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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-08-24 Regular Meeting NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 34 REGULAR MEETING, AUGUST 24, 2020 PAGE 634 ASSEMBLY The New Hanover County Board of Commissioners met in Regular Session on Monday, August 24, 2020, at 9:00 a.m. in the Andre’ Mallette Training Rooms at the New Hanover County Government Center, 230 Government Center Drive, Wilmington, North Carolina. Members present: Chair Julia Olson-Boseman; Vice-Chair Patricia Kusek; Commissioner Jonathan Barfield, Jr.; Commissioner Woody White; and Commissioner Rob Zapple. Staff present: County Manager Chris Coudriet; County Attorney Wanda M. Copley; and Clerk to the Board Kymberleigh G. Crowell. INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Reverend Thomas Nixon, St. Stephen A.M.E. Church, provided the invocation and Vice-Chair Kusek led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA Chair Olson-Boseman requested a motion to approve the Consent Agenda as presented. Vice-Chair Kusek requested that Consent Item #2 Adoption of a Face Coverings Resolution be removed from the Consent Agenda for further discussion and consideration. Commissioner Zapple requested that Consent Item #5 Adoption of a Resolution to Award a Contract to Agilent Technologies, Inc. as a Sole Source Vendor for the Purchase of a Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometer for the Sheriff's Office Forensic Laboratory be removed from the Consent Agenda for further discussion and consideration. Hearing no other comments, Chair Olson-Boseman requested a motion to approve the remaining items on the Consent Agenda. Motion: Commissioner Zapple MOVED, SECONDED by Chair Olson-Boseman, to approve the remaining 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 August 10, 2020. Adoption of a Resolution to Award a Contract to JurisLink as a Sole Source Vendor for the Purchase of the JurisLink System – IT The Commissioners adopted a resolution to award a contract to JurisLink as a sole source vendor for the purchase of a video-first appearance system in the amount of $302,700, and associated budget amendment 21- 006. NCGS 143-129(e)(6) exempts purchases of apparatus, supplies, materials, or equipment for competitive bidding requirements when: (i) performance or price competition for a product are not available; (ii) a needed product is available from only one source of supply; or (iii) standardization or compatibility is the overriding consideration. JurisLink is the sole owner and manufacturer of the system; therefore, there is no available price competition. Compatibility and standardization is necessary and supported by the following:  The critical need for the system to interface with state’s official court calendar system  JurisLink’s ability to interface the video appearance equipment with the calendaring components of the system Copies of the resolution and budget amendment 21-006 are hereby incorporated as part of the minutes and are contained in Exhibit Book XLII, Page 16.2. Adoption of a Resolution to Award a Contract to Med-Eng, LLC as a Sole Source Vendor for the Purchase of Bomb Suits for the Sheriff's Office – Sheriff’s Office The Commissioners adopted a resolution to approve Med-Eng, LLC as a sole source vendor for the purchase of two bomb suits for the Sheriff's Office. The vendor has been the sole provider of bomb suits to the Sheriff's Office for the past 23 years. Each bomb suit costs $36,816 for a total cost of $73,632 for both. One bomb suit was approved as part of the FY21 budget and will be charged to 11032600800200 DBT21. The second suit will be paid for using grant funding and charged to 23632100800200 G0522. NCGS 143-129(e)(6) exempts purchases of apparatus, supplies, materials, or equipment from competitive bidding requirements when: (i) performance or price competition for a product are not available; (ii) a needed product is available from only one source of supply; or (iii) standardization or compatibility is the overriding consideration. NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 34 REGULAR MEETING, AUGUST 24, 2020 PAGE 635 A copy of the resolution is hereby incorporated as part of the minutes and is contained in Exhibit Book XLI, Page 16.3. Consideration and Adoption of a Face Coverings Resolution – County Manager Vice-Chair Kusek asked County Manager Coudriet to explain the origination of the resolution as the County is already requiring face masks inside public facilities when social distancing is not practicable. County Manager Coudriet explained that the County has it as an administrative practice, but with the libraries reopening, for example, and after a discussion specifically with Commissioner Barfield, it was felt the Board should go on record noting that it is important for the County’s customers to wear face coverings when in a public building, unless they have a medical exemption. It acknowledges what is being done administratively and is in line with the expectations of the state order and what the Board thinks is best practice. If the executive order to wear masks is rescinded, the Board does not have to rescind the resolution as it is in keeping with an executive order. However, out of an abundance of caution and if County Attorney Copley agrees, it can be brought back with a request to rescind the resolution. As to if someone is asked to leave if they do not comply with the mask order, County Manager Coudriet stated there has not been an issue with compliance. As the pandemic continues, it is conceivable people will become tired of wearing masks. The one exception is when the libraries reopened, because curbside service is still available, it is required that customers wear a face mask to enter the facility and without it, they will be turned away. At the other facilities, customers are asked to wear masks and if they do not have one, staff is in a position to offer one. If the customer has declared a medical exemption, clearly the order does not apply to them. Commissioner Barfield stated his main concern was for County employees. Many retail establishments have taken the same stance to protect their employees. Departments such as Health and DSS have high contact rates with customers. He wanted to make sure there was something in place to inform the public and ensure employees are not unnecessarily exposed to COVID-19 by someone who comes in for assistance. Consideration and Adoption of a Resolution to Award a Contract to Agilent Technologies, Inc. as a Sole Source Vendor for the Purchase of a Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometer for the Sheriff's Office Forensic Laboratory – Sheriff’s Office Commissioner Zapple requested that Chief Deputy Sarvis provide an overview of the request. Chief Deputy Sarvis stated that the drug lab is testing blood alcohol levels. Currently, if someone is arrested with a drug offense and the department has those drugs, the lab cannot test them. The drugs have to be sent to the state lab, which has a nine-month turnaround time. This results in the jail and court systems being backlogged. The gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer would arrive about mid-October and then there will be three months of training for personnel in order to operate the unit. Being able to run the drug tests on this unit will decrease the turnaround time to 30-days, serve a multi-county area, and save the County money in the long run. The total cost of the equipment and training is $125,685 and will be fully paid for using federal forfeited funds. Motion: Commissioner Zapple MOVED, SECONDED by Commissioner Barfield, to adopt the resolutions for Consent Items #2 and #5 as presented. In response to Board questions, Chief Deputy Sarvis confirmed that the lab is testing blood alcohol. The testing has sped up the case load for driving offenses, etc. and this equipment would allow for controlled substance testing. As to oversight and accountability in relation to testing controlled substances, when the Sheriff’s Office took over the local lab from the Wilmington Police Department, accreditation had to be done. A national organization was brought in that credits all drug and alcohol testing labs. After the review was complete, the forensics lab was credited with zero deficiencies. This speaks volumes to the personnel that the Sheriff’s office currently has working in the lab and the lab director. It’s a very important step and the accountability is where it needs to be to make sure there are no issues. It is standard protocol to keep the analysts separate and apart from the District Attorney’s office and there are policies in place to provide for that. The cost to the defendant is $600 for every test done, which provides a revenue base that the department can get back through the adjudication process. As to whether or not CBD testing is being taken into consideration, Chief Deputy Sarvis stated that due to the Farm Bill, the department is on hold on the marijuana side. The equipment will be able to test the levels, but the testing that will be done initially will be on fentanyl, heroin, prescription drugs, etc. Hearing no further discussion, Chair Olson-Boseman asked for direction from the Board on Consent Items #2 and #5. Upon vote, the MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. A copy of the resolution for Consent Item #2 is hereby incorporated as part of the minutes and is contained in Exhibit Book XLI, Page 16.1. A copy of the resolution for Consent Item #5 is hereby incorporated as part of the minutes and is contained in Exhibit Book XLI, Page 16.4. REGULAR ITEMS OF BUSINESS THE HEALING PLACE DISCUSSION County Manager Coudriet stated that staff has been working, at the direction of the Board, for several years with Trillium and other providers to stand up a long-term peer-led residential treatment facility. What was brought to the Board in 2015 was to establish a version of The Healing Place in this community. This was based on Trillium’s gap analysis and what they brought forward to the Board was the need, not only for the long-term peer-led NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 34 REGULAR MEETING, AUGUST 24, 2020 PAGE 636 residential treatment, but for it to be an abstinence based program. Their research led to The Healing Place and that concept was formalized in an agreement with the County and Trillium in 2018. This led to the County working with Trillium, Coastal Horizons, and the City of Wilmington staff to secure a special use permit to construct the facility on property that was owned by Trillium and transferred to the County to construct the facility. The model that was proposed to the Board in the March 2018 agreement is not what the original agreement was. Originally Trillium, using its Medicaid savings, was going to construct the facility and endow the operation. There was a change in state policy that required LMEs/MCOs to spend down their cash balances they generated through moving to managed care in Medicaid. With this Board’s support, Commissioner Zapple was able to secure a delay in cancelling the project with the Trillium governing board to give the County the opportunity to review if there was a different financial model that could be secured. Staff did that, the Board endorsed it, and that led to the agreement in 2018 whereby the property and the expectation to build the facility rested with the County. The County would use appropriations that are provided to Trillium to pay down the debt and the was already a commitment to a bed night purchase. The County was also successful in securing the special use permit. After that, the Board made the decision to also find an equal and equitable commitment for family and women's treatment. County staff working with Trillium, as well as The Healing Place (the parent company), agreed there could be a co-location of men and women on the site. There has been a redesign to move from a 100 bed to a 200 bed facility for men and women. At the end of 2019, Trillium communicated it would not contract for local operations with Coastal Horizons. County Manager Coudriet noted that when the special use permit was secured in January 2019, all of the parties involved believed that Coastal Horizons was the preferred operator of Trillium. He further stated he could not speak to what led to the change and that the County has been a strong proponent that Coastal Horizons should be the operator. However, it is not the County’s decision. While the County is charged with building the facility via the agreement, the provider network is the charge of the LME/MCO, in this case Trillium. Trillium has determined that if this is going to proceed, it will be done with The Healing Place of Louisville, which is the corporate parent of The Healing Place model. There has been continued advocating from a staff perspective and Commissioner Zapple to Trillium as to whether there is an opportunity to reconsider and find a way. The June letter from Trillium made clear they have made their decision. Staff’s perspective is to not enter into an agreement with The Healing Place, and that is necessary because the County is the owner of the facility and it has to be leased to someone to operate, unless the Board directs staff to do so, because it is different from what the special use permit suggested would be the local operator. The Board directed staff to prepare this agenda item and bring it forward at either the first or the second meeting in August. Staff is asking for Board direction on how best to proceed under the current circumstances. Chair Olson-Boseman asked for direction from the Board on staff’s request. Commissioner Barfield stated he was on the board of Southeastern Center for Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services when Foster Norman was the director when part of the land was sold and part of it was given to the County as there was nothing that they could do with it. The brief summary states that since obtaining the special use permit, Trillium has made the decision to contract with The Healing Place of Louisville rather than Coastal Horizons. After speaking with several members of the City Council, he does not think the special use permit would have been approved had it not been for Coastal Horizons being there. Knowing the reputation of Coastal Horizons, the long standing commitment to the community, and that the County partners with them, he thinks weighed heavily on many City Council members to approve the special use permit. Looking at the fact that the Coastal Horizons CEO put her name and the organization’s name on the line and spoke in favor of the whole process, to him seems like it was a bait and switch with Trillium. It also smacks the credibility and integrity of this county government, as well as his. In watching the City Council meetings, he heard several times that Coastal Horizons was going to be it. If that were not the case, he would not have had Margaret Weller-Stargell speak on behalf of Coastal Horizons and put their reputation on the line for something that was not going to be beneficial to them. He hopes someone from Trillium is here to defend the things that he is bringing forward. It is very disappointing to him to see where we are now, two years later and no dirt has been turned, people are still dying from the opioid epidemic, and we are bogged down in bureaucracy as opposed to helping people. He would just assume to give Trillium back their land, reduce what the County gives them every year, and then the County fund its own facility. He supports a facility for men and women as he knows the need for a facility in this community, having personally had a daughter to overdose. To be here two years later and not having done anything other than sling mud, to him is the wrong approach. Commissioner Zapple stated he has been involved in a number of the conversations about this matter. It has been almost four years since the first time Trillium came before the Board to bring up the idea of building the facility in this County. It is needed. There have been several significant conversations between Trillium, The Healing Place, and the County. There have been multiple attempts to have all parties come to some sort of sharing agreement and it has become clear that there is a basic philosophical difference in the treatment programs and they do not mesh between Coastal Horizons and The Healing Place. It is clearly stated and undisputed that it is Trillium’s decision to decide who the provider is going to be. The fact that the County has been able to increase it to women, men, and now also children, is huge for this community. He does not think the facility can be built fast enough and the point has arrived where the Board has to make a very difficult decision. Coastal Horizons has been and will continue to be an important player in the recovery community here in this County. The County stands in strong support, as does Trillium, of Coastal Horizons. In this particular case, this facility needs to be built. Trillium has made the decision that they are mandated to make it and its time to get this particular facility built. There will be plenty of other opportunities to allow Coastal Horizons, and hopefully The Healing Place, to expand in our community. Commissioner Barfield stated he needs to have something more than it just did not work out. He needs for someone to explain to him what that means. He thinks the citizens in this community and Coastal Horizons need to NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 34 REGULAR MEETING, AUGUST 24, 2020 PAGE 637 hear more than it just did not work out. He recognizes the need to build this yesterday, but there is right and there is wrong. For the most part, Coastal Horizons was used to get Trillium what it wanted and now that they have gotten it, they are switching ships so to speak. To him, irregardless of how bad we need it today, that is wrong. Again, he needs more than it did not work out. Chair Olson-Boseman stated that she is personally tired of being accused of baiting and switching, or whatever it is that Commissioner Barfield is saying was done. The Board made the decision a year ago and if she is correct, it voted on it and asked County Manager Coudriet to confirm if her recollection was correct. County Manager Coudriet responded he would answer the question as he recalls it and that is the agreement was struck in March 2018. After the special use permit was secured and based on priorities of the Board, staff was directed to find an equal and equitable treatment for women. That was done and staff brought forward to the Board, he thinks in July 2019, a policy commitment that would allow The Healing Place to be expanded to include women and maximize the allowance of the special use permit. The original model was for 100 beds for men and the special use permit allowed for 200 beds. The Board voted on proceeding with the female component on the site to include the costs of building the 200 bed facility versus 100 bed facility and also agreed to purchase bed nights for women. It was done under the expectation that it was The Healing Place, Trillium, and as far as staff knew nothing had changed in the due diligence between Coastal Horizons and Trillium that Coastal Horizons would be the operator. The agreement that the Board signed with Trillium in March 2018 allows for the County to redirect money from its annual appropriations to Trillium for the purposes of paying down the debt. Commissioner White stated he shares some of what Commissioner Barfield has related, but is not sure in part about the willful actions of the County in baiting and switching. He watched the hearing on the special use permit which was four hours long in front of the City Council, and he saw Coastal Horizons play a pivotal role in it. He thinks if Coastal Horizons had not have been there, it may not have passed and certainly would not have passed 6-1. He thinks Commissioner Barfield is absolutely correct about that. Where the decision went from that point forward, via Trillium and the bureaucracy that is involved in those decisions, based on what he understands, it was a divergence between the efficacy of an abstinence based program and a medically assisted based program and the need in this community for a very strong foothold in an abstinence based program as an option because addiction comes in all shapes and sizes. He does not know if Trillium decided that the Louisville, Kentucky model was better and that their rates of success were better and they did not want to risk Coastal Horizons expanding into that. He thinks Coastal Horizons could have, from what he knows about how well they have done for 30-plus years in this community. But whatever happened, happened and it's disappointed him because everyone knows the local partnership that the County has with Coastal Horizons, the people that run it, their integrity and character, the board that oversees what they do, and how well diverse and representative it is of this community. He was displeased to see the decision, but he also felt it was above his pay grade and made by people that spend every single day assessing what communities need for addiction services, so he reluctantly supported it. As to Commissioner Barfield’s comments about the County, he shared some of those concerns initially and thought maybe there was something nefarious going on, but knowing the people involved, County Manager Coudriet and Assistant County Manager Stoute and all of the staff, he has no evidence to believe that anyone did anything intentional nor took any action that was inconsistent with their ethics. Maybe they went along with this the same as what he thought, with Coastal Horizons at the table, at the special use permit hearing, and then at some point in time, maybe Trillium did a bait and switch. However, he tends to believe it was because of an objective assessment of the efficacy of two different types of programs. That was what he concluded after many discussions with Coastal Horizon's people and with County staff, independently, to figure out what was going on. He also thinks Commissioner Zapple is correct in that we need this yesterday for all of the known reasons. He knows Commissioner Barfield agrees with that too, from his own personal experiences, and what he sees in this community. Commissioner White further stated that he thinks looking forward, Coastal Horizons should be and will be the County’s preferred community partner as the County looks to allocate money for behavioral health from the probable conveyance of the hospital because there is a lot more that has to be done in this community to address this scourge. It is not just this one decision today. He hopes Coastal Horizons will see that as an opportunity and they will work in good faith with the County moving forward in that regard. Commissioner Barfield stated that his comments were directed at Trillium, not the County or staff. He was not talking about the Board’s team. He feels like something was perpetrated against the County, that is why he said the Board’s and its teams’ reputation was on the line. The Board and County staff were not the ones saying the County was going to bring Coastal Horizons on as a partner, that was Trillium. Chair Olson-Boseman thanked him for his comments. Vice-Chair Kusek asked County Manager Coudriet what the staff needed from the Board at this point. County Manager Coudriet responded that from a staff perspective what is being asked is the policy commitment of the Board to proceed with construction and bed purchase for The Healing Place, understanding that Trillium is going to contract the operations of that facility with the corporate parent, The Healing Place of Louisville, rather than Coastal Horizons. Staff does not want to enter into any agreement, even though the Board has given prior approval, with the operator being different than what staff understood them to be. The partners remain the same, Trillium and the County, as well as the financial arrangement. Vice-Chair Kusek stated she would make the motion. County Manager Coudriet further stated there is an agreement sitting on Chief Finance Officer Lisa Wurtzbacher’s desk and it has been back and forth multiple times. He hopes staff can interpret the directive to agree to sign it today, if it is in keeping with the Ms. Wurtzbacher’s expectations. But if the Board directs staff to sign it today, it will be done. NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 34 REGULAR MEETING, AUGUST 24, 2020 PAGE 638 Motion: Vice-Chair Kusek MOVED, SECONDED by Commissioner Zapple, to direct the County Manager and appropriate staff to execute the agreement with The Healing Place of Louisville for operation of the local facility on August 24, 2020. Chair Olson-Boseman stated that she wants to be clear that she cannot say enough about Coastal Horizons and what it does for this community. All of the Commissioners are very invested with Coastal Horizons, it is the County’s partner in so much, and the desire is to continue to be partners. The treatment center is just one thing, and there is a lot that is going to be done in the County in the future, she believes, if the hospital partnership goes through. There will be a lot of money to invest in treatment and mental health, and it has been discussed that the citizens should have options to whatever treatment they want. The Board wants them to have access to whichever program is going work for them and there is a need to get the facility open as quick as possible. County Manager Coudriet stated Ms. Wurtzbacher is comfortable with the agreement being executed today. There is a nonbinding element that is still being worked about who establishes the non-profit, Trillium or the County. The County is the owner of the facility, but that is not binding and unrelated to the agreement with The Healing Place. In response to Board questions, County Manager Coudriet stated that there was a significant redesign that was necessary due to expanding to the 200 bed facility to accommodate men and women. The design work has never stopped or been delayed through the process. The original plan was to have a groundbreaking in the fall of 2020. Ms. Wurtzbacher stated that the guaranteed maximum price (GMP) for the project should be coming to the Board in October or November, at that point ground can be broken, and there typically is a 12 to 18-month construction period. Hearing no further discussion, Chair Olson-Boseman asked for a vote on the motion on the floor. Upon vote, the MOTION PASSED 4 TO 1. Commissioner Barfield dissenting for the reasons he stated. ADMINISTRATION OF OATH OF OFFICE TO ALLISON SNELL TO SERVE AS THE TAX ASSESSOR (TAX ADMINISTRATOR) AND TAX COLLECTOR (COLLECTOR OF REVENUE) Chair Olson-Boseman administered the Oath of Office to Allison Snell as Tax Assessor and Collector of Revenue, and carry the functional title of Tax Administrator, for a four-year term effective September 1, 2020 through August 31, 2024. A copy of the oath of office is hereby incorporated as a part of the minutes and is contained in Exhibit Book XL, Page 16.5. PUBLIC HEARING AND APPROVAL TO SUBMIT A JOINT APPLICATION WITH THE CITY OF WILMINGTON TO THE EDWARD BYRNE MEMORIAL JUSTICE ASSISTANCE GRANT (JAG) PROGRAM FOR 2020 FUNDING FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Chair Olson-Boseman announced that the JAG program provides states and local governments with funding necessary to support law enforcement, prosecution prevention and education programs, community corrections, drug treatment and enforcement, crime victim and witness initiatives, and planning, evaluation and technology improvement programs. She opened the public hearing and reported no one signed up to speak in favor or in opposition to the matter and invited Chief Deputy Ken Sarvis, with the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, to make his presentation. Chief Deputy Ken Sarvis stated that this a grant that the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office applies for each year with the City of Wilmington. It is a joint allocation in order to receive the grant in the total amount of $77,105; New Hanover County will receive $38,552 and the City of Wilmington will receive $38,553. The New Hanover County portion of the funding would be used to purchase headset units for the Civil Disturbance Unit, Project Lifesaver transmitters and rapid response shields for the Emergency Response Team. There is no local match requirement. Chair Olson-Boseman thanked Chief Deputy Sarvis for his comments. Hearing no further discussion, Chair Olson-Boseman stated that no one signed up to speak in favor or in opposition to the matter, closed the public hearing, and requested direction from the Board. Motion: Commissioner Barfield MOVED, SECONDED by Commissioner White, to authorize the Sheriff's Office to submit a joint application with the City of Wilmington to the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant, and authorize the County Manager to execute the required County/City Memorandum of Understanding as required by the grant application. Upon vote, the MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. Chair Olson-Boseman directed staff to execute a Memorandum of Understanding between New Hanover County and the City of Wilmington. A copy of the Memorandum of Understanding is available in the legal department. NEW HANOVER COUNTY AIRPORT AUTHORITY ANNUAL UPDATE Airport Authority Chair Donna Girardot expressed appreciation to the Board for its support and stated it has been an extremely challenging and most unpredictable year for the Wilmington International Airport (ILM). The good news is that ILM is on solid financial footing, continues to be a revenue contributor to the County's tax base, is NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 34 REGULAR MEETING, AUGUST 24, 2020 PAGE 639 prepared to weather the uncertainty, and the staff at ILM, who are essential workers, are extremely capable professionals and dedicated to keeping the airport's operations safe and secure. Unlike some other airports, ILM has been fortunate not to have to issue any layoffs and has done all of this with a full staff. ILM has also been able to move forward with the terminal expansion project, keeping its prime contractor and that workforce, who is local, fully employed. Airport Director Julie Wilsey presented the annual report highlighting the following:  2019: Growth Impacts ILM: 1,075,963  COVID-19 Impacts on Activity:  Operating Revenue is down  $19.8 million in CARES Act  Employees  Debt Service  Other Op Expenses  FY21 Budget reduced  ILM Health and Safety Awareness:  Changed some operating procedures to make sure that ILM was recognized for cleanliness and also had a new standard for sanitization. Procedures stay in effect until it is known what the new normal is.  Implementation of new practices, calling it “Until the Coast is Clear”.  Marketing program revamped and reminders developed for passengers and employees to make sure that they, too, were going to be traveling safe for the traveling public  All employees and partners at ILM wear masks in public areas of building. It must be done to help the traveling public become confident enough to get back on aircraft to resume the tourism and the business travel that connects ILM to the rest of the world.  Passengers are required to wear masks on aircraft and for the duration of flight, which are policies of ILM’s airline partners  Short-term Goal: Restore Services to 50% of Pre-COVID Levels:  The Path Back to Improved Schedules and Recovery:  American Airlines:  Priority 1: Add CLT early morning departure  Priority 2: Reinstate two daily departures to LGA, one early morning and one midday  Priority 3: Keep DFW but up gauge back to an aircraft with premium cabin  Delta Airlines:  Priority 1: Add a departure to ATL in the early morning  United Airlines:  Priority 1: Add a departure to IAD in the early morning  Achieving these services will get ILM to approximately 50% of previous service levels  Terminal Expansion: Contract 2 – Ticket Lobby and Outbound Bag Makeup  Ticket Lobby: new ticket counters and carpet; third TSA checkpoint lane NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 34 REGULAR MEETING, AUGUST 24, 2020 PAGE 640  Before the July 4, 2020 Holiday, new ticket areas were opened  $9.1 million contract for contract two was important and was only accomplished because of the NC Legislature appropriated the funds in FY20 to get the project completed  Added a new outbound baggage carousel for airline partners to process baggage more efficiently and get morning fleet launch off on time.  Terminal Expansion: Contract 3 – Gate Expansion  Gate Expansion: concrete floors; masonry work in airline underwing areas  $40 million project, using local contractor Monteith.  It is able to be accomplished due to FY21 appropriation by the NC Legislature of $6 million, FAA appropriation of $9 million AIP funds and $21 million in discretionary funds for the project.  Expected opening is early 2023 Director Wilsey thanked the Board for its continued support. In response to Board questions, Ms. Wilsey confirmed there will be more ticketing kiosks and for the future fourth carrier there will be infrastructure for kiosks. It does help expedite the process for those who are checking in and still checking a bag. There are still a lot of business travelers that bypass ticket counters. In regard to the parking lot expansion plans, several of the lots are currently closed for maintenance. Due to the low volume of parking, the decision was made to reseal the existing older lots and redo the equipment so that all of the lots are operated with credit card only machines. This has delayed the need to start the surface parking lot project for at least a year. It also delays the large cost of the parking deck and the disruption the construction entails. However, passenger traffic is being monitored and if the levels return and if it is seen to be needed, it will be built in 2021. Chair Olson-Boseman thanked Director Wilsey and Ms. Girardot for their leadership in getting the additional funding for the projects and for the presentation. COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS Appointment to the New Hanover County Adult Care Home Community Advisory Committee Chair Olson-Boseman reported that up to seven vacancies exist on the New Hanover County Adult Care Home Community Advisory Committee with one applicant eligible for reappointment. Chair Olson-Boseman nominated Ursula A. Greene for reappointment. Commissioner Zapple seconded the nomination. Hearing no further nominations, Chair Olson-Boseman asked for a vote on the nomination on the floor. Vote Results: The Board voted UNANIMOUSLY to reappoint Ursula A. Greene to the New Hanover County Adult Care Home Community Advisory Board to serve a three-year term with the term to expire on August 31, 2023. Appointment to the New Hanover County/City of Wilmington Community Relations Advisory Committee Chair Olson-Boseman reported that one vacancy exists on the New Hanover County/City of Wilmington Community Relations Advisory Committee with six applications available for consideration. Chair Olson-Boseman nominated Liz Carbone for appointment. Commissioner Zapple seconded the nomination. Hearing no further nominations, Chair Olson-Boseman asked for a vote on the nomination on the floor. Vote Results: The Board voted UNANIMOUSLY to appoint Liz Carbone in the At-Large category to the New Hanover County/City of Wilmington Community Relations Advisory Committee to serve an unexpired term with the term to expire on September 30, 2021. Appointment to the New Hanover County/City of Wilmington Workforce Housing Advisory Committee Chair Olson-Boseman reported that three vacancies exist on the New Hanover County/City of Wilmington Workforce Housing Advisory Committee with two applicants eligible for reappointment and three additional applications available for consideration.  Vice-Chair Kusek nominated Tom Gale in the Cape Fear REALTORS Representative category for appointment, Shamonique Brantley in the Financial Community category, and Steve Spain in the Non-Profit Housing Community category for reappointment. Commissioner White seconded the nominations.  Commissioner Zapple nominated Jody Wainio in the Cape Fear REALTORS Representative category for appointment, Shamonique Brantley in the Financial Community category, and Steve Spain in the Non-Profit Housing Community category for reappointment. Hearing no further nominations, Chair Olson-Boseman asked for a vote on the nominations on the floor. Vote Results: The Board voted UNANIMOUSLY to reappoint Shamonique Brantley in the Financial Community category, Steve Spain in the Non-Profit Housing Community category, and appoint Tom Gale in the Cape Fear NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 34 REGULAR MEETING, AUGUST 24, 2020 PAGE 641  REALTORS Representative category to the New Hanover County/City of Wilmington Workforce Housing Advisory Committee to serve three-year terms with the terms to expire on August 31, 2023. Appointment to the New Hanover County Industrial Facilities and Pollution Control Financing Authority Chair Olson-Boseman reported that one vacancy exists on the New Hanover County Industrial Facilities and Pollution Control Financing Authority with one application available for consideration. Commissioner Zapple nominated William Pearson for appointment. Chair Olson-Boseman seconded the nomination. Vote Results: The Board voted UNANIMOUSLY to appoint William Pearson to the New Hanover County Industrial Facilities and Pollution Control Financing Authority to serve an unexpired term with the term to expire February 22, 2025. Appointments to the New Hanover County Library Advisory Board Chair Olson-Boseman reported that four vacancies exist on the New Hanover County Library Advisory Board with two applicants eligible for reappointment and one additional application available for consideration. Commissioner Zapple nominated Dennis M. Conlon and Scott Dodd for reappointment, and Mary Alice Baish for appointment. Chair Olson-Boseman seconded the nominations. Hearing no further nominations, Chair Olson-Boseman asked for a vote on the nominations on the floor. Vote Results: The Board voted UNANIMOUSLY to reappoint Dennis M. Conlon and Scott Dodd, and appoint Mary Alice Baish to the New Hanover County Library Advisory Board to serve three-year terms with the terms to expire August 31, 2023. Appointment to the New Hanover County Nursing Home Community Advisory Committee Chair Olson-Boseman reported that up to five vacancies exist on the New Hanover County Nursing Home Community Advisory Committee with one application available for consideration. Commissioner Zapple nominated Julie Brewer for reappointment. Chair Olson-Boseman seconded the nomination. Hearing no further nominations, Chair Olson-Boseman asked for a vote on the nomination on the floor. Vote Results: The Board voted UNANIMOUSLY to reappoint Julie Brewer to the New Hanover County Nursing Home Community Advisory Board to serve a three-year term with the term to expire on August 31, 2023. Appointments to the New Hanover County Risk Management Advisory Committee Chair Olson-Boseman reported that two vacancies exist on the New Hanover County Risk Management Advisory Committee with three applications available for consideration. Commissioner Zapple nominated George H. Chadwick, III and Deborah D. Watts for reappointment. Vice- Chair Kusek seconded the nominations. Hearing no further nominations, Chair Olson-Boseman asked for a vote on the nominations on the floor. Vote Results: The Board voted UNANIMOUSLY to reappoint George H. Chadwick, III and Deborah D. Watts to the New Hanover County Risk Management Advisory Committee to serve three-year terms with the terms to expire September 1, 2023. Appointment to the New Hanover County Tourism Development Authority Chair Olson-Boseman reported that two vacancies exist on the New Hanover County Tourism Development Authority with one application available for consideration. Commissioner Zapple nominated Charles Pennington for appointment in the Bed and Breakfast Owner/Manager category. Vice-Chair Kusek seconded the nomination. Hearing no further nominations, Chair Olson-Boseman asked for a vote on the nomination on the floor. Vote Results: The Board voted UNANIMOUSLY to appoint Charles Pennington in the Bed and Breakfast Owner/Manager category to the New Hanover County Tourism Development Authority to serve an unexpired term with the term to expire on December 31, 2021. PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS Chair Olson-Boseman reported that no one signed up to speak on non-agenda items. NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 34 REGULAR MEETING, AUGUST 24, 2020 PAGE 642 ADDITIONAL AGENDA ITEMS OF BUSINESS County Manager Coudriet stated that Assistant County Manager Kathy Stoute is retiring on August 31, 2020 after serving the County for 13 years and two months. He provided a brief history of her service to the organization and in the community. He further stated that it has been an honor to work with Ms. Stoute. Chair Olson-Boseman presented Ms. Stoute with a clock, thanked her for her service, and for all she has done for the County. Commissioner Barfield recognized his daughter, Elizabeth, for being named one of the 40 under 40 by the StarNews and for the assistance from the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Department Animal Control Services with his family’s recent adoption of a dog from the facility. Vice-Chair Kusek requested that Chief Financial Officer Lisa Wurtzbacher and her staff provide to the Board at the next meeting an analysis of the differences between a two percent return and a five percent return on a billion dollars over 50 years. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, Chair Olson-Boseman adjourned the meeting at 10:09 a.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.