Catawba County News

BOC Recap: 9/21/26

Published: September 22, 2026

The September 21, 2026 Board of Commissioners meeting was called to order at 7pm. The agenda for the meeting can be found at https://bit.ly/3utv5SE.

BOC approved minutes from the Board’s Regular Meeting of August 17, 2026, and Special Joint Meeting of September 1, 2026.

Appointments

Vice-Chair Allran recommends the reappointment of Richard Shook to the Dangerous Dog Appellate Board for a fifth term, with a term expiration of July 20, 2029. BOC approved.

Commissioner Abernethy recommends the reappointment of Don Coleman to a fifth term, with a term expiration of October 31, 2029. BOC approved.

Commissioner Abernethy recommends the realignment of the following membership terms: Jeffrey Bronnenberg with a term expiration of October 31, 2028; Charles Connor, III, with a term expiration of October 31, 2027; David Isenhower with a term expiration of October 31, 2029; and Ben Ridley with a term expiration of October 31, 2027. BOC approved.

Commissioner Beatty recommends the reappointment of Jeanne Lebens to the Library Board of Trustees for a second term, with a term expiration of June 30, 2030. BOC approved.

Presentations

Commissioner Setzer presented a proclamation in observance of Hispanic Heritage Month to Centro Latino Hickory Program Coordinator Soraya Valdez and Executive Director Ginny Romero.

Public Hearing

Public hearing to consider an application to rezone two parcels totaling 2.54 acres located at5785 E. NC 150 Highway owned by James and Mary Strickland (applicant) from R-20 Residential to Highway Commercial (HC). BOC approved.

Department Report

Parks Director David Wagg presented the 2026-2036 Parks Master Plan for approval. BOC approved.

Consent Agenda

1 – The Finance & Personnel Subcommittee requests the Board of Commissioners:1.Approve a construction bid award for the Catawba County Livestock Education Facility to DDI of Hickory, LLC, in an amount not to exceed $1,525,800.00; 2.Accept and appropriate $600,000 in legislatively directed grant funds to the existing capital project; 3.Appropriate $400,000 in General Fund fund balance to cover the project deficit; and 4.Authorize the County Manger to execute all documents associated with this transaction.

2 – The Finance and Personnel Subcommittee requests the Board of Commissioners adopt the proposed resolution declaring a 2009 Ford F-350 and a 1999 GMC Hazardous Materials Response truck as surplus property and approving donation to Cooksville Volunteer Fire Department and Alexander County Emergency Management.

3 – The Policy and Public Works Subcommittee requests the Board of Commissioners approve an offer to Purchase a 0.061-acre strip of property from Blue Sky and JB Farm Investments, LLC in the amount of $1,000.00. The County installed a series of sanitary sewer lift stations along Sherrills Ford Road, Mollys Backbone Road, and Brown Chapel Road which conveys wastewater to the Hickory-Catawba Wastewater treatment plant located in the town of Catawba. Staff is currently working on upgrading the lift stations at Sherrills Ford Elementary School, Molly’s Backbone Road, and Brown Chapel Road. Improvements at the Molly’s Backbone Road lift station require a small expansion of the site. The needed property is a small rectangular strip approximately 20 feet by 132 feet (approximately 0.061 acres), to be combined with the existing lift station property.

4 – The Policy and Public Works Subcommittee requests the Board of Commissioners approve an Agreement for Engineering Services with HDR Engineering Inc. of the Carolinas for Bidding, Construction Administration, and Construction Quality Assurance Services for the Blackburn MSW Landfill Unit 4 Expansion in the amount of $917,500; and authorize the County Manager to execute the Agreement and the Task Order with HDR Engineering Inc.of the Carolinas.

5 – The Tax Administrator requests the Board of Commissioners approve 97 releases totaling $54,455,56, three refunds totaling $638.93 and 72Motor Vehicles Bill adjustments/refunds totaling $9,456.34 requested during the month of August.

BOC approved all five items.

Attorney’s Report

Staff requests the Board of Commissioners approve the termination of the economic development agreement between Catawba County and Wanzl North America. In December 2023, Catawba County entered into an economic development agreement (“EDA”) with Wanzl North America, a shopping cart manufacturer located in Newton, pursuant to which the County would provide certain incentives to assist Wanzl in carrying out a project involving the construction, upfitting and equipping of a manufacturing facility at700 Technibilt Drive, Newton, at a cost of not less than $15,000,000 and the creation of a minimum of 10 new jobs and the retention of 309 jobs at the facility, with improvements and new jobs to be made or created between July 1, 2023 and December 31, 2025.The EDAs with the company were performance-based, contingent upon job creation and investment milestones. Wanzl did not meet the investment or job creation requirements. As a result, no incentive payments were made, and the agreements can be terminated. This action will enable the County to appropriately close out all remaining administrative matters tied to the project. Newton’s City Council will be considering a similar action. BOC approved.

Adjournment

BOC adjourned the meeting at 7:59 pm.