Commissioners Joe Belcher and George Dunlap Featured in NACo Article on Rev. Graham
Joe Belcher, Buncombe County Commissioner, and George Dunlap, Mecklenburg County Commissioner and member of NACo’s Board of Directors, shared their comments with NACo County News in remembrance of the late Reverend Billy Graham. The article discusses Commissioner Belcher’s perspective on Graham’s contributions to Buncombe County, where the Billy Graham Training Center at the Cove is located, and where he resided for many years. It also includes Commissioner Dunlap’s comments on the positive impact Graham had on Mecklenburg County, where he grew up, and which is home to both the Billy Graham Library and the headquarters for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.
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Senator Thom Tillis Updates NACo Committee, Chaired by Guilford County Commissioner Kay Cashion
As part of the NACo legislative conference, U.S. Senator Thom Tillis addressed the NACo Arts and Culture Committee, which is chaired by Guilford County Commissioner Kay Cashion. He provided an update to the committee via video on an innovative art therapy program at the Intrepid Spirit Center at Fort Bragg. The program is run by professionally trained art therapists and offers a holistic approach to care for veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress, Traumatic Brian Injury and chronic pain.
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Submit Applications for Opioid Response Community Grants by April 6
UNC School of Government is accepting applications for a new grant program in partnership with BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina. The program will provide direct support to 10 North Carolina communities interested in using the collective impact approach to respond to the opioid crises. Grant funding will help local communities collaborate and work as a team to set policy goals and implement best practices. For more information, click here.
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State Selects Vendor for Social Services Reform Plan
The Family/Child Protection Accountability Act, also known as Rylan’s Law, which was enacted in 2017 requires the state to contract with a third party organization to obtain technical assistance to improve the delivery of social services. This month, the Office of State Budget and Management in consultation with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ Division of Social Services selected the vendor. A $2.5 million contract was awarded to SLI Global Solutions LLC subsidiary, the Center for the Support of the Families (CSF), to assist with developing and implementing a social services reform plan for North Carolina.
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NC DIT Opens the 2019 Cycle for 911 Grants
The NC Department of Information Technology (DIT) administers a competitive grant program for projects to:
- Consolidate public safety answering points, or “PSAPs” with an integrated management structure
- Replace or enhance individual PSAPs
- Support regional initiatives to enhance the 911 system
Click here for the link to the grant application. The cycle will remain open until midnight, June 15, 2018. If you have any questions regarding the grant process or the grant application, please contact Richard Taylor, Executive Director, North Carolina 911 Board, via email at Richard.taylor@nc.gov.
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USDA Accepting Applications for Broadband Grants
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is now accepting applications for its Community Connect program, which provides grants from $100,000 to $3 million for broadband deployment into rural communities that lack any existing broadband speed of at least 10 Mbps downstream and 1 Mbps upstream. The deadline to apply is May 14, 2018. Applicants can be state and local governments, federally-recognized tribes, nonprofits and for-profit corporations, and they must be able to provide a 15 percent match for the proposed project. Counties should discuss any proposed project with their county attorney to ensure it meets all applicable federal and state legal requirements.
USDA is offering two webinars to explain the application process and the eligible uses of the funds. The webinars will be held April 5th from 1:00pm to 2:00pm and April 10th from 1:00pm to 2:00pm. More information and webinar registration is available here. For additional questions, USDA’s point of contact in North Carolina for community programs is Brian Queen (Brian.Queen@nc.usda.gov; 919.873.2072).
The Community Connect program allows grantees to use funds for the construction, acquisition, or leasing of facilities, spectrum, land or buildings used to deploy broadband service to residents, businesses and critical community facilities. Currently, counties in North Carolina have very limited authority to help encourage broadband access to underserved areas. Changes in state law are required for counties to fully leverage all the eligible uses of federal funds like the Community Connect program. That is why NCACC will continue to advocate for the passage H390, its Senate companion bill S208, and other broadband policies that give counties additional tools to invest in digital infrastructure to help expand access in partnership with internet service providers.
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Nominations for North Carolina Awards Open until April 15
The North Carolina Awards recognize “notable accomplishments by North Carolina citizens in the fields of scholarship, research, the fine arts and public leadership.” They represent the highest honor the State of North Carolina can bestow on a citizen. Nominations for this award will be accepted until April 15. Anyone may submit a nomination application for consideration in the fields of literature, science, fine arts and public service.
Applicants must include a completed nomination form, cover letter, three letters of support and the nominee’s biography or resume. Applications may be submitted online or materials can be sent to the North Carolina Awards Committee, N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, 4601 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, N.C. 27699-4600.
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NACo Extends Deadline for 2018 Achievement Award Applications
The National Association of Counties (NACo) is accepting applications for 2018 Achievement Awards until April 2. This non-competitive program recognizes outstanding county government programs and services in 18 categories covering a vast range of county responsibilities. The "best of category" winners will be recognized on stage at the 2018 NACo Annual Conference in July in Davidson County/Nashville, Tennessee, and all winners will be recognized in the program book and online. Click here for more information. You may also send an email to awards@naco.org with any questions.
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NC Child Releases 2018 County Data Cards
NC Child, an organization that strives to advance public policies to improve the lives of North Carolina’s children, compiles county data cards to measure key indicators in five areas of children’s well-being: A Strong Start, Family Economic Security, Nurturing Homes and Communities, Health and Wellness, and High-Quality Education. The 2018 County Data cards are now available at http://www.ncchild.org/publication/2018-county-data-cards.
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Sign Up for NCACC District Meetings
This spring, NCACC will host a series of District Meetings throughout the state to offer county commissioners and management staff an opportunity to learn about the latest legislative developments in Raleigh and NCACC programs and services. The meetings, which are free and include dinner, also provide a forum to share information and network with officials from nearby counties. Commissioners who attend a District Meeting earn 3 credits in the “Association Sponsored Programs” category toward Practitioner, Master or Mentor status through the Local Elected Leaders Academy (LELA) Recognition Program. Click here to view the schedule and to register.
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Randolph Community College, Randolph County Schools, Guilford County Schools and Richmond County Health Department Are Now Connected to Largest Fiber Optic Network in the State
Click here to read more...
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Click here for more stories on www.ncacc.org.
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Featured Classifieds
Assistant County Manager - Currituck County
Assistant Human Resources Director - Burke County
Director of Finance - Westmoreland County, VA
Director of Social Services - Moore County
Nutrition Program Director I - Onslow County
Performance Management Director - Village of Pinehurst, NC
Tax Administrator - Catawba County
Click here to view all classified ads
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Upcoming Events
Evaluating Manager and Board Performance (April - Multiple Locations)
Local elected boards and their county and municipal managers work interdependently to lead and govern their communities. To be successful, both parties must have a common understanding of their roles and responsibilities, be clear in defining expectations, and know how they will be held accountable. Regular, constructive feedback is important to meeting community expectations and assuring that both the elected and appointed officials are working towards common goals. Participants who complete this program will learn how to develop a successful board self-assessment and manager evaluation process, and how to avoid common pitfalls.
More Information and Registration
NACo 2018 Farm Bill Summit (April 5 to 7 - West Palm Beach, FL)
The National Association of Counties (NACo) invites you to attend the landmark 2018 Farm Bill Summit, April 5–7 in Palm Beach County, Florida. All counties are encouraged to attend this summit as we examine the need for a comprehensive and long-term farm bill to help strengthen our national economy and provide critical services to all counties — rural and urban alike. The summit will host educational tours, workshops and panel discussions that examine how the farm bill touches every facet of American life, including conservation, trade, jobs, infrastructure, research, nutrition, disaster assistance and more. As Washington, D.C. moves forward with debating the 2018 Farm Bill, NACo is ready to bring your voice to the table.
More Information and Registration
myFutureNC Commission Listening Session on Education and Economic Opportunity (April 19 - Elizabeth City)
Educational attainment is critical to North Carolina’s continued economic growth. To earn a family-sustaining wage in today’s economy, North Carolinians need some postsecondary education – whether that’s a four-year degree, an associate’s degree, a certificate or license in a career and technical field, or an apprenticeship. The myFutureNC Commission – comprised of state leaders in education, business, philanthropy, government, and faith-based and nonprofit communities – is reimagining the ways our communities, our regions, and our state support an individual’s attainment journey, from pre-Kindergarten through postsecondary and into the workforce. To help them in this task, the myFutureNC Listening Tour is collecting ideas and feedback from people all over the state. We want to hear from everyone: educators, parents, service providers, faith leaders, employees, employers, government representatives, and students.
More Information and Registration
District Meetings (April - Multiple Locations)
Each spring, the NCACC hosts a series of District Meetings throughout the state. The meetings offer county commissioners and management staff an opportunity to learn about the latest legislative developments in Raleigh, to share information from their conversations with legislators, to network with officials from other counties, and to learn about the latest NCACC programs and services that benefit counties. There is no cost to attend the meetings, which begin at 5:30 p.m. and include a dinner. Each meeting will conclude by 8 p.m. Commissioners who attend a District Meeting earn 3 credits in the "Association Sponsored Programs" category toward Practitioner, Master or Mentor status through the Local Elected Leaders Academy (LELA) Recognition Program.
More Information and Registration
For a full listing of upcoming events, visit www.ncacc.org/LELACalendar.
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Exciting new feature - LELA "Passport to Learning" Report
County commissioners can now find their individual LELA “Passport to Learning” reports online at www.ncaccevents.org/LELA! Reports include each commissioner’s current level of recognition (Practitioner, Master, or Mentor), credits needed to move up to the next level, links to upcoming LELA events and attendance records. This is a searchable database that will be updated regularly.
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Want to keep up with weekly NCACC updates?
Stay updated with the Connects app!
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NCACC Publications
Click the link below for more information or to subscribe to CountyLines and CountyQuarterly. Please share story ideas at communications@ncacc.org.
CountyLines
CountyQuarterly
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Vision Statement
Empowering 100 counties to work together for the betterment of one state.
Mission Statement
Our Association supports and promotes the well-being of all North Carolina counties through advocacy, education, research, and member services.
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