Nov 21, 2023, 11:12 AM by Jon Soles

The following is a summary of the Board of Commissioners meeting, which was held Nov. 20, 2023, at 6:45 p.m. in Room 118 of the Judge E. Maurice Braswell Cumberland County Courthouse.

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The following is a summary of the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners meeting, which was held Nov. 20, 2023, at 6:45 p.m. in Room 118 of the Judge E. Maurice Braswell Cumberland County Courthouse.

The Board received a report from Fayetteville-Cumberland Youth Council members Aminata Morgan, a junior at Terry Sanford High School, and Skylar McDonald, a junior at Cumberland International Early College, on program activities. Commissioners presented certificates of appreciation to both students for their participation in the program.

The Board recognized Cumberland County native Bill “Fatback” Curtis for his contributions to music. Curtis, who grew up in Fayetteville and graduated from E.E. Smith High School, was inducted into the 2023 Class of the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame. He formed his funk disco band, The Fatback Band, in 1970. The band released the first recorded rap song “King Tim III,” which is widely regarded as one of the first ever commercial rap singles earmarking the beginning of recorded hip hop music. He also was a producer, launching the Fatback label, releasing approximately 50 albums over his career.

Commissioners recognized Miss Fayetteville Rachel Townsend and Miss Fayetteville Teen Hayden Pearson. Townsend, who attended the meeting, is a Fayetteville native who works at Fayetteville State University. She said her social impact initiative is financial literacy and one of her key goals is working to build the financial status of Fayetteville and Cumberland County.

Commissioners recognized retired Cumberland County employee Maura Laney who retired from the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office on June 30, 2023 after more than 19 years with the County. Laney was given a plaque of appreciation for her service to Cumberland County.

The Board recognized the Budget and Performance Department for receiving the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) for the County’s Fiscal Year 2024 Budget. This is the first time Cumberland County has received this award in more than 20 years. Budget and Performance Department staff recognized include Department Director Deborah Shaw, Senior Budget & Management Analyst Denise Urban, Senior Budget & Management Analyst Kelly Autry, Budget & Management Analyst II Ashley Brewington and Budget & Management Analyst I Gathany Smith.

Cumberland Community Foundation (CCF) President/CEO Mary Holmes and staff gave a presentation on the organization and CCF’s 2023 Giving Tuesday campaign. CCF was established in 1980 and has assets totaling more than $123 million. Holmes said last year the foundation received $13.1 million in gifts and provided $9.5 million in grants and scholarships. She said the organization received 5,331 gifts last year ranging from $5 to $3 million. She said the charitable purpose of each gift is determined by the donor and 100 percent of every gift goes into the fund selected by the donor. Last year, the foundation awarded $640,500 in scholarships. Holmes said scholarships are available starting in December and encouraged interested students to visit the CCF website at cumberlandcf.org and click on “Scholarships”.

CCF Donor Services Manager Maddie Kellogg gave an update on CCF’s 2023 Giving Tuesday campaign. Giving Tuesday will be Nov. 28, 2023, and the CCF campaign will run from Nov. 20 to 29. During that time, CCF will provide $550,000 in matching funds for donations made to the 79 participating nonprofit organizations. To donate, go to cumberlandcf.org or call 910-483-4449. Kellogg shared that in 2022, almost $2.4 million was raised with $1.8 million from donations and $575,000 in matches provided. To be eligible to receive funding, organizations must be 501(c)3 public charities based in Cumberland County who have received a grant from CCF within the past five years.

The Board unanimously approved the following items as part of the CONSENT AGENDA, unless otherwise noted below.

1. Approval of Onsite Fuel Supply Contract for Solid Waste
2. Approval of Property Acquisition Services Contract for Public Utilities Division
3. Approval of Landfill Gas System Expansion for Cell 9 Contract For Solid Waste
4. Approval of Resolution Opposing the EPA's Authorization of Chemours' GenX Shipment to Fayetteville Works Plant
5. Approval to Pay Prior Year Invoices
6. Approval to Pay Prior Year Invoices and Associated Budget Ordinance Amendment B#240123
7. Approval of Proposed Additions to the State's Secondary Road System
8. Approval of Proclamation Recognizing Bill Curtis
9. Approval of Proclamation Proclaiming December 2023 as National Impaired Driving Prevention Month
10. Approval of Proclamation Proclaiming November 28, 2023 as Giving Tuesday in Cumberland County
11. Approval of Budget Ordinance Amendments for the November 20, 2023 Board of Commissioners' Agenda
12. Approval of Cumberland County Board of Commissioners Agenda Session Items
    1. Fayetteville-Cumberland Parks & Recreation FY 2024 District Capital Park Improvement Project Requests
    2. Request to Add RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) Vaccine to the Fee Schedule and Establish a fee for the Covid Vaccine and Covid Administration
    3. Contract for Health Care Delivery Services at the Detention Center
    4. Medicaid Expansion Local Plan
    5. Application and Enforcement of County’s Abandoned, Nuisance and Junked Motor Vehicles Ordinance in Municipalities
    6. Application and Enforcement of County’s Minimum Housing and Nonresidential Building Code in Municipalities
    7. Zoning Ordinance Amendment to Regulate the Location of Businesses Selling Tobacco and Hemp Products as Their Principal Sales

The Board held PUBLIC HEARINGS on the following items:

Rezoning Cases

1. Case ZON-23-0022 – Rezoning from C1(P) Planned Local Business District to C2(P) Planned Service and Retail District or to a more restrictive zoning district for 1.1 +/- acres; located at the intersection of Lillington Highway and E. Manchester Road, submitted by M.A.P.S Surveying (Agent) on behalf of Stuart Lewis (Owner). The Board voted unanimously to approve the request.
2. Case ZON-23-0023 – Rezoning from A1 Agricultural District & M1(P)/CUD Planned Light Industrial Conditional Use District to A1 Agricultural District or to a more restrictive zoning district for 2.0 +/- acres; located at 11466 Dunn Rd, submitted by Connor and Brenna Knudsen (Owners). The Board voted unanimously to approve the request.
3. Case ZON-23-0024 – Rezoning from A1 Agricultural District & R40 Residential District to R20 Residential District or to a more restrictive zoning district for 13.16 +/- acres; located East of Chicken Foot Road, North of Rufus Johnson Road, submitted by M.A.P.S Surveying (Applicant) on behalf of JF Johnson Family Farms, LLC (Owner). The Board voted 4-to-3 to approve the request. The vote was 3-to-3, however Commissioner Jeannette Council left the meeting prior to the vote and was counted as voting in the affirmative.
4. Case ZON-23-0025 – Rezoning from A1 Agricultural District to R20 Residential District or to a more restrictive zoning district for 1.0 +/- acres; located off Fennell Road, south of Port Richey Lane, submitted by Tim Evans (Applicant) on behalf of Rockfish Run Land and Development LLC (Owner). The Board voted 5-to-1 to approve the request.

ITEMS OF BUSINESS:

1. Consideration of Amendment to Emergency Watershed Program (EWP) Contract – The Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Program is a recovery effort aimed at relieving imminent hazards to life and property caused by natural disasters. EWP addresses watershed impairments such as: debris clogged waterways, unstable streambanks, and severe erosion jeopardizing public infrastructure. Due to the impacts of Hurricane Florence, Cumberland County is using EWP Funding to help mitigate some of these watershed impairments throughout the county. The County secured funding for this project in the amount of $2,108,982. The County conducted an Invitation for Proposals and on Dec. 19, 2022, the Board of Commissioners approved the bid award to Carolina Cleaning and Restoration, LLC., with a qualifying bid of $910,741. Staff is requesting a contract amendment to increase the contract amount with Carolina Cleaning and Restoration by $35,200 – which includes additional scope totaling $10,200 for Branson Creek from Barcelona to Morganton, as well as landfill fees not to exceed $25,000. The request also extends the contract performance period from July 1 to Dec. 31, 2023. Additionally, staff plans to seek an additional contract amendment to increase the contract amount by an additional $240,339 to include bank stabilization for the Flea Hill area, and to extend the contract performance period until June 30, 2024, to allow time for this additional work to be completed. Staff requests the Board authorize the County Manager to execute the contract amendment for change orders under $300,000 and to extend the contract performance period until June 30, 2024, pending certifications for preaudit and legal sufficiency. The Board voted unanimously to approve the contract amendment and extend the contract performance period to Dec. 31, 2023, but directed staff to confirm the additional contract amendment does not need to be bid before bringing it back to the Board at a future meeting.
2. Consideration of Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for Government Services Parking Deck – Staff is seeking approval of a Request for Qualifications solicitation for a Design-Build Contractor to construct a new parking deck to be located on a portion of the existing surface parking lot behind the rear entrance of the Judge E. Maurice Braswell Cumberland County Courthouse and Cumberland County Law Enforcement Center. The parking deck will replace parking eliminated by the new Crown Event Center and support future parking needs for the Courthouse, Law Enforcement Center and Crown Event Center, as well as future growth around these County facilities. Staff anticipates construction of a six-level, double-ramp parking deck with 1,100 stalls of parking. The estimated project cost is $33M. Upon solicitation and award, staff anticipates project design starting in early 2024 with completion anticipated in mid-2025. Staff recommends the Design-Build construction delivery method, which provides the greatest flexibility to meet the County’s goals and deliver the project within the established timeline. The Board voted unanimously to approve this item.
3. Consideration of NCDOT Request for Resolution Concurring that a Portion of Clay Fork Hill Road (SR2054) Be Abandoned from the State’s Secondary Road System – NCDOT requests the Board submit a resolution if it concurs with NCDOT’s recommendation that a portion of Clay Fork Hill Road (SR2054) be abandoned from the State’s Secondary Road System. The Board voted unanimously to approve this item.

The Board of Commissioners convened as the Gray’s Creek Water and Sewer District Governing Board to consider the following CONSENT AGENDA item, which was approved unanimously:

1. Approval of Property Acquisition Services Contract for Public Utilities Division

After reconvening as the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners, the Board went into CLOSED SESSION to discuss an Economic Development Matter pursuant to NCGS 143-318.11(a)(4).

Meetings are streamed live on CCNC-TV though the County’s website at cumberlandcountync.gov, YouTube Channel and on CCNCTV Spectrum Channel 5. They are also archived on the County’s YouTube Channel following the meeting. All associated documents to this meeting can be found on the Cumberland County website to include meeting agendas, minutes and links to the videos under the Board of Commissioners tab.

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