Harnett County commissioners review economic development, school bond sale, PFAS funding and land-use plan ahead of April hearings

Harnett County commissioners heard quarterly updates on economic development and finance, considered applications for state funding for water treatment upgrades to address PFAS, and set a public hearing next week on the county—s Harnett Horizons 2040 land-use plan.

Economic development staff told the board the county is seeing more market-ready sites and more frequent submissions to prospective projects. "The process is working," said Mister Barrington, the county—s economic development presenter, noting the office submitted for about one project in three this quarter versus one in five a year earlier. Barrington highlighted work on extending Brightwater Drive in Lillington to U.S. 210 to open phase two of a business park and ongoing clearing and grading at Edgerton Industrial Park, funded in part by the Golden Leaf Foundation. He also said some national retail and grocery chains and other national brands are showing interest countywide.

Commissioners and staff discussed a recurring gap: a lack of small industrial buildings (10,000 to 30,000 square feet) that are market-ready. Barrington said the county is talking with investors about bringing that product to market and pursuing greenfield sites, and that the proposed I-685 corridor and alternative routing near U.S. 87 could create new opportunities.

Finance director Kimberly (presenter name per transcript) reviewed the county—s recent bond issuance to fund school construction and other projects. She told commissioners the county sold bonds with a par amount of $80,565,000 and received premium proceeds that produced a construction budget of $86,317,524. She reported the county—s true interest cost on the sale was 3.96 percent and described planning savings of about $9.5 million compared with the board—s earlier estimates. "That savings—s…