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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020 State of the County - Vice-Chair Speech 2020 State of the County Speaking Points Vice-Chair Patricia Kusek Good evening and welcome to the 2020 State of the County! I am Patricia Kusek, and I have the great pleasure of serving as Vice-Chair of the Board of Commissioners, alongside our Chair Julia Olson-Boseman and with my fellow Commissioners. 2019 was a year to remember, and tonight we get to reflect on our successes, the work we accomplished together, and also look to the future and the important initiatives on our horizon. The State of the County address is typically given by the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners Chair. And while our chair will certainly come up here in a just a few minutes, we wanted to change the format up a little bit. The chair and I decided that we would to continue our focus on collaboration and working together. Because none of us can do this alone. We all have to work together, focus on a common purpose, and do what is right for this county and the people who live and work here. Page 1 2020 State of the County Speaking Points Vice-Chair Patricia Kusek Working together Commissioners, county staff, volunteers, citizens, and so many of you in this room allowed us to have an incredibly successful 2019. Thank you all for your partnerships. And I want to say a special thank you to my husband Walter for continuing to support and encourage me as I serve all of you each day. reflecting on all of our successes. In 2019, we completed several capital projects, including our new Ogden Fire Station, Pine Valley Library, and Health and Human Services building. These are important accomplishments and facilities that will serve our community well for decades to come. We revitalized our Minority and Women Business Enterprise Program to help ensure a higher rate of participation by minority and women-owned business in all aspects of the county's contracting and procurement programs. We want to boost Page 2 2020 State of the County Speaking Points Vice-Chair Patricia Kusek entrepreneurs and increase economic diversity in New Hanover County. In 2019, the Board of Commissioners also approved the most originally adopted in 1969. This amendment was the first phase de update and provided the full Comprehensive Plan. Just last week, we also approved the second phase in the of the -adopted development codes into one document, organized so the regulations work together and make it easier for property owners and other users to find the information they need. approve a code amendment that requires the protection of large live oak trees in the unincorporated county because they are important for our environment, and enhance our quality of life and the beauty of our county. Page 3 2020 State of the County Speaking Points Vice-Chair Patricia Kusek Our county parks and gardens certainly aid in our quality of life, and among numerous beautification and upgrade projects in our parks we also installed a multi-use trail along Middle Sound Loop Road for safe biking and walking; and this trail will be expanded to connect with Ogden Park and along Market Street to the north. Plans are also underway for designing Battle Park, which will be a passive public park on Carolina Beach Road. Airlie Gardens completed their Stormwater Master Plan Improvements and through these improvements they are enhancing their watershed and furthering their mission as an outstanding historical garden that has both cultural and educational programs for citizens and visitors. Airlie is a true gem for our region. Our libraries continued their incredible work of serving all people, furthering access to books and education opportunities, and even installed new self-service check-out equipment that The Cape Fear Museum increased their education opportunities, brought in new exhibits like Dinosaur Discovery and To the Moon: Snoopy Soars with Nasa, and created interactive events Page 4 2020 State of the County Speaking Points Vice-Chair Patricia Kusek that showed people the importance of the museum, with a focus on science and our regions history. We also celebrated milestone anniversaries at our Arboretum: 20 years of the Ability Garden, 30 years of the Arboretum, and 40 years of the Extension Master Gardener Program. If you and see the amazing programs and beautiful views they offer. , and even working to become a low- waste campus. On the topic of waste, I can think of no more innovative ompleted the installation and startup of a landfill gas collection system, which helps dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provides us with the opportunity to convert landfill gas into renewable energy. We also successfully managed what was more than 3 million cubic yards of vegetative debris from Hurricane Florence and turned it into about 40 acres of mulch at a depth of about 17 feet. The forward-thinking and environmentally-focused initiatives happening at our landfill are incredibly impressive. Page 5 2020 State of the County Speaking Points Vice-Chair Patricia Kusek Right there off of 421, we also celebrated an important milestone for economic development with the expansion of sewer and water. In partnership with CFPUA, the county now has a corridor primed and ready for more industries, smart businesses, and diverse, higher-wage jobs to come to our region. As we grow, public safety demands grow with it. And we are fortunate in New Hanover County to have some of the most dedicated public servants who keep us safe each day. Our 911 telecommunicators are first responders behind the scenes, making sure the right support and help is dispatched. They should be commended for the powerful role they play every day in keeping us safe and secure. Our New Hanover County Fire Rescue personnel also made a difference in 2019, responding to 6,652 calls for service, helping accident victims, fighting fires, protecting lives, and saving properties. They even served alongside our home delivered meals volunteers and tested smoke detectors in homes of our older adults. Page 6 2020 State of the County Speaking Points Vice-Chair Patricia Kusek also provided superior public safety to our community. They received Triple Crown Accreditation from the American Correctional Association, National Commission of Correctional Health Care and Commission of Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. Triple Crown Award. Congratulations to Sheriff Ed McMahon and his staff on this important achievement. This past July, the also assumed operations and control of the Crime Lab and Blood Alcohol testing program through a commitment of county funding and an interlocal agreement with the city. And in only four short months, the ceived accreditation in blood alcohol testing from the National Accreditation Board. That is a testament to the high- and I believe we have positioned this to be an even better operation moving forward. Since 2016, the county has received 29 achievement awards from the National Association of Counties for our innovative Page 7 2020 State of the County Speaking Points Vice-Chair Patricia Kusek programs and initiatives. In 2019, we earned 7 national awards and I want to share those programs with you today, because I think it shows how in so many different ways your county is working for you, and serving you: The Community Recovery Resource Center, which was o created immediately after Hurricane Florence, was recognized because it provided a place for residents to get the resources and supplies they needed, in a compassionate atmosphere focused on the citizen. Our Customer Online Access Services Tool, which we call o COAST, is a land development software system that was implemented this year with the customer at the center, making it even easier to do business with the county. Numerous county departments were involved in this initiative, and their collaboration has truly made it a success. A Drug Positive Infant Protocol, spearheaded by Social o Services, was recognized because it ensures our staff and community partners respond to the birth of a drug-positive infant in a way that proactively helps the child and family. o system that effectively filters leachate and ensures the Page 8 2020 State of the County Speaking Points Vice-Chair Patricia Kusek county remains a good environmental steward earned high praise. We are also the only public landfill in the state to use this forward-thinking system. We also produced Opioid Public Service Announcements o over the last few years that bring awareness to the opioid epidemic and provide help and hope to those affected by the crisis, and they have become a resource for so many. Also recognized was the county-funded Pre-K Expansion o Pilot Program that now in its third year adds 3 new Pre-K classrooms to help at-risk children in our community be prepared as they enter Kindergarten. The results are astounding. Kids are better prepared, families are lifted up. And the county was also awarded for our partnership and o funding of the TIDES Program to help treat opioid-addicted pregnant and post-partum mothers. This program is making a difference, it is protecting lives, and it is providing hope. We also received two state-wide awards for excellence in innovation for the Community Recovery Resource Center that was created right after Hurricane Florence, and for the composting program at our landfill that is used by residents and businesses, and has generated more than 150 cubic yards of Page 9 2020 State of the County Speaking Points Vice-Chair Patricia Kusek finished compost. Another highlight in our work as environmental stewards! And the county also received a top international award for reducing and maintaining lower rates of juvenile recidivism through the Community Service and Restitution Program. This program is improving and changing the lives of our youth. Thank you to all of the departments and staff who work day-in and day-out to implement these, and many other programs. You are making a difference for our community. And thank you also to the hundreds who have volunteered on county-appointed boards and committees, our Board of Elections, Planning Board, Soil and Water Conservation District, and many more we appreciate your service to our community and your passion for what you do. Now, please join me in welcoming our Chair, Julia Olson- Boseman, to continue sharing address. Page 10