Senate Bill 70 appropriates $2 million in nonrecurring General Fund dollars for fiscal year 2025-2026 to the Office of State Budget and Management for a directed grant to the Town of Wendell. The grant is intended to support community engagement, development of construction drawings, and stabilization work for the old Carver School, which is owned by Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in partnership with Pleasant Grove CDC and Wake County.
The bill describes a broader redevelopment vision for the site: rehabilitation of the old Carver School into a comprehensive community center that could include a business incubator, technology center, gymnasium, performance space, and classrooms. The act would take effect on July 1, 2025.
Impact
The bill would create a one-time state appropriation and direct the funds through the Office of State Budget and Management as a grant to the Town of Wendell. It does not amend regulatory law or create a new ongoing program, but it would authorize state spending for a specific local capital and community redevelopment project involving a privately owned historic school site and public partners.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes in the provided materials, the measure appears to be a straightforward local funding request with an affirmative, development-oriented purpose. The bill’s framing suggests support for preservation, community revitalization, and economic development, and there is no documented opposition in the available record.
Contention
No committee transcripts or vote history were provided, so no specific points of contention can be identified from the record. Potential issues that could arise, based on the bill’s structure, include the use of state funds for a single local project, the involvement of a church-owned property, and questions about project scope, public benefit, and long-term operating responsibility, but these concerns are not documented in the supplied materials.