Board of Commissioners - Regular Meeting

PRESENTATION - FY24-25 GASTON COUNTY AUDIT

Ms. Kelly Gooderham, Martin Starnes & Associates, CPAs, P.A.

Public Hearing - RE: Commissioner Bailey - Building & Development Services - Zoning Map Change: Conditional District REZ-25-06-09-00230, Jason Cagle (Applicant); Property Parcel: 182805, Located on Hickory Grove Rd., Gastonia, NC, Rezone from the (R-1) Single Family Limited Zoning District with (US) Urban Standards and (CH) Corridor Highway Overlays to the (CD/C-3) General Commercial Conditional District with (US) Urban Standards and (CH) Corridor Highway Overlays

1. Receive Citizen Comment 2. Close Public Hearing 3. Accept Motion

Public Hearing - RE: Commissioner Bailey - Building & Development Services - Zoning Map Change: Conditional District REZ-26-01-09-00241, Crown Towing - Chuck Armeen (Applicant); Property Parcel: 185406, Located at 4904 Wilkinson Blvd., Gastonia, NC, Rezone from the (C-3) General Commercial Zoning District to the (CD/C-3) General Commercial Conditional District

1. Receive Citizen Comment 2. Close Public Hearing 3. Accept Motion

Public Hearing - RE: Commissioner Keigher - EDC - To Amend Resolution No. 2025-264 to Include a Gaston County Level Three or Level Four Incentive Grant and To Authorize a Two-Year CIP Incentive Grant Pursuant to NC.Gen.Stat. 158-7.1 for Project DELOREAN

1. Receive Citizen Comment 2. Close Public Hearing 3. Accept Motion

Public Hearing - RE: Commissioner Keigher - EDC - To Approve a Gaston County Level One Incentive Grant Pursuant to N.C.Gen.Stat. 158-7.1 and To Authorize Gaston County to Enter Into an Economic Development Agreement (EDA) with Project Explore

1. Receive Citizen Comment 2. Close Public Hearing 3. Accept Motion

Public Hearing - RE: Commissioner Keigher - EDC - To Approve a Gaston County Level One Incentive Grant Pursuant to N.C.Gen.Stat. 158-7.1 and To Authorize Gaston County to Enter Into an Economic Development Agreement (EDA) with Project Helms Deep

1. Receive Citizen Comment 2. Close Public Hearing 3. Accept Motion

Public Hearing - RE: Commissioner Keigher - EDC - To Authorize a Gaston County Level One Incentive Grant and Approve the Conveyance of Approximately 9.03 Acres of Land (Lot 4) at the Apple Creek Business Park Pursuant to N.C.Gen.Stat. 158-7.1 and To Authorize Gaston County to Enter Into an Economic Development Agreement (EDA) with Project Tech

1. Receive Citizen Comment 2. Close Public Hearing 3. Accept Motion

AGENDA REVISION/APPROVAL

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

1. To Approve the Minutes of: - Regular Meeting of December 9, 2025 - Organizational Meeting of December 9, 2025

Commissioner Hovis - County Manager - To Accept Departmental Budget Change Requests as Information

Commissioner Keigher - County Manager - To Transfer $3,209,843.77 from Gaston County Schools' Capital Allocation Balance to the General Fund for One-Time Additional Operating Allocation

Commissioner Keigher - DHHS - Health Division - To Accept and Appropriate Additional Federal Grant Funds Received from the NC Department of Health and Human Services - Women's and Children's Health Section/Nutrition Services Branch for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Public Health Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) (100% Grant Funds - $32,522)

Commissioner Keigher - DHHS - Health Division - To Approve a Resolution to Direct the Expenditure of Opioid Settlement Funds and Appropriate $402,350.00 (Year 1: $162,600.00, Year 2: $239,750.00, Total: $402,350.00)

Commissioner Keigher - DHHS - Health Division - To Approve a Resolution to Direct the Expenditure of Opioid Settlement Funds and Appropriate $352,500.00 (Year 1: $342,500.00, Year 2: $10,000.00, Total: $352,500.00)

Commissioner Keigher - DHHS - Social Services Division - To Accept and Appropriate Funds from Partners Behavioral Health Management for Reimbursement of Foster Care Placement Costs in the Amount of $11,025.00 (No Additional County Funds Required)

Commissioner Keigher - EDC - To Authorize an Agreement with The North Carolina Railroad Invests Grant Program on Behalf of Fit Precast LLC (Project Willow)

Commissioner Hovis - Financial and Management Services - Finance - To Accept the Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2025, Gaston County Audit as Information

Commissioner Hovis - Financial and Management Services - Finance - To Award Bid for Financing and Cost of Issuance up to $6,606,000.00 for Rolling Stock and Equipment to PNC Bank, National Association, to Approve the Attached Budget Change Request, and Installment Financing Agreement with Financing Terms and Debt Payment Obligations Through June 1, 2028.

Commissioner Hovis - Financial and Management Services - Finance - To Accept as Information the January 2026 Property Tax Refunds Less than $100. These Tax Refunds Should Be Recorded in the Board's Minutes. (Total NCVTS Refunds - $1,819.83)

Commissioner Hovis - Financial and Management Services - Finance - To Approve the Appropriation of Unified Fire Protection Service District Fund Balance for Distribution to Alexis Fire Department in the Amount of $5,629.00 for Water Damage and Mold Discovery

Commissioner Hovis - Financial and Management Services - Finance - To Approve the Appropriation of Unified Fire Protection Service District Fund Balance for Distribution to Hugh's Pond Fire Department in the Amount of $46,250.00 for Concrete Work

Commissioner Hovis - Financial and Management Services - Finance - To Approve the Appropriation of Unified Fire Protection Service District Fund Balance for Distribution to Gaston County Firefighters Association in the Amount of $13,268.00 for the Purchase of One Respirator Fit Tester to be Used by Fire Departments in Gaston County

Commissioner Hovis - Financial and Management Services - Finance - To Appropriate Accumulated Interest Earnings and Unspent Proceeds from the FY2023 Vehicle Financing Proceeds ($408,591.47) in FY26.

Commissioner Hovis - Financial and Management Services - Finance - To Appropriate Accumulated Investment Earnings from March 1, 2025, through June 30, 2025 ($2,863.57) and Accumulated Investment Earnings from July 1, 2025, through December 31, 2025 ($4,277.92) in FY26. Total Appropriation $7,141.49

Commissioner Hovis - Financial and Management Services - Finance - To Appropriate General Fund, Unassigned Fund Balance and Transfer it to the Community Investment Fund per Financial Policies ($11,950,047.00)

Commissioner Shehan - Financial and Management Services - Grants (Veterans Services) - To Accept and Appropriate Grant Funds from the North Carolina Department of Military and Veterans Affairs for the Grant Program for County Veterans Offices - Round 2 for FY2026 ($20,000)

Commissioner Brown - Hope United Survivor Network - Family Justice Center - To Accept and Appropriate Donations Received from October 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025 Totaling $95,373.99

Commissioner Bailey - Office of Capital Improvements - To Award a Construction Contract and Authorize the County Manager, or his Designee, to Execute said Contract with Rushing Contracting Group, Inc. for the South Point Access Phase 4 Project in the Amount of $1,877,400.36

Commissioner Brown - Office of Capital Improvements - To Award a Construction Contract and Authorize the County Manager, or his Designee, to Execute said Contract with W.C. Construction Company, LLC for the Courthouse 5th Floor Upfit Project in the Amount of $12,103,097 and Appropriate $9,500,000 from the Community Investment Fund; and Approve the Reimbursement Declaration

Commissioner Brown - Office of Capital Improvements - To Authorize the County Manager, or His Designee, to Execute a Professional Services Contract with ESP Associates, Inc. for Special Inspections and Materials Testing for the Gaston County Courthouse 5th Floor Upfit Project

Commissioner Brown - Office of Capital Improvements - To Award a Construction Contract and Authorize the County Manager, or his Designee, to Execute said Contract with Cinderella Partners, Inc. for the Administrative Annex Upfit Project in the Amount of $1,740,335.80

Commissioner Hovis - Office of Capital Improvements - To Amend Gaston County ARPA Grant Project Ordinance 2021-264, to Approve Additional Funding ($56,617) for Tryon Elementary Waterline Extension and Lowell Elementary

Commissioner Hovis - Police Department - Retirement Commendation - To Award the Service Side Arm and Badge to Retired Assistant Chief Jonathan D. Cole

Commissioner Hovis - Police Department - Retirement Commendation - To Award the Service Side Arm and Badge to Retired Captain William P. Downey

Commissioner Cloninger - Public Works - To Authorize the Purchase of Buffer Property Adjacent to the Gaston County Landfill for $345,000 as well as Associated Closing Costs and Direct the County Attorney to Draft Any Necessary Documents and Authorizes the County Manager, or Designee, to Execute Said Documents for Closing Purposes

Commissioner Cloninger - Public Works - To Approve a 5-Year Lease Extension for the USDA Farm Service Agency, Property Owned by Gaston County Located at 1303 Dallas-Cherryville Hwy., Dallas

Commissioners Brown & Keigher - Register of Deeds - To Appropriate Restricted Automation Preservation Fund Balance to Fund Record Vault Expansion ($8,000)

Commissioner Brown - Tax Collections - Uncollected Real Estate Taxes and Lien Advertisement ($12,146,555.18)

Commissioner Fraley - Tax Collections - Pursuant to G.S. 105-381, the Tax Collector Requests that the Listed January 2026 Tax Refunds be Made. (Releases and Refunds - $6,192.88; Overpayments - $183,601.26; VTS Refunds - $1,873.82; Grand Total - $191,667.96)

Commissioner Brown - Public Works - Adoption of an Ordinance Reforming Parking Regulations on County-Owned Property - Chapter 16 of the Gaston County Code of Ordinances

Appointment List - Current Expiring Terms/Vacant Positions

Commissioners Committee Reports

County Manager's Report

County Attorney's Report