Reallocation of Megasite funds has just one hurdle left to clear

The Burke Board of Commissioners’ plan to reallocate $20 million from the Great Meadows industrial megasite project and use it to construct a shell building at Burke Business Park has just one hurdle left to clear.

The State Senate voted 30-19 Monday to override Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto of a sweeping omnibus bill that includes Burke’s request to divert part of the $36 million in state funding it had previously received, which was earmarked for the Great Meadows project.

Only one step remains in the process: the House must also vote to override the veto. That vote is expected sometime next week.

The bill was initially ratified by the Senate on Nov. 20 and was promptly vetoed by Cooper. It includes provisions that significantly weaken the scope of gubernatorial power and has been labeled a blatant power grab by its Democratic opponents.

Burke County Manager Brian Epley said the county’s request came about because the board was looking for ways to stimulate the local economy in the short- and mid-term, since the megasite project could still be a decade or so away.

“I think the request for flexibility was largely driven by the board’s intent to just try to facilitate job creation and do some innovative economic development,” Epley said. “They recognize that our economy has been stagnant for the better part of a decade. They recognize that Burke Business Park was an underutilized asset, and they’re focused on trying to stimulate economic development. I think that’s really all that drove it.”

The plan is to tap into the $22.5 million pool of state money that was set aside for purchasing the 1,353-acre megasite in western Burke County. The remainder of the total amount was earmarked for infrastructure development.

The money would then be used to erect an industrial shell building at Burke Business Park. Currently, the 19-year-old park has only one tenant, Unix Packaging, whose facility is currently under construction at the site.

When the shell building sells, the money would then go back into the megasite fund. The county has three years to make that happen or risk losing the money. Burke Development Inc., the county’s industrial recruitment arm, is in charge of both projects.

Epley said the board was well within its rights to make such a request of the legislature, and added it’s common for strategies of this type to be developed behind closed doors in North Carolina.

“Most economic development strategies originate in closed session,” Epley said. “And that is a statutory driven initiative, and it’s largely done to keep the county competitive.”

Epley pointed out the urgent need for economic development, saying the county’s median income is 25% lower than the state average; 20% of Burke children live in poverty; and the county’s gross domestic product (GDP) was lower in 2022 ($2.6 billion) than in 2017 ($2.8 billion).

“The board is working hard to try to create tax base and jobs,” Epley said. “And there’s lots of parts of the process. There’s lots of phases in the strategy and requesting this flexibility was phase one. We’re excited that it’s at least got to this part. We’ll see if the veto override works, and hopefully we can do something that’s good for all Burke County citizens.”

You can view the bill and keep up with its status as it moves through the legislative process at www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2023/S382.