Megasite opponents frustrated with commissioners' decision

June 03--"We can't continue with these losses." -- Reynolds Lisk, speaking of the loss of manufacturing jobs.

"It's an awful use of county money. Taxes are public funds and you are doing a lousy job of managing it." -- Guy Troy of Liberty.

ASHEBORO -- The frustration of opponents to the Greensboro-Randolph megasite was apparent as the night wore on Monday during the county commissioners' public hearing on the purchase of more land for the project.

There were roughly 70 people at Monday's hearing. Most of the 19 speakers voiced opposition to the project. However, at evening's end, the board of commissioners voted 3-2 to spend $5,878,029.94 from the county's fund balance to buy 169.83 more acres in the project.

The main sentiment of the opposition was expressed by Alan Ferguson, a long-time organizer against the megasite project. He urged the board not to partner with Greensboro, calling into questions the motives of developers there. He said, even though the county had already spent $4.2 million on land in the project, commissioners should "cut our losses" and refuse to be involved any further.

"Randolph County is alone," he said, adding to date there has been no evidence of investment by private parties, by the state or by the GoldenLEAF Foundation in this project.

For the handful of supporters at Monday's meeting, the focus was on the promise of jobs.

"The opportunity is real," said Bonnie Renfro, director of the Randolph County Economic Development Corp., the main speaker in support of the project.

She quoted industry experts who predict three to five new auto sites will be built in North America in the next two to five years.

"The primary locations they would think any Auto OEM (original equipment manufacturer) would consider today are North or South Carolina," she said in her presentation.

Reynolds Lisk of Asheboro told the board he was born in Randolph County and has been in the insurance business here since 1980. He said in the past several years, median income in the county has declined as has per capita income. One in four children in the county live in poverty, he said. The county has seen a continuous drain of jobs from textiles and furniture all the way up to and including the near-future when Arrow International is expected to complete its closure in 2017.

"We can't continue with these losses," he said.

JB Davis of Asheboro, a former Klaussner Furniture executive, was in the audience earlier in the evening as commissioners voted for a $10,500 matching grant for Ennis Flint in Archdale, in part to help create 14 new jobs.

"I'm excited about 14 new jobs, but I would be more excited about 1,400 jobs," he said, referring to the hundreds of jobs a major manufacturer might create if the megasite project is successful.

Steve Foley of Trinity said he was in the Greenville/Spartanburg area 25 years ago when BMW came to town.

"It changed things for that community," he said.

George Birchette of Liberty said, "If you do nothing, nothing is all you will have."

But most of the speakers were adamant in their belief the county is making a costly mistake.

Rene Summerlin of Julian worried about the impact of such a large project on the environment and wildlife of the area. Joe Layton of Liberty said Greensboro is interested in the project because it has no other direction in which to expand. Just like with Randleman Lake, Randolph County residents are the ones who have to give up their land, he said.

Guy Troy of Liberty demanded to know where the money to purchase the land is coming from. He suggested someone on the board could be getting kickbacks. Troy asked why the money couldn't be spent on education or to pay down the county's debt.

"It's an awful use of county money," he said. "Taxes are public funds and you are doing a lousy job of managing it."

Jim Meredith of Liberty said buying more land in the project was "throwing good money after bad." Faye Cox of Asheboro asked, "If this project is so wonderful, why isn't it in Guilford County?"

Chris Huber of Liberty called the project a "pipe dream" while Chris Clarke of Asheboro pointed out a lot of small businesses in the county got their starts without any help from the government.

Carole Yow of Liberty told the commissioners they were investing in an "invisible auto plant." Bobby Ferguson of Liberty asked why the county had not partnered with Chatham County on that megasite. That site will be ready sooner and be cheaper than the one in Randolph County, he said.

When the board voted, commissioners Stan Haywood and David Allen stood against commissioners Arnold Lanier, Phil Kemp and Darrell Frye. However, Haywood had words for some in the audience who let their feelings get the better of them during their remarks.

Haywood said he did not appreciate people telling him, some by email, that he is not a decent person and otherwise questioning his integrity. He said he believes himself and other members of the board to be good, decent people.

But he went on to say he just learned of the availability of environment reports on the site Monday night. Renfro assured Haywood the studies have been available as public record since before the first purchase of land in February. Haywood asked the board to delay the vote until he could have time to review the study, but the request was not put to a vote.

Allen said he had too many unanswered questions. What was the county getting for its $5.8 million purchase? He said it appeared Randolph County was being asked to buy the most expensive land in the project. He questioned why the county was able to buy 224 acres for $4.2 million but had to shell out $5.8 million for 169 acres.

Despite the questions raised by Haywood and Allen, the board approved the purchase which will be closed over the next several months.

___

(c)2015 The Courier-Tribune, Asheboro, N.C.

Visit The Courier-Tribune, Asheboro, N.C. at www.courier-tribune.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.