The Local Government Commission (LGC) will consider more than $335 million in financing applications at its monthly meeting on Tuesday.

The largest request on the agenda is from Rowan County, totaling $73 million for construction of a new school and other school-related capital projects.

Rowan County officials say the $73 million in limited obligation bonds are necessary to repair and replace aging school facilities in the Rowan-Salisbury School System and Kannapolis City Schools. A limited obligation bond does not require voter approval. The county intends to pay the debt with general fund money, and no tax increase is anticipated.

If approved, the money would be used to build and equip a new school on Park Road West in Salisbury to serve grades 3-8, and build a 31,000-square-foot, 15-classroom, two-story addition that also would house a media center, STEM classroom and teacher offices at Fred L. Wilson Elementary School in Kannapolis. A number of roof projects at various schools also would be conducted in the Rowan-Salisbury School System.

The LGC is chaired by State Treasurer Dale R. Folwell, CPA, and staffed by the Department of State Treasurer (DST). It has a statutory duty to approve most debt issued by units of local government and public authorities in the state. The commission examines whether the amount of money that units borrow is adequate and reasonable for proposed projects and confirms the governmental units can reasonably afford to repay the debt. It also monitors the financial well-being of more than 1,100 local government units.

Macon County is coming before the LGC to seek approval of $69 million in financing for construction of a new high school. Macon County would pay off its limited obligation bonds through general fund revenues. Officials say the existing Franklin High School has safety and Americans With Disabilities Act deficiencies that make it necessary to replace it with a new high school. The proposed project would be built on a 28-acre parcel, accommodate 1,400 students and cost over $100 million. The county got a boost from a separate $62 million state needs-based capital fund grant.

The Onslow Water and Sewer Authority (Onslow County) is asking the LGC to sign off on $35 million in revenue bonds to pay for a new 36,000-foot, 18-inch sewer main and construction of two associated pump stations. Officials say that work, and rehabilitation of two existing pump stations, is necessary to connect Swansboro and Piney Green sewage systems. The project also makes growth opportunities possible in an area currently untreated by sewer. The authority expects rate increases will be necessary.

The N.C. Medical Care Commission wants the LGC to green light its application for $35 million in conduit revenue bonds, which allow the proceeds to be loaned to a third party. EveryAge (formerly United Church Homes and Service) would use the proceeds to purchase skilled nursing and assisted living portions of a retirement community known as Providence Place in High Point (Forsyth County).

Lee County would use $28 million in limited obligation bonds to build and equip a new 33,000-square-foot library in O.T. Sloan Park if the LGC approves its request. Proceeds also would finance purchase of new communications equipment for use by volunteer fire departments, Emergency Medical Services and the town of Broadway.

LGC members will consider a request from Chapel Hill (Orange County) to approve a $27 million, 15-year lease for a building to house the Police Department, Emergency Operations Center, and Technology Solutions team. The existing police facility is old and in need of significant repair. It sits atop a coal ash disposal site for which the town is determining cleanup costs. A tax increase is expected to cover costs.

The Raleigh Housing Authority (Wake County) is asking for the LGC’s stamp of approval for $21 million in conduit revenue bonds. Proceeds would be loaned to BRAD Parkside Apartments, a North Carolina limited liability company, to acquire, build and equip a 144-unit low- and moderate-income multifamily rental housing development. Parkside Apartments would be located on Kent Road.

Onslow County wants LGC members to give the go-ahead for $16 million in limited obligation bonds to help pay the costs of renovating and expanding Northwoods Park Middle School in Jacksonville. The building would grow from 88,863 square feet to 106,992 square feet. Up to 656 students would be served, and construction completion is expected by April 2025. No tax increase is anticipated.

Morehead City (Carteret County) filed an application for a $4.9 million installment purchase for partial construction of a new fire station. The Fire Department and EMS Department are currently working out of a temporary trailer since the fire station was damaged during Hurricane Florence in September 2019.

Reidsville (Rockingham County) is also seeking $4.9 million in financing. It would use a State Revolving Loan to provide a backup power source that could operate the water treatment plant in an emergency. A rate increase is anticipated.

The town of Morrisville (Wake County) is on the agenda for consideration of a $4.5 million long-term lease for a portion of a parking deck as part of a public-private partnership development agreement. The goal is to create a town center project encompassing 25 acres of mixed-use development and public space.

Additional funding request applications were submitted by:

• Morehead City (Carteret County), $1.8 million installment purchase for a fire department ladder truck.
• Lincolnton (Lincoln County), $1.6 million State Revolving Loan to rehabilitate parts of the water treatment plant.
• Vance County, $1.6 million U.S. Department of Agriculture revenue bonds to install 23.6 miles of water main lines to extend service to Kittrell Township for about 210 new connections, and refurbish Kittrell’s 100,000-gallon elevated water tank.
• Rural Hall (Forsyth County), a $1.5 million installment purchase to go towards construction of a new 15,103-square-foot fire station to replace an aging structure.
• Wake Forest (Wake and Franklin counties), $1.4 million in general obligation bonds to build, improve, expand and equip parks and recreation facilities.
• Tryon (Polk County), an $852,459 installment purchase to finance a fire engine that will replace a 25-year-old vehicle, and $612,355 to rehabilitate and replace sewer pipes.
• Black Mountain (Buncombe County), a $194,000 installment purchase to finance two police vehicles and one administrative vehicle.

Other items up for consideration at Tuesday’s meeting include numerous resolutions to approve financing for lead service line inventory projects.

The surveys are required by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and N.C. Department of Environmental Quality regulations. The intent of the inventories is to identify where lead water lines are located in anticipation of replacing them to protect public health. Seeking loan approval from the State Revolving Fund are:

• Bertie County, $43,500
• Clinton (Sampson County), $178,688
• Elizabethtown (Bladen County), $111,568
• Fayetteville Public Works Commission (Cumberland County), $400,000
• Henderson (Vance County), $400,000
• Hendersonville (Henderson County), $229,368
• Iredell Water Corporation (Iredell County), $139,448
• Jason Water Corporation (Greene County), $6,486
• Northampton County, $150,000
• Pine Level (Johnston County), $45,260
• Princeton (Johnston County), $3,802
• Sanford (Lee County), $400,000
• Smithfield (Johnston County), $199,552
• Valdese (Burke County), $200,000
• Williamston (Martin County), $24,500
• Winterville (Pitt County), $165,000