# Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting **Body:** Burke County Government — Board of Commissioners **Date:** December 15, 2025 6:00 PM EST (2025-12-15T18:00:00-05:00) **Location:** COMMISSIONERS' MEETING ROOM, 110 N. Green Street, Morganton, Morganton, NC, 28655 **Link:** https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/1419 ## Summary The Burke County Board of Commissioners held their regular meeting on December 15, 2025, addressing a range of topics from leadership elections to foster care support and animal welfare concerns. The meeting began with welcoming remarks, followed by a traditional invocation led by Pastor David Bridges and the Pledge of Allegiance guided by Mr. Tachal. A significant portion of the evening was dedicated to approving a comprehensive consent agenda, streamlining several routine administrative actions. A key outcome of the meeting was the election of leadership for 2026: Jeff Britton was elected as Chairman, and Phil Smith as Vice-Chairman. Both expressed their commitment to serving the county in these roles. The Board also approved an addition to the agenda concerning appointments to the Dangerous Dog Appeal Board, demonstrating a responsiveness to ongoing community needs. Following approval of the minutes from September 2nd, the meeting moved into presentations and public comment. Stephanie Norman, Register of Deeds, delivered a detailed update on her department's activities, highlighting its expanded role in issuing birth certificates for North Carolina residents and adopted individuals. The department is also experiencing growth as a passport acceptance facility, handling over 12,000 documents and 16,000 vital records requests annually. Notably, the department is implementing artificial intelligence to improve efficiency and combat document fraud. Subsequently, County Manager Brian Epley presented a proposal exploring potential partnerships to vertically integrate foster care services within Burke County. The Board unanimously approved moving forward with a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process to evaluate potential partners, aiming to increase licensed foster homes, improve reunification rates for children in care, and potentially achieve budget efficiencies. This initiative reflects a commitment to supporting vulnerable children within the county. During public comment, residents voiced concerns and advocated for improvements in various areas. John Hoyle raised issues regarding the responsiveness of county staff and safety concerns at a local convenience store, while Doreen Herb passionately advocated for stronger animal welfare laws. Ms. Herb emphasized the need for stricter penalties, mandatory spay/neuter programs, and improved oversight of animal rescues to address issues like abandonment and neglect. Her comments sparked a discussion among Commissioners Stroud and Burns, who highlighted the importance of supporting foster families and exploring ways to engage local churches in addressing the needs of children. The Board swiftly approved a comprehensive consent agenda, encompassing approvals for 2026 rules of procedure and meeting schedules, appointments to various boards (including the Tourism Development Authority), acceptance of donated desk cubicles from the Western Piedmont Council of Governments, and budget amendments for social services and vehicle repairs. Additionally, they authorized the sale of surplus real property through an online auction platform (GovDeals) and approved utilizing opioid litigation settlement funds to expand the PORT team. Finally, the Board passed a resolution recognizing the historical significance of Burke County in preparation for America’s 250th anniversary. Looking ahead, the County Manager will initiate the RFQ process for exploring foster care partnership options. Residents are encouraged to monitor the county website and future meeting agendas for updates on these initiatives, particularly regarding potential changes to animal ordinances. This meeting demonstrated the Board’s focus on addressing key community needs, streamlining county operations, and preparing for significant milestones like the upcoming celebration of America’s 250th anniversary. ## Agenda - [CALL TO ORDER](https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/1419/item/1946) - [INVOCATION](https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/1419/item/1947) - [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE](https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/1419/item/1948) - [ORGANIZATION OF THE BOARD](https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/1419/item/1949) - [BOC - ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN FOR 2026](https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/1419/item/1950) - [BOC - ELECTION OF VICE CHAIRMAN FOR 2026](https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/1419/item/1951) - [APPROVAL OF AGENDA AS AMENDED](https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/1419/item/1952) - [APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES](https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/1419/item/1953) - [PRESENTATIONS](https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/1419/item/1954) - [CM - SINGLE SOURCE FOSTER CARE SUPPORT PRESENTATION](https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/1419/item/1955) - [INFORMAL PUBLIC COMMENTS](https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/1419/item/1956) - [CONSENT AGENDA](https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/1419/item/1957) - [BOC - CONSIDERATION OF THE 2026 RULES OF PROCEDURE](https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/1419/item/1958) - [BOC - ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING THE 2026 MEETING SCHEDULE](https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/1419/item/1959) - [BOC - ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING THE BOH 2026 MEETING SCHEDULE](https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/1419/item/1960) - [BOC - 2026 COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS](https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/1419/item/1961) - [CLERK - APPOINTMENTS OR REAPPOINTMENTS TO THE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY](https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/1419/item/1962) - [CLERK - RESOLUTION TO ACCEPT DONATION OF DESK CUBICLES FROM WPCOG](https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/1419/item/1963) - [CM - AUTHORIZATION TO USE OPIOID LITIGATION SETTLEMENT FUNDS TO EXPAND PORT TEAM](https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/1419/item/1964) - [AM250 - RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT FOR AMERICA'S 250[TH] BIRTHDAY](https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/1419/item/1965) ## Votes - To close the floor for nominations. — Passed, 5-0 - To elect Jeff Brittain as the Chairman of the Burke County Board of Commissioners for 2026. — Passed, 5-0 - To elect Phil Smith as the Vice Chairman of the Burke County Board of Commissioners for 2026. — Passed, 5-0 - To approve the agenda as amended, with the addition of Appointments to the Dangerous Dog Appeal Board as Items for Decision No. 8. — Passed, 5-0 - To approve the minutes of the September 2, 2025, pre-agenda meeting as presented. — Passed, 5-0 - To accept the report as presented. — Passed, 5-0 - To accept the report and authorize the County Manager to move forward with the RFQ process. — Passed, 5-0 - CONSENT AGENDA — Passed, 5-0 - BOC - CONSIDERATION OF THE 2026 RULES OF PROCEDURE — Passed, 5-0 - BOC - ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING THE 2026 MEETING SCHEDULE — Passed, 5-0 - BOC - ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING THE BOH 2026 MEETING SCHEDULE — Passed, 5-0 - BOC - 2026 COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS — Passed, 5-0 - CLERK - APPOINTMENTS OR REAPPOINTMENTS TO THE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY — Passed, 5-0 - CLERK - RESOLUTION TO ACCEPT DONATION OF DESK CUBICLES FROM WPCOG — Passed, 5-0 - CM - AUTHORIZATION TO USE OPIOID LITIGATION SETTLEMENT FUNDS TO EXPAND PORT TEAM — Passed, 5-0 - AM250 - RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT FOR AMERICA'S 250[TH] BIRTHDAY — Passed, 5-0 ## Video & Transcript - Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32CSNZbYvW0&t=172s - Transcript: https://sunshinemeetings.org/transcript/1029/segments - Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhP3oJnZW8E - Transcript: https://sunshinemeetings.org/transcript/992/segments ## Documents - [notice_2025-12-15.pdf](https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/1419?document=2632) - [agenda_2025-12-15.pdf](https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/1419?document=2815) - [minutes_2025-12-15.pdf](https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/1419?document=4275) - [agenda_packet_2025-12-15.pdf](https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/1419?document=2631) ## Sources - [CivicClerk](https://burkeconc.portal.civicclerk.com/#!/events/900)