(A summary of decisions made by the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners:)

PROCLAMATIONS AND AWARDS. The Board proclaimed January 15, 2007 as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in Mecklenburg County.

PUBLIC APPEARANCE. The following people addressed the Board on items not on the agenda:

• Chris Wilson on the Charlotte-Mecklenburg African-American Agenda, to be held January 4 - 5 at the Charlotte Convention Center.
• Martin Davis on 2006 Mecklenburg County murder statistics.

APPROVAL OF BOND SALE. The Board approved issuing $102 million in general obligation bonds:

$26.5 million for parks and recreation facilities
$65.5 million for public schools
$7 million for CPCC facilities
$3 million for law enforcement facilities

By issuing bonds, the Board is approving the borrowing of $102 million to pay the 2007 cost for these various capital projects. These bonds will be sold at a fixed interest rate. Because Mecklenburg County has a triple-A bond rating, this rate will be the lowest interest rate available for this type of borrowing. Bonds are financed usually over 20 years.

REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.
The Board adopted a resolution requesting that the State of North Carolina improve its process for approving inter-basin water transfers and managing water resources. The resolution calls for regional collaboration and greater input from the public, elected representatives, business community, non-profit sector and the State of South Carolina in future discussions. This resolution is in response to concerns about a request by some communities outside the Catawba River basin to access river water.

LAND ACQUISITIONS. The Board approved the following land acquisitions:

• The donation of a 10-foot greenway easement along Stewart Creek from Lela Court, LLC.
• The purchase of 2.2 acres at 14915 East Rocky River Road for $19,000 from Robert and Charlotte Miller; the purchase of 6.2 acres at 14331 East Rocky River Road from E.H. Puckett and Randy A. Puckett. Both properties will be leased to the Town of Davidson for greenway use.
• The purchase of 0.086 acre at 2020 Haines Street from B.S.Thompson Trust for $8,000; 0.344 acre at 2020 Jennings Street from Regina Hailey Kay for $12,000; and 0.172 acre at 2013 Irma Street from Walter Lee Strong Estate for $12,500. All properties will be used to create a neighborhood park site in the Lincoln Heights area off Beatties Ford Road.