Commissioners look at building projects
Commissioners look at building projects
GREENSBORO — More than $30 million in expected construction projects and renovations will go before the Guilford County Board of Commissioners tonight .
The projects are part of the county’s capital investment plan, which directs where Guilford County plans to spend money on work that costs more than $100,000 or has a lifespan of more than 10 years.
“We set aside separate funding for that,” said Chairman Melvin “Skip” Alston .
The money for the projects is included in the county’s budget and comes from previous bond issuances and other construction funds.
One project will move the Register of Deeds offices in High Point and in Greensboro out of each city’s courthouse .
The goal is easier access for regular people who need to do business with the Register of Deeds and to eliminate the searches required for entering the courthouse.
“That will make it more accessible to the public,” County Manager Brenda Jones Fox said .
The High Point Register of Deeds office will move to its new home at 325 E. Russell St. in March, according to Register of Deeds Jeff Thigpen.
T he Greensboro office will move to the BB&T building at Greene and Market streets in November 2011 .
Currently, the Greensboro office is in the lowest level of the Guilford County Courthouse.
“We’re basically kind of landlocked down there,” Thigpen said. “And it is my feedback from customers is that it has been pretty inconvenient to get in and out of the courthouse.”
Projects include:
- $8.4 million to extend water and sewer to the Lynwood Lakes subdivision.
- $5.3 million for new software for the county’s financial, human resources, payroll and other systems.
- $5.1 million to finish the renovation of the Guilford County Courthouse.
- $4.5 million to finish work at Triad Park, part of a shared-cost agreement with other Triad municipalities.
- $3 million to renovate a health department building at 1100 E. Wendover Ave.
- $2.3 million to extend water and sewer service to Forest Oaks Estates.
- $468,626 to renovate the High Point courthouse.
- $398,180 to renovate an existing county building on Greene Street.
- $833,114 to renovate an existing county building at The Bellemeade Center and move offices for the Guilford Center from 232 N. Edgeworth St.
Contact Gerald Witt at 373-7008 or gerald.witt@news-record.com
COMMISSIONERS MEETING TONIGHT
What: Guilford County commissioners meeting
When: 5:30 p.m. today
Where: Old County Courthouse, 301 W. Market St., Greensboro
On TV: Time Warner Cable Channel 13 in Greensboro and other areas of Guilford County; cable Channel 8 in High Point.
What’s going on? Commissioners will hear about an incentive request from LabCorp, which is asking for $373,000 in return for 373 jobs and $3 million investment in furniture and equipment . “We will be more inclined to give them two-thirds,” Alston said, adding that the company’s average wage is expected to be $26,000. Guilford County requires average salaries for jobs to be roughly $40,000 for a company to receive incentives of $1,000 per job . “They are bringing jobs to the area,” Alston said of the lower figure for incentives, which would be about $249,000 . “And it will be a little ungrateful to say, 'Thank you for doing this or that, but we’re not going to give you anything.’”
Want to be heard? Speakers can address the board on nonagenda items regarding county business for three minutes at the start of the meeting. A sign-up sheet will be available near the lectern.
Full agenda and live video: www.co.guilford.nc.us/commissioners/granicus
What’s next? If the commissioners approve the incentive plan, the decision will rest with LabCorp. the Greensboro City Council on Tuesday approved a $373,000 incentive request.
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