Lobbyist plays key role for Burke, Morganton

For many, the word ‘lobbyist’ conjures images of big-money, high-stakes, closed-door meetings on Capitol Hill, where special interests and corporations exert influence on lawmakers.

But for lobbyists who represent counties like Burke and cities like Morganton, the reality is not quite so glamorous. It’s more along the lines of sewer upgrades and highway improvements.

Both Burke Development Inc. (and by extension, the county) and Morganton contract separately with James A. Harrell III and Associates, PLLC, to represent their interests with the General Assembly in Raleigh.

Harrell intercedes on the city’s and BDI’s behalf with everyone from legislators to the Department of Transportation to the Division of Environmental Quality.

Currently, that means helping the city secure additional funding to upgrade its Silver Creek Pump Station. The $5 million project is state-funded and was set to go forward before Hurricane Helene.

Not exactly thrilling, but essential, according to former Morganton city attorney Louis Vinay.

“The biggest thing right now is hurricane relief and making sure that our voice is heard. But the most obvious need for a lobbyist concerns the Silver Creek Pump Station project, which we are ready to start work on after the flood,” Vinay said. “It’s going to have to be revised. And that means it’s going to be more expensive. We need to make sure that adequate funding is in place for that.”

Retaining a lobbyist is nothing new for Morganton. Vinay said the city has utilized one to its benefit for about 15 years. The city retained Harrell’s services for the first time early this year, contracting with him for $4,000 per month.

Vinay said it’s especially important for a city like Morganton to have representation at the state level.

That’s because the state of North Carolina is the largest employer and property owner in the city, operating facilities like Broughton, the N.C. School of Science and Mathematics, and the J. Iverson Riddle Developmental Center.

“Those things alone make it uniquely important for us to be aware of issues at the state level that may impact us,” Vinay said. “They (the state) control so much property here that it’s important to us in the city to know and if possible, have a voice in what they do.”

On the county level, Harrell is currently assisting with Burke’s efforts to fight Charlotte Water’s request for a massive increase in the amount of water it takes from the Catawba River via the interbasin transfer agreement (IBT).

N.C. Rep Hugh Blackwell and Sen. Warren Daniel are standing against the proposed increase, but County Manager Brian Epley said it’s nice to have a lobbyist in the fray as well.

“Clearly, that’s (the IBT) something that’s challenging for our region,” Epley said. “And on top of the support we get from Sen. Daniel and Representative Blackwell, who do a tremendous job, that’s just an additional resource that we have to make sure those legislators have the information they need to make the right decisions.”

Lobbyists also help with projects like BDI’s Great Meadows industrial megasite in western Burke County. The General Assembly allocated $36 million for the purchase of the land and infrastructure installment, but more funds will be needed to get the project off the ground.

“It is important to have lobbyists’ support in Raleigh,” said BDI President and CEO Alan Wood. “We are very appreciative of Mr. Harrell’s assistance to Burke County.”

At the start of Thanksgiving week, Harrell’s role, if any, in the development of NC Senate Bill 382 in which Burke County commissioners requested permission to divert $20 million from the megasite to the Burke Business Park was unclear.

See story, “Commissioners want to switch funds from megasite to Kathy Road park,” page 1A.

“The biggest thing that lobbyists do, at least in our case, is give you direct personal access to the legislative leadership,” Vinay said. “That’s one huge advantage Mr. Harrell has over almost any lobbyist.”

“It doesn’t mean that having him as a lobbyist means we get everything we want, but it helps.”

Epley agreed.

“It’s just advantageous to have advocacy, whether it’s grant recognition or legislation that you see as advantageous,” Epley said.