02-15-2023 Meeting Minutes BOC
February 15, 2023
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PERSON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS FEBRUARY 15, 2023
MEMBERS PRESENT OTHERS PRESENT
Gordon Powell Katherine M. Cathey, County Manager
C. Derrick Sims Brenda B. Reaves, Clerk to the Board
Kyle W. Puryear
Charlie Palmer
Jason Thomas
The Board of Commissioners for the County of Person, North Carolina, met in
special-called session on Wednesday, February 15, 2023 at 6:00pm in the Person County
Office Building Auditorium located at 304 S. Morgan St., Roxboro, NC. The purpose of
the special-called meeting was to meet jointly with the Board of Education to discuss the
needs and funding of Person County Schools.
Board of Education Chair Freda Tillman and Chairman Powell called the joint
session meeting to order noting all members of each governing body were present. Harriett
Tillett, a member of the Board of Education, asked the group for a moment of silence and
led the group in the pledge of allegiance.
In attendance, representing Person County, were Chairman Powell, Vice Chairman
Sims and Commissioners Puryear, Thomas and Palmer. Also present were County
Manager Katherine Cathey, Assistant County Manager Brian Hart, Finance Director Amy
Wehrenberg and Clerk to the Board Brenda Reaves.
In attendance, representing the Board of Education, were Chair Freda Tillman,
Vice-Chair Phillip Gillis, and school board members Margaret Bradsher, Harriett Tillett,
and Jason Torian. Superintendent Dr. Rodney Peterson, Assistant Superintendent of
Finance Julie Masten, Chief Operations Officer Chris Clayton and Clerk to the Board of
Education Candice Pulliam were also present.
Ms. Tillman requested the status from the Board of Commissioners related to the
needs and funding requests of Person County Schools that were jointly discussed, first in
November 2018, following the facilities assessment study, then again with the consultants
in February 2020 and most recently, last October 2022, mainly focusing on deferred
maintenance for ADA and safety needs.
Chairman Powell and Vice Chairman Sims both asked for the Board of Education’s
final desired plan, noting through the many discussions with both boards, there was talk of
the ADA and safety needs and there was discussion of new construction for an elementary
school, noting commissioners wanted to hear the Schools’ plan to move forward.
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Dr. Peterson stated if the Board of Commissioners was entertaining a new
elementary school at this time, that he would not devote any funds for ADA and safety at
any school that may be considered for closure or consolidation. He added if a new
elementary school was not possible at this time, he would submit that the $38.6M in
identified ADA and safety needs would be the desired plan. Dr. Peterson said when he met
with the Bond Attorney and debt consultants in September 2022 and learned the steps to
meet the deadline for a summer 2023 financing for issuance of debt for the ADA and safety
needs, he hired an architect to identify the projects and complete the bid phase to submit to
the Local Government Commission. However, in early January 2023 when Dr. Peterson
spoke with County Manager Katherine Cathey, he said she conveyed that the Board of
Commissioners has not taken official action so he immediately paused the architect’s work.
Dr. Peterson stated that further discussion was warranted related to a new elementary
school and the impact of such on other schools possibly being consolidated before the final
proposal was in place. At the very minimum, Dr. Peterson stated the issuance of debt
would address the ADA and safety accessibility issues.
Dr. Peterson stated if the Board of Commissioners takes action to move forward,
the timeline would now be into the next fiscal year for the financing as the architect was
no longer working on the Person County Schools’ projects.
Chairman Powell said that he and the commissioners did not doubt the needs for
the schools but wanted to convey that the County would have to establish a plan over a
time period to issue debt incrementally noting other pending county considerations, i.e.
Duke Energy’s Carbon Reduction Plan, noting the closure of the coal-fired plants, the
largest taxpayer in the County, and pending interest and investment in the Mega Site to
bring economic development to the County. With all things before the County, Chairman
Powell reiterated uncertainty in the future of the County.
County Manager Katherine Cathey gave the group a handout outlining the steps
involved with a financing schedule as well as Debt Model Projections for Schools’ needs
with some funding options. She noted agreement with Chairman Powell’s comments
related to the uncertainly of the Carbon Plan and its effect on Person County, noting
replacement regeneration of energy is what County officials are requesting and putting
efforts toward, the costs associated with the Mega Site projects, retention and recruitment
of the County’s workforce, and the County’s debt and revenue streams.
Ms. Cathey stated the handout outlined options as discussed with Dr. Peterson and
noting the debt consultants have run each option in the debt model and further discussion
would take place at the Board of Commissioners’ upcoming retreat.
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Dr. Peterson addressed questions related to capacity issues noting Numerix, LLC,
a company Person County Schools has been working with to assist with forecasting student
enrollment, to determine elementary attendance boundaries with consolidation of schools
in mind noting the high school and two middle schools have capacity but it was the
elementary schools that are experiencing capacity issues, mainly, South, Oak Lane, Helena
and maybe Woodland. He added that redistricting was deemed not a choice by Numerix
due to the lack of space.
Commissioner Palmer asked school officials to explain the Terrell School Fund to
which Julie Masten, explained it is an endowment where the principal amount was
reinvested every year with the schools receiving the interest earned annually. She said the
annual amount of interest earned yielded approximately $17,000.
Dr. Peterson stated there was a critical need for window replacement at schools.
He said some windows are not made of the standard rated for schools’ use. He estimated
the cost of replacement windows for the high school at $1.8M (this is in addition to the
$12.7M in ADA and safety needs).
Vice Chairman Sims asked about safety needs related to metal detectors to which
Dr. Peterson noted the high school and two middle schools will have a weapons detection
system installed and elementary schools will have cameras installed. Dr. Peterson said the
schools have aging windows, doors and the locking mechanisms are outdated noting key
locks are not best practice and locking systemically is now preferred.
Chairman Powell stated student and staff safety is a top priority for the Board of
Commissioners. Commissioners affirmed further discussion at the Retreat.
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ADJOURNMENT:
A motion was made by Commissioner Puryear and carried 5-0 to adjourn the
meeting at 7:02pm.
_____________________________ ______________________________
Brenda B. Reaves Gordon Powell
Clerk to the Board Chairman