With biscuits and coffee in hand, the Cumberland County commissioners on Monday morning handed the county’s representatives in the General Assembly a list of funding priorities that one lawmaker tallied at $151 million.
The board met with the legislative delegation at 8:30 a.m. in the Department of Social Service conference room off Ramsey Street.
Lawmakers attending were Republican Rep. Diane Wheatley and Democratic Reps. Charles Smith and Frances Jackson, as well as Republican Sen. Tom McInnis and Democratic Sen. Val Applewhite. Democratic Rep. Marvin Lucas did not attend.
The delegation met on Friday with the Fayetteville City Council and reportedly will meet with the Cumberland County Board of Education at a later date.
Topping the list for hoped-for funding from the General Assembly are public water service for the Gray’s Creek Water District; mental health; school construction; landfill expansion; environmental health; and homelessness and affordable housing.
The county is looking to develop a public water system to remedy chemical contamination in the Gray’s Creek community’s private well water. The county estimates the total cost for the system at about $130 million.
The first phase of constructing the system — according to Commissioners Vice Chairman Glenn Adams, who briefed the legislators — is identifying a groundwater supply, building a distribution system, and developing a water source. The distribution system would cost about $27.8 million, and developing a water source would cost another $35.5 million for a total of $63.3 million.
Adams said the county already has some of the money: $10 million from the federal American Rescue Plan Act; $10 million in the county’s capital improvement budget; $1 million from Cumberland County Schools; and — hopefully —- $15 million from potential grants.
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The county asked the delegation for $27 million to develop a source of water for the entire Gray’s Creek Water District. Adams also asked the lawmakers to work toward ensuring that rural communities with contaminated wells and without access to public water systems have the first shot at getting part of the $62 million in federal infrastructure funding coming to North Carolina.
“The $27 million will get us water. That’s the ‘ask for,’” Adams said.
The priority is to get clean water to Alderman Road and Gray’s Creek elementary schools.
The board also asked the state to boost funding and support for behavioral health services and facilities to help with a growing mental health crisis. Commissioners specifically asked for support for a child crisis center for ages 4 to 17, citing an increase in youths who need placements.
The 24-hour crisis center, according to Adams, would serve children in Cumberland and surrounding counties. It would alleviate having to send children to other parts of the state or even out of state for treatment. Adams said the board is asking for $16 million.
The county also wants more funding for mental health professionals in the 911 call center and for social workers at the public library.
The board next asked for money for a new E.E. Smith High School, which was built in the 1950s. County and school system officials want to build a 255,000-square-foot building to serve 1,600 students, including students from nearby Fort Bragg. The county estimates the cost at about $100 million, which is based on comparisons with comparable schools in North Carolina.
Adams said since the U.S. Department of Defense does not build high schools, Fort Bragg has been involved in discussions about a new E.E. Smith. Adams said the county has been unsuccessful with two grant applications for construction funding and that federal aid to offset the cost of enrolling military dependents in local schools has been steadily declining.
Next on the wish list was $7.7 million to expand the county landfill, which is set to run out of room in seven years. The money would pay for the initial costs of engineering and permitting the relocation of the waste; stream and wetland permits; and other environmental mitigation efforts. Construction would cost another $13 million.
A long-term solution for increasing capacity at the landfill is to acquire city-owned property, referred to as Milan Yard. Getting that land from the city would extend the life of the landfill to 50 years.
Sen. McInnis asked board members why the county does not have access to Milan Yard.
“Because they won’t give it to us,” Adams responded, adding that the county and city are still negotiating over the 67 acres.
Asked how those talks are proceeding, city of Fayetteville spokesman Loren Bymer provided a statement attributed to Mayor Mitch Colvin: “The city continues to explore the options concerning Milan Yard acquisition by Cumberland County. We want to ensure the acquisition of the land is not only beneficial for the county and city but more importantly for the Fayetteville residents in the immediate vicinity of the land. We look forward to future discussions with county leadership.”
Ironically, Adams noted, the biggest user of the county landfill is the city of Fayetteville.
The commissioners also cited a need for help providing services to the homeless and building affordable housing. Board Chairwoman Toni Stewart thanked the delegation for the $1 million the county has already received for a homeless shelter.
The county recently completed a site analysis for the shelter, but the location has not been disclosed. The county will undertake a feasibility study to determine the size of the shelter and services it will provide to determine final construction costs.
Other issues the board brought to the lawmakers’ attention included:
General government
Health and human services
Public safety