(A summary of decisions made by the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners:)
AWARDS AND PROCLAMATIONS. The Board recognized Al Simpson with the Park and Recreation Department as the Gerald G. Fox Mecklenburg County Employee of the Year for 2005. Rusty Rozzelle, manager of the Water Quality Program, was recognized as the runner-up. The Board also proclaimed March as "Professional Social Work Month" in Mecklenburg County.
PUBLIC APPEARANCE. The following people addressed the Board on subjects not on the agenda:
- Corneida Garcia on the League of Women Voters
- James Hines on employment in the Grier Heights area
- Rev. Roderick Ewell on gang prevention.
APPOINTMENTS. The Board made the following appointments:
- Russell Allen, Damon Bidencope, Kenneth Friedman, David Fuller, William Hawkins, and Alan Turner to the Board of Equalization and Review.
- Nancy Hough, Shawanga Burrell, Maryanne Dailey, and Linda Linfors to the Nursing Home Community Advisory Committee
- Jerry Swindell to the Juvenile Crime Prevention Council
DOWNTOWN BASEBALL. During the dinner meeting, the Board received a report on the feasibility of major league and/or minor league baseball in Charlotte's Center City. The report found there is no confirmed interest in major league baseball in Charlotte by a major league team, the Charlotte City Council, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education, or any potential development partners. Also, there is no demonstrated strategy for land acquisition for major league baseball and no consistency with the Second Ward master plan. The Board directed staff to continue work on the minor league option, the centerpiece of which is a stadium and County park in Third Ward. Furthermore, staff is directed to disregard proposals for major league baseball unless more clear and documented details on the feasibility of such proposals are provided to staff by April 1.
NASCAR HALL OF FAME. The Board held a public hearing and approved the levy of a 2% room occupancy tax to support the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The City of Charlotte requested that the Board adopt this ordinance that would levy a 2% tax on the cost of hotel and motel rooms in Mecklenburg County. This levy will increase the current room occupancy tax to 8% within Mecklenburg County. The City of Charlotte will use these funds to construct and maintain the NASCAR Hall. The tax becomes effective May 1.
COMMERCIAL PLAN REVIEWERS. As part of consent agenda, the Board recognized and appropriated $100,000 in additional building permit fee revenue to add six additional positions in the code enforcement division of Land Use and Environmental Services. The additional positions were requested to meet desired schedules for conducting reviews of commercial building plans. Revenue projections for the current year exceed the budget by $2 million, so there are sufficient funds for this $100,000.
REVALUATION DELAYED TO 2009. As part of the consent agenda, the Board delayed property revaluation from January 2007 to January 2009 and established a two-year revaluation cycle. The delay has been requested by the tax assessor to finalize implementing the technology and staffing needed for the mass appraisal process. Property revaluation is mandated every eight years in North Carolina, but can be done more frequently if the Board determines that market rates for properties vary significantly from the assessed values.
LUNCH IN THE PARKING DECK. As part of the consent agenda, the Board authorized the County Manager to negotiate and execute a lease for the first retail tenant in the new government district parking deck at the corner of Fourth Street and McDowell Streets - a Quiznos restaurant. Part of the first level of the parking deck will include several retail operations that will help pay the cost of managing and maintaining the deck.
BARKING IN THE PARK. As part of the consent agenda, the Board recognized and appropriated $150,000 from park and recreation fee revenue to open a fourth dog park, at William Davie Park. Fees from users at the other three dog parks are sufficient to cover those costs and allow the opening of this fourth dog park.
BUSINESS INVESTMENT GRANT. The Board approved a business investment grant to Odyssey Logistics and Technology Corporation of $70,605 over five years. In partnership with the City of Charlotte's grant, this business investment is projected to create 160 new jobs in 2008 and 140 new jobs in 2009, with a capital investment of $2.25 million. Eighty percent of the new jobs will be hired locally and pay an average wage of $55,000. The investment is projected to increase the County's tax revenue by $18,828 a year. The present value of net benefits to the County over the next ten years is estimated at $146,804.
ROAD FOR WHITEWATER. The Board deferred until April 4 consideration of an easement on County property that would allow the construction of temporary gravel driveway from Charlie Hipps Road to the U.S. National Whitewater Center. The future permanent access will be a collector road through a Crosland residential development. Eventually, a neighborhood park will be developed on the County property where the temporary driveway is being requested. The Whitewater Center is scheduled to open in June.
SHUFFLETOWN SPORTSPLEX. The Board approved the master plan for the Shuffletown Sportsplex. In November 2004, voters approved park bonds that included funds for this multi-sports complex in the Coulwood community in Northwest Mecklenburg County.
