The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners met Tuesday. Here’s a short recap of what happened.
Emergency preparedness
The Emergency Management office presented updates to its emergency management plan for the commissioners’ approval. The plan has not been updated since 2017. Updates address recent emergencies such as the pandemic, extreme temperatures and hurricanes.
Commissioner Jimmy Keefe agreed the plan needs updated but said the proposal needs more work. Keefe said the plan should “encompass all of the things that emergency services can and will be responsible for.”
Both Keefe and Commissioner Veronica Jones voiced concerns about confusion about emergency shelters, since the locations are subject to change depending on the emergency. Keefe said the current system is “confusing to the citizens” and that he wants to see a plan that is more in-depth or has consistent shelter locations.
The commissioners did not vote on or approve the plan.
Employee child care center
Assistant County Manager Heather Skeens and Library Director Faith Phillips provided commissioners an update on the new county employee child care center.
The center, located at the former Dorothy Spainhour Child Development Center at 223 Hull Rd., will be operated by Little Makers Academy, a day-care provider based in Raleigh. The center will provide all-day care, as well as drop-in hours and nontraditional hours and days for Cumberland County employees.
The property needs to be renovated and updated, but a soft launch is expected in January, with a grand opening no later than July 2024.
The facility will provide care to children ages 6 weeks to school age. The cost will not be subsidized by the county. Those with subsidies through the military or Department of Social Services will be able to use them at the center.
The main purpose of the facility is to provide access to quality child care for county employees, as many child care facilities in the area have long wait lists to register children.
“I think this is a benefit that will be able to help HR in their recruitment efforts,” said Commissioner Glenn Adams.
Appointments and nominations
The commissioners nominated Dakota Wright and Natalie Sharp for open positions on the Cumberland County Board of Health.
Adam Phillips was appointed to the Fayetteville Technical Community College board of trustees by a vote of five to two. Commissioners Marshall Faircloth and Jimmy Keefe voted against.
Other business
Commissioner Adams made a note about a public hearing scheduled for Sept. 18 to gather feedback on the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program. He said he wanted to make sure that the county post information about the hearing on its website and social media platforms.
A motion was unanimously approved to have the public hearing.
Commissioners also recognized outgoing members of the county’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advisory Committee for their work.
Contact Char Morrison at cmorrison@cityviewnc.com.
