Top Stories for Dec. 17, 2025
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 Dec. 16. It will meet next on Jan. 8, 2026, for a joint session with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education. Agendas are available online and meetings can be viewed on MeckTV.
1. Roads, Rail, and Buses: Mecklenburg County will host the new Metropolitan Public Transportation Authority (MPTA), its first meeting since voter approval of an additional 1% countywide sales tax to fund transportation projects. Approval of the referendum activated the 27-member board, which is charged with managing the sales tax revenue and operating the transportation system. The group’s inaugural meeting will be held Dec. 18 at 6 p.m. at the Valerie C. Woodard Conference Center, 3205 Freedom Drive, Entrance D, in Charlotte. The meeting can be viewed live at Watch.MeckNC.gov.
2. SoFi Hub in Mecklenburg County: The Board approved a business investment grant of up to $39,354 for SoFi Technologies’ expansion in Charlotte-Mecklenburg. The digital financial services company announced that it will establish a regional hub in Charlotte, creating 225 new jobs, representing a $3 million capital investment. The hub will be in Ballantyne, one of the city’s fastest-growing neighborhoods. New positions include loan officers, loan processors, underwriters, chief experience analysts, and sales and management teams with an average annual salary of $107,000, above the MSA average.
3. Board Member Milestone: County Manager Mike Bryant recognized Vice Chair Leigh Altman (At Large) for five years of service on the Board of County Commissioners. In his acknowledgements, Bryant said she plays a critical role in shaping policies, investments, and priorities that impact the daily lives of our more than 1.2 million residents, and that her service ensures that County government remains accountable, transparent and aligned with community needs. He said Commissioner Altman has helped guide major initiatives in the community and her leadership directly supports Mecklenburg County’s ongoing ability to deliver high quality services.
4. New Vision on Lasalle Street: Mecklenburg County is looking for new ideas and a new vision for a facility in northwest Charlotte. The County is seeking a nonprofit organization interested in serving as a tenant and service-provider in the County-owned building on Lasalle Street near Beatties Ford Road. The facility is in a high-need area, with several schools nearby. The ideal nonprofit will utilize the County-owned facility to provide long-term economic mobility focused programming, including academic and workforce services. They will also work with partners to develop additional service offerings.
5. Don’t Be a Grinch, Recycling’s a Cinch: The holiday season brings good tidings and cheers–and lots of trash. Statistics show Americans toss more than 25% more trash from Thanksgiving to New Years. Mecklenburg County Solid Waste and Recycling invites residents to keep holiday waste out of the landfill by bringing approved items to Enhanced Recycling Centers. Items like natural or artificial Christmas trees, wreaths, plain wrapping paper and cards, cardboards, white rigid foam, textiles, and even food scraps can all be dropped off.
6. Happy Holidays! Most Mecklenburg County offices and services will be closed Dec. 24-26, 2025, and Jan. 1, 2026, for the holidays. Happy holidays from Mecklenburg County Public Information!