Commission to eye $1.5M in spending
By Steve Herring
Published in News on July 20, 2015 1:46 PM
Wayne County commissioners Tuesday are expected to allocate more than $1.5 million for several projects, including nearly $1 million for the county's proposed $16 million agriculture/convention center.
The meeting begins with an agenda briefing at 8 a.m. followed by the formal session at 9 a.m.
A public hearing will be held at 9:125 a.m. on a request to rezone a tract of land off North Beston Road from Residential Agriculture 30 to Airport.
Gary Breen Smith has asked for the rezoning of the 5.96-acre tract to place outdoor advertising signs on the property.
All of the meetings will be held in the commissioners' meeting room on the fourth floor of the Wayne County Courthouse Annex.
The county has received three different allocations of funds through a loan from the former Eastern Region agency. Most of these funds have been earmarked for different projects across the county.
The county has $1,554,352.10 remaining.
County Manager George Wood and finance officer are recommending that commissioners reallocate that money for the following projects:
* $966,000, agricultural/convention center construction.
* $45,000, Pikeville utilities project.
* $40,000, Mount Olive, railroad crossing project.
* $49,352.10, county website update.
* $420,000, construction contract for Spring Creek Middle School sewer pump station.
* $34,000, Mount Olive Airport road relocation project.
Mount Olive had requested $100,000 for the road project, but the county could only afford $34,000, Wood said.
Also on the agenda are:
* An update on the county radio system.
* A presentation on the Wayne County Comprehensive Transportation Plan.
* A motion to approve the Stepping Up Initiative Resolution in support of efforts by the National Association of Counties to reduce the number of people with mental illness in county jails.
* A motion to approve a letter of commitment for North Carolina Department of Transportation Division of Aviation Airport Safety/Maintenance Program. Counties are required to have the letters on file with the DOT to be considered for continued safety/maintenance support projects.
* Motion to approve the Governor's Highway Safety Program Local Governmental Resolution and agreement of conditions as recommended by Sheriff Larry Pierce.
Items on the consent agenda include: Applications for Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exclusion; application for Elderly or Disabled Property Tax Exclusion; budget amendments; applications for North Carolina Education Lottery Public School Capital Fund for use on the Spring Creek and Grantham middle schools projects.
Public comments will be taken at 10 a.m. when speakers will have four minutes to speak on their topic of choice.