The Onslow County Board of Commissioners met at 6PM, Monday, November 15, 2021 in the Commissioners’ Chambers at the Onslow County Government Center. The following are summaries of the actions taken and are not official minutes of the Board.
At the beginning of the meeting, the Commissioners added a Resolution opposing the Proposed Shrimp Fishery Management Plan of the State. The proposed rules would close many waters in Onslow County to shrimping.
The Commissioners approved adding the resolution to the Consent Items and then approved those items. Other Consent items included Budget Amendments, award of a service firearm to the retiring Sheriff’s deputy, and a resolution in support of a traffic signal at Queens Creek Road and the Swansboro High School and Queens Creek Elementary school.
Two proclamations were presented, one for National Adoption Awareness Month and the other for Veterans Recognition Month. During the presentation of the Veterans presentation, Vice Chairman Tim Foster, himself a veteran, recognized Commissioners Paul Buchanan, Robin Knapp and Walter Scott are also veterans.
It was also noted that the County had recognized the nearly 200 veterans who work for Onslow County Government. They were recognized in a reception earlier in the day.
The Commissioners heard a presentation on an audit of the County’s financial records. The independent accounting firm of Elliott Davis gave an unqualified opinion of the financial status of Onslow County’s financial status.
A set of text amendments to the County’s Zoning Ordinances that were designed to clarify revisions of the enforcement provisions was unanimously approved after a public hearing.
Separately, a set of nine map amendments were the subject of a separate public hearing for changes that had been missed or needed to be changed from the previous adoption of the County’s Zoning Ordinance. The Commissioners unanimously approved the changes.
Under General Items, the Board approved amendments to project ordinances that would close out the project and return $3.8 million in unspent funds to the appropriate accounting funds.
A Detention Center Medical Plan and an authorization to execute documents that help support financial benefit to the PEERS Family Development Center were also approved.
After a public hearing earlier in the month, the Commissioners unanimously approved a schedule of values for the reappraisal of property in the County. This is the ‘guidebook’ for the review of all property in the County for next year.
Among appointments, the Commissioners appointed Arthur Purcell and Lindsay Russell to the Museum Advisory Board. The Commissioners appointed Julia Parrish, Liz Hurst, Angie Robles, Brian Kelly, Cassandra Almond, Linwood Foy and Wendell Boykins to the Community Child Protection and Child Fatality Review Team.
The Board split 6-to-1 to approve a budget amendment that was removed from the Consent Agenda. The amendment provided additional funding to accommodate the higher prices for drugs and personal protection equipment for Emergency Medical Services. It was indicated that the cost of some items had significantly increased. Commissioner Scott had asked to have the item removed from the Consent Agenda and was the lone vote against the approval of the amendment.
