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10-24-2025 Meeting Minutes EDCEDC Minutes for October 24, 2025 Executive Board Meeting Minutes of the PCEDC Scheduled Executive Board Meeting Person County EDC Board Room 303 S. Morgan St., Roxboro, NC 27573 October 24, 2025 Executive Board Members Present: Dr. Scott McKinney- Chairman Mr. Jody Blackwell The Honorable Merilyn Newell Mr. Kenneth Perry The Honorable Sherry Wilborn Mr. Jay Poindexter Mr. Phillip Allen- Vice-Chairman EDC Members Present: Mr. Jody Blackwell Mr. Kenneth Perry Mr. Jay Poindexter EDC Ex Officios Present: Ms. Katherine Cathey, County Manager ED Staff Present: Others Present: Ms. Brandy Lynch, Director Ms. Julie Maybee Ms. Briana Whitt, Specialist (Minutes) Ms. Sonya Carver Mr. Bryan Eatmon, Existing Industry Specialist Mr. George Willoughby Mr. Robert Hornik - County Attorney Executive Meeting Call to order: At 10:00 a.m., Chairman McKinney called the meeting to order. Discussion: Dr. McKinney welcomed the Executive Board to their first official meeting and emphasized the importance of supporting EDC Director Brandy Lynch in guiding the county staff towards success. He encouraged open discussion and collaboration to explore how the board could assist Ms. Lynch. One key agenda item was to provide direction on the EDC meeting calendar for 2026, which could be influenced by discussions regarding the frequency of meetings for the board and the executive group. McKinney mentioned ongoing communication with the county 1 of 7 EDC Minutes for October 24, 2025 Executive Board Meeting manager about confidential matters and encouraged Ms. Lynch to share her expectations with the board. Ms. Lynch began by thanking Dr. McKinney noting this new board set up was different and we would have to navigate through it. Lynch stated she was not sure what the expectations were therefore she would start off with providing information about a conversation that she had with Dr. McKinney. Dr. McKinney had advised he was available if needed and that he and the director would maintain contact including. sharing days off. The director would continue to work with the county manager on key items. She will have monthly meetings with the county manager due to the necessity of her input in the directors’ work. Dr. McKinney and Ms. Lynch discussed streamlining communication so that the executive board and EDC could request tasks through him, thereby reducing the number of emails and directions from multiple sources. Ms. Lynch feels that the staff has been uncertain and stressed for the past several months. She hopes we can clarify expectations, work through the issues, and reduce stress. Dr. McKinney emphasizes that Ms. Lynch, as the Director of the economic development department and the staff representative to the Economic Development Commission, provides essential guidance and leadership. Recently, there has been a lack of direction in the board’s engagement, and in hopes of addressing that this is why the changes were taking place. Dr. McKinney notes that as the chair of the Economic Commission, it is his role to ensure the commission operates smoothly, while seeing that Director Lynch is the chief economic development leader for our county. We need to clarify the roles of all parties involved, as we report to the county commissioners, who want us to be more active. The executive board's responsibility is to support the director between full commission meetings, and we need to navigate these roles effectively. Dr. McKinney opened the floor to other member of the executive board. The Honorable Merilyn Newell that she will likely be the shortest-lived member of the committee since her role changes in December when a new Mayor of Roxboro will take office. She has been with the Economic Development Commission for 13 years and is focused on ensuring a smooth transition by bringing the new Mayor up to speed on economic development matters. She emphasized the importance of selecting a new Secretary for the executive committee, as this person will take her place. Newell believes it's crucial for the committee to come together to discuss objectives and collaborate effectively, avoiding confusion and promoting clear directives in economic development. Commissioner Wilborn emphasized the importance of full involvement from the EDC board. She recognized the non-executive board member in attendance. Poindexter noted that he received an email about the meeting, and he attended. Dr. McKinney clarified that this was just an 2 of 7 EDC Minutes for October 24, 2025 Executive Board Meeting executive board meeting, and they were welcome to stay, but did not have to. Lynch explained that, according to the County Manager and the County Attorney, Robert Hornik, the executive board meetings of the EDC still had to be handled like any other open meeting. Notices of the meeting and minutes had to be taken. Mr. Poindexter and Mr. Blackwell thanked the Chairman for the information and then decided to exit. The Honorable Sherry Wilborn was apprehensive of the proposed communication funnel. She did not want only two people to know what was going on. She stated she felt the current issue was that the County Manager and the Director had specific information that was not shared, and she did not want that information to shift from the County Manager and the Director to the Director and the Chairman. She advocated for the executive committee to receive regular updates and input. . She mentioned the upcoming closed session with the attorney to discuss legal guidance and framework. The Commissioner highlighted the intent to underscore the board's commitment to meeting more frequently. The Commissioner suggested that the executive committee should hold monthly meetings ahead of the full board meetings to review the agenda and ensure cohesiveness in their efforts. Mr. Allen, reflecting on the past couple of years, he noted concern with the Economic Development Commission (EDC) appointments. While the county commission appointed us, we felt sidelined and uninformed about key developments. The county manager, the executive director, and perhaps one commissioner seemed to have all the insights, leaving the EDC board out of the loop. As the chairman at that time, he takes some responsibility for that. Allen stated, if we're discussing inclusion and engaging everyone, transparency is vital. While some details are confidential, we must ensure that everyone involved understands the process to ensure success in economic development for the county’s prosperity. As we reorganize, clarity is essential. Allen believed today’s meeting was an executive board meeting for the four of us, so he was surprised to see others present. We need to define the purpose of our executive meetings, whether they should be public, and ensure we're all aligned in our goals for the county's economic success. Dr. McKinney stated that with the new supervisor responsibilities, we must understand and implement county HR policies, particularly in our professional treatment of the EDC director, whom we now supervise instead of the county manager. Ms. Carver has a work plan in place for the EDC director, Ms. Lynch, who has been working under the county manager this year. Reviews occur at different times, and Ms. Lynch's next review is set for mid-January 2026, which needs to be conducted by the executive board or the whole board, an open question at this time. 3 of 7 EDC Minutes for October 24, 2025 Executive Board Meeting Ms. Carver mentioned that Ms. Lynch has a work plan established with the county manager during her last evaluation in January. It is recommended for the county manager to provide updates on how Ms. Lynch is meeting her goals before a review meeting with Dr. McKinney, the Chairman, in January alongside the executive board. There will be an opportunity for the County Manager to update the work plan, and Ms. Lynch is responsible for sharing her accomplishments up to the point of supervision changes. Input from the board may help adjust the goals or create a fresh start for the subsequent evaluation. Additionally, keeping in mind that the work plan process for employees will be transitioning to an online format via Negov, which may result in some changes for the next evaluation period. Ms. Lynch expressed concerns regarding communication with Vice Chairman Allen and the county manager. She mentioned that there are matters she cannot discuss with the full board and stressed the importance of confidentiality. She highlighted that the former Chairman Allen approved the final agenda and acknowledged the need for her to work closely with the county manager. She noted he was aware she was working on things that could not be discussed. Mr. Robert Hornik warned the board that they were starting to discuss personnel matters that should not be discussed in open session. Additionally, Lynch discussed the idea proposed by Dr. McKinney about possibly having the executive committee meet monthly, allowing the whole board to avoid formal meetings when unnecessary. She clarified that her intention was not to meet less but to respect everyone's time while ensuring effective communication. Ms. Newell thinks it’s appropriate to provide a general outline of the topics you can't discuss with the board. They should understand the nature of your role. You don't need to be client- specific; using code names has always worked. This approach will help clarify your limitations concerning the items you've provided. Ms. Lynch mentioned that she believed Dr. McKinney had spoken to the county manager about day-to-day interactions discussed in monthly meetings. She noted the importance of having discussions with the county manager. Commissioner Wilborn concurred with Mayor Newell, emphasizing that the board has been together for a long time, with a shared understanding of essential boundaries and effective communication. The commissioners expect that each board member was strategically chosen for their knowledge of the community. Commissioner Wilborn noted she had attended community events where Ms. Lynch had presented, and she was not aware of some of the information in her presentation. Stating that information was critical information with the community that elected officials should be aware of. Ms. Lynch noted she 4 of 7 EDC Minutes for October 24, 2025 Executive Board Meeting was not sure what that information was. However, sometimes information could just recently be shared legally. Closed Session: Chairman McKinney requested a motion to enter into Closed Session to be held in Sonya Carver’s office, at 304 N. Main Street pursuant to NC General Statutes 143-318.11(a)(6), to include The Honorable Merilyn Newell, The Honorable Sherry Wilborn, Vice Chairman Phillip Allen, Chairman, Scott McKinney, Human Resources Director Sonya Carver, and attorney Robert Hornick. Director Lynch advised that someone from inside the closed session would need to capture the meeting minutes. A motion was made, seconded, and unanimously passed to go into closed session. Motion: The Honorable Merilyn Newell Second: Mr. Phillip Allen Closed Session was entered into at 10:48 am. Chairman McKinney, Vice-Chairman Allen, and The Honorable Mayor Newell returned to the EDC Board room at approximately 12:14 pm. A motion was made, seconded, and unanimously passed to exit the closed session. Motion: The Honorable Merilyn Newell Second: Mr. Phillip Allen p.m. The Closed Session was exited at 12:15 p.m. at the EDC Board Room Next Meeting: The next meeting is announced for Thursday, October 30, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. in the Person County Auditorium, 304 S. Morgan St., Roxboro, NC. 5 of 7 EDC Minutes for October 24, 2025 Executive Board Meeting Adjournment: A motion was made, seconded, and unanimously passed to adjourn the meeting at approximately 12:16 p.m. Motion: Mr. Phillip Allen Second: The Honorable Merilyn Newell ______________________________________ Secretary �112 I ZtJ'ZL Date Approved 6 of 7 *Approved at the EDC Meeting on November 18, 2025. Date: October 24, 2025 Time: 10:00 am Location: EDC Boardroom, 303 S. Morgan St., Roxboro, NC 27573 Executive Board Meeting Agenda Time Item Leader 10:00 am Welcome Dr. Scott McKinney, Chairman 10:00 am Discussion Dr. Scott McKinney, Chairman 11:00 am Closed Session **Request motion to enter into Closed Session pursuant to NC General Statutes 143-318.11(a)(6) Dr. Scott McKinney, Chairman 12:00 am Next Meeting Set for October 30, 2025, 4:00 pm, Person County Auditorium, 304 S. Morgan St., Roxboro, NC 27573 Dr. Scott McKinney, Chairman 12:00 am **Adjourn Dr. Scott McKinney, Chairman **Action Requested 7 of 77 of 7