>> THIS WEEK ON OFF THE RECORD, ROLL DOWN YOUR WINDOW, ROLL UP YOUR SLEEVE.

SIGNING UP AND LINING UP FOR COVID SHOTS OR TESTS AT THE COLISEUM, THE MALL, EVEN HARRIS TEETER.

PLUS, THIS WAS THE WEEK CMS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE BACK ON CAMPUS.

O HOW FAR BEHIND ARE LOCAL STUDENTS FORCED TO LEARN AT HOME INSTEAD?

A BIG REZONING ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE STADIUM.

COULD THAT BE STEP ONE FOR THE FUTURE NEW STADIUM IN UPTOWN CHARLOTTE, AND CITY COUNCIL MOVING FORWARD ON A BUS AND RAIL SALES TAX INCREASE.

BUTCR WHAT ABOUT MECKLENBURG COUNTY AND RALEIGH AND THE VOTERS?

ALSO, THERE'S A JOB OPENING ON THE CITY COUNCIL BUT ONLY DEMOCRATS NEED APPLY TO OUTGOING MEMBER JAMES MITCHELL.

PARDON ME, MR. PRESIDENT, THAT'S WHAT A LOCAL EXCONGRESSMAN ASKED DONALD TRUMP BEFORE HE LEFT THE WHITE HOUSE.

WHAT WE'LL TALK ABOUT NEXT ON PBS CHARLOTTE.

[ THEME MUSIC ] ♪♪ HI.

I'M JEFF SONNIER AND WE'RE OFF THE RECORD TALKING ABOUT THEKI STORIES YOU'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS WEEK AND IF YOU WATCH THE NEWS, READ R THE NEWS, OR LISTEN TO THE NEWS, WELL, YOU WILL RECOGNIZE THE NAMES AND FACES AROUND OUR VIRTUAL TABLE, MARK BECKER FROM WSOC-TV AND DEDRICK RUSSELL FROM WBTV AND ASHLEY FROM THE CHARLOTTE BUSINESS JOURNAL AND ELI FROM THE UNC-CHARLOTTE URBAN INSTITUTE.

THANKS FOR JOINING US, EVERYBODY.

THIS WEEKEND AND ALSO THANKSH FORAN JOINING US AT HOME.

IF YOU WANT TO JOIN THE CONVERSATION YOUR OF ISS, I JUST EMAIL YOUR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS TO OFF THE RECORD@WTVI.ORG.

I MISSED YOU GUYS.

GOOD TO SEE EVERYONE >> WE'RE BACK.

>> E GOODRE TO BE BACK.

>> IT'S BEEN A WHILE.

AND LOTS TO COVER THIS WEEK.

MAYBE WE'LL KIND OF DIP INTO SOME OF THE STORIES WE MISSED OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.

I GUESS WE GOT TO START WHERE ALMOST ALL THESE DISCUSSIONS START AND THAT'S WITH THE PANDEMIC.

A LOT OF INFORMATION COMING IN FROM ALL DIFFERENT EKS DR.S REGARDING VACCINES AND TESTING SITES AND ALL OF THAT.

ANYBODY WANT TO TAKE A FIRST STAB AT WHERE WE ARE TODAY WHEN IT COMES TO ALL THESE RESOURCES BEING MADE AVAILABLE ON A REGULAR BASIS?

>> YOU KNOW, LET'S START HERE.

THIS IS SOMETHING, OBVIOUSLY, WE AS A STATE, AS A COUNTRY, AS A COMMUNITYNI HAVE NEVER EVERTY HAD TO DO BEFORE.

THE SCALE IS OVERWHELMING, AND SO YES, MANY PEOPLE ARE JUST DISAPPOINTED.

WE'RE HEARING FROM PEOPLE WHO CAN'T GET P THROUGH TO MAKE APPOINTMENTS.

EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE ELIGIBLE, THE NEXT APPOINTMENT IS MONTHS OUT AND YOU HEAR PEOPLE WHO ARE STANDING IN LINE FOR HOURS IN THOSE COUNTIES THAT CHOOSE TO USE THE GET IN LINE, FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED KIND OF MODEL, IT WAS NEVER GOING TO BE EASY.

SO I'M NOT HORRIBLY SURPRISED.

I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE ANSWER IS.

THERE ARE A LOTIS OF PEOPLE WORKING VERY HARD IN GOOD FAITH TO DO IT.

I TOOK MY MOTHER-IN-LAW TO GET A VACCINE.

ONCE WE GOT TO BOJANGLE'S COLISEUM, IT WAS INCREDIBLY EFFICIENT AND USER FRIENDLY.

IT WAS GREAT.

I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLEE COULDN'T GET THAT FAR BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T MAKE THE APPOINTMENTS.

THE STATE-- I THINK HERE'S THE REAL RUB, RIGHT?

IS THE STATE T SAYS THEY GET ABOUT 120,000 VACCINES A WEEK.

THAT'S NOT VERY MANY.

>> DO THE MATH.

>> YEAH.

YOU KNOW, JUST CRANKING IT UP AND GETTING THAT VACCINENE SUPPLY.

WILL THERE BE ENOUGH FOR THE SECOND VACCINE.

IT WILL NEVER BE EASY.

WE WERE SILLY IF WE THOUGHT IT WAS ANDT SO WE'RE JUST THERE.

I THINK WE'LL GET THERE EVENTUALLY.

THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE AN EASY PROCESS.

>> I THINK WE'RE STARTING-- SORRY.

I THINK YOU'RE STARTING TO SEE THE PRIVATE SECTOR GET IMPATIENT AND SAY, YOU KNOW, WE SCALED UP BEFORE.

HONEYWELL IS A MAJOR LOGISTICS COMPANY, AND SO THEY'RE TRYING TO COME UP WITH A WAY TO SCALE WHAT THEY DO IN THEIR BUSINESS TO WHAT WE NEED AS FAR AS VACCINES.

YOU KNOW, I'VE READ STORIES WHERE THEY'RE TRYING TO COME UP WITHIN SYSTEMS AKIN TO GOING CONCERTS.

ANOTHER MAJOR, LARGE SCALE EVENTS AND TRY TO GET AUTOMATED TICKETING, AUTOMATED APPROVALS, GETTING PEOPLE IN AND OUT VERY EFFICIENTLY THROUGH THESE VERY LARGE VENUES, LIKE BANK OF AMERICA STADIUM AND THE SPEEDWAY.

SO YOU'RE SEEING A LOT OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY FOR, I'M SURE, THEIR OWN PERSONAL REASONS AND IN GENERAL, GETTING ANSWER-- ANTSY TO SAY WE NEED TO COME UP WITH A WAY IN OUR OWN BUSINESSES TO MAKE THIS MORE EFFICIENT.

>> THERE'S A RANGE IN MOTION FROM THE PUBLIC SAYING THEY WILL OFFER THEIR GROCERY STORES TO OFFER THE VACCINE.

AS SOON AS THEY OPENED UP, U ALL THEP, APPOINTMENTS WERE TAKEN BECAUSE JUST A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST WANT THE VACCINE.

YOU KNOW, THE KAISER FAMILY FOUNDATION PUT OUT A SURVEY THAT ONLY 60% OF PEOPLE-- THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE OR WHEN TO GET THE VACCINE.

SO THERE'S JUST A RANGE AND THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY ARE SKEPTICAL ABOUT TAKING THE VACCINE BECAUSE OFE HISTORY.

YOU HAVE PROMINENT AFRICAN-AMERICAN LEADERS TRYING TO PUSH THAT TEXT OUT FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS TO TAKE THE VACCINE.

NOW WE HAVE A NEW ADMINISTRATION VOWING 100 MILLION VACCINES IN THE FIRST 100 DAYS.

SOME PEOPLE SAY THAT'S A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

OTHER PEOPLE SAY THAT'S NOT AMBITIOUS ENOUGH.

WE WILLH.

HAVE TO SEE WHERE THIS WILL TAKE US AND HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE FOR THIS HERD IMMUNITY BEFORE WE CAN GET BACK TO A SENSE OF NORMALITY IS A.

THAT WILL BE THE QUESTION THAT EVERYBODY WANTS TO KNOW THE ANSWER TO.

>> I THINK WE'RE AT A POINT IN THIS PANDEMIC WHERE NOW IT'S BEEN MORE THAN TEN MONTHS SINCE THE FIRST STAY-AT-HOME ORDERS AND WE'RE COMING UP-A ON A YEAR IN NORTH CAROLINA.

WE'VE PASSED 400,000 DEAD IN THIS COUNTRY.

I THINK WE'RE AT A POINT WHERE IT IS GETTING TO BE REALLY HARD FOR SOME PEOPLE TO HANG ON AND KEEP DOING,- KEEP FOLLOWING THE RESTRICTIONS.

YOUU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF COGNITIVE DISSIDENCE.

YOU HAVE THE NUMBERS BEING WORSE THAN THEY WERE IN THE SPRING AND BASICALLY EVERY IMAGINABLE WAY, IN TERMS OF CASES, POSITIVITY RATE AND EVERYTHING, BUT WE'VE STILL S GOT BARS AND GYMS OPEN, LIMITED CAPACITY, SCHOOL ARE CLOSED, PARKS ARE CLOSING AND YOU HAD FRUSTRATION IN MECKLENBURG COUNTY THIS WEEK ABOUT THE ABILITY TO PLAY ON LIGHTED TENNIS COURTS AND LIGHTED BASKETBALL COURTS.

YOU HAVE A LOT OF CONTRADICTIONS AND IT'S BEEN DRAGGING ON FOR A LONG TIME.

I THINK THE TEXT FROM PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS HAS BEEN PRETTY CONSISTENT.

THIS IS GOING TO TAKE A WHILE TO ROLL OUT.

IT'S NOT GOING TO BE LIKE FLIPPING A LIGHT SWITCH AND YOU KNOW, THIS WEEK, WE'VE HEARD THE SAME FROM DR. MANDY COHEN HERE IN NORTH CAROLINA, DR. FAUCI AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THAT TEXTND OF JUST HANG ON A LITTLE LONGER, EVEN THOUGH IT FEELS HARD, JUST A LITTLE LONGER, A LITTLE LONGER, A LITTLE LONGER IS STILL WHAT WE'RE HEARING.

>> THE QUESTION IS, HOW LONG IS LONG, RIGHT?

>> YEAH.

>> YOU ALL MENTIONED SOME OF THE OPTION THAT PEOPLE ARE GETTING NOW THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE BEFORE.

GROCERY STORES, LIKE HARRIS FEETER AND PUBLIX, THE MALL ATAL SOUTHPARK AND CONCORD MILLS OFFERING TESTING NOW AND OF N COURSE, TEPPER SPORTS AND THE SPEEDWAY TALKING ABOUT TRYING TO GET VACCINATIONS FOR UP TO A MILLION PEOPLE BETWEEN NOW AND THE 4 4th OF JULY.

AGAIN, I THINK WHAT YOU ALL TOUCHED ON IS THE EXPECTATIONS GAME.

YOUAM KNOW, IT'S THE EXPECTATION THAT WE WOULD BE BACK IN SCHOOL.

THE EXPECTATION THAT WE GET AN APPOINTMENT RIGHT AWAY FOR THESE VACCINES, EXPECTATION THAT THIS WOULD BE T TRENDING DOWN INSTEAD OF TRENDING UP.

I MEAN, IT'S-- YOU KNOW, IT'S THAT EXPECTATION THAT KEEPS BEING RAISED OR AT LEAST WE KEEP RAISING ON OUR OWN THAT GOES UNMET AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE REAL DISAPPOINTMENT AND THE FRUSTRATION IS AMONG MOST PEOPLE.

>> AGAIN, THE BOTTOM LINE IS, HOW MANY VACCINES ARE OUT THERE?

THAT SEEMS TO BE THE REAL--COMING UP WITH A BAD METAPHOR, SLOW THINGS DOWN AND THE REALITY IS, THERE ARE LIMITED NUMBERS.

WE CAN GET ALL THE VACCINES-- IF WE GOT ALL OF THE VACCINES WE WANTED, WE WOULD NOT BE IN A DIFFERENT SITUATION.

EVERYBODY IS SAYING, WE'RE JUST WAIT.

SOME CITIES ARE ABOUT TO RUN OUT.

IT'S TROUBLE.

>> I GUESS WE'RE ALL DOING SOMETHING, CITIES, COUNTIES, THE NATION DOING SOMETHING WE HAVE NEVER REALLY DONE BEFORE, AT LEAST IN MODERN TIMES AND SO I GUESS THERE'S THE NEXT EXPECTATION, I GUESS, SHOULD BE THAT WE SHOULD ALL BE PREPARED TO T WAIT A LITTLE BITO LONGER AND MAYBE A LOT LONGER TO GET ALL OF THIS-- TO GET ALL THESE DIFFERENT RESOURCES, YOU KNOW, FOCUSED AND OUT TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

YOU MENTIONED PARKS BEING CLOSED OR ON RESTRICTED HOURS NOW BECAUSE OF COVID.

THAT HAPPENED THIS WEEK.

AND ALSO THIS WAS THE WEEK, OF COURSE, THAT CMS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE BACK TO IN-PERSON CLASSES THIS WEEKS AND NEXT WEEK.

W THAT'S BEEN DELAYED AT LEASTT UNTIL MID-FEBRUARY AND WE'RERE STARTING TO HEAR SOME PUSHBACK FROM PARENTS WHO ARE SENDING A LETTER TO THE GOVERNOR THIS WEEK ALONG WITH OTHER SCHOOL SYSTEMS, COMPLAINING ABOUT DISSATISFACTION WITH SOME OF THESE DECISIONS BEING MADE ON THE LOCAL LEVEL.

DEDRICK.

>> ABSOLUTELY.EL WE HAVE AROUND 2,000 PARENTS SO FAR SENDING A LETTER AND THEY WANT THE POWER TO GO BACK TO THE-- FOR THE PARENTS TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT I WANT TO SEND MY CHILD BACK TO SCHOOL.

THEY WANT TO HAVE THAT OPTION FOR THE VIRTUAL SCHOOL FOR ALL OF THE PARENTS AND STUDENTS WHO ARE NOT YET COMFORTABLE GOING BACK TO THE SCHOOL, THEY CAN REMAIN IN VIRTUAL LEARNING.

BUT THEY WANT TO HAVE AN OPTION THAT ALLAN OF THE TEACHERS AND STUDENTS WHO WANT TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL, LET THEM GO BACK TO SCHOOL.

THAT IS THE DESIRE RIGHT NOW AND CMS IS PUSHING BACK AND SAYING, YES, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK IN FEBRUARY BECAUSE, I GUESS, THE CDC SAYS IF THERE'S MORE THAN A 10% POSITIVE IN THE COUNTY, THEN THERE'S A HIGH RISK THAT THERE WILL BE A TRANSMISSION OF THE VIRUS IN SCHOOLS.

RIGHT NOW, MECKLENBURG COUNTY IS SITTING AT 12%.

SEAN STRAIN WAS THE ONLY MEMBER WHO VOTED AGAINST THAT.ED A HE SAID THAT IS JUST A RECOMMENDATION.

SO HEDA BELIEVES THAT SCHOOLS SHOULD BE OPEN SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.

I DO WANT TO SAY THAT CMS SAID THEY WILL REVISIT THIS COME THE FIRST WEEK OF FEBRUARY TO SEE HOW THE NUMBERS ARE AND AT THAT TIME, THEY COULD MAKE A DECISION IF THE NUMBERS ARE GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION BUT I CAN TELL YOU, THERE IS FRUSTRATION FROM ALL QUADRANTS OF CHARLOTTE-Mc MECKLENBURG SCHOOL SYSTEM FROM PARENTS WHO SAY THEIR KIDS ARE NOT DOING WELL WITH THE VIRTUAL LEARNING AND THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT THIS WILL LOOK LIKEHA IN THE YEARS TO COME WITH THEIR EDUCATION.

>>>> THIS IS THE REAL SOLOMON QUESTION, I THINK.

MY KIDS ARE WAY PAST AND THEY'RE NOT KIDS ANYMORE BUT WENT TO PUBLIC SCHOOL.

IF THEY WERE, I WOULD REALLY WRESTLE WITH IT.

WE HEARD FROM A LOT OF TEACHERS UP IN CABARRUS COUNTY WHERE THEY VOTED, CONTROVERSIALLY, TO GO BACK TO PLAN B, PART-TIME KIDS IN SCHOOL TWO DAYS A WEEK AND TEACHERS WERE VERY UPSET.

THEY FELT THAT THEIR VOICES WEREN'T HEARD, THAT IN A SURVEY OF MOST OF THE TEACHERS, THEY SAID THEY WEREN'T COMFORTABLE GOING BACK INTO THE CLASSROOM, BUT THEY'RE BEING ESSENTIALLY PORTIONED TO DO SO WHEN THE POSITIVITY RATE IN CABARRUS COUNTY HAPPENED TO BE 18.2% OR SOMETHING.

YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY.

THERE'S NO RIGHT ANSWER OR WRONG ANSWER.

I MEAN, THERE'S DANGER.

AT THE SAME TIME, THERE'S REAL HURT IF YOU DON'T HAVE KIDS IN CLASS.

>> I THINK AT SOME POINT PRETTY SOON, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SEE THIS CONVERSATION SHIFT FROM THIS SIMPLE BINARY DO WE GO BACK TO SCHOOL OR DO WE NOT, WHERE WE'VE BEEN REALLY SINCE THIS PANDEMIC STARTED AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SEE THIS CONVERSATION SHIFT TO HOW DO WE GET RESOURCES TO HELP THE KIDS WHO HAVE FALLEN BEHIND?

AT THIS POINT, YOU KNOW, KIDS HAVE BEEN CONSISTENTLY OUT OF SCHOOL O FOR ALMOST A YEAR.

BY THE TIME WE'RE BACK TO T ANY SORT OF CONSISTENCY, FULL-TIME SCHOOLING, IT WILL BE MORE THAN A YEAR FOR OUR CHILDREN.

SOEN AT SOME POINT, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SAY, OKAY, WE NEED TO MOVE AND START THINKING ABOUT WHAT COMES NEXT, HOW ARE WE GOING TO HELP THE KIDS WHO HAVE FALLEN BEHIND CATCH UP?

EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T KNOW THE SCALE OF IT, WE KNOW THE INCONSISTENT SCHOOL WILL WIDEN THE GAPS, ECONOMIC GAPS.

>> WE HAD A SENSE THAT KIDS WERE FALLING BEHIND.

WE GOT QUANTIFIABLE NUMBERS AND THIS MEMO BY CMS WAS REQUESTED BY THE CHARLOTTE LEDGER AND RELEASED TO THEM.

IT LOOKS AT FIRST QUARTER GRADES IN CMS THIS YEAR VERSUS LAST YEAR.

GOOD GOSH.

14% OF THE STUDENTS FAILING AT LEAST ONE COURSE ORSE O SUBJECT.SU THAT'S DOUBLE WHAT WASBJ THE LAST REGULAR SCHOOL YEAR.

THIS ONE SCHOOL HAS 88% OF ITS KIDS FAILING AT LEAST ONE COURSE.

THE NUMBERS ARE STUNNING IN TERMS OF KIND OF PROVING WHAT A LOT OF PARENTS HAVE SAID, THAT THEIR KIDS CAN'T GET THE EDUCATION THEY DESERVE ONLINE ARE REMOTELY.

I DON'T KNOW HOW A SCHOOL SYSTEM, THE SIZE OF CMS, QUALITY OF CMS DEALS WITHS W THOSE KINDS OF NUMBERS,RS TRYING TO JUSTIFY THEM TO PARENTS.

IT'S TOUGH.

>> EXACTLY.

I GUESS THE SMART PEOPLE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO COME UP WITH A WAY TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT, AND THEY FLIP THESE SCORES OUT TO EACH DISTRICT AND THE STATE REPRESENTATIVE, THEY SPLIT UP INTO DISTRICTS, AND IT'S VERY INTERESTING, YOU KNOW, WITH THE SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS, IF THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE.

LET ME SAY THAT ARDREY KELL, K I'MEL READING THIS INFORMATION AND IF YOU BEAR WITH ME, I HAVE IT WEST CHARLOTTE HIGH SCHOOL, I AM READING THAT LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME, THERE WERE 34.7% OF THE STUDENTS HADHE FAILING GRADES.

THISRA YEAR, FAST FORWARD A YEAR, WE HAVE 62.2.

>> 62.2%.

>> 62% OF STUDENTS FAILING-- HAVE FAILING GRADES.

I WANT TO GO TO A SCHOOL THAT HAS THE MOST SOCIOECONOMIC AND MYERS PARK HIGH SCHOOL.

MYERS PARK HIGH SCHOOL LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME, 9.4% OF STUDENTS FAILING.

THIS TIME, 17.7% OF THE STUDENTS FAILING.

AND YOU GO TO ARRY ARDREY KELL, AND THEY'RE STILL IN THE ONE DIGIT AND NOT MUCH OF A MOVEMENT THERE BUT 62.2% OF THE STUDENTS ARE FAILING GRADES THIS YEAR AND THAT IS VERY TRAGIC.

>> NOT ACCEPTABLE.

EVERYONE KNOWS THESE ARE EXTRAORDINARY TIMES AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT.

BUT IF YOU'RE A PARENT, IF YOUR KIDS ARE GOING TO THESE SCHOOLS, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I DON'T SEE M-- AGAIN, NOBODY WANTS THEIR KIDS TO GET SICK YOU KNOW, THIS IS-- THIS IS A LASTING, A LASTING AFFECT THAT YOU'RE HAVING ON THESE KIDS EDUCATION GOING FORWARD.

IT'S TERRIBLE.

>> I WANT TO SAY THAT THERE ARE OPTIONS OUT THERE.

I KNOW CMS PARTNERED WITH ABOUT 430 LEARNING SITES AND LEARNING ACADAMIES WHERE THE SCHOOLS ARE CLOSED AND PARENTS CAN DROP THEIR KIDS OFF AT THESE SITES AND THEY CAN HAVE THE VIRTUAL LEARNING AND TUTORS THERE ON HAND TO HELP STUDENTS GET FROM POINT A TO POINT B.

YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT ALL THESE LOCAL LEARNING SITES THAT ARE AVAILABLE AND THEY'RE ON-- THOSE SITES ARE ON CMS' WEBSITE FOR THOSE PARENTS WHO REALLY NEED HELP IN MAKING SURE THEIR KIDS LEARN THEIR ABCs AND 123 RS.

>> TOORS BAD THERE'S NOT A VACCINE FOR THAT.

IT'S A SHAME.

IT'S A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY AND A SHARED PROBLEM.

AGAIN, IF EVERYONE-- IF IT WAS EASY TO SOLVE, WE WOULD HAVE SOLVED IT BY NOW.

IT'S REALLY SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO KEEP WATCHING.

IT IS JUST STUNNING WHEN YOU SEE THOSE NUMBERS AND REALIZE WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE SCHOOLS RIGHT NOW.

I WANT TO CHANGE GEARS A LITTLE BIT AND TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT IS NOT COVID RELATED.

A BIG REZONING REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL THIS WEEK INVOLVING THAT LARGE TRACT OF LAND ACROSS THE STREET FROM BANK OF AMERICA STADIUM YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IF ANYONE DOESN'T MAKE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THAT AND DAVID TEPPER'S FUTURE PLANS, I GUESS THEY'RE MISSING THE BIG PICTURE.

ASHLEY, YOU'RE THE REAL ESTATE EXPERT.

TAKE US THROUGH IT.

>> IT'S PROBABLY BEEN A LONG ANTICIPATED REZONING FOR THE REASON YOU SAID, JEFF.

DAVID TEPPER SAID HE LIKES THAT SITE A LOT.

IT'S ABOUT 55 ACRES.

HAS BEEN ON THAT SITE SINCE 19 08 AND IT HAS BEEN A FOUNDRY FOR THEM FOR A LONG TIME.

YOU CAN'T THINK OF BETTERR REAL ESTATE.

IT'S ADJACENT TO BANK OF AMERICA STADIUM.

IT'S ALONG MOREHEAD STREET AND IT HAS A CONNECTION TO WEST SUMMIT NEAR SOUTH END AND RIGHT NOW, IT'S GOT A MIX OF INDUSTRIAL AND MIXED USE ZONING.

THEY HAVE FILED FOR UMUDD WHICH IS UPTOWN USE DISTRICT AND THAT ISCT THE MOST FLEXIBLE ZONING DISTRICT WE HAVE IN CHARLOTTE RIGHT NOW.

YOU COULD ADD PRETTY MUCH ALMOST ANYTHING ON THE SITE AND IN THAT INCLUDES FACILITIES LIKE STADIUMS AND ONE OF THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS HELD THIS WEEK FOR THE ZONING, THE REZONING AGENT DID SAY THEY CONSIDERED TOD, WHICH IS THE TRANSIT DISTRICT BECAUSE THE FUTURE LINE THAT WILL PASS THROUGH THE SITE.

YOU CAN'T DO STADIUMS IN TOD ZONING.

THEY WERE ALL VERY COY ABOUT ADMITTING ANYTHING.

EVERYONE KNOWS THAT THIS IS THE SITE THAT DAVID TEPPER WANT FORCE HIS NEW STADIUM AND MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT AROUND IT.

>> LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION.

BECAUSE THEY'RE APPLYING FOR THE REZONING NOW, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO HURRY FOR CHARLOTTE PIPE AND FOUNDRY TO DO ANYTHING.G UNLESS YOU HAVE A BUYER READY TO STEP, MY SENSE IS THE FACT THAT THEY'RE APPLYING FOR THE REZONING NOW, WHEN THEY REALLY DON'T HAVE TO, TELLS ME THAT SOMETHING IS COMING SOONER THAN LATER WHEN IT COME TO THAT PROPERTY CHANGING HANDS AND REALLY HAVING A FUTURE AS A POTENTIAL STADIUM SITE.

>> YEAH.

YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER, I MEAN, ALL THESE PROCESSES TAKE SO LONG.

THE REZONING PROCESS, ESPECIALLY WITH SOMETHING AS BIG AS THIS, COULD TAKEAK SEVERAL MONTHS.THS.

THEY DID SAY THIS A VOTE WOULD NOT COME UNTIL SUMMER AT THE EARLIEST, BUT A LOTOT OF TIMES AND I DON'T KNOW FOR SURE THAT THIS IS THE CASE.

A LOT OF TIMES A SALE IS CONTINGENT ON A REZONING.

THERE I MA BE SOME DEAL IN THE-- THERE MAY BE A DEAL IN THE WORKS AND IT'S CONTINGENT ON THAT HAPPENING.

YOU HAVE TO WAIT FOR CITY PERMITTING DOCUMENTS AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT TEPPER SPORTS WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH BEFORE ANY DEAL IS FINALIZED.

MY SENSE IS THAT THEY WANT TO GET THE ZONING IN PLACE.

A LOT OF DEVELOPERS ARE GETTING A LOT OF REZONINGS DONE NOW WHEN THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT OF OTHER THINGS GOING ON JUST TO HAVE IT IN PLACE AND GET READY AND CHARLOTTE PIPE IS EXPECTED TO MOVE IN 2023 TO STANLY COUNTY >> AND ALSO TALKING ABOUT THE A MOBILITY TAX AND THE FUTURE OF TRANSIT 3 LIGHT RAIL IN CHARLOTTE AND MECKLENBURG COUNTY AND THE SURROUNDING REGION.

THEY'RE MAKING PLANS TO SPEND MONEY THAT THEY DON'T HAVE APPROVAL FOR.

ANY SENSE AMONGST YOU ALL ON ULTIMATELY WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THIS?

WILL IT MAKE IT TO THE VOTERS THIS FALL?

IS COUNCIL JUMPING THE GUN?

ARE THEY PLAYING IT SAFE ANDG GETTING STARTED EARLY?

>> IT'S LIKE BACK TO THE FUTURE, BACK TO THE-- THOSE OF US WHO WERE HERE REMEMBER THE MASTER PLANS FROM THE LINES FOR TRANSIT, INCLUDING THE RED LINE ALL THE WAY UP TO THE COMMUNITIES IN NORTH MECKLENBURG AND UP TO IREDELL COUNTY.

AND YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN 20 PLUS YEARS AND WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF PARKS DONE AND ONE PARK AND ANOTHER ALMOST IN THE GOLD LINE THAT IS CREEPING ALONG.

BUT YEAH.

I MEAN, I THINK THEY WILL W PUT IT TO THEI VOTERS AND I THINK THE REAL TOUGH THING, THE TOUGH SALE IS GOING TO BE GETTING THE AUTHORIZATION FROM THE LEGISLATURE TO ADD A ONE CENT SALES TAX HERE IN MECKLENBURG COUNTY.

THE LEGISLATURE HAS PUSHED BACK AGAINST THE GREAT STATE OF MECKLENBURG MANY, MANY TIMES OVER THIS KIND OF-- IT'S REALLY ABOUT CONTROL.

WE DON'T WANT COMMUNITIES LIKE CHARLOTTE TO SORT OF RUN THE SHOWMENT WE WANT TO RUN IT.

I THINK THAT'S-- THE REPUBLICAN LEGISLATURE STILL AND EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE A DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR, THAT WILL BE A REAL TOUGH SALE.

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY THERE ARE THREE HURDLE.

COUNTY COMMISSION PUTTING IT ON, THE LEGISLATURE AGREEING TOGR PUT IT ON AND THE VOTERS ACTUALLY APPROVING IT.

THE LEGISLATURE MIGHT BE THE TOUGHEST.

THEY COULD ALSO SAY WE WON'T GIVE YOU A FULL CENT BUT WE WILL GIVE YOU A HALF CENT AND WE CAN SEE THAT GO FORWARD.

THERE'S BEEN SOME OF THAT.

WHEN JEFF MENTIONED SPENDING MONEY YOU DON'T HAVE, WE HAVE SEEN THIS CHICKEN AND EGG DYNAMIC ON CITY COUNCIL WHERE SOME COUNCILMEMBERS ARE C SAYING WE WANT TO KNOW EXACTLY YOU WANT TO SPEND THE MONEY ON AND HOW MUCH THESE PLANS WILL COST, AND STAFF AND MAYOR VI LYLES SAID WE NEED TO HAVE APPROVAL FOR THIS MONEY TO HAVE A CHANCE OF GETTING THE FEDERAL FUND AND THEN WE CAN FIGURE OUT THE DETAILS.

THAT'S BEEN THIS INTERESTING CIRCLE THEY'VE GONE AROUND A SEVERAL TIMES IN DIFFERENT MEETINGS SAYING WHAT COMES FIRST, THE PLANS OR THE APPROVAL FOR TRYING TO GET THEG MONEY?

>> YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THIS PLAN HINGES ON 10% OF IT COMING FROM THE STATE AND 40% COMING THE FEDS.

NONE OF THAT HAS BEEN APPROVED, OF COURSE.

IT IS STILL EARLY IN THE PROCESS AND I THINK THE FOCUS NOW IS TRYING TO GET THAT 1 CENT SALES TAX ON THE BALLOT.

YOU ARE HEARING A LOT OF REPUBLICANS SAYING THIS ISN'T THE RIGHT YEAR FOR IT WITH THE PANDEMIC, PUTTING A SALES TAX IN FRONT OF VOTERS V RIGHT NOW, YOUOT KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THEY DON'T FEEL GREAT ABOUT.

AND IT'S REALLY GOING TO BE A HARD AND INTERESTING DEBATE.ER I.

KNOW COUNCIL MET WITH THE MECKLENBURG DELEGATION A FEW WEEKS AGO.

BUT THE ONE REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVE WASN'T ON THAT CALL.

AND EVEN THEY WERE SAYING, YOU KNOW, THIS IS GOING TONG T BEO A TOUGH SELL THIS YEAR.

SO LIKE ELI AND MARK SAID, THIS IS A S LOT OF HURDLES FOR THIS TO MAKE IT EVEN TO NOVEMBER I THINK.

>> YES.

IT WILL BE INTERESTING AND I TALKED TO COUNCILMAN JAMES MITCHELL BEFORE HE LEFT COUNCIL AND HE WAS, YOU KNOW, HOPING THAT PEOPLE, THAT IT WOULD MAKE IT ON THE BALLOT AND HE IS SAYING, LISTEN, IN A FEW YEARS, THAT THERE WILL BE MORE THAN A A MILLION PEOPLE WILL BE HERE IN THE CHARLOTTE AREA AND THEY NEED TO COME UP WITH A PLAN TO GET PEOPLE FROM POINT A TO POINT B, SO WE ARE EVE-- EVEN THOUGH WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF A PANDEMIC, WE ARE STILL A GROWING AREA AND JUST LIKE MARK SAID, WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPEN FUNDAMENTAL WE DID THIS AND DID IT THE RIGHT WAY?

20 YEARS AGO, WE HAVE THE IDEA.

IMAGINE IF WE HAD ALL OF THAT CAME TO FRUITION, WE WOULD HAVE BEEN IN A MUCH BETTER PLACE.

IT WILL BE IN THE PICTURE.

IT WILL BE VERY INTERESTING HOW THIS WILL TURN OUT.

>> WE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT THIS WEEK AFTER WEEK, I SENSE RIGHT THROUGH THE REST OF THIS YEAR.

BY THE WAY, YOU MENTIONED COUNCILMAN JAMES MITCHELL, FORMER COUNCILMAN JAMES MITCHELL.

HE STEPPED AWAY FROM CITY COUNCIL TO PURSUE PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS.

ANY THOUGHTS ON WHO IS REPLACEMENT MIGHT BE, OR HOW CITY COUNCIL GOES ABOUT THIS?

I KNOW THERE'S ONE FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER INTERESTED IN THE JOB.R >> YEAH.

THERE WAS A DEBATE, INTERESTINGLY IN COUNCIL THIS WEEK ABOUT THIS VERY TOPIC.

SOME COUNCILMEMBERS ARE DIVIDED ABOUT THE REQUIREMENT OR NOT REQUIREMENT OF RUNNING FOR THE SEAT IN NOVEMBER FOR WHOEVER THEY APPOINT.

SOME COUNCILMEMBERS ARE SAYING, LIKE WE DON'T CARE.

IF THEY'RE THE BEST PERSONN FOR THE JOB, VOTERS WILL DECIDE THAT IN NOVEMBER.

OTHERS ARE PRETTY MUCH, I BELIEVE IT WAS MAYOR PRO TEM JULIE EISELT AND MALCOLM GRAHAM WHO WERE STRONGLY AGAINST THAT.LY THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT TO GIVE ANYONE AN UNFAIR ADVANTAGE.

IF SOMEONE HAS AN ADVANTAGE IN THEDV ELECTION IN NOVEMBER.

SO THAT WAS-- SO FAR, THAT'S BEEN THEAT INTERESTING RUB THAT I HAVE OBSERVED IN COUNCIL ABOUT WHO THEY'RE GOING TO APPOINT.

I DON'T HAVE ANY SENSE WHO MAY BEHO RUNNING OTHER THAN THOSE WHO HAVE PUBLICLY DISCLOSED IT.

I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES MAYBE WHEN THEY DECIDE.

>> YEAH YOU KNOW, COUNCILMEMBER AJMERA WAS APPOINTED TOAS THE DISTRICT FIVE SEAT AND THEN RAN FOR AN AT LARGE SEAT WHICH SHE WON AND HOLDS NOW.

SO SHE SEVERAL OTHER COUNCILMEMBERS, LIKE BRAXTON WINSTON SAID, THEY ARE FINE IF THE PERSON THEY APPOINT WANTS TO RUN AGAIN.

AND THEY CAN'T LEGALLY REQUIRE THAT AS A CONDITION OF APPOINTING THEM TO THE SEAT.

SO THAT WAS KIND OF INTERESTING TO SEE, BUT YOU KNOW, THIS IS GOING TO BE COUNCILMEMBER MITCHELL TO PARTIALLY OWN A CONSTRUCTION COMPANY AND THERE'S A LOT OF MEMORY AND IT CONTINUES THE BIG CHANGE WE SAW A FEW YEARS AGO WHEN WE HAD THE ELECTION OF FIVE OR SIX NEW MILLENNIAL MEMBERS.

IT'S GOING TO BE A VERY DIFFERENT COUNCIL NEXT YEAR POTENTIALLY >> MITCHELL'S EXPERIENCE WILL BE MISSED ON COUNCIL.

HIS REPLACEMENT WILL BE A DEMOCRAT, BY THE WAY.

THAT'S ACCORDING TO STATE LAW.G WE'RE OUT OF TIME.

REALLY QUICKLY, A PARTINGNG GIFT FROM FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP AS HE LEFT THE WHITE HOUSE.

A PARDON FOR FORMER CONGRESSMAN ROBBIN HAYES WHO WAS CAUGHT UP IN A CORRUPTION SECONDSLE IN RALEIGH.

HE WAS ON PROBATION FOR HIS CRIME.

HE NOW HAS A CLEAN RECORD, THANKS TO THE PRESIDENT.

A LOT OF PARDONS, THAT HITS CLOSEST TO HOME IN THE CHARLOTTE AREA.

WE'RE OUT OF TIME.

I'M SORRY.

I WISH WE COULD TALK MORE.

GOOD TO BE BACK AND I'M SURE WE'LL HAVE A CHANCE TO CATCH UP ONAT ALL THESE STORIES AND WE DON'T KNOW ARE COMING.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AT HOME.

SEE YOU NEXT TIME ON OFF THE RECORD.

HE