By Josh Bergeron

josh.bergeron@salisburypost.com

One of the most criticized policy decisions of county government’s former Salisbury Mall purchase is scheduled to come up for debate on Monday.

The Rowan County Board of Commissioners meeting agenda for Monday includes a public hearing for a $3.95 million loan to replenish the county’s fund balance — $3.45 million — and pay for renovations — $500,000. The public hearing will be during the regularly scheduled 3 p.m. meeting at the county’s administration building, 130 West Innes St.

County government is currently seeking to return to the N.C. Local Government Commission — a county and municipal financial regulatory agency — for approval of a loan for the former Salisbury Mall — renamed West End Plaza. County officials have previously said they seek to submit the loan proposal in time for the Local Government Commission’s May meeting.

During public comment periods and hearings, speakers are allotted a set amount of time to speak to commissioners.

Following the public hearing on the West End Plaza loan, county commissioners could approve the loan and an accompanying resolution, which would allow submission to the Local Government Commission.

In late March, county government received its latest round of loan proposals. Last year, county government sought to submit a loan proposal, but withdrew the application before November’s election, in which three new commissioners were elected to the county’s governing board.

The latest loan proposals came in with interest rates lower than 2014’s final submission. The Rowan County Finance Department’s recommendation, likewise, includes a lower interest rate.

A memo from Finance Director Leslie Heidrick to county commissioners recommends a submission from First Bank, which has offices in the Carolinas and Virginia, for approval. The First Bank proposal includes a taxable interest rate of 2.5 percent on $2.5 million. The tax-exempt interest rate in the recommended First Bank proposal is 1.7 percent on $1.45 million.

The rates are split because the tax exempt portion is an estimate that reflects the portion of space Rowan County plans to use for government services, such as the Board of Elections and Veterans Services.

First Bank’s proposal would result in $440,227 in interest. Including interest, the loan would be for nearly $4.4 million. Heidrick’s memo states the county would pay the loan back over a period of 10 years.

During a commissioners’ retreat earlier this year, Heidrick said taking out the loan would prevent the county’s bond ratings from decreasing. Bond ratings could be lowered, she said, if the county decides not to replenish the county’s fund balance, which partially functions as a savings account, from the West End Plaza purchase in December 2013.

The loan would be the latest of several measures concerning West End Plaza that have been considered by commissioners since Chairman Greg Edds, Vice Chairman Jim Greene and Commissioner Judy Klusman took office in December.

The first vote concerning West End Plaza made by commissioners came during the first meeting in December, when they chose to continue an appeal of a special use permit appeal, which would allow government services, after the Salisbury City Council denied the permit a few months earlier. The city council later awarded a conditional district overlay to county government to allow government services.

Commissioner have also voted to lease an additional building for probation officers that the county is legally obligated to provide space for, canceled all contracts at the West End Plaza that had been approved prior to December and voted not to approve any new retail leases in the building until a space needs study and master plan are complete.

The county’s space needs study was presented in March and a master plan for the county’s facilities is scheduled to be presented on April 16.

Other items on the agenda for Monday’s meeting include:

• Appointing Rowan County residents to an task force that’s designed to come up with policy recommendations for the Rowan County Animal Shelter’s operation.

Commissioner Craig Pierce proposed the task force during the board’s retreat earlier this year.

Two veterinarians are proposed to be on the task force and two — Greg Lowe, who is involved with non-profit group Shelter Guardians, and Rebekah Julian, involved with non-profit No Pet Left Behind — applied for the positions.

Four Rowan County residents at large are proposed to be on the task force and 12 applied. The applicants include: Lindsey Ward, Kenneth Shinn, Mary Shinn, Connie Louise Ray, Nina Dix, Jane Hartness, Barbara Hart, William Bucher Jr., Tracy Waugh, Samantha Smith, Candace Terry and Leslie Birch.

• A request to allow the William Kepley family to construct a 36 x 20 shelter in memory of their daughter Sarah Kepley-Hackamack at Dan Nicholas Park

• Setting a public hearing for a 1.5-acre rezoning on the 3000 Block of Old Concord Road

The request is from Mike and Lynn Hartness. The pair are the owners of Kustom Karts and are requesting the land be rezoned from rural residential to commercial, business industrial.

Contact reporter Josh Bergeron at 704-797-4246