Votes at a glance: McDowell County commissioners’ actions on March 10, 2025

The McDowell County Board of Commissioners recorded the following formal actions on March 10, 2025. Where the transcript did not name movers or provide roll‑call tallies, outcomes were recorded by voice vote as indicated.

1) Minutes and agenda approval — Approved by voice vote. (Motion to approve minutes and amend agenda to add closed session and administrative items; motion seconded and carried.)

2) Lease negotiations for Blue Ridge Processing parcel — Approved to instruct staff to negotiate a lease and return a lease document to the board. (Motion moved and seconded; approved by voice vote.)

3) School Resource Officer grant for Old Fort Elementary — Motion to accept the grant and add a dedicated SRO to Old Fort Elementary; approved by voice vote. Grant covers $44,000 of the officer’s salary; remaining salary to be split between McDowell County Schools and the sheriff’s office.

4) Ordinance authorizing county removal of hazardous debris/obstructions — Motion to approve the ordinance giving the county authority (under existing statutes) to remove obstructions with a willing property owner; motion moved and seconded; approved by voice vote.

5) Participation in state cash‑flow loan program (General Assembly loan for hurricane response) — Motion to accept the loan proposal and authorize county participation (estimated county allocation ~ $217,000 authorized); motion moved, seconded and approved by voice vote. Staff noted no interest and initial repayment timing per state program guidance.

6) Endorsement of Foothills Conservancy grant application (Hickory Nut Mountain) — Motion to provide a county letter of support and endorse the grant application; approved by voice vote.

7) FY 2024 audit acceptance — Motion to accept the audit report from Loudermilk, Church & Company (clean, unmodified opinion). Motion moved, seconded and carried by voice vote. Auditor noted one timing/late-issuance item to address with the State Treasurer’s office; no material deficiencies reported.

8) Recreation-center finishing items — Motion to use available project overage funds to install replacement bleachers (quotes $28,000–$40,000), repave an adjacent parking lot and resurface locker rooms; motion moved, seconded and approved by voice vote.

9) Animal shelter fundraising committee — Motion directing staff to contact potential committee members and return with a recommendation for a fundraising committee to finish financing a replacement shelter; motion moved and seconded; approved by voice vote.

10) Award of grading bid for Universal Technology Park pad — Motion to enter bids into the record and award the low bid to Site Development Corporation (amount in bid tab). Motion moved, seconded and approved by voice vote.

11) Administrative items: Trails & Trains Festival contribution and ambulance purchase authority — Motion to approve administrative items, including a $4,000 contribution to Trails & Trains Festival and staff authority to proceed with ambulance purchase planning and a reimbursement resolution; motion moved, seconded and approved by voice vote.

Notes on voting record: The transcript reflects voice votes for these actions; it does not provide a roll‑call with named yes/no tallies for most motions. Where a motion was raised and seconded, the board chair called for “aye” votes and the motion carried without recorded opposition in the meeting transcript.

If staff filing or formal documents (ordinances, grant acceptance forms, loan participation paperwork, bid tabulations) are required, the board directs county staff to return with the signed or draft documents for final execution and recordation.