Reversal on County Building

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

The county office building will not be erected on the 21-acre tract in downtown Carthage after all.

With a quorum reduced to three because of illness, the Moore County Board of Commissioners on Monday voted 2-1 not to place the office building on the same tract where the public safety-detention center will be erected. In theory, that leaves space for eventual construction of a larger and modernized facility to serve the court system.

The vote was taken in connection with another agenda item in which the board was asked to make a decision about whether to advertise for bids for the office building at the same time bids are sought for the public safety-detention complex.

The action was one in a series of three votes taken in rapid succession at the board's regular Monday meeting. Board Chairman Tim Lea made the motion to rescind the board's action taken last summer, also on a split vote, to place the office building on the Grimm property in downtown Carthage.

Commissioner Cindy Morgan voted with Lea, and Commissioner Larry Caddell cast the dissenting vote. Commissioners Jimmy Melton and Nick Picerno were absent because of illness. Melton came for the meeting but left because of a flare-up with a heart condition.

"It was not a surprise to anyone," Lea said Tuesday morning in an impromptu telephone interview. He said all five commissioners were aware that the -matter would be on the agenda as a holdover item from the May 3 meeting agenda.

Although unspoken, there were hints that Melton and Picerno may have changed their minds about placing the office building on the Grimm property because there is insufficient space for three buildings there.

Since the board made its original plans to use that property for the public safety-detention center and the office building, local courts officials have called attention to critical space issues involving the existing Courts Facility. A committee studying local courts space needs has recommended that a new and larger building be erected to accommodate those needs and that the ideal location is in the vicinity of the detention center.

However, the 21 acres include some wetlands, thus restricting the buildable area, which must also provide a significant amount of space for parking. The county has looked at the Carriage Oaks Complex as a possible site for the office building, but no decision has been made. Carriage Oaks is the county-owned property where the Department of Social Services and other county agencies are now located. It is about one mile from downtown Carthage.

At the Monday night meeting, the board was asked to decide whether to bid or not to bid the office building at this time. The item was on the May 3 agenda but was tabled until the next meeting.

The board has already voted to proceed with the bid search process for the public safety-detention center, to be erected adjacent to the existing jail. The Grimm property is behind the present jail and extends to McNeill Street on one side and to Dowd Street on the other.

Later in the meeting, the board voted unanimously to table three related items for future action. These were: to adopt a reimbursement and preliminary resolution for the limited obligation bonds and adopt a resolution calling a public hearing; to approve financing options for the public safety-detention center; and to consider final construction drawings and bid documents for the public safety-detention center.

A special meeting will be held June 2.

Contact Florence Gilkeson by e-mail at florence@thepilot.com.

More like this story

ASU88 3 years ago

Larry...why didn't you take ill and then a quorum would not have been present and thus the vote could have been delayed on this issue? This board lacks true direction back and forth on many issues. Do you think the position of the Superior Ct. Judge swayed your decision on possible new court house location? Build the new dention center above the new court house that way when one is found guilty in a capitol offense they can open a trap door from the dention center and hang them from the gallows! Instance justice...I'll spring for the short rope!

babiehop 3 years ago

Am I missing something here, or is there a relevant factor that's not mentioned ? I found the link added to CSmithson's post yesterday very interesting and what was politely described as ironic I find to be foul and smelly.

http://archives.thepilot.com/September2002/09-27-02/092702Legislature.html

SCCstudent 3 years ago

"However, the 21 acres include some wetlands, thus restricting the buildable area", waterfront property supports the windfall Johnnie and Mary Jane Grimm received from the sale of the property. It's nice to have a friend on the County Board of Commissioners like Larry Caddell.

Babiehop ~ this whole land deal hasn't passed the smell test since the conception ~ too many political favors at the expense of taxpayers.

SoPines4ever 3 years ago

The building is not being built on the downtown site, at the moment. The Board of Commissioners will reverse this decision when the vote count is in their favor, and it will be full steam ahead.

babiehop 3 years ago

So was the vote even valid with less than 4 votes ? Wasn't the property perc tested before such an enormous purchase was made with taxpayers' money or was it acquired with full knowledge of lack of buildable area ? I wonder. I've a feeling the circle of friends includes other members as well. Been past some naturally fertilized fields recently that were quite aromatic, but nothing so pungent as this.

SCCstudent 3 years ago

All this is speculation! Should the puppet strings become detached from the good 'ol boy network, and the never ending revenue draining school system reduce administrative costs, will the pungent political stench subside.

I hope Mr. Kennedy isn't contaminated by the remaining commissioners, and has the gonads to stand up and say NO to the political wheels and their out of control spending.

babiehop 3 years ago

It's a nice thought. I suppose we can all hope as much of him.

MoCoJur 3 years ago

SCCstudent sure makes a lot of comments and knows a lot about nothing. Mr. and Ms. Grimm are divorced and she did not own the property when it was sold. A simple search of the tax records would have shown this. Get your facts straight before you throw out baseless allegations. That space is the only real option for a new Courthouse and detention center. Read up on the facts then comment.

SCCstudent 3 years ago

@MoCoJur=> like what? can you be more specific, "knows a lot about nothing" - exactly what does that mean? I've never seen you post here before. Obviously you are a friend of Larry and Lisa Caddell. I wasn't aware that Johnnie and Mary Jane had divorced - I stand to be corrected. My appology to Mary Jane.

"A simple search of the tax records would have shown this." well apparently you're not an attorney, or, are you Stephen Lapping by chance? Grayed out profile pics represent most anonymous Moore County Juris - has to be a judge or lawyer. How good is that having such a person of high esteem posting on a newspaper website?

If you are an attorney you should know that the one who owns a property transfers the deed [Grantor] unless the spouse is named on the deed of trust. So it's a mute point because Johnnie signed as the grantor, friend of the Caddells no less.

http://rod.moorecountync.gov/RealEstate/SearchDetail.aspx

And who said we need a jail complex in the first place. Moore County isn't Wake, Durham, or Cumberand county. If Lane Carter wants a new jail and law enforcement complex, then he will have one at our expense. Just like the school system who provides absolutely no factual statisics based on need ~ just wants. When the county built the WW II pill box which was state of the art in design and would last for years to come...so much for that senario.

Maybe we all should have a link to Moore County 101 so we can be indoctinated to the political BS eminating from the talking heads in Carthage...GO MR. KENNEDY!

Here's a proposition for those so intent on extracting more tax payer dollars: Post a link with a page enumerating the actual cost, a reason for those costs, and what are exisiting funds being used for as opposed to Susan Pursers' Power Point with hugh figures and add Dr. John to the list as well.

None 3 years ago

Perhaps the time has come for the county board of commissioners to step back for a moment to re-evaluate their budget decisions. Their decisions could very well cost them in the next election for their seat.

George Little hasn't provided any sound documentation outlining what Dr. John Dempsey is requesting on a line-item description. Where did the 160K come from for Dave Reese's Campus Police force? Was it slush-fund from building and grounds. What is the 4.2 million dollars going to be used for in the overall scheme of the budget? What costs have impacted the budget when student enrollment is up along with a tuition increase.

If funding for the TAA and WIA programs are not forthcoming since the revenue from the Feds for last semester is "in the mail", with thousands of unpaid tuition, will George and the board refund the requested money for 20 new teaching positions? Or will the money go into another slush fund at the taxpayers expense. George and the board are banking on Federal money through those two programs, while Congress is feeling the heat with excessive spending. We need a house cleaning from county government to Washington. The County Board of Commissioners actions taken thus far as caretakers of taxpayers money is unconscionable since justification isn't a precursor for approval of budget requests.