Tag Archive for: #vancecountycommissioners

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TownTalk: Commissioners Take Up Fire Services At Board Meeting

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Thanks to the wonders of technology, Vance County Board of Commissioners meetings are recorded for the public to play – and, in some cases, replay. WIZS replayed a portion of the July 10 regular monthly meeting during Tuesday’s TownTalk segment, during which the contentious topic of a fire study was discussed.

At its July meeting, the commissioners were expecting to hear from Interim County Manager Scott Elliott about the status of the much-discussed fire study, including staff recommendations that would move forward two of the six bids received from entities interested in completing the work.

Instead, Board Chair Yolanda Feimster invoked her privilege to send to the Public Safety Committee all six bidders for review, after which the committee would make recommendations to the full board at a future meeting.

“So we’re not discussing this tonight?” asked Commissioner Tommy Hester, upon hearing Feimster’s request, who in essence interrupted Elliott as he prepared to make his report to the board.

When Hester asked Feimster the reason for her decision, she replied that she didn’t have to give one. Hester argued that the whole board approved that a study be done, and Commissioner Leo Kelly, Jr. echoed Hester’s sentiments that it should be the board’s decision to make and not the Public Safety Committee.

Hester then made a motion that the whole board consider the fire study, which Commissioner Archie Taylor seconded.

That motion later was withdrawn, however, following discussion by various commissioners – sometimes talking over one another – about how the process should be carried out.

A subsequent motion was made by Hester, seconded by Taylor, to postpone any decision until the August meeting.

Commissioners Hester, Archie Taylor and Leo Kelly, Jr. voted in favor of the motion. Commissioners Dan Brummitt, Sean Alston and Carolyn Faines voted against the motion, giving Feimster, as chair, the tie-breaking vote. The motion failed on her nay vote and the issue of the fire study will be sent to the Public Safety Committee for review.

County staff reviewed the six proposals and recommended two for consideration by the board – the whole board.

But now, the Public Safety Committee will review – again – all six proposals and is expected to make its own recommendation to the commissioners in August.

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The Local Skinny! Vance County Commissioners To Meet Tonight

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Update 10 p.m. Monday:

The Vance County Commissioners voted Monday to authorize the execution of the “second wave” of Opioid Settlements written about below, meaning Vance County would receive an additional $2.76 million between 2023 and 2036

Original Update 5:30 p.m. Monday:

The Vance County Commissioners are scheduled to hear this evening all about what amounts to a lot of activity by county staff, who continually work to make sure county business gets taken care of in a timely and efficient manner. Tonight’s meeting begins at 6 p.m.

County Manager Jordan McMillen will share information about money coming into the county from the national opioid settlement, money the county may need to come up with to support KARTS and an upcoming planning retreat for the commissioners and county staff later this week.

These topics and more are scheduled to be part of the county manager’s report to the commissioners at their meeting Monday.

The manager is expected to recommend that Vance County join in “Wave Two” of the opioid settlement, which would bring an additional $600 million to the state to be distributed to local governments and municipalities.

The decision needs to be made by April 18; if the commissioners approve the recommendation, Vance County would receive an additional $2.76 million between 2023 and 2036, McMillen said.

The county has gotten more than $315,000 of its total $3.45 million allotment from Wave One.

McMillen also will present a funding request from KARTS, which operates in the four-county region. The rural transportation service is asking for more “emergency funding” – $75,000 – from Vance County and from the other counties it serves to allow the service to finish out the fiscal year.

The total annual budget is approximately $3.75 million, most of which comes from federal funding. Another 10 percent to 15 percent comes from local counties. McMillen said KARTS is asking for an additional $154,936 in administrative funds for the upcoming FY 2023-24 budget, as well as an extra $32,931 in capital funds to allow for replacement of buses that are over the recommended mileage.

“It is our understanding the funding requests are a result of expiring Federal CARES Act funds which have been instrumental in filling a gap in their new facility and operational costs the past couple of years,” Jordan stated in agenda information. “They have also indicated a need to
increase driver rates and have been paying significant overtime due to driver shortages. The KARTS board is exploring various ways to improve efficiency and raise additional revenue to include possible increased rates for contracted services, recouping money for no shows, and advertising on their vans among other things,” he continued.

The KARTS request may be part of the discussion at the upcoming commissioners’ planning retreat, set for Wednesday, Mar. 8 at the Perry Memorial Library.

The daylong planning retreat will begin at 9 a.m., McMillen noted. Among the agenda items include a board training on establishing a high-performing board, then a finance and budget review, with discussion, from the county finance director.

The day is scheduled to end by 4 p.m., following a goal prioritization session for the upcoming fiscal year.

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County Commissioners May Decide To Sell City Its Share Of 114 Vacant Properties For City To Redevelop

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The city’s land planning committee and the county’s properties committee held a meeting Thursday afternoon to discuss the disposition of 114 jointly owned properties within the city limits.

The group decided to allow the plan to sell the land to the city to move forward, and that is the recommendation that will go before the full board of county commissioners at its Jan. 9 meeting.

If the board approves the recommendation, the city would buy out the county’s interest in the properties – all are vacant tracts and all are tax foreclosures dating back to 2007, said County Manager Jordan McMillen. The city has a 43 percent interest in the properties and the county holds a 57 percent interest.

The meeting lasted about 90 minutes, with both groups asking questions and sharing opinions about possible future redevelopment of the properties, which McMillen said totals about 26 acres when added all together.

“If it all went back on the tax books today,” McMillen told WIZS News after the meeting’s conclusion, it would add about $4,800 tax dollars to the city and county coffers.

County commissioners Dan Brummitt, Yolanda Feimster, Leo Kelly and Archie Taylor were present for the joint meeting representing the county’s properties committee; Melissa Elliott and  Jason Spriggs represented the city of Henderson’s land planning committee.

“I don’t mind transparency or accountability because I feel confident with what I’m doing,” said

Henderson City Manager Terrell Blackmon, who explained the general plan to the group.

Blackmon said the city is ready to ramp up the redevelopment efforts as other projects to piggyback on progress being made with the West End Urban Redevelopment Area and a similar effort getting underway in the Flint Hill community.

In outlining the overall efforts taking shape within the city, he said there are developers knocking on the door to begin projects. When planning for the West End URA, the UNC School of Government reported that the city was 3,000 housing units short of where it needed to be. The city needs housing that is diverse, safe and affordable, Blackmon said. And as the city ramped up code enforcements over the past few years, the result was more torn down houses than houses that were preserved.

By all accounts, both groups supported the idea of having the city move forward with purchase of the properties, but Commissioner Brummitt said it’s time to “pick a project and move – make it happen.”

In comments to the joint group, Brummitt and Taylor both expressed concern that there has been much talk over the years about redevelopment, but little action.

We “continue to talk and talk about it, but we’re not taking any steps,” Brummitt said.

“We have developers on deck that are ready to move,” said Council member Elliott.

Blackmon said the redevelopment would most certainly need to be a mixture of single-family and multi-family structures, as well as a combination of renters and homeowners.

In response to some discussion about neighborhood safety, Brummitt said home ownership would be beneficial. “If you own that property, you’re more committed to it,” he said. Blackmon also commented that home ownership is one way to stabilize neighborhoods.

Elliott said a key component to the redevelopment efforts is educating the community about home ownership.

“If you can pay $1,200 to rent a house, you can pay $1,200 to buy a house,” she said, noting numerous programs available for first-time homebuyers.

Blackmon reminded the group that municipalities don’t build homes, but they can help plan for the types of housing that get built.

“When the municipality owns the dirt, we have some flexibility” in the type of housing we’d like to see in the community.

He used the term “workforce housing” to describe affordable housing options, including those for city employees and others who may choose to live in the same community where they work.

Whether it’s single-family or multi-family housing, the city must be aware of what the community can afford to spend. And developers that build in existing neighborhoods have the opportunity to improve the quality of life for residents who already live there – or who may choose to move there.

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Officials Break Ground For Shell Building At H-V Industrial Park

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Local and state officials were on hand for a groundbreaking ceremony at the Henderson-Vance Industrial Park Thursday to officially begin construction of a shell building on that campus.

“It’s a great day to see some dirt moving,” said Vance County Manager Jordan McMillen to the small group assembled on the chilly, blustery afternoon.

“This project is really about partnerships,” McMillen continued. From the city’s water and sewer extension and the nonprofit industrial park board that oversees the property to the county that is paying the bills and financing the project, McMillen said it would not be possible to build and grow without this multi-agency collaboration.

“This is a day we have anticipated for some time,” said Vance County Board of Commissioners Chair Leo Kelly. Having a shell building ready to be finished out by incoming industry puts Vance County in strong competition with other counties as companies look to locate or relocate their operations.

State legislators Lisa Barnes and Frank Sossamon, each coming off wins in the Nov. 8 midterm elections, were on hand for the ceremony. County Commissioner Tommy Hester credited Barnes for helping Vance County secure the funding for the shell building, but also for her role in getting $5 million for water projects in Henderson.

Hester also is president of the industrial park board. “Lisa stepped up and said ‘What can I do to help Vance County,’” Hester said, adding that whenever anyone asks that question, he is not shy to answer.

He said there could be a building on the site as early as January. “If you build it, they will come,” Hester told the group.

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The Local Skinny! County Commissioners Meeting Review

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Vance County Commissioners have approved bumping up the pay for some county employees whose jobs require permanent night shifts, which could put more than $3,800 in the paychecks of 911 dispatchers and detention officers.

County Manager Jordan McMillen said the commissioners approved the $20 extra per night shift worked at the Nov. 7 meeting. The pay increase will begin with the Nov. 13 pay period, McMillen said.

This could mean an additional $30,700 paid to 911 employees and another $50,400 for detention staff, if night shifts are fully staffed.

McMillen said that “shift differential pay” is common in private industry and is endorsed by the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials.

In other matters before the commissioners:

  • The search continues for a company to provide health care services to inmates at the Vance County Detention Center. McMillen said several providers are expected to submit proposals in the next week or so, which means a selection could be made by late November. McMillen said he is hopeful for a January 1 startup date, but some of the service providers have indicated they need 60 days once the contract is awarded to begin providing services. In the interim, StarMed continues to provide services at the jail.
  • Residents who use the Kittrell Solid Waste Convenience Site will be pleased to know that commissioners approved spending more than $44,000 to pave the entire 18,000 square foot location – no more dust, grime and gravel! Reynolds
    Hauling will complete the project, which will be paid with funds from the capital fund totalling $44,395. Originally, only a portion of the site was going to be paved – at a cost of just more than $17,000, McMillen said. But it was decided to pave the whole site in “an effort to improve the citizen experience” at county-owned sites. The county spends money each year to add gravel at the sites, but decided that pavement was a better long-term investment which would save on future maintenance costs.

 

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Vance “State Of The County” Focuses On Positives In Service, Economy And Business

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In Thursday’s “State of the County” address sponsored by the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Henderson Rotary Club, county officials laid out a list of initiatives and programs, all of which bode well for Vance County, both in the immediate future and in the long-term.

County Manager Jordan McMillen painted a positive picture in remarks to the group of about 100 business and corporate leaders, elected officials and other key players.

“Vance County is alive and thriving,” McMillen said. “That’s not to say that we don’t have our challenges…but today’s going to be positive.”

Vance County Board of Commissioners Chairman Leo Kelly also spoke to the group assembled at the business luncheon held at Henderson Country Club.

Kelly highlighted four projects within the county that have helped to propel the county forward:

  • The $4.5 million renovation of the Eaton Johnson campus, which now houses several different agencies, from DSS and the Senior Center to GRRO and the city-county youth services
  • The second shell building in the industrial park
  • Sale of the former DSS building to the Henderson Family YMCA
  • Purchase of 2.5 acres beside the EMS building to prepare for construction of a new facility

“We’re real proud of what happened to that building,” Kelly said of the renovation of the former middle school campus. “The building is getting fantastic use.”

Finding ways to use existing buildings is one way the county has maximized its resources, but the shell building concept is one that has proven itself as well.

When Mako Medical was looking for a location in 2017, McMillen said, company leaders looked here “because we had a building.”

Public-private partnerships like the shell buildings are going to continue to play a vital role in moving the local economy forward, McMillen noted, and he encouraged the audience to continue to invest in the future of the county and their community.

The total value of all the property in Vance County comes to just shy of $3 billion, and that property generates about $26 million in tax revenue, he said. “That funds everything we do.”

More than three-quarters of the county’s total $55 million budget goes to three sectors: public safety, education and human services.

Other county services highlighted include:

  • Tax collection rates are at an all-time high, more than 97 percent
  • Senior Center provides more than 20,000 meals and in-home assistance to older citizens
  • Animal Services has a new facility and boasts the lowest euthanasia rate in the area
  • 911 answers an average of 236 calls a day
  • Veterans service staff helped more than 1,200 veterans and their dependents access $17 million in benefits
  • The kitchen at the county detention center provides meals for inmates, but also prepares meals for the Senior Center and for Meals on Wheels
  • Parks and rec programs – which gets 45 percent of its funding from the county – served 8,500 youth in its various programs and activities
  • Another 6,500 residents participated in Cooperative Extension activities and programs
  • Smart Start, the Boys & Girls Club, Gang Free, Inc. and the local children’s home all are supported by county funding.

Residential home construction is on the rise, and the county is getting more tourism dollars – and a record occupancy tax from hotels and motels. There’s plenty of room for more, McMillen said.

“We’re not there yet, but I think the state of Vance County is strong,” McMillen said.

To view the presentation, visit https://www.vancecounty.org/and click on the link titled State of the County under the heading Latest News.

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Jail Health Care Provider Bails, County Looking For Options

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Vance County commissioners approved a recommendation Monday to pay almost $100,000 to a Charlotte-based urgent care company to provide two weeks’ worth of health care services at the county detention center after the company that had the contract to provide care terminated its agreement with the jail.

Sheriff Curtis Brame told WIZS News on Tuesday that he was not present at the meeting, originally scheduled to discuss in closed session an economic development project.

Brame did not elaborate on the reason that Southern Health Partners terminated the contract and stopped providing services to detainees at the jail on Friday, Oct. 14.

“We just didn’t see eye-to-eye on certain things and they made the decision to leave,” he said in a telephone interview.

Southern Health Partners gave a two-week notice, which set in motion a search for a new provider, according to information that County Manager Jordan McMillen gave in his report to the board on Monday.

Three of the four companies that were contacted declined the offer, but a fourth, StarMed, agreed to step in on a short-term basis. The bill for the first week was $52,000 and the bill for the second week is $40,000.

The jail health care item was added to the agenda late Friday, Oct. 21, according to McMillen, when the county got the bill for the second week of service.

“The health department was instrumental in identifying StarMed…and health department nurses were critical in filling the gap over the first weekend until the transition was made,” McMillen wrote in his report.

StarMed has expressed interest in continuing its contract for an additional 60 days, but McMillen said cost is an issue.

“We are continuing to look for a long-term solution which will require the need for a local physician to oversee the program as well as nurses to work in the jail,” he stated.

The county is responsible for funding, but it is the sheriff who oversees the jail and requirements related to secure, provide and maintain health care at the jail, McMillen said.

The money to pay StarMed would come from the county’s fund balance, the report stated.

Commissioners also approved authorizing the county manager to approve additional contracts up to the next 60 days.

Kerr Tar Regional Council of Governments

Blackmon, Kelly Bring Home KTCOG Honors From Annual Banquet

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The Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments held its annual awards banquet last week and two local officials were honored for their leadership at the city and county levels.

Leo Kelly, Jr., chairman of the Vance County board of commissioners was named Outstanding County Elected Official, and City Manager Terrell Blackmon received the Outstanding Manager Award, according to information from KTCOG’s Susan Tucker.

Kelly received his award from Granville County commissioner Sue Hinman. Henderson City Council member Mike Rainey presented Blackmon with his award at the banquet, held Thursday, Sept. 22 at the Warren County Armory Civic Center. KTCOG Board Chair Walter Gardner presided over the meeting.

Tucker said 124 individuals were present for the annual banquet representing the five counties that comprise the KTCOG.

“The primary purpose of this annual banquet is to highlight the achievements of regional leaders who have been nominated by their peers/constituents for outstanding performance and contributions,” Tucker said in a statement to WIZS News Monday.

The 2022-23 officers also were installed at the banquet. The new chairman is Zelodis Jay, a member of the Granville County board of commissioners; vice chairman is Derrick Sims, a Person County Commissioner; and treasurer is Betty Wright, a Louisburg town council member.

In addition to awards received by Kelly and Blackmon, the following awards were presented:

  • Kerr-Tar Outstanding Board Member Award was presented to Betty Wright, with the town of Louisburg. Jimmy B. Clayton of Person County presented the award.
  • Outstanding Municipal Elected Official Award went to Jackie Sergent, mayor of Oxford. Oxford City Commissioner Quon Bridges presented the award.
  • Outstanding City or County Clerk to the Board award was given to Paula Pulley of Warren County. Warren County Commissioner Tare Davis presented the award.
  • The Regional Star Award was presented to David Smith of Granville County. Granville County Commissioner Tony Cozart made this presentation.
H-V Industrial Park Phase III

Vance Commissioners Pave The Way For Construction Of Shell Building At Industrial Park

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In a special called meeting Monday, the Vance County Board of Commissioners moved closer to fulfilling the concept of construction of a shell building on the campus of the industrial park.

The board approved a resolution to sell a 7.15-acre parcel to the Henderson-Vance Industrial Park, Inc. for $185,900, on which a 50,000-square foot shell building will be constructed, according to agenda information, which was confirmed Tuesday by County Manager Jordan McMillen.

Jordan told WIZS News Tuesday that all was approved as proposed.

In related business, the board also approved a construction loan agreement, two future advance deeds of trust and two promissory notes which total almost $3 million to complete the engineering, construction and maintenance of the shell building.

One loan for $500,000 at 0 percent interest because it is tied to funds from the state budget appropriations, according to information previously presented to the board. An additional $2.4 million loan is provided at 4.5 percent interest with interest beginning at such time that draws are made. This loan is for engineering, construction and maintenance of the building, which the county wants to have ready for prospective business and industry looking to locate in the area.

According to the loan documents, the building is to be completed within 18 months and provides two years – until Oct. 1, 2024  – for all principal and interest to be due and payable back to the county. The loan agreement includes separate promissory notes and deeds of trust for each of the loans. Funding for the project comes from the county’s economic development fund.

County leaders have been working on this concept for some time, with the idea that the county would be able to show prospective business and industry the local commitment to boost economic development.

County Water Expansion Project Continues On Track; Construction Maybe In Spring 2023

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The regional water project continues to move forward, and county commissioners last week approved an amendment to the engineering services agreement as part of its compliance with the U.S. Department of Agriculture review process.

“We are still working with USDA to get to the point where they will authorize us to go to bid on the project,” Vance County Manager Jordan McMillen told WIZS News on Monday.

McMillen said if all goes well, the county will be able to finalize one remaining easement agreement that is necessary to gain USDA authorization to start the bid process.

“We are hopeful that would put us in position to get to construction in the spring of next year if all falls in place,” he said. The Phase 1B part of the project involves installing about 25 miles of water line to the east side of the town of Kittrell – that includes Bobbitt Road, Abbott Road, Julian Smith Road, Kittrell Road, S. Chavis Road, Dr. Finch Road, parts of Dick Smith Road and others in the area, McMillen explained.

The total cost is estimated at $6.5 million and includes $1,672,000 in USDA loan funds, $2.8 million in grant funds and $2 million in county ARPA funds.

The county has been working on this phase of the project since it took ownership of the Kittrell Water Association in 2018.