FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The following is a summary of the Oct. 10, 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.

Commissioner Veronica Jones led the invocation and Pledge of Allegiance.

Heather Skeens, Assistant County Manager for Community Support, and Jermaine Walker, Director of Engineering and Infrastructure, provided the Board with an update on the Homeless Support Center project. Skeens provided an overview of the project and actions taken to date including receiving extensive feedback through internal staff and various committee meetings, as well as a community meeting that was held on Sept. 9, 2024. The project team also toured similar types of facilities in other counties. Skeens shared feedback received from the engagement process along with a preliminary building program for the approximately 45,000 square foot facility with space for roughly 157 beds. She said once a contract is approved with the selected Construction Manager-at-Risk (CMaR) for the project, Barr & Barr and McFarland Construction, the CMaR will put together a cost estimate for the recommended program. Walker gave an update on the site, which is located on Hawley Lane and is adjacent to the former Pauline Jones Elementary School, which is currently used by Fayetteville Technical Community College (FTCC) as an Education Center. The County plans to partner with FTCC to provide programming for unhoused residents using the facility. Commissioners directed staff to coordinate with FTCC to determine which elements of the building program could be located in the Education Center prior to bringing a proposed building program and cost estimate back to the Board.

Jermaine Walker, Director of Engineering & Infrastructure, presented the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Community Rating System (CRS) Annual Recertification Progress Report. Cumberland County participates in the CRS, which enables property owners who are required to have flood insurance to receive discounted insurance premium rates. Cumberland County currently has a class rating of 8 which allows property owners to receive a 10% discount off their insurance premiums for policies within the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA). As part of the annual recertification process, the County is required to provide an update on each action item related to floodplain management outlined within the Cumberland County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan, and to present this progress report to the governing board. More information can be found at cumberlandcountync.gov/emergencyservices/emergency-management/mitigation. The Board voted unanimously to move this item to the Oct. 21, 2024 Regular Meeting for approval as a consent agenda item.

The Board voted unanimously to move the following items to the Oct. 21, 2024, Regular Meeting to be approved as part of the CONSENT AGENDA, unless otherwise noted:

1. One-Time Stipend for Employees: County Manager, Clarence Grier, presented. During the FY25 budget process, a Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) was not recommended because the County had completed the class and compensation study in October 2023. Based on the results of the FY24 audit and the preliminary fund balance, Grier recommended a one-time stipend for employees as part of the FY25 budget. The stipend would be provided to employees who are on the County’s payroll in an active status as of July 1, 2024, and who remain active until the stipend is paid. Grier said 2,008 employees meet the criteria as of September 27. Grier recommended providing employee stipends in the following percentages based on an employee’s salary:
   • Employees earning between $0 and $50,000 would receive a 5.25% stipend
   • Employees earning between $50,000 and $100,000 would receive a 4% stipend
   • Employees earning between $100,000 and $150,000 would receive a 3% stipend
   • Employees earning between $150,000 and $200,000 would receive a 2.75% stipend
   • Employees earning more than $200,000 would receive a 2.5% stipend

   Grier estimated the total cost of the one-time stipend with salaries and benefits would be $6,001,620 with a net cost of $5,021,531 based on reimbursements for Child Support and the Department of Social Services. Grier recommended paying the stipends in the first paycheck in November.

2. Radio Tower Lease Agreement with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services - Division of Forest Services: Brian Haney, Assistant County Manager for General Government and Stewardship, presented. The NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services - Division of Forest Services wishes to renew an existing agreement for radio antennae space on the tower located atop 109 Bradford Avenue, a County owned facility. This serves as a benefit to the County and fire departments that need to communicate directly with local NC Forest Service staff. The agreement would be for three years from August 1, 2024 to July 31, 2027 at a cost of $10 for the entire three-year term.
3. Service Agreement with Smith Gardner, Inc. for Leachate Management Services: Amanda Bader, General Manager of Natural Resources, presented. On March 18, 2024, the Board selected Smith Gardner, Inc. to provide solid waste water quality services to assist the County with the design on leachate, surface water, groundwater, and stormwater collection and treatment system improvements, monitoring, sampling, testing, reporting, and permitting. Bader requested approval of a Service Agreement, which includes the preparation of a list of SCADA points, bidding assistance, and oversight of SCADA installation and set-up. The agreement is for up to $75,000 and runs through June 30, 2025.
4. Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for Asset Management and Financial Plan for NORCRESS: Amanda Bader, General Manager of Natural Resources, presented. On August 28, 2024, the Cumberland County Public Utilities Division advertised for a consultant to assist with engineering services for Northern Cumberland Regional Sewer System better known as NORCRESS. Two firms responded and staff recommend the selection of Freese and Nichols, Inc. to provide an Asset Management and Financial Plan for NORCRESS.
5. Intent to Lease Real Property at 1066 Wade-Stedman Road for a Solid Waste Container Site: Amanda Bader, General Manager of Natural Resources, presented. The Solid Waste Department operates a container site at 1066 Wade-Stedman Road in Stedman. The current lease agreement expired May 22, 2024. The property owners have agreed to renew the lease for an additional five-year term at a total cost of $6,000 with the option to renegotiate a new lease at the end of this period. The new lease would run through May 22, 2029.
6. Resolution Authorizing Conveyance of Electronic Surplus Property to a Nonprofit Organization: Keith Todd, Chief Innovation and Technology Services Director, presented. Cumberland County owns electronic “surplus” items which have exceeded their useful life or are obsolete and no longer serve the needs of the county. These items include desktop computers, laptop computers, tablets, lcd monitors, and peripherals (mice, keyboards, hard drives, ram, CPUs). North Carolina General Statute 160a-280 authorizes a city or county to dispose of personal property by conveyance to a nonprofit corporation if the governing board deems the property to be surplus, obsolete, or unused. Cumberland County has identified an organization to provide tools that bridge the digital divide by collecting, refurbishing, and awarding computers to students and families. Kramden Institute has extensive experience working with North Carolina local governments to provide such services. Since 2003, Kramden has collected, refurbished, and awarded more than 53,000 computers to disadvantaged students and communities across North Carolina.
7. Ordinance Regulating Vaping on County Property: Rick Moorefield, County Attorney, presented. The proposed ordinance would prohibit vaping in county buildings and on county property, except those facilities which are under the operational control of the Civic Center Commission and the Fayetteville Cumberland Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission. The Civic Center Commission requested that the vaping ordinance give it the authority to regulate vaping on the facilities for which it has responsibility, as was done previously in the smoking ordinance.

Commissioners received the following MONTHLY REPORTS in their agenda packet:

1. Financial Report
2. Health Insurance Update
3. Quarterly Community Development Update
4. Grants Update
5. Project Updates

The Board went into CLOSED SESSION to discuss an Attorney Client Matter pursuant to NCGS 143-318.11(a)(3) and a Real Estate Matter pursuant to NCGS 143-318.11(a)(5).

The Board adjourned the meeting at 2:41 p.m.

Meetings are live streamed on CCNC-TV though the County’s website at cumberlandcountync.gov, YouTube Channel and on CCNCTV Spectrum Channel 5. All documents associated with 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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