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Bids for new detention center are in
KENANSVILLE – “I’m really pleased with what you found out in the bid openings,” said Board of County Commissioners Chair Dexter Edwards to County Manager Bryan Miller, after hearing the detention center project updates presented by Miller at the Jan. 16, meeting in Kenansville.
The county received four bids from the pre-qualified bidders. According to Miller, the $40,233,100 bid from Daniels and Daniels was the uncertified lowest bid. The bid amount includes the option for the third pod, and it does not include the architectural fees.
“I would request that you do all the diligence that you need to as far as the building, the specs, the architect checks, and the pay structure of how we can fund it and have it back to us for our next meeting,” said Chair Edwards. “Let’s plan to move on it at our next meeting. We have been waiting for this a long time, and there is no need for us to drag our feet… to me the lack of spread that is in these numbers makes me feel really good that it is good numbers.
Miller responded that they would work toward that goal. “I don’t know what roadblocks or challenges we’ll face, but we’ll have as much information to the board at the next meeting as we possibly can.”
Commissioner Wayne Branch asked Miller “what could possibly be a foreseen roadblock?“
Miller responded that they want to meet with George Wood, former interim county manager who was originally involved in the project, and with the county’s financial advisors to get their opinion. “Their schedules may impact our ability to do that,” said Miller. “We do plan to meet with Mr. Wood next week. That meeting has already been set. The financial advisors we would like to meet with soon thereafter.”
Miller stated that they will prepare the “options for moving forward and present those to the board next month along with the recommendation.”
In other business:
Chair Edwards expressed the need for cattle crossing signs on Willard Edwards Road During road concerns. The signs have been missing for a while according to Edwards.
Melissa Kennedy, E-911 Addressing project coordinator conducted a public hearing to name a lane on the 100 block of Dogwood Lane in Rose Hill, Miller Lane. Commissioner Elwood Garner noticed that the request was for a lane off another lane and expressed his concerns about circumventing the subdivision’s ordinance.
“The way I understand it, if you got a lane, you can only have three mobile homes on that lane and now you can put another lane, you have three more,” said Commissioner Garner. The Board decided to table the request until the county planner can look at it.
The presentation of the Fiscal Year 2023 audit was moved to Feb. 5.
The board approved four grants awarded through the North Carolina Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund Project to Duplin landowners, along with the corresponding allocations needed to fund the budget.
Angie Quinn with the Duplin County Soil & Water Conservation spoke about the grants she applied for on behalf of the landowners, explaining that Duplin County currently holds conservation easements on four other farms. Quinn added that the county will be reimbursed upon completion of the projects and that they will be seeking other funding opportunities to assist the landowners.
The grants awarded are as follows:
$65,000 to Anthony Clay Butts, 39.15 acres. Contract from Oct. 1, 2023, through Sept. 30, 2026.
$137,900 to Mitchell and Marlena Paige, 83.89 acres. Contract from Oct. 1, 2023, through Sept. 30, 2026.
$293,681 to Murray Agriculture East, 278 acres. Contract from Oct. 1, 2023, through Sept. 30, 2025.
$330,292.50 to Murray Agriculture West, 315 acres. Contract from Oct. 1, 2023, through Sept. 30, 2025.
Annie Murrell with Duplin County Social Services provided an update on Medicaid Expansion and addressed staffing concerns. See DSS story for more on this.
According to Murrell, 439 applications were received in Duplin County for December. “This was a 54% increase when comparing the number of applications received in December of 2022.”
According to Murrell, there were 1,468 family planning cases that automatically rolled over into Medicaid Expansion. “A little over 70%,” Murrell added. “304 Medicaid applications were received through ePASS and other online capabilities, 30% of those applications, which is about 135, was a result of individuals applying in person. As expected, there has been an overwhelming increase in telephone calls and an increase in applications for other programs, such as crisis and workforce benefits.”
Murrell added that as of Jan. 16 they had filled five out of the 13 new positions created to provide support for Medicaid Expansion.
The electrical panels for the animal control building have arrived and the new facility is scheduled for an inspection. Miller said they expect the facility to be finished within four weeks.
A joint meeting requested by the Economic Development Committee was scheduled for Feb. 20, at James Sprunt Community College at 7 a.m.
The next Board of County Commissioners meeting is scheduled for Feb. 5, at 6 p.m.
