[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6518588,"mediaKeyId","5387751-baba43593892668257a8f5bb4d109743","parentId",5387751,"title","Votes at a glance: Needham and Gordon rezonings, Project 7 incentive, sheriff pay raises and other actions","audioSeconds",8280,"startMs",2485000,"endMs",10765000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5387751-baba43593892668257a8f5bb4d109743&start=2485&end=10765","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5387751-baba43593892668257a8f5bb4d109743/thumbnail_2485000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6518588/Union-County/North-Carolina/Votes-at-a-glance-Needham-and-Gordon-rezonings-Project-7-incentive-sheriff-pay-raises-and-other-actions","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6518588-8d543f2be4f1a328f171012f302a3e25/orig.mp4?Expires=1770978711&Signature=hxe~nmH7bk-AwngYFCTCeWKpfIDqnQ1Yg-ca0sSP-FsnBhBeoUhmyXgeAyJ7lSwa3lk6NU0zeSVZT-9kRCcsyNKWLCYZWLnYK3jya~rvcG3QBJvPsqpnjfWQSfxkQBFUrwyjJz5M8OoXyefOhe7LPO9bw0nZEkIOPEifYB5iS3VqkreG539elnh5Vm7xrATOlVwvimtX92x5yZSIL092GnHL57-j43HrMJcAYs1oYTMmZzd1EkEnVkekx~xMxU2b7ZpAtyaLHrU1OZMbrBoulCoPRShsa7MqkcojTeUaqz~AgkgvKJQEEGB1vbEP9P62dCYcdSqc1VXIYDjAnJZe7A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Union County, NC","date","2025-07-15T01:38:29.147Z","article","At its July 14, 2025 meeting, the Union County Board of Commissioners took formal action on multiple agenda items. This summary lists each formal action taken at the meeting.

Needham rezoning (RZ-006, agenda item 25-409)
- Action: Moved from the public hearing to the business agenda and approved. The order revises the official zoning map to eliminate split zoning on the owner\u0000s parcel (approximately 1 acre) so the house can be sold separately from the remaining farm acreage.
- Staff: Bjorn Hansen, Senior Planner, presented the item; applicant Carl Needham spoke in support; buyer Amanda Nelson spoke in favor of expedited action.
- Motion: Commissioner John Helms moved to adopt the order approving the rezoning and the consistency and reasonable statement. Motion passed.

Gordon conditional rezoning (2020/25 CZ-002; agenda 25-402)
- Action: After staff presentation and a brief discussion, the board adopted the ordinance approving the revision to the official zoning map to allow light-industrial use to support an automotive repair operation on a portion of the parcel south of Waxhaw.
- Staff: Bjorn Hansen presented; the Planning Board had recommended denial 4–3; the board approved the rezoning after discussion.
- Motion: Commissioner Gary Balcom moved for adoption; motion passed.

Project 7 economic development incentive (agenda 25-425)
- Action: Board authorized staff to negotiate and execute a step 4 economic development incentive grant agreement not to exceed $4,860,000 over seven years to retain an existing Union County employer expanding with a proposed $200 million investment and 70 new jobs.
- Motion: Commissioner John Elms moved approval; motion passed. Final agreement and timing subject to negotiation and pending state incentives.

Sheriff\u0000s Office pay adjustments (agenda 25-440)
- Action: Board approved a compensation package for the Sheriff\u0000s Office that raises starting deputy and detention officer pay (previous planed midpoint adjustments shifted to December), including a raise that brings entry deputy/detention pay from $57,612 to $61,068 (county manager\u0000s presentation). Deputies and detention officers will receive a 6% increase, lieutenants/sergeants/corporals 4%, and captains and civilian chiefs 3%. Funding will be reallocated from previously budgeted cadet positions and by folding the January COLA into the December adjustments; the board asked staff to return with options to expedite funding if available.
- Motion: Commissioner John Helms moved approval; motion passed.

Short water-line extension program (agenda 25-381, presentation and direction)
- Action: After a staff update and public comment from multiple residents with dry/low-producing wells, the board approved construction for Phase A of the FY22 short water-line projects and deferred Phase B pending easement acquisition and funding resolution; staff was directed to return in August with a plan for remaining projects.
- Motion: Commissioner Gary Balcom moved approval for Phase A construction; motion passed.

Other business
- Appointment: The board reappointed Earl Ford Jr. to the Consolidated Human Services Board (consumer-of-human-services seat), as nominated by the consolidated board.
- Administrative: The board approved the consent agenda as amended earlier and moved a Needham rezoning public hearing item to the business agenda before voting on it.

No votes were taken tonight on the 4 Rivers or TKC Land rezonings; those items were the subject of public hearings and staff presentations and will remain on future agendas as required.

Full motions, votes and follow-up directions recorded in the meeting minutes and individual agenda materials.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of County Commissioners | Regular Meeting | July 14, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Union County Board of Commissioners approved a set of routine and substantive items including two rezonings, an economic incentive for Project 7, sheriff\u0000s office pay increases, and a board appointment; several public hearings were held without immediate action.","taxTitle","Union County, North Carolina","taxId",14197,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6518592,"Union County approves up to $4.86 million incentive to secure $200M expansion by local manufacturer",791,3699000,4490000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5387751-baba43593892668257a8f5bb4d109743&start=3699&end=4490","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5387751-baba43593892668257a8f5bb4d109743/thumbnail_3699000.jpg","/articles/6518592/Union-County/North-Carolina/Union-County-approves-up-to-486-million-incentive-to-secure-200M-expansion-by-local-manufacturer","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6518592-3ffce6dabb59b5baf1a4e8d438569248/orig.mp4?Expires=1770978711&Signature=ULEFuZmQe379~A2QnqDcpt3xQJM~dKyHCsHQEqYY-UMwfizweGbld9XnLYgUBiCQ8venXRKX7H1O4Y81zdlXOo~4NzretkFf0BJ1OsQbDTTXqH-Ziy-MgV8gXtoDcT0lb20J6U9qohabi3n1XHhZ5ATif1oQPpls~eGm3l14xRhQYF1~-xUeZ6sdCl~~lcORuz219s1MEO9V5SVE0UkWiGqmnUchuoigKc~9AcNDRwA2v68r4lZIQYPYlqRCmoOrkvpVlAiXYYk33vZxuG~mBZYdniwehIbigAfG68ThNsU2~Ft8Tv8wrgwdcJfvF~5hh6V416rSOn3oXaiek5mKVA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Union County commissioners approved a step 4 economic development incentive grant to help retain a local company’s planned $200 million expansion and new facility in unincorporated Union County.

Ron Male, Union County economic development director, told the board that the company — identified in staff materials as Project 7 and kept confidential pending state-level incentives — is an existing county employer with a corporate parent based in another state. Male said the parent company is considering locations in two other states but plans to build a 100,000-square-foot production facility on land it already owns in the county if local incentives are approved.

Male summarized the confirmed terms: the project would represent a roughly $200 million capital investment, create about 70 full-time positions with an average annual wage of $75,000 plus benefits, and is expected to generate roughly $6.08 million in ad valorem taxes during the grant period. Male said about 44% of the company’s current workforce already lives in Union County, which staff said would help ensure the new jobs benefit local residents.

To support the expansion, staff recommended a step 4 economic development incentive grant not to exceed $4,860,000 paid over seven years, starting in fiscal year 2028. Commissioner John Elms moved to approve the recommendation and to authorize the county manager to negotiate and execute an agreement substantially consistent with the agenda item, including extension options and termination authority for the manager; the motion passed.

Commissioners asked timeline questions: Male said the state-level process and company timeline make a public announcement likely within weeks, and the company indicated it could begin site work no later than the fourth quarter of the year if approvals proceed. Commissioners also asked whether the site can support future expansion; Male said roughly 70 to 80 additional acres are available for future growth.

The board’s approval is conditional on completion of a negotiated agreement consistent with the grant terms. Male and commissioners described the award as a competitive tool to keep a large manufacturing investment in Union County.","The county approved a step 4 economic development incentive grant of up to $4,860,000 over seven years to keep a confidential existing Union County employer’s $200 million expansion in the county, adding a proposed 100,000-square-foot facility and 70 new jobs.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6518597,"Union County OKs Phase A of short water-line extension after residents describe chronic dry wells",6113,697000,6810000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5387751-baba43593892668257a8f5bb4d109743&start=697&end=6810","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5387751-baba43593892668257a8f5bb4d109743/thumbnail_697000.jpg","/articles/6518597/Union-County/North-Carolina/Union-County-OKs-Phase-A-of-short-water-line-extension-after-residents-describe-chronic-dry-wells","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6518597-a597fa70ef06141401f5dd5480340bd7/orig.mp4?Expires=1770978711&Signature=HqzZc8vcF0wOLgoUhztJrZTvaVKLKCUm-7pFMN9mBGBmUid~USnFSrsPmuEdZ5Q-keKWWuuBmnsKnhEIHWdn41f7WGs5Y-w8Qja6LQU0O2xhvkwpo~jOmCIE26WvZ0OEEDoOqMoLkgUz~EoLZm3Y~4I8eF0KJ1EvVpi5EBHwOKZpYZCnS~hoThjSALyUt-56wrAceqruh6pRw0~MVboRaETkyuzYGv5s7i5EHxtPYxWceb5IzYkmHeHlJKbyPuCp5MjHwzzYS38n-EGonAmaKuPWujuEn9oqN80Z6pDh3-14O0wG-ZtDgcY-47Ra8YZAUTNO~ZcuMhbR9Xe73ZnL0A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Union County commissioners voted to award construction of Phase A of the short water-line extension program after residents described frequent outages, arsenic concerns and expensive well repairs.

The vote followed public comment from several Stack Road and Sykes Mill Road residents who said private wells were running dry, that some homes had high arsenic readings in past tests and that households had spent thousands on pumps, filters and temporary water solutions. \"I either have low water or no water,\" resident Ashika Allen told the board, adding her household spent more than $7,000 on a new pump and wiring and now must shower in chlorinated water because her system cannot clear contaminants given the low flow.

County staff presented a detailed update on FY22 and FY23 projects and funding. Thomas Mann, the county CIP program manager, told commissioners that rising construction and labor costs and additional needs for larger-diameter mains on long, dead-end lines have increased the program cost estimate from roughly $8.4 million at selection to about $17.7 million today. Mann said total available funding for the combined FY22–FY23 program is just under $11 million, leaving an approximate $7 million shortfall to complete all selected projects as originally scoped.

The board discussed options including (1) proceeding only with projects that have completed easements and fall within available funding, (2) delaying some FY23 work and (3) pursuing legal remedies to obtain outstanding temporary easements. Mann identified two clusters with outstanding easement work: the Sykes Mill Road group (one parcel) and a Morgan Mill/Morgan Mill–Watson Church Road cluster where several necessary bore-pit easements remain unresolved. Mann said failure to obtain the Morgan Mill easements would prevent serving all 12 applicants on that alignment and reduce the program cost by about $3.26 million.

County Manager Brian Matthews recommended using the existing FY22 and FY23 funds to complete as much of the FY22 program as possible and defer FY23 work while staff pursues easement resolution and a longer-term funding strategy. After discussion, Commissioner Gary Balcom moved to approve construction for the FY22 short-line projects listed in Phase A (Old Dutch Road, Jack Connell, Deepwood Place, Sharon Lane and Sites Mill). The motion passed. Commissioners also asked staff to return with additional detail on Phase B and related easement and funding options at the August meeting.

The board and staff made a point of distinguishing steps: easement acquisition efforts will continue; contracts will return to the board for award; meters will be installed as part of the county work but property owners must install the service line from the meter to their homes. Mann noted a program change: applicants now pay required fees up front, and meters will be installed as part of the project so customers are counted when service is made available.

Commissioners praised staff for moving long-delayed projects forward, and residents who spoke at the meeting urged prompt construction. Several speakers said they've waited decades for county water and described health, property and safety consequences of unreliable wells, including a house fire that residents said was worsened by lack of municipal water nearby.","After multiple residents described low-producing wells and costly repairs during public comment, the Union County Board of Commissioners approved construction of Phase A of the FY22 short water-line extension program and postponed Phase B pending further work on easements and funding.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Needham and Gordon rezonings, Project 7 incentive, sheriff pay raises and other actions

Union County approves up to $4.86 million incentive to secure $200M expansion by local manufacturer

Union County OKs Phase A of short water-line extension after residents describe chronic dry wells