SALISBURY — The Rowan County Board of Commissioners will convene Monday at 6 p.m. in the J. Newton Cohen Sr. Room on the second floor of the Rowan County Administration Building.

The meeting can be joined virtually at bit.ly/rowanboc1018 using password 101821 or by phone by dialing 602-753-0140, 720-928-9299 or 213-338-8477.

On Monday’s agenda:

• Commissioners will receive a briefing about the Department of Social Services’ plan to contract with Binti for the company to provide a cloud-based software solution to foster home licensing applications. Binti provides software to over 170 foster home agencies in 24 states. After the briefing, commissioners will consider approving Binti as the department’s sole source for a particular software module designed to help agencies recruit and approve more foster families. In a memo sent to commissioners, Department of Social Services Director Micah Ennis and Department of Social Services Board Chair Douglas Smith explained that the department has been exploring a partnership with Binti since 2019 and is confident in the company’s product.

• Commissioners will consider approving a request to purchase body cameras for the bailiffs at the Rowan County Courthouse. The cameras would be purchased from Axon and would cost the county $89,442 over the next four years for the hardware and video storage. In a memo to commissioners, Sheriff Kevin Auten said, “There have been several occasions in which camera footage would have benefitted (Rowan County Sheriff’s Office) personnel who were being complained on.”

• The board will consider approving a contract with ADW Architects for $27,500 for a space need assessment study, programming and “high-level” master planning related to the relocation of the Health Department. The Health Department, primarily located at 1811 E. Innes St., has space needs that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

• The board will consider granting permission for the county to send out a request for qualification for engineering services for residential plumbing. As a result of elevated levels of lead and copper found in drinking water of several customers on the Northeast Rowan Water System, the county plans to replace the plumbing in approximately 10 homes. The county plans to fund the plumbing replacement projects using American Rescue Plan Act funds, if possible. The project will move forward regardless of whether ARPA funds can be used.

• Commissioners will consider approving a request from the Rowan Nature Center at Dan Nicholas Park to donate a collection of rocks, minerals and Native American arrowheads to Rowan Museum. The exact origin of the collection is relatively unknown, and there is currently no place for the items to be displayed at the nature center. Rowan Museum has expressed interest in the items and intends to use them.

• The board will consider a request from Emergency Services Chief Allen Cress to terminate NuCare’s ambulance franchise. The franchise was valid through the end of the year, but NuCare stopped providing services in Rowan County with little notice. Commissioners approved a new ambulance franchise for Providence Transportation last month. 

• Commissioners will consider approving a grant agreement between Rowan County and North Carolina Department of Transportation for $265,000 that will be used for the enhanced mobility of seniors and individuals with disabilities program.

• The board will schedule a public hearing for Nov. 1 regarding the naming of four roads in the county. The four proposed names are Farmstead Lane, Hobby Farm Lane, Summers Dale Lane and Old Woodleaf Road.

• Commissioners will consider approving a four year contract worth $50,000 per year with HDR Engineering for the company to provide general services and planning support to the Rowan County landfill.

• Commissioners will enter into a closed session for attorney-client privileged communication to discuss matters relating to “insurance coverage, risk liability and cost-sharing with the state for health sanitarian claims.”