2026-07-27 - Board of County Commissioners Briefing

11:11No, thank you all for being here today. This is our July 30th, 2026 briefing. Our chairman is just a bit late. So what we're going to do is our first item which is a closed session. So Miss manager could you call out them.

11:30Thank you, Madam Vice Chair, I need to ask the board to consider emotion to go into closed session to discuss a matter to consider the qualifications competence performance character fitness conditions of appointment or conditions of initial employment of an individual

11:43public officer or employee or perspective public officer or employee pursuant to the provisions of North Carolina general statutes 143 dash 318.11 a six following following the closed session the meeting will reconvene.

11:55We need a motion for that. Can I have a motion please. Thank you so much. All in favor, please say aye. We will return.

1:06:23We've already called this meeting to order back at one o'clock we had a closed session discussion on a personnel matter. So we will now return to the briefing. And I'm going to turn the meeting the briefing over to the county manager for our normal business and then we will just review the planning zoning items at the end.

1:12:44Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair and good afternoon commissioners staff and guests agenda item number one is the public hearing on the zoning petition of Julia wall and wall family of North Carolina LLC.

1:12:54Jennifer Loeb James Martin Sieber and James Martin server, the third from RS 20 and GI to li s Chris Murphy our planning director will break this item.

1:13:04Good afternoon. Yes, we have brief this one time so I will try to zip through this a little quicker. But yes, this is a 128.54 acre rezoning request on the northwest side of the thing your Royal Hall Road north and the Baca Bell Road, and the terminus of blade street from residential building single family 20,000 square foot lot RS 20 and general industrial to limited industrial special use.

1:13:35This is a subject property shown on the forward 2045 growth management area plan map it is located within GM a three suburban neighborhoods. It is in an area of unincorporated precise county surrounded on several sides by the town of rural hall.

1:13:51This is a subject property shown highlighted in yellow again 128 acres, you do have a surrounding zoning of GI to the north and northeast residential single family zoning to the east.

1:14:10Some limited business commercial zoning across the thing your rural hall road to the southeast and then you have some residential to the south and west and a little bit of GIS to the west northwest subject property shown on the county wide aerial imagery.

1:14:35There are a couple of farm ponds on this piece of property this property has several homes on it and has been used for agricultural purposes.

1:14:42There are a few streams that run through the central west central portion of the site, and there is a existing Duke energy substation to the north as well as transmission lines that run through the site from the north northwest to the south southeast through the subject property.

1:15:03This is a subject property shown on the rural hall area plan update the area plan recommends mixed use for this property mixture of commercial and residential uses.

1:15:17This is looking north from Bethenia rural hall road into the subject property. This is looking south along Bethenia rural hall road, the rural hall town hall there in the image on the south, southeast side of Bethenia rural hall road.

1:15:35This is looking east along Bethenia rural hall road the subject properties to the left. This is looking northwest on glade street, which will extend into the subject property as an emergency access.

1:15:48This is that terminus where glade street will enter into the property and again this is a secondary entrance proposed and condition as a emergency access.

1:15:58This is looking east northeast from glade street at downtown rural hall. This is looking north into the subject property north of Nazareth Lutheran Church. This is one of those ponds that is proposed to remain on the site.

1:16:15This is looking north into the subject property. This also is looking north into the subject property showing the existing power lines and the substation in the background.

1:16:28This is the site plan. It is comprised of three primary buildings both two stories in height, two stories, 85 feet in height.

1:16:41It does show a courtyard where the generator equipment will be screened on the interior of the sites. There's also a noise attainment wall that will enclose those that's approximately 35 feet in height.

1:17:00In existing farm ponds you do have some proposed storm water management ponds. This is the primary entrance off of Bethenia rural hall road. It will be gated and this entire site will be fenced.

1:17:17This is looking at representative sample of the building elevations, brick concrete tilt up panels, some window features and then this is the noise containment fence where the generators would be behind that fence and you also have some air handling units in that area and also on top of the building.

1:17:43This is looking at that outdoor equipment enclosure, again generators, air handling equipment. There's also a handling equipment on top of the roof.

1:17:53Site plan showing outdoor equipment elevations, again that noise attainment fencing and then some decorative wrought iron fence which will be used anywhere that the security fencing is visible from a public way.

1:18:11This is an example of the air handling units both isometric and a plan sheet cut showing the different air handling units and if there are any questions specifically related to that I would refer to the petitioner.

1:18:28As far as the environmental features mentioned the existing farm ponds that will remain, the storm water management ponds, the site does slope to the central area of the site.

1:18:42There is a creek. They are also proposing to keep this area undeveloped and potentially dedicate that as my understanding to the town of rural hall for potential park expansion.

1:18:56At your last briefing there was a request for an alternate site plan.

1:19:06It's my understanding at that time that the request was to kind of take that long building on this western edge and perhaps rotate it slightly about 45 degrees.

1:19:15I think they looked at that and could not really make the site work with the stream feature so what they did do was instead of having a long rectangular building they have essentially created the same amount of square footage in a square building and have proposed the generators to the north of that.

1:19:32So again it does remove that long wall from kind of this property line, but again it could have other impacts that could negatively impact neighbors it is more it is adjacent to the GIS.

1:19:47So again, if that is something that the board wishes to consider. It is a site plan alternate that is included in this and once we'll get it uploaded into your system, but we have not done that yet.

1:20:01Tara Jolly on our staff was not in until around lunchtime so hopefully we'll get that loaded. We're also waiting for the revised written consent conditions to be signed.

1:20:11We have a verbal agreement on changing the decibel level from 60 DBA to 55 DBA, and then also a little bit of an exception for times when they have to run the generator for emergency purposes or for testing, allow that to be up to 60 but just the day to day would be at this 55 decibel level.

1:20:31So, that again we don't have those signed revised written consent conditions but that's where we are at this point, and we'll be working towards that between now and Thursday.

1:20:42In summary, the staff has worked extensively with the developer to propose several prescriptive conditions of approval to mitigate the potential visual auditory and environmental impacts of their quest on the surrounding properties.

1:20:56Those have already been agreed upon again we're still working out this last condition.

1:21:01Anyway, those, along with the site plan changes that they have made certainly makes the site plan better.

1:21:10Should you choose to approve it, however, from a staff and planning board perspective the scale and intensity of the proposed use, we still believe could result in significant offsite impacts and nearby residents, despite the conditions.

1:21:24The proposal is inconsistent with the rural hall area plan updates recommendation for mixed use development of the subject property, and the request is inconsistent with the recommendations of for 2045 to protect neighborhoods from inappropriate non residential encroachment.

1:21:41Given that this was heard by the planning board either June 11 2026 public hearing, there were numerous speakers in opposition and concerns related to the incompatibility of the useful surrounding uses potential impact property values impact to the environment impact of noise and inconsistency

1:22:00with forward 2045 and the rural hall area plan update, following the public hearing and extensive discussion the planning board did vote to recommend denial of the request by seven to two vote.

1:22:11And with that I'm glad to answer any questions. I know that I believe the petitioners are here again if there are additional questions and clarifications that you need them questions for Chris.

1:22:30Thank you. I got a couple just a couple of comments one. I did want to ask our attorney, if you would talk just a little bit about, we've all heard about moratoriums all around us moratoriums and Davey County and sorry county commissioners and Stokes considered

1:22:50Mike Davis has looked at it and there was even an editorial and when Sam journal yesterday talking about Greensboro City Council, and considering a moratorium, and I want to talk a little bit about how that because we've all been least informed about legislation

1:23:09and down zoning, and maybe to see if you can explain that piece about whether I mean even a moratorium is something that is consistent or legal with the current law of down zoning.

1:23:22Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We have been sounding the alarm over the down zoning provision for the last year and a half it's in 160 d dash 601 subpart D.

1:23:34Basically what that says is once you have zoning, with a particular use, you can't down zone is what they call it you can't lessen the use without every single owner of similarly zone property in the county agreeing which would be impossible practically.

1:23:52And so it really limits the ability of local government to respond when a new concern comes up. What, what we have in a separate statute about moratorium allows you to pass a moratorium not not only currently applied project but say for the future,

1:24:13allows you to kind of push pause and say okay we're not going to consider any of blank for a set period of time while we do research to determine how we should change our udo to address concerns.

1:24:26So the issue with us and Forsyth County is that we already have in our udo a definition. It's called computer data centers, so we already have that definition. That definition was written many years ago, and it may not have anticipated these huge huge data centers but nevertheless,

1:24:45the definition is so broad that it basically includes centers that process data with computers so it would include by the definition, any size of data center.

1:24:58And so, legally would be very difficult for Forsyth County to pass any kind of moratorium that would be upheld in courts. And by the way, the most recent budget which passed a few weeks ago has provisions in there which grant attorneys fees if somebody challenges a change to the udo,

1:25:18they win, we would have to pay for their attorneys fees so that's, that's another new wrinkle in that so it really limits the ability of the county to pass a moratorium.

1:25:28Having said that, this is a slightly different situation because it requires a rezoning. So, the, the proponent cannot as of right, put in a data center in this particular property outside a rural hall.

1:25:42So on Thursday, you as a board will listen to both sides and you can make the legislative decision as to whether you think a rezoning is proper or not.

1:25:52Thank you very much. I also want to mention that back for the July 9 meeting we actually invited Duke Energy to come and talk about energy, our grid strength rate impact on rates of large users, etc.

1:26:12We also invited them to come in between that time June on ninth and today we invited them again and both cases, they were not able to come but they did provide us with.

1:26:25We asked them the questions via email, and we did get a response from their new regional communications guy gets community coordinator guy.

1:26:37So, I was going to ask, call Haney our deputy county manager if he would mind just sharing that, because it actually gets at the use part for large users from a Duke Energy email, and you can identify the person in the Senate.

1:26:52Yes, sir. So it was Jason Stogner who is the new district manager, government and community relations for Duke Energy for this region.

1:26:59So he did provide some, some information for the questions that were asked and I'll just read through what he provided.

1:27:05So the question of how Duke is planning for the increasing demand for large power users. He answered that North Carolina has been the number one or number two state for business for each of the last six years.

1:27:15The economic development pipeline in the Carolinas include a very diverse mix manufacturing life sciences automotive food and beverage aerospace and logistics projects, to name a few.

1:27:25In addition to data centers, along with strong residential growth, people want to live and work here, and it's our responsibility to serve them reliably and at the lowest possible cost across all industries customer energy needs over the next 15 years are expected

1:27:38to grow at eight times the growth rate of the previous 15 years, we plan for this growth through a resource plan fill filed with the North Carolina utilities commission every two years.

1:27:47Our latest plan which was submitted in October and is being evaluated by North Carolina regulators now evolved to adapt to the growth we're seeing on the question regarding the perception that large power users contribute to hire electric rates for residential customers.

1:28:00He responded, while we have an obligation to serve all customers in our territory. Duke Energy does not select own or develop data center projects.

1:28:08Our job is to work closely with local leaders and economic development officials to help power their communities and ways that align with their goals and vision for growth.

1:28:16Data centers and other new large load customers must agree to various long term financial commitments, including safeguards that protect other customers before Duke Energy will consider adding them to the grid.

1:28:27These include paying the costs associated with connecting to the power grid, minimum contract terms, financial security requirements, termination charges, and the ability for us to reduce their energy use during high demand periods as a way to maintain reliable service for all customers.

1:28:41As new large electricity users like data centers come online, their investment help absorb fixed system cost, reducing pressure on future rates and supporting a stronger, more resilient grid.

1:28:53Over time, that means more reliable service and lower cost than customers would otherwise face without that growth.

1:28:58In May, we filed an analysis with our regulator, the North Carolina Utilities Commission, that demonstrates the 16 data center projects that recently signed electric service agreements with us will provide $3.6 billion in benefits to other customers over the term of their 15 year agreements and reduce residential customers bills by $4 to $6 a month through 2040.

1:29:20To the question of what factors drive electric rate increases, he replied, we're investing in critical upgrades to improve reliability, harden the grid against storms and support North Carolina's growth, even while we do everything we can to keep rates as low as possible for our customers.

1:29:35We're increasing the grid's reliability and resiliency even as we expand to accommodate growth. We added about 150,000 customers in North Carolina over the last two years, primarily residences and small businesses, which required the addition of 51,000 distribution poles and 4,100 miles of distribution wire, for example.

1:29:52From transformers to poles to power lines, material costs have increased dramatically over the last few years and our proposed rates reflect this reality. For example, prices for essential grid items such as transmission, cross arms, distribution transformers and voltage regulators have more than doubled over the last five years.

1:30:08Through our size, we were able to negotiate better prices than smaller utilities, but material prices have climbed substantially. To the question of how those costs are allocated, he replied, the cost we charge our customers reflect the actual cost to serve each class of customer subject to the approval of regulators.

1:30:24North Carolina Utilities Commission is reviewing our proposed rates now. While large industrial and commercial customers use more electricity than a residential customer, their demand is typically steady and more predictable.

1:30:35As such, it costs UK energy less per kilowatt hour to serve that customer than a typical household, which is a much more sporadic and unpredictable demand for electricity.

1:30:43One large industrial customer might use the same amount of electricity as an entire neighborhood of homes, but in that neighborhood, each resident has its own unique energy needs and usage patterns, as opposed to a single industrial customer whose usage pattern is more consistent every day.

1:30:57Additionally, the majority of large loads receive power directly from our transmission system, the highways of our grid, not the distribution system that feeds small businesses and lines through neighborhoods.

1:31:08Since large loads aren't served by the distribution system, they don't pay for those distribution upgrades. For prospective, distribution makes up 38% of our proposed investments in 2728.

1:31:17And to the question of how recent rate case settlements, settlement to lower cost, we have listened to feedback from our customers and stakeholders. After extensive negotiation, we have reached partial settlement with the public staff that will significantly reduce projected cost for our customers.

1:31:34If the settlements are approved by regulators, the monthly increase for a typical residential customer would be about $9.74 in 2027 and $5.68 in 2028.

1:31:45Across all customer classes, rates would increase 5.6% in 2027 and 3.7% in 2028. The total increase across both years was lowered from our original request of 14.3% to 9.3% now.

1:31:58We believe this is a meaningful compromise, one that will keep customer rates low while still allowing us to make the needed investments to serve North Carolina's growing economy.

1:32:06Questions of Kyle?

1:32:09I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask some follow-up questions. In the response that you received from Duke Power, Kyle, did they mention anything about the current pending rate case in terms of what its assumptions were with regard to new generating capacity that would be needed over the next few years?

1:32:27I don't believe so. All I have is what was on that paper, so I don't believe I spoke to that.

1:32:31Was there anything said with regard to the most recent submission on the carbon plan or what it anticipated needing to satisfy anticipated demand?

1:32:44I don't have the answer for that either, if necessary.

1:32:46Did it say anything about their projection that approximately 80% of their anticipated new demand in the next few years is going to be attributable to data centers and other large load customers?

1:32:57I do not think it broke out what the demand would be by class type, sir.

1:33:03I would suggest that the answer received by Duke is at best incomplete.

1:33:08The last part there was some, excuse me, in the middle part, there was some part about examining the impact on rates as a result of large users that actually resulted in, because of the distribution of payments, resulted actually in so many dollars per month savings for kind of the residential consumer.

1:33:37I mean, I heard that correctly, right? I can reread that part, yes, sir. So, it said, "May we file an analysis with our regulator, North Carolina Utilities Commission, that demonstrates the 16 data center projects that recently signed electric service agreements with us will provide $3.6 billion in benefits to other customers over the term of the 15-year agreements and reduce residential customer bills by $4 to $6 a month through 2040," is what their analysis, they submitted to the regulators.

1:34:00Well, that's kind of the impact on the individual customer.

1:34:05Well, that's assuming that the proposed buildout takes place as anticipated, and that is assuming the demand follows the predicted course.

1:34:20Was there any reference in the response that you received from Duke about the pending rate case, any information to the effect that the state attorney general's office has declined to sign under the settlement and indicated that they will continue to resist the proposed compromise rate increase?

1:34:46No, sir. I don't think it referenced that in this response.

1:34:50I would repeat my suggestion that the response from Duke is at best incomplete.

1:34:55Any other questions or comments so far? I've got just really sort of three other things that I jotted down.

1:35:08One, we had some discussion about setting aside funds to protect homeowners in terms of declining property values. As I recall, the developers said they were going to look at that issue and maybe have come up with sort of a way, both a way and/or how that would be done and an amount of money that would be set aside.

1:35:29Mr. Chairman, if I could, I mean, I think that we might need to hear from the petitioner, the county attorney and myself feel like that is not an appropriate land use condition.

1:35:42If there's another avenue whereby it could be attached through some type of a separate agreement, there's supposedly an agreement going on with the town of Royal Hall about annexation and I'll defer to the county attorney, but again, we don't feel like that's a land use condition is an appropriate place for like an escrow fund to be managed by a local government.

1:36:05Any other comments you'd like to make, Gordon? No, I would just say that I agree with Mr. Murphy and that's something that could potentially be challenged if this went sideways down the road, but I did suggest that it would be if, you know, if they're going to have some kind of agreement for annexation with the town of Royal Hall, then this could be something that could be folded into that also because it is, I believe, mostly residents of Royal Hall that would be affected by this.

1:36:35Thank you. The only other two things, and I actually, and actually, Commissioner Bessie sent me the article about basically some of the problems that have occurred when new data centers, the closed loop systems basically are flushed at the very beginning.

1:36:57The building's finished, system gets flushed, and apparently there have been problems in several locations, including Loudon County that I referenced last week, about basically contaminants that are beyond what filtering, pre-filtering before it goes to the sewer line, do not take care of.

1:37:18And I'm assuming that whatever kinds of rules, I mean, apparently Loudon has added a couple of different kind of effluent rules, and apparently the places we discovered actually was a data center in Wyoming, and I'm just curious if developers have ever heard of that, and if they are kind of prepared to respond in any way to that, because that is kind of the one time when that flushing occurs.

1:37:49Or I guess conceivably when other cleanouts occur for maintenance, that that maybe requires an additional treatment. I don't know if you're familiar with that or heard about it, like to share anything, that'd be great.

1:38:03Good afternoon, I'm Michael Fess with Montrose, we're the project management firm. Yes, I can address the cooling system, especially the one in Wyoming, from what I've read.

1:38:19I researched into that one specifically when I read it, and I think it occurred a few weeks ago.

1:38:24That one, it was actually a subcontractor that released those chemicals, flushed into the sewer system prior to treatment.

1:38:34From what I read, it wasn't the owner, it wasn't the main prime contractor, it was a subcontractor that, whether it was willful negligence or just negligence, they haven't stated in any of the press releases, but they did say that the contractor, the subcontractor released them.

1:38:55In an inappropriate manner, that didn't meet the environmental rules out there.

1:39:00In other words, meaning the construction was not correct, that introduced something into the lines, that then got flushed out.

1:39:07From my understanding, it was--

1:39:08I don't see how anybody would want to put into a contaminant, unless the contaminant was a result of faulty or inappropriate construction methods.

1:39:18That's what I've read. It was an inappropriate construction method, that it was not a known operational thing.

1:39:26This was during the construction, from my understanding, they were flushing it while they were assembling it, from what I read out there.

1:39:34So this could have been avoided, absolutely. Was it a contractor issue? Yes, subcontractor issue.

1:39:41So could additional oversight prevented it? I believe so.

1:39:45And in the same article, there was a reference back to Loudoun County again, that they had either had experienced it the same way,

1:39:53or that they had kind of written some guidelines or some things that they actually provided to, I guess, to contractors before they started.

1:40:04You maybe read the same article that I read.

1:40:07I'm sorry, I'm not aware of the Loudoun County best practices, but if there are best practices out there, we're absolutely willing to adopt them regarding the flushing of the chemicals,

1:40:19and it's during the manufacturing process, construction process.

1:40:22That's good. And the last thing I wanted to mention, actually, I received an email from one of your folks,

1:40:29and we were talking about noise, and we're talking about the difference between evaporation, because evaporation, as I understand it now,

1:40:39is the way the Mayden County, I mean, the Mayden, North Carolina data center, the Apple data center, used those types of cooling towers.

1:40:52So they were getting the heat taken out of the water partly by evaporation, which obviously uses more water,

1:40:58because that's built into the system, but they're very quiet.

1:41:02And then the closed loop, a pure closed loop system that you're proposing not to include, partly because that's the direction the General Assembly seems to be taking,

1:41:14although it's not final, actually provides a different kind of, is noisier.

1:41:22And I did fact, three of us here actually went out to just, for the purpose of just kind of unannounced to listen to the Mayden County,

1:41:32the Mayden, North Carolina data center operating, couldn't hear a thing at the, most at the gate, at the fences or whatever.

1:41:43But the lingering issue for me is that people ought to be able to go out on their back porch and not be bothered by a noise that is making them uncomfortable.

1:41:54They may not be able to hear it inside. It's still fairly low decibel, but it's one of those kind of present noises.

1:42:01And I guess, I wish there were, where is there a location of a data center that's closed to neighborhoods where somebody could go right over and see it?

1:42:13There are 14 or 15 data centers or 16, I guess Duke Energy said.

1:42:17Where's there one that has a closed loop system like that, that if someone wanted to listen to it?

1:42:25Honestly, I would have to do some research and double check.

1:42:29I know there's, Microsoft has just put out a press release, I would say a few months ago, that they're retrofitting all their data centers in a maintenance cycle,

1:42:45depending on a climate zone that each of the data centers are located, they're going to use different cooling technology because cooling technology is definitely climate driven.

1:42:55There's stoichiometry involved, but I believe in our, where we fall in the climate zone area, Microsoft is currently going to be retrofitting existing data centers as well as when they're doing new construction, which includes up there in Catawba County, is a hybrid evaporative condenser system.

1:43:19So it's, it runs fully mechanical up until it's about 85 degrees ambient, and then they start doing a little bit of evaporative cooling, just to help it when the ambient temp gets above 85 degrees.

1:43:32I do not know if those have been installed yet.

1:43:36And unfortunately, Microsoft is very closed lip about the technologies that they use inside their data centers.

1:43:46I can talk to a few resources and find out if there's any of these hybrid evaporative condensers out there fully closed loop within a short driving distance.

1:43:58I know metas got one in four city, I'm not sure of the cooling technology they're using out there in four city. That one was built coming out of the recession. So I think 2012 timeframe. Any other questions.

1:44:24Discussing this with staff and the best way to approach it and Mr. Drury with drugs group is here just to confirm that we are willing to put up a fund of a million dollars and we were proposing to have it administered by a third party escrow agent,

1:44:43whether it's a title company and attorney's office that is, you know, approved to handle escrow amounts, as well as having a process of engaging an MAI certified appraiser or another appraiser that this third party administrators approves to do a

1:45:07valuation prior to the data center being announced or even filed for rezoning. And then another valuation after the data centers been built. And if there is a loss of property value that the homeowner can make a claim against this fund, and the phone would be administered

1:45:24by a third party wouldn't be a government entity it wouldn't be the developer the owner this would be there a title company or an escrow agent, someone that does this for a living.

1:45:36And I did hear our attorney and Chris Murphy talk about that that would probably if something like that would happen to be kind of a rural hall kind of issue as a condition and annexation but I know that when that was mentioned on July the 9th.

1:45:52We've had a few emails about that, of course, kind of suggesting that depending on who's eligible to make such a claim in terms of proximity to the property that a million dollars may not go very far if the property really was declining substantially in value.

1:46:12And I can understand that point. I'm not sure a million dollars will go very far if they were, if that were really the case back to one of those other cases it'd be great to know what's there clearly some data centers across the country close to neighborhoods.

1:46:28And I'm just wondering if the, you know, with the, of the problems that that kind of thing has happened before and did that did they experience these declines in property values to hard part about is there's a lot of lot of information out on the internet that you that

1:46:46none of us know exactly it's hard to verify verification and kind of what is really true and what's happening is sometimes very difficult, but, but I appreciate you sharing that.

1:46:57And I think that's the context. Yes, is there a value that the board has would like to propose if a million dollars, you don't feel sufficient and Mr. jury's here today so fair today's a good.

1:47:13Mr. Chairman, with with all due respect I think our attorney has made very clear that this is something that we cannot attach as a condition to his own in case.

1:47:22And while this is an interesting theoretical exploration I'm not sure this is the time and place.

1:47:28Yeah, well I think we're not the ones but I do think that that was a part of the whole if they wanted to.

1:47:34I mean, first I've heard of that particular thing today but because we did discuss it.

1:47:41Any other questions. Thank you. Thank you agenda item number two is Mr. Murphy's as well it's a public hearing and consideration on a special use permit requested by Elizabeth and Tucker for a land clearing and

1:47:59debris landfill for property located on the south side of Watkins Ford Road, east of High Point Road and west of idle wild road. Thank you. Good afternoon again.

1:48:11Yes, this is a request for an LC ID greater than two acres which is a, which is an elected body special use permit.

1:48:19We're not going to bring the county attorney to go to go over the procedures for that at this point but we I'm sure we'll probably hit that again for the hearing on Thursday evening, but again it is special use permit.

1:48:31So it's quasi judicial. If you're contacted by anyone just please tell them that you can't discuss it outside of the hearing.

1:48:39The proposal is located in GMA for and that says legacy and it should say for 2045. We'll get that fixed.

1:48:49But it is on the for 2045 growth management area plan is located within GMA for which is the future growth area. This is a subject property highlighted in yellow.

1:49:01It is an almost 70 acre piece property you do see it highlighted in yellow. The existing LC ID that's operated by the Tucker's is located in this area if you see where my mouse is.

1:49:17It's about 500 feet away, the cell itself where they're currently doing Phil is about 1000 feet away that was approved in 2018 by the Board of County Commissioners, which predated this PRD within the town of Carnersville.

1:49:34So that that PRD was built after this LC ID was approved and had already begun operations subject property outline in yellow on the county wide aerial imagery again you've got 74 to the south.

1:49:54Watkins Ford Road in the subdivision in Carnersville some underdeveloped property to the west, and I believe there's that is a church, and then this is again the existing LC ID that's operated by the Tucker's subject property shown on the southeast Forsyth County area plant update it's is shown as a area for large lot residential.

1:50:24That's primarily due to the fact that there is not any sewer in that area, and this is looking south at the subject property from Watkins Ford Road, and this is looking west on Watkins, Watkins Ford Road the subject property is on the left.

1:50:42That's a turn lane into the subdivision in Kernsville and then in the background probably back in this area is the current location of the LC ID operated by the Tucker's, and this is looking east on Watkins Ford Road subject property is on the right.

1:50:59This is the site plan it is to sales it's approximately. I've got a note here 3037 acres proposed for feel of that 69 acres for perspective and context the existing LC ID that the Tucker's have been operating since 2018 is 10 acres.

1:51:28And they still have some ways to go to feel that but again I think they're trying to be proactive and have another area for disposal of this land clearing and inert debris.

1:51:41Just so folks understand this is not a construction and demolition landfills not a sanitary landfill this is for dirt and other inert debris such as rock and vegetation against this is as since this is a species permit, there are four findings that would have to be met.

1:52:04One of those findings is that the use will not will not material in danger of the public health or safety if located we're proposed and develop according to the applicant application and plan is submitted and approved, and our analysis, the answer to that is no will not have an adverse impact.

1:52:21The proposed use LC ID greater than two acres is not a threat to public health or safety the presumption is that if the use is permitted in the zoning district it is not a threat to the public health or safety unless proven otherwise which will be part of the public hearing.

1:52:35Second finding is that the use meets all required conditions and specifications staffs analysis of that is that yes it does the subject request will meet the minimum requirements of the udo and the site plan that is before you does meet those requirements.

1:52:48The third finding deals with injuring of a budding or adjoining property values and since planning staff does not have the expertise to make property value determinations no finding recommendation is made on that that testimony will need to be presented as part of the public hearing.

1:53:07The fourth finding is that the location and character of the use that develop according to the application and plan submitted and approved will be in harmony with the area in which it is to be located and in general conformity with forward 2045.

1:53:18Yes, there is an existing LC ID landfill greater than two acres use located within 500 feet of the property.

1:53:24The presumption also is that if the use is permitted in the zoning district is compatible with the area that it is located in a less proven otherwise.

1:53:35As far as the recommendation a land clearing and inert debris landfill greater than two acres requires the issuance of a special use permit from the elected body following a site plan review by the planning board in the AG zoning district.

1:53:45The planning board did determine that the site plan meets all udo requirements on March 12 of 2026.

1:53:51The next step for this is to hold the public hearing which will be on Thursday evening to make a determination record regarding those four findings of fact, and based on those findings either issue or deny the special use permit request.

1:54:04And with that, I'm glad to answer any questions. Your questions for Chris is the developer unknown quantity. They have again the, the Miss Tucker I believe is the is the property owner just her sons I believe that operate the LC ID there is an existing LC, LC ID that's been an operation for eight or nine years.

1:54:28And they do, again, I don't know much about the LC ID business but I know that they have been fairly successful enough to expand their existing operation which was done about 18 months ago before this board and again to look to bring in more property to do this.

1:54:45So again, I would say that they are reputable in that space. I think you mentioned before that the Constitution and the materials to be deposited there will not have any adverse effect on the stream bed, correct, and there were single family homes to the north and west, and there's vegetative screening proposed to the north.

1:55:08Is that correct, there is a long, long what comes forward. And as to the west. There's a requirement either retain vegetation and or supplement with vegetation along all properties except for the entrance into into the project.

1:55:25Quick question. I think I did get one email about this to whom should I forward it for response that basically we can't really talk about it outside the hearings. I mean I'd be happy to do that.

1:55:43But yes, please don't respond to anyone I know it's difficult because you are elected officials but this this is a sworn quasi judicial hearing that will happen on Thursday and just just to clarify Chris is just, you know, giving you general information he will be sworn

1:56:01on Thursday and he will present the formal information during the hearing. Thank you. Other questions. Thank you agenda item number three is a resolution recognizing August as National Emergency Management Awareness Month and Forsyth County and will have representatives

1:56:20for emergency management here on Thursday agenda item number four is a resolution supporting the designation of the North Carolina Highway 67 Yak and River bridge as the Jimmy are Hutchins Josie Matthews bridge Mr charity want to provide just a brief update

1:56:35on how that came on our agenda. Actually I received an email from the Yakan County chairman of the commissioners, and actually said that they have been talking about ways to particularly honor both of them.

1:56:48And Jimmy Hutchins actually was there and did a lot of things in Yakan and and Joe Matthews actually was kind of the predecessor of the PTRC, I guess called the Northwest Piedmont Regional Council, which serve we have that time at that time we were

1:57:06served, and provided their bios and ask if we would be willing to support, since we are joining county to the bridge would be willing to support it. And that's why it's here. Okay.

1:57:25agenda item number five we're going to handle at the end of today's briefing agenda item number six is a resolution declaring intent of the county Forsyth, North Carolina to participate in the commercial property assessed capital expenditure, the CPACE program, Elena Fiore from our Community

1:57:41Economic Development Department will brief this item. Good afternoon commissioners. Today I'd like to share a little more information about the statewide CPACE program discuss our involvement in the program and then answer any questions you have about this economic

1:57:55development tool. CPACE stands for commercial property assessed capital expenditure. This title represents both the name of the statewide program that counties opt into, and the name of a very specific type of private financing.

1:58:20This private financing is between commercial property owners and their bank opting into the CPACE program makes this available to property owners in the banks within Forsyth County, at the state level there have been 19 municipalities who have opted into this

1:58:39program. If we opt into the CPACE program we allow a new financing tool for commercial property owners to improve their property with a CPACE loan CPACE loans are between the property owner and a private bank.

1:59:02There is no financial liability or legal liability for the county in a CPACE loan. A CPACE loan is secured by a senior lien on the property. This allows an owner to pay back their funding over a longer period of time.

1:59:20Our role in this is to simply record the lien and our register of deeds office. Again, we are not responsible for any of the loan collection, opting into the CPACE program supports the renovation and upgrade of our commercial property stock.

1:59:37This could in turn support some increases in our commercial tax base. Before I go any further, are there any questions about the statewide program or the CPACE loan.

1:59:51All of these qualifying improvements for conservation measures and like this four of them in the document is that correct. Yes, there are the qualified improvements are all regulated by the state.

2:00:05The economic development partnership of North Carolina is the one who administers the loan. And so they double check to make sure the qualifying improvements qualify. However, CPACE loans are pretty flexible.

2:00:17As long as the upgrades to the property meet standard building codes, they're most likely going to qualify as an upgrade only commercial property only commercial property that's correct.

2:00:34And then included in the agenda packet is a letter from local organizations expressing support for CPACE adoption.

2:00:43Organizations are interested in pursuing CPACE loans in the county. So if we were to opt into this, we make that available to these organizations.

2:00:52Our next steps as a county are to one adopt the resolution of intent, and then we would hold a public hearing at the next agenda cycle, and then adopt a formal resolution into the CPACE program.

2:01:07Any further questions, just just to clarify, response to Commissioner Wilson's question, it is commercial but it could be commercial multifamily apartments.

2:01:22That's right commercial does include industrial, agricultural or multifamily properties with five or more units. Okay.

2:01:36Any other questions. Thank you. Agenda item number seven is approval of minutes for the meetings of June 25 and July 9 and those have been emailed to you.

2:01:50Agenda item number eight is a resolution of the Board of Commissioners of the county of Forsyth authorizing the negotiation of an amendment to an installment financing a contract directing the publication of notice with respect there to and providing for certain other related matters

2:02:04and an amendment to the fiscal year 27 budget ordinance to transfer funds to the county capital projects ordinance to pay cost of issuance related to the 2026 limited obligation bonds in an amendment to the county capital projects ordinance to appropriate proceeds

2:02:16from the 2026 limited obligation bonds interim financing into the budget reserve for future capital projects and to appropriate the transfer from the general fund to pay cost of issuance Terry Goodman our chief financial officer will brief this item.

2:02:29Good afternoon commissioners. Yes, this item will initiate the process for us to issue the $26,850,000 in limited obligation bonds that were contemplated in the CIP that was approved in the fiscal 27 budget ordinance.

2:02:45The structure we're recommending is to enter into a interim lobs financing, that will be a drawdown type program that will allow us to get enough bids in hand so that we can meet the LGC requirement to have 70% of our projected long term lives with

2:03:02confirmed bids in hand. I do think overall that will should lead to a lower overall interest cost, and that we're not going to be paying interest from day one on the full almost 27 million in labs.

2:03:16This item, first part of this item requires or asks that you authorize negotiation of an amendment to our existing 2021 installment purchase financing agreement, we're going to be utilizing the contract agreement the financing agreement that we had in place

2:03:37when we did the courthouse lobs. So therefore we will be using that same property as collateral for this financing, just since so many of the documents were already in place it really made for an easier way for us to get this out on the street

2:03:50and get money in hand, sooner. Also you'll be authorizing us to submit the application to the LGC for this financing to retain the bond council and financial advisor to assist with the issuance, you will call for a public hearing that will be held on August

2:04:0713 to review the proposed financing, and also allow for an expenditure or reimbursement expenditure for any, any items that we may incur prior to the actual issuance of the bonds that we'd be able to capture them under this authorization we're not

2:04:24anticipating there being any but we have that in there just as a safeguard, the other two parts of this item really are budget matters, where we are going to reduce the amount of debt service that we have in the general fund and transfer a portion of that over

2:04:40to the capital project fund to handle the issuance cost for this interim financing. We do anticipate with this new structure that we won't need all the debt service that is currently budgeted in the general fund, and then to amend the capital project fund to receive that transfer from the general fund, and then

2:04:56also the additional proceeds that will be issued, putting that into a budget reserve until you approve projects and fiscal 2829, a lot of ground to cover.

2:05:07Thank you for your interest for you questions. Thank you agenda item number nine is an amendment to the county capital projects ordinance to appropriate skiff interest earnings to the airport element, Kimberly busy our deputy budget director will

2:05:23brief this item. Good afternoon commissioners, the finance department has identified an interest earnings on a skiff grant for the Smith Reynolds airport. That's a state capital and infrastructure fund grant in the amount of 1,916,168

2:05:43dollars. This item appropriates the interests here into the airport element and the county capital projects ordinance, and specifically to be used for a contract with the Hoffman building technologies that was replaced or that was approved by you all

2:05:56back in May, to replace the building, building automation controls in 4001 North Liberty Street and I'm happy to answer any questions you all might have.

2:06:05Questions. Thank you. Agenda item number 10 is a resolution authorizing quantum error with payment to Novant health employers solutions LLC doing business as Novant health occupational medicine, Steven Yance from the sheriff's office will

2:06:21brief this item. Good afternoon chair vice chair members of the board. During this past fiscal year, the sheriff's office had a limited contract with Novant health occupational medicine for applicant drug screening services that expired on

2:06:34December 31, 2025, and was not renewed since the sheriff's office intended on not using their services, any further. However, due to a high volume of applicants being processed in May and June, Novant was utilized to provide drug screening services

2:06:49for applicants that did not require psychological evaluations. The sheriff's office receiving invoice for $247 and 50 cents for those services. Since the services were provided outside the contract term we are requesting more approval to make the payment for

2:07:04these services and questions. Thank you. Agenda item number 11 is a resolution authorizing quantum error with payment to broad art company Yolanda Bolden our library director will brief this item. Good afternoon chair.

2:07:25Excuse me. Good afternoon chair and commissioners. For a number of years, if site county public library has contracted with broad art company to acquire books to the libraries collections as one of our vendors, but this in

2:07:372025 the library inadvertently failed to pay three invoices for the fiscal year ending June 2025, but did receive fiction and nonfiction books. This resolution seeks permission to pay broad art company $4,601 and 25 cents on the basis of quantum Marie for the reasonable and just value

2:07:55of products rendered to the benefit of her side County versus any explanation in terms of what happened. The company was sending invoices to one staff member. We've made the resolution. Well, we resolved that by having them send their invoices to three other staff members.

2:08:18Nothing else is happening behind the scenes. No. Okay, thank you. Okay, thank you. Agenda item number 12 is a resolution authorizing quantum error with payment to matrix health and safety consultants LLC Ashley Penley from our community economic development department

2:08:35will brief this item. Good afternoon. And the item for you is a quest for quantum merit payment related to outstanding invoices on services performed in FY 26. The department executed a service agreement with matrix health and safety

2:08:51consultants in January 2026, an amount not to exceed $5,000 to provide risk assessments for lead based paint and asbestos hazards on homes receiving rehabilitation through the department's programming.

2:09:05These services included post construction testing clearance testing as well funds were encumbered for these services utilizing open projects within the department's grants project ordinance. However, the department underestimated the number of units requiring testing

2:09:22and was unable to amend the contract in a timely manner when that realization came. The department expects to continue accruing costs for these services in FY 27. And staff has been updated on the county's procurement policy and contract process and will monitor units more

2:09:41closely for service requests in the future. The department would like to request approval for the quantum merit payment from the department's active grants, and an amount of $4,580 to cover the outstanding balance with the vendor.

2:09:56I'm happy to answer any questions. Questions. Thank you. Thank you. agenda item number 13 as a resolution authorizing quantum merit payment to North Carolina Rush Triad Soccer Club, Inc, and an amendment to the fiscal year 27 budget ordinance to appropriate fund balance for quantum merit payment to North

2:10:15Carolina Rush Triad Soccer Club. Carl wolf our budget director will brief this item. Good afternoon commissioners. During the fiscal year 26 budget process the board provided funding to several organizations through the community grant process including $75,000 for North

2:10:31Carolina Rush Triad Soccer Club. Those funds are going to go towards the construction of a 2965 foot paved exercise track. Due to delays the contractor then see rush was not executed prior to the end of the fiscal year, even though NC rush began working on completing

2:10:48the project and has submitted invoices, totaling $68,618 and 80 cents. And so, again, this item is necessary to amend the ordinance to appropriate that $68,618 and 80 cents from fund balance and then approve the quantum merit payment for the work that was completed.

2:11:09Any other questions. Questions for Kyle. Thank you. agenda item number 14 is a resolution authorizing quantum merit payment to the Richland County Sheriff's Department Steven Younts from the sheriff's office will brief this item.

2:11:23Good afternoon again. During this past year the sheriff's office has had several cases primarily the tragic homicide in Walker town that required expedited specialized DNA and evidence analysis, because of significant backlogs at the North Carolina State Crime

2:11:38Laboratory. The sheriff's office utilize the Richland County Sheriff's Department forensic laboratory to attain these expedited services to ensure timely investigative results. The services were provided before a contract be put in place.

2:11:51And we are now requesting board approval to make this payment in the amount of $18,340 for the services provided a contract is being developed for this next year in case these needs come up again.

2:12:02Questions for Steven. So you all had to go to South Carolina to get the expedited testing. Captain Sloan. I'm not sure of the location the short answer is yes.

2:12:15Okay, that we are putting in place in case this comes back up. Yes, sir. So right now the state lab is about six months to a year out, and we do not want to wait.

2:12:24Yes, sir. The other two labs that we know of are in Utah and Virginia. The South Carolina lab was the closest one that we could actually drive to not have to mail the evidence off.

2:12:39Okay, we get our own lab between those two states that are adjacent to us. Can we get our own has anybody ever looked into that exceptionally expensive.

2:12:49Okay, we apparently have one. It's just a little behind our state lab. No, I'm talking about in Forsyth County.

2:12:59That's a different question. Thank you. I just note this is like, I think six quantum merit claims in a row here, and some appear to have a rather threadbare excuse for why it's outside the purview of a contract.

2:13:20I'm sure our county attorney would like to have most of our obligations in that regard firmed up in a written agreement, as opposed to someone having to ask forgiveness rather than permission.

2:13:37We do agree with that, sir, and we actually work with Richland County to try to get one in place before the end of the year.

2:13:44But we just could not make it by June 30.

2:13:46And I will say it is definitely obvious we need to shore up our process. I think the reason the board seeing it is honestly because we are shoring up our process to where these aren't getting paid without actual board approval thing in the past we've actually had these and no one actually knew that they

2:14:04existed and so now that we have processes in place to know what exists. Now we know what we need to address so please know we'll be working on firming these up.

2:14:14Alright agenda item number 15 is also Steven's it's a resolution authorizing acceptance of a grant and execution of an agreement of conditions with the North Carolina governor's highway safety program on behalf of the village of Clemens as part of the North Carolina's vision zero initiative and a resolution authorizing an amendment to the interlocal agreement between Forsyth County and the village of Clemens for community policing services.

2:14:35So Forsyth County has been tentatively awarded a grant from the governor's highway safety program on behalf of the village of Clemens. Clemens participates in the North Carolina vision zero initiative which provides great grant funding for enhanced traffic safety efforts.

2:14:51For this next year Forsyth County on behalf of the Clemens is eligible up to one hundred twelve thousand twenty dollars in grant reimbursements for a traffic unit deputy and new patrol vehicle and related equipment.

2:15:03Further Clemens has requested that the grant supported traffic unit position remain vacant until October 1 when costs are eligible for grant reimbursements.

2:15:11Clemens has also implemented changes in the internet service for the facility now shared by the village in the sheriff's office which they are now providing a paying for the internet service and this was included in their annual cost breakdown and in the interlocal agreement.

2:15:25So therefore these resolutions are needed to accept the grant from the governor's highway safety program and amend the interlocal agreement to reflect the grant reimbursements delayed implementation and revised cost.

2:15:37Any questions for Steve. Thank you. Agenda item number 16 is a resolution authorizing execution of an agreement with partners health management Denise price our deputy county manager will brief this item.

2:15:49Good afternoon commissioners this item seeks authorization to enter into an agreement with partners health management to reimburse operating expenses for the facility based crisis center through fiscal year twenty seven.

2:16:01The agreement does supersede any prior agreements. You may recall that mid April the state amended their contract with us for crisis services extending that through fiscal year twenty seven and change it from a federal to a state allocation.

2:16:15So this allows us to continue to reimburse those operating expenses to partners be happy to answer any questions. So this is via right now it is partners because the merger is not complete. Well, okay, we'll be via could be.

2:16:31Yes. Any questions. Thank you.

2:16:36Agenda item number 17 is a resolution authorizing execution of an agreement with PSNI LLC for school nurse software licenses at the Department of Public Health Nicole pretty our system public health director will brief this item.

2:16:48Good afternoon commissioners. The Department of Public Health is requesting authorization to enter into a three year contract with PSNI LLC for snap health center software licenses in an amount not to exceed one hundred twenty three thousand seven hundred fifty dollars.

2:17:03PSNI is cloud based snap health center serves as the electronic medical record that is currently being used by the school health program for its nurses to document all nursing health services provided to Winston Salem Forsyth County school students.

2:17:17The first one of the many highlights of the software is that it is linked with the North Carolina immunization registry, which allows the program to have accurate up to date district wide immunization compliance information and allow school nurses to have school specific

2:17:32compliance information at their fingertips of the department did seek informal bids from other school health electronic health record software companies and PSNI LLC was the lowest bidder at an average annual cost of forty one thousand two hundred and fifty dollars for three years of service.

2:17:47Questions. Thank you. Thank you. Agenda item number 18 is a resolution authorizing execution of an agreement with safe air systems ink to provide maintenance testing and repair breathing air compressors at 10 county fire stations.

2:18:02Brock Smith our fire marshal will brief this item. Good afternoon commissioners. We're bringing to you today for your consideration a contract with safe air inks.

2:18:13This is a three year contract not to exceed fifty five thousand nine hundred and fifty three dollars and twenty seven cents. This contract would allow safe air to provide service maintenance and repair to our air compressors.

2:18:25These air compressors are the ones that we use to fill our se se ba bottles that this board approved a couple weeks ago. I'd be glad to answer any questions that y'all have.

2:18:35Questions for Brock. Thank you. Agenda item number nineteen is a resolution acknowledging notice from the Clemens Fire Department of its intent to sell capital property valued at over ten thousand dollars and approving this sale pursuant to section fourteen of the July first twenty twenty six agreement between Forsyth County and the Clemens Fire Department Brock Smith will also brief this item.

2:18:57Good afternoon again clues fire department is seeking permission to sell to other two thousand and four fire engines that they currently have they've been in service for a while and have had their use.

2:19:08Clemens will be receiving two new fire engines later this year which was part of the approved CIP from the Forsyth County Fire Commission.

2:19:17The two engines being sold we sold a fair market value through a qualified fire truck sales vendor and the proceeds from these sales we use to purchase new equipment such as fire hose ladders and other equipment for the new trucks that are coming in.

2:19:33Questions. Thank you. Thank you. Agenda item number twenty is a resolution awarding and authorizing execution of a contract for community portal software to benefit LLC doing business as neighborly software Kirby Robinson our community economic development director will brief this item.

2:19:48Thank you madam manager afternoon Mr. Chairman board appreciate the opportunity to bring this item before you today as background the county has used a community portal software known as neighborly to handle a variety of applications over the past several years.

2:20:03So that application does a couple of things for us does community grants ARPA program ran through it and a lot of community development programs such as code enforcement.

2:20:11Down payment assistance loans owner occupied rehab for site thrives and IDA programs. So in the past we've executed annual agreements for the application.

2:20:20But in an effort to comply of course with the county's procurement policy but to generate more predictable and efficient pricing we under the guidance of the M.I.S. department bid the software for a five year term starting in fiscal twenty seven.

2:20:33And I'll just quickly say that I think bidding software can be a tricky thing because you can have off the shelf software then you have a software that's customized and this was kind of somewhere in between.

2:20:43I had M.I.S. guided really a multi department effort through that process and really appreciate them in that respect. So the purchasing department sent out an RFP in May. We received three responses and the lowest cost proposal was received from benefit LLC doing business as neighborly software and that's the total not to exceed amount of one hundred and ninety two thousand dollars over the five year term.

2:21:07That price includes sixteen licenses that are used across the county's existing menu of services and I'll just quickly say an analysis of that pricing.

2:21:17The pricing in year one reflects a seven percent increase over the fiscal twenty six amount but that's less than the originally quoted ten percent amount. So we were able to generate I think more efficiency in that pricing by bidding a longer term contract.

2:21:32Happy to answer any questions the board has.

2:21:34Any questions for Kirby. Not to get in the woods but with this software are the representatives going to be around for a little while for any updates or training.

2:21:46It's a great question. We've had neighborly for several several years now. They're they're a SAS software. They're established. If anything they're expanding their counties and cities all across the country that are using them. Yes ma'am.

2:21:58So that means that they're going to stick around for a little while.

2:22:01When you say stick around you say in business. No not stick around business I'm talking about in terms of training staff. Okay. Luckily.

2:22:11Luckily we already use this. And so there's actually no transition is what we're using now. Yeah. I'll just ask the question offline because I do have a few problems in terms of that neighborly system in terms of.

2:22:22I'll be happy to talk to you. I'll say different departments users while community economic development is representing the item you have the finance department that uses it for community grants and ARPA.

2:22:32You have the budget department using it and you've got behavioral health using it for their programs. So it's really a multi department thing. And so we'd be happy to connect you with those folks.

2:22:41Yes ma'am. Thank you. Agenda item number 21 is a resolution authorizing execution of an amendment to the agreement with central square technologies LLC for its one solution law enforcement information technology platform system and services and the never fail platform.

2:22:56Steven Younts from the sheriff's office will brief this item. Thankfully this is my last one for today so yes the sheriff's office has maintained a long standing agreement with central square technologies for us one solution products.

2:23:08This supports several critical public safety platforms like our RMS JMS and CAD systems as well as the never fail platform since the current agreement was executed in 2022.

2:23:19The sheriff's office has expanded the use of the system to animal services and incurred additional IT and support service costs.

2:23:26These costs were authorized in the contract but a budget was not set aside in the annual amounts or the not to exceed amount.

2:23:34The current contract or the currently remaining in the contract is 328,000. But for this year the cost of approximately 358,000.

2:23:43We are requested to amend this increase or increase this contract by a little over 29,000, bringing the total not to exceed amount to $1,362,533 and 19 cents.

2:23:54This amendment only revises the annual amounts and the increased total not to exceed amount.

2:23:59The additional funding needed for this year was included in our continuation budget.

2:24:04So we did plan for that we just need to increase the contract amount.

2:24:07Questions for Steve.

2:24:09Thank you.

2:24:12Agenda item number 22 is a resolution awarding and authorizing execution of an agreement for a computerized maintenance management system.

2:24:18Chelsea Swaim our deputy general services director will brief this item.

2:24:22Good afternoon Mr. Chair and board this item is to approve a contract with brightly software Inc for computerized maintenance management system services.

2:24:31So what this is is this is the online platform that the county departments use for our maintenance and janitorial and other work order needs any county department or staff can log in and submit their requests here.

2:24:44We also use modules on this for our capital planning needs are asset management tracking as well as our energy and utilities tracking.

2:24:53So this item was bid by city county purchasing with bids being due in April 17th of this year. We did receive four responses with brightly being the low bidder.

2:25:03So this contract or proposed contract would be for a three year term beginning of July of this year and ending June 30th of 2029.

2:25:10The total not to exceed amount would be three hundred eighteen thousand seven hundred sixty seven dollars and forty two cents.

2:25:17And I will say brightly is our current provider we've been using their platform since 2021 and prior to that we use their older platform facility dude happy to answer any questions you may have.

2:25:29Questions for Chelsea. Thank you. Thank you agenda item number twenty three is an ordinance ordering the Forsyth County Community and Economic Development Department to declare a dwelling unfit for human habitation and otherwise to effectuate the purpose of the Forsyth County minimum housing code Kirby Robinson our community economic development director will brief this item.

2:25:49Thank you. Good afternoon again as background on this case our department has received minimum housing code complaints regarding this property twenty eight eighty four fraternity church road dating back to twenty twenty two.

2:26:01The department has inspected the property multiple times and has worked over the years to identify the properties owners after completing and updating several title searches.

2:26:11The department published a notice of hearing in the Winston Salem journal in March and subsequently issued in order to demolish the property soon thereafter.

2:26:20The property has not been demolished and staff have been unable to find any interest parties in the property. It appears based on the results of the title search that all parties that have any interest in the property are deceased.

2:26:32As you can see I think my pictures are on here. Oh good. Yeah. Sorry. All right. As you can see from these pictures the dwelling was severely damaged by fire and has continued to great since that time and vegetation has sort of overtaken it.

2:27:16So due to the unsafe condition of the property typically we do a thorough inspection we go inside you know we're really trying to look at it and figure out you know what are the complaints or the issues here.

2:27:26It's pretty obvious looking from the outside into this has several significant minimum housing standard violations.

2:27:33So we have list pendants was recorded with the clerk of court property taxes on the property have not been paid since twenty thirteen they total roughly four thousand six hundred dollars.

2:27:43So based on all of that information and sort of the deteriorated condition of the property we do request the board's permission to demolish the property and the cost of the demolition will be added to the properties tax bill.

2:27:55So we'll be answering questions the board has questions for Kirby just briefly looking at at the aerial that looks awfully close to the house next door that is in perfectly good shape and there's no connection between the ownership.

2:28:09No we've talked to him a lot as you can imagine there's not you know these folks that own this we think again this has been an exercise and really just trying to find folks it's been very difficult because there are no no estates recorded.

2:28:23Folks are deceased we think they died sometime in twenty thirteen twenty fourteen.

2:28:28It's just one of those things is kind of off the beaten path and what you don't see here is there's vegetation kind of behind me that blocks it from the road.

2:28:36And so what we end up having to do is actually cut a little road in so we unless they let us use their driveway to get to it. Thanks. Yes, sir.

2:28:46Questions for Kirby. Thank you. Thank you. Agenda item number twenty four is a resolution approving the tax collector's annual settlement for fiscal year twenty six and prior years.

2:28:57Mike Pollack our deputy tax assessor collector will brief this item. Good afternoon commissioners.

2:29:19Unfortunately the tax assessor collector Amanda Markle is had an emergency today. I'm happy to brief this item for you. This is the tax collector's settlement. It's required and to conduct annually.

2:29:39GS statute one oh five three seventy three and also the tax collectors required to provide a report of diligent efforts to collect unpaid taxes.

2:29:51We've been provided a electronic copy of the settlement. It's about three hundred pages so that's like summer reading if you want to print it out take it to the beach.

2:30:05Some external factors that affect our ability to collect unemployment is three point seven percent bankruptcy total impact two hundred and ten thousand six hundred and seven dollars.

2:30:20For the twenty twenty five bills only the bankruptcy impact was sixty three thousand seven hundred seventy dollars. That's over a twenty five thousand dollar increase from the previous year.

2:30:36Looking at our collection division workload there are over forty thousand payments made by mail or in person and over a hundred and eight thousand payments that came in electronically.

2:30:54We also like to think about of our assessment work load during this time because that all flows down to the collection process.

2:31:05This year we handled over ten thousand eight hundred appeals and that's a combination of both informal and formal appeals and we received over fifty one thousand calls on our customer care.

2:31:20So when we calculate the collection rate we make sure that it's not based on excluding anything like discoveries or bankruptcies.

2:31:42We have a hard cut off date of June 30th. Not all counties might adhere to that so when comparing collection rates keep that in mind.

2:31:55And we like to think about where we were on January 6th. That's the past due date and we have a little asterisk there because that's actually the mail takes a couple of days before we process all the timely payments that were received in.

2:32:14So there was about twenty four million dollars to collect and by June 30th our staff had collected in twenty one thousand two hundred sixty two dollars two hundred and sixty two thousand dollars.

2:32:36And the official collection rate for the year is ninety eight point ninety four percent.

2:32:45So it's just shy of ninety nine ninety nine percent. So we're very grateful to all the hard working citizens that pay these taxes and also very grateful for our wonderful staff that made that possible to collect that those revenues.

2:33:01We also kind of mentioned here gap bills are a tough thing to collect.

2:33:08That's where some folks failed to register their registered motor vehicle and there's a little gap between when they registered their vehicle.

2:33:16That's a little over forty percent. Also look at the adjusted collection rate.

2:33:25So this is protected dollars that we can't collect due to bankruptcy or because it's already been sent to foreclosure attorney.

2:33:33So that is just over ninety nine percent ninety nine point oh nine percent if that were adjusted. Of course that's not our official number.

2:33:40If we take a look back over the last six years we have our collection rates here. It takes over thirty two thousand and a half thirty two thousand five hundred dollars in county collections just to move up by point oh one percent.

2:34:06We also keep an eye on where the municipalities are. We want to make sure the jurisdictions have a healthy collection rate as well.

2:34:20You'll notice it looks a little low and high points ninety six point two percent. However a week after June 30th that moved up to ninety nine point eight six percent.

2:34:30There's a really large account that our enforced collection methods helped collect.

2:34:36Our techniques even though we think about the current collection year our techniques flow down to all the prior years to our staff collected over thirty percent and prior year taxes this year.

2:34:54Prior year collections for them for the other jurisdictions wildly widely vary.

2:35:09The thing that stands out there is being particularly low. However that only represents thirty two hundred dollars.

2:35:17So we will make sure we get that higher for next year. And here's some good news when you think about it.

2:35:30The annual bill stay in our department's charge for 10 years. So when you look back over the 10th year our collection rate is ninety nine point nine one percent for that 2016 that just came out of our charge.

2:35:44So so in time the money does get collected. We use various enforcement measures in our department to collect.

2:35:57There's debt set off term agreements wage agreements bank attachments rent garnishments of course a foreclosure process.

2:36:08And we also have levy of personal property is available as a tool.

2:36:14There's a lot of crossover in this that covers some back years.

2:36:25Rent garnishment produced over one hundred thousand dollars in collections additional this year.

2:36:35When you look at the twenty twenty five year and the prior year together the total uncollected prior charges are now at six point eight million dollars.

2:36:53Now when you look at the budgeted total county collections that includes current year that includes registered motor vehicle taxes interest and prior year taxes that's budgeted.

2:37:08That was over three hundred fifty one million and so what was collected as close to three hundred fifty four million.

2:37:18So that was over two point seven million dollars above the budget amount and taxes this year.

2:37:28Are there any questions. Any questions. I do not have any questions but I do have comments relative to our achievement.

2:37:39And I'm used to us being overachievers in the ninety nine percent and I see that we are struggling just a tad bit but nonetheless I know that our county manager is going to work on those areas of needs and improvement.

2:37:53Yeah I think this year the biggest challenge was the unprecedented increases in property tax bills due to the reappraisal.

2:38:04And we've never had these types of historical increases ever.

2:38:09And so I think that in general more people were struggling to pay their bills on time.

2:38:15And so I do think that we will you know receive those funds at some point.

2:38:19I think it's just by the deadline in which we capture was a little bit more of a challenge.

2:38:25And so the department is looking at some strategies to inform people more about you can do payment plans.

2:38:33And so they're going to be incorporating coupons for individuals in the tax bills.

2:38:39Certainly we'd like you to pay all of it at one time but even but you could do it over a period of time.

2:38:45So I think just for people to know that there are other strategies.

2:38:48So I do think we'll get the funds. I just think it was a little bit more of a challenge.

2:38:52Yes. And Friday we'll be mailing the tax bills for 2026. And in that if it's there's folks that aren't on a mortgage and they owe over five hundred dollars on real estate.

2:39:10There's something that are called bill coupons that will have where you can cut off and have five separate payments and mail those in separately.

2:39:19And so that's something new that we haven't done before. So that's that's a new method we'll be using.

2:39:27I know how hard you guys work. It's a little difference a little down but it's certainly a whole lot of work and a whole lot of calls.

2:39:36I know you take a lot of pride in that. Thank you very much.

2:39:38Okay. Thank you. Agenda items 25 through 27 are resolutions approving refunds by the tax assessor collector.

2:39:4825 is approving refunds in the amount of twenty seven thousand eight hundred three dollars and eighty eight cents.

2:39:52Twenty six is in the amount of twelve thousand five hundred fifty three dollars and sixty seven cents. And then twenty seven is a denial in the amount of six thousand four hundred sixty two dollars and eleven cents.

2:40:02And then twenty eight and twenty nine are our reports. Twenty eight is the May human resources report.

2:40:07Twenty nine is the June contribution based benefit cap report.

2:40:11And we are going to go back to agenda item number five. I'm going to turn it over to vice chair with time.

2:40:16Thank you. This is a proclamation recognizing the accomplishments of chairman Don Martin on the occasion of his retirement.

2:40:25And because this is a proclamation, it will not require a vote.

2:40:29Whereas chairman Don Martin, who is the native of Athens, Georgia, and a longtime resident.

2:40:36After Bhagaville was first elected to Forsyth County Board of Commissioners in November of 2014. Whereas chairman Martin served as vice chairman of the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners from 2014 to 2022.

2:40:53And as chairman from 2022 to 2026, whereas chairman Martin served as superintendent of the West and Salem Forsyth County Schools for nineteen years, leading the school system through an era of growth and accomplishments.

2:41:09Whereas Commissioner Martin, chairman Martin received a bachelor of arts and master of arts from Duke University and doctorate of education in an educational administration from the University of Kentucky.

2:41:25Whereas chairman Martin played an integral role in the successful completion of the Forsyth County building project projects, including three libraries, a new courthouse, Collidium, Tanglewood Clubhouse, Dudley Watts Park at Blues Creek, Agriculture Park and Smith Reynolds Airport renovations.

2:41:47Whereas chairman Martin has been a champion for public schools through implementing a funding formula that provides an annual increase to Western Salem Forsyth County Schools based allotment.

2:42:00The 2016 school bond referendum for facilities and the 2020 quarter cent sales tax referendum for teacher supplements that were approved by the voters. Whereas chairman Martin worked to improve economic development efforts along with Greater Winston Salem Incorporated

2:42:21that resulted in over one billion in capital investments and nearly 2200 jobs in Forsyth County in recent years. Whereas chairman Martin has served on the Education Commission of the State Research Education Laboratory Southeast, Collidium, Crosby Scholars, North Carolina Vile,

2:42:43Virtual Public Schools, Greater Winston Salem Incorporated Forsyth Futures, United Way Forsyth County Piedmont Triad Education Consortium, North Carolina School Superintendent Association Executive Board, Rotary Club, Blue Ribbon Commission on Public Education,

2:43:07US National Science Foundation Regenerative Medicine Engine in North Carolina and Forsyth County Fire Commission. And whereas chairman Martin is a member of the Mount Tabor United Methodist Church and sings in the choir.

2:43:24Now therefore be it resolved that the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners hereby recognize the exemplary service and accomplishments of chairman Don Martin and thanks him for his outstanding and distinguished service as a member of the Forsyth County Board of Commission.

2:43:42This the 27th day of July, 2026. And I would like to present this proclamation to you, sneaky surprise.

2:44:17Thank you all very much. Thank all of you and have one more meeting. I'll get last one. You will. And we're going to do some more remarks at your reception shortly but we do have one like one minute video because there were a few people

2:44:31who wanted to send in some congratulatory messages so we're going to play that and then we will head to the reception.

2:45:10Don, I wish you the best in your retirement. Congratulations, Mr. Don Martin, you've earned it. We are grateful and so thankful for all that you've done. First, I want to congratulate you on your upcoming retirement. Thank you so much for your dedication, your leadership and service for we the people you will be missed.

2:45:54Don's a great guy, the only problem he's got is that he's a Duke grad. Your leadership while guiding our community through the challenges of the COVID period. Well done. And as your representative, I want to give you a charge.

2:46:07Go have some fun. God bless you and your family and the next phase of your service to our community. Congratulations, happy retirement in your life. Love you and God bless. You're truly one of those leaders I have greatly admired.

2:46:23I've just valued his friendship over these years. And with that, I would like to leave you with a quote. Don't strive to make your presence noticed. Just make your absence felt. Again, congratulations and best wishes for you and the entire Martin family.

2:46:42Thank you.