Top Stories for May 7, 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 Tuesday, May 6. The agenda is available online and the meeting can be viewed on MeckTV. The Board’s next budget and public policy meeting is scheduled for May 13 at 2:30 p.m.
1. Building a Budget: The Board of County Commissioners is working to develop the Mecklenburg County budget for next year.
- The Board will receive the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education’s budget request during a meeting on May 7 at 2:30 p.m. at the Valerie C. Woodard Conference Center.
- County Manager Dena R. Diorio will present her budget recommendation on May 14 at 11 a.m. at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center.
- A public hearing is scheduled for May 22.
- A straw vote session is scheduled for May 29.
- The Board will adopt the budget on June 4.
All meetings will be streamed live at Watch.MeckNC.gov. More information about the FY2026 budget process is available at Budget.MeckNC.gov.
2. Preserving NOAH: The Board approved about $7.32 million to subsidize naturally occurring affordable housing (NOAH) at three apartment communities in Mecklenburg County—Woodford Estates, Sharon Pointe, and Shelton Knoll. The subsidies would cover 69 rental units over 20 years, for households earning 30% of the median income or below. The Board also approved a $2.5 million loan in the form of a mortgage on the Woodford Estates property. Ascent Housing works in partnership with the Housing Impact Fund to buy, rehab, and operate NOAH properties. Mecklenburg County funding to subsidize the homes addresses the Board’s affordable housing priorities.
3. Serving Those Who Served: At-large Commissioner Arthur Griffin invites the public to a community meeting featuring services for veterans in Mecklenburg County. It will include presentations and a facilitated discussion, with the intent of informing residents and taking questions about services provided by the County’s Veterans Services division and its partner Veterans Bridge Home. The community meeting will take place Thursday, May 8, beginning at 6 p.m. at Huntersville Town Hall.
4. Do the Write Thing: A Northeast Middle School student has been named National Ambassador of Mecklenburg County’s annual “Do the Write Thing” writing contest. Haven Williams, a 7th grader at Northeast Middle, is invited to represent her peers during the National Campaign to Stop Violence Recognition Week in Washington, DC this summer. She will also see her work placed in the Library of Congress. Do the Write Thing is a writing program for middle school students that engages students to think about how youth violence has affected their lives and to consider what they can do about it.
5. Thanks to Teachers and MECK Pre-K: May 5 – 9 is Teacher Appreciation Week and Mecklenburg County salutes educators across all schools and grade levels, including those with MECK Pre-K. MECK Pre-K is funded by Mecklenburg County, administered by Smart-Start of Mecklenburg County, and addresses the Board of County Commissioners' education priority.
- Watch the Video: County Manager Dena R. Diorio is especially grateful to the teachers and providers of MECK Pre-K, one of the signature programs of her 11-year tenure as County Manager.
- View the Photos: As part of her countdown to retirement after June 30, Diorio spent time this week reading to the children at Smarty Pants Preschool in Charlotte.
Since its launch in 2018, MECK Pre-K has helped thousands of children build strong foundations for their educational journey. For more information and to apply online, residents can visit MECKPreK.org.
6. Medical Recycling: Mecklenburg County Solid Waste is now accepting gently used medical equipment as part of its enhanced recycling program at Compost Central. Residents can drop off certain medical items – including scooters, manual wheelchairs, shower chairs, and walkers – at Compost Central, 140 Valleydale Road in Charlotte. Mecklenburg County has partnered with AssistMe, a local nonprofit that collects, cleans, and donates medical equipment to uninsured or underinsured patients.