FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The following is a summary of the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners meeting, which was held Jan. 17, 2023, at 6:45 p.m. in Room 118 of the Judge E. Maurice Braswell Cumberland County Courthouse.
Commissioners welcomed the County’s new Justice Services Director Courtney McCollum and Internal Services Director Jonathan Butler, who were introduced at the meeting. McCollum started with the County on Jan. 3, 2023, and Butler, who has been an employee with the County since Nov. 12, 2020, was promoted to the position of Internal Services Director on Dec. 4, 2022, after serving in the interim role since Aug. 1, 2022.
The Board also recognized approximately 30 members of the Fayetteville-Cumberland Youth Council, who attended the meeting.
April Adams of Cherry Bekaert LLP, the County’s auditing firm, presented an executive summary of the County’s Financial Statement Audit for Fiscal Year 2022. The compliance audit is not complete and will be presented at a future meeting.
The firm issued an unmodified opinion of the County’s financial statements, reported no serious deficiencies and noted no inappropriate accounting policies or practices. One uncorrected misstatement was noted – using one adjustment to fund equity rather than using transfers for closing the Workforce Development Fund, Community Development Fund and CARES Relief Fund. Adams noted one financial performance indicator of concern due to the audit not being submitted within five months from the fiscal year-end, which is required by the Local Government Commission. She said the delay in completing the audit was the result of capacity issues with the audit firm and was not due to County staff. In addition to receiving the report, the Board voted unanimously to extend the Fiscal Year 2022 audit contract until March 31, 2023.
Terri Thomas, Executive Director of the Vision Resource Center, presented information regarding the organization’s upcoming Dining and Dialogue event, which will be held Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2022, at the Cape Fear Botanical Gardens and will provide visually impaired persons with the opportunity to meet with elected officials in an informal setting to talk about barriers they face in the community.
The Board approved the following items as part of the CONSENT AGENDA in a 6-to-1 vote:
- Approval of Budget Ordinance Amendments for the January 17, 2023 Board of Commissioners’ Agenda
- Approval of Cumberland County Board of Commissioners Agenda Session Items
- Proposed Fund Balance Policy Revision and Recommended Action
PUBLIC HEARINGS:
- Community Development HOME-ARP Draft Allocation Plan. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through the Home Investment Partnerships (HOME) Program grant has allocated $1,435,021 of the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021 funds to Cumberland County to perform eligible activities that must primarily benefit qualifying individuals and families who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, or in other vulnerable populations. Community Development has prepared a draft allocation plan and provided the plan to the public for comment and review between January 13, 2023 to January 27, 2023. After the public review period, the final copy of the plan will be submitted to the Board of Commissioners at the February 6, 2023 regular meeting for approval to submit to HUD. For more information, residents may contact Cumberland County Community Development at 910-323-6112 or cccdinfo@co.cumberland.nc.us. – This item was approved in a 4-to-3 vote.
- Rezoning Case ZON-22-0043. Rezoning from A1 Agricultural District to RR Rural Residential/CZ Conditional Zoning District or to a more restrictive zoning district for 106.75 acres located east of Hummingbird Place and west of Maxwell Road. – The Board voted unanimously to approve the request.
- Rezoning Case ZON-22-0076. Rezoning from A1 Agricultural District to R40A Residential District or to a more restrictive zoning district for 4.01 acres located at 2140 Rich Walker Road and an abutting parcel. – The Board voted unanimously to approve the request.
- Rezoning Case ZON-22-0077. Rezoning from CD Conservancy District to A1 Agricultural District or to a more restrictive zoning district for 2.00 acres located on a portion of the abutting parcel east of 7632 Sim Canady Road. – The Board voted unanimously to approve the request.
ITEMS OF BUSINESS:
- Consideration of Amendment Agreement under the Home Investment Partnerships Program with Kingdom Community Development Corporation. Community Development requests the Board amend a funding agreement it previously approved with Kingdom Community Development Corporation on May 17, 2021 in the amount not to exceed $500,000 to construct affordable housing units that will target low to moderate income households. The amendment would extend the term of the agreement from Jan. 23, 2023, to June 30, 2023, and change the number of units from four to five due to additional resources the organization was able to leverage. – This item was approved in a 4-to-3 vote.
- Consideration of Funding Agreement with Hillside – FMHA, LLC for Rehabilitation of Hillside Manor Apartments. Community Development requests the Board approve a funding agreement for up to $441,020 with Hillside – FMHA LLC for substantial rehabilitation of 32 units at the Hillside Manor Apartments located at 1920 Rosehill Road, Fayetteville, to provide affordable housing to low to moderate income elderly households. – The Board voted unanimously to deny the request.
The Board went into CLOSED SESSION to discuss Real Property Acquisition pursuant to NCGS 143-318.11 (a)(5).
Cumberland County Board of Commissioners meetings are streamed live on CCNCTV (Spectrum Channel 5), the County’s website cumberlandcountync.gov and the County’s YouTube channel at youtube.com/CumberlandCountyNC.