Local News

Durham Board of County Commissioners Regular Session Highlights from April 24, 2023

@SpectacularMag

Durham, N.C. – The Durham Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) met on Monday, April 24, 2023, in Regular Session. Meetings are held in person with a hybrid option, inside the BOCC Chambers, located at 200 E. Main Street on the second floor.

Chair Brenda Howerton called the meeting to order.

All attendees were led by Commissioner Nimasheena Burns in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

Agenda Adjustments:

Announcements: Monica Wallace, Clerk to the Board read the announcements.

  1. DCoDPH COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic Hours – The COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic at the Durham County Department of Public Health is open for your walk-in vaccination doses on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Closed 12-1 p.m.) The clinic is closed on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and weekends. Visit www.dcopublichealth.org/COVIDVaccines for more information.
  2. Durham Local Reentry Council Resource Fair – April is Second Chance Month, and the Durham Local Reentry Council will hold a Resources Fair at the Criminal Justice Resource Center at 326 E. Main St. on Wednesday, April 26 from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Come out and meet and hear from and about employers, health/wellness providers, housing provider, supportive services, food bank and voting right.
  3. Durham Dementia Community Event – Come out on Saturday, April 29 to the Durham Dementia Community Event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Durham County Human Services Building, 414 E. Main St. The keynote address will be from Jay Reinstein, who is living well with early onset dementia. The event is free, and lunch will be served. Registration is required by calling 984-287-9399 or visiting: https://bit.ly/DementiaEventDCo
  4. Carolina Flyers Home Opener on April 29th – The Carolina Flyers Ultimate Frisbee team hosts its home opener against the D.C. Breeze on Saturday, April 29 at Durham County Memorial Stadium. Gates open at 5 p.m. and the game starts at 6 p.m. Tickets are $12 for adults and free for kids 12 and under. Tickets can be purchased at https://theaudl.com/flyers/ticket
  5. Briggs Ave. Community Garden Spring Plant Sale – Join the Durham County Cooperative Extension Master Gardener volunteers at the Briggs Ave Community Garden Annual Spring Plant Sale on Saturday, April 29 from 10 am – 2 pm at 1598 S. Briggs Ave. We will be selling a variety of tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, eggplant, peppers (hot and sweet), herbs, okra, fruit (watermelons, strawberries, cantaloupe), and flowers. Free parking alongside the road or in the parking lot across the street. All proceeds go directly to the community garden. For additional information, please contact Gaebryl Vives at 919-560-0526 or gvives@dconc.gov.
  6. Annual Pond Clinic on May 6th – The Durham and Orange County Soil and Water Conservation Districts are holding their annual Pond Clinic on Saturday, May 6 from 9 am – 1 pm at Cornwallis Farm. Join us to learn all about pond maintenance and construction, wildlife management, fish production, and aquatic weeds (bring yours to be identified), as well as a shock boat demonstration at the conclusion of the clinic. Register by April 29th by calling the Durham County SWCD at 919-560-0558 or the Orange County SWCD at 919-245-2750. Free lunch is provided for all participants.
  7. Durham PreK Applications for 2023-24 are Open – Haven’t applied for pre-k yet? The Durham PreK application for the 2023-2024 school year is open and can be found on www.durhamprek.org. All children in Durham County who will turn 4 years old on or by August 31, 2023, are eligible. Please visit the website mentioned or call 1-833-773-5338 for more information.
Additional Commissioners Comments:

 New Department of Social Services Director Maggie Cveticanan was introduced and spoke about how excited; she and her family are to be in Durham.

National Fentanyl Awareness Day is May 9th. For questions or more information email info@fentanylawarenessday.org

The Durham Family Justice Center’s ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Monday, and its grand opening is Tuesday. This new center is designed to help victims of sexual, family, domestic violence, and human trafficking better navigate the legal process. The phone number is (919) 403-9562.

Durham County Library Fest is April 24-29.  A weeklong celebration including authors, performers, literature, art, music, and so much more!

Durham County joined Guilford County in a successful Black Maternal Health Conference last weekend. The event was held to share information about this critical public health topic and to build awareness, around lived experiences of Black mothers and healthcare.  Governor Roy Cooper proclaimed Black Maternal Health Week to highlight this critical issue.

At the Annual Meeting of the NC Association of County Clerks, Clerk to the Board Monica Wallace became a North Carolina Master County Clerk and was also sworn in as a member of the Board of Directors of the organization.

Deputy Clerk to the Board Macio Carlton also became a North Carolina Certified County Clerk at the group’s annual meeting.  Congratulations to them both!

Minutes:

Commissioners approved the minutes of April 3, 2023, Work Session.

Ceremonial Items:

Proclamation – National Therapy Animal Day – The Board proclaimed April 30, 2023, as National Therapy Animal Day in Durham County. There is a growing body of research that demonstrates the wide variety of ways in which therapy animals can make a difference in our lives. They improve mental wellness by decreasing fear, anxiety, loneliness, and isolation.  Pet Partners Therapy Animal teams volunteer throughout Durham in a variety of settings including hospitals, schools, and assisted living facilities. Ellen Vogel, a community member and Volunteer of the Therapy Animal received the proclamation and made comments.

Read the proclamation here.

Consent Agenda:

Commissioners approved the following items. See full agenda for complete details: 

  1. Authorize the County Manager to enter into a contract with Motorola Solutions in the amount of $44,182.64 and approve subsequent contract amendments not to exceed a total cost of $50,000
  2. Contract approvals for American Rescue Plan Act Community Grants awarded in RFP Category 1: Capacity Building and Technical Assistance for Child Care totaling $1,050,500
  3. Budget Ordinance Amendment No. 23BCC00086 Public Health to recognize $5,000 from Delta Dental Foundation for the Emerging Smiles Dental Assistance Program
  4. Approve Budget Ordinance Amendment No. 23BCC00087 Cooperative Extension to appropriate $15,690 in General Fund fund balance to create a 4H FTE to implement the Juntos 4-H youth program in Durham County
  5. Budget Ordinance Amendment No. 23BCC00085 appropriates $167,400 of the General Fund fund balance to the Durham County Sheriff’s Office to purchase meal preparation and life safety equipment
  6. 2022 Community Child Protection Team (CCPT) & Child Fatality Prevention Team (CFPT) Annual Report
  7. Contract approvals for American Rescue Plan Act Community Grants Awarded in RFP Category 2: Expanding Access to Affordable Child Care, totaling $2,050,500
  8. Contract approvals for American Rescue Plan Act Community Grants Awarded in RFP Category 4: Improving Child and Family Social-Emotional and Mental Health Children Ages 13-24, totaling $625,000
  9. Contract approvals for American Rescue Plan Act Community Grants Awarded in RFP Category 5: Youth Initiatives and Enrichment Opportunities, totaling $1,551,000
  10. Contract approvals for American Rescue Plan Act Community Grants Awarded in RFP Category 7: Crime Interventions, totaling $225,000
  11. Contract approvals for American Rescue Plan Act Community Grants Awarded in RFP Category 3: Improving Child and Family Social-Emotional and Mental Health Children Ages 0-12, totaling $1,180,000
Public Hearing:

Commissioners conducted a public hearing and received public comments on the following:

  1. Ordinance to amend the Durham Unified Development Ordinance provisions regulating open space, utility, and solid waste collection facilities, and screening to require pet waste receptacles. Commissioners voted to adopt an ordinance amending the Durham Unified Development Ordinance standards in sections Open Space (Section 7.2), Utility and Solid Waste Collection Facilities (Section 7.6), and Screening (Section 9.7) to include requirements for pet waste receptacles. And adopted the appropriate consistency statement as required per NCGS § 160D-605.
  2. Zoning map change – Leesville Storage.  Commissioners voted to approve the zoning map change and adopted the appropriate statement of consistency.
Other Business:

Commissioners considered the following item:

  1. Durham County Adverse Childhood Experiences and Resilience presentation by Jess Bousquette, Program Director
Item(s) pulled from the Consent Agenda:

None

Board and Commission Appointments:

County Commissioners made appointments to the following Boards and Commissions:

  1. Durham County Hospital Corporation Board of Trustees -Whitney Stanley, Charles Cooperberg, Philip Fong, Federico Manon, Mashael Al-Hegelan
  2. Historic Preservation Commission – Kenneth Webb
  3. Juvenile Crime Prevention Council – Postponed for more applicants

Congratulations to all the appointees.

Adjournment:

The Board adjourned the meeting at 9:09 p.m.

Board meetings are cablecast live and rebroadcast on Durham Television Network (DTN) on Spectrum Channel 8. Replays are available on DTN along with AT&T U-verse Channel 99 and Frontier Communications Channel 70. Meetings can also be viewed on the County’s YouTube channel. To view the agendas and recordings of the BOCC’s Regular Session meetings, visit the BOCC’s Website.

The next hybrid Regular Session is scheduled for Monday, May 8, 2023, inside the Commissioners’ Chambers on the second floor at 200 E. Main Street. The County Manager will present her recommended budget at that meeting.

For more information about BOCC meetings, contact the Clerk to the Board’s Office at (919) 560-0025 or email clerk@dconc.gov.