Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Hoke County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
14 issues
Animal Shelter Improvements
A regular public commenter urged the county to pave the shelter parking lot, add shrubs and paint, and create a waiting area; staff reported fencing, paving, and an HVAC donation are underway with a grand opening expected within weeks.
Voluntary Agricultural Ordinance Update
The county is considering adopting an updated Voluntary Agricultural Ordinance, which affects how farmland and farming operations are recognized and protected in unincorporated areas.
Group Home Special Use Permits on Hector McNeill Road
Eight requests to run group homes on Highway Commercial-zoned parcels along Hector McNeill Road and Laurinburg Road were pushed to the November 16 meeting, so neighbors will have to wait for the hearing and vote.
2026 Employee Christmas Bonuses
The county manager's recommended bonuses were approved: $500 for full-time employees, $250 for part-time, $100 for post-fiscal-year hires, and $50 for qualifying seasonal workers.
Sheriff's Department Budget Amendments
The sheriff moved $25,000 in forfeiture funds into equipment, won permission to buy more vehicles with leftover capital outlay funds, and the jail added $110,000 for transportation-team vehicles. Taxpayer money is funding it, but the sheriff argued it keeps officers and residents safe.
Jail and sheriff's office overtime shortfall
The sheriff told commissioners overtime is driven by growth and vacancies — two deputies left for higher-paying Raeford PD jobs — and moved $40,000 to cover November overtime, warning response times suffer when deputies are tied up on calls.
Private school campus coming to Hoke County
The founder of First Impressions Academy told commissioners she bought 55 acres in Hoke County to build a high school with vocational programs, with plans already approved and groundbreaking near.
Event center nuisance complaints on Posey Farms Road
Kevin White returned three months after first complaining about noise and disruption from a neighboring event center, saying he's had no county response and now must take his kids to hotels on weekends; he was told the matter is now between attorneys.
Federal funding cuts hitting DSS and county budget
Vacancies at Social Services are slowing case processing; the county will pilot using lapsed salary funds to hire outside contractors to keep performance standards and state reimbursements on track.
Long-delayed animal shelter project
A resident pressed commissioners on the slow pace of the roughly half-million-dollar donated shelter project and on future staffing, cat facilities, and a communication committee.
Tractor-trailer parking in residential neighborhoods
A Ravenwood resident asked for an ordinance banning semi-truck parking in neighborhoods, citing road damage, dumped motor oil near a future subdivision and watershed, and safety risks. Commissioners confirmed the 193-page zoning ordinance says nothing about it and directed the county attorney to help draft one.
Sheets gas station rezoning on Fayetteville Road
Commissioners approved rezoning half an acre at 8861 Fayetteville Road to Highway Commercial, likely bringing a Sheets convenience store and gas station near Cape Fear Valley Hospital. Neighbors from Woodbury subdivision worry about traffic on an already congested and accident-prone stretch of 401, 24-hour noise, and strain on the county's water supply — the county already buys water from PWC and has paused some building.
County Fuel Point savings
The county's in-house fuel point saved about $288,000 in 12 months — beating projections by over $50,000 — and is on track to pay for itself in about four more months.
Water Restrictions
The county leases the former prison's water system from the state but wants to own it before investing millions; commissioners also want state rules cleared so private partners can help build wells.