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Dare commissioners moved ahead on financing beach nourishment and courthouse improvement projects for 2022.

The commissioners adopted an initial financing resolution and held a required public hearing. A final resolution will be presented on installment financing for the projects on Sept. 20.

The authorized borrowing is $13 million for the county’s share of beach nourishment projects in Duck, Kill Devil Hills, Kitty Hawk and Southern Shores ($12,315,869) and improvements ($325,000) to the County’s Justice Center, which is pledged as the collateral for the financing contract. The current value of the Justice Center is $19,196,000.

The estimate for the re-nourishment project was $36.6 million. Two of the three bids came in under that amount: Great Lakes Dredge and Dock at $34,599,625; Weeks Marine at $27,932,500; and Manson Construction at $45,945,050.

The commissioners approved a $3 million final, approving resolution for the 2021A Installment Financing Contract to finance the purchase of property in Kill Devil Hills (Mako’s Beach Grille and Bar) and in Manteo (Masonic Lodge).

Seven financing bids were submitted. First Bank in Kill Devil Hills won the bid for the 10-year debt with an interest rate of 1.48%.

Dare’s commissioners unanimously passed a resolution approving a Memorandum of Agreement between the State of North Carolina and Local Governments related to the settlement of opioid litigation.

The North Carolina Association of County Commissioners formed a Working Group of five county commissioners, five county managers and five county attorneys. Dare’s county manager Bobby Outten served on that working group with worked with the state’s Department of Justice. The plan contained in the Memorandum is now considered a national model.

Nationally, $26 billion is expected to be paid out over 18 years.

In the Opioid Litigation Settlement Overview, North Carolina’s share will be parceled out with:

—“15% to the state (which the General Assembly would have authority to appropriate on a wide range of strategies to address the epidemic)

—“80% to local governments, including all 100 counties plus 17 municipalities, allocated among those counties and municipalities through a formula developed by attorneys representing local governments in national litigation

—“An additional 5% percent into an incentive fund for any county (and any municipality in that county slated to receive settlement funds) in which the county itself and every municipality with at least 30,000 residents (based on 2019 population totals) in the county signs the state’s Memorandum of Agreement.”

The commissioners authorized Outten or a designee to advertise solicitations for bids using electronic means in lieu of placing an advertisement in a newspaper of general circulation.

As explained to the commissioners, initial solicitations for project bids would appear in a newspaper of general circulation but notice of rebidding a project would appear on the county’s website.

The commissioners approved two non-negotiable contracts, with companies serving as intermediates under the Medicaid Transformation program.

The first contract is with One Call for Non-Emergency Ambulance Service. Under this contract, Dare’s Emergency Medical Services will be reimbursed for transporting a Medicaid recipient under non-emergency situations.

The second contract is with WellCare Health Plans, Inc., for actual Emergency Medical Services, which will be reimbursed.

About the contract with One Call, Outten said, “we’re stuck with it.”

“It’s just the way things are going to be going forward,” said board Vice Chair Wally Overman.

Dare’s commissioners, under the consent agenda, approved Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Division, budget amendments for three grants:

—A $115,000 grant for School Health Liaison funding which will be used to hire part-time registered nurses and administrative staff, purchase supplies and pay for travel and staff development and to “enhance the working relationships between the schools and local health authorities,” states the meeting’s agenda item.

—Continued funding of $7,000 from Outer Banks Hospital Grants Program for a public awareness and education campaign for the Breaking Through Task Force to reduce the stigma related to behavioral health and to improve the overall wellness of the community through better access to care, support, improved functioning and promotion of positive mental health. Funding will be used to produce additional videos for the Mental Health Champions Video Series, printing of the Adult Mental Health Workbooks and Resource Guides, and promotional materials.

—The county’s Public Health Division is one of four Health Departments chosen to work with the NC Local Health Department Accreditation Program to participate in a six-month long collaborative design team on Quality Improvement. A stipend of $1,500 is provided for staff participation in two workshops, monthly meetings and testing quality improvement related activities.

A contract with Johnson Controls, Inc., for scheduled services for two gas-fired boilers in the Health and Human Services building was also approved in the Consent Agenda. The first year cost is $8,358.

These actions were taken Sept. 7, 2021. All commissioners were present. The next meeting is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 20 at 5 p.m.

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