Not in conversation.
>> Okay. We'll call to order our August
17th, Monday, August 17th meeting of the
Carvin County Board of Commissioners.
>> Madame Clerk, would you uh give it take
care of the roll call, please?
>> Yes, sir.
>> Commissioner Smith
>> here.
>> Commissioner Howard
>> here.
>> Commissioner Hunt
>> here.
>> Commissioner Mason
>> here.
>> Commissioner Mitchell
>> here.
>> Vice Chairman Jones
>> here.
>> Chairman Booker
>> here. Uh next we will do the uh pledge
of allegiance but prior to that the
attorney Mr. Grady will give us a
prayer. So if you'd all stand.
Loving God, you are author of life and
origin of all created things. We ask
that your grace and blessing be bestowed
upon the women and men and women who
have been called to serve our county.
Help them to represent their
constituents wisely with an eye toward
safeguarding the deeper truths of human
life that come only from you. Bless the
county that they represent. Bless our
country. Help our commissioners to take
actions that will uphold the values of
peace and justice in our land and
throughout the world. We ask this in
God's name. Amen.
>> Amen.
I pledge algiance to the flag of the
United States of America and to the
republic for which it stands. One nation
under God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all.
» Commissioners, you have in front of you
the agenda today. Are there any changes
or additions? And if not, uh, I
entertain a motion to approve it.
>> So move.
>> Second.
Have a motion and a second.
Madam clerk, call the role, please.
>> Commissioner Smith,
>> yes.
>> Commissioner Howard,
>> yes.
>> Commissioner Hunt,
>> yes.
>> Commissioner Mason,
>> yes.
>> Commissioner Mitchell,
>> yes.
>> Vice Chairman Jones,
>> yes.
>> Chairman Booker,
>> yes. Ladies and gentlemen, if you have
not already done so, please silent your
phones to make sure we don't have
interruption. And I would like to um
mention that we have uh uh I'm going to
take chairman's privilege right now. and
I'm going to introduce Mr. Chip Shagnan
who's going to come forward here and uh
have a few words for us.
>> Thank you very much, sir. Appreciate the
opportunity to jump into the agenda. I
know that's a hard thing to do, sir. As
you know, we've recently had a a
convention here, the Purple Heart, and
Military Ar. And thanks to this great
council and our citizens and and Jack
and his fine staff, it was superior.
It's not that I say that our surveys
indicated that uh it was the best one
since uh we've been doing this in 10
years and Craraven County even beat out
Reno, Nevada for so I just want to let
you know that did a great job. I've been
asked by the uh uh the department uh
commander to make sure that we give you
a little uh a little momento. This is
our our convention coin. It's a
challenge coin, but as you can see, this
is a rather large one, and I can't very
well shake your hand and put this thing
in it, but we might like to ensure that
each member, Madam,
>> thank you.
>> May I approach them? Sure. Thank you,
sir.
>> Commission.
>> Thank you, Tim.
>> Yes, ma'am. Thank you.
>> Thank you.
very much.
>> Thank you, sir.
appreciate every
sir.
>> Thank you.
>> And of course, Miss uh Miss Mitchell
participated many ways and we honor her
that
>> Thank you.
» It depends.
>> Thank you.
gentlemen.
» They pretty much do whatever you want
within a range.
>> I have 15
But
>> these are fancier.
>> Thank you very much, sir.
>> Thank you. Appreciate you coming.
>> You did a great job, too.
» I also mention that in our audience
today, we have Josh Whitford. Josh is
the uh next person who will sit uh in
the seat right here on my left
come December. So, welcome Josh. Um
number one on our agenda is the Owls
Wildlife Center and uh
>> the Ambassador Enclosure Pro project
presentation Christy Davis.
>> Morning.
>> If you would.
>> Yes.
>> That's so everybody at home can hear
you. Okay, good morning. Um,
>> good morning.
>> My name is Christy Davis. I'm treasurer
with Owls Wildlife Center. With me, I
have Carla Aldridge, who's the vice
president and the board of directors,
and Pam Bader, who is also on the board
of directors. So, our mission with Owls
Wild or uh Owls Wildlife Center is we
rescue, rehabilitate, and release native
wildlife within North Carolina. Um, we
receive over 2,000 animals each year
that we try to rehabilitate and
re-release back into the wild. Some of
those animals cannot be released um, if
they are young enough. We try to either
find placement with another education
center that can use them to help educate
the public as to the importance of the
animals. one, why it's important not to
keep them um due to imprinting
uh special diets, stuff like that. And
then two, it teaches were able to use
the animals to teach why they're
important uh to the environment. For
Owls Wildlife Center, we have four right
now. um we cannot have more because we
need to progress into the USDA uh permit
and that is the goal with part of our uh
ambassador education project. We have a
bard owl, a great horned owl. Uh Pearl,
our eastern screech owl who looks like
she's going through menopause right now.
Um
all of our ambassadors are molting. So
poor things are uh not up to par what
they should be. She's normally cute, but
she's grumpy.
>> [clears throat]
>> She's a grumpy woman today. We can all
understand that. So, and we also have uh
Isabelle, our red tail hawk, who is uh
mid20s. She's one of She's uh in
captivity, will live close to 30, but
she is retired and on display because
she is starting to show her age.
So, as we
uh requested a grant with the Newurn
Board of Commissioners, you graciously
gave us a $6,000 grant to go towards, if
you can go to the next slide, our
education uh ambassador enclosure. Why
we're asking for help with that? Because
that enclosure alone to house those four
animals and to progress into federal
regulations is going to take close to
$30,000 to build it.
>> [snorts]
>> Um, we have an additional grant from the
Hoover Foundation of another $6,000 so
we can start progress on building that.
While we need your help, uh, we rely on
the community. We rely on grants and
donations. So, that is how we fund our
operation. Um, we receive no state or
federal funding at this time due to
those specific regulations. We are
looking to branch into that but is very
specific regulations and rules that we
have to follow with that. So we rely
local communities, businesses, uh grants
from the local community. Um how we do
that? We do education and outreach. This
year uh we have already completed around
50 education visits to schools and also
had educ schools come and visit us at
the center. We show them our education
ambassadors. We teach them why it's
important not take them out of the wild
and why it's important to let them stay
native. Um, we're a community resource.
We are one of the only local uh rescues
within the area that takes in
>> uh birds. Um, there's there's many
mammal rehabers, but we one of only that
take in birds in the area between us and
Raleigh and us in the Outer Banks. The
other closer one is Possumwood Acres in
Hubert and we work together with the
other uh rehabs and rescues to make sure
that we
work together and get the animals
rehabilitated. And with that, we've
started reaching um further and further.
Last year alone, we helped over 21
counties in North Carolina, 70 to 80
cities, and we continue to reach further
and further. We've started uh receiving
animals from the Outer Banks um to help
them out as well. So, we have a very
robust volunteer uh program as well as a
volunteer transport and they do that on
their own dime. We give them no money or
anything like that. They they donate
their time and their energy or their
gas. Um next slide.
» So, while we need new education
ambassadors, our come up closer.
>> Yeah. Sorry. I'm sorry.
>> That's right.
>> Uh why we need new ones. Our current
enclosures have been there since uh we [clears throat] looked at some of the
historical information since 2007. And
we've done what we can to ensure that
they're patched and continue to meet the
regulations uh that were set forth by
federal and state regulations.
So what we want to do is we want to
progress into USDA which will also allow
us to have mammal uh ambassadors. USDA
took over uh in 2023. If you want to go
to the next slide. So they took over in
2023 governing uh ambassador
uh birds of prey wildlife stuff like
that.
So to be able to progress with USDA,
there's very specific regulations above
the state and federal regulations that
we're already governed to. So we have to
rebuild our education ambassadors
because we have to separate uh
rehabilitation and education. And if any
of you visited the center, uh you know
that our education is smack dab in the
middle of all of our rehabilitation
because that's where we were built. And
as we grow, we continue to strategically
plan where we need to put the next
enclosures so that we can grow and meet
uh and get our USDA permit. And this is
the last one of the last big steps that
we plan and hope to make this year to
actually meet um the USDA regulations
and get that permit going.
Next slide.
So part of this is we have a very
specific design that we uh go to as
well. We are governed uh by the federal
regulations which require very specific
enclosure sizes. We're going to build uh
what is it? A 20 by 50 and then a 14
feet tall. Um because we need to to help
progress um building them bigger than
technically what is required by the
little 10-ft enclosure because our birds
are fully flighted. Um, to keep the
weather from damaging, we've started
fully researching, working with
engineers when we're building our
enclosures to make sure that they
actually do stand the test of time and
the weather. Um, our enclosures are
insured. Our bigger enclosures that we
know will take a lot to replace are
insured because, well, we're right there
on the coastline and we know how
hurricane seasons are with us. Um, so to
help protect that, we take every step
possible to make sure that those are
built to the best that they can be built
and they will withstand weather and
time, which is what has not happened
previously when enclosures have been
built.
Next slide.
In the end, what this gives us is room
to grow. Um, it gives the animals better
welfare,
more outreach for us, uh, and it gives
us the durability and the lasting value.
And we appreciate everything that you've
done for us so far. And we wanted to
take the opportunity to show you what we
do, what we're about, and give you or
tell you thank you for everything that
you've done. Well,
>> thank you guys. Okay, if you wait up
there, you may have some questions here.
Yes. Okay,
>> that is our turn. questions from me
commissioner
>> for the benefit of the people who are
listening could you tell our audience
what these predator birds eat that is
part of the uh nature cycle here in
eastern North Carolina.
>> Yes. So part of the bird uh and this for
rehabilitation and for education animals
we give them exactly what they would
eat.
>> No ma'am what do they eat in the wild?
So they they
>> in the wild they eat pretty much
anything they can get a hold of
depending on the species you've got like
Pearl she would eat snakes, bugs, worms,
um or eastern screech owl.
No it's not breakfast. Um
when you get to the bigger birds of
prey, owls, uh
what is it? The hawks, stuff like that,
they'll eat squirrels, rabbits,
>> chickens.
Yes.
>> Yeah. Some people like to think they eat
uh some of their or their pets as well.
So, yes. But
>> small animals like that,
>> rodents.
>> Yes.
>> Um they also eat other birds. Um
>> especially during mating season, they
get in fights and they will eat whatever
is at their disposal. When you start
talking about osprey, uh, eagles, they
eat fish and deer, um, which is where
they get the lead poisoning from because
of the fishing hooks and or the lures
and the ammunition that still has lead
in it. And we have seen a lot of that
this year.
>> Other questions?
>> Um, during the snowstorm that we had
this last year, I I heard a couple
stories of rescues. Were there any kind
of like interesting rescues? Was it
flamingos I heard about? Is that what it
was?
>> Pelicans.
That was it. That was
>> Yes. So, the pelicans uh really
struggled in the cold this year. We
received what probably 20 or 30 at that
time.
>> And a lot of them were frostbitten. Um
if you go to our Facebook page, there is
a story about that earlier this year.
They really did have a hard time because
they're not used to a lot of them don't
migrate from here. um because it stays
kind of warm and so when it got cold and
they couldn't either get in the water or
the water was too cold or the ground was
too cold, they did suffer a lot of
frostbite on their feet and on their
actual their bills.
>> So like 30 or 40 at that at that one
time you guys had to do intake for. Yes,
it's amazing. and the amount of so they
would eat um when we take them in one
pelican will eat about 20 or 30 finger
mullet uh per feeding. So and we
normally give them about three or four
feedings a day.
>> Wow.
>> Yeah.
>> One of the smaller owls
>> it is. Yes, ma'am. That is eastern
screech owl. She is the smallest owl.
She's actually full grown. She's an
adult.
Yeah.
>> So, [clears throat]
I've gotten a lot of calls about wild
animals when people find them for
various reasons, what to do, where to go
with them, and a lot of the calls are
about squirrels.
>> Yes.
>> And as far as I know, you've never
turned any of them away. Correct.
>> No, ma'am, we haven't. We will. We've
never turned an animal away. Even if
it's an animal that we can't take in,
uh, which we just recently got our
rabies, uh, vector species permit, um,
we will we have there's a policy you can
hold the animal for 24 hours and find
another, uh, an find another rehab that
can take those in.
>> We've never turned one away and we are very inundated with squirrels
right now. They have uh for some reason
they started a little early this year or
did for the second season
>> and uh [laughter]
>> squirrel squirrel cat
>> and they are we we have a lot of them
right now. We probably have about what
40 in the mammal nursery
>> of all sizes still requiring uh feedings
every 3 hours from the little tiny
pinkies to the other ones. And I live
here in Newurn so I can leave my card if you need or owls we answer. We don't
answer 24/7 because we do we
[clears throat] do sleep, but um if you
can't call, if you know you call us,
text us, we don't answer, we do have
email and Facebook Messenger that we
reply.
>> Well, everybody's been able to get a
hold of you in a timely manner. So,
thank you for everything you do. You're
welcome.
>> What's your success rate as far as a
animal coming in and going back to the
wild? Is there a pretty good turnaround
on that?
>> It is. It is a good turnaround. Um it's
gotten better over the years as we've
started working with more and more
veterinarians. We're at a 55% uh success
rate right now,
>> up from about the low 40s about 3 or 4
years ago.
>> So if they fail at that, they become
ambassadors. Huh.
>> Not always. We can't keep every animal,
unfortunately. We have to. We're
governed by federal regulations. Um and
that is one thing we do uh take pride in
is we don't keep an animal just because
it can't be released because that can be
inhumane. It's like if it if it's young,
if it's a baby, we do have, for example,
we do have a B owl that we got in that
was a week old.
>> Um, we have been working with it to try
to make it an education ambassador.
We will post it on the national uh
rehabilitators website for everyone
within the United States and Canada to
be able to see to offer that animal in
the home. uh which we did have success
earlier this year where we sent a possum
who couldn't be uh rehabilitated up to
New Hampshire to be an ambassador
>> for an area up there. But we
>> we can't keep an animal just because it
can't be released. It's like taking you
as an adult um and putting you in a cage
>> after you've already known what it's
like to be free and then not being free.
So it it can be cruel to them. Any other
questions? I have one.
>> Yes, sir.
>> Where are you located?
>> We are located off of Highway 24 in
Newport.
>> Okay.
>> All right. If there are no other
questions, we appreciate you coming and
sharing with us and we appreciate you
brought Pearl
>> that you brought Pearl and
» we appreciate what you do.
>> Thank you. Thank you very much.
>> Thank you. [clears throat]
Item number two on the agenda, Eastern
Carolina Workforce Development Board
Update. Mr. Bill Green.
>> Morning, Bill.
>> Good morning.
Uh, commissioners, thank you very much
for letting us come today. Let me first
recognize Rashima Walker. He's our
center manager at our uh news um news
boulevard career center covering craven
also covers Jones and Pamoo County. So
we're here to just give bring you an
update about our uh workforce. Um we I'm
going to give you just an overview of
several points and see if there's any
questions. So again I'm Bill Green. I'm
the executive director of the Eastern
Carolina Workforce Development Board. Um
we uh were established [clears throat]
many years ago along with 19 other
workforce boards across the state and we
are the primarily uh the funding source
and the managers for the NC works career
centers and the WA uh job training
dollars and so that those funds come
from the uh Department of Labor. So um
for 36 years I'm a native of Newurn and
Craven County. for 36 years. I was a
commercial banker here in town. Um, this
uh board appointed me in 2012 to be a
private sector board member of the
Eastern Carolina Workforce Development
Board. And around the time that I was
given the opportunity for a uh early
retirement, uh, our longtime director,
Tammy Childers, uh, took a decided her
time was up for retirement.
So, I stepped into this role. Um, and
it's an interesting thing. A little
different from banking, but it covers
the same counties, same work that we've
done, uh, that I've done over the years
with commercial businesses, uh, in our
area. So, let me walk through several
things. So, as you see, uh, we we're a
501c3 nonprofit. Most of the other
workforce boards across the state are
part of a, uh, council of governments or some other entity. Next slide.
So our mission is to engage leaders to
assist job seekers and to support
employers. So our leadership contacts
that we do uh are with the
commissioners, with the municipalities,
with the economic developers, with the
chambers of commerce, with our community
colleges, with our school systems, um
and with the state department of
commerce and the federal department of
labor. So we connect to a lot of
entities and a lot of players that are
involved with economic development as it
relates to workforce development and
ultimately our community development. So
uh from a leader standpoint that's what
that looks like. Our assisting of job
seekers
uh what the the one word I want to leave
everybody here in the audience is NC
Works. NC Works is our statewide brand.
It's our statewide uh system of uh
career centers across all 100 counties.
Um it is our completely free service
that uh we provide through uh to for job
seekers no matter who or what they are.
We focus on adults, youth, um those
re-entering society, those with
substance use issues, those with uh uh
mental health issues. So, we cover as
many people what what our goal is is to
get as many people working as best they
can at the uh level that is highest for
them. So job seekers uh are through are
helped through our NCworks centers. Uh
also ncworks.gov. So I want everybody to
remember ncworks.gov
that is our website that you can get to
any position [clears throat]
any uh career center across the state
including the the our one which is a
premier center here in uh here in
Newber. So job seekers ncworks.gov of in that and then supporting our
employers. So we work directly with
employers. Uh Rashima and her staff work
with employers to place job orders uh to
provide uh labor information uh wherever
we can uh from our the sources that
we've got from the Department of Labor.
So those are our three stakeholders.
There's our mission up there. But our
mission basically is to improve the
economy uh by making sure our workforce
is uh where it needs to be. So let's
look at the next slide. So uh Craraven
County, of course, I was born and raised
here, so if I'm in another county, uh I
won't say this, but of course Craraven
is is our center hub of our office, as
you can see at the very top in the
center. But we also cover we take a
regional approach because all of the
counties work together in some form or
fashion. So Carter, Craraven, Dupin,
Green, Jones, Genor, Enzo, Pamlico, and
Wayne are our core group. Uh we call it
the heart of eastern North Carolina in
Craraven County is the center of that.
So we have comprehensive career centers
in Craraven, Carter, uh Lenor, Enso, and
Wayne. And then we have resource centers
in the other counties. So those that's
[clears throat] how we serve this and
those nine counties were separated out
again years ago. Um and there's
different groupings of uh counties
across that are covered by other
workforce boards. Next slide.
So these are some of the things and I um
I'm going to be the chatter but um Reima
could probably be a do a better job with
this and may answer some questions but
job matching uh we can sit down with um
a job seeker and just say what are your
interests what there's a number of tools
we can use to help people to try to find
a pathway [snorts] training and
education through title one of WA we
could pay for training for adults
dislocated workers and um and youth. Uh
we can help with career assessments.
Where are you with everything that
you're doing in career advising? Uh if
you don't have a resume, we can help you
get a resume. We can help you build
that. We if you're not if you're
concerned about interview skills, we can
provide those interview skills. So when
you go into the career center, you can
uh get all of these services uh as a job
seeker. And then as I've mentioned,
employers, we uh do job fairs, hiring
events, and place job orders just like
any other forpay uh service, but ours is again a free service. So those are
some of the things that we do. Next
slide.
For business services, we can do
recruitment and screening, labor market
data, on the job training, uh, depending
on funding, uh, tax credits and
incentives when they're available and
when they've been renewed, and then
rapid response. Rapid response is if
there was a plant closing or a reduction
in force, uh we can go to that plant
within two or three days and set up
oftent times with our mobile unit that
is resides in Raleigh. the NC Works uh mobile unit uh has a bank two banks
of computers and uh job seekers can go
on board and uh very rapidly deal with
those concerns that they've got where if
they've just lost the job uh through no
fault of their own. So those are some of
the things that we can do. Next slide.
NextGen Youth. Um [clears throat]
we focus uh of ages 16 to 24. Our one of
our goals is to u get youth involved in
more knowledge than they currently see.
Uh I I believe youth sometimes see only
to see the things that they see. Um they
um whether it be you know the you know
Starbucks stores that they see. But what
our goal is to get them more um involved
in career exploration. And um our focus
really is also on out of school youth,
those that have fallen out that are not
involved with school, not involved with
work. And we think there's a lot of a
lot of resources there if we can get to
them. And we've got dedicated youth
specialists at the career center that
can work with that. So that's a big big
issue for us is is those youth that are
not involved.
>> Next slide.
So again, we've talked about NC Works
Career Centers and of course we have the
one main one on News Boulevard and if
you don't know it's 2836 News Boulevard
is one of the three buildings up front,
the furniture fair, Burger King um
>> uh shopping center there. So employment
sec services, training programs and
career planning. Um those are all the
things that we do at the career centers
and again we co-manage those with the
department of commerce uh among the all
the of the nine counties. Next slide.
Our future NC or our future ENC if
you're not familiar with that group you
probably are. Um the goal statewide is
to have an additional 2 million uh
credentialed or deployment individuals
in the ages of 25 to 44 so that North
Carolina remains uh one of the top
business uh oriented uh workforce uh uh
communities so that uh as industries
come in [cough] they they know that
we've got the workforce that they're
trained there's training available um
from a Craven County standpoint point.
Uh we learned back in the spring uh that
my future NC, which is again a 501c3
nonprofit as well, uh has targeted eight
counties across the state to receive
funding to add a position uh to help
drive uh credentials and diplomas. And
uh Mr. Jack and his staff in cooperation
with the workforce board, we we're the
convenor with the school system, the
college, the chamber. um
and [clears throat] the the school
system, the college chamber chambers and
uh our workforce board. So, we the
workforce board is the fiscal agent and
we will should announce this week an
individual that will work for the next
year and probably a second year uh to
really make uh Craven County one of
those eight across the state that will
uh really drive this so that we are our people our young people are getting
the credentials that they need and know
that they can get. So, next slide.
So, just some information. So the
workforce board has been around for 30
plus years. We have a lot of success in
on the job training uh where we can
depending on funding actually go in and
provide the first several months of uh
salaries for individuals that are are
working in new jobs that may be um not
traditional uh that they did couldn't
get the job otherwise. So we can support
that effort and uh we have a very strong
veteran support. Uh, in fact, if you
come into the career center, there's
special seating areas for our veterans
that are looking for support, and we've
got specialists that can uh sit down
with the veterans and help them. One of
our goals as we look at um our nine
counties, our top [snorts] employer is
the US government. If you look at our
military bases, Seymour Johnson and all
the Marine Corps bases, our goal is to
keep those folks here. Once they get
out, we don't necessarily want them to
go back to Nebraska or wherever they've
come from. We want them to stick around
because they've got skills that we need
uh to promote ourselves as a employer
friendly community. All right, next
slide.
So, that's just some summaries. There's
our phone address. Uh anybody needs to
ask me any questions afterwards, we'll
be glad to do that. Um, thank you for
the commissioners for uh appointing us.
Uh, one of our uh consortium of our nine
counties is a commissioner from each
county. Miss Smith, you are a faithful
member of our board member meetings and
uh so you represent Craven County for us
and then there's eight other county
commissioners and then uh the
commissioners establish the workforce
board, hire the staff and then there's a
board of 28 people, three of them from
Craraven County um that and we have
representatives from Chadzsworth
Products, the International Machinist
and Aerys Space Workers Union and then
Craven community. Oh, I'm sorry.
Caroline East Medical Center. So, those
are our three from our capital. So, I
think I've shared all that I can. Let me
stop and just see if there's any
questions of our workforce efforts in
our area.
>> Okay. Questions for Mr. Green.
[clears throat]
>> What What is cons I'm sorry. Did I
interrupt? Just check me. Go.
>> Go. You got it.
>> The what is considered a high quality
credential?
>> A high quality credential? Well, it is
just depends on the individual, but it's
uh I would say it's the credential that
is the that gives them their best chance
uh for success. Um you know, a
credential could be a PhD, but that's
not going to be needed for everybody.
They're going to need a uh short-term
degree from the Volt Center. Um that is
going to give them what they need. So,
I'd say it's the one that maximizes the
highest and best opportunity for that
individual,
>> but it would include like welding
certifications or licensing like that.
Okay.
>> Yeah. Yeah. That that goal is any a
four-year degree or beyond or it's a
short-term credential and anything in
between.
>> Thank you. Anybody else?
>> Yeah, I want to expand on that one. I
understand that the best credential is
the one that gets you hired.
>> Okay. But what are the credentials
around here
>> that are needed to get people hired
specifically? The industries that are or
the growth opportunities are in the
trades in advanced manufacturing.
Welding is a big issue um that we're
always you can get a welding degree both
at the college and at the bolt center.
Um manufacturing covers a lot of
different areas. Our third main one is
health care and we have a health care
collaborative between uh Carolina East
Medical Center and the workforce board
and uh it's actually broader and we have
providers that come in uh with multiple
counties so that we can address the need
all the various needs at the hospital
and of course the hospitals need nursing
photamists all those things but they
also have HVAC specialists electricians
uh food service all those things
Okay. As a trustee with a community
college, how closely do you work with
Dr. Stats?
>> Uh Dr. Stats and I meet periodically. He
and I are both on a Craraven pipeline
consortium that includes the college and
multiple of his staff. Also, the Craven
uh Holly with CT director at Craven
County Schools. So, we connect all those
pieces together. But yeah, Dr. stats and
I are [clears throat]
involved with each other frequently.
>> Thank you.
>> Yeah.
>> Anybody else?
I would only ask um I don't think a lot of people know
of your organization. Would that be a
fair statement?
>> That is a very fair statement. When I
talk to people that have known me from
the past, it was easy to say what I did
before. I'm a banker.
>> Uh but now most people don't know about
the workforce board,
>> right? which is fine. If you all know
about the workforce board, the school
systems, the county, all those things
know about what we do, that's fine. For
the job seeker and for the employers in
our area, NC works is what we want them
to know about.
>> Okay. Anybody else?
>> We thank you very much for coming.
>> Thank you so much.
>> Appreciate Appreciate what you do.
>> Thank you.
Item number three, Southeastern
Integrated Care Program overview. Stacy
Williamson and Anelise
Ducing.
>> How did I do on that? How do you Okay,
good. And you got a third member with
you or fourth member with you.
>> She is our marketing specialist.
>> Good morning, Commissioner. Caitlyn
Godley with the Craven County Opioid
Epidemic Response. I just wanted to
introduce our guests today. Um we have
Stacy Williamson and Anelise Duceling as
well as Ma Maggie Moody. Sorry, I almost
called her Megan. Um they are with
Southeastern Integrated Care and they're
here to tell you about the mental health
and substance use treatment services
that they're now providing to Craven
County residents. Thank you.
>> I will start off. Thank you guys for
allowing us to be here today. I
appreciate your time. Um, we are
Southeastern Integrated. Again, I'm
Stacy Williamson. Um, I a little history
about me is that my husband and I
started a behavioral health company uh
2007. We sold our company in 2002
and tried to retire. that didn't happen
very well because we came back into it
with consulting and assisting other
agencies to grow their businesses across
North Carolina successfully. Um so we
started with Southeastern Integrated
just consulting and then we quickly
partnered with them because we did see
how well they did things and how
exclusive they were in their service
lines. So across their across the state.
So we started um with Southeastern
Consulting and then the MCO which is
Trillium MCO um asked us to open a
office in Carter County um to service
those clients in Carter County because
there was a gap in services and in that
gap of services um was ACT services
which is assertive community treatment
team which is a high severe population
with uh the severity of schizophrenia.
and those living in the community that
needed that help. Um, so it is a huge
wraparound service which is a great big
deal. So we get hospitalizations coming
straight from the hospital that we treat
at home and keep them in their home. Um,
and then we do community support team
which is a continuum of that and then
peer support services. So that's how we
started out and also intensive inhome
for children. So that's how we started
out our program and then we quickly
transitioned to our substance use
programs which was seot and sep and
those services are also through trillium
and are provided through trillium
services. So we have to get a state lure
for those services and for our buildings
to provide that service. So, we quickly
transitioned into those services as
well. And then we started um residential
um and that is something that kind of
fell in our lap. Um but we embraced it.
Um and we started we bought some homes
out in Carterette County and we started
housing in individuals. So we started a
program that's 180day program. So in
this 180day program with our SECOT and
SYOP services is you enter into the
program, you come in, you get an
assessment completed. If you qualify for
this program, you will um enter into the
housing. Okay? And in that housing in
the first 90 days is you have zero
communication with family, you have zero
cell phones, you are monitored 24/7. We
have house managers who live in each of
these homes. We have um transportation.
So you go into the home, you get
transported to our agency um from 9 to 2
and you do SECOT services which is the
therapy services and group group therapy
for SECOT. So then after 2 o'clock from
2 to 5 we have someone coming in like a
banker um to talk about things like when
you're leaving this facility and this
program eventually in 180 days. How do
we get our lives back on track? Okay. Um
we bring in workforce people. We bring
in those types of folks to help
transition them back into the community.
So at 5:00 they leave, we provide meals,
they leave, they go back to the housing.
So this is seven days a week for the
first 90 days. The second 90 days is our
SEO program. So they transition if they
have successfully proven that they are
on the right track of recovery. We put
them in the next 90 days which is our
program which is a three-day program.
And in this three-day program then they
have some flexibility because they have
proven recovery with us. Um on the other
two days they can come in and get med
management or therapy and they can also
enter back into the workforce. They are
completely still monitored
um in the housing. They do not leave the
housing after hours. They do unless they
with one of our house managers. They're
still transported to and from work.
They're transported to and from our
office for the SEO. And then 30 days
prior to them leaving our SEO program,
we transition them into a part-time
community support team, which is what we
also provide for mental health and
substance abuse clients. So we know that
they're going to need ongoing recovery,
right? And so it's important to us to
continue to provide that for them. so in
their community. So we start finding
housing, appropriate housing, trying to
reconnect them back to families that
they've lost because of their addiction.
Um and so we work with them to do all of
those things and make sure they have
secured a worked a a job, housing, and
then we continue to work with them
through the week in community support
team in their own space. Um, so that's
important to continue that service
outside of the housing service. Um, I'm
gonna let Annaise talk a little bit
about um because I'm sure you guys have
heard about all the services that we
provide as far as mental health. Um, not
specifically us, but in the community,
you've heard about ACT services or um
community support team or intensive inh
home for our children. Um, and with
intensive inhome, we also help the
families. It's just not about children.
It's also about the family unit because
we can kind of help the kid get back on
track, but if we're not helping with the
family and we put them back in that
environment, it's not going to work. So,
we have a clinical regional director
that comes in and she monitors all of
our um service lines. She ensures that
the training is complete. She is
constantly giving our team leads who are
clinicians that go out into the
community to work with these individuals
training and monitoring and feedback of
how we can get clients better um and and
they can do better in school and in
their work and hold a job and so forth.
So it's very important to us to have
good outcomes. It's not just about
treating the client but the outcomes are
important. Um, so we have really good
outcomes because of her and Annaise um,
providing, you know, that extra ongoing
trainings for our staff. So, I'm gonna
let Anna Lee talk a little.
>> Okay. Um, hi, I'm Annaise. I'm a nurse
practitioner. Um, I've been working with
Eastern um, since it started down in
Morehead. Um, and we're really happy to
be expanding. So, as Stacy was saying,
she kind of went over intensive inh home
encompassing treating the entire family
unit and not just the child themselves.
What I do is I do a lot of medication um
assisted treatment. So, working with the
clinicians as they're providing therapy
um and making sure the medications are
on track with the client and it's very
specific to each client. Um, we also
work with like the school systems and
the counselors at school, teachers and
things along those lines. And if DSS is
involved, we work with them as well. Um,
the community support team. So, I do
medication management for these clients.
When anyone comes into our doors, they
get a clinical assessment done by a
therapist and then um they see myself
for a psyche val. work together for the
placement as far as what service would
this client best be fit for and what
success they would have. Um that being
said in the community support team they
get a peer so someone that is very
relatable to them um helps them set up
things like doctor appointments um if
they're looking to go back to school for
GED or getting into the construction
academy. We do utilize NC works a lot.
So very helpful and thankful for them.
And then um we also do with all of our
clients substance use. Not only is it
part of mental health, but a lot of that
stems it just meshes right together. So
we do do um urine drug screens and
especially with the residential and um
like Stacy was talking about earlier.
So, that's just another way that we go
ahead and we monitor them, make sure
that they're on track. Um,
moving up to the ACT. So, on the ACT
team, the assertive community treatment
team, there is a physician that they
see, there's a therapist, there's a
vocational therapist, um, someone to
help with housing, a qualified
professional, which is kind of like a
case manager, all-encompassing,
and other stuff. um a substance abuse
counselor,
>> nursing staff. Yes. Huge part of it. So,
a nurse actually comes out to their
home, helps them with medication
management. We work closely with a
specialty pharmacy that sets up their
medications in blister packs. So, all
they have to do is go ahead and punch
each so for the morning, the afternoon,
for nighttime. And they work with them
closely with that. setting up primary
care, um working and facilitating just
streamlining care across the board for
them and a lot of education as well. Um
so that's something that we do with
that. And then we also have the mobile
outreach clinic that we've just started.
Um so that has been amazing. it is out
in the community and people are actually
able to just walk on, get an assessment
and from that assessment um determine
placement for them in what program would
best suit them. So that's been really
fruitful and a really big blessing to
our community lately. Um we can go to
them so if they've called the office and
they're looking for some type of
referral or assessment, we're actually
able to go out and cater to the client
specifically. So whether that's meet
them in the Walmart parking lot like
we've done or different churches,
wherever they need us to go, we can
actually go to them. So that's huge.
>> Yeah. Um the mobile clinic is a very big
passion of mine because um we're meeting
the clients where they are, right? So
the transportation is always a barrier
for our mental health population here.
Um so we have been coming into Havlock,
we've been coming into Newurn a little.
Um but we started this out with
Trillium. Trillium wanted to partner
with us and launch this mobile clinic
and as I had a a little reservation of
like how this was going to work and you
know finding locations for this but from
down east you know those clients are
unable to you know get into Morehead to
get treatment. Um, and then we've been
so successful at a church in Havlock.
Um, and um, the Walmart parking lot,
like she said, um, and the homeless
population, where are they located so
that that we can get this homeless
population treated, get them into
housing, get them off the streets, get
them in the workforce, um, and help
them, um, be a successful um, you know,
individual, you know, in the community.
Um, so this is that's been one of my um
passions. We also do transportation. So
if a client does have problems getting
to the office, we do have a
transportation system that we're able to
pick the client up, bring them to the
office, and do an assessment. So we do
have an office here now, 2807 News
Boulevard. Um, we're in suite 4 here in
Newburn. Um, we are actually
interviewing for therapists. We're
having our office manager starts on
August 31st. We've had the office for a
little bit. It's just trillium throws
things at us sometimes and it's like go go. So we are prioritizing things to
make things work um quickly like the
mobile clinic. Um so we launched that in
May and the success rate for that has
been amazing. Uh so that is kind of who
we are in a nutshell. We do have the
Southeastern Life Center. So the
residential part of what we do is
separate than what we do for seot and
all of our services through the state.
So we do have a nonprofit side to our
agency. So that residential part is the
nonprofit side to our agency as well as
we have in other counties. Just to let
you know the the flexibility of what we
can do. We have group homes for
children, not in these counties, but we
are able to have first look and we had a
client that had was a kid who we were
able to get into one of our group homes
that stayed in the hospital for six
months. We were able to get him into one
of our group homes. He was being put in
a dog cage. He was being chained to the
backyard. He was suffering from wounds.
He had been, you know, there's a lot of
things sexually molested. This kid was
torn and he is thriving. He's still in
our group home um eight months later,
but he is thriving and doing well, doing
well in school. So, that's just one one
of the, you know, commitments that we
do. And we have adult group homes. We
have um equestrian like center where we
can do ecoin therapy for our clients for
children. Um, we have a farm that in
another county in Bladen County that we
can send clients to. We have a detox
center in another county. Um, so we're
able to move our clients back and forth.
So when they finish with those services
in that county, we get them back and
then we're able to provide ongoing
service as a continuum for that client.
So
>> Okay. Well, you got a lot going on.
>> We got a lot going on.
I've got several questions here.
>> Don't annoy me.
>> Sure.
>> First, I want to say I'm encouraged and
I think our whole board is to hear your
presentation today. One of the greatest
needs we got in this county is what
you're addressing right now.
>> Something that we've um debated and
talked about and tried to have
collaborations with others for many
years and have not been as successful as
we would would like. You may have said
it and I I may have missed it in your um your group homes. Um if Craven
County wanted to join on with you,
utilize your services and let's just say
for our inmates to begin with. Several
questions with that would be number one
is uh how many beds do you have
available? Uh, number two is, you know,
if we have an inmate that would come
from, uh, Craven County to your facility
that would be eligible, who would pay
for that?
>> Okay.
>> You want to address those two if you
could?
>> Yes. Um, so we have 48 beds right now.
Um, we are hoping, honestly, if we do
eventually get a contract with Craven
County for jail diversion and inmates,
we would love to I mean, we've already
started looking at housing here. Um
because we do have a contract with
Carter and we have a contract with
Enslow. We have 12 open beds currently.
Um the current process I can tell you is
we get a call from jail diversion. They
call us and say, "Hey, we have this
inmate." Um they can be picked up at
3:00. We're like, "Okay, we we got a
bed. Let's go get him." Or they bring
them to us. and they also go through a
whole process because the last thing
that we want is to take a client that
may need a higher level of care such as
inpatient stay because we are not an
inatient facility
>> even though we do have the residential
it's not inpatient so there is no
medical monitoring um that being said an
example so before we had this process in
place we received a inmate who um was in
diabetic keto acidosis which is very
It's scary. It requires an ICU stay, an
insulin drip, and
we're just negating things along those
lines because we want to get people the
correct treatment right off the bat. So,
if they do need a higher level of care,
the paperwork is sent. I can review it
myself and either say yay or nay to the
client. Um,
>> so that's also kind of a safeguarding
process that we have in place as well.
But if one's coming from jail,
>> and usually that doesn't happen.
Normally they're accepted and
everything, but just to make sure for
the client safety,
>> but if once they get to our agency and
then we do the assessment, we place them
correctly and then Anelise will see them
for the medication management. What we
don't do is Suboxone or methadone. Um
she is no, she's not going to do that.
So we if they're coming coming off of
that or um we're assisting them with
that and at least we'll assist that with
other medications that coincide and is
not a contraindication of anything else.
So what we do is um get them into the
housing immediately and they start our
program. So once they start our program
um SEKOT is paid for by the state. Okay.
So we build safe hot services 2 trillion
MCO. The housing is paid for by um the
county if the county has a contract. So
right now Carter County has the
contracts. Um and Jacksonville Enzo
County has a contract. So they pay for
the bed and I think that bed is $50 a
night.
>> 5055
>> $55 per night.
Go ahead. Go ahead.
>> Okay. Um,
>> can I answer your question? I'm sorry.
Was that okay?
>> And we also provide female beds, too,
which is
>> That was my next question. How many?
>> Very difficult.
>> Yeah, we have 15 female beds.
>> Mhm.
>> And are they full?
>> Uh, we have two availabilities right
now.
Commissioner Howard,
>> just on the um working with a lot of
times the first line of defense is law
enforcement.
>> Do you guys have some good relationships
with like the sheriff's office, local
PD? Because a lot of times they're the
ones getting the call and they need to
be in touch with you guys pretty
quickly,
>> right? Yeah. So, we do we have good
relationships right now with local PD.
Um they'll even come and and monitor our
parking lot sometime or stop into our
office a lot of times just to say hey or
see if we need anything. There's a lot
of times that law enforcement contacts
us not for say hot cot and say and
residential but there's
>> to the mic
>> so people can hear you. So sorry I'm
always talking and loud and okay. So um
but um so a lot of times they'll call
and say we have this client that may be
talking to themsel hallucinating
[clears throat]
and we get them in the door. We do the
assessment and they need a different
type of service.
>> So it's important again to identify the
right service so we're getting the right
treatment for the client to be
successful.
>> Yeah. Thank you.
>> Other questions? are also usually in
contact with parole officers. Yes. As
well, that's a huge a huge thing. Um so
as long as HIPPA compliant obviously,
but um
>> that's a always an open door with
communication.
>> Thank you.
>> Pleasure.
>> One last thing you you made mention
about potentially having a a home here
in Cravy County.
>> Yes, sir.
>> How far do you see that's out? I mean,
do you think that's going to be a
reality soon? Do you
>> We do. Um, so we had a small office in
Little Washington. Um, but Pimplico
County has reached out to us sever
several times. We've been to several
meetings there, but we are definitely um
Kelly um is definitely looking he has
already been looking for housing here to
see there's a couple places that were
group homes here a while back. I think
RHA or Monarch, one of those two had had
some homes here and they're for sale.
So, we have been really looking to
honing into that because we are getting
more traction here because we do serve
clients here already with our community
based services for ACT and CST and
intensive inhome. So, we're all over the
three counties with those services
already and our mobile clinic. So, it
would be exciting to be here for for
that as well as having [clears throat] a
home and a house manager and setting the
whole system up just like we do Carter
at County.
Um, yes, Miss Smith.
>> Now, do you get your clients from
references or can a person walk in off
the street and say they need help?
>> Yes, ma'am. Anybody can walk in off the
street and need help? We can um we can
do the intake right then. We may have to
schedule them the next day for a CCA,
but if we have a clinician that's
available right then, we can do that as
well. our regional director, clinical
director is usually on call for those
type of walk-ins as well and Elise is
usually available as you know the psych
um provider to be able to provide the
psychiatric evaluation right then as
well. But we do get a lot of referrals.
Maggie does a great job educating the
community and making sure that the that
they know that we are a resource to
their
>> clients are not in patients are they?
>> No ma'am. Okay.
>> If they do need inpatient stay, so um
around here when I service clients in
the Newburn area, we have had to IVC a
few clients. Um so involuntarily commit
them or voluntarily. So I personally
have brought people to the hospital
before where I'm visiting with them and
they're saying they're expressing that
they have thoughts and a plan to harm
themselves. So I'll go ahead and I'll
transport them to the hospital and then
we work with the hospital um getting
like discharge paperwork. But while
they're in an inpatient facility, um
we're not currently providing services
to them. It kind of goes on a pause and
then once they're discharged, we work
closely with the facilities to make sure
for my for me personally, if there were
any medication changes, if we need to go
administer a long acting injectable,
which is something that we do frequently
due to non-compliance issues, especially
in the community,
>> um that's something that we
[clears throat] do as well. So, as long
as they have trillium in Medicaid, um
they're
>> highs state funds.
>> Yes. High PRS state funds. Um we're able
to serve serve them.
>> I have one other question.
What when you are working with clients,
do you work totally with getting them
well or do you do um work in giving them
refers and getting them back in the
workforce or in the in active in
communities?
>> Yes. So that is something that we do. Um
our goal is to make the client or help
the client achieve the um sorry
[clears throat]
achieve the best possible version of
themselves. So that is a working
functioning member of society happy um
stable as far as their mood um
contributing and also receiving from
their family and employers and just a
allaround encompassing service. So,
while they're in our services, one thing
that we establish with them right off
the bat is a um person- centered plan,
which we achieve their goals. So, we
look at their goals, we set them with
the client, and then we continually
reassess those goals and say, um, thank
you. And make sure we're helping them
meet those goals. And if not, if they're
not meeting those goals, then we'll go
ahead and adjust and tailor their plan
to more realistic expectations. and go
from there.
>> But we do not want to put them in the
workforce until they
>> they're the best at themselves so that
they're successful in that as well.
>> I said one one other question, but I
guess I'm like Coloss. [laughter]
>> I have one other one one more thing. Do
you try to connect them with programs
such as
NC works?
>> Yes.
>> Work with other
>> Yes.
>> agencies to encourage. We love
connecting. So the the thing about our
agency and I always say this is there's
enough sand in the sandbox for all of
us. So we're not competing with anybody.
We want to collaborate with all other
individuals and resources and we want to
make sure that we're collaborating. If
we have a client and someone else does
the same exact service we do, but we are
not connecting with that client, I'm
going to refer that client to another
agency so they get what they want. It's
about the client and their needs and
getting them what they need, not about
us. So,
>> thank you.
>> I have a couple of things. First of all,
thank you for your presentations. Um, it
answered a lot of my questions as did
the other ones there, but I have a
couple more. Um, SEIC's been around for
a very long time. What is their recovery
rate? [snorts]
>> So, for us here in Carter County, so far
it's been about a 85 to 89%
recovery rate. we have seen um a lot of
our clients graduate and get jobs and um
and it's just been amazing. The other
thing is is that we've had clients that
transition from SECOT to SEO and realize
I'm not ready. I'm not ready for stay
and they they say can I can I continue
into stayop for a little bit longer
because the first couple of weeks what
we've seen is clients come into our door
especially from jail diversion and they
don't want to be there and they're angry
and why do I have to do this and then
they start the program and they start to
lean in and I mean I've [clears throat]
had six foot five guys massive to cry in Anise's office.
>> So you're not talking recovery rate.
You're actually talking about
graduation. There's a difference. You
haven't been in Carter County for 5
years.
>> No, I'm talking about [clears throat]
recovery rate.
>> So for for us, I mean, for the time
we've been here. Um,
>> so you're talking about graduation rate.
>> Right. So recovery when it comes to
mental health is
>> I don't know that a person's fully
recovered from substance abuse in six
months.
>> No, no, no, no. That's the reason we do
the ongoing, like I said earlier, the
ongoing services like CST
>> and we engage them in the community
because CST has that substance abuse
component who's a licensed substance
abuse specialist that continues to work
with that client and follow that client
into the community to make sure they are
still getting your analysis because we
do labs on site. So, they're still doing
your analysis. are still getting
medication management ongoing from from
Annaise
>> and quantifying recovery rate. That's
something that I have um in a roundabout
way a conversation with my clients a lot
because one of the questions is for me
specifically do I have to take this
medication for forever and that's a
whole discussion with them saying
studies have shown and then I go into my
spiel about you know if they have a
crisis or psychotic break studies have
actually shown that gray matter in your
brain decreases every single time. So
then we weigh the pros and the cons of
medication. So recovery
exactly looks
>> different for everybody.
>> So that's kind of the conversation that
I have on a daily basis with clients. Um
just getting them to the best version of
themselves that they can be.
>> And can you explain your detox process?
You said you don't have detox facilities
here.
>> No. So we are not a detox facility.
We've been partnering closely with
Wilmington Treatment Center, with Easter
Seals, um and again when they are done
their detox or even prior to getting
done detox that way there's no gap in
treatment um they we send a referral
packet or they send it to us with all
the information and I go ahead and I
look over um if they're a good fit for
us and if they are then we'll go ahead
and we'll set up transportation and um
coordinate with the South Eastern Life
Center um make sure that they have a bed
available that way if we don't we can
tell them and they can look at other
avenues and we can
>> provide that information to them. Um but
that we do not do detox on site. Um
that's not something that we're offering
right now.
>> And then about the mobile unit, I've
been seeing it around. What is the
utilization rate?
>> It's it's a lot higher. Trillium is very
pleased because um I think prior to
another agency had this and there was no
um usage of it. And so we've been very
successful. Like I said, there's
probably 16 to 22 clients a month doing
outreach with this mobile clinic, which
is great. It has been extremely
successful. But we've done a lot of
outreach, you know, prior to launching
this mobile unit, like getting a
calendar, getting it out into the
community, locations, making sure people
understood where we were at, our
referral sources, stakeholders know
where we're at and what we're doing, so
if they have a client, they can refer,
hey, the mobile unit's going to be in
this location today or tomorrow. Um, and
this is near where you live. So, that
kind of thing. But um it has um it's
been very successful so far. So yeah.
>> Okay. I look forward to seeing it county
more. Um even if we don't contract with
SEIC or anything like that, I would
still like that information to share
with people.
>> Stop by too and check it out.
>> I wanted to, but I knew you guys were
coming, so I decided to
>> Yeah. And what we have on the mobile
clinic, just to let you know, is a
clinician and a peer support who does
all the outreach. And our clinician um
it's amazing. She's from a different
country. So our clinician um says like
she never had like care like medical
care, mental health care in her country.
She's from a very small country. A bus
would come once a month and they would
line up around the and the bus to try
to, you know, get to it before the end
of the day. and sometimes they would
have to wait till the next month. And
this is such a passion for her. So she
stands on the streets and she's like,
"Hey, come see us. We want to invite you
into the mobile clinic." And then the
hospital also has asked us to partner
with them a few times um with the mobile
with their mobile clinic and so but we
will be more engaged in Craraven County
very soon with that. So
>> any other questions?
>> No. I would only make one comment and
that is that we have um very close to
here a homeless shelter.
>> Okay.
>> Uh it's called RCS and the people that
spend the night there, the men that
spend the night there have a family
unit. Also, they have to leave in the
morning. They can't stay in their room
or their in their bed.
>> What happens is a lot of them and I go
by there regularly. They just go across
the street and set up and sit there all
day
>> underneath the trees.
Yeah.
>> So, when we talk about a mobile unit, u
my first thought was, "Wow, we ought to
set one up near RCS because those people
need and their the goal is they can only
stay there for a certain number of
nights. The goal is go out during the
day and look for a job,
>> but most of them just go across the
street and sit and and that's a that's a sad situation." And so when you
talk about what you do, that immediately
came to my mind. Okay. We we need to uh
we need to engage those folks and help
them get back
>> into society. That's right.
>> I agree and thank you for that because
if we don't know we don't know, you
know, how to help. So this is important
for us. um we um putting the clinic over
there would be a great idea, but we do
have a client over there um who was
nearing the end of the time that she
could stay there. And we've been working
with her probably for about 6 months and
now she has housing. We got her set up
with her social security card. Um she's
doing her disability interviews. Um
we're facilitating all that, getting um
some past legal things taken care of.
She's on medications.
Um she's compliant with them. Our nurses
go out there regularly to see her. Um
she's she's doing awesome.
>> Okay. Good. Well, thank you so much for
your presentation. Very informative and
uh we hope look forward to uh u you
becoming more involved in our community
here in Newburn specifically. So
>> yes, us too. Thank you so much for your
time.
>> Okay.
>> Mr. Chairman, can I can I closing
remark?
>> You guys are fine. No, sorry. I just so
over the last 3 or four months, Caitlyn
and I have been meeting with SEIC. They
attended your annual meeting for your
opioid settlement. They were part of the
REI group. Um, you know, just looking
for direction moving forward. We wanted
them to come and meet you as we talked
about during budget. Anybody we're going
to partner with, want them to come and
have this presentation. Are you
interested in us, Caitlyn, the sheriff,
and I and Scott continuing to further
these conversations about a partnership?
>> Okay.
>> Very good.
>> Okay.
Okay. Anything else? Okay. Thank
you. Thank you again for coming. Uh item
number four on our agenda is the consent
agenda. the minutes from the August 3rd
regular session,
>> the tax releases and refunds, recreation
and parks, amateur sports, youth grant,
uh, budget amendment, UNCC school of
government invoice budget amendment,
human resources holiday schedule, and
the proclamation of support for the 17
75th anniversary
of John W. I'm sorry. John Thomas
Barber's Education Legacy. All those
things are on the consent agenda. Do I
have a motion to approve?
>> Motion to approve.
>> Second.
>> Have a motion and a second. Roll call,
please.
[clears throat]
>> Commissioner Smith,
>> yes.
>> Commissioner Howard,
>> yes.
>> Commissioner Hunt,
>> yes.
>> Commissioner Mason,
>> yes.
>> Commissioner Mitchell,
>> yes.
>> Vice Chairman Jones,
>> yes.
>> Chairman Booker,
>> yes.
Next item on the agenda, Donnie uh Lavel
is going to talk to us about a cell
tower, a tall item.
>> Good morning, commissioners. How are you
today?
>> Um I'm uh in front of you today to talk
about the creeping swamp cell tower. Um
this is going to be uh this property is
owned by Alvin Coward. Um it is the
applicant is Harmony Towers. Um it was
engineered and consult consulting was
done by Saber Industries and Trilate. Um
this is located on the very northwestern
part of our county. Um approximately
3700 NC highway 43 norththeast uh excuse
me northwest of Vansboro. Um the tower
height is 285 ft above sea level. Um the
physical structure is actually 255 ft
tall. Um it is a self-supporting
communication tower. Um the county has
received uh communication from Seymour
Johnson Air Force Base as well as Cherry
Point uh that it will not impact their
operations. Um the county has also
received um approval from the FAA um for
these towers. They have to give their uh
no navigation hazard letters. Um the
proposal uh does meet the standards and
the requirements of our tall structure
ordinance. Um, this was approved at our
May 28th, 2026
uh planning board um where they made the
recommendation for you all to approve uh
this cell tower. Um if there's any
questions, I would be more than happy to
answer those.
>> Questions for Donna?
>> Mr. Chairman, if I could. Yes, sir.
>> This is in Commissioner Mason's uh
district, but um I I do know that this
is an area that's not served with sales
service. Mhm.
>> Um, do we reach out and and know it's
probably not required, do you reach out
to any of the adjacent land owners to uh
just let them know about the proposed
site or
>> No, sir, we do not.
>> Okay. Um, far as I'm looking at the map
here.
>> Yes, sir. um looks like it's in the
middle of a field that where you going
to put it, but there's no chance if it
was to fall that it would en encounter
the highway or uh the adjacent um home
that's there.
>> That's why we have the the setbacks that
are in the ordinance. And also those
towers um I'm not an engineer, but those
towers are designed to kind of collapse
on themsel.
>> Okay.
>> Um
I don't know of many of times that that
actually happening. I know it's not
happening here, but I mean, of course,
it's possible. But
>> I think the main thing is if if
Commissioner Mason or um Mr. Whitford,
either one was to get calls about it,
you know, that may from residents when
they start seeing it go up, you know, um
of the concern just I think that's to
take note of it.
I served on a planning board in another
state years ago and uh that's this very
kind of question came up and the
engineer was in the in the room to get
the approval. This was in a town where
there were other houses really close by
and he said these towers don't fall like
a tree. They don't go like that. What
they do is they collapse in the middle.
They're designed to do that. So they
kind of fall on on themselves and he
said uh there's really no risk of of
this thing falling off of the property
where it's designed. So that was
reassuring and we approved it that in
that case that many years ago. Um any
other questions for Donnie? I just have
a comment. Even if the diagram even if
it did fall like a tree, the diagram
shows it's well away from anything else
and would probably ruin some crops but
nothing else.
>> Okay. Okay. Do I have a motion to
approve?
>> So move.
>> Have a second.
>> Second.
>> Okay, we have a motion and a second. Um,
we do not need a roll call on this one.
I don't believe uh all in favor.
>> Opposed. Motion passes. Thanks, Donnie.
>> Have a great day.
>> Diana. Diana, she's a regular at our
meetings lately. Now she comes to every
meeting and
>> it's a pleasure.
>> Good stuff, right? Yes.
>> All right, Diana.
>> Um, the State Maintenance Assistant
Program or SNAP is a state-f funed
public transportation grant program
administered by the North Carolina
Department of Transportation Integrated
Mobility Division. The intention of this
program is to provide operating
assistance to urban, small urban, and
urban regional fixed route and commuter
bus systems. Eligible uses of the funds
are limited to a systems operating
costs. On August 3rd of this year, CARTS
was notified that we have been allocated
$131,691
for fiscal year 27. This is an increase
of $771
from last year's allocation. SNAP
funding cannot exceed the amount of
local match for CAR's operating expenses
and funds must be spent by June 30th of
2027. A public hearing is not required.
Carts is requesting approval to apply
for the $131,691
in SNAP funds. A copy of the
application, budget, cover letter, and
certified statement are attached in the
agenda packet.
>> Okay. Questions for Diane?
Hearing none. Do I have a motion to
approve?
>> So, so moved.
>> Second.
>> Motion and second. All in favor?
>> I
>> opposed. Motion passes. Thank you,
Diana.
Departmental matters item number seven,
social services, Mr. Jeffrey Merritt.
Hey Jeff.
>> Hey chairman, commissioners, county
manager. Thank you for having me. Um,
today we bring before you a budget
amendment related to our special
adoption promotion funds. Um, we are
asking to roll over unspent funds from
last year and also the addition of funds
that were allocated us by the state
related to the number and types of
adoptions that were completed um, during
the last fiscal year when we report that
information to the state. um the
rollover funds in the amount of $7,665
and the additional funds in the amount
of $144,339
that would bring that line up to
$215,04.
>> Questions for Mr. Merritt?
>> What sorts of things does the money go
for? I know they're to promote
adoptions, but what kind of items do
they actually pay?
>> So, they actually just changed those
requirements in April, Commissioner
Mason, and some of the things they go
for, they help us with recruitment of
adoptive families.
um some pre-adoption training um
post-placement supports the services
provided and other supports that could
help promote placement stability. You
know, we're given some of the challenges
that some of the children have um and in
those adopted placements. So, we try to
make sure that they remain stable
through um that child's entire life and
also the facilitation of legal
procedures. There may be some complex
things that our attorneys may not be
able may not be, you know, trained in
where we can hire outside legal counsel
to assist with that. Um, so there's, you
know, we used to be able to do more,
they've restricted that. Um, you know,
it could be that we've got, um, you
know, we need some extra help
temporarily due to the number of
adoptions we're having to process. We
can contract with someone to do that.
Um, so there's there's things that we're
going to be looking at given this um,
these new procedures and how we can try
to utilize some of these monies. And we
also try to also try to look at it with
um, you know, children that are in the
process of adopting. Are there things
that they need that we can utilize this
money for to help, you know, get that
adoption off across the finish line? You
know, I will say that our staff, um, I
was looking at our data and there were
three children ages 14 or over that, um,
we completed adoptions for and two of
them were 17. And we think that's very
significant, um, given that, you know,
these these um, three children are going
to be in an adulthood very soon. And we
always find and see that when you know
you have that, you know, that family
that you can rely on which you're going
into adulthood, it creates higher
chances for success.
>> Um, and you know, we do see children age
out. That's not what we want to see
happen. Um, you know, some of those
adoption things we could help with
mental health services or something like
that. Um, so it's something that we're
really looking to see where we can kind
of utilize this money and get children
adopted. And I will say the board was um
I don't know how many years ago we got
an additional staff member that helped
you know just solely focus on adoptions
in our foster care program because many
times we have children that are going
through traumatic situations, crisises
and our adoption are more stable and
their administration time had to focus
on those children. So now when those
children are eligible for adoption,
that's what that worker does. She works
just on that just on those children that
adopt. I think we'll start to see some
of the fruits of um those investments.
um with children in our county. And
again, um you know, we really still need
foster homes. Um if someone's interested
in becoming a foster parent, 252-636
6472 to Hope Family Resource Center. You
know, 92 children were in care in Craven
County at the end of last month. Over
10,000 in North Carolina. Um so even if
it's a child that may not be available
for adoption here that someone will want
to consider, um we could also assist and
try to um help them find another child
if that's the case. and you know within
our state. So that is something that
we're very in very desperate need for.
We we don't like to have it where, you
know, unfortunate situations that happen
where children have to come into
custody. And instead of being able to
find a home in Craven County, we're
having to drive two hours one way or 3
hours one way um to place children, um
we really want to try to get people to
come and, you know, be licensed foster
homes in our county so that those
children can stay in their community and
where they can hopefully still attend
the same school, see the same
surroundings, same surroundings. It's
going to be a very traumatic event, but
anything you can try to do to lessen
that um traumatic event. Um even some
things that would seem incremental to
us, it may mean a lot for a child to
have some sense of normaly. But when you
>> move a seven-year-old like we had to do
the other day, 3 hours away because
there's no homes available here to take
that child. You know, they're in a
totally new place even with new people
and that just magnifies that experience.
>> Thank you.
>> Okay, any other questions?
>> Yeah. Um you dropped the [clears throat]
number 92 children in foster care.
That's just one month's notice. When I
talk to foster care about to other
people, we maintain approximately 100
children in foster care. We go up a
little bit, we go down a little bit, but
overall
>> we have sometimes I think in you know
report you see we say we tell the number
of children that enter custody and the
number of children that exit custody and
all those children are involved in the
legal system. Um so it will go through
that legal process and there's different
ways in which children could exit
custody. One of them is an adoption that
does take longer but it is the most
secure permanent placement which the
federal government wants us to try to
pursue. You know those legal hurdles
sometimes can be high to get a
termination parental rights. There's
also guardianship with guardianship with
another individual which is the second
most secure placement. You have to prove
that person unfit in order for the child
to be placed out of their so-called
guardianship or custody and then just
primary custody. Um and also children
age out. Um but we do have our 18 to 21
program which was something I really
believe the state did a good job in
because um previously in child welfare
service when they aged out there was
nothing. A lot of times they would still
call their social worker and say hey
look I'm trying to do this but now we
have a very good staff member and
supervisor that work with those children
and um help them to you know in that
transition to adulthood. Um it helps
them with there's funds that the state
pays for with and um with room and
board. Um, we help them, you know, we
have kids go to college, we've got kids
graduating, we've got kids going into
the workforce. Um, so I really think
that it that's a good program, too.
>> And have you told me before that about
50% of our Craraven County foster
children are out of county?
>> That's approximately it. I'd have to get that number, but it was
I would
dare to say that that may be even a
conservative number now.
>> That's a huge need. Foster homes. Yes.
>> Any other questions?
>> Okay. Do I have a motion?
>> Motion to approve.
>> Second.
>> Motion in a second.
>> We need a roll call on that one. Madam
clerk.
>> Commissioner Smith.
>> Yes.
>> Commissioner Howard? Yes.
>> Commissioner Hunt? Yes.
>> Commissioner Mason?
>> Yes.
>> Commissioner Mitchell?
>> Yes.
>> Vice Chairman Jones?
>> Yes.
>> Chairman Booker?
>> Yes.
>> Thank you very much. Have a good great
day.
>> Sheriff Hughes.
» Several items for us today.
>> Yes, sir. I've got three items for your
consideration. Uh first is going to be
donations that we received in the fiscal
year 26. Want to move them to FY27.
Those be used for various items that we
need. Sometimes equipment, training,
uniforms, etc. Uh it's in the amount of
$41,894.
» Okay. Have approval. A motion to
approve.
>> Some moved.
>> Second.
>> Motion. Second. Roll call, please.
>> Commissioner Smith,
>> yes.
>> Commissioner Howard,
>> yes.
>> Commissioner Hunt,
>> yes.
>> Commissioner Mason,
>> yes.
>> Commissioner Mitchell,
>> yes.
>> Vice Chairman Jones,
>> yes.
>> Chairman Ber,
>> yes. Next one is insurance funds.
>> Yes, sir. Uh, this is and the amount of
30,854
uh was uh from fiscal year 26. want to
move that over to this year for
>> uh use of repairing vehicles.
>> Okay. Do I have a motion to approve?
>> Motion to approve.
>> Second.
>> Motion and a second. Roll call, please.
>> Commissioner Smith,
>> yes.
>> Commissioner Howard,
>> yes.
>> Commissioner Hunt,
>> yes.
>> Commissioner Mason,
>> yes.
>> Commissioner Mitchell,
>> yes.
>> Vice Chairman Jones,
>> yes.
>> Chairman Booker,
>> yes. And the third one,
>> yes, sir. Uh, this is going to be in the
amount of 86,138.
This is for the first uh payroll of this
fiscal year. We've had uh members that
have retired. So, this would be the
payout for holiday pay, vacation, and
any comp time that they had occurred
throughout their career.
>> Okay.
>> Motion to approve the budget amendment.
>> Second.
Motion and a second. Roll call,
please.
>> Commissioner Smith,
>> yes.
>> Commissioner Howard,
>> yes.
>> Commissioner Hunt,
>> yes.
>> Commissioner Mason,
>> yes.
>> Commissioner Mitchell,
>> yes. Yes.
>> Vice Chairman Jones. Yes.
>> Chairman Booker.
>> Yes. You have anything to share with us
this morning?
>> Uh first day of school is going to be
August 24th. Uh our SRO's are already in
the schools working closely with the
staff to prepare the schools doing uh
security assessments, uh making
recommendations to any uh security needs
that might need to take place in that
school and just working closely with the
staff to make sure it's going to be a
very smooth transition. But uh uh we are
ready to go. Very good.
Anything else? Anybody have questions
for the sheriff?
>> Thank you for coming.
>> Thank you chairman.
>> Appreciate it.
>> Item number nine, appointments pending.
Community child protection team, grave
and aging planning board, ABC board,
clean sweep, crime prevention council,
and advisory council. Those will be
coming up. Under current, we got the
emergency medical services advisory
council. Deborah Rogers seeks reappoint.
>> I would make that recommendation that we
reappoint Deborah Deb Rogers.
>> Do we have any other nominations?
Hearing none, she will be appointed by
acclamation. Craraven Aging Planning
Board. Pam Woods seeks appointment.
>> Uh nominate Miss Woods.
>> Do we have any other nominations?
Hearing none, Miss Woods will be
reappointed. Craraven County Clean Sweep
Committee Debbie Titus seeks
reappointment. Do I hear a nomination?
>> I would nominate Miss Titus.
>> Are there any other nominations? Hearing
none, she will be reappointed by
acclamation. Craraven County Planning
Board. Sharon Marian seeks reappoint.
That's an atlarge seat. Any Do I have a
nomination for Miss Marian?
>> I'll go ahead and nominate her, Sharon.
>> Any other nominations hearing? None. She
will be appointed by acclamation.
Riverbend Planning Board. Bernard Bush
seeks reappoint. ETJ.
>> Uh I nominate Mr. Bush.
>> Are there any other nominations?
Hearing none. She will be appointed or
he will be appointed by AC acclamation.
And lastly, the voluntary agriculture
district advisory board, Marjgerie Tiker
Gonzalez.
>> I'll nominate I'm sorry. I'll nominate
Mrs. Gonzalez.
>> Are there any others?
No other nominations. She will be
appointed by acclamation. We have no
upcoming appointments to review at this
time. Next person on the agenda will be
our attorney, Mr. Grady. Welcome, sir.
» Thank you, Mr. Chairman, commissioners.
Good morning. I have two items for your
consideration this morning. Both involve
county owned uh real estate acquired
through the tax foreclosure process. The
first parcel is located at 315 Drymonia
Road, parcel ID number 9045
169. This is a final approval after the
expiration of the upset bid period. I
will also note that uh Craraven County
owns this property outright. There's no
uh joint ownership with any local
municipality. The um offer amount
originally was $9,000. We received uh no
upset bids. So that becomes your uh
final purchase price. The original past
due taxes and cost of foreclosure
together were $9,761
and the tax value on the property is
$9,000. I would ask that the board uh
consider giving final approval to this
so we can settle the transaction and get
it back on the tax roles.
>> Okay.
We need to adopt a resolution approving
the
conveyance after upset bid for parcel
90045169.
Do I hear an
>> motion? Second.
>> Got a motion and a second.
>> Madam clerk, would you call the role,
please?
>> Commissioner Smith,
>> yes.
>> Commissioner Howard,
>> yes.
>> Commissioner Hunt,
>> yes.
>> Commissioner Mason,
>> yes.
>> Commissioner Mitchell,
>> yes.
>> Vice Chairman Jones, yes.
>> Chairman Booker,
>> yes. Item B,
>> the uh second and last item is another
final approval for property located at
405 East Maple with a parcel ID number
of 706
083. As with the first parcel, the
county owns this one outright. So,
there's no joint ownership with another
mun municipality.
The um offer amount originally was
$3,500.
Uh there were no upsets during the upset
bid uh period. The original past due
taxes and cost of foreclosure were
$4,9287
and the tax value of the property is
$9,800.
As with the other other parcel, I would
ask the board uh to give it final
approval so we can close the transaction
and get the property back on the tax
roles.
>> Okay. We're being asked to adopt a
resolution oveing approving conveyance
after ex expiration of upset bid parcel
7006
083. Do I hear a motion? Some moved.
>> Second.
>> A motion and a second. Roll call,
please.
>> Yes.
>> Commissioner Howard?
>> Yes.
>> Commissioner Hunt?
>> Yes.
>> Commissioner Mason? Yes.
>> Commissioner Mitchell?
>> Yes.
>> Chairman Jones? Yes.
>> Chairman Ber?
>> Yes. Thank you, sir.
>> My report.
>> Okay.
Mr. Vite, county manager report.
» Mr. Chairman, commissioners, thank you
for the opportunity this morning. Not a
lot to report, but just keep you up to
speed. Uh, last week I attended the
Kerswama meeting, which is our local
landfield. Uh, starting off in the new
fiscal year. They did a study in
partnership with the state to look at
what is in the waist stream, right? What
is in the trash that goes to the
landfill. I found it very interesting.
Commissioner Jones and Mr. Asher were
there as well. Um, surprisingly, Craven
County scored very high in a couple
categories, which was recyclable items
that could be recycled. We were much
lower than the other counties that were
studied at about 16%. The average there
was around 23% uh finding recyclable
materials in there. uh a lot of other
things um that were found, but one that
I I do want to point out for the record
was there is an issue that's developed
not only in this study, but in instances
where we've had certain fires and things
like that, which is people disposing of
lithium batteries in their trash. And
often times when those things get mashed
down into either the truck or into the
yard, they catch fire. And we've had two
instances where that's happened here
locally. That's something that a lot of
folks don't recognize. If you have an
item that's rechargeable and that
recharge stops, that doesn't mean that
item's ready for the landfill unless you
remove that battery and recycle it at
one of our seven uh convenience sites or
at local retailers that have that
service. So, little PSA there for you
this morning for the landfill. Uh last
week, I was also able to meet with Smart
Start. I talked to Commissioner Smith
about that last week. We were able to
have a conversation with them that was a
carryover from our budget process and we
talked to them a lot about the Dolly
Parton Imagination Library where we're
helping them sustain that program after
they had some funding cuts. I believe we
got on the right track there. There were
a lot of things they shared with us. Um
I did invite them this fall or winter to
come and present to the board and share
with you guys what they're up to out
there.
Later this week, we'll attend, some of
us will attend the NCAACCC uh group of
county commissioners state conference in
Durham. Looking forward to that. Uh one
of the highlights I just made a note of
is, as you know, the legislative session
has now ended. There is a lot of
legislation that was passed that we're
still sorting through at the local
level, whether there's fiscal impacts or
operational impacts. So, I'm very
interested in how other counties are
viewing some of that legislation. Also,
in talking about the legislature, there
is an adjournment resolution that does
bring them back in late November. So,
we'll obviously keep our eye on that for
opportunity for additional legislation
or fiscal things that uh we may be
interested in. And on Friday, I was able
to meet with our DSS director, Jeff
Merritt, who's here, and he shared a lot
about adoption. Jeff and I meet every
month to talk about how DSS is doing.
He'll be here with you in the fall.
Again, some of those legislative changes
are going to impact how DSS operates.
So, in October at your work session,
Jeff will be here with his team to share
some of those fiscal issues with you.
So, other than that, Mr. Chairman,
that's all I have unless you have things
for me.
>> Questions for the county management.
>> All right. Thanks so much.
>> Thank you. Okay. Next item on our agenda
is commissioner's report. Start with you
pass. You have nothing today.
>> Uh yes, sir. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'd
like to go back to the Southeastern
Integrated Care Program. Um I believe
the
um county manager was asking for some
direction from the board in terms of how
did we want to proceed,
>> right? So, you know, before and
Caitlyn's already left, but before we
spend a lot of time negotiating a
contract, just wanted to get your
thoughts. Is this what you heard today
something you want us to begin that
process? Obviously, we'll include
Sheriff Hughes and Scott Harelson, Jeff
Merritt, folks who are impacted by
individuals that need these services. Uh
that may take a month or two. If you
guys give us kind of the the head nod,
uh
>> I was impressed with what I heard. Uh
we're short on services. I would
recommend that we go forward. And if you
need a motion, consider that one.
>> And I want to I'll support what ET said.
I was we discussed it and I think that
Yeah,
>> you need a vote.
>> I just need a head nod. I mean, if
that's something because well, I said to
bring the contract back.
>> Everybody was favorably impressed. At
least that was the impression I got.
>> I wanted to say a little bit more, but
they did such a good job. But one of the
things when we've met with their team is
their inclination to acquire property
here in Craven County. whether it's an
office, a house or two. They said
something and it really resonated with
me because we have such a struggle is
they want to focus on female
>> individuals here. We've tried for at
least half a decade to get somebody to
do that and they seemed interested. So,
I mean, if we could crack that nut, that
would definitely be a big win for us
all. So,
>> okay.
>> All right. So, we'll we'll proceed with
that and get back to the board probably
in October. My guess is we'll be back at
that work session.
>> That was all I had, sir.
>> Okay.
Commissioner Smith.
>> Um, I have I may be out of commission
for our first meeting in September
because I'm having surgery on the third.
I hopefully I will be back by the second
one, but I'm not sure. But I will be not
available for our first meeting.
>> Okay. Thank you. We we'll keep you in
our prayers and I hope that goes well.
>> Thank you. Okay, Commissioner Hunt.
>> No report.
>> Okay.
>> Um, in our proclamation of our consent
agenda, we did a proclamation of support
for Mr. John Thomas Barber's 75th
anniversary legacy. It is sad that the
school that he's that's named after him
is so old and and and really is in need
of replacement. Be nice if we can come
up with a better school to reuse his
name on. Okay.
>> Anything else?
>> No, that's it.
>> Question. Only thing I want to remind
the board, if you will put in your
calendars, Co City is having their
fireman's day on September the 26th,
uh 10:00 a.m. they'll have their parade
and uh they have extended an invitation
to this board to come and be a part. I
think that's it. I have nothing to
report. Uh commissioners, we're being
asked to go into close session. Um
pursuant to NCGS143-
318.11A4
to discuss the location or expansion of
industries or other businesses.
>> I move that we have a motion.
>> So moved second
take a fivem minute recess and we will
go into close.