County commissioners pass library board bylaws

ASHEBORO — The Randolph County Board of Commissioners will appoint a new library board of trustees. At their March 2 meeting, they approved new bylaws for the board along with signage regulations, fund approval for law enforcement vehicles and funds to reroof Coleridge Elementary School.

New library board bylaws

Commissioners passed the library bylaws nearly three months since they voted to dismiss the board of trustees at the end of a public hearing over the contested book “Call Me Max.”

County Manager Zeb Holden said commissioners will appoint nine trustees representing the seven public libraries. Asheboro and Archdale’s library districts will each get two trustees.

The board will elect its chairman, vice chairman and secretary, and set its meeting schedule.

Terms will be three years. 

Since it will be a whole new panel, commissioners varied the initial terms to create a staggered rotation. Commissioner David Allen recommended one change: Giving Randleman’s trustee one of the first three-year terms instead of Ramseur due to its larger population and circulation.

■ Three-year term: Asheboro #1, Archdale #1, Randleman.

■ Two-year term: Ramseur, Seagrove, Liberty.

■ One-year term: Franklinville, Asheboro #2, Archdale #2.

Commissioner Hope Haywood asked how these compare to the old bylaws. County Attorney Ben Morgan said it brings them more in line with Randolph County’s other boards.

Speakers during the public comment period were split on the library board, with some affirming their support for the dismissal on Dec. 8 and others arguing that the previous board was unfairly punished for keeping “Call Me Max” on the shelves. Pastor Mark Wilburn of Balfour Baptist Church shared a petition from his church supporting the commissioners’ vote.

“Call Me Max,” a book depicting a transgender child, was contested last year. Critics said the topic should be left up to parents and leaving it in the children’s section took away their ability to guide the conversation. Supporters said the book introduced readers to different perspectives and removing it would set a bad precedent.

Before voting, Allen asked if they should consider a new procedure for appointing trustees. Holden said for most boards and committees, commissioners or county staff recommend someone and invite them to apply. Allen said they might want to publicize the application to get a pool of candidates they can choose from. Holden said they can consider that as a next step.

School reroofing

Randolph County Schools Superintendent Stephen Gainey said the board of education wished to use money from the North Carolina Education Lottery to put a new roof on Coleridge Elementary School.

He said they can use the Public School Building Repair and Renovation Fund, an interest-bearing account shared by the Randolph and Asheboro school districts. He asked for $878,000, which commissioners approved.

UDO sign regs approved

Commissioners narrowly approved changes to the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). Planning Director Kim Heinzer laid out three changes they made based on the commissioners’ requests at their February meeting.

■ Change outdoor advertising signs (billboards) limits from 1 per lot frontage to 1 per every 1,000 feet.

■ Reduce the minimum spacing of outdoor advertising signs from 2,500 feet to 1,000 feet.

■ Increase removal time of temporary real estate and construction signs from 7 days to 30 days upon completion.

Commissioner Chair Darrell Frye said right now, only three-tenths of 1 percent of all property in Randolph County is zoned to install any billboard.

The commissioners voted 3-2. Haywood and Commissioner Lester Rivenbark voted against. Haywood had said in February that she was concerned about preserving the county’s agricultural character. Rivenbark said he felt it was an unnecessary regulation.

Sheriff’s office equipment

The Randolph County Sheriff’s Office got the green light for new trucks and guns. Chief Deputy Steven Nunn said they wished to buy three 2026 Ford F-150 Responders for $142,099.02. They were already budgeted for the 2025-26 fiscal year.

He then presented a request to upgrade all personnel’s pistols to a newer Glock 17. The cost of 225 new guns, duty holsters and red dot sights will cost $295,188.39. The funds will come from the Law Enforcement Restricted Funds, which is made up of assets seized from purported criminal activity.

Family Crisis Center funds

The Family Crisis Center asked commissioners to forward-fund $75,000 from the upcoming fiscal year to cover their growing needs through June.

Child Advocacy Center Program Manager Nikki Jenkins presented the request with District Attorney Andrew Gregson and Aundrea Azelton, a retired member of the sheriff’s office who sits on the crisis center’s board of directors.

Gregson said, right now, he is prosecuting about 100 defendants for sex crimes against children, and Emmy’s House Children’s Advocacy Center saw about 60 percent more children in one year.

Jenkins said they’ve been diversifying funding since they got roughly $600,000 less in federal grants this past year. A fundraising push raised $100,000 in December. “While it looks bright for the future, it does not change the situation we are in now,” she said.

Commissioners approved their request. Azelton shared their next fundraiser, Cluckin’ for a Cause, is on Friday, March 13. Donors can get a chicken dinner plate at Central Church for $15 per ticket.

Farmland numbers

Bobby Allen, chairman of the Voluntary Agricultural District (VAD), delivered the annual report. He said in 2025, it added 11 new parcels totaling 147.5 acres and lost 88 acres. The total acreage in the VAD is 20,190. That is 15 percent of all agricultural acreage in the county. He said between 2017 and 2022, they lost 25,000 acres of farmland.

“Every acre we can keep in the Voluntary Ag District is an acre we’re grateful to have,” he said.