Board of Commissioners - workshop

WELCOME AND CALL TO ORDER

2026-456 FISCAL YEAR 2028 BUDGET UPDATE

Background: As Guilford County begins development of the FY2028 budget, several key factors will shape the County's financial and operational outlook; continued inflationary pressures; the County's ability to fund a five-year plan for Guilford Technical Community College (GTCC) and Guilford County Schools (GCS); and projections of the fiscal impact of potential legislative changes, including the proposed constitutional amendment. These factors will be incorporated into the County's multi-year financial planning and development of the FY2028 recommended budget. Requested Action: Receive an update from staff.

2026-455 HAPPY ROOTS BIRTH & WELLNESS CENTER

Background: Black Wall Street Foundation (BWSF), a North Carolina 501(c)(3), is requesting a $750,000 one-time capital contribution from Guilford County toward the development of the Happy Roots Birth & Wellness Center at 455 Gorrell Street in Greensboro. The proposed project, in partnership with a local healthcare provider, would repurpose a 10,300-square-foot former church into a freestanding birth center and women's health clinic providing birthing suites, prenatal and postpartum care, lactation services, and education space. The facility is projected to open in the first quarter of 2028. The public purpose of the proposed center is a supportive, family-centered setting focused on improving maternal and infant health outcomes and strengthening continuity of care throughout pregnancy and the postpartum period. Requested Action: Approve an appropriation of $750,000 to Black Wall Street Foundation (BWSF) to support the development of the Happy Roots Birth & Wellness Center per NCGS 153A-149(c)(15), contingent upon BWSF meeting necessary conditions, and authorize staff to execute all necessary agreements and contracts. The $750,000 for the Happy Roots Birth & Wellness Center will be funded from ARPA Investment Earnings; approve all necessary budget amendments and transfers.

2026-458 FLEXIBLE WORKPLACE REGULATIONS

Background: Receive an update on proposed amendments to Human Resources regulations. Discussed regulations include Flexible Workplace Arrangements, Regulation 12 - Inclement Weather, and Regulation 43 - Emergency Preparedness. Requested Action: Approve proposed amendments to Regulation 12 (Inclement Weather), Regulation 43 (Emergency Preparedness), and Addendum 11.2 (Flexible Work Schedules).

2026-457 EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION INITIATIVE

Background: Staff will provide an update on Guilford County's Early Childhood Education (ECE) initiative, including local childcare access, affordability, workforce challenges and the work completed to date by the County's ECE stakeholder work group. The work group identified several priority areas, including childcare availability and accessibility, cost of care, workforce recruitment and retention, and utilization of childcare subsidies. Staff will also review a proposed 18-month, $267,135 contract with MDC Consulting to re-engage community partners, conduct a baseline assessment, establish performance measures and develop an implementation plan with targeted strategies to address identified barriers. MDC Consulting was selected due to the quality of their submission, their proven track record, detailed expertise about child care, and their leadership sponsoring community-based ECE conversations both in North Carolina and across the South. Staff recommends funding the work with available ARPA-enabled funding. Requested Action: Appropriate $267,135 in ARPA Investment Earnings, approve all necessary budget amendments and transfers; approve the scope of services and then direct staff to negotiate and execute a contract with MDC Consulting based on the scope of services.

2026-459 CODE COMPLIANCE AND RESIDENTIAL DILAPIDATED STRUCTURES

Background: Code compliance responsibilities in Guilford County are distributed across multiple departments based on the type of complaint or regulation involved, including Inspections, Planning and Development, Public Health, the Sheriff's Office, and Emergency Services. Staff have identified several recurring compliance challenges, particularly residential dilapidated structures, where the County has an established enforcement process but currently lacks dedicated funding to demolish unsafe structures when property owners fail to comply. Based on recent case activity and benchmarking with peer jurisdictions, staff are proposing a more structured approach that includes a safety and environmental risk assessment, creation of a Minimum Building Standards Committee, and a $100,000 funding allocation to address approximately three to four unsafe residential structures. Requested Action: Receive a report from staff and approve $100,000 for a residential dilapidated structure program, utilizing ARPA Investment Earnings, and approve all necessary budget amendments and transfers.

OTHER BUSINESS

ADJOURN