ALBEMARLE — At its May 16 meeting, the Stanly County Board of Commissioners received a presentation by Amanda Griffey, director of the Agri-Civic Center Director, who is managing the floor renovation plans for the venue.
According to Griffey, the lobby floor at the Agri-Civic Center — located at 26032 Newt Road in Albemarle — is in disrepair and in need of a long-term solution, specifically a sealed concrete floor that could be installed in July.
“The lobby in its entirety was renovated back in 2017,” Griffey said. “At that time, vinyl plank flooring was installed and we’ve had some issues with the flooring ever since. It just has not held up to the tremendous amount of wear and tear that that building receives.”
Griffey added that she has heard several complaints from clients renting out the facility who have stated their concerns about the floor’s current condition.
The Friends of the Agri-Civic Center have offered $125,000 through a State SCIF grant towards the cost of the project and the total-estimated cost is projected to reach $180,000.
The staff at the venue has reached out to six professional concrete flooring companies for their recommendations and price quotes. The comprehensive plan is to remove the vinyl plank flooring and demolish the 30-year-old tile underneath, as well as leveling the floor and putting down a sealant that would create a moisture barrier.
This proposed solution would allegedly last for an estimate of 40 to 50 years.
Commissioner Bill Lawhon addressed the board’s desire to hire a local company: “Every dollar we spend in Stanly County with a Stanly County company creates nine additional dollars. When you take it outside the county, we don’t get that benefit to our economy. When you spend hours, you need to spend locally.”
The board ultimately voted to approve a spending budget of $180,000 but to hold off on further plans until more local companies are consulted for price quotes.