County Meeting Notes

We added basic notes about county government meetings to our coverage. If you have additional story ideas, please send them to reporter and photographer Eleazar “El” Yisrael at (252) 258-9434 or [email protected]

About 40 people were in attendance at the June 16 Board of Commissioners meeting. During the public hearing, the most discussed topic was concerns over funding cut from the Pamlico Rescue Squad. Attendees also urged the commissioners to raise taxes in order to provide more money for the county. Seven people spoke.

The next Commissioners Meeting is scheduled for July 7 at 7 p.m. in the county courthouse annex.

Consent Agenda (routine items to voted on and usually don’t require discussion):

• The 2025-2026 county budget was approved.

  • See Down in the County’s budget overview/presentation.

  • Updates were made for the Pamlico Rescue Squad and Sheriff’s Department:

    • Previously, the commissioners decreased funding for the Pamlico Rescue Squad by approx $98,000. The funding allocated to the rescue squad for the 2024-2025 government year was about $1.4 million. At the last commissioners meeting, the budget proposal $1.3 million was allocated for the squad for the 25-26 budget. During the final budget meeting, commissioners finalized the appropriation for the rescue squad at the previous rate, reverting the cuts made. So, the Pamlico Rescue Squad will be given $1.4 million for the 25-26 government year, which is the same amount as previous year.

      • Commissioners said that the original cuts to the rescue squad were due to an audit by the county, which found the rescue squad had a $200,000 surplus. This money, the rescue squad said, was intended to allow for capital purchases and to deal with major issues that may come up. When the county and rescue had a meeting, they came to this understanding and this is what led to the county and squad to renegotiate.

    • At the previous meeting, the Sheriff’s Department was allocated $440,000 for the purchasing of six new police cars. Now the county will provide 4 police cars (one jail van and three police vehicles), financing the vehicles for three years instead of purchasing them, which will spread the funds for the vehicles overtime. This, the board said, was to make up for the funding for the rescue squad and to decrease the money pulled from the fund balance.

      • Fund balance deficit in the previous budget proposal was $2,274,901. Now it is $2,064,901.

    • Commissioners worked out a deal with the rescue squad before the final budget meeting.

• Approved Elections Voting System replacement in the amount of $2,808.

• Approved the appointment and reappointments for the Eastern Carolina workforce Development Board (ECWDB).

  • Appointed Jonny Schmidt.

  • Reappointed Kimberly Poole Riggs for a two-year term.

• Approved Kenny Heath’s appointment to the Trillium Health Board.

• Approved participation in the Beaver Management Assistance Program for the amount of $6,000.

  • Beavers block flow of streams and canals, with the possibility of flooding. To keep water in the area from flooding, the county hired people to blow-up the dams. Program is with the federal and state government.

• Approved the deed with the Pamlico County Public Library.

  • The County officially owns the new library building indefinitely.

  • New library building grand opening was June 14, 2025.

Correspondence Agenda (discussion required and are not routine):

• Approved additional projects for the new Emergency Operation Command (EOC)/911 Building.

  • To build a fence around the back of the building and engineer low voltage wiring in building.

• Approved Cody VanHook of the Water Department to increase their salary by 6% for obtaining his B-Well Certification.

  • B-Well Certification is water treatment certification to oversee well water treatment.

• Approved plan to set public hearing for Solar Energy Ordinance and Wind Farms.

  • Board discussed the requirement of solar panels to be set back 700 ft. from the road as opposed to 100 ft.

Health Department Presentation

• Highlighted the need for primary care in the county.

• Commissioners approved the memorandum of understanding between health departments and certain medical providers, such as nurse practitioners.

• Approved the hire of a non-paid intern to collect health data in the county.

• Applied to be designated as a Veterans Affairs (VA) Clinic.

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