Durham County Board of County Commissioners Regular Session Highlights from May 22, 2023

Durham, N.C. – The Durham Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) met on Monday, May 22, 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.

Vice Chair Wendy Jacobs 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. World Hunger Day Durham – In recognition of World Hunger Day, Durham County residents are invited to celebrate this important day on Sunday, June 4 from 3 until 6 p.m. at Durham Central Park, 501 Foster Street. The Durham County Cooperative Extension joins with local partners to host a day of friendship, music, arts, and entertainment for the entire family. There will be food trucks, giveaways, free snacks, a bounce house, and more! For more information about World Hunger Day in Durham visit: https://durham.ces.ncsu.edu/event or contact Mary Oxendine at 919-560-9228 or moxendine@dconc.gov.
2. Volunteers Needed for World Hunger Day Durham – Are you service-oriented? The organizers of World Hunger Day Durham are in search of dedicated volunteers to help with this event on Sunday, June 4. Sign up by visiting: https://tinyurl.com/VolunteerWHD23
3. ENRICH Bookkeeping Assistance Pilot Program Application Open – The Greater Durham Black Chamber of Commerce (GDBCC) has partnered with Durham County Government to ensure that Durham is the best place to start and grow a small business. In this partnership, we are working to provide all the assistance an entrepreneur would need to start and build a business. Through feedback from local entrepreneurs, we have learned that one of the most important areas that entrepreneurs need support in is bookkeeping. This bookkeeping assistance pilot program is designed to test our theories on how best to implement a bookkeeping assistance program. This pilot program will be from July 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023. All applications are due by 11:59 p.m. on May 31, 2023. Apply at https://gdbcc.org/enrich
4. “Star Talk” Podcast from DCo Sheriff – The Durham County Sheriff’s Office has started a new podcast! Called “Star Talk,” the DCSO is excited to use this technology to reach out to the Durham County Community. The first edition is available here: https://dcostartalk.podbean.com/
5. Intro to E3 Durham – Are you starting, refining, or building your small business? Connect with a community of entrepreneurs and resources to help push you along. E3 Durham is Funded in part through a Grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration. Join staff on Thursday, May 25 from 4:30 until 5:30 p.m. at Durham County Main Library (Meeting Room #4347). Learn more at https://durhamcountylibrary.libcal.com/event/10627249. Other dates include June 29, July 27, August 31, September 28, and October 26.
6. COVID-19 Vaccines & Take-Home Tests Free at DCo Public Health – The end of the federal Public Health Emergency for COVID-19 means some changes to COVID-19 services and resources will come to the Durham County Department of Public Health. Currently, all COVID-19 vaccines and take-home test pickups remain FREE for all people at the health department (414 E. Main St.) at this time. You may get your vaccine, all doses on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. (Closed 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m.). You can pick up home tests on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. and Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12 until 4 p.m. Visit http://www.dcopublichealth.org/ for more information.
7. Roll Up & Enroll Returns June 10 – Durham PreK’s next Roll Up & Enroll event will be held on Saturday, June 10, from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m., at 2107 Hillandale Rd. There will be games, snacks, a tooth fairy, a resource fair, and much more! Learn more about Durham Pre-K and start your child’s application today at http://www.durhamprek.org/.
8. County Veterans Services to Commemorate Memorial Day- Please join Veteran Services as they host a ceremony honoring America’s military service members on Monday, May 29 at 9 a.m. on the 4th floor of the Durham County Administrative II Building located at 201 E. Main Street. For more information, please email veteranservices@dconc.gov  or call 919-560-8387
9. Most DCo Government Offices Closed on Memorial Day – In recognition of the Memorial Day holiday, most Durham County Government offices will be closed on Monday, May 29, 2023. All offices will reopen with normal business hours on Tuesday, May 30. To see impacts to certain services, go to https://www.dconc.gov/Home/Components/News/News/9579.

Minutes: Commissioners approved the minutes of April 24, 2023, Regular Session.

Ceremonial Items:

1. Proclamation – Emergency Medical Services Week in Durham County – The Board of County Commissioners proclaimed May 21-27, 2023, as EMS Week in Durham County in recognition of the vital services provided by the Durham County Emergency Medical Services System.  Chief Paramedic Mark Lockhart received the Proclamation on behalf of the staff.

Read the proclamation here.

1. Proclamation – Memorial Day 2023 – The Board proclaimed Monday, May 29 as Memorial Day 2023 in honor and in remembrance of Durham County’s 375 known soldiers, sailors, Marines, and airmen who died at war and all those who have died in service to the United States during both peacetime and wartime in defense of our country’s rights, values, and freedoms. Director Lois Harvin- Ravin, Jonathon Crooms, and Linzie Atkins made comments. Read the proclamation here.
2. Resolution – Honoring a Day of Remembrance – The Board approved a resolution that was jointly composed by the Durham Board of Education, Durham City Council, and Durham County Commissioners at the request of Jovonia Lewis, a Board of Education member who raised the idea of the 3 boards collaborating to assist Durham’s young residents who have been facing unprecedented violence, mental illness and who need wellness support in general. Leaders of Durham Public Schools, the City of Durham, and Durham County co-hosted a Day of Remembrance at CCB Plaza on Monday, May 15. The day began with a call to Durham residents to participate in a moment of silence at 10 a.m. The public observance was held to represent a show of unity to support youth safety and wellness, as a remembrance of youth lost to violence, and to demonstrate the collaboration between the three local governing bodies to support our youth. The event included Mayor Elaine O’Neal, Chair Brenda Howerton, and Board of Education Chair Bettina Umstead taking turns reading the resolution. The program also included speeches, spoken word performances by youth, and various remarks by elected officials including Commissioner Nimasheena Burns. Read the resolution here. Commissioners shared their reflections on the Day of Remembrance event.

Consent Agenda: Commissioners considered the following items during the regular session. See full agenda for complete details: 

1. Budget Ordinance Amendment for the Department of Social Services to recognize $5,693,238 from NC PRO to Fund the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP 2.0) for Durham County to provide emergency rental assistance payments on behalf of the Department of Treasury
2. Authorize the County Manager to execute the Reimbursement Agreement for the 300 E. Main St. Affordable Housing Development
3. Bi-Polar Ionization for Detention Center HVAC System
4. Budget Ordinance Amendment for the Durham County Department of Social Services to recognize funds for $38,528 in Distribution of Share the Light Funds (STL) to assist Durham County Citizens with unpaid utility charges
5. Budget Ordinance Amendment for the Department of Social Services to recognize funds for $32,370 from the APS-Adult Protective Services Essential Services under SSA Title XX and from the Adult Protective Services American Rescue Plan
6. Durham County Juvenile Crime Prevention Council’s local funding recommendation for FY 2023-2024
7. Durham County Transit Plan
8. Budget Ordinance Amendment appropriating $150,000 in General Fund Restricted Fund Balance to increase expenditure authority for the Sheriff’s Office and sole source contract approval with International Armored Group US, Inc. for $323,800 to purchase a rescue vehicle
9. Property tax Releases and Refunds (NCVTS) for February 2023
10. Property tax Releases and Refunds (NCVTS) for March 2023
11. Durham County Sheriff’s Office contract approval with Batteries of NC & S.W.S. LLC, for $296,552.24 for emergency equipment of the FY22-23 Fleet

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

1. County Commissioners held a public hearing on the FY 2023-24 County Manager’s Recommended Budget. Comments were received from 17 citizens regarding the Recommended Budget.

Other Business: Commissioners considered the following items during the regular session:

1. Update on proposed Trap Neuter Vaccinate Release Program. The County Attorney’s Office staff will prepare a revised ordinance, and the item will be brought back for approval at the June 12 meeting.

Board and Commission Appointments: County Commissioners made appointments to the following Boards and Commissions:

1. Durham Convention Center Authority – Susan Amey
2. Farmland Protection Advisory Board – Nancy Herndon and William Young
3. Memorial Stadium Authority – Teah Rawlings

Congratulations to all the appointees!

Item(s) pulled from the Consent Agenda:

Closed Session: The Board went into a Closed Session, under G.S. 143-318.11(a)(5).  The Board returned and gave directions to the staff.

Adjournment: The Board adjourned the meeting at 10:26 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, June 12, 2023, inside the Commissioners’ Chambers on the second floor at 200 E. Main Street.

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