MINUTES  REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS  OF EDGECOMBE COUNTY MAY1,2 2023. AT7:001 P.M. INTHE. JONATHAN FELTON COMMISSIONERS ROOM COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING TARBORO, NORTH CAROLINA  MIEETING CALLED TOORDER BY CHAIRMAN LEONARD WIGGINS AT 7:00 P.M. MEMBERS PRESENT: Mr. Leonard Wiggins, Chairman, Rev. E. Wayne Hines, Vice- Chairman, Mr. Donald Boswell, Mr. George Thorne, Mrs. Evelyn Powell, Mr. Ralph Webb OTHERS PRESENT: Mr. Eric Evans, County Manager, Mrs. Natalie Bess, Deputy County Manager, Mr. Michael Peters, County Attorney and Ms. Frangie Mungo, Clerk to  and Mrs. Viola Harris. MEMBERS ABSENT: None.  the Board.  2. 3. 4. 5.  SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS. Safety instructions provided by Mrs. Bess. Prayer provided byl Rev. Hines.  PRAYER.  MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING PRESENTED FOR APPROVAL. Mr. Webb moved to approve the minutes of the April3,2 2023 meeting as presented. Rev. Hines seconded the motion, which carried by unanimous vote. REV. HINES MOVEDTO RECESSTHE REGULAR BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MEETING ANDI RECONVENE. AS BOARD OFI EQUALIZATION, AND REVIEW.MRS. HARRIS SECONDED THE MOTION, WHICH CARRIED BY UNANIMOUS VOTE.  A. Chairman Wiggins called the meeting to order. C. Consideration of resolution finalizing final values. Mrs.] Lewis read the resolution. motion, which carried by unanimous vote.  B. Scheduled appointments.  Mrs. Tarasa Lewis, Tax Administrator, stated that there were: no appeals for 2023. Mrs. Powell moved to adopt the resolution as presented. Rev. Hines seconded the REV. HINES MOVEDTO ADJOURN AS BOARD OF EQUALIZATION ANDI REVIEW ANDI RECONVENE REGULAR BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MEETING.MR. BOSWELL SECONDED THE MOTION, WHICH CARRIED BY UNANIMOUS VOTE. Gwenda Moore, stated that she was speakingi in reference tol her property at 103 Market Center Drive across the street from Walmart. She stated thats she went to the Division of Highways to: ask them ift they would get the underbrush and trees on the State's side cleared out because she thought that would help the retail of Market Center Drive on that side, which is not growing as rapidly. Shes stated that shel has 4.3: acres of land that would be really nice tol have: a Chick-fil-a, Zaxby's or a sit-down restaurant. She cannot doi it without having help from the County and the' Town. She asked the Board forl help with supporting the fact that that they would to like to see that area cleaned up by making Mrs. Harris askedi ifs shel had approached Town of Tarboro already and if they tried tol help  6. PUBLICI PETITIONS.  phone calls or write al letter.  her.  1    Mrs. Moore stated that she did approach the' Town ofTarboro and they suggested that she Mr. Wiggins stated that he would ask staff to assist if there is anything that the County can Curmilus Dancy, 1271 Midway Lane, Tarboro, P 01 Box 1391, Pinetops, stated that there are people trying to see and hear thel Board meetings and they asked him to tell the Board to talk into the microphones. He stated that he learned about how much money Rocky Mount City Manageri is trying to pay Rocky Mount Police. He stated that it was strange that a locall Police Department would make more than the Sheriff's Office when they cover the whole County. He stated he realize that thel Board could not match the $60,000, but should  talk to the Division of Highways.  do.  do something to bring them up closer to that. A. Approval of budget amendments.  7. OTHER BUSINESS:  Mr. Evans provided explanations on budget amendments 1-4a that required Board Mr. Evans stated that regarding budget amendment #4a from Sheriff. Atkinson, requesting to move: some funds from retirement, salaries and a few other lines to move in lines that willi fall short before the end of the fiscal year. He stated that thel last three lines, Capital Outlay and salaries, he is movingi into tol be able toj purchase two vehicles and 151 body cameras. Mr. Evans stated that Sheriff. Atkinson is also requesting Mr. Thorne stated that budget amendment 4ai is al large budget amendment to be received on the day of the meeting. He asked for further explanation.  approval.  extraordinary pay.  Mr. Evans provided further explanation. provided by Sheriff Atkinson.  There was further discussion and questions from the Board and further explanation Mrs. Harris moved to approve budget amendments 1-4a as presented. Mr. Boswell  seconded the motion, which carried by unanimous vote. B. Approval of] Bad) Debt' Write-off from the] Health Department.  Mr. Evans stated that the Edgecombe County Health Department's Bad Debt Write Off Policy states that aj patient's account will bel handled asl Bad Debt when therel has been no activity on the account for more than six months. This does not mean that there will bei noi further efforts to collect the debt. In fact, if therei is any new activity on the account, for example the patient presents at the Health Department for services, then the account is reactivated. This action is an accounting method whereas the written off Mr. Boswell moved to approve as recommended by the Human Services Board. Mrs. Harris seconded the motion, which carried by unanimous vote. Approval of Franchise Agreement for Non-Emergency Medical Transport. Mr. Evans stated that Bertie. Ambulance Service DBA Eastern Medical Transport has submitted a franchise agreement to provide ambulance transportation in Edgecombe County. Bertie. Ambulance Service is currently managed by Carol Atkins. Currently Bertie Ambulance Service has the capability toj provide wheel-chair van and ambulance transportation. They currently service many of our surrounding counties and is well established as has a great track record. Edgecombe County could benefit from having another non-emergency ambulance transportation servicer to help meet the high  debt nol longer shows on our books as a receivable.  2    demand of transporting our bed confined patients to themi in and out of county doctor's appointments, local hospital discharges, and routine recurring care appointments such as dialysis. Currently Edgecombe County EMS non-emergency division is maximizing all opportunities to transport patients. However, the demand is now beyond our capability to manage particularly considering our continuity of emergency call Mr. Boswell moved to approve the franchise agreement as presented. Mrs. Powell  responses.  seconded the motion, which carried by unanimous vote. D. Approval of] Recreation Mini-Grant Awards.  Mr. Evans stated that the Recreation Mini-grant program was created to offer grants of up to $2,000 each to community-based. organizations that provide recreational facilities and/or activities. The review committee met on April 4th to discuss and rank the fifteen proposals received. Each proposal was rated based on the project description, timeline, area served, number of individuals served, duration of thej program, budget and feasibility, and the capacity of the organization. The committee recommends the ten projects in the amounts listed in the attached document to receive funding. Mrs. Powell moved to approve the grant awards as presented and to authorize the Manager to execute the agreements. Mr. Thorne seconded the motion, which carried Mr. Evans stated that NC General Statutes requires thel Board to designate by resolution staff who will serve as our mapping and land records Review Officer as well as Alternate Review Officers. Presented for thel Board's consideration a Resolution to designate G. Ray Wilson, our GIS Coordinator, as our Review Officer, and' Tarasa Lewis, Kaitlin Keel, Katina Braswell, and P. Bryan McIntyre as Alternate Review Rev. Hines moved to: approve the resolution as presented. Mr. Boswell seconded the Mrs. Harris moved to approve the resolution as presented. Mrs. Powell seconded the Mr. Boswell moved to approve as presented. Mrs. Powell seconded the motion, which Mr. Evans stated that thel Board recently approved adding a Community Paramedic position to our Pay Plan. This position willj provide community-based healthcare with a focus on opioid overdoses. Opioid settlement funds will pay for this potion and its related costs. Since advertising andi interviewing candidates for thej position, staff has recognized the need for two changes. First, staff recommends that the Community Paramedic position bei moved to grade 19 from grade 18. Considering the uniqueness oft the work of this position, and the skilll level and experience needed for the program to bes successful, al higher salary is needed to attract the right person. Secondly, considering that the additional funding we will receive for the second round of opioid settlements will enable us tol hire more than one Community Paramedic in the future, we will need one tol bei in a supervisory role tol better manage the effort in the field. Therefore, itis recommended to add a Community Paramedic Supervisor position at grade 20. Mr. Evans stated that he supports the recommendation of our staff and asked that the Board approve the revised pay plan and Community Paramedic  by unanimous vote.  E. Approval of Resolution Designating al Map Review Officer.  Officers.  motion, which carried by unanimous vote. motion, which carried by unanimous vote.  F. Approval of Resolution Recognizing National Day of] Prayer. G. Approval ofl Natural Gas Fleet and equipment as surplus.  carried by unanimous vote. H. Approval of amendment to thel Pay Plan.  Supervisor, job deseription as presented.  3    Mr. Webb moved to approve the revised pay plan and the job description as presented. Mrs. Powell seconded the motion, which carried by unanimous vote. I. Approval of resolution forl LGC application by the Governing Board of Water and Mr. Boswell moved to recess the meeting of thel Board of Commissioners and convene. at Governing Board of Water and Sewer District 6. Mrs. Powell seconded the motion, Mr. Evans stated that wel havei funds committed from USDA-Rural Development to renovate and improve thes sewer system inl District #6. Thej project includes $2,619,000 inj revenue bonds which must be approvel by the Local Government Commission. Mr. Evans asked the Board approve a resolution that requests the LGC to approve the Mr. Boswell moved to approve thei resolution as presented. Mr. Thorne seconded the Mr. Boswell moved to adjourn as Governing Board of Water and Sewer District 6and resume the regular Board of Commissioners meeting. Mrs. Harris seconded the motion,  Sewer District6.  which carried by unanimous vote.  issuance ofa debt through these revenuel bonds. motion, which carried by unanimous vote. which carried by unanimous vote. APPOINTMENTS. A. Carolinas Gateway Partnership.  Rev.] Hines moved to appoint George Thorne (Public Sector) and to reappoint Richard Anderson (Private Sector). Mrs. Powell seconded the motion, which carried by AFTERLISTS AND] RELEASES FOR] REVIEW AND APPROVAL. Mr. Harris moved to approve the afterlists and releases as presented. Mr. Boswell seconded the motion, which carried by unanimous vote. 10. CONTRACTS FORI REVIEW AND/OR APPROVAL. Mrs. Powell moved to approve the contracts as presented. Mr. Thorne seconded the motion, which carried by unanimous vote. A. Water and Sewer update. B. Monthly Financial Summary. C.Office on Aging- ARPA funded program. D. Sales Taxi report. 12. MANAGER'S) REPORI-"Received" A. Introduction of new Chief] Financial Officer, Linda Barfield. B. Update on upcoming meetings. C. TDA financial report. D. Update on State funding for Broadband. E. Update on County Vision and Strategic Planning.  unanimous vote.  11. DEPARTMENTAL: REPORTS FORI REVIFW,-"Rectived-:  F.Calli for Special Meeting on May 17th at 10: a.m. forl Budget Work Session.  Mr. Boswell moved to call for a Special Meeting onl May 17, 2023 at 10 a.m. Mr. Thorne  seconded the motion, which carried by unanimous vote.  13. COMMISSIONERS REPORT.  Mrs.) Harris asked ift there will be anyi information on thej pay study at thel May 17th Mr. Evans stated that we will haves some information not the full complete study.  meeting.    Mrs. Harris:  NCACC: asked that we utilize thel NDA students they have acquired for any area Shet talked with Mr. Matthews regarding a water tap situation on. Johnson Farms to find out whyi is was taking sol long. She thanked Mr. Matthew for helping her with  that the County needs help in.  Take advantage ofl Risk Management classes offered. Democratic Convention next. Monday night at 61 p.m. Congressional District Convention on May 20th at 9 a.m. at] ECC.  that.  14. ATTORNEYSREPORT 15. CLOSEDSESSION.  None.  Rev. Hines moved to go into closed session to discuss: A. Economic Development. [N.C.G.S. 143-318.11 (a)(4)] Mrs. Powell: seconded the motion, which carried by unanimous vote. seconded the motion, which carried by unanimous vote. THEI MOTION, WHICH CARRIED BY UNANIMOUS VOTE.  Rev. Hines moved to go out of closed session and resume the regular meeting. Mr. Thorne 16. MRS.] POWELL MOVED' TO ADJOURNTHE MEETING. REV.I HINES SECONDED  Approved. June 5,2023. Frangie E  Clerkt Wor  5