08-05-2024 Meeting Minutes BOC
August 5, 2024
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PERSON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS August 5, 2024
MEMBERS PRESENT OTHERS PRESENT
Gordon Powell Katherine M. Cathey, County Manager
C. Derrick Sims Michele Solomon, Clerk to the Board
Kyle W. Puryear T.C. Morphis, Jr., County Attorney
Charlie Palmer
Jason Thomas
The Board of Commissioners for the County of Person, North Carolina, met in
regular session on Monday, August 5, 2024 at 6:00 p.m.in the Commissioners’ Boardroom
215 in the Person County Office Building located at 304 S. Morgan Street, Roxboro, NC.
Chairman Powell called the meeting to order. Commissioner Thomas offered an
invocation, and Commissioner Palmer led the group in the Pledge of Allegiance.
DISCUSSION/ADJUSTMENT/APPROVAL OF AGENDA:
A motion was made by Commissioner Puryear and carried 5-0 to approve the
agenda.
PUBLIC HEARING:
REZONING MAP AMENDMENT APPLICATION RZ-01-24 A REQUEST BY THE
APPLICANT, THE PERSON COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
DEPARTMENT, TO REZONE THE ±1,347.34-ACRE SUBJECT PROPERTY,
IDENTIFIED AS THE PERSON COUNTY MEGA PARK, FROM AN RC (RURAL
CONSERVATION) TO A GI (GENERAL INDUSTRIAL) ZONING DESIGNATION
A motion was made by Vice Chairman Sims and carried 5-0 to open the duly
advertised public hearing for Rezoning Map Amendment Application RZ-01-24, a request
by the applicant, the Person County Economic Development Department, to rezone the
±1,347.34-acre Subject Property, identified as the Person County Mega Park, from an RC
(Rural Conservation) to a G-I (General Industrial) zoning designation.
Planning & Zoning Director Chris Bowley shared the following presentation for the
Rezoning/Map Amendment Application RZ-01-24. He stated that the property is a Mega
Site, one of six in NC, and has been pre-identified for advanced manufacturing type uses on
a large scale.
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Commissioner Palmer asked Planning and Zoning Director Chris Bowley about the
sewer system, and asked of it would be a pump station to a gravity flow down to the plant.
Bowley replied that it would have to be gravity at that distance complimented by pump
stations.
County Attorney T.C. Morphis, Jr. asked Bowley to read the list of Permitted Uses
in the GI (General Industrial) Zoning District from the Person County Planning
Ordinance. Bowley read the Table of Permitted Uses in the GI Zoning District from
Appendix C, which is located in the Person County Planning Ordinance.
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There were no individuals appearing before the Board to speak in favor of or in
opposition to the public hearing for Rezoning Map Amendment Application RZ-01-24, a
request by the applicant, the Person County Economic Development Department, to rezone
the ±1,347.34-acre Subject Property, identified as the Person County Mega Park, from an
RC (Rural Conservation) to a G-I (General Industrial) zoning designation.
A motion was made by Commissioner Puryear and carried 5-0 to close the public
hearing for Rezoning Map Amendment Application RZ-01-24, a request by the applicant,
the Person County Economic Development Department, to rezone the ±1,347.34-acre
Subject Property, identified as the Person County Mega Park, from an RC (Rural
Conservation) to a G-I (General Industrial) zoning designation.
CONSIDERATION TO GRANT OR DENY REZONING/MAP AMENDMENT
APPLICATION RZ-01-24 A REQUEST BY THE APPLICANT, THE PERSON
COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, TO REZONE THE
±1,347.34-ACRE SUBJECT PROPERTY, IDENTIFIED AS THE PERSON
COUNTY MEGA PARK, FROM AN RC (RURAL CONSERVATION) TO A GI
(GENERAL INDUSTRIAL) ZONING DESIGNATION
A motion was made by Commissioner Puryear and carried 5-0 to approve Rezoning
Map Amendment Application RZ-01-24, a request by the applicant, the Person County
Economic Development Department, to rezone the ±1,347.34-acre Subject Property,
identified as the Person County Mega Park, from an RC (Rural Conservation) to a G-I
(General Industrial) zoning designation.
A motion was made by Commissioner Palmer and carried 5-0 to adopt an
Ordinance Amending the Person County Official Zoning Map for Zoning Amendment
Application RZ-01-24.
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INFORMAL COMMENTS:
The following individuals appeared before the Board to make informal comments:
Timothy Sweeney of 155 Parkers Gate Drive, Youngsville stated that he currently
serves as a Paramedic Lieutenant with Person County EMS. He stated that he has served
in this community in an EMS capacity for the past four years. He stated that over those
years, he has had the opportunity to observe the development that has taken place within
EMS and Person County. He stated that he began here as a full-time paramedic when
every shift had an opening, and when the strains of understaffing and underpayment
burdened the entire organization. He stated that at that time, there was a tremendous
uncertainty, and we were at the tail end of the Covid pandemic. He stated that resources
were scarce and an organizational culture was forced to be reactive to current problems
instead of proactive to future ones. He stated that during that uncertainty, the sense of
community and the mission to provide the best possible emergency care to citizens of
Person County fueled his desire to remain here. He stated that six months into his
employment here, leadership changed over to Chief Schwalenberg and Chief Chandler. He
stated that from the beginning, the two of them have carried this agency to the success that
we are beginning to see today. He stated that, Schwalenberg began his time at EMS by
meeting individually with every one of the EMS workers, gauging the needs from within
the organization. He stated that Schwalenberg has been the most involved leader and he
continues to work over 100 hours per week to keep EMS, 911, and Emergency
Management (EM) prepared to handle anything that comes our way. He stated that
Schwalenberg has supported the individuals of this organization by supporting continuing
education, leadership courses, and opportunities outside of EMS. He stated that
Schwalenberg introduced himself to EMS over two years ago with a simple, yet powerful
statement, ‘We own the culture”. He stated that Schwalenberg has personified that
statement ever since. He stated that Schwalenberg’ s mission is clear, and his drive to
accomplish the mission speaks for itself through his dedication to this community. He
stated that he lives one hour and eleven minutes away, passes by two hospitals, and passes
through two counties that are both hiring paramedics. He stated that he does not have to
travel this far to be a paramedic, that he travels this far, because he wants to be a
paramedic in this county, and because the last two years of leadership within our
organization has created an agency where employment is well worth the long commute.
He stated that as you are aware, Person County EMS sits in a much better position now
than it did at the beginning of 2022. He stated that we have a strong, dedicated, and
structured leadership team that is headed by values of integrity, personal courage, selfless
service, and professionalism. He stated that EMS is an agency that provides the highest
quality of care to citizens who call 911. He stated that this evolution was not the result of a
miracle, that it was the result of thousands of hours of behind the scenes work by both
Schwalenberg and Chandler. He stated that Schwalenberg has committed more of his time
to this agency and subsequently the entire County than anyone he knows.
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Sweeney stated that the high-quality leadership has been the driving force in our
success and it is certainly the driving force in his personal commitment to this agency. He
stated that as a proud servicemember himself, he speaks on behalf of Schwalenberg, and
that Schwalenberg embodies every single bit of the army values, which are, loyalty, duty,
respect, honor, selfless service, integrity, and personal courage, He stated those same
values are necessary for leading EMS, 911, and EM. He stated that Schwalenberg has
proven that it takes a veteran to do this job right. He stated that Person County is not
physically his home, but the community that he has been blessed to serve and work for, is
one that he wishes to continue serving for as long as possible. He asked the Board to
continue to support EMS, and through EMS, continue to support our community. He
stated that Schwalenberg and Chandler, and the EMS agency are on the right path and are
just getting started.
Brandon Fox of 60 Poplar Lane, Roxboro stated that he is speaking of his own free
will and beliefs, and was not coerced to speak tonight. He stated that in the last couple of
weeks, it has been well known in the public forum that the honesty and integrity of his
Emergency Management Director, Tom Schwalenberg, along with County Manager
Katherine Cathey have been brought into question for frivolous accusations that simply do
not have any basis. He stated that he is here to speak to his opinion and to the character of
these individuals. He stated that Schwalenberg has been one of the most positive changes
that Person County’s EMS agency has seen in his last twelve years of employment. He
stated that Schwalenberg is engaged, caring, hardworking, and trustworthy in all
circumstances. He stated that Schwalenberg selflessly serves our community, even when
stretched to the max. He stated that Schwalenberg can regularly be seen until 10:00 p.m.,
working in his office to get the job done. He stated that when he returned home from the
Veteran’s Ride of Honor, there was a County Commissioner standing outside the bus to
welcome the veterans’ home, and gave a fiery speech with his fist in the air, about how he
appreciated our EMS service. He stated that what the Commissioner might not have
realized, is that Schwalenberg voluntarily took his day to attend that trip with the veterans.
He stated that Schwalenberg benefited the least financially for his time, and gave the most
effort. He stated that Schwalenberg has an open-door policy at work. He stated that
Schwalenberg regularly requests sessions with staff members, just to hear from them and
see what feedback they can provide to make EMS better. He stated that Schwalenberg is
an asset that would be almost impossible to replace, and Person County is better for the
leadership and expertise that Schwalenberg provides. He stated that he has had very little
interaction with Cathey. He stated that what he has seen from her is total transparency and
advocacy for her employees. He stated that Cathey has a strong work ethic, and regularly
communicates with hundreds of Person County employees through email. He stated that
anytime there has been a question that needed to go through the County Manager’s Office,
it has always been handled with the highest level of promptness and professionalism. He
stated that as Commissioners, they have a responsibility to find the truth, truth for the
County employees, truth for the public, and truth to themselves. He stated that the highest
responsibility is to our Creator, who commands honesty and integrity, as one of the Ten
Commandments.
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Fox stated that Exodus 23 states, “You shall not spread a false report. You shall
not join hands with a wicked man to be a malicious witness. You shall not fall in with the
many to do evil nor shall you bear witness in a lawsuit siding with the many as to pervert
justice.” He urged the Board to exhaust themselves in an attempt to find all the facts and
seek God’s guidance before making decisions in these chambers.
Julie Nye of 407 River Trace Drive, Rougemont stated that she has lived in the
Mount Tirzah township in Person County for twenty years and was one of the 300 or so
Personians who turned out last December to observe and protest the Board’s rezoning vote
for the Moriah Energy Center. She stated that she is dismayed to see that it may all be
starting up again with the Mega Park rezoning, but since there were no comments, she
guesses not. She stated that she is a member of Person County Down Home’s Public
School Strong. She stated that she has been attending school board meetings and
educating herself about many issues facing our public schools. She stated that today we
learned about a newly discovered mold problem at Person High School exacerbated by
HVAC issues that Person County Schools staff did not have control over. She stated that
in addition to resolving the immediate problem at Person High School, the Superintendent
wants to make sure that HVAC systems in all the schools are optimally configured to
respond to the increased heat and humidity conditions that we are learning to live under.
She stated that these repairs will be expensive in the coming weeks. She stated that her
colleagues with Person County Down Home will be sharing information with the Board
about some potentially very significant billions of dollars that is available through federal
funding opportunities for schools, residences, and other community-based projects under
provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
She stated that Person County Down Home wants to work with the Board and County
staff to ensure that Person County Schools, other qualifying organizations, and individual
property owners get their fair share of these funds.
Andrea Childers of 270 Blackberry Lane, Rougemont read a letter she wrote to
DEQ a couple of weeks ago. The letter read as follows:
Good morning, I am writing to you this morning because I feel compelled to try to
make you understand the perspective of residents living close to the MEC. This is not a
complaint, it’s just an explanation. For almost 32 years my family has lived on ten acres
less than a half mile as the crows fly from the MEC. We have a creek that runs the back
border of our property. That creek is primarily fed from a creek on the MEC property.
This creek was the largest determining factor in buying this property. It is where I went for
solace when I miscarried my first child. It is where our fur babies and non-fur babies
played to escape the summer heat. It has served as a biology, environmental, and wildlife
lab for our children as they grew up. The creek was a playground for our children and
their friends, their whole lives, up until last month. It was a spot that I visited daily, just
for a little peace. I no longer walk to the creek, as a matter of fact, I purposely avoid it
because I get physically sick every time I look at it.
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I have attached pictures because I want you to see the transformation that our
creek has taken. At first when Dominion started preconstruction, the creek would be
muddied, and then it would clear up. It never clears up; it just remains a constant
chocolate milk consistency. This pollution is coming straight off the MEC, and if you
have any doubts of that, I invite each and every one of you to my home, and I will walk
you up this creek, right to the MEC. I did it today with a reporter. Please bring your hiking
boots, bug spray, and lots of water. I am not writing to you to ask you to stop construction
on the MEC. I am not that naïve, although, I would most certainly welcome that decision.
I am asking you to make Dominion Energy be a good corporate neighbor, and not pollute
its neighbor’s properties. I know you say that you cannot do anything, but that is not
exactly accurate. You could ask Dominion for better BMP’s or do turbidity testing to
make sure that when they are releasing their water it meets state standards. To ask these
things of a billion-dollar company soon to be bought out by the largest LNG provider on
the continent would not be undue burden. It would actually provide some albeit small
protections to the citizens of the state of North Carolina. I am begging you to do what is
right.
Childers stated that while this letter is addressed to DEQ, the Board still has the
ability to ask for a wildlife study, and a stormwater runoff. She stated that she has been
asking the Board to do this for ten months, and the Board has not done anything. She
stated that the Board can do what is right for the citizens of Person County.
DISCUSSION/ADJUSTMENT/APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA:
A motion was made by Commissioner Puryear and carried 5-0 to approve the
Consent Agenda with the following items:
A. Approval of Minutes of July 15, 2024,
B. Budget Amendment #3,
C. Personnel Policy Amendment,
D. Person County Health Department Fee Schedule Amendment,
E. Person Industries Record Destruction, and
F. Person County Department of Social Services Attorney Contracts
NEW BUSINESS:
2024-2025 LEGISLATIVE GOALS
County Manager Katherine Cathey stated that every two years the North Carolina
Association of County Commissioners (NCACC) asks counties to submit proposals for
legislative goals that the association should seek to support in the best interest of counties.
She stated that the NCACC goal-setting process takes place each even-numbered year and
consists of five stages, and we are in the first stage, the solicitation of proposals from
counties, and it ends with the adoption of the legislative agenda at the Legislative Goals
Conference in November.
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Commissioner Palmer stated that he had seven proposals for legislative action, which are as
follows:
Funding for new EMS structure for housing equipment and employees
Funding for Piedmont Community College’s CHATT Building and equipping
classes housed in the CHATT Building
Additional funding for recycling and solid waste, including tires and electronics
Promoting recruitment and retention for First Responders, Detention Officers, and
Jails, including pay scale adjustments
Support for schools’ renovation to coincide with ADA compliance
Expand Broadband access
Support increased funding and services for older Americans and Veterans
Vice Chairman Sims stated that he would like to add to the list and provided the following
proposals for legislative action:
Increase in Teacher salaries and benefits
Infrastructure on connecting rural counties to major highways
Cathey thanked the Board for the list provided and advised that she will provide them to the
NCACC.
CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
Chairman Powell reported that he attended the PCBIC meeting, the Planning
Board meeting, and the Parks and Recreation Trail meeting. He stated that he met with
two representatives from Senator Ted Budd’s office last week; therefore, was not able to
attend the volunteer luncheon at Animal Services. He stated that he attended the
retirement recognition for outgoing CFO Amy Wehrenberg.
Powell clarified that last Thursday, DEQ had an Air Quality Meeting in
Henderson. He stated that Person County did not deny DEQ permission to have the
hearing in Person County. He stated that DEQ refused to sign the waiver that is required
for rental of county facilities. He stated that other facilities in the county were offered to
DEQ, yet they chose to hold the meeting elsewhere.
Powell stated that there was a PCBIC Special Meeting held on July 25, 2024 for
reorganization of the PCBIC as the topic of discussion. He stated that the Board of
Commissioners discussed this at their July 15, 2024 meeting, and a hard copy of options
for changes in the structure of the EDC/PCBIC were distributed to the Commissioners as
well as PCBIC President Phillip Allen. He stated that he emailed Allen the same document
on July 15, 2024. He stated that at the beginning of the July 25, 2024 meeting, Allen
addressed the PCBIC Board with a rough draft of concerns, which had been given to him
several weeks earlier by the Board of Commissioners. He stated that the document shared
with Allen at the Board of Commissioners July 15, 2024 meeting was not shared nor
referenced with PCBIC members at the special meeting. He stated that no explanation was
given as to why the options for changes were not presented to the PCBIC Board.
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Powell stated that, in an email to Allen and the PCBIC Board, he requested that the
options for changes in structure, from the Board of Commissioners, be used in future
discussions by the PCBIC Board. He requested that the County Manager provide the
Board of Commissioners with a complete report on PCBIC’s funding from January 2000-
August 2024 to include all revenues, including, but not limited to lease funds, grants, claw
back funds from Force Protection and Eaton Corporation.
MANAGER’S REPORT
County Manager Katherine Cathey expressed thanks to all employees, volunteers
within our community, and community members for being here tonight, and stated that is
nice to see them here participating in the business of the County in this way. She stated
that she and Vice Chairman Sims will be at the NCACC Annual Conference Thursday-
Saturday of this week. She stated that County staff will be monitoring the weather and
taking any measures that are necessary to ensure the safety of the people here. She stated
that tomorrow is National Night Out and is being held at Palace Pointe from 5:00 p.m.-
7:00 p.m. She stated that this is a very important community event that is supported by
many County and City departments, and a variety of community organizations, and is a
great way to bring people together.
COMMISSIONER REPORTS/COMMENTS
Vice Chairman Sims stated that he attended the PCBIC meeting and the Planning
Board meeting that were both held on the same day. He stated that he attended the volunteer
appreciation for the play yard dedication at Animal Services. He stated that he appreciated
all the volunteers that help out, and without volunteers, including those with the VFD’s, this
county would not be where it is now. He expressed thanks for all in attendance this evening.
Sims stated that he wanted to clarify a couple of things that were printed in the
Courier=Times. He stated that an article written to the editor on July 25, 2024 from Don
Narensky misquoted which Commissioner stated an opinion. Sims stated that Narensky
wrote in his letter to the editor: It is important to note that at the open public hearing in
December 2023, Mr. Sims voted in favor of the controversial MEC rezoning, without any
public comment, rationale for his decision or a public declaration of “no known conflict-of-
interest”; even after 35 speakers and over 350 constituents voiced their absolute opposition
to the rezoning, whose passionate participation in the democratic process Sims publicly
called “insanity”. Finally, it is important to note that Mr. Sims will be running for re-election
this November 2024.
Sims stated that he did not say that, and it was in quotes, and that it bothers him that
we have people who will put things in the paper that are inaccurate and not true. He stated
that in the August 1, 2024 edition of the Courier=Times, under For the Record, reads as
follows: A letter to the editor from Don Narensky that appeared in the July 25 edition of the
Courtier=Times attributed a statement referring to the Board of Commissioners public
hearing concerning Dominion Energy’s Moriah Energy Center as “insanity” to
commissioner Derrick Sims. That description was not made by Sims, but rather by
commissioner Charlie Palmer during the Jan. 2 Person County Board of Commissioners
meeting.
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Sims stated that he wants people to know that he did not say this and he is not going
to put up with people putting something in the paper that is not true, and that he will call
you out for it if you do. He stated that he hopes Narensky will hear this and understand that
he was wrong.
Commissioner Palmer apologized for missing the retirement party for the former
CFO. He stated that he attended a PCBIC meeting, where he asked one question, and was
not provided with the answer he was looking for. He stated that he attended the Parks and
Rec Tennis Tournament this past weekend, and it had a great turnout. He stated that the
Courier=Times needed a proof reader, as it would do the County a great service.
Commissioner Thomas expressed thanks to all in attendance, especially the EMS
and VFD’s, for all their hard work and stated that they do not get the credit they deserve.
Commissioner Puryear had no report.
A motion was made by Commissioner Puryear and carried 5-0 to enter into
Closed Sessions at 6:51 p.m.
CLOSED SESSION #1
A motion to enter into Closed Session #1 per General Statute 143-318.11(a)(3) for
the purpose to consult with the county attorney in order to preserve the attorney-client
privilege with the following individuals permitted to attend: County Manager
Katherine Cathey, Clerk to the Board Michele Solomon, County Attorney T.C.
Morphis, Jr., and Attorney Bo Somers.
CLOSED SESSION #2
A motion to enter into Closed Session #2 per General Statute 143-318.11(a)(6) for
the purpose to discuss personnel with the following individuals permitted to attend:
County Manager Katherine Cathey, Clerk to the Board Michele Solomon, and
County Attorney T.C. Morphis, Jr.
Chairman Powell called the closed sessions to order at 6:54 p.m.
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A motion was made by Commissioner Puryear and carried 5-0 to return to open
session at 8:37 p.m.
ADJOURN:
A motion was made by Commissioner Puryear and carried 5-0 to adjourn the
meeting at 8:39 p.m.
_____________________________ ______________________________
Michele Solomon Gordon Powell
Clerk to the Board Chairman