Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting

The following is a staff-prepared summary of key discussion points and decisions from this meeting. For the complete official record, please refer to the approved minutes above.

YMCA Partnership for Youth Sports The Board continued discussion from the September meeting on a potential partnership between the Town of Ranlo and the Gaston YMCA to bring youth recreational sports programming to Ranlo's fields in 2024.

• Molly Diabria, Executive Director of Youth Programming at the Gaston YMCA, presented an overview of the proposal. The YMCA would use town fields to host youth sports — primarily soccer, flag football, and t-ball — for children ages 3 through early teens.
• The YMCA would supply all equipment including balls and nets. The town would provide field space and restroom access. No membership is required for participants, though members receive a discounted registration rate.
• The YMCA currently serves approximately 300 youth in soccer and around 125 in t-ball across its four Gaston County branches. Ranlo's lighted fields were noted as a significant asset.
• The concession stand was discussed as a potential fundraising opportunity for either the YMCA or the town to operate independently.
• The Board voted unanimously to direct staff to move forward with discussions with the YMCA toward establishing a partnership for the 2024 season.

Ranlo Lodge Rental Policy The Board reviewed a revised rental policy for the Ranlo Lodge, incorporating updated rates and new procedures discussed at the September meeting.

• Revised rental rates are $150 for Ranlo residents and $300 for non-residents, plus a refundable $100 security deposit in both cases.
• Cancellations require at least two weeks' advance notice; failure to provide notice will result in forfeiture of the security deposit.
• The Board discussed allowing time-block rentals (such as a 4-hour minimum) in addition to full-day reservations, and the possibility of different rates for weekday versus weekend bookings. Staff was directed to develop a proposal for partial-day rental pricing.
• A suggestion was made to explore engaging the women's group at the Potter House to handle post-rental cleaning, rather than using public works staff. Staff indicated this had been discussed previously and would be followed up on.
• The Board approved the revised rental policy.

Municipal Accounting Service Program The Board considered formally joining the NC League of Municipalities' Municipal Accounting Service Program, which was introduced at the September meeting.

• The program provides free accounting software to the town for three years and on-demand financial support for day-to-day financial operations.
• Staff noted the town has had difficulty retaining qualified finance directors — three in three years — due to competition from larger nearby employers, and expressed that this program would help bridge that gap.
• Staff confirmed positive feedback from two other cities currently in the pilot program.
• The Board voted unanimously to adopt the resolution approving participation in the Municipal Accounting Service Program.

CivicPlus Online Reservation System The Board considered a proposal from CivicPlus to implement an online reservation and calendar system for town facilities, including the Ranlo Lodge.

• Staff presented the platform as user-friendly, ADA-compliant, and scalable for additional uses such as advertising town events — extending reach beyond the town's Facebook page.
• The system would display availability publicly without revealing the names of individuals who have made reservations, protecting resident privacy.
• The Board voted unanimously to approve moving forward with the CivicPlus calendar and reservation platform.

Town Entrance Signage Staff presented two design proposals from a professional sign company for a welcome sign to be placed near the Ranlo Lodge on Mountain Road.

• Two options were presented: a tan brick design consistent with previous town marketing materials, and a custom stone pattern design tailored to match the aesthetic of the renovated lodge.
• The Board selected the custom stone pattern design and discussed potential placement near the lodge driveway entrance, with the sign being double-sided to face traffic in both directions. LED lighting options were also noted as a possibility.
• A motion was made to approve the sign purchase contingent on funding being available through the State Capital Improvement Fund. The motion was seconded and approved. If state capital funds cannot be used, the item would return to the Board for further consideration of alternative funding sources.

South Ranlo Waterline Project — Engineering Agreement Staff provided an update on the $2 million federal appropriation secured for the South Ranlo waterline project and requested approval of an engineering services agreement to advance the project.

• The $2 million was originally secured by former U.S. Senator Richard Burr in 2021–22. The funds have moved through multiple federal agencies, and staff recently received clearance to proceed with an engineering agreement for environmental services.
• The Wooten Company, which previously worked with the town on the Boulder Court project under an existing general services contract, would be engaged via an amendment to that contract to provide environmental documentation, a preliminary engineering report, bidding services, contract administration, and construction observation.
• The Board voted unanimously to approve the engineering agreement amendment with the Wooten Company.

Lead and Copper Line Assessment — Request for Qualifications The Board approved issuing a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for engineering services related to a federally required lead and copper service line inventory.

• The town was approved for a $240,000 grant and up to $160,000 in loan funding through the NC Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) for this project. Staff credited Public Works Director Green with identifying the grant opportunity.
• Federal regulations require all lead and copper service lines to be identified and entered into a database by October 2024. The RFQ will seek an engineering firm to facilitate the assessment. The current scope covers lines within the town's right-of-way and does not require replacement at this time.
• The Board voted unanimously to approve the RFQ for lead and copper line assessment engineering services.

Budget Amendments The Board considered two separate budget amendment actions for fiscal years 2023 and 2024.

• The first motion approved the first-quarter budget amendments for fiscal year 2024, adjusting projected revenues and expenditures based on actual figures received during the quarter. No fund balance was drawn upon.
• The second motion approved the final budget amendments for fiscal year 2023, completing cleanup work begun with the auditor at the September meeting.
• Both motions were approved unanimously.

Staff and Administration Updates Town staff shared several notable announcements during the Other Business portion of the meeting.

• The North Carolina state budget was signed into law with a direct allocation of $5,150,000 for Ranlo, designated primarily for water and sewer infrastructure projects. Staff expressed hope that an additional $1 million under consideration through a federal agricultural bill would be paired with this funding to extend water service lines and install fire hydrants in areas including Monterey Park Drive and the Wilmont Alpine area.
• State Representative Brad Overcash secured $150,000 through the state budget for three new police vehicles. The vehicles arrived during the week of the meeting and are fully grant-funded through the State Capital Improvement Fund.
• A ribbon cutting ceremony for the Ranlo Lodge is planned for November 9th. State legislative representatives have been invited and are expected to attend. Final electrical inspection of the lodge was passed during the week of the meeting; remaining items include ADA parking striping and railing installation.
• Staff reported that easement collection for the South Ranlo waterline project is ongoing. Most property owners have responded positively, but several easements remain outstanding. If