October 19, 2026 Regular Meeting

Burke County Board of Commissioners regular meeting, October 19, 2026. The board considered several financing and infrastructure matters. It took up a resolution for county participation in North Carolina’s CPACE program, which enables privately financed commercial-property improvements such as energy efficiency, resiliency, renewable energy, and water conservation; the transcript includes a motion to adopt but does not clearly capture the vote. The board also considered approval for up to $25 million in tax-exempt revenue bonds for the Berkeley senior-living facility, with the presenter emphasizing that the county would not fund or guarantee the bonds; the vote result is not clear in the transcript. The board approved tax-exempt financing for two fire apparatus purchases through Home Trust Bank: approximately $1.1 million for an Oak Hill Fire and Rescue pumper and $483,265 for a Lake James Fire and Rescue quick-attack truck. Both motions passed 4–0. The board also approved, 4–0, the CDBG-DR citizen participation and anti-displacement plans and authorization to submit a community-infrastructure application for the Indian Hills project.

The county manager presented a proposed development agreement with Morganton and Western Carolina Developers for 25 single-family homes, with an estimated $7.5 million total tax-base investment and county/city support intended to encourage housing development. A resident raised concerns about notice, creek flows, drainage, and flooding; the transcript does not clearly show the board’s final action on this agreement. The board approved budget amendments 8–10 as part of the consent agenda, including closeout of the animal shelter and EMS Phase One capital project and additional state funding for hurricane-affected adult protective services and public-safety items. It also received the 2027 property reappraisal schedule of values for review and scheduled a public hearing for November 16; this was not an adoption of the values.