Top Stories for May 1, 2024

Back to school. Multiracial pupils of primary school near school bus. Happy children ready to study.

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 last met on Tuesday, April 23. The agenda is available online and the meeting can be viewed on MeckTV. The Board’s next regular meeting is scheduled for May 7 at 6 p.m. 

1.  Building a Budget: The Board of County Commissioners and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education will jointly discuss funding for public schools in next year’s Mecklenburg County budget. That meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 8 at 2:30 p.m. at the Valerie C. Woodard Conference Center, 3205 Freedom Drive, Charlotte, NC 28208. Last year, the Board budgeted $596.9 million in operational funding for CMS. 
 
The County Manager will present her budget recommendation on May 16. A public hearing is scheduled for May 23 with the Board adopting the budget on June 4. More information about the FY2024-2025 budget process is available at Budget.MeckNC.gov. 

2. Older Americans Month: The Board has proclaimed May as Older Americans Month, honoring seniors who are essential contributors to the strength of our community. The proclamation highlighted Age-Friendly Mecklenburg, a County initiative which works to coordinate the planning of residents, non-profit, faith based, and other organizations to improve the quality of life for older adults. Numerous events are scheduled during the next two months, including digital connectivity workshops, a “senior” prom, and the World Elder Abuse Awareness Walk on June 4. 

3. Small Businesses, Big Ideas: May is Small Business Month, during which Mecklenburg County is lifting up the entrepreneurs and small businesses that make up the backbone of the local economy. The Office of Economic Development will host “Township Connections” events across Mecklenburg County in May and June, connecting people who are starting or growing a small-to-midsize business with free County resources. The first “Township Connection” is May 8 at Cornelius Town Hall, with additional sessions throughout June in Matthews, Mint Hill, and Pineville. 

4. Needed Now. Foster and Adoptive Parents: May 1 marks the beginning of National Foster Care Month, and the first Tuesday, May 7, is Foster Care Day. Residents are encouraged to wear blue on May 7 to support our community’s foster care youth and the parents who care for them. They can share their experiences and photos online with the hashtag #FosterCareBlue. In conjunction with Foster Care Month, Mecklenburg County is launching a campaign to recruit foster parents who can offer safety, hope, love, peace, and healing to children who need it most.  

5. Get Hitched with Park and Rec: Wedding season is here, but it doesn’t have to be a chore to find somewhere beautiful and special to tie the knot. In addition to managing parks and greenways, Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation can help with the big day. Many of the County’s parks and facilities make for great wedding venues, such as gardens, greenways, pavilions, a chapel, and even a private island.