Concerns over staffing, spending drive crowds to commissioners meeting

KENANSVILLE — A large crowd attended the Duplin County Commissioners meeting on Monday night, with the room filled to capacity and people spilling into the receiving area. Public interest surged following recent departmental changes, the dissolution of the Tourism Development Authority, and the purchase of a corporate golf membership, among other topics. Despite a lengthy statement from county officials attempting to address the public’s concerns, the public called for more transparency.

Resident Jessica Thomas, who leads the group Duplin County Coalition for Accountability & Transparency, has emerged as a leading voice for several county employees and local residents. Thomas launched an anonymous survey to give county employees a safe space to share their experiences. Her grassroots efforts have galvanized public engagement, driving people in droves to the county commissioner’s meeting.

Thomas was among a group of people who spoke during public comment. However, their concerns were not addressed by the board, which went directly into closed session after the regular meeting. At the end of the meeting, several participants approached Thomas, expressing gratitude for her efforts in giving them a voice.

“The county employees dedicate their lives to this place and they deserve to be seen,” Thomas told Duplin Journal. “They deserve to be heard. They deserve to be believed. And it’s my understanding and also my impression, given what has transpired in the past three weeks, that that’s not happening to the level that it should be happening.”

Also at the meeting:

Marzella Morrisey, a longtime public servant and current advisory board member for the Duplin County Department of Social Services (DSS), voiced serious concerns about the agency’s ongoing staffing issues. Drawing on her professional background, Morrisey emphasized that the current hiring process is ineffective. She explained that staffing shortages at DSS are leading to overwhelming workloads, contributing to employee burnout and a deteriorating work environment.

“Each month we have over 15 vacancies, if not more,” said Morrisey, emphasizing the importance of a supportive and respectful workplace. She noted that when employees feel valued, retention improves. To address the staffing issue, she suggested forming a committee to review and revise the hiring procedures in collaboration with the county manager.

Dawn Strickland, Director of Duplin County Transportation, presented a public hearing for three upcoming transportation grants. These include funds for administrative costs, new vehicles, and support for elderly and disabled transit services.

The first one will help with the cost of administrative expenses. The amount is $267,095. The local share for that is 15% which will be $40,064. The second grant they will apply for will be used to purchase a raised roof van for lettering for that van. “We intend on getting 16 new tablets for each of our vans in our fleet. That amount is $114,915 with a 10% local share which is $11,491,” she explained. The third grant will help provide transportation for the elderly and disabled. That is a 50-50 grant of $40,000 with a local share of $20,000. The local matches for these grants will come from the department’s enterprise fund balance, and all were approved unanimously by the board.

County Planner Chris Hatcher introduced a Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) amendment, that establishes a 1,000-foot setback from any operational agricultural facilities. This change aims to balance residential and agricultural development and establish clarity for future planning. The board held a public hearing and passed the amendment unanimously.

Also at the meeting, Samantha Lane, Duplin County Animal Services facility director was honored by the Maysville Police Department for her life-saving efforts in a critical animal cruelty case. Maysville Police Chief Carl Baugus and Captain Kristy Kooper presented Lane with a plaque.

“We had five puppies and a mama dog that if we didn’t act on the search warrant that night, they would not have survived,” said Kooper. “She got them dogs out of there and got them medical care that day. We couldn’t have done it without her… You’ve got good people working for you.”

Airport Director Josh Raynor on behalf of the Airport Commission presented two infrastructure-related requests: a $2.6 million hangar construction change order and a $10,000 change order for the Taxiway A3 project. Both projects had been pre-approved by the Airport Commission and were unanimously approved by the board.

Lastly, County Manager Bryan Miller presented an Employee Development and Educational Incentives Policy aimed at boosting employee growth and retention through funding for job-related education.

“Through this policy, we may cover tuition, textbooks, registration fees and lodging associated with approved educational activities. There are eligibility requirements associated with education and training. I believe the key to the requirements is that the course be necessary for continued performance and growth in the employee’s current role. These trainings have to be approved by both the department leader and the county manager,” said Miller, explaining that the tuition must not be paid with ad valorem tax collections or departmental fees and there is a repayment policy for employees who choose to leave within two years of completing the training.

This, too, was approved.