Cumberland County Board of Commissioners officially commits to GenX project with PWC

Cumberland County commissioners officially took the first step in the county’s historic partnership with the Fayetteville Public Works Commission on Monday, unanimously approving a memorandum of understanding with the PWC to build a new water system in Gray’s Creek.

“I would like to thank PWC and [CEO] Tim Bryant for their willingness to partner on this and solve this issue of GenX in the Gray’s Creek community,” said County Manager Clarence Grier. 

The memorandum is between the Gray’s Creek Water and Sewer District, which the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners oversees, and PWC. It states that PWC will fund the cost of providing water to Gray’s Creek and Alderman Road Elementary Schools through money provided to the commission by the N.C. General Assembly, while the county will work to use existing American Rescue Plan Act funds and find other funding sources for the project.

According to the memorandum, the county’s ultimate goal is to bring clean drinking water to other Gen X-afflicted areas, including the Cedar Creek community.

Community development

Interim Community Development Director Tye Vaught presented a draft action plan for project year 2024, which will begin July 1 and run through June 30, 2025.

Vaught said the department, which works to provide affordable housing and development opportunities to Cumberland County, is required by the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development to submit an annual action plan. According to his presentation, the projected budget for the department will be $6.3 million. 

Community Development is requesting $316,995 out of the general fund as part of the county’s upcoming budget, Vaught said.

Besides that, the budget breakdown is as follows:

• $1.4 million in Community Development Block Grant funds from HUD
• $3.5 million in Home Investment Partnerships Program funds from HUD
• $228,152 in funds from the Fayetteville-Cumberland Continuum of Care
• $187,500 in funds from the city of Fayetteville and the county’s joint homelessness initiative ($87,500 provided by the city and $100,000 provided by the county)
• $577,211 in matching for Home Investment Partnerships Program funds

Some of the biggest projected expenses for Community Development over the next year include:

• $555,508 on a housing rehabilitation program
• $3.6 million on affordable housing
• $805,179 on general administration and planning
• $425,652 on homeless services

The final version of the plan will be presented to the board May 6, where commissioners will vote whether to approve it and submit it to HUD.

In other business:

• The board nominated Dr. Michael Jones and Dr. Myron Strickland to be reappointed to the Cape Fear Valley Board of Trustees.
• The board nominated Dr. Ulysses Taylor for appointment to the Fayetteville-Cumberland County Economic Development Corporation.
• The board unanimously approved its consent agenda.

Commissioners Michael Boose, Jeannette Council and Veronica Jones were not present at Monday’s meeting. 

The board’s next regular meeting will be at 9 a.m. May 6 at the Cumberland County courthouse. 

Reporter Lexi Solomon can be reached at lsolomon@cityviewnc.com or 910-423-6500.

This story was made possible by contributions to CityView News Fund, a 501c3 charitable organization committed to an informed democracy.