[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6488840,"mediaKeyId","5528737-7a6aed6f7613210f83c9c6da9556a652","parentId",5528737,"title","Rutherford County Board approves street-name ordinance updates, budget amendments and property auctions","audioSeconds",155,"startMs",3192000,"endMs",3347000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5528737-7a6aed6f7613210f83c9c6da9556a652&start=3192&end=3347","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5528737-7a6aed6f7613210f83c9c6da9556a652/thumbnail_3192000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6488840/Rutherford-County/North-Carolina/Rutherford-County-Board-approves-street-name-ordinance-updates-budget-amendments-and-property-auctions","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6488840-ed272f99919149197016648a9fb20f09/orig.mp4?Expires=1770768786&Signature=WavzaT~hVJ2guiIyU3YnhyQGi0PC3KDxqt5P8ouXTorPfslzXpFtZWc60qcZ0qJvC-KYJLxY2bOlvNqmitfxpALssFjwF30kgfXA4NyHM7b21zSMSoCMGkTQJibWA6PdGSj9wiDT4uuK2DtXLe9zDw4B6JFwD~ANnmSTOcX6FglNrnIyF-YP85Oh~jND7AnWw0ymQO5QeUTAWOfZRQMvtd~3IfDabkQdMmL3cXwJ7vnXwXJvwR0MuP3Wd2UKGg3HeS4S8RGaQb8Q7hwRQF28IPhYTf0A5xK-MdkubNaDS6~QtWLiAMSc17CxrpGZepuDes4QibT9m5dSatsOZ3su5g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Rutherford County","date","2025-08-04T00:00:00Z","article","Rutherford County commissioners approved several ordinances, budget amendments and surplus-property resolutions at their public meeting and received an update on the county school transportation operations center.

Ordinances: The board approved an ordinance to amend Chapter 3, Article 6 of the Rutherford County Code of Ordinances governing street names, addressing and display. Planning staff said the update modernizes definitions, updates statute and building-code references and adds an appeals process that was not in the original 1991 ordinance. Commissioners then approved a separate ordinance repealing section 12-2 of the county code — the county’s prior procedure for changing or amending road names — to align with the updated rules.

Budget amendments: Finance Director Paula Rhodes presented multiple budget amendments for approval. The board approved carry-forwards and appropriations including funds for the county’s home-delivered meals program and home and community health grants, replacement of building HVAC at county offices, carry-forward funds for the public-safety software project (eligible E911 portions), and a donation for the “Shop with a Cop” program. The board also approved an appropriation of approximately $1.6 million to Isothermal Community College — described by staff as funding for furniture, equipment, an ambulance simulator and audio-visual/technology components — and additional county-funded work to move an electrical line as part of that college project. The Register of Deeds received an increase in its appropriation to purchase filing cabinets and related equipment; staff said the department’s total available spending for that purpose will be approximately $250,000 (made up of previously earmarked funds plus the requested carry-forward). E911 funds were also allocated for furniture and console replacements (about $215,000) and for the eligible portion of the public-safety software implementation.

School transportation operations center: County Manager Steve Garrison updated the board on the new Rutherford County Schools Transportation Operations Center. Commissioners previously approved financing in 2022. The county reported the low construction bid exceeded original estimates, and the commissioners approved an additional $1,132,938 from the school capital reserve debt service fund to bring the total project cost to $16,132,938. Staff said the new garage provides 12 bays (versus four in the old facility), modern equipment, office and training space, and has a certificate of occupancy; school staff have begun using the facility while final invoices and retainage are paid.

Surplus-property auctions: The board approved two resolutions authorizing new electronic auctions via GovDeals for surplus county parcels (described in staff presentations as 0 Shotwell Lane in Rutherfordton and 0 Yates Lane in the Lake Lure area). Staff said previous GovDeals auctions had produced successful closings and returned properties to the tax rolls, and that GovDeals recently recommended a small bidder-fee in some auctions to reduce defaults.

Votes and motions: The board approved the meeting agenda and the consent agenda by voice vote. For each ordinance, budget amendment package and the two GovDeals resolutions the board recorded motions, received seconds and carried the motions. The Southern Software contract was approved later in the meeting (see separate article). The board recessed into a closed session on attorney-client matters at the end of the public meeting and indicated no action was expected upon reconvening.

What changed and what’s next: Staff said unspent funds from projects will be returned to the appropriate reserves when projects are closed out and that construction invoices will be posted to project funds for reimbursement. Planning staff noted the street-name updates anticipate changes caused by the new U.S. 221 bypass and said additional, specific road-name adjustments could return to the board when construction changes take effect.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Rutherford County - Board of Commissioners on 2025-08-04 6:00 PM","oneSentenceSummary","Rutherford County commissioners approved updates to the county street-naming and addressing ordinance, passed budget amendments for several county programs and the Isothermal Community College project, and authorized two surplus-property auctions at their public meeting.","taxTitle","Rutherford County, North Carolina","taxId",45173,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6488845,"Rutherford County approves Southern Software contract to replace aging public-safety system",742,2421000,3163000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5528737-7a6aed6f7613210f83c9c6da9556a652&start=2421&end=3163","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5528737-7a6aed6f7613210f83c9c6da9556a652/thumbnail_2421000.jpg","/articles/6488845/Rutherford-County/North-Carolina/Rutherford-County-approves-Southern-Software-contract-to-replace-aging-public-safety-system","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6488845-759a09a192a733d0e20168f0f314b94e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770768786&Signature=EKwNEZo79pF9S5GhB~f883S7hYwauJE9A4XApEmChjNgMXwKUq9A62mLtRv1P~~ausDVhNXJzSQe-UevuvRcRgLVQUNNKzGmqaodwtGfxOLPs7zgII9bcQfSNZ8AUDcsGeI-LqXIyUIxeo3upHPZ5xdv33ovzSHBkb13kfSL7gcO~MZfRs4eg0eMwqEOJW~~uKEH05IRYVaCDFxvl0xmbi2p7RhZsrcVoi7HEqVSZR7IX-k428EKELTK-sMVSwGK-rJUzaG7YE8i1bBXt2oONQ0S99FvVkKNR-oiiD-wk7uqHit7jA0kGJyRuf2GHrOld4SGmp~YbS7GZUuH5eQIOA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Rutherford County Board of Commissioners voted to approve a multi-year contract with Southern Software to replace the county’s existing public-safety software environment and consolidate several functions used by dispatch, records, the jail and other agencies.

County technology and public-safety staff told commissioners the county’s current system, supplied by Central Square (formerly TriTech), required many separate servers and had performance problems. “Right now Central Square ... consists of 27 servers all needing to talk to each other,” Jay Naug said while presenting the proposal, adding of the Southern Software implementation: “Please ask me how many Southern software it's gonna use. How many? 2 servers.”

The county manager and public-safety presenters said the replacement will include a cloud-based public portal called Citizen Connect that can let residents look up non-confidential crime data, sex-offender locations and other public records. During public comment earlier in the meeting, journalist Annie Dance urged commissioners to disclose the contract’s public cost and to confirm whether Citizen Connect would be implemented with the county purchase.

Finance staff said the county will pay the initial purchase price from funds banked over recent years by IT and with eligible E911 funds; staff estimated annual maintenance and subscription costs for Southern Software at about $99,000–$100,000. By comparison, staff said the county currently pays about $190,000 per year for Central Square. “We’re currently paying a $190,000 a year for Central Square. So we’re looking at a $90,000 savings every year going forward,” Jay Naug said.

Staff described a phased implementation that will require vendor training and configuration. County staff estimated a full rollout of all modules could take roughly eight to ten months; the presenters also said the county plans to target a formal go-live date of July 1, 2026. The board’s motion authorized the county manager and county attorney to negotiate final contract terms and authorized county officials to execute documents supporting the action.

Commissioners and staff described additional optional modules under consideration, including an emergency-management platform called IC Aware for tracking people, equipment and personnel during disasters. Emergency-management staff said that module would provide real-time location tracking from personnel phones and improved shelter and FEMA documentation functionality.

The board voted to approve the contract after a second and a public call for the question; the roll call recorded the motion as carried. Commissioners said they expect the vendor to provide training and to return to the board with final implementation milestones as the project proceeds.","The Rutherford County Board of Commissioners approved a multi-year contract with Southern Software to replace the county's current public-safety records and dispatch system. County staff said the move will reduce server complexity and cut annual maintenance costs, and the contract includes a public-facing module called Citizen Connect.","actionData","errors"]

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Rutherford County Board approves street-name ordinance updates, budget amendments and property auctions

Rutherford County approves Southern Software contract to replace aging public-safety system