COLUMBUS COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
127 W. Webster St
Whiteville, NC 28472
AGENDA
Monday, December 2, 2024
5:00 P.M. — Oath of Office Ceremony for Newly Elected Officials
Brent Watts, Buddy Byrd, Chris Smith, and Lavern Coleman— Historic Courthouse
6:30 P.M. — Regular Session
- Meeting Called to Order: Chairman Ricky Bullard
- Re-Organization of Board - Election of Chairman and Vice Chairman: Amanda B. Prince, Columbus County Attomey, will preside as Acting Chairman for the election of the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Columbus County Board of Commissioners for a one (l) year term.
- Approval of Bonds:
NAME | TITLE | BOND $ | EXPIRE DATE |
| Heather Woody | Interim Finance Director (Columbus County) | $1 Million | Indefinite |
| William "Bill" Rogers | Sheriff | $25,000 | 10 05/2025 |
| Needom G. Hughes, IV | Tax Administrator | $25,000 | 1 1/25/2025 |
| Renee Lashley | Deputy Tax Administrator | $25,000 | Indefinite |
| Rachel H. Tyson | Public Housing Director | $25,000 | 10/22/2025 |
| Kandace Bullock | Register of Deeds | $10,000 | 12/01/2025 |
- Invocation: Commissioner Barbara Featherson
- Pledge of Allegiance: Commissioner Chris Smith
- Approval of Agenda
- Public Input
- Administration — Employee Spotlight: County Manager Eddie Madden will recognize Robert Gilbert as the Employee Spotlight.
- Administration - Notice and Resolution regarding the Cancellation of December 16, 2024 Board Meeting, unless needed: County Manager Eddie Madden is requesting approval of the notice and resolution to cancel the December 16th, 2024 meeting, unless needed. (Eddie Madden will be available for any questions the commissioners may have.) Pages: 1-2
- Administration- Approval and Adoption of Signatory Resolution by the Columbus County Board of Commissioners: County Manager Eddie Madden is requesting approval of the Signatory Resolution for the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Columbus County Board of Commissioners. (Eddie Madden will be available for any questions the commissioners may have.) Pages: 3-4
- Administration — Approval of the Award of Bids for the 2022 Essential Single
Family Rehabilitation Loan Pool (ESFRLP) Grant Program: Assistant County Manager Gail Edwards is requesting approval of the award of bids for housing repairs for the 2022 Essential Single Family Rehabilitation Loan Pool (ESFRLP) Grant Program. (Gail Edwards will be available for any questions the commissioners may have.)
Pages: 5-14
- Administration— Approval of the Updated Rules of Procedure: Clerk to the Board Jana Nealey is requesting approval of the updated Rules of Procedure which reflect the updated address for the Commissioners regular meeting place, a revised order of business, and to include the county website as a form of notification which is compliant with NC G.S. 143-3 18.12(d)(e). (Jana Nealey will be available for any questions the commissioners may have.) Pages: 15-29
- Health Services — Presentation of the 2023 Community Health Assessment and Health Department Strategic Plan 2025-2029: Health Services Director Kim Smith will present the 2023 Community Health Assessment and Health Department Strategic Plan 2025-2029. (Kim Smith will be available for any questions the commissioners may have.) Page: 30
- Airport — Approval of Grant Agreement between North Carolina Department of Transportation and Columbus County: Airport Director Phil Edwards is requesting approval of the grant agreement between North Carolina Department of Transportation and Columbus County to be used for the Automated Weather Operating System (AWOS) critical area clearing and grubbing and building the access road. (Phil Edwards will be available for any questions the commissioners may have.)
Pages: 31-67
- Sheriff's Office - Approval of the Quote for Tahoe, Vehicle Upfit, and the
Amendment to the LESO Capital Project Ordinance: Logistics Captain Robert
Creech is requesting approval of the quote for a Tahoe, the quote for the upflt of the Tahoe, and the amended LESO Capital Project Ordinance budget amendment to reflect federal funds. (Robert Creech will be available for any questions the commissioners may have.)
Pages: 68-74
- Opioid Settlement — Approval of the ACT LLC Management Project Services, South Brunswick Counseling Center Adult Drug Court Coordination, and the Northwoods Consulting Partners Contract: Cynthia Wiford is requesting approval of the following contracts for the Opioid Settlement (these only require one motion to approve) :
- ACT LLC. Opioid Settlement Management Project Services Contract
- South Brunswick Counseling Center Adult Drug Court Coordination Contract
- Northwoods Consulting Partners to provide Traverse Software and implementation TA to Columbus Child Welfare
(Eddie Madden will be available for any questions the commissioners may have.)
Pages: 75-79
- Planning Department - Approval of the Amendment to Modify Space Size in the Manufactured / Mobile Home Park Ordinance to a uniform size of 10,000 square feet: EDC/Planning Director Gary Lanier is requesting approval to modify space size in Manufactured / Mobile Home Park Ordinance to a uniform size of 10,000 square feet. The public hearing for this action item was conducted at the November 1 8 th, 2024 meeting. (Gary Lanier will be available for any questions the commissioners may
have.)
Pages: 80-83
- Planning Department - Approval of the Amendment to Remove Multi-Family Housing from the List of Regulated Uses Requiring a Special Use Permit:
EDC/Planning Director Gary Lanier is requesting approval to remove Multi-Family Housing from the list of Regulated Uses Requiring a Special Use Permit. The public hearing for this action item was conducted at the November 1 8 th, 2024 meeting. (Gary Lanier will be available for any questions the commissioners may have.)
Pages: 84-86
- Planning Department - Approval to Amend Land Use Definitions List Regarding Multi-Family Housing: EDC/Planning Director Gary Lanier is requesting that the definition found in Chapter 10, Part 2 - Land Use Regulation Ordinance, Article 10, Definitions be changed from "Dwelling, Two-Family" to "Dwelling, Multi-Family" and the definition language be updated from "occupied exclusively by two families" to "occupied exclusively by two or more families". The public hearing for this action item was conducted at the November 18th, 2024 meeting (Gary Lanier will be available for any questions the commissioners may have.)
Pages: 87-90
- Planning Department - Approval to Amend Campground Definition and
Requirements: EDC/Planning Director Gary Lanier is requesting to amend campground definition and requirements from a minimum of 15 spaces to 2 or more, and add section G-8 to clarify the collection of occupancy taxes by campgrounds as was approved by the NC General Assembly in 1995. The public hearing for this action item was conducted at the November 18th , 2024 meeting (Gary Lanier will be available for any questions the commissioners may have.) Pages: 91-96
Planning Department - Approval of the Second Reading and Approval of Vape,
Tobacco, and Hemp Retail Shop Requirement Ordinance: EDC/Planning Director Gary Lanier is requesting approval of the second reading and approval of vape, tobacco, and hemp retail shop requirement ordinance which reflects the voted on amendment to lower the percentage of sales constituting a vape shop to 15%. The public hearing for this action item was conducted at the November 18th, 2024 meeting. (Gary Lanier will be available for any questions the commissioners may have.)
Pages: 97-99
- Emergency Services — Approval of the Low Bids for the Remaining Construction of the New Metal Building at the North Campus: Emergency Services Director David Ransom is requesting approval of the quotes for site work, electrical, concrete, and roll up doors, totaling $67,315. These funds were pre-budgeted. This item was tabled at the November 1 8th, 2024 meeting. These quotes meet the statutory bidding requirements.
(David Ransom will be available for any questions the commissioners may have.)
Pages: 100-115
- Finance - Approval of Budget Amendments: Interim Finance Director Heather Woody is requesting approval of the following budget amendments (these only require one motion to approve):
- Transportation-Excess funds from surplus vehicles
- Sheriff— DARE funds received from Brunswick ABC Board
- Sheriff— Insurance proceeds
- Attorney — Contracted Services
- EMS— EOC operations room renovations using SCIF
- Transportation-Excess funds from surplus vehicles
Pages: 116-121
- Finance - Resolutions and Agreements for all Deposit and Investment Accounts: Interim Finance Director Heather Woody is requesting approval of the resolutions and agreements for all deposit and investment accounts. (Heather Woody will be available for any questions the commissioners may have.) Pages: 122-123
- Appointments/Re-Appointments/Replacements: Staff is requesting appointments, reappointments or replacements to the following boards, committees and councils.
Legend: EB = Entire Board
Listed Zone # = Individual Commissioner
| Zone 1: | Barbara Featherson | Zone V: | Brent Watts |
| Zone 11: | Chris Smith | Zone VI: | Ricky Bullard |
| Zone 111: | Giles E. Byrd | Zone Vll: | Scott Floyd |
| Zone IV: | Lavern Coleman |
| COMMITTEE | ZONE | PERSON(S) | EXP. DATE |
| Tourism Development Authority | 111 | Brenda Troy | 12/31/2024 |
| Cerro Gordo Planning & Zoning ET | EB | Raymond Gowans | 12/31/2024 |
Chadbourn Board of Adjustments ET | EB | Jeremy Kennedy One Mile Radius | 12/31/2024 |
| Columbus Regional Hospital Board of Directors | EB | Comm. Chris Smith | 12/31/2024 |
| Columbus Regional Hospital Board of Directors | EB | Comm. Brent Watts | 12/31/2024 |
| Economic Development Commission Board of Directors | EB | Comm. Giles E. Byrd | 12/31/2024 |
| Fair Bluff Board of Adjustments(ETJ) | EB | Frank Horne | 12/31/2024 |
| Fair Bluff Planning & Zoning(ETJ) | EB | Vacant | 12/31/2024 |
| Aging Advisory Council | IV | Janet Hedrick (resigned) | 6/30/2025 |
| Aging Advisory Council | V | Wilbur Chestnut (resigned) | 6/30/2025 |
| Aging Advisory Council | VI | Neil Smith (resigned) | 6/30/2025 |
RECESS REGULAR SESSION and enter into C+OLUMBUS COUNTY WATER and SEWER DISTRICTS 1, 11, 111, IV and V BOARD MEETING
- Water and Sewer District IV EDA Project — Approval of the Bid Award for the Water Line Extension: Harold Nobles is requesting approval of the EDA Project bid award for Ralph Hodge Construction in the amount of $3,734,026.50 for the water line extension pending EDA approval. (Harold Nobles will be available for any questions the commissioners may have.) Pages: 124-126
ADJOURN COMBINATION MEETING of COLUMBUS COUNTY WATER and SEWER DISTRICTS 1, 11, 111, IV AND V BOARD MEETING
- Comments: Commissioners; County Manager
- Adjournment.