MINUTES  REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING OFTHE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS INTHE COMMISSIONERS ROOM, COUNTY. ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING MEETING CALLED TO ORDER BY CHAIRMAN LEONARD WIGGINS AT7:001 P.M. MEMBERS PRESENT: Mr. Leonard Wiggins, Chairman, Mr. Donald Boswell, Mr. William Wooten, Mrs. Evelyn Powell, Mrs. Viola Harris and Rev. E. Wayne Hines. OTHERS PRESENT: Mr. Ericl Evans, County Manager, Mr. Michael Peters, County  OF EDGECOMBE COUNTY DECEMBER 3, 2018 AT7:001 P.M. TARBORO, NORTH CAROLINA  MEMBERS ABSENT: Mr.. Jonathan Felton, Vice-Chairman. Attorney, and Ms. Frangie Mungo, Clerk to thel Board.  2. 3. 4.  PRAYER.  Rev. Hines provided thej prayer.  MIINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS PRESENTED FOR APPROVAL. Mr. Boswell seconded the motion, which carried by unanimous vote. Commissioners, Rev. Hines, Mr. Boswell andI Mr. Wooten.  Mr. Wooten moved to approve the minutes of the November 5, 2018 meeting as presented. Honorable Carol Allen White, Clerk of Court, administered the oath of office to re-elected Mr. Wiggins turned the Chair over tol Mr. Peters for the purpose of electing officers for Rev. Hines nominated Mr. Wiggins. There being no other nominations Rev. Hines moved to approve the nomination of Mr. Wiggins as Chairman of thel Board. Mrs. Powell seconded Mr. Wiggins thanked the Board of Commissioners for their continued support.  SWEARING IN CEREMONY. ELECTIONOFOFFICERS-2019. Board of Commissioners Chairman the motion, which carried by unanimous vote. Board of Commissioners Vice-Chairman  2019.  Mr. Boswell nominated Mr. Felton. There being no other nominations Mr. Boswell moved to approve the nomination of Mr. Felton as Vice-Chairman of the Board. Rev. Hines 1.N Mr. Wiggins called aj public hearing to order to receive citizen comments or questions regarding the consideration to close aj portion of College Road (SR 1403).  seconded the motion, which carried by unanimous vote.  PUBLICI HEARING.  Mr. Peters read the public notice as] published.  Mr. Evans started that to accommodate the building of the CSXI Intermodal Rail Terminal, iti is necessary to abandon aj part of College Road (SR 1403). The portion of College Road to be abandoned lies between properties that CSX owns. He stated that at thel Board's September meeting, they started the abandonment process by approvinga petition tot thel NCI Department ofTransportation fors such action. Their Board has since approved that petition and removed that portion of College Road from State maintenance. Thei next stepi is tol hold tonight's public hearing, and, subject toj public feedback, move to close that portion of College Road. Mr. Evans recommended that the Board approve the Mr. Wiggins called for public comment. There being none the public hearing was Mr. Wooten moved to approve the resolution to close aj portion of SRI 1403/College Road. A. Jeff DeBellis, Director of Economic Development and Policy Analysis at North Carolina  resolution to close aj portion of SR1403/College: Road.  adjourned.  Rev. Hines seconded the motion, which carried by unanimous vote.  7. SCHEDULED APPOINTMENTS.    Department of Commerce, provided aj presentation.  Mr. Evans introduced Mr. DeBellis and stated that he will bej providing aj presentation focusing on thel labor market, job opportunities and workforce developmenti in Edgecombe County. Mr. Evans stated that this has been at topic that has been ani interest of thel Board and also considering the new jobs that are going tol be created. Mr. Jeff DeBellis provided information on Workforce Statistics for Edgecombe County  int the following areas:.  Labor market and economy Long period ofl high unemployment Shrinking labor force Population declining and getting older Workforce declining and getting older More commuting out for primary. jobs Declining jobs inl Edgecombe County Projections of future employment Potential mplications Future is up to us  Mostj jobs in Edgecombe County belong to residents of other counties Declining employment opportunities inl Edgecombe County Good paying jobs are harder to findi in Edgecombe County  New businesses coming impacting future employment projections  Continue toj push economic development  After his presentation, Mr. DeBellis answered questions from the Board. B. Tyronda Whitaker, Regional Ombudsman UCP-COG. Area Agency on Aging,was Ms. Whitaker explained that a Long Term Care Ombudsman is a patient advocate. She advocates for approximately 3,649 residents across the five county area. Herei in Edgecombe County wel have 5201 long term care beds, which are concentrated. into the skill nursing facilities. An Ombudsman's jobi is toj provide advocacy for the residents, make suret their rights arel being upheld, make sure they are being treated with dignity and respect, make sure they are receiving the services they are paying for, and make sure that any complaints that they cannot work out with the facility they will call the Ms. Whitaker stated that an Ombudsman is also tasked with managing Community Advisory Committees (CAC). Edgecombe County has two CACs comprised of private citizens who volunteer and are appointed by the Commissioners tol be regional Ombudsman. They are trained by her and other Ombudsman. Edgecombe County has been fortunate tol have volunteers who have been on committees for 15 to 27 years. She stated that when youl have that type of longevity you runi intoi issues such as aging and volunteers almost in rehab need or nursing home needs themselves and the committees become! lacking. She stated that here presence was toj plead the case tol have more long term care volunteers appointed to the committees. She stated that the Adult Care Home Committee has totally dwindled down to zero and they have been unsuccessful in trying to recruit members. Ms. Whitakers stated that the Nursing Home Committee: is different. It has quite ai few members who have maintained their membership. They participate and do everything thati is required of them. Ms. Whitaker suggested the combining of the two committees that will visit both types of facilities. They meet once a quarter and visit thei facilities. The visits are not friendly visits, strict protocol is followed. They go through training prior to goingi into thei facilities. She also suggested the recruitment of atl least7t to 10 additional members to the committee so that there  present to discuss Adult Care Home Committee membership.  ombudsman who will go in: a do the complaint resolution.  won'tl be ani issue with visits ifai member is out for any reason. Ms. Whitakers answered questions from the Board.  Mr. Evans stated that the combining of the committees as recommended would certainly help with recruiting members. He stated that the. Board will have to take action on this. With the consensus of thel Board Mr. Wiggins asked Mr. Evans to bring a new structure for the committee back to the Board that will support Ms. Whitaker's recommendations. Mr. Wiggins suggested to the Board that they look for members that might want to serve.  -2-    8.  PUBLIC PETITIONS.  Mr. Trey Lewis, Regional Representative with the Office of Senator Thom' Tillis, came forth tol bring greetings from Senator Tillis to the] Board of Commissioners. Mr. Lewis stated that hei is also an Edgecombe County resident and felt that itl had to be noted that he believes in numbers and he believes numbers are factual, but numbers don't tell the whole story. He stated that hel has the nineteen northeastern counties for Senator Tillis, fifteen being tier one counties, and he brags on Edgecombe County, the work that is being done in Edgecombe County, the recruitment from the Board and from the Economic Development agencies. There is al lot of enthusiasm. The Senator and his office is aware ofit. He stated that he is really excited about the things that are happening in this Edgecombe County. He thanked the Board for their work and ask them not to hesitate to reach out to him or the Senator's  office and they willl help anyway they can. OTHER BUSINESS: A. Approval budget amendments.  9.  Mrs. Harris moved to approve the budget amendments as presented. Mrs. Powell Mr. Evans presented for thel Board's consideration the. Joint Cooperative Agreement for participation in the Down East Home Consortium (DEHC). This agreement is for a three-year period running from July of this year through June of 2021. Edgecombe County is able to receive federal HOME funds by being a part of the DEHC. HOME funds provide for housing and community development activities for low-income families. Typically, the HOME funds we receive are used for housing rehabilitation projects. We participate along with the City of Rocky Mount (lead entity), and several other municipalities in the Twin Counties region. Nash County has recently withdrawn from participating. Allocations vary from year to year depending on federal allocation formulas, but typically we and the towns in Edgecombe County receive around $100,000 Mrs. Harris moved to approve the agreement as presented. Mr. Boswell seconded the Mr. Evans stated that Edgecombe Courity is a sponsor of the Rocky Mount-Wilson Airport, along with Nash County, Wilson County, Rocky Mount and Wilson. This airport has a 7,100 ft. runway with a terminal, 7 box hangers, and 24 based aircraft. In 2017, there were: 29,840 operations at the airport, which are take-offs and landings. Thes staff and Board oft the airport have determined that iti is critical that the runway and taxiway pavement be repaired immediately. The condition of the pavement is growing more difficult toj patch and repair, and could soon become unsafe for use. The total cost of the project is $14,700,000. Mr. Evans stated that they have secured $13,320,000 in grants from the Federal Aviation Administration and the NC DOT-Aviation Division. These funding sources require a 10% local match, which they are requesting of the sponsors. The amount requested of each of the three counties is $211,458. With the timing of the project, this could be spread over the current fiscal year ($116,744) and next fiscal year ($94,714). Considering the importance of this airport to our region, the critical need of this project, and the opportunity afforded to us by way of the funding secured, he recommended that the Board approves the commitment of the funding, including thel budget amendment to appropriate $116,744 in the current fiscal year. This action should be contingent on the others sponsors approving the amount requested. Mr. Wooten moved to approve the commitment of the funding and the budget amendment as presented contingent on the other sponsors approving the amount requested. Mrs. Harris seconded the motion, which carried by unanimous vote. D. Approval ofa contract amendment for] Kingsboro Infrastructure Proiect. Mr. Evans stated that we received grant funding to extend infrastructure onto Kingsboro. Industrial Park from the Golden LEAF Foundation and the NCI Department of Commerce. In June, thel Board approved the selection ofT.A. Loving for a contract totaling $4,403,208.75 to extend water and sewer to the site. Since then, the NC Department of Commerce has approved an additional $540,000 to extend water and sewer onsite to Corning's facility. The Wooten Company has designed the additional work toi incorporate iti into the existing contract with' T.A Loving. However, the contract needs tol be amended by way of change order. This willi increase the contract by  seconded the motion, which carried by unanimous vote. B. Approval of Down) East Home Consortium Agreement.  per: year.  motion, which carried by unanimous vote.  C. Approval of funding of the Rocky Mount-Wilson Airport paving project.  3 -    $528,065. This will: also add sixty (60) days to the completion date. Mr. Evans recommended that the Board first accept the grant award from) NC Commerce and approve thel budget amendment. And in a separate action approve change order #1 for thel Kingsborol Infrastructure contract with' T.A.] Loving Company. Mr. Boswell moved to approve the acceptance of the grant award from NC Commerce and the associated budget amendment. Mrs. Harris seconded the motion, which carried Mr. Boswell: moved to approve change order #1 for thel Kingsboro Infrastructure contract with T.A.] Loving Company. Mrs. Powell seconded the motion, which carried by E. Approval of Contract Amendment #2 forl Kingsboro Infrastructure Project. Mr. Evans stated that to accommodate the' Triangle' Tire project, NCI Department of Transportation will be widening thei roadway at the intersection of Harts Milll Run and US64Alt. This] project will require an additional water inter-connection between an existing 8-inch and a new 16-inch water line not currently called for in the contract with T.A.Loving Company. Therefore, a change order is needed. Mr. Evans stated that we believe NCI Dot will cover the: additional $28,946.16 in costs. Waiting for funding approval from) NC Dot and bringing this to thel Board in. January would further delay the project. Therefore, he requested that the Board consider approving change order #2 to the contract with' T.A.Loving Company contingent upon NC DOT approving the Mr. Boswell moved to approve contract amendment #2 to the contract with T.A. Loving Company contingent upon NCDOT approving the additional funding. Mrs. Powell Mr.1 Evans stated that our goal ini making fee recommendations to thel Board is to make sure thei fees cover the cost of the service without being overly burdensome to our customers. We: attempt to do sol by considering the actual costs to us, as well as comparing our fees with thosei in surrounding counties. Upon review of our Solid Waste fee schedule he realized that our tipping fee for asbestos is significantly higher than that ofl landfills in thes surrounding area. Oursi is set at $140 per ton while other landfills are much lower (Nash $48; Halifax $55.32; Wilson $100; and EJEI landfill = $95.00). Mr. Evans recommended that we reduce the tipping fee for asbestos to $75.00 per ton, which is the average of the fee in those landfills surveyed. Mrs. Harris moved to amendment the Solid Waste fee schedule as presented. Mr. Boswell seconded thei motion, which carried by unanimous vote. Approval of an agreement with Vocational Rehabilitation Services. Mr. Evans stated that annually the County enters into an agreement with thel NC Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services to assist eligible individuals in gaining employment. These services include counseling, training, education, transportation, job placement, assistive technology, and other support services. For those services, the County provides matching funds, which for FY2019 willl be $20,007 (already included in the approved budget). He stated that the County also provide office space for theirs staff Mrs. Powell moved to approve the agreement as presented and authorize the Chairman to execute the same. Mrs. Harris seconded the motion, which carried by unanimous H. Approval of adopting the amendments to the County Management Records Retention Mr. Evans stated that per North Carolina General Statute, the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, Division of archives and Records is responsible for determining which public records must be retained and for how long. They do so by publishing, and periodically amending a Records Retention Schedule. He recommended that the Board Mrs.] Powell moved to approve the Records Retention Schedule amendment as presented.  by unanimous vote. unanimous vote.  additional funding.  seconded the motion, which carried by unanimous vote. Approval of an amendment to the Solid Waste fee schedule.  and recommended approval of the agreement.  vote.  and) Disposition Schedule.  approve the latest schedule update.  Mrs. Harris seconded the motion, which carried by unanimous vote.    . Approval of a Resolution in Support of Juvenile Crime Prevention Council Allocation Mr. Evans presented for the Board's consideration a resolution to support ani increase in State funding to the Juvenile Crime Prevention program. The juvenile age is set to be raised in North Carolina toi include 16 and 17 year olds. In order to accommodate that change, considerably more funding needs to be allocated to the juvenile justice system, especially to the juvenile crime prevention program. He stated that our Juvenile Crime Prevention Council has been successful in funding organizations that provide a continuum of services for court-involved and at-risk juveniles. However, it will become increasingly challenging, if not nearly impossible, to maintain that success if the funding for these programs does not increase proportionately to the increase in number of youth Mr. Boswell moved to approve the resolution as presented. Mrs. Powell seconded the  Expansion.  needing those services.  motion, which carried by unanimous vote. A. Edgecombe County Rescue Board.  10. APPOINTMENTS.  Rev.1 Hines moved to re-appoint Mr. Donald Boswell and Mr. Charlie Harrell. Mrs. Mrs. Harris moved to approve the afterlists and releases as presented. Mrs. Powell seconded Mr. Wooten moved to approve the contracts as presented. Rev. Hines seconded the motion, A. Approval of calling for a public hearing at the, January 7.2019 meeting to considera Mr. Evans stated that SunEnergy Systems has a Special Use Permit submitted fora a proposed solar energy project. It will be 1,471 acres located on Harts Milll Run road. The SUP willl be reviewed by thel Planning Board at their meeting this month. Itwill then need to Mr.] Boswell moved to call for aj public hearing that the. January 7, 20191 Board of Commissioners meeting. Rev. Hines seconded the motion, which carried by unanimous vote.  Powell seconded the motion, which carried by unanimous vote.  11. AFTERLISTS. ANDI RELEASES FOR REVIEW AND APPROVAL.  the motion, which carried by unanimous vote. 12. CONTRACTS] FOR] REVIEWIAPPROVAL which carried by unanimous vote.  SUPPLEMENTAL, AGENDA.  proposed Special Usel Permit request from SunEnergy. comel before the Board with aj public hearing.  13. DEPARTMENTAL: REPORTS FOR REVIEW. ***Received***  A. Water Services. B.F Financial Summary Report. C.Hurricane recovery update. D. Midlakes Mobile Home Park update. 14. MAMAGERSREPORI-"Reseived": A. Workforce Indicators. B. Animal Welfare Advisory Council update. Education Center, Kingsborol Road. a.m. - 10 a.m., Rose Hill Conference Center  C.Farm City Breakfast, December 6, 2018, 7:30: a.m., East Carolina Agriculture and D. Rocky Mount. Area Chamber of Commerce Economic Summit, December 12, 2018,8:00 Mr. Boswell stated that hel had a conversation with] Mr. Evan after he was approached by some people at the dump site the day after Thanksgiving andi iti is al headache. He mentioned the possibility of using stickers toi identify residents. Mr. Boswell stated that hel hears the same thing every time, that we: are dumping other people's trash. He stated that they are going to report tol himi in black and white on paper what they need and what they would] like Mrs.) Harris stated that she willl be going to thel Legislative Goals in January. Ifthe County has anything they think we need to present tot the General Assembly as a goal make sure  15. COMMISSIONERS REPORT.  tos see. Soi it will be: ani issue coming down thej pipe.  they get it tol her.  5-    16. ATTORNEY'S) REPORT. 17. CLOSED SESSION.  None.  Mr. Wooten moved to goi into closed session to discuss economic development and a personnel matter. Mr. Boswell seconded the motion, which carried by unanimous vote. Mrs.] Harris moved to go out of closed session and resume the regular meeting. Mrs. Powell Mrs. Harris moved to approve the selection of Mr. Michael Peters as the full time attorney for the County. Rev. Hines seconded the motion, which carried by unanimous vote. Mr. Wooten moved to approve the employment contract between the County and the Attorney (Michael Peters) as presented. Rev. Hines seconded the motion, which carried by Mr. Evans explained thei information in the notebooks delivered by the Sheriff tol Board 18. MR. WOOTEN MOVED TO ADJOURN THE MEETING UNTLANUAR/Z2PAT 7:00] P.M. MRS.] FOWELLSECONDED THE MOTION, WHICH CARRIEDI BY  seconded the motion, which carried by unanimous vote.  unanimous vote.  regarding the costs of raising salaries  UNANIMOUS VOTE. Approved. January" 7, 2019.  Frangie  sy he  -6-