Latest news with #GuilfordCountyBoardofCommissioners
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Oak Ridge community pushes back on proposed pipeline
OAK RIDGE, N.C. (WGHP) — A popular sign on the side of many roads in Oak Ridge states, 'No Pipeline' in protest of a potential natural pipeline running through the area. Brenda Chaney says her horse pasture received a rendering from the Williams Companies Inc. of the proposed Transco Pipeline. According to a presentation during a Guilford County Board of Commissioners meeting, the pipeline is a part of the Southeast Supply Enhancement Project. It would be a 42-inch diameter pipeline that runs through miles of Guilford County, Forsyth County and Davidson County as well as Chaney's property. 'It would require them to deeply trench the entire length of the pasture, go across the driveway and down into my second pasture, so it would be a headache for sure,' Chaney said. Chaney's biggest concern is safety. 'And always going to come back to, 'Is it safe? Can I continue to live here safely?' My kids bought houses around me. I just want to make sure we live in an area that is safe,' Chaney said. Other neighbors like Chuck Salmon are worried about the potential risk of an explosion, especially because there's already a natural gas pipeline that runs through parts of Oak Ridge, including a neighborhood off Billet Road. 'And within that blast zone, we already have several schools and hundreds of residents,' Salmon said. According to Guilford County commissioners, the pipes would carry more than a million dekatherms of pressurized natural gas. Before this project becomes a reality, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission must assess and approve the project. In the meantime, homeowners are calling on county leaders to strike down the pipeline if the project moves forward. 'I know that if they pass the resolution saying, 'No,' then Raleigh will pay attention, and then maybe we can have more oversight on how safe these pipes are and if this is best for North Carolina,' Chaney said. Williams Companies Inc. will have a work session to discuss the pipeline with Guilford County commissioners at 4 p.m. on Thursday at the old Guilford County Courthouse. The meeting is open to the public. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Guilford schools begin move to new HQ
GUILFORD COUNTY — Guilford County Schools has begun its central office consolidation and move out of downtown Greensboro to a building near Friendly Center. In March 2024, the Guilford County Board of Education and Guilford County Board of Commissioners authorized the purchase of the former ITG Brands building at 714 Green Valley Drive for $9.5 million, about half the assessed value of just under $19 million. District officials began to explore the option to surplus and eventually sell the district's legacy office buildings on Eugene Street, Washington Street, Market Street and Prescott Street in downtown Greensboro and the Laughlin Professional Development Center in Summerfield. The new site is approximately 7.7 acres with 144,000 square feet and will house more than 400 employees. Several departments, including Human Resources, Finance and Technology, have already completed the move, with others moving in throughout the next several weeks. The building is open to the public. GCS officials say the move will increase efficiency and collaboration by reducing travel times and operational costs by bringing several administrative departments under one roof. Among them are Technology, Safety, Operations, Human Resources, Financial Services, Academics, Early Learning, Research and Accountability, Exceptional Children's Services, and Communications. The school district's 2019 Facilities Master Plan included closing 11 administrative buildings and spending $30 million to consolidate the school departments. Instead of using bond dollars, GCS will sell the five administrative surplus properties, and the proceeds will pay for the Green Valley property. All district-owned property must be offered first to the Guilford County Board of Commissioners before being offered to the public for sale. Additionally, the district has opened its Community Education Center in the Gateway Research Park on Florida Street in Greensboro to serve as a hub for several departments, including Guilford Parent Academy, Student Assignment, Counseling, Multi-Language Learners, Social Work, Career and Technical Education and Choice Programs. The Community Education Center will also serve as an enrollment center for families to be able to access all needed services in one place. The site includes flex spaces for tutoring, pre-kindergarten evaluations, adult education, professional development and community meeting rooms for students and adults. In the fall, the facility will also host Guilford County Board of Education meetings. In 2022, GCS announced a partnership with North Carolina A&T State University and Impact Data to build the Community Education Center. The North Carolina General Assembly included a provision in the state budget to allow the Gateway Research Park to enter into a lease agreement with the Guilford County Board of Education for a minimum term of 50 years — a requirement for the use of the one-time federal funding to cover the costs of construction of the center.
