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Board of Commissioners — Regular Meeting

Wake County · Board of Commissioners
Tuesday, January 20, 2026 at 2:00 pm · Wake County Justice Center

Regular meeting Housing and affordabilityGrants and outside fundingPublic facilitiesFire and EMSAppointments and personnelBonds and debtBudget and appropriationsContracts and procurementEnvironment and sustainabilityHealth and human servicesHomelessness and shelterIntergovernmental agreementsLand conversion and large developmentLitigation and settlementsWater and sewer

Agenda document Minutes Meeting page Watch Meeting recap

What was decided

  1. Approved 12.Public Hearing for Wake County Affordable Housing 2026 Annual Action Plan accepted · Pass · Commissioner Waters moved, seconded by Commissioner Thomas, that the Board of Commissioners hold a public hearing to receive comments on federal funding to addre…

Another 2 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

Wake County commissioners face a light agenda built almost entirely of consent items, including grant acceptances for HIV/AIDS care (Ryan White Part B) and homeless services (Continuum of Care), a construction contract for the Marbles Kids Museum courtyard expansion, an affordable-housing loan assumption in Garner, additional affordable-housing funds for the Biltmore Hills project in Raleigh, a new full-time Animal Center operations director position, a slope easement at the Brier Creek Reservoir site, and a tax-exempt bond issuance (not to exceed $40 million) for the Bennett Apartments North affordable housing project.

On the regular agenda, the board holds a public hearing on the county's 2026 Annual Action Plan for federal affordable-housing and community-development funding, and considers schematic design approval for the new county Animal Center. The meeting also includes routine reports (uncollectible accounts receivable, advisory board updates) and a closed session before adjournment.

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

Commissioners approved a consent agenda covering eight items on a single 7-0 vote: accepting Ryan White Part B and Continuum of Care grant funding, awarding a construction contract for the Marbles Kids Museum's west courtyard expansion, assuming a housing rehabilitation loan on Wilmington Road in Garner, adding affordable-housing funds for Biltmore Hills in Raleigh, creating a full-time operations director position for the Animal Center, approving a slope easement on county property near the Brier Creek Reservoir, and clearing a TEFRA bond issuance for Bennett Apartments North.

The board also held a public hearing on the county's 2026 Annual Action Plan for federal housing funds, then voted 7-0 to approve schematic design for the new Animal Center. Commissioners recognized five retiring employees and heard from Healing Transitions participant Darryl West about his 24 years of sobriety. Nine people spoke during general public comment, most urging the board to adopt the county's Cultural Arts Plan; a closed session on a personnel matter ended with no action, and the meeting adjourned at 7:20 p.m.

How the votes went

Five recorded votes, all 7-0 with every commissioner present: approval of the agenda, approval of the consent agenda covering items 3 through 10, the motion to hold the public hearing on the 2026 Annual Action Plan, approval of schematic design for the new Animal Center, and adjournment. No vote was split.

From the published minutes.

Who spoke

14 members of the public spoke.

  1. Michelle Weathers asked commissioners to support the Wake County Cultural Arts Plan.
  2. Elaine Owens, of Wake Forest, presented a 76-signature petition asking the board to ban hunting dogs as a wildlife hazard and make the Neuse Game Lands bow-only.
  3. Cari Boram, CEO of Triangle Family Services, asked the board to appropriate grant funds for the Continuum of Care Program.
  4. Karen Lassiter, housing and family director at Families Together, asked the board to keep funding CDBG and ESG programs in the annual budget.
  5. Con objected to the county's use of surveillance systems and artificial intelligence and asked the board to vote against them.
  6. Jean Spooner, representing the Umstead Coalition, asked the board to enforce the Unified Development Ordinance and raised concerns about the county's noise ordinance.
  7. Amber Williamson, of Zebulon, asked commissioners to support the Cultural Arts Plan.
  8. Julia Mastropaola, director of arts for the United Arts Council, invited the board to an Artist in Schools event and asked it to support the Cultural Arts Plan.
  9. A freshman at Enloe High School spoke about what arts education has meant to him and asked the board to adopt the Cultural Arts Plan.
  10. Wanda McArn, a Raleigh resident, asked the county to consider tiny homes up to 1,200 square feet as rental and ownership options, including for seniors, and suggested faith communities as partners.
  11. Everett McElveen, CEO of CASA, asked the board to support the 2026 Annual Housing Action Plan.
  12. Yolanda Winstead spoke in support of the 2026 Annual Housing Action Plan.
  13. Amy Smith spoke in support of the 2026 Annual Housing Action Plan.
  14. Rae Marie Hall Czubai, CEO of the Green Chair Project, thanked the board for funding the Bridge to Home project, which she said has furnished homes for more than 1,100 households this year.

The general comment period drew nine speakers, most urging adoption of the county's Cultural Arts Plan, plus a hunting-dogs petition and objections to surveillance and AI use. A second period, during the affordable-housing public hearing, drew five speakers, all supportive of the plan or proposing tiny homes as a housing option.

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 (26 on this agenda)
  1. Meeting Called to Order: Chair Don Mial
  2. Pledge of Allegiance
  3. Invocation: Commissioner Cheryl Stallings
  4. Items of Business
  5. 1.Approval of Agenda
  6. 2.Retiree Recognition
  7. Consent Agenda
  8. 3.North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services - Ryan White P…
  9. 4.Appropriate Grant Funds for the Continuum of Care Program
  10. 5.Award Construction Contract for Marbles Kids Museum West Courtyard En…
  11. 6.Assumption of a Housing Rehabilitation Loan for 4418 Wilmington Road…
  12. 7.Additional Affordable Housing Funds for Biltmore Hills in Raleigh, NC
  13. 8.Authorize the Establishment of One Full Time Operations Director to S…
  14. 9.Approve Slope Easement on County Property at Site# 20A Brier Creek Re…
  15. 10.Proposed TEFRA Issuance by the Housing Authority of the County of Wak…
  16. General Public Comments
  17. 11.General Public Comments
  18. Regular Agenda
  19. 12.Public Hearing for Wake County Affordable Housing 2026 Annual Action…
  20. 13.Approval of Schematic Design for the New Animal Center Project
  21. Other Business
  22. 14.Annual Report on Uncollectible Accounts Receivable
  23. 15.Reports from Advisory and Regional Boards
  24. 16.Other Reports from Commissioners
  25. Closed Session
  26. Adjourn

Agenda items (26)

Procedural · 7Budget action · 3Contract or award · 3Staff or committee report · 3Other · 2Consent agenda · 2Proclamation or recognition · 1Personnel · 1Resolution · 1Public hearing · 1Discussion item · 1Closed session · 1
  1. Meeting Called to Order: Chair Don Mial
    Other
  2. Pledge of Allegiance
    Procedural
  3. Invocation: Commissioner Cheryl Stallings
    Procedural
  4. Items of Business
    Procedural Fire and EMS
  5. 1. Approval of Agenda
    Procedural Fire and EMS
    Council adopts the meeting agenda for the day.
    accepted · Pass · Commissioner Stallings moved, seconded by Commissioner Waters, to the Approval of Agenda. The motion carried by the following vote:
  6. 2. Retiree Recognition
    Proclamation or recognition
    The board recognizes retiring county employees.
  1. 3. North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services - Ryan White Part B Funding
    Budget action Grants and outside fundingHealth and human services
    Accepts NC DHHS Ryan White Part B funding, which supports HIV/AIDS medical care and support services for county residents.
  2. 4. Appropriate Grant Funds for the Continuum of Care Program
    Budget action Grants and outside fundingHomelessness and shelterHousing and affordability
    Appropriates grant funds for the county's Continuum of Care program, which coordinates homelessness assistance and housing services.
  3. 5. Award Construction Contract for Marbles Kids Museum West Courtyard Enclosure & Expansion and Authorization to Amend Related Funding Agreement
    Contract or award Contracts and procurementPublic facilities
    Awards a construction contract and amends the related funding agreement for an enclosure and expansion of the Marbles Kids Museum's west courtyard.
  4. 6. Assumption of a Housing Rehabilitation Loan for 4418 Wilmington Road Garner, NC
    Contract or award Housing and affordability
    Approves the county's assumption of an existing housing rehabilitation loan tied to a property at 4418 Wilmington Road in Garner.
  5. 7. Additional Affordable Housing Funds for Biltmore Hills in Raleigh, NC
    Budget action Grants and outside fundingHousing and affordability
    Adds affordable-housing funding for the Biltmore Hills development in Raleigh.
  6. 8. Authorize the Establishment of One Full Time Operations Director to Support Animal Center Operations
    Personnel Appointments and personnelPublic facilities
    Authorizes a new full-time Operations Director position to support Animal Center operations.
  7. 9. Approve Slope Easement on County Property at Site# 20A Brier Creek Reservoir
    Contract or award Environment and sustainabilityWater and sewer
    Approves a slope easement on county property at the Brier Creek Reservoir site (Site #20A).
  8. 10. Proposed TEFRA Issuance by the Housing Authority of the County of Wake of Not to Exceed $40,000,000 Multifamily Housing Revenue Bonds for Bennett Apartments North
    Resolution Bonds and debtHousing and affordabilityLand conversion and large development
    Approves a proposed TEFRA bond issuance by the Wake County Housing Authority, not to exceed $40 million, to finance the Bennett Apartments North multifamily housing project.
  9. General Public Comments
    Procedural
  10. 11. General Public Comments
    Procedural
    General public comment period on matters not otherwise on the agenda.
  11. Regular Agenda
    Other
  12. 12. Public Hearing for Wake County Affordable Housing 2026 Annual Action Plan
    Public hearing Grants and outside fundingHousing and affordability
    Public hearing to take comment on the county's 2026 Annual Action Plan for federal affordable-housing and community-development funding.
    accepted · Pass · Commissioner Waters moved, seconded by Commissioner Thomas, that the Board of Commissioners hold a public hearing to receive comments on federal funding to address affordable housing and community development needs in Wake County. The motion carried by the following vote:
  13. Other Business
    Discussion item
  14. 14. Annual Report on Uncollectible Accounts Receivable
    Staff or committee report Budget and appropriations
    Staff present the annual report on county accounts receivable deemed uncollectible.
  15. 15. Reports from Advisory and Regional Boards
    Staff or committee report Intergovernmental agreements
    Commissioners report back on advisory and regional board meetings they attended.
  16. 16. Other Reports from Commissioners
    Staff or committee report
    Other updates from individual commissioners.
  17. Closed Session
    Closed session Litigation and settlements
    Board goes into closed session; the agenda does not state the specific statutory purpose.
  18. Adjourn
    Procedural
    Meeting adjourns.
    accepted · Pass · Commissioner Adamson moved, seconded by Commissioner Thomas, to Adjourn. The motion carried by the following vote:

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