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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-17-2026 Meeting Minutes BOCAugust 17, 2026 1 PERSON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS August 17, 2026 MEMBERS PRESENT OTHERS PRESENT Kyle Puryear Katherine M. Cathey, County Manager Sherry Wilborn Michele Solomon, Clerk to the Board Jason Thomas T.C. Morphis, Jr., County Attorney Antoinetta Royster Donald Long The Board of Commissioners for the County of Person, North Carolina, met in Regular session on Monday, August 17, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. in the Commissioners’ Boardroom 215 in the Person County Office Building located at 304 S. Morgan Street, Roxboro, NC. Chairman Puryear called the meeting to order and recognized a quorum was present. Commissioner Thomas offered an invocation, and Commissioner Long led the group in the Pledge of Allegiance. DISCUSSION/ADJUSTMENT/APPROVAL OF AGENDA: A motion was made by Vice-Chair Wilborn and carried 5-0 to approve the agenda. LIBRARY CARD SIGN-UP MONTH PROCLAMATION Library Director Von Yeager read a Proclamation recognizing September 2026 as Library Card Sign-Up Month, highlighting libraries’ role in literacy, community-building, and access to statewide materials through the NC Cardinal system. A motion was made by Commissioner Royster and carried 5-0 to approve a Proclamation recognizing September 2026 as Library Card Sign-Up Month in Person County. Chairman Puryear presented the Proclamation to Yeager. August 17, 2026 2 August 17, 2026 3 SENIOR CITIZEN DAY PROCLAMATION Cooperative Extension Director Jennifer Brown, alongside Senior Center Aging Services Director Maynell Harper, read a Proclamation recognizing August 21, 2026 as National Senior Citizen Day and highlighted seniors’ contributions, demographic trends, and health considerations. A motion was made by Commissioner Long and carried 5-0 to approve a Proclamation recognizing August 21, 2026 as National Senior Citizen Day in Person County. Chairman Puryear presented the Proclamation to Brown and Harper. August 17, 2026 4 August 17, 2026 5 CHILD SUPPORT AWARENESS MONTH PROCLAMATION DSS Director Adonica Hampton read a Proclamation recognizing the month of August as Child Support Awareness Month. The proclamation outlined fiscal year collections statewide and in Person County, the importance of paternity establishment, and the role of child support professionals. A motion was made by Commissioner Royster and carried 5-0 to approve a Proclamation recognizing August as Child Support Awareness Month in Person County. Chairman Puryear presented the Proclamation to Hampton. Chairman Puryear and Commissioner Long expressed thanks to the Child Support staff that were in attendance for the work that they do to assist families and children in Person County. August 17, 2026 6 August 17, 2026 7 INFORMAL COMMENTS: The following individual appeared before the Board to speak during informal comment period: Charlie Jay of 1567 Peed Road, Rougemont expressed concerns regarding the Upper Piedmont Landfill, which is directly located behind his family’s 12-acre farm. He highlighted the following issues: Early-morning noise from bulldozers and trucks Gas pump noise without suppressors Odors, especially in rain Vultures Property value and tax increases Mental and physical health impacts Request for clarity on air, soil, and water quality testing Desire for “peace” and better quality of life He asked Commissioners for assistance and for any possible solutions. DISCUSSION/ADJUSTMENT/APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA: A motion was made by Vice-Chair Wilborn and carried 5-0 to approve the Consent Agenda with the following items: A.August 3, 2026, Minutes B. Budget Amendment #4 C.Contract for School Nursing Services between Person County and Person County Schools D.Joint Use Agreement Renewal: Person County Recreation, Arts, and Parks Department and the Person County Board of Education E. Home and Community Care Block Grant (HCCBG) Revised/Final Allocations (PC SC/PC DSS) FY2025-2026 F.Veterans Council First Responder Memorial Funding Agreement August 17, 2026 8 NEW BUSINESS: STRATEGIC PLAN QUARTERLY UPDATE County Manager Katherine Cathey presented the FY ending June 30, 2026 departmental progress report. Highlights included: Broadband Improvements  17,056 locations now served with reliable broadband  212 remaining unserved locations  Ongoing federally, state, and locally funded projects Airport Runway Extension  Environmental assessment completed and approved  Entering land acquisition phase FY27 Budget & CIP  Adopted with a one-cent tax rate reduction Emergency Services & 911 CAD Project  CAD modernization underway with expected completion in early 2027 Opioid Settlement Funding  Projects approved for schools, recovery housing, and post-overdose response HR Public Safety Pay Study  Phase one implemented; early success in filling critical vacancies in EMS and the detention center GIS Enterprise Transition  Completed; staff training underway Library  Summer Reading Program opened with over 300 participants  America 250 programming ongoing Register of Deeds  Framework established for issuing out-of-county birth/death certificates August 17, 2026 9 Commissioner Long inquired about staffing for EMS and was advised by Human Resources Director Sonya Carver that there are two vacancies. County Manager Katherine Cathey stated that within the Sheriff’s office they were briefly staffed at 100%. She stated that the salary adjustments definitely had a positive impact. Long requested that the Board get updates to all EDC projects coming to Person County and the outcome of each. Vice-Chair Wilborn had questions and concerns about the following: Item 2.2: Timeline on Interlocal Water/Sewer Agreement Timeline for Draft Contract-City of Roxboro Item 2.4: Trail Feasibility Study and Land Acquisition Acquisition expected in August-status/update Item 2.5: US 158 Widening Regional Collaboration No Regional Support Item 6.3: County Facility Assessment RFP and Cost of Services Analysis RFP status Page 84: Service Excellence--Billboard Messaging by the Health Department Should stick to services the County provides and not promoting ideologies Commissioner Long asked related to the water agreement, if water is still being taken out of the Dan River, and if the City of Roxboro was still pursuing this. County Manager Katherine Cathey advised that there is still an agreement in place; however, there is no current demand to put that infrastructure in place. Long asked if the County/City be in jeopardy of losing that draw out of the Dan River if infrastructure’s not in place. Vice- Chair Wilborn stated that is a tremendously expensive endeavor, and that grant funding is not available, since there is no demand for it. Commissioner Royster stated that the Health Director is here and could offer an explanation on the billboard issue raised by Wilborn. Health Director Janet Clayton responded to concerns about adolescent-friendly billboard messaging and clarified the intent behind it. She explained that while the Health Department is mindful of the messages it shares, it is not able to enter school systems to discuss family planning and other options available to teens. For that reason, the department relies on social media and billboards to convey these resources. She emphasized that the intent of the billboard’s message was not to suggest that having children early in life prevents individuals from achieving their goals. She stated that this was definitely not the intended message. August 17, 2026 10 Vice-Chair Wilborn asked Clayton whether this was a local decision. Clayton confirmed that yes, it was a local decision and that the Health Department worked with the billboard company to develop it. Wilborn then asked if the ad could use the same picture and simply change the wording to “Family Planning Services.” Clayton responded that they could use that specific wording; however, they need to be cautious because some individuals associate that phrase with Planned Parenthood, which the Health Department is not. PERSON COUNTY ADVISORY BOARD POLICY County Manager Katherine Cathey noted that the Board recently approved the Ethical Responsibilities Resolution and directed staff to prepare an Advisory Board Policy for review and consideration. She informed the Board that the agenda packet includes a draft Advisory Board Policy, developed using policies from other counties along with provisions already established for Person County. She explained that the policy is intentionally comprehensive and designed to set clear expectations for advisory boards and committees. She stated that all advisory boards and committees currently have bylaws, some of which have been in place for many years. Some were approved by the Board of Commissioners, while others were adopted at the advisory board level. She explained that the purpose of this new policy is to establish consistent language that will no longer need to be repeated across various bylaws, as it will now be contained within the policy itself. She stated that staff’s approach moving forward would be to spend the next few months working with advisory boards and staff liaisons to draft a policy and procedures document tailored to each advisory board. She noted that a template for this work is included in the agenda packet. She indicated that these individualized documents would define a clear charge for each advisory board, outline expectations in writing, reference relevant general statutes, and attach or refer to authorizing documents such as ordinances or state statutes. She advised that the draft policy has been reviewed by department heads and revised based on their feedback. She stated that her request today is for the Board to provide feedback, ask questions, and identify any sections needing further review so that staff can finalize the draft and return it for approval at the Board’s next meeting on September 8, should the Board so desire. Commissioner Long referenced Section D, Item 8 regarding immediate family members and asked who is responsible for tracking such information, noting that the Board may not always be aware of these relationships. Cathey responded that the Clerk to the Board, Michele Solomon, reviews applicants and that some connections will be clear while others may not. She added that including this requirement in the policy establishes the expectation. Chairman Puryear asked whether applicants would sign an agreement confirming their compliance with the policy. Cathey stated that they would do so upon appointment, but that adding a similar acknowledgment to the application itself may need to be considered. She noted that the application could include a provision indicating that the applicant has reviewed the policy and attests to that when applying for an advisory board or committee. Vice-Chair Wilborn expressed that this is being done because of issues with one advisory board instead of addressing that board. She stated that applying this across all boards—some of which were recently updated, doesn’t make sense. She stated that the Environmental Issues Advisory Committee has already demonstrated they want to operate outside County guidance. She stated that the Commissioner representative and staff was treated rudely; emails excluded the Commissioner representative; there were decisions made via email violating open meetings laws. She stated that she does not know what the hardship is to dissolving that committee. Chairman Puryear stated that he is not in favor of dissolving the Environmental Issues Advisory Committee. He stated that some of Wilborn’s comments have merit. County Attorney T.C. Morphis, Jr. advised that email exchanges with a majority of a board quickly become a gray area. He stated that he advises boards not to do business by email. He stated that it is unclear if the committee was in violation of the Open Meetings Law. Commissioner Long stated that he had been intentionally excluded from emails from the Environmental Issues Advisory Committee and was informed at their recent meeting that he is not a voting member, which was given as the reason for his omission from certain communications. Chairman Puryear stated that the issue reflects the committee’s leadership. He noted that both the Commissioner representative and staff were disrespected at the most recent meeting and that one member had recently resigned. He stated that he is not in favor of dissolving the Environmental Issues Advisory Committee and that some of Vice- Chair Wilborn’s concerns have merit. He added that the committee’s original intent was good, and he had not anticipated that it would be weaponized, but he believes it has been. A motion was made by Chairman Puryear to remove Bob Brauer from the Environmental Issues Advisory Committee. August 17, 2026 11 August 17, 2026 12 Vice-Chair Wilborn revisited the email matter, stating that excluding Commissioner Long demonstrates that the committee believed it was conducting official business and that, because they claimed he could not vote, they did not include him in email correspondence. She noted that the bylaws do not indicate that the Commissioner representative is a non-voting member. She stated that significant staff time has been spent addressing issues with this committee and offered a substitute motion to dissolve the Environmental Issues Advisory Committee. A substitute motion was made by Vice-Chair Wilborn and failed to carry 3-2 to dissolve the Environmental Issues Advisory Committee. Chairman Puryear, Commissioner Thomas, and Commissioner Royster voted in opposition. Commissioner Royster stated that she was absent from the meeting where some of these issues were previously discussed and requested any additional information she may have missed. Chairman Puryear advised that Royster had all the information available to the Board. He stated that the Board has made considerable efforts to clarify to the committee that certain matters are not within its scope. He stated that the committee has disrespected Commissioners and staff and has operated at times as a “rogue committee,” which he attributed to leadership. Clerk to the Board Michele Solomon clarified that because the committee was created by the Board, the Board has full authority to dissolve it, modify its membership, or replace all members if desired. If the Board chose that option, vacancies would be advertised, applications accepted, and new appointments made. Chairman Puryear stated that such action may be considered in the future, but the immediate issue relates to leadership. The original motion was then called. A motion was made by Chairman Puryear and carried 4-1 to remove Bob Brauer from the Environmental Issues Advisory Committee. Commissioner Royster voted in opposition. Vice-Chair Wilborn and Commissioner Long requested additional clarification regarding “ex-officio” positions and voting rights. Cathey advised that the proposed policy language would address this moving forward. She noted that when the Environmental Issues Advisory Committee was created, the minutes reflected that the Commissioner representative would be nonvoting. She stated that the proposed policy establishes that the Board of Commissioners’ representative would serve as an ex-officio, nonvoting member unless a specific board or committee provides otherwise. County Attorney T.C. Morphis, Jr. stated that Cathey’s intent is for the policy to serve as a default framework. Vice-Chair Wilborn expressed her preference that the Commissioner representative be a voting member by default unless circumstances require abstention. Vice-Chair Wilborn also raised questions regarding eligibility for board and committee appointments. She referenced the proposed policy provision stating that no member may currently be a party to, or an actual representative in, litigation against Person County. She noted that meeting minutes from the prior meeting indicated that Bernhard Lampert, a current member of the Board of Adjustment, is a plaintiff in the Clayton v. Person County lawsuit regarding the MEC. Morphis confirmed this and acknowledged that the Board of Adjustment makes quasi-judicial land use decisions while Lampert is engaged in litigation involving land use and zoning matters. He stated that the Board would be establishing a clear standard that individuals may be removed by the Board of Commissioners at any time, with or without cause. A motion was made by Vice-Chair Wilborn and carried 5-0 to remove Bernhard Lampert from the Board of Adjustment. County Manager Katherine Cathey stated that a staff liaison had requested clarity regarding elected officials serving on boards. Commissioners agreed the issue had merit and should be added to the proposed policy. The proposed policy, incorporating edits and feedback, will be brought back to the Board for consideration at its next meeting on September 8, 2026. August 17, 2026 13 August 17, 2026 14 CHAIRMAN’S REPORT Chairman Puryear had no report. MANAGER’S REPORT County Manager Katherine Cathey announced that Bryan Eatmon, Existing Industry Specialist, has been appointed Interim Economic Development Director. She also shared that Assistant County Manager Brian Hart recently completed the Public Executive Leadership Academy through the UNC School of Government. In addition, she noted that the next Board meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, due to the Labor Day holiday on Monday, September 7. COMMISSIONER REPORTS/COMMENTS Vice-Chair Wilborn reported the following: Wished everyone a good, safe, and fruitful school year, noting that PCC starts today and charter schools have already begun. She stated that a large portion of the county is now transitioning into the new school year. Shared that she will attend the NCACC Board meeting followed by the annual meeting this week, noting that these will be her final commitments as a member of that board. Congratulated Bryan Eatman on being named interim Economic Development Director, stating that he is doing a great job and is consistently praised by industry partners. Existing Industry Updates: CertainTeed is adding a third shift, creating additional job opportunities. Voltage held a hiring event with approximately 150 participants. North American Aerodynamics is hiring. Zachary is hiring. She emphasized that there are significant job opportunities countywide. Noted that EDC project information is available on the organization’s website. Shared that she had an hour-long visit with John Tayloe from Senator Budd’s office and attended a meeting with Congressman Knott. She provided updates on the Duke Energy/landowner meetings and stated that stakeholders appear close to presenting information to the Army Corps. August 17, 2026 15 Western Sewer Project: Reported that she watched the City Council meeting last Tuesday, where the council discussed the need for approval to close a funding gap. She noted their reference to county funds they believe remain available. Clarified for the public that the county’s pledge for the Western Sewer Project has always been tied to economic development and the EDC’s strategic plan. She explained that in 2021, the county funded engineering at the EDC’s request. Stated that the project was originally estimated at $10 million, later received $27 million in state funding, and that costs have continued to evolve. She noted that change orders have been modest relative to the project scope. Explained that the county’s role is now largely historical—funds previously approved in the CIP—but emphasized the importance of public understanding regarding the project’s purpose and origin. Commissioner Thomas expressed congratulations to Bryan Eatmon for a job well done. He wished everyone a great school year and emphasized safety with buses on the road. Commissioner Royster reported the following: Wished all students a wonderful back-to-school season. Visited South Elementary School this morning to welcome students. Attended the prayer vigil yesterday hosted by the Person County Ministerial Alliance. Expressed appreciation to all organizations that provided school supplies and free haircuts to students over the past weekend. Attended the ribbon cutting for New Horizons Academy, a day-treatment program created through a partnership between Youth Haven and PCS, noting its importance for youth with behavioral and mental health needs. Attended the National Health Center Week event at Person Family Medical, where representatives from Senators Tillis and Budd’s offices, Senator Jonah Garson, and Mayor Petty were present, and participated in discussions about community needs and future plans. Will attend the NCACC annual meeting on Friday with Camille Clay, where Ms. Clay will officially receive her scholarship from the NC Association of Black County Officials. August 17, 2026 16 Commissioner Long reported the following: Recognized Ronnie Epps (“Little Brother”), Person County People’s Champ, and Mr. Richardson from Chick-fil-A for providing free breakfast to students and teachers this morning. August 4: Attended the Recreation Board meeting where Katie Ann Brann was elected chair. August 5: Attended the Mayo Lake and Duke Energy group meeting; noted that a tentative agreement is pending Army Corp of Engineers approval. August 6: Attended the Environmental Issues Advisory Committee meeting. August 7: Attended the Person Veteran Council Purple Heart Memorial Dedication. August 13: Attended the Fire Chiefs Meeting. County Attorney T.C. Morphis, Jr. advised the Board that he would like to add an additional closed session for attorney-client privilege. A motion was made by Vice-Chair Wilborn and carried 5-0 to add an additional closed session for attorney-client privilege. A motion was made by Vice-Chair Wilborn and carried 5-0 to enter into Closed Session at 10:24 a.m. Chairman Puryear called the closed session to order at 10:25 a.m. CLOSED SESSION #1 A motion to enter into Closed Session #1 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. CLOSED SESSION #2 A motion to enter into Closed Session #2 per General Statute 143-318.11(a)(3) for attorney-client privilege with the following individuals permitted to attend: County Manager Katherine Cathey, Clerk to the Board Michele Solomon, and County Attorney T.C. Morphis, Jr. August 17, 2026 17 A motion was made by Vice-Chair Wilborn and carried 5-0 to return to open session at 10:45 a.m. A motion was made by Vice-Chair Wilborn and carried 5-0 to appoint Ralph Clark as the interim County Manager effective October 1, 2026. ADJOURNMENT A motion was made by Commissioner Royster and carried 5-0 to adjourn the meeting at 10:46 a.m. ____________________________ ______________________________ Michele Solomon Kyle Puryear Clerk to the Board Chairman