State employees, current and retired, who live in District 32 join others across the state who will see bumps in salaries and retirement checks, thanks to provisions in the budget most recently approved in Raleigh.
In his first months in the N.C. House representing District 32, Frank Sossamon helped secure those provisions, but that’s not all the freshman representative has been busy with.
Sossamon has been involved in attracting a wide variety of programs and projects- with a pricetag of $44 million – to the district.
“I look forward to seeing the great impact these projects will have on my community,” Sossamon said in a press release. “This budget will allow our state to continue to receive recognition as a great place to own a business and live.”
In addition to salaries for teachers and other state workers, the state budget includes $2 billion for water and sewer improvement projects and more than $620 million for behavioral mental health programs. And Sossamon has secured large slices of the budget pie in those two areas to come right here to Vance and Granville counties.
Sossamon spoke with WIZS News Tuesday about being a legislator. “It’s amazing to me the kind of reception I’ve received from the very beginning,” he said, adding that he has been appointed to some important committees, including the powerful Appropriations Committee.
He said he talked with a lot of legislators to make sure District 32 was included in discussions. “I worked hard with every chairman and vice chairman. Not only did we do a proposal for each (project), but I verbally expressed why these projects need to be supported.”
And that hard work seems to have paid off.
Vance-Granville Community College is getting $11.5 million to create an Advanced Manufacturing Center in Granville County’s Triangle North Business Park. “It’s going to be a game changer,” Sossamon said. It will show prospective businesses looking in the area that District 32 can train workers and support business and manufacturing. “This is going to put us in a different position than we’ve ever been in” for recruiting business and industry, he said.
“This makes me feel good that this is now happening and moving forward,” he added.
And $10 million is flowing to the City of Oxford for water improvements with Kerr Lake Regional Water System.
Maria Parham Healthcare Center is getting $5 million to bolster its capacity and ability to improve mental health and substance abuse outcomes.
Other water and sewer projects – including $4 million for Vance County and $5 million for South Granville Water and Sewer round out the 7-figure awards.
Sossamon said the work he does in Raleigh is just part of the overall effort to effect change. “In addition to VGCC, Kerr-Tar COG and economic development leaders, he said “it takes every entity in the district, in each county, every municipality,” he said. “It takes all those, and others, to see these things come to fruition. Everybody has to be going – economically – in the same direction.”
Prospective businesses and industry choose communities for a variety of reasons, not just a pool of trained employees. Education and crime are key indicators, too, and Vance County is getting more than $691,000 to provide the sheriff’s office with body-worn cameras and support equipment. ”We have some appropriation chairs that are pro-law enforcement,” Sossamon noted. “Any time they can support law enforcement, they’re gonna do it.
Sossamon said he predicts the body cameras will be a morale builder for the sheriff and his officers. Having a state-of-the-art department will be a selling point for recruiting, he said.
I’m thrilled for Sheriff Brame,” he said. “I’m elated that this kind of money is coming to the different entities in Vance County to have a better quality of life.”
Hard work lobbying notwithstanding, Sossamon said he is pleased so far with the outcomes for his district.
“I’m trying to do all I can…(for) not just one, but every person.” And that’s what he says he’ll continue to do. “I really want to make our counties better than what they are now.”
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