Person County Soil And Water Conservation District

The meeting commenced with a moment of silence for Tanya Wilson and the approval of the agenda. A key item included an introduction of the interim cooperative extension director, Selena McCoy. The main focus was the presentation and discussion of the annual comprehensive financial report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, which included audit results, significant accounting estimates, and findings such as corrections in construction project balances and a budget violation in the insurance fund. The auditors noted two new GASB statements adopted during the year impacted financial reporting. Following the audit discussion, midyear fiscal updates for fiscal year 2026 were presented, covering general fund revenues (noting significant growth driven by property taxes and interest earnings increases, partially offset by a decrease in transfers from other funds due to ARPA fund depletion) and expenditures (noting minimal personnel cost growth but increases in capital outlay and transfers to support schools). Functional breakdowns of expenditure increases, such as in Education, Culture, and Recreation, were discussed.

The meeting began with an invocation and the pledge of allegiance. A primary organizational item was the selection of the Chairman for 2026, with the incumbent nominated to continue, and the subsequent nomination and selection of the Vice Chair. The board also approved the required statutory bonds for several county positions, including the Sheriff, Register of Deeds, Tax Administrator, and Finance Director. A significant portion of the meeting involved a public hearing concerning a rezoning request (RZ-02-25) for 6.62 acres from Residential R to Highway Business B1 near the intersection of Jim Thorp Highway and Virgin Road. This hearing was necessary due to a typographical error in the initial notice provided to the applicants in November. The applicants expressed intent to use existing residential structures for business purposes. Opposition was voiced, particularly regarding the parcels on the east side adjacent to Providence Baptist Church, citing concerns about traffic safety near the church and cemetery, potential contamination from commercial uses like landscape supply, and the lack of specific information on the proposed future businesses.

The meeting commenced with an invocation and the pledge of allegiance. The agenda was adjusted to include an amendment to the Human Services Advisory Committee bylaws and several closed sessions concerning consultation with the county attorney regarding litigation (Hot Rock Hollers versus Person County) and personnel matters involving the county manager. A primary action item was the honoring of former mayor Marilyn Newell with a resolution of appreciation, recognizing her 14 years of service, work on regional water supply, economic development, and making Roxboro a Main Street community. The board also heard a presentation on the county museum history, which included the donation of an original groundbreaking shovel from the GKN Automotive facility, documenting its groundbreaking in 1993 and expansion in 2012. The museum curator also announced an upcoming Smithsonian exhibit. The main public hearing addressed a request from Piedmont Electric Membership Corporation for a special use permit to expand an existing substation on Bowen Road, which involved a quasi-judicial hearing process. Planning staff recommended approval for the substation expansion, citing compliance with guiding principles for economic growth and utility infrastructure, and noting the design included buffers and adherence to NESC and OSHA codes.

The meeting commenced with an invocation and the pledge of allegiance. The agenda was approved following the addition of two closed sessions regarding privileged or confidential information and updates on pending lawsuits involving the county. During the informal comments period, several topics were raised: a request to be placed on the next agenda to discuss coordinating a large veterans event called 'Sefest at the Palace' benefiting NCVO; testimony from a former foster care system recipient regarding alleged abuse and concerns about the system's accountability, including a commissioner's past involvement as her social worker, and denial of a meeting with support; another speaker addressed the death of a child, Kimari Morgan, in county custody and the ongoing custody battle of the mother, questioning the department's recommendations and policies; and a request for an update on a six-month overdue public records request concerning funds received by a former county employee. In regular business, the consent agenda was approved. A detailed discussion was held regarding the process and tight timeline for transferring the Economic Development Department's responsibilities to a newly structured Economic Development Commission to potentially join the local governmental employees retirement system by the July 1st deadline, with the board ultimately deciding to include this topic in the February commissioner retreat for further discussion with EDC partners. The Manager reported on monitoring potential winter weather, and a Commissioner provided an update on an upcoming housing summit and referenced an article highlighting the county's high average wages tied to its manufacturing employment sector.

The Person County Commissioners meeting included discussions and presentations on various topics. These included the Fall Civics Academy, Farm City Week, and Operation Greenlight for Veterans. A rezoning request was also discussed, involving multiple parcels of land near the intersection of Jim Thort Highway and Virgin Road, with considerations for the impact on nearby properties such as a church and cemetery.