Board of Commissioners

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS March 16, 2026 MINUTES PRE-MEETING - 4:45PM Mayor Bilodeau called the Pre-meeting to order at 4:48PM.  Agenda Review Manager Grant gave an overview of the 6PM agenda. The Board discussed Item 11A Eligibility Guidelines for Affordable Housing Funding at length and agreed that additional time was needed to determine the project clause addressing the “affordability term must be LIHTC compliant or at least 50 years in duration”. It was recommended that the item be pulled from the 6PM agenda.  Introduction of Mental Health Clinician Chief Baucom introduced the new Mental Health Clinician Loleita Page and her supervisor Rebecca Peacock. Ms. Page gave a brief overview of how and in what capacity she is working with the police department to provide mental health services during 911-related calls.  Commissioners Discussion Mayor Bilodeau opened the floor for discussion. Planning Director Burhans provided the Board with a recap of what has been heard by the public regarding the Downtown Master Plan, the project timeline to date, and suggested revisions to the plan. The Board discussed the suggested revisions and how to effectively get the revised plan out to the public for review before holding a new public hearing.  Asset Forfeiture This item was moved to New Business during the 6PM meeting. Commissioner Furcht made a motion to adjourn the Pre-meeting at 5:49PM. Commissioner Sansbury seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously, 5-0. REGULAR MEETING - 6:00PM 1. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Bilodeau called the meeting to order at 6:03PM. 2. DETERMINATION OF QUORUM All commissioners were present at the meeting. 03/16/26 Regular Meeting Page 1 3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Mayor Bilodeau requested the agenda be amended to remove Item 11A and add New Business Item 13A Asset Forfeiture from the Pre-meeting. Commissioner Osborne made a motion to amend and approve the agenda as requested by Mayor Bilodeau. Commissioner Johnson seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously, 5-0. 4. MOMENT OF SILENCE AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Mayor Bilodeau led the pledge after a moment of silence was observed. He recognized Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioner Chairman Mark Jerrell and Commissioner Leigh Altman who were present. 5. CITIZEN CONCERNS/COMMENTS Mayor Bilodeau invited the public to speak. Asst. Manager Beardsley called upon those who were signed up. Joe Steele – 20429 Church Street, expressed his concerns with a hole on Pecan Street that has been left by utility workers for months. Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioner Chairman Mark Jerrell and Commissioner Altman thanked the Town Board and management for their working relationship over the years and in the future. Nancy Archer – 21100 Catawba Avenue, explained that she and a neighbor have been measuring the widths of streets within the scope of the 2050 Downtown Master Plan and expressed concerns with negatively impacting homes that currently sit close to the roads to be widened. 6. TOWN RECOGNITIONS A. Mayor's Outstanding Citizen Award Mayor Bilodeau recognized Lin Snowa posthumously with the first Mayor’s Outstanding Citizen Award for the first quarter of 2026 and presented the award to Mrs. Snowa and family. 7. REPORTS Commissioner Osborne reported on the following: • MPTA is on track to implement the one cent sales tax effective July 1, 2026, as well as looking at ways to accelerate some milestones they have identified. Parks Director Fitzsimmons reported on the following: • 2,133 children have been registered for the 2026 Summer Camps. • Black History Month Celebration was held on Feb. 28th with approximately 85 attendees. • Dadgum! Get Outside and Play Day was held on Mar. 1st with approximately 75 attendees. • Senior BBQ & Bingo was held on Mar. 4th with approximately 39 attendees. • Middle School Hoop Dreams will be held Mar. 15th – Apr. 15th at Bailey Road Recreation Center ($26 resident/$35 non-resident). • Hop Into Spring will be held on Mar. 28th at Wilhelm Park (11AM-1PM). • Egg My Yard will be held Mar. 30th – Apr. 1st for Cornelius residents only (25 eggs for $15/50 eggs for $25). • Earth Jam will be held on Apr. 18th at Robbins Park (3PM-6PM). • Bailey Road Park multipurpose fields 1 & 2 turf replacement has been completed. 03/16/26 Regular Meeting Page 2  • A public input session will be held at Town Hall, Room 204 on Mar. 18th at 6PM to review and discuss options for the 37-acres (DRI property) that was recently acquired. Planning Director Burhans reported on the following: • Downtown Master Plan update schedule – o Late-March/early-April a revised draft of the plan according to the feedback received will be made available on the website for review. o Mid-April small group meeting will be held with citizen groups. o A community meeting will be scheduled sometime in May (notifications via USPS). o Early-Summer is anticipated for Town Board adoption. 8. TRANSPORTATION DISCUSSION Mayor Bilodeau opened the floor for transportation discussion. Deputy Manager Herron reported on the following: • Bailey Road Extension and roundabout at Poole Place – the bid was opened by NCDOT on Feb. 23rd, and the contract was awarded to Blythe Development for $7.8M. Work is anticipated to start within the next week and complete by Fall 2027. • Hickory Street/Hwy. 115 intersection – the bidding has been pushed back while the City of Charlotte reviews all rail crossings with Norfolk Southern. It is anticipated for bidding to occur in May, and the contract be awarded by the Board of Transportation in June. • Torrence Chapel Road – NCDOT awarded the contract to Blythe Development in 2025. Staff attended a pre-construction meeting with NCDOT, and the contractor and the following work schedules were outlined: o Construction work beginning on April 6th through the end of 2026  Phase #1 – One Norman/Knox Road and some of the Torrence Chapel/Knox Road roundabout  Phase #2 – work inside the roundabout at Torrence Chapel/Knox Road  Phase #3 – Torrence Chapel Road in front of Fresh Market Shopping Center o Construction work to begin after January 1, 2027  Phase #4 – Liverpool Parkway widening and roundabout in front of the post office  Phase #5 - all West Catawba Avenue work (south lane to I-77, expansion lanes onto Liverpool Pkwy)  Phase #6 – the resurfacing/paving of entire project o Most work will occur between 6PM-9AM o Day work will occur on Knox Road due to residential area o Chain of command communication has been established o Daily communication will occur with CPD o A community meeting will be scheduled to inform the public of project schedule Commissioner Furcht asked for a description of the Knox Road portion of the project. Deputy Manager Herron stated that it will include a small widening section, a crosswalk installed across from Aldi and a redo signal at One Norman that will include 2 left turning lanes onto West Catawba. 03/16/26 Regular Meeting Page 3  Commissioner Sansbury stated that if NCDOT can switch the work hours forward or back, they should not impact the peak traffic hours. Deputy Manager Herron stated that DOT will be avoiding any work in the travel lanes during rush hour traffic and then road work will occur 9PM- 6AM. Commissioner Osborne asked if NCDOT provided staff with any updates to the Town/TAB top six priorities that were recently submitted. Deputy Manager Herron stated that staff is preparing a summary of the update that will be discussed at the April 6th Town Board meeting and April 7th TAB meeting. Commissioner Sansbury asked what the timeline for completion of the Potts Road roundabout was. Asst. Manager Beardsley stated 3-4 months is the anticipated time for completion. Commissioner Carney asked if there were any new updates on the West Catawba Avenue, Phase 2 project. Deputy Manager Herron stated that NCDOT has told staff that they will let the Town know when all required right-of-way has been completed, but it is still on schedule for bidding/letting in December 2027. 9. PRESENTATIONS A. FY26 Support Grant Report - North Carolina Youth Orchestra (NCYO) April Dunn the NCYO Director of Finance provided the Board with an overview on how the FY26 support grant funds ($10K) were utilized. She explained that NCYO has 257 students enrolled, of that, 29 students are taking advantage of multiple programs that are offered and they have their first non-English speaking student from Japan. There are 31 different weekly classes offered, 3 side-by-side orchestra events (UNC Charlotte Orchestra, Orchestra of the Carolinas, Salisbury Symphony), different levels of instrument instruction, a new viola class, and a new youth choir program. The $10K grant support funds are 100% put into funding scholarships for Cornelius residents or students that are enrolled in Cornelius schools. The total scholarship impact for Cornelius is $19,360 ($7,200 Protégé Program, $6,300 full scholarship, $5,860 partial scholarship) for programs offered August through May, 3 days a week at Bailey Middle School. Ms. Dunn introduced NCYO’s newest board member, former Cornelius commissioner Dr. Scott Higgins, and thanked him for his passionate and growing support. The Board thanked Ms. Dunn for her presentation. 10. PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL A. Resolution Establishing a Housing Authority Mayor Bilodeau called for a motion to open the public hearing to establish a housing authority. The public notice is attached hereto. Commissioner Osborne made a motion to open the public hearing. Commissioner Johnson seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously, 5-0. Deputy Manager Herron outlined the required Resolution necessary to establish a Town Housing Authority. In accordance with policy of the State and as a result of the findings of the Affordable Housing Needs Assessment, the Town seeks to exercise its powers, duties and responsibilities of a housing authority as authorized by NCGS § 160D-1311(b) and Chapter 157 of the North Carolina General Statutes to encourage and support the maintenance and creation of affordable housing options in Cornelius. 03/16/26 Regular Meeting Page 4  Mayor Bilodeau invited the public to speak. There being no comment, he called for a motion to close the public hearing. Commissioner Furcht made a motion to close the public hearing. Commissioner Sansbury seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously, 5-0. Commissioner Johnson made a motion to approve Resolution #2026-01191 establishing a housing authority. Commissioner Osborne seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously, 5-0. Resolution 2026-01191 is hereby made part of the minutes by reference. 11. CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL A. Eligibility Guidelines for Affordable Housing Funding This item was removed from the agenda. B. Code of Ordinances Amendment - Title 9, Chapter 92, Section 92.27(A) Expand Planning Director Burhans gave an overview of Chapter 92.27(A) of the noise ordinance and the desire to expand the definition of "designated areas" for places of public entertainment to include the Cain Center, the Cain Center Ceramic Studios, and the Mills Market development along the Catawba Avenue in downtown. He explained that the sites are all located in standalone Conditional Zoning districts and therefore exempt from the current list of designated areas. The expansion will apply the same noise standards to these sites as other entertainment-oriented uses. Commissioner Sansbury made a motion to approve Ordinance #2026-00902 amending Code of Ordinances, Title 9, Chapter 92, Section 92.27(A) as presented. Commissioner Johnson seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously, 5-0. Ordinance #2026-00902 is hereby made part of the minutes by reference. C. Lake Norman Social District Amendment Planning Director Burhans explained that the proposed Ordinance amendment expands the boundaries of the social district to cover a larger portion of downtown Cornelius, including the Cain Center Pottery Studio, Mills Market development, and Oak Street Mill complex, as well as the live/work units along Catawba Avenue to accommodate current and future businesses that may be interested in obtaining an annual permit to serve in the district. The Operations and Maintenance Plan associated with the district will also be updated to reflect the new boundaries and permit requirements. Commissioner Furcht made a motion to approve an Ordinance #2026-00903 amending the Lake Norman Social District as presented. Commissioner Johnson seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously, 5-0. Ordinance #2026-00903 is hereby made part of the minutes by reference. 03/16/26 Regular Meeting Page 5  D. Federal Legislative Agenda Deputy Manager Herron gave an overview of the federal legislative agenda that was presented and discussed on March 2nd. Commissioner Carney made a motion to approve the 2026 Federal Legislative Agenda as presented. Commissioner Johnson seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously, 5-0. E. Operating and Lease Agreements with ElectriCities Manager Grant explained that effective July 1, 2026, the Town will have a new operating model for its electric utility. The Town staff will manage billing & collection functions and ElectriCities will continue to manage the line & service functions in the field. He outlined the revised operating and lease agreements between the Town and ElectriCities to facilitate the contractual relationship. Commissioner Osborne made a motion to approve the operating and lease agreements with ElectriCities and provide the town manager and town attorney the authority to finalize the terms & conditions and execute the agreements. Commissioner Sansbury seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously, 5-0. F. Motorola Notice to Proceed Chief Baucom Chief Baucom presented a Notice to Proceed (NTP) between the Town and Motorola Solutions to purchase (2) console radios for the Cornelius Communications Center. The pricing is based on the established state contract. The total amount of this purchase is $176,585.53 which was an approved budget request for FY26 ($90,000 budgeted/$72,305.22 in 911 funds/$14,280.31 will be paid with other existing funds). The NTP will secure pricing until the contract between the Town and Motorola Solutions can be reviewed and approved by the Board at a future meeting. Commissioner Carney made a motion to approve the Notice to Proceed with Motorola Solutions to purchase (2) console radios for the Communications Center in the amount of $176,585.53 and provide authority to the town manager and town attorney to finalize the terms & conditions and execute it. Commissioner Johnson seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously, 5-0. 12. CONSENT AGENDA A. Approve Regular Meeting Minutes - Mar. 2nd (Approved 5-0) B. Approve Closed Session Minutes - Mar. 2nd (Approved 5-0) Commissioner Sansbury made a motion to approve the Consent Agenda as presented. Commissioner Furcht seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously, 5-0. 13. COMMISSIONER CONCERNS No concerns were raised. 03/16/26 Regular Meeting Page 6 14. CLOSED SESSION A. Closed Session Pursuant to NCGS 143-318.11(a)(3) Mayor Bilodeau called for a motion to go into Closed Session pursuant to NCGS 143- 318.11(a)(3). Commissioner Johnson made a motion to go into Closed Session at 7:38PM. Commissioner Carney seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously, 5-0. The Board returned from Closed Session at 8:04PM. 15. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to discuss, Commissioner Sansbury made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:04PM. Commissioner Johnson seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously, 5- 0. Approved this 6th day of April 2026. ATTEST: Denis Bilodeau, Mayor Lori A Harrell, Town Clerk 03/16/26 Regular Meeting Page 7  The Beaufort Gazette Durham | The Herald-Sun The Modesto Bee The Belleville News-Democrat Fort Worth Star-Telegram The Sun News - Myrtle Beach Bellingham Herald The Fresno Bee Raleigh News & Observer McClatchy Centre Daily Times Sun Herald Idaho Statesman Bradenton Herald The Island Packet The Kansas City Star Lexington Herald-Leader The Telegraph - Macon Rock Hill | The Herald The Sacramento Bee San Luis Obispo Tribune Tacoma | The News Tribune The Charlotte Observer Merced Sun-Star Tri-City Herald The State Miami Herald The Wichita Eagle Ledger-Enquirer El Nuevo Herald The Olympian AFFIDAVIT OF PUBLICATION Account # Order Number Identification Order PO Cols Depth IPL0319847 Legal Ad - IPL0319847 1.0 30.0L ATTENTION: Lori Harrell North Carolina } ss PO Box 399 Mecklenburg County } Cornelius, NC 28031 Before the undersigned, a Notary Public of said County and State, duly lharrell@cornelius.org authorized to administer oaths affirmations, etc., personally appeared, being duly sworn or affirmed according to law, doth depose and say that he/she is a representative of The Charlotte Observer Publishing Company, a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the State of North Carolina, and publishing a newspaper known as The Charlotte Observer in the city of Charlotte, County of Mecklenburg, RESOLUTION DESIGNATING and State of North Carolina and that as such he/she is familiar with the books, records, files, and business of said Corporation and by THE AUTHORITY OF NCGS reference to the files of said publication, the attached advertisement CHAPTER 157 TO was inserted. The following is correctly copied from the books and files of the aforesaid Corporation and Publication. THE BOARD OF COMMIS- SIONERS OF THE TOWN OF 1.0 insertion(s) published on: CORNELIUS 03/06/26 Print A public hearing will be held to deter- mine if the Board of Commissioners of the Town of Cornelius shall choose to exercise the powers, duties and re- sponsibilities of a housing authority as authorized by Chapter 157 of the Print Tearsheet Link North Carolina General Statutes. The public hearing will be held at 6pm Marketplace Link in the Assembly Room at Town Hall on Monday, March 16, 2026. All interest- ed persons shall be heard and after Amanda Rodela the hearing the Board of Commission- ers shall determine whether there is Amanda Rodela a lack of safe, sanitary housing units available at rental rates affordable to persons of low and moderate income Sherry J Chasteen within the Town of Cornelius; as well Sworn to and subscribed before as whether there is a lack of for-sale me on Mar 6, 2026, 10:01 AM EST housing units available for purchase by persons of low and moderate in- come. IPL0319847 Online Notary Public. This notarial act involved the use of online audio/video communication technology. Notarization facilitated by SIGNiX® Mar 6 2026  RESOLUTION DESIGNATING THE AUTHORITY OF NCGS CHAPTER 157 TO THE BOARD OF COMMIS- SIONERS OF THE TOWN OF CORNELIUS A public hearing will be held to deter- mine if the Board of Commissioners of the Town of Cornelius shall choose to exercise the powers, duties and re- sponsibilities of a housing authority as authorized by Chapter 157 of the North Carolina General Statutes. The public hearing will be held at 6pm in the Assembly Room at Town Hall on Monday, March 16, 2026. All interest- ed persons shall be heard and after the hearing the Board of Commission- ers shall determine whether there is a lack of safe, sanitary housing units available at rental rates affordable to persons of low and moderate income within the Town of Cornelius; as well as whether there is a lack of for-sale housing units available for purchase by persons of low and moderate in- come. IPL0319847 Mar 6 2026