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 excellent because that—s money that we can put back into constructing schools," she said. The first annual debt payment for the school bonds is listed in the materials as $7,782,000. Finance staff also summarized quarterly operating revenue and collection trends: general fund revenues through March were reported at about $129 million, up roughly $1.28 million from the same period last year; the tax collection rate for fiscal 2024 was 99.38 percent; and year-to-date sales tax receipts were about 3.67 percent higher than the prior year through the comparable reporting period.

Harnett Regional Water staff asked the board to consider two resolutions authorizing applications to the North Carolina State Revolving Fund and related grant programs to help pay for PFAS removal work. "We have a pilot project underway" at county water treatment facilities, said Mister Tommy Burns, Harnett Regional Water presenter. Burns said project estimates range from roughly $80 million to $120 million and that the county is evaluating technologies including ion-exchange and granular activated carbon. He said about $5 million in low-interest/state funding is available per year through the revolving fund and noted larger legislative or appropriations opportunities are being pursued as well. Commissioners asked about the regulatory target; Burns said the applicable maximum contaminant level for PFAS is 4 parts per trillion and noted the county must meet required treatment by 2028–2029.

Development Services briefed the board on two upcoming public items. Staff presented a rezoning request for 1.19 acres at 520 Seawell Rosser Road (from RA-20R to commercial) and recommended the item be scheduled for a public hearing. Staff also presented the draft Harnett Horizons 2040 land-use plan update and said the county received more than 1,700 survey responses during the planning process. The planning board voted 4–1 to recommend adoption after staff incorporated resource-agency comments, expanded employment-growth areas along U.S. 401 North and updated the median sold-price figure used in the housing section from $304,000 to $320,000. The county will hold a public hearing on the plan at its April 21 meeting.

Conservation and land-protection staff asked permission to apply for supplemental funding through the North Carolina Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund to increase a previous award for a 330-acre cotton conservation easement along the Cape Fear River. Staff said the county previously secured $500,000 and is requesting approximately $916,000 more to reach a level closer to the land—s development-rights value; the local match would be covered by a landowner donation plus staff time.

Other business on the agenda included: a request to accept stream-flow rehabilitation funds from the North Carolina Department of Agriculture to clear vegetative debris in two sections of Buick Creek (round two of the program; no local match required), a recommendation to increase the county—s maintenance contract with Gregory Poole for landfill heavy-equipment repairs by $150,000 to a total contract amount of $425,000, and an assignment and dedication of utility easements in the Eagle Creek subdivision to the water and sewer district (to be acted on separately by the water and sewer district next week). The board also received notice that the county—s board of adjustments approved a setback-variance request needed to build a new hangar at the Harnett County Jetport.

Commissioners scheduled a separate agenda item for next week to discuss a proposal brought up at the meeting: removing community-wide water fluoridation. Chair and staff agreed to invite Harnett Regional Water—s regional partners, including Fort Bragg (the utility—s largest customer), and to place the discussion on the upcoming agenda so the regional partners can attend and comment.

Appointments and procedural items: the board agreed to appoint Roger Farina to fill a private-sector vacancy on the Southeastern Economic Development Commission and to add other recommended board and committee appointments to next week—s consent agenda. County management also briefed commissioners on active state legislation of interest to the county, including bills addressing ambulance franchise authority, development-review timelines, interbasin transfers and a proposal (House Bill 539) that would, if enacted, require commissioners to set the tax rate at the revenue-neutral level after a reappraisal.

The board recessed into closed session to consult with the county attorney regarding a claim, citing North Carolina General Statute section 143-318.11(a)(3). After the closed-session motion was made and seconded, commissioners verbally indicated agreement and the board went into closed session.

Votes at a glance

- Motion to go into closed session for attorney-client consultation under N.C. Gen. Stat. §143-318.11(a)(3): motion made and seconded; chair called for the ayes and the board recessed into closed session. (Transcript records verbal "Aye" but does not provide a roll-call tally.)

What happens next

Several items were added to the April 21 agenda for formal action, including the Harnett Horizons 2040 public hearing and zoning matters, the Gregory Poole contract amendment and consent agenda items. The PFAS funding resolutions will return for formal consideration after staff prepares application materials and related financing options for board review.