Board of Commissioners - Regular Meeting

Good evening and welcome to the September 22nd, 2026 regular meeting of the Gasset County Board of Commissioners. My name is Chad Brown, I serve as Chairman of the Board as well as the Commissioner of the Riverbend Township. I would like to welcome our viewers and thank Spectrum Cable and AT&T for making it possible for our citizens. For our television and live streaming audience, I would like to present Gasset County Commissioners beginning on my far right.

At this time, I'll ask you to rise for the invocation given by Commissioner Sheehan and the Pledge of Allegiance given by Commissioner Bailey.

First item on the agenda tonight is proclamations, commendations, awards, and certificates. I will now ask Commissioner Fraley to come give that to the Hope United Survivors Network proclamation to proclaim September 25th, 2026, as National Day of Remembrance for Homicide Victims. I'll now ask Ms. Tara Joyner and Daisy Yepsen, please, to step to the podium.

This proclamation is to proclaim September 25, 2026 as a national day of remembrance for homicide victims. Whereas homicide continues to claim thousands of lives each year across the United States, leaving families and friends, communities to endure the profound and lasting impact of violent loss. And whereas North Carolina ranks sixth in the nation for homicides, highlighting the critical need to strengthen the victim support services, increase public awareness, and expand coordinated violence prevention initiatives. And whereas Gaston County, district attorney's office launched the families

emergency management fire services proclamation to proclaim the week of october 4th through the 10th 2026 is fire prevention week commissioner keager thank you uh where's chief watts oh there you are good evening sir thank you for coming thank you sir

This is to recognize emergency management fire services. The week of October 4th through the 10th will be now known as Fire Prevention Week. And whereas Gaston County is committed to ensuring the safety and security of all those living and visiting in Gaston County, and whereas fire remains a serious public safety concern both locally and nationally, and the presence of lithium ion batteries in many household devices introduced introduces fire risks, and whereas most of the rechargeable electronics used in homes daily, including smartphones, tablets, e-bikes, e-scooters, are all powered by lit

Okay. Sorry. I hope you get that in a nice place at the office. Absolutely.

The next item on the agenda is public hearings. Commission will now take citizens' comments for four public hearings. Comments will be taken on the following issues. Zoning map change, REZ-255. Gasson County 2050 Update Comprehensive Land Use Plan, Envision Gasson, EDC Incentive Grant for Project Legacy, and to receive citizens' comments on the proposed schedule of standards and rules to be used in the 2027 reappraisal in real property. Before we begin, let me outline the rules and procedure for the hearing. Citizens wishing to comment will be recognized by the chair, then requested to step to

Thank you, ma'am. Any comments from the applicant at this time? Please step to the board. Do you care to speak? Okay, thank you. Any citizens wishing to comment on this matter at this time? Any questions from the Board of Commissioners? If there are no additional comments, I would declare the public hearing closed. Uh, just to recap the planning board and zoning board unanimously recommended approval by a nine zero vote, finding it reasonable in the public interest and consistent with the goals of the comp plan. And we'll maintain the rural field of the community and farmstead style housing as

Any citizens wishing to comment on this at this time? Please step to the podium, Mr. Lopez, and give your name, please.

Any other citizens wishing to comment on this matter at this time? Any questions from the Board of Commissioners? If there are no additional comments, I will declare the public hearing closed. Thank you. Is there a motion to approve as presented?

Motion by Commissioner Kueger, seconded by Commissioner Fraley. Any discussion? All in favor? All opposed? It's 3-2. Oh, 3-4. I'm sorry? 4-2. 4-2, sorry. Motion passes. Next item is County Commission will now take citizens' comments on public hearing to approve a Gasson County level for incentive grant to authorize Gasson County to enter into an economic development agreement with Project Legacy. Ms. Parrish-Williams, Business Recruitment Manager, EDC, will provide a brief overview. Once she has completed her comments, citizens' comments will be taken. Ms. Williams.

Thank you, ma'am. Any citizens wishing to comment on this at this time? Seeing none, any questions from the Board of Commissioners? Mr. Bailey.

Yes, just looking over briefly, you know, you talked about the salaries. It looks like the annual wages is just over $54,000.

All right. Three or four other counties that I've listened to lately that's had a lot of the, they've been giving companies grants and tax incentives to come in, and none of them come to attrition. I mean, I think they're, from Mecklenburg County, I think they're running about 60% that doesn't even happen. Do we have any safe falls? I mean, is there something that can be done if, in case they decide after we give them grant money that they're not going to do anything.

Seeing none, I'll declare the public hearing closed. Thank you. Is there a motion to approve? Motion made by Commissioner Fraley, seconded by Commissioner Keager. Any discussion? All in favor? All opposed?

The Gaston County Commission will now take citizens' comments on public hearing on the proposed scheduled standards and rules to be used in the 2027 reappraisal of real property. Ms. Chelsea Tarbush, Tax Director, will provide a brief overview. Once she has completed her comments, citizens' comments will be taken. Ms. Tarbush. Ms. Tarbush.

Thank you, ma'am. Any citizens wishing to comment on this matter at this time?

Any other citizens wishing to comment on this matter at this time? Any comments from the Board of Commissioners? If there are no additional comments, I will declare the public hearing closed. I would like to add, based on the information presented tonight, the Board and the points raised, I would like to have all potential modifications, schedule of values, and the rest of the Board, if the rest of the Board is in agreement with that, to have It looked over from staff and before it's possible adoption to make sure anything, I would ask the staff provide any red line versions declaring or ident

Looking by the shake of the head, that is declared. If you guys could get that and that way we could have that available. Thank you. This concludes tonight's public hearing. Are there any revisions to the business agenda or any items that need to be pulled? Mr. Bailey. Item H, please.

Do I hear a motion to approve the business agenda with item H being pulled from the consent agenda? Motion made by Commissioner Kueger, seconded by Commissioner Sheehan. Any discussion? All in favor? It is unanimous, Madam Clerk. The next item on the citizen's recognition, our portion of the board's agenda is set aside for the purpose of allowing citizens the opportunity to offer comments and suggestions. This comment period is not intended to require the commission or staff to answer any question or provide response. Questions requiring response shall be answered as soon as possible through t

Reverend, was it the city who took up your signs? DAVID BURRAGE. DAVID BURRAGE. Well, Mr. Manager, would you please call over to them just to see if they may, just to see what, if we could try to help out anything, just to see if they have them or whatever? Because that wouldn't be us taking them up. That would be the city taking them up. We'll have him call and see if they can help maybe locate those for you. Thank you. The next item is the approval of the consent agenda. Do I hear a motion to approve the consent agenda with item H pulled? Motion made by Commissioner Sheehan, seconded by Commissioner Fraley. Any discussion? All in favor? It is unanimous, Madam Clerk. Items H pulled tonight. Commissioner Bailey.

Yes, the main reason that I pulled this is not that I disagree with it. I was just wanting to make people aware. Is there anyone to speak about the wells, what the grant's for?

Yes, I was wanting to make people aware of what their money is being spent on, which is good. Oh, yes, sir. Because it's a testing of the wells, and there's a number of other things that locate them, and you also talk about the deserved wells also.

Do I have a motion to approve? Motion made by Commissioner Bailey, seconded by Commissioner Fraley. Any discussion? All in favor? It is unanimous, Madam Clerk. Appointments. Commissioner Fraley? None. Mr. Sheehan?

Yes, sir. I have one for the Transportation Advisory Board, received by Carson Bonilla.

Second. Motion made by Commissioner Bailey, seconded by Commissioner Keger. All in favor? It is unanimous, Madam Clerk. Commissioner Cloninger.

Mr. Keegar. None. I have one full board appointment for the Lake Wiley Marine Commission reappointment requested by Mr. Jerry Smith. Seconded by Commissioner Fraley. Any discussion? All in favor? It is unanimous, Madam Clerk. I have one for chair appointments to the Transportation Advisory Committee appointment requested by Commissioner Hovis. Second. Seconded by Commissioner Keegar. Any discussion? All in favor? It is unanimous, Madam Clerk. One for the designee for the 2026 NCACC Legislative Conference Voting Delegate, Commissioner Hobus and Commissioner Keiger. Conference attendees? Second.

None at this time. Mr. Bailey? Aye. Not at this time, sir.

I just wanted to report that I attended two September 11 ceremonies, one in the township of Dallas and also one in the township of Cherville.

Commissioner Keeger. No. Not at this time. County manager's report. No report. County attorney's report. No report, sir. Thank you, sir. Any other matters that come before the board at this time? No.

Mr. Keiger. I think a few of us have received calls from either Barbara Voorhees or Lucy Penninger with the, I think we're only about two weeks away from the cotton ginning days. And there's some discussions that the village buildings may not be deemed safe. So I've already talked. with Brian Skiba, and he will be talking to Lucy hopefully tomorrow morning. But there is some cause that they may not be able to use a couple of these buildings. If that happens, it is sad, but we've got to make sure that we protect the folks that are going out there. But I hope things work out. Brian, you'll talk

Thank you, sir. This concludes our meeting for tonight. Our next work session. Mr. Bailey.

Sorry, I didn't know. This may take just a couple minutes, but one of the things that when I came into office, I heard a lot of number of different things and different people talking about transparency. And I've kind of tried to pride myself on that. But some of the things that we have to cover sometimes is not one of the things that you take pleasure in. And I feel that the residents of Gaston County and I feel the employees of Gaston County should be made aware of some of these issues. Everything that I'm going to say tonight is public record, and if you request it, you can receive it. We h

It doesn't have to be a public hearing. Can it just be? We'll just add it to the agenda, and then we'll work on it. Yeah. We'll add it to the agenda, and then we'll work on it. That way we'll do it.

This concludes our meeting for tonight. Our next work session is Tuesday, October 13, 2026, here in the Harley B. Gasson Jr. Public Forum Courthouse. Thank you for watching. If you have any questions or comments, please see our telephone, our clerk, Donna S. Buff at 866-3196. That's 704 area code. Good night.