HomeMy WebLinkAbout091024 wsHARNETT COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Minutes of Work Session
September 10, 2024
The Harnett County Board of Commissioners met in work session on Tuesday, September 10,
2024, at 9:00 am, in the Commissioners Meeting Room, Harnett County Resource Center and
Library, 455 McKinney Parkway, Lillington, North Carolina.
Members present: William Morris, Chairman
Barbara McKoy, Commissioner
Lewis W. Weatherspoon, Commissioner
Matthew B. Nicol, Commissioner
Member absent: W. Brooks Matthews, Vice Chairman
Staff present: Dwight Snow, County Attorney
Kimberly Honeycutt, Finance Officer
Brent Trout, County Manager
Melissa Capps, Clerk
Chairman Morris called the Harnett County Board of Commissioners meeting to order at 9:00
am. Commissioner Nicol led the Pledge of Allegiance and provided the invocation.
The following agenda was before the Board of Commissioners:
1. Call to order — Chairman William Morris
2. Pledge of Allegiance and Invocation — Commissioner Matt Nicol
3. Discuss a request from the Tax Department regarding the barring off the 2014
delinquent taxes, pursuant to NCGS 105-378(a); Christine Wallace, Tax Administrator
4. Discuss a request for approval of an amendment to the Southern Health Partners
Health Services Agreement; Major Gary McNeill
5. Discuss a request for approval to purchase body cameras from Axon Enterprise,
Inc.; Sheriff's Office
6. Discuss a request to receive Fiscal Year 2025 Grassroots Arts Program Grant;
Desiree Patrick Community Relations Director
7. Development Services briefing on the following upcoming public hearings:
• Proposed Zoning Change: Case #PLAN2407-0002 Landowner / Applicant:
Jeffrey Branson; 1.81 +/- acres; Pin #9576-36-4826.000; Request to rezone from
Commercial to the RA-20R Zoning District; Barbecue Township; SR # 1113 (Old
NC 87).
• Proposed Text Amendment: Case #PLAN2408-0002 Applicant: Harnett County
Development Services; To amend the Harnett County Unified Development
Ordinance; Article X., Section 4.2.3 A. & B., Cluster Development.
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Work Session Minutes
September 10, 2024
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8. Discuss a request for the Board of Commissioners to consider and approve the
North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) FY2025 Travelers Aid
Program Grant agreement; Barry Blevins, General Services Director
9. Discuss a request to hold a public hearing to allow Harnett County citizens an
opportunity to comment on transportation needs and the proposed 5311
Community Transportation Program application submission to the North Carolina
Department of Transportation, Integrated Mobility Division (NCDOTA MD); Barry
Blevins, General Services Director
10. Discuss a land purchase for industrial building development; Brent Trout, County
Manager and Stephen Barrington, Economic Development Director
11. Discuss a request to authorize the hiring of a Public Utilities Director prior to the
retirement of the current director; Brent Trout, County Manager
12. Review applications to serve on Boards and Committees.
13. County Manager's Report — Brent Trout, County Manager
• September 16, 2024 Regular Meeting Agenda Review
• Upcoming meetings and invitations
14. Closed Session
15. Adjourn
Christine Wallace, Tax Administrator reviewed a request Pursuant to NCGS 105-378(a), to the
barring off the 2014 delinquent taxes. Per statute delinquent taxes that are more than ten years
past due cannot be collected using enforced collection remedies. This statute of limitations
affects the use of bank or rent attachment, the garnishment of wages, sheriff executions, debt
setoff, or foreclosure in collecting delinquent taxes. Although forced collections is no longer
permissible by law the delinquent taxes still remain a lien on the property and may be collected
by other payment methods including private sale of the property. The amount of county taxes to
be barred off for 2014 as of September 1, 2014 - Real and Personal Property $25,778.37.
Consensus of the Board was to place this item on the next consent agenda.
Major Gary McNeill reviewed a request for the approval of an amendment to the Southern
Health Partners Health Services Agreement. The Amendment Section 1.2 increases the SHP's
base contract price to $ 629,159.76 to account an annual increase in the amount of compensation
to SHP and to account for the increases Correctional Behavioral Health Services. The previous
contact for Correctional Behavioral Health Services provided one on -site visit per week.
Because of the increase in the number of inmates with Behavioral issues, we need to increase to
two on -site visits per week. Consensus of the Board was to place this item on the next consent
agenda.
Major McNeill also reviewed a request for approval to purchase Body cameras from Axon
Enterprise, Inc. The purchase will include the devices, licenses, unlimited storage and docking
stations. The contract will be for 60 months at a yearly cost of $100,040.00 with a total cost of
$516,086.00. Asset Forfeiture funds will be used to pay for the yearly cost for the first and
second year. Consensus of the Board was to place this item on the next consent agenda.
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Work Session Minutes
September 10, 2024
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Desiree Patrick, Community Relations Director, reviewed a request for approval to accept and
subgrant $90,954.00 in state grant funding from the North Carolina Arts Council for the Fiscal
Year 2025 Grassroots Arts Program Grant. The County is required to spend at least $37,074.00
on multicultural programs. Harnett County Manager's Office has been designated the provisional
partner by the NC Arts Council to administer the Grassroots Arts Program to support artists and
arts programming in Harnett County through the sub granting of funds to local arts organizations
and non-profit organizations. No match is required by the County to receive the grant, however,
if a department of the County is designated as a subrecipient, that department must provide a
cash match for each dollar received. A panel consisting of representatives from NC Arts Council,
Harnett County Arts Council, County staff, and other individuals will decide which applicants
will receive funding. Consensus of the Board was to place this item on the next consent agenda.
Sarah Arbour, Planner II, provided a briefing on the following upcoming public hearings on
September 16, 2024:
• Proposed Zoning Change: Case #PLAN2407-0002 Landowner / Applicant: Jeffrey
Branson; 1.81 +/- acres; Pin #9576-36-4826.000; Request to rezone from Commercial to
the RA-20R Zoning District; Barbecue Township; SR # 1113 (Old NC 87).
• Proposed Text Amendment: Case #PLAN2408-0002 Applicant: Harnett County
Development Services; To amend the Harnett County Unified Development Ordinance;
Article X., Section 4.2.3 A. & B., Cluster Development.
Barry Blevins, General Services Manager, reviewed a request for approval of the North Carolina
Department of Transportation (NCDOT) FY2025 Travelers Aid Program Grant agreement. This
grant provides transportation for disadvantaged individuals, victims of domestic violence,
individuals experiencing a major medical crisis, job loss, homelessness and stranded travelers in
need of transportation in times of distress. HARTS will provide administration of the grant, and
the Harnett County Department of Social Services will provide citizen application and service
delivery. Total grant budget amount is $5,000 with a $2,500 local match. The Board of
Commissioners approved the application on September 18, 2023. Consensus of the Board was to
place this item on the next consent agenda.
Mr. Blevins also reviewed a request for a public hearing to allow Harnett County citizens an
opportunity to comment on transportation needs and the proposed 5311 Community
Transportation Program application submission to the North Carolina Department of
Transportation, Integrated Mobility Division (NCDOT/IMD) no later than October 4, 2024. At
the conclusion of the public hearing, and as required by NCDOT/IMD, HARTS seeks a Board
resolution to apply, enter an agreement with NCDOT and provide the necessary assurances and
required match. Total grant budget is $688,470 with a total county match of $88,865.
Specifically, the Section 5311 program intends to enhance access for citizens in non -urbanized
areas to healthcare, shopping, education, employment, public services and recreation. Section
5311 assists in the maintenance, development, improvement and use of public transportation
systems in non -urbanized areas. A public hearing will be held on September 16, 2024.
Harnett County Board of Commissioners
Work Session Minutes
September 10, 2024
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Brent Trout, County Manager, reviewed a request for the purchase of land for an industrial
building development. Harnett County is working with Samet Corporation to develop the
county's first Class A industrial park. Three parcels, making up a 65.63-acre site, was identified
at the corner of Arrowhead Road and Highway 301 in Dunn for the new industrial park. Samet
Corporation will purchase 14.27-acres of the entire site to construct the first shell building of
162,000 SF. The County will purchase the remaining 51.36 acres for future development with
Samet Corporation per a separate agreement. The cost to the County for the purchase of land is
$55,000 per acre for a total cost of over $2.8 million, of which the I-95 / I-40 Crossroads of
America Economic Development Alliance will cover half the County's investment, in a separate
partnership agreement. This industrial park is estimated to yield approximately 800,000 SF of
industrial building space and more than $85 million in taxable real estate investment once fully
built out. The purchase of this land is a long-term commitment by Harnett County in the
economic development of our county. The project will create jobs and tax base in our county that
are needed to ensure that we have a vibrant future growth for our citizens. Consensus of the
Board was to place this item on the next consent agenda.
Mr. Trout also reviewed a request to hire a new Public Utilities Director prior to retirement of
current director Steve Ward. Steve Ward has announced a retirement date of January 1, 2025. I
am requesting permission to hire the new Public Utilities Director up to two months prior to the
departure of Steve Ward in order to allow the new director time to shadow Steve and learn about
the department prior to taking over for him on January 2, 2025. The estimated maximum
expense for two months of the new director's salary would be $42,713.47. It will be less than
that depending on the agreed upon start date of the new director. I am requesting the board allow
me to hire the new Public Utilities Director prior to the departure of the current Public Utilities
Director. Consensus of the Board was to place this item on the next consent agenda.
The Board of Commissioners reviewed applications to serve on the various boards and
committees. Commissioner Weatherspoon recommended the appointment of Steve Crisp to the
Dangerous Dog Committee. Discussion was held regarding the reappointment of Stanley Price to
the Southeastern Economic Development Commission and consensus was to defer consideration
until the next work session. Commissioner Weatherspoon stated he would not recommend
Robert Cole for the Harnett County Board of Adjustment. The Board also deferred the
consideration of applications received for alternate vacancies on the Harnett County Board of
Adjustment until the next work session.
Mr. Trout shared he received word this morning from Tim Mathews, Cooperative Extension
Director, that we will have a farm recognized as the County Farm of the Day. R&B Farms from
Angier, NC will be recognized as the Farm Family of the Day at the State Fair on October 23 d.
The Rawls Church Road intersection with 401 traffic light will be going active as of September
16'. Ally Fouts Gaines made the decision to leave our employment and will be going to work for
Reaching Rural. We will be evaluating staff, the role that position plays and we will put out an
advertisement to fill that Management Analyst position. The State has put out a new CAB grant,
it is a stop gap grant and we have submitted a request to be considered for that grant. Mr. Trout
will be attending a regional meeting on Friday in Charlottee sponsored by NC Aviation.
Harnett County Board of Commissioners
Work Session Minutes
September 10, 2024
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Commissioner Nicol made a motion to adjourn the Board of Commissioners at 9:30 am.
Commissioner Weatherspoon seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously.
William Morns, Chairman
Meliss apps, Clerk
Harnett County Board of Commissioners
Work Session Minutes
September 10, 2024
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