Public comment period, school funding, appointments, among agenda items on Craven Board of Commissioners Meeting – May 1

Craven County Commissioners meeting - Dec. 5 2022 Screenshot
Screenshot of video from Craven County Board of Commissioners meeting

The meeting will be held on May 1, 2023, at 6 p.m. in the Craven County Commissioners Meeting Room at the Craven County Administration Building in New Bern. View the agenda here.

CALL TO ORDER

ROLL CALL

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

APPROVE AGENDA

1. PETITION OF CITIZENS – AGENDA TOPICS

Comments directly pertaining to items on the agenda of any regularly scheduled meeting of the Board shall be made during an agenda comment period occurring at the beginning of each regularly scheduled meeting. Comments during this period shall be limited to those comments directly pertaining to items on the agenda for such meeting.

Each speaker must address the Board as a whole (and not any individual Commissioner, County staff member or the audience) from the lectern and shall begin his or her remarks by giving his or her name and address and the topic about which they intend to speak. Each speaker will have three (3) minutes to make remarks, as measured by a timer operated by County staff. A speaker may not yield any of his or her time to another speaker. *

Speakers must be courteous in their language and presentation and must abide by generally accepted standards of decorum. Speakers shall not make the same or repetitive comments, whether during a particular comment period or over the course of multiple comment periods. Speakers shall not attack or insult any person or group of people, and speakers shall not give belligerent or hostile comments during any comment period.

Board Action: Receive information.

2. CONSENT AGENDA

A. April 17, 2023 Regular Session Minutes the board is requested to approve the regular session ninutes from April 17, 2023, as presented in the following document.

B. Tax Releases and Refunds

The Board is requested to approve the tax releases and refunds, as presented in the following document.

– Tax Administrator, Leslie Young, presented the following explanation:

Refund for Tax Years 2021 and 2022, Parcel ID 6-037-012, Owner – LIDL US Operations LLC., finalized subject property’s valuation of 2021 appeal. Total refund of $12,273.26.

C. Health – Increase in Dental Funding Budget Amendment

The Craven County Dental Mobile has seen a significant increase in the number of patient visits in FY23. There was a total of 2,140 visits in FY22. At the end of March 2023, the dental mobile has already exceeded that amount with 2,165 visits. The Health Department is requesting to increase Medicaid Revenues so that the Dental Unit can cover the expenses through year-end in order to continue the dental program.

The Board will be requested to approve a budget amendment in the amount of $8,000, as shown in the following document.

Board Action: A roll call vote is needed to approve the consent agenda items

3. CRIME STOPPERS PRESENTATION: Jeffrey Haddock and Kelly Cox

Jeffrey Haddock, President of the newly created Crime Stoppers and Corporal Kelly Cox, Program Coordinator, will present information about the organization, as shown in the following document.

Board Action: Receive Information

4. BOARD OF EDUCATION BUDGET PRESENTATION: Dr. Wendy Miller Superintendent of Schools

Wendy Miller, will present the proposed Board of Education budget for FY 2023-2024 and the Schools’ funding request to the County.

Board Action: Receive Information

5. CRAVEN COMMUNITY COLLEGE BUDGET PRESENTATION: Dr. Raymond Staats

Craven Community College President, Raymond Staats, will present the proposed FY 2023-2024 budget and the funding request for the college to the County.
Board Action: Receive Information

DEPARTMENTAL MATTERS:

6. Finance – Public School Building Capital Fund Application: Craig Warren

Each year both the Board of Education and the Board of County Commissioners jointly approve a project application to be submitted to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. This application is required in order to draw down lottery proceeds that have been allocated to Craven County by the State in the Public School Building Capital Fund. These funds are restricted and can only be used for school construction projects or to retire debt incurred as a result of school construction projects.

A copy of the application has been provided in the following document.

Board Action: Approve application; a roll call vote is needed

7. APPOINTMENTS

A. Pending:

B. Current:

Community Child Protection Team

Craven Clean Sweep

Craven County Planning Board Emergency Medical Services

Fireman’s Relief Fund Board (District 5)

Highway 70 Corridor Committee

Juvenile Crime Prevention Council

Local Emergency Planning Committee

Volunteer Agricultural District (District 6)

Community Child Protection Team

– Alicia Jean Rodenberg – Gaurdian Ad Litem resigned
– Applicant Antoinette Boskey seeks to be appointed to fill the vacant seat

Craven County Recreation Advisory Council

– Kortesha George (District 5) – wishes to be reappointed

Craven Community College Board of Trustees

– Ervin Patrick (appointed 2019 – lives in District 2) seeks reappointment

Fire Tax Commissioners Board

– John Hawkins (TWP 3 Cove City Fire) – seeks reappointment
– Chad Anderson (TWP 8 West New Bern) – seeks reappointment
– Carl Barwick (TWP 8 WNB Rhems Fire) – does NOT seek reappointment

Juvenile Crime Prevention Council

– Clint Rowe seat vacated;Judge Walter Mills seeks appointment

– Stacy Huss (Court Counselor) seeks reappointment

UPCOMING:
Terms Expiring June

Coastal Carolina Regional Airport Authority

– George Liner
– Kellie Hawkins

Craven County Social Services Board
– Gwen Bryan

Havelock Planning Board *
– Alfred Gray (first appointed 2019)

Juvenile Crime Prevention Council

– Nikeisha Roger (Health Dept.)

8. COUNTY ATTORNEY’S REPORT: Arey Grady

9. PETITIONS OF CITIZENS – GENERAL TOPICS

Comments directly pertaining to policies or issues which are under the statutory or administrative authority of the Board shall be made during a general comment period occurring at the end of each regularly scheduled meeting. Comments during this period shall be limited to those comments directly pertaining to issues which are under the statutory or administrative authority of the Board.

Each speaker must address the Board as a whole (and not any individual Commissioner, County staff member or the audience) from the lectern and shall begin his or her remarks by giving his or her name and address and the topic about which they intend to speak. Each speaker will have three (3) minutes to make remarks, as measured by a timer operated by County staff. A speaker may not yield any of his or her time to another speaker. *

Speakers must be courteous in their language and presentation and must abide by generally accepted standards of decorum. Speakers shall not make the same or repetitive comments, whether during a particular comment period or over the course of multiple comment periods. Speakers shall not attack or insult any person or group of people, and speakers shall not give belligerent or hostile comments during any comment period.

Board Action: Receive information.

10. COUNTY MANAGER’S REPORT – Jack Veit

11. COMMISSIONERS’ REPORTS

Submitted By Alison Newcombe

* Editor’s note: During the Petition of Citizens, the board has two rules that potentially violate peoples’ freedom of speech. One — people are asked to state their name and address.  Two — addressing the board, “Each speaker must address the Board as a whole.” The Board of Commissioners cannot enforce these rules because it would infringe on peoples’ First Amendment right to freedom of speech.

If you want to address the board, sign up before the meeting starts at 6 p.m.

Questions or comments? Send an email.

By Wendy Card, co-editor