Commissioners are going to be tied up Monday from 3 p.m. into the evening with a slew of agenda items to discuss and public hearings to conduct at their meeting.
A public hearing for the proposed budget, in which Rowan County Manager Gary Page recommends a tax increase of 3.75 cents, begins at 5:30 p.m.
The second public hearing regarding the financing proposals for West End Plaza will kick off at 7:30 p.m. or soon thereafter.
Signup sheets for each public hearing will be on a table outside the meeting room 30 minutes before start time.
Those wishing to speak at either of the hearings can sign up until that 30-minute deadline.
Commissioners met May 22 in a brief meeting to schedule the second hearing on the financing of the mall purchase after Chairman Jim Sides said commissioners were being bombarded by calls and comments.
At the May 19 meeting, when the first hearing was conducted, commissioners limited the “for” and “against” crowds to five speakers apiece — although an overwhelming majority of the latter showed up.
Commissioners also will look at approving the school system’s three-year lease with Apple submitted by members of the Rowan-Salisbury Board of Education.
The request for the devices will be funded with existing funds by repurposing the district’s allocations, and the school board will not request additional funds specifically for technology.
School officials also will present their budget to commissioners.
In regard to local funding, the school district’s current revenue is $31.8 million while its projected expenditures are $35.2 million — a difference of $3.4 million.
Commissioners also will look at approving leases at the airport, modifying the Bostian Heights Fire Protection District and approving an updated response district map for the Atwell Fire Department.