Update from Davie County Government

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In This Issue:
A Message from Your County Manager, John Eller
Finalized County Aging Plan
911/CAD Upgrade & Grant
Public Utilities Updates
Increased Access to Dental & Behavioral Health
Strategic Plan Update
Investing in Next Generation Leaders
Grant for New County Park

A Message from Your County Manager, John Eller

As I reflect upon this past year, I am reminded of how great Davie County is. Our sense of spirit to collectively achieve greater heights and address our most pressing issues together is inspiring.

As we further our County’s Strategic Plan and the goals of the Board of County Commissioners, our staff continues to focus on our five core focus areas: Quality of Life and Place, Planned Growth and Infrastructure, Safe and Healthy Communities, Quality Pre K-14 Education, and Effective Business Operations.

While we cannot highlight every achievement in 2019, I wanted to share with residents some that are most notable.

Finalized County Aging Plan

The 2019-2024 Aging Plan for Davie County is a collaborative effort of individual citizens, representatives from the business and nonprofit communities, and service providers from both the public and private sectors and provides a framework for the future of aging in Davie County. In order to gather information, personal interviews and surveys were conducted with key stakeholders, participants, and citizens.

A steering committee made up of representatives from the Senior Services Advisory Council and the Davie County Aging Services Planning Committee met to assess, streamline, prioritize the areas of focus, and create measurable goals. Five areas were chosen: Communication Strategy, Health for the Aging Population, Transportation, Housing, and Financial Well Being. The Davie County Aging Plan will encourage systems of working together so that Davie County can build capacity to support our aging population and ultimately improve the quality of life for all residents.

To view the plan online, visit www.DavieCountyNC.gov/AgingPlan2019.

911/CAD Upgrade & Grant

In 2016, Davie County started assessing our Computer- Aided Dispatch (CAD) software system for our 911/ Communications Department and the need for an upgrade. Our current software is at end-of-life and does not meet efficiency, operating, reporting and data analysis, data sharing among agencies, or technology needs of public safety agencies and supporting departments. In May 2019, the county applied for a 911 Grant to seek funding for an eligible portion of the project which was funded.

This will be the single largest software project ever undertaken by Davie County. Because of the great work of our team, the new system and redesigned business processes will revolutionize the way Davie County Public Safety agencies deliver services to help the citizens of Davie County. We hope to make this transition in late Summer of 2020.

Public Utilities Updates

North/East Davie Sewer: The project is still on schedule and more than 70% complete as we hope to complete the project by early Spring 2020.

Peoples Creek Road Extension: This project is under construction and the line extension will be completed in early December 2019.

Farmington Road Sewer Extension: Design is currently being done.

Jeffco Lift Station: The required paperwork for this project will be conducted in December 2019, and will then be advertised for bids with a completion date of early Spring 2020.

Mocksville/Davie Joint Utility Infrastructure Study: A joint meeting of the Davie County Board of Commissioners and the Town of Mocksville Board of Commissioners was held on September 3, 2019 to review a Water Supply Alternatives Analysis Report. Both Boards resolved to conduct an engineering study to investigate the need to provide sufficient and resilient potable water resources to support the health, safety and economic prosperity of Mocksville and Davie County. As a result, both Boards agreed in November to move forward with the study and engineering services for the preparation of a Preliminary Engineering Report for the selection of an Alternative Water Supply Improvement Project.

Increased Access to Dental & Behavioral Health

The Federally Qualified Health Center, Gaston Family Health Services, is in partnership with the Davie County Public Health Division to help meet the growing healthcare needs in Davie County (dental, behavioral health, and physical health). This will be a resource that many community agencies can utilize to help the populations they serve.

Strategic Plan Update

Davie County exceeded 90% or greater of set outcomes in the County’s Strategic Plan in 2019. Staff should be commended for their great work as we continue to further the County’s Strategic Plan and the Board of County Commissioners for supporting our Performance Based Budgeting Philosophy.

To view 1st Quarter Outcome Attainment:
www.DavieCountyNC.gov/DCStrategicPlan.

To view End-of-Year Attainment:
www.DavieCountyNC.gov/18-19OutcomeAttainment.

Investing in Next Generation Leaders

Since 1990, Davie County’s population has grown 52%. Based on this rate of growth, Davie County’s population may reach 53,084 people by the year 2037. We are working diligently to invest in the proper infrastructure to support these growth rates, but we cannot overlook the need for next-generation leaders. Davie County Government is investing in leadership development initiatives with staff through a partnership with Sage Garden Care Center. We would also like to commend the Chamber of Commerce on renewing the Leadership Davie Program.

Davie County is proud of our Economic Development Commission for their workforce development initiative, Davie Works, that focuses on training the current/future workforce and improving job growth to align workforce resources to business needs, as well as working with Davie County Schools to increase student exposure to 21st-century skill requirements and career opportunities.

The County is proud to support the Ignite Davie K-14 Initiative that was spearheaded between the public and private sector, community foundation, and Davidson/Davie County Community College which will allow the next graduating high school class to attend the community college at no charge to them up to three years post-graduation. Davie County is also pleased to support and partner with early childhood educational efforts from Smart Start, the new Cognition Children’s Museum, Davie County Schools, and Davidson/Davie County Community College. It takes a village, and all of these programs will nurture future leaders among us who will take us to levels we only envisioned.

Grant For New County Park

Construction of the new Davie County Community Park hasn’t missed a beat since March 2019 groundbreaking, and Davie County Recreation and Parks (DCRP) has developed quality programming and properly planned amenities for the new park. On August 23, 2019, Davie County was awarded a Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF) grant, and was among the top six highest-ranking applications and fourth highest dollar amount awarded. The funds will be used for further development of Davie County Community Park (Phase I) that include an: Elevated Fitness course, inclusive playground with shade structures and ADA “pour In place” surfacing, small and large dog parks, shelters, bocce and horseshoe courtyard enhancements, and an additional 25-mile greenway loop that will link the park trail system to Davidson County Community College (Davie Campus) and Davie County Early College Campus.

In addition, DCRP was also awarded grant funds from the Davie County Hospital Foundation Grant totaling $5,600, and Margaret C. Woodson Foundation Grant totaling $5,000. Funds from the Hospital Foundation will be used to purchase three aquatic wheelchairs to enhance accessibility opportunities for the park's largest Vortex splash pad (7,350 sf ) in North Carolina. Funds from the Woodson Foundation will be used to purchase and install an interactive multi-sensory storybook trail to enhance the park's trails system and observatory boardwalk.

"I am proud of these accomplishments that have been made possible due to the combined efforts of many individuals and organizations in our community. Davie County is positioned to prosper in 2020 and I look forward to seeing our accomplishments grow." - John Eller