Chad Brown

The meeting commenced with an invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance. A point of personal privilege was taken to introduce a proclamation commemorating the retirement of K9 Chief from the Sheriff's Office due to health issues, following nearly six years of service. The board unanimously approved the proclamation. Following this, the December regular meeting was called to order. The initial proceedings involved public hearings for several items, including a conditional rezoning request (ReZ-25-05-13-00228) for a proposed general retail store development on Lewis Road, which involved discussion of site plan details, setbacks, buffering requirements, parking provisions, and utility considerations, alongside consistency review with the Comprehensive Land Use Plan. The request included conditions related to plat processing and septic field location finalization. Additionally, public hearings were scheduled for designating two properties as local historical landmarks and an EDC incentive grant for 'Project Beach'. Procedures for citizen comments during the public hearings were outlined.

The meeting commenced with introductions, the invocation, and the pledge of allegiance, followed by a brief recess. The first agenda item was a presentation on the FY 2425 Gaston County audit, where the auditors issued a clean, unmodified opinion, noting revenues were over budget by $9.5 million and expenditures were under budget by $29.6 million. Key drivers for revenues included property taxes, while public safety and human services drove expenditures. The available general fund balance increased by $8.4 million, reaching nearly $124 million, resulting in an unassigned fund balance of $82.5 million, which exceeded the 50% threshold, necessitating a transfer to the capital improvement fund. Discussion ensued regarding the increase in charges for services revenue. Subsequently, the Board entered a public hearing session to address six items, including conditional district rezonings (Rez-230 and Rez-241) and various EDC incentive grants. For Rez-230, a request to rezone 1.99 acres from R1 to C3 for a contractor's office or alternative use (dance studio/hair salon) was reviewed, noting compliance with buffering requirements.

The work session included proclamations, accommodations, awards, and certificates. A proclamation was presented to proclaim March 2026 as National Social Worker Month. A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to citizen recognition and comments, predominantly concerning the Confederate monument located outside the courthouse. Speakers addressed the perceived hypocrisy of supporting the monument while upholding principles of justice and equality, noting the overwhelming community desire from 2020 to relocate the monument to the Gaston County Museum for proper historical context. Specific concerns were raised about perceived unequal treatment regarding assembly permits for pro-monument versus anti-monument gatherings.

The regular meeting included the presentation and acceptance of proclamations and commendations. The board recognized the Budget Department for receiving the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the FY2026 adopted budget document. Proclamations were made to recognize February 2026 as Black History Month and January 2026 as Human Trafficking Awareness Month. The agenda also featured two public hearings concerning zoning map changes: one for Home Buyers LLC to rezone parcels from R1 to R2 for affordable housing development, which the Planning Board recommended for approval; and another for MLAN Self-S Storage LLC to rezone parcels from R1 to C3 General Commercial, which staff supports due to consistent surrounding land use.

The meeting, which combined a rescheduled work session and a regular meeting, began with an acknowledgment of the recent passing of Mary Jolly, a 27-year-old paramedic who died trying to assist at a freeway accident. The board also addressed administrative changes, planning to rectify a previous appointment that was potentially unconstitutional. Key agenda items included the presentation of the Judge William Gaston Award to Cynthia "Cindy" Eisenhower for her 15 years of service on the parks and recreation board, which guided significant park system improvements. Proclamations were adopted to recognize November 2025 as Family Caregiver Awareness Month and as Adoption Awareness Month, recognizing the contributions of caregivers and those who adopt vulnerable children. Additionally, a resolution was passed to award retired Sergeant Monica Beckton her service sidearm and badge upon her retirement after 30 years of service with the Sheriff's Office.