Following the results of the November general election, the Stanly Board of Commissioners unanimously passed a resolution for a 1/4-cent sales tax increase at Monday’s regular meeting.

County Manager Andy Lucas presented the resolution to the Board, noting notice of the vote was printed in last Tuesday’s edition of The Stanly News & Press in the required 10 days before the meeting.

Board members all received certified results of the votes from the Stanly Board of Elections. The reports stated the vote in November was 11,202 for the tax (50.8 percent) while 10,834 (49.2 percent) voted against it. This is the first time the tax has passed, previously having a number of failed attempts.

April 1, 2019 will be the first effective day the tax is initiated; Lucas said there is a 90-day wait before the tax can proceed.

Vice Chairman Ashley Morgan made the motion to approve the resolution, seconded by Commissioner Zach Almond, and the motion was approved.

Appointments Delayed

Two agenda items regarding nominations to local boards were tabled until the next scheduled meeting of the commissioners.

One involved the Planning and Zoning Board. The recommendations made to the commissioners were to appoint Candice Brasington and Joel Mauldin and reappoint Kevin Brickman.

Lucas said some of the nominations were included after the printing of the agenda, but they had been forwarded to all commissioners.

Commissioner Mike Barbee made the motion to table the appointments to the next meeting, seconded by Morgan. The motion passed 6-1, with Commissioner Bill Lawhon voting against it.

On the Board of Adjustments, three regular members (Billy Franklin Lee, Cynthia Fish and David Dulin) and one alternate (Brenda Farmer) were recommended for appointment to the commissioners. Again, Barbee moved to table the appointments, seconded by Morgan, and the motion passed 6-1, with Lawhon as the dissenting vote.

Industrial Park Development

One item added onto the end of Monday’s agenda was to acquire approval by the commissioners for two budget amendments and the approval of a bid for the development of a new industrial park.

The Riverstone Industrial Park project, for which land in the Stanfield area was purchased by the board, had bids opened before Monday’s agenda was sent out.

Money for the new park will go to water, sewer and road access for the new park. The project, totaling about $1.13 million, will receive $950,000 from a grant from the North Carolina Department of Commerce. The remaining funds, around $200,000, will come from the county’s general fund reserves.

The NJR Group, the lowest responsive bidders, is a Stanly company headed by Nathan Russell, according to Lucas.

Both the budget amendments and the certified bid by NJR were passed unanimously.

Other Actions

The Board also

• received a report on the final information from the 2017-18 fiscal year audit from Alan Thompson of the accounting firm of Thompson, Price, Scott, Adams & Co, P.A.;
• approved Ann Lowder and Kent Trull’s reappointment to the Stanly Senior Services Advisory Board along with Gail Barbee, Christine Vaughn and Ross Newland’s new appointments to the board;
• authorized county staff to author a formal letter of support for Monarch’s securing a federal grant. The grant’s stated purpose is to “improve interagency coordination, collaboration and facilitate easier access to mental health services in our community.” Monarch has made efforts to get letters of support from various health and human service related agencies, according to the agenda packet;
• nominated Morgan as the commissioners’ representative for the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners;
• reaffirmed per state statute the board’s code of ethics, which must be done on an annual basis;
• approved the consent agenda, which included a broadband connectivity project for the airport, the school board lease agreement and the monthly financial report.