FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The following is a summary of the Jan. 9, 2025, 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.

Chairman Kirk deViere asked for a moment of silence to honor the life of the late President Jimmy Carter.

Commissioner Glenn Adams gave the invocation and led the Pledge of Allegiance.

The Board heard the following PRESENTATIONS:

A. Fiscal Year-Ended June 30, 2024, Audit Results Presentation by Cherry Bekaert LLP: April Adams, CPA and Audit Partner with Cherry Bekaert LLP, along with Robin Koonce, Cumberland County Finance Director/Chief Financial Officer, presented the audit results for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2024. The audit was submitted timely to the Local Government Commission on Friday, Dec. 13, 2024. Adams noted the County received an unmodified opinion, which is “the highest level of assurance we can give you as an audit firm that your financial statements are free from material misstatement.” An electronic version of Cumberland County's Annual Comprehensive Financial Report can be found on the County’s website. The Board unanimously accepted the audit and it will be presented again at the Regular Board meeting on Jan. 21, 2025.

B. USI Health Insurance Plan Update by Ed Boardman: Ed Boardman, USI Broker, and Brian Haney, Assistant County Manager, provided an initial update on the county’s health insurance plan, including financials, market trends, and several items for decision related to the FY2026 plan renewal. The presentation was for informational purposes and feedback, and the Board will receive further updates in Feb. and March, prior to being asked to approve the benefits plan for FY2026.

C. Fayetteville-Cumberland Parks and Recreation Indirect Costs: Michael Gibson, Fayetteville-Cumberland Parks and Recreation Director, presented information regarding a request to adjust the amount the County pays the City of Fayetteville in indirect costs related to operation of the Parks and Recreation program in the County District. Mr. Gibson provided some historical information about the County and City consolidation of Parks and Recreation services to form a Recreation District. Commissioners asked several questions regarding how the proposed indirect cost allocation method was calculated and voted to move the discussion to the Board’s Finance Committee for further review and a recommendation.

D. County Historic Architectural Survey: Trey Smith, Comprehensive Planning Manager, and Carolyn Gimbal, Architectural Historian with JMT, presented. In Nov. 2021, Cumberland County was awarded $90,000 from the Emergency Supplemental Historic Preservation Fund (ESHPF) through the NC Historic Preservation Office for an architectural survey of county historical resources. Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson, Inc. (JMT) was contracted to complete the survey. The survey area included Cumberland County’s unincorporated areas, along with municipalities that did not already have their own architectural survey on file. These included Eastover, Falcon, Godwin, Linden, Spring Lake, Stedman, and Wade. JMT’s survey effort resulted in a total of 413 identified sites from both Phase I and Phase II, spread throughout both unincorporated Cumberland County and the municipalities within the study area. Gimbal provided a summary of the survey, which was included in the Board’s agenda packet.

The Board voted unanimously to move the following items to the Jan. 21, 2025, Regular Meeting to be approved as part of the CONSENT AGENDA, unless otherwise noted:

A. Logos for Miller's Brew at Café West: Faith Phillips, Assistant County Manager and Library Director, presented. Cumberland County is partnering with Miller’s Brew to open a coffee shop in an existing café space at West Regional Library. The coffee shop will provide paid employment and job training opportunities for young adults with special needs. A grand opening is anticipated in Feb. 2025. Phillips presented three logo options for consideration, incorporating both County and Miller’s Brew branding. The Board provided feedback and requested additional options to be presented at a future meeting.  

B. Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for Engineering Services for Sewer Projects: Amanda Lee, General Manager for Natural Resources, presented. On Dec. 5, 2024, the Cumberland County Public Utilities Division invited qualified engineering firms that are experienced with a variety of design, preliminary engineering reports, construction, and administration of sanitary sewer projects to submit a Request for Qualifications (RFQ). Two firms responded and Meyers Engineering, PLLC was recommended as the best qualified firm for the project. The Board voted unanimously to move this item to the Jan. 21, 2025 regular meeting consent agenda pending review of RFQ scoring panel’s rating system.

C. Gray's Creek Infrastructure - Stopgap Measure for Gray's Creek and Alderman Elementary Schools: Amanda Lee, General Manager for Natural Resources, presented. On Dec. 10, 2024, the County Commissioners directed the County Manager and staff to investigate, and present, deep well water infrastructure at Gray’s Creek Elementary and Alderman Elementary schools and determine the estimated cost, projected timeline and any other impacts for providing water to the schools as an interim measure until a public water main is constructed. Mary Brice with HDR, the County’s engineering consultant, presented information on three options for providing PFAS-free water at Gray’s Creek Elementary and Alderman Elementary schools with groundwater as a water source.

• Option 1 – Maintain Existing Wells and Add Point-of-Use Water Treatment: 2 – 4-month timeline with a cost of $90,000 - $115,000.

• Option 2 - Maintain Existing Wells and Add Point-of-Entry Water Treatment: 7 –11- month timeline with a cost of $200,000 - $245,000

• Option 3 - Install Deep (Bedrock) Wells: 7 – 11-month timeline with a cost of $275,000 - $325,000

Commissioners requested additional information and voted to refer the item to the Board’s Infrastructure Committee for additional review and a recommendation.

D. Authorization to Transfer Funds to White Flag Shelter Program: Tye Vaught, Chief of Staff, presented. The White Flag Assistance Program provides emergency shelter and essential services to vulnerable populations during extreme weather conditions. Staff requested the Board's authorization to transfer $80,000 from the Nonprofit Assistance Fund (ARP freed-up capacity) to the White Flag Assistance Program to help fund services for the remainder of the winter season. Sufficient available funds exist in the Nonprofit Assistance project to cover this expense without affecting existing obligations.

E. Adoption of Policy Prohibiting Viewing or Saving Pornography on County Government Networks and Devices: Rick Moorefield, County Attorney, presented. The General Assembly enacted a new statute, N.C. Gen. Stat. § 143-805, in Session Law 2024-26, which requires local governments to adopt a policy prohibiting employees, elected officials, and appointees from viewing pornography on county government networks and devices. The statute requires the policy state the disciplinary action to betaken for a violation of the policy. For this reason, the County Attorney advised the policy include disciplinary action for violations and be incorporated into the County's personnel ordinance.

F. Grant of 30’ Utility Easement to South River Electric Membership Corporation: Rick Moorefield, County Attorney, presented. South River Electric Membership Corporation (SREMC) requested a utility easement 30’ in width for the construction of overhead electric powerlines running along the eastern boundary of the property on which Gray’s Creek Middle School is located. The easement runs from Clifton McNeil Road to the terminus of the right of way of Celebration Dr. The Board of Education deeded the property to the county incident to the issuance of a refinancing through the 2017 Series Limited Obligation Bonds. It is leased to and managed by the Board of Education for all purposes. The Board voted unanimously to move this item to a regular meeting for approval as a consent item, pending approval by the Cumberland County Board of Education.

The following COMMITTEE REPORTS were presented:

A. ARPA Quarterly Project and Expenditure Report as of Dec. 31, 2024

Commissioners received the following MONTHLY REPORTS in their agenda packet:

A. Financial Report

B. Health Insurance Update

C. Quarterly Community Development Update

D. Grants Update

E. Project Updates

The Board discussed the following COMMISSIONER REQUESTS:

A. Boards and Commissions Nomination and Appointment Process: Chairman Kirk deViere initiated a discussion on updating the process for nominating and appointing members to boards and commissions. The Board voted unanimously to move this item to the Board’s Policy Committee to prepare an updated policy and procedures for consideration at the Jan. 21, 2025 regular meeting.

B. White Flag Capacity and Expansion of Services: Vice Chairwoman Veronica Jones proposed expanding the White Flag Shelter Program to additional portions of the County to include Spring Lake, West Fayetteville and areas east of the Cape Fear River. The Board voted unanimously to direct staff will present a strategy and estimated cost for expanding services at a future agenda session meeting.

C. Sheriff Deputy Retention and Recruitment: Chairman deViere discussed concerns about staffing shortages in the Cumberland County Detention Center and asked the Board to consider providing targeted bonus pools to recruit and retain detention officers as well as lateral transfers to sworn law enforcement officers, with proposed bonus amounts of $150,000 for detention officers and $200,000 for lateral transfers. The Board voted to refer this item to the Board’s Finance Committee for review and a recommendation.

The Board went into CLOSED SESSION to discuss an Attorney Client Matter pursuant to NCGS143-318.11(a)(3).

The Board adjourned the meeting at 4:26 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.

Cumberland County can be found on social media by searching CCNCGov.