Accountability

Watchdog: open issues

Matters of public money and public trust that are still unresolved. Each entry sticks to what the record shows, names who is responsible for it, and says when the public next gets a say.

Information as of Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026.

OpenGreensboro

Greensboro's finances on the state's watch list

What the record shows: The N.C. Local Government Commission placed Greensboro on its Unit Assistance List after reviewing the city's FY2025 audit. The city received notice Sept. 2 (Rhino Times).
Available fund balance was about $98.3 million, or 22.9 percent, against the city's 25 percent target (Rhino Times).
Who is responsible: Greensboro City Council; City Manager Trey Davis; the city's finance director
What has been done: Council held an emergency meeting Sept. 3. The video is on the city's meetings portal.
Questions still open: What did the LGC letter require, and by when?
Has the city filed its written response, and will it be posted publicly?
Next meeting or date: Tuesday, October 6: City Council meeting, 5 p.m.

Sources

Rhino Times: City calls emergency meeting after state puts it on financial probation list (opens in a new tab) · rhinotimes.com
Greensboro meetings portal (agendas and video) (opens in a new tab) · pub-greensboro-nc.escribemeetings.com

Vote pendingGreensboro

$129.9 million water plant change order on the consent agenda

What the record shows: Item F.22 on the Oct. 6 council agenda asks approval of Change Order #2, $129,887,334, with The Haskell Company as construction manager at risk for the Mitchell Water Treatment Plant residuals and emerging contaminants (PFAS) project.
The agenda item lists the earlier approvals on the same contract: $2,720,034 for preconstruction services (Feb. 4, 2025) and Change Order #1, $140,703,876 (Jan. 20, 2026). Added together, the three approvals total $273,311,244.
The city says it has interim PFAS treatment in place but that it is not a long-term solution. Funding comes from the Water Resources capital fund and revenue bonds.
Who is responsible: Greensboro City Council; Water Resources Director Mike Borchers
What has been done: Reviewed by council's Transportation-Infrastructure Committee before being placed on the consent agenda.
Questions still open: Consent items pass in a single vote without discussion unless a member pulls them. Will any member pull F.22 for public discussion?
What effect will the bond-funded share have on water rates?
Next meeting or date: Tuesday, October 6: City Council meeting, 5 p.m.

Sources

Greensboro City Council agenda packet, Oct. 6, 2026 (PDF) (opens in a new tab) · pub-greensboro-nc.escribemeetings.com
Rhino Times: Greensboro explains its strange-tasting water (opens in a new tab) · rhinotimes.com

WatchingGreensboro

Erwin Montessori rebuild runs about $3.3 million over plan

What the record shows: The project budget is $51,031,620 after $39.5 million was added Aug. 6. The guaranteed maximum price is $36.9 million (Rhino Times).
A commissioner has publicly said the school bond money will not cover all promised projects (WFMY). The district deferred about 30 projects as costs rose (WFMY, 2025).
Who is responsible: Guilford County Board of Education; Superintendent Whitney Oakley; Board of Commissioners (bond funding)
What has been done: Construction started with a Sept. 2 groundbreaking.
Questions still open: What is the current list of deferred bond projects, and what would it cost to finish them?
Next meeting or date: Tuesday, October 13: Board of Education meeting, 5:30 p.m.

Sources

Rhino Times: Erwin Montessori project climbs to $51 million (opens in a new tab) · rhinotimes.com
WFMY: Commissioner calls for more school bond money as Sumner Elementary hits milestone (opens in a new tab) · wfmynews2.com
WFMY: Guilford County Schools cuts 30 projects as $2B bond falls short (opens in a new tab) · wfmynews2.com
GCS board agendas and materials (Simbli) (opens in a new tab) · simbli.eboardsolutions.com

Under investigationJamestown

Reported sexual assault at Ragsdale High

What the record shows: The Sheriff's Office is investigating a reported sexual assault at Ragsdale High on Sept. 11, according to a public incident report and the district (WFMY).
Who is responsible: Guilford County Schools (Title IX office); Guilford County Sheriff's Office
What has been done: Criminal investigation open. No public charges.
Questions still open: What does the district's Title IX process require it to tell families, and when?
Next meeting or date: Tuesday, October 13: Board of Education meeting, 5:30 p.m.

Sources

WFMY: Sheriff's Office investigating reported incident at Ragsdale High, district says (opens in a new tab) · wfmynews2.com
WFMY: Title IX and student protections after Ragsdale report (opens in a new tab) · wfmynews2.com

Vote pendingCountywide

Data center rules: city moratorium in place, county hearing Oct. 15

What the record shows: Greensboro has a 180-day moratorium on new data centers and is holding work sessions on water, power and regulation.
County commissioners voted unanimously to set an Oct. 15 public hearing on a 180-day moratorium for unincorporated areas. Planning Director Leslie Bell said there are no pending data center applications (Rhino Times).
Who is responsible: Greensboro City Council; Guilford County Board of Commissioners
What has been done: City work sessions are scheduled; the county hearing has been set.
Questions still open: What standards will the city and county adopt when the moratoriums end?
Next meeting or date: Thursday, October 15: City work session 3 p.m.; county public hearing 5:30 p.m.

Sources

Rhino Times: October is data center month for the county and the city (opens in a new tab) · rhinotimes.com
Rhino Times: Guilford commissioners take first step toward data center moratorium (opens in a new tab) · rhinotimes.com
City of Greensboro: Council to hold data center work sessions Oct. 8 and 15 (opens in a new tab) · greensboro-nc.gov
Guilford County meeting calendar and agendas (Legistar) (opens in a new tab) · guilford.legistar.com

OpenCountywide

County nonprofit grants delayed and redone

What the record shows: About $1.78 million is budgeted; 218 applicants asked for $10.8 million. A change in state law on race and gender criteria forced the county to redo the process (Rhino Times).
Who is responsible: Guilford County Board of Commissioners; County Manager Victor Isler
What has been done: Commissioners reviewed a revised process at a Sept. 3 work session.
Questions still open: When will the awards be voted on, and will the scoring be published?
Next meeting or date: Thursday, October 15: Commissioners meeting, 5:30 p.m.

Sources

Rhino Times: Commissioners have a do-over for money giveaway (opens in a new tab) · rhinotimes.com
Rhino Times: County money to nonprofits sees delays and changes (opens in a new tab) · rhinotimes.com
Guilford County meeting calendar and agendas (Legistar) (opens in a new tab) · guilford.legistar.com

WatchingHigh Point

An early voting site at a senior center that is moving

What the record shows: The State Board's site list includes the Roy B. Culler Jr. Senior Center, 921 Eastchester Dr. The city says the center is moving to 521 James Rd. and the old center closes Oct. 19 through Nov. 6.
Who is responsible: Guilford County Board of Elections; City of High Point
What has been done: No public notice of a site change found as of Oct. 3.
Questions still open: Will early voting continue at the Eastchester address through Oct. 31?
Next meeting or date: Thursday, October 15: Early voting opens

Sources

City of High Point: Roy B. Culler Jr. Senior Center moving (opens in a new tab) · highpointnc.gov
NC State Board of Elections: Early voting sites (PDF) (opens in a new tab) · s3.amazonaws.com

In courtCountywide

Forged magistrate signatures on immigration detainer forms

What the record shows: Former detention officer Michael Shaun Diehl Jr., 40, is charged with 20 felony counts of forgery. Investigators say he forged magistrates' signatures on forms that could keep an inmate jailed up to 48 more hours for immigration officers (Rhino Times, citing the Sheriff's Office).
Who is responsible: Sheriff Danny Rogers (jail operations); District Attorney Avery Crump (prosecution)
What has been done: The Sheriff's Office fired and arrested Diehl.
Questions still open: How many inmates were held on forged forms, and for how long?
What review has the jail put in place for detainer paperwork?
Next meeting or date: None scheduled in the public record yet.

Sources

Rhino Times: Guilford detention officer accused of forgery in ICE cases (opens in a new tab) · rhinotimes.com
Guilford County Sheriff's Office (opens in a new tab) · guilfordcountysheriff.com

Under investigationGreensboro

Piedmont Memorial Park cemetery

What the record shows: The N.C. Cemetery Commission issued a cease-and-desist order Sept. 10. FOX8 reported the deadline to respond passed with no response from the operator.
The Sheriff's Office has opened a criminal investigation (FOX8).
Who is responsible: N.C. Cemetery Commission; Guilford County Sheriff's Office
What has been done: State order issued; criminal investigation open. No charges announced.
Questions still open: What happens to families with pre-need contracts or unfinished burials?
Next meeting or date: None scheduled in the public record yet.

Sources

OpenWhitsett

Prepac closed its Whitsett plant after receiving incentive money

What the record shows: Prepac Manufacturing filed a WARN notice March 3 and laid off 200 workers effective May 2 (WFMY, Business North Carolina).
The state Economic Investment Committee paid the company $98,393 in February, part of a grant worth up to $2.1 million over 12 years (Business North Carolina).
Who is responsible: N.C. Department of Commerce / Economic Investment Committee; Guilford County Board of Commissioners (local incentive agreement)
What has been done: WFMY asked state and county leaders whether incentive money would be recovered. The company told WFMY it is current on its obligations.
Questions still open: Did the county pay any local incentive, and does the agreement allow it to be recovered?
Next meeting or date: None scheduled in the public record yet.

Sources

Business North Carolina: Prepac closing, cutting 200 jobs (opens in a new tab) · businessnc.com
WFMY: Whitsett furniture plant closing (opens in a new tab) · wfmynews2.com

In courtSummerfield

Summerfield's lawsuit with its former manager and finance officer

What the record shows: The Town of Summerfield and former Town Manager Scott Whitaker and former Finance Officer Dee Hall remain in litigation. Hall says the two have turned over more than 22,000 pages of emails, texts, photos and other material (Rhino Times).
Who is responsible: Summerfield Town Council
What has been done: Discovery is under way.
Questions still open: How much has the town spent on outside lawyers so far? That figure is a public record.
Next meeting or date: None scheduled in the public record yet.

Sources

Rhino Times: Former Summerfield official blasts town over bullying lawsuit (opens in a new tab) · rhinotimes.com

WatchingCountywide

PTI terminal bonds grew $25 million in a late addendum

What the record shows: PTI first sought approval for $275 million. A last-minute addendum raised it to $300 million, approved unanimously by commissioners Sept. 3. The debt belongs to the Airport Authority (Rhino Times).
Who is responsible: Piedmont Triad Airport Authority; Executive Director Kevin Baker
What has been done: Approved by commissioners.
Questions still open: What are the final bid results and the construction schedule?
Next meeting or date: None scheduled in the public record yet.

Sources

Rhino Times: PTI bond plan grows to $300 million and gets commissioners' approval (opens in a new tab) · rhinotimes.com
Rhino Times: PTI seeks approval for $275 million bond issue (opens in a new tab) · rhinotimes.com
Guilford County Board of Commissioners agenda, Sept. 3, 2026 (PDF) (opens in a new tab) · guilford.legistar1.com