Board approves High Country COG to administer Golden Leaf shell‑building grant; county seeks regional housing solutions

Ash County commissioners on Feb. 17 approved a contract with the High Country Council of Governments (COG) to administer the Golden Leaf grant that will fund construction of a shell building in the county industrial park. The board was told administration fees will be paid from grant funds, not county general funds.

County staff said mass grading of two upper lots at the industrial park was largely completed before recent storms and that contractors will return in spring to finish stabilization work. The shell building grant — intended to create a ready-to-occupy industrial shell building to attract businesses — will fund design and construction; the COG will handle grant administration, reimbursement requests, quarterly reporting and closeout responsibilities.

Adam (county staff) told commissioners the shell building will be constructed on the rear lot of the industrial park (the exact lot identifiers were not specified in the transcript) and that the county will put the site out to bid in the coming weeks. He said bidders and final costs will determine whether the board proceeds in full; if bids exceed the county’s projections the board will have an opportunity to reassess before committing additional county funds.

Separately, staff updated the board on other housing programs. The county’s Brock program, funded at about $10,000 in the budget, has addressed urgent home repairs such as plumbing and foundation issues; staff said around $4,600 of that allocation has been spent and funds remain to assist two to three additional homes this fiscal year. The county also closed a CDBG neighborhood-revitalization program last fall that replaced three homes, including at least one with foundation work and associated well/septic fixes.

Adam and Tracy said they will attend a UNC School of Government program, described in the transcript as the Carolina Cross a Hundred Initiative "Our State, Our Homes," intended to build local capacity and explore housing strategies. Staff said state CDBG funds that will flow to North Carolina may include resources for urgent housing repair and that regional efforts with the COG aim to pursue those opportunities.

Action: Commissioners voted to approve the High Country COG administration contract for the Golden Leaf shell-building grant; the transcript records the motion, second and an affirmative vote but does not include a roll-call tally.

Ending: Staff said if the project bids significantly exceed estimates the board would have the opportunity to reassess next steps before committing additional local resources.