A summary of decisions made by the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners:
AWARDS AND PROCLAMATIONS. The Board proclaimed April as Alcohol Awareness Month; April 2 - 8 as the Week of the Young Child; April as Fair Housing Month; and April as Scottish Heritage Month.
APPOINTMENTS. The Board made the following appointments:
Mercer Ward Simmons to the Audit Review Committee
- Aretha Blake, Jack Morgan, and Meredith (Dick Stoever) to the Board of Equalization and Review and Kenneth Friedman as Chairman.
- Katie Spegal to the Region F Aging Advisory Committee
- Mary Beth Ogle to the Waste Management Advisory Board
- Nancy Hough to the Nursing Home Community Advisory Committee
REPORTING OF CHILD ABUSE. The Board received a report on procedures the Department of Social Services and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools follow in reporting suspected child abuse in schools. The report, presented by County Manager Harry Jones and Interim Superintendent Francis Haithcock, is in response to questions about allegations of sexual abuse of a student by a former CMS teacher.
The report explained the role of DSS, which is to investigate child abuse in the case of a guardian, caretaker or custodian. Under North Carolina law, abuse by a person who is not a parent, caretaker or custodian falls under the state's criminal statutes and outside the authority of DSS. CMS says it suspended the teacher in question after the first allegations in spring of 2005, opened a personnel investigation and notified the Huntersville Police Department. But since the alleged abuse occurred in Myrtle Beach, SC, outside of Huntersville's jurisdiction, CMS says Huntersville P.D. declined to investigate. CMS and HPD disagree on who was to be responsible for contacting law enforcement in Myrtle Beach. The teacher was later arrested by Huntersville Police Department based on investigation of a referral made by DSS in December 2005. The Board requested that CMS share proposed new procedures with County staff and that County staff investigate the legal obligations of law enforcement agencies to inform other agencies of allegations of child abuse.
LITTLE SUGAR CREEK GREENWAY ON DVD. The Board received a presentation on the Little Sugar Creek Greenway and viewed a new promotional DVD on the greenway. The DVD was produced by Partners for Parks, Inc., along with the Park and Recreation Department, and addresses the mission, history, progress, future goals and needs for the project. Amenities along the Little Sugar Creek Greenway for residents and businesses are emphasized, as well as the opportunity for community support and participation.
ACCESS TO WHITEWATER CENTER. The U.S. National Whitewater Center withdrew its request for an easement on county property, allowing for construction of a temporary gravel driveway from Charlie Hipps Road to the park. The U.S. National Whitewater Center, scheduled to open in June, says it is pursuing other options. The future permanent access will be a collector road through a Crosland residential development.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN HUNTERSVILLE. The Board authorized the County Manager to work with the Town of Huntersville and developers to outline the business terms for an economic development project in the town. Project Bryton is slated as a mixed-use development on 400 acres in southeastern Huntersville. The development would include residential, retail, restaurants, and office space. The business terms would address the relocation of a rail line, building a multi-function parking deck, constructing offsite road improvements, and extending a thoroughfare for the project. The project has the potential to add more than $600 million in tax value for the county and town.
