Residents urge transparency on affordable housing, elections funding and park changes at Harnett County meeting

During the public comment period at Tuesday’s Harnett County Board of Commissioners meeting, several residents commended staff work on affordable housing and asked the board for clearer communication about budget choices and statutory pressures.

Larry Mitchell praised last week’s affordable-housing briefing and urged the board to consider affordability in the FY 26‑27 budget. Rebecca Brock asked for explicit transparency in the upcoming budget about cuts that may stem from state legislation, saying, "This is nothing that you did. It's just that this is the effects of that HR 1 bill." Alan Longman urged the board to ensure the Board of Elections is adequately funded and staffed to handle increased turnout, warning that underfunding would be equivalent to defunding election operations.

Lara Monk, a parent and regular user of Anderson Creek Park, said families were upset by the sudden notice of the playground’s removal and asked that the replacement design preserve the park’s natural feel and include ADA accessibility. Steve Vendetti, a commercial real-estate agent, asked the county to clarify plans for county-owned parcels and suggested some could be used to support veteran housing.

Speakers asked for more timely communication from staff, earlier community engagement on significant park changes, and confirmation that funding allocations will be transparent to residents.