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Martin County commissioners approve Second Amendment resolution, endorse broadband grant support and pass multiple budget and project measures
Summary
At its Feb. 12 meeting the Martin County Board of Commissioners unanimously adopted a resolution supporting Second Amendment rights, backed a GREAT broadband grant application from CloudWyze, approved banking with PNC, accepted a bicycle and pedestrian planning grant, submitted an airport connector for NCDOT consideration, and approved four budget amendments.
The Martin County Board of Commissioners met Feb. 12 in Williamston and approved a slate of actions affecting county policy, finance and economic development.
The board unanimously adopted a "Resolution Declaring Support for Protection of Second Amendment Rights" after Commissioner Elmo “Butch” Lilley moved adoption and Commissioner Joe R. Ayers seconded. Clerk Jessica Godard read the resolution aloud, which cites the Second Amendment and says the board "oppose[s] the enactment of any legislation that would infringe upon the rights of the people to keep and bear arms." The board voted 5-0 to adopt the revised resolution.
The board also took several administrative and fiscal steps. After receiving staff recommendations and RFP scoring, the commissioners voted to continue the county's banking relationship with PNC (motion by Vice Chairman Dempsey Bond, Jr., second by Commissioner Ronnie Smith), citing PNC's existing platform and service to the county.
On grants and planning, the board accepted a North Carolina Bicycle & Pedestrian Planning grant award of up to $48,000 that requires a $12,000 local match; commissioners authorized moving forward with a steering committee and consultant assignment for the countywide Bike and Pedestrian Plan. The board also approved submission of a request to the N.C. Department of Transportation to consider the proposed Airport Road Connector (Local ID MART0009‑H / MART0010‑H) for the 2023–2032 State Transportation Improvement Program (P6.0). County staff described the project as a roughly 1.44‑mile new-location two‑lane connector to improve access and provide a secondary egress for the industrial park now branded as the NC Rail & Commerce Park.
Finance Director Cindy Ange presented and the commissioners approved four budget amendments: #13 (Water District #2 pump replacement funded by insurance proceeds; net increase $10,417), #14 (Hurricane Dorian-related phone/HVAC replacements; insurance proceeds $27,843), #15 (a $7,500 Emergency Management grant to fund an active‑shooter drill), and #16 (the Bike & Ped planning grant project budget: $60,000 total; NCDOT $48,000, county match $12,000). All amendments passed unanimously.
Other routine actions taken under the consent agenda included approval of minutes, financial reports, records disposal items, multiple tax refunds and relief orders, board and advisory appointments across county bodies, and authorization to advertise unpaid property tax liens in the Enterprise newspaper per G.S. 105‑369. The board also entered a closed session for attorney/client privilege and personnel matters under NC G.S. 143‑318.11(a)(3) and (6) and reconvened before adjourning.
What happens next: approved grant awards require county follow-up (steering committee for Bike & Ped plan, advertisement for unpaid tax liens as scheduled); the Airport Road Connector submittal will enter NCDOT's P6.0 prioritization process for possible inclusion in the 2023–2032 STIP.
