BY CHAR MORRISON | CityView Staff
Cumberland County’s Board of Commissioners on Monday heard updates on the newly launched American Rescue Plan and special projects dashboards, denied term extensions for members of a citizen advisory board, and made other board nominations.
Commissioner W. Marshall Faircloth was absent from the morning meeting. Commissioner Jeanette Council, who arrived late, missed a few votes on agenda approval and consent agenda approval.
American Rescue Plan Act & Special Project Dashboards Presentation
- What happened: Commissioners heard a presentation on the new American Rescue Plan & Special Project Dashboards, launching today on the Cumberland County official website.
- Why it matters: The new dashboards allow citizens to see what American Rescue Plan Act funds have been used, what funds are left unused, and what the funds have been used for in Cumberland County. There will also be two additional dashboards for the small business assistance program, and Fayetteville Technical Community College’s H.O.P.E Re-connect program, an adult learner initiative for county residents who don’t have a college degree. A new tab will also be added for county residents to access the information under the “Departments” menu listing on the county website.
Civic Center Commission term extension denied
- What happened: Commissioners voted 4-2 to deny term extensions for the members of the county’s Civic Center Commission. Those members oversee the Crown Center and its operations, and the extension would have allowed them to remain as members on the board until the new Crown Event Center’s anticipated completion date of November 2025. County Commissioner Jimmy Keefe was strongly in favor of approving the extension, citing the work the Civic Center Commission has already done for the new Crown Center. Commissioners Keefe and Jeanette Council voted against denying the term extension, while Commissioners Boose, Adams, Jones and Stewart voted in favor of the denial.
- Why it matters: Almost all appointed boards in Cumberland County have term limits of two consecutive terms, with three years each.
2024 Commissioner meeting dates approved
- What happened: Commissioners voted unanimously to set dates for the board’s meetings and agenda sessions for 2024. Two regular meetings in January were moved to the following Tuesdays because they fell on New Year’s Day and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day holidays. All other meetings will be on the first and third Mondays of each month with the exception of July, when the board does not meet. One agenda session in August was also shifted because it conflicted with the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners annual conference.
Nominations for Transportation Advisory Board, Local Emergency Planning Committee and Alliance Health Board
- What happened: Commissioners nominated the following individuals to the county’s Transportation Advisory Board:
- Tyffany Neal as the Urban Transit Provider Representative
- Kristina Clifton as the Sheltered Workshop Director or Designee
- Rawls Howard to be reappointed as the County Planning Department Director or Designee
- Ashley Patterson to be reappointed as the County DSS Director or Designee
- The board serves as a liaison between citizens of Cumberland County and the Community Transportation Program for the county
- Robert L Gowin and Greg Phillips were nominated for reappointment to the Emergency Planning Committee, which serves as a liaison to help Cumberland communities develop emergency plans
- Heather Skeens was nominated to the Alliance Health Board, which serves as a health care provider for people who are uninsured or are on Medicaid
- Why it matters: Each of the nominees were recommended by their respective boards, and include both new nominees and those to be reappointed for a second term.
- What’s next: As the next step in the process, commissioners will vote Nov. 20 on whether to approve the nominees.
Appointments for Library Board of Trustees
- What happened: Commissioners voted 5-1 to appoint nominees Dennis Cedzo and Pamela Story to the Library Board of Trustees. The board is in charge of programs, policies and regulations for Cumberland County Libraries. Commissioners Boose, Keefe, Adams, Jones and Stewart voted in favor of the nominees. Commissioner Council was opposed to both..
- Why it matters: The two nominees appointed will serve on the board of trustees for their second terms until 2028, when both individuals will become ineligible to serve again.
Public hearing on closure of a portion of King Road
- What happened: Property owners along a part of King Road — already taken out of the N.C. Dept. of Transit system — have petitioned commissioners to officially close the road so they can sell the property to a third party. No speakers were present for the public hearing, and commissioners voted unanimously to close the road.
Consent Agenda
- What happened: Commissioners voted unanimously to approve this session's consent agenda.
- Why it matters: The agenda approves funding for improvements to 911 call centers, budget amendments and a proclamation in support of Operation Green Light, as well as some budget amendments discussed at previous meetings.
Read the full agenda here.
The meeting ended with a closed session to discuss personnel matters and property acquisition. The next commissioners meeting will be at 6:45 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 20, at the Judge E. Maurice Braswell Cumberland County Courthouse. An agenda session is also scheduled at 1 p.m. on Thursday.
Contact Char Morrison at cmorrison@cityviewnc.com.
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