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110121 November 1, 2021 The Randolph County Board of Commissioners met in regular session at 6:00 p.m. in the 1909 Randolph County Historic Courthouse Meeting Room, 145 Worth Street, Asheboro, NC. Chairman Darrell Frye, Vice-Chairman David Allen,Commissioner Maxton McDowell, and Commissioner Hope Haywood were present. Also present were County Manager Hal Johnson, Assistant County Manager/Finance Officer Will Massie, County Attorney Ben Morgan, Deputy Clerk to the Board Sarah Pack, and Clerk to the Board Dana Crisco. Commissioner Kenny Kidd was absent. Chaplain Michael Mabe from the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office gave the invocation and everyone recited the Pledge of Allegiance. The meeting was livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube. Special Recognitions st Chris Maness retired on October 31 from the Sheriff’s Office with 29 years of service. Mr. Maness was recognized by Sheriff Greg Seabolt, after which, Chairman Frye presented him with an engraved clock on behalf of the Board. Public Comment Period Pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 153A-52.1, Chairman Frye opened the floor for public comment and closed it after everyone wishing to speak had done so. County Attorney Ben Morgan read aloud the Public Comment Rules of Procedure. Mark Wilburn, 1134 Heathwood Dr., Randleman, said he is a part of a group of pastors that meet with other pastors across the county. He wants Randolph County to be a Sanctuary for Life. Children are being put to death without a voice. He is appearing here to be that voice. He mentioned that there are services available in the county for pregnant women. He gave documents to the Chairman for the Board to review. (Attachment A following these minutes.) Brent Tysinger, 1248 Willow Wood Rd., Asheboro, is part of the same pastor group as Pastor Wilburn. He spoke of occurrences in history that were “wicked and evil” such as slavery, eugenics, the Holocaust, and the legalization of abortion. He hoped the resolution presented to the Board would be passed in Randolph County. Caralynn Vaughn, 1335 Robins Nest, Asheboro, is the Executive Director of Your Choices Randolph. This organization sees women and men every day who are traumatized by abortion but believe that it is theironly choice. There are many resources available through this organization to meet the needs of pregnancy for women and men. Chairman Frye let the audience know that all people who are signed up will get to speak. He has gotten involved with Your Choices and spoke of testimonies he has heard about the lifelong scars of abortion. He also said that the Sanctuary Resolution will be on the December agenda. Commissioner Haywood asked Ms. Vaughn if she had statistics of abortion by race. She had heard that a disproportionate number of abortions occur in African American communities. Ms. Vaughn said 60% of abortions are in the African American community and the other 40% are in white and Hispanic communities. Commissioner Haywood said it was ironic that there was a 11/1/21 proclamation from Social Services to recognize November as Adoption Awareness Month. She thanked the presenters for their commitment to unborn children. She asked them to continue to support those children after they are born. There is a tremendous need out there. She said by working together as people of faith, we are doing what God wants us to do. Commissioner McDowell said since he has beena member of Your Choices, he and his wife speak frequently regarding this topic. This is a widespread problem. Many people are forced to have abortions. He thanked everyone for coming and showing their support. Chairman Frye said Commissioner Kidd is absent because he had to take care of a client in Virginia. Chairman Frye said his father was a preacher and was always against abortionand he is as well. Maria Foust, 3746 Midway Acres Rd., Asheboro, is a sophomore at Southwest Randolph High School. She isn’t afraid of having awkward conversations. She said Randolph County is viewed as a racist county. When she confronts racist comments, people say, “What do you expect, this is Randolph County.” She wants the statue to be removed because it represents people fighting to keep people who look like her enslaved. Tammie Coley, 2619 Mountain Lake Rd., Asheboro, grew up in Asheboro and she is proud of that. The statue represents honoring people who wanted to enslave her relatives. She does not believe that her neighbors want to honor those who fought in the Confederate army. She stated the government has the obligation to honor those who best represent who we are. The monument must come down. Dwain Roberts, 4654 Rainbow Trail, Ramseur, is the present commander of Sons of Confederate Veterans of Randolph County. He said that the Sons of Confederate Veterans have taken a strong stand against racism. Things that happened in history were not done by him or by the people here. He said public property belongs to the tax payers. It is everyone’s property who pays taxes in this county. Alan Lamb, 3292 Shady Forest Rd., Randleman, said all war is about money. People left their homes to fight for their independence. Some soldiers were drafted. Most soldiers were not slave owners. He thinks the statue needs to stay. He said that many citizens do not understand what the Confederacy was trying to do. Mark Kemp, 1000 Worth St., Asheboro, moved back to Asheboro. He is proud of Asheboro and glad to be back. He said the statue needs to be removed. It represents people being sold. He read about children being sold in the 1800s. Celebrating the Confederacy with public funds is anti-American. You are either American or Confederate, you cannot be both. Civil War should be taught in class rooms and museums not by government. This statue should not be here. Mikayla Trogdon, 601 Hemlock Dr., Asheboro, said she heard her peers say there was nothing in Asheboro for them. She feels there is a lack of connection in the community because of the history behind the statue. Young black professionals may feel discouraged from pursuing business 11/1/21 opportunities in Randolph County due to the presence this monument in downtown Asheboro. She requested that the statue be removed. Marquez Cassidy, 506 Greensboro St., Asheboro, said it is ironic that there is a Confederate monument in the heart of Asheboro which is the Heart of North Carolina. During a recent protest, some individuals gathered to protect the monument, which has no life or feelings, from the threat of being vandalized. He was appalled that an inanimate object’s symbolism was protected even today. This isn’t a monument to the dead but rather a reminder of who remains in power. He implored the Commissioners to make a decision about the removal of the statue based on the voice of “We the people” in Randolph County. Roger Johnson, 3473 Trinity Church Rd., Seagrove, said he likes all history. Because the Union won the Civil war, Southern history was written from a Northern point of view. His ancestors lived in the South and fought because their homeland had been invaded. Many of them could not read or write. They didn’t own slaves or the land they farmed. The statue represents people who fought for the South to preserve their way of life and their freedom. Ronnie Saunders, 5322 Tobacco Rd., Trinity, is lifelong resident of Randolph County. He has ancestors who fought on both sidesduring the Civil War. Everybody was an American. History is what it is. Just like the RevolutionaryWar, the battle between the North and South was a rebellion against government. He thinks the statue should remain where it is. Recess Chairman Frye called for a five-minute recess at 6:55 p.m. Regular Session Resumed At 7:00 p.m., the Board returned to regular session. Consent Agenda Chairman Frye stated that Zeb Holden is on the Consent Agenda to replace Jorge Lagueruela on the Randolph Community College Board of Trustees. Ralph Modlin, a member of the Planning Board, passed away last week. There is a vacancy now. He asked the Commissioners to let County Manager HalJohnson know if they had any recommendations. Ben Morgan, County Attorney, said that Mr. Modlin served the citizens of Randolph County well. He was always diligent. He came to the October meeting and said he would come to meetings as long as he could. Chairman Frye read the Proclamation Recognizing November 2021 as Adoption Awareness Month aloud. On motion of McDowell, seconded byAllen, the Board voted 4-0 to approve the Consent Agenda as presented, as follows: approve Board of Commissioners regular meeting minutes for October 4, 2021 and closed session minutes for October 4, 2021; 11/1/21 approve Budget Amendment – Social Services CARES Act Grant ($19,927), as follows: 2021-2022 Budget Ordinance General Fund—Budget Amendment #20 Revenues IncreaseDecrease Restricted Intergovernmental$19,927 AppropriationsIncreaseDecrease Social Services $19,927 reappoint Will Massie, Suzanne Dale, and Dana Crisco to the Randolph County Public Facilities Corporation; appoint Zeb Holden to the RCC Board of Trustees to fill the seat of Jorge Lagueruela; adopt Proclamation Recognizing November 2021 as Adoption Awareness Month, as follows: ADOPTION AWARENESS MONTH-NOVEMBER 2021 WHEREAS, November is celebrated nationally as ADOPTION AWARENESS MONTH to express the right of every child to grow up in a permanent, secure, and loving family; and WHEREAS, the adoptive experience provides the foundation for a happy, productive adulthood; and WHEREAS, the Randolph County Department of Social Services serves more than 200 children in substitute care who live apart from their birth families and adoption is the permanent plan for 36 of these children; and WHEREAS, Randolph County actively promotes the timely adoption of these children and has finalized 38 adoptions since July 1, 2020, some of whom have special needs; and WHEREAS, children waiting for adoptive families and those families who have adopted these children require and deserve community support. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED, that the Randolph County Board of Commissioners recognizes November 2021 as ADOPTION AWARENESS MONTH in our county and we urge our citizens to recognize and support this observance. appoint John Grey, PE to fill the Engineer Seat and reappoint Courtney Alston Wilson to the Randolph County Board of Health; reappoint William Foster to the Randolph County Board of Equalization and Review and the Randolph County Tax Commission; appoint Charmaine Ford to the Randolph County Juvenile Crime Prevention Council; authorize Randolph County Schools to transfer $1.4 million from their Current Expense to Capital Outlay; approve the appointments for the Firefighter’s Relief Fund; reappoint Myra Gaddy to the Randolph County Child Fatality Review/Community Child Protection Team; reappoint Wayne Joyce to the Randolph County Planning and Zoning Board; 11/1/21 approve Budget Amendment -2021-22 Strategic Planning Grants ($790,207), as follows: 2021-2022 Budget Ordinance General Fund—Budget Amendment #21 RevenuesIncrease Decrease Transfer from Well-Being Reserve $790,207 AppropriationsIncreaseDecrease Other Economic and Physical $50,000 Other Human Services $434,207 Other Cultural and Recreational $306,000 Appropriations establish Coronavirus Recovery Grant Project Ordinance and close Annual Response Fund, as follows: RANDOLPH COUNTY CORONAVIRUS RECOVERY GRANT PROJECT ORDINANCE BE IT ORDAINED by the Board of the Randolph County Commissioners that, pursuant to section 13.2 of Chapter 159 of the General Statutes of North Carolina, the following grant project ordinance is hereby adopted: Section 1. This ordinance is to establish a budget for projects and programs to be funded by the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds of H.R. 1319 American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (CSLFRF). The County has received the first tranche in the amount of $13,952,816 of CSLFRF funds. The total allocation is $27,905,631 with the remainder to be distributed to the County within 12 months. These funds may be used for the following categories of expenditures, to the extent authorized by state law. 1. Support public health expenditures, by funding COVID-19 mitigation efforts, medical expenses, behavioral healthcare, and certain public health and safety staff; 2. Address negative economic impacts caused by the public health emergency, including economic harms to workers, households, small businesses, impacted industries, and the public sector; 3. Replace lost public sector revenue, using this funding to provide government services to the extent of the reduction in revenue experienced due to the pandemic; 4. Provide premium pay for essential workers, offering additional support to those who have borne and will bear the greatest health risks because of their service in critical infrastructure sectors; and, 5. Invest in water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure, making necessary investments to improve access to clean drinking water, support vital 11/1/21 wastewater and stormwater infrastructure, and to expand access to broadband internet. Specific projects and programs will be authorized by the Board of County Commissioners after determination that such costs are eligible under federal and state law. Section 2.The following amounts are anticipated to be available to complete this project: Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds $ 27,905,631 Section 3.The following amounts are appropriated for expenditures for the grant project: Public Health $ 4,000,000 Contingency 23,905,631 $ 27,905,631 Section 4. The officers of Randolph County are hereby authorized to proceed with approved project costs in accordance with all General Statutes of North Carolina and within terms of the contracts approved by the Randolph County Board of Commissioners. Section 5. The Finance Officer is hereby directed to maintain within the Project Fund sufficient specific detailed accounting records to satisfy the requirements of General Statutes of North Carolina and of the grantor agency and the grant agreements. Section 6. Funds may be disbursed from the Project Fund for the purpose of making payments as due. Section 7.This Project Ordinance shall be entered in the minutes of the Board of the Randolph County Commissioners and after adoption copies of this Ordinance shall be filed with the finance officer, the budget officer, and the clerk to the board. Section 8. This Project Ordinance is adopted on November 1, 2021 and expires on December 31, 2026, or when all the CSLFRF funds have been obligated and expended by the County, whichever occurs sooner. Cone Health Update Chairman Frye said thatheand Vice-Chairman Allen had met with Dr. Mary Jo Cagle, the new Cone Health Chief Executive Officer. He said that Cone is required to build a stand-alone Cancer Center. At the meeting with Dr. Cagle, she said $60 million has been put aside to build a new cancer facility. Chairman Frye feels that Dr. Cagleis genuine. Commissioner Haywood asked Chairman Fryeto explain why the Cancer Center is being moved. He said that the new owners of Randolph Health have made it a for-profit hospital. Because of that, they were not able to receive the Medicaid drug discountthat a non-profit can. Cone Health is a non-profit. A new Cancer Center will be built no more than ten miles away from the current one. 11/1/21 A citizen from the audience asked why ten miles was chosen. Chairman Frye explained that the Bankruptcy Court Judge decided on the ten miles. Food Systems Assessment Chairman Frye said Vice-Chairman Allen was on a task force for Food Resiliency. This was the initiative of President Ronnie Smith of the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC). Chairman Frye asked Vice-Chairman Allen to speak about his experience. Vice-Chairman Allen said he got involved after a presentation by Piedmont Triad Regional Council (PTRC) about a year ago. The assessments from both the NCACC and the PTRC were very similar. Food systems assessment became more importantsince the COVID-19 pandemic caused disruptions in food supply. Vice-Chairman Allen asked Jennifer Bedrosian, PTRC Food Systems Coordinator, and Tom Henslee, owner of Back to Earth Farm, to give the report on Food Systems Assessment in Randolph County. Ms. Bedrosianexplained some of the elements of the Interactive Online Report that is available on the PTRC website. There are Food System Profiles for individual counties within the report. Highlights of the report include food security, community assets and network analysis, food and farm production, supply chains, and market analysis and economic assessments. Mr. Henslee spoke about food security really being food insecurity where there is no food available. He said Randolph County is now at approximately an 18% rate of insecurity. To change this situation, there needs to be greater collaboration, small grant programs, hunger alleviation incentive programs, and collaboration with the Second Harvest Food Bank. Chairman Frye stated that this has only begun. Ms. Bedrosian said the survey is complete and now the counties need to move forward based on the findings. Commissioner McDowell was surprised about the number of acres of farmland in Randolph County. He asked how this number was determined. Mr. Henslee stated that the US Department of Agriculture had compiled the information. Commissioner McDowell asked why Montgomery County’s acreage was so much lower than that of Randolph County. Vice-Chairman Allen said that Montgomery County has more forest land. Chairman Frye said there are also lakes there. Chairman Frye asked if the Voluntary Agriculture Districts were included in the acreage. Mr. Henslee said yes. Mr. Henslee reported that animal product sales were number one in Randolph County. Crop product sales were number four. He said notable trends showed that livestock plays a significant role in Randolph County. It was also noted that Randolph County had a 60% drop in farms from 2012 to 2017. 11/1/21 Ms. Bedrosian explained that this data showed that there needed to be resilience in meat processing facilities, possible incentives for small producers, and innovative ways for new farmers to access and protect land. She said 67% of the food consumed in the Triad region is from outside the region. The next steps the Council is taking are community listening sessions, partner presentations, and microgrant gifting. Vice-Chairman Allen stated that Stokes County can’t find meat cutters so the local community college is starting a teaching program. He said the average age of farmers is 58 years old. Small farmers need more markets in Randolph County. There are many opportunities for counties to get involved. He suggested that the American Rescue Plan money might be used for cold storage and infrastructure. Mr. Henslee commented that it is difficult for a farmer to do everything involved to market and sell products as well as grow and harvest them. Vice-Chairman Allen mentioned that a farmer may be great at farming but is not a good business man. Programs like those at Randolph Community College help with the business side of farming. Commissioner McDowell shared some information based on an article he had read about the core products of North Carolina changing from tobacco to sweet potatoes and pork. Historic Courthouse Museum Feasibility Study Ross Holt, Public Library Director, introduced Paxton Arthurs, County Engineer, and Chevon Moore and Grimsley Hobbs, Hobbs Architects. He said Hobbs Architects, PA, of Pittsboro has returned the preliminary design and cost estimate study of the feasibility of placing a local history museum on the first floor of the Historic 1909 Randolph County Courthouse. The report concludes that the first floor of the courthouse is well-suited for a museum, but that long-term use of the building, including continued use of the upstairs as the Commissioners Meeting Room, will require it to undergo significantmodifications to meet fire codes and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. While placing museum exhibits on the first floor is expected to cost in the $300,000 range, the entire project cost with modifications to the building is estimated at $2,836,321. One-third of this cost is the addition of a fully ADA-compliant elevator silo on the east side of the building. Other critical items include replacement of the rear stair and elevator with a fire-rated enclosed staircase, heat and air-conditioning (HVAC) replacement units for the basement and first floor, and water intrusion remediation in the basement. The estimate takes into account current uncertainty in the construction industry and supply chain issues, which may well be settled by the time the construction moves forward, resulting in a lower cost. There also may be reductions based on further review of code requirements. Mr. Holt said if the Board wishes to proceed with the project, the next step is to authorize Hobbs Architects to complete the architectural design phase at a cost of $198,600 and approve the associated Budget Ordinance. 11/1/21 Chairman Frye asked how much of the building would need to be torn out. Ms. Moore said not much would need to be removed on the first and second floor. The demolition that needs to occur will be due to hazardous materials, water remediation, and removal of the old elevator. Chairman Frye asked about a timeline for the project. Mr. Holt said approximately 11 months for design and 12 months for construction leading to a 2-year time frame. Vice-Chairman Allen inquired about the remediation of water in the basement and whether it would be sufficient to store artifacts in that area. Ms. Moore said that a waterproof membrane would be placed on the outside of the foundation. The HVAC unit installed would also help eliminate humidity. There are many areas of the basement that have water damage. Chairman Frye wondered if the 2008 asbestos survey would still be accurate. Mr. Arthurs stated that most of the asbestos was removed during that renovation but the basement was not touched because of the limited budget. On motion of Allen, seconded by McDowell, the Board voted 4-0 to authorize Hobbs Architects to complete an architectural design phase at a cost of $198,600 and adopt the Historic Courthouse Capital Project Ordinance, as follows: RANDOLPH COUNTY HISTORIC COURTHOUSE CAPITAL PROJECT ORDINANCE BE IT ORDAINED by the Board of the Randolph County Commissioners that, pursuant to section 13.2 of Chapter 159 of the General Statutes of North Carolina, the following capital project ordinance is hereby adopted: Section 1. The Board of Commissioners establish this capital project to account for resources and costs related to renovation of the Randolph County Historic Courthouse, including museum space. Section 2. The officers of Randolph County are hereby authorized to proceed with the capital project in accordance with all General Statutes of North Carolina and within terms of the contracts approved by the Randolph County Board of Commissioners. Section 3. The following amounts are appropriated for expenditures for the capital project: Professional Services $ 200,000 TOTAL: $ 200,000 Section 4. The following amounts are anticipated to be available to complete this capital project: Transfer from General Fund $ 200,000 TOTAL: $ 200,000 11/1/21 Section 5. The Finance Officer is hereby directed to maintain within the Capital Project Fund sufficient specific detailed accounting records to satisfy the requirements of General Statutes of North Carolina. Section 6. Funds may be advanced from the General Fund for the purpose of making payments as due. Reimbursement should be made in an orderly and timely manner. Any advances between fiscal years must be approved by the Board of Commissioners. Section 7. This Capital Project Ordinance shall be entered in the minutes of the Board of the Randolph County Commissioners and after adoption copies of this Ordinance shall be filed with the finance officer, the budget officer, and the clerk to the board. Section 8. This Capital Project Ordinance is adopted on November 1, 2021 and shall continue in effect until the project is completed. Detention Center Update Chairman Frye said the Board was very appreciative of Major Phillip Cheek and his staff for the efforts at the jail especially through the COVID-19 pandemic. Paxton Arthurs, County Engineer, gave an update on the renovation of the Detention Center. He also asked the Board to allocate funds that are already dedicated to this project so that they may be used to address some issues identified by the Sheriff’s Office. Although the issues were not included in the scope of the original design, they are considered life safety and health concerns and would be beneficial to complete as part of the project. These items include: Replacement of existing lights in inmate areas that are not detention grade. Replacement of lights in cells that have nightlight features. Replacement of glazing in G-Pod Recreation yard that is not detention grade. Addition of “Sneeze Guards” at officer stations to protect against coronavirus. Addition of air ionization units for N and E Pods to protect against infectious disease. Mr. Arthurs askedthe Board to award a Change Order to the contract with Bordeaux Construction to add $334,927 to the Owner Contingency Allowance, add $20,000 to the project budget for purchase of air ionization units, authorize the County Manager to sign the contract, and approve the associated Budget Amendment. Chairman Frye confirmed that there is another year of construction. On motion of Haywood, seconded by Allen, the Board voted 4-0 to approve the Project Amendment for the Detention Center, allow the County Manager to sign the contract, and approve the associated Budget Amendment, as follows: Randolph County Detention Center Capital Project Fund Amendment #9 Revenues Increase Decrease Sales Tax Reimbursements $200,000 Interest Income$136,000 11/1/21 Proceeds from debt$18,927 Appropriations Increase Decrease Construction $354,927 County Manager’s Update Mr. Johnson reminded the Commissioners about the Zoning Appeal meeting on November 15, 2021, at 6:00 p.m. Commissioners Update Vice-Chairman Allen had been in a meeting at the NCACC and the American Rescue Plan funds were addressed. It was mentioned that the time frame to use the funds may be extended. Adjournment At 8:10 p.m. on motion of Allen, seconded by Haywood, the Board voted 4-0 to adjourn. ________________________________ ________________________________ Darrell Frye, Chairman David Allen ________________________________ _________________________________ Maxton McDowell Hope Haywood ________________________________ Dana Crisco, Clerk to the Board 11/1/21