2016 STATE OF THE COUNTY ADDRESS **FINAL**
Trevor M. Fuller
Chairman, Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners
February 16, 2016
Good morning.
We come together once again to take stock of Mecklenburg
County, North Carolina.
I am thankful, honored, and privileged to again represent you as
the
Chairman
of
the
Mecklenburg
Board
of
County
Commissioners. I greet you in peace and prosperity.
Welcome to this 2016 State of the County Address for
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.
To all who are present with us in the chamber this morning,
thank you for being here. And to those who are watching us as
we stream live online, or who are watching us on the
Government Channel, or following us on social media, thank you
for joining us.
Thank you to all of my colleagues and fellow commissioners on
the Board of County Commissioners: those who are here and
those who could not be with us today: Vice Chairman Dumont
Clarke of District 4; Commissioners Ella Scarborough and Pat
Cotham, who like myself, are commissioners at large;
Commissioner Jim Puckett of District 1; Commissioner Vilma
Leake of District 2; Commissioner George Dunlap of District 3;
Commissioner
Matthew
Ridenhour
of
District
5;
and
Commissioner Bill James of District 6. Ours is a weighty job that
can’t be done by any one of us alone. We must work collectively.
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Thank you for your commitment to working together to get this
job done for our County.
To all of our elected officials from across the County who are
present here today, we welcome you.
[OPTIONAL: RECOGNIZE OTHER OFFICIALS IN THE AUDIENCE]
I say to each of you that I am grateful for your presence, for your
partnership, and for your continued service to our community.
Thank you and welcome.
Of course, nothing we do as County Commissioners is possible
without the dedication and professionalism of our County staff,
led by County Manager Dena Diorio and her executive team.
Marking her third year as County Manager, Dena continues to
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demonstrate why she fits this job so well, and why our
administration is in good hands.
To all Mecklenburg County employees, thank you for being here
and thank you for all you do to keep this County running. Thank
you to those who could not be here in the chamber today, but
are on the job everywhere. I’m here to tell you publicly that the
Board of County Commissioners and your leadership highly
value the work you do every day for the people of Mecklenburg
County.
I want you to know that your professionalism and dedication
continue to be vital in our mission to make Mecklenburg County
the best place in the United States to live, learn, work, and
recreate. Thank you.
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And thank you to all our allies, friends and colleagues here today
from both the public and private sectors who play such an
essential role in the leadership of our community. The robust
partnership among our civic, business and political leadership
plays a critical role in our shared successes. We cherish the
unique relationships we have forged to move our community
forward.
And, above all, to the people of Mecklenburg County, thank you
for entrusting the stewardship of this community to us. We
endeavor every single day to do right by you. We’re not perfect
… goodness knows we’re far from it. But we strive to make this
the more perfect union that our founders called us to seek.
Thank you, one and all.
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Since we revived the tradition of this State of the County address
two years ago, I have had the pleasure of being able to tell you
that we as a county are on the rise. Last year, the promise of
2015 proved even more encouraging.
Now that we are well into 2016, we can again look back at where
we have been and note some bold forward steps we have made,
and where conditions continue to improve.
Our most recent figures show that unemployment in our County
has dropped to 4.8 percent – that’s even lower than it was this
time last year, and less than half of what it was only five years
ago. As well, we experienced strong employment growth in
2015, adding more than 25,000 jobs in our community. These
new jobs will enhance an already strong employment outlook for
the County, as our economic base is resilient and growing.
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It’s hard to miss the renewed hustle and bustle in the air, after
so many years of economic stress following the Great
Recession. You can look out of virtually any window in this
building and see new construction rising from the ground.
Beyond our new skyscrapers downtown, there are new parks
and green spaces opening, and new apartments and homes
being built seemingly all over our urban core.
The evidence of improving times is all around us. I am pleased
to report for a second year that the County is again on track to
meet or exceed its revenue budget. Continued construction
growth has again helped to improve the tax levy. Property tax
and sales tax collections continue to be strong.
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Consequently, for the third year in a row, I am pleased to report
that I will be urging my colleagues to adopt a budget that has no
increase in our tax rate for Fiscal Year 2017!
Just a couple weeks ago we held our Board retreat, where we
discussed our strong financial condition. I invite you to watch all
the proceedings from our retreat which were captured in videos
that you can access online at www.mecklenburgcountync.gov.
As we proceed in calendar year 2016, the financial condition of
our County remains strong. With this strength, we have a
responsibility to ensure that every resident has the chance to
participate in our shared prosperity. Our common religious
traditions instruct us that “to whom much is given, much is
required.”
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HUMAN SERVICES CONSOLIDATION
In Mecklenburg County, our most vital resource will always be
the people who call this County home. And as our greatest
asset, we depend on several outstanding groups to provide our
citizens with Human Services. In the County, Human Services
consist of support provided by the Department of Social
Services, Community Support Services and the Health
Department. These three departments provide countless vital
services, which include childhood immunizations, the dispersal
of community aid, and assistance for victims of domestic abuse.
While diverse in nature, all Human Services are important
components of a vibrant, thriving community. At a time when
nearly 250,000 people – 25% of our population – need services
through our Department of Social Services, the need to
transition people to self-sufficiency cannot be overstated.
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A particularly noteworthy change to our Human Services took
place during the past calendar year. On September 1, the
County transferred its substance abuse services to Anuvia
Prevention & Recovery Center. The transition has been a
smooth one, especially for clients who were never required to
change locations. Even with this transition, it is important for
people to know that substance abuse services are still being
provided at the Samuel Billings Center on Billingsley Road.
HEALTH
A healthy community reflects a sense of mental and physical
well-being and is the foundation for achieving all other goals.
Good health is often taken for granted but is essential for a
productive society. Every community needs a healthy workforce
upon which to build its economy, and we know that healthier
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students are more equipped to learn and be successful
academically.
Over the past year, the County Health Department and its
director, Dr. Marcus Plescia, have taken aggressive steps to
promote and protect the health of our residents. The most recent
Community Health Assessment shows that chronic disease like
cancer, stroke and heart disease is one of the top health
problems in our community. Of all the risk factors leading to
these chronic diseases, tobacco is the strongest and if tobacco
use decreased, many of these diseases would be prevented. To
address this, last March, a Mecklenburg County Board of Health
Rule and County Ordinance went into effect, implementing a
countywide ban on tobacco in our parks and smoking on all
government grounds throughout the County.
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With today’s financial challenges, including the rising cost of
health care, it’s more important than ever that communities and
organizations make the most of their available resources to
prevent chronic diseases and conditions. Implementation of
health care reform through the Affordable Care Act will increase
access to breast and cervical cancer screening services for
many low-income, underserved women through expanded
insurance coverage and eliminating cost-sharing.
But even with adequate health insurance, many women will still
face substantial barriers to obtaining breast and cervical cancer
screening such as geographic isolation, limited health literacy or
self-efficacy, lack of provider recommendation, inconvenient
times to access services, and language barriers. The Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention and other public health
agencies now have an unprecedented opportunity to build on
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their existing capacity to ensure women overcome barriers to
getting screened for breast and cervical cancer. Our Health
Department has already taken steps to increase participation in
the County’s Breast and Cervical Cancer Care Program which
provides screening to uninsured and underinsured women by
launching an awareness campaign including radio ads,
brochures, interviews with the media, and even a Twitter chat.
Through these increased outreach efforts and our commitment
to making healthy choices for our community, we are taking the
necessary steps to make Mecklenburg County a healthier, more
productive place to live.
PARK AND RECREATION
The County department that touches nearly everyone in the
community is our nationally recognized Park and Recreation
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Department. Our residents – all one million of them – need
places to play, facilities to help keep fit, sports for our children,
activities for our senior citizens and chances to enjoy the beauty
of nature. Meeting these needs is the mission of the Park and
Recreation Department. The department manages almost
21,000 acres of parks and nature preserves, and more than 220
recreational facilities. Recreation plays a key role in making
Mecklenburg County a great place to live and has been shown
to decrease our health care costs, increase our property values,
and is directly responsible for over $50 million a year in tourism.
Our rapid growth continues to drive a need for more recreation
land and facilities. That’s why we are currently investing nearly
$130 million in Park and Recreation capital projects across the
County – our largest investment ever.
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In the past year, Mecklenburg County, with the help of several
community partners, broke ground or opened several parks,
facilities and greenways and began renovation work on several
existing facilities throughout the region.
Here’s a progress report on many of these outstanding projects.
First Ward Park
After nearly a decade of planning, we completed construction of
our new First Ward Park. Mecklenburg County was able to
complete construction in only one year with the help of several
partners including the City of Charlotte, UNC Charlotte, and
Levine Properties.
This beautiful 4.5-acre park is an $8 million investment in the
heart of the city and one of several projects helping to transform
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First Ward. Throughout the year, the park will host festivals and
events including an official grand opening celebration in April.
Mecklenburg County Aquatic Center
In June 2015, Park and Recreation began an ambitious $9.3
million renovation of the Mecklenburg County Aquatic Center.
The purpose is to transform the 25-year-old building into a stateof-the-art complex to enhance the experience of patrons.
When the center re-opens this spring, it will welcome visitors
with a fresh new look complete with a new pool deck, remodeled
lobby and expanded fitness area.
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Friendship Sportsplex
In a special partnership, Mecklenburg County has teamed with
Friendship Missionary Baptist Church to construct the
Friendship Sportsplex in west Charlotte.
The sportsplex, which will open later this year, is a $2 million
investment in the Beatties Ford area, providing an array of
recreational opportunities for all ages including athletic fields, a
playground and a picnic shelter.
Wesley Heights Greenway
If you enjoy running or biking around the Wesley Heights
neighborhood, you now have a new trail to explore.
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Last June, we opened Wesley Heights Greenway, a 1.2-mile
trail connecting Seversville and Frazier Parks providing
improved pedestrian and bicycle access to uptown Charlotte.
This is an $860,000 investment in our outstanding greenway
system that spans more than 35 miles of paved trails throughout
the County.
Reid Park
Let’s not forget Reid Park.
Last November, we held a wonderful celebration marking the
opening of this neighborhood park, which provides outstanding
recreational opportunities, a community garden and public art
for residents to enjoy.
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This is a $630,000 investment in a community that has waited a
long time for a place to play and gather for events.
Berewick Park
Our effort to expand recreational opportunities also continues in
south Mecklenburg.
Last fall, the County, along with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools,
opened Berewick Regional Park on the grounds of Berewick
Elementary School. This joint-use partnership offers students
and nearby residents a new place for athletic events, start-ofthe-art playground equipment and a place to gather for
neighborhood functions. Total investment – $2.1 million.
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Mecklenburg County Sportsplex at Matthews
Possibly one of our biggest capital projects is the Mecklenburg
County Sportsplex at Matthews.
This past summer, Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation
and the Town of Matthews took another major step toward the
completion of the state-of-the-art facility with a groundbreaking
ceremony for phase II.
Once
complete,
the
sportsplex,
a
$30-million
County
investment, will include 12 multipurpose fields – nine synthetic
athletic fields, three natural turf fields – and other fantastic
recreational amenities for all residents to enjoy.
These are just a few of the recreational projects the County has
in the works – a small taste if you will – and the list certainly goes
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on. In fact, in 2016 you will see progress on several other
projects, including the construction of the highly anticipated
Ramsey Creek Park Beach on Lake Norman.
And we have not forgotten our neighbors in east Charlotte. Rest
assured, our commitment to providing the very best recreational
opportunities and facilities to all parts of the County will not end.
BRINGING MECKLENBURG COUNTY TO YOU
Speaking of County facilities, "Bringing Mecklenburg County to
You" is Mecklenburg County’s Government Facilities Master
Plan. The plan aims to provide quality County services in
locations that are convenient to customers and that create better
work environments for employees.
Our County Manager presented the plan to the Board of County
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Commissioners in 2015 with the goal of expanding access to
services across the County and relocating employees to
buildings that make the best and most efficient use of County
assets.
I am pleased to report that the first step of the Bringing
Mecklenburg County to You plan is complete. The County
purchased the former Charlotte School of Law building just off
Wilkinson Boulevard, remodeled the building, and moved the
entire Land Use and Environmental Services Agency – or
LUESA – in mid-December. LUESA provides services that
include code enforcement, air and water quality, recycling, and
Geospatial Information Services – the County’s mapping
department.
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This new facility boasts a state-of-the-art customer service
center. The service center is designed to help streamline
customer interactions, from the first-time visitor who simply
wants to build a deck on their house, to the seasoned builder or
engineer. The first floor customer service center is modern and
inviting, and encourages interaction and collaboration through
multifunctional, flexible spaces. Effective technology and a
clear, defined reception process – including navigators who can
direct customers and answer questions – will mean a better
experience for all.
While LUESA has moved from the Hal Marshall building on
North Tryon Street, several County services still remain at the
building, including Veterans Services and the Women’s
Commission. Those functions will move later when our Health
and Human Services departments shift toward a community
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based service delivery model. The model creates a system of
"Community Resource Centers" that will provide a continuum of
County services at a single location. You might call this “onestop shopping.” These Community Resource Centers will be
strategically located in six areas of the County with good
transportation options.
We want these centers to be assets to neighborhoods. We want
to
truly
enhance
these
communities
while
providing
convenience to our customers. And every step of the way, we
want to hear from one and all – our employees, our community
partners, the faith community, and especially our customers.
To that same end, the Wilkinson Boulevard corridor also can
expect to see even more activity to help spur economic
development in the area. The County also purchased a multi
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building campus on Wilkinson Boulevard at the intersection of
Morris Field Drive for a new operational base for Medic, the
County’s emergency response system.
Medic currently is located in leased space on Statesville Road
with limited parking – space it simply has outgrown. This move
will ensure that Medic has the space it needs to serve our
growing population. We are now in the design phase, and hope
to complete this move very soon.
We are very excited about Bringing Mecklenburg County to You,
and we hope to hear your input about this innovative and unique
initiative.
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REDEVELOPMENT
As we continue to build our County, we cannot forget our rich
history. You may know that Charlotte’s Second Ward, which
today is the government district, was home to many of
Charlotte’s prominent residents and businesses. Beginning in
the 1860s and following the Civil War, many freed AfricanAmericans settled in the Second Ward due to its housing stock
and proximity to business establishments that served AfricanAmericans. By the early 1900s, the majority of Second Ward
residents were African-American, and the area became known
as “Brooklyn.”
Brooklyn was home to many thriving small businesses and
community institutions that served the community, including
Myers Street School and later Second Ward High School, which
was the only high school for African-Americans in Mecklenburg
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County. It was also home to such facilities as a YMCA, and had
the only public library for African-Americans in the state of North
Carolina.
Redlining, rezoning, and urban renewal projects eventually
dismantled the fabric of the Brooklyn neighborhood, and
resulted in much of the neighborhood’s history and character
being lost. Moreover, redlining and rezoning made it difficult for
homeowners and businesses in the area to obtain loans for
home ownership and community investment. As a result, many
Brooklyn residents began to leave the Second Ward for other
Charlotte neighborhoods such as Biddleville and University Park
in the northwest portion of the City.
In 1961, the Charlotte City Council voted to clear eight blocks of
the Brooklyn neighborhood to make way for what would become
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space for government facilities, private businesses, and the
current Marshall Park, all part of an urban renewal project largely
funded by the federal government. By the end of this period,
more than 1,000 families and many businesses were displaced
from the Brooklyn neighborhood.
Today, we have an opportunity to reclaim and renew the
vibrancy and vitality of the neighborhood. We’re calling it the
new Brooklyn Village, consisting of land now occupied by
Marshall Park and the Bob Walton Plaza Building. This plan has
been a long time in the making, but we now are poised to see
real progress. I will continue to champion this redevelopment.
Currently, we are in the process of selecting a master developer
who will help shape and implement our vision. The selection
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process and negotiations are underway and should be finished
by the spring of this year.
It is very important to the County that Brooklyn Village regains
some of its historical prominence, provides workforce housing,
and creates long-term economic development benefits for the
community. This means creating a mixed-use neighborhood that
includes a park so that all four Wards of the city will have green
space. It also means soliciting input from the community to
ensure that the site’s history is respected.
‘HOUSING OUR HEROES’ HOMELESSNESS EFFORT
Last year, we pledged as a community to put an end to veteran
homelessness in Mecklenburg County by the end of 2015. We
called this effort the Housing Our Heroes Initiative.
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We started this on Veterans Day in 2014 as an effort to ensure
that all who served this great nation in our armed forces – putting
their lives on the line for us – would never go without a place to
call home in Mecklenburg County. We estimated at that time
that would need to house 204 veterans. At this time last year,
we already had provided homes for 121 homeless veterans, and
we were well on our way toward achieving the final goal.
It turns out that we actually had 342 veterans to house, 60%
more than we thought. Even so, I’m thrilled to report that our
compassionate community overwhelmingly supported the
Housing Our Heroes program. It has been nothing but a
complete success. Not only did we meet our original goal, we
absolutely smashed it. Thanks to the relentless work of
Mecklenburg County Community Support Services, along with
our partners with the City of Charlotte and Charlotte Bridge
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Home, we have now housed an incredible total of 342 veterans.
So I declare today that we have put an end to veteran
homelessness in Mecklenburg County!
We will remain vigilant, however. The U.S. Department of
Veterans Affairs is projecting that the veteran population of
Mecklenburg County will grow by 3,000 people by the end of
this year alone. You can be sure that some of them will need
housing assistance. Rest assured that we’ll be here to help all
who need it.
The successful framework of Housing Our Heroes is also being
utilized to help end chronic homelessness and family
homelessness. It is all part of our commitment to the 10-Year
Plan to End and Prevent Homelessness forever in Mecklenburg
County.
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This County will be known as a community that does everything
possible to give folks an alternative to living on the streets. To
the nearly 60,000 veterans living in our County, I personally
thank you for your service. Mecklenburg County is what it is
because of your sacrifices.
CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
TASK FORCE
The evidence is plain for all to see that Mecklenburg County
enjoys tremendous prosperity. It is a wonderful place to live. We
are a great and generous people. For me, I love this 526-squaremile patch of earth.
For too many in our community, however, economic opportunity
has not been easy to come by. You’ve heard about the 2014
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study conducted by Harvard University and the University of
California at Berkeley that found Charlotte to be at the bottom of
the list of major American cities with respect to the concentration
of poverty and the lack of economic mobility. You and I know
that our prosperity is threatened by these conditions.
These threats have been decades in the making, so it is only
through bold action that we will solve the problem of economic
opportunity.
That’s why two years ago I announced that we would form a task
force to address the issue of economic opportunity. In
partnership with the City of Charlotte, the Foundation for the
Carolinas, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and
John M. Belk Endowment, we now have formed the Charlotte-
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Mecklenburg Opportunity Task Force, and they are hard at work
as we speak.
Twenty ambitious volunteers from diverse backgrounds all
across the community have come together to do this work:
business owners, faith leaders, educators, community leaders,
attorneys, physicians, and more. These volunteers have
stepped up and taken on the task of finding feasible solutions to
reduce the economic disparity that has plagued our region.
I am glad to report that great progress has been made.
Led by Dr. Ophelia Garmon-Brown, a senior vice president at
Novant Health, and Dee O’Dell, a senior vice president at U.S.
Bank, the Task Force has been charged to identify the specific
reasons
for
our
economic
opportunity
challenge,
and
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importantly, to identify evidence-based solutions that work to
serve as a blueprint for action.
The first phase of the Task Force’s work has been focused on
discovery — learning about the factors that contribute to the low
access to economic opportunity in Charlotte and Mecklenburg
County.
The complexity and enormity of this job quickly became
apparent to the Task Force. But through methodical and diligent
effort, the Task Force is approaching its work through a
“systems thinking” lens, which emphasizes the importance of
the relationships that exist across systems, as opposed to the
proverbial silos that exist in our community. Throughout this
work, the Task Force will keep in mind the important role that
personal responsibility has in one’s access to economic
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opportunity. Clearly, there is no single factor, in and of itself, at
fault.
Engaging the community is critical to the work of the Task Force.
In early December, the group launched its “listening tour” with
the first in a series of community meetings to hear directly from
you. More than 250 people attended this first meeting in the
Druid Hills neighborhood. The importance of equitable
education, affordable housing, personal responsibility and
neighbors helping neighbors were among the themes brought
out by the diverse crowd.
Over the next several months, the listening tour will expand to
other areas of the community for similar engagement.
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The remainder of the Task Force’s time will be devoted to
figuring out what levers to pull to increase economic mobility and
create greater opportunity for more of our children and their
families. We must take action to eliminate barriers that prevent
people from taking advantage of the flourishing community we
are building together.
The Task Force plans to report back to us by early November of
this year. Even if it takes a bit longer, we want the Task Force
to take the time it needs to get this right. It has taken many years
to get where we are, so change is unlikely to happen overnight.
Yet, while the Task Force completes its vital work, we know that
life waits for no one. Even though it’s complicated, we do have
to chew gum and walk at the same time. To be sure, we must
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not get in the way. But action is needed on some things now,
for inaction is action by other means.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
In 2015, we saw substantial economic growth in Mecklenburg
County through several strategic partnerships. Using our
Business Investment Program, we competed aggressively to
bring jobs and investments to our County.
As a result, eight companies selected Mecklenburg County as
their home, and have announced projects bringing 2,870 jobs
and nearly $300 million in investments to our community. To
continue this momentum, we hope to bring even more exciting
job announcements during the first quarter of 2016, with projects
ranging from new manufacturing facilities for international
companies, to customer service, to research and development,
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and even a marketing center, to new global headquarters
relocations importing CEOs and other high level executives.
This would truly be a diverse range of employment opportunities
for all residents of Mecklenburg County.
This kind of strong economic activity should also help local
businesses grow. Last year, the County Manager and the Board
of County Commissioners took deliberate steps to expand our
efforts beyond simply issuing business incentive grants. We’ve
developed an economic development framework that addresses
five main areas:
1.
Continue job growth through attraction and retention;
2.
Find new ways to support small businesses and high growth
startups;
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3.
Find new ways to help strengthen our workforce across the
entire County;
4.
Support the creation of jobs through the tourism industry;
and
5.
Help our communities build strong, stable neighborhoods
with opportunities for all.
This framework will lead to an economic development plan and
policy for Mecklenburg County. To develop this framework into
real programs, the County has hired a new Economic
Development Director, Peter Zeiler, and we have provided
resources to begin staffing and growing the department.
EMPLOYMENT INITIATIVE
All of this economic activity will be for naught unless we are
making sure people are actually getting jobs, particularly for
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those who are unemployed and underemployed. Who’s looking
out for them? If you have a job, that means you can help support
your family and you are buying goods and services in the
economy. This is economic opportunity. Everyone benefits.
There are many training opportunities in Mecklenburg County
targeted at persons with barriers to employment, including those
with below-grade level skills, little or no work history, and those
with criminal records. These training programs provide remedial
education, job readiness skills, job retention services and in
some cases certificates and/or training in specific areas.
Meanwhile, the labor data shows that there are over 8,000 jobs
available in Mecklenburg County at the entry skill level. So our
training programs need to focus on preparing folks to fill these
entry level opportunities, which not only fill a need for employers,
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but also help develop a work ethic and skill set for those who
have limited or no work experience. By providing real
employment opportunities, we reduce unemployment, reduce
reliance on government services, and improve economic
opportunity.
Therefore, today I am announcing Mecklenburg County’s own
Putting People to Work Initiative. Under this program, we will put
8,000 people to work in Mecklenburg County in the next 18
months. This initiative will create authentic and reliable
pathways to employment for unemployed and under employed
individuals in Mecklenburg County.
We developed this plan in extensive collaboration with our
partners at:
Central Piedmont Community College
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UNC Charlotte
Charlotte Works
Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont
Charlotte Chamber
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
North Carolina’s Vocational Rehabilitation Program
Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services
Mecklenburg County Economic Development Office
Center for Community Change
Through Mecklenburg’s Putting People to Work Initiative, we will
ensure that anyone in Mecklenburg County who wants to work
will have access to the necessary training opportunities and
experiences, and upon completion, will, in fact, get and retain a
job!
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This bold action will serve as a model for how we maximize our
human capital so that the rising tide will lift all boats, all while we
help reduce our overall tax burden.
Now, we understand that for those who are chronically
unemployed or those who have no work history, the
requirements of keeping a job may be daunting. Some folks may
need additional support, including job development, counseling,
advocacy, travel, training and other services needed to maintain
employment.
Also, we understand that for employers, however, it may seem
risky or overwhelming to hire individuals who may need this
additional support. Understandably, employers are seeking the
most qualified applicants who can perform the duties.
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But this is where the County can help.
This initiative has 3 essential components:
First, continue to create and maintain a pipeline of applicants to
fill the growing number of entry-level jobs in Mecklenburg
County. This includes ensuring there is sufficient capacity in
existing training programs to meet the demand, creating new
training opportunities to fill any gaps that may exist, and
continually analyzing the job market to ensure we are keeping
pace with employment changes and trends in our County.
Second, create and maintain a pipeline of employers in specific
industries with entry level positions who will partner with us to
employ individuals completing these training programs. We’ll do
this by convening employer roundtables by industry sector to
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understand the specific needs of employers, and specifically
engaging with business to create a win-win-win situation. A win
for the employer, a win for the employee, and a win for
community by creating a contributor to the community.
Third, provide job retention services to those who need them.
For employees, these job retention services can include
counseling and guidance, medical or psychological evaluation
and/or treatment, and training in personal and social skills that
can help employees remain on the job, among other things.
For employers, job retention services result in less absenteeism
and tardiness, an improved safety record, better quality and
quantity of work, better employee relationships, less disciplinary
action, and less turnover. These job retention services are
complex and can be expensive, but they are critical to ensure
success of this initiative.
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We will also play a direct role providing job through our
infrastructure projects. We are investing $130 million in
supporting constructing park facilities. We will play our part in
putting 8,000 people to work.
Mecklenburg County is eager and well-equipped to provide the
necessary leadership on this important issue. As the largest
provider of social services, we know only too well the impact on
our community when our residents are unable to obtain
meaningful employment. Also, as a funder and provider of
workforce development services, we know the cumbersome
nature of our current system and the challenges we face in
encouraging employers to participate in these programs.
We are taking this bold action to actually put 8,000 people to
work who otherwise are not being served.
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EDUCATION
The
foundation
of
all
prosperity
is
quality
education.
Mecklenburg County families have clearly indicated that
education is a top priority. It is also a top priority for the Board of
Commissioners. Investing in our schools not only will meet the
current needs of our students, employees and families – it helps
our community meet the needs of the future.
County funding for education has consistently comprised about
half of the overall County budget. In the Fiscal Year 2016
Adopted Budget, the Board of County Commissioners voted to
increase funding to both Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and
Central Piedmont Community College.
For CMS, that meant a 7.6% increase in its operating budget to
the tune of $26.8 million. In other words, the County funded
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nearly all of CMS’s budget request, with the exception of $19.4
million for salary increases, and an increase in pass-through
dollars to charter schools.
Our budget also allocated one-time funding totaling over $5
million to be used for either deferred maintenance or the
acquisition of technology for schools. The additional $5 million
brings the total appropriation to $391 million, or an increase of
8.9 percent.
Meanwhile, Central Piedmont Community College received a
$2.3 million increase including some one-time funding. The
Adopted Budget, excluding debt service, includes funding
dedicated directly to education totaling $444 million. When the
cost of County funded debt service is included, that number
increases to $567 million dedicated directly to education.
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As our County grows and the number of students served by our
schools continues to increase, we take seriously our continuing
commitment to make the best investments we can to help
provide the best education possible to every child in
Mecklenburg County. We strongly believe in and support public
education.
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION INITIATIVE
But not all education occurs in CMS or CPCC. In fact, children
do not come into kindergarten until they are about age 5. So
what education are we providing before our children reach the
schoolhouse doors? Currently, we offer a smattering of early
childhood education through Head Start, Bright Beginnings,
Smart Start, and privately funded child care.
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What we know is that children who are not reading proficiently
by the third grade are less likely to succeed academically,
graduate from high school, and be ready to succeed in college
and in careers. The data shows that higher third grade reading
proficiency levels lead to reduced rates of arrest and
incarceration, reduced use of social services, increased rates of
employment and increased likelihood of home ownership.
The Read Charlotte community collaborative is hard at work
analyzing barriers and solutions across the entire continuum:
early language development, early childhood education, quality
K-3 education and summer reading loss. All of these factors
contribute to successful readers by third grade. Mecklenburg
County is proud to be a founding Governing Board member and
financial supporter of Read Charlotte.
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Currently in Mecklenburg County, only 40% of third graders are
reading proficiently at grade level. The trends are even more
disturbing for low-income African American and Hispanic
students, who scored 31 to 33 points lower than white students.
Notwithstanding this result, all of the research undeniably points
to one compelling factor that contributes to academic and career
success: whether a child has access to quality early childhood
education.
According to a study by the Brookings Institution, preschool
attendance ranks among the strongest success factors that
influence the school readiness of children from low-income
families. In fact, children who received some form of pre-school
education at age four are nine percentage points more likely to
be school ready than other children. Other benefits include
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better language, social and emotional skills, an improved
approach to learning, and a higher likelihood of reaching the
middle class by age 40.
A report from The National Scientific Council on the Developing
Child, which is a part of the Harvard University Center on the
Developing Child, chronicled our scientific knowledge about
child development, and made several core findings, four of
which I want to highlight.
First, early experiences in life build “brain architecture,” with
simple circuits forming first and more complex circuits building
upon them.
Second, children develop in an environment of relationships that
begins in the family but also involves other adult caregivers. The
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developmental process is fueled by a reciprocal, “serve and
return” process, in which young children naturally reach out for
interaction and adults respond — and vice versa.
Third, “toxic stress” derails healthy child development and can
have long-term negative effects on learning, behavior, and
physical and mental health.
Fourth, brain plasticity and the ability to change behavior
decrease over time, so getting things right the first time produces
better outcomes and is less costly, to society and individuals,
than trying to fix them later.
Intuitively, we understand that the development of children from
0-5 years has an outsized impact on later achievement,
behavior, and outcomes.
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So where are we in Mecklenburg County?
• There are 69,790 children ages birth to 5 in Mecklenburg
County
• There are 49,968 licensed child care slots, 41,255 of which
are in 4 or 5 star programs
• There are only 24,401 children enrolled in these 4 or 5 star
programs
• The County receives $44.9 million annually in federal child
care funding. It provides subsidy for 6,709 children and
3,052 remain on the waiting list
• It would cost approximately $29 million annually to provide
a subsidy to the children on the waiting list
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• To be eligible to receive a child care subsidy generally
requires income of less than 200% of the federal poverty
level and be working
• CMS spends $19.5 million on its Bright Beginnings program
and serves 3,005 children
• The County receives $9.5 million in NC Pre-K funds which
serve 1,006 children
• Mecklenburg County only has 556 Head Start slots with 659
children on the waiting list and little opportunity to receive
additional funds
• It costs on average $10,390 per year for full-time child care
for one child
• The average wage of a child care worker in North Carolina
is $9.87 per hour
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So what does all of this mean?
Well, it means we already have additional capacity to deliver
high-quality child care to more children in Mecklenburg County,
yet the need is not being met. Many communities across the
country have wrestled with this same challenge. New York City,
Denver, San Antonio, Salt Lake City, Seattle and Aspen, to
name a few, all have implemented early childhood education
programs. While they vary in size and scope, the one thing
they’ve had in common is a community commitment to ensure
that children have access to early childhood education
experiences they know will provide life-long benefits. The return
on investment can be calculated many times over as these
children are able to complete with their peers as adults.
Mecklenburg County can and should do no less. All our children
deserve no less.
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So today, I am calling for the implementation of Universal Pre-K
for all children in Mecklenburg County. Under this initiative,
every child age 0-5 in Mecklenburg County will have access to
a quality early childhood education. No child will be denied
because of his or her family’s financial condition.
This is an ambitious undertaking that will have to be phased-in.
Over the last several months, I have consulted with numerous
experts and stakeholders in our community to determine the
viability of this plan and how it could be structured.
It is clear that trying to do this all at once would be biting off more
than we could chew.
But a three-phase approach seems
workable. In the first phase, we would get every child off all
current waiting lists. In the second phase, we would serve all 4
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year-olds in the County. In the third phase, we would reach
children age 0-3.
To get started, we will immediately form an Implementation
Team to organize this community effort.
To make this work will require the participation of our whole
community, the public and private sectors. Research conducted
by The National Institute of Early Education Research has
revealed that investments in high-quality early childhood
education bring identifiable, lasting benefits and substantial
economic returns for everyone.
We will need support from local and national foundations. We’ll
need support from our partners at the State of North Carolina
and in the General Assembly. We’ll need support from our
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federal delegation, and we’ll need local support from non-profits,
businesses, and government.
The time has come for us to take bold action to ensure the future
prosperity of our county. I hope you’ll join this effort!
CONCLUSION
When the history of our time is written, what will they say about
the decisions we have made? Will they say that we shrunk from
the challenges of our time? Or will they say that we answered
the call, that we seized the opportunity to make our community
soar?
We always love a challenge, and we refuse to be defeated. Our
way is to embrace our opportunities. I believe history will show
that we did what we needed to do to make our place on this
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earth a shining city on a hill, the greatest place to live, learn,
work, and recreate.
God bless you, and God bless Mecklenburg County. Thank you
very much.
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