[0:00] Not in conversation.

[0:01] >> Okay. We'll call to order our August

[0:03] 17th, Monday, August 17th meeting of the

[0:07] Carvin County Board of Commissioners.

[0:09] >> Madame Clerk, would you uh give it take

[0:12] care of the roll call, please?

[0:13] >> Yes, sir.

[0:15] >> Commissioner Smith

[0:16] >> here.

[0:16] >> Commissioner Howard

[0:17] >> here.

[0:18] >> Commissioner Hunt

[0:19] >> here.

[0:19] >> Commissioner Mason

[0:20] >> here.

[0:20] >> Commissioner Mitchell

[0:21] >> here.

[0:22] >> Vice Chairman Jones

[0:23] >> here.

[0:23] >> Chairman Booker

[0:24] >> here. Uh next we will do the uh pledge

[0:28] of allegiance but prior to that the

[0:30] attorney Mr. Grady will give us a

[0:32] prayer. So if you'd all stand.

[0:38] Loving God, you are author of life and

[0:40] origin of all created things. We ask

[0:42] that your grace and blessing be bestowed

[0:45] upon the women and men and women who

[0:47] have been called to serve our county.

[0:49] Help them to represent their

[0:51] constituents wisely with an eye toward

[0:53] safeguarding the deeper truths of human

[0:55] life that come only from you. Bless the

[0:58] county that they represent. Bless our

[1:00] country. Help our commissioners to take

[1:02] actions that will uphold the values of

[1:05] peace and justice in our land and

[1:06] throughout the world. We ask this in

[1:09] God's name. Amen.

[1:10] >> Amen.

[1:12] I pledge algiance to the flag of the

[1:15] United States of America and to the

[1:18] republic for which it stands. One nation

[1:21] under God, indivisible, with liberty and

[1:24] justice for all.

[1:30] » Commissioners, you have in front of you

[1:32] the agenda today. Are there any changes

[1:34] or additions? And if not, uh, I

[1:37] entertain a motion to approve it.

[1:38] >> So move.

[1:39] >> Second.

[1:40] Have a motion and a second.

[1:42] Madam clerk, call the role, please.

[1:44] >> Commissioner Smith,

[1:44] >> yes.

[1:45] >> Commissioner Howard,

[1:46] >> yes.

[1:46] >> Commissioner Hunt,

[1:47] >> yes.

[1:47] >> Commissioner Mason,

[1:48] >> yes.

[1:49] >> Commissioner Mitchell,

[1:50] >> yes.

[1:50] >> Vice Chairman Jones,

[1:51] >> yes.

[1:51] >> Chairman Booker,

[1:52] >> yes. Ladies and gentlemen, if you have

[1:55] not already done so, please silent your

[1:57] phones to make sure we don't have

[1:59] interruption. And I would like to um

[2:03] mention that we have uh uh I'm going to

[2:07] take chairman's privilege right now. and

[2:09] I'm going to introduce Mr. Chip Shagnan

[2:11] who's going to come forward here and uh

[2:14] have a few words for us.

[2:16] >> Thank you very much, sir. Appreciate the

[2:18] opportunity to jump into the agenda. I

[2:20] know that's a hard thing to do, sir. As

[2:22] you know, we've recently had a a

[2:24] convention here, the Purple Heart, and

[2:26] Military Ar. And thanks to this great

[2:29] council and our citizens and and Jack

[2:32] and his fine staff, it was superior.

[2:35] It's not that I say that our surveys

[2:38] indicated that uh it was the best one

[2:41] since uh we've been doing this in 10

[2:43] years and Craraven County even beat out

[2:46] Reno, Nevada for so I just want to let

[2:49] you know that did a great job. I've been

[2:52] asked by the uh uh the department uh

[2:55] commander to make sure that we give you

[2:58] a little uh a little momento. This is

[3:00] our our convention coin. It's a

[3:04] challenge coin, but as you can see, this

[3:06] is a rather large one, and I can't very

[3:09] well shake your hand and put this thing

[3:10] in it, but we might like to ensure that

[3:13] each member, Madam,

[3:16] >> thank you.

[3:17] >> May I approach them? Sure. Thank you,

[3:18] sir.

[3:21] >> Commission.

[3:22] >> Thank you, Tim.

[3:23] >> Yes, ma'am. Thank you.

[3:25] >> Thank you.

[3:26] very much.

[3:26] >> Thank you, sir.

[3:29] appreciate every

[3:33] sir.

[3:33] >> Thank you.

[3:35] >> And of course, Miss uh Miss Mitchell

[3:37] participated many ways and we honor her

[3:40] that

[3:41] >> Thank you.

[3:45] » It depends.

[3:47] >> Thank you.

[3:47] gentlemen.

[3:51] » They pretty much do whatever you want

[3:54] within a range.

[3:56] >> I have 15

[4:10] But

[4:10] >> these are fancier.

[4:13] >> Thank you very much, sir.

[4:15] >> Thank you. Appreciate you coming.

[4:17] >> You did a great job, too.

[4:22] » I also mention that in our audience

[4:24] today, we have Josh Whitford. Josh is

[4:26] the uh next person who will sit uh in

[4:30] the seat right here on my left

[4:34] come December. So, welcome Josh. Um

[4:38] number one on our agenda is the Owls

[4:40] Wildlife Center and uh

[4:44] >> the Ambassador Enclosure Pro project

[4:47] presentation Christy Davis.

[4:50] >> Morning.

[4:51] >> If you would.

[4:52] >> Yes.

[4:53] >> That's so everybody at home can hear

[4:55] you. Okay, good morning. Um,

[4:57] >> good morning.

[4:58] >> My name is Christy Davis. I'm treasurer

[4:59] with Owls Wildlife Center. With me, I

[5:01] have Carla Aldridge, who's the vice

[5:03] president and the board of directors,

[5:05] and Pam Bader, who is also on the board

[5:08] of directors. So, our mission with Owls

[5:11] Wild or uh Owls Wildlife Center is we

[5:14] rescue, rehabilitate, and release native

[5:17] wildlife within North Carolina. Um, we

[5:20] receive over 2,000 animals each year

[5:23] that we try to rehabilitate and

[5:26] re-release back into the wild. Some of

[5:28] those animals cannot be released um, if

[5:31] they are young enough. We try to either

[5:34] find placement with another education

[5:36] center that can use them to help educate

[5:38] the public as to the importance of the

[5:41] animals. one, why it's important not to

[5:44] keep them um due to imprinting

[5:47] uh special diets, stuff like that. And

[5:51] then two, it teaches were able to use

[5:53] the animals to teach why they're

[5:55] important uh to the environment. For

[5:59] Owls Wildlife Center, we have four right

[6:01] now. um we cannot have more because we

[6:04] need to progress into the USDA uh permit

[6:08] and that is the goal with part of our uh

[6:11] ambassador education project. We have a

[6:13] bard owl, a great horned owl. Uh Pearl,

[6:16] our eastern screech owl who looks like

[6:18] she's going through menopause right now.

[6:20] Um

[6:22] all of our ambassadors are molting. So

[6:24] poor things are uh not up to par what

[6:26] they should be. She's normally cute, but

[6:28] she's grumpy.

[6:29] >> [clears throat]

[6:29] >> She's a grumpy woman today. We can all

[6:32] understand that. So, and we also have uh

[6:34] Isabelle, our red tail hawk, who is uh

[6:37] mid20s. She's one of She's uh in

[6:40] captivity, will live close to 30, but

[6:42] she is retired and on display because

[6:45] she is starting to show her age.

[6:49] So, as we

[6:52] uh requested a grant with the Newurn

[6:55] Board of Commissioners, you graciously

[6:56] gave us a $6,000 grant to go towards, if

[6:59] you can go to the next slide, our

[7:01] education uh ambassador enclosure. Why

[7:06] we're asking for help with that? Because

[7:08] that enclosure alone to house those four

[7:10] animals and to progress into federal

[7:12] regulations is going to take close to

[7:14] $30,000 to build it.

[7:16] >> [snorts]

[7:16] >> Um, we have an additional grant from the

[7:19] Hoover Foundation of another $6,000 so

[7:23] we can start progress on building that.

[7:26] While we need your help, uh, we rely on

[7:29] the community. We rely on grants and

[7:31] donations. So, that is how we fund our

[7:34] operation. Um, we receive no state or

[7:36] federal funding at this time due to

[7:38] those specific regulations. We are

[7:41] looking to branch into that but is very

[7:43] specific regulations and rules that we

[7:46] have to follow with that. So we rely

[7:48] local communities, businesses, uh grants

[7:51] from the local community. Um how we do

[7:53] that? We do education and outreach. This

[7:56] year uh we have already completed around

[8:00] 50 education visits to schools and also

[8:04] had educ schools come and visit us at

[8:06] the center. We show them our education

[8:08] ambassadors. We teach them why it's

[8:10] important not take them out of the wild

[8:13] and why it's important to let them stay

[8:15] native. Um, we're a community resource.

[8:17] We are one of the only local uh rescues

[8:20] within the area that takes in

[8:23] >> uh birds. Um, there's there's many

[8:27] mammal rehabers, but we one of only that

[8:30] take in birds in the area between us and

[8:31] Raleigh and us in the Outer Banks. The

[8:34] other closer one is Possumwood Acres in

[8:36] Hubert and we work together with the

[8:38] other uh rehabs and rescues to make sure

[8:41] that we

[8:43] work together and get the animals

[8:44] rehabilitated. And with that, we've

[8:47] started reaching um further and further.

[8:50] Last year alone, we helped over 21

[8:54] counties in North Carolina, 70 to 80

[8:56] cities, and we continue to reach further

[9:00] and further. We've started uh receiving

[9:03] animals from the Outer Banks um to help

[9:06] them out as well. So, we have a very

[9:08] robust volunteer uh program as well as a

[9:11] volunteer transport and they do that on

[9:12] their own dime. We give them no money or

[9:15] anything like that. They they donate

[9:17] their time and their energy or their

[9:19] gas. Um next slide.

[9:25] » So, while we need new education

[9:27] ambassadors, our come up closer.

[9:29] >> Yeah. Sorry. I'm sorry.

[9:30] >> That's right.

[9:32] >> Uh why we need new ones. Our current

[9:35] enclosures have been there since uh we [clears throat] looked at some of the

[9:39] historical information since 2007. And

[9:42] we've done what we can to ensure that

[9:44] they're patched and continue to meet the

[9:47] regulations uh that were set forth by

[9:50] federal and state regulations.

[9:52] So what we want to do is we want to

[9:54] progress into USDA which will also allow

[9:57] us to have mammal uh ambassadors. USDA

[10:00] took over uh in 2023. If you want to go

[10:03] to the next slide. So they took over in

[10:06] 2023 governing uh ambassador

[10:09] uh birds of prey wildlife stuff like

[10:12] that.

[10:14] So to be able to progress with USDA,

[10:16] there's very specific regulations above

[10:19] the state and federal regulations that

[10:21] we're already governed to. So we have to

[10:24] rebuild our education ambassadors

[10:25] because we have to separate uh

[10:28] rehabilitation and education. And if any

[10:30] of you visited the center, uh you know

[10:33] that our education is smack dab in the

[10:35] middle of all of our rehabilitation

[10:37] because that's where we were built. And

[10:39] as we grow, we continue to strategically

[10:42] plan where we need to put the next

[10:44] enclosures so that we can grow and meet

[10:48] uh and get our USDA permit. And this is

[10:52] the last one of the last big steps that

[10:54] we plan and hope to make this year to

[10:57] actually meet um the USDA regulations

[11:01] and get that permit going.

[11:07] Next slide.

[11:12] So part of this is we have a very

[11:14] specific design that we uh go to as

[11:17] well. We are governed uh by the federal

[11:19] regulations which require very specific

[11:22] enclosure sizes. We're going to build uh

[11:26] what is it? A 20 by 50 and then a 14

[11:31] feet tall. Um because we need to to help

[11:34] progress um building them bigger than

[11:38] technically what is required by the

[11:40] little 10-ft enclosure because our birds

[11:42] are fully flighted. Um, to keep the

[11:45] weather from damaging, we've started

[11:47] fully researching, working with

[11:48] engineers when we're building our

[11:50] enclosures to make sure that they

[11:52] actually do stand the test of time and

[11:55] the weather. Um, our enclosures are

[11:58] insured. Our bigger enclosures that we

[12:00] know will take a lot to replace are

[12:01] insured because, well, we're right there

[12:03] on the coastline and we know how

[12:05] hurricane seasons are with us. Um, so to

[12:08] help protect that, we take every step

[12:10] possible to make sure that those are

[12:13] built to the best that they can be built

[12:15] and they will withstand weather and

[12:17] time, which is what has not happened

[12:19] previously when enclosures have been

[12:21] built.

[12:23] Next slide.

[12:26] In the end, what this gives us is room

[12:28] to grow. Um, it gives the animals better

[12:31] welfare,

[12:33] more outreach for us, uh, and it gives

[12:36] us the durability and the lasting value.

[12:38] And we appreciate everything that you've

[12:40] done for us so far. And we wanted to

[12:43] take the opportunity to show you what we

[12:45] do, what we're about, and give you or

[12:48] tell you thank you for everything that

[12:49] you've done. Well,

[12:51] >> thank you guys. Okay, if you wait up

[12:53] there, you may have some questions here.

[12:55] Yes. Okay,

[12:56] >> that is our turn. questions from me

[12:58] commissioner

[12:59] >> for the benefit of the people who are

[13:00] listening could you tell our audience

[13:02] what these predator birds eat that is

[13:05] part of the uh nature cycle here in

[13:07] eastern North Carolina.

[13:08] >> Yes. So part of the bird uh and this for

[13:11] rehabilitation and for education animals

[13:14] we give them exactly what they would

[13:16] eat.

[13:16] >> No ma'am what do they eat in the wild?

[13:18] So they they

[13:20] >> in the wild they eat pretty much

[13:22] anything they can get a hold of

[13:23] depending on the species you've got like

[13:25] Pearl she would eat snakes, bugs, worms,

[13:28] um or eastern screech owl.

[13:32] No it's not breakfast. Um

[13:35] when you get to the bigger birds of

[13:37] prey, owls, uh

[13:40] what is it? The hawks, stuff like that,

[13:42] they'll eat squirrels, rabbits,

[13:44] >> chickens.

[13:45] Yes.

[13:46] >> Yeah. Some people like to think they eat

[13:49] uh some of their or their pets as well.

[13:53] So, yes. But

[13:54] >> small animals like that,

[13:56] >> rodents.

[13:56] >> Yes.

[13:57] >> Um they also eat other birds. Um

[14:00] >> especially during mating season, they

[14:02] get in fights and they will eat whatever

[14:04] is at their disposal. When you start

[14:06] talking about osprey, uh, eagles, they

[14:09] eat fish and deer, um, which is where

[14:13] they get the lead poisoning from because

[14:14] of the fishing hooks and or the lures

[14:17] and the ammunition that still has lead

[14:20] in it. And we have seen a lot of that

[14:22] this year.

[14:24] >> Other questions?

[14:26] >> Um, during the snowstorm that we had

[14:28] this last year, I I heard a couple

[14:30] stories of rescues. Were there any kind

[14:32] of like interesting rescues? Was it

[14:34] flamingos I heard about? Is that what it

[14:36] was?

[14:36] >> Pelicans.

[14:37] That was it. That was

[14:38] >> Yes. So, the pelicans uh really

[14:40] struggled in the cold this year. We

[14:42] received what probably 20 or 30 at that

[14:44] time.

[14:45] >> And a lot of them were frostbitten. Um

[14:48] if you go to our Facebook page, there is

[14:50] a story about that earlier this year.

[14:52] They really did have a hard time because

[14:54] they're not used to a lot of them don't

[14:56] migrate from here. um because it stays

[14:59] kind of warm and so when it got cold and

[15:02] they couldn't either get in the water or

[15:06] the water was too cold or the ground was

[15:08] too cold, they did suffer a lot of

[15:10] frostbite on their feet and on their

[15:12] actual their bills.

[15:14] >> So like 30 or 40 at that at that one

[15:16] time you guys had to do intake for. Yes,

[15:18] it's amazing. and the amount of so they

[15:20] would eat um when we take them in one

[15:23] pelican will eat about 20 or 30 finger

[15:27] mullet uh per feeding. So and we

[15:30] normally give them about three or four

[15:32] feedings a day.

[15:33] >> Wow.

[15:35] >> Yeah.

[15:36] >> One of the smaller owls

[15:37] >> it is. Yes, ma'am. That is eastern

[15:40] screech owl. She is the smallest owl.

[15:42] She's actually full grown. She's an

[15:44] adult.

[15:46] Yeah.

[15:47] >> So, [clears throat]

[15:48] I've gotten a lot of calls about wild

[15:51] animals when people find them for

[15:53] various reasons, what to do, where to go

[15:55] with them, and a lot of the calls are

[15:57] about squirrels.

[15:58] >> Yes.

[15:59] >> And as far as I know, you've never

[16:00] turned any of them away. Correct.

[16:02] >> No, ma'am, we haven't. We will. We've

[16:04] never turned an animal away. Even if

[16:06] it's an animal that we can't take in,

[16:08] uh, which we just recently got our

[16:10] rabies, uh, vector species permit, um,

[16:13] we will we have there's a policy you can

[16:16] hold the animal for 24 hours and find

[16:18] another, uh, an find another rehab that

[16:21] can take those in.

[16:23] >> We've never turned one away and we are very inundated with squirrels

[16:27] right now. They have uh for some reason

[16:30] they started a little early this year or

[16:32] did for the second season

[16:33] >> and uh [laughter]

[16:34] >> squirrel squirrel cat

[16:35] >> and they are we we have a lot of them

[16:37] right now. We probably have about what

[16:38] 40 in the mammal nursery

[16:40] >> of all sizes still requiring uh feedings

[16:43] every 3 hours from the little tiny

[16:45] pinkies to the other ones. And I live

[16:48] here in Newurn so I can leave my card if you need or owls we answer. We don't

[16:54] answer 24/7 because we do we

[16:56] [clears throat] do sleep, but um if you

[16:58] can't call, if you know you call us,

[17:00] text us, we don't answer, we do have

[17:02] email and Facebook Messenger that we

[17:04] reply.

[17:04] >> Well, everybody's been able to get a

[17:06] hold of you in a timely manner. So,

[17:08] thank you for everything you do. You're

[17:09] welcome.

[17:09] >> What's your success rate as far as a

[17:11] animal coming in and going back to the

[17:13] wild? Is there a pretty good turnaround

[17:15] on that?

[17:16] >> It is. It is a good turnaround. Um it's

[17:18] gotten better over the years as we've

[17:19] started working with more and more

[17:20] veterinarians. We're at a 55% uh success

[17:24] rate right now,

[17:25] >> up from about the low 40s about 3 or 4

[17:28] years ago.

[17:30] >> So if they fail at that, they become

[17:31] ambassadors. Huh.

[17:33] >> Not always. We can't keep every animal,

[17:35] unfortunately. We have to. We're

[17:37] governed by federal regulations. Um and

[17:39] that is one thing we do uh take pride in

[17:43] is we don't keep an animal just because

[17:45] it can't be released because that can be

[17:47] inhumane. It's like if it if it's young,

[17:50] if it's a baby, we do have, for example,

[17:52] we do have a B owl that we got in that

[17:54] was a week old.

[17:55] >> Um, we have been working with it to try

[17:57] to make it an education ambassador.

[18:00] We will post it on the national uh

[18:02] rehabilitators website for everyone

[18:05] within the United States and Canada to

[18:07] be able to see to offer that animal in

[18:09] the home. uh which we did have success

[18:11] earlier this year where we sent a possum

[18:14] who couldn't be uh rehabilitated up to

[18:17] New Hampshire to be an ambassador

[18:19] >> for an area up there. But we

[18:22] >> we can't keep an animal just because it

[18:24] can't be released. It's like taking you

[18:26] as an adult um and putting you in a cage

[18:29] >> after you've already known what it's

[18:32] like to be free and then not being free.

[18:36] So it it can be cruel to them. Any other

[18:40] questions? I have one.

[18:41] >> Yes, sir.

[18:42] >> Where are you located?

[18:43] >> We are located off of Highway 24 in

[18:46] Newport.

[18:46] >> Okay.

[18:48] >> All right. If there are no other

[18:50] questions, we appreciate you coming and

[18:52] sharing with us and we appreciate you

[18:54] brought Pearl

[18:56] >> that you brought Pearl and

[19:03] » we appreciate what you do.

[19:05] >> Thank you. Thank you very much.

[19:07] >> Thank you. [clears throat]

[19:09] Item number two on the agenda, Eastern

[19:12] Carolina Workforce Development Board

[19:14] Update. Mr. Bill Green.

[19:18] >> Morning, Bill.

[19:19] >> Good morning.

[19:24] Uh, commissioners, thank you very much

[19:26] for letting us come today. Let me first

[19:28] recognize Rashima Walker. He's our

[19:31] center manager at our uh news um news

[19:35] boulevard career center covering craven

[19:38] also covers Jones and Pamoo County. So

[19:41] we're here to just give bring you an

[19:43] update about our uh workforce. Um we I'm

[19:48] going to give you just an overview of

[19:50] several points and see if there's any

[19:52] questions. So again I'm Bill Green. I'm

[19:54] the executive director of the Eastern

[19:56] Carolina Workforce Development Board. Um

[19:59] we uh were established [clears throat]

[20:01] many years ago along with 19 other

[20:04] workforce boards across the state and we

[20:06] are the primarily uh the funding source

[20:09] and the managers for the NC works career

[20:12] centers and the WA uh job training

[20:15] dollars and so that those funds come

[20:17] from the uh Department of Labor. So um

[20:21] for 36 years I'm a native of Newurn and

[20:24] Craven County. for 36 years. I was a

[20:27] commercial banker here in town. Um, this

[20:32] uh board appointed me in 2012 to be a

[20:35] private sector board member of the

[20:37] Eastern Carolina Workforce Development

[20:38] Board. And around the time that I was

[20:40] given the opportunity for a uh early

[20:43] retirement, uh, our longtime director,

[20:45] Tammy Childers, uh, took a decided her

[20:49] time was up for retirement.

[20:52] So, I stepped into this role. Um, and

[20:54] it's an interesting thing. A little

[20:56] different from banking, but it covers

[20:58] the same counties, same work that we've

[21:01] done, uh, that I've done over the years

[21:03] with commercial businesses, uh, in our

[21:05] area. So, let me walk through several

[21:09] things. So, as you see, uh, we we're a

[21:12] 501c3 nonprofit. Most of the other

[21:15] workforce boards across the state are

[21:17] part of a, uh, council of governments or some other entity. Next slide.

[21:23] So our mission is to engage leaders to

[21:28] assist job seekers and to support

[21:30] employers. So our leadership contacts

[21:33] that we do uh are with the

[21:35] commissioners, with the municipalities,

[21:38] with the economic developers, with the

[21:40] chambers of commerce, with our community

[21:42] colleges, with our school systems, um

[21:45] and with the state department of

[21:48] commerce and the federal department of

[21:50] labor. So we connect to a lot of

[21:53] entities and a lot of players that are

[21:56] involved with economic development as it

[21:59] relates to workforce development and

[22:01] ultimately our community development. So

[22:04] uh from a leader standpoint that's what

[22:05] that looks like. Our assisting of job

[22:08] seekers

[22:10] uh what the the one word I want to leave

[22:13] everybody here in the audience is NC

[22:16] Works. NC Works is our statewide brand.

[22:20] It's our statewide uh system of uh

[22:23] career centers across all 100 counties.

[22:27] Um it is our completely free service

[22:30] that uh we provide through uh to for job

[22:34] seekers no matter who or what they are.

[22:38] We focus on adults, youth, um those

[22:44] re-entering society, those with

[22:46] substance use issues, those with uh uh

[22:50] mental health issues. So, we cover as

[22:53] many people what what our goal is is to

[22:55] get as many people working as best they

[22:57] can at the uh level that is highest for

[23:00] them. So job seekers uh are through are

[23:05] helped through our NCworks centers. Uh

[23:07] also ncworks.gov. So I want everybody to

[23:10] remember ncworks.gov

[23:12] that is our website that you can get to

[23:15] any position [clears throat]

[23:17] any uh career center across the state

[23:20] including the the our one which is a

[23:23] premier center here in uh here in

[23:25] Newber. So job seekers ncworks.gov of in that and then supporting our

[23:31] employers. So we work directly with

[23:33] employers. Uh Rashima and her staff work

[23:35] with employers to place job orders uh to

[23:39] provide uh labor information uh wherever

[23:42] we can uh from our the sources that

[23:44] we've got from the Department of Labor.

[23:47] So those are our three stakeholders.

[23:49] There's our mission up there. But our

[23:51] mission basically is to improve the

[23:53] economy uh by making sure our workforce

[23:57] is uh where it needs to be. So let's

[24:00] look at the next slide. So uh Craraven

[24:03] County, of course, I was born and raised

[24:05] here, so if I'm in another county, uh I

[24:08] won't say this, but of course Craraven

[24:09] is is our center hub of our office, as

[24:13] you can see at the very top in the

[24:14] center. But we also cover we take a

[24:17] regional approach because all of the

[24:19] counties work together in some form or

[24:22] fashion. So Carter, Craraven, Dupin,

[24:24] Green, Jones, Genor, Enzo, Pamlico, and

[24:26] Wayne are our core group. Uh we call it

[24:29] the heart of eastern North Carolina in

[24:32] Craraven County is the center of that.

[24:34] So we have comprehensive career centers

[24:36] in Craraven, Carter, uh Lenor, Enso, and

[24:41] Wayne. And then we have resource centers

[24:43] in the other counties. So those that's

[24:45] [clears throat] how we serve this and

[24:47] those nine counties were separated out

[24:49] again years ago. Um and there's

[24:53] different groupings of uh counties

[24:56] across that are covered by other

[24:57] workforce boards. Next slide.

[25:01] So these are some of the things and I um

[25:04] I'm going to be the chatter but um Reima

[25:07] could probably be a do a better job with

[25:09] this and may answer some questions but

[25:11] job matching uh we can sit down with um

[25:15] a job seeker and just say what are your

[25:18] interests what there's a number of tools

[25:20] we can use to help people to try to find

[25:23] a pathway [snorts] training and

[25:25] education through title one of WA we

[25:28] could pay for training for adults

[25:30] dislocated workers and um and youth. Uh

[25:34] we can help with career assessments.

[25:36] Where are you with everything that

[25:38] you're doing in career advising? Uh if

[25:41] you don't have a resume, we can help you

[25:42] get a resume. We can help you build

[25:44] that. We if you're not if you're

[25:47] concerned about interview skills, we can

[25:50] provide those interview skills. So when

[25:52] you go into the career center, you can

[25:55] uh get all of these services uh as a job

[25:58] seeker. And then as I've mentioned,

[26:00] employers, we uh do job fairs, hiring

[26:04] events, and place job orders just like

[26:07] any other forpay uh service, but ours is again a free service. So those are

[26:14] some of the things that we do. Next

[26:16] slide.

[26:17] For business services, we can do

[26:20] recruitment and screening, labor market

[26:21] data, on the job training, uh, depending

[26:24] on funding, uh, tax credits and

[26:26] incentives when they're available and

[26:28] when they've been renewed, and then

[26:30] rapid response. Rapid response is if

[26:33] there was a plant closing or a reduction

[26:35] in force, uh we can go to that plant

[26:38] within two or three days and set up

[26:41] oftent times with our mobile unit that

[26:43] is resides in Raleigh. the NC Works uh mobile unit uh has a bank two banks

[26:49] of computers and uh job seekers can go

[26:52] on board and uh very rapidly deal with

[26:56] those concerns that they've got where if

[26:58] they've just lost the job uh through no

[27:00] fault of their own. So those are some of

[27:02] the things that we can do. Next slide.

[27:06] NextGen Youth. Um [clears throat]

[27:09] we focus uh of ages 16 to 24. Our one of

[27:14] our goals is to u get youth involved in

[27:19] more knowledge than they currently see.

[27:22] Uh I I believe youth sometimes see only

[27:25] to see the things that they see. Um they

[27:28] um whether it be you know the you know

[27:32] Starbucks stores that they see. But what

[27:34] our goal is to get them more um involved

[27:38] in career exploration. And um our focus

[27:42] really is also on out of school youth,

[27:45] those that have fallen out that are not

[27:48] involved with school, not involved with

[27:50] work. And we think there's a lot of a

[27:52] lot of resources there if we can get to

[27:54] them. And we've got dedicated youth

[27:56] specialists at the career center that

[27:58] can work with that. So that's a big big

[28:01] issue for us is is those youth that are

[28:04] not involved.

[28:06] >> Next slide.

[28:08] So again, we've talked about NC Works

[28:09] Career Centers and of course we have the

[28:11] one main one on News Boulevard and if

[28:14] you don't know it's 2836 News Boulevard

[28:17] is one of the three buildings up front,

[28:19] the furniture fair, Burger King um

[28:23] >> uh shopping center there. So employment

[28:25] sec services, training programs and

[28:28] career planning. Um those are all the

[28:31] things that we do at the career centers

[28:33] and again we co-manage those with the

[28:35] department of commerce uh among the all

[28:38] the of the nine counties. Next slide.

[28:43] Our future NC or our future ENC if

[28:47] you're not familiar with that group you

[28:48] probably are. Um the goal statewide is

[28:52] to have an additional 2 million uh

[28:54] credentialed or deployment individuals

[28:57] in the ages of 25 to 44 so that North

[29:00] Carolina remains uh one of the top

[29:03] business uh oriented uh workforce uh uh

[29:08] communities so that uh as industries

[29:10] come in [cough] they they know that

[29:12] we've got the workforce that they're

[29:14] trained there's training available um

[29:17] from a Craven County standpoint point.

[29:20] Uh we learned back in the spring uh that

[29:22] my future NC, which is again a 501c3

[29:26] nonprofit as well, uh has targeted eight

[29:29] counties across the state to receive

[29:31] funding to add a position uh to help

[29:35] drive uh credentials and diplomas. And

[29:38] uh Mr. Jack and his staff in cooperation

[29:42] with the workforce board, we we're the

[29:44] convenor with the school system, the

[29:46] college, the chamber. um

[29:50] and [clears throat] the the school

[29:51] system, the college chamber chambers and

[29:54] uh our workforce board. So, we the

[29:57] workforce board is the fiscal agent and

[30:00] we will should announce this week an

[30:02] individual that will work for the next

[30:04] year and probably a second year uh to

[30:06] really make uh Craven County one of

[30:09] those eight across the state that will

[30:11] uh really drive this so that we are our people our young people are getting

[30:17] the credentials that they need and know

[30:19] that they can get. So, next slide.

[30:23] So, just some information. So the

[30:26] workforce board has been around for 30

[30:27] plus years. We have a lot of success in

[30:30] on the job training uh where we can

[30:32] depending on funding actually go in and

[30:35] provide the first several months of uh

[30:38] salaries for individuals that are are

[30:41] working in new jobs that may be um not

[30:44] traditional uh that they did couldn't

[30:47] get the job otherwise. So we can support

[30:49] that effort and uh we have a very strong

[30:52] veteran support. Uh, in fact, if you

[30:54] come into the career center, there's

[30:55] special seating areas for our veterans

[30:57] that are looking for support, and we've

[31:00] got specialists that can uh sit down

[31:02] with the veterans and help them. One of

[31:05] our goals as we look at um our nine

[31:08] counties, our top [snorts] employer is

[31:10] the US government. If you look at our

[31:12] military bases, Seymour Johnson and all

[31:14] the Marine Corps bases, our goal is to

[31:17] keep those folks here. Once they get

[31:19] out, we don't necessarily want them to

[31:22] go back to Nebraska or wherever they've

[31:24] come from. We want them to stick around

[31:25] because they've got skills that we need

[31:28] uh to promote ourselves as a employer

[31:31] friendly community. All right, next

[31:33] slide.

[31:35] So, that's just some summaries. There's

[31:37] our phone address. Uh anybody needs to

[31:40] ask me any questions afterwards, we'll

[31:42] be glad to do that. Um, thank you for

[31:44] the commissioners for uh appointing us.

[31:48] Uh, one of our uh consortium of our nine

[31:53] counties is a commissioner from each

[31:54] county. Miss Smith, you are a faithful

[31:58] member of our board member meetings and

[32:01] uh so you represent Craven County for us

[32:03] and then there's eight other county

[32:04] commissioners and then uh the

[32:07] commissioners establish the workforce

[32:10] board, hire the staff and then there's a

[32:11] board of 28 people, three of them from

[32:13] Craraven County um that and we have

[32:17] representatives from Chadzsworth

[32:18] Products, the International Machinist

[32:20] and Aerys Space Workers Union and then

[32:23] Craven community. Oh, I'm sorry.

[32:25] Caroline East Medical Center. So, those

[32:27] are our three from our capital. So, I

[32:31] think I've shared all that I can. Let me

[32:33] stop and just see if there's any

[32:35] questions of our workforce efforts in

[32:38] our area.

[32:38] >> Okay. Questions for Mr. Green.

[32:40] [clears throat]

[32:40] >> What What is cons I'm sorry. Did I

[32:42] interrupt? Just check me. Go.

[32:45] >> Go. You got it.

[32:47] >> The what is considered a high quality

[32:49] credential?

[32:50] >> A high quality credential? Well, it is

[32:53] just depends on the individual, but it's

[32:56] uh I would say it's the credential that

[32:58] is the that gives them their best chance

[33:02] uh for success. Um you know, a

[33:04] credential could be a PhD, but that's

[33:08] not going to be needed for everybody.

[33:10] They're going to need a uh short-term

[33:13] degree from the Volt Center. Um that is

[33:16] going to give them what they need. So,

[33:18] I'd say it's the one that maximizes the

[33:20] highest and best opportunity for that

[33:23] individual,

[33:23] >> but it would include like welding

[33:25] certifications or licensing like that.

[33:27] Okay.

[33:27] >> Yeah. Yeah. That that goal is any a

[33:30] four-year degree or beyond or it's a

[33:33] short-term credential and anything in

[33:35] between.

[33:36] >> Thank you. Anybody else?

[33:38] >> Yeah, I want to expand on that one. I

[33:40] understand that the best credential is

[33:42] the one that gets you hired.

[33:43] >> Okay. But what are the credentials

[33:45] around here

[33:46] >> that are needed to get people hired

[33:48] specifically? The industries that are or

[33:52] the growth opportunities are in the

[33:55] trades in advanced manufacturing.

[33:59] Welding is a big issue um that we're

[34:03] always you can get a welding degree both

[34:05] at the college and at the bolt center.

[34:07] Um manufacturing covers a lot of

[34:11] different areas. Our third main one is

[34:14] health care and we have a health care

[34:16] collaborative between uh Carolina East

[34:18] Medical Center and the workforce board

[34:21] and uh it's actually broader and we have

[34:24] providers that come in uh with multiple

[34:27] counties so that we can address the need

[34:29] all the various needs at the hospital

[34:31] and of course the hospitals need nursing

[34:34] photamists all those things but they

[34:36] also have HVAC specialists electricians

[34:39] uh food service all those things

[34:41] Okay. As a trustee with a community

[34:44] college, how closely do you work with

[34:46] Dr. Stats?

[34:47] >> Uh Dr. Stats and I meet periodically. He

[34:50] and I are both on a Craraven pipeline

[34:53] consortium that includes the college and

[34:57] multiple of his staff. Also, the Craven

[34:59] uh Holly with CT director at Craven

[35:03] County Schools. So, we connect all those

[35:06] pieces together. But yeah, Dr. stats and

[35:08] I are [clears throat]

[35:09] involved with each other frequently.

[35:12] >> Thank you.

[35:12] >> Yeah.

[35:14] >> Anybody else?

[35:16] I would only ask um I don't think a lot of people know

[35:22] of your organization. Would that be a

[35:25] fair statement?

[35:25] >> That is a very fair statement. When I

[35:27] talk to people that have known me from

[35:29] the past, it was easy to say what I did

[35:30] before. I'm a banker.

[35:32] >> Uh but now most people don't know about

[35:34] the workforce board,

[35:35] >> right? which is fine. If you all know

[35:37] about the workforce board, the school

[35:39] systems, the county, all those things

[35:41] know about what we do, that's fine. For

[35:43] the job seeker and for the employers in

[35:46] our area, NC works is what we want them

[35:48] to know about.

[35:50] >> Okay. Anybody else?

[35:52] >> We thank you very much for coming.

[35:54] >> Thank you so much.

[35:55] >> Appreciate Appreciate what you do.

[35:56] >> Thank you.

[36:01] Item number three, Southeastern

[36:03] Integrated Care Program overview. Stacy

[36:06] Williamson and Anelise

[36:09] Ducing.

[36:11] >> How did I do on that? How do you Okay,

[36:14] good. And you got a third member with

[36:16] you or fourth member with you.

[36:21] >> She is our marketing specialist.

[36:24] >> Good morning, Commissioner. Caitlyn

[36:26] Godley with the Craven County Opioid

[36:28] Epidemic Response. I just wanted to

[36:30] introduce our guests today. Um we have

[36:32] Stacy Williamson and Anelise Duceling as

[36:35] well as Ma Maggie Moody. Sorry, I almost

[36:37] called her Megan. Um they are with

[36:39] Southeastern Integrated Care and they're

[36:41] here to tell you about the mental health

[36:43] and substance use treatment services

[36:45] that they're now providing to Craven

[36:47] County residents. Thank you.

[36:51] >> I will start off. Thank you guys for

[36:53] allowing us to be here today. I

[36:55] appreciate your time. Um, we are

[36:58] Southeastern Integrated. Again, I'm

[37:00] Stacy Williamson. Um, I a little history

[37:03] about me is that my husband and I

[37:05] started a behavioral health company uh

[37:08] 2007. We sold our company in 2002

[37:13] and tried to retire. that didn't happen

[37:17] very well because we came back into it

[37:19] with consulting and assisting other

[37:21] agencies to grow their businesses across

[37:24] North Carolina successfully. Um so we

[37:27] started with Southeastern Integrated

[37:29] just consulting and then we quickly

[37:32] partnered with them because we did see

[37:34] how well they did things and how

[37:36] exclusive they were in their service

[37:39] lines. So across their across the state.

[37:43] So we started um with Southeastern

[37:45] Consulting and then the MCO which is

[37:48] Trillium MCO um asked us to open a

[37:52] office in Carter County um to service

[37:56] those clients in Carter County because

[37:58] there was a gap in services and in that

[38:01] gap of services um was ACT services

[38:04] which is assertive community treatment

[38:06] team which is a high severe population

[38:10] with uh the severity of schizophrenia.

[38:13] and those living in the community that

[38:16] needed that help. Um, so it is a huge

[38:19] wraparound service which is a great big

[38:21] deal. So we get hospitalizations coming

[38:25] straight from the hospital that we treat

[38:27] at home and keep them in their home. Um,

[38:31] and then we do community support team

[38:33] which is a continuum of that and then

[38:35] peer support services. So that's how we

[38:38] started out and also intensive inhome

[38:40] for children. So that's how we started

[38:42] out our program and then we quickly

[38:44] transitioned to our substance use

[38:46] programs which was seot and sep and

[38:49] those services are also through trillium

[38:51] and are provided through trillium

[38:53] services. So we have to get a state lure

[38:59] for those services and for our buildings

[39:01] to provide that service. So, we quickly

[39:04] transitioned into those services as

[39:06] well. And then we started um residential

[39:10] um and that is something that kind of

[39:12] fell in our lap. Um but we embraced it.

[39:16] Um and we started we bought some homes

[39:18] out in Carterette County and we started

[39:21] housing in individuals. So we started a

[39:24] program that's 180day program. So in

[39:28] this 180day program with our SECOT and

[39:30] SYOP services is you enter into the

[39:34] program, you come in, you get an

[39:36] assessment completed. If you qualify for

[39:39] this program, you will um enter into the

[39:43] housing. Okay? And in that housing in

[39:45] the first 90 days is you have zero

[39:50] communication with family, you have zero

[39:52] cell phones, you are monitored 24/7. We

[39:55] have house managers who live in each of

[39:57] these homes. We have um transportation.

[40:02] So you go into the home, you get

[40:05] transported to our agency um from 9 to 2

[40:10] and you do SECOT services which is the

[40:12] therapy services and group group therapy

[40:15] for SECOT. So then after 2 o'clock from

[40:19] 2 to 5 we have someone coming in like a

[40:22] banker um to talk about things like when

[40:26] you're leaving this facility and this

[40:28] program eventually in 180 days. How do

[40:31] we get our lives back on track? Okay. Um

[40:34] we bring in workforce people. We bring

[40:36] in those types of folks to help

[40:38] transition them back into the community.

[40:41] So at 5:00 they leave, we provide meals,

[40:44] they leave, they go back to the housing.

[40:46] So this is seven days a week for the

[40:49] first 90 days. The second 90 days is our

[40:51] SEO program. So they transition if they

[40:54] have successfully proven that they are

[40:57] on the right track of recovery. We put

[41:00] them in the next 90 days which is our

[41:02] program which is a three-day program.

[41:05] And in this three-day program then they

[41:07] have some flexibility because they have

[41:09] proven recovery with us. Um on the other

[41:12] two days they can come in and get med

[41:15] management or therapy and they can also

[41:19] enter back into the workforce. They are

[41:22] completely still monitored

[41:24] um in the housing. They do not leave the

[41:27] housing after hours. They do unless they

[41:30] with one of our house managers. They're

[41:32] still transported to and from work.

[41:35] They're transported to and from our

[41:37] office for the SEO. And then 30 days

[41:41] prior to them leaving our SEO program,

[41:43] we transition them into a part-time

[41:46] community support team, which is what we

[41:49] also provide for mental health and

[41:51] substance abuse clients. So we know that

[41:54] they're going to need ongoing recovery,

[41:56] right? And so it's important to us to

[41:59] continue to provide that for them. so in

[42:02] their community. So we start finding

[42:04] housing, appropriate housing, trying to

[42:06] reconnect them back to families that

[42:08] they've lost because of their addiction.

[42:10] Um and so we work with them to do all of

[42:14] those things and make sure they have

[42:16] secured a worked a a job, housing, and

[42:20] then we continue to work with them

[42:22] through the week in community support

[42:24] team in their own space. Um, so that's

[42:28] important to continue that service

[42:30] outside of the housing service. Um, I'm

[42:34] gonna let Annaise talk a little bit

[42:35] about um because I'm sure you guys have

[42:38] heard about all the services that we

[42:40] provide as far as mental health. Um, not

[42:43] specifically us, but in the community,

[42:46] you've heard about ACT services or um

[42:49] community support team or intensive inh

[42:52] home for our children. Um, and with

[42:54] intensive inhome, we also help the

[42:57] families. It's just not about children.

[42:59] It's also about the family unit because

[43:01] we can kind of help the kid get back on

[43:04] track, but if we're not helping with the

[43:05] family and we put them back in that

[43:07] environment, it's not going to work. So,

[43:10] we have a clinical regional director

[43:12] that comes in and she monitors all of

[43:15] our um service lines. She ensures that

[43:18] the training is complete. She is

[43:20] constantly giving our team leads who are

[43:24] clinicians that go out into the

[43:26] community to work with these individuals

[43:28] training and monitoring and feedback of

[43:31] how we can get clients better um and and

[43:35] they can do better in school and in

[43:37] their work and hold a job and so forth.

[43:41] So it's very important to us to have

[43:43] good outcomes. It's not just about

[43:45] treating the client but the outcomes are

[43:47] important. Um, so we have really good

[43:50] outcomes because of her and Annaise um,

[43:54] providing, you know, that extra ongoing

[43:57] trainings for our staff. So, I'm gonna

[43:59] let Anna Lee talk a little.

[44:01] >> Okay. Um, hi, I'm Annaise. I'm a nurse

[44:04] practitioner. Um, I've been working with

[44:07] Eastern um, since it started down in

[44:09] Morehead. Um, and we're really happy to

[44:11] be expanding. So, as Stacy was saying,

[44:14] she kind of went over intensive inh home

[44:16] encompassing treating the entire family

[44:18] unit and not just the child themselves.

[44:21] What I do is I do a lot of medication um

[44:25] assisted treatment. So, working with the

[44:28] clinicians as they're providing therapy

[44:31] um and making sure the medications are

[44:33] on track with the client and it's very

[44:35] specific to each client. Um, we also

[44:37] work with like the school systems and

[44:39] the counselors at school, teachers and

[44:42] things along those lines. And if DSS is

[44:44] involved, we work with them as well. Um,

[44:47] the community support team. So, I do

[44:49] medication management for these clients.

[44:51] When anyone comes into our doors, they

[44:53] get a clinical assessment done by a

[44:55] therapist and then um they see myself

[44:58] for a psyche val. work together for the

[45:00] placement as far as what service would

[45:02] this client best be fit for and what

[45:06] success they would have. Um that being

[45:09] said in the community support team they

[45:11] get a peer so someone that is very

[45:14] relatable to them um helps them set up

[45:16] things like doctor appointments um if

[45:19] they're looking to go back to school for

[45:20] GED or getting into the construction

[45:23] academy. We do utilize NC works a lot.

[45:26] So very helpful and thankful for them.

[45:29] And then um we also do with all of our

[45:33] clients substance use. Not only is it

[45:36] part of mental health, but a lot of that

[45:39] stems it just meshes right together. So

[45:42] we do do um urine drug screens and

[45:45] especially with the residential and um

[45:49] like Stacy was talking about earlier.

[45:50] So, that's just another way that we go

[45:52] ahead and we monitor them, make sure

[45:53] that they're on track. Um,

[45:57] moving up to the ACT. So, on the ACT

[46:01] team, the assertive community treatment

[46:02] team, there is a physician that they

[46:05] see, there's a therapist, there's a

[46:07] vocational therapist, um, someone to

[46:09] help with housing, a qualified

[46:11] professional, which is kind of like a

[46:13] case manager, all-encompassing,

[46:16] and other stuff. um a substance abuse

[46:18] counselor,

[46:19] >> nursing staff. Yes. Huge part of it. So,

[46:22] a nurse actually comes out to their

[46:24] home, helps them with medication

[46:25] management. We work closely with a

[46:28] specialty pharmacy that sets up their

[46:30] medications in blister packs. So, all

[46:32] they have to do is go ahead and punch

[46:34] each so for the morning, the afternoon,

[46:37] for nighttime. And they work with them

[46:39] closely with that. setting up primary

[46:41] care, um working and facilitating just

[46:44] streamlining care across the board for

[46:46] them and a lot of education as well. Um

[46:50] so that's something that we do with

[46:52] that. And then we also have the mobile

[46:55] outreach clinic that we've just started.

[46:58] Um so that has been amazing. it is out

[47:01] in the community and people are actually

[47:04] able to just walk on, get an assessment

[47:06] and from that assessment um determine

[47:09] placement for them in what program would

[47:11] best suit them. So that's been really

[47:14] fruitful and a really big blessing to

[47:16] our community lately. Um we can go to

[47:19] them so if they've called the office and

[47:21] they're looking for some type of

[47:23] referral or assessment, we're actually

[47:24] able to go out and cater to the client

[47:26] specifically. So whether that's meet

[47:27] them in the Walmart parking lot like

[47:29] we've done or different churches,

[47:32] wherever they need us to go, we can

[47:34] actually go to them. So that's huge.

[47:37] >> Yeah. Um the mobile clinic is a very big

[47:40] passion of mine because um we're meeting

[47:44] the clients where they are, right? So

[47:45] the transportation is always a barrier

[47:47] for our mental health population here.

[47:50] Um so we have been coming into Havlock,

[47:53] we've been coming into Newurn a little.

[47:55] Um but we started this out with

[47:57] Trillium. Trillium wanted to partner

[47:58] with us and launch this mobile clinic

[48:01] and as I had a a little reservation of

[48:04] like how this was going to work and you

[48:07] know finding locations for this but from

[48:09] down east you know those clients are

[48:12] unable to you know get into Morehead to

[48:14] get treatment. Um, and then we've been

[48:17] so successful at a church in Havlock.

[48:20] Um, and um, the Walmart parking lot,

[48:22] like she said, um, and the homeless

[48:25] population, where are they located so

[48:27] that that we can get this homeless

[48:30] population treated, get them into

[48:32] housing, get them off the streets, get

[48:34] them in the workforce, um, and help

[48:36] them, um, be a successful um, you know,

[48:40] individual, you know, in the community.

[48:42] Um, so this is that's been one of my um

[48:46] passions. We also do transportation. So

[48:48] if a client does have problems getting

[48:50] to the office, we do have a

[48:52] transportation system that we're able to

[48:54] pick the client up, bring them to the

[48:57] office, and do an assessment. So we do

[48:59] have an office here now, 2807 News

[49:04] Boulevard. Um, we're in suite 4 here in

[49:06] Newburn. Um, we are actually

[49:09] interviewing for therapists. We're

[49:11] having our office manager starts on

[49:13] August 31st. We've had the office for a

[49:16] little bit. It's just trillium throws

[49:18] things at us sometimes and it's like go go. So we are prioritizing things to

[49:23] make things work um quickly like the

[49:26] mobile clinic. Um so we launched that in

[49:28] May and the success rate for that has

[49:30] been amazing. Uh so that is kind of who

[49:34] we are in a nutshell. We do have the

[49:36] Southeastern Life Center. So the

[49:39] residential part of what we do is

[49:42] separate than what we do for seot and

[49:46] all of our services through the state.

[49:48] So we do have a nonprofit side to our

[49:51] agency. So that residential part is the

[49:53] nonprofit side to our agency as well as

[49:57] we have in other counties. Just to let

[49:59] you know the the flexibility of what we

[50:02] can do. We have group homes for

[50:03] children, not in these counties, but we

[50:06] are able to have first look and we had a

[50:09] client that had was a kid who we were

[50:12] able to get into one of our group homes

[50:15] that stayed in the hospital for six

[50:17] months. We were able to get him into one

[50:20] of our group homes. He was being put in

[50:22] a dog cage. He was being chained to the

[50:25] backyard. He was suffering from wounds.

[50:28] He had been, you know, there's a lot of

[50:30] things sexually molested. This kid was

[50:33] torn and he is thriving. He's still in

[50:36] our group home um eight months later,

[50:39] but he is thriving and doing well, doing

[50:42] well in school. So, that's just one one

[50:45] of the, you know, commitments that we

[50:47] do. And we have adult group homes. We

[50:49] have um equestrian like center where we

[50:52] can do ecoin therapy for our clients for

[50:54] children. Um, we have a farm that in

[50:58] another county in Bladen County that we

[51:00] can send clients to. We have a detox

[51:03] center in another county. Um, so we're

[51:05] able to move our clients back and forth.

[51:08] So when they finish with those services

[51:10] in that county, we get them back and

[51:12] then we're able to provide ongoing

[51:14] service as a continuum for that client.

[51:17] So

[51:19] >> Okay. Well, you got a lot going on.

[51:20] >> We got a lot going on.

[51:22] I've got several questions here.

[51:24] >> Don't annoy me.

[51:26] >> Sure.

[51:26] >> First, I want to say I'm encouraged and

[51:28] I think our whole board is to hear your

[51:31] presentation today. One of the greatest

[51:32] needs we got in this county is what

[51:34] you're addressing right now.

[51:36] >> Something that we've um debated and

[51:39] talked about and tried to have

[51:40] collaborations with others for many

[51:42] years and have not been as successful as

[51:45] we would would like. You may have said

[51:47] it and I I may have missed it in your um your group homes. Um if Craven

[51:54] County wanted to join on with you,

[51:57] utilize your services and let's just say

[51:59] for our inmates to begin with. Several

[52:02] questions with that would be number one

[52:04] is uh how many beds do you have

[52:07] available? Uh, number two is, you know,

[52:09] if we have an inmate that would come

[52:11] from, uh, Craven County to your facility

[52:13] that would be eligible, who would pay

[52:15] for that?

[52:16] >> Okay.

[52:17] >> You want to address those two if you

[52:18] could?

[52:18] >> Yes. Um, so we have 48 beds right now.

[52:22] Um, we are hoping, honestly, if we do

[52:25] eventually get a contract with Craven

[52:27] County for jail diversion and inmates,

[52:29] we would love to I mean, we've already

[52:31] started looking at housing here. Um

[52:34] because we do have a contract with

[52:36] Carter and we have a contract with

[52:37] Enslow. We have 12 open beds currently.

[52:41] Um the current process I can tell you is

[52:45] we get a call from jail diversion. They

[52:47] call us and say, "Hey, we have this

[52:48] inmate." Um they can be picked up at

[52:51] 3:00. We're like, "Okay, we we got a

[52:53] bed. Let's go get him." Or they bring

[52:55] them to us. and they also go through a

[52:58] whole process because the last thing

[53:00] that we want is to take a client that

[53:02] may need a higher level of care such as

[53:04] inpatient stay because we are not an

[53:06] inatient facility

[53:07] >> even though we do have the residential

[53:10] it's not inpatient so there is no

[53:12] medical monitoring um that being said an

[53:15] example so before we had this process in

[53:18] place we received a inmate who um was in

[53:22] diabetic keto acidosis which is very

[53:25] It's scary. It requires an ICU stay, an

[53:28] insulin drip, and

[53:31] we're just negating things along those

[53:33] lines because we want to get people the

[53:35] correct treatment right off the bat. So,

[53:37] if they do need a higher level of care,

[53:39] the paperwork is sent. I can review it

[53:41] myself and either say yay or nay to the

[53:44] client. Um,

[53:46] >> so that's also kind of a safeguarding

[53:48] process that we have in place as well.

[53:50] But if one's coming from jail,

[53:53] >> and usually that doesn't happen.

[53:55] Normally they're accepted and

[53:56] everything, but just to make sure for

[53:57] the client safety,

[53:59] >> but if once they get to our agency and

[54:01] then we do the assessment, we place them

[54:04] correctly and then Anelise will see them

[54:06] for the medication management. What we

[54:08] don't do is Suboxone or methadone. Um

[54:12] she is no, she's not going to do that.

[54:14] So we if they're coming coming off of

[54:17] that or um we're assisting them with

[54:20] that and at least we'll assist that with

[54:21] other medications that coincide and is

[54:24] not a contraindication of anything else.

[54:27] So what we do is um get them into the

[54:30] housing immediately and they start our

[54:32] program. So once they start our program

[54:36] um SEKOT is paid for by the state. Okay.

[54:40] So we build safe hot services 2 trillion

[54:44] MCO. The housing is paid for by um the

[54:49] county if the county has a contract. So

[54:51] right now Carter County has the

[54:53] contracts. Um and Jacksonville Enzo

[54:56] County has a contract. So they pay for

[54:58] the bed and I think that bed is $50 a

[55:02] night.

[55:04] >> 5055

[55:05] >> $55 per night.

[55:11] Go ahead. Go ahead.

[55:14] >> Okay. Um,

[55:14] >> can I answer your question? I'm sorry.

[55:16] Was that okay?

[55:17] >> And we also provide female beds, too,

[55:19] which is

[55:20] >> That was my next question. How many?

[55:22] >> Very difficult.

[55:23] >> Yeah, we have 15 female beds.

[55:25] >> Mhm.

[55:26] >> And are they full?

[55:28] >> Uh, we have two availabilities right

[55:30] now.

[55:31] Commissioner Howard,

[55:33] >> just on the um working with a lot of

[55:35] times the first line of defense is law

[55:37] enforcement.

[55:38] >> Do you guys have some good relationships

[55:40] with like the sheriff's office, local

[55:42] PD? Because a lot of times they're the

[55:44] ones getting the call and they need to

[55:46] be in touch with you guys pretty

[55:47] quickly,

[55:48] >> right? Yeah. So, we do we have good

[55:50] relationships right now with local PD.

[55:54] Um they'll even come and and monitor our

[55:57] parking lot sometime or stop into our

[55:59] office a lot of times just to say hey or

[56:02] see if we need anything. There's a lot

[56:04] of times that law enforcement contacts

[56:06] us not for say hot cot and say and

[56:09] residential but there's

[56:11] >> to the mic

[56:12] >> so people can hear you. So sorry I'm

[56:14] always talking and loud and okay. So um

[56:17] but um so a lot of times they'll call

[56:20] and say we have this client that may be

[56:23] talking to themsel hallucinating

[56:24] [clears throat]

[56:25] and we get them in the door. We do the

[56:27] assessment and they need a different

[56:28] type of service.

[56:30] >> So it's important again to identify the

[56:33] right service so we're getting the right

[56:35] treatment for the client to be

[56:37] successful.

[56:38] >> Yeah. Thank you.

[56:39] >> Other questions? are also usually in

[56:41] contact with parole officers. Yes. As

[56:43] well, that's a huge a huge thing. Um so

[56:47] as long as HIPPA compliant obviously,

[56:50] but um

[56:52] >> that's a always an open door with

[56:54] communication.

[56:55] >> Thank you.

[56:56] >> Pleasure.

[56:57] >> One last thing you you made mention

[56:59] about potentially having a a home here

[57:01] in Cravy County.

[57:02] >> Yes, sir.

[57:03] >> How far do you see that's out? I mean,

[57:05] do you think that's going to be a

[57:06] reality soon? Do you

[57:08] >> We do. Um, so we had a small office in

[57:11] Little Washington. Um, but Pimplico

[57:14] County has reached out to us sever

[57:16] several times. We've been to several

[57:17] meetings there, but we are definitely um

[57:20] Kelly um is definitely looking he has

[57:23] already been looking for housing here to

[57:25] see there's a couple places that were

[57:27] group homes here a while back. I think

[57:30] RHA or Monarch, one of those two had had

[57:32] some homes here and they're for sale.

[57:35] So, we have been really looking to

[57:37] honing into that because we are getting

[57:39] more traction here because we do serve

[57:41] clients here already with our community

[57:44] based services for ACT and CST and

[57:47] intensive inhome. So, we're all over the

[57:49] three counties with those services

[57:51] already and our mobile clinic. So, it

[57:53] would be exciting to be here for for

[57:58] that as well as having [clears throat] a

[57:59] home and a house manager and setting the

[58:02] whole system up just like we do Carter

[58:03] at County.

[58:05] Um, yes, Miss Smith.

[58:07] >> Now, do you get your clients from

[58:10] references or can a person walk in off

[58:13] the street and say they need help?

[58:16] >> Yes, ma'am. Anybody can walk in off the

[58:18] street and need help? We can um we can

[58:21] do the intake right then. We may have to

[58:24] schedule them the next day for a CCA,

[58:27] but if we have a clinician that's

[58:29] available right then, we can do that as

[58:31] well. our regional director, clinical

[58:34] director is usually on call for those

[58:36] type of walk-ins as well and Elise is

[58:38] usually available as you know the psych

[58:42] um provider to be able to provide the

[58:44] psychiatric evaluation right then as

[58:46] well. But we do get a lot of referrals.

[58:49] Maggie does a great job educating the

[58:51] community and making sure that the that

[58:54] they know that we are a resource to

[58:55] their

[58:56] >> clients are not in patients are they?

[59:00] >> No ma'am. Okay.

[59:02] >> If they do need inpatient stay, so um

[59:06] around here when I service clients in

[59:08] the Newburn area, we have had to IVC a

[59:10] few clients. Um so involuntarily commit

[59:13] them or voluntarily. So I personally

[59:15] have brought people to the hospital

[59:17] before where I'm visiting with them and

[59:18] they're saying they're expressing that

[59:20] they have thoughts and a plan to harm

[59:21] themselves. So I'll go ahead and I'll

[59:23] transport them to the hospital and then

[59:25] we work with the hospital um getting

[59:27] like discharge paperwork. But while

[59:29] they're in an inpatient facility, um

[59:32] we're not currently providing services

[59:33] to them. It kind of goes on a pause and

[59:36] then once they're discharged, we work

[59:37] closely with the facilities to make sure

[59:40] for my for me personally, if there were

[59:42] any medication changes, if we need to go

[59:45] administer a long acting injectable,

[59:46] which is something that we do frequently

[59:48] due to non-compliance issues, especially

[59:50] in the community,

[59:51] >> um that's something that we

[59:53] [clears throat] do as well. So, as long

[59:54] as they have trillium in Medicaid, um

[59:57] they're

[59:58] >> highs state funds.

[59:59] >> Yes. High PRS state funds. Um we're able

[1:00:02] to serve serve them.

[1:00:03] >> I have one other question.

[1:00:06] What when you are working with clients,

[1:00:09] do you work totally with getting them

[1:00:12] well or do you do um work in giving them

[1:00:16] refers and getting them back in the

[1:00:18] workforce or in the in active in

[1:00:21] communities?

[1:00:23] >> Yes. So that is something that we do. Um

[1:00:26] our goal is to make the client or help

[1:00:30] the client achieve the um sorry

[1:00:33] [clears throat]

[1:00:33] achieve the best possible version of

[1:00:36] themselves. So that is a working

[1:00:38] functioning member of society happy um

[1:00:41] stable as far as their mood um

[1:00:44] contributing and also receiving from

[1:00:46] their family and employers and just a

[1:00:48] allaround encompassing service. So,

[1:00:50] while they're in our services, one thing

[1:00:52] that we establish with them right off

[1:00:53] the bat is a um person- centered plan,

[1:00:57] which we achieve their goals. So, we

[1:01:00] look at their goals, we set them with

[1:01:02] the client, and then we continually

[1:01:04] reassess those goals and say, um, thank

[1:01:08] you. And make sure we're helping them

[1:01:11] meet those goals. And if not, if they're

[1:01:13] not meeting those goals, then we'll go

[1:01:15] ahead and adjust and tailor their plan

[1:01:16] to more realistic expectations. and go

[1:01:20] from there.

[1:01:20] >> But we do not want to put them in the

[1:01:22] workforce until they

[1:01:24] >> they're the best at themselves so that

[1:01:26] they're successful in that as well.

[1:01:28] >> I said one one other question, but I

[1:01:30] guess I'm like Coloss. [laughter]

[1:01:32] >> I have one other one one more thing. Do

[1:01:35] you try to connect them with programs

[1:01:38] such as

[1:01:41] NC works?

[1:01:42] >> Yes.

[1:01:43] >> Work with other

[1:01:44] >> Yes.

[1:01:45] >> agencies to encourage. We love

[1:01:48] connecting. So the the thing about our

[1:01:50] agency and I always say this is there's

[1:01:52] enough sand in the sandbox for all of

[1:01:54] us. So we're not competing with anybody.

[1:01:56] We want to collaborate with all other

[1:01:59] individuals and resources and we want to

[1:02:01] make sure that we're collaborating. If

[1:02:03] we have a client and someone else does

[1:02:04] the same exact service we do, but we are

[1:02:07] not connecting with that client, I'm

[1:02:09] going to refer that client to another

[1:02:11] agency so they get what they want. It's

[1:02:13] about the client and their needs and

[1:02:15] getting them what they need, not about

[1:02:17] us. So,

[1:02:19] >> thank you.

[1:02:19] >> I have a couple of things. First of all,

[1:02:21] thank you for your presentations. Um, it

[1:02:23] answered a lot of my questions as did

[1:02:25] the other ones there, but I have a

[1:02:27] couple more. Um, SEIC's been around for

[1:02:29] a very long time. What is their recovery

[1:02:32] rate? [snorts]

[1:02:33] >> So, for us here in Carter County, so far

[1:02:36] it's been about a 85 to 89%

[1:02:40] recovery rate. we have seen um a lot of

[1:02:44] our clients graduate and get jobs and um

[1:02:49] and it's just been amazing. The other

[1:02:52] thing is is that we've had clients that

[1:02:54] transition from SECOT to SEO and realize

[1:02:58] I'm not ready. I'm not ready for stay

[1:03:01] and they they say can I can I continue

[1:03:04] into stayop for a little bit longer

[1:03:06] because the first couple of weeks what

[1:03:08] we've seen is clients come into our door

[1:03:10] especially from jail diversion and they

[1:03:12] don't want to be there and they're angry

[1:03:14] and why do I have to do this and then

[1:03:17] they start the program and they start to

[1:03:19] lean in and I mean I've [clears throat]

[1:03:22] had six foot five guys massive to cry in Anise's office.

[1:03:29] >> So you're not talking recovery rate.

[1:03:31] You're actually talking about

[1:03:32] graduation. There's a difference. You

[1:03:34] haven't been in Carter County for 5

[1:03:36] years.

[1:03:37] >> No, I'm talking about [clears throat]

[1:03:40] recovery rate.

[1:03:41] >> So for for us, I mean, for the time

[1:03:43] we've been here. Um,

[1:03:45] >> so you're talking about graduation rate.

[1:03:48] >> Right. So recovery when it comes to

[1:03:50] mental health is

[1:03:51] >> I don't know that a person's fully

[1:03:53] recovered from substance abuse in six

[1:03:55] months.

[1:03:56] >> No, no, no, no. That's the reason we do

[1:03:57] the ongoing, like I said earlier, the

[1:03:59] ongoing services like CST

[1:04:02] >> and we engage them in the community

[1:04:04] because CST has that substance abuse

[1:04:07] component who's a licensed substance

[1:04:08] abuse specialist that continues to work

[1:04:10] with that client and follow that client

[1:04:13] into the community to make sure they are

[1:04:16] still getting your analysis because we

[1:04:18] do labs on site. So, they're still doing

[1:04:20] your analysis. are still getting

[1:04:22] medication management ongoing from from

[1:04:25] Annaise

[1:04:26] >> and quantifying recovery rate. That's

[1:04:28] something that I have um in a roundabout

[1:04:31] way a conversation with my clients a lot

[1:04:34] because one of the questions is for me

[1:04:36] specifically do I have to take this

[1:04:38] medication for forever and that's a

[1:04:40] whole discussion with them saying

[1:04:42] studies have shown and then I go into my

[1:04:45] spiel about you know if they have a

[1:04:48] crisis or psychotic break studies have

[1:04:50] actually shown that gray matter in your

[1:04:52] brain decreases every single time. So

[1:04:54] then we weigh the pros and the cons of

[1:04:56] medication. So recovery

[1:05:00] exactly looks

[1:05:02] >> different for everybody.

[1:05:04] >> So that's kind of the conversation that

[1:05:06] I have on a daily basis with clients. Um

[1:05:08] just getting them to the best version of

[1:05:10] themselves that they can be.

[1:05:12] >> And can you explain your detox process?

[1:05:15] You said you don't have detox facilities

[1:05:17] here.

[1:05:18] >> No. So we are not a detox facility.

[1:05:20] We've been partnering closely with

[1:05:22] Wilmington Treatment Center, with Easter

[1:05:25] Seals, um and again when they are done

[1:05:28] their detox or even prior to getting

[1:05:31] done detox that way there's no gap in

[1:05:34] treatment um they we send a referral

[1:05:36] packet or they send it to us with all

[1:05:38] the information and I go ahead and I

[1:05:40] look over um if they're a good fit for

[1:05:43] us and if they are then we'll go ahead

[1:05:45] and we'll set up transportation and um

[1:05:49] coordinate with the South Eastern Life

[1:05:51] Center um make sure that they have a bed

[1:05:53] available that way if we don't we can

[1:05:56] tell them and they can look at other

[1:05:57] avenues and we can

[1:05:59] >> provide that information to them. Um but

[1:06:02] that we do not do detox on site. Um

[1:06:06] that's not something that we're offering

[1:06:08] right now.

[1:06:10] >> And then about the mobile unit, I've

[1:06:11] been seeing it around. What is the

[1:06:13] utilization rate?

[1:06:15] >> It's it's a lot higher. Trillium is very

[1:06:17] pleased because um I think prior to

[1:06:20] another agency had this and there was no

[1:06:22] um usage of it. And so we've been very

[1:06:26] successful. Like I said, there's

[1:06:27] probably 16 to 22 clients a month doing

[1:06:32] outreach with this mobile clinic, which

[1:06:34] is great. It has been extremely

[1:06:37] successful. But we've done a lot of

[1:06:40] outreach, you know, prior to launching

[1:06:42] this mobile unit, like getting a

[1:06:44] calendar, getting it out into the

[1:06:46] community, locations, making sure people

[1:06:49] understood where we were at, our

[1:06:51] referral sources, stakeholders know

[1:06:53] where we're at and what we're doing, so

[1:06:55] if they have a client, they can refer,

[1:06:57] hey, the mobile unit's going to be in

[1:06:59] this location today or tomorrow. Um, and

[1:07:02] this is near where you live. So, that

[1:07:04] kind of thing. But um it has um it's

[1:07:07] been very successful so far. So yeah.

[1:07:11] >> Okay. I look forward to seeing it county

[1:07:13] more. Um even if we don't contract with

[1:07:15] SEIC or anything like that, I would

[1:07:17] still like that information to share

[1:07:20] with people.

[1:07:22] >> Stop by too and check it out.

[1:07:24] >> I wanted to, but I knew you guys were

[1:07:25] coming, so I decided to

[1:07:28] >> Yeah. And what we have on the mobile

[1:07:29] clinic, just to let you know, is a

[1:07:31] clinician and a peer support who does

[1:07:33] all the outreach. And our clinician um

[1:07:36] it's amazing. She's from a different

[1:07:38] country. So our clinician um says like

[1:07:41] she never had like care like medical

[1:07:44] care, mental health care in her country.

[1:07:46] She's from a very small country. A bus

[1:07:48] would come once a month and they would

[1:07:51] line up around the and the bus to try

[1:07:53] to, you know, get to it before the end

[1:07:55] of the day. and sometimes they would

[1:07:57] have to wait till the next month. And

[1:07:59] this is such a passion for her. So she

[1:08:01] stands on the streets and she's like,

[1:08:03] "Hey, come see us. We want to invite you

[1:08:06] into the mobile clinic." And then the

[1:08:09] hospital also has asked us to partner

[1:08:11] with them a few times um with the mobile

[1:08:13] with their mobile clinic and so but we

[1:08:16] will be more engaged in Craraven County

[1:08:18] very soon with that. So

[1:08:20] >> any other questions?

[1:08:21] >> No. I would only make one comment and

[1:08:24] that is that we have um very close to

[1:08:26] here a homeless shelter.

[1:08:28] >> Okay.

[1:08:29] >> Uh it's called RCS and the people that

[1:08:33] spend the night there, the men that

[1:08:34] spend the night there have a family

[1:08:36] unit. Also, they have to leave in the

[1:08:39] morning. They can't stay in their room

[1:08:41] or their in their bed.

[1:08:43] >> What happens is a lot of them and I go

[1:08:46] by there regularly. They just go across

[1:08:48] the street and set up and sit there all

[1:08:52] day

[1:08:52] >> underneath the trees.

[1:08:53] Yeah.

[1:08:55] >> So, when we talk about a mobile unit, u

[1:08:57] my first thought was, "Wow, we ought to

[1:08:59] set one up near RCS because those people

[1:09:02] need and their the goal is they can only

[1:09:05] stay there for a certain number of

[1:09:06] nights. The goal is go out during the

[1:09:09] day and look for a job,

[1:09:10] >> but most of them just go across the

[1:09:12] street and sit and and that's a that's a sad situation." And so when you

[1:09:18] talk about what you do, that immediately

[1:09:21] came to my mind. Okay. We we need to uh

[1:09:23] we need to engage those folks and help

[1:09:25] them get back

[1:09:27] >> into society. That's right.

[1:09:29] >> I agree and thank you for that because

[1:09:30] if we don't know we don't know, you

[1:09:32] know, how to help. So this is important

[1:09:34] for us. um we um putting the clinic over

[1:09:39] there would be a great idea, but we do

[1:09:41] have a client over there um who was

[1:09:45] nearing the end of the time that she

[1:09:47] could stay there. And we've been working

[1:09:49] with her probably for about 6 months and

[1:09:52] now she has housing. We got her set up

[1:09:54] with her social security card. Um she's

[1:09:56] doing her disability interviews. Um

[1:09:59] we're facilitating all that, getting um

[1:10:02] some past legal things taken care of.

[1:10:04] She's on medications.

[1:10:07] Um she's compliant with them. Our nurses

[1:10:09] go out there regularly to see her. Um

[1:10:12] she's she's doing awesome.

[1:10:15] >> Okay. Good. Well, thank you so much for

[1:10:17] your presentation. Very informative and

[1:10:20] uh we hope look forward to uh u you

[1:10:23] becoming more involved in our community

[1:10:25] here in Newburn specifically. So

[1:10:27] >> yes, us too. Thank you so much for your

[1:10:29] time.

[1:10:29] >> Okay.

[1:10:30] >> Mr. Chairman, can I can I closing

[1:10:32] remark?

[1:10:33] >> You guys are fine. No, sorry. I just so

[1:10:35] over the last 3 or four months, Caitlyn

[1:10:37] and I have been meeting with SEIC. They

[1:10:40] attended your annual meeting for your

[1:10:42] opioid settlement. They were part of the

[1:10:44] REI group. Um, you know, just looking

[1:10:46] for direction moving forward. We wanted

[1:10:48] them to come and meet you as we talked

[1:10:50] about during budget. Anybody we're going

[1:10:51] to partner with, want them to come and

[1:10:52] have this presentation. Are you

[1:10:54] interested in us, Caitlyn, the sheriff,

[1:10:56] and I and Scott continuing to further

[1:10:57] these conversations about a partnership?

[1:10:59] >> Okay.

[1:11:01] >> Very good.

[1:11:01] >> Okay.

[1:11:02] Okay. Anything else? Okay. Thank

[1:11:05] you. Thank you again for coming. Uh item

[1:11:07] number four on our agenda is the consent

[1:11:09] agenda. the minutes from the August 3rd

[1:11:11] regular session,

[1:11:13] >> the tax releases and refunds, recreation

[1:11:16] and parks, amateur sports, youth grant,

[1:11:20] uh, budget amendment, UNCC school of

[1:11:23] government invoice budget amendment,

[1:11:25] human resources holiday schedule, and

[1:11:28] the proclamation of support for the 17

[1:11:31] 75th anniversary

[1:11:33] of John W. I'm sorry. John Thomas

[1:11:37] Barber's Education Legacy. All those

[1:11:41] things are on the consent agenda. Do I

[1:11:43] have a motion to approve?

[1:11:44] >> Motion to approve.

[1:11:45] >> Second.

[1:11:46] >> Have a motion and a second. Roll call,

[1:11:48] please.

[1:11:50] [clears throat]

[1:11:50] >> Commissioner Smith,

[1:11:51] >> yes.

[1:11:52] >> Commissioner Howard,

[1:11:53] >> yes.

[1:11:53] >> Commissioner Hunt,

[1:11:54] >> yes.

[1:11:54] >> Commissioner Mason,

[1:11:55] >> yes.

[1:11:56] >> Commissioner Mitchell,

[1:11:57] >> yes.

[1:11:57] >> Vice Chairman Jones,

[1:11:58] >> yes.

[1:11:59] >> Chairman Booker,

[1:12:00] >> yes.

[1:12:01] Next item on the agenda, Donnie uh Lavel

[1:12:05] is going to talk to us about a cell

[1:12:07] tower, a tall item.

[1:12:09] >> Good morning, commissioners. How are you

[1:12:11] today?

[1:12:12] >> Um I'm uh in front of you today to talk

[1:12:14] about the creeping swamp cell tower. Um

[1:12:17] this is going to be uh this property is

[1:12:19] owned by Alvin Coward. Um it is the

[1:12:23] applicant is Harmony Towers. Um it was

[1:12:25] engineered and consult consulting was

[1:12:28] done by Saber Industries and Trilate. Um

[1:12:32] this is located on the very northwestern

[1:12:34] part of our county. Um approximately

[1:12:36] 3700 NC highway 43 norththeast uh excuse

[1:12:40] me northwest of Vansboro. Um the tower

[1:12:44] height is 285 ft above sea level. Um the

[1:12:47] physical structure is actually 255 ft

[1:12:50] tall. Um it is a self-supporting

[1:12:53] communication tower. Um the county has

[1:12:55] received uh communication from Seymour

[1:12:58] Johnson Air Force Base as well as Cherry

[1:13:00] Point uh that it will not impact their

[1:13:02] operations. Um the county has also

[1:13:05] received um approval from the FAA um for

[1:13:09] these towers. They have to give their uh

[1:13:11] no navigation hazard letters. Um the

[1:13:15] proposal uh does meet the standards and

[1:13:18] the requirements of our tall structure

[1:13:19] ordinance. Um, this was approved at our

[1:13:22] May 28th, 2026

[1:13:25] uh planning board um where they made the

[1:13:28] recommendation for you all to approve uh

[1:13:30] this cell tower. Um if there's any

[1:13:33] questions, I would be more than happy to

[1:13:34] answer those.

[1:13:35] >> Questions for Donna?

[1:13:37] >> Mr. Chairman, if I could. Yes, sir.

[1:13:38] >> This is in Commissioner Mason's uh

[1:13:41] district, but um I I do know that this

[1:13:44] is an area that's not served with sales

[1:13:47] service. Mhm.

[1:13:48] >> Um, do we reach out and and know it's

[1:13:51] probably not required, do you reach out

[1:13:52] to any of the adjacent land owners to uh

[1:13:56] just let them know about the proposed

[1:13:58] site or

[1:13:59] >> No, sir, we do not.

[1:14:00] >> Okay. Um, far as I'm looking at the map

[1:14:04] here.

[1:14:04] >> Yes, sir. um looks like it's in the

[1:14:06] middle of a field that where you going

[1:14:08] to put it, but there's no chance if it

[1:14:11] was to fall that it would en encounter

[1:14:14] the highway or uh the adjacent um home

[1:14:19] that's there.

[1:14:20] >> That's why we have the the setbacks that

[1:14:22] are in the ordinance. And also those

[1:14:23] towers um I'm not an engineer, but those

[1:14:25] towers are designed to kind of collapse

[1:14:27] on themsel.

[1:14:28] >> Okay.

[1:14:29] >> Um

[1:14:30] I don't know of many of times that that

[1:14:32] actually happening. I know it's not

[1:14:34] happening here, but I mean, of course,

[1:14:35] it's possible. But

[1:14:36] >> I think the main thing is if if

[1:14:38] Commissioner Mason or um Mr. Whitford,

[1:14:42] either one was to get calls about it,

[1:14:44] you know, that may from residents when

[1:14:45] they start seeing it go up, you know, um

[1:14:48] of the concern just I think that's to

[1:14:50] take note of it.

[1:14:53] I served on a planning board in another

[1:14:55] state years ago and uh that's this very

[1:14:59] kind of question came up and the

[1:15:01] engineer was in the in the room to get

[1:15:04] the approval. This was in a town where

[1:15:07] there were other houses really close by

[1:15:10] and he said these towers don't fall like

[1:15:13] a tree. They don't go like that. What

[1:15:15] they do is they collapse in the middle.

[1:15:18] They're designed to do that. So they

[1:15:20] kind of fall on on themselves and he

[1:15:23] said uh there's really no risk of of

[1:15:27] this thing falling off of the property

[1:15:30] where it's designed. So that was

[1:15:32] reassuring and we approved it that in

[1:15:34] that case that many years ago. Um any

[1:15:37] other questions for Donnie? I just have

[1:15:39] a comment. Even if the diagram even if

[1:15:41] it did fall like a tree, the diagram

[1:15:43] shows it's well away from anything else

[1:15:45] and would probably ruin some crops but

[1:15:48] nothing else.

[1:15:49] >> Okay. Okay. Do I have a motion to

[1:15:50] approve?

[1:15:51] >> So move.

[1:15:52] >> Have a second.

[1:15:54] >> Second.

[1:15:54] >> Okay, we have a motion and a second. Um,

[1:15:58] we do not need a roll call on this one.

[1:16:02] I don't believe uh all in favor.

[1:16:05] >> Opposed. Motion passes. Thanks, Donnie.

[1:16:08] >> Have a great day.

[1:16:10] >> Diana. Diana, she's a regular at our

[1:16:13] meetings lately. Now she comes to every

[1:16:15] meeting and

[1:16:16] >> it's a pleasure.

[1:16:17] >> Good stuff, right? Yes.

[1:16:19] >> All right, Diana.

[1:16:20] >> Um, the State Maintenance Assistant

[1:16:21] Program or SNAP is a state-f funed

[1:16:24] public transportation grant program

[1:16:26] administered by the North Carolina

[1:16:27] Department of Transportation Integrated

[1:16:30] Mobility Division. The intention of this

[1:16:32] program is to provide operating

[1:16:34] assistance to urban, small urban, and

[1:16:36] urban regional fixed route and commuter

[1:16:38] bus systems. Eligible uses of the funds

[1:16:41] are limited to a systems operating

[1:16:43] costs. On August 3rd of this year, CARTS

[1:16:47] was notified that we have been allocated

[1:16:49] $131,691

[1:16:51] for fiscal year 27. This is an increase

[1:16:55] of $771

[1:16:57] from last year's allocation. SNAP

[1:16:59] funding cannot exceed the amount of

[1:17:01] local match for CAR's operating expenses

[1:17:04] and funds must be spent by June 30th of

[1:17:07] 2027. A public hearing is not required.

[1:17:10] Carts is requesting approval to apply

[1:17:12] for the $131,691

[1:17:16] in SNAP funds. A copy of the

[1:17:18] application, budget, cover letter, and

[1:17:20] certified statement are attached in the

[1:17:22] agenda packet.

[1:17:23] >> Okay. Questions for Diane?

[1:17:26] Hearing none. Do I have a motion to

[1:17:28] approve?

[1:17:29] >> So, so moved.

[1:17:30] >> Second.

[1:17:31] >> Motion and second. All in favor?

[1:17:34] >> I

[1:17:35] >> opposed. Motion passes. Thank you,

[1:17:37] Diana.

[1:17:40] Departmental matters item number seven,

[1:17:43] social services, Mr. Jeffrey Merritt.

[1:17:45] Hey Jeff.

[1:17:46] >> Hey chairman, commissioners, county

[1:17:48] manager. Thank you for having me. Um,

[1:17:49] today we bring before you a budget

[1:17:51] amendment related to our special

[1:17:52] adoption promotion funds. Um, we are

[1:17:54] asking to roll over unspent funds from

[1:17:57] last year and also the addition of funds

[1:17:59] that were allocated us by the state

[1:18:01] related to the number and types of

[1:18:02] adoptions that were completed um, during

[1:18:05] the last fiscal year when we report that

[1:18:06] information to the state. um the

[1:18:08] rollover funds in the amount of $7,665

[1:18:12] and the additional funds in the amount

[1:18:13] of $144,339

[1:18:17] that would bring that line up to

[1:18:18] $215,04.

[1:18:21] >> Questions for Mr. Merritt?

[1:18:24] >> What sorts of things does the money go

[1:18:25] for? I know they're to promote

[1:18:26] adoptions, but what kind of items do

[1:18:29] they actually pay?

[1:18:30] >> So, they actually just changed those

[1:18:31] requirements in April, Commissioner

[1:18:33] Mason, and some of the things they go

[1:18:35] for, they help us with recruitment of

[1:18:36] adoptive families.

[1:18:38] um some pre-adoption training um

[1:18:40] post-placement supports the services

[1:18:42] provided and other supports that could

[1:18:44] help promote placement stability. You

[1:18:45] know, we're given some of the challenges

[1:18:47] that some of the children have um and in

[1:18:49] those adopted placements. So, we try to

[1:18:51] make sure that they remain stable

[1:18:53] through um that child's entire life and

[1:18:56] also the facilitation of legal

[1:18:57] procedures. There may be some complex

[1:18:59] things that our attorneys may not be

[1:19:01] able may not be, you know, trained in

[1:19:03] where we can hire outside legal counsel

[1:19:05] to assist with that. Um, so there's, you

[1:19:08] know, we used to be able to do more,

[1:19:09] they've restricted that. Um, you know,

[1:19:11] it could be that we've got, um, you

[1:19:13] know, we need some extra help

[1:19:15] temporarily due to the number of

[1:19:16] adoptions we're having to process. We

[1:19:18] can contract with someone to do that.

[1:19:20] Um, so there's there's things that we're

[1:19:21] going to be looking at given this um,

[1:19:23] these new procedures and how we can try

[1:19:24] to utilize some of these monies. And we

[1:19:26] also try to also try to look at it with

[1:19:28] um, you know, children that are in the

[1:19:30] process of adopting. Are there things

[1:19:32] that they need that we can utilize this

[1:19:33] money for to help, you know, get that

[1:19:35] adoption off across the finish line? You

[1:19:37] know, I will say that our staff, um, I

[1:19:39] was looking at our data and there were

[1:19:41] three children ages 14 or over that, um,

[1:19:43] we completed adoptions for and two of

[1:19:45] them were 17. And we think that's very

[1:19:47] significant, um, given that, you know,

[1:19:49] these these um, three children are going

[1:19:50] to be in an adulthood very soon. And we

[1:19:53] always find and see that when you know

[1:19:56] you have that, you know, that family

[1:19:59] that you can rely on which you're going

[1:20:01] into adulthood, it creates higher

[1:20:02] chances for success.

[1:20:04] >> Um, and you know, we do see children age

[1:20:06] out. That's not what we want to see

[1:20:07] happen. Um, you know, some of those

[1:20:09] adoption things we could help with

[1:20:11] mental health services or something like

[1:20:13] that. Um, so it's something that we're

[1:20:15] really looking to see where we can kind

[1:20:16] of utilize this money and get children

[1:20:18] adopted. And I will say the board was um

[1:20:20] I don't know how many years ago we got

[1:20:22] an additional staff member that helped

[1:20:25] you know just solely focus on adoptions

[1:20:27] in our foster care program because many

[1:20:29] times we have children that are going

[1:20:31] through traumatic situations, crisises

[1:20:33] and our adoption are more stable and

[1:20:35] their administration time had to focus

[1:20:37] on those children. So now when those

[1:20:38] children are eligible for adoption,

[1:20:40] that's what that worker does. She works

[1:20:42] just on that just on those children that

[1:20:44] adopt. I think we'll start to see some

[1:20:45] of the fruits of um those investments.

[1:20:48] um with children in our county. And

[1:20:50] again, um you know, we really still need

[1:20:53] foster homes. Um if someone's interested

[1:20:56] in becoming a foster parent, 252-636

[1:20:59] 6472 to Hope Family Resource Center. You

[1:21:01] know, 92 children were in care in Craven

[1:21:04] County at the end of last month. Over

[1:21:06] 10,000 in North Carolina. Um so even if

[1:21:09] it's a child that may not be available

[1:21:10] for adoption here that someone will want

[1:21:12] to consider, um we could also assist and

[1:21:14] try to um help them find another child

[1:21:16] if that's the case. and you know within

[1:21:18] our state. So that is something that

[1:21:20] we're very in very desperate need for.

[1:21:22] We we don't like to have it where, you

[1:21:24] know, unfortunate situations that happen

[1:21:26] where children have to come into

[1:21:27] custody. And instead of being able to

[1:21:29] find a home in Craven County, we're

[1:21:30] having to drive two hours one way or 3

[1:21:33] hours one way um to place children, um

[1:21:36] we really want to try to get people to

[1:21:38] come and, you know, be licensed foster

[1:21:40] homes in our county so that those

[1:21:42] children can stay in their community and

[1:21:44] where they can hopefully still attend

[1:21:45] the same school, see the same

[1:21:46] surroundings, same surroundings. It's

[1:21:48] going to be a very traumatic event, but

[1:21:50] anything you can try to do to lessen

[1:21:51] that um traumatic event. Um even some

[1:21:54] things that would seem incremental to

[1:21:56] us, it may mean a lot for a child to

[1:21:57] have some sense of normaly. But when you

[1:22:00] >> move a seven-year-old like we had to do

[1:22:01] the other day, 3 hours away because

[1:22:03] there's no homes available here to take

[1:22:05] that child. You know, they're in a

[1:22:06] totally new place even with new people

[1:22:08] and that just magnifies that experience.

[1:22:11] >> Thank you.

[1:22:12] >> Okay, any other questions?

[1:22:13] >> Yeah. Um you dropped the [clears throat]

[1:22:14] number 92 children in foster care.

[1:22:17] That's just one month's notice. When I

[1:22:19] talk to foster care about to other

[1:22:21] people, we maintain approximately 100

[1:22:24] children in foster care. We go up a

[1:22:26] little bit, we go down a little bit, but

[1:22:28] overall

[1:22:29] >> we have sometimes I think in you know

[1:22:30] report you see we say we tell the number

[1:22:33] of children that enter custody and the

[1:22:35] number of children that exit custody and

[1:22:36] all those children are involved in the

[1:22:38] legal system. Um so it will go through

[1:22:40] that legal process and there's different

[1:22:42] ways in which children could exit

[1:22:44] custody. One of them is an adoption that

[1:22:46] does take longer but it is the most

[1:22:48] secure permanent placement which the

[1:22:50] federal government wants us to try to

[1:22:51] pursue. You know those legal hurdles

[1:22:53] sometimes can be high to get a

[1:22:54] termination parental rights. There's

[1:22:56] also guardianship with guardianship with

[1:22:58] another individual which is the second

[1:22:59] most secure placement. You have to prove

[1:23:01] that person unfit in order for the child

[1:23:03] to be placed out of their so-called

[1:23:05] guardianship or custody and then just

[1:23:07] primary custody. Um and also children

[1:23:10] age out. Um but we do have our 18 to 21

[1:23:13] program which was something I really

[1:23:14] believe the state did a good job in

[1:23:16] because um previously in child welfare

[1:23:19] service when they aged out there was

[1:23:20] nothing. A lot of times they would still

[1:23:22] call their social worker and say hey

[1:23:23] look I'm trying to do this but now we

[1:23:25] have a very good staff member and

[1:23:26] supervisor that work with those children

[1:23:28] and um help them to you know in that

[1:23:32] transition to adulthood. Um it helps

[1:23:34] them with there's funds that the state

[1:23:36] pays for with and um with room and

[1:23:39] board. Um, we help them, you know, we

[1:23:42] have kids go to college, we've got kids

[1:23:43] graduating, we've got kids going into

[1:23:45] the workforce. Um, so I really think

[1:23:46] that it that's a good program, too.

[1:23:48] >> And have you told me before that about

[1:23:50] 50% of our Craraven County foster

[1:23:53] children are out of county?

[1:23:56] >> That's approximately it. I'd have to get that number, but it was

[1:23:59] I would

[1:24:01] dare to say that that may be even a

[1:24:02] conservative number now.

[1:24:04] >> That's a huge need. Foster homes. Yes.

[1:24:07] >> Any other questions?

[1:24:09] >> Okay. Do I have a motion?

[1:24:11] >> Motion to approve.

[1:24:12] >> Second.

[1:24:13] >> Motion in a second.

[1:24:15] >> We need a roll call on that one. Madam

[1:24:17] clerk.

[1:24:18] >> Commissioner Smith.

[1:24:19] >> Yes.

[1:24:20] >> Commissioner Howard? Yes.

[1:24:21] >> Commissioner Hunt? Yes.

[1:24:22] >> Commissioner Mason?

[1:24:22] >> Yes.

[1:24:23] >> Commissioner Mitchell?

[1:24:24] >> Yes.

[1:24:24] >> Vice Chairman Jones?

[1:24:25] >> Yes.

[1:24:26] >> Chairman Booker?

[1:24:27] >> Yes.

[1:24:28] >> Thank you very much. Have a good great

[1:24:29] day.

[1:24:31] >> Sheriff Hughes.

[1:24:36] » Several items for us today.

[1:24:37] >> Yes, sir. I've got three items for your

[1:24:39] consideration. Uh first is going to be

[1:24:42] donations that we received in the fiscal

[1:24:46] year 26. Want to move them to FY27.

[1:24:49] Those be used for various items that we

[1:24:53] need. Sometimes equipment, training,

[1:24:54] uniforms, etc. Uh it's in the amount of

[1:24:58] $41,894.

[1:25:02] » Okay. Have approval. A motion to

[1:25:04] approve.

[1:25:05] >> Some moved.

[1:25:06] >> Second.

[1:25:07] >> Motion. Second. Roll call, please.

[1:25:10] >> Commissioner Smith,

[1:25:11] >> yes.

[1:25:11] >> Commissioner Howard,

[1:25:12] >> yes.

[1:25:13] >> Commissioner Hunt,

[1:25:13] >> yes.

[1:25:14] >> Commissioner Mason,

[1:25:15] >> yes.

[1:25:15] >> Commissioner Mitchell,

[1:25:16] >> yes.

[1:25:16] >> Vice Chairman Jones,

[1:25:17] >> yes.

[1:25:17] >> Chairman Ber,

[1:25:19] >> yes. Next one is insurance funds.

[1:25:22] >> Yes, sir. Uh, this is and the amount of

[1:25:25] 30,854

[1:25:28] uh was uh from fiscal year 26. want to

[1:25:31] move that over to this year for

[1:25:35] >> uh use of repairing vehicles.

[1:25:39] >> Okay. Do I have a motion to approve?

[1:25:40] >> Motion to approve.

[1:25:41] >> Second.

[1:25:42] >> Motion and a second. Roll call, please.

[1:25:45] >> Commissioner Smith,

[1:25:46] >> yes.

[1:25:47] >> Commissioner Howard,

[1:25:48] >> yes.

[1:25:48] >> Commissioner Hunt,

[1:25:49] >> yes.

[1:25:49] >> Commissioner Mason,

[1:25:50] >> yes.

[1:25:50] >> Commissioner Mitchell,

[1:25:51] >> yes.

[1:25:52] >> Vice Chairman Jones,

[1:25:53] >> yes.

[1:25:53] >> Chairman Booker,

[1:25:54] >> yes. And the third one,

[1:25:56] >> yes, sir. Uh, this is going to be in the

[1:25:57] amount of 86,138.

[1:25:59] This is for the first uh payroll of this

[1:26:03] fiscal year. We've had uh members that

[1:26:07] have retired. So, this would be the

[1:26:08] payout for holiday pay, vacation, and

[1:26:12] any comp time that they had occurred

[1:26:13] throughout their career.

[1:26:15] >> Okay.

[1:26:16] >> Motion to approve the budget amendment.

[1:26:18] >> Second.

[1:26:18] Motion and a second. Roll call,

[1:26:21] please.

[1:26:22] >> Commissioner Smith,

[1:26:23] >> yes.

[1:26:23] >> Commissioner Howard,

[1:26:24] >> yes.

[1:26:24] >> Commissioner Hunt,

[1:26:25] >> yes.

[1:26:26] >> Commissioner Mason,

[1:26:27] >> yes.

[1:26:27] >> Commissioner Mitchell,

[1:26:28] >> yes. Yes.

[1:26:28] >> Vice Chairman Jones. Yes.

[1:26:30] >> Chairman Booker.

[1:26:31] >> Yes. You have anything to share with us

[1:26:32] this morning?

[1:26:33] >> Uh first day of school is going to be

[1:26:35] August 24th. Uh our SRO's are already in

[1:26:38] the schools working closely with the

[1:26:39] staff to prepare the schools doing uh

[1:26:43] security assessments, uh making

[1:26:45] recommendations to any uh security needs

[1:26:47] that might need to take place in that

[1:26:49] school and just working closely with the

[1:26:51] staff to make sure it's going to be a

[1:26:53] very smooth transition. But uh uh we are

[1:26:56] ready to go. Very good.

[1:26:59] Anything else? Anybody have questions

[1:27:01] for the sheriff?

[1:27:02] >> Thank you for coming.

[1:27:03] >> Thank you chairman.

[1:27:04] >> Appreciate it.

[1:27:05] >> Item number nine, appointments pending.

[1:27:07] Community child protection team, grave

[1:27:10] and aging planning board, ABC board,

[1:27:13] clean sweep, crime prevention council,

[1:27:16] and advisory council. Those will be

[1:27:18] coming up. Under current, we got the

[1:27:20] emergency medical services advisory

[1:27:23] council. Deborah Rogers seeks reappoint.

[1:27:27] >> I would make that recommendation that we

[1:27:29] reappoint Deborah Deb Rogers.

[1:27:31] >> Do we have any other nominations?

[1:27:34] Hearing none, she will be appointed by

[1:27:36] acclamation. Craraven Aging Planning

[1:27:39] Board. Pam Woods seeks appointment.

[1:27:42] >> Uh nominate Miss Woods.

[1:27:44] >> Do we have any other nominations?

[1:27:46] Hearing none, Miss Woods will be

[1:27:48] reappointed. Craraven County Clean Sweep

[1:27:51] Committee Debbie Titus seeks

[1:27:53] reappointment. Do I hear a nomination?

[1:27:57] >> I would nominate Miss Titus.

[1:27:59] >> Are there any other nominations? Hearing

[1:28:02] none, she will be reappointed by

[1:28:03] acclamation. Craraven County Planning

[1:28:06] Board. Sharon Marian seeks reappoint.

[1:28:09] That's an atlarge seat. Any Do I have a

[1:28:13] nomination for Miss Marian?

[1:28:14] >> I'll go ahead and nominate her, Sharon.

[1:28:16] >> Any other nominations hearing? None. She

[1:28:19] will be appointed by acclamation.

[1:28:21] Riverbend Planning Board. Bernard Bush

[1:28:24] seeks reappoint. ETJ.

[1:28:26] >> Uh I nominate Mr. Bush.

[1:28:28] >> Are there any other nominations?

[1:28:30] Hearing none. She will be appointed or

[1:28:32] he will be appointed by AC acclamation.

[1:28:35] And lastly, the voluntary agriculture

[1:28:39] district advisory board, Marjgerie Tiker

[1:28:42] Gonzalez.

[1:28:43] >> I'll nominate I'm sorry. I'll nominate

[1:28:45] Mrs. Gonzalez.

[1:28:47] >> Are there any others?

[1:28:49] No other nominations. She will be

[1:28:50] appointed by acclamation. We have no

[1:28:53] upcoming appointments to review at this

[1:28:55] time. Next person on the agenda will be

[1:28:58] our attorney, Mr. Grady. Welcome, sir.

[1:29:04] » Thank you, Mr. Chairman, commissioners.

[1:29:06] Good morning. I have two items for your

[1:29:08] consideration this morning. Both involve

[1:29:11] county owned uh real estate acquired

[1:29:13] through the tax foreclosure process. The

[1:29:16] first parcel is located at 315 Drymonia

[1:29:20] Road, parcel ID number 9045

[1:29:25] 169. This is a final approval after the

[1:29:28] expiration of the upset bid period. I

[1:29:30] will also note that uh Craraven County

[1:29:33] owns this property outright. There's no

[1:29:35] uh joint ownership with any local

[1:29:38] municipality. The um offer amount

[1:29:41] originally was $9,000. We received uh no

[1:29:45] upset bids. So that becomes your uh

[1:29:48] final purchase price. The original past

[1:29:51] due taxes and cost of foreclosure

[1:29:53] together were $9,761

[1:29:57] and the tax value on the property is

[1:29:59] $9,000. I would ask that the board uh

[1:30:02] consider giving final approval to this

[1:30:03] so we can settle the transaction and get

[1:30:06] it back on the tax roles.

[1:30:08] >> Okay.

[1:30:09] We need to adopt a resolution approving

[1:30:11] the

[1:30:13] conveyance after upset bid for parcel

[1:30:15] 90045169.

[1:30:17] Do I hear an

[1:30:19] >> motion? Second.

[1:30:21] >> Got a motion and a second.

[1:30:23] >> Madam clerk, would you call the role,

[1:30:24] please?

[1:30:25] >> Commissioner Smith,

[1:30:26] >> yes.

[1:30:27] >> Commissioner Howard,

[1:30:28] >> yes.

[1:30:28] >> Commissioner Hunt,

[1:30:29] >> yes.

[1:30:29] >> Commissioner Mason,

[1:30:30] >> yes.

[1:30:30] >> Commissioner Mitchell,

[1:30:31] >> yes.

[1:30:32] >> Vice Chairman Jones, yes.

[1:30:33] >> Chairman Booker,

[1:30:34] >> yes. Item B,

[1:30:37] >> the uh second and last item is another

[1:30:40] final approval for property located at

[1:30:43] 405 East Maple with a parcel ID number

[1:30:46] of 706

[1:30:48] 083. As with the first parcel, the

[1:30:50] county owns this one outright. So,

[1:30:53] there's no joint ownership with another

[1:30:56] mun municipality.

[1:30:59] The um offer amount originally was

[1:31:02] $3,500.

[1:31:04] Uh there were no upsets during the upset

[1:31:06] bid uh period. The original past due

[1:31:10] taxes and cost of foreclosure were

[1:31:12] $4,9287

[1:31:16] and the tax value of the property is

[1:31:18] $9,800.

[1:31:20] As with the other other parcel, I would

[1:31:23] ask the board uh to give it final

[1:31:25] approval so we can close the transaction

[1:31:28] and get the property back on the tax

[1:31:29] roles.

[1:31:30] >> Okay. We're being asked to adopt a

[1:31:32] resolution oveing approving conveyance

[1:31:34] after ex expiration of upset bid parcel

[1:31:37] 7006

[1:31:39] 083. Do I hear a motion? Some moved.

[1:31:42] >> Second.

[1:31:43] >> A motion and a second. Roll call,

[1:31:45] please.

[1:31:47] >> Yes.

[1:31:48] >> Commissioner Howard?

[1:31:48] >> Yes.

[1:31:49] >> Commissioner Hunt?

[1:31:50] >> Yes.

[1:31:50] >> Commissioner Mason? Yes.

[1:31:51] >> Commissioner Mitchell?

[1:31:52] >> Yes.

[1:31:52] >> Chairman Jones? Yes.

[1:31:54] >> Chairman Ber?

[1:31:55] >> Yes. Thank you, sir.

[1:31:56] >> My report.

[1:31:58] >> Okay.

[1:32:00] Mr. Vite, county manager report.

[1:32:08] » Mr. Chairman, commissioners, thank you

[1:32:09] for the opportunity this morning. Not a

[1:32:10] lot to report, but just keep you up to

[1:32:12] speed. Uh, last week I attended the

[1:32:15] Kerswama meeting, which is our local

[1:32:16] landfield. Uh, starting off in the new

[1:32:19] fiscal year. They did a study in

[1:32:21] partnership with the state to look at

[1:32:24] what is in the waist stream, right? What

[1:32:26] is in the trash that goes to the

[1:32:27] landfill. I found it very interesting.

[1:32:29] Commissioner Jones and Mr. Asher were

[1:32:31] there as well. Um, surprisingly, Craven

[1:32:33] County scored very high in a couple

[1:32:35] categories, which was recyclable items

[1:32:37] that could be recycled. We were much

[1:32:39] lower than the other counties that were

[1:32:41] studied at about 16%. The average there

[1:32:44] was around 23% uh finding recyclable

[1:32:47] materials in there. uh a lot of other

[1:32:49] things um that were found, but one that

[1:32:52] I I do want to point out for the record

[1:32:53] was there is an issue that's developed

[1:32:56] not only in this study, but in instances

[1:32:58] where we've had certain fires and things

[1:33:00] like that, which is people disposing of

[1:33:02] lithium batteries in their trash. And

[1:33:04] often times when those things get mashed

[1:33:07] down into either the truck or into the

[1:33:09] yard, they catch fire. And we've had two

[1:33:11] instances where that's happened here

[1:33:13] locally. That's something that a lot of

[1:33:15] folks don't recognize. If you have an

[1:33:16] item that's rechargeable and that

[1:33:18] recharge stops, that doesn't mean that

[1:33:21] item's ready for the landfill unless you

[1:33:23] remove that battery and recycle it at

[1:33:25] one of our seven uh convenience sites or

[1:33:28] at local retailers that have that

[1:33:29] service. So, little PSA there for you

[1:33:32] this morning for the landfill. Uh last

[1:33:34] week, I was also able to meet with Smart

[1:33:36] Start. I talked to Commissioner Smith

[1:33:38] about that last week. We were able to

[1:33:39] have a conversation with them that was a

[1:33:41] carryover from our budget process and we

[1:33:43] talked to them a lot about the Dolly

[1:33:45] Parton Imagination Library where we're

[1:33:48] helping them sustain that program after

[1:33:50] they had some funding cuts. I believe we

[1:33:52] got on the right track there. There were

[1:33:53] a lot of things they shared with us. Um

[1:33:55] I did invite them this fall or winter to

[1:33:57] come and present to the board and share

[1:33:59] with you guys what they're up to out

[1:34:00] there.

[1:34:03] Later this week, we'll attend, some of

[1:34:04] us will attend the NCAACCC uh group of

[1:34:07] county commissioners state conference in

[1:34:08] Durham. Looking forward to that. Uh one

[1:34:10] of the highlights I just made a note of

[1:34:12] is, as you know, the legislative session

[1:34:13] has now ended. There is a lot of

[1:34:15] legislation that was passed that we're

[1:34:17] still sorting through at the local

[1:34:18] level, whether there's fiscal impacts or

[1:34:20] operational impacts. So, I'm very

[1:34:23] interested in how other counties are

[1:34:24] viewing some of that legislation. Also,

[1:34:26] in talking about the legislature, there

[1:34:28] is an adjournment resolution that does

[1:34:30] bring them back in late November. So,

[1:34:32] we'll obviously keep our eye on that for

[1:34:33] opportunity for additional legislation

[1:34:35] or fiscal things that uh we may be

[1:34:37] interested in. And on Friday, I was able

[1:34:40] to meet with our DSS director, Jeff

[1:34:41] Merritt, who's here, and he shared a lot

[1:34:43] about adoption. Jeff and I meet every

[1:34:44] month to talk about how DSS is doing.

[1:34:47] He'll be here with you in the fall.

[1:34:48] Again, some of those legislative changes

[1:34:50] are going to impact how DSS operates.

[1:34:52] So, in October at your work session,

[1:34:54] Jeff will be here with his team to share

[1:34:57] some of those fiscal issues with you.

[1:34:58] So, other than that, Mr. Chairman,

[1:35:00] that's all I have unless you have things

[1:35:01] for me.

[1:35:02] >> Questions for the county management.

[1:35:03] >> All right. Thanks so much.

[1:35:05] >> Thank you. Okay. Next item on our agenda

[1:35:08] is commissioner's report. Start with you

[1:35:11] pass. You have nothing today.

[1:35:13] >> Uh yes, sir. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'd

[1:35:15] like to go back to the Southeastern

[1:35:17] Integrated Care Program. Um I believe

[1:35:20] the

[1:35:22] um county manager was asking for some

[1:35:24] direction from the board in terms of how

[1:35:27] did we want to proceed,

[1:35:28] >> right? So, you know, before and

[1:35:30] Caitlyn's already left, but before we

[1:35:32] spend a lot of time negotiating a

[1:35:34] contract, just wanted to get your

[1:35:35] thoughts. Is this what you heard today

[1:35:37] something you want us to begin that

[1:35:39] process? Obviously, we'll include

[1:35:40] Sheriff Hughes and Scott Harelson, Jeff

[1:35:42] Merritt, folks who are impacted by

[1:35:45] individuals that need these services. Uh

[1:35:47] that may take a month or two. If you

[1:35:49] guys give us kind of the the head nod,

[1:35:51] uh

[1:35:51] >> I was impressed with what I heard. Uh

[1:35:53] we're short on services. I would

[1:35:55] recommend that we go forward. And if you

[1:35:57] need a motion, consider that one.

[1:35:58] >> And I want to I'll support what ET said.

[1:36:01] I was we discussed it and I think that

[1:36:03] Yeah,

[1:36:04] >> you need a vote.

[1:36:05] >> I just need a head nod. I mean, if

[1:36:06] that's something because well, I said to

[1:36:07] bring the contract back.

[1:36:08] >> Everybody was favorably impressed. At

[1:36:10] least that was the impression I got.

[1:36:12] >> I wanted to say a little bit more, but

[1:36:13] they did such a good job. But one of the

[1:36:14] things when we've met with their team is

[1:36:17] their inclination to acquire property

[1:36:20] here in Craven County. whether it's an

[1:36:21] office, a house or two. They said

[1:36:24] something and it really resonated with

[1:36:26] me because we have such a struggle is

[1:36:28] they want to focus on female

[1:36:30] >> individuals here. We've tried for at

[1:36:32] least half a decade to get somebody to

[1:36:34] do that and they seemed interested. So,

[1:36:36] I mean, if we could crack that nut, that

[1:36:38] would definitely be a big win for us

[1:36:40] all. So,

[1:36:41] >> okay.

[1:36:42] >> All right. So, we'll we'll proceed with

[1:36:43] that and get back to the board probably

[1:36:44] in October. My guess is we'll be back at

[1:36:46] that work session.

[1:36:47] >> That was all I had, sir.

[1:36:47] >> Okay.

[1:36:49] Commissioner Smith.

[1:36:50] >> Um, I have I may be out of commission

[1:36:55] for our first meeting in September

[1:36:59] because I'm having surgery on the third.

[1:37:01] I hopefully I will be back by the second

[1:37:04] one, but I'm not sure. But I will be not

[1:37:08] available for our first meeting.

[1:37:12] >> Okay. Thank you. We we'll keep you in

[1:37:15] our prayers and I hope that goes well.

[1:37:17] >> Thank you. Okay, Commissioner Hunt.

[1:37:19] >> No report.

[1:37:19] >> Okay.

[1:37:20] >> Um, in our proclamation of our consent

[1:37:23] agenda, we did a proclamation of support

[1:37:25] for Mr. John Thomas Barber's 75th

[1:37:28] anniversary legacy. It is sad that the

[1:37:31] school that he's that's named after him

[1:37:33] is so old and and and really is in need

[1:37:36] of replacement. Be nice if we can come

[1:37:38] up with a better school to reuse his

[1:37:40] name on. Okay.

[1:37:43] >> Anything else?

[1:37:44] >> No, that's it.

[1:37:45] >> Question. Only thing I want to remind

[1:37:47] the board, if you will put in your

[1:37:48] calendars, Co City is having their

[1:37:50] fireman's day on September the 26th,

[1:37:53] uh 10:00 a.m. they'll have their parade

[1:37:55] and uh they have extended an invitation

[1:37:58] to this board to come and be a part. I

[1:38:02] think that's it. I have nothing to

[1:38:04] report. Uh commissioners, we're being

[1:38:07] asked to go into close session. Um

[1:38:12] pursuant to NCGS143-

[1:38:17] 318.11A4

[1:38:21] to discuss the location or expansion of

[1:38:24] industries or other businesses.

[1:38:26] >> I move that we have a motion.

[1:38:28] >> So moved second

[1:38:31] take a fivem minute recess and we will

[1:38:33] go into close.

Craven County Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting - August 17, 2026

Agenda

Transcript