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FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The following is a summary of the Aug. 6, 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.

Tye Vaught, Chief of Staff, introduced the 2024 Annual Recovery Plan Report. Annual Recovery Plans are required for recipients of ARPA State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF). Cumberland County's 2024 Annual Recovery Plan includes project and expenditure data through June 30, 2024. Ignite internship participants assisted in creating the published report and presented the information to the commissioners. . 

The Board voted unanimously to move the following items to the Aug. 19, 2024, Regular Meeting to be approved as part of the CONSENT AGENDA:

• License Agreement for Operation of Café at West Regional Library: Faith Phillips, Library Director, presented. To fulfill the Board of County Commissioners' goal to enhance programs to provide jobs and workforce development opportunities for youth and adults with special needs and to provide enhanced offerings and opportunities to the community at the West Regional Library branch, Miller’s Crew Inc., a local North Carolina nonprofit corporation, has agreed to open a coffee shop location at the West Regional Library branch. As a nonprofit corporation, Miller’s Crew is committed to outcome-driven approaches to provide employment, training and connections for youth and adults with special needs, along with their families, caregivers and community members. Miller’s Crew currently has one location on Morganton Road in Fayetteville and is an experienced food service vendor that is seeking to expand employment and job opportunities for those in our community with special needs. West Regional Library was built with a café space that has never been used. The approval of this contract would grant Miller’s Crew Inc. a license agreement to use the space as a coffee shop that would be staffed with employees with special needs. This agreement would not only provide coffee and snacks to library patrons but would provide a benefit to the community through the expanded employment and job training opportunities for those in our community with special needs.

• Government Services Center Parking Deck Capital Project Budget Ordinance #250559 and Declaration of Official Intent to Reimburse Expenditures: Robin Deaver, Finance Director, presented. A draft capital project budget ordinance for the Government Services Center Parking Deck was developed for Board of Commissioners' consideration. The overall project budget is currently expected to not exceed $33 million. The initial revenue source will be a $1 million transfer from the Capital Investment Fund Balance into the multiyear Government Services Center Parking Deck Fund to support initial expenditures, to later be reimbursed by proceeds from a borrowing upon approval by the Local Government Commission. In accordance with U.S Treasury requirements, the County must adopt a resolution of intent to incur indebtedness for the construction of the Government Services Center Parking Deck capital project in order to reimburse itself for any costs incurred before the financing is executed from the proceeds of the debt issuance.
• Proposed State Legislative Goals for Submission to NCACC: Sally Shutt, Assistant County Manager, presented. Every two years, in the months preceding a long session of the General Assembly, the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC) engages in a process to determine the legislative goals the association should pursue in the best interest of counties. NCACC solicits proposals from counties as part of their legislative goals process. The submission deadline is August 23, 2024. Suggested goals were provided for Board consideration and feedback. The Board asked staff to review wording pertaining to water quality and per-call funding for volunteer fire departments that respond to emergency calls on Interstate highways.
• Cumberland County Community Development Block Grant Program and Home Investment Partnership Program Amended Cooperation Agreement: Tye Vaught, Chief of Staff and Interim Community Development Director, presented. Cumberland County entered into Cooperation Agreements with the Towns of Spring Lake, Hope Mills, Eastover, Stedman, Wade, Falcon, Linden, and Godwin on April 15, 2003, indicating a desire to participate in the Urban County Designation. This allows the towns to receive Federal Entitlement Funding through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and the HOME Investment Partnership (HOME) Programs. The Cooperation Agreements have been subsequently amended in 2005, 2006, and 2015. Amended Cooperation Agreements were signed in 2005; however, the 2006 and 2015 revisions were adopted as resolutions and incorporated without the execution of amended agreements. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requested that for the upcoming Urban County Designation requalification, the County and Towns enter into amended cooperation agreements incorporating the revisions made subsequent to the amended agreements signed in 2005. Each of the cooperating towns has signed an amended agreement. The substantive nature of the agreements have not changed, as the towns desire to continue participating in the Urban County Designation for purposes of funding projects through CDBG and HOME grants.
• ARP Committee Recommendations: Tye Vaught, Chief of Staff, presented. The American Rescue Plan Committee met on August 6, 2024, at 11 a.m. to discuss funding recommendations. Recommendations included:
  • Consideration to Transfer Unobligated Funding to Public Sector Workforce: Rehiring Public Sector Staff and Associated Budget Ordinance Amendment #B250626

  Other items considered during the Agenda Session were:

• Policy for Leasing County-owned Property: Rick Moorefield, County Attorney, presented. The board requested a policy be created for leasing county property to tenants. The county attorney drafted a policy for Board consideration. The proposed policy addresses leasing to governmental units, to private tenants for specialty uses, and to private tenants for business office uses. The Board asked that this item be brought back to the board at a future agenda session with an updated list to include properties rented by the County and a standard lease agreement.
• Sponsor/Partnership of the 10th Annual Chemo Care Package Drive: Commissioner Veronica Jones presented a request to sponsor/partner with Dr. La' Keisha Chisolm and the Chisolm Foundation for the 10th Annual Chemo Care Package Drive for Cape Fear Valley Cancer Center patients. After discussion, Commissioner Jones said she would bring this item forward again at a later date.

The Board received updates on the following items under OTHER ITEMS:

• Boards and Committees - Oath of Office and Recognition: Commissioner Jones presented a recommendation that new members of the Juvenile Crime Prevention Council and other Cumberland County Boards and Committees attend a Board of Commissioners' Meeting to take an Oath of Office, receive a Certificate of Service Appreciation, and a Cumberland County pin. The motion was not seconded.

Commissioners received the following MONTHLY REPORTS in their agenda packet:

1. Financial Report
2. ARPA Quarterly Project and Expenditure Report as of June 30, 2024
3. Health Insurance Update
4. Wellpath, LLC Quarterly Statistical Report on Inmate Health Care
5. County Competitive Grants Update
6. Project Updates

The Board approved a state of emergency for Tropical Storm Debby beginning Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024 until Saturday Aug. 10, 2024. Emergency Services Director Gene Booth updated the Board on the storm along with plans for serving the community throughout the storm and subsequent clean-up.

The Board adjourned the meeting at 2:20 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.

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