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Board of Commissioners — Regular Meeting

Wake County · Board of Commissioners
Monday, December 1, 2025 at 5:00 pm · Wake County Justice Center

Regular meeting Appointments and personnelFire and EMSArts and public artGrants and outside fundingTransitElections and districtsHealth and human servicesIntergovernmental agreementsBudget and appropriationsContracts and procurementEconomic development incentivesEnvironment and sustainabilityHistoric preservationHousing and affordabilityImmigration and enforcementLand conversion and large developmentRezoningTax rate and revaluation

Agenda document Minutes Meeting page Watch Meeting recap

What was decided

  1. Approved 6.Approval of the Minutes of the Regular Meeting of October 6, 2025 and the Work Session of November 10, 2025 accepted · Pass · Commissioner Thomas moved, seconded by Commissioner Jackson, to the Approval of the Minutes of the Regular Meeting of October 6, 2025 and the Work Session of Nov…
  2. Approved 21.Public Hearing to Consider Rezoning PLG-RZ-006139-2025 of Two Parcels Totaling 13.96 Acres from Residential-80 District (R-80) to Industrial-2 District (I-2) accepted · Pass · Commissioner Stallings moved, seconded by Commissioner Thomas, that the Board of Commissioners: 1. Holds a public hearing and adopts the draft statement finding…

Another 11 items passed on the consent agenda, which is a single motion covering routine business. See the list.

Read from the agenda's recorded outcomes. Where the board published minutes, those are the record — this is a pointer to them.

What's on this agenda

This is Wake County's first Board of Commissioners meeting of a new term, opening with the election of a board chair and vice chair and recognition of the outgoing chair and outgoing county attorney Scott Warren. Most of the substantive business runs through the consent agenda: two federal grants that would each add a full-time position (one for a mental health project, one for an accreditation program), Wake Transit funding agreements covering GoWake Access and SmartRide service, added funding for the county's pharmacy program, a multiyear agreement with East Carolina University, an interlocal agreement with municipalities, and a services agreement for the county's Historic Preservation Commission and Landmark Program.

The one item requiring a public hearing is a rezoning of two parcels totaling nearly 14 acres from low-density residential (R-80) to industrial (I-2). The board also takes up a large slate of appointments to advisory boards - including its own Energy Advisory Commission and Fire Commission, plus county seats on several municipal and regional boards - and closes with a closed session.

Summarized from the published agenda. Read the agenda itself before acting on it.

Meeting recap

What happened, drawn from the records published after the meeting. Minutes

The board elected Vice-Chair Don Mial as chair and Commissioner Safiyah Jackson as vice-chair, both on 4-3 votes, after recognizing outgoing chair Susan Evans and outgoing county attorney Scott Warren. The consent agenda passed 7-0 without discussion, including the mental health and accreditation grants, the GoWake Access funding agreements and the Historic Preservation Commission services agreement. Commissioners also adopted the rezoning of the 13.96-acre R-80 tract to I-2 by a 7-0 vote after a presentation from planning staff and Planning Board chair Brenna Booker-Rouse; nobody spoke at the public hearing, though commissioners asked about future industrial uses and flooding near Harris Lake.

Thirteen residents spoke during public comment; ten urged the board to adopt the county's proposed Cultural Arts Plan, and the rest raised concerns about draft mining regulations, a library site and school discipline. In board reports, Commissioner Vickie Adamson said fear over immigration enforcement activity has led most performers to cancel out of the Raleigh Entertainment Complex's Hispanic performance series, and ticket sales have collapsed.

How the votes went

The chair and vice-chair elections were the only contested votes, both 4-3: Don Mial was elected chair with Commissioner Cheryl Stallings abstaining and Chair Susan Evans and Commissioner Vickie Adamson voting no, and Commissioner Safiyah Jackson was elected vice-chair over Stallings. Every other recorded item - the agenda, the prior minutes, the consent agenda, the rezoning ordinance and adjournment - passed 7-0.

From the published minutes.

Who spoke

13 members of the public spoke.

  1. Adam Cohen, co-founder of the arts nonprofit Art Givers, asked the board to move the county's Cultural Arts Plan forward.
  2. A resident of North Wake voiced support for the Cultural Arts Plan.
  3. Nate McGaha, executive director of Arts in NC, thanked commissioners for their leadership and asked the board to support the Cultural Arts Plan.
  4. A Raleigh resident asked the board to support the Cultural Arts Plan.
  5. A Raleigh resident spoke in support of the Cultural Arts Plan, citing its role in cultivating creativity.
  6. A parent-teacher organization's cultural arts representative spoke in support of the plan.
  7. Carly Jones, CEO of Arts Space, spoke in support of the Cultural Arts Master Plan.
  8. A Raleigh artist urged the board to adopt the Cultural Arts Plan.
  9. A resident raised concerns about the county's proposed mining rules, including their sunset clauses, and asked the board to read and comment on them.
  10. A resident of Orange County who works in Wake County's arts community spoke in support of the Cultural Arts Plan.
  11. A Raleigh resident spoke in support of the Cultural Arts Master Plan.
  12. A resident asked the board to keep a library at the Athens Drive location rather than moving it to the Well-Fed site, and thanked commissioners for meeting with her and her neighbors.
  13. A resident of Apex raised concerns about civil rights, bullying in Wake County schools, and the abuse of power by officials.

Ten of the thirteen speakers urged the board to adopt the county's Cultural Arts Plan. The rest raised concerns about draft mining rules, a library relocation and school discipline.

Read from the records the government published after the meeting. Members of the public are private residents and are not named or indexed.

Speaking at this meeting

Public comment runs 5:30 to 6 p.m. at the first regular meeting of the month and 2:30 to 3 p.m. at the second. Speakers get three minutes. Written comments can be submitted online between 9 a.m. and noon on the day of a regular meeting.

Wake County's own rules for public comment — check them before you rely on anything here.

Jump to an item (43 on this agenda)
  1. Meeting Called to Order: Yvonne Gilyard, Clerk to the Board, Presiding
  2. Pledge of Allegiance
  3. Invocation: Commissioner Cheryl Stallings
  4. Items of Business
  5. 1.Election of Chair of the Board for a Term of One Year
  6. 2.Election of Vice-Chair for a Term of One Year
  7. 3.Recognition of Outgoing Chair
  8. 4.Recognition of County Attorney Scott Warren
  9. 5.Approval of Agenda
  10. 6.Approval of the Minutes of the Regular Meeting of October 6, 2025 and…
  11. Consent Agenda
  12. 7.Accept and Appropriate Federal Grant Funds for Mental Health Project…
  13. 8.Accept and Appropriate Federal Grant Funds for Accreditation Program…
  14. 9.FY2026 Wake Transit General Operating and Capital Agreements for GoWa…
  15. 10.FY2026 Wake Transit SmartRide Agreement for GoWake Access
  16. 11.Increased Funding for the Pharmacy Program
  17. 12.Approve Multiyear Agreement with East Carolina University
  18. 13.Approve Interlocal Agreement with Municipalities and Related Resoluti…
  19. 14.Multi-Year Services Agreement for Administration of the Wake County H…
  20. 15.Designation of Map and Plat Review Officers for the Town of Clayton
  21. 16.Resolution Authorizing the Commercial Property Assessed Capital Expen…
  22. 17.Approval of the Wake County Board of Alcoholic Beverage Control Trave…
  23. 18.Tax Committee Recommendations for Gross Receipts Penalty, Refund Requ…
  24. 19.Adoption of the 2026 Board of Commissioners Meeting Schedule
  25. General Public Comments
  26. 20.General Public Comments
  27. Regular Agenda
  28. 21.Public Hearing to Consider Rezoning PLG-RZ-006139-2025 of Two Parcels…
  29. Appointments
  30. 22.Energy Advisory Commission
  31. 23.Fire Commission
  32. 24.Fuquay-Varina Board of Adjustment
  33. 25.Fuquay-Varina Planning and Zoning Board
  34. 26.GoTriangle Board of Trustees
  35. 27.Housing Authority of Wake County
  36. 28.Rolesville Board of Adjustment
  37. 29.United Arts Grants Panel
  38. 30.Upcoming Vacancies for January 2026
  39. Other Business
  40. 31.Reports from Advisory and Regional Boards
  41. 32.Other Reports from Commissioners
  42. Closed Session
  43. Adjourn

Agenda items (43)

Consent agenda · 11Appointment · 10Procedural · 9Other · 2Proclamation or recognition · 2Discussion item · 2Staff or committee report · 2Minutes approval · 1Contract or award · 1Resolution · 1Public hearing · 1Closed session · 1
  1. Meeting Called to Order: Yvonne Gilyard, Clerk to the Board, Presiding
    Other
  2. Pledge of Allegiance
    Procedural
  3. Invocation: Commissioner Cheryl Stallings
    Procedural
  4. Items of Business
    Procedural Fire and EMS
  5. 1. Election of Chair of the Board for a Term of One Year
    Procedural Elections and districtsFire and EMS
  6. 2. Election of Vice-Chair for a Term of One Year
    Procedural Elections and districtsFire and EMS
  7. 3. Recognition of Outgoing Chair
    Proclamation or recognition Fire and EMS
  8. 4. Recognition of County Attorney Scott Warren
    Proclamation or recognition Fire and EMS
  9. 5. Approval of Agenda
    Procedural Fire and EMS
    accepted · Pass · Commissioner Stallings moved, seconded by Commissioner Thomas, to the Approval of Agenda. The motion carried by the following vote:
  10. 6. Approval of the Minutes of the Regular Meeting of October 6, 2025 and the Work Session of November 10, 2025
    Minutes approval Fire and EMS
    accepted · Pass · Commissioner Thomas moved, seconded by Commissioner Jackson, to the Approval of the Minutes of the Regular Meeting of October 6, 2025 and the Work Session of November 10, 2025. The motion carried by the following vote:
  1. 12. Approve Multiyear Agreement with East Carolina University
    Contract or award
    Approves a new multiyear agreement between Wake County and East Carolina University; the agenda does not specify the services covered.
  2. 16. Resolution Authorizing the Commercial Property Assessed Capital Expenditure (C-PACE) Program in Raleigh
    Resolution Economic development incentivesEnvironment and sustainability
    Authorizes a Commercial Property Assessed Capital Expenditure (C-PACE) program in Raleigh, a financing mechanism that lets commercial property owners pay for energy-efficiency and other upgrades through a property assessment.
  3. 17. Approval of the Wake County Board of Alcoholic Beverage Control Travel Policy
    Discussion item
    Reviews and considers the travel policy for the county's Board of Alcoholic Beverage Control.
  4. General Public Comments
    Procedural
  5. 20. General Public Comments
    Procedural Arts and public art
    Thirteen speakers took the floor; ten urged adoption of the county's proposed Cultural Arts Plan, and the rest raised concerns about draft mining regulations and a library site.
  6. Regular Agenda
    Other
  7. 21. Public Hearing to Consider Rezoning PLG-RZ-006139-2025 of Two Parcels Totaling 13.96 Acres from Residential-80 District (R-80) to Industrial-2 District (I-2)
    Public hearing Land conversion and large developmentRezoning
    Public hearing on a rezoning of two parcels totaling 13.96 acres from Residential-80 (R-80) to Industrial-2 (I-2).
    accepted · Pass · Commissioner Stallings moved, seconded by Commissioner Thomas, that the Board of Commissioners: 1. Holds a public hearing and adopts the draft statement finding that the requested rezoning to Industrial-2 is consistent with the Wake County Comprehensive Plan, reasonable, and in the public interest; and by a separate motion; 2. Adopts the attached ordinance for the proposed rezoning as presented in…
  8. Appointments
    Appointment Appointments and personnel
  9. 22. Energy Advisory Commission
    Appointment Appointments and personnel
  10. 23. Fire Commission
    Appointment Appointments and personnel
  11. 24. Fuquay-Varina Board of Adjustment
    Appointment Appointments and personnel
  12. 25. Fuquay-Varina Planning and Zoning Board
    Appointment Appointments and personnel
  13. 26. GoTriangle Board of Trustees
    Appointment Appointments and personnelTransit
  14. 27. Housing Authority of Wake County
    Appointment Appointments and personnelHousing and affordability
  15. 28. Rolesville Board of Adjustment
    Appointment Appointments and personnel
  16. 29. United Arts Grants Panel
    Appointment Appointments and personnelArts and public artGrants and outside funding
  17. 30. Upcoming Vacancies for January 2026
    Appointment Appointments and personnel
  18. Other Business
    Discussion item
  19. 31. Reports from Advisory and Regional Boards
    Staff or committee report Arts and public artImmigration and enforcement
    Commissioner Vickie Adamson told the board that fear over immigration enforcement activity has led most performers to cancel out of the Raleigh Entertainment Complex's Hispanic performance series, and ticket sales have collapsed.
  20. 32. Other Reports from Commissioners
    Staff or committee report
  21. Closed Session
    Closed session
  22. Adjourn
    Procedural
    accepted · Pass · Commissioner Thomas moved, seconded by Commissioner Evans, to Adjourn. The motion carried by the following vote:

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