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Onslow County adopts project ordinances to begin parks planning; $2 million set aside per project as part of $6 million initial allocation
Summary
On Oct. 6 the Onslow County Board of Commissioners approved project ordinances transferring funds from the general fund to begin planning and early work on parks initiatives, allocating $2 million each for the indoor recreation facility, Onslow and Hines Farm projects, and a parks master plan refresh.
On Oct. 6 the Onslow County Board of Commissioners approved project ordinances moved from the general fund to begin planning and early work on several parks initiatives, establishing $2 million each for initial work on an indoor recreation facility, improvements at Onslow and Hines Farm parks, and a refresh of the parks master plan.
Finance officer Kevin Patterson told the board these project ordinances create dedicated capital project accounts from transfers already appropriated in the county’s budget. “These projects, each of these were funded in the original budget ordinance that was established by transfers from the general fund,” Patterson said. “This is allowing us to begin the operations in these.”
Patterson said the $2 million for the indoor recreation facility will be used for initial surveys and front-end planning; the county’s capital improvement plan estimates the full indoor facility at roughly $40 million, and the construction phase is expected to be bonded. The parks master plan refresh will update a plan last completed in February 2020, Patterson said, and the broader capital improvement plan anticipates approximately $20 million in park investments over the next five years.
Commissioner Lisa Carpenter removed the parks project ordinances from the consent agenda for public discussion so residents could better understand the expenditures. After discussion the board adopted the project ordinances by voice vote.
County Manager David Smitherman and several commissioners noted the items reflect board priorities set at earlier retreats and that the $6 million is to begin planning and initial phases rather than to fund construction. Smitherman described the $2 million as “the beginning of a 10‑year journey” of park improvements and said some projects may be bonded at the construction stage.
Other consent items approved that meeting included agreements such as a lease with the Georgetown Renaissance Community Association and an IT services agreement with the Town of Swansboro; those items were discussed elsewhere on the consent agenda.
