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Pender County Government UpdateDepartment

BOARD OF ELECTIONS

February 22, 2021 - March 03, 2021

New Registrations: 90Voter Changes: 1023List Maintenance: 22Con rmation cards: 11Biennial List Maint: 0NCOA Con rmations: 697

NVRA Surveys: 5

Voter Cancellations 4

Party Changes D to R = 2 D to U= 2 R to D= 4 R to U= 8 U to D= 3 U to r = 3

L= no changes

D=Democrat, R= Republican, U= Una liated, L= Libertarian

Elections BoardAttended 1 StatCompleted 3 InAuditing ElectioCreating Electio

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COOPERATIVE EXTENSION

4-H Youth Education – Liz Peterson · 4-H FarmSHARE Drive Thru event - gave away 50 boxes of produce and different types of meat grown by local farmers to families in need · Partnered with Brunswick County 4-H and Cape Fear Workforce Development Consortium to do a 3-part workshop series. The �rst was Practicing Mindfulness, the second was College & Career Readiness - Building Your Brand. Our 3rd session will be on March 17th. · Held the February Pender County Resiliency Task Force Meeting · Helped facilitate the Eastern Regional 4-H Shooting Sports Coaches Meeting · Helped facilitate the Mars Rover Landing Watch Party for 4-H'ers across NC · Planned 4-H Summer Fun programs · Led the 4-H Teen Council meeting where we wrote letters to troops, veterans, healthcare workers, and �rst responders for Operation Gratitude · Helped facilitate our Empowering Youth & Families Program meeting where we planned our Community Event · Worked with 4-H Club Leaders to re-charter 4-H clubs with new guidelines from NCSU, for 2021 Consumer Horticulture – Tiffanee Boone · Agent has been doing home visits and answering phone calls, texts, emails, and Facebook posts about everything gardening. • Agent has been participating in professional development training on the Master Gardener intranet website and 4-H online and plants, pests, and pathogens training through NC State University. • Master Gardeners volunteers have been weeding the teaching gardens around the Extension o�ce, Burgaw library, Hampstead library, and Poplar Grove. • The next Speakers Bureau's event will be conducted by webinar instead of in person. They have a schedule of different gardening topics to do by webinar. • They have an Ask a Master Gardener booth at the Poplar Grove Farmer's Market to answer questions that they will be starting in the spring. They have been getting training about the new intranet through zoom. They have been working to update our Pender Extension Master Gardeners webpage. • Due to covid-19 restrictions they are recording videos for the teachers to use and working on a YouTube channel to continue the Horticulture in the Classroom Program that has been going on for many years in Pender County Schools. Two new session about plant propagation were recorded. · EMG’s are raising plants, vegetables, and trees for the spring plant sale which will be 5 neighborhood sales spread

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throughout the county this year. · EMGs are planning an outdoor spring achievement luncheon when most have been vaccinated for Covid-19. Natural Resources – Amy Mead, Area Agent · Agent earned certification in Stream Bank Repair through the NC State Bio and Ag Engineering Department to assist residents dealing with issues related to stream bank erosion. · Registered over 200 people for an 8-week Backyard Sustainability series that starts Wednesday, March 10, 2021\. Last day to register is today, March 5, 2021. To register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/backyard-sustainability-class-series-registration-138323450163 · Assisting residents with questions related to storm water management on their property. · Working with Topsail resident low-input native plantings and dune restoration. Empowering Youth & Families / 4-H Program Assistant – Traci Spencer · Upcoming events: 1. Empowering Youth and Families 2021 Spring cohort starting March 30, 2021\. All families with middle school age teens are invited to join. 2. EYFP Presents: The Pender County Drive-Thru Resource Fair on March 27, 2021 from 10 am to 12 pm. · Participated in the Pender County Resiliency Task Force ACES Connection Zoom Meeting, 4-H/Juntos Farm Share Food Drive, EYFP Program Assistant Staff meeting, and met with Pender County Health Department partners regarding the EYFP Community Event. · Wrote EYFP blog about the Spring 2021 cohort; summarized evaluations from the Fall 2020 EYFP cohort; sent invitations to EYFP partners and facilitators to attend the upcoming NC Opioid Prevention Summit. · Picked up and delivered broiler chicks to Topsail High School students for 4-H. CED / Agriculture / Commercial Horticulture – Mark Seitz · Taught 6 hours of crop production, pesticide safety and herbicide drift management classes for privately and commercially licensed pesticide applicators. 38 applicators from multiple counties received credits for license recerti�cation. · Working with regional task force to get Pender County’s farm workers educated about covid-19 vaccinations. · Working with producers interested in participating in the NCSU Vacation Supported Agriculture (VSA) program. The goal is to connect seasonal beach property renters with local produce farmers to provide a box of produce for a week. · Addressed a variety of questions including pastures and mud, grass selection, prawn production opportunities, personal protective equipment supplies, blueberry and strawberry production, winter wheat crop health and weed control.

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https://www.eventbrite.com/e/backyard-sustainability-class-series-registration-138323450163


HEALTH - GENERAL

Health department staff continue to address "all things" COVID: testing, contact tracing and vaccinations. Nearly 1600 �rst and second doses of Moderna were administered this week. School teachers and staff were vaccinated on Wednesday (485). We are receiving about 600 �rst doses a week. It has taken much longer to �ll appointment slots for those 65+ and health care workers. As of this week, the health department is beginning others in Group 3-Essential Frontline Workers. Next week those county employees requesting the vaccine will be addressed as well as employees from local manufacturing. Other professions in Group 3 eligible for the vaccine are listed at the NCDHHS website. Vaccines are becoming more available such as Walgreen's and Harris Teeter stores. New Hanover Regional Medical Center is also offering vaccine at large events. They will have some doses of the new Johnson and Johnson vaccine but it is not a guarantee that is the vaccine one would receive. Pender County does not expect J&J vaccine until April at the earliest.

COVID testing, cases, hospitalizations and deaths have decreased. The majority of cases are related to community spread among younger populations.

Environmental health staff is at least two weeks behind in the issuing of permits. The wet weather has limited staff's ability to work in the �eld.

The animal shelter has had an 83% live release rate for 2021, reuniting many animals with their owners, sending several to area rescues as well as adoptions. They have taken in two horse this year. One has been placed and the shelter is working with a rescue to place the second one which is in need of $4,000 worth of surgery.

We have been noti�ed that due to COVID, re-accreditation has been extended for another year. Therefore, we will be expecting to work on this effort for an August 2022 date.

We have several vacancies ofhard to �llpositions- Two registered nurses and two nutritionists. And we will be recruiting for a Family Nurse Practitioner this summer as Joan Taylor is retiring. This will be a huge loss for the department and our patients.

Remember to practice the 3Ws


HUMAN RESOURCES

HR has had an eventful 2 weeks beginning with onboarding 9 new employees. We have been �nalizing information for our salary study and have begun planning our Service Award Luncheon that will take place on March 25th to honor those employees who have reached serving milestones with Pender County. We have also been continuing to cross train within our department to better serve our employees. Finally, we have been working towards getting our department's safety award applications submitted to the Labor Department.


LIBRARY

On the morning of Wednesday, March 3, 2021, Pender County Library had the honor to dedicate the public meeting room at the Main Library in Burgaw to Mike Taylor, who served as library director of Pender County Library from 1985 to 2020\. The Pender County Board of Commissioners approved the Library Board of Trustees’ request in December that the meeting room be named in Taylor’s honor and that a portrait of Taylor be displayed at the library.

The Friends of Pender County Library provided the funding for the new sign for the room, a plaque honoring the room dedication, and a pen-and-ink portrait of Taylor created by local artist Mitchell Henderson. The Friends of the Library is a nonpro�t that raises funds to supplement county and state funding for the library and that advocates on behalf of the library.

In attendance were Taylor, Library Board of Trustees Chair Liz Piacenza, Friends of Pender County Library President Irene Baker, Assistant County Manager Allen Vann, Burgaw Mayor Pete Cowan, Interim Library Director Allen Phillips-Bell, Hampstead Branch Manager Karen Burkett, Burgaw Library staff, and the portrait artist Mitchell Henderson.

During the dedication, Taylor spoke of how humbled he is by the rare honor of having the meeting room dedicated to him, and how he is indebted to the Library Trustees and the Friends of the Library for their long-standing support. Vann took the opportunity to express what a pleasure it had been to work with Taylor, to wish Taylor all the best in his retirement, and to thank everyone present for their support of the library system.

Caption for accompanying photos:

Small group photo collage:

Top row, left to right: Mike Taylor, Liz Piacenza; Allen Phillips-Bell, Mike Taylor, Allen Vann

Bottom row, left to right: Pete Cowan, Mike Taylor; Irene Baker, Mike Taylor, Mitchell Henderson

Staff photo:

Back row, left to right: Angelica Tucker, Allen Phillips-Bell, Shannon Kidney

Front row, left to right: Misty Barnes, Mike Taylor, Karen Burkett, Nancy Lukens, Dee Smith

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PARKS & RECREATION

Registration is open for our drive-in movie at Pender Memorial Park on March 12th featuring Pets2\. This event is co-sponsored by the Town of Burgaw. To celebrate North Carolina Arbor day we are hosting two tree seedling giveaways this year. OnFriday March 19th from 3-6pm we will be at Advance Auto Parts in Rocky Point. On SaturdayMarch 20th from 9am-12pm we will be at Hampstead Kiwanis Park. Flyer is attached for thisevent.Our next Parks and Recreation Advisory board meeting is on March 11th at 6:30pm in the Boardof Commissioners meeting room in Burgaw.Registration is open for our 2021 Spring Cornhole League and Sand Volleyball League atHampstead Kiwanis Park. You can nd more information and registerat https://penderpr.recdesk.com/Community/Program ;Summer Camp registration begins on March 22nd. This year we will host camps at TopsailElementary and Rocky Point Elementary. You can registerat https://penderpr.recdesk.com/Community/Program.Staff continues to work on updating the 2010 Parks and Recreation Master Plan. Surveyinformation and public meeting dates will be released in the coming weeks.

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REGISTER OF DEEDS

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TOURISM

County update Feb. 21- March 5, 2021

Tourism

With the arrival of the 2021 visitor guides, we have been busy delivering the guides to our local establishments.

We attended a meeting with various entities to create The Great Trail State, highlighting the many trails in the state.

Again, we met with Surf City’s o�cials to discuss collaboration.

We are working with the Friends of the Mountains to Sea Trail’s annual conference. This year the conference is virtual and will be called the “ungathering.” Tammy will moderate a panel on Saturday afternoon. The conference is March 25-26.

We attended a C-CoAST listening session, hosted by UNC personnel. They had questions regarding flooding, weather events, aquaculture, impacts of tourism, the impacts coastal communities experience, etc.

We “pitched” feature article information to Meredith Publications. We entitled our presentation: Taste the Goodness of Pender County: Blueberries, Brews, BBQ, and Best Seafood.

We continue our planning participation with Cape Fear Community College’s fall event.

We continue our work on the African American Heritage Trail, research of plantations and plats, the Gullah Geechee influence, and more.

We took the new printer training.

We passed the NEOGov safety training.

We continued our monthly meeting with our assistant county manager.

We visited new businesses and remodeled businesses – all tourism related – and we listened to their concerns, but also their expectation of a good season, starting with spring break.

We are serving on the service awards planning committee.

We attended a ceremony honoring one of our realty companies which built a new headquarters.

We continue working with the chambers of commerce.

We continue to promote the development of YWCA programming for Pender County.

We are finalizing our Beach Week campaign for the summer. Refrigerator magnets for vacation rentals have been ordered with the QR Code that will take readers to information that is specified for their

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week’s stay. We promote regions of the county to explore. Attached are samples of the refrigerator magnets and a sample week of teasers

We supported – and enjoyed – the Moores Creek National Battle�eld virtual tours, commemorating the 245th anniversary of the Battle at Moores Creek Bridge.

We are working with a tour guide operator who is developing COVID-safe walks for groups. We provided numerous opportunities in Pender County.

We’ve taken two calls this week from MST hikers who wanted area information.

Film crews are beginning to wrap up operations in our office. We have thoroughly enjoyed having them. We discussed – if family appropriate – hosting a Hometown Hollywood Premier Night.

We are staying in contact with a local business and Genesis Block as the business begins a process of growth and relocation of the business.

We submitted nominations for 2021 Coastal Entrepreneur Awards of outstanding Pender County businesses.

Stephanie created a month-long social media campaign on Black History Month, featuring noteworthy Pender County natives, including Ivey Hayes, CF Pope, Michael Jordan’s mother, Samm Art Williams and many more.

We met with Mayor Cowan regarding the NC Blueberry Festival. Pender County Tourism promised to besupportive in whatever decision they make on smaller events, T-shirt sales, blueberry sales, etc.

Olivia is attending a UNC School of Government class on social media.

Next week Olivia and Stephanie are attending the Main Street Conference, virtually.

After attending two workshops on events and festivals and being actively involved in organizations created to serve events and festivals, Olivia and Stephanie are creating a local, virtual workshop for our events and festivals to assist them in planning in this COVID-era. The workshop is set for March 26\.

Communications:

We have fielded questions and coordinated multiple media organization’s request for interviews and information.

We have delivered numerous press releases for various departments.

We collaborate and coordinate with announcements regarding vaccine rollouts.

We attended the quarterly Cape Fear Communicators meeting.

We continue to monitor social media as well as post important information to the county’s website.

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UTILITY OPERATIONS

PENDER COUNTY UTILITIES (PCU) & WATER DISTRICTS:

Work is continuing on the Annex well for its permanent facilities construction and on the Maple Hill water system interconnection with ONWASA.

Staff work and status updates since last report:

• Completed pressure test on domestic line at Sailor Way Road area of Wyndwater.

• Automatic �ush valve installed and set on daily �ush on Riverland Drive.

• Two water taps installed and repaired two services. Two leaks in Wyndwater and leak on NC 210 at the NE Cape Fear River bridge repaired.

• Water �ushing completed at Arden Drive.

• 304 locates in the last two weeks.

• Met with American Tank and he did a survey of all distribution system water tanks with a presentation for future maintenance.

• Repaired pressure sensor pipe on Topsail elevated tank.

• Customer complaint on Coastal Plantation on Pinestraw Drive about black stains in sinks. Talked to her about the faucet �lter screens cleaning needs and that depending on the plumbing used there could be precipitation of compounds like copper, iron, or manganese. The source water was within limits for those compounds and we did not have signi�cant complaints from any other customers.

• Received training on Munis usage.

• Loss of work truck 4005 in accident from citizen pulling out in front of employee on NC 210 at Peanut Road.

WATER PRODUCTION NUMBERS:

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November 2020 Daily Avg: 1.20 MGD from WP, 0.049 MGD from Wallace, 0.710 MGD to Hamp/SH, 0.082 MGD from Annex Well

December 2020 Daily Avg: 1.326 MGD from WP, 0 MGD from Wallace, 0.663 MGD to Hamp/SH, 0.086 MGD from Annex Well

January 2021 Daily Avg: 1.37 MGD from WP, 0.096 MGD from Wallace, 0.715 MGD to Hamp/SH, 0 MGD from Annex Well

February 2021 Daily Avg: 1.25 MGD from WP, 0.287 MGD from Wallace, 0.730 MGD to Hamp/SH, 0 MGD from Annex Well

WATER TREATMENT PLANT

Backwashed all 4 Granulated Activated Carbon (GAC) vessels and in the process of writing a new backwash SOP (standard operating procedures). Repaired sample line on GAC #3. Recycle Pumps #1 and #3 were sent out for diagnosis and repair (attached is picture of pump #3 and what is left of the impeller).

Drained and �ushed �lter in�uent channel. Determined that a full washdown was not practical due to the channel not completely draining. Future draining options are being explored.

I met with representatives from Brunswick County to discuss raw �ow meters and calibration.

Getting quotes on replacing main UPS batteries and switchgear batteries and for orthophosphate.

Production numbers for February: 34.9 million gallons for a daily average of 1.25 MGD

PCP WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT - MKKAES (Melinda K. Knoezer Adaptive Ecosystem)

Since our last update we have had some troubles with our chemical feed system but managed to stay in compliance the whole time.

• We have cleaned �lters on pumps.

• Replaced supply line to chemical feed pump.

• Installed back up chemical pumps.

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• Some site cleaning.

• Reset blowers.

SOLID WASTE

The Transfer Station scale house staff is creating about 96 tickets daily for disposal records. Waiting time at scales is about 8 minutes IN and 8 minutes OUT. We are temporarily without our part-time employee, but other staff is able to ensure the facility is open on its regular schedule.

We have some customers having di�culty �nding the right gate to access the Transfer Station from the main road. The old gate at the curve in Transfer Station Road is only used for emergency and employee access. The main entrance to both the Transfer Station and Hampstead Convenience Center is a concrete driveway closer to US 17, across from two commercial buildings. We are working on some additional signage to better direct our customers.

SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL TONNAGE FOR FEBRUARY 2021

MSW Kitchen trash collected 2093.73 tons

Construction & demolition 593.66 tons

Recycling not available yet

Tires recycled not available yet

Scrap metal recycled (shreds) not available yet

Whitegoods recycled not available yet

TV & Electronics 15.10 tons

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