By Jessie Burchette

Salisbury Post

Rowan County commissioners are set to try and strike a deal on a new contract with County Manager Bill Cowan at their meeting Thursday.

The board will also consider a contract to replace the burned petting barn at Dan Nicholas Park and take a look at a revised ordinance dealing with adult establishments.

And the board will consider nearly two dozen other items, including a discussion of property rights in its first meeting at the new time — 4 p.m. — instead of the normal 7 p.m. start time.

On a split vote, commissioners agreed at their last meeting to negotiate a new contract with Cowan, rather than do a full-fledged national search. All the commissioners agreed to be involved in the negotiations.

The board is scheduled to go into closed session to deal with the contract issue.

In other matters, the board will:

* Hold a public hearing on changes in the personnel board ordinance that removes the county manager as a voting member;

* Consider setting a public hearing on recommended changes in the adult use ordinance;

* Consider a recommendation to award a contract to C.S. Bradshaw for construction of a shell building for the petting barn at Dan Nicholas Park at a price of $191,000.

Additional work including concrete and architectural fees are expected to cost around $38,000.

* Consider approval of a contract with Ware-Bonsall of Charlotte as architect for the jail pod completion.

* Receive the annual report from the Community Child Protection Team.

* Commissioner Jim Sides will discuss property rights and possibly ask for a vote to direct that any agency representing or funded by the county cannot go onto private property without the owner’s approval.

Sides has raised the issue recently of people working for various agencies going on private property without asking permission.

* County Attorney Jay Dees will update the board on his findings related to appointments of commissioners to serve on board or as liaisons.

* Discuss the board’s legislative goals and decide the county’s official stance.

Commissioner Tina Hall will represent the board as the voting delegate at N.C. Association of County Commissioners Conference, Jan. 11-12.

* Consider several appointments to various board including the Parks and Recreation Commission.

* Consider setting a public hearing on changes in the ordinance dealing with the Planning Board. Under the proposal, the size of the board would be reduced from 11 members to nine.

The Rowan County Board of Commissioners meets at 4 p.m. Thursday in the J. Newton Cohen Sr. Meeting Room, County Administrative Offices, 130 W. Innes St.