2016-06-16 Agenda Review
NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 33
AGENDA REVIEW MEETING, JUNE 16, 2016 PAGE 564
ASSEMBLY
The New Hanover County Board of Commissioners met for Agenda Review on Thursday, June 16, 2016 at
4:01 p.m. in the Harrell Conference Room at the New Hanover County Government Center, 230 Government Center
Drive, Wilmington, North Carolina.
Members present: Chairman Beth Dawson; Vice-Chairman Jonathan Barfield, Jr.; Commissioner Skip
Watkins; Commissioner Woody White; and Commissioner Rob Zapple.
Staff present: County Manager Chris Coudriet; County Attorney Wanda Copley; and Deputy Clerk to the
Board Kymberleigh G. Crowell.
Chairman Dawson called the Agenda Review meeting to order, announced that the purpose of the meeting is
to review and discuss the Board’s agenda items for the June 20, 2016 Regular Meeting with discussions as noted:
Consent Item 2. Appointment of Voting Delegate to the NACo 2016 Annual Conference.
Chairman Dawson and
Commissioner Zapple will be attending the NACo 2016 Annual Conference.
The general consensus of the Board was to appoint Chairman Dawson as the Voting Delegate for the 2016
conference.
Consent Item 3. Adoption of a Resolution Authorizing the Establishment of the Cape Fear Workforce
Development Consortium.
Chairman Dawson provided a brief overview of request being made of the Board.
Elected officials from Brunswick, Pender, Columbus and New Hanover Counties make up the consortium. The
purpose of the agreement re-adoption is to update the old agreement due to changes in the law and the name of the
Act. If approved, it will provide that New Hanover County accepts being named as part of the workforce local area
and indicates that the Board will provide a commissioner representative to the consortium board.
Consent Item 4. Adoption of a Resolution Authorizing Execution of the Updated Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) for the Wilmington Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization.
Wilmington
Metropolitan Planning Organization Executive Director Mike Kozlosky stated that the new Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) was adopted by the WMPO/Transportation Advisory Committee on March 30, 2016. This
document updates the current MOU that was adopted August 6, 2007 to better serve the organization. The resolution,
if approved, would authorize county officials to execute the updated MOU.
Consent Item 5. Adoption of a Resolution Opposing North Carolina HB 1122 that would Limit Marine Net
Fishing, as requested by Dare County.
Chief Communications Officer Ruth Smith reported that Dare County has
asked other NC coastal counties to adopt resolutions in opposition to HB 1122 as it is written. It does not have as
much financial impact on this county as other coastal counties. Staff does not have a position on the matter and is
presenting for consideration as a courtesy to Dare County. It could be handled by either letter or resolution.
After a brief discussion by the Board, including concerns being expressed about not knowing where the local
delegation stands on this matter, the general consensus was to remove Consent Agenda Item #5 from the June 20,
2016 agenda and direct Officer Smith to gather additional research and report back to the Board.
Consent Item 6. Approval of Board of Education 2015-2016 Budget Amendment #8.
In response to questions
about capital outlay transfers from the Pine Valley Roof Project to the Carolina Beach Roof Project, New Hanover
County Schools Chief Financial Officer Mary Hazel Small stated the transfer is based on bids and both projects
together are under budget. In response to additional questions about the reduction in the regular instruction line item
under instructional services, Officer Small stated that the transfers were to pay teacher supplements and other
instructional purpose codes for teachers. Superintendent Dr. Tim Markley stated that when fund transfers are seen this
late in the budget year, it is an effort to maximize the state funds in order to save local funds.
Regular Item 8. Consideration of a Resolution to Recognize The Davis Community's 50th Anniversary.
Vice-
Chairman Barfield will read the resolution into the record.
Regular Item 9. Consideration of a Resolution to Recognize Retiring Health Director David E. Rice.
Commissioner Rob Zapple will read the resolution into the record.
Regular Item 11. Consideration of Acceptance of a Grant to Fund an Analytic Product for Improving Child
Safety.
Assistant DSS Director Wanda Marino provided a brief overview of the grant for a technology product to
improve child safety. The Trustees of The Duke Endowment have approved a grant to New Hanover County
Department of Social Services in the amount of $800,000 to employ predictive analytics for improving child safety.
These funds will be utilized to compensate SAS for the development and implementation of this predictive analytic
product.The proposed project will be a collaboration between County DSS, The Duke Endowment, and SAS.
Chief Information Officer Leslie Chaney provided a technical overview of the project. It will be the County’s
first time using predictive analysis. The County has a large set of historical data of child cases which SAS will use to
determine the common factors that are existent before a child possibly is taken into county custody and how these
factors be spotted earlier in the cycle. It will allow DSS teams to intervene predictively rather than reactively when a
child has to be taken into custody. It is groundbreaking work for the State of NC and SAS; it is hoped to have some
outcomes and a product for staff use in less than a year. In response to questions, Assistant Director Marino reported
NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 33
AGENDA REVIEW MEETING, JUNE 16, 2016 PAGE 565
approximately 340 children are in county custody. She and the DSS staff feel this product will help improve child
safety.
In regard to questions about what will occur when the grant funds are spent, Officer Chaney reported that the
grant is for one year and there is language in the contract to protect the County in future years from a financial
perspective to ask for the use of the model for three years beyond grant expiration. After the three years there will be
an expectation to either purchase the product or step back from it. There are also safeguards in place to prevent
someone from being marked unfairly by system. It is an indicator program not an attempt to replace caseworkers
from doing their job.
Regular Item 15. Public Hearing and Consideration of Approval to Submit a Joint Application with the City
of Wilmington to the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program for 2016 Funding
from the U.S. Department of Justice.
In response to questions, County Manager Coudriet reported that he does not
have the information at this time and will share the Board’s inquiries with Sheriff McMahon to have the information
prior to and during the meeting.
Regular Item 17. Consideration of a Resolution to Adopt the 2016 Southeastern North Carolina Regional
Hazard Mitigation Plan.
Planning Manager Ken Vafier provided a brief overview of the request. As required by
the Federal Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 and North Carolina Senate Bill 300, all NC local governments must have
an approved Hazard Mitigation Plan in order to receive assistance funds after a disaster. Update process is required
every five years and there is no direct financial commitment. In response to questions about the effect of this plan on
the building and safety requirements, Manager Vafier stated that this is a policy document, does not mandate any
changes in the building code and any such changes would fall under building codes.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, Chairman Dawson adjourned the meeting at 4:40 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Kymberleigh G. Crowell
Deputy Clerk to the Board
Please note that the above minutes are not a verbatim of the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners meeting.