Health and safety will dominate Monday’s regular meeting of the county commissioners, and the board will also consider a moratorium on data centers.
Among the items on the agenda are requests for approval for generator switches to be installed at East and West Columbus high schools. The switches will allow safe use of alternate power when the schools are pressed into duty as emergency shelters. The lowest qualified bids for the two projects were Kelly Construction at ECHS for $377,501, and Waters Construction at WCHS for $301,200. The work is being paid for through a Local Emergency Shelter Capacity Grant from the state.
Commissioners will also be asked to approve the county’s participation in the Rural Health Transformation/Mobile Integrated Healthcare program. The $419,625 grant between the state and County Emergency Services will create the first county-operated paramedic response unit. Currently paramedic care is provided via contract with rescue squads in Whiteville, Nakina and Tabor City.
The county-operated paramedic team will be stationed 24 hours a day in the western part of the county.
The board will also be asked to approve a request from Randy Guyton of the Fire and Rescue Association that would allow fire departments to utilize funds for other than budgeted purposes if they have money left at the end of the budget year. The departments would have to show where the funding assisted and aided the department with expenses.
Leases are expiring on a number of county buildings. County Attorney Amanda Prince will present requests from Monumental Services opioid counseling and the Farmer’s Market to renew their respective leases. Prince will also ask the board’s approval to negotiate a new lease with the Farm Service Agency. The board is also being asked to allow the N.C. Dept. of Motor Vehicles to lease the former VFW building on Legion Drive as a temporary office.
The board will also discuss a possible 90 day ban on data centers to allow staff time to research the facilities. Data centers have been drawing criticism over excessive water usage, strain on the electrical grid, and destruction of farm land. Currently, only one data center developer has reached out to the county for permits.
The meeting begins at 6:30 in the commissioners chambers on Webster Street in Whiteville. It may also be viewed online.
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