I came for a good open debate of
ideas and exchange of ideas.
This motion has been presented
and discussed it was the chair's
idea and suggestion to give this
over to the city.
So this is not sprung on
somebody at the last moment.
Some of you knew that the chair
was going to vote in this manner
prior to meeting.
Yet because you're not satisfied
with the result of the vote
you're going to berate the chair
over her vote.
You're trying to confuse what
the vote means.
I'm appalled this is how we're
conducting when we're not happy
with the vote.
>> Chair: I will take one more
comment.
>> you can't get on your high
horse because you play the
political.
>> I learned from you.
>> Madam Chair if I May argue to
you if you absencing
ccept commissioner
puckett's motion.
>> I am.
>> it essentially means saw
occer
is not coming.
It is what it means.
The reason it means that because
number one, commissioner
puckett's intention from the
beginning of this discussion has
been to kill this deal.
>> Chair: why are you telling
him
>> let's be honest what the
intentions are here.
Let's at least be honest with
that.
He doesn't want us to do the
deal.
So his motion is aimed at us not
doing the deal.
If you vote in favor of his
motion you are killing the deal.
That's all I'm saying.
>> can I explain.
When this was brought to us in
January in closed session.
While commissioner fuller and
the chair and the county manager
known for three full months and
so when we talk about open and
honest discussion -- according
to the people from major league
soccer.
>> Chair:
>> Chair: excuse me.
One people
>> I don't like people accusing
me.
>> I'm not here for your
interrogation.
>> major league soccer said you
did.
So if they're a liar then I
apologize for being a liar.
>> yes I said you met with major
league soccer in October.
It was January before I heard
about it.
In January I said no.
I have absolutely no interest in
tearing down memorial stadium.
Tearing down grady cole stadium
and for us to build a pro soccer
franchise.
I have since said I will
compromise I'm not in writing a
blank check.
Ooh I am now willing to donate
the stadium and grady cole to
the city so that they can
continue to pursue major league
soccer and they who're far
better then that's their
problem.
But they can't do it without our
stadium.
If we voted if we voted to not
participate at all.
That would kill major league
soccer.
No I don't want to kill it dead.
I'm willing to give them the
stadium give them grady cole and
let them make the best deal they
can.
That's the change I made since
January.
I am willing to give them the
asset.
>> Chair: okay.
Let me again say that as long as
I have been an elected official
and I served 10 years on the
city council.
Let me say that again.
When professional basketball
came, and football, I served on
both of those councils.
I will tell you they have done
very well for mecklenberg
county.
I call for the question.
I call for the vote all over
again.
substitute motion.
All in favor of the substitute
motion please denote by aye.
Raise your hands.
Okay.
We have five votes for.
It does pass.
And so the vote passes.
I thank you all f
of you for your
indulgence.
>> Chair: all against.
I forgot to call for all
against.
Three hands against.
It's dunlap and fuller and
clarke.
Move on.
Thank you very much for
indulging us.
>> thank you chair.
I'm still on my manager's
report.
>> Chair: go ahead.
>> I have mark foster that on
the votes we need to move
forward with our school bonds.
>> thank you Madam Chair and
members of the board.
As you recall the fy2019 to 2023
capital improvement program
throughing $922 million of
charlotte million through
general obligation school bonds.
These school bonds must be
approved by in a voters in
November 2017 county wide
referendum.
There are couple of actions that
the board will take to get to
the November 7th vote.
One which is tonight.
And next will be at September
5th meeting.
Tonight's action will adopt
three resolutions.
The first resolution to make --
is making requirement findings
related to the $922 million,
0085 school bond order.
>> Madam Chair.
>> Chair: yes.
>> I move that we adopt the
resolution making the rirmed
finding to the $922 million
school bond order.
>> Chair: is there a second.
>> all in favor please denote by
aye.
I move we adopt the resolution
to introduce bond order as
presented in our package.
>> Chair: is there any
discussion.
All in favor please denote by
aye.
All in favor please denote by
aye.
>> that's all I got.
Mary next on the agenda.
>> Madam Chair I had asked to do
the report.
>> Chair: go right ahead sir.
>> the our wards that the
mecklenberg county received from
the naco were a part of the
highlights which you've already
heard.
I'd like to report our own
sheryl emmanuel did a
presentation at the catholic
church.
I want to say publicly she did
an outstanding job to talk about
mecklenberg county does to
provide a healthy lifestyle for
our seniors.
We also had the opportunity to
listen to -- let me back up.
Various speakers to include the
usda secretary sonny purdue to
listen to -- welcome people
listened to lou dobbs.
As she shared her story about
what's happening in the criminal
justice system.
And our own trevor fuller also
presented on early childhood
education at the national
catholic church.
and people from all across the
nation had the opportunity to
hear him as well.
In addition, our cront dena
diorio is reappointed to the luc
committee.
The large urban committee.
I will be serving as vice-chair
on the juvenile justice
committee and our national
President Has 10 appointments to
the national board of directors.
For the whole country.
And I served last year on our
former President And I was
fortunate this year to be
reappointed by the in coming
parent from tarrant county,
texas to serve on as one of the
10 members on the national board
of directors.
Mecklenberg county had good
representation and fared well at
the catholic church.
>> Chair: commissioner fuller.
>> I just want to affirm what
Mr. Commissioner dunlap said and
how proud we were.
In fact our whole north carolina
the fact that commissioner
dunlap was reappointed to the
board of naco and the vice-chair
of the criminal justice steering
committee.
And want to affirm that his
comments about sheryl emmanuel.
And we're in the this
competition for national cities
put on by aetna.
There's another entity.
It's a nationwide competition,
and so they had three
presentations from some of the
top counties and if I May say
sheryl's presentation was far
and away the best of all of the
presentations that were done
from other counties with respect
to healthy cities.
We were very proud to be for
mecklenberg county and anyway
kaw, north carolina has the
highest representation of people
at the naco conference of all
states in the country which is
hard to believe.
But we had the most and our
delegation did very, very well
as a state appointment for the
naco.
I want to thank commissioner
dunlap for all of his work
representing us at naco both in
his work and on the board of
this national organization.
>> thank you very much.
At this time
>> yes we have our department
report tonight.
That would be presentation from
joan deny
keen de.
Madam Chair.
Staff and members of the
audience.
Good evening and thank you for
your time tonight.
You May notice I'm having a
little problem with my voice now
so I ask for your indulgence.
I commit to be brief in the
interest of your time and my
voice.
I am joan kennedy director of
child support enforcement in
mecklenberg county.
This past month child support
enforcement celebrated its 7th
year as a county department.
You May recall in fy11 we
started with a vision to move
this new department towards
excellence recognizing to do so
we must have a plan.
In our case one that aligned to
the county's strategic business
plan.
What we will share with you
tonight how we put together that
plan based on our strongly held
belief that if you build it they
will come.
And our goal was to build a
customer focused agency that was
supported by technology, clab
collaborations with key partners
and recruitment and retention of
highly skilled and well trained
staff.
Some of whom you see sitting
behind me tonight.
Excuse me.
Though not all inclusive our
plan has been based on six key
building blocks.
You see that on the slide.
Has been intentional.
It has been aggressive and it's
been inclusive.
From a high of 140 thou cases to
the current 34 thou current
cases we have relied on best
practices the support of our
leadership and the assistance of
the incredible support resources
that we have here in mecklenberg
county such as our own I.T.
Department.
Public information, county
attorney's office, clerk's
office, family port, self-serve
center, and many, many many
more.
We no longer have to search for
our customers and partners prior
to fy11.
They are coming to us now.
We have become a model child
support agency.
Other child support agencies
seek our guidance.
So let's briefly review each of
the building blocks I
referenced.
I encourage you to visit us when
you have some time.
See how these are manifesting
within our agency.
But we welcome your involvement.
The first of these building
blocks not necessarily in the
order of implementation is dual
notice process.
I'm not going to read this to
you.
It's a process by which we allow
our customers to settle their
differences prior going to
court.
In many instances avoid going to
court.
We're very procedured of this
particular building block.
In fy, if any, when we started
the due notice process we were
able to triple the notice
through this dual notice process
or establishment.
The second building block is one
that invests in the training and
development of our staff.
Mediation certifications.
All of our case management staff
are working becoming certified
media tirs.
We're moving toe win to lose
going to win win.
When October we hope to have
trained and have certified 2 of
our staff.
So they can begin how to use
those skills to help our
customers make decisions about
their cases on their own.
The third building block is
called second chance amnesty.
Some of you who previously
served on the health and human
services of the board we shared
with you we had completed our
first amnesty program.
And the opportunity to come in
to the agendas and get back on
track.
I believe it was commissioner
dunlap it might be a good
opportunity to consider doing a
second chance amnesty project in
the latter part of the fiscal
year.
we did this past June.
What you see is the difference
we've been able to make in terms
of collections and engaging in
the noncustodial in the fiscal
year.
As of June 2017 over 300 non-
noncustodial parents have
visited our offices voluntarily.
123 custodial parents and we
have collected over $35,000.
This is particularly important
what the data indicates to us
that most non-
custodial parents
want to engage with their
children both financially and
emotionally.
The next building block is
community outreach.
We're very fortunate to have
staff here in mecklenberg county
who want to be highly
professional service providers
as well as the good community
steward.
Our staff have developed their
own community outreach program.
The mom as gateway not
gatekeeper works with custodial
moms who're the partners on
child support cases to help them
understand the im account packet
they have on the child support
case as gatekeepers and the role
they can in facilitating the
relationship between the
noncustodial parent and the
children.
And the second one I wanted to
highlight is the relationship we
have with albermarle road
elementary school.
They're using their own funds to
purchase school supplies for the
children of albermarle road.
Another one I want to highlight
is the annual employer's
roundtable luncheon.
We had the third one this year.
severely of you have been
participated in the employees
roundtable to include
commissioner cotham.
We are honored this past June to
have our own trevor a fuller to
be our keynote speaker.
We want to recognize them for
employing in a non-
custodial
children.
On the next page which continues
the community outreach we do I
wanted to highlight the
environmental sustainability
training.
Our staff created their own
letter of commitment for
participating and working green
in mecklenberg county.
And we were featured in
employees now for what they did.
They're excellent employees in
mecklenberg county but they're
excellent community stewarted.
The next building block is
called the responsible father
fatherhood program.
It has been recognized
throughout the state as being an
award winning program.
It's been recognized nationwide.
Many of our staff have
participated in support with
collaborations in south carolina
with the south carolina center
for families in north carolina
with many, many other programs
that focus on responsible
fatherhood as well.
Most recently a child support
program in maryland asked for us
to collaborate with them and
give them advice on setting up
their responsible fatherhood
initiative.
We do this in addition to the
regular duties because they have
the passion and the commitment
to the service.
just recently we spawn
onsored a
evening with dad just to have
dinner.
Fellowship and can any questions
May thif and just have fun with
their children.
Fathers don't get an opportunity
to do that.
With the investment we're making
in our mom as great way not
gatekeeper program and the
responsible fatherhood
initiative program we're hoping
to make investments.
The last of the building blocks
and I just lost my building
block.
There we go.
So the last of the building
blocks is child support
awareness month and I can think
of no more point time to be
talking about the investment and
the return on investment you've
made in child support here in
mecklenberg county than this
month of August.
Because this is nationally child
support awareness month.
I want you to notice for each of
the weeks of August is a series
of events tailored to each.
The first week.
Custodial parent week.
The next children week.
Staff recognition week.
And finally noncustodial parent
week culminating with our
noncustodial orientation program
and with our annual training
retreat which is held courtesy
of our own parks department at
rita creek park and then we
present the supplies that our
staff have donated to the
children of albermarle children.
What you see on this slide is
our performance compared to the
current in fy11.
you can see we are making major
improvements in every area.
We intend to keep doing that.
Our vision is to become the best
in the state.
And we feel like we can do it.
Last year we talked to you about
being the third 50
$50 million
club.
And we intend to stay in the $50
million club because it helps
children.
It gives children what they need
financially as well as
emotionally.
So in closing, when you see our
building blocks will come full
circle nationally and
international data support our
experience that most
noncustodial parents want to
support their children both
financially and emotionally.
Unemployment, underemployment.
Homelessness.
Alit rocky.
Histories of incarceration.
At mecklenberg county child
support enforcement the building
which we are working has many
doors and every day we work to
make it easier for our customers
to walk through those doors for
their children.
So again, I ask you to join with
us.
Because we believe if you build
it they will come.
Thank you.
>> Chair: thank you.
>> May I.
These are some of the people who
make it happen.
>> Chair: thank you.
Thank you for making it happen.
>> I want to thank them for
their patience.
They are like this in every way.
May I answer any questions for
you.
Ms. Kennedy, I'm so glad you're
here right now because after a
rather contentious period of
time, it is delightful to have
someone talk about the things
that everybody at this dais
agrees.
Commissioner fuller the work
you're doing is far more
important than all the things we
disagree about and for the
matter most of the things we
agree about.
It is a nice reminder what
mecklenberg county does.
We are in the people business
and we are most assuredly in the
children business.
Thank you for patience and your
professionalism and bring is
back to reality.
I will remind that the billboard
over the parking deck now has
the child support awareness
month poster and it says
children are our number one
priority.
So that's a reminder we want to
tell everybody today.
>> Chair: thank you.
Thank you so much.
>> now we're going to move on to
commissioner reports.
Are we doing Ms. Leake's.
Commissioner leake had put in an
application to change hoskins
park and rename it to the ae
eva
b. Hoskins park.
I would absencing
cknowledge receipt of
anvil ma d. Leake of hoskins
charlotte north carolina 282028
that 's
that's voluntary b. Barber
neighborhood park.
At 6:30 P.M. To receive public
comment on the proposed of
hoskins to sirah b. Barber park.
>> Chair: any discussion?
All n
in favor please denote by
aye.
>> Madam On the chair there's a
policy on probleming plations in
awards.
When we had our commissioner
puckett we had on go forward
moving all of proclamation to
the front of the agenda because
we end up moving them anyway.
We need to change board policy.
If that's the will of the board.
>> Chair: is there a motion.
>> I want to weigh in on this
first.
>> there might not be one.
That's the point.
>> I move to make the board
policy change.
>> Chair: is there a second to
that motion.
>> now can I talk about it?
>> yes.
There's nothing we need to talk
about.
>> well for a second.
There's some history behind
that.
Years ago when I served as
chairperson of the efficient and
effective government committee
along with the bill but anyway,
and we had hours of discussion
and these proclamations being
moved at the beginning of the
meeting had continuous
conversations that pushes
everything else back out that
people won't agree with this
causes the meeting to end up
even longer.
In addition to that all
proclamations are not read.
But if you put them at the front
of the agenda it encourages
somebody to want to read all of
them because they want tv time.
I'm just being honest with you.
so I'm just suggest that we not
do that.
>> Chair: okay.
>> I agree with commissioner
dunlap.
I was also on the committee as
he said.
The problem when you put at the
beginning of the meeting besides
dragging the meeting out it also
allows the policy to be abused.
People contact commissioners
about putting their pet
resolutions and proclamations
and they bring a pride of
people.
It is lacking decorum.
The commission is the time got
so frustrated with the length of
the meeting and with the circus
atmosphere that emanated from it
that we actually in a bipartisan
fashion got together and came up
with a solution in order to help
the meetings become more
efficient.
Now, I agree moving
proclamations up is a problem.
But the problem is lack of
fortitude on the part of
commissioners not to move them
up.
The problem isn't the current
policy.
It's that everybody says, okay,
sure, we'll move it up instead
of saying no you should have a
good reason to move it up.
It shouldn't just be oh you know
I'd like to talk about this for
10 minutes.
If all of you did that we didn't
get to the regular business
until 8:00.
That would be bad for everybody.
I am not good after nine.
From my perspective I would like
to keep the policy the way it is
but just remind the board as
nicely there is a reason why
we're supposed to have a good
reason to move it up.
If we just all followed the
policy this would be a
non-issue.
>> I appreciate george and
bill's history on that.
I'm the one who suggested only
because in the last year I think
every single proclamation we've
had had been pulled and moved
up.
So every proclamation goes into
consent.
We have to have a motion out of
consent and put it at the front.
They all end up there.
Now, I will defer to your wisdom
and experience that if in fact
leaving them there cuts that
number down, then that's a valid
concern.
I think you're right.
I think perhaps we May need to
talk about limiting the number
of proclamations any one
commissioner can do in a course
of a year.
I appreciate your history
because that does make sense.
Ours seemed to make sense.
>> I agree -- I can't agree with
both of these 2 on this issue
because if we can make it harder
for us to bring proclamations up
I think that would benefit us.
>> I'm with you.
>> leave them in consent because
it requires unanimous vote but
move them up on the agenda so if
you've got to do that every time
all it takes one person to say
no.
Maybe it will stop.
>> Chair: we have one-monthly
meeting
meeting.
All right.
We've going to do the consent
agenda.
may I have a motion. Approve
the consent item.
>> other than.
>> Chair: that's wonderful.
>> that's fine with me.
All in favor please denote aye.
All opposers nay.
I move to adjourn.
All in favor please denote by
aye.
Opposers nay.
Okay.
We're adjourned.