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Creating Regional Solutions Since 1971
February 2020
News
Mayor Geraldine Langford and Joseph Barnes, PW Director, receive a certificate from Debbie Maner from NC Rural Water Association for the excellent work the Town of Seaboard has done in working on a Wellhead Protection Plan and on improving the quality of water for the citizens.

The Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments has received over $200,000 from a Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust grant to conduct a large, multi-stakeholder project aimed at better understanding and improving healthy food access and local food economic opportunity across the greater Upper Coastal Plain region.

With over 20 partnering organizations identified to work on the effort, the project will result in the development of an information based,online,interactive map of the region’s “local and healthy food system.” With deep engagement at the community level, the map will show what assets are in place and also allow people to see what support is needed and where and then work to make improvements at the local and regional levels.

How Governments Are Recruiting Young Workers

In recent years, managers have needed to move away from these kinds of fears. With extremely low unemployment, intense competition from the private sector, and the difficulty of attracting and holding on to young workers, governments are now upping their hiring game in dramatic ways, including making their work environments pleasant places to be. We delved into many of the challenges of recruiting new employees, particularly younger ones...

Census 2020, Boundary Validation Program

Every municipality and county in North Carolina should now participate in the Boundary Validation Program (BVP) from the U.S. Census Bureau.
This is a critically important step, and could significantly impact the funding your municipality receives as a result of the 2020 Census. 

In simple terms, BVP is the once-a-decade opportunity for a municipality to review the boundaries that the Census Bureau has on record, and indicate whether that boundary is correct.

This link  will guide you through the process. The deadline for the BVP is March 1, 2020.
  • After looking at the boundaries, check the appropriate box of "correct" or "NOT correct" and return the form to the Census Bureau.
  • If a municipality had any annexations with an effective date during 2019, the boundaries shown cannot be correct, as the 2019 annexations are just now getting reported to the Census Bureau.
  • Do not assume that the boundaries shown by the Census Bureau are correct.
  • If the boundaries are not correct, after the form is submitted to the Census Bureau, municipality will need to get in touch with the local Boundary and Annexation Survey contact person to ensure that corrections are made.
  • If a municipality does not return the form on or before the due date, that government unit will NOT be able to participate in the follow up verification program in June, and anyone living outside the municipal boundaries will not be counted as a resident of the municipality.

It is estimated that for each person that lives inside the limits of a town, but does not get counted, the town stands to lose between $1,500 and $2,500 per year in funding from state and federal sources.

Sales tax revenue, Powell Bill Funding, property taxes on utilities and public service companies are tied directly to the footprint of a town.
Make sure you get the count right. 


Rethinking Rural
The Rural Opportunity Map was born out of the need for a new framework to understand opportunities in small town America in the 21st century – a framework that takes into account the way industry and employment are changing, and the demographic trends that have defined small towns for the past decade. The tool is meant to allow anyone - from nonprofit leaders to academics, Opportunity Zone investors to journalists - to find insight and opportunity in small town America.

Frayda Bluestein, 30 Jan 09:14 AM

What services must be provided to annexed areas?...

State law allows cities to annex property by petition (voluntary) and city-initiated (involuntary), which now requires approval by a majority of voters in the area to be annexed. Once property is annexed, state law provides that “the territory and its citizens and property shall be subject to all debts, laws, ordinance and regulations in force in [the] municipality and shall be entitled to the same privileges and benefits as other parts of such municipality.” G.S. 160A-31(e) (voluntary contiguous), G.S.160A-58.3 (voluntary satellite), G.S. 160A-58.55(j) (city-initiated). 

Funding/Grants

DHHS is accepting applications through  county social services departments  for the state's Low-Income Energy Assistance Program. The federally funded program helps low-income households with a one-time payment to their heating vendor to offset heating costs. Eligible households may apply through March 31 or until funds are exhausted. 

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The North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center (NCCETC) at North Carolina State University has announced several available grants through the 2020 Clean Fuel Advanced Technology (CFAT) project.

The 2020 initiative will offer $1.4 million, focused on reducing transportation-related emissions, and supported with federal Congestion Mitigation Air Quality funding from the N.C. Department of Transportation (DOT).

Project proposals will be limited, none higher than $400,000 and none lower than $5,000. Applications will be due Friday, March 13, 2020.

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USDOJ
Department of Justice
Community Oriented Policing Services
COPS-COMMUNITY-POLICING-DEVELOPMENT-2020
Synopsis 1

Community Policing Development (CPD) funds are used to advance the practice of community policing in law enforcement agencies through training and technical assistance, demonstration projects, the development of innovative community policing strategies, guidebooks, and promising practices that are national in scope and responsive to the solicitation topic requirements.
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USDOJ
Department of Justice
Community Oriented Policing Services
COPS-PREPARING-FOR-ACTIVE-SHOOTER-SITUATIONS-2020
Synopsis 1

Preparing for Active Shooter Situations (PASS) program funds that are used to provide scenario-based training that prepares officers and other first responders to safely and effectively handle active-shooter and other violent threats.

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USDOJ
Department of Justice
Community Oriented Policing Services
COPS-LAW-ENFORCEMENT-MENTAL-HEALTH-AND-WELLNESS-ACT-2020
Synopsis 1

Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act (LEMHWA) funds are used to improve the delivery of and access to mental health and wellness services for law enforcement through training and technical assistance, demonstration projects, and implementation of promising practices related to peer mentoring mental health and wellness programs.
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USDOJ
Department of Justice
Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention
OJJDP FY 20 Juvenile Drug Treatment Court Program
Synopsis 2 

Category 1: Juvenile Drug Treatment Court Planning and Implementation - OJJDP-2020-1809 2: Juvenile Drug Treatment Court Planning and Implementation grants are available to jurisdictions that want to establish a juvenile drug treatment court. These grants are for jurisdictions where no juvenile drug court currently exists or a juvenile drug court has been operational for less than a year.

Category 2: Juvenile Drug Treatment Court Enhancement - OJJDP-2020-18152: Juvenile Drug Treatment Court Enhancement grants are available to jurisdictions with a fully operational (for at least 1 year) juvenile drug treatment court to enhance the operation of the court. Jurisdictions applying for funding under this category must have courts that have been fully operational for at least 1 year.

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DOE
Department of Energy
Golden Field Office
Request for Information: Prediction of Solar Variability for Better Grid Integration

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HHS
Department of Health and Human Services
National Institutes of Health

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The Division of Water Infrastructure has announced its Spring 2020 funding round. Details, including application trainings, are below: 

Additional Supplementation Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act, 2019: This program offers supplemental funding to the State Revolving Fund (SRF) programs for wastewater treatment works and drinking water facilities impacted by Hurricanes Florence and Michael. A total of $105,364,800 will be offered between the CWSRF and the DWSRF.

Clean Water State Revolving Fund: This program funds wastewater and green projects. It is available to all Local Government Units (LGUs) and non-profit water corporations and offers low-interest loans up to $30 million per applicant. Approximately $70 million will be available for this round with up to $2 million as principal forgiveness.

Drinking Water State Revolving Fund: This program funds drinking water projects. It is available to all LGUs, non-profit water corporations, and for-profit water corporations and offers low-interest loans up to $20 million per applicant. Approximately $50 million will be available for this round, with up to $12 million as principal forgiveness.

If you are considering applying for funding related to any of the available programs listed above, the Division of Water Infrastructure encourages you to attend a training session.

Feb. 19 | Williamston
Feb. 20 | Kinston
Feb. 21 | Pembroke
Feb. 24 | Hickory
Feb. 25 | Winston-Salem
Feb. 28 | Durham

Contact Jennifer Haynie at  jennifer.haynie@ncdenr.gov  or 919-707-9173 to register.


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State Launches Disaster Recovery Grant and Loan Program for Local Governments

The North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency (NCORR) has opened a second application period for grants and zero-interest loans that are available to help local governments recovering from storms that hit the state during the past few years.

Legislation signed by Governor Cooper on directs $10 million in funding to NCORR for zero-interest loans to help local governments with recovery from hurricanes Matthew, Florence and Dorian, and Tropical Storm Michael.
The loans can be used for recovery-related expenses while waiting for reimbursement from various federal programs.

The legislation also provides $5 million in local government grants to help communities impacted by Hurricane Dorian with expenses such as general operating support, debt service, disaster recovery capacity and other disaster recovery expenses not eligible for federal reimbursement.
WorkForce Development
Halifax Community College and local partners recently received local implementation certification of our advanced manufacturing pathway.

Brandi Bragg and Duna Dickinson (Turning Point WDB) presented the framed certificate to President Elam and the Board of Trustees at their January meeting.

Congratulations to HCC and their partners!


NCWorks Career Center – Roanoke Rapids events scheduled
  • DPS Job Fair: 2/5/2020
  • US Census Job Fair: 2/16/2020
  • Strata Solar: Feb. 11 & 12/2020
  • Scotland Neck Town Meeting about Employability Skills at Community Education Centers: 2/12/2020
Workshops/Webinars
 
This is a podcast about cities and towns in changing times. Street art, redevelopment efforts, UFOs — Municipal Equation looks at the most interesting and most pressing stories facing localities.


Check out the entire catalog here. 
Reducing Water Systems Costs through Energy Efficiency

The webinar, Reducing Water Systems Costs through Energy Efficiency, will be held on  February 20  and will discuss the questions of how to identify the biggest “energy wasters” in an operation and how to conduct a cursory energy audit of a facility. 

The webinar is sponsored by the  Environmental Finance Center Network  and the  Smart Management for Small Water Systems  program partners. 

Click  here  to register for webinar!!  

HurriCon

REGISTRATION Hurricon: Science at the Intersection of Hurricanes and the Populated Coast February 27-28, 2020. East Carolina University, Main Campus Student Center, Greenville, North Carolina.


For questions or additional information, contact the ECU Center for Natural Hazards Research at hazardcenter@ecu.edu
Reducing Water System Costs Through Energy Efficiency 

Thursday, February 20, 2020
2:00-3:00PM EST

Nearly four percent of the nation’s electricity is consumed by water and wastewater facilities, and industry experts are predicting that energy costs could increase 20 percent by 2035. An energy audit performed by trained and certified personnel can often uncover potential energy savings of 10 to 50 percent annually, but even a cursory examination done by in-house staff can often result in substantial energy savings.


Presenters: Neil Worthen, Environmental Finance Center at RCAC
AGING
17th Annual
Wilson Dementia 
Caregiver Education Conference

Wednesday, March 4, 2020 • 8:00 am - 1:00 pm

Barton College, Hardy Alumni Hall, Wilson NC


Presented by Dementia Alliance of North Carolina, 
the Upper Coastal Plain Area Agency on Aging & 
Barton College

Conference Information & Agenda

8:00 am - 9:00 am Check-in and 
Visit Exhibitors for Resource Information
(Breakfast Provided)

9:00 Welcome

9:15 Dementia: Where are we headed 
with research and care? 

Melanie Bunn, RN, MS, GNP
Dementia Training Specialist, Dementia Alliance of North Carolina
Discuss the latest focus of dementia research and explore where we are headed with dementia care in this new decade.

10:30 Break and Visit Exhibitors

10:45 Safe Medication Administration for Those Living with Dementia

Donna W. Roberson, PhD, FNP-BC, CDP, CADDCTAssociate Professor and Executive Director, Program Evaluation, ECU College of Nursing, Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementia Director, Carolina Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program

We will review strategies for safer use of medications (prescription and over-the-counter) for those living with dementia. Dr. Roberson will discuss possible pitfalls of over-the-counter medication use. Ways to talk to the health-care provider about medications will also be suggested.

11:45 Break and Visit Exhibitors

12:00 Family Caregiver Panel

Gary Fuquay, Tom McCann, and Rachel Strauss
Three family caregivers with different caregiving responsibilities will share their stories and answer questions from the audience.


1:00 Conference Wrap Up

This conference is dedicated to the memory of 
Dr. Joe and Sarah Anne Poole Russell
and in honor of all family caregivers.

Join us to learn more about dementia, gain resource information from our exhibitors, and meet and network with other caregivers.

3.0 CEUs are offered for professional attendees. See the registration page for more details about these credits.




Barton College - Hardy Alumni Hall
200 Atlantic Christian College Dr W NE, Wilson, NC 27893
Free parking is available.


Improving the Social Correctness of Older Adults Using Technology in Rural Areas
 
Studies show that nearly half of older Americans face social isolation, and that this number is estimated to be an even higher among older adults living in rural areas. The dangers of social isolation in the aging population are vast with social isolation being linked to a broad range of negative physical and psychological outcomes, from depression to premature death.


121 W. Nash St. Wilson, NC 27893
252-234-5952
AAA