[7:32] Uh, good evening everyone and welcome to
[7:35] our special Tuesday edition of our
[7:38] regular PL uh commissioners meeting. I'd
[7:40] like to welcome all that came this way
[7:42] tonight. Um, I would call our meeting to
[7:45] order. And at this time, I would ask uh
[7:48] Vice Chair Law Hung for the invocation
[7:50] and pledge of allegiance.
[7:52] >> Commissioner,
[7:53] >> if uh you all would like to join me, I
[7:56] invite you to uh heavenly father, we
[8:00] come to you today just two days away
[8:02] from the 25th anniversary of 911.
[8:08] Uh, a lot in this room may not have been
[8:10] alive
[8:12] that year or that date. I was I remember
[8:16] exactly where I was located and what I
[8:18] was doing. Lord, there's a lot of
[8:20] citizens of the United States that gave
[8:24] their life that day
[8:26] uh because of the World Trade Center
[8:29] airplanes and the Pentagon and
[8:33] Pennsylvania passengers. We just pray
[8:36] for their families. We uh pray that uh
[8:41] this type of event would never happen
[8:44] again.
[8:45] Lord, we uh ask you to cleanse our
[8:50] hearts and make sure that we're seeking
[8:52] your will
[8:54] in our lives each and every day and each
[8:57] and everything that we do as
[8:59] commissioners.
[9:01] Lord, we uh thank you for the many
[9:04] blessings that you give us all. And
[9:06] Lord, thank you for your forgiveness of
[9:08] my sin. And Lord, we know that you gave
[9:12] us your son Jesus who died on the cross
[9:15] and defeated death. Thank you for for
[9:17] that uh uh great contribution you've
[9:22] given. And Lord, if anybody in this room
[9:26] doesn't know you as the Lord and Savior,
[9:28] we pray that they would invite you into
[9:31] their hearts.
[9:33] Again, thank you again for the privilege
[9:36] to be here and just direct us in what we
[9:39] say and do. In Christ's name I pray.
[9:41] Amen.
[9:42] >> Amen.
[9:48] I aliance to the flag of the United
[9:52] States of America and to the republic
[9:55] for which it stands. One nation under
[9:58] God, indivisible, with liberty and
[10:01] justice for all.
[10:06] » Thank you, Mr. Vice Chairman.
[10:09] Uh at this time, the um you have the
[10:11] agenda in front of you. I would ask for
[10:14] approval or any adjustments to the
[10:16] agenda.
[10:19] Motion to approve the agenda. Got
[10:20] >> a motion to approve by Commissioner
[10:22] King.
[10:23] >> Second by Commissioner Hatley. Any
[10:25] discussion?
[10:27] >> All those in favor say I.
[10:29] >> I.
[10:29] >> Oppos. Motion carries. Next item is
[10:32] public comment. Got several folks that
[10:34] uh want to speak. Um, I think there's a
[10:37] couple of them that want to speak for
[10:39] the um, public hearing that we're going
[10:41] to have later on for a reasonzoning, but
[10:43] you're more than welcome to come up now.
[10:45] Uh, Jonah Morgan,
[10:52] » I'm sorry.
[10:53] >> He said he'll wait.
[10:53] >> Okay, he'll wait. Okay. All right.
[10:56] Uh, Donna Garmin.
[11:08] Good evening.
[11:09] >> Hi. Can you hear me? Okay.
[11:12] >> Mhm.
[11:13] >> My name is Donna Garmin. I would like to
[11:15] speak about the recent ethics violation
[11:17] by Trent Hatley. I grew up in this
[11:20] county, the do granddaughter of a
[11:21] wellrespected farmer. When a handshake
[11:24] was all it took to seal a deal, and when
[11:26] a man's word meant something and held
[11:28] great value. My roots go deep, so I know
[11:31] what this county used to represent. I
[11:34] chose to raise my children in this
[11:35] county because I thought it to be the
[11:37] best option to support wholesome values
[11:39] and good morals away from the more
[11:42] secular cities surrounding us. I taught
[11:45] my children to be honest, hard-working
[11:47] individuals and to respect authority. I
[11:50] taught them that they they could trust
[11:52] in the justice system.
[11:54] Now I have grandchildren and it's
[11:56] difficult for me to tell them to trust
[11:58] in these things. In fact, I try to teach
[12:01] them not to trust blindly, to question
[12:03] things before they decide where to place
[12:05] that trust. It is shameful that not
[12:08] everyone has the morals I grew up with.
[12:10] It is especially sad that some of our
[12:13] elected elected officials don't have
[12:15] those same morals. Mr. Hatley did indeed
[12:18] contact a judge and attempt to sway a
[12:20] case. Thankfully, Judge Bain is an
[12:22] honest individual. Judge Bain contacted
[12:25] alter attorneys involved and recused
[12:27] himself from the case. You can't argue
[12:30] with facts. That's what happened. Please
[12:32] tell me how Mr. Hatley is still in a
[12:34] position of authority over anything.
[12:37] What if we didn't happen to have an
[12:38] honest judge? What if the justice system
[12:41] had been compromised? What if it has
[12:44] been compromised in other cases?
[12:47] When a person in person is in an elected
[12:49] office, he or she has earned the trust
[12:51] of the people of this county and there
[12:54] are still good people in this county.
[12:56] That trust has been violated. Mr. Hatley
[12:59] does not deserve to continue to serve
[13:00] the people who elected him. My daughter
[13:04] Aaron Beth Pinkston and I have presented
[13:06] this violation of trust to several
[13:08] persons attempting to remedy the
[13:10] situation or at least prevent it from
[13:12] happening again. I spoke personally with
[13:15] Scott Ephford who thanked me for letting
[13:17] him know. He then called back to say he
[13:20] had talked to DA Lynn Claudefelter who
[13:23] said nothing could be done.
[13:25] We spoke with Sheriff Jeff Krisco who at
[13:28] first turned us away but then later
[13:30] called to say he would refer us to the
[13:32] SBI.
[13:33] Brandon Blackman with the SBI said
[13:35] nothing illegal had been done, only
[13:37] ethical, so he couldn't do anything
[13:39] about it.
[13:41] I spoke with county manager Andy Lucas
[13:44] who said, quote, "He has nothing to do
[13:46] with the commissioners and suggested I
[13:49] contact an attorney." When we got
[13:52] nowhere with any of that, my daughter
[13:53] brought it here before the board at the
[13:55] last meeting. Scott Ephford voted
[13:57] against a vote to censure Trent Hatley.
[14:00] It is to be readressed tonight.
[14:03] I would ask that Mr. Hatley do what is
[14:05] morally correct. resign from his
[14:07] position and remove his name from the
[14:09] upcoming election ballot. If he is
[14:11] unwilling to do that, I would ask for at
[14:14] minimum a formal outside investigation
[14:16] into this ethical breach. I would also
[14:20] ask the voters of this county to
[14:22] remember this ethical violation at the
[14:24] ballot box in November. We need honest,
[14:27] trustworthy people as leaders, not
[14:30] someone who is going to use an elected
[14:32] position for their own personal agenda.
[14:34] We need to bring back morals in this
[14:36] county so it is a good place to raise
[14:38] our children and grandchildren. Thank
[14:41] you for your time and consideration of
[14:42] this matter.
[14:44] >> Thank you, Miss Garmin. Um, I don't
[14:46] normally do this, but I would correct
[14:48] one thing that you said.
[14:49] >> Okay.
[14:49] >> I did not vote against or censoring
[14:52] Trent. I voted not to put it on the
[14:55] agenda that night.
[14:55] >> That's what I said. I said you voted
[14:57] against the vote. That's what I meant.
[14:59] >> Okay. All right. Thank you, ma'am.
[15:03] Um, next one is Mr. Bill Schaefer. Mr.
[15:06] Shaper.
[15:27] County commissioners, I come before you
[15:30] to speak to an issue that befell us in
[15:32] August of this year.
[15:33] Now, all you know that I've never been
[15:35] shy about expressing the positions that
[15:37] I take on every issue uh of import,
[15:40] whether it be policy, politician, or
[15:42] other topics where I express my
[15:44] positions prospicuously.
[15:46] If anyone's listened to my podcast, you
[15:49] know that's true.
[15:51] In the August County Commissioner
[15:53] meeting, during the public comment
[15:54] portion of the meeting, Miss Aaron
[15:55] Kingston levied an allegation against
[15:57] Republican board member Trent Hatley,
[16:00] alleging that Mr. Hadley had attempted
[16:02] to coersse a sitting judge into favoring
[16:05] a party uh to her court case. This
[16:08] resulted in an emergency type meeting
[16:11] held by the honorable judge Ty Vang in
[16:14] which he recused himself from the civil
[16:16] case that Miss Kingston is a party to.
[16:19] The seriousness of this allegation
[16:21] requires, if not demands, an
[16:23] investigation into the matter to
[16:25] determine the veracity of the claim and
[16:27] to take appropriate action should this
[16:29] board deem it necessary.
[16:32] This is not simply my position on the
[16:34] matter. It also happens to be the
[16:35] position of many people in this county
[16:38] and I believe it should be the position
[16:39] of this board. However, it seems to be
[16:42] the position of some that such an
[16:44] investigation would be a waste of time
[16:47] or a waste of taxpayer dollars that
[16:49] there should be no such investigation
[16:51] because all of the good things that Mr.
[16:53] Hatley has done or has attempted to do
[16:55] for the people of Stanley County. Now, I
[16:58] agree that Mr. Hatley has done some good
[17:00] things for the county, which is
[17:01] precisely why we as a people and you as
[17:03] a board of our elected representatives
[17:06] should proceed with an ethics
[17:08] investigation. and upon receiving the
[17:10] results of that investigation and what
[17:12] it may reveal, proceed with further
[17:14] appropriate action if warranted.
[17:17] Because the question here is, how can a
[17:19] search for the truth be a waste of
[17:21] taxpayer dollars or a waste of anything
[17:24] if we say we are the party of integrity
[17:27] and truth?
[17:29] Allegations like this one fuel the
[17:31] suspicion of government officials,
[17:33] especially in small towns and counties.
[17:35] We hear the assertions from young and
[17:37] old alike that both sides are just as
[17:39] bad as the other. And my instinct is
[17:41] always to counter that assertion because
[17:44] the Republican party
[17:46] is supposed to be comprised of people
[17:48] who believe in principles like fairness
[17:50] and justice and honest representation.
[17:53] We're supposed to be better than the
[17:55] other side. And something like this
[17:57] lends to the suspicion of our republican
[18:00] forms of government. It feeds doubt into
[18:02] the institutions of government. It
[18:04] causes the people to doubt the promises
[18:06] made by the political parties when they
[18:08] say one thing and do another. And should
[18:10] we fail to take action in this matter,
[18:12] the trust of the public will continue to
[18:15] erode. For all the good that a
[18:17] representative may do, it only takes one
[18:19] accusation to place doubt into the minds
[18:21] of the people who see how things are
[18:23] from where they stand. And in the minds
[18:26] of the people, many people, this is just
[18:28] one more thing that is many of them
[18:30] disgusted with politics and our local
[18:32] government. And when our younger
[18:34] generations look at the political
[18:36] parties and the people that represent
[18:38] those parties, what do they see?
[18:42] If any of these allegations are true, if
[18:44] any of this is true, how can we say as
[18:47] Republicans, as Americans, that we
[18:50] represent the party of honest and good
[18:52] governance unless we hold accountable
[18:54] our very own?
[18:56] And that's why I think it's imperative
[18:58] that we as Republicans, as honest
[19:00] Americans, take this seriously, initiate
[19:04] an investigation, get to the bottom of
[19:06] this in a thorough and forensic manner,
[19:08] and let the truth prevail, and then take
[19:11] the appropriate action to hold our
[19:12] elected officials accountable or to
[19:15] vindicate the elected representative and
[19:17] proclaim it to the people to assure them
[19:20] that justice was indeed done.
[19:23] For whatever I or others may think of
[19:25] any representative, Mr. Hatley deserves
[19:28] the opportunity to be vindicated if this
[19:31] is the truth and certainly the people of
[19:34] Stanley County deserve it and we should
[19:37] see to this as soon as possible. Thank
[19:40] you.
[19:41] >> Thank you, sir.
[19:43] Uh, next one I have is Mr. Gerald
[19:45] Honeyut.
[19:46] I think this is also a rezoning case.
[19:51] >> Okay. Okay. All right. Thank you. That's
[19:52] the only ones I had to sign up for
[19:54] public comment. Are there anyone else?
[19:59] All right. Thank y'all very much.
[20:02] All right. This time we'll go to our uh
[20:04] scheduled agenda items. The first item I
[20:08] have is a retirement award presentation
[20:09] for Mr. Robin Honeyut and Department of
[20:11] Social Services. Miss Honeyut, you here?
[20:14] Come on up. Let's go down.
[20:36] How are you?
[20:37] >> Good. Don, did you want to say anything?
[20:40] first
[20:42] after?
[20:43] >> Okay.
[20:44] >> All right. Come on up, Miss Honeyut.
[20:47] Uh, Miss Robert F. Hunico is a dedicated
[20:49] public servant who has spent over three
[20:51] decades with the Stanley County
[20:53] Department of Social Services. Three
[20:55] decades. Wow. A graduate of North
[20:58] Stanley High School. We won't hold that
[20:59] against you. U the daughter of James and
[21:02] Mary Flowers. Robin is a lifelong member
[21:04] of the community she has served so
[21:06] faithfully. She is also a proud mother
[21:09] of her son Cody. We definitely won't
[21:11] hold that against you. Um, Robin began
[21:14] her career in 1995 as the income
[21:16] maintenance case worker in the Medicaid
[21:18] unit. Her commitment to excellence led
[21:20] to steady advancement, serving as a
[21:22] Medicaid uh lead worker in 2014, a
[21:26] supervisor in 2018, and eventually a
[21:29] program administrator of economic
[21:31] services in 2024. Beyond her
[21:34] administrative role, she also has been
[21:36] very active voice on numerous community
[21:39] committees, tireless working to support
[21:41] local children and families. Her impact
[21:44] is immeasurable, having helped countless
[21:46] residents navigate critical needs,
[21:48] including health insurance, food
[21:50] securities, and essential community uh
[21:53] resources. Known for her kindness and
[21:56] steady, calm leadership, Robin has been
[21:58] a cornerstone of the social service
[22:00] department. While her presence will be
[22:02] greatly missed, we celebrate her
[22:03] remarkable career as she retires
[22:06] September 11th this morning.
[22:08] >> Congratulations.
[22:09] >> Thank you.
[22:20] » We have a little gift for you presented
[22:22] to Robin. Honey for faithful and
[22:24] dedicated service to the citizens of
[22:25] Stanley County. On this occasion of a
[22:27] retirement, we extend our sincere
[22:29] appreciation for your services and wish
[22:31] you even greater achievements and
[22:32] rewards in the future. Presented this
[22:34] eighth day of September.
[22:36] >> Thank you.
[22:36] so much.
[22:37] >> Not a warm flock. Yeah.
[22:39] >> Hallelujah.
[22:41] Looking forward to the alarm clock.
[22:44] >> So then I have an additional
[22:46] presentation. I am honored to present to
[22:48] you the order of the longleaf pine uh
[22:52] which is the one of the highest awards
[22:54] given by the governor of North Carolina
[22:56] and it's given for exemplary service to
[22:58] the state of North Carolina and its
[23:00] communities. Um Robin has a proven
[23:04] record of exemplary service and her
[23:06] lifelong commitment to service in our
[23:09] community. She's um there are a number
[23:11] of noteworthy uh recipients of this
[23:13] award including Maya Angelo, Billy
[23:16] Graham, Michael Jordan, Andy Griffin,
[23:18] Dale Nhart, and so Robin definitely
[23:21] deserves this award with her over 30
[23:23] years of service to Stanley County and
[23:24] its community.
[23:26] >> CONGRATULATIONS.
[23:34] » Would you like to say anything?
[23:36] >> NO.
[23:39] BUT THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. Thank
[23:41] you very
[24:02] » That's a remarkable achievement. So
[24:04] thank you so much, Miss Honey.
[24:09] Next item is a recognition of service.
[24:12] Our presenter is Elizabeth Kashmir, EDC
[24:14] director. Hey, Elizabeth. How are you?
[24:19] » I'm doing great. How are you?
[24:20] >> Great.
[24:22] >> Well, good evening, Mr. Chairman and
[24:24] members of the board. I've long thought
[24:26] that we need a step stool up here, and
[24:28] I'd have to continue advocating for
[24:30] that. Uh, thank you for allowing me to
[24:32] come before you tonight to honor some
[24:34] special people to Stanley County and
[24:37] friends of the economic development
[24:39] world statewide. Tonight, I have the
[24:41] honor of presenting the recognition of
[24:43] service to both Mr. Larry Balkam and Mr.
[24:45] Charles Brown for their dedication to
[24:47] the economic development efforts of this
[24:48] county for 23 years. I heard a rumor
[24:52] that these two men were appointed to the
[24:55] Economic Development Commission together
[24:57] and made a personal vow that they'd stay
[25:00] until the other decided to call it
[25:01] quits. Well, here we are 23 years later.
[25:05] Stanley County would not be where it is
[25:06] today without both Charles Brown and Mr.
[25:08] Larry Balkam. I'd like to start by
[25:11] telling you just a glimpse into Mr.
[25:12] Balkam's contributions. Um, and then
[25:14] I'll follow with Mr. Brown's and welcome
[25:17] them up together at the end. As an
[25:20] elected official, Mr. Balkam has served
[25:21] the city of Locust City Council for 26
[25:24] years. Perhaps one of the most
[25:26] significant achieve a achievements is
[25:27] that he was a founding member of Locust.
[25:30] Along with other dedicated citizens, Mr.
[25:32] Balkam collected the signatures needed
[25:34] for the official municipal incorporation
[25:36] for the city of Locust. As a volunteer,
[25:39] Mr. Balkam has served in countless
[25:40] leadership roles in Stanley County. He
[25:42] served on the Stanley County Economic
[25:44] Development Commission for 23 years and
[25:46] has been a key stakeholder in securing
[25:48] new industry and expansion in Stanley
[25:50] County, most recently where his
[25:52] relationship with company ownership was
[25:54] a contributing factor that led to the
[25:55] relocation of Charlotte Pipe out of
[25:57] Charlotte into Stanley County.
[26:00] Mr. Balkam has dedicated the better part
[26:02] of his life to service in Stanley
[26:03] County. As a business owner and a
[26:05] dedicated dedicated member of the
[26:07] community, he has made countless
[26:09] contributions to the citizens of Stanley
[26:10] County as well. Whether it's recruiting
[26:12] new companies and industries in his role
[26:14] with the EDC, supporting local
[26:16] businesses with the Chamber of Commerce,
[26:18] advocating for fiscal responsibility and
[26:20] sustainable growth in Locust, or selling
[26:23] reliable vehicles to the community. Mr.
[26:25] Balkam is always looking out for San
[26:27] County and its residents. Please join me
[26:29] in a round of applause for thanking Mr.
[26:31] Larry Balkam for his service to the
[26:32] Economic Development Commission.
[26:42] Next, Mr. Charles Brown needs no
[26:44] introduction in Stanley County or
[26:45] statewide. He probably knows everyone in
[26:48] this room, but I'd like to take a minute
[26:49] to tell you some of his impact here in
[26:51] Stanley County. Like his father,
[26:53] grandfather, and great-grandfather,
[26:55] Charles Brown is a native of Albam Marl
[26:58] in Stanley County. He attended the
[27:00] public schools in Stanley County and
[27:02] thereafter attended the University of
[27:03] North Carolina having received the
[27:05] prestigious Morehead scholarship. Long
[27:08] active in community organizations and
[27:10] affairs, Charles Brown has served as
[27:12] president of the United Way, served as
[27:14] both a member and then for six years as
[27:16] chairman of this on the Stanley County
[27:18] Board of Education. He has served both
[27:20] as a member and most recently the
[27:22] chairman of the board of the Rural
[27:23] Infrastructure Authority, RAIA, under
[27:26] the North Carolina Department of
[27:27] Commerce. Additionally, he serves as a
[27:30] member of the board of the of Golden
[27:31] Leaf Foundation. Both Raia and the
[27:34] Golden Leaf Foundation have made
[27:35] significant contributions to Stanley
[27:38] County's economic development efforts
[27:40] and have spent millions of dollars in
[27:42] the development of industry, sites, and
[27:44] infrastructure here in Stanley County.
[27:47] He enjoys golf, travel, and if you know
[27:49] anything about Charles, you know how
[27:50] much of a UNCC basketball fan he is.
[27:52] even attending games with the Secretary
[27:54] of Commerce and our governor who he is
[27:56] on a firstname basis with regularly.
[27:59] Please join me in a round of applause
[28:00] and thanking Mr. Charles Brown for his
[28:02] 23 years of service to the EDC board.
[28:10] I'd like to please invite these two
[28:12] gentlemen up to the podium to receive
[28:15] this honor.
[28:34] I keep saying that thank you really is
[28:35] not enough, but I truly mean it. We
[28:37] would not be where we are as a community
[28:39] today without both of you. So, thank you
[28:41] very much both Mr. Balkam and Mr. Brown.
[28:48] Thank you sir.
[28:49] >> Thank you.
[28:50] >> Is it appropriate to share a few?
[28:52] >> Absolutely.
[29:04] Elizabeth, board members and
[29:08] friends of economic development in
[29:11] Stanley County.
[29:15] Thank you. Thank you for letting me
[29:18] stand beside Larry Balkam
[29:23] and join you all in honoring him for the
[29:26] conspicuous service and leadership that
[29:28] he has shown to Stanley County that I
[29:32] have witnessed personally over the last
[29:34] 23 years.
[29:37] He has been my seatmate for 23 years.
[29:42] Charles, couldn't you find any better?
[29:44] Nobody else would have you along the way
[29:46] or somewhere. No, I wanted to uh stay
[29:48] right there and Larry and I were
[29:50] together. We've had many fine members on
[29:54] the economic development commission during these
[29:59] years and we have had very very solid
[30:02] leaders just as we have now. This is one
[30:05] of the most non-political boards I have
[30:08] ever served on
[30:11] appointed by a political body in the
[30:14] county.
[30:15] I hope you will be mindful of the need
[30:17] to have balanced political
[30:20] individuals serving on such important
[30:23] boards as an economic development
[30:25] commission. We need to be able to reach
[30:27] into all corners of government with
[30:30] members of the board.
[30:33] While Larry and I have served on the
[30:35] board, our goal has been
[30:38] do do what is best for Stanley County.
[30:45] We talked about it from the beginning
[30:47] that we would emphasize at least two two
[30:50] important
[30:52] parts of service. One would be
[30:55] preparation.
[30:56] The other one would be participation.
[31:01] And here we are 23 years later.
[31:06] We had a few years off of CO, but I I
[31:09] count Mr. Lawan that that's close to 210
[31:14] meetings that we have served.
[31:18] I have missed five or six meetings in 23
[31:22] years. Larry Balkan has missed fewer
[31:25] than than I have. between meetings.
[31:28] We've worked together,
[31:32] in his office, and my office early in
[31:36] the morning, late at night, many, many
[31:38] times on behalf of of Stanley County.
[31:43] So, we join together in conveying our
[31:45] thanks to the
[31:47] county commission, to our county
[31:50] manager,
[31:52] to staff, to director.
[31:55] We continued to work for the county. I
[31:58] know what he has been doing over the
[32:00] last few weeks. I've worked with him.
[32:03] I too have continued and will continue
[32:05] on several key projects working on for
[32:08] the county.
[32:13] From the beginning, neither of us has
[32:16] expected any any recognition.
[32:20] Mr. Chairman, that is that is not
[32:22] necessary.
[32:25] All we have ever wanted to do was to
[32:28] serve.
[32:32] We've done our best.
[32:34] Thank you,
[32:43] Mr. Brown and and Mr. Balkam. Uh Stanley
[32:46] County is a much better place with you
[32:48] two guys in it. And I know when Locust
[32:50] was formed in 1869, Larry wasn't there.
[32:54] But in 1974 when is incorporated, Larry
[32:57] has been a big part of Locust and he has
[32:59] and he continues to be. So thank you
[33:01] guys for from the bottom of our heart on
[33:03] what y'all have done for Stanley County.
[33:06] We certainly appreciate it. Mr. Balkan,
[33:08] would you like to say something, sir?
[33:09] >> It would be hard to follow Mr. Charles
[33:11] Brown. So, I'm not even going to try,
[33:14] but I'd just like to say that uh it's
[33:16] been a pleasure and we don't either one
[33:20] aim to quit at this particular time. We
[33:22] just might not serve on the board, but
[33:24] anytime we can be of service to anyone,
[33:28] uh just let us know. The other thing
[33:30] that makes me feel real good is when you
[33:33] hold a position for a while, who follows
[33:36] in your footsteps?
[33:38] And I'm proud to say that Mr. Rody Dow
[33:41] follows in my footsteps and so we're
[33:43] expecting bigger and better things.
[33:46] Thank you all.
[33:48] >> Thank you, Mr.
[33:48] >> Mr. Chairman. Yes, sir.
[33:53] » Uh I want to say to Charles and Larry,
[33:57] uh you know that the wages you got paid
[34:02] didn't make you a millionaire. And I
[34:04] want the citizens to understand they
[34:07] don't get paid to serve on this board.
[34:09] and they have done a tremendous job.
[34:12] I've worked with both of them during the
[34:14] tenure that I've been on the board as a
[34:17] EDC member and I appreciate the fact
[34:22] that y'all show up and y'all make things
[34:26] happen. Thank you,
[34:28] >> Mr. Long. There have been a few changes
[34:31] in the in uh the years that we've served
[34:34] together. Initially we uh after the
[34:38] board meeting went as a board to a local
[34:41] steakhouse here and had had uh had had
[34:44] dinner together. That was very nice. Uh
[34:48] coming through the years we tried to be
[34:50] good stewards of of the uh county's
[34:53] money and I want you and everyone to
[34:55] know that we don't go to the steakhouse
[34:57] anymore. We have a cold ble bottle of
[34:59] water and a bag of peanuts. Any
[35:04] anything else more?
[35:07] >> Thank y'all.
[35:07] >> Thank you.
[35:10] >> Another change.
[35:12] I was an inch taller and weighed 15 lbs
[35:16] less when we started. I've lost an inch,
[35:18] gained 15 lbs. I used to have brown
[35:21] hair. I don't anymore. That's That's
[35:23] enough. Thank you, sir. We appreciate
[35:25] you, guys.
[35:32] All right. Next item is item C, public
[35:34] hearing, adoption of the comprehensive
[35:36] uh transportation plan. And our
[35:37] presenters, Mr. Lee Snugs of the Rocky
[35:40] River Rural Planning Organization.
[35:42] Mr. Snugs. Come on up, sir. You have
[35:45] some distinguished folks with you from
[35:47] NC DOT. I see. Yes, sir.
[35:50] >> Good evening, board. Thank you for
[35:51] taking time to see it this evening.
[35:52] Hopefully, this will be a a quick
[35:54] discussion. I brought of course Roger
[35:56] Castillo and Timo I can't get your last
[35:59] name right
[36:00] >> and Michan I'm sorry both great guys but
[36:02] they're here from Raleigh for DOT. I
[36:04] think the last meeting we presented the
[36:07] results of the finalized uh
[36:10] comprehensive transportation plan for
[36:11] Stanley County and we're seeking
[36:12] adoption tonight. So we are open for
[36:15] questions and u uh the public hearing of
[36:18] course. So but that's u that's where we
[36:20] stand as of now.
[36:22] Yeah, and we don't need to go through
[36:24] the whole presentation if y'all don't
[36:26] want to. It's the same one as last time.
[36:28] So, more than anything, if you guys have
[36:30] any questions for us prior to adoption,
[36:32] please let us know. Um, you know, as we
[36:35] mentioned before, this plan has been
[36:36] going on for about 2 years or so.
[36:39] Recently, we've gotten approval from
[36:40] every municipality in Stanley County.
[36:43] So, um, and and lastly, we come here to
[36:45] the county for for adoption for this
[36:47] plan. So, um, but nothing has really
[36:50] changed since the last presentation. I
[36:51] think we just uh adopted in locus. I
[36:54] think that was our last one and they
[36:55] just had a minor um wording adjustment
[36:57] for one of their recommendations. But
[36:59] other than that, everything is the same
[37:00] as we presented last.
[37:02] >> I think we have a couple commissioners
[37:04] that have some questions. So, uh, Vice
[37:07] Chairman, if you
[37:08] >> I do have a question, and I asked this
[37:10] the last time y'all were here, and I've
[37:13] had people say, "I don't understand
[37:15] that."
[37:17] Coming up 24273
[37:20] from the river,
[37:22] there's a turn lane that goes into the
[37:23] ABC store, but there's no turn lane that
[37:27] goes into Bulks or Audi's grocery store.
[37:31] And uh one of your folks, one person
[37:34] said they'd check into it. Well, I
[37:36] hadn't heard back. Why? You know, why
[37:41] the ABC store, but not Bel and Audies?
[37:45] That's my question.
[37:47] >> I forget the gentleman's name who was
[37:49] the project manager for that. But
[37:51] believe me, we've heard that's that
[37:54] intersection has been the bane of our
[37:55] existence pretty much since since they
[37:57] but it it is a footage linear footage
[38:00] situation. It's by because you have so
[38:04] many feet that you're trying to have
[38:05] cars,
[38:07] you know, if they're trying to make a
[38:09] left turn to go back and and switch
[38:12] lanes or switch, you know, cross the
[38:14] road in cross the median. So it it just
[38:18] um nothing against the ABC store or
[38:20] those who venture in there, but it was
[38:23] just that's just the way it worked out
[38:25] in in the numbers. I mean, and I know it
[38:27] looks bad.
[38:27] >> So they chose the ABC store over Audi's
[38:30] and Bel.
[38:30] >> Well, it wasn't it wasn't a matter of
[38:32] choice really. It was just that
[38:34] regardless they they don't look at at at
[38:37] the at what businesses were there. It's
[38:39] just the number of feet and that's where
[38:41] it landed. And just it was again
[38:45] wish we'd have done it different. I can
[38:47] say that. I mean,
[38:48] >> you know, and I apologize, you know, and
[38:51] believe me, it's been brought up at
[38:53] every meeting since that since they
[38:56] first put the stakes out for the last
[38:58] several years, but it was just it was
[39:00] not intended to be that way. So, but
[39:04] that's the way it landed.
[39:05] >> So, that was the quickest that you could
[39:06] put a turn lane. That
[39:08] >> pretty much exactly kind like 300 ft or
[39:10] something.
[39:11] >> Yeah. It's kind of right. you if you
[39:12] have the from the roundabout to the
[39:14] intersection,
[39:15] >> you measures out to and it's not the
[39:19] type of businesses, it's how many
[39:20] businesses on each side of the street
[39:22] that determine those footages. There's a
[39:25] formula and and if you need to see that,
[39:27] I can bring it to you, but it is it's
[39:29] just a bunch of they plug in the numbers
[39:32] and it spits out how many feet supposed
[39:34] to be.
[39:34] >> Yeah.
[39:34] >> When you're sitting at the stoplight
[39:36] there at McDonald's.
[39:37] >> Yes, sir. and you're going to turn on
[39:39] the northeast connector after you go
[39:40] under the stoplight and
[39:42] >> you're in the right hand lane.
[39:44] >> It's almost impossible to get over and
[39:46] turn on the, you know, you know what I'm
[39:47] talking about. On the northeast
[39:49] connector, you have to get in the
[39:50] left-hand lane. A lot of times it's only
[39:52] again maybe I don't know how many feet.
[39:55] >> Yeah.
[39:55] >> But a lot of people get mad at you
[39:58] because you're trying to get over. I
[39:59] guess you could go on down and turn
[40:01] there. There is uh there's some
[40:03] interesting things going on with that
[40:04] intersection.
[40:05] >> Yeah. I mean, same situation if you're
[40:07] coming towards town right sorry to right
[40:10] there at Valley Drive like go to Baden
[40:12] you come around that curb and there's a
[40:14] little short turn lane right there I
[40:16] mean you almost have to stand on the
[40:17] brakes I mean so there's many
[40:18] intersections that that we've been
[40:21] brought to our attention as far as along that new section of road but that
[40:26] aren't doing what they hope they would
[40:28] do but yes that that's been brought up
[40:30] as well
[40:31] >> are this is for you guys when you put in
[40:33] a roundabout just a one lane just
[40:37] roughly how much what's the construction
[40:40] cost on a roundabout
[40:42] >> mostly it's it's a lot of time it's
[40:43] rightway expenses it just depend like I
[40:46] can give you for example
[40:47] >> I I know the ones we did out there going
[40:51] towards the airport not at Ridge Street
[40:53] the one
[40:53] >> pass
[40:55] we had enough rightway I think we've got
[40:58] um I think the average around a million
[41:00] depend on right away I think we got two
[41:02] of them put in for a million because you
[41:04] we already the rightway on those two. It just depends. I mean, the design of
[41:08] them doesn't is not intrinsic
[41:11] intrinsically hard because it's just a circle and pavement and
[41:14] everything, but it's if it depends on
[41:16] the right away.
[41:17] >> See, we just approved a lumber company
[41:19] or a BART company to build out at the
[41:22] airport and for their trucks and they
[41:25] were going to do like 150 a day,
[41:27] >> right?
[41:27] >> So, for those to try to squeeze in a
[41:30] roundabout, is that a problem for you
[41:32] guys? If you'll notice, the newer
[41:34] roundabouts aren't, you know, when they
[41:35] first came out with them, they had, you
[41:37] know, a lot of times they have
[41:38] vegetation in them. Now, they're the the
[41:40] edges are more are flatter. They are
[41:43] built to accommodate. Now, they're the
[41:45] trucks won't stay probably they're made
[41:48] to ride up on the curve, basically.
[41:50] >> Really? So, they're supposed to go up on
[41:52] the curve.
[41:52] >> They can. Yeah. Exactly. And if you'll
[41:54] notice in most roundabouts, they'll
[41:55] have,
[41:56] >> you know, tire marks that, you know,
[41:58] skirt over. What about when you have a
[42:00] railroad track and you the other side
[42:03] you can't so just like at Fifer, you
[42:06] know, y'all were talking about doing one
[42:07] at Greystone, correct?
[42:08] >> You've got a railroad track within 30 ft
[42:10] of Highway 52.
[42:12] >> So you're going to have to go over in
[42:14] the church's front yard, you know, there
[42:16] at Fifer is that can you move a railroad
[42:19] track?
[42:20] >> We cannot. that railroad and just just
[42:22] for Hitch and most anybody worked with
[42:24] DOT before railroads were here first and
[42:26] that's their and as they've always you
[42:28] know taken precedent but that's why that
[42:30] roundabout is not going to happen
[42:32] because it was just we were having to
[42:33] push it you know towards the campus and
[42:36] towards high you know power lines and
[42:39] everything else. So we tried to squeeze
[42:41] it in but it just wasn't feasible.
[42:43] >> I think it was changed to um a turning
[42:46] lane uh in the plan because of that.
[42:48] Yeah. And I think I last time you were
[42:50] here, I think fatalities should take
[42:53] precedence over congestion whenever
[42:56] you're thinking about, but that's just
[42:57] me. Yeah.
[42:58] >> No, and I agree. And like I mentioned
[43:00] last time, it's different pots of money
[43:02] and and the safety ones are more
[43:03] immediate changes. This is more long
[43:06] range. So this is looking at like a
[43:08] different pot of money. If there's any
[43:09] safety issues, that's something that we
[43:12] need to report immediately to be changed
[43:14] using that those safety funds. So,
[43:17] >> thank you.
[43:18] >> So, I have a question. I'm just looking.
[43:20] I just chose one of these plats,
[43:23] Norwood. Uh, that's where I'm from. And
[43:26] so, when you um I'm seeing that this
[43:28] bypass uh proposed bypass to go around
[43:31] the town. Um it's hard for me to see
[43:34] exactly um and maybe you can help me on
[43:36] the road like where is that coming in um
[43:39] and out of Norwood. There is this when
[43:44] you're going on up 52 north. I see that
[43:47] you've gotten through town and I just
[43:49] like would like to know the roads that
[43:50] are close by there.
[43:53] >> Sure. Um I think it does use some
[43:55] existing roads as well. So it goes kind
[43:57] of in and out. Um um again this
[44:00] alignment here was one that was provided
[44:02] by by the town at that point but nothing
[44:04] here is set in stone. So there's no it
[44:07] if for example new development and
[44:09] things happened if this gets funded then
[44:11] it would have to be re-evaluated to be
[44:13] adjusted and things like that.
[44:15] >> Okay, that's what I really wanted to
[44:17] know even more. So this so approving
[44:19] this plan just allows you to move
[44:21] forward in the planning process and then
[44:24] >> then you would find out if if people
[44:27] applicable to this, if they want this
[44:28] and and all the other things.
[44:30] >> Yeah. So anything that's on this plan
[44:32] does not have any money on it. It's more
[44:34] to kind of um show where there is need
[44:37] where there is uh where okay so like why
[44:40] do we need to put you know this XYZ the
[44:42] actual thing that goes on there could
[44:45] completely change by the time when it does receive funding right
[44:49] there's going to be another analysis
[44:51] okay what actually needs to go through
[44:52] here to be more public engagement to see
[44:54] does and and and talking with any
[44:56] municipality nearby in the county to say
[44:59] okay is this what you guys want is this
[45:01] what you guys need and then they would
[45:03] move forward with that. So even
[45:04] cross-sections that are listed on here,
[45:06] they can change as well. Some of these
[45:08] have um different like options, but even
[45:11] those options you could go further than
[45:12] that. A lot of this is just the main
[45:14] focus of this plan is the identified
[45:16] need. So it's like for example in a
[45:18] certain intersection be like there are
[45:21] you know 45 crashes here with x number
[45:23] of fatalities. This is why we need to do
[45:25] something here or there is congestion
[45:27] here. It's going over capacity by the
[45:30] year 2055. So something needs to be done
[45:33] here at some point. It's it and these
[45:35] are just kind of suggestions of what can
[45:37] be done. It's not necessarily what will
[45:39] happen and it's not necessarily the same
[45:40] alignment that will happen either if
[45:42] it's for example the the bypass listed
[45:45] here around Albamaro. This is not
[45:48] necessarily the alignment that it would
[45:49] happen even if it does do it and it
[45:51] might not even come to a bypass
[45:53] depending on what the analysis uh comes
[45:55] once the funding happens for said
[45:58] project.
[45:58] >> Thank you for that explanation and Mr.
[46:00] Eford said it's like a a wish list.
[46:02] >> I can appreciate I mean a wish list with
[46:04] reasons for the for the changes and that
[46:07] makes me feel better about my vote. Um
[46:09] and I want just for the record that
[46:12] people know that this is that and
[46:13] nothing is in stone.
[46:14] >> Yes. Okay. And it can be amended at any
[46:16] point. So if there's some some business
[46:18] that comes in and you guys don't feel
[46:20] comfortable with certain line or
[46:22] something, you guys can request an
[46:23] amendment. the the the process for that
[46:26] would be you would need to contact the
[46:27] RPO and it would have to go to the
[46:30] public again for a 30-day public comment
[46:32] period and then for your approval and
[46:34] then they would be changed. So as long
[46:36] as there is valid reasoning for the
[46:38] changes then it can be amended at any
[46:40] point. These are um kind of re uh I
[46:45] guess what's the correct term like
[46:46] they're redone every 10 years basically
[46:48] but it can be amended at any point
[46:50] within those 10 years. So there there's
[46:52] no it's a very fluid plan for sure.
[46:54] >> You said a comment period. Is that
[46:55] online?
[46:56] >> Um so I mean it just depends on how the
[46:58] RPO does it. You can do surveys, you can
[47:00] do online.
[47:01] >> I remember us getting together, you
[47:02] know, and you can do a public meeting.
[47:04] So I guess it's online to where people
[47:06] would call in and say, "Hey," or right
[47:09] that's the way the comment period works.
[47:10] There was a survey sent out.
[47:12] >> Yeah, we we've we've we did a survey for
[47:14] this plan. Um we also did in-person
[47:17] public comments. So, like we would
[47:19] select a location and advertise for
[47:21] people to come to said location to
[47:23] provide any comments.
[47:24] >> Do you put up signs like the planning
[47:25] and zoning does and say, "Hey, you've
[47:27] got a four-lane highway coming through
[47:29] here. You would need to contact this." I
[47:32] mean, do you all put signs out?
[47:34] >> That that would depend on how the RPO
[47:35] does. So, however each county,
[47:37] municipality, and RPO decides to
[47:39] advertise.
[47:40] >> Yeah, we don't do that. And and if you
[47:42] guys have any ideas on how to kind of
[47:44] like spread the word, it's always
[47:45] >> I would want to know if there was a
[47:46] four-lane road proposed coming through
[47:48] my front yard, I would definitely want
[47:50] to know that.
[47:51] >> Yeah.
[47:52] >> And if I was a farmer, I would want to
[47:53] know if he's coming through the middle
[47:54] of my field. Well, well, when when when
[47:57] like like I mentioned, when it when it
[47:58] does if if something like this does get
[48:00] money, right, if there's a project that
[48:01] does get money on this and that means
[48:03] that they're looking to kind of uh you
[48:06] know, move forward with it, any any uh
[48:09] any homes or any businesses that would
[48:11] be affected would immediately get some
[48:13] sort of notice by mail or or or like
[48:16] that.
[48:16] >> By that time though, it's probably too
[48:18] late, right? I mean, by the time you get
[48:19] a notice that's just coming through your
[48:21] property, it's too late to change
[48:22] anything.
[48:23] >> No.
[48:24] Uh, no. So, like they would get an
[48:27] initial notice when the before the while
[48:30] the planning process is happening. So,
[48:31] nothing would be no uh right away would
[48:34] be kind of like uh bought yet or
[48:36] anything like that. It's more of their
[48:38] planning on seeing what is meant to be
[48:40] done there. So, that's when the initial
[48:42] notice will happen. Well, I was just
[48:43] wondering, one of my main questions was
[48:45] is uh maybe several property owners and
[48:48] farmers out there and they're going to
[48:49] lose quite a bit of their property and
[48:52] uh their their homes or whatever to
[48:54] this. And uh if enough of them
[48:57] complained that want you coming through,
[48:59] would that change the whole plan,
[49:01] everything, you could do that then?
[49:03] >> That was my main concern. It looks like
[49:05] it takes a lot of farmland out and a lot
[49:07] of homes too from some of these. I went
[49:09] back and looked at it the other night
[49:10] and uh it looked like it's going to be
[49:12] do a lot of lot of changing for people
[49:15] and if they're not aware of it ahead of
[49:17] time. I mean, this is the planning
[49:19] stages, but I'd want to know right now
[49:21] if it was possibility coming through my
[49:23] property, so if I didn't like it, I
[49:25] could, you know, do something about it.
[49:26] And
[49:27] >> and like I mentioned before, like for
[49:28] example, this bypass, it doesn't
[49:30] necessarily mean that there will be one,
[49:32] right? So they it might even move to
[49:34] maybe like improving another road that
[49:36] maybe could help the congestion within
[49:38] Albamaro. So at this point that's why
[49:41] the uh we have a public uh engagement
[49:43] more for like if there is a need for
[49:46] this that's what this plan stage is for
[49:48] if when uh when it gets submitted to
[49:51] prioritization right that's when it's
[49:53] kind of being submitted to compete with
[49:55] other projects for funding then Lee will
[49:57] come to the municipalities and the
[49:59] county to make sure that they are fine
[50:01] with the um you know with any projects
[50:04] moving forward uh to apply for funding
[50:08] but Again, that doesn't mean that that
[50:10] will be the design that will be
[50:12] occurring. Then once funding is
[50:14] >> I'm just as guilty as anybody, but the
[50:16] public hearings and stuff, you know, I
[50:18] kind of brush it off and then at the
[50:19] last minute, oh, I should have went to
[50:21] that public hearing, you know. So, uh,
[50:23] but that's probably won't be many here
[50:24] to speak tonight on this, but that's why
[50:26] I wanted to bring it up ahead of time if
[50:27] this was cut in stone now or what. So,
[50:31] if it's leeway to it, that that's fine.
[50:33] >> Yeah. and and just as just my time at
[50:35] DOT and and even today there there won't
[50:38] be any surprises. Everybody, every
[50:40] property owner would be well well, you
[50:42] know, advised. But I'll say it out loud
[50:45] in every project like whe you know
[50:49] roundabouts or even you know bypasses
[50:52] unfortunately somebody's going to some
[50:54] land's going to have to be taken. I mean
[50:56] or not I say not taken I mean you know
[50:58] everybody's going to be compensated
[51:00] fairly but um there will be impacts. So
[51:03] but that's unfortunately that's the price you pay for progress.
[51:10] Thank you very much. Any more questions
[51:12] from the commissioners?
[51:16] All right. At this time, I will uh open
[51:19] up a public hearing. Anyone here to
[51:22] speak for or against the comprehensive
[51:25] uh transportation plan that's presented
[51:27] tonight
[51:32] or against?
[51:34] I wish we had a map that we could throw
[51:36] up on so people could see.
[51:39] >> Uh it's it's on the slides right now.
[51:42] Okay, there you want me to
[51:45] >> that's that's all of Stanley County.
[51:46] >> Yeah, this is all of Stanley County. And
[51:48] like I mentioned, we went through every
[51:49] municipality to get their approval and they approved these as well.
[51:55] >> All right, hearing none, I will close
[51:57] the public hearing.
[52:00] Uh what's the pleasure of the board?
[52:09] I I'm kind of skeptical and I've talked
[52:13] I would like if it'd be okay to to
[52:15] reschedule this maybe for another
[52:17] meeting just table it for a while. Um
[52:20] that's not going to put any pressure on
[52:21] you guys.
[52:22] >> Um I I think we're looking to approve uh
[52:26] on the next uh RPO meeting. So and that
[52:28] one's not until what?
[52:29] >> November.
[52:30] So if you'd have us at next
[52:32] meeting We put that on our next our
[52:34] October.
[52:35] >> Okay. Yeah, we can do that.
[52:36] >> Okay.
[52:37] >> Yeah.
[52:38] >> Our next uh meeting is October 5th.
[52:42] >> So,
[52:43] >> oh, and uh feel free to email us with
[52:45] any questions or give us a call if if
[52:47] there's anything that comes up uh
[52:48] between
[52:49] >> you got a motion. Yeah, I'd like to make
[52:51] a motion to table it to our next
[52:52] meeting.
[52:53] >> All right. I have a motion to table the
[52:54] U CTP until our October the 5th meeting.
[52:58] Do I have a second?
[52:59] >> I second that.
[52:59] >> I have a second. Any discussion?
[53:03] All those in favor say I.
[53:05] >> Oppos. Motion carries. Just want to make
[53:07] sure everybody knows.
[53:08] >> Yeah, that's fine. No problem. And like Roger said, we're available in
[53:12] person or virtual. I mean, we can meet
[53:14] individually or as with the whole board
[53:17] anytime.
[53:17] >> Yep.
[53:18] >> Thank you.
[53:19] guys. Appreciate it.
[53:21] >> Our next item is item D, Westley Middle
[53:24] School addition uh budget amendment for
[53:26] design expenses. And our presenter is
[53:27] Mr. Excuse me, Dr. Dennis.
[53:34] Welcome Dr. Dennis. Good to see you
[53:36] guys.
[53:48] » Thank you, Chairman Eron, uh, members of
[53:49] the board. Um, so you were gracious
[53:52] enough to approve funding, help us build
[53:55] an addition to Westley Middle School,
[53:57] which is severely over capacity. I have
[53:59] the most updated proposal from our
[54:01] architect. Um, these architectural fees
[54:03] are also included and um, you guys have
[54:07] to approve a budget amendment. So, the
[54:09] county manager asked me to come to
[54:10] present. Do you have any questions?
[54:13] >> All right. Any questions for Dr. Dennis?
[54:17] >> You said updated proposal. So, the
[54:19] architect has changed the floor plans.
[54:22] >> No, no, I'm sorry. The the amount you
[54:25] guys approve up to was about $72,000. It
[54:27] went down a little bit. So they updated
[54:29] all their numbers.
[54:29] >> I'm sorry. I'm Forgive me. Yeah.
[54:32] >> The 700 and what?
[54:33] >> About $72,000. I have the exact number.
[54:36] >> 700. That's for the design.
[54:38] >> Yes. For everything for the cost of
[54:39] services you see on page two
[54:41] >> for them to design a new or you said an
[54:44] updated floor plan.
[54:46] >> No sir. They just updated the they
[54:49] updated the number that I I gave you a
[54:51] number of 702 roughly.
[54:52] >> Right. So the price went up.
[54:54] >> No, the price actually went down.
[54:55] >> Came down. Well, that's good. Yeah. And
[54:57] so that the
[54:58] >> $194,000 now is what?
[55:00] >> That's correct. Yes, sir.
[55:04] » All right.
[55:05] >> We got a 1.4
[55:08] million.
[55:17] » The total cost of the additional is 12
[55:21] million. Is that right?
[55:23] >> So you guys approved up to 12.2, too.
[55:25] But on this proposal, it's 10,333,000.
[55:30] » So it went down too.
[55:31] >> Yeah.
[55:32] >> Wow. So
[55:34] >> not to exceed 12.2 million.
[55:36] >> That's correct. Yes.
[55:38] >> Yeah,
[55:38] >> that's true.
[55:39] >> Got to be built first.
[55:40] >> So the design does not come out of the
[55:42] construction money.
[55:44] >> We're get you you're saying there was
[55:46] about 1.5 million that was reimburseable
[55:49] from the state I believe on the 12.2 2
[55:51] million and about a half a million of
[55:53] contingency in the original approval
[55:55] that you had.
[55:57] >> Do y'all have a lot of change orders
[55:59] where they come in and say, "Hey, we
[56:00] found out there's something and we're
[56:02] going to have to charge you more because
[56:04] we've got to move this pipe or we've got
[56:06] problems."
[56:07] >> Well, you've got contingency money built
[56:08] into it.
[56:09] >> You do?
[56:10] >> Yes.
[56:10] >> Okay. So, you won't I'm not saying you
[56:12] don't you know, so you won't be coming
[56:14] back and say, "Oh, man. We we forgot
[56:15] something."
[56:15] >> We didn't the last project, so we hope
[56:17] not to.
[56:18] >> Great. That's great. Any
[56:22] more questions?
[56:24] You know, I'm not
[56:27] Please understand that it's not our
[56:30] money. The money what we represent the
[56:34] people and the money that is presented,
[56:39] they're going to hold us accountable.
[56:41] >> Mhm.
[56:42] >> And they're going to hold you
[56:42] accountable,
[56:43] >> but they'll hold us accountable first.
[56:45] They say, "Well, you know, you you
[56:46] appropriated this money and I know you
[56:48] know all that."
[56:48] >> Yeah. if you know we try to study or
[56:52] research something I just want to you
[56:55] know see if somebody there's a lot of
[56:57] things going on there's a lot of times
[56:58] people can come in and I've seen this
[57:00] you know I I teach you know construction
[57:03] I teach architecture and floor plans and
[57:05] stuff and there's a lot and I'm not
[57:06] saying people's dishonest but I just
[57:08] want the reason that we try to
[57:12] have time say a month to look at
[57:15] something and know uh it just helps
[57:19] to to be able to say, "Okay, this is
[57:21] good. This is a good company. This is
[57:22] good." I know you not got that far, but
[57:24] that's if you if we struggle, it's I
[57:26] just I just want you to know it's not
[57:28] our money.
[57:28] >> Mhm.
[57:29] >> Okay,
[57:29] >> I understand. Thank you.
[57:33] >> Any other questions?
[57:36] >> Hearing none. What's the approval? I
[57:37] mean, what's the uh pleasure of the
[57:40] board?
[57:40] >> Mr. Chair, I'd like to make a motion uh
[57:43] that we approve the proposed budget
[57:45] amendment for the addition at Westley
[57:47] Middle School. All right. Thank you,
[57:48] Commissioner Crump. I have a motion. Do
[57:50] I have a second?
[57:52] >> Second. I'm sorry.
[57:55] Commissioner King. Any other questions
[57:58] or discussion?
[58:01] » Hearing none. All those in favor say I.
[58:03] >> I.
[58:03] >> Oppos. Motion carries. Seven.
[58:05] >> Thank you.
[58:06] >> Thanks, sir. Uh don't go nowhere. You're
[58:08] up again. School system needsbased uh
[58:11] school capital fund grant application.
[58:13] >> Yeah, we've uh
[58:14] >> match.
[58:14] >> Yeah. Thank you. We've applied for these
[58:16] before. This is just the Oakbra project.
[58:18] Uh very similar to the project that was
[58:20] on the last one. And um of course
[58:22] there's a match from the county of about
[58:24] 2.1 million uh on 42 million. So that
[58:28] puts it at 441.
[58:30] Um again much the same really updated a
[58:33] couple things and updated the pictures
[58:35] because we did fix that wall on the
[58:36] front. So any questions on that?
[58:40] >> Shows here that your application
[58:41] deadline is October 2nd. Is that
[58:43] >> Yeah, it's coming that fast.
[58:44] >> Yeah, it is. Mr. Chairman, I do have a
[58:46] question.
[58:46] >> Yes, sir. Yes, sir.
[58:47] >> The uh per square foot price went up.
[58:51] >> That's correct.
[58:52] >> Is this uh I think it's like $450 a
[58:57] square foot.
[58:58] >> I have to go back.
[58:58] >> I believe it was driven by concrete
[59:00] prices, Mr. Law. That's the architect
[59:02] reference.
[59:03] >> Is Is that a
[59:07] Is that just a budget price or could it
[59:11] possibly come in less than 450? a square
[59:15] foot.
[59:15] >> I guess it could really come either way
[59:17] depending on a lot of stuff, especially
[59:18] with the prices of steel, concrete like
[59:22] Mr. Liss mentioned, you know, of course
[59:24] it but it looks like the price of
[59:26] building just keeps going up too.
[59:28] >> The architect did reference to the board
[59:30] uh recently on the price of concrete
[59:32] that there is some risk out there of
[59:34] that price escalating. I can't recall
[59:37] exactly right off the top of my head
[59:38] what that risk was. Uh but in within
[59:41] that construction industry there is some risk for escalation there
[59:45] and there's substantial concrete within
[59:47] the building.
[59:49] >> The deadline is October 2nd. When do you
[59:51] look to hear something yes or no on
[59:53] that?
[59:54] >> Usually you'll hear by November. So yeah
[59:56] it's it's it's fairly quick
[59:58] >> but you're probably looking at 2028
[1:00:01] before
[1:00:02] >> so on the application there's a if it
[1:00:05] were approved today the commissioners
[1:00:06] approved it. We went to bid in May,
[1:00:09] started construction I think next
[1:00:10] August. We're in 2030. So, we're three
[1:00:12] and a half years out from today.
[1:00:14] >> Okay. All right. Thank you.
[1:00:16] >> Any more questions?
[1:00:17] >> Yeah. One. Go ahead.
[1:00:19] >> Um, is the $44 million is that a real
[1:00:21] number or, you know, we're going to get
[1:00:23] in this thing and it's going to be $65
[1:00:24] million and who covers that difference?
[1:00:26] I mean, understand the county's got a 5%
[1:00:28] match, but who's going to be on the hook
[1:00:30] for the the remainder of that's what
[1:00:31] worries me. Well, the numbers going to
[1:00:33] really um that'll be the depending
[1:00:37] variable on what you're looking how
[1:00:39] you're looking to build it. So, that
[1:00:40] would constrain and of course there
[1:00:42] could be talk with the county if we
[1:00:43] wanted to build a certain way. Would you
[1:00:44] want to put in money? But, you know,
[1:00:47] it's a lot of money and you know, it'll
[1:00:49] get you it'll get you far.
[1:00:53] » And we again, we won't know until we
[1:00:55] really start getting numbers. You get
[1:00:57] into the design phase, that's when you
[1:00:58] start learning price. Like, what do you
[1:01:00] want your building to look like? you
[1:01:01] want a Taj Mahal, you want this kind of
[1:01:04] building. Do
[1:01:04] >> you get to the design phase though
[1:01:06] before you commit to the money or how
[1:01:09] does that work? I mean, will we get to
[1:01:10] say, "Yay, we don't want to do that or
[1:01:12] >> Yeah, you you'll get into design and
[1:01:14] then yeah,
[1:01:17] >> yes.
[1:01:17] >> Yeah, there have been counties who
[1:01:20] reverted the money before for whatever
[1:01:21] reason. Um, it doesn't look good, of
[1:01:23] course, as you would know, but
[1:01:25] >> I think this, you know, going back to
[1:01:27] last year, uh, Mr. King uh the 44
[1:01:30] million which I think was 43 last year
[1:01:33] roughly uh is gets the classrooms that are needed there um to accommodate
[1:01:39] it kept the old gym uh and renovated
[1:01:42] that. So there's some there were some
[1:01:44] versus the original application proposal
[1:01:46] that came to the commissioner board. Uh
[1:01:48] this is more of a bare bones facility
[1:01:50] than you know previous but the county
[1:01:54] would have the the option at any time to
[1:01:58] uh add or take away any features of the
[1:02:01] school but uh to our understanding the
[1:02:04] this project cost as presented two years
[1:02:06] in a row is is very feasible.
[1:02:13] » It'll be a new Oakboro school under
[1:02:14] renovation onto the existing gym for
[1:02:16] community use.
[1:02:18] We looking to tear the whole the old
[1:02:19] school down completely and then
[1:02:21] >> be a replacement.
[1:02:22] >> Replace it.
[1:02:25] >> Demolition cost included.
[1:02:27] >> She's supposed to have all this cost in
[1:02:28] there. Yeah.
[1:02:29] >> Yeah. Demolition, uh, furniture,
[1:02:31] contingencies,
[1:02:33] uh, a lot of the planning cost, the
[1:02:34] surveying, a lot of the everything was
[1:02:37] built in. So unlike Anson County that
[1:02:40] built a school and forgot to furnish it,
[1:02:42] um, those types of forethought are put
[1:02:44] into the proposal.
[1:02:47] You said 3.5 years that
[1:02:50] >> Yes, sir.
[1:02:51] >> stuff will be more expensive then if it
[1:02:52] keeps going. I hope it goes down but you
[1:02:55] know maybe gas will go down. Uh the
[1:02:57] previous request on a needsbased grant
[1:02:59] in the past three years. So we don't
[1:03:02] have another meeting. We we have to
[1:03:04] decide tonight. So we really don't we're
[1:03:07] going to have to give you a decision
[1:03:09] tonight. And if if there it's like my
[1:03:12] students I try and I'm not fussing at
[1:03:14] you. Please don't think I'm fussing. It
[1:03:16] would help me if I had just a little bit
[1:03:18] of more time and you know to come in and
[1:03:21] not and just look and say okay this is
[1:03:23] good just like we tabled that last
[1:03:24] thing. If y if there's any way possible
[1:03:26] way that you think that and I we need
[1:03:28] this money no question if there's any
[1:03:31] possible way that you can make a
[1:03:33] presentation say two months earlier so
[1:03:36] that we can get you know you know what
[1:03:37] I'm saying the problem is the
[1:03:39] application doesn't come out it it does
[1:03:40] not give you much time
[1:03:41] >> it it opened August 17th
[1:03:43] >> you know what's going by the time they
[1:03:44] prepared the application
[1:03:45] >> that's going to happen next year right
[1:03:47] >> yeah but they ch they tweaked something
[1:03:48] like this year they tweaked it to where
[1:03:50] if you're if you focus on CTE that's
[1:03:52] another thing that can help you like if
[1:03:54] you make one of CTE type
[1:03:56] >> state has changed it every year.
[1:03:57] >> So they give you two weeks to come up
[1:03:59] with a
[1:04:00] >> they'll give you a heads up toward the
[1:04:02] end end of July that it's coming
[1:04:03] >> end of July
[1:04:04] >> and then they'll release it.
[1:04:05] >> By the time this application come out,
[1:04:07] it would not have been feasible to have
[1:04:08] the application at your announce
[1:04:10] meeting. We'd had to call a special call
[1:04:11] meeting. Y'all have the August meeting.
[1:04:13] >> Y'all have called spe special call
[1:04:14] meetings in the past.
[1:04:15] >> All I'm saying is it would really help
[1:04:17] us if we could just see it just a little
[1:04:18] bit earlier instead of, you know, right
[1:04:20] now we got to decide. Uh oh.
[1:04:24] >> Go ahead, Mark.
[1:04:24] >> I I got a question. I think it was last
[1:04:26] year we applied for the needsbased
[1:04:28] grant. Is that correct?
[1:04:29] >> And I think you came at about the same
[1:04:30] amount, 44
[1:04:32] >> for the Oak facility. Yes.
[1:04:34] >> And I thought that was also including uh
[1:04:36] additions to Weston Middle School.
[1:04:39] >> And and so now now that's completely
[1:04:43] separate. That's another 12 million. But
[1:04:46] um
[1:04:47] >> what I'm concerned about is
[1:04:48] >> $2 million grant, sir.
[1:04:50] >> I'm sorry.
[1:04:51] Last year, the commissioner board
[1:04:53] approved a $54.6 million project uh
[1:04:57] which was applying for a $42 million
[1:04:59] grant for Oakboro.
[1:05:01] >> Uh and the remaining 12.6 I believe it
[1:05:04] was for um West Middle.
[1:05:06] >> West West Middle and that included 2.6
[1:05:09] allocated a 5% match by the
[1:05:10] >> We only approved I think made off.
[1:05:15] >> And um of course it didn't matter
[1:05:17] because you didn't get the grand.
[1:05:18] >> It was 54.6. I pulled it before the
[1:05:20] meeting. That was what was approved by
[1:05:22] the commissioner board for the grant
[1:05:23] application
[1:05:24] >> because you able to loop in.
[1:05:25] >> I think Mr. Lahan made the motion to
[1:05:27] drop it to 25 million and
[1:05:30] >> is a $52 million grant. What we were
[1:05:33] trying to do last year um was take
[1:05:35] advantage uh to pocket for the taxpayer
[1:05:37] an extra $10 million by combining two
[1:05:40] projects. So each year the state comes
[1:05:43] up with their stipulation such as this
[1:05:45] year it's around CTE. So, we're we're
[1:05:47] taking the approach with the STEM school
[1:05:50] and the application to wrap that in
[1:05:52] there amongst all the other needs. Uh,
[1:05:54] but last year with the West Middle
[1:05:56] edition and the Oak Elementary School,
[1:06:00] because we were combining two, we could
[1:06:02] go for the middle school grant uh at 52
[1:06:05] million. Uh, and that's why your board
[1:06:08] approved 54.6. So, it's 52 plus 2.6 from
[1:06:12] the local taxpayer. That's a 5% match.
[1:06:15] Uh this year we since commissioner board
[1:06:18] approved 12.2 million I believe it was
[1:06:20] in June for the middle school uh we
[1:06:22] don't have that option. So we go down to
[1:06:25] um the the lower of the three which is
[1:06:28] the elementary school grant at 42
[1:06:30] million. If we were going for a high
[1:06:31] school uh that would be 62 million.
[1:06:37] » This is basically what we approved of to last year.
[1:06:40] >> Yes ma'am. But it's taking the the
[1:06:42] Westland Middle School out of the
[1:06:43] equation because we're already funding
[1:06:45] that.
[1:06:45] >> Yes, ma'am.
[1:06:46] >> And it drop it drops you down 10
[1:06:47] million.
[1:06:48] >> Drops you down to the small to the
[1:06:49] lesser of the grants.
[1:06:50] >> That's correct.
[1:06:50] >> Okay.
[1:06:51] >> Mr. Law Hunt, uh could I ask you a
[1:06:53] question? Didn't last year you make a
[1:06:55] proposal for a maximum of 25 million
[1:06:57] maximum grant on that.
[1:07:00] >> I don't recall that.
[1:07:02] >> I like
[1:07:02] >> you. You might you might be recalling
[1:07:06] something that I did, but
[1:07:07] >> we had a special call meeting in here.
[1:07:09] >> 25 million. I think it was instead of
[1:07:11] the 52.
[1:07:12] >> Uh-uh.
[1:07:13] >> That's two years ago.
[1:07:14] >> No,
[1:07:15] >> that was last year reduced, but it
[1:07:17] wasn't. It was still
[1:07:20] >> the full amount for the middle school
[1:07:21] and it was a lesser amount for the
[1:07:23] Westland because initially the Westley
[1:07:25] Middle was going to be like 25 million
[1:07:27] and we we had that reduce that amount um
[1:07:31] to really scale back the scope of that
[1:07:33] which they ultimately did and that's
[1:07:35] what you approved 12.2 2 and back in
[1:07:37] June the middle school the elementary
[1:07:40] school has always been 42
[1:07:42] >> will continue to be a choice STEM school
[1:07:45] when it's if it the new one
[1:07:47] >> yes no
[1:07:48] >> uh it's been discussed as the board to
[1:07:50] combine both uh very much like Indie
[1:07:52] where you have the choice option but
[1:07:54] you've got to district in I mean that's
[1:07:56] sort of the key is is districting in the
[1:07:58] growth um we've got Aquedale where
[1:08:00] Oakboro is districted to that's that's
[1:08:03] over 90
[1:08:03] >> I'm not talking about the growth I'm
[1:08:04] just wondering will the school continue
[1:08:06] to be a STEM.
[1:08:07] >> They'll have that option. Yes, sir.
[1:08:08] >> It's written in here to have a STEM
[1:08:09] focus.
[1:08:10] >> So, that means anyone from the county
[1:08:12] can come and put their child in that
[1:08:13] school if they need that certain
[1:08:15] program, right? Well, you might have to
[1:08:17] cap the program.
[1:08:18] >> Yeah. Sure.
[1:08:19] >> Yeah.
[1:08:19] Yeah.
[1:08:20] >> I'd like to ask middle school option.
[1:08:23] >> What's that, sir?
[1:08:23] >> Will it be K5?
[1:08:25] >> Yes, sir.
[1:08:25] >> So, it'll drop the middle school option.
[1:08:27] >> That's what the board has discussed so
[1:08:29] far. So, it it's the the elementary
[1:08:32] crowding of under the K3 class size law
[1:08:35] has been the ongoing issue at the
[1:08:36] elementary level in this county. Um
[1:08:40] that's, you know, nothing has been
[1:08:42] decided or voted on to by the board as
[1:08:45] far as K8 or um
[1:08:47] >> but if you take this money, does it
[1:08:48] stipulate that you have to drop the
[1:08:50] middle school out of that?
[1:08:52] >> No,
[1:08:52] >> it does not.
[1:08:53] >> No.
[1:08:54] >> Okay.
[1:08:54] >> No.
[1:08:56] I' I'd like to
[1:08:58] not to my knowledge don't mean much but
[1:09:01] uh I'd really like somebody to consider
[1:09:03] reopening Rich School. That would
[1:09:05] alleviate a whole lot of problems and I
[1:09:07] think we could do it a whole lot cheaper
[1:09:08] than what you guys are talking about.
[1:09:11] >> Well to address that I think everyone on
[1:09:13] the board continues to discuss Ridgerest
[1:09:15] and that's always an option. just
[1:09:17] referencing back to our 2022 and 2025
[1:09:19] demographic studies
[1:09:22] oper with the growth of Locust Stanfield
[1:09:25] that area um is situated to really
[1:09:30] capture all of that and to alleviate
[1:09:32] some of the elementary crowding that we
[1:09:34] have from that area. Um you got to think
[1:09:37] between the two studies 22 to 25
[1:09:39] Stanfield grew 25% in enrollment. Um
[1:09:43] they are all busting at the seams. Uh
[1:09:45] India is is approaching I think they
[1:09:47] were around 89 90% when I looked at the
[1:09:50] numbers recently.
[1:09:51] >> That's what you're talking about that
[1:09:53] bridgerrest would help alleviate a lot
[1:09:54] of that because you got a lot of those
[1:09:55] kids used to school in 23 years. I think
[1:09:58] a lot of construction's definitely
[1:09:59] needed in the county and a lot of
[1:10:00] renovation and hopefully this is just
[1:10:02] the start of it.
[1:10:04] What question about the number of
[1:10:05] students which has something to do with
[1:10:09] this but not entirely
[1:10:13] understand the total number of students
[1:10:15] enrolled
[1:10:18] 78 and a few is that correct
[1:10:22] >> it's like 86
[1:10:24] almost 87 86 and some change
[1:10:27] >> we got 78 I want to say 7820
[1:10:31] at our last EDC meeting
[1:10:34] >> and we ask please clarify that because
[1:10:36] yeah
[1:10:37] >> if that is the number of students
[1:10:39] systemwide
[1:10:41] >> then we decline by about four or five
[1:10:44] 600 students
[1:10:45] >> we decline by a little bit but not much
[1:10:48] we're about the same we were last year
[1:10:50] >> it's really a demographic shift Mr.
[1:10:52] Lawhan, we lose student in my experience
[1:10:54] on the board, we lose students in the
[1:10:56] northern end. Um, and really every end
[1:11:00] to to an extent except for the western
[1:11:03] end and uh South Almarl. Uh they
[1:11:05] >> I understand the over capacity at
[1:11:09] Western
[1:11:10] >> Stanley School, but we're under capacity
[1:11:15] at the Albam Mall
[1:11:18] and Northern South Stanley
[1:11:21] and you know comes back to my mind could we or at some point are you all
[1:11:28] going to do some redistricting? We had
[1:11:31] 8671 and that was with prek.
[1:11:36] >> Uh to directly answer your question from
[1:11:38] a board perspective, uh Mr. Lawan,
[1:11:40] that's continued to to to be looked at.
[1:11:43] This board looked at it last year. Um
[1:11:46] the remarks from in the study from the
[1:11:48] demographer were we're very much like
[1:11:51] Union County used to be where we're on the the cusp of not being able
[1:11:56] to keep our uh feeder patterns. So, for
[1:12:00] example, um there has been talk by some
[1:12:02] board members of of uh you know,
[1:12:05] redistricting the indie area to to the
[1:12:08] southern end. Um that was, you know, an
[1:12:12] option provided by the demographer.
[1:12:15] Um but you're exactly right that there
[1:12:17] are a lot of buildings uh out of the 23
[1:12:20] across the county that that are under
[1:12:22] capacity. Um, and with the demographic
[1:12:25] shift, it it begs other topics of
[1:12:28] conversation, and that's one of them.
[1:12:31] >> Is it true that the uh district, y'all
[1:12:34] know where Berles Square is, right? You
[1:12:37] know, there's a creek down below, you
[1:12:38] stay on 2427, you go down. Uh, do those
[1:12:42] students go to Indie or they don't they don't go to Air City Schools,
[1:12:47] right?
[1:12:47] >> There's some students up near First
[1:12:48] assembly to go to Indie. Yeah. And also,
[1:12:50] and you probably don't remember this,
[1:12:51] but the old air mall road drive-in.
[1:12:53] You're familiar with that. Y'all
[1:12:55] probably That's good that you're not.
[1:12:56] That's good. You got me on that.
[1:12:58] >> As you're going up the hill on West
[1:13:00] Main,
[1:13:00] >> okay.
[1:13:01] >> Uh, do the students there go to West or
[1:13:06] go to Indie and places?
[1:13:08] >> I mean, I I can pull the lines and look
[1:13:10] at it.
[1:13:10] >> Okay. I've got that. And they do.
[1:13:12] >> Okay.
[1:13:12] >> I think I've got Yeah, they do. Uh, why
[1:13:17] would students from Alamar that deep go
[1:13:20] to the West Stanley schools?
[1:13:22] >> Why would Sir, I would never have to
[1:13:25] drew the lines.
[1:13:25] >> I'm sorry.
[1:13:26] >> I was not here when they drew those
[1:13:27] lines.
[1:13:28] >> Okay.
[1:13:29] >> I'm not trying to not answer your
[1:13:30] question.
[1:13:30] >> No, there's there's been lots of options
[1:13:33] uh Mr. Mills presented by the
[1:13:35] demographers. Um,
[1:13:38] and it's a matter of whether the board,
[1:13:40] the county wants to keep clean feeder
[1:13:42] patterns as as we stand now. Uh, or if,
[1:13:45] for example,
[1:13:47] folks that live in Indie would, some may
[1:13:49] go to Almar Middle, some may go to South
[1:13:52] Middle. Um, again, the county is is on
[1:13:56] that cusp, right? um according to the
[1:13:59] professionals and that's something the
[1:14:01] county has to decide and that will
[1:14:02] certainly be decided after my time but
[1:14:05] um it is in the studies and has been
[1:14:06] discussed in public meetings.
[1:14:08] >> I was just wondering that it takes 5
[1:14:09] minutes to go to the Arma school but
[1:14:12] it'll take as much as 20 25 minutes to
[1:14:14] go to the school that they're attending.
[1:14:15] >> Yeah, they're they're old district
[1:14:16] lines. I mean I don't disagree with you
[1:14:18] at all. I I think it brings up a greater
[1:14:20] you know uh conversation I think that
[1:14:23] Mr. Lawa might may be referencing and I
[1:14:25] think you're saying without saying is uh
[1:14:27] with the demographic shift and a lot of
[1:14:29] buildings under capacity.
[1:14:32] If we're being fiscal conservative uh
[1:14:34] minded for the taxpayer then there
[1:14:36] should be some discussion on uh how do
[1:14:39] we not have so many buildings that we
[1:14:41] need to maintain and reach other
[1:14:43] buildings at capacity and that would
[1:14:45] involve redistricting.
[1:14:46] >> I know about West Stanley Middle School
[1:14:48] they have 10 classrooms in that
[1:14:50] renovation. Is that right? 10 classrooms
[1:14:53] is proposed. Just 10. That's already too
[1:14:55] small. If we build it today, it wouldn't
[1:14:57] be enough room. And a a school when you
[1:15:01] if you tear down an outside wall and
[1:15:04] connect to it, you have to go in and
[1:15:06] update. Just like in here, you know, see
[1:15:08] the water sprinklers, everything. If you
[1:15:11] tear a wall down and build onto it, you
[1:15:14] have to go in and change everything up
[1:15:16] to code. But if you build adjacent and you know, you got to think about
[1:15:21] student security. If you build adjacent
[1:15:23] to it and don't tear out that exterior
[1:15:25] wall, you don't have to update it. You
[1:15:27] only have to update what you're doing.
[1:15:29] So that's what happened to the Y. The Y
[1:15:30] is tearing down a wall. They're adding
[1:15:32] on. It took over almost $2 million just
[1:15:36] to update and get as water sprinklers.
[1:15:39] And see, if y'all can if your architect
[1:15:42] will do it and your principal knows more
[1:15:44] about that school and I'll tell you
[1:15:45] somebody else, the janitor knows I
[1:15:47] would. And I said, 'You need they need
[1:15:49] to be with that architect, your janitor
[1:15:52] or custodian and the principal, they
[1:15:54] need they're there every day. They
[1:15:56] breathe the air. They they're the ones
[1:15:59] that live there. The students do, too.
[1:16:01] And I know y'all do that. I know you do.
[1:16:03] I'm a teacher. I know you do. And I know
[1:16:05] that's why you have a great passion for
[1:16:06] it. I was just telling you and and you will have to you have a covered
[1:16:10] porch, but you will not have to take
[1:16:12] that money and update all the fixtures
[1:16:14] and everything else that's in that
[1:16:16] building like the Y did. It's just
[1:16:18] cheaper. I'm I'm always looking for not
[1:16:21] cheaper, but you know what I'm saying.
[1:16:23] Appreciate I know that they can't even
[1:16:25] go to the bathroom and change the
[1:16:26] classes. You know that, Mr. Dennis. They
[1:16:28] when they change classes, there's so
[1:16:30] many and they have restricted bathrooms
[1:16:32] that they have to stagger their rooms so
[1:16:35] that the kids can go to the bathroom
[1:16:36] because they don't have but like four
[1:16:39] fixtures. So they can't when they ring
[1:16:41] the bell and everybody changes classes.
[1:16:43] They can't ring the bell for seventh
[1:16:44] grade, eighth grade, and sixth grade.
[1:16:46] They have to ring ring the bell so that
[1:16:49] the sixth graders can go to the bathroom
[1:16:50] because there's not enough room for
[1:16:51] everybody to go to the bathroom. They're
[1:16:52] standing in line and they're late for
[1:16:53] class. Well, and that's been thought
[1:16:55] about in the addition as well. And
[1:16:57] without for all intents and purposes,
[1:16:58] that school was weren't really built to
[1:16:59] be a middle school, and that's run into
[1:17:00] some of the problems, too, cuz the
[1:17:02] classrooms that have the bathrooms in
[1:17:04] them, and when you get that age, you
[1:17:05] don't use the bathroom.
[1:17:06] >> I'm not trying to tell you how to do. I
[1:17:07] just know if you don't connect onto that
[1:17:09] next building, I mean, you got you have
[1:17:10] a breezeway, you have it's cheaper, less
[1:17:13] expensive, I should say.
[1:17:14] >> I think somebody else had a question.
[1:17:16] >> Dustin, I'm just encouraged that y'all
[1:17:18] are talking about the redistricting.
[1:17:19] Maybe conversations are going. I think
[1:17:21] there's a lot of people that would be
[1:17:23] encouraged by that conversation.
[1:17:25] >> I don't think that's
[1:17:27] >> Yeah. I mean, they're all tough
[1:17:28] decisions, I think, for for any board
[1:17:30] member regardless of your purview. But,
[1:17:32] um, there are some tough decisions I
[1:17:35] personally believe that have to be made
[1:17:36] in the county.
[1:17:37] >> Yeah. And some people just say, why
[1:17:38] don't you move this line, that line? You
[1:17:40] got to look at your population density.
[1:17:41] Moving a line,
[1:17:42] >> without these grants,
[1:17:44] >> all this is dead in water. So, we we we
[1:17:47] moved.
[1:17:47] >> And that's a great point, Mr. cuz you
[1:17:50] know I'm a fiscal conservative. I I want
[1:17:52] the taxpayer to pay as least as possible
[1:17:54] to get the maximum amount out of it. But
[1:17:57] the need doesn't go away from a county
[1:17:59] perspective even if we don't get the
[1:18:01] grant. Uh and even if we did, we're
[1:18:03] looking at 2030. I think Mr. Mills
[1:18:05] referenced the middle school being at
[1:18:06] capacity and we looked at a larger
[1:18:08] option. Um and it just felt it was going
[1:18:11] to be larger than the high school. Um
[1:18:14] but where the growth is uh there's a lot
[1:18:18] of conversations that have to happen
[1:18:20] between the buildings uh and between re
[1:18:22] where the lines are sitting. Um and and
[1:18:25] somehow between the state and the
[1:18:27] county. We we have got to begin to
[1:18:29] addressing this over the next two
[1:18:30] decades. Uh cuz we're a little behind on
[1:18:33] it.
[1:18:33] >> And they need science labs at West
[1:18:35] Middle. And when you put a permanent
[1:18:38] fixture just like these chairs out here,
[1:18:40] you can move them. You can put more
[1:18:42] students in a room where the the the
[1:18:45] chairs move, but if you put permanent
[1:18:47] fixtures like a auditorium, you can't
[1:18:49] get as many students because those
[1:18:50] chairs won't move. And when people start
[1:18:52] going to the exits trying to get away
[1:18:54] and just like in a a biology room, they
[1:18:56] need a sink. They need Brunson burners
[1:18:59] and and that that room can't be as big
[1:19:00] and it can't hold as many students. But
[1:19:02] we need to hold students. So I what is
[1:19:05] it 700 feet for middle school? I mean
[1:19:07] ballpark you got to have 700 square
[1:19:09] feet. Is that
[1:19:11] >> 700 feet?
[1:19:12] That's how much a classroom
[1:19:14] >> for a room. Oh,
[1:19:14] >> yeah. For a room.
[1:19:15] >> Well, DPI, they've gone higher than that
[1:19:17] now. DPI, what they recommend and what
[1:19:19] you can build are two different things.
[1:19:20] It's just
[1:19:20] >> Yeah, it depends if it's a elementary or
[1:19:22] middle school.
[1:19:23] >> They want higher than that.
[1:19:24] >> Yeah, cuz the bodies are You can't have
[1:19:26] kindergarteners and first grade and
[1:19:28] second grade climbing steps. So, you got
[1:19:31] to have a level. They can't go up steps.
[1:19:33] I know that.
[1:19:34] >> Yeah. The little kids cannot go up
[1:19:35] steps. That's correct.
[1:19:37] >> All right. Thanks, sir.
[1:19:39] Commissioners, anything else?
[1:19:43] >> All right. What's pleasure board?
[1:19:49] » We're going to submit the grant
[1:19:51] >> 5%
[1:19:52] >> for the for the needs space grant.
[1:19:53] >> Yes.
[1:19:54] >> Yeah.
[1:19:54] >> What's our total?
[1:19:56] >> We would have to pay 2.1
[1:19:58] >> 2.1 to get if they're approved to get
[1:20:02] >> 44
[1:20:04] >> 42 million And your 2.1 makes it 44.1,
[1:20:08] right? Okay.
[1:20:09] >> 2 million1
[1:20:11] county.
[1:20:12] >> It's a 5% match.
[1:20:14] >> 5%.
[1:20:15] >> I'm going just This is just me again. I
[1:20:18] don't see if we're going to pay $2
[1:20:20] million to get $40 million.
[1:20:23] And it's not a loan. Now, we don't have
[1:20:26] the We haven't received it yet,
[1:20:28] >> but I Okay. If we get the 42 million,
[1:20:30] that should open up some of y'all's
[1:20:32] existing expense that we could go in and
[1:20:34] open Ridgerest possibly, right? If we
[1:20:36] get the 42 million,
[1:20:38] >> I think all options are on the table. I the board continues to discuss
[1:20:41] Ridgerest and uh there's been a lot of
[1:20:43] progress on that front.
[1:20:44] >> This would absolutely help you in your
[1:20:46] expenses to get that 42 million, then
[1:20:48] you could do something even better at
[1:20:51] Ridgerest possibly.
[1:20:54] >> Well, the 42 has to go to towards the
[1:20:56] project.
[1:20:57] >> Sure.
[1:20:57] >> Yeah. Yeah, but you've got you know you
[1:21:00] just like we did the 12
[1:21:01] >> the school board is always welcoming
[1:21:03] commissioner funds if you're proposing
[1:21:06] >> 12.5 million. So
[1:21:08] >> if you have a proposal I'd love to hear
[1:21:10] the motion
[1:21:10] >> field west middle school.
[1:21:12] >> What's that?
[1:21:12] >> Commissioner Mills was a motion in there
[1:21:14] somewhere.
[1:21:15] >> Yeah, I'll make a motion
[1:21:18] in these schools. They
[1:21:20] some of them don't even have water
[1:21:22] running water at the sinks and the
[1:21:25] maintenance is hard.
[1:21:29] We we've got to do this for our kids,
[1:21:32] our teachers,
[1:21:34] they we've got if this if they'll give
[1:21:37] us the money and we only spend two I
[1:21:40] mean I don't understand why we that's to
[1:21:43] me that's a no-brainer. That's I mean
[1:21:45] I'm I'm biased.
[1:21:46] >> We haven't gone to the discussion phase
[1:21:47] of that yet, Mr. Mills. No, I have a
[1:21:49] motion on the floor. Do I have a second?
[1:21:51] >> Second.
[1:21:52] >> All right, I have a second. All right,
[1:21:53] now we're in discussion phase, sir.
[1:21:56] Anything else?
[1:21:58] I I'm I'm still going to push for
[1:22:00] Ridgerest. I think it's a waste. It
[1:22:02] should have never been closed to start
[1:22:04] with, and I know there's some members on
[1:22:06] that board that won't ever want
[1:22:07] Ridgerest open back up. And I think
[1:22:10] that's a shame. I think it's doing
[1:22:11] injustice to the kids, not only to the
[1:22:13] community out there. And uh not
[1:22:18] You know, I I think getting 42 million
[1:22:20] for 1 point or 2.1 million is a deal,
[1:22:23] but unless we look at it and spend it
[1:22:26] wisely, it's no deal. And so that I I've
[1:22:30] got a hard job to decide if I want to
[1:22:32] vote for this or not because the school
[1:22:35] system is not wanted to work with us on
[1:22:38] any of the buildings that we've looked
[1:22:39] at, maybe reuse for sheriff's department
[1:22:41] or whatever. Uh I I feel like every time
[1:22:44] we try to bend over backwards to help
[1:22:46] the school system, then y'all buck up
[1:22:48] and don't help us. And so uh you know
[1:22:52] that that affects a lot of my decision
[1:22:55] making is when if you don't want to work
[1:22:57] with me, why should I work with you?
[1:22:59] >> You're working for the taxpayer, sir.
[1:23:00] >> I look at all right. Any other
[1:23:03] questions?
[1:23:04] >> Discussion.
[1:23:06] >> Yes, sir.
[1:23:07] >> My concern is the money. I mean, like I
[1:23:08] said, if you get in the 42 million and
[1:23:10] you're only paying two, but look at
[1:23:12] Indie. We said started out that project
[1:23:14] was going to be 3 million and I think
[1:23:15] now it's north of 6 million. My thing is
[1:23:18] if you get this money and it comes back
[1:23:19] and say it's $65 million and the county
[1:23:21] says we can't do that. That's going to predetermine probably
[1:23:25] never get a chance another grant. And
[1:23:27] that's what concerns me is that we're
[1:23:28] not seeing the real numbers for the Oak
[1:23:30] Elementary School that we're saying this
[1:23:32] 44 million, but in theory and only in
[1:23:35] theory, but we've not seen any I don't
[1:23:37] think there's any concrete numbers to
[1:23:39] support $44 million. My concern when you
[1:23:41] tear down the old school and build it
[1:23:42] back.
[1:23:45] Any more discussion?
[1:23:48] All right, we have a motion and a
[1:23:49] second. All those in favor say I.
[1:23:51] >> I.
[1:23:54] >> Motion carries 52. Thank you, sir.
[1:23:56] >> Thank you.
[1:24:05] » Uh would it be okay? We're going to take
[1:24:06] a fivem minute recess.
[1:29:53] Next item is the volunteer a district uh
[1:29:55] board appointments and our presenter is
[1:29:56] Mr. Chester Louderder, chair of the
[1:29:58] voluntary a district board. Chester,
[1:30:00] good to see you, sir.
[1:30:01] >> Yes, sir. Good evening, commissioners.
[1:30:02] And thank you for the job you do.
[1:30:05] >> I told Bill I had some flashbacks done
[1:30:08] before, right? Yes, sir.
[1:30:09] >> Exactly.
[1:30:10] uh bring three uh recommendations for uh
[1:30:14] members of the board. Elaine Moore who
[1:30:16] lives on Mountain View Church Road
[1:30:19] Alamar and Leon Honeyut uh Stanfield and
[1:30:24] myself to be uh members appointed to the
[1:30:28] voluntary act district board. And I've
[1:30:30] got a horse voice. I mo mowed yesterday
[1:30:32] and I've been having to battle this for
[1:30:35] the last little while.
[1:30:38] All right. Any questions for Mr. Louder?
[1:30:43] » What's the pleasure of the board?
[1:30:47] >> All right. I have a motion to reappoint
[1:30:49] Chester Louder, Leon Honeyut, and Miss
[1:30:52] Moore.
[1:30:53] >> Second.
[1:30:55] Any discussion?
[1:30:58] All those in favor say I.
[1:31:00] >> Oppos. Thank you, sir, for your
[1:31:02] willingness to serve. Motion carries.
[1:31:03] Seven motion.
[1:31:04] >> Thank you.
[1:31:06] get caught up here on my
[1:31:09] >> Yeah, I had to change uh this packet so
[1:31:12] big I had to change emails now.
[1:31:16] >> All right. Now,
[1:31:18] hold on, Mr. Louderder.
[1:31:24] » All right. Next item is voluntary a
[1:31:26] district application. Again, our
[1:31:28] presenter is Mr. Chester Louder.
[1:31:30] >> Yes, sir. Uh we have a a application
[1:31:34] from Jeremy W. Morgan, trustee, and the
[1:31:39] property is on 44105
[1:31:43] Danville Road, New London. It's a small
[1:31:46] track of land, but they're wanting to
[1:31:48] put it into the voluntary act district.
[1:31:52] >> Okay. Any questions for Mr. L
[1:31:55] >> and it comes as a recommendation from
[1:31:57] the board.
[1:31:58] >> Okay. All right. Thank you, sir.
[1:32:02] hearing. None. What's the pleasure of
[1:32:04] the board?
[1:32:04] >> I make a motion to approve it.
[1:32:06] >> Second.
[1:32:06] >> I have a motion by Commissioner Burby
[1:32:08] and I have a second by Commissioner
[1:32:10] Mills. Any discussion?
[1:32:12] >> All those in favor say I.
[1:32:14] >> I.
[1:32:15] >> That motion carries also said Mo. Thank
[1:32:17] you, Mr. L.
[1:32:21] » All right. Next item is the grant
[1:32:23] application for the West Stanley water
[1:32:26] feed project and our presenter, Mr.
[1:32:28] Clinton Henson. Clinton, good to see
[1:32:30] you, sir.
[1:32:31] >> Hey, good to see you, Scott. Thanks, Mr.
[1:32:33] Chairman, commissioners. Uh,
[1:32:35] >> come see you tonight to uh get approval
[1:32:37] of a resolution to apply for grant funds
[1:32:40] for the fall funding for the viable
[1:32:41] utilities in the state revolving fund uh
[1:32:44] with the state of North Carolina. Uh we
[1:32:47] got word, what was that a week or so
[1:32:48] ago, Andy, that they cut the funding for
[1:32:50] the spring. They gave out no money at
[1:32:53] all this spring. So, they told us to
[1:32:54] reapply for the fall. So, that is what
[1:32:56] I'm here to do. And this is again for
[1:32:58] the West Waste, not wastewater, sorry,
[1:33:00] West Water feed project. Um, and as you
[1:33:03] know, that's to connect our current
[1:33:05] Millingport booster station to tie back
[1:33:06] into the western part of the county for
[1:33:08] a redundant second feed uh of water
[1:33:10] supply for the western part of the
[1:33:12] county. Um, and this will be the same
[1:33:14] grant we applied for back in the spring.
[1:33:16] Like I said, it was cut the funding and
[1:33:18] we're just reapplying for the fall
[1:33:19] round.
[1:33:21] >> What was the U total on that? The total
[1:33:24] estimate for the project is 8.9 million
[1:33:27] but the funds were up to up to five
[1:33:29] million is available.
[1:33:31] >> Okay.
[1:33:32] >> Any questions for Clinton?
[1:33:35] >> Hearing none. What's pleasure of the
[1:33:36] board?
[1:33:49] You're applying uh for a grant that
[1:33:54] they didn't release any funds in the
[1:33:55] spring. This is the fall grant. Yes. The
[1:33:57] same application we approved back in
[1:33:58] spring.
[1:33:59] >> Exact same application. It's just for
[1:34:00] the fall funding round instead of the
[1:34:02] spring. They uh
[1:34:03] >> they cut funding for the spring round.
[1:34:04] The state did.
[1:34:05] >> What was the cost to the taxpayers on
[1:34:07] this?
[1:34:09] >> There there's no there's there's no
[1:34:10] cost. This is just application for to
[1:34:13] >> going to be running an adjacent water
[1:34:14] line to help. This is going to be done a
[1:34:17] redundant second fee for the west part
[1:34:18] of county. Right now we don't have a
[1:34:19] single fee going in.
[1:34:21] >> Clinton, I'm um I'll make a motion to
[1:34:23] approve the 8.9 million
[1:34:25] >> for the grant.
[1:34:26] >> It's for the grant. Yeah. Request for
[1:34:28] the
[1:34:28] >> resolution involved. It's just
[1:34:29] >> it's a resolution to apply for the
[1:34:30] funds.
[1:34:31] >> Yes. It's just simply to apply.
[1:34:32] >> I have a motion and a second. Any
[1:34:34] discussion?
[1:34:37] Hearing none. All those in favor say I.
[1:34:40] >> Oppos. Motion carries mo. Thank you,
[1:34:42] Clinton.
[1:34:43] >> Thank you.
[1:34:46] All right. Next item is
[1:34:49] fiscal year 28 North Carolina Department
[1:34:52] uh five, excuse me, 5310 capital
[1:34:55] purchase of service grant public hearing
[1:34:58] and the program resolution and our
[1:35:00] presenter, Miss Pamela Sola.
[1:35:03] >> Good evening, Chair Manford and members
[1:35:04] of the board. Thank you for your time.
[1:35:06] I'm here on behalf of senior services to
[1:35:08] discuss funding opportunity that ensures
[1:35:10] older adult residents remain connected
[1:35:12] for essential care. We're seeking
[1:35:14] approval for $60,000 through the NC DOT
[1:35:17] 5310 capital purchase of service grant.
[1:35:20] It's a mouthful. Um for FY28, these
[1:35:24] funds are dedicated specifically to
[1:35:25] supporting transportation services for
[1:35:27] Stanley County residents who are aged 65
[1:35:30] and older. Transportation is one of the
[1:35:32] most significant barriers for seniors
[1:35:34] when they're facing and trying to
[1:35:36] maintain their independence and health.
[1:35:37] So, by combining the $60,000 grant with
[1:35:40] our existing HCCBG funding, we can help
[1:35:43] guarantee our older adults have reliable
[1:35:46] access to medical appointments and vital
[1:35:48] aging services. Tonight, we're asking to
[1:35:50] hold a public hearing to receive
[1:35:52] community comments regarding the FY28 NC
[1:35:54] DOT 5310 grant as well as your approval
[1:35:58] for the grant application and the
[1:35:59] associated program resolution, which
[1:36:01] officially authorizes senior services to
[1:36:03] pursue the transportation funding. I'm
[1:36:06] happy to answer any questions you might
[1:36:07] have regarding this grant or our
[1:36:09] transportation programs.
[1:36:10] >> All right. Thank you, Pamela. Any
[1:36:12] questions for Pamela?
[1:36:17] » All right. At this time, I will open a
[1:36:18] public hearing to receive comments
[1:36:20] regarding the fiscal year NC DOT 5310
[1:36:23] grant applications.
[1:36:26] Anyone here to speak for or against?
[1:36:34] Miss Bennett, I see you smiling back
[1:36:35] there.
[1:36:37] >> I'm full.
[1:36:41] >> All right, I will close the public
[1:36:42] hearing. What's the pleasure of the
[1:36:44] board?
[1:36:49] » I'll make a motion that we approve the
[1:36:51] grant.
[1:36:52] >> All right. I have a motion by
[1:36:53] Commissioner Mills. Do I have a second?
[1:36:54] >> Second.
[1:36:54] by Vice Chair Malan. Any
[1:36:57] discussion?
[1:37:02] Hearing none. All those in favor say I.
[1:37:04] >> I.
[1:37:04] >> Oppos.
[1:37:05] >> Motion carries. Say no. Thank you.
[1:37:07] >> Thank you for your continued support.
[1:37:12] » All right. Next item is a CR26-02
[1:37:17] conditional reszoning request by Jonah
[1:37:19] Morgan, Miss Bailey Klein. Hello Bailey.
[1:37:23] >> Good evening. Hey, how are you?
[1:37:24] >> Good. Well, hope you are
[1:37:26] >> uh better than I deserve.
[1:37:30] >> Okay, let's see. Let me get myself
[1:37:32] situated.
[1:37:35] Mr. Chairman, members of the board,
[1:37:37] thank you for having me tonight. The
[1:37:39] first item that I have before you is a
[1:37:40] conditional reszoning request. And this
[1:37:42] is request um from Jonah Morgan. He's
[1:37:45] requesting a conditional reszoning of a
[1:37:46] 6 acre portion of an approximately 17
[1:37:49] acre track that's located on Kendall
[1:37:50] Church Road out in New London. The
[1:37:53] request is to conditionally resone the
[1:37:54] property where it is currently county RA
[1:37:56] which is residential agricultural to
[1:37:58] county M1 which is a conditional
[1:38:00] district for light manufacturing in
[1:38:02] order to allow for the facility
[1:38:04] manufacturing metal parts and machinery.
[1:38:07] I'll stay on this screen for a second
[1:38:08] while I go through my spill and then I
[1:38:10] have other maps that I'm going to share
[1:38:11] with you all.
[1:38:13] Um Jonah Morgan like I said is
[1:38:15] requesting this conditional resentment
[1:38:16] on this 6acre portion of what's
[1:38:18] currently this 17acre track. The 17
[1:38:20] acres is outlined completely in this
[1:38:22] blue section right here. And this is
[1:38:24] that six acre portion that's in that
[1:38:26] yellow. This is to accommodate for a
[1:38:29] proposed business um that will be a
[1:38:30] facility for manufacturing of metal
[1:38:32] parts and machinery. This parcel is
[1:38:34] currently vacant. Included is a list of
[1:38:36] conditions that the proposed business
[1:38:38] will operate under as well as a site
[1:38:40] plan with the approximate locations of
[1:38:41] the buildings and the driveway. The
[1:38:43] building will be located at least 100 ft
[1:38:45] from Kendall Church Road as well as
[1:38:47] located at least 50 ft from the RA
[1:38:49] zoning district. A proposed site plan
[1:38:52] has been included and shows also the
[1:38:53] location of the driveway in the
[1:38:55] buildings. The location of these
[1:38:56] buildings on site are subject to this
[1:38:58] change depending on environmental health
[1:38:59] requirements for well and septic as well
[1:39:01] as any requirements that the Stanley
[1:39:03] County Fire Marshall may have for access
[1:39:05] of emergency vehicles. This property is
[1:39:07] located within the rural preservation
[1:39:09] area and I'll move on. Um I'll go
[1:39:12] through this just a little. So this is
[1:39:14] the RA. Um this green area you see this
[1:39:17] is the RA zoning district and obviously
[1:39:19] this is where that sits. Um and across
[1:39:21] this street here is county M2 and that's
[1:39:23] where the cotton gin um is.
[1:39:26] Um the rolling hills cotton gin is
[1:39:28] currently zone heavy um manufacturing
[1:39:30] which is M2. The property um is about
[1:39:33] one mile from the countyy's secondary
[1:39:34] growth area and approximately 1 and a
[1:39:36] half mile from the town of New London's
[1:39:38] ETJ. An 8-oot privacy fence will be
[1:39:40] required on property lines adjoining the
[1:39:42] residential zoning district unless the
[1:39:44] adjoining property owners write um a
[1:39:46] written letter saying that they prefer
[1:39:48] not to have one. The remaining portion
[1:39:50] of the property will stay residential
[1:39:52] agricultural. Um these conditions
[1:39:53] included have been reviewed and agreed
[1:39:55] upon by Mr. Morgan and the planning
[1:39:57] board unanimously approved this request
[1:39:59] at their August 10th meeting. Like I
[1:40:01] said, this is the current zoning map.
[1:40:03] So, as you can see, this lighter portion
[1:40:04] is the RA. Um this is where the cotton
[1:40:07] gin currently is and this is where that
[1:40:10] proposed um facility would go. This is
[1:40:13] the um land use plan map. So this green
[1:40:16] area that you see that's the rural
[1:40:18] preservation area. Um this is the
[1:40:20] secondary growth area here as you can
[1:40:22] tell and then that primary growth area.
[1:40:23] It's a little hard to tell on this map
[1:40:25] but there is a shaded color difference.
[1:40:27] And then here is New London. Like I
[1:40:29] said, they're approximately a mile from
[1:40:31] the growth area and then about a mile
[1:40:34] and a half but as the crow flies from
[1:40:36] New London.
[1:40:38] This is the current site plan. Now,
[1:40:40] please be aware that they would have to
[1:40:42] submit an engineered site plan when it
[1:40:44] came to plan review. That's for building
[1:40:46] inspections, fire marshall, and planning
[1:40:48] and zoning to all review. So, it would
[1:40:50] have to be drawn accurately to scale by
[1:40:52] an engineer when they submitted plans.
[1:40:54] Um, but a lot of times when it comes to,
[1:40:56] you know, any reasonzoning requests,
[1:40:57] they prefer not to obviously spend all
[1:40:59] of that money for a site plan that they
[1:41:01] may not get to use. Um, obviously any
[1:41:03] through traffic, anything of that nature
[1:41:05] would have to be approved by the Stanley
[1:41:07] County Fire Marshall. Um, so that is
[1:41:09] also subject to change. The property has
[1:41:12] been looked at by a soil scientist, but
[1:41:14] it has not gotten a proper perk test
[1:41:16] done by environmental health. So the
[1:41:18] location of the buildings may change
[1:41:19] depending on that but from my
[1:41:21] understanding from the sole scientists
[1:41:23] it is good so soul so they don't
[1:41:25] necessarily see an issue um with the
[1:41:27] proposed layout. You can see where that
[1:41:29] vegetative buffer would be and then
[1:41:31] obviously the main building as well and
[1:41:33] future expansion of the buildings.
[1:41:36] These are the conditions um that are
[1:41:39] currently attached to this resoning. So
[1:41:40] the only allowed use of the facility
[1:41:42] would be for the manufacturing of metal
[1:41:44] parts and machinery. Um, on that I'd
[1:41:46] like to add that the applicant John
[1:41:47] Morgan, he does work for the cotton gin
[1:41:49] across the street also. So, he would
[1:41:51] also be performing work for them as
[1:41:53] well. The manufacturing facility shall
[1:41:55] be confined to only the 6acre portion of
[1:41:57] the property that has um that is
[1:42:00] requested to be resone to the
[1:42:01] conditional M1. There shall be no more
[1:42:03] than one building on the property not
[1:42:05] exceeding 12,000 ft and two additional
[1:42:07] buildings not exceeding 8,000 square ft.
[1:42:09] The building shall be located at least
[1:42:11] 100 ft from Kindle Church Road and 50 ft
[1:42:13] from all other conditional district
[1:42:15] boundary lines. There shall be an 8-ft
[1:42:17] privacy fence constructed along all
[1:42:19] adjoining residentially zoned property
[1:42:21] in lie of a vegetative buffer and this
[1:42:23] will be required unless written notices
[1:42:25] submitted from the adjoining property
[1:42:26] owners that they prefer no privacy
[1:42:28] screening. 152 ft wall sign will be
[1:42:31] permitted that can be illuminated. They
[1:42:33] preferred not to have um roadside
[1:42:36] signage um because they prefer more so
[1:42:38] to be hidden than right on the road from
[1:42:40] my understanding. All outside lighting
[1:42:42] for the building will be will be cut off
[1:42:44] style fixtures and that just means that
[1:42:45] it won't illuminate the sky. The any
[1:42:47] lighting that they do on the outside of
[1:42:48] the building will only shine down and
[1:42:50] there will be one parking space per
[1:42:52] employee per employee, excuse me, plus
[1:42:54] four additional parking spaces. These
[1:42:57] are the conditions that were approved at
[1:42:58] the planning board meeting. Obviously,
[1:43:00] you all have the ability um to ask for
[1:43:02] some of those to be amended or changed
[1:43:03] or removed um with the agreement by the
[1:43:06] applicant. I am happy to answer any
[1:43:09] questions um that you all may have. The
[1:43:10] only other comment that I was going to
[1:43:12] make, I'm going to go back to this
[1:43:13] zoning map really quick. Um just in case
[1:43:16] it comes up, you know, the question of
[1:43:18] is this spot zoning, you know, per North
[1:43:21] Carolina. Um and no, not I would say no
[1:43:25] because spot zoning it is only illegal
[1:43:27] if it's not reasonable. and reasonable
[1:43:29] meaning that it's nearby other
[1:43:30] adjacently zoned property that's similar
[1:43:32] in nature as far as what the current use
[1:43:35] of those parcels are. Um so I would not
[1:43:37] consider this to be spot zone of any
[1:43:39] kind and I made sure of that also with
[1:43:41] the school of government. Um like I said
[1:43:43] I'm happy to answer any questions that
[1:43:45] you all may have of me.
[1:43:46] >> Okay. Any questions for Bailey?
[1:43:50] >> Know it says are going to be
[1:43:52] manufacturing metal parts.
[1:43:53] >> Yes, sir.
[1:43:54] >> Type metal parts. There going to be a
[1:43:55] lot of noise. There's going to be
[1:43:57] 24-hour shifts. What?
[1:43:59] >> From my understanding, it will just be
[1:44:01] normal hours 8 to 5. They didn't prefer
[1:44:03] to put um hours of operation on there in
[1:44:05] case they do have to work on the
[1:44:06] weekend, but my understanding it will
[1:44:08] not create much noise um from the road
[1:44:11] or nearby
[1:44:12] >> large metal pieces. I mean, I'm just
[1:44:14] trying to get a picture of what they're
[1:44:16] going to be manufacturing there. I think
[1:44:18] >> Mr. Morgan's here. He could probably
[1:44:19] answer those when he come up.
[1:44:20] >> Yeah.
[1:44:21] >> And the surrounding properties are also
[1:44:24] owned by the same um family, I believe,
[1:44:26] as well. And the nearest home, um, I
[1:44:28] don't believe you can see it on this
[1:44:29] map, but it is up this way. There's a
[1:44:31] building here, but there's a home nearby
[1:44:33] over here that I believe is around 2500t
[1:44:35] away, I think, when I measure.
[1:44:37] >> Any question? Any more questions for
[1:44:39] Bailey?
[1:44:42] » All right, Bailey. Thank you very much.
[1:44:44] >> Thank you.
[1:44:44] >> At this time, I will open the public
[1:44:46] hearing. Anyone here to speak for or
[1:44:48] against this project? Mr. Morgan, I
[1:44:51] think you had signed up to speak. Would
[1:44:52] you like to come up and
[1:44:57] clarify uh Mr. Barbie's question?
[1:45:01] Clarify, but answer it.
[1:45:04] >> Thank you, commissioners. Um, we'll be
[1:45:06] manufacturing machine parts, welded
[1:45:08] parts, fabricated parts. Uh, be an
[1:45:10] insulated building with closed doors,
[1:45:12] heating and air condition, and shouldn't
[1:45:14] hear any noise.
[1:45:15] >> There going to be no noise or anything.
[1:45:17] No pollution getting out. People are
[1:45:18] going to complain about.
[1:45:19] >> No. No. Should be good.
[1:45:25] » Anybody have any questions for Mr.
[1:45:27] Morgan?
[1:45:29] >> Thank you, sir. Anyone else here to
[1:45:31] speak for or against?
[1:45:36] » Hearing none, I will declare the public
[1:45:38] hearing closed.
[1:45:40] >> What's the pleasure of the board?
[1:45:43] >> Uh, Mr. Chairman, I'll make a motion
[1:45:44] that we accept the proposal as Miss
[1:45:47] Bailey presented. If you would, uh,
[1:45:51] Commissioner Mills, if you would either
[1:45:52] go to page 18 or page 103,
[1:45:55] >> additional request that
[1:45:56] >> read the suggested language.
[1:45:58] >> Okay.
[1:46:00] >> Josh Morgan, 17 acre track.
[1:46:03] >> Nope. Going further down.
[1:46:05] >> I think it's page either 18 or 103. I'm
[1:46:08] not
[1:46:16] » move to I move this board to approve the
[1:46:19] M1 condition reszone. Yes, sir. That's
[1:46:21] it.
[1:46:21] >> M1 condition proposal.
[1:46:25] >> All right. for a 6acre portion of 17
[1:46:27] acre track located at Kendall Valley uh
[1:46:30] Kendall's Church Road because the
[1:46:32] request is consistent with the 2040
[1:46:34] Stanley County comprehensive land use
[1:46:36] plan and is application has agreed to
[1:46:39] meet all conditions. All right, I have a
[1:46:42] motion. Do I have a second?
[1:46:43] >> Second.
[1:46:44] >> Um
[1:46:45] >> I don't care.
[1:46:45] >> All right.
[1:46:47] I got a motion. So I got a second by
[1:46:49] Commissioner Hatley. Any discussion?
[1:46:53] All those in favor say I.
[1:46:55] >> I.
[1:46:55] >> Oppos. Motion carries. Same vote. Thank
[1:46:58] you very much. Uh, next item
[1:47:02] is ZA 2602. So, R20
[1:47:06] reszone request for by Gerald and Brenda
[1:47:09] Honeyut.
[1:47:12] Bailey, you up.
[1:47:15] >> Mr. Chairman, members of the board, I'm
[1:47:17] going to move to the next item. Um, this
[1:47:21] is ZA20602 and this is a request for a
[1:47:24] reszoning of an approximately 65 acre
[1:47:26] track. It's currently zoned county
[1:47:28] highway business and they are requesting
[1:47:30] that it be zoned county R20 um in order
[1:47:32] to use their land for livestock and
[1:47:34] agricultural purposes. I'm going to go
[1:47:36] ahead and move to this aerial map that
[1:47:38] way you all are have a chance to look at
[1:47:40] it. The applicants are requested to
[1:47:42] reszone in order to utilize their land
[1:47:44] for their livestock and agricultural
[1:47:45] purposes. The current zoning highway
[1:47:47] business does not allow for livestock or
[1:47:49] agricultural uses and the parcel in
[1:47:51] question is currently in that rural
[1:47:53] preservation area. There used to be a
[1:47:56] salon on the property that has since
[1:47:57] been torn down and most of the acreage
[1:47:59] of the salon was located where the lo
[1:48:01] salon was located, excuse me, um was
[1:48:03] acquired by the state during the
[1:48:04] widening of the highway. The applicants
[1:48:06] no longer wish to utilize the property
[1:48:08] for commercial purposes and plan to
[1:48:10] recombine the property with their
[1:48:11] adjoining property that is currently in
[1:48:13] the bonafide farm program. So, I'm just
[1:48:16] going to go ahead and explain this a
[1:48:18] little further. So, this is currently
[1:48:20] where the Honey Cuts live. Um, this is
[1:48:22] their current home where they also have
[1:48:23] farmland. This portion up here is the
[1:48:26] portion of property that is in question.
[1:48:28] And this will give you kind of a better
[1:48:30] idea. So, that purple shaded area,
[1:48:32] that's highway business. And then
[1:48:33] obviously, as you can tell, this is R20.
[1:48:35] And a lot a large reason if you're
[1:48:38] wondering or curious of why all this
[1:48:40] area is R20. A lot of times when you get
[1:48:42] closer to the lake it tends to be that
[1:48:45] way. Um I believe you know when planning
[1:48:47] was taking place R20 allowed for smaller
[1:48:49] lot sizes. You get towards the lake you
[1:48:51] have obviously more development but um
[1:48:54] obviously these tracks are larger. So in
[1:48:55] that case they're asking to recombine
[1:48:58] this small uh portion of property. They
[1:49:00] want to recombine it with their
[1:49:01] existing. So, in order to do that and
[1:49:03] make it cohesive, they're asking to
[1:49:04] reszone that to the R20 um and recombine
[1:49:08] that with their existing land because
[1:49:09] like I said, right now they're
[1:49:10] technically not allowed to use any kind
[1:49:12] of livestock on it and that's that's
[1:49:13] their goal. Um, and this just goes to
[1:49:15] show also that it is in that that rural
[1:49:18] preservation area as well. And I am
[1:49:21] happy to answer any questions, I
[1:49:22] believe. Yeah. And here's just a a view
[1:49:24] off of Google what the property
[1:49:25] currently looks like um right now. So,
[1:49:28] as you can see, there's no structures
[1:49:29] nor commercial uh business taking place
[1:49:31] on the property. They've also been in
[1:49:34] contact with the tax office about what all they have to do um to rectify
[1:49:37] this also from a tax standpoint. And I'm
[1:49:40] happy to answer any questions you may
[1:49:41] have.
[1:49:46] Any questions for Bailey?
[1:49:51] All right. Hearing none, at this time, I
[1:49:52] will declare the public hearing open.
[1:49:55] Anyone here to speak for or against
[1:49:59] the um ZA26-2
[1:50:02] R20 reszoning request?
[1:50:05] >> Mr. Honeyut is here, I believe. I don't
[1:50:07] know if he wants to say something or
[1:50:08] not.
[1:50:15] » If you don't, that's okay.
[1:50:20] >> It's okay. Don't you don't want to
[1:50:22] >> seem like everything's been taken care
[1:50:24] of.
[1:50:26] >> Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Adut.
[1:50:29] >> All right. At this time, I will close
[1:50:30] the public hearing.
[1:50:32] >> What's the pleasure of the board?
[1:50:34] >> Mr. Chair.
[1:50:35] >> Yes, ma'am.
[1:50:35] >> I move this board approve this R20
[1:50:37] resoning request by Gerald and Brenda
[1:50:39] Honeyut because the property is
[1:50:41] currently used as agricultural land and
[1:50:43] the request is consistent with the 2040
[1:50:45] Stanley County Comprehensive Land Use
[1:50:47] Plan.
[1:50:48] >> Thanks, ma'am. Do I have a second?
[1:50:49] by commissioner, vice chairman
[1:50:51] law. Any more discussion?
[1:50:54] All those in favor say I.
[1:50:55] >> I. Opposed.
[1:50:58] >> Motion carries. Said move. You're good,
[1:50:59] Mr. Cut.
[1:51:03] >> Approve.
[1:51:06] That'll be
[1:51:11] real.
[1:51:16] All right. Real. All right, next item.
[1:51:19] Um, hold on, Andy. Let me catch up.
[1:51:22] >> You're good.
[1:51:23] >> Uh, next item is the Gaston Community
[1:51:25] Action Board of Directors Appointment.
[1:51:28] And again, our presenter is county
[1:51:29] manager Andy Lucas.
[1:51:30] >> Yes. Thank you, members of the board,
[1:51:32] Mr. Chairman. Um, this is a board that
[1:51:35] the county is part of as part of the the
[1:51:38] way the federal government um
[1:51:40] distributes um
[1:51:43] community care block grants. And so, um,
[1:51:47] we've struggled to have representation
[1:51:48] on this board for years, but, um, Miss
[1:51:51] Heather Kildy has, um, been recommended,
[1:51:54] uh, to for a three-year term on this
[1:51:57] board. Um, and a lot of that, I think,
[1:51:59] has to do with alignment with what she
[1:52:01] does with the Christian ministries and
[1:52:04] the fact that this Gaston Community
[1:52:06] Action Board actually receives federal
[1:52:10] funding that could assist them. And so I
[1:52:12] think um there's some a desire to have
[1:52:14] an active voice uh on that board. And so
[1:52:17] um that's the recommended action is for
[1:52:19] Heather Kildy to be appointed for a
[1:52:21] three-year term to represent Stanley
[1:52:22] County on the Gaston Community Action
[1:52:25] Board.
[1:52:27] >> Okay. Thank you, Andy. Any questions?
[1:52:29] >> Andy, I do have a I do have a question.
[1:52:31] Will she be able to attend the meetings
[1:52:34] via
[1:52:36] Skype or
[1:52:37] >> Yeah, that's my understanding. And she
[1:52:39] won't have to drive to Okay. Yeah.
[1:52:40] >> Wherever they're they meet
[1:52:43] in Gastonia.
[1:52:46] >> Yeah.
[1:52:48] >> Any more questions?
[1:52:50] >> All right. Hearing none. What's the
[1:52:51] pleasure of the board? Mr.
[1:52:52] >> Chairman, I'll make a motion that we uh
[1:52:55] approve uh Miss Kildy for a three-year
[1:52:59] term.
[1:53:00] >> Okay. I have a motion. Do I have a
[1:53:02] second?
[1:53:03] >> Second by Commissioner Crump. Any
[1:53:05] discussion?
[1:53:07] All those in favor say I. I.
[1:53:09] >> Opposed. Motion carries. Sad mot. Uh,
[1:53:12] next item is North Carolina DEEQ direct
[1:53:15] grant acceptance resolution. We got our
[1:53:17] presenter, county manager Lucas.
[1:53:19] >> Yes. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and members
[1:53:20] of the board. Um, back in 2324, the
[1:53:24] county received a $ 1.9 million was
[1:53:26] actually two, but the state takes their
[1:53:28] share for administrative costs. Um and
[1:53:31] so ends up being about 1.97 million in
[1:53:34] grant funding uh for a sewers extension
[1:53:36] to assist in an economic development
[1:53:38] project in the unincorporated area in
[1:53:41] the southern part of the county. Um and
[1:53:44] in order to sort of preserve that
[1:53:45] funding and keep that going, there
[1:53:46] hasn't been a there hasn't been a um
[1:53:49] decision by the the uh entity, the
[1:53:52] business entity to to do that expansion
[1:53:54] at this point in time. Um but in order
[1:53:56] to preserve that funding, we wanted to
[1:53:59] move forward with the resolution, hold
[1:54:00] the money, um so that we could at least
[1:54:03] engineer it and we would get paid by
[1:54:05] those grant funds um if we move forward
[1:54:08] with that engineering. And so um there's
[1:54:11] some requirements for the grant. And so
[1:54:13] we want to we don't want to have to pay
[1:54:14] for that out of county dollars. We want
[1:54:16] to make sure we can pay for that out of
[1:54:17] grant funding. And so this allows us to
[1:54:20] move forward with the grant, get
[1:54:21] everything in place, and be able to pull
[1:54:23] down the funds. And if nothing ever
[1:54:25] happens, we only will get reimbursed
[1:54:27] for, you know, the amount that we spend
[1:54:28] on engineering. We wouldn't get the
[1:54:30] balance of those funds. Um but if we do,
[1:54:33] then obviously we would be able to tap
[1:54:34] into those grant funds to assist with
[1:54:36] that project. So um that's the that's
[1:54:39] the request is to approve the resolution
[1:54:41] that basically establishes this this
[1:54:43] grant and allows us to move forward um
[1:54:46] with some initial planning associated
[1:54:49] with that economic development project.
[1:54:51] >> Okay. Thank you, sir. Um, any questions,
[1:54:54] Mr. Barbie?
[1:54:54] >> I have noticed on here is for an agurism
[1:54:57] economic development project.
[1:54:58] >> Yes, sir.
[1:54:59] >> What would that be?
[1:55:00] >> I can't speak to that since it's an
[1:55:01] economic development project, but it's
[1:55:03] um it's, you know, it's it's aggra
[1:55:06] tourism based. It's an it's an existing
[1:55:08] industry that exists in this
[1:55:10] unincorporate area of the southern part
[1:55:12] of our county. Um, that is in the
[1:55:14] agurism business and this would be an
[1:55:17] expansion of their activities. But I
[1:55:19] can't speak to the the actual business
[1:55:21] because it's not they're in the middle
[1:55:24] of contemplating whether or not they're
[1:55:25] going to move forward with that project.
[1:55:28] But this is something that's been going
[1:55:29] on since 23 24. I mean, it's not a new
[1:55:31] project. We've it's been been they've
[1:55:33] been evaluating and doing due diligence
[1:55:36] for some period of time.
[1:55:40] » Any more questions?
[1:55:44] >> All right. What's the pleasure of the
[1:55:45] board?
[1:55:45] >> Mr. Chair, I make a motion that we
[1:55:47] approve the grant funding acceptance
[1:55:49] resolution.
[1:55:50] >> Thank commissioner Keane. Do I have a
[1:55:51] second?
[1:55:53] >> Thank Commissioner Hatley. Any
[1:55:55] discussion?
[1:55:58] All those in favor say I.
[1:56:00] >> Opposed. Motion carries. 7.
[1:56:03] Uh, next item.
[1:56:06] >> Man, we about covering the whole
[1:56:07] alphabet here tonight.
[1:56:08] >> Yeah, we're getting there, aren't we?
[1:56:09] We're making progress though. Clicking
[1:56:11] them off. Item N is design build
[1:56:13] authorization for the dental clinic
[1:56:16] renovation. And again, our presenter is
[1:56:18] county manager Lucas. Yes, sir. Thank
[1:56:20] you, Mr. Chairman and members of the
[1:56:21] board. The board authorized funding in
[1:56:23] our um operating budget for fiscal year
[1:56:25] 2627 to do an expansion of the dental
[1:56:28] clinic. and we're asking the board to
[1:56:31] authorize us to use the design build um
[1:56:34] construction method versus a design bid
[1:56:37] build so that we can um do an RFQ, get a
[1:56:41] general contractor in and then they'll
[1:56:42] start the process of designing it and um
[1:56:45] we have in that case we only have one
[1:56:47] entity to deal with and we don't get
[1:56:48] into a low bid situation. So, um, that's
[1:56:50] what we're asking the board for is that we approve these design build
[1:56:55] criteria so that we can move forward
[1:56:57] with that and we'll the next step in
[1:56:58] this would be to issue an RFQ um for
[1:57:02] proposals um for qualifications from
[1:57:05] general contractors and I know there's
[1:57:07] some interest in lo from local uh
[1:57:09] contractors in this project and so we'll
[1:57:11] have the ability to to get um somebody
[1:57:13] on board to begin the process of
[1:57:15] designing it and then doing the
[1:57:16] implementation of the renovation. So
[1:57:18] >> all righty this is step one. We have to
[1:57:20] in order per statute in order to use the
[1:57:23] design build construction methodology.
[1:57:25] We have to approve these criteria.
[1:57:27] >> Yes sir.
[1:57:28] >> Do you have a number?
[1:57:30] >> Do you have any numbers at all?
[1:57:32] >> Uh I I I'd have to go back and look at
[1:57:34] how much funding we included in the FY
[1:57:36] um 2627 budget but it's a it's a I mean
[1:57:40] there was a sizable amount for the
[1:57:41] renovation of the project. So I I don't
[1:57:44] have the committed me committed to
[1:57:46] memory as to what we appropriated in the
[1:57:49] budget. I'd have to go look at that
[1:57:50] number. Um and I don't know if you know
[1:57:52] we have enough funding or not, but I
[1:57:54] know we have a significant fund balance
[1:57:56] from dental. And so if it's slightly
[1:57:57] over, we can there's funds we can use
[1:58:00] that aren't won't be taxpayer. Well,
[1:58:01] they're taxpayer funds. They're not
[1:58:02] local taxpayer funds. They are medic
[1:58:05] Medicare, Medicaid, and insurance um
[1:58:08] proceeds that have been escrowed.
[1:58:12] >> Okay. Any other questions? County
[1:58:14] manager
[1:58:16] hearing none. What's the pleasure of the
[1:58:18] board?
[1:58:24] Mr.
[1:58:24] >> Chairman, I make a motion that we
[1:58:25] approve the design bill construction
[1:58:27] method for the dental clinic renovation.
[1:58:29] >> All right. Thank you, Commissioner King.
[1:58:30] I have a motion. I have a second.
[1:58:32] >> I'll second that.
[1:58:33] >> Second by Commissioner Mills. Any
[1:58:34] discussion?
[1:58:37] >> All those in favor say I.
[1:58:38] >> I.
[1:58:41] Motion carries. Thank you.
[1:58:42] >> Thank you, sir. Uh, next item is um,
[1:58:47] Commissioner Sensor. Um, after our last
[1:58:50] meeting and doing some research,
[1:58:53] um, I'm going to ask the board that I be
[1:58:56] recused from this item, uh, I'm going to
[1:58:58] turn the gavl over to Vice Chairman
[1:59:00] Lahan. Um, I found out that Miss
[1:59:03] Pinkston's attorney is my nephew and
[1:59:07] also my attorney. So I am going to ask
[1:59:11] that I be recused.
[1:59:14] Commissioner.
[1:59:15] >> Okay.
[1:59:17] Chairman Ephford has requested he be
[1:59:19] recused
[1:59:21] from uh this particular action
[1:59:24] and we need approval. So what's the
[1:59:27] pleasure of the board?
[1:59:37] I'll make a motion that we accept
[1:59:39] Chairman Ephford's proposal to recuse
[1:59:41] himself.
[1:59:42] >> Okay.
[1:59:44] Uh, Commissioner Mills made a motion. Do
[1:59:47] we have a second?
[1:59:53] » Okay, we have a second by Commissioner
[1:59:55] King.
[1:59:57] All in favor of recusing
[2:00:00] Chairman Ephford
[2:00:02] from this particular item, please say I.
[2:00:05] Any
[2:00:07] opposed?
[2:00:08] >> No.
[2:00:10] >> Okay. So, we've got uh
[2:00:15] five to one. Motion passes.
[2:00:20] You are recused.
[2:00:22] >> Thanks, sir.
[2:00:22] >> Commissioner King, you're up.
[2:00:27] >> Thank you, Vice Chair. Um, at our last
[2:00:30] meeting it was brought to our attention
[2:00:32] that somebody come forward and said
[2:00:34] there was some accusations made and I
[2:00:35] think that the public deserve to know
[2:00:37] what's going on with that. I think that
[2:00:39] the judicial system
[2:00:42] is supposed to be fair and unbiased and
[2:00:44] if an elected official reached out to a
[2:00:46] judge to talk about a court case that he
[2:00:48] has no bearing in that I think that is
[2:00:50] just pushing it to the extreme that it
[2:00:52] shouldn't be pushed to and therefore
[2:00:54] that's the reason I've requested this to
[2:00:55] come on the meeting tonight. Any
[2:01:02] other discussion?
[2:01:06] » Uh, sure. Uh, I would like to say none
[2:01:10] of us I think I can speak for all of us
[2:01:12] to say that none of us want to be in
[2:01:14] this position today. Um, it does not
[2:01:17] make my heart happy at all to be in this
[2:01:19] position. Um, I've worked with Mr.
[2:01:21] Hatley now for almost four years and I
[2:01:23] he works circles around a lot of people.
[2:01:26] He works hard and he does a very good
[2:01:28] job at what he does and um but I'm not
[2:01:32] going to make an excuse for the what I
[2:01:33] have learned. And the fact is Judge Bang
[2:01:37] did recuse himself from the case
[2:01:40] and when I have to look at what we sign
[2:01:44] every December
[2:01:46] as commissioners we sign the Stanley
[2:01:49] County Board of Commissioners sign the
[2:01:51] code of ethics. And there are several
[2:01:53] points here that I want to point out.
[2:01:55] And before I I read the code of ethics,
[2:01:58] there's a few po few that I want to
[2:02:00] read. I want to remind us what a censure
[2:02:03] is because
[2:02:05] it's been brought up that this is this
[2:02:09] is not a trial. No, it's not. I thank
[2:02:11] goodness it's not a trial. I'm not a
[2:02:13] judge and this is not a courtroom.
[2:02:16] Censure is not about determining guilt.
[2:02:20] Let me read to you. A censure isn't a
[2:02:23] legal finding. It's a statement based on
[2:02:26] what we know right now. We aren't
[2:02:28] determining guilt. We are addressing the
[2:02:31] appearance of impropriy and its impact
[2:02:34] on public trust.
[2:02:37] And so if you look at member conduct
[2:02:40] number three, the professional, it says
[2:02:42] the professional and personal conduct of
[2:02:45] members must be above reproach and avoid
[2:02:48] even the appearance of impropriy. We all
[2:02:52] signed our names to this. Number eight,
[2:02:54] conflict of interest. Members shall not
[2:02:57] use their official positions to
[2:02:59] influence government decisions in which
[2:03:01] they have a financial interest or where
[2:03:02] they have an organizational
[2:03:04] responsibility or a personal
[2:03:06] relationship that may give the
[2:03:08] appearance of a conflict of interest.
[2:03:12] So whether you're talking to someone as
[2:03:14] a friend or not, this says clearly you
[2:03:17] can't use your influence in a personal
[2:03:19] relationship.
[2:03:21] And then finally 18 compliance and
[2:03:24] enforcement. This is our responsibility
[2:03:27] and we agreed to it. The cha the chairs
[2:03:30] of each appointed board committee and
[2:03:32] commission and the chairman of the board
[2:03:34] of county commissioners have the
[2:03:36] additional responsibility to intervene
[2:03:39] when actions of me members appear to be
[2:03:43] in violation of the code of ethics.
[2:03:45] Doesn't mean they're guilty of it. ings
[2:03:47] that they appear to be in violation of
[2:03:49] the code of ethics.
[2:03:51] And the board of county commissioners
[2:03:53] may impose sanctions on members who
[2:03:55] conduct whose conduct does not comply
[2:03:57] with the county code county's code of
[2:03:59] ethics such as reprimand, formal
[2:04:02] censure, loss of committee assignment,
[2:04:05] or other actions consistent with the NC
[2:04:07] general statutes and local laws
[2:04:09] governing the appointment of boards,
[2:04:11] committees, and commissions.
[2:04:14] And I would also like to say this, um,
[2:04:16] Mr. Schaefer who came in and had gave
[2:04:18] some public comments, he said it well
[2:04:21] that if the investigation happens and we
[2:04:24] find out that there was nothing to this,
[2:04:29] then he needs to be vindicated publicly.
[2:04:32] And so a board that has the power to
[2:04:34] censure also has the power to resend.
[2:04:37] And I would recommend that we do such
[2:04:40] very publicly.
[2:04:42] So undoubtedly this situation does have
[2:04:44] the appearance of impropriety and it's
[2:04:47] most definitely had an impact on public
[2:04:50] trust. So I say let the investigation
[2:04:53] speak for itself and if all is clear we
[2:04:56] can resend.
[2:05:01] » Other comments I will
[2:05:04] if it wasn't for Judge Bang's recusal we
[2:05:07] wouldn't be here talking about this
[2:05:08] right now. I have been a friend of Judge
[2:05:12] Fang for a long time and
[2:05:16] I is well I begin to wonder why in the
[2:05:20] world would anyone continuously refuse
[2:05:24] to investigate such an extreme
[2:05:26] indictment made toward one of my
[2:05:29] colleagues?
[2:05:30] Why would you not at least examine the
[2:05:32] evidence because this is a class H
[2:05:34] felony when brought against our county's
[2:05:37] highest governed body. And this is hard.
[2:05:39] Just like what Patty said or excuse me,
[2:05:42] Commissioner Crump, it's really
[2:05:43] difficult. I know this has been a very
[2:05:45] difficult time for Commissioner Hatley.
[2:05:47] I've I've known him for many, many, years, his family, and
[2:05:51] especially profound
[2:05:53] uh hardship on the commissioners. It's
[2:05:56] been excruciating. It's been
[2:05:57] excruciating for the Kingston family and
[2:05:59] also Judge Vain. I I intend no
[2:06:03] disrespect whatsoever. I have two
[2:06:06] questions.
[2:06:07] There's three parties that know that's
[2:06:10] not hearsay. There's three parties that
[2:06:12] know if this really occurred. One is
[2:06:14] Judge Vain. Two is the two attorney
[2:06:18] parties. The third
[2:06:21] is Commissioner Hatley.
[2:06:24] And Commissioner Hatley, I want to reach
[2:06:27] out to you. Did you reach out to Court
[2:06:30] Judge Bing concerning a pending judicial
[2:06:33] investigation?
[2:06:40] Mr. Mills, I have never violated my oath
[2:06:42] of office as a county commissioner. I
[2:06:44] have never violated my ethical
[2:06:46] obligations as a county commissioner.
[2:06:49] >> That's all I got to say.
[2:06:51] >> Okay. I just want to ask you one more.
[2:06:52] Did you reach out to Judge Bang in a
[2:06:55] pending investigation?
[2:07:00] » That's all I've got to say.
[2:07:03] Well, this is how I make my Please deny
[2:07:06] that you didn't judge. That's the only
[2:07:09] Okay. Have you ever discussed the
[2:07:12] judicial decision
[2:07:15] with any court authority?
[2:07:22] Do you do you deny that?
[2:07:26] » I'm not.
[2:07:30] Did you know it was unlawful to not
[2:07:32] discuss a pending investigate? Did you
[2:07:35] just know that it was not lawful to
[2:07:37] discuss a pending? I'm just asking you.
[2:07:39] Did you know?
[2:07:44] » No answer.
[2:07:52] Other comments?
[2:07:57] Um,
[2:07:59] not saying anybody's guilty here or
[2:08:01] whatever, but uh, you know, I know a lot
[2:08:04] of things
[2:08:06] have happened over the years, not with
[2:08:08] Mr. Commissioner Hatley, but with other
[2:08:12] entities of the county government and uh
[2:08:15] they get kind of brushed underneath and
[2:08:18] it wouldn't bother me one bit if the
[2:08:20] entire county uh went through an ethics
[2:08:22] investigation cuz I think there's other
[2:08:24] things that we don't even know about
[2:08:26] that I'd like to see brought up too. But
[2:08:28] I know at this time that's not not
[2:08:30] possible. But, uh, I think we need to go
[2:08:33] further with the ethics to to clear
[2:08:36] Commissioner Hatley or or whatever. But,
[2:08:40] uh, I think we just can't drop it.
[2:08:46] I'm going to address this to the
[2:08:47] council.
[2:08:50] Attorney Fur,
[2:08:52] do we have a censorship letter that you
[2:08:55] could read to us?
[2:09:01] Mr. Chairman, I I'm able to provide a
[2:09:04] definition of censure. We have not
[2:09:06] prepared a staff any sort of uh
[2:09:08] resolution or letter if that's what
[2:09:10] you're asking.
[2:09:12] >> Well, if he's censored, what would he
[2:09:14] get? Anything?
[2:09:16] >> Um, a censure is typically done through
[2:09:19] a resolution or a simple vote of an
[2:09:24] elected board. Um so if the board
[2:09:29] desired to go through with a censure
[2:09:32] then
[2:09:34] um you know at the board's direction um
[2:09:39] we could draft a resolution
[2:09:42] >> or or it could just be done as a simple
[2:09:44] motion and a second.
[2:09:45] >> A resolution is basically a vote is a
[2:09:48] vote of approval is the equivalent of a
[2:09:51] resolution. A lot of times an actual
[2:09:53] resolution is not required um
[2:09:57] legally.
[2:10:04] So there would be no written
[2:10:08] resolution of censorship given to him.
[2:10:12] >> That's up to the board. Mr. Vice Chair,
[2:10:17] » what's the pleasure of the board?
[2:10:21] Mr. Vice Chair, I make a motion that we
[2:10:23] censor Commissioner Hatley and I also
[2:10:26] agree with Commissioner Crump that if
[2:10:28] for some reason this is cleared and
[2:10:31] find the statements to be false, then it
[2:10:33] should be reversed publicly.
[2:10:35] Um, also in that motion, I'd like to ask
[2:10:38] that the county hires Pat Flanigan to
[2:10:41] conduct the ethics investigation
[2:10:44] and move forward with the investigation.
[2:10:49] What cost?
[2:10:53] What dollars of taxpayer dollars are you
[2:10:55] recommending?
[2:10:58] I think in the uh work session uh county
[2:11:02] attorney advis us that Mr. Flanigan put
[2:11:06] a $10,000 cap on it that if he couldn't
[2:11:08] get it done by then, he would come back
[2:11:09] to us and let us know and let us know
[2:11:10] what he has found so far and we could
[2:11:12] decide at that point if we want to
[2:11:13] continue on.
[2:11:19] Okay. So, your motion is to censor and
[2:11:22] also to include in the censorship
[2:11:26] uh
[2:11:28] a third party, Mr. Flanigan,
[2:11:32] to perform the investigation at the cost
[2:11:36] of no more than $10,000. Is that what
[2:11:39] I'm hearing? Yes, sir.
[2:11:41] >> Okay. Everybody else up here heard it.
[2:11:43] Did we have a second?
[2:11:47] Okay.
[2:11:49] Uh, Commissioner Barbie second the
[2:11:52] motion. And that's a first cuz he don't
[2:11:55] spend money.
[2:11:57] So, um, before we vote, I'm going to ask
[2:12:01] uh I know Scott, Commissioner Ephford's
[2:12:04] recused himself.
[2:12:07] And, uh,
[2:12:09] Mr. Hatley, you have the right to vote
[2:12:11] or no, not to vote. I'll leave that up
[2:12:13] to you.
[2:12:16] And a no a no vote
[2:12:20] would uh if you're silent, it's it's a
[2:12:23] yes vote. If if it's a no vote, you need
[2:12:26] to vote no.
[2:12:27] >> Excuse me, Mr. Vice Chairman.
[2:12:30] >> Yes.
[2:12:30] >> Before we can vote on this motion, then
[2:12:33] I would like to make a motion that Mr.
[2:12:37] Hatley recuse himself for this uh from
[2:12:39] this vote uh because this is a conflict
[2:12:42] of interest.
[2:12:45] I'll second that.
[2:12:51] All in favor?
[2:12:53] >> I I
[2:12:56] >> You're recused. You're recused.
[2:13:00] We have uh five commissioners remaining
[2:13:04] and uh you've heard the motion that
[2:13:07] we're going to spend 10,000 taxpayer
[2:13:09] dollars to hire an attorney for an
[2:13:12] outside investigation
[2:13:14] and before he's found guilty or not
[2:13:17] guilty,
[2:13:19] you want to go ahead and censor
[2:13:20] Commissioner Hatley. Um that's what I
[2:13:24] hear. So all in favor of that,
[2:13:28] please say I.
[2:13:30] >> I.
[2:13:33] » Okay.
[2:13:35] Against. Nay. And I'm going to say nay.
[2:13:39] I hate to see us spend $10,000 of
[2:13:42] taxpayer dollars.
[2:13:43] >> That was just a sensor, not the that or
[2:13:46] that included.
[2:13:47] >> No, that included that.
[2:13:48] >> Okay. Y that was kind of
[2:13:50] >> Do you vote to spend that $10,000, Mr.
[2:13:52] Let me
[2:13:53] >> I vote to look after the people of this
[2:13:55] county and I think $10,000 would be well
[2:13:59] spent to find out if the if this county
[2:14:01] government is being run correctly.
[2:14:03] >> Okay, that's good enough.
[2:14:06] >> Why would you not want him to be
[2:14:08] vindicated through an investigation? We
[2:14:11] don't investigate, then he's going to go
[2:14:12] on.
[2:14:13] >> Well, you're you're finding him guilty
[2:14:14] of censorship.
[2:14:16] >> No, I'm talking about the investigation.
[2:14:17] Why would you said $10,000?
[2:14:18] >> $10,000 is a waste of taxpayer dollars.
[2:14:21] Do you
[2:14:21] >> if if the parties, the two parties,
[2:14:27] if uh she wants to sue him, she can hire
[2:14:31] an attorney.
[2:14:34] This is this is why I'm voting the way I
[2:14:36] am. I asked for him to deny that he had
[2:14:41] approached or had talked to to Judge
[2:14:43] Vain and he said he he wouldn't answer
[2:14:46] that direct question. And that's what I
[2:14:48] wanted him to do. If he will a answer
[2:14:51] that question and tell me no, I did not
[2:14:54] talk with him. I did not do that, then
[2:14:58] I'm good. But I I he motion the motion
[2:15:02] to censor him and to hire an attorneys
[2:15:06] already passed.
[2:15:10] Thank you, Commissioner Mills.
[2:15:20] Thank you, Mr. Vice Chairman. Uh, next
[2:15:22] item is item number seven, the consent
[2:15:24] agenda.
[2:15:30] » Everyone had a chance to look at it.
[2:15:34] >> Make a motion we
[2:15:37] have a motion. I have a motion. Do I
[2:15:39] have a second?
[2:15:41] >> Second.
[2:15:42] >> All right. All in favor say I. opposed.
[2:15:46] Motion carries. Um
[2:15:52] all right. Next, the next item is item
[2:15:54] eight, uh board comments, announcements,
[2:15:56] and committee reports. Um
[2:16:00] Commissioner Barbie, I'll start with
[2:16:01] you, sir.
[2:16:04] Yeah, this past weekend I had the chance
[2:16:07] or weekend before last, I mean, to go to
[2:16:08] the North Carolina Association County
[2:16:10] Commissioners meeting and um they
[2:16:14] discussed one of the big topics they
[2:16:15] were discussing was property tax and um
[2:16:19] it's going to be on the ballot in
[2:16:21] November, but it's they don't have the
[2:16:23] details worked out. Uh the best that I
[2:16:26] could get from the other commissioners
[2:16:29] there is the their proposal is the limit
[2:16:32] uh after property tax appraisal the
[2:16:35] limit of of only 3% per year
[2:16:39] increase in property taxes and uh not
[2:16:43] very many county commissioners are
[2:16:44] liking that cuz it's going to make it
[2:16:45] hard on their budget. But uh you like if
[2:16:48] you if you got a say your total capital
[2:16:51] to total property tax is 100,000 you can
[2:16:53] only get 103,000 then till the
[2:16:56] reappraisal. So uh but that's just a
[2:17:01] formality I guess there. But um it is
[2:17:04] going to be on the ballot. um it's got
[2:17:07] its good points and bad points, but uh
[2:17:10] something's got to be done with the
[2:17:12] increase in cost of uh property taxes
[2:17:15] and I also think that uh it was supposed
[2:17:20] to be on the uh same agenda to limit it.
[2:17:23] If you were retired and your home was
[2:17:25] paid for and you were drawn retirement,
[2:17:28] then you were supposed to be uh property
[2:17:31] tax exempt. But, uh, I understand that
[2:17:34] that's been kind of pushed it away.
[2:17:37] But other than that, that's that's all
[2:17:39] I've got. Thank you.
[2:17:41] >> Thanks, sir. Commissioner Mills,
[2:17:44] I have a job opportunity for
[2:17:47] and I think you only have to be 18 years
[2:17:49] old. This is a official voting applicant
[2:17:52] guide, and they are looking for people
[2:17:56] to work. Uh, it's a two-hour training
[2:17:58] session, and you get paid. You're a
[2:18:00] member of the county. you're employed by
[2:18:02] the county. Uh you must uh have
[2:18:05] independent transportation available to
[2:18:07] work an entire shift in the morning or
[2:18:09] afternoon and lift 30 pounds. And you
[2:18:12] can be a g chief judge, information
[2:18:14] line, voter check-in or ballot official.
[2:18:18] So if you would like to work during the
[2:18:21] election that is coming up, uh there are
[2:18:24] employment opportunities and these you
[2:18:26] can pick these up right out here at the
[2:18:29] board of elections. So, anyone that
[2:18:31] wants to work and that's drive up and
[2:18:34] anyone that wants to work during the
[2:18:35] elections there is a job and it only
[2:18:37] requires a two-hour training session and
[2:18:40] you got the job
[2:18:42] and that's all I have. Commissioner
[2:18:44] Ephford.
[2:18:45] >> Thanks, sir. Commissioner Crook,
[2:18:47] >> no comment tonight.
[2:18:48] >> Commissioner Keane,
[2:18:50] >> Commissioner Hatley,
[2:18:53] >> I was encouraged to hear the school
[2:18:54] board um talk about redistric. Mhm.
[2:18:58] >> I hadn't heard that in a long time. And
[2:18:59] uh I think that could solve a lot of
[2:19:01] problems with the quality of schools,
[2:19:05] quality of education,
[2:19:07] and help stretch our tax dollars.
[2:19:11] That's all I got.
[2:19:12] >> Thank you, sir. Mr. Milan,
[2:19:15] >> just ask everybody to remember 911 25th
[2:19:20] anniversary. Uh, a lot of people still
[2:19:24] are hurting and are sick because of the
[2:19:28] trash that they were having to go
[2:19:31] through to try to find bodies.
[2:19:34] And just I hope and pray that that type
[2:19:37] situation never happens again.
[2:19:42] Thanks, sir. Um,
[2:19:47] I don't have a whole lot to say tonight.
[2:19:48] Um, thank y'all so much for being here.
[2:19:51] Our next meeting is October,
[2:19:55] Somebody help me. I had it written down.
[2:19:58] >> 10th.
[2:19:59] >> 5th. 5th. Early voting is coming up. Um,
[2:20:04] October 15th. Um, like Commissioner
[2:20:07] Barbie said, there's going to be some
[2:20:08] things on the ballot you need to you
[2:20:10] need to do your research and pay special
[2:20:12] attention to. Uh, so that being said,
[2:20:15] uh, I would entertain a motion to
[2:20:17] adjurnn. So move a motion to have a
[2:20:19] second. All those in favor say I.
[2:20:23] >> Motion carries.