Rutherford County

Meeting Minutes - Final

Board of Commissioners

Monday, August 4, 2025

6:00 PM

289 N. Main St. Rutherfordton NC 28139 Commission

Chambers

I. Call to Order

Chairman King called the August 4, 2025 meeting of the Rutherford County Board of

Commissioners to order.

5 -

Present:

Commissioner Bryan King, Commissioner Alan Toney,

Commissioner Michael Benfield, Commissioner Hunter Haynes and

Commissioner Donnie Haulk

A. Pledge of Allegiance

Isothermal Community College Staff Members led in the Pledge of Allegiance.

B. Agenda Approval

Vice Chairman Toney moved to approve the agenda. Commissioner Benfield

seconded the motion. The vote on the motion was:

5 -

Aye:

Commissioner King, Commissioner Toney, Commissioner

Benfield, Commissioner Haynes and Commissioner Haulk

Nay:

II. Public Comments

Ms. Annie Dance, a resident of Green Hill, said a copy of the Southern Software

Contract which the Board would be considering in the meeting was not included in the

agenda. She asked that the Board consider the cost as they make a decision.

Mr. Nick Jongebloed, founder of Animal Rescue Food Solutions, asked for the Board’s

influence as he attempts to make contacts to get food for animals at the Rutherford

County Animal Shelter.

III. Consent Agenda

Commissioner Benfield moved to approve the Consent Agenda. Vice Chairman

Toney seconded the motion. The vote on the motion was:

5 -

Aye:

Commissioner King, Commissioner Toney, Commissioner Benfield,

Commissioner Haynes and Commissioner Haulk

Nay:

ID 25-4221

Minutes of Rutherford County Commissioners’ Meeting of July 7, 2025

Attachments:

20250707 Minutes.pdf

ID 25-4222

Tax Refunds and Releases - August, 2025

Attachments:

Tax Refunds Releases August 2025.pdf

IV. Old Business

ID 25-4220

Road Naming, Addressing, and Display Ordinance

Attachments:

AMENDMENT RUTHERFORD COUNTY CODE CHAPTER 3

ARTICLE VI - STREET NAME ADDRESSING AND DISPLAY.pdf

ORDINANCE REPEAL SECTION 12-2.pdf

GIS/E911 Addressing Director Katie Doherty advised that a public hearing was held by

the Board at the July 8, 2025 meeting regarding amendments to Chapter 3 of the

Rutherford County Code of Ordinances, being Article VI presently entitled “Road

Naming, Addressing, and Display.” The proposed amendment to Chapter 3, Article VI of

the Rutherford County Code, is designed to do four things:

1. Updates and modernizes the old ordinance and includes a lot of requested

corrections by the Addressing staff.

2. Incorporates the strangely misaligned Section 12-2 under Chapter 12 of the Code.

This is an existing ordinance for changing road names within the County, which for

some reason is not included in the old “Road Name, Addressing and Display” ordinance

where it should belong. Among the proposed changes is a new Section 3-118(f) which

includes the same procedure for amending street names previously found in Section 12

-2.

3. Puts a full procedure in place for changing street addresses, which is required

under GS 153A-239.1.4.

4. Modernizes the criminal penalty reference to remove the “post your house number

or go to jail” misdemeanor since GS 14-4 only authorizes fines now. It is still a

misdemeanor and $50 per day of civil penalties adds up.

It was requested that the Board approve An Ordinance Amending Chapter 3, Article VI,

of the Rutherford County Code of Ordinances, Street Name, Addressing and Display

and An Ordinance Repealing Section 12-2 of the Rutherford County Code of

Ordinances, Procedure for Changing or Amending Road Names.

Commissioner Benfield moved to approve An Ordinance Amending Chapter 3,

Article VI, of the Rutherford County Code of Ordinances, Street Name,

Addressing and Display. Vice Chairman Toney seconded the motion. The vote

on the motion was:

5 -

Aye:

Commissioner King, Commissioner Toney, Commissioner Benfield,

Commissioner Haynes and Commissioner Haulk

Nay:

Enactment No: ORD 25-001

Commissioner Haynes moved to approve An Ordinance Repealing Section 12-2

of the Rutherford County Code of Ordinances, Procedure for Changing or

Amending Road Names. Commissioner Benfield seconded the motion. The vote

on the motion was:

5 -

Aye:

Commissioner King, Commissioner Toney, Commissioner Benfield,

Commissioner Haynes and Commissioner Haulk

Nay:

Enactment No: ORD 25-002

ID 25-4219

Update on the New RCS Transportation and Operations Centers Project

County Manager Steve Garrison reminded the Board that they had voted in early 2022

to proceed with financing a new transportation and operations facility for the school

system. The new facility and renovation of the prior R-S Middle School 8th grade

building was financed by the County using 2023 Private Placement debt service at $15

million. However, the low bid came in higher than anticipated so the County

Commissioners approved an additional $1,132,938 from the School Capital Reserve

Debt Service Fund, bringing the whole project in at $16,132,938. The only expenditure

line amended was a reduction of the Contingency line to cover an increase in the costs

of fixtures, furnishings, equipment and technology. While the Certificate of Occupancy

has been issued for the property and RCS staff have been using the facility for several

months, Finance Director Roach continues the tasks of paying the final invoices so the

project can be closed.

The old bus garage was constructed in 1959 with the warehouse buildings added to the

campus beginning around 1970 with the last addition constructed around 1991. The

school system has had the construction of a new transportation service center on their

facility plan as a priority capital outlay project for a while. The 1959 garage only has four

bays of which only two are drive through and none of the bays were large enough to

house a modern school bus and to be able to close the garage doors. This created a

very uncomfortable working environment for the mechanics in the hot summers and

cold winters. The County is repurposing the property and facilities for emergency

services and public safety storage.

The new transportation services center was constructed with 12 bays and new modern,

state-of-the-art equipment and includes plenty of office and training room spaces.

The old R-S Middle School 8th grade building where the gymnasium is located is now

the Rutherford County Schools Operations Center. The original plan was to use the

facility as their centralized purchasing and storage, maintenance facility, centralized

refrigeration units, and to house IT, school nurses and school nutrition.

V. New Business

ID 25-4224

Budget Amendments - August 2025

Attachments:

Budget Amendments 8-4-25.pdf

ICC Budget Amendment Summary - Health Sciences Bldg.pdf

A - ICC Health Sciences Building Preliminary Furniture Budget

11.12.24.pdf

Copy of B - OE - ICCHS Consolidated FFE List - Final 1.17.25.pdf

C - Simulator Solutions Ad (One Sheeter) with rollover Sep 2020.pdf

D - Q-102963-20250624-1423.pdf

E - Isothermal Health Sciences Project Audio Visual Systems BID

Letter 4.24.25.pdf

Finance Director Paula Roach presented budget amendments for the Board's

consideration.

Commissioner Haulk moved to approve the budget amendments. Commissioner

Benfield seconded the motion. The vote on the motion was:

5 -

Aye:

Nay:

Commissioner King, Commissioner Toney, Commissioner Benfield,

Commissioner Haynes and Commissioner Haulk

ID 25-4228

Sheriff’s Office and 911 Communication CADD, MDIS, RMS and JMS

Software and Management Contract with Southern Software, Inc.

Mr. Scott Schiefelbein, E911 Director, made a presentation for the Sheriff’s Office and

911 Communication CADD, MDIS, RMS and JMS Software and Management Contract

with Southern Software, Inc. for the Board’s consideration.

Vice Chairman Toney moved to approve the contract with Southern Software,

Inc. negotiated by the County Manager and the County Attorney and authorize

the County Manager, the Finance Officer, the Clerk to the Board and other County

officials to sign and execute all documents in support of this action.

Commissioner Benfield seconded the motion. The vote on the motion was:

5 -

Aye:

Commissioner King, Commissioner Toney, Commissioner Benfield,

Commissioner Haynes and Commissioner Haulk

Nay:

ID 25-4226

GOVDEAL Auction for Rutherford County Properties - 0 Shotwell Lane,

Rutherfordton, NC

Attachments:

Shotwell Ln. Resolution_.pdf

Public Works and Planning Director Danny Searcy presented a resolution for the

Board’s consideration that would authorize the electronic auction of Parcel Number

1204078, 0 Shotwell Lane, Rutherfordton, NC, as described more fully in Plat recorded

in Plat Book 7, Page 24, (“the Plat”), Rutherford County Registry, to which plat

reference is hereby made for a more full and accurate description. It is the same and

identical property conveyed to Rutherford County by Commissioner’s Deed recorded in

Book 2076 at Page 903, Rutherford County Registry.

Commissioner Benfield moved to approve the resolution authorizing a new

electronic auction of Parcel Number 1617637, 0 Shotwell Lane, Rutherfordton,

NC. Vice Chairman Toney seconded the motion. The vote on the motion was:

5 -

Aye:

Commissioner King, Commissioner Toney, Commissioner Benfield,

Commissioner Haynes and Commissioner Haulk

Nay:

Enactment No: RES 25-021

ID 25-4225

GOVDEAL Auction for Rutherford County Properties - 0 Yates Lane,

Lake Lure, NC

Attachments:

GOVDEALS.Resolution Authorizing Auctionof Yates Ln-Lake Lure

July 2025.pdf

Director Searcy also presented a resolution for the Board’s consideration that would

authorize the electronic auction of Parcel Number 1617637, 0 Yates Lane, Lake Lure,

NC, as described more fully in Plat recorded in Plat Book 15, Page 51, (“the Plat”),

Rutherford County Registry, to which plat reference is hereby made for a more full and

accurate description.

Being the same and identical property conveyed to Rutherford County by

Commissioner’s Deed recorded in Book 702 at Pages 190-191, Rutherford County

Registry.

Commissioner Benfield moved to approve the resolution. Commissioner Haynes

seconded the motion. The vote on the motion was:

5 -

Aye:

Commissioner King, Commissioner Toney, Commissioner Benfield,

Commissioner Haynes and Commissioner Haulk

Nay:

Enactment No: RES 25-022

VI. Closed Session

ATTORNEY CLIENT NCGS 143-318.11(a)(3)

ID 25-4227

At 6:54 P.M. Vice Chairman Toney moved to go into Closed Session for a

discussion with the County Attorney. The County Manager and the Clerk to the

Board would be included in the session. Commissioner Haynes seconded the

motion. The vote on the motion was:

5 -

Aye:

Commissioner King, Commissioner Toney, Commissioner Benfield,

Commissioner Haynes and Commissioner Haulk

Nay:

6:59 P.M.

7:18 P.M.

The Board went into Closed Session.

The Board returned to Regular Session.

VII. Information

ID 25-4223

Tax Collector’s Report - August, 2025

Attachments:

Tax Collector Report August 2025.pdf

VIII. Adjournment

At 7:19 P.M. Commissioner Benfield made a motion to adjourn. Vice Chairman

Toney seconded the motion. The vote on the motion was:

5 -

Aye:

Commissioner King, Commissioner Toney, Commissioner Benfield,

Commissioner Haynes and Commissioner Haulk

Nay: