Like many people do in their own lives each year about this time, the Guilford County commissioners look back at their accomplishments during the year.
At a Monday, Dec. 5 meeting when newly elected and reelected commissioners were sworn in, Chairman of the Board of Commissioners Skip Alston – who’ll hold that title for another 12 months – summed up the extremely eventful year of 2022 when it came to the board’s actions.
At the meeting, he said he was thrilled that fellow commissioners had voted for him to be chairman again and stated that he wanted to take some time to recap some things that the Board of Commissioners had accomplished.
“As you can recall, last December we were still challenged with high community COVID transmission rates,” he said.
The board, he noted, took action with mask mandates and mass vaccination programs to bring that threat down.
He said 2022 was a year when the county moved from emergency actions meant to ensure community safety to beginning the recovery phase.
In 2022, the Guilford County Board of Commissioners allocated over $104 million in American Rescue Plan money to, Alston said, “support sustainable long-term community improvements.”
“We spent the better part of the year working through proposals submitted by our citizens,” the chairman said.
“I want to point out also that we were recognized nationally by the US Treasury Department for our plan and our communication efforts,” he added.
Alston thanked fellow commissioners, county staff and the citizens who took their time to provide input as to how the funds should be spent.
Now, Alston said, the important thing is to work with community partners to see those funded projects successfully completed over the next few years.
Other board accomplishments included approving money for animal shelter needs, food security initiatives and EMT training programs meant “to ensure a stronger pipeline of essential workers.”
Like many local governments and private companies, Guilford County government has been experiencing a huge problem with vacancies.
Alston also spoke on the county’s dedication to workforce development efforts in light of Toyota and Boom Supersonic coming to the area, as well as multiple business expansions in High Point.
Then he brought up the crown jewel of the board’s accomplishments in 2022: “committing ourselves to funding our school infrastructure needs.”
“This board supported successfully a $1.7 billion bond package,’ Alston said proudly, “the largest bond for education ever passed in the state of North Carolina.
“It will propel our schools into 21st-century learning,” he said.
The board also increased county employee pay and benefits in 2022, and Alston said those employees “have shown over and over again during the pandemic what quality public servants we have in Guilford County.”
He said that working as “One Guilford County” – a consistent theme of Alston’s over the last two years – a great deal had been accomplished in 2022.
“But we still have a long way to go,” he added before asking for a round of applause for county staff.
The science behind masks is tenuous at best. Skippy being proud of his mask mandate speaks more about his love of power and wielding it against free Americans.
Lol, accomplishments like his hero Uncle Joey.
I’m gonna say this as nice as possible. F$$k king skippy and his spend happy dumbocrats. The taxpayers ie working people are screwed in this county
AMEN ! You speak for thousands of Guilford County residents.
Well I didn’t see no 30000 raise to the Sheriff himself and to each his Lt and above 11% -16% raises to line their pockets oh Skippy O. Sheriff Rogers pay raise to $17000 a month. Dear God in heaven.
Sigh.
Bah humbug!
Don’t forget one of the biggest tax increases in county history. Skip, that will be your legacy.
Amen!
I am to understand that the school board has not completely spent the $300000 from 2 years ago. Yes Skipster you did a wonderful job for the schools. But are you going to follow up and make sure they will get started and use the money. Most all schools need their heat and air systems repaired. I understand that there are limited Hvac people on staff!!!!!!!! Can’t they reach out to the private sector and get help. Just asking !!!!!
All I see from Commissioners is Tax increases . I expect it as long as you WAVE YOUR VICTORY FLAG and shout how you gave away any reduction in taxes for me until we can get a group to replace you.
Suggestion- work with the community college (GTCC) to provide the skills and training to be employed by the county after successful completion of plumbing, electrical, HVAC ,etc.. courses paid for by the county with a legal agreement they work for the county for 3-5 years before moving onto another non- county job. Penalties of monetary value for those who leave early. Teach those who want to be productive members of our county the skills they need but cannot afford to pay for. Stop wasting money on your special projects that have no value to our community. IE- civil rights museum that keeps taking money and finds away not to payback what is owed to the citizens of Guilford County. Am I wrong?
No you’re not. In the 60s-70s schools had classes called VICA basically apprentice classes for those programs but the better educated (woke people of the time) decided everyone should go to college so those classes were discarded. 4-5 generations later look where we are. No one to fill the jobs of today. America can be so dumb.