Sandhills_Sentinel

A request to approve the contract for a new parks and reactions facility at Hillcrest Park in Carthage was presented at the Moore County Board of Commissioners meeting Tuesday.

The new facility will be a 22,000 square feet sports complex which will include two gymnasiums, concession area, and a 100 seat conference room for classes.

The cost of the contract is $5.5 million with construction slated to start by September 2019. The project has already been funded, so the funds are available.

Commissioner Louis Gregory pointed out that this was a Moore County park for all who are in Moore County. “It is something we should be proud of and will be something that future generations can be proud of,” he added.

Former Moore County Board of Commissioner Larry Caldwell addressed the board on the sports complex. He stated that we are standing on the shoulders of giants and are fortunate for the support that the public has given the facility project, currently over $650,000 in private money for the new construction.

The board approved the motion 5-0.

In other business, Captain Bill Flint of the Moore County Sheriff Department reported on a recent inspection of the Moore County Detention Center by a Moore County Grand Jury. A report on staffing levels, when the average daily inmate population was 194, showed a staffing shortfall of 11 positions.

Recently, the inmate count has increased by some 20 percent, yet the staffing level has remained below recommended standards. The reduced staffing levels has resulted in an increase of some 66 percent in workman compensation claims.

Recent increases in the detention center budget and changes in operational procedures resulted in the most recent Grand Jury Report concluding that the detention center has met or exceeded all recommendations. 

The board also considered a contract for the renovation of the old detention center to comply with new laws concerning juvenile offenders.

The plan is a feasibility study to utilize the former facility to hold juvenile offenders or female inmates. The fee structure is based on 20 percent of the construction total with a projected budget of $2 million. This would result in a fee for design of $240,000.

The board voted 5-0 to approve the contract.

Also, Moore County Tax Administrator Gary Briggs reported a collection rate of 99.71 percent of total taxes due. That ties the highest collection rate in the last 27 years.

The next commissioners meeting is scheduled for August 6 at 10:30 a.m.

~Written by Sandhills Sentinel Local News/Government Reporter Chris Prentice.           Sandhills_Sentinel
Contact him at [email protected] or (910) 639-9303.

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