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HomeMy WebLinkAbout040125 wsHARNETT COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Minutes of Work Session April 1, 2025 The Harnett County Board of Commissioners met in work session on Tuesday, April 1, 2025 at 9:00 am, in the Commissioners Meeting Room, Harnett County Resource Center and Library, 455 McKinney Parkway, Lillington, North Carolina. Members present: Matthew B. Nicol, Chairman William Morris, Vice Chairman Barbara McKoy, Commissioner W. Brooks Matthews, Commissioner Duncan "Eddie" Jaggers, Commissioner Staff present: Dwight Snow, County Attorney Kimberly Honeycutt, Finance Officer Brent Trout, County Manager Jaime Bell-Raig, Deputy Clerk Chairman Nicol called the Harnett County Board of Commissioners meeting to order at 9:00 am. Commissioner McKoy led the Pledge of Allegiance and provided the invocation. The following agenda was before the Board of Commissioners: 1. Call to order — Chairman Matt Nicol 2. Pledge of Allegiance and Invocation — Commissioner Barbara McKoy 3. Discuss a request for approval to renew the Use Agreements with Harnett County Schools for the athletic and park amenities behind Harnett Central High School and Middle School called Neills Creek Park; Carl Davis, Parks and Recreation Director 4. Discuss a request for authorization to submit a Parks and Recreation Trust Fund grant application for the construction of Phase 1 outlined in the Neills Creek Park Master Plan (adopted in March 2024); Carl Davis, Parks and Recreation Director 5. Discuss a request to renew the Micro -Purchase Threshold; Renea Warren -Ford, Procurement Specialist 6. Discuss a request to allow property located at Arrowhead Road and US 301 S. in Dunn, referred to as Harnett 95 Industrial Center (Harnett 95), be annexed into the City of Dunn; Stephen Barrington, Economic Development Director 7. Discuss a request for approval of the renewal of our Microsoft agreements for Microsoft Office 365 and Microsoft SQL Server for a 3-year term; Ira Hall, Chief Information Officer 8. Discuss a request for a new Lieutenant position to serve as Body Camera Administrator; Wayne Coats, Sheriff 9. Discuss fluoridation process in County water; Commissioner Eddie Jaggers and Harnett County Board of Commissioners Work Session Minutes April 1, 2025 Pagel of 5 Tommy Burns, Harnett Regional Water Director 10. Review applications to serve on Boards and Committees. 11. County Manager's Report — Brent Trout, County Manager • April 7, 2025 Regular Meeting Agenda Review • Upcoming meetings and invitations 12. Closed Session 13. Adjourn Carl Davis, Parks and Recreation Director, reviewed a request to renew the Use Agreements with Harnett County Schools for the athletic and park amenities behind Harnett Central High School and Middle School called Neills Creek Park. Mr. Davis noted 1976 was the first time we did a Use Agreement with the school to do Neills Creek Park. In 2018, the County also expanded over into the Middle School behind Harnett Central Middle School to expand the athletic facilities and offer more to the citizens. Mr. Davis stated Parks and Recreation would like to enter into a new thirty-year lease. Parks and Recreation will be requesting to apply for the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund Grant who requires a twenty-year lease agreement. He would like to do a thirty-year lease to prevent the need to come before the Board in the event the County does not receive the grant. Consensus of the Board was to add this to the Consent Agenda. Carl Davis, Parks and Recreation Director, reviewed a request for authorization to submit a Parks and Recreation Trust Fund grant application for the construction of Phase 1 outlined in the Neills Creek Park Master Plan which was adopted in March 2024. The grant is a half million -dollar grant, and it is a dollar -for -dollar match. Parks and Recreation will be using the Land & Water Conservation Fund. This would add a picnic shelter, playground, access of Hwy 210, parking lot, walking trails, and other infrastructure. The total project cost is around $1,700,000, using $1,000,000 grant funding, $500,000 Land & Conservation Fund, and $500,000 in Parks & Recreation Trust Fund. Commissioner McKoy commented on the amount of money spent and she appreciates the work being done with Shiner Park and Shawtown Park. Consensus of the Board was to add this to the Consent Agenda. Renea Warren -Ford, Procurement Specialist, reviewed a request to renew the Micro -Purchase Threshold. In 2020 the federal Office of Management and Budget revised the Uniform Guidance to all non -Federal entities to raise the micro -purchase threshold. This resolution will raise the County's micro -purchase threshold from $10,000 to $30,000 to purchase apparatus, supplies, materials, or equipment, and construction and repair work. It will allow the micro -purchase threshold to be increased to $50,000 for the procurement of other services. The resolution is only effective for one year. Consensus of the Board is to add this item to the Consent Agenda Stephen Barrington, Economic Development Director, reviewed a request to allow property located at Arrowhead Road and US 301 S in Dunn, referred to as Harnett 95 Industrial Center (Harnett 95), be annexed into the City of Dunn. Commissioner McKoy inquired whether Dunn was in agreement with moving forward to which Mr. Barrington confirmed they were agreeable to the annexation. Commissioner Morris inquired whether it would make it more attractive for Harnett County Board of Commissioners Work Session Minutes April 1, 2025 Page 2 of 5 industry to come in. Mr. Barrington confirmed that this would be the case. Samet is moving forward with their annexation and would like the County to be aligned with them. Consensus of the Board was to add this item to the Consent Agenda. Ira Hall, Chief Information Officer, reviewed a request to renew our Microsoft agreements for Microsoft Office 365 and Microsoft SQL for a three-year period. Mr. Hall stated every three years we have to renew our Microsoft agreement, and we would like to utilize the state contract, which is normal. Annual costs have increased by about 4 %z%. The annual cost for the one piece is $376,000 and for the SQL database is almost $35,000 annually. Chairman Nicol inquired about funding and Mr. Hall confirmed the funding is in place. Consensus of the Board is to add it to the Consent Agenda. Major Gary McNeill, Sheriffs Office, reviewed a request for a new Lieutenant position to serve as a body cam administrator. Mr. McNeill stated there are 56 body cameras and 60 in -car cameras and currently has over 10,000 videos combined for review. The number of videos to review to ensure the officers are doing what they need to do and any requests for video exceeds the ability of the current staffing. This position would be dedicated to the oversight of the body camera program and review videos for compliance and to monitor equipment. Commissioner Jaggers questioned whether one person was sufficient. Major McNeill noted it would be a lot of work for one person but spread throughout the department they should be able to support the program. Commissioner Moms inquired whether this would include the cameras in the jail, which Major McNeill confirmed. Chairman Nicol inquired about vacancies and Major McNeill stated there are about nine vacancies as of June due to retirements. There are several students ready to graduate. Detention staffing is down to about six or seven vacancies, which has improved the vacancy rate in the past year. Chairman Nicol inquired about the SRO program and Major McNeill stated the Sheriff moved some into those positions. There are still about five vacancies in the SRO program. Chairman Nicol asked Major McNeill if this would be a new person or was there someone they had in mind, Major McNeill noted they have someone in mind that would be able to do the job. Commissioner Jaggers stated he did not think one person would be enough and inquired whether another position could be requested during the budget cycle. Mr. Trout stated he they could add another position into the budget to evaluate the need for an additional position. Commissioner Jaggers asked Major McNeill whether he had a problem with giving him one position now and another to be evaluated during the budget. Vice Chairman Morris questioned whether there was time to present the new position needs at the new budget and Major McNeill confirmed there was sufficient time. Chairman Nicol expressed his concern with vacancies. Major McNeill acknowledged the staffing challenges. Consensus of the Board was to add this to the Consent Agenda. Tommy Burns, Harnett Regional Water Director, and Seann Byrd, Harnett Regional Water Assistant Director, presented information regarding fluoridation in County water. Commissioner Jaggers stated he continues to get questions about fluoridation in water and he would like to have information to be able to respond. Tommy Burns provided some background on the fluoridation process in the County. He noted Harnett County began adding fluoride to the County in the 1950's. In the 50's, it was recommended by the Harnett County Board of Health to begin adding Harnett County Board of Commissioners Work Session Minutes April 1, 2025 Page 3 of 5 fluoride to the county water treatment. He notes they follow the optimal EPA standards of .7 mg per litter. Mr. Burns further states that these conversations are a result of a California court ruling that determined increased fluoride levels in water can create neurotoxicity in children under eight years of age, which has since been appealed by the Environmental Protection Agency, Center for Disease Control, American Dentistry Association, and various other groups. Fluoride is a public health additive and there is nothing about it that affects our water quality process. The County has to account for the fluoride and reports on the annual water system quality. There are samples taken monthly at different points in the system to ensure standards are being met. Mr. Burns mentioned there are a lot of communities that have removed fluoride from the treatment process. Since the initial implementation of fluoride, there have been a number of improvements to everyday practice that have helped meet the daily fluoride requirement for dental health. Mr. Byrd presented the regulatory standards and technical aspects of fluoridation treatment in County water. (Please see attached) Commissioner Jaggers inquired about the advantages of leaving fluoride in water and Mr. Burns stated it was for the sole purpose of preventing dental decay. Commissioner McKoy stated she did not think it would be healthy to remove fluoride from water. Chairman Nicol noted that fluoride comes from fluorite, which was used in the 40's as a nerve agent. He can see it being detrimental to children. Mr. Burns mentioned that was the basis of the court ruling, that at excessive levels it could be toxic to children. Vice Chairman Morris reiterated the miniscule amount. Commissioner Jaggers noted that a little goes a long way must mean that it must be powerful. Mr. Burns noted that fluoride is natural in water, and he also mentioned point of use devices that will take fluoride out of your personal water supply. The Board reviewed applications to serve on boards and committees. Consensus of the group was to place the reappointment of Cassandra Britt Jackson on the Jury Commission, the appointment of Melissa Steven, District 1, on the Harnett County Commission for Women and Youth, the appointment of Victoria Hall, District 5, on the Harnett County Commission for Women and Youth, and reappointment of Kenneth Shaw, the District 2 alternate, on the Board of Adjustment on the next consent agenda. Brent Trout, County Manager, the Alliance Health Board for this area, will be having their monthly board meeting in the Resource Center and Library in 103A on Thursday at 4:00 p.m. This meeting is open to the public. On April 9, 2025, the graduation of the first class of the Harnett Management Academy. Lunch will be provided. The Spring Litter Cleanup begins April 1, 2025 and if you are interested in helping, please reach out to Soil and Water and they can get you set up. There was a request about a month and a half ago regarding reviewing system development fees and tap fees. Mr. Burns is coordinating a meeting with our consultant to review the fees, with a presentation coming in May. Commissioner Jaggers made a motion to go into Closed Session for the following purposes: 1. To discuss certain personnel matters. Harnett County Board of Commissioners Work Session Minutes April 1, 2025 Page 4 of 5 This motion is made pursuant to NC General Statute Section 143-318.11 (a)(6). The motion was seconded by Commissioner Matthews and carried unanimously. Following a motion to come out of Closed Session, Chairman Nicol called the meeting back into open session. Vice Chairman Morris made a motion to adjourn the Board of Commissioners at 10:24 am. Commissioner Jaggers seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. Matthew tool, Chainnan J ' e Be 1-Raig, Deputy Clerk Harnett County Board of Commissioners Work Session Minutes April 1, 2025 Page 5 of 5 ATTACHMENT 1 RHARNETT REGIONAL 1gWAT E R Fluoride Report April 1, 2025 it Background Fluoride addition started in the 1950's when the Town of Lillington owned the original community water system. The addition of fluoride is very common across the United States in water treatment plants. The purpose of adding fluoride to the water system is for dental health purposes only. Using fluoride has beneficial effects in fighting tooth decay. Fluoride is known to help people with no access to professional dental care. Regulatory Standards • EPA sets a primary drinking water standard of 4 mg/l to protect public health. • The public must be notified if the standard is exceeded. • EPA set a secondary standard as 2.0 mg/l • This standard has no enforcement requirements. • CDC recommends an optimum level of 0.7 mg/l • North Harnett WTP yearly average is 0.7 mg/l Fluoride data is presented every year on the annual water quality report (CCR). Fluoride System at Treatment Plant Bulk Chemical Tank Chemical Injection System fj STOP om Tµ '^ Isms -ORs u w: rr k.n r �I� aw c--, WXUATIc ACID SODIUM H1'POCHLORIM CIO? F4111114 1 ANK SCADA Monitoring System _ J. (l ._ i8o FLUOR t / Dosage display module Questioils?