The following is a summary of the Sept. 3, 2024, Cumberland County Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting, which was held at 9 a.m. in Room 118 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.

Vice Chairwoman Dr. Toni Stewart led the invocation and Pledge of Allegiance.

The Board recognized the Cumberland County Public Library and the Department of Public Health for receiving Excellence in Innovation Awards from the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC), which were presented during the NCACC’s 2024 Annual Conference held Aug. 8-10 in Forsyth County. The awards, which recognize successful county programs that demonstrate innovative solutions and cost/resource savings for counties, were given for the Library’s Community Navigator Program and for the Health Department’s WIC Office on Fort Liberty. Cumberland County Public Library Director Faith Phillips and Public Health Director Dr. Jennifer Green were present to receive the awards on behalf of their departments. Read more about the awards here.

“This program has done so much good for our Library customers and for our community,” said Phillips, who recounted a success story in which the Library’s Community Navigator Ray Santini was able to successfully connect an unhoused Library patron with resources, leading to that person obtaining medical care, employment and housing.

“This is certainly a team effort,” Dr. Green said of launching the WIC Office on Fort Liberty in March 2023. “I think it’s really a testament to the hard work of our staff and our team, and we really are just grateful to the commissioners and our Fort Liberty partners.”

Board of Commissioners Chairman Glenn Adams said he was proud that Cumberland was the only County to receive multiple awards this year.

“We have the best staff here in Cumberland County, and in the State of North Carolina,” he said.

Chairman Adams also noted Cumberland County General Manager for Natural Resources, Amanda Bader, also attended the NCACC Annual Conference to present on the ongoing need for landfill space in counties across the state.

Chairman Adams reminded the community to visit the Cumberland County Fair which opened Friday, Aug. 30 and remains open daily through Sept. 8. Visit https://www.crowncomplexnc.com/events/cumberlandcountyfair to learn more about the fair.

County Manager Clarence Grier presented the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Highlights video. Following the Board of Commissioners' adoption of the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget on June 5, 2024, the Cumberland County Public Information Department worked with the Budget & Performance Department to create a video to communicate the details and priorities included in the FY 2025 Budget. The video is intended to serve as a visual companion to the adopted budget document prepared by the Budget & Performance Department. The video and FY 2025 Adopted Budget document and Budget in Brief can be viewed by visiting https://www.cumberlandcountync.gov/departments/budget-performance-group/budget_division/adopted-budget.

The Board unanimously approved the following CONSENT AGENDA items:

1. Approval of Declaration of Surplus County Property, Budget Ordinance Amendment #250152 and Authorization to Accept Insurance Settlement
2. Approval of Formal Bid Award and Contract Approval for Disaster Transportation Services Stand-By Contract
3. Approval to Waive the Administration Fee for COVID-19, Flu, and RSV Vaccines
4. Approval of The Health Departments Delinquent Accounts to Be Turned Over for Bad Debt Write Off
5. Approval to Pay Prior Year Invoices
6. Approval of Sale of Surplus Real Property Located At 939 Taft Street, Fayetteville
7. Approval of Proclamation Recognizing Cumberland County Preparedness Month
8. Approval of Budget Ordinance Amendments for the September 3, 2024 Board of Commissioners’ Agenda

The following ITEMS OF BUSINESS were discussed:

1. Grant of Additional Easement in Cumberland Industrial Center to Piedmont Natural Gas: At its June 17, 2024 meeting, the Board approved the sale of a 50-foot easement across four parcels in Cumberland Industrial Center to Piedmont Natural Gas (PNG). PNG has requested an additional temporary construction easement (50’ x 180’ in size) adjacent to one section of the easement it has already acquired and will pay $1,044 for the temporary easement and damage to the trees within it. The Board unanimously approved the additional easement.
2. Revision of the Minimum Housing Code – Second Reading: The County Attorney has rewritten the County’s Minimum Housing and Nonresidential Building Code to eliminate provisions for nonresidential buildings and add abandoned structures in accordance with changes that have been made to Chapter 160D of the N.C. General Statutes which removed nonresidential buildings provisions and added abandoned structures to coverage of the minimum housing codes. The code has been retitled the Minimum Housing and Abandoned Structures Code. Because the new code imposes a criminal penalty on the owner of a dwelling allowing occupancy after the dwelling is ordered to be vacated, it must be voted on and approved by the Board at two meetings. The Board held a public hearing and voted unanimously to approve the revision during a first reading at its Aug. 19, 2024 meeting. The Board unanimously approved the revision.

The following APPOINTMENTS were made:

A. Cumberland County ABC Board (Chairman): The Board unanimously appointed Terri Thomas as Chairwoman to the ABC Board.

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

The Board of Commissioners adjourned the meeting at 10:59 a.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 Cumberland County on social media by searching CumberlandCountyNC.