At its meeting on November 15, 2010, the Board of Commissioners adopted the following goals for Fiscal Year 2011-2012.

1. Prepare a Fiscal Year 2011-2012 budget which maintains services and momentum as much as possible in light of economic uncertainty and no property tax increase. Examine planned investments and expenditures to ensure it is both a good time to build and a good time to borrow funds for building, and make sure we have the necessary funds to run required services such as health, safety and education. Plan for flat growth in tax revenues. Look at ways to be more efficient and see if the County could perform some services for the smaller municipalities in payroll, purchasing, etc., which could generate some revenue for the County and save money for the smaller municipalities. Continue to examine ways to reduce expenses in each department and ways to conserve energy where possible. Based on no to low growth in ad valorem and sales taxes, develop a priority list of capital improvement projects;

2. Continue strategies to create jobs through educational opportunities to make sure the workforce is trained for tomorrow’s jobs, and invest in infrastructure and development of the county’s quality of life. Remain aggressive in recruiting most favored industries to the area, and add an additional multi-jurisdictional business park. Look for out of the box ideas that others are not doing. Recruit industries that are related to existing industries and work with municipalities on economic development;

3. Continue customer service emphasis in all departments. Focus on communications efforts with citizens so citizens know what is going on in County government; and,

4. Work with the North Carolina Department of Transportation toward completion of North Carolina Highway 16.

At its meeting on October 17, 2011, the Board of Commissioners adopted the following goals for Fiscal Year 2012-2013.

1. Support a coordinated effort to create jobs and property tax base by investing in infrastructure, the development of the County’s quality of life, and educational opportunities. Participate with the private sector in determining a long-term vision.

Specific strategies include:

a. Aggressive recruitment of most favored industries;

b. Support of and participation in a multi-jurisdictional business park;

c. Advocating for the widening and completion of Highway 16;

d. Insuring that County regulations support orderly growth and business development;

e. Supporting an environment for entrepreneurship, emphasizing the development of small business;

f. Continued support of public education, Economic Development Corporation, Convention and Visitor Bureau, CVCC and the Chamber of Commerce.

2. Prepare a fiscal year 2012-13 budget which provides needed County services within available revenues, including no property tax increase, ensuring that the County addresses its short term needs while planning for long term growth and maintaining the Board of Commissioners’ policy of two months of operating expenses.