Board of Commissioners - Regular Meeting

Good evening and welcome to the August 11th, 2026 work session of the Gaston 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 audience and live streaming audience, I would like to present our Gaston County Commissioners, beginning on my far right.

Bob Hovis, Crowder's Mountain Township. Good evening, Tom Kiger.

At this time, I will open the agenda for proclamations, commendations, awards, and certificate. I now call on Commissioner Fraley for the proclamation to recognize and celebrate the 250th anniversary of the funding of the United States of America.

They stand out just a little bit. Before I get started with the proclamation, I would just please I'd like the minutes to reflect that I'm requesting that this proclamation be entered into our records in memory of Robbie Buff, Donna's late husband, who was a longtime member of the Catawba Valley chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, an admired enthusiast, and his memory will long live in the hearts and minds of all his compatriots. I'm sure the board's good with that. Okay, this is recognized to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America. And Donn

A few, whatever. Hey, listen, the floor is yours. Thank you.

We're going to have a picture made for all you guys.

You just come out front. We'll have a picture with everybody.

Many of us seated here tonight had the opportunity last year to attend your reenactment at the Trine site. And if I'm not mistaken, was that not the first official action that took place to form this more perfect union? The Trine, of course, I think...

The next proclamation is to proclaim the month of August 2026 as Child Support Awareness Month in Gaston County. Commissioner Kueger. Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen.

I guess I'm reading this by virtue of being the member of the Health and Human Service Board. And whereas children are the best part of ourselves, the sum of our past and the promise of our future, the guarantee that our lives, values, and dreams will flourish long after we are gone, and whereas children are entitled to financial support from their parents and Gaston County continues to improve its efforts, at child support collections, and whereas in fiscal year 25-26, over $14 million in child support was collected from parents of Gaston County children, and whereas there are 6,247 child sup

It is with great pleasure the Gasson County Board of Commissioners to honor the citizens who have unselfishly given their time, talent, skills, and energies in service as an appointee to one of our many boards or commissions. This type of service is the foundation of citizen involvement in our county government and is helping shape the future of our community. We gratefully acknowledge the following who in the certificate of appreciation has been forwarded to them. Chanel Woodruff, Adult Care Community Advisory Committee, Destiny Elam, Animal Care Enforcement, Stephanie Franks, Economic Develo

The next item on the agenda is Presentations, the Comprehensive Land Use Plan Project Update, Mr. Jonathan Whitehurst and Kimalee Horn.

Any questions from the board at this time? Seeing none, thank you for tonight's presentation.

Well, can I ask one quick question? Yes, sure, please. Just going back to the beginning, you said you were presenting to the planning board? Yes. How different will that presentation be than this one?

What I was getting at, if it was different, I'd sure like to see a copy of that, the slides or whatever, the presentation.

Any other questions? Seeing none, thank you again, sir. Thank you. The next presentation is Gastonia Reimagined Revitalization Plan. Mr. Patrick Mumford, president and CEO of the Gas and Business Association, will now do the presentation. Mr. Mumford.

Any questions for Mr. Mumford? Seeing none, thank you so much for coming to your presentation. I will tell you we're on a backup generator right now just in case anybody, something happens, we will just be sitting here.

Yes. So it's going to be quite a long time. The next presentation is the Pharmacy Benefits Manager Process Update. Mr. Kyle Sutherland, Gasson County Finance Director. Mr. Sutherland.

Thank you. What Just a ballpark, how much does the county spend on an employee's health coverage annually?

Okay. How many employees do we have that are 65 and older? Probably have no idea, but there's got to be a number of them.

I know a little bit about Medicare. And most of the Medicare Advantage plans have a maximum out-of-pocket of between $4,000 and $8,000 or $9,000. I'll quote Aetna off the top of my head. It's like $4,900. If that policyholder spends that much out of pocket, there's nothing the rest of the year. If we're spending $14,000, wouldn't it make sense that maybe if we could corral those employees that are 65 and older, have them get on Medicare, reimburse them for their Part B, which is probably going to be about $180 a month, And whatever that maximum is, if it comes out to $5,000 or $6,000 or $7,000

And it's nothing we need to get into the weeds about now, but it's just something I want y'all to think about. We can take that back. We can't get into it now. We don't know numbers.

But can't businesses partner with Medicare for the employee? Like if there's 20 or less employees, I think Medicare pays first. And if there's more than 20, the company pays first.

All right, thank you. Any other questions? Seeing none, thank you. Thank you. Next item, other matters, discussion of ad hoc board procedures committee report. I will now call on Mr. Brian Steeve, a deputy county manager, to give a report on the ad hoc findings.

I think, look, Mr. Hovis, just a statement in our lengthy conversation in reference to this portion of the rules. This is in total keeping with, I think, myself, Mr. Fraley, and Commissioner Sheehan. I think we're all in total agreement with this. This clarifies some gray areas and also reemphasizes the direction of staff under the direction of the county manager. Correct? From a committee standpoint, I'm kind of making a committee report. If you guys disagree, you're welcome to speak up. I think that's good. Thank you.

I guess my question is, obviously I don't think we've ever changed it to where anybody couldn't have any information that was sought after. So I don't think that's a change. But the one thing I get is if somebody calls me today and asks me for tax information and I can get them to Chelsea or somebody with that, I don't care if it's shared throughout, but we should still be able to have that autonomy because basically all you're doing is taking the power away from the commission to be able to inform a constituent or someone who's a citizen to get information. Mr.

Chair, just if I may, this particular article doesn't change any board member's ability to direct a citizen to a particular department in reference to a direct question. Those people have the knowledge and have the ability to answer that without having Mr. Roden or any of the deputy managers guide them in the answer. They have that information and they still do that. This is in reference to information shared with one board member, it's shared with all. And that's what it's trying to speak to, I believe. If that helps you.

Is that correct? Because some of the things I'm reading here, we have to go through either one of the three in order because obviously I don't care if, you know, Mr. Attaway calls me about something, we usually just talk to someone at any point. It's not privy information is trying to help them through their situation but for me to have to go through the manager or one of them to be able to get a citizen's question answered I think it really pits to where it just takes away some of the autonomy that we have in order to see this so I'd like to see I don't care what information is shared it shou

Yeah, if Mr. Brown gets a call and he needs to call Animal Control, I don't want to get an email about it.

I don't think it's also said that we're not, we should be able to share anything with us anyway. That's correct. That shouldn't be the issue.

Any other questions about this matter at this time?

Can we also add grants to that as well? Supervision of grants up front so we don't get them behind the scenes afterwards? Okay.

Along the lines, while we have it as a fresh ticket here, we can sort of look at ways to put that in place. It doesn't have to be on an agenda item. I'm just saying, but we need more information on the grants that are being processed rather than getting it after the fact from the Gazette.

Since this comes from another body, What is the best way for this body to, that by email back to you, if there's any revisions or additions or anything people wishes to see, or how would that be the best way to get that, since it did come from a different body of people?

And this is up for adoption in two weeks, correct?

So we would put next Tuesday for any revisions or changes. Is that okay with the board?

We'll look at next Tuesday just for anything, and then if there's any discussion needs, you can send that out, and then we could share that amongst the board of us seven from you.

If you could send that change to Adam and Emma as well to have that updated on the sign-in register. That way it would make it visible. We'll make sure that's implemented.

Any other? Mr. Hovis. One question. The document we have in our packet that says Code of Professional Responsibility, which one of these four items was it supposed to be speaking in reference to?

I'm just trying to figure out, I was trying to figure out where it went, and I couldn't find a place for it, so you answered my question.

That was your disclosure. Seeing none. Other matters come before this board. I have one. Mr. Keiger. On behalf of the Board of County Commissioners, we would like to congratulate you on your latest award for the Order of the Longleaf Pine and the state's highest honor. Welcome to the club. I think. Commissioner Cloninger, share us that with you. I don't know of anybody else other than in this room, but welcome to the club.

Yeah, okay. We'll keep moving. All right. It's hot. This concludes our work session for tonight. Our next regular meeting is Tuesday, August 25th, 2026, here in the Harleby-Gasson Junior Public Forum Courthouse. Thank you for watching. If you have any questions, please remit those to Donna S. Buff, 704-866- 3196. Good night, 250. Good night.