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The Dare County Board of Commissioners continues to move forward with capital projects.

The county issued a Request for Qualifications for architectural and engineering services for design and contract administration for the county’s long-range improvements for eight Emergency Medical Services facilities.

The board’s Capital Improvements Plan Committee reviewed the seven submissions and recommended selection of Oakley Collier Architects.

On July 19, the commissioners voted to accept that recommendation and authorized county manager Robert L. Outten to negotiate and sign a final contract.

The general scope of architectural services includes preparing schematic design drawings, design development drawings and construction documents, bidding and award of construction contracts and administration of construction contracts.

All eight of the county’s Emergency Medical Services stations are included in the long-range plan. The stations are located in Kill Devil Hills, Manteo, Frisco, Southern Shores (shared space with the town’s fire department), Nags Head (shared space with the town’s fire department), Rodanthe (shared space with the Chicamacomico Banks Fire and Rescue Department), Dare Med Flight Hangar in Manteo and Manns Harbor.

County finance director David Clawson reported that debt rating agencies require several financial predictions. He presented to the board a five-year General Fund forecast, the Capital Investment Fund and Debt Affordability Model, the Beach Nourishment Fund Model and the Water Rate Model. Included in the information are capital improvement projects and details for replacing roofs, HVAC equipment and major equipment and a major maintenance reserve for Dare’s medical helicopter.

In the consent agenda, Dare commissioners approved:

– A five-year disaster debris removal agreement with NCDOT for the county to remove debris from US and NC Routes and Secondary Routes identified with a four digit number. Dare County applies directly to FEMA for debris removal cost reimbursement.

– Reestablishing a Governor’s Crime Commission grant for the Sheriff’s Office. The $24,400 grant for body-worn cameras was not spent during the county’s fiscal year. The grant’s performance period ends Sept. 30, 2021.

– A two-year contract between Courthouse Computer Systems, Inc. and Dare County Register of Deeds. The vendor will provide software, data conversion, website maintenance and telephone and remote support. The annual fee is $30,000.

– Updating the Dare County Transportation Title VI Plan – 2020 adopted by the board on Dec. 7, 2020. NCDOT requires updating signatures on the Title VI Program Plan when staff changes. Three pages of the plan must be re-executed to acknowledge Radcliff Hester as transportation program supervisor.

– A budget amendment for the Public Health Division for a 20-month grant from Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services, titled “Opioids and COVID: Supporting Justice Involved Individuals with Substance Use Disorder during COVID.”

Funding to be used to hire a linkage to care coordinator for 20 months, cover the cost for 20 months of a sheriff’s deputy hired for transporting individuals to rehab facilities and to cover the cost of a weekend nurse at Dare County Detention Center for 20 months. Other costs covered by this grant are the purchase of a handheld narcotics analyzer for officers, upgrades to Detention Center for remote access, laptop for the coordinator, copier for recovery court office, mental health medications, NARCAN kits, drug tests, personal protective equipment, suicide blankets, publications, social determinants of health needs for recovery court participants, entry fees to treatment, probation fees, first month’s rent in a sober living facility, contracted services for a peer support specialist and for counseling and mental health services. Grant funds total $700,000.

– A $15,000 budget amendment for miscellaneous administrative costs of mailing correspondence to oceanfront property owners regarding easements for the upcoming beach nourishment project in Avon.

– Three-year contract with KnowBe4 for phishing and security training for Dare’s Information Technology Department for $17,630.36.

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