Guilford County officials are asking county residents what they want from Guilford County government so that, in the coming years, that government can meet the needs of the people it serves.
Earlier this year – before putting the fiscal 2023-2024 budget together – the county held a series of budget town halls that in some cases turned out to be quite lively as people came out and gave county commissioners and county staff a piece of their mind.
Some of those comments helped shaped the new fiscal budget that went into effect on Saturday, July 1. Now, the county is conducting an online survey and is requesting that county residents let officials know what they want out of government going forward. The survey – found at https://designworkshop.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_brrqfPxGq6O4qSa allows you to voice your opinions on a whole gamut of county matters, and the results will be used to shape future budgets and also shape the Guilford County Comprehensive Plan – a strategic plan that’s meant to help guide Guilford County’s policies and services for the next two decades.
According to the county, among other things, “The Comprehensive Plan will be a guide for the Guilford County Planning Board and Planning Staff to help ensure development within the County takes place in a manner that aligns with the community’s vision for the next 10 to 20 years. This survey will inform decisions on land use, community services, infrastructure, economic development, housing, natural resources, historic and cultural resources and other elements.”
The survey, which is made up of questions and comment boxes related to county priorities and current services, also includes some optional demographic questions about the responder. That info will be kept confidential.
So far, from the town halls, letters and the survey, the county has already learned a lot about the things people most want to see from the county in the coming years.
Those include things like “continued investment in Behavioral Health.” Several years ago, a Republican-majority Board of Commissioners, in an effort led by former Chairman Jeff Phillips, conducted a massive overhaul of the county’s mental health system – and residents would like to see that structure added to given the challenges of the ongoing opioid epidemic and the fallout of pandemic isolation.
They also want to see more support for young parents. The county has already undertaken a major effort to see that pregnant mothers and newborns have the help they need to get a good start for the infants.
Residents, according to county officials, also want to see more summer youth development programs and an effective use of the opioid lawsuit settlement funds. Guilford County is getting about $20 million in total in the coming years to help address the epidemic.
Other items of note that many would like to see are more community art and beautification programs, more housing options, a continued strong investment in education, more support for start-up companies in the area, greater public transportation options and a more robust transportation infrastructure.
They also want voting to be highly accessible during elections, property tax relief for seniors and for the county to “continue to improve engagement with the community.”
LMAO….good one Scott!
Get rid of Skip and we have a chance at a future. And that is coming from a Liberal minded voter.
There is hope for you yet Chris. 🙂
The county used to have a mental health department but it was farmed out many moons ago to a private/public entity whose offices were in Sanford, Lee County, NC and they provided services to several counties. My guess is they were a feeder arm of political officials who wanted to reduce their local budgets, and relied on others to fund it.
They need to talk to Billie Martin Pierce, and others about why that transition was used. My guess is the county saw this as a means of using the old mental health deopt dollars for other “needy” paurposes.
They want our input — now that’s just hysterical.
I am my brother’s keeper, but not by coercion.
Whenever an annexation occurs, no one from the county government represents the owners of the land that is being annexed. Would it not seem that the county government would be interested in preventing the land from being annexed? In NC people live in a county regardless if they also live in a city. People who live in Greensboro also live in Guilford County and pay property taxes to both the city and the county. Therefore, there is no incentive for the county to fight an annexation; the county continues to collect property taxes.
Of course, when the High Point City Council voted to annex land at Boylston Rd and S. Bunker Hill Rd for a proposed school, Guilford County and the City of High Point lost property tax revenue since the land is now tax-exempt. However, the City of High Point now must provide police protection, utility services, trash collection without the benefit of revenue.
Only voters can help assure a bright future for Guilford County. I must admit, the future does not look good.
Since the law was changed in 2011, almost all annexations have been voluntary which means the property owner asked to be annexed. The 2011 state law all but eliminated forced annexation by a municipality.
John, with all due respect, owners are approached by moneybag developers. A property owner would not voluntarily ask for an annexation without having a backer willing to buy the newly annexed and zoned land. This is the case with Boylston Rd and S. Bunker Hill Rd. Honest answers will not come from the school board or the real estate brokers, but the owners were “approached” by the real estate brokers, the owners did not instigate the annexation. This is how the “new” voluntarily annexation works. Money buys the annexation. Developers love it. Cities love it. Most people can be bought at the right price. Reports are that the owners of the land were offered $80,000 per acre but turned down that offer. The offer then went to $90,000-$100,000. At that point, the sellers accepted. This results in the price of real estate becoming out of reach of the ordinary person.
People living around the annexed land do not have a voice. Cities will annex a ham sandwich. Look at a map of High Point and Greensboro. The maps look like jigsaw puzzles with pieces missing, High Point especially. Is this what the NC GA had in mind in 2011? Forced annexation would not result in the Swiss cheese we have today. When developers do not complain about the 2011 change, you know they are getting rich by getting what they want. The City of High Point hails the annexation of land that will bring zero revenue income into the city but will be a drain on resources. River Landing is one example, the school is another. This is unfair to the taxpayers who must pick up the lost revenue. Of course, High Point gets a lot of revenue from their water, sewer, and electrical service. I thought the government was not meant to make a profit, but that is what is happening.