Commissioners Brian Helms and Melissa Merrell tell citizens they are looking out for taxpayers, but short-sighted decisions are costing the County a lot more. Delays in required infrastructure investment – that would have been funded directly by developers and with NC state grants – will cost millions more when existing facilities fail in just a few years.
Their signature failure came during their first few days in office. In late 2022, the County purchased land for a required infrastructure project. As soon as Merrell and Helms were sworn in, they voted to approve a lease of the same land – BACK TO THE SELLER – for a period of 10 years. There was no “out clause” in the lease. And the lease amount was only $3,000 per year. This amount was less that the property tax the property was generating just weeks ago.
Helms and Merrell were elected in November 2022. At the December 5, 2022, Board of Commissioners meeting, new commissioner Merrell was the one who made the motion to initiate the lease-back scheme. There can be no justification for this action. If that last was not to be used for infrastructure, it could have been sold so the County could recoup the more than $4M it spent weeks earlier.