By Miles Layton

GATESVILLE — The Gates County Board of Commissioners honored the memory of beloved librarian Patricia “Miss Pat” Brown Familar, celebrated a Governor’s Volunteer Service Award, and unanimously adopted a $18 million budget for fiscal year 2026-2027 during their regular meeting Wednesday evening.

Board Chair Emily Truman opened the meeting by welcoming the public and noting the presence of Vice Chair Nathan Berryman, Commissioners Jonathan Craddock, Brian Roundtree, and Dave Forsythe, County Manager Scott Sauer, County Attorneys Pitt Godwin and Thomas Wood, and Clerk to the Board Renee Draper.

Commission meeting’s agenda packet appears at the end of the story.

Photo of Mrs. Pat comes from Congressman Don Davis’ office.

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Honoring ‘Miss Pat’

Perhaps the most emotionally charged moment of the evening came when the board unanimously adopted a proclamation honoring Familar, who passed away June 5, 2026, at the age of 84.

Here’s Familar’s obituary — click here.

And here’s our previous story about Familar — click here.

Familar had served as branch manager of the Gates County Public Library beginning in September 1983, dedicating nearly 43 years to expanding access to knowledge and resources for county residents.

The proclamation celebrated her life on multiple fronts. Born December 4, 1941, in Hobbsville, Familar graduated from Gatesville High School and East Carolina College before serving as a Peace Corps teacher in the Philippines. She returned home to invest her talents in Gates County, ultimately becoming the library’s most enduring and beloved figure.

Through her tenure, she organized decades of summer reading programs, hosted countless storytime sessions, and guided the library through its transition from a physical card catalog system to a modern cloud-based platform. In 2023, the State of North Carolina recognized her contributions with the William Roberts Award for Distinguished Library Service.

The proclamation further announced that the Gates County Public Library will henceforth be known as the Patricia Brown Familar Memorial Library.

Truman struggled to keep her composure while reading the proclamation aloud.

“This one was hard to read without tearing up a little bit,” she said. “I don’t know that there was a more genuine person. She remembered every person that came to the library, that came through those doors. She was phenomenal.”

Truman also noted that while the formal name on the proclamation uses Familar’s given name, the county is exploring a secondary sign near the library entrance to honor the name everyone knew her by.

“I have been told that we are looking at having ‘Miss Pat’s Library’ or something put on a sign by the door, just to honor her Miss Pat title that we had so affectionately known her as for years and years,” Truman said.

Commissioner Forsythe expressed interest in establishing a more permanent physical tribute.

“I’m willing — if somebody had mentioned publicly about trying to get together a fund to put up a monument or plaque or something in the yard — I’m totally willing to support that,” Forsythe said. “I would encourage anybody that’s thinking about that to contact us and figure out how we might do that, because several people have said they’d make contributions.”

Commissioner Roundtree offered a personal remembrance of the woman who touched so many lives.

“She made an impact on so many lives — touched so many lives through the library, but also through education,” Roundtree said. “She had a very humble spirit, a very meek spirit, but strong and willing to pour into our children and even adults. Miss Pat is leaving a great legacy for Gates County.”

Governor’s Award for Gates County Community Partnership

Earlier in the meeting, the board recognized the Gates County Community Partnership with the North Carolina Governor’s Volunteer Service Award, presented by Governor Josh Stein. The organization was nominated by Reba Green-Holly.

Chair Truman read from the award’s statement of purpose, noting that since its founding in 2018, the partnership has operated without any paid staff or payroll — every program, initiative, and act of service driven entirely by volunteers.

“Everything Gates County Community Partnership offers to its community is free to its participants, including programs, activities, collaborations and assistance to other nonprofits and entities including Gates County Schools,” Truman said.

Partnership Vice President/Treasurer/Founder Benjamin Saunders accepted the award on behalf of the organization and delivered remarks that drew sustained appreciation from the audience.

“What many people do not realize is that Gates County Community Partnership is a completely volunteer-driven organization,” Saunders said. “We have no employees, no payroll. Every program, every initiative, every grant application, every scholarship review, every event, every meeting and every act of service is led by volunteers who simply love Gates County and believe in its future.”

Saunders credited the organization’s guiding philosophy — that opportunity should never hinge on a family’s financial circumstances — for shaping everything they do.

“Our philosophy has always been simple: free is key,” he said. “We believe opportunity should never be limited by a family’s financial circumstances. Access to enrichment, mentorship, educational experiences, technology and personal growth should be available to every person who desires it at no cost.”

He outlined the organization’s accomplishments, including helping secure the Gear Up program for Gates County Schools, contributing to the creation of an athletic training facility at Gates County High School, donating approximately 200 computers to students in need through the Access Initiative, and helping bring high-speed fiber broadband to the Gates County Community Center.

Saunders closed his remarks by emphasizing that the award belonged to the broader community.

“This award is not about what Gates County Community Partnership has done. It’s about what a community can accomplish when people choose to serve,” he said. “It belongs to every volunteer who has given their time, every educator who has opened a door for a student, every parent who has encouraged a dream, every donor who has invested in opportunity.”

Commissioner Forsythe noted the recognition fits a pattern of excellence for the county.

“A group that does so much for the community — I went to the graduation, saw all those scholars recognized as part of that work, which is a great thing,” Forsythe said. “I think our county manager made a comment about Gates County people taking care of each other, and that goes a long ways.”

Budget Adopted Unanimously

The board unanimously adopted the fiscal year 2026-2027 budget after a public hearing drew minimal comment from residents, with one speaker thanking the board for preserving $10,000 for the county’s housing committee.

County Manager Scott Sauer outlined the final revised figures before the vote.

“The general fund budget as it stands revised this evening is $18,063,428. It reflects a 3.3 percent increase,” Sauer told commissioners. “Total funds for all of our operating funds in the aggregate are $24,698,091.”

A headline figure: the property tax rate will hold steady at 67 cents per $100 valuation — a departure from the initial budget message, which had proposed a three-cent increase.

“The tax rate will remain unchanged at 67 cents. That is different than what was presented in the budget message, which was a three-cent increase,” Sauer said.

The budget includes a three percent cost-of-living increase for all county staff effective July 1. With the closure of Buckland Elementary School, the county has set aside $80,000 for post-closure expenses including utilities, maintenance, and security. An additional $225,000 has been budgeted as a relocation contingency for the school system as it manages the transition, and the current expense budget for Gates County Schools holds at $2,953,000.

One of the larger capital additions in the final budget is a $178,000 electronic key fob security access system for county buildings. Total capital outlay approved by the board came to $319,000.

“Accomplishing this budget and keeping the tax rate as low as possible and addressing a number of one-time capital needs, the appropriated fund balance as the current revisions reflect is $548,709,” Sauer said.

On staffing, only one new full-time position was approved — an elections specialist requested by the Board of Elections, partially offset by the reduction of two part-time positions in that office. Bonus payments for part-time and full-time employees were deferred for future consideration and are not included in the July 1 budget.

When the vote came, it was unanimous. Truman allowed herself a moment of relief.

“It’s unanimous,” she said. “Whew! We survived budget season!”

Other Business

The board also considered an initial offer of $3,500 for a surplus county-owned parcel on NC 37 North near Hackley Road. After discussion, commissioners voted to reject the offer and counter at $4,493.76 — the full amount owed to the county in back taxes and fees. The property, valued at approximately $19,000 for tax purposes, has been in county hands since 2019.

The board also approved three appointments to advisory boards: Kimberly Wilson to the Planning Board and Lakisha Saunders and Rollin Slinger to the Board of Adjustment. Five appointments were made to the newly reactivating Agriculture Advisory Board.

In his county manager’s report, Sauer noted that water infrastructure projects funded through the SL 2023-134 program are moving forward, with a pre-construction conference for four water line projects anticipated in July. He also reported that the replacement of a failed water supply well is nearing completion, with certification expected by mid-to-late July.

The meeting closed with a heartfelt farewell to County Attorney Philip Godwin, who is retiring after 25 years of service. Sauer praised Godwin’s accessibility and guidance, and Godwin offered a final quip.

“An old lawyer doesn’t just retire,” he told the board. “They lose their appeal.”

The board adjourned following a closed session for personnel matters.