Commissioners honor McDowell

Janet Imrick

Randolph Hub

ASHEBORO — Randolph County commissioners recognized outgoing Commissioner Maxton McDowell at his last full meeting on Nov. 4. That same evening, they celebrated an award for employee wellness programs and awarded contracts for replacing water treatment infrastructure.

Special recognitions

- Chairman Darrell Frye presented a framed resolution to McDowell. He thanked him for his time on the planning board from 1987-2005 before he was elected commissioner for the 5th district in 2016. All the commissioners and County Manager Zeb Holden described him as supportive and valuable for his advice.

“He’s always been a good listener and respectful,” Commissioner Hope Haywood said. “I just could not ask for anyone to have been a better mentor for me coming into this role as commissioner.”

McDowell said, “It’s been a pleasure serving with this bunch of yokels. We really appreciate all that’s been done. I’m a lifelong resident of Randolph County, born and raised here. My family goes back to the 1700s. We are so well engrained in Randolph County. We love it, and we’re going to be here, we hope, for the rest of our lives.”

Lester Rivenbark will succeed McDowell as commissioner for the 5th district. He defeated McDowell in the Republican primary in March and Democrat Jane Ledwell-Gant in the general election.

- Another special recognition at the meeting was for county employee wellness. Healthiest Employers Awards Program ranked Randolph County the 17th healthiest workplace in America and the healthiest employer in North Carolina’s Piedmont Triad region.

Wellness Administrator Sam Varner presented a video highlighting the county’s on-site clinics for employees, with services for fitness, screenings, therapy and counseling.

- Commissioners also recognized Mark Frick, who retired after 31 years with the tax department. Tax Assessor Debra Hill listed his accomplishments as reappraisal contractor, property appraiser and real property supervisor, including his work on six countywide reappraisals.

Building bids

Infrastructure Coordinator Chris Hildreth presented bids for the pump stations in Franklinville and Ramseur.

- Baker Underground, Inc. of Kernersville bid $1,859,600 for replacing the Ogle’s Creek Pump Station, which handles 100 percent of the flow from the southern portion of Franklinville’s sewer system. Commissioners approved $2,300,000 for the entire project, which Hildreth said is expected to take about seven months.

- Ramseur’s Main Pump Station force main and Tube Pump Station also need replacements. Terry’s Plumbing and Utilities submitted the lowest bid of $1,187,900. Commissioners approved a total construction budget of $1,575,000. The existing Tube Pump Station is to be replaced with a submersible pump station and a new 12” force main will be installed in the Deep River.

Both projects will be funded through the county’s share of money from the American Rescue Plan Act.

- Commissioners approved a builder for a third project. Randolph Community College is waiting on the state to move forward on approval processes for its Emergency Training Center Structures, so they asked the county to handle the contract for new burn and tactical training buildings. Commissioners accepted the low bid of $1,048,100 from Forge Fire & Company.

Last year’s solid waste: 627,841 tons

Waste Management gave its annual report for the 2023-24 fiscal year. Bob Peeler, Waste Management Government Relations, said they received 627,841 tons of solid waste at Great Oak landfill and paid $15,976,222 in fees.