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2018-10-01 Regular Meeting NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 34 REGULAR MEETING, OCTOBER 1, 2018 PAGE 204 ASSEMBLY The New Hanover County Board of Commissioners met in Regular Session on Monday, October 1, 2018, at 4:00 p.m. in the Andre’ Mallette Training Rooms at the New Hanover County Government Center, 230 Government Center Drive, Wilmington, North Carolina. Members present: Chairman Woody White; Vice-Chairman Skip Watkins; Commissioner Jonathan Barfield, Jr.; Commissioner Patricia Kusek; and Commissioner Rob Zapple. Staff present: County Manager Chris Coudriet; County Attorney Wanda M. Copley; and Clerk to the Board Kymberleigh G. Crowell. MOMENT OF SILENCE AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Chairman White lead the audience in a moment of silence and Commissioner Zapple led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA Chairman White requested a motion to approve the Consent Agenda as presented. Motion: Vice-Chairman Watkins MOVED, SECONDED by Commissioner Kusek, to approve the items on the Consent Agenda as presented. Upon vote, the MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. CONSENT AGENDA Approval of Minutes – Governing Body The Commissioners approved the minutes of the Regular Meeting of September 4, 2018. Adoption of WHQR Week Proclamation – Governing Body The Commissioners adopted a proclamation recognizing September 13-20, 2018 as “WHQR Week” in New Hanover County. Since 1984, WHQR at 91.3 FM has exceeded radio standards and provides listeners with artistic programming. WHQR's news and information services keep local citizens informed about their community and the world. A copy of the proclamation is hereby incorporated as part of the minutes and is contained in Exhibit Book XLI, Page 15.1. Approval of Lease Assignment and Assumption of VA Ground Lease for New Hanover County Airport Authority – County Attorney The Commissioners approved the Lease Assignment and Assumption of VA Ground Lease (with Consent and Recognition Agreement) between Wilmington NC VA 2011 and NGP VI Fund, LLC. New Hanover County Airport Authority requested Board approval. The land lease originated on January 9th, 2009 for a 20-year term and three consecutive terms of 10 years each. NGP VI Fund, LLC is a private equity firm focusing on acquisition and management of assets leased to US governmental entities. The facility will continue as a VA Medical Clinic. A copy of the lease agreement is available for review in the Legal Department. Approval of an Application for the Waiver of Landfill Tipping Fees for the Wilmington International Airport – Environmental Management The Commissioners approved an application from the Wilmington International Airport for a waiver of landfill tipping fees. The request is for the waiver of fees for up to 20 (twenty) tons that would be generated from the Airport's Terminal Expansion project. The New Hanover County Landfill has waived a total of $127,877 in tipping fees (2,983 tons) this fiscal year to date. Adoption of Budget Amendments – Budget The Commissioners approved the following budget amendments which amend the annual budget ordinance for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2019:  Senior Resource Center 19-001, 19-002, 19-004, 19-021  Social Services 19-005, 19-006, 19-011, 19-012  Sheriff's Office 19-013, 19-014, 19-015, 19-018, 19-019  Environmental Management 19-016  Health 19-017  Museum 19-020 Copies of the budget amendments are hereby incorporated as part of the minutes and are contained in Exhibit Book XLI, Page 15.2. Approval of Waiver of Late Filing and Payment Penalties for Room Occupancy Taxes and Non-Sufficient Funds (NSF) Fees for Tax Payments – Finance The Commissioners approved the waiver of late filing and payment penalties for room occupancy taxes and non-sufficient funds (NSF) fees for tax payments postmarked between September 6, 2018 through September 21, 2018. Hurricane Florence made landfall in New Hanover County on September 14, 2018 and brought an NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 34 REGULAR MEETING, OCTOBER 1, 2018 PAGE 205 unprecedented amount of rainfall and flooding to the County. It caused disruption to businesses and mail service, damage to businesses and homes which include various lodging facilities, and caused outages to internet and online services. Room occupancy tax for the month of August was due on September 20, 2018. The finance department has received numerous calls from short term rental lodging facilities, who have noted that, due to the storm and outage of power, internet and/or mail service, they were unable to file their August listing by September 20, 2018. Staff estimates there are approximately 600 known properties that had not filed their room occupancy taxes as of September 20, 2018. Further, tax payments were received by the tax department that were not able to be processed during Hurricane Florence due to offices being closed and mail being delayed. REGULAR ITEMS OF BUSINESS ADOPTION OF HURRICANE FLORENCE BUDGET AMENDMENT 19-022 Chief Financial Officer Lisa Wurtzbacher stated this event began on September 10, 2018 when the Board of County Commissioners (Board) adopted a Proclamation of State of Emergency due to Hurricane Florence and the County is still in the recovery of that event. Many efforts were undertaken to serve the citizens of New Hanover County before, during, and after the storm such as opening the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), shelters, Points of Distribution (POD), creating and operating a base camp, vegetative and construction debris removal has begun, and public safety functions were performed throughout the event. New Hanover County Government offices were closed and staff were solely dedicated to responding to the storm from September 11 – 24, 2018. 1,470 employees, over 80% of the County’s workforce, were dedicated to the storm efforts. Normally a budget amendment connected with a storm would not be brought to the Board until the actual costs were known. Due to the size of the storm, staff decided to bring forward now a budget amendment which reflects the known estimated costs to date. Ms. Wurtzbacher presented the following information on the Hurricane Florence Budget Amendment:  Estimated Expense by Phase: Phase Estimated Amount Emergency Protective $ 4,953,000 Repair/Recovery 2,800,000 Debris Pickup 12,309,000 Total Estimate $ 20,062,000  Estimated Expense by Fund: Phase Estimated Amount General Fund Expense $ 6,522,000 Fire Service 122,000 Environmental Management Fund Expense 13,418,000 Total Estimate $ 20,062,000 Damages to County facilities include the Historic Courthouse, 421 Fire Station, Government Center, Judicial Building, 320 Chestnut, Museum, EOC/911, Airlie Cottage Offices, and the third floor of the BellSouth building as well as downed trees and debris at various county park sites. The estimated damage to these buildings is still being assessed as quotes for repairs are being obtained. The adoption of Budget Amendment 19-022 is requested to cover estimated costs of the hurricane response, recovery, and repairs in the amount of $6,522,000, $13,418,000, and $122,000 for general fund expenses, environmental management fund expenses, and fire services fund expenses, respectively. The environmental management fund does not currently have an amount of fund balance adequate to cover the full amount of its expenses. Therefore, part of the request is to transfer to the environmental management fund from the general fund $13,418,000. Appropriated fund balance will be increased to cover all estimated expenses as the amount of disaster assistance to the County from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the State of North Carolina and/or other grants is not currently known. Using general fund appropriated fund balance of $19,940,000, which includes the general fund expenses and the transfer to the environmental fund, will decrease the County’s fund balance percentage by approximately 6.7%. However, it is expected the majority of the expenses incurred through this event will be reimbursed through FEMA. In response to Board questions, Ms. Wurtzbacher stated that there is approximately $7 million in the environmental management fund. There is not a standard minimum requirement for this particular fund. It is a healthy size fund balance. The reason behind requesting $13 million when there is approximately $7 million in this particular fund is that we are not halfway through the fiscal year and it is unknown what could occur in the rest of the year, and also knowing there will be a reimbursement for debris pickup. Regarding when FEMA will disburse the reimbursement funds, Ms. Wurtzbacher stated there is not an indication of when the funds will be received. Due to the size of this storm, she is unable to determine what will be the reimbursement timeline. After Hurricane Matthew, it was approximately seven months. It would not surprise her if the first reimbursement was not received until next fiscal year, not in the current fiscal year. The funds will come in phases and when the entire project is closed out, the remaining funds will be received. Regarding financial assistance requests from the New Hanover County Board of Education, Ms. Wurtzbacher stated she has not heard of any specific requests pertaining to the damage the schools incurred and is unsure of their plans. The schools that the County used for shelters will be cleaned up by the County. NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 34 REGULAR MEETING, OCTOBER 1, 2018 PAGE 206 Chairman White thanked Ms. Wurtzbacher for her presentation. He further stated that he was remiss when convening the meeting in stating the reason for the meeting location change is due to the historic courthouse being damaged by the hurricane. It will be repaired but until then, the meetings will need to be held at the New Hanover County Government Center. Also, today the County received its sixth consecutive Triple A bond rating verification. This is a tremendous testament to how this County is run and specifically how the County Manager, Chief Financial Officer, and staff run the finances. The Board has tremendous faith in them, their teams, and how they lead this county. It is also a testament to how this organization is looking forward and the team in place to make these decisions. The Board is very thankful for staff’s leadership and how the County is managed for the Board. While it is the Commissioners’ job to do it, they rely on staff expertise and it shows in getting this type of recognition from the rating agencies. There is no reason to believe this storm is going to effect it, the County will continue to be managed appropriately, and the necessary steps will be taken to ensure that the taxpayer dollars are well cared for. Hearing no further discussion, Chairman White asked for direction from the Board. Motion: Commissioner Barfield MOVED, SECONDED by Commissioner Zapple, to approve Budget Amendment 19- 022. Upon vote, the MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. A copy of the Budget Amendment 19-022 is hereby incorporated as part of the minutes and is contained in Exhibit Book XLI, Page 15.3. APPROVAL OF PROJECT GRACE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FROM ZIMMER DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION TEAM AND THE NEW SOUTH VENTURES (NSV) AND ARMADA HOFFLER TEAM Chief Strategy Officer Beth Schrader stated that Project Grace is a potential redevelopment project of approximately three acres in a county-owned block downtown in the City of Wilmington. The following information was provided as an update on the project:  Three Components of the Update:  Project Due Diligence:  Completed: Market and site analysis to determine project feasibility  Completed: Space needs analysis for museum and library to confirm what the needs actually pencil out to be  Completed: Hazardous Materials Study for existing library building and Register of Deeds building  Completed: Alta Survey of the site  Ongoing: Space allocation study for the existing Cape Fear Museum building and site with thoughts to turn this into a research center and where archiving, preservation, and curation can be performed. Discussion about the perspective in regards to the needs for the onsite museum and library is very focused on serving the citizens and having front facing/client facing activities.  Solicitation of Development Team:  Completed: First phase - RFQ (request for qualifications)  Second phase – RFP (request for full proposals)  Projected Return on Investment:  Post Development Tax Value Estimate: $111,401,875  Estimated Post Development Ad Valorem Tax and Parking Revenue: $1,111,284 (does not include City taxes, sales tax, Room Occupancy Tax or Municipal Service District (MSD) fees)  Total County Cost Estimate: $20,856,000  Estimated Years to Pay back costs: 18.54  Specific Objectives for the Project:  Capture full market potential  Modern library and modern Cape Fear Museum with usable greenspace  Size and massing of project to be compatible with historical context  Design to be pedestrian friendly, accommodate school buses safely, and supply adequate parking  Ensure library operations would continue downtown throughout any construction or modification process  Statements of Qualifications Received:  Zimmer Development Company:  Local development company involved with the Mayfaire shopping center  Team includes Monteith Construction, Little Architecture, and Vines Architecture  NSV Development:  NSV Development is run by a principal named Michael Lemanski. While NSV Development in and of itself is new, it is the successor company to what was previously owned by Mr. Lemanski. He is part of the team that was part of the UNC School of Government Development Finance Group.  Team includes Armada Hoffler:  Armada Hoffler is a vertically integrated real estate investment trust company. They have significant experience in developing, building, acquiring, and managing high quality office, retail, and multi-family properties. This company is traded on the New York Stock Exchange as AHH. NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 34 REGULAR MEETING, OCTOBER 1, 2018 PAGE 207  Based on the strength of the qualifications that were submitted, the evaluation team is recommending that both proposers be invited to participate in phase 2 which is the RFP.  RFP Submission Requirements:  Project vision and description  Development phasing and schedule  Development team and qualifications  Financial offer and deal structure (Term Sheet for comparison purposes)  Display materials for public comment  Confidentiality (North Carolina General Statutes 66 and 132)  Evaluation team consists of the County Manager’s Office, County Attorney’s Office, Finance Department, Strategy Office, County Planning Department, Cape Fear Museum, Library, Property Management Department, Communications and Outreach, City of Wilmington Planning Department, and Wilmington Downtown Inc.  Evaluation Process:  Involves a three pronged approach led by the evaluation team:  Experience and qualifications: The evaluation process started with the request for qualifications where the evaluation team looked at relevant experience and qualifications of each team.  Financial capacity, offer, and terms: This information will be analyzed by an independent financial consultant at the direction of the New Hanover County Finance Department.  Redevelopment approach: This piece will evaluate the County’s priorities outlined in the RFP. It will include input from the Cape Fear Museum and Library Advisory Boards as well as public input.  The evaluation team will consolidate all information into a final recommendation to the Board of Commissioners for deliberation at a regularly scheduled meeting that is televised and open to the public.  Timeline:  December 14, 2018: Development proposals due  December 2018 – January 2019: Financial evaluation  January 2019: Input from the Library Advisory Board and Cape Fear Museum Advisory Board  February 2019: Public input meetings  March 2019: Evaluation team’s recommendation to the Board of Commissioners Ms. Schrader concluded the presentation stating that staff is asking the Board to approve the evaluation team’s recommendation and invite the Zimmer Development Corporation team and the NSV and Armada Hoffler team to submit full proposals for Project Grace. Hearing no Board discussion, Chairman White asked for direction from the Board. Motion: Commissioner Barfield MOVED, SECONDED by Vice-Chairman Watkins, to approve the evaluation team’s recommendation and invite the Zimmer Development Corporation Team and the NSV (New South Ventures) and Armada Hoffler Team to submit full proposals for Project Grace. Upon vote, the MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. PUBLIC HEARING AND APPROVAL OF A REZONING REQUEST BY BAYSHORE ESTATES, INC., PROPERTY OWNER, TO REZONE APPROXIMATELY 2.66 ACRES OF LAND LOCATED IN THE 7900 BLOCK OF MARKET STREET FROM B-2, HIGHWAY BUSINESS DISTRICT, AND R-15, RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT, TO O&I, OFFICE AND INSTITUTIONAL DISTRICT (Z18-13) Chairman White opened the public hearing and requested staff to make the presentation. Current Planner Brad Schuler presented the request by Bayshore Estates, Inc., property owner, to rezone approximately 2.66 acres of land located in the 7900 block of Market Street from B-2, highway business district, and R-15, residential district, to O&I, office and institutional district. Because this is a general zoning map amendment, or what is commonly referred to as a straight rezoning and not a conditional rezoning, uses that would be allowed on the property are those allowed by right or by Special Use Permit (SUP) in the O&I district based on the Table of Permitted Uses in the Zoning Ordinance. Uses permitted in the O&I district generally include a variety of professional offices and medical, educational, and religious related uses. Staff has provided preliminary comments on a conceptual, non-binding site plan proposing to construct an early education facility (pre-school) on the property. The property is located on Market Street, just north of the Marsh Oaks Drive intersection. An Aldi grocery store has recently been developed to the south. To the east is Liberty Tavern and the Porters Neck Tire and Auto repair shop. To the north within the conditional B-2 district is a Walmart Supercenter. The property itself is undeveloped and is a part of a 6.2-acre parcel, the remainder of which wraps around the Liberty Tavern property and abuts Marsh Oaks Drive. What has been identified as the remaining area of the parcel is not included in this rezoning application and will remain zoned B-2. NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 34 REGULAR MEETING, OCTOBER 1, 2018 PAGE 208 As this is a straight rezoning application, if the rezoning is approved, the property would be allowed to be developed in accordance with the standards of the O&I zoning district. Currently, the O&I district permits 42 uses by-right: 1.Agricultural Uses 23.Elementary & Secondary Schools 2.Wholesale Nurseries & Greenhouses 24.Libraries 3.Electric Substations 25.Museums 4.Telephone & Telegraph Facilities 26.Churches 5.RV and Boat Trailer Storage Lots 27.Labor Organizations 6.Antenna & Towers (ancillary & less than 70’ 28.Lodges/Fraternal & Social Organizations in height) 29.Fraternities/Sororities, Residential 7.Cellular & PCS Antennas 30.Accessory Buildings or Uses 8.Amateur Radio Antennas 31.Christmas Tree Sales 9.Neighborhood Drug Store 32.Private Residential Boating Facility 10.Banks, Credit Agencies, Savings & Loans 33.Demolition-Landscape Landfill* 11.Barber/Beauty Shop 34.Evangelistic and Religious Assemblies not at a 12.Business Services including Printing church 13.Dry Cleaning/Laundry Plant 35.Government Offices & Buildings 14.Funeral Home 36.Offices for Private Business & Professional 15.Parks & Recreation Area Activities 16.Adult Day Care 37.Pumpkin Sales 17.Child Care Center 38.Principal Use Sign 18.Hospitals 39.Single Family Dwelling 19.Nursing Home/Rehabilitation Center 40.Single Family Dwelling-Attached 20.Residential Care 41.Special Fund Raising for Non-Profit Organizations 21.Electric/Gas & Sanitary Services 42.Temporary Sign 22.Colleges, Universities, Professional Schools and Technical Institutions Mainly the district permits office, medical, educational, and religious related uses. Commercial uses like retail establishments and restaurants are not permitted in this district. There are 11 uses that are permitted with the issuance of a SUP in the O&I District: 1.Kennels 2.Veterinaries 3.Other Communications Facilities including Towers 4.Convenience Food Store 5.Indoor Recreation Establishments 6.Outdoor Recreation Establishments 7.Senior Living: Active retirement community or Independent Living 8.Senior Living: Continuing Care Retirement Community or Life Care Community 9.High Density Development 10.Recycling Facilities: Small Collection 11.Recycling Facilities: Large Collection Uses such as kennels, convenience stores, and high density developments must obtain a SUP and must be considered by this Board. There are also several standards that relate to the development of the property. Both the O&I district and the Special Highway Overlay District require any buildings constructed on the site to be setback from the property lines at a minimum of 100 feet from the front, 25 feet from the sides, and 30 feet from the rear. A 20-foot opaque bufferyard must also be installed along the adjacent residential property. In addition to the bufferyards, the ordinance requires other types of landscaping to be installed along Market Street and within the site. Furthermore, the size of any freestanding sign installed on the property would be limited in the proposed district to a maximum of six feet in height and 75 square feet in area. Traffic impacts are analyzed at the time a development is proposed. Any use that exceeds 100 AM or PM peak hour trips will be required to have an approved Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) prior to development. Even if a TIA is not required, improvements may be required when any proposed use is reviewed by the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) during the driveway permitting process. There have been four TIAs recently approved in the area. The Aldi grocery store and the required roadway improvements for that project have been completed. Construction of the Bailey Shoppes and the second phase of the Amberleigh Shores apartment complex have not started at this time. There are two major NCDOT projects planned for the area. One will install a center median on Market Street from Marsh Oaks Drive to Middle Sound Loop Road. Construction for that project is expected to begin early next year. Also, Military Cutoff is currently being extended from Market Street to I-140 and when completed will give motorists the option to bypass this portion of Market Street. The 2016 Comprehensive Plan classifies the property as Community Mixed Use. This place type focuses on small-scale, compact, mixed use development patterns that serve all modes of travel and act as an attractor for county residents and visitors. Types of appropriate uses include office, retail, mixed use, recreational, commercial, institutional, and multi-family and single-family residential. The proposed O&I rezoning is generally consistent with NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 34 REGULAR MEETING, OCTOBER 1, 2018 PAGE 209 this place type because it allows the types of office, civic, and residential uses recommended in the Comprehensive Plan and is identified as a typical zoning category for the Community Mixed Use place type. The Planning Board considered this application at their September 6, 2018 meeting. The Board discussed potential impacts the proposal would have on the adjacent residential neighborhood, including traffic and exterior lighting. The applicant presented a concept plan for an early education facility which is one of the uses permitted in the proposed O&I district. One neighbor spoke in opposition, citing concerns regarding noise, light, and traffic impacts. The Planning Board recommended approval (7-0) finding that the application is: 1.Consistent with the purposes and intent of the 2016 Comprehensive Plan because the O&I zoning district allows for the types of uses recommended by the Comprehensive Plan for this area, and is identified as a typical zoning category for the Community Mixed Use place type. 2.Reasonable and in the public interest because the proposal is immediately adjacent to existing commercial and office uses and will provide protection for the adjacent residential areas through the site design requirements of the Zoning Ordinance. Chairman White thanked Mr. Schuler for his presentation and invited the petitioner to make remarks. Hill Rogers, one of the property owners and representing Bayshore Estates, Inc., stated that this is a straight rezoning request. With a straight rezoning request, there is not a requirement to obtain site plan approval nor to meet with the neighbors. He and Mr. Cameron felt it was appropriate to try to plan this site out and in an attempt to what they think might be developed on it. There was not a community meeting per se, but they did meet with the neighbors who live on Sanderling Place and Marsh Oaks Homeowners’ Association board members to make them aware of the project. It is an up-zoning from R-15 and downzoning from B-2 to O&I. They believe the O&I zoning will help to more effectively develop the property and meets the goals of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan. In Mr. Rogers’ limited experience with rezonings, the three items that most frequently arise are stormwater, traffic, and buffering. In regards to how the plan was developed, they let the land dictate the layout and worked backwards. There will be a 40-foot utility and stormwater easement with a large swale that takes water away from the Marsh Oaks community. The outfall will be into the drainage easement that backs up to the Marsh Oaks Subdivision clubhouse area. There will be a 20-percent opacity buffer as part of the setback, which will be a full landscape buffer. It is part of the setback but is not to be confused with the setback. In regards to traffic, a TIA will have to be completed by the applicant to mitigate the effects of traffic, add improvements, and traffic calming measures, etc. What is desirable about the site is the ability to access the stoplight at Marsh Oaks Drive. Mr. Rogers concluded his presentation stating that R-15 is problematic to develop on Market Street. He does not see that it meets a market need on Market Street nor does it meet the objectives of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan. Chairman White announced that no one else had signed up to speak in favor or in opposition and closed the public hearing. He then opened the floor for Board discussion. In response to Board questions, Mr. Rogers stated that the reason for pursuing this is due to interest from a user to develop a daycare facility. Discussions are still ongoing with that user and it may or may not happen. If it does not become a daycare facility, he can see it being medical, dental, or professional offices. There are uses on the list that they are not looking to develop on the site. In response to Board questions, Mr. Schuler stated it was correct that should this parcel be rezoned O&I, the petitioners would have to provide proper stormwater and drainage per the ordinance. Any development which proposes more than 10,000 square feet of impervious surface would have to meet the requirement of the County’s Stormwater Ordinance which would require the retention of a 25-year storm onsite. In response to Board questions, Mr. Rogers stated that with the plan of the daycare facility, there is a total building height of 21-feet that is single-story with a pitched roof. If developed, it meets the setback requirements. All the setback requirements in the ordinance will be adhered to. Motion: Vice-Chairman Watkins MOVED, SECONDED by Commissioner Kusek, to approve, affirming the Planning Board’s statements that the application is 1) Consistent with the purposes and intent of the 2016 Comprehensive Plan and 2) Reasonable and in the public interest. Upon vote, the MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. A copy of AN ORDINANCE OF THE COUNTY OF NEW HANOVER AMENDING THE ZONING MAP OF AREA 5 OF NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, ADOPTED JULY 6, 1971, is hereby incorporated as part of the minutes and is contained in Zoning Book I, Section 5, Page 80. COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS Appointments to the New Hanover County/City of Wilmington Community Relations Advisory Committee Chairman White reported that two vacancies exist on the New Hanover County/City of Wilmington Community Relations Advisory Committee with two applicants eligible for reappointment and six additional applications available for consideration. Without objection, the Board reappointed Evelyn A. Bryant in the Civil Rights Community category and NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 34 REGULAR MEETING, OCTOBER 1, 2018 PAGE 210 Owen Wexler in the At-Large category to the New Hanover County/City of Wilmington Community Relations Advisory Committee to serve three-year terms with the terms to expire September 30, 2021. Appointments to the New Hanover County Board of Mechanical Examiners Chairman White reported that three vacancies exist on the New Hanover County Board of Mechanical Examiners with three applicants eligible for reappointment. Without objection, the Board reappointed Michael A. Callari in the Class 1 Journeyman Mechanic category, Thomas L. Crittenden, Jr. in the Class III Journeyman Mechanic category, and Ray McClory in the Class II Journeyman Mechanic category to the New Hanover County Board of Mechanical Examiners to serve two-year terms with the terms to expire August 31, 2020. Appointments to the New Hanover County Juvenile Crime Prevention Council Chairman White reported that five vacancies exist on the New Hanover County Juvenile Crime Prevention Council with one applicant eligible for reappointment and three additional applications available for consideration. Without objection, the Board reappointed Cary D. McCormack and appointed Ryan Casey, Martin Green, and Kelly C. Silivanch in the At-Large category to the New Hanover County Juvenile Crime Prevention Council to serve two-year terms with the terms to expire September 30, 2020. Appointments to the New Hanover Regional Medical Center Board of Trustees Chairman White reported that four vacancies exist on the New Hanover Regional Medical Center Board of Trustees with three applicants eligible for reappointment and eleven additional applications available for consideration. Commissioner Kusek nominated Rhonda Amoroso, John “Rod” Andrew, and Robert G. Greer for reappointment and A. Mitchell Lamm, Jr. for appointment. Hearing no further nominations, Chairman White called for the votes on the nominations on the floor. Vote Results: The Board voted UNANIMOUSLY to reappoint Rhonda Amoroso, John “Rod” Andrew, and Robert G. Greer and to appoint A. Mitchell Lamm, Jr. to the New Hanover Regional Medical Center Board of Trustees to serve three-year terms with the terms to expire September 30, 2021. PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS Chairman White announced that no one signed up to speak under public comment. ADDITIONAL AGENDA ITEMS OF BUSINESS County Manager Coudriet stated he does not have any additional items, but wanted to share for the Board’s and community’s benefit several data points related to Hurricane Florence. Several of the items fall within the “first time ever” or “longest ever” categories:  County EOC operated and staffed for 13 consecutive days, 24 hours a day which is the longest ever activation.  th 1,500 County employees deployed specifically to Hurricane Florence between Sept. 11 and 23rd with the balance of those deployed for more long-term recovery efforts.  County opened and operated five shelters and eventually combined those into one mega shelter which was operated for approximately 10 days. This was the first time ever doing so. Another first was partnering with the state to have two inland shelters and transporting more than 200 residents inland in partnership with WAVE.  County identified and created for the first time ever a first responder base camp within two days which housed approximately 500 first responders at the former Sears building. Then within 48-hours the week th of September 24, said site was repurposed to become the Community Recourse Recovery Center th (CRRC) which opened on Friday, September 28. CRRC is providing Disaster Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (D-SNAP), other community resources, and is adjacent to the Federal Disaster Recovery Center (DRC). In the first two days of D-SNAP operating, approximately 6,000 New Hanover County residents were served.  thth On September 15 and 16 County Fire, City Fire, and the Federal Urban Search and Rescue Team performed approximately 350 water rescues in the Ogden and Wrightsboro communities.  Specific to New Hanover County, we opened for the first time ever three Points of Distribution (POD) sites. More than 181,000 meals were served from the three different locations.  Also at the CRRC, the County started for the first time ever a Donations Hub which is a resource for anyone in the community that has a volunteer need.  DRC effectively co-located with the CRRC.  There are 206 residents still sheltered by the American Red Cross at Hoggard High School. The shelter st was established by the County and transitioned to the American Red Cross on September 21. It will transition to another location by 5PM on Tuesday in order to help Hoggard High School reopen.  th The State of Emergency that the Board declared on September 10 remains in effect to ensure protective measures if necessary and also to ensure reimbursement from FEMA. As there is a State of Emergency still in place, D-SNAP is operating at the CRRC and staffing is consistent with the hours of the emergency public information (EPIC) lines. The EPIC number is 910-798-6800. NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 34 REGULAR MEETING, OCTOBER 1, 2018 PAGE 211  Moody’s and Standard and Poor’s (S&P) reaffirmed during this time the Triple A bond ratings for the County as we prepare for bond sales on October 4, 2018. Commissioner Kusek expressed appreciation to County Manager Coudriet for this information. However, she does not want the fact of the sheer dedication of everybody to be overlooked. County Manager Coudriet and the whole team worked shoulder to shoulder, staying calm and level headed in doing whatever needed to be done. She has never witnessed anything like it. She has been involved in some other things but nothing like this. To see what everyone did, she doesn’t have the words to thank everyone enough. It is something we certainly wished we never had to go through, but everyone is a superhero. The County is really lucky to have everyone working for this organization. Vice-Chairman Watkins stated that he echoes Commissioner Kusek’s comments. He had a great time with groups such as Port City Community Church, Samaritan’s Purse, Convoy of Hope, and he really got to know the Operation BBQ Relief team. As of today, Operation BBQ Relief has served 323,925 meals free of charge to the citizens of Southeastern North Carolina. He thanked the hospital for opening its physical fitness center for them to use the showers. This was the second largest deployment of the operation and since 2011 they have served 2,104,300 meals. They, along with Bitty and Beau’s, were one of the CNN Heroes of the Year. Commissioner Zapple stated Operation BBQ Relief has served in desperate situations throughout our entire nation. He was told New Hanover County is where the organization has encountered the greatest local volunteer turnout than anywhere else in the nation. This says an awful lot about our entire community and the fact that we pulled together and it says a lot about our own leadership. He recognized Steven Still for his leadership in the EOC and the County Manager. He noted how he worked with County Manager Coudriet, the DSS and Health teams, and Sheriff Deputies to open the shelter at Hoggard High School in less than thirty-six hours. You learn a lot about yourself when things get difficult and everyone should be very proud of how they responded. The truth is government really matters and our team is really the very best. He thanked all who were and are involved in this effort and it has been a truly amazing experience. Commissioner Barfield stated that he has been involved in a few these of events and wants to first acknowledge Chairman White. Chairman White showed great leadership being out front on the battle lines throughout the entire episode. He thanked Chairman White for that as well as County Manager Coudriet, Deputy County Manager Avril Pinder, Assistant County Manager Tim Burgess, Chief Human Resources Officer Mark Francolini, and many others for being in place to help. He recognized Chief Communications Officer Ruth Smith for her efforts for getting the word out and DSS Assistant Director Tonya Jackson for standing up the D-SNAP program at the Sears building. It is amazing to see the staff working at the site to serve so many people on the first day, let alone on the second day. He thanked the staff that worked the shelters. What many people in this community do not know is when a person works for New Hanover County, part of his or her commitment is to work an event like this and many will work in our shelters 12 hours on and 12 hours off. He had an opportunity to watch his 23-year old daughter, who works at DSS, go through her first storm and be able to serve people during this time. He saw a true change in her understanding the need to really help people, as well as every person that worked at the shelters trying to give love, compassion, and understanding for the people who stayed there. New Hanover County was always there at the forefront to serve the community needs. Unlike some counties who may not be as resource rich, we had meals provided and not only one shelter but five available. He believes that is the first time we ever opened up five shelters. There has been more volunteerism than he has ever seen in this community. So many people were coming to each other’s aid, whether it’s neighbor helping neighbor or the World Kitchen coming here to provide meals for our citizens. World Kitchen fed the staff at the EOC center, as well as the folks at Hoggard for several days in a row to help extend our resources. It’s great to see people coming from near and far to make sure no one goes without. It shows how much this community means to the world as well as how much we mean to each other. He commended his fellow Commissioners for their work during this time. They were out in every shelter throughout this entire community making sure that they were serving the needs of the community. He couldn’t be more proud of the Board that he serves with than on this day. Chairman White stated that without echoing everything that his fellow Commissioners have said, he would like to make a few observations. First, there were two times in the early evening hours during the storm that he was in the EOC and on two different nights, he learned that for two people it was their birthday. They were working 12- hour shifts, not that they had a choice because Mother Nature dictated that they had to, with smiles on their faces handling very difficult problems. County Manager Coudriet slept the first two nights in his office with his sport coat as a blanket and did not have a pillow. On the third or fourth day he went home to get them and then spent the next eight or nine nights in this building without going home. He says these things not to divulge any private information, but so that the folks who do watch these comments at home know how dedicated this County staff and these Commissioners are. One of the highlights of his personal experience through those days was seeing his fellow Commissioners in and out of everywhere whether it was the EOC, shelters, or PODs, etc. He gave Commissioner Barfield a hug one morning and they were both just pretty frazzled and it was nice to see Commissioner Barfield there as well as everyone else. The job that Steven Still does as the Emergency Operations Center Director is remarkable. From what he understands, Director Still’s parents lost their home due to flooding and also going through his own personal experiences at a time where he is providing exemplary, outstanding, A+ service to our 220,000 residents. Chairman White stated that he could continue on about the 1,470 employees involved. Each one of them did something to make a difference that we don’t even know about. He hopes by saying a few things and us all reflecting on those anecdotes it really exhibits the team approach that everyone had in this. It really was a reflection of the community because ultimately we are all members of this community. Weather events have a unique way of bringing us all together and our staff was no different. It was just incredible to witness. NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 34 REGULAR MEETING, OCTOBER 1, 2018 PAGE 212 Chairman White further stated that he would like to make a suggestion to County Manager Coudriet. We have learned what to do in this community from experience and also from watching mistakes other communities have made. While he thinks everyone pitched a pretty good game, there is always room for improvement. He suggested that in January or February there be an agenda item brought forward to discuss some items that maybe could be done better if disaster strikes again. He also asked the Commissioners to share their thoughts and observations about other areas where we can improve. The four items he would like to discuss are 1) Shelter Services. A tremendous job was done under very difficult circumstances but we can do better, we can always do better. 2) Generators. While it may be a boring topic to some people, without fuel or power we cannot run the 911/EOC or answer phones calls of people in need of help. As far as the shelter generators he would like to explore if we should contract those or own and operate them ourselves. 3) Volunteer Services. He sees this as the biggest area of improvement to be made in harnessing and directing the incredible human spirit at a moment of crisis. We did a good job, but we can always do better in looking at how to get resources out to people sooner in a more efficient way. Volunteer service coordination is a real critical area where improvement can be made. 4) Cape Fear Public Utility Authority (CFPUA) coordination. CFPUA did an incredible job under difficult circumstances as well, but he thinks coordination of city and county information with experts and guidance is an area where improvements can be made. Chairman White stated this is not to be critical of any of those areas and as he stated earlier, he thinks we all agree we did pretty well. However, those would just be some things he would like to discuss in January or February and use the time to our benefit to plan ahead. He then thanked friends, family, and everyone in the community for the good job and expressed appreciation for everyone pulling together including the City of Wilmington and all our partners in the beach communities. All the hard work is much appreciated. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, Chairman White adjourned the meeting at 4:54 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Kymberleigh G. Crowell Clerk to the Board Please note that the above minutes are not a verbatim record of the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners meeting. The entire proceedings are available for review and checkout at all New Hanover County Libraries and online at www.nhcgov.com.