Robert Hiett
Executive Director
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Creating Regional Solutions Since 1971 |
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Bailey Tapped as Next NCARCOG Executive Director
After a comprehensive state and national search, the North Carolina Association of Regional Councils of Governments (NCARCOG) is pleased to announce the selection of Mr. Lane Bailey as the new NCARCOG Executive Director. Mr. Bailey will begin work with the association on January 2, 2022.
“We are very pleased to have Mr. Bailey join us as our new Executive Director for the North Carolina Association of Regional Councils of Governments”, said NCARCOG Chairman Lee Worsley. “NCARCOG is actively working with state partners to plan and implement the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), and to assist local governments across North Carolina as they plan and deliver ARPA projects.”
Mr. Bailey has 32 years of experience working with local governments in county and municipal management positions, and is set to retire as the City of Salisbury's City Manager at the end of 2021. Mr. Bailey holds a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration, both from Appalachian State University. He served the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) Southeast Regional Vice President, and is a member and past president of the North Carolina City County Management Association (NCCCMA). He earned his ICMA accreditation in 2002, and was named the North Carolina Society of Certified Managers Public Manager of the Year in 2009. Lane is also the 2020 recipient of the John Whitehurst Service Award, an honor bestowed “to honor North Carolina managers who follow Whitehurst’s example of consistency and diligence in his support of all local government professionals.”
“Mr. Bailey is the leader that NCARCOG needs to help us work through ARPA, and to prepare the association for future success”, said Robert Hiett. Hiett served as the NCARCOG Search Committee Chairman, and currently serves as the NCARCOG Vice-Chairman. “Mr. Bailey’s thorough knowledge local and state government, and decades of experience will be a great asset to the association.”
"The work conducted by the Council of Governments throughout the state is critically important as North Carolina continues to grow”, said Mr. Bailey. “Approaching opportunities and challenges from a regional perspective not only benefits individual local governments but provides the framework that promotes success locally, regionally, and ultimately statewide."
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ARP Reporting Requirements Updated
The last page of the document provides a summary of the Nov. 5 changes. These include:
- Updated Subrecipient Monitoring section to clarify beneficiaries and recipients.
- Updated references to Interim Final Rule comment period as comment period is closed.
- Updated reporting tiers, thresholds and timelines in Part 2 Table 2, Reporting Requirements by recipient type, as well as Part 2 A and Part 2 B.
- Updated reporting periods for Interim Report and Project and Expenditure reports.
- Added concept of Adopted Budget to Project and Expenditure Report data fields.
- Noted phase in of Required Programmatic Data in the Project and Expenditure Report.
- Removed certain data fields from the Ineligible Activities: Tax Offset Provision under the Recovery Plan.
- Separated reporting of NEU Distributions (for States and territories) from the Interim Report and Project and Expenditure Reports as information will be provided on an ongoing basis.
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ARP Reporting Deadlines Extended into 2022
The U.S. Treasury announced Thursday that the previous Oct. 31 deadlines for cities to file their reports on expenditures of American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds will be extended into next year.
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For the state’s 26 metropolitan cities, the Project and Expenditure Report is now due on Jan. 31, 2022.
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For the state’s 525 cities designated as non-entitlement units (NEUs) – which covers virtually all cities with a population under 50,000 – their first report to the U.S. Treasury is now due on April 30, 2022.
The extension of these deadlines provides cities with much-needed time to work through the details for reporting to the federal government. Additional reporting info is expected from the U.S. Treasury in the months ahead. Deadlines for spending have not changed with this announcement, and ARP funds are still not required to be obligated until Dec. 31, 2024, and spent by Dec. 31, 2026. With the state still deciding on the appropriation of its ARP funds, and the U.S. Treasury expected to update its current interim spending guidance in the coming months, there remains ample time for cities to plan for the expenditure of their funds.
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The American Rescue Plan and Local Infrastructure: How Federal ARP Dollars Can Address Local Water, Sewer and Other Infrastructure Needs
A new report from NCLM
NCLM has published a new report, “The American Rescue Plan and Local Infrastructure: How Federal ARP Dollars Can Address Local Water, Sewer and Other Infrastructure Needs.”
The American Rescue Plan offers a generational opportunity to both meet our most critical needs and prepare to thrive well into the future. And though our cities and towns differ in many ways, one common issue threads through our state—infrastructure needs, particularly those involving water and sewer.
Our water and wastewater systems face a sizable investment need over $20 billion over the next two decades, according to some estimates. And it’s a need that falls almost solely on our cities and towns. Local government-run systems serve 89 percent of North Carolina’s population, yet receive financial support for only 8 percent of the costs.
Making investments in infrastructure represents one of the most likely paths to a lasting funding legacy. Thus, the League encourages municipalities to consider investing ARP funds into water and wastewater infrastructure. This recommendation is not made lightly. It is offered understanding both the constraints of the ARP and the realities of North Carolina’s existing infrastructure challenges. The report published today details this need and how we can address it.
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Resource for Success: County Explorer Tool
The new myFutureNC County Explorer tool is an interactive map to help visualize and compare how each county in North Carolina is progressing towards the state’s educational attainment goal of 2 Million by 2030. The County Explorer tool provides a bird's eye view of county performance and uses data from the 2020 County Profiles and will follow the same update cycle as the County Profiles for consistency.
Developed in partnership with Carolina Demography, users can filter by the key educational indicators we use to measure progress, and compare those numbers by county.
In addition, local leaders have access to their County Attainment Profile, which highlights specific opportunities for improvement that will ultimately lead to increased attainment. Updated State and County Attainment Profiles will be released and available in 2022.
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N.C. Low Income Household Water Assistance Program
The Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) is a federally-funded program that provides emergency assistance to low-income households, particularly those with the lowest incomes, that pay a high proportion of household income for drinking water and wastewater services. Funds available total over $1.1 billion.
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2022 NC DEACS Community Waste Reduction and Recycling Grant
Applications are now being accepted for the 2022 Community Waste Reduction and Recycling Grant (CWRAR) Program. This recurring annual grant program provides funding to public recycling programs for projects that help communities build lasting capacity to divert materials from the waste stream and/or increase public awareness of recycling. This grant cycle is timed to correspond with local government budget cycles. Applications are due by 5:00 pm on Thursday, February 17, 2022. Instructions and guidelines are provided in the following request for proposals: PDF or Word. Grant winners are typically notified in April and funds become available on July 1st. For more information or assistance please contact Sandy Skolochenko at (919) 707-8147.
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Governor's Crime Commission
Grant Portal is Open
November 1, 2021 - January 31, 2022
The Governor's Crime Commission is accepting applications for grant funding under the following programs:
Victims of Crime Act (VOCA)
Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)
Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG)
Juvenile Justice (JJ)
Access the grant writing workshop materials here:
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EDA continues to accept applications for programs under American Rescue Plan Act
While the Phase I deadline for the Build Back Better Challenge has passed, there remain several programs under the American Rescue Plan Act through which EDA continues to accept applications, including:
o Good Jobs Challenge ($500 million) is designed to help get Americans back in good-paying jobs. The program will develop and strengthen regional workforce training systems and sector-based partnerships with a focus on programs targeted at women, people of color and historically underserved communities. This competition is designed to providing for the needs of an applicant’s identified regional workforce system through a single integrated award. This challenge is designed to provide resources for workforce system development to help establish or develop a regional workforce training system comprised of multiple sector partnerships, to develop the skills training curriculum and materials, and secure technical expertise needed to train workers, and to support non-construction projects needed to provide workforce training and connect workers with quality jobs, including wrap-around services.
o Economic Adjustment Assistance ($500 million) grants will help hundreds of communities across the nation plan, build, innovate, and put people back to work through projects tailored to meet local needs. Through this program, EDA anticipates funding projects a wide range of technical, planning, workforce development, entrepreneurship, and public works and infrastructure projects under this program. As part of EDA’s effort to allocate funding to economically distressed areas, the agency will allocate at least $200 million of the Economic Adjustment Assistance funding to support coal-impacted communities.
o Indigenous Communities ($100 million) program will work hand-in-hand with Tribal Governments and Indigenous communities to develop and execute economic development projects they need to recover from the pandemic and build economies for the future. Through this program, EDA anticipates funding a range of projects for Federally recognized tribes, including those focused on technical assistance, planning workforce development, entrepreneurship, and public works and infrastructure.
o Travel, Tourism and Outdoor Recreation ($750 million) program will focus on revitalizing the hard-hit travel, tourism, and outdoor recreation industries and accelerate the recovery of communities that rely on these sectors. Of the total $750 million allocated to this initiative, $510 million will support non-competitive grants to States to help them invest in marketing infrastructure, workforce and other projects to rejuvenate safe leisure, business and international travel, and $240 is being made available to support communities that have been hardest hit by challenges facing the travel, tourism and outdoor recreation sectors to invest in infrastructure, workforce or other projects to support the recovery of the industry and economic resilience of the community in the future.
o Statewide Planning, Research and Networks ($90 million) grants include funding for state planning efforts as well as grants to build Communities of Practice to extend technical assistance to support EDA’s work with grantees. Of the total $90 million allocated to this initiative, $59 million will support non-competitive grants to States to help them invest in statewide planning and analysis efforts that will facilitate economic recovery, and $31 is being made available to invest in research that assesses the effectiveness of EDA’s programs, and provides support for stakeholder communities around key EDA initiatives.
Further information on these opportunities can be found on the EDA ARP website at: https://www.eda.gov/ARPA/. For further information, see details on upcoming webinars in following section and feel free to contact the NC EDA representative, Hillary Sherman at hsherman@eda.gov.
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NC Parks & Recreation Trust Fund Grant Cycle Now Open
Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF) grants will be available in North Carolina in 2022 for local park and recreation projects. Local governments in North Carolina are eligible to apply for the matching grants. PARTF grants can be used to acquire park land and build or renovate park facilities.
Local governments can request a maximum of $500,000 with each application and must match the grant dollar-for-dollar. About $5 million was available last year for local government projects. This year’s funding has yet to be determined. Applications are due May 2, 2022. Additional information and this year’s application are available at https://www.ncparks.gov/more-about-us/parks-recreation-trust-fund/applicants
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New Comprehensive Study & Asset Map on Healthy Food Access in North Carolina's Upper Coastal Plain
Croatan Institute in collaboration with the Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments (UCPCOG), Working Landscapes, ABC2, the Just Foods Collaborative and many other regional and state partners, released a series of resources detailing healthy food access in the Upper Coastal Plain of North Carolina.
This work culminated in an analysis of the region’s local healthy food system including an interactive map of existing assets and resources, identification of food system gaps and opportunities, and recommendations on how to improve healthy food access for low-resourced and minority communities. It also identifies opportunities to increase economic opportunities and food system resilience through greater inclusion of small and minority food farms, value chain businesses, and community residents.
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It’s time to queue the celebratory music!
The North Carolina state budget has been approved with almost $1 billion in broadband infrastructure funding from the federal American Rescue Plan Act. These funds, along with the funds from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, President Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure package, will build digital equity across the state and help every North Carolina household have an affordable, high-speed internet connection to fully participate in the digital economy.
We know you’re interested in learning more about how and when those funds will be distributed, so we will be sharing monthly updates via email to keep you apprised of the latest details. In the meantime, please subscribe to our provider and stakeholder email list and share the below subscription link with your partners. All subscribers will receive monthly NCDIT progress updates and breaking news.
We at NCDIT look forward to partnering with you to close the digital divide in North Carolina. If you have any questions or need assistance, please click here to directly reach our team. You can also visit the NCDIT Division of Broadband and Digital Equity website at https://www.ncbroadband.gov/ for information on our initiatives.
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The US Census Bureau has updated the Count Question Resolution (CQR) website:
Tribal and local governments may challenge 2020 Census counts for their areas through the CQR program, but CQR challenges must be based on boundary or count issues. The updated website includes participant guides detailing the CQR process.
The NC Office of State Budget and Management hosted webinars dealing with CQR and other 2020 Census topics. Recordings of these webinars are available here:
The CQR operation will begin in January and will accept challenges until June 2023.
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The Carolina Connector Delivers
Intermodal supports the supply chain bringing goods to the consumer
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Ceremonies formally launched the Carolina Connector, a 330-acre, multi-modal cargo hub in Rocky Mount, Edgecombe County, that will significantly improve connections between North Carolina and the global region. It is positioned to reach more than 5 million consumers within a 120-mile radius. Located just five miles off I-95 and 60 miles northeast of the state's capital of Raleigh, and in close proximity to the ports, this is an energy-efficient way to move freight over land and connect businesses where they need to go.
For an insider's view, watch the video below to learn more about how the Carolina Connector is providing high-tech and sustainable transportation.
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Turning Point Staff provided a Career Pathways and Exploration workshop in the Region. Duna Long, Special Outreach Coordinator was onsite with Southeast Collegiate and Northwest Halifax Collegiate for sessions that provided career guidance using NC Works resources such as nccareers.org and the Northeast NC Pathways as resources for students. The Turning Point Region has 4 certified pathways in Healthcare, Business Support Services, Agri-science/Biotech and Advanced Manufacturing. Efforts continue with employers in the Region to gather data in an effort to have the best pathway or training for our future workforce. Thank you Duna for this informative session and providing more information to K12 students and partners. |
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Registration now open for the
2022 Emerging Issues Forum!
Advancing Together: Enhancing NC’s Workforce
Through Educational Attainment
Tuesday, February 08, 2022
9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
McKimmon Center, Raleigh, NC
As our economy grows the vast majority of new jobs will require more than a high school diploma. Today, less than half of North Carolinians ages 25-44 are ready for this work. As set by myFutureNC, with the strong support of the North Carolina General Assembly, the Governor, and the education and business communities, the current goal is 2 million North Carolinians with a high-quality credential or postsecondary degree by 2030. But absent intentional action, we face a significant gap between the skills and experience that employers will need and what the state’s labor force will be able to provide. The demand for more workforce talent presents a significant opportunity to improve postsecondary readiness, especially among those who are economically disadvantaged and workers of color.
The 2022 Emerging Issues Forum will bring together local, state and national leaders to call attention to this attainment gap and to the impact of the pandemic on efforts to close it. Because education is fundamentally local in character, a particular focus will be on spurring effective action at the community and regional levels across the state. The importance of effective collaboration will be highlighted, especially the role of the business community in promoting curriculum alignment, offering work-based learning and advocating for a competitive workforce.
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New Guide Provides Interventions for Older Adults With Serious Mental Illness
Adults with serious mental illness over age 50 have high rates of medical comorbid conditions; significantly reduced life expectancy, and are more likely to be admitted to nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. As the older adult population increases, the need for behavioral health services and systems to serve the aging population will also increase. SAMHSA has released a new guide titled Psychosocial Interventions for Older Adults With Serious Mental Illness which provides considerations and strategies for interdisciplinary teams, peer specialists, clinicians, registered nurses, behavioral health organizations, and policymakers in understanding, selecting, and implementing evidence-based interventions that support older adults with serious mental illness.
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Increase to Medicare Premiums for 2022
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the 2022 Medicare Parts A and B premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance amounts, and the 2022 Part D income-related monthly adjustment amounts. Medicare Part B covers physician services, outpatient hospital services, certain home health services, durable medical equipment, and certain other medical and health services not covered by Medicare Part A. The increase in the standard monthly premium—from $148.50 in 2021 to $170.10 in 2022—is based in part on the statutory requirement to prepare for expenses, such as spending trends driven by COVID-19. The annual deductible for Medicare Part B beneficiaries grows with the Part B financing and is increasing from $203 in 2021 to $233 in 2022. More information is available here.
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New CMS Guidance on Nursing Home Visitation
On Friday, November 12, 2021, CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) directed nursing homes ease many remaining pandemic restrictions. The new guidance from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services instructs nursing homes to allow visits at all times for all residents. Facilities will no longer be able to limit the frequency and length of visits or require advance scheduling. Although large groups of visitors are discouraged, nursing homes won't be allowed to limit the number of loved ones and friends who can pay a call on residents. The guidance addresses indoor visitation, compassionate care visits, and visitor testing and vaccination. Note the changes/updates are outlined in RED. If you have questions first contact the regional ombudsman assigned to facilities in the county the facility is located. Use the list of Area Agencies on Aging, to find the Ombudsman in your area.
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Registration for the School of Government’s Development Finance Toolbox program is now open. The program will be held online over a three-day period, December 7-9, 2021 at the School of Government.
Featuring instructors from the National Development Council and the School, the course is designed for elected officials, local government development professionals, and managers. The course teaches participants the basics of development finance tools used by North Carolina local governments to achieve their community and economic development goals.
Topics discussed will include:
· Federal financing programs and tax credit financing
· Public-Private Partnerships for Redevelopment
· Opportunity Zones and the Local Government Role
· Local government capital financing
· Tax increment financing (TIF) and synthetic TIF
· Business improvement districts
· Attracting private investment to Main Street
The registration fee includes a workshop (held on the first day of the course) designed to teach you the basics of calculating an estimated return on investment and different ways of thinking about debt and equity, heightening your intuition about what is and is not a worthwhile project.
CLE and AICP credit will be posted once the agenda is finalized. To find more details about the program and to register, please click here.
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The School of Government and its Center for Public Leadership and Governance (CPLG), in partnership with the North Carolina League of Municipalities, are pleased to offer our biennial orientation of newly elected municipal officials with the Essentials of Municipal Government. This course is specifically designed to help newly elected officials transition from campaigning to governing.
Essentials of Municipal Government helps newly elected officials learn what that means and how to do it. Participants will gain a deeper appreciation for the value of governing at the municipal level, and for the importance of developing the skills and behaviors that lead to being an effective local elected official.
This course teaches:
1. The basics of municipal government authority, finances, and functions.
2. Keys to governing body effectiveness and your role as a member.
3. The legal boundaries of ethics and transparency.
4. The importance of developing positive relationships with your colleagues, staff, and external partners and organizations that influence life in your communities.
Incumbents are encouraged to attend, as they will have the opportunity, along with newly elected officials, to complete the state-required Ethics training and be able to contribute valuable insights and experiences to the program.
To register newly elected officials, or forward the information along, please visit the course page.
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February 2-4, 2022|Winston-Salem
The seminar will be held in-person over three days at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem.
Topics discussed will include:
Wednesday, Feb. 2 Keynote Speaker: Dr. Rogan Kersch, Provost and Professor of Politics and International Affairs, Wake Forest University
Friday, Feb. 4 Workshop: Trust: The Key to Effective Leadership Workshop, Dr Patrick Sweeney, Professor of the Practice of Management, Executive Director, Allegacy Center for Leadership and Character, Wake Forest University School of Business (separate registration required)
Friday, Feb. 4 Mobile Session: The Benefits of the Construction Management at Risk Method and the Bowman Gray Stadium Improvements Project
Concurrent Sessions: Attracting and Retaining the Best Employees: Evidence Based Recommendations for Local Governments; The 2020 Census Recap and Next Steps; Inclusive Leadership: Measuring and Mastering Inclusive Leadership within Your Organization; An Expert's View on Wellness, Resiliency and Social Anxiety with Front Line Workers Amid the Pandemic; Affordable Housing in a Rapidly Growing Community; Contemporary Communication Tools; Phone a Friend: An Assist with Managing the Maze of ARPA Local Fiscal Recovery Funds; Digital Equity, and Inclusion and the Digital Divide: What Can Local Governments Do?; Student Research Project Presentations; MPA Student Session; Speed Networking for MPA Students
For a copy of the full agenda, visit the program page and find it under the "Materials" tab.
Follow Along on the Guidebook App
The agenda is available on the NCCCMA Winter Seminar 2022 Guidebook app. To download the app, go to the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store on your device, search for “Guidebook” and download. Once the app is downloaded, search for “NCCCMA Winter Seminar 2022.”
The app contains the full schedule, speaker information, vendor information, parking map, Benton Convention Center map, Marriott Hotel map, downtown map, and a restaurant map.
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Climate Resilience DataPalooza: A Dataset Sharing Collaboration from NCORR
Dec. 15 at 9 a.m.
The North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency (NCORR) is responsible for facilitating collaboration on climate and natural hazards resilience. One of the clearest entry points for collaboration is to share data.
In the spirit of fostering collaboration on data-intensive efforts, NCORR will offer Climate Resilience DataPalooza on Dec. 15 from 9 a.m. - noon. The purpose of this event is for managers of datasets to share their data—on hazards, assets, or populations—with potential collaborators and users, and for everyone to learn more about the data resources available in North Carolina.
Attendees from any sector are welcome to present at this event or join as a listener. Attendance is free and open, but registration is required.
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Register for NADO Webinar on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill
NADO will host a webinar on Thursday, December 9 at 2:00 p.m. ET focused on the bipartisan infrastructure bill which was signed into law earlier this week. NADO will be joined by Hal Hiemstra, Partner at Summit Strategies, who will provide an analysis of the intricacies of the bill, highlight resource and funding opportunities for NADO members, and answer questions. To register, click here. For those who cannot attend, the webinar will be recorded. To submit questions in advance, please email Jamie McCormick at jmccormick@nado.org.
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Registration Now Open for the 2022 Washington Policy Conference
The National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) and the Development District Association of Appalachia (DDAA) invite you to register for the 2022 Washington Conference which will be held from Sunday, March 13 to Wednesday, March 16, 2022 in Arlington, VA. Conference sessions will focus on regional development, the federal landscape, and the programs and policies that matter most to Regional Development Organizations and their stakeholders.
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121 W. Nash St. Wilson, NC 27893
252-234-5952
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