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Commissioners renew lobbyist contract amid concerns; managers report $1.7M Project Pima grant approval
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Summary
The board voted 4–3 to renew a $5,000-per-term lobbying contract with Almond & Minor, requiring quarterly reports; commissioners debated urgency versus oversight. County staff also reported a $1.7 million building reuse grant approval for Project Pima/Project FEMA with an estimated 96 jobs (58 in the first two years).
After extended debate about urgency and oversight, Anson County commissioners approved renewing a contract with lobbying firm Almond & Minor, with conditions requiring quarterly written debriefs and a request that the firm appear semiannually at meetings. Commissioner Leary (speaker 4) moved to renew the contract; commissioners voted 4–3 in favor.
Several commissioners argued for moving quickly to secure legislative help now that the General Assembly was in session; others urged further evaluation of firms, occasional in‑person reporting and more explicit quarterly performance requirements. The chair argued the county had already seen results from its previous lobbying work and recommended continuing with the firm.
In manager’s report, staff announced the North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority approved the county’s building reuse grant connected to "Project Pima" (Project FEMA / Henson and Hale Medical Technologies). Manager staff (speaker 11) said the approval was granted on April 16 and that the project commits an estimated $1.7 million investment and an expected 96 jobs over five years, with 58 jobs anticipated in the first two years. The old utilities building was also listed on GovDeals with active bidding scheduled to end on June 4; an early bid reported in the meeting was $46,000.
The board attached reporting conditions to the lobbying contract renewal and asked staff to seek more information from firms about their client lists and to request quarterly updates to improve transparency and oversight.
The motions and votes were recorded by voice; the motion to renew the lobbying contract passed on a 4–3 vote.
