Up & Coming Weekly

June 09, 2020

Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.

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10 UCW JUNE 10-16, 2020 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM FREE HEALTH CARE • for uninsured Adults call 910.485.0555 e Cumberland County Public Library is offering contactless curbside pickup at all eight library branches. Pickup is available Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., by appointment only. You can place orders through the library catalog or by calling (910)-483- 7727. Online orders will receive an email or a phone call when materials are available for pickup. Each library branch will have pickup orders bagged and ready at the appointment time. Upon arrival at the library, customers will go to the main entrance, show their library card or ID through the glass door and then step back behind a line ten feet away. Staff will open the door and place the order on a chair or table at the entrance. Once the door closes, the customer is free to pick up the order. Staff will follow the Northeast Document Conservation Center quarantine procedures for the returned items. e NEDCC recommends a 72-hour quarantine of returned books as the safest and most effective way to disinfect them. e use of liquid disinfectants is harmful to the books and is not recommended. Contactless Pickup at Library Branches Published by the NC Department of Public Safety, this downloadable guide covers safety at home, evacuation, disaster prep, tips for an emergency supply kit and more. https://bit.ly/3djX9wi North Carolina Hurricane Guide Drive-Thru Test Collection Offered by the Health Department on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the parking lot of Manna Church at 5117 Cliffdale Road. Test collection conducted by appointment only; walk-ins not accepted. Online self-assessment and appointment portal here: https://bit.ly/2LIwBZC Testing & Collection Sites Webpage and map with information on providers conducting testing: https://bit.ly/2LHhGPb Information Page Includes COVID-19 aggregate data, operational changes for county departments, news releases, and community resources and assistance: co.cumberland.nc.us/covid19 COVID-19 Information & Resources Department of Public Health Names Deputy Director Curtice e Cumberland County Department of Public Health has named Ashley Curtice as the new deputy health director. Curtice has served Cumberland County for four years in several roles at the Health Department. She began her career with Cumberland County as the regional tobacco control manager. In October 2019, she joined the Health Department's senior leadership team as the public health administrator. As the deputy director, Curtice will continue serving as public information officer and agency accreditation coordinator as well as participate in several COVID-19 work groups. She will also lead the day-to- day operations of the Health Department. "Ms. Curtice's educational background, work history in local health departments and public health leadership experience make her well suited for the Cumberland County Health Department Deputy Director position," said Health Director Dr. Jennifer Green. Curtice earned a bachelor's degree in community health education from UNC-Wilmington and a master's degree in public health education from Austin Peay State University. County Manager Amy Cannon presented the Fiscal Year 2021 recommended annual budget to the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners on June 1. Under the plan, property taxes would remain unchanged. Cannon recommended a "no- growth or flat budget" that exceeds the current budget by $1.3 million, which equates to 0.4%. e balanced recommended budget includes approximately $468 million in total expenditures across all funds, with a General Fund total of $325 million. e recommended budget maintains the property tax rate at 79.9 cents per $100 valuation. Each one cent on the tax rate is projected to generate $2.3 million in real, personal and motor vehicle taxes. e budget appropriates $9.7 million in fund balance, which remains within the board's policy of 3% of recurring expenditures. Cannon outlined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on current year revenues and projected losses for FY2021. Prior to the Stay-At-Home order, property, motor vehicle and sales tax revenues were projected to significantly outperform the original budget estimates by $5.3 million. However, due to the economic downturn, the County projects a budget deficit of $2.2 million in collections. Projected declines in sales, motor vehicles and property tax revenues for FY2021 total $9.2 million. e most dramatic impact is on sales tax revenues, which will see an estimated $6.2 million shortfall in FY2021 from what was projected prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Motor vehicles tax collections will see a $1.8 million shortfall and property taxes will generate $1.2 million less than earlier expected. In the Crown Complex enterprise fund, revenues have been impacted by COVID-19. Event revenue, prepared food and beverage and occupancy taxes support the operations, debt service and capital expenses for the complex. e budget projects a 12% drop in food and beverage tax collections and a 20% decrease in occupancy tax collections for a combined shortfall of $1.1 million for FY2021. e recommended budget includes a complete realignment of fees for Planning and Inspections. Fees in the Planning and Inspections Department have not changed in 10 years and have not kept pace with the cost of providing services. e proposed fees were developed by analyzing fees charged by comparable counties and the City of Fayetteville. e proposed fees remain lower than fees charge by contiguous counties. Cannon recommended delaying the implementation of the fees until Jan. 1, 2021, due to the economic impact of COVID-19 on the development community. e budget is posted on the County's website at co.cumberland.nc.us under the Budget Division. FY2021 Recommended Budget Presented News for Cumberland County Residents co.cumberland.nc.us

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