The Vance County Board of Commissioners were presented an updated version of the county’s approved Emergency Operations Plan but voted to table taking action to allow for more discussion.
Vance County Emergency Management Specialist Willie Kearney presented the draft document – the most recent update had been July 2019.
Kearney said the Vance County Rescue Squad has been removed from the EOP since it had been defunded by the county.
And since the 911 Communications and Emergency Management are no longer housed under Emergency Operations, Kearney stated that that Vivian Lassiter will oversee 911 and Kearney will oversee emergency management services in the plan.
Other proposed changes include an updated mutual aid agreement with the state of North Carolina. That agreement was signed on Sept. 23, 2025 by Assistant County Manager Jeremy Jones.
The local Department of Social Services responsibilities were amended in the EOP since DSS is no longer responsible for contacting medical/health care facilities to encourage development of emergency guidelines.
The existing EOP refers to a N.C. General Statute that was repealed and replaced with an updated G.S. concerning emergency declarations, and that also was updated in the draft document.
In other action taken by the board, County Manager C. Renee Perry said, at the direction of Chair Carolyn Faines, she is in the process of reviewing various county committees to determine whether they should be decommissioned.
First up was the Fire Commission, which Perry said she would suggest that the board decommission, since it was created for the specific purpose of resolving issues around the most recent fire study.
Since the commissioners have regularly scheduled work sessions, Perry said the work of individual committees could take place at work sessions instead. Commissioner Tommy Hester made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Leo Kelly, Jr. to decommission the Fire Commission. The lone dissenter was Commissioner Dan Brummitt.
Before the vote was taken, Brummitt said, “I still believe that committees are an essential part of the board. I don’t agree with getting rid of committees…I think we need to continue with our committees.”
Perry said commissioners earlier had decided to move the work of committees to regularly scheduled work sessions, allowing all board members to receive the same information at the same time.
“It’s always good for me not to be surprised with what questions are going to be asked at the meeting, so we can be prepared to answer those questions,” Perry said.
Speaking of work sessions, commissioners voted to cancel the upcoming Nov. 17 work session. Perry made the request, stating that the board would be together twice in December, once for the regular December meeting and the second for the annual retreat.
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