2022-04-14 Agenda Review
NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 35
AGENDA REVIEW MEETING, APRIL 14, 2022 PAGE 402
ASSEMBLY
The New Hanover County Board of Commissioners met for Agenda Review on Thursday, April 14, 2022 at
4:00 p.m. via in-person and remote in the Harrell Conference Room at the New Hanover County Government Center,
230 Government Center Drive, Wilmington, North Carolina.
Members present: Chair Julia Olson-Boseman; Vice-Chair Deb Hays; Commissioner Jonathan Barfield, Jr.
(remote); Commissioner Bill Rivenbark; and Commissioner Rob Zapple.
Staff present: County Manager Chris Coudriet; County Attorney Wanda M. Copley; and Clerk to the Board
Kymberleigh G. Crowell.
Chair Olson-Boseman called the Agenda Review meeting to order and announced that the purpose of the
meeting is to review and discuss the agenda items for the April 18, 2022 Regular Meeting with discussions as noted:
Consent Agenda Item #3: Second Reading: Approval of Solid Waste Franchise for JPM Services Inc. and
Consent Agenda Item #4: Second Reading: Approval of Solid Waste Franchise for Port City Containers LLC. In
response to Board questions, County Attorney Copley stated that the County does not require workers
compensation or liability insurance for franchise agreements, only auto insurance. Her staff has confirmed that the
auto policies for the proposed franchises are current. Environmental Management Director Joe Suleyman stated
that there have been incidents where two haulers have collided, but safety rules have been put in place to help
prevent further incidents. In a collision, auto insurance would cover the damages. The County can change the
franchise agreement requirements going forward if that is the will of the Board.
Consent Agenda Item #5: Approval of The Healing Place of New Hanover County Furniture Purchase
Award. In response to Board questions, Facilities Project Manager Kevin Caison stated that the referenced deferred
items consist of some upholstered benches for the administrative lobby areas and other buildings, some umbrellas
out in the plaza area, and nine cubicle workstations. Staff feels the purchase order (PO) will be amendable later in
the project to purchase those items. The information has been shared with The Healing Place team to make sure
that the items being deferred are not needed on day one.
Consent Agenda Item #9: Adoption of Foster Care Awareness Month Proclamation. Commissioner Zapple
requested that the matter be moved to the regular agenda to provide more awareness to the increased number of
children in foster care and the need for foster parents. The consensus of the Board was to move the matter to the
regular agenda.
Consent Agenda Item #10: Adoption of Budget Amendments. In response to Board questions, Chief
Financial Officer Lisa Wurtzbacher stated that regarding budget amendment (BA) 22-059, state calculations are done
with all counties to determine the need and based on the information, Crisis Intervention Payment (CIP) funds do
have to be returned. Regarding BA 22-065, the qualification requirements to receive assistance from the Low-Income
Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) are based on income level and if the applicant is already being
served by DSS as the assistance will be accessed through DSS. Ms. Wurtzbacher stated that she will make sure Cape
Fear Public Utility Authority (CFPUA) is also aware of LIHWAP. Regarding BA 22-068, Ms. Wurtzbacher stated that
Miscellaneous Support Payments is a special purpose fund where the County holds funds for other people and the
item is for foster care funds.
Regular Agenda Item #15: New Hanover County Economic Mobility - Economic Development Strategic
Update. Commissioner Zapple stated that he was impressed by the thoroughness of the report and believes it is a
detailed report on where the County stands eight years out.
A brief discussion was held about some Commissioners’ concerns with parts of the Greenfield Consulting
report. Commissioner Rivenbark stated that his first concern was on growth and business development and requiring
a quarterly report as there is not a lot of information that can be shared by economic development teams. In
response, Robin Spinks of Greenfield Consulting stated that while she understood that concern, the point of the
recommendation is that the information is useful to understand what kinds of companies are inquiring as well as
their reasons for not locating here. The information will help the Board long term to plan and stay abreast of trends.
Commissioner Rivenbark stated that his next concern was that although the report was prepared for New Hanover
County, the data really should be reflective of more than just New Hanover County. Ms. Spinks agreed, noting that
even the metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is not correct any longer and that the data needs to be presented to
the prospects in a larger fashion by the joint entities involved as there is a cohesive story about the data.
Commissioner Rivenbark explained that his last concern was about identifying property for industrial development
noting that he feels that information is not something that should be shared with anyone until it is done. He believes
sharing too much information too early can cost the County an industry deciding to locate here. Ms. Spinks stated
that it is not unusual to do such as when her company completed a mapping study for Transylvania County by taking
GIS mapping and identifying each potential property over 20 acres for the purposes of long-term planning.
Commissioner Barfield expressed appreciation for Ms. Spinks’ comments and stated that his concern is not
with what happens in other places but what happens here, recognizing that New Hanover County is unique. New
Hanover County is one of the economic leaders of eastern North Carolina as it is one of the 15 most urban counties
in the state and really the only urban county in eastern North Carolina. The first Garner report gave a good outline
for what needed to be done. The County updated the comprehensive land use plan, special use permit process, and
knows where the industrial corridors are. Water and sewer have been extended on Highway 421 to try to develop
NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 35
AGENDA REVIEW MEETING, APRIL 14, 2022 PAGE 403
that area. The County is now developing a business park on Blue Clay Road to hopefully entice others to come here,
but he recognizes the need for confidentiality in some of those conversations and when too much information is put
out there it destroys the ability to negotiate. The Brunswick County Commissioners decided to keep the economic
development person in-house, which has hampered their ability to attract business because everything must be kept
open. Another example is how a baseball stadium that could have been built here was not because information got
out too quick. He reiterated that he appreciates what happens in other places, but those places are not here.
Commissioner Rivenbark expressed appreciation for the report explaining that New Hanover County is
ranked as being the eighth lowest taxes in North Carolina. He further noted that not a lot of people in New Hanover
County are aware of that ranking.
Ms. Spinks stated that her team’s job was to look long term and that it is important to understand the
trends because there are only 4,200 acres of developable industrial land left in the County. That land needs to be
prioritized, no matter who owns it. She has seen in other places that if it is not prioritized, especially in faster growing
counties, vacant land gets eaten up by stuff. A lot of communities will make an industrial park out of a piece of
property they already own or easily obtainable rather than putting such a park in the right place such as the start of
an interstate, or right at an interchange to major roads. Again, the analysis helps the County plan long term. She has
been in the business 45 years and this is the busiest she has ever seen it, not just here but everywhere.
The Board thanked Ms. Spinks for the overview of the report.
Regular Agenda Item #16: Consideration of the Purchase of a Command Unit for Multi-Agency Use. In
response to Board questions, Emergency Management Director Steven Still stated that it is not ideal to have two
separate assets such as a truck and trailer to manage as a command unit. When the command unit needs to deploy
it does not have to be hooked up to something. The proposed vehicle is also a joint asset whether it is for fire, law,
or festival events. It is built on a fire truck chassis but has an RV or motorhome back that expands out. It will be able
to access single lane roads if there is enough room to turn around or to back out.
In response to Board questions, Mr. Still stated that staff is asking to put the request in the current budget
as it will take about 21 months for delivery. Doing so will relieve the burden on the upcoming fiscal year and get in
the que for the 21-month delivery.
Regular Agenda Item #18: Consideration of a Resolution to Award the Bid for the Convenience Center
Redevelopment Project. In response to Board questions, Mr. Suleyman stated that the convenience center is the
area located to the left just past the scales. The site is being redeveloped due to its location and as traffic increases
out there, trying to get in and out is a nightmare for users. There is a full-time staff person at the site just to direct
traffic. It will also provide a secure area for staff’s tools and other improvements as staff is currently working out of
a plastic utility shed. The existing site will remain active until the new site opens.
Regular Agenda Item #19: Consideration of Building Safety Revised Residential Fee Schedule. County
Manager Coudriet stated that the matter was being pulled from the agenda.
STAFF UPDATES
Update on The Tides - Healthy Mothers Having Healthy Babies. Founder and President Dr. William
Johnstone and Vice-President and Executive Director Debbie Kinsey provided the following update:
The Tides - Healthy Mothers Having Healthy Babies:
TIDES, INC. is a comprehensive, coordinated, outpatient treatment program for women with
substance use disorders in the Cape Fear region, who are pregnant or newly postpartum. The Tides
program is a collaborative, community consortium of existing agencies and therapists coming
together to engage these women in the recovery process.
What we are doing:
The Tides program is four years old
The Tides continues to have strong relationships with community service partners:
Department of Health & Human Services; Novant Health-NHRMC; Novant Health Coastal
OBGYN; Coastal Horizons Center; 828 Church; Step-Up Wilmington
The Tides continues to provide in-house services to all program participants:
Transitional Living Housing; Transportation; Case Management; Training
The Tides continues to enlist financial support from organizations to supplement county funds
to meet budget demands:
Cape Fear Memorial Foundation; Landfall Foundation; Novant Health-NHRMC; Making
Waves Foundation; New Hanover County ABC Board
How we are doing:
Numbers Served: 94 women and had 54 babies
Graduates: 27 women graduated from the program; four nearing graduation
Babies 2021-Present: 13 babies born (11 normal birth weight; 12 full term; 6.8 days is average
hospital stay)
Housing:
Provided housing for 27 women and 17 children
Currently have eight women and four children (six babies due soon)
NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 35
AGENDA REVIEW MEETING, APRIL 14, 2022 PAGE 404
How we are growing:
Congratulations to Dr. William Johnstone in becoming a Board-Certified Addiction Specialist
by the American Board of Preventative Medicine
Tides Expansion: Tides-Sandhill location
Restoration & Resilience training program: funded by New Hanover County ABC Board
What some are saying…:
Treddia: I believe God sends angels to guide you in life and you brought me to my peace...I
wish my mom was here to be proud of me. Ashley…seeing you today inspires me so much and
I want to be just like you when I grow up lol .... y’all are out here changing people's lives and I
love it. You guys are awesome and honestly y’all couldn't have a better group of different but
great women working as a team for the same purpose.
Ashley: Wow…thank you so much for saying this! It feels good to know that my story inspires
you! You have such an amazing heart and I know that one day your story will do the same for
other women! I will never forget when I was in the program …and this little tiny 5 foot nothing
woman (Debbie Kinsey) said the same thing to me…that one day my story would help other
women and I just could not wrap my head around the thought that someone would EVER look
up to me and I could not see what she saw in me that made her think that and not give up on
me and now I am so blessed to be able to do the same thing for you and the other girls!
Ms. Kinsey explained that Treddia is currently in the program and is 32 years old. She has three other
children who have been adopted and this will be the first child she is able to bring home from the hospital. She
knows this program saved her life and she tells Ms. Kinsley that every single day. She took to Facebook and decided
to post how grateful she was which is so unusual to hear and why she wants to share that with the Board. She listed
Ashley, a graduate of the program, as someone who has really made an impact on her. Ms. Kinsley stated that she
told Ashley’s story to the Board during last year’s presentation. Treddia was shot twice at 15 years old by her
mother's drug dealer, once in the stomach and once in the arm. Her mom later died of an overdose which is why
she is not here today to be proud of Treddia. As for Ashley, she is three years sober, and she has not been like that
since she was 13. Now she is 35. Her daughter is three years old, happy, and healthy. Dr. Johnstone and Ms. Kinsley
thanked the Board for their continued support.
Chair Olson-Boseman thanked Dr. Johnstone and Ms. Kinsey for the update.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, Chair Olson-Boseman adjourned the meeting at 5:06 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Kymberleigh G. Crowell
Clerk to the Board
Please note that the above minutes are not a verbatim of the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners meeting.