HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-01-2022
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February 1, 2022
IREDELL COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PRE-AGENDA SESSION
February 1, 2022
The Iredell County Board of Commissioners met in pre-agenda session on Tuesday,
February 1, 2022 at 5:00 PM, in the Commissioners’ Meeting Room located in the Iredell County
Government Center 200 South Center Street, Statesville, NC.
Board Members Present
Chairman James Mallory
Vice Chairman Melissa Neader
Scottie Brown
Gene Houpe
Board Members Participating Remotely
Marvin Norman
Staff present: County Manager Beth Mull, County Attorney Lisa Valdez, Deputy County
Manager Susan Robertson, Assistant County Manager Joe Pierce, Finance Director Deb Cheek,
and Clerk to the Board Amy Anderson.
CALL TO ORDER: Chairman James Mallory called the meeting to order.
ADJUSTMENTS TO THE AGENDA: There were no adjustments to the agenda.
ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS
Request from Iredell-Statesville Schools for approval to apply for a Public School
Capital Fund Grant: Tim Ivey requested approval for Iredell-Statesville Schools to apply for a
Public School Capital Fund Grant. This is a needs-based public grant fund made up of $395 million
additional lottery dollars. This fund has been available for quite some time, but certain school
districts including Iredell-Statesville have not been able to apply for the funds since it was
primarily based on needs. This year the State opened the grant to more counties. The matching
funds depend on the County’s economic situation. Ivey said the grant could provide the school
system with a maximum award of $30 million for an elementary school, $40 million for a middle
school, and $50 million for a high school. He noted this year the grant includes new construction
and repairs or renovations, which it has not in the past. Ivey provided the Board with the following
worksheet outlining the projects.
● Iredell County is eligible with a requirement of 25% matching funds
● Possible projects for grant application:
○ Project 1: SHS CTE - 13.8 million (25% = 3.45 million)
○ Project 2: Harmony Replace 4th/5th Grade wing - 8.6 million (25% = 2.15 million)
○ Project 3: Additional funds for New High School - 50 million (25% = Bond Funds)
○ Project 4: Lake Norman Elementary Gym/Classroom Addition - 11 million (25% = 2.9
million)
○ Project 5: Lakeshore Middle expansion - 6.7 million (25% = 1.5 million)
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February 1, 2022
● Total Grant Funding Applying for = $90.1 million
● Total Local Match (25%) if awarded = $10 million excluding Bond Funds SHS CTE13,
This item was placed on consent.
Request from the Register of Deeds for approval to refund Revenue Stamps in the
amount of $960 to Benbow, Davidson, & Martin, PC: County Manager Beth Mull requested
approval to refund Revenue Stamps in the amount of $960 to Benbow, Davidson, & Martin, PC.
The law firm is requesting a refund due to an error and recording the deed twice.
This item was placed on consent.
Request from Emergency Management for approval to allow the County Manager to
sign the updated Statewide Mutual Aid Agreement: Kent Greene requested approval to allow
the County Manager to sign the updated Statewide Mutual Aid Agreement. Greene said the
agreement allows the County to receive personnel and equipment should there be a disaster and
also allows the County to assist other counties. Greene noted the agreement does not obligate the
County to any future funding.
Mull said the agreement needs to be approved by the Board because it is an annual contract
with auto renewal.
This item was placed on consent.
Request from Parks & Recreation for approval of Capital Project Ordinance and to
accept a Carolina Thread Trail grant in the amount of $30,000: Finance Director Deb Cheek
requested approval of a project ordinance and to accept a $30,000 Carolina Thread Trail grant. The
funds will go toward the construction associated with the Fourth Creek Greenway Expansion,
connecting Big Leaf Slopes Park to the City of Statesville’s existing greenway.
This item was placed on consent.
Request from Parks & Recreation for approval to apply for a Parks and Recreation
Trust Fund Grant: Parks & Recreation Director Michelle Hepler requested approval to apply for
a Parks & Recreation Trust Fund Grant to go toward the development of Jennings Park.
Historically, the County applied for a PARTF grant for the acquisition of the park. There is a 50/50
match requirement, for all Parks and Recreation Trust Fund Grants. This requirement will be met
by using the existing funds already allocated in the Jennings Park Project Ordinance.
This item was placed on consent.
Report of Unpaid Taxes that are liens on Real Property and set advertising date: Tax
Administrator Bill Furches reported Unpaid Taxes that are liens and set the advertising date as
March 16, 2022. A paper copy of the report is available in the Clerk to the Board’s office. Furches
said the current collection rate is 96.11% and there is approximately $5.6 million unpaid.
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February 1, 2022
This item was placed on consent.
Request from Clerk to the Board for approval of the minutes from the meeting on
January 18, 2022: There were no additions or corrections.
This item was placed on consent.
Request from the Finance Department for consideration and acceptance of highest
upset bid offer for Harmony Highway Surplus Property and to close the upse t bid process:
Finance Director Deb Cheek requested approval of the highest upset bid offer for the Harmony
Highway property and to close the upset bid process. Cheek said there were no other bids on the
property and requested approval to accept the bid of $35,000 for the property of 4600 Harmony
Highway, Harmony.
This item was placed on consent.
ANNOUNCEMENTS OF VACANCIES OCCURING ON BOARDS & COMMISSIONS
(None)
APPOINTMENTS TO BOARDS & COMMISSIONS
(None)
OLD BUSINESS
Mull said at the direction of the Board, staff was asked to gather a list of questions from
citizens regarding the Strong Schools NC Toolkit. The questions were submitted to the State for
response. Mull noted she added three questions on page 5. The State did not respond point by point
or to every questions. Mull explained the State’s initial reaction was not to respond to the questions.
For example one of the questions was, “If you took an oath, did you use the sacred or non -sacred
scriptures such as a Christian Bible or other religious texts such as the satanic bible.” The State
did not feel deemed a response. Mull explained that she spoke with the State and asked them to
submit a response and information for the questions. The questions and responses were provided
in the Board’s agenda packet.
Chairman Mallory said the Board has had the opportunity to read the questi ons and data
provided by the State. The response did not line up question by question but there is some
information that was pertinent to a number of the questions but not necessarily directly on point.
Some of the questions were statements that were followed by agree or disagree and some were
accusatory in nature, and possibly inappropriate to respond to. Mallory said he could understand
why the State would have a reaction. There is some information and the Board will take that into
consideration as well as the questions in making policy decisions moving forward. Mallory said
based on the conditions that exist and within the areas the Board has control over for instance
masking policy applies only to county employees. The purpose of the policy is to protect the staff’s
health during the Covid pandemic. The requirements are based on conditions and when the
conditions are such that the threat is diminished and manageable the Board rescinded the
requirement. When the number of cases surged the mask requirement was re-imposed.
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February 1, 2022
The Board recessed at 5:39pm.
IREDELL COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
REGULAR MINUTES
February 1, 2022
The Iredell County Board of Commissioners met in regular session on Tuesday, February
1, 2022 at 7:00 PM, in the Commissioners’ Meeting Room of the Iredell County Government
Center, 200 South Center Street, Statesville, NC.
Board Members Present
Chairman James Mallory
Vice Chairman Melissa Neader
Scottie Brown
Gene Houpe
Board Members Participating Remotely
Marvin Norman
Staff present: County Manager Beth Mull, County Attorney Lisa Valdez, Deputy County
Manager Susan Robertson, Assistant County Manager Joe Pierce, Finance Director Debra Cheek
and Clerk to the Board Amy Anderson.
CALL TO ORDER by Chairman Mallory.
INVOCATION: Chairman Mallory asked everyone to bow their heads for a moment of
silence or reflection.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE led by Chairman Mallory.
ADJUSTMENTS TO THE AGENDA
There were no adjustments to the agenda.
MOTION by Vice Chair Neader to approve the agenda as presented.
VOTING: Ayes – 5; Nays – 0
PRESENTATION OF SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS & AWARDS
(None)
APPOINTMENTS BEFORE THE BOARD
Update on the 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan: Neil Burke and Travis Johnson
with the Charlotte Regional Transportation Organization presented an update on the 2020
Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP). The MTP is a long-range plan that establishes goals,
objectives, and transportation priorities over the next 20 plus years. The plan considers all modes
of surface transportation as well as impacts to the environment, economy, public health, and
overall quality of life. The plan must be fiscally constrained – the projects in the plan be
implemented using committed or anticipated revenues. The plan is updated at least every four
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February 1, 2022
years. The big difference between the MTP and the Iredell County Master Transportation Plan is
the MTP covers a three county region. Both plans have project programs and policies but the
projects in the MTP come from the comprehensive transportation plan. The next step for the
County’s projects would be added to the comprehensive transportation plan to start the process of
being funded through this system. The key components of the MTP are goals and objectives,
scenario planning, performance management, financial plan, project ranking, and project list. The
years 2025, 2035, 2045, and 2050 are defined in the MTP.
Burke said the MTP projects have realistic chance to be funded by 2050. The estimated
population share is used to determine the percentage of available funding for each STI funding
geography. Iredell County falls within Region F and has a 15% share of the 2050 MTP.
Johnson explained the public comment period is currently open for the draft plan.
Chairman Mallory urged citizens to visit the CRTPO website and comment on the plan.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
Public hearing to consider an economic development incentive for Project Layer: Jenn
Bosser presented Keselowski Manufacturing (KAM), an existing industry company also known as
Project Layer, for consideration for an incentive from Iredell County. Keselowski Manufacturing
plans to invest new in machinery and equipment and an update to their existing facility located at
258 West Aviation Drive, Statesville. The project is adjacent to Statesville Regional Airport and
the expansion is an effort to expand the company’s ability to satisfy customer needs and to acquire
a new line of business in the defense contract sector. KAM is a vertically integrated simulation
and design engineering company with top engineering and machining talent who excel within
innovation creativity and problem company.
In accordance with Iredell County’s Economic Development Policy, Bosser requested an
economic incentive grant to KAM for up to $52,608 based on a capital investment total of
$4,785,000. The grant would be payable over 3 years and is performance based. Payment is tied
to the amount of new increment assessed value generated from the private investment by the
company.
On behalf of Iredell County Economic Development Corporation, Bosser expressed
appreciation to the Board for their consideration of the grants.
Chairman Mallory opened the public hearing.
No one wished to speak.
Chairman Mallory closed the public hearing.
MOTION by Vice Chair Neader to approve an economic incentive up to $52,608 over a
three-year period based on the company's investment of up to $4,785,000 and contingent upon a
contract being executed within 180 days.
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February 1, 2022
VOTING: Ayes – 5; Nays – 0
ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS
County Manager Beth Mull summarized the following Administrative Matters during the
Pre-Agenda meeting held at 5pm:
Request from Iredell-Statesville Schools for approval to apply for a Public School Capital
Fund Grant.
Request from the Register of Deeds for approval to refund Revenue Stamps in the amount
of $960 to Benbow, Davidson, & Martin, PC.
Request from Emergency Management for approval to allow the County Manager to sign
the updated Statewide Mutual Aid Agreement.
Request from Parks & Recreation for approval of Capital Project Ordinance and to accept
a Carolina Thread Trail grant in the amount of $30,000.
Request from Parks & Recreation for approval to apply for a Parks and Recreation Trust
Fund Grant.
Report of Unpaid Taxes that are liens on Real Property and set advertising date.
Request from Clerk to the Board for approval of the minutes from the meeting on January
18, 2022.
Request from the Finance Department for consideration and acceptance of highest upset
bid offer for Harmony Highway Surplus Property and to close the upset bid process.
MOTION by Commissioner Norman to approve the consent agenda.
VOTING: Ayes – 5; Nays – 0
ANNOUNCEMENTS OF VACANCIES ON BOARDS & COMMISSIONS
(None)
APPOINTMENTS TO BOARDS & COMMISSIONS
(None)
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
County Manger Beth Mull said the Board gave the public an opportunity to submit
questions regarding the mask mandate and the NC School Tool kit. Staff submitted the questions
to NC Department of Health & Human Services. Mull noted she added three questions to the list.
The State’s initial response to the questions was to decline to respond because of the nature of
some of the questions. For example one of the questions was, “If you took an oath, did you use the
sacred or non-sacred scriptures such as a Christian Bible or other religious texts such as the satanic
bible.” The State did not feel that was a question that deemed a response. Mull said she again
requested a response from the State. The State then submitted information and two attachments
for reference. Copies of the questions and answers were included in the Board’s agenda packets
and were made available to attendees at the meeting.
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February 1, 2022
Chairman Mallory said the Board will sort through the reference material provided by the
State to discuss at the next meeting and allow citizens at the next Public Comment Period to opine.
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
(None)
NEW BUSINESS
(None)
COUNTY MANANGERS REPORT
County Manager Beth Mull provided an update on the following:
The Board will hold their Winter Retreat on Thursday (noon – 5pm) and Friday (8am –
4pm), February 17-18, 2022 at Cooperative Extension.
CLOSED SESSION
Chairman Mallory said a Closed Session was held immediately following pre-
agenda for Economic Development and Personnel. There were no action items to report.
ADJOURNMENT
MOTION by Commissioner Brown to adjourn at 8:02pm. The Board will meet for a
regular meeting Tuesday, February 15, 2022 at 7pm in the Commissioners’ Meeting Room,
Government Center, 200 South Center Street, Statesville, NC.
VOTING Ayes – 5; Nays – 0
__________________________________ ___________________________________
Date Approved Amy B. Anderson, Clerk