The following is a summary of the Jan. 11 Board of Commissioners Agenda Session, which was held in Room 564 of the Judge E. Maurice Braswell Cumberland County Courthouse.
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The following is a summary of the Jan. 11, 2024, Cumberland County Board of Commissioners Agenda Session, which was held at 1 p.m. in Room 564 of the Judge E. Maurice Braswell Cumberland County Courthouse. To view the agenda and supporting materials for this meeting, go to www.cumberlandcountync.gov/bocmeetingmaterials.
Jermaine Walker, Director of Engineering & Infrastructure, gave the Board an update on the Post Event Recovery Shelter Generator Project, which seeks to install generators at five designated emergency shelter locations which may be used during emergency situations. Identified shelter locations are Westover Recreation Center, Mac Williams Middle School, W.T. Brown Elementary School, Pine Forest High School and South View High School. Engineering has worked with the Wooten Company to complete design of the generators at the five locations and is in the process of finalizing the solicitations to procure the generators. Walker said he anticipates the generator at Westover Recreation Center, which is smaller and easier to procure, being installed this summer; however due to lead times of between 52 and 56 weeks for the other generators, he anticipates installation of the school generators in summer of 2025.
The Board voted unanimously to move the following items to the Jan. 16, 2024 regular meeting to be approved as part of the Consent Agenda, unless otherwise noted below:
- Chapin Hall FY24 Contract Amendment – The Department of Social Services requests a contract amendment with Chapin Hall Center for Children at the University of Chicago to use unspent grant funds. The grantor, The Duke Endowment, has authorized the use of the $161,154 in previously unspent funds for FY24 to allow for the continued implementation of A Model Approach for Change in Child Welfare (AMAC-CW) initiative. Since the inception of the initiative in 2016, the number of children in foster care in Cumberland County has reduced from more than 900 to fewer than 500. The purpose of the contract amendment with Chapin Hall is to continue to provide the research, benchmarking, data analytics, technical support, and program evaluation.
- Issuance of Request for Proposals for Early Intervention with Opioid Settlement Funds – Cumberland County anticipates receiving $30,822,230 in Opioid Settlement funds over an 18-year period. A Request for Proposals (RFP) was previously issued for up to $800,000 in funding to implement strategies to address opioid addiction in the community, and funding was awarded to four agencies. The Department of Public Health seeks to issue an additional RFP for up to $500,000 over two years to support early intervention programs focused on youth.
- Service Agreement with HDR Engineering, Inc. of the Carolinas for Water Resources Study – On June 19, 2023, the Board selected HDR Engineering, Inc. of the Carolinas to assist with ongoing study, assessment, evaluation and development of a new water source for public drinking water development. Staff requests approval of a Service Agreement, which includes the preparation of a Water Resources Study, in an amount not to exceed $400,000 with a term of 12 months. The project is funded with a State Reserve Funds (SRP) grant awarded by the State Water Infrastructure Authority.
- Service Agreement with HDR Engineering, Inc. of the Carolinas for FEMA BRIC Funding Assistance for West Cedar Creek – On June 19, 2023, the Board selected HDR Engineering, Inc. of the Carolinas to assist with ongoing study, assessment, evaluation, and development of a new water source for public drinking water development. The RFQ allowed the County to negotiate additional phases of service with the selected Consultant, to include funding assistance. Staff requests approval of a Service Agreement, which includes the administrative assistance, preparation, and/or review of a funding application for the FEMA BRIC program for West Cedar Creek. The agreement amount shall not exceed $55,725 and the term is for 12 months. Funding is in the current budget for contracted services for Public Utilities.
- Cumberland-Hoke Hazard Mitigation Plan Amendment – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requires state and local governments to develop and adopt hazard mitigation plans to receive certain non-emergency disaster funds, including grants. Every five years, Cumberland County collaborates with Hoke County to update the Cumberland-Hoke Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan. The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners adopted the current plan on May 17, 2021, and FEMA approved it on June 23, 2021. To support the County’s West Cedar Creek Public Water System BRIC application due on Feb. 5, 2024, Emergency Services requests the Board consider the Cumberland-Hoke Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan Amendment CU6.
- Resolution Designation of Applicants Agent FY22 BRIC Grant Funding – In collaboration with the Solid Waste Department, Cumberland County Emergency Services has submitted a sub-application to North Carolina Emergency Management, Hazard Mitigation Section for the FY22 BRIC grant. The grant project “Comprehensive Vegetative Waste and Emergency Debris Management Plan” aims to develop a 20-year Comprehensive Vegetative Waste Management Plan to evaluate the current operation of the Wilkes Road Facility. The project will address how to increase production and optimize an already limited capacity during disaster events, which is critical to the recovery process. The estimated cost of the project is $157,500 with the required match of $37,500 designated from the Cumberland County Solid Waste Department. The match was approved in the FY 2024 budget. The North Carolina Emergency Management Hazard Mitigation requires a certified designation of the applicant’s (DA) agent form to be completed.
- Community Development Funding Agreement with Kingdom Community Development Corporation – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires Cumberland County Community Development to set aside at least 15% of its HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) allocation for specific projects to be undertaken by a private nonprofit, community-based organization called a Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO). Community Development has an open application process to solicit entities interested in serving as the County’s designated CHDO and holds workshops to draw interest from other entities interested in developing affordable housing in the community. Kingdom Community Development Corporation was selected through the Program Year (PY) 2022 Request for Proposal process to provide additional housing units targeting low-income households. Community Development requests to enter into an agreement with Kingdom Community Development Corporation to construct six affordable housing units. Each unit will be approximately 1,400 square feet and include 3 bedrooms. The project site is located between Elizabeth and Lee streets in Spring Lake. Once completed, the project will serve households with an income at or below 80% of the area median income.
- Community Transportation Program 2024 Title VI Program Plan – Cumberland County must have an adopted Title VI Program Plan to satisfy compliance requirements of the North Carolina Department of Transportation and the Federal Transit Administration. The plan states it is the policy of the Cumberland County Community Transportation Program (CTP) to ensure that no person shall, on the grounds of race, color, sex, age, national origin, or disability, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any program or activity as provided by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987, and any other related non-discrimination Civil Rights laws and authorities.
- Community Transportation Program Drug and Alcohol Policy Plan Update – On Sept. 18, 2023, the Board approved an addendum to the 2024 CTP Drug and Alcohol Policy. The State is requesting the County adopt this and other policies into the current, complete 2024 Drug and Alcohol Policy document.
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The Board voted to approve the following item, but not unanimously, meaning it will move to the Jan. 16, 2024 regular meeting for consideration as an Item of Business:
2024 Federal Legislative Agenda – Each year, the Board of Commissioners adopts a Federal Legislative Agenda that sets priorities for the County's federal advocacy. Cumberland County contracts with the Hamm Consulting Group for federal legislative lobbying services. Ron Hamm, president of Hamm Consulting Group, presented the DRAFT 2024 Federal Legislative Agenda for the Board's consideration and provided Commissioners with a Federal Legislative Update.
Commissioners received the following monthly reports in their agenda packet:
- Health Insurance Update
- Financial Report
- Project Updates
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