Greene County commissioners approve land-option agreement, hire consultant and accept state grant

The Greene County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously at its meeting to approve a land option agreement for economic development, hire Hayes Strategic Group to prepare an economic development strategic plan and accept a state-issued asset inventory assessment grant tied to the county’s distressed-unit designation.

The actions were taken after brief presentations and a public hearing on the land-option agreement, during which no members of the public spoke. Commissioners approved the land option agreement for economic development following the public hearing and then moved through related consent and budget items with unanimous votes.

County staff member Cash told commissioners four bids were received for an economic development strategic plan after the state Department of Commerce awarded Greene County funding to complete a plan. "The team felt like Hayes Strategic Group consulting group was the best fit for our county," Cash said, noting the firm’s prior work in neighboring Lenoir County and prior engagements in Greene County.

Rich Moore, the county manager, described a $150,000 asset-inventory assessment grant tied to the county’s designation as a distressed unit of government. He said the designation imposes planning and reporting requirements that the grant is intended to fund and asked the board to approve a resolution accepting the offer and a capital-project ordinance to appropriate the funds. Moore also described delays by the state in issuing formal offer-and-acceptance paperwork and said state staff "forgot and were apologetic" about the delay.

Commissioners approved the resolution to accept the asset-inventory grant and the accompanying budget ordinance. Moore told the board the paperwork now authorizes the chairman to sign the state offer-and-acceptance documents so the work can proceed.

Other actions approved by the board included: - A consent agenda covering routine items (approved unanimously). - A budget amendment increasing allocation for the senior center drawn from the Area Agency on Aging award; the amendment requires a 25 percent local match and reduces fund balance to accommodate the match. - Revisions to three policies required for the county’s 2024 CDBGI program (listed as the citizen participation plan, equal employment opportunity plan and code of conduct/conflict-of-interest language); staff said the updated language is required by the grant.

The board also announced a legislative forum scheduled for 11 a.m. the following day at the American Legion post in Walstonburg and recessed into a closed session for economic development and personnel under the referenced general statutes.

The meeting adjourned after the closed session; commissioners noted there is no second meeting scheduled in January and that the board will next meet at its first scheduled February meeting unless an emergency or called meeting is needed.