Top Stories for May 22, 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 for a regular meeting on May 21 and a budget workshop on May 22. The agendas are available online and the meetings can be viewed on MeckTV.  

1. Building a Budget: During a budget workshop on May 22, the Board of County Commissioners received an update on progress for its priorities: early childhood development; educational attainment; environmental stewardship; health access; housing insecurity; workforce development; and racial disparities. The Board also received a detailed overview of the County manager’s FY2025 recommended budget.  

A public hearing on the recommended budget will be held Thursday, May 23, at 6 p.m. at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center. A straw vote session is scheduled for May 30 and the Board is scheduled to adopt the budget on June 4. More information is available at Budget.MeckNC.gov. 

2. Residential Pools Not for Rent: Public Health is warning the community that short-term rentals of residential swimming pools are not allowed in Mecklenburg County. This applies to residents who rent out their private pools to third parties on a short-term basis. In North Carolina, if a residential swimming pool is rented by the owner to generate income, it is no longer a private swimming pool. Instead, it is a public swimming pool and requires an operation permit. Only a properly permitted public pool can be rented to or used by the general public, and those pools receive an inspection every year. 

3. Make a Splash with Park and Rec: Mecklenburg County’s outdoor water attractions will kick off summertime hours and operations on Saturday, May 25. Families can start planning now how they will spend the summer at local spraygrounds, pools, and beaches. Visit ParkandRec.MeckNC.gov to learn more. 

4. Order of the Long Leaf Pine: Mecklenburg County congratulates Angela Lee, retired assistant health director, on being awarded the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, one of the most prestigious awards presented by the Governor. Lee retired in December 2023 after a 30-year career in public health that helped improve the health and well-being of communities across North Carolina. Lee joined Mecklenburg County in 2019 as Assistant Health Director for Preventive Health. In that role, she provided leadership for three of the department’s largest programs that have great impact on the community: environmental health, school health, and HIV/STI services.   

5. Remembering Those Who Gave All: Many Mecklenburg County offices and services will be closed on Monday, May 27 for Memorial Day.