062822 ws packet
WORK SESSION AGENDA
Date: Tuesday, June 28, 2022
Time: 9:00 a.m.
Location: Commissioners Meeting Room
Harnett County Resource Center & Library
455 McKinney Parkway, Lillington
Harnett County Board of Commissioners
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1. Call to order – Chairman Lewis Weatherspoon
2. Pledge of Allegiance and Invocation – Commissioner Mark Johnson
3. Discuss Resolution requesting NCDOT add Sherman Pines Drive to the secondary road system;
Jay Sikes, Assistant Development Services Director/ Manager of Planning Services
4. Discuss donation of Cargo Trailers to Chiefs Association; Larry Smith, Emergency Services Director
5. Discuss Buies Creek Fire Rescue Exterior Building Demo and Replacement of Metal Building; Larry
Smith, Emergency Services Director
6. Discuss Library Consolidation; Angela McCauley, Library Director
7. Discuss Library Consolidation Budget; Angela McCauley, Library Director
8. Discuss the NC Cardinal Memorandum of Agreement; Angela McCauley, Library Director
9. Discuss applying for the State Library of North Carolina’s Bright Ideas Grant; Angela McCauley,
Library Director
10. Discuss Project Ordinance for Animal Shelter Needs Assessment Study & Conceptual Design;
Barry Blevins, General Services Director
11. Discuss paid overtime for less than 80 hours; Paul Polinski, Director of Harnett County Social Services
12. Discuss Engineering Consultant Agreement for MBD Consulting Engineer, PA; Steve Ward, HRW
Director
13. Discuss the Sanford Holshouser Economic Development Organizational Restructuring Report and
Recommendations; Christian Lockamy, Economic Development Director
14. County Manager’s Report- Brent Trout, County Manager
July 5, 2022 Regular Meeting Agenda Review
Upcoming meetings and invitations
15. Closed Session
16. Adjourn
CONDUCT OF THE JUNE 28, 2022 MEETING
Harnett County Board of Commissioners
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Live audio of the meeting will be streamed on the Harnett County Government’s YouTube Channel
at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU7mTF6HTD65x_98EhAMeMg/featured.
June 9, 2022
Mrs. Melissa Capps
Clerk
Harnett County Board of Commissioners
Post Office Box 759
Lillington, North Carolina 27546
Subject: Secondary Road Addition
To Whom It May Concern:
This is in reference to a petition submitted to this office requesting street(s) in Harnett County be
placed on the State’s Secondary Road System. Please be advised that these street(s) have been
investigated and our findings are that the below listed street(s) are eligible for addition to the State
System.
Sherman Pines Subdivision
•Sherman Pines Dr
It is our recommendation that the above-named street(s) be placed on the State’s Secondary Road
System. If you and your Board concur in our recommendation, please submit a resolution to this
office.
Sincerely,
Christopher Jones
Engineering Technician
Item 3
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HARNETT COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA
RESOLUTION
BE IT RESOLVED that Harnett County Board of Commissioners does hereby, by proper execution of
this document, request that the North Carolina Department of Transportation add to the State’s
Secondary Road System the below listed streets.
Sherman Pines Subdivision
• Sherman Pines Dr
Duly adopted this 5th day of July, 2022.
HARNETT COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
_______________________________
Lewis W. Weatherspoon, Chairman
ATTEST:
____________________________________ Melissa D. Capps, Clerk
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Board Meeting
Agenda Item
MEETING DATE: July 5, 2022
TO: HARNETT COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
SUBJECT: Donation of Cargo Trailers to Chiefs Association
REQUESTED BY: Larry Smith, Emergency Services
REQUEST:
Harnett County Emergency Services is seeking Board approval to donate two small cargo
trailers to the Harnett County Chiefs Association.These trailers will be utilized by the Swift
Water Rescue Team and the Honor Guard. These trailers have aged out of our fleet and are
excess items. The trailers will be registered and insured under the Harnett County Chiefs
Association.
FINANCE OFFICER’S RECOMMENDATION:
COUNTY MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION:
Item 4
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Reference Trailer Donation
Harnett County Emergency Services requests permission to donate the following small
cargo trailers to the Harnett County Chiefs Association for use by the Honor Guard Team
and Swift Water Rescue team:
Honor Guard
Make - Cargo Mate
Year - 1999
Model - CM612SA
VIN - 4X4TSE615YN020872
Swift Water Rescue
Make - Cargo Mate
Year - 1999
VIN - 4X4TSE6154N020832
These trailers are excess and aged out of our fleet and require repairs. The trailers will be
registered and insured under the Harnett County Chiefs Association.
Larry Smith, Director
Harnett County
Emergency Services
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Board Meeting
Agenda Item
MEETING DATE: July 5, 2022
TO: HARNETT COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
SUBJECT: Buies Creek Fire Rescue Exterior Building Demo and Replacement Metal
Building
REQUESTED BY: Larry Smith, Emergency Services
REQUEST:
Harnett County Emergency Services on behalf of Buies Creek Fire Rescue is seeking Board
approval to move forward with the demolition of an old building and replacement of that
with a metal 45x50x14 with three 12x12 bay doors on the street side of the building with an
8x8 bay door at rear of building. The total cost of the project will be $223,596, Demolition
cost $89,810 and new construction cost $133,786.
FINANCE OFFICER’S RECOMMENDATION:
COUNTY MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION:
Item 5
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Item 6
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Item 7
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Item 8
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Board Meeting
Agenda Item
MEETING DATE: June 28, 2022
TO: HARNETT COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
SUBJECT: Harnett County Library – Permission to apply for LSTA Grant
REQUESTED BY: Joanna Cox, Assistant Library Director
REQUEST:
The Harnett County Public Library respectfully requests permission to apply for the State
Library of North Carolina’s Bright Ideas Grant. The general goal for this grant is to inspire
and galvanize libraries with an opportunity that will allow for the design and implementation
of creative solutions and innovative ideas to solve unique problems in their communities. If
awarded, the Harnett County Library will use grant funds to strengthen capacity, expand
access, and engage the Harnett County community with services and programs that improve
physical and mental health as well as nutritional education.
This grant is for up to $15,000 with no matching funds nor recurring expenses.
FINANCE OFFICER’S RECOMMENDATION:
COUNTY MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION:
Item 9
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Board Meeting
Agenda Item
MEETING DATE: July 5, 2022
TO: HARNETT COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
SUBJECT: Project Ordinance for Animal Shelter Needs Assessment Study &
Conceptual Design
REQUESTED BY: Barry A. Blevins, General Services Director
REQUEST:
General Services / Animal Services Director request the Board of Commissioners to consider
and approve a project ordinance for the amount of $26,750 for Professional Services. The
project ordinance will set up funding for the Needs Assessment Study & Conceptual Design
project. Shelter Planners of America (SPOA) intends to begin project as soon as possible
following Board approval.
FINANCE OFFICER’S RECOMMENDATION:
COUNTY MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION:
Item 10
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Board Meeting
Agenda Item
MEETING DATE: July 5, 2022
TO: HARNETT COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
SUBJECT: Paid overtime for less than 80 hours
REQUESTED BY: Department of Social Services / Paul Polinski, Director
REQUEST:
DSS would like to use the $125,212.64 of ARPA Funding allocated to Harnett County FNS
(Food and Nutrition Services) to pay overtime to employees during the months of July and
August of 2022. The funding is to be used to support the counties efforts of administering the
FNS program due to the workload increases brought on by the pandemic. These employees
will not have a total of 80 hours or more during those two months but need the extra time to
work to bring their caseloads current. Since the money has to be spent within July and
August and can be spent to administer the program, DSS is requesting a waiver of the 80
hour requirement.
FINANCE OFFICER’S RECOMMENDATION:
COUNTY MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION:
Item 11
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Item 12
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PO Box 1270
200 Alexander Drive
Lillington, NC 27546
910-893-7524
June 21, 2022
MEMORANDUM
FROM: Christian Lockamy, Director of Economic Development
TO: Harnett County Board of Commissioners
CC: Brent Trout, Harnett County Manager
SUBJECT: Sanford Holshouser Organizational Restructuring Report
Thank you for your patience, as we have worked through the organizational restructuring recommendations for
Economic Development. The Sanford Holshouser report, Harnett County Economic Development: A Solid Foundation in
the Past – An Extraordinarily Bright Future, is complete and enclosed for your review prior to the recommendations
being discussed at the June 28th Board of Commissioner Work Session.
The report reviews our current structure, how other organizations operate, and makes recommendations to establish a
new public/private organization. Most of the items for establishing a new Partnership are detailed in the report. Other
specific items will be defined in the bylaws, and by the new Partnership in their future meetings.
I look forward to discussing the recommendations and next steps with you on June 28th. Establishing a public/private
partnership is a major step for Harnett County to leverage private funding and form a closer relationship with our
business community. This will make us more competitive in our recruitment and product development efforts to secure
new living wage jobs and investment for our community.
Sanford Holshouser Recommendations:
1.The new recommended structure is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit due to better insulating the County from liability
exposure, efficiencies in the area of product development, and enhanced potential for private fundraising.
2.Consolidate the County’s economic development efforts into the existing Harnett County Properties Corporation
(HCPC), which is an already established 501(c)(3) nonprofit entity, owns real property, and has a significant fund
balance.
Item 13
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3. Rename the Harnett County Properties Corporation, “Harnett County Economic Development Partnership”,
which was referred to in the Rose & Associates Plan.
4. Dissolve the Harnett County Economic Development Council by resolution of the Board of Commissioners.
5. An amendment to the Properties Corporation Articles of Incorporation will need to be filed, and the current
bylaws amended to accommodate the new Partnership structure.
6. Provide for a Board of Directors of seven to eleven members for the new Partnership. This refers to the total
number of voting members. This allows for a small enough Board to be easy to convene, and one which can act
nimbly and quickly.
7. Two Board of Director positions on the new Partnership should be filled by County Commissioners. These two
Commissioners should be appointed by the Board of County Commissioners, and will serve one-year terms,
without limitations as to consecutive terms. The two Commissioners will be nominated or re-nominated at the
start of each fiscal year. The two Commissioners would serve as voting members.
8. The remaining five to nine voting positions on the new Partnership board should be filled by local business
leaders who will bring expertise, connections, and influence.
9. The new Partnership Board should have non-voting, ex-officio board positions that include the County Manager,
Director of Economic Development, and Superintendent of Harnett County Schools (or designee), President of
Central Carolina Community College (or designee), and the President of Campbell University (or designee).
10. If a private fundraising effort is undertaken, one of the Partnership Board of Director positions, should be filled
by one of the lead financial contributors.
11. To transition to the new Partnership, the current Harnett County Properties Corporation board should adopt a
resolution whereby it adopts the amended and restated Partnership bylaws, and elects the two Commissioners
nominated by the Board of County Commissioners.
12. Immediately following the Properties Corporation vote to adopt the new Partnership bylaws and elect the two
appointed County Commissioners, the Properties Corporation members will resign from their positions. Within
thirty days, the two Commissioners should elect the new business leaders to constitute the initial Partnership
board. The initial business leaders will be appointed by the two Commissioners, with recommendations from the
Director, and consensus of the Board of Commissioners.
13. After the initial Partnership is constituted, the positions on the Board of Directors, other than the County
Commissioners, should be elected by the other members of the Board of Directors.
14. To keep a smaller Board of Directors, it is recommended that Advisory Councils be formed, and members
appointed by the Board of Directors. One or two members of the Board of Directors would serve on each
Advisory Council. The Advisory Councils would meet quarterly, semi-annually, or annually as determined for
each committee by the Board of Directors. The following Advisory Councils are recommended:
a. Product Development
b. Marketing
c. Travel and Tourism Development (existing TDA Board)
d. Municipal Leadership
e. Investor Relations
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15. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) should be entered into between the Board of Commissioners and new
Partnership. This MOU should be amended as needed, and renewed every three years. The essential terms of
the MOU should include the following:
a. Annual appropriation and how it will be paid out – ex: annually, semi-annually, quarterly
b. Work to be undertaken by the new organization and how the public funds can and cannot be used
c. Reporting schedule of the Partnership activities and expenditures to the Board of Commissioners
d. Obligation of the Partnership to provide an annual audit to the County
e. Right of the County to audit the books of the Partnership, at the discretion of the County Commissioners
f. Other terms as needed
…
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HARNETT COUNTY
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT:
A SOLID FOUNDATION IN THE PAST –
AN EXTRAORDINARILY BRIGHT FUTURE
Submitted by Sanford Holshouser
Economic Development Consulting, LLC
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INTRODUCTION
The economic development program in Harnett County has a history of admirable successes.
In the area of the development of business parks to attract business/industry investments, the
Harnett County Property Corporation (“HCPC”), with strong financial support from the County,
has in recent years made positive steps forward:
- Acquisition and development of the Edgerton Industrial Park. Located on U.S. Highway
301/Gateway Drive in Dunn, this business park originally contained approximately 86
acres. Approximately 44.5 acres remains to be marketed. This property is zoned
industrial. For this property to be fully marketable, a moratorium on necessary
infrastructure must be resolved.
- Acquisition and partial development of the Brightwater Business Park. Located on US
Highway 401 in Lillington, this consists of several parcels, with a portion being fully served
by utilities and a portion without all utilities. This property is zoned for commercial and
office/institutional.
- Acquisition and development of the Western Harnett Industrial Park. Located on Highway
87 this consists of 177 acres. This property is served by water and wastewater treatment
infrastructure. The lack of natural gas service is a limiting factor in terms of attracting
industrial facilities. The location of a public school on this site is a limiting factor. This
property is zoned industrial.
As a result of these commitments to developing attractive business/industrial recruitment
product, the County’s economic development program has realize d some notable successes in
recruiting new business facilities. Some of these are the following:
- Rooms to Go distribution center located on Highway 301.
- Krigen Pharmaceuticals manufacturing facility which located on Edwards Brothers Drive.
There have been several other expansions and new facility locations in addition to the notable
ones mentioned above.
The successes of the past have established a strong base upon which to build for the future. And
the future is exceptionally bright for Harnett County. Several factors point to a new, exciting era
for the County.
- Growth is streaming out of Wake County. This has been reflected by an explosion of
residential development. The challenge becomes addressing how to enhance
business/industrial growth.
- Business/industrial growth is booming in counties adjoining Harnett County, with
examples such as the VinFast EV automotive manufacturing facility in Chatham County,
near Lee County; announcements of several major pharmaceutical projects in Johnston
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County; and announcements of the Fujifilm and Amgen pharmaceutical facilities in areas
of Wake County near Harnett County.
- In recognition of the coming growth in the business/industry sectors of the region of the
State in which Harnett County is located, several regional economic development
marketing efforts have emerged. This includes the I-95/I-40 Crossroads of America
Alliance, and the Johnston, Wilson, Nash Counties biopharma crescent.
- Commitments by the N.C. General Assembly of funds for regional infrastru cture
improvements in the Four Oaks, Benson, Dunn region
There is no question that Harnett County is on the cusp of extraordinary business/industry
growth potential. In recognition of this, the Harnett County Board of Commissioners has initiated
and committed to increased funding and support to enhance and grow economic development
efforts in the County.
There are many factors which are important in developing and maintaining an economic
development program which is highly effective and impactful, and in the case of Harnett County,
ready to fully capitalize on the extraordinary opportunities the County has in its future. These
factors include hiring a strong staff, public and private funding at an enhanced level, an effective
marketing program, product development to include business parks and shell buildings, etc. But
a critical, overarching requirement is to have an organizational structure for the economic
development program which can effectively bring all the other elements of a successful economic
development effort together.
The above defines the purpose of this analysis and this report. The Harnett County Board of
County Commissioners commissioned this analysis to impartially, and from a third-party
professional perspective:
- Evaluate the current structure of the economic development program in the County.
- Elicit input from a broad range of stakeholders, and leaders in the County as to the most
effective organization structure.
- Seek input and evaluate the effectiveness of organizational structures of similarly situated
economic development programs in other local areas; and
- Provide professional input as to the most effective organizational structure for Harnett
County’s economic development program going forward.
To that end, this report is submitted.
SCOPE OF WORK
To gather all relevant input from stakeholders and to evaluate best practices among similarly
situated local economic development programs, the Sanford Holshouser Economic Development
Consulting (“SHEDC”) team undertook the following work:
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- An initial focus group was conducted with members of HCPC Board of Directors, members
of the Harnett County Economic Development Council (“HCEDC”), and others. The
purpose of this focus group was to seek input on the scope of work to be performed in
this analysis, and to receive initial input as to topic areas which should be explored during
the interviews and focus groups. Essentially the planned scope of work was endorsed.
Some areas for further inquiry during the focus groups and intervi ews were suggested.
- The following interviews and focus groups were conducted:
o All County Commissioners
o Economic Development staff
o HCPC Board of Directors
o HCEDC
o HCEDC members
o Eight local business leaders
o Municipal representatives from Angier, Coats, Dunn, Erwin, and Lillington
o Educational/workforce development representatives from Harnett County
Schools, Campbell University and Central Carolina Community College.
o Representatives from the Chambers of Commerce in Angier, Coats, Dunn, Erwin,
and Lillington.
At Attachment A is a list of the people who participated in the interviews and focus
groups.
- To gain insight as to the best practices regarding organizational structures in comparable
communities, interviews were conducted with economic development contacts in the
following counties:
From the above focus groups and interviews the following input was received.
LOCAL FOCUS GROUPS/INTERVIEWS
At the heart of any new strategic initiative is the need to gather input from stakeholders.
Stakeholders can be from the private or public sectors, business, education, and so many more
sectors of a local economy. SHEDC, in collaboration with the County Manager and Economic
Development Department of Harnett County, developed a list of key stakeholders to invite to
participate in focus groups and, in some cases, individual interviews. Over two full days, SHEDC
conducted a number of focus groups consisting of over 40 stakeholder participants. Attached to
this report is a list of entities and all of the people who were interviewed in order to gather a
broad range of stakeholder input, and a list of the focus groups.
The singular observation from this effort was the consistency of opinions, comments and key
issues identified across the groups of stakeholders. The key observations, input and themes
include:
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• A lot has been accomplished over the years despite instability and an ever -changing
approach to economic development in the County.
• There have been too many boards/committees, too many meetings and no real coherent
plan to implement effective economic development.
• The spillover growth opportunities from the RDU region are real, happening quickly and
will be missed by the County if it doesn’t get properly organized and focused on economic
development.
• None were in favor of becoming just a “bedroom community”, but instead want to see a
diverse economy which has a strong industrial component. Without the diverse approach
and revenue from industries, the County will be less financially sustainable. Diversifying
the economy and creating employment opportunities in the County which will help the
County retain its young people and will attract new citizens who can live and work within
the County without commuting out.
• The County needs to work from a strategic plan that has goals and steps that can be
measured for success. There needs to be clear communication of the plan across the
public and private landscape within the County, and roles and responsibilities of those
who participate need to be clearly defined, communicated, and coordinated.
• Across the board, stakeholders expressed the desire to work together, collaborate and
participate in a focused economic development endeavor to capture future
opportunities. There was strong desire be part of the effort and not just receive or
generate information. Businesses and members of the current HCEDC want to participate
in meaningful and clearly defined ways and not just meet to meet.
• There was a consensus that the Board of Commissioners is united in focusing on economic
development which has not always been the case in Harnett County.
• There was a consensus that the economic development team, staff, and new exe cutive
director, have the ability and knowledge of “best practices” to move the County ED effort
forward.
• The current economic development structure is too “wide” and needs to be narrowed
and focused. Input on a best future structure for economic develop ment overwhelmingly
supports the idea of forming a single 501(c)(3) organization with members, committees,
and various functions under a single Board of Directors and with ties to the County
government, eliminating the current structures but not the focus/functions of the
advisory and property groups. Many of the groups pointed to Lee County and the
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structure they have created in SAGA as a good model to embrace but not necessarily
duplicate.
Regarding some weaknesses and concerns expressed, the following are noted:
• The County needs to be more proactive in developing sites and buildings in locations that
“make sense” and are most marketable. One participant stated, “The County has never
really known how to develop (ED) product in the appropriate parts of the County, and not
in places that make no sense.”
• The County needs a better understanding of when to develop sites and what types are
needed and most marketable.
• The Chambers of Commerce were concerned that if a Public/Private organ ization is
formed it would compete with them for dues and donations.
• Other than an interstate highway, the County does not have 4-lane roads or sufficient
transportation assets. There needs to be some efforts made at the NC -DOT and State
government levels to mitigate some of the transportation challenges.
• In a diverse County, there has been a lack of understanding and addressing both those
issues held in common and the issues specific to each locality.
Of the most importance, in relation to the purpose of this analysis, there was a clear, broad, and
solid consensus behind unifying the County’s economic development effort in a single non-profit
entity. This non-profit entity must be closely allied with the County, as an effective public-private
partnership, with roles and responsibilities which are clearly defined. These finding s support
recommendations set forth in this report.
BEST PRACTICES ANALYSIS INTERVIEWS
SHEDC researched economic development organizations which operate either through a
nonprofit structure, 501(c)3 or 501(c)6 or in conjunction with one or both of these entities. The
following organizations have slightly varying structures and funding sources, but their economic
development focus areas are very similar. Each have special programs that have been tailored
to meet the needs of their service area and to leverage local assets.
Surry County Economic Development Partnership
• Organization Structure: 501(c)(3), also a 501(c)(6) associated with the SCEDP
• Funding: 70/30 Public/Private contributions. Public funding comes from the county and
the four municipalities.
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• Staff: 3 total
o Director
o Business Retention and Expansion Manager
o Office Manager
• Board: 28 total
o County 2
o Municipalities 4 (2 each)
o Ex Officio - Chambers (3) School Systems (3)
o Private Sector Investors
Executive Committee of 9 meets monthly and functions as all committees. Full
board meets every other month.
• Focus:
o New business recruitment
o BRE
o Product development
o Small business/entrepreneurial development
• Successes last 3-5 years: 5 locations and expansions totaling 300+ jobs and $30+ million
in capital investment
• Special Programs: Through the 501(c)(3), owns and receives property and grants. Fund
raising activities for various projects such as to support schools and community charitable
organizations.
Wayne County Development Alliance
• Organization Structure: 501(c)(3)
• Funding: Multiple sources including county, municipalities, regional organization, and the
private sector. The most recent private sector funding campaign secured pledges totaling
$1.5 million over 5 years. Wayne County provide funding for the staff.
• Staff: 4 total
o President
o Existing Industry Manager
o Research and Marketing Coordinator
o Office Manager
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• Board: 12 total
o 4 County appointees
o 2 Mt. Olive appointees
o 2 Goldsboro appointees
o 4 appointed by the board
• Focus:
o New business recruitment
o BRE
o Product development
o Small business/entrepreneurial development
• Successes last 3-5 years: 15 announcements in the last 15 months, two shell buildings
and a pad ready site
• Special Programs: Goldsboro Business Campus – buildings that are subdividable to
provide space for incubation and acceleration of early-stage businesses. Working in
conjunction with Wayne Community College to provide business advice and guidance.
Fayetteville Cumberland Economic Development Corporation
• Organization Structure: 501(c)(6)
• Funding: 40% County; 40% City; 20% Private sector; The organization also administers
grants and appropriations for special projects.
• Staff: 6 total
o President/CEO
o Executive Vice President
o Vice President, Existing Industry
o Director, Marketing
o Director, Communications
o Finance Manager
• Board: 15 total
o 4 county appointees
o 4 city appointees
o 4 from the private sector
o 3 Ex officio - County Manager, City Manager, Fayetteville Technical Community
College President
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• Focus:
o New business recruitment
o BRE
o Product development
o Small business/entrepreneurial development
• Successes last 3-5 years: Multiple locations and expansions representing 4000+ jobs and
$400+ million in capital investment
• Special Programs: Acceleration Facility provides space to assist first stage companies to
grow to the next phase.
Sanford Area Growth Alliance
• Organization Structure: 501(c)(6). Organization includes both the Chamber of Commerce
and the Economic Development Office. Economic development is 55% of the umbrella
organization, with the Chamber representing the remaining 45%. SAGA has annual
contracts with Lee County and the City of Sanford, as well as the Town of Broadway for
economic development services.
• Funding: Lee County 60%, City of Sanford 40%, Town of Broadway $5,000 contribution
Private sector funding, investors make annual contributions in varying amounts
from $125,000 to $1,000 or less. The bulk of the private funding comes from 10 -
12 investors at the highest level.
The organization also manages the budgets for special projects through grants and
appropriations.
• Staff: 8 total
o CEO
o Economic Development Manager
o Chamber Director
o Senior Director of BRE
o Marketing and Research Manager
o Events Manager
o Member Services and Data Research
o Office Manager
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• Board:
o 45-50 investors meet quarterly
o 14-16 member Executive Committee authorized to act on behalf of the board
meets monthly. The private sector has the majority of the seats.
Chair from the private sector
1 City of Sanford
1 Lee County
Chair appoints the rest of the executive committee with equal seats
allocated to SAGA and the private sector.
• Focus:
o New business recruiting
o BRE
o Marketing
o Small business/entrepreneurial development – Chamber function
• Successes last 3-5 years: Central Carolina Business Park, partnered with a private
builder/developer. 14-15 site ready pads. Partnered in the construction of 2 shell
buildings that were sold before they were completed. The companies that purchased the
buildings, which are in the life sciences sector, represented $322 million in capital
investment and 600 jobs. In addition, the activity generated 2 more build to suit projects.
The third shell building is currently under construction.
• Special Programs: “RISE” special grant program targeted at small business development.
Through a competitive process the winner is awarded a $5,000 grant to pay for rent at a
downtown location to help launch the business.
ROWAN EDC Partnership for Economic Development
• Organization Structure: In 2020, the Rowan EDC launched its economic development
plan, Forward Rowan, and established a public-private partnership using its affiliated
nonprofit, Rowan Growth Partners which provides the vehicle for private sector
investments, Forward Rowan, a 501(c)(3).
• Funding: The EDC is funded primarily by Rowan County and the 10 municipalities in the
county. Private sector investments are through Forward Rowan.
• Staff: 5 total
o President/CEO
o Vice President
o Director of Business Services
o Marketing and Communications Manager
o Administrative Services Manager
HCBOC 062822 ws 80
• Board: EDC 16 total
o 7 Rowan County appointees
o 2 City of Salisbury
o 1 Governing bodies of other municipalities
o 5 Rowan EDC Board appointees
o 1 Ex-Officio Chamber of Commerce Chair
• Focus:
o New business recruitment
o BRE
o Workforce development
o Small business/entrepreneurial development
o Product development
• Successes last 3-5 years:
o 2021, locations and expansions resulting in the creation of 284 new jobs and $33.5
million in capital investment.
o 2022, the biggest announcement to date is the Macy’s Fulfillment Center
representing 2,800 jobs and $584.3 million in capital investment.
• Special Programs:
o New Talent Attraction program
o Business Concierge Program provides a one stop to ensure that all business needs
are addressed and followed through on.
It is clear from the research of the organizations above that an economic development
organization operating under a nonprofit structure or a governmental entity operating in
conjunction with such an organization has a great deal of flexibility, provides opportunity for to
engage the private sector for funding, input, and support for economic development efforts. This
is turn leads to a unified effort, which provides the best chances for success. SHEDC recommends
that Harnett County strongly consider such an organizational structure.
FINDINGS AND RECOMMENTATIONS
Based upon input received by way of the above processes and the collective professional
judgment and experience of the SHEDC partners, a different organizational structure than what
now exists will maximize Harnett County’s economic development prospects in the future.
Having an effective organizational structure is not by itself the sole element which will lead to
economic development successes. As stated above there must be a strong professional team,
support from the County’s leaders, etc. But having an effective organizational structure is a key
component.
HCBOC 062822 ws 81
What is recommended is summarized by the following.
From the focus groups and interviews with local leadership, there was a clear c onsensus that
there should be a one private sector partners to work in cooperation with the County Board of
Commissioners, County Manager, and the County Economic Development staff. This would be
in lieu of having both HCPC and the HCEDC involved in support of the County’s economic
development efforts. That approach is validated by the best practice analysis. The county
economic development programs SHEDC interviewed which seem to be the most successful are
those which have one private sector entity partnering with and in support of the County’s
economic development efforts. In addition to the above, it is the considered opinion of SHEDC
that this would be the best approach.
If the above conclusion is accepted, the next question becomes what type of entity should be the
private sector economic development partner with Harnett County. Without question this
should be a nonprofit economic development corporation and preferably a 50 1(c)(3) nonprofit
entity. There are several reasons for this, as follows:
- A nonprofit corporation is the most efficient and effective entity for the purposes of
product development (i.e., business parks and shell buildings), which is a critical basic
need for the County to realize its future economic development potential. An advisory
committee cannot perform this function.
- Utilizing a nonprofit corporation for product development insulates the County fr om
liability exposure.
- A nonprofit economic development corporation, especially a 501(c)(3), greatly enhances
the potential for private sector fundraising if the County chooses to supplement County
funding of its economic development efforts by way of a private fund-raising effort.
- In the case of Harnett County’s current situation, HCPC already owns real property and
has a significant fund balance. This would support the idea of consolidating private sector
efforts, in support of the County’s economic development, in HCPC.
Based upon all the above considerations, it is recommended that the County’s economic
development private sector efforts be consolidate into HCPC, and that the HCEDC to be dissolved.
To do this would imply that several changes would need to be made in the structure and mission
of HCPC, and other changes would be advisable in the opinion of SHEDC. These changes would
be as follows:
- Multiple economic development functions would be consolidated into HCPC. Product
development should continue to be a high priority focus of this nonprofit entity, but other
functions should be included within the purview of HCPC. Consequently, it would be best
to rename this nonprofit corporation, Harnett County Economic Development
Partnership, as recommended in the Rose Consulting report. If a name change is
HCBOC 062822 ws 82
implemented, the legal counsel for HCPC should be engaged to file an amendment to the
Articles of Incorporation for HCPC.
- It is recommended that the Bylaws of HCPC be amended to provide for a Board of
Directors of seven to eleven. This would allow for a small enough Board to be easy to
convene and one which can act nimbly and quickly. In order to maintain a close
connection with the County’s leadership, and thereby to assure that the County’s
economic development efforts are fully coordinated, two director positions should be
filled by County Commissioners nominated by the Board of County Commissioners. These
County Commissioners should serve one-year terms and will be nominated or
renominated at the start of each fiscal year, without limitations as to consecutive terms.
The County Manager and the County Economic Development Director should be non-
voting ex officio members of the Board. In addition, in order to promote a strong work
force in the County, each of the following or their designees should be non-voting ex
officio members of the Board of Directors: Superintendent of Harnett County Public
Schools; President of Campbell University; and President of Central Carolina Community
College. The other Board positions should be filled by local business leaders who will
bring to the nonprofit corporation expertise, connections, and influence. If a private
sector fundraising effort is undertaken, one seat on the Board should be filled by one of
the lead contributors. To transition to the new Board of Directors, the current Board of
HCPC should adopt a resolution whereby it adopts amended and restated bylaws, and it
elects the two County Commissioners nominated by the Board of County Commissioners.
Immediately following that vote, each of the current members of the Board of Directors
will resign from their positions. Within thirty days, those two Board members, nominated
by the County Board of Commissioners, should elect others to constitute the initial Board
of seven to eleven Directors. Thereafter, it is recommended that positions on the Board
of Directors, other than the County Commissioner s, be elected by the other members of
the Board of Directors. Also having staggered terms for those Directors is recommended.
The HCPC legal counsel should be engaged to make appropriate amendments to the
Bylaws to reconstitute the Board of Directors.
- Keeping a smaller Board of Directors and expanding the functions of the nonprofit
economic development organization requires that other allies and sources of expertise
should be involved in some way in the work the nonprofit private sector partners, without
making the Board of Directors too large and unwieldy. To accomplish this, it is
recommended that several Advisory Councils be appointed by the Board of Directors of
the nonprofit corporation. These Advisory Councils should have memberships which
bring to the work of the nonprofit corporation expertise, contacts and influence. Those
may include some current members of the HCPC Board of Directors and members of the
HCEDC. It is recommended that one or two members of the Board of Directors of the
nonprofit corporation be on each Advisory Council. It is recommended that those
Advisory Councils provide input on the following matters:
HCBOC 062822 ws 83
o Product Development
o Marketing
o Travel and Tourism Development
o Municipal Leadership
o Investor Relations
Explanations of the above subject areas are not included, in that the basic functions of
these Advisory Councils are apparent by their name, and details as to those functions can
be expanded upon by the nonprofit corporation Board of Directors and the County’s
economic development staff. Each Advisory Council should meet quarterly, semi-
annually, or annually as determined for each Advisory County by the Board of Directors.
The HCPC legal counsel should be engaged to prepare resolutions for the nonprofit Board
of Directors to appoint and define the functions of these Advisory Councils.
- It is recommended that a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) should be entered
into between the County Board of Commissioners and the nonprofit corporation, and this
should be amended as needed and renewed every three years. If either party to the MOU
chooses to terminate it, written notice should be given to the other party at least one
year prior to the end of the three-year term, with the MOU remaining in effect for the
remainder of that three-year term. The essential terms of this MOU should include the
following:
o The amount of annual appropriation to the nonprofit corporation to undertake
the responsibilities assigned to it. This also should specify how the annual
appropriation will be paid out (annually, semi-annually, quarterly.)
o Work to be undertaken by the nonprofit corporation utilizing the public funds and
matters for which the funds can be used.
o Matters for which the public funds cannot be used.
o Regularity (monthly, quarterly, semi-annually) of reports to the County Board of
Commissioners on the activities of the nonprofit corporation and the utilization of
public funds.
o Obligation of nonprofit corporation to provide to the County a copy of its annual
audit.
o Right of the County to audit the books of the nonprofit corporation, in the
discretion of the County Board of Commissioners.
o Other terms as may be needed.
- All the above should form the foundation for additions to the economic development
staff by the addition of strong professionals who have the professional background and
personality traits (outgoing, personable, positivity) to perform at the level needed for
Harnett County to reach its potential.
HCBOC 062822 ws 84
CONCLUSION
Having the most effective organizational structure for a County economic development program
is just one element of a successful, impactful economic development effort. But it is an extremely
important, foundational factor.
Harnett County is now positioned for extraordinary growth in its economic development.
Harnett County’s time has come.
The above-described organizational structure will maximize the County’s likelihood of achieving
its greatest economic development potential.
HCBOC 062822 ws 85
SHEDC Focus Groups March 2022
Monday,
March 21
6 hours Group Name
Length of
Meeting Time Confirm Email Address
ECD Office Staff 1 hour
Meeting 1 Angie 8:30-9:30 am Yes astewart@harnett.org
Becky 8:30-9:30 am Yes rparker@harnett.org
Commissioners 1 hour
Meeting 2 Lew Weatherspoon 10:00-11:00 am Yes lweatherspoon@harnett.org
1 hour
Meeting 3 W. Brooks Matthews 11:30am-12:30 pm Yes bmatthews@harnett.org
Barbara McKoy 11:30am-12:30 pm Yes barbara6@embarqmail.com
Catered Lunch
HCPC Board of Directors 1 1/2 hours
Meeting 4 Walter Weeks, Chair 1:30-3:00pm Yes wtweeks@charter.net
Dan Camp, Treasurer 1:30-3:00pm No dan.camp@boonedam.com
Teddy J. Byrd, Vice Chair 1:30-3:00pm Yes teddyjbyrd@gmail.com
Mike Jones, Secretary 1:30-3:00pm Yes mike.jones@harnetthealth.org
Scott Nelson 1:30-3:00pm Yes snelson@gouldusa.com
Tony Buzzard 1:30-3:00pm No tbuzzard@buzzlawfirm.com
Business Leaders 1 hour
Meeting 5 Dan Weatherly 3:15 -4:15 pm No dweatherly@capefearvalley.com
Pat Godwin, Jr.3:15 -4:15 pm Yes jrgodwin@godwinmfg.com
Jeff Whittington 3:15 -4:15 pm Yes jeffwhittington@ffbnc.com
Patrick Nora 3:15 -4:15 pm Yes patrick.nora@boonedam.com
Kelly Fish 3:15 -4:15 pm Yes kelly.fish@armtec.com
Matt Brubaker 3:15 -4:15 pm Yes mbrubaker@greenfieldcommunities.com
Yang Song 3:15-4:15 pm Yes msong@greenfieldcommunities.com
Matt Stephens 3:15 -4:15 pm No matt@sfreholdings.com
Jason Norris 3:15-4:15 pm Yes jnorris2@championhomes.com
Commissioners 1 hour
Meeting 6 Matt Nicol 4:30-5:30pm Yes mattsellsnc@gmail.com
Mark Johnson 4:30-5:30pm No mbjohnson@harnett.org
Tuesday,
March 22
7 hours Group Name
Length of
Meeting Time Confirm Email Address
HCEDC Board of
Directors 1 1/2 hours
Meeting 7
Cathy O'Dell, Vice Chair 8:30-10:00 am Yes codell@sremc.com
Phyllis Godwin 8:30-10:00 am Yes phyllisgodwin@godwin-group.net
Frankie Lewis, Secretary 8:30-10:00 am Yes frankie11159@gmail.com
Roger Farina 8:30-10:00 am Yes therara@aol.com
HCBOC 062822 ws 86
Municipality
Representation
Meeting 8 1 1/2 hours
Angier
Gerald Vincent, Town
Manager 10:30-12:00pm No gvincent@angier.org
Bob Smith, Mayor 10:30-12:00pm No bsmith@angier.org
ADDED
Sean A. Johnson, Planning
Director 10:30-12:00pm Yes sjohnson@angier.org
Coats
Nick Holcomb, Town
Manager 10:30-12:00pm Yes nholcomb@coatsnc.org
Chris Coats, Mayor 10:30-12:00pm Yes ccoats@coatsnc.org
Dunn
Steve Neuschafer, Town
Manager 10:30-12:00pm Yes sneuschafer@dunn-nc.org
William Elmore, Mayor 10:30-12:00pm Yes welmore@dunn-nc.org
Erwin
Snow Bowden, Town
Manager 10:30-12:00pm Yes townmanager@erwin-nc.org
Patsy Carson, Mayor 10:30-12:00pm No erwinmayor1@gmail.com
Lillington
Joseph Jeffries, Town
Manager 10:30-12:00pm Yes jjeffries@lillingtonnc.org
Glen McFadden, Mayor 10:30-12:00pm Yes gmcfadden@harnett.org
Educational
Representation
Meeting 9 1 1/2 hours
Harnett County Schools Dr. Aaron Fleming 1:00-2:30 pm Yes afleming@harnett.k12.nc.us
Justin Wilkinson 1:00-2:30 pm Yes jwilkinson@harnett.k12.nc.us
CCCC Dr. Lisa Chapman 1:00-2:30 pm Yes lchapman@cccc.edu
Dr. Jon Matthews 1:00-2:30 pm Yes jmatthews@cccc.edu
Margaret Roberton 1:00-2:30 pm No mrobe448@cccc.edu
Campbell University Dr. Bradley Creed 1:00-2:30 pm No president@campbell.edu
Dr. Britt Davis 1:00-2:30 pm Yes davisb@campbell.edu
Nathan Rice 1:00-2:30 pm Yes rice@campbell.edu
Chamber of Commerce
Representation
HCBOC 062822 ws 87
Meeting 10 1 1/2 hours
Angier Shelby Blackmon 3:00-4:30 pm No angiercc@angierchamber.org
Rick Gutierrez 3:00-4:30 pm No rick@anthem-church.org
Coats Tricia Bristow 3:00-4:30 pm Yes chamber@coatschamber.com
Hazel Stephenson 3:00-4:30 pm Yes chamber@coatschamber.com
Dunn Heather Lawson 3:00-4:30 pm Yes execvp@dunnchamber.com
Wesley Johnson 3:00-4:30 pm Yes wesley@techonfidence.com
Erwin Sheveil Harmon 3:00-4:30 pm Yes contact@erwinchamber.org
Frank Toth 3:00-4:30 pm No
Lillington Ann Milton 3:00-4:30 pm No ann@annmilton.com
Tara Fish 3:00-4:30 pm No Tara.Fish@harnettsmartstart.org
HCBOC 062822 ws 88