Durham, NC – On Monday, August 8, 2022, the Durham Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) met in Regular Session at 7p.m. BOCC meetings are held in person in the BOCC’s Chambers, located on the second floor of 200 E. Main Street.

Highlights from the meeting include:

Chair Brenda Howerton called the August 8, 2022, Regular Meeting to order.

All attendees were led by Commissioner Burns in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

Clerk to the Board Monica Wallace read the Announcements:

1. DCo Public Health COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic Hours - The COVID19 vaccination clinic at the Durham County Department of Public Health, 414 E. Main St., has the following hours to get your free vaccination: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday - 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Tuesdays - 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Appointments and walk-ins are welcome, and all doses are available. Please note, clinics are closed between 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. daily. For more information, please visit www.dcopublichealth.org/COVIDVaccines or call 919-560-9217.
2. FREE At-Home COVID-19 Test - COVID-19 At-Home test are now available for pick up at the Durham County Health Department located at 414 E. Main Street at the front entrance window. Pick-up hours are Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9a.m.-1p.m. and Tuesday and Thursday from 12p.m.-4p.m.
3. The Sheriff Speaks Series - Please join Durham County Sheriff Clarence Birkhead on Tuesday, August 9th at 5:30pm as he hosts a community discussion on evictions at the East Regional Library located at 211 Lick Creek Lane. All residents are invited to attend.
4. Apply for Durham Pre-K for 2022-2023 - The Durham Pre-K application for the 2022-2023 school year is still open. All children who will be four-years old by August 31st are eligible. Visit www.durhamprek.org to receive additional information and to apply.
5.  Artist Call - The Durham County Public Art Program invites artist or artist teams to submit qualifications for design and installation of public art inside, on or around several County buildings. The call closes on August 31st - please apply through the café at https://bit./lyDCoCall4Artists.
6. Give your Feedback on the Durham County Transit Plan - A new recommended transit plan has been created for Durham County and your feedback is needed. Please take the survey www.surveymonkey.com/r/DTP_PhaseIII by August 19th. For additional information please visit www.engagedurham.com/durham-county-transit-plan/ or contact Aaron Cain by email at aaron.cain@durhamnc.gov, by phone 919-560-4366 ext 36443.
7. Durham County American Rescue Plan Act Request for Proposals Phase 1 Applications are due August 15, 2022.
8. Durham Low-Income Homeowners Relief Program (LIHR) -The New and Improved LIHR program is here! The LIHR program is here to provide property tax help on current taxes for eligible homeowners. Application opened August 1 - January 31, 2023. For additional information please visit www.dconc.gov/dss or call 919-560-8000 for an appointment.
9. Greater Emmanuel Temple of Grace Host Back to School Event - GETG will be hosting their 11th Annual Back to School Community Day on Saturday, August 13th beginning at 10am at 2722 E. Main Street. The event is FREE and open to the public.
10. Kids Career Fair - The Durham County Cooperative Extension and Ever Curious Presents a Kids Career Fair on Saturday, August 13th from 2pm4pm at 721 Foster Street. This a FREE event for students grades 5-9 and it will include career workshops, information on colleges, local trade and more. To register, please email contact.evercurious@gmail.com.
11. Durham County Board of Elections “I Voted” Sticker Contest: Kids Edition - The BOE in conjunction with Kids Voting Durham is implementing its 1st “I Voted” Sticker Contact for K-12 students! Please visit www.dcovotes.gov, call 919-560-7072 or email dbowens@dconc.gov.

Please see the Board of Commissioners webpage for additional announcements.

Minutes: 

The Minutes of the June 27^th and July 11^th regular sessions were approved. 

Ceremonial Items:

• The Board approved a resolution in honor of Katie Galbraith, President and CEO of Duke Regional Hospital on her retirement. She was an exceptional partner as our community worked to compassionately manage the COVID 19 pandemic. The Board wishes her only the best as she moves forward to the next phase of her life.

• The Board proclaimed the month of August as Child Support Awareness Month 2022.

Statement from Chair Howerton:

“As you may know our Board of Commissioners approved the Durham County Non-Discrimination Ordinance late last year.

The ordinance is now in effect as of July 1^st.  The goal is to provide protection and promote the equal treatment for all individuals.

This ordinance prohibits discrimination in public accommodations and employment and applies only in the unincorporated areas of our County.

If you want to report how a business or employer may have discriminated against you, our Durham County website now has a link to share that information with the appropriate office.

When you visit www.dconc.gov, the link is found on our County Manager’s webpage. Simply scroll down and look for “Non-Discrimination Ordinance Complaint Process.”

Once you access that title, you will see a full-page explanation of what is prohibited by the ordinance. You can access the form where you may share the complaint you need to report. Complaints must be filed within 180 days of the alleged act of discrimination. Once received by our staff, a review will take place to ensure the information is complete and appropriate.

The mediation process itself will be administered through a third-party facilitator. Please understand that this is a closed and confidential process, and free of charge to participants.”

Consent Agenda:

The Board reviewed the City-County InterLocalAgreement for EMT support of the Community Safety Department’s Crisis Response Team pilot and authorized the County Manager to sign and execute the ILA.

Commissioners authorized the County Manager to execute a contract with Summit Design and Engineering to provide Construction Materials Testing Services as part of the Envelope Improvement Project at Stanford L. Warren Library in the amount of $68,134.00 plus ten percent (10%) contingency in the amount of $6,813.40, for a total of $74,947.40.

The Board authorized the County Manager to enter into a contractual agreement for the following annual enterprise contract renewals: Gartner (leadership), Southern Computer Warehouse (Adobe), NWN (Varonis) and Carahsoft (ServiceNow).

County Commissioners approved a Budget Ordinance Amendment to recognize $42,500 in grant funding from the Durham ABC Board for the Adult Drug Treatment Court.

The Board authorized the County Manager to enter into a Service Contract with Psychiatric Services and Consultation, LLC for Fiscal Year 2022-2023 in the amount of $123,812.00 for the Durham County Detention Facility and the Durham County Youth Home.

Commissioners authorized the County Manager to enter into a service contract with CDM Smith in the amount of $290,000, and any related contract amendments, not to exceed a total project budget of $319,000 to provide engineering services of a Preliminary Engineering and grant services for the Triangle Wastewater Treatment Plant rehabilitation and upgrade project.

The Board authorized the County Manager to enter into a service contract with McKim & Creed in the amount of $63,259, to provide engineering services for arc flash analysis, an updated arc flash evaluation report, and associated single line drawings for the Utilities Division.

The Board voted to approve an updated compensation plan for Board of Elections temporary employees as recommended by the Board of Elections.

County Commissioners authorized the County Manager to execute a contract with CMTA of Charlotte, NC, to provide Construction Phase Fundamental and Enhanced Commissioning Services for the New Durham County Youth Home, in the amount of $67,675.00 plus contingency of ten percent (10%) in the amount of $6,768.00, for a total not-to-exceed amount of $74,443.00.

The Board approved a Social Services Budget Ordinance Amendment to recognize additional time-limited transitional Chafee (LINKS) funds of $33,00.00 to Assist current and former eligible foster care youth and young adults ages 14-21 in achieving self-sufficiency through support services, resources, and LINKS Special Funds.

Commissioners approved a Budget Ordinance Amendment recognizing $109,471 from the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) for the 2020 State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP) and allocate these funds to the Durham County Sheriff’s Office to cover overtime expenses inside the Detention Center and the cost for Southern Resource Advisors, LLC to compile Detention Center population data.

The Board approved a Budget Ordinance amendment recognizing $79,750 in grant revenue from the State Library of North Carolina to re-fit Durham County Library’s Tech Mobile with new devices and to hire a temporary worker to staff, manage, and execute Tech Mobile programming.

County Commissioners approved a Budget Ordinance Amendment to appropriate $292,806 of General Fund fund balance to Fund Increased Wellpath Jail Health Contract to Provide Comprehensive Medical Services for Inmates and Approval of Contract between Durham County and Wellpath to Provide Comprehensive Medical Services for Inmates in the Durham County Detention Center and Residents of the Durham County Youth Home.

The Board of County Commissioners approved a Budget Ordinance Amendment to recognize funding for Durham County’s FY2022-23 Home and Community Care Block Grant (HCCBG) Funding Plan and the Department of Social Services to Recognize HCCBG Funds in the Amount of $878,457.00 which includes the required Durham County DSS Local Match of $81,041.00.

Commissioners approved a resolution in support of adding and adjusting the total mileage of Avalon Road (SR-1824) by 0.08 miles to a corrected total of 0.49 miles to facilitate NCDOT Maintenance.

Board approved a contract amendment establishing an increased FY22-23 Durham PreK contract amount for Child Care Services Association of $5,129,717.

County Commissioners approved a Budget Ordinance Amendment

to recognize $390,375 in HCCBG Funds for Durham County’s FY2022-2023 Home and Community Care Block Grant (HCCBG) Funding Plan.

The Board approved a contract with Upstream Works for the Grown in Durham Initiative which will support the implementation of Durham County’s Early Childhood Action Plan.

Commissioners approved a Budget Ordinance Amendment to Recognize $1,433,151 from the NC DHHS Division of Public Health Epidemiology/ Communicable Disease Branch to Leverage and Build Upon Existing ELC Infrastructure.

The Board approved a Budget Ordinance Amendment to Recognize $728,148 from the NC DHHS Division of Public Health Epidemiology/ Communicable Disease Branch to Expand Communicable Disease Surveillance, Detection, Control, and Prevention Activities to Address Covid-19.

County Commissioners approved a Budget Ordinance to Recognize $262,706 from the NC DHHS Division of Public Health Women and Children’s Health / Children and Youth Branch to Strengthen and Maintain a Strong and Inclusive School Health Team.

The Board accepted two Federal Aviation Administration Grant in the amounts of $1,387,279 and $1,319,026, to support the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority (RDU).

The Board named Abigail Holloway to the Juvenile Crime Prevention Council (JCPC) to serve in the designated position of Juvenile Defense Attorney.

The Board approved a Capital Project Amendment to purchase the former Boys and Girls Club of Durham and the purchase will be funded by an appropriation of $6,000,000 of Future Limited Obligation Bond Funds. 

Commissioner approved a Capital Project Amendment appropriating $12,146,717 of future Limited Obligation Bond funding to purchase The Shoppes of Hope Valley Shopping Center at 3825 S. Roxboro Road.

The Board approved two budget ordinance amendments which appropriates $2.3M of Debt Service Fund Fund Balance, transfers the $2.3M out of the Debt Service Fund to the PAYGO Fund and uses the PAYGO fund to purchase land for Durham Technical Community College.

See the full agenda for a complete list and details of approved Consent Agenda Items.

Other Business

The Board adjourned the meeting at 8:25 p.m.

To view the BOCC meeting, visit the Durham Television Network (DTN) on Spectrum Channel 8. Replays are available on DTN along with AT&T U-verse Channel 99, Google Fiber Channel 8 and Frontier Communications Channel 70.

Tune into the next regular session which is scheduled for Monday, August 22, 2022. To view the agenda and recording of the BOCC Regular Session Meeting, visit the BOCC’s Website. 

For more information about BOCC meetings, contact the Clerk to the Board's Office at 919-560-0025 or email clerk@dconc.gov.

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