County Commissioners Share Priorities with State Lawmakers
Feb 24, 2023, 14:43 PM
by
Jon Soles
The Board of Commissioners met with members of the County’s State Legislative Delegation to share the County’s top priorities for the upcoming legislative session.
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners met with members of the County’s State Legislative Delegation Feb. 20 to share the County’s top priorities for the upcoming legislative session.
Commissioners presented the following top priorities along with requests for funding related to those priorities:
- Public Water: Gray’s Creek Water District – Commissioners requested assistance to develop a public water system to address PFAS contamination in Gray’s Creek. The project involves development of a water source and construction of a distribution system. The cost of providing water to the entire district is estimated at $130 million with an estimated $63.1 million needed for phases 1A and 1B, which would include running water to two schools in the district. The request from the County was for $27 million for source water development.
- Mental Health – Commissioners requested an increase in state funding and support legislation for behavioral health services and facilities, including single-stream funding for LME/MCOs, along with funding to assist with the construction of a $16 million Mental Health Child Crisis Center.
- School capital funding: Proposed new E.E. Smith High School – Commissioners requested increased capital funding for public schools and community college, along with funding to assist with the construction of a proposed new E.E. Smith High School, which is estimated to cost well over $100 million based on comparable sized schools being constructed across the State.
- Landfill Expansion – Commissioners requested $7.7 million for engineering and other initial costs related to the expansion of the Ann Street Landfill, which is projected to run out of space by 2030.
- Environmental Health – Commissioners requested support of proposed changes to NC General Statutes outlining the education requirements to qualify as a Registered Environmental Health Specialist in North Carolina. The County is currently experiencing staffing shortages in Environmental Health, resulting in a significant backlog in the time it takes to evaluate septic permit applications.
- Homeless and Affordable Housing – Commissioners requested support and assistance for its efforts to address homelessness through the construction of a Homeless Support Center. The County previously received $1 million from the General Assembly to support construction of a shelter and will request additional funding once a reliable cost estimate has been obtained for the facility.
In addition to the top priorities, an overview of the County’s State Legislative Agenda was provided to lawmakers.
Members of the County’s State delegation who were in attendance included Rep. Diane Wheatley (District 43), Rep. Charles Smith (District 44), Rep. Frances Jackson (District 45), Sen. Val Applewhite (District 19) and Sen. Tom McInnis (District 21).
For more information about Cumberland County, visit cumberlandcountync.gov.