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CountyLines: March 2010
Accor among commissioners seeking seats in Legislature The candidates filing period closed Feb. 28, and the last day contained a few surprises, most notably a decision by NCACC President Mary Accor of Cleveland County to throw her hat in the ring for a seat in the N.C. House of Representatives.
Perseverance pays off with sales tax referendums Hertford, Randolph counties latest to make successful case to voters on revenue option
 Voters in Hertford, Randolph counties see the need There has been a seemingly endless supply of bad economic news for counties in recent months – declining sales tax revenues, rising unemployment rates and stagnant property values. Many county commissioners have probably stopped reading their morning newspaper and watching the evening news. In the midst of this bad news, counties received some good news in early March when voters in Hertford and Randolph counties approved referendums on the quarter-cent sales tax.
NCACC kicks off series of six district meetings on April 8 Ethics training to be held in conjunction with three district meetings
 Diving into the digital divide New Hanover County, City of Wilmington launch nation's first wireless network using television frequency 'white spaces'
Counties call on legislators for help on use of E-911 funds For more than a decade, North Carolina's counties have asked the Legislature for greater flexibility in allowed uses of E-911 fees. Expanding the use of these funds has been NCACC's top Justice and Public Safety goal since 1995.
Ashe County celebrates state-of-the-art jail  The only thing that could slow down the opening of Ashe County's Law Enforcement Complex was Mother Nature. The new $11.9 million Law Enforcement Center and its adjoining detention facility was completed under budget and roughly three months ahead of schedule, but county officials had to twice postpone an open house due to heavy snow before finally getting the opportunity to show off the state-of-the-art facility Feb. 12.
Youths engage in government through 4-H Trust levels in government can be improved among youths through programs such as those being implemented in Cabarrus, Catawba and Transylvania counties. Used as models, these county programs can help change the dynamic of youths' views of government.
Jim Goodnight: Give teachers, students tools to be successful Scientific papers and patents are a good measure of a country's innovation and creativity. The United States is weakening. We're not keeping up.
Sign of the times: counties will work for jobs As the state's unemployment rate jumped to 11.2 percent by the end of 2009, the NCACC Intergovernmental Relations Steering Committee tackled the difficult subject of job creation during its Feb. 23 meeting in Raleigh. From broadband to business incentives to economic development boards, committee members discussed a number of different strategies that counties can consider to spur job creation and economic development.
Task force to look at public health funding streams, standards At the NCACC Human Services Steering Committee's Feb. 11 meeting, committee members learned first-hand what the General Assembly had in mind when it approved a state budget special provision that directed formation of a Public Health Improvement Plan and Task Force.
Tax collectors wield a big stick to keep rate strong
Pigs may fly before a county tax collector wins a public popularity contest – and that's why the people in charge of collecting the taxes levied by county boards of commissioners must have thick skin. A handful of the best county tax collectors in the state shed their skin, so to speak, and traveled to Raleigh on Feb. 18 to share some of the methods and techniques they utilize to maintain high tax collection rates with members of the NCACC Tax and Finance Steering Committee.
DENR seeks 'good faith effort' from counties on ban State officials say enforcement of landfill ban on certain items doesn't involve searches, fines
Orange feeds county's hunger for local foods A new farm enterprise incubator initiative in Orange County is trying to grow the farming community and keep pace with a budding demand for locally grown foods, members of the NCACC Agriculture Steering Committee learned during their Feb. 10 meeting in Raleigh..
Justice and public safety agencies could feel crunch Counties could be impacted by potential state funding reductions to justice and public safety agencies for 2010-11, a team from the General Assembly's Fiscal Research Division told members of the NCACC Justice and Public Safety Steering Committee on Feb. 9.
Managing Your Risk If the unfortunate does occur and one or more of your county buildings are heavily damaged – for example by a fire or windstorm – understanding the different types of damage evaluation and loss settlement options can be extremely important.
County Health Plan wellness program receives a makeover  After a comprehensive examination, the County Health Plan's wellness program has been whipped into shape again, and we think Pool members will like what they see in the new "Well County NC."
More from this month's CountyLines: |
