Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Healthcare Access topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Beaufort County approves $610,416 set-aside, property transfer steps for Agape'run Aurora Health Center
Summary
After a presentation from Agape Health Services, the Beaufort County Board of Commissioners voted to set aside $610,416 from the county health reserve, authorize a survey and begin drafting a property-transfer ordinance to enable a permanent Aurora Health Center; the board added a three-year performance time limit to the transfer.
Agape Health Services presented plans to establish a permanent Aurora Health Center and the Beaufort County Board of Commissioners on a unanimous voice vote agreed to advance the project by reserving county funds and beginning transfer paperwork.
Dr. McDuffie, Agape's CEO, summarized the proposal as "a vision for a healthier, more prosperous future," saying the center would expand primary care, mental-health and substance-use treatment and include a low-cost 340B pharmacy "the only such facility within a 30 mile radius." He said the organization has operated mobile clinics in Aurora and now seeks a brick-and-mortar facility to ensure consistent local access.
During a detailed presentation Agape provided cost estimates and funding plans. Presenters gave an updated total project figure of $810,416 for renovation work (including $762,526 for renovation, $7,890 for asbestos abatement and a $40,000 allowance for air-quality mitigation). Agape also reported it would assume $365,782 in development costs (engineering, architectural services and medical equipment) and said it would apply for a North Carolina Department of Commerce building reuse grant that could provide about $200,000, which would reduce the county's net contribution.
County staff recommended using existing health-reserve funds to back the project and suggested transferring the county-owned site to Agape under N.C. Gen. Stat. 160A-279 with a reversion clause so the property would revert to the county if it ceases to be used for a public purpose. Commissioners debated the dollar amount to reserve and the length of a performance window. Commissioner (speaker 16) moved to proceed to the next stage (funding and drafting the land contract) and Commissioner (speaker 17) seconded; the motion was amended on the floor to set aside $610,416 and to include a three-year time limit for performance. The board approved the amended motion by voice vote. The record shows commissioners raised their hands for the vote; no roll-call tally with named votes was recorded in the transcript.
The county manager and Agape representatives said next steps include surveying the lot, establishing a project ordinance and drafting a transfer with a reversion clause. Agape said it would continue pursuing state reuse funding and aims to move quickly on architectural and permitting tasks.
What happens next: staff will prepare a project ordinance and a conditional property-transfer agreement for a future meeting and support Agape's grant applications; the board set aside $610,416 from the health-reserve fund as the county's immediate commitment.
Provenance: The proposal and ensuing board motion appear in the meeting transcript beginning with the Agape presentation (topic intro SEG 083) through the board's approval and discussion of amendments (top finish SEG 776).
