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
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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
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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;
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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;
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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
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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
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