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Lincoln County commissioners approve zoning changes, contracts and grants; authorize $225,000 for 911 services
Summary
At its March 2025 meeting the Lincoln County Board of Commissioners approved zoning and UDO amendments, multiple contract renewals (insurance, jail medical), grant awards for senior services, a water‑main design amendment, a library construction GMP, and authorized up to $225,000 for 911 professional services after a closed session.
The Lincoln County Board of Commissioners met in March 2025 and approved a slate of routine and capital items, including land‑use updates, contract renewals and several grants.
The board adopted a zoning map amendment (ZMA 7‑46) transferring 86 parcels from Catawba County into Lincoln County and approved UDO Amendment 2025‑1 to align recreational use designations, both recommended unanimously by the county planning board. Planning staff presented the recommendations and the board adopted the planning board’s statements of consistency and reasonableness before voting to approve each item.
On personnel and benefits, the board approved the county’s FY26 insurance renewal estimate following a presentation from broker Jason Bradshaw of USI and benefits staff. Bradshaw said county per‑employee paid claims fell roughly 19% year‑over‑year (from about $11,000 to about $9,000) and recommended no change to employee benefits or contributions; he cited a projected fixed‑cost stop‑loss increase in the mid‑hundreds of thousands and ongoing pharmacy rebate audits.
The board renewed the Institutional Medical Services contract that provides medical care at the jail. Sheriff Bill Beam said the jail’s current annual medical services cost is $317,240 and the next year’s contract increases by $15,862; he explained the county’s legal responsibility to provide inmate medical care and noted occasional high‑cost emergency cases.
The board approved a sole‑source purchase of a Lightspeed Technologies mobile PA for the West Lincoln Library, awarded several senior‑service grants (including a state general purpose grant bringing roughly $11,100 with a 25% county match, a $5,600 Senior Medicare Patrol grant, and a $4,239 MIPPA award), and accepted an audit proposal from Martin Starnes & Associates for $131,120.
Infrastructure approvals included a $1,366,000 Amendment 2 to the East Lincoln Transmission Main contract to fund additional design services, permitting and easement work for a 24‑inch main to serve southeastern Lincoln County, and acceptance of GMP #2 for vertical construction on the Same Family Library in the amount of $11,486,474 (bringing the project’s total GMP to $13,572,912 when earlier packages are included). Project staff said NCDOT‑required turn lanes and FF&E are excluded from the vertical GMP and gave order‑of‑magnitude estimates for those costs.
The meeting included public comment in which two residents urged the board to adopt proclamations on social and curricular issues; those comments were recorded but did not result in immediate policy action.
After a closed session under North Carolina law to consult with counsel, the board authorized County Manager Madden to enter an agreement for up to $225,000 for professional services at the 911 center.
Votes at a glance: • ZMA 7‑46 (planning board recommendation) — approved by voice vote. • UDO Amendment 2025‑1 — approved by voice vote. • Insurance renewal estimate for FY26 — approved by voice vote. • Institutional Medical Services contract renewal (jail medical) — approved by voice vote (contract increase of $15,862 noted). • Lightspeed Technologies sole‑source PA purchase — approved by voice vote. • Senior center general purpose grant (~$11,100 + $3,700 county match), Senior Medicare Patrol ($5,600), MIPPA ($4,239) — approved by voice votes. • East Lincoln Transmission Main Amendment 2 ($1,366,000) — approved by voice vote. • Same Family Library vertical GMP #2 ($11,486,474) — approved by voice vote. • Audit contract (Martin Starnes & Associates) — $131,120 — approved by voice vote. • Appointments to planning board and Dangerous Dog Appellate Board — approved by voice votes. • Post‑closed session authorization for up to $225,000 for 911 services — approved by voice vote.
The meeting adjourned after routine business. Several agenda items noted upcoming public meetings or additional reporting back to the board for final cost estimates (for example, NCDOT turn‑lane costs and FF&E for the library).
