[PAGE 1] T. Scott Efird Trent Hatley Chairman Commissioner Bill Lawhon Brandon King Vice Chairman Commissioner Mike Barbee Billy Mills Commissioner Commissioner Patty Crump Commissioner Stanly County Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting Minutes Monday, March 16, 2026 – 6:00 PM 1. Call to Order & Welcome The Stanly County Board of Commissioners (the “Board”) met in regular session on Monday, March 16, 2026 in the Gene McIntyre Meeting Room, Stanly Commons. Chair Efird called the meeting to order at 06:00 PM, then gave the invocation and led the Pledge of Allegiance. Present: Chairman T. Scott Efird Vice Chairman Bill Lawhon Commissioner Paul Michael Barbee County Commissioner Patty Crump County Commissioner Trent Hatley Commissioner Brandon King County Commissioner Billy Mills 2. Approval / Adjustments to the Agenda With no amendments to the agenda, Commissioner Crump moved to approve it as presented. Commissioner King seconded the motion, which passed by unanimous vote. 3. Public Comment - Paul Wilkins, Regional Director for Christian Recovery Centers, Inc. (CRCI), expressed his gratitude to the Board for their ongoing support and commitment to the community, noting that the county’s partnership is a key factor in the organization's success. - Timothy Downs, a current resident at the center, shared his personal experience and how CRCI has been instrumental in helping him work toward overcoming his addiction. He also thanked the B oard for their continued support of these services. 4. Scheduled Agenda Items [PAGE 2] A. Cooperative Extension Presentation Presenter: Cooperative Extension Director Molly Alexi and 4-H Members, Kestyn Furlow & Miranda Stroupe Director Molly Alexi provided an overview of the 2025 Impact Report for Stanly County, highlighting the Cooperative Extension's significant contributions to the community. Key achievements from the report include: - Total Community Reach: 168,312 contacts through various outreach methods. - Direct Educational Participation: 2,580 residents engaged in educational opportunities. - Economic Impact: $137,000 in grant funding facilitated for community and economic development. - Volunteer Power: 5,362 volunteer hours served, valued at $186,544. - 4-H Program Growth: Expansion from one club to six, with 212 youth members and 13 volunteers. - Livestock & Leadership: Hosted a regional livestock show with 93 youth participants, nearly doubling previous attendance levels. Additionally, Kerstyn Furlow shared his personal experiences as a 4-H member, and Miranda Stroupe, co-leader of the Rocky River Riders 4-H club, discussed her role as a leader while thanking the Board for its continued support. This presentation was provided for informational purposes only. B. Public Hearing and Consideration of Resolution Ordering the Permanent Closure of a Portion of Kirk Road (Unopened Right-of-Way) Presenter: Kyle Griffin, E911 Communications Director, Bailey Cline, Planning Director During the February 16th meeting, the Board of Commissioners adopted a Resolution of Intent to close a 215-foot section of the recorded, yet unopened, unused, and unconstructed right-of-way known as Kirk Road, originally recorded in Map Book 16, Page 8, in the Stanly County Register of Deeds The portion proposed for closure extends from the intersection with the recorded, yet unopened Diana Road southward to the property line identified on the plat recorded in Map Book 33, Page 122. Pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 153A-241, a notice of the public hearing was published for three successive weeks, mailed via certified mail to adjoining property owners, and posted along the affected right- of-way. It was requested the Board conduct the required public hearing to receive comments on the proposed closure. Following the hearing, the Board was asked to consider adopting a resolution ordering the permanent closure, if it finds that the closure is not contrary to the public interest and that no adjoining property owner will be deprived of reasonable ingress or egress. Following the presentation, Director Griffin addressed specific questions regarding property access and public notification of the proposed road closure. [PAGE 3] Chair Efird then declared the public hearing open. With no one coming forward, the hearing was closed. Commissioner King moved to approve the closure and the associated Resolution Ordering the Permanent Closure of the identified 215-foot section of Kirk Road. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Mills and passed by a unanimous vote. Exhibit A Resolution Ordering The Permanent Closure of An Unopened Public Roadway Kirk Road C. Public Hearing and Consideration of Resolution Ordering the Permanent Closure of a Portion of Todd Road (Unopened Right-of-Way) Presenter: Kyle Griffin, E911 Communications Director, Bailey Cline, Planning Director During the February 16th meeting, the Board adopted a Resolution of Intent to close a 307-foot section of the recorded, yet unopened, unused, and unconstructed right-of-way known as Todd Road, originally recorded in the Stanly County Register of Deeds Map Book 16, Page 8. The portion proposed for closure extends south from the property line identified on the plat recorded in Map 33, Page 122, to the adjoining property line at the intersection with Diana Road. Pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 153A-241, a notice of the public hearing was published for three successive weeks, mailed via certified mail to adjoining property owners, and posted along the affected right- of-way. It was requested the Board conduct the required public hearing to receive comment on the proposed closure. Following the hearing, the Board was asked to consider adopting a resolution ordering the permanent closure if it finds that the closure is not contrary to the public interest and that no adjoining property owner will be deprived of reasonable ingress or egress. With no questions from the Board, Chair Efird declared the public hearing open. With no one coming forward, the hearing was closed. Vice Chair Lawhon moved to approve the closure and the associated Resolution Ordering the Permanent Closure of the identified 307-foot section of Todd Road. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Hatley and carried by a 7 - 0 vote. Exhibit B Resolution Ordering the Permanent Closure of An Unopened Public Roadway Todd Road D. Public Hearing and Consideration of Resolution Ordering the Permanent Closure of a Portion of Diana Road (Unopened Right-of-Way) Presenter: Kyle Griffin, E911 Communications Director, Bailey Cline, Planning Director During the February 16th meeting, the Board adopted a Resolution of Intent to close the entirety of [PAGE 4] the recorded, yet unopened, unused, and unconstructed right-of-way known as Diana Road, originally recorded in the Stanly County Register of Deeds Map Book 16, Page 8. Pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 153A-241, a notice of the public hearing was published for three successive weeks, mailed via certified mail to adjoining property owners, and posted along the affected right- of-way. It was requested the Board conduct the required public hearing to receive comments on the proposed closure. Following the hearing, the Board was asked to consider adopting a resolution ordering the permanent closure if it finds that the closure is not contrary to the public interest and that no adjoining property owner will be deprived of reasonable ingress or egress. With no questions from the Board, Chair Efird declared the public hearing open. With no one coming forward, the hearing was closed. Commissioner King moved to approve the closure and the associated Resolution Ordering the Permanent Closure of the identified 307-foot section of Todd Road. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Mills and carried by a 7 - 0 vote. Exhibit C Resolution Ordering the Permanent Closure of An Unopened Public Roadway Diana Road E. Public Hearing and Consideration of Resolution Renaming an Unopened Portion of Kirk Road to Sasser Way Presenter: Kyle Griffin, E911 Communications Director Board consideration and approval was requested to rename an unopened 992-foot section of Kirk Road, as recorded in Map Book 16, Page 8, in the Stanly County Register of Deeds. This section extends from Airport Road to the intersection with the now-closed portions of Diana Road and Kirk Road. This segment no longer connects with the existing constructed portion of Kirk Road on the opposite side of Carters Acres Road. Due to these closures and the lack of connectivity, renaming this portion is necessary to prevent confusion regarding mapping, addressing, and emergency response. The North Carolina Office of the State Fire Marshal has recommended the name "Sasser Way" in recognition of Representative Wayne Sasser’s instrumental role in securing funding for the North Carolina Emergency Training Center. Pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 153A-239.1, a public hearing is required before establishing or changing a road name within the unincorporated area of the County. With no questions from the Board, Chair Efird opened the public hearing. With no one coming forward to speak for or against, the hearing was closed. Vice Chair Lawhon moved to adopt the resolution renaming the identified portion of Kirk Road to Sasser Way as requested. Commissioner Hatley seconded the motion, which passed by a 6-1 vote. (Commissioner Barbee voted against.) [PAGE 5] Exhibit D Resolution Renaming An Existing Public Roadway F. Public Hearing and Consideration of Resolution Naming a Private Drive as Ford Way Presenter: Kyle Griffin, E911 Communications Director Board consideration and approval was requested to consider naming a private drive located on the Phase 2 site of the North Carolina Emergency Training Center as Ford Way. The roadway consists of a 20-foot easement originally recorded in Map Book 33, Page 122(1), in the Stanly County Register of Deeds, together with the associated driveway access extending approximately 1,362 feet from the intersection of Ridge Road and Airport Road to Sasser Way. This drive will serve as ingress and egress to facilities located on the Phase 2 site, including the Stanly County Emergency Operations Center and Emergency Communications Center. The proposed name, Ford Way, came as a recommendation from County staff at the request of the North Carolina Office of the State Fire Marshal. State Fire Marshal Brian Taylor has requested that the drive be named in recognition of State Senator Carl Ford and his instrumental role in securing funding for the North Carolina Emergency Training Center. The naming of this drive acknowledges Senator Ford’s significant contributions to advancing public safety infrastructure and training within Stanly County and across the region. Naming this private drive will promote clarity in mapping, addressing, and emergency response coordination. Pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 153A-239.1, a public hearing is required prior to establishing a road name within the unincorporated area of the County. With no questions from the Board, Chair Efird declared the public hearing open. With no one coming forward to speak for or against, the hearing was closed. Commissioner King moved to the adoption of the resolution naming the identified private drive as Ford Way. Commissioner Hatley seconded the motion, which passed by unanimous vote. [PAGE 6] Exhibit E Resolution Naming Ford Way G. Public Hearing and Consideration of Naming of a Private Driveway Presenter: Kyle Griffin, E911 Communications Director The Stanly County Communications Department received a request from the property owners at 24701 NC Highway 49 in Richfield to name their driveway in accordance with the Stanly County Addressing Ordinance. The existing address currently serves three separate residences (A, B, and C). The Stanly County Addressing Ordinance allows private driveways serving three or more residences to be named to improve addressing clarity and assist emergency responders. In accordance with the ordinance, the Communications Department contacted all property owners with access to the 30-foot easement recorded in Map Book 33, Page 18. Each owner was asked to submit a preferred name for the drive. All property owners returned signed letters of consent, and the first choice submitted by each resident was "Rodeo Road." Based on these responses and the requirements of the Stanly County Addressing Ordinance, the Communications Department recommends naming the private drive Rodeo Road. It was requested that the Board hold the required public hearing to receive comments regarding the proposed naming of the private driveway. Following the hearing, it is requested that the Board approve the proposed name. With no questions from the Board, Chair Efird declared the public hearing open. With no one coming forward to speak, the hearing was closed. Commissioner Mills moved to approve the name Rodeo Drive as requested. The motion was seconded by Commissioner King and carried by unanimous vote. 5. Consent Agenda Commissioner King moved to approve the consent agenda as presented, seconded by Vice Chair Lawhon. The motion passed by unanimous vote. A. Minutes B. Town of Norwood Fireworks Display Request C. Request to sell surplus items on Gov Deals D. Patrol Vehicle Settlement Funds [PAGE 7] E. I-Con Flush systems F. Amend Sheriff's Office with a donation from NCIC G. Budget Amendment — Temporary Staffing 6. Board Comments, Announcements & Committee Reports Commissioner Mills expressed his appreciation for Cooperative Extension Director Molly Alexi and 4- H members Kestyn Furlow and Amanda Stroupe. He also recognized several outstanding local student athletes for their recent accomplishments. Vice Chair Lawhon commended Animal Protective Services (APS) for their dedicated work. He then shared a success story involving a family visiting from Florida whose dog was lost and later reunited with them thanks to the assistance of APS. Chair Efird thanked the 4-H members for their attendance and Commissioner Mills for recognizing the student athletes. He also wished everyone a Happy Easter and encouraged everyone to remember the reason we celebrate it. 7. Adjourn There being no further discussion, Vice Chair Lawhon moved to adjourn the meeting. Commissioner Hatley seconded the motion, which carried by unanimous vote at 6:40 p.m. ______________________________ ______________________________ T. Scott Efird, Chairman Tyler Brummitt, Clerk