The Alexander County Board of Commissioners demonstrated its commitment to improving the quality of life for Alexander County residents by authorizing a grant application to support the relocation of Urgent Care of Mountain View (UCMV). County Attorney Ben Faulkenberry presented information about the project at the board’s July 14th meeting.
The board approved an application for an $80,000 Building Reuse Grant from the NC Department of Commerce. If approved, the grant would help fund the renovation of part of an existing building owned by Catawba Valley Medical Center at the intersection of Hwy. 16 South and Macedonia Church Road to be leased by UCMV. Alexander County will provide a 5 percent match of $4,000 for the project. The project cost totals $726,142.65.
Faulkenberry said county staff have worked diligently with UCMV to submit the necessary paperwork to be considered for the grant.
UCMV has committed to creating 14 new full-time jobs for the new facility, which will be designed with state-of-the-art infrastructure, energy-efficient systems, and a layout optimized for patient flow and staff efficiency, as well as additional patient exam rooms to accommodate new patients.
Chairman Marty Pennell said he is excited to be a part of this project to help retain an urgent care facility in Alexander County.
“We recognize how important it is for our citizens to have convenient access to quality healthcare,” said Chairman Pennell. “Supporting this project shows our commitment to helping this local provider expand and modernize their services to help fulfill some of the medical needs of our community.”
In other business:
• Sheriff Chad Pennell recognized Greg Foster, Alexander County 911 Communications Director, for being named the 2025 Communications Center Leader of the Year by the NC National Emergency Number Association.
• Interim Fire Marshal Garrett Huffman recognized Tyler Cornett, Alexander County Soil & Water Conservationist, who assisted several volunteer fire departments with waterpoint certification, which helps reduce ISO ratings.
• Commissioners approved an amended resolution to authorize an increase of $74,687 to the 2025-2026 Post Overdose Response Team (PORT) budget to cover the costs of adding one new full-time Peer Support Specialist position. The total Opioid Settlement Funding for the PORT program for 2025-2026 will be $424,269.
• Commissioners considered a rezoning request from Michael Barlow for 1.2 acres on Liberty Lane to be rezoned from Residential Two (R2) to Residential Two Rural (R2R) for the purpose of placing a singlewide mobile home on the property. Planner Amy Bucknum presented the rezoning request to the board. She said the request is consistent with the county’s comprehensive plan. During the public hearing, two neighboring property owners expressed their concerns about several possible code enforcement issues. County Attorney Ben Faulkenberry said the issue at hand is the rezoning request and whether the request is in line with the comprehensive plan. Code enforcement issues could then be addressed. Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the rezoning request.
• Billie Walker, Health Director, presented a health department update to the board. She reviewed the 10 essential public health services, which include: monitor health status to identify and solve community health problems; diagnose and investigate health problems and hazards; inform, educate, and empower people about health issues; mobilize community partnerships and action to identify and solve health problems; develop policies and plans that support individual and community health efforts; enforce laws and regulations that protect health and ensure safety; link people to needed personal health services and assure the provision of health care when otherwise unavailable; assure competent public and personal health care workforce; evaluate effectiveness of accessibility and quality of personal and population-based health services; and research for new insight and innovative solutions to health problems.
Walker said the health department is focused on the training and development of the current workforce, and planning for future employees and succession planning. Currently, 35 of 37 positions are filled at the department. The percentage of the management team with less than 10 years until retirement is 57 percent, with 16 percent of employees who are less than five years from retirement.
Unduplicated program numbers total 5,218 for 2024-2025, with 2,886 of those in the dental health program.
Commissioners approved a bad debt write-off of $1,799.90. Walker said bad debt is a total monetary expense for previously administered care that the department incurs, from which no payment was received from either the patient or the insurer.
• Commissioners approved two budget amendments. The first amendment results in a net increase of $233,715 in general fund expenditures to increase the Sheriff’s Office budget for grant funds carried forward from prior years, prior year orders to be filled by vendors in the current budget year, and federal and state funds, which must be used to increase the law enforcement budget. The second amendment results in a net increase of $28,804 in general fund expenditures to increase the Department of Social Services budget for Adult Protective Services and Child Protective Services advanced state funding received in 2025 in response to Hurricane Helene.
• During the public comment period. William King expressed concerns about his ability to send gifts to his grandchildren through the Alexander County Department of Social Services. He asked the commissioners to help resolve the situation.
• Commissioners approved the consent agenda, which included: tax abatements and adjustments totaling $1,210.99 and tax refunds totaling $1,509.95 for May 27 through July 6; minutes from the May 19th and June 2nd regular meetings and the June 2nd Consolidated Human Services Board meeting; appoint Todd Rauscher as Tax Collector for three years and appoint Commissioner Larry Yoder as the NCACC Annual Conference Voting Delegate; agreement with Crisis24 for CodeRED emergency alerts; resolution to approve the annual bonding of county officials; DSS Energy Programs Outreach Plan; Home & Community Care Block Grant; renewal of lease for Economic Development office space; Alexander County Performance Evaluation Policy; non-profit funding contracts with Alexander County Partnership for Children, Alexander County Habitat for Humanity, Studio3 NC, The Bridge Community, and the Hiddenite Arts & Heritage Center; and a request from Sheriff Chad Pennell to surplus a weapon to Lt. Buddy McKinney who is retiring in August.
The next meeting of the Alexander County Board of Commissioners is set for Monday, August 4 at 6:00 p.m. at the CVCC Alexander Center for Education (room #103). Regular meetings are recorded and can be viewed on the county’s Government Channel on Spectrum channel 192 or the county’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/alexandercountync. Meeting agendas, minutes, videos, and more are available on the county’s website at https://alexandercountync.gov/commissioners.