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Mount Holly council declines to move forward on Duke Energy Riverbend lease after split vote
Summary
Council debated a proposed 30-year lease and management arrangement with Duke Energy for the Riverbend access area — including site improvements and multi-year city operating costs — but the motion to proceed failed after a 3-3 split and the mayor’s tie-breaking denial.
Mount Holly City Council debated whether to approve a 30-year lease and municipal management arrangement with Duke Energy for the Riverbend access area, but the council did not authorize moving forward after a tied vote and a mayoral tie-break against proceeding.
Parks and recreation director Eric Smallwood summarized Duke’s site plan and the city’s anticipated role. Smallwood said the plan includes a guard shack and turnaround, parking areas, precast vault restrooms, two picnic shelters, a fenced swim beach with ADA-accessible picnic tables, a fishing pier and natural-surface shoreline trails. He said Duke anticipates signing the lease by the end of the year, beginning clearing in December and aiming to open for the 2027 recreation season. Smallwood also described likely city operating needs: three full-time staff (two additional park maintenance technicians plus assignments for supervision and seasonal staffing) and at least two staff present at the park at all times during the busy season.
Smallwood presented budget and cost projections included in staff materials: Duke told the city its boat-ramp improvements would cost about $1,000,000 and the Riverbend site plan construction was estimated at $4,000,000. City staffing and operating cost projections in staff materials assumed seasonal lifeguard/operations coverage and included a multi-year estimate that, according to one city staff finance presentation, would cost the city about $1.28 million over the first five years.
Council members split over community benefit versus taxpayer cost. Councilman Craig, who visited Duke’s SouthPoint site, said the location draws large crowds and would be “a benefit to our citizens and surrounding areas.” Miss Schumacher argued the city should retain some governance over the site, saying that if the park were built and managed by another entity Mount Holly could suffer the reputational harm of weak maintenance while still receiving emergency calls: “If it is not managed well, then it will just be on the backs of Mount Holly,” she said.
Opponents raised operating-cost and subsidy concerns. One council member questioned asking local taxpayers to subsidize upkeep for a major energy company’s recreation site. Council discussion noted that Gaston County declined interest in maintaining the site during earlier outreach and emphasized the city’s existing parks budget (city park expenditures and overall parks-and-recreation totals were discussed by staff during the meeting).
The council took a motion from Councilman Craig to move forward with the agreement; the motion was seconded by Mister Meadows. Voting recorded three yes votes (Meadows, Shoemaker, Craig) and three no votes (Brooks, Reeves, Harris). The mayor announced a tie-breaking decision to deny the motion, leaving the lease unapproved.
The council did not adopt any alternate direction at the meeting. Duke Energy representatives and city staff were present for the briefing, and staff said Duke had asked for a decision by the end of the year. No contract was signed during the meeting.
What’s next: The council left the decision in place as not approved; staff may continue negotiations or report back if Duke alters terms or if the council requests further analysis.
