01-27-2026 Meeting Minutes EDCMinutes of the PCEDC Regularly Scheduled Meeting
Person County EDC Board Room
303 S. Morgan St., Roxboro, NC 27573
January 27, 2026
Voting Board Members Present:
Dr. Scott McKinney- Chairman Mr. Jay Poindexter
Mr. Phillip Allen- Vice-Chairman Mr. Kenneth Perry
The Honorable Cynthia Petty
The Honorable Sherry Wilborn
Voting Board Members Absent:
Dr. Claudia Berryhill, Agricultural Representative
Mr. Jody Blackwell
Ex Officios Present:
Ms. Katherine Cathey, County Manager
Dr. Rodney Peterson, PCS Superintendent
Mr. Brooks Lockhart, City Manager
Ex Officios Absent:
Dr. Kevin Lee, PCC President
ED Staff Present: Others Present:
Ms. Briana Whitt, Specialist (Minutes) Ms. Julie Maybee
Mr. Bryan Eatmon, Existing Industry Specialist Mr. George Willoughby
Mr. Peter Baker
Mr. Bo Freeman
Mr. Nishith Trivedi
EDC Welcome and Invocation:
At 4:00 p.m., Chairman McKinney called the meeting to order.
Vice-Chairman Allen gave the invocation.
Recognition of Bo Freeman:
Bo Freeman was recognized on his retirement as Cooperative Extension Director. Remarks led by
County Manager Katherine Cathey, with multiple members thanking Bo for his consistent
advocacy for agriculture and partnership with economic development. A reception is planned
for Friday.
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Officer Nomination and Vote:
Mr. Bryan Eatmon opened the floor for nominations for the Chairman position. Mr. Phillip Allen
nominated Dr. Scott McKinney.
A motion was made by Mr. Phillip Allen and passed for Dr. Scott McKinney to be Chairman.
Although the motion was not formally seconded, the board expressed unanimous agreement,
and the motion was approved by unanimous consent.
Dr. Scott McKinney opens the floor for nominations for the Vice Chairman position.
A motion was made by The Honorable Sherry Wilborn and passed for Mr. Phillip Allen to be
Vice-Chairman. Although the motion was not formally seconded, the board expressed
unanimous agreement, and the motion was approved by unanimous consent.
Dr. Scott McKinney opens the floor for nominations for the Secretary position.
Chairman McKinney nominates Dr. Claudia Berryhill for Secretary.
A motion was made by Dr. Scott McKinney and passed for Dr. Claudia Berryhill to be Secretary.
Although the motion was not formally seconded, the board expressed unanimous agreement,
and the motion was approved by unanimous consent.
Consent Agenda:
Chairman McKinney requested a motion for the approval of the October 30, 2025 and
November 18, 2025 meeting minutes.
A motion was unanimously approved to approve the meeting minutes for October 30, 2025 and
November 18, 2025, with noted additions by Dr. Berryhill.
Motion: Mr. Phillip Allen Second: Dr. Scott McKinney
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Introduction of Planning Director:
Mr. Nishith Trivedi, who joined Person County as Planning Director in October, was formally
introduced to the Commission. Mr. Trivedi brings extensive experience in land-use planning and
development review. He highlighted the strength of the planning team—comprising Nishith,
Michie, and Jay—and noted that the department is actively managing a high volume of
applications and development projects. This collaboration is critical for aligning planning and
economic development efforts, particularly as growth pressures increase.
Mayor Petty was officially welcomed as a voting member of the Economic Development
Commission. Her participation strengthens city–county coordination on infrastructure, housing,
and business development initiatives. Members expressed appreciation for her early
engagement and commitment to supporting economic growth in Roxboro and Person County.
Update on Western Sewer:
The State has allocated $25 million for the Western Sewer Project. The construction contract was
awarded for approximately $17 million, and an additional $1 million in overage is projected due
to extensive rock blasting. Including engineering and observation costs, the total estimated
project cost is about $22 million, which will leave some remaining funds for other eligible utility
projects.
Construction progress is significant. The major force main segment around Piedmont
Community College is fully complete, and most of the remaining segments are nearly finished.
The bore under Chub Lake Road is still pending and is a critical step to connect the full system.
The system design will provide gravity sewer service north of Semora Road, which will allow
future development connections. South of Semora Road, the system will use a force main, which
does not permit direct taps. To increase capacity, the Southside Pump Station is being upgraded
with variable-frequency drives. This enhancement will allow the station to handle higher
volumes and will divert approximately 50 percent of the flow from the Marlowe’s Creek outfall
to the new line, reducing overload risk and supporting future growth.
A temporary restriction on new residential connections took effect on January 13, 2026, and will
remain in place until the Western Sewer Project is completed, which is expected in late 2026 or
2027. Existing industrial allocations will be honored to ensure that economic development is not
hindered while preventing sanitary sewer overflows.
The City currently generates about $87,000 per year in stormwater revenue, while annual costs
are approximately $120,000. Staff are conducting a rate model analysis to address this funding
gap and plan for future liabilities.
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The City is drafting updates to the joint City–County water services agreement. The goal is to
enable sustainable expansion and ensure that revenue is sufficient to support future line
extensions.
Priority capital projects include:
•A $1.15 million laboratory building at the Water Treatment Plant, which is a longstanding
need as staff are currently renting office space.
•A $750,000 rehabilitation project for the water tank at the Water Treatment Plant to
maintain potable water supply.
•Phase II of the Wastewater Treatment Plant project, which will include rebuilding the
headworks, adding an equalization basin for flow management, and implementing
stormwater mitigation measures at the low-lying plant site.
Chairman McKinney noted that Several property owners and pending development projects are
contingent on the availability of Western Sewer service. Accelerating completion of this project
would unlock significant private investment opportunities. Members were asked to keep this in
mind during the upcoming Housing Summit.
Economic Development Structure:
The EDC bylaws have been amended so that the EDC Executive Committee now provides direct
supervision of the Economic Development Director.
The Commission is already established by resolution as a public authority, but it has not been
funded to operate independently or hire its own staff. The Board of Commissioners may
consider funding the EDC as a public authority in the future, which would allow staff to remain in
the Local Government Employees’ Retirement System (LGERS).
The timeline for implementing such a change is too short for the current fiscal year, making a
July 1 effective date unrealistic. If pursued, the earliest practical target would be July 1, 2027.
This topic has been placed on the agenda for the February 20 budget retreat, and two EDC
members will attend that discussion. Quorum considerations were noted to ensure compliance
with open meeting laws.
If the EDC’s responsibilities expand to include fiscal oversight or other governance functions, the
size and representation of the board may need to be reevaluated to ensure it aligns with the
new structure.
The County Manager also shared guidance from the UNC School of Government regarding the
limitations of an EDC operating as a public authority. Specifically, an EDC in that capacity cannot
acquire, own, or develop property; construct shell buildings; convey property by private sale;
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make loans with grant funds; or guarantee private loans. These functions would remain under
the authority of the County or be managed through aligned nonprofit partners.
Update on PC Budget Process:
The County’s budget system is now open for departmental submissions, and all requests must
be entered by Friday, February 6.
The Economic Development budget will include funding for department operations as well as
the Economic Catalyst Fund, which currently supports incentive agreements for Polywood and
Spuntech. The Catalyst Fund also maintains a reserve for future incentive opportunities or other
economic development projects that may arise during the year.
The approach to this year’s budget will be conservative, with a strong emphasis on rigorous
justification for any new initiatives. Staff are actively reviewing the current budget for
redundancies and identifying small savings to ensure efficient use of taxpayer dollars.
Action Plan Update/ 2026-2027 Goals:
The current action plan, which was originally developed for 2024, has largely transitioned into
ongoing work and no longer contains time-bound objectives. To address this, the February EDC
meeting will focus on creating a new set of measurable, time-bound goals aligned with the
department’s core responsibilities: business recruitment, existing industry support, promotion
and marketing, and product development.
Several early suggestions from board members included:
•Resuming a regular cadence of recruitment trips to maintain visibility and strengthen
relationships with site selectors and industry contacts.
•Committing to at least three existing-industry visits this spring that include stakeholder
participation beyond staff-only engagement.
•Prioritizing product development, such as identifying and preparing sites and buildings,
since this remains the primary barrier to submitting competitive project proposals.
•Exploring external tools and training opportunities carefully, noting that platforms like
Gazelle are expensive and that lead-generation efforts will be most effective after the
county has a stronger product pipeline.
•Considering partnership models for revolving or micro-loan funds, such as leveraging
Golden LEAF pilot funding, to support small businesses and entrepreneurs given current
limitations on collateral-based lending.
•Coordinating with the Tourism Development Authority (TDA) and Uptown Roxboro as
they modernize grant programs to better target visitor growth and small-business
reinvestment.
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A key data point shared during the discussion highlighted the urgency of product development:
Of approximately 107 Commerce-generated project leads, the county was able to submit only
four proposals (about 3%), primarily due to a lack of qualifying sites or buildings that meet
criteria such as interstate proximity, ceiling height, and airport adjacency.
Departmental Report:
The Economic Development Department provided updates on several ongoing initiatives and
upcoming events:
•City of Roxboro UDO Update: The EDC remains actively engaged in the Unified Development
Ordinance update process. The next meeting is scheduled for March.
•Marketing Efforts: A mini-billboard campaign featuring county-wide imagery has been
launched and shared on LinkedIn to enhance visibility and branding.
•Workforce Development: Introductions have been completed with Apprenticeship NC, and
efforts are underway to position this program with major employers to strengthen workforce
pipelines.
•Industry Engagement: Positive discussions were held with Louisiana-Pacific, Polywood, and
North American Aerodynamics regarding workforce needs and ongoing support.
Small Business Support
•The PCC Small Business Center will host a Marketing Summit on February 23 at Piedmont
Community College. This event is free and open to the public.
•Planning is underway for a Pitch Competition tentatively scheduled for August to encourage
entrepreneurship and innovation.
Regional Agriculture & Tourism
•The department supported the submission of the Kerr-Tar Regional Tourism Plan on January
29.
•Assistance was provided to the Kerr-Tar Regional Food Policy Council in promoting its
community survey.
Education & Work-Based Learning
•A Job Shadow Day will take place at Person High School on February 27, with participation
from local industries and county departments.
Upcoming Events of Interest
•UNC School of Government Webinar: “Bringing Affordable Housing Directors to the Table”
will be held tomorrow from 12:00–1:00 PM. A link will be shared with members.
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•Housing Summit: Scheduled for later this week.
•Tourism Summit: Will be held on February 19 at Tunnel Creek Vineyards.
•Chamber Banquet: Took place on January 22 and was well-attended, reflecting strong
community engagement and positive energy.
Member Comments:
Dr. Peterson shared that the Person County Schools Strategic Plan 2030 process will begin in
March, with a facilities plan targeted for completion by June. He requested time at the April EDC
meeting to brief the Commission on the plan’s four cornerstones and gather feedback.
The County Manager announced that a public hearing on the Solar Ordinance is scheduled for
Monday, February 2. If approved, the amendments could enable large-scale solar projects to
apply for development in Person County.
Members emphasized the importance of balancing ordinances to support entrepreneurs and
small business formation, ensuring that regulatory requirements do not impose undue burdens
compared to standards applied to large businesses.
There was continued concern about product readiness, as the lack of qualifying sites and
buildings remains a major constraint on project submissions. Members requested a deeper
analysis of specific site requirements to improve submission rates for future opportunities.
Community Updates included:
•Footwear Plus was named Small Business of the Year, celebrating its 80th year in
business.
•Cole’s Pharmacy announced its closure after approximately 70 years of service.
•A downtown collaboration meeting is scheduled for February 2, and members noted the
positive reception of the new restaurant True Soul.
•The Tourism Development Authority (TDA) released a new promotional booklet
showcasing local attractions and activities.
From a macroeconomic perspective, members discussed insights from a recent economic
outlook, noting that the “K-shaped” economy persists, with rural areas at risk of falling behind
unless gaps in product availability and infrastructure capacity are addressed.
Finally, members were reminded of an unresolved infrastructure project that supports two major
existing industries. The Commission stressed the need for continued attention and a
depoliticized approach to resolving this issue to protect and grow local employment and tax
base.
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Chair Report:
No report was given.
Closed Session:
Chairman McKinney requested a motion to enter into Closed Session pursuant to NC General
Statutes 143-318.11(a)(5) and NC General Statutes 143-318.11(a)(6)
A motion was made, seconded and unanimously passed to go into closed session.
Motion: The Honorable Sherry Wilborn Second: Mr. Phillip Allen
Closed Session was entered into at 5:15 pm.
A motion was made, seconded, and unanimously passed to come out of closed session.
Motion: Mr. Jay Poindexter Second: Mr. Phillip Allen
Closed Session was exited at 5:35 pm.
Next Meeting:
The next meeting is announced for Tuesday, February 24, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. in the Person
County EDC Boardroom, 303 S. Morgan St., Roxboro, NC 27573.
Adjournment:
A motion was made, seconded, and unanimously passed to adjourn the meeting at
approximately 5:53 p.m.
Motion: Ms. Claudia Berryhill Second: Mr. Kenneth Perry
_____________________________________ ______________________________________
Date Approved Secretary
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Date: January 27, 2026
Time: 4:00 pm
Location: EDC Boardroom, 303 S. Morgan St., Roxboro, NC 27573
Regularly-Scheduled Meeting Agenda
Time Item Leader 4:00 Welcome Dr. Scott McKinney, Chairman 4:02 Invocation Mr. G. Phillip Allen, Vice-Chairman 4:03 Recognition of Bo Freeman Ms. Katherine Cathey, County Manager 4:04 Officer Nomination and Vote a)Chairb)Vice-Chairc)Secretary Mr. Bryan Eatmon, Existing Industry Specialist Newly Elected Chair
4:10 Consent Agenda
•October 30, 2025 Meeting Minutes
•November 18, 2025 Meeting Minutes**Request a motion to approve the Consent Agenda as presented Newly Elected Chair
4:15 Introduction of Planning Director Ms. Katherine Cathey, County Manager 4:20 Update on Western Sewer Mr. Brooks Lockhart, City Manager 4:25 Economic Development Structure Ms. Katherine Cathey, County Manager 4:35 Update on PC Budget Process Ms. Katherine Cathey, County Manager 4:45 Action Plan Update/ 2026-2027 Goals Mr. Bryan Eatmon, Existing Industry Specialist 5:00 Departmental Report Mr. Bryan Eatmon, Existing Industry Specialist 5:05 Member Comments Members and Ex Officios 5:10 Chair Report Newly Elected Chair 5:15 Closed Session **Request motion to enter into Closed Session pursuant to NC General Statutes 143-318.11(a)(5) and NC General Statutes G.S. 143-318.11(a)(6) Newly Elected Chair
5:30 Next Meeting
Set for January 29, 2026, 4:00pm, American Legion
Hall
218 Chub Lake St., Roxboro, NC 27573
Newly Elected Chair
5:30 **Adjourn Newly Elected Chair **Action Requested
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Departmental Report
November 2025 – January 2026
• Steering Committee meeting for the City of Roxboro’s UDO update on November 20th;
next meeting is in March
• EDPNC provided a “mini billboard” touting NC as the best state for business
o Commissioner Wilborn and Bryan Eatmon took photos with billboard at locations
throughout the county
• Attended a webinar hosted by Person County Tourism Development Authority outlining
changes and updates to their grant process
• Participated in Jingle on Main with Uptown Roxboro Group
• Met with Apprenticeship NC to gain understanding of Apprenticeship NC program
o Introducing the program to major employers to determine interest
• Meetings held with Louisiana-Pacific, Polywood, Dialight, and North American
Aerodynamics regarding workforce development and company needs.
• Ongoing collaboration with PCC Small Business Center: Planning for the Marketing
Summit and Pitch Competition
• Conducted small business visits with PCC Small Business Center
• Working with Kerr-Tar Regional Food Policy Council to assist in survey promotion
• Collaborating with NCSU Industry Extension Services to promote RuralWorks! Internship
Program
• Kerr Tar Regional Tourism Plan was completed and will be submitted to the KTCOG
Board on January 29th.
• Ongoing collaboration with Person County Schools CTE for Job Shadow Day on February
27th
• Phillip Allen represented Person County EDC at the Triangle Business Journal’s “Road to
Profit: 2026 Economic Outlook” on January 22nd
• Participated in Ribbon Cuttings and Business After Hours with the Roxboro Area
Chamber of Commerce
• Attended Roxboro Area Chamber of Commerce Banquet on January 22nd
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Upcoming Events of Interest
•UNC School of Government Webinar: “Bringing Affordable Housing Developers to the
Table: How Local Governments Can Lead” on January 28th from 12:00pm to 1:00pm
•Housing Summit on January 29th at American Legion Post 138 from 4:00pm to 6:00pm
•Tourism Summit on February 19th at Tunnel Creek Vineyards from 9:00am to 1:00pm
•Marketing Summit on February 23rd at Piedmont Community College Room S-100 from
9:00am to 3:00pm
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Calling all farms,
food businesses, and
institutions in the
Kerr-Tar Region!
The Kerr-Tar Regional Food Council
is conducting a 5-10 minute survey
to better understand our regional
food system. Scan the QR code to
learn more & take the survey!
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MARKETING
SUMMIT 2026
Date
February 23, 2026
Time
9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Piedmont Community College
1715 COLLEGE DRIVE ROXBORO, NC 27573
BUILDING S100
grayson.brann@piedmontcc.edu
For More Information Contact
piedmontcc.edu/sbc
Visit Our Website
Piedmont Community College Small
Business Center
You’re invited to
Join us for a one-day marketing
summit designed for small businesses.
Hear from regional experts, discover
today’s top marketing trends, and gain
actionable ideas you can use right
away.
Scan to Learn
More & RSVP
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EVENT SCHEDULE
8:30 - 8:45 REGISTRATION
8:45 - 9:00 WELCOME & INTRODUCTION
9:15 - 10:15
10:30 - 11:30
11:30 - 12:30
12:45 - 1:45
Marketing Summit
2:00 - 3:00
Ask the Marketing Experts
Gene White, Felicia Holt, and Jalen Blanks
PCC Marketing Department
Telling the County’s Story: Communication
that Attracts Investment
Kim Strickland and Bryan Eatmon
Person County Government
Networking Lunch
PCC Cafe
Carter’s 5 Grill
Behind the Headlines: How Local News
Drives Visibility
Lea Russell
The Roxboro Courier-Times
Marketing the Community: Aligning Business,
Downtown, and Tourism
Dana Blackwell, April Spencer, and Julie Maybee
Roxboro Area Chamber of Commerce, Uptown Roxboro
Group, and Person County Tourism Development Authority25 of 25