Commissioner Tony Gurley, Chair
Wake County Board of Commissioners
November 20, 2006
 Vice Chairman Webb, Commissioners, Wake County staff, and my fellow Wake County citizens:
At our next meeting, County Commissioners will elect a new chair for the coming year. Today, as outgoing chair, I am allowed time to reflect upon our accomplishments of the past year and highlight our vision for the future. Most importantly, I have the distinct privilege to report on the State of the County.
Ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of my fellow Commissioners, I report to you that the state of Wake County is strong … our achievements impressive … and the future, one of the brightest of any county in the nation! It’s an exciting time to be in Wake County.
In a few days, as we all sit down to share a Thanksgiving meal with our families, we will have much to be thankful for – our families, our freedom, a wonderful place to live, and a quality of life worth preserving for future generations.
As a County Commissioner, I’m thankful to have worked with a great team including – the county manager – David Cooke; county attorney – Mike Ferrell; our clerk – Susan Banks; deputy county manager – Joe Durham; and excellent employees at every level in every department. And let’s not forget our many partnering organizations and businesses, and especially the thousands of volunteers who give tens of thousands of hours in service to Wake County every year. We couldn’t do it without you.
Yes, we are thankful that Wake County continues to grow, prosper and enjoy unprecedented opportunity. And we are planning for that growth and opportunity with a vision characterized by “leadership, partnership and stewardship.” By planning today to meet the needs of tomorrow, we will ensure that Wake County is a great a place to live, work, learn and play, both now and in the future.
I am extremely proud of our accomplishments. It would take many hours and thousands of photos to show you all of them from the past year. But just a few snapshots of these achievements include:
- new facilities for our citizens, such as Cameron Village Library, the North and West Regional Libraries, and the Holly Springs Library and Cultural Center.
- thousands of acres of open space preserved, and Historic Yates Mill County Park opened to teach us lessons of the past and present.
- partnerships with our municipalities that will foster unified and effective development, and stewardship of our water supply and water quality.
- new fire trucks, purchased at a savings of $600,000 to taxpayers, and other public safety and health technologies that will protect us in a sometimes-uncertain world.
- corporate investments by international businesses making Wake County their new home, along with thousands of new high-paying jobs for our citizens.
For all of these reasons, Wake County continues to excel and receive national accolades too numerous to mention here.
But none of these achievements would be possible without the careful planning and steady progress toward the priority goals set by this Board of Commissioners, our hardworking staff and our many committed partners.
SCHOOLS/EDUCATION
Let’s start with achievements in education. Last January, this Board of Commissioners adopted a goal to work with the Wake County Board of Education to develop strategies and an action plan to meet growing school capital needs, including an expedited school bond in 2006.
To that end, this Board of Commissioners worked closer than ever before with the Board of Education and Wake County Public Schools. We especially appreciate the leadership and partnership of School Board Chair Patti Head and her entire board.
Our citizens showed us that they support these efforts by passing a $970-million school bond two weeks ago. It’s the largest ever, but it is the smart way to pay for the growth demands of a school system that is forecast to add more than 30,000 new students over the next four years.
To ensure the taxpayers’ money is spent wisely, we established an independent Citizens’ Facilities Advisory Committee in June. This 13-member group of experts has already begun to evaluate county and school capital improvement programs, school design, construction management and delivery methods. Our investment in schools and education will pay dividends for generations to come.
WAKE TECH
In fact, businesses that have moved into our area in recent years have told us that our strong educational system played a large role in their decision. Another crucial contributor to that system is Wake Tech. I believe there is no better use of Wake County taxpayers’ money than to fund Wake Tech. With job training and re-training, Wake Tech is turning out a world-class workforce that is cutting edge – highly skilled, highly successful and in demand. Representatives of Novartis told me they selected Wake County for a pharmaceutical manufacturing plant because of an educated bio-pharmaceutical workforce. Fidelity Investments cited our superior technology workforce as a major factor in their decision. What a testament to the quality of education in Wake County!
BLUE RIBBON COMMITTEE
Quality education and quality of life are just two reasons families and businesses move to Wake County. Wake County’s population is projected to double by the year 2030 -- to 1.5 million. Growth fuels the prosperity in our community. This is a good thing. However, the pace of growth brings challenges: stresses to the County’s roads and other infrastructure, and to our natural environment.
To help meet these challenges, in December 2005, the Board of Commissioners in partnership with the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce and the Wake County Mayors Association established the Blue Ribbon Committee on the Future of Wake County. Chaired by business executives Fred Day of Progress Energy and Frank Holding Jr. of First Citizens Bank, this group of 65 business and community leaders examined such infrastructure needs as schools, roads, jail space, and water and sewer facilities over the next 25 years and recommended the best ways to pay for the needs.
This Board of Commissioners received the Blue Ribbon Committee’s report in June of this year, and has begun to implement the committee’s recommendations on public-private partnerships, new revenue sources, greater accountability, and working closely with our state legislature and federal government. For six months, they worked long hours, and we owe them a great debt of gratitude for their continuing leadership and support.
DEVELOPMENT/RESPONSIBLE GROWTH
Growth in our County presents a positive challenge for our municipalities, as well. What we must continue to do … is work diligently to promote responsible growth. Partnerships with our 12 municipalities provide a critical component to this responsibility.
Together we have made progress on our mutual goals toward promoting responsible growth. Especially significant, we adopted a Unified Development Ordinance to incorporate revised Floodplain and Stormwater Management regulations. The Ordinance also implements our shared strategies in the Growth Management Plan, the Watershed Management Plan, the Consolidated Open Space Plan and the Transportation Plan.
Each town and city in Wake County is sharing specific plans for development, which should help us make more accurate population and infrastructure projections in the future. This will help us to better manage our resources and to ensure a higher quality of life for our current and future residents.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Working with our nationally recognized Wake County Economic Development program, nonprofits and the business community, and all our municipal Chambers of Commerce, we have made great strides to attract new, global investment and create new jobs. “Wake County – Smarter All Around” is a slogan with real teeth, and our work is helping bring in significant corporate investments, including Meadwestvaco, Credit Suisse, Novartis and Fidelity Investments in the last year alone.
These companies will provide more than 3,500 new, high-paying jobs and an investment of more than $400 million to the local economy.
DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION
We want to commend the City of Raleigh on its revitalization of downtown, with the reopening of Fayetteville Street. We are proud to partner with the Raleigh City Council on the soon-to-be-completed convention center as we realize the tremendous value of attracting visitors to all of Wake County, increased tourism dollars, new businesses, new jobs and the positive impact on our local economy and cultural opportunities.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE/SHERIFF
Maintaining a high quality of life also requires a strong criminal justice system. This year, through our Criminal Justice Master Plan, we began a $250-million program to improve our existing courthouse facilities and build a new criminal courts complex, which includes 20 new courtrooms and new multi-use parking facilities that will feature residential and retail space as well.
In our Sheriff’s Office, voter-approved bonds in 2000 allowed us to expand the Hammond Road Detention Center this year. As our jail population grows, this will relieve overcrowding in the main detention facility downtown. We also supported the Sheriff on gang prevention efforts, and deputy training to further humane and dignified treatment of mentally ill persons interacting with law enforcement.
WATER QUALITY/OPEN SPACE
Water quality is another priority goal and is at the heart of our nationally recognized Open Space Program. We are purchasing the final, remaining acreage for the Little River Reservoir to provide a future drinking water supply for the County. And we’re acquiring other quickly vanishing open spaces like the Mark’s Creek area and farms near water supplies. With 27 acres a day being developed, we must continue to aggressively pursue this excellent strategy for protecting our water and environment.
Wake County was honored this year as one of two large counties nationwide to win the prestigious County Leadership in Conservation Awards from the Trust for Public Lands and the National Association of Counties. Also, the Conservation Trust of North Carolina presented the County the Local Government of the Year award for its outstanding commitment to protecting land and water resources.
SOLID WASTE/LANDFILL
With an eye on the future, it has been a goal of this Board to decide on a long-term strategy for solid waste disposal while working in partnership with all municipalities. In June 2006 Commissioners approved the South Wake landfill to provide solid waste disposal to Wake County residents for the next 25 years. We are now inviting the residents of Holly Springs to become involved in a citizens’ committee, which will help educate, engage and receive input from Wake County residents who live near the landfill.
At the North Wake Landfill, such a committee was integral to our completion of a plan for utilization of the landfill when it closes in 2008. Their plan calls for converting the landfill into a neighborhood park with hiking and biking trails, athletic fields, a dog park and an environmental education center.
MENTAL HEALTH
A society is also measured by how it cares for those unable to care for themselves. To help families and individuals living with mental illness, the County is setting aside funds to build and operate a local mental health crisis inpatient facility. With Dix Hospital closing in 2007, the County is diligently working with a service provider to secure inpatient beds and expand mental health services.
Wake County also continues to increase the availability of community services for mental health consumers, as well as for those with substance-abuse issues. In January of this year, we celebrated the opening of the Healing Place for Women and Children, to help homeless families in Wake County who have been hurt by the diseases of alcoholism and substance abuse. Commissioners allocated $1 MILLION to build the Healing Place for Men in 2001 and pays about a quarter-million dollars each year toward operating expenses, combined with private funding. That facility’s graduates have a demonstrated recovery rate of almost 70% post-discharge. We look for similar success at the Healing Place for Women and Children. It is money well spent in helping to preserve and restore people’s lives.
PARTNERSHIPS
The Healing Place organizations are shining examples of our partnership goal and its success. I am equally impressed with others. When our County provides support that enables private and nonprofit partners to excel at their specific areas of expertise, then we all succeed in addressing the special needs of our citizens. Our Board has allocated funding to help:
- Hospice of Wake County establish a freestanding Hospice and Palliative Care Center for the terminally ill
- Urban Ministries move into new offices and improve its operations to assist an underserved population
- the Tammy Lynn Center for Developmental Disabilities to continue its operations helping children
- Interact to acquire a new facility to shelter battered women and children, allowing them to pick up the pieces and repair broken lives.
HUMAN SERVICES
This has been an especially noteworthy year for our Human Services Department, which celebrated its 10th anniversary just a few weeks ago. Human Services is a grand and uniquely Wake County endeavor. We are the only county in N.C. to have a consolidated Human Services department and one of just a few across the nation. By merging Social Services, Public Health, Mental Health, and other complementary agencies into a single department, we are able to streamline the delivery of services to clients, while creating fiscal efficiencies. Leading the way through Human Services’ first 10 years has been Executive Director Maria Spaulding, who will be retiring at the end of this year. We are grateful for her leadership and we look toward the future with great anticipation.
Southern Regional Center in Fuquay-Varina also had its 10th anniversary earlier this year. Eastern Regional Center is thriving. In just two weeks, we will break ground for the Northern Regional Center in Wake Forest-Rolesville. And the County is also studying the feasibility of a fourth regional center in western Wake. We want to make Wake County services available to citizens where they live.
PUBLIC SAFETY/EMERGENCY RESPONSE
Quality of life depends also on preparing and proving ourselves ready to step up in times of emergency. The County is implementing the nationally required integrated incident management system, so critical following the 9-11 and Hurricane Katrina disasters. We have prepared to cope with crises such as pandemic flu -- as a horizon issue -- and are managing emergencies here and now, such as the recent fire at the EQ facility in Apex, and flood rescues and sheltering during Tropical Storm Alberto.
The County also does a very good job of dealing with daily emergencies. Our Emergency Medical Services, or EMS, system is recognized as a model system by the state and boasts a survival rate for sudden cardiac arrest victims three times the national average. And Wake is one of three EMS systems in the U.S. to implement the "induced hypothermia" procedure, which paramedics can use to help restore neurological function in resuscitated cardiac arrest patients.
BEST IN THE BUSINESS
To achieve goals and be the best, we must have the best talent, and we do. Dr. Brent Myers was recognized recently as the top EMS Medical Director in the country by the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians. Nancy Clemmons of our Animal Care, Control & Adoption Center was recognized earlier this year when the National Animal Control Association named her Outstanding Animal Control Employee of the Year. And, as you now know, our Environmental Services Director Rick Rowe has been honored by the N.C. Public Health Association. We thank him for his service and congratulate him on his well-deserved retirement.
Lou Mitchell, named Wake County Volunteer of the Year, is also a statewide winner for her extraordinary gifts of time, talent and compassion to the community. We don’t need a national organization to tell us that when it comes to county attorneys, we have the best in the business, and we want to especially thank Mike Ferrell for his great contributions to this Board and all of Wake County, and we wish him well on his upcoming retirement. Combine these winners with our Stanley Cup-winning Carolina Hurricanes, and 2006 definitely has a championship ring to it!!!
CLOSING
As I look to the future, I know that we will continue to have challenges and opportunities. We have become one of the strongest counties in the nation by taking the long view on issues facing our community -- and we have been recognized for our leadership efforts by maintaining the highest bond rating available, AAA, with all three major bond-rating agencies. We are one of only 22 counties in the nation to have achieved this rating, and it enables us to save taxpayers millions in interest expense.
This Board is committed to continue moving our county forward with positive leadership, effective partnerships and fiscal stewardship. We will continue to strengthen our education and public safety systems just as we have these past several years. This Board of Commissioners will continue to work with business and environmental leaders to bring new jobs to our area while protecting our critical environmental resources. And we will work to ensure that the benefits of living, working, learning and playing here extend to all our citizens.
I want to offer special recognition and thanks to our other commissioners, who care deeply about, and work hard to meet, the challenges and opportunities of our great County: Vice Chairman of the Board Harold Webb, Commissioners Joe Bryan, Kenn Gardner, Betty Lou Ward, Herb Council, and Phil Jeffreys.
I am thankful to this Board for the privilege and honor to be your chairman this year, and I am proud of what has been accomplished by the many organizations and individuals who have worked together for the common good. I look forward to continuing my service to Wake County on the Board of Commissioners, and I look forward to working with all of you. Thank you for this great opportunity to serve!
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