Top Stories for Dec. 11, 2024
Mecklenburg County provides this weekly rundown of top stories from the Board of County Commissioners meetings and the Public Information Department’s newsroom. The Board met on Tuesday, Dec. 10. The agenda is available online and the meeting can be viewed on MeckTV. The Board’s next scheduled meetings are a joint meeting with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education on Jan. 13, 2025, and a budget/public policy workshop on Jan. 14, 2025.
1. Under the Dome: The Board of County Commissioners adopted its 2025 legislative agenda—local policies and issues to address before Mecklenburg County’s elected officials in the N.C. General Assembly and U.S. Congress. The legislative agenda focuses on areas related to the Board priorities of educational attainment, early childhood development, environmental stewardship, health access, housing insecurity, and workforce development. Other categories include justice and public safety, tax and finance, and transportation. The Board also added an item to the legislative agenda to pursue four-year terms for Mecklenburg County Commissioners through N.C. legislation.
2. What Residents Think: The Board received the results of the 2024 Community Survey, which presents residents’ perceptions on various aspects of Mecklenburg County operations and their views of the most important issues. Affordable housing continues to rank as the most important issue facing Mecklenburg County, followed by crime and public safety, and traffic and transportation. Mecklenburg County also ranked above other similar-sized metropolitan areas as a community to live, work, raise children, and recreate. View the full results of the 2024 Community Survey.
3. Shining a Light on Domestic Violence: Join Mecklenburg County and its partners for the 20th annual lighting of the Domestic Violence Memorial Tree. It will take place Thursday, Dec. 12 at 6:30 p.m. at the Ella B. Scarborough Community Resource Center, 430 Stitt Road in Charlotte. The tree commemorates the lives lost to domestic violence in Mecklenburg County and across North Carolina this year. A ribbon will be placed on the tree in recognition of each life lost, and tree lit to symbolize shedding a light on the issue of domestic violence. The ceremony is organized by the Domestic Violence Advocacy Council of Charlotte-Mecklenburg in partnership with Mecklenburg County’s Department of Community Support Services, Department of Community Resources, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, and the Jamie Kimble Foundation for Courage.
4. Healthy Holiday Surprise: While families and friends are celebrating the holidays, it can be a tough time for senior citizens who can’t get out to enjoy the season. That is why Mecklenburg County’s Senior Citizens Nutrition Program organized the packing and delivery of 1,250 holiday gift bags for clients who are homebound. Several dozen volunteers joined in to assemble the bags with fresh apples and oranges, hot chocolate, a candy cane treat, and a small activity packet. County drivers are delivering the bags to homebound clients throughout the week.
5. Rising at Eastland: Construction is expected to begin next spring on the new Eastland Park. A concept plan for the park at the site of the old Eastland Mall was released last month, following great input from the public and partners. Features include walking trails, covered picnic and performance areas, restroom, a playground, sprayground, multi-purpose court area, skateable elements, fenced dog lounge, and more. To honor the site’s past, the park’s splashpad will feature Eastland Mall’s “rising sun” logo, an iconic image that reflects east Charlotte’s history. Park and Recreation is also partnering with the Arts and Science Council to bring public art to the space.