The meeting will be held on Sept. 5, 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. CARTS PUBLIC HEARING – CTP GRANT: Kelly Walker-Cuthrell, CARTS Director
The Board will be requested to go into public hearing to receive public comments regarding CARTS’ applications to the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) for the FY2024-2025 5311 Community Transportation Program (CTP) Grant and the Combined Capital Grant. CARTS relies on these grants to assist with the cost of operating public transit services.
Board Action: Receive information
2. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PUBLIC HEARING – NC DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE GRANT: Jeff Wood, Economic Development Director
The Board will be requested to go into public hearing to receive public comments regarding 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.
Board Action: Receive information
3. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PUBLIC HEARING – PROJECT PHANTOM: Jeff Wood
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 go into public hearing to receive public comments regarding this matter.
Board Action: Receive information
4. 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 will have three 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.
5. CONSENT AGENDA
A. Minutes of August 21, 2023 Regular Session
The Board will be requested to approve the Minutes of August 21, 2023 regular session, as shown in the following documents.
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, provided an explanation for the following releases:
Owner – Skyline 81 Globe Investors LLC, Parcel ID 8-001-0-123, 375 S Front Street, New Bern, NC 28560. Appraiser adjusted Tax Year 2023 value from working Tax Year 2023 appeal. Difference in appraised value calculates to release $4,148.01.
Owner – Without Limits Christian Center Inc., Parcel ID 8-216-005, Neuse Blvd, New Bern, NC 28562. Property qualifies for exemption status but was incorrectly omitted for Tax Year 2023. Per NCGS 105-381(1)(a) A tax imposed through clerical error.
Request to release $5,649.80.
C. DSS Share the Warmth Funding (prior year) – Budget Amendment
The Board will be requested to approve funds that were delayed in NC Fast in FY 2022- 2023 for Share the Warmth pledges that have been put in the Social Services budget using state funds to fulfill pledges to the vendors for clients that were deemed eligible.
There is no County match required.
A budget amendment, shown in the following document, in the amount of $6,604 is being presented for approval.
D. Recreation Bench Donation – Budget Amendment
The Craven County Recreation & Parks Department has received a donation in the amount of $1,330 to purchase a bench in honor of a founding member of the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. The bench will be placed at the Rocky Run Park near the playground.
The Board will be requested to approve a budget amendment, shown in the following document, in the amount of $1,330.
E. Military Service Person of the Quarter Resolution
The Board will be requested to adopt the resolution, shown in the following document, recognizing Corporal Maria Villasilva as Military Service Person of the Quarter.
Board Action: A roll call vote is needed to approve the consent agenda items
DEPARTMENTAL MATTERS
6. CARTS: Kelly Walker-Cuthrell
A. Approval to Apply for FY 2024-2025 CTP and Combined Capital Grants
CARTS is requesting to apply to the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) for the FY2024-2025 5311 Community Transportation Program (CTP) Administrative Grant and the 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 is seeking to apply for the entire allocation of $441,820. This funding is broken down as 80% federal, 5% state, and 15% local match. The amount of $441,820 represents 60% of CARTS’ eligible expenses. The other 40% is included in a 5307 Federal Transit Administration (FTA) grant. We are required by NCDOT to maintain the 60% rural and 40% urban split for these expenditures.
The Combined Capital application does not specify into which grants capital projects will be placed. That decision will be made by NCDOT at a later time. CARTS is seeking to apply for two replacement vehicles. The vehicles being replaced have met or exceeded useful life. We are also seeking to apply for four cameras to be used to replace cameras in the event of malfunction. All cameras are out of warranty but have not yet met useful life per federal guidelines. Also in the grant is a six-foot folding table to be used during community outreach events and a portable language translation device that is currently being used by other Craven County human services agencies. Any item with a useful life of more than one year is considered a capital item, per FTA requirements, therefore are included in this capital grant. The Combined Capital grant request totals $211,522. This funding is broken down as 80% federal, 10% state, and 10% local match.
The information is available for review on the CARTS website and at the CARTS office. A copy of the grant application is shown in the following document.
Board Action: Approval to apply for FY2024-2025 NCDOT 5311 Community Transportation Program and Combined Capital grants.
B. Adoption of the Updated Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy
The current CARTS Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy was adopted November 1, 2021, with an effective date of November 2, 2021. As part of the triennial review being conducted by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), CARTS has been instructed to add the sentence “Employees must abide by the terms of this policy as a condition of employment° to the current Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy. Per those instructions, the sentence has been added to the end of the paragraph identified as Section A. Purpose 2).
The only other changes are for grammar and spelling.
CARTS is requesting adoption of the updated Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy to be effective September 6, 2023. All employees to whom this policy applies will be given a copy of the new policy, if adopted.
A copy of the updated Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy is provided in the following document.
Board Action: Adoption of the Updated CARTS Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy with effective date September 6, 2023.
7. Economic Development: Jeff Wood
A. North Carolina Department of Commerce Grant and Budget Amendment
The North Carolina Department of Commerce has awarded Craven County $1,077,694 to construct a road to the Corporate Aerospace Development Area of Coastal Carolina Regional Airport. This investment will open approximately 90 acres of property along the runway assisting the Economic Development Department in attracting the aerospace industry, a target industry for Craven County. This investment follows an earlier announcement of $750,000 from Golden Leaf to extend water and sewer to the same property.
The Board will be requested to approve a budget amendment, shown in the following document, in the amount of $1,077,694.
Board Action: Accept NC Department of Commerce grant and approve budget amendment in the amount of $1,077,694. A roll call vote is needed.
B. Project Phantom – Authorization to Sell Property in CCIP
Pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. § 158-7.1, Craven County (hereinafter “County”) intends to convey for economic development purposes a fee simple interest in a+/- 6.022 acre tract (hereinafter “Tract”) of land (a sketch plan for the Tract is available for inspection in County’s Office of Economic Development), the Tract being a portion of Lot 7 in the Craven County Industrial Park. The value of the Tract is $25,000 an acre, for a total value of $150,550, and the County intends to convey and sell same for such value. The County believes the proposed conveyance will stimulate and stabilize the local economy, result in the creation of a substantial number of new permanent jobs in the County, and result in increased tax revenues to the County.
A copy of the preliminary subdivision map and draft resolution is provided in the following documents.
Board Action: Approve drafted resolution and authorize the County Manager to close on the sale of approximately 6.022 acres of property.
C. Engineering Services Lot 9 & 10 – Budget Amendment
Last fiscal year, the Board of Commissioners awarded an engineering and master planning contract to JMT to assist the Economic Development Department in planning the remaining+/- 50 acres owned by the County in the Craven County Industrial Park. Work during fiscal year 2023 on Lot 9 & 10 has been completed with JMT including a wetland analysis, Army Corp wetland designation and a Phase 1 environmental site assessment completed. JMT has also provided a concept outline of how the property will be subdivided and a road for access to all seven lots. The next phase will be to divide the property and finalize the road design to prepare for a request for proposal for construction. The budget amendment of $131,500 includes funds for JMT to perform the tasks above and funds to allow the County Engineer to purchase documentation packets that allow the County to internally handle putting construction contracts together for the County to go out to bid.
A preliminary map of the subdivision to include lot 9 & 10 is shown in the following document,
The Board will be requested to approve a budget amendment, shown in the following document, in the amount of $131,500.
Board Action: Approve budget amendment in the amount of $131,500. A roll call vote is needed.
D. Economic Development Update
With so much activity within the Department, the Director would like to update the Board on the following items:
-Economic Status of Craven County
-Projects Overview
-Existing Industry Opportunities and Challenges to Overcome
-ENC Tech Bridge
-Future Steps for Sustainable and Smart growth
Board Action: Receive information
8. Airport FAA Grant Funding Approval: Andrew Shorter, Airport Director
The Coastal Carolina Regional Airport Authority has applied for its FY2023 Airport Improvement Program in the amount of $4,866,211. A Craven County signature is required to accept the FAA FY2023 grant for the commercial terminal expansion project and an Air Traffic Control Tower siting study. This grant figure is derived from EWN’s annual FAA entitlement funding formula and an additional $3.492M discretionary allocation for FY23. This grant will be issued to cover the remaining portions of the multi-year terminal expansion and improvement project currently underway. Total project cost is $26,933,981. The control tower siting study will cost $205,207.
The airport is awaiting the formal grant offer and agreement from the FAA. It is expected to be issued to the airport by September 7th. It must be accepted, signed, and returned to the FAA before September 15th.
A copy of the budget summary is shown in the following document.
Board Action: Authorize the Chairman to sign the FAA grant agreement when received.
9. Facilities – Approval of Budget Amendment and Authorization to Purchase Air Handler Unit Replacements for the Craven County-New Bern Library Branch, Gene Hodges, Assistant County Manager
For several years now, Craven County Facilities Department has provided oversight and management of facility maintenance and capital projects for the New Bern, Cove City, and Vanceboro branches of the Craven-Pamlico Library System. Immediately after the events of Hurricane Florence, staff began to notice significant settling issues in the older part of the New Bern branch library. Based on past experience with other facilities, it was decided to contract with the team that the County worked with on the Convention Center. Engineered Foundation Solutions from Durham and Accident Reconstruction Analysis from Raleigh were consulted and provided the attached scan and report of their findings. To facilitate floor repairs is going to take the Library off line for a considerable amount of time and require the replacement of the floor coverings throughout the facility. During any temporary closure, Facilities staff has recommended replacement of the air handler units throughout the facility that have met useful life and have required numerous repairs. One unit in particular is located in the middle of the building and there is the possibility of minor demolition work and reconstruction that will be required to change out this unit.
In anticipation of these needed repairs, Library staff has contracted with the City of New Bern to lease a temporary location to serve the patrons of the New Bern branch. This lease has a term of 1 year and commences on September 15, 2023. Craven County is working with the local representation in the General Assembly in an attempt to obtain a grant to assist in making the repairs needed for the New Bern branch. The estimates to make all the needed repairs is approximately $1 million.
In the current building market, there are significant lead times for commercial grade HVAC equipment. Based on estimates from Piedmont Service Group, the vendor that has provided HVAC services to this location for years, the preliminary cost to replace all 3 air handlers is $328,000 and it will take 6 to 8 months to obtain the equipment. Staff is recommending the Board of Commissioners approve a budget amendment in the amount of $350,000 funded from Capital Reserve. This will enable staff to put this work out for bid and issue a Purchase Order to the approved low bidder so that the equipment can be ordered and put into production as soon as possible.
Staff is available for any questions.
The Board will be requested to approve a budget amendment, as shown in the following document, in the amount of $350,000.
Board Action: Approve a budget amendment in the amount of $350,000 and authorize staff to obtain pricing and issue a purchase order for HVAC equipment for the New Bern branch of the Craven-Pamlico Library. A roll call vote is needed.
10. Appointments
A. Pending:
Coastal Carolina Regional Airport
Craven County Planning Board
Craven Regional Library
Havelock Board of Adjustment (ETJ) (document follows)
Havelock Library
Highway 70 Corridor Committee
Volunteer Agricultural District (District 6)
B. Current:
Juvenile Crime Prevention Council
-Tracy Monk does not seek reappointment
-Applicant Pastor Blake Larson seeks to fill seat vacated by Sharon Logan
C. UPCOMING: Terms Expiring October/November
Adult Care Home Advisory Committee
-Linda Chagnon
Craven County Clean Sweep
-Pat Sager
Fire Tax Commissioner Board
-Charles Dudley (TWP 5 Harlowe)
Juvenile Crime Prevention Council
-Catherine Hansen Billie Mathes
Board Action: Appointments will be effective immediately, unless otherwise specified.
11. County Attorney’s Report: Arey Grady
12. Petition of Citizen’s
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
13. COUNTY MANAGER’S REPORT – Jack Veit
14. COMMISSIONERS’ REPORTS
Submitted By Alison Newcombe