The meeting will be held on August 21, 2023, at 8:30 a.m. in the Commissioners’ Boardroom located at 406 Craven St. in New Bern. View the agenda here.
CALL TO ORDER
ROLL CALL
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
APPROVE AGENDA
1.MARINE AIRCRAFT GROUP (MAG)-14 PRESENTATION: Colonel James T. Bardo
Colonel James T. Bardo, Commanding Officer, Marine Aircraft Group (MAG)-14, will introduce himself and provide a presentation on the activities of the Marine Aircraft Group (MAG)-14. A bio on Colonel Bardo is shown in the following document.
Board Action: Receive information
2. CONSENT AGENDA
A. Minutes of August 7, 2023 Regular Session
The Board will be requested to approve the minutes of August 7, 2023 regular session, as shown in the following document.
B. TAX RELEASES AND REFUNDS.
The Board will be requested to approve the tax releases and refunds, as shown in the following documents. Tax Administrator, Leslie Young, submitted an explanation for the following releases:
Owner – ARGOS USA, LLC, Account #120355, Business Personal Property, Owner submitted amended returns after major billing. Release in full $3,484.53
Owner – Capital Marketing Solutions, LLC, Account #115952, Business Personal Property, in 2022 the owner sold an aircraft. Release the $635,000 value portion, equates to release $4,082.42.
Owner – Wal-Mart Real Estate Business Trust, Parcel ID 6-216-023, Adjusted real estate value for Tax Year 2023 Appeal, Release $4,937.87.
Owner – Wal-Mart Real Estate Business Trust, Parcel ID 8-208-17001, Adjusted real estate value for Tax Year 2023 Appeal, Release $6,316.95.
Owner – HYG Financial Services, Account #51632, Business Personal Property, Tax Department duplicated on the same account ticket #221278, Owner was double-billed, Release in full $37,996.78.
C. CARTS – Request to Set Public Hearing for September 5, 2023: CTP Grant
The Board will be requested to set a public hearing for September 5, 2023 at 6:00 pm, or soon thereafter. The purpose of the hearing is to receive public comments and request authorization for Craven Area Rural Transit System (CARTS) to apply to the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) for the FY2024-2025 5311 Community Transportation (CTP) administrative and operating grants as well as a Combined Capital grant. CARTS relies on these grants to assist with the cost of operating public transit service.
The 5311 CTP grant is a formula-based allocation grant for rural public transportation projects. CARTS will be seeking to apply for 5311 CTP administrative and operating assistance as well as capital assistance. The Combined Capital application does not specify into which grants capital projects will be placed.
The deadline to submit the budget and required documents is October 6, 2023.
D. Economic Development – Request to Set Public Hearing for September 5, 2023: NC Department of Commerce Grant
The Board will be requested to set a public hearing for September 5, 2023 at 6:00 pm, or soon thereafter, to receive public comments in regard to the acceptance of a grant from the North Carolina Department of Commerce to fund the extension of a road necessary for commercial aerospace development adjacent to the Coastal Carolina Regional Airport.
E. Economic Development – Request to Set Public Hearing for September 5, 2023: Project Phantom
The Craven County Economic Development Department has been working with a local manufacturer who has provided an offer to purchase 6.022 acres of land in the Craven County Industrial Park. The Board will be requested to set a public hearing for September 5, 2023 at 6:00 pm, or soon thereafter, to receive public comments in regard to this matter.
F. Garage – County Vehicle AIM System: Budget Amendment
The Craven County Fuel Center utilizes FuelMaster as the fueling system. FuelMaster provides two options for fueling County vehicles, the Prokee and the AIM system.
FuelMaster’s AIM system is a more secure, advanced, and fail-proof option for fueling. AIM is installed by the County Garage team and connects directly to a vehicle’s OBD port. AIM is a RFID vehicle installed system that eliminates inaccurate driver-entered data, ensures proper fuel allocation, and gathers important vehicle specific data. This system is critical when reviewing vehicle specific data for diagnostic testing and reporting. Staff has installed Prokee’s and AIM’s since opening the Fuel Center. Thus far, the AIM system has produced better performance and staff feels installation on all new County vehicles moving forward is the best option for fueling County vehicles.
The Board will be requested to approve a budget amendment, shown in the following document, in the amount of $12,646, in order to purchase AIM units to install on all new County vehicles purchased in Fiscal Year 2023-2024.
G. Human Resources – Craven County 2024 Holiday Schedule
The Board will be requested to consider the proposed Craven County 2024 Holiday Schedule, as shown in the following document. The proposed schedule grants 13 holidays which includes three days for Christmas and one floating holiday for Independence Day.
The Craven County Personnel Resolution, Article VIII. Leave of Absence, Section 2. Paid Holidays Observed states, “The Floating Holiday will be used in conjunction with holidays observed on Tuesday or Thursday to extend the weekend and will only be used as such occurs from year to year.”
The proposed 2024 Craven County Holiday Schedule is the same as the State of North Carolina’s 2024 Holiday Schedule with the exception that the State’s holiday schedule does not include a floating holiday for Independence Day.
H. Finance – Reimbursement Resolution: Sudan Temple Property
On January 11, 2023, the County purchased the Sudan Temple property for $6 million. On August 7, 2023 Commissioners approved the Sudan Property Redevelopment Project in the amount of $373,750, authorizing staff to contract with vendors to perform hazardous abatement work and master planning services. The source of funds used to purchase the property came from the County’s General Fund balance, while the funds for the Sudan Property Redevelopment Project are budgeted from the County’s Capital Reserve Fund. In March 2023 Commissioners adopted a prior reimbursement resolution in the amount at $6.1 million. In order to preserve the County’s ability to reimburse itself from any future proceeds on a tax-exempt borrowing, the County must declare its intent to reimburse itself by adopting the resolution, shown in the following document, which increases the maximum amount it can be reimbursed to $7.5 million.
Board Action: A roll call vote is needed to approve the consent agenda items.
DEPARTMENTAL MATTERS
3. Facilities – Zach Chenoweth, Assistant Facilities Director
A. Ford Transit 250 – Budget Amendment
The Fiscal Year 2022-2023 budget included the purchase order of a Ford Transit 250 for Facilities. The Purchase Order was issued on August 22, 2022, but the vehicle was not received before the end of the fiscal year. The vendor contacted County Facilities in early August, 2023 and stated that the vehicle is ready and delivery is expected soon.
The Board will be requested to approve a budget amendment, shown in the following document, in the amount of $51,614, in order to re-budget the expenditure from Fiscal Year 2022-2023 into the current fiscal year to complete this transaction.
Board Action: Approve a budget amendment in the amount of $51,614 to re-budget the expenditure from the previous fiscal year due to delays in the delivery of the vehicle. A roll call vote is needed.
B. Commissioners’ Meeting Room and Conference Room Window Replacement – Budget Amendment
A purchase order for new windows in the Commissioners’ Meeting Room and Conference Room on the 2nd floor of the Administration Building was issued in December 2022. Due to a lengthy review with the City of New Bern Historical Preservation Committee (NBHPC), the windows were not installed in Fiscal Year 2022- 2023. Approval was received from the NBHPC for the window replacement in May 2023. At that time, Coastal Craftsmen, the General Contractor, began fabricating the new windows with the anticipation of completing fabrication during the month of August. We are requesting approval of a budget amendment to re-budget this expenditure in Fiscal Year 2023-2024. At this time, fabrication is almost complete, and we are scheduling the work to begin later this year in order to have minimal disruption to daily operations and scheduled Commissioners’ meetings.
The Board will be requested to approve a budget amendment, shown in the following document, in the amount of $47,000, in order to carry over the unspent funds from Fiscal Year 2022-2023 into the current fiscal year and to complete this project.
Board Action: Approve a budget amendment in the amount of $47,000 to complete the window replacement project. A roll call vote is needed.
4. Health – Scott Harrelson, Health Director
A. Environmental Health Fee Schedule
The passage of recent Session Law 2023-90 will affect the allowable fees to be collected by Environmental Health, and will become effective September 1, 2023, as shown in the following document. Also included is the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Position Statement which provides guidance on the implementation of Session Law Provisions.
Board Action: Approve fee changes
B. Accept Funding from Pitt County for Data Pilot Program – Budget Amendment
Pitt County is allocating $23,280 of COVID-19 Public Health (PH) Workforce grant funds under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) to Craven County in order to participate in the i2i Data Pilot and establish new performance measures with a goal of creating new dashboard reports at the county level. This pilot will extract data from the Electronic Health Record (EHR) system to avoid double data entry by local staff and will provide data at a quarterly frequency rather than waiting up to two years for the information to be reported by the state.
The Board will be requested to approve a budget amendment, shown in the following document, in the amount of $23,280, in order to participate in the Data Pilot program.
Board Action: Approve budget amendment in the amount of $23,280. A roll call vote is needed.
5. Water: Dail Booth, Water Superintendent
A. Phase I Water Meter Change Out – Budget Amendment
In Fiscal Year 2022, the Board approved funds to begin changing out approximately 15,000 meters across the County’s water system. The first phase of this project included the James City area, primarily focusing on meters located in the active 1-42 construction zones. Due to supply chain issues, the project was delayed and not completed by June 30. As such, staff is requesting to roll over $394,307 remaining from last year’s budget in order to finish out the work in this fiscal year.
The Board will be requested to approve a budget amendment, shown in the following document, in the amount of in the amount of $394,307.
Board Action: Approve budget amendment in the amount of $394,307. A roll call vote is needed.
B. Phase II Water Meter Change Out- Budget Amendment
As programmed in the County’s 5-year Capital Improvement Plan, we continue the water meter change out project with Phase II. This phase will remain focused on additional routes in the same high traffic areas as Phase I. The replacement of current water meters will provide multiple benefits for citizens, such as increased accuracy of readings, less delays in billing, and quicker notification of leak detection. Additional benefits also include reduced water loss for the County while providing enhanced customer service.
The Board will be requested to approve a budget amendment, shown in the following document, in the amount of $1,193,500, to install approximately 2,400 meters.
Board Action: Approve budget amendment in the amount of $1,193,500. A roll call vote is needed.
6. APPOINTMENTS
A. Pending
Craven County Planning Board
Havelock Board of Adjustment (ETJ) (document follows) Highway 70 Corridor Committee
Volunteer Agricultural District (District 6)
B. Current
Nursing Home Advisory
-Linda Lelli seeks reappointment
Craven County Clean Sweep
-Tom Glasgow seeks reappointment
C. Upcoming – Terms expiring September
Juvenile Crime Prevention Council
-Tracy Monk
Board Action: Appointments will be effective immediately, unless otherwise specified.
7. COUNTY ATTORNEY’S REPORT – Arey Grady
A. Initial Offer to Purchase Real Property – 5491 Adams Creek Road (Parcel 5-020-001)
The County has received an offer in the amount of $3,000 for this real property, which was acquired through a tax foreclosure, with past due taxes and costs of foreclosure totaling $2,612.42. The tax value of this property is $16,000. Copies of the Offer to Purchase, Foreclosure Deed, GIS information, and proposed resolution approving the offer and authorizing the upset bid process are shown in the following documents.
Should the Board of Commissioners approve this transaction, the proposed resolution (shown in the following document) should be adopted, which will in turn authorize advertisement for upset bids. Once the upset bid process is concluded, this transaction will be brought back before the Board of Commissioners for final approval.
Board Action: Adopt resolution approving transaction and authorizing upset bid process.
B. Approval of Conveyance After Expiration of Upset Bid Period – 5200 Adams Creek Road (Parcel 5-021-036)
The County previously received and approved an offer to purchase this real property, in the amount of $3,500, subject to the completion of the upset bid process. The offer was advertised, and there were no upset bids, the final bid being $3,500. The upset bid period has now expired, and the County Attorney recommends approval of the conveyance at the purchase price of $3,500. The County originally acquired this property through a tax foreclosure, with past due taxes and costs of foreclosure totaling $2,612.41. The tax value of this property is $16,000.
Should the Board of Commissioners authorize this transaction, the resolution, shown in the following document, should be adopted, which in turn will authorize the execution and delivery of the necessary documents.
Board Action: Adopt resolution approving conveyance after expiration of upset bid period.
8. COUNTY MANANGER’S REPORT: Jack Veit
9. COMMISSIONERS’ REPORTS
Submitted by Alison Newcombe