LEE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS DENNIS WICKER CIVIC CENTER CONFERENCE SECTION 1801 NASHS STREET SANFORD, NC 27330 December 14, 2023 MINUTES  Roll Call Taylor Vorbeck Absent: Robert Reives CALL TO ORDER and resumed at 6:15 p.m. LEGISLATIVE UPDATES  Present: Dr. Andre Knecht, Cameron Sharpe, Kirk Smith, Bill Carver, Mark Lovick,  Chairman Kirk Smith called the meeting to order at 5:43 p.m., then led the Board and meeting attendees in an invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance. The meeting was paused for dinner  DINNER  Updates from State and Federal Legislators  Chairman Smith asked the legislators and their representatives to provide legislative updates concerning Lee County, the region, and the State. Sam Shumate, Southeast Regional Director for U.S. Senator Ted Budd said Senator Budd helped allocate $865 million to North Carolina for our military. Mr. Shumate advised that the Senator's office willa assist with project grant applications and offer a letter of support and phone call to State staff to advocate for the project ift the County notifies their office. Senator Budd's office has regional caseworkers to assist with IRS, social security, postal service issues,  Medicare, veterans, and more.    Senator Jim Burgin encouraged the County to look into Senator Tom Tillis' grants. The N.C. State Senators each received a special appropriation, and Senator Burgin was allotted $2 million. He divided that by the population he serves and allocated $550,000 to Lee County. Senator Burgin advised that since Medicaid expansion began on December 1,2 2023, 273,000 people were automatically enrolled and 39,000 prescriptions were filled within the first 30 days. Central Carolina Hospital received a large sum of money from Medicaid expansion due to 1.2 billion being allocated to hospitals throughout North Carolina. Medicaid expansion brings $40 million per month to North Carolina. Senator Burgin is also working on LME/MCO consolidation and the State Health Plan and will Representative John Sauls is serving his sixth term in the N.C. State House and is on the following committees: commerce, ethics, energy and public utilities, education- community colleges, andi finance. He and Senator Burgin have been working together to obtain financial assistance for their represented areas. In our area, allocations have been made as follows: $ 281 million in the State budget for the Raleigh Executive Jetport; $10.6 million for the Central Carolina Community College's E. Eugene Moore Center (with al hope for future increments when VinFast arrives); $5 million fora a sewer line for the Tramway Fire Department and Grace Christian School; $200,000 for Temple Theatre; $305,000 for the women's shelter; $53 million to run sewer from Pittsboro to Sanford; and $50,000 to the Boys & Girls Club. Rep. Sauls noted several legislative accompishments, including school calendar flexibility, expanding K-12 professional development opportunities, requiring U.S history and government courses for graduation, eliminating four-year college degree requirements, lowering income taxes to 4.6% to 4.25%, a 4% COLA for state retirees, and 9% increase to bus drivers. Commissioner Cameron Sharpe asked about the State Health Plan changing from Blue Cross Blue Shield to Aetna for retirees. Senator Burgin said the Treasurer had to put the contract out to bid and Aetna's plan showed savings over the five-year agreement. He noted 600 people were hired to handle the transition and there are 750,000 on the State Health Plan. The Aetna contract was signed, but there is some litigation occurring. Chairman Smith said the Town of Broadway has reached its water capacity and will cost $53 million for the town to connect to Sanford's water system. The Watson Lake Dami is going to cost $3 million to bring up to standard. Rep. Sauls said he talked to Mayor Don Andrews and had put a request in for the dam, buti it did not get funded. The legislators County Manager Lisa Minter addressed Senator Burgin's $550,000 allocation to the County for this year's budget. The Senator also considered allocating to the County the $100,000 that was granted to Central Carolina Hospital and $ 95,000 that was granted to Veterans Harbor that the entities have not used from the 2023 OSBM Grants. The Senator asked staff to prepare ideas for County use of the funds, a copy of which is attached and incorporated into these minutes. Ms. Minter said staff will be coming to the Board in. January with a plan on how the County can spend these funds.  lead Medicaid joint committee meetings.  plan to continue working on the request.  Commissioner. Andre Knecht arrived at 6:25, p.m.  BRIDGING GAPS    R.E.N.E.W.  County Manager Lisa Minter introduced the County's new R.E.N.E.W. program, which is composed of multiple initiatives aimed at specific needs within the community. Ms Pre- Trial Services Coordinator Autumn Smith gave a presentation explaining the program and current services, assisted by Assistant County Manager of Governmental Support Angelina Noel. A copy the presentation is attached andi incorporated into these minutes. Senator Burgin asked ift the Second Chance Program and MAT were going to be tied into the R.E.N.E.WF Program. Ms. Smith and Ms. Noel said the Re-entry Services Coordinator looks into all possible grants and that MATV will be addressed further in the opioid initiative. The County Attorney has recommended consideration of a drug court. Chairman Smith called a recess until tomorrow, December 15, at 8:00a.m. The  RENEW Presentation.pdf Board recessed at 7:31 p.m.  Kirk/Smith, Chairhan  Kipinke  Lee County Board of Commissioners  ATTEST:  tuluy All Hailey Hall, Clerkt to the Board  COUN BEE    7 2 - a  3    S U  I    E 2  a    @ S  a    3 a    I  6 - 5  - H R a  1 -    NORTHCAROLINA, LEE COUNTY Presented for registrationo ont this. J2"bay ha.mALA-AnV recorded in Book 3Lo Pagelo79 Pamela G. Bit, Register ofDeeds