04-05-2021 Meeting Minutes BOC
April 5, 2021
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PERSON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS APRIL 5, 2021
MEMBERS PRESENT OTHERS PRESENT
Gordon Powell Heidi York, County Manager
Kyle W. Puryear Brenda B. Reaves, Clerk to the Board
C. Derrick Sims S. Ellis Hankins, County Attorney
Charlie Palmer
Patricia Gentry
The Board of Commissioners for the County of Person, North Carolina, met in
regular session on Monday, April 5, 2021 at 7:00pm in the Person County Office Building
Auditorium.
Chairman Powell called the meeting to order and offered an invocation. Vice
Chairman Puryear led the group in the Pledge of Allegiance.
DISCUSSION/ADJUSTMENT/APPROVAL OF AGENDA:
Commissioner Sims requested to add an item to the agenda for the Economic
Development Commission.
A motion was made by Commissioner Sims and carried 5-0 to add an item to the
agenda for the Economic Development Commission and to approve the agenda as adjusted.
RECOGNITION:
RESOLUTION OF APPRECIATION FOR COUNTY RETIREE:
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Chairman Powell read and presented a Resolution of Appreciation for County
retiree, Henrietta Moore.
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PROCLAMATION FOR THE WEEK OF THE YOUNG CHILD:
Chairman Powell read a Proclamation that dedicated the week of April 10-16, 2021
as the Week of the Young Child in Person County.
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PUBLIC HEARING:
CONSIDER TEXT AMENDMENTS TO THE ORDINANCE REGULATING
ADDRESSING AND ROAD NAMING IN PERSON COUNTY:
A motion was made by Commissioner Sims and carried 5-0 to open the duly
advertised public hearing to consider text amendments to the Ordinance Regulating
Addressing and Road Naming in Person County.
GIS Manager, Sallie Vaughn presented text amendments to simplify language and
facilitate road re-naming in the Ordinance Regulating Addressing and Road Naming in
Person County. Ms. Vaughn stated the text amendments requested are as follows:
1. Remove a section referencing road sign fees to reflect current practices,
2. When renaming a road, the percentage of property owners who must be in
agreement about the road name decreased from 75% to 66%, and
3. Remove duplicative terminology and standardize language throughout.
Commissioner Gentry asked about the percentage decrease from 75% to 66% to
which Ms. Vaughan used an example of a renaming request for a road that had three houses
noting it would have to be unanimous approval among the three for a proposed renaming;
with the change to 66%, two of the three residences preferred roadway renaming would
carry.
There were no individuals appearing before the Board to speak in favor of or in
opposition to the proposed text amendments to the Ordinance Regulating Addressing and
Road Naming in Person County.
A motion was made by Vice Chairman Puryear and carried 5-0 to close the public
hearing for text amendments to the Ordinance Regulating Addressing and Road Naming
in Person County.
CONSIDERATION TO AMEND THE ORDINANCE REGULATING
ADDRESSING AND ROAD NAMING IN PERSON COUNTY:
A motion was made by Vice Chairman Puryear and carried 5-0 to adopt the text
amendments to the Ordinance Regulating Addressing and Road Naming in Person County,
as presented.
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INFORMAL COMMENTS:
There were no comments from the public.
DISCUSSION/ADJUSTMENT/APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA:
A motion was made by Commissioner Palmer and carried 5-0 to approve the
Consent Agenda with the following items:
A. Approval of Minutes of March 1, 2021,
B. Approval of Minutes of March 15, 2021,
C. Budget Amendment #13,
D. NC Education Lottery Application for Earl Bradsher Preschool for plumbing
replacement in the amount of $35,000,
E. Lease Agreement between Person County and Bushy Fork Athletic Club,
F. Person County Animal Services Ordinance Revision, and
G. Update to Person County Health Department Fee Requests to increase the
immunization administration fee to $50 for the COVID-19 vaccination.
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NEW BUSINESS:
UPDATE ON PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP SOLICITATION PROCESS
FOR SPECULATIVE SHELL BUILDING AND CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT
PROCESS:
Economic Development Director, Sherry Wilborn said at her last update at the
Board’s January 19, 2021 meeting, advertising solicitation would take place through
February with submitted proposals and financial models to be reviewed in March with an
update to Board of Commissioners at this meeting. Ms. Wilborn said she had conversations
with several development firms, which acknowledged the opportunity but also had other
projects in the works. Ms. Wilborn stated two proposals were received however neither
one matched the exact request and key parameters; she indicated the solicitation
encouraged creativity to achieve the goal of constructing the speculative building on the
North Park site provided that a definitive local investment amount could be ascertained.
As the deals of the proposals are to be kept confidential until an award is announced, one
proposal was more of a build to suit model and did not meet the constructing of speculative
building parameter and the other had an to open-ended lease agreement that did not allow
the County to ascertain a definitive local investment amount.
Ms. Wilborn noted as the negotiations and modeling phase rolled into April, she
wanted to minimize the local risks as counter proposals are being developed with the
assistance of the School of Government Development Finance Team to evaluate the
comparisons in relation to each other, to the market, and to what the county could do on its
own.
In the meantime, Ms. Wilborn said progress towards continued development at the
site included obtaining the Army Corp permit for the stream crossing at the entrance,
approval for the erosion and sedimentation control plan and the driveway permit is
expected any day. Ms. Wilborn anticipated having the counter proposals presented with
options to the Economic Development Commission to review at its April 27, 2021 meeting
with a recommendation to the Board of Commissioners at its May 3, 2021 meeting.
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TRANSFER OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUNDS:
Economic Development Director, Sherry Wilborn stated as a part of the FY2020-
2021 budget process, the Board of Commissioners approved discretionary funds for use by
the Economic Development Commission, which were allocated to the Economic
Development Operating Budget. In order to simplify accounting for those funds, the
Economic Development Director requested to transfer those funds from the Economic
Development Department Operating Budget to a separate account in the Economic
Development Catalyst Fund, a separate fund apart from the General Fund, as advised by
the County Finance Director as an appropriate fund to comply with auditing practices. Ms.
Wilborn said the one-time transfer would be for $296,533.
Ms. Wilborn noted this agenda item was for explanation purposes as Board
approval would come on a future meeting agenda through a budget amendment.
County Manager, Heidi York explained the County’s Economic Catalyst Fund was
not a new fund, but was set up many years ago and primarily used for financial incentives.
She added that in the Economic Development Catalyst Fund, any unused funds would roll
over year to year with the ability to build up the fund. As presently budgeted in the
economic development’s contract budget line for an unrestricted use, this request
formalizes the appropriate use of the undesignated funds noting the auditors stated it was
not a good fit in the current contracted services budget line. Finance Director, Amy
Wehrenberg stated the Catalyst Fund would provide an easier way to track and keep any
future appropriations by the Board.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TASK FORCE APPOINTMENT:
Sharon Holler was appointed by the Board of Commissioners on March 15, 2021
to serve on the Economic Development Task Force. Commissioner Gentry stated Ms.
Holler resigned shortly thereafter; Commissioner Gentry presented Randy King to the
Board to be appointed on the Task Force.
A motion was made by Commissioner Sims and carried 5-0 to appoint Randy
King to the Economic Development Task Force.
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RECOMMENDED CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN FOR FY 2022-2026:
County Manager, Heidi York presented to the Board the Capital Improvement Plan
(CIP) for Fiscal Years 2022-2026. Ms. York said the CIP is a planning tool for
implementing large, capital projects costing $50,000 or greater from county departments,
Piedmont Community College, and Person County Schools. In past versions, Ms. York
noted the County also included capital needs for the Museum, the Airport, and the Senior
Center as county-owned facilities.
Ms. York stated the CIP paves the way for the Manager’s Recommended Budget
as it will provide an estimate of funding needed for capital projects and anticipates impacts
on operating costs as well. These capital projects span the next five fiscal years with the
upcoming fiscal year, FY2022, being the only year where a funding commitment was
needed from the Board.
Ms. York noted the CIP was being presented as information only at this meeting
and proposed that adoption of the CIP be at the May 3rd Board meeting, after the Debt
Model financing scenarios were presented to the Board on April 19th.
Ms. York further noted the current year, FY2020-21 total CIP costs are $535,073.
Recommended CIP costs for next fiscal year, FY2021-2022 totals $2,465,206.
The Recommended CIP, by function, illustrates that Person County Schools has
49.4% of the projects.
The Recommended Funding Schedule, including current fiscal year along with
FY2022 appropriations and planning years in FY2023-2026 are as follows:
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION:
Commissioner Sims noted his concerns related to the cohesiveness of the Economic
Development Commission (EDC) and for the cohesiveness and continuity of the EDC and
for the best interests of the EDC, he made a motion to remove Elizabeth (Liz) Bradsher
from EDC.
Commissioner Gentry asked for substantial reason(s) or information why
Commissioner Sims wanted to remove Liz Bradsher from the EDC to which he said he had
no further comments.
Commissioner Gentry said she couldn’t make a decision without substantial
information.
Commissioner Sims called the question.
A motion was made by Commissioner Sims and carried 3-2 to remove Elizabeth
(Liz) Bradsher from the Economic Development Commission. Commissioner Sims, Vice
Chairman Puryear and Chairman Powell voted in favor of the motion. Commissioners
Gentry and Palmer cast the dissenting votes.
Commissioner Gentry stated her displeasure in the petty politics to remove
someone from a board without reason or evidence to provide to the public.
CHAIRMAN’S REPORT:
Chairman Powell had no report.
MANAGER’S REPORT:
County Manager, Heidi York had no report.
COMMISSIONER REPORT/COMMENTS:
There were no reports from Vice Chairman Puryear or Commissioners Gentry and
Sims.
Commissioner Palmer commented a former resident contacted him related to a
family member’s stay in the extended care unit at Person Memorial Hospital. He added
there was no contact information on their website for people to call with an issue. County
Manager, Heidi York stated the County has no authority over Person Memorial Hospital
noting they have their own board. Ms. York offered to provide Commissioner Palmer with
contact information for the Hospital Director.
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CLOSED SESSION #1
A motion was made by Commissioner Sims and carried 5-0 to enter into Closed
Session #1 at 7:37pm per General Statute 143-318.11(a)(4) for the purpose of discussion
of matters relating to the location or expansion of industries or other businesses in the area
served by the public body, including agreement on a tentative list of economic development
incentives that may be offered by the public body in negotiations with the following
individuals permitted to attend: County Manager, Heidi York, Clerk to the Board, Brenda
Reaves, Economic Development Director, Sherry Wilborn and County Attorney, Ellis
Hankins.
A motion was made by Vice Chairman Puryear and carried 5-0 to return to open
session at 7:52pm.
CLOSED SESSION #2
A motion was made by Commissioner Palmer and carried 5-0 to enter into Closed
Session #2 at 7:54pm per General Statute 143-318.11(a)(5) to establish, or to instruct the
public body's staff or negotiating agents concerning the position to be taken by or on behalf
of the public body in negotiating (i) the price and other material terms of a contract or
proposed contract for the acquisition of real property by purchase, option, exchange, or
lease with the following individuals permitted to attend: County Manager, Heidi York,
Clerk to the Board, Brenda Reaves, Economic Development Director, Sherry Wilborn and
County Attorney, Ellis Hankins.
A motion was made by Commissioner Sims and carried 5-0 to return to open
session at 8:10pm.
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ADJOURNMENT:
A motion was made by Commissioner Sims and carried 5-0 to adjourn the meeting
at 8:12pm.
_____________________________ ______________________________
Brenda B. Reaves Gordon Powell
Clerk to the Board Chairman