News Release Full Story

The following is a summary of the April 11, 2024, Cumberland County Board of Commissioners Agenda Session, which was held at 1 p.m. in Room 564 of the Judge E. Maurice Braswell Cumberland County Courthouse. To view the agenda and supporting materials for this meeting, go to www.cumberlandcountync.gov/bocmeetingmaterials.

Chairman Adams welcomed Lisa Hughes, the Executive Director of the Cumberland County Council on Older Adults, to give a presentation about the many services her organization provides to the community. One of the primary functions of the organization is operating the Meals on Wheels program, as well as a Congregate Lunch Program, however the organization provides additional services including Caregiver Support and Alzheimer’s Disease and related Dementia community support and awareness. The Cumberland County Council on Older Adults is located at 339 Devers Street, Fayetteville. For more information, visit www.ccccooa.org or contact 910-484-0111 Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.

The Board voted unanimously to move the following items to the April 15, 2024 Regular Meeting to be approved as part of the Consent Agenda:

1. Fiscal Year 2025 Budgetary Strategic Initiatives and Plan: County Manager Clarence Grier stated that as part of the budget submission to the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) for the annual budget award, the County is required to develop a budgetary strategic plan to include in the recommended budget. Grier shared a proposed strategic plan that he recommended including in the County’s FY2025 Recommended Budget. He said many of the goals and initiatives have been previously approved by the Board of County Commissioners in prior fiscal years and are in line with initiatives the County is already working on. Goals and objectives are included in under five priority areas:Healthy and Safe Community, Quality Governance, Sustainable Growth and Development, Culture and Recreation, and Environmental Stewardship.
2. Use of Bridge Access Program Funds: Public Health Director Dr. Jennifer Green said the Health Department has received $176,347 in funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Bridge Access Program, administered by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. The Bridge Access Program provides funding to help maintain access to COVID-19 vaccines for uninsured and underinsured adults, which allows the County to provide COVID-19 vaccines at no costs for adults age 19 and older without health insurance, and adults whose health insurance does not provide zero-cost coverage for the vaccines. Children’s vaccines are covered through the federal Vaccines for Children Program. Green recommended using the funding to support covering the cost of the $65 administration fee for uninsured/underinsured adults and to support two temporary nurses working in the COVID-19 vaccine clinic and administering vaccines during outreach events.
3. Lease Renewal for the J.E. Carter Container Site located at 4465 Macedonia Church Rd.: The Solid Waste Department operates a container site located at 4465 Macedonia Church Road in Fayetteville. The current lease is with Cletter Carter Hart with a term of five years at a total cost of $4,000. The current lease agreement was entered into on May 1, 2019, and expires on April 30, 2024. The property owner has agreed to renew the lease for an additional five years at a cost of $6,000 with the option to renegotiate a new lease at the end of this period. The proposed effective date of the new lease is May 1, 2024, with an expiration date of April 30, 2029.
4. Contract Amendment for Landfill Gas System Expansion for Cell 9: The Ann Street Landfill’s gas collection and control system (GCCS) extracts landfill gas to control surface emissions and odors. The GCCS is a requirement of the landfill's Title V Air Operating Permit and state and federal regulations. The original bid was awarded to Advance One Development, LLC by the Board of Commissioners on June 19, 2023. At the time of bid, an alternate bid was received for a replacement blower, but was not awarded. There is a continued recurrent mechanical issue with the blower. The Solid Waste Department requests that the blower replacement be added to the existing contract to increase the reliability and provide redundancy for the gas delivery to Cargill. The Department is also requesting increases for the drilling depth for the gas wells because of the increased height of waste and additional linear footage of air and force main piping for condensation extraction in the gas system. The change order request also includes an increase in pricing to convert vertical wells to manifold piping for wells for long term operation as waste height increases. The request would increase the existing contract amount by $324,198.37 from $616,485 to $940,683.37.
5. ARP Committee Recommendations and Associated Budget Ordinance Amendments B#241112 and B#241026: Chief of Staff Tye Vaught presented the following recommendations from the Board’s American Rescue Plan Committee, which met on Apr. 1, 2024, to the Board for consideration:
   1. Consideration of Nonprofit Funding Recommendations to provide 17 nonprofit organizations with $435,665 in funding.
   2. Consideration of providing $500,000 in funding to establish and launch a County Internship Program (Ignite) to provide a platform for 50 college and high school students to gain valuable work experience and contribute to the County’s departments in meaningful ways, along with the associated Budget Ordinance Amendment B#241112
   3. Consideration of a request to transfer $268,872 in unencumbered Small Business Economic Assistance Program Funding to Public Sector Workforce: Freed Up Capacity & Affordable Housing Funding to Broadband and Associated Budget Ordinance Amendment B#241026
6. Request to Increase the Maximum Amount of Aid Per Household Grant Award for Home Repairs in the Community Development Housing Rehabilitation Program: At the December 19, 2016, Regular Meeting, the Board of Commissioners approved an increase to the maximum grant amount for the Minor Housing Repair Grant (MHRG) Program from $7,500 to $10,000. This increase was in direct response to the escalating need for financial assistance among homeowners within the community, particularly those with incomes at or below 80% of the area median income. These individuals require crucial repairs to maintain their homes' safety and livability. Since the grant amount was last adjusted in 2016, there have been significant changes in the economic environment which have substantially impacted the program’s capacity to meet the increasing demand for housing rehabilitation. Staff recommends the Board increase the maximum grant amount for the MHRG Program from $10,000 to $30,000.
7. Amendment of the Minimum Housing and Nonresidential Building Code: County Attorney Rick Moorefield presented information to the Board. Many of the structures which are subject to enforcement under the Minimum Housing and Nonresidential Building Code are abandoned. NCGS Chapter 160D added abandoned structures as a type of structure that may be addressed by a minimum housing code. The County Attorney recommends amending the County’s code to include abandoned structures as the most efficient way to address this problem and requests the Board approve a text amendment to include abandoned structures in the ordinance and update the language to be consistent with Chapter 160D.

Commissioners received the following monthly reports in their agenda packet:

1. Health Insurance Update
2. Financial Report
3. Project Updates

The Board went into CLOSED SESSION to preserve Attorney-Client Privilege pursuant to NCGS 143-318.11(a)(3) and to discuss Property Acquisition pursuant to NCGS 143-318.11(a)(5).

The Board returned from closed session and adjourned the meeting at 2:53 p.m.

Meetings are live streamed on CCNC-TV though the County’s website at cumberlandcountync.gov, YouTube Channel and on CCNCTV Spectrum Channel 5. All documents associated with this meeting can be found on the Cumberland County website to include meeting agendas, minutes and links to the videos under the Board of Commissioners tab.

You can also follow the Cumberland County on social media by searching CumberlandCountyNC.