Chris Doherty

The meeting agenda included several consent items such as the approval of the January 5, 2026, and February 2, 2026, minutes, revisions to the Commissioners Rules of Procedure, FY26 Budget Amendment #7, the Annual Report of Unpaid Taxes, updates to Advisory Boards for 2026, and a surplus weapon sale to Captain James Arnold. Discussions also covered the modification of a lease with Triangle North Hangar 1, LLC, and an Interlocal Agreement with Youngsville Elementary School. A public hearing was held regarding a request for rezoning 990.78 acres from Agricultural Residential (AR) to Residential 8 (R-8). The board addressed appointments, including Chairman appointments and the reappointment of a member to the Bunn Planning Board ETJ. The session concluded with discussions in closed session regarding attorney-client privileged communication, industry/economic development, real property, and contracts.

The meeting addressed several agenda items under the Consent Agenda, including the approval of January 5, 2026 Minutes, revisions to the Commissioners Rules of Procedure, FY26 Budget Amendment #7, and the modification of a lease with Triangle North Hangar 1, LLC. A public hearing was scheduled for a rezoning request (25-REZ-03) involving 990.78 acres along West River Road from Agricultural Residential (AR) to Residential 8 (R-8). The Board also planned for appointments, including Chairman's recommendations and a reappointment to the Bunn Planning Board ETJ. Discussions covered future items like an MOU with Bunn CERT and matters arising during public comments. The agenda also included items requiring closed session discussions regarding attorney-client privilege, economic development, real property, and personnel matters.

The meeting commenced with a season of prayer followed by the pledge of allegiance. Key discussions during the consent agenda involved pulling Item E (Youngsville Rescue and EMSOU) and Item D (Revised Commissioner Rules and Procedures) for discussion. A significant portion of the meeting involved clarification regarding Item D, specifically concerning the rule allowing new items during a meeting, which requires public notice unless unanimously agreed upon for immediate vote. Item E discussion focused on whether to implement a separate MOU process for Youngsville Rescue and EMSOU, distinct from the BUN process. The consent agenda, excluding the discussed items, was ultimately approved, including minutes from December 15th, adjustments/refunds/tax collection report, animal services SOPs, a lease approval for Franklin Middle School Park, and authorization for the county manager to finalize an MOU with Lake Rale. Public comments addressed concerns regarding a large mobile home development near the Tar River, focusing on community voice, environmental compliance, water pressure, and road/buffer ordinances. Item three was a public hearing regarding revisions to the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) to ensure compliance with North Carolina General Statute changes, including amendments affecting review procedures, zoning districts, subdivision criteria, natural resources, and definitions. Specific UDO amendments proposed included eliminating waiting periods for withdrawn/denied applications, increasing structure height limits in certain zones, clarifying pool location requirements, and removing specific water/sewer system standards and classifications.

The meeting agenda included several Consent Agenda items such as the approval of previous minutes, releases/adjustments/refunds/tax collection report, Animal Services Standard Operating Procedures, revised Commissioners Rules of Procedure, and several MOU/Lease approvals. The meeting featured a public hearing for a Unified Development Ordinance Text Amendment (25-UDO-02) related to compliance with North Carolina General Statutes and flexibility enhancements. Another public hearing was conducted for a Special Use Permit request (25-SUP-03) concerning amendments to a commercial facility plan, including the removal of a right-of-way dedication and the construction requirement for a bicycle/pedestrian path. Action items included considering approval for three firms to be awarded contracts for on-call professional engineering services following an RFQ process. The agenda also involved the presentation of a recognition plaque to the 2025 Chairman and discussions during Board, Manager, and Clerk's Comments. A closed session was requested to discuss matters related to attorney-client privilege, economic development, real property, and personnel.

The meeting included a season of prayer and the pledge of allegiance, followed by the election of officers. Commissioner Bragg was elected as Chair for 2026, and Commissioner Schriver was elected as Vice Chair for 2026. The Board approved a consent agenda which included several budget amendments for ongoing projects, such as the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Stations Project and the Franklin County Judicial Complex Project, as well as amendments to the FY26 Budget and the Amended FY25 Audit Contract. The meeting also included a period for public comments and board/manager comments where commissioners shared updates on recent community events. The proceedings concluded with a closed session to discuss matters involving attorney-client privilege, economic development, and real property, after which no action was taken.