Public commenters at the Harnett County Board of Commissioners meeting on Dec. 16 praised the county’s Veterans Court and urged continued support while also raising pointed questions about the county’s recommended Capital Improvements Program for fiscal years 2027–2033.

Eric Stevenson, a Spring Lake resident and U.S. veteran, told commissioners he had sat in on the Veterans Court and was “thoroughly impressed” by staff and the program’s attention to veterans dealing with PTSD, addiction and housing instability. “I just wanna just come here and say thank you guys for the support that you give the Veterans Court,” Stevenson said, urging the board to continue outreach so eligible veterans know the program exists.

During the same CIP public-input session, Richard Chapman praised the CIP document’s organization but warned the county may be “kicking the can down the road,” suggesting past authorities deferred maintenance rather than funding repairs. Chapman highlighted that the school system’s request for $549,000,000 for new facilities is “a big number” and asked the commission to explain how public input will be considered in final CIP adoption. He proposed adding descriptive text about projects that received a score of zero and recommended a clearer explanation of debt indicators and debt-per-capita calculations.

Larry Mitchell urged greater citizen familiarity with the county’s online documents — the strategic plan, CIP and FY25–26 budget — and suggested that some comments about schools may be better directed to the Board of Education.

Why it matters: The CIP frames major capital spending decisions for the county and its partners, including school construction and park amenities. Public concerns raised at the hearing touch on fiscal transparency (debt ratios and scoring), the scale of the school request, and community priorities such as indoor recreation and tourism-related investments.

What happens next: The commission is scheduled to consider the CIP on Jan. 5; public input provided at this meeting will be part of the record for that consideration.