Top Stories for Sept. 5, 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 Wednesday, Sept. 4. 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 Sept. 10 at 2:30 p.m.
1. Billingsley Mixed-Income Housing Development: The Board of County Commissioners approved a Development Agreement with DreamKey Partners to develop mixed-income housing on about 14 acres of County-owned land in the historic Grier Heights neighborhood. The agreement calls for the developer to build approximately 286 rental and for-sale homes on land bounded by Wheatley Avenue and Ellington Street. The County will contribute about $4.8 million for demolition of existing buildings, construction of road and water/sewer infrastructure, and to subsidize and support the for-sale units.
2. New Manager Search: The Board approved a project plan to recruit a new county manager by the end of the fiscal year. Mecklenburg County has already posted a request for proposals, seeking an executive search firm to conduct the recruitment process. The goal is to have a search firm in place by Nov. 1. This plan follows the announcement last month that County Manager Dena Diorio will retire after June 30, 2025.
3. Joshua Murray Boating and Safety Center: Following a final public hearing, the Board approved the naming of the Joshua Murray Boating and Safety Center at a Park and Recreation building at Blythe Landing Park on Lake Norman. Cornelius Police Officer Joshua Murray passed away unexpected in late 2021. The center was dedicated last spring, and the Cornelius Police Department requested it be named in honor of Officer Murray for his dedication to lake and water safety.
4. Celebrate Mountain Island Lake: Residents are invited to Park and Recreation’s paddle party to celebrate the centennial of Mountain Island Lake. It will take place this Saturday, Sept. 7, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Latta Nature Preserve waterfront. There will also be a 100th birthday bash on Saturday, Sept. 28 at Quest at Latta Nature Preserve. Built in 1924 alongside the Mountain Island Hydroelectric Station, the lake is an essential part of our community. It supplies drinking water to residents in Mecklenburg and Gaston counties, is a top place for outdoor recreation, and provides important habitat for wildlife.
5. Helping Hundreds of Veterans: More than 1,100 veterans and their families were served at a three-day open house held in Mecklenburg County in late August. Mecklenburg County Veterans Services, U.S. Veterans Affairs, and other partners hosted Veterans Benefits Live: VA in My Town: Mecklenburg County at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church. The event gave vets from across the region a unique in-person opportunity to ask questions and get answers about their benefits and claims, plus learn about other valuable services. Approximately $606,739 in retroactive benefits were paid out during the three days after claims were processed on site, with a total of more than $1 million likely after reviews during the next few weeks.