Cabarrus County’s $78 Million School Project Funding Approved in Split LGC Vote, Despite Concerns

In a narrowly split decision, the Local Government Commission has given the nod to a contentious $78 million financing request from Cabarrus County, deviating from standard protocol and staff advice. The Local Government Commission vote, which swung 5-4, will allow for the funding of various projects including a considerable $52 million for the replacement of Coltrane-Webb/Beverly Hills Elementary School, even though staff members had recommended postponement due to incomplete information in the county’s application. Treasurer Dale R. Folwell, who chairs the Local Government Commission and voted against this decision, previously described such unvetted projects as “half-baked,”according to theNorth Carolina State Treasurer’s Office.

Conversely, the Local Government Commission found unity in approving a separate proposal for $73 million from Cabarrus County, garnering unanimous support for nine fully documented initiatives, these encompass additions and renovations to several schools, and the creation of a public library with an active living center, as detailed by theNorth Carolina State Treasurer’s Officeofficial announcement. The Local Government Commission’s role, staffed by the Department of State Treasurer, crucially involves scrutinizing debt proposals from local entities to assess their financial feasibility and to ensure commitments are not excessive or ill-advised.

Amid these decisions, a $250 million application from the Cumberland County Industrial Facilities and Pollution Control Financing Authority also managed to pass, though not without debate, the Local Government Commission approved this financing request with a 5-3 vote, one abstention, for Project Aero, an ambitious and complex titanium reprocessing plant development promised to bring over 300 jobs to Fayetteville. Treasurer Folwell, wary of the speculative nature of the endeavor and the lack of endorsement from N.C. Secretary of Commerce Machelle Sanders, dissented, criticizing the unconventional use of funds traditionally allocated for affordable housing initiatives, as per the North Carolina State Treasurer’s Office.

Additionally, the Local Government Commission authorized funds for several other projects: $100 million for upgrades at the Lenovo Center in Wake County, a substantial $750 million in revenue bonds through the N.C. Housing Finance Agency to support affordable housing, a modest amount for the Baton Water Corporation to comply with the Lead and Copper Rule Revision, and two installment purchases for the town of Carthage, as reported by theNorth Carolina State Treasurer’s Office. Inlivian in Mecklenburg County also received approval to issue $18 million in bonds, with proceeds earmarked for the construction of Grounds for Change Apartments, designated for lower-income residents in Charlotte.

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